Aurorasilverthorne

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Anonymous #1 asked if I had any alternative skeksis ships I liked or I'd consider writing fanfics about. Yes, I do.

Alternate Skeksis Ships:

1. SkekOk x SkekEkt (the gossip, drama, comedy, and potential for cute/caring moments would be endless).

2. SkekAyuk x SkekShod (two insecure individuals who hoard treasure and food and who are far more intelligent than they let on or smarter than they think).

3. SkekMal x SkekSa (two badasses who avoid politics and partake in dangerous adventures/hunts together)

4. SkekSo x SkekVar (one sided: SkekVar wants the emperor and SkekSo uses that to his advantage).

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Anonymous #2 asked if I'd ever consider shipping my OC SkekBel the Soothsayer with SkekSo. Personally, I wouldn't. They'd tear each other to pieces. That being said, I have no issue with someone wanting to ship my OC with another canon skeksis or an OC skeksis of their own if they want. I'm open minded, so if SkekSo x SkekBel is your pleasure, go for it! I'm just convinced SkekBel x SkekSo would be a match made in Thra's hell and they'd spend their lives trying to make one another miserable.

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Anonymous #3 asked me for more information about SkekBel the Soothsayer.

SkekBel Facts:

1. Bel has osteoarthritis throughout her body due to SkekUng shoving her down multiple flights of stairs on several occasions. Her left ankle is also permanently damaged because SkekUng crushed it underfoot to get back at SkekBel for tearing SkekNa's eye out and biting the Slave-Master's hand off. These ailments render her dependent upon an ornate cane SkekEkt gifted her. In winter, her arthritic flares would get so bad at times, she couldn't even leave her bed forcing her to rely on SkekEkt, SkekTek, SkekOk, and SkekZok to take care of her.

2. The crystal bats took a genuine liking to SkekBel and remained fond of her long after her exile, a fact SkekZok used to keep tabs on her whereabouts during the Garthim wars. SkekBel had a tendency of petting the crystal bats and giving them treats, which inspired loyalty and affection better than SkekZok's own brutal training methods, which oft utilized pain and starvation as motivators.

3. Skeksis imprint/mate for life (in my AU). This caused major issues after the Ritual Master imprinted on the Soothsayer. SkekBel valued her independence and her autonomy, and she didn't reciprocate Zok's feelings right away, but since the skeksis viewed love through a skewed lense where lust, obsession, and possession equated to love and desire, SkekZok pursued SkekBel relentlessly until she gave in and allowed him to officially court her. Their "courtship" lasted about two hundred trine (two hundred years/2 ninets) before she became his lover.

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Anonymous #4 asked me if SkekZok and SkekBel had attempted to have children.

Yes, SkekZok and SkekBel were lovers for six hundred years, and they tried many times to conceive an heir. Unfortunately, every time SkekBel went through the excruciating pain of laying an egg, it was non-viable. Those labors took a heavy toll on her body, and she'd nearly died more than once, so SkekZok eventually said "no more" and they started taking certain precautions (contraceptives) to ensure they could continue being lovers without the fear of her carrying another dead egg that might pose a risk to her life.

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Anonymous #5 asked if the Ritual Master actually went through with the emperor's command to eliminate the Soothsayer.

Possible Spoilers for one of my AUs ahead! This one's a little lengthy, but it's theory time, so stay with me...

If someone had asked me this a few months ago, I'd have said yes. He whacked her. R.I.P Bel. HOWEVER... now that I've had more time to work through SkekBel's full backstory and I've done a rewatch of the movie and TV series, I'm going to say no. Zok didn't go through with SkekSo's order to end Bel's life. He incapacitated her, stole her jewelry, and used her blood as "proof" he'd carried out SkekSo's will, then he stashed her somewhere safe with some servants to look after her while he returned to the castle. Having done a deep dive into all the existing lore surrounding SkekZok, I can honestly say I don't believe SkekZok would execute a fellow skeksis, especially one he's been obsessed with possessing since the Great Division. Lie, cheat, steal, betray, and torture? Yes. That's the skeksis way. Execute? No. SkekZok fears death, and like every other skeksis, is super possessive of what (and who) he views as his. He's also exceedingly intelligent given he sat back and watched SkekUng and SkekSil fight each other for the throne. SkekZok knew he didn't have the physical strength to challenge Ung directly, so he let Sil do it, which resulted in Sil's exile. Zok knows how to play the long game and his plan to render the Garthim-Master incompetent in the eyes of the other skeksis so they'd eventually turn against him was a sound strategy. Had his scheme worked out the way he'd intended, I believe SkekZok would've definitely succeeded in claiming the throne, since SkekSil's exile would've been in tact (Sil's banishment only ended due to bringing a gelfling back to the castle while Ung was still alive). Had SkekUng no longer been a factor, then the Ritual Master would've reinforced Sil's punishment because Zok never liked or trusted the Chamberlain). If Zok had become emperor, he'd have had the power to fully revoke Bel's exile, and could've brought her back to the castle reinstating her old status as a high-ranking member of the royal court. Had Jen managed to heal the crystal by returning the missing shard, the skeksis would've merged with the UrRu ensuring that ZokZah the Ritualist and BelVek the Oracle were reunited once fused back into UrSkeks.

