chronicles of the primeval gods: life of Elpis: 2000 years

2000 years,

wasn't I punished enough for 2000 years already? I fought against the erasure of my very existence for so long, with only one goal in mind: you. 

Elpis held the black rose Pride gave her. She was forced to remain in the Underworld until the threat Wrath, Envy and Greed paused was under control. She hated being sidelined like that. Especially since she wanted to help and protect her beloved but he denied her this very right « out of protection », he claimed, but she knew better. She felt like she had traded one prison to another and it didn't sit well with the goddess. She had been waiting for 2000 years, struggling to stop the reincarnation cycle and to communicate with her vessels. It didn't work, it never did, up until this very year when finally she reached out to Asma and scratched her seal. 2000 years were nothing in the eyes of godhood, but to her, it felt like an eternity. It felt as such because she was alone and you couldn't trap Light. You couldn't leave her alone. Yet, she was. Trapped with herself, the only thing that helped her through was the memories she shared with Pride. The days they spent together, his struggle and the plans they laid for their future. He was to be crowned king, he was to be independent. He was to start a revolution and become more than what Hades intended for him to be. He did, in his own terms, in his very own way, as a new Pride. She had to give it to him, the determined mind of her beloved transcended the punishment Hades gave him.

I wanted to find you, I needed to find you again. The memory of you was the only thing that allowed me to keep standing and yet, yet there was nothing I could do, nothing but accept the Pride I once knew and loved was no more.

He was unmade, that was the tragedy of it all. He was unmade and remade by a god who saw him as a threat. The compassion and understanding she managed to introduce him to were washed away from his essence. « A stronger form », a «perfect form » as Hades would call it was the reason for his demise. Pride's resolve to become his own person was amplified by this transformation. He had no restraints, no reasons to hold back, nothing but his will to conquer and destroy and it was too late when Hades realized what mistake he made. So that was it, Pride became a ruler, but at what cost? First came the shock to realize that this Pride wasn't the Pride she sacrificed everything for. He didn't know her, he didn't feel for her, he didn't care like his old self did. She hit a wall, hurt herself against it and the realization felt like a nightmare. Did she do all of this for nothing? Was it a lost cause? Was he gone for good? Questions filled her mind as she looked at the black rose. He went through a lot of trouble, even risked being unmade by her siblings all to get to them. She knew it was revenge that took over. She knew it was the need to make them pay that drove Pride but she also noticed there was a little more to him than what met her eyes. Because of her very nature, Hope compelled her to keep a hopeful mind and at least try and reach out to him but that evening, she was confused and upset.

He was replaced by a new version of him, by you. And if I am being very honest with myself, you are a whole new person. I have to start over.

She wanted to take part of his revenge against his siblings. The ungrateful brats who couldn't realize they were all but spawns of the true perfect sin. They failed to see how hard he fought for them and how willing he was to share his power and grandiose project with them. They ruined their chance to be with him and bit the hand that set them free. She understood how he felt, the anger, the hatred, the sense of betrayal for she felt the very same. Her own siblings conspired against her and tried to have her killed. It was the love Ishtar had for her that saved her from certain death. But it hurt her to see him stab her with the Dagger of Fate, and even harder to empathize with him and realize Ayasha was the one behind the attack, out of pure jealousy and a desire to reign supreme. The loss of her siblings, the faithful and loyal brothers and sisters she had felt like someone broke her body into pieces, a punch in her stomach, a wound that kept tearing itself open...she needed to avenge their deaths, destroy her pantheon, made Ayasha and Ishtar pay for what they did. And yet... and yet, here she was, locked in the Underworld, with nothing else to do by thinking by herself. He isolated her, under the guise of « protecting » her. He put her in a very pretty box where all she could be waiting for him to come to visit her. Was it what she wanted? Of course not.

You're testing me, the love I claim to have for you, the love I know I have for you. And all I can do is accept because there is no other way. 

