#Auditors in London

[mmbaaccountants]

Audit Firms London - The audit approach of MMBA is similar to the one adopted by Big Four audit firms and involves a structured and systematic process for examining an organisation’s financial statements and internal controls to provide an independent assessment of their accuracy and compliance with accounting regulations and standards. 

[thakur-chabert]

We are a leading Chartered Accountants and Auditors in Uxbridge, London. We offer a complete suite of services including Accounting, Taxation, Cloud Accounting, Audit, Company Secretarial Services, and Business Advisory Services in London.

[mmbaaccountantss]

Accounting Solutions for Travel Companies in London: Financial Efficiency

In the dynamic world of travel and hospitality, effective financial management is crucial for success. Travel companies face unique challenges in their accounting practices, requiring specialized expertise to navigate. This is where MMBA hospitality accountants step in, offering tailored accounting solutions designed to meet the specific needs of the industry. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the importance of accounting for hospitality, the role of hospitality accountants, and how travel companies can benefit from their expertise.

[teecupangel]

Inspired by the Patron Desmond sends his ancestors to earlier points in time and fucks over half a dozen timelines: Desmond wishes all his ancestors had someone to support them through their worst suffering without - you know, getting betrayed by them or watching them die.

So Bayek wakes up in the prime of his life in Altair's time and adopts this child who just watched his father die. When Altair dies, he and Bayek suddenly appear, both in the primes of their lives, in time to see the Auditore get arrested. Bayek, Altair, and Ezio are there when Edward's protecting the Assassins of Tulum and take the piss out of him. The crew plus Edward are there when Ratonhnhake:ton's village burns. They all sail to France on a whim and end up recruiting Arno. All of them appear in London to help out the Frye twins. And when Desmond gets kidnapped... the Assassins have an entire historical legion show up out of nowhere to help bust him out of Abstergo's clutches.

Kassandra keeps showing up, nobody's certain if she's with them all or not, but just... all of the main ancestors glomming together as one hugely dysfunctional murder family forged across time and space who all have the biggest soft spot for Desmond.

Desmond as their Patron has no power over this. This is happening solely based on his wish and he has no control who gets transported and gifted with immortality so even he does not know if Kassandra is also part of his immortality gang.

It’s Bayek who believes Desmond is a god and their patron, giving them this power to protect the world. Of course, there are times when he misses Aya and he wonders if this immortality is a curse. But then he hears the laughter of Darim and Sef before they run after him, grabbing his robes and asking him to tell them another story, grandfather tells the best stories! And Bayek’s lips curved into a smile. Perhaps the immortality is a curse but seeing the people he cares for and loves grow up and take the future for themselves will always be a joy that makes this curse worth it.

Altaïr would be the one to try and understand this immortality that they had. Would be the one to realize that they do die after their life runs its course but they will always be awaken in the same place together, back in their prime, with the memories up to their death. His first business would be to find his Apple and, after the long road he had to take to find the seals to open his library, he decided to set it up so that the next time he needed to find his Apple, it would be in the most convoluted way possible that only he would understand. It’s because of the Apple that they got to Firenze just as the Auditores were being arrested (they saved the day but it was a close call). Then Ezio’s Apple was placed on the vault and Altaïr felt a bit annoyed of how easy his Apple was secured so… he just plopped the Apple there as well.

It is Ezio who first thought of naming the glowing god that appears before them before they are resurrected once more Desmond. There’s something about the god with no discernible features other that his entire body glowing that made Ezio think of Desmond for some reason. Altaïr is the one who tries to search for this Desmond using both his and Ezio’s Apples.

Edward was the one man out. He wasn’t an Assassin yet but he had the makings of one. So they trained him. Bayek had done this three times already, he knows Edward Kenway is the key. Perhaps the next brother that will be given the curse of immortality. They stayed with him until he started to settle down in London, focusing on his family. They visited from time to time but they were not there to save Edward.

When they are resurrected once more, decades have passed and they could only try and save as many people as they could as the fires had already started. Including the mother of a young child by the name of Ratonhnhaké:ton. They stayed in the village for a few days, with the boy’s mother talking to Edward Kenway for a long time, ending with Edward learning of his son’s fate. So they leave the village to find him, to confront him. When Ratonhnhaké:ton was 13, he followed his mother out of the village and they meet once more. Haytham remains elusive and they suggested that they stay with the mother and son for a bit to ‘relax’, only for this to end with them teaching Ratonhnhaké:ton (and sometimes even giving tips to Kaniehtí:io.

And after everything was done, they sailed to France to support Ratonhnhaké:ton who received a letter requesting for aid from Lafayette. There, they met Arno Dorian and took him under their wings, helping him with his missions but only three of them at a time, for they have their own agenda for going to France. (And if this ends with Altaïr taking a Sword of Eden, well… that’s not really surprising).

Helping out the Frye twins had been second nature. Arno and Jacob met by accident when Arno had been buying one of the pubs in London (a financial focused habit he and Ezio had developed through the years) and Bayek thought they needed support (and guidance, so much guidance). By the end of it, they were sure that the twins would become like them as well. (And if this ends with Altaïr taking the Shroud of Eden… at this point, everyone already expects him to take custody over POEs)

It all ends with them moving into the modern day where they used their knowledge and experience to have a partnership with a group called Erudito. From there, it became easier to find the Assassins but their focus shifted when they heard of Desmond Miles.

And Ezio just knows… that this was the Desmond they were all searching for.

[odinsblog]

For over two decades, President Vladimir Putin has squeezed dissent in Russia. Critics, journalists, and defectors have faced dire consequences after opposing him. From poisonings to shootings, mysterious falls from windows, and even plane crashes, there is a long trail of silenced voices.

Alexei Navalny, whose death in prison is as yet unexplained, had previously fallen ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow in 2020 after being poisoned with Novichok, a nerve agent. Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy who defected and was a prominent Putin critic, was murdered with polonium-210 in London in 2016.