Would Bel willingly return to the castle to become his empress? Probably not. Bel had sided with the gelfling and stood for Thra because she saw herself and all the other skeksis as parasites who'd subjugated Skarith's native inhabitants, robbed the clans of their resources, and corrupted the crystal of Truth instead of becoming part of its life cycle.

Would Zok care whether SkekBel wanted to come back? He tied her up and locked her away while he played politics. I think it's safe to say that SkekZok isn't the type to go out of his way to understand or respect somebody else's boundaries, especially if it interfered with his goals. SkekZok doesn't just want SkekBel as his eternal lover. He needs her for her visions and her prophecies to make his rituals authentic. Would SkekZok force her to share his bed? No. A broken seer is useless. Bel's willingness is half the fun and part of her allure. Zok enjoys her sharp tongue, her ornery nature, and her penchant for sensual sadism. Just knowing the Soothsayer possesses real or lasting influence over the Ritual Master says something about her character.

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1. SkekSo & SkekMal.

2. SkekTek, SkekOk, SkekSil, & SkekBel (My OC).

3. SkekEkt, SkekLa (SkekLa's OC), & SkekYi (SkekLa's OC).

3. SkekZok, SkekUng, SkekSa, SkekGra, & SkekVar.

4. SkekShod & SkekNa.

5. SkekAyuk, SkekLach, & SkekLi.

I'm unsure where to place Zok. On one hand, I could see Zok being bros with So and Mal, but on the other hand, his interactions with Var in Ha'rar and after Var slew the All-Maudra gave me the "I'm so aggravated and done with my sibling right now" vibes. What do you think?

My personal headcanon is that the skeksis mated and tried to produce offspring, but the eggs they laid were always petrified/non-viable and never hatched.

My personal belief is that SkekEkt, being the most effeminate and creative of the skeksis, was likely the one who carried the eggs, and that laying them was akin to the agony of giving live birth, so all the skeksis eventually gave up due to the eggs being duds and them not wanting to lose their Ornamentalist since they were supposed to be immortal gods in the eyes of their subjects and they needed SkekEkt around to hide their decaying bodies.

As far as who sired those eggs... I believe there are four skeksis who might've mated with SkekEkt:

1. SkekSo. He's the skeksis emperor, so if anyone got first dibs on mating rights and lineage preservation, it'd be him.

2. SkekZok. He's the skeksis high priest, third in line for the throne, and the tallest of the skeksis. He'd likely use false prophecies to get in on the action claiming divine right or some other nonsense. SkekZok's also a sadomasochist, and since SkekEkt is known for being perverse and sadistic, they might've gotten along to an extent given they probably worked together preparing for special ceremonies and public events.

3. SkekAyuk. The skeksis' Gourmand had little to no self-esteem and was easy to manipulate. He and the Ornamentalist were also known to lock themselves away together for extended periods of time. It's totally possible recipes weren't the only thing those two were swapping.

4. SkekOk. The skeksis' Scroll-Keeper was known to gossip with SkekEkt. It isn't entirely unlikely they might've been sharing more than stories and tea since it was the Ornamentalist who openly mourned with and comforted SkekOk after the Collector's death.

1. SkekBel Never Lies.

The Soothsayer may bend, twist, manipulate, exaggerate, or omit the truth, but she never lies. This is rare amongst the skeksis who often pride themselves on being liars who deceive those around them.

2. SkekBel has no teeth.

SkekSo pulled out all of Bel's teeth as punishment for biting off SkekNa the Slave-Master's hand. Her teeth never grew back, so SkekEkt created dentures for the Soothsayer so that she could continue to eat her favorite foods.

3. SkekBel's talons are made of garthic steel.

Her talons kept breaking due to indirect exposure to the darkening's effects, so SkekTek removed all of her remaining talons and then replaced them with talons made of garthic style steel, which SkekBel then painted with bright silver nail polish to hide the fact they're fake and made out of metal. The Soothsayer only uses them as weapons if it's necessary to defend herself or her allies.

4. SkekBel is the thinnest of the skeksis.

Bel only eats what she prepares herself, and she's a terrible cook, so SkekBel has a tendency to skip out on meals. She's also a night owl who overworks herself trying to decipher all of her visions and prophecies, so she doesn't rest as much or as often as she should.

5. SkekBel only drinks herbal teas because they are caffeine free.

The Soothsayer doesn't like caffeinated beverages. They make her fall asleep. The Ornamentalist and the Ritual Master used to take turns slipping caffeine into SkekBel's nightly tea when they feared the Soothsayer wasn't getting enough rest.

