𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏 ᵈʳᵘⁿᵏ​ 𝖒𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗

the saga of the volsungs.

@cursedvalor : “ i swore that i would never flee in fear from iron nor from fire.”

❛ well, this isn't iron. or fire. ❜ with a nod he gestures to the bone sword at his hip, his hand resting readily on its handle. his words aren't entirely true. the ghastly thing is made of everything — iron, fire, blood, the very essence of the earth, the gods and all sinister things buried beneath the ground between their realm and hell itself. iron is nothing compared to it. a smirk dances carefully around his lips, coming and going with each heartbeat, a challenging look burns in his eyes. he lets the words hang in the air, just holding the other's gaze. a more restless part of him may wait ( eagerly ) for the other to lunge at him, give him a reason to wield his weapon, to use his strength again, to do something, if only to fight his boredom, the cursed restlessness that gnaws at his bones whenever he sits still. and yet siegfried wouldn't attack without reason.

𝖍𝖎𝖘  𝖌𝖆𝖟𝖊  𝖜𝖆𝖘  𝖋𝖎𝖝𝖊𝖉  𝖔𝖓  the  sword.  in  that  moment,  the  world  around  him  seemed  to  slow,  and  memories  surged  into  his  mind  like  a  storm.  his  father’s  stern  commands  echoed  in  his  ears,  sharp  as  the  blade  he  had  once  been  taught  to  wield.  he  remembered  the  sparring  sessions  with  his  sister  —  playful  at  first,  until  the  edge  of  competition  dulled  the  line.  each  time,  they  walked  away  with  their  own  marks,  the  wounds  of  sibling  rivalry,  proof  of  their  determination  and  resilience.

　　 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐍𝐎 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐎 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓'𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 ( … ) 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐖 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐘, 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐄, 𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓. the woman - fox did not quiver at the subtle threat interwoven betwixt his growls and instead, brought herself impossibly closer to that maw that spoke in a language in which she was much too proficient ; the intimate language of the wilds yet untamed, of a violence that was brutal albeit hallowed, of teeth clashing in a confession of undying and self - consuming love. with the gentlest of touches, she caressed him. the dark fur below his jaw, the sharp slope of his open mouth, the length of a gargantuan fang as he questioned what her monstrous heart ached for.

so terribly beautiful, she thought. what a pity, that mortals should fear what the all - mother has created with such deft fingers ! if they only ceased their tremors, they could have witnessed a beauty unlike any other ▬▬ a beauty that spoke of melancholic moons and gnashing teeth. ❝ i hunger for many things, great wolf. i have never known satiety, nor will my appetites ever be wholly gratified by what little this world can offer me. ❞ her hand roamed, freely albeit carefully, across those features draped in midnight - black furs. now, she caressed his nose and languidly traveled across his elongated muzzle, past gleaming eyes and towards ears that still remained lowered on each side of his skull.

her lashes had fluttered below half - mast, her snow - white tails had slowed the once blithe tempo of their waltz until they were barely swaying behind her petite silhouette ; she was enthralled, captivated by a promise that spoke of pain and kinship. one or the other, both at the same time. ❝ even now, i ache to discover how your flesh would taste 'pon the bed of my tongue ... how warm your blood would feel against the feverish heat of my skin ... how beautiful your heart would be, clutched in the same hand that is now caressing you. ❞ a pause, just long enough for her maw to bloom into a mischievous simper. ❝ but you know this already, don't you ? after all, you were the one hunting me. ❞

𝖙𝖍𝖊  𝖜𝖔𝖑𝖋’𝖘  𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍  quickened,  his  massive  chest  rising  and  falling  with  the  pulse  of  something  primal,  something  ancient  that  throbbed  beneath  the  surface  of  his  mind.  her  words  wrapped  around  him,  as  dangerous  and  intoxicating  as  the  scent  of  blood  in  the  air.  he  could  feel  the  shift  in  the  air  between  them,  the  tension  taut  as  a  wire  pulled  to  its  breaking  point.  she  was  close,  so  close,  her  touch  feather-light  but  still  searing  like  fire  on  his  skin.

his  heart  —  if  it  could  be  called  that  —  skipped  a  beat.  a  growl  rumbled  deep  in  his  throat,  though  now  it  held  a  different  note,  one  less  threatening  and  more  ...  intrigued.  his  paw  lifted,  large  and  heavy,  but  it  hovered  just  above  the  ground  as  though  unsure  of  itself.  she  was  right  —  he  had  been  the  one  hunting  her,  but  the  hunt  had  changed,  twisted  into  something  far  more  complicated  than  the  simple  chase  of  predator  and  prey.  there  was  something  in  her,  something  that  drew  him  in,  that  pulled  at  him  like  the  moon  calls  the  tides. 

the  wolf’s  sharp  fangs  gleamed  as  he  parted  his  lips,  though  this  time  there  was  no  immediate  threat.  his  body  coiled  tighter,  the  urge  to  strike,  to  claim,  to  devour  warring  with  the  instinct  to  stay,  to  watch,  to  listen.  his  eyes  bored  into  hers,  reading  the  depths  of  her  words  and  her  touch,  the  promise  of  violence  and  intimacy  both  a  lure  and  a  challenge.

his  voice  was  a  low  growl,  but  there  was  a  strange  softness  to  it,  a  flicker  of  something  new  in  the  rasp  of  his  voice.  hungry  …  so  hungry  …   his  gaze  held  hers,  intense,  searching.  allow  me  to  feed.  there  was  no  going  back  now.  the  hunger  between  them  was  something  raw  and  unspoken,  something  that  demanded  fulfillment.  it  was  a  hunger  of  the  soul,  a  gnawing  ache  that  neither  flesh  nor  blood  could  satisfy  alone.

𝖍𝖎𝖘  𝖊𝖞𝖊𝖘  𝖘𝖔𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖉,  a  quiet  tenderness  settling  over  him.  a  mother  gently  caring  for  her  sick  child  —  a  feeling  that  stirred  the  dust  of  old  memories.  but  now  was  not  the  moment  for  such  heavy,  wistful  thoughts.  with  a  small,  almost  imperceptible  nod,  velkan  opened  his  mouth  just  enough,  letting  her  serve  him.

Prompts pulled from Haley Whipjack's Once Upon a Time season 5 recap. Feel free to changes words, pronouns, etc. as needed!

❝ The beautiful fantasy land of ... Minnesota. ❞

❝ I just kind of know it. In my soul. ❞

❝ Rest in peace [name]. Probably. ❞

❝ And ask me if I care about Camelot. ❞

❝ We'll get to it in a minute, I'm not ready. ❞

❝ The last, like, 5 inches or so – longer than that. ❞

❝ And then [name] just ... died? I guess they were just that old. ❞

❝ And [name]'s entire life work becomes less and less meaningful with every passing day. ❞

❝ We need a real wicked bitch to use this wand. ❞

❝ Once it's here we can just sort of scoot it over. ❞

❝ So if you were wondering if [name] was actually over them yet the answer is no. No matter how many very convincing texts I send her! ❞

❝ You're the bitch that captured it in the first place. ❞

❝ You were just kind of up all night whispering to a hallucination. ❞

❝ [Name] is a tree! Or they're trapped in a tree. One of those things. ❞

❝ Love the enthusiasm though, my man, you did your best. ❞

❝ You can't leave town or you get tree'd. ❞

❝ These people lived in a castle! Yesterday! ❞

❝ That girl loves books and monsters and those are her only personality traits. ❞

❝ I am gonna do something ... drastic. ❞

❝ She looks like maybe she just got a body today and isn't quite sure what to do with it yet. ❞

❝ If anybody has seen them I just ... I just wanna say hi. ❞

❝ I didn't think I missed [name] and then I saw them on my television screen and it brought me so much joy. ❞

❝ Ah, he's so gross! Love him. ❞

❝ Wish he wasn't blond about it. ❞

❝ Rife with sapphic potential, I will say. They nailed it on that front. ❞

❝ It's magic and a witch needs it, don't worry about it. ❞

❝ Where is my cricket! ❞

❝ Ladies I've got a great idea and it's got nothing to do with tracking down a helmet but it might have something to do with head. ❞

❝ Listen I forgive you. You are on thin ice. ❞

❝ I'll take care of it. Everyone else can have a nap. ❞

❝ Don't bring him into the underworld, what's wrong with you? ❞

❝ Rest in peace my man! Hope hell is going well. ❞

❝ Worst guy to pick for this job, oh my god. Pick anyone else. ❞

❝ Remember, interdimensional travel is fun and easy for the whole family. ❞

❝ We've been looking into professional medical help for you. ❞

❝ No arms. No angels. Bye. ❞

❝ Slimy little opportunist. Obsessed with him, unfortunately. ❞

❝ He's alive and in New York. I have a lot of questions about that, none of which will be answered. ❞

❝ There's still some bitch named Jonathan up in the corner. ❞

arranged marriage themed starters based on this, only revamped and with many added lines! change pronouns, names, or make any other adaptations as needed!

