asherbakugou

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Ka'ani ran a hand across the hide of Mimikyu, the Ikran crooning beneath her touch, blinking yellow-orange eyes at her with pleasure. A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she adusted the heavy saddle and armor she had crafted under the teachings of Tseke, making sure the straps weren't digging into her bondeds skin, reminiscing.

With the urgings of Nefika and Etuwa, Ka'ani had begun the climb to the Ikran Rookery with Eetu somehow managing to stay in front of her, though she had no idea how he could do so without flying an Ikran, especially since she was stumbling over rocks and nearly falling off the floating rocks, clinging to the vines in fear. But just meeting the gaze of Mimikyu made it all worth it.

A stunning Ikran, who had been well known to swoop on riders to chase them off, to keep them out of his territory - the Aranahe knowing him as Fe'tawng, Fear Diver, for his fast dives and the fear new warriors felt upon meeting him. Blue-black with cream-yellow, purple, and light blue markings along his back, a cream belly with soft purple streaks along his inner wings, with vibrant yellow kuru's and crest, all of it reminded her of one of the fiercest predators she'd learned about at T.A.P..

The Echo Stalker. A fierce pack hunter that lived in the dense Clouded Forest Region, a deadly predator even blind, capable of taking on Na'vi because of its pack mentality.

And the Na'vi name reminded her of the strange game Alma had spoken of once, showing tattered cards of odd animals that had never actually existed on Earth, created only for entertainment. Ka'ani specifically remembered the card with the strange creature hidden in a costume designed after a different creature - Mimikyu - so she named the fierce Ikran, after spending several hours climbing up the Rookery and chasing after him, before finally wrestling him to attach their Kuru.

Eetu had honestly expected her to die when he saw the way Mimikyu had focused upon her with killer intent, which he had admitted with abandon before shoving her off the rookery so her Ikran was forced to dive after and catch her. He later stated it was tradition within the Kinglor Forest, a way to strengthen a young bond and see just how powerful it would grow to be.

She hadn't believed him. He had looked far too happy to shove her off the cliff.

The feeling of flying had never gotten old, but none of it compared to that first time. That feeling of freedom, Mimikyu's memories and the glee he felt at having a rider, the way the wind felt whipping through her hair. It was everything to Ka'ani, to have someone, even an Ikran, that could see her for who she is and not judge her for her anger.

Mimikyu saw her anger - her anger at the death of her people, for the death of her sister, her mother, Zomey - and he saw it as justified when she went after the RDA. For an Ikran, revenge wasn't really a concept. If another hurt you, or your mate, or your flockmates, it was a call to battle. Ikran's were prideful and did not take slights well after all.

But none of the mattered right now. Not after what Alma had told her.

The others were alive, hidden away in a T.A.P. Facility in corner of the Spires, all pried from Alma's lips after Priya picked up on an odd signal. Not freely given. Never freely given.

Little Yefti - so sweet and shy, with so much curioisty when it came to the chemicals of Earth, to chemistry and so afraid of the Forest, just like Teylan.

Fierce and wild Telisí - always quick to back up Aha'ri, sharing that same spark of a flame that was waiting to be coaxed into a raging bonfire, and little interest in the ways of people but protective of Okni.

Sickly Okni - always stuck in the infirmary with a weak constitution that left her susceptable to human sickness, but so kind and eager, with a soft voice and even sweeter singing voice.

Yuayt, Hardings favorite. And how Ka'ani should have seen that happening, should have tried to keep Yuayt closer. But he had told on them - as if they had taken too much food, not been trying to escape. After Aha'ri's death, Yuayt had shyed away, Nor never allowing him to apologize even when the boy had tried. Mayhaps she should have told Nor to back off, to hear his apology, but how could she have known that they would be taken away? At the time, hearing an apology from him would have done nothing but made her angry.

Mimikyu, kuru connected, hissed, head shaking. Apologies didn't seem to be a thing in Ikran culture, rather submission or death were the closest things Ka'ani could find to it so she allowed him to search for more on the subject.

'Forgive too much. Fight more.' Ka'ani couldn't help but snort, easily recognizing what memories he had found.

"Teylan has apologized and has since done his best to earn our forgiveness, and Alma . . . She is the leader of the Restance. I cannot allow anger to cloud that. Without her we would be dead, Mimikyu."

The Ikran huffed, 'Owed life?'

"In a way, yes. Without her the humans would have slaughtered us, before we even had a chance to realize what was happening."

Mimikyu shook his head, flexing his teeth - an Ikran's way of changing the subject.

The memories of the Kinglor Forest, the Plain, and the Clouded Forest flashed behind Ka'ani's eyes, a question in the sights.

"We are returning to the Spires, the Tangled Peaks Region."

That earned a feeling of excitement. Mimikyu had adored the Spires, with criss-crossing wind currents and floating mountains to cling to, the new Ikran Treats were just a bonus. Smiling, Ka'ani hopped up into his back, patting the side of his neck.

"Let's get going, Mimikyu. Unfortunately this is not a pleasant visit."

Hissing - seeing everything Ka'ani did and had - he was quick to take off, understanding the urgency to retrieve her lost Flock Members.

From the Resting Tree Lab - the closest Resistence Field Lab to the edge of the Spires - to the first campsite in the Spires (), to (), before continuing on to the closest camp to T.A.P. Con-2 to rest for the night. From there Ka'ani traveled only a short distance with Mimikyu - unwilling to risk her bondeds safety if Alma and Priya's projected RDA numbers were correct.

Approaching on foot, the building, built into the cliffs itself like the Recon Site, looked abandoned with heavy vines covering the front but the smell of oil, gunpowder, and metal was too strong and fresh. The look was probably to keep the Keawa from noticing, especially since they preffered to stay on the backs of their Ikran than to be on foot.

Searching she eventually found a vent - overrun with mushrooms and moss - that allowed her to slip inside without anyone the wiser. The further into the vent she moved, the cleaner it became, heavy with the sickly clean smell of the RDA Cleaning Bleach, making Ka'ani wrinkle her nose in disgust having long grown used to the scents of Pandora, of herself and the others she met.

Approaching the end, the quiet steps of human soldiers made it to her sensitive ears, but no chatter. And once she made it to the edge, she could see why.

The vent led to a massive hangar - 12 Helicoptors, and at least 15 cars of some kind - so the people patrolling were seperated by multiple vehicles with no way to talk without yelling or pausing their patrols.

Pulling her bow from her shoulder, Ka'ani easily slotted an arrow into place, aiming for the closest soldier - and releasing the arrow so it sank through his throat. In her near 3 years on Pandora, fighting against the RDA, she had realized that Humans were resiliant in that sometimes shooting them in the heart didn't kill them immediatley. And what a surprise that had been, hearing the soldier she had shit call out intruder after her arrow had found its mark in his chest.

So now, she aimed for the throat - for the face if she wasn't using stealth, since the glass shattering could be an obvious mark of a Na'vi having made it inside.

Slipping out the rest of the way, Ka'ani made her way through the hangar leaving behind bloody bodies after retrieving her arrows - all marked with the bone white fletching and singular purple streak to mark her as Sarentu - until she found another vent to climb through.

Well over two hours were spent making her way through the Facility, hiding away the dead bodies she left as she moved on, trying to find the rooms or maybe even a classroom, but this place wasn't like T.A.P. Con-1 or T.A.P., no obvious area for the Na'vi children.

Until the cold nitrous smell of the Cryochambers seeped into her nose. Cryosleep. Maybe the four had been put in Cryosleep when the RDA were forced away the first time - not by a savior, but by their captor - and maybe they hadn't been released yet. Mercer might have wanted to wait until she and the others were killed so no one got the idea to rescue them.

Following the hall signs she finally came upon the room, and shot the singular scientist before he even had a second to register she was there. And there were four Na'vi sized Cryochambers, frosted over.

Laughin in relief, Ka'ani wiped away the gathered frost from the first tank but her expression fell. It was Telisì, but . . .

She hardly looked to even be 13 in the chamber, face frozen in time. Ka'ani was horrified and quickly wiped the frost from all four of them to see if the same was true for the other three and it was.

Reaching up she pressed the comms, "Teylan, Ri'nela? Are you there?"

"We are here," Ri'nela said, calm as ever.

"Did you find them? Are they alright? Oh, I hope they're alright."

"It's . . . They're still children."

"What?"

"What do you mean 'still children'? How is that possible?"

"They must've been put in Cryosleep as soon as they were moved here, because none of them look any older than the day they left," Ka'ani answered, clamping down on the anger curling along her spine.

"How are you going to get them out?" Ri'nela asked.

"I do not know. Are either of you near the Spires?"

"I am. I will speak to Tsu'lo, have him send some warriors to you so you can escape without putting them in danger."

"Thank you, Ri'nela. Do hurry, I do not wish to be here longer than I must, not with them in danger."

The comms clicked off and Ka'ani went about freeing the four from sleep, starting with Telisí.

The girl woke with a gasp, immediately banging a fist on the glass when she realized she was stuck. With a hiss the door slid open, allowing the young girl to sit up . . . And finally catch sight of Ka'ani.

"Who are you? Where are we? What is happening?" Telisí demanded, climbing from the cryochamber on unsteady feet, tail whipping in anger.

"Do I not look familiar, Telisí? I was unaware I had changed so much since we last saw each other," Ka'ani answered, tilting her face so her mark was obvious. Telisí faltered, blue eyes going wide with shock.

"Ka'ani? Is that you? You look . . . Older. How?"

"You've been in Cryosleep, Telisí, and based on the records it's been 23 years since you were all put in."

Telisí was horrified, head snapping to the side to see the other three Cryochambers, "23? No, no, no. That's-that can't . . . Why would Mercer do that?"

"I don't know. And we never will. Telisí, Mercer and Harding are dead."

"Really? Please say you are not pulling my tail, it would be a dick move, Ka'ani."

"I would never lie about this, Telisí."

"The others, you have to free them—" Telisí stared her down "—you have to free all of them, even Yuayt. He didn't know."

"I am going to free him. I would not leave him behind."

"You don't understand, he cried, Ka'ani, he tried to attack Harding when we got here. They almost– They almost killed him for it."

Ka'ani contiued working on releasing the next chamber, Yefti, then Okni's and finally Yuayt's.

All three had similiar reactions to seeing Ka'ani grown up, with Yuayt throwing himself into her to hug her, apologizing over and over even as Ka'ani held his shoulders.

"I know, Yuayt, I know. But we have to be ready to flee. The Keawa Kame'tire are coming to help us make it out, but I need you to do exactly as I say. If I tell you to hide, do it, run, do it. Anything, everything I say, do it."

The four nodded, quickly understanding what was happening, especially with the array of weapons adorning Ka'ani - from her shortbow, to the shotgun, to the knives at her hips. If they wanted to be free, they had to trust her to get them out.

Hardly a half hour passed before Ri'nela was reaching back out.

"Ka'ani, Tsu'lo has sent Emeray, Tseke, and Ku'malo with So'lek and I. Get ready to run, we will be arriving soon."

"We await your arrival," Ka'ani stated, cutting off the comms as the four watched her. "Help is on the way. Get ready to run, and run quickly. I will lead, Telisí, will be last. Okni if you begin to fall behind say something, I will pause if I can but you have to let me know. If you see one another begin to fall behind, speak. We have to work together to get out."

"We understand," Yefti murmured, holding her tail in her hands as Okni clung to her arm.

"We'll stay close," Yuayt confirmed, holding himself tall even with dried tears along his skin.

"Let's go."

Ka'ani was quick to move forward, retracing the path she had took to get inside, luckily no one was there, none having seen the hidden bodies stuffed in the shadows. Okni could not hide the startled whine when she saw the bodies, quickly pushed forward by Telisí.

"Did you—?" Okni began, eyes wide with shock.

"I did. A lot has changed Okni. If I hadn't then they would have lived on to kill other Na'vi."

Telisí spoke up, "I'm glad you did. It means we're safe, right?"

"As long as the RDA are here, no, but in this scenario, yes you are safe."

Ka'ani paused at a intersection, holding out a hand to keep them fron moving forward. The grating chatter of soldiers was coming from the other direction and she reached for her shortbow, knocking it.

"Ka'ani?" Yefti questioned, anxious.

"Stay here."

In one motion, Ka'ani moved into the hall, firing an arrow right into the throat of a soldier, charging forward to bash the second soldiers head in, snapping his spine. There was no point in hiding the bodies so she called them to follow her.

"Ka'ani! We're here!" Ri'nela called into the comms, shots echoing in the background. "Run!"

Alarms began blaring as the four instinctively huddled closer.

"Run!" Ka'ani ordered, picking up the pace. Any RDA they came across, she shot, leaving their bodies to rot. The four stumbled but she got them to the vent, and pushed them through firdt. "Ri'nela, they're coming out through a grate on the east side, outside the hangar area."

"We'll be there."

"Hurry!" Ka'ani ordered, slipping behind them and ushering them out into the world of Pandora. Yuayt, who had been first, stared out into the area with awe and glee, the others having sinilar looks. "I know this is a shock, but we need to go."

Shrieks announced the arrival of the Ikrans, with Mimikyu following.

"Ri'nela?" Telisí asked, amazed to see her on a stunning yellow and green Ikran. "Is that you?"

"Telisì? Oh, Telisí-"

Explosions rocked the facility, cutting her off, "We need to leave, now!" So'lek called.

"Okni, with Ri'nela, Telisì with me, Yuayt with So'lek, Yefti with Tseke," Ka'ani commanded, pointing out the strangers to the kids. Telisí scrambled to follow Ka'ani towards Mimikyu, who lowered his wing to allow Telisí a foothold, before he pudhed off.

Ka'ani had Telisí pressed to her chest, urging Mimikyu to flee towards the floating islands so he could dodge the pursuing helicopters until Emeray and Ku'malo were able to shoot them down with their mounted crossbows.

"Thank you, Ka'ani," Telisí whispered, leaning back against her as they glided through the skies.

"Always, Telisí. I will always protect you."

Background Information for HTYD Next Gen Story

Night Fury Redesign - Peregrine Falcons, Panthers, Cats, Bats

- Long, pointed wings (Similar in shape to a Peregrine Falcons)

- Secondary 'wings' for stability and lift (The fins beneath his wings)

- Phalange on wing for manueverability

- Long bodies, with relatively short legs; Can be between 25 and 30 feet long

- Large keel for more powerful wing muscles

- Large chest to hold larger lungs that let them fly higher, and large airsacs

- Wings connected to forelimbs; Powerful shoulder and leg muscles to allow for taking off from the ground

- Three foreward facing toes, and two backwards facing toes on hind legs for grabbing fish

- Retractable teeth

- Powerful neck muscles to hold head steady when diving, and to hold the head still when flying in place

- Tails fins for stability, balance, lift generation, steering and air braking

- Extended spine plates that split to relax the spine and allow for tighter turns

- Nocturnal

Scale color is dependent on the color of the sky when they are in their eggs, such as if the sky is cloudy for a majority of incubation the hatchling will be grey rather than black or blue.

Eats fish, whales, sharks, deer, yaks, and sheep

Light Fury Redesign - Albatross, Thresher Shark, Fishing Cats, Axolotls

- Long, narrow wings for active soaring (Shaped like an Albatross' wings, but a little bit longer to hold them up)

- Short, rounded 'secondary' wings for stability in long flights; Capable of folding flat against the body

- Longer ears for better echolocation

- Small wing muscles because they 'lock' their wings in place to fly

- Large chest for large lungs and airsacs so they can fly high

- Sealable nostrils for when they swim

- Stocky, muscular build with short, muscular legs; Can be between 20 to 24 feet long

- Partial webbing between toes for better swimming

- A long, sickle shaped tail fin with the upper part being longer; Whips prey to stun them, both in and out of water (Like a Threshers tail)

- Shark-like fins on the tail, in front of the fin to help them swim quicker

- Slightly hooks claws, and inwardly curved teeth for catching fish; Retractable teeth and slightlt retractable claws

- Wavy, short sail fin down the spine, starting behind the wings and ending just path the secondary 'wings' and on the forehead

- Opaque scales; Thinner, but when heated mirror surroundings for short periods

Scale color is dependant on the warmth of the egg during incubation, such as being warmer leads to having darker colored scales while being cooler leads to lighter colored scales

Mainly pescetarian, sometimes feed on sharks or whales

Light Furies and Night Furies are close enough relatives that they will gather in small Prides when they feel threatened or their is not enough territory. Surprisingly Stormcutters can often be seen in these 'Prides' as they are gentle giants, and fiercly defensive.

Grimmel is actively hunting down Night Furies, so they stay hidden, not joining any nests and continuing on the move.

Chief Hiccup and Astrid had three children together, before disappearing on a rescue mission with the other Dragon Riders.

Hakkon, Frigga, and Skathi Haddock were then raised by Valka, Stoick and Gobber. (Stoick having survived Toothless' plasma blast by sheer luck but lost all feeling and motion in his left arm.)

Calumn, Dagur and Mala's son was raised by Mala with the help of the Beserkers and the Defenders of the Wing.

Asgeir and Sindri, Snotlouts son and daughter respectively, were raised seperately. Sindri was raised by her mother, Mindin with the Wingmaidens while Asgeir was raised by his grandfather, Spitelout.

Bragi, Fishlegs and Heathers son, was raised by Mala as well, having been taken in when she realized that Stoick and Valka were raising the three Haddock children.

Alva and Anja, identical twin daughters of Ruffnut, were raised by their father, Eret Eretson on Berk.

Bard, Tuffnuts son was raised by his Uncle, since his mother was unknown.

Hakkon - Female Thunderdrum (Kólga)

Frigga - Male Deadly Nadder (Spear)

Skathi - Several

Calumn - Triple Stryke (Viper)

Asgeir - Monstrous Nightmare (Wildfire)

Sindri - Razorwhip (Belladonna)

Bragi - Thunderclaw (Stormlight)

Alva - Boneknapper (Graveyard)

Anja - Armorwing (Armory)

Bard - Hobblegrunt (Borealis)

TBC . . .

Mirror - We are born of love; love is our mother

Morro had always believed – or rather, he'd thought he'd known – that he'd been abandoned by his parents, but he'd pushed that aside in his need for survival. And then Sensei Wu had found him and things had changed for a short while. He'd had a home, where his belly was always full, a room that was all his own, and a closet of clothes just for him.

But he'd been abandoned – no, that wasn't right, he'd abandoned Wu, in his pursuit to be the Green Ninja, but he'd thought it an indisputible fact. His parents, or maybe just one, had abandoned him in the streets of Jamanakai Village. And now . . .

When Morro had first looked at that picture, it hadn't seemed all that special, but when he had looked closer to see the Master of Wind . . . She had looked nothing like he imagined, all things considered. When he'd imagined the previous Masters of Wind, they hadn't looked so . . . kind, or gentle. They'd always looked mean, or stone-faced, in his imagination.

Eteri – his mother, the one he'd thought had abandoned him – had looked so kind, more like Lloyd with his bleeding heart, rather than Morro. Rather, he looked more like Aryan, the Master of Smoke, with his downturned brow, and sharp, angular features.

He couldn't take it, so he fled, but he only found himself in a wing of the Monastery that had more drawings of the previous Elemental Alliance. Not all were of them in their GI's, and he found hinself staring at one in particular.

Eteri was sitting against a cherry blossom tree, cradling a baby in her arms, looking down with a smile and adoration in her eyes. The picture was done in watercolor, and he wondered what his mother would have looked like in real life.

Her hair was the same inky black as his, with pale green streaks the color of jade – which were darker than his own emerald streaks –, falling around her face in slight waves. Her eyes were grey – no, green or . . . They looked like river stones covered in dark green moss, so different from his green-black eyes of rotting undergrowth.

Her skin was a beautiful shade of light brown with a reddish undertone the near opposite of his own sickly white pallor. In all, he didn't think he looked anything like her and his heart burned as if he was being dragged beneath the waves of Stiix again.

Biting his lip in his efforts to keep himself from crying, he didn't notice the blood beading or Garmadon coming around the bend. Morro's entire body tensed when the man came to stand at his side, looking at the picture with an exhaustion and an ache.

"You look so much like her, I am surprised I did not realize who you were sooner," Garmadon admitted, seemingly not noticing how his words – those simple words – had Morro's lungs freezing.

"I think you've gone blind!" Morro snarled, forcing hinself to speak past the lump in his throat. "I don't look anything like her!"

Garmadon turned to look at him, dark brown eyes glinting with a dark red sheen that seemed more threatening than ever, "I fought alongside Eteri for nearly 23 years, spent more time than I can remember training with her or simply spending time in her company. You look very similar to Eteri."

Morro drew himself up . . . to what? Yell and scream? When had had that helped? When had it become so much harder to be angry?

"How? How do I look like her?"

"Your eyes are the same," Garmadon began, smiling slightly at the sneer he recieved. "I do not mean color. Eteri was the gentlest of us all, until she was pushed and then all bets were off. You could always see every emotion going through her mind in her eyes, just as I can with you."

Morro reeled back, confused, before he remembered all the times Lloyd would stare into his eyes and then, he would either push harder or back off, as if he knew which one he needed.

"You are taller than she was, but otherwise you could be siblings. I have no doubt in my mind that she's smacking Aryan around for making her son so tall," Garmadon laughed to himself.

"What happened?"

That took the mirth out of Garmadon.

"The Emporer sent an army, and we attacked to keep them away from the Monastery but we didn't realize it was a trap. He had some of his soldiers sneak into the Monastery in the hopes of taking away the two babies that lay within. You and Lily. They only succeeded in taking you, and for that they suffered."

"Never had I seen Eteri so angry. Jiang was as well. Together they summonded a storm so powerful that no soldier from his army survived that day. The rivers were dies red for days from the massacre but we succeeded in weakening the Emporer. Over half of his force had been apart of that army and we began to prevail."

"Aryan and Eteri worked tirelessly to find you . . . And that was their downfall. I do not know all the details, but I know they were outmatched and exhausted but they won. It came at the cost of their lives. When we found them, Aryan – Aryan was already gone, and Eteri begged Keahi to find you, for her."

"He died searching for you."

Morro frowned as the image of red, bloodstained and cracked armor flashed in his memories. "He– Did he wear a necklace with a jade amulet?"

"Yes. How did you–"

"He got me to Jamanakai but he died from his injuries," Morro said, giving a bitter laugh. "I thought he was just someone I'd dreamed of but . . ."

"Keahi was your godfather, and he loved you as his own."

"Yeah, lot of good that did him." Once again, Morro stalked off.

Instead of wandering in the Monastery, he left, unable to be in this place that had once hosted his parents, his family.

Sample

Still not sure if I'm going to make this a series but this kind of a sample of what it would be about.

The old Blackwood Monastery loomed ahead of them, a shell of its former glory with crumbling stone walls, rotting wood, and vines climbing along the sides.

