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paintball169 · 3 years

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Commissioner Gordon to the Rescue!

Paris, Eiffel Tower, 4:34 AM

" Ladybug we can't keep this going! We need help! " a bee -striped heroine's voice is heard from a distance. Abeille .

" While that is true, who is going to help us? The justice league already called us a joke." someone says followed by a sharpening sound. Tatsu .

" Why don't don't we ask Batman? He's the most reasonable one" a calm voice reasons supporting his girlfriend's idea. Serpent .

" Yes, but how are we going to call Batman without ending up in asylum? Bailing ya outta there is hard work ya know?" the spotted armoured heroin asks. Ladybug.

" She's right guys" the quick witted fox hero chimes in. Reynard.

"Why don't we broadcast worldwide news that if Justice League doesn't show up in Paris within 24 hours we'll destroy the world" the usually quiet turtle cladded hero asks. Shellder.

"Yeah right! That way we'll have even more charges." Serpent says glaring at Shellder.

"Hey LB don't you know a police officer there? Afterall you are from there." Abeille asks the once street kid.

"Yes, Bug. You know the old guy. Maybe we can ask for his help." Tatsu asks her girlfriend.

"That's a nice idea. The Commissioner does have contact with Batman! Oooh then we might get to use the Bat Signal! Oh my Kwami, what if he doesn't recognise me?" Ladybug asks.

"He will recognise you Bug!" Shellder chimes in.

"The Bat Signal is real!" Reynard exclaims.

"That's out of the point. Don't get distracted!" Tatsu scolds.

"Ladybug, do you trust him enough to reveal your identity? Cause if you don't he won't believe you either." Serpent reasons.

"I guess. After all he saved my life multiple times." Ladybug answers unsurely.

"Ladybug there's no 'I guess' it's either Yes or No." Serpent says sternly.

"Then I do. I trust him." Ladybug answers firmly.

"Alright then, Yes it is." Abeille says.

"To Gotham we go!" and Reynard jumps off. Returns a minute later. "So, when exactly are we going and where?" he then asks.

"Now, Luks call Jagged and inform him. I'm sure he'll cover for us. Kalki if you may?" Ladybug asks.

"Of course Great guardian, but till Serpent finishes the call can you tell how and when have you been to Gotham?"

"Oh that, I was a street kid with my brother back then. We used to steal for a living. Jason took care of both of us. I was just three when we started living on the streets. Jay was eight. There were a few warehouses where all the street kids lived together. Commissioner Gordon came disguised as an old man and gave the kids blankets. He also anonymously left food for kids. When I figured out that was him I asked him why he didn't report us to the CPS. He answered Kid I know the CPS gives you Pipsqueaks shitty homes. Don't think about it. When I was seven I was kidnapped by Scarecrow. For testing some toxins. He threw me out saying I wasn't good enough. So somehow I found myself in Paris. Without my brother." Ladybug says with tears in her eyes.

"I called Dad and he said Okay because the Sandboy akuma was hard. Five hours particularly, all of your guardians think we're having a sleepover." Serpent says breaking everyone out of their stupor.

"LB, Can I use Kalki this time? Please?" Reynard asks.

"Fine, Here." She says giggling.

Gotham, Police station, 10:52 PM

Gordon POV

The shift is almost over yet I can't help but feel something interesting is about to happen.

Suddenly a blue portal appears. I take out my gun for defence.

"Woah, Woah no need for a gun. We come in peace." The one dressed like a fox answers.

"Who are you? Clarify your purpose!"

"We're heroes of Paris. We come to ask for your help." The one with a katana answers.

"Heroes? In Paris? Since when? I'd say it was a joke, But the portal proves it. Why wasn't the Justice league informed?"

"Slow down a bit, 3 years, Justice league laughed on us, to specify Green Lantern." Striped one? Answers.

"A...Alright, But how can I trust you, For all you could be joker's goons."

"You can trust us, If you don't, you know her you can trust us." The one with harp points to a spotted Ladybug?..

"Okaay, What're your names?"

"Official Introduction Time!" The flute one answers.

"The name's Reynard, Paris's Residential Fox Hero! Fox to meet you!"

"Or Nathaniel Kutzberg"

"The name's Abeille, Bow down Peasants!"

"AKA Chloe Bourgeois"

"I am Serpent, The most Responsible one."

"Or Luka Stone."

"I'm Shellder, Pleasure to meet you."

