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rickcharming · 3 years

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The Tales of the Knights of the Eternal Kingdom.

------------------------------------------------- The chronicles of Rick and Sarahi of House Collins ------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1 Beginning of a Knight.

In a small and modest castle lived young man, his name was Rick. Rick was the only son of the lord and lady of house Collins. House Collins was a castle claimed by two kingdoms. One Kingdom was ruled by the God of all creation and the provider of AF. AF was an energy force that could be used, only by the ones that received the power. It could be used to create shields, push or pull anything and empower light swords. Light swords were the weapon of the eternal Knights. The kingdom was governed by his Son, The Eternal King. The Kingdom of the eternal King was a kingdom that ruled its subjects in with peace, justice and most of all, Love. The other was the kingdom of the Great Dragon. It was banished from the realm of the pure light, in the Great War. Forced to live out its last days till it's time would run out. It took control of our world. The lands of the dragon were always at war with each other, for they were governed by greed. They were also at war with the Eternal King.

Young Rick had every kind of gift and toy that he could want, for Lord and Lady Collins would spend a lot of their time away. He would see them mostly at night, when they would return from their work that they had to do, to preserve their castle. Lord and Lady Collins never forced young Rick to join their side. He would be free to choose one day. Lord Collins worked in the in the building of markets and walled cities. The days were long and hard but he work there so that his family could have a nice and comfortable life. Lady Collins work was also long and hard, as she worked on people to make them look more attractive. It was not easy to keep up their castle but they made it work.

Rick had many friends. But his happiest times were when he would go to a place where land and sea would meet. His love for the ocean is what always would bring a smile to his face. Dolphins, sea turtles, and sharks were his favorite, but he only liked sharks from a safe distance. He was told by knights of the Eternal King, how one day, the entire world would be a paradise and the he could one day swim with Dolphins. Sir Rick love to pet, feed, and just watch them swim and play for hours. When he would return home, he would daydream about swimming with them. Rick was watched over by others as he grew up. The ones that watched over him would just have local players and minstrels keep him entertained. He learned about music, art, and acting. He saw plays showed loyalty, honor, and love. And then he would take from what he saw and began to create his own plays and music so he would never be bored or alone. As time pasted on he became interested in the Kingdom that his mother served. The more he learned about it, made him feel he would like to one day be a knight for the Eternal King. So he asked a knight, what he needed to do to become a knight. When he came to one of the territorial sanctuary, which his mother would often go to, he felt like he already was meant to become a knight. So he took the first step and became a page.

As a page he had the opportunity to meet knights, squires, and other pages like himself. He made new friends who were also pages, but when they would leave, he just would find new ones to be with. He so wanted to have close friends. But few would remain loyal for long. Most pages had knights that would help them, teach and train them to be knights. Rick did not have anyone take such an interest in him. This could have discouraged him, but he did not give up. He attended classes that all were invited to, that were held in one of the territorial sanctuary. He learned all that he needed to know there, on his way to become a knight.

Finally after a few years he learned all that he needed to know about becoming a knight. But something was missing, something he needed and that was a reason to be one. No one seemed to care one way or another if he did. He even questioned if the Eternal King cared. So one day, when he was swimming in the ocean, he got his answer. He had been swimming for 3hrs strait something he had not done before. The suddenly he was being pulled out to sea. So he prayed to the God of all creation in the name of the King of Eternity, as he saw his mother do. Rick said that if he would save him by sending a wave that would carry him to land he would become a knight. And save him He did, with one wave of the sea.

One day after he became a squire, on his way to becoming a knight, he met a squire. They both wanted to serve their King as Knights of His Kingdom. They served the same GOD and His appointed King with each other. They took turns serving in each other’s territorial sanctuary. These sanctuaries were grander then family house castles. They were more like a walled town, with a school for knights, and a free market. These markets had supplies that families could come receive for free, that they needed to keep their castles resilient and honorable. There was also a place that people could exchange supplies with each other so that all would have what they needed. Rick felt that he did indeed found a friend that would be there for him as Rick would be there for him. When Rick finished the trials of knight-hood, his quest was complete. He was now a Knight but in title only. He would soon find out that real trials were yet to come. He went to the Castle Fortress that over saw the territory where he lived. There he went through the ritual to become a knight. In the 75th year of the reign of the King of Eternity, Rick was made a knight. After the ritual, he was given his armor and his AF sword. His friend also became a knight after his trials. But soon Rick found out that he chose to serve the Great Dragon.

One of the worshiper of the great dragon offered his from gifts that he could only dream of. But he became a slave instead. Rick’s heart Darkened, when he heard the news about his Friend. He began to feel that it was not worth getting close to anyone, not worth the pain it would cause him when they left. From then on Rick was going to be alone as a knight. That it would be better to find a way to serve alone. But as he met and made many friends along his way, the loneliness lessened. The houses of House Philbrook, House Phillips, and House Corral, had many knights in each family. He would go on patrol missions with them, engaging the dragon’s worshipers and rescuing any and all they could.

One day near the castle of House Phillips, a Dragon Dredknight came at them. The Dredknight drew its sword and challenged Rick and he friends. The knights were ready for it. Activating their swords and shields, they prepared to stand their ground. It tried to strike at Rick first but the twins were able to strike at it while its focus was on Rick. Knowing it had lost the battel before it began it fled away never to return.

He met Keith and Jeremy of House Philips at the studies of Cel Ejon. At Yllev territorial sanctuary, he got to know all in House Corral. All of them we so deeply devoted to the Eternal Kingdom. Just being among them was a blessing. Rick quickly developed a close friendship with them all. He found himself feeling good to have friends again. He had, brothers, sister, fathers, mothers, and more. Rick was an only child and only a mother in the Kingdom he vowed to serve. He was blessed to be with them but there were times that they would do things with just their families, and that would remind him, that he was in a way alone.

Chapter 2. A Knight’s Quest

In the 78th year of the reign of the King of Eternity, after finishing his service to the town of Cel Ejon, Rick went on to join the ranks of the Order of Reenoip. For a few years he was one of only 2 male knights in Order of Reenoip, in the Yllev territory. His partner was Josef, an older knight that was fully devoted to his service to the King. Rick wanted to serve as his partner did as a single Knight. So he looked for a way that he could feel strong enough to fight for the honor for his King alone.

One day, while he was in the dark forest he saw what looked to be a light in a cave. He went in to the cave and saw that it was full of armor from fallen knights. At the end of the cave was a suit of armor that was whole and in perfect condition. There was a book on the table that was next to the armor and covered in dust and ashes. He opened it and the light in the cave glowed brighter. As he got closer he felt the power that the suit seemed to be emanating. After reading the book, that made many quotations from the Book of his God and his King on the blessings on serving alone, he put on the armor.

The SOLO knight armor did make him feel powerful. Joseph taught him about the path of SOLO, a knight with only his King will on his mind ALL the time. No wants or emotions to get in the way of their service to the King. And here was the knight’s armor. So Rick took on the name SOLOWOLF.

At first he began to feel more confident to take the lead in battle. Young squires and pages looked up to him as a good example to fallow. Older ones praised his works. Rick decided it was time to go and help out where he could do the most good. He heard about a territorial sanctuary that had a need for knights, because many of theirs went to build a new territorial sanctuary in a different part of the land. So he quickly left the Yllev Sanctuary, and headed for the Sill Hing sanctuary.

All seemed well but soon the dark power that came from this armor started to poison him. He started to feel like he was alone even when he was with his friends. He became angry at love, as if it was an enemy. He couldn't sleep. When his friends helped him to see that it was the Solo Armor that was causing him to feel this way, he went home to destroy it.

When Rick went into the room where he kept the SOLO armor he saw something fearful. The armor was alive. In a voice like that of the Great Dragon it spoke, “Have you come to destroy me Knight. I who gave you power. Then come at me. Let us see who dies.” Rick looked for the light sword his King gave him when he became a Knight. The SOLO armor pulled out of the shadows two maces. Finding the Sword, Rick reached out to it with AF, it flew to him. Once in his hand, he charged at the Solo armor and the fight began. He was able to deflect the blows from the maces that SOLO attached him with and with his light sword, he disarmed it.

The armor unleashed an icy cold blast of dark energy that made it hard for rick to concentrate on the fight. Forcing his mind to remember all the lessons he learned, he used AF to push back the dark energy long enough to drive his sword into the chest plait armor. Red sparks spewed from the armor and shrapnel cut Rick’s skin. But soon it was over. The Solo armor dropped to the floor. Just as lifeless as when he first found it.

Rick took the Solo armor, sword, books and all that was his part in the Solo legacy and set it on fire. He waited till it was nothing more than melted metal and ash. It was over, he would have Dark force relapses from time to time and he knew it would take time to heal. But he knew the wounds and scars would heal in time. At times he would go off by himself to heal and at other times his fellow knights would help him to heal anyway they could. They would fight the great Dragon’s army together and relax together; he was once more at peace.

As time went on his skills with his light sword improved, year after year he grew stronger. He aided in the building and repair of temple sanctuaries. Helped lost ones return to the Kingdom. He led many Knights into battle, help others to take the lead as he was helped when he joined the Order of Reenoip. He fought in many campaigns against the enemies of his King’s Kingdom and stood as a good model and humble leader.

But what he did not know was that other knights in the sanctuary were becoming jealous of him. Then one evening after a long battle, a fellow knight attacked him. Denway, a Knight Commander, tried to use AF to hurt Rick. He used it to cause a mini sand storm to blind him. Rick made no attempt to strike back, just made sure that Denway did not cause any real damage to him. Rick made his way home with only one deep cut from a thorn bush that Denway AF pushed in to his leg.

When he returned to his family’s castle his father saw blood on his leg. He asked Rick what happened to him. When he told his father who attack him, Lord Collins got on his mount. When to a nearby watchtower, and demanded to talk with Denway. He then call for the Commander Knight and told him of what took place. Jeckhon quickly took care of the mater and Denway made a movement to peace to Rick’s father. But from then on there would be little peace between Denway and Rick.

As the years went on, he, with other knights that he had forged deep and true friendships with, continued in the Kings quests. There were many victories and they celebrated them all. They all had the privilege of special duties for the King when attending the Grand Celebrations and yearly Great Festival. Sir Rick would even serve under Denway as the need would be. But he preferred to serve with Hon’Oshay or Wel Barter. Both of them were Knight Commanders and they were a great help to him in his continuing training to being a Knight Commander, one day. In them he saw in word and deed; loyalty, humility, compassion, dedication, and self-sacrifice.

There were many Knights that he would serve over, under, and at their side. He would try to fit in with the Knight Captains and Commanders that were around his age. But some of the things they did with the female knights bothered his code of honor. Two Squires who were drifting to join the Great Dragon saw these married Knight Commander wrestling with single women in front of their wives and they felt that there was no honor with the ones taking the lead. And later went off to serve the Great Dragon.

As Rick look at the faces of the wives as they watched their husbands grabbing the young woman. He could not let this travesty go on. But who could he tell. When a knight saw or found out about misconduct of a gross nature he was to report it to the Knight Commanders. But these are the Knight Commanders. And the young women were the Daughters of other Knight Commanders. There was only one thing he felt he could do. He asked a Grand Knight Commander if he was being too critical of these men, if what they were doing was wrong. But when Rick described what was going on the Grand Knight Commander demanded to know their names. So sir Rick told him and knew this might make a war with in the territorial sanctuary.

He began to see some of the knights treating each other differently. But he had faith that it would all work out in the end. His true friends were always at his side. As time went on, and he was spending more and more time in the Quest of The King, he would also spend more and more time with female Knights. There were even times when Rick thought that he might want to have a wife. But time and time again he heard the voice that said. “I have sworn to my King to serve without distraction. My King, my King, my King.”

One such Knight was Lelky, who might make a wonderful partner with him in his Castle that he would make one day. “I have sworn to my King to serve without distraction. My King, my King, my King.” Rick told himself and so did not pursue the chance to be anything more than good friends. Rick knew of a knight that had been betrayed by his wife and longed painfully for someone to heal his broken heart. Rick work to bring them together. Rick was in their wedding and even the loneliness he felt was no match for his happiness he felt for them.

He found strength in helping other and fighting the great dragon, with others, and sometimes alone, but lonely feelings would be ever in the shadows like hidden thorns to cut him again and again. Most of his closest friends had found their True Love. They left off from the Order of Reenoip, and began working to make their castle greater. As happy he felt for them, it made him feel more and more alone. The feelings were getting stronger, but not strong enough to change his mind.

So to help him cope, he went into his section of his families castle, that he was building on to. After all, the family home was two Kingdom home. To honor His King and to show who’s side he was on, he began adding on to it when he became a knight. He needed a place that he could to beautify and expand. One room was a place he could give glory to the Eternal King. He had a bedroom, a gym and training center and now he made a special room for Her.

This room would be a room made for the dream wife he would one day find and her name was Tigress Filena. She was a creation of his, like someone he hoped to find one day. Her hair was black as a starless night, green eyes, deeply spiritual. She had a black hooded cloak and a mask that hid her face. She was his True Fantasy. Someone to compare others to, and being a fantasy, no one could. It gave him a way to keep his romantic side alive till he could find “Her”

As the many years past, the want to find the woman that he had always dreamed of grew stronger. Tigress helped him fight off the loneliness. But what really help him was keeping busy in his work. In the duties as a knight, helping to find ones that were looking for a good kingdom to serve, is what helped him the most, which was his main goal. But what of the pages and squires he knew. Maybe he could help them to become knights. Some he would train others he would lead by the way he lived his life. There were a few pages and squires that looked to him for help often with some problem or another and he did what he could.

All was well, but then he discovered something, that he had to do something about. He was upset that there were divisions in the hall starting to rise, some of the Knight Captains and Commanders that were jealous of him, seemed to pick on some of the squires and pages because they were his friends. He also heard that some knights were dueling over his honor. At this point he knew it would be best if he left. He was strong enough and wanted to go where he could do the most good. He was appointed to the rank of Knight Captain, which came with more privileges and responsibilities. So he left to serve at a new sanctuary called Gillwowlen.

There, in Gillwowlen sanctuary, he found some friends of his past that were doing well, so here he would stay. There was one Knight in training that was truly gifted, his name was John. Someone as young as he was were just getting to know the elementary things of our God and the ways to use AF properly but John was already mastering principles that older not still had not learned to put into practice. Rick and John became good friend, both of them had a lot in common, from things they like to do to living in a divided family. They truly cared for each other. Rick knew John would one day be a much more powerful knight than he could ever be

In the 90th year of the reign of the King of Eternity, John was made a knight. Many rejoiced that day. Rick greatly enjoyed seeing John in action on the battle field and as a knight instructor. A few years went by it seemed that there was less and less for Rick to do. There were so many Knight Commanders and Captains there really was nothing for him to do, thou he was a great help to Gillwowlen. For a few years he did what he could but he felt that he wanted to do more. Then one day he asked a visiting Grand knight Commander where he could be more of a help. Before he knew it he was on his way to Searatanta.

The people of Searatanta were so grateful to have Rick. He was put in charge supplies, conducted combat training classes, lead knights in to the battle field. He was so busy that he no longer even thought of Tigress. For the first time in a long time, he was happy being single, to give his all to his God and King, he was free.

Sometime had past, it looked as if his God and King had poured out a blessing on to him till there was no more want. So he decided to return home to see what was going on. To tell them all the good works he was given to do, but something felt wrong, dark. It was a feeling he felt only one time before. He did not know why but something was not right. Almost like something horrible was happening. When he returned home, his fears came to life; he found that his family's Castle was under a plague.

Chapter 3: The young Sarahi.

In a land far away there was a little girl who lived with her Evil father and jealous mother. The father would hurt the young girl often and when others in the town would give gifts to the little girl her mother would take them from her, keep the ones she like and destroyed the ones she didn't.

One day a band of villagers rescued the little girl and her baby sister. They took them both to a town far, far, away so they would be safe. Some of villagers were glad they could help and wanted nothing in return. Others wanted her to be there servant girl. And to spend all her time cleaning their house, taking care of their dogs and her sister who could not do anything for herself. No matter how hard Sarahi would try, it was not enough to get any praise or the attention they should have given her. The evil head mistress who ruled over the cottage, told what to do and blamed her for anything that went wrong, she Never taught her anything that would help her in her future. As the years went by and the young girl grew up, other villager began to get to know her. She had some good friends in other villages a few hours away. They would make her feel happy when they were able to be with her. Singing and dancing was what she loves most doing when with them. She cared deeply for them, and wished she could spend more time with them then she was able.

The selfish Villagers that used her as their servant girl knew that others would find out the sweet and innocent girl was treated as a slave. So they began to give her some freedom. But not much and would often make her feel guilty for wanting to have some fun, for herself. But that did not take the fun away that she felt in her heart. And nothing could take away her love.

In the 93rd year of the reign of the King of Eternity Sarahi became a knight. But was not trained or given the chance to learn how to fight as one. Again her evil head mistress and the sister of the head mistress kept her down with their words of discouragement. Making her feel that she could not do anything right, without their telling her what to do. The lack of love and kindness, she so desperately needed, made her feel lonely. So she would look for love where ever she could find it, for a true prince. But sadly all the men, false knights or lesser men only wanted her for her body One tried to kidnap her, but she escaped. Other men tried to have their way with her. They would make her, at first, feel that they loved her, but all they wanted was to use her. When she would not give them what they wanted, they showed what scum they really were. They hurt her and made her cry. She began to feel she would never find her true love.

One day when she was at the territorial sanctuary, near her home she met another knight her name was Monica. The two became good friends. Sarahi did not know but her friendship with Monica would bring her in to the arms one day of her true love knight. The one she was looking for all her life.

Chapter 4. The plague of House Collins

Slaves of the great dragon laid siege on the castle that caused a plague, and infected his mother and grandmother. The plague stuck them with a sickness of the mind, but in different ways throughout the day. So bad was this sickness, Rick found himself trying to save her and the grandmother and his father who could not handle seeing them suffer and hurting themselves or each other. At times father and mother who loved each other, would attack each other. Many times Rick would have to jump in to the fight to stop them. Day after day he was in the field fighting for his God and King, only to come home to another war.

Then one night he would face the battle he felt he would lose. His father lost it. Running toward him, yelling as if screaming out a battle cry. “This is the fault of Your GOD!” the knight, still in his armor, through down his sword and focused all the power of AF to strengthen his energy shield and braced himself for the attack to come. His father, pounding with a mix of fear and anger on the knight’s shield. Dark power seamed to grow more and more with every hit that his father would strike the shield with.

He saw his mother down on the ground with self-inflicted cuts on her arm and words of the vilest saying from the darkest songs of the great dragon of rape and incest, as if she was reliving the terrors for her past. Reaching out with AF, Rick called out to his GOD for more AF to help him survive this fight. The knight with all the power he had left pushed his father and himself through a closed window. Glass went everywhere as the two of them fell to the muddy ground below. The blow from hitting the ground knocked the dark anger out of his father; they just looked at each other. In that moment they knew no matter how bad it gets, they were family, they would stay together.

As Rick was heading for his section of castle, he heard his father call out to him. His father said that he needed him to stay and help the best he could, his mother and grandmother, till they can find a way to make them better or that his father could stay home full time. Rick knew it meant he would have to leave his place in the temple of Searatanta, but it was the honorable thing and the right thing to do. His King would understand. So he said goodbye to all his new friends and returned home.

When the knight was back in his family’s castle, he went in search of a way to cure the plague. Months went by and he found nothing. One day at the great library he found a book of ancient plague and cures. To his great despair there was only one known cure. But it did not seem likely it would work for his family. There was a way to weaken it and give some relief to the victims. To give anyone some relief, someone would have to apply a blend of herbs on the infected one. But there was a risk to the one helping. So for his family he did just that. As he took care of them, he got infected as well. He helped his family to survive the plague. It inflicted upon him moments of insanity for a year. Some knights would try to help while others did little but stand by and watch. After a year had past, he was able to control the sickness from the plague and was no longer contagious. It left behind scars and injuries When he felt it was about to affect him again he would say he was getting sleepy and would quickly head for the castle. After a few months his strength was mostly back. Now is the time he thought, time to find the cure for me.

Chapter 5: finding the cure

Rick packed many things for his journey to the forest of a thousand answers. In this forest there were books from all over the world and just as many self-proclaimed sages. The wars that he fought, the plague that he saved his family from, the doubts that all that he had gone through had left in his mind, he needed answers for. So off he went to the forest of a thousand answers. Rick read books on psychology, philosophy, listened to sages on paganism, and Buddhism. But nothing came close to what his King had taught him. By the time he was done with the forest of a thousand answers, he had found the answer he was looking for. In his studies of his Kings knowledge, he did find a way to heal all of the damage and completely cure him of it. And the cure was TRUE LOVE. Knowing he would not find the cure where he was, he went his way to the land that was called “the view of the sweet water lakes,”

A friend from his days when he was in the Order of Reenoip, said that they could use more knights at the temple where she served at. So Rick journeyed to there, when he felt free of the weakness that the plague left him in. Here, he thought, he could leave that dark part of his life behind. But he soon found out those jealous shepherds of the temple he had left sent messages about the plague. And that it had made the knight insane.

Rick was disappointed that he would have to clear his name and prove himself again but it was not the first time and it would not be the last. Finally after a few years and a few trials, most had forgotten about his past. During the time he was proving to all in the land that he was a true Knight he made more friends, one Knight that he met was named Monica and she introduced him to a young knight. The knight was Sarahi.

When Rick and Sarahi met they became friends. But it was Not Love at first sight. He thought that she was too young for him. And she thought he was too old for her. So just friends was what they became. Rick would help with defending and maintaining the temple. There would be rescue campaigns and the training of pages and squires. All though all loved him, some thought because of what they heard that he was a danger to them.

No mater all the good and noble deeds Sir Rick would do even the ones he helped would treat him like the he still was sick. Sometimes they would attack him and he would have to defend himself without hurting them or they would use any wounds they got from him as proof that he was a danger to them. The one true joy that Sir Rick felt was when he was in the company of Sarahi. Just being with her as a friend, made him feel better than all times with others. They would do fun things together. Then not see each other for weeks.

One day after it had been a few months of not seeing each other. Sarahi caught sight of Rick as he was about to head off for home. She called out to him, so he got off his horse. She ran over to him and gave him a firm hug. It felt so good to the Knight, he thought to himself that maybe she is the one.

One day the knight came to where the maiden was serving. She told the knight about her sister and the plague that struck her when she was younger. Rick asked if there was anything he could do. She thanked him but said no, there was nothing anyone could do.

The next day Rick then asked Sarahi if she would like to help him with a night time dance party he was putting together. And she said yes. As they worked on the party and even made a dance for it He began to feel something he had not felt in a long time, Love. But this love was stronger than love that he had felt before; it made him feel stronger, more alive. The scars from the plague were healing. Some of the new scars from the attacks from the knights in the temple that he was now serving, were healing. Could this be the True love that I read about, the cure?

The party went well, and all who came had a good time. There was food and drink and dancing, the word about it reached many in the temple and soon Rick was proven to be a strong and fun and most of all, a knight to be trusted. His name was cleared of all reproached. Now I will ask Sarahi if she would let me court her.

Chapter 6 The power of True Love

The next week, Rick asked the maiden if she would like him to court her. She said, yes. But soon after the maiden's sister died, from the plague. The maiden sent a letter to the knight by way of the knight’s pet Raven. That he gave to her. The raven was trained to return to the knight. The raven flue fast that the ink was still a little wet when he reach the knight. The knight road off as fast as his horse could run. When the knight made it to the maiden she ran over to him wrapped her arms around him and he held on to her all night long. As she cried the knight handed her a tissue for her to dry her tears. When she became calm and then needed to sleep the knight took her and some of the villagers that cared for her, to their home.

He returned to the castle. He still had the tissue that caught her tears. He put it in a treasure chest and said, to himself. “As I was there for you in your darkest hour I will always be there for you Oh Lovely Sarahi. He sent to raven back so whenever she would need him she could let him know.

Sir Rick would stop by often to see how Sarahi was doing. Their love grew stronger and stronger. It seemed like the love they had was helping them both to heal the other. He told her how he had never and would never kiss until they were engaged. Sarahi then ask if they could get engaged soon. As she was getting over the pain of the death of her sister the day of the engagement came. They had a dinner with some of the villagers, friends and the knights mother, father and grandmother. When they announced that would be married soon. The ones who had love for them were so very happy.

But some of the villagers were jealous. They tried to cause the maiden to stress out. Telling her she would not be a good wife or a good mother. Other wicked ones told Sarahi that Rick still had the plague or that he was insane. That she should stay with them. Sarahi had just lost her sister, her whole life was spinning, she was scared in to calling off the wedding. When she told Rick that it could not happen, he let her go. And she ran away from him.

Rick was in pain, He called out to his God and just asked Why? As if there was more he had to suffer. If the blood and tears, that his service to Him was not enough, that his God wanted more from him. Rick took off to the cliffs that would spend time to think and to be alone. He had all of the armor and shield that was from His King. He was about to toss it in to the sea and jagged rocks below when he remembered the word from his God. “Love Never Fails…” as he began to think how he still loved her and only wanted her to be happy the pain was gone.

When he turned around from looking at the sea, he saw that warriors of the Great Dragon were about to attack him. Quickly reaching out with AF, he pulled his Armor to him it. It was though the Armor was being placed upon him on its own will. With both shield and sword in hand he struck them all down. The skills he had learned at the temple and the power of AF and that of his love for Sarahi gave him an easy victory.

A few months went by as Rick gave Sarahi time to heal, then one day, Rick went to the home of Sarahi. To see how she was doing. When Sarahi saw him she ran over to him and held on to him and cried. He knew then that it was True Love.

When Sarahi told Rick what some of the people were saying, horrible things to her, about him about her, he held her in his arms. He told her she would be the best wife and mother, that all was going to wonderful, because of their TRUE LOVE for each other. That is, what would make them the best couple and parents.

Chapter 7 The Battle for True Love Rewarded

The day of the wedding was finally here. It was beyond beautiful. All went just as they had hoped it would. There were a lot of attempts during the last few months to ruin it, but nothing could.

