love / 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏.

Can Yaman as Hasan Balaban. El Turco, 1.01.

EMMA D'ARCY as RHAENYRA TARGARYEN — 2.07 | "The Red Sowing"

A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS 1.02 "Hard Salt Beef"

it wasn't until his lungs started screaming for air that he finally pushed himself up to the surface. not that the river was particularly deep or anything. he just sunk himself down to the rocky bottom to enjoy the silence and the cool water against his skin. thinking himself alone, he stands up with the waterline coming up just below his hips. but when he pushes his long hair out of his face and wipes the water from his eyes, he realizes that's not the case. a giant stands before him. at least, that's what he first thinks. the man is certainly the tallest being lyon has ever come across. he doesn't mean to stare, but he can't help it. all that height and toned muscle. this man had to be a knight, surely. and if he was a knight and was participating in this tourney as well, then, well, lyon was starting to really worry that he didn't stand a chance. thankfully, when the other man speaks, it pulls lyon out of his daze. "nor i you. i don't know how i could have missed you." he teases lightly with a smile, looking the other up and down pointedly. the man seemed kind enough, and lyon knew he'd much rather be on friendly terms with others here than on bad ones. "apologies. i thought this was a private spot. i needed to clear my head a bit."

PRINCE VALARR of HOUSE TARGARYEN A knight Of The Seven Kingdoms | S01S02 | 'Hard Salt Beef'

she laughs as they dance with her and she tips her head to the side as he speaks. her lips part for a moment and she inhaled sharply the moment he grins down at her. "cheshire..." she whispered and her own grin grows with the realisation of who is holding her close right now. she doesn't move away because she feels even warmer than she did before. she leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, letting it linger. "i'm glad you have not forgotten me. you look so different. what has happened since i've last been here?" she breathed, cradling his handsome face between her hands. she traced his jawline and she felt her heart flutter as she looked into his eyes.

the way she says his name has him standing up a little straighter with pride, grateful that she still recognizes him. and the kiss she presses against his cheek.. it takes everything in him not to turn his head and meet her lips full on. he's wanted to, ever since he met her. only now he has a corporeal body. he leans into her touch as his eyes roam over her face that he's kept safe in his dreams. "so much has changed, dear alice. do you like?" he gestures down to himself with his signature wide grin. "i picked out a form i thought you would like best." his smile fades slightly, looking more like a grimace. "it was either this or remained chained up." he takes alice's face in his hands and strokes lightly at her cheeks with his thumbs. "wonderland hasn't been the same since the queen of hearts took over. since you left us. left me."

tightens her grip around his fingers — desperately wanting to be his anchor in that moment. it was not an easy revelation to lay at his feet. knows he had always held his brother in such high regarded, blinded by kindness and love for the man. but eden had always seen cain for what he was. saw the truly evil and jealous soul that existed within. "i'm sorry," eden whispers, sniffling softly. nuzzles her cheek softly into his touch — eyes fluttering shut at the hint of normalcy in that slight touch. in many ways, it feels like a dam has broken along with his death. all the ways they had been prohibited from touch now felt flimsy, nonexistent even. eden craved to crawl up into his lap and revel in the sturdy firmness of his body — alive — and the gentle longing in each touch. but overwhelming him when abel must already be feeling too much feels ill-advised. instead, she merely turns her head to press a kiss against the large palm of his hand. "do you wish to try standing up, my love?" she draws back slowly, taking his hands into her own. "see how well you fare?"

it's a lot for him to process. more than his brain can really handle at the moment. everything feels different. new. in a way that both frightens him as it does make him curious. this is not the world he once knew. things have changed so much. but one certainty is that she is here. his beloved eden. it takes everything in him not to reach out and pull her into his chest, not yet acclimated to his new body and strength just yet. the last thing he wants to do is hurt her. more so than he already has from his apparent death. so when she poses the question that changes the subject, he nods immediately. "yes," he clasps at her hand, gripping it tight, but not too tight so as to cause her any pain, but just enough to grant him stability while he hoists himself up onto his feet. "stay... with me..." he pleads quietly, looking over at her. if he were to navigate using this new body she made for him, he doesn't want to be without her. he stands up, and continues to rise and rise, until he towers far above her. still gripping her hand for support, he then looks down at himself, taking a moment to really look over his self. "how do... i... look?"

