The Whole Genetics Project Of The Bene Gesserit May Have Been Dubbed A Failure Because Paul Wasn't A

The whole genetics project of the Bene Gesserit may have been dubbed a failure because Paul wasn't a girl but there was nothing stopping Paul and Feyd-Ruatha acting on that sexual tension they had in both book and film.

Paul could have taken Feyd as a third Consort. Just imagine Paul with his Empress Irulan and his wife Chani sitting at his side and Feyd just sprawled on the dais steps just wearing something scandalous like

You were right Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, wasted potential.

Somerbron Lake: A Romance (Part One)

Female Main Character x Male Monster Dark Romance - Sense of dread - Creepy Neighbors - Sick husband

The white halls of the hospital always seemed to go on forever. No matter how many times I trekked them, no matter how many times I stood at the nurses’ station. The hallways were an endless void of brightness I longed to get away from. But I stayed inside them, no matter how many times I had to come, no matter how long the stays were. James was all that mattered.

His health had never been the best. Even when we first started dating in college he had his occasional maladies. After the wedding there were a few months of bliss before everything took a turn. Long stays in the white halls were nothing new. Now though, it may be a long while before I have to walk them again.

“I heard you got a new place,” one of the nurses said as she helped me gather James’ things.

I smiled at her, having come to know the nursing staff very well over the years. “I have! It's very close to the specialist James has been referred to. It’s near a lake as well, so James can fish while he recovers.”

The nurse gave a heavy sigh of relief. “It’ll be good for him to have a change of scenery.” She glanced out the window at the city skyline. “Perhaps some cleaner air will help those lungs of his.”

“That’s what we’re hoping for too.” I folded up his blanket and kept it close to my chest, looking over all the stitches I’ve made to it. “We’re lucky.”

The nurse gave me a look, a look I’m sure she’s given a thousand times in a thousand ways. How I’m able to say lucky with a straight face and not burst into tears, I’m sure she knows my tone and hopefulness too well.

“Yes. Of course you are.” She patted my shoulder. “Let me go get you an extra bag for that. Keep it clean while you travel.”

“Thank you.” I took a deep breath as she left and turned to the window. The city was all I knew. James had some experience in the country, what with his parent’s summer home. I knew this was all for the best. James would be closer to his doctor, surrounded by clean air, and better yet we wouldn’t have to remain in this hospital. He’d have a nurse come by every day to check on him.

“There she is.”

I saw James come wheeling into the room on his own. He smiled up at me, pale, frail, but still so handsome it’d take your breath away.

“There he is,” I responded in chipper joy. I went to him, kneeling down to give him a kiss. “Still in the clear?”

“Yes!” James announced brightly. He braced his hands tightly on the arms of the wheelchair, wobbling as he stood up on his feet. “The doctor said, if this keeps up, I should be back to myself by the end of the year.”

“Wouldn’t that be a miracle?” I sighed.

James shook his head. “Not a miracle, hard work.” He looked at his suitcase on the bed. “I can’t believe I finally get to go.”

I stood behind him, resting my forehead between his shoulder blades. His bones poked through his shirt, he’d lost so much weight. He’d been so burly when we first met. This gentle, hairy giant with the most handsome face you’d ever seen. Now, he was a scarecrow of his former self. Meanwhile, the stress of it all had put weight on me. I didn’t feel like the dainty swimmer he’d fallen in love with. I couldn’t even remember the last time I touched water not in a glass or bowl.

James turned and wrapped his arms around me as tightly as he could. “I love you, Lori McLeod.”

I returned the embrace, hugging him as tight as I could. “I love you, James McLeod.”

He nuzzled to my hair, chuckling softly. “Well, are we ready for this new chapter?” He stood back, looking me in the eyes. “The new house all ready?”

I nodded. “Should be. Your mother said she got everything moved in for us. By the time we get there, we should have a made bed and full fridge to take care of us.”

“See? Now aren’t you glad you married for money?” He teased.

I scoffed. “You stop saying that! It’s bad enough you got the nurses thinking I was some gold digger with all your teasing!”

James smiled, which never lost its strong allure. “I cleared it up, didn’t I? Besides, they could tell right away you were an angel.”

I just glared at him.

Kissing my forehead, James also ran his fingers through my hair. “I’m the one who married up,” he whispered into my ear.

The tears welled up and I held him again, resting my head on his chest and listening to that heart beating away as strongly as it could. Stay that way, I commanded it, stay that way.