"Why the heck have we never seen this place?!" Jay demanded, as Sensei Garmadon pushed through the rotting, rusty black wood and iron doors that led into the main courtyard. The man sighed at the moss that had overtaken the stones and the miature lake forming off to the side where the dirt had sunk over the 50 years since it had been abandoned.

"We abandoned it after the Emporers Army attacked us to get our main forces away from the Monastery so they could . . . So they could steal the children. Unfortantely they managed to succeed and took one of my closest friends son. Her and her husband died trying to rescue him," Garmadon admitted, closing his eyes as the image of Eteri and Aryan flashed in his vision.

"The Emporers Army?" Kai asked, wrinkling his nose. Sensei Garmadpn tool the distraction, turning to them.

"Wu has not–" He interrupted himself at the deadpan look he recieved. "25 Years or so before the Serpentine Wars the Emporer made a decree that all Elemental Masters were enemies of Ninjago and were to be imprisoned or killed."

"What?!"

"How was that allowed?!"

"They were killed!!"

Lloyd raised his voice above them all to be heard, "What happened?"

Garmadon sighed, leading them into the Monasteries halls as he spoke, "We believe a rogue Elemental Master attacked the capitol, killing the Emporer's wife though it was told to the masses that it was an accident. Seeking vengeance, he wanted every Elemental Master dead so there would no longer be those with the power we hold."

"But an Elemental Power passes on after death. Does it not?"

"It does, Zane. But he refused our talks of peace, even when Wu stubbornly clung to it and continued to try to find peace when war was inevitable." Sensei Garmadon could not help the old anger that seeped into his voice.

"Why did Sensei want peace so badly?" Cole asked.

"Our father taught us to keep the balance, and Wu took that to mean we had to keep the peace. Using our fathers old Monastery, he sheltered Elemental Masters who refused to fight or were simply to old or young too. Blackwood Monastery became a symbol of war. I took those who were angry, who had lost family to the massacre and began forming a group of my own."

Garmadon gestured to the wall of the library he'd led them too. Taking up an entire wall, surprisingly undamaged, was a painted picture of 9 people all holding weapons and posed with their weapons.

"Whoa," was the agreed upon sentiment. The picture itself was surprisingly detailed and they all gathered closely to get a better look.

"Who-whose that?" Nya asked, reaching out to lightly touch the figure of a woman holding a spear and very obviously controlling water.

"Jiang Daiyu, the Master of Water and known as the Tide-Bringer," Garmadon stated, a fond smile ticking up the corner of his lips.

"Jiang?" Kai asked. "Like Jiang Mei Lien?"

"Mei Lien was her daughter, and her children would be Daiyu's grandchildren."

Nya turned back to the picture in awe, "That . . . That's my-our grandmother?"

"Yes."

"You've known this entire time who our grandmother is! How could you not tell us?! You're just as bad as Wu!" Kai snarled, the air warming in his anger.

"I did not tell you because I had wrongfully assumed you would be aware. And by the time I realized I was wrong, you did not need to know about the previous holders," Garmadon stated, shaking his head.

"We want to know," Zane said. "So tell us everything."

They all nodded, so Garmadon did.

The picture of a man in armor holding a knocked bow with flames curling around his feet, "Keahi Kalama, the Master of Fire. Known as the Wildfire Archer, and was Ray Kalama's father."

The picture of a man in little armor with a war-hammer balanced on his shoulder with what looked like cracks beneath his feet, "Gerald D'Angelo, the Master of Earth. Known as the Unbreakable Shield, and was Lily D'Angelo's father."

The picture of a man in little armor and a kimono holding two long blades with spikes of ice by his feet, "Aspen, the Master of Ice. Known as the Bringer of Ice, and was the last known Master of Ice until Wu found you, Zane."

The picture of a young man in a kimono top, holding no weapons as lightning curled along his exposed hands, "Petir, the Master of Lightning. Known as the Blue Serpent, and was Libby's father, likely your grandfather Jay."

The next picture was a man in samurai armor with a rice hat covering most of his face, as smoke curled around the twin katana's in his hands, "Aryan, the Master of Smoke. Known as the Ghost of the Samurai, ironic considering his son."

All of the ninja frowned, trying to figure out what that meant as Garmadon tapped the last picture.

It was a woman, levitating in the air with a ninja GI on, long sleeves exposing the Tessens in her hands as her hair flew around her face, a vivid green streak the center piece, "Eteri, the Master of Wind. Known as Tempest, and was Aryan's wife. She and Aryan had a son that was taken from them. They named him Morro, after the way the wind curls around a mountain."

Morro had gone completely still, staring at the two pictures. The only movement any of them could see was the tremble in his fingers. "You- You knew my parents?"

"I did. I considered Eteri a sister, and had she lived it is likely she would have been Lloyd's Godmother as she was also close to Misako. Unfortunately I was not close to Aryan, but I believe the only one of us close to him was Eteri," Garmadon explained, smiling slightly at the pictures. "Aryan was a Samurai, one of the last, and he preffered to be alone but Eteri . . . She was stubborn. Eventually she managed to convince him to come to the Monastery and he became a part of our group, of . . . of the family we'd created."

The smile fell away as Garmadon remembered the tragedy that had befallen them. "Morro, your parents did not abandon you. You were kidnapped from the Monastery and they did everything they could to find you but it wasn't enough. They died, Morro, fighting to get to you and they were not the only ones. Keahi and Petir died trying to find you, leaving behind their own children because of their loyalty to Eteri." Reaching out, Garmadon set a hand on Morro's shoulder as the teen stared at him with trembling green eyes. "Your mother, and your father loved you with everything they had. Never doubt that."

Morro pulled away, stomping deeper into the Monastery as they all watched.

"So, my grandfather seriously died trying to save him?" Kai asked, jerking a thumb in Morro's direction.

"Keahi considered Eteri to be his younger sister, and was named Morro's Godfather. All things considered, had things gone differently, Morro likely would have been your uncle, and even your godfather because of their close relationship," Garmadon stated, amused by the way both Kai and Nya recoiled in shock.

"What?!"

"No way!!"

Jay cackled, loudly, so Garmadon turned his gaze on him, "Your mother likely would have named him as your Godfather as well, especially if Morro had been raised by Aryan and Eteri." That shut the ninja up real quick.

"Is the same true for Cole?" Zane asked, tilting his head.

"It is likely yes."

"Wait, my mother seriously would have . . ."

"Lily's parents were close to Eteri as well. We all were. As I said earlier, we became a family becaise of the war, a bond we forged in blood, death, and sacrifice."

Morimoto's

Kai Kalama | (She/They)

Reader stood beneath the overhang of their apartment building, off to the side so she wasn't in the way of those entering or leaving. Shifting side to side in their heels, they struggled to not reach for her phone to check the time or to see if there were any new texts from Kai.

The loud rev of a motorcycle had her searching the streets for the dark red, gold, and black cycle that Kai adored. It pulled up, with Kai flipping up his sunglasses, having decided against wearing his helmet, to flash them a wink and smirk.

"Flirt," Reader teased, the familiarity making Kai laugh. At least once a day, she called him a flirt, though recently they'd taken to calling him 'my flirt' if they were feeling particularly sappy.

"You know it, bombshell." Kai allowed his eyes to wonder over their attire, damn near salivating at the exposed skin of their chest and legs. Seeing that, Reader spun around to give him a full 360 allowing him to the design along the back of her leather jacket. "Holy shit, you look sexy."

Reader trailed their eyes over his attire, a red silk button up, black slacks, and boots, all pulled together with the leather jacket he wore over top. "You look good yourself."

He smirked, smugly smoothing a hand down the front of his shirt as she came closer. Perking up, he reached out to hook a hand around her thigh, looking up into their eyes, "Is this alright?"

"I'd stop you if I didn't like when you touched me, hotstuff." Reader rested a hand on his shoulder as their eyes flicked to his lips. Kai grinned, tilting his head back to watch their lips in turn.

"So, do I get a hello kiss?"

Huffing, Reader bent down, stopping before their lips could connect, "Don't push your luck, Kai. You still haven't taken me to dinner."

"Well then I guess we better get goin'. Wouldn't want you to miss out on the best date of your life." Kai scooted back a bit so she could sit in front of him.

"I'll have to ride sideways," Reader noted, sitting down in front of him. Their eyes flicked up towards him, searching his face to see if that was alright but he didn't seem to care, more preoccupied with watching her.

"Fine with me." Shifting closer, he carefully guided her legs to rest over his, using his other arm to tuck her more securely against his front. "Hold on tight, bombshell, don't want an accident."

Tucking her arms into Kai's jacket, they felt the shiver that ran down his spine as they rest their face against his chest. "Let's get going, shall we?"

"We shall."

The motorcycle ride was smooth, with Kai going the speed limit rather than shooting past all the cars and trying to make it before the light changed as he normally did. He later admitted to her that he didn't to mess anything up by getting either of them hurt or in trouble.

Kai pulled up to Morimoto's, a three story sushi and hibachi restaraunt with only the finest chefs allowed to work there. The building was old-fashioned in make, but it was very obviously new with a stream of actual koi fish swimming below the bridge one needed to get inside.

Reader was in absolute awe, a smile splitting apart her face as they saw the large sign above the restaraunt. "You remembered?"

Kai shifted, reaching up to rub the back of his neck, "You were so excited about the place, I might have wrote it down in my notes so I would remember it. For when I asked you on a date."

Turning, Reader grabbed his face to tug him down so they could kiss him. His hands immediatley dropped to their hips, squeezing as he tried to deepen the kiss.

"Not right now, Romeo. Maybe after dinner," Reader teased, pulling away. Kai gave her a dopey grin as he straightened up.

"It'll happen." He seemed incredibly confident in himself as he offered an arm for them to take.

Dinner was positively amazing, their chef making them and the others at the table laugh and cheer in awe. He seemed to employ everyone of his tricks, showing off as he served them.

Kai spent the time, watching Reader without being obvious about it. He was in awe of her smile and laughter, reaching out to gently rest a hand on their thigh, squeezing when they simply placed a delicate hand on his own.

And compared to his hands, scarred and heavily calloused from handling swords and fighting, theirs were delicate with smaller scars and callouses from sewing and drawing. Taking her hand, he raised it too press a kiss against their knuckles, smiling at the flush that spread across their cheeks.

Reader, of course, admired how handsome Kai looked, all dressed up in the warm lighting that brought attention to his tanned, scarred skin and brilliant amber eyes. They seemed to glow with fire anytime the chef ignited flames across his stove, much to her amazement. When his hand came to rest on her thigh, they thought their heart was going to beat straight of their chest. His calloused palm was warm, melting her straight down to her core and when he lifted her hand to his lips, she genuinly thought they were gonna become a puddle at his side.

Dessert was just as delicious, with Kai happily eating matcha basque cheesecake while Reader had picked out matcha tiramisu to try. Nudging him, Reader caught Kai's attention.

"Can I try your cheesecake? I've never had matcha cheesecake," Reader admitted. Scooping up a spoonful, Kai offered it too her, struck dumb when she reached forward to take the bite without taking the spoon as he'd assumed they'd do.

Kai watched her lips with rapt attention, unable to look away as she licked a little from her lips. "Its good."

"Yeah," Kai whispered, still stuck in a trance.

"Do you wanna try a bite of mine?"

"Huh, uh, yeah sure. Can't say I've had matcha tiramisu."

He decided to do the same thing she'd done to him, leaning forward to take the bite from her spoon. His core warmed at the smirk that ticked the corner of their lips up, her eyes focused on him with the same attention he'd given them.

After paying, Kai paid waving off her attempts to split the bill, and he even made sure to leave a generous tip for the chef since Reader had liked it so much.

"I did tell you how hot you look, didn't I bombshell?" Kai asked, smirking when she reached up to lightly tap a long nail against the clasps on their chest.

"You might've, but I don't seem to remember."

"Well, bombshell," Kai began, as they stopped in front of his bike, "You look absolutely, jaw-droppingly, ravishing. I'd get down on my knees anytime for you."

She laughed, startled by sudden raunchy joke, but felt a sense of pleasure curl along her spine. "I'm glad you like it. And you, my silver tongued flirt, look absoluteky stunning yourself all dressed up for me."

Grinning, they couldn't help but press their lips together. The kiss became far hotter than it should have, with Readers nails scraping Kai's scalp as his hand dropped to her thigh until a car honked.

"We should uh, probably get goin', huh?" Kai asked, laughing even as he glared after the car that interupted. "But, before that, I have a question for you."

"Go ahead," Reader murmured, hands cupping his cheeks.

"Will you be my girlfriend, or uh, partner?"

Reader smiled, throwing their arms around his neck, "Yes. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend."

Date Outfit and Location

Kai Kalama | (She/They)

Burgundy red dress that falls just past their knees with a boob slit held together by simple straight gold clasps. The sides, starting just below her ribcage and reaching to her waist, have a gap with three simple gold chains attached. Overtop they wore a cropped black leather jacket that reaches just past her boobs. She chose to pair it with golden sun earrings and gold rings to bring attention to their black nails as well as black ankle strap heels.

Kai chose to take Reader to Morimoto's, a fancy and expensive sushi restaraunt that can take months to get a reservation at. It happens to be Reader's dream restaraunt to visit but they've never had a chance to go to because of the prices.

Zane Julien | (She/her)

Pale blue circle skirt with snowdrops sewn along the right side, with a white off-shoulder cardigan, paired with blue converse. Simple clay earrings made to look like snowdrops, and a simple necklace with a shard of diamond bring the entire outfit together.

Zane chose to take Reader to an Interactive Museum because of their mutual love of museums and Readers natural curiosity. It is one of the largest museums in the country of Ninjago and incredibly popular with an aquariam inside.

Cole Brookstone | (They/them)

Deep cut silk white blouse over a black, sleeveless turtleneck paired with a simple silver chain, and a singular black pearl hanging from his earlobe. They wore black jeans with it as well, a wallet chain, and black boots.

Reader decided on the Food Festival, a time when people from all over Ninjago Country gather in the streets and set up stalls, a good opportunity for Cole's first dip back into festivals.

Jay Walker | (She/Her)

Simple blue jeans with bluberry bushes sewn up the calves, tight white sleeveless turtleneck, with a baby blue cardigan that she can easily take off. She paired it with white sneakers, a blue bead anklet, and a string pearl necklace.

Reader chose to take Jay out to a Trampoline Park, the largest in Ninjago, since they both enjoy fun and it has multiple different sections that include laser tag, putt putt, and an obstacle course she hopes to challenge him in.

Lloyd Garmadon | (She/her)

Calf length, tight black turtleneck dress with golden designs along the chest and green glass beads to further bring the designs to life, and off the shoulder loose sleeves with a cuff to keep it from spilling over hands. Black kitten pumps, a gold lotus wrap bracelet, and emerald drop earrings bring the entire outfit together.

Lloyd chose to take Reader out to a fancy restaruant in one of the most expensive places to impress her, even though he doesn't need too. But she is excited to have a date with him, and has never been wined and dined before.

Morro | (She/her)

Ankle length sheer black skirt with pale pink cherry blossoms over black leggings and pale pink sneakers. A pale pink silk wrap around shirt with kimono-esque sleeves and cloud designs along the bottom of the sleeves, paired with a simple silver ring and cherry blossom earrings.

Morro chose to take Reader to a Lantern Festival being hosted in Ninjaho's National Park. The park itself is huge, and so is the Lantern Festival, but its also a little pricey so Reader never had the opportunity to go, even though she wished to.

A/n: The actual dates will be posted one by one as I hope for them to be more detailed, but hope you all enjoy this little tidbit.

Your First Kiss

Jiang Kai | Kai Kalama (She/They)

Reader was sat on the floor of her apartment, leaning back against Kai's legs as he flipped through channels on the tv. They had a new sketch due in two days, so they were hoping for inspiration.

The parameters for the project were pretty simple; primary color (red, yellow, blue), one accent color (gold or silver), and female model.

Above her, Kai suddenly leaned over them to look in their eyes, "What if you did something based of Azula? You know, from Avatar. She's got red and gold in her design doesn't she?"

Blinking, Reader turned it over in her mind before nodding. Focusing back on him, she was unsurprised to find his gaze on their lips. Doing their best to not let him know that they saw his gaze, they spoke, "That's good. She does have red, though its more maroon but I can tweak the colors a bit to fit the parameters. Thank you, Kai."

He flushed, leaning back as Reader fought to hide a wider smile. For nearly three months, since they'd begun hanging out, she'd noticed how his eyes constantly strayed to their lips or how focused he'd get whenever they spoke. It was sweet, and was defintely not helping their crush. So today, they decided to do something about it.

Later, after dinner, Kai was at the door preparing to leave. "Well, I guess I should leave a pretty person all alone in their apartment to work on their project." He winked making Reader laugh.

"Kai . . ." Reader trailed off, summoning all of their confidence. "Tell me if you don't want this."

"What–"

Cupping his face, Reader pulled him down a little as they reached up a bit to press a kiss against his lips. Their lips slotted together perfectly, fitting like puzzle pieces. The kiss only lasted for a few seconds, as Kai had frozen in shock.

"Sorry. I thought–"

Kai interrupted her this time, slamming their lips back together as he pushed her against the wall beside the door, hands falling to their hips as Reader wrapped their arms around his neck to keep him close.

Reader couldn't help but notice that he tasted like cinnamon, likely from the gum he loved to chew on all the time. Kai noticed how Reader tasted like the fruity wine they'd had with dinner and nearly moaned at the taste.

Pulling away, but not pulling apart completely, he pressed their heads together. "So, can I take you on a date?"

"Time, date, and place?"

"Next Saturaday, 7, and you'll see."

"I'll see you then, Kalama," Reader teased, seperating. Kai obediantly stepped outside, reverantly touching his lips when the doors closed.

Zane Julien (She/Her)

Zane mediatated peacefully to the quiet sounds of Reader painting, her playlist, and the soft humming. He felt at peace in the whirlwind that was her studio, eventually opening his eyes to see what she was painting.

It was the Aurora Borealis, with a wolf pack tilting their heads back to howl in unison. He was amazed by the motion you'd managed to capture in the painting.

"It looks incredible," Zane complimented, startling Reader into nearly dropping her palette.

"Oh shit!" He was quick to catch it, much to her relief. "Oh thank the dragons. Thank you for the compliment, and the catch."

"Do not thank me, it was my fault for startling you."

"You still caught it for me. So I'm going to thank you. Thank you Zane," Reader stated, smiling as she took the palette back.

Zane smiled softly, starstruck as she turned back to the painting. Standing just behind her, he remembered something Nya had said he should do, based on his feelings and how Reader acted around him.

'Ask permission to kiss her, then take her on a date. But don't push her.'

"Reader," Zane said, quickly catching her attention. She turned to him, setting her pallette down to give him her full attention. "I have a question, but I do not wish for you to feel pressured."

"I wouldn't let myself he forced into anything," Reader agreed, tilting her head.

"Of course." Zane hesitated, stepping closer, flustering her. "May I . . . May I kiss you, Reader?"

Reader seemed to freeze, soft lips parting in surprise. After waiting for nearly thirty seconds, Zane was disappointed by the lack of answer but took it in stride. "I apologize, I did not—"

"Was my asking an issue?"

"No, no!" Reader interrupted, waving her hands around. "You don't need to apologize! I was just surprised! Promise! You're not normally so outspoken, so . . ."

"Just a surprise."

"You still have not answered the question," Zane noted, tilting his head slightly. Blushing, Reader ducked her head down in emberresment.

"I-yes. Yes, you can . . . you can kiss me," Reader whispered, standing a little taller as Zane stepped into their space.

Slowly he pressed their lips together, not wanting to rush and accidentally hurt her. The kiss was soft, chaste and made Reader pleasantly cold as Zane felt his core warm in pleasure. Pulling away, he found his own smile widening when he saw Reader looking at him with a wide smile of their own.

"May I take you out? On a date?"

"Y-yes! Yes!"

"Then tomorrow? At 7?"

"Perfect."

"I shall pick you up then," Zane decided, still smiling. Giggling Reader stepped into his space to sink into a hug.

"I can't wait."

Cole Brookstone (They/Them)

The stars were bright as Reader and Cole laid in a grassy meadow Cole had taken them too. Head resting on Cole's stomach, Reader had a surprisingly good view of Cole's reaction every time he spoke lowly, in order to keep the peace of course.

Tonight was Ninjagos Festival of Stars, recently adopted from the Serpentine but neither of them were fans of large crowds and wanted to see the stars and fireworks alone. So Reader had packed a nighttime picnic, with Cole hovering over their shoulder in anticipation.

Mooncakes, Star shaped iced cookies, and multiple blackberry flavored treats. They'd also brought along their starry night themed drink, with blueberries, bananas, and kiwi syrups to make it a stunning array of colors.

Cole had, of course, nearly devoured his portion in a half hour as Reader talked about their day, and some issues they'd noticed recently, eating far slower.

"So, what made you invite me out to watch the stars? Is it just 'cause ya knew I'd bring ya food?" Reader asked, without opening their eyes.

"What, no! All of the others wanted to go to the festival and celebrate, but I wasn't in the mood to celebrate. I'd rather hang out with you," Cole admitted.

"Really? Me? Mr. Ninja wants to hang out with an uninteresting civilian?"

"Your not uninteresting, which I'm not sure is a word by the way. Your just . . . You're normal, and I need that in my life. And you're fun in a different way."

"Well, thank you for the compliment. Any specific reason you don't like festivals? Or is it private?"

Cole knew that all he had to say was that it was private and he would drop it, but he wanted to share. "My mom used to take me out to festivals all the time when I was younger. She had a piggy bank specifically for those days that I could add change too. It was my money to use to do whatever I wanted with during the festival. When she died, I stopped going. It doesn't feel the same anymore."

Reader was silent, thinking. "When I lost my parents, I no longer thought it was worth it. To live. It took me three years to truly start enjoying the world and some days its still hard." Glancing up, they met eyes. "If you ever decided you want to try, I'd be happy to take you. We could make it a date."

"A date?" Cole sat up, worrying Reader who sat up as well.

"It doesn't . . . have to be a date. Not if you don't want it to be."

"Well, what if I want it to be a date?"

Reader smiled, leaning closer as their eyes flicked towards Cole's lips. "I'd like that."

Smiling softly, Cole and Reader leaned closer together until their lips were barely a centimeter apart. "Would you be upset if I kissed you?" Cole asked, trying to hide his nerves.

"Not at all."

Grinning, Cole eagerly pressed their lips together, twisting until he was hovering over Reader. Fingers wove into his black hair, tugging him closer to them as they made out beneath the stars.

Cole eventually forced himself to pull out of their hold, lips glistening and red as he panted. Reader was not much better, shirt having ridden up at some point. "Well . . . that was not what how I thought tonight would turn out," Cole admitted with a goofy grin.

Reader laughed, eyes bright. "So, we still on for that date?"

"Absolutely."

