𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞.

“ the city of king’s landing will BEND THE KNEE to their rightful queen. ” something he would ensure , even if it meant his DYING BREATH. his hand leaves the pommel of his sword , fingertips grazing the back of her hand before taking it in his grasp. “ i would let the world BURN for you if it meant you sitting atop the iron throne. ”

comfort  wages  it’s  own  war  against  the  dying  battle  for  peace  within  still  beating  heart.  the  part  of  her  father’s  legacy  that  lingers  ,  yearning  not  to  fly  to  war  …  to  not  be  the  monster  that  carrier  moniker  of  cruel.  “ yessa ,  hen  bisa  nyke  gaomagon  daor  doubt  (  of  this  i  do  not  doubt  ).  but  still  —  i  worry. ”  her  rambling  is  only  halted  by  the  graze  of  his  touch  against  her  skin.  palm  turning  to  meet  grasp  ,  clenching  down  as  she  is  called  back  into  the  moment  ,  to  the  truth  of  the  world  they  have  fallen  into.  he  is  her  anchor  into  reality.  “ if  they  do  not  ,  if  we  are  to  burn  alive  anyone  who  dares  to  stand  tall against us  …  what  of  the  people  left  behind ?  they  will  not  stand  by  a  queen  who  they  fear  but  do  not  love. ”

Rhaenyra Targaryen | HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (2022– )

