#Highland Meadows

[loboboss57]

I rode the train this last weekend

[kimfuelling]

MaCrae Peak, Blue Ridge Mountains. Oil on Antique Turkish Breadboard | 28" x 19"

[reality-of-love]

[pellinni-photo]

carpathian countryside with grassy meadows. beautiful rolling landscape in summer with stunning sky - carpathian countryside with grassy meadows. beautiful rolling landscape in summer with stunning sky

[wyldwesternorchidology]

Longhorns in the meadow

Photography by Jon Holiday

Source: photosbyjon.com

[daisy-the-wild-flower]

Like Us - Upcoming Book/Character predictions

Headcanons for the newest and most likely characters to appear in upcoming books! (colored by relationship/pairing) LONGGGG af so read at your own risk

Ben Cobalt: His book is definitely gonna show alot more of his insecurities, HOCKEY GOD, hopefully gonna cover his relationship with Charlie, probably one of the funnier/more relaxed cobalts and I think we'll see that, can't wait to see him and Harriet fall in love

Harriet Fisher: drummer queen, science nerd, I really wanna see her and Spencer/her and Xander interact. More Luna interactions. I think Ben is gonna bring out a less shy version of her, she seems kinda reserved and like moody (kinda like Kinnie I guess), can't wait to see if she actually ends up in Tom's band or if she joins one/makes her own music, I really hope their love story is friends to lovers because they are so cute.

Beckett Cobalt: I don't really know if I like the poly thing they have going for him, I loved it with Sul and the boys but this one seems a little forced, hope it's more of a "whose he gonna pick" kinda thing, and I hope he picks Jo. It gives me large amounts of Con and Rose, that isn't to say I wouldn't love that same back and forth with the ballerina dude (can't think of his name) because I probably would, can't wait to see more of his personality since the fuck boy attitude is probably not the real one, I wanna know more about his trauma and addiction and how it all works in his mind, want lots and lots of twin interactions. (I won't be doing Jo or the ballerina guy because we still don't know much about that Love Triangle/relationship)

Charlie Cobalt: Love him, can't wait to see what he becomes and how he learns to battle a lot of his insecurities, really strong character and I think his growth will be good, keeping the "he fell first" trope alive in this fandom, Roxanne is gonna break him and then save him, he will definitely think he isn't good enough, which will probably end up hurting her in the end, would love more Janie/Moffy interactions with him, Beckett and him <3

Roxanne Ruiz: She is definitely getting fired from the company, otherwise Charlie won't go after her, if they don't do that I would like to see the betrayal that Beckett feels from both of them, her and Charlie will definitely smoke together, Paris, France trips, he's definitely gonna take her somewhere alone, she's gonna end up saving him from himself, I want to see her and Jo interact, also her and Janie <3

Xander Hale: This boy is going to kill me, I need to see more of him and know more of how he feels, especially about the way people protect him, at some point that has to get old, because he is doing the best he can to be healthy, and I feel like the constant checkins and worrying will get to him at some point, him and Spencer are adorable, he is definitely going to love like Lily, all in it for spence, gonna be real similar to Lily and Lo choosing not to continue their addictions, gonna choose to live and not hurt himself for Spencer at some point, Ben and him need to reconnect <3, will take over superhero and scones and some point.

Spencer Sadler: Defenitly gonna be alot like Lily, sweet, shy, keeps to herself, really strict and hard on herself to be the best she can, I don't think her family will necessarily be that bad, but I think they have said or done things to lead her to be like that, they only mention it like once but definitely obsessed with art, like really into it, can see her designing things or becoming an artist for books (comic books?), Xander and her are gonna be either fake daters or friends with benefits until they fall in love, he fell first and then she fell harder trope.

Vada Abbey: Biker girl, probably going to get hurt at some point, video games constantly, I think school would be really easy for her, don't think she'll go to college, probably an graphic/digital art major if she does, can see her making games with her dad, her and Easton are gonna be friends to lovers, he's definitely gonna sweep her off her feet once they start dating, she isn't shy but she isn't as blunt as Winona or Kinnie either, definitely kinda awkward like Willow, Her and Nona <3, would love to see something between her and Ben when they were little, maybe just like her having a crush and she has to get over it now kinda thing.

Easton Mulligan: He is probably gonna go to college for like finance or something, We don't know much about him yet, brown hair, green eyes, will always support and protect Xander, Garrison and him will definitely be similar to Donnelly and Loren, plays video games with Vada, falls in love with her but doesn't realize it/doesn't want to upset Xander by dating his cousin.

Winona Meadows (my favorite character): Would really like to see something with addiction in her, I think she has a lot of the same tendencies as Ryke mentioned he did early on, and we didn't get to see much of Sully's addiction problem, definitely works at the camp or helps her mom with it in some way, can see her taking a "gap year" to figure herself out and then never going to college, I think she'll go to Californina and see Jesse and that will probably spark the romance they have, he fell first obviously, she's really sweet but I think at some point we'll see her get aggravated with being left out, we know she already feels that way because Luna heard her say it, but I think in the upcoming books especially with everyone kinda moving on from Highschool and beginning their own lives, she'll definitely have a similar story to daisy, her and Sully need more moments, actually any of them with her because I miss the Meadow family, her and Vada <3, her and Kinnie <3, her and audrey <3, the girl squad <3.

Jesse Highland: Surfer, will definetly become a professional filmographer (I think that's the right word), would really like to see him do something with Winona, Ben, Vada, and Xander - Kinda like their own TV show or interview, definitely gonna be the one that fims Nona for the Calloway show, I think that's all she'll be comfortable with, I think he'd do anything for Nona, including beat up Tate, I wanna see him find out about her passing out because of him, that would probably rival Ben's reaction, he really loves her and I think Ryke and him will get along, I think he'll be more worried about winning Daisy over, which will earn him brownie points with Ryke, him and Jack need more time <3, would also love to see Oscar be a big brother to him <3.

[christinatravel]

Ghorghiz Peak above clouds view

[fangirlingsohardithurts]

Jack: Should I take off my glasses?

Farrow: Oh, no no. This isn’t an eye test, it’s a gay test. Now tell me number 1 or number 2?

*picture of Sullie as number 1 and Akara as number 2*

Jack: ….. number 1?

Farrow: Interesting

*picture of Sullie as number 1 and Oscar as number 2*

Jack: *gasp* OH MY GOD

Farrow: Number 2 right?

Jack: Maybe I am gay???

