#Curt Gerard

[pierppasolini]

Moving! (1974) // dir. Wakefield Poole

[syb-rooks]

The children of the kingdom love Prince Gerard of Greenleigh. He might not be brave, or responsible, or taking care of any of the country's multiple urgent problems but he always, always looks out for the kids.

He is never too busy to play with them, to tell them jokes, and silly anecdotes, give them candy and gifts. And his advices are not always good, and his stories mostly revolve around the Princess, and perhaps he always scolds the children when they talk about exploring the forest. No, children shouldn't stay outside the walls of the castle, especially not alone, especially not in the woods.

When he sees a small child sitting alone, he always tries to comfort them, make them laugh, orders the cooks to bake tons of biscuits and bring mugs of the sweetest hot chocolate.

And when a child is curt, when they are rude, or angry and hurting, the Prince keeps a hand on his sword, even though he has never used it. He keeps the kid in his sights, and looks around for any fairies who seek to teach a cruel lesson. He is probably too much of a coward to go against a fairy, he knows that. And he would probably stab himself trying to use his sword. But he'll wait until the child calms, until they dry their tears, and mumble apologies munching on scones.

It's the only thing he can do.

Then the war comes.

The Prince doesn't fight with the soldiers, with the parents, with the princess. He hides with the children in the cellar of the castle. He still tells stories but his voice is strained, and when he talks about the Princess and her adventures, he stops midsentence and stares at the castle walls. He hides in the shadows and doesn't allow anyone near him. He snaps and orders at the staff and some children whisper that he has a tongue as long and agile as a whip. He is never rude to the children though. Even when they cry, or scream or complain, he has endless patience, and tries to comfort them, even if his attempts at advice never work anymore.

One morning the children wake up and the Prince is gone. He took with him only the clothes on his back and a dusty book about fighting stances.

He leaves behind for the children books on fairy tales, tons of blankets and precious pillows from the royal bedchambers, and toys.

Between the pages of one of the fairy tale tomes, are some crinkled, yellowed, handwritten pages from a diary. A girl describing a meeting with a talking frog.

Those pages were left discarded. It didn't seem like a particularly interesting fairy tale after all.

[mazzystar24]

I hope I can ask you this because I don't want to ask in the tags, I'm scared 🥹 but I've seen a lot of discourse about why tommy isn't good for buck, he's cold, the relationship is toxic etc and I was wondering why people think that? Is there anything specific that started it?

I fully believe eddie is buck's true love, endgame, whatever we want to call it and I'm sad we don't have that (yet) but I thought bucktommy was kinda fun in the meantime. I just want to understand 🫶🏻

Oh hey darling! you were so sweet and genuine in your response so please know I’m just answering what I’m asked and if you wanna enjoy and have fun with bt that is completely your prerogative but I’m just offering my perspective on it

And i am warning you this is gonna be long because I feel a constant need to go really in depth in my thoughts

Okay so idk how I’m gonna break this down but maybe I’ll do it in like main points?

Also if you’re new here whenever I use bullet points I’m just doing it cos I find it easier to chunk up my thoughts not cos I’m being curt or anything with you

1. The chimney and hen begins episodes

He wasnt just passive in the episodes and letting Gerard get away with his racist and misogynistic behaviour he ACTIVELY participated in it

This includes:

• Asking if they forgot to tip the delivery guy WHILE THEY WERE EATING CHINESE FOOD when chimney first comes up despite the fact that 1. Chimney had a big ass lafd bag 2. They were probably already told a probie would be coming 3. Probably would’ve seen the actual delivery guy 4. I would bet my absolute life that question would not have been asked if buck or bobby had walked up those stairs this wasn’t an innocent comment it WAS RACIST intentionally like the entire point of the episode was to show how bad they had it

• the New York bitchiness comment

• throwing his tools down along for hen to clean up

• going out of his way to treat them like outcasts and hating chimney before he even knew him despite chimneys efforts

• the way each of them had to “earn his respect” in some way before he acted like a normal coworker to them and this was never in the typical ‘oh it’s a new person’ type of way it always had to do with their race or in hen’s case her gender too

A defence I see a lot for this is “oh he was closeted” and honestly to me that is such bullshit because 1. Eli was perfectly capable of not participating in the racism and taking chimney under his wing without getting any shit for it and chimney is quite literally a Korean man (something he literally can’t hide) and he had just got his head above water with Gerard’s racism when hen came and he STILL was a friend to her 2. Again tommy wasn’t passive in it and just letting Gerrard be racist (which would’ve been one thing) no he actively participated in it to be part of the boys club 3. Let’s say that somehow not being a dick would’ve meant that that was a threat to the closet he was in- that is still in my opinion a fucked up sense of preservation if you spare yourself the possibility of bigotry (despite having inherent social capital by being a white man in that job) by inflicting others to bigotry

Now when Tommy was first reintroduced I was like keeping an open mind and saying okay it’s been a lot of time and maybe he has genuinely made amends because I do believe in redemption but imo they have made no attempt to show us that and had him honestly put more of the blame on Gerrard for his behaviour or the writers flat out avoiding mentioning it to retcon tommy a little and hope we forget

Another defence I see is “oh chimney and hen became friends with him so they must’ve forgave him”, hen went no contact the moment he left (something the writers went out of their way to include that line) and chimney didn’t even invite him to his wedding which was quite big after the Buckley parents got involved so it’s not like it was cos it was such a small and intimate wedding and he only called him as far as we know in those years when he needed a favor, which all means that most likely they had kinda just put it behind them and kept up a coworker relationship with him, but no actual friendship or actual forgiveness or redemption had taken place

Oh wow all that was just point one and I can probably talk more on it but I’ll just leave it with saying that Lou’s comments about it being teasing or how Tommy genuinely didn’t know hen or chimney were capable etc just makes for a worse case than saying it’s cos of being in the closet (and that is genuinely a large part of why idk much abt Lou but those comments are enough to make me hate him) and I’ll also say that poc (myself included in that) have these situations so often- situations even as specific as gay men being racist to them to fit in - and we understand the nuance and shit to it but we also understand on a deep level how it feels to be on the other side of that

And getting toxic bt fans try to come up with ways to downplay or minimise racism honestly pisses me off so much cos believe you me we have heard every excuse and downplay under the sun and I for one am sick and tired of it

2. Why he’s viewed as cold and his jokes

• literally from the small parts we saw of him and Eddie hanging out we have seen the man is in fact capable of joking and being light and having fun but around buck in particular he’s like 🧍‍♂️😐 and the occasional 🙂 like it just feels very stiff and just plain in a way

• his humour consistently falls flat and feels passive aggressive more than anything like blunt or sardonic humour DOES work like I personally love it but it’s not being written OR executed right

A. It’s always in response to genuine moments or questions such as buck talking abt the award or the daddy kink joke or henren questioning him

B. It’s the the majority of what we see from him, there is not enough balance for it

C. Lack of rapport, when friends or couples make jokes that can come off the wrong way if said to anyone else it’s cos of the rapport built already, this rapport is not established with the characters OR with the audience for these jokes to come off right

D. I gotta say this one too but the execution just isn’t right from writing to acting, it’s the same reason sardonic humour lines from Sandra oh as Cristina Yang or hugh Laurie as house still lets you like the characters and find them funny but Tommys lines come off as annoying to a lot of people

3. I think fandom discourse probably has something to do with it but not in the way you think

I’m not saying like oh ppl who ship buddie just hate him cos of the ship no I’m saying that like what takes him from an annoying disliked character to a hated character is most likely the fact that his role stirred so much drama and caused so much damage to how the fandom used to be that its turned the dial up

4. A lot of his development, lore or redeemable factors or cute things are just not canon

This may be blunt and I am sorry for that but I think his character has been blown up to such a degree that it’s genuinely shocking

Like I look at posts or get sent hate and I’m like where did any of this happen this is just not canon this is just not a show like at times I’m genuinely convinced it’s a social experiment where different ppl saw a different show like some spiderman multiverse situation

Listen I’m all for headcanons genuinely like if you wanna take extra number three and make a whole backstory and lore and cute stuff abt her I’m all for it but it’s when it’s said as if it’s fact or canon that I’m like hold up a second rewind

I think this is kinda a result of Lou’s cameos (which honestly deserves its own post but you asked why the tommy hate so imma stay on topic) and also this like need to defend the character but not having much material to work with

Like if we look at canon we can literally break down the entirety of Tommys appearances this far in the show and what we learn about him:

• chimney begins- he makes a racist comment and he tries to suck up to Gerard, there is a little hint abt his gayness with the gf comment, Eli says to chimney that’s just how they are and tries to reason it could be fear of losing friends but we see tommy having friends in the firehouse while eli says this, chimney tries to make friends with him and tommy makes no attempt to get to know him and says he’d hate him anyways, chimney saves Tommys life thus earning his respect

• hen begins- she’s met with the same racism chimney is but also met with misogyny (and homophobia but that’s not relevant to the tommy of it all), we find out chimney is still isolated from the rest despite having earnt that respect, chimney befriends hen and again tommy still doesn’t try anything like that until hen proves herself and earns his respect, ppl reported Gerard but it’s never actually stated tommy was one of those ppl so again that’s not canon that’s speculated

• bobby begins- chimney and hen both seem to be like coworker friends with tommy and Sal, Sal throws hissy fit bobby “fires” him tommy says it’s an overreaction bobby reveals it was a transfer, they all seem to make nice, tommy leaves to 217

• chimney calls tommy for help and tommy helps

• we see nothing from tommy,then cruise ship he helps the team but also in this we find out hen cut off all contact since he left

• buck takes tour of harbour, Eddie and tommy have a friendship and we find out some of Tommys interests and that he was in the army, basketball scene and the subsequent apology and kiss

• dinner date, Tommy explains how he was in the closet, Buck has his little awkward moment (which will be elaborated on in my next point) , Tommy says nothing abt it till the Uber arrives and he leaves buck

• buck reaches out and apologises and asks for a second chance inviting tommy to the madney wedding

• bachelor party and the issue of the lack of costume and not just taking the day off for neither wedding nor bachelor party (which you can reason is reasonable but also I feel like this deserves its point for the narrative choices)

• tommy shows up straight outta work they kiss buck has the soot coming out award ceremony - buck being happy abt the reward to which tommy sardonically says enjoy it while it lasts enter bigoted cunt gerard then chimney comes and insults gerard and they walk away

• we don’t see tommy again till the dinner date after Bobby nearly died and when buck tries to explain Bobbys significance to his life tommy throws the your dad is still alive which is just honestly one of his worst moments imo and I made a whole post abt it but can’t find it and then we all know the rest of that convo and I could make a bullet point for it but actually I made a whole post before so I’ll link it: here

AND THATS IT

Like all this comes down to what maybe like 30 mins screentime? If that?

5. The leaving buck on their first date

The defences people use for this are:

• buck was trying to shove him back in the closet

• buck was obviously not ready

• people angry abt this are just babying buck like he can find his own way home it’s not that big of a deal

• buck was at fault there and tommy would’ve been justified in being angry and not giving him a second chance

And honestly every last one of these are bullshit imo and lemme go point by point

• buck panicked, I don’t think that what buck was feeling in that moment can be properly described because unless you’re a queer person and you’ve experienced that like bone deep panic that like brain overload then you won’t get it

Like one it’s his first queer date

Two he doesn’t even understand his own sexuality atp

Three his closest friend just walked in in a situation that’s already putting him on edge

So he’s not only panicking he’s not understanding why he’s panicking he’s trying to make excuses eventhough part of him knows he doesn’t need one but also he doesn’t even understand this side of himself yet so he doesn’t want to have to potentially explain it

Like it’s a million things and a million emotions and no one can claim they would behave rationally or appropriately in that situation and if you say that you would you’re lying simple as that

Also then we find out that Eddie thought tommy was straight anyways

• the reason I love the buddie coming out scene is because of Eddie’s “and what do you think” line because it’s not up to tommy or anyone else whether a person is “ready” enough in their queerness to date. Full stop.

