#Hugo New Romance

[karmhantra]

[tricoufamily]

one thing i will say about villareal set up is that even though it's difficult i've decided to start it in 2014 which means WHOO HOO HUGO WARDROBE INSPO LET'S GO

[hoomandoescosplay]

A Very Happy New Year | Albus Potter x Scorpius Malfoy

"Welcome to the Burrow." I say giving Scorpius a small grin while gesturing around. He gives me a smile in return. "It's nice to finally be here. This place is very cozy." As he looks around the main room and sees everyone I can tell he has taken notice of something.

"Does everyone always just wear pyjamas around the house to these family gatherings?" I let out a small laugh as he gave me a cute confused look. "Molly makes each of us sweaters for Christmas and everyone tries to keep them on as long as possible to make her happy."

After hearing this Scorpius looks a bit surprised and smiles while shaking his head. "So you mean to tell me all of you have been wearing your Christmas PJs all day?"

I nod my head. "And guess what," I say, pausing to give the moment some suspense. "You might also have one." I finished, looking to see his reaction.

"What do you mean I *might* have one?" Scorpius asks with a confused look on his face for the second before slowly coming to the realisation of what you're implying.

"I... you wouldn't." He asks as his cheeks begin to flush. "I had Molly make you one." I admit blushing slightly.

It's Scorpius' turn to let out a small laugh as he looks away trying not to let me see his embarrassment. "Really?" He asks with his voice breaking slightly, his cheeks a bright shade red.

I nod and move further into the living room to get his sweater. "Here you go. I hope you like it." I say as I'm excited to see his reaction to it.

"You actually got me one?" He asks as I hand over the sweater. He immediately puts it on and it's a little bit baggy on him but it's clear he really does like the sweater.

"Thank you" he whispers as he reaches out to hold my hand for a brief moment. I squeeze his hand quickly before letting go. "I have to admit it looks good on you." I let out a small chuckle.

He can't help but blush even brighter as I compliment him. "Thanks, you're one to talk." He returns the compliment with a small smile on his face. We share a quick glance and smile before the conversation is interrupted by Lily.

"Dad wants you to help set up the snacks in the kitchen. There's a lot." Lily glances at Scorpius for a moment before continuing. "He also said Scorpius can help you if he wants." Scorpius nods his head as I hum in response to Lily. She runs off to somewhere as I lead Scorpius towards the kitchen.

As we walked into the kitchen I noticed that Lily was right and my dad was there with a bunch of snack trays that they needed the food placed on them.

"Hey you two. Nice to see you again Scorpius." He greets the both of us with a smile.

"Hello Mr. Potter." Scorpius waves a bit awkwardly trying to be polite. I shake my head slightly laughing. "Hey dad. Lily said you wanted us to help?" I ask.

Harry chuckles slightly when he sees Scorpius try to act polite towards him. "Just call me Harry, being friends with Albus makes you basically part of the family." He dusts his hands off on his apron before continuing. "Yes, it would be great if you two could help me out. As you can see we have a bunch of trays here and lots of snacks to put out."

Scorpius and I eye each other at the word "friends" trying not to laugh. Thankfully Harry doesn't notice the look we shared due to James running in quickly to swipe a few of the snacks.

When we both make eye contact again we both have to hold in our laughter, after all dad has no idea just how close we are.

Harry notices James grab some of the snacks and makes a face before he laughs. "James we're almost done you can wait until we finish and everyone else comes in here to grab some." He says in a light tone.

"Sorry, no can do." James replied with a full mouth before leaving the kitchen as quickly as he came in.

Harry sighs and shakes his head before we all get started on the food trays. Scorpius and I start putting the snack trays together while dad unwraps the last few snacks from their packaging. Before we know it we've got half of the trays ready.

"We've got half left to do." Harry says with a smile looking over at us, noticing how much we've done so far.

As the two of us are working on the last half of the snacks we both can't help but notice how close we are standing. We constantly accidentally brush up against each other when trying to work on the trays but it's clear neither of us seem to mind.

After we both finish I look up and notice how close our faces are. Our lips only a few inches apart as we both look into each other's eyes. I turn my head away to make sure I don't mindlessly close the small gap between us.

I turn my head away to ensure I don't mindlessly close the small gap between us as I become flustered. Harry looks up noticing all the snacks are set and ready and gives us both a big smile. "Thanks for the help you two."

We both nod our heads in acknowledgment before Scorpius speaks up. "So does this mean we can start raiding the snack trays or do we have to wait?" He asks jokingly.

I let out a laugh at his comment as I playfully slap his arm. "Yeah dad, do we have to wait?" I joke along. Harry chuckles at us both joking around as he smiles, seeing the both of us laughing together.

"You can have a little snack but wait to get more until after everyone else has come in here to get some." He allows us both one small snack as he smiles.

As the two of us grab a snack and head into the living room we sit next to each other on the couch. I realize how close we are to one another and have to resist the urge to sit closer to him.

Before either of us can act on the thought of sitting even closer, everyone somehow ends up in the living room with us which makes us distance ourselves a bit. Harry pokes his head out of the kitchen letting them know the snacks are ready and soon everyone is piling into the kitchen to grab some.

The kitchen is quite full with lots of people grabbing snacks. The two of us decide to stay on the couch since we already have our snacks and just get comfortable.

Eventually when everyone makes their way back into the living room I notice how close we're sitting to one another again and how it's almost hard to keep your distance, it's almost as if our bodies naturally want to be closer together.

Thankfully the closeness of the two of us isn't as suspicious since everyone crams near each other to be able to sit in the living room.

Conversation starts up as everyone starts to join in. Scorpius and I add to the conversation from time to time but mainly just listen.

As the conversation continues the two of us are both sitting with our legs right next to one another and our arms just brushing against each other while we both casually laugh, smile, and converse with the rest of the people in the room.

Eventually the time comes to set up the fireworks outside and you both follow Harry and everyone else outside.

─── ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ ───

Harry pushes up his glasses as he and Ron start to figure out how to set up the fireworks. In the meantime, Ginny and Hermione are passing out sparklers for us to play around with as we wait for the fireworks.

Scorpius grabs a sparkler from Hermione and smiles softly before holding it out in front of me.

"You want one?" He asks with a soft tone, feeling comfortable with holding his hand out towards me. I smile at him. "Yeah, thank you." I grab the extra sparkler from his hand holding it in my own.

He smiles back at me as I take the sparkler, we both stand there smiling and laughing and eventually before either of us realize it we're both holding each others hands.

"I'm glad you were able to come here today." I say giving his hand a small squeeze. He looks over at me and smiles before responding.

"I'm really happy I came too, this has been a great day." He squeezes my hand back softly before letting go and moving his hand up to my arm. He gently wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me slightly closer to him.

We stand there for a few moments embracing each other while waving the sparkles around until we hear Ron call out that the fireworks are ready.

As soon as we both hear Ron Scorpius lets go of me and we make sure to stand the correct distance away from each other so no one questions the two of us.

He then looks over, giving me a small grin before walking over to join in the crowd that formed around Harry and Ron.

I stand closer to the back of the crowd more interested in watching everyone else than participating myself. Scorpius has similar thoughts and stands in the back of the crowd near me and enjoys watching everyone else lighting the fireworks.