*Oscar and Jack getting drunk married and putting off getting an annulment bc feelings*

Farrow: Alight….

See reference here

[the1920sinpictures]

1913 A meadow at Cragston, John Pierpont Morgan House, Highland Falls, New York. From vintag.es.com.

[myownwholewildworld]

acta, non verba - i. a badge of honour

series masterlist | main masterlist | chapter 2 pairing: conqueror!marcus acacius x ofc!reader. synopsis: scotland, 83 AD after the battle of mons graupius. the romans have come up to the boundaries of their empire with a relentless desire to conquer the savages that inhabit the highlands. they won't rest until the Caledonian tribes are subjugated. Marcus Acacius is in charge of your clansmen's fate, but if such fate is similar to your family's, you know you need to do something about it. as the only living daughter of the tribe chief, your people look to you for leadership. power plays, treason, deception, rebellion, war, love, heartbreak, betrayal. and two souls, destined to despise each other, trying to navigate it all. a/n: well, here it is! the first chapter of my new series, set in what is now scotland, during the romans' conquest of the british isles in the 1st century. hope you guys like it! as always, all interactions welcome. thank you so much for reading! <3 warnings: 18+, mdni. death, aftermath of a battle, burial of family members. reader is an original character - female, has a name (callie) and a physical description, family history, etc. i'll try to keep the references to a minimum though. age gap (callie is 26, marcus is 48). mention of infidelity and becoming a widow. marcus’ and reader’s pov. i have taken some historical licenses for ease of writing (use of "clan" as synonym for "tribe", references to irish/celtic gods, the caledonian people speak modern scottish gaelic instead of a (proto-)brittonic language). w/c: ~4.2k. dividers by @saradika-graphics i'll be tagging some people at the end of the chapter who interacted with this post. dw, i won't tag you in the next chapters unless you ask me to! also, if you want to be removed from this post, please send me a dm.

A light breeze whistled through the nearby standing stones. The dying sun provided no heat, and the ethereal landscape was cold with hues of blue and grey. Despite the shimmering wildlife that came with the first hints of spring, the meadow was uncannily silent.

The crows cackling in the distance broke such tranquil peace and woke you from your slumber.

Slowly you blinked, something wet and warm covering your eyelids. You felt it slide down your skin, pooling in the dip of your collarbone. Your limbs felt so heavy, you couldn’t lift a hand to rub your eyes clean. In fact, you were so tired that even taking a deep breath hurt.

Your orbs fluttered shut, shattered and defeated.

Dhuosnos, God of the Dead, was calling you to His side. His presence was soothing, so inviting, the most melodic sounds guiding you to Him. With the eyes of your dying imagination, He extended a welcoming hand towards you, a soft smile on His mythical features.

“Come with me, sweet child of the tribes.” A guttural voice escaped His lips, so dark and sombre it enveloped you.

You nodded, gaze down, submitted to Him.

“You can’t just take her, Dhuosnos. Callie is yet to avenge them — her purpose must be fulfilled first before she can greet you as an equal.” A second voice, feminine, otherworldly and reassuring, interrupted your exchange.

Morrígan, Goddess of War, placed Her hand on Dhuosnos’ forearm as to stop Him from reaching you. A stone of relief, but also of disappointment, sat low in your stomach when He took a step back, head bowed towards Her.

Steadily you undid your curtsy, your green eyes locking on Hers. They were black as the night sky, Her pupils and irises indistinguishable from one another. You looked into the abyss of Her sight and felt a deep-rooted longing, one you never experienced before.

“You are not done yet, mo leanabh (my child). Your people await your return.” Morrígan palmed your trembling hand, escorting you back to the earthly plane.

“But…”, you turned around to look at Her, ask for Her advice.

But She had already vanished, a sweet scent of lavander left behind.

You gasped awake, your eyes so widened, the cloudy, sunset sky above felt like it was crashing down on you. You were laying down on a pool of mud. A deep, raspy grunt escaped your lungs as you tried to move your arms. When you couldn’t, you looked down, confused.

Aengus’ lifeless body was resting on top of yours. Your father’s henchman had made the ultimate sacrifice by hiding you underneath him, away from the prying eyes of the Romans. The dense liquid caressing the skin on your face was none other than his blood. A trickle of thick red dripped from the gnarly wound in his neck on to your cheek. His eyes were staring at you emptily, his soul had already left this world when you regained consciousness.

Your father, Murdoch of Inbhir Nis, the Caledonian Overlord, had come to the aid of the Taexalian Overlord, whose territory was succumbing to the legions of Gnaeus Julius Agricola, a Roman governor with a high desire to impress his Emperor, Titus Flavius Domitianus.

Your father had gathered as many fighers as the Caledonian lands could give him. Both men and women were called to arms when the tribes were threatened. Being the daughter of the Chieftain would not spare you. You would not have chosen differently anyway, had you been given the opportunity. Fighting for land, clan and honour was your duty as much as your brothers’ and sister’s.

The journey from Inbhir Nis (Inverness) to Cala na Creige (Stonehaven) had been unforgiving, with illness and evil lying in wait. But you all had been warmly welcomed by the Taexali tribe and were fed copiously, the uisge-beatha (whisky) being served like water.

Your combined armies, shy of fifteen thousand folk, had been ambushed at Raedykes during a repositioning exercise by the Roman troops led by Agricola’s most trusted man.

General Marcus Acacius.

His mere name made you sick, anger crawling under your skin.

Fighting off your own opponents, you had seen the Roman General charge against your father like a beast, wielding a gladius over his head. The metallic impact of their swords rang loud across the landscape. The men looked into each other’s souls, an exchange of words shared between them. You were too far to listen, too far to fully see what was really happening as warriors from both sides danced through the grass.

Then you foresaw it before it happened: the heavy Roman sword fell on your father, who was struck to his knees with the General’s blade lodged in his belly.

You tried to get to him, screaming “Athair (father)!” at the top of your lungs. His eyes locked on yours before he fell sideways. You lunged forward but didn’t get to him, Aengus stopping you in your tracks.

“No, Callie, it’s too late now”, he had sorrowfully whispered in your ear before throwing you off to one side to fend off an attacker.

And then blackness swallowed you, an enemy hit you in the head so hard you lost consciousness.

That was how you came to be where you were — with your back flat on the silt and Aengus’ body blanketing yours. The grey sky above you sensed your pain, and, at Taranis’ command, it parted in the middle. The God of Thunder released a downpour to clean the blood, soot and woad’s blue dye off your face and hair.

