DOYA : Sarah Thomas strikes again.

DOYA : Sarah Thomas strikes again.

A/N : I wanted a sweet moment between these two, talking about their lives while Oya is recovering from an injury. It's also a nice nod to « married to the job » I did three years ago.

Xxxxxx

Previously on Supernatural: Sarah Thomas first saw Oya about three years ago. Oya visited them on Herny Thomas -her mentor- anniversary and they had a heartfelt conversation about the hunter's life. The last met about a year ago, when Sarah felt guilty about quitting that life and building a family with the love of her life. She tracked Oya down and met her at a motel and the two of them had a long conversation that helped Sarah realize that she didn't want to lead a Hunter's life but was satisfied with her family life. Since then, the kept in touch with texts and phone calls. Just yesterday evening, while Sarah was making dinner, Oya rang her bell. She opened the door and saw a blood-covered Oya who gave her a sheepish smile before she collapsed onto her. Sarah helped her clean up, cleaned her wounds, and gave her a pair of blue pajamas.

Now :

«Hey... » -Sarah's voice pierced through the silence that had settled in the bedroom.-

She had just crossed the front door, carrying two mugs of coffee while wearing a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Oya was standing in front of the window, wearing oversized blue flannel pajamas. She had her right hand over her belly, that was recently stitched by the blonde. Her hazel eyes were looking past the window, to Sarah's husband playing with their twin daughters in the garden. Sarah saw Oya flinch and then relax before she turned around and grinned at her friend.

« Hey... » -Sarah stepped closer again, this time standing near Oya and watching her family past the window as well. « How's the pain? »

« Manageable. » She snarled and took a sip of her coffee. «...Sarah..... I meant to stop by but.. you know how it is, right? »

Her tone lacked the confidence Oya always had when she talked to others. She was most of the time very assertive and seemed to be knowing what she wanted and how she wanted it. It was one of the qualities Sarah envied her, but the blonde knew Oya enough to see that in front of loved ones and when pressed, this façade tended to disappear. Oya was unsure of how Sarah would react to seeing her now, a year since they last met. Sarah lifted a brow, took an ominous look on her face before she heartily laughed.

« Oh my god, Oya! cut the dramatics! It's okay. I know that life, remember? »

« You're not... mad? Last time we met you... kinda were. » She pointed out, taking another sip of her beverage. Sarah chuckled and gently ran her hand over the petite hunter's black locks.

« I was silly back then. I was hurting because I was missing my dad. I wanted to feel close to him again and I foolishly thought that becoming a hunter was the right way to go. »

« You weren't silly. You were hurting. » -The ebony hunter's voice was reassuring.-

« I stalked you for days until I gathered enough strength to talk to you. »

« Eeeewwwww... you're right, you were silly! » Oya chuckled again and leaned her head against Sarah's shoulder. Outside, the twins were having a blast with their father, running around, trying to catch him with their tiny hands and arms. « Henry would have been proud of you. You're happy, your family is too. »

Sarah wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulder and pulled her into a tight but nice hug. The ebony hunter remembered how distraught Sarah was when she found her. She had barely slept and she had been crying. She thought that maybe, by not being a hunter like her father wanted her to be, she didn't make him proud. She started to believe that he would have wanted her to be more like Oya and never forgave her choice, but those emotions had been triggered by her home invasion. Had Joshua not be severely injured and brought home by his friend, Sarah wouldn't have questioned her choices.

« We are happy. » Her voice softened and she walked towards the bed. « Now, have a sit, O. » -She had this excited tone about her that let Oya know Sarah wanted to gossip a little. It made Oya chuckle and she left the window to walk towards the bed and sit down. « You know you don't have to leave tomorrow right? How about you stay for a few more days? »

« Yeah...I'll stay for a couple days before I hit the road again. »

« I know, I know, you're eager to find Dean again. » Sarah teased her, which made Oya blush and shrug. «I've just been dying to know something. »

«I'm almost afraid to ask 'what'. » Oya admitted.

She knew Sarah was straight forward. She had a knack at making people spill their guts and Oya really didn't want to spill hers. The ebony hunter wasn't very good at expressing her emotions and she knew Sarah would want to make her do just that. Maybe with a wise joke, she could derail the conversation.... mmmhhh no, she couldn't. Sarah knew her way too much to fall for that.

« Don't worry, I won't bite. I'm just going to ask you one simple question. » -The excitement in the eyes

« pfft... Go on? » Oya put her legs on the bed and crossed them. « I guess it has something to do with Dean since you mentioned him. »

« Yeah. Yeah, it does. I'm not going to ask you if you're happy because I know you are. It's nothing new under the sun. » -Oya put her glass of coffee on the night desk. And Sarah crossed her legs as well, now facing the young woman.

« Oh, snap! Don't say it, Sarah! Don't! » Oya grabbed a pillow and pushed her face against it.

« Don't say what? Don't say that you are in LUUUUUV with him? » She said with a soft chuckle. « I don't need to say it, it's written all over your face. » -She emptied her glass of coffee and put it on the night desk as well.

« Ugh... come on. I'm not a teenager anymore.  What's your question? » Sarah grinned widely and took a deep breath.