Other deaths of opposition figures under Putin's rule also appear to follow a pattern. Boris Nemtsov, shot dead near the Kremlin, and Stanislav Markelov, assassinated in Moscow alongside journalist Anastasia Baburova, are just two examples. Natalia Estemirova, abducted and found dead in Chechnya, and Anna Politkovskaya, an investigative journalist murdered in her Moscow apartment building, also paid the ultimate price following their dissent.

Here are 10 prominent Putin critics who have died in assassinations or mysterious circumstances.

Alexei Navalny

Date of death: February 16, 2024

Cause of Death: Alexei Navalny died in prison. The Russian prison service reported that he felt unwell after a walk and lost consciousness.

Biography: Alexei Navalny was a prominent critic of Vladimir Putin. He gained global attention in 2020 when he survived a poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok. Navalny willingly returned to Russia from Germany in 2021, where he had received treatment for the previous poisoning. Upon his return, he was promptly arrested. Navalny was known for exposing corruption, investigating Putin's inner circle, and leading anti-Kremlin opposition movements. His death is likely to be seen by fellow opposition members as a political assassination attributable to Putin, but is as yet unexplained.

Mikhail Lesin

Age: 57

Date of Death: November 5, 2015

Cause of Death: Mikhail Lesin was a former Russian press minister and media executive. He fell out of favor with Putin and faced scrutiny for his wealth. Lesin was found dead in a Washington, D.C. hotel room. The official cause of death was ruled as accidental blunt force injuries, but questions persist about the circumstances.

Boris Nemtsov

Age: 55

Date of Death: February 27, 2015

Cause of Death: Boris Nemtsov was shot dead on a bridge near the Kremlin. His murder remains unsolved, but many believe it was politically motivated. Nemtsov was a vocal critic of Putin's government, advocating for democracy, human rights, and transparency. He served as a deputy prime minister under President Boris Yeltsin and later became a prominent opposition figure.

Boris Berezovsky

Age: 67

Date of Death: March 23, 2013

Cause of Death: Boris Berezovsky was a wealthy businessman, oligarch, and former ally of Putin. However, he became a vocal critic and fled to the U.K. Berezovsky was found dead in his home in Berkshire, England. The official cause of death was ruled as suicide, but suspicions remain due to his high-profile opposition activities.

Sergei Magnitsky

Age: 37

Date of Death: November 16, 2009

Cause of Death: Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer and auditor who exposed a massive tax fraud scheme involving Russian officials. He was arrested, imprisoned, and denied medical treatment. Magnitsky died in custody following severe beatings and medical neglect. His death led to the passing of the Magnitsky Act in the United States, which sanctions Russian officials involved in human rights abuses and corruption.

Stanislav Markelov

Age: 34

Date of Death: January 19, 2009

Cause of Death: Stanislav Markelov was a human rights lawyer and journalist. He was assassinated in Moscow by a gunman who also killed journalist Anastasia Baburova. Markelov had represented victims of human rights abuses and criticized the Russian government's actions in Chechnya. His death raised concerns about the safety of those opposing the regime.

Anastasia Baburova

Age: 25

Date of Death: January 19, 2009

Cause of Death: Anastasia Baburova, a journalist and activist, was shot dead alongside human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov in Moscow. She had reported on neo-Nazi groups and political violence. Her murder remains unsolved, but it is believed to be connected to her activism.

Natalia Estemirova

Age: 50

Date of Death: July 15, 2009

Cause of Death: Natalia Estemirova, a human rights activist and journalist, was abducted in Grozny, Chechnya, and found dead later that day. She had documented human rights violations in Chechnya and criticized the government. Her murder remains unsolved, but it is widely believed to be connected to her activism and criticism of the Chechen authorities.

Anna Politkovskaya

Age: 48

Date of Death: October 7, 2006

Cause of Death: Anna Politkovskaya, an investigative journalist, was shot dead in her apartment building in Moscow. She had reported extensively on human rights abuses, corruption, and the war in Chechnya. Her work was critical of Putin's government, and her murder sparked international outrage. Despite investigations, the masterminds behind her killing have not been brought to justice.

Yuri Shchekochikhin

Age: 53

Date of Death: July 3, 2003

Cause of Death: Yuri Shchekochikhin was a journalist, writer, and member of the Russian State Duma. He investigated corruption, organized crime, and human rights abuses. Shchekochikhin suddenly fell ill and died from an unknown cause. Some suspect poisoning, but the circumstances remain unclear.

(continue reading)

List of journalists killed in Russia

The dangers to journalists in Russia have been known since the early 1990s but concern over the number of unsolved killings soared after Anna Politkovskaya's murder in Moscow on 7 October 2006. While international monitors mentioned a dozen deaths, some sources within Russia talked of over two hundred fatalities.

2009 reports on deaths of journalists in Russia: In June 2009, a wide-ranging investigation by the International Federation of Journalists into the deaths of journalists in Russia was published. At the same time, the IFJ launched an online database which documents over three hundred deaths and disappearances since 1993.

(continue reading)

[julianhuxley]

Baby giraffe born at Whipsnade Zoo, photo taken December 27, 1937. Named Boxer after her eponymous birthday, the Zoological Society reports that she grew twelve inches on her first day and two inches a week since then!

Source: Reports of the Council and Auditors of the Zoological Society of London for the Year 1937. Suffolk: Richard Clay and Sons, 1938.

[kiatheinsomniac]

Hello, when you can I’d like a little something for Altair, Connor, Edward, Jacob, Arno and Ezio. I was watching Harry Potter and when Hermione smells the potion which clarifies who/what shes attracted to. So that gave me an idea for an ask. What is each characters ^^ signature scent like do they smell like mangos random I know but an example. I don’t necessarily mean perfume though I mean by natural scents.