You cried your sadness away, rainy tears sliding off the corners of your eyes — your anger, your loss, your torment, you purged it all, sobbing until you were devoid of all emotion. Taking a deep breath, which caused a needling pain on your ribs, you pushed Aengus to one side to free yourself from his weight.

The thudding sound he made almost brought more tears to your eyes.

“Sorry, uncail (uncle)”, you muttered, hovering your fingertips over his eyelids to shut them for him. Now he could finally rest.

You stood up, your knees trembling like a newborn calf. A searing pain stabbed your skull, dried blood and dirt gathering on the wound on your scalp. With a straight back, you dared to look around you. The bodies of your own men and women were scattered around the hills of Raedykes. So many lives lost, you heard all your ancestors screaming from above, their cries falling upon you in the way of rain. The green, long grass was reddened with blood, but the weeping sky had started to wash away the atrocities committed by the Romans.

Then you saw him. Your athair.

“No, no, please, no...”, you whispered as your sight became blurry again, dragging your feet towards the fallen body of your dad.

Your soul tried to tear itself apart, become its own entity. You had to summon the last drop of the royal blood that ran through your veins to keep yourself in one piece. You knelt before him, craddling his bloody hand between yours. Unconciously your body rocked back and forth until you hugged him, laying flat on top of him.

Time stood still, like a thread on the expert hands of a wool weaver. It could have been minutes, hours or days, your pain too great to bear, to comprehend.

And then you felt a hand lightly tap your shoulder.

You startled, your mind and body jumping back into survival mode, gripping your sgian-dubh (small knife) close to your chest.

“It’s okay, mo phiuthar (my sister). It’s me, Torcall”, a raspy, masculine voice forced you to focus on the man in front of you.

He was your father’s most important tacksman and also husband to your older sister Mairead — your sweet Maisie, as you always called her. She was the eldest of the four siblings while you were the youngest. Always so witty and quick with a joke, Maisie kept up the spirits even when the circumstances were dire — in fact, before your paths had parted during the battle, she jested about your H-shaped shield being larger than you.

When you turned around, Torcall flattened his hands on your shoulders, slightly shaking you so you would come back to reality.

His blue eyes pierced through you, the situation becoming clearer in your mind. Thousands of your tribesmen were dead. Your father too.

“Maisie?”, you asked in a hush. Your heart clenched when your brother-in-law shook his head no. You were afraid to speak, but you did nonetheless. “Aodh and Somhairle?”

Torcall stared at you, his silence speaking loudly. “They are all dead.”

The air evacuated your lungs, feeling as if a spear had run through you. Learning about the death of Maisie and your twin brothers broke something within you, something fundamental and primal. They were your everything, your most trusted confidants. Despite being of different ages, you all were so tight-knit it was difficult to find one of you alone.

A heart-shattering wail escaped your lips as you bent over yourself, your chest snug against your knees.

Morrígan had unashamedly claimed most of your family that day, except for your beautiful mother. Now Her words made sense: you were yet to avenge them, to fulfil your purpose. She had spared you for a reason, not so you could pity yourself, knees deep in the mud.

To avenge them, you had to kill the hand who showered this tragedy upon you.

General Marcus Acacius.

A raven’s strident, gurgling croak forced you to look up to the skies — a subtle reminder that Morrígan was watching closely. The massive bird was circling above your heads, like a vulture waiting to feast on a carcass. With resolution, you wiped away your tears, your sobs now silent, and nodded at Torcall.

“I understand. How many…?”, your voice faltered before you could finish your question.

“A couple of thousands. We have found cover in the Dunnottar Woods while we regroup and… bury our dead.” Torcall replied, his eyes averted with the last sentence.

You had lost a sister, but he had lost a wife, the mother to his now half-orphaned children. “I’m sorry”, you muttered, your lips pouting once more.

“She died fighting, the death of a warrior.” His proud voice did not waver. “And your father?”

Your heart wept at his mention but managed to control the anxious fluttering.

“The General killed him.” Your teeth gritted with hatred.

“Mo bana-phrionnsa (my princess)”, one of your father’s retinue members bowed his head to you once you walked into the circle they had formed in a meadow between the trees.

A few dozen men were scattered around the area, fires lighting the dark night while shades of red and orange flickered, creating fiery, dancing shades. You held a torch and carefully waved it in front of you, looking at the faces who watched you back eagerly.

You saw in your men what was brewing inside you: despair, defeat, sorrow. All your souls grieving in unison — all of you had lost someone that day.

At six and twenty, you did not expect to be in this position. You were the youngest daughter of the Overlord — you were never meant to lead your people. The task ahead of you felt titanic, unachievable.

But you had no other option. General Marcus Acacius had forced your hand.

He came, he saw, he conquered.

And now you had to deal with the gut-wrenching outcome of his departure.

“We’ll go back home to Inbhir Nis. But before that, we must give burial to our people.” You had to make a herculean effort to infuse your tone with steadiness.

Torcall first, and then the rest, bowed their heads to you.

“As you command, mo bana-phrionnsa”, he replied, and quickly barked orders around in your stead.

Your chest felt heavy with responsibility and grief. What pained you the most was not being able to carry your brothers and sister with you back home. They would not be buried under the cairns near you family home with the rest of your ancestors.

And what was worst — thousands of lives now depended on you. The weight of your tribe's destiny heavily rested on your shoulders now, like Atlas carrying the heavens.

Maisie, Aodh and Somhairle had been lined up on a patch of wildflowers that you had picked yourself the night prior — their arms were threaded together with your sister in the middle. Your clansmen had also surrounded the makeshift burial pit with wood to aid the combustion.

As you placed the last stone on top of them, you also deposited a bright, bloomed thistle. The flower that blossomed in every nook and cranny of your beautiful motherland, despite the harsh winter or conditions it faced. Like the phoenix rising from the ashes, it would always come back, stronger and more brightful than ever.

Devotion, bravery, determination, and strength — the thistle was a badge of honour for the Caledonians.

With a renewed brawn unbeknownst to you, you threw the lighted torch and watched as the fire consumed the bodies underneath the stones.

There were no tears left within you. Only purpose and resolution.

The way back to Inbhir Nis was tiring and soul-crushing. Hiking through the Cairngorms had been a difficult task with so many people behind you, but luckily you all managed to make it through without any losses.

With each mile covered, you saw the devastation left behind by the Romans. If this was any indication of what awaited ahead, you should start bracing yourself for what you would see. It seemed that the Romans were set towards the northwest — Inbhir Nis was right in their path.