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1. SkekBel has never called SkekSo by his formal title.

SkekBel has always been straightforward about her dislike of SkekSo declaring himself emperor. She thinks all of the skeksis should rule as equals as they did when they first became Lords of the Crystal. Because of this, she only refers to SkekSo by his name, never as "sire", "majesty", "emperor", etc.

2. SkekZok imprinted on SkekBel long before she reciprocated his feelings.

Zok was the first skeksis SkekBel encountered after the UrSkeks split into the UrRu and skeksis. Bel was rendered deaf and blind at the moment she came into existence, and in her haste to find a safe place after the skeksis' "birth", she ran right into SkekZok mistaking the would-be Ritual Master for a brick wall before getting her first good look at him, which horrified her enough to send her skittering back across the crystal chamber where she met the skeksis who'd form the diplomatic faction of the royal court. Zok gave chase, not out of malice but out of curiosity and a sense of protective possessiveness he couldn't understand at the time due to not having knowledge of how/why imprinting works as it does amongst skeksis.

3. SkekBel is the reason why SkekNa lost his eye and his hand.

SkekNa made the grave mistake of trying to lay his hands on the Ornamentalist without SkekEkt's consent and later went on to break SkekLa's index finger after the Illustrator intervened to stop the cruel Slave-Master from "punishing" a terrified podling. Bel, having learned of SkekNa's malevolent acts against her allies, confronts him in the castle courtyard where SkekBel retaliates by biting off his left hand and tearing out his right eye as retribution for her friends.

4. SkekBel's severe allergy to peachberries ruined her friendship with SkekEkt the Ornamentalist.

SkekBel can't eat/drink anything with peachberry. If she does, her throat will close, her body will break out and seize up, and she'll die unless given immediate medical care. SkekEkt the Ornamentalist was aware of this fact and used it against the Soothsayer after being convinced that SkekBel had purposefully ruined a set of robes SkekEkt was working on. Ekt went to SkekAyuk the Gourmand and the two of them served Bel a piece of peachberry pie during an evening meal only to learn afterward that it was really SkekUng and SkekNa who burned the hem of the new robes and blamed SkekBel to sew discord in-between the Ornamentalist and the Soothsayer as revenge for what SkekBel had done to the Slave-Master. Ekt and Ayuk felt horrible, but the damage had already been done. Bel distanced herself from the Ornamentalist and the Gourmand and refused to interact/work with them unless it was necessary for the good of the entire royal court. Bel no longer ate her meals with any of the other skeksis and wouldn't eat or drink anything SkekAyuk or SkekEkt made or offered to her. The Gourmand and the Ornamentalist made many attempts to earn back Bel's loyalty and trust only to be met with utter distrust and open disdain from SkekBel who'd once protected and loved SkekEkt so fiercely.

5. SkekBel is not tone deaf like the other skeksis.

While the cracking of the crystal rendered her fellow skeksis tone deaf and gave them an eventual liking for discordant music, SkekBel retained her ability to hear/enjoy all harmonic/melodic music. Bel was in charge of the podling choir before her exile. The Soothsayer once led a gelfling choir as well, which was disbanded after the emperor banished her from court.

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Disclaimer: Dark Crystal, Dark Crystal Age of Resistance, and all the film/show characters belong to the Jim Henson Company. SkekLa the Illustrator belongs to the artist SkekLa. SkekBel the Soothsayer belongs to me (Aurorasilverthorne). If you use any of these characters or OCs in fanart/fanfiction, please always remember to credit their creators. Thank you.

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Disclaimer: There Dark Crystal, Dark Crystal Age of Resistance, and all the film/show characters belong to the Jim Henson Company.

SkekLa belongs to SkekLa. If you use her in fanfiction or fanart, please remember to always credit SkekLa as her creator.

No AI was used in the making of this art. I do NOT support or condone the use of AI. I do NOT consent to my art or other works being used to train AI in any way, shape, or form.

Disclaimer: Dark Crystal, Dark Crystal Age of Resistance, and all the film/show characters belong to the Jim Henson Company.

This version of SkekZok is from my Thrabound Hearts AU. His appearance/attire have changed because his platonic soul bond to Deet has healed both his mental and physical decay through the use of their shared link to the restorative energy of Thra's purified heart.

1. SkekSo & Seladon:

The firstborn daughter of All-Maudra Mayrin decided to bind her soul to SkekSo's because an eternal alliance between the rulers would aid in securing the peace between the skeksis and gelfling. SkekSo reluctantly agreed to the binding only after Aughra and SkekBel showed him a vision of his future fate if he continued down his current path.

2. SkekSil and Kira

The Chamberlain was one of the first three skeksis to wear a binding bracelet. He didn't view Kira as a threat and found her rare ability to communicate with animals fascinating.

3. SkekEkt & Gurjin

The Ornamentalist was the first skeksis to claim a soul binding bracelet. SkekEkt shocked everyone further by taking Gurjin the prince of the drenchen clan as her chosen gelfling. Gurjin, who once served as her personal protector during his time as a guard at the castle of the crystal, accepted SkekEkt having previously glimpsed the lonely, insecure artisan beneath the gaudy exterior.

4. SkekLa the Illustrator (SkekLa's OC) & Jen

SkekLa followed SkekSil's example by selecting Jen as her gelfling. His curious, calm demeanor appealed to SkekLa while her reserved nature called to him.

5. SkekOk & Brea

Brea was the second out of the gelfling to bind herself to a skeksis. She insisted on the Scroll-Keeper because she believed him capable of changing for the better and to gain access to the castle library. SkekOk welcomed a soul tether to the inquisitive young princess taking on a fatherly/grandfatherly role in her life.

6. SkekZok & Deet

Deet was quick to sense the fear within the Ritual Master and knew she'd be the one to help him using her link to the sanctuary tree. SkekZok is drawn to Deet's compassion and empathetic nature. He views her as a light in the darkness and sees himself as her protector.

7. SkekAyuk & Naia

The Gourmand chose the drenchen warrior as a way to showcase his loyalty to the Ornamentalist. Ayuk even went so far as to liken Gurjin and Naia (twins) to earrings—"They come in a set, Ekt!" Naia noticed that SkekAyuk was smart, but his lack of self-esteem and self-confidence kept him from voicing his opinion or following his own path, so she befriended and helped him learn how to speak out and make his own decisions instead of just following the crowd.

8. SkekVar & Maudra Fara

SkekVar demanded no less than the best as his bound gelfling and Fara answered the call determined to bring the brutish general to heel. Proud and stubborn, these two eventually realized they work better together than apart and their partnership became less turbulent and more productive as it grew into a formidable friendship focused on the protection of Thra and its inhabitants.

9. SkekTek & Juni

Initially fearful he wouldn't find a gelfling willing to be bonded with him, SkekTek was caught off guard when Juni (the gelfing Brea met while in the Order of Lesser Service) stepped forward to be his tether to the heart of Thra. Outgoing and caring, Juni taught SkekTek how to stand up for himself and also helped him realize he was worth more than just his research or inventions. SkekTek grew increasingly protective of Juni as time passed and she remained by his side regardless of circumstance or situation.

10. SkekYi (SkekLa's OC) & Kylan

The Philosopher and the song-teller both enjoyed learning new things and had inquiring minds. They both had a tendency to play the peacemaker when it came to their peers and found a kindred spirit in each other. Their friendship blossomed quickly and only strengthened over time due to their gentle, easy-going, personalities.

11. SkekBel (my OC) & Rian

The Soothsayer was the one to suggest and present the soul binding bracelets after SkekTek crafted them to Aughra's specifications. She and Rian were initially wary of one another after being tethered, but found common ground in the emotional trauma they'd suffered at the hands of the other skeksis and in their determination to save their people. Their penchant for banter and bickering often requires others to intervene in order to get them back on track, but when things get tough or times get dark and push comes to shove, they are allies and friends who would fight and even die for each other if need be.

Other Allies:

1. SkekGra & UrGoh

The Heretic and Wanderer have no need for a tether because they are already two haves of a whole.

2. The UrRu

The other UrRu sacrifice themselves early on in a desperate attempt to purify the Crystal of Truth, and in doing so, incorporate their lifeforce into Thra's natural cycle effectively severing the tether between them and their specific skeksis counterparts while leaving behind core pieces of their essence necessary for their skeksis counterparts' survival.

The Enemies

1. SkekUng, SkekLach, SkekNa, SkekMal, SkekSa, SkekLi, & SkekShod

While many of the skeksis consented to soul bonds that tethered them directly to the heart of Thra and its restorative energy through willing gelfling companions (emotional support gelfings as SkekVar refers to them), others saw the connection as treason and a betrayal of their supposed superiority. These unbound skeksis fled the crystal castle taking the remnants of the darkening with them in the hopes of using it as a deadly weapon against all the skeksis who chose to tie themselves to the gelfling who are seen as inferior beings in the eyes of the unbound skeksis.

While SkekUng, SkekNa, and SkekLach despise the gelfing and look at them as nothing but fodder or free labor, SkekSa dislikes the idea of someone limiting her or holding her back in any way which is what she believes a gelfling would do if she was tied down to one. SkekMal doesn't believe in the soul tethering's ability to reverse/heal the skeksis' mental and physical decay or that it can be harnessed through a link/connection to creatures as weak as the gelfling. SkekShod just lives purely to spite SkekSo and is intent on killing SkekSo as revenge for the lasting damage SkekSo inflicted upon him after becoming emperor. SkekLi wants to get revenge on the bound skeksis who once mocked him and referred to him as a mere jester despite the fact he once brokered an alliance between the skeksis and arathim.

