* MOTHER / VAIN

you are a descendent from an ancient royal line.

can you joust?

this is not a question of bravery.

are you too cowardly to take a life?

hand me my sword.

the sheets feel scratchy.

you could have got us killed!

if you had kept to the plan, those knights might be alive right now.

together, we have a chance to take back what is ours.

would you ride into town with me?

you're playing with fire.

you should be on the throne.

perhaps we never should have come.

did you bring your bow?

you take one more step, traitor, and i'll chew you to splinters.

are you fit to compete, or shall the forfeit stand?

thank you, my lord.

i will deal with you when this is over.

you have to go alone.

we have some work to do.

it's an ambush!

why are they all staring at us?

were you robbed?

clean your sword.

i must look for a suitor.

i know where your allegiance lies.

pick up your sword.

you're not going to kill me?

what do you propose we do, your majesty?

the path takes us through there.

i will probably die on this quest.

even the peasants can marry for love.

your people love you.

i just learned this spell. can i show you?

are you with me?

how many more must die for the throne?

why don't we discuss the matter later?

what are you wearing to the ball tonight?

do not shush me!

be careful on those roads. there's been a report of bandits.

i'm not worthy of the throne.

how do i know your promise will be kept?

take the sword to the tower.

is that your horse?

i hear there's going to be a royal ball.

it was said to be magic.

no one has ever taken that castle.

what a waste of brandy.

is there a way down?

do you hear talk of a dragon?

you knowingly endangered a member of the royal family.

on a horse, with a lance... you're unbeatable.

some day, i'll be a knight.

there's an army out there, and it's ready to follow you.

hold your tongue or lose it.

you're no longer a myth. you're starting to mean something.

admiring the castle again, i see. isn't it beautiful?

tonight, evil has met its match.

you make me feel like a poet.

i'll ride with you.

this kingdom is better off without the lot of you!

why were they trying to kill you?

no one ever comes back from the woods.

i think it's time we found out what's going on.

i will not lose.

how about a little target practice?

you were right to fear the woods.

choose your last words carefully!

the time for pleasantries is through.

run, and i will run with you.

they wanted to arrange my marriage.

will you dance with me?

i'm sure when i'm older, i'll understand.

you know what we have to do.

what do you think? now that you know what i am?

you speak of what you do not know.

my parents were peasants.

we have a long journey ahead of us.

we should have killed them when we had the chance.

you might find this land a more savage place than you remember.

do you even know how to use that thing?

you have to be of noble birth to compete!

i didn't want to be at the celebration.

i can do magic.

are those catapults?

do you know any spells?

i'm not supposed to be seen with people like you.

minotaurs? they're real?

try and take them then.

help me fetch my arrows.

i'm afraid i'm not worthy of you.

i hear you have a quest for me.

sit with me and drink.

that's a bit of a long story.

there is no way that i am fighting.

i challenge you to a duel.

i wonder who lived here.

maybe it's time you had this back.

you have a traitor in your midst.

meet me in the castle gardens tonight, after the sun sets.

the king sent me.

"it is easier to sell a crown than a girl, is it not?” 

she feels like she could easily turn into a broken record, repeating herself about how this all could have been avoided if the girl had simply listened. she’s tried so hard to warn her of the dangers, to dissuade her to want anything from the world outside their safe haven, and what does she get as thanks for all her hard work? This fiasco. 

classics. @trencri ♡ @gcldbound

princesses. seachant ♡ @peculiarbeauty ♡ @faegold ♡ @solehr ♡ @adversitybloomed ♡ @vintera ♡ @revoeu ♡ @freckledbutton ♡ @snodronning ♡ @frogcrowned ♡ @wayfndr ♡ @sparesovereign ♡ @rapunzael ♡ @wintehr ♡ @pcisondapple ♡ @iisdrottning ♡

heroines. @tiaeras ♡ @sunlightswallowed ♡ @herresponsibiliity ♡ @keepmovinjunior ♡ @maiiden ♡ @workingsong

princes. @princewished ♡ @ashored ♡ @w4ntd ♡ @sunthieving ♡ @frageepruto ♡ @istresker

heros. @springsung ♡ @secondstarawaits ♡ @aslyfcx

villains. @flowervain ♡ @roidefroid ♡ @elxgantcaptain ♡ @hanswestergaardthethirteenth

smile turns stilted and hand is slowly withdrawn, no longer willing to entertain such thoughts; they lead to yearning and her patience grows thin.