"Or Marc Anciel"

"Tatsu, Nice to meet you Commissioner, Kagami Trusugi"

"I... I'm Marinette Todd, Hi Commissioner"

"Dear Lord Mari is that really you? What do need my help for?"

"We need to come in Contact with the bats, And can you help me find my brother?"

"Sure Mari, But about your brother you see, He's a Bat too..."

"What?! Seriously?"

Bat Signal, Gotham, 11:13 PM

Red Hood's POV

"Alright we're here Gordon, What's the problem?" Big B asks in his Batman voice.

"We have visitors Batman, They're looking for you." Commiss says. Who in the world would look for Batman?

One by one Teens dressed as animals come out from dark. Drat everyone's just as confused as me.

"Alright who're you playing dress up? Ya know that's dangerous." I ask voicing everyone's curiosity. Suddenly a blue blob attaches to me and starts Giggling.

"Jay-Jay it's me" My eyes start to sting. Only one person calls me that.

"P-Pixie?" I ask unsurely. Pixie nods her head.

"Pixie-Pop it's really you!" I say once i register what's going on.

"I'm never leaving you again Squirt. You're alright! Remind me not to let you alone on streets again, Leave it to Mari for a recipe for trouble!" I tighten my hold on her.

"Hood who's this? Why are they all dressed up?" B. Yeah I forgot he was there as well.

"B, This is Marinette, my little sister. Although I do not know why she and those kids are dressed up."

"Allow me to explain, There's been a super villian in Paris for three years now. These kids are the Heroes there. They came to me First cause they didn't want to get arrested. Green Lantern called them a joke. I know you'd shoo them off, but Bats I saw a Portal open. They came through it. And Jason, Your sister's the team leader!" Gordon explains.

"What! That bitch let me at him! troubling my sister for no good !I, Jason Todd will Skin him"

"Hood! No names at the Field!" Demon Spawn says.

"Relax, She knows."

"Elaborate" B says.

Batcave, Gotham, 8:56 AM

"Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth!" Red robin exclaims.

"Ha! Take that Chat! I was right!" Ladybug says.

"Red robin can you do research on one Lila Rossi? She's probably working for him." Abeille says.

Batcave, Gotham, 11:12 AM

"Guys! Emergency meeting!" Red Robin Shouts.

"Lila Rossi wanted psycopath in 3 different countries!"

College Dupont, Paris, 11: 34 AM (Next Day)

"You bitch why did you file a fake report against Lila!" Alya barks out at Marinette.

"My daughter did no such thing." That wasn't Tom Dupain. There stood in all Glory Bruce Wayne himself.

"Yo-Your Daughter?" Alya asks

"Yes, my adoptive daughter, Jason todd-wayne's biological sister."

"Hey Alya don't shoot the messenger, I filed the evidence on behalf of ladybug and her team!"

"What do you mean? Multimouse isn't supposed to be active!" Agreste says.

"Oh, I didn't know that! I mean how do you think your miraculous was taken Chat Noir?"

Gasps were heard.

"It was you!"

"Yes. Now son of a bitch outta my way!"

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you heard Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth."

Andre's Ice Cream, Paris, 12:13 PM

"Well that went better than we thought, right Babe?" Kagami asks her girlfriend.

"Sure did Gami!" Marinette repies.

#marinette x batfam #batman #miraculous marinette #miraculous ladybug #fanfic #new heroes #jasonette #mlb x dc #Todd siblings #Marinette Todd #lukloe #kagami x marinette #lila salt #lila bashing

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kirkwallgremlin · 4 years

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I know you said you don't need more prompts buuuuuut...."57 secretly dating" from the intimacy prompts list (for whichever pairing you want)?

@playwright-fate thank you all for asking <3 (and thank you anon ;_;), even if it did take me almost a month. I have to say though, I laughed when I recieved exactly the same prompt 3 times in a row 😂

Here’s some Isabela/Fenris <3 1520 words, rated M for brief discussions/mentions of sex and featuring the DA2 companions

Isabela didn’t know exactly when it had happened. When Fenris had started to mean something, when she had started spending as much with him as she did alone.

She knew when it had started of course. The night when all of the teasing, the suggestive jokes and comments she never expected to go anywhere, and the increasingly bold flirting she received in response had reached boiling point and she and Fenris had ended up in tangle of limbs and messy sheets in her room in the Hanged Man.

They’d been so rushed he hadn’t even fully removed his armour.