Favorite Ships:

(AU Dependant)

● Skeksis x Skeksis

1. SkekSo x SkekLaes (my OC)

2. SkekZok x SkekBel (my OC)

3. SkekOk x SkekYi (SkekLa's OC)

4. SkekSil x SkekLa (SkekLa's OC)

5. SkekEkt x SkekAyuk

6. SkekTek x SkekVar

7. SkekUng x SkekNa

8. SkekLach x SkekShod

9. SkekMal x SkekSa

● Gelfling x Gelfling

1. Gurjin x Seladon

2. Rian x Deet

3. Brea x Rek'yr

4. Naia x Kylan

5. Tavra x Onica

6. Jen x Kira

● Gelfskek (Gelfing x Skeksis/Skeksis x Gelfling)

1. SkekSo x Seladon

2. SkekOk x Brea

3. SkekZok x Deet

4. SkekAyuk x Naia

5. SkekSil x Mira

6. SkekVar x Maudra Fara

7. SkekTek x Juni

8. SkekEkt x Gurjin

What are Thrabound Hearts and the Age of Reconciliation?

- AUs (usually rated K-T) where SkekBel was never executed by SkekZok on SkekSo's orders. In these AUs, some of the skeksis co-exist peacefully with all the gelfling or they share platonic soul bonds (eternal/immortal friendships) with the gelfling in order to reverse their mental and physical decay caused by the darkening (toxic expulsion of altered/corrupted energy from the Crystal of Truth). Is often about redemption arcs, love (romantic and platonic), found family, adventure, hurt & comfort, friendship, and/or comedy.

What is Fractured Souls?

- AU (usually rated M, MA, or X) with mature and/or darker themes where the skeksis are either antagonists desperate to survive or outright villains who thrive off the suffering and/or subjugation of gelfling. Will be explored sparingly and include all the proper trigger warnings for the readers/audience.

Please be aware that I am a fan of both the original film and the prequel series on Netflix, so fanart and fanfiction will include characters and lore from both the film and show as well as OCs and lore of my own.

I know there has been some discourse in the fandom over pronouns regarding SkekEkt. I want everyone here to know that it makes no difference to me whether you choose to use she/her or he/him pronouns for the Ornamentalist or any other character because Jim Henson himself said that all the skeksis were always meant to be hermaphrodites/intersex (both male and female), which means she/her and he/him are both correct ways to refer to our beloved SkekEkt as far as I'm concerned.

I wanted to let everyone know I tend to refer to the feminine or effeminate skeksis (Bel, La, Yi, Laes, Lach, Sa, and Ekt) as female leaning (she/her) and the more masculine skeksis (So, Ok, Zok, Sil, Ayuk, Var, Tek, Gra, Mal, Shod, Ung, Na, and Li) as male leaning (he/him). This is merely my preference. I'm not trying to upset/offend anyone.

I will do my best to be loving, respectful, and kind to all of you. All I ask in return is that you do the same for me. No bullying in any way, shape, or form will be tolerated. Let's all share our love and joy for the wonderful world Jim Henson and his company have created.

Disclaimer: Dark Crystal, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, & all the film/show characters belong to the Jim Henson Company.

SkekLaes the Seamstress & Geen the drenchen are my OCs. They belong to me. If you use either of them in fanfiction or fanart, please remember to credit me as their creator. Thank you.

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Disclaimer: Dark Crystal, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, & all the film/show characters belong to the Jim Henson Company.

Note: SkekBel, UrVek, & BelVek are my OCs. If you would like to use them in fanart or fanfiction, please remember to credit me as their creator. Thank you.

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SkekBel was once the royal seer for the skeksis court. Her UrRu counterpart was UrVek the Prophet. She & UrVek together formed the UrSkek BelVek the Oracle.

SkekBel believed that the crystal of truth was taking energy from the skeksis rather than giving it in an attempt to incorporate the skeksis into Thra's natural cycle, but they interacted with the crystal too often, leading to the crystal being unable to properly absorb their foreign energy, so it expelled the altered energy in what became known as The Darkening, which then seeped through the mortar and bricks of the castle of the crystal above poisoning all the skeksis within. This long-term indirect exposure (direct exposure in SkekSo's case) caused their physical & mental decay eventually triggering SkekBel's prey drive resulting in the deaths of at least two podlings & a gelfling guard. SkekSo used the incident as an excuse to banish the Soothsayer only for her to later side with the gelfling during the Garthim war. SkekBel was executed by SkekZok upon SkekSo's order creating a lasting rift in the skeksis court due to the "skeksis must never kill skeksis" law.

Let's have an honest conversation about Diaspro. This young lady was done dirty from start to finish. She was raised and trained throughout her entire childhood to be Sky's wife and queen, yet she's then turned into the villain after Bloom attacked her unprovoked and Sky two-timed her.