Meg jumps. SOMEONE IS HERE. She'd been strolling through the marble garden, alone, and she hadn't been followed . . . she'd been careful about that.

Usually this place was quiet ; void of any other beings at this time of night. Perhaps a rogue critter, or . . . of course, the Lord of the Dead, should he find her. And he could find her. He often did.

But when Meg turns around to investigate the rustling, sharply and fearfully, it's not Hades' blue smile of knives that greets her : it's a woman. She looks shifty ; eyes glinting with purpose, enormous hair tucked beneath the hood of a cloak that's roomy enough for a weapon, no doubt . . . but she's also . . . mortal. THANKFULLY.

Meg's arms drop from readied stance beside her ; she hugs her forearms instead, gently, shrinking her form. She then lets them fall to her side.

fingers pull cloak more securely around her as though it could obscure the view of her form entirely in the garden's evening gloominess. usually there isn't anyone else out this late in the night, though to be fair it wouldn't really matter if what she was doing wasn't meant to be painstakingly secret. it would be unwise to share the information she has managed to scrape together with any strangers.

"it's fine," she replies cooly, attempting to move along as discreetly as possible. might as well wait to try and search again tomorrow night to avoid creating reason for suspicion or curiosity to grow by lingering too long.

thumb briefly slides up to give the girl's cheek a whisper of a caress, the illusion of affection.

it's always something with you , isn't it ? it's always an emergency .

look , this is your responsibility .

wow , nice trick . i'm sure you're a hit at parties .

so ... you think you're ready .

i called you . all weekend . where were you ?

okay , we have got to pull you together .

you can't run away hard enough , can you ?

i know where you were all weekend .

life is raw , everybody medicates .

i love you . call me , okay ?

am i hallucinating ?

come on , or you'll miss it .

can i start over ? please .

i'm going to make sure you don't remember a thing .

playing with time is such difficult magic .

don't bother trying to compare yourself .

it's good to be aware the world is blatantly unfair .

it's my fault that they said that .

if you think my family is some sort of advantage , you've been misinformed .

maybe i wouldn't let myself forget .

that was before i knew there was something else .

it's really okay if this is not your thing .

you're hurting yourself , & you're not okay .

i just needed to see if i was right .

we've been watching you for quite a while now .

hello ? do you need help ?

you feel right because you're starting towards your destiny .

for some reason , you're involved . so be involved .

look , hold that thought , okay ?

i'm obviously coming with you .

there's no such thing as safe magic .

what is this place exactly , besides a health hazard ?

you ask a lot of questions .

jesus , you didn't tell me you were dangerous .

it's a little bit bigger than messing up .

there's a bad story every few years around here .

can you just help me live with myself ?

i'm gonna tell you something deep & dark & personal now .

i'm trying to tell you , you are not alone here .

i don't know . i wanna be your friend , i guess .

you should hate me right now .

the last thing i wanted to do growing up was read fantasy .

let's just say life wasn't exactly non-stop fun growing up .

if you're guilty , i'm guilty .

come do something stupid with me before you go .

okay , you know what ? i'm not interested in your personal issues .

this isn't just some lark to me , just so you know .

i mean seriously , what do they expect , you know ?

look , you can't run away from you .

there's nothing i can do in this moment to stop the comet from crashing into the earth , is there ?

i keep trying to tell myself that this is somehow better .

you don't see color & want to go back to black & white .

you can't help , & i can't help you .

what the hell was that , you maniac ?

why would you ever trust anyone ?

i'm willing to teach the right people what i know . & i know a lot .

you're lucky i can fix this .

hey , have you heard of karma ? sometimes it's instant .

i'm generous with you , considering .

get me everything on this list . this week .

why even ask , if you'll just forget it again ?

that's not a real answer .

you're a much better liar than i expected you to be .

do you think you have a destiny ?

there is no destiny . no born heroes .

you can either step up to it or not , that's up to you .