Friends from all over the many temples came to see the uniting of Rick and Sarahi. Many have prayed that Sir Rick and Sarahi, who gave so much to their GOD and King, would one day find his true love. All that came were filled with happiness and love, well some were still jealous, but they could do nothing to keep their slave girl now. Sarahi was free. Rescued by Love, by Rick When it was over Rick took Sarahi to their new home by the ocean. Sarahi was frightened at first not sure what her knight was going to do now that they were alone. She was hurt by other men. Rick could tell that Sarahi was afraid. So he kissed her and would wait for her to trust him before going any further.

After their stay at the sea coast, Rick took Sarahi on a tour of many lands that she had not seen in a long time or never been to at all. He took her to the kingdom of animals, where you could see animals from all over the world, and to a place where people would reenact old stories of times long ago. A place where, for the first time, she was treated like a princess. From eating things she never tasted before to seeing things she never seen before, days and nights were filled with wonderful new delights.

As time went on for weeks months years, their love for each other deepened, grew stronger. Sarahi began to open up to Rick about how bad she was treated and how it made her feel unworthy of love. Rick would tell her, showed her, and helped her to see just how wonderful she truly was. True Love isn’t easy, it must be fought for, because once you find it, as we have, It can never be replace.

* And so together, they proved that even though bad things would come and go, battles with the Great Dragon, or jealous false friends or the hardships of everyday life would come their way. Their True love gave them what could be called “a happily ever after.”

*story continues

Chapter 8 Side by side, back to back

Rick and Sarahi of House Collins .....

if you did not get some or all of this artistic story of us.

here is some key words defined

knights ( baptized worshipers of Jehovah God )

squires and pages (students and un baptized worshipers)

knights of Reenoip ( a pioneer )

knight with high rank (elders and Ministerial servants and C.O.s)

temple sanctuaries (Kingdom halls , congregations )

AF energy (Active force, spiritual guidance, Fruitage of the spirit)

sword and shield and armor (See Bible.) Solo dark armor ( worldly pride)

dragon anything ( I'm sure you got that one )

Rick’s and Sarahi's Time line AD = year of our King’s Kingdom

2021= 107 )

2020 = 106 ) returned to serve the temple sanctuary of WG 2019 = 105 )working to rejoin the Knights of Reen'Oip 2018 = 104 ) Preparing for their new journey, 2017 = 103 ) went to new temple sanctuary to serve EL 2014 = 100 ) went to the serve the temple sanctuary FH 2013 = 99 ) married Sarahi 2009 = 95 ) Met Sarahi. 2008 = 94 ) serve the temple sanctuary LV 2007 = 93 ) Sarahi became a knight 2006 = 92 ) journey to find self / healing 2005 = 91 ) plague 2005 = 91 ) went to the serve the temple sanctuary TS 2004 = 90 ) John became a knight 2003 = 89 ) serve the temple sanctuary of WG 1994 = 80 ) serve the temple sanctuary of SH 1992 = 78 ) joined Knights of Reen’Oip 1989 = 75 ) became a knight

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tabloidtoc · 3 years

Text

Globe, March 1 -- part 2 of 4

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Page 8: Britain's Prince Philip seems like a proper stick-in-the-mud but behind the scenes Queen Elizabeth's husband has a bizarre sense of humor and a keen interest in UFOs and curvy secretaries -- Philip also loves dumb jokes and claims to suffer from dontopedalogy which is a word he invented meaning opening your mouth and putting your foot in it -- born in Corfu, Greece, Philip had an abiding interest in the paranormal and subscribed to Flying Saucer Review -- in 2006 Philip denied cheating but his cousin Queen Alexandria of Yugoslavia wrote blondes, brunettes and redhead charmers, Philip gallantly squired them all

* NASCAR pit crew member William "Rowdy" Harrell was drunk behind the wheel when he and his new bride Blakeley died in a horrific head-on collision -- the autopsy conclusion is especially tragic for Blakeley's mom Stacie Kelley who at first brushed off suggestions Rowdy was drunk or speeding because she thought he would never do anything to hurt her daughter

* Devastated TV sex expert Dr. Laura Berman is warning parents to keep an eye on their kids after her 16-year-old son Samuel overdosed on drugs he ordered on social media and had delivered to his family home -- a drug dealer connected with Samuel online and gave him fentanyl laced Xanax and he overdosed in his room

Page 9: Legendary Hollywood beauty Shirley MacLaine's face appears to have collapsed and shocked medical experts conclude her earlier plastic surgery has now failed -- now at age 86 she's nearly unrecognizable and her face looks like wrinkled melted wax -- three top surgeons viewed a parade a Shirley's photos from 2017 to the present and believe her shocking current look was triggered by weight loss on top of previous cosmetic work -- one surgeon believes Shirley has finally decided to hell with it and have no more surgery and then the face can fall

Page 10: Battling memory fog and other ailments linked to Lyme disease Kris Kristofferson is holed up like a recluse in his Malibu digs where pals fear he's facing his final curtain call -- the 84-year-old entertainer has hung up his guitar for good and is determined to spend his last days at home with wife of 38 years Lisa Meyers, mom of five of his eight kids -- it's dawned on everyone that he won't be coming back and everyone's already in mourning

Page 11: Terrified Jennifer Lawrence narrowly escaped blindness after a stunt for her latest flick went wrong, spraying her face with shattered glass -- Jennifer was traumatized after the snafu while shooting the sci-fi thriller Don't Look Up on the streets of Boston -- this could have easily killed her and the more she reflects on the accident, the more she realizes how close a call it was -- she's extremely shaken but counting herself lucky because it might have been so much worse if the glass had landed just a few centimeters higher or lower and she's back on the set and moving forward with an incredibly brave attitude

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- Looks like Good Morning America's Robin Roberts takes her snacking seriously (picture), Hoda Kotb's dream wedding to Joel Schiffman is all set after nearly a year of delay caused by pandemic problems, Armie Hammer's disgusted wife Elizabeth Chambers is seriously trying to rid herself of lingering bad vibes by burning sage to banish negative energy left behind by the accused kinkster, Angelina Jolie is selling historic artwork her ex Brad Pitt gave her -- it's a pricey Winston Churchill original and the only canvas the famed UK Prime Minister painted during World War II, Wendy Williams' ex-husband Kevin Hunter is launching an exquisite high end Italian cuisine restaurant in Brooklyn

Page 13: ABC correspondent T.J. Holmes gets his makeup done at the network's NYC studio (picture), Meg Ryan is bundled up in Santa Barbara (picture), Nick Viall dragging out the trash at his L.A. home (picture), rapper Lil Uzi Vert got a $24 million pink diamond implanted deep in his forehead

(continued)

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wolfhednn · 4 years

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Follow up question: Tell me one of Felix's guilty pleasure books and/or genres. Also, when did it start and how well loved is the book/when did most of the "love" accrue? :3

ooc » i’m answering this so late jkjhfskj but as mentioned a while back, felix actually enjoys reading and does so quite a bit just for pleasure — it’s something most people wouldn’t expect from someone like him, but the ledge under his window in his room is lined with books for a reason :D

is he ever gong to admit this? no. but one of felix’s favorite genres of fiction is still epic chivalric knight tales. he doesn’t really care for the chivalry part as much anymore, and if i were to dive into more nuance about it, the truth is that it’s a bittersweet enjoyment. regardless of his current feelings about how the tenets of chivalry and loyalty have manifested in faerghus, those tenets are still his cultural inheritance, and what he grew up being informed by.

it’s worth noting that though glenn was the embodiment of chivalry and knightly nobility, felix still thinks very highly of him and those qualities in him. rather than this being a contradiction, however, i think it actually highlights that felix doesn’t inherently hate ‘ chivalry ’ and ‘ knightly virtue ’ in and of themselves; he hates how they’ve been interpreted in the contemporary faerghus mindset. it’s specifically the blind loyalty that he hates, the way people glorify self-sacrifice and martyrdom in the name of these ideals. to him, these are no longer what the tenets of chivalry and loyalty were supposed to mean — they’re just ways people have warped them to serve their own egos.

i digressed orz

‘ when did most of the love accrue ’ is then a simple answer: when he was a child. children, especially noble children, growing up in the kingdom are exposed to no shortage of knightly tales. they’re everywhere. and children are taught to take their lessons to heart. glenn read many of them to him as a kid, as we know from his ashe support, and he also spent countless sunny days reenacting them with his friends.

his favorite story? the ( probably aggrandized ) historical epic spotlighted in his ashe support:

Ashe: Why not read a few pages, at least, while you’ve got it open? I think you’d really like it. The plot is pretty different from a typical knight’s tale, but it’s still really good. Do you like stories about adventure and chivalry?

we find out later in the support ( and the B support ) that the protagonist of the story is much like felix in personality:

Ashe: You are exactly like the knight in this story!Felix: Excuse me?Ashe: On the surface, he’s sarcastic and intimidating. But underneath, he’s kind and cares for his friends. In the end, they become heroes together and conquer all obstacles!

i have no doubt that, as a kid, glenn was also compared to said protagonist for the same reasons, and seeing as the fraldariuses are canonically said to be pretty scarce about displays of affection, i wouldn’t be surprised if this epic had become something of a ‘fraldarius siblings’ staple between the two brothers, and the protagonist of the story a figure they thought was worthy of emulation.

as for the story itself, barring any further canon information about it, i’ve opted to title it outcast of lions. it’s loosely about a new knight, a bastard son of a noble whose mother is never stated but scholars are fairly certain at this point that she was srengi.

the story follows the life of ‘ marl the fox ’, so nicknamed for his withdrawn demeanor and his cleverness. something of a troublemaker as a squire, he caused quite a few problems and was generally pretty out of the ordinary from your usual knightly type. there were many who didn’t care for him, but his talent and intelligence eventually earned him a place among the king’s knights.

one day though, his troublemaking and independent mind goes too far, and he’s banished from the knighthood. the epic follows marl’s journey on his own, working as a mercenary and other odd jobs, where he makes new friends and also reunites with some old friends from the knighthood ( one of them being the squire he compares ashe to ). in the end, as ashe recounts, marl and his friends become heroes that save the kingdom, and his knighthood is reinstated.

it’s a story that on the surface is very much a nature vs. nurture / redemption tale, but closer reading will show a lot of grey morality and a nuanced exploration of the meaning of knighthood, valor, and friendship. it’s not a widely known epic in faerghus, and isn’t considered among the most popular legends for obvious reasons: it doesn’t showcase the traditional image of knighthood, and most parents don’t exactly want their kids to be like marl, haha! but it’s likely for these same reasons that this story is one that felix so enjoys and continues to into present day.

#this..... wasn't supposed to be this long #if i had a dollar for every time i said that #also rai ripping off redwall for faerghus legends??#more likely than you think #there was already a long patrol reference some months back cackles #i'm giving veil the story he fucking DESERVED #hotheadhero #✘ | meta. — heaven remembers the silent and brave ❜

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thedailyscourge · 4 years

Text

Day One

(of the 4th month of the year Twenty-hundred and Twenty)

An entry from the journal of a squire of Brookland:

In the beginning was the blooper, and the blooper was with god, and the blooper was god.

The blooper being a small black box one wears on one's hip which emits a loud BLOOP-BLOOP-BLOOP whenever one is being summoned. As a squire “on service”, I live or die by the blooper. The blooper is my sworn enemy and my best friend. It is at once the most loathsome object in all the world and the most intimately familiar. My muscle memory recognizes every groove and button on the blooper and instinctively operates it with a fluency that rivals that of a native language. I have spent many long, sleepless nights with the blooper, thrown many curses at its ancient black and green LCD screen, and always the blooper remains, constant, unwavering, ever present.

The blooper is eternal.

So today, as one does on the first day of a month “on service” I received the blooper in the morning from my colleague who was “on service” the month prior. To be “on service” means to be AT the service of practically anyone who so desires, anyone who has the ability to summon you at will or whimsy out of whatever task you happen to be performing, whatever thought you happen to be processing or expressing. It is my opinion (and the opinion of many squires) that a great too many people possess this ability and the whole thing is rather under regulated. The summons by blooper is always an urgent, pressing matter, a compulsory jerk in an unanticipated direction. And in that way, the blooper itself is a sort of object of blunt psychological torture - suddenly and forcefully directing every drop of potential empathy in one’s body toward some unforeseen being with some unforeseen problem on the other end of the blooper. Really the potential for post-traumatic stress disorder is enormous.

At any rate, I took the blooper (or rather the blooper took me as it sort of possesses you involuntarily) and was promptly summoned to the Tiny Human Intensive Care Unit (THICU) at Brookland’s Best Hospital. There I was asked, as per my station in the Tiny Human Plague Squiredom, to give recommendations regarding a girl who had fallen victim to the Scourge. As it turns out, the girl would be just fine and I would agree to a plan to send her home today, back into isolation. But I had to make a choice, a choice that goes against all training I’ve ever received as a page and then a squire and that is choosing not to examine this patient. It was a very difficult choice to make and not one that seems very heroic at all given the current crisis but I believe it was the best one and one that I will likely be making again and again this month. The trouble is, despite whatever grand delusions the Emperor is spouting from his balcony these days, everything is NOT fine and frontline fighters like myself do NOT have the armor we need to combat the scourge or even to protect ourselves from being afflicted and spreading it to the next person we see. And for that reason, more than any, I chose not to examine the patient and instead to save the armor for the other tiny human and regular size human squires. It made it much easier that the patient had been examined by another squire and even a knight just a few hours before and my potential exam was really unlikely to change our plan anyway. In fact, if the patient were to be sent home and had not received an exam this day, I would have dawned the armor and performed the exam myself. However, as this was not the case, the interaction was most important in that it began a series of encounters with a variety of less experienced tiny human squires who were in the midst of battle at both castles, engaged in a precarious fight with our common enemy, the Scourge.