Also tommy knew it was Buck’s first date with a man and was still down so why is he using that as some sort of out

•it’s not about babying buck and it’s not about him finding his own way home it’s the fact that Tommy could’ve done it with much more grace and he could’ve been a lot nicer with it but he wasn’t, and this is again bucks first date with a man even if it doesn’t end with a second date it should at the very least not end up with him feeling like a screw up on the side of the road

• to the ppl who say that- kindly shut up cos again see the first point but also I wanna point out that somehow the ppl saying this are also the same ones saying that Tommy was justified to be RACIST for a prolonged period of time due to being in the closet yet Buck what? Panicking for a few seconds and being a little awkward? is somehow this giant inexcusable thing

5. The narrative choices with him have been reasonably clear and tbh if they had been made with a woman it would not be up for debate:

• tommy leaves buck on their first date then he comes back and gives buck a chance- we as a fandom have been unanimous in saying for years that Buck’s endgame would be the one that doesn’t leave him cos this pattern has been something we saw over and over with him

• tommy not dressing up- again you can rationalise it but it’s a narrative choice and it’s glaring when contrasted with Eddie suggesting the duo costume

And if we had this scene with Taylor so many ppl would be saying that it’s once again showing that her and Buck’s personalities don’t align

• him being on standby for the wedding and bachelor party- again you can say oh buck invited him last minute or oh he couldn’t taken the day off (which lbr he could’ve he’s not the only firefighter pilot in la) - but again narrative choice

If it was Taylor everyone would’ve been like SEE? Again they’re showing the audience that her work is this looming presence in their relationship

Anyway I’m gonna shut up now cos this is A LOT

I’m so sorry it took me so long to respond tho and sending flowers in apology💐💐💐💐💐💐

Love ya for being so genuine when asking and hope all this didn’t come off too strong and that it was idk helpful?🫶🫶

I realise my response is abt to have toxic bt fans scurry to my inbox like rats to send hate and to that I say go fuck yourselves I’m responding to a question here

[loving-family-poll]

Ultimate Incest Tournament - Round 4

Propaganda under the cut:

Gerard/Mikey:

Vocalist and bassist respectively of my chemical romance. they are insanely codependent (describing themselves as the same person just different heights etc). gerard has also licked mikeys nipple onstage. good times

Gerard is decidedly super abnormal about mikey. he has written many songs about him that are always adjacent to straight up love songs. he has also been explicitly sexual with him (giving him a pantomime handjob, caressing his chest, saying he looks like a hooker etc etc) while also constantly babying him. theyre codependent and they finish each others sentences and theyre in ickydisgusting brotherlove❤️❤️❤️❤️

Grew up together as the outsiders in their New Jersey town and spent their teenhoods together in a musty basement. Mikey learned to walk by running after Gerard and face-planting. Gerard drew comics for Mikey and told him stories. They went to a Smashing Pumpkins concert together and decided that being in a band is what they wanted out of life. Mikey learned the bass because Gerard was in bands and he wanted to join. Gerard called up Mikey after witnessing 9/11 and told him they're gonna start a band. Everything they do is together, they love each other. And isn't it so much fun to turn that incest?

Mikey Way wrote a comic where the main character, who looks like him from the black parade era, gets a woman pregnant. Which isn't incestuous on its own, but she looks like the female version of Gerard Way from the black parade era. Love is love or something

Dave/Rose:

Daverose blondetwin sweep because they were codependent without ever meeting from growing up seeing each other in their dreams

What does it mean to be an abused teenage boy growing up alone and seeing a girl in your dreams every night who is also your best friend. and when you finally meet her you go on a suicide mission together even though nobody was asking you to die with her. and then you are the only two human beings left in the recognizable universe on a cold meteor surrounded by aliens but you’re glad it’s with her. and when you finally touch the girl from your childhood dreams she looks exactly like you. because she’s your sister

I don't have words for how good these snarky assholes are together. DaveRose is brain chemistry changing. They both put up so many fronts, and engage in so much snarky wordplay, and are constantly trying to get under each other's facade. They play off each other so well, witty and sharp, I need them to be together always

We all die & we all die alone are the two cold truths of the universe but dave and rose broke both simultaneously by ascending to godhood together

Their twincest wins because it is just so confusingly tragic? profound? dave leaving rose behind in a doomed world, dave following her to the bomb. they are both so closed & cut off & curt its hard to imagine the depth of these things. but that is their love language: giving up their lives for each other over and over, in a confusing and fumbling and heartfelt love song. i can’t say i love you but i know we’ll die together anyway. because we’re made of the exact same stuff. i’ll find you again at the last moment. that’s love.

THEY DIED TOGETHER, YOUR HONOR

Confirmed canon by the author, (something happened) between them. Parallels of dying by each other's sides in EVERY timeline. They are THE womb-to-tomb. There is nothing platonic about winking at your brother while talking about crushes, that shit is incestuous. Seer/Knight archetype. They will die protecting each other.

do you realize love someone if you don’t follow them on a suicide mission into the gaping maw of a literal fucking sun after they knock you out and psychoanalyze you in your dreams? the blueprint of the “ethereal androgynous blonde boygirl twins” trope. witch/knight dynamics. they find each other to die together in every timeline no matter what (but they’re still emotionally constipated teenagers who bicker and make fun of each other in pesterchum). kids with grown-up powers. perfect little freaks of nature. what if we looked exactly like each other’s eyes

[happybird16]

•Chapter Five•

Naga!Levi Ackerman/Fem!Reader

Summary: Growing up, the forest's edge always darkened the far corner of your small village. The giant, twisted branches overhead rendered the forest floor a terrifying, pitch black. You shouldn't be here. There's creatures here, dangerous ones.

Overall warnings: Past references to child abuse, blood, scars, gore, mystery, eventual sex, inhuman genitalia (Levi is a snake man), horror vibes.

Chapter warnings: Horror vibes, myster, blood, gore, references to past child abuse.

Chapter length: 6.2k

Ao3 Link

The most special of shoutouts to my beloved friend and beta @theferricfox!!!! Also, credit to @the-milk-anon for the snake banner!!

Note: Very excited to see your reactions to this!!!

Previous chapter | Next chapter

It's morning, you know that for a fact, but the forest is nearly pitch black. In the few short feet between the mountainside and the trees, the soft morning light had sparkled brightly off the snow. It had been nearly blinding.

But now nothing but darkness surrounds you. Luckily, the blizzard has stopped, at least for a bit judging by the forbidding clouds looming in the distance. However, the cold is unforgiving, and the biting wind cuts through your body with a sharp chill. Every breath feels like icy needles in your lungs. The leather of your gloves creaks in protest every time you wring your shivering hands for warmth.

You think it might be too cold to snow.

As you press forward against the powerful intermittent breeze, it threatens to knock you off balance with its force. Every step becomes a slow and arduous battle against the wind. Despite the unsettling conditions, you find yourself oddly grateful for the giant's repetitive visits. Its lumbering footsteps have inadvertently created a path through the snow, a winding trail that bears the imprint of its clumsy movements.

In your earlier years, prior to the birth of your brother, you had been taught how to hunt. Your father had always wanted a son, he'd told you as much repeatedly, and he'd put that pressure onto you. Under his relentless and often cruel gaze, you’d spent a significant portion of your youth in the safer woods on the opposite side of town, learning the skills of tracking, killing, and skinning. Nothing you did was ever good enough for him, as he constantly pushed you to meet his high expectations.

However, everything changed when your brother Gerard was born. Suddenly, your father's attention shifted entirely to him, and you were left to find your place and learn the tasks assigned to women alongside your mother. This abrupt abandonment brought both a sense of relief and a deep-seated ache within you.

Those memories are distant now. Long gone, fuzzy and buried somewhere in the depths of your mind. Trudging determinedly through the knee high snow, you struggle to recall even the littlest scene.

“I’m too weak,” you mumble morosely to yourself, tracing the tidy line of stitches along your sleeve. A heavy sigh escapes your lips as you come to a realization. You simply can’t bring yourself to do it. The Naga may be a bit rough around the edges and more than a little bit curt, but he's kind. In his own way, he's kind. As terrible a person as you are, you can't hurt someone like that, not even for your own gain.

You don't know what you're going to do. Uncertainty hangs over your future. Without those scales, going back home is impossible. As long as the storm rages on, everything remains up in the air. In the midst of this uncertainty, you have made a decision to focus on the present moment and what you can do right now.

The loaf of bread you had brought won't last much longer, no matter how much you ration it, and it certainly won't work for your companion. You need something else. He's a predator, you should've realized that in the first place. His teeth and claws are clear enough evidence towards his diet. You need protein. You need meat.

In the low light, you strain your eyes to spot any signs of small creatures scuttling about, searching for loose patches of fur or even a trail of little footprints. A rabbit would be a welcome find, even if just for a short while. You find yourself hoping that Levi, the Naga, was telling the truth when he mentioned not eating much in the winter. While his human half may be roughly human-sized, albeit on the smaller side, his overall size is immense. Lithe and brimming with muscle, you can only imagine the amount of food he requires.

During your journey here, countless chipmunks and rabbits had been darting about in the underbrush. There had even been a handful of birds, mostly crows and ravens, staring down at you from the branches overhead. But now, there's nothing. The entire forest seems to have come to a standstill under the grip of the bitter cold.

Every step forward resounds as a loud crunch, your foot breaking through a thick layer of ice atop the snow. Surrounded by towering trees, you can’t help but feel small and isolated. It’s clear you can’t remain out here for long. The biting cold is already seeping through your thick coat, penetrating your skin. Hopefully, your scaly companion is still peacefully dozing when you return.

You yearn desperately for a bow or even your knife -wherever that disappeared to, you haven't seen it since Levi had threatened you with it. You vaguely recall how to set up traps, but that requires time and patience—luxuries you can’t afford. The longer you stay exposed out here, the more treacherous it becomes.

This is stupid, you know that, but what else is there to do. Levi.. Levi only seems to be getting weaker by the day. He's getting slower and slower, spending more and more time curled up in the corner asleep. It's too cold and only getting colder by the day. You don't know how long this storm is going to last but maybe.. maybe helping him will buy you more time. You can only hope.

Suddenly, a forceful gust of wind confronts you head-on, almost knocking you off balance. As you struggle to readjust your hood and cover your ears, something catches your attention. There, in the snow, is a trail of tiny footprints. They wander aimlessly before vanishing beneath the dense, leafless tangle of a thorn bush.

As you approach, the sound of your footsteps crunching against the snow, a sudden commotion breaks out nearby. Startled, a large, plump bunny with pristine white fur darts away with astonishing speed, vanishing into the shelter of a dense thicket. You identify it as a cranberry bush, its dark green leaves contrasting against the vibrant red berries still adorning its branches. A mischievous grin spreads across your face as you realize that must be the bunny's chosen food source. It's a perfect opportunity.

Knowing that time is of the essence, you decide to set up a trap, hopeful that you can return later to check on it. Kneeling onto the cold snow, you swiftly assemble a small snare, ensuring it is discreet and strategically placed.

While you concentrate on your task, a loud crash resonates from a distance behind you. The noise echoes through the wintry landscape, accompanied by the distinct sound of branches snapping and snow crunching under pressure.

And then, just as suddenly, it happens again—an even louder cacophony that interrupts the serene surroundings and captures your attention.