It was a challenge, one she was forced to take because if she didn't, then what would be left of her? Pride was her everything, she gave her life for him and now that she was given a chance to live again, she had to find him again. His essence was there, she could feel it. The very essence she fell in love with, except harder, harsher, and even more cruel than the first time around. She felt it being sharp and being difficult to get close to, but Asma managed to soften the edges a little bit. She smelled the rose as if to give herself some strength and closed her eyes. There was a chance for them to start over, to build something even better. After all, she also changed over the millennia. Despite being hopeful and positive, she also harnessed anger and a destructive power along with it. She embraced her darkness and eventually, from their true reunion, something greater could exist. After all, she had changed....after all, they were different yet the same. From the ruins her heart was at this moment, a little sparkle of hope ignited a fire in her heart. It was decided, she would try to know this new version of Pride, she would try to build a future with him. It didn't matter that the goddess was scared of what she might find, or scared of not being able to reach out to him. It could end as fast as it started but at least she would have tried. Pride had been let down all of his life, by people who claimed to care for him. He had been abandoned by everybody BUT Lust. She wouldn't add her name to the long list of his enemies. She wouldn't add her name to the long list of people who turned their back on him. The thought made her furrow her brows but she was determined now. She would try her best to show him that there was more to him than just destruction and dread. He deserved more, he deserved love and she would give him hers, as she did before, as she said she would if they met again...Now was the time.

-TBC-

GoT: Family (Jon x Bäahal)

GoT: Family (Jon x Bäahal)

A/N: Because it's bound to happen, here's my take on that moment she learns he is family.

xxxxxx

The night was young, but already the sharp claws of winter clutched at the princess' body. She didn't expect to hear a knock on her door. She threw around her slender frame a fur coat and opened the door, half-expecting Lord Varys or Lord Tyrion to be at the other side of it. Her purple hues grew wide as she realized it was Commander Snow who was standing in front of her. She cleared her throat, bit her tongue and planted her purple eyes into his black orbs. What was he doing here? She tried to remember the last time he actually spent time with her, it was a long time ago when he was trying to convince Daenerys that he was sincere and honest about the Wrights. Ever since Jon had spent most of his time with her sister.

« Daenerys isn't with me Lo—Jon Snow. » She said, half expecting he was looking for her sister. « I believe she's in her room, which is on the other side of the castle. »

« I know where she is. I wasn't looking for her, your grace. » He started with, his eyes still staring at her. « I wanted to talk to you. Can I come in? »

« Me ?... » She was dumbfounded and for a minute, broke the eye contact with Jon. She lowered her head, shifted her eyes from left to right before she returned to her bed and let the door open. « Suit yourself. »

What could he possibly want to talk about? Her heart started to race, the unknown felt terrifying for a mere second. Maybe he found out she was upset by Jaime Lannister's departure and wanted to scold her for feeling something for the enemy? Maybe he realized she had been withdrawn since the war against the Night King and wanted to understand what was going on. She cursed herself for this, for eventually making people worry about her but truth be told, how else could she react to what she witnessed when they fought Death itself? She sat on her bed and held onto the sheets as he sat on the chair near her vanity. Silence had settled between the two of them, an uncomfortable one filled with unasked questions and dread for the answers. Bäahal moistened her plump lips and knitted her brows together.

« What is it about, Jon ?... » -Her voice was light, almost a whisper as her purple hues once again stared at Jon's black ones.-

« We haven't had the time to talk since.....Dragonspit. I did apologize for Viserion's death to your sister, but not to you personally. »Ah! Viserion. He wanted to talk about Viserion? She shook her head vehemently and put her hand to her heart.

« It wasn't your fault. His life was to end at this moment and I know he did his best to protect me....to protect you. I... I miss him every day, Jon, but we were fighting Death itself...I am just glad he now can finally rest in peace. » She took a deep breath and looked away from Jon so he wouldn't see the fresh unshed tears that formed against her eyes.

« I am sorry Bäahal...You've been different since then. » He did notice she was different since the loss of Viserion. The change was subtle, but it was there. Her brows were still knitted as she looked at him, feeling remorseful. « I can't help but feel responsible for it. »

« It isn't your fault. » She repeated as she moved her hand towards his. « I hold no grief against you. Besides, you survived, what more could I ask for? » She chuckled and patted the back of his hand. « You make my sister happy, I can see it. » A faint smile crept on her lips. « I can feel it in the way she's looking at you or the tone of her voice when she's talking about you. » She tapped the tip of her nose and then looked at their hands. « And this connection is important to me as well... »

« Princess... I didn't come here just to talk about Viserion. » His face, which lit up for a moment and allowed a smile to cross his lips, became stern again and he took a deep breath. « I am the bearer of grave news... »

« Is Lord Jaime Dead? » She instinctively asked, before she heard her words and blushed hard. « Nevermind if he's dead, right ?... » She quickly added but it sounded so fake that it left Jon perplexed for a minute.

