#Blocks of land for sale
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Buy New Land for Sale Melbourne West
Verdant Hill Tarneit offers new land for sale in Melbourne West. Checkout our 145 acers masterplan and book your blocks of land now. Lots selling fast!
#New Land for Sale Melbourne West#New Land for Sale Tarneit#buy land melbourne west#Land for Sale Tarneit#Blocks of land for sale#Buy New Land for Sale Melbourne West#buy land property melbourne¸ buy land lots Tarneit#New land for sale in Melbourne
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#good morning#joke of the day#lol#funny#jokes#joke#bad jokes#dad jokes#dumb jokes#haha#legos#sale#yesterday#people#lined up#lego#get it?#ha ha#lego sets#lego joker#lego builds#lego bricks#construction toys blocks toy#kids#building blocks#kids toys#lego city adventures#lego land#kid friendly#did you hear
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"DIY tiny home you can build in weeks", ok... now lets see the cost
...seven and a half minutes later, the answer is $75k... so when you include land and all the rest of it, so basically nothing right?
This is my problem with tiny homes stuff, it's for rich people
#and as much as I'm pro home ownership since like... my house is pretty much what's made my life feasible#like I know two things for a fact; we don't have room to give every last person a house#(especially if they're basically one bedroom sized things dotting the land)#and not everyone even wants to own a home#but like... lets say that everyone did want to own a place... we can't even do single family stuff let alone infinite tiny homes#so you'd need to have at least some homes in the form of basically owned units in an apartment complex which... sounds like condos#and so... I legit don't even come close to having the answer for this#but the sad thing is... a commie block kind of beats a tiny home if we're honest I think#not even in some like... brutalist dystopian shoving people together kind of way#like I think I'd rather live in a well maintained commie block style apartment than in one of infinite tiny homes doting the land#I really really really like tiny homes as a concept... but every time you look at them you realize... it's all for rich people#and half of them are just gentrified trailers or closet sized apartments getting dressed up by an architect to up the price#like I'm not even trying to shit on this company cause like I'm for assembly line style home production#especially compared to the cheap shit we throw up now; it makes me with I could puke in anger and disgust at it#they showed clips to contrast with of a home being tossed up and the shit materials they use disgust me#seeing massive... whatever you call those new home blights... communities I guess; springing up they always look like they're made of trash#so yeah... I like this building style better than shitty single family homes 'from the low 300s'#but I think that these people are either doing a sales pitch; missing the big picture; or both when they talk about this#like this can't fix the housing crisis cause... one no one can afford shit even if it's... lets say $175k; that's a lot to ask most people#but two is it won't work long term to just dot a million little houses across the land#cause quite apart from finding all that land; think of all the electric grid and water infrastructure you have to lay#(or are these people expected to be able to afford solar and all that? cause... they ain't poor if they're doing that)#(and I'd kind of like poor people to not be screwed by the housing problems we have; the rich can get bent honestly)#I like living on my own in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere; I wouldn't want someone right next to me#so I'm literally the kind of person people bitching about rural folks is bitching about; so know that's not what I'm saying#but let's be honest... we need better and cheaper urban infrastructure and we need less suburbs and housing communities#and that's where the solution is gonna lie; not in reinventing the single family home (or smaller)#eh... I really really really like tiny homes and think they're neat... but I can't help but see they're rich people play things#...and that's my thoughts on this#it's kind of like how solar is nice and all... but just a few good nuclear plants would be a better solution than solar on every roof
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Discover the remarkable story behind Tennessee Brew Works' dedication to local communities and Tennessee State Parks. From their hit State Park Blonde Ale to a new variety pack, see how they blend craft beer with a cause. Learn about their inspiring contributions and find out how you can support the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy. Cheers to making a difference!
#Tennessee Brew Works has long been very generous to contributing to the local community. In addition to hosting events throughout the year l#live music performances that showcase local talent and block parties like their annual Cajun Boil and Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon afterparty#they have demonstrated a long-term commitment to the Tennessee State Parks system. Their State Park Blonde Ale has been a smashing success#raising almost $50#000 since 2018 for The Tennessee State Parks Conservancy#the statewide nonprofit fundraising partner of Tennessee State Park whose charge is “to support projects and programs that contribute to th#a mixed 12-pack of Tennessee State Parks-themed 12-ounce canned craft beers. In addition to the State Park Blonde#the new variety pack will feature Paris Landing Amber#Fall Creek Falls Grapefruit Kölsch and Cumberland Mountain Session IPA. The State Park Variety Pack will be available at Paris Landing Stat#Montgomery Bell State Park#Fall Creek Falls State Park and many other parks#as well as state park golf courses across Tennessee. I spoke with Tennessee Brew Works founder Christian Spears about the new program#and he says he's been quite pleased with the program thus far. While some people might raise an eyebrow at a partnership between state park#Spears is proud of what they’ve accomplished. “We’ve really been getting the message out there about the parks#” says Spears. “We want to emphasize that beer builds community#but that it also comes with responsibility. It’s been helpful with connecting with younger people.” If you’re not planning to visit a state#the State Park Variety Pack beers are also available at the Tennessee Brew Works’ taproom#located at 809 Ewing Ave.#in both cans and on draft. Taking their commitment further#Spears announced that proceeds ($1 per pint) from all Sunday beer sales at their taproom will benefit the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy#you’ll be helping to support a Tennessee treasure!#State Park Blonde Ale#State Park Variety Pack#Tennessee State Parks Conservancy
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Land Sale Dispute Leads To Police Complaint In Potka Block
Seller Alleges Non-Payment For Ancestral Property Sold In 2019 DSP directs Potka police to investigate following family’s plea for intervention. JAMSHEDPUR – A land sale dispute in Potka block has escalated to a police complaint after the seller alleged non-payment of a substantial portion of the agreed amount. Sameer Kumar Bhakat of Shankarda village sold 119 decimal of ancestral land to Kamlesh…
#Ancestral Land Sales Risks#जनजीवन#Financial Disputes Jharkhand#Jamshedpur Police Investigations#Jamshedpur Property Conflicts#Kamlesh Singh Land Purchase#Life#Musabani DSP Complaint#Potka Block Land Dispute#Potka Block Rural Development#Rural Property Transactions#Sameer Kumar Bhakat
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Tbh one of the biggest things that annoys me about them is the fact they're just, literally a scam. Scottish land law specifically forbids the sale of souvenir plots. The way it works is that you pay the company money for a square foot of land, and they send you a certificate that says you are entitled to call yourself a lord, lady or laird - however what you legally receive is a piece of paper. You do not in any way own the land they "sold" you, you literally cannot. Nor, for the record, does it bestow upon you any sort of legal right to call yourself a lord etc., at least, none more than you have already. That is to say, you can as meaningfully style yourself as Lord Whatever-The-Fuck without a fraudulent certificate of land ownership.
sorry for the weird ask (though i doubt it's the weirdest you've gotten) but how do you feel about those scottish land lordship things a lot of youtubers seem to be doing sponsorships for? cause it always makes me feel uncomfortable in ways i can't quite explain in words. like am i just overreacting to a mostly harmless conservation effort or what. i feel like you've mentioned it before but i can't find the post so maybe i imagined it
Doing sponsorships for it is very weird. I get the gimmick if it’s for conservation - Me and Joy spoke about this briefly on @theayesphere actually.
I cringe at it, because it’s a company that’s deliberately playing on, dare I say it, the naivety of Americans buying it as a gift or whatever.
It’s harmless to an extent but it’s also playing to a specific stereotype/fantasy that I’m not overly keen on.
#highland titles can get straight in the bin tbh#an old friend of mine is an academic specialised in Scottish land ownership law stuff at...Strathclyde maybe?#man has had twitter beef with them over their regular legal misrepresentation of their business#regularly misquoting laws to try and cover the fact that their entire business model is specifically singled out in some land act#as being unrecognisable in land sales#there's a whole bunch else about it but it's just#look I own a house and I own the freehold#i.e. the land under it#as do many millions of people across the UK#and weirdly in no part of the UK does that confer a title#like fuck the nobility etc. but also those are *legally defined* things#and it annoys me seeing people lie about selling land in order to convince people of the legitimacy of a right it wouldn't give#Anyway several of these companies have blocked Malcolm for questioning them etc.#but usually only after telling him he needs to learn more about Scottish Land Law like#he's one of the nation's foremost experts in it actually lol
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Catalogues
Stanley Pines x F!Reader (one shot)
AO3
Tags: mild mentions of sex work, homelessness and implied sexual trauma, angst with comfort, fluff, smutty themes (stan gets a little of the TLC he deserves), newly established relationship, implied age gap (not specified but are both adults)
Rating: Mature | 18+ MDNI
Summary: based on the prompt on this post from lore on thisisnotawebsitedotcom by @razziematazz
Words: <1.6k
Shrugging with the heavy box in your arms to adjust your grip, you called out into the shack. “Hey! Stan! I’ve got a surprise!”
You couldn’t believe your luck when you had found this stack of old-looking comics at the big yard sale, Stan was going to be thrilled.
Now here you were, spreading the contents onto the living room floor.
“So, did I do good or what?!”
“You did great, toots! How much did this cost?”
“Pff! That’s not important!” You grinned, watching as Stan flicked through one of the comics. “How old do you think they are, anyway?”
“Definitely vintage, some of ‘em are probably older than you!” He said with a wicked glint in his eye.
“Shut up!” You laughed, throwing a mock punch. “I’m not that young, you know.”
Stan caught up your wrist easily, motioning like he was about to bite off your fingers he chuckled at your squeal, before placing a kiss to your palm. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say sweetheart.”
“Don’t know what’s gotten into you.” You muttered reaching into the box to pull out another pile, some of the glossy paper slipped through your hands, landing with a slap on the floor.
Stan snatched up a few just as you registered what you were looking at.
“Oh.” The heat rose to your face.
“"Now this is interesting! Who knew you were the type to buy a load of dirty ol’ mags, huh?”
“I didn’t know they were in there, the guy selling them likely didn’t either.” He was trying to be sly, but you could see he pocketed one of them and you reached to snatch one up. He stretched his arm up, so it was out of your grasp. “Hey! Stan! C’mon, that’s a double standard.”
“Hmm… I’m just gonna take a peek, maybe it’ll give me a few ideas.” He wiggled his eyebrows salaciously.
You both burst into laughter.
“I’m glad the kids aren’t here!”
You dove to reach the ones in your partner’s hand and this time he let you take it.
Sitting on the couch you both glanced at the forbidden material and giggled.
“Oh man, some of this stuff is older than me! And terribly niche!” You were so absorbed in looking at the men in the catalogue, hair and clothing looking so dated now, that you didn’t notice how quiet Stan had gotten. “I mean, hunky drifters, who even buys this stu-”
You had turned the page to an image that was familiar from photos you had seen before, though admittedly, he had more clothes on in those. Swallowing thickly as you realised that the eyes staring back out of the page at you were definitely those of your partner’s.
