Free Choice - Tumblr Posts

Surprise, I'm still here! And to celebrate, here's my personal headcanon about soulmates.

A lot of people are afraid it's like this:

Where they are forced to be with someone that fate has decided for them and they don't get a choice.

But really, it's more like this:

Where fate shows them "look, this person could be perfect for you if you're willing to get to know them". You still get the free choice to decide whether you want to or not, it's just fate pointing them out to you.

THAMAYA ATIYA

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Prompt from @oc-tober2023

[ I am not following the same order ]

CW: Violence, bloody fight, biting limbs off

~ Free choice

"No, wait! You-you like to cut things, right?"

Thamaya closes one eye, licking her lips as she aims her knife at the dangling woman not far in front of her. Perhaps that will shut her up.

"Why not save your skill for the Underfolk, they will come when they smell my blood. You better not attract them."

"Never heard of that." Thamaya narrowed her eye, it was dark in the forest but she had never missed her target yet. Perhaps this knife truly was lucky.

"If you throw that knife, they will come."

She ignored the woman, her need to draw blood bigger than whatever that woman was talking about. She gets ready to throw, but just as she was about to let go, a sudden flash of light blinds her and she has to shield her eyes.

"What the-"

She didn't get to voice her surprise, as one of the ugly fuckers crashed through the thicket, ready to pounce on the former Queen.

Thamaya grips her knife tightly, teeth pressed together. "That is my bait! Find your own."

Before it could jump on her captive, she slashes its leatherly skin open, it wailed, tattered wings flopping behind it like a dark coat.

If it can bleed, it can die. Thamaya smirks, adrenaline rushing through her veins, she mocks the creature, excited by the thrill of a possible fight.

It turned its attention to her fully, jumping with bared teeth. Thamaya was quick, she dodged, slashed its legs, landed another hit on its back. Then it swung around too quickly, long arms hitting her making her skid over the moss below. She could feel blood running down her nose, as she crouched, never once losing her footing. She licks the blood off, delicious.

"Cut me loose. I can help you." 

Thamaya groans, she should have let the babbling woman die. "Shut it."

Then she sprints forward, quick feet leaping into the air, knife at the ready as she let out a battle cry. Landing on the blind creatures back, she cut into its flesh, cackling, as it spun around confused, arms unable to reach her.

Then she grabbed its bald head, only a few loose strands of hair remaining, before she placed her knife on its throat and sliced it open. It trashed around wildly, fighting the inevitable, it held its bleeding throat. Thamaya jumped off of it and as she did, she watched it stumbling back into the woods.

"So, where were we." She spins around towards her captive, flicking her knife once to get rid of the inky blood.

"That's not going to stop it. It will be back. Cut me loose and I'll help you."

Thamaya scoffs. "You wish-"

Something heavy slammed into her, knocking the breath out of her. She flies to the ground, ungracefully this time, it was hard to breathe.

"Cut me down. It will curse us both. Quickly!"

Thamaya gets back on her feet, this time slower. "Would you just fucking shut up!" Her shout was loud, the creatures blank eyes on her in an instant. She had never lost a fight before, only that once, no, no she won that too in the end. It didn't count. She won't loose against this creature either.

It seized her, Thamaya could still see the cut she had left on it, but whatever had made it run before, seems to have vanished. If it can bleed, it can die. She tells herself once more, gripping her knife tighter, she roars as she swung herself at it.

She cut into its shoulder, then a sudden pain running through her own. She gasped, it was biting her.

"No!" She swung her head forward, hitting its own ugly face with her own, then she bit down too, teeth catching its nose. It came off easy.

It let her go, hands trashing through his face. She used that moment to sprint forward, knife at the ready, but this time, it saw her coming and caught her mid-sprint, slamming her back into the ground. It held her down, its face forming into an O as it starts to inhale. She struggled beneath it, but suddenly all her strength left her, she felt cold all of a sudden - weak.

"Its cursing you with the Rot! Cut me loose, I'm your only chance!"

That blasted woman again. Thamaya didn't need anyone saving her, she could cut it down herself… she can. Her eyelids started to get heavy, daring to close. What was wrong with her?

"Do it! Quick!"

Biting down on her teeth, she gribs her knife tighter, she has only one chance, it needs to hit. She gets ready to throw it, aims, and watches it soar through the air. One snap and the rope holding the false Queen upright, is cut in half. Lucky Charm indeed.

She met the womans eyes for a moment, there was hesitation. She could just run and leave her here. Thamaya let out a hollow laugh. What a cursed choice it was.

Then the blinding light made her shrink away, closing her eyes on instinct, but with the light, the warmth returned to her limbs and suddenly she was back to her old self.

As the light subsided, the creature was nowhere in sight and all that remained was her captive, that was no longer caught in her trap.

Thamaya jumped to her feet, knife still in hand.

"You could have run."

The woman meets her gaze, her former confidence fully restored, it made Thamaya grimace. "You could have left me hanging."

Thamaya didn't say anything, but studying the woman more closely. Why did she not run, why wasn't she running now? She wanted to cut her open, used her for bait to capture her son. She had been very clear about her intentions towards her. Why did she stay?

"How about we call it even. We chose to help each other in a dire situation. Truce for a moments time, to honour our decisions." She held out her hand and Thamaya just looked at it enstranged. 

"I still want to cut you open. See your insides." She watches the woman attentive, not trusting her intentions at all. Perhaps she had gone mad.

"In the eyes of the Underfolk we all look the same. It would have devoured us both. With a common enemy, we chose to stick together. What happens after is on us."

"So I can chase you down once more?" That doesn't sound too bad actually. The chase is the most fun.

"You have my word." She extents her hand a little further, reminding Thamaya of it.

She licks her lips, weighing her options. Cutting her down now and possibly being yelled at for damaging her or having the thrill of a chase all over again? Yeah, why was she even thinking about it.

She grabbed her hand tightly. "Agreed."

The woman smiled. "Perfect."

Then a fist came flying towards her face and all went dark.

[ ~ words 1160 ]