The Cruel Prince — Holly Black

❝  i saw then how i had changed.  ❞ ❝  name one hero who was happy — you can’t.  ❞ ❝  i feel like i could eat the world raw.  ❞ ❝  you are half my soul, as the poets say.  ❞ ❝  i have no need to forgive you. you cannot offend me.  ❞ ❝  i do not fear ridicule. i never have.  ❞ ❝  you have always trusted so easily; you have had so little in your life to fear or suspect.  ❞ ❝  do you hear me? please, say something.  ❞ ❝  your face is like quicksilver, always racing to something new. you unsettle me.  ❞ ❝  you do not give things up so easily now as you once did.  ❞ ❝  now i know how to make you follow me everywhere.  ❞ ❝  i would know your face in dark or disguise. i would know it even in madness.  ❞ ❝  there is no law that gods must be fair.  ❞ ❝  i have never seen anyone fight the way you do.  ❞ ❝  our dead come for their vengeance regardless of witnesses.  ❞ ❝  the sorrow was so large it threatened to tear through my skin.  ❞ ❝  when you die, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with you.  ❞ ❝  you were always better with words than i.  ❞ ❝  i will never leave you. it will be this, always, for as long as you will let me.  ❞ ❝  you smile, and your face is like the sun.  ❞ ❝  i thought you were — something. you do not — you do not move like a human.  ❞ ❝  do you want to walk up to the woods?  ❞ ❝  you can’t be very wounded if you can stand for so long.  ❞ ❝  there are no bargains between lion and men. i will kill you and eat you raw.  ❞ ❝  we are like gods at the dawning of the world.  ❞ ❝  nothing could eclipse the stain of this dirty, mortal mediocrity.  ❞ ❝  i yearn for the darkness and silence of the underworld, where i can rest.  ❞ ❝  those seconds, half seconds, that the line of our gaze connected, were the only moment in my day that i felt anything at all.  ❞ ❝  you seem utterly unaware of your effect on the people around you.  ❞ ❝  it was almost like fear, in the way it filled me, rising in my chest. it was almost like tears, in how swiftly it came.  ❞ ❝  you are a weapon, a killer. do not forget it.  ❞ ❝  i have heard that men who live by a waterfall cease to hear it — in such a way did i learn to live beside the rushing torrent of my doom.  ❞ ❝  if you have to go, you know i will go with you.  ❞ ❝  there is no one like you.  ❞ ❝  we have given each other wounds, but they are not mortal.  ❞ ❝  and perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.  ❞ ❝  who can be ashamed to lose to such beauty? it is enough to watch you win.  ❞ ❝  do not let what you have gained this day be so easily lost.  ❞ ❝  you have killed them and taken your vengeance. it is enough.  ❞ ❝  no man is worth more than another, wherever he is from.  ❞ ❝  strange that such a small kindness feels like grace.  ❞ ❝  you can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.  ❞ ❝  i cannot bear to see you grieving.  ❞ ❝  i remember little more than scattered images from my life then.  ❞ ❝  i would recognize you by touch alone, by smell; i would know you blind, by the way your breaths came and your feet struck the earth. i would know you in death, at the end of the world.  ❞ ❝  i see a dozen men here ready to leap on each other’s throats.  ❞ ❝  in my land a bow is marked as the weapon of cowards.  ❞ ❝  you may still make a good person.  ❞ ❝  you don’t bother to threaten me, yet. i should be worth threatening.  ❞ ❝  the memories well up like springwater, faster than i can hold them back.  ❞ ❝  i hoped that you would come.  ❞ ❝  the voices of the dead were said to have the power to make the living mad.  ❞ ❝  i have weathered the anger of gods before.  ❞ ❝  i thought of how many nights i had lain awake in this room, loving you in silence.  ❞ ❝  there is nothing in the world i want more than to know what you had not said.  ❞ ❝  you will never gain fame from your fighting. does this surprise you?  ❞ ❝  my mind is filled with cataclysm and apocalypse: i wish for earthquakes, eruptions, flood. only that seems large enough to hold all of my rage and grief.  ❞ ❝  i will not cry in front of you.  ❞ ❝  listen to me. you go too far in this. i will not be able to protect you.  ❞ ❝  there is no honor in betraying your friends.  ❞ ❝  i’m afraid I have been prompted by a rare stirring of guilt.  ❞ ❝  i promised myself that if i ever saw you again, i would keep my thoughts behind my eyes.  ❞ ❝  i did not want you to see my fear, though normally we kept nothing from each other.  ❞ ❝  gods and mortals never mix happily in our stories.  ❞ ❝  you will be dead soon enough.  ❞ ❝  you are destroying yourself. you will not be loved for this, you will be hated, and cursed.  ❞ ❝  you left yourself today. and now you are returned.  ❞ ❝  you are a better person than i.  ❞ ❝  whatever you do, i shall stand with you, as i always have.  ❞ ❝  you have looked at me a thousand thousand times, but there is something different in this gaze, an intensity i do not know.  ❞ ❝  my life is my reputation. it is all i have.  ❞ ❝  may i give you some advice? if you are truly his friend, you will help him leave this soft heart behind.  ❞ ❝  what are you thinking about?  ❞ ❝  even the boldest of people would whisper a prayer if they brushed against me.  ❞ ❝  the keen edge of my envy was like flint, a spark away from fire.  ❞ ❝  do you think we fight hopeless wars?  ❞ ❝  it is strange, that you would speak against betrayal.  ❞ ❝  if every soldier killed only those who’d personally offended him, we’d have no wars at all.  ❞ ❝  no one has ever tried to take something from me.  ❞ ❝  stay behind me.  ❞ ❝  will you help me put the rest of my armor on?  ❞ ❝  your face is blank and barren, like another language, impenetrable.  ❞ ❝  i am here because i believe that we will win. i am staying until the end.  ❞ ❝  your presence is like a stone in my shoe, impossible to ignore.  ❞ ❝  he is not worthy of you. he never has been.  ❞ ❝  will you tell me who hurt you?  ❞ ❝  it is like a nightmare; i expect, each moment, to wake to relief. but there is no waking.  ❞ ❝  i do not need to prove myself to you. to any of you.  ❞ ❝  you have always thought too much of yourself.  ❞ ❝  some men gain glory after they die, while others fade.  ❞ ❝  even here, behind the darkness of my eyelids, i cannot name the thing i hope for.  ❞ ❝  our joy is so bright we can see nothing else but the other.  ❞ ❝  you have a tender heart. an admirable quality, surely.  ❞ ❝  you are spring, golden and bright. envious death would drink your blood, and grow young again.  ❞ ❝  i will not be the raven on your shoulder all the time, predicting gloom.  ❞ ❝  you look different in sleep, beautiful but cold as moonlight.  ❞ ❝  when there is greed, there is hope.  ❞ ❝  i could have told you more, of the dreams that leave me bleary and bloodshot, the almost-screams that scrape my throat as i swallow them down.  ❞ ❝  you are angry, and not without reason.  ❞ ❝  you feel mislead; you were promised victory.  ❞ ❝  you know, it’s funny; i keep thinking i’ve seen you before.  ❞

Sleep. As though he has managed much of that since the war began. Perhaps, if he truly considers it, his sleep became troubled the day the raven touched to Winterfell, sent ahead to greet them at the Wall. Of course, his mother would not expect him there, only at the home of the Warden of the North. He had wished to see it, though, and Cregan had been accomodating, near glad to tell him of their histories. Were this a peaceful time, Jacaerys is certain he might have stayed half a year in the North, at the very least, though Vermax had disagreed with the climate (and the cold had chilled him to the bones - he was not sure how he would have coped with their winter). So sleep? It was almost a foreign concept to him, and he was certain it was beginning to show, in his face, circles darkening under his eyes. He would do his best to keep the nightmares - the depiction of how his brother had been murdered, how his family still remaining might be so - to himself, if he could not keep them at bay. Finding his mother, after what was being called the Red Sowing, alone was a surprise. She was oft in the presence of a guard at the very least, especially after the near assassination attempt. Allowing anyone with Targaryen blood to attempt to claim a dragon had been his idea, but the way she had gone about it --- he had disagreed with sending them all forward at once, not allowing them to leave. But she was still his mother, and his queen. He would have checked on her for either of those titles, and she carried both. "So should you. How can our Queen make sound decisions when she is awake at all hours of the night?" An agreement and a deflection in one. After he has placed the blanket on her shoulders, he walks around, kneeling by her chair, wondering what plagues her mind. His mother, who he had just hours ago quarreled with, now lost in thought. "Are you not pleased? The dragons have new riders." At the cost of so many lives, when it could have been done so differently. It was too late now, and he wishes he had taken more time to discuss that with her, as they quarreled over his paternity and his insecurities as heir. It was a bad time to have brought it up, the confusion and anger and fear that had been brewing in his gut since he had learned that his mother's throne had been usurped. "You should sleep, anyway. We will have to teach them how to master their beasts, and quickly." She is oft quick to point out his own lack of experience, but perhaps he can lead in this charge, at least.