Jay Walker (She/her)

Lightning flashed across the sky, followed closely by the crack of thunder, making Reader groan. She and Jay were both caught in the rain, having been taking a short break from working on one of his older Mechs.

"Well, this sucks," Reader grumbled, huddling beneath the glass cover of a bus station as Jay watched the lightning sparking in the sky with a strange sort of awe and reverance. Nudging him, she broke the spell cast by the bright flashes. "Everything ok, sparky?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Just, ehehe, get a little excited during thunderstorms," Jay explained, allowing a spark to flit through his fingers in demonstration.

"That's . . ." Reader trailed off as lightning struck again, highlighting the sharp angular, boyish features Jay had, bringing out his freckles and auburn hair. "That's pretty cool. Don't think I'll ever get used to people fighting with elements though."

"Seriously? You've hung out with Nya for years, how is it still so weird!"

"I don't know! It just is!"

"Maybe you're the weirdo."

"Huh," Reader gasped, as if truly offended. Grabbing their imaginary pearls, she draped herself across the bench. "To slay me with such cruel words, oh how I die. Must this be the way death comes for me."

Jay laughed, plopping down behind her so she could rest her head on his thighs. He smiled down at her, trying hard to keep his blush down, and failing miserably.

"You're turning pink," Reader mused, poking his cheek as her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Is it because you've fallen for my beauty?"

Jay felt his lips twitch downwards when he heard the sarcasm. He was far less oblivious than people thought and he'd realized a while back that Reader did not think themselves pretty. Just . . . Average.

"Would that . . . be bad?"

Readers smile fell as she stared up at him in shock, "Jay . . ."

"I really want to kiss you."

"Then do it."

Leaning down, she reached up, meeting him in the middle. Neither noticed how the lightning seemed to cover the sky, with barely a secons between the flashes. They were too focused on the press of their lips, on memorizing how the others face felt beneath their fingertips.

Pulling away, Reader giggled, quickly joined by Jay. Their was no real reason to laugh but she was happy and so was he.

"So when can I take you on a date, Mr. Blue Ninja?" Reader asked, laughing at the look he gave her.

"Hey! I'm supposed to ask you out!"

"Too late." He tried to sulk but another kiss had him relaxing into a giddy smile. "Fine. I'll go out on a date with you."

"I'll plan a good date, scouts honor."

"You've never been a scout!"

"Oops."

Lloyd Garmadon (She/her)

Reader was happily pressed against Lloyd's side as they walked, liking the comfort of his arm draped over her shoulder. They'd gone windowshopping in the nearby mall for her hour break and were finishing up to walk back, not that Rufus would mind all that much if she was a few minutes late.

"Ooh, look at that," Reader said, pointing to a shoe store. In the display window were Ninja-themed shoes, with Lloyd's being the most prominent.

Lloyd saw what she was looking at and groaned, cheeks flushing, "Please tell me you're not going to buy those. They're like 100$."

Reader pouted, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes, "But I thought you liked seeing me in your merch?" She'd noticed it a few weeks ago when she'd worn a green ninja shirt, seen how wide his eyes had gotten and how stuttery and blushy he'd gotten.

Just like right now.

"Wh‐well, of course, but still . . ." Lloyd trailed off, looking away to hide his face.

Giggling, Reader patted his bicep, pleased at the feel of muscle beneath the long sleeved shirt he wore. "I'm kidding, sweets. They're cute, but too expensive for my taste. Besides, I'd look better in one of the Green Ninja sweaters that one store was selling."

Somehow, Lloyd's blush darkened as he whined, "Reader."

"Lloyd," Reader cooed, delighting even further in his blush.

Suddenly, looking past him she spotted Ryker, very obviously looking around for someone. In a heartbeat their eyes met and he started towards her, making her freak out slightly.

"Lloyd."

He immediatley caught the change in her voice and followed her eyes to see where she was looking. Seeing Ryker, he cussed and pulled her towards a hallway between stores to try and hide.

"He already saw me," Reader admitted nervously. Lloyd watched the entrance, tense, as Reader tried to think up a plan.

Grabbing his shirt, she tugged him close until he was pressing her against the wall. Gaping down at her, he seemed frozen in place.

"Trust me?" Reader asked softly, eyes wide. Lloyd nodded, softening marginally.

"Of course."

Leaning up, she pressed their lips together making Lloyd freeze for only a second before he leaned into it. He gently cupped her cheek, keeping the kiss soft and slow as her own hands found their way into soft golden-blond hair.

Neither noticed when Ryker found them, nor when he realized just who was kissing Reader. Furious the man turned away and fled, stomping away as they stayed pressed together.

"So, sweets, when do you plan on taking me out?" Reader asked, breathless. Lloyd stared down at her, emerald eyes alight with awe.

"Friday, at 6. We're going somewhere fancy," Lloyd decided, smiling widely.

Reader giggled, using her grip on his head to tug him back down into a kiss, "Sounds good to me."

Morro (She/Her)

Morro was passed out on Readers couch, sleeping off the inherent exhaustion that came from his longer missions. She was curled against the side pressed against the couch, watching a movie on low so she wouldn't wake him.

Head resting on his shoulder, with his arm loosely wrapped around her side she couldn't help but blush, thinking about what people would say if they saw their position. It was intimate, even for friends. Her face had been warm the entire time they'd been cuddling, though she hoped he hadn't noticed.

Sudden movement from the hand on her hip startled her, making her glance down. Morro was rubbing at the exposed skin of her hip bone with his thumb.

"This alright?" He asked, voice a low rasp from just waking.

"Yeah," Reader mumbled, pressing her face into his chest. "Just fine. Perfect."

He chuckled, embarresing her further. They fell back into silence, though Reader's mind was running a thousand miles an hour.

"Hey, Morro?"

"Hmmm."

"Do you–" She cut herself off to sit up a bit to look him in the face. Morro's eyes were half-lidded but attentive. "Can I take you out? On-on a date?"

Morro's eyes sprang open as he gaped in shock. Fearfully, Reader began stuttering, "B-but not, not if you don't want too! Of course you don't have to agree! Just asking!" She tried to push the tears in her eyes back as Morro sat up, without saying anything.

With a gentleness few thought he was capable of, Morro rested a large hand on her cheek, forcing her to meet his dark grey-green eyes. "Can I kiss you?"

At her shocked expression, he laughed.

"Y-yeah."

Still grinning smugly, he pressed their lips together, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her close. He barely let her come up for air before diving back in, like she was his air.

Finally he let them seperate, panting slightly, "I'm taking you out. Friday night, wear something you can walk in."

"O-okay." Eagerly she leaned back in for another kiss making his grin as he met her in the middle.

Okay, so this is a story i might write but I do want to get it out there and see if anyone is interested in reading it.

So the series would be about the previous two sets of Elemental Masters of Ninjago, since some got their Element earlier, others later, and its a whole jumbled mess. The main focus would be these characters.

Keahi Kalama, The Master of Fire, and known as the Wildfire Archer, for when his arrows strike they wrupt into flames. He is also known for using different pouches full of powder to change the color and deadliness of his fire and to make the smoke itself poisonous. (Father of Ray Kalama, Grandfather of Kai and Nya Kalama)

Jiang Daiyu, the Master of Water, and known as the Tide-Bringer for she swept an army from the beach when they threatened her home village. She prefers to use a fishing spear as a weapon, simply because she knows how to use it best, and she is one of the strongest Elemental Masters of the Alliance. (Mother of Jiang Mei Lien (Maya), Grandmother of Kai and Nya Kalama)

Gerald D'Angelo, the Master of Earth, and known as the Shield for his control in forming shields to defend his allies. Most commonly seen using a massive war hammer to manipulate the earth and is naturally strong, breaking bones in a single punch. (Father of Lilly D'Angelo, Grandfather of Cole Brookstone)

Aspen, the Master of Ice, and known as the Bringer of Winter for he rarely is seen during missions in summer but once he begins being seen it means winter is coming. Used two long blades coated in poison that left his enemies rotting but frostbitten, striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. (Unknown relation to Zane Julien)

Petir, the Master of Lightning, and known as the Blue Serpent for his powerful strikes using the Imperial Adder fighting style. So fast, very few of his oppenents stand a chance when facing him outright even when they outmatch him in strength because he has experience and speed. No known weapons used. (Father of Lyn, Grandfather of Jay Walker)

Eteri, the Master of Wind, and known as Tempest for in battle she could summon massive tornadoes that left gouges in Ninjago still seen in modern day geography. Rarely every used weapons, but carried Tessens, war fans, with sharp blades in case her element became disabled or she needed to fight without it. One of the strongest members of the Elemental Alliance. (Mother of Morro)

Aryan, the Master of Smoke, and known as the Ghost Samurai, for his ability to turn himself to smoke and travel quickly made people believe he was a ghost. A samurai that teamed up with the Elemental Alliance, because they were being threatened by the Emperor of Ninjago. Wore black armor and had a sword passed down to him that was still as sharp as the day it had been forged. (Father of Morro)

And Garmadon.

I wanted to do a series about how Elemental Masters weren't trusted or revered until recent years and that's why Morro never used his Element on the streets. It would show the Emporer basically deciding he wanted all elemental masters dead, not understanding very well that the elements would simply pass on, and sent out his army creating a period of war and strife.

A lot of the secondary Elemental Masters stayed in hiding with Wu, who did not wish to fight, while Garmadon led his own group to fight back and try to force the Emporer to leave them alone.

The main characters though would be Eteri and Aryan, Morro's parents, and we would see what happened leading up to him being 'abandoned' in Jamanakai at the base of Wu's Monastery. I thought it would be interesting to explore if his parents did not actually abandon him but circumstances happened and he ended up alone.

Parts of the story would flash forward to when Garmadon is talking of his old friends, finally sharing the information all of the ninja wanted before revealing Morro's parentage. (He's there because he's trying to redeem himself.)

So, what do you think?

Question???

Ok so I read a fanfic, prob yrs ago now, about the Ninja, it was a Ninjago Boyfriends Scenarios with the author including themselves as a character, Erica (I think), and they were hispanic amd really chaotic throughout the story but that made it really enjoyable and it had scenarios where all the girlfriends hung out together, like all the stories were happening at one. And now I can't find it.

Does anybody recognize this fanfic, or know if it was deleted or moved?

Daughter of Tyraxes

Goddess of Peace, Wisdom, Strategy, and Reason

The Eyrie was absolutely beautiful, pale white stone gleaming in the light of the moonlight. The Keep rests at the very top of a mountain, making it difficult to reach, but making it seem ethereal in a way. From every room within the Eyrie has a stunning view, with every window giving them the view of the sky, nearby mountains, or the nearby cities.

Queen Alicent Hightower despised it. Hated the Eyrie, hated the cold mountain air, hated the views, hated the servents, and Lords and Ladies of the Vale. Every look she recieved, instead of being in awe of her piousness, grace, and beauty, they looked upon her in contempt, viewing her as a replacement of the Late Queen Aemma Arryn.

They seemed to forget that the Queen was a failure, having only given the King a singular daughter while she had given him two sons and a daughter. Yet she was punished, forced to watch as his whore of a daughter flaunted her position as heir, carrying around her bastard, alongside her swordswallowing husband.

She had given him a son, the son he had killed Aemma Arryn for, and yet he was not given the title he deserved. The title of Heir that was his right as a firstborn son. It was unfair to her and her sons! Shoved to the side as he doted endlessly upon his daughter and grandson, especially now that she was pregnant again.

The whore had barely waited six months before announcing she was pregnant again, and now at nearing 9 months she had packed up the entire household to visit her mothers home. And of course, the King had done whatever she asked of him.

So now she was sitting in this too small room with seven of her ladies in waiting embroidering a new pillow, listening to the chatter.

"Did you see what the Princess was wearing?" Cassandra Baratheon asked, leaning forward eagerly. As the youngest lady, at only 10-and-1, she loved to gossip and often heard the most scandalous gossip since she was ignored on account of her age and gender.

"Northern rags," Lady Maria Redwyne sneered, rocking slowly in her chair. As Queen Alicents Aunt, sister of her mother, she held seniority within the seven ladies. "They make her look the savage she is."

"Not that these people see it that way. Have you seen how they treat her? It's as if she is already Queen," Celia Lannister stated, shaking her head. The cousin of Jason and Tyland Lannister she was just as vain and proud, forming a deep dislike for Princess Rhaenyra and her ladies.

"If only the King would see reason," Lady Leyla Brackens murmured. "A woman ruling over the Kingdoms? We'd go bankrupt in months with all her fancies and expensive taste."

"She'd probably offend everyone she talked to," Ceryse Hightower chirped, gigling with Cassandra. As the two youngest, with Ceryse being 10-and-2, they had formed a close bond of friendship.

"The men at her feet would probably ignore her actions just to continue laying in her bed," Lady Mari Ambrose scoffed, sneering. Lady Leyla and Lady Maria nodded as the two youngest giggled.

"Hush girls," Lady Anya Peake barked, severe brown eyes sharp. "If anyone were to hear your words on the Princess our heads would roll. Have your parents not taught you to whisper?"

The oldest of her ladies, Lady Anya was second only to Lady Maria, for she was Queen Alicents paternal great-Aunt. A severe, pious woman, she was normally the one to escort Alicent to the Sept to pray.

"Unfortunately my husband is besotted by his daughter, unable to see any flaws she has. This extends to both her husband, and son, as I'm sure you've seen," Queen Alicent added, sadly. "Our own children are neglected by him, and so often does he refer to the Princess as his only daughter. My heart aches for my dear Halaena."

Her ladies murmured agreements, and hopes that Halaena did not feel left out. While her words were true, she did not truly wish for him to spend time with her children because he'd share the Targaryens queer customs with them.

"One day the King will see reason," Lady Maria swore, eyes darkening. If he didn't they all knew what would happen.

War.

Lady Annara Celtigar, Lady Amanda Arryn, and Lady Sara Snow watched over Crown Prince Jacaerys as he sat beside Vermithors snout, playing with his wooden figures. A group of five Dragonkeepers stood nearby, just in case.

"I never thought I'd see a dragon acting as a babysitter," Lady Annara giggled, earning a snort from Lady Sara.

"A dragons connection to their rider is something we will never understand. The closest we have ever come is when we bonded with Griffens, or Direwolves," Lady Amanda stated wisely. Both girls, barely 10-and-6, watched her in shock and awe before realizing the significance.

Silence fell before Lady Sara muttered, "He really does look like a babysitter."

Lady Annara burst into a fit of giggles, cutting herself off when Vermithor huffed out smoke, orange-yellow eye focusing on her.

"I feel like I'm being told to shut up," Lady Annora whispered, trembling as the Dragons gaze returned to his rider. Jacaerys, with no fear, smacked his dragons snout.

"Bad. Good lady," Jacaerys called, glaring at the dragon in defense of his favorite Lady-in-Waiting. Lady Amanda and Lady Annara both cooed at his sweetness as Lady Sara smiled affectionately.

The little prince had won their hearts near instantly after his birth. While several of Rhaenyra's Ladies-and-Maids-in-Waiting had come after her historic birth, they had all fallen for the sweet little prince and they were excited for the Crown Princess' next child.

"Such a sweet boy. He will be a wonderful King when it is time," Lady Annara said.

"Unfortunately, his personality is not set in stone, Annora. It will be up to his mother, father, and us to make sure he and all of his future siblings are raised well," Lady Amanda corrected.

"Prince Laenor and Princess Rhaenyra were talking of when it would be considered appropriate to begin having lessons to be a knight," Lady Sara commented, brow furrowing a little.

"What else did they mention?" Lady Annara questioned, vivid blue eyes sharp as she lowered her voice.

"They decided that once he turned 4 he would begin watching the Knights practicing before being allowed to train at 5, and squiring would begin upon his 8th nameday," Lady Sara stated, glancing around to check for servents or others. Fortunately, few would dare come when Vermithor was there, so they had complete privacy. "Princess Rhaenyra mentioned sending him to the Wall for a time so he may be a true knight that has not just seen tourneys and jousts."

"That would be a smart play," Lady Amanda agreed, nodding. "It would strengthen his ties to the North, and show them that a good King will sit the Iron Throne."

"Allies could be made as well, but . . ." Lady Annara hesitated. "Those that take the black are often criminals, would he be safe there?"

"I doubt they would send him without Vermithor. Besides, by that time he will be fully knighted," Lady Sara corrected.

"Good. Did anyone else think that Princess Rhaenyra seemed quite confident that it was a girl?"

"Confident enough to create a contract that would make her heir of the Vale," Lady Amanda said. Neither were surprised. "While the Vale is behind the Princess, this will give them something to hold. A Princess of their own, who will one day care for them as Princess Rhaenyra does."

They understood what the older woman truly meant. When King Viserys died there would be war, and having the Vale and the North securely behind Princess Rhaenyra and her children would tilt the scales in their favour.

Lady Jeyne Arryn stood at the balconey doors of Crown Princess Rhaenyra's quarters, cradling the newest Princess in her arms. Smiling down at the babe, she could not help but see the similarity in the babes face to Princess Daella's face from the portraits her Grandfather had commisioned that were found in several halls of the Eyrie.

"She's beautiful, your majesty," Lady Jeyne murmured, completely captivated. Crown Princess Rhaenyra smiled, leaning back against the headboard as her husband, Prince Laenor, carefully wiped her forehead of sweat with a cooled rag.

"Please, Lady Jeyne, we are cousins. You have my permission to call me Rhaenyra."

"Then you have mine to call me Jeyne, Rhaenyra."

Both women shared gentle smiles.

"Thank you, Rhaenyra. You have given me the Heir I have been so worried of giving," Lady Jeyne admitted sadly.

"If I am to understand it, the boy you would have been forced to name as heir is Arnold Arryn's son?" Prince Laenor asked, leaning forward.

"His nephew, through his sisters marriage to Jackson Redfort, my Lady Jessamyne's elder brother. As the second son of a second wife he has been raised modestly these past 4 years, but we shall see what kind of man he will grow into," Lady Jeyne stated, glancing towards the bedroom door. While she despised Arnolds Line, the boy was innnocent, as was his mother.

"And if he turns out like his Uncle?" Princess Rhaenyra asked, wincing as she shifted in the bed.

"Then your daughter will be free to pick any Valeman she wishes, as long as they understand that her children will take the name Arryn."

"Good."

"May I ask what you plan to name her?" Lady Jeyne asked.

"Ah yes, our apologies," Prince Laenor said, offering an awkward grin. "We have decided upon the name Alyssa, both for Alyssa Velaryon and Alyssa Targaryen as well as Alyssane Targaryen."

"A strong, beautiful name," Lady Jeyne agreed smiling down at little Alyssa. "Mo oidhre." The Old Language of the Vale flowed effortlessly from her tongue, making Alyssa coo in delight.

In the moonlight her red-gold hair shone softly, reminding Jeyne of spun gold in sunlight, where it glowed red. The soft curls covered her entire head, nearly hiding her beautiful blue-purple eyes.

"Cosúil leis an spéir roimh titim na hoíche." (Like the sky before nightfall.)

"When I have recovered, I wish to announce her to the Vale if possible."

"Of course. The Vale will know of my heir, of your daughter, Rhaenyra."

Three days had passed since Lady Jeyne Arryn had first held her heir, since Crown Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen had given birth but no one outside of the two, Prince Laenor Velaryon, and Crown Prince Jacaerys Targaryen knew of her name, so a feast was thrown.

Queen Alicent wore a velvet green dress with golden leaves sewed into the sleeves and skirts. The design of the dress was beautiful, but the itchy fabrics it was made of made it look less so. All three of her children originally accompanied her, but Princess Halaena cried starting Prince Aemond off so the two had to be taken back to the nursury.

Prince Aemond wore a doublet of the same itchy material, shown by how he constantly tugged at it and tried to take it off. His caretaker was struggling to keep him dressed, much to Queen Alicent's irritation but there was nothing she could do.

Lady Jeyne Arryn stood before them all, with King Viserys, Crown Princess Rhaenyra, and Prince Laenor at her sides. She wore a beautiful dress of blue and white, with fabric forming 'wings' that connected to her wrist using silver bracelets.

King Viserys and his daughter wore red and black, while Prince Laenor wore blue, green, and gold complememtimg each other quite nicely.

Much to her distaste, Queen Alicent had not been allowed up onto the dais where the Moonwood Throne sat.

"After hours of hardship, my daughter gave birth to her own daughter, another Princess for House Targaryen and House Velaryon," King Viserys announced.

Rhaenyra stepped forward with her husband, hand resting in the crook of his arm, "My daughter came when the moon had risen to its peak, and just as my eldest son was, she has been marked by the gods. I have been blessed, both in birth and in life, for this opportunity."

"For years you have all worried who would take the Lordship of the Vale, of the Arryns, upon my death," Lady Jeyne stated, bringing everyones attention to her. Queen Alicents heart dropped. "Through my grandfathers second wife, Princess Daella, and my aunt, the late Queen Aemma Arryn, I am cousin to Crown Princess Rhaenyra as she is mine. Through her, her daughter holds the blood of Arryns, so I have made my decision."

With a nod, Crown Princess Rhaenyra carefully placed her daughter in her cousins arms.

"Princess Alyssa Velaryon, shall take the name Arryn upon reaching her 6-and-10 nameday, where henceforth she shall reside here in the Vale. Upon her 7-and-10 nameday she shall marry Theodore Redfort who is an Arryn through his mother to strengthen my bloodline. Her children shall inherit the name Arryn. As such, I introduce you to Princess Alyssa Velaryon, Heiress to House Arryn, and Heir to the Vale!"

The crowd of Valeman erupted into cheers that seemed to shake the halls of the Eyrie until a roar truly shook the keep. Silence fell as everyone turned their gazes to the dais.

"Sil'wing wan' her rider," Crown Prince Jacaerys announced, pronouncing some of his words wrong but getting his point across.

"Then she will recieve her rider," Princess Rhaenyra stated, taking her daughter back into her arms. The enfire crowd followed the princess to the courtyard where the she-dragon had landed. The same place where Ronnel Arryn had taken his first flight upon the dragon, Vhagar.

Silverwing seemed to glimmer in the light of the setting sun, and many thought, upon seeing the she-dragon, that she would be a perfect match for the Princess of the Vale.

Lowering her head she crooned to her rider, earning a delighted burble.

And so Princess Rhaenyra took her daughter upon the dragoneses back and took to the skies as the Greens watches in anger and the Blacks watched on in awe and delight.

Princess Alyssa of House Velaryon, Third of Her Name, Heiress to House Arryn, Heir to the Vale, The Moonborn, Daughter of the Vale, She-Dragon of the Vale, She-Who-Was-Born-In-The-Night, the Peaceful, the Diligent, the Strategist, the Falcon of House Targaryen, rider of Silverwing, the Silver Queen, the Beautiful, the Pearl, the Protector of the Vale, had been born.