« No. It has nothing to do with Jaime Lannister. »

Her question was out of pocket to say the very least. The way she asked it, the concern in her tone betrayed her true emotions. Jon wasn't stupid, he knew already that the princess was attached to their enemy in ways he couldn't understand. He knew she was forcing herself to accept the current situation they were in and her devotion to the queen was unquestionable. He just found it very unfortunate that the woman's first free choice was to fall onto their very enemy and someone he'd rather see dead than alive. She recoiled at the corner of the bed, feeling ashamed of her own outburst but unwilling to confirm it as being true, she quickly said.

« Then, please, tell me what it is about because I have no clue. You come here in the middle of the night, asking to talk to me? Is it something you haven't told Daenerys yet? » -Jon shook his head-

« She's aware of the situation. You were the second person I had to inform. »

« I see... I am listening, Jon. » She said, swallowing a lump. Her fingers fidgeted with the helm of her dress as she didn't know what to do with her hands. Jon cleared his throat and decided to say things as they were, without artifices.

«My brother Bran is a seer now. His visions revealed my true lineage. I am a Stark, believe it or not, son of Lyanna Stark...and.... » He paused for a second preparing himself to say the rest of his sentence but Bäahal beat him to it.

« Rhaegar Targaryen...You are a Targaryen as well... » She whispered, her eyes grew wider than before and she put her hand against the warm lips of hers. Jon was nervous, she could tell by his body language. He was tense because he didn't know how she would react. Daenerys accepted him, but he knew she needed time to adjust, especially since he potentially could claim the throne for himself. He assured the queen he wasn't looking for it and didn't want to sit on the Iron Throne and she seemed to believe him, which wasn't certain with Bäahal.

« Yes, I am. » Was all he could say.

Silence settled for what seemed an eternity. It wasn't per se, just a few seconds spent without a word said by any of them. Bäahal was staring at her sibling, her eyes still wide as a shock was washing through her whole being. It implied a lot, Jon being a sibling that was. For someone who had been a slave, a product of a violent act and an orphan at an early age, she found a sister in Daenerys and now a nephew in Jon Snow. Bäahal was one of the very first to accept Jon when he first came to Dragonspit. She believed him and convinced Daenerys to eventually listen to him. She was the first to show him support and while their relationship took a turn when Viserion died, she was fond of him still. She had always been from the moment they met and that strange connection she felt months ago was now justified, explained, understood. It was blood. Blood acknowledged blood and he was her kin.

« How did they name you? » She asked, her eyes now lit with a flame he had not seen before.

« Aegon...but I'd go by Jon because that's who I am. » He insisted, to which she nodded.

« Of course, Jon... » She stood up and walked towards him. He wanted to stand up but she shook her head and sat on her knees in front of him. She held his hands and smiled at him, a large and loving smile. Maybe one of relief.

« Are you... upset? » He asked, uncertain of how she took it. She seemed to be rather content with the news.

« No.. not at all... » She said with a smile. « Actually, I am very happy because my family keeps on growing. You are my brother, and because of the blood you share with Sansa, Bran, and Aria, they are my siblings as well...for someone who spent her life alone since mother died, I have found more than I could have asked for. » She leaned her forehead against his hands and pressed a few kisses on the back of them. « You're my family Jon. I accept you, I accept the news, I accept everything... » She unwillingly sobbing.

« You are as well... » He let out. « You've always been accepting of me from the start. I couldn't leave you in the dark since I learned the truth. You are family, always have been from the moment you accepted me. Now, things are just more...official. » She nodded and pulled away from his hands. « Please, your grace, do not cry. »

« Those are tears of joy, Jon... Tears of Joy. » She said as she wiped them off of her face and slowly stood back up. « I am grateful you decided to tell me the truth. Thank you. » The princess added while she wiped her tears away. Jon stood up and nodded.

« Of course. I couldn't keep you in the dark. Especially not when it's a family matter. I am relieved you chose to take the new well. I said to Dany that I wasn't challenging her, the Iron Throne doesn't interest me. I wanted to assure you that I would not try and take the crown from her. »

« I believe you Jon Snow... » She said with a smirk and gently patted his arm while she was busy wiping the tears off of her face. « Would you be so kind and leave my room so I can get myself back together? »

« Yes, I would. » He said as he walked towards the door. « But, princess...I believe we'll have to talk again. You don't seem to be doing very well. »

« War... what you see is the result of it. » She quickly said as she followed him to the door. « Let's make it a conversation for another day, Jon. »

« yes, let's make it so. » He said with a faint smile on his lips. He was concerned, she could tell by the way he was looking at her but he was relieved she chose to welcome him too and Bäahal wanted it to be the last memory of the night. Just when they were about to say goodbye, the princess pulled him into a hug, which first shocked him, and then made him smile. He wrapped his arms around her frame and planted a kiss on top of her head. « Goodnight Princess. »

« Goodnight Jon. » She said as she pulled away and closed the door behind her.

