After giving Tim and Thor time to squirm, they informed them that they’d be joining them on their ship within an hour. The father-daughter duo decided to have a little fun, and get dressed up for this more formal meeting on the towering ship.
Jericho could see that Hesperia needed something distracting- and picking out an outfit would probably help that out.
-
The lights coming from the chandelier felt blinding. He’d watch the crystal-hanging fixture get lit - hundreds of candles blazing brightly and flooding the ballroom with a brilliant glow. He’d been staring up at it periodically for the last 30 minutes, watching the light reflect and flicker.
“You’re going to go blind doing that” An accented voice commented
Clothing and its importance is considered, conversations had
(And I decided to test flatter colors for funsies)
Hat kept looking back into the forest where her father and Tim had gone - as if expecting him to show up the moment her head turned.
Thor wishes he could ask more questions of the girl, but he was…. Indisposed, to put it mildly.
-
He had been standing there for several moments - possibly over a minute- nervous about approaching the princess.
This is LATE but I just had to draw my (and everyone's, it seems) favorite scene from @lemonadesoda's fic "Times End", part of the "And I Don't Think You Hate This as Much as You Wish You Did" Series which if you have even a passing interest in @doodledrawsthings OTH!AU you need to read like... yesterday.
As a Bonus though--
AT LAST! THE FIGHT EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR (and by everyone i mean Mak because Mak tagged one of my posts with the idea and its been in my head rent-free ever since)
Meanwhile, watching:
Then the girls arrive and they stop fighting because the girls ask them to.
Everyone gets along and they chit chat as the girls cause a mild level of chaos in the background
The Roadtrip to Hell :: Final Destination :: Bosque De Surcon
The only Fictional Location in this Journey, and it is the final one
All Aboard!
Day 1
Jericho and Helena start the day driving into the Surcon forest, parking in a lot meant for hiking. Helena makes a joke about going hiking in a sense, wearing her new hat. They make their way around, using a compass and finding their way to an abandoned path. They take a break as a little creek, and Jericho mutters to himself about how he isn’t sure where to look next, as everything is starting to look the same, and they need to head back before they get lost.
Nethaniel is a bit insulted at Jericho’s “wimpiness” and takes over, assuring Helena that they’d be fine, and that he actually recognizes this part of the forest - a place his brother and him used to go hunting. They find a rocky outcrop, and Helena thinks they might be close - mostly because they were getting very close to where the man - Neth’s brother - had pointed to on the map. While she is looking at the map, Nethaniel has to pry her attention away to look forward, and before them they see a large, simple stone door, with a dragon wrapped around it protectively. While the door itself looks worn with hundreds of years of age, the dragon looks distressingly brand new.
Nethaniel suddenly feels uncomfortable, thinking that this has to be the place, but his emotions are all over the place about it, and he suggests that they go back to the RV. He’s able to navigate them back there easily, and Helena starts asking him questions about what hunting was like, which he answers with stories and memories of his brother. They get back there, and Helena shows him how to set up their little outdoor kitchen, teaching him how to make ramen - something he thinks is hilariously over-salted - doesn’t mean he doesn’t finish the whole thing.
Nethaniel states that since they spent all day searching, they can sleep tonight and get all the nonsense done tomorrow. Helena invites him to watch a movie with her on her laptop - sometimes he has never done before. He agrees, if only out of curiosity. They watch Homeward Bound because Helena thought it would be funny, but Nethaniel is moved by the journey home, and how anticlimactic his own feels. Helena tells him that she hopes that when he gets back in his body, he’s happy like the characters in the movie are. Something about that really touches him and makes him emotional, grabbing the girl in a hug. The night ends quietly, with Helena asleep as the credits rolled
Day 2
The next morning, everything is slow and leisurely, with Jericho in control as they eat breakfast, and assures Helena that today is probably the day. Helena asks why the “probably” and he gets a bit flustered, not answering.
