PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
Not today Justin
Jules of Nature
ojovivo
Cosimo Galluzzi
Love Begins
DEAR READER
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art blog(derogatory)
Sweet Seals For You, Always
Three Goblin Art
trying on a metaphor
Andulka
macklin celebrini has autism
Kiana Khansmith
No title available
Keni
KIROKAZE
Discoholic 🪩
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@antonyvitello
cementality - king krule | storm song - phildel | lover/soldier - washington | mars - sleeping at last | safe & sound - taylor swift ft. the civil wars | you - keaton henson | tomorrow will be kinder - the secret sisters | hallelujah (cover) - holly henry | farewell to gwen - merlin ost
{ one last time }
Long before he had sat upon the throne, before he had given way to the grief that others called madness, before he had married his true love and brought light back into his world with the birth of his twins, Antony Vitello had made a mistake. He had been young, barely nineteen years when his father pointed to the woods, yelling harsh words of attack, of traitors, of monsters in the woods. He had been young, but he knew it had been wrong.
One thing Antony Vitello had always been was cowardly. He attacked. He closed his eyes as he swung his sword at the innocent, pointed his men, his people, to the mob of running feet, of cries in the dark. They called themselves the free folk, the people who called the deep dark northern woods home were no friend to the crown, but they had yet to do anything wrong, and although Antony doubted they would, he had no want for their land as they had no want for his, he was a Vitello, and in that he was a coward.
He could never stand up to his father, not until the King was long dead, deep in the crypts with his forefathers, with Antony’s own son, would he be able to look his father in the eye and take a stand.
And even then he flinched. Each movement was as bad as a strike, each touch in those moments was the same as the cold damp stone floor he found his face pressed against as a young man. Every drink felt like wine, coursing through his veins like a shock, bringing the courage he could not find on his own.
This was justice.
( Being a coward did not mean he was not guilty. )
Antony fell to his knees before his own fate, eyes clouded with tears that he would not dare let fall. He looked at the green green grass and closed his eyes, letting himself fall back, back, back into his memories, just for his last moments.
He remembered his Alycia, the softness of her hands when they walked through the dark crypts, before there had been a thought in his mind of love, of his Alycia asleep, curled against him like something new and fresh and innocent, a side of her that no one but him got to treasure. He thought of his daughter, his Peyton, his light, with her golden curls and brown eyes that knew his soul better than any other, her brother, his little boy, his son.
He’d be seeing his Dimitri again.
Looking up once more, he looked to his bride, his rock, his Alycia. Even now she was brave. Even when he was not.
His head fell, and he closed his eyes and waited no more.
Was this place destined to become her home? How cold the ground was, and how lonely it made her feel. ( They treated her children with nothing but kindness, but what good was kindness when it was in darkness? ) She tugged her fingers through wild strands of hand and let out a small sigh. Bitterness, bitterness, bitterness flowed through her easily, hidden behind a bitter, bitter, bitter smile. “If only they’d give me a brush — ”
He leaned against the bars that separated the two of them, back aching from the pressure of the iron digging into his back, “They couldn’t have you look too regal, we’re meant to be suffering.” He said, voice rough. He’d been spending most of his time yelling at his brother, the traitor, Hector, Instead. He reached his hand through the bars without turning around, finding her fingers easily. They would get through this.
They would get through this.
olenarivers :
“You’re there when they need you? When they’re hungry, thirsty, cold? When they wake from nightmares, when they hurt?” Her eyes slid to his back, looking him over.
“And who takes care of you?”
“They hardly sleep unless Alycia and I are in the room, we’ve moved them both to be closer, as if we needed another reason too.” He turned his eyes back to the girls, smiling as Nettie and Peyton rolled around on the soft grass, their laughter ringing out loud in clear on the cloudy day. “They do not hurt, if I have any say in it. Not yet. They are young.”
“I do.” He said, and looked back to her, “Alycia, should she take the time, but I rarely allow that. She has much more important things to do.”
olenarivers :
“Our people are at war, there’s a difference. Besides, you won’t do anything to me.” She watched his children play, bright and beautiful in the light, and felt a strange longing.