She was the one who raised it again a week or so later, a casual comment about how she couldn’t stop thinking about that night. It was almost true. She could have stopped if she tried but did she really want to do that?

“Well, then I’ll see you later,” he’d told her in response and she’d appreciated his sudden boldness.

Then that night had turned into another, then another, and somehow they had found themselves here, with this undefined thing between them, growing every day.

“Do you think the others know?” he asked her one night as she sprawled sleepily across his bed, the pale sheets a stark contrast against her skin. “About us? About this?”

She wrinkled her nose at him.

“What is there to know?” she said. “If we talk about this, it becomes a thing. I don’t want it to be a thing. Things are complicated and messy and feelings get involved. And I’m not good with feelings.”

She pouted, shifting to push her bare breasts towards the elf’s serious expression.

“It doesn’t have to be a thing,” Fenris said, reaching for her, and just like that, the conversation was over.

They didn’t talk about what this was anymore, and they didn’t make any plans to tell anyone.

She didn’t want it to be a thing, as much as it was starting to feel like one.

- - -

“Come on, take a risk for once,” Isabela giggled, the door to the Chantry storeroom partially open behind her. She wasn’t sure Fenris believed that she’d found it open - she could hardly believe the luck herself - but she wasn’t sure it mattered as she pressed her lips against his throat.

“Please?” she added, the words murmured against his skin, pressing closer against him. “It’s only a storeroom and I’m sure the Maker won’t mind. You can ask for forgiveness later.”

Fenris gave in, letting her pull him into the empty room. But as Isabela pressed him against the wall, something clattered and they jumped, realising they weren’t as alone as they had thought.

“Mage,” Fenris snapped, standing straight as Anders stared at them, wide eyed and shocked. He clutched a large sheet of crumpled paper against his chest.

“I won’t tell anyone you were here if you do the same,” he said quickly and Fenris nodded. She was close enough to see his cheeks burning red as he awkwardly excused himself.

She looked back at Anders.

“Do I even want to know what you’re doing here?” she asked and he raised an eyebrow at her.

“Do I want to know what you were doing here?”

“I was trying to do the handsome elf but somebody interrupted that,” she muttered under her breath. Anders heard anyway.

“Are you sure that’s wise?” he asked.

“If I want your advice, I’ll ask for it,” she snapped. “So far though… it seems to be a very wise choice. But you can go ahead and keep that to yourself.”

Anders knowing didn’t need to make it more of a thing. Lots of consenting adults had sex, after all.

- - -

“How long have you been sleeping with Fenris?” Merrill asked one day, the words slipping out with such casual ease that Isabela nearly tripped down the stairs to the dock.

“What?” she spluttered. “We’re not…? How did you...?”

“He watches you when he thinks you’re not looking,” Merrill said simply. “And your face lights up when he’s around, when you think nobody is looking.”

“It’s just bedroom eyes, Kitten.”

Merrill frowned, a small crease forming between her eyebrows.

“Isn’t that the point?” she said. “You wouldn’t have bedroom eyes if you were sleeping together. But they’re outside the bedroom too.”

Isabela sighed.

“It’s complicated,” she said. “It’s been a few weeks but it’s just sex.”

“Oh.” Merrill continued walking for a moment, silent, the empty bags she took when shopping hanging limply from her arms. “It doesn’t look like just sex. He looks like he cares. You do too.”

Isabela just shook her head.

“Just sex, Kitten,” she said.

As much as Merrill might be convinced otherwise, it was just sex. It wasn’t anything more than that, and it definitely wasn’t anything more than that, not like the elf was implying.

- - -

“Aveline, my dear friend,” Isabela said, her most charming smile plastered across her face as she breezed into the woman’s office. “I was just wondering, for no reason at all, if there ever happens to be any spaces left… unattended around here. Alternatively, if you ever leave your office for prolonged periods of time.”

The woman raised an eyebrow at her.

“Who are you sleeping with now?”

“You wound me, Aveline,” she said, doing her best to look innocent. “I’m simply concerned about your wellbeing.”

“It can’t be Hawke, they’re with that mage.” Aveline continued as though she hadn’t spoken. Isabela rolled her eyes, planting her backside firmly on the captain’s desk.

“Believe it or not, I do have a life outside of Hawke,” she pointed out. “I have other friends, just like you do.”

“Did Fenris finally give in to your pestering?”

