#I hope to fly over the alps as the sun rises

[coffeeismycallsign]

Finally knowing and seeing the path I want to follow is so freeing.

[yoonia]

the bedroom hymns ● chapter xxi

�� Chapter summary | Mysteries continue to unfold as you carry on with your solo adventures, not realising that every piece of the past that you have uncovered in your journeys traces back in time, aligning themselves with what has been written for you by the will of fate.   

⟶ Title | The Bedroom Hymns: a Bluebeard’s twist ⟶ Pairings | Min Yoongi x female reader  ⟶ Genre | Fairy Prince!Yoongi, Crown Princess!reader, Fantasy!AU, Fairy Tale retelling ⟶ Word count | 11,872 words ⟶ Ratings | PG-13, +18 / M for Mature for future chapters; include magic terms, classism, depiction of fantasy ritual act, mention of fantasy religion/beliefs, mention of war, violence, weapons, sword fighting, blood, injuries. ⟶ Story Masterlist: The Bedroom Hymns | ⤎ previous chapter | next chapter ⇢ ⟶ Main Masterlist | Mailbox | Taglist | Feedback | Music Playlist | Ko-fi

⟶ Author’s note | After a long wait, we finally have a new chapter out. I’m sorry for keeping you from this update for so long. It was a hard journey to get this one done, since some personal stuff kept getting in the way. The chapter ‘ Serendipity’ has grown significantly during the writing process, so I had to split the chapter into three separate parts, and then even smaller parts on Wattpad for better reading experience. I hope you’ll enjoy reading this chapter!

chapter xxi. serendipity-1

A temple. 

The relief you felt for not finding yourself plunging into the rough sea or crashing down onto the sharp rocks on the shoreline was quickly replaced by bafflement when you saw where you had ended up in instead. 

Once your shock subsides, unease settles in. You aren’t quite sure why. This place doesn’t even look like the disintegrating temple you saw in your dream the previous night. 

This place reminds you more of E’l Alora; the mountains where giant dragons were flying around the human town built against the cliff’s wall, with its massive ravine and the castle on the rocks. 

Realisation dawns on you once you get to look at the little details of the temple a bit closer. Not a grand structure standing atop a hill, but a structure built within a mountain. As if a part of a mountain or a hill had sunken into the earth, forming a cave hidden within, surrounded by what was left of the mountain, and the temple was carved out of the rocky materials that had once been the core of the alp. 

Looking up, your eyes are met with the streaks of sunlight penetrating through the opening above your head. The sunlight here is quite murky—dull and grey as if the sun is hiding somewhere else instead of hanging up high in the sky, causing the colours around you to seem muted and washed out—yet it is still enough to illuminate the dark temple, giving you a clear sight of everything that is present right before your eyes. 

The door that you had just emerged from lies at the back of the room, facing directly towards the temple’s center where you can have a clear view of the dais spread along the length of the temple walls. A platform at the center rises slightly higher, made up of dark grey stone slabs that seem to have emerged from the ground rather than been carved by human hands. 

Meanwhile, a part of the ground at the center of the temple sinks deeper, creating a small crater in the middle of the main praying hall which is now filled with water. The nave area for the worshippers, filled with rows of benches made out of stone, was built around the pond instead of going around the dais, making it seem like the pool itself is the main focus point of the temple. 

The humming magic coming out of the portal feels like cold breeze brushing against your back. Looking over your shoulder, you see a line of small alcoves covered in draperies in place of doors—banners filled with symbols of a chalice and crescent moon drawn on dark blue backgrounds, with two arches of ivy drawn on the top and bottom as frames. One of the draperies is flicking gently behind you as if a breeze is flowing from within, only that magic hums from it and sparks light up as it brushes against your skin. 

The door. This will be my exit. 

Suppressing a shiver running down your spine, you turn away from it and carefully walk across the vacant temple, following the ray of lights from above to find your exit while taking everything in. 

Standing right at the heart of the main hall, the old, seemingly abandoned temple feels grand and noble at the same time, yet solemn in its stillness. The way the temple itself seems to have been crafted by nature makes it even more otherworldly. 

It makes you feel small. Insignificant among the nature that has formed this place a long time ago. 

The rocky walls around you stand three stories high, each level marked by small open corridors framed with stone bannisters. Rows and rows of small alcoves were carved into the rocky surface the same way the doors behind you are made, only without any banners hanging as covers. The sight reminds you of the hundreds of doors lining up the floors of Stargrave Castle, and also of E’l Alora—how its human town was built against the rocky walls of the ravine. Only that these alcoves appear dark and lifeless, housing nothing more but shadows. 

You wonder if these alcoves had once served significant purposes for the ceremonies that were held in this place. 

If only you had a way to get higher, would you be able to see marks of chairs between the alcoves for the royals who came to join or witness the rites? Perhaps there would be small altars up there where they put the statues of the Ancients that they were praying to in this place and they were set up as private praying chambers instead? 

Turning away from the walls, you look up to the dais on the ground floor and make your way towards it. Eyes on the platform standing at the center, you try to imagine this place coming alive with a rite—you picture the leaders of ceremonies taking their places atop the platform, the nave filling up with their devotees and disciples. 

If only you know the significance of the pool of water that is glimmering under the dim sunlight in front of you. From up close, you notice that the pool is glowing in the shade of jade—as if jade stones were laid at the bottom of the pond—but the surface of the water is clear like crystals, and you can see your face reflected perfectly on it when you look down. 

Curious, wondering if you can find any clue, you take a closer look at the raised dais.

There is no such altar just like what you’ve seen at the temples you visited back in Smotia, nor there are seats or couches like what you had seen in the royal churches. But mantles are built against the walls, lined up with burnt candles. You can also see those candles lined up perfectly on the low platform in front of the dais. Some of them are burnt halfway, others are burnt completely to the bottom. You reach out, waving your palm above the burnt wicks and are caught by surprise when you still feel some warmth there. Showing you that at least a couple of them were recently burned. 

So not completely abandoned, then. 

You pull your hand away with a flinch once you look a bit closer, seeing a couple of silver goblets which have been placed between the burnt candles. At one glance, they seem to be empty. Yet as you bend down over the one closest to you, you can see a drop of liquid pooling at the bottom. 

Wine. Still partially wet, as if it had just only been used recently. 

So this place is still used. But where are the people now? 

You strain your ears, eyes, and your other senses, trying to feel out any presence of a person, any figure that might be lurking in the dark temple, and feel nothing. Turning away from the abandoned offerings and burnt candles, you look past the pool of water, across the main hall, to see another source of light. An open stone archway stands at the other side of the hall, where lights are filtering through into the main hall.

The main entrance door. 

From this distance, you cannot see too clearly what is waiting on the other side of the opening. But then a draft comes flowing through the temple, followed by a low, resonant whistling noise that almost sounds like a soft howl of an animal echoing through the open archway. At the same time, the light that you see coming from the opening begins to flicker, shifting between the dim golden light of burning torches or candles and the grey of sunlight that appears far duller than the sky above. 

A tunnel, you realise with a grim smile. There is a tunnel beyond the archway leading you towards the exit, and you can only hope that no other surprises are waiting there. 

Slowly, you make your way across the dark temple. You try to be careful with your steps, doing your best to keep away from the slippery part of the stone floor around the pool. And yet your soft footsteps cannot stop the sound of your boots from echoing through the temple. The sound keeps bouncing against the walls as you walk on, sounding far too loud against the silence, making you feel even more hyperaware of your surroundings. 

Wrapping your palm around the hilt of your short sword, you walk through the stone archway, finding yourself in a short span of a tunnel. The stream of sunlight coming through the tunnel keeps the darkness at bay, in addition to the flickering torches that are hung along the length of the cavern, causing shadows to dance around you on the cold stone walls. 

You continue walking, your grip remaining firm on the hilt of your sheathed sword and your eyes ready, and then you carefully step into the light—or, in this case, lack thereof. 

Out here, beyond the grim darkness of the temple, the world is looking just as ghastly. From the threshold of the temple lies a spread of grove half the size of the temple’s main hall. Filled with thin trees, the grove expands toward the descending plain and ends at what seems to be the edge of a city. 

Carrying the same caution, you tread through the grove, still with your hand ready on the hilt of your sword. Walking under the sparse line of trees in the grove doesn’t leave you feeling much of being under their protection. 

The trees here remind you an awful lot of the trees you saw in E’l Alora. With barks and branches that glimmer in similar shades of pale and rotten grey yet darker to almost black at the bottom half to the roots below, only thinner and longer, twisted in odd angles as if they were frozen in the middle of dancing with the cold wind or in their fight to avoid whatever terror came into this land. The leaves are also painted in similar shades of teal and dark grey, only that they appear sharper and thinner, so much so that they look like needles pointing up to the sky and do nothing to shield you from the sky. 

The ground beneath the grove appears dark, as if covered in a thick layer of soot with not a sight of grass or undergrowth. As if the earth itself has been drained dry by the withering trees. In some parts, the dark soot is blanketed by a thin layer of dust and ash, as if the grove had once caught on fire leaving trails of its destruction undisturbed even as the trees began growing once more. 

You walk a bit deeper into the grove, taking a few steps further until you reach the part where the ground begins to descend. Until you can have a better glimpse of what lies on the other side of these trees, and you finally come to a halt. 

Because what you see on the other side only puts cold shivers down your spine. 

Beyond the last line of trees, there is nothing but the ruins of an old city. 

Crumbling structures stand before you, remnants of forgotten temples and a ghost of a majestic city that had once been vibrant and full of life. A grand skeleton of stone structures stands at the far end of the city, nearly floating above the river that seems darker than the jade-coloured pool you saw in the temple. The broken-down gates spreading around it become the only indication that you are looking at what used to be a palace—one that had once stood strong above the city, overlooking the land, the forest, and the mountain behind you. Beyond the remains of the fallen palace lies a vast terrain of rocky peaks, rising high like towers made of nature. 