“ mhm  ,  i  am.  i  have  …  concerns. ”  it  is  not  a  truth  she  has  dared  utter  out  loud  ,  not  yet.  but  given  that  he  had  been  the  one  to  present  the  idea  …  who  better  ?  “ they  are not  true  dragon  rides  quite  yet.  and  i  am  worried  of  their  personal  motives. ”  putting  the  weight  of  her  own  doubt  onto  his  shoulders  is  not  something  she  is  proud  of  ,  but  given  their  repeated  argument  and  his  own  worries  …  perhaps  allowing  him  to  see  that  he  is  not  the  only  one  to  question  things  would  bring  his  comfort.  or  maybe  it  is  her  own  comfort  she  seeks  ,  in  a  twisted  sort  of  way.  “ and  yet  you  are  also  awake  —you’ll  need  more  rest  than  this  if  you  are  to  stand  by  my  side  and  help  teach  them. ”

daemon tucks a strand of hair behind rhaenyra’s ear , offering her another kiss ──── this time , against her lips. “ let me help you to the bath , jorrāelagon [ love ] , ” he murmurs. “ then , you may rest. i will lie in bed with you the rest of the day if that is what you wish. we’ll allow his brothers and sisters to meet him when you are feeling up to it. ”

but  offer  to  bathe  is  too  great  to  pass  up  ,  following  more  so  the  invitation  to  rest  while  holding  dear  those  of  whom  she  needs  most.    “ hm  ,  gaomagon  daor  tempt  issa  (  do  not  tempt  me  ). ”  her  gaze  rolls  to  a  gentle  close  ,  mind  lost  to  the  unbridled  joy  that  has  encapsulated  the  moment  as  kiss  is  returned.  still  ,  it  was  her  to  pull  away  first.  features  beginning  to  contort  in  discomfort.  she  knows  she  must  get  up.  if  not  now  ,  then when?  “ bath  ,  meeting  of  his  brothers  and  sisters  ,  then  i  will  rest.  and  you  will  keep  the  promise  to  do  so  with  me—  i  fear  if  i  return  to  this  bed  before  he’s  been  shown  off  …  i  will  never  hear  the  end  of  it. ”

- OCEAN VUONG

[CLEANS] The sender takes a cotton swab and gently cleans the dirt and blood from the receiver's wounds. [BANDAGES] The sender carefully wraps a bandage around the receiver's forearm, securing it to protect the cuts. [SCOLDS] The sender scolds the receiver, shaking their head as they tend to the injuries. [REACTS] The receiver winces as the sender applies antiseptic to a particularly nasty cut on their cheek. [COMFORTS] The sender reassures the receiver, offering comfort while tending to the injuries. [DISINFECTS] The sender pours antiseptic on a wound, causing the receiver to inhale sharply at the stinging sensation. [INSPECTS] The sender inspects the wounds, noting any deeper cuts that might need more attention. [LECTURES] The sender lectures the receiver, advising them to think before acting to avoid future injuries. [SMILES] Despite scolding, the sender smiles reassuringly, trying to ease the tension in the room. [COMPLAINS] The receiver complains about the pain, prompting the sender to roll their eyes and continue their work. [WORRIES] The sender expresses worry, sharing their concern for the receiver's well-being. [TREATS] The sender skillfully treats each injury, showcasing their competence in basic first aid. [ADMONISHES] The sender admonishes the receiver, emphasizing the potential severity of the situation. [ASSESSES] The sender assesses the overall damage, silently noting the toll the fight took on the receiver. [DISAPPROVES] The sender expresses disapproval, stating that putting oneself in danger is not acceptable. [ASSURES] The sender assures the receiver, claiming that despite appearances, the injuries will heal quickly. [HESITATES] The receiver hesitates as the sender reaches for a needle and thread to stitch up a deeper cut. [SYMPATHIZES] The sender sympathizes with the receiver, acknowledging the pain while praising their efforts. [SCANS] The sender scans the receiver's body for any hidden injuries, ensuring nothing was overlooked. [GRATEFUL] The receiver expresses gratitude to the sender for taking care of them amid the discomfort.