#2 Samuel ch.7

[lordgodjehovahsway]

2 Samuel 7: David Establishes Himself In His Palace As God Gives Him Rest From His Enemies

1 After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 

2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 

6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 

7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 

9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 

10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 

11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 

12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 

13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 

14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 

15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 

16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 

19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!

20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 

21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

22 “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 

23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 

24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 

26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!��� And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.

27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 

28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 

29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

[stardustbarbarians]

Too Pretty For War

Chapter 1 (ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4 | ch. 5 | ch. 6 | ch. 7 | ch. 8 | ch. 9)

A Samuel Kiszka / fem!reader fic

Summary: The only way for Prince Sam to end a war is by marrying the enemy.

Tags: Prince!Sam, war, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, angst

Trigger Warnings: blood, death, nightmares, grief

A/N: Hi uhhhh I wasn't expecting to finish part one tonight but here were are. This fic is dedicated to @safety-sam whom this fic would not exist without her daring me to write it. If you read my other fics you'll know I like to name my fics after songs, but this time the title comes from me uttering the exact words of the title upon see the AI generate warrior Sam. As always, I appreciate your feedback <3. Please enjoy! (Also this is about to be filled with historical inaccuracies but I will try my best to keep it accurate where I can)

Words: 2.1 k

+++

Thirteen years. Thirteen years of war had been tearing apart the country that Sam called home. Ever since the age of ten, battle had been his reality. He has had to sacrifice so much for something so ridiculous, but what he has had to sacrifice pales in comparison to what his people have had to. So many mothers, wives, and children were without their sons, husbands and fathers all in the name of protecting their country over a scuffle that meant nothing.

“Please, father, just attempt to make peace with them. This fighting has gone on long enough,” Samuel pleaded, kneeling in front of the king sitting high atop his throne. Every time he spoke to his father, it always seemed to be while he was on the throne. He never got to speak to his father.

“You beg upon deaf ears, Samuel. Let it go. I will hear you speak of this no further,” the king sternly ordered, his face imitating the marble statues decorating the palace.

Knowing when he had lost, Sam got up from the floor and swept out of the room. He was furious. Couldn’t his father see all the harm he was causing on both sides??

Much like how most conversations with his father ended, the prince sought out his best friend in order to vent his frustrations concerning the king and this war. Without so much as knocking, Samuel stormed into his best friend’s living quarters.

“He will see no reason!!” the royal blared, pacing back and forth across the floor.

“Good evening to you as well, Sam,” Daniel dryly greeted. He was pouring over academic texts that went far beyond the prince’s knowledge. But that’s why he was part of the court in the first place; he was training to become Jake’s advisor.

“Does he not understand the torment and strain he is putting on this kingdom?! If he does not end this war soon, the people will ask for his head!!” Sam continued as if Daniel hadn’t said a word. He had one hand on his hip while his other rubbed at his forehead, the cape he wore brushing against his elbow while his fingers were poked by the heavy gold leaves digging into his scalp.

“You and I both know this is a matter of pride-”

“IS PRIDE WORTH THE BLOOD OF THOUSANDS OF MEN?!”

At his outburst, the room went silent. The pair of friends gazed at one another, Sam’s chest heaving as it attempted to keep pace with his anger. While the scholar’s face was blank, in his eyes Sam saw the compassion and pity swirling in them.

With a deep sigh, Daniel stood up from behind his desk. The prince stayed in his place while the scholar approached. He placed a hand on the prince’s shoulder. This wasn’t the first time this discussion occurred between them. “There is nothing in this world that is worth a person’s blood.”

Sam deflated at the touch. Daniel was one of the handful of people that saw the prince at his most vulnerable; he was the only one of non-blood relation, as well. The prince found himself leaning into the touch, if only slightly. He closed his eyes and let all of his fury seep out and calm at Daniel’s touch.

“Who else needs to die for this war to end?” Sam whispered. It was barely loud enough for Daniel to hear.

He couldn’t see it, but the scholar’s face shifted to one of empathy. He knew the amount of guilt the prince held due to his father’s stubbornness.

Sam suddenly was overly aware of the weight of his golden crown, his head hanging in shame. He felt his friend’s hand brush against his cheek in an act of solidary.

“If you can’t convince him, I’m afraid no one can.”

+++

After the sun had sleepily slipped below the horizon and the stars and moon partook in their duty of illuminating the inky sky, the prince laid in bed. He hadn’t even seen his father at dinner, the king off making battle plans with his war advisors. That left his mother, his sister Veronica, and Danile at the table. It had been silent and tense. The one person who could diffuse the tension was long gone.

His mind busy with thoughts racing around inside of it, Samuel fell into a restless sleep.

He dreamed of blood, of weapons. Of mothers falling to the ground in mourning for the death of their sons. Out of their mouths was the voice of his own mother, her haunting wailing sending chills down to his bone. Suddenly, it was the queen crumpled to the ground under the weight of her loss. In her arms was none other than Sam’s older brother who was off fighting the war. The crowned prince and next in line for the throne was being cradled by their mother as blood gushed out of a gaping wound in his chest. It gurgled out of his lips as he attempted to speak, his skin turning ever pale as he reached a hand out towards Sam. Before Sam could reach him, his arm went limp. He had lost his brother to the war.

“Samuel!!”

With a gasp, Sam was jolted awake. Covered in sweat despite the frigid temperature of his skin, Sam frantically looked around to find himself in his bed and not on the battlefield. It took a moment longer for him to realize that he wasn’t alone.

“Daniel,” he muttered, sitting up properly to address the scholar. He rubbed a hand down his face, taking a moment to compose himself.

“Yeah, it’s me. You’re in your room with me,” he reminded the prince. The two of them had gotten into the habit of soothing each other through the horrors of life.

Sam nodded, looking around once more just to be safe. Neither spoke, the subdued noises of the night substituting conversation. The monotonous yet calming crashing of waves against the beach near Samuel’s window grounded him as well as the presence of his best friend.

“Nightmares again?” Daniel finally asked, pushing one of his curls out of the way of his eyes. His torso was exposed, the light of the moon reflecting off his skin.

“How could you tell?” he asked after nodding his head in confirmation. Sam’s voice was rough, cracking upon use and sounding as if he had swallowed sand.

That was when Daniel looked away. He always made an effort to look his best friend in the eyes, knowing that Sam’s own father hardly glanced at his youngest. “You were screaming Jake’s name.”

At the name, Sam’s breath caught in his throat. He felt the tears prickle in his eyes, glancing away from Daniel. It was a ridiculous act, really. Daniel had seen the prince cry on so many occasions; but he was a man, and men don’t cry.

“He died in mother’s arms,” Sam shakily informed, looking out towards the moon and still refusing to look at his best friend. He wrapped his arms around himself, the wind chilling his sweat-slicked skin.

Once again, Daniel offered his best friend the comfort of physical touch. He leaned over and placed a hand on the prince’s shin. Instantly, Sam felt warmth bloom inside of him from the simple act.

“Do you think they mean something? These night terrors?”

The scholar sighed. He remained silent as he searched the caverns of his mind to come up with the best answer to Sam’s question.

“You need rest. That’s what I think,” he softly spoke, his tone warm like a summer’s morning.

They stayed like that for a moment, finding much needed comfort in one another’s presence. Without any more words spoken, however, Daniel instated his own advice and made to leave. Sam regretfully watched as Daniel walked towards his door, the scholar turning to look at Sam as he opened it.

“Goodnight, Samuel.”

“Goodnight, Daniel.”

And just like that, Sam was alone again.

+++

The next morning, Sam was interrupted from his sparring lessons to be summoned to the throne room by his father’s request. More than a little confused, the prince set down his sword and wiped the sweat off his skin before making his way to be in his father’s presence.

Upon entering, his guard was up instantly. He spotted his father, his mother, Veronica, and Daniel, no one else. The sound of the doors closing heavily behind the prince bounced off the stone walls and amplified it tenfold. As he walked towards the front of the room he found an array of emotions on his family’s faces ranging from confusion to sorrow.

“Now that you are all present, I’m afraid I have horrible news,” the king announced, addressing the four people gathered in front of him. He couldn’t explain how he knew, but Sam got the impression that he was barely holding onto his identity as the king. It seemed as if he was struggling to carry himself with that regality that the prince had come to loathe so wholly since his boyhood.

No one spoke, waiting with baited breath for the patriarch to continue. Under normal conditions, Sam wouldn’t be able to hear the way his father’s breath hitched. But much like the closing doors, it reverberated off the walls and amplified it.

“Jacob was slain last week.”

Sam’s mother cried out in horror, her hands coming to cover her mouth as her knees gave out. Acting on instinct alone, the lone son lunged out to capture her in his arms. He carefully lowered her to the floor, caressing her arm as she sobbed violently into her son’s chest.

It was too much like his dream last night. At least the reality had a lot less blood to be seen.

“His death has moved me to consider peace negotiations.” The king’s voice trembled. Sam was right, he was barely keeping it together.

The prince was barely paying him any mind. His attention was mostly focused on the way his mother repeated “no” in a soft mantra that did nothing but further fracture the young prince’s heart. He rested his head on top of her’s, gently rocking her back and forth in an attempt to comfort her through her unsurmountable grief.

“As such: Veronica, you will be married to the Spartan prince. I will send a messenger before the sun sets to-”

“No!”

All eyes were on the prince. He hadn’t realized he protested until he gained the attention of the room. Sighing deeply, Sam looked to his sister so that she could comfort her while he spoke to his father.

“No? You finally get what you have demanded for years and you say ‘no’?” The tone his father used made Sam feel like he was a child again. The prince closed his eyes and swallowed against every instinct that told him to back down.

“With Jacob… Now that…”

Blinking back tears and straightening his posture, Sam tried again.

“As I am next in line for the throne, I will need a wife to be the future queen,” Samuel began, internally proud of himself at how even his tone sounded.

“Samuel-”

“Hush, Daniel, please,” Sam silenced, finding his best friend’s concern as he looked at him and softening, “I know what I’m doing.”

The scholar stepped back, his brow knit. He clearly was against the prince’s train of thought, but he wouldn’t protest.

“The Spartans have a daughter. Allow me to marry her.”

“Sammy, please-”

“Ronnie, this is for your own good! They’ll torture you and commit unspeakable atrocities unto you!” the prince snapped, emotional at the idea of losing both his brother and sister on the same day. He could no longer hold back his tears.

“You seem to already have your mind set on this,” the king stated. Sam looked over at his father, catching what he thought could’ve been a glimmer of pride in his eyes.

“I have, father.”

The room was silent once again. The only noise was that of his mother’s cries as she mourned her son. The king deliberated, looking to the floor as he pondered.

“I will send a messenger with your proposal.”

Feeling as if he could collapse under the weight of that sentence, the prince bowed to his father before rushing out of the room. He wasn’t sure if he had any destination in mind, but he found himself in Jake’s old room when he became cognizant again. Falling to his knees, Samuel screamed. From the depths of his soul, he screamed in sorrow and frustration.

“It wasn’t supposed to be you,” Sam choked out, speaking to the spirit of his dead brother. But what was supposed to happen no longer mattered. The facts were he was never coming back.

The facts were he would soon be betrothed to his brothers’ killer.

+++

Taglist:

@doodle417 @sammykiszkasunusedshoes @jmks-housewife @ageoferin @alwayssotiredbutneverofyou @etoilesnoor @ascendingtostardust @godlygreta @s0livagant @gretavanflowerpower @morganic-goods @dannythedog @baguettejuliette @fan-girl-97 @gaby-gvf @age-of-nyahh @mzbrightside @myownparadise96 @xserenax-13 @sammysvanfeet @loofypoofy @chalametpwk @seventieswhore @razorbladekiszka @kdarling1 @capturethechaos @unfortunatelykristin @welightthefire @gretavanfleas @sammiejane22 @satanplayshisfluteforhim @starsasone @mintysammykiszka @writingcold @tearsofbri @gretasmokerising @streamofstardust @lunaindigoraven @jakeydoesit @tripthelightfandomtastic @sunfl0wer-power @wingedgardener2000 @gretavanbitches @teddiie @gardensgatedaisy @sparrowofthedawnsworld @angelbabyyy99 @sammysprincess @whollyfreeamongststars @gretaswhore28 @l0rdoffli3s @kay-jordan

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[pirate-poet]

salt & honey masterpost

JANUARY – 1888

salt & honey is a crossover fic that puts characters from the Master and Commander media into the Sunless Sea/Fallen London universe. The Surprise is a steamship, the sea is the zee, Stephen is imprisoned at the Isle of Cats instead of Mahon...well. Please heed the warnings on this one, it's angst-heavy!

LINK and the fic is COMPLETE!

bonus content below the cut(currently the map, twenty title poems, mentioned music, more to be added including full poem list and calendar)

(edited sunless sea map)

A note on the poetry: some of these are very topically relevant to the fic to the point that I was yelling to my alpha readers about how perfect they were! Some are very not topically relevant but still good poems. I highly recommend them all! I took great pains to make sure that each poem was written before the time of the fic so the characters could, theoretically, have read them. Also I'm going by Ao3 chapter numbers, not how they would be numbered without the introduction and interlude.