Children were born free, taught to restrict themselves, hold themselves back, for others who were doing the exact same for the same purpose. Where did it get anyone?
“You’ll keep them safe, won’t you?” She asked, her eyes not straying from the little ones. “Not let anything come before them?”
“I don’t think I could, even if I had it in me too.” He told her, smiling slightly. He kept his back to her, a sign of trust, but listened carefully.
“They’ve lost enough in their short lives. I do all I can to be sure they are safe and happy. I’d die, easily, before I let harm come to them.” Antony said to her, and it was true. All he had left in these days was his girls. His own, born of his wife, and Nettie, who had come to him as Astrid had come to his father.
“They are my stars and my sky.”
olenarivers :
Going unseen was a talent of Olena’s. And there were benefits to being the former mistress of the now disgraced king and queen, she knew where all the hidden holes were get inside.
She found him with his children, the little ones playing in the sunlight while he stood watch, the only dark spot in a sea of color. “They’re cute,” she said, coming to stand beside him. “Small ones shouldn’t be kept inside for too long, it’s not good for them.
Antony hummed, recognizing her voice instantly, as if her bright hair hadn’t given her away. “I do not think it is wise for you to be here, Olena. We are at war, you and I, you know.” He said, voice soft.
But his children, she was right there. He watched as Nettie scooped up his little Peyton in her arms, Peyton’s blonde curls bouncing as Nettie spun her around, their dresses swirling around them. “No one should stay inside for too long.”
The light was terribly bright, and having stayed indoors much of the past month, Antony had grown used to drawn curtains and dim lights. However, it had been much too long since he had spent time with his children, so now he did. The garden was green and thick with flowers, he watched as the trees danced beneath the light weight of his children, tilting his head slightly to the side when he heard another join him.
hamish-vitello :
His joy faded. “I’m sure you weren’t.” His voice was carefully neutral, without the usual cynical bite behind his tone. Although it had gone well at first, their last duel had ended with a leg spasm so violent that Hamish had collapsed and a healer needed to be called. Fighting with a sword was simply no longer possible for him; the footwork was too vital for it, and he’d never get that back, no matter how many unfairly matched duels Antony insisted on putting him through just to pretend he was getting better.
But Hamish didn’t want to take that smile off Antony’s face, didn’t want to miss out on the rare few times their relationship still felt like when they were boys - even if it meant being unceasingly whacked at with a sword. “Whenever you’d like, Ant,” he said lightly. “Your schedule’s a bit busier than mine, you know.”
He limped along after Antony’s quick, confident pace. “No, I haven’t yet-” Hamish began, and then his eyes widened and he was, for a long few moments, entirely struck dumb. His pleasure at being asked could not be diminished even by the mention of Alycia. (It should have been him, gods, if only he had been good enough, if only she’d chosen him, nothing would have made him happier than to share their love with any child who wanted it, with the entire world if need be. As long as he would’ve been with her.)
Hamish swallowed. Finally, he exhaled softly: “That would be an honor.”
“Well that is just rubbish. We’ll free it up.” Ant said, and smiled at his brother. It was a comfort knowing, that after all of this time, his brother was still there, he still understood. “Perhaps I should teach you to throw those sharp little knives, like Jude used to teach me when I was angry, back before father died.” He said, “That doesn’t require as much lower body movement, perhaps it would be easier, less painful.”
At his answer, Antony looked over to his brother and smiled softly. He recalled being very small and sitting in the windowsills with him long after they were meant to be asleep, watching the tiny torches of the streets below slowly fade into the muddy darkness as they read books, or sometimes pretended to be brave knights.
It struck him for a moment, once again, coming up from deep inside, how much he missed Dimitri. How the little boy would have been so loved by Hamish, his dark curls and large brown eyes were reminiscent of their fathers, but the little thing had been so filled with joy. He pushed the feelings down and bit out another smile for his little brother. “The honor is all mine, Hamish. You are my brother, I cannot think of someone better suited for this role, and I thank you, deeply.”
leadmeoceansaway :
Oberon raised his eyebrows in surprise, though he nodded in full agreement. Zion did mess up with the free folk and didn’t make the effort of staying alive to deal with this expected revolt. He looked down at Antony and wondered if his old man would be satisfied with what he had become. A crownless and heirless heir. “How many Kings would be needed to fix this interesting problem?”