Both of us have warm looks on our faces as the fireworks start to fill the sky. When the last few are launched into the sky both of you look over at one another sharing a few moments of staring into each others eyes.

In the background we can hear cheers of "Happy New Year" from everyone else. As we continue to look at each other I see Scorpius glance around for a mere moment before pulling me into him and bringing his lips to mine.

I can't help but blush from him pulling me in close for a kiss. The fireworks light up the sky as our lips meet and we both share the first kiss of the new year.

We are a bit lost in the moment, our lips pressed firmly against one another as we both fall deeper into the kiss and I forget for that moment about all the others around us.

"Happy New Year Albus." Scorpius whispers in my ear as soon as he ends our kiss. My cheeks are flushed as I lean my head on his shoulder and smile. "Happy New Year Scorp." I mumble too flustered to speak up any louder. Scorpius can't help but chuckle at how flustered I seem as he wraps his arm around me and pulls me closer into him.

─── ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ ───

[standing-bears-dont-run]

Just finished watching the Australian TV Series Love Me. What a lovely series. So happy to see Bob Morley in it and being extremely charming, lighthearted and someone even you, fall in love with a little bit.

Each episode is directed by Emma Freeman and let me tell you something. There is just something magnificent about sex scenes directed by a women. They feel different, look different, those that have watched House of the Dragon KNOW that when a woman is behind the wheel it's just f'n BETTER in every way.

Mr. Bob Morley has one of these sex scenes just an FYI. I know he doesn't like to be objectified but I say with respect, it's probably the tenderest sex scene I've ever seen on TV and it wasn't even long!

Besides the sex, the acting, the love stories, are all on point. The family the show is focused on is so honest. So HUMAN that I found myself tearing up more than once. DEFINITELY RECOMMEND this one.

[nadjaofstatenisland]

I 100% blame booktok but I hate this trend of people not understanding that books and movies/TV shows are very different pieces of media and its almost impossible to adapt anything perfectly. Like seeing people rip apart castings and things like that because someone isn't exactly how they imagined or an adaption needing to change some details to make it flow better on screen.

Are there bad book adaptions? Oh absolutely. Tons of them. But if you don't understand books and movies are different idk just stop engaging in one or the other.

[johannestevans]

Powder and Feathers, my 285k dark romance, is out today!

Hey, do you like fucked up fallen angels?

Do you like even more fucked up fallen angels than the first fallen angel, who are transmasc manipulative French bastards who love to do both murder and assassination? In the mood for a dark romance, perhaps, where said angel fixates on just some guy and decides to bring him home and obsess over him forever? Do you like cats, also?

Do you like on and off toxic and supportive sibling relationships? Do you love complicated and completely hypocritical relationships with the Catholic Church? Do you love revolutionaries that tell lies?

Do you love cuckoldry and self esteem issues? Do you love when rape victims can’t separate the sense of being seen as desirable from their sense of self? Do you love t r a u m a ?

Did you by any chance read Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables and internalise way too much of it?

If the answer to any or all of the above is yes, I think you might really like my new novel, Powder and Feathers, which is about all that shit and more, and you can buy it today!

Buy on Amazon / / Buy on Smashwords / / Add on GoodReads

[lgbtpopcult]

What cool WLW projects do we know are coming in 2024?

Drive-Away Dolls

Arguably the most important representation of the year comes from a movie directed by one of the Coen brothers. Ethan Coen directs this wacky comedy that is very much in style for him.

Synopsis:

This comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

Lost Records: Bloom and Rage

A game had to be added to this list and here it is, the best one. From the creators who gave us Life is strange. Lost Records: Bloom and Rage tells the story of four friends who experience a transformative summer in 1995. After 27 years of no contact, Nora, Swann, Autumn, and Kat are reunited by fate and forced to confront the long-buried secret that made them agree to never speak again all those years ago. From the teaser alone it is obvious at least two of them dated.

Pluto

A Thai gl from GMMTV, known for its successful Thai dramas. The story is the telenovela cliche we've always wanted. Two girls in love. One gets in an accident and her twin takes her place to find out who was behind her accident, the other girl is blind. The twin has to fake being the real one so has to be in a relationship with the blind girl and of course falls in love with her. Match made in fanfic heaven.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

It was announced so long ago people are getting frustrated. However, with both a writer and a director now attached to the project, and the strikes over, we have every reason to believe we will finally get to see the hit novel, that centers the love story between two closeted Hollywood actresses, come to life. Whether you loved the novel or were indifferent and didn't see what the fuss was about, it is a very successful wlw romance and we want to see it on screen!

The Paying Guests

The director that brought us Carol adapting a book by the author of Fingersmith? Yes please!

Speaking to Indiewire, Haynes revealed he’s developing an adaptation of Sarah Waters’ 2014 novel The Paying Guests. “It’s a three-part limited series that would need to be a British production, but it’s a really great novel.” Set in post-WWI London, the drama is part lesbian love story and part murder mystery following a down-and-out widow and her daughter, the latter taking up a relationship with one of their lodgers. Waters also wrote Fingersmith, which was adapted into The Handmaiden by Park Chan-wook.

NCIS Hawaii season 3

One of our favorite pairings of last year, Kate and Lucy are the main couple of their show and they carry it well. They look good together, have progress and evolution in their relationship and have fun working together.

The Secret of Us

Thai channel CH3 is expected to hit us strong with this Thai gl. CH3 is big in Thailand so this one is a big deal. The story is the typical exes meet again trope and it's magnificent. It centers Doctor Fahlada, nicknamed Doctor Angel. She is trying to hide the pain after being abandoned by the woman she loved. But then...by chance that woman comes back into her life.

Whisper Me a Love Song

Our resident anime entry has to be Whisper me a love song. Based on a manga it is the story of Himari Kino. On the first day of entering high school, Himari Kino "falls" for her senior, Yori Asanagi, whom she watched singing with a band at the welcome party for new students. When Himari confesses her admiration to Yori, Yori misinterprets Himari's feelings as romantic love. However, before Yori realizes, she comes to fall for Himari anyway, and promises to win her affections for real.

Bad Sisters season 2

Bad Sisters is one of the best reviewed and hilarious shows on this list. Coming back for a season 2 was inevitable. Bibi, the lesbian sister, will keep entertaining us in 2024.

Station 19 season 7

One of the most enduring shows and wlw couples on TV are coming back for a season 7! That is a lot of seasons but Maya and Carina do still have that spark.

About Galaxy The Series

Part of the gl renaissance that is expected to go full force next year, this series is already hugely popular among Asian romance fans.

Synopsis:

‘About Galaxy’ is based on author Zezeho’s yuri of the same name, with a Thai title of “มูลค่าดาวล้านดวง”. The story revolves around Hong Yok, a designer who has a big scar on her face which led her to hide away from the public due to her inferiority complex. But something changed in her life when she met Note, a woman she was measuring clothes, and realized she is the same person who gave her that huge scar! However, despite the incident, she doesn’t outright despise her, and instead��� feels safe. What will happen to the two women?

My Ex-Friend's Wedding

Kay Cannon ("Blockers") will direct from a script co-written by Taylor Jenkins Reid? Staring a group of friends trying to stop their friend from getting married? And one of them is queer? We're all in!