“It's hardly pestering when he’s the one initiating” she muttered. “And some people enjoy being flirted with.”

“I’m not helping you have sex somewhere in my guard headquarters,” Aveline told her, tone flat, and Isabela pouted.

“You never let me have any fun.”

Aveline just shook her head as Isabela excused herself, looking back as the guardswoman called her name.

“I hope you’re happy with him” she said.

Isabela smiled, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes. Of course she was happy. It was easy for sex to make you happy. And that was all it was, right?

- - -

“So, Rivaini,” Varric said. “I’m going to need some details.”

“What are you talking about?” she snapped at the dwarf standing at the top of the stairs as she exited her room.

“You and the elf. You’re not exactly doing a good job sneaking him in here. Unless you’re not even trying to hide it. If not, I’m hurt you haven’t told me already.”

“You’re getting nothing from me, Varric,” she told him, adjusting the jewelry that hung around her neck in the mirror he’d hung in the hall. Better lighting, or so he’d claimed.

“Oh come on. The pirate and the fugitive? Star crossed lovers, finding each other despite their circumstances? Now that’s a story worth telling.”

“It’s not a story,” Isabela muttered. “It’s just… sex. Sex between two people who happen to both be very attractive and can both appreciate that.”

Varric laughed.

“That’s just an added bonus,” he said. “Sex sells. But, not a problem. I can make up your tragic love story if I need to.”

“Go ahead,” she told him with a cheery smile. “Because there’s no real story here. We’re not star crossed lovers or going to give you a real love story.”

Varric could do his best but he wasn’t getting any real details to write about. Not from her. And this wasn’t going to really be a lasting story worth telling anyway, right?

- - -

Fenris was warm under her skin as she lay against his chest, one finger tracing ever so gently across one of the scars on his chest. He had a lot of those, marks from his past, marks that had become so familiar to her over the time they had spent together.

“So I’ve been thinking,” she said. “About us. About this?”

“This?” Fenris asked, and she didn’t need to look to know that he had raised an eyebrow at her words. She knew him well enough by now. Just like he knew her well enough to know the comment was unusual.

“This,” she confirmed, forcing her breathing to remain steady. “Don’t get me wrong, this is not a thing. I don’t do things. But I’ve been thinking. Maybe…” Andraste’s ass, why was this so hard? Lips pressed against the top of her head, a familiar, reassuring feeling. “Maybe it wouldn’t be the end of the world if people knew… that I… care for you. Just a little.”

Fenris’ lips curved into a smile against her hair.

“I care for you too, Isabela,” he said. “Just a little.”

Safe and warm in Fenris’ arms, in his bed, in his house, where she had spent so many of her nights lately, Isabela smiled.

She wasn’t the kind of person who did things. But whatever this was, maybe she just needed to enjoy it. And if that meant everyone knowing, that maybe that was how it needed to be.

#fenbela #fenris/isabela #andrew-blackthorn #playwrite-fate #anon #whats editing idk what that is #this started out as a fenris fic and got a little off topic and then i realised it fit much better as a bela fic and had to rework a bunch #and its techincally secretly dating but the idea feels like it worked better than the execution #i like it but the 'secretly dating' bit turned out less secret and dating than i planned originally #realised while writing this that ive never really ever written isabela? especially outside of my modern au #turns out she's really fun #gremfic #fml when i pasted this in the first time it cut off the last 3 sentences #still worked tho i guess 😂

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cottontail20 · 5 years

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A Legend All Their Own, Chapter 41: Almost A King

Summary: As the time to announce his engagement to Princess Wanda approaches, Vision has some concerns about what kind of King he will be. Wanda comforts him.

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16736589/chapters/44606374

A few days passed before Vision began to notice that the people of Sokovia's behavior towards him was slowly changing. It was subtle at first. There were still whispers when he passed by, but the whispers seemed much friendlier now.. some of them almost reverent.

They would smile when they saw him now. Real smiles, not the forced ones he sometimes used to get when delivering food to people. His possible future subjects would happily greet him, rather than trying to avoid him, or running away as soon as possible.

That morning, one young man had even bowed. Vision had looked around, expecting to find Wanda nearby, then remembered that she was off at another armor fitting, noticed that none of the Asgardian royals were around either, and finally realized, with no small amount of shock, that the young man was bowing to him, and that a few other Sokovians, after seeing the young man bow, were beginning to bow as well.