It was through these encounters which I learned just how difficult their predicament had become and how perilous all of our journeys would be in this, the 4th month. The tiny human squires stationed in the THICU at Jester’s Court Castle were only allotted one adequate mask a week which they had to reuse over and over again in rooms where people were afflicted with the Scourge or were likely to have it. Typically, these masks are meant to be used once for 10-15 minutes and then promptly thrown away to banish any plagues that may be caught in them. However, these are dire times and now the official instruction on their use is to hold on to each one for a week, sometimes placing thinner, less valuable masks over it as some sort of very unscientific means of prolonging the life of the good mask (and hopefully that of the tiny human squires beneath it). On the other side of the road, the tiny human squires at Brookland’s Best Castle were instructed they could only have one good mask per MONTH. This may or may not be temporary as it turns out, it just depends on if or when we receive backup masks from some untold source. When I informed one of the older knights about these allotments, she cried out “OMG. This is criminal!”. Oh My Glockenspiel! - my sentiments exactly.

Right now, the castles themselves have been turned inside out in response to the Scourge. All of the places where the tiny humans are usually taken and treated are almost completely taken over by the regular sized humans afflicted with the Scourge. They are everywhere, pouring into the castle from off the street and being squeezed into any bed we can find for them. It is an unprecedented adaptation.

There are many other things I could document about today but the fact is I am simply too tired, even on a day like this when the blooper only blooped twice. Nevermind that the number 2 and number 5 wagons were not running toward the castles at all today for no good reason, that the recorded criers were crying “Wagons are for essential personnel!”. I suppose people on the frontlines battling the Scourge like myself and at least two other plague specialist I encountered who were similarly inconvenienced, must not be essential enough to matter to the City of New Pork who regulates the wagons along with the Realm of New Pork via the Wagon Transit Facility (WTF). I called aloud to the WTF “are the wagons ever coming?!” and ALAS, a cry came down from the heavens, or perhaps up from hades, and said “No.”. And also, “take this crowded push-cart, probably filled with people afflicted with the Scourge, instead - problem solved.” Very reassuring.

And now for the tolls,

The City of New Pork (of which the town of Brookland belongs):

47,440 afflicted

1,374 dead

The Divided Realms of Amen!-ia:

211,368 afflicted

4,838 dead

We wait patiently for the miracle prophesied by the Emperor to come in the 4th month.

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dftgrftgh · 3 years

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sleepwalker-in-me · 6 years

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Playing the part of Queen and Prince

Dany and Bran book parallels - part 14

1) Letting go off the life of play

Keep walking. If I look back I am lost.Memories walked with her. Clouds seen from above. Horses small as ants thundering through the grass. A silver moon, almost close enough to touch. Rivers running bright and blue below, glimmering in the sun. Will I ever see such sights again? On Drogon's back she felt whole. Up in the sky the woes of this world could not touch her. How could she abandon that? It was time, though. A girl might spend her life at play, but she was a woman grown, a queen, a wife, a mother to thousands. Her children had need of her. Drogon had bent before the whip, and so must she. She had to don her crown again and return to her ebon bench and the arms of her noble husband.(A Dance with Dragons - Daenerys X)

With him had come a long tail of retainers: knights, squires, lesser lords and ladies, heralds, musicians, even a juggler, all aglitter with banners and surcoats in what seemed half a hundred colors. Bran had welcomed them to Winterfell from his father's high stone seat with the direwolves carved into the arms, and afterward Ser Rodrik had said he'd done well. If that had been the end of it, he would not have minded. But it was only the beginning. "The feast makes a pleasant pretext," Ser Rodrik explained, "but a man does not cross a hundred leagues for a sliver of duck and a sip of wine. Only those who have matters of import to set before us are like to make the journey." Bran gazed up at the rough stone ceiling above his head. Robb would tell him not to play the boy, he knew. He could almost hear him, and their lord father as well. Winter is coming, and you are almost a man grown, Bran. You have a duty.(A Clash of Kings - Bran II)

2) Play the Prince and Play at being Queen

There were guests in Winterfell, visitors come for the harvest feast. This morning they would be tilting at quintains in the yard. Once that prospect would have filled him with excitement, but that was before. Not now. The Walders would break lances with the squires of Lord Manderly's escort, but Bran would have no part of it. He must play the prince in his father's solar. "Listen, and it may be that you will learn something of what lordship is all about," Maester Luwin had said.Bran had never asked to be a prince. It was knighthood he had always dreamed of; bright armor and streaming banners, lance and sword, a warhorse between his legs. Why must he waste his days listening to old men speak of things he only half understood? Because you're broken, a voice inside reminded him. A lord on his cushioned chair might be crippled—the Walders said their grandfather was so feeble he had to be carried everywhere in a litter—but not a knight on his destrier. Besides, it was his duty. "You are your brother's heir and the Stark in Winterfell," Ser Rodrik said, reminding him of how Robb used to sit with their lord father when his bannermen came to see him.(A Clash of Kings - Bran II)

Dany pictured Jorah moving amongst old gnarled oaks and tall pines, past flowering thornbushes, grey stones bearded with moss, and little creeks running icy down steep hillsides. She saw him entering a hall built of huge logs, where dogs slept by the hearth and the smell of meat and mead hung thick in the smoky air. "We are done for now," she told her captains.It was all she could do not to run back up the wide marble stairs. Irri helped her slip from her court clothes and into more comfortable garb; baggy woolen breeches, a loose felted tunic, a painted Dothraki vest. "You are trembling, Khaleesi," the girl said as she knelt to lace up Dany's sandals."I'm cold," Dany lied. "Bring me the book I was reading last night." She wanted to lose herself in the words, in other times and other places. The fat leather-bound volume was full of songs and stories from the Seven Kingdoms. Children's stories, if truth be told; too simple and fanciful to be true history. All the heroes were tall and handsome, and you could tell the traitors by their shifty eyes. Yet she loved them all the same. Last night she had been reading of the three princesses in the red tower, locked away by the king for the crime of being beautiful. When her handmaid brought the book, Dany had no trouble finding the page where she had left off, but it was no good. She found herself reading the same passage half a dozen times. Ser Jorah gave me this book as a bride's gift, the day I wed Khal Drogo. But Daario is right, I shouldn't have banished him. I should have kept him, or I should have killed him. She played at being a queen, yet sometimes she still felt like a scared little girl. Viserys always said what a dolt I was. Was he truly mad? (A Storm of Swords - Daenerys VI)

3) They are hiding their tears at the thought of being left alone with the burden of magic and responsibility of ruling. Bran wants Jojen and Meera to be greenseers too, just like Dany wants two men to be dragonriders with her. But they will soon come to realize that the dragons and greensight are their own hardship that nobody is going to share with them. They have to gain mastery over their own magic.

Earth and water, soil and stone, oaks and elms and willows, they were here before us all and will still remain when we are gone." "So will you," said Meera. That made Bran sad. What if I don't want to remain when you are gone? he almost asked, but he swallowed the words unspoken. He was almost a man grown, and he did not want Meera to think he was some weepy babe. " Maybe you could be greenseers too," he said instead."No, Bran." Now Meera sounded sad. (A Dance with Dragons - Bran III)

She dreaded what must come next, yet she knew she had put it off too long already. Yunkai and Astapor, threats of war, marriage proposals, the march west looming over all . . . I need my knights. I need their swords, and I need their counsel. Yet the thought of seeing Jorah Mormont again made her feel as if she'd swallowed a spoonful of flies; angry, agitated, sick. She could almost feel them buzzing round her belly. I am the blood of the dragon. I must be strong. I must have fire in my eyes when I face them, not tears. " (A Storm of Swords - Daenerys VI)

#daenerys targaryen #daenerys #bran stark #asoiaf #game of thrones #got #bran x dany #dany x bran #daenerys x bran #bran x daenerys #myedit #my edit

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pinpilinpaux · 6 years

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MEDIEVAL F/F PLOTS (because why not)

1. muse a wants to be a knight, the only problem is that her kingdom doesn’t allow women to become knights. her solution is to talk her brother/cousin into trading places with her so that she can train as a page while he goes off to study magic. 1.1. muse a meets muse b, her childhood best friend, at a dance and muse b immediately recognizes her. scared her plan will fail, muse a talks her into pretending she’s her brother/cousin. 1.2. muse a saves the prince’s life when she’s a squire and suddenly every lady in a marrying age is interested in her. she didn’t count on actually being interested in any of them. but, there’s muse b.

2. muse a is set to marry the king and, even though she knows it’s the best for her country, she can’t help but want to actually be in love with whoever she’d marry. and that’s not the king. thankfully, she’s spending more time with the king’s niece, muse b, that the king himself and that’s helping her distract herself. until the distraction becomes a problem, of course.

3. the prince is looking for his princess and he celebrates dances through the week to meet all the candidates. muse a and muse b both travel to the castle to meet him, but end up falling for each other instead.

4. the princess, muse a, decides to live a day as a commoner. she meets muse b, the blacksmith’s daughter. they decide to keep meeting in secret, with either the princess escaping or the blacksmith going into the castle.

5. muse a and muse b were childhood best friends, until muse a developed their powers and were discovered as being a witch. as a result, she was banished. before she left, and so that muse b wouldn’t be sad, muse a decides to erase their memories together. they meet again when muse b needs the witch’s help.

6. both muse a and muse b are sent to become priestess of the Goddess as little kids. it’s where they meet and become friends. and where they develop feelings they shouldn’t.

7. muse a is a rich merchant’s daughter, muse b a poor noble’s daughter. their fathers decide it is best for them to marry so that one family acquires a title and the other the money needed to keep their land.

#plot ideas #m: plot #✘ one stroke and you’ve consumed my waking days » wishlist #come @ me with any of these. i mean it

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cute-little-oppas · 7 years

Text

The Prince’s Mage (1/2)

Titled: The Prince's Mage Genre: Fantasy Pairings: jongyu + bits of 2min Length: 35 pages//~12.5k words...hence broken into two parts ^^'

Read on asianfanfics // part (2/2)

Part (1/2)

The Kingdom of Abyad woke up to the most mournful Herald; The King and The Queen were killed on their way back to their kingdom. Killed by a group of bandits. Killed, in cold blood, but not with the help of a cold knife or a cold blade but with a cold spell. Magic.

People poured in and out of the Palace, paying their last respects. Once they walked in, all eyes landed on the young prince who sat in the lap of his elder cousin as he sobbed and sobbed.

Night befell and the doors to the palace were closed shut. Shutting it away from the cold winter night as the palace mourned in dark and silence.

It was this fateful day that decided the passing of the decree that stated that all sorts of magic were banished from the Kingdom of Abyad. The mages and other beings who possessed magic or were created by magic were to leave before dawn arises or they were to be locked up or killed if they resisted. All relics and artifacts related to magic were to be handed over and burned. Anyone harboring the outlaw would meet the same fate.

Months after the purge everything began quietening and falling back in the routine. Many fled and many were killed, but none were locked up. They weren’t going to give in to the unjust decree passed because of the fault of one.

“Sire, your presence has been asked for in the throne room.” The guard informed Kibum. Kibum was the prince’s cousin, his mother was the sister of the King.

Kibum rolled up the list of artifacts that he was going through and soon followed the guard down. As the prince was too young, a six-year-old child, Kibum was declared the guardian of the throne and the kingdom till the prince was of age. Though he himself was quite young, a brisk sixteen-year-old boy, he accepted the responsibility that fell on his shoulders. He would do anything to protect his small brother.

“There are questions and rumors all over the Kingdom Sire.”

“And what kind of questions and rumors are these?” Kibum asked after he was promptly seated.

“The healers, Sire, the healers living in the palace, the only ones still left in the Kingdom.” The minister informed.

“There are no healers in this palace,” Kibum said, making his voice as stern as he could. “You saw the man leave that night, saw him leave everything behind, even his sons.”

“It is those boys that I speak of. Their father was a powerful mage, it is undoubtful that his children-”

“We’ve gone over this before and you have seen it for yourself too. Those boys don’t possess any magic, but in fact, have a good knowledge and understanding about medicine. And that is why they are going to live here, learn and become the court physicians.”

“Sire-”

“That’s all,” Kibum said as he got up from his chair ending all discussions.

He strolled the gardens after, his mind occupied with the events of the night they had to ask Lee Daehan, the court physician and a mage to leave the Kingdom. Kibum was fond of that man; when he was hit with the endemic that he had lost his parents to, Daehan was the one who saved him. He owed that man his life. As Daehan bowed down in a final goodbye, Kibum secretly requested him that he leave his sons behind, they were too young to go through such hardship. He promised he would protect his boys, and he would not compromise that vow by shunning away those boys at any cost or by letting any harm come to them. Therefore, those boys still resided in their father’s quarters, a servant or two visiting them every day to look after them.

He smiled when he saw Jonghyun, the prince, sneaking away from his afternoon classes, hiding behind the bare trees as he tried to escape from the Governess, Aarae. He followed Jonghyun quickly when he saw him run off to the back of the palace. He knew where Jonghyun was headed to.

