#arc iv

Velaryon Chambers, 26th day of the 4th moon, 131AC, Winter

As dusk spilled lavender shadows across the floors of the Velaryon chambers at The Red Keep, Princess Rhaenys knelt on a pillow beside the bathtub, guiding fleet of toy ships through water. Her young daughter, Nyssie, giggled, her cheeks flushed with delight as her tiny fingers sent ripples across the water’s surface, making the little vessels dance.

“See Mua. Sea Snakey!”

“Yes, tala. That one does look like Kepa’s Sea Snake,” Rhaenys said with a gentle smile. Nyssie was ten-and-six moons now and Rhaenys was pleased that she babbled in both High Valyrian and Common Tongue.

“Sea Snakey go wooo!” Nyssie said with a wide grin towards Rhaenys, which make Rhaenys laugh softly.

“Yes, The Sea Snake is Kepa’s fastest ship.”

As the water cooled, Rhaenys scooped Nyssie up into her arms and wrapped her up in thick cloths to dry her. As Nyssie protested Rhaenys reminded her that Joffrey was coming by to spend time with them.

“Goff-goff?” Nyssie said and tilted her hair.

“Yes, your Goff-goff is coming. I’m sure he’ll want lots of kisses and help you build towers with your blocks, before bedtime,” Rhaenys said tenderly as she dressed her daughter.

Rhaenys knew she had been breaking standards for a royal mother’s duties, but she couldn’t care less. She didn’t want to miss a single thing when it came to Nyssie. She had breastfed her for ten moons and unlike royals of the past she did not make use of the shared nursery. Instead, she had had one of the chambers they occupied transformed into a nursery for Nyssie.  

Once Nyssie had been dressed Rhaenys put her down and straightened her own clothes before she joined her husband in their sitting room. “Has he arrived?”

Loreza took a moment to stretch her shoulders and back out when she woke up. Her temporary residence was so unlike her chambers at home in Dorne, but everything was different in King’s Landing, especially because of the winter. Her muscles slowly warmed, despite the chill in the air, thanks to the fire roaring in the hearth. A cup of steaming mint tea stood on the mantle and Loreza rose and wrapped her fingers around it. At least they still had mint in the capital.

Loreza had fought the decision, or as she recalled it, the summoning, to King’s Landing for the Winter. Why would they leave Dorne for a colder harsher climate. The only one she hadn’t fought was Aliandra, allowing her eldest, the Ruling Princess of Dorne to make the final decisions for her. She had, however, declined staying within the walls of the Red Keep and had found accommodation just outside the palace walls. Nothing grand, nothing rich, but it suited her needs. The fact that she could easily slip off to The Streets of Silk was an added perk.

The mint tea refreshed her and cleared her mind. She got dressed in her usual silks, though she added a fur lined cloak, a gift from Qoren many years ago, before she braved the winter roaring outside. The sun had yet to rise, despite it being morning, but the winds were less harsh than the night before with only a hint of snow.

With practiced steps Loreza made her way to Obella’s rooms, but stopped in her tracks as she saw the door opening, yards before she reached it. At least it’s a Velaryon, Loreza thought as she saw Prince Lucerys Velaryon, heir to Driftmark step out of Obella’s room. She raised a practiced brow but curtsied respectfully to him. “Good Morrow, Prince Lucerys.”

Loreza slipped past the young man and entered Obella’s room, closing the door behind her. “Please tell me, he only came by to wish you Good Morrow,” she said with a soft smile towards her daughter. “Or did you forget you wanted to break your fast with your mother?”

Hey, everyone. It’s been a while.

I’m sorry I’ve been gone for so long, but I’ve gotten busy with life. In particular, if you’re following me as an author, you know I’ve been writing a Jason Todd Peggy Sue fic, which has taken up a lot of my time. I’m almost done with the first half of that now, which is why I’m finishing up the last act of Arc IV.

Speaking of that, I’m going to begin updating again in a couple of days or so. It’s going to be great, and I’m sure most of you will love it. I in particular have been enjoying writing this part of the arc, and I’m sure the finale will set you off into the tailspin.

The complete outline is finally finished! Now all that’s left are the chapter outlines, and then I will begin updating again!

Looking at all in fully, I think I can almost definitively say that Arc IV will be the longest arc in the story thus far. There’s a lot packed into this arc, with so much action that you’ll be left at the edges of your seat. And to think I still have Arc V on the charts...

So, I’m still in the process of planning of Arc IV. That being said, I feel you all deserve an update on how far along I am and some specifics about the arc itself.

First off, this arc will have three acts. The first act will take place about six months after the end of Arc III. There will be a three month time-skip between the end of this act and the second act. The second and third acts will bleed into each other.

Secondly, this arc will be more ensemble than the last one. The main characters of this arc aren’t limited to our favorite trio, but the Justice League as a whole. Each will be prominent characters in this arc. 

Finally, the events of this arc will build directly into Arc V -- everything that happens here is the direct prelude the events of that arc. The events of Arc V will take place one year after the events of Arc IV, and a lot will have changed between those two arcs. During this arc, the focus will shift back to our trio, and the antagonists will be more of a personal sort. The Justice League will play a significantly smaller role here than they did before.

Progress: Due to the significant changes in plot from my initial notes, I’ve elected to write out the major events of the arc first before planning the individual chapters. I am almost done with planning the second act, and will be starting the third act soon. Once that is done, I will start planning the individual chapters of the first act. If I start writing the chapters after that or continue on to planning the chapters of the second act, I have yet to determine.

//For her, it depends on which arc we’re going with!

//Arc IV Author, or Four, would immediately contact Editor or Thespian depending on the crisis. Editor’s always first pick; they’ve been best friends for a while, and Editor is usually the first to rush to her defense. But if the emergency involves Editor already or she feels Editor isn’t feeling well, Thespian’s the next best bet as the mom friend and local logic machine.

//Arc V Author, or Five, is similar to Four, but Thespian’s standing on the ladder increases and Gerry gets added to the roster! Thespian she speaks to for the same reasons, and Gerry, well, Gerry’s her guardian, and if this emergency is one on the magic scale, then he’s definitely the one to call. Also he’s not an asshole about her Author status, so that’s another reason she’ll talk to him.

//Arc VI, or Six? Uhhhh she usually tries to handle these things herself but will consult Memory sometimes. Memory’s always got her eye on her, so she’s usually able to rush in when Author needs someone to protect her. In RP though, she’ll also sometimes run to Fey’s character Ghost for help.