« Who is Dean Winchester. Who is he, really? I hear about him, hunters always chat about him and he did pretty awesome stuff. But, who is Dean Winchester you know? » -As a matter of fact, she knew her friend enough to be able to tell just by looking at her if she did have genuine feelings for someone. She didn't want to confirm what she already knew, she wanted to hear Oya talk about Dean in ways she never did.-

« Who Dean is ?... That's what you want to know? » Sarah nodded and Oya's features softened as she thought of Dean. She blushed and gently bit at her bottom lip. His face flashed in her mind, and she saw him smile at her. « Dean Winchester is... a strong good man. People always think he's this goddamn hero who doesn't feel anything and just runs towards danger. He's not superhuman. He's human. He's.. so beautiful. » She felt her eyes slowly getting filled with unshed tears. « He lost so much, Sarah, people see his greatest adventures as something exciting and fun while it will forever be laced with loss and pain. Dean is scarred, just like me, but he still keeps on saving lives. He still keeps on moving forward and helping people. He keeps on giving. I see him, and the only thing I want to do is move forward with him, give him support, affection.. give him everything because he is my everything. He's... »

As she realized her words, she chuckled and squeezed the pillow tighter. Sarah's eyes grew wider as Oya spoke. She felt the slight sob that died down at the back of her throat. She saw how warm and caring Oya's gaze was.

« Dean is... a man worth fighting for. He's my home. You know? He's the place I always return to. He is.. he's my everything and, trust me, in that shitty life we have to live, he's the best thing to ever happen to me. I told him that, that he was the best thing in my whole fucking life.. oh.. no offense Sarah, okay? »

« None taken... » Sarah's voice was just a breath. « None took, Oya this is beautiful. » She said as she wiped a tear away. « it's so beautiful. Holy Shit! I didn't expect you to go off like that. I am.. I am just...okay, you know what? Why don't you go downstairs and play a little with the kids? » -Her bright eyes were staring at the hunter who was sitting in front of her. « BUT before you go, tell me again how you two met? »

Oya rolled her eyes but ended up smiling. That, she could tell.

-TBC-

Bäahal x Jaime: The sweet emerald eyes.

Bäahal x Jaime: The sweet emerald eyes.

A/N: These babies have been through a lot. It's not going to stop for either of them, unfortunately, but I wanted something sweet.

Xxxxxx

Four weeks in the future,

Casterly Rock was the freshest at this time of the year. Bäahal gowns, graciously given by the lady of Casterly Rock was heavier, and almost all in deep red shade, complete with cloaks. After four weeks of constant care, the princess felt a little more like herself. Her body was still carrying traces of the starvation she suffered from, but it was far plumper than when she came to the castle. Her hair was no longer dry grey strands, it was the first to recover to its full silver glory and crowned her face with vibrant, luscious silver strands. Her face, however, kept a stern and distant look. She was still guarded, perhaps even more since her ordeal and the fire that once was there, had disappeared. However, she did make serious progress over those weeks.

Jaime kept his word and took the princess for long walks. He always spared time to walk with her in the afternoon, They would visit the beautiful garden of the castle and spend an hour or two walkings, talking, and looking at the gorgeous flowers grown there. She requested to hear Jaime talk about his most memorable battles, the ones that made him proud, and showed his skills as a commander. Listening to him get lost into the stories he told allowed the princess to spend some time without talking and completely focused on him. Always, she would look at his face and look at his eyes and the true emotions they hid. She would see the concern he had for her and his desire to see her get better. She would see his relief when they would meet for their daily walk and he would see she was getting better. She would see the simple joy at a joke she clumsily tried to make.

Bäahal's love for jokes shone through these last days and he made sure to elicit a chuckle from her whenever he could place a clever word just so she could smile again. She would return the favor, with a bad joke just so he could shake his head in disbelief she actually said that and chuckle at her attempt at making him laugh. It was something, at least, the proof she was trying her best to get better. In a matter of days, she was looking forward to spending time with him again, and would quietly eat, let Maid Johanna do her hair and help her with her dress and then leave her room to go to the garden by herself. There, they would meet and he would let her wrap her arm around his and taker her for a digestive stroll. She was eager to meet him, and lose herself in those kind emerald eyes because they made her feel safe.

Bäahal had always been able to see people's true nature by looking into their eyes while she talked to them. That was how and why she trusted Jon Snow when he arrived at Dragonstone. That was how and why she trusted Jaime Lannister at Winterfell. She knew that he was on a good path, somehow dealing with Cersei's death better than she could have wished him to. He had found a new purpose and was working hard at rebranding the family name now that Lady Kyra was the new head of the family. So for her to see for herself that Jaime was, indeed, doing better, brought her comfort. Many times during their walk, she wanted to mention his recovery but failed to find the strength to do so. She wanted to know if he was doing better if leaving Highgarden was the best decision she made because it did tear her apart. Her cold eyes sought his warmth and she let it comfort her. He was doing better.

Lord Jaime was a man of many things, but the ebony Targaryen always saw him for who he was. Without artifices, without the pompous wording used to describe what he did. She met a man who had always been devoted to others, always tried to his best to protect the others, and always lost something doing so be it an arm, his pride, his reputation, or his soul. He was a man who didn't have a good opinion on himself and sought after recognition and love from Cersei, who couldn't give him what he wanted. He was a man in shackles, just like hers but a man of honor and a man driven by love. Cersei's death gave him an opportunity, to reclaim his own life for himself and do as he pleased, without the need for the recognition he had before. He was a man who was trying to build meaningful relations, stronger bonds with his family, a man who died when Cersei did, and was reborn anew. A man she loved. A flawed and broken man she couldn't help but love.

Even in her broken state of mind, Bäahal could still care for him. She had time to reflect on her emotions and bottle them so they wouldn't spill over like at Highgarden, but trauma and impulses were difficult to contain and it was still clear as day to whoever took a deeper look at how she behaved, that he lit a fire into her heart and only he, could have her smile so genuinely with the simplest things. She observed in silence the man she tried to save, trying to save /her/ reversing the roles in a silent way of showing his affection for her. She knew he cared, he didn't have to say those words. He went out of his ways to her rescue, brought her back from the dead, and now was looking after her, helping the princess nurse her wounds so she could fight back. She observed in silence, with eyes filled with untainted love, the man she wished happiness upon, move forward, chest pumped and sword, drawn towards a better life, a life that made him feel good.

And she washed with eyes filled with determination, the man who once didn't want to feel, express his very desire to see the people who nearly killed her brought to justice. He wanted to protect her and he wanted to kill those traitors and while the flames of revenge were still out of reach for her soul, she could see their reflection on the very emerald eyes she was looking at.

Chronicles of the Primeval gods : From Ashes

Chronicles of the Primeval gods: From Ashes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY5BIrCTN1c (Exit music for a film, remake by Ramin Djawari for Westworld)

A/N : I love my babies, okay ?!!!

Xxxxxx

Elpis closed her eyes as she felt Pride walk closer behind her. His hand rested against the small of her back as they both looked at the impeccable view from her chambers. She knew it would be some time before she returned to the Underworld and she wanted to take one last look at her beloved's realm. For a time she couldn't quantify, Elpis had to stay in this room, enchanted in order to keep the Underworld from rejecting her presence there. She had to regain some of her divine energy and she knew that staying put would help her achieve her goal but it was quite a trial. She endured solitude once again, praying for the safe return of her king, longing for his touch, yearning for the sound of his voice in her ear. There were days she couldn't handle his absence, the desire to see him, the need to be closer to him overwhelmed her but she resisted her urges because she knew there would be better days. And they did come. Pride returned triumphant from his personal war. He returned to his Light.

For the first time since she was set free, Elpis realized that her vengeance was now within her grasp and the sudden realization had her take a deep breath. Ishtar and Ayasha took everything from her, everything from them both. They violated her very being by forcing her essence to be trapped inside mortals for 2000 years and making everyone forget about her. They had Hades discover Pride's relationship with her and had him unmake the Sin, further destroying what he once was and what they once had. They killed her beloved father to steal his throne and power while their mother was indifferent to what was happening. All of this because of petty jealousy. All of this because of fear. She put her fingers over her heart and clenched her fist around the fabric of her dress. Her eyes glowed brightly and the pressure in the air as well. Her powers had life manifest again inside the Underworld, turning it crazy as it wanted to get rid of these anomalies. Plants sprung at the balcony and went past the protective spell he cast around, eliciting a cry from the Underworld as immediately, it tried to destroy Life that had appeared out of nowhere.

« Elpis. » Pride's tone was firm but gentle as he knew she was overwhelmed. The goddess lifted her head to look at her beloved king and softly smiled, noticing the eruption of life bringing the Underworld to utter agony.

« I apologize, my king. » She waved her hand and Life that once was, let Death take it away. « I just realized that my vengeance is truly within my grasp now. » She furrowed her brows, her voice growing cold. « I cannot wait until they die, beloved. All of them have to die. »

« They will, my Light. » He said, stroking her back to bring her some comfort. Her golden orbs stared at him and she slowly started to grin. « Every single one of them, starting with your brother Ishtar. He was the one who stabbed you, he has to go first. Then, we will take care of the one responsible for this mess, your sister Ayasha. »

«Yes? » she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed her tighter against his frame, enjoying how warm and comfortable she felt against him. She tilted her head to the side, her pink locks cascaded over her arm. « I am aware of your dislike for mankind, but I appreciate you taking me to the mortal realm so I can have fun again. »

« You meant, so you can regain your strength? » -He teased her, his left brow curbed.-

He knew the goddess was fond of humans. It was something that could barely be ignored 2000 years ago. Hope, after all, was a powerful emotion humans responded well, too. But 2000 years was a huge gap and humanity did evolve into a cesspool of indignities. They were wretched, deluded fools who desperately needed to be ruled over again. They had lost faith in gods a long time ago, killing them for a new imaginary god, power and money. Pantheons were dying already, when Pride took over the Underworld, and along with ancient faith, fear vanished. However, this trip might help him reconsider a little bit mankind -reconsider being a strong word here- because she was here. Her light, pure and bright would shine again onto those vile creatures and secretly, the king of the Underworld wanted to see her smile again. He wanted to see her rise again and eventually, wrap humanity around her finger. Going on the mortal realm would give him the opportunity to discover her again and while he didn't want to mention it too much, he was actually looking forward to /this/.

« I meant my words. I always thought humans were resourceful and funny creatures. I remember sneaking out of the Primeval gods realm and blend in with humans. I enjoyed their music, their impeccable taste in fine arts, especially their cuisine. » She giggled and pressed her lips to his. « I am eager to discover this new world, but also eager to sharpen my knife. Can a goddess have her cake and eat it too ? »

She pouted playfully before he pressed his lips to her in a searing kiss. His other hand slid into her pink mane and held a fistful of pink hair. She simply gave in to his urge to kiss her face. She moaned in between their lips and held his shoulders harder as he deepened their kiss. She felt his right knee nudge between her legs, firmly pushing them aside so he could press his knee in between her legs. That made her whimper and kiss him harder. They both knew they would leave the underworld in a matter of minutes, but she couldn't resist the urge to kiss him with equal passion. Just as he finished teasing her, the sin pulled away to take a good look at her face, her hair disheveled, her sugary lips half-opened, her chest heaving up and down at a fast pace and fire in her eyes that were glowing like two suns.

« Are you sure you want to leave this place, my king? You're acting like someone who doesn't want to. » She teased him, once she regained control over herself and quietly ran her hand through her hair and moistened her plumps soft lips.

« I'm not stalling if that's what you meant. We're leaving. »

And he snapped his fingers, transporting them to the mortal realm where a new chapter of their life together, begun.

-TBC-

In the dead of the night

In the dead of the night

A/N : Don't mind me...

There are days when I lose touch with reality. These days, 3 am seems to be the preferred time for my brain. Just when I can't sleep and I try my hardest to close my eyes and empty my brain, ominous questions start to fill it.  I question the very reality of my life. I question my hopes and dreams. I question my connection to some and others. There are days I feel like those connections are only in my head and at the very first moment, the very first opportunity people would have to leave me, they would. I feel insignificant, invisible and I keep carrying the blame over my shoulders. After all, if I die, the world will keep on spinning around. If I die, people would not notice, why would they? If I die, I wouldn't have leave memories behind. My mind is breaking down, my mind turns into million pieces when I try to think too hard of how much people just don't care about me and how silly I am for thinking they actually do.

I have thought of ways to express my emotions. Maybe if I just knew how to look at them and have them leave the confines of my brain, it would be easier for those around me to understand me. but it's not easy... The truth is, it is difficult to express, difficult to explain, but the truth is,  it's 3 am in the morning and there is darkness around me. I can see myself from afar as if I wasn't living my very own life, Here I am, standing there, in the ocean made of uncertainty and anxiety-induced fears. The truth is, I believe I would be forgotten, the minute I am not around anymore. The truth is, I believe that no matter what I do, it doesn't really matter. I have a hard time seeing the impact I have on others, let alone, the good I can do. So I just stand there, alone and tormented by my thoughts. These days, I try to fight off those thoughts. I try to rationalize. I try to understand why I would think like this and I try to fight these thoughts. At least, I address them. Isn't it the right way to go?  

There are days I win and light comes back into my heart, and clarity sets my thoughts into a peaceful order. I feel better, I feel good. I feel centered again. But there are days I lose. And those days, I live in utter terror. And my guts are churning and my heart is breaking down because I believe oh so strongly that it would be better if I was dead. I believe, oh so strongly that people actually don't care or they wouldn't care if I tried to ask for help. Or just admit I'm not doing okay. People wouldn't want to share the burden on my shoulders with me and would rather ignore me or throw me away if they could choose to do so. I don't trust myself, I guess and I don't trust that people care enough for me to suffer from my outbursts or honest conversations. Or perhaps, I'm too far gone to actually be able to speak my mind and my heart. I don't know what to say, I can't answer questions... I don't know how it is except that I am feeling and it hurts...

I am sorry. I am so sorry. Even at the dead of the night, all there is is just a scream stuck into my chest, and tears stuck into my eyes. All that is left is a hole in my heart I am unable to fill and a pain I cannot soothe. All I know is that the only thing I still can do is give love, even when I don't have any for myself, especially because I have none for myself. I am sorry.. so sorry

DOYA: A moment in time.

DOYA: A moment in time. 

A/N : This takes place before the Thomas case. I was just thinking about these two, I'm listening to this song :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERildSsWxM

XXXX

Men of Letters Bunker, Dean and Oya's room.

Oya felt Dean's large hand gently stroke her leg. She was laying on her back, her thick black locks were crowning her face and she was staring at the ceiling. Her fingers gently held onto the sheets of the bed as she felt the gentle touch of the hunter. She rolled her eyes as he started to massage her calf, gently holding it with his strong hand. He knew she was cranky ever since she returned from her last case. Oya had tried to find a moment to relax. A soft chuckle escaped from her lips and she felt her phone Viber. That was a text. A quick glance at it and she read the name on it. Sarah Thomas. Of course, it would be Sarah. She wanted to hear news from her « sister » and that brought a smile on Oya's lips. The ebony hunter answered her and dropped her phone onto her belly. Since they rekindled their relationship, Sarah quickly became the female friend, Oya needed in her life. The former hunter who quit and started a normal human family. While this life wasn't appealing to the hunter, it still felt good to know that those she cared about were able to live the life they had always wanted. Sarah was also a foil for her. She knew how lonely the hunter life was, how dangerous and experienced first hand how damaging this life could be and still decided to opt-out.

Would Oya be able to leave everything for the sake of a happier life? As Dean kept vigorously unknotting her calf, the thought crossed her mind. For Dean ? Oya was ready to do anything., but the happier life? There lied the difference between her and Sarah. For Oya, her life as it was right now was the best life she could ever want. She didn't want anything else, but to go on hunts with Dean, find monsters, save lives, and laugh with her family. She moaned softly as ran her fingers into her big locks and massaged her scalp with the tip of her fingers. Dean was taking good care of her, enjoying the soft pleasured groans and watched as she gently wiggled her free leg. He chuckled and pulled her leg on the other side of his thighs, so she could sit in between his legs. He wrapped one powerful arm around her waist and gently pulled her towards him, so they would be looking at each other and lean their forehead against the other. Her hazel eyes stared at him and she cupped both his cheeks. Dean smiled at her and gently nibbled on her neck.

« Did you like that little massage? » -She nodded.- « Oh yeah? Was it that good? »

« It was terrific. » She whispered before she planted a kiss on his lips. « It was all I ever needed. » She bit her bottom lip and felt him dig his fingers into her waist. Her hands found their way on the back of his neck and into his thick blonde mane. « I like being here.. I like it, right now. » She indicated, her voice softly shaking. Oya wasn't the kind to be so very openly sappy. But there were times when she would let her heart speak and this was one of these times. He heard the sob in her voice and pulled away just so he could look at her straight in her eyes. Her features were soft and her eyes wet with unshed tears.

