#zira blackwell

[simba-bonfamille-lyons]

NAME: King Simba Blackwell (Simba Lions) AGE: 27 TITLE: King of Swysteros ALIASES: The Last Lion, The Lion Prince, The Young Lion HOUSE: Blackwell SPOUSE: Aquata Blackwell (Triton) CHILDREN: N/A OCCUPATION: Rallying armies to his cause. WEAPON OF CHOICE: Prideclaw -- a longsword with a golden hilt and amethyst in the pommel. ALLIANCES: House Drakken, House Triton, House Bonfamille INSPIRED BY: Daenerys Targaryen, Aegon Targaryen, Renly Baratheon

BIOGRAPHY: tw death/murder

King Simba Blackwell was born the Prince of Swysteros, Lord of Pride Rock, a land that has now been divvied up between the remaining Great Houses of Swysteros. His family were famed for having ruled for a thousand years. Both through good and bad rulers. They conquered the lands on the backs of massive gryphons, long ago vanished.

By all rights, one day, Simba was supposed to take the crown.

And then the lands fell into chaos. The Knightleys challenged the order of things and rose up against the Blackwells. Eventually, the Blackwells lost and King’s Landing was sacked. Simba’s mother, Queen Zira Blackwell, and his father, Bruno Blackwell, along with his older sister and infant sister were murdered.

Simba, who was a toddler, was smuggled out of the keep by those still loyal to Blackwell and shipped across the Narrow Sea to Bessyos. There, he studied both in the schools there, but also swordsmanship. He fought in several skirmishes in Bessyos until he came of age and swore to return to Swysteros to reclaim his family’s throne. 

About five years ago, Simba stepped foot on Swysterosi soil for the first time in twenty-five years. He landed in Dorne and was taken in by his cousins at Rising Sun, much to the displeasure of the Knightleys. He has made his base there, though he often goes out to try and convince the other houses to rally around him.

He has married into House Triton, but has struggled to secure more funds or armies. After all, he has nothing to prove that he is Prince Simba. Many do not believe him. He has been laughed out of more courts than he can count, but Simba will continue in his pursuit. He comes to the wedding to remind the Knightleys he is a real threat and to, hopefully, network...

#swyngombio #inspiration #wanted to get this out bc i am #very excited about my plots #i wanna start rping nowwwww

[professorofcrimeratigan]

Teacher’s Pet || Zira + Ratigan

The last time he and Ms. Blackwell had met things had not gone well— which annoyed him more than he knew it should have. He had done what she had asked of him, had done more than he had in a very long time, and had done it in Swynlake, where he usually did not deal business inside of. It should have been simple and clean but he had made a mess of it. 

He was not one to make messes. He was not one to leave the mess to sit there, either. 

When enough time had past, but not too long, he returned for the third time to her home. It was never ideal to be in that place for him but they couldn’t meet in public to talk about these matters and it was just simply impolite to suggest going somewhere he was more comfortable. (Though, she probably didn’t feel uncomfortable anywhere since she had the upper hand on him.) 

And so the routine went— He knocked. Someone let him in and told him to wait for her there by the door. This was, though, the first time he was nervous. It was stupid to be here with no back up but he had set up a fail safe to go out to the network for its continuation should she decide to simply kill him today. 

@zira-blackwell

#teacher's pet #zira blackwell

[swynlake-spill]

hello today begins my countdown to the biggest event of 2021 (we peak early) aka Zira Blackwell’s birthday party. let’s celebrate with some bardcore

FIVE DAYS PEASANTS 

#daily spill #zira blackwell

[nuka-blackwell]

The Lyons Blackwells

But I set fire to the rain Watched it pour as I touched your face Well, it burned while I cried

@kovu-blackwell @zira-blackwell @vitani-blackwell

#kovu blackwell #zira blackwell #vitani blackwell

[dr-drckken]

Enter If You Dare || Drira

@zira-blackwell

Word on the street was that someone in this little town had a whole museum in their house. Or mansion? What defined a mansion as opposed to a house-? Gah! Whatever! It didn’t matter! The point was that they had some pretty cool looking stuff inside. He knew this because apparently the place was open for the university people and Drakken had snuck in with a group of students to stake out the place. 

He had gone during the day, because going at night was stupid since that was usually the time everyone was home to sleep. Also he was sort of scared of the dark and if he needed to make an escape he didn’t want to do it in the dead of night. 

Anyway, he had dropped in through a window and tip toed his way to the rooms they had allowed them to go into with all the stuff. But then he thought, why confine himself to these things? Why not take this opportunity to look through the whole house! Surely they kept their best stuff away from the public eye. 

So off he went, opening doors that had previously been closed off before, smiling to himself. 

#title: (enter if you dare) #ch: (zira blackwell) #(drira)

[medisinals]

"Take courage, for the worst is a harbinger of the best."

        “Is it?”  The quirk of an eyebrow indicates interest in what the man has to say, but it’s a lie.  Under a millimeter’s worth of facade, everything is ice.  Dr. Blackwell does not believe in gentle assurances.  He does not believe in harbingers, nor does he believe in the best, nor does he even really believe in the worst.  Thinking of anything as the worst that could happen is merely an invitation to be proven wrong.

        “Do you have any examples of that?”

@cartusprincipatus  |  jenny holzer sentence starters  |  accepting!

#opxngravxs ; aziraphale #//zira: hey things aren't all bad #//blackwell: source????? fuck you #how dreary to be somebody | IC #the human heart is told of nothing | ANSWERED #opxngravxs

[ashleigh-inyourdreams]

Endless Nightmare || Simleigh

In the nights after a Swynlake... event, Ashleigh feasted. 

And thank god for Zira and the Blackwells too. After her failed attempt at haunting her boyfriend, Ashleigh’s nights had been unsatisfactory, her appetite seemingly bottomless. She hopped from dream to dream but never got what she truly wanted. It was like the terrible magic had stuck to her, a kind of slime she hadn’t been able to wipe off.

But not anymore.

Now, Swynlake was shuddering with fresh nightmares and new trauma. She could taste it in the air. It made her giddy and excited for the night to come. And she knew exactly who one of her meals was going to be. 

Simba Bonfamille-Lyons.

She visited him with semi-frequency. He was a reliable snack. To her, his issues were like little wind-up toys: easy to play with and fun to watch fall down, just so she could wind them all up over and over. When he adopted Ashlee, she’d stopped for a period but these days...

These days she wasn’t feeling merciful. His little fake fatherhood act just annoyed her more. 

And so she descended onto his dreams, and the dream welcomed her, as it should. She whispered to life the basement. Now this was new, she thought to herself. Normally she played in the InterPride offices, or on the road where Simba’s father had died. 

She liked new though. New meant more. 

And so she locked the door on Simba, and she put a body in the corner, shivering and whimpering for help.

@simba-bonfamille-lyons

#the rest of this will absolutely have to go under a read more #we love to see it #para #simleigh

[lou-bonfightme]

À bientôt || [Loud Bell + Simber aka Big Fam]

In which Hades, Belle, and Simba send their partners and children off before the showdown...[takes place: September 27]

@trip-downtheriverstyx, @labellerose-acheron, @ber-bonfamille-lyons, @simba-bonfamille-lyons

tw -- talk of kidnapping/murder/death/anticipation of bad things, etc.

SIMBA: The decision to have his family leave town was not Simba’s idea. It had been Hades who had approached him quietly, a few nights after the Blackwells had announced their dreadful gala. They stood in the hallway of a darkened Town Hall, a board meeting having just finished, and Hades explained how he and Belle were planning to spirit away their children before the event began. At first, Simba hadn’t understood why Hades was telling him this until he realized that they needed someone else to help Toulouse, who was leaving with them.

And that person was Berlioz.

It had not been an easy pitch to convince Ber. Simba appreciated his husband’s stubbornness (because he wouldn’t call it bravery) to stay with him. In the end, that was not what this was about. It was about making sure that Ashlee, Opal, Aidan, and Bellamy were going to be okay. Simba’s safety didn’t matter half as much as that, Ber’s loyalty didn’t matter half as much as that.

The day had drawn closer, hanging above them like a dark cloud and now it hung above them: threatening rain. Quit literally. The sky was dark with clouds that looked about ready to split at the seams any moment. 

Inside the Acheron house, it was a bustle of activity as the parents darted around trying to find this thing or that thing. Juggling the children as they periodically cried or otherwise needed attention. When Simba and Berlioz arrived, they nearly collided with Belle coming out of the door, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, a folded up playpen dwarfing her as she struggled to pull it out of the house. 

“Oh!” she yelped as all three of them startled. 

“Sorry, Belle,” Simba apologized and reached out for the playpen, lifting it easily from her grasp. He had expected her to fight him on it, but she just let it go. He put it under his arm. “I imagine this is going to the car?” 

She nodded. 

“Alright, I’ll do that.” He hefted it up under his arm. “Put us to work. We’re here to help, aren’t we, Ber?” Simba smiled sunnily at his husband. This was slated to be a rather somber affair, so if he could make it even a little lighter, he wanted to. 

BERLIOZ: So this was a stupid fucking idea. 

Not the running away-- Berlioz was all about that. In fact, with the impending doom scheduled (right on time; Swynlake had to lob one at him and his family at least every other year or who knows what would happen), Berlioz thought it was time for an extended vacation, perhaps one where they didn’t come back. Well. Alright, maybe that was an overreaction. But Berlioz had been pissed when Simba sat him and Ashlee down and told him about Zira’s evil plan, and the risks, and then told them that he would be staying. Of course. Because he was the heir of this whole goddamn tour. 

Berlioz had tried to argue. He didn’t want to go without Simba; ideally, Simba would stick a finger up at this whole thing the way he had done with InterPride and they could find peace and safety somewhere else, even if it was only for a week or two until this all played out.

It had been pointless. Berlioz knew it was pointless. Simba remained steadfast, loyal, and true-- things that Berlioz loved about him, things that he hated. 

If it weren’t for Ashlee, he would have dug his heels in, punished Simba for his stubborn loyalty with Ber’s stubborn loyalty. Though not to a town or a character or Arthur Pendragon-- but to him. And their family. And the bands around their fingers. That wouldn’t work though. Ashlee didn’t know Lou all that well, and leaving her with three kids and too much to worry about seemed unfair. 

So Berlioz had packed a bag. And he was here. But it was still a stupid fucking idea. 

Ber fiddled with his wedding ring now as they greeted Belle. Er--Simba greeted him. Ber remained quiet, one step back, though he offered half-smile at Simba and then went for another one of the suitcases. 

“Everything goin’ okay in there?” he asked Belle, hearing a bit of commotion. That would be transferred into the car in a little under an hour. 

Right on cue: Opal, tearing through the house. “UNCLE SIMBA!” she cried out nice and loud before colliding with his legs. She wrapped her arms around and smiled up at him. She garbled a bunch of words that Berlioz could not make out.

Hades appeared with a sigh. “She’s asking for help picking out her ‘travel dress.’ She won’t settle on anything,” Hades said this to Belle with an annoyed crease in his eyebrow. “This is all Lou’s fault.” 

SIMBA: “Hey little demon,” Simba chuckled as Opal slammed into him, her little arms wrapping around one of his legs as she grinned up at him. Usually, Opal looked like a pretty even split between her parents, but that smile was all her own. (Maybe just because Simba didn’t see either Belle or Hades grin like that very often.)

He glanced over at Hades as he came up behind his wife, then back down to Opal with a smile wide enough to match her own.

“No, it’s not,” he heard Lou call from up the stairs.

Opal giggled.

“Are you giving your parents a hard time?” he asked the girl with a raised eyebrow. She shook her head emphatically.

“Opal, let go of Uncle Simba,” Belle said, holding out her hand for her daughter to take instead, but she clung stubbornly to him. He felt her arms tighten around his thigh. Jeez, when did the kid get so strong? With his hands full, he couldn’t peel her off of him.

“Hey, Opal,” Simba said her name to get her attention and she glanced up at him. “You know who loves picking out outfits?”

Her brow furrowed as she thought about it and then she shook her head.

“Your Uncle Ber.”

“Really?” She brightened up at once.

“Oh, yeah, definitely.”

Opal unattached herself from him but then threw herself on Ber’s legs. “Uncle Ber, Uncle Ber. C’mon, I will show you all my dresses! I have sooooo many.”

Simba gave Ber a smile at the look he shot him and then leaned in to kiss the side of his head before Opal dragged him off. Belle chuckled as she watched them, her arms around herself, holding her elbows tight.

“Well done,” she snorted.

Simba shrugged as he picked up the suitcase Ber left behind. “I figured distracting them both was probably a good idea. I’m gonna go put these in the car. If you bring down anything else the babies will need, just put it by the front door and I’ll pack it up. I am great at jigsaws.” He knew it was going to be a tight squeeze with three babies and three adults in the car.    

BERLIOZ:  Berlioz shot Simba a look, half-panicked. Not that he didn’t know how to handle Opal. By now he knew quite well, but-- normally it was always Berlioz and someone else tag-teaming her. If there was anything about Opal, it was that she was a handful. Took several handlers, unless you were a toddler whisperer, like Simba, so really the way this scene shoulda gone was Simba going off to convince Opal into her ballerina tutu and Berlioz would take bag duty, a much less complicated thing. Plus, he could use that time to complain to Belle about this whole thing.

Well. Actually. She was a knight too. She’d probably say the same stupid shit about keeping them all safe, and having to stay because of divine destiny, and because she believed in Swynlake and it was her home and her duty to protect it… 

Yeah, maybe Berlioz wanted to talk to Lou. Someone sane. 

So he went all the way up to Opal’s room. His eyebrows shot up immediately at all the clothes laid out. “So I see you’ve been workin’ on this for a while,” he deadpanned. Opal was not old enough to understand Berlioz’s humour, so she just giggled and skipped forward. She grabbed a dragon onesie and held it up. “Look, Uncle Ber!” 

Berlioz nodded. “Mm, yeah, that looks comfy.” She babbled something in incoherent toddler speak. He picked out something about “guarding” them from “baddies.” 

It made him frown. “Opal, you don’t gotta worry about that. We’re just going on a...a family vacation. A special one, for you and me and your TonTon. Right, Lou?” 

HADES: Hades watched Opal and Berlioz scamper off for a moment before he turned back to Belle and Simba. He went for another bag they’d brought down: one of Lou’s. Hades had told Lou he didn’t need so much shit, but it had been a pointless comment. Of course Lou was going to pack more ridiculous outfits than he needed, even if they’d only be gone… Hades didn’t know. He tried not to linger on that part of it. If he did, he’d start to worry and he’d want to do something he had never wanted to do before-- flee. It wasn’t like him at all. He wasn’t a coward. He’d grown up with more magic than most, understanding its responsibility. Obviously his place was in Swynlake and by Belle’s side. 

But he’d never been separated from his kids before. Not like this. Not for so long. Perhaps it would just be a week away, and it would be exactly what Opal needed to shake off the last of the nightmares from the Order’s attacks. He wanted that for her. She deserved a nice and normal holiday… to see the beaches, play some silly carnival games, go to a play, get a new pretty dress from her TonTon. But if things went wrong… it was hard to predict. Maybe he wouldn’t see Opal for much longer. He had this pit in his stomach that made him more uncertain. It felt like a premonition, telling Hades to go, to stay with his family. (He was staying with his family...his family was just split down the middle. And so was his heart). He knew that Simba understood all of that. As soft and sentimental as he was, he was going through the same thing. And so it was with that in mind that Hades headed out behind Simba with Lou’s bag and said, “So-- how’s Berlioz doing with all this?” 

TOULOUSE: Toulouse was glad to be leaving. He was pissed, of course. Thought that both Belle and Hades were idiots. It comforted him that, at least, Hades was only staying behind to protect Belle. (Really, that just made him angrier at Belle. Not because he cared about Hades’ safety more, but because she was being selfish.) He wondered if without the babies, he would make a different choice. To stay. (Part of him didn’t think he would. Was he a bad partner for that? Did he not love Belle and Hades enough?)

Thankfully, there were the babies and because of them, Lou could not dwell on the existential. He had to focus on the children. Getting them packed and put in the car. Protecting them, above anything else, even his own heart.

If only Opal would cooperate. He rarely lost his patience with her, but it was a near thing now. She was being impossible. And he was not the kind of parent to wrestle her into just anything and toss her in the car. (Was he really much of a parent at all? Or the indulgent uncle who let her get away with taking over an hour to pick out an outfit.) He was frowning at Opal’s bed, where her outfits were all laid out. They had already packed her favourite books and her favourite toys, Mr. Fox laying on top of the bag, so he wouldn’t be forgotten and could be cuddled in the car.

When Ber and Opal arrived, he wasn’t startled but he only looked up at his brother’s comment. He rolled his eyes, scoffing slightly.

His frown shifted even a bit deeper at Opal’s words. They were, of course, careful how they spoke about the situation when Opal was around, but sometimes—they did forget. Opal was growing so fast and she was curious, smart, and emotionally intuitive. She knew that something was going on. Could feel the tension in the air. And so soon on the heels of the Order—

Lou worried about her. Children should feel safe. He had spent most of his own childhood feeling the unsteadiness of his family. He had thought—if her parents were together and loved each other, why wouldn’t she feel safe? But for Opal, and the Acherons, it was much more complicated.

He knelt down when Opal looked over at him and she skipped over, leaning against his leg. “Yes, we’re going to the ocean.”

“Fish,” she said, though not as enthusiastically as she might have otherwise.

He smiled at her and nodded. “Yes, fish. And Maman and Daddy will be joining us in a few days. They just have some business to finish up here first. Uncle Simba, too.” Opal swung her head around to look at Ber for confirmation.

SIMBA: “Oh, uh—” Simba said, glancing over his shoulder. He was surprised that Hades had followed him. Well, okay, no. Not really. Out of everyone, the two of them were the ones who would actually get everything packed and put in the car. Berlioz would lollygag, Simba already knew that. And he couldn’t imagine Lou was much better. If it wasn’t Opal spending hours picking out a travel outfit, it’d be Toulouse. And Belle—well, he didn’t know where to put her, but she seemed a little subdued, so who knew.

Hades was practical. Like Simba. They were the de facto heads of their families. So, Hades actually putting bags in the car was not surprising. What was surprising was that he was talking to Simba.

“He’s pissed at me,” Simba said with a shrug as he waved his foot under the back of the car, so the boot would open automatically. “Thinks we are all a bunch of nuts but I’m okay with that. I’d rather him be pissed and safe than here and—” He trailed off as he shoved the pack-n-play up against the back seats.

“Only reason I could convince him to go was because of Ashlee. And helping with the babies, of course. So, thanks for that. I know Lou’s capable, but even he can’t juggle three babies on his own.” Simba chuckled as he tossed the other bag into the car as well and then stepped out of the way, so Hades had access.

“Er, what about Lou?”

BERLIOZ:  Opal looked at him, and Berlioz didn’t know what to say. 

That was often the case. He couldn’t talk to kids, not… the same way as Simba or Lou. There was this special mix you had to master-- personable, funny, easy to understand but not too babyish. Ber could barely talk to adults as is, so mastering that mix was next-level impossible. He would take Opal turning him into the pet golden retriever or enemy dragon or whatever anyday-- make him bark or growl, that he could do. 

But talk to Opal about going away without her parents? No, he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t lie. Because...it might be a lie. Maybe it would be longer than a week.

Maybe her parents wouldn’t join them.

Maybe--

No. Berlioz slammed a wall down in his own brain, as his anxiety started to fester. He was catastrophizing. If he catastrophized, he’d send himself into a panic attack and he couldn’t do that in front of Opal, or with Ashlee coming in little under a half hour, or with Simba looking for him to be strong. If he had to focus on any of his shitty emotions, he had to pick anger. Anger was at least goddamn productive. It made him braver, albeit brash and bitchy. He’d just be pissed-- and hold onto it so he could lash out at Simba when they saw each other again. Because they would see each other again.

To Opal now? “Yeah,” was all he uttered at first. Then: “But don’t you wanna hang out with us instead, eh? We’re waaaaay cooler than your parents.” 

That made Opal giggle. “Waaaaaaaaaaay cooler,” she said, trying to mimic his accent. 

“Sooooo much cooler. Now c’mon, show us that cool dragon outfit!”

Opal squealed and instantly started to change, right then and there. Berlioz let out a sigh all his own that felt like the release of a fifteen-tonne weight. Except he still carried so much. This was only the beginning. There’d be more questions and moments like this one, Berlioz not sure what to do or say-- Opal and the twins missing their parents. He glanced up at his brother, and was so fucking happy he wasn’t doing this by himself. 

“Well, maybe that’ll be the hardest part of the trip, eh?” he half-joked, knowing it wouldn’t be. “You ready for this?” 

HADES: Well, if push came to shove, Hades thought Lou could handle three babies on his own. It would be a chore, but over the past few months, Lou had become so integral that he was like another set of Hades’s hands. Maybe that was his true magic-- along with his ability to know instinctively when Hades was getting overwhelmed and needed him. He always seemed to appear, a step ahead, intuition perfectly tuned, ready to take a twin or wrestle a difficult Opal into a better mood. 

Or sometimes, he’d appear and say just the right thing to make Hades laugh. And the whole day lifted. 

Hades would miss that. 

He didn’t want to send Lou away-- unlike Simba. Of course he wanted to keep his partner safe, but Hades always believed the best way to do what was by keeping him close. And hadn’t he and Belle always faced their demons together? He never pushed Belle to the side-- magic or no magic. He’d treat Lou the same if he could. 

But he had three children. He had three children, and Lou was not a warrior in the same way that Belle was a warrior, so Hades could crave Lou, could need Lou, but it would be selfish, not smart. Now as the time to be smart. 

“I think Lou’s happy to go. Well. Happy’s an overstatement. Or not the right word. He’s not in any rush to defend Swynlake against the forces of evil is all. Must be Bonfamille blood.” Not that Hades was doing any of this for this Swynlake. He was doing it for-- future Swynlake. For his children. For Belle. 

“But he knows this is how it works. And as long as I am who I am and Belle is who she is… things like this will happen.” Hades slammed a car door shut. “That’s why it’s called Fate.”  

TOULOUSE: Toulouse could hear his brother’s fluttering heartbeat. He could actually hear much more than that. Opal’s heartbeat too. The twins in their playpen next to him (he’d moved it in to Opal’s room so he could keep an eye on them). Belle downstairs in the kitchen moving cups around. He couldn’t hear her heartbeat from her, but still. And he could hear Simba and Hades’ feet crunching the gravel outside and the murmur of conversation, though not their words.

He was going to miss this all. The idea of it disappearing made him feel unsteady and angry. It was a good thing he had a perceptive toddler to take care of, otherwise, he was afraid he might breakdown. His family centered him. The balance was a delicate one, and losing Hades and Belle? Them putting themselves in danger? It felt unnatural and...frightening.

But, he didn’t have time to think about it, because his caillou needed him, and his little brother’s heart was pounding, despite his smile.

He helped Opal out of her clothes and then into the dragon onesie as his brother spoke. glancing at him, he just pursed his lips slightly. “Of course, I am,” he told him, even if it wasn’t true. Because it was what he needed to tell himself. And it was probably what Ber needed to hear. “It will be fine. Caillou is going to be a good big sister, aren’t you?”

Opal nodded seriously, glancing over at the twins before looking back at him.

“Going to entertain them in the car, hm?”

“Yeah!” She grinned big.

“See? No problem. It’s not too long of a drive. By the time we get to Bournemouth, they’ll all be knocked out anyway and I’ve got a full itinerary for the next few days.” After Friday, there was nothing on the schedule, but by Friday, the rest of the family was supposed to be joining them. Until then, he’d planned trips to the museums and markets and beach, to keep the children occupied and Ber’s mind off of things.

SIMBA: Simba wanted to joke about defending Swynlake from the forces of evil, but the words felt like ash in his mouth. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was his fault. Somehow. Or, at the very least, his family’s true legacy. This long term, terrible curse. He still hadn’t been able to reconcile that with the history he had known. And he didn’t know how much was true. After all, Simba had never approached Zira. Partially because Arthur had told him to keep his distance, but partially because...well, he was scared to learn the truth. He wondered, if he had earlier, would they all be in this situation? His family unsafe. Hades’ family unsafe? All of Swynlake, potentially, unsafe?

And he wondered if the same thing Hades said was true for him too. If, for as long as he was who he was, his family would not be safe.

The idea didn’t sit right with him. How was he supposed to have children if he worried about things like ancient family curses? Or a responsibility to a taking care of a whole town? He already felt guilty enough, keeping Ber away, when his place was at Simba’s side.

His shoulders felt incredibly heavy.

“Maybe,” Simba agreed. Though, he still didn’t understand why Allah still felt the need to test him, over and over. Hadn’t he proven himself?

Simba sighed and let his armor drop, for just a moment, thinking about going home tonight to an empty house. An empty bed. At least Hades had the benefit of keeping Belle close. Though, he supposed, being separated from his children must be just as hard, if not harder. He wouldn’t be alone, though, and that—Simba was jealous of.

“Can I ask you something?” Simba turned to face Hades properly. “If something happens to me, would you just—look after them? I-I know Lou and Belle will look after Berlioz but...my mum. She’s got her sister in London but I dunno just...I’m all she has left. And Ashlee. She’s an adult now, but she isn’t ready to be on her own. I know you’ve got your own family but Nala is in Kenya and I don’t want to involve Kiara in any of this and I just—wanna make sure they’re taken care of. I’ve got money put aside for all of them, but...I’d just feel better if you were looking out for them.” 

HADES: At Simba’s question, Hades raised his eyebrows. 

The answer did not need to be spoken, necessarily. Naturally Hades would step in to help the Bonfamille-Lyons if the worse came to be. After all, in a way, they were Hades’s family too, through Lou. Lou would probably do most of the actual work...picking up after Simba, as Berlioz would naturally be a mess. He was also much better with Ashlee. They didn’t have much of a relationship but certainly more than Hades, and he knew enough about the girl’s trauma to know that a stranger stepping in would not be good for her.

But.

But all of that hypothetical thinking was a waste of his energy. It was a waste of Simba’s too. Hades understood the proclivity to worry as having three children made him more predisposed to it, but he was also practiced at keeping his worry in a separate place in his mind, or making it quiet when he needed to focus.

And now was the time for Simba and Hades to focus. 

“It goes without saying that I would,” said Hades. “But you can’t start thinking like that, Lyons. You make that future more likely if you speak it. Have more confidence, eh? That’s what your family needs from you. Don’t talk like you’ve already lost-- you need to think like that isn’t even an option. Because it isn’t.” 

That’s what Hades’s confidence-- some called it arrogance-- gave him. 

At this moment, the door opened again, and Opal came scampering out, Ber and Lou trailing behind. She nearly stumbled onto the rough steps of their pathway, but caught herself. Even if she did fall, Opal wasn’t one to cry these days. She would have just picked herself up again.

“Daddy! Uncle Simba! Look!” She stopped in front of them and made two claws out of her hand. “GRRRRRRR”

Hades reacted as a father should, clutching his chest. “Oi! A dragon’s eaten my daughter!” 

SIMBA: Simba was not a pessimist. No matter how much the world tried to make him one. He tried to be optimistic about things, to believe in fate, in Allah, in things happening the way they were supposed to. And if he thought like that, he thought that this couldn’t be the end for him. There was so much more that he needed to do. He needed to make it to his second wedding anniversary, his fifth, tenth, twentieth, fiftieth. He still needed to convince Ber to have a baby with him. (Well, he’d convinced him, but they hadn’t done it yet.) They hadn’t been to Asia or South America yet. Or taken their trip to Antarctica to see the singing penguins...

And, of course, in front of Ber, Simba wouldn’t let any of that worry wiggle its way in. With Hades, though, there was really nothing to lose. Hades would understand what Simba was asking. Would, maybe, understand that it wasn’t a weakness to think such a thing. Just—practical, born out of love more than anything. In front of Ber, Simba would be strong. All smiles and buoyed confidence. And he’d believe it enough that Ber would believe it too. But, for just a moment, it was nice to have someone else being the one to tell him it was okay.

Simba nodded and was about to say something else when Opal burst out of the house. Ber and Lou appeared in the doorway behind her, both carrying one of the twins and a suitcase. He couldn’t help but smile at Ber before looking down at Opal as she ran up to them.

He let out a breath of a chuckle and then leaned over to squint a bit at Opal. She bared her teeth at him. “Hades, wait—I think...I think the dragon is your daughter!” Simba reached out and scooped Opal up, nom-noming on her fuzzy stomach as she squealed and squirmed.

“Daddy help!”

Simba let Hades rescue Opal and grabbed the suitcase from Ber, pinching Aidan (Bellamy? Hell, he didn’t know they looked exactly the same) (it was Aidan for the record) on the cheek before leaning in to kiss Ber. He turned to put the suitcase in the boot. When he looked back over, Belle had appeared, Shuck following dutifully at his mistress’ side.

She wordlessly stood at Toulouse’s elbow and he handed a sleepy Bellamy over to her. Bellamy snuggled up against his mother’s collarbone and she pressed her nose into his hair. Simba glanced away, feeling something twist in his gut.

“Is, uh—that everything from the house?” Simba asked, clearing the sudden tightness in his throat. He slipped up next to Ber and touched his back, trailing his hand up until he rested it on the back of his husband’s warm neck.

“I believe so,” Lou said, looking perfect, not at all ruffled or distressed, though his hands hung a bit awkwardly at his sides now that he was not holding one of the children.

“Right, well—” Simba’s fingers clenched slightly at Ber’s neck “—should probably get the children settled in the car, eh?” 

BERLIOZ:  So this was it. 

No, it wasn’t it; it was the beginning. Berlioz knew that, and was both relieved and exhausted all at the same time, if that made any bloody sense at all. He was relieved that the beginning of this trip meant that he and Lou and the children would be safe. He was glad to be leaving Swynlake, for once ahead of its terrible storm. For a long time, Swynlake never afforded him that kinda luxury. And he really shouldn’t thank the town this time either, because it was Simba, not Swynlake, who was clearing the roads and makin’ sure they got out.

But he was exhausted because he didn’t know when any of this was gonna end. He was exhausted, knowing that for the next...so many nights, he’d be curling up alone without Simba’s familiar breath or his warmth against Berlioz’s back. Would he even be able to sleep? How the hell was he going to keep up this facade of a happy-go-lucky vacation for a bunch of smart kids, and Ashlee, who definitely knew shit was going down, and needed someone much stronger than Berlioz to reassure her. 

With thoughts like that turning themselves into knots in Berlioz’s mind, it seemed clear to him-- Simba should be the one to go. If some Lyons had to stay behind, well, he’d taken the name. Couldn’t he count? No, that wasn’t martyrdom, just plain facts. 

But he was a coward, and Simba was not. And he’d never follow that path of logic.

So this was it. 

There was a pause between Simba’s words, filled in a beat later by Hades, not Berlioz. 

“C’mere, lovely!” he exclaimed, and he lifted Opal into his arms. She squealed. Berlioz watched as he spun her once around, making her laugh again, before he zoomed toward the car, making noises like he was a giant spaceship. “Annnnnd she lands!” he exclaimed, tucking Opal into one of the seats.

Berlioz’s heart pounded hard, he could feel it like a fist in his throat. He turned to Simba. “What if you changed your mind and came with us anyway?” the words spilled out, useless, selfish. He knew the answer. He still had to say it. 

SIMBA: Simba sighed and glanced away from Berlioz, though he didn’t stop touching him. This was what it felt like—looking away, but still reaching behind. Simba wanted to go. More than anything, he wanted to go. 

“You know I want to,” Simba turned back to Ber, shifting his weight so he could swing around in front of him. He wrapped his arms around Ber. A bit awkward, because his husband was still holding a baby, but that didn’t matter much to Simba. 

He leaned in and kissed Ber, nose, then his cheek. “I love you. I just—I need to this. For me. I don’t know if it makes me selfish or—“ 

Belle cleared her throat a bit and Simba turned as she gestured to the baby. Simba leaned in and kissed the baby’s soft little head before letting Belle take him from Ber. When she was gone, Simba turned back to Ber and wrapped his arms properly around him, his shoulders, squeezing him tight. 

“We are gonna be together again soon, I promise. I will see you in a few days.” He squeezed him tighter, closing his eyes. 

BELLE: Belle was struggling. 

She didn’t think she would, but as the last one in the house, she realized how still it was. Not quiet, because the house was never quiet, but still. Empty. Once, only Belle and Hades were in this house together, and that had been enough. Then, there had been Opal and that had been enough. Then, the twins and Toulouse and all the animals and this house breathed. Going back just to Hades and Belle felt wrong. 

Having her children taken away from her made her feel like she was losing a piece of herself. 

She took Bellamy from Toulouse’s arms, crawled into the third row of the car, settling him into his car seat. “I love you,” she told her sweet, chubby faced baby. “I love you so much and I am going to miss you.” Bellamy blinked serenely at her, always so content. “Be brave.” 

Belle passed Hades buckling Opal into her car seat. Went out the other door and got Aidan from Simba and Berlioz. She buckled him into the seat next to his brother and gave him a goodbye too, her eyes watering as he started to squirm and twist his face. But Belle just kissed both of them several times and then switched spots, so she could say goodbye to Opal. 

“Maman loves you,” she told her daughter, crouching in front of her. 

“I know, Maman. I love you, too.” 

Belle smiled. “You’re going to be brave, oui?” 

“GRRR,” Opal lifted her hands and made claws. 

Belle laughed through her tears. “That’s my demon. You keep your Tonton in line.”

“Oui, Maman.”

“I will see you soon.”

“Bye-bye.”

Belle slipped out of the car and stumbled right into Toulouse’s arms. He squeezed her shoulders and she cried against him, hiding her face away from Opal. 

“You will see them soon,” Toulouse told her, rubbing her shoulder. She nodded and pulled away. She reached up and touched his cheek and then popped up on her tiptoes. She kissed his cheek and then his lips softly. 

“Take care of them, alright? And yourself. Don’t worry about us. I love you.”

Toulouse’s cheeks were pink and his eyes were glassy but he nodded and blinked quickly. “Oui, je t’aime. À bientôt.”

BERLIOZ:  Simba told him what Berlioz knew was coming. And yet it was still like swallowing a rock, a rock that fell through him and kept falling, and would keep falling, as long as Simba was away from him. 

In that moment, all he could do was hold onto Simba and trick himself into believing otherwise. 

The only comfort he had was turning back to the past. As he squeezed Simba back, he could see the edges of every obstacle they climbed over. There was a whole fucking mine field of them, his last five or six years a battlefield strewn with debris. But he was on the other side, or at least, nearly there. Simba had come back from worse, hadn’t he? Wasn’t Taka worse than this? (Debatable-- a different kind of evil than openly vengeful vampire relatives.) Wasn’t Hell opening worse than this? (Would Hell open again, this time without Berlioz to fetch him back?) 

And Simba promised. 

Berlioz didn’t believe in a lot of things--and there had been a time when Simba’s word had become a flimsy thing-- but these days, Simba’s word was eternal. It was wrapped in gold and pressed forever into Berlioz’s finger. If Simba promised, he promised. 

If Simba broke that promise, Berlioz would just have to open hell himself this time, and make him regret it. 

He pulled away, but only so he could kiss Simba gently, their lips as gentle as hands meeting in prayer. Then he pulled back again, but this time, for real. “I love you,” he murmured. “So don’t bloody die.” 

And then he climbed into the car. 

HADES:  Hades was struggling, too. 

Hades was a lucky man-- and wasn’t that a problem? As he helped his kids into the car, he could count all his riches with his own eyes. His daughter. His sons. His wife, who was stronger than him, even with tears in her eyes (or maybe because she had tears in her eyes, but was unafraid of them). And a partner in Lou, who was a different kind of strong-- maybe the best word was reliable, the way the moon was in its cyclical waxing and waning; it knew the art of both dark and light. 

He didn’t want to lose any of them. With Lou and the children gone, he felt crippled in a way-- like tourmaline had been laced around his neck or Zira would boast another one of those goddamn charms that shielded her from his power. For a brief moment, he worried he was the one who would let them down-- that he wouldn’t be strong enough, without them. 

But he did not hold onto that thought for long.

He would have to find a different strength, so he could meet them at the coastline the way he had promised. And perhaps that in itself would be Hades’s new weapon: a vision of himself arriving at sunset, gold tossed in Opal’s hair as she dashed through the sand into his open arms. He’d smell the sea, taste it on Lou’s lips, tuck himself into a holiday if only for a little while. But only once he earned it. 

He drifted toward Lou and Belle, and his hand instinctively moved to graze Lou’s back. “And don’t let Opal boss you around too much, eh?” he mentioned as a light joke, before leaning in to kiss Lou gently, and then whisper in his ear. “We’ll come for you.” 

He stepped back, reached for Belle’s hand to squeeze it-- to hold it like an anchor-- while his family drove away.

#swynhades #swynbelle #bdrpsimba #LOUD #bellou #loud bell #berlou #touba #big fam #À bientôt #so many tags lol #otp: saltmates #otp: you're a dick #otp: extremely loud and incredibly close #otp: you are inevitable #for the record a bientot means goodbye in french #so i thought it was fitting

[swynlake-rp]

“I’ll never let it go!”

FULL NAME: Zira (Lyons) Blackwell BASED ON: Zira (The Lion King: Simba’s Pride) FACE CLAIM: Danai Gurira PRONOUNS: She/Her BIRTHDAY: January 29, 984 CURRENT STATUS: Closed

Character Information || cw: death ||

Revenge: n. the action of inflicting harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.

Zira’s revenge will be sweeter than all the blood that she’s drank over the years. Sweeter than sex and sweeter than love. She may not remember, anymore, the exact colour of her daughter’s eyes, or how she felt when wrapped in Zira’s arms, but she still remembers feeling as if her heart had been ripped from her chest when she realized that she was dead. It is that feeling that fueled Zira to Morgana’s lair, where they concocted a plan to undo the Charter of Swynlake, created upon the death of Zira’s daughter by Merlin, signed by King Arthur Pendragon and Mohatu Lyons. When Merlin realized what Morgana was attempting to do, he set up a counter curse of his own, which would impede Zira’s progress. But, that was alright with Zira. Patience is a virtue and now a vampire, she had infinite patience.

Zira’s revenge is for justice and she won’t stop until her hunger has been sated.

Zira’s revenge is Machiavellian (she met Machiavelli, she wasn’t impressed): the ends justify the means. For a thousand years, she has wanted to enact her retribution on the Lyons and Pendragon families. She has moved the chest pieces slowly, slowly, always watching from the shadows, stalking Swynlake like a lioness in the Savannah grass. She has waited patiently, her need for vengeance fossilizing inside of her.

Zira’s revenge, every hundred or so years, whenever a third child is born to the Lyons family, inches a step closer. In the between time, she grooms her children–these third childs–for hatred, pouring her righteousness into them and cultivating their viciousness. She’s very proud of them. If anything could distract her from her holy war, it is her children, but they are good soldiers, her faithful army. They come to break Swynlake in half, to tear it between their teeth.

Will they succeed?

✓  Protective, mothering, intelligent

✖  Wounded, belligerent, cynical

Character Suggestions

Black

Current Relationships

Nuka Blackwell (son) Vitani Blackwell (daughter)

Possible Relationships

click here!

Magical Abilities

None

#lion king #allch #pocch #femalech #nonmagicch #lionkingch #closedch #closedfemalech

[vitani-blackwell]

Two of a Kind || Mittani

@mighty-mitte

Vitani was mostly positive she wasn’t technically supposed to be doing this. 

Zira did not tell her daughter to make allies with Anthony’s wayward offspring yet Vitani was going to anyway. She didn’t even need to tell Mitte/Mandy/whatever the fuck anything about the Blackwell family’s real mission in this town. Or that there was one in the first place. 

All she wanted and needed to do was make a sexy lady vampire friend to drink blood with.

And what better way to do that than to rent a room at the Tipton and come with an offering?