The nurses gave us a send off, giving us cards and small packages of homemade treats to keep us satisfied on the trip to our new home. The old car was filled to the brim with what was left of our belongings. Most everything else was moved to the new home where James’ mom was getting it ready and decorated.

“What was the name of this place again?” James asked as he ate another cookie from one of the nurses. “Slumber Lake? Sombering Lake?”

“Somerbron Lake,” I corrected him. “It’s a cute place. From what I’ve seen of it I mean. Small town. Not very many people. The lake is beautiful.”

James nodded, chewing a mouthful.

“I’m glad to see you have an appetite again,” I said with relief.

“I’m starving.” He then reached into his shirt pocket. “Look what Nurse Grant gave me?” He pulled out a clear baggy filled with muted green.

“James!” I nearly swerved off the road. “Really? Pot?”

“She said it would help.” He looked over the bag. “What are you so shocked for. We did it in college.”

“I wish you had told me you had that on you!” I snapped. “If you mother sees you have that on you, she’ll-”

“Oh, hush.” He tucked the baggy back into his pocket. “What’s she going to do, have Dad take the house away?”

I remained silent, a little flustered he would spring that on me.

“It’ll be nice to relax,” he said.

“Maybe,” I grumbled.

He reached out and petted my thigh. “It’s been a while since we shared a bed together. Man and wife and all that.” He squeezed and it tickled.

“James!” I laughed. “Your doctor said-”

“I don’t want to fuck him,” he said in a low, sultry voice.

I almost drove off the road again. “James!” I was squealing with girlish giggles.

Somerbron Lake took a dirt road that was well worn by years and years of travel. The road was surrounded by large trees and lush greenery. Then, it opened up, revealing the large, sparkling lake surrounded by willow trees.

“Looks creepy,” James murmured.

I scoffed. “It does not.”

His face shifted, getting a somewhat serious glint. “You don’t think it looks haunted at all? All those trees around it-”

“Those are willows,” I chuckled. “We’ll get to go swimming! You can fish all you want. It’s wonderful.”

James kept quiet. “I’m sure when the sky clears up, it’ll look much better. The gray and clouds don’t do it any favors. It doesn’t look very swimmable.”

As we drove around the lake I slowed the car down and pointed. On the opposite side you could see a few houses along the shore. “Okay, wait for it,” I said softly. “There. That’s one. The yellow one. See it?”

James rolled down his window and leaned out. “The little one?”

“It’s bigger than it looks. But that’s it, that's our new home.”

“I didn’t realize it was that close to the lake,” James breathed out. “I can literally walk out the door to it.”

“Right?” I giggled. “We can probably get a dock built if we wanted.” I sped the car back up while James remained fixated on our little house.

We came upon the town, where the road was roughly paved. I had already taken note of the shops there, everything was pretty basic and small. There was a large general store, but if James and I wanted to get most things we’d have to drive out of town.

“Quaint,” James said.

“Huh?”

He leaned towards the windshield. “The town. It’s quaint. I guess that’s the best word for it.”

“It’s charming for sure. There’s a tool store if you want to start back building dollhouses. I think there’s also a fabric store.”

James furrowed his brow as he watched shops and faces pass us by. “Won’t have the shopping you're used to.”

“Shut up,” I sneered at him. “If anyone is the shopper around here, it’s you! Spoiled little mama’s boy.”

“Offensive!” He mocked clutching pearls.

We both laughed, coming out of town and onto a narrow little road which would take us to our new home. Along the way we passed the park, where there was a small playground and a fake beach for swimming. It was empty, save for a man standing before the swings, pushing an empty one and watching it go forward.

“That’s weird,” James muttered.

I was driving, so I didn’t get a very good look at the man. “Don’t judge. He could be waiting on his family to get there.”

No one was at the house when we arrived. But James' mom had left a note saying she’d be back by the end of the day.

“Good! We’re alone.” James smirked as he read over the note.

I was holding a couple of bags in my hands. “Well go on, use the key then.”

James unlocked the door then stopped. He looked at me, his eyes flicking up and down before a smile came to his lips. “Set those down. There’s something I should do.”

“James, no-” I tried to stop him, but he was reaching for me. He tried to scoop me up to carry me over the threshold. “James! James, wait, you’re-!”

He managed to get the door open while holding me. He stumbled, bracing against the doorframe. “I’ve got you. Don’t worry.”

He was weak and healing, I had gained all this weight. He got me inside though, and despite his best efforts to keep me aloft, he had to set me down just barely inside the doorframe. He was huffing and puffing, frustrated with how his body no longer worked the way it once did.