The vast plain of the city and the fractured roads have been overgrown with weeds, their insidious tendrils creeping over the withering foundations of the city to grasp whatever life remains. Tendrils of ivy and layers of moss cover most of the structures that are left standing, coating all the pale and bright-coloured stones with various shades of green. Any visible part of the ground not covered by weeds and broken stones has mostly formed into puddles of muddy water, leaving you to wonder if this place has truly been deserted, left behind and abandoned in its demise. 

What happened here? 

What happened to the people? 

And what about the temple, the traces left behind to show that life still exists here? 

Under the dim grey sunlight, the fallen city before you seems as if engulfed in a permanent shadow, leaving all the tone of colours to appear washed out—just as lifeless as the city itself. 

You are suddenly reminded of your dream. The eerie sight of a kingdom dissolving into ruins that has been haunting your nights seems to have been manifested right before your eyes. Had it been a sign, a premonition of a once-existing place that you needed to find? 

Captivated and enthralled by the sight of the fallen city before you, you lose focus on your own safety, on the ground you are standing on. And the next step you take ends with a misstep. Sending you straight into a puddle. 

“Oh, fates,” you murmur to yourself as you lift your soaked boots out of the puddle of muddy water. 

You whisper another curse under your breath as you shake off the mud from your booths, but having your attention drawn away from the daunting sight only draws your focus back to the dark grove around you. 

It brings back your sense of awareness, enough to help you notice that the air around you has shifted. You are no longer alone. 

A rustling sound reaches you from somewhere between the eerie-looking trees. A movement that is felt but left unseen. Spine stiffens, your hand returns to the hilt of your sword, and with a soft, indiscernible exhale of breath, you let silence fall so you can have a better listen to any changes happening all around you. 

You briefly close your eyes, just in time for the noise to return. It is subtle, but you can sense the sound coming from your right. Yet when you rise and turn towards it, a loud shrill of a hawk echoes through the trees on your left. A flurry of movement catches your eyes when you swiftly turn towards the other side, before a shiny sword glares at you as it swings down towards you in a sudden attack. 

“Fates,” you curse out as you pull out your sword to protect yourself, swiping it upwards to fend off the attack. 

The force of the swords clashing on each other takes away the breath that you barely managed to take. You can feel your arms trembling as you take the brunt of the attack, but you keep your grip firm, steadying your weapon while you regain enough strength to return the blow. Your sword clinks against the unidentified assailant’s sword as you push him back, throwing him off of you before you step away. 

With a swift, yet slightly clumsy motion—your boots nearly slipping, again, on the muddy ground—and your grip tightening on your sword, you adjust your stance to face your assailant. 

The shrill of the hawk echoes through the air once again. This time, the animal appears at the corner of your eyes instead of hiding away, diving from the sky at a rapid speed to strike the face of a second assailant that you failed to notice and was just about to land a surprise strike at you with his sword. His attack fails, and now he is busy fending himself against the beast—a black-winged hawk twice, almost three times, the size of a normal adult man’s head. 

The hawk is ferocious. The animal’s shrill continues to echo through the woods as it fights against the man in the tattered uniform and rusted armour, attacking his head, face, hands, and any part of his body that is not shielded by armour or the rapid swing of his sword. 

Distracted by the other fight, you almost miss it when your first opponent regains his composure and makes his move. He lunges, taking the opportunity that was presented to him in your distraction, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision, aiming straight to your left shoulder—or your throat, coming from the left, you cannot be too sure. 

Yet you manage to deflect with just a small struggle, your blade clashing against his with a resounding clang. You twist your wrist as you rush forward, pressing on him and redirecting the force of the impact with a swift swipe aimed at his exposed side. He staggers back as your sword hits right beneath his armour, at the soft spot of his waist that is unprotected with nothing more but the belt holding up his sheath. 

Pointing your sword at his face, you snap at him, “Who are you?” 

A grunt escapes his lips as he finds his balance, while you use this chance to get a good look at him. His long and straggly raven hair is pulled to the back, leaving only a few loose and messy strands framing his sharp and defined face. There is a scar crossing his left eye, starting from right above the eyebrow to an inch below his bottom lashes. The shadows from the grove give him the perfect veil over his tanned skin and dark armour, yet you can still see the scars lining up his exposed arm, indicating that he isn’t one to be messed with.  

His narrowed eyes flicker towards his companion who has failed to join the fight, the black-winged hawk keeps getting in the way of him trying to get closer. “We’re the ones who are supposed to be asking,” the scarred swordsman snaps at you. “You’re trespassing on private property. This place is forbidden to enter.” 

You bite the insides of your cheeks to try and rein in your emotions and think of how to respond. You doubt that he will be so understanding if you try to tell him how you managed to arrive at this place. 

“Then you must forgive me. I suppose I must’ve missed the sign,” you choose to say, realising that any form of logic would never work to defend yourself. “That still didn’t give you the right to swing your sword at people without a warning.” 

Your opponent raises his sword back up and adjusts his stance to ready himself for another strike. “The only one who hasn’t got the right to be here is you.” 

Scowling, while stealing a glance towards the other fight that is slowly dying down—the hawk already lessening its attacks when your second assailant is growing weak and tired—you try to calm yourself down and reason with him. “Listen, I’m just passing through. I mean no harm, and I have no means to cause any trouble.” Lifting your free hand up, you show him your open palm to support your claim. “Please, just let me pass.” 

The scarred swordsman refuses to back down and sneers at you. “I find that hard to believe. Not many can find this place, much less to pass the borders, especially by mere coincidence.”

Pressing your lips together, you try to push down the shivers running through you at his words. You have no idea why you keep ending up in these places ever since you began travelling through the portals again. 

Forbidden lands. Closed-off borders. Places where your protection spell suddenly becomes null. 

A sacred land. 

You have been keeping your eyes on your opponent while you are trying to process this, only to fail to notice that the other man has somehow found his bearings. The second assailant, now freed from the ominous hawk, seizes the opportunity and advances towards you with a flurry of rapid strikes. As if he is trying to express his anger over his wounds and his defeat against the wild animal by inflicting the same harm on you. 

Yet he isn’t aware of how high your adrenaline is at the moment—both from the sparring you did with the royal guard earlier and the fight you just had with his companion. Your body may be spent, your mind is still reeling over what the first armoured man said to you about this place, yet your senses are still on high alert.

Your reflex is quick, and you weave and dodge his attack with barely seconds to spare. Your sword meets his blade in a series of sparks. In his anger, his movements are out of order and reckless, which will be dangerous for you to continue engaging as they are too unpredictable. Unable to read and to deflect easily. 

Heart pounding, you spin to evade his final attack and snap the hilt of your sword against his bruising temple before delivering a sharp kick to his chest. The attack sends him stumbling backwards just as your first opponent returns to strike you from the other side. You sidestep from his swinging sword and retaliate, striking him from his right. Your sword finds its mark, cutting through his armour and drawing blood. 

A pained cry leaves his lips as he falls back, giving a chance for his partner who has somehow recovered quickly to take over the fight. 

The continuous assaults are beginning to drain you. Your body not only trembles as your second attacker returns with a strike, but you can almost feel sure you are seeing stars the moment your swords collide with each other. Your breath is heavy and ragged, your heart is pounding so hard it becomes the only thing you can hear, and both your muscles and bones are aching. As you stagger back, you realise that these men are trying to push you deeper into the grove, away from the temple and the city altogether. 

Keeping your eyes on them as they prowl closer, you wonder if there is something hidden in the grove. But your mind is too preoccupied with focusing on how to survive this fight to even try and figure out what is hidden in the shadows. 

Your upward swipe draws blood from your second attacker as your blade scraps his unprotected hips and your side kick brings him to his knee. You duck under a high swing and thrust your sword upward once again when his companion returns, catching him off guard when his surprise attack fails. He falters, clearly just as exhausted and spent as you are while bleeding profusely from the side of his waist. So you take the chance to disarm him with one strike, sending his sword skittering across the muddy ground. 

Enraged, he makes a sound from deep inside his throat—which sounds like a growl—and pulls out a dagger from his back to retaliate. Cursing under your breath, you press down your shaking legs to the soot-covered ground beneath you and ready yourself to counter his attack when a voice sharply bellows from behind you, echoing through the grove. 

“That’s enough!” 

At the ominous voice, everything stills. The men that you have been fighting with, the wind, and even the will for you to move. Keeping your sword pointed at your opponent, you turn to look over your shoulder to see the intruder. 

Pressure clamps down in your chest as the figure slips out of the shadow, worrying that you are about to face yet another threat. One should have been enough, two were already too many. And if you are going to have to deal with three—

Turning sideways to get a better look at your intruder without losing sight of your assailants, you bring the short sword forward to prepare yourself for an attack. The sound of their footsteps grows nearer, and you prepare to swing your hand down at them, only to immediately stop once the cloaked figure steps out into the limited streaks of sunlight filtering into the grove. 

“You can put that thing away, child. I mean no harm,” the figure speaks in a gentle, yet firm tone of voice. 

Thin, veiny hands are raised, gently lowering the hood of her cloak to reveal the sight of an old woman. The ageing lines on her face are visible even without any adequate light, and they soften when she smiles. Her hazel-brown eyes glint brightly under the dim lights falling on her as she takes you in. So bright, it looks almost golden. Her silver grey hair is pulled back to a thick braid, a striking difference to her rich golden-brown skin. 

She stands there in silence after revealing herself to you, clasping her hands together over her torso as she waits until you put the weapon away, sheathing it back to the left side of your hip. But your grip remains on the hilt of your sheathed sword, holding steady, even if it’s only for the sake of finding any semblance of strength while preparing yourself in case the situation suddenly changes again. 