Stan remembers it clearly, though some of the details are hazy, he remembers the ad, the amount of short-change in his pocket and the duffel bag with the broken strap he kept over his shoulder. The nice lady at the desk had the gift of the gab and reeled off what they wanted, how he fit into it, how much money he could get. The place didn't look too classy, but it was warmer than it was outside.
"That's all part of it, darlin', it's supposed to be real, that's what our customers want!" She'd said with a wink and a squeeze of his arm, after he'd voiced some misgivings about taking off too much. He remembered the beady eyed photographer and his small crew directing him…
The place was a total meat market too, as he glanced around, he’d seen other people there to model all under dismissive eyes or hungry ones. The comments he’d gotten had made him shiver and he’d tried ever since to block them out of his mind.
He'd only left with a fraction of what they'd promised, but it was better than nothing, even if his ears were burning.
You couldn’t tear your eyes away for a few long moments. Stan was lying, no leaning, against the hood of a beaten-up looking car, rough jeans unzipped, cock in his grip red at the tip and dribbling precum. His face held a crooked, almost nonchalant smile - if that was a thing. Like he knew he looked good and he didn’t care who was watching. And yet… the camera had managed to pick up the faint blush over his cheeks. It sent a spark of heat straight down to your groin.
You practically dropped the magazine when you saw the second photo, the younger Stan was in the backseat of the car, legs spread, the camera took the shot from a low angle which meant there was little left to the imagination, since the only thing he was wearing was a loose, open hoodie…
“Oh my, Mr Mystery! I never knew you did this, how scandalous!” You said, trying to laugh to break the tension, though your mouth felt dry.
But Stan didn’t say anything, your smile dropped as he turned away.
"Stanley.” That gave him pause. You only said his full first name when you were being serious or affectionate. "Tell me what’s wrong…. Are you embarrassed?”
“No!”
“Then tell me. I’m sorry, I was just joking around, I didn’t mean to poke fun.”
Stan sighed, turning to look at you once again. “It’s not to do with you, baby. I… you know about my driftin’ days?” You nodded. “I needed some quick cash, I saw this ad, talked to a couple people who told me it was some modelling photoshoot. Hah, well, naively it sounded kind of classy to me then, but it turned out to be… not. But it was okay, I guess. Just didn’t think any of it would still be lying around.”
"What did you, um... Think about, when you...?" You couldn’t help but let the words tumble out of your mouth.
"I don't remember thinking much of anything… 'cept wanting money for a warm bed."
You looked as the man shrugged like it was nothing whilst you felt like your heart, once again, shattered into a million pieces for him. "Oh, honey..."
He cringed at your tone. You couldn't have that.
You took his hands into your warm ones, stroking your thumbs over them. "Stanley. Look at me... Do you honestly think I'd judge you for this?"
He squirmed at your directness. “I... You... I dunno, you're so..."
"So?"
"So... Uhm... Fine! I thought you might, okay?”
You rolled your eyes. “I’m hardly a pinnacle of virtue, baby.”
“Yeah, but, you deserve better than me, ya know?” He smiled weakly.
“I don’t pity you and I’m certainly not going to judge you for surviving. Hell, I wouldn’t judge you if you’d done it for fun, either…In fact, I, uh…”
Stan registered the way you ducked your head, hands clasped together, like you had done on your first date. “You what?”
“Never mind.” You said, getting up to gather some of the magazines together. “L-let’s just-”
"-Hey! Hands off the merchandise, toots." He swiped the damn magazine still open to the pages he featured in from underneath you.
“I’ve told you, now you’ve gotta tell me.” He crooked a finger underneath your chin, so you had to look up at him.
You bit your lip. "I found it, um, attractive."
"Oh yeah?” He leaned in close, that same crooked smile forming, though you could see that the light of it reached his eyes this time. “How attractive?”
“Very.” Stan hummed in response waiting for you to continue. “I-I liked the way you looked, confident and also flustered. You looked good.”
“And what about now, does the real thing live up to it?”
Your hands had started to roam his body, pulling at his shirt, grabbing at his stomach, knowing he was self-conscious about it, despite your insistence that you loved it. You felt almost breathless and he hadn’t even touched you yet. “Let me show you.”
Finally, you were pushed back into the cushions as he kissed you. Feeling the heat of his body on top of yours as you deepened your next kiss. “Touch me.”
He pushed a hand up your shirt teasing and pinching your nipples with his hand. You whined.
“Stanley.”
“I know, doll, I know. So needy.” He rearranged your positions so he could properly grind against you, pulling off your sweater in the process. He moaned into your open mouthed kisses, tongue stroking over his own.
Just when you were starting to unbutton your pants, you heard as someone pulled up onto the gravel outside and a bunch of different voices.
“Shit!”
You don’t know how you managed to untangle yourselves, but soon you ware hastily gathering up the salacious material.
“Sixer's finished his trip with 'em early!”
Taking stairs two at a time, you managed to dump the box in a hidden spot in your room by the time you heard your names being called by Ford.
“Wait a second.” You took the copy of ‘hunky drifters’ out of Stan’s pocket and tucked it under the mattress. “For later.”
A blush creeped up his neck. "You'll be the death of me, doll."
#stanley pines x reader#stanley pines x you#stan pines x reader#gravity falls fanfiction#reader and stan are kinda feral for each other if you haven't guessed that already :P
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1875 hacienda style home in Lamy, NM. I can't believe it's that old! The 3bd, 4ba home has a pending sale for $1.2M. It looks like a motel, doesn't it?
Enter a large entrance hall.
Lovely fireplace in the living room.
The home has lots of interesting details.
Both of these details are in the living room.
Brightly pained niche, too.
Chippy stained glass doors open to a bath. Note the interesting ceiling.
There's another sitting room and fireplace in here, plus a dining area.
Lovely dining space has a built-in adobe banquette, and a beautifully detailed ceiling.
Here's a beautiful hand painted tile picture.
The bright kitchen is full of tile details. Cute island houses the dishwasher.
The primary bedroom is gigantic with a sitting area, fireplace, and room to spare.
Walk-in closet/dressing room.
Very large bath with lovely black accents, including the cute vintage tub and sink vanities. A double shower with glass block is in the corner.
This bedroom is a large size and features a window ledge and built-in shelf.
The baths are so roomy. Love the turquoise wood and the bowl sink, plus the nice tile shower and the cement counter.
None of the bedrooms are small and they're so full of light.
This bath has gorgeous tile.
And, this room is being used as an art studio. It's so neat, though.
Each bath is so different and so beautiful. Isn't that unusual, a tiled vanity with doors and drawers.
Lovely sun room.
Outdoor covered porch with a fireplace.
The yard is very large.
The lot measures 2.18 acres. Wow, in the 1800s when this was built, it must've really been no-man's land.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5-La-Otra-Vanda-B-Lamy-NM-87540/71192710_zpid/?
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Riddle 18
Summary: Riddle comes over to your dorm with the intention of lecturing you on how to keep a handle on Grim after the trouble he caused a few days ago. It takes a while for him to realize that you're only wearing a towel the entire time he was talking.
(I would've gotten this out a while go, but then I descended the coding hole and redid the structure of the code in my neocities website, because I found a much easier way to upload my stuff onto it. Sooo, yeah here ya go!)
"As such, it do you well to at least memorize the first fifty pages of my notes. It will give you a solid enough foundation to begin with Grim's discipline." Riddle slammed yet another carefully noted and annotated journal onto your study stable, not once glancing away from it as he flipped through the pages to point out particular notes of interest, like you were actually right there over his shoulder.
You weren't. You were currently on your bed, skin still wet and shiny, clad in only a towel, casually leaning back. You were watching him, half-listening, half-wondering when in the world you gave the impression that Riddle could come into your dorm without so much a polite knock.
A few days ago, you were given warning via Ace and Deuce that Grim caused trouble yet again, and Riddle was nothing short of livid. Riddle, too, gave his warning, but it was more of a "I have freed up a slot of time for your future lecture," type of deal. As in, Riddle gave you no room to convince him otherwise. Literally thirty minutes later, and about two minutes after you've finished your shower, Riddle was through your door, small heels clicking on your floors, and barged his way into your room with journals and books piled in his arms, practically covering his vision.
And you? In a towel, on your bed, still steaming from your shower. You should probably put on some clothes, but honestly? You'll do that later. It's not that big of a deal anyways.
So yeah, Grim wasn't here at the moment. He took off as soon as he heard that knocking, and you've stopped bothering with trying to wrangle him in. You did, however, lock the windows and blocked the holes he uses to crawl in. You'll probably lock all the doors while you're at it so he has no choice but to beg his way back inside. Or if he's too arrogant to beg, sleep outside.
"Alright, so I need you to pay particular attention to this passage, since your current method of discipline is clearly not enough." Riddle was entirely absorbed in a world of his own, not having once looked back at you.
"Mm-hmm." What is with this assumption that you're Grim's guardian/caretaker/whatever? And why lecture you about this subject? You don't exactly care.
"And to truly understand this section, you'll have to study on chapter one-hundred and thirteen of the assigned bibliography I have for you. And–"
"Mm-hmm." You scrolled through your phone. Huh. Sam is having yet another surprise sale at his shop. Wonder what that's about.
Finally, Riddle stopped with a small, frustrated sigh. "It seems you're not truly listening to–"
Upon his pause, you leaned forward and turned off your phone. You propped your chin on your hand. "Sorry, sorry. You were saying?" Gotta pretend that you're listening to Riddle can get this lecture over with faster.
Though, you get the feeling this will take longer than usual.
"I-I," Riddle took a careful step back, tumbled on the carpet, and grabbed the table before he could land on the floor. "I-what-I–"
His eyes were flitting over every part of you, clearly unable to look away as the color of his pale face rapidly turned red. It would've looked cute, if it weren't for how fast the color turned purple. His mouth kept moving, trying to make noise, or some semblance of a sentence, but all he could get out was fragments instead.
You raised an eyebrow. "Well? You're not gonna continue?" He did come in as soon as you finished your shower. You figured he'd be at this until you've gotten the energy to finally get into some comfy clothes.
Riddle began to look less like a college student and more a creature you've squeezed into almost popping. He spun around and slammed his hands on the table. His shoulders shook, trying with all his might to keep his composure before he crouched and cradled his head in his arms.
"Riddle?"
Huh. You didn't think you being naked was that big of a deal. Your body is just that, a body.
Riddle twitched and stood ramrod straight. Awkwardly, he marched right to your door, walking sideways so as to not accidentally glimpse at you. He turned the knob, and slammed the door shut behind him.
You can hear him break out into a sprint, carpet doing nothing to muffle the sounds, and dorm insulation being close to nonexistent. Another door opened and slammed shut, probably the bathroom. A few seconds later, you heard a distant, muffled screaming.
Yup. Big deal alright.
You couldn't help but laugh.
#twst#twisted wonderland#twst-drabbles#twst-drabbles exclusive#drabble#heartslabyul#riddle#riddle rosehearts#reader insert
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You Can Have It - Chapter 2
Alpha!Feysand x Omega!Reader
chapter 1 | chapter 3 | series masterlist
Story Summary: You've been a baker for 75 years, and are finally moving on from the Winter Court to the City of Velaris to start your own bakery after your grandmother passes. After your grand opening, the High Lord and Lady of Night become daily visitors to your bakery for months, every day having your most popular pastry- one that increases fertility for a short time. All the while, the two alphas want nothing more than to call themselves yours.
Warnings: A/B/O Dynamics, mentions of sex toys, I really don't think there's anything else?
Words: ~7.8k
Author's Note: it's here! I struggled a lot to get writing with this chapter, I think it's because there's so much I want to happen! Things should start moving a bit quicker after this chapter, were done with most of the OC introductions (just lil friendos for reader to have outside of the inner circle~). Hopefully in the next chapter reader will meet Rhys and Feyre :)
18+ only pls
🤍🩵🤍💜🤍
You had been reading for a couple of hours before Mor returned to the inn, busting into your room as soon as you opened the door at her frantic knocks.
“I brought dinner!” Mor squealed as she set a bag onto the table in the middle of the room. “I went to Sevenda’s and got my favorite of hers, it’s this delicious pesto chicken pasta with broccoli in it, I think you’ll love it! We just have to make sure to take the bowls back tomorrow, Sevenda made me promise and I’ve forgotten a couple of times already,” Mor said sheepishly, a grin on her face. She sat down and began pulling out the takeaway dishes along with napkins and utensils.
You sat down in the other chair, gladly taking your share of the heavenly smelling food and digging in. Mor followed suit, and the two of you ate happily in a comfortable silence for a moment.
“So, were you able to set up a meeting with Auric already?” You asked Mor before taking another bite- it tasted even more amazing than it smelled.
Mor nodded. “Yes, he agreed to tomorrow at two o’clock at this cute little café just a couple of blocks down from here. He mainly wants to know your plans for the land before finalizing the sale. Auric’s family has owned the land since Velaris was founded, and since he doesn’t have any children he just wants to make sure it’s a business with good intentions, I think.”
“That makes sense, I would probably do the same in his position.”
“Agreed. I think he’ll find a cozy bakery to be a perfect fit, he ran a custom paint and supply store once he took over, and I believe it was an apothecary before that.”
You smile softly at the knowledge that your bakery will be on land with such a long history, one that must have made so many people happy. “The apothecary part will be somewhat carried on with my bakery, I have a few different pastries with special herbs in them to give different effects to the person that eats it. I have one that was very popular in the Winter Court, it helps to boost fertility. We started having a greater amount of births around every major holiday, that’s when I would bake the most of them,” you gushed, always happy to talk about your baking.
“Really? Oh, that will be lovely! Since the war, everyone in Velaris has had their eyes turned to the future, and it seems almost everyone wants to have children nowadays. Once word gets around, you’d best be ready for constant business for that pastry alone.” Mor’s words instilled confidence in you, something that you needed every so often to be sure you’re making the right choices.
A half hour later, Mor stood from her chair and began packing up the dishes. Before she left, she pulled a small metal card from her pocket and handed it to you. “This is your bank card, you’ll need it to make any purchases within Velaris. Kallias and Viviane had me set up an account for you and deposit your farewell bonus. Ten thousand for every year you worked for them, a total of 700,000 gold marks.”
“700,000?!” You asked in a frantic tone. That was to much- far, far too much. “That- they must have made a mistake. That’s a ridiculous amount of gold!”
Mor only smiled at you as she answered, “No, they were very specific about the amount. They said if you were panicking to tell you that five thousand every year was for your grandmother, and five thousand was for you. And to tell you that there is no way to convince them to take any of it back, so don’t attempt.” Mor’s smile turned to a grin when you stayed silent, still processing the immense wealth that you now possess. “I’ll be here a bit before two tomorrow to show you to the café for your meeting,” she said as she left your room, bag full of empty dishes in her hand.
“Thank you, Mor. For everything you’ve done today.”
One more bright, sunshine filled smile. “You’re welcome, Y/N. It’s no problem, you’ve been lovely to get to know.”
You return her smile, and shut the door when she is out of sight. Standing alone in your hotel room, you suddenly feel the weight of your day crashing into your shoulders. You set your new bank card on the table, the weight of its wealth too heavy at the moment.
You made your way into the bathroom, carefully removing your dress from your body to not snag your wings on the fabric. Then you set to drawing the bath- luckily, it was fully enchanted with plumbing, allowing for hot water to fill the tub.
It was a bit smaller than you were used to, not quite the right size to fit a winged body, but it would do just fine until you could have your own custom tub made for your apartment.
As soon as the tub was filled, you sank into the warm water, keeping your wings out of the water for tonight- too much of a hassle to dry with how tired you are already.
You let the steam relax you, sinking into a soft, relaxed state of mind. It drifted to your grandmother- she had died today, but you weren’t devastated. She had been in pain the past thirty six years, caused by the curse Amarantha had put upon her. Your grandmother had accidentally served burned pastries to the revel, one making its way to Amarantha herself. As Nanna’s punishment, the evil queen had cursed her blood to burn away slowly until she eventually passed.
But she was in peace now- able to move on to the next life, hopefully one that’s happier, less filled with psychotic fae.
And here- here, you could believe that. You’d seen so many different kinds of fae today, more than you’d seen at once Under the Mountain. Every one of them got along, there was only minor haggling and bickering to disrupt the peace. Besides that, everyone had sounded happy, unburdened.
It was nice.
The Winter Court, even six years after Amarantha’s fall, was still struggling to find the same freeness that this city radiated.
Your grandmother would have loved it here, the two Palaces dedicated to food stuffs alone might have convinced her to move here.
You would love it twice as much, just for her. She had always wanted you to live a full life, one of joy, hopefully with an alpha and a family of any size. She had been an omega as well, understanding that need, that overwhelming desire to have a family, an alpha that loves you.
When you presented, your mother and father had already passed, taken by a brutal pneumonia that had overtaken most of your village. Your grandmother had been the only family left to teach you, and she had done all she could to prepare you for your secondary sex and all that came with it.
You had yet to take an alpha, ever. During your few heats before being trapped Under the Mountain, you had taken a beta as your lover, trusting him enough to help you through them.
And Under the Mountain… Well, you were lucky enough to have been relegated to the kitchens at all times besides during your grandmother’s punishment. No alphas had been allowed to work at kitchen staff, so you were kept relatively hidden during your heats, though they had been less frequent due to the stress, possibly even from the magic sucked from your body.
Now, though, they had returned in full force, three months apart and stronger than ever. Viviane had been kind enough to show you to the small shop dedicated to sex toys in the square of the capital city, some of them designed to mimic a knot.
The toy you had gotten that day had seen you through your last six years of heats, along with a special blend of herbs your grandmother had created that lessened the symptoms to a close to manageable level.
Now, though, in a new city? Maybe you could find an alpha for yourself, as well as follow your lifelong dream. You let yourself drift off and think about what your alpha might be like as you washed your body.
As soon as you were clean, you got out and dried yourself off. You wrapped yourself in the towel and padded into the bedroom once more, finally ready to unpack your things.
It went quickly enough, you hung up your dresses and put away your romance novels and cookbooks. One of them was your grandmother’s entire catalog of recipes, all of her tricks to making any recipe a bit easier. It was your most prized possession, your own catalog a close second.
Your bags were empty now, and you placed them at the bottom of the wardrobe, along with your pair of extra boots.
All alone. A new city.
You crawled into your bed after putting on your favorite nightgown, long sleeved and reaching your calves in a blue so light it’s nearly white, and a scooped back allowing for your wings to remind untouched by fabric.
The sheets on the bed are soft, and you bury your face in them for a moment, reveling in the feeling of them on your skin. A gentle huff leaves your mouth, and you turn your head to look out the window, to where it’s snowing.
You’ll be sad when the snow is gone, but you can’t deny that you’re excited to see the other seasons come and go as they do outside of Winter.
And your bakery- you wonder how that will change throughout the seasons. Different pastries, outdoor seating, seasonal themes- would you be able to make it snow inside during winter?
You drifted off to different imaginings of your new business, new home as well as you’ll be building an apartment above the bakery itself.
🤍🩵🤍💜🤍
You awoke the next morning to the winter sun shining into your eyes. You stretched for a moment, then got up from your bed, and walked over to the doors leading to your balcony and stepped through them. Outside, the snow had stopped falling overnight, and now looked to be around five inches deep.
That wasn’t bad, not bad at all. This time in Winter there would be nights with a foot or more of snowfall. It looked to be about ten in the morning- that would be more than enough time to go and grab some breakfast, and maybe shop around a little bit.
You quickly pulled on a pair of thick grey wool tights after removing your nightgown, then slipped into your thickest winter dress, making sure to get all of the buttons into their holes to make the fabric wrap snugly around the base of your wings to protect the skin beneath. The dress, made of thick wool with a silvery fabric layered over the top, was one that you didn’t wear too often, as you didn’t tend to venture outside of the High Lord’s palace often when it snowed heavily. Your wings, even after living in Winter for the first twenty five years of your life and the past six, were still sensitive to the cold at times, so you preferred to stay inside during most of the heavy snow season.
This dress keeps the rest of you warm and cozy, and you want breakfast, so you’ll risk your wings feeling a bit chilled.
You pulled on your boots that nearly reach your knees and lace them up quickly, your stomach’s loud growl making your fingers move faster. Then you throw on your scarf, hat, and mittens, taking care to slip your bank card into your right mitten for safe keeping, and then you’re out the door, locking int behind you and bounding down the stairs.
“Good morning, Y/N,” Druana said from behind the counter as you breezed past her, making your way to the door.
“Good morning, Druana!” You replied enthusiastically. “I’ll see you in a little bit, I’m going to explore the city on my own for a while.”
“Have a good time, and be careful in the snow. It gets slippery on the stones beneath quickly,” Druana warned as you opened the door and slipped through it.
“Thank you!”
And then you were in the crisp winter breeze, breathing in deep lungfuls of the clean, snow scented air. You’ll definitely miss this once the season slips into spring, but you’re here now.
And it’s beautiful.
The snow has iced the roofs of the buildings around you perfectly, and everything looks like a little gingerbread town. You made your way through the streets slowly, following the delicious scent of cinnamon, sugar, and coffee that you picked up.
Soon, you were at an adorable café, decorated with soft pastels inside and out, primarily pink. And you could tell that inside there was a cinnamon coffee cake and coffee to go with it, one of your favorite breakfasts- just perfect for your first official morning in a new home.