Vision's face burned bright red. He now completely understood why Wanda was so uncomfortable having people bow or kneel to her. However, unlike Wanda, Vision was raised the exact opposite of royal, and so had not spent his whole life being taught to adjust and react with grace and poise to this sort of thing. Vision opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a strangled squeak. His face reddened further, and unable to think of any better ideas, he simply ran away. --

Vision wasn't exactly sure where he was running to. But, as often seemed to happen nowadays, his feet instinctively carried him towards Wanda, almost crashing right into her as she exited the armorer's workshop.

"Whoa, easy there Vizh! I was just about to come find you.." Wanda grabbed his arms to steady herself, and him, frowning when she saw the slightly panicked look on his face. One hand reached up to gently stroke his cheek. "Hey.. Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

"No.." Vision let out a breath, feeling himself almost instantly relax at her touch. "No, nothing is wrong."

"Are you sure? You look so worried.."

"I just.. have you said anything to the common folk? About our engagement? They.. they've been treating me differently.."

"Oh.." Wanda blushed. "Well, I might have asked the Avengers to spread a bit of nicer information about you, to help the people be more accepting when we make our announcement.. Shouldn't I have?"

"That was probably a good idea, actually. I just.. I feel.." Vision looked around, as if worried someone would hear him. If he was supposed to be a leader, he shouldn't be showing these sort of weaknesses. What sort of King would he be if he did?

"Come on.." Wanda tugged at his hand, leading him away through the Palace's maze of halls and corridors. "Let's go to our room, we can talk properly."

Despite his worries, Vision's heart was warmed. Wanda knew him so well.

They headed back to their room- it really felt like 'theirs' now, somehow- and sat on the edge of the bed together. Linking their fingers, Wanda patiently waited for Vision to tell her exactly what was wrong.

He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, then opened it again, but the words wouldn't come. Vision knew Wanda would understand, yet for some reason, he still felt nervous. He heard Wanda sigh softly beside him, and when he turned to look at her, she kissed him, with so much love, her hands cupping his cheeks. Vision happily returned her kiss. It would be so easy to get completely lost in her, and he did so rather regularly, but knew he probably shouldn't right now. Wanda knew it too, gently breaking the kiss.

"You know you can tell me anything, right Vizh?" She whispered, gazing at him with her wide green eyes. "Anything at all. No judgement here."

"I know.." Vision sighed. "I just.. I'm not sure I'll be a very good King. I don't know how to be. I don't know how to rule people.. I wasn't born to be a King. Sometimes it feels like I wasn't born to be anything much at all. What if I'm really bad at being a King?"

"You won't be bad at it."

"But.."

"You won't. I know you" She shifted closer to him. "And you know, I wasn't born to be a Queen either. I was meant to stand around and look pretty, and smile and curtsy, until I eventually got shipped off to marry some Prince or Lord.. That's what my life was supposed to be before Pietro died, before I met you.."

"That doesn't seem fair.." Vision couldn't help but frown.

"It doesn't. But my point is, Vision, I don't know how to rule people anymore than you do. I wasn't taught any of that, because I was never meant to be Queen. Neither one of us was born to the Throne. But I think.. I think that might be what makes us good for it."

"You do?"

"I do" Wanda nodded. "We've both suffered.. In different ways, but we've both suffered. And we don't want that kind of suffering for anyone else.."

"Definitely not.."

"We don't really care too much for power, you and me.."

"We don't" Vision agreed.

"But we do want to make the world better" Wanda continued, "For everyone, for ourselves, and.." She trailed off for a moment, a faraway look in her eyes, fingers dancing over her stomach, then shook her head, coming back to herself. "For ourselves, and whoever comes after."

"That is all very true.." Vision still seemed a little nervous.

"You don't even really need to be a King. I said I wanted you to be my King, because.. that's just a title we give to someone ruling.." Wanda gazed into his eyes. "But I think.. I think what Sokovia really needs is a Vision."

"And a Scarlet Witch?" Vision chuckled.

"Maybe."

She kissed him again then, deeply, and this time, Vision let himself become lost, in more kisses, in gentle touches and soft skin, lost in warmth and pleasure and so much love, lost in her. Because when he came back from being lost, Wanda would smile at him like he was the most wonderful thing in the world, and he would smile right back. --

Vision might not be a King. Maybe he didn't have to be. When he was with Wanda, he was the very best Vision he could be.