The woman’s gaze follows your hand, taking account of the way your grip is tightening on your weapon. She makes no remark on it, however, as she looks up with a smile to regard the three of you, including the poor man still kneeling on the dirt, who—now that everything has calmed down—you are finally getting a good look on for the first time. 

Unlike his companion, the wounded swordsman looks a bit younger, with dirty blond hair and a mesh of curls on top of a boyish round face that is now marred with streaks of blood—the work of the massive hawk earlier. His bright blue eyes are wide, which seems as if they are perpetually filled with fear. His hands have fallen to his sides, slightly trembling, seen through the sword that he is still carrying, and it pleases you to know that you weren’t the one having a tough time during the fight. 

“Now, there really is no need for all this violence, is there?” the woman says, which only draws a scowl to your face upon hearing it. 

“They attacked me first,” you point out with a scoff.

A rueful smile comes to her face. “I apologise for their rudeness, my dear. They’re not exactly used to welcoming surprise guests coming to our home,” she says, tilting her head down with more respect than an elder would normally give to a younger stranger. “But it is nice to see someone visiting our homeland again after so long. It might be too late to say this, but you are welcome here.” 

The scarred man, who is clearly unhappy with this situation, snaps out of it and shouts, “High Priestess Gaia! What are you saying? She came in here without permission.” 

He is soon joined by his wounded companion who suddenly finds his missing bravado to reason, “This place has been abandoned and forgotten for a long time. For someone to be able to come here means—” 

“It means that they might have gotten their hands on a special key, or that fate has led her way here, just in time for the Full Moon Rite,” the woman—High Priestess Gaia—cuts off their rambling calmly, almost sounding like a mother chastising her rude boys. She gives them a pointed look as she adds, “Or the poor soul could have been lost. I’ve lived much longer in this realm than you have been, child. I don’t need you to lecture me about how things work in this place.” 

Sensing no danger coming from her, you loosen your guard a little—shoulders sagging in quick relief and your hands falling away from your sheathed sword. 

“So tell me. Are you lost, child?” 

Feeling unsure, you glance back and forth between the Priestess and the swordsmen before answering. “I, uh—” You take a deep breath, suddenly finding it hard to think of the right words to say. “I was just passing by,” you finally manage to speak. Sighing, you try to shake off the tension still rolling in your body and tilt your head down, greeting the Priestess as formally as you can. “Forgive me for trespassing. I had no idea if this place was forbidden to enter.” 

“It’s not,” High Priestess Gaia says without missing a beat—before any of the swordsmen can get a word in. “Just like the boy said. This place has been lost in time with no one coming to visit for a long time. Be it out of fear, or because this place has been written off from the maps of the realm.” 

You can sense the movement from one of the swordsmen as he shifts on his feet, as if trying to dispute the high priestess’ words. Gaia, noticing the same thing, releases a deep sigh and looks over at them. 

“Go back to the Keep. It’s almost time for the rite. I’m sure you will be more useful for the priests there,” she firmly says, and then turns to the wounded man still sitting on the ground to add, “And you’ll want to look at those wounds and have them tended.” 

The scarred swordsman—the one still standing—grits his teeth, as if he is about to deny the order given to him. But then his companion lets out a deep grunt in his effort to rise to his feet, and he finally gives in. Nodding his head, the scarred swordsman swallows his displeasure and bends down to retrieve his sword. He glares at you as he sheaths his sword, before turning to help his friend to his feet. 

“I’ll take him to the healer,” he says, bowing slightly at the priestess. Facing you again, his glare returns, as sharp as the tip of his sword as he swears, “Fates be damned, but if you even think about leaving a scratch on Gaia’s skin or posing a threat to her, I will come back here and end you myself.”

You return his glare with a stubborn tilt of your chin. “And as I have repeatedly said, I never meant any harm. I can promise you that there will be no harm committed to your priestess.” 

Keeping your gaze locked on the scarred guard, you can see it when he finally backs down, the defiant look in his eyes wavering before he acknowledges you with a short nod. Wrapping the younger one’s arm around his shoulder so he can support him, he says nothing else and simply bows to the high priestess before finally walking away.

You watch them go, wobbling through the trees before they disappear in the shadows as they search for a healer. 

“Go back to the Keep.” 

So you were right, after all. There is something beyond this grove. You wonder if there are other swordsmen like them stationed in the Keep—guards who are responsible of watching over the temple and the ruined city—and were planning to hold you hostage there. Shaking your head, you choose not to dwell in the thought and turn to face the high priestess again.

She still has her eyes following the swordsmen, watching over them like a mother would to her sons. 

Glancing over her shoulder, you realise that she is standing on the path which leads you back to the temple. It makes you wonder if that was where she had come from. 

Has she been in the temple all along? 

“I wasn’t aware that there was someone in the temple when I was in there.” 

The wise, old woman turns her gaze towards you and smiles. “Strictly speaking, I was not. I was praying in my chamber. I only came down here because I felt something calling for me at the temple. Thought it was her, but I guess I was wrong,” she says with a deep, almost bitter chuckle. Her words and the look in her eyes are hollow when she mutters almost to herself, “I should’ve known better. It’s been too long since she came to visit this place.” 

‘Her’? 

The way she is speaking in riddles while looking as if she is lost in her own thoughts—memories—draws an icy, uneasy chill through your body. Her eyes appear haunted, as if lost somewhere in the past. That look lasts merely a moment longer before it fades, warmth fills her almost-golden eyes when she regards you again. But then the uneasiness returns when you are made to feel as if she is looking straight into your soul, unravelling your secrets without so much of a spell. 

“Do you know where you are?” 

“Not really,” you reluctantly admit. Unlike E’l Alora, which you were able to identify before ever stepping foot into their human town, this place doesn’t remind you at all of anything that you have ever read in your book of Ancients and Magic. “In a way, you were right, I got lost and stranded here for some reason.” 

A light sound of laughter leaves you, only that it comes out a bit shaky with nerves. 

“Forgive me if I sound rude, but,” you glance around the grove, shuddering under the shadows that have grown thicker now that the sun has lowered from the sky. “May I know what exactly is this place?” 

The old woman looks at you with a knowing smile. “Come. It would be better if we find someplace more comfortable for us to talk,” she says to you as she turns, ready to head back to the direction where she came from. She might have sensed your hesitation, because she glances down at your forearm and gently points out, “Maybe we can also do something about that wound.”

You follow her gaze and look down, surprised to see a tear on your sleeve. From the torn fabric, you can see a long slash on the skin of your forearm, fresh blood still leaking out. A wound that came from the fight without you realising it. 

“Oh, I didn’t realise,” you murmur with a flinch. You recall feeling a sting on your forearm at one point during the fight, yet you ignored it, focusing more on deflecting their swords and pushing back. Now that you finally notice the wound, your brain begins to register the pain. 

Pressing your palm against the wound, you look at the high priestess with narrowed eyes. “You could’ve sent me off with your men to have this looked at.” 

Gaia merely scoffs, as if the thought of allowing you to join the guards would have been unfathomable. “And risk them disobeying me once I’m not looking?” she asks, “I hope you’ll excuse those boys. They have taken their duty to guard this place to heart—perhaps a bit too much. Though I can’t excuse them for their rash behaviour. They should’ve reported to me first or any of the high priests before taking actions.” 

You quickly shake your head. “I should be the one apologising for causing trouble.” 

“There is no need,” she says. You can almost hear her smile when she turns away from you. “Now, come, before that wound gets worse. And you also fought quite hard, so who knows if there’s any other we’re not seeing.” 

Lowering your arms to your side, you begin to follow the high priestess. But just as you are about to leave the fighting ground, Gaia lifts her hood and looks up to the trees. 

“You might want to alert your friend and tell him that you’re doing fine with me. That might stop him from worrying too much,” she suddenly says, pointing up towards the black-winged hawk that had joined the fight earlier, now perched on one of the thin, twisted branches hanging above your head. 

At the height of the fight, you have forgotten about it. 

When you first saw it, you had simply thought that the hawk only appeared because you had intruded on its home. But Gaia’s comment only puts a confused frown on your face. 

“What? But I thought the hawk is with you,” you question her, thinking that the animal is a part of the land, therefore, related to Gaia and the temple. But your question only draws another soft chuckle coming from her.

“Oh, no, dear. That handsome hawk came in together with you,” she says as she looks over her shoulder with a knowing smile, leaving you to wonder where the beast had come from, and why it had involved itself in your fight. 

You were quite right for assuming that the high priestess had come from the mountain temple.

Well, you were partially right. 

After your quick chat at the grove, Gaia led you back towards the mountain temple. But the moment you entered the entrance tunnel leading back into the main temple, she made a sharp turn and entered through an aperture in the stone wall that you had missed on your way out. It was dark, yet the moment she walked past the wall, torches lit up with flames that burned without any heat, illuminating the corridor and the set of stone steps leading upwards. 

You followed her until she entered a simple stone room above the tunnel. The chamber was narrow and high-ceilinged, with candlelights flickering on the stone walls and the small wooden altar set on the end of the chamber. You saw no sight of a statue or drawings of any known Ancients around the altar, yet the wooden top was filled with scriptures, rolled and drawn open, with an opened book laid on the center. 

Aside from the altar, the chamber was limitedly furnished. Nothing but one dark rug made up of animal skin covering the front of the altar, a shelf in the corner of the room which was filled with herbs and mixing bowls and even more books, and a single divan covered in silk—that was where you settled down soon after you entered the chamber.  

And now the chamber is filled with the scent of herbs, a concoction that she made to help heal your wound. It feels cold on your skin, and it leaves an obvious stain which requires you to roll up your sleeve to avoid it getting soiled—even though you still worried about explaining the tear and the blood stain once you would have to hand it over to the palace maid. 

“Seeing the way you are looking at this place, it seems that you’ve been to another sacred land before,” Gaia says, stating a fact rather than questioning, as she gently wraps a bandage around your wounded forearm, sealing the medicinal herbs while stopping your bleeding. 

Nodding, you choose to explain it the best you can without giving too many details about your ‘trips,’ and without revealing that it had been merely a day before when you first encountered another sacred land. “I’ve travelled to different places, oftentimes finding myself stranded in strange places,” you share with a chuckle, “Such as this one.” 

Gaia smiles and finishes her work. “Our homeland, this city of mountains, is called Arselon,” she says as she gathers the bowl of mixed herbs and bandages and starts putting them away. “The mountain temple has always been known as the temple of Arselon, even though it used to have its own name. Many used to travel far to come to our rites, specifically the nights of the full moon. Just like what’s happening tonight.” 

You have so many questions. Much about this place, and more about the people that had once resided here. Gaia, as if she can read your mind, turns to light up fresh candles to replace the ones that have burned out while she was gone, and continues to tell you more about this place. “Back then, the Ancients—our ancestors—built these temples to worship their Gods and Goddesses, to pray for the sanctity of the realm and to pass down their wisdom. Unlike the humans in the mortal realm, the residents of the Far Far Away Land today no longer hold the same rites, and only a small few still worship the sources of their powers, while only using these temples to pray and wish for blessings from their ancestors. It has been that way since the Ancients who built this realm were long gone.”

Gaia returns to your side with a glass of wine—for healing, she had explained earlier when she first pointed out the decanter resting on the wooden shelf. “This place used to be where the Priests and Priestess would hold lectures and sermons to the people, spreading the knowledge about our Ancients and magic, and the history behind the creation of the realm.” 

Gaia’s eyes turn towards the flickering candles, and then the small altar. “We still keep most of the scriptures that recounted the story of the Ancients, the history behind the realm, and the secrets of magic. Yet we no longer have as many as we used to. All that we have left are preserved in small chambers such as this one, hidden libraries and storages in various parts of this mountain temple.” 

Your eyes follow her gaze to the scriptures on the altar, the chests lying beneath, and the shelf which is lined up with old books. You refuse to believe that this is all that was left of all the documented history that this place has to preserve, but before you can say anything, Gaia confirms it with sadness written in her gaze. 

“Once, this land was seen and regarded as a sacred place, a holy land, yet this is all that was left behind over time.” A resigned sigh escapes her lips before she smiles grimly. “Now you understand why our young guards were uncompromising when it came to protecting this place.” 

The smile that you give her feels just as grim. Your mouth feels bitter from her grievance, from the dark history shadowing this place, so you raise your glass to wash it all down. Your chest aches to think about what was lost. Recalling what you have learned after your visit to E’l Alora, you take a deep breath and question her, “Was it the war, that came to this land?” 

Gaia grimly nods. “The Great Siege.”

Once the sun has set, and nightfall comes, Gaia invites you to witness the rite. 

It is an offer that you cannot possibly refuse. 

You follow Gaia through a different corridor—one that was yet again hidden in the stone wall—on the other side of her private chamber, emerging on one of the alcoves on the upper tier which you saw earlier. From here, you have the perfect view of the rite from above, the entire part of the temple is visible for you to experience the ceremony while remaining hidden from sight. 

The temple has already fascinated you before, regardless of its vacancy and forlorn facade that you witnessed when you first entered the place. 

Seeing the temple coming alive with the rite fascinates you even more; with worshippers and believers making use of this dark place. They arrive soon after dusk in various shades of cloaks and robes, candlelights flickering to eliminate the shadows and melodic chants of prayers bouncing against the dark stone walls.

Standing at the center of the raised dais is a priest in a white robe, with a few others standing on either side of him, all carrying candles in their hands while leading the prayers. The guards, including the two that you met earlier in the grove, are wearing dark robes over their armours as they line up below the dais, watching over the rite and helping out those who have arrived with offerings to place around the dais. 

You watch with keen eyes as the rite continues. The people move like a steady current, in motion with the rhythm of the chanting prayers echoing through the temple. You watch in awe as they move in a practised gesture—the way they walk up in line to light up the candles around the dais before moving back to the nave, where they follow the motion by passing and exchanging candles between each other. 

The way the flickering flames seem to be weaving through the people becomes such a captivating sight. The lights and flames spread across the temple until the entire hall comes alight—a symbol of life surviving in the dark, of the people who survived the darkness, and the story that has been written of their past, present, and future. 

“Once, in the past, this holy land burned with life. Candles were lit up to celebrate life, to honour our blessings, and to pray for the Ancients that were watching over us from above,” Gaia speaks from beside you, her voice gentle and soft, almost as melodic as the prayers echoing down below. But then her voice turns grim as she speaks of the past, “And then they came, bringing in their deathly flames, and this city burned into ashes.” 

You turn to look at Gaia as she suddenly laughs. A pained and bitter laugh that pierces through your chest.  

“Well, most of them,” she adds with a wry smile, “This temple and the ruins you saw outside are what was left of this place. Decades, centuries worth of a civilization reduced to nothing more but skeletons of our homes, schools, temples, and everything that our elders had built for the sake of preserving the treasure of knowledge and faith left behind by the Ancients. The only thing that those flames failed to diminish was the spirit of our people.” 

As she continues to speak, Gaia’s eyes light up. Her grief is soon replaced by hope. “These people,” she says, as she watches the people below, ”They may have lost their homes, the lands that they had spent generations cultivating for the benefit of our homeland, yet they continue to thrive through the pain of our dark past, surviving the best they can with all that we have left, even if it means that we all have to remain hidden in the shadows.”

“But where do these people live?” you ask, as you have been wondering ever since the first time you stepped foot in this place, “Where do you all live, when the city is no longer safe?” 

“In places that our own homeland provides for us, just like how this temple came to be,” Gaia explains. “There are people who live within and in the heart of the mountains, in homes that were built in the stone walls, and even under the dry, rocky peaks spread across the land. It may not be much, compared to what we used to have just decades ago, yet we have found our solitude in enclosed spaces such as this temple that protects us all.” 

Down below, the rite continues. The movement of the candles has gone slower, and so are the chants recited by the priests and priestesses leading the ceremony. There are only a small amount of offerings laid on the dais, but there are so many candles to make up for what is lacking. 

“After the war, the only times that our candles were lit were to hold vigils and prayers for the Ancients to liberate us from our suffering,” Gaia continues as you watch the priests and priestesses leaving the raised dais, slowly making their way to the center of the temple where the pool of water is present. “Now, we light our candles to reflect, to pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives to protect what now remains of our home, and to remember our dark history so we can replace our pain with new hope.” 

The movements within the temple shift. This time, the guards in their dark robes are the ones to make their move, weaving through the believers with the silver chalices filled with wine in their hands. Carefully, the guards pass the chalices to the people, who then each take a drink from them before passing them over to the next in line. 

Gaia gently explains that the drinking of wine symbolises living for the future, to drink for the dead and the forgotten ancestors while celebrating the old life that they have lost. 

Your eyes move to the pool of water, realising only now that the full moon—which appears through the opening above the temple—is reflected perfectly on the surface of the water. 

The leaders of the ceremony move to stand around the pool to sing their prayers, joined in by their followers who are lining behind them in the nave. At the end of the rite, the priests and priestesses retreat to the back of the temple, while the worshippers step forward to take their place. 

One by one, the people come down to their knees to pray to the moon’s reflection in the water, before finally releasing the small candles that they have been holding into the pool, allowing them to float around the image of the bright moon. 

“To the sky, we pray for the future. To the land, we pray for the dead. To the water, we pass our wishes to the moon, hoping that it will one day pass down to us its blessings, the same way it once did to the Ancients who walked on this realm.” 

You continue to watch as this ritual continues, allowing every single worshipper to do their part of the ceremony until they dwindle into small groups of people praying beyond the dais. You have become so enthralled by the scene that you barely notice that Gaia has left your side until she returns. 

“Don’t you think it’s time for you to go home?” she asks, snapping you out of your daze. As you turn to her, Gaia hands you a folded cloth—a dark robe—something which she says may help you blend in with the remaining groups of people below so you can safely slip away from the temple. 

You are still in such a daze after witnessing the rite—something that feels so divine and sacred that it gives you a sense of peace and grief at the same time—that it doesn’t register to you the fact that the priestess seems to have knowledge of your time limit until much later. You simply listen to her instructions on how to reach the ground level—back to where your exit is located—as you put on the robe, covering your appearance as much as you can to avoid gaining unwanted attention. 

“Our home is open to travellers like yourself, should you ever decide to return and find some interest to learn more about us,” Gaia adds right before you go. “Regardless of what Gen and Edmund said earlier, this place isn’t as closed off or forbidden as it was made to be. We have closed our borders, but some of us believe that it would only be right to maintain the faith that our elders once had about opening our doors to other believers.” 

In her gaze, the same hope you saw lights up the same way the candlelights below are still burning brightly. “The longer we are hidden from the world, the more we will be forgotten. And the knowledge of the past that we have spent centuries protecting will one day be lost in time, exactly what our enemies had once aimed towards when they brought their flames to our home.”  

Just as Gaia is about to send you off down the stone steps, she reaches out to grab your hands, holding them gently in hers. “Promise me that you’ll return one day. That you’ll never forget about us,” she calmly asks while holding her pleading gaze on yours. Your body stiffens when you feel her passing something into your palm, and you instinctively wrap your palm around it firmly to keep it from falling. 

“I promise. I’ll return one day, hopefully in better circumstances than the present,” you promise her with a smile, not bothering to say something as you accept the small token that she has given you and slip it into your pocket without looking. You keep your gaze steady on hers as you whisper, “Thank you.”