UNHAPPY MATCHES

❝ I would rather die than marry the likes of you. ❞

❝ I will run away! I won’t accept this marriage! ❞

❝ I cannot accept this. I will not marry them – my heart belongs to someone else. ❞

❝ Please – please do not make me wed them! ❞

❝ Anyone else would be better! Please, I know you can find me a better match! ❞

❝ I will never love you! ❞

❝ It isn’t fair! I don’t even know them! ❞

❝ Why him? Can't I marry [name] instead? ❞

❝ He doesn't want me, nor I him. Why force us to marry? ❞

❝ Find me another bride. Any other bride. ❞

❝ I don't want to marry him and go to the other side of the realm, away from everything and everyone I have ever known. ❞

❝ She is not the bride I want. You know that. ❞

❝ She is as pretty as a painting, and lovely in every sense, I'm sure. So give her to a husband who will love her, and let me have the one my heart desires. ❞

❝ I agreed to it for an alliance, and her family failed to deliver. I will not marry her. ❞

❝ I'm a prince of the realm, even if I'm not heir to the throne. This match is beneath me. ❞

❝ I will not accept a bride that is not of our lineage. Our ancient blood is not to be mixed with the blood of other men. ❞

❝ Why must I marry the enemy for the sake of an alliance? Why am I the adequate sacrifice to make? ❞

❝ She hates me, she hates all of our family, and for good reason. Don't make me marry her. ❞

❝ My entire family is dead because of his. His entire family is dead because of mine. Do you truly believe marrying us will be enough? ❞

❝ Joining our two bloodlines solves nothing. There is no undoing the bloodshed between us. ❞

❝ He loved her. He will never love me. ❞

❝ Go through with it and you're sentencing him to death. I do not jest when I say I will rid myself of him sooner or later. ❞

DUTY

❝ Do not touch me! I only married you for duty, stay away from me! ❞

❝ I shall fulfill my duty, but that is all. Please do not touch me unless you must. ❞

❝ I do not care what you want, we did not marry out of love. ❞

❝ We are only marrying because I need an heir. What you do and with who beyond that does not matter to me. ❞

❝ Even though I have been told this would be my duty my entire life, I still can’t quite accept it. ❞

❝ You knew this day would come. People like us only marry for duty, dear. ❞

❝ Love is not the priority for the likes of us. ❞

❝ Marrying for love is a delusion. ❞

❝ Ours is a union of duty. You would do well to remember that. ❞

❝ Every good child knows: duty before your heart’s desire. ❞

❝ I shall marry you only because I must. ❞

❝ Even if we married for duty, our union can still become one of true love. ❞

❝ Duty brought us together, but it is love that will make this bearable. ❞

❝ I do not have to like it, only to fulfill my duty. ❞

❝ I know you wouldn't have chosen me, as I wouldn't have chosen you. But it's our duty to see this through. ❞

❝ I have to place duty first. It's what is expected of me. ❞

❝ I have been betrothed to him for years. I have to do my duty, even if I yearn to be with you instead. ❞

❝ This will be more bearable if we both fulfill our duties. ❞

❝ I am not what you wanted, but I swear to you I shall fulfill my duties as your husband as well as I can — and leave you alone as much as you wish, should that be your preference. ❞

LOVE

❝ Love can be built, too. And if you’re willing, I would like to try and learn to love you. ❞

❝ I do not care about power and wealth. I want to marry for love. ❞

❝ A marriage is a marriage – love or arranged. Both require the same level of commitment. ❞

❝ My father used to say the strongest loves are built by choice, not by chance. ❞

❝ Do you believe in love at first sight? I think I’m already in love with you. ❞

❝ You will learn to love. You have to be determined to grow a love that will sustain your marriage for a lifetime.  ❞

❝ We were friends once, do you remember? I know much has happened since, but there was fondness between us before. Perhaps there may yet be love, one day. ❞