Armour was made, hundreds of new weapons were forged. Soon, King Odin decided the time had come to reveal Ultron's declaration of War. Wanda and Vision, with tightly clasped hands, waited behind him, ready to make their own announcement afterwards.

"It is important we remember" Odin boomed, over the assembled crowd of both Asgardian and Sokovian people. "That we are not at war with Sokovia itself. The people of Sokovia have been, and remain, our staunch allies. Our fight is with the false King Ultron. The goal of Asgard in this war is to get the Princess Wanda her rightful place on the throne!"

A large cheer rose up from the crowd.

Vision turned to Wanda.

"They like you.."

"They'll like you too, Vizh."

"I hope so.."

"And now, the Princess has informed me that she has an announcement of her own.." Odin stepped aside.

Wanda squeezed Vision's hand, leading him with her to the edge of the balcony on which Odin had been speaking. He saw a few friendly faces in the crowd. The Avengers, Peter, Doctor Strange. Wanda cleared her throat.

"People of Sokovia, and Asgard.. The man standing beside me is Vision. The keeper of the Mind Stone, my Protector.. The man I love." A murmur from the crowd. "Some of you have treated him unfairly in the past.. That ends today. When the war is won, Vision and I plan to marry.. He will rule at my side."

Vision squeezed Wanda's hand, then took a breath and stepped forward, finally ready to speak for himself.

"I.. I was lowborn, like many of you" He began. "I wasn't born to be a King. I don't know if I'll be a good one. But I swear to you, I will do my very best. I want a better world, for us. All of us. And whoever comes after."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a slow clap. A cheer that spread through the crowd, building to a roar.

Slowly, Vision felt himself smile. He turned to Wanda, beaming at him. Glowing, radiantly beautiful.

And with absolutely no more reason to hide, he kissed her.

Today, he almost felt like a King.

#scarletvision #scarlet vision #scarlet vision au #scarlet witch #wanda maximoff #vision mcu #wanda x vision #vision x wanda #Avengers #mcu #avengers au #mcu au

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mosstheboar · 7 years

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Orcs who don't care don't get cake