-TBC-

Doya : I need you

A/N: A little moment spent in Oya's head on V-Day. We both know how she feels about him, but the words didn't want to leave my head so here they are :p 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At the end of the day, there is nothing I would trade you for.

I want to come home to you, despite being bruised and battered by monsters I hunted.

I want to come back to you, who are my home and my anchor to this world.

It's crazy isn't it, how much space someone can take in your mind?

I thought I was done with all that. I thought I buried my feelings a long time ago.

There was nothing but ruins left when Fabrice died when my family was slaughtered.

There was nothing but rubble, and grey and darkness, or so I thought.

« This is it. The old Oya is dead now. » I said to myself, wishing her away.

« This is it. There's nothing more to do but take as many monsters with me as I can »

All of these were delusions I created in order to escape from my true desire.

My will to live. My will to be happy and rebuild myself and the life I once had.

I found it with you, my soulmate, I found peace with you in this chaos of a Life.

Here we are, on valentine's day. A day both of us don't like very much.

I could care less about the holiday, about the ads and commercials around it,

But I care that we're not spending the day together. I care that you're miles away...

I care that I have this gut feeling that you might need my help and I should find you.

I care that All I crave right now is you. I crave your touch. I crave your embrace.

I crave your comfort in the middle of the night when nightmares kick in.

I crave your kisses, your moans in my ears, and your beautiful face that says «More »

I need you. I know it has nothing to do with the day itself, Fuck Valentine's Day.

I need you with me because that's how I feel. I miss my home, I miss you.

I can never go back to the life I used to live before I met Sam and You.

I can never go back to being alone,

How could I when the air I breathe is you?

How could I when I am living, only when you are with me?

I miss you, that's how I feel tonight.

I need you, that's what I know tonight.

Doya : A bullet to the heart.

Doya: A bullet to the heart.

A/N: Just a little moment between Joshua and Oya, during a case they worked together.

Xxxxxxxxxx

« Your burgers. »

Oya came back to the motel room they were renting and threw Joshua his burgers. The brunet caught the two sandwiches and unwrapped them. He took two bullets on his chest, a day ago, and was recovering from the wounds. Oya got lucky with only deep cuts on her right leg she nursed the same night she took bullets out of Joshua's chest. As she was in better shape than he was, she was on burgers duty and came back with a bag full of junk food. Joshua seemed to be doing pretty well, given the circumstances. He was even smiling which intrigued the young woman who sat on the chair next to his and unwrapped her burgers.

« What's the smile for? »

«Ah... Stephanie. That's why I'm smiling. She texted me a pic of the twins she's babysitting right now and I couldn't help but think that maybe, it could be us in the future. »

« Say what? You want kids? » Oya furrowed her brows and tilted her head to the side. Joshua had never been the type who wanted to commit seriously. The girlfriend experience was the most he actually ever did. Much to her surprise, his relationship with Stephanie quickly became serious, especially since she was aware of his real job and was extremely supportive of him. He was the one who nearly fucked up when he let her go, out of fear of losing her.

« Someday....I'd be a great dad I think. » He said with a grin before Oya's serious face cut him short. He had never seen her look at him with eyes this stern, except maybe, when he was about to lose Stephanie for good.

« It's serious business here, Josh. Kids... There's no coming back from having kids. You'll have to step up, make sure they have a future, make sure they would know you love them every fucking day. It's a life sentence if you get a kid. »

« I know, I know! » He said, groaning loudly as he took another bite of his burger. « But I'm ready. I'm not like you Oya. You would overthink and it'll kill your every move. I do, I just do it and see what happens next. » He said with a grin. Oya blushed and looked down at the table.

« Shut the fuck up... » -But he was right, she did overthink and it sometimes froze her in place or had her react in ways that weren't warranted.- « I can't just jump head first into a situation I do not know shit about, » she said, furrowing her brows and then relaxing. « But....if that's what you want, then I want you to have it. » She finally said, clearing her throat as she realized she might have been giving him a little heart attack.

« You sure 'bout this? » She nodded and took a sip of her coke. « Oya, don't fuck with me this time. I've been thinking about it for quite some time now. I want to be a dad, I want to be there for my kids like pops were for me. » She nodded and leaned her cheek against her warm palm.