❝ I know there is blood and war between us, that we have both lost much, but I do not wish for either of us to feel like this union is a prison. I wish for love — or respect, at the very least. ❞

❝ We are the last ones alive after years of war. This match was meant to unify our enemy bloodlines and end the conflict, no more — so why is it I find myself caring for you? ❞

❝ Your mother and I married for love, but we are the exception, not the rule. ❞

❝ I want to elope, like mother and father did. ❞

❝ We are already betrothed — why not marry right now? ❞

❝ We were meant for each other from the moment we were born. I would make you my wife right this instant, should that be your wish. ❞

❝ I hadn't dared dream an arranged match would find me a wife I now love more than life itself. ❞

❝ If I believed such things, I would say we were always meant to be. ❞

❝ My betrothed is sweet — but I long for deep, passionate, all-consuming love, not sweet. ❞

❝ If you want my love, show me your devotion. ❞

❝ Is it evil that I'm unsure I can love him? He is perfectly suitable, but... ❞

❝ I do not think he can love me. We get along well enough, but something is missing. ❞

❝ We have fire in our blood. There will never be love between us if he fears the flames. ❞

❝ The sea is in our blood. He can only love me if he is brave enough to navigate the waves. ❞

❝ We are rulers of the skies. How could he ever love someone who lacks her own wings? ❞

STRIFE

❝ You refuse me to give yourself to a peasant?! ❞

❝ I understand not wanting me, but favoring a commoner instead? I should kill him for daring to get close to you. ❞

❝ You are mine now. Act properly. ❞

❝ Who you loved before is meaningless. We are married now, and your lover will remain in the past. ❞

❝ I am your wife! I will not be humiliated like this. ❞

❝ Do not forget who I am, my lord. Married though we may be, I'm a crown princess still — and my family shall not take kindly to you mistreating me. ❞

❝ Am I so inadequate as your wife that you need to seek another's bed? ❞

❝ I know peace and politics dictated our marriage, but must you avoid me so? ❞

❝ Leave me be. I fulfill my marital duties as required, but I am not bound to give anything more. ❞

❝ You did not want me, and I did not want you. We agreed on that. So why are you so offended I enjoy the company of another when you yourself do the same? ❞

❝ What do you wish of me, husband? Is it not enough to have the last of my living kin locked in her chambers? To sit the throne you have taken from my father? What more can you desire from me? ❞

❝ I hate this place. It will never be home, and I will never love you. ❞

❝ You are my wife. I would not see my lady wife looking miserable for all court to see. ❞

❝ You are my queen. Do you realize how many other maidens would kill to be in your place, even as you sulk about it? ❞

❝ My own brother, taking my wife to bed? I did not expect such a betrayal from the two of you. ❞

❝ My sister was the better option, I know. You would have preferred she was the one given to you, but alas, we cannot always have what we want. ❞

❝ The man I most despise in this world, and you see it fit to spend time in his company?! I cannot accept it from my betrothed. ❞

❝ You are my betrothed. I would know what you were doing with him. ❞

❝ My lord should know I will not take kindly to mistresses once we are wedded. ❞

❝ You are mine — or will be, soon enough. Do not dare even look at another. ❞

❝ This was my home once, and you ruined it. ❞

ARRANGEMENTS

❝ You will not give my only child to that monster! ❞

❝ It's insulting that you would even suggest a match so beneath my daughter. ❞

❝ She is a princess. She won’t be wed to someone lesser. ❞

❝ You marry our daughter to whomever you desire, when my corpse is cold in my grave, husband. ❞

❝ He will marry the one we chose, not that peasant! ❞

❝ Wed your son to my daughter, or my daughter to your son — better yet, both. Our bloodlines should be joined as one. ❞

❝ Our daughters and your sons. Wouldn't it be lovely to have them wedded? ❞

❝ My granddaughter should sooner slit that man's throat than share his bed. I should advise her to do just that. ❞

❝ My daughter will marry him, for the good of the realm. I do not care how old he is. ❞

❝ You will do as you’re told and marry them! ❞

❝ We picked the best match available for you. ❞

❝ It is the best we managed. I am sorry you don’t like them, but there was no other way. ❞