Prologue

The walls bounced the sounds of screaming around, echoing loudly and turning the sound into something inhumane. Every sound from the blood soaked cells that leaked into the hallway seemed amplified, every whimper of agony, ever crunch of bone being broken or shattered, every squelch of skin being sliced into, every sob of fear, and every prayer for the Shinigami to come and take them away. It created a symphony, a reminder that no matter how peaceful Konoha may seem, it is still a forest built upon ashes, bone, and blood soaked earth.

The prayers, fervent and loud, were never answered, at least not until the information they sought had been pried from them, every secret ripped out. Never before.

The silence that came from one particular cell was far more ominous and terrifying than the screams from others. While the body was a fortuitous thing, able to bounce back from all kimds of damage and even perform miracles but the mind . . . Far easier to damage, leaving permanent wounds that were difficult to heal.

Danzo Shimura stood before the one-sided glass, gaze impassive as he watched Inoichi Yamanaka rip through the traitors mind.

Mizuki Mumei, a lackluster, unimpressive chunin that had barely passed the Chunin Exams had been given access to the saplings of Konoha and instead of caring for them, he had spread rot into their roots, damaging hundreds of students that had graduated.

Since being captured only a few hours before Mumei had ranted and raved like a lunatic about the village, easily admitting to what he'd done. The finer details were torn from him with no care, the father in Inoichi raging at the traitor that had spread rot into his daughters ears. In less than an hour, Inoichi was able to reveal everything Munei had done, including selling Konoha secrets to Iwagakure and Orochimaru.

In less than an hour Mizuki Mumei was nothing but a stain on Konoha's name, body left to rot until it could be burned.

'Pathetic," Danzo thought, disgusted that such a weak vermin had been able to begin ripping the saplings Konoha guarded so zealously. Turning, he stalked down the hall, cane clicking as prisoners pulled away hoping to be ignored by the wraith of Konoha. A small part took pleasure in their fear and horror but a far larger piece of him was preoccupied, searching for solutions to this new problem.

No longer in charge of Root, he had been listless but now . . . Now he could no longer sit idle.

Hiruzen had been reinstated for nearly 13 years, allowing rot to fester when he shoukd have torn it out long ago. No more. From now on, he would take care of the saplings, just like his mentor once had, tearing out the rot and cultivating them into towering oaks. First, he needed to convince Hiruzen to put him in the project, everything else would have to come after.

Right now he needed to plan his attack so Hiruzen would not be able to deny him. He was not known as the Shadow Hokage for nothing after all.

When You Become Friends | He Falls For You

Jiang Kai | Kai Kalama

Kai impatiently tapped his foot, waiting for Reader to emerge from the doors of Ninjago City College. His amber eyes scanned every person who came out from the doors until he saw her.

They were wearing all red, which made him smirk as a blush colored his cheeks, with black heels and pants to tie the outfit together. It took Reader a second to find him across the street and for her to begin to make her way through the crowd.

"I'm surprised you actually waited," Reader mused, lips twitching upwards.

"How could I not escort such a lovely person home?" Kai asked, winking as Reader shook their head.

"Flirt."

"Only for you."

Reader did not know how true that was, did not know that Kai had completely stopped flirting with other girls even when she wasn't there.

Rolling their eyes, Reader turned and began to walk, leaving Kai to stride after her own long strides. Grinning smugly, he dropped an arm over their shoulder, eyeing them nervously from the corner of his eye to see if they were okay with it.

When his arm was left to rest upon her shoulders his smile grew as he held himself taller.

At their house, they sat with glasses of wine and chatted about their respective days.

The entire time Kai could barely keep his eyes off of her, listening intently though his mind wandered everytime he looked to her lips. Their voice was gentle, calm, the soft melody of light rain and sunshine shining through the clouds. When it was his turn to talk, Reader gave him their full attention, asking questions when things confused her.

He was falling for her. Not just her looks, but her.

Zane Julien

Zane smiled gently when he saw Reader practically bouncing towards him, satchel swinging with their movements.

"Zane!" Reader called, throwing her arms around his neck in a quick hug. When she pulled back, Zane privately wished she hadn't.

She had to tilt her head up a little bit to be able to look him in the eyes and it always set his wires alight. "It is good to see you again, Reader."

"It's good to see you too. So, where too today?"

"Well, a new exhibit opened at the museum about the prehistoric animals of Ninjago. I believed it would be something that interests you, but if not–"

"I'd love to go!" Reader blurted out, shrinking back into herself when some strangers looked at her wierdly. "Sorry. But I'd love to go. Come on."

Grabbing onto his wrist she tugged and he allowed himself to be led as she happily gave out every piece of information she had on prehistoric animals, which was a surprising amount.

While normally Zane would have cut off anyone else to remind them that he was a Nindroid, and as such, knew such things but coming from her . . . It was far more interesting hearing it from her than pulling up the information on his database. The rest of the day, Zane was hesitant to call it a date, he watched as Reader bounced around from display to display to take pictures and read the little plaque's full of information.

He adored the way her eyes lit up as her mind ran with hundreds of ideas for her art. He was falling for her, her mind, her creativity, everything.

Cole Brookstone

Cole sat at one of the tables of Fairy Tale, waiting for Reader to finish up the last little bit of organization for the next day of work. Smiling, Reader emerged, sitting across from Cole and pushing over a cup of hot cocoa for him.

In their own hands was a London Fog, their personal favorite.

"So how was the store today?" Cole asked, leaning forward a little.

"It was good. Miya's getting more confident in herself, even dealt with a customer before they could get too loud and rowdy," Reader said, waving a hand.

"I'm glad she's settling in well."

"She still can't believe that the Earth Ninja comes to visit, sometimes just to see lil' ol' me," Reader teased, voice low and pleasently husky making Cole swallow. Their gaze was lidded but focused, exhaustion showing.

"Well, I come for the cake too."

Reader barked out a laugh, shaking their head. "You should've seen her face when you devoured a full cake in less than 5 minutes. Oh, she came running back to tell me and I thought somethin' was wrong with how afraid she looked. I come out and its just you, devouring a cake in one sitting."

Cole vividly remembered that interaction and rolled his eyes affectionately as his cheeks colored.

"No need to be embarresed, Cole," Reader soothed, reaching to pat his hand. "It was funny, and not in a bad way."

Cole felt his grin grow. Reader was attentive and so direct that they rarely let misunderstandings last, and they were constantly checking on those around.

"Meh, I've had worse."

"Worse?" Reader raised an eyebrow but did not pry, though they were curious. Cole didn't mind and happily dove into one of the many stories he had.

Reader watched him so softly that he could practically feel himself melting. He was falling for the person who had no problem telling him the truth, never letting him fall into his own thoughts.

Jay Walker

Jay bounced in place as the line to the rollercoaster moved slowly forward. Reader, on the other hand, groaned, bored from having to wait in line so long when all she wanted to do was get on the rollercoaster.

"So, how'd Lloyd's new engine come out?" Jay asked, still bouncing on his toes.

Reader grinned, happy to talk about her baby, "Well, Nya came to pick it up last week so Lloyd could test it, and the video she sent . . . Dragons! It was going so fast, and the turns he made were so smooth! I was so proud of my baby!"

"Congrats! I wish I could've seen it," Jay complained, genuinly a little sad that he hadn't.

"Well, I've always got new projects and I wouldn't mind a test partner," Reader offered, grinning. Jay lit up in delight.

"You're kidding!"

"No way! Why would I kid about that?!"

"How many in your party?" The lady at the gate asked, looking bored to tears.

"Two," Jay answered, so she pointed to the first row.

Trying to hide their twin squeals of excitement they both bounded towards the front row, bouncing together as they waited for the next coaster to come in.

"Oh, this coaster is supposed to be the fastest and largest in Ninjago," Reader said, spitting out fact after fact that Jay was quick to build on.

"Yeah, they replaced the old track cause it got less popular."

Climbing in, the bar was pressed down over them until they were firmly wedged inside.

Jay happened to glance over at Reader, whose cheeks were flushed from excitement, eyes wide in anticipation, and could his heart stutter as his entire face went bright red. He didn't know he could fall for anyone again, especially after Nya.

But looking at Reader, who always let him be himself, instead of scolding him for being innapropriate at times of crisis, he knew he was falling for her. Falling for her looks, her quick wit, and her humor.

Lloyd Garmadon

Lloyd couldn't stop his eyes from flickering over Reader, whose legs were thrown into his lap as she read a comic. He'd hesitantly rested a hand on her calf but she hadn't reacted in any way, content to flick through the comic in her hands.

Unfortunately he hadn't been able to focus on his comic, too focused on how pretty Reader looked sparawled on the couch of their tiny apartment with the sun shining around them like a halo.

"You know, if you didn't want to read your comic, why'd you suggest we read," Reader teased, peering over her comic at him. He sputtered, face growing red as her smile grew bigger. Unable to keep it in any longer she busted out laughing, dropping her comic onto the coffee table. "I'm kidding, sweets."

Sweets. A nickname that she had begun using after watching him inhale a bag of gummy bears in less than 2 minutes. Everytime it rolled off her tongue, he could feel his cheeks heat up.

"Well, I didn't know what else you'd wanna do."

"Well . . ." Reader glanced to the side, pursing her lips in thought. "We could watch a scary movie."

"A scary movie? Hehe, good luck finding one that will scare me," Lloyd said, poofing out his chest. "I've seen all the spooky and scary in real life, nothing'll scare me."

The wide grin probably should have made him nervous but it just made his heart pound. Swinging her legs off the couch she headed over to her bookcase full of movies, searching for a specific dvd.

Annabelle.

An hour later when he was practically tucked into her side as he stared at the screen in fear, he couldn't even be dissapointed in himself. Reader had happily invited him to cuddle, so now she was tucked against his side, head on his shoulder as his head rested on hers.

Reader had, of course, laughed at him but her teasing had gone no further, simply offering him comfort. She'd even offered to change the movie but he didn't want to lose any more dignity than he already had.

Not that Reader would see him less. But he wanted to impress the girl who'd begun tugging at his heart just by smiling at him.

Morro

Morro quietly stepping into the bakery, finding Reader waiting for him already. Her gaze was on the same spot it always managed to fall on. The spot where Anya had been shot just over a month ago, losing her life in an effort to get away.

"Reader," Morro murmured, grabbing her by the shoulder to escort her out. Since the incident, Morro had felt indebted in a sense to at least check up on the girl who witnessed the murder of her coworker and friend, but it had grown into a friendship. Somehow.

"Sorry," She whispered, leaning into him slightly. Morro hummed, keeping an arm around her shoulders in comfort.

"How's your week been?"

"Difficult. I think I'm gonna switch to a new therapist," Reader admitted, glancing up at him.

Morro frowned, "Why?"

"He's just . . . He makes me uncomfortable and-and I know that they're going too but I can't . . ."

"If he does anything," Morro rasped, the nearby winds picking up in a quick demonstration that made Reader smile.

"I know. You'll kick his ass," Reader giggled, leaning up to press a sweet kiss against his cheek. Morro turned his head away a bit to hide the flush of his face.

Since they'd begun hanging out, Morro had learned how physically affectionate she was, something he'd never had any experience with.

"Come on," Morro grumbled, disguising the warmth he felt at the affection. "Ice cream place or bookstore?"

"Ice cream, then bookstore?"

Snorting, Morro nodded.

Giggling Reader happily picked up the pace, excited by the prospect of ice cream and books. Morro couldn't help but watch Reader softly, not even realizing how his face softened.

Since he'd gone through the Rift he'd struggled with touch of any kind unless he was fighting but when it was Reader the touch felt . . . comforting. Plus she understood bounderies and could read him surprisingly well, so she always seemed to know when she could and could not touch him.

For the past week anytime he thought of her, her snile, her laugh, her eyes, his heart would jump. It had taken him days to truly understand what he was feeling. Morro was falling for Reader, quickly and badly.

When You First Meet

Jiang Kai | Kai Kalama

Reader rushed around the room with the other designers, placing the models clothes in their respective dressing rooms as they prepared for them to arrive. They hadn't yet been informed of their models so the room was filled with a nervous energy.

"So, who do ya think you're gonna get?" Alyssa asked, wiggling her brows teasingly.

"How am I supposed to know?" Reader retorted, bumping their hips together. Alyssa looked around conspiratorially, leaning in closer as Reader continued organizing her models chosen clothes.

"Well, from what I've heard–"

"Overheard, you mean."

"Hush. From what I've heard one of the ninja are coming to model for the company, to help raise money for that Charity you like so much."

"The Charity for Rebuilding?"

"Yeah, that one."

Before Reader could ask if she'd heard anything else they were called together.

"Alright! Listen up! Here is the list of designers and who your model is," Directin Lin announced, holding up said sheet. Alyssa leanes forward eagerly as Reader snickered at her friends eagerness. As the youngest designers it was doubtful either of them would get the higher ranking models.

Everyone surged forward to look at the paper but Alyssa and Reader held back for a moment. They both noticed how people kept glaring back at them for some reason but . . .

Shrugging it off they finally got a chance to see the list. And right beside Readers name was Kai Kalama, the Fire Ninja.

Freezing, both her and Alyssa just stared at the name. "I knew I had an effect on the ladies, but I never realized just how bad it was."

Whirling around they found Kai standing behind behind them with a smug look. And that was all it took for Reader to know how the rest of the day was going to go.

The entire session was filled with flirts and compliments that made her cheeks darken even when they didn't give him an actual response. Kai was not one to give up, but they liked his charm and hoped she'd get to see him model again.

Zane Julien

Reader sat in the shade of one of the large trees of the park, leaning back against its trunk as she sketched a rough outline of the beautiful fountain just across the way. Humming to herself she finished up for the day before carefully putting her sketchbook in her bag.

Done for the day, Reader wondered if they should have brought the car since she needed to go grocery shopping soon. As her mind wandered, she did not realize someone was heading right for her until she was slammed into and her bag ripped from her hands.

"Hey!" Reader shrieked, stumbling for a second before taking off after him. "Get back here!"

The man outpaced her but she didn't stop, her sketchbook was far too expensive for her to stop. Ice suddenly formed on the grass, and the man lost his balance tripping over his own feet and faceplanting into the ground, much to Reader's delight and shock.

Stopping before the ice, she doubled over as a stitch tugged painfully at her ribs. Another man, her age wearing a sweatervest surprisingly, came and retrieved her bag to hand to her.

"Are you alright, miss?"

"Umm, yes, thank you . . ." Reader trailed off, unsure of his name. She recognized him as one of the ninja but she'd never had any reason to remember their names.

"Zane, the White Ninja."

"Oh, well then thank you, Mr. White Ninja," Reader thanked, swinging her bag up onto her shoulder.

"I shall take him into custody and inform the police of his attempted crime. I do not believe it shall require your attention," Zane stated, turning to do so. "I hope the rest of your day is well."

"Uhh, yeah, I hope you have a good day as well," Reader said, taking a step away as Zane went to sling the man over his shoulder.

'Damn, love to watch 'em walk away,' Reader thought, before shaking her head. 'Oh my dragon, what am I thinking? That is so rude of me!'

Reader rushed away before she could become even more mortified by her thoughts, quietly hoping to see the very handsome man again one day.

Cole Brookstone

Reader smiled at the group who had just walked into their store, nodding for Miya to take their orders. The new hire gave them an anxious look, but they were not deterred. The best way to learn was through experience and this was a good start for her.

"Hello, welcome to Fairy Tale's Cakes and Stories, how can I help you?" Miya chirped, smiling through her nerves.

The group of teens was a little rowdy, but they didn't cause any trouble even when they spoke over each other, causing Miya to falter. Once she had finished up their order, the group of seven dispersed and Miya hurried back over to Reader's side.

"How did I do?"

"Really well, Miya. By next week you should be able to man the register without any issue, I just want to make sure you know how to handle any problematic customers," Reader stated, having seen Miya's face drop a little.

"Okay, thank you for this!"

"Of course. Now, why don't you go clean up some of the tables, I'll take the register till you're done."

A customer had walked in while they spoke, a young man on his own who was eagerly looking at the cake display case.

"Hello, welcome to Fairy Tale's Cakes and Stories, how can I help you?"

"Oh, uhh, what's in the Grimm Cake?"

"Its a milk chocolate base, dark chocolate glaze, orange zest buttercream, and a book made of chocolate and filled with orange cream," Reader explained, watching as the man practically salivated at the thought.

"I'll take a whole one!"

"A whole cake?" Reader asked, surprised. Most people only wanted a slice.

"Yes, please!"

"Coming right up."

When he was still there, over an hour later, Miya wondered over to Readers side.

"Is he going to sit there and eat an entire cake?"

"If thats what he wants to do," Reader answered, focused on the grocery list they were working out. The man came up to the counter where Reader was working so they paused in their writing, offering a smile. "How can I help you?"

"I just wanted to come up and say that that was really good! I don't think I've ever had a cake so good! I'll definitely be coming back!" Waving, the man headed back out the door with a bounce in his step.

"Holy shit," Miya whispered, jaw on the floor.

"Miya," Reader warned.

"Did you not recognize him? That was Cole, the Earth Ninja. One of the saviors of Ninjago."

Reader paused in their writing. They had not recognized Cole but they knew of him and his team.

"So, I just had one of the ninja in my shop?"

"Yes!"

"Huh."

They hoped he visited again, and not just because a ninja buying their cakes would boost business.

Jay Walker

Reader was heavily focused on the project Nya had shared with her, working to rebuild this engine piece for one of the ninja's vehicles. She heard Aaron talking to someone, leading them through the garage, but she ignored them for the moment.

"And this is Reader, I believe she was the one you were looking for?" Aaron asked, stopping just before her station, making her pause.

"Yep, thank you!"

Nodding, Aaron left, leaving Reader and the strange man alone. "So, is there something you need me specifically for?"

"Oh, uh, well, heh, Nya actually sent me," He said, smiling awkwardly.

"Nya did? So then you're one of the ninja," Reader realized. He lit up, striking a pose.

"The Lightning Ninja, at your service!" Jay announced proudly, making Reader giggle though she tried to hide it.

"Well then Mr. Lightning Ninja, what did Ninja send you up here for?"

"Oh, she wanted me to check up on the engine for Lloyd's new bike."

"Oh, yeah. I told I'd probably have it done by today, but I ended up having to help with some rich guys car." Reader shook her head at the memory of the rich asshole.

"She said she gave you free reign?"

"Yep. All she wanted was a fast engine for a bike, my specialty." Reader winked making Jay giggle as he went a little red. A good hour passed with them discussing the different engine choices and Jay happily lending a hand.

When he left, Reader couldn't help but miss his presence already. Very few people shared her passion, work ethic, and sense of humor, so Jay was, in her mind, a godsend. She hoped he'd come back one day so they could continue their converaation.

Lloyd Garmadon

Reader was hiding behind one of the numerous sheleves of comics as they put the comics back in their place. She'd noticed Ryker walking in the door and had hurried away to stock the sholves with the new comics.

For the past two weeks Ryker had been stalking them at her job, waiting for her to get off with the excuse that he wanted to walk them home. It was creepy and gross, and Reader wanted nothing to do with him.

"Hey Reader," Ryker said, having found them while they sorted through the massive amount of Starfarers comics to place on the shelves.

"Ryker, I'm working."

"I just wanted to say hi. You've been ignoring me, and leaving at different times. I haven't been able to walk you home," Ryker complained, his greasy voice sending shivers down her spine.

"I don't need you to walk me home, I'm just fine on my own," Reader snapped, feeling a bit like a chihuahua barking at a rottweiler.

"Oh come on, Reader." Ryker stepped closer, boxing them in, and making her heart rate pick up. "Just give me a chance. Just one date."

"I already told you, no. I'm not going on a date with you," Reader said, trying to sound stronger than she felt.

Rykers face twisted into something ugly, hand reaching out to grab them by the waist. "Really, is that really how you're going to be? A nice guys asks you out and you're gonna be a bitch!"

"Hey!" Someone grabbed Rykers wrist, the one attached to the hand squeezing Readers hip uncomfortably tight, and easily pulled him off. Now, Ryker isn't a small man, nearly 5'11 and 200lbs but the one who'd tugged him off was easily the same height but seemingly thinner. "When someone tells you to back off, you back off."

"Who the fuck are you?!" Ryker demanded, trying to tug his wrist away.

"Lloyd Garmadon, the Green Ninja."

Reader couldn't help the hot flush that spread across her face at the realization of who this was. While her personal favorite ninja had always been Jay, she liked his jokes and attitude, she did admire the Green Ninja. Ryker, on the other hand, seemed to lose all his coloring.

"That-why-what?! Why would a ninja give two shits about some ugly bitch?!"

Reader immediatley lashed out, slapping Ryker with an open palm. She felt a bit more confident with the Green Ninja right there, because what could Ryker do to them with him here. "Don't you ever call me a bitch again!"

Lloyd was a little startled, but he forced himself to not smile at the red mark slreading across his face. "Beat it. If I see you hanging around again, I'll knock you on your ass."

Snarling, Ryker retreated, a coward down to his bones.

"Thank you, for the rescue."

"Oh uh, it was no problem. Always happy to help a pretty girl in need of help." Lloyd froze, mortified by what had just slipped from his mouth. "Oh, FSM! I'm so sorry, that was–"

Reader giggled, holding a hand over their mouth to hide her smile. "No, no. It's ok. A compliment from the powerful Green Ninja. Lucky me."

A shout from the door had Lloyd wincing.

"Sorry, um, my team needs me . . ."

Smiling, Reader stepped forward to press a kiss to his cheek. "Well then you best get going, my hero." Giggling to themself, Reader sauntered away with the box of comics in hand.

Lloyd watched them walk away, bright red, jaw nearly on the floor.

Morro

Reader trembled violently as she and the other workers were lined up in front of the customer by the robber. He had barged in less than five minutes ago, an hour before they opened, barking out orders as he aimed a gun at them, with four others coming in behind him.

While Jason, the baker, might have had a chance at fighting one of them off, the rest of the morning crew couldn't. Reader could feel the tears pooling in her eyes before there was the loud crash of glass shattering as three of the ninja dove inside.

The Black, Blue, and Red ninja had broken through the front window and were taking out the first three robbers while the other two robbers reached out for hostages. Reader cried out as she was violently grabbed by her hair, just like Anya was. Both girls cried out, trying to pull away until the cold steel was pressed against their jaws.

"Please, please," Anya begged, tears pouring down her face as she sobbed. She had only been hired a week ago as a cashier, and now she was being held hostage by robbers.

Two figures came out from the shadows, the Green and Grey ninja.

"Hey, let's talk this out," Green began, holding out his hands, palm up. "You don't have to do this. Just let the girls go, and put the guns down."

"Why the hell would I listen to you!" The robber holding Reader shouted, yanking violently and ripping out some of her hair, making her shriek in pain.

"Let us go!" Anya screamed, and in a moment of brilliant, stupid bravery, she slammed a heel down on her robbers foot, and an elbow into his nose.

"Hey, wait!" Green shouted, lurching forward as Grey tensed.