As you slip through the worshippers who are still deep in their prayers, making your way to the back of the dais to find the hidden portal door, you suddenly feel the heat of a gaze following your movement. Cautiously, you turn to look over your shoulder, expecting to see the familiar glare from the guard that you fought previously tracking your escape. 

But what is looking back at you isn’t at all human. 

Perched atop the bannister on the upper floor, you see the magnificent-looking black-winged hawk that had appeared during your fight earlier. With its wings pulled back, its eyes are wide open, glaring at you attentively as if it is keeping watch at your departure. Staring back at it, the animal’s gaze feels menacing and comforting at the same time, yet something deep inside is telling you that the hawk is there without any malicious intent. It is simply there to watch you, to see you go, and it remains in its position when you turn away, slipping under the banner and into the magic portal to return home. 

As the wave of magic taking you away from the sacred land ripples through the space around you, the hawk flaps its wings and rises from its perch, making its own way back home to where it came from.

Emburn Empire has come alive tonight. 

The full moon looks bright in the night sky, casting a divine glow into the land. 

The imperial palace and its Moon Temple look radiant under the night sky, the white walls and pillars made up of Clayntine Stone reflecting the moonlight glow so perfectly that they glimmer like magic crystals. 

Within the walls of the Moon Temple of Aone, candlelights flicker and burn, casting a golden glow across the praying hall. Both inside and on the outer grounds of the moon temple, the people of Emburn have come and gathered to witness the rite. From above, the candlelights appear like an ocean of living inferno—the ocean of hope, as the Royal Priests would call it. 

Ever since he was a young boy, Yoongi has always enjoyed the Runea Luna Eve, the night of the full moon, when the rite is held to celebrate and pay homage to the Ancients who had built the land of Emburn. Tonight, however, he is too restless to enjoy the celebration, feeling too disconnected to even pay attention to the ceremony unfolding right in front of him.  

The Moon Temple of Aone is full tonight; the commoners are taking up the space below, while the nobles and royals claim the seats on the upper tiers and the mezzanine floors. Many carry their own candles in their hands as a symbol of their hope, but all have their eyes set on the front of the raised dais at the head of the temple, where the Royal High Priest is giving his sermon and leading the prayers. 

Two identical thrones sit on the center of the raised dais. The Empress of Emburn, Empress Ariane, sits on one of them, while the one beside her is left empty in the absence of the ailing Emperor. Behind her, two rows of long benches are set to accommodate the members of the Royal Priesthood on one side, while the Royal Aides who are present to show support for the Empress fill the other side. 

The Crown Prince sits on the balcony on the top left of the dais, together with the highest nobles and the royal guests who were invited to witness the ceremony. Including the royal guests that Yoongi is currently—and quite reluctantly—hosting in place of the Empress; Byron Koshar, the new Emperor of the Neo Empire of Kosha, and his second daughter, Princess Celestyna.

“You’ll have to keep the Princess company during the rite tonight. Treat her well, be polite about it, and make her feel welcome,” was the warning that Empress Ariane had given Yoongi earlier today during the preparation for the rite. “You need to build a positive relationship with the Kosha Empire to gain support for your future.” 

“Must I take up the responsibility for your guests, Mother? There are tons of nobles here that would be more suitable and willing to be their hosts.” 

At Yoongi’s complaint, the Empress turned and glared. Obviously displeased that her son is unwilling to do her bidding. “Those nobles aren’t the ones who are going to take the throne now, are they?” she scolded him then with a sharp tone of voice that made him wince. “Do this for the Empire, for the Emperor, and for your position on the throne.” 

Yoongi had chosen not to argue, realising that there was no way he could win against Empress Ariane once she made the decree. 

He isn’t even sure why it would be necessary for him to gain support from Kosha Empire. It’s not like there will be anyone to contest his position for the throne once the time comes. And it’s not like he’s eager to take the crown so prematurely, with the Emperor still living and breathing and capable enough to continue ruling, and while he is still in the process of courting his future Empress. 

Even if there are parties of nobles or royal blood who would dare to challenge his position on the throne, Yoongi cannot possibly see how being ‘good friends’ with the second Princess would give him the advantage to refute the challenge. He feels bitter to think that the Empress may have any intention of arranging some forming of an alliance by matching them together. 

Marriage arrangements made to gain favour from a strong ally are not unheard of, but it isn’t something that Yoongi would be willing to partake in. Not even at the risk of losing his position on the throne. 

And he cannot possibly agree with such an arrangement when he already has someone who was chosen for him since the day he was born. 

Yoongi holds back an exasperated groan and looks up at the exposed dome ceiling above. Through the see-through ceiling made up of Shadow Crystal, the full moon is clearly visible, illuminating the temple’s hall with its glow. 

Keeping his eyes on the moon helps him detach himself from the present. His restless mind is so quick to wander, filled with the thoughts of you. He wonders where you might be spending your evening, and if you are looking up at the moon the way he is doing now. He also wonders if you are safe, wherever you are. 

“…as we send our gratitude to the moon, tonight, we remember our great ancestor, the Fairy King Aone, the Ancient Hunter who had borrowed the magic from the moon to build Emburn from the ashes and has continued to bring prosperity to the people…” 

The Royal High Priest’s voice echoes through the grand hall, pulling Yoongi’s attention back to the ceremony that is slowly coming to an end. 

Back in the past, the sermons and praises for the Ancient Hunter would have been followed by a sacrament which lasted for the entire night, beginning from nightfall to the coming of dawn, filled with chantings of prayers for the ancestors, the Ancients, and the moon. 

In the present time, the ritual will be followed with festivities. A night of celebration where the people will pour into the streets to sing and dance and drink as much wine as their minds and bodies would allow until the dawn comes. 

Once Yoongi has his attention on the raised dais, his eyes flickering towards the altar and the statue of the Ancient Hunter standing in the center, he feels something pulling at him. A pulse. A shot of magic calling for his attention, and it seems to be coming from the ground floor of the temple.

Yoongi looks across the grand hall as a dark figure slips out from behind one of the white pillars, wearing a black robe with its hood raised over his head, hiding his face and features from prying eyes. 

Sensing Yoongi’s eyes on him, the person lifts his head, meeting Yoongi’s gaze with his own from the distance, revealing himself to be none other than Yoongi’s best friend and right-hand man.

Yijeong. 

Upon meeting Yoongi’s gaze, Yijeong nods once. A subtle gesture that the busy worshippers around him will surely miss. But the one gesture is enough for the Crown Prince. The message has been delivered and received.

She’s home safe. 

With a gesture that is just as subtle, Yoongi responds with a slight tilt of his head and then leans back into his seat. The anxiety which has been weighing on him since the moment he felt the ripple of magic—the omen signifying that a portal has been opened—is soon lifted. 

His job done, Yijeong steps back into the shadow, drifting out of the crowd of people and out of the moon temple just as the Royal High Priest ends his sermon. The air immediately shifts as the Royal Priests step away from the altar. One by one, the people begin to disperse—some making time to walk up to the altar and the dais to leave their candles and bow to the Empress, while others walk out towards the nearest stream to release their candles and let them drift along with the flowing water, hoping that they would bring their wishes back to the land that they are worshipping or wherever the stream of Marble Falls and the Armere River will take them. 

In the absence of the Royal Priests’ sermons and prayers, the sound of music begins, carrying on with the evening breeze like a draft, a sign for the festivities celebrating the full moon and the birth of the Ancient Hunter to begin. 

Yoongi looks over to the throne as Empress Ariane rises from her seat, throwing a barely-there glance towards the balcony, straight where the Crown Prince and his guest—his date for the night, if that is what the Empress has in mind—are sitting in. 

The bitterness that he felt earlier returns when he meets the Empress’ gaze. He knows that she isn’t turning to see if the Crown Prince—her son—is having a blast during the ceremony. He knows that the Empress is simply checking to see if he is doing his duty as the perfect host for the people that he wants absolutely nothing to do with. 

Yoongi keeps his eyes on his mother until she steps away, leaving the temple through the rear exit which leads towards the royal drawing room, the priests and priestesses and her royal aides trailing right behind. Yoongi nearly shoves himself out of his seat as he rises, ready—perhaps too eager—to end his night and return to the palace. 

Just as Yoongi is about to turn and bid his farewell to the Emperor of Kosha—who has been busy chatting with a noble from the city called Mosshaven, the city of merchants at the south end of Emburn—and the other nobles who have been there with him, Princess Celestyna speaks first. 

“Leaving so soon, Your Highness? Must you really leave now?” she asks. Her tone is gentle and polite, yet it demands attention, the kind that would have put young men to their knees, bending over backwards to please her. “The festivities are only beginning. Wouldn’t the people look forward to having their Crown Prince be a part of it?” 

Yoongi forces a smile. For the past few days, Yoongi has been confined in the palace under the Empress’ orders to host the royal guests. Primarily, the second princess. And for the past few days, he was forced to ignore the ripples of magic calling for him, beckoning him to see you, all due to the princess always getting in the way, always inquiring for his company at the same exact time he wished to rush to your side instead.

Always with mundane things that Yoongi would have preferred to avoid, to rather deal with important matters instead of wasting it with an afternoon stroll through the royal gardens, or have tea and biscuits by the Emerald Lake, or have him escorting her through the various estates in the Imperial Palace’s territory and help her learn about the arts and culture of Emburn.  

The fact is, he has grown tired of it. He has wasted too much precious time which he could have spent with you.  

Even looking at the Princess makes him feel exhausted and weary. At least, tonight, he can use the festivities as an excuse to find some semblance of freedom. To untangle himself from the responsibility that has been forced on him. 

“I’m sure the people will be able to have fun without me being there,” Yoongi smoothly says, “There are other members of the royal family who will be joining the festivities and would no doubt feel honoured to keep you company. I’m sure they’ll be better party companions than I would.” 