❝ You are a princess. You will have to agree to a match eventually. ❞

❝ There are so many good proposals! How come none is to your tastes? ❞

❝ Our bloodline must continue, and for that, you need to marry and have heirs. ❞

❝ I will never let them ship you off to a stranger. ❞

❝ You will not be sold for power like I was. ❞

❝ I won’t let them trade you for their alliance! ❞

❝ The arrangement was made when you were both still children. It is much too late to go back on it. ❞

❝ Only kings would be worthy of you. We will accept no less on your behalf. ❞

❝ It is a good match, better than expected. You will marry her. ❞

❝ My daughter will not marry him. I do not care that he's a prince, nor that it could aid in building peace. That boy will not have her. ❞

❝ I do not care if you would go through with it. I would die before letting that boy have you — better yet, I would rather kill him. ❞

❝ They did not honor their word. I know that for years you expected to marry him, but we are calling off the betrothal. ❞

❝ She will make a fine queen and a fine mother. And she is the only adequate match for you besides, whether you like it or not. ❞

❝ We need to find a suitable match for her, before she brings dishonor upon herself. ❞

❝ They have been betrothed for years. It is time we marry them, I should think. ❞

❝ You shall be wedded soon. His claim will be more secure with suitable heirs of his own. ❞

BEGINNINGS

❝ You are not at all what I imagined. ❞

❝ I know you hold no love for me. How could you when we are practically strangers? And I know we may never come to love each other, but we can at least be friends. ❞

❝ The descriptions I heard did not do justice to your beauty. ❞

❝ You are lovely. I am lucky you are to be wed to me. ❞

❝ I must admit I expected far worse from an arranged marriage. ❞

❝ I want to know you better if we are to be wed. Tell me about the things you like. ❞

❝ Am I not what you expected? ❞

❝ You seem disappointed… I may not be as handsome as you expected, but I shall never treat you unkindly. ❞

❝ This is your home too, now. You are free to go wherever you wish. ❞

❝ How odd we have been betrothed for so long but never saw each other before our wedding day. ❞

❝ It's good, to finally put a face to the name I heard spoken so often. ❞

❝ What can I possibly do to thaw the ice surrounding my lovely bride? ❞

❝ I have not seen you smile since we met, princess. What grave sin have I committed to be met with such derision? ❞

❝ I loathe to admit that even your traitor's blood cannot diminish how beautiful you are. ❞

❝ Beautiful, as well as clever. Were you not the usurper's daughter, I may have come to love you. ❞

❝ So very charming. Were you not sitting my father's throne, I may have taken some liking to you. ❞

❝ We've met before, I know, I know. But can we not make this a new beginning? ❞

❝ I should like to put our differences behind us, difficult though it may be. We are to be wedded, after all. Let this be a new beginning. ❞

❝ I hope, in time, this will be your home. ❞

❝ Know that I shall fulfill every duty to you, as your wife. ❞

❝ I know there are prettier brides, but I'll do all that is expected of me most dutifully. ❞

THE MATCHED

❝ In just a few days I will be wed to someone I never met. ❞

❝ It's so odd to think my entire life will change so fast. A person I don’t even know, bound to me for life. ❞

❝ I know they plan to marry me off to someone soon, even if no one said a thing yet. ❞

❝ How could you agree to this without even asking me what I want? ❞

❝ I do not wish to leave home. My betrothed lives in such a different place… ❞

❝ We have been promised to each other for years, and yet we have never met. ❞

❝ They are deciding your life for you! How can you simply accept it?! ❞

❝ There is no reason to make a fuss. I have known for years that someday I would be married to some stranger my family found suitable. ❞

❝ What do you think your betrothed will be like? ❞

❝ Who do you think they'll marry us to? ❞

❝ What do you think of your betrothed so far? You two seemed to get along. ❞

❝ He is so gallant! I hope they choose him for me. ❞

❝ Wouldn't she make a lovely bride? I would not mind marrying her. ❞

❝ I begged mother to marry [name] instead, but she didn't do anything to change my fate. ❞

❝ I begged them to marry you instead. I know we could have been happy together. ❞

❝ I'm glad you are the one they chose for me. ❞

❝ Were it anyone else, I might rebel. You, I shall gladly marry. ❞

❝ We have been promised for years. Shouldn't we be married already? ❞

❝ I know it is the way of things, but to have a betrothal announced like that... I wasn't expecting it. ❞