You entered the building, spotting a slim high fae beta at the counter in the back.
“Good morning,” she chirped cheerily at you as you made your way to the counter.
“Good morning,” you responded, already looking over the display of baked goods she had out. “I’ll have a slice of that cinnamon coffee cake,” you said, pointing to the perfect looking coffee cake. You then looked behind the other fae, taking in the coffee brewing equipment. “And a coffee with a bit of cream in it, please.”
“Of course,” the other fae said, grabbing your order in a couple of minutes, sliding a plate and a mug over to you after you’d slid your mittens off. “That will be two gold marks,” she said, and you handed over your bank card, hoping that you weren’t doing this wrong. The fae opened up a ledger, and pressed your card against it. “Alright, here’s that back. You can take a seat wherever you like, and just bring the dishes up to the counter when you’re done,” she said softly as she handed you the card back.
“Thank you,” you said with a smile. You grabbed your items, and sat at the table right in front of a window looking out onto the street you’d just come in from.
Both the cake and the coffee were delicious, warming your insides nicely as you sat and watched people go by, the city slowly waking as you ate, a few customers walking in as you did. You returned the dishes to the front, smiling at the pretty fae running the café. “Thank you, it was absolutely delightful! Would you happen to know the way to a bookstore near here?” You asked a bit shyly.
“New to town?” The fae asked, and you nodded your head in confirmation. “If you go to the right and head down five buildings, take a left and then in two more buildings you’ll be at Gina’s bookstore- she’s very nice, and loves meeting new people.”
“Thank you so much, I’ll probably see you again soon. My name is Y/N, by the way,” you said.
“My name is Jayla, it’s nice to meet you Y/N. And it’s no problem, I’ll see you again!” The fae said cheerily.
You followed her instructions well, and within a few minutes you were shaking the snow off of your boots and dress and walking into the cozy bookstore. There were rows and rows of shelves extending into the back of the store greeting you, and when you looked to your left there was a counter with a green skinned fae behind it. Further down from the counter, there was a small sitting area in front of a fireplace- a roaring fire already blazing inside.
“Welcome in!” The fae said with a warm smile as she looked to you, standing just inside the now closed door. “My name is Gina, I’m happy to help you find anything, or you can browse around for a bit.”
You moved closer to her, taking off your mittens and tucking your bank card into the collar of your dress as you did so. “My name is Y/N, I was wondering if you had any romance novels?” You asked, feeling a bit shy at the request, especially once the alpha’s scent washed over you.
She probably thinks I’m some silly romance obsessed omega now, you thought to yourself.
“Ah! Another romance lover! Right this way, I’ll show you some of my favorites too, if that’s alright,” Gina exclaimed as she quickly made her way over to you and grabbed your hand, leading you through the rows of books to the middle of the store.
“Right in the heart of the store is where I keep my favorite genre,” Gina said as she pulled a book from one of the shelves. “And this is my favorite romance series! It’s called Healer of Time, it’s about this omega high fae from the Dawn Court. She has these really strong healing powers, and she somehow ends up traveling back and forth between current time and three hundred years ago, and has to choose between two fantastically hot alphas, one from each timeline. It’s just perfect, and I’ve helped make the series all the rage in Velaris!”
She handed the book over to you, which you eagerly accepted. That sounded like the best blend of romance and adventure to you. “How many books are there on the series?”
“Nine so far, but the author puts out a new one every year or so, thank the Mother!” Gina responded, pointing out the other eight books for you.
“Wow, that’s a pretty good turn around. I honestly think I’ll get the first four today! It sounds like a really good read.”
Gina grins widely at you, and her excitement is too contagious to not smile back. “I’ll take these up to the front for you, but if you have any more questions feel free to come up and ask me!” Gina took the book from your hand and pulled three more off of the shelf.
“Do you happen to have any cookbooks?”
“Of course, they’re near the front, off to the right in the row second closest to the wall Y/N.”
You make your way over to the area, and quickly spot the section dedicated to cooking and baking. One catches your eye, titled Night Court Favorites, with a beautiful illustration of a moonlit picnic on the front. On the back, it promised the recipes for the past three millennium of Night Court nobility’s favorite dishes. Probably as good a place as any to start your full cooking journey, now that most of your meals would not be prepared by the other kitchen staff of the High Lord’s palace.
You flipped through it quickly, eyes snagging on a recipe for Night Court traditional curry- it sounded absolutely delicious.
With the cookbook in hand, you ventured slowly back to the front counter where Gina stood talking to another fae excitedly, your books waiting on the counter for you.
“Ah, Nesta, I’d like you to meet Y/N, she’s the customer I was telling you about!”
The other fae turned around, her movements sending a small amount of her scent- a winter bonfire and very alpha- and you were struck by her beauty. Sharp angles and liquid steel eyes, and lovely golden brown hair twisted into an elegant braid crown on top of her head.
“It’s nice to meet you Y/N, are you new in town?” The high fae’s voice was husky and holding a certain power to it, absolutely lovely.
“It’s nice to meet you, Nesta. And yes, I just moved to the city yesterday.”
“Well I hope you find the city to your liking. Gina was just telling me that you like romance novels?” You nodded your head. “I host a little book club here every second and fourth Wednesday at four in the afternoon, and we mainly read romance novels. I always like to extend an invitation to those Gina thinks would enjoy it,” Nesta offered.
“Oh…” you thought about it for a moment. “I’m in the process of getting my business up and running right now, but maybe in a couple of months when things have calmed down?” You asked hopefully.
Nesta nodded her head in agreement. “That’s fine, just talk to Gina when you’re ready to join, she’ll let you know what book we’re reading. Well, it was nice meeting you, but I’ve got to be going now now,” Nesta said, making her way over to the door.
“It was lovely meeting you as well, Nesta. I’ll see you in a couple of months.”
The alpha was out the door after waving goodbye, and you were left alone in the bookstore once more with Gina.
“Did you find everything you wanted, dear?” She asked, taking the cookbook from your hands.
“Yes, I did. Though I’m sure I’ll be back in a week for some extra reading, if I end up having the time.”
“You mentioned a business? What kind?”
Your books were bagged now, and you handed over your bank card after pulling it from your collar. “I’m going to be opening a bakery in the Rainbow, if all goes to plan.”
“Oh, that’s nice! We can always use more food stores, and bakeries especially! I’m a big fan of anything bread,” Gina said with a laugh, handing you back your bank card and sliding the book filled fabric bag over to you. “It came out to 11 gold marks and one silver mark, and if you absolutely hate the first book, I’ll let your return the rest and pick out something else, alright?”
You grin at her. “I don’t think that will be necessary, but it’s good to know! I’ll see you sometime soon, Gina. Thank you.”
“I look forward to hearing what you think of them! Walk safely, it can get slippery,” Gina warned as you stepped back into the snow and cold, door thunking shut behind you.
You followed your route back to the café you’d eaten at, simply names Jayla’s. You walking, taking the path that you think leads to the inn. You end up making a few extra turns, but you’re back in the warmth of the inn after you finally find the building. Druana is nowhere to be seen when you enter after kicking the snow off of your boots and dress, so you simply go up to your room.
Your bag lands on the table, and you immediately pulled out the cookbook, flicking through it again to find the curry recipe. You spy a notepad, quill, and ink pot which you grab and bring over to the table.
On the page, you write all of the ingredients you’ll need to make the curry- tonight, hopefully, if you can find everything you need in the two food centric Palaces. You’ll need chicken, a few different root vegetables, a good variety of spices, and coconut milk- you hoped that one of the various stalls you’d seen yesterday would have some prepared, you don’t quite feel like going through that hassle yet.
You check the small clock hanging on the wall, seeing that it’s only a quarter to noon still, that should be plenty of time to get the ingredients you need and be back here in time to meet Mor.
Next you look in the cupboards of the kitchenette, which hold a large frying pan, a pot with a lid, a cutting board, cooking utensils and small knife set. There’s also two sets of plates, bowls, cups and utensils. The frying pan and pot should work nice enough for the curry, there’s not much point to you buying your own cookware until your building is completed. And there’s a cold box, enchanted to keep dairy and meat fresh.
That would hopefully mean going to only one Palace today, or at least before the meeting. You let the ink of your list dry for a few more minutes, flipping open to the first page of your new book series, quickly reading the first chapter.
Just as you thought, it was going to be a good fit.
You folded your list in half once, then again, and tucked it into the collar of your dress alongside your bank card. You should probably get a purse of some sort soon. But that can wait.
You’re bounding down the stairs again in an instant, and Druana is back at her desk this time.
“Oh, I didn’t even hear you come in! I’ll see you again soon, Y/N.”
You smiled at her and said, “Yes, I should be back at or before 1:30, and Mor will be meeting me here, just so you know.”
“Thank you,” Druana replied with her own smile.
You were back in the winter air, sun shining down on you now. Your breath still made puffy clouds in the air, but you didn’t care. It’s winter, and it’s beautiful.
Slowly, you made your way across the nearest bridge that connected right to the Palace of Hoof and Leaf, your current destination. Upon entering the more tightly packed area, you gravitated towards a large stall, covered in so many different vegetables and large glass jars, only a few still filled to the brim with spices. There was a tall, dark skinned high fae standing behind the stall.
“Can I help you?” She asked in a low voice, and you instantly pinned her as an alpha.
You pulled out your grocery list. “Yes, I needed the vegetables and spices on this list, if you happen to have them,” you said, handing it over to the female when she gestures for you to give it to her.
“I just so happen to have almost all of these spices, and the ones I don’t I can point you to another sweet fae who has them, as well as the coconut milk and rice you need. And I have all of the vegetables you need. Making the traditional curry?” She asked as she began gathering the vegetables for you.
“Yes, I’m new to the city and want to learn some of the common dishes here, and this sounded like a wonderful start.”
“Well, I’ll say that it’s one of my personal favorites, so I hope you won’t be disappointed. My name is Petra, by the way, it’s always nice to see new faces in town.”
You smile at her, so happy that so far you’ve only had positive experiences with the people of Velaris. “I’m Y/N, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Now, would you like to buy small spice jars that you can bring back and refill, or just go with the amount you’ll need for the recipe?” Petra asked you, holding up a small glass bottle with a metal lid fitted to the top.
“I think I’ll buy the spice jars, please.”
She fills the three small bottles up quickly, putting them in a thin wooden container with a handle, with six slots perfectly fitting the spice jars.
“You can come back and have them filled up for a slight discount for any spice sellers in the two food oriented Palaces, but I’d prefer if you came back to my stall,” Petra said with a wink, placing the container into the tan fabric bag containing the vegetables. “That will be 7 gold marks, please.” You handed her your bank card, and she quickly passed it back after pressing it to her ledger. “Now, the other two spices and the coconut milk you need, you can find three stalls down on the right, and the male next to her has a good price on chicken, just to give a few suggestions,” Petra offered, pointing out the two fae she was speaking of.
“Thank you so much, I’ll be sure to come back when I need more vegetables,” you said before walking away, exchanging waves and warm smiles.
You made your way over to the other stalls, quickly buying the other two spices, coconut milk, and rice you need, as well as the chicken the recipe called for- one large chicken breast. You trekked back to the inn carefully, switching the bag between hands every so often.
“Grocery shopping, I see,” Druana greeted you as you breezed into the inn after kicking the snow off of your clothes.
“Yes, I thought it would be better than ordering in every night,” you chuckled as you made your way over to the stairs.
“Well, good luck with that. And don’t burn my inn down,” Druana added playfully as you began going up the flight of stairs.
“I’ll do my best!” You unlocked your room, immediately dropping the heavy bag next to the books you’d purchased earlier. Groceries sure are heavy when you have to lug them across town. No matter. You’ll get used to it soon enough, especially once you have to purchase for the bakery.
You put the chicken and coconut milk into the cold box, and the vegetables and spices onto the counter. Right after you had, there was a knock at your door. “Y/N? It’s me, Mor.”
You swung the door open, letting the bubbly blonde into your room. She was carrying a large yellow envelope under one arm, and decked in winter gear from head to toe, but still slightly shivering even in the warmth of the building. “Time to go?” You asked, still holding the door open.
“Yes, getting there a little early is wise with weather like this. Nothing quite like eating shit one to many times on your way to a meeting and ending up late,” Mor said, already moving back out of your bedroom door and into the hallway, and you followed her after making sure your bank card was still tucked safely in the collar of your shirt
The door snicked shut and you locked it quickly, following Mor down the stairs and outside once more. She led you through the streets cautiously, obviously afraid of falling down, but you made it to the café within ten minutes, and to your surprise it was Jayla’s café.
“Ah, welcome back Mor, Y/N,” Jayla said from behind the counter as she wiped it down with a cloth.
“Morrigan!” Exclaimed an older male’s voice, gravelly with age. “It’s wonderful to see you again, come, introduce me to your friend,” the elderly high fae said, beckoning the two of you closer to where he was seated at a table, three other chairs surrounding it.
“Auric, this is Y/N, the lovely young fae hoping to buy your property. Y/N, this is Auric, Velaris’s most experienced paint mixer, including magic imbued paints as well,” Mor said as the two of you sat in the unoccupied chairs.
“It’s wonderful to meet you Auric, I truly fell in love with your family’s property the moment I saw it,” you said right before Jayla came over to the three of you.
“Would the two of you like anything to drink?” She asked, and you noticed that Auric already had a mostly full cup of tea in front of him.
“I’ll take a tea, whatever you recommend please.”
“The same for me, please,” Mor said. “Thank you, Jayla.” Jayla nodded and walked away, going behind the counter to begin brewing your teas.
“So, you fell in love with the land? What did you like about it?” Auric asked you, eyes running over your face. It was then that you scented him- a male omega. It had been years since you’d met one yourself, before the mountain you believed.
“I loved the view looking towards the Sidra, you can see the mountains in the background as well as all of the other beautiful buildings in the city. The land itself is so lovely, it’s nice and flat, and I think it would look wonderful with a little extra landscaping, maybe a tree or two of that would be alright. And the location, on the outside edge of the Rainbow would be perfect for a bakery, close enough to a few residential areas, but also involved in the creativity that the area boasts,” you gushed, still picturing the view in your mind. Being able to bake and look out at such a beautiful river, beautiful city, truly, would be amazing.
Jayla returned, two cups of tea in hand that she placed in front of you and Mor. “A lovely raspberry tea for the both of you,” she said before walking back to the counter.
“A bakery, hmm?” Auric questioned, raising a brow at you as you took a sip of the tea- delicious. “Are enough sure you have the stamina to run it? It’s a hefty job.”
You nodded your head once, fully confident in your abilities. “Yes, I previously worked to bake for the entirety of the Hugh Lord of Winter’s residence, and over the course of… Well, being Under the Mountain, I was assistant to the head baker, my grandmother, for twenty years, and for thirty years after that I was head baker myself. I am confident that I can handle running a bakery on my own.”
The older fae’s eyes narrowed at your for a minute, before they crinkled as his lips spread into a smile. “I like you. I’m sorry that you had to go through that, but it’s good to see you’re stronger for it. Now, what type of baked goods will you be selling?”
You breathed a small sigh of relief before answering. “Well, I do have a few favorite pastries of the Winter Court that I’ll have, as well as loaves breads and cakes. Plus I have a number of recipes made with medicinal herbs or berries that have health boosting benefits. My most popular one by far has been a fertility boosting pastry made with a berry native to the Winter Court.”
Auric hummed as he considered everything you had said. “And what will you name it?”
“I… What?”
“What will you name your bakery? Surely you know what you want your business to be called, Y/N.”
“Of course I do, Auric. It will be called Sparaiya Bakery, after my grandmother. She might have left this plane, but she will always be with me, especially when I bake.”
Auric clapped his hands together once. “Very well, then. I’d like to sell you my land, Y/N. I think you have a good amount of experience, you have a vision for your bakery, and you seem like a strong, loyal person. I believe my ancestors would be proud to have your business on their land,” the older omega said sincerely. “I’ve set the price at 100,000 gold marks, are you willing to pay that much?”
The thought of that much money alone being spent made your stomach churn, but you reminded yourself of the massive amount of money that Kallias and Viviane had given you, and that this land was worth every single mark you were going to spend on it. “Yes, that’s perfectly fine with me.”
“Perfect!” Mor pulled the envelope from between her arm and chest, pulling a few documents out and summoning a quill and a pot of ink. “The two of you can go ahead and sign here, and Y/N, you’ll just need to press your bank card to the top right corner after you’ve both signed.” The two of you do as she says, standing and shaking hands afterwards.
“Thank you so much, Auric, for entrusting your family’s land to me. I hope that if you come by once it’s finished, you will be proud.”
Auric regarded you warmly, squeezing your hand an extra time before letting go. “I’m sure that I will be, Y/N. Let me know when you’re opening, and I’ll be sure to stop by.” He grabbed his copy of the sale documents
“I’ll make sure to. Have a wonderful rest of your day,” you said as he walked out of the café, leaving you with Mor. “I’m so happy he said yes! Oh, I should go tell Marcus that I have the plot of land now, and get everything moving in that direction. Thank you so much, Mor. You’ve been such a help in all of this,” you said, placing a kiss gently on the alpha’s cheek. “I’m going to head over to Marcus’s business now, if that’s alright.”
“Oh, of course!” The alpha responded, already donning all of her winter clothes again to bundle against the cold. “You walk safely over to there, Velaris gets slippery when it snows. Now, will I see you for lunch this Thursday?” Mor asked, and you mentally double checked the day of the week in your head- Monday.
“Yes, three days from now sounds perfect. Do you want to meet somewhere or at my hotel room?”
“I’ll meet you at your hotel room this time, alright?”
You nodded your head in agreement. “That sounds good, I’ll see you on Thursday Mor. You walk safely too!” You were already out of the door with your bill of sale in hand, beelining your way as well as you could to the Palace of Flame and Steel. When you arrived at Marcus’s shop, you swung the door open and stomped off the snow on your boots before entering. “Marcus!” You said excitedly as you met his eyes, waving the paper in your hands at him. “I have land now, will you be able to come assess it in the next few days?”
Marcis stood from his place behind the desk and made his way around it to you. “I can go right now, there it too much to do around here at the moment,” he said, already ushering you out of his shop, flipping the open sign on the door to say closed, and locking it behind him.
“If you’re sure…” you said before grabbing his hand and pulling him with you to the Rainbow as fast as the two of you could manage in the snow. “This is it!” You gesture to the dilapidated building excitedly.
“You are planning to tear it down, right?” Marcus asked, amusement in his voice.
“Of course I am, silly, I wanted the land. It has such a beautiful view of the Sidra and the mountains, come here.” You pulled him past the building, to where you had stood when you’d known that this was the land you wanted your dream to come to life on.
Marcus let out a heavy breath. “Okay, I get it now.” He looked around, taking in where they were situated. “And it’s in the perfect spot for a bakery, you really picked the best possible spot.”
“I know!” You squealed, jumping as high as you could without using your wings in your excitement. “So, what’s the procedure for tearing down the old building and starting the new construction?” You asked, ready to learn the necessary details.
Marcus pulled you back onto the street, and the two of you began to walk back to his business. “Well, we need to submit a request for a permit to demolish, and one for construction. But since I’ve done a good amount of work in the past six years, I doubt that there will be much more than two days of waiting time between submitting it and getting the permits. We can fill out all the forms once we get to my office, and I’ll get them sent up to the House of Wind as soon as I can.”
“Alright, that sounds doable enough,” you said as you threw a smile at him, happy that he’s kind about you not knowing much about the building process.
Soon enough the two of you are back at his office, and he swings the door open, letting you go inside first. He went through a filing cabinet behind his desk before pulling out a half inch thick stack of papers in total. Marcus turned back to you, placing them on the desk and gesturing for you to take a seat.
You do as he asks, and he sets two piles in front of you- both are identical. You give him a quizzical look, not understanding the purpose of having two.
“One pile is for your own personal records, and the other is for the permits and for our contract agreement, for payments and things like that. I suggest you read everything closely, and I can explain something to you if you’d like.”
You read through the stack of documents, finding everything to be fair, both in compensation for the company, and certain protections on promises made to you. You signed the contract documents first, letting Marcus take the pages as you finished to sign them himself. Then came the permit application, you needed to state why you wanted to tear the building down, then what you were going to replace it with.
That was easy, the current building would not suffice for a bakery, it might even burn down if you ride to light a fire in it. And building on top of the land, well, a bakery plus a second floor apartment with a small garden.
Once it was all filled out, Marcus went through every page to make sure that everything had been signed. “Alright, everything looks to be in order. I’ll write to you to let you know when it’s been approved, okay Y/N?”
You nodded your head, happy to be done with the paperwork portion of the day. “That sounds just fine, Marcus. I’ll see you in a few days, most likely,” you said before standing from your chair, stretching your muscles and wings slightly.
“I’ll see you then,” Marcus responded, asking you over to the door. By this point, the sun had begun to set over Velaris, but the city was more alive than it had been all throughout the morning.
“And thank you, Marcus. I look forward to working with you,” you added as you stepped outside and away from his shop.
“It’s no problem, Y/N. I’ll see you soon.”
And the you were off, your new property deed tucked under safely against your body. You were eager to make your way home, wanting nothing more at this point than a hot bath and a warm meal- you didn’t particularly care in which order. You were at the inn soon enough, kicking snow off of your boots and the hem of your dress for the last time of the day.
“Welcome back, Y/N,” Druana greeted from behind the counter, waving a bark skinned hand at you.
“Thank you, Druana. I’ll see you in the morning!” You said, already making your way up the stairs in your rush to finally get out of your winter gear.
The door to your room swung open and shut quickly, and you sat at the table in the center of the room, undoing the laces of your boots as fast as you were able. They came off, then followed by your dress after unbuttoning the back carefully. Now you were only standing in your underthings and tights, and very much feeling the chill that had set in from being outside in your bones. You stripped off the rest of your clothes before heading into the bathroom and starting the tub.
Gloriously hot water spilled out of the faucet, and you didn’t wait for it to fill up, merely settling yourself in as the water slowly came up to your neck. You allowed yourself to soak for a few minutes, letting the cold seep from your bones and warmth replace it. Once you felt warmed and comfortable, you washed yourself quickly after hearing your stomach growl loudly.
After toweling off, you went back into your bedroom and donned a soft set of white cotton underthings, as well as an oversized lilac sweater that you were able to wear like a dress, the back already having had the fabric carved out of it to fit your wings. It was so cozy and soft, you felt buried in it. Just how you wanted to feel after an eventful day.
You went to the kitchenette, pulling out the cutting board, pot, and pan. You grabbed the cookbook from the table and set it on the counter next to the cutting board, reading over the instructions once more. Next you pull out the chicken and grab a suitable enough knife, dicing the meat into bite sized chunks as the recipe called for. You set them in the pan, lighting the charcoal beneath the burner to get the heat started.
You washed the knife and cutting board and dried them off, then grabbed the root vegetables that you’d bought earlier. Similar to baking, you switched between washing and chopping the vegetables to making the meat around the pan easily, being careful not to burn anything while getting everything else you would need prepped.
Paying attention to the recipe, you measured out the right amount of each spice, mixing them Goethe’s with a bit of water to create a paste that smelled heavenly and spicy.
The chicken was done now, and you added the vegetables along with a bit of water and the coconut milk. Then all you had to do was wash and set the rice to cook, and wait. You rinsed the rice in one of the bowls, getting the water clear before carefully draining it out and placing the rice in to the now boiling water.
In another twenty minutes, you deemed the vegetables and rice to be cooked enough, and dished out a nice serving of rice, with lots of curry on top.
You cleared off the table, moving your new books over to the nightstand by your bed, then brought your dinner to the table. You sat facing the windows and stared out at Velaris as you ate, pleasantly surprised with how nicely the curry had turned out, with it being your first time cooking anything like it.
Soon enough you were full and getting sleepy, so you brought your dishes back to the sink. You plated the rest of the rice and curry into the other bowl that you hadn’t used, then washed all of the dishes you had used that night.
By the time you had finished, your bed was calling to you, and it was such a soft, sweet landing when you finally made your way under the covers, deciding to sleep in your massive sweater instead of changing into a nightgown.
It’s not like anyone will see me sleeping, anyways, you thought to yourself, right as you drifted off into a peaceful sleep, filled with the view from your new property.
Series Taglist: @icey--stars @breadsticks2004
#you can have it#acotar a/b/o#alpha!feyre x omega!reader x alpha!rhys#alpha!feysand x omega!reader#acotar omegaverse#feysand x reader omegaverse#feysand x reader#alpha!morrigan#alpha!nesta#acotar fic#acotar#acotar fanfic#feysand x you#tato writes#omega!reader
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Time travel au where Steve is the last one to go through the gate in Eddie's trailer, except when he comes out, he's not in his Hawkins anymore. Instead of being greeted by the sight of his friends safe and sound and Wayne's mug collection, he's standing in some random guys trailer.
He gets shoved out the front door and into the strange new world that is undoubtedly Hawkins, but not the Hawkins he remembers.
Everything feels wrong. The people look strange in their weird clothes and a lady across the park screams into a flat rectangle in her hand. The trailers look the same but there's something about them that's definitely wrong. Some guy blows smoke in his face while walking past and instead of the gross smell of cigarette he was expecting, it smells sweet, almost like strawberries. He's so fucking confused. He knows he's causing a scene by walking around gaping at everything, but what else is he supposed to do? Steal a car and drive off? He's never seen cars like this in his entire life!! Do they even work the same way?!
Maybe he has a concussion. Maybe this is his version of a vecna hallucination.
And then things only get more confusing when a little girl runs over to him and beams up at Steve like they've been best friends forever. "Hi, Mr Harrington! Why are you here?" She can't be older than 9.
Why does this little girl know him? He stares at her and his confusion must show because she tilts her head and frowns. "Are you okay, Mr Harrington?"
She keeps calling him Mr Harrington, is he a teacher here? Oh god, does that mean there's another version of himself running around here?! Wherever here is.
"I'm... fine. I'm just a little lost." He walks away before he scares the poor girl with his rising hysterics. Steve knows these roads like the back of his hand, he's driven them his entire life, but he takes a million wrong turns because there's suddenly so many new streets he's never even heard of. Where there should be a huge clearing, there is now a building so high Steve swears it touches the sky and the tree him and Robin used to have picnics under is now gone and replaced with a parking lot filled with more weird cars.
"What the fuck? What the fuck?!" Steve finally makes it to where his house should be and there's... nothing. It's just a block of land for sale. It tips him over the edge. He can't remember the last time he cried but right now he is balling and hiccuping as he stumbled down the street he grew up on. But it's wrong. It's all so wrong. People drive past and give him weird looks, a lady even stops jogging and takes out the tiny earplugs that play music so loud Steve can hear it, and asks if he's OK. "No, I'm not. This isn't real. This isn't real!"
It has to be vecna. He's got him. That's why he's stuck in this nightmare. "You have to play music! Give me your plug things! Make them play anything! Get me out of here." The woman refuses and does nothing but stand there in shock as Steve sinks down to the sidewalk and starts singing Everybody Wants to Rule The World as loud as he can.
"I'm calling 911. You need help." Steve doesn't hear her. He's singing so loud people are starting to come out of their houses to see what's going on but that doesn't matter to him. This isn't real. Vecna has him and he needs to get out.
When the ambulance pulls up, Steve's run out of tears. He's cried himself dry and he's resigned to the fact that any minute now, Vecna is going to snap his arms and legs. "I'm ready." He says quietly to no one but himself. He'd rather it be him than any of his friends. He knows they are probably watching him and trying to bring him back but it's too late. He can't hear the music they're playing.
"Steve?" A familiar voice drags him out of his own head, but it can't be real. He heard that voice take its final breath just mere minutes ago, he can still feel his drying blood under his fingernails. Steve lifts his head and there he is, it's Eddie, no doubt about it. His long hair is tied up in a bun and his eyes are sparkling with worry as he crouches down in front of Steve. It's then that Steve realises Eddie is in full paramedic gear and he's pulling all sorts of things out of a bag to check on Steve.
"Eddie, you're alive." He whispers in disbelief as Eddie checks him for any head injuries. "Where are we? How do we leave?"
Eddie pulls back and there's panic behind his eyes as he slowly helps Steve to his feet and gestures to his partner to grab the stretcher. "Steve, love, I need you to tell me what happened. Why aren't you at work?"
At work? What is Eddie going on about? And did he just call Steve love?!!
"Eddie, this isn't real. I need to leave. I can't stay here with you." He says it slowly so that Eddie understands. He may be some figment of Steve's weird dream imagination and he doesn't want to freak the poor guy out by telling him he's actually dead.
Eddie breathes in and out, his hands a little shaky as he helps Steve onto the ambulance stretcher. His partner helps get Steve set up in the back of the ambulance before they're driving off. Eddie reaches out and holds Steve's hand gently, the gesture surprising but not unwelcome. "Steve, baby, this is very much real life. You're in Hawkins. It's March 21st, 2023. Your name is Steve Harrington, remember?"
"Wait, what?!" Steve tries to sit up but Eddie gently pushes him back down. They hit a bump in the road and Eddie swears softly under his breath about his partner's driving. "It's not 1986?!" He's panicking. He can feel his heart rate spike and his breathing starts to quicken. Eddie tells him to stay calm and just breathe in and out but Steve can't hear him.
Maybe this really isn't Vecna. He'd be dead by now if Vecna had him and Eddie's touch feels too real to be a dream.
Before he knows it, his vision is going spotty and then he's out; the panic and absolute absurdity of it all finally getting to him.
"You'll be okay, Stevie."
Except this isn't the Steve Eddie knows and loves. His Steve, his darling husband, is currently having a dilemma of his own back in 1986.
#HELLO MY SWEET DEAR LOVELY PEOPLE !!#I HAVENT PROOF READ THIS#ENJOY#steddie#stranger things#eddie munson#steve harrington#st4 vol2#stranger things s4#steveddie
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$10K Fixed Deposit & $5K Discount on Selected Lots
Becoming a part of the Verdant Hill community has never been easier with just a $10,000* fixed deposit plus a $5,000 discount! Surrounded by local amenities, including world-class educational opportunities for every level, retail, hospitality, medical, religious, and recreational precincts, Verdant Hill is a vibrant and connected community with the unrivalled convenience.
Hurry, these offers are available for a limited time only on a selected number of lots! Contact Nicole on 0428 072 703 or email [email protected] to find out more.
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Arknights Thank You Celebration 2024 PVs
youtube
youtube
New Operators
Figurino, 5* Merchant Specialist
I have a lot to learn, and right now, i'd like to start by making a new suit.
Crownslayer, 6* Welfare Executor Specialist
"Crownslayer", that's the name we're familiar with, let's keep it.
Vulpisfoglia, 6* Pioneer Vanguard
I appreciate the acknowledgement. But you know this means in the future the people who are hunting me for bounty will come to Rhodes Island first. Will that be fine?
Lappland the Decadenza, 6* Limited Mech-Accord Caster
Is this your way of trying to get me to settle down, or do you also think this game needs more excitement...
I just can't guess you, no wonder i like your trust in me!
2 new operators to the voucher shop
Contrail, 4* 巡空者 (Air Patrol) Specialist
Philae, 5* 本源铁卫 (Primal Protector) Defender
Operator Outfits Update
Total of 6 new outfits, 2 new additions for the Cambrian brand, 1 new addition for the Epoque brand, 2 new additions for the Test Collection brand and 1 new addition for the 0011/Tempest brand
Cambrian
At the Warm Velvet Corner - Warmy
Travel Freely - Sussurro (Login Event)
Epoque
Il Segreto Della Notte - Texas the Omertosa (21 OP)
Test Collection
Allmind As One - Executor the Ex Foedere (24 OP)
The city lights up. I can sense everyone's presence, and everyone's absence. We are together——— as one "Laterano".
Diversity Oneness - Virtuosa (24 OP)
Please stay, Sankta. Please tell me, is the Laterano of now a place that is connected to the rest of the land?
0011/Tempest
Ignis Fatuus - Lessing
Lessing's outfit will be up for sale during Zwillingstürme im Herbst Retrospect
Announced outfit reruns
Young Branch - Muelsyse
Red Countess - Skadi the Corrupting Heart
Operator Modules Update
All the new operators (except the red cert shop ops) being part of branches with modules immediately get their modules
FUN-X module base effect increases the starting damage of Lappland the Decadenza's drones to 35% of her ATK
SOL-X module base effect gives Vulpisfoglia +8% ATK and DEF when blocking
EXE-X module base effect makes it so retreating Crownslayer refunds 80% of her current DP Cost
MER-X module base effect reduces the DP drained by Figurino's trait effect
Ritualist Supporter branch gets 1 module type
Lessing gets his second module
DRE-Y module base effect allows Lessing to survive a single fatal blow, healing back to full and gaining +30 ASPD at the cost of -60% Max HP, this effect only activates once per deployment
Angelina and Rosmontis get Integrated Strategies specialized modules
These modules' effects are unknown at the time of writing
Events and Stories
I Portatori Dei Velluti, a Siracusa side story event
Put on your masks and dresses, the show is about to begin in the streets.
Come on, don't be boring - you're probably the least "Carnival" of the bunch!
Stronghold Protocol, limited time autobattler gamemode, opens during the third week of I Portatori Dei Velluti
Zwillingstürme im Herbst Retrospect, scheduled after I Portatori Dei Velluti
Operator Archives update for Lessing, Jieyun, Schwarz, Sora, Totter and Vigil
Misc Stuff
New QoL changes
Added the ability to have preset base loadouts that you can easily swap between
Added the ability to instantly send every exhausted operator into dormitories with one button
Max Sanity cap increased by +45
Refilling sanity using Originite Prime will refill 135 sanity regardless of level/max cap
Added the ability to instantly move to required lower materials when crafting and a button to move back the higher tier material that required it
Mountain, Kafka and Pinecone added to recruitment
Bagpipe's [Queen, No.1] outfit will be available in the certs shop to players that don't have it
Livestream Stuff
Showcased Lappland the Decadenza, a hyper offensive 6* Mech-Accord Caster with potent self buffs and powerful debuffs
First talent makes her stronger the longer she stays on the field, getting the following buffs in order: increased drone damage cap, ability to inflict Silence, gains more drones
Second talent increases the initial SP of all [Siracusa] operators when she's in the squad
Skill 1 has a passive effect that immediately gives her an additional drone, when the skill activates she gains ATK, releases her drones to attack enemies and her drones will attack idling enemies anywhere on the field
Skill 2 expands her attack range, increases her ATK, gives her more drones and releases her drones to attack enemies randomly within range, her drones have a chance to inflict Panic
Skill 3 increases her ATK and gives her more drones, then releases special drones that actively seek out and hunt enemies, the special drones inflict Panic upon reaching a target and locks onto them; enemies near the drones will have decreased movement speed and take Arts damage every second
Showcased Vulpisfoglia, a 6* Pioneer Vanguard with a strong battlefield presence
First talent makes her attacks deal additional Arts damage for a few seconds after the first time hitting them
Second talent increases the natural DP regeneration by a small amount and lets her recover HP when she hasn't taken damage for a few seconds
Skill 1 is a power strike skill that makes her next attack deal Arts damage and generate some DP, this skill can store charges
Skill 2 lets her immediately deal Arts damage in an area in front of her, Slows the hit enemies and generates some DP. If the enemies were already under the effects of Slow they will be Stunned instead, this skill can store charges
Skill 3 immediately generates DP, expands her attack range, increases her ATK, gives a massive decaying ASPD boost, allows her to attack enemies equal to block count and each attack briefly Stuns the hit enemies. If she defeats any enemy during the skill she will gain Camouflage at the end of the skill that lasts until the next skill activation
Showcased Crownslayer, a 6* Executor Specialist with a unique disruptive kit
First talent sprays a smokescreen on the 8 surrounding tiles around her during skill duration, reducing the Physical and Arts Hit Rate of ground enemies in those tiles
Second talent lets her deal increased Physical damage to enemies that have not landed a hit on her
Skill 1 gives her increased ATK and some amount of Physical and Arts Dodge
Skill 2 stops her from attacking upon deployment, makes her less likely to be attacked and increases the amount of Physical and Arts Hit Rate the smokescreen decreases, when skill ends she will deal a certain % of ATK as Physical damage to all enemies within range
Skill 3 increases her first talent range, gives her Invisibility and sets her Block Count to 0, every few seconds she will appear to attack an enemy within the talent range dealing a certain % of ATK as Physical damage and Stunning them for a few seconds
Showcased the event mechanic, a fireworks machine that will apply effects on a number of tiles around it when activated
While the machine is active, operators on those tiles will take periodic damage and cannot be healed but will not have their HP go below 1, enemies on those tiles will take constant damage
Players can additionally customize which tiles will be affected by the fireworks machine and have it apply additional bonus effects in the event menu
Showcased Contrail, an experimental 4* of a neat new branch 巡空者 (Air Patrol), a Specialist branch that consists of operators that have 2 Block Count and utilizes the new status "Takeoff"
Takeoff: Does not block ground enemies and will not be attacked by ground enemies, can block aerial enemies
S1 makes her takeoff immediately upon deployment, expands her attack range, increases her ATK and gives her some Physical Dodge
S2 makes her takeoff when activated, expands her attack range, increases her ATK, lets her attack 2 targets at once and is able to attack an additional aerial enemy and her attacks inflict Slow to aerial enemies
Showed footage of the new base loadouts feature
Work rooms and Dormitories are now in separate tabs
You can set up to 3 loadouts for each individual room and press a button to immediately swap out exhausted operators, there is also a button to immediately do this in every room all at once
Showed the button that immediately sends all exhausted operators into the dorms
Teased even more base QoL features planned for the next Sui sibling event update
Expanded the Reception Room and added the ability to decorate it
Added activity rooms, operators assigned to this room can be manually controlled and move around the base
Announced the ability to register your birthday, players will receive gift furniture on their set birthday and operators have special birthday voicelines
Announced the ability to have a list of rotating assistant operators that change every day
Announced the ability to make loadouts for the main menu background/UI theme/assistant operators for quick switching
SSS will get a skip feature, uses the same PRTS Proxy Cards used for annihilation skip
The older SSS maps will become playable again
Stronghold Protocol, limited time autobattler gamemode
In the gamemode the player will have to prepare their squad and operators before each battle, the player can hire additional operators and have multiple copies of them deployed or combined into a higher tier of that operator
Players can hire reserve operators should they lack usable units and also hire up to 8 friend support operators
Teased the next event involving Thorns and the history of alchemy in Iberia
Announced some kind of mini game collection "Poly Vision Museum"
Announced the second expansion update for IS#5
A 5th ending exploring the story of an alternate universe Amiya
The ability to share seeds of runs you completed to other players, completing a seeded run will not unlock higher difficulty/new relics/etc
Max difficulty increased beyond 15
New starting squads
New collectibles and thoughts (IS5 gimmick items)
Teased Arknights anime season 3 [RISE FROM EMBER]
Announced U-Official mini series
Announced Ambience Synesthesia 2025: Best Song Award, the song lineup featured in the concert will be decided via community polling
INVESTIGATED TERRA lore video covering the history and development of Originium on Terra and the technology that sprouted from it narrated by Kal'tsit
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Ok so, what is Inver how can I read it gimmie the sales pitch pspsps pretty please
This is Inver! It is an alternate history northwest Europe
It's a play on the old region of Doggerland; the North-East Atlantic Archipelago* with sea levels reduced by a catastrophic past event that spread parts of the fairy world out into the real world. This Event also wiped out all human life in the area pictured above, leaving it uninhabited for hundreds of years before it was slowly settled again by people from the land bridge to Hibernia, and people coming up from Aquitan
As a result of a war between these two groups of people and subsequent cultural exchange, Inver's dominant culture is a Hiberno-French mixture. Br*tain does not and has never existed.
The Event in Inver's history has still left large swathes of this land uninhabitable, with the only way east blocked by the Ruad, a hostile, labyrinthine, and largely impassible fairy territory. This has stifled the ability of these lands to produce much of value; Inver is a poor country, considered a kind of industrial backwater with a monarchy descended marauding werewolf war clans. This paragraph could last literally forever if I liked (and I did like. that's why there's books)
Inver's Régian Era, roughly equivalent to the Victorian era irl, is the stage for my main book series Moth Viper Foal (#mvf) (links are to the books & the tag on my art blog). It is an era of great change in Inver; much of the capital city is ruled by criminal gangs and a foreign church while the great noble houses, having lost touch with their people, turn on one another for sport. The story follows the sequence of events that ultimately results in catastrophic change for everybody in the region, and the dawn of a new era (that's as vague as i can make it)
But really it's about the (gay) struggles of outgrowing your relationships, setting higher standards for yourself, and all the various ways someone can fail to be a man. Main (POV) characters are three ex-conmen & one DLC extra nobleman. Before the start of the story, a catastrophic argument between two of the guys precedes one of them (Félix) getting kidnapped by the Black Horse, a fairy. He is returned five years later, a servant of the horse, to find that his friends (and ex-friends) have changed completely in his absence, and his old life is done for good.
I'm very bad at summaries so idk really. It's a story about interpersonal drama and friend breakups between some guys and also fairies are there. It's all i think about. Every other setting & post on this blog not about Inver was made as a kind of mental break from thinking about Inver. I've been working on it since 2019
you can check the overall tag to see posts from both my blogs including some very nice art and some absolutely heinous AUs (Pern Story among them??? maybe. idk if i tagged it)
also there's two more stories set in Inver, Ancient Inver which is a telling of the wars that founded the country and also an exploration of Being FTM, and also Modern Inver which is set in the distant future of 2017 and it's a buddy cop/detective thriller about a ranger investigating a series of supernatural kidnappings with the help of the guy who did most of them.
#*for political reasons i do not refer to these islands by any other name#setting: inver#mvf#i need u all to know that i still half die of embarrassment when i talk about mvf. like just as a matter of course#do i love it to bits? yes. does it feel like pulling out splinters with every word... yes...
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A tale of two brands
Sophie Mancini's Departures paper on S in NY started a flurry of comments even before the whole content was made available on blogs. That people - mostly in Mordor - jumped in to add their two booing cents on the matter, based on two or three Instagram Story screencaps only, is a testimony to Tumblr's community deep interest in S's slightest PR/sales move and the easiness with which people like *urv managed to push their own agenda, in the process, to her unsuspecting, bicep-loving crowd.
Many of these comments asked just one question, more or less kindly and more or less openly: who are you, Sam Roland Heughan? Some of them, more along my alley, took a different angle: who are you talking to, Sam Roland Heughan?