Vitani sat on the bed, braiding the fiery red hair of Shania, one of her current human pets. Shania was a farmer’s daughter from Besydus who Vitani had compelled never to speak of her true nature, but who was otherwise a willing participant in their give and take relationship.

Should Shania want to break off being one of Vitani’s regular blood banks, she would simply do as she always did and compell her to forget the incriminating bits. She liked to put into her former pets’ heads that she was the one woman they’ll never quite get over.

When she floated the idea of inviting another vampire to share in her blood, Shania eagerly accepted. Silly human had a lust for danger, didn’t she? Vitani rewarded her generously for accepting and promised another generous reward after the fact.

A knock on the door signaled the guest of honor’s arrival.

“Wait here, kitten.” Vitani cooed, pressing a kiss to Shania’s forehead and going to answer the door. 

“Thank you for accepting my invitation. I hope you can forgive me for waiting so long to become properly acquainted.”

[Vitani]

[Shania]

[thedipster]

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts || Zipponwy

Dipper was on a super duper discreet knight mission.

And actually? While he was super incredibly nervous about it all… this was kinda exciting. Because this part of being a knight, Dipper could do. This was strategy. This was gathering intel. Sure, they were diving into the mansion of a woman who apparently was thousands of years old and hell-bent on hurting King Arthur, but that was kinda… cool.

It was him and Eilonwy, under the guise of students gathering information for papers. He had been pleasantly surprised to see her turn up at the Knight Round Table Thing (and also a little concerned, because she was so young?! Then again, Dipper had been through some shit at even younger so he couldn’t judge). She seemed to be someone who dove right into things, which worked well with Dipper; he always needed a bit of a push.

Eilonwy had also mentioned she’d been here before. That was good too. They had some idea of the layout and she and Zira may’ve had some rapport.

“Okay, so we’re here because of research,” said Dipper, with a nod, clarifying their story. “She’s met you before, but you told me about this place and thought it would be a good place for me to start looking into magical artifacts as it pertains to my research on interdimensional anomalies as it pertains to Magick Friendly Towns.” He took a deep breath as they reached the door. “Do we knock or is there a… butler… or will she dramatically descend from the staircase?”

@eilonwy-notjustgirl @zira-blackwell

#wicked eyes and wicked hearts #eilonwy #zira #dipponwy #ZIPPER #zipponwy #bdrpwizardschess

[professorofcrimeratigan]

Claw of Demand || Zira + Ratigan

The wolf had spit the claw out and Ratigan had picked it back up. It was cleaned and folded into a envelope. After a sufficient amount of rest he had contact Ms. Blackwell to request her audience, the connotations of good news heavily implied.

The notion of returning to her home had been a daunting one but he forced himself in the direction of the manor despite the wolf’s insistence against it. Going in without any knowledge of what she was had been one thing, meeting her in his office another— but to go back? (It didn’t seem to realize he was going back to prevent their demise.)

He knew what to expect now, greeting the maid and stepping over the threshold, resisting the urge to cover his nose. In due time even the smell of death could be learned to be ignored. Ratigan smiled at the request to wait while Ms. Blackwell was informed of his arrival, nodding his understanding that he wait there.

The envelope was resting against his heart in the inside breast pocket of his suit’s jacket. There was also a contingency plan waiting on his computer for his underground associates should he not return to it in the event of his death. Not as any revenge plot, just putting the pieces in motion for someone new to take care of empire. And cat. 

@zira-blackwell

#claw of demand #zira blackwell

[swynlake-spill]

fuck, marry, be their sugar baby, kill: Zira, Seamus, Simba, Clarion

F: Simba, mostly bc I assume Ber is also there and I really love a 2 for 1 deal.

M: Clarion. I would like to Rule A Kingdom Please

SB: Zira. I am sending her my adoption papers as we speak

K: SORRY Seamus you aren’t my type (but obviously you’re Lachlann’s 😉 )

#simba lyons #berlioz bonfamille #queen clarion #zira blackwell #seamus mactunnag #launchpad #fmk #Anonymous

[nuka-blackwell]

A Haunting Past {Tiana/Rora/Marzel/Nuka/Marisa}

Memories are stolen and returned. Lives are lost and save.

Final goodbyes are given.

TW: Blood, Death, Broken Limbs

@truitt-story @marzelsoto @aurora-rosewood @delmarisa

NUKA

Nuka’s last target already had a knight over her body, his sword drawn to protect her. Did all of his games have to have knights attached to them? It was annoying. Dull. Boring. Blood needed to be drawn first before they really fought.

Maybe she was a distraction and he would be useless.

Either way he still had to get through him. Rushing Marzel, Nuka grabbed the sword in his palm so even though it sliced him he disarmed Marzel grabbing him around the throat so he couldn’t speak.

“We did our research. We know your kind. Don’t think your voice is going to save you here.” Nuka mocked holding tighter and tighter until Marzel couldn’t breath. The sword tossed to the side, Nuka reached over with his bloody hand though it healed and snapped Marzel’s wrist as Marzel kicked out with the power only a merman’s tail could have (Well with legs) pushing Nuka away and dropping Marzel again in front of his sister.

Coughing out Marzel leaned low. He didn’t have his human weapon but he would fight to the death to protect his sister. 

Nuka didn’t have the time, Arthur was fighting his Mother and she needed the charter broken now.

Rushing ahead Nuka didn’t attempt to play nice anymore, slamming Marzel into the wall and letting him fall limply to the ground.

Marisa was next. And Nuka was pissed off. Grabbing the girl’s throat he squeezed watching her even unconscious struggle for a breath before he sliced down her arm, watching the blood fall like a waterfall. More than enough to shatter that charter. And with this he had done what he needed to do.

Weren’t you proud of him, Mother?

Looking up at his Mother to see how she was doing, that elation dropped and Nuka snarled, she was bleeding.

What had he done, what had Arthur done! She wasn’t healing!

Nuka needed to get to her, to protect her. And as he worried about his mother his grip tightened on Marisa’s neck, cracks heard but not cared about. It was this distraction that allowed Marzel his opening. Slicing his sword through Nuka forcing him to drop Marisa, Marzel rushed to catch her and stop her head from cracking on the ground.

Grabbing his sister Marzel checked her pulse, watching her head lull to the side. At first he couldn’t even find it and when he did it just grew weaker, fainter. Her name could heal- maybe- hopefully. He just needed to stop the bleeding as it pooled around them. 

Marzel scrambled to rip off pieces of his jacket trying to stop the bleeding. Begging his sister to live. They were supposed to go back to the ocean, they were supposed to lead their pod. He was going to follow her to the ends of the earth.

He had only been here to protect her.

The sobs ripped out of his throat as he tried to save her as he begged for help, covered in her blood.

“Marisa, please. Please. I’m sorry I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry. Please just wake up. I’ll do better next time please. I won’t fail again. Please. I’m sorry Valentino I promised you I’d protect my family and I failed again. Please please. Just give me this chance.” Marzel begged again and again as his sister’s head lulled to the side.

Those words couldn’t be the last. Those words couldn’t be the last ones he heard from her.

This couldn’t be the end, it couldn’t.

“Wake up please. Wake up.”

TIANA

Tiana had remained in the shadows, trying not to let Nuka see her. She just needed to protect Willa and Ella. That was top priority. And she trusted Marzel to handle this on his own. After all, the sparring attempts with Belle had proven that Tiana was not the best fighter. But she was small and quick, and she believed she would be best suited to hanging back.

But when she saw what Nuka did to Marisa, Tiana had to clasp a hand over her mouth to hold back a scream. It was just so brutal, so cruel. And so surreal. Once, Tiana had considered Nuka and Marisa her friends. Marisa was her best waitress, and Nuka was one of her best customers. And now, he had-- no. He couldn’t have. Marisa had to be…

Nuka fell and Marzel caught Marisa, and the sound of his voice was enough to confirm to Tiana what had happened. Tiana staggered backward, her hand still over her mouth, tears falling without Tiana even really noticing, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of her as she struggled to catch her breath but it caught in her throat. No. No. No.