❝ He was wedded once before. How can I ever live up to the wife he had before? ❞

❝ What is my betrothed like? ❞

❝ Do I have any say on it? At least give me options and allow me to choose. ❞

FOR THE FAMILIES

❝ Through them, we shall finally join our bloodlines! ❞

❝ Our children make quite the pair. I am glad they seem to get along so easily. ❞

❝ It's a bitter thing, to join hands after everything. More bitter still that it is at the cost of my child's happiness. ❞

❝ Pray your child treats mine well. I will not abide anything less. ❞

❝ He is kind, brave, gentle, strong. Your daughter will be in good hands. ❞

❝ She makes a lovely bride. Lovelier than he deserves. ❞

❝ Poison would be best, but hard to come by. Slit his throat in his sleep and rid yourself of the filth they forced you to marry. ❞

❝ I cannot do as you wish, my love. That decision is beyond me. ❞

❝ As women, we control so little of our fate. ❞

❝ You will one day be his lady, and occupy my place as head of the house alongside your lord husband. A great responsibility, but one I know you shall bear well. ❞

❝ My daughter is what I have of most precious. I pray you cherish her as she deserves. ❞

❝ No alliance will make me accept you as family. You are undeserving of my child. ❞

❝ The king may have ruled in favor of this match, but I have half a mind to slay you where you stand before you can get anywhere near my daughter. ❞

❝ I don't care for peace, I will not give my daughter to the likes of you. ❞

❝ My son will have a fitting queen. Nothing less will suffice. ❞

❝ Sweetling, there's no need for tears. We may not marry for love, but we learn to bear it. ❞

❝ My gentle boy. Would that you could live the romance your heart yearns for. ❞

❝ This will be hard, but if anyone can make it work, I know you can, my child. ❞

❝ None of us could hope to be half as charming as you. If you wish to gain your husband's affection, I'm certain you will succeed. ❞

❝ Do you truly think I'd let my child be married to a monster? Of course I got rid of him. ❞

❝ There is bad blood between our families, but I promise you shall never be treated unkindly here. ❞

❝ Now that you two are wedded, I am hoping for grandchildren soon. ❞

AMBITION AND ALLIANCES

❝ A title is all I am to you. Don't pretend otherwise. ❞

❝ You married me for my claim, I know that! I just thought, given time, we could grow to be fond of each other. ❞

❝ Remember what is at stake. Peace relies on our union. ❞

❝ Both our lands benefit from our match – and I know you will be a good queen. ❞

❝ We were wed for an alliance, but this doesn’t need to be terrible. We can at least be friends. ❞

❝ I married you for your title. I do not care for love. ❞

❝ It would be naive to think a single union will end decades of conflict. This is just the beginning. ❞

❝ They found me someone rich to marry! I will finally have everything I want. ❞

❝ I do not care my betrothed is not handsome – I only care that he is rich. ❞

❝ With this match, I will be queen. ❞

❝ Our marriage strengthens your claim. They cannot quest your heirs, undoubtedly of pure, old blood. ❞

❝ I would marry anyone to become royalty. ❞

❝ This will save our house from doom. ❞

❝ Our son remains unmarried. We may yet use this to form a valuable alliance. ❞

❝ What we decide here is the future of the realm. It needs to be a carefully considered match. ❞

❝ You gained a bride of undisputed lineage for your son. We gained a crown for our daughter. A superb arrangement for all involved, I dare say. ❞

IMPOSSIBLE LOVES

❝ My heart is yours, but we cannot be together. My family would never agree to a match like this. ❞

❝ I too am in love with someone else, but they will never allow me to marry my beloved. Why don’t we make an agreement? ❞

❝ The match is already made but I cannot accept it. I love you! ❞

❝ It is you I love! I could not bear to be with them instead. ❞

❝ Marrying them will give the realm peace. I have to agree to the match, even if you are the one I truly love. ❞

❝ I will never love him as much as I love you. ❞

❝ You would be my choice — but you know the choice is not mine to make. ❞

❝ I'm the heir to the throne. I cannot give up on everything for love. ❞

❝ My father wrote. He said... he said — I am to be married. To — oh gods, he wants to marry me to your brother. ❞

❝ Marry me. I care not if you are beneath my station, I want you. ❞

❝ Would you still have me? I love you, but I know the match made for you would be better. ❞