« Kids are a gift, Josh. Not everyone was blessed with the ability to carry them or the chance to adopt any. » She trailed off, stuffing her face with burgers again. Joshua's face became a little softer and he gently stroked her hand. Oya gave him a soft smile and took another sip of her coke. « I'm okay, I promise. » -Truth be told, she still had regrets of this life she would never be able to lead.-

She refused to blame herself for trying to save a human life. She had to drink that potion, she had to go save this life and while it deprived her of a brighter future, it also was the first step towards Dean. If none of this would have happened, she wouldn't have met Dean, Sam, and Castiel. Yet, she did have nightmares, where her guilt manifested in the form of her « sacrificed children ». One she should have had with Fabrice, the other she should have had with Dean. Both were pointing fingers at her, covered with blood as if she had killed them, It was a sight she wished she never had and guilt she wished she didn't carry, but it was what it was and her nightmares never truly left her alone. Oya rolled her head and ran her free hand through her thick locks. There was no doubt in her head that she was happy with the way her life was now. She enjoyed being with Dean, she enjoyed hunting with him and spending most of their time together. Both had led lives peppered with regrets and loss. Both went through enough misery to add another regret to the list. Kids were off the table for the two of them. Dean had his two children and he had to deal with the guilt he felt for leaving them behind. Oya could never have any and she had to live with the guilt of being the instrument of her predicament. Yet, they found peace with each other, when they were together. Where was he?

« You're still thinking about Dean? » Joshua asked, as he finished his first burger. « You haven't heard from him since your last text? »

« Yeah...I haven't. The last thing I know is that he's with Sam and they're okay... I just...we haven't seen each other for a while that's all... »

« You're missing him. » the brunet said with a grin. Oya rolled her eyes and ran her hand over her face. He wasn't wrong. She did miss the older Winchester. It had been months since the two of them had actually spent some quality time together. Dean was always on the road with Sam and the two of them weren't exactly talkative. Oya trusted them and their ability to win over any issues that could come their way.

« Have you ever...Between you and me, if something ever happens to Dean, it would feel like a bullet to my heart. I would never be able to... » The words didn't want to come out. The idea of losing him was too much to handle so she froze and bit her bottom lip.

« It's okay. I get it. You don't have to say anything. » -He said with a grin before he squeezed Oya's hand tighter.- « I'm sure he's fine. »

« I hope he is. If he's in trouble again, I'll find him, save him, and then kick his butt for being in trouble without me. » She chuckled before she dropped her head. « I can't lose him, Josh...I can't... »

« You won't. »

His words felt like empty promises. She knew he couldn't make sure a claim and keep his word but understood that he was trying to comfort her, so she let him. She gave him a tight smile, despite her eyes quickly filling themselves with unshed tears and nodded quietly. He was right, she wouldn't lose Dean. She wouldn't lose her heart. Everything was fine.

-TBC-

GoT: A changed woman

GoT: A changed woman

A/N: Just tackling a little bit Bäahal, after the Night King's war and after Jaime left. 

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The fresh wind of Winterfell whipped the princess' face, welcoming her with its cold embrace as she finally found a moment for herself. Isolated from the court, away from her sister and her consort, she was free to think as she pleased. The war had just begun, the real one where men would fight against men in a battle that would define their future. Who would win between the lions and the dragons? Who would win between the mad queen and the queen who would change it all? Bäahal wanted to believe that, if Daenerys And Cersei were stripped down to their essence, it would become clear that Cersei would have nothing to give. She never did. Cersei was a leech, a vampire that would suck the life out of anyone she would meet. She was overwhelming and no matter how hard Lord Tyrion was trying to deny it, she had shaped his entire life. Her words, her attitude, the hatred she felt towards him made the hand of Daenerys who he was today. His desire to be loved by his sister was so strong that his love -yes, he did love Cersei despite everything- transcended her hatred. Was Cersei able to make people love the monster she was? Did people willingly sacrificed their humanity in order to get closer to the sun? Cersei was the sun, the one where her entire family and her swath of followers would burn their wings because they were too close. Daenerys was like the moon, kind, gentle, attractive and fair. You wouldn't burn because of her but you would spend your entire life chasing after her. She was beautiful, extremely so, but more than that she was truly revered, admired and praised because of her qualities. She was benevolent, caring and loving just like the Moon actually was...People wouldn't die because of her, but they would try to reach her level. Destructive? Maybe so. Inspiring ?.. Definitely. She inspired people and Bäahal felt inspired.