☾ ⋆ﾟ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 / 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒: ooooo it's always interesting to get headcanon requests about the characters themselves and not ones that involve the reader. I feel like I could talk ab these boys for so long after how much time I've put into playing the games and reading the books lol

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒: Altaïr, Ezio, Edward, Connor, Arno, Jacob

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: none

｡･:*˚:✧｡ altaïr ibn-la'ahad

♡ his own scent and frankincense.

♡ Altaïr's clothes have captured the labours of his occupation and the smoke of the incense burning in the bureau. It's a lingering but subtle smell.

｡･:*˚:✧｡ ezio auditore

♡ musk and amber.

♡ these were both popular scents during the renaissance and he smells quite strongly of it. During the renaissance, people believed that miasma carried disease and so they would try to ward off illness with more pleasant scents (think of the lyrics to Ring Around the Rosie). Though, he's still an assassin so it's not too string that you can smell it unless you're very, very close to him, that is.

｡･:*˚:✧｡ edward kenway

♡ the sea breeze.

♡ the salt in the air has made its way into nearly every part of Edward after so many years at sea, notably his clothes and sun-bleached hair. He always smells like the seas that have become like a second home to him.

｡･:*˚:✧｡ ratonhnhaké:ton | connor kenway

♡ fresh rainfall or sage.

♡ Connor spends a lot of his time outdoors so I think that would show in how his clothes and hair smell. He would smell of the fresh rainfall that he just got back from being caught in, of ferns and pine needles. Also, I think Connor would keep up with some of his cultural practices, even after what happened to his village. Perhaps burning white sage and inviting in better energy in the place of what it's cleared out is one of them? He would smell like the smoke after.

｡･:*˚:✧｡ arno dorian

♡ coffee and old books.

♡ the guy lives above a café and has stacks upon stacks of books and papers around him. They've permeated the air of his whole living space and, consequently, him. On worse days, he might smell more like the wine he downed to forget his troubles the night before but his entire wardrobe has been filled with the scent of coffee and he doesn't even realise at this point that his home smells like a library.

｡･:*˚:✧｡ jacob frye

♡ soot and violets.

♡ Victorian London had a definite issue with the smog everywhere as a consequence of industrialisation and he lives on a train so the smell of soot has, without a doubt, embedded itself in his clothes. Cologne wasn't a very big thing at the time and Victorians had moved on from believing in miasma, germ theory having been popularised. Perfume was no longer practical but aesthetic and wasn't very popular among men in the late 1860's. However, Evie once bought a violet perfume that she quickly grew sick of but Jacob quite liked. He doesn't wear a lot but it's enough for a few people to pick up on and he uses it as an opportunity to get close and flirt.

☾ ⋆ﾟlike my work? why not: 

∘ buy me a coffee? ∘ join my taglist ∘ consider following/reblogging

🏷️@gojohater101 @ayameiris4 @veryfancydoilies @asuni921  @writing-noah @danielle-marie@havatnah @aarnodoriann @asianbutnotjapanese @daddyadler @b3k1720

[quill-pen]

~Bess' recurring dream since childhood~

This is going to pan out in several different posts, as the dream changes as Bess grows older and I map out and navigate those changes. Probably bonus comfort fluff at the end from both George and Ebenezer, because Bess still suffers this nightmare as an adult. (Though the regularity does lessen drastically over time, thanks to Eb and the life Bess has found with him in London.)

Warnings: It's a nightmare involving loneliness, depression, fear, abandonment, mental, emotional, and verbal abuse, maybe some physical abuse. It's not pretty.

Theme:

How it originally started (and always starts):

Bess is in her favorite summer dress, the pretty, cotton, purple gingham one that Maud had made her. It's a bit too big, as the lady's maid had made it a size or two oversized so that she might wear it longer, but Bess doesn't care. It's soft, it's cool, it's purple, and with the way it billows around her as she runs, the little girl feels like she's flying.

She's running towards a group of children skipping around in a circle, singing and laughing. Bess can't wait to join them; she loves to skip, and she's very good at it. As she approaches the circle, it opens up for her and two children reach out on either side of her, pulling her into the fold. They lock hands and go skipping and giggling as they continue to chant: "All around the mulberry bush the monkey chased the weasel!"

Bess has never felt happier and she laughs out her joy. She's having fun; these children actually like her! They're not side-eyeing her and making snide remarks. They're not making fun of her or pushing her around or pulling her hair. They're not calling her nasty names or gossiping about her loud enough for her to overhear. They're just playing with her, including her, being nice. It feels so wonderful!

Without warning the sunny, cloudless sky above disappears in a brilliant flash of lightning and thunder peels out. When the sky returns, it is shrouded in dark, frightful storm clouds. A hurricane wind rips through, out of nowhere, and the children scream and cry as they scatter. They run in all opposite directions, leaving Bess alone.

Bess watches after them forlornly. She wants to call out to them and ask them to come back, despite the storm: As she opens her mouth to shout, a deafening noise so loud she can't even hear herself think rumbles across the grassy plain. Bess spins around to see a twister, dark, wide as a house, ripping up the earth as it speeds across it. Terrifying. Bess is frozen with horror.

Lightning flashes again, but this time, rather than thunder, there's a voice. A barking, biting, cruel voice; her mother's. "What makes you think those nice little boys and girls want to play with you?" the voice echoes out. "You're nothing but trouble--a rotten girl, bad, corrupting. You bring bad things everywhere you go!"

Bess feels tears in her eyes, on her cheeks. No! she wants to scream back. No, I'm not! I'm not bad--I'm good! I'm nice! "I just want friends!" she finally manages to voice.

"Nobody wants to be friends with you, stupid girl!"

The twister is closer, almost on top of her, and yet Bess remains frozen. She knows she should run--it's her one chance to save herself--but she literally cannot move! Not even a finger. The little girl opens her mouth to cry out for help, but no sound can be heard. And the next thing Bess knows, she's swallowed up by the spout and lifted into the sky, her mother's voice still howling around her about what a bad girl she is. Bess can only curl into a little ball to cry, her wails drowned out by the storm.

Taglist: @rom-e-o @oldmanlusting @the-house-of-auditore-frye @themostanonymousscribbler @christmasgaybusinessmen @purgratoriat @crimson-phantom-designs @beascrooge @darkflamingfire @vixx-ari @orangewierdo @nightmareg420 @sukiderola @simp2537 @witchypandamonium @amaya501st @b4bynikii @sparklesphobia @tenodai @girlbosseveyhammond @neonshoe

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday, ex manager and partner of Elton John, John Reid, who was born September 9th, 1949 in Paisley.

The son of a welder and a shop worker, he reportedly attended Stow College in Glasgow for a short time before striking out for London in 1967. At age 18 Reid entered the music business as a promoter for EMI. Remarkably by age 19 he was managing the Tamla Motown label for the U.K., and it was at a company Christmas party that 21-year-old Reid met 23-year-old John.

Their professional partnership would last 28 years with Reid being present for John’s career hitting stratospheric heights, often as his personal life hit deep lows due to the performer’s alcohol and drug use, marriage and divorce to Renate Blauel the forging and continuation of his partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin lawsuits, and loves lost and found.

In an interview with The Daily Record Reid later said “When I met Elton, I didn’t even realize his potential, I’ve never claimed to have discovered him. In fact, when he suggested I should manage him, I wasn’t enthusiastic.” When Reid accepted the job of becoming John’s manager at Dick James Music, the couple were already living together.

In anther interview he says Elton was his first love and vice versa John also revealed he was “a virgin until then. I was desperate to be loved, desperate to have a tactile relationship.”

Their relationship as lovers lasted from 1970 until 1975. It was one of the most prolific music periods for John as he delivered numerous international hits including “Your Song,” “Daniel,” “Candle in the Wind,” and “Rocket Man.” His persona on- and off-stage grew and his outfits became more flamboyant. “The vast leaps in style were exhausting,” Reid has said of the period. “He would go out one day with brown hair and return the next with pink.”

According to Reid, the relationship ended because Elton had “never had a sexual adolescence. He needed to go off and play the field, which he did with gusto… There were no dramas.”

Reid would remain in John’s life – and as his business manager – until 1998. Over the decades the two became wealthy due to John’s recording and touring successes. Both men spent big on sports cars, yachts, jewellery, and property, with Reid reportedly owning multiple homes at one point. Reid managed Queen from 1975 to 1978, as well as other acts including Bros, Kiki Dee, Lionel Richie, Billy Connelly, and Michael Flatley.

Like John, Reid would struggle with drugs and alcohol and in 1991 checked into the same recovery clinic John had stayed at when he got sober in 1990. “Elton called me regularly. He was a tower of strength,” Reid told the Daily Record. But unlike John, Reid would relapse and continue to struggle with alcohol.

Professionally, their relationship ended in 1998, the same year John’s auditors discovered a reported £20 million gap in his accounts. Two years later they would be facing each other in court, this time on opposing sides with John suing accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Andrew Haydon, director of John Reid Enterprises, claiming negligence and breach of duty. “I trusted him,” John said of Reid in court. “I never thought he would betray me but he has betrayed me.” The singer had already been paid over 3 million pound by Reid in an out of court settlement by the time it reached court.

Reid continued in the music business until reportedly retiring in 1999, a year after divesting himself of an art collection allegedly worth £2 million. He was a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor in 2005 and has since lived a quiet life out of the public eye.

“I’m fond of Elton and proud of the work we did together,” Reid is reported to have said in the mid-2010s. “One day I’ll bump into him and there may be hugs and kisses. Or maybe not.”

There is no shortage of controversy in his life either and Reid has been known to have a violent side, one particularly powerful scene in Rocketman features an enraged Reid hitting John after the singer showed up late to a performance. While no evidence corroborates that this moment actually took place, Reid’s temper was a real-life problem. In a 1974 Rolling Stone magazine article, a former employee describes the manager as “diminutive, but he’s a killer. He’ll punch anyone.” The characterization seems reinforced by a long list of notable incidents.Reid once threw a glass of champagne at a man for not having enough liquor at a reception for John, he slapped a female journalist who reportedly called him a “poof," he was charged with assault in New Zealand after beating and kicking a journalist, he was arrested in San Francisco after hitting a hotel doorman with his cane while waiting for a car and he allegedly beat another journalist the day after John’s 1984 wedding to Renate Blauel in Sydney, where Reid was the best man. “They’re isolated incidents,” the manager once said of his outbursts. “I don’t make excuses, I’m not particularly proud of it, but any time anything like this has happened, it’s been in defence of Elton or Bernie’s not for personal reasons.”

To me an isolated incident is that, when there are several incidents it means he has a violent nature, Queen drummer Roger Taylor said of Reid in the 2011 Queen documentary Days of Our Lives. “He was very fiery and very feisty, but so were we.” However Veteran British singer-songwriter Mike Batt defended Reid in an interview after the release of Rocketman saying the depiction was especially callous, and that the "portrayal as an uncaring sex-god manipulator is weapons-grade character assassination.”

His current whereabouts are unknown, though reports list him as living in Australia or London.

Reid was portrayed by Irish actor Aidan Gillen in the Film Bohemian Rhapsody and in Rocketman by Scottish actor Richard Madden.

[crispyjenkins]

the savage price of piety (wipwed 1)

desmond rivals obi-wan for blorbo status, so you can perhaps imagine how insane i feel about him. here's my silly little (very large) au where he's sort of an auditore except not really except he absolutely is except the borgia had him for a while except he's killed SO MANY people. y'all get no more context than that. (mostly gen but with a surprise rarepair, time travel/reincarnation, found/created family, william miles’ a+ parenting, accidental subterfuge, desmond goes by miles mostly, inspired by study of flight by @esamastation but with a twist!, only somewhat historically accurate swears and none of them come from des. he WILL use his future knowledge to mutter things that would absolutely get him burned at the stake)

  Was it the failure or the death that chased Cesare away and stopped him from doing more than removing the bodies? Was leaving it empty a reminder from Rodrigo of Cesare’s embarrassment?

  There are still bloodstains in the corridors, visible to the naked eye. Some valuables have been taken, but not all; he supposes looters still fear the rumours of haunting that Desmond put out while newly with the Borgia. Or maybe it was the fake satanic ritual he’d set up in the front hall, complete with animal sacrifices?

  He’s quite proud of that, actually, especially when he finds it barely disturbed just before the main staircase. He’d had to sneak away from his handlers to do it, very soon after he’d been dragged to Castel Sant’Angelo, and Cesare had threatened to take his hand off for it, but clearly Desmond’s work had been convincing enough to keep people from ransacking his... childhood home.

  To keep people from finding anything about the Assassins, or Desmond, that he hadn’t managed to destroy.

  Maybe he’s even morally obligated to burn the place down, if leaving it standing is such a potential risk, but two things stop him: 1) most of renaissance Rome is made of wood, and one of the few historical events unrelated to his ancestors that Desmond remembers is the Great Fire of London, and he can’t exactly guarantee that setting fire to the castello won’t set fire to the whole rione as well. And 2) despite hating every single person that resided there with him, this had still been Desmond’s home, in ways even the Farm hadn’t been. The latent grief of Ezio losing the Palazzo Auditore won’t let him be the hand that destroys the Castello Tarazed.

  Christ, he’d even left his room intact.

-

[freshstartfromscratch]

The Great British Bake-Off AU!

Yes, this is happening. So a little while ago, I got inspired by this shitpost:

The OG question was sent to @kiatheinsomniac and then bounced to @asscrackcreed from whom I shamelessly have stolen this idea. So shoutout to them I guess.

It was the sign that I needed to write headcanons for the Great British Bake-Off AU. Ngl, I do have a soft spot for this show. It kept me sane when I had to spend a month bedridden during my illness.

Anyway, On your marks? Get, set, bake!:

Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad

Originally from Syria, he moved to the UK with his parents as a child. Altaïr learned to bake in the home economics class and took a liking to it. He lives in Leicester with his wife Maria and two sons, Darim and Sef. When he's not baking, he's a book illustrator and stay-at-home dad.

While baking, he likes to use earth-flavored spices like nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, sumac, and mace. He enjoys using orange and lemon zest in his baking too.

Altaïr's strongest side is the technical challenge, and his weakest side is pastry construction. He can make beautiful patterns to decorate his bakes but can't do creative structures. It'll always end up as sth like a square. 

He is one of the calmest bakers on the show. Everything is perfectly planned and tried out multiple times before the challenge. Altaïr doesn't go into a panic mood while under pressure, or at least he doesn't show it.

His signature recipe is cinnamon walnut cake.

Ezio Auditore

Ezio learned how to bake from his mom, and cooking together was their bonding activity when he still lived in Italy. He's a banker living in Edinburgh. When he's not baking he participates in all free-to-air cooking game shows. 

Unsurprisingly Ezio is a master in the cream department (nothing sexual about this sentence.) He likes using cream, mascarpone, meringue, and egg whites. White, fluffy, and puffy!

Ezio likes deep and slightly bitter additions to his cakes, like coffee or chocolate. He always balances them out with the perfect amount of sugar. It's not too sweet, but you can still taste the deep flavors.

His signature bake is ricotta cheesecake with coffee. He does have more Italian classics in his repertoire, like Torta della Nonna and Torta Paradiso.

He's a very emotional contestant who would cry if something goes wrong (because it's NOT just a cake!) He's very harsh on himself and tends to exaggerate his mistakes. His baking has to be perfect. Otherwise, he'll be dissatisfied with it. He's loud and a show-off in front of the cameras, so the public loves him, and the producers love him.

Connor Kenway

Connor, though born in the USA, currently lives in London. He works as a home health nurse in Camden (I picked Camden because it's where the Kennway Mansion is ) for a man named Achilles. He bakes to relax after work, and his numerous friends are big fans of his goods.

Due to his job, Connor is good at all the physics and chemistry related to baking. He knows how to structure his bakes and what temperature of the chocolate is the best for the best glossy effect. Things like this.

He's the super competitive baker. He's in the show to win and won't accept anything less than the finale three. His determination is sometimes scary as if he wanted to murder someone who killed his family.

Connor's signature bake is something typically American with a twist. It is a recipe connected to his roots, but a look into the future too. I'd say it's pistachio, pecans, and pumpkin NY-Style cheesecake.

Connor likes to mix tradition with modern ideas but still keeps them quite conservative. There's a fine line between a modern twist and a  baking blasphemy to him, and he tries to balance it out. 

Edward Kenway

He is a single dad of two, living and working in Swansea as a shipwright. He's an ex-sailor who used to work in the British West Indies. Edward started to bake eight years ago as a pastime with his now teenage daughter Jeniffer after her mother died. When he's not baking he likes to sail with his children and friends. 

His specialty is in the West Indies bakes. Brown sugar and rum are his favorite ingredients, and his signature bake is a burnt sugar essence sponge cake. He likes to use juicy fruits like pineapple or mango in his cakes too.

Edward is the contestant who should add one tablespoon of rum according to the recipe but pours half of the bottle instead.

He's the chaotic baker. His section in the cooking tent always looks like something exploded there.

He's the "I don't want to be the first baker to leave the tent" kind of contestant. He didn't sign up because he believes he's the best, but:  "If I'm not the last, that's a victory to me" kind of guy.

Arno Dorian

Arno is from Paris but works and lives in London's most posh Royal Borough - Kensington and Chelsea. He's an actor and a ballet dancer. Arno is an artist and a perfectionist. He likes to express himself, and baking is yet another way to do it.

Arno is an expert on anything related to fruits. Jam, marmalade, or addition of fruits to cream or decoration. He likes to use flowers too.

His strong side is the visual aspect of his bakes. He can make the most creative, baked constructions, but they often lack stability. He can make a flying plane cake that looks real, but it'll fall apart way too soon.

Lavender and blueberry meringue cake is the staple recipe of this baker. However, his mother's recipe apfelstrudel is to die for, and it saved him from elimination.

He is a bit dramatic and a natural performer, but he's not as dramatic as Ezio. He still is dramatic.

Jacob Frye

He is the youngest baker in the tent. Jacob learned how to bake from his grandma in Crawley. Jacob lives in Whitechapel with his partner and a newborn son Emmett (Canon Jacob had to be a young parent if Lydia was born in 1893 when Jacob was 46. Emmett's name comes from the list of known British Assassins used by the Templar Isabelle Ardant and a fanbase theory that he's Jacob's son.) He works with at-risk youth in a Youth Centre as a Mentor/caretaker and is a football (soccer) coach of their team, "The Rooks."

He's the one who adds controversial ingredients like beetroots to his sponges to make them moister. He can come across as pretentious, but he's just an unconventional baker. 

Jacob is the kind of contestant who everyone thinks is going to be eliminated, but he manages to get by and wins the "star of the episode" title in the next episode. You never can tell how he's going to perform in the show.

His signature bake would be something random that nobody expects, like Medovnik cake.

He's the "started baking, had a breakdown, bon appétit!" kind of contestant.

[mmbaaccountants]

Depending on the size of the firm and the size of the audit, the cost could vary. For example, audit firms in London in comparison small audit firms in London will usually cost more due to the fact that larger firms will tend to have more reliability, experience, quality and be able to hit deadlines due to their larger teams.

[overdecorated-furniture]

OC Interviews - Tag Game

Thank you for the tag, @tildeathiwillwrite.

Doing this with the main characters from my historical fiction novel, The Jack of Diamonds. So Philip Devlin, Anne Marlon, John Grey, and Ezio Dellucci.

Gently tagging @annakayy, @athenswrites, @simonnebethel, @alextheoccasionalwriter, @coffeewritesfiction, and an open tag to anyone wanting to jump in. As ever, no pressure and only if you want to.

Interviews under the cut:

"Are you named after anyone?"

Philip: Not that I am aware of. Philip is a relatively common name in my family though.

Anne: I believe my mother named me after Anne Neville, from the period of the Wars of the Roses.

John: No, I am not named after anyone. (Writer note: he is named after a Victorian Gypsy.)

Ezio: I am entirely unique! No one else has my name! (Writer note: he wasn't named after Ezio Auditore from Assassin's Creed, it is just a coincidence.)

"When was the last time you cried?"

Philip: If you must know it was in 1887, when I was fourteen. This is an impertinent question.

Anne: Last night... my elder brother and I had something of a row, but it has been resolved now.

John: I believe I may have shed a few tears when I had a metal shard removed from my arm in 1889.

Ezio: Two years ago, in Paris, of heartbreak. It was very romantic.

"Do you have kids?"

Philip: No, and I doubt I would be a good father if I did.

Anne: Not yet, but I should like to have some.

John: Yes, a daughter called Violet. She is ten years of age now.

Ezio: I have so many siblings, I do not wish for children.

"Do you use sarcasm a lot?"

Philip: Of course, it is invaluable when dealing with bores.

Anne: I try not to, it always seems a little rude.

John: What do you think? Of course I do!

Ezio: Who does not use sarcasm??

"What is the first thing you notice about people?"

Philip: Their eyes, and then what jewellery they are wearing.

Anne: What they are holding, and where their hands are generally.

John: Their clothes. You can tell a lot about a person's wealth from their clothes.

Ezio: Any unusual shapes in pockets.

"What is your eye colour?"

Philip: Ice blue.

Anne: Sky blue, with little yellow flecks.

John: Dark brown.

Ezio: As green as the sea around Venezia.

"Scary movies or happy endings?"

Philip: I prefer the suspense, as it keeps my mind entirely focused. Romance is easy to wander from.

Anne: Happy endings! Life is so complex, it is nice to see all come right in the end.

John: I suppose the scary option? Most novels incorporate a sense of dread and a happy ending...

Ezio: Like Caro Philip, I enjoy the thrill of suspense!

"Any special talents?"

Philip: I am rather talented at sleight of hand tricks, and an excellent swimmer.

Anne: I can play the piano well, and I write occasionally.

John: I am a con-artist, and I flatter myself a good batsman in cricket.

Ezio: I am acrobatic, an excellent fighter and I can act well.

"Where were you born?"

Philip: Venice. My parents were on the grand tour at the time.

Anne: Our family home in Bath. It is a really lovely place, but my brother was obliged to sell it.

John: My parents' house on Caster Lane, Isle of Dogs, London.

Ezio: Rio de la Pleta, Venezia! We have a lovely palazzo, with frescoes everywhere.

"Do you have any pets?"

Philip: No, my parents can't abide them.

Anne: I have a tabby house cat, called Shelley.

John: I did have a dog, but the blasted creature ran off.

Ezio: I dislike pets, but should like to own a horse for riding.

"What sort of sports do you play?"

Philip: I row very well.

Anne: I am rather sedentary, but I do play a little tennis and chess.

John: Cricket, darts, card and dice games.

Ezio: I enjoy hunting, rowing, swimming and chess.

"How tall are you?"

Philip: Six feet and two inches. Entirely respectable.