❝ If you do love me as I love you, marry me. Now. ❞

❝ They cannot make me marry him if we are married already. ❞

❝ You're a prince. We can surely find someone who will agree to wed us if you ask. ❞

❝ Marry me. Your betrothed can do nothing if I've already taken you to wife. ❞

❝ I'll duel him for your hand. ❞

❝ They already whisper about us. Why deny ourselves the pleasure when we're already condemned for the sin? ❞

❝ Only a [family name] can love a [family name]. ❞

❝ As much as I love you, I have nothing. I could give you nothing but my love. ❞

❝ If I can't have you, I shall love only the gods. ❞

❝ If I cannot have her, I shall take no wife and father no children. ❞

❝ Do you have any idea of how torturous that would be? To see you every day, knowing you can never be mine? ❞

❝ I'll make you mine. I won't let you be given to anyone else. ❞

❝ Take no wife. Refuse it. Even if we cannot marry, stay with me. ❞

"I’ve tried to hide it, but my heart betrays me every time you’re near—I’m completely, hopelessly in love with you."

"I want to be the reason you look at your phone and smile."

"Loving you is like breathing… and I’ve been holding my breath for so long, I can’t do it any longer."

"Every time I look at you, I realise I don’t want to spend another moment of my life without you."

"I don’t know how or when it happened, but you’ve completely stolen my heart."

"I used to wonder if love was real… and then you came along and made it the only thing I believe in."

"Every part of me aches to tell you how much I love you, even if it’s terrifying."

"Loving you is both the easiest and hardest thing I’ve ever done."

"I keep pretending I’m fine, but the truth is I’m in love with you, and it scares me."

"I don’t know if you feel the same way, but I had to say it—I’m in love with you."

"The truth is, every part of me belongs to you."

"I tried to deny it, tried to push it away, but I can’t—I’m hopelessly in love with you."

"You’re my first thought every morning and my last before I sleep."

"I think about you more than I’d like to admit. I think… maybe I’m in love with you."

"There’s a quiet peace in my heart every time I think of you, and it feels like love."

"I never expected to feel this way, but here I am, confessing that I’m in love with you."

"My heart races, my hands shake, and all I want to say is ‘I love you’."

"You’re the reason I believe in love, and I don’t know how to keep that to myself any longer."

"All I know is that life feels brighter, warmer, and more alive whenever I’m with you. I think I’m in love with you."

"I’ve tried to act normal, but the truth is, you’ve captured my heart."

"I think I’ve fallen in love with you, and every day I fall a little more."

"Loving you feels as natural as breathing, and it’s taken me far too long to say it."

"You’re my heart’s greatest wish, and it’s time you knew—I’m in love with you."

"I feel a warmth in my heart every time you’re near… it’s love, isn’t it?"

"I don’t know how to say it gently, so here it is: I love you. I think I always have."

"If I don’t tell you this now, I’m afraid I never will—I’m in love with you."

"There’s no one else I think about like this, no one else I feel so deeply for. It has to be love."

"I don’t need you to say it back; I just needed you to know... I’m in love with you."

"Every moment we’re together feels like magic, and that magic is love, isn’t it?"

"I’d rather risk everything and tell you the truth—I’m in love with you."

"I was fine on my own, but now that I’ve met you, I can’t imagine a life without you."

"I’d move mountains if it meant I could tell you every day how much I love you."

"Loving you feels like the most honest thing I’ve ever done."

"The truth is, my heart has belonged to you from the very first moment we met."

"I can’t promise that I won’t be afraid, but I can promise that I love you."

"Every day without you feels like a day wasted. I’m in love with you, and I want the world to know."

"If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that I love you with everything I am."

"You’ve woven yourself into my heart, and there’s no turning back—I love you."

"Loving you is like coming home to a place I never knew I missed until I met you."

"It feels like my whole life has been leading up to this moment—to tell you that I love you."

"I’m scared, I’m nervous, but more than anything, I’m in love with you."

"I didn’t know it was possible to feel so deeply until you walked into my life."

"I could search the world and never find someone who makes me feel like you do. I love you."

"I never believed in fate until I realised how perfectly you fit into my life."

"I could wait forever to say it, but I don’t want to anymore—I love you."

"Loving you feels like the answer to a question I didn’t even know I had."