Arcane (Season 2)

It seems like forever since we first watched Arcane but we're definitely looking forward to season 2. Needs no introduction.

Dream the Series

We already have enough Asian dramas in this list but we couldn't leave out one of the most anticipated gl, Dream. The story is that of a woman that sees a girl in her dreams every night only to meet her in real life. While in real life they are friends in her dreams they do much more. She thinks her friend doesn't know about that what she doesn't know is that she also remembers everything they do in their dreams.

Harley Quinn the Animated Series season 5

Another season of our favorite criminal duo Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy? Yes please and thank you. These two, and this particular iteration of them, might be the best representation American television has ever given us.

Chaser Game W

Chaser Game W is the first gl produced by TV Tokyo so it has a historic significance for the advancement of representation for queer women in Japan. First episode airs January 8. Based on manga series "Chaser Game" written by Hiroshi Matsuyama & illustrated by Yukitaro Matsuyama

The story:

synopsis: Itsuki has been working in the "Dynamic Dream" game company for five years and is now appointed as the lead for a big Japanese-Chinese collaboration project, which she is fully motivated to work on. However, it turns out the Chinese company team is led by her ex, Fuyu, whom she one-sidedly broke up with back in university! After breaking up with Fuyu, Itsuki never dated anyone else and chose to focus on her work, all while not coming out to her family and coworkers... But when her ex-girlfriend suddenly appeared in front of her, her feelings immediately started to sway. Meanwhile, Fuyu always resented Itsuki for breaking up with her without saying why. She takes charge of the project and pushes impossible tasks onto Itsuki. While Fuyu plots her revenge, Itsuki is rekindling her unrequited love. What will the outcome be for these two opposites?

Vigil season 2

The first couple of episodes of Vigil season 2 will technically be shown in December 2023 (in the UK only) but we'll basically be able to watch it beginning 2024 and we're looking forward to it!

Several upcoming TV shows and movies have cast actors that make it obvious they'll have lesbian and bi characters but until we know whether the representation will be enough to be worth watching we're holding off on making that other, more elaborate, list.

[blackinperiodfilms]

Roger M. Bobb to direct Hallmark Mahogany adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility with an all-black cast.

The period film which takes place in the early 19th century follows the two Dashwood sisters Elinore and Marianne and their widowed mother as they are forced to leave their rich family estate at Norland Park and move to Barton Cottage, a modest home on the property of distant relative. There Elinor and Marianne experience love, romance, and heartbreak while dealing with their new found poverty. 

The film stars Deborah Ayorinde (as Elinor Dashwood) Bethany Antonia (as Marianne Dashwood), Akil Largie (as Colonel Brandon), Victor Hugo (as John Willoughby), Martina Laird (as Mrs Jennings) and Victoria Ekanoye (as Lucy Steele). 

Executive Producers are Toni Judkins and Tia Smith. Filming locations are Bulgaria, Ireland and London. Sources say that Hallmark is devoting considerable resources on this first of it’s kind production which is slated to be released in February 2024.

(Source)

[coqxettee]

Coquette Winter Gift Guide:

🎀 Gift ideas for yourself or your friends who love the Coquette aesthetic:

Clothes/Fashion:

1. Anything from Brandy Melville (Amara heart lace pyjamas)

2. Bailey bow uggs or normal uggs

3. Ralph Lauren sweaters

4. A ballet wrap

5. Floral pyjama sets, Cami’s & Long sleeve shirts

6. Grandma cardigans

7. A cable knit sweater

8. Legwarmers/pretty tights

9. A pair of cute gloves

10. ANY clothing from “Mymummadeit”

11. ANY clothing from “Favourite child collective”

12. Any clothing from the “Cutey” section on Romwe

13. A dress/anything from “Selkie”

14. Any slogan tee’s / baby tee’s from small businesses and independent brands

15. Victoria secret Pyjamas/Robe

16. Pink puffa coat

17. Tiffany & co earrings or necklace

18. The “Mymummadeit” puffa bag

19. Kate spade heart bag/Vivienne Westwood one or just a heart purse

20. A printed tote bag

21. Ted baker bags/cosmetic bags

22. Any dresses from - Cider, Motel rocks, Pretty little thing, Oh polly

23. A ballet skirt

24. ECOSUSI summer garden romance bags

25. A cape/fur shaul//A glam doll coat

26. Vintage nightgowns/nightwear

27. Cute earmuffs & things to decorate them with

28. Mary Janes & frilly ankle socks

Beauty:

29. Any products from “Glossier”

30. Dior (addict) makeup products (Lip oil’s, Blush, lip balm,

31. Anything from “Flowerknows” “Etude house” “Too faced” or “Charlotte Tilbury” “C beauty mall products”

32. Chanel lipstick

33. A quilted floral coquette makeup bag

34. W7 Tinted kiss lip oil

35. Miss Dior perfume

36. Chanel mamoiselle perfume

37. Any of the Ariana Grande perfumes/body sprays

38. Penhaligons “The favourite”

39. Oriana “Parfums de Marly”

40. Victoria secret body sprays

41. Paul & Joe Cinamoroll collection

Homeware:

42. The Amazon floral bedsheets

43. A heart mirror

44. Love shack fancy homeware items

45. Anything from Paris Hilton’s new cookery line

46. A ballerina/music box jewellery box

47. Pink/Vanilla Yankee candles

48. FreePrints photos to make a wall collage

49. Roccoco style picture frames

50. An angel tray dish

51. Fake flowers

52. Pretty Cushions / A large throw fluffy blanket,

53. Caroline medium jewellery case

54. Fake cake jewellery boxes

55. Tall candles and a candle holder

56. Posters of celebrity’s/artists etc

57. Any pretty art that can be displayed/put into frames

Self care:

58. Spa headbands, and wrist bands (Kylie skin headband)

59. Inn is free skincare products

60. Philosophy shower and skin products

61. Chanel eye patches

62. Mulberry silk eye mask (pink)

63. Look fantastic heartless hair curlers

64. Dior prestige skin products and body lotions

65. Baylis & Harding products

66. Angel tangle brush

67. Charlotte Tilbury skincare gift sets

68. Elasti - cream

69. Embellished claw clips

70. Sol de Janerio body cream

71. Mugs, hand warmers, face masks, lip scrubs

Miscellaneous: ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚

72. AirPod max

73. Wildflower phone cases & airpod cases

74. A pink waterbottle (Stanley or Lululemon)

75. Lana del rey vinyls

76. Coquette notebooks

77. Dior & Chanel fashion books

78. My year of rest and relaxation

79. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo

80. Jellycats

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛

I hope this helped you think of some ideas of things you want to ask or get someone for Christmas 🎀✨🎄

Merry Pinkmas coquette doves

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛

[sarahreesbrennan]

sorry if you have already answered this, but are we getting any queer rep in Long Live Evil? 💕 i am super excited to see what you've cooked up for us either way!

I came back after I'd gone off on one, seeing the post had struck a chord and being thankful but fearful of my inbox. Let me say with delighted surprise that all the asks are very kind.

Thank you for this one, sweet anon. I am so excited and so nervous about my best beloved, Long Live Evil, and about coming back with a new book of my own after so long, when I believed for a long time it was hopeless.