« Hey...what's wrong? »

« Nothing. Nothing is wrong. I just feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I feel lucky to be here, at this moment, with you. I feel lucky to be alive today. » She said, biting her lips.  « It's one more day on this fucking planet that I get to spend with you and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but here. »

He let his fingers hold a fist of her hair and pressed his lips to hers. He knew what she meant, he could feel the love she felt for him and he could feel how intensely she loved him. He was grateful -and felt lucky himself- to have someone who was willing to love him and love his all. She never judged him, never tried to change him, never tried to make him feel guilty for his past choices, including the bad ones. Dean had already suffered, he already beat himself up, he already hated himself for her to be adding to it. She herself, was going through the very same, for different reasons, so she understood him. He never felt that connection with someone else, a connection so deep he was afraid to lose it. He watched as she ended up crying, unable to contain her emotions.

« I'm the lucky one, O. I'm the lucky son of a gun, right here. Right now. » He pressed another kiss to her lips, a little more demanding than the previous one. « I love moments like these when there is nothing in the world between the two of us. When there is just calm and me massaging your calf and us just enjoying each other's company. I like it when silences are comfortable. I like it best when you're here. » He said, stroking her cheeks and the tears off of her skin. « I'm the lucky one, who gets to enjoy this very moment with you. I wouldn't want to enjoy it with anyone else,» he added, always letting her know that he shared her feelings.

« Would you look at that? I'm crying rivers now... » Oya complained, with a light chuckle. She leaned into his hand as he cupped her cheek and gently pressed her lips to his palm.

« Well, at least it shows you have a heart. » He teased her before he leaned his forehead against her forehead. « It's okay. » He quietly said, while his other hand kept massaging her scalp. « You're home. »

« I am... I am. Home. » Oya smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

(TBC)

Bäahal and Jaime : Johanna

Bäahal and Jaime : Johanna

A/N : It's complicated for the princess

XXXX

The princess was sitting in front of her vanity. She was wearing a simple cotton white gown, thick enough to give her a plumper frame and hide how skinny she became due to starvation. Her purple wet hues were staring up, at the handmaid who was behind her, holding a soft brush usually used on babies to brush away the knots on her silver hair. Johanna was old and proudly celebrated her 68 years of existence with her husband and her three kids a few weeks ago. She'd been serving the Lannister for as long as she could remember and formed quite the opinion on each of them.

She heard the rumors that started from the moment the dragon princess went to the kitchen and had her breakdown. Handmaids and servants had been raving about the whole situation, gossiping any chance they got about the princess and just how « caring » Lord Jaime had been to her. Some wished that he would actually finally be free of Cersei and pursue a romantic life with this very delicate woman. Yes, certainly, she was crying and screaming now but they all knew about the siege and therefore were more understanding of her current behavior. They heard rumors about her, about how kind she was and how she didn't care about etiquette and titles. They heard about the way she protected the common people during the siege and they saw the way she talked to the cats coming in and out of the castle. She was a kind soul. A broken but kind soul.

While very few of them were hoping a romantic development, others were cynical. They didn't trust the Targaryens and the usual hatred and fear clouded their judgment of her. But the attention wasn't really focused on her. It was on Jaime. There was nothing to read here but the loyalty of a knight to his princess. Lord Jaime could never love anyone but his wretched sister. Those snakes were insulting him behind his back, saying that he couldn't find anyone who could love him since he was now missing a limb and the whole country knew he fucked Cersei. They were cruel with the man, those who didn't really know him.

Jaime Lannisters was known to make people feel all types of way about him. Many didn't forget he killed his own king and looked at him with disgust and as a man of little to no shame who was able to do the worst. Others were envious, of his looks, of his charm, of his behavior and the fact ladies still wanted to fuck him. Others were taking their frustration and hatred of Cersei and Joffrey on him. After all, he was the twin. After all, he condoned his son's behavior. After all, he agreed to their despicable ways. They needed to take their anger out on someone and behind his back, what better ways than to kick him to the ground?

His soldiers felt differently. They knew the soldier, and they respected him. They knew he fought for them, for the living when the King of the North walked south from the Great Wall. They respected this man because they knew they could entrust him with their own lives. He was a knight, he was a leader, he was their lord and they were faithful. They didn't forget all he did for his family, for their family and their house. They didn't forget the glorious battles they led either. And they also learned how not to care about his personal life. But the maids? The cooks? All those common people who had nothing BUT time to gossip? They were lashing out at him. And the princess.

Johanna, well, Johanna didn't think like most of them. She'd seen Jaime Lannister a few times and she'd never seen him be this careful with someone else by Lady Cersei and Lady Kyra. Jaime wasn't a people person. He never really cared about others but the ones he chose to love. He always looked after his siblings, but his eyes were only looking at Cersei. The servant even believed that after her death, Lord Jaime would have been so distraught, he would kill himself. And yet... he didn't. She didn't expect to see him alive but was very happy when he returned home. He was far from how the rumors described him. He wasn't starving, He managed to maintain a look, he managed to be clean and he seemed to have kept a bit of strength. Although he appeared very thin than she remembered him to be. As the senior handmaid, she carefully watched after him. She made sure he ate and had his very wishes fulfilled. It wasn't that difficult since he quite soon enough returned to his old knight ways. She assisted in keeping him fed, clean as well as the army they had at home. But more importantly, she watched him go back to who he once was. So, yes, she heard the rumors and heard them loud and clear.

« Your hair is still gorgeous, your grace. »

« …..Thank you. » Bäahal looked at her with some apprehension on her face. She didn't quite know what to do with her but was accustomed to her presence. Johanna decided to be the only one to care for the poor thing after she saw how terrible some of her aides were.