You quickly recognised the landscape as you walked towards Loch Moy. A thick, dark column of smoke towered above the pine trees. Your heart raced as you picked up your dark green skirt and ran towards the loch, ignoring the calls of your brother-in-law.

You could run through those woods blindly — this was the land where you were born, the land you were named after. Your name was an unusual one — Caledonia, in honour of the earth beneath your rushing feet. Just a few people called you Callie, mainly your family and closest friends. With your bright, fiery red hair, green almond eyes and a face dotted with freckles, you were the epitome of your people. That was probably why when someone new learned your name, they always said it suited you.

Dodging the last few trees, you made it to the edge of the loch. In the shallows, the crannog of Naimh, your community’s healer, was burning down to its foundation. You covered your mouth with a sombre expression, your eyes itchy because of the dense smoke and unspent tears.

The Romans had gotten to your settlement before you did.

“Callie, wait up”, said Torcall behind you, struggling to catch up with you.

He halted right behind you, the silence between you was almost tangible.

“The rangers have returned from their reconnaissance mission.” His voice was plain, contained. You turned your heard towards him, slowly, hardening yourself for his next words. “Your mother is dead.”

The last glimmer of hope within you vanished. A single tear skidded through your cheek — angrily, you wiped it off.

You were alone in this world. Everyone you cared for had been taken from you.

“Is everything to your liking, Dominus (Master)?”, the male roman servant asked in a low hush, head bowed, eyes fixed on the cobblestone.

“Yes, now leave”, Marcus dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

The General looked around him with a mixture of curiosity and disgust. He was accustomed to much more elegant surroundings. Although the barbarians did try, their architecture was nothing in comparison to Rome’s.

The castle he was in was small and it only had two floors. It was mainly made of sturdy, grey rocks and dark wood. The design was not very sophisticated, all square and rugged edges. It had two towers and a barbican. The decoration inside was bare, with just enough furniture and no luxuries.

The only warmth was brought by the colourful tapestries adorning the cold, thick walls — one had caught Marcus' attention at his arrival when he first entered the dais. It told a story he had not heard before.

A dragon-like figure lurked beneath the rippling surface of a lake, attracting the attention of the villagers. At dusk it would emerge, a guttural sound echoing in the dead of night, as if it was calling another. Any bìrlinns (wooden vessel) left on the shore would appear destroyed the next morning. Fishermen were worried and called upon the town's druids, afraid of the Loch Ness monster. To appease the beast, every full moon, the druids would whorship the creature, bringing oblations and sacrificies to quench its thirst.

Marcus made a mental note of keeping his distance from that Loch Ness. As a devoted Roman, he was wary of the mystic creatures that skulked in the depths of human fear.

Although he missed his home, he had several debts to pay. The Emperor would not accept no for an answer, so he had to be a reluctant participant in this incursion — in fact, neither Domitian nor Agricola had really asked him to tame the highlanders up in Caledonia. They knew his skills would be most needed in combat, having been praised by bards and poets alike after his many years in the battlefield.

At eight and forty, Marcus Acacius had had his good share of tragedy and death, both personal and in war. His life had not been easy, having to forge a name of his own since childbirth and then having been recently betrayed by his own spouse.

The thought of Livia still angered him — she had had the audacity of blaming him for her infidelity, accusing him of always being away, of loving Rome more than his own family. Her cheating had been going on for as many years as their arranged marriage, throwing a doubtful shade on his paternity to both his children.

His life had come crumbling down in the last few months, so maybe coming to Britannia had not been such a bad idea. Female adultery was a crime penalised with death and that was a decision that Marcus had yet to make — outing Livia’s unfaithfulness would condemn her to Pluto's realm. Did he really want that for who had been his wife for more than thirty years?

Pinching the bridge of his hooked nose, Marcus walked towards the only window in the room. The roman took a deep breath and exhaled steadily — he needed to think of something else.

His mind went back to the battle of Mons Graupius. The spilling of blood never became easier with time — if anything, it had become harder, splintering his soul further. If he closed his eyes, he could still hear the piercing, pained shriek of a woman as he imparted death on Murdoch of Inbhir Nis.

Her hair was dyed with black soot and tied back, her face covered in a blue paste and ash. He was too far to catch the colour of her eyes, but he thought them dark azure. The fierceness of her expression took him aback, her voice shouting a word he did not recognise. But his eyes did not have time to linger on the feral woman a few yards away, because a savage attacked him.

His hand stilled on the rocky window’s sill. The barbarians called this place Inbhir Nis. The stone castle was that of the chief’s family, atop of a hill with views to the scenery underneath. It was rudimentary and lacked many commodities — nothing comparable to his villa in Rome. The tribal settlement was formed of huts made of stone, timber and hay.

Agricola had decided to burn down the outskirts of the town and killed the wife of the clan chief making a macabre example of her, so the people would submit to the Roman’s yoke quickly, crushing any opportunity of rebellion. The message was clear: Rome would not tolerate being challenged. Anyone who did, would face the most painful of deaths. The governor left to go northward, leaving Marcus behind to rebuild the area to Rome’s standards. The emperor had deemed the location an important enclave for his empire, being the main town in the Moray Firth.

Marcus was standing in what he thought was the bedchamber of Murdoch. With the Overlord and his family alienated, the primitive people of the highlands needed educating and he had been given the task of doing so. Not a welcomed one, but he had a duty to Rome that had to be fulfilled.

With a heavy sigh, he undid the brooch at the base of his neck, relieving himself of the heavy, white sagum (cape) that was part of his attire. He threw it on the uncomfortable bed. He unfastened the golden, laurel-shaped bracelets around his wrists, and then proceeded to undo the tight knots that held his armour in place.

Then a knock on the thick, wooden door broke the silence of the room.

“Come in”, thinking it would be his male servant, he didn’t turn around.

“Dominus, dinner is ready”, a very soft voice with a very marked accent made him look over his shoulder.

A pair of very bright, almond-shaped, emerald-green eyes locked on his, framed by what he would describe as fire hair — so red it looked like a hellish aura crowning your head.

So bright were your eyes, he almost felt his soul being examined by your hypnotising gaze. Marcus had never seen eyes like those.

How dared he stand where your father did? Anger shimmered under your skin, but you kept it in check. When you realised you were holding his gaze for longer than what was appropriate for a servant girl, you averted your eyes, inspecting the stones under your feet.