I'm really grateful to find readers waiting for me. But I know readers are naturally more invested in characters they know: I extremely appreciate you taking an interest in the future.

So, short answer: YEAH you are!

Long answer: Long Live Evil wouldn't exist without its queer narratives.

C.S. Pacat and I were talking in our virtual Brookline Booksmith event recently about our favourite Disney villains. C.S. Pacat picked Maleficent, a fine choice. I picked Snow White's Evil Queen. We agreed we loved most of them.

Here's the relevant excerpt I was quoting in my last post from Carmen Maria Machado's In The Dream House, saying 'I think a lot about queer villains, the problem and pleasure and audacity of them.' Well... me too.

I think many of us have experienced feeling made wrong in some way - for not wanting what society said we should or being what we were expected to be - and that one step along that journey of discovery is going 'Okay, if it's wicked, I'll just BE wicked.' And that's part of why those characters appeal - because they seem free, and free of pain.

But modern storytelling isn't confined to coding, and audiences can now feel free to expect, not the certainty, but the possibility characters who aren't introduced as such still might actually turn out to be LGBT+. The essays I've read about Supernatural, Teen Wolf, Sherlock, Ted Lasso, Fox 9-1-1... I think the latest argued Jaime Lannister was bisexual. (Pretty persuasive.)

I remember reading the Raven Cycle going 'oh? OH.' I remember being at a writing retreat in 2013 and running through the halls screaming about Nico diAngelo. Ten years later we got a Nico diAngelo book co-written by Rick Riordan and the amazing Mark Oshiro. I watched Red, White and Royal Blue with a friend and she said 'honestly I hope the guys get together, but...' and I (having read the book) silenced myself with a herculean effort and watched her hopes come true. I didn't know about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and almost dropped the book in a swimming pool. But I've also read and watched many things thinking, just maybe... oh, no. Still that hope existing is meaningful, the thought that if the story had gone differently, if this revelation had happened, if this realisation had happened, if, if, if...

Long Live Evil is a story about the story going differently and asking yourself questions about your own nature, and the escape to fiction of those who really need escape. The book is based on that 'if,' and the 'if' itself is joyous, and brings me back to the idea of gleefully transgressing the narrative that much villain love is based on.

It's also an ensemble story with a rogue's gallery of characters and multiple PoVs. (I was much inspired by the Six of Crows ensemble.) So it isn't about any one character's romance, and by the book's nature there exist many possibilities. A critique partner read and said 'I didn't know you were going THERE' and I responded 'Should I?'

I've never been one to confirm where stories are going, and I won't do so now. I'm not talking about any one character or telling you a direction.

I'm just saying yes to rep. It's baked in.

[karmhantra]

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #12 – What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher

I initially meant to read this back last year when it was up for a Hugo nomination, but well – honestly I forgot my copy in an airport waiting room and it’s presumably now living a good life somewhere in a New Jersey compose heap. But a friend had a copy and said they enjoyed it, so! Stole it for a few days, and very glad I did. It’s a quick, fun shot fungal gothic, great for stormy nights.

The basic plot is, well, it’s very explicitly Fall of the House of Usher with a slight admixture of Ruritanian Romance. The Ushers are a genteely impoverished family of minor aristocracy in Ruravia, a less than impressive principality in Eastern Europe. Alex Easton, Roderick Usher’s former commanding officer in some recent war (the Gallacian Army they served in having a habit of getting into these quite habitually) receives a letter from Roderick’s sister Madeline begging company and help, as she is deathly ill. Of course by the time Easton arrives the pair of them look like they’re one stiff wind away from dying, and the estate and the lands around it are both decaying and full of unnerving strangeness. The only person who seems happy to be there is Eugenia Potter, an Englishwoman and amateur mycologist studying the great variety of mushrooms and fungus to be found in the area.

So yes this is very much aiming to be Gothic Classic, at least in aesthetics and trappings. An overgrown and decaying estate several times too large for the last remnants of the family who now occupy it. Genteel madness and disease, hidden behind polite euphemisms and high walls. A deep, atavistic horror at parasitism and the desecration of the human (especially the well-bred, young and female) body by an alien presence. There’s even a cowboy for some reason. It definitely all works for me, but then my exposure to the genre is all a bit second hand.

Speaking of parasitism – mushrooms! The book expresses decay and desecration basically entirely through the idiom of fungal infections, both in terms of metaphor and imagery in descriptions and just in the actual source of the horror here. The lights in the tarn are fungal blooms, Madeline’s disease and her reanimation are both the result of almost drowning and inhaling that fungus into her lungs, and so on. There are two really effective horror beats in the book for me – the image of an infected hare which had just had its head shot off slowly jerking back to its feet as a dozen others placidly stood there and watched it be shot, and the moment of realization that Madeline’s oddly long and wispy body hair is in fact mycelia growing out of her skin – and both play off of this pretty directly.

I very awkwardly didn’t use any pronouns for Easton when giving the plot synopsis because the book actually plays around a bit with gender and pronouns in a way I’ve always loved and wish I saw more of. Easton is Gallacian (unrelated to the actually existing Galicia, I think), and the Gallacian language has a variety of pronoun sets beyond just he and she – one for children, one for God, and one (ka/kan) particularly for soldiers. Which, due to the exigencies of early modern warefare’s manpower requirements, eventually led to both men and women being perfectly eligible to become ‘sworn soldiers’. So y’know, Enlist today! Service guarantees citizen-transition!

(But actually I enjoy the thought and at least superficial sociological plausibility/consideration of what gender means in Gallacian society a lot more than how a lot of modern spec fic just kind of assues that every culture in the world has the perspective on gender of a well-educated 21st century progressive, material conditions be damned).

Anyway yeah, overall very entertaining read. Though Goodreads tells me it’s now the first in the series, which given how cleanly this one ended is not something that fills me with an abundance of faith.

[kellyvela]

Sophie's Hon Vol. VII Hot Girl Summer Edition 🔥🍹☀️

It's a Hot Girl Summer as Sophie's living an idyllic Summer with her Hon & best friends 😎

SPRITZ UP YOUR SUMMER

In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, while promoting St-Germain's Hugo Spritz, Sophie told us her recipe for a Hot Girl Summer:

“My recipe for a hot girl summer is pretty much playing with my kids [Willa, three, and Delphine, one], hanging out with my best friends, drinking some cocktails—you know, which ones—and enjoying the sun, long may it last. As long as the sun’s out, I’m a happy chap,” Turner says, looking, indeed, like a happy chap. —Harper's Bazaar

And that's precisely what she's doing this Summer, enjoying the sun at green polo lawns, presenting trophies to polo winners, having barbecues and lot of spritzes with her besties, and canoodling with her boyfriend in corners at music festivals. Let's see:

PIGGYBACK RIDE 🏇

Short after Sophie posted a few pics of her romantic picnic with Perry in the English countryside, the British & international press made public more pics from that day.

The pics are from June 29, 2024, during a day of polo at Cowdray Park Polo Club, part of Perry's family estate in West Sussex.

In the pictures we can see Perry taking Sophie on a piggyback ride across the polo lawns, joined by one of Perry's sisters:

Ahhh the perks of having a very tall boyfriend . . . .

~~~

It's worth to note that the last picture went viral on social media!!! 👏👏👏

~~~

The lovebirds were also seen holding hands & hugging:

~~~

PAPA SALT

On July 10, 2024, Sophie and Perry were seen leaving Margot Robbie's launch party for her new Gin brand "Papa Salt" at Roof Gardens in London:

Perry's bestie & roomie Sascha von Bismarck and girlfriend Ella Richards were there too.

~~~

QUEEN OF LOVE AND BEAUTY 👑🏆🏇

Rowena had no sooner beheld him than she uttered a faint shriek; but at once summoning up the energy of her disposition, and compelling herself, as it were, to proceed, while her frame yet trembled with the violence of sudden emotion, she placed upon the drooping head of the victor the “splendid chaplet which was the destined reward of the day, and pronounced in a clear and distinct tone these words: “I bestow on thee this chaplet, Sir Knight, as the meed of valour assigned to this day’s victor.” Here she paused a moment, and then firmly added, “And upon brows more worthy could a wreath of chivalry never be placed!” The knight stooped his head and kissed the hand of the lovely Sovereign by whom his valour had been rewarded; and then, sinking yet farther forward, lay prostrate at her feet. —IVANHOE: A Romance

There are not medieval tourneys anymore, but I think a polo match is close enough!

On Sunday, July 21, 2024, Sophie and Perry were seen together again at Cowdray Park Polo Club, in West Sussex, attending the final match of the British Open for the Cowdray Gold Cup.

The event was so packed that Sophie had to sit on Perry's lap 🤭

A very comfortable seat it seems . . . . 😉

Which reminds me of a funny interaction I found on twitter about the last picture, where someone mentioned that Perry "is touching some sideboob" 😜😂 But they are right 👀🤭

~~~

During the half time the lovebirds were seen is high spirits and chatting with friends.

Here with Tabby Doherty:

Here with Taura Lamb, Rupert Gorst and Ella Richards:

Here with Taura Lamb and Ellie Johnson:

Here with Taura Lamb and Tabby Doherty:

~~~

At the end of the match Sophie and Perry approached the podium to watch the awards ceremony . . . .

~~~

. . . . And here came the biggest surprise of the day: Sophie was in charge of presenting the Gold Cup to the winners, as well as other prizes to all the players.

Indeed! Emulating the fair ladies awarding the jousting champions from medieval times, Sophie played the role of the Queen of Love and Beauty and presented the Gold Cup to the champion team:

~~~

Among the former female presenters of the Gold Cup we have:

The Viscountess Cowdray on duty, like Perry's mother and paternal grandmother.

Members of the Pearson Family like Eliza & Emily Pearson (Perry's sisters) and Amanda Pearson (Perry's sister in law).

Sarah (Ferguson), Duchess of York.

Diana (Spencer), Princess of Wales.

Elizabeth (Windsor) II, Queen of the United Kingdom.

Sansa Stark is proudly smiling somewhere!!!

~~~

After presenting the Gold Cup, Sophie and Perry stayed a bit longer watching the end of the prize-giving ceremony, and later left the green polo lawns hand in hand:

~~~

In these videos you can see the whole award ceremony:

The gentleman walking behind the lovebirds is Perry's father, Michael Pearson, the Viscount Cowdray.

~~~

At the end of the previous video a fan runs to Sophie to ask her for a picture. In this one you can see the fan getting his picture with Sophie, while Perry waits for her:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Surrey Magazine (@surreymagazine)

I can't get over the hand holding 🥰

~~~

A TOKEN OF LOVE ❤️

On a recent Q&A with The Cut, Sophie talked about having a Brat Girl Summer:

Are you having a hot-girl summer? I mean, I’d like to think I’m having a hot-girl summer. But I don’t know if you can say that about yourself. I feel like I am, though. Or maybe even a Brat-girl summer?  Yeah, I think I’m having more of a Brat-girl summer. I don’t fully understand what it means, but I am listening to the album. So I guess that counts as me having a Brat-girl summer. —The Cut

And indeed she's listening to Charli XCX's "Brat" Album: On Saturday, July 27, 2024, she posted an IG story titled "Brat Summer Unlocked," where we can see her dancing to the rhythm of Charli XCX's Apple with her besties:

~~~

I was super glad to know that Sophie was having quality time with her best friends, but what really caught my eyes was the long, gold necklace she was wearing in the video. Because I think that's Perry's Cowdray necklace, the one with his family estate sigil logo:

But the really cute detail about Sophie wearing her boyfriend's necklace is that, according to the tale a little bird told me, Perry wasn't in the UK that weekend, since he was staying with his family in another country. So he basically left his necklace with his girl as a token of love during his absence.

They are too sweet, I swear I can't 😭

~~~

A WEEKEND IN THE WILDERNESS

On the first weekend of August 2024, The Gentleman's Journal hosted a Summer event that started with a Lunch at Blenheim Palace, a visit to the Wilderness Festival, and accommodation at Estelle Manor.

There's no pictures of Sophie and Perry at Blenheim Palace, just a few pics of Perry with some of his friends, including Rupert Gorst and Sascha von Bismarck. But Rupert & Sascha are precisely the ones that Sophie captured on an IG Story at the Wilderness Festival:

~~~

Later, thanks to the Daily Mail, we got some pictures of Sophie at the IHG Hotels & Resorts “Into the Wild” bash at the Wilderness Festival:

~~~

And we may not have pictures of the lovebirds during that weekend, but thanks to British Vogue, The Standard and HELLO! UK, we have a few reports of them together at the Wilderness Festival:

Sophie Turner, for her part, picked a low-key combination of linen shirt, tiny shorts and trainers, her blonde hair thrown up in a claw clip. The former British Vogue cover star was keeping a low-profile at the festival with her boyfriend, Peregrine Pearson (“I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time,” Turner told Chioma Nnadi in June – and she looked it), but her denim Louis Vuitton shoulder bag was a dead giveaway. —Vogue

While cerebral literary talks and panels took place on one side of the festival, most celebs were to be found at an array of VIP events held by Wilderness sponsors. IHG Hotels threw a daytime bash on Saturday complete with a roving fortune teller, a silhouette artist and two tiny people dressed up as topiary hedges. Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner was canoodling her aristo boyfriend Peregrine Pearson in one corner, while Professor Green held court in another.  —The Standard

Other hot contenders for best celebrity spotting was Audi’s space, where James Norton, Professor Green and Millie Mackintosh bunkered down, as well as the IHG Hotels & Resorts “Into the Wild” bash, graced by Sophie Turner and her aristo boyfriend Peregrine “Perry” Pearson, Cara’s sister Chloe Delevigne, Jaimie Winstone and dancer Eric Underwood.  —The Standard

Stars embraced whimsical chic during a weekend of luxury escapism at the annual Wilderness Festival, held in Oxfordshire’s Cornbury Park. Actress Jaime Winstone, socialite Chloe Delevingne and Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, with her boyfriend Peregrine Pearson, were just some of the famous names enjoying music from Michael Kiwanuka, Faithless and Jessie Ware. (...) Guests later danced the night away at the festival’s music venues The Hustle and The Valley, as well as celebrity spot The Riddle, where Sophie and Peregrine were seen looking loved up among revellers including model Jodie Kidd and presenter Natalie Pinkham. —HELLO! UK

Keeping a low profile and canoodling in corners, huh? 👀🤭

Good for them!

~~~

And finally, a few days later thanks to Sophie's friend Taura Lamb's fiancé, we got a better picture of Sophie at Estelle Manor during that weekend:

~~~

Actress Nadia Parkes, another one of Sophie's best friends, was also at the Wilderness Festival with her boyfriend during that weekend.

