He'd gotten used to being bought and sold the past few years.

After all, when one was bound as a slave and bartered like an object instead of treated like a person, one learned how to shut down and just pretend that nothing was happening around them. They allowed the terrible things to happen, because it eventually had to end so long as they kept ( Read more... )

When the ‘40s happened, Loki was the eldest son of a poor factory worker.

He had quit school so that he could help his parents raise their six other children, all of them girls except for the baby. He missed the education; the books and the classroom, but he knew he was needed more with his family than with his schoolmates. And while Loki was a ( Read more... )

The witch and her child had lived on the borders of their land for three weeks now.

The woman smoothed her child’s hair out with shaking hands, looking around to make sure no one was coming towards them. She knew where they were, of course - she had known as soon as she had settled them deep into these woods where it was they slept and ate. She just ( Read more... )

Ulrik was still not quite over the fact that he had become acquainted with an elf.

Looking back to see the woman looking through his wares, handling them with delicate touches and curious eyes, he couldn’t help but compare her to the elves of his childhood stories. Tall, beautiful creatures that spoke with elegance and fought as though they were ( Read more... )

Sometimes he didn’t understand why he prayed anymore.

God wasn’t listening, and most of the angels who did were either dead or they no longer cared. Even Dean shook his head when he saw his brother with his fist against his lips, eyes shut tight and muttering long-memorized prayers in the hopes that someone good would hear. That someone friendly and ( Read more... )

He was nudged awake by a cold nose.

Stirring on his sleeping roll, the young boy rolled onto his side and curled into a ball as if determined to ignore his personal alarm clock. A soft growl was heard, less angry and threatening and more frustrated, before the sound of rustling was heard and a large, warm hand reached out and shook his shoulder.

“You ( Read more... )

He had noticed him when the men dragged him into his father’s halls.

A ragged-looking man dressed in black and leather, an empty hilt hanging from his waist and a quiver on his back with no arrows. He wore a cloak with a hood which covered his face and fine leather boots which were well-made for man’s work. Decorated in few adornments, with only a ( Read more... )

Leaning his head against the window, the train rattling beneath his feet like the comforting rock of mother’s arms, Jamie Highland watched the darkened scenery of green fields and little cottages pass him by.

It was warm in the compartment, no doubt thanks to the countless soldiers all milling around. Jamie did not add to the heat, of course, he ( Read more... )

Yawning, the teenager ambled down the stairs into the kitchen to be greeted with the smell of fresh baking.

“Mmm… what’cha makin’, Daddy?”

“Thought I’d bake up some muffins,” Jaime Gutierrez-Thompson said lightly, turning to look back at his daughter from his position in front of the counter. “A batch just finished - would you like one?”

“Warm muffins ( Read more... )

“You look like a homeless man.”

He watched as the gangly vampire looked up from whatever it was he was doing - probably cleaning the dust out of this place finally, ‘cause really, it was getting ridiculous - to blink owlishly at him. Dean merely stared back from his reclined position on the couch, giving him a dry look until he finally replied.

“Y’ ( Read more... )