Ch 2 title: Edward Lear's "The Jumblies Ch 3 title: Emily Dickinson's "A little bread - A crust - A crumb" Ch 4 title: Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Jenny" Ch 5 title: Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "In Memoriam A. H. H. Canto 11" Ch 6 title: Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Pains of Sleep" Ch 7 title: William Blake's "The Garden of Love" Ch 8 title: Adam Lindsay Gordon's "The Swimmer" Ch 9 title: William Butler Yeats' "Byzantium" Ch 10 title: Robert Browning's "Prospice" Ch 11 title: Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Insomnia" Ch 12 title: Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "In Memoriam A. H. H. Canto 24" Ch 13 title: Gerard Manley Hopkins' "I wake and feel the fell of dark, not day" Ch 14 title: Christina Rosetti's "Promises like Pie-crust" Ch 15 title: George Barlow's "The Immortal and The Mortal" Ch 16 title: John Keats' "Ode on Indolence" Ch 17 title: Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Jenny" Ch 18 title: Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "In Memoriam A. H. H. Canto 3" Ch 19 title: William Blake's "Holy Thursday" Ch 20 title: Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "In Memoriam A. H. H. Canto 4" (for some reason this one is hard to find just as a poem so have a shmoop link) Ch 21 title: John Clare's "A Vision"

Music I mentioned: Surprisingly I didn't mention a lot, which is strange because I am a classical musician(hobbyist). The issue I have with mentioning music, though, is I have NO idea what was popular at the time and finding out is harder than finding out when a poem was published. Oh well, maybe I should be more chill about historical accuracy in the alternate history fiction universe.

Ch 26: Dvorak's Humoresque (i stand by Jack's pun. it's fiddly) Ch 29: Paganini's duet

[captawesomesauce]

Thoughts at 7pm...

I tag my books in Calibre with people and places and things I think will come up again and again across books. 

This can be a slow and agonizing process, but I find that I keep coming back to it over and over again, because I’ll read a book years later that mentions a battle on Hill 488 and think... fuck, what book was it that I read about that from someone else’s perspective?!!?!? 

Tags help with that. 

I don’t tag everything, or everyone... just stuff I have a feeling will come up over and over, and yet for a single book I’ll end up with this:

Averell Harriman, Bess Clements Abell, Camp David, Catoctin Mountains MD, CH-34 Choctaw, CH-46 Sea Knight, Chaplain, CIA, CIDG, From LAPL, General Herman Nickerson, General Samuel B. Griffith, General William Westmoreland, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, John F. Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr, Maryland, North Korea, Okinawa, Okinawa - Northern Training Area (NTA), Robert McNamara, Soviet FROG-3 Missile, SpecOps, US Capitol Building, USA 3rd Infantry Regiment, USAF Kadena Airbase, USAID John Paul Vann, USMC, USMC 12th Marines, USMC 1st Force Recon Co, USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Brisbane (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Circumstance (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Club Car (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Countersign (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Killer Kane (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Swift Scout (Vietnam War), USMC 1st MarDiv, USMC 1st Marine Air Wing, USMC 1st Marines, USMC 1st Marines - 1/1, USMC 1st Marines - 1/1 - F Co, USMC 1st Marines - 2/1, USMC 1st Marines - 2/1 - E Co, USMC 1st Recon Bn, USMC 1st Recon Bn - E Co, USMC 1st Tank Bn, USMC 26th Marines, USMC 26th Marines - 1/26, USMC 26th Marines - 1/26 - F Co, USMC 2LT Paul Young, USMC 3rd Marines, USMC 3rd Marines - 2/3, USMC 5th Marines, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - F Co, USMC 7th Marines, USMC 7th Marines - 1/7, USMC 7th Marines - 2/7, USMC 7th Marines - 2/7 - G Co, USMC 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, USMC Air Observers - Black Coats (Vietnam War), USMC Camp Hansen, USMC Camp Pendleton, USMC Camp Schwab, USMC Col. Andrew Finlayson, USMC Force Recon, USMC LtCol Alex Lee, USMC Marine Barracks Washington (8th and I), USMC Scout Dogs, USMC SgtMaj Maurice J. Jacques, USMC The Basic School, USMC Washington Barracks Guard Co., USN Corpsman, USN LCDR Ray Stubbe (Chaplain), USN USS Pueblo (AGER 2), USNA, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM A Shau Valley, VNM A Vuong River, VNM An Bang, VNM An Hoa, VNM An Long, VNM An Son, VNM Antenna Valley, VNM Ap Ba, VNM Arizona Territory, VNM Ba Na Mountain, VNM Base Area 112, VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Hansen, VNM Camp Reasoner, VNM Charlie Med, VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Col de Ba Lien, VNM Command and Control North/FOB-1 (Vietnam War), VNM Da Nang, VNM Da Son, VNM Dam Cao Hai Bay, VNM Dong Nhut Mountain, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division, VNM DRV NVA 320th Reconnaissance Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 368th Artillery (Rocket) Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 3rd Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 402nd Sapper Battalion, VNM Elephant Valley, VNM Freedom Hill PX, VNM Happy Valley, VNM Hiep Duc, VNM Hill 170, VNM Hill 199, VNM Hill 203, VNM Hill 224, VNM Hill 324, VNM Hill 327, VNM Hill 35, VNM Hill 372, VNM Hill 381, VNM Hill 387, VNM Hill 406, VNM Hill 417, VNM Hill 441, VNM Hill 452, VNM Hill 454, VNM Hill 478, VNM Hill 498, VNM Hill 502, VNM Hill 537, VNM Hill 575 (Tam Dieo Mountain), VNM Hill 582 (Kon Chay Mountain), VNM Hill 592, VNM Hill 594, VNM Hill 623, VNM Hill 678, VNM Hill 749, VNM Hill 800, VNM Hill 89, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail, VNM Hoi An Thuong, VNM Hon Cau Mountain, VNM Hue, VNM Khe Dienne River, VNM Khe Gio tributary, VNM Khuong Dai, VNM Loc Tu, VNM LZ Finch, VNM MEDCAP, VNM Mortar Valley, VNM Nam O Bridge, VNM Ninh Dinh, VNM Ninh Khanh, VNM Ninh Long, VNM Nong Son Coal Mine, VNM Nui Ba Hoa, VNM Nui Chom, VNM Nui Nhu, VNM Nui Son Ga (Charlie Ridge), VNM Ong Thu Slope, VNM Operation Arizona (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Calhoun (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Claxon (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Knox (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Pecos (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Snoopy (People Sniffer) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union I (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union II (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Wheeler (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Phouc Ly, VNM Phouc Tuong, VNM Phouc Tuong (Dogpatch), VNM Phu Bai, VNM Phu Gia Pass, VNM Phu Loc, VNM Quang Duc Duc, VNM Quang Nam Province, VNM Quang Tri Province, VNM Que Son Mountains, VNM Que Son Valley, VNM Route 1, VNM Route 545, VNM RVN RVNP CSDB PRU Provincial Reconnaissance Units (Vietnam War), VNM Saigon, VNM Song Cu De, VNM Song Ly Ly, VNM Song Thu Bon, VNM Song Tinh Yen, VNM Song Vu Gia, VNM Song Yang, VNM Tam Kho, VNM Tam Talou Tributary, VNM Thach Bich, VNM The Enchanted Forest, VNM The Garden of Eden, VNM Thua Thien Province, VNM Thuan Long, VNM Thuong Duc, VNM Ti Tau Mountain, VNM Trang Bang, VNM Trao Hamlet, VNM Tu Phu, VNM US MACVSOG (1964-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM US MACVSOG Road Runner Teams (Vietnam War), VNM USMC AHCB An Hoa Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM USMC Combined Action Platoon, VNM USMC KSCB Khe Sanh Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Yellow Brick Road, Washington D.C

Thankfully I can easily use calibre’s tag search function to grab what I need!

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 5 of 2023

Title: Killer Kane Authors: Andrew R. Finlayson ISBN: 9780786477012 Tags: 1968 Washington D.C Riots, Averell Harriman, Bess Clements Abell, Camp David, Catoctin Mountains MD, CH-34 Choctaw, CH-46 Sea Knight, CIA, CIDG, From LAPL, General Herman Nickerson, General Samuel B. Griffith, General William Westmoreland, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, John F. Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr, Maryland, North Korea, Okinawa, Okinawa - Northern Training Area (NTA), Robert McNamara, Soviet FROG-3 Missile, SpecOps, US Capitol Building, USA 3rd Infantry Regiment, USAF Kadena Airbase, USAID John Paul Vann, USMC, USMC 12th Marines, USMC 1st Force Recon Co, USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Brisbane (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Circumstance (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Club Car (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Countersign (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Killer Kane (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Swift Scout (Vietnam War), USMC 1st MarDiv, USMC 1st Marine Air Wing, USMC 1st Marines, USMC 1st Marines - 1/1, USMC 1st Marines - 1/1 - F Co, USMC 1st Marines - 2/1, USMC 1st Marines - 2/1 - E Co, USMC 1st Recon Bn, USMC 1st Recon Bn - E Co, USMC 1st Tank Bn, USMC 26th Marines, USMC 26th Marines - 1/26, USMC 26th Marines - 1/26 - F Co, USMC 3rd Marines, USMC 3rd Marines - 2/3, USMC 5th Marines, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - F Co, USMC 7th Marines, USMC 7th Marines - 1/7, USMC 7th Marines - 2/7, USMC 7th Marines - 2/7 - G Co, USMC 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, USMC Air Observers - Black Coats (Vietnam War), USMC Camp Hansen, USMC Camp Pendleton, USMC Camp Schwab, USMC Force Recon, USMC Marine Barracks Washington (8th and I), USMC Scout Dogs, USMC The Basic School, USMC Washington Barracks Guard Co., USN USS Pueblo (AGER 2), USNA, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM A Shau Valley, VNM A Vuong River, VNM An Bang, VNM An Hoa, VNM An Long, VNM An Son, VNM Antenna Valley, VNM Ap Ba, VNM Arizona Territory, VNM Ba Na Mountain, VNM Base Area 112, VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Hansen, VNM Camp Reasoner, VNM Charlie Med, VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Col de Ba Lien, VNM Command and Control North/FOB-1 (Vietnam War), VNM Da Nang, VNM Da Son, VNM Dam Cao Hai Bay, VNM Dong Nhut Mountain, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division, VNM DRV NVA 320th Reconnaissance Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 368th Artillery (Rocket) Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 3rd Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 402nd Sapper Battalion, VNM Elephant Valley, VNM Freedom Hill PX, VNM Happy Valley, VNM Hiep Duc, VNM Hill 170, VNM Hill 199, VNM Hill 203, VNM Hill 224, VNM Hill 324, VNM Hill 327, VNM Hill 35, VNM Hill 372, VNM Hill 381, VNM Hill 387, VNM Hill 406, VNM Hill 417, VNM Hill 441, VNM Hill 452, VNM Hill 454, VNM Hill 478, VNM Hill 498, VNM Hill 502, VNM Hill 537, VNM Hill 575 (Tam Dieo Mountain), VNM Hill 582 (Kon Chay Mountain), VNM Hill 592, VNM Hill 594, VNM Hill 623, VNM Hill 678, VNM Hill 749, VNM Hill 800, VNM Hill 89, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail, VNM Hoi An Thuong, VNM Hon Cau Mountain, VNM Hue, VNM Khe Dienne River, VNM Khe Gio tributary, VNM Khuong Dai, VNM Loc Tu, VNM LZ Finch, VNM MEDCAP, VNM Mortar Valley, VNM Nam O Bridge, VNM Ninh Dinh, VNM Ninh Khanh, VNM Ninh Long, VNM Nong Son Coal Mine, VNM Nui Ba Hoa, VNM Nui Chom, VNM Nui Nhu, VNM Nui Son Ga (Charlie Ridge), VNM Ong Thu Slope, VNM Operation Arizona (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Calhoun (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Claxon (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Knox (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Pecos (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Snoopy (People Sniffer) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union I (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union II (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Wheeler (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Phouc Ly, VNM Phouc Tuong, VNM Phouc Tuong (Dogpatch), VNM Phu Bai, VNM Phu Gia Pass, VNM Phu Loc, VNM Quang Duc Duc, VNM Quang Nam Province, VNM Quang Tri Province, VNM Que Son Mountains, VNM Que Son Valley, VNM Route 1, VNM Route 545, VNM RVN RVNP CSDB PRU Provincial Reconnaissance Units (Vietnam War), VNM Saigon, VNM Song Cu De, VNM Song Ly Ly, VNM Song Thu Bon, VNM Song Tinh Yen, VNM Song Vu Gia, VNM Song Yang, VNM Tam Kho, VNM Tam Talou Tributary, VNM Thach Bich, VNM The Enchanted Forest, VNM The Garden of Eden, VNM Thua Thien Province, VNM Thuan Long, VNM Thuong Duc, VNM Ti Tau Mountain, VNM Trang Bang, VNM Trao Hamlet, VNM Tu Phu, VNM US MACVSOG (1964-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM US MACVSOG Road Runner Teams (Vietnam War), VNM USMC AHCB An Hoa Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM USMC Combined Action Platoon, VNM USMC KSCB Khe Sanh Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Yellow Brick Road, Washington D.C Rating: 5 stars Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Specops.Marine Recon

Description: 

  The leader of one of the most successful U. S. Marine long range reconnaissance teams during the Vietnam War, Andrew Finlayson recounts his team's experiences in the year leading up to the Tet Offensive of 1968. Using primary sources, such as Marine Corps unit histories and his own weekly letters home, he presents a highly personal account of the dangerous missions conducted by this team of young Marines as they searched for North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong units in such dangerous locales as Elephant Valley, the Enchanted Forest, Charlie Ridge, Happy Valley and the Que Son Mountains.   In numerous close contacts with the enemy, the team (code-name Killer Kane) fights for its survival against desperate odds, narrowly escaping death time and again. The book gives vivid descriptions of the life of recon Marines when they are not on patrol, the beauty of the landscape they traverse, and several of the author's Vietnamese friends. It also explains in detail the preparations for, and the conduct of, a successful long range reconnaissance patrol.

Review: 

Finlayson has a very particular point of view on the war, and warfare. Throughout the book, he is constantly made aware that his actions and behaviors are both dangerous and obsessive. Yet, even though he acknowledges it, and says he takes it to heart, he still has the narcissistic bent to ignore them and feel that his way is the right way. 

That’s both a positive and a negative.

His teams brought the war to the enemy and were immensely productive as far as kills and intelligence gathered. At the same time, they were in many ways reckless and dangerous. 

God loves a fool and who dares wins are basically how he operates.

Overall though, the book gives you great insight into HIS way of running recon teams, and how Team Killer Kane/Swift Scout operated, the gear they took, the places they operated in, and who the people were. His writing style is quick paced and gives you a good sense of his thoughts and emotions and allows you to understand where his head was at and what he experienced.

While there were a few errors, especially in regards to keeping track of a persons rank (one page they’re corporal, next they’re a sergeant), and the weapons (carrying my m-14, and had 5 magazines of 5.56mm), the book is well done. 

[stateofsport211]

Milan Ch SF: Filip Cristian Jianu def. Enrico Dalla Valle [5] 6-3, 0-6, 7-5 Match Stats

📸 ATP official website

While parts of this match appeared chaotic in one way or another in terms of their consistency, one thing remained between both players, which was the out-passing contest between them as a result of their insane court coverage on par with their execution and shot placement in general. The pressure points had it for either player to stand out in this match, and it was the Romanian who optimized his chances, as he converted 62% of his 13 break points compared to Dalla Valle's 44% break point conversion rate even if the latter's point construction also helped him to create 5 more break points than Jianu, but was not enough to convert them as Jianu became more offensive throughout the other parts of the match.

On the other hand, as a result of some chaotic parts of the match, both players turned out to have distinct service game strengths. Dalla Valle might have scored 2 aces, some of which helped him to get out of trouble as he won 58% of his first serve points, 12% more than Jianu as the match progressed. However, the Italian had more problematic second serves even though Jianu double-faulted twice, where he could only win 33% of his second serve points, 8% lesser than Jianu as a result of his frequent rushes, making it more unreliable while the latter tried to out-pass the former as aforementioned.

In his second career Challenger-level final after the Oeiras 1 Challenger 2023 (l. Joris de Loore), Jianu will face a first-time Challenger finalist in Federico Agustin Gomez, who later on defeated Samuel Vincent Ruggeri 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a less chaotic but also competitive classic. This could be an intriguing test to their service game consistency, as well as the balance of power of their groundstrokes for one of them to stand out in this match. It can be tough, but nothing is impossible as long as one of them stayed offensive. Should be a fun ride to look forward to!

[christophe76460]

On entend parfois cette expression: «il ne faut pas juger»

Dit ainsi, est-ce en accord avec les Ecritures ?

On ne peut répondre aussi catégoriquement à cette question, il faut être très précis quand on aborde ce sujet.

Pour conforter cette pensée certains citent, par exemple Luc 6/37: "ne jugez point et vous ne serez point jugés" agrémenté de Matthieu 7/2: "car on vous jugera du jugement dont vous jugez … "

Mais Matthieu montre par les versets qui suivent une nuance importante: celle que nous ne devons pas juger quelqu’un sur une chose ( une paille), alors que chez soi , il y a d’autres choses condamnables plus importantes ! (une poutre).

A chacun donc de se juger soi même d’abord et, ainsi, dira l’apôtre, il pourra juger, régler le problême de la poutre chez le prochain !

Paul ajoutera dans la même pensée que juger quelqu’un alors que l’on fait les mêmes choses condamnables est méprisable (Romains 2 /1 à 3).

MAIS, attention il faut juger, mais que faut-il juger ?

Le MAL sous toutes ses formes, et quand je dis MAL, tout ce que Dieu appelle mal !

Que ce soit en nous d’abord, ensuite dans notre proche entourage (famille, église) et finalement dans le monde qui nous entoure.

Dans l’Ancien Testament, comme dans le Nouveau, ordre est donné aux enfants de Dieu et au peuple de Dieu de juger le MAL!

Nous verrons, d’ailleurs, que c’est parce qu’il n’y a pas eu jugement du mal que bien des hommes, un peuple, Israël et des églises ont été très sévèrement repris, châtiés parle Seigneur !

Jésus ne dira t-il pas dans Jean 7/24: "ne jugez pas selon l’apparence mais jugez selon la justice"

Il faut donc bien juger !

Même jusque dans les dons spirituels dira Paul dans la première aux Corinthiens chapitre 14 et verset 29 : "pour ce qui est des prophètes , que deux ou trois parlent et que les autres jugent"

OUI, il faut donc juger l’erreur, le mal, MAIS non pour condamner car seul le Seigneur a le droit , l’autorité et toute la sagesse pour le faire (ce que faisaient , pourtant , les pharisiens).

Nous devons amener le « prévenu » à réaliser sa situation, à la confesser, à la délaisser et ainsi à en être délivré, à l’image de Jésus qui n’est pas venu pour condamner le pécheur mais pour le sauver !

C’est le mal dans le pécheur qui doit être impitoyablement condamné !

Quand Jésus dit dans Luc 6/37: "ne jugez pas et vous ne serez pas jugés" , il ajoute aussitôt :" ne condamnez point". Ce genre de jugement qui condamne est interdit !

Ce qu’il faut condamner, c’est ce que Paul rappelle aux éphésiens dans Ephésiens 5/10 à 13: "ne prenez pas part aux œuvres infructueuses des ténèbres mais plutôt condamnez les !".

Juger pour séparer le mal du bien selon Dieu, pour séparer l’ivraie du bon grain, l’erreur de la Vérité de Dieu ….. Paul dira même: "l’homme spirituel juge de TOUT" !( 1 Corinthiens 2/15 ).

L'apôtre sera d’ailleurs étonné de cette église à laquelle il dira: "si c’est par vous que le monde est jugé, êtes vous indignes de rendre les moindres jugements ? nous ne jugerions pas les choses de cette vie ?….. " ( 1 Corinthiens 6/2 à 4 ).

Pour résumer il faut donc impérativement juger mais:

1)selon la justice de Dieu (Deutéronome 1/16 )

2) avec droiture de cœur ( Psaumes 58/2 )

3) non selon les apparences ( 1 Samuel 16/7 , Jean 7 /24 )

4) non selon la chair (Jean 8/15 )

5) selon la Vérité et en vue de la paix ( Zacharie 8/16 ); (non pour avoir la paix).

Quelques exemples...

ELI LE SACRIFICATEUR ( 1 Samuel chapitres 2 à 4 )

Eli, un homme qui savait comment ses fils, Hophni et Phinées, se comportaient…..

détournement quant à la viande apportée pour les sacrifices (ch 2 /12 à 17 ), fornication (ch 2 / 22 ), d’ailleurs le texte mentionne qu’ils étaient des hommes pervers (ch 2/12 ).

Certes, Eli leur a fait des remontrances ( ch 2 / 22 à 25 ) , mais c’est tout , il n’y a eu aucune condamnation publique, aucune sanction appliquée par Eli; aussi devant ce laxisme, cette tolérance quant au mal (certainement parce qu’il s’agissait de ses fils), Dieu sera obligé d’intervenir. Il lui dira: "d’où vient que tu honores tes fils plus que moi ?" (ch 2 /29 ).

Dieu dira à Samuel : "il a eu connaissance de leurs crimes , et il ne les a pas réprimés" (ch 3 / 13 ).

Nous connaissons les suites dramatiques … les deux fils d’ Eli seront tués par les philistins et lui-même, à cette nouvelle, mourra subitement !

Attention,donc, lorsqu’il s’agit de quelqu’un qui nous est proche, famille ou amis, de tolérer peu ou prou le mal, de fermer plus ou moins les yeux à la limite l’excuser ou le justifier!

Nous pouvons penser à Gédéon à qui le Seigneur a demandé de détruire l’idôlatrie dans la maison de son père! ( Juges 6 /25 à 32 ).

Nous pourrions ajouter ACAN qui n’ayant pas jugé ses actions condamnables, obligera Dieu à le sanctionner d’une terrible manière. Regardez comment il entraînera, même, toute sa

famille dans la mort ! (Josué ch 7 ) .

Et que dire de SAMSON qui pour n’avoir pas jugé ses continuels mauvais penchants, perdra finalement et la présence de Dieu et la vue et la vie ?! ( Juges ch 13 à 16 ) .

Et que dire de SALOMON qui pour n’avoir pas jugé a approuvé les idôlatries de ses nombreuses femmes étrangères? Il verra Dieu se dresser contre lui, lui susciter des ennemis qu’il n’avait pratiquement jamais eus dans sa vie, lui déchirer son royaume pour le donner à son serviteur ! ( 1 Rois ch 11 ).

Et que dire de David pour son rôle dans cette terrible affaire de meurtre, avec la complicité de Joab (2 Samuel chap 11 ), afin d’éliminer Urie le Hétien pour lui prendre sa femme!

Il cachera, pendant un certain temps, son double péché !

Temps pendant lequel il recueillera Bath-Shéba, la prendra pour femme dont il aura un fils !

Ce n’est que lorsque Dieu lui enverra son prophète Nathan qui le menecera de tout dévoiler et lui annoncera tous les malheurs qui allaient venir sur lui et sur sa maison, qu’alors il confessera son péché et ainsi sauvera sa vie (v14).

Il n’évitera pas pour autant les conséquences de son péché....

Ce fils, produit du crime et de l’adultère mourra !

Ne confondons jamais péché et conséquences du péché !

Bien souvent ni l’aveu, ni la confession du péché n’empêcherons pour autant la réalisation de bien de ses effets...!

Et nous pourrions ajouter bien d’autres exemples....mais déjà avec ceux cités, on peut penser, entre autres à cette pensée de Paul: "si nous nous jugions nous mêmes nous ne serions pas jugés par le Seigneur" ( 1 Corinthiens 11/31 ) .

Ainsi, après ces exemples qui concernaient des individualités, voyons des exemples concernant des collectivités, des groupes, des assemblées, des églises, laxistes dans le domaine du jugement .

On remarque que très vite cette tendance au laxisme face au mal fait son apparition dans les églises et aujourd’hui. Est-ce que certaines désobéissances, certains péchés ne seraient plus considérés comme tels ?

Pourtant , le Seigneur avait été clair pour l’église. A ce sujet on se rappèle l’exemple d’Ananias et de Saphira ! (Actes 5 /1 à 11 ).

Il est vrai que dans cet exemple l’église n’était pas au courant du mensonge, c’est pourquoi le Seigneur a dù trancher de manière radicale le péché commis!

Après que Paul ait implanté l’église de Corinthe, nous remarquons que cette église a vite sombré dans le laxisme, une église qui tolérait la division (quatre clans s’opposaient entre eux) (1 Corinthiens 1 /12 ) qui ne jugeait pas l’orgueil de certains, ( 1 Corinthiens 4 /18 à 21 ), c’est pourquoi d’ailleurs Paul menaçait de le faire. Une église où régnait l’impudicité non condamnée , ( 1 Corinthiens ch 5 ).

Paul est « étonné » de cette attitude face au mal, mal qu’il va juger sans aucune ambiguité !(1 Corinthiens 5/2 à 5 ).

Et que dire du comportement de bien de ces chrétiens face à la Sainte Cène ? (ch 11 v17à 22 ) Paul de rappeler que le mal n’ayant pas été jugé, Dieu a été obligé de le faire, et de quelle manière ! (infirmités , maladies et mortalités ),( 1 Corinthiens 11 /30 ).

Pour terminer, je parlerai, aussi, de certaines églises d’Asie dont nous parle Jean.

Eglises jugées par le Seigneur: l’église de Pergame qui tolérait des gens attachés à la doctrine de Balaam et à celle des Nicolaïtes (Apocalypse 2 /14 et 15 ).

Celle de Thyatire qui laissait « Jézabel » enseigner et séduire les serviteurs, (v 20 et21 ).

Celle de Laodicée qui refusait de voir l’état réel dans lequel elle était et donc de se juger. De ce fait elle était sur le point d’être vomie de la bouche du Seigneur ! ( Apocalypse 3/16 ).

Devant tous ces exemples plus que pédagogiques et éminemment spirituels chacun de nous individuellement, et chaque église collectivement, sont appelés à juger selon la balance de Dieu. Juger selon les critères divins le mal sous toutes ses formes et toutes désobéissances, sans laxisme ni tolérance.

Ne prenons jamais pour de l’amour (selon Dieu ), le fait de fermer les yeux devant le mal, de le tolérer, de l’accepter par « pure bonté d’âme » !

Robert Hiette

[sirowsky]

Driving Mr. Tovar Masterlist

Summary: Modern AU where Female Reader is hired by a kind rich man to drive his grumpy Spanish horse-handler around, as the man refuses to get a license. However, not much driving actually happens, as life on this estate is anything but predictable. (Slow-burn romance, hints of soulmate!au, with an unplanned magic twist towards the end.)