“Jonghyun!” Kibum caught Jonghyun and picked him up. “What did I tell you about coming here?”

“But I wanna play with them,” Jonghyun whined as he tried to escape Kibum’s embrace.

“I told you cannot.” Kibum walked away quickly from the quarters of the physician before anyone saw, he didn’t want Jonghyun to get involved with those boys, the boys, people suspected had magic in them.

“Why?” Jonghyun sniffled, “They are my friends, I played with them before.”

“Things are different now little one, you’ll understand when you grow up.” Kibum kissed his cheek, a sad smile on his face as he carried Jonghyun back inside the palace.

It was a perfect day. The snow had completely melted and the air was no longer chilly. Indeed it was a perfect day to play outside, but here was Jonghyun stuck in his chamber looking at the gardens from his balcony. He got up from where he sat, he decided he would irritate Kibum until he gave into playing with him.

“He is not here, My Prince. Left an hour ago to settle some dispute between the Lords.” The guard at Kibum’s door informed Jonghyun.

Jonghyun puffed his cheeks up as he walked down to the gardens. Who was he to play with now? His eyes lit up. Kibum wasn’t here right now, that meant he could play with them.

He carefully made his way across the gardens to the back of the palace. Jonghyun was angry with Kibum, he had always played with Jinni and Taem whenever they came along with their father to the palace. He didn’t understand why he was suddenly not allowed to play with them.

Jonghyun spotted Taem in the small garden in front of their quarters, his hands covered in mud. “Taem?” he ran excited, it had been awhile since he had even seen him. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Hyunee!” Taem exclaimed. “Come play with me!”

Jonghyun grinned as he sat down beside Taemin, as long as Kibum didn’t find out, he would definitely try to sneak away like this to play.

“Jonghyun are you ready?” Kibum called out as he walked into Jonghyun’s chambers.

“I’ll need a minute, I need to tie up these goddamn boots.” Jonghyun huffed.

Kibum sighed. “22-year-old grown up man and still can’t tie your boots.” He shook his head. “Boy!” he called out to Jonghyun’s squire. “Help him tie up those boots. Quickly!”

“Why do we need to do this?” Jonghyun whined once his squire left to tend to his horse. “You know how much I hate hunting, and especially with those pompous asses-”

Kibum glared. “Language.” he scolded. “Such hunting parties are a necessity to keep up faces and show those pompous Lords that the Prince is alive and fit to ascend the throne soon.”

“Whatever,” Jonghyun grunted as he tied his sword to his waist and followed Kibum outside.

“So has the Prince given any thought to the betrothal I had proposed?” One of the Lords as well as his uncle, In Jung, asked as he brought his horse closer to Jonghyun’s.

“Your daughter is pretty, but I would have to refuse your proposal.” Jonghyun gave him a short smile, he turned towards the approaching guard. “Found anything?” he asked.

“There are tracks of a buck, Your Highness.” The guard informed, “The tracks are headed in the direction of the river.”

“Okay,” Jonghyun said as he pulled on the reins.

“Are you sure you saw the correct tracks?” Kibum complained. “I don’t see a thing, not even a snake.”

“Shh Kibum, wait a minute.” Jonghyun shushed him. “Did you hear that?” he asked. “That does not sound like a buck,” he said turning towards the guard.

“Well, they have been rumors of bears roaming these forests, Your Highness. But we never found any proof.”

“Well let’s go and check it out.” Jonghyun grinned when he saw the look of fear on Kibum’s face.

Jonghyun led them in the direction of the voice, his heart pounding, he didn’t know the tactic to approach a bear, let alone he hadn’t even seen a bear before. His horse whined all of sudden, disrupting the balance, Jonghyun felt the saddle move against the horse’s vigorous restraint, the saddle wasn't tied properly.

“Watch out!” Kibum exclaimed speeding up his horse.

“It’s a boar, not a bear!” Jonghyun called out, trying to calm his horse.

The boar grunted and ran forward in Jonghyun’s direction. Fear blinded the horse, and Jonghyun lost complete control over it, he held on tightly, trying to keep the saddle in place as the horse ran away. He heard distant voices of the other guards and their horses behind him and hoped they came soon.

The horse leaped, and Jonghyun fell off the horse, his boot caught in the stirrup and was dragged along. A few attempts later he freed himself from the saddle, he lay there for a few minutes, trying to even out his breath. His head hurt, he could feel the wetness on his back and his leg was sprained, but he got up, the sky was darkening and he needed to get out of the forest soon.

He stopped when he heard the gushing of water. The lake was close. He could feel the fatigue clawing it’s way up his mind. He took in a deep breath and dragged himself towards the lake. He lost his balance on the pebbles littered around the lake, the last he saw was a silhouette across from him before everything turned black.

Kibum paced back and forth in his study. It had been hours, and they still hadn’t found Jonghyun. All the search parties came back with the same report; no sign of the Prince anywhere, it was like he had just vanished.

He called the guards standing at the door, “Ask Minho to assemble a search party again, and tell him he has to find the Prince at any cost.”

It was completely dark when Jonghyun's eye's opened. He realized he was sleeping on something soft, a bed, a bed with a familiar smell. He blinked till his eyes adjusted to the faint moonlight glimpsing in through the windows.

He smiled, stretching his limbs trying to ease away the heaviness that had settled into them, oh he so knew where he was. “Hey,” he said softly, stirring up the lone figure sleeping in the chair beside the bed.

“You’re awake? Do you want anything? Does it hurt?”

“Just come here already, Jinki.” Jonghyun scooted back slowly, making space for Jinki to join him.

“Everything is okay right?” Jinki asked again as he settled in beside Jonghyun.

“Obviously,” Jonghyun smiled, “I’m in good hands.”

“Very good hands I should say,” Jinki said softly as he leaned in closer, “I made sure that no scars remain.” he gave a small kiss to Jonghyun’s nose.

“I’ve missed you,” Jonghyun mumbled lethargically against Jinki’s neck as slumber slowly pulled him away.

“Sleep my Prince, you need all the rest you can get.”

In the morning Jonghyun woke up at the sound of the mortar and pestle, he groaned, getting up from the bed, why were they being so noisy?

“Look who woke up!! Hyunnie!!”

Jonghyun let Taemin hug him. “I am going to be your King, show me some respect,” he muttered.

“Oh shut up.” Taemin pushed him away. “You scared us, covered in blood and bruises, fallen on the other side of the lake. What happened?”

Jonghyun sat down on the stool, taking a sip of the soup Jinki placed in front of him. “A wild boar scared that horse of mine, and I fell off his back.”

“A wild boar? Really? Jinki let's go out on a hunt!” Taemin exclaimed.

Jonghyun rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. “How long have I been out?” he asked instead.

“Almost a day,” Jinki said as he helped Taemin pour the elixirs in the vials.

“Old man Kibum has gone mad searching frantically for you. He sent in 20 search parties to look for you in the night and now the whole kingdom is searching for you.” Taemin grinned.

“That man,” Jonghyun sighed. “I will leave when night falls.” he shrugged, directing his attention towards Jinki. “When did you come back?” he narrowed his eyes, “You didn’t even inform me that you were here! And what were you doing in the forest?”

“I came back a few days ago, sorry.” Jinki smiled sheepishly, “I was going to surprise you, but instead, you ended up surprising me,” he added solemnly.

“We were collecting Night Blooms for the salve and most of it has already been used up,” Taemin sighed as he packed his bag. “Minho’s so angry, many of the soldiers are hurt and injured because of the search going on in the night,” he mumbled. “I’m leaving, just don’t make a mess and keep quiet,” he said with a stern voice as he shouldered his bag.

“How was the trip?” Jonghyun asked Jinki as he watched him prepare some more herbs for the elixirs.

“Tiring, to be honest, but it was good. I don’t think the plague will spread now.” he gave a sincere smile.

“Good.” Jonghyun found himself smiling as he got up and headed towards Jinki. “Let me look at you,” and he pulled Jinki in his direction. “Ahh I missed your face so much,” he said as he caressed Jinki’s cheeks.

“Only my face?” Jinki teased, making Jonghyun blush. He further decreased the distance between them as he softly kissed Jonghyun. “I missed you too, my Prince,” he said softly.

Unbeknownst to Kibum, Jonghyun had been meeting with the Lee’s. He would sneak out whenever Kibum left the palace and came back under the cover of the night. When he was questioned about his absence, he would simply lie with a smile and escape.

After he was nearly caught by a soldier, they decided to meet in the forest to play. He would help Jinki and Taemin collect the flowers they saw in their father’s books, or they would chase around the hares or would simply just lie down looking at the clouds.

Over the years the friendship between Jonghyun and the Lees grew and became stronger. Once Taemin immersed himself in his studies and refused to come out, the friendship between Jinki and Jonghyun grew even more.

The soft pink hue of friendship darkened over the countless sunsets they watched together, the starry nights the spent talking, those rainy days they could never forget. And the hue only darkened with each moment they spent together.

“Where were you?” Kibum exclaimed as soon as the doors to Jonghyun’s room opened. “Nothing grave?” he asked Taemin who was currently tying up a bandage on Jonghyun’s arm.

“Nothing to worry about. Just a few scratches, that’s all.” He gave a reassuring smile to Kibum. “I’ll come by in the morning to change the bandages.” he collected all his vials and bottles.

Once Taemin was gone, Kibum approached Jonghyun. He held Jonghyun at an arm’s length and examined him head to toe. “I was so scared.” Kibum whispered, “Where were you?” he asked again.

“I was in the forest,” Jonghyun said as he escaped Kibum’s scrutiny. “Rested in a cave at night and moved around the whole day.” he sat down on his bed. “I am here now, so stop worrying, old man.” he teased.

Kibum grumbled, “Don’t call me that.” He narrowed his eyes threateningly, “For now you are safe, and I am going to accept that lame excuse of yours, but the next time if anything like this happens again- you’ve been warned.”

“Whatever,” Jonghyun rolled his eyes as he lay down in bed.

“Why isn’t the balcony door closed?” Kibum asked as he approached the glass paned doors at the side of the bed.

“Let them be,” Jonghyun said as he turned towards Kibum. “I’ll close them before I sleep. Let me enjoy the cool night breeze.” he let out a long sigh.

“Okay fine, do whatever you want. Just don’t come back to haunt me if you get assassinated in the middle of the night.”

“Trust me, I definitely will come back for you,” Jonghyun called out as Kibum left his room.

Jonghyun woke up at a faint thud. “What took you so long?” he asked quietly as he sat up on the bed.

“The number of guards below your balcony has doubled,” Jinki informed as he got rid of his cloak. “Have you been hurt again?” He rushed to Jonghyun when he saw the bandages beneath his sleeping robe.

“Oh, this?” Jonghyun gestured towards the bindings across his chest and shoulders, “It is all thanks to you and your need to overdo things.” Jonghyun fussed. “They found my horse without a saddle and covered in scratches, but here I am without even a single scar. I asked Taemin to tie these for me to avoid any suspicion.”

Jinki hummed as he sat down in front of Jonghyun. “So do they suspect anything?” he asked.

“Kibum knows that I lie, that I’ve been lying since I was a kid, but he never questions them.” Jonghyun shrugged.

“I see.” Jinki sighed. He lay down on Jonghyun’s bed as he took a big sniff. “Oh, how I have missed your bed.” he let out a content sigh. He saw Jonghyun fidget with the bindings across his chest. “Do you need help changing those Jonghyunnie?” he teased as he pulled Jonghyun towards him.

“No, thank you,” Jonghyun grumbled as he turned around in Jinki’s embrace, his back to Jinki’s chest now.

“You’re angry with me,” Jinki whispered against Jonghyun’s neck as he slowly undid the bandages. “Let me make it up to you. You know? Give you a few scratches or something?” he kissed behind Jonghyun’s ears.

“Idiot.” Jonghyun turned around, helping Jinki get rid of the bandages.

“Wake up sleepyhead.”

“What d’ya want Taem?” Jonghyun mumbled as he turned.

“Kibum sent me to ‘change your bandages’, Your Highness. He said he’ll come by soon to check up on you.” Taemin said as he dropped his bag on the bed.

Jonghyun groaned as he got up, he looked around the room; no sign of Jinki, the balcony was closed too, the curtains were drawn, like every time. “Okay fine.” he yawned. “Just don’t tie them too tightly.”

“So this is where he was yesterday,” Taemin said under his breath as he rolled the binding across Jonghyun’s chest.

Jonghyun felt heat color his cheeks and ears, he looked away, just hoping Taemin would be done soon.

Kibum walked in as Taemin was finishing up. He excused himself once he was done, giving Jonghyun a small wink secretly before he left.

“How are you feeling?” Kibum asked as he helped Jonghyun get dressed.

“Much better,” Jonghyun said as he sat down on the bed to put on his boots. “Boy! Yunhwa!” he called out for his squire.

“He no longer serves you,” Kibum informed as he helped Jonghyun.

“Why?” Jonghyun asked, though Yunhwa was a bit slow, he was a good squire.

“This happened to you because of him. He was the one who tended to your horse and tied the saddle improperly because someone told him to. I can’t have such dire incidents happening again. But don’t you worry,” Kibum stood up straight, “We are currently looking into it, and I’ll find a new squire for you, till then I will help you out.” He gave Jonghyun a stern smile.