They return to the stone door, and the unnervingly realistic dragon curled around it. Jericho looked over the simple door, and tries pushing it open - managing a solid push to get it fully opened. There is nothing but black down there. Helena asks what they’re going to do, and Jericho turns on his phone’s flashlight and tells her that he’s going to go down carefully, and to only follow once he’s called her. She’s not thrilled at the instruction, but understands. He starts down, and just as he’s seeing the bottom of the stairs, he feels a rumble, and hears Helena start to scream - he hears something about a dragon? - and just as he’s about to rush back up, something big grabs him right around his waist and practically launches him out of the stairwell and into the daylight, thudding down onto the dirt. Reoriented, Helena rushes over, pointing at something. He looks up, and there is a young man - no older than 20 - dressed rather anachronistically and speaking in old Spanish he remembered from Nethaniel’s memories.
Whoever this person is triggers a very strong reaction in Nethaniel, who immediately takes over and calls out for the man - Jose - who is startled at someone knowing his name. He continues speaking in the old Spanish, before Nethaniel manages some back - though it seems difficult, telling him that no one speaks that anymore. Jose seems to understand the implication, and a few moments and a complicated spell later, Jose is speaking English, demanding to know how his name was known. It takes some convincing (And Neth nearly stating something highly embarrassing) for Jose to be convinced, and Neth asks what the hell Jose is even doing here, hundreds of years out from when he was supposed to have lived and died.
Jose sits down to tell what happened to him
After what happened to Nethaniel, his brother returned to Vanessa having lost herself, and Jose - a sorcerer's son traiting as a knight - having to tell the prince that his brother’s soul was flat out missing. Felipe - ever the optimist - told Jose that they *would* find Nethaniel and bring him back, But Jose was unsure. However, after Vanessa was deposed, and Felipe crowned king, the two were shocked when someone attempted to break into the tomb. Felipe worries that there won’t be a body left for Nethaniel if he doesn’t assign guards, but that guards might alert more people to its location. Jose makes a decision independently to bind himself to the location- something he knew that Felipe would not approve of, and has been guarding the tomb ever since.
Nethaniel is - quite understandably - upset that Jose would do that to himself. Jose argues that in the ensuing chaos he was almost certainly the next to be targeted in the hunt for who was responsible for Vanessa’s madness, seeing as it didn’t go away when Neth “died”. Neth still isn’t pleased, but Jose placates him in two ways: One, that Jose had been “awoken” several times throughout the years, so he wasn’t completely oblivious, and two, that once Neth was reunited with his body, he would be free from the curse, so this was quite fortuitous.
Everyone seems a bit stressed out, so Helena requests that they go back to the RV for lunch and Neth agrees, interested to see how Jose reacts to food. They have lunch, with Helena showing Nethaniel how to - once more - work the outdoor stove. After some time eating and talking casually, Nethaniel eventually falls asleep while Jose and Helena are talking.
Dreamscape
Jericho can see that Nethaniel is still bothered and upset about what Jose did, and Jericho really, really understands that, but attempts to comfort Neth - telling him that it's a true show of Nethaniel’s character that someone would do that for him. Nethaniel is mostly just anxious and isn’t sure what's going to happen when they wake up. Jericho states that whatever it is, they are in this together.
The afternoon
When Jericho wakes up in control, Jose is showing Helena fire magic and Jericho is understandably a bit alarmed. After that's all settled - and Jose and Jericho are properly introduced, they return to the tomb, and Jose gladly lets them in, using his magic to light the way down safely. Once down there, they see yet another door, covered in carved latin and Christian motifs on the stone.
Jose pushes the door open, and inside is a rather simple room, with a tomb that clearly once had a statue on top that was destroyed. Helena asks what happened, and Jose says that the statue on the top did not look anything like Nethaneil - so Felipe destroyed it. Jericho traces his hand along the tomb carefully, going over the rubble. Helena wonders aloud if maybe being in an airtight tomb preserved the body or not. Jericho, awkward and realizing he had to say something - admits that he doesn’t know, and that they aren’t actually sure what’s going to happen next - Neth might not come back.
Helena is understandably upset and distressed at this news, cearly throwing a fit and getting angry. Neth takes over quite suddenly, and finally has an important conversation with her - Link . He has placated her, and takes a breath, looking at his hands, thinking, praying, hoping, that maybe he will get to hold one of them- if things go his way for once in his long, long life. He relinquishes control to Jericho then, and Jericho looks to Jose, asking what they need to do next.