whether it was sheer luck or the last remaining scraps of what energy was left to her that caused the sparks to lit, remy wasn't sure. only that the moment the stones lit, she slumped fully to the floor, on the edge of consciousness. it was taking everything in her to remain even partially alert. everything felt fuzzy, as if flitting in and out of her perception. instead of further pushing herself and risking more damage, she just let her eyes flutter close. letting him pull her close. the warmth was nice, and she would not deny that it soothed something in her to be held so tenderly. remy was only partially aware when he kissed the top of her head and slipped away, drifting off momentarily. only slightly rousing when she felt movement again, putting something under her head, and something wrapping around her. letting herself sink into the warmth that suddenly cocooned her. she stirs slightly at the brush of dark hair from her face, however gentle. she could hear him distantly apologizing to her, that they were bound together in this way. to be fair to ephraim, remy wasn't entirely sure that she had truly desired to settle down with anyone. ever the unconventional one. surely she was in the eyes of their village. before her father died, remy hadn't really seen much benefit to marriage. she was, after all, quite young when her mother had died, and her papa had never remarried — despite many telling him that he should. but truthfully, thus far, it wasn't so bad. a lot of times, the company was nice. when her father had died, remy had felt dreadfully alone in the world. nobody in their village understood her, all saw her as some...oddity that needed to be dealt with in some way. ephraim was different. he didn't treat her like some peculiarity that needed to be corrected. he just treated her like a person. like his wife. despite hardly knowing each other before their union. remy may not have been a typical wife to him, not knowing really how to do so. but, he made her not feel so alone. which made her feel all the more guilty for worrying him in this way. even though it truly was not her intention. she's not entirely sure how much time has passed since his words. things just kept slipping from her grasp. ❛ ...i am sorry to have worried you so. ❜ her voice is slightly weak, eyes fluttering open to look at him, brow slightly furrowed. ❛ please...do not apologize. ❜ she doesn't know what else to say to him. the hand that is in his squeezes that of her husbands'. feeling only a portion of her strength returned to her as she began to warm.

he is overcome with two conflicting emotions. the first is relief that she is not only awake, but speaking. despite her voice being so frail. nevertheless, it eases some of the grief off his heart. a silent prayer of thanks is sent to the almighty lord for hearing his plea. at the same time, shame burns him slightly. he wonders how much of his confessions she heard. he feels shameful for thinking such things, even more so now having voiced them aloud to her. but in truth, he couldn't help it. the circumstances that brought them together were unfortunate, so it was impossible not to think about whether she was unhappy here with him. he feels sympathetic to her. because if he were in her shoes, he would detest being with him as well. ephraim sighs, taking her hand in his and holding it up to his face so he can press a firm kiss to whatever part of her hand he could reach. "you do not need to apologize," he turns it back around on her, his voice as soft as his expression. "i should be looking out for you. it is a duty for a husband to look after his wife. and if he cannot do that, than what kind of husband is he?" his free hand strokes comfortingly at the side of her face, carefully brushing bits of stray dark hair from her eyes. she's so soft. the softest thing he's ever felt. and instinctively he wants to pull away so as to not further sully her with his coarse hands. "i am glad you are well. i feared otherwise." he glances down, into the fire, a forlorn expression on his face. "in truth, i fear that if i go outside, the tall stalks of wheat i saw will not be there, and when i return back inside, you will not be there. so i will remain here for now. if that is alright with you?" he pulls his hand back, but not the one still clasped around her hand. no, he needs that lifeline just a little longer. "tell me, my strange girl, what compelled you to lay amongst the grass? i had never seen such a sight before. haven't seen stalks that tall before." he quickly corrects himself. "it was like... some miracle had beguiled it."

THIA & DEK Predator: Badlands│2025

BAILEY BASS as TSIREYA &. BRITAIN DALTON as LO’AK | AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH