#✧･ﾟ: * — crowned with a radiant garland ( self. )

[thevalleyisjolly]

12,20,22 silm or just the legendarium in general?

Ooh, nice! Thanks anon!

12. the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

I mean, the obvious answer is Elwing, but there's already a lot of posts out there about why people should at least treat her with more understanding and compassion even if they don't like her. So I'm actually gonna go with the Valar as a whole! I think there's a common perception in the fandom of the Valar as gods given the roles they occupy in the story and the world, which leads into a weird dissonance where they're simultaneously criticized for interfering too much and not enough. After all, if they're all-powerful beings, isn't it their responsibility to *checks notes* make sure nothing bad ever happens while also never infringing on the free will of any being in existence?

If they are gods or god-like figures though, I think they're less akin to depictions of the Christian god and more like the Norse or the Greek gods - very powerful beings with unique perspectives on the world due to their responsibilities and relationships within it, who also have flaws and who make mistakes that have drastic consequences. And on a meta level, they need to make those mistakes because there is no story otherwise - let's just avoid the whole Trojan war by having Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera wisely and peaceably agree to a draw!

Anyways, while I think it's valid to criticize and disagree with the Valar's decisions, I also think it's a lot more interesting to examine them as actual characters inextricably involved in the events of the narrative, looking at what kinds of roles they occupy in the legendarium - both in terms of their in-universe positions and in terms of their meta significance. What concepts or themes do they represent? What do they see their role in the world as, and what roles are they perceived as having by others? What types of perspectives or relationships do they have with other characters, and how does that inform their decisions? It might also be interesting to do an intertextual comparison of the Valar with other mythological figures.

20. part of canon you found tedious or boring

I still have not actually finished the Unfinished Tales, and at this point, I'm committed to the bit.

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

I don't know how ignored it is, but I am intrigued by whatever the hell Galadriel was doing for most of the First Age. Girl explicitly comes to Middle-earth on a colonizing mission (as opposed to revenge or familial loyalty or Noldorin self-determination), spends a while chilling in Doriath learning magic from Melian and presumably making sexually charged eye contact with Celeborn, and then goes on an ambiguously prolonged trip over the mountains before coming back after half the continent's been destroyed to tell Eönwe thanks but no thanks on that pardon. What were you up to, o maiden crowned with radiant garland? What were you doing (apart from Celeborn)?

[teethreplacement]

A Comprehensive Guide To Affordable Teeth Replacement Choices

Introduction

In today's fast-paced world, where appearances matter, and confidence is vital, a bright and healthy smile plays a crucial role. Unfortunately, various factors like accidents, decay, or aging can lead to tooth loss, impacting oral health and self-esteem. The good news is that affordable tooth replacement options are available, ensuring that a radiant smile is within reach for everyone.

Understanding the Importance of Teeth Replacement

Tooth loss can have far-reaching consequences beyond just aesthetics. Missing teeth can affect chewing ability, leading to digestive issues, and may contribute to the deterioration of surrounding teeth and jawbone density. Beyond the visible gap in one's smile, missing teeth can affect various aspects of daily life and long-term health. It's crucial to delve deeper into teeth replacement's significance to appreciate its multifaceted impact.Therefore, exploring affordable teeth replacement choices is not just a cosmetic concern but also vital for oral health.

Dental Implants:

Dental implants are widely regarded as the gold standard in teeth replacement. While they may seem expensive initially, the long-term benefits often outweigh the cost. Implants mimic natural teeth, providing stability and durability. The procedure involves the surgical placement of a titanium post into the jawbone, creating a sturdy foundation for a custom-made crown.

The affordability of dental implants can be enhanced by researching clinics that offer competitive pricing or financing options. Many dental professionals also provide free consultations to discuss potential treatment plans and associated costs.

Moreover, advancements in implant technology have led to more cost-effective options, such as mini dental implants. These are smaller in diameter and may require less invasive procedures, potentially reducing overall costs without compromising quality.

Dentures:

Dentures have been a popular and cost-effective solution for decades. Modern advancements have made them more comfortable and realistic than ever before.When considering dental tooth replacement, it's essential to consult with a skilled dentist who can ensure a proper fit and natural appearance. Regular maintenance and adjustments may be needed, but the affordability and ease of use make dentures a practical choice for many.

Additionally, with digital technology, some dentists offer same-day dentures, significantly reducing the time and number of appointments needed for traditional denture fittings.

Dental Bridges:

Dental bridges offer a middle-ground solution, bridging the gap created by missing teeth. This option involves anchoring an artificial tooth (or teeth) between two crowns placed on adjacent natural teeth. While this method is effective, it may not be suitable for everyone, depending on the condition of the surrounding teeth.

Cost-effectiveness is one of the critical advantages of tooth replacement options like dental bridges. By consulting with a dentist in garland tx individuals can explore the potential for using bridges to replace missing teeth without breaking the bank.

Moreover, resin-bonded bridges, also known as Maryland bridges, provide a less invasive and more affordable alternative, particularly suitable for replacing front teeth.

Removable Partial Dentures:

For those who want an affordable yet removable option, partial dentures are worth considering. These dentures consist of replacement teeth attached to a plastic base, which can be easily cleaned. While they may not offer the same stability as implants or bridges, they are a practical and budget-friendly choice for many.

Snap-On Smile:

Snap-On Smile is a removable dental appliance that fits over existing teeth, instantly transforming the appearance of a smile. It's a non-invasive and cost-effective way to enhance aesthetics without extensive dental procedures. While it may not be a permanent solution, it is a quick and affordable fix for special occasions or daily use.

Flexible Partial Dentures:

Unlike traditional rigid dentures, flexible partial dentures are made of a flexible, lightweight material that adapts to the natural contours of the mouth. This not only improves comfort but also provides a more natural look. The flexibility makes them suitable for those with irregularities in their remaining teeth.

DIY Teeth Replacement Kits:

In recent years, there has been a surge in the availability of DIY teeth replacement kits. While these kits may offer a low-cost alternative, it's crucial to approach them with caution. Lack of professional supervision can lead to complications, and the results may not match the quality of professional dental care.

Furthermore, individuals considering DIY options should be aware of these kits' potential risks and limitations, emphasizing the importance of seeking professional advice.

Conclusion

Achieving an affordable and aesthetically pleasing smile is undoubtedly possible with the myriad tooth replacement choices available today. Whether opting for dental implants, dentures, bridges, or exploring innovative alternatives, the key lies in thorough research and consultation with a qualified dentist in Garland, TX. By understanding the pros and cons of each option, individuals can make informed decisions that align with their oral health needs and budget constraints.

In conclusion, the journey to a radiant smile can be financially manageable. With careful consideration and professional guidance, affordable teeth replacement choices can pave the way to renewed confidence and optimal oral health.

[finarfiniel]

tag drop!

[radiantcrown]

        tag  drop.

[church-history]

Our Lady’s Message At La Salette - Sep 19th 1846

Near this little fountain the two children layed down on the grass and fell asleep. How long their slumber lasted is not certain – half an hour perhaps, or three quarters of an hour or possibly more. In any case Melanie suddenly awoke and called Maximin: “Memin, Memin, let us go and find our cows, I cannot see them anywhere.” Of course, being at the bottom of the little ravine, they could not see the meadow where they had left them. Quickly they climbed the slope opposite Mount Gargas (hence they were standing on what is now the esplanade in front of the basilica). Turning around they could view the entire alpine pasture land and were greatly relieved to see that their cows had remained where they had been left, peaceably chewing the cud. Reassured, Melanie began to redescend towards the dried-up fountain to recover her little sack of provisions before once again watering the cows. Half-way down the grassy slope she paused immobilized, frozen with fear. “Memin”, she called out, “look at that great light over there”. “Where is it?”, the boy replied, as he ran and stood at her side. (At the place of the Apparition two statues represent the children on the slope of the ravine, in the first stage of the Event.) At the very spot where they had slept was a globe of fire, as if, in the children's words, “the sun had fallen there”. 

The light swirled, then grew in size and, opening, disclosed within it a woman, seated, her head in her hands, her elbows on her knees, in the attitude of one oppressed with grief. Melanie, in her fright, raised her hands and dropped her shepherd's staff. Maximin thought only of defending himself. “Keep your stick”, he said to her, “I will keep mine and will give it a good whack if it does anything to us” ...Even after she conversed with them, the children could not identify their heavenly Visitor. They would simply call her “the Beautiful Lady”. 