It became obvious over the weeks that Bäahal hated Cersei. Of course, comparing her to the burning sun was hard and maybe it was jealousy speaking through her hard judgment. After all, it was true that Jaime Lannister's presence impacted the princess so much so that she was daydreaming of meeting him again, under different circumstances. He made her change her mind about his family and forced her to reconsider her biases. She was biased, terribly so. Lady Kyra and Jaime ultimately were prisoners of their fate, victims of their blood and Martyrs of love. Love defined and drove them. Love consumed both. Lady Kyra was forced to endure loss after loss because of her father and lord Jaime was a fool in love with a tyrant. The idea alone was enough to make the princess sick. She understood his choice and respected that Lord Jaime returned to his one true love. He knew there was a huge chance he would die on the battlefield, but he wanted to die defending the love of his life. He wanted to die where he belonged, with her and she understood that sentiment. She understood...but she didn't accept this. Victims.... heroes... the line was blurred and sadness overwhelmed the princess.  Maybe she felt more towards the knight that she wanted to accept and the idea of it alone terrified the Targaryen who tried her best to shrug it off. It couldn't be more than what it was already. It couldn't be more than respect for an old fool who served his people and saved them from a tyrant. It was dangerous to navigate through this troubled water... dangerous indeed.

War had already begun and the princess was traumatized by what she saw and had to do. The wrights were one of a kind. Death incarnate that refused to keep the quiet stream of its existence. Death was cold and surrounding everything and the darkness forced her to a corner where she had to unearth a side of her she never thought existed. Survival took another level on that day, she was a cornered animal and she had never felt so alive.  So hurt... so confused. That was the word! She was confused with how she was supposed to feel. They were days before the big battle, days after Lord Jaime left the caste and all she could think of was how much she felt his absence. The hallways were empty and yet, every corner of this castle reminded her of him. She sometimes visited his guest room, only to remember the conversations they had there, the wine they shared, the tears she cried for him. She would sit on his bed, remembered him as he was before he left the castle and touch the fresh sheets put there by servants that no longer carried his scent. He was gone and she was missing him, that was the truth she was trying to avoid. Lord Varys found her, he had noticed her silence since her return from the battlefield. He was concerned about her, especially since she had made a lot of progress in communicating with others. As soon as she heard his footsteps, the princess stiffened but didn't say anything. 

"Princess..." -He started with-

"Lord Varys... I didn't expect you to come to find me on such a windy day. I was fine..."

"You needed company." -His tone was assertive. Of course, she did.-

"I am fine."  -She quickly said, still looking ahead of her-

"That's not how it looks to me." -he retorted, his eyes wide open as he was expecting her to make a move towards him.-

"I /am/ fine." She replied dryly before her purple hues finally stared at the man. "Speak of your true Intentions lord Varys. I am not in the mood for your games today." She warned him before her eyes averted from his face to the sky. 

"War has changed you." -He tried out, his eyes peering at her-

"How so?" -she pursed her lips. He was right.-

"You are more withdrawn... distant dare I say... And yet conflicted. Have you talked to your sister about the war against Cersei?" 

"What about it?" She glanced at him, uncomfortable with how easily he guessed right.

"Jaime Lannister is on your mind, princess. You fear to encounter him on the battlefield. It is obvious how much you care for him."

"I do /not/ fear any encounter with Jaime  Lannister. I do not /fear/ seeing his face again, let alone stab him with my sword should I get the opportunity. We already talked about it. Should we meet, we would give the other an honorable death." 

"Yes,  you did talk about it. You are resolved as well but do you want to do it?" 

"My desires have no weight in this war. What I want doesn't matter. What needs to be done will be done." Her voice trembled and she fought hard to keep her voice from breaking. "We are nothing but instruments in my sister's will. She will sit on the throne."

"What about you?" -he had closed the distance between them but Bäahal remained stiff.-

"I will figure it out later...." was the only honest answer she could give before she left the rooftop and escaped from Lore Varys inquisitive look. 

The princess knew he was right. Deep down she didn't want to kill Lord Jaime and was anxious about meeting him on the battlefield. Deep Down she was full of sorrow because she knew he would die somehow. If miraculously the knight wasn't killed on the battlefield, he would die when Cersei would. She would lose the Jaime she once knew and it was inevitable. Unfortunately, Lord Varys was right about war changing her. Her emotions were buried for she realized they were a liability. And while her heart was weeping for her future loss and the frustration of such a waste of talent and life, her body was closed off, her face didn't show anything, she succeeded in following Jaime's last piece of advice and protect her heart. 

But at what cost? 