She couldn’t stand there any longer. She had to do something. Tiana rushed over to Marzel, one hand on his shoulder, the other reaching for Marisa’s hand. It was all over. The realization was crushing and horrible, but Tiana knew it was a million times worse for Marzel. He needed to get out of here before he got hurt-- or worse. He was in pain. He wasn’t going to be thinking straight. Tiana knew loss well, and she didn’t know if she would still be here if she were in a battle situation when she had found out what had happened to her father.

“Marzel,” she said in a low voice, a little wobbly but determined. “Take Marisa and go. Someone can help her. There… there has to be something. But I’ll take on Nuka. You need to get out of here.”

MARZEL/AURORA/NUKA

They had gotten Willa back and for the most part that was all Aurora cared about, at least until she could tell how many people were getting injured during this. It was bloody, it was terrible and Aurora couldn’t stop it. Directing Lolly to stay at Ella and Willa’s side Aurora watched the terror appear on Tiana’s face and her rush down to Marzel and Marisa.

She didn’t know them well not more than within the knights for Marzel but the pain of losing a sibling was insurmountable. Aurora already knew that. His regents were painful to look at.

But Nuka was already standing and Marzel wasn’t moving, as he continued to sob into Marisa’s chest, her heart a slow beat.

Marzel couldn’t even feel the pain of his broken wrist. Not when it felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest. Did he have anything to live for if he had failed his duty.

Tiana’s words barely registered to him. He did need to get Marisa out of here, he needed to get her help. Gathering her body in his arms ready to run Nuka stood up and Aurora moved to grab her talismans keeping Willa and Ella behind her.

“Too late.” Nuka called out. “One, Two, Three, Falter. One Two Falter.” He called out in regards to Marisa’s heart. “She’s lost too much blood. Even a mermaid like you can’t survive that.” Nuka grinned a side glance thrown to Zira and Arthur. She would be fine. Nuka had a game to play and it seemed his favourite player had thought she won.

“Can you really take me on Tiana. Of course you don’t remember all the times you already tried but it never goes well.”

TIANA

Wait— a mermaid?

Confusion flickered across her face as she looked at Marzel and Marisa, as though trying to figure out whether that could be true just by looking at them. No, not the time, Tiana thought. She’d try and figure that one out later. Right now, there were lives at stake. And she wouldn’t put it past Nuka to say something just with the purpose of confusing her.

She drew her sword, praying that her practice wouldn’t fail her now. Oddly enough, Tiana thought of Belle. Irritating, maybe a little bit, but self-assured and competent. She needed to channel a little bit of that energy. Maybe that twisted ankle wouldn’t be for nothing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. But you’re outnumbered, Blackwell. We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Tiana said in a voice that was not really her own. She wished she could muster the strength of Gareth— but Gareth was scared, too. Tiana was just going to have to lean on her team. “Either say your piece and surrender, or you’re going to lose this fight.” 

MARZEL/AURORA/NUKA

Nuka scoffed at Tiana’s ill placed confidence. He could say his piece but it would be more fun for her to relive it. Meeting her eyes Nuka compelled her to remember before meeting Aurora’s and doing the same.

Anger flooded through Aurora as she remembered and it was only one instance to remember. Reaching out Aurora threw the seeds forward quickly turning the house into a battlefield she could control vines wrapping around him and when he ripped them and moved away Aurora tried again and again. Not letting up. She didn’t know how Tiana would react and she needed to cover her.

And Marzel who had sunk to the ground knowing his sister wasn’t making it out of here, not alive. He tucked her hair behind her ear and softly sang to her as if he could take away any of the pain she might be feeling. Marzel had failed but he would get revenge for her, even if he died doing so.

Slowly Marisa’s heart stopped and Marzel whispered his goodbyes forcing himself to stand. His voice was still horse from what Nuka had done earlier but it wouldn’t matter. His wrist was broken but it didn’t matter not as he drew his sword again.

He was going to kill this bastard.

TIANA

There was so much happening at once. Too much. Time seemed to go in slow motion, the vines creeping over the floor and Marzel falling to the ground and the memories coming back to her, one after the other. Each one started out familiar: Nuka, joking and flirting with her at the bar. Nuka, walking home with her after work. And then the unfamiliar part: Nuka, sinking his teeth into her neck. It was almost like Tiana was back there again, in that alley, and she felt the terror seize her in a way that was so real, so palpable, that she never wanted to feel that way again. 

Tiana was proud and stubborn. She didn’t let anyone control her destiny but her. And yet the memories proved that someone had, over and over again managed to terrify and control her, then wipe it from her memory. That was what angered Tiana most. Not the blood drawn from her, not even the betrayal of someone she had once considered a friend. It was the fact that Nuka had managed to make her feel so weak and pathetic, so out of control of her own life. 

As she grasped the full extent of what had happened, Tiana started to become aware of her surroundings again, and she heard Marzel’s song, low and mournful, an unfamiliar language. Maybe he was a merman… but that was not the point right now, Tiana reminded herself.

Nuka had taken away the one thing Tiana clung most tightly to: her dignity. And, worse, he had killed a woman in cold blood, an innocent woman, someone who used to help Tiana when the restaurant got crazy and who made Tiana want to be a better boss. And clearly someone who Marzel loved very dearly. Tiana had never seen Marzel like this before. She had always thought he was cold, guarded, closed-off. Marisa brought out something different in him. And now, she was gone. 

This time, Tiana didn’t even need to pretend. She was angry, numb to the pain, ready to do whatever it took to make Nuka feel as pathetic as he had made Tiana feel. “You are despicable,” Tiana spat, raising her sword higher. She glanced at Marzel, who was drawing his sword, and she could see something dangerous in his eyes. Under other circumstances, Tiana might have told him to go, that he wasn’t in his right mind, that he shouldn’t do something he might regret. But Tiana had no mercy left. Not after the horrors she had just seen Nuka commit. “Rot in hell.”

She exchanged a look with Marzel and then charged forward, her sword raised. 

MARZEL/AURORA/NUKA

Marzel truly had no emotion on his face, the anger seeped just below the surface bubbling, his rage was palpable. He was empty, his purpose in life was to protect his future Queen and he had failed. Just like he failed to protect his late fiance, just like he failed to protect his home.

There was nothing quite like the rage of a siren scorned. And this time it was toward a vampire and thankfully not a human. 

Nuka didn’t notice nor care about this journey on Marzel’s face, but Aurora did. She watched the waves of anger roll off of him and she never knew an instance she had seen a reagent that dark and suffocating. It was only matched when Nuka glanced up and watched his mother fall to the ground and his rage surrounded him.

Suddenly the vines he had been able to dodge along with Tiana and Marzel’s sword weren’t what he was focused on. 

Nuka screamed about killing him while he battled the two knights but as soon as Aurora could surround him she grabbed him tightly with all the vines even as her head swung.

“I can’t hold onto him much longer!” Aurora yelled out.

TIANA

This was probably some of Tiana’s best work when it came to fighting, which wasn’t saying much, considering her inexperience and her ankle injury, but it was saying something. She managed to hold Nuka off, anyway, even if the few hits she managed to get in barely seemed to faze him. The vines helped. But Tiana didn’t want Aurora to use all of her energy. 

“Aurora, it’s okay! We’ve got it! Save your energy!” Tiana called over her shoulder. She wasn’t so sure about that, but if Aurora fell unconscious, it would be another person down. And another person the Blackwells could try to use for their scheme— although, as Zira fell in the distance, Tiana gained more hope that the Knights might actually be able to stop them. 

No time to think about that, though. She kept trying to pin Nuka against the wall, but he was too fast, too strong. At the very least, though, the vines kept him from escaping. 

It occurred to Tiana, as she and Marzel surrounded Nuka, that if he slipped up even slightly, they could beat him. And then— what were they going to do? Turn him in to the Sheriff? Make him beg for mercy? Kill him? Tiana had never in her life wanted to kill someone before. She wasn’t sure she did now, even. But there was a determined glint in Marzel’s eye. And after seeing what Nuka had done to Marisa… Tiana made a decision.

If Marzel tried to kill Nuka, Tiana wasn’t going to stop him.

She slashed at Nuka, slowing him down, and shot Marzel a meaningful glance. One that said, Do it. 