For Your Information:

Ratings will vary based on cursing, violence, smut and several other potentially sensitive subjects. See individual warnings on each chapter for more information.

Reader is not entirely featureless. She's described as a runner and has hair long enough to be put up into a ponytail. However, skin-color, hair-color or eye-color are not specified, and she is not described as having any particular religious belief.

On occasion, I will describe a character as looking pale, but this is not meant to say that all characters are white in skin-tone, as it is my experience that people of color can look pale too.

I never write using the y/n format.

I deeply appreciate all feedback, good and bad.

Author's Masterlist

Total word count Main Fic: 362 290 (89 102 words added in 2024) Related works: 44 971 (9881 words added in 2024)

Ch 1 - Don't Get Comfortable Ch 2 - Blando vs. Brute Ch 3 - The First Drive Ch 4 - Boundaries Ch 5 - The Ride Ch 6 - The Apology Ch 7 - Close Calls Ch 8 - The Turn Ch 9 - Reconciliation Ch 10 - Little Things, and Big Ones Ch 11 - Love Ch 12 - Good Times Ch 13 - Betrayal Ch 14 - Safe Ch 15 - Home Ch 16 - Afterglow Ch 17 - Demons and Hauntings Ch 18 - Purpose Ch 19 - Love Hurts Ch 20 - The Long Lost Dinner Ch 21 - Fear Comes in Many Forms Ch 22 - Family Ch 23 - Reunions & Recovery Ch 24 - Torn Ch 25 - Technology (Part 1) Ch 26 - Technology (Part 2) Ch 27 - Technology (Part 3) Ch 28 - The Aftermath Ch 29 - Brothers Ch 30 - It's A Worrisome Life Ch 31 - A Powerful History Ch 32 - The Truth Ch 33 - Clues, Clothes and Camaraderie Ch 34 - A Rose by Any Other Name Ch 35 - One Good Day Ch 36 - Trees Ch 37 - End of The Line Ch 38 - Wreckage Ch 39 - Future Ch 40 - The Unknown

--DMTU One Shots & Drabbles--

- Importance (prequel) - First Christmas - Remembrance - Winter Delight - Smiles - Learning - Clash - The First One - The Genius - The Card - Mrs. Tovar - King - Hold On - Moving On - Halloween Parade - Samuel Rose

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Fri[day] 28 October 1836

7 3/4

12 20/..

V

N

N

L

No kiss fine frosty morn[in]g F[ahrenheit] 34 1/2° now at 8 50/.. a.m. out ab[ou]t till br[eak]f[a]st at 9 1/2 - A-  [Ann] d[i]d

h[e]r Fr[en]ch - out ag[ai]n at 10 1/4 – Ingh[a]m + 2 men and a boy at the parapet wall ov[e]r the dry wall arching –

Rob[er]t Mann + 3 lower[in]g and levell[in]g in front of the h[ou]se till 11 then took them off to prepare for mov[in]g the

heap of clay laid last y[ea]r ag[ain]st the gard[e]n wall - the run and all made ready and they beg[a]n mov[in]g the clay to the [foot]

the mound (to the east) of the rockwork immed[iatel]y aft[e]r their din[ner] – Rob[er]t Schof[iel]d and his man Jos[e]ph all the day wall[in]g

the hall-cellar drain - the gard[ene]r and Ch[arle]s and Ja[me]s How[art]h and John Booth and Mark Hepw[or]th help[in]g when they

c[oul]d to clear the orch[ar]d – lit[tle] trace left of an orch[ar]d this ev[enin]g - Mark Hepw[or]th levell[in]g soil aft[e]r the N[orth]g[a]te

carts on the gr[ea]t embankment in front of the h[ou]se - Frank cart[in]g for Ingh[a]m st[one] fr[om] the gard[e]n wall in the morn[in]g and rag

throughs fr[om] Hipperh[olme] quarry in the aft[ernoo]n - Booth the gr[eate]r part of the day and 2 masons all the day at the west tow[e]r

2 masons jobb[in[g – prepar[in]g for the top of the drab-r[oo]m chim[ne]y (hew[e]d by the 2 hewers Ja[me]s Murgatroyde and

Booths’ son Jos[e]ph and w[oul]d ha[ve] been put up but for the windy days we ha[ve] late[l]y h[a]d) - and prepar[in]g

lancet-lights for the groin[e]d dry wall arch - In the gard[e]n and ab[ou]t all the day exc[ept] fr[om] about 2 to 4 when

saunt[ere]d d[o]wn the walk - and along the low[e]r brea daisy bank thro’ Wellroyde wood int[o] the N[or]thow[ra]m r[oa]d to so[me]

dist[an]ce ab[ou]t Upper brea - to where Shibd[e]n is 1st seen - stood compar[in]g the diff[eren]t points of view –

ret[urne]d by the Stump X Inn and the Lodge – 1/2 h[ou]r there talk[in]g to Matty for Hannah Pearson the cook here

20 y[ea]rs ago h[a]d been at the hall and call[e]d on her way b[a]ck to see Matty - poor Hannah! she told me how I w[a]s

altered – so[me]bod[y] h[a]d told h[e]r lately how m[u]ch I w[a]s aged - But she d[i]d n[o]t kno[w] she sh[oul]d expect

me to look just as I us[e]d to do - no! s[aid] I, you ha[ve] n[o]t seen me these 20 y[ea]rs - it is ti[me] for

me to be alt[ere]d - it is fr[om] s[u]ch peop[le] one hears the  truth - I h[a]d th[ou]ght, on her ent[erin]g the

r[oo]m, she w[a]s grown an old wom[a]n - so chang[e]d I might n[o]t ha[ve] known her en passant –

b[u]t I made no rem[ar]k on this to her – ho[me] ab[ou]t 4 – w[i]th Rob[er]t Mann at the clay mov[in]g and ab[ou]t

till ca[me] in at 6 – dress[e]d – direct[e]d and seal[e]d and s[e]nt off by Frank tonight my notes (writ[ten]

last night and dat[e]d yest[erday]) to ‘Mr. Hoyland Gibbet-lane’ order[in]g a hatch[men]t for my a[un]t to be done as soon

as poss[ible] - and my no[te] to ‘Dr. Kenny Ward’s end’ enclos[in]g a guin[ea] (a sov[erei]gn and a shil[ling]) sor[ry] that

this sm[all] debt of w[hi]ch I w[a]s n[o]t aware h[a]d been so long unacknowledg[e]d – din[ner] at 6 35/.. – coff[ee]

upst[ai]rs - A- [Ann] r[ea]d h[e]r Fr[en]ch - I asleep on the sofa 1/2 h[ou]r - A-  [Ann] h[a]d let[ter] tonight fr[om] Messrs. Gray –

the complet[io]n of her Radcliffe purchase to be at the White Swan H[alifa]x on Tues[day] - Mr. S. Washingt[o]n

to attend - A- [Ann] annoy[e]d - we all al[on]g th[ou]ght of go[in]g to York - she h[a]d n[o]t wish[e]d the purch[a]se to be

complet[e]d here and for Mr. SW- [Samuel Washington] to ha[ve] an[y]th[in]g to do w[i]th it - at 10 20/.. p.m. h[a]d just writ[ten] all the ab[ov]e of today

at wh[ic]h h[ou]r F[ahrenheit] 33° ver[y] fine cold frosty day -  

 How m[u]ch I chang[e]d

[wesenschau]

Sharp Arrows of the Mighty, with Coals of Juniper

Psalm 18 (17 LXX) (same prayer as found in 2 Samuel 22) is a beautiful synthesis of many biblical symbols and narratives, drawing and connecting them into the grand arc of God’s sustenance of the world through man. I am going to particularly focus on verses 7-16, but even just focusing on 9 verses there are countless concepts that go over my head, and I would love to hear what others learn from this poetic prayer. In Ps. 18:7-16 (2 Sam. 22:8-17) we find a synthesis of the 120th Psalm (119 LXX), Noah, the story of Jonah (particularly ch. 4), 1 Kg. 19, Is. 6, etc. Before we can establish the connecting point in this array of passages, we need to establish the sacramentality of the symbols present.

In the 120th Psalm we hear the cry of a mourning precant: 

In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

The calling of Isaiah in Isaiah 6 uses language very reminiscent of this Psalm --  “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lip” (Is. 6:5). In both the Psalm and in verse 6 of the Prophet’s account we are given a solution to this false tongue / unclean lip: 

Sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of Juniper / Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 

To the Orthodox Christian these passages are evidently eucharistic -- the passage in Isaiah is referenced by the priest in the liturgy in reference to the eucharist, saying “Behold, this has touched our lips! This has washed away our iniquities!”. Further evidence for a eucharistic reading here can be seen in a holistic structure of Isaiah, with the calling of the prophet being a foreshadowing of what will happen to Israel/the world as a whole. What happens to Israel/the world as a whole? We see God’s holy mountain established in Isaiah 25:6 for all people. It is on this holy Mount that the LORD establishes a feast of wines, and He destroys the veil that is spread over all people. It is this mountain that draws the nations in, causing them to beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks (Is. 2:4) (note the eucharistic aspect of ploughshares [grain/bread] and pruning-hooks [grape/wine]). We are also told in Isaiah 66:20 that gentiles will bring a offering (minchah) unto the LORD. Minchah is the name of the tribute offering in Lev. 2 and Num. 15 and involves bread/wine (Note how in the old covenant nobody drinks the wine in the offering, but in the new covenant we must partake in the bread and wine / the body and blood of Christ). 

In Is. 6:4 we read of door posts moving/shaking at the voice of God and smoke filling the atmosphere. We find very similar language in Ps. 18:7-8.                  Sg. 5 (v. 2) describes something similar to Is. 6 (v. 4) where the bridegroom knocks on the door, and the bride reaches out to answer with her fingers dripping in myrrh (myrrh as a symbol of death/burial). The love between the Bride and the Bridegroom is what draws the bride out of her chamber to seek for her bridegroom, resulting in her unveiling by the watchmen. What is this attractive love which draws the bride out other than the flame of YAH /  שַׁלְהֶ֥בֶתְיָֽה /  šal·he·ḇeṯ·yāh (sg. 8:6) -- the same flame of the eucharist. This same flame burned the coal that purged Isaiah’s iniquities -- the same flame that fans the rough wind in the day of the east wind by which the iniquity of Jacob be purged in Isaiah 27:8-9. 

The same phrase for east wind is used in Jonah 4, describing a fierce, hot climate and is also used in Exodus 14 describing the baptism/passage of Israel from the old world into the new through the red sea. This reveals a deeper connection between the sacrament of baptism, wind, coals, fire and the eucharist. Jonah, having served in the courts of Jeroboam II knew of the wicked state of Israel -- and given Jonah’s obvious knowledge of the song of Moses he would have known idolatry and wickedness would lead God to make Israel jealous with the gentiles (Deuteronomy 32:21). This explains the mourning of the righteous and Holy Prophet under the (gourd?) plant in Jonah 4, which is reminiscent of the mourning of Moses over Israel in Exodus 32:30-34 and Numbers 11:12-15. The plant withered and the fiery wind of God raged, revealing the foundations of the world (Ps 18:15), the same wind which the Lord flies upon, bringing coals of fire and thick clouds of dark water (Ps. 18:8-11). The hebrew name Jonah, means dove and calls us back to the waters of Noah and the wind (Gen. 8:1) that caused the waters of the flood to subside, bringing Noah and the ark out of the deulge and exalting them to the Holy Mount with the help of the dove. All of these connections go to bring these different symbols and stories together sacramentally, ultimately culminating in the life and work of Christ. 

[Note that Holy baptism is the ecclesial and personal recapitulation/participation in the sign of Jonah (Mt. 12:38-41), which is, on one hand the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; but is also the procession of the divine presence to the gentiles and the whole earth with it’s ultimate reversion to the Holy Mount Zion in Is. 66.]

 The special plant under which the Prophet prayed calls us back to the Juniper tree in 1 Kg. 19.

There are few times that Juniper trees are mentioned in scripture. Only one of these times (other than Psalm 120) are coals mentioned in the same context. 1 Kings 19, where right after speaking judgement upon Israel and demonstrating the power of God over false prophets (note connection to prophecies in Is. 1-5 and the story of Jonah) Elijah, declaring himself the only one left is called by the Angel of the LORD to anoint a threefold sword (Hazael, Jehu and Elisha) to whittle Israel down -- just as Isaiah’s prophetic calling was to make their ears heavy and shut their eyes, whittling Israel down to the one truly righteous intercessor: Christ (Note connection between Isaiah 6:8-13 and 1 Kg. 22:19-23) (also note the threefold whittling of Israel in Ezekiel 5 and the sacramental language of fire/famine/eating sword/arrow and wind/fury). Before Isaiah could participate in this calling he had to partake of the divine coal given to him by the seraph. In a similar manner: before Elijah could continue in his prophetic calling he had to eat of the Holy bread (which was cooked on coals -- interesting detail to include in the passage if there is no real significance to it) and drink the Holy water which sustained him for 40 days and nights. In Matthew 4:4, after Christ’s 40 days and nights in the wilderness, He refused demonic temptation, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, saying: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. As we know from John 1, Christ is *THE* Word of God and as such it is only through Christ and through our assimilation into the divine Word that we can live, as anything outside of God’s mind is an infinite step towards non-existence (interesting to note the theme of 40 days and food throughout the scripture. See how Moses lived purely by the Word of God for 40 days [Exodus 34:28] and how after 40 days of wandering the scout of Numbers 13 returned to the camp bearing ripe fruits [vv. 21-25] as a symbol of Israel entering the promised land after 40 years of wandering). This means that, just like the manna which fed Israel for 40 years (exodus 16:35), what Elijah was given was not just bread and water but a divine foreshadowing of the true bread and the true drink, which is the body and blood of Christ (John 6). 

We can see in Isaiah 27:1 the mighty sword that slays the leviathan; and we have the sharp arrows of the mighty (Ps. 120:4) which are used alongside the coals of juniper to deal with false tongues (note how the Hebrew root for “arrow”/ “archer” / “ חָצַץ” [Strong’s 2686] literally means “to divide”. It is related phonetically to the words qatsir [harvest] and qatsar [to reap, cut down]). What are arrows of the mighty other than children of the youth (Ps. 127:4) who have been born into the spirit in baptism (John 3, 1 Peter 1, Romans 6), who have become as little children (Mt. 18:3) desiring the sincere milk of the word (1 Pt. 2:3). Just as Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father is *the* chosen arrow of God (Is. 49:2), we are made sons and arrows of God by grace (1 Jn. 3:1). These arrows are scattered (Ps. 18:14) and fill everything (Eph. 1:23) for we, the Church, are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life, (2 Cor. 2:15-17). 

[Side Note: Seraphim Hamilton, in his video on Michael Gorman’s Inhabiting The Cruciform God, explains that Christ was sent by the Father as the Word that shall not return void (Is. 55:11). I find Seraphim’s use of the language of arrows particularly interesting, as he explains that Christ’s work in the incarnation was to descend to and assume every aspect of creation into himself, in order that every arrow within every aspect of creation may point towards God through participation in the Logos. Contrast this to the wicked woman in Sirach 26 who will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain, and drink of every water near her, by every hedge will she sit down, and open her quiver against every arrow. (v. 12). This calls back to the serpent in Genesis 3 who is cursed to eat dust (dust meaning dead men [think: ...to dust ye shall return... ]). Similar to Sir. 26:12 is the description of the whore of Babylon in Rev. 17 who is drunken with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus Christ. Eating/drinking something is the most basic means of assimilating something into your being -- this is why the eucharist is the heart of the divine liturgy, it is how we are assimilated into Christ’s very being. This also explains the texts about Ezekiel and John eating the scrolls, and why Christ spits the lukewarm church in Laodicea out of His mouth in Rev. 3:16.]

Sword and flame are the two sacrificial items/tools throughout all of scripture. This starts in Genesis 3:24 where, in order to regain access to Paradise, man must ascend through the fiery sword of the Cherubim. This explains the Levitical dividing and burning of the sacrifices. This is ultimately fulfilled universally in Christ’s total sacrifice on the cross and our sacramental recapitulation/participation in that, through the sword and fire of Holy Baptism + Chrismation and the Holy Eucharist. Christ came to bring a sword, (Mt. 10:34) that he may set fire on the earth (Lk. 12:49) and once and for all fulfill the passing through sword and flame for Man. In giving your enemy bread to eat and water to drink you heap coals of fire upon his head and the LORD shall reward thee (Prov. 25:21-22).

Let us recall the establishment of the marriage supper of Mount Zion in Isaiah 66. How is this eucharistic table on Mount Zion established? Isaiah 66:16 has the answer:

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

The solution, therefore, to the Davidic cry of Psalm 120 is the sacramental and ecclesial participation in the victory of Christ over death, who sent from above, draws us out of many waters (Ps. 18:16).

We see in the story of Noah God rained upon the earth and this acted both as a curse to the wicked and a blessing to those in the ark. The possibility to reject the Christ is always present and is something we must always guard ourselves against -- lest we be divided and slain like the leviathan or burned like Nadab and Abihu in Lev. 10 -- lest the coals of fire hail (Ps. 18:13) upon us like Sodom and Gomorrah. There is huge significance that can be drawn between this, 1 Cor. 11:23-30; Hebrews 9 and Lev. 16, but that is for another time and is a much broader, and more important, topic.

[roiarchives]

2 SAMUEL CH 7

[stardustbarbarians]

Too Pretty For War

Chapter 2 (ch. 1 | ch. 3 | ch. 4 | ch. 5 | ch. 6 | ch. 7 | ch. 8 | ch. 9)

A Samuel Kiszka / fem!reader fic

Summary: The only way for Prince Sam to end a war is by marrying the enemy.

Tags: Prince!Sam, war, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers

A/N: I bet you weren't expecting this, were ya. I am overwhelmed by the response this is getting! Truly I can't thank you guys enough <3 Your admiration keeps me going! It's finals right now so I imagine this will be updated a lot as I tend to use fics as my outlet for stress, however I can't make any promises. As always, this series is dedicated to @safety-sam. Without any further ado, enjoy! <3

Words: 2.6 k

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Nightfall had befallen Athens. The world was sheathed in a dark shroud save for the few specks of starlight fighting the dark. The fire of torches also joined in the star’s rebellion, their soft glow casting dim light in the prince’s room. As the flames danced along to the song of the ocean breeze, they projected shadows that moved along to the beat of the tune. It was a calming scene to behold. It would’ve been, had it not been for the worried royal injecting the air with his anxiety. 

“All you are achieving is creating a trench in your floor.” The prince snapped his gaze over to his advisor, noting how he seemed unaware of the crushing weight Sam felt. 

“Forgive me, Daniel. But the entire fate of thousands of men’s lives rests upon my ability to secure a marriage with this woman! So, pardon me if I seem a little tense!” Sam snapped, only halting his pacing to look the scholar in the eyes. He continued again right after he finished his outburst, feeling as if he could scratch all of his skin off. 

Daniel remained quiet. There was no arguing with Sam on that; he held the fate of his country on his shoulders and that was not an easy weight to bear. 

“I feel like a gift pony,” Samuel lamented, his hands pulling at his silken toga as well as tanging his fingers in his intricately dressed hair. He gazed longingly at the ocean, hearing her call him to her waters.

“Well, you are one, in a way,” Daniel asserted, taking in how his best friend looked. He wore his finest sandals, the straps crossing across his toned calves and stopping below his knee. His mulberry toga kept him modest above the knee, the silk draping from his right shoulder while his left was fitted with an intricate gold piece of shoulder armor that was very clearly decorative rather than practical on his left that coiled down his bicep. His hair, before Sam had ruined it, had been pulled up into an intricate and entrancing coil of skill, but now half of it was hanging down onto the back of his neck. 

“Thank you, Daniel.” If looks could kill, Samuel’s best friend would’ve dropped dead then and there. 

Chuckling to himself, Daniel stood up from his seat and gently guided the prince to take his place. Sam did so without protest, collapsing into the chair as the scholar stood behind him. 

“Let’s see if we can salvage this,” Daniel muttered, carefully removing the golden wreath adorning his best friend’s head. Samuel winced as a few strands of hair were pulled by the crown, but he didn’t get angry. 

“This is doomed. I was not made for this. I will cause Athens’ demise,” the prince groaned, feeling as if he could cry. He was sitting forward resting his elbows on his knees before the scholar placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him so that he was sitting upright. 

“Please, calm your worries. I will be right beside you the whole time,” his best friend soothed, his fingers running through Sam’s hair helping quell some of his anxiety. 

The room went silent once again as Samuel got lost in his thoughts, the gentle brush of Daniel’s fingers calming him by each passing second. This wasn’t supposed to be his job. Samuel was supposed to take on a small area to govern and otherwise just stand there and look pretty. 

“Alright. It is by no means what Ronnie’s maid was able to achieve, but I believe it’s passable,” the scholar declared, a note of pride in his voice as he admired his handiwork. Hearing it brought a tiny smile to the prince’s lips. 

Samuel’s crown was placed back onto his head, the leaves gouging into his skin. There was a moment where it felt as if the scholar was drinking in the prince’s appearance, documenting each detail. Samuel wrote it off as him attempting to see anything he could possibly fix that was askew. However, it was hard for him to explain the hitch in his best friend’s breath as Sam looked over his shoulder at him. 

“Are you ready?” 

“No,” the prince instantly admitted, his head bowing. He was by no means ready for what was to come. 

Now standing in front of his best friend, the scholar held out his hand. Sam regarded it before exhaling a deep sigh and placing his hand in Daniel’s. He was pulled up from his chair rather reluctantly, Daniel patting Sam on the shoulder before dropping his hand slowly. 

“Remember, I’ll be right by your side. You have nothing to fear,” Daniel reassured, opening the door for his prince. 

Staring at the gaping hole of the open door, Sam steeled himself and transformed into the royal he was required to be. Setting his shoulders back, he strode out of the safety of his bedroom and into the uncertainty of the future. 

+++

Just as had been discussed, Samuel was to meet his family in the throne room. The Spartan princess had arrived the night prior but wouldn’t be properly introduced to the prince until the next night. Walking into that symbolic room, he found comfort in the gaze of his mother. She was clothed in black, still mourning the loss of her second son weeks after she had learned of his demise. 

Just as promised, Daniel stuck to his best friend’s side as he made towards the front of the room. He stood front and center, on display for their guests. Daniel was off to the side but would be directly next to the prince within a moment should he need it. 

“You’re a brave boy, swan,” Samuel’s mother whispered to him after wrapping her arms around him. Swan. He hadn’t heard that nickname in some time. 

Before he knew it, horns blared as the arrival of the princess and her court was announced. The sound made the prince freeze up. It was too soon. He was snapped out of his panic by a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t have to look to know it was Daniel’s. 

The door burst open. Samuel’s gaze fell upon the visage of a beautiful, strong woman clad in bronze armor. He was at first taken aback by the sight of a woman in armor, but he then recalled that all Spartans were trained to be warriors regardless of their status or gender. Getting over the initial shock, Sam found himself liking the idea. He knew plenty of women who could fend for themselves and some who could even best him in sparring. 

Sam just wished he knew what she thought of him. 

“Princess, I thank you for making the trip,” Sam’s father greeted, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss on the back. 

“I extend gratitude towards you as well for the invitation,” she responded, her eyes quickly glancing at the prince before flashing a diplomatic smile that Sam could see through. 

“Allow me to introduce my son: Samuel, Prince of Athens.” All attention was shifted onto the young prince. He forced himself not to buckle under their eyes, choosing to smile rather than fidget. 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, princess,” he politely greeted, mirroring his father’s action of kissing her hand. He could tell she was not pleased by his touch, her smile straining. 

“I’m sure,” she replied, all but ripping her hand out of his. All of the sudden everything culminated to the surface again. It had only been a few seconds and Sam was already ruining their chance at peace. 

Samuel’s ears began to ring, his heart racing inside his chest. He felt cold, his energy being drained right out of him. The only thing that was keeping him upright was his royal training. He couldn’t show vulnerability he couldn’t show vulnerability he couldn’t show vulnerability-

“Samuel?” 

Ripping him out of his thoughts was the sound of his mother’s voice. He blinked, glancing around the room to see all eyes once again on him. He missed something, but what it was he wasn’t sure. They were expecting something from him. 

“My apologies,” Sam instinctively uttered, his voice sounding weak and catching in his throat. It caused him to clear it, using it as a reprise to compose himself. 

“You were asked if you would wish to take Princess Y/N on a stroll through the grounds,” Daniel whispered into his ear. He had to have noticed the prince’s breakdown, knowing Sam like the back of his hand. 

“Of course. Princess?” He offered his arm, intending for her to loop hers through it. However, she merely glanced down at it before walking past him towards the door. 

Taken off guard once again, Sam quickly glanced at Daniel in confusion before following after her. She was already out of the room, Sam having to pick up his pace in order to follow. 

“Princess, wait!” he called out, finally able to catch up to her after her stride slowed. 

She wore a face that was stern, no readable emotion that Sam could detect. If anything, there was an air of annoyance wafting off her as her lips held the tiniest sneer on them. In the name of diplomacy and peace, Samuel let it go. Perhaps the customs were different in Sparta. 

“You are quite fast,” Sam noted, flashing what he hoped was a charming smile. 

“Or you are just simply slow,” she retorted, refusing to look at him and keep her eyes forward. 

The prince was at an impasse. She clearly wanted nothing to do with him but they needed to make this work in order to achieve peace. Normally, Sam knew when to take the hint and back off, but in this instance he simply couldn’t. 

So, Samuel continued to attempt small talk. Each attempt was met with icy and stunted responses. After so many times, Sam snapped. 

“What is your quarrel, princess?!” he demanded, halting in front of her so that she finally had to look at him. Frustratingly, she looked straight through him and refused to respond. 

She had made moves to walk around him, but he stepped in front of her each time. Finally, that made her look him in the eyes. 

“The whole reason you are here is that we both want peace. The least you could do is try! There are lives that depend on this matrimony; for both of our kingdoms!” His hands balled into fists at his sides. To say he was furious with her behavior was an understatement. 

“You are mistaken, your majesty. You are the one who wishes for peace, not I!” She cried, a fire in her eyes that Sam could only label as hatred. 

The prince stood flabbergasted. Then why was she here?? What was her motive??

“Then pray, tell! What is your business here if you do not wish to end this pointless bloodshed?!” 

At his question, a cruel and bitter smile slithered across her lips. Her eyes darkened, their true nature being exposed in the moon’s light. 

“I can tell why you so desperately wish for peace. A face like yours… it’s far too pretty for war.” 

With that final statement, Sam watched the rival princess disappear into the shadows of his palace. He remained frozen in place, truly taken aback by her words. Sam didn’t know what to do. He was doomed. 

+++

Sam was able to locate Daniel on his favorite balcony, his raven curls floating on the breeze of the ocean. He looked content, staring out at the darkened horizon. He smiled warmly as he turned his gaze onto his best friend approaching him. 

“How did it go?” the scholar asked, his chin resting on his hand as he leaned on the railing of the balcony. Samuel picked out the stars reflecting in Daniel’s dark eyes. 

“The war will continue to rage, I’m afraid,” the prince sighed, ripping his crown from his hair. Some of his strands traveled with the gold leaves, swaying in the wind. 

Daniel moved over to make room for Sam to stand by his side. “Recount what transpired to me.” 

Rubbing his free hand over his face, Sam pinched the bridge of his nose before launching into the events of his stroll with the Spartan princess. He explained how she was nothing but rude and stand-offish towards him despite his efforts. 

“I find that usually people are quite enamored with my charm.” 

Daniel let out a knowing huff of laughter, his head ducking as he smiled. Looking back out at the sea once again, the scholar tucked his curls behind his ear to show off his dangling pearl earring. “You won’t find me denying such a claim.” 

The pair smiled at one another momentarily, silence befalling them companionably. 

“She told me my face was ‘too pretty for war’. I believe she called me a coward,” Sam recounted, his mood turning sour. 

“Pretty, you are. A coward you are not,” Daniel immediately reassured, his gaze sliding to his prince’s face once more. 

The prince remained silent. He didn’t believe his best friend for a moment. There was no way around it, Samuel was a coward. 

“I failed my people before I even had the chance to build confidence in them.” Samuel wasn’t a buffoon. He knew what the peasants thought of him. That’s why they were all so incredibly nervous when Jacob was sent off to the war. 

“None of that, now. The princess has not yet given her answer. There is still time to turn the tides in your favor,” the scholar sagely advised. Samuel often forgot just who his best friend was - a brilliant man. It was easy when this was the man who would help him attempt to tame dangerous beasts and steal for sport. 

Silence fell once again. However, there was a clear tension lacing the air that made it uncomfortable. 

“Sam, hear me,” Daniel began, standing to his full height to look him in the eye, “keep your wits about you when she is near.” 

Samuel absorbed his best friend’s words, turning them over in his mind to pull the meaning out of the statement. 

“You believe her to be a snake?” 

“I believe she has something to hide. I say this only in concern for your safety, but please do not allow my words to sway you away from peace,” the scholar extrapolated, grabbing hold of one of the prince’s hands. 

Sam trusted this man with his life. Anything that made him weary was cause enough for Samuel’s concern. Squeezing his best friend’s hand, he nodded. He would take Daniel’s words to heart. 

“Your majesty,” a servant called, interrupting the moment. Caught by surprise, the men dropped hands. 

“Here,” the prince responded, running a hand over the front of his tunic as a spike of anxiety surged in his body. “State your business.” 

“I send word from the princess. She accepts your proposal,” the servant relayed, keeping his head lowered in the presence of royalty. 

I did not fail.

He couldn’t help it. Sam whipped his head towards Daniel to find that he was looking right back at him. His best friend wore an expression of triumph and pride, his smile mirroring those emotions. However, Samuel could not be fooled. There was a negative emotion buried deep beneath the positive, but he couldn’t place what it was. 

“Alert the king. Request that preparations will begin at sunrise,” the prince ordered, sending away the servant. He bowed before running off to fulfill his task. 

Samuel fell against the railing of the balcony, relief crashing into him like a titanic wave. He hadn’t failed after all. 

+++

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[annelisterofhalifax]

More measurements,Coal and Water

Sat[urday] 28

8.10

11 3/4

No kiss Fine morn[in]g F 45° AT 8.55 at w[hi]ch h[ou]r br[eak]f[a]st. Out fr[om] 9 1/2 to n[ea]r 12 w[i]th the 3 Manns

John, Rob[er]t and Joseph and stood talk[in]g to t[he]m whi[le] th[e]y drank t[hei]r beer in the upper kitchen

till 12.10. W[e]nt up to Walker pit to see wh[a]t Pickells sh[oul]d do at gin race, they h[a]d staked

out the line of gall or jumble running thro[ugh] conery wood and the direct[io]n of wat[e]r level and w[e]nt

to see the stakes. T[he]n ca[me] d[o]wn to the draw well, and they drew out the cover even on the top of it the line of

wat[e]r lev[e]l. N[or]th and South and East and West board of the coal, the line of gall or trouble

and of the drift we are driv[in]g up to Walker pit. Drew out als[o], the lines of due N[or]th, S[ou]th East

and West and we talk[e]d ov[e]r the chances of gett[in]g mo[re] wat[e]r by driv[in]g anoth[e]r drift to

cross the gall low[e]r d[o]wn in the coal bed, and t[he]n get mo[re] [dri]v]e and mo[re] sipe [drain] of water.

**  Our pres[en]t drift up to Walker pit, is fr[om] mouth to vent-pit 43 y[ar]ds

     i.e fr[om] m[ou]th to where we begin driv[in]g in the dirt band 43 y[ar]ds,

    Dist[an]ce fr[om] Drift- mouth to where the drift crosses the gall 77 + 43 = 120 y[ar]ds

     no wat[e]r till aft[e]r driv[in]g so[me] dist[an]ce in the dirt band and n[o]t m[u]ch till aft[e]r cross[in]g the gall  

    our pres[en]t  free run, t[ha]t  n[o]t forced i.e [that is]  runn[in]g quiet[l]y as it does, will fill a 2 in[ch] bore pipe,

    f[ou]nd at the back of the gall. Br[ea]dth of gall =

    Fr[om] gall to gett[in]g out of dirt band ab[ou]t 140 y[ar]ds

    Fr[om] gett[in]g out of dirt band to Walker pit ab[ou]t 35 y[ar]ds ∴ no wat[e]r or ver[y] lit[tle] being

    f[ou]nd till we g[e]t behind the gall we drove 120 y[ar]ds bef[ore] gett[in]g the wat[e]r.

The Manns th[in]k I sh[oul]d get as m[u]ch mo[re] wat[e]r by cross[in]g the gall at a low[e]r point in the coal

stratum and driv[in]g behind the gall ab[ou]t 200 y[ar]ds. It w[oul]d be best to set in ab[o]ve the pres[en]t

drift on a lev[e]l w[i]th the sycam[ore] stand[in]g at the end of the wall on t[hi]s side of the r[oa]d bey[on]d the well

und[e]r the gr[ea]t sycam[ore]. We sh[oul]d be at the gall in ab[ou]t 100 y[ar]ds and t[he]n sh[oul]d dri[ve] 200 y[ar]ds farth[e]r.

Th[i]s wat[e]r w[oul]d co[me] in at a level 7 f[ee]t high[e]r t[ha]n the wat[e]r fr[om] the pres[en]t drift, if we want

the pres[en]t wat[e]r to co[me] out for the sake of go[in]g to the house, at a high[e]r lev[e]l m[u]st drive

a cross drift 45 to 50 y[ar]ds long. If I ta[ke] the upp[e]r bed wat[e]r off in a goit to

Mytholm engine pit, John Mann th[in]ks I shall ha[ve] ver[y] lit[tle] wat[e]r  to lift, t[ha]t I shall ha[ve]

plenty of pow[e]r to spare, t[hi]s w[oul]d suit me. I m[i]ght get en[ou]gh for a mill for Aquilla

Green?  rem[ember] he wants 20 horse pow[e]r to turn 3 p[ai]r of stones. M[u]ch talk ab[ou]t

the tail goit fr[om] engine pit. Rob[er]t Mann agrees w[i]th me, it sh[oul]d be wide in proport[io]n to the

+ - reference to literary text   * - original was pencil drawn and written  V- Visit  ** - Walker pit drift obs[erved] on gett[in]g mo]re wat[e]r

1835 M[ar]ch width of the wheel, a 3 f[ee]t 6 in[ches] goint n[o]t en[ou]gh for a 6 f[ee]t wide wheel, mo[re] like[l]y a 5 f[ee]t wide goit, sh[oul]d be 30 in[ches] high. T[he]n suppo[se] 2 f[ee]t 6 in[ches] high by 5 f[ee]t wide at bot[tom] w[i]th good rag cov[e]r 5 or 6 in[ches] thick and good rag bottoms 3 to 4 in[ches] thick and 6 f[ee]t 6 in[ches] long. T[hi]s w[oul]d ma[ke] a bet[ter] job t[ha]n wall[in]g and arch[in]g near the surf[a]ce. W[oul]d be ab[ou]t 100 y[ar]ds of t[hi]s and the *  oth[e]r 60 w[oul]d be a com[mon] drift mere[l]y want a lit[tle] arch[in]g n[ea]r the engine pit and wheel. Stocks advertis[in]g a drift and pit to let, mean[in]g to loose Swaine’s coal. The Manns will push on w[i]th Walker pit, may bot[tom] it by the end of July. I want to be ready for next Spring York assizes, t[ha]t I may kn[ow] wh[a]t to do ab[ou]ts Spiggs etc. Sat talk[in]g to A-[Ann] fr[om] 12.10 to 12.50 t[he]n till 1.35 wr[ote] the ab[ov]e of the day N t[he]n wr[ote] as foll[ow]s to ‘Mr Ja[me]s Holt, High Roydes’ Shibd[e]n Hall D=Sat[urday] 28 M[ar]ch 1835. Sir ‘ The[re] are so[me] diffic[ultie]s ab[ou]t my gett[in]g stone at the Hipper[holm] quarry, in conseq[uen]ce of w[hi]ch I shall be ‘ oblig[e]d to you to stop putt[in]g out the handbills as agreed. Do n[o]t splice a rope for Walker pit ‘ you h[a]d bet[ter] ord[e]r anoth[e]r new one of Crapper. I am sinc[erely] etc etc etc A Lister’ Had Vc Mrs Wat[er]h[ou]se fr[om] 1 3/4 to 2 1/2, she call[e]d up[on] A-[Ann] and me and to collect so[me] subcript[io]n fr[om] Mar[ia]n, c[oul]d n[o]t get A-[Ann] or me to gi[ve] h[e]r an[y]th[in]g exc[ept] A-s [Anns] subs[cripti]on of a 100 g[uinea]s a y[ea]r to the  national schools. Ga[ve] my no[te], as ab[ov]e, to Geo[rge] to ta[ke] to the Woolpack, b[u]t if Holt sh[oul]d n[o]t be t[he]re, to ta[ke] the note to High Roydes. Out w[i]th A-[Ann] at 3 1/4 al[on]g the walk and Low[e]r brea and Leeds and Whitehall r[oa]ds and up A-s [Ann’s] Lidg[a]te f[iel]ds int[o] Bramley Lane to see Rob[er]t Schof[iel]d, this man finish[in]g A-s[Ann’s] new wall[in]g t[he]re. So[me] ti[me] w[i]th t[he]m, in ret[urnin]g turn[e]d d[o]wn Stony Lane to Mytholm. Thorp and jun[io]r and his man h[a]d been t[he]re sow[in]g peas, b[u]t gone at 5 1/4. A-[Ann] and I st[oo]d a lit[tle] whi[le] look[in]g ab[ou]t. Ho[me] at 5 3/4, h[a]d Pickells. He s[ai]d Washingt[o]n h[a]d so[me] int[ere]st of his own in wish[in]g me to ha[ve] stones fr[om] A-s [Ann’s] Hipperholm quarry. S[ai]d I h[a]d **  N   giv[e]n up the idea. Talk ab[ou]t the Tail-goit, P- [Pickells says he will do it at 2/. [shillings] a y[ar]d as far as it is an op[e]n goit i.e. up to the driv[in]g, s[ai]d I w[oul]d th[in]k ab[ou]t it. Holt h[a]d let it once ov[e]r to the Manns, let it to wall and arch at 4/6 p[e]r y[ar]d. P- [Pickells] w[ould] ta[ke] the dam to do, says Mawson says he is to ha[ve] all the work, he, Mawson and Washingt[o]n join at jobs. S.W [Samuel Washington] val[ue]d t[he]m, M-[Mawson] ta[ke]s t[he]m and they go shares und[er] ha[a]nd – n[o]t improb[able]. S.W [Samuel Washington] offend[e]d for so[me]th[in]g or oth[e]r at P- [Pickells].  S[ai]d I w[oul]d let the dam by tick[e]t nobod[y] know[in]g the bidd[in]gs b[u]t Mr Parker and mys[elf]. W[oul]d n[o]t bind mys[elf] to ta[ke] the high[e]st bidder. W[oul]d let the job mys[elf] to wh[o]m I chose. Din[ner] at 6 1/2, coff[ee], ca[me] up st[ai]rs at 7.40 r[ea]d today’s H-X [Halifax] guardian, wr[ote]the last 13 lines till 8.40 t[he]n r[ea]d the Lond[on] pap[e]r morn[in]g Herald N   till 9.55. h[a]d h[a]d Pickells at 8 3/4 for a few min[ute]s, br[i]ght ver[y] civ[i]l no[te] fr[om] Appleyard to say t[ha]t mess[e]rs Hen[r]y Bates and son of Washerlane made his wheel 40 f[ee]t diam[ete]r by 4 f[ee]t 6 in[ches] wide and Mr Illingworth coal-owner superintend[e]d the work[in]g of the mine. Fine day F now at 10 p.m * - Tail goit  N – Note Vc – Visit **-Tail goit vid[e] 