-TBC-

Asma x Pride: There she was, at long last!

Asma x Pride: There she was, at long last! 

//back to the current storyline. The big event! Elpis is finally free!

She didn't want to let go of him. Of his touch, of his smile, of his intoxicating presence. She didn't want to sleep. Sleeping meant it was the end and she refused to let it end.... but Asma was a mortal and no matter how hard she fought against her sleep, her body gave in. Pride wore her down, he made sure to give the human proper goodbyes. She had served her purpose and bravely protected a divine entity, despite the overwhelming influence of a sin that brought all the worst from her. She had protected the goddess despite her desire to keep Pride to herself and more importantly she gave him everything. The mortal was stubborn in her attempt to teach the sin about Love, and while he still didn't really understand the importance of such feeling, it did feel nice to him. She did leave a small impact on the Sin. But it was time to go, to let her return to a normal life. Their bodies were entwined, her head rested on his chest and her arms were wrapped around his waist. Her pink locks were sticking to her face, back and shoulders and her eyes, hazel with golden flakes were staring at the wall in front of her. Her fingers tried to dig into his hard flesh, holding onto him as much as she could but it was useless, sleep was slowly taking over her tired body. He planted kisses on her forehead as she still struggled against her urge to sleep. Her heart was racing, still on alert as if it knew everything would change the minute she would close her eyes, but her body was sore and her brain couldn't take anymore. Her plump lips trembled as words fought to be set free but got stuck. What was there to say when all was already said? She thanked him already, several times at that, for the life he gave her, for those moments they stole to Fate, for bringing Hope into her life again. She thanked him for bringing life back to her existence and showing her that there was more to her than what Fate had decided.

Her eyes were filled with unshed tears, the ones from the exquisite pleasure he had just given her moments ago and the ones from the infinite sadness that remained at the surface of her thoughts. It was over. It was over. He cupped her cheek and gently pressed his lips to hers into a searing kiss. This would be the last as her strength finally abandoned her and she welcomed Hypnos. Sleep took over her body, quietly drove her to the nicest place she could have been: her dreams. Sleep took over and just like that she said goodbye to the Sin. Pride sighed and placed her on the bed of the safehouse. He retrieved the Dagger of Fate and Quietly unlocked the spell that was kept hidden in the handle. The Sin took the human's hand and cut her wrist, enough to draw blood onto the blade safely. A flick of his fingers to heal the fresh wound, a few Latin words chanted by the creature were enough to activate the Dagger. Her body started to float above the bed and a body made of light slowly emerged from the human body. Long strands of pink locks appeared first, and slowly the rest of the divine body materialized. She opened her eyes for a brief second, more of a reflex than because she was actually awake, but he caught a glimpse of her golden orbs. The mortal's body landed on the bed and he caught the goddess' in his arms. Here she was, in a weakened state because she had just emerged back into this plane of existence. Here she was, real and in his arms. He snapped his fingers and teleported the two of them to the Underworld. He laid her on the bed and watched her chest heave up and down at a steady pace. She seemed uncomfortable, which wasn't much of a surprise since she had not been in her body for 2000 years, but she was doing fine. His hand stroked her pink locks and he stood up.

That was done, at long last. He had patiently waited for his moment and planned carefully for the primeval gods to give him an opportunity to get her back. Here she was, as bright as the sun and back with him again. He had to protect her from his siblings and hers, especially now that she was once again vulnerable to their attack. Pride knew that more troubles would come from his pettiness. He didn't need to have Elpis back, he could have gotten along with how things were, but she was his and she was taken away from him. Getting her back was the first step, but along with it, came the uncertainty of tomorrow. Along with it, came the unexpected. She didn't know the Pride he was today but after all, didn't she say her love was eternal? Didn't she say she would always find him? Didn't she claim to love him whole? Now was the real test for the goddess and if she wasn't able to love him as he was, then she never truly did. He furrowed his brows at those parasitic thoughts and blew them off with a shrug. What use could that possibly be when he had two wards to lead? It didn't matter if she liked him or not, she was his and she was back. He contemplated her beauty one last time, enjoying the sight of her and his own taste before he turned around and left his chambers. That was done, at long last!

Soa: protect the queen

SoA: protect the queen.

// <3 <3 

The king is down. 

The king is down... but the castle is still standing. 

Jax was busted for drugs and it didn't take long for the news to travel through the whole town. Charming loved gossips and it didn't miss an opportunity to ridicule the towns boogeymen. Asma noticed a change in the way people looked at them, she realized they were smirking, looking smug as of they were saying "your end is near." Which end? Which end?? She tried to give them a stinky eye, side-eyeing hard as she could not believe the way they were looking at her family. She tried to give them the finger and did it whenever a Stepford mom crossed path with her. It became tense. Quickly...