▒ ░ STARTER  CALL          ;          EMILY          -          @cursedvalor

the  moon  shines  bright    ,    illuminating  upon  emily’s    hopeful  ,    wishful  face .  the  lace  is  light  ,    like  butterflies    ,  covering  her  raven  head .   she  wears  her  mother’s  wedding  gown  ,     which  feels  like  a  sin    ,     considering   she  should  not  be  here  at  all .      but  how  else  could  she  be  with  her  beloved  barkis  ?      this  was  the  only  way  for  them  to  be  together  ,  without  anyone  holding  them  back  .      love  is  worth  every  stolen  moment ,   every  risk .

  to  love  —  oh ,  to  love  !      she  believes  it  is  the  most  sacred  thing  of  all  ,   the  one  force  that  can  shatter  hate .    and  while  her  family  may  shame  her  for  this  choice  ,     she    finds  no  shame  in  this  .   she  finds  no  shame  in  slipping  away  from  a  home  that  would  never  let  her  choose  happiness  for  herself  .      romantic  as  ever   ,   she  had  picked  flowers  along  the  way  to  the  forest  ,  for  her  wedding  bouquet  .     this  was  not  the  wedding  she  dreamt  of  ,  but  it  would  do  !      it  was  their  love  that  mattered  ,  after  all .    standing  beneath  the  moon  ,  with  nothing  but  the  trees  for  companionship  ,  there  was  something  romantic  about  it  .   this  would  be  a  wedding  she  will  speak   proudly  of  to  her  future  children  !    she  imagines  them  already .  two  little  girls  ,  who  she  can  preen  endlessly   (  perhaps  she  should  not  get  too  ahead  .  they  both  had  plenty  of  time  . . .   )    the  hush  of  the  forest  presses  close  around  her  ,  shadows  shifting  between  the  gnarled  roots .  the  soft  rustling  of  leaves  overhead  sounds  almost  like  a  whisper  —  was  that  his  footstep  ?   a  fool  in  love  ,  she  knew  every  sound  her  darling  barkis  made .  his  soft  breath  ,    his  step .  surely  ,  it  would  be  him  !       who  else  would  be  there  at  this  hour   ?    she  grows  more  thrilled  ,  holding  the  urge  to  just  run  and  throw  her  arms  around  him  in  an  embrace .

“     my  love  ,  is  that  you  ?       oh  ,  perhaps  …  wait  for  a  moment !      i  wish  to  surprise  you  with  my  dress .    it  is  bad  luck  to  see  the  bride  in  her  dress  ,   you  know .    ”  her  dainty  footsteps  leads  her  behind  the  large  oak  tree .     “       alright  ,  i'm  hidden !    i  will  come  out  when  i  am  ready  .       ”

𝖍𝖊  𝖜𝖆𝖘  𝖆𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖊,  as  he  preferred,  the  shadows  of  the  trees  offering  solace  in  their  quiet  canopy.  the  path  beneath  his  feet  grew  narrower,  and  the  trees  stretched  higher,  their  twisted  branches  creating  a  shield  that  shut  out  the  sky.  a  place  like  this,  isolated  and  removed  from  the  world,  seemed  to  fit  the  mood  he  carried  within  him.

then,  through  the  silence,  came  a  voice.  soft  at  first,  almost  a  whisper,  calling  out  to  him.  velkan  froze  mid-step.  he  tilted  his  head,  listening  intently.  he  tried  to  understand  the  words,  feeling  as  though  he  entered  in  to  the  last  half  of  a  conversation. 

a  bride?

a  small,  wistful  smile  tugged  at  his  lips.  the  thought  was  beautiful  in  its  simplicity.  to  share  a  lifetime  with  the  one  who  truly  held  your  heart.  in  another  life,  perhaps,  he  might  have  been  so  fortunate.

he  stepped  forward,  his  boots  soft  against  the  earth.  his  voice,  when  he  spoke,  was  steady,  tinged  with  regret. 

❝  i’m  sorry,  ❞  he  called  out,  his  voice  echoing  through  the  trees  —  unsure  of  where  this  runaway  bride  has  hidden  herself.  ❝  i  believe  you’re  waiting  for  someone  else.  ❞

the  grin  on  his  face  grew  as  he  took  the  drink,  face  not  showing  anything  but  the  humor.  ❝  valerious'  are  raised  on  this.  was  just  trying  to  warn  you.  ❞