"You little bitch!!" A gunshot rang out and blood splattered across Readers face, making her scream in terror.

Green lunged for the killer as Grey went for Reader. In a practiced move, he seperated them knocking the gun from the robbers hand before kicking him into one of the other ninja grasp.

Reader collapsed, no longer held up by her hair, and too afraid to stay standing. While she hadn't known Anya very well, the girl had been friendly and Reader had hoped they could be good friends but now . . . Anya would never experience anything ever again.

Sobbing into her hands, she didn't notice when the Grey ninja crouched down at her side awkwardly. "Hey, are you injured?" His voice was gruff, sharp, but Reader didn't seem to hear him, too shocked to take anything in.

Scowling behind the mask, Grey leaned forward. "Hey." Without raising his voice he managed to grab her attention. "Are you injured?"

Reader gasped for breath, scrubbing her tears away as she tried to focus. "My-uhm, my scalp. It hurts."

"Okay. Any other pain?"

"N-no."

Nodding, Grey reached out and easily lifted her to feet, startling her. Unable to stand she just collapsed against him, making him go stiff. "The-the ambulance is gonna be here in a minute to get you taken care of, alright."

"Okay." Reader was thankful when Grey didn't move, simply keeping his hands on her shoulders so she didn't slump back down to the floor. "Thank you. For saving me."

"Its what ninja do."

Once the ambulance arrived, Reader was escorted by the Grey ninja to be checked out. Tugging off his mask, he spoke in low tones to the EMT, before helping get Reader onto the ambulance.

As she was laying back on the bed, a small part of her hoped to see the nice ninja again one day. Even if she didn't know his name.

A/n: Can you tell who my favorite charactors are?

Ninjago Boyfriend Scenarios

Jiang Kai | Kai Kalama

Kai is Chinese, through his mother, and Hawaiian, through his father, with a little Persian from an unknown ancestor. He is hotheaded, confident, impulsive, determined, brave, loyal, passionate, and caring.

Reader (She/They)

Reader is a fashion designer and frequent protestor for many different things. They are passionate, driven, altruistic, perfectionist, honest, quiet, and reserved towards strangers.

Zane Julien

Zane was built to look incredibly human so he looks African, like his father, with short white dreads. He is strategic, curious, logical, reserved, loyal, and calculating.

Reader (She/her)

Reader is a self-made artist who makes artwork of non-traditional things, to show off how people do not need to be traditional. Also croches and makes little animal plushes for clients. She is very charismatic, smart, curious, passionate, and finds it difficult to focus.

Cole Brookstone

Cole is Italian through both of his parents, and speaks the language fluently though he rarely uses it. He can be competitive, focused, loyal, kind, sensitive, easily annoyed but slow to anger.

Reader (They/Them)

Reader is the owner of Fairy Tale's Cakes and Stories, a café and bookstore passed down to them from their grandparents. Very decisive, organized, practical, loyal, direct, honest, and patient.

Jay Walker

Jay is Scottish Gaelic from his unknown parents. He is curious, energetic, enthusiastic, perceptive, good-natured, and positive.

Reader (She/Her)

Reader is a mechanic for a shop in Ninjago, and close friends with Nya. She is rational, curious, good-natured, energetic, and determined.

Lloyd Garmadon (INFP)

Lloyd is Norwegion with more from his Grandfather, but he does not know. He is loyal, empathetic, gernerous, energetic, adaptable, and passionate.

Reader (She/They)

Reader is an assistant at Doomsday Comix, a place that Lloyd frequents. They are reliable, passionate, altruistic, charismatic, idealistic, and curious.

Morro (ISFP)

Morro has an unknown heritage as he was an abandoned orphan living on the streets. He is unpredictable, passionate, free-spirited, hotheaded, perfectionist, and hard-working.

Reader (She/her)

Reader works as a baker at a popular wedding cake shop, famous for its beauitiful cakes, pastries, and desserts. She is reliable, positive, passionate, altruistic, calm, empathetic, and idealistic.

Chapters

Not An Update

I don't think I'm going to be updating Demigods of Valyria any time soon.

Yesterday, April 23rd, I had to put my cat, Xena, down because she was suffering from absent seizures and if I had brought her home she would have died in pain and I couldn't do that to my baby. I miss her.

When she was 6 months old we rescued her because she had severe wobbly cat syndrome so she couldn't walk. My parents let me keep her even though we were originally going to give her to a kennel that could take of her.

For 2 years she has been my baby, my princess, my pretty girl, my everything and now shes gone. Ive been suicidal for years and for the past 2 shes been one of the few things I lived for.

I'm tired. I can barely think of her name without sobbing, i cant look at my other cats without just collapsing because I miss her so much.

I miss how when I talked she'd respond. I dont have any recordings of her voice.

I couldnt sleep in my own bed last night because she always slept with me and I cant stand being in my room because it hurts so much.

I'm sorry.

Not An Update

Im having a hard time writing the next chapters of Demigods of Valyria because I just had to put my cat.

I'd only had Xena for two years after we rescued her from outside because she had severe wobbly cat syndrome and couldn't walk. Yesterday, April 23rd I had to make the decision to put her down after she had an absent seizure while I was at school. I held her as they put her down and that was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do so I'm not up to writing.

She was my anchor. I've struggled with suicidal thoughts for years and for the last two I've stayed alive to care for her and now I feel lost.

I'll try to updaye when I feel better but I make no promises.

how long does it take you to plan out one of your house of the dragon stories?

In all honesty I don't really plan it out. I write out the basic plot of what I want. Like for my Demigods of Valyria series, I wrote out the names and godly parents for each kid before I later added what kind of mark I wanted for each one to have. In the Deal Of Gods and Humans I did a quick google search about Goddesses of Love and Fertility to get a good idea of what I wanted the statue to look out but it onky took me a few minutes.

Mostly I just write what I'm interested in at the moment. I have like 20 drafts of differen ideas that I'll probably never actually post. The longest its ever taken for me to write anything down is probably two hours of looking up names and the fourteen gods and symbols they would have.

Hope that helped!

Son of Arrax

King of the Gods, God of Justice, Law, Order, and Governance.

Queen Alicent Hightower stood at the balconey of her apartments – the lavishly furnished Queens Apartments – eyes unfocused as she looked down towards Aemma's Garden, only recently finished by the wrokers sent by Lord Tyrell as a gift to the pregnant Crown Princess. From where she stood she could smell all the different flowers that lined the beautiful garden and surrounded a pavillion carved from the same white stone the Eyrie was made of.

She waited impatiently for news of Princess Rhaenyra's labors, praying to the Seven that she would have a girl, furthering Prince Aegons claim. The skin around her nails was torn to shreds with drops of blood falling to the stone beneath her feet, but she hardly noticed.

Surely King Viserys Targaryen, her husband and Princess Rhaenyra's father, would finally see the craven whore his daughter was after she birthed the bastard of Ser Harwin Strong. He had allowed her to run rampant, giving in to every whim and wish she had. Why just recently he had given her the Heir's apartments! Only slightly smaller than the Kings own apartments and far larger than her own, which was just disrespectful to her, the Queen! Princess Rhaenyra and her heathen husband now had an entire floor within Maegor's Holdfast to themselves and their 'household', while she only had a single corridor filled with rooms!

Aegon deserved to have the Heirs Apartments as the Kings Firstborn, not the Royal Whore of the Red Keep and her Sword-Swallowing husband!

But no matter how many people she told the truth, those who adored Rhaenyra gave her everything. Her Uncle, Prince Daemon the Whoremonger himself sent ships of men, servants, healers, and midwives, an entire household of those he had personally vetted as the letter that had accompanied them had boasted. Alongside those ships were those filled with jewels, cloth of all kinds from Essos, Pentos, and the Free Cities, toys for the babe, furniture of all kinds for Princess Rhaenyra's new Apartments all sent by Lady Laena, Prince Daemons wife.

Lord Corlys was much the same, sending for the most exotic fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meat his money could buy. King Viserys had not only gifted her the Heir's Apartments but everything the Late Queen Aemma had owned from dresses to jewels, leaving her, the true Queen who had done her duty, to buy new ones after all of hers had been taken. It was humiliating to have to buy an entire chest of jewelry!

Lady Jeyne Arryn had also sent gifts, including the stone for the pavilion, such as old items that belonged to Princess Daella Targaryen and Queen Aemma Arryn. She even sent objects that had once belonged to her grandfather, Rodrick Arryn, much to the shock of everyone.

The entirety of the North had sent her gifts as well, from furs to men, simply out of loyalty and of course the Tyrells had built the princess a garden that was then named after her mother, planting four Weirwood trees in the corners of the garden much to her displeasure.

Fortunately Princess Rhaenys seemed to realize that the child was a bastard and the Baratheons had followed her lead in not interacting with the couple outside of what was deemed respectable. She was oft seen conversing with her son, conversations that ended with him storming away in fury, after the Princess likely tried to convince him of his wifes sins. But the poor man was besotted. No man had ever doted over their wife the way Prince Laenor did.

A quiet knock pulled the Queen from her musings. The door opened allowing Ser Criston Cole, her loyal guard to poke his head inside, "It is Tayla. She says she was sent with word of the Princess' labors."

"Let her in, Ser Criston. I wish to hear the happy news," Queen Alicent stated, tucking her hands behind her back.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Tayla hurried inside waiting for the door to close before speaking. "The Crown Princess has given birth to a boy, Your Grace."

Queen Alicent scowled for only a moment before smoothing her features back out. "Do you know how the Princess fares? Does she suffer the same as her mother, the late Queen, did? And the boy, tell me of his looks? Who does he resemble more, his mother, his father, a relative perhaps?"

"The Crown Princess is well, already up and moving from what I saw, Your Majesty. She refused the wetnurse the King offered, told everyone within that she would not let her son be fed by a stranger when she was right there with milk to spare," Tayla smiled at the memory of the Crown Princess. "And Crown Prince Jacaerys Targaryen is beautiful, My Queen. A perfect mix of his mother and father."

The smile fell from Queen Alicents lips, "What? What do you mean?!"

"The babe had the hair color of his mother but its curlier, I believe. And his eyes are from her too, but his skin color is more like his fathers. I was not close enough to see his facial features but I could hear Lord Velaryon and the King celebrating him."

Queen Alicent stared at the servent silently before commanding, "Take me to them. Now. I wish to meet the newest member of the Velaryon family." She made sure to emphasize the name Velaryon, believing the maid had mispoken but she did not correct her self.

"Of course, your Majesty. The Crown Princess has been taken back to her Apartments in order to rest." Tayla turned to lead the Queen to the Heir's Apartments as Ser Criston Cole fell into step behind her, white armor gleaming as his cloak fluttered dramatically.

The walk was considerably shorter than Queen Alicent expected but that did not make it anymore pleasant. The walls of the entire third floor of the Holdfast had Valyrian Tapestries depicting family members and their respective dragons, starting with Daenys the Dreamer. There were even Velaryon tapestries hung up, pictures of sea creatures of myths and legends that made Queen Alicent shudder.

The halls were lit with dragonglass latterns that threw beautiful patterns along the walls. The group of three passed by several members of Princess Rhaenyra's Household, including Lady Sara Snow, Lady Annara Celtigar, and Lady Mara Karstark.

The large black wood door at the end of the hallway had Syrax, the Princess' dragon carved into the wood and filled with gold, the large green emerald eye acting as the handle. Standing outside was Ser Harrold Westerling and Ser Arryk Cargyll, the Kings guard for the day, Ser Harwin Strong and Ser Erryk Cargyll, the Princess' Guard, as well as six other guards, Velaryon and Arryn based upon their armor were posted in the hallway.

Ser Strong opened the door, calling into the room, "Queen Consort Alicent of House Hightower." He stepped out of the way, eyeing Ser Cole, who was smirking haughtily.

They knew his secret.

Sweeping inside, Queen Alicent found Princess Rhaenyra resting upon a beautiful, cushioned chaise, her youngest lady, Lady Sera Dondarrion, working oils through her long, golden-white hair.

"Ahh, my dear Queen!" King Viserys called, sat upon an armchair with his grandson cradled within his arms. "You will be most delighted to see what the Gods have gifted my dear grandson!"

Her smile nearly fell, but she quickly plastered it back in place, "A gift from the Seven-Who-Are-One? I would be delighted, husband."

"Come, come," King Viserys said, using his head to gesture her over. Coming to stand at his side, purposefully displacing Lord Corlys, who ignored her to focus on his grandson, she looked down, fully expecting a carbon copy of Ser Harwin Strong, no matter the reports of Tayla.

Instead soft, thick, curly golden-white hair formed a halo upon his head, the sunlight that streamed through the window giving it a soft glow. Purple eyes, the same as Rhaenyra's down to the color and placement of the darker black specks, stared back at her though she noticed a strange sheen to them, seemingly giving them a golden tint when the sunlight them. Dark skin, though a few shades lighter than Prince Laenors or Lord Corlys', though it was likely that it would darken if he became a sailor like his grandfather and father.

"Look," Viserys murmured, lightly brushing back the curls piled onto his tiny forehead. In white lines upon his forehead, etched into his skin, was a crown with a strange rune in the very center.

"It means 'King'," Lord Corlys stated, smiling widely. "Its an Old Language, shared by the First Men, Valyrians, and Ghiscari. The last time I saw anything like it was while I was visiting Old Ghis."

Laenor rolled his eyes as the two dads shared a laugh, while the babe cooed, turning his attention to his father.

"Does he have a name?" Alicent asked, voice tense. A glance to Rhaenyra told her that she could hear the tone change and was amused by it.

"Prince Jacaerys Targaryen, First of His Name, and Heir to me, the Heir to the Irone Throne and Heiress to House Targaryen. Tonight we plan to announce him to all the Great Houses," Princess Rhaenyra stated, smile softening as she looked to her babe.

"I congratulate you, Princess. Your Mother must be looking down upon you in happiness for your success, from the Strangers Embrace," Queen Alicent said, trying to hide a sharp smirk as Rhaenyra's gaze flashed.

"Lady Helaena, your dearest Mother, one of my own dear mothers companion must be looking upon me favorably as well. It is a shame she left so young, but she lives on in the paintings you or your father must have. At least I can look upon the mirror and see my mother at times, but you, my lady, are the perfect imitation of your father," Rhaenyra grinned, teeth sharp and poised at the throat. Alicent nearly gaped at Rhaenyra, shocked by the low blow. The Princess knew she had no paintings of her mother because they were too expensive for a second son to afford.

"Thank you," Queen Alicent barely hid a snarl with a false smile. "My husband, I fear I must return to mine own chambers to ready myself for the feast tonight."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek to hide the hatred and anger she yearned to let them see.

"Of course, my dear. I shall see you tonight then." The king was far more focused on the babe than he was his wife, not even registering the kiss on his cheek.

Queen Alicent stalked outside, Ser Cristin quickly falling into step with one last look towards Ser Harwin.

How could Rhaenyra have said something so cruel! Her father was right. This was no longer her friend but her enemy. Aegon would take his rightful place upon the Throne. Viserys would eventually have to see the truth, that his daughter was unfut to rule, that women were unfit to be in places of such power.

From now on she had to begin finding allies for herself, especially now that her father was no longer the Kings trusted Hand and advisor. Her first act would have to be discrediting the rumors that were sure to appear once people saw the birthmark upon Prince Jacaerys' forehead.

Nearly flinging her door open she ordered the servent within to find her best green dress. The maid bowed and scurried into the adjacent chamber to find one while other servents were called to bath her.

For two hours she allowed herself to be pampered, both in the bath and outside it, before allowing the servents to carefully lace up the beautiful generald green dress with tight sleeves, a high neckline, and beautiful green detailing around the bust and waist, emphasizing her small figure. After Aemond she had easily dropped the added pregnancy weught, something she doubted Rhaenyra would be able to do.

Queen Aemma had always looked swelled, or unhealthy and it wouldn't surprise her if Rhaenyra was the same.

Crown Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen smiled as Cylia and Morgana Strong carefully aided her towards her bathing chamber, where a steaming bath awaited. Maester Mellos, who the King had allowed in after Queen Alicents departure, had tried to insist that a hot bath was unhealthy but the healer had disregarded that. Apparently the woman had helped Saera Targaryen give birth several times and the older woman always felt better after a steaming bath. It was a Targaryen thing, she said.

Rhaenyra could see the different herbs one of the other healers had added and could not help but ask, "What kind of herbs are in here?" She sank into the water with a near moan, muscles relaxing.

"Yarrow to reduce swelling, lemon balm to keep fevers and sickness at bay, and witch hazel to help the healing process," Healer Ana answered, carrying over a cup of tea. "Your grace, I suggest drinking nettle tea for the next three days in order to quicken the healing process. It shall also aid in milk production to make your son grow quicker and healthier."

Nodding, Rhaenyra took the tea, relieved at the warmth that slid down her throat. Luckily it had been sweetened by honey and the slightest bit of milk so she could ignore the bitter tasting liquid easier. "Thank you."

"Of course."

She was happy to note that Healer Ana had remembered her decision to breastfeed Jacaerys herself, rather than passing him off to a wet nurse as most did. Her and Laenor had agreed that they could not trust anyone, so it would be safer, and seemingly healthier according to the midwives, for him to feed from her.

For a good hour she soaked, drinking several cups of tea during the time, as Morgana and Cylia painted her nails a beautiful dark red, a very expensive shade her goodsister had sent her. Once the water had cooled, she was dried and dressed in a plain towel so Sera could braid her hair in a simple crown.

The dress she chose was black with red and gold trim, long draping sleeves filled with soft fur, made in the Northern style. It had been a gift from Lord Rickon Stark and his young son, Cregan Stark, and one she quite adored. Pulling it on, she admired the softness as she swept out of her dressing room, finding all three men still cooing over little Jacaerys.

"Father, Goodfather, I believe you the feast will be beginning in an hour," Rhaenyra said, smiling at the slight panic both men obviously felt.

"Ahh, you're right, my dear," Viserys pressed a kiss against her cheek as his eldest gently took Jacaerys. "I shall see you tonight for the feast."

"As will I. You did well, my son," Lord Corlys stated, clapping Laenor on the shoulder. He gave his father a strained smile, escorting the two from her Apartments, before nearly slumping against the door.

"I can not believe him sometimes. Did you see his face when we introduced Jacaerys?!"

"Did you see the Queens? She looked as if she sucked a lemon when she saw our little boy."

Laenor laughed, vividly remembering the shocked look upon her face, as well as the look on her face when she saw his marking.

"I must admit, I was surprised by the marking as well. I know Arrax told us he would lay claim upon his . . . our? . . . son, but I did not realize it would be so visible," Laenor admitted, lightly brushing his fingers over Jacaerys' forehead, smiling at the quiet coo.

"It is a boon either way. The servents, healers, and midwives that were present during the birth will gossip, and after tonight, when all the Lords and Ladies we invited see it they will know that Jacaerys is my rightful heir. The Greens will see that he is no bastard, that he is more Valyrian than the Queens half-breed children."

Laenor grinned, pressing a kiss against her cheek. "I love when you get all viscious. Unfortunate that I must depart from my beautiful lady wife and handsome little boy to dress myself for tonight's feast." He pressed another kiss to her lips to further seal the act, having noticed Sera emerge from her dressing room, before taking his leave.

The Great Hall was beautifully decorated with tables made of oak holding dragonglass vases filled with flowers, red, black, sea-green, and silver silks across the tables. Every seat was filled, with every Great House having arrived within the last two weeks and several smaller Houses having been invited as well.

House Hightower, House Redwyne, House Lannister, and House Bracken all wore green, whether it was a dress, jewelry, or a doublet. Everyone else within the hall wore black alongside their House colors, filling the hall with an array of colors.

House Targaryen and House Velaryon sat at the largest long table situated at the front of the hall, with nearly all of them in attendance. Princess Rhaenys, who had yet to be introduced to her grandson, had a pinched look upon her face, much to Ser Otto Hightowers delight.

It was very obvious to everyone that she thought, knew, that Prince Laenor and Crown Princess Rhaenyra's newbirn son was a bastard, likely begotten by Ser Harwin Strong.

The doors swung open, "Announcing Crown Princess Rhaenyra of House Targaryen, Heir to the Iron Throne, Heiress to the House of Targaryen, Future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and her husband, Prince Laenor Velaryon, Heir to Driftmark, High Tide, and to the House of Velaryon, Future King Consort to Crown Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen."

The announcer did not give the name of the babe swaddled in Prince Laenors arms, giving the Royal Family that opportunity to officially announce him and his titles.

"My dearest daughter," King Viserys called, standing from his seat at the head of the table. "Lords and Ladies of the Realm, I must say today is a glorious day for the combined Targaryen-Velaryon. My heir has had her own heir and secured her lineage."

"Thank you, father. Thank you, Lords and Ladies, for traveling so far to be here with us on this joyous occasion. While I am before you tonight I wish to address the rumors about the birth of my son," Crown Princess Rhaenyra stated, holding herself with grace. Prince Laenor eyed the Hightowers who were all sharing small sneers with each other.

"Yesterday afternoon my wife began her labors within the Throne Room, before giving birth to my son early this morning in the shadow of the Iron Throne," Prince Laenor announced, fighting back a smirk when the sneers dropped and everyone one began whispering.

"Now, I would like to introduce our son. Crown Prince Jacaerys Targaryen, Heir to the Heiress of House Targaryen, and Heir to the Heir of the Iron Throne, Future King of the Seven Kingdoms!"

The Blacks cheered for their future Queen and King as Crown Princess Rhaenyra tilted her son towards the crowd, showing them his curly golden-whitr hair and dark skin.

"Now please, feast! Celebrate!" Laenor shouted, earning even louder cheers as the two rounded the table to sit down.

"Laenor," Rhaenys murmured, purple eyes boring into her gooddaughters head. "Princess Rhaenyra."

"Mother," Laenor greeted coldly, not even deigning to look at his mother. She glared at her son, making to speak before Corlys cut her off.

"Rhaenys," Corlys began, keeping his voice low. "Just hold the boy for a moment."

"I refuse."

Laenors muscles locked in place, grey-purple ryes flashing with fire. Rhaenyra knew that if they had been closer to the Dragon Pit they'd be able to hear Seasmokes roars of fury.

"Then I believe its high time you return to Driftmark, Princess Rhaenys," Laenor snarled, viciously stabbing a clam upon his plate. "I will not have my son mocked, I will not let you give the Greens fuel to attack my wife and son. So if you are going to act like a petty child than I do not desire to have your company during this celebration, nor does my wife or son."

Rhaenys and Corlys both gaped at their son as Rhaenyra smiled, placing a hand on the crook of his arm and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "I thank you, husband mine."

"Laenor . . ." Rhaenys hesitated when she saw the look in her sons eyes. "Fine. Let me see the babe."

Rhaenyra was reluctant to pass over her son to the woman who had been the source of several of their problems recently but she did. Jacaerys settled in his grandmothers arms, only opening his arms once he was comfortable.