« You've made a lot of progress, princess. I am very glad to see that you're starting to request your food and you finish your plate. »

« I am trying. » she said, looking down again. Her fingers were clenched together as she still couldn't relax completely near this woman. Johanna knows she wasn't feeling comfortable with her. She stopped brushing and gently stroked the cheek of the princess with the back of her hand. Bäahal lifted her shoulders and tried to hide her face, feeling awful and ugly since she lost a lot of weight, but the servant kept touching her. « Please, don't... I am... »

« Beautiful. Trust me, your grace, we've never seen such beauty our whole lives. »

« I am not... I was exotic, on my prime. A curiosity to people who never saw someone like me. People watched me dance, touched me when I didn't want to... used me. » She swallowed a lump and looked at the floor so she couldn't look at the servants face. Johanna gently put her hand on her shoulders and looked at their reflection.

« Please, your grace, look at your reflection on the mirror and let me tell you a story. »

Bäahal lifted her face up and stared at her reflection. She was slowly getting back in shape after all. Her cheeks were less creased, she could feel her legs get stronger because she went on long walks with the knight.

« When Lord Jaime heard you were under siege and probably dead, he didn't waste a second. He hastily went to see lady Kyra and asked her to leave and rescue you. He told you that he was worried, but he didn't tell you how much he was. I saw him. I've known Lord Jaime for years, your grace. » that information made the Targaryen blush but she was listening, her eyes were staring at the woman who was standing up behind her. «  He would have flown to you if he could. He would have cut through giants if he could. That was the man I saw on the day we learned you were in danger. He was restless, impatient, irritated at how long it took for him to leave but extremely worried about you. I was curious back then, at why Lord Jaime who never ever worried about someone else but his family, was worried like that about you. I wondered for as long as it took for you to come to Casterly Rock. » She resumed brushing the hair of the princess.

« And now... do you understand ? » Her voice was laced with curiosity and anxiety as she didn't know how Johanna would respond to her. She swallowed a lump and saw her face blush harder at the mention of Lord Jaime. His face popped into her mind, his smile especially refused to leave her brain.

« yes, I do. I look at your eyes and I see your kindness. I see your heart and honesty. You are genuine... innocent even. It's refreshing. When I look at you, I see determination. I see a fire that makes me want to follow you to the pits of the underworld. I see a gentle soul who fears to hurt others but who keeps ongoing. I heard what you did when you were under siege. I heard about your mission and how much you helped perfect strangers. I see how worried you are about my boy... you're in love with him, aren't you ? » the words made her yelp and she covered her lips with her warm palm but it made her shiver.

How could this woman pierce through her this easily ? How could she see what Bäahal was desperately trying to keep to herself ? Her eyes shifted from left to right and she bit her bottom lip, refusing to address Johanna and answer.

« Lord Jaime sees that when he looks at you. He sees how delicate you are, how endearing you are.. he sees the woman you are and never, ever, would he try and use you. He could be selfish, he could be awful, but he would never use you. » she put her hand on the princess' heart. « He sees you for who you are and trust me, he's not blind. »

« He doesn't think he deserves someone to be kind to him... » Was all the princess could say. The conversation they had that other day at Highgarden still stung hard, so Bäahal refused to recall that moment. Her voice was bitter, laced with sadness and frustration.

« He doesn't know it yet. He's a clever man. Lord Jaime is...you have to understand that when he's ready, he will be able to kill a dragon to keep you safe. Do you understand? »

«I do... » -He did push Bran off of a window. She knew that he would be able to give everything he had to protect her and make sure she was alright. However, she deliberately chose to not think of what Johanna was saying. She was mistaken because she believed there was a chance that lord Jaime held feelings for her. The knight was a friend, nothing more. He didn't want anything else, he didn't want anything else FROM HER. So why would she hope he did? « He's very devoted, loyal, intense... Lucky is the woman he is in love with. I told him I wanted him to find someone who would truly care for him. He deserves no less... » she sighed and looked down at her thighs. « I could give him the whole world if he wanted... » she trailed off and then looked at Johanna with a soft smile. « Can I request braids for today ? »

« Yes you can your grace, you can . » those last words didn't fall on deaf ears. Not one bit.

(TBC)

Chronicles of the primeval gods: Life and Death of Ishtar: His Light.

Chronicles of the primeval gods: Life and Death of Ishtar: His Light.

A/N: That filthy bastard spoke to me this morning, so I had to indulge him. I very much love his doubting heart, the simple jealousy he feels towards the Sin and his desire to both kill his sister and claim her. What a complicated twat.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ishtar walked the mortal realm. After such a long while spent at the Primeval God's realm, he needed to clear his mind. He was boiling with rage ever since Leviathan died. The very truth of his last words resonated with the New-All-Father who reacted in kind. Ayasha was manipulating him, wasn't she? While it all made sense and he had rejected her, accordingly, Ishtar still felt uneased about his decisions. Ayasha could be a very good liar, but for how long could she live in such a lie? He couldn't have been blinded by his own emotions not to see that Ayasha was trying to use him? Was he this gullible? He, who was War incarnate? War went beyond Death. It wasn't just about killing the enemies and winning. It wasn't just about the debauchery of slaughters that made War what it was. No. War was about anticipating, it was about planning and studying your enemies. It was about knowing your strengths and weakness and plan accordingly. It was about being smarter than your opponents and at the very least, be able to guess their next move. War, was exactly like playing chess. Ishtar might not know the rules of that human game, he might have never cared for it, but he knew how to lead a war and how to win it.