Princess Celestyna’s face pinches with displeasure—a look which reminds Yoongi too much of his mother which, undeniably, the only reminder that the Empress is indeed distantly related to the royal family of Kosha—yet she is quick to conceal it with a thin smile. The same practised smile that she has been wearing each time she was in the company of the Empress, Yoongi took notice. 

“Well, I was expecting that we could perhaps share the first dance during the celebration. This is my first time joining such a grand event, after all, and I heard a member of the royal family has always been the one to start the dancing,” she says with a deliberate tone that is meant to seduce, to allure, while she leans slightly forward to get closer to Yoongi. 

Close enough for Yoongi to smell the scent of the perfume that she had pasted around her collarbone and between her breasts. A strong, sultry scent of orchid with a hint of spiciness to it. Yoongi prefers something sweet, subtle and fresh. Something that reminds him of you. 

There is also something about the gesture and the way she speaks which seems off to him. Unconvincing and completely unfitting to be something that a person of her character would do. It feels too deliberate. Too hollow and viscous. As if she had practised this act one too many times before she was made to face Yoongi.   

A shiver runs through him. The unsettling kind which takes an effort for him to hide.

Pressing his lips, Yoongi tries to reel his annoyance from surfacing. This isn’t the first time that Princess Celestyna has brought up her request to have Yoongi stay by her side for the evening’s events and share a dance with her. The only problem with this offer would be the fact that if Yoongi ever plans on attending the festival, as per tradition, having her as his dance partner and showing her to his people would make everyone think that she is the one he is courting to be the future consort or the next Empress of Emburn.

There is no possible way that he would risk something like this. Not when he already has someone else in mind to introduce to his people. 

“Unfortunately, I do have other business to attend to, and I promise that I wouldn’t be able to act as the perfect company or host for Your Highness the Princess tonight if I am to have my focus wandering towards other matters and not be present,” Yoongi reasons with the Princess, using the same words that he used the previous times Princess Celestyna kept trying to convince Yoongi to spend the evening with her. 

Yoongi is quite sure that his refusal will no doubt reach the Empress, and there might be chances for him to receive the brunt of the Empress’ ire once he comes face to face with his mother again. Princess Celestyna should know this too, judging from the way her gaze sharpens, and how she is quick to make him another offer before Yoongi can slip away. 

“Then you must make it up by sparing your time with me in the afternoon tomorrow,” she urgently asks him with one of her dainty hands placed on Yoongi’s arm, merely inches above his elbow. “Perhaps we can have tea in the Royal Garden once you are done with your duties?” 

Yoongi bites back the words of refusal that nearly slip out the moment she speaks. It is an offer that is not quite an open invitation. More like a challenge, a subtle threat, as Yoongi can sense a finality in her words. He can almost hear the words unspoken from her gaze—give me this, or I’ll go to the Empress and make things harder for you. 

A resigned sigh slips out of him as Yoongi realises that he has no choice but to play along. At least for now. Only until he can find the chance or an excuse to escape from the second Princess. 

His nod is stiff when Yoongi reluctantly accepts her deal. “One of my attendants will come for you in the afternoon once I have tea prepared in the gardens.” 

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Princess Celestyna says with a smile on her face, mirth dancing in her eyes as she finally gets her wish. “I shall be waiting for the good news.” 

Bowing towards the Princess, and then to her silent father, the Emperor of Kosha, Yoongi bids his farewell for the night and quickly turns to walk away before any word can be thrown to trample his escape. The long tail of his black coat flares behind him as he walks out of the balcony seats in rapid footsteps. 

His hand finds its way to his upper arm as he walks down the stairs, making his exit through the vacant service hall in the back of the temple. He keeps rubbing the skin from over the thick sleeve of his coat to brush away the lingering feeling of the Princess’ hand, wishing it to be your touch instead. 

As he makes his way out of the Moon Temple of Aone, Yoongi silently makes up his mind, promising himself that at the next full moon ceremony, he will make sure that he only has you standing by his side. 

For your hand to be the only one he would ask for the first dance the next time he joins the Runea Luna Eve. 

That day will come, he tells himself. A promise. Soon. 

⟶ Author’s note | thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this one, please leave a like/kudo and help reblog the fic to share it with others to enjoy. Any form of feedback is welcome!

— © 2024 Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind is not allowed. unsolicited translations are not allowed.

[harpyloon]

i’ll catch you

Pairing: Charlie Weasley x fem!Reader

Summary: "Up close, Y/N could see the familiar freckles splattered all over his nose and cheeks. He was towering over her like he always did. She used to be the little second year Hufflepuff always idling by the entrance to the Great Hall hoping to bump into the famous Charlie Weasley. Studying on the Quidditch pitch, watching him behind her textbook, captaining the Gryffindor team. Climbing the beech tree by the lake again and again, hoping Charlie Weasley would somehow walk by once more to offer her a hand..."

☞ Curse Breaker reader x Dragon-tamer Charlie Weasley

Warnings: Fluff, sprinkles of angst, dragons (duh), mentions of a dead animal, mentions of dragon eating dead animal (lol), post-war timeline (although not that important)

WC: 4.5k+ , Part 2 coming soon!

Read on AO3

Beautiful rays of golden sunlight were peaking through the blinders of Y/N's cabin. It was going to be a lovely day with the perfect weather to seek out a bit of adventure, and although she was sure she had countless other affairs to address before kicking off with her assignment the next day, a blathering Bill Weasley was not one of them.

"Are you even listening?" his tone was way beyond impatient. "You know what? Don't answer that. I know for a fact that you never pick up anything I say. Ever."

Y/N rolled her eyes as she busied herself with stuffing her socked feet inside a pair of brown chunky hiking boots. She didn't plan on going very far. Her colleagues were currently lounging in the dining hall about five cabins down, sipping piping hot ciorbă, munching on breakfast toast, and relishing their only foreseeable off day before the start of the big dig tomorrow. Some were even dozing off still, earning as much sleep as they could to compensate for the long nights to come.

It's true what they say about grumpy Curse Breakers. But nobody realized that they just spent too much time with their eyes wide open.

"You know, Bill," Y/N mused, "you always call me the drama queen. What does that make you then?"

The floating head over the fire scoffed, "A concerned superior."

"Well, there's nothing to be concerned about."

"Where are you headed?"

"I'm going for a walk."

"No walks," ordered Bill, his face stern.

"Everyone's out and about today!"

"No walks for you."

Y/N laughed. "Oh yeah?"

Bill sighed. He knew trying to be hard-nosed was futile. "No walks alone at least."

"Are you sure there's no bun in Fleur's oven yet?" Y/N teased. "You're sounding more like a papa bear with each passing day."

She heard a soft melodic laugh within the fire where Bill's head was when suddenly, another floating head appeared right beside his. This time, all blonde and very French

"There iz no bun yet, mon cher. But I think he az been practicing fatherhood with you." Fleur gave Y/N a wink. "I 'eard zer are many 'andsome men in Romania. With a leetle beet of exzploring yo—"

"There will be no exploring," barked Bill, sending his wife a warning glance, which she ignored.

"—you might find someone az adventurous az you are," Fleur beamed, "And very macho."

"Darling," Bill sighed, "is this necessary?"

With a flying kiss to Y/N, Fleur was gone.

Shrugging on a light parka, Y/N gave Bill a knowing look, "You see? Your wife said I could use a macho man."

"Oh please. You're in a Curse Breaker camp."

"Hey, there are loads of macho men here."

"Macho enough for you?"

Y/N wrinkled her nose but ignored the question.

"Well, William," she said, emphasizing Bill's full name, "I, am a Curse Breaker in the middle of the Southern Carpathians." Stuffing her wand through her belt loop, she looked at him with finality. "And I am not passing up this opportunity."

"Remember when they assigned you to Egypt with me and you went on exploring? Your exploring is bad luck, Y/N, and I did not assign you to Romania to bring bad luck."

"Excuse you, the Egypt Goblins loved me."

"Goblins don't love wizards," retorted Bill.

"I think they were particularly fond of me."

"You Reductored an entire bloody Pyramid!"

Y/N was losing her patience. She wanted to sift through the mountains in the morning sunlight. Discover hidden caves and wade through cold springs. She had her breakfast way earlier than everyone else for this sole purpose.

"I promise I'll be good."

"Take Weiss with you."

Y/N glared. "Absolutely not."

"Take someone."

"I'm walking out on you right now. Don't forget to put out my fire."

"Y/N."

"I'll see you later!"

"I have to tell you—"

Without looking back, she waved at Bill and stepped out into the crisp Romanian morning.

The skies were bright and cloudless, the sun slowly rising up east. The Curse Breaker camp in the middle of the Transylvanian Alps was in for a late morning. It was quiet, apart from the whispers of the forest beside them; chirping birds, singing crickets, and the distant sound of a nearby stream.

Trudging up the rough pavement towards the foot of the nearest hill, Y/N felt an ounce of guilt seep through as she marveled at the scenery before her. Bill was the reason she got the Romania assignment. She wasn't half bad a Curse Breaker. From an outsider's perspective, some would even call her brilliant. She's aced all her missions in her first year on the job—way ahead of all the others in her year, and was even able to crackdown a dark magic-infested tomb in an assignment she co-lead in Egypt. She was quick, smart, and as brave as the career entailed.

Only one thing stood between her and a good reputation in Gringotts. Her impulsiveness.

She couldn't help it. Y/N's successes partnered with tragedies—accidents; her brilliance came with sheer will and almost violent haste. The problem is you can't think twice Bill would always say. Not everything is done in a snap, Y/N.

Bill Weasley was the only senior Curse Breaker with enough patience to supervise her. It must have been fate or a miracle that had him in temporary assignment at the London Gringotts when she graduated Hogwarts. If she were received by anyone else, or if he were back in Egypt instead, she didn't think she'd ever make it out into the field. Or worse, last a few months.