As your shoulders tense up, a sense of unease washes over you, causing a prickling sensation to crawl along the back of your neck. Desperately hoping it's just the wind playing tricks on your senses, you can't shake the nagging feeling that something is amiss. Deep within the recesses of your mind, an instinctual alarm blares, urging you with every fiber of your being to resist the urge to turn around.

In the distance, a strange and dissonant sound reverberates, a peculiar blend between a whisper and a low growl. Above the howling wind, it carries a haunting quality, almost as if it's calling your name. The sensation of horror intensifies, sending shivers down your spine and causing goosebumps to rise on your skin.

With a mixture of dread and curiosity, against your better judgment, you finally gather the courage to look behind you. The sight that greets you is enough to freeze your blood. A row of yellowed teeth, large and uneven, looms before you, jutting out from a hidden presence that sends a jolt of terror through your entire being.

The entity before you is massive, towering on all fours at a height more than triple your own. It looms menacingly, contorted and deformed into a grotesque parody of a bear. Its appearance is a nightmarish amalgamation, with fur interrupted by patches of rough scales, and the gaps between them exuding a sickening black ooze that bubbles and festers.

A piercing scream tears from your throat as pure terror propels you forward, scrambling on your hands and knees. Panic consumes your every thought as you flee, driven by an instinct to escape at all costs. Snow flies in a flurry behind you as you sprint frantically through the forest, the thundering sounds of your own frantic footsteps drowned out by the horrifying growls that echo through the air. The creature pursues you relentlessly, its presence casting a twisted, elongated shadow that seems to warp and twist even in the darkness of the surrounding forest.

In a desperate attempt to save yourself, you propel your body forward, but before you can get far, the creature's hand clamps around your waist, its razor-sharp claws piercing your skin. Your voice cracks as you scream out, calling for Levi, hoping against hope for rescue.

The creature growls with a low, rumbling sound, a mockery of your terror. Lifting you effortlessly, it brings you to eye level, its distorted features contorting into a twisted smile. Its head is adorned with an unsettling abundance of eyes, reminiscent of an insect's multifaceted gaze. A warbling sound escapes its distorted mouth, and as its jaws open wide, row upon row of sharp teeth are revealed. It mimics your voice in a chilling echo, taunting you with the word, "Weeaak."

How long had it been following you?

The realization of the creature's prolonged pursuit sends a wave of horror coursing through your veins. The intensity of your fear fuels a surge of adrenaline, propelling you to lash out in a desperate attempt to defend yourself. With a guttural scream, your fingers claw into the uneven hide of its finger, digging in with all your might. In a moment of desperation, you manage to deliver a rough kick that grazes its snout, eliciting a snort of annoyance as it violently shakes its head, flinging you aside like a ragdoll.

The impact with the ground is jarring, leaving you dazed and disoriented. Half-buried in a large snow bank, you struggle to regain your bearings. With great effort, you manage to crawl a few feet forward, but your respite is short-lived as the creature's claws close around your left leg with a bone-chilling grip. A searing pain courses through your body as a sickening crack resonates from your foot, followed by the agonizing sensation of dagger-like talons, each one larger than your head, slicing mercilessly into your thigh. The sheer intensity of the pain is so overwhelming that the scream that escapes your throat is deafening, leaving you hoarse and breathless.

As darkness encroaches and your vision fades into a spotty abyss, a sense of suffocation washes over you, making it difficult to draw in a breath. The grip of the creature's strange, scaly and furry hand constricts around you with an unimaginable strength, causing your chest to strain and creak under its relentless pressure. Desperation sets in as your hands scramble and push against its enormous fingers, but your feeble attempts to fight back prove futile. Weakly, you manage to utter a profanity-laden plea through wheezing breaths, desperately denying the horrifying reality unfolding before you. “F-fuck,” you wheeze, “N-no. No!”

The creature's massive maw opens wide, unleashing a gust of warm, putrid breath saturated with the stench of decaying flesh. The revolting odor nearly overwhelms your senses, threatening to make you gag. With tears streaming down your face, you tightly squeeze your eyes shut, allowing sobs of despair to escape your trembling lips. In the depths of your heart, you know that this is the end. This is how you meet your demise.

In the midst of your despair and self-blame, the piercing cry of the creature breaks through the air. Its agonizing yowl reverberates in your ears, causing the world to spin and your senses to falter. With a jolt, the creature hurls you aside once more, and you find yourself landing face down in the cold, unforgiving snow bank.

Disoriented and shaken, you struggle to lift yourself up, your thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear. The abrupt turn of events leaves you wondering what could have caused the creature’s sudden distress. As the pain courses through your body, the burning sensation intensifies, leaving you writhing in agony. The echoes of the creature’s torment still reverberate in your ears, and amidst the chaos, you notice the sound of its whimpering retreat. Confusion fills your mind as you try to make sense of the sudden turn of events. Why did the creature leave? What just happened?

Struggling to regain your composure, you lift yourself up from the snow, wincing at the sharp pains that shoot through your limbs.

Fingers grip your shoulders from behind and you jolt, letting out a hoarse cry. It's back it's back it's back. The fingers dig in, softly urging you onto your back. Levi fills your vision. His mouth is moving, but you can't hear.

“Levi,” you breath, shoulders easing. Sinking heavily into the snow, your teeth begin to chatter. With your hazy vision, you manage to make out the shape his lips are forming. Your name, he's calling your name.

He's never done that before.

“You- you saved me,” you whimper, eyes fluttering heavily. Shivering, the cold has settled through your clothes, sticking wetly to your skin. “Levi I-”

“-could hear you screaming from the den. What the fuck are you doing out here?” Levi pauses, nose flaring and tongue flicking out. Suddenly sharp, his eyes drag along your half-buried form, “Is that blood I smell? Are you injured?”

“Rabbit,” you try to speak, mouth heavy. You point uselessly in what you think is the direction of your snare. “Wanted to get you food.”

His eyes widen and he shakes his head in disbelief. “You’re a fucking idiot,” he snarks dryly. “Of course you managed to run into a Shifter.”

Shifter? Before you can ask what he means by that, a sudden and horrifying turn of events unfolds before your eyes. Claws, belonging to the bear-like creature, come into view, encircling Levi’s small waist with a vice-like grip. Your heart sinks as you witness the viciousness of the attack.

The claws dig deep into his flesh, rending his flesh and leaving trails of blood in their wake. With a violent throw, Levi is hurled forcefully into the distance, his body colliding with a tree. The sickening sound of impact echoes through the air as he falls to the ground, motionless, leaving behind a streak of red on the tree’s bark.

“Levi!” Desperation and anguish well up within you as you scream hoarsely, calling out to him. The bear-thing is back, dragging its way over you with one of its legs dangling limply behind. A chilling dark black trail follows in its wake, turning the pure white snow into a disgusting sludgy mess. Blood. Its blood is black.

The air hangs heavy with fear as the creature looms over you, its presence suffocating. Paralyzed with terror, you can only tremble uncontrollably. Its massive paws sink into the snow on either side of you, a chilling reminder of your helplessness.

Its face, devoid of thought or reason, contorts in a grotesque and shifting manner, causing a wave of discomfort to wash over you. The sight is almost unbearable, making your eyes ache and your skin crawl. Saliva drips from its open maw, splattering warm and sticky against your trembling form. The repulsive sensation sends shivers down your spine as the creature's tongue extends, yearning for a taste of its prey.

Feeling overwhelmed and cornered, you close your eyes tightly, seeking refuge from the horror before you. This is it. This is it. Dread fills your every fiber as you resign yourself to this terrifying fate. The weight of guilt presses upon you, knowing that your actions may have condemned Levi to his demise as well.

But then, a voice cuts through the darkness, shattering the suffocating silence. "Hey, ugly fuck." The creature's attention is swiftly diverted, and you instinctively turn your gaze towards the source of the voice. Levi rises, despite his injuries, rolling his shoulders with a determined air. His arm hangs limply at his side, evidence of the harsh impact with the tree. The sight of the deep gashes on his waist, painting his side with a rapidly spreading pool of crimson, fills you with both concern and awe.

Blood trickles from his forehead, obscuring his eye. With a casual wipe of his forehead, he inspects the bloody mess on his fingertips, emitting a low tsk of disapproval. "Is that all you got?" he taunts, his voice laced with defiance and a touch of dark humor.

The wounds on Levi’s side emit an otherworldly steam, the flesh bubbling and reforming right before your eyes. As he rolls his mangled shoulder, a grimace of discomfort crosses his face before it audibly cracks back into place. The memory of the older girl’s words resurfaces in your mind, her whisper echoing vividly: “Nagas heal fast.”

Forgetting about you, the creature surges toward him with an uneven gait, roaring loudly. With lightning speed, he lunges forward to meet it, coiling his serpentine body tightly around the WildOne. His tail loops up and over the creature’s shoulders, securing its waist in a vise-like grip. Emitting a snarl that resonates with primal fury, he tightens his muscular coils, squeezing the life out of the beast. The rows upon rows of his sinewy muscles lock firmly, constricting and compressing the creature’s chest. With each wheeze and shudder of its failing breath, it stumbles on unsteady feet, weakened under the overwhelming force of Levi’s constriction.

Within the constricting grip of Levi's tail, the monstrous creature undergoes a grotesque transformation. Its flesh bubbles and swells, morphing into a hideous form as an unexpected limb sprouts from its shoulder. A wing emerges, black and sludgy, taking shape with feathers unfurling before your bewildered eyes. The wing flutters in a frantic and unnatural manner, its emergence accompanied by the audible cracking of the creature's ribs.

Levi's earlier words about Shifters now make perfect sense. This abomination is a shape-shifter, capable of assuming different forms. The creature writhes helplessly within the vice-like hold of Levi's coils, its bones audibly snapping and breaking with each agonizing twist. And then, with a sickening wet gurgle, it collapses, crashing onto the snow-covered ground, causing the earth beneath to tremble. The once formidable beast is now defeated.

“Why-” you wheeze as Levi quickly slithers to your side. “Why did you-” Why did you save me?

“Shut up,” he shushes you, tone soft despite the wording. Fingers digging into your shoulder blades, he urges you up. “We need to go. I don't have much longer out here and we don't want that things mother to discover us.”

“Coat-” you start with a wince, “you're not wearing your coat.”

“I was in too much of a hurry to grab it,” he explains distractedly. He's already shivering, lips tinting visibly blue. His tail curls behind you, helping to urge you upward, “Come on, up up up!”

“The-” you struggle, managing to your feet before your vision spots with black. “The shifter -why was it like that?”

“It was just a baby,” he explains, pressing to your side and wrapping an arm across your shoulder. He's warm. You shiver into his heat. “Shifters can only turn into the things they've consumed and it was still sloppy at even that.”

“A baby,” you repeat deliriously. Your leg is hot, for some reason. Everything else is ice cold, but your leg feels like it's on fire. Glancing down, your vision only finds pure, bright red. Blood. “I'm bleeding,” you mutter dumbly, staring down at the torn mess of your left thigh.

Three deep slashes mar your upper leg, starting from the inner thigh and gradually becoming more shallow towards the knee. The entire area is drenched in sticky, warm blood, saturating your leg and even seeping into your socks. Overwhelmed by the gruesome scene, a nauseating sensation engulfs you, threatening to make you sick. “I think I'm going to throw up.”

Levi’s expression turns grave, his jaw tightening. “Try not to look at it. We have to hurry,” Levi urges, pressing against your back. “Come on, walk with me. Stay with me, focus on staying conscious-”

Levi's urgent voice echoes in your fading awareness, urging you to keep moving despite the excruciating pain. With his support, you manage to take a step forward, but the intensity of the agony overwhelms you. Your vision blurs, and the edges darken as your body gives in to the strain.