What his brother did, was trying to manipulate him one last time. Leviathan had a knack at getting into other people's heads and he surely succeeded one last time with his younger brother. Ishtar pushed away from the only true ally he ever had since he killed their father and the only one who was truly knowledgeable. She was smart, beautiful and cunning. Why did he push her away? She claimed to be in love with him from the very beginning and when they made love, he did feel she meant her words. Why would she moan his name with such passion if it wasn't the truth? Why would she keep seeking contact with him if she didn't love him? His mind was scrambled with doubt, so much so, he decided to go on Earth and forget his realm for a minute. His heart was restless, mostly because he knew that he had not come to terms with his love for Elpis. Each passing day was a torture for him because he could remember her clearly now. Her scent, the soft laugh she would let out when she saw him, the warmth of her body when she pressed it against him. He could remember the scent of her hair, or how tight she held onto him when she was scared, or how free she felt when she walked the battlefield and let her powers influence humans. She made his heartbeat louder, faster and stronger. She made him smile when he woke up because he knew he'd get to spend some time with her. She still did.

At the mere thought of his beloved sister, his heart was aching. Losing her to the Sin had to be the worst day he ever had. When she claimed she loved another, the light she shone upon him disappeared. Why did she cast her light onto someone else? Why did she want to belong to someone else? She was his... she was /HIS/ and he wouldn't have had it otherwise. He looked at his murderous hands, those very hands that betrayed his sister and stabbed her in her heart because of jealousy. He envied the Sin. He hated the Sin. He wanted to be him. He wanted to have what he lacked and what attracted Elpis. He wanted to be the one she looked at with loving eyes. He wanted to be the name she whispered when she lost herself to pleasure. He wanted to be the comforting strong arms she could cuddle to when she was scared and needed comfort. He could have been if he had not stabbed her with that knife. He knew that on that very day, it was anger and jealousy that drove his hand. It was the way she so adamantly loved someone else that made him jealous. It was the way she rejected him that hurt his ego, made him see red, made him stab her. She was his and yet she didn't want to be. Now, the New All-Father had ruined his chance to be with her one day. She could never forget the betrayal, the pain, the fact he destroyed her future with Pride and because she wouldn't, she could never love him.

It made his hands shake and his heart heavy. Ambition had never quite been what he had. Ishtar was perfectly fine with the life he led. Now that he went too far, he couldn't have the audacity to wish for things to go back to how they once were. He couldn't ask for time to reset and for him to have a second chance. His heart was yearning for a second chance, for the possibility to see Elpis again. Perhaps, he would learn to accept the fact she would never choose him and perhaps, if he did, he would still be able to be visited by her. He could have had it all...instead of nothing. As he looked past the window of his car, he realized that he felt alone. Always had. Always will... even with Ayasha by his side. Elpis' light was the only thing that helped him forget his loneliness. With her, he wasn't alone. With her there always was a soothing presence, a warmth he could no longer find and the realization had him cover his face with his left hand. He was alone....and perhaps that was the worst punishment he could ever have. But his soul was boiling and since anger was filling his cold lonely jealousy heart, then he could as well reconcile with Ayasha. They both were miserable, weren't they? Well, this time they would be miserable together.

He had to make amends for his old ways and make sure the goddess realized he wanted to apologize for the way he treated her. He would take care of it, later, when his guilt and sadness would be expurged from his system when nothing but anger and blood-lust filled his veins.. when nothing but shame and regret drove him to the next fight....to his Fate.

(TBC)

GoT : Boiling point

GoT : Boiling point

A/N : Just writing a soft recap from Tyrion's POV.

Xxx

King's Landing, the throne room :

« Lord Tyrion... Did I make the right decision when I allowed her to leave King's Landing? »

Daenerys's trembling voice reached out her loyal hand's ears. Tyrion noticed that his queen had been restless ever since rumors about her sister's whereabouts fell. From the moment Princess Bäahal decided to leave the castle and her sister's protection, Daenerys had been wondering if she did the right thing. Bäahal wanted to explore the world. She wanted to meet the people so they would demystify the Targaryens. She wanted to help whoever needed help and needed to figure herself out so, the queen thought she couldn't forbid her to leave. She gave her two guards, two former Lannisters who surrendered to their new queen and watched as her beloved sister left King's landing with some protection.

« Your grace, allowing Bäahal to leave was necessary for her well-being. I know you wanted to keep her safe, but she wasn't feeling well within the walls of King's Landing. »

He tried to reassure her. His voice was soothing and his hand was put over hers. He knew how terrified of losing her sister, the Targaryen had been. Had she been naive? Had she been so naive that she couldn't anticipate the horrible betrayal her sister suffered from? Daenerys was spared the first news. Her hand didn't want her to be informed until he could verify the news. Bäahal was given two trustworthy and notable loyal soldiers by her side and she did regularly send letters to her sibling, indicating that she was doing alright. So there was no reason to be worried. However, he received a letter from Lady kyra, two weeks later telling that the rumors were true and the princess had been under siege. The situation was dire. She sent Jaime to the princess' rescue and they were hoping to make it in time and save her.

Despite the terrible news, the queen's hand couldn't contain the smile that crept on his face. His little sister was acting as the true lady of Casterly Rock and invested her energy into restoring the name of the Lannisters. The task was challenging and he knew that it would take a while before people stopped hating on his family but he trusted Kyra to do her best and succeed. She wasn't like them. She didn't have a heart twisted by greed, ambition and wicked love. She went through the worst pains, the dehumanizing treatment of their father and the reckless jealousy of her own sister and still remained a beautiful soul. His eyes gorged themselves with unshed tears when he read that his brother Jaime, did survive the ordeal and even assisted his sister in the rescue.