"I'll be good," she mumbled to no one in particular. Or maybe she hoped that Bill would hear. She'd floo him again later.

Trekking up the slope with hands snuggled warm inside her faux-fur-lined pockets, Y/N inhaled the fresh earth surrounding her. This was her calling. Nature. Adventure. The unknown. She was fantastic with spells and jinxes and once thought of becoming an Auror—but Aurors spent too much time indoors, on desks, drowning in paperwork and tailing dark wizards. She knew in her heart she wasn't born to enforce the law.

On the opposite side of the hill was a deep gorge between two towering mountains and a long serpentine stream. Elated at the sight, she followed the gentle flow of water over the rocks. Without thinking (because when does she ever), she slipped off her boots and socks, and despite the chilly morning, prepared to wade the ice-cold water. She dipped one toe in for good measure—a pause.

That couldn't be right.

Submerging one whole foot into the water confirmed her confusion. Strange. Almost all waterways in Romania led to the Black Sea, if not the Adriatic. Why was it warm?

This isn't the bathing stream she thought. The senior Curse Breakers back at camp had instructed them of assigned fresher areas where warming charms would be cast. She didn't remember this gorge being part of last night's tour.

Ankles deep in the water, Y/N trailed the soft currents. It was deliciously warm. A deliberate contrast to the icy breeze left by the trail ends of winter. It was supposedly mid-spring, but the winds still gave her the chills.

She took no notice of how far she was going, the water neither rising nor falling. If she were to guess it must've almost been half an hour given by the direction of the sun. The warm water and small pebbles were therapeutic beneath her feet. The walk didn't tire her at all.

Finally, the chasm's end came to view. Heart beating with excitement, she hastened her pace, dampening the legs of her trousers that she attempted to roll up. But just as her feet crossed the lip between the two mountains flanking her, she felt the oddest sensation: it began at the top of her head, traveling down her arms to her toes—as if a big fat raindrop landed on her scalp and entered her body.

She glanced at the clear blue sky. There was no cloud in sight for miles.

And then, it was suddenly very humid.

"What the..." she glanced back through the gorge. Nothing was out of order and nobody was in sight. Looking down at her feet, her surroundings were now as warm as the water she stood on. Her parka felt too thick.

Again, strange.

Trying to shake away her curiousness, Y/N trudged on.

All is well she chanted inside her head. All is well and the wind just blows differently on this side of the alps.

But no matter what she told herself, ripples of unease still disturbed Y/N. She was beginning to sweat and it wasn't just her nerves. The wind didn't blow differently on this side of the mountains because there was no wind. It was dry, dank, and very very warm.

To rattle her nerves even further, the water she was wading on was getting hotter as she went on that she had to leap on land once again. But as soon as her bare soles made contact with the grass, she yelped in pain.

"Merlin—OW."

The earth was burning. As if it bathed in the sun for too long. As if she were in the middle of a dry desert. She knew the feeling, she's been to Egypt. But why the bloody hell would Romanian soil feel this hot? Moreso in the heart of the Southern Carpathians?

Locating a jutted-out slab of rock, Y/N hopped over to sit and gather her bearings, drying her damp feet and staring at her boots and socks. She didn't want to slip them back on. The heat was intense. But it was either the boots or the sizzling soil.

She shrugged off her parka after lacing up her boots and was grateful for her reckless choice of wardrobe this morning. She opted for a ribbed shirt under her jacket—instead of a sweater—in urgent intention to get away from a nagging Bill. Now it served her well. It wasn't as thin as she would have deemed appropriate for the current temperature, but at least her neck and arms could breathe.

Gazing over the expanse of the clearing she emerged in, she suddenly became aware of the lack of green in the area. The grass was almost a withering brown—crunchy and dry. Trees weren't scattered about like the thick oaks all over the Curse Breaker camp; instead, they were clumped, almost systematically, in relatively rectangular patch formations. As if deliberately rooted as such.

Muggles Y/N thought. It was only them who had the peculiar habit of reorganizing nature.

Tying her parka around her waist, she treaded the clearing, the grass crisp beneath her boots, and approached the nearest cluster of trees. She wondered if this were one of the areas they'd be digging up. Senior Curse Breaker Digby Youssif oriented them of specific crackdown areas to look forward to in the next few months. Although almost all wizarding families were well-accounted for in Romania, there were still trifling amounts of intel on hidden vaults under protective spells cast by untraceable ancient tribes.

Y/N loved digging assignments. She was particularly fond of discovery. And if Ancient Runes was Hogwarts' least-loved lesson, she rather enjoyed Professor Babbling's classes. Well, most of the time. It was her pride and joy to have snagged an 'Outstanding' for her O.W.Ls—

Crack!

A sudden gust of wind whipped through the trees ahead of her. On instinct, Y/N drew her wand from her belt loop. Nothing was so dangerous about the wind. But it felt so...

The sound came out of nowhere, she thought it was imagining it. A steady drumming beat. Powerful and humming. An engine? she thought. But that was impossible. They were told that the area was blocked off from muggles for the duration of their stay. She paused in front of a towering ashtree. The sound was growing louder and louder. Nearer. She didn't know why but she was compelled with the need to hide.

Climb.

She felt ridiculous, clambering up an ashtree and settling on its thickest branch. Her superiors back at camp were clear that the mountains were safe, its perimeters were secured for their dig. Curse Breakers always made sure missions wouldn't come across outside interference.

Then why was her heart beating so fast?

The drumming sound was growing nearer. Behind her—above.

Peering at the sky through the leaves, a massive dark figure swooped overhead and landed with an earth-shaking thud on the clearing right in front of her tree.

Y/N felt like she was going to choke on her own spit when a deafening, earsplitting roar echoed through the mountains.

Dragon.

Fully grown, enormous, and vicious-looking, the beast had emerald scales that glinted in the morning sun. Its body was bulky, way stockier compared to the common dragons in textbooks. It had a massive head that seemed even larger than its body, and on it sprouted two long glittering golden horns. Its claws had the same golden color, and it was rearing onto its hind legs, hunching over a figure... chewing...

All the breakfast Y/N had only hours before felt like rising up her throat. An enormous dragon only meters in front of her was chewing on a dead animal, clearly having his own meal. And there she was, perched on an ashtree, ready for dessert.

Don't panic she told herself, but feeling green. She's never faced a dragon on a mission before. They tackled them in her first year on the job—Curse Breakers didn't really need training, the task calling for hands-on work—but never in her life did she ever think she'd have to face a real dragon.

I don't have to face it Y/N thought, I just have to stay here until it flies away, and run back to camp.

Wiggling up to a squat, she eyed the neighboring branch a few feet to her right which was higher up and positioned behind a thicker cluster of leaves. It didn't require a jump, but more of a really careful split; hugging the trunk tightly, she stretched her right foot across, shifting her weight to her right leg, her arms choking the tree trunk in a death grip, legs spread wide midair—

"Scuzati-ma?"

Y/N didn't fall. Thank Merlin she didn't fall. But she lost her momentum in surprise and panic, her left foot sliding from the previous branch, making her push off the trunk in haste, throwing her weight across completely. She grabs a dangling thin branch above her at the last minute, her body tilted towards the forest floor.

A forest floor where a man now stood, peering up at her curiously.

She was breathing hard, her heart thumping erratically, both from the fear of falling and being heard by the dragon so close by.

"Er—esti bine?" the man asked. Y/N saw that he had his arms out as if braced to catch her if she fell. When she didn't answer, the man spoke again, "Ai nevoie de ajutor?"

She blinked down at him. "What?"

He chuckled. She hated it. It hurt her pride. "I said, do you need any help?"

He was loud. Too loud. She righted herself on the branch, pulling to lean back on the trunk behind her. Then risking a peek, she checked on the dragon who was still munching on the dead cow with gusto.

She looked back down to find the man with his eyebrows raised at her, his face painting amusement. It was impossible not to take note of his red mane pulled into a low bun. He looked awfully familiar... and he was going to get them killed.

"Could you," she whispered as loudly as she could, "keep your voice down?"

The man snickered once more, showing no effort of lowering his tone. "Why?"

"Are you blind?" she wanted to strangle him. "There's a bloody dragon!"

The redhead glanced at the scaly beast and heaved out a sigh. "Okay. Yeah, you're right. It's way past breakfast. He's missing nap time."

Y/N looked at him incredulously. He shrugged, "But what can I do? He slept in this morning. Lazy beast." Looking back up, he asked, "Want to meet him?"

He's mental she thought. That had to be it.

But the redhead only laughed. He keeps laughing. He must've noticed the stupefied expression on her face because he simmered. "Give him a minute and you can come down. It's already his fifth haul so he's bound to get dozy and fly back to the nest." He started walking towards the clearing when he paused and turned back, "Although, you can come down now. I promise he won't eat you."

Y/N watched as the man walked up to the feasting dragon—she was peering behind the thick tree trunk, using it as a shield. He's insane. Drawing a wand from a sheath attached to his calf, the man aimed a stunning spell right by the beast's tail.

"Alright, Darius, I think you've had enough," he called. He kept his distance, a good few meters away, but his gait was calm, almost lazy.

The dragon glanced at the man, its fangs bloody. Y/N wanted to grab the redhead and run. But it was a crazy thought, and she was rooted on her spot on the tree branch, frozen in fear.

The man gave a sharp whistle and the dragon grunted, smoke coming out of its nostrils. It ignored him and continued to munch on the cow.

Another stunning spell was aimed right by its claws and the dragon emitted a low growl. Y/N didn't know if she was imagining it but the creature seemed sluggish on its feet, swaying... almost drowsy.

"Off you go," said the man, "up." He sent one more stunning spell right in front of its snout. It was a clear miss, purely intentional.