Anne: Slightly taller than most women, five feet and six inches.

John: five feet and ten inches. Devlin enjoys lording over me as regards his height.

Ezio: Why should I tell you? I am tall enough. (Writer note: he is five feet and four inches, and annoyed about it.)

"What was your favourite subject in school?"

Philip: My tutor greatly encouraged my love of the Classics and Ancient Greece.

Anne: When I was at boarding school, I rather enjoyed Literature. My tutor after that discouraged me from the subject.

John: I never went to school.

Ezio: I enjoyed my father teaching me how to fence!

"What is your dream job?"

Philip: If I were obliged to earn a living, perhaps an historian?

Anne: An occupation for a woman? Well... perhaps my brother would let me into Parliament.

John: A tailor, as it pays fairly well.

Ezio: I would not wish for any occupation other than the one I already have.

Happy writing! 🌿

[my-deer-history]

The Will of James Laurens

Notes:

The handwriting here was incredibly difficult to decipher, so there are lots of gaps below - either words I could not make out at all, or some where I've included my best guess. If you have any corrections or suggestions to offer, please do let me know!

There are no line breaks in the original document, but to make for easier reading, I have added them in where they seemed most fitting.

Although all the other names are given in their English forms, for some reason the name Mary is given in the French form of Marie instead.

Transcript:

In the Name of God so be it on this sixth day of the month of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty two in the afternoon at the City of Vigan diocess of Alais in Languedoc I the undersigned James Laurens a Native and Inhabitant of Charles Town Capital of the State of South Carolina in North America but having been for several years in Languedoc because of my health being at present in an infirm state but of sound understanding and having the use of my Memory I find it necessary to explain my last will and testament and make the [—]

and first I recommend my Soul to God in the name of Jesus Christ and as to my body that it be buried in the most private manner and the least expensive

and as to what relates to my estate I dispose as I think I ought institute in [manner] following first it is my will that my proportion which is two fifth part of the debt in Great Britain in the partnership of Hawkins Petrie and Company be paid therewith the just and lawful Interest unless that an argument can be made with the Auditors to receive the payment in South Carolina

I give to my most dear and beloved wife Marie Laurens an annuity of five hundred pounds sterling during her natural life to be paid regularly every six months in advance in the proportions of two hundred and fifty pounds sterling to commence from the day of my decease and it is my will that all my Real and personal Estate be liable for the payment of the said annuity unless that my Testamentary Executors and Executrices should choose to give her some other security for the payment of the said annuity to the satisfaction of my said wife and in case my said wife shall remain in Europe after my decease it is my will that the said annuity be paid to her at the place of her residence [clear] of all deductions and expenses whatsoever

I give unto my said wife all the money I have at present or that I may have in the hands of Mr William Manning of London and also the sum of five hundred pounds sterling invested for my account in the Consolidated Bank of London in the name of Mr John Savage if those two sums exceed the sum of twelve hundred pounds sterling Madam Laurens shall have a right to receive the whole and she shall render an account of the overplus to the Executors but if the said two sums shall not make twelve hundred pounds sterling then it is my will that my Executors and Executrices or some of them pay the sum that shall be wanting in sterling or in that which shall be equivalent to its full value in sterling

I also give unto my said beloved wife all the plate [—] [—] my wearing apparel table [service] and furniture of every denomination whatsoever whether in France London or America

I also give unto my said wife all and [—] my Male and Female Negroes excepting the female Satira whom I declare free from all servitude whatsoever and I [recommend] it to all my Executors and Executrices to assist the said Negro Woman if she be reduced to poverty or in any other distress

I give unto my dear friend Elizabeth Petrie widow and sister of my dear wife an annuity of fifty pounds sterling payable every six months in advance during her natural life unto my friend Edmond Petrie as a token of my regard an hundred pounds sterling and to each of his Brothers namely Alexander and George fifty pounds sterling and to his sister Marie Petrie fifty pounds sterling

I give unto my dear Brother Henry Laurens as a token of my unalterable friendship and esteem the sum of five hundred pounds sterling and twenty pounds sterling to purchase a Mourning Ring as a remembrance of his Brother

I give unto my dear Niece Martha Laurens as a token of my friendship for her and as an acknowledgement for the service she has rendered to me and my family and for her good and gentle conduct upon all occasions five hundred pounds sterling

I give unto my Nephew Francis Bremar of South Carolina the sum of three hundred and twenty pounds sterling to my Nephew John Bremar two hundred and fifty pounds sterling to my Niece Martha [L—] widow two hundred and fifty pounds sterling

I give unto my dear sister in law Ann Sanders as a token of my friendship and esteem fifty pounds sterling

I give as a mark of my friendship and respect for the memory of my deceased friend Jacob Motte to each of the Children of his last Marriage two hundred pounds sterling

I give unto my worthy friend Isaac Motte as a token of my friendship fifty pounds sterling to my worthy friend Louis Gervais as a token of my friendship fifty pounds sterling

I give three hundred pounds sterling to be distributed amongst my poor relations in such proportion as my Executors and Executrices shall think proper

I give five hundred pounds sterling to be distributed among the poor of South Caroline at the discretion of my Executors and Executrices I give unto the Protestant Church at Vigan fifty pounds sterling and in case that the Roman Catholic Church should pretend to and could possess [herself] of this Legacy It is my will that It shall become void and of none effect

And lastly I give unto my dear Nephew John Laurens to my dear Niece Martha Laurens to my dear Nephew Henry Laurens Junior and unto my dear Niece Marie Eleanor Laurens Minor and unto their Heirs for ever all my [Real] and personal Estate of what kind soever and at what place soever they be situated to be equally shared between them subject nevertheless to the payment of the annuity of five hundred pounds sterling to my wife and as my said Niece Marie Eleanor Laurens is under age her share shall remain in trust in the hands of my said Brother Henry Laurens her father and in case that my said Nephew and Niece Henry Laurens and Marie Eleanor Laurens shall happen to die in their minority it is my will that the share to them here above bequeathed shall go and be divided in equal shares between their Brothers and Sisters who shall survive each as [—] [them]