The Beautiful Lady:

The beautiful Lady now stood up while the children remained transfixed where they were. She said to them in French: “Come near, my children, be not afraid. I am here to tell you great news”.  Fully reassured by these words the children hurried to meet her. Her voice, they said, was like music. They approached so near her that, as they later expressed it, another person could not have passed between them and her. The Lady also took a few steps towards them. They looked at her and noticed that she did not cease weeping all the time she spoke to them. As Maximin put it, “She was like a mama whom her own children had beaten and who had escaped to the mountain to weep.” The beautiful Lady was tall and seemed to be made of light. She was dressed like women of the region with a long dress, an apron nearly as long as the dress, a shawl that crossed over her breast and was knotted in the back, and a cap or bonnet similar to the ones worn by peasant women. Roses crowned her head while another wreath of roses adorned the edges of her white shawl and a third garland surrounded her shoes. Over her brow shone a light in the form of a diadem. On her shoulders shone a heavy chain and from a smaller golden chain hung a resplendent crucifix with a hammer and pincers placed on each side of the Cross, a little beyond the nailed hands. 

The Message: 

The unknown Lady now spoke to the children. “We were drinking her words”, they would say later, adding, “she wept all the time she spoke to us”. “Come near, my children, be not afraid; I am here to tell you great news. “If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Son. It is so strong, so heavy, that I can no longer withhold it. “For how long a time do I suffer for you! If I would not have my Son abandon you, I am compelled to pray to him without ceasing; and as to you, you take not heed of it. “However much you pray, however much you do, you will never recompense the pains I have taken for you. “Six days I have given you to labor, the seventh I have kept for myself; and they will not give it to me. It is this which makes the arm of my Son so heavy. “Those who drive the carts cannot swear without introducing the name of my Son. These are the two things which make the arm of my Son so heavy. “If the harvest is spoilt, it is all on your account. I gave you warning last year with the potatoes (‘pommes de terre’) but you did not heed it. On the contrary, when you found the potatoes spoilt, you swore, you took the name of my Son in vain. They will continue to decay, so that by Christmas there will be none left.” The French expression “pommes de terre” intrigued Melanie. In the local dialect the word for potatoes was “las truffas”, whereas “pommes” for Melanie meant the fruit of the apple tree. Hence she instinctively turned towards Maximin to ask for an explanation, but the Beautiful Lady forestalled her. “Ah, my children, you do not understand? Well, wait, I shall say it otherwise”.

 And she continued her discourse in the local dialect of their region. “If you have wheat, it is no good to sow it; all you sow the insects will eat, and what comes up will fall into dust when you thresh it.” “There will come a great famine. Before the famine comes, the children under seven years of age will be seized with trembling and will die in the hands of those who hold them; the others will do penance by the famine. The walnuts will become bad, and the grapes will rot.” Here the Beautiful Lady addressed the children separately, confiding to each a secret. She spoke first to Maximin, and though the little shepherd did not perceive that her tone of voice had changed, Melanie at his side could not hear a word, though she still saw the Beautiful Lady's lips moving. Then came Melanie's turn to receive her secret under like conditions. Both secrets were given in French. Again addressing the two children in the idiom familiar to them, the Lady continued: “If they are converted, the stones and rocks will change into mounds of wheat, and the potatoes will be self-sown in the land. “Do you say your prayers well, my children?”, she asked the shepherds. Both answered with complete frankness: “Not very well, Madam”. “Ah, my children”, she exhorted them, “you must be sure to say them well morning and evening. When you cannot do better, say at least an Our Father and a Hail Mary; but when you have time, say more.” “There are none who go to Mass except a few aged women. The rest work on Sunday all summer; then in the winter, when they know not what to do, they go to Mass only to mock at religion. During Lent, they go to the meat-market like dogs.” “Have you never seen wheat that is spoilt, my children?”, the Beautiful Lady then asked them. “No, Madam”, they replied. “But you, my child”, she insisted, addressing the little boy in particular, “you must surely have seen some once when you were at the farm of Coin with your father. (Coin was a hamlet near the town of Corps). The owner of the field told your father to go and see his ruined wheat. You went together. You took two or three ears of wheat into your hands and rubbed them, and they fell into dust. Then you continued home. When you were still half an hour's distance from Corps, your father gave you a piece of bread and said to you: ‘Here, my child, eat some bread this year at least; I don't know who will eat any next year, if the wheat goes on like that’”. Confronted with such precise details, Maximin eagerly replied: “Oh yes, Madam, I remember now; just at this moment I did not remember”.