Collapsing heavily against Levi's side, consciousness slips away, engulfed by the encompassing darkness. Time becomes elusive, and you drift in and out of awareness, caught between fleeting moments of consciousness and the depths of unconsciousness. Sensations pierce through the haze intermittently—aching pain, bone-chilling cold, and the unmistakable crunch of snow underfoot.

Through the fog, you catch fragments of Levi's voice, his curses ringing close to your ear. His hands apply pressure to your injured body, their sharp nails grazing your skin. You sense the shifting motion, the dragging sensation that signifies you are being moved, but your mind struggles to grasp the details.

In this liminal state between consciousness and oblivion, you cling to the thread of awareness, relying on Levi's strength and determination to guide you through the treacherous darkness.

As your consciousness returns, you find yourself within the familiar confines of Levi's nest, the comforting surroundings offering a momentary respite from the harrowing ordeal. Moaning in pain, you become acutely aware of the throbbing sensation radiating from your injured leg.

“You’re awake,” Levi's voice rumbles from where the fire is roaring behind you. His deep voice breaks through the haze, his presence assuring you of some semblance of safety. You turn towards the sound, catching sight of him feeding a log into the roaring fire. The flames dance and crackle, casting a warm and flickering glow throughout the cave. It's a larger fire than you've ever seen before, its intensity seemingly reflecting the urgency of your return.

“Hurts-” you manage with a soft whine. It's the worst pain you've ever felt in your life. You're too afraid to move and make it worse. “‘s bad.”

“You're soaked to the bone from the snow,” Levi clicks his tongue. “Need to get you out of those clothes so I can check your wounds.” It feels like he's mostly talking to himself, which might be for the best since you don't have the strength to talk.

Pressing to your side, he quickly pulls your top over your head. Your bra follows and he immediately buries your upper half beneath several pelts. Your boots come off next, first your right then your left. The latter is blindingly painful, your foot swollen and purplish. You hiss loudly, moaning in pain.

Sharp nails tear carefully into your trousers, separating the material from your wounded skin. The cloth has to be carefully peeled away from your upper thigh. Every bit of cloth pulled away is unbearably painful. “Shit,” his eyes widen as he stares in horror at the mess of your thigh, “That's not good.”

“‘s not?” you ask. God, you're dizzy even laying down. Raising your head, you strain to look. You only catch a glimpse of it, flesh torn open wide. Bloody and raw, portions of your thigh are dangling free in scraggly bits. Dazed, you watch blood leak lazily down your thigh in a thick rivulet before Levi urges your head back down. “-ow much blood have I lost?”

“Don't look,” he urges, pressing your shoulders down. The next thing you know, something wet is lapping softly at the wounds. Urgent and meticulous, it swipes warm against the edges of your open wound.

You look down and scream. Levi is lapping at your wound, licking up the blood.

He's eating you. He's eating you. He's eating you.

You panic, whimpering weakly and frantically trying to push him away. Kicking at him with your good leg, a solid and terrifyingly strong grip locks tight around your calf. Your mouth runs, but you can't hear yourself in your panic.

“Relax. I'm not eating you,” Levi tells you calmly. The tight grip on your calf remains, pressing the limb down into the bedding. His mouth is shiny and red with your blood. It practically drips from his chin. As he speaks, you see nothing but the dark red smeared along his teeth. “Naga saliva heals.”

Oh. It's a struggle to process what he means, the pain making your vision swim and your mind slow. The slide of his tongue against your broken skin hurts. It burns red hot, like being jabbed with a red hot iron.

It hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts. You scream, mind sinking into darkness yet again.

“Hey, hey. Look at me,” fingers press urgently to your face, swiping the soft skin beneath your eyes. Your name. Levi calls you your name again. “Open your eyes. Come on.”

Warm. You feel unusually warm. Delirious, you can't remember where you are. A forehead presses to your own, followed by a soft curse.

“Not again. This can't be happening again,” Levi mutters frantically above you. Something presses urgently to your lips. Warm and soft, they press into you, urging you to open up. Lips. They're lips. A palm cups the back of your head, oddly sticky, angling your neck to deepen the lip lock. A tongue presses through, sliding warm against your own. Fingers wrap around your neck, the thumb working circles into the column of your throat. “Swallow,” Levi urges you, voice desperate. “Come on, swallow.” His lips press to yours again.

“Mhmm,” you moan softly into the lip lock, eyes fluttering open. At his urging, the soft press of his thumb, you swallow thick. Iron. It tastes of iron. Your blood.

Darkness greets you yet again.

When you blink awake next, his chest is planted flat to your own. Hovering above you as if to shield you from the world, Levi starts the moment your eyes flutter open by calling your name softly, ”How are you feeling?”

Something shifts beneath you and you realize that you're resting tucked within the coils of his tail. The dark black scales are surprisingly soft, warm with almost a silk-like texture. “I-” you shift before yelping in pain. Pinching your eyes tight, you fight to keep the world from spinning yet again. You suck air between your teeth in a sharp hiss, “It hurts.”

“Don't move too much,” Levi frowns, chastising you softly. “I only just managed to seal the cuts.”

Seal them? If you had the energy, your eyebrows would raise incredulously. The deepest parts had probably grazed bone. “Why- why are you-”

Why are you helping me?

Other than the sharp ache in your leg, every part of you feels heavy and numb. It's as if your limbs suddenly weigh a thousand pounds, and a distant and fuzzy sensation envelops you. The tight cocoon of Levi's tail provides a cozy and comforting embrace, and the rhythm of his chest against yours is soothingly warm. Your eyelids grow heavy, inviting sleep.

"Shh," Levi urges softly, his sharp nails scraping gently along your shoulders. "Sleep if you want. I'll keep an eye on your wounds."

As you drift, you catch sight of your left foot, carefully protruding from Levi's protective coil. The sight evokes a quivering lip and a sob rising in your throat. It's a deep, ominous shade of purple, swollen and puffy. Your attempts to move your toes yield limited results. "My foot," you mournfully sob.

Levi shifts, shielding the sight with his shoulders. "It already looks better than before," he reassures you earnestly.

"Can't walk like this," you express your worry with a heavy swallow. "The storm is going to end, and I... I..."

"Don't worry about that," Levi interjects, his eyes widening.

"I have to go. Y-you said-"

"You can stay!" He interrupts again, his nails gently grazing your shoulders. "You can stay here as long as you need to heal. I'm only going to be here until spring, but my scent should stick to the cave and keep you safe enough."

Your lip wobbles as you express your concerns, "H-how am I supposed to get around like this? My mission... I-"

"Fuck that old man's rash. Once you're better, I'll escort you back home," Levi offers hastily. "I saw you get tossed, do you have any more injuries?"

His fingers press into your shoulders as his tail carefully flips you over. The realization hits you that you're naked. Underneath the layers of muscle and scales, there's nothing but bare skin. "No, no, no," you mutter repeatedly, fast and delirious. Fear surges through you, worrying that he'll see, he'll see.

Scars. Your back is covered in scars. You can tell the moment he sees them. Levi's breath hitches as his gaze falls upon the scars covering your back. A mix of shock, rage, and dread taints his voice as he asks, "Who did this to you?"

Your face remains buried in the soft deer pelt as your lips brush against the hide. Speaking slowly and with effort, your words carry the weight of the past, "Deserved it... was bad."

His fingers trace along your shoulder and down your spine, following the silvery lines etched by old wounds. "Some of these are really old," he observes, his voice filled with concern. "You were whipped. Did your parents do this?"

You nod in a daze, your mind clouded and thoughts scattered. "Can't go back," you repeat, your words slurring.

"They hurt you?" Levi's voice carries a mix of anger and concern. "Did you run away?"

You repeat your statement, emphasizing your inability to return home. The weight of your circumstances hangs heavy in the air.

Levi's fingers continue their gentle exploration along your spine as he responds, his voice filled with care and hesitation, "You don't have to... I-"

Not even registering his words, you continue to mumble, "Scales. Need the scales."

Time seems to stand still as the weight of your words sinks in. "What?" Levi's voice slices through the air, filled with shock and urgency. He spins you around to face him, disregarding any discomfort it causes you. His voice drops to a chilling whisper, colder than the harsh winter winds outside. His tail quivers around you, his gaze piercing and intense. "What did you just say?"

Your head hangs limply to the side, barely able to muster a response. The words escape your lips in a feeble, desperate tone, "Need the scales... Need luck."

Levi surges forward, looming in your face with a solid hiss. The enormous length of his tail rises, coiling terrifyingly behind his head. You get the sense that if he had a rattle, it's sound would be filling the air in an outright threat. “I fucking knew it,” he spits, eyes flaring red. “You're just like them.”

Levi's sudden aggression and the menacing display of his tail leave you paralyzed with fear. His face looms inches away from yours, his words dripping with venom. The scales around you tighten, constricting painfully as they exert their immense strength. You wince, feeling your ribs protest with a sickening creak. Trying to defend yourself, you stammer, "N-no, I-"

Levi straightens up, his imposing figure casting a dark shadow over you. The black scales writhe around him, intensifying the air of menace. His voice cuts through the silence, filled with disdain, "You're just like all the other humans. Greedy, horrid pigs who only want to take and exploit."

The weight of his accusations crushes down on you, and you struggle to find words amidst the fear and confusion. The pain intensifies, jolting you into a state of heightened awareness. Panic grips you as you realize the gravity of your accidental confession. Desperate to make Levi understand, you plead, "Please, listen-"

But before you can finish your sentence, Levi forcefully propels you towards the cave entrance. His voice is filled with anger and frustration as he shouts, "Go! Get out of here. I don't want to see you again."

Tears well up in your eyes as you whimper, "I can't... I can't move." Your broken and heavy limbs render you completely immobile, trapped in your own helpless state.

His lips thin and his jaw clenches with anger, the tension in the air palpable. He forcefully slides you forward until your back meets the cold stone of the entrance. "Then I'll throw you out in the snow! The giant will finally get his midnight snack."

With your hands pinned to your sides, you struggle against his grip, desperately trying to free yourself. "Please, let me explain!" you plead, your voice filled with urgency.

"Why?" he hisses, his fangs bared and gleaming in the flickering firelight. "Why should I? So you can continue to lie to me? To deceive and manipulate me?"

You feel a pang of guilt and frustration, realizing the depth of his mistrust. “No, it’s not like that,” you insist, your voice quivering. The pain in your thigh intensifies, reminding you of your desperate situation. “Please, no,” you plead, your voice filled with desperation. “Levi, don’t do this!”

“I trusted you!” he shouts, his voice laced with anger and betrayal. “I thought you were kind! Cute, even.” His nostrils flare as he catches the scent of your fresh blood, and his tongue darts out to taste it. “You humans are so blinded by greed that you forget how weak you really are.”

Tears well up in your eyes as you struggle to find the right words. “I’m not like them,” you gasp, your voice choked with emotion. You try to shout, but the words end up more of a hoarse wheeze, “If I go back empty-handed, they’ll kill me!”

He pauses, tail loosening slightly. His head cocks to the side in silent askance, his eyes softening with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Rushing to explain, your words come out quiet and fast, “People kept dying around me! They called me a witch! A monster! I was declared bad luck and exiled. I can only go back if I bring Naga scales.”

He blinks slowly and double lidded, teeth bared, “And I was just -what- a convenient find?”

Chest heaving against the muscles binding you, you yell with the last of your strength, “I don't want your scales! I don't want to go back! There's nothing to go back to! I don't even remember what the color of your scales mean. I spent how many hours in your presence and I never even tried anything!”

Levi’s snarl intensifies, his face contorting with anger. His muscles ripple with tension as he forcefully guides you towards the mouth of the cave. He growls, his voice laced with accusation, “I caught you watching me, staring at me-”

Feeling defeated and powerless, you lie there, a heavy and lifeless weight, allowing him to push you across the frigid stone. The cold snow seeps into the back of your head, amplifying the bleakness of the situation. Your lip trembles as you summon the courage to speak, “It was a death sentence. I knew that from the moment they threw me in a cage. They never expected me to come back anyway.” Admitting the harsh truth out loud for the first time feels both liberating and terrifying.

The atmosphere is heavy with silence as Levi processes your words. His snarl gradually subsides, replaced by a mixture of surprise and contemplation. The tension in his muscles eases slightly, though his grip remains firm. His gaze softens with a hint of understanding, and a glimmer of empathy shines through his eyes.

Levi's voice trembles as he speaks, his eyes still closed, his face etched with a mix of sorrow and empathy. "Cage?" he whispers, barely audible, as if the weight of those words crushes him. His back muscles twitch and convulse, visibly displaying the pain and anger building within him.

His eyes reopen, filled with profound sadness. His voice sounds small and distant. "They kept you in a cage?"

For several moments, his eyes look distant, dark, and lost. All of his anger fades like a flick of a switch, his shoulders sagging. With a loud huff, you're pulled back into the cave and onto the bedding. "Fine." Levi slides back to you, pressing his chest against yours. "I trust you."

Teeth chattering and heart still throbbing, you rush to apologize, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for lying! I'm sorry for-"

"Go to sleep," he urges you softly, his tail wrapping comfortably tight around you once more. "You apologize too much." Feeling chilly, you bury your nose into his chest, seeking warmth.

You must have muttered that out loud because he responds, "That's because your skin is still like ice." Your body aches, and darkness begins to creep into your vision once again. His soft rumble is the last thing you hear, "By the way, black means strength."

[useless-catalanfacts]

Un vídeo curt explicant els drets dels catalanoparlants amb l'atenció al ciutadà a l'àmbit públic, partint del cas d'una discriminació en un CAP.

Em sembla interessant ressaltar sobretot el que diu en Gerard Furest cap al final, sobre com es planteja la història quan algú protesta contra aquestes discriminacions: "l'objectiu final és pintar el catalanoparlant [a qui se li ha negat el dret a ser atès per motiu de llengua] com un ploramiques, com si el seu dret a parlar en català fos un simple caprici. Som capaços d'imaginar que a algú se li negués l'atenció sanitària pel seu color de pell o orientació sexual? Oi que no? Doncs la gravetat de la discriminació per llengua és objectivament la mateixa."

[theyayadiamond]

Hear From Songwriting Icon Paul Anthony in This Exclusive Interview! from Yaya Diamond on Vimeo.

#blackwomenpodcasters #icon #music

imdb.com/name/nm0030976/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm Paul Anthony was born on September 4, 1958 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as Paul Anthony George. He is an actor, known for House Party, Coach Carter and Martin. Paul Anthony is a producer, songwriter, and vocalist who has worked with entertainers such as Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, James Brown, Black Eyed Peas, Bob Dylan, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Selena, Nicki Minaj and Patti Labelle. Paul Anthony has also starred in the urban classic films "House Party", "House Party 2" and "Krush Groove". With almost 30 years in the entertainment business, Paul Anthony is a member of the legendary and Grammy award winning R&B Hip Hop group Full Force. Paul Anthony formed the group along with his brothers Lou George Jr. (Bowlegged Lou) and Brian George (B-Fine) as well as with cousins Gerard Charles (Baby Gerry), Curtis Bedeau (Curt-t-t) and J.R. Clarke (Shy Shy). Paul Anthony is a producer, songwriter, and vocalist who has worked with entertainers such as Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, James Brown, Black Eyed Peas, Bob Dylan, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Selena, Nicki Minaj and Patti Labelle. Paul Anthony has also starred in the urban classic films "House Party", "House Party 2" and "Krush Groove". Throughout his career, Paul Anthony has maintained a healthy lifestyle because of his commitment to fitness, body building and keeping a positive attitude. With all of Paul Anthony's musical, acting and body building skills, he still wasn't immune to a molecular invasion that he is currently using to bring awareness to a disease that doesn't discriminate. Paul Anthony is one of many "Cancer Champions" who has battled Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Paul Anthony explains how he found out that he has the disease. "I was in the gym training and my training partner saw a small lump in my neck. He thought it was unusual and suggested that I get checked out. I didn't feel anything, which is pretty normal with this disease. I went to the doctor and had a FNA (fine needle aspiration). During the biopsy procedure they removed fluid and tested it. The biopsy was conclusive and there still is no cure for this disease.

"I never asked why me?! I was too preoccupied with finding a solution, finding an answer. I figured since cancer picked me I'd dance with it. My attitude was let's do this! I knew I had to dance with it in order to get control of it and conquer it because I've got a life to live!"

Paul Anthony decided to go public with his fight in order to raise awareness about the seriousness of the disease and also to encourage others, especially entertainers, to be more open about their predicaments in hopes that they could help and inspire others. Paul Anthony has had victory over the odds and is determined to educate cancer patients alike, how to overcome the same odds. Paul Anthony wants to spread the message that:

[reverend-dog]

Ransom

The door banged open, under the impact of a shoulder. The shoulder’s owner strode into the grotto, in the company of his fellows. “Duchess!” one of the compatriots shouted. “We got her!”

“Louder, dipshit,” another rebuked. “I don’t think they heard you back at the palace.”

“What?” challenged ‘Dipshit’ in all earnestness. “Of course they heard! That’s the whole point of this caper!”

“Oh, my god, Gerald,” chided his fellow. “Do you need instructions on the heel to pour water out of a boot?”

“Enough,” a curt, commanding voice cut through the verbal joust. At the opposite end of the grotto from the entrance, a woman turned and bent a chastising eye on the procession. “Show some decorum for our distinguished guest.” She waved a scarred, sinewy hand toward an empty chair near a wide table littered with maps and documents.

The soldiers deposited a sleeping bag onto the chair, and the one who had questioned Gerald’s intelligence slid the zipper open enough to reveal the head and shoulders of a young woman. A cloth sack encased her head still, and the posture of her shoulders hinted at restraints on her wrists. At a further gesture from their leader, the sack was loosened and pulled off.

“Ow!” complained the hostage, as a few strands of hair went with the sack. Eyes the exact shade of a lilac blossom flicked from side to side, wide and intense. The nostrils of a petite, straight nose flared, and the way her lips pursed accented their plumpness. Aside from the heart-shaped mole at the corner of her left eye, not a single blemish marred the skin of her face or neck, as smooth and bronzed as the namesake alloy.

Inspection finished, the hostage fixed her eyes on the tall, hardened woman. “You’re Duchess?” she inquired hopefully, as if to confirm the identity of a blind date.

Duchess concealed her surprise. “I answer to that title,” she admitted. “And if you know that, you know who holds your life in their hands.”

The young woman nodded. “My parents,” she replied, voice steady. “If they don’t meet your demands, you’ll kill me. Or worse.”

Duchess smiled. “Nice to see your wits live up to their reputation, princess. Let’s continue the test. Why do you think we kidnapped you?”

“Well,” the princess surmised, “since you chose the day before my wedding, I guess you want to sabotage the alliance between Nilos and Xephos. Do you plan to frame Xephosian separatists?”

“Interesting angle,” Duchess conceded, “but no. We’re not interested in starting a war. Believe it or not, this is strictly a mercenary contract. Times have been lean, so we had to branch out.” She chuckled. “Though the amount we were told to demand will most certainly require cooperation between both countries to raise. We may just spare you the humiliation of an arranged marriage, princess.”

The princess nodded. “And in the meantime, what plans do you have for me? Cool my heels in a dungeon, or do you have a tower reserved?”

Duchess grinned. “Nothing so traditional. In fact, our inside man insisted that we show you the life that props up your royal privilege.” She crossed her arms. “Gonna grow some calluses on those soft, pretty hands.”

“Duchess?”

Duchess turned away from her monitor with a sigh. Gerard stood in the doorway of her office, face drawn in confusion and apprehension.

“Wait,” Duchess groaned, “don’t tell me.”

“She volunteered,” Gerard whined. “Finished all her regular chores, and volunteered for more.” He shifted his balance. “And --” He cut himself off.

“And,” Duchess prompted, “what?”

Gerard looked even more unhappy. “She’s… started making… suggestions.”

“Suggestions,” Duchess echoed with a frown. “I assume we’re not talking about curtains and flowers.”

“She talked her way into the server room,” Gerard related. “Next thing anybody knows, she’s talking tech with the engineers about how to reduce bloat and eliminate crashes.” His face brightened as he added, “Sven says she improved network efficiency by at least twice!”

Duchess massaged the bridge of her nose. “Four days,” she grumbled. “Simple ransom caper. Instead, we’re in the Ransom of Red Chief.”

“Red who?” Gerard asked.

“Never mind.” Duchess stood, jaw set. “I need to have a talk with Her Highness.”

“She was still in the server room,” Gerard offered, “last I saw.”

Duchess found the princess exactly as Gerard predicted. “Sven,” she addressed the chief network engineer, “take a break.” She raised her voice a notch. “In fact, why don’t all of you go grab some coffee or something.”

After the last engineer shut the door behind himself, Duchess rounded on the princess. “All right, your Highness,” she growled, “no more games. What are you up to?”

The princess smiled at her, head cocked, ingenuous. “I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out already. The Duchess has a reputation for tactical brilliance, after all.”

“You’ve been here four days,” Duchess recounted. “Not only have you been a model prisoner, you’ve contributed more than some sworn members.” Her brow furrowed. “You’ve improved things around her in lots of little ways, problems that needed fixing but nobody with the time and know-how. You’ve improved our quality of life and our operational efficiency, to the point that we might have pulled off your abduction without inside help.”

Duchess’ forehead smoothed and she swung her gaze toward the young woman, who in turn sat with a smile of anticipation. “That was the whole point,” she breathed, “wasn’t it?” She blinked at her own conclusions. “It had to be somebody deep inside, with detailed knowledge and extensive resources. You staged your own kidnapping!”

The princess applauded. “There it is!” she cried, and laughed. “Very good! Now do why.” She sat back in her chair, and drew her legs under her to sit cross-legged.

Duchess pressed pieces against each other in her mind. “Your wedding was supposed to ease the tensions between Nilos and Xephos, but a lot of people protested the idea of sealing an alliance with such an old-fashioned ceremony.”

The princess nodded, her smile smaller but still present. “More out of respect for marriage, really. Countries shouldn’t need to sacrifice lives for treaties. Grown-ups get by just fine on plain honesty, keeping their word.” The smile faded entirely. “Worse than them, though, are the separatists.”

Duchess nodded in agreement. “Nationalists, isolationists, extremists. We refused more than a few offers from both sides.”

“Terrorists,” the princess added gravely. “And that’s why I set this up with your company. I need people who stick to their principles.”

“And your ransom,” Duchess picked up the thread again, “is to be our operating budget. Drawn from the treasuries of both countries, to counter terrorism --”

“Long enough for a real treaty, based on meaningful standards,” the princess finished. She leaned forward in her seat, face intent. “I could have come to you openly about it,” she admitted, “but would you have taken me seriously? I had to show you what I bring to this arrangement, besides money.”

“Well,” Duchess allowed, “you did. But now it’s in the open,” she leaned forward and waggled a finger, pointing alternately at herself or the princess, “there’s got to be a new contract between us.”

“Of course,” the princess agreed. “That’s how things are done.”

[evilhorse]

Boy, at this rate we’ll never find a clubhouse for our new team!