Staring down at the babe that looked so similar to Laenor as a babe, Rhaenys could not help the wave of guilt that flowed through her. "Laenor, Rhaenyra, I–"

The deep gutteral bellow of a dragon made the castle shake, scaring the guests within the hall. Wives reached for husbands as men reached for blades, looking around wildly.

"That . . . Is that not Vermithor?" Corlys questioned, standing from his seat. King Viserys sought to calm the people but another riar from the Bronze Fury only stirred them up more.

Jacaerys cooed, purple eyes gleaning as he was taken back into his mothers arms. Looking down Rhaenyra found the same love she felt for Syrax, the same she saw reflected in Laenors eyes whenever he saw or spoke of Seasmoke, and she knew.

"SILENCE!" Laenor commanded, having recognized what was happening as well. "Vermithor is not here to attack, but to claim his rider."

Crown Princess Rhaenyra swept from the Great Hall, heading towards the courtyard that Vermithor would have to land in if he wished to fit.

The Bronze Fury was stunning with scales of beaten bronze and copper, red-bronze spikes around his narrow face and along his spine seemed to shine in the light of the setting sun.

Hundreds of people, nobility and smallfolk alike, were witness to Vermithor meeting Crown Prince Jacaerys Targaryen before allowing Prince Laenor and his rider upon his back for a flight around King's Landing. There was no possible way for Otto to manipulate the circumstances to better serve him. Everyone would know what had happened that day.

Crown Prince Jacaerys of House Targaryen, First of His Name, Heir to the Heir of the Iron Throne, Heir to the Heiress of House Targaryen, the Born King, the Divine Ruler, He Who Was Born in the Shadow of the Iron Throne, the Lawful, the Bringer of Justice, the Judge, the Rider of Vermithor, the Bronze Fury, the King's Mount, had been born.

The Deal of Gods and Humans

Prince Laenor of House Velaryon sat in a plush velvet chair within his wife's small study, sipping sour Arbor Gold from a golden chalice in silence as he watched Crown Princess Rhaenyra of House Targaryen stare out the window of her study. The light highlighted the features of her youth, reminding him of the heavy burden that had been placed upon his shoulders and was now shared between them. She was a little girl, still, with the weight of a Kingdom upon her shoulders and yet she stood with the strength of a dragon against the lit towers aiming to bring her crashing down.

"I'm sorry," Laenor murmured, tearing his wife from her thoughts. "If only the Gods had not made like this. If only they had made me like my father or Prince Daemon then maybe–"

"Stay your tongue!" Rhaenyra ordered, sharply. She whirled around, pale grey skirts swirling along her legs as she stalked towards him. "Had the Gods not made you this way then I would never have agreed to this marriage, no matter that my inheritance would be stripped away. I agreed to take you as my husband because I can trust you within this nest of vipers my home has become. You are my husband and my future King Consort, the man who shall aid my rule and support me."

Laenor gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh, "I am the husband that cannot give his wife heirs. The man that cannot see a woman for the beauty she is, and feels no lust for the pleasures others speak of."

"We shall figure something out. It will just take time."

"What if you took a paramour? He could give you children that I could claim as mine. They would be mine in name and that is all that matters."

"And if they resembled any but me? Or you? They would be called bastards even if they were an exact copy of Rodrick Arryn or Jocelyn Baratheon as long as they did not have the Valyrian coloring. The Queen and her supporters would make our lives a living hell if she even had an inkling that they were bastards. Even now, she seeks to undermine me."

"I thought the wedding was her only move," Laenor stated, sitting up. Worry shone in his grey-purple eyes. They might not be in love as other matches were but they were partners.

"No. Every day she gathers the Ladies of the Keep for tea and speaks behind my back, spreading rumors of my virtue, of your taste in men, of how I am a heathen whore unfit to be the Heir to the Iron Throne," Rhaenyra sneered, sitting down in the weirwood chair behind her desk. A present from Lady Jeyne Arryn and Lady Amanda Arryn for her wedding.

"She dares speak ill of the Crown Princess? And none stop her or bring her words to the King or you, yourself?"

"Why would they? Each of them come from the Reach or Westerlands, supporters of her son as Heir and future King."

"Then we must dispel the rumors," Laenor stated, reaching into his doublet. He pulled out a letter, setting it on the desk between them. "My dear Laena has sent us a letter. She reminds me of the tales my father used to tell us before bed. Of Sea Serpents, Giants, Gods . . . and Demigods."

"Demigods?" Rhaenyra whispered, remembering the tales Daemon had once told her. "Children of both God and Man. What do those tales have to do with our problems?"

"For years we have hid how we worship the Fourteen Flames, let those of the Seven deem our culture as heathenistic and disrespectful. I believe she means for us to seek out our true Gods and ask for their help."

"They are Gods, Laenor. What could we possibly give them in return for three children?"

"Anything they wish. Rhaenyra if you wish to be Queen this might be our only option. We need trueborn heirs and who better than the Gods that shaped us and gave us dragons?"

"The same Gods who allowed hundreds of thousands of people be wiped by the Doom. The ones who allow us to be ridiculed and shamed even as Kings, Queens, and Heirs of Valyrian Houses. The only ones left of Old Valyria, might I add," Rhaenyra snapped, glaring.

Laenor did not let her flames deter him. "And what other option do we have? Let Prince Aegon be named Heir because you have no children to rule after you?"

Rhaenyra snarled, teeth baring as Syrax sang within her soul, black teeth bared as flamed gathered in her chest. "Watch yourself husband. I could take that as treason."

"But I speak the truth," Laenor stated, Seasmoke humming in the back of his mind, tail swishing across the dusty ground of his cave. "You said we would need trueborn children and I have given you a suggestion. It is either this, your give birth to bastards after taking a paranour, or remain childless and have your titles taken. Take your pick, wife."

Charged silence fell within the study as the two dragons stared each other down. Eventually, Rhaenyra acquiesced.

"Fine. In two days time we travel to Dragonstone. We will call it a honeymoon of sorts, as if we seek alone time for . . . things. The Temple of the Fourteen will hear our prayers and we shall see if the Gods will answer."

"Then it is decided."

—Temple of the Fourteen—

The Temple of the Fourteen was almost hidden behind Castle Dragonstone, even with how large it was. The rotunda had 14 stained glass windows, each displaying the symbol of one of the 14 Gods or Godesses sitting above the corrosponding statue. Made entirely out of black dragonglass with runes carved in and filled with Valyrian steel, the Temple was truly of Valyrian make and ancestry.

Over the two days planning their week long trip to the Isle of Dragonstone, they had argued over which statue to pray too, eventually agreeing upon the Goddess Meleys. She ruled over fertility, love, sexuality, mothers, and childbirth, so they had come to the realization that she would be a better fit than Arrax or Aegerax.

"It's beautiful," Laenor murmured, High Valyrian rolling of his tongue with an Essosi lilt that Lord Corlys and his sister both had. It brought a heat to Rhaenyra whenever she heard it even if she preffered how it sounded when Daemon spoke.

"It is." Rhaenyra and Laenor came to a stop before the white dragonglass statue of Meleys. Stood in a patch of dirt, a large myrtle tree had grown alongside her, manipulated to lean over her seemingly sheltering the Goddess who wore a floor length dress with long slits up the side leaving her most of her legs and bare feet exposed.

Held in her left hand was a mirror, as pearls draped across the exposed cut of her shoulders while long sleeves fell around her forearms. Perched upon her shoulder was a dove while a peacock stood at her side, long beautifull feathers carved and painted in detail.

"Do you remember the prayer?" Laenor asked as they both stared up into the gentle features carved into the statue.

"I have not had the time to forget it," Rhaenyra murmured dryly, unsure of if she should speak normally. Together they kneeled, bowing before the Goddess' statue.

"O' Meleys, O' Queen of the Gods, Goddess of Love, Goddess of Fertility, Goddess of Motherhood, Goddess of Childbirth, we seek your aid. As Heir to the Iron Throne and Heir to Driftmark, we ask you to provide us with heirs and a spare. To allow us to further our bloodlines, O' Queen of the Gods. Name a price and we shall pay it for three children borne of our blood."

The pyre that stood to her right suddenly lit with pale pink-whire fire, startling both of them. So focused they were, neither saw the statue move until she spoke, voice soft but firm, loving and kind.

"Greetings, Princess Rhaenyra, Chosen Heir. Greetings, Prince Laenor, Chosen Guardian. I have been awaiting your call for many moons."

Neither could find it within themselves to speak, staring at the talking statue with awe and fear in equal parts.

"Be not afraid. Your call has been anticipated and awaited eagerly." Her soft look melted to something sharp and protective. "The Promised Heir shall come from your blood, Rhaenyra, but due to your father's folly, in one line of fate they fall and the world is taken in the Long Night. No one is left, no dragons, no people, no wildlings. Only wights. To make sure this never comes to pass We, the Fourteen Flames, the Seven-Who-Are-One, and the Elder Gods have decided to intervene. We have decided to interfere with fate itself to make sure our favored survive and fight back the Long Night."

"Us? But my father said– when he told me of the prophecy . . ."

"Tessarion gave the prophecy to Aegon in the hopes that he would unite Westeros to prepare them for the Long Night. But after making them kneel he in turn kneeled for the Seven-Who-Are-One who have no control over any family of Valyrian Blood. We are not the only the ones that have been disrespected or forgotten.

"The supposed followers of the Seven have perverted and twisted the words of the Seven-Who-Are-One to fit their agendas, destroying the faith that once was. The Elder Gods are slowly being forgotten as we are, and with fewer and fewer worshipping us, we are dying."

"Dying?" Laenor asked, horrified. Every story ever told spoke of how a God could not be killed.

"Not in the way you understand but yes. Magic is being forcibly taken from your world, one of the few weapons that would secure your future. But we believe we have a way for this world to survive. Do you accept the responsibility, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Laenor Velaryon?"

They both hesitated, but looking upon her face, one that looked similar to Aemma's in Rhaenyra's eyes and one that looked sinilar to Rhaenys' for Laenor and they made their decision.

"We accept this responsibility, My Queen."

She smiled softly.

"From us you will be given 14 children, born of each of us with our favor to save the Targaryen, Velaryon, Celtigar, and Stark lines. The Seven-Who-Are-One and the Elder Gods have decided that their gifts will be given in secret to aid you. But I have another gift to offer you." Meleys' smile grew wider. "Would you like to hear the names of your children and who they are the child of?"

"Yes! Please, My Queen," Rhaenyra added, blushing fiercly at the outburst. While afraid to have so many children, a part of her was curious to know her future.

"The First. Son of Arrax, King of the Gods, Jacaerys Targaryen."

"The Second. Daughter of Tyraxes, Goddess of Peace. Alyssa Velaryon."

"The Third. Son of Caraxes, God of the Seas. Lucerys Velaryon."

"The Fourth. Son of Vhagar, Goddess of War. Maegor Velaryon."

"The Fifth. Daughter of Vermax, God of Travel. Visenya Velaryon."

"The Sixth. Son of Aegerax, God of Creation. Aerion Velaryon."

"The Seventh. Daughter of Tessarion, Goddess of Dreams. Daenys Velaryon."

"The Eighth. Daughter of myself, Goddess of Love. Aemma Velaryon."

"The Ninth. Son of Syrax, Goddess of Chaos. Saeryn Velaryon."

"The Tenth. Daughter of Meraxes, Goddess of the Sky. Rhaella Velaryon."

"The Eleventh. Son of Gaelithox, God of the Sun. Aegon Velaryon."

"The Twelfth. Son of Vermithor, God of Smiths. Aemon Velaryon."

"The Thirteenth. Daughter of Shrykos, Goddess of Beginnings. Valaena Velaryon."

"The Fourteenth. Son of Balerion, God of the Underworld. Baelon Velaryon."

"Tonight Tessarion shall visit you to give you the instructions on how to allow us to give you children. Be ready. Good luck."

The statue straightened back into her precious position and fell still, allowing complete silence to fall within the Temple.

"Well," Laenor began, mumbling. "I believe we should head to the Keep, should we not? A drink or two might help."

"I agree." With that the two retreated back to the castle to talk about what had just happened, and drink enough wine to help settle their nerves before Tessarion came to visit.

Valyrian Demigods of Westeros - Daughter of Vermax

Lady Laena Velaryon held Princess Rhaenyra's hand as she screamed, stuck in the birthing bed for the 5th time. Her brother, Ser Laenor, stood on the other side of his wife, wincing at the hold she had upon his arm but supportive and encouraging. Very few men chose to join their wives in the birthing rooms, declaring it against propriety but Laenor cared deeply for Rhaenyra and would not see her endure this pain alone.

With a final scream, the midwife was able to remove the babe, using a knife to cut the life chord from her body. Wailing, the woman happily announced, "A girl, your highness. Healthy and joyous to be here."

Rhaenyra laughed, as the babe's wails softened. "Clean my daughter first, then I shall hold her."

"Right away, your highness."

The midwife rushed towards the small bath that had already been prepared and began cleaning the babe of fluid and blood, gently cooing to soothe her.

"Do you have a name for her, dear sister?" Laena asked, taking a rag to gently wipe away the sweat upon her brow.

"We do. She shall be Princess Visenya, Second of Her Name." Laenor could not help the cheeky grin that appeared, quickly catching his twins attention.

"What did you do this time?"

Switching to High Valyrian, Laenor explained, "We contacted Doran Martell to talk of uniting Dorne and Westeros. We spent moons conversing through letters and creating a contract for Dorne that would allow them to keep the independence they so desire without being allowed to rise against us. Their are conditions, for both of us, and ours happens to be that our next daughter shall marry their 3 year old son, Prince Trystan Martell, when she comes of age."

"If she wishes to. I will not allow my daughter to be forced into a marriage she despises," Rhaenyra added, wincing and gasping as the afterbirth began.

Luckily, the afterbirth was quickly epxpelled and the healers were able to tend to her. Laenor was forced into the sitting room so they could see if Rhaenyra needed stitches or just the ointment. Visenya was quite small and had slipped out in the height of day after barely a few hours of pushing.

The ointment the used would help her heal and prevent infection, a common disease women caught after giving birth. A cold wetcloth was brought to Rhaenyra to help with the pain from her womb, much to her relief.

"I wish to see my Visenya. And my husband," She added as an afterthought, making Laena snort.

"So dear sister, tell me, did you invite Dorne here for your birth? I heard rumors that a delegation arrived late last night but I was far more worried about you to question it."

"They did come. We plan to announce the contract as well as the betrothal in a few days time. I offered to allow them the chance to meet Visenya first in a more familiar setting, so that Prince Trystan may meet his future wife."

Visenya was gently placed into Princess Rhaenyra's arms as Laenor was let back inside. He smiled down at the adorable babe in her arms, reaching out to run a finger over her little chubby cheek.

She had thick curly silver-white hair, inherited from her father with the same dark skin. Her eyes though were the most beautiful shades of green either of them had seen, stunning all three of them.

"Didn't your grandmother, Princess Alyssa have a green eye?" Laena asked, leaning closer to the babe who cooed.

"She did," Rhaenyra agreed, smiling down at Visenya who reached up to smack at Laenors hand. "Did you pick out an egg for her? Or are we allowing her to claim one as her siblings did?"

"I thought it would be best to give her an egg due to her betrothal to Prince Trystan Martell," Laenor admitted. "I picked one from Dreamfyre's latest clutch."

"Good."

The door opened and a maid stepped inside dipping into a shallow bow. Laena scowled at the disrespect.

"You are in the presence of the future Queen, the Crown Princess, the future King, the Prince, and a Lady of a Royal House, wife of a Prince. You will show us the respect we command," Laena snapped, blue-purple eyes sharp as seaglass. The maid flinched back and dipped into a far deeper curtsy.

"I-I have a message. From the Queen," The maid stated, voice trembling, though none could tell if it was from fear or fury.

"Queen Consort," Rhaenyra corrected. "Queen Consort Alicent is not a Targaryen and as such is not gifted the title of Queen as my mother was."

"What is the message?" Laenor asked, frowning.

"She wishes for the babe to be brought to her before the ceremony so she may greet them. The Queen Consort was upset that she has not been granted the priveledge of meeting her grandchildren before they were introduced to the Realm."

Rhaenyra, Laena, and Laenor had all gone still before the Red Keep shook beneath the fury Vhagar voiced, making the maid flinch.

"Laena," Rhaenyra stated, staring down the maid. She switched to High Valyrian. "Find my uncle and the delegation from Sunspear, bring them to the Queens Apartments. Let them see how the Future Queen is treated."

"Your uncle is with the King, Rhaenyra. Hopefully he will see the kind of woman his chosen consort is. Green as her dresses," Laenor stated, grinning sharply at the woman. "Our mother and father would be most upset to hear what their gooddaughter is going through as well."

"Yes, they will." In a swirl of skirts, Laena dissappeared.

"Get out," Laenor ordered. "We shall bring our child to the Queen Consort ourselves."

"I could take the babe, ser."

"If you lay a hand on my child, I will order them to be removed," Rhaenyra snarled. "Tell your Queen Consort that I will come myself for what kind of mother would I be if I passed my child onto another."

The maid gaped at the blatant insult but scurried away as Ser Harwin, who had entered when Lady Laena had left, reached for his blade. He left behind her, closing the door as the servents, maids, midwives, and healers stared at the door in shock.

"Your highness," A midwife, Laya, began, "It is too soon after the birth. You could hurt yourself from walking."

"The Queen Consort has ordered my presence. Dress me. Please." Her maids immediatley rushed forward, pulling on one of her silk hose and pulled her hair into a simple, messy braid that fell down her back. A soft robe was then pulled over her shoulders and Visenya was cradled back in their arms.

The clothes she had chosen were done on purpose. Alicent would expect a show of power but this would show the Lords and Ladies of how cruel the Queen Consort was, and bring more to her side.

They were interrupted when the egg that had been placed in the fire, cracked and began hatching. A beautiful creamy white hatchling crawled forth, stubby horns of pale gold glinting and black frills swaying as it moved. Laughing to herself, Rhaenyra allowed the hatchling to clamber up her robe and perch on her shoulder, giving it free range to look down at Visenya.

Rhaenyra murmured a quiet thank you to the Gods who had so far shown to be protective of their children with her. Laenor appeared behind her, gently supporting her.

"Shall we, dear wife?"

"We shall, dear husband."

Together they made their way through the halls, Ser Harwin and two healers behind them. They earned odd looks as the Crown Princess was dressed in night clothes, holding a babe, with a hatchling perched on her shoulders. Immediatley whispers spread, so Rhaenyra played into it.

Her voice trembled, "Why would she do this, Laenor? Is she not a mother herself? To order me to have my babe taken to her when she is freshly born? What have I done to the Queen to deserve this?"

She made no attempt to keep her voice low as Laenor soothed her, shaking his head. Around them Lords, Ladies, and servents alike shook their heads in disgust.

Upon arriving at the Queens Apartments, they were met by the Dornish Delegation, the King, Prince Daemon, Princess Rhaenys, and Lord Corlys all of whom looked angry.

Princess Elia looked furious, arms crossed over her chest as her husband, Prince Dorian loomed at her side. Ser Cole looked shocked, furious, and afriad all at once as the King ordered him to open the door.

Queen Consort Alicent turned towards the door as it opened, a poorly concealed smirk on her lips. "Princess–"

She cut herself off, paling as the King stared back at her, flanked by his family and a group of Dornish strangers at his back.

"Husband, what–"

"Did you order my daughter . . . to bring her newly born child . . . to you?"

"My king, I would nev–"

"Ask her maid, Father. The one who came into my rooms, blatantly disrepsected me, and told me the Queen commanded my child be brought to her," Rhaenyra interrupted, looking at the maid who paled dramatically.

"Well," Viserys snarled, looking every bit the dragon he had once been. "Did you? As your King, if you do not tell me the truth, I will have you imprisoned!"

"It's the truth! Queen Alicent sent me to the Crown Princess' rooms to bring her the babe!" The maid nearly sobbed. Alicent looked horrified as the hatchling perched on Rhaenyra's shoulder shrieked in victory.

As Princess Rhaenys and Princess Elia tore into the Queen Consort, absolutely furious that she would abuse her power in such a way towards a member of the royal family.

Noting that it was taken care of, Princess Rhaenyra was taken back to her chambers to rest before the feast that night.

At the feast, Princess Rhaenyra and her husband stood before the masses with the Martells to the right and the King to their left, using a cane to keep his balance.

"Lords and Ladies of the Realm. You have been invited here today to be informed of not one but two miracles," Laenor announced.

"The first is our daughter. Introducing, Princess Visenya Velaryon, Second of Her Name," Rhaenyra called, lifting the babe higher as the crowd cheered. "Whose egg cracked and hatched barely two hours after her birth!"

The dragon on her shoulder shrieked, rearing up to flap its wings.

Lifting his hand, the King called for silence. "When my ancestors came to Westeros, they tried to force Dorne to bend the knee but they fought back. Each King after has tried to do the same, demanding Dorne bow to their true King. But none succeeded. No King was able to bring Dorne into the fold. But the future Queen did.

"A contract has been drawn up for Dorne to be formally added into the Seven Kingdoms as long as a Targaryen Queen or King sits the Iron Throne. As per the treaty, Princess Visenya Targaryen and Prince Trystan Martell shall be betrothed and married upon her six-and-tenth nameday!"

Cheers made the hall itself tremble as the true Heir's supporters made themselves known. Lady Jeyne could be seen holding Princess Alyssa with Prince Jacaerys at her side while Lord Corlys held his heir – as the titles had been relinquished from Ser Laenor. Prince Maegor was in Prince Daemons arms alongside his cousin, Princess Baela as her mother carried her twin sister, Princess Rhaena.

Prince Aegon's supporters, who had grown weaker over the years, gave false cheers, seeking out the Queen who wore black and red upon the order of her husband. Much to Crown Princess Rhaenyra's delight the woman looked pale and washed out in the regal colors of the Royal House. It was a stark reminder that Queen Consort Alicent Hightower was no true Queen for even Aemma Arryn, who was oft bedridden, had looked absolutely stunning in black and red, her maternal house colors.

The strength of the Blacks grew and grew, furthered by the birth of Crown Princess Rhaenyra's fifth child, and second daughter.

Princess Visenya Targaryen, Second of Her Name, Future Princess of Dorne, Future Princess of Sunspear, the Traveler, the Diplomat, the Intelligent, the Learned, had been born.

Valyrian Demigods of Westeros - Son of Vhagar

Prince Daemon held Dark Sisters hilt tightly as he listened to his niece's screams on the other side of the door. His wife, Lady Laena, and his goodbrother, Ser Laenor, were within comforting the princess as she birrhed her fourth child. It did not matter to him that she had had three successful births as his own mother had had two successful births before his late brother Aegon, he still worried for her safety.