Orcs who don't care, don't eat cake [Apocrypha] -------------- "Batul! Mind the heat!" Cinders rose and sparks again flew from the pressure of the bellows. Dura sighed and brought her hammer down again. The metal still sounded right but the shovel would be far from her best work. Breton or was shit, but for this shovel it would serve. The girl at the bellows was just coming into her strength, taller than last springs crop, and would be taller again come the end of winter. But her mind was still that of a child. Distracted by the sun emerging from clouds, the sound of rain on the roof. "Batul!" The Forge-Wife had half a mind to hurl the hammer but decided against it. After all how can you fill a leaky skull with wisdom. "Slow steady presses. You must keep the fire hot." Dura wiped sweat from her eyes and punded the metal again. In between strikes she spoke. "Tell me Batul. Do you remember why we keep the fire as hot as we can?" The girl grinned, a gap in her smile showed the effects of yesterdays mistakes with the coals. "Because you told me to." Dura snarled and held tight to her hammer. Mauloch frowned on the murder of children. No matter how dense. "And why do I tell you to?" "Because you're Forge-Wife and you know what to do." "And how do you think I became the Forge-Wife?" Batul frowned. This was a more difficult question. "Because your mother was Forge-Wife?" "Is that a question or a statement?" "Uhh..." Dura gave the shovel the last few hits it needed, and then a few more for the sake of her patience, and pulled it off the anvil. She cracked the skin of ice on the quenching bucket and dumped the shovel blade inside. Steam hissed and the water burbled mixing with the patter of rain on the roof of the forge. "Batul, come here." The girl dropped the bellows to the ground and walked to Dura through the rain. Dura waited for Batul to stand in front of her before pointing back to the bellows. "Are you just going to leave that in the mud?" Batul ran back through the rain, ignoring the covered walkway, and picked up the bellows. She came back frowning and shivering. "Do you have something to say?" Dura asked. "I'm sorry?" She held out the bellows. "You're not sorry, but you know you're wrong, close enough. I want to know if you have anything to say." "No." Batul looked at her feet and squished something in the mud. "Out with it." Dura felt mightily relaxed now that she'd beat the slag out of the shovel. She sat on a stool and stared at Batul. "Why do you need me to help you? You're better at this stuff than I am and you like doing it." A little orcish defienace gleamed in her eyes. Dura grinned back. Batul might lose some more teeth but if she learned well enough young enough her battle-smile would be fearsome. "It's true I enjoy it. But not always. I used to run from my chores and spent my days doing what I wanted to do." "See you get it! Why do I have to pump the bellows and listen to you all day." Dura spun the hammer lazily in her hands. Two-and-two-eighth stones exactly. Meteoric iron she found hunting the week before she became Forge-Wife. "There are two good reasons why you do what I tell you. The first and the simplest is that I'm bigger and stronger than you. The second reason is more complicated." Dura looked at the rain for a moment. Another day of this and the last crop before winter would be ruined. It wasn't needed but if they wanted vegetables all winter then a trading party would need to go to the city. "This is something that can never be learned too soon. Life is about doing the things you don't want to do, so that you can do the things you want to." "That's stupid!" "Aye. And the world is stupid too. But doesn't make it any less true." Dura spun the hammer in her hands again. When was the last time she went hunting? It would be nice to get out of the stronghold before winter. Extra meat wouldn't hurt. And more leather. Batul's feet were growing too fast for shoes but winter was no time for bare feet. She blinked and set the hammer down. "What is it you want to do?" "I want to go and get some of the cake Borba's making! If I run I can make it to the cliffs and watch the birds while I eat it." "In the rain?" "Then I'll dry." "And what if you get sick?" She shrugged. "Then I'll get better." "Why would Borba give you some of her cake." "Because we're clan. And she likes me." "Where did the cake come from?" "Borba made it. I can smell it right now!" "Do you know what goes into a cake?" "Eggs and wheat and honey!" "That's right. And where do the eggs come from?" "Chickens. Duh." "Where does Borba get the wheat?" "It grows from the ground." The girl hopped from one foot to the other. Mud squelched and rain pattered. "Why does it grow from the ground?" "Why all these questions? I don't care!" Dura stood and turned to the kitchen where smoke and delicious scents wafted out of the window to be beaten into the mud by the rain. "Borba! Lock the door! Batul needs to learn a lesson!" Batul glared at Dura. "Why did you do that!?" "Orcs who don't care don't get cake." "Fine then! I care!" Dura snorted. It was amusing being on this side of the conversation. "Pick up my hammer." "What?" "Pick up the hammer." "Why?" Dura just stared. Batul warily approached, mud squelching, and put her hands around the handle. The girl heaved, muscles went taught and she hefted it up to her chest. Dura nodded and then pointed to the rack where the hammer belonged. Batul grunted and heaved the hammer to its proper place. "Strength is important. If you were stronger and faster than me you could run and grab some cake before I could stop you. But there is a greater strength than that of the body." "You mean like magic?" Batul asked eagerly and she wiggled her fingers at the hammer. "That's not strength, well it kind of is, but it's not what I'm talking about. The greatest strength we orcs have is Clan." "Because there's more of us?" Dura smiled. She was asking better questions now. "Because we support each other. 'A Stronghold is not built from one stone and one tree'." Batul nodded. Every orcs knew those words. If only every orc understood them. "If everyone ran around leaving tasks for other people to do, nothing would get done. Borba can bake the clan a cake because Ushat and Yambul planted wheat. Ushat and Tambul can plant wheat because Orakh, Gronov, Bashag, and Mog raided a village and took grain. Orakh, Gronov, Bashag, and Mog can raid because I forge them weapons and armour. I can forge weapons and armour because you pump my bellows and carry my coal." Batul frowned and her eyes flickered as she took in this information. "So by pumping the bellows I help Borba make cake for the clan?" "Exactly." "But you weren't making weapons or armour. Just a silly shovel." Dura tapped the side of her nose. "Remember I asked you why wheat grows from the ground?" "Uhm...because plants do that?" "Yes. But we help it along by spreading the shit from the chickens onto it." "Oh...and that's what the shovel's for?" "Aye Batul. That's what the shovel's for. In the end, everything we do is to help the clan do the things we want to do, together." Batul smiled. "It all makes sense now. Thank you Dura." Dura knelt down and hugged her daughter, for now just a little girl learning about life, but too soon, far too soon, she would be a Forge-Wife in another Stronghold. Teaching the same lessons she learned by the forge. How the simplest shovel can bring love and warmth to the clan. "Can we go eat cake now?" "Yes Batul. We can go eat cake now." https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/6wotp0/orcs_who_dont_care_dont_eat_cake_apocrypha/

#tes #apocrypha #mosstheboar #writing #orsimer #the elder scrolls

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