The show tries to justify this by having Bloom mistake her for Icy despite the fact Diaspro and Icy look nothing alike except for the fact they're both blonde. It then glosses over the undeniable truth that Sky has actively cheated on his own fiancée with Bloom despite him being well aware that he's engaged to marry Diaspro and he has been betrothed to her since they were children.

We learn in a later season of the show that Sky and Diaspro were also childhood friends. If Diaspro was so horrible, and Sky such a nice guy, would he have ever willing been friends with her? (Well, he's a lying cheater who's never once suffered any actual or lasting consequences for his own actions, so it's a possibility.)

Granted, the things Diaspro did after the initial reveal were all wrong. Teaming up with Valtor and the Trix was a horrible decision, but it was also a choice made out of desperation, fear, and righteous anger. Diaspro was literally brainwashed for most of her life to believe she had to be Sky's wife. Diaspro's never been given or known any other life goal, option, or way forward except for the one laid out for her by her parents and Sky's parents.

That does not justify her actions but does help us understand where she's coming from. Neither Bloom nor Sky once offered her any apologies for attacking or cheating on her. They literally got away with their wrongdoings while Diaspro's entire life and reason for being was turned upside down. We later see in her interactions with her parents that they were livid Sky chose Bloom over her, and instead of consoling or comforting their daughter, they scold her, complain about all of the money and resources they have wasted on preparing her to be his queen, then demanded she win him back or else.

Yes, Diaspro needs to check herself and work on herself. She isn't a great person. That being said, she wasn't born a villain. Sky, Bloom, and her own parents twisted her into one by their words and actions. If Sky had been honest from the start, a lot of nonsense could've been avoided. It was only after he'd been introduced to and dated Bloom that he suddenly had issues with his arranged marriage to Diaspro.

He kept a picture of Diaspro in his dorm at Red Fountain. If he didn't have any feelings for her, why bother keeping her photo there at all? My guess is that he wanted to have his cake and ice cream, but the girls crossed paths, and instead of coming clean, he let Bloom assault his fiancée in the hopes they'd be too busy seeing each other as rivals to realize he'd wronged them both.

Bloom also stopped being a victim when she went out of her way to attack a girl she didn't know and then kept dating the guy who two-timed that same girl rather than confronting him about it/apologizing to the girl she went after for mistaking her for someone else and assaulting her.

Diaspro gets a lot of hate from the Winx Fandom, but while some of it is earned, people tend to forget that she wasn't the active cheater or the little homewrecker who ruined someone else's life. Her entire future was planned out for her without anyone asking what she wanted, then the position she'd been raised, trained, and brainwashed for was taken from her by a girl who had no issue with dating/wedding a lying cheater who was already spoken for.

Do I think Bloom did Diaspro a huge favor in the long run? Yes. Sky has shown he's capable of infidelity and deceit when it suits him. I honestly think that Diaspro is better off without him, but she doesn't see that do to all the warped teachings of her own parents and their society that've been instilled in her from a young age during her formative years. She needed to step back and take time to decide what she wanted instead of just saying/doing what everyone else expected of her.

To be clear, I'm not in any way excusing or endorsing the evil or underhanded deeds she performed later in the show. The girl needs to be a better person. I'm making an observation and pointing out some things fans either failed to notice or glossed over while reading the comics and/or watching the show.

Diaspro is a victim and villain because all of the wrongs committed against her were never even addressed let alone rectified. Bloom and Sky never once tried to apologize or make amends. People say Diaspro's a monster, but they also refuse to acknowledge that Bloom, Sky, her own parents, the queen and king of Eraklyon, and Eraklyon society (which is an absolute monarchy based on a partially medieval aesthetic) itself are responsible for the creation of that monster.

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Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!!! Hazbin Hotel and all of its characters belong to Vivziepop and Amazon Prime.

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Overlord meetings either made her feel awkward or uncomfortable. It depended on who was in attendance. Rosie didn’t mind Zestial or Carmilla most of the time. Zeezi and Kilian were alright. She adored Alastor. But the Vees…ugh! Velvette—the loudmouth little shit talker was the most tolerable. Vox was a raging, petty bitch boy. And Valentino…his lewd remarks and unwelcome advances were enough to make Rosie’s stomach turn, which was saying something considering her cannibalistic tendencies.

She waited as long as possible before entering the conference room. Walking in with Alastor was usually enough to deter the pimpmoth, especially if they sat beside Zestial. Unfortunately, Alastor had yet to arrive. Part of Rosie feared he’d disappear again for another seven years. The thought formed a lump in her throat she forced herself to choke down. The others were already inside and ready to start. Valentino—the bastard he was, had claimed the seat between Zestial and the remaining unoccupied chairs.

Rosie glanced toward the elevators hoping and praying they’d open with a resounding ding and Alastor would step out. Nothing happened. No ding. No open doors. No dapper deer gent to rescue her from the clutches of Hell’s greatest pervert. Rosie bit back a groan and made her way to the table back straight and head held high determined to ignore the attending Vee.