[dxppercxdxver]

you see i like to commit to the bit as much as anyone but the problem is sometimes the bit likes to commit to me

[beckyblah]

The reveal of the princesses’ goal recontextualizes Elody and Gerard’s conversation in suchhhhhh a crazy way. Like of course she’s curt with him! Of course she’s burnt out. Of course she doesn’t want to spend time and try to rekindle that flame, or really even accept his apology, or try to make amends! She doesn’t want there to be a future in which they’re together because she doesn’t want there to be a future.

Currently thinking about how we learned that the Princesses’ goal is to literally destroy all of reality. To kill everyone who’s ever lived. And about how that means it’s also Elody’s goal.

[goobergunch]

from Secret Origins #46 (November 1989) by Gerard Jones and Curt Swan

[books-and-cookies]

Three off beat, murdery non fiction suggestions because they came to mind earlier and I thought of you 😅:

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. A classic for a reason, but rough around the edges by today's standard.

Helter Skelter by Curt Gentry. Account of the Manson murders, and famous for a reason.

High Hopes: The Amityville Murders by Gerard Sullivan. Tosses out all the ghost crap and focuses only on the crime, aftermath, and attempt to solve motive.

I have In Cold blood on my TBR!

I've given Helter Skelter a try, but it's too clinical for my liking and I'm having trouble following it. I think I managed around 50 pages. Maybe I'll go back to it eventually.

I am VERY interested in High Hopes, thank you so much!! <333333

[disneyprinxess]

Gerard and Frances Bean Cobain 😍

[fateandsecrets]

Fate & Secrets Ch. 5

✺ Hyperion ✺

Alaya would skip meetings with her father’s advisors all together if she had her way. Better yet, she’d abolish the meetings and make decisions for herself. After all, she was a queen. Shouldn’t she be given privileges befitting her title? 

“My lady,” The urgent voice of Alfie Harridan, Alaya’s advisor for courtly relationships, snapped her out of her thoughts. “Your father’s death has affected us all, believe me, but we need to think ahead. You are young. You need a king by your side, someone to rule with you.”

Alaya eyed the man who was only a bit older than her father had been. He was a tall but stout man with russet brown eyes and graying blonde hair. Alfie had been her father’s advisor ever since Alaya could remember, but two months ago he’d been just that: her father’s advisor. A stranger to her. They were all strangers, strangers telling her she was not fit to rule without a man by her side. She wanted to throw something. Did they truly think she was that incapable?

But you said it yourself, Alaya, Her brain taunted. You’re not ready to rule. 

“Are you certain we can afford a royal wedding, Alfie?” worried Shamus Whittaker, who oversaw the finances both inside and outside the castle walls. He ran a hand through his bright red hair. 

When they first met, Alaya wondered if he was related to Prince Leander Blakely of Gervasio, the half-brother to King Gerard, whose hair was the same shade of red. It turned out Shamus was a distant cousin whose family had moved to Hyperion before he was born. Part of her wondered if there was some sort of scandal involved in the move, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

“I never agreed to any wedding!” Alaya protested, rising from her seat, but Matthias materialized by her side to gently push her down. Sophia, who was seated next to Alaya, placed a soft hand over hers. 

“This is just talk, my lady,” Sophia assured her, squeezing Alaya’s fingers. “Nothing is set in stone. But we can only keep this up for so long.” Not only was Sophia Alaya’s lady-in-waiting and closest friend, she was also the kingdom’s master spy, the one who gathered information for the crown. Alaya often teased Sophia about her Sagaxan tendencies, since the girl was often forced to do most of her snooping at night. 

“I need time,” Alaya pulled her hand free so she could rub her temples. “I’m sure we can come up with something. Perhaps we could say he contracted an illness from–”

���From what, my lady?” Fergus Curnow, the advisor who oversaw foreign affairs, snorted. “Sun poisoning? Sagaxan bandits?”

“I’d strongly advise leaving Sagax out of this,” interjected Orson Windsor, the battle and strategy advisor, also Matthias’s boss. “Seeing as King Ludovic makes no attempt to hide his eagerness to shed Hyperionese blood.”

Alaya scowled at him. “I’m not an idiot, Lord Windsor,” she snapped. “Provoking the Sagaxans will get us nowhere.” 

“I’m glad you think so, Your Majesty,” A new but irritatingly familiar voice sounded, causing every head in the room to turn. Immediately Matthias’s sword was drawn. Her advisors stood to form a ring around their monarch, while Sophia grabbed Alaya’s arm and shoved her behind her, which was pointless, seeing as her friend was shorter than Alaya by a lot, but she didn’t have time to protest.

“Prince Adonis,” Fergus cleared his throat, offering a curt bow. “My queen tells me you’ve been a frequent visitor as of late.”

“Well,” Adonis arched his brow. “She’s not your queen yet, is she, Lord Curnow?”

“Yet you refer to her with a queen’s title?” Matthias pointed his sword at Adonis. “Your double-standards are disgusting.”

Adonis shrugged, his eyes zeroing in on Alaya. 

“You’re awfully quiet, Alaya.”

“Do not call me Alaya,” She hissed, taking a step forward, but Sophia was unmovable, forcing Alaya to step back reluctantly. “You haven’t earned the right.”

“Perhaps not,” The prince smirked. “But it got you to talk, didn’t it? I was beginning to grow concerned when you were so quiet. Usually you have so much to say.” 

“Only when people like you are involved,” Alaya countered, clenching her hands into fists. “What are you doing here?”

Adonis looked confused. “I thought you’d be expecting me, Your Majesty,” he replied, glancing around the room with surprise. “A fortnight has almost passed. You didn’t think I was going to back out, did you?” When Alaya didn’t respond, the prince laughed. “You really assumed I’d forget your threat to my people, to Sagax as a whole? You’re a bigger fool than I gave you credit for, sol regina.” 

Sun queen. An insult, no doubt, but before Alaya had a chance to fight back, Fergus spoke once more. 

“What does he speak of, Your Majesty?” he asked in a low, dangerous tone. Alaya gulped and stammered out the details of her and Adonis’s last interaction. 

“So,” Adonis finished her story with a flourish. “I’ve come to deliver the contract. The people of Sagax can be amenable under such circumstances.”

“Not interested,” Alaya immediately snapped, but everyone shushed her, including Sophia. 

“Go on, Your Highness.” Fergus said, ever the diplomat. Adonis straightened, his chin tilting up, as if he was pleased to be the center of attention. 

He crossed the room to sit in the chair to Alaya’s left, making himself at home. Alaya, Sophia, and her advisors had no choice but to follow suit. Alaya reluctantly sat next to Adonis. Sophia sat on Alaya’s other side, while her other advisors scattered around the long mahogany table. Matthias sheathed his sword but remained close, his watchful eyes trained on Adonis. 

“Ask and you shall receive, Lord Curnow,” Adonis slid the contract over to Fergus, smirking when Alaya made a grab for the papers, knowing her advisor wouldn’t let her see them even before he snatched them out of her grasp. He leaned back in his chair once more, fishing in his pockets for the grapes he brought to snack on. As soon as Adonis popped one into his mouth, he felt Alaya’s eyes on him.

“Are you actually eating right now?” She asked with surprised anger in her voice. 

“Am I forbidden to eat in your presence, Your Majesty?” Adonis tossed another grape into his mouth, glancing around at her advisors. “Is this a rule among your court? If so, I'll gladly wait to eat my grapes on the journey home.”

Everyone stared at him with varying degrees of shock. 

“No, Your Highness,” Sophia was the first to recover. “You may eat your grapes.”

Adonis gave her his most winning smile. “I appreciate it, Susanna–”

“Sophia,” Sophia corrected him, making Alaya snort.

“The journey here is so long,” Adonis continued as if no one had spoken a word. “I was practically beginning to starve!”

“Pity you didn’t,” Alaya mumbled under her breath, earning her yet another glare from her advisors, though this time she heard Matthias choke back a laugh. 

Fergus cleared his throat. “If I may…”

He began to read the terms of the contract aloud. Adonis barely paid attention to the contents; he’d been there when the Sagaxan foreign affairs advisor, Darius Stolo, wrote up the contract.

Adonis was jolted out of his thoughts when Alaya suddenly leaned forward, eyes bright with delight. “Malik will be here for the festival as well? That’s wonderful!”

“What?” He scoffed, meeting Fergus’s eyes. “Surely you’re mistaken, Lord Curnow.”

“No, Your Highness.” Fergus tried his best to remain calm; he was already developing a piercing headache. “The contract states here that your brother is also to attend–”

Adonis snatched the contract out of Fergus’s hands without further preamble, scanning the document, sure the Hyperionese man had lost his mind. 

His jaw dropped, because there it was.

“‘His Majesty the King requires the presence of his favored son to the Sun Festival to satisfy the requests of Her Royal Highness-‘“ Adonis couldn’t read any more of this nonsense. “You’ve got to be joking.”

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but is it not common knowledge that Prince Malik is the heir to the Sagaxan throne?” Alfie spoke up for the first time since Adonis’s arrival. 

“And you’re the bastard son,” Matthias added with a smug grin. “So it’s obvious who is favored among the two of you.”

“That is quite enough, Matthias,” Orson snapped. 

“Furthermore,” Fergus continued, rubbing his temples. “The wording of the contract is inexact, so I see no other option but to require both princes to attend the Sun Festival.”

“But it says favored son,” Adonis protested. “Not favored sons.”

“Are you so certain you are your father’s favorite, then?” Alaya asked with a grin.

Adonis shot her a glare. “On the bright side, if Malik attends I’ll be able to avoid your obnoxious presence, Your Majesty. Sounds like heaven to me.”

“No,” all of her advisors said at once, causing both Alaya and Adonis to freeze. 

“Your presence will be required, Your Highness,” Sophia said firmly, meeting Adonis’s gray-blue gaze head on. “Lord Curnow is right. You must both attend the Sun Festival.”

“And what of our own festival?” Adonis snapped. “Am I to abandon my goddess to appease a massive ball of fire in the sky?”

“Of course not, Your Highness.” Though Fergus’s tone remained politely detached, his shoulders stiffened with obvious discomfort at the prince’s characterization of their patron god. “That is why Her Majesty will attend the Festival of Shadows; it’s only fair.”

Adonis considered this, his gaze drifting to Alaya, who had scooted as far away from him as her seat would allow in such close proximity. Good, he thought. I don’t want to be sitting next to you either, brat.

“I suppose I can agree to that,” he said aloud. “On one condition.”

“Which is?” Fergus asked, arching a brow.

“I am curious to know if Her Majesty would be willing to…volunteer her time with us just a few days before the Festival,” Adonis spread his hands. “Our staff does most of the planning, of course, but there’s so much that needs to be done…” He sighed. “I’m sure you can make yourself useful somehow, my lady.”

Alaya’s jaw fell open at that. “I will not serve in the name of a goddess I don’t worship! That’s sacrilege!”

“The goddess doesn’t mind,” Adonis assured her. 

“She may not, but my god does!”

“What’s he going to do, incinerate you on the spot? Besides,” Adonis smirked. “Darkness means there is no light. Perhaps your god will be asleep during the festival and won’t notice your disobedience.”

“My disobedience?” Alaya scoffed. “As if you are not disobeying her by entering into an arranged courtship–”

“Don’t take your anger out on me,” Adonis raised his hands in faux surrender. “Your daddy dearest was the one who came up with this little arrangement, my lady. Too bad he isn’t here; I’d dearly love to see you argue with a king.”

Though Alaya had suspected her father had been in talks of a marriage alliance with Sagax, her stomach dropped when Adonis confirmed it, though that feeling quickly vanished into anger.

“Of course she’d be willing to help, Your Highness!” Sophia cut in before Alaya could launch herself at Adonis. “Alaya helps set up for the Sun Festival every year with her-” She stopped, but there was no need for her to continue. The room fell silent, and Alaya wanted to shrivel under the pitying looks her advisors gave her, save for Sophia, Adonis, and Matthias. Sophia simply squeezed her hand in a silent apology. Matthias’s expression was solemn. Adonis shifted in his seat uncomfortably. 