Jose states that he probably just needs to focus, and let Neth’s soul do the majority of the work. Jericho understood, placing his hand on top of the tomb - where Nethaniel’s chest might have been, and closed his eyes. He feels a tingling and he was vividly reminded of when he was originally possessed, but this time the feeling is reversed. Once the feeling leaves him, he stumbles back and is kept standing by Jose. Everyone is staring at the tomb, wondering what happens next.
After a few seconds of nothing… the tomb shakes. Jose gets Jericho to help him push the lid of the tomb, and they manage to push the top part diagonally, and a hand - a real, alive, human hand, grabs Jericho’s wrist, making him scream for a second before he pulls up the torso connected to it, and is met by bright, green eyes. Everyone is shocked to see nethaniel, in his very much not decrepit or aged body, sitting up in his tomb. He looks around, and then lets go of Jericho to grab at himself - his hair, his face, his chest - realizing that his clothing long since disintegrated away - and taking heavy, deep breaths to fill his lungs. Jose removed his outer tunic and gave it to him, helping him put it on. Helena is watching from a few feet away, staring with wide eyes as Jericho and Jose help Neth out of the tomb, getting him on unsteady legs. He can’t stand, not at first, but he gets to his knees, and takes a moment to collect himself a bit, looking up and seeing Helena approaching him.
The first thing he says is a hello to her, his voice so different from what she knew of him, and she grabs him in a tight hug. At first he seems to be overwhelmed, but then grabs her tightly, managing to stand up and pick her up as he did so. They have a pretty long moment, and after a second, Helena comments that the portrait got his ears wrong, and he lets out a laugh
It takes a little time, but he puts Helena down, and she holds his hand to lead him outside. It's when he’s out there that he finally starts actually speaking, asking in a very thick accent if he could have something to drink.
They all get back to the RV, and they’re all pretty quiet while Helena gets Neth water, and Jericho finds him some clothing - kind of surprised that Neth is shorter than him, but not that surprised. After Neth is fed, and gets to wash himself in their outdoor shower and puts some clothes on, he asks, verbally, what happens now. Jose asks that as well, seeing as he is no longer bound to the tomb now that Neth has returned. He asks if perhaps he could be taken back to Barcelona - make his own way, so to speak. Nethaneil is not happy with the flippancy of that request, as if Jose didn’t wait hundreds of years and neth was just going to abandon him like that. Jericho interrupts, and shares a look with Helena, who looks hopeful.
Hattie backed up into his ghostly form, and his grip on her tightened further.
Tim’s expression was unpleasant as he realized she wasn’t going to respond, and he sneered
“Just what do you think you’re doing not calling me back?”
//
And if he worked there then…
Maybe… Maybe he was in there.
There was only one way to find out.
Two Stories Find Their End.
Snatcher could feel his so-called fur bristling at Tim’s entire aura, the man still standing on the stairs and looking down at the father and daughter.
Shoutout to @bittybattybunny for letting me borrow Craft thank you bby ILY <3
-
Bow was the first one to get fitted. Not really because things were scheduled that way, but because Markus had stated that he was going shopping in the open air market and Harriet begged to go with him.
Lukas didn’t mind. He enjoyed time with either daughter - for different reasons.
The tailor was a funny being, with a wide smile and an apprentice who was definitely not there the last time he was in the city.
“Hello Lord Arelius!” They greeted “Long time no see!”
“Indeed, Craft. I would like to introduce you to one of your new clients” Lukas’ hand remained on Bea’s shoulder “This is Beatriz Arelius - my daughter”
The tailor - Mx Craft - blinked a few times, leaning down to look at her, and then grinning with delight
“Oh, you’re a father now??? Wonderful!” They crouched down to meet Bea’s eyeline “Hello there! I am Craft! That cranky child sewing quietly behind me is Jose Manuel - my new apprentice! Nice to meet you!”
“H.. hi” She greeted, eyes wide at their overeager demeanor.