I looked at him, waiting for him to raise his head again and walk inside. He didn’t look me in the eye, but he stepped into our new home. I grabbed the bags and closed the door.

“Let me give you the grand tour.” I took hold of his hand as he stood in the foyer. “It’s a beautiful place.”

But he didn’t budge as I tried to lead him. He was looking around the foyer, his eyes unfocused, still breathing heavily.

“James? Are you alright?”

Focusing his eyes, he looked back down at me. “Maybe we could rest for a bit? I trust you in that the house is perfect for us. We have our whole lives to look at it. Right?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Uhm…I had your mom renovate the living room to be a bedroom. Just over here.”

“Downstairs?” James balked. “What for?”

“Well, just in case anything were to happen. It would be easier for you to-” He opened the french doors into the room and I stood there.

“I appreciate the thought,” he mumbled. “But I was looking forward to that bit of normalcy.”

I followed him into the room, which was dark with all the curtains closed. The once large living room was now sectioned off, with part of it taken up by the king bed, another which his mother had turned into closets for us both. I had asked the walls to be painted a dark color, and luckily she had listened to me. The dark green was wonderful. Our apartment had bright white walls like the hospital. I wanted to sleep somewhere dark.

“Isn’t it nice?” I asked.

James sat down on the edge of the bed. “I am not going to be like this forever,” he muttered. He looked down at his hands. “I promise you, I’m not. I’ll be better by the end of the year. I’ll be strong again. I won’t be this sick, disgusting-”

“Stop right there!” I growled at him.

There was silence between us, and then there was a knock at the door.

James huffed. “Already?”

“You stay here. I’ll go see who it is.” I closed the bedroom door behind me as I went back to the foyer. From the frosted glass I could see the person who was standing there looked quite tall.

“Hello!” She sang from the other side. “It’s your new neighbor.”

I opened the door a crack to peek outside. The woman there was tall and strong looking. She had thick arms and wore heavy duty overalls with dirty gardening gloves in the pocket.

“Hi! I’m Jane Lancaster. I live right over there.” She pointed to the big blue house that was up a road from us, barely hidden by the willow trees. “Welcome to Somerbron.” She held out her hand.

“Hi,” I murmured. “I’m Lori McLeod.” I took her hand, which was shockingly cold.

Jane shook my hand heartily. “Your mother in law has been telling me about you.” She looked into the house. “Where’s that husband of yours?”

“Resting.” I said. I found it a bit strange how she was trying to use her grip to push me into the house. “I uhm-” I then noticed behind Jane, on the road to the house, there was a man standing there. He was quite tall as well, had long string hair, and a pale, stark face where the eyes were shadowed.

“I bet it was a long trip,” Jane chuckled. She finally let go of my hand and sighed. “Well, I just wanted to let you know if you or your husband needed anything, you can sure as heck count on me.” She smiled and I couldn’t help but notice how perfect her teeth were. They were eerily white and straight.

The man had gotten closer, standing at the foot of the porch. He was holding onto the banister with both hands, which were long and bony.

“Oh, Lachlan,” Jane’s tone sounded less cheerful, more surprised. “What are you doing out this way?”

The man stepped onto the porch, and the way he moved made me think he was not of this world. There was a strange grace to him and a hindrance in the air that carried his limbs.

“I came to meet our newest resident.” He turned to me, seeming to not even acknowledge Jane’s presence. He turned to me, holding out both his hands. Tilting my head up to look at him, I saw his eyes, set deeply and wide in his head. They were the most stunning blue I had ever seen, surrounded by long, thick lashes. His cheeks were sunken, and his chin jutted out. Something about him, I’m not sure what it was, stole my breath away. I was struck by some realization or dawning as I gazed at him, and it made me uneasy.

“Hello,” I murmured. “I’m Lori.” I placed my hand into his and he took it with both palms.

“Lori,” he drew it out as if savoring the flavor. “So that’s what it is now.”

I shook my head. “Excuse me?”

“Nothing,” he let out a raspy laugh. “Just compared to the last owner of this house.” His hands were also very cold, much like Jane’s. Maybe I am just hot. “I am Lachlan Mortimer.”

“Nice to meet you.” I found myself reciprocating his grasp. “I’m sorry, I’d invite you both in, but my husband and I are wanting to rest a bit.”

Lachlan seemed shaken. His eyes widened and he took a step back. “I see.” He still didn’t release my hands. “Well, moving can be a difficult task.”