Then the Lady, again speaking French as at the beginning of her discourse and when giving the secrets, said to them: “Well, my children, you will make this known to all my people.” Now she turned slightly to her left, passed in front of the children, crossed the brook Sezia, stepping on stones emerging from it, and when she was about ten feet from the opposite bank repeated her final request, without turning around or stopping: “Well, my children, you will make this well known to all my people.” These were her last words. Meanwhile the two witnesses were still standing motionless at the spot where the conversation had taken place, when suddenly they realized that the heavenly Visitor was already some steps away from them. In their eagerness to join her again, they ran across the brook and were with her in a moment. Thus, in the company of Maximin and Melanie, the Lady moved along, gliding over the tips of the grass without touching it, until she reached the top of the hillock where the children, after their sleep, had gone to look after their cows. Melanie preceded her by a few steps, and Maximin was at her right. On reaching the summit the Lady paused for a few seconds, then slowly rose up to a height of a meter and a half. She remained suspended in the air for a moment, raised her eyes to Heaven, then glanced in the direction of the southeast. At that moment, Melanie, who had been standing at the left of the Lady, came in front in order to see her better. Only then did she notice that the celestial Visitor had ceased weeping, although her features remained very sad. The radiant vision now began to disappear. “We saw her head no more, then the rest of the body no more; she seemed to melt away. There remained a great light”, related Maximin, “as well as the roses at her feet which I tried to catch with my hands; but there was nothing more”. “We looked for a long time”, added Melanie, “to see if we could not have another glimpse of her”, but the Beautiful Lady had disappeared forever. The little shepherdess then remarked to her companion: “Perhaps it was a great Saint”. “If we had known it was a great Saint”, said Maximin, “we would have asked her to take us with her”. 

The Great News Spreads:

At dusk, a little earlier than usual, the children brought back their herds to the hamlet of Ablandins nestling on the mountainside below. Pierre Selme had been impatiently awaiting Maximin's return to the farm house. “Well, Memin”, he asked him, “why did you not come back to me in my field, as I told you?” “Oh”, Maximin replied, “You do not know what happened? We found by the spring a beautiful lady who entertained us a long time and talked with Melanie and myself. At first I was afraid and did not dare to go and fetch my bread which was near her, but she said to us: ‘Come near, my children, do not be afraid, I am here to tell you great news’”. The boy then related the story of the Apparition, hardly pausing for breath. He was very surprised that the people of the valley had not noticed the bright light in the ravine. He then scampered lightheartedly over to the home of Melanie's master, Baptiste Pra. The girl, busy in the stable, had as yet said nothing.  Maximin, more communicative, spoke at once to the assembled Pra family about the Beautiful Lady. He was immediately surrounded and questioned. On hearing the story, the old mother of Baptiste Pra began to cry, and with the intuition her simple faith gave her exclaimed: “This beautiful Lady can be none other than the Blessed Virgin”. The others were not so sure and waited for Melanie. As she did not hurry, her mistress, old Mother Pra, ran to the cow barn to fetch her. “Come quickly and tell us what you saw with Maximin”.  “I saw as he did,” the girl replied, “and since he has told you, you must know it by now.” But all insisted, so back in the kitchen of the humble cottage she stood before them and related, for the first time, the wonderful event. All were amazed to hear both children, while reciting the Lady's discourse, speaking French fluently, for that same morning neither of them knew anything or very little of that language. The pious old grandmother, more and more moved, repeated her conviction: “She is certainly the Blessed Virgin, for there is no other person in Heaven whose Son governs”. Then she turned reproachfully to her young son James: “You have heard what the Blessed Virgin said - go now and work again on Sunday!” “Bah”, came the retort, “you will make me believe that this little one has seen the Blessed Virgin, she who does not even say her prayers!” “But that night”, declared Melanie later, “I remained a long time on my knees although I hardly knew any prayers by heart”. It was eventually decided that this affair was something to be submitted to the Church. Hence, first thing in the morning, the two children descended to the village of La Salette to tell their story to the pastor, Father Jacques Perrin. A knock at the rectory door brought the priest’s housekeeper, a kind but inquisitive spinster. They said they must see the priest. Must they, indeed? And why? They had something of great importance to tell him. They could tell it to her, Francoise insisted; it was the same thing. Seeing that she was immovable, the children began their recital. Father Perrin, in the next room, heard them and as they continued, he lay down his pen (he was writing his sermon). For a while he sat motionless, then moved noiselessly toward the kitchen. When the account was complete, he stepped into the kitchen and with tears in his eyes said to the children: “How fortunate you are, my children, for it must have been the Blessed Virgin whom you saw!” It was time for Mass and when Father Perrin mounted the pulpit he began telling the people of the children’s strange experience on the mountain. But his voice was choked with emotion and his words were unintelligible save by someone who already knew the story. The people looked at each other, mystified. But there was one who understood him - Monsieur Peytard, the mayor of La Salette. In the afternoon Peytard was on his way to the hamlet of Ablandins. He did not advertise his real purpose but would casually drop in at the Pra’s house for a friendly visit. He spoke to Melanie and asked to hear again the story she had been telling (by this time Maximin was already back in Corps). When she was through, he said: “Be careful, my child, to add or suppress nothing.” “I have said everything the beautiful lady told me to say”, was her reply. Then he began to cross-examine her mercilessly, passing back and forth from threats to bribes. It was fruitless. He could not shake Melanie or get her to vary her account by a word or persuade her to say no more about it. The lengthy interview, however, did induce Pra to abandon his attitude of disbelief. There must be something to this affair. He must put the story down on paper, with the help of his friends Selme and Moussier. So, that evening Melanie was made to tell the story one more time, but now very slowly, so that Pra could get every word down on paper. How right was his instinct in giving documentary form, as quickly as possible, to what the unforgettable voice had said on the mountain just the day before! Monday morning M. Peytard descended to Corps to question Maximin. He returned to La Salette, won over by the amazing self-assurance, candor and tenacity of the boy. His account accorded perfectly, down to the last detail, with that of Melanie. Now the news spread rapidly. Pilgrims, unbelievers, skeptics, took turn in questioning the two young witnesses, trying in every way to cause them to contradict each other. Among them were journalists, delegates from the civil authorities, but most importantly ecclesiastics commissioned by Monseigneur de Bruillard, the bishop of Grenoble. For, according to Canon Law, the ultimate decision rested with the bishop in whose diocese a reported miracle or apparition had taken place. 

The Judgment:

After five long years of diligent inquiries, Bishop Philibert de Bruillard of Grenoble, published his longawaited decision, on September 19, 1851: “We judge that the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin to the two cowherds on the 19th of September, 1846, on a mountain of the chain of Alps, situated in the parish of La Salette, in the archpresbytery of Corps, bears within itself all the characteristics of truth, and that the faithful have grounds for believing it indubitable and certain.” The mission assigned by Our Lady to Maximin and Melanie was now ended. On September 19, 1855, Monseigneur Ginoulhiac, the new bishop of Grenoble, thus assessed the situation: “The mission of the children is now ended, that of the Church begins.” Innumerable today are the men and women of all races and countries who have found in the message of La Salette the road to conversion, a deepening of their faith, the needed dynamism for their everyday lives, and the motives for their commitment with and in Christ to the service of all peoples.

Read more at: https://www.lasalette.org/about-la-salette/apparition/the-story/705-the-message-of-la-salette.html

[sonnenkoerner]

The Universal Form

Arjuna said: I have heard Your instruction on confidential spiritual matters which You have so kindly delivered unto me, and my illusion is now dispelled.

O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity, as realized through Your inexhaustible glories.

O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see here before me Your actual position, I yet wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of Yours.

If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that universal self.

The Blessed Lord said: My dear Arjuna ... behold now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine forms, multicolored like the sea.

O best of the Bharatas, see here the different manifestations of Adityas, Rudras, and all the demigods. Behold the many things which no one has ever seen or heard before.