It was not until he heard the desperate and fearful scream of Laena, yelling for him, that he moved. In one blow he knocked the door open, running into the birthing chamber.

Ser Laenor was fighting against a maester with a blade in hand as Rhaenyra screamed. Laena stood at her side, looking fully ready to lunge at the man if he nor Laenor could get him out. A midwife kneeled between Rhaenyra's legs, coaching and encouraging her even with the tremble of fear in her voice. His observation took less than two seconds before he was unsheathing Dark Sister, blade singing as it was pulled from the sheath.

The Maester looked to him in fear as Laenor shouted, "He attempted to murder Rhaenyra!"

That was all it took for Daemon to swing his blade with precision, completely severing the mans head. Blood sprayed into the air like a geyser, spraying over Laenor, Daemon, the midwife, and the newly born babe.

Wailing, the babe was quickly passed up to Rhaenyra who sobbed in relief, thanking Daemon as she cradled the babe close, whispering into blood and fluid soaked hair.

It took well over an hour for Rhaenyra to calm enough for them to wash the babe and for her and Laenor to give him a name. As they waited guards were admitted to drag away the body and feed it to Syrax, and the news was taken to the King.

"So? What name shall you give to my newest nephew?" Daemon asked, sprawled in a chair as Laena and Laenor sat beside Rhaenyra.

"Before we tell you we have a proposition for the two of you," Laenor stated, staring Daemon down with surprising confidence.

"A proposition? Do tell."

"The Stepstones," Rhaenyra began, tearing her gaze away from her babe. "Will be officially taken under the crown within the next month. A keep, garrison, and port is already being built on the main island and shall be given to my son when he is of age in 10-and-6 years. But until then it must be watched over by a regent, and I was hoping to name you, Uncle, or you, Laena, as his regents. You would be welcome there even after he took control and I would off her his hand in marriage to Baela, Rhaena, or any future daughters you have if it would please you "

Daemon and Laena stared at her before Laena asked, "Why? You could hire a castellan if you so wished. Why give us this responsibility?"

"Because you deserve it. You have supported us, even from afar. Your loyalty means everything to us," Laenor admitted, smiling awkwardly. "And the kids adore you. They would be highly distraught if you returned to Essos."

Laena laughed, sharing a look with Daemon. A silent conversation passed between the two before they turned their attention back to the two.

"If we take it, I wish to be given control of its garrison even after your, still unnamed, son takes it back."

"Done."

"Then we agree. We will care for our nephews castle and he will marry one of our daughters. Eventually, of course. Now, tell us his name," Laena commanded, holding her head up haughtily to make them laugh.

"We have chosen to name him Maegor ll Velaryon, to remind ourselves not to make the mistakes Aegon the Conquerer made," Laenor announced, smirking at the surprised looks on their faces.

"A powerful name," Daemon commented, grinning sharply. "One that will make the Highcunts shiver in remembrance. I applaud your choice niece, goodbrother."

"We're so happy to have your approval, Uncle," Rhaenyra deadpanned, making Laena snort loudly before to cover it up as Laenor began laughing at his sister.

Maegor was given back to his mother by an awed midwife, who spoke quietly to Rhaenyra as Laenor continued to poke fun at his sister.

"Is something the matter?" Daemon asked as the midwives filed from the room, leaving the four alone.

"She was informing me of the peculiar birth mark upon his left arm," Rhaenyra stated, gently unwrapping Maegor so she could them all the arm. Upon his chubby forearm was the sigil of Vhagar, something Laena and Daemon realized near simeoultaneously.

It was a long angular shield with a spear shape through one side and a sword theough the other. There were other details but they were hidden by the fact that it was underdeveloped.

"Rhaenyra, Laenor," Laena whispered, gently running her fingers over the markings. Both knew that they had recognized the mark, but seemed unaffected.

"You keep my secrets, I keep yours," Laenor murmured, dark eyes sharp. It did not matter that this was his goodbrother, a man that had seen war and held a valyrian blade. If Daemon threatened his wife or children, he would retaliate.

"I keep your secrets," Daemon agreed, understanding. "Now, when shall I have the pleasure of seeing Otto's face when he hears the name of the babe. And of course, the pleasure of seeing the Highcunt Queen throw a fit, how could I forget."

They chuckled, easing the atmosphere.

"In three days, Uncle. Be patient."

He scoffed, earning looks of genuine amusement between the three.

-----------------------

Queen Alicent perfectly arranged her children at her side, with Prince Aegon in the lead and Prince Daeron standing at the end. Her father, Ser Otto, stood beside Prince Daeron, pin of the Hand of the King shining brightly.

She glared at Princess Rhaenyra as she swept inside with her sword-swallowing husband, and heathen children following close behind. Held within her arms was the newest Prince of the Realm, whose name would be revealed to the court soon, while Ser Laenor held his heir, Prince Lucerys, in his arms. Prince Jacaerys and Princess Alyssa walked between their parents dressed in fine clothes.

"Princess Rhaenyra, my dearest daughter. Ser Laenor, my goodson. Prince Jacaerys, Princess Alyssa, Prince Lucerys, my grandchildren. I am glad you are all alright. Prince Daemon I thank you for your timely intervention. It saved my daughters life. It saved the Crown Princess's life," King Viserys stated, allowing silence to fall. "Lords and Ladies of the Realm, today my daughter stands here to introduce the newest Prince of the Realm, futhering her line of succession."

Viserys nodded to his daughter, sitting back dowm heavily. He ignored the look he recieved from his brother, Daemon, worried and surprised in equal measures.

"Lords and Ladies, I introduce to you Prince Maegor ll Velaryon, Heir to the Stepstones, chosen to remind us of the mistakes of Aegon the Conquerer. Until his 10-and-6 Nameday, his keep upon the islands shall be watched over by his chosen regents, Prince Daemon, and his lady wife, Lady Laena."

The news had everyone in a titter, surprised that the King had allowed a Keep to be built uppn the Stepstones at all but the man was deep to his eldest daughter and had caves after much insistance.

Ser Otto and Queen Alicent were angry and shocked respectively. None of her sons had been given Keeps, while all four of her children had inheritances to recieve.

The scales only tipped further in the Blacks favor.

Prince Maegor Velaryon, Second of His Name, Heir to the Stepstones, Born in Blood, the Warrior, the Fierce, the Wild, the Warhammer had been born.

Valyrian Demingods of Westeros - Son of Caraxes

High Tide was lit by the brilliant flashes of lightning dancing in the sky, as her white walls were pelted with heavy rainfall. Within her walls, one could hear the screams of Princess Rhaenyra as she gave birth to another child, just over a year after the birth of Princess Alyssa.

Prince Jacaerys would be turning three within a few scarce months with Princess Alyssa's birthday following only 3 months later. Both were being cared for by their grandparents, Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys, as their father, Ser Laenor, supported her in the birthing room.

Unfortunately King Viserys, Queen Alicent and their children had stayed behind in the Red Keep, believing that Princess Rhaenyra would be able to return to give birth. But a storm had halted their ship, and the little one was quite excited to emerge during the storm.

Bouncing Alyssa in her arms, Rhaenys stood by the window and was witness to the spectacle as the sea calmed and the storm abated within moments, bringing forth the slightest hint of the sun. "Corlys," Rhaenys whispered, awed by the spectacle.

Her husband joined her, curious smto see what had his wife so shocked, only to be shocked as well. "The storm . . . I have never seen one stop so suddenly," Corlys admitted. Alyssa giggled, curling close to her grandmother peer over her shoulder.

Sat on the floor, Jacaerys stared back, smiling happily. "He's here," Jace said, climbing to his feet as Alyssa nodded.

"'Uke!" She cried in delight as the door was opened by a guard. The maid bowed, hair in complete dissaray and panting heavily.

"The Princess . . . the babe . . . a boy . . . both healthy," The maid gasped.

Rhaenys and Corlys stared at their grandchildren who were looking back at them expectantly. Genuinly confused as to how the children had known, they picked then up and carried then to the birthing room where they were greeted by a slightly frazzled looking Laenor, an exhausted Rhaenyra, and a babe swaddled in Velaryon blue-green silk cradled within his fathers arms.

Dmiling, Laenor held out his arms so the four could look, "Father, Mother. Alyssa, Jacaerys. I would like to introduce you to the future Lord of the Tides, the Heir to Driftmark and High Tide, Lucerys Velaryon, blessed by the storms and the tides themselves."

"What?" Rhaenys asked, eyes going wide as Laenor gently manuevered a little arm out of the swaddle, revealing a birthmark in the shape of Caraxes, the God of the Seas, Water, and Storms, mark. 4 stars facing the cardinal directions with a singular star in the center and ancient rune across the pale center of the star.

Corlys glanced down to Jacaerys, who hair barely hid his own crown shaped sigil with the rune for Justice upon the center and the runes for king on the sides, just as Rhaenys glanced to Alyssa, whose mark was weirwood branches along her collarbone that formed a circle at the hollow of her throat with rune for peace inside said circle alongside a feather and torch.

"Laenor," Rhaenys began, gaze sharp but worried. "Why do all three of your children have birthmarks in the shape of the sigils of Arrax, Tyraxes, and Caraxes?"

Two sets of eyes stared widely at her, nervous. Rhaenyra shifted, wincing at the pain as Laenor looled around the room so he wouldn't meet the eyes of his parents.

"Laenor."

Laenor's gaze snapped to Corlys at his tone, a fire gathering in their depths. "You forced us to seek out other methods for I to give Rhaenyra trueborn children. We found a method and now you have three heirs for grandchildren. That is all you need to know. I will be taking mt children now, they need to get to know their new brother, if you would excuse us."

His clear dismissal hurt but they put down his children and left, unsure of what to do, except send a letter to the King and his family to inform them of the new birth.

In King's Landing, within the Red Keep, Queen Alicent and her children were forced to listen to King Viserys read the letter aloud.

'Dear Cousin,

You will be most disappointed to hear that Rhaenyra was unable to give birth in the Red Keep, but she gave birth during one of the worst storms Driftmark has likely ever seen. When her son was born the sky calmed, the rain stopped, and the tides receded and everything was peaceful as if there had never been a storm in the first place.

We are delighted to send word of the birth of Prince Lucerys Velaryon, Heir to Driftmark, and future Lord of the Tides. Born with the Velaryon locks, eyes, and skin, we can only wait for his skills at sailing to emerge like his brother and sister's skills did.

Rhaenyra and the children are all doing well. She has spoke of the ease she has felt here on Driftmark and have told her that our home will always be open for her, no matter the circunstances. We are unsure of when she will return but it will likely be upon dragon back so I, Rhaenys, shall go as well so they don't have to carry two toddlers at once.

The Targaryen-Velaryon grows ever larger with the births of Prince Lucerys and the previous births of Lady Baela and Lady Rhaena.

Congratulations cousin on earning another grandchild.

Yours in blood, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Lord Velaryon'

The absolute joy the man expressed at the ketter had the Queen picking at her nails, even as her children just watched or ate, content to ignore their father as he did them. She hated Princess Rhaenyra for birthing yet another child with the Valyrian features, but she did not understand the tidings it brought.

Yet another blessed child to aid the Blacks and the future of House Targaryen.

Prince Lucerys Velaryon, Second of His Name, Heir to Driftmark, Future Lord of the Tides, Stormborn, Undrowned, the Sea Dragon, the Sailor, the Red Star, had been born.

The Monastery of the Lost

There is a Legend that circles throughout many old villages, those that have yet to make the leap into the New Age, especially those around the base of the Howling Mountains. Elders speak of a hanging Monastery that is protected by creatures of old, creatures that were slowly killed of by people in their fear.

Eyre, Guardian of the East Gate positioned directly behind a cascading waterfall that has led many to their deaths. A Kelpie made of green tinted serpentine rock, teeth bared threateningly as a mane of seaweed falls across its back, and eyes made of rubies gleam whenever the sun hits them.

Cephas, Guardian of the North Gate positioned on the path that leads into the inside of the mountains caves, where bats chase intruders out and stalagmites fall. A Drake made of gneiss with massive claws and teeth bared in threat while its delicately carved tail wraps around the pedastool. It is said that Cephas is more a protector, prefferring to simply stop intruders rather than kill.

Yukio, Guardian of the West Gate positioned towards the snow covered paths that threaten avalanches, and ice covered rocks that are only too easy to slip on. A Kamaitachi made of granite with claws made of blue kyanite, teeth bared in a menacing expression as it prepares to leap into the air and attack.

Notus, Guardian of the South Gate positioned in the open air and only able to be entered by Elemental Masters. The South Gate is the hardest to approach because of the powerful, howling winds that whip by constantly and the dark clouds that gather when intruders approach. A Xexeu made completely of basalt with beak opened wide in a scream of thunder as black wings spread as if too take flight, and eyes made of cracked jade.

The Monastery itself is said to have dragons made of broken jade and pieced back together with silver sat atop its high walls made of polished marble, roofs of gold shingles, and pathways made of granite within the massive courtyard. Towards the North Gate stands a massive garden of all kinds of trees and flowers, several of them edible.

From the East Gate flows a river of crystal clear, drinkable water that provides the water for the entire Monastery. Because of its old age the Monastery had none of the newer technology such as lights, electricity or fridges, but it had bathrooms, running water, and an old fashioned stove.

It was enough for Morro who had, in the short time he'd been brought back to life, yet to truly become comfortable with any of those advancements. When he'd heard the Legend while staying in a nearby village, he'd dismissed it but after hearing it in the next two villages he'd passed through he'd decided to check it out.

Using his wind, he'd approached the Southern Gate and was unsurprised when the Guardian stayed stone and passed by it unencumbered. He did not notice its eyes following his every move as he made his way towards the Monastery's golden doors.

It took him several months to truly outfit the Monastery as he wanted it, though he didn't change much, but one day while he was within one of the nearby villages he heard something that had his blood boiling. Morro found a man beating a young toddler, a kid of maybe four years old, cursing about stolen money as the kid sobbed. Hidden far back in an alley, they were mostly hidden and the kids cries were far quieter than they should have been.

With a snarl, Morro sent the man flying into the wall and threatened to kill him unless he left. At firat the man tried to resist, claiming the kid was his son and he could punish him how he saw fit but Morro was not a forgiving or patient man. His second blow, this time with his fist, had the mans nose breaking beneath his knuckles in a satisfying crunch.

Cussing and crying the man fled as Morro watched with a prideful smirk. A tiny sniffle had him remembering the kid, so he turned to find said kid trying to stand even after being beaten like that.

"Sit back down, brat," Morro snapped, as the kids eyes snapped up to him, wide and fearful. Sighing, he ran a hand through his choppy hair before slowly crouching down. He vaguely remembered Lloyd having several memories of comforting kids, but he hoped it would be enough. "Are . . . Are you okay? He was hittin' you pretty hard."

The kid stared, hands wrapping protectively over his ribs, where several kicks had been delivered. When the silence had stretched on too long, Morro tried again.

"Look, I'm not . . . I'm not gonna be like him and hit you if you respond okay? I don't like men who beat on kids," Morro stated, frowning when the kid continued to stare at him, uncomprehending. "Can . . . Can you hear me?"

This time the kid nodded, slowly, eyes never leaving Morro. "You just don't wanna talk?"

Another nod.

"Fine. Yes or no. Are you hurt?"

The nod was slower as if he wasn't sure.

"Okay. Can I help you?"

The kid stared at him blankly before his lip began quivering, making Morro curse in his head. What had he done to upset the kid? He'd only asked to help . . .

"Please." The kids voice was so small and weak as if he never used it. Morro was viscerally reminded of himself when he was on the streets, chased off and beaten whenever he chose the wrong trashcan to raid.

"I'll help you. And I won't make you go back to that asshole either. But you have to come with me for that to happen."

Blinking wide, dark green eyes met pale jade as Morro held out his hand. It took a few minutes but eventually the kid made a decision and reached out for his hand.

Smirking, Morro led the kid from the alley and back to the shop he'd just left. He'd need some first aid supplies for this.

While he was inside picking up bandages, he felt the kid gently tug at the base of his GI. "What?"

"Nico."

Morro's brow furrowed and he looked down at the kid, who still looked guarded but far more relaxed than he had been in the alley. "Nico? Is that your name kid?"

Nodding, Morro huffed and hesitantly ruffled his hair. "Guess I didn't introduce myself, huh? Morro, kid."

And so began Morro's journey. Not as the Green Ninja. Not as the Forgotten Ninja or Vengeful Ghost. But his journey as a Sensei and a Parent for Nico was not the only child he rescued.

Maya, an 11 year old girl on the streets struggling not to become a prostitute.

Wren, an 8 year old living in an abandoned house on the forests edge.

Cassey, an 17 year old forced into prostitution to protect her younger brother, Liam, a 7 year old.

Lady, a 6 year old on the streets.

Casper, a 9 year old caught stealing from houses.

Sammy, a 15 year old who tried pickpocketing Morro and had successfully been pickpocketing others.

All eight kids lived in the Monastery alongside Morro, who they saw as their brother and Sensei since he was so insistent they learn to protect themselves.

Cassey and Sammy were incredibly helpful for a young man who had barely taken care of himself while out in the world, but he learned.

--------------------2 Years Later------------------------

Four kids snuck through the halls, using the stealth skills Morro had recuntly begun implementing in their training. Quietly, Casper pushed open the door, grinning when it didn't creak upon opening.

Slowly they crept towards the occupied bed, before climbing onto the foot of the bed pausing anytime the person stirred.

Unknown to the four, their target was wide awake and simply waiting for his moment to strike.

"Ready?" Wren asked, eager as ever.

"Ready."

"Ready."

Nico giggled to himself, and nodded.

"3 . . . 2 . .-"

Casper yelped as his legs were swiped out from underneath him and he landed on the bed with an oomph. Lady and Wren quickly followed, landing on top of the poor boy as Nico was swept into Morro's arms with a laugh of delight.

"And just what were you four doing?" Morro asked. To most he would sound furious and angry but that was simply his voice for them.

"Cassey sent us to wake you up," Lady pouted, sitting up. Morro raised am eyebrow at the three before glancing down to Nico, the weaklink of their little group.

"Nico?"

"You needed a wakeup call she said," Nico admitted, voice as quiet as ever. Morro sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Disrespectful. All of you."

All four giggled as he swung himself out of bed. "All right, beat it. Go eat. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay!"

Lady, Wren, and Casper left but Nico simply sat on the bed, attached to Morro's hip as always. Ruffling hia hair as he passed by to get his closet, Morro reached for his Sensei robes. For know he wore only the under layers and pants leaving the top for when training actually began, after breakfast.

"Alright kid, let's go see what Cassey cooked up."

Nico giggled, reaching out for Morro who gave a put upon sigh. "I hope you know how spoiled you are," Morro stated fondly as Nico smiled wider. Since Nico had been in his life, Morro had let go of many of the angers he'd held to focus on bringing him up the way he wished he would've been.

And with Lloyd's own experiences still in his memory, he had a pretty good idea of what he shouldn't do.

Nico seemed to think he was doing pretty good based on his massive grin whenever he was with Morro. After being so painfully shy and terrified those first few months, Morro was relieved and proud of the smiles and infectious happiness the 6 year old radiated.

"What do you wanna watch today, kid?"

Nico thought for a moment, sticking the chew necklace he wore in his mouth. "Bluey," He mumbled.

"Alright, Bluey it is."

Pantheon of Old Valyria

The Fourteen Flames

Arrax

Ruler of the Gods

God of Law, Order, Justice, and Governance

Married to Meleys

Aegarax's younger brother

Father of Shrykos and Syrax

Meleys

Queen of the Gods

Goddess of Love, Fertility, Childbirth, and Marriage

Married to Arrax

Mother of Shrykos and Syrax

Aegarax

God of Creation

Married to Tessarion

Father of Gaelithox

Arrax's older brother

Tessarion

Goddess of Music, Arts, Knowledge, Prophecy, Healing, and Poetry

Brother of Vermax and Vermithor

Married to Aegerax

Father of Gaelithox

Gaelithox

God of the Sun, Stars, and Moon

3 children

Syrax

Goddess of Wine, Parties, Chaos, Drunkeness, and Ecstacy

Shrykos

Goddess of Beginnings, Endings, Transitions, and Doorways

Wife of Balerion

Mother of Morghul and Ābrar

Balerion

God of Death

King of the Underworld

Husband of Shrykos

Father of Mirghul and Ābrar

Meraxes

Goddess of the Sky

Sister-wife to Caraxes

Caraxes

God of the Sea

Brother-husband to Meraxes

Vermax

God of Boundaries, Travel, Writing, Communication, Language, and Trade

Brother of Tessarion

Brother-husband of Vermithor

Vermithor

God of Smiths, Crafts, and Artisans

Brother of Tessarion

Brother-husband of Vermithor

Vhagar

Goddess of War, Weapons, and Battle Strategy

Sister of Tyraxes

Tyraxes

Goddess of Reason, Peace, Intelligence, and Skill

Sister of Vhagar

Minor Gods

Morghul

God of Souls

Bringer of Death

Brother of Ābrar

Ābrar

God of Life

Watcher of People

Brother of Morghul

Ānora

Goddess of Blood Magic, Sacrifices, and Woman

Sister-wife to Pera

Pera

Goddess of Fire Magic, Fire, Funerals, and Pyres

Sister-wife to Ānora

Korzion

God of Silver, Steel, and Coal

Husband of Āeksion

Āeksion

Goddess of Gold, Jewels, and Finery

Wife of Korzion

Mazva

Goddess of Building, Carving, Masonry, and Architecture

Twenty and five years ago, Princess Rhaenyra was removed from the line of succession after King Viserys Targaryen and Queen Alicent Hightower learned of her marriage, or marriages. Under the guiding flame of the Fourteen and the Branches of the Godwood, Rhaenyra had taken three husbands: Lord Rickon Stark of the North, Ser Laenor Velaryon, Heir to Driftmark, and Prince Daemon Targaryen, her Uncle.

It was Ser Otto, Lord Hand, who encouraged the King to remove her because of her unlawful wedding.

Having learned of her impending removal as Heiress, Rhaenyra created a contract with the help of Lyonel Strong, the Master of Law.

The First Clause.

Dragonstone, her ancestral home, and the Stepstones, Prince Daemons second gift for winning the war, were hers and her husbands alone and would be passed down through her line alone.

The Second Clause.

Anything belonging to the late Queen Aemma would be given to Princess Rhaenyra to be passed down through her line alone. This included all of her possessions, jewelry, dresses, and her crowns.

The Third Clause.

Anything of Valyrian Ancestry, whether living or not, belonged to Rhaenyra to pass down as she pleased.

The Fourth Clause.

The Dragons woud be removed from the Dragonpit and guided to the Dragonmont. If any Targaryen henceforth wished to claim a dragon they would have to gain permission from Princess Rhaenyra and her husbands.

As a gift for Aegons second nameday Rhaenyra left him and her younger sister, Halaena eggs.

The Fifth Clause.