“Hopefully none more.” Antony waved a hand. He would not say it in front of Alycia, but he knew he was not destined to rule. “My Uncle is a good king, a smart man with a steady mind. He’s loyal to fault. He will solve this, or we will have war. And then we will win and the whole situation will end.”
amongkholi-khan :
It was smile at first, on her face, seeing fire in eyes of him, but soon smile was gone, like smoke in wind, and she was very like stone with hard face and unmoving eyes.
“What is it you are wanting?”
“To win, Theron.” Ant said, voice even, “I want my children safe, my wife carefree, and my people without worry of these wildlings who think they can attack us. I have made strides towards peace, told them I did not want their lands, but still, they tell me they will strike.”
leadmeoceansaway :
“It is interesting,” he replied with a faint smile, regarding the man carefully, yet still with certain sympathy. “I wonder why and how did it come to this.”
Shrugging, Antony smiled at the man, evenly, and without emotion. “The King’s I would assume. Perhaps my father.”
ashlynnpemberley :
“It sounds like something more,” she said, and sighed as she looked to the nearest window. Annoyed as she was at his careless dismissal of something so real, Ashlynn knew she was hardly in a position to challenge. Not yet. Not this way. “You know the far North well, don’t you? Should we truly be so unworried?”
“Take your qualms to Holden, Dearest Ash. I am no longer king.” He sighed and shrugged once, “If they strike first, we will strike back. If they do not, we will not, I assume.”
paxton-balor :
“Indeed. You have already lost your throne, Antony. Perhaps your head will follow course.”
“Or perhaps I’ll send you back to your shithole of a home, Paxton Balor.” Antony said evenly.
amongkholi-khan :
She–she who was Khan of many peoples; peoples called demons by those they fell upon, leaving ash and ruin where feet went and hooves of horse trod–slapped him lightly on side of head, saying this: “How are ears so deaf you only hear of troubles now?”
“I was busy,” Antony protested, swatting her hand away. It felt like the bickering between school boys, like he used to when he was younger, he and Hamish. “I no longer sit on the throne, my Uncle rarely demands that I attend to such things. But now I must lead my army, now we must strike, my dearest Theron.”
alyciacromwell :
“Does this mean you’ll be fighting in the coming battles – assuming, of course, the little wildlings make it to actual battles?” She eyed him, full of possibility. “The people will need a hero, Antony.”
Antony eyed his wife, watching his daughters play on the ground just by the bed. “I’ve been a hero before, my love. It takes less than you assume. I may not be a King now, but I am just a leader.”
“A revolution, hm?” Antony smirked. He may no longer have been king, but he knew that the people of the Keep, like him, had no want or need for death. They could beat Illias and his little crew of misfits. “Sounds interesting.”
hamish-vitello:
“Brother!” Hamish exclaimed happily, a rare, pleased smile lighting up his usually dark expression. He quickly ducked his head, tried to wipe that smile off his face. He shouldn’t come across as too eager - as if he were still that obnoxious, inconsequential boy running after Antony’s shadow and failing to keep up. (Sometimes he thought he had outgrown being that boy. Most of the time, he wondered if he ever would.)
He nodded. “I remember. Father was-” Zion had been utterly furious, had terrorized everyone around him merely because his pride had been bruised. Hamish bit his lip, quietly cursing himself for bringing it up at all, and hastened to add: “I am glad to see you as well, Antony.”
Antony lightly bumped his brother on the shoulder, “When are we to get back to training, Hamish?” He asked his brother, the light in the younger man’s eyes bringing a smile to his face, “Last time we dueled you almost had me beat, you know. And I wasn’t going to easy on you either.”
“Anyway, Come along, Hamish. We have so much to discuss,” he told his brother, “Have you met Nettie yet? I was thinking of appointing you her god father, you know.” He lowered his voice, slightly, “Alycia believes it should be someone like her Amos, perhaps uncle, But I have seen you around the children of this Keep.” He looked to his brother and smiled, “Charming little brat.”