MARZEL/AURORA/NUKA

Marzel didn’t know what was up with Aurora and Tiana, why she couldn’t hold her magic. But he did know he didn’t need her to hold him. Even now as he struggled against the vines, hissing and ripping them apart. 

Aurora stumbled even with the call of Tiana. She needed to conserve her energy and even without Lolly she knew she was using too much of her magic. With Willa and Ella behind her they couldn’t take a chance.

But there was a moment that Nuka stopped fighting, a calm surrounding him and Aurora watched Marzel’s lips moving singing him into a stupor. Slowing him down enough and reaching out for Tiana. The last blow would be his.

This wasn’t the first time that Marzel had killed someone and it wasn’t going to be the last, there was no hesitation nor was there any regret. Not for Nuka of all people. Marzel wished he could make it more painful.

That’s why at the last second he stopped his song, waited until the recognition flooded his face and then Marzel sliced through his neck his head falling off his body and he stabbed his sword through his body.

“How do we make sure he’s dead?” Marzel questioned. Glancing back at the girls.”

“Fire?” Aurora supplied weakly, all her resolve to do anything to protect Willa and Ella, Tiana now that she had jumped into a fight escaped her as she her vines got coated in blood. She had participated in that.

TIANA

It all happened so fast. And Tiana thought she had prepared herself, but how did you prepare for a murder happening right in front of you? Even if it was one you had aided in, of a person you despised more than anyone else…

A wave of nausea came over Tiana. But she had to focus. Nuka was a vampire, which meant it would be difficult to tell whether he was dead for good-- Tiana tried to remember what she knew about killing vampires. Not very much. Maybe she should have studied this more… but it was too late at this point. 

“Sure. Yes. Fire,” Tiana said, trying to get her bearings. One thing at a time. Having a next step to focus on helped. Zooming out too much and thinking about how insane all of this was did not. She realized she was shaking all over. Tiana took a deep breath and tried to focus on the task at hand. “B-but I don’t want anyone else getting hurt… maybe we ought to go outside? Or we could find a Magick who could do it…” 

In the distance, other fighting continued, but Tiana tried to block it out, Otherwise, she was going to completely lose it. One thing at a time.

MARZEL

“I’ll just burn his head. He can’t survive that.” Marzel stated simply. Perhaps he would feed his body to a shark or something. Of course that would be hard to do but Marzel didn’t care. Nuka deserved to die in the most painful way possible.

Gaining a lighter from somewhere Marzel arranged Aurora’s vines in a way to burn them and eventually Nuka’s head. It was Simba’s voice that brough Marzel’s attention away and he glanced to Arthur.

“I’ll finish up here. Go to Arthur.” Marzel would be right behind, his eyes trailing to his sister’s dead body and focusing back on disposing on Nuka.

TIANA

Tiana didn’t have to be told twice. She wanted to get away from this scene as quickly as possible. The image of Nuka killing Marisa would haunt her forever, she knew, and the less time she spent here around all this death, the better. But there was one more thing to do.

Tiana glanced at Aurora to make sure she was still conscious (she looked a little ill, but still okay) and then turned her gaze to Marisa. Her coworker. Her friend, even, lately. Tiana burned with regret that she hadn’t gotten to know her better. But all she had was this moment.

“Just… one second,” Tiana said, and knelt down beside Marisa’s body. If only she had gotten here sooner— if only she had been strong or fast or brave enough to take Nuka down before he had the chance to harm Marisa. She couldn’t change the past, but she could at least do her best now to say goodbye. She took off her tuxedo jacket and laid it on Marisa like a blanket, like she could be sleeping, covering the massive gash on her arm and the bruising on her throat. 

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears again. It was so uncharacteristic of Tiana, to be emotional and sentimental like this. But everything felt wrong. Everything felt off. This was the only thing that felt right. She imagined this was the kind of thing her mother would do if an innocent person was killed, and that was the thought that she clung to. Compassion and kindness and gentleness. Things Tiana didn’t always think she was capable of. So she channeled Eudora. 

She pressed a gentle kiss to Marisa’s forehead and then stood up, rolling up the sleeves of her dress shirt. “Alright. Let’s go find Arthur.” 

MARZEL

Nuka’s head burned and there was no relief from the pain. The anger and grief, he had killed and nothing felt better. Of course Marzel knew it wouldn’t solve anything, he killed and killed and none of the lives of his pod had been returned. This would never heal Marzel, nothing ever could.

He was a broken man before his sister died and he was nothing of one now that she had.

Marzel barely appreciated Tiana’s sentiment, he couldn’t. He just didn’t have it in him.

Stumbling to his sister Marzel ran his fingers over her hair before picking her up and setting her away from the fray. She wouldn’t be hurt anymore tonight. And this night wasn’t close to being finished, even as Aurora and Tiana moved to speak to Arthur, Marzel knew it wasn’t over, the night was just beginning.

Eventually Marzel stood, placing a kiss on Marisa’s hair. “I’ll be back soon. You would want me to protect the people here wouldn’t you? To love and appreciate humans. I may never to the extent that you did. But I will protect them for you. That I promise.” Marzel stated softly before moving to join the other knights around their king.

#truitt story #Aurora Rosewood #marzelsoto #delmarisa

[dian-morey]

Deal with the Devil | Dira

Seven hours. 

Seven hours and rotating teams of nurses and other doctors around him... and still he couldn’t save them. He needed to be better. 

If they had caught the bleeder in time, their patient would still be there. He threw his gloves into the bin a bit more aggressively than he would have if the surgery had been successful. His colleague tilted her head at his frustration.

Here comes the Grey’s Anatomy speech welling up inside him. At this point he’d rant to anyone who’d listen. It was poor Blackwell who was stuck with Dian. “I should have done better. How did I miss that bleed? By the time I noticed it, the whole field was a pool. Had to have been a dissection. He could have made it and I failed him and his family. He has kids. How am I gonna tell his family that I fucked up and their husband and father bled out because of me? I should have been better...” 

@zira-blackwell

#tw death mention #tw blood mention #tw medical #deal with the devil #dira

[exsgttibbs]

Batten down the hatches || Zibbs

@zira-blackwell

One of Tibbs’ go-to fun facts was that humans did, in fact, have six senses: the sixth sense was called proprioception, and it was the idea that you were constantly aware of your body’s position in space. So when you closed your eyes, you could still touch the tip of your nose. Or if, with your eyes closed, someone were to lift your left arm and ask you to match its position with your right, you could do it with a startling degree of accuracy. 

And so, if everyone had six senses, he was pretty sure that doctors had seven: the sense of impending doom.

Or at least trouble on the horizon. He’d always had it. Back in the army, his squad had called him paranoid. When he’d squinted into the desert sun and announced, inexplicably, that they were about to come across trouble, they’d told him not to be so doom and gloom. And then, time and time again, he was right. Unfortunately, of course. He really wished he could be wrong. But he found that a lot of other trauma doctors, nurses, health staff in general, seemed to have the same sense of something foreboding. Something coming that was not going to be pretty.

It started with the quiet. Some nights in A&E were quiet, yes, but this kind of quiet felt wrong. He didn’t voice this concern to Dr. Blackwell, partly because to say the Q word was to bring hell down upon yourself and your staff, but also because he thought she would only think him foolish. Dr. Blackwell didn’t exactly seem like the kind of woman to believe in gut feelings. But the hours stretched on, and on, with not even a walk-in, no patients to be seen.

And then the phone rang.

“Dr. Tibbs speaking,” He answered it, tucking the phone between his ear and his shoulder so he could reach for a pad and a pen. Scribbling away in the kind of scratch only a doctor could manage, his brow furrowed. “Alright. How many?— right. We’ll get ready. Thank you.”

He turned to Dr. Blackwell, and to the rest of the A&E team that had assembled at the ring of the phone. He held the notepad in his hand, but his concern written across his face. “There’s been an incident at the mixer. Several attacks, they’ve no idea how injured, some quite severely;  they’re starting to get people out now, so we need to be ready. I want all of the rooms cleared, and the beds ready — if we can have a triage team by the doors, crash kits and O-neg on stand by, please.”

#zibbs #( t; batten down the hatches ) #look at me finally putting my degree to good use #just to write this thread