I hope they all had a blast!

~~~

And this is all for this report. I will be updating this post as new Summer content appears!

~~~

You can read the previous editions here: Vol VI - Vol. V - Vol. IV (Appendix) - Vol. IV - Vol. III - Vol. II - Vol. I

Until the next report 👋

[elronds-meleth-nin]

Bruinen's Eastern Shore - Part 1: Flight

This is set just prior to the events of the first Hobbit movie, so take that how you will. I'll probably have four parts for this fic. If anyone wants to be tagged for any future fics or updates, let me know and I'll start a taglist. Anyway, this is my first LotR related fanfic, so enjoy!

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Elrond x Reader

[A/N: I haven't seen RoP, and I don't plan to, so this is Hugo Weaving's Elrond. All of my knowledge regarding this universe comes from the Jackson movies and the books.]

Warnings: Slow burn, Elf x Human romance, age gap (obviously, I mean, he's over 6000 years old), mentions of combat, death, blood, undefined magic (I'm winging it rn so uh...don't think about it too hard).

~*~

"Thank you again for taking the time to meet with me, Lord Elrond," the Man said as the pair walked through Elvish halls. The stone was older than the Human by several thousands of years, yet the Elf lord was there when they were first carved into bricks for construction. "I know your schedule is full to bursting–"

"Nonsense. I am always pleased beyond measure to speak with you, mellon-nin," the Elf interjected as they walked into his study. "Tell me, how are your people holding up with this new threat?"

That was precisely why the Man had come to Rivendell, in the first place. Even as nomads, Orc attacks used to be few and far between for his people, happening perhaps once or twice a year, but in the last six months alone, they'd repelled four assaults. Their losses were becoming concerning. The Man, their leader, decided that the time had come to seek advice and possibly assistance from one much wiser than he.

"They are shaken...frightened by even the smallest of things. The snap of a twig, a particularly loud howl from the wind..." The Elven host offered his guest a seat near his bookshelves - a quiet nook which he reserved for serious conversations or quiet contemplating - and took in his haggard expression. That Elrond understood more than anything. Remaining strong when you were just as afraid as the people whom you were trying to protect was a difficult task. Such endeavors could wear heavily on even the most seasoned and confident of commanders. "They are doing their best to remain strong, but I must confess, I-I am becoming less certain every day about the wisdom of my insistence that we keep moving. Perhaps we should find one good, defensive position and dig in..."

Elrond could see his dilemma.

"But if you took such an action, you would feel as though you were cowering, is that not so?" He offered no judgment and no solutions. Not yet. He wanted to guide his friend along the path to finding his own answer, not force his hand in one direction or the other. That was not his place. That was not his purpose.

The sigh that escaped the Man's lips was ragged, and his shoulders slumped slightly as if the weight of all Middle Earth was upon him.

"I know 'tis prideful, but our people have never shied away from a fight. To dig ourselves into a trench...that would feel too much like desperation. And, each time the Orcs returned, they would know exactly where to find us and how many more it would take to breach our defenses," he muttered running a hand through his hair. Once vibrant and full of color, the strands were flecked with gray. The Elf lord was reminded quite starkly of how much of a toll time took upon the mortals. A pang of sorrow twisted through his heart. After over six thousand years of life, he was well aware that death was a natural part of life for those species who were irrevocably tied to mortality, but his heart ached no less for his friend's eventual fate. "If we keep moving, though, they still manage to find us. Each attack grows in strength. Every time, more and more of my people fall upon enemy blades."

Elrond nodded his head with sympathy and understanding.

"Have your people offered any suggestions about what you might do?"

The Man stood abruptly and began pacing.

"Mekor put forth the idea of joining with a stationary settlement - just until the hoards are cleared, you understand," he said, but he shook his head. "I did not tell him, but the last time we were near several of the major cities, I...scouted ahead. I spoke with their leaders, explained our situation."

"And?"

"And, they all said the same thing: 'I cannot in good conscience allow you to draw such large numbers of orcs to our gates.' The difference is that they at least have gates behind which they can defend themselves," the Man paused near the window overlooking the valley. "And you know why I cannot go to the Rangers."

The Lord of Imladris drew in a deep breath and stood, making his way to his friend's side and laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Is there any help that I could offer which you would accept, mellon?" His question was quiet and probing, yet free of judgment. Elrond knew well the pride of Men and their desire to act as independently as possible. That would not, however, stop him from helping where he could. He would even go so far as to bring these mortals into Rivendell to stay. It was, after all, a refuge for just such an occasion.

After a long moment of consideration, the Man cleared his throat and lifted his chin as if to preserve his dignity.

"Our swords are old. Chipped and cracking. Several shattered during the last skirmish. And our supply of arrows and bow strings is...woeful. The few who were skilled at replenishing both were killed two months ago."

"I'll have Lindir draw up a list of supplies. No matter how small your need is, please tell him everything. We are more than happy to give you whatever help you require," Elrond said, and he could have sworn that the Human's eyes were filling with unshed tears of gratitude. Neither Man nor Ellon mentioned it. Trying to restore his friend's smile, at least to a small degree, the Elf lord changed the subject. "Tell me, how is your daughter faring through all of this?"

The grin that stretched the Man's lips was warm; the love he held for his only child shone brightly in his eyes, restoring some semblance of youth to his weathered features.

"She believes that this is all one big adventure. Though she be only a few years old, she is curious...asking more questions than I rightly know how to answer," he stated proudly. "She has her mother's intellect, and I am glad of it. I am no teacher, but I've managed to convey to her the meaning of a few words of your language."

Surprise was surely evident upon Elrond's face at his friend's declaration.

"Mellon-nin, I am honored."

"She'll need to be able to communicate with your people once she discovers what she is." The Human reached into his pocket and pulled out a small book, flipping it open and retrieving a loose piece of paper. "My late wife, as you know, was the artist of the family, however..."

He trailed off as he offered the page to his host. Elrond took it carefully, looking at the sketch of a little girl.

"Your daughter?" He asked almost reverently as he took in her joyful expression. Even in this simple drawing he could see the intelligence behind her eyes. After a few moments' keen observation, he tried to hand the drawing back to the Man who'd created it but was gently refused.

"Keep it. I brought you that, my dear friend, because if something happens to me...I want you to be familiar with her likeness. It will likely be vastly outdated by the time you meet her, but 'tis better than nothing." The somber tone of voice made Lord Elrond pause. "She is more important to me than all of Middle Earth, and if...if the Orcs take me from her, I must know that someone in this world knows to look out for her..."

Setting the sketch on his desk, the Elf placed his hands on his friend's shoulders.

"Should either of you ever need help, I will be there. She will have every protection that I can possibly afford her," he promised.