Daemons Gold Cloaks would be allowed to follow to protect Dragonstone as they had Kings Landing.

The contract was shown to King Viserys privately, so none of his counsel was able to refute it. He agreed, signing the contract in blood before copies were sent out to each kingdom and member of the Counsel.

The morning after King Viserys signed the contract his entire family left. The Velaryons returned to Driftmark, and Rhaenyra and her husbands to Dragonstone where no word was heard for twenty and five years.

------------------------

Within the first year of living on Dragonstone, the Volcano erupted and gave them nearly double the land they had before. The Island became renowed for its Rock Salt, Fine Salt, Dragonglass, Glass, and Pearls all of which were abundant.

Created on the Northeastern side of the island, after a second smaller eruption added several miles, was a smaller keep built specifically for Rhaenyras line to inherit. The Keep, known as the Narrows Watchtower, had docks below for the Fleet of the Fourteen which would eventually be given to Prince Rhaenor Velaryon and his betrothed Princess Aemma Targaryen.

As Rhaenyra and Daemon knew what it felt like to be pushed aside they made sure their children knew that family was the most important thing, that nothing could break the bond of blood. They also made sure each child would inherit something so anger and jealosy would not fester.

Each child was given an egg within the cradle, and eventually taught the same lessons so they were given the same opportunities. Princess Rhaenyra was also going to make sure none of her children felt pressured to marry and let them have a say in their betrothals.

Prince Baelon Targaryen ll, Heir to Dragonstone.

Prince Aemon Targaryen ll, Heir to the Stepstones.

Prince Cregan Stark, Heir to the North.

Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, Heir to Crackclaw point.

Prince Lucerys Velaryon, Heir to Driftmark.

Princess Khalysi Targaryen, Heiress to Dragonstone.

Prince Jon Stark, Heir to Moat Cailin.

Princess Arya Stark, Heiress to Moat Cailin.

Prince Corryn Velaryon, Heir to the Sea Serpents Fleet.

Prince Rhaenor Velaryon, Heir to the Fleet of the Fourteen Flames.

Prince Benjen Stark, Heir to Greywater Watch.

Princess Saerys Targaryen, Heiress to Greywater Watch.

Princess Alyssa Targaryen, Heiress to Rainwood Isles.

Princess Aemma Targaryen, Heiress to the Narrows Watchtower.

Princess Visenya Targaryen ll, Heiress to the Vale.

Princess Rhaena Targaryen lll, Heiress to the Isles of Skagos and Skane.

Prince Baelon was betrothed to Princess Khalysi and Prince Lucerys at a young age due to their closeness. They were wedded after Khalysi's tenth and sixth Nameday, marking her as a grown woman.

Prince Aemon was betrothed to Princess Nehemia of Martell after it became obvious they liked each other during peace talks in Dorne. They were married after Princess Nehemias tenth and sixth Nameday, marking her as a grown woman.

Prince Cregan Stark was betrothed to Alyssane Blackwood after he saw her using a bow against the Wildlings. They married soon after the battle as Alyssane was already ten and seven.

Prince Jacaerys was married to Alinor Celtigar, which gave him Crackclaw Point.

Prince Jon and Princess Arya were married on their tenth and sixth nameday.

Prince Corryn was betrothed to Princess Alyssa because of their similar behaviors and wild hearts.

Prince Rhaenor and Princess Aemma were betrothed due to their own similarities and their friendship.

Prince Benjen and Princess Saerys were betrothed because they near begged to be, having fallen for each other at a young age.

Princess Visenya and Princess Rhaena were left unbetrothed, because Lady Jeyne was given permission to find their matches because their territories were gifts from the Vale.

With no information being given to Kings Landing, King Viserys, Queen Alicent, and Ser Otto had no idea of the 'army' of children Rhaenyra had. Nor of the amount of hatched dragons, and claimed dragons.

13 cradle hatched dragons, 3 claimed, with a dragonseed claiming Sheepstealer and becoming Princess Visenya's Sworn Maiden.

With three adult dragons, if not four or five when Rhaenys and Laena visited with Rhaenys and Vhagar.

Dragonstone was a fortress, with an army to protect her.

Damian Al Ghul - Wayne

- Birthed through an artificial womb because he needed specialized care while in the womb; It also spared Talia the labours of pregnancy

- Hybrids need specialized care because they get some traits from one parents and other traits from the second parent; Diets need to be carefully monitered

- Damian is part Black Nightwing, part Asiatic Jade Dragon, part Black Mamba

- Long, thin serpentine body with powerful black wings; A Yinglung

- Diamond hard, mottled black and dark forest green

- Powerful, bat-like wings with strong wrists tipped in two 'fingers' that he can balance on

- Black mouth with inward curved teeth for catching and eating fish; Four hooked claws, like an ospreys, for catching fish

- Black horns pointing straight back

- Specialized ankles that can roate backwards like a squirrels

- Thin, angular face with long silvery whiskers

- Awkward flier because his mother couldn't teach him to fly like her, cause she doesn't have wings, and none of the League has wings

- Unknown if he'll breathe black plasma or poisonous gas

Achilles Al Ghul - Wilson

- Birthed through an artificial womb because he needed specialized care while in the womb; It also spared Talia the labours of pregnancy

- Achilles is part Sand Drake, part Asiatic Jade Dragon, part Black Mamba

- Bulkier than his half siblings, but longer than his sire; A lung dragon

- Impenetrable scales with thick skin, dark brown scales with darker moss green segmented armor-like scales along his spine

- Large paws with hooked talons; Straight canines in a black mouth like a coyotes or wolfs

- Powerful tail tipped in a venemous stinger; Fangs positioned in the front of his mouth filled with deadly venom

- Flies through the air with magic; Not as graceful as his mother because of his sire but just as fast and stronger

Matteo Al Ghul - Santana

- Birthed through an artificial womb because he needed specialized care while in the womb; It also spared Talia the labours of pregnancy

- Mattheo is part Everburning dragon, part Sand Lindwurm, part Asiatic Jade Dragon, part Black Mamba

- Thin serpentine body with thick feathers covering most of his body; Feathered Yinglung

- Front and hind legs can fold flat against his body so he can slide like a snake through sand

- Diamond hard, emerald green scales speckled with golden-brown

- Thick, luscious feathers in several shades of green and white along the edges of his face, neck, wings, and down the spine that glow with embers

- Black mouth with fangs situated at the front of the mouth filled with corrosive venom; Straight fangs like a wolf or coyotes

- Large paws tipped with hooked claws

- Large wings have sharp foreclaws to cling to trees and other objects

- Feathered tail leaves smoke trails when he flies sometimes

Dragon Dictionary

Ra's Al Ghul - Lung | Asiatic Jade Dragon

- Known for diamond hard scales that come in all shades of green

- Sharp teeth curved inwards for catching fish; Hooked talons for catching fish

- Breath poisonous gas

- Fly through the sky in a serpentine fashion

Talia Al Ghul - Lung | Asiatic Jade Dragon/Black Mamba

- Known for diamond hard scales that come in all shades of green

- Sharp teeth curved inwards for catching fish; Hooked talons for catching fish; Fangs filled with venom positioned at the front of the mouth in place of canines

- Black mouth

- Breathe poisonous gas

- Fly through the sky in a serpentine fashion

Bruce Wayne - Wyvern | Black Nightwing

- Wyvern with large black wings and three claws at the end of its wrist to walk on; Diamond hard scales that blend in with the night sky

- Breath black plasma

- Long, straight horns pointed back

- Crocodile like tail for balnce when on hind legs

Slade Wilson - Drake | Sand Drake

- Sand colored scales with darker plates along their back like armor; Impenetrable scales with thick skin

- Wide paws for balance on sand with straight claws; Slender body for moving across sand and hiding in the desert

- Barbed tail like a scorpion

- Breath fire

Chato Santana - Lindwurm/Zilant/Quetzecoatl | Born a Sand Lindwurm - Everburning Feathered Zilant

- Sand colored scales with darker skales specked in, uniquily suited tofold front limbs back and move like a snake through the sand

- Fangs situated at the front of the mouth filled with highly corrosive venom

- Long red, yellow, and orange colored feathers along the top of the skull, down the neck and along large wings, tipped with hooked foreclaws

- Real embers along the spine; Runs naturally hotter than almost any other dragon species

- Feathered tail that leaves behind trails of deadly smoke

- Breathes golden flames

Damian Al Ghul - Wayne - Yinglong | Asiatic Jade Nightwing

- Diamond hard scales with mottled black and green scales that allow them to blend in with the night sky and shadows

- Black mouth with inward curved teeth to catch fish; Hooked talons for catching fish

- Large black wings with single foreclaw and moveable wrist that he can walk on

- Black plasma

- Thin whip like tail

- Long horns curving slightly backwards

Respawn (Achilles Al Ghul - Wilson) - Lung | Jade Sand Dragon

- Impenetrable sand colored scales with green armor like plates down the spine

- Venoumous barb on his tail; Fangs positioned at the front of his mouth are filled with deadly venom

- Wide paws with hooked talons for fish; Black mouth with inward curved teeth for eating fish

- Fly tgrough the sky in a serpentine fashion

- Camouflaged in desert areas

Matteo Al Ghul - Santana - Feathered Yinglong | Everburning Jade Dragon

- Dimaond hard scales in shades of dark green with golden/sandy colored speckled in

- Black mouth; Fangs situated at the front of the mouth filled with corrosive venom; Straight teeth, like a wolves or coyotes

- Large paws with hooked talons for catchin fish

- Green and white feathers around his slender face, down the neck, over the wings, and down the spine

- Embers glow along his back, hidden with the feathers; Runs hotter than nearly all other species of dragon

- Breathes golden-green flames

- Feathered tail leaves smoke trails when he flies

Dick Grayson - Feathered Dragon | Thermotect

- Ice cold, diamond hard scales in all shades from black to white, blue to pink, and more; Specialized feathers along the face, neck and top half of the wings

- Large teeth, like a polar bears; Hooked talon for gripping ice and catching fish

- Blue-black tongue

- Breathe ice

- Wide paws with thick pads to walk across snow and ice

Jason Todd - Feathered Wyvern |Phoenix Drake

- Covered in thick red-orange feathers with darker red ones around the neck, wings, and tail; Fluff covered hind legs with long wicked sharp talons like a Harpy Eagles

- Sharp foreclaws on the tops of the wings 'wrist' to walk on though Phoenix Drakes are capable of walking upright on their hind legs alone

- Thin faces with angular snout; Razor sharp serated teeth, like an anacondas, to grab hold of prey

- Long tail feathers with two extra long white feathers that stretch several feet past the rest of the tail

- Run hotter than almost every species, but are vulnerable because they lack the thick scales of most species; Compensate by being reborn

-

Timothy Drake - Dragon | Goldenfang

- Beautiful golden scales with short wings and long frills along its spine with a long tail with thin delicate looking veils connected by thin spines on the tail; Darker golden-brown scales on the head like a fer-de-lances

- Jungle dwelling dragons best at gliding through trees and weaving around obstacles

- Sharp needle like claws for clinging to trees; Delicate fangs positioned at the front of the mouth filled with potent golden venom

- Sharp teeth and molars like a monkeys; Short muzzle than most dragons

- Flexible bodies with a specialized flexible spine

- Incredibly delicate as their scales aren't diamond hard of inpenetrable

Cassandra Cain - Drake | Scorpion Drake

- Thick, impenetrable scales that comes in pale shades od brown or shades of black or in between; Long tail that curves upwards slightly tipped with a sharp stinger and poison glands

- Specialized scales along the wrists and ankles that let them feel vibrations in the air; Naturally thinner scales, a weak spot

- Large paws with flat claws to balance on sand

- Able to go long periods without water; Can hold still for hours

- Extremely fast and agile for a drake who are normally bulky because of their thick, armor like scales

- Fast runners because of their longs legs

Rare - Common

Successful Hybrids (that survive) - Extremely Rare

Everburning Dragon - Rare

Phoenix Drake - Rare

Goldenfang - Rare

Asiatic Jade Dragon - Uncommon

Sand Drakes - Uncommon

Thermotect - Uncommon

Scorpion Drake - Uncommon

Black Nightwings - Uncommon

(Inspired by @salparadiselost Dragon Au; The Thermotect, Phoenix Drake, and Goldenfang all belong to her)

Khalysi Velaryon, daughter of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon, younger daughter of Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon, 'The Realms Delight', 'Driftmarks Pearl', and cruelly, 'The Dragonless,' was chained to the masts of the pirates ship, thin nightclothes doing nothing to protect her from the icy breeze. Tears stained her face, as she wept, begging the clouded sky to let her family find her.

A part of her wanted to fight, to be like Visenya, but at 10 namedays she had no chance against the older pirates that made up the crew. A strange sound had Khalysi looking up and looking around.

When she looked behind her she found a dragon, bigger than Syrax but smaller than Meleys, perched on the deck, staring at her.

Grey Ghost.

He had cloudy grey scales with a beautiful pearly undertone. His back had armor plates instead of spikes that were a blue-green like the sea when you you looking down. Grey eyes set in a narrow face watched her closely as his long neck swayed slightly. Branching silver horns, arced gracefully catching the little bit of moonlight that shone through the clouds.

Khalysi felt something in her chest urging her closer, so she crawled, legs too weak from the days at sea with little food and water, slowly making her way closer to the beautiful dragon. Once she was close enough, he lowered his head, breathing out a cloud of hot air that warmed her skin.

Every so slowly, she raised a hand and pressed it to the warm scales of his nose. He jerked away but let her hand touch him, and he settled, eyes closing as the bond she'd heard so much about clicked into place.

Grey Ghost climbed further onto the deck, wrapping himself around her and protecting from the icy winds. As he did she remembered the reports.

Ships had been found with no one aboard and no evidence of them being attacked. Sometimes there was blood but very little else. Rhaenyra had suggested it was Grey Ghost but Corlys and Daemon had refuted that, saying the eludice dragon was to shy.

But Khalysi felt it, felt Grey Ghosts bloodlust, his anger towards pirates specifically.

"Grey Ghost. Return. And kill them all."

The dragon snorted in agreement and gently pulled away. In a soundless beat of his wings, he rose disappearing quickly.

------------------

A thick fog, that made the pirate crew nervous, had set in around noon when the sun was high in the sky. But the fog made it seem closer to night, as if the sun had decided to disappear early. Khalysi pressed herself against the mast, waiting. It did not take long.

In less than two hours Grey Ghost had killed them all, and freed Khalysi. She prepared to have him return her hom but something made her pause.

What did she truly have back home? Her brothers would have their kingdoms and keeps, and she would be married off to the highest bidder to have babies.

No, she'd be a Queen of her own making.

A Pirate Queen.

She stole gold, and thick clothes before climbing onto Grey Ghosts back. She remembered an old fairytale that spoke of an island near Old Valyria that had narrowly escaped the Doom. Hopefully it existed.

When she told Grey Ghost he seemed to know what she spoke of and quickly set them on their way.

-------------------

The journey was long and tiring, but peaceful.

Once on the large island, Khalysi rested in a cave of Grey Ghosts choice, hidden from the other creatures of the island. Until she heard the call.

The same call that had urged her to go to Grey Ghost called to her now. And so she followed it.

Deep into the mountain that took up a large chunck of the island rested a dragon. Larger than Vhagar was. But more . . . youthful.

She did not have the flap on her neck, nor the exhaustion that Khalysi had seen on Aemonds newly claimed dragon. Her scales were not dull, in fact, they the opposite.

The scales of her body were all shades of blue, woth the frills along her spine being a paler blue while her belly was dark blue, the same blue that the ocean was at night. Her wings were a beautiful pearly grey with pale green and blue streaks. The spikes along her chest, jaw, and her horns were a beautiful bronze with orange-red streaks, while her tail fins were a solid bronze.

Khalysi was reminded of Daerons hatchling, that she'd never learned the name of, and decided that this dragon was far more beautiful.

Slowly the she-dragon lifter her head, allowing golden eyes to meet murky purple. Khalysi gasped when the dragon gently nudged her and another bond clicked into place. At her back, she could feel the warm presence of Grey Ghost who made not a sound as he watched the older dragon.

"Tessarion," Khalysi decided, smiling at the huff and feeling of amusement from her.

And so her legacy began.

Khalysi Velaryon, Firstborn Daughter of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon, younger sister of Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon.

'The Realms Delight.'

'Driftmarks Pearl.'

'Pirate Queen.'

'Queen of the Sea.'

'Daughter of the Drowned God.'

'Daughter of the Stranger.'

'The Drowned Goddesses Rider.'

'Rider of the Grey Ghost.'

Caro Morticina

Part two

Rhaenyra watched from the balconey as her sweet boy, her Lucerys, stood before the Cannibals large, scared muzzle, talking to him. She had forbidden him from flying until his new riding leathers had been made. He'd had complete control over what they looked like though and a part of her had ached when she saw the design he had sketched out for the leather worker, the blacksmith, and the tailor.

A dragonglass breastplate with a singular golden-white scale over his heart, with thick, dyed black leather straps. The leather, he'd requested, would have to be nearly three times thicker than any of the others riding leathers, padded with dyed rabbit fur. A thick black cloak that would almost completely hide what he wore underneath, with the inside made of soft, dyed, rabbit fur.

But the scariest part, to her, was the spine. Lucerys had left for the day and returned with the black bone spine of a dragonet and asked for it to be attached to his armor to protect his own, more delicate, spine.

She watched as her son was turned inside out from the death of Arrax and his subsequent claiming of the Cannibal, and her hatred for Aemond grew. If Lucerys hadn't have claimed his and Vhagar's death as his own her and Daemon would have done it. Well, if they made it their first.

Jacaerys had been furious, based on the letter he'd sent, as had Lord Cregan Stark, who swore to her and her sons. He had begged Rhaenyra, first as a son then as the Queens heir and finally as a brother, but she refused. She needed him in Winterfell to plan with Cregan.

But part of her wondered if she should send Lucerys to him. He and Jacaerys had always been close and maybe being together would help him heal over the loss of Arrax.

-------------

Lucerys packed light, since Cannibal had refused to allow a saddle to be placed on him. Only two extra sets of clothing, and some rations were placed in a rucksack for him to carry.

His riding leathers were pulled on last and he couldn't help but stare at himself in the mirror.

A black undershirt with a dragonclass breastplate, Arraxs singular scale resting above where his heart was. Black leather covered his legs, protecting the inside of his thighs and calves with fluffy black rabbit fur poking out. Turning he was able to see the black bone spine running down his back.

But it was all hidden beneath the thick, hooded black cloak.

He looked intimidating, especially with the singular white streak that had earned him the moniker, The Strangers Son, dead eyes, and pale skin.

Earlier that morning, the Queen, his mother, had ordered him to head to Winterfell to join Jacaerys and Lord Cregan Stark to begin preparing Starks Army to march.

Leaving his room Lucerys found Rhaena waiting for him, looking worried for him.

"Are you well prepped? Jacaerys mentioned before he left that it was a long journey. And quite difficult for dragons since they don't like the cold," Rhaena said, only to falter. "Though I guess Cannibal might handle it differently."

"He will. I think he likes the cold."

"Really? That's odd." Rhaena and he made it down to the courtyard where everyone was waiting to say goodbye.

Daemon pulled him into a hug and murmured into his ear, "Just send a letter and I can have the bastards other eye."

"Thank you, Kepa."

Joff, Aegon, and Viserys all threw themselves into Lukes arms, begging him not to leave but he soothed them and reminded them that it was his duty to their Queen.

Rhaenyra gentle wrapped him in her arms, trembling slightly. "Come back to me, my sweet Luke."

"I will, My Queen. I promise."

Baela hugged him tightly and asked him to pass a message along to Jace, which he promised he would and Rhaena hugged him tightly. Tighter than she had last time.

They all let out noises of shock and surlrise when they turned and found Cannibal half inside the courtyard, watching them with glowing green eyes. Lucerys climbed up the sharp spikes of his side and settled at the base of his neck, tugging on the thick padded gloves before holding on tight to the closest spikes.

"Soves!"

With barely a sound, Cannibal took off, disappearing into the clouds with ease.

Inspired by @childotkw Ruination Au, and @nashiriel Carrion

Caro Morticina

Cannibal followed the scent of blood and death through the heavy storm, barely distinguishable from the dark clouds hiding the sky. Rain pelted his scales but the beast barely felt the whispers of touch against him. Swooping downwards his keen eyes spotted the ripped apart body of a young dragon splayed across a small grouping of rocks.

The rocks were barely large, or strong, enough to hold him but they did and he lowered his head to feast. He was interrupted by a tiny human, wrapped in red and reeking of death, blood, and hatred pointing the strange disconnected fang at his face.

The beast did not blink, amused by the little creatures display, at least until their eyes met and he felt something. He hissed as the boy slowly leaned down grabbing a hunk of flesh before approaching. Looking away he held his hand, fang pointed towards the ground in an odd display.

Huffing, Cannibal took the offering from him and both felt the intristic clicking in their chests. Turning, the beast began feasting on a discarded body piece while the human made strange sounds, cossapsing agai st the largest hunk of flesh.

The emotions coming through the new found bond had Cannibal pausing his feast, and watching the human out of the corner of his eye.

-------------

Lucerys crumpled against the chest of Arrax's broken, discarded body, weeping heavily at the feel of this new bond. It sat where Arrax's was and felt larger but it didn't seem to truly fill the gaping hole he felt for his lost cradle-hatched dragon.

He could feel the heavy weight of the Cannibal's gaze as he cried and he felt an odd sense of comfort from the dragon. For an hour, he cried and the dragon feast until all that was left was Arrax's chest.

When he approached, Lucerys cried out a no throwing himself across the chest, sobbing renewed. The dragon hissed, and a thought passed through Lucerys mind, one that was not his own.

It was the golden scales of Arrax's chest and the thought of 'treasure.'

Lucerys struggled to understand before finally he stood, sword in hand. He pressed the sword underneath one of the golden-white scales of Arrax's chest, and slowly peeled it off. Leaving the body to wash the singular scale off in the sea, Cannibal began his feast anew.

Lucerys watched for a moment as the last of Arrax disappeared down Cannibal's gullet before he made his decision. Using his sword he cut more strips of his cloak and wrapped them around his hands, then resheathed his sword.

Approaching the beast, he slowly reached up and grabbed the closest spike to him. When he didn't turn, Lucerys slowly began climbing up the black hide of the second largest dragon in the world. It was only once he had awkwardly settled at the base of his neck that Cannibal moved, standing to his full height.

Crouching, Cannibal opened black, tattered wings and Lucerys realized what was about to happen. He leaned forward clinging to the spikes just as Cannibal launched himself into the air, wingbeats near silent.

On the beast of nightmares, Lucerys flew back to Dragonstone, Arrax's scale tucked against his chest and his shrieks still in his ears and the ache and pain of falling, throbbing in his bones. And a hatred for Vhagar and her rider in his heart.