Whatever you wish to see can be seen all at once in this body. This universal form can show you all that you now desire, as well as whatever you may desire in the future. Everything is here completely.

But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give to you divine eyes by which you can behold My mystic opulence.

Sanjaya said: O King, speaking thus, the Supreme, the Lord of all mystic power, the Personality of Godhead, displayed His universal form to Arjuna.

Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths and unlimited eyes. It was all wondrous. The form was decorated with divine, dazzling ornaments and arrayed in many garbs. He was garlanded gloriously, and there were many scents smeared over His body. All was magnificent, all-expanding, unlimited. This was seen by Arjuna.

If hundreds of thousands of suns rose up at once into the sky, they might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form.

At that time Arjuna could see in the universal form of the Lord the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place although divided into many, many thousands.

Then, bewildered and astonished, his hair standing on end, Arjuna began to pray with folded hands, offering obeisances to the Supreme Lord.

Arjuna said: My dear Lord Krishna, I see assembled together in Your body all the demigods and various other living entities. I see Brahma sitting on the lotus flower as well as Lord Siva and many sages and divine serpents.

O Lord of the universe, I see in Your universal body many, many forms-bellies, mouths, eyes-expanded without limit. There is no end, there is no beginning, and there is no middle to all this.

Your form, adorned with various crowns, clubs and discs, is difficult to see because of its glaring effulgence, which is fiery and immeasurable like the sun.

You are the supreme primal objective; You are the best in all the universes; You are inexhaustible, and You are the oldest; You are the maintainer of religion, the eternal Personality of Godhead.

You are the origin without beginning, middle or end. You have numberless arms, and the sun and moon are among Your great unlimited eyes. By Your own radiance You are heating this entire universe.

Although You are one, You are spread throughout the sky and the planets and all space between. O great one, as I behold this terrible form, I see that all the planetary systems are perplexed.

All the demigods are surrendering and entering into You. They are very much afraid, and with folded hands they are singing the Vedic hymns.

The different manifestations of Lord Siva, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Visvadevas, the two Asvins, the Maruts, the forefathers and the Gandharvas, the Yaksas, Asuras, and all perfected demigods are beholding You in wonder.

O mighty-armed one, all the planets with their demigods are disturbed at seeing Your many faces, eyes, arms, bellies and legs and Your terrible teeth, and as they are disturbed, so am I.

O all-pervading Vishnu, I can no longer maintain my equilibrium. Seeing Your radiant colors fill the skies and beholding Your eyes and mouths, I am afraid.

O Lord of lords, O refuge of the worlds, please be gracious to me. I cannot keep my balance seeing thus Your blazing deathlike faces and awful teeth. In all directions I am bewildered.

All the sons of Dhrtarastra along with their allied kings, and Bhisma, Drona and Karna, and all our soldiers are rushing into Your mouths, their heads smashed by Your fearful teeth. I see that some are being crushed between Your teeth as well.

As the rivers flow into the sea, so all these great warriors enter Your blazing mouths and perish.

I see all people rushing with full speed into Your mouths as moths dash into a blazing fire.

O Vishnu, I see You devouring all people in Your flaming mouths and covering the universe with Your immeasurable rays. Scorching the worlds, You are manifest.

O Lord of lords, so fierce of form, please tell me who You are. I offer my obesiances unto You; please be gracious to me. I do not know what Your mission is, and I desire to hear of it.

The Blessed Lord said: Time I am, destroyer of the worlds, and I have come to engage all people. With the exception of you [the Pandavas], all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.

Therefore get up and prepare to fight. After conquering your enemies you will enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasacin, can be but an instrument in the fight.

The Blessed Lord said: All the great warriors-Drona, Bhisma, Jayadratha, Karna-are already destroyed. Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies [...]