“Well, someone’s been pretty concerned about you lately,” Taemin said as he got rid of the bandages off Jonghyun. They had kept up the facade of Jonghyun being hurt for about a week, a week which seemed to only drag.

“Well I don’t have a squire, and Kibum’s around more often than before, it’s like he’s stuck to me like a bur caught onto the fur of a dog.” Jonghyun sighed. “Henceforth, I have not been able to meet Jinki, or even send him a message.”

Taemin hummed as he rolled up the bindings, “I’ve asked him many times to come visit you in my stead, but he refuses, says doesn’t want to attract attention or instigate suspicion with sudden visits to you.”

“I know Kibum has an inkling of a speculation that something is aberrant about me and Jinki, but he never spoke it out loud, and I never felt the need to explain it to him, because I know he would not applaud it even if he understood my feelings.”

“Then I pray, Kibum finds a new squire soon,” Taemin said with a small smile as he packed his belongings. “What is it?” he asked when he saw Jonghyun’s eyes light up, his lips shaped into a perfect smile.

“Stay, don’t leave yet.” he instructed to Taemin and he called the guard at the door to summon Kibum at once.

“What is it, Your Highness?” Kibum asked as he entered Jonghyun’s chambers. “Do you need help dressing down?” he asked.

“Yes.” Jonghyun smiled as he stood up. “Kibum, have you found a new squire?” Jonghyun enquired.

“Not yet,” Kibum muttered as he folded the royal cloak. “I am still looking out for one.”

“Good,” Jonghyun said as he buttoned up his shirt. “I’ve found one.” he grinned as he gestured to Taemin. “Tell him he’s to start serving from morn’.”

Taemin smiled as he curtsied.

Kibum paced his chambers, his thoughts a mess. He knew who Jonghyun was going to appoint as his squire. He had tried all he could to halt the friendship between Jonghyun and the brothers, but it only backfired; their friendship grew into a stronger bond, merging the lines between friends and family.

He also knew that the bond shared between Jonghyun and Jinki had matured into something more, something special. He earnestly had tried all he could, but Jonghyun always found a way around it, nullifying all his efforts. And, alas, he gave up, if he could not stop him, at the least, he could protect it, try to keep their feelings as shrouded as possible from everyone, try to cover up all that he could. But now, Jonghyun had taken a prominent step that would definitely not go unseen.

He didn’t mind the relation between Jonghyun and Jinki, in fact, he was happy that Jonghyun was able to find such unwavering friends and feelings. It was the Lords that he feared of. There were rumors, rumors since the day Kibum had refused to let go of those two young boys. Rumors that said the Prince was hiding mages, mages he would definitely use to wound his subjects if the odds turned against him.

He had tried to abolish such rumors. Had the boys be subjected to humiliating scrutiny, to prove they were no mages, but just some orderly, regular kids. But nevertheless, those rumors still prevailed.

The people of the town didn’t take favorably to the brothers, especially to the older brother, Jinki. Taemin provided his services as a court physician as well helping the townspeople. Jinki usually avoided such contact. He would only help out whenever Taemin was busy or away on a journey with the Prince and his Knights, or he usually preferred helping out people from the other towns in the Kingdom, whenever an endemic or epidemic rose. This aloofness of his added more substance to the rumors. The Prince’s secret mage who was only seen when situations went out of hand. The Prince’s personal mage who was sent to make things fall back in line. The Prince’s mage.

If Jonghyun was seen with Jinki, it would definitely solidify the claims of those rumors. Make it more convenient for the Nobles to prove that crowning Jonghyun the King would be an erroneous decision. Who knows, maybe the assassination attempts would increase in frequency too?

He had to do something before everything fell apart.

“Wake up, Your Highness!” Jinki exclaimed as he extended his arm towards the curtains, moving them apart to let the morning light in.

Jonghyun groaned as he flipped away from the brightness.

“Come on Jonghyun, get up. Do you want me to get fired on the first day of work?” Jinki asked as he pulled the blanket off him.

“Just a few more minutes and I’ll be up,” Jonghyun mumbled against the pillow.

“If you do not wake up by the time I have finished counting to 5, be warned, I will definitely make it rain in here,” he said softly as he pulled up the hood of his cloak. “One...Two...Three..”

“Okay fine! I’m up.” Jonghyun said as he sat in bed, rubbing his eyes. “Don’t use your tricks here.” he said stifling a yawn, “You’ll definitely get fired for that.”

“Executed, more like,” Jinki muttered as he pulled open Jonghyun’s cupboard. “Are you really sure you want me as your squire?” Jinki asked as he searched through Jonghyun's closet. “You know what everyone says about me, says about you too. Think it over again.” Jinki dumped Jonghyun's change of clothes on the bed. “It will only cause trouble.”

“I don't care what anyone thinks. I've had enough of hiding.” he got up from the bed. “I...I just...I don't mind all the fingers that are going to be pointed at me, by God I don't care even if they see me unfit to rule, at least I'll live freely then, live with you,” he added softly.

“Hey,” Jinki whispered as he hugged Jonghyun. “I'll always be with you, stand beside you come what may.” He pulled back, his face lighting up with a smile. “Your squire is at your service, Sire.” he curtsied.”

“Help me get ready for the court.” Jonghyun chuckled.

“Then let’s get ready my Prince.” Jinki grinned as he gestured his fingers, a faint whisper of a spell on his tongue.

Jonghyun let Jinki’s magic work on him. Untying his sleeping robe, buttoning up his dress shirt, lacing up his boots. He grinned when he was ready in a matter of seconds. “I should’ve made you my squire a long time ago.” he gave a small kiss to Jinki’s cheek.

“Oh my Prince, please do keep your desires in check,” Jinki smirked before he opened the chamber doors.

“What is that?” a 15-year-old Jonghyun called as he ran inside to Jinki’s room.

“It was nothing. You didn’t see anything.” Jinki muttered as he backed away.

“No,” Jonghyun jumped onto Jinki’s bed. “You made it snow,” Jonghyun exclaimed.

“Jonghyun,” Jinki sighed. “Can you keep this a secret, please?” Jinki pleaded.

“You have magic, don’t you?” Jonghyun’s eyes lit up. “Even Taemin has. I should’ve guessed.”

“I am sorry for not telling you about this before, but you know the law, if we were caught they would’ve surely executed us.”

“You can always trust me, Jinki.” Jonghyun smiled as he took Jinki’s hand in his. “Show me what else you can do!” Jonghyun couldn’t contain his excitement.

“Not much actually, I know a few small spells for healing small wounds and can make it snow. That was all that I could find from the few books we had salvaged from the purge.” Jinki said solemnly.

“You trust me, don’t you Jinki?” Jonghyun asked as he hugged Jinki. “Give me a few days, and I will get your father’s books from the dungeons.”

“No don’t do anything dangerous or suspicious,” Jinki said as he pulled away from Jonghyun.

Jonghyun huffed, his mind already making up plans. Kibum had been picking his brains constantly since a few days about learning the artifacts stored in the dungeons, he was reluctant at first; he didn’t want to look at remnants of the purge that brought about great misery but now he had a very compelling reason to go down and to sort of maybe, make things right, not for everyone, but it was still a beginning.

“From where did you get these?” Taemin exclaimed as he gathered the books Jonghyun had dumped on the table.

“You stole them, didn't you?” Jinki started. “I told-”

“I didn't steal,” Jonghyun argued before Jinki could start chiding him. “I mean taking something from my dungeon in my palace is not stealing,” Jonghyun said proudly.

“You'll get us all in trouble,” Jinki muttered as he sat down beside Taemin, pulling a few books towards himself.

“Oh trust me Jinki, you never will.” Jonghyun grinned.

When Jonghyun walked into court with Jinki behind him it enticed a rich murmur in the assembled nobility.

“Stay outside,” Kibum told Jinki.

Jinki glanced at Jonghyun and when he got a small nod from him he curtsied and left.

“What is he doing here?” Jonghyun was asked as he sat down.

“He serves as my squire,” Jonghyun replied shortly, motioning with his hand for the commencement of the conclave.

“Your majesty, you surely do know the rumors surrounding that boy, he's no good.” Seo Guk, one of the nobles said.

“We should have sent them along with their father, should have never provided any sanctuary to them. And now look at them, walking in and out of the palace so freely, no restraint of any sorts on them.” In Jung seethed.

Jonghyun rolled up the parchment he was given. “Who I appoint as my squire is my affair,” Jonghyun said with a stern lilt to his voice. He turned to Kibum, “Correct me if I am wrong Kibum, the previous squire was sent by him, wasn't he? The squire that tried to get me killed?” Jonghyun gestured towards In Jung.

A silence befell the court at Jonghyun's words. Kibum cleared his throat. “Let's begin,” he said.

As soon Jinki walked into the room he knew something was off. The magnificent pout on Jonghyun's lips spoke volumes.

“What has gotten you so upset?” Jinki asked as he set down the tray in front of Jonghyun.

Jonghyun sighed. “Kibum isn't happy with my decision of choosing you as my squire, and after what happened in court today, he went on and on and on about how this decision has distressed my claim for the throne.”

Jinki gave him a small smile, words of comfort deserting him.

“Don't worry.” Jonghyun shrugged off his cloak. “He'll see through it, he'll come around like he always does.”

Jinki sat down on the other chair, picking up the parchment Jonghyun had got. “A ball?” he asked, a sly smile on his face.

Jonghyun rolled his eyes. “They want me to select a bride, the next queen. Honestly, they are just wasting the treasury. We could use these resources to strengthen the border security. But no they want a lavish ball. To celebrate the complete healing of the prince. To celebrate the Prince’s first love when he sees one of the fair maidens.”

Jinki chuckled. “How very interesting,” he said as he rolled up the parchment. “Do you have anyone in mind, your majesty?” Jinki smirked.

Jonghyun narrowed his eyes, “Now that you ask, I do have someone in mind.”

“Who is this someone you speak of My prince?” Jinki challenged.

“Minho, one of the knights. A handsome face, brave and kind man. He would be perfect for me, wouldn't he Jinki?”

Jinki grinned. “Risk facing Taemin’s wrath?”

“Oh well, I'll always have you to protect me.” Jonghyun leaned back in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips.

“That you will. “

“Here you go,” Jinki sighed as he put down the clothes Kibum had picked out for Jonghyun to wear for the ball.

“Oh God,” Jonghyun whined as he approached his bed. “Do I have to try out all of them?” he mumbled as he sorted through them.

“If you ask me,” Jinki said as he reached for a shirt from the pile. “This will be perfect for you.” He picked up the light teal color shirt, “It brings out the blue in your eyes.” he added softly.

“That one it is.” Jonghyun slumped down on his bed, his face pressed against his pillow. “I am so tired,” he grumbled as he turned around.

Jinki rolled his eyes as he cast a spell to let the clothes stack themselves in a proper pile. “You've been sitting behind the desk the whole day. And there's me, who has been running around the whole day preparing for this godforsaken ball. Do you even know where Kibum sent me to get these shirts?” Jinki grumbled as he lay down on Jonghyun, his head resting against Jonghyun's thigh.

Jonghyun sat up, a sly smile on his face. “He sent you to the port, didn't he? To the merchant who lives by the sea?”

“Yes,” Jinki exclaimed. “My arse hurts.”

Jonghyun chuckled. “Good for you,” he said. “And anyways you needed some air and some movement in that body of yours. I've noticed you've grown.” he teased as he poked Jinki’s side.

“Did you just call me fat?”

“No, I didn't.”

“Yes, you did.” Jinki placed his hand at the back of Jonghyun's neck, slowly pulling him down.

“Well, I didn't use those exact words.” His grin was interrupted by the kiss Jinki pulled him into.

They separated hastily when they heard Kibum clear his throat. “Taemin is searching for you,” he told Jinki, excusing him from Jonghyun's chambers.

Once Jinki was gone he chided Jonghyun, “What if it was someone else who had walked in on you both? Do you know what crazy mess it would've led to?”

“All because he is a man and a squire?” Jonghyun asked as he got up from where he sat.

“You know that's not the predicament,” Kibum said softly.

Jonghyun heaved a big sigh, as he sat down in his chair, his shoulders slouched, “Yes I know Kibum. What do you expect me to do? No, I am not going to give up on him.” he said firmly. “I am ready to fight anyone or anything to protect him, to protect us.”

Kibum caressed Jonghyun's shoulder, “I know that.” he said. “I am happy for you,” he added softly, a small smile on his lips. “Just be careful. You know they all are out to get you, a single slip, a single mistake and you will lose everything.”

Jonghyun took Kibum's hand in his. “Thank you.”

Jinki's mind was a mess as he walked through the castle to his quarters. This was the first time he and Jonghyun were spending so much time together, the first they could stay together longer than a day or a night and he found himself getting carried away at that. He had let his guard down for that moment, to only have it get interrupted.

Maybe he could try casting a spell around Jonghyun's chambers that would signify anyone's presence?

He stopped suddenly, his mind going blank. He could feel it. It was faint, distant, but it was unfamiliar. Someone was using magic and it was not Taemin.

The faint trail of magic led him to the previous King’s chambers, the chambers that had been sealed and were to be only opened once Jonghyun becomes the King.

He could hear whispering behind the door, intriguing him. As he was about to push the doors, they opened from the inside.

“What are you doing here?” In Jung asked.

Jinki saw him quickly hide away something within the folds of his clothes.