"There is...something else," the Man murmured looking into his friend's eyes. "It could be no more than an old man's imagination, but things have happened around her. Small things. Rain repelled from her as if it cannot touch her. Ripples in a pond by which she sits, though no breeze caressed the water's surface."

Elrond's posture straightened further at this new information. He knew that the blood of Númenor was thin in most, but if this was true, his friend's daughter might have a rare gift.

"Have no fear, mellon-nin. Your daughter will find her path, and if I can, I will gladly help her."

By the time of the Man's departure from Rivendell, Elrond had prepared a gift. With the weapons and extra supplies that he presented, the Lord of Imladris had one other item to offer. Opening a small, wooden box carved with Sindarin script, he revealed a silver necklace. The craftsmanship of his people was evident in the intricate curls and swirls of the metal. In the center was a forest green gem that, to the Man, seemed to glow with its own light.

"This is for your daughter. The pendant is a symbol of our protection - proof that she has favor with us. All she ever need do is show this to any Elf, and they will do whatever is necessary to assist her. If none of my people are near, she need only touch it and ask for help," Lord Elrond promised, and as if the gem could hear him, it pulsed with a warm, affectionate glow. The girl's father looked from the necklace to his friend, and this time a tear slid down his cheek as he offered his profuse gratitude. "I would be remiss to do anything less, mellon-nin."

After tucking the box safely away in his saddlebag, the Man embraced his friend. Neither knew that it would be for the last time.

--

"If you find yourself in danger, seek the elves of Rivendell."

My father repeated that to me more times than I could count as soon as I was old enough to comprehend the meaning behind his words. Our people were nomadic, constantly moving from place to place, setting up camp wherever we found ourselves. Every time we stopped, he made sure that I knew two things:

The first was the location of the nearest source of water.

The second was the way to Rivendell from our temporary encampment.

Long before I was brought into this world, my father ensured that we were on friendly terms with the steward of the valley. Each time we were even remotely close to Imladris, he made a point of speaking with the Elven lord.

Once, when I asked what Lord Elrond looked like, he brought out a small box of my mother's sketches. Rifling through them, he made a triumphant sound when he found the one he sought. Setting the box carefully aside on his bedroll, he had me sit beside him and turned the page toward me.

"The last time your mother and I visited, she made a point of drawing him. You must remember his face, my little love. One day you might need to request his help as I have done."

Much of the time, our wandering took us far from that sacred valley and the river that flowed before it. The final time that my father was able to visit, he brought back a gift. A necklace.

But it wasn't just a necklace. There was something about it that sent a wave of calm assurance through me. A sense of safety permeated my being every time I touched it. The cool metal seemed impervious to the elements, never rusting or tarnishing, as only the skill of the elves could accomplish. More than once over the years, I found myself looking at the pendant, wondering about the being who'd given me something so obviously unique on a whim.

Two decades and a handful of years later, I found myself sprinting through the trees with half of our remaining people. We were twelve desperate souls, flying through the underbrush with a hoard of Orcs behind us. Every few steps, I aimed an arrow behind me and prayed that it hit its mark upon my release.

"Come on! We're almost to the river!" I shouted, and my father's second in command, Mekor, let out an answering shout as we approached the ford. The snarls of Orcs and their Wargs nipped at our heels, urging us to move faster.

As much as it hurt, I was forced to ignore a terrified shout as the pack swallowed up one of our tired stragglers. This was a last ditch effort. If we stopped, we'd die.

Eleven.

Struggling for breath, I urged my people toward the sound of the Bruinen River and its eastern shore. Arrows from our pursuers flew through the trees, embedding themselves deeply within trunks and flesh alike. A few screams began and were silenced abruptly.

How many was that? Two? Four? No, we could count our dead once we were safe. Any who fell behind at this point were beyond our ability to save. Fifty Orcs against less than a dozen Humans? We would be lucky if any of our number survived the crossing.

Aiming another arrow backward, I allowed myself a moment's relief at the injured shriek of a Warg and the sickening crunch of its rider's bones as both crashed to the ground. Adrenaline rushed through me as the treeline appeared before us. The grass beneath our feet became a mix of pebbles and sand, rocks and mud.

"Quickly! Cross the river! Make for the eastern shore!" I shouted, and a few of the remaining people in our group echoed the sentiment. Two were cut down before they cleared the trees, their gurgling cries sending a bolt of helplessness through me even as I nocked and released arrows to buy time and space for my people. A few splashes reached my ears, and I prayed they'd make for the trees.

A yell of my name sounded from behind me.

"Come on! Get clear!" Mekor sounded much closer than I would've preferred. I needed him to live.

There were too many of them for me to hold off alone, so I turned and ran, beginning to cross the ford as quickly as I could. The pendant beneath my shirt thrummed against my skin, and an arrow whizzed by my ear so close that I could feel the displaced air from its fletching. That was too close for comfort. Much too close.

For the most part, the Orcs were afraid to cross into this territory. The Elves defended their land fiercely against such filth, after all, and very few of the cretins were stupid enough to seal their fate so definitively. However, a few who were brave enough - or perhaps foolish enough - to risk death started into the water after me. Not yet having reached the shore, I turned, grasping for arrows, but my quiver was empty. With a quiet oath, I turned and ran toward the trees. My boots were drenched, my lungs ached, and I blinked away sorrowful tears at having lost so many souls so quickly.

With a forest as ancient as this, the trees were rumored to whisper to each other and to those who remembered how to listen. The Elves listened.

Lord Elrond listened.

"Get to the trees!" I shouted, then I dug my hand into my shirt and grabbed the pendant. "Help us! Please! We're dying!"

The few brave Orcs who made it across and had not been shot down instantly apparently lent courage to their fellows. The Warg riders began to cross the racing waters, and I felt a horrible sense of dread settle into the pit of my stomach. The sight of boots disappearing into the trees was all well and good, but the Orcs would follow.

Someone had to make sure that they were distracted.

I had but one shot.

--

About an hour before he and his soldiers engaged the Orc hoard, Lord Elrond of Imladris had a vision. His gift of foresight showed a group of terrified Humans racing across the Bruinen with countless Orcs behind them. He was about to send out his guard, but the face of the young woman fighting so hard to protect the others made him pause.

He knew her face. She was older now - quite obviously an adult - but he still recognized the intelligence in her eyes and the determined set to her jaw.

More than that, the sparkle of the pendant that had escaped the collar of her shirt made him freeze. Icy dread washed over him as the vision changed to show her fleeing toward the trees. Her voice floated into his ears as easily as if she'd been standing right beside him.

"Help us! Please! We're dying!"

Elrond did not hesitate.

"Lindir!" He shouted as he began donning his armor. The younger Elf rushed into his lord's study. "Lindir, have my horse saddled. And ready a group of fighters. Hurry! Orcs are coming!"

When Elrond and his warriors caught sight of the group, the Orcs and Warg riders had just begun crossing the river. The glimpse he'd caught an hour before of her hair swishing over her shoulder as she fought repeated itself before his eyes, including her plea for help which now sounded as it should - like a whisper echoing through his very being, drawing him toward her. As he watched, she doubled back on her path, rushing back into the water.