The meeting began as they always did with roll call. It continued with a list of boring, drawn-out conversations about current events and other tedious things. The exterminations were still on hold and would be until further notice thanks to Charlie’s efforts and Carmilla’s knowledge of angelic steel and how to use it against exorcists. Rosie only half listened glancing at the door periodically looking for any sign of their resident wendigo.

Where was Alastor? Was he avoiding her? She’d been present during the battle, had seen him take a severe blow to the chest from Adam’s weapon. He’d come to her later for medical assistance. She’d cleaned, treated, and bandaged his wound. He’d promised to visit in the near future once repairs on the hotel were complete. She hadn’t seen, heard from, or spoken to him since. That had been a month ago.

Rosie tensed when she felt a familiar presence next to her. Valentino had switched chairs. He sat so close she could smell the overwhelming stench of his expensive cologne. She fought the urge to gag as he leaned in. His breath smelled of cigarillos and liquor. “What are you looking for, hermosa? Don’t you know everything you could ever want is right here?” He gestured to himself with what he probably thought was an alluring smile.

Rosie wrinkled her nose—or she would’ve if she’d had one. “I doubt that.”

The moth demon’s ill-tempered nature was legendary. It showed in how his expression twisted from false charm to petulant in the blink of an eye. “Hey, don’t blame me because your favorite furry isn’t here.” His suave facade slid back into place quicker than a snap of one’s fingers. “I’d never abandon you, Rosita.” He took her hand making her skin crawl as he brought it to his lips. “Forget Alastor. Date me instead. I don’t mind the occasional love bite.” His tongue slid out of his mouth to run along her knuckles.

Rosie jerked her hand out of his and recoiled. “That is disgusting!”

Everyone looked up and silence filled the room. Carmilla narrowed her eyes at Valentino before addressing Rosie. “Something you’d like to share with the rest of us, Rosie?”

The Cannibal Queen refused to falter under the weapons dealer's disdainful gaze. “Yeah. I have something to say.” She stood up and put one hand on her hip while pointing a finger at Valentino. “This prick’s been harassing me for weeks now, and not a damn one of you has said or done shit about it. These meetings are supposed to be neutral, not a breeding ground for sexual perversion. I’m leaving, you hear me? And if you don’t like it, feel free to kiss my ass!”

Carmilla’s eyes widened in shock as Rosie turned to leave. Zestial opened his mouth to speak, but Val beat him to it. “Hey! No one speaks to or about me that way, especially some cheap, tacky old slut from the cannibal colony!”

Rosie kept walking determined to get out of there. Before she could reach the door, Valentino lunged up out of his chair, one hand latching onto her hat while the other dug into the fabric of her gown just below her waistline. Rosie gasped caught off guard by the other demon’s rough attempt to drag her back to the table. She whirled around intent on elbowing him in the face or throat, but Val sidestepped, retaliating with a backhand to the face that left Rosie seeing stars.

The other overlords were about to intervene when something—or rather someone—slammed full force into the moth and sent him flying backward onto the table. The sheer strength of the collision knocked Rosie off balance. She landed on her knees catching herself with her hands as the sound of torn fabric filled her ears. Cool air danced along her doe ears and tail. One hand flew to her hair, the other to the lowest part of her spine in a futile attempt to hide what the others had already seen.

“Holy shit,” Zeezi exclaimed. “She’s a deer too!”

Rosie twisted around desperate to locate her hat. Val had taken it and a portion of her dress with him. He and Alastor were still grappling on the table. Val tried to kick Alastor off of him, but The Radio Demon was relentless and unyielding, landing punch after punch to any and every part of Valentino’s body he could reach. The solid wood beneath them caved in, but even that did nothing to dampen Alastor’s fury. He dug his nails into Val’s scalp and began slamming the pimp’s head against the concrete floor. “Don’t you ever touch her again you filthy piece of shit!”

Rosie winced at the sound of cracking bone. She felt something brush her shoulders and looked up to see Kilian putting his coat around her. Meanwhile, Alastor’s red scleras blackened and his pupils morphed into radio dials as he slashed at Valentino’s face, neck, and chest with his elongating claws.

“Get this fucker away from me,” Val screamed.

Zestial moved forth in a blur taking hold of Alastor. It took him and Zeezi working together to drag Alastor off of Val. Alastor struggled against their hold compelled by unparalleled anger at the moth’s repulsive treatment toward his Rosie.

“Alastor, cesar y desistir,” Carmilla ordered. Her commands fell on deaf ears.

Valentino crawled to the opposite side of the room putting as much distance between himself and the deranged deer demon as possible. His upper body was covered in deep gashes and fresh bruises, his attire soaked in blood. He pointed a trembling finger at Alastor. “Keep that thing away from me!”