“So it’s a family affair, then?” He cleared his throat. “How quaint. I’m glad to hear that Her Majesty–”

“It used to be a family affair,” Alaya interrupted, rising from her seat. “Lord Harridan, please work with Rosemary on preparing rooms suitable for our royal guests.”

Alfie stood, giving a bow. “Of course, my lady.”

“Lord Curnow,” Alaya continued. “Ensure the amendments to the contract are written down before the day’s end.”

Fergus nodded, rising as well. “May I send for you when the document is completed? I will require your seal.”

“I’ll make sure she receives it, Lord Curnow,” Sophia told him, squeezing Alaya’s hand again, but the queen-to-be pulled her hand free. 

“Good. That’s all for today.” Reluctantly, Alaya’s eyes settled on Adonis, who still reclined leisurely in his chair despite the fact that the rest of them were standing. “As for you, Prince Adonis,” she sniffed with distaste. “Fetch your brother and your things. You may as well make yourself comfortable if this arrangement is to last sixty days.”

“Wonderful,” Adonis finally stood. “I’ll be sure to pack the usual twenty trunks of clothing, then.”

“Twenty?”

“Just trying to lighten the mood,” Adonis sighed, picking at a speck of dirt underneath his nail beds. “Honestly, Your Majesty, for a queen so devoted to her sunshine god, you are quite depressing to be around.”

Alaya couldn’t help but flinch at those words, which made her anger flare again, but she gritted her teeth, determined to hold it together in front of this arrogant prince. “Not to worry, Your Highness,” she said when she trusted herself to speak. “I don’t expect someone who worships darkness to possess an ounce of sympathy for the suffering of others.”

With that, the future queen of Hyperion spun on her heel and stormed out of the room. 

“My lady!” Alfie called after her, exasperated, but Matthias held up a hand. 

“Let her go,” he said quietly, a sad smile tugging at his lips. 

***

Alaya ran until she reached her father’s chambers, ignoring the concerned cries of maids and guards that passed by. She stopped once she reached the door, bracing one hand against the smooth wood as she fought to catch her breath. 

“Oh!” 

Thalun Zohair, King Anata’s former cupbearer turned servant, was surprised when he opened the door to see the heir to the Hyperionese throne gasping for breath. In the grand scheme of things Thalun was new to court; he’d only been her father’s cupbearer for the past decade. Now that the king had passed, Fergus thought it prudent for the man to be in charge of cleaning the late king’s many rooms. “Are you well, my lady? Shall I fetch the physician?”

“No, I–” Alaya blew out a breath, straightening and righting the tiara Sophia had woven her hair around that morning. “I’m fine, Thalun, thank you. I was just…” She swallowed. 

“Ready to enter your father’s chambers, eh?” 

Alaya looked up at the middle-aged man; the kind look in his gray eyes made tears prick the back of her eyes. All she could do was nod. 

“Of course, of course,” Thalun stepped aside, making room for Alaya to walk past him. “I just finished tidying up.”

Hesitantly, Alaya moved further into her father’s chambers. 

“It does look cleaner than usual,” she acknowledged, attempting a smile for Thalun’s sake, who took her humor in stride. 

“Quite the messy one, your father,” he agreed, then added hastily, “Helios restore his soul.”

A lump formed in Alaya’s throat at the mention of another important god in their culture. Helios guided the souls of the dead to the afterlife by providing a warm and inviting light.

“But you must live in such a way that Helios deems your soul worthy of being illuminated,” Alaya’s father had always warned her. 

“How do I do that?” She’d always ask, earning her a tender smile.

“Continue to be yourself, lux mea,” King Anata would reply, cupping her cheek. “For no soul is as bright as yours. Helios himself will be blinded by it.”

My light. That’s what Alaya’s father had always called her. She would always groan when she heard the term of endearment, especially in her teenage years, but now, Alaya longed to hear those words again.

As if reading her thoughts, Thalun placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You were the light of his life, my lady.” He paused, then added, “This was his favorite time of the year, you know.”

“Was it?” Alaya asked, struggling to speak around the growing lump in her throat. Thalun nodded.

“He told me so himself,” he replied. “He especially loved dancing with you near the end of the week–”

“At the ball,” Alaya whispered, choking out a laugh. The edges of a memory spurred her forward, leading her into her father’s bedchambers. 

She was hit by his lingering scent the moment she entered the room, the familiar smell of pine and cinnamon that she’d always loved. A strangled sob escaped Alaya’s lips when her eyes fell on his bed. 

“He always wanted this outfit to be ready early,” she whispered, approaching the bedside reverently, gazing at the elaborate golden ensemble he’d worn every year for the Sun Festival. The matching cloak laid next to it. Alaya gathered the yards of silk into her arms, skimming her nose along the fabric, and the memory surged to the forefront of her mind, bringing her back into the year before.

“My lady,” Sophia sighed as she watched Alaya climb the tall ladder in the ballroom. The princess shot her friend a scowl over her shoulder as she climbed.

“Suns, Soph, how many times have I told you to call me Alaya? And bring the light closer while you’re at it, I need to center this wreath.”

Matthias hovered nearby like always, though he regarded Alaya with amusement instead of exasperation.

“You couldn’t have done this before Sophia stuffed you into your ridiculous regalia?” He motioned towards Alaya’s shimmering golden gown, eyeing the golden circlet that her hair had been woven into. The maids had even coated her skin with golden dust so that it shone in the soft light. 

In truth, her guard was worried, though for a different reason. 

Alaya had been Matthias’s best friend since they were children. He couldn’t remember much of her as a little girl, but as a young woman she was much too beautiful for her own good. Matthias knew she’d be furious if she found out her father was talking about a marriage alliance between Sagax and Hyperion. To his credit, King Anata wanted to tell Alaya about the possibility as soon as he could, but Matthias talked him out of it the day before the ball.

It’s for her own good. Helios knows how she’d react if she knew…

A pang of guilt made Matthias’s chest ache. He hated keeping secrets from her, but there was nothing he could do about it now. 

“Done!” Alaya pronounced proudly, snapping Matthias out of his thoughts.

“Finally,” Sophia breathed a sigh of relief. “Now get down from there before your father sees.”

Alaya rolled her eyes, reaching for Matthias, who hurried to the ladder, wrapped his hands around her waist, and lowered her down to the floor. 

“You worry too much,” she said, patting Matthias’s shoulder in thanks. “Father hasn’t even arrived yet.”

“Announcing His Majesty, King Anata Alfred Meryall of Hyperion!”

Alaya tried not to burst into laughter as her father entered the room.

“Impeccable timing as always, my lady,” Matthias mumbled with a snort. 

Needless to say, King Anata knew something was awry the second he looked at his daughter’s face.

“What in the name of Helios have you done now?” He approached Alaya with a warm smile, though his eyes narrowed at something he saw in her hair. “Is this…a sunflower petal?” The king asked as he tugged it out of her hair. Alaya froze, trying to think of something to say as her father proceeded to guide her to the dance floor.

“That depends,” she replied at last. 

“On?”

“If I get in trouble for centering the sunflower wreath nearest to the chandelier,” the words spilled out of Alaya’s mouth in a rush. “Truly, Father, it only took a moment, and Matthias and Sophia were right there, and–”

Alaya was startled when her father began to laugh. 

“Does this mean you’re not angry with me?” She ventured as his laughter slowed. King Anata let out another chuckle, twirling his daughter once before bringing her to his chest in a warm hug.

“You’re not a child anymore, lux mea,” he told her gently. “You are not invincible, either. Someday, when I am old and gray,” King Anata held her away from him. “You will be our queen.”

“I know, Father,” Alaya said, because of course she knew. “I’ll try to act more…queenly.”

King Anata gave his only child a pure, loving smile, as if taking her in for the first time.

“Oh, pulchra lux mea,” he smoothed a strand of hair behind Alaya’s ear. “That is the problem. You already look every inch a queen.”

Alaya beamed at her father’s compliment. “You’re my father,” she responded, poking him playfully. “Of course you think I’m beautiful. You’re required to.”

She didn’t understand why his eyes suddenly looked so sad, as if he was preparing himself to lose her for good.

“No one is stealing me away,” Alaya tried to assure her father, grasping his hand in hers. “You haven’t lost me.”

King Anata had never felt such a bitter tenderness before this moment.

“Not yet,” he whispered. She had never seen eyes so sad.

Alaya blinked out of the memory to find herself alone. Thalun must’ve wanted to give her some privacy. 

The glint of her crown reflected off the mirror to her left, causing her to look up and at her reflection. She was holding the golden cape to her chest. She wore a deep purple gown that day, so the contrasting colors looked ridiculous, but that wasn’t what she focused on.

Alaya touched a finger to the glass.

“Why did you have to give me your eyes?” The question was so soft that even ghosts had to strain to hear.