Torcall called you mad for doing this, but you had made up your mind. If you really wanted to overthrow the Roman General and win back your family’s castle and land, you would need to sew yourself into his everyday life. Gain his trust, learn his secrets and use that information against him. Your people were counting on you for freedom, and you would not allow yourself to disappoint them. Even if it was the last thing you did.

“Who are you?”, his raspy voice filled the atmosphere as he resumed the task of undoing the ties on his armour.

Did he have no shame, undressing himself in front of a maid? Mind you, you were not an innocent servant, having been widowed recently. But still. The romans had no modesty, you assumed.

You had to think quickly. You had learnt that the governor and the general both thought the whole chief’s family dead, so you could not out yourself. A very few, selected people called you Callie, almost always in the intimacy of your home, when strangers were not around. Your nickname was precious to you because it was only used by those you loved.

“My name is Callie, Dominus”, you offered your nickname in a rusty Latin. It had been a while since you had to use a language that was not your native one.

“Callie.” The way your name rolled off his tongue gave you goosebumps. You didn’t like the way he pronounced it — it lingered in his mouth for too long, dragging each letter. You wished your words back, but you couldn't change it now.

Instead of clenching your jaw, you nodded. “Yes, my lord, I’m one of the servant girls who tended to the clan chief’s family before you.” You explained, your head still bowed.

You ventured your eyes up for a second, catching a glimpse of his naked torso. Unconsciously, you pursed your lips. The way your heart pounded loud for that one second made you furrow your brows in confusion.

He might be a gorgeous man, but he was a killer. And you had no taste for soulless murderers, that much you knew about yourself.

“Call my attendant, Atticus, to help me get ready for supper. I have no need of you. And ask the kitchen staff to heat some water and bring it up here.” His tone was emphatic, unwavering.

His rejection, in other circumstances, would have been most welcomed, but you needed him to trust you, to confide in you so you could plot his demise — to destroy him. This was not a good start to your plan, but you needed to play the long game.

“I could certainly help you with a bath now, Dominus, but your wish is my command.” You forced the words out, when in reality you wanted to spit them to his murderous face.

He just nodded in your direction, his movements stiff and measured. “Just my attendant will suffice, now go.”

With your fingers laced on your back, you curtsied, walking backwards towards the door of your father’s bedchamber. You could not seem too eager, or he would become suspicious.

When you were in the corridor with the door closed behind you, you took a deep breath and straightened your back.

You would not take no for an answer. Marcus Acacius would yield to you, whatever the cost.

@devilbat2 @subterralienpanda @lordofthundersstuff @just-mj-or-not

@grace16xx @killaqceen @minabarker @noisynightmarepoetry

@perfectlytenaciousrunaway @myheadspaceisuseless @imnvv @bekscameron

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@sjc7542 @triangleshapewinner @moongirlgodness @ijustlovemensm

@box-of-sarcasm @orcasoul @thesadvampire @shittypunkbarbeque

@penvisions @fairiebabey @blueturd16 @vestafir

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[bumblebeesfromvenus]

Hello, my little bumblebees!

Welcome to my tiny corner here on Tumblr.

You can find all of my works for multiple fandoms here <3

Here is who I write for and my request rules!

Fi's favorites = ★

🐝─ ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ───🪻─── ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ─🐝

Events

Fi's Christmas Market ☃️

FI'S MEADOW PICNC ✨️💐🐝

Resident Evil

Leon S Kennedy

Series

♥︎ Lost and Found ♧ 1. 2. 3. (Complete!) ★

• you survived Raccoon City with Leon, but got separated and thought he was dead. After 6 years, you reunite with him on a mission in Spain, rescuing Ashley Graham. What happens once he's pushed back into your life all of a sudden?

One shots

♥︎ Raindrops falling on my heart ♡

♥︎ Random Leon headcannons

♥︎ Sleepy desperation ♡ (nsfw)

♥︎ Rocking the Tides 🌊 (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Renaissance!Leon headcannons 🩷☁️ (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Everybody loves Somebody 🫀

♥︎ Back to me ��

♥︎ Brick by Brick 🎄 ★

♥︎ Tradition and Love 🌹

♥︎ Red Ribbon ❣️ (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Stuffed Heart 🧸

♥︎ Siren!Leon headcannons 🧜🏼‍♂️🐚

♥︎ All I see is Red ♦️ ★

♥︎ The honey to my moon 🌬 (nsfw)

♥︎ The Kiss of a Siren 🫧 ★

♥︎ Holly-what?! 🎬

♥︎ Taunting Ghosts 👻 ★

♥︎ Won't go Home without You 🫂

♥︎ Fate - spin, measure, cut 🌙 ★

♥︎ Tongue tied 🪶

♥︎ We fell in love in October 🍁 (nsfw)

♥︎ Le vie en Amour 🩷 (nsfw) ★

DC

Jason Todd

♥︎ The Hercules to my Meg ♤

♥︎ Paper Rings 🩷

♥︎ Wrapped 🎁 ★

♥︎ Rooftop Confessions 🌟 ★

♥︎ Unsatisfied ♤ (nsfw)

Bale!Bruce Wayne

♥︎ BATtrayal

♥︎ My precious Jewel ♧ (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Dating Bruce has his assistant headcannons

♥︎ Bruce secretly being in love with assistant!reader

♥︎ Bruce x assistant!reader 3 ♡

♥︎ Burning Touch ♠︎ (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Deck the Halls 🎻

♥︎ Diamond Rings 💫 (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Bruce taking your virginity ♡ (nsfw)

♥︎ PALentines day 💋

♥︎ Sweet as a Peach 🍑 (nsfw)

♥︎ Lazing on a Sunday afternoon ☁️ (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Bruce taking out his frustration on reader ♡

(nsfw)

Dick Grayson

♥︎ Nightingale 🕊 ★

Call of duty

TF141 ★

♥︎ TF141 w/ a chubby girl ♡

♥︎ TF141 getting a boudoir photo album as a wedding gift ♡ (nsfw)

♥︎ TF141 taking you on a picnic date 💐 (nsfw)

Captain John Price

♥︎ Northman!Price 🪓 ★

♥︎ Aphrodite sends her regards 💋 (nsfw)

Johnny "Soap" MacTavish

♥︎ tit man Johnny hcs 🤍 (nsfw)

♥︎ Mo ghràdh mòr 🩶

♥︎ Mrs. MacTavish's Remedy 🍯 ★

♥︎ Highlands and Full Hearts 🌧 (nsfw) ★

♥︎ Bikes and Bees 🐝 (nsfw)

♥︎ Pumpkin Patch Lovin' 🎃

♥︎ Mirror, Mirror on the Wall 🪞

Simon "Ghost" Riley

♥︎ Simon relationship hcs ♡

♥︎ Simon Riley NSFW hcs ♡ (nsfw)

♥︎ Phantom of the Ball 🥀 ★

König

♥︎ Königs German specific quirks <3

♥︎ Tale of the Tummy 🌸 ★

Ghost

Terzo Emeritus

♥︎ Garden of Love ♡

♥︎ Phantom of my Soul 🌙

Stardew Valley

Abigail

♥︎ Knight in shining armor ★

Baldur's Gate 3

Astarion

♥︎ The sweetest Taste ♤

Linked universe

The Chain

♥︎ Home is where the Heart is 🌱

EPIC: The Musical

Telemachus of Ithaca

♥︎ Soft Feathers, Softer Kisses 🦉

Misc.