“What are you doing here?” Jinki asked slowly. He could feel something was off.

“What is it to you? Has the Prince sent his dog to keep an eye on me?” In Jung took a step closer to Jinki, trying to intimidate him.

Jinki could see all through that. He could feel In Jung was scared, nervous. He saw the shifty demeanor in him. He was up to something, but Jinki couldn't point it out. “You are not allowed near these chambers.” Jinki informed him calmly.

In Jung scoffed. “And who are you to tell me that?” he caught hold of Jinki's cloak at the neck, “If I ever see you near me again, that's the last moment you'll be alive.” he pulled away quickly and was out of Jinki's sight in a few moments.

He was definitely up to something.

Jonghyun chuckled when Jinki expressed his concern over In Jung and his possible intentions the next day.

“He's always been like that, finding one way or the other to find something wrong with me or Kibum.”

“But I heard him talking to someone inside,” Jinki stressed.

“Might have been cursing my father’s portrait that's inside.” Jonghyun shrugged. “They never got along even when they were children, and uncle’s chagrin only increased when my father was selected, King.”

When Jinki didn't speak up, Jonghyun approached him, “I’ll increase the number of guards appointed in the castle if that appeases you.”

Jinki gave him a quiet nod, his mind still trying to comprehend what happened yesterday.

Jonghyun clapped his hands, distracting Jinki’s attention to himself. “Okay, enough of brooding, we have a ball to prepare for.”

“How do I look?” Jonghyun asked as he stepped out from behind the screens.

“Yes?” he asked again when he got no reply.

“Very handsome,” Jinki said finally, his being still mesmerized by Jonghyun. Like he had thought the light teal color shirt complimented him really well. His blonde hair was brushed back, accentuating his features.

He picked up the royal cloak and helped fasten it behind Jonghyun.

Jonghyun chuckled when his eyes met Jinki’s through the mirror. “Enough with the staring,” he said. He turned around, “Aren't you going to get ready?”

“I don't feel like dressing up,” Jinki said as he placed a small kiss on Jonghyun's nose. “And I have a lot of work to do. I should have never agreed to be your squire.” he groaned.

“Liar. You are loving every moment of it.” Jonghyun kissed Jinki on his lips. “Help me tie up my boots,” he said.

“Not going to use magic?” he asked when he saw Jinki bend down to tie his bootlace.

“Don't feel like,” Jinki said as he tied Jonghyun's boots.

“Come, let me escort you to your ball, my Prince.” Jinki held out his hand for Jonghyun.

At the ball, Jonghyun couldn't keep his attention on the maidens and the princesses he was being introduced to. He would somehow end up searching for Jinki amidst the staff that served them. At times he would catch Jinki gazing at the dances going on, and on some occasions, he would catch Jinki staring at him, they would hold contact until the other would shy away or get interrupted.

A few hours later he saw Jinki leave the ball, talking to Taemin briefly before he left.

“Are you tired?” Kibum asked Jonghyun as he stood beside him on the balcony.

“Not really,” he said as he took a sip of the wine he held.

“Ahh, you are not interested then,” Kibum said as he scanned the ballroom for Jinki. “Just go to him,” he said.

Jonghyun choked a bit on the sip he had taken, “What?” he asked, bewildered.

“Go.” Kibum waved his hand nonchalantly. “I know you are missing his companionship. Go now.”

“What about the ball?” Jonghyun gestured in front of them.

“I’ll take care of them like I always do.” Kibum shrugged. “Now go before someone offers you another dance.”

Jonghyun couldn't help the grin that broke out on his face, he hugged Kibum and handed over his glass before he left.

“Have you tried searching for him?” Jonghyun asked. He had looked all over for Jinki, had even searched Jinki's quarter's stealthily, but here was Jinki sitting in his balcony, his father's locket in hand.

“I did.” Jinki complied as he pocketed the chain.

“And?” Jonghyun asked as he approached him.

“I found his grave,” Jinki informed.

“I am so sorry.” Jonghyun took Jinki’s hand in his, caressing his knuckles with his thumb.

“Don't be,” Jinki said lightly. “He died a happy man.” he gave a small smile.

“I really am,” Jonghyun said, biting his lips in worry.

Jinki rolled his eyes slightly, no matter how many times he talked Jonghyun out of it but Jonghyun would still blame himself for the departure of Jinki's father.

Jinki entwined his fingers with Jonghyun. “Dance with me,” he said as he took Jonghyun's other hand in his.

Jonghyun smiled as he let Jinki lead the dance, his hands settled around Jinki's waist.

“Why did you stop?” he asked when Jinki abruptly stopped mid-step.

“Someone's coming,” Jinki informed, his hold tightening around Jonghyun's waist.

“How-”

“I cast a spell on your chambers to make it known to me whenever someone approaches it.”

“So?” Jonghyun asked puzzled.

“So, there's a ball going on downstairs, and what affair does anyone have to come searching for the Prince till his chambers.”

There was a loud bang on the door, somebody was trying to open the door forcefully. Jinki cast a small spell, firming up the doors foundation so that it wouldn't budge.

“Behind us,” Jonghyun informed as he unsheathed his sword.

People in armor and masks were climbing down into Jonghyun's balcony from above, from the King’s chambers.

“That bastard.” Jinki cursed under his breath as he pushed Jonghyun behind him.

“What are you doing?” Jonghyun whispered. “Nobody can find out you are a mage.”

“I know,” Jinki muttered. He whispered a small message into the waves of the air and directed it with his magic to Taemin.

“Trust me.” he told Jonghyun as he took Jonghyun's sword in hand.

There were too many of them, and he knew he couldn't hold on any longer. He noticed a gleam of silver in the back. Archers.

“Trust me,” he said again as he embraced Jonghyun, putting himself between the men and Jonghyun as his shield. When he felt Taemin’s presence getting closer and closer on the other side of the door, he let go of the spell he had placed on the door. The door burst open, revealing more assassins.

“Jinki!” he heard Jonghyun scream and felt a sharp pain in his back. He closed his eyes when he saw Minho and the other Knights infiltrate the room.

part (2/2)

#jongyu #onjong #onhyun #2min #shinee #key #jonghyun #onew #jinki #fanfiction

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banditchika · 7 years

Text

sometimes you’re gay n sometimes you’re emo n sometimes you’re both n that’s okay.

it’s not even valentine’s day anymore where i am but here i am! 4 hours late on a school night w what might be the longest thing i have ever published?? isn’t inspiration incredible? anyways, thank you @velteris for being an angle and beta-ing this as i was writing it bc i don’t have self-control!! please go shower her w praise, she deserves it

or: rose seriously wonders how she managed to go from trying to kill a princess to bedding her

Words: 3703

Sometimes, Alisha feels like the kind of hero that Rose knows she should be. Rose swears that Alisha was never born, but instead leapt from the pages of a storybook trumpeting speeches about goodness and chivalry–possibly with her cape swirling behind her in a dramatic, wind seraph-assisted breeze. Rose could laugh herself sick at how stupid some of Hyland’s knights sound when they recite their vows before their princess, but when Alisha says it… well, that’s something else entirely.

Sometimes, Rose can’t help but feel as though she should never have made Alisha her squire. Alisha deserves better than Rose tumbling in through her bedroom window in the dark hours of the night, crusted with travel dust and blood. Alisha deserves better than an reckless disaster of a Shepherd who only visits to drag her away from her home to chase after hellions and resolve the latest threat of the month. Alisha deserves the kind of Shepherd that Sorey was, kind and noble and heroic, and Rose spends more time than she likes to admit thinking about what shenanigans they could have gotten up to: a trio of humans and their pack of seraphim adventuring around Glenwood, carefree without the Age of Chaos breathing down their necks.

Sometimes, Rose thinks that she doesn’t deserve a place in Alisha’s bed, much less her heart. Alisha sleeps with her back to Rose, and on less maudlin nights Rose would curl into her, wrap an arm around her waist and press her cheek against a warm, muscled shoulder. But tonight, even the way Alisha’s perfect hair coils against the pillows sends Rose’s heart plummeting down to her stomach, an iron ball of anxiety that feels like a kick right in the abdomen. Rose shouldn’t be here. A Shepherd and her squire sound perfectly lovey-dovey in one of Lailah’s bawdy novels, but Alisha is a princess and the only aristocrat in all of Hyland even remotely worthy of making a claim to nobility, and Rose is… what? An over-glorified itinerant, battling her way from one part of the continent to the other.

Rose has no doubt that if Alisha knew she so much as entertained these self-deprecating thoughts–much less allowed them to run rampant in her mind whether Alisha is a star-speckled sky away or breathing softly beside her–she’d tackle Rose to the ground and dissolve away her fears with a well-timed monologue and maybe a few tears.

Or–that’s what the Alisha from years ago would do. Now, with the wound that Sorey’s sleep had dealt healed to an bruising ache, Alisha holds her head high, eyes fixed towards making a better future for Hyland, and doing an infinitely better job of it than the however-many royal brats ahead of her in the race for the throne. Rose doesn’t think that the Alisha of today would cry for her, anymore.

No–what Alisha would do is take her hand. Probably press a kiss to the knuckles too, like the overly-gallant goof that she is. And then Alisha would–ugh–validate her, firm and earnest and altogether too loving for Rose to handle, banishing her sniveling insecurities to the corner of her mind to lurk, licking their wounds, waiting until a time when Alisha’s silver tongue isn’t there to chase them away.

So Rose keeps quiet. She stares at Alisha’s back, pale in the moonlight. This close, Rose can see the gooseflesh that pebbles her skin; Rose tugs the blanket higher over Alisha’s shoulders, a nagging guilt gnawing at her chest.

Alisha opens her house, her heart, and all the resources of the Diphda family to Rose. She’s given Rose a place to always return to. The least she could do is be a decent bed-warmer, for all that she drags Alisha into filthy forests and life-threatening danger.

Rose eases herself into Alisha’s side, resting her cheek against a muscled shoulder. Alisha shifts, and her sleepy, insensible murmurs resound through her body and to Rose’s leaden heart. A hand brushes against her own–Rose swallows against the knot in her throat and squeezes her eyes shut, a flimsy bulwark against the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

It’s warm, pressed against Alisha’s back, but Rose hasn’t had a night this long in years.

“Rose?” She jerks her head up, spoon clattering against the side of the bowl. Alisha’s holding a bread roll. The afternoon sun catches the outline of her head, a brilliant stroke of gold in the shade of the patio, and Rose blinks rapidly, shocked out of her own thoughts.

Plastering a grin on her face, Rose salutes with the spoon. “Princess?” she offers, before dipping her head to slurp at her soup, grateful for the chance to compose herself.

“I was going to offer you some bread,” Alisha says, the fondness in her voice at odds with the crease in her brow. She gestures to the stack of rolls by Rose’s bowl. “But it seems as though I was a little too hasty. Are you feeling well, Rose?” Alisha retracts her hand and leans in, eyes roving across her face as if it holds every secret lost to time. “Usually, you all but clear the entire table by this time during a meal.”

“My appetite’s just taking its sweet time today, I think.” Rose snatches up a roll and dunks it into her soup. She winks at Alisha, chewing noisily. “Do you think it’s ‘cause I’m hungry for something else?”

Alisha sighs, elegant even in that exasperated gust. “Honestly, Rose. Saying such things over a meal?”

“A merchant needs to be opportunistic!”

“Well, you’re more familiar with such things than I am.” Alisha tilts her head, hair curling by the corners of her jaw. Rose shoves the rest of the bread in her mouth and swallows it down with her nerves. “Are you certain that you’re feeling well, Rose? I’ll only be reviewing petitions and letters, today. Perhaps you could rest and stay with me?” She sounds so hopeful, as though Rose could ever find it in her to deny this most simplest of requests.

All Alisha ever seems to want is for Rose to stay, to spend some time together. The days when Rose could find it within her to refuse or play off their relationship with ridiculous flirting are long gone.

So she grins, tries to be grateful that the seraphim aren’t there to shame her for dancing around the anxieties that keep her tossing and turning on the nights away from Alisha, and agrees.

Alisha’s resulting smile is almost enough to chase away the darkness writhing in her chest.

Rose rests her chin on the top of Alisha’s head and takes a deep, indulgent breath. In the luxury of her manor, Alisha can bathe with scented oils and cleansing gels, and Rose delights in every minute of the time spent soaking with her in the tub, comforted by the knowledge that even when she leaves, something of Alisha’s will follow her out into the wilds, even if it is just her scent.

It’s so pathetic. Rose feels almost like a clingy village girl from the smutty novels that Lailah sometimes giggles over, mooning over every little thing that brings her lover to mind. She likes having something that reminds her of Alisha when she’s off chasing the next hellion infestation. It’s a stupid flight of fancy that keeps the loneliness at bay for at least a few days. How ironic that Rose is so easily comforted by smelling like her despite being too afraid to ask Alisha, her own damn Squire, to come and fight with her.

Aaaand there she goes again, brooding when Alisha is literally in her arms, warm and solid as she tilts her head back against Rose’s chest.

“Hello,” Alisha murmurs, pressing her lips against Rose’s knuckles. Her hands enfold Rose’s, rubbing soothing circles against the back of her fingers. “How are you feeling?”

“Just bored.” Rose sticks her tongue out at the piles of papers on Alisha’s desk. “You’ve been writing for hours. Aren’t your hands cramped, or something?”