Chapter 6

~~~

taglist: @flowerbbybananamilk @thepilotguy988 @typewriting101

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JACKIE RUSSELL SAMMIE PORFIRIO TREY ROBT AUGUSTUS ODIS SHAYNE LUIS CHADWICK FABIAN TUAN RON ARMANDO JUDSON FERMIN CARTER PAT GABRIEL BRYCE FREDRIC DERICK EARL NATHANIEL JOHNSON FOREST ARIEL IKE SYDNEY LONNIE LESLIE ROOSEVELT JEFFEREY BRENDON LIONEL GAIL WERNER DOMINICK NORBERT ELISHA REINALDO RICKIE ANTIONE JERRELL NORBERTO THANH MICHAL AVERY DUSTIN CLEO RUBEN SHANNON TRENTON LESTER ROBIN WILEY CLEMENTE WILFREDO HAYWOOD COLE HUNG GIL VAL TAYLOR TONEY GARY MAURICE LUCIANO ZACHARIAH JACKSON JAN RANDOLPH ROY NEWTON XAVIER DONTE LEONARD LYMAN ROBBIE WILTON STEPHEN ROGELIO JOSH ROBERTO GONZALO ROYAL ELOY WILBURN MONROE MERLE TRINIDAD RODERICK COLEMAN JACINTO MARCEL SHAUN ISSAC TRISTAN EDUARDO PIERRE DALE JAVIER KENNY MARTY LUCAS SHERWOOD RICKY SANTOS PABLO JERROD RAFAEL CORNELIUS DEWITT KEITH BENNETT AMADO JOESPH NORMAN WESTON GEORGE CLIFFORD ODELL BARTON STEWART ROLAND VON CURT WILLIS SAMMY EMMETT CHET LUCIUS DEL COY AUGUST ETHAN HONG JAMISON KELLY MILFORD RHETT MARCOS MARLON FLOYD EVAN KASEY ALAN DANNY HARLAND DILLON ANDREA BENNY WARREN JEROLD ALFONSO QUINCY JEROME CARROLL KORY BRODERICK FRANKIE JAKE AHMAD SID JUSTIN TRUMAN NORMAND ENRIQUE KIRBY FELIPE HIPOLITO SHAD OTIS HOSEA ADAN SHAWN OLLIE ALPHONSE ALLAN GAVIN ANTOINE CONRAD NESTOR JAMIE CLEVELAND EZEKIEL JARED PASQUALE JASPER ELROY SAMUAL CHAUNCEY DARRICK TONY WILFRED JED HOBERT COLIN LAVERNE JORGE JOHNIE VALENTIN HERMAN NATHAN TRACEY TYRELL BUFORD HORACE THURMAN DALTON MARVIN SYLVESTER LANDON LEWIS BRANDON VINCENZO DANILO IAN TIMMY REUBEN RENATO CHONG MINH MYRON TYREE MCKINLEY MYLES CORY ANTHONY ANDRE TORY RAY RANDELL THERON JONAS DONNIE ELLIS JAIME GILBERTO BERT MOSE ADRIAN VERNON DOYLE GARRET GUS REYES EARLE DOMENIC HECTOR RONNY DARELL MATT ERVIN OLEN DINO HAYDEN ROD MICHEAL DAREN HUGO CHRIS LESLEY IVORY MARQUIS SALVATORE DEMARCUS BENEDICT WADE MAURO JARRETT CORTEZ TOMMY CHRISTOPHER RICKEY HARRY RYAN TIM ALFONZO DEXTER TED DOMINIC ZACHERY LEONARDO MARCELLUS LOU MICAH BUDDY CARMINE VITO GEOFFREY ALBERTO DARREN NED EDWARD ERNEST CHUNG NEIL BRAD CLETUS OLIN DARWIN ADOLPH JONATHAN DORSEY OTHA RICK THADDEUS LINCOLN DWIGHT ALEXIS JIM HOWARD MITCHEL EZRA GLEN JAMAL DAVID GRANVILLE JEAN WALTON WILSON ALFREDO CHESTER ELIAS IRWIN LES ANTONE KEVIN SCOT JOHNNIE TANNER PERRY ALVIN LAMAR GERMAN KAREEM ROMEO KELVIN LORENZO FIDEL MERLIN JOSEF SALVADOR CRAIG JOHNATHON SOLOMON CHANCE LINO MAC CORNELL RUDOLPH HOMER DANIAL NAPOLEON ROLF AGUSTIN RANDAL ROMAN LANE VICTOR GERARDO ELMO TRAVIS TOBY HYMAN ANTON AARON FRITZ JOE JIMMIE DUDLEY ALEC PRINCE COURTNEY CARLO REFUGIO DOUGLAS ERNIE JAMAAL HOLLIS DONG HERSCHEL DOMINGO BRYAN DREW DERRICK VINCENT KENDRICK SERGIO SUNG CLINTON CHARLES EDDIE PAUL MORTON ARLEN SAUL JOSPEH RALPH IVAN DANIEL VALENTINE DAN TY DALLAS ARCHIE BARRY MATTHEW OSVALDO ROYCE ALVARO TOD RAPHAEL REX GERARD WALTER ISIDRO CLINT HOYT DOUG GORDON LEONEL SEYMOUR ROSCOE BORIS LUTHER CODY ANDREAS KIETH FORREST QUENTIN JULES DUSTY WILL LINWOOD LAWRENCE LEIGH STEPHAN GRADY CLIFF HUEY SANTIAGO BRUCE SCOTTY GAYLE RAMON DEON CESAR ANDERSON SAM BRENDAN JEREMY JUNIOR ERWIN MARK LAVERN WAYNE WHITNEY WAYLON HAL ALDO WILLY ORVILLE MASON FREDERIC MONTY LUPE RAUL RANDALL TITUS ULYSSES NICK DEWEY ERIN ISIAH NOAH TERRENCE JERROLD CARL JOSEPH PETE OWEN BARNEY RILEY JESSE FRANCIS TAD ELISEO THOMAS HOUSTON ALLEN BRADY VANCE ANGELO ARTHUR JOSE HARRISON OMAR MITCHELL LOWELL MARGARITO CLYDE KEVEN STEVE ELI BRIAN PERCY DONNELL LEON DAVIS MODESTO RIGOBERTO RUBIN FELTON BERNARD TRENT LYNDON OSWALDO CHARLEY ELLIOT MIGUEL VINCE DIRK AURELIO KEN VICENTE GERALDO MERRILL DEVON WESLEY SHANE MIKE BROCK JOAN HORACIO ERICH JEFF LUCIO MARCELINO BLAKE SILAS DENNIS EDWARDO PALMER ISREAL KRIS BENJAMIN GASTON CRUZ JARRED ROLANDO DEREK MARCO EZEQUIEL MERVIN KURT FELIX LACY ROLLAND DENNY EMANUEL BOB JUAN DESMOND MOHAMMED ALEX CARROL GENARO JAYSON BURL WILBUR IGNACIO ALEJANDRO JAROD NEAL KIM JOSUE BEAU REYNALDO MILO GRAIG LOUIS DUNCAN RUDOLF EMERSON JOEL KIRK WINSTON LENNY STUART HANS ANTONIO LUCIEN EFREN HERB OLIVER ARTURO ABRAM BURT DARRELL FERNANDO GROVER JOHNNY GRANT DANE DARYL JEREMIAH JAMEY SHELBY KENETH RUFUS

CLAY DONOVAN LEANDRO JERE WINFORD GUILLERMO FREDRICK RONALD RODOLFO PHILLIP EUGENIO HARLEY NOE GALEN JAY CLEMENT HILTON CLAUD WILLIAM BOYD ERIK KARL GALE HERBERT GREG DAMION EVERETTE EARNEST SCOTTIE HAROLD BRITT MARKUS WILFORD CLAIR NOBLE TERRY EDMOND DAMIEN VAN FREDERICK ELTON BYRON VAUGHN ANTWAN FEDERICO JEFFERY KYLE EUGENE CAMERON CYRIL ISRAEL ALPHONSO ELIJAH ISAAC ALONSO BOBBIE MILAN MAX JESS BUCK BOOKER SHELTON BERNARDO JODY JOHNATHAN KENT BRUNO GENE MARSHALL GARRY PETER JAMES GARLAND PEDRO ZACKARY JEFFREY KRISTOFER RUSTY ROSENDO MOHAMMAD FLORENTINO JERALD RAYMUNDO AUBREY CALEB DAVE TOMAS ROGER NOLAN EDMUND MAYNARD JOSHUA DELBERT LINDSAY OREN WILLIAN ELLSWORTH CONNIE YOUNG CLARK DEANGELO FREDDY MAJOR GUSTAVO IRA FLETCHER LOYD STEVIE CLAUDE TYLER JESSIE MANUEL WARD EDGARDO BRANDEN EMMITT PARKER RODRICK ROBERT ANDY MAXWELL WILLIAMS MARLIN WILMER MILTON BENITO ERROL CHASE ROSS GERALD DICK RALEIGH MACK RICO DARRON ELVIS FRANKLYN LLOYD NEVILLE MICHALE JAME MAURICIO BOBBY DEWAYNE KENNETH SANDY BERNIE DARNELL IRVIN BILL STEFAN LINDSEY BILLIE FRANCISCO EDGAR RUEBEN ZACK JEWELL BRADLEY HILARIO CHAS LANNY TYSON HIRAM RODNEY MARCELO RICHARD MOHAMED COLBY SEAN ARNOLD SETH JEFFRY DOMINIQUE CHAD ARNOLDO DANA ERIC ESTEBAN RUDY SHON STACEY TOBIAS TODD CLAYTON ABEL GUY DARRIN BRENTON JUDE EDWIN CALVIN MALCOM ARDEN BERTRAM COLLIN WYATT LON DEANDRE BEN KRAIG CLARENCE FAUSTO GILBERT DIEGO STANLEY EDDY ROCKY DOUGLASS DESHAWN DENIS AL FRANK SANTO CURTIS CRISTOPHER LYLE JULIUS RICH JESUS DARREL DWAYNE NIGEL ISMAEL ELBERT ABRAHAM FRANKLIN DARRYL REY FOSTER CARLOS KRISTOPHER GAYLORD PRESTON WELDON ANDREW STERLING PORTER LARRY SANG GARRETT EMIL TOMMIE EMILE ELDEN DANNIE DONNY ENOCH BRADFORD RAYMON ALTON RORY TERRANCE HENRY LAMONT RAYFORD AUGUSTINE OTTO BRENT JACK GINO PHILIP MARC ALFRED FRANCESCO DELMAR RUSS VIRGIL LAZARO DWAIN PATRICIA DARIUS EDISON ADAM HANK ANTONIA MAXIMO MALIK NORRIS JOSIAH GREGORY MILES SAMUEL EMORY THEODORE NATHANIAL PHIL GREGG MITCH AUSTIN VERN MONTE WENDELL TEDDY JERMAINE KIP CASEY JONAH LONG BLAINE ELVIN JIMMY CYRUS ISAIAS KENNITH RENE KERMIT BO FREEMAN JARROD GRAHAM LEOPOLDO ZANE PARIS JERRY MIKEL MOSES LENARD JARVIS LELAND REGGIE JASON DAMON DEVIN SIMON GARFIELD LYNWOOD OMER BRICE ARRON GUADALUPE MARIANO YONG TYRON KELLEY STANTON NUMBERS LYNN ASA TERRELL GERRY ADOLFO ANIBAL BURTON NOEL GARTH MAN DENVER ALEXANDER JONATHON ANGEL JAE WALDO DION FLORENCIO DYLAN LEMUEL HAI DONALD BRYANT KURTIS MORRIS BRET DUANE ELWOOD BRAIN CHANG ARNULFO STEVEN FRED JULIAN WALKER HARRIS JOAQUIN ABDUL BENTON ADALBERTO RASHAD ZACHARY COLTON JACOB ELDRIDGE LEIF NELSON ARLIE FERDINAND BOYCE HUGH CLAUDIO DELMER GIOVANNI MANUAL KEENAN GIUSEPPE LONNY JAMAR FREDDIE JEROMY DEAN HASSAN WOODROW BUSTER MARTIN WILLARD ABE RAMIRO LAUREN WILLIE BRYON MARION MATHEW MOSHE EDMUNDO JC BARRETT JORDAN MICKEY MEL WILBERT DARON SIDNEY RUPERT ROCCO JEWEL BERRY MORGAN AHMED LUIGI AMOS HUNTER ERASMO CLIFTON DARIN ERNESTO MICHAEL KENDALL RODRIGO KERRY HERSHEL CHUCK THAD CAREY TOM CHI BRANT STACY QUINTON RUSSEL ASHLEY FILIBERTO MARIO DANTE TREVOR SAL GLENN COLUMBUS HEATH HARLAN EMMANUEL RANDY BILLY MURRAY FAUSTINO HERIBERTO LEO BRETT EMERY MARCUS NICKY ELMER BENNIE TERENCE AMBROSE TIMOTHY SHERMAN ROB IRVING RONNIE CAROL ARMAND CHRISTIAN JOEY NICKOLAS CARMELO GREGORIO DARIO ALDEN DAMIAN ANTONY CHRISTOPER JOHN SANFORD JAMEL WARNER COREY DONN LANCE MICHEL BASIL JEFFERSON RODGER WALLACE LOREN BRADLY JORDON STAN MARIA MELVIN BART DEE ORVAL VIRGILIO RENALDO OCTAVIO KING CEDRICK LOUIE LAURENCE CEDRIC ROSARIO EVERETT OSCAR REGINALD TRACY EUSEBIO JULIO ALBERT ARON FRANCES THEO TYRONE WILBER MALCOLM CARMEN BLAIR ELLIOTT RICARDO LAWERENCE ALONZO ERICK QUINTIN KOREY ALVA LEN CRISTOBAL NICOLAS REID WINFRED QUINN DORIAN ORLANDO BROOKS TROY WES HARVEY REED NICHOLAS LEVI TEODORO CARLTON HUBERT CORDELL ED CARY ISAIAH SHELDON EFRAIN KENTON MARY STANFORD WRECKTANGLE JACQUES SEBASTIAN HUMBERTO MILLARD ART SHIRLEY JERAMY ANDRES ELDON MIQUEL ALI LUKE LOGAN SONNY CECIL WALLY EMILIO SOL JON SPENCER RAYMOND SON SCOTT DON LEE PATRICK CARSON MOISES CHARLIE RICHIE NATHANAEL DEMETRIUS

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