Alastor hissed and gnashed his teeth. Zestial responded by slamming a wave of his dark magic down on the wendigo. Alastor bleated in pain breaking Rosie out of her stupor. She jumped up and ran to Alastor. “Don’t hurt him,” she cried, pushing Zestial away from Alastor. Much to everyone’s surprise, the ancient spider demon relented without protest and made no attempt to reprimand her.

Rosie knelt down beside Alastor and placed a hand on his back. The sound of her voice, gentle touch, and sweet lavender scent jolted him back to reality. His eyes returned to normal while his body shrank down to its natural size. She cupped his cheek and buried her face in the crook of his neck to soothe him.

He turned his head to meet her eye. “Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head following his gaze as it dropped to the coat draped around her. Rosie didn’t argue or fight him when he peeled it off her to replace it with his own. His instincts were likely screaming at him to make it clear to those present that she was already spoken for. Rosie cupped his face and rested his forehead against hers. Alastor's permanent smile softened as he wrapped her in a warm embrace and released what their onlookers could only assume was a content buck bleat.

“Awww,” Zeezi cooed. “So cute!”

Carmilla took a breath to steady herself. She didn’t like reprimanding Rosie or Alastor, especially for something Valentino had started, but there were rules and regulations when it came to overlord assemblies. She squared her shoulders and her voice took on an authoritative tone. “Alastor Dubois, Rosie Hunt?” Alastor stood and helped Rosie to her feet. They both turned toward Carmilla. “You are hereby banned from attending overlord gatherings for the next three months.”

Rosie scoffed. “Whatever. Ain’t no skin off my ass.”

Alastor wrapped a protective arm around her as they headed for the door. Valentino flipped them off thinking they couldn’t see with their backs turned. Alastor paused in the doorway to glare and snarl at the moth over his shoulder. Val screamed like the sissy bitch he really was and pressed himself against the wall. Alastor huffed and guided Rosie out into the hall.

Alastor always smelled of black coffee and pipe tobacco. Rosie breathed him in realizing right away his scent was stronger than usual. “You’re in rut,” she whispered, waiting until they were far enough away from the others to ensure they wouldn’t hear their conversation. “Is that why you haven’t visited me?”

“I didn’t want to risk harming you by succumbing to my baser needs,” he answered, pressing the first floor button.

“Oh, Al, you’d never hurt me,” Rosie assured him as they stepped onto the elevator.

The door slid closed behind them, though not before they saw Carmilla boot Val out of the conference room having banished him as well. Rosie covered her mouth to muffle a giggle at seeing the weapons dealer literally kicking the pimp’s ass all the way down the corridor to the adjacent stairwell. Her smile faded when Alastor removed his arm from around her so he could move to the other side of the elevator as they started their slow descent to the front lobby.

“You’re perfume,” he murmured, turning his face away and averting his gaze to the floor. “It’s so…”

“I’m in estrus,” she confessed, which explained why Val had been even more aggressive toward her than he’d been at previous meetings.

Rosie tried to close the distance between them but he held out his arm to stop her. “Don’t, Rosie, please…” The adrenaline from his fight with Valentino was still coursing through him along with the overwhelming desire to mate.

Rosie caught a glimpse of his strained expression. “Al…”

Without warning, she reached over, yanked open the emergency compartment, and pressed a button. Alastor swayed slightly when the elevator stopped. He lifted his head and saw her close the panel. “Rosie, what are you—”

Rosie silenced him with a kiss. Alastor’s ears jerked upright at the sudden, unexpected interaction. He tried to pull back but she cupped the back of his head and pinned him against the wall with her body. “The cameras,” he warned.

“I don’t care who sees. Let them watch. Maybe they’ll learn something.”

Alastor’s resolve melted away as she trailed kisses along his jawline and throat. He flipped them around pressing her against the wall while she undid his belt and unbuttoned his trousers. “Please don’t hold back,” she begged.  

He hiked up her silk skirt so it pooled at her hips. “Dearest Rosie, I’d never withhold anything from you.”

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The other overlords stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the screen in front of them. They’d left the conference room the moment they’d noticed the red light flash above the elevator. Carmilla, leading the way, had run to her office thinking the elevator had stalled due to a technical malfunction. She’d snatched up the phone on her desk planning to reassure Rosie and Alastor they’d get them out as soon as possible only to freeze after noticing what was unfolding on the security feed currently displayed on her computer.

“Santa mierda! Are you serious right now?”

Zestial tilted his head to get a look and immediately averted his gaze. “Oh, my…”

Zeezi started laughing so hard she had to lean against the desk to keep herself upright. “It’s demonic Animal Planet!”

Kilian blushed then turned away. “We shouldn’t watch. It’s impolite.”

“They’re fucking in my elevator!” Carmilla yelled.

“Be glad it isn’t your office or the conference room,” Zeezi wheezed.

“She doth have a point,” Zestial admitted.

Carmilla facepalmed.