She was trying to draw the focus of the Orcs away from her people - there weren't many Humans left. He urged his horse faster, his heart a racing drumbeat in his chest accompanying the galloping of his mount. He would not allow his friend's daughter to die within his borders while these lands were his to protect!

He'd just drawn his sword when the river's water began to whirl around her. Creating a wall between the Orcs and the remaining Humans, the water roared and flared with a shout from the woman. She lifted her arms, shoved them forward as if pushing a heavy weight, and the wall of water crashed over the majority of her enemies, washing them away as easily as pebbles in a current.

Magic. She'd performed magic! Her father had been right all those years ago.

But it was not the time to ponder her abilities. The time had come for him to fulfill his promise.

She'd bought just enough time for Elrond and his riders to reach the Orcs and cut down those who remained. Blades hissing and flashing, the Elves felled them easily.

By the time he turned back to the river, he saw her collapse onto the sandy bank, panting for air. He recognized the sight instantly: she'd overextended herself. Dismounting with a swish of his cloak, Elrond ran to her side, dropping to his knees and sheathing his blade before turning her gently onto her back.

Her glassy, exhausted gaze met his, and recognition flashed through her clever eyes.

"Elrond o Imladris, boe ammen veriad lîn." The words fell easily from her tongue despite how close she was to unconsciousness. She'd practiced them before.

"You have it, my lady," Elrond murmured, and almost as soon as the words passed his lips, her eyelids closed and she went limp in his grasp. He lifted her into his arms, cradled her close to his chest for one selfish moment, and with a few orders to his men to round up any survivors, the Elves brought their charges into the Hidden Valley.

~*~

Elvish Translations:

mellon-nin = my friend

Elrond o Imladris, boe ammen veriad lîn. = Elrond of Imladris, we need your protection.

[nexility-sims]

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 / ❛ boy crazy ❜ part 1 (@armoricaroyalty)

❝ The Lover's Gala was the Armorican Queer Front's biggest annual event and 2044 was the 25th Anniversary. The organization's communications team had spent months putting out stories about the gala and the celebrities and members of the royals family expected to attend, trying without much success to turn the event into a major cultural major. Overnight, Princess Zofia (and her new boyfriend) blew them all out of the water. It was only his second time in Armorica, and the first time they'd appeared in public together since the funeral. It was only natural that they landed on the front page of every newspaper in the country, the gala (and the work done by the AQF) a vague footnote after paragraphs upon paragraphs breathlessly speculating about the intimate details of the lovebirds' long-distance relationship. "

♥ shoutout to gabe for pitching this very fun idea, as well as for the title card, the contextual prose, and, of course, my beloved daughter miss zofia augusta st. fleur !!!!!!! she's my favorite barbie doll & has been for a long time :^) i guess i love and adore my son as well, but nonetheless. this is special in part because it's the first time i've written them speaking outside of a parody piece that will never see the light of day. anyway, enjoy this super premature dialogue-inclusive, full-color sneak peak of Them™

PART 2

TRANSCRIPT:

{Light music, overlapping conversations}

[Z] It’s gotten so long since December!

[R] Anything for you.

[Z] Anything at all? Promise?

[R] On my life.

[Z] So ... Can we leave then?

[R] Well, that’s actually your call—

[Z] Okay, let’s leave right now!

[R] We’ve been here for only a short while, Fia.

[R] Even less if you count the “restroom break.”

[Z] That was worth it, and no one even noticed.

{Knocking}

[Z] Occupied!

[Z] Anyway, Hannah’s still here. Even Pidge. Et cetera. We can go.

[R] They walked out ten minutes ago—Hannah with Hugo, Margaret following Arthur. All through a servant’s door. Very conspicuous.

[Z] Did they? Huh. So they did.

{Rui laughs}

[Z] Look, if we leave now, it’ll be perfect. It’s barely nine o’clock. We can go back to the city, change clothes, go dancing—!

{Imaginary club music thudding} [Z&R V.O.] Party all night—bet you don’t believe me, but we actually do have good clubs [Rui snickers] or, like, one I like a lot—then I get a cheeseburger—[no pickles]—right! Oh, remember that poor cashier in Nakawe? You sure told him. [“Plain” means plain.] My hero! Anyway, then you carry me and my sore feet to bed. Ideal night.

[Z] You can keep this on, actually. Maybe ditch the jacket.

[R] Undo another button or two?

[Z] Of course. [Soft sigh] You get me.

[Z] The rose is also a must.

[R] It’s for you—a keepsake.

[Z] Aw. Our first appearance and our first Valentine’s Day ...

[R] A sign, probably. Meant to be.

[Z] Romance novel worthy. I’d read it.

[R] The boxes are checked: excitement, fate, many graphic—

[Z] No! Erotic. {Repeats in Armorican} Memorize that one.

{Murmuring}

[R] Do you think I should’ve worn a tie this evening?

[Z] What?

[R] If we were home, obviously not. But, Armorica is ... People here seem to care a lot about unnecessary things. So, was that a misstep?

[Z] {Laughs}

[Z]  Pfft. Hugo didn’t even have his jacket on.

[R] {Scoff} I am not Hugo.

[R] I want to make a good impression—on your family, really. This visit is different. They’re all, for better or worse, paying attention to me.

[Z] Are you kidding? Mission accomplished. [Z] Trust me, they love you! Now, come on, let’s go already—!

[fahye]

i’ve gotten a few book recs from your blog over the last few years so i was wondering, what new books are you looking forward to this year?

frantically answering this one on release day for some of the books on this list, scraping in under the wire, etc.

* asterisk means I've already read it because of the joys of ARCs.

*SOME DESPERATE GLORY by emily tesh. aspects of military sci-fi, aspects of [redacted for spoilers], aspect of alienfucking, protagonist with strong azula-from-avatar vibes (she's the worst, I would die for her). very queer and very clever and will rip your spine out and fill you up with emotions. it's gonna win a hugo and become a modern classic. guaranteed.

SOMETHING SPECTACULAR & MORTAL FOLLIES both by alexis hall. both are regency romances, one with genderfluid & agender protags, the other one is sapphic and involving fairies I think?? maybe witches?? don't know don't care, I'll devour anything alexis hall cares to serve me.

*THE FIRST BRIGHT THING by j.r. dawson. if you enjoyed the aesthetics of the night circus but wish it had more polyamory, sapphics, time travel, examinations of trauma, found family and post-ww1 americana: this is for you. it's such a wonderful, chewy, compassionate book. about magical circuses.

KNOCKOUT by @sarahmaclean. I love sarah's current 'hell's belles' historical romance series so much and this one is the romance with IMOGEN who is an EXPLOSIVES EXPERT, so I expect it to blow my socks off in several different ways. can't wait.

*STARLING HOUSE by alix e. harrow. southern gothic! feral gremlin girl meets house and is NOT impressed! feral gremlin girl meets glowering gremlin boy and is even LESS impressed! buried sins, the grind of poverty, terrible houses that want your blood. I read this in almost a single sitting and I had the time of my fucking life.

*THE DEATH I GAVE HIM by em x. liu. locked room murder mystery sci-fi hamlet retelling!! exactly as amazing as it sounds. another one that I flew through in a single sitting. features science, deception, transhumanism, and some unreasonably sexy AI-interfacing.