Let me count the US crowds: the Wall Street yuppie crowd? the old money, WASP Knickerbocker / Colony Club crowd? Tribeca's sophisticated, culture-ish snob crowd? the UN international crowd? the laid-back (-ish) brownstone Brooklyn crowd? the DC politico types? the Boston Brahmin crowd? the Silicon Valley Bitcoin crowd? the Florida Latino crowd? the Bible Belt crowd? the Deep South charmingly old-fashioned crowd? the yee-haw, witty and ambitious Texans? the gourmet, nature-loving Seattle crowd? I am sure I am missing some (it's been a while I haven't traveled to the States and I have to say I miss all 50 of them, plus and perhaps above all my beloved DC :), but you get the idea. And the problem, or rather its first layer.
The second question this very poorly written article prompted is: what are you talking about, Sam Roland Heughan? I mean, what destination are you trying to promote? Scotland, through your Scottish gin, which I truly believe is exceptional? The Big Apple, like a counterpart to Sting, you know - a Scotsman in New York? That's not very clear, since that superficial girl just whirled you to a couple Chinatown speakeasies, rat pitter-patter included (bye-bye, Knickerbocker crowd right there) and that's pretty much it. New Zealand, that you mention at length, Maori tattoo story re-hashed, just because the book comes out next Tuesday? Ha-wa-wee, perhaps in a belated attempt to mitigate Tunagate? California, even, because it takes you back to humble beginnings? Granted, the Frisco one, not LA: that would be a horrible faux-pas, in a NY centered paper, much like me whimsically and idiotically mentioning Istanbul (instead of Constantinople), in a conversation with my Greek friends.
My head spins. And then let's add to that a ladle of recycled talking points, yours and C's altogether, like this gem:
Aspirational. Mmmhm. She said that. You said that. Multiple times, in multiple contexts that probably didn't even call for it. This is *** PR right there. I am not JAMMF. I am not Claire. But we aspire to that. Stop thinking we are these characters. No sane fan ever did: the insistence is unnecessary and has a real backfire potential. Stop thinking, period. But let it be my shipper sin, then, not to believe an iota of it and stubbornly think you people are, by now, way past the aspirational stage.
So, I took a long walk down memory lane today, while driving, trying to understand what the hell your personal brand is. Once upon a time, things were clear: you and C were a single brand. S&C - the fresh-faced, candid, witty and funny and oh, so in love new kids on the block. The spark was real and it was strong (it still is, only dampened and muted by PR-prompted shenanigans) and OL's audience was under its spell. People loved you, both of you, and some of us still do. You showed us as much as you could and for a while, it seemed to be convenient for just about everybody. That created expectations, but at the same time, you could have sold us land concessions on the Moon and we would have bought them, no questions asked.
And then, things happened. We know what: IFH, EFH, Remarkable Week-end. The spell was broken for many, who left in droves. Fans turned into bashing other fans. The S&C brand was progressively compromised and along with it, your Barbour Ambassadorship (for different reasons). Let's stop a bit at this point, in fond remembrance: that was the perfect pitch, for the perfect kind of corporate brand, for the perfect niche, for the perfect guy. A guy who had a credible, authentic story to tell, with a really strong potential to attract people outside of OL's crowd. Image and message perfectly aligned. Best case scenario.
So, with ***'s and your own PR benediction, what once was your solid gold starting point was ridiculed, trampled, shot to shambles, in a (failed) attempt to be sent to complete oblivion. You then had to think of something and try to branch out of both the blessing and curse of it.
MPC suddenly became more important than just any other charity project, of which there were a few (Cahonas Scotland comes to mind, the blood cancer one, as well). Cue in Sam the Athlete, Sam the Healthy Living Evangelist. The project was turned into a lucrative business, with a strong charity side. People bought subscriptions, people changed their eating and lifestyle habits, people lost weight - but really, I shouldn't write 'people', but 'women'. This was a women-oriented endeavor. A problem, again, on the long term.
Ha-wa-wee 1 happened, to more scandal and shrieks (that, I believe, was the reason you lost the Barbour project, another gold opportunity squandered because ten Internet bitches knew better). Then we were told another avatar was born: Sam the Entrepreneur. With a genuine, carefully curated, labor of love first alcohol product that clearly used the discarded S&C brand: The Sassenach and believe what you want, but just buy it. Mommies obliged. Antis obliged. Shippers obliged. All wallets are created equal, as I (often) use to say. And then COVID-19 came, putting a very real, very dangerous logistic strain on it.
Yet, you still had to somehow mitigate delays and losses. The Sassenach went exotic, with that limited edition tequila that probably won't be remembered by many outside OL's fandom, and that is a pity and a shame. The reason it won't be remembered is that you almost did not promote it, spare one or two Tick-Tock and Instagram clips. Does that justify the investment, the trips to Mexico, the very expensive retainers and commissions your tequila friends took for their trouble? I very much doubt it. That was, until being proved completely wrong, a flop. It brought absolutely nothing in terms of personal branding, spare perhaps a new faction in this paranoid cesspool of a fandom: the Gay Crowd, fueled by the image of a Lonely Bandana Cowboy, instead of the intended Sophisticated Traveler and Connoisseur. Yes, people are stupid, like that. Your PR and Sales team, too - and this comes from a place of deep understanding and appreciation.
We are now talking gin and boy, am I glad we do! This is perhaps an opportunity. Finally, a more democratically price-tagged, carefully tailored (again) drawing card product. But who is selling it to me? The California Boat Party Host? In that case, I won't buy it, but never mind me: maybe the fun-loving California Millennials would (we know the Smuggling Mommies would do it, anyways). The Sophisticated Traveler and Connoisseur you tried to show us again in Mancini's abysmal Departures paper and who is invited to important events, in recognition of his efforts?
You can't have the two of them, Sam, whatever those incompetents told you. You're either a 43-years old midlife crisis-stricken and shirtless clown or an Old World Industrious Thespian, with a stature and a status to match. A real Entrepreneur, not a cartoon scuba diver/beach boy Influencer. Eye Candy vs. Brain Power: after all, you are a '3x NYT best selling author', aren't you? Your pick, not mine. Stop the Sri Mataji-style Hugging and Booze tours: it's nonsense and that geriatric crowd is nowhere near what you need to make your dream come true. Do some real soul searching and stop listening to clueless 28-year old journalists, who tell you tacky rings are fun: they aren't. They make you look like an ageing Atlantic City Sinatra wannabe:
Sam Roland Heughan: currently at crossroads, trying to not choose between two opposite personal brands. Tricky position and an even trickier context, with the strike still lingering on and the pressing need to find an after OL strategy.
I promised you a tale of two brands and I think you wonder, by now, what happened to C, the other half of the primary SC brand?
The answer is, I honestly believe, not much. She has no personal brand, so to speak. Until now, she is just an Enthusiastic Dilettante. Book Club - started, unfinished and with that, farewell to any fan engagement. Cinema production rights - bought and then silence. Botanical Gin - first batch released (?) with no promo, no interviews (mentioning it in a podcast does not count), no reviews. Then teasing, then crickets again: a bit late, now, for the end of year celebrations. And I have to say I miss her or the part of her I never witnessed in real time (is such a thing possible?). I miss that starry-eyed, funny and witty girl. That girl was somehow completely swallowed by an Acrid Matron, who thought it was intelligent to yell at an Internet nobody, on Christmas Day, 'I am not married to Sam!' (ok, you aren't, but you're still lying). And I honestly don't know which one is best (or worst, for that matter): try to build something and make mistakes and try again until you hopefully find your way, or say nothing, do nothing and of course, never be controversial.
Now I am really interested to see how is she going to promote her gin. But you know what, I am not holding my breath, for some reason.
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https://www.tumblr.com/stoptheantisemitism/763524232272592896/what-no-illegal-land-sales-happening-in-your
https://www.tumblr.com/stoptheantisemitism/763524236034932736/whats-holding-you-back-no-illegal-settlements
ID 1: A screenshot from a Tumblr feed featuring a post by the user 'stoptheantisemitism'. The post contains a reblogged comment from 'battyhillel' stating 'i can't wait to move to israel...', followed by a response questioning the decision and implicitly critiquing illegal land sales. This response includes hashtags such as #Absolute garbage human being. The post has 19 notes and options for liking, reblogging, or replying are visible. Below the Tumblr thread, there's an ad from Netflix showcasing an image of a person against an orange background.
ID 2: A mobile screen displaying a Tumblr post conversation at the top and a Netflix advertisement at the bottom. The Tumblr post originates from the user 'stoptheantisemitism', and includes an interaction with two comments. The first comment, by 'batyhilel,' expresses eagerness to move to Israel, followed by 'stoptheantisemitism' asking what's holding them back, and inquiring about illegal settlement sales. The post has 19 notes, with options for reactions like reblogging, commenting, and liking. Below the Tumblr post, a Netflix ad promotes 'Heartstopper Season 3', featuring a close-up of a person's face with text 'I THINK YOU...' The layout shows typical social media interaction, blending cultural discourse with entertainment marketing.
Literally in response to me wanting to move to israel…
alright then, lets see their blog, shall we?
ID 3: A social media profile titled 'Zionism is Anti-Semitism' is displayed, featuring a Star of David symbol against a blue and pink circular backdrop. The profile description beneath reads, 'Ethnically Jewish. Come unlearn Zionist Propaganda with me They/Them 27 CT.' Below the title is a prompt button labeled 'Ask me anything.' Two images are included on the profile; one shows text seemingly related to racial or ethnic conflict, and the other appears to show a group of people in physical distress. A blog entry below by a user named 'rimchan' expressed frustration over the comparison of different acts of terrorism, mentioning historical World War II events.
Unironically calling zionism antisemitic
cool /sar.
I can’t with this website forreal.
OH them!
I'm so sorry my nemesis found you
my nemesis the person who somehow the SAME pronouns and the SAME age. They tried to steal my "identifies canards as antisemitic gimmick" tried to get a similar name to mine. They are trying to be knock off antizionist me
when like I DON"T engage nazis and pro-pals in debate, I am an archive of blocking, the are a archive of "jews to harrass by their tankie audience"
and has 4 different ban evade accounts one of which is just "receipts of my 'genocide apologia'". Said 'genocide apologia' is me correcting their misinfo and calling them out
you heard it here first, calling out another jew is LITERALLY the holocaust
Block them and their alts
innocent-fandomite
innocent-fandomite-hater
stop-the-antisemitism
and of course
spot-the-antisemitissm
because the second s implies that I'm a nazi
yes I'm the nazi and not the nazi shit they post on their kahanist alt to make Jews look bad
#blocklist#harassment#leftist hypocrisy#leftist brainrot#antisemitism#leftist antisemitism#tankie punks fuck off#unhinged#holocaust inversion
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