♥︎ Aching Heart left there in the Cold ♡ ★

🐝─ ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ───🪻─── ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ─🐝

There's more to come~

[cherrychilli]

MDNI, NSFW, AFAB reader, Steve x Shy reader, inexperienced reader, oral sex(F), light pussy spanking, lil bit fluffy? just a smidge

Very much into the idea of Steve discovering his shy girlfriend's collection of steamy romance novels. I had to add a few lines from the first steamy book I ever read when I realized it was released in the 80's. For funsies and just because it happened to fit well in this little nugget of smut hehe.

On the outside they look just like any other cheesy novel, nothing on the covers that suggested otherwise. Completely ordinary looking with softly colored pictures of sun swept countryside's, flowery English gardens and misty meadows. Steve had never wondered about them, having seen them lined neatly on your shelf for as long as the two of you have been together. Even today, they still hadn't piqued his interest but you were yet to finish your shower and he had grown bored of waiting. He isn't selective when he pulls the nearest book out of its place, not very thick and small in his larger hands. The Bride, he mouths the title, looking and feeling unimpressed. He doesn't bother reading the back, choosing to settle at the foot of your bed and flip through it lazily. He lands on pages at random, face scrunching up at the mentions of highlands and lords and arranged marriages. Not his preferred reading material, he confirmed. He skips further ahead, not giving too much attention to the words until...

She tried to cover her breasts by bringing her knees up and leaning forward. "I don't have any clothes on" she informed him.

Steve paused. He goes back and reads it again, this time more carefully. He then wedged a finger between the pages to keep track of his place, quickly turning the book over to glance at the cover again to see if he'd misremembered it somehow within the last five minutes. It's the same as earlier, completely unchanged from his memory. Sprawling green hills, grazing horses and what looked to be a castle in the distance is all that's pictured. Not the kind of book he'd expected to find mentions of nude women being intruded on. "It can't be", he doubts still, flipping the book back open and reading ahead to see if he was really seeing what he thought he was.

Before she could even think to ask him what in heaven's name he was doing, he had her flat on the bed. She didn't have time to blush...

His brows raise slowly, interest very much piqued now. "Oh Princess", he lets out in a low chuckle, lips stretching into grin.

"Sorry to keep you waiting", you stepped out of the bathroom, smelling of peach scented body wash and dressed in your cotton shorts and pajama top. "What do you want to watch tonight?", you asked the boy who was yet to acknowledge you, only mildly curious to see Steve intently paging through one of your books because you couldn't see the cover with the way it was angled towards his lap.

"How about we read instead?" he lifts up the book to reveal the title to you, his lips pulled into the most smug looking smirk you thought possible.

Your body blazes when realization sinks in, eyes going wide with horror. You never thought to hide any of your raunchy books before. You didn't have all that many to begin with and they blended in seamlessly with the rest with their inconspicuous covers. You didn't see the point of tucking them away, letting them sit on your shelf in plain sight. You realize now that may have been a mistake.

"Sweetheart, you had me all fooled", Steve stared you down, looking so very amused. "Made me think you were some innocent little church mouse and here you are reading about...", he looks down at the book again, reading the first line he sees out loud with the widest grin, "her lips so soft, so pliant and when his tongue finally sank deep inside her warm mouth..."

You release a high pitched squeal, running to him to try and snatch the book away before he can read any more. "Steve no!, put that away!", you yelp helplessly but he holds it above his head and out of your reach with ease, craning his neck to read off another sentence with exaggerated glee, entirely too pleased with the circumstances, "I want to touch you the the way you touch me, please? your body belongs to me as much as my body belongs to you doesn't it?"

"Steeeeve!", you pound your fists on his broad chest, feeling a hundred degrees warmer.

He's laughing still but he takes pity on you then, handing you the book as you take it and clutch it to your chest.

"Baby baby, relax ok?", he places a hand on your shoulder reassuringly, laughter ceasing when he notices the troubled look on your face. "It's no big deal, there's nothing wrong with reading about that stuff, you know that right?". You knew it. Of course you knew it, even if your body betrayed you with a tumbling sense of embarrassment that you had found impossible to shake all your life. You answer with a little sniffle, peering up at him through your lashes. "In fact I'm glad you've opened up to it in a way you're comfortable with. I know when we...try things you're a little reserved", he offered gently.

Your face drops then, worry bubbling inside your belly because the last thing you wanted was for Steve to think that you didn't enjoy yourself with him. "It's not because I don't like it! I do! I really like it when you touch me, Steve!" you jump to reassure him only to reflexively shield your burning face with your hands when you realize how forward your little outburst made you sound. You hear him chuckle in that familiar way that he always did when you worked yourself up, feeling him tug lightly at your hands to pry them away from your face. "That's good because I really like touching you", he lets you know with a tender smile and a quick wink.

You relax a little again, looking at him apologetically, trying to explain. "It's just- I feel.."

"Shy" he finished for you. "I know, baby. I think it's cute", he rubs a thumb over your cheek gently. "And I'm sorry for teasing you", dipping down to place a kiss on your cheek in apology.

You smile for the first time since your stomach flipped at the sight of your not so secret book in Steve's hands. "It's ok", you accept. "I just wish I could be more...you know, assertive? And more vocal about what I like".

He looks down at you thoughtfully, mind working until his eyes light up. "Tell you what. You up for some fun?", he cocks an eyebrow up at you suggestively. "Because your book's given me an idea and I think I could help break you out of your shell a little"

You're more than a little intrigued to find out just what he's come up with. "How?"

"Again", he instructs sternly from between your legs and your eyes squeeze shut and you whimper when his sticky palm connects with your bare cunt again. It's never too hard but it's enough to make you jolt and whine when your swollen clit starts to throb again. "I'm sorry, Stevie", you let out in a shaky voice, breath noticeably shallow. "Go on" he prompts, tracing a finger along your folds. You open your eyes and try to focus on the page, looking for the sentence you stuttered through and struggled to finish. You'd been doing this for close to an hour now, playing the little game he had concocted for you. The rules were straightforward - you needed to read out the sex scenes clearly. No hesitation, no stuttering, no skipping, no mumbling and if you did it properly, he'd eat you out while you read. But if you messed up, he'd have to punish you, spanking you between your legs. You'd messed up a couple of times now, enduring several slaps on your soaked pussy but did notice your inhibitions starting to melt away, even if much of them still remained. Just means you have to keep practicing, right?

Taking in a deep breath, you started reading, keen to have Steve's mouth on you again. "He forced her fingers around his shaft, then thrust his fingers inside her again to rid her of her fear...", your voice starts to tremble as you read on, barely resisting the urge to moan when you feel him lap at your puffy folds again, all sensitive from his skillful tongue and forceful palm. He made it harder for you when he groaned against cunt, teasing your hole, sucking on your clit and flicking it with his tongue but you don't want the feeling to end, gripping the book tight as you continued "she welcomed the rush of blazing ecstasy consuming her..."

[pellinni-photo]

mountainous countryside scenery in summer. steep grassy slopes with stones. popular travel destination of ukrainian carpathians - mountainous countryside scenery in summer. steep grassy slopes with stones. popular travel destination of ukrainian carpathians

[wyldwesternorchidology]

Meadows

Photography by Jon Holiday

Source: photosbyjon.com

[viesanterieures]

𝐓𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏.

William Killick (The Edge of Love) x fem Reader

next chapter

note: This story is set in May 1936, William is about 27 and it takes place years before the actual movie.

summary: William Killick takes a break from his London life and spends a few weeks at the country estate of the wealthy Hallward family. The family take an instant liking to William and try to get him to marry their beautiful daughter Norma. Also on the estate is the reader, who works as a maid. When William receives anonymous poems, he ends up falling in love with the mysterious writer instead of Norma.

word count: 2000+

warnings: … none!

masterlist

"Excuse me sir, we've reached the end of the line." Yawning, William opened his eyes as he heard a voice behind him and stretched sleepily, curious to see who was speaking to him. A woman in a uniform with a dark skirt and matching hat stood beside him. "Are we there yet... What time is it?" he asked her. "It's just after half past seven, sir," the train attendant replied with a friendly smile. As William straightened up in his seat and then saw that the landscape before him had changed from the brown roofs of London to green hills and beautiful mountain scenery with small lakes. "My God... I must have slept for hours." The train attendant smiled at him kindly and wished him a good journey.

William felt the train slow down and grabbed his suitcase from the luggage rack. Once outside, he set it down on the floor and took a deep breath. The air smelled fresh and the wind blew through his hair. Although he had never been to this place before, he had the strange feeling that he belonged here. He closed his eyes for a moment. The orange light of the setting sun shone through his eyelids. The green hills of the Scottish Highlands stretched out before him, surrounded by a light mist. Green meadows, colourful flowers and streams dominated the landscape. The sky was cloudless and the air smelled of fresh moss. William could hardly look away. It was so different from London. The grass rustled softly under his shoes as he made his way to his accommodation for the next few weeks.

Curious, he looked up at the big building. It was built entirely of stone, with small windows adorned with red, ivy-covered shutters that glowed in the evening sun. William dragged his suitcase up the stairs that led to a wide wooden door. The muffled sound filled the silence as William knocked on the door. It opened with a squeak to reveal an older, very elegantly dressed lady with shoulder-length curly hair.

"Good evening, you must be our new guest, Mr Killick, aren't you?" Her voice sounded friendly and welcoming. "That’s right. And you must be Margaret Hallward, the owner of the estate," William replied. The lady nodded. "I am. Come in, you must have travelled a long way, sir." William followed her into the warm house. Mrs Hallward disappeared for a moment behind a wooden counter and handed William a key. "Room seven is yours. The dining room is in the ground floor and the common room is on the second floor. Breakfast is tomorrow from seven to half past eight. YN, would you be so kind as to accompany our guest to his room? And take some of his luggage."

"Of course, Mrs Hallward," a quiet voice sounded behind them, and William turned around curiously. In front of them stood a young woman in a red apron and white blouse. William smiled kindly at her. "No, wait, I can carry that," he interrupted her when she tried to take the suitcase off. Shrugging her shoulders, she finally gave up and told William to follow her. They walked along a corridor decorated with old paintings and photos of the country estate and stopped in front of a room door with the number 7.

"Thank you so much, Ma'am," he said, putting the room key in the lock. The young woman smiled and wished him a good night before disappearing without another word.

****

William had slept very well that night. It was probably because he was quite tired from the long journey. When he finally entered the dining room for breakfast, it was already quite full. He took an empty seat at a table where an elderly man was still sitting, reading a newspaper.

"Tea, sir?" It was the young woman again who had shown him his room yesterday. "Yes, thank you“, he said. "What was your name again?"

"YN," she said quietly, and poured some tea into a small cup.

"Beautiful name."

William could clearly see her cheeks turning slightly pink at the words. "Thank you, sir." But they were interrupted by Mrs Hallward, who approached the table with a big smile. "Good morning, Mr Killick! Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, Mrs Hallward," he replied. "I don't think I've slept as well as I did this morning for months. So I'm really going to enjoy my holiday."

"I'm glad to hear that." She laughed. "Oh, I'd like to introduce you to someone, wait a moment please " She turned to one of the tables and called out in a loud voice. "Norma! Will you come here, please?"

"Yes, Mother." Another woman joined them at the table, she was about a year or two younger than William. She had white-blonde hair, red lips and was wearing an elegant purple dress with ornate embroidery. She was very pretty, William realised.

"Mr Killick, this is my daughter Norma. She lives in Glasgow at the moment, but is here for a few weeks. She grew up at the country estate. If you like, she can show you around the neighbourhood and the town."

"It would be an honour. How about we meet outside the estate at three this afternoon?," Norma chuckled softly as she twirled a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers. William was very happy about the Hallward's hospitality and gratefully accepted the offer.

"But now we won't bother you any longer, Mr Killick. Enjoy your breakfast," Mrs Hallward said with a smile as she took Norma's arm and led her away from the table. As they walked, he heard them whispering to each other, catching bits of sentences like 'isn't he lovely' or 'he looks like a prince from a fairytale'.