[jasmineon]

All Ego Videos

A complete and chronological list of all ego appearances:

For anyone new to the JSE Ego community and doesn’t know where to start or anyone else who likes a list to refer to (like me)

1. Welcome to the game #2 (Jackieboy Man first appearance) [July 10, 2016]

2. The Jacksepticeye Power Hour – Marvin’s Magic (Marvin the Magnificent first appearance) [August 11, 2016]

3. The Jacksepticeye Power Hour – Dr. Schneeplestein (Dr. Schneeplestein first appearance) [September 15, 2016]

Antisepticeye; October 2016 – first canonical appearances (glitches) all leading up to Say Goodbye on October 31

4. FNAF Sister Location #1: THE START OF THE NIGHTMARE (originally called SOMETHING DOESN’T FEEL RIGHT) [October 10, 2016]

5. FNAF Sister Location #2: THEY HAVE AWOKEN… [October 13, 2016]

6. FNAF Sister Location #3: SOMETHING INSIDE [October 18, 2016]

7. “Soon” (found in the description of FNAF: SL #3)

8. The Temple of No [October 18, 2016]

9. Hello Neighbour #2: PLEASE DON’T KILL ME [October 19, 2016]

10. FNAF Sister Location #4: MERGED TOGETHER [October 22, 2016]

11. Clustertruck #16: CHOOSE YOUR OWN GOAL [October 23, 2016]

12. Stuntfest #1: GRANNY DAB [October 24, 2016]

13. Pipejob: SWIMMING IN POO [October 24, 2016]

14. Manual Samuel #3: ROBOT WARS [October 25, 2016]

15. Guts and Glory #5: MEET THE YANGS [October 26, 2016]

16. Layers of Fear #1: ALONE AND AFRAID [October 28 ,2016]

17.  Stuntfest #2: SORE FROM LAUGHING [October 29, 2016]

18. Mr. President #3: BULLET PROOF CHEST [October 29, 2016]

19. The Cubicle: SCARIER THAN IT LOOKS [October 30, 2016]

20. Layers of Fear #2: THE SIGNS ARE HERE [October 30, 2016]

21. “Say Goodbye” [October 31, 2016]

22. CHRISTMAS DOCTOR | Amateur Surgeon Christmas Edition (Dr. Schneeplestein, 5:09 to 10:49) [December 24, 2016]

23. Detention #2: I’M SO SORRY (Anti, glitches only) [January 25, 2017]

24. Detention #3: BROKEN INSIDE (Anti, glitches only) [February 4, 2017]

25. Detention #4: BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS (Anti, glitches only) [February 16, 2017]

26. PAX East 2017 Intro (Anti) (found in the description of the “I’m Sick” vlog) [March 10, 2017]

27. The Jacksepticeye Power Hour – Chase Brody (Chase Brody first appearance, originally called Bro Average: Tea Bag Edition) [April 11, 2017]

28. Epidemic: SPREADING THE SICKNESS (Anti, glitches only) [June 12, 2017]

29. Bio Inc. Redemption #2: DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS (Chase Brody, patient was named Chase and "killed") [June 18, 2017]

30. Bio Inc. Redemption #4: TRUST ME I’M A DOCTOR (Dr. Schneeplestein) [June 24, 2017]

31. Bio Inc. Redemption: KILL JACKSEPTICEYE (Dr. Schneeplestein and Antisepticeye) [August 3, 2017]

32. South Park the Fracture But Whole (played episodes 2-13 as Jackieboy Man, but was stated to be non-canonical) [October 23, 2017 to November 27, 2017]

33. The Jacksepticeye Power Hour – Jameson Jackson (JJ first appearance, originally called A Good Ole Fashioned Pumpkin Carve, then changed to Jacksepticeye: The Silent Movie) [October 31, 2017]

34. Heartbound: MAN’S BEST FRIEND (Originally called MEMORIES OF UNDERTALE) (Anti, no glitches but Jack uses a very Anti-like voice in certain parts of the game) {Also included this game since this was the demo and many anticipate that Jack will play the full game in 2019 and include Anti stuff} [November 22, 2017]

35. Doki Doki Literature Club #4: EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE (Anti, glitches only) [December 3, 2017]

36. Doki Doki Literature Club #5: JUST MONIKA (Anti, glitches only) [December 5, 2017]

37. Overnightwatch (Anti, the stream was not archived so you can’t watch the whole thing but compilations of glitches/moments can be found on Youtube) [December 15/16, 2017]

Mayhem 2018 - A bunch of suspicious/ego related videos that occurred during the month of May, ending with First Winter

38. THE DOCTOR IS BACK – Gastric Bypass, Liposuction Surgery (Dr. Schneeplestein, end of video; originally called 100% REAL DOCTOR) [May 4, 2018]

39. Stories Untold #1: WATCH THIS WITH THE LIGHTS OFF (end of video) [May 5, 2018]

40. Barry Has A Secret (end of video) [May 6, 2018]

41. Stories Untold #2: THEY ARE LISTENING (end of video) [May 6, 2018 (2nd upload)]

42. Stories Untold #3: THEY’RE HERE! (voice of Chase Brody at end of video) [May 7, 2018]

43. Stories Untold #4: IT WAS ALL CONNECTED! (end of video) [May 8, 2018]

44. Try to Fall Asleep! (JJ and Marvin appear in TV/static glitches) [May 9, 2018]

45. TIE – A Game About Depression (Chase Brody) [May 11, 2018]

46. Dark Silence (Anti and Chase, end of video) [May 14, 2018]

47. EXPLORING AN ABANDONED HOSPITAL: Exiles (Anti) [May 16, 2018]

48. I AM SO CREEPED OUT BY THIS!: First Winter (Anti) [May 22, 2018]

*Note: while these are the only videos from Mayhem that had full ego content in them, there are a few other videos with suspicious moments/similar themes that I would recommend watching (Welcome to the Game 2, Yet Another Exhausted Day!, Check Please, Colourblind Test [Marvin mask in background])

49. HOW DID HE GUESS THAT! Akinator (JJ is the last character to be guessed; Anti w/ couple of glitches plus after outro clip, “SOON” hidden in audio) [August 3, 2017]

50. Eggs For Bart: WHAT AM I EVEN PLAYING?! (no glitches in game, but when the audio file was reversed, it said “I will return when you least expect it” and also had binary that spelled out “death” hidden in the file) [August 5, 2018]

51. Transference #1: THE DEMON LINGERS (Anti, glitches only; also, major Chase vibes because of family themes) [September 21, 2018]

52. Transference #2: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED! (Anti, glitches only; also note several title changes w/ zalgo text) [September 24, 2018]

53. 3 Scary Games 1 Video #7 (Anti, glitches only) [October 14, 2018]

54. Watson Scott Test #1: THIS GAME SCARED THE S**T OUT OF ME (Anti, glitches only, also “Ch@s3” appearance) [October 20, 2018]

55. Umfend: TIME IS BROKEN (Anti, glitches only, also note suspicious title) [December 1, 2018]

56. Sally Face Part 4 #1: WAIT FOR THE ENDING! (Anti, glitchy outro) [December 7, 2018]

57. Quit The Game To Win (Anti, suspicious ending) [December 16, 2018]

58. Simulacra Pipe Dreams/Take Your Eyes Off the Screen (Anti, glitches only) [December 17, 2018]

59. Silent Fright: Bloodthirsty Santa (Anti, glitches only) [January 1, 2019]

60. This Person Does Not Exist (suspicious glitches) [March 13, 2019]

61. I'M not SCARED of these games... (suspicious glitches) [April 23, 2019]

62. I'll Get To The Bottom Of This... (May 7, 2019) (Anti audio, thank you for you contribution to 'this video/his death')

63. Something Is Incredibly Wrong Here... | Observation - Part 1 (suspicious themes/ending) [May 21, 2019]

64. Getting VERY Scared In Five Nights At Freddy's VR (FNAF VR) - Part 1 (glitches + suspicious writing on whiteboard) [May 22, 2019]

65. There's Someone Else Here! | Observation - Part 2 (suspicious themes/ending) [May 22, 2019]

66. No.... That's Not Possible! | Observation - Part 3 (suspicious themes/ending) [May 23, 2019]

67. They're SO Scary Up Close in Five Nights At Freddy's VR (FNAF VR) - Part 2 (Anti, after outro clip glitches) [May 24, 2019]

68. There's No Going Back Now! | Observation - Part 4 (END) (suspicious themes/ending) [May 24, 2019]

69. How High Will My Heart Rate Go Playing Five Nights At Freddy's VR (FNAF VR) (Anti, suspicious glitch from 2:53 to 3:08) [June 3, 2019]

70. My Inner Demon (Anti, glitches throughout) [July 8, 2019]

71. I Quit YouTube For This (originally called This Wasn't Supposed To Get Scary) (glitches + suspicious lines throughout) [September 16, 2019]

72. CHASE (Chase, Anti) [October 13, 2019]

73. You're Not Ready For These Scares (Dr. Schneeplestein, end of the video + appearing in glitches throughout) [October 19, 2019]

74. Can You Figure Out Who DID IT? - Jameson Jackson's Jolly Jaunts (originally called 'Jameson Jackson's Jolly Jaunts', then was changed to 'Unciver The Mystery, Who DID IT? - Jameson Jackson's Jolly Jaunts' before current title) (Jameson Jackson, Antisepticeye) [October 31, 2019]

75. You Said We Could Be Friends... | 3 Scary Games (originally called Please Don't Make Me Do This) (suspicious ending, jumpscare) [November 28, 2019]

76. These Scares Almost Killed Me | 3 Scary Games (originally called Where Did Jacksepticeye Go...) (suspicious ending/glitches) [January 16, 2020]

77. Sentient (originally called Don't Trust This Game (Anti from 'Always Watching' in the thumbnail) [February 26, 2020]

78. We Went Back (glitch + suspicious line) [April 10, 2020]

79. TERRIFYING BLAIR WITCH GAME | 3 Scary Games (Originally called WARNING: YOU WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE WATCHING THIS | 3 Scary Games (audio of potentially egos/Anti talking, suspicious beginning and ending/glitches) [April 19, 2020]

80. WELCOME TO MY HOUSE (please stay away) | The Open house (originally called DON'T COME TO THIS HOUSE (please stay away) | The Open house) (zalgo comment made by Jack saying "OFFER ACCEPTED") [May 1, 2020]

81. Don't Make Eye Contact (originally called Argentum Inanis) (Marvin appearance, as well as flashback/vision/glitches of Antisepticeye, Chase, and Dr Schneeplestein) [October 31, 2020]

 ---------------

End notes:

I included the dates that videos were published on since Jack likes to mess around with anniversaries.

Title changes were also listed (Jack sometimes changes these as well, like the firestarter that he is, and this was especially the case with the first episode of FNAF: Sister Location)

-----

If there’s anything I missed, please let me know so I can add it! As a note, I don't add 'suspicious videos', because there would simply be too many - this list is strictly for full ego appearances and glitches. I also try to limit my glitches since if nothing else happens, it might just be an effect by Robin and doesn't necessarily mean anything.

I hope this list helps out anyone who’s new or those who would like a complete reference list!

If you are new, don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff on the list. I know from experience that it can be a lot to take in, but don’t worry. Just take things slow, and don’t hesitate to message me or anyone else if you have any questions about the egos or past videos. There are a lot of super nice and incredibly smart theorists in this community who I’m sure would be more than happy to help you out.