Jaime was alive! Knowing this made Tyrion wipe a tear. After the demise of Cersei, Jaime was let go and pardoned by Daenerys. He was in so much pain, that Tyrion believed he would not survive. Months ago they already said their goodbyes, thinking one of them or eventually, the two of them would die during the last war. Yet, he believed that Jaime would never be able to survive in a world without Cersei. Every week, he expected to receive a letter announcing his death but he never got it. Being the hand of the queen was taking most of his time and energy, but Tyrion did not close his heart. He felt relieved, so much so that he ran his hand over his face with relief knowing his brother was doing much better. His family was doing well but the princess needed help. Informing Daenerys had been the hardest part of his job. He wanted to reassure her but he didn't know how to make her feel better. She wasn't. She couldn't. She kept a straight face but he could hear the sound of her broken heart.

The next days were the most stressful King's Landing had known. Jon snow, Daenerys and Tyrion were waiting for the next update about the situation. Daenerys wanted to leave and ride Drogon but Jon went against that idea, speculating that maybe her enemies studied the last war with Cersei and would eventually be prepared for her to come with her dragon. Waiting became unbearable, but finally, Lady Kyra's news arrived and they felt relieved. The siege was dealt with, Princess Bäahal was saved and they would take her to Casterly Rock. Daenerys stood up and walked towards Tyrion before she changed her mind and sat on her small steps behind the throne. Tyrion found her and sat next to her.

« I can't afford to lose her. Do we even know who did this ? Do we know who our enemies are ? »

« My brother and Lady Kyra are going to investigate. If an attack was launched against your sister, something might happen to you. We need to investigate and anticipate an attack on you from within the city. »

« I know Lord Jaime cares for my sister. »

« He very much does. I can assure you. My sister told me that he was very pale when he heard princess Bäahal was in danger. She told me that we owe the princess his return to Casterly Rock. » -A soft smile graced her features and she nodded quietly.-

« My sister is very stubborn. The most stubborn creature I've ever met. » -she said with a soft chuckle.- « I know she cares for your brother and I can only wish he cared as much for her as she cared for him. »

Tyrion smiled as well. He held the hand of his queen as tight as he could, knowing she would need to know everything about the situation. The more details she had, the best it was for her. For him, he just wished Jaime would keep going and would actively protect Bäahal. It soothed his heart, knowing they came right in time. It soothed his heart knowing his brother was still alive.

-TBC-

Doya : Family matters

Doya: Family matters

A/N : I was feeling my little Castiel, and since he decided to speak, I gave him a little bit of space.

Xxxxxxx

Castiel was investigating a potential case involving angels. Metatron, while dealt with for once and for all, wasn't the only issue Angels had to deal with. Out of the four archangels, Michael was certainly the most dangerous of them all and the last one alive. He was the most faithful son of God and his love and loyalty had proven to be very extreme. Most of Heaven, if not all of them were scared of him and most of Hell if not all felt the very same way. Castiel respected him, he also did fear him but he trusted that this time, maybe his older brother did calm down. Heaven was in turmoil, but perhaps, it had nothing to do with angels this time and everything to do with demons. The angel crouched on the floor as he noticed traces of what seemed to be a fight that broke between angels and demons.  that made him furrow his brows as he analyzed the crime scene. He was studying it carefully when his phone started to ring.

Castiel wasn't that good with technology, but he improved his knowledge and even bought a new phone. The ringtone was the one he gave Oya and it made him stop for a minute and grab the phone. His eyes warmed up at her name and he stood back up. Oya and Castiel had rocky beginnings but Time allowed for the two of them to improve their relationship and consider each other as family. With her, he was different, less emotionally constipated because she was relentless and would never let him go without having him say his piece. With her, There was something easy about Oya, about the way she came into their lives and changed everything. It probably had something to do with her bubbly personality or perhaps the fact she bloomed when she felt completely safe. It had a way to influence others. He noticed the subtle changes in the brothers and the way they carried themselves.

Were they Happy? Perhaps. He couldn't quite understand human emotions, but he would bet his set of wings that they were with her. His attention focused especially on Dean. On the way, he was acting. When Dean went on a mission with him, it happened that he was thinking of bringing Oya something, or he thought of a comeback or something she would have said in the same situation. He was talking about going home, finding her, spending time with her. He was projecting into the future. And while that future was simply the next 24 hours when he's back, it still was the future. Dean was a hardcore hunter. He understood that this life was a very lonely life and for years he had done his best to keep himself from endangering people he loved. He had denied happiness and he pretty much gave up on that.

Yet, here she was. Oya came like a wrecking ball, destroying the self-pity and misery that sometimes entrapped the three men of that family. She came in with Hopes, fears and a genuine vulnerability that brought the best out of them. That made him smile, The last picture he saw of the three of them was of Oya standing between the brothers who made fun of her short height. Dean took the selfie -because Oya couldn't capture all 3 of them- and she sent it to Castiel, with a « come home soon I can't control these two. » caption. And he could see by the face Dean was making, that he was happy. Genuinely happy and had found a reason to go forward.

The angel knew they both were deeply in love with the other. When He worked cases with Oya, she checked on the brothers, talked with Dean, talked about Dean and expressed her desire to go home through simple sentences. He could tell when Dean and Oya were together, working cases or being at home. He could tell by their body language and the fact they first cared for the other. They became more than just friends, or partners, they became a family and Castiel found himself trapped within this huge web of feelings too. He didn't want anything bad to happen to her, ever and just like he wanted the brothers to be safe and happier, he wanted Oya to be happy and remain so. So when he saw her name and heard her ringtone, it put the angel at ease and made him smile.  with a calm voice, the angel replied: 

« Hello? »

(TBC)