Slowly, William turned in the direction where YN had last been, but she was gone.

***

William spent the morning in the garden of the country estate, sitting on one of the benches beneath a cherry tree. The weather was warm, and the birds chirped softly in the treetops. Eventually, he closed his book and stood up to return to the house. As he passed one of the large flower beds, he paused. He saw a person sitting there, gardening.

"Nice to see you again, Ms YN," he said kindly. She didn't seem to notice his arrival and flinched when she heard his voice behind her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," William apologised immediately. "It’s alright, sir," she said, turning her attention back to the bed.

"Call me William, please."

She immediately looked at him in surprise. She had never expected that. A gust of wind came up and brushed through William's dark hair, and his bright blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

"Shall I help you?" he asked her, pointing to the bucket of weeds. She immediately declined his offer. "No, William, you're here on holiday. Not to work." William shrugged. "Anything where I don't have to be in London is a holiday for me. I really love this city, it's my home. But sometimes I really need to go somewhere else." YN nodded briefly. "I've never been to London or any other big city. I imagine it's stressful."

He laughs and shrugs. "I can't deny that it's stressful sometimes." Slowly he knelt down beside her and began to pluck the weeds from the ground in front of him. "You don't have to do that," she said quickly. "It's okay," William replied quietly, continuing to work.

YN laughed. "This has never happened to me before. A guest helping me with my work. If Mrs Hallward finds out, she'll scold me." William smiled a little. "Tell her I did it voluntarily. "You already have enough work." When they were finished, the young woman smiled briefly, then took off her gloves, stood up and reached for the bucket. "I have to go now."

"Wait, don’t you want to stay here a bit longer?" William asked hastily.

"Sorry, I've still got a lot to do. But thank you for helping me, that was very kind of you." She waved goodbye to William and finally turned round. William looked at her for a moment, a bit disappointed. Then he glanced at his pocket watch and flinched. It was ten minutes past three, Norma was probably already waiting for him.

He quickly grabbed his book that was laying in the grass and hurried to the front gate. Norma was waiting there, her arms crossed over her chest, looking at him with raised eyebrows as he finally greeted her completely out of breath. "Sorry I'm late."

She finally smiled and said in a friendly voice, "It's okay." Her hair was pinned up in an elegant braid, her lipstick was the same colour as the new pastel pink dress she was wearing, and she carried a matching handbag.

"I was in the garden talking to YN. I must have lost track of time."

One of her blonde eyebrows immediately raised again and she looked at him as if he had just said something completely stupid. "You're talking to household staffs? They're working for us, it’s far below our class."

He looked at her, confused. "But why shouldn't I talk to her? She's really nice."

Norma stayed silent, grabbed his arm and pulled him along without a word. She led him through the Scottish Highlands, down a small forest path, until the roofs of houses appeared in the distance. This had to be Tobermory. The air smelled of salty sea and a fresh breeze as they walked along Tobermory's coastal road, lined with colourful houses. High mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in a gentle mist. "Wow, it's beautiful!" marveled William.

"I know, right?" Norma replied giggling, taking his hand and pulling him towards a small café.

"My aunt works there," she said. "She makes the best cakes." They entered the café and sat down on a corner bench by a small window. "Norma, how lovely to see you again." A lady with bright red hair came up to them and pulled her niece into her arms, laughing. When she noticed William, she looked him over from head to toe, smiled and turned back to her niece. "And who is that handsome young man next to you? Did you meet him in Glasgow?" Norma shook her head, laughing. "No. He's a guest of Mother's. She asked me to show him around."

"Oh, how lovely. You know, Norma, it's time for you to get married. Can I bring you both some of my Dundee cake?" William frowned slightly when she mentioned marriage. Did the Hallwards already see him as their future son in law?

They spent the rest of the afternoon in the little café, William telling Norma about his home in London, his job, his family, and she seemed to be very interested. But William hadn't forgotten her nasty comment about YN. He was torn by Norma.

After they said goodbye that evening, William went to his room tired. In the corridor he saw Mrs Hallward talking excitedly to YN. "You forgot to fluff up the pillows in Room 9! How many times do I have to tell you?" she snapped at her in a harsh tone.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Hallward, I..." But she didn't let YN finish, because when she noticed William, she put on a big smile again: "Oh, Mr Killick, how nice to see you. Did you have a nice day with Norma?"

"Yes, I did, thank you for asking," he replied. He looked at YN, but she avoided his gaze, holding a white sheet in her arms.

"You know, Norma is still not married and we're looking for a suitable husband for her. Or do you already have a wife?" Mrs Hallward wanted to know. William shook his head slowly.

"She is such a beautiful young woman. But no man has ever met her standards. You're the first one she has shown interest in", the lady explained to him. "Come, YN, you need to get back to work now, the dishes need to be washed."

"Good night, William," YN said to him as he walked past, nodding to him.

"Good night," he replied.

As soon as he entered his room, he took off his jacket and shirt and yawned softly. He intended to read, but he was so tired that he just wanted to lie down in bed. Suddenly he heard something crunching under his feet and looked down in surprise. There was a small piece of white paper under his shoe. Someone must have slipped it through the gap under his door. He bent down and picked it up carefully. It was no bigger than William's hand, made of good quality and written in black ink.

Holding his breath, William began to read:

𝓣𝓸 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓶 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮

ℐ𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑔𝒶𝓇𝒹𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝒹𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒, 𝒶 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝒷𝓎 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒.

𝒲𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝒽𝒶𝒾𝓇 𝒻𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒻𝒶𝒸𝑒, 𝒷𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈 𝓇𝑒𝒻𝓁𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝒸𝑒.

ℋ𝒾𝓈 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽, 𝒽𝑒'𝓈 𝒻𝓊𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝑔𝑒𝓃𝓊𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒, 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝓇𝑒���𝒹𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓇𝑒.

Confused, he turned the letter over in his hands. Was it from Norma? But she had been with him all afternoon, hadn't she? Who else was writing him poems?

****************************************************

Thank you so much for reading! If you want a part 2, let me know! 🖤

[christinatravel]

Experience the tranquil beauty of an urban sunset captured from the beach. This serene body of water mirrors a city's distant silhouette, set against a backdrop of a softly glowing red sky at dusk. It's a moment of peace and beauty, illustrating the harmonious blend of nature and city life. Perfect for those who cherish the calming influence of nature and the vibrant energy of urban landscapes.