Jane looked Lachlan up and down. “You should introduce us to your husband when he’s up to the task.”

I looked between them. “Are you two-”

“No!” Lachlan seemed offended and Jane took a few steps away from him. “No. No, of course not.” He muttered and mumbled something else under his breath. “I am unattached, you see.”

“Oh,” I murmured. I looked to Jane who was dusting off her overalls. “Do you live nearby then?” I asked him.

“Close,” he nodded, but I got no real straight answer. “Close enough to hear you call should you ever need me.”

I chuckled. “Oh, I see.”

Lachlan let go of my hands and bowed to me. “Consider me your newest friend here. I will do all I can for you, Lori.” He said my name in that savoring way again.

“Yes, well, it was nice to meet you both,” I waved. “But I should get back and check to see if my husband is alright. Thank you.”

Lachlan smiled, revealing those almost too perfect teeth, just like Jane had. “Have a good day. I hope we will get to spend more time together as you live your happy life here.”

I smiled at him, gripping the door in my hand. “Yes. That sounds very nice.”

I shook my head, trying to shake the unsettling weight that had rested on me the moment I met Lachlan. How strange it was, because for some reason, with no explanation at all that I could give, I felt as if I knew him. From the moment I saw his eyes I could have sworn I knew him all my life. But it was impossible. I had never met a man as unearthly as he appeared. Yet still, it lingered, that feeling. I wanted to see him again.

But why?

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solace-inu

10 months ago

still not done with that heat stroke photoshoot, here's Toji!

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solace-inu

1 month ago

LONG LIVE THE VILLAINESS !

amidst the tale of sweetest love and bitterest revenge, the fallen empress is cast back ten years into the past to correct her sins and avoid eternal damnation, even at the price of betraying her once husband, the very cause of her downfall.

♱ pairings. gojo satoru, fem!reader

♱ genre. enemies-to-lovers, period piece, medieval au

♱ tags. ooc, regression, crown prince!gojo, noble lady!reader, politics, classism, clan wars, religion (catholicism), misogyny, violence, war, rebellion, suggestive, smut, gore, double life, explicit language, more to be added

♱ notes. this fic draws heavy inspirations from the webnovel ‘sister, i am the queen in this life’ and manhwa of the same name. it’s basically a fanfic of that series bc i am obsessed with it :’D

♱ status. on-going (slow updates)

♱ SECOND TIMELINE TO AS YOU LIKE IT ♱

PROLOGUE.

ACT I. THE LADY

ACT II. THE CROWN PRINCE

ACT III. THE KNIGHT

ACT IV. THE STAR CROSSED LOVERS

ACT V. THE BLESSED

ACT VI. THE SIN

ACT VII. THE REVELATION

ACT VIII. THE ENEMY

ACT IX. THE LOVER

ACT X. THE EMPRESS

EPILOGUE.

PROLOGUE

Like plunging beneath the surface of water and then, abruptly, breaking through to the air above—your body jolted as if awakening in a new world altogether. You drew in a long breath, your eyes fluttering open to reveal the ceiling, both familiar yet unfamiliar in its greeting. Swiftly, you surveyed your surroundings, noting with growing recognition the confines of your old room within the De Roma estate. The estate!

You were not in the palace of Caelum, but in the estate of House De Roma. A surge of realization flooded through you as you dashed towards the nearest mirror, confronting your reflection with wide, startled eyes.

No... could it be... that you have returned to your body, ten years prior?!

In the mirror, the reflection staring back at you was not that of the notorious wife of the tyrant Emperor Satoru, but of a 20-year-old maiden, the eldest daughter of Duke de Roma, with fuller cheeks and a more youthful appearance. You could not shake the feeling of disbelief, wondering if this was all just a dream, so you reached out to touch your arms and felt the flesh beneath your fingers, trying to convince yourself that this was an unexpected reality.

Oh, you were back. You found yourself returned to your former self, a decade younger, but now armed with the knowledge of your past life's actions and their consequences. Alongside this newfound understanding, the gift of clairvoyance had also been bestowed upon you.

And for what? Why had the heavens above returned you to your body? Was it for revenge, a second chance, or perhaps punishment?

Suddenly, a loud, deafening sound pierced your ears, and a blinding white light enveloped your vision. Your body became as still as a statue, and it felt as though your soul was transported to a fourth dimension where divine intervention seemed a lot more plausible to exist.

As your soul hovered in the liminal space between life and death, you found yourself standing before a figure cloaked in billowing robes, her presence commanding and her gaze piercing. This figure was Fortuna, the ancient Caelan goddess of fortune and fate, her visage austere and unforgiving.