[starburnedfarrago]

For a moment, everything had gone maddeningly blank. The forest, his father, the toadstools, everything, had vanished amidst the sudden pulse of light. He found himself lurching through empty space-- a phrase, while not incorrect, failed to do justice to just how utterly, mind-shatteringly barren the void was. He had never seen such a pure iteration of white. Not that that was an exceptional statement, given where and how he was raised. White came in a whole palette of colorful off-shoots whilst living on a farm. There was the moldering gray-white of his bed linens, whose fibers had been so worn down by years of wash-cycles and nightly use that even the moths considered themselves above so sparse a meal. There was the sloshing yellow-white of a cow's milk, a crust of unskimmed fat bobbing lightly on the surface. There were the red-rimmed whites of a horse's eyes, brimming with terminal lucidity right before a bullet was neatly planted between them (not that Boq had ever risen to that occasion). But this... this was indescribable. His pupils shrunk to nothing, cowing from the sheer, unfettered degree of light, jamming itself into his eyes as though it were a tangible force. There was a ringing in his ears, though that could have been his mind's last bastion of defense against a world of perfect silence. Some vague form of stimulus to fill the otherwise pure, unbridled nothing.

But it only lasted a moment.

The world rushed back in, and he found himself on his feet-- something that lasted a whole of two staggering seconds, and he landed with a muted thump on his knees, vaguely aware of the gentle bounce afforded by the carpet.  The edges of his vision were dotted with starbursts, though whether that be due to a head wound or the curious lighting arrangement remained to be seen. He blinked, disoriented, his addled mind taking in his surroundings piece by piece.

A shadow of the forest remained, making itself known in the decor through delicate swaths of hanging vines and colorful garlands of flowers. But such things were window-dressing, baubles, to the grand display of architecture that rose up in front of him.

He had never strayed far from his family's plot of land. His most exotic ventures were trips into town, whose handful of stores peddled the same dusty wares and secondhand gossip. They were utilitarian things, looming effigies of function over form. Stocky and plain, not unlike the crowd of regulars they serviced. There was no use for garnish around these parts. Things were built for an express purpose, and that sure as hell wasn't just to sit in the sun and look pretty. Painting the facades were considered vanity projects, and even if one was self-indulgent enough for an initial coating, they often didn't bother with cosmetic upkeep. Paint cracked and chipped, especially around here, where the weather was a merry-go-round of seasonal extremes. Shiny things grew dull, and pretty fabrics grew coarse and stained, whether by the dirt of the land or the bleaching heat of the sun. 

The scene he was met with in its stead was… quite literally otherworldly. Radiant and glittering, too close and simultaneously far too far from the human shape with which he was acquainted. Their ears, the fennec angle of their faces, the feather-light gossamer wings folded neatly behind them. He felt the onset of vertigo rushing in again.

And then there was her.

Preceding all else, he noticed that she was lovely.

The upswept tresses sat delicately atop her head, crowning a heart-shaped face gingerly flushed with rouge. The creatures that haloed her twinkled softly, making it seem that amongst the vastness and opulence of the chamber, she alone demanded the spotlight. He couldn't disagree. Perhaps these were the wiles of the fairies; entrapment with a glance. No dark enchantments or clever wordplay, just the bright-eyed instinct of guileless mortal hearts. It seemed that for all of their innovations, all of their lofty philosophies regarding divinity and self-actualization, humans didn't rank much higher than insects in the face of the Fae. Both flew willingly into that open maw, ringed with its crisscross of idle teeth, risking everything for a tenuous promise of something sweet. The jaws could have snapped shut around him then, and Boq wouldn't have found it in him to care. The world could engulf him, swallow him up in that immortal blackness, so long as those final, blinkering seconds could be spent admiring her.

And then he noticed her scowl.

I'm not marrying you.

Boq blinked. There seemed to be a critical piece of context from which he had been left out. It was as though he had been stabbed, only to glance down and see the dagger was all hilt and no blade. He suspected that may have hurt, once upon a time. But for now he could do no more than gape at the smithery and applaud the attempt.

“I— sorry?“ his voice cracked, eyes darting between the two of them. “I’m— I—“

Too many things had happened at once. The revelation of his family’s sorry state, their farm, the Fae, the way the light danced in her beautiful doe eyes as she rounded on him—

He was still on his knees, and he had enough presence of mind to at least pretend it was deliberate.

“I-I don’t wish to impose myself,” he bowed further, prying his gaze from the fairy woman— Glinda, he reminded himself. She had been called Glinda— more to regain some higher function of thought than any real desire to avert his eyes.