Jessica was the biggest issue for Asma. She knew her well. She knew the brunette would plaster a smile and try and keep it together for the boys but deep down her whole world would be crumbling. She was barely standing. Asma could tell. She knew Jessica enough, had seen her through a crisis, to notice when all of his was fake. A fake sense of control....a fake sense of knowing what to do next when all there was chaos... 

The king is down... protect the queen! 

Asma watched as everybody was on the verge of collapsing. They were all Trying to help. Ask whoever owed them a favor to help. They asked the Mexicans, the Russians... they even went and asked the Niners but it wasn't enough. Then Asma decided to be bolder. /She/ would ask. She would be the one to have a connection that could help Jax. Or so she thought. The pink haired lady wasn't in the biz, it wasn't /her/world. She was too innocent to eventually understand the intricacies of such a world and it showed. She went to the Niners and asked to talk to their President.  The laughs... you should have seen the laughs she got when she asked that question

 "aye shawty! Who do you think you are?" Said one who walked closer to her. 

"My brother was killed because of you assholes!" She heard herself say. They laughed harder. 

"Aawwww but we all die someday shawty. He's gone that's all. We owe you Nuthin'" 

She felt her lips tighten and she groaned. They wouldn't help, she knew that already but she wanted to do something to help anyway. Try something. Her boldness made them laugh, her curves got them thirsty and she was beautiful and defenseless so one of them smacked her denim-clad bottom and was met with a slap.

It made him laugh because her strength was nowhere to be seen. Her slap felt like a caress and it was frustrating. She clenched her teeth, irritated because they brushed off her brother's death. 

"He died for your good for nothing club!"

"And Samcro is better? Just because you suck some white dick that doesn't mean you're not one of us. That doesn't mean you're better than us."

"Get the fuck out with that!" She said curling her hands into fists and getting ready to fight. SHe stood no chance against those Guys and it showed because one of them pushed her hard, forcing her to hit the wall and another one was ready to pounce on her,  ready to kick the hell out of her body. She felt the first punches, how it cut her lips, how it made her spit blood. She felt her hair whip the air and tears roll down her face when a booming voice echoed through the room and hands pushed away from the two troublemakers. He was tall, taller than her with a pair of dreadlocks and an oversized blue shirt. 

"That's how you treat Cody's sister?? Uh? Like she's some side piece?" He smacked their faces again, visibly upset. 

Asma put her clothes back, relieved that the beating stopped and she stood up, her eyes still shooting flames as anger took over all the rest.

"Zachariah! She came here disrespecting us like she owned that joint! We wanted to teach that bitch..." 

Bam! A punch this time flew in asshole's one face.

"Her brother saved our presidents life! He was the real deal! More than any of you pussies would ever be! So get apologize to the lady!" 

They shot her a dark glare but mumbled apologies to the woman who cleaned her face with the back of her hand. 

"You gotta help me."

"Calm down Rapunzel! We ain't do no shit. Not for those samcro boys. You ride with our enemies and right now there is an opportunity to take the lead. Listen, your joint is like Switzerland. You ink any of us who want a tattoo. Out of respect for that and for your late brother, I'll let you go. I'll punish those fools an' I'll let you go." 

"I need Jax protected. I ain't asking for you to help him escape. I need him safe."

"Why?"

"My sister.... needs him alive. His family needs him alive. Whatever happens when he's out is none of your business but please... help him....."

She sounded desperate and she was. Seeing Jessica was so difficult for Asma that she took an enormous risk that night. Zachariah looked at her and walked towards the battered woman who was still bleeding from her lips and nose. He lifts her chin to have a better look at her face.

"I don't give a fuck about your sister and Jax Teller ain't shit but we got your back. We owe Cody your protection and that's about it. "

"It's not what I asked for." She groaned.

"No, it's what you get. Now you better peace out before it gets ugly."

She didn't have the choice this time and decided to lick her wounds alone, away from everything and everyone. 

The king is down, protect the queen.....

Asma returned with failure as big as the risk she took that night. She could have died that night or something worse could have happened. She knew love drove her very actions and that the desire to bring peace and tranquility to her sister was stronger than anything else. It didn't make her life better...it didn't bring the king back. And now she had to cover the bruises on her skin with makeup before Jessica saw them.

The king is down... protect

The queen.. always.