“Are you aware of the sins that stain your soul?”

“Have you felt the weight of your transgressions, the consequences of your actions that have wrought suffering upon your people and brought ruin to your empire?”

Her voice echoed through the realm with the divine judgment that weighed upon your conscience, while her gaze penetrated to the core of your being and demanded honesty and accountability in the face of your past misdeeds.

“Will you atone for your sins?”

“Will you seize this opportunity for redemption, or will you squander it in self-pity and remorse?”

As you stood in the presence of the ancient goddess, grappling with the heaviness of your sins and the daunting task ahead, a brilliant light had all of a sudden illuminated the space around you. From the heart of this radiant glow emerged the figure of Archangel Raphael, his presence heralded by a chorus of angelical voices and the stirring of celestial winds.

Clad in robes that seemed to shimmer with the intensity of celestial light, Archangel Raphael's presence commanded attention, his wings unfurled behind him in a display of resolute authority. If Goddess Fortuna was intimidating, the archangel was fearsome all the more. His gaze, intense and penetrating, swept over you with a gravity that left no room for evasion or deceit.

“Empress of Caelum,” he spoke, his tone firm and unyielding, and his voice carrying a billion years of heavenly existence, “You stand accused of grievous sins, crimes that have shaken the very foundations of your empire and brought suffering upon your people.”

There was no trace of softness in Archangel Raphael's demeanor, no room for mercy in the face of wrongdoing. His presence was a testament to the uncompromising nature of divine justice, his strictness a reflection of the solemn duty entrusted to him as an Archangel of the Almighty. This, no doubt, was the face of a true and formidable executor of justice.

And you, the subject, had angered the divine beings that guarded the Caelan Empire, so much so that God himself sent the goddess of the land and one of his archangels to mitigate your rightful punishment.

“By the decree of the Almighty, you are granted a second chance to amend your sins and redeem your soul. You shall return to the mortal realm, to live your life anew and correct the sins that have stained your soul.”

“Should you fail to rectify your past transgressions, should you stray from the path of righteousness and succumb once more to the temptations of darkness, know that the consequences shall be severe and eternal.”

“For those who squander the gift of divine mercy shall be cast into the deepest depths of hell, where they shall endure a punishment of unending torment and suffering.”

In the presence of Archangel Raphael and Goddess Fortuna’s equally stern gazes, you were keenly aware of the magnitude of your transgressions and the severity of the judgment that awaited you. But even as you trembled beneath the weight of their scrutiny, you knew that their presence also offered you the opportunity for redemption, with your only task to prove yourself worthy of divine mercy.

Indeed, it was by your very hands that hundreds and thousands of Christian souls shed their blood. Innocent lives, both young and old, were cruelly taken at your command. The citizens of Caelum who fell sick from the spread of the plague. The esteemed Caelan advisors of your husband’s primogenitors, skinned alive and speared in pikes by the Tiber River. The wrongly accused maid who suffered the indignity of serving your husband, paraded unclothed through the streets and subjected to the brutality of the pear of anguish. The gallant and dignified knight, tortured mentally and physically in the atrocious dungeon. Now, you find yourself thrust back into the horrors of your former life ten years hence. A life of a noble lady who ought not to be blinded by her destructive love for the empire’s crown prince.

Yet, could you truly navigate this life without ascending to the position as his empress?

As you tried to commune with the divine beings afore you, a haze in your vision transported you away from the heavenly space, realizing that you were already drawn back into the reality of your chamber, inhabiting the youthful frame of a twenty-year-old daughter of a duke. You found yourself too astonished to move, too shaken to speak, and too afraid to take any action in this new lease of life blessed upon you. At that very moment, your state of reverie was disrupted at the arrival of your maid, who entered your chamber in a humble servant garb.

Milena. The maid whose life was cut short by your hand in your past existence due to petty thievery. “My lady,” she spoke with a hint of respect and urgency, unaware of the ill-fate you had given her in your past life, “A visitor has arrived at the gates and requests an audience with you. Shall I show them in?”

Too soon? Need it truly be so soon to engage with the people from your past life immediately after awakening to your old, yet younger body? Gazing upon your maid through the mirror, you asked, “Who is that intruder you speak of?”

She bowed her head, her stance shifting into one of apologetic deference. The way she firmly stood by your door was a message to you that the intruder was not someone you could easily reject the presence of.

“The visitor is His Highness, Crown Prince Satoru.”

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