“I- I’ve come on behalf of my family. I don’t know what my father has promised you, but- but if I am unfit to be a— a— suitor—“

He made the mistake of meeting her eye and, consequently, the whip behind it. He flushed a violent shade of pink, and cleared his throat, addressing the moss cushion underfoot.

“I must insist, I-I’ve other talents I’m sure you could find use for.” He swallowed dryly.

And then, hardly louder than a whisper,

"Please."

“And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds;”

Fae AU starter for @goodliest

The earth’s gone sour.

At least, that was what his mother had said. For as long as Boq could remember, she had always had an unwavering note of resignation in her voice– the tired, put upon sigh of a woman who had bore too many children to a man she hadn’t cared for in too many years. Passion and zeal were replaced with a unassuming sense of duty, and soon even that fell away, and the constant plod through tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow became nothing more than the mindless tug of muscle memory. Going through the motions of keeping her world running, if only because she’d yet to find a good enough reason to let it stop.

He was often at her side, helping her with the little unseen essentials that kept the farm afloat. Cooking, curing the meats, cleaning diligently enough that there was still a noticeable boundary line between inside and out. His father had stopped soliciting any help from him in the fields, deeming the cause lost after nineteen years of being throttled on his mother’s apron strings. Boq, in turn, had stopped trying to win his father’s approval, and learned to stone-face his way through the verbal assaults that came with each new dawn. Thankfully, he rarely raised his hand to him anymore, claiming that he “couldn’t bring himself to hit a woman.”

It was fine. He was fine.

He planned to leave soon–– well, had dreams of leaving. Of traveling north to somewhere decidedly less agrarian, where an uncalloused hand wasn’t regarded as a pox, and colognes were a bit more variegated than the natural musk of crop rot and horse shit. Where the sun was a light that caught on the edge of gemstones and glass, not a tangible force that beat you down into the dirt, blurring the line of the horizon, making your little patch of nowhere seem like it stretched on forever. 

The day came sooner than he was expecting, and all of the bells and whistles that adorned his daydreams (the wild-child striking out from home, the wind in his hair, the taste of a kiss still on his lips) sounded far more akin to a death knell when his father shook him awake in the middle of the night, dressed in an overcoat and a grimace, looking as close to scared as Boq had ever seen him.

Dress yourself pretty. An’ don’t dally. These things is fickle, and we’d do well not to keep them waiting.

Boq did as he was told, too rattled by the situation to question it immediately, too accustomed to his father’s stoicism to know that he wouldn’t get an explanation regardless.

They crossed their property by the feeble light of his father’s lamp. He could hear the gentle murmur of the animals, rousing in their keeps. It sounded so awfully familiar to the fanfare of his morning routine, he could almost convince himself this was just another day, and he was making his rounds to feed their stock in the predawn light.

They crossed over the boundary line, and Boq felt a question rise into his throat. He choked it back down.

They were swallowed by the mouth of the woods not half a mile later, and his father’s tongue loosened of its own accord.

Talk of necessity and the barren earth and this season’s dismal crop. Talk of the family, of his place as the eldest, of his contribution to the farm.

He snuffed his lamp, but a sickly blue light clung like moss to the surrounding trees.

Talk of deals, of devilish tricks, of creatures that could spin your name into a dagger. Talk that sounded like an apology, an attempt at reasoning, a choked, mishandled I love you.

Boq took notice of the ring of toadstools, some half-forgotten memory clawing at the back of his mind. Some song, some lullaby, about the creatures the dwelt in the next world over. The Good People, The Fair Folk–– They won’t hurt you if you don’t go antagonizin’ them, his father was saying. Boq couldn’t hear him, his head hammering with childhood rhymes and cautionary tales.

Jus’ be polite. You were always good at that at least, bein’ polite.

His attention was seized when he felt a blinding hot something strike across his hand. A perfect, clean cut tracing the crease of his palm. He turned to his father, to the knife in his hand–– the same one Boq had used the day before to skin a fowl for their dinner––

He didn’t notice when the thin rivulet of blood slipped from his palm, and rained over the toadstools. But he did notice–– couldn’t help but notice–– when the wan blue light burned white and eclipsed every last inch of his vision.

And it was in that moment of utter dazzling blindness that Boq finally perceived the word fae.