I nominate for my Executors and Executrices of this my will my Brother Henry Laurens my Wife Marie Laurens my Nephew John Laurens my Niece Martha Laurens and my Nephew Henry Laurens

such is my last will and testamentary disposition which I will that it avail in the best manner it [can] by law which [—] of the difficulty I have to explain myself in french though I understand the Language I have transcribed it in English on an [separate] sheet of paper and Mr Louis Gendre Notary Public of Vigan aforesaid wrote and translated it into French upon this sheet of paper dictated by my dear Niece Martha Laurens and in my presence and that of my dear Wife my dear Nephew Henry Laurens and my dear Niece Marie Eleanor Laurens and the said translation made the said Mr Gendre read over the contents to me distinctly and intelligibly and which I clearly understood and comprehended and I declare that it comprises my will most expressively and it is my will that it be fulfilled after my decease the same as though it had been done at Charlestown the place of my residence even though it should not have all the required formalities In testimony thereof

I have signed my name under the two foregoing pages at the [House] where I reside at Vigan aforesaid on the day and year as above I annul all other wills which I have heretofore made Note the utilization of the words and [—] fifty pounds sterling I give as a mark of my friendship as approved James Laurens

--

(Thanks to @nordleuchten for filling in some of the gaps!)

[teecupangel]

What if all of Desmond's ancestors find something similar to a phone and when they turn it on it instantly connects to Desmond's phone so they have this video call and there's confusion and scepticism on their side while Desmond is freaking out because this definitely did not happen in the animus

Clay is also in the phone because I won't get over his death-

It could be something inconspicuous like a mirror. Maybe a simple mirror that Altaïr saw in a marketplace while he was traveling with Maria and he bought it on a whim, could feel something about it that just attracted him so he was curious to know what it was.

Then Desmond’s phone starts vibrating while he’s in the Grand Temple, just looking around and stretching his legs and that’s weird, he was sure it was in silent mode. The others were busy setting up on the van so they could go to Manhattan to get the first power source so imagine his surprise when he just takes out his phone and it accepts the call immediately without him pressing anything.

Only to be greeted by Altaïr mirroring his surprised expression.

Oh shit.

His Bleed was getting worse.

Then Altaïr speaks to ask who he was and how was he appearing in his mirror and Desmond’s just like… what mirror?

Thankfully, Desmond got in touch with an Altaïr who was more receptible to his claims, although Desmond was already annoyed by the many ways Altaïr could say the phrase “prove it” and this was their 'first meeting'.

Altaïr become more like a call buddy that seemed to always call whenever Desmond is alone and away from the Animus. Altaïr explained that it was like he knew when to call Desmond and, any time he tried to force it, the mirror would just show his own reflection.

Then one day, Desmond gets another call while he’s on the call with Altaïr and it accepted it immediately, splitting his ‘videocall’ with Altaïr with a confused and startled Ezio.

They learned that Ezio has a similar mirror, might even be the actual same mirror as he received the mirror from a supposed descendant of Altaïr’s who visited Roma because there is a ‘prophecy’ about how the mirror must be given to the first man to be called Ezio Auditore.

A few days after Ezio started joining their videocalls (and sometimes, Desmond only gets one of them but they say they never get connected to one another, only Desmond), Desmond gets another call and he’s ready for this. He knows it was only a matter of time before Ratonhnhaké:ton joins the call.

Then the call is accepted and Desmond is surprised because…

“CLAY?!”

“Finally got thru to you, Seventeen! Goddamn, signal here in the Gray sucks as- … Is that Ezio and Altaïr? Why are you connecte-……… Oh. Oh. Seventeen… Desmond… I… might have fucked up.”

Unorganized Notes:

So turns out Clay trying to contact Desmond from the Gray caused Desmond’s ancestors to be able to contact Desmond. That was not intentional.

Ratonhnhaké:ton will also join the call. I was thinking he should get the mirror after he officially becomes the mentor, have an Italian Assassin who is a descendant of Ezio give it to him because of a prophecy that an Assassin named ‘Ratonhnhaké:ton’ must have the mirror.

Don’t know if we should include Edward. If we do, he gets the mirror after he becomes the mentor of the London Brotherhood and ‘settled down’. This does mean that the Ezio's descendant would give it to Edward and not Ratonhnhaké:ton. Ratonhnhaké:ton instead would get it from Jenny who found it in a secret compartment Edward had with the note that it should be given to his grandson.

The connection will definitely fuck the timeline though but it takes a while for Desmond to finally get them to believe his words. Of course, he thinks the only tragedy he can prevent is the death of Altaïr’s loved ones but Altaïr realized that he could use the information he gained from Desmond and the others to set up ‘plans’ to help Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton instead. He wasn’t sure if it would work so he didn’t tell anyone.

They only realized it worked when Ezio called Desmond and told him that his father and brothers are alive and he now has two completely different sets of memories.

Those who can contact Desmond are the only ones who can remember the previous past events that they had changed

[tkblythofficial]

https://www.tiktok.com/@accesshollywood/video/7301096378275581227?_r=1&_t=8jP61Nic1XJ&social_sharing=1

R saying "you really were showing up for me during that time" and I was like what? This was during auditions part, way before they started shooting. That's a weird way of putting and it made me wonder because even she's stumbling in the words as she says them.

Yeah I don’t think she was just talking about auditions. He was showing up for her in general. She was in London filming Snow White during auditors for TBOSAS so she was obviously not in the best mental state and literally met T through zoom and already connected deeply with him.

T said that when R first arrived on set, he went to J’s room where she was staying and gave her a big hug.