Craft could see how off they were throwing her, and cleared their throat “Now, is she the same one I have booked for tomorrow?”
“No, that is my other daughter”
“Other daughter?!” Craft stood
“Stop screaming, this stitch is delicate”
Craft rolled their eyes at Jose “Fine, fine, I’ll stay my excitement until tomorrow. Now! Let's get her measurements, are you ready?” they looked down at her.
Bea nodded, and Craft happily led them towards the back of the store, and Lukas spent time looking at catalogs and fabric choices as Bea was measured, the kindly tailor keeping her in pleasant conversation.
“Alrightie! Everything is recorded - next you must pick what styles you like!”
“Styles?”
“For the dresses we are ordering. I would like you to pick two day dresses, an evening dress, a day coat, and a sporting dress”
“.. That’s a lot”
“Well, you are the daughter of a lord now” He reminded “You need these outfits for when we go places, or host events”
“We’re gonna be doin’ that?”
“Plenty, once I’ve got all of the paperwork that” he cleared his throat “my ex wife purposefully mangled.”
Craft grimaced “Well, let's go through my pattern catalog! I have a few ideas!”
Quite some time was spent getting Bea to reveal her preferences for dresses, going through the catalog multiple times, and seeing what colors and fabrics she’d preferred.
By the end of it, Lukas was putting a down payment for the purchasing of the fabric to make the clothing, and they left - Bea wearing a new hat gifted to her by the apprentice, who was quite nice under the prickly exterior.
“Wow, Hattie's i gonna go nuts in there”
“I am counting on it”
Bea giggled “... Thank you”
“You are very, very welcome” he squeezed her hand “How much do you want to bet that Harriet is going to need a bath?”
“Everything I own. If she doesn’t smell like fish I will eat my stockings”
Lukas couldn’t hold back a laugh - something that surprised him.
“Well, we’ll have to wait and see”
-
Harriet was much, much more into picking her clothing at Craft’s shop than Bow had been - though the two had similar tastes, funny enough. She asked Craft if they could make them matching hair bows and Craft was delighted to do so.
Once they were done, Harriet had an… interesting request.
“A candy store?”
“I’ve never been in one before. I used to get chased away from the windows”
Lukas stared down at her with a hard-to-read expression - to outsiders, at least
“Well, we need to remedy that” He straightened out “Let’s go. We’ll get enough for you and your sister”
“Yes!” Harriet cheered “Have you ever had Taffy? I’ve never had it, I heard it's really yummy but sticks to your teeth-”
Lukas let his daughter ramble about the different candies she’d never gotten to try, thinking quietly that he was going to start getting monthly deliveries of candy to the manor just for her and Beatriz.
And perhaps make donations to the orphanage, so that those children can also enjoy some sweets.
Sometimes he was baffled at how little of the things he’d taken for granted his daughter had been exposed to before coming to Subcon.
But perhaps that was just what happened when you adopted a child with no history.
“... Harriet”
“Hm?”
“Might I ask you a personal question?”
“What kinda personal question?”
“... Do you remember your birth parents?”
Harriet paused, making a perplexed face, then looking down at the ground. He wasn’t sure if she was thinking about the question or not, but waited for an answer.
“... Not really” She admitted “Sometimes when I’m asleep i hear these songs in a ladies’ voice, but I dunno if thats my mom or not”
Lukas thought on that “Well, do you know what happened to them?”
She shook her head
“I can request that information, if you wish”
Harriet looked back up at him “Wha- why?”
“... I know that If i was in your situation, I would want that question answered. If you do not, that’s okay”
Harriet tilted her head “.. I don’t care” She shrugged “I don’t really remember them. And, I have you now”
“... And I am enough?” he asked, almost passively.
She squeezed his hand
“Of course. You’re my papa”
Oh no
Here come the tears
Without a lot of warning, Harriet was lifted into her father’s arms and hugged tightly with the one arm not holding her up. She let out a startled sound, then a small laugh, hugging her father around the neck.
“Thank you, Harriet” He muttered to her, turning the corner towards the candy store
“You too,” She muttered to him, almost under her breath.