“It isn’t so bad. No worse than swinging my spear around during drills, at any rate.” She rises from her chair, an uncomfortable looking thing with no cushion and altogether too much gold foil etched into the wood. Rose accepts the kiss that Alisha presses into her cheek, and knows she’s screwed up when she pulls back far enough to see the way Alisha’s eyes narrow.

“Are you certain you feel better, Rose? You’ve been so quiet and still today. Have you fallen ill? Did something happen?”

“I told you, I’m fine, I’m fine!” Rose leans in, dipping her head to brush her lips against Alisha’s. She moves away, and Rose skims the corner of her mouth instead. “Sheesh,” Rose pouts, unease worming its way through her stomach. “Maybe your true name should have been ‘Worrywart Alisha’ instead.”

“I think I have cause to worry when you’ve been acting so unlike yourself. And trying to distract me from that, to boot!” Alisha huffs. She guides Rose to the couch, a overstuffed monstrosity compared to the deathtrap that is her office chair. Alisha kneels. “Please, just speak honestly, Rose. I’ve told you for years–I’ll support you through anything, no matter how awful.” Alisha’s eyes are so earnest, a world of love and affection in their brilliant depths. “All you need to do is tell me.”

She’s caught. She’s trapped. Her smile wavers and she knows Alisha sees, and she wants to say something flippant. Something Rose-like, something to make Alisha roll her eyes and stomp her feet, like she used to. Something to make Alisha laugh and diffuse the tension in the room, ease the concern that lines the corners of Alisha’s eyes and makes her look older than she has any reason to look.

Instead, Rose tucks her knees to her chest and scowls up a thundercloud, as brooding as Dezel had been back when he’d still had the breath to brood. And if Alisha hadn’t been concerned before…

“Rose?” she asks, and Rose sighs, pressing her forehead into her arms. What good is being a gadfly when the only person she really needs to trick won’t buy into her antics?

“Why are we doing this?” They’re the only ones in the room, but the quiet still manages to feel deafening, suffocating. Rose talks, if only to fill the silence and postpone Alisha’s response. “I mean–you’re a princess. I’m an assassin!” She laughs, the faintest hints of hysteria gurgling in her throat. “I’m the assassin that tried to kill you! And now we’re–even if we’re Shepherd and Squire, you let me into your bedroom in the middle of the night without question–”

“Because we’re lovers, Rose,” Alisha murmurs, worry pinching her brows together. Rose laughs, and her eyes prickle with burning tears.

“Lovers. Yeah. It’s been… gods, it’s been years now.” Her hand aches for the familiar weight of her dagger. Staring into its gleaming surface has always calmed her, always soothed the voices clamoring in her mind and focused her resolve. But her sheath is dangling from a hook meant to hang cloaks, and the battered hilts of her knives gleam dull and mocking by torchlight. And, also, maybe having a weapon in her hand during this conversation would give people the wrong idea. “Alisha, you’re a princess. The heir to the Diphda family. What the hell are you doing with an assassin in your bed?”

Nothing can stop the torrent of words now. It’s almost a relief to let the festering anxiety pour past her lips, Rose’s insecurities rearing their heads to snap at Alisha. “You could have something better. Someone better. Someone who doesn’t bust into your room smelling like Ladylake’s sewers and bleed all over the floor. Or upset you so much, or drag you out to fight hellions–not because she can’t handle the job, but because–” Rose takes a deep, shuddering breath. “–because she misses you but can’t even say it.”

She warbles out a laugh. “You’re just… so good, Alisha. And you’ve settled for a killer of a Shepherd who still wants to sink a knife into people’s throats when they piss her off. You deserve better than me, Alisha. I wish… I wish you’d hurry up and realize that.”

Rose doesn’t dare look up. She has the courage to dump years’ worth of rotting insecurities onto Alisha’s lap, but not enough to look at her face afterwards. Rose feels like an unfaithful spouse, slinking out of bed and back into her home, willing to do the deed but too fearful to–ah, fuck, she really needs to stop reading Lailah’s stupid novels. No matter how bored she is!

Alisha’s hands, warm and calloused and as familiar to Rose as the hilts of her daggers, grip her wrists. When Rose doesn’t respond, Alisha shifts and cups her face in her hands, thumbs stroking her cheeks. It’s soothing enough that Rose chances a glance at her.

Alisha’s eyes are swimming with tears. As much of a cryer as ever; Isylvia Amekia to the core. The sight finally breaks Rose, a tear trickling down her cheek, carefully wiped away by the pad of Alisha’s thumb.

“Rose,” Alisha says, voice tremulous. She takes a shuddering breath, lashes fluttering. “Rose, shall I slap you again?”

She stops breathing. “Uh?”

“Right here.” Alisha traces the curve of her cheekbone. “Just like in the Elaine Ruins.”

“What?! Wait, hang on, don’t slap me–!” On sheer instinct, Rose jerks away and holds up her arms to deflect an oncoming blow–but instead, Alisha pulls her in, enfolding her in an embrace that leaves them chest to chest. Rose stiffens, and every breath she takes pushes against Alisha. She swears she can feel her heart punching through her ribcage.

Alisha rubs circles into Rose’s back, the motion soothing despite the situation. Slowly, Rose unwinds, feeling a bit like a wild animal coaxed into taking food from someone’s hand. Alisha pulls away to kneel in the V of her legs–not an unfamiliar sight, though Rose doesn’t think that either of them were crying the last time they were in this position.

“Rose,” Alisha sighs, drying her cheeks with the heel of her hand. “Oh, Rose. How could anyone be better than you?” Rose doesn’t trust herself to say anything, and Alisha goes on, tracing senseless patterns on the outside of her thigh.

“You took on the burden of being a Shepherd in a time of chaos. You tried to look out for me after Maltran and after–” Alisha blinks rapidly, tears gathering at her lashes. “–after Sorey’s sacrifice. Everything you’ve done, you’ve done with the greater good in mind, and you care for me more than I thought anyone ever would. Rose, the better question is: how could I not love you?”

“You have bad taste?” Rose offers weakly. Alisha shakes her head, lips pressed tight with disapproval.

“I could marry a noble. Certainly, that is what my family would like.” Alisha scowls, like a storm cloud shadowing a sunny day. Her gaze pins Rose like a spear to the chest. “But Rose–no noble would have your character. No noble would have even half your goodness. And I speak from past experience when I say that no noble would love me as you do.

Alisha clutches Rose’s hands like a lifeline. “It doesn’t matter who I engage myself to, Rose. If it isn’t you, I would spend every moment pining for your heart.” Her freckled cheeks flare red, but Alisha powers through, as solidly determined as if she were orating a speech to the people of Hyland. “You are the Shepherd, and I don’t think that there is anything I could ever do or offer that would be sufficient repayment for the sacrifices that you’ve made to protect us.”

A hand grips Rose’s heart–repayment. Yeah, repayment. Years of pulling Alisha around, of having her charge into battle to clean up some mess that Rose should have been able to handle–and Alisha thinks that she needs to repay her for her selfishness?

As if sensing her thoughts, Alisha squeezes Rose’s hands a little too tightly to be comfortable. Her hands are clammy and her eyes welling with tears. “But before I am your Squire, I am your lover! And if you think that I’m going to let you say these things about yourself, you are sorely mistaken.”

“I think you’ve been reading too many of Lailah’s stupid romance novels, Princess.” Rose rubs her cheek against her shoulder, drying her tears with her shirt. A smile pulls at her lips, and Alisha’s face lights up at the sight–honestly, Rose swears that she could illuminate the entire manor, if she felt like it.

“Yes, well–don’t think I haven’t seen you sneaking some from my library. I believe Lady Edna and Lord Zaveid enjoy them as well.” Rose chuckles weakly, and Alisha goes on, as if her words could draw out Rose’s laughter like water from a well. “And… as overly sentimental as I may have seemed, I do treasure you, Rose. Truly.”

And yeah–Rose knows that. She does. If there’s one thing she doesn’t doubt, it’s that Alisha loves her. That Alisha loves Rose at all–that, she has an issue with. What kind of princess falls for the woman who tried to kill her? It’s foolish for an assassin to entertain such thoughts, but Rose’s hand spasms when she thinks about what could have been–that she could have snuffed out Hyland’s guiding light, a girl so good that she makes Rose want to be better and do better by being in her presence.

The voices have quieted over the years, but when Rose feeds her anxieties in the dead of night, they flare up and roar like one of Lailah’s most volatile flames, and Rose’s good sense burns under the assault.

But Rose can’t bear to admit that, not when Alisha is looking at her like her fate rests on the backs of whatever she’ll say next. She leans down and presses her lips to Alisha’s forehead, willing as much of her love–flawed as it is–into the kiss and praying to every power she knew that Alisha would understand.

“I love you too, you sap.” This time, it’s Rose’s turn to be gallant. She lifts Alisha’s hands and kisses every one of her knuckles, and Alisha lets out a huffing laugh, amused by the reversal. “Don’t think I say that enough, honestly.”

“Then I’ll say it enough for the both of us.” Alisha settles on her knees, wincing as the joints crack. “Besides, I can feel how much you care in everything you do for me. If you suddenly start showering me with words of love, I’d insist that Lord Mikleo or Lady Lailah check you for illness!”

“Wouldn’t that be fun to explain.” Rose leans against the wall, settling into her skin. Alisha sits at ease–she rests her cheek against Rose’s thigh, tracing aimless patterns on the back of her hand.

Rose feels–not better, exactly, but her fears aren’t breathing down her neck anymore. It’s like she’s had a bucket of ice water poured over her head during a hot day. Her thoughts are clearer and the anxiety curdling her innards has eased its iron grip.

She twists a lock of golden hair around her fingers, biting down a snort as it springs back into a perfect curl when she releases it. Even after years of waking up to a rumpled Alisha or even deliberately running her hands through her hair during wilder moments, Rose still doesn’t know the secret behind her ridiculous hair. Or maybe there isn’t a secret. Maybe her hair just stays that way because it’s Alisha.

Rose is about to ask, fiddling with the ribbon in Alisha’s ponytail, when someone knocks smartly and throws open the door.

“Your Highness, pardon the–oh, goodness.” One of newer members of Alisha’s squadron clutches at her chest, eyes wide. Her skin flares with a blush that’s almost as iridescent as Alisha’s. Rose cackles–it’d figure that Alisha’s squadron would take after their princess. The knight’s gaze fixes on her boots. “I–oh, oh goodness. Forgive me, I didn’t mean to interrupt–! P-Pardon.”

The poor girl bows out of the room, almost tripping in her eagerness to burn a hole into the floor. The door clicks shut, and Rose laughs when Alisha groans into their joined hands.

“I know your personal staff can keep secrets, but we’d better hope your knights are just as tight-lipped.” Rose wheezes as Alisha rises to sit beside her. A strong arm curls around her waist, pulling her in, and Rose rests her head against Alisha, shaking with laughter.

“Unfortunately, my knights gossip like clucking hens. But I don’t think this is something to worry about.” Alisha smiles, and even with her eyes puffy from crying add her nose tinged a faint red, she’s still so radiant. Melphis Amekia, Isylvia Amekia–her princess, her Alisha. Despite everything, Rose manages a smile at her own sappiness. “I… I’ve been meaning to ask you something, anyways. If you were amenable, would you consider going…?”

“–Steady?” Rose asks, unable to keep herself from teasing. “It’s a bit late to ask that, don’t you think?”

“Public,” corrects Alisha. She cocks her head, playful. “It’d be a relief to no longer fend off marriage proposals at every gala I attend…”

Rose’s heart hammers in her chest. She swallows, throat dry, and tries to match the cheery gleam in Alisha’s eye. “I dunno… princess and the heir to the Diphda family, together with some merchant? I think your citizens would have a few issues with their idol shacking up with someone like that.”

“Not just a merchant, Rose.” Alisha bumps her nose against her cheek and seems delighted when Rose crinkles her nose. “But a Shepherd who fought to save us from the Age of Chaos, and one of most genuinely good people in all of Glenwood. As I said before–there is no one else who could make me half as happy as you do, and… and I want the world to know that.”

Rose looks at their clasped hands, and then back at Alisha–still smiling, still radiant.

Melphis Amekia, Isylvia Amekia–her princess, her Alisha.

“I think we really need to stop reading Lailah’s books,” Rose says, leaning in to kiss the sweet curve of Alisha’s smile.

#rose (toz)#alisha diphda #tales of zestiria #roseali #rosali #toz #...... almost 4k words im going 2 go cry now #peents writes #this isnt even for roseali week i was just so consumed by thirst that i smashed this out instead of what i was going to work on tonight #ive been reading a lot of lucisev n laughing myself silly over the last two rose-centered episodes so i think that kinda shows in the fic #love the sad tortured redheads/princesses n ships #thank u sarah for introducing me 2 the tales series but also why sarah #n thanks 2 velt for dealing w my bizarre 3am metaphors n lookin out for my sentence variation i owe you my life #anyways i hope u all had a happy valentines day #also the lailah book thing wss a product of a p hilarious conversation w sarah when we were watching ep.... 15?#listen. homegirl is a Mom n spent years stuck w that sword. shes bored. let her entertain herself #n its not like everyone else wouldnt enjoy the books for their own reasons #picture: edna sighing at every mention of heaving bosoms

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