Speaking of theorists, I’m gonna tag a few since they have some amazing theories of their own! I'll also put some additional info next to some of their names since their posts have been a big help to me as a theorist. :)

@fear-is-nameless (would heavily recommend their 4 timelines on ego events, as they contain links to a lot of posts/theories from the time)

@rogue-of-broken-time (lots of good theories)

@isa-ghost / @isas-theory-wall (Isa writes notes on every ego video and their theory wall blog is solely dedicated to theories)

@huffletrax (lots of good theories)

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 8 of 2023

Title: Rice Paddy Recon Authors: Andrew R. Finlayson ISBN: 9781476618180 Tags: AC-130 Spectre, B-52 Stratofortress, Battleships, Bess Clements Abell, Camp David, CH-46 Sea Knight, Che Guevara, CHN China, CHN Hak Lee Shipping Company, CHN Hong Kong, CHN Kai Tak Airport, CHN Mao Tse Tung, CUB Cuba, Espionage, F-4 Phantom II, FAC, FRA ADT FFL 13th Demi-Brigade, FRA ADT FFL French Foreign Legion (Légion Etrangère), FRA Senegalese Tirailleurs, From LAPL, FSB Pony (Vietnam War), GBR England, GBR London, GBR Sir Robert Thompson, GBR United Kingdom, Hill 344, Intelligence, Jose Castillo Chavez (Cuban Guerilla), KHM Cambodia, KHM Cambodian Army (Vietnam War), KHM General Lon Nol, KHM King & President Norodom Sihanouk, KHM Operation Rock Crusher/Toan Thang 42 (1970) (Vietnam War), KOR ROKMC Republic Of Korea Marine Corps, LAO Laos, Lyndon B. Johnson, LZ Hambone (The Dog Bone), MACV Advisory Teams, Martin Luther King Jr, Military Intelligence, Nungs, OV-10 Bronco, Regis Debray (French Marxist), SpecOps, SPIE Rig - Special Patrol Insertion and Extraction, Tamara Bunker Bider (East German Guerilla/KGB), US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US CIA Charles O. Stainback, US CIA Daren Flitcroft, US CIA Felix Rodriguez, US CIA Inspector General Charles J. Timmes, US CIA Merle Pribbenow, US CIA SAD SpeUS CIAl Activities Division, US CIA Ted Shackley, US CIA Tucker Gougelmann, US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), US USA 1st Cavalry Division, US USA 22nd Infantry Regiment, US USA 22nd Infantry Regiment - 3/22, US USA 22nd Infantry Regiment - 3/22 - C Co, US USA 25th ID, US USA 69th Heavy Construction Group, US USMC 1st Medical Battalion, US USMC General Samuel Jaskilka, US USMC III MAF Marine Amphibious Force (Vietnam War), US USMC United States Marine Corps, US USN USNA Naval Academy, USA Green Berets, USA Special Forces, USAF Colonel Edward Lansdale, USMC 1st Force Recon Co, USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Beach Nut (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Crazy Bone (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Forefather (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Hireling (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Hunt Club (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Icebound (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Killer Kane (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team May Fly (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Night Scholar (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Off Spring (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Paddle Boat (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Paddle Boat II (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Penny Wise (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Pickwick Paper (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Pony Team (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Puppet Show (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Recline (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Report Card (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Saddle Bag (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Scandinavia (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Screen Test (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Serviceman II (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Steel Rim (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Third Round A (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Trailer Park (Vietnam War), USMC 1st MarDiv, USMC 1st Recon Bn, USMC 1st Recon Bn - E Co, USMC 3rd MarDiv, USMC 3rd Marines, USMC 3rd Marines - 1/3, USMC 3rd Marines - 1/3 - B Co, USMC 3rd Recon Bn, USMC 5th Marines, USMC 5th Marines - 1/5, USMC 5th Marines - 1/5 - C Co, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - E Co, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - F Co, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - G Co, USMC 5th Marines - 3/5, USMC 5th Marines - 3/5 - K Co, USMC 5th Marines - 3/5 - M Co, USMC 7th Marines, USMC 7th Marines - 3/7, USMC 7th Marines - 3/7 - I Co, USMC Aerial Observers, USMC Camp Pendleton, USMC Colonel Terry Allen, USMC General Herman Nickerson, USMC General Ormond R. Simpson, USMC General Ross T. Dwyer Jr, USMC HMM-364 Purple Foxes, USMC Lt. David "Hot Rod" Hundley - HMM-364, USMC Marine Barracks Washington (8th and I), USMC Washington Barracks Guard Co., USN USS New Jersey (BB-62), Vietminh, VNM 1 Doan Cong Bu Street, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM 1969 Mini-Tet Offensive (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM A Shau Valley, VNM A Vuong River, VNM An Bang, VNM An Bang Plateau, VNM An Chuo Dao Mountain, VNM An Gao Mountain, VNM An Hoa, VNM An Ta Border Station, VNM Antenna Valley, VNM Ap Ba, VNM Ap Bon, VNM Ap Doi La, VNM Ap Phuoc Thuan, VNM Arizona Territory, VNM B-32 Special Forces Camp, VNM Ba Manh Canal, VNM Ban The Dao, VNM Base Area 112, VNM Base Area 116, VNM Base Area 354, VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Bau Anh, VNM Ben Cui Rubber Plantation, VNM Ben Dau, VNM Ben Giang, VNM Bien Hoa, VNM Binh Dong Province, VNM Binh Duong Province, VNM Binh Thanh, VNM Boi Loi Woods, VNM Camp Reasoner (Vietnam War), VNM Cao Dai - Trinh Minh The, VNM Cao Dai - Yellow Dragons, VNM Cao Dai Giao Tung - Le Van Trung, VNM Cao Dai Religion, VNM Cau-Khoi Rubber Plantation, VNM Cay Me, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Region I Headquarters - Da Nang (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Region III Headquarters - Bien Hoa (Vietnam War), VNM Command and Control North/FOB-4 (Vietnam War), VNM Cu Ban, VNM Cu Bon, VNM Da Nang, VNM Dai Hiep, VNM Dai Khung, VNM Dai Loc District, VNM Dai Viet, VNM DeGhia, VNM Deo Le Mountain, VNM Dien Bien Phu, VNM DRV Lao Dong Party, VNM DRV NVA 21st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division - 21st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division - 31st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 31st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 368th Artillery (Rocket) Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 36th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 38th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 40th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 5th Division, VNM DRV NVA 7th Division, VNM DRV NVA 90th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 9th Division, VNM DRV NVA Front 4, VNM DRV NVA Group 44 - Quan Da Provincial Unit, VNM DRV NVA Military Region 5 - MR5, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV NVA Unit 559 (Supply), VNM DRV VC 1st Regiment, VNM DRV VC COSVN Central Office for South Vietnam, VNM DRV VC Mobile Battalion C-40, VNM DRV VC Quang Da Unit, VNM DRV VC Rear Service Group 83, VNM DRV VC Section 7 / D46 Ground Reconnaissance Battalion, VNM DRV VC Spy Pham Xuan An, VNM DRV VC Sub-Region 2, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM Duc Duc, VNM Duc Duc District, VNM Duc Hotel, VNM Duc Xuyen District, VNM Duong Minh Chau District, VNM Freedom Hill PX, VNM French Indochina War (1946-154), VNM Geo Coc Mountain, VNM Go Dau Ha, VNM Go Noi Island, VNM Ham An, VNM Henderson Hill, VNM Hiep Duc, VNM Hiep Thien Dai, VNM Hieu Duc, VNM Hieu Thien District, VNM Highway 1, VNM Hill 1026 (Ap Bang Mountain), VNM Hill 1031 (Ban Co Mountain), VNM Hill 1143 (Yang Brai Mountain), VNM Hill 132, VNM Hill 232, VNM Hill 244, VNM Hill 31, VNM Hill 327, VNM Hill 332, VNM Hill 34, VNM Hill 350, VNM Hill 364, VNM Hill 374, VNM Hill 375, VNM Hill 381 (Nui Khuc Son), VNM Hill 406, VNM Hill 452, VNM Hill 481, VNM Hill 485 (An Chau Dao Mountain), VNM Hill 545, VNM Hill 551, VNM Hill 65, VNM Hill 734, VNM Hill 845 (Nui Mat Rang), VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM Hoi An, VNM Hon Nui Tau, VNM Huu Chanh, VNM I Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Kham Duc, VNM Khanh Ly (Singer), VNM Khe Con, VNM Khe Dienne, VNM Khe Houa, VNM Khiem Hanh District, VNM La Thap, VNM Lanh An, VNM Lao Dong Party, VNM Liberty Bridge, VNM Long An Province, VNM LZ Barnes (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Finch (Vietnam War), VNM Marble Mountain, VNM Mau Chan, VNM Mau Chanh, VNM Mau Chung, VNM Michelin Rubber Plantation, VNM Minh Tan, VNM My Dong, VNM My Hiep, VNM My Hoa, VNM My Le, VNM My Loc, VNM My Phu, VNM My Thanh Dong, VNM Nhgi Thuong, VNM Ninh Long, VNM Nong Son Coal Mine, VNM Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain), VNM Nui Ben, VNM Nui Da Beo, VNM Nui Do, VNM Nui Duong Thong, VNM Nui Hon Sai, VNM Nui Mo Cam, VNM Nui Ro, VNM Nui Son Ga (Charlie Ridge), VNM Ong Thu Slope, VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Cliff Dweller II (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Durham Peak (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Henderson Hill (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Meade River (1968-1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Muskogee Meadow (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Taylor Common (1968-1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union I (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union II (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Phouc Hoi, VNM Phouc Ly, VNM Phouc Tuong (Dogpatch), VNM Phu Bac, VNM Phu Khuong District, VNM Phu Lac, VNM Phu Loi, VNM Phu Nhuan, VNM Phu Phong, VNM Phuoc Hoi, VNM Phuoc Ninh District, VNM Phuoc Tan, VNM Quan Hoa Vang District, VNM Quang Nam Province, VNM Quang Tin Province, VNM Quang Tri Province, VNM Que Son Mountains, VNM Que Son Pass, VNM Que Son Valley, VNM Revolutionary Development Program (Vietnam War), VNM Route 1, VNM Route 14, VNM Route 22, VNM Route 239, VNM Route 26, VNM Route 29, VNM Route 4, VNM RVN ARVN 1st ID, VNM RVN ARVN Airborne Division, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group, VNM RVN ARVN MSS Provincial Military Security Service, VNM RVN ARVN Provincial Interrogation Center, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Binh Xuyen Pirates, VNM RVN Chieu Hoi Program/Force 66 - Luc Luong 66 (Vietnam War), VNM RVN DIOCC - District Intelligence Operations Coordination Center (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Kit Carson Scouts (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Ngo Dinh Diem, VNM RVN Nguyen Van Thieu, VNM RVN PIOCC - Provisional Intelligence Operations Coordination Center (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP CSDB PRU Provincial Reconnaissance Units (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP National Police, VNM RVN Spy Vo Van Ba, VNM RVN SVNAF Da Nang Airbase, VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force, VNM RVN USA CRIP Combined Reconnaissance and Intelligence Platoon (Vietnam War), VNM RVNP CSDB Can Sat Dac Biet Special Branch Police, VNM Saigon, VNM Song Boung, VNM Song Cai, VNM Song Con, VNM Song Ky Lam, VNM Song Thien Yen, VNM Song Thu Bon, VNM Song Vam Co Dong, VNM Song Vu Gia, VNM Tam Hoa Refugee Camp, VNM Tan Phuoc, VNM Task Force Yankee (1968-1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Tat Lay Mountain, VNM Tay Ninh, VNM Tay Ninh East Airfield, VNM Tay Ninh Embassy House (Vietnam War), VNM Tay Ninh Province, VNM Tay Ninh West Air Base, VNM Thach Bich, VNM Thanh Hai, VNM Thanh Xuyen Refugee Camp, VNM Thon Ba, VNM Thu Bon, VNM Thua Thien Province, VNM Thuong Duc, VNM Thuong Duc Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Tu Pho, VNM US MACVSOG (1964-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM USMC Combined Action Platoon (Vietnam War), VNM USMC MMAF Marble Mountain Air Facility, VNM USN Officers Club - The Stone Elephant (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Vinh Thanh Valley (Happy Valley), VNM VNQDD, VNM Vung Tau, VNM War Zone C, VNM Xom Ba Ao, VNM Zia Rong Rating: 4 Stars Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Specops.Marine Recon

Descriptions:  A young U.S. Marine officer recounts his experiences of the Vietnam War over a nineteen month period. He graphically describes what it was like to perform three distinct combat missions: long-range ground reconnaissance in the Annamite Mountains of I Corps, infantry operations in the rice paddies and mountains of Quang Nam Province and special police operations for the CIA in Tay Ninh Province. Using Marine Corps official unit histories, CIA documents, and his weekly letters home, the author relies almost exclusively on primary sources in providing an accurate and honest account of combat at the small unit level. Of particular interest is his description of his assignment to the CIA as a Provincial Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) advisor in Tay Ninh Province, where he participated in several secret missions as part of the controversial Phoenix Program. The name and contribution of the CIA's most valuable spy during the war, the famous "Tay Ninh Source," is revealed.

Review: Finlayson’s 2nd book is a huge shift from his first. It spends more time talking about his experiences as a Marine company commander, as well as his time with the PRU. It gives a really good insight into the CIA/PRU program from his myopic perspective, as well as a bit about the Cambodian Incursion. 

He was thrust into a situation without the proper training or expertise, did the best that he could, and he readily admits his failures, which is important for a book like this. He’s very heavy handed with his beliefs though, even to the point of breaking off a friendship with a noted English scholar on the subject of warfare for their differing views. 

It’s worth a read, and is a good follow up to his first book. 

[stateofsport211]

Poznan Ch R2: Kamil Majchrzak def. Pablo Carreno Busta [WC] 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) Match Stats

📸 ATP official website

Kamil was 1-4 down in the third set as he got outhit mostly from his forehands, but his instinctive shots, mostly from the net, carried him under pressure on return as he steadily broke back twice and turn the tables around. Even though P. Carreno Busta had his fair moments to regain his range, Kamil's grit kept him going until the tie-break, where the Spanish wild card could not recover from a volley error that set up the Pole's mini-break. As a result, even if both players broke 5 times across this classic match, P. Carreno Busta generated 10 break points, partly due to some rushed follow-ups from Kamil, but the unseeded Pole optimized his chances with a 71.4% break point conversion rate.

Besides, there appeared to have a tiny difference between both players on their serves. Even though Kamil and P. Carreno Busta served 4 aces, the former had a slight edge on his first serves by 1% with a 63% winning percentage, which helped him getting out of some troubles under pressure on his serves. However, his 7 double faults made his second serves more vulnerable with only a 47% winning percentage, 3% lower than the Spaniard, whose second serves carried him in some parts of the flow instead.

In the ongoing quarterfinals, Kamil faces Samuel Vincent Ruggeri, who previously defeated Filip Cristian Jianu 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, in also a 2-episode match where the match also got suspended at 3-6, 3-3 in the second set. This could be a tricky affair for Kamil, who still tries to navigate Samuel's offensives, but nothing is impossible if Kamil repeats what he did in this round. On the other hand, P. Carreno Busta cited that he needed matches like these to increase his match sharpness, will try to reduce the momentum dips, which could be a better sign for his comeback. Could be one of the matches of the week!