The dragon heaved a loud angry roar. But instead of diving for the man like she expected, it started flapping its wings, gaining momentum. Y/N held onto the tree trunk tighter so as not to be swayed by the sudden rush of winds the creature was yielding. And then with a strong push off the ground, up it soared, growling low in its throat, and was out of sight.

Y/N's legs felt like jelly slugs, but her arms refused to let go of the tree trunk. What in Merlin's name just happened?

"Y/N."

She gave a short yelp, coughing on her next breath. "Excuse me?"

The man was back, now by the foot of the tree once again. "Come down."

"How do you know my name?" she demanded.

He had a really handsome smile. A really familiar, handsome smile...

"I should be offended," said the man. "Come down." There it was again, that smile. "I'll catch you."

I'll catch you.

I'll catch you....

 "Come on, Y/N, I'll catch you!"

"No you won't!" said Y/N. Her cheeks were wet with tears.

She was perched on the beech tree by the Black lake, her legs dangling above the shallow water. She had attempted to retrieve her Spellman's Syllabry textbook that Cassian Loxias chucked up the branches for fun.

"Yes I will, I promise," consoled Charlie. "I'm a prefect, remember?" he gestured to his badge, "I'll make sure you're safe."

Sniffing up snot that was escaping her nose, she hiccuped softly against the back of her hand. "Our prefect doesn't do that very much."

Charlie chuckled. "I'll make sure to have a word with Professor Sprout about her Hufflepuff prefects."

When he saw the horror on her face, he held up his hands, "It didn't come from you of course. Will you come down now? I swear I'll catch you."

Y/N looked into Charlie Weasley's eyes and saw nothing but pure candor. Biting her lip, she said, "Do cross your heart, or hope to die?"

He traced a cross right above his chest. "Cross my heart, or hope to die."

 "Y/N. Y/N?"

Y/N blinked.

Charlie Weasley. Charlie dragon-tamer Weasley. Charlie the hot brother Weasley—

"Are you still breathing? Do you need me up there?"

Trying to gather her bearings, Y/N extracted herself from her hold on the tree trunk, went down onto a squat, and leaped off, landing on the crunchy grass with a thump.

Charlie raised an eyebrow at her as she dusted her trousers, "I see you don't need catching anymore."

She took in the man before her. "Charlie Weasley."

His grin was dazzling."Caught on, have you?

From up close, Y/N could now see the familiar freckles splattered all over his nose and cheeks. He was towering over her like he always did. She used to be the little second year Hufflepuff always idling by the entrance to the Great Hall hoping to bump into the famous Charlie Weasley. Studying on the Quidditch pitch, watching him behind her textbook, captaining the Gryffindor team. Climbing the beech tree by the lake again and again, hoping Charlie Weasley would somehow walk by once more to offer her a hand...

There were so many things she could've done, seeing him again for the first time after all these years. He was gone as soon as he graduated Hogwarts, flying to Romania to study dragons. Everyone always thought Charlie would be going Quidditch pro, being captain and seeker. He had the build, the skills, and the charm. Hogwarts alone had fan clubs in his name and rumor had it that the Falmouth Falcons were just waiting for him to finish seventh year.

But others didn't see Charlie as Y/N did. They didn't see him hoarding books on care of magical creatures in the library. They didn't notice him sneaking off to Hagrid's on the weekends, taking Fang for walks or feeding the Blast Ended Skrewts in the garden. Nobody paid attention to the copy of Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them that Charlie practically glued to his side. Only Y/N did. And now that she thought about it, she didn't like that she knew so much. It made her feel like a creep.

So instead of hugging him in delight like she actually wanted, she took a swipe at his shoulder.

"You git," she hissed. "You scared me to death! How did you do that? I thought taming dragons was impossible."

"It is. Most of the time," Charlie shrugged. "Darius is a Romanian Longhorn. Mostly harmless compared to the others especially when he's full. Not that difficult to send him back to the nest when he can barely stand on his feet."

"Harmless? I could've been dessert!"

Charlie laughed. He was still always laughing. "You look delicious, yes, but I'm not letting Darius have you."

What the fu—Y/N inhaled slowly, cautiously. Then exhaled through her nose. She didn't know how to respond. Seeing him again after so long, without warning or preparation, was messing with her senses

"It's good to see you, Y/N," he said and walked closer. Close enough to tugged at her braid. She didn't know why he did it, but he looked like he just had to. "You look good."

Y/N's heart was beating rapidly once more, but this time, for all the wrong reasons. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Charlie gazed back into her eyes as if seeing her for the first time.

"Too long."

Again, she didn't know how long it took her to reply, but she cleared her throat, "How—did you know it was me? The first time?"

Charlie's eyes were still roaming all over her face. "No. Not until you spoke."

Y/N must've held a questioning look because he added, "I'll never forget that voice."

He was saying such strange things. Were they strange? Or was it just because he affected her so?

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, you wouldn't come down, would you? I see you still have a thing for trees."

Y/N rolled her eyes.

"I didn't know the dragon reservation was in the alps," she said. "Do you know we're camping nearby?"

"'Course I do. You lot are beside dragon territory for a reason."

Excitement and fear raised Y/N's nerves. "What are you talking about?"

Charlie bit his lip. "You'll see."

"Are we digging in the reservation?"

He was walking out into the clearing now, beelining back towards the opening of the gorge.

"Charlie!" Y/N jogged to keep up. "Are we?"

He only smiled, "Patience, darling."

Darling. He used to call her that all the time even when they were back in Hogwarts. She always tried to ignore the fluttering feeling her chest made when he used the endearment, reminding herself that he must've used it on everyone else, not just her.

"Why did no one back at camp tell us anything?"

"I probably should've kept my mouth shut," was his only reply. They were crossing the two mountains flanking the stream, and as soon as they cut through the border, Y/N felt the same sensation she did when she went through the clearing. But this time in reverse, it was as if the raindrop was sucked back up.

She glanced up at the mountains. "Did you feel that?"

"Shield spells," explained Charlie. "To keep the muggles out. Temperature charms as well to regulate the reservation climate. Although the dragons do enough of their warming on their own, it's for precaution."

They walked up the stream, tracing back Y/N's previous path.

"Are you bringing me back to camp?" she asked.

"That, and I have to see Digby. Iron out tomorrow's schedule."

"So we are digging inside the reservation," Y/N didn't know if she was more thrilled or afraid.

Charlie glanced at her, "You heard nothing from me."

Studying his features as they strolled, Y/N couldn't help but admire how much Charlie Weasley grew up to be. He's always been lean and strong, especially with being an athlete back at Hogwarts, but now he seemed so much larger than life. Red tendrils were escaping his low bun and framing his chiseled face, there were a few scars on his nose and one under his lip. She shouldn't have been able to see it but she couldn't stop staring. He was big. Stockier than she'd ever seen him; hands wrapped in gauze and rope slung over a hook on his hip.

Charlie Weasley, dragon-tamer.

And he was staring right back at her.

"You have to take me to see more dragons," Y/N breathed. She didn't know where her voice went. It was all airy and she didn't like it. She hoped he would assume it was because of their walk.

Charlie stopped, deep brown eyes boring into her own. He was panting slightly too. Maybe it was the walk.

"Okay," he exhaled. "Promise."

"Cross your heart?" she almost whispered. Almost.

Two fingers traced a cross over Charlie's chest, his gaze not leaving hers, "Cross my heart."

[jovialyouthmusic]

Kiss from a Rose

A Valentine’s Day adventure

Pairing - Bastien Lykel and Sophia Turner from my TRR AU of Protect and Serve and Silver Service. 

This is a three part fic, the final chapter will be posted on Valentine’s day. Exceptionally fluffy with a good dose of smut in the final chapter - so 

NO UNDER 18s PLEASE

This chapter features my good Tumblr friend @drakeandcamilleofvaltoria​ or Erin, as it’s set in her home city, Edinburgh, which I visit regularly. Many thanks to her for letting me know the trendy places to go. I hope you enjoy it, darling xx

If you haven’t read any previous works with Sophia and Bastien, all you need to know is that this takes place after Anton has been on trial and locked away. Riley ended up with Drake and Liam is involved loosely with Olivia. Sophia is a member of staff at the Royal Palace in Cordonia who joined shortly before the social season that Riley took part in. She is English and the devoted LI of head of the King’s Guard Bastien Lykel. 

Word Count 4027

1 Athens of the North

‘What do you mean, you’ll be passing over us?’ Sophia’s mother’s voice was shrill at the other end of the phone line. ‘Are you flying in the Royal Jet?’ Sophia squeezed the bridge of her nose.

‘It’s okay Mum, don’t get so excited. King Liam will be visiting Queen Elizabeth at Holyrood later this year, and Bastien has to go over to liaise with her security team. I’m going with him – and yes, it will be in the Royal Jet so I’ll be in Edinburgh next week. I’m sorry we won’t be able to stop off and see you, time is tight - but if you want to fly up…’

‘Me, fly again?’ her mother’s voice was still shrill ‘I still haven’t got over that ghastly flight over the Alps in December’ Sophia groaned. Her mother was not a good traveller at the best of times, and Christmas time had not been a good choice. Her father had told her of the turbulence they had encountered on the way back, which made her mother fear another trip.

‘Well never mind, perhaps we can come and visit you later in the year’ Sophia sighed. Bastien frowned at her and tapped his wrist. ‘I’m sorry Mum, I have to go. Give my love to Dad – yes – love you lots – bye…’ She dropped her head in frustration.

‘I’m sorry theá mou, that didn’t sound harmonious’ Bastien said

‘No, she’s still going on about the flight back last time’ Sophia sighed ‘But it does mean we’ll have some time to ourselves in Edinburgh’ In the back of her mind she wondered what might be on the itinerary, as they would be there for Valentine’s day. She didn’t presume that her lover would do anything to celebrate it as he would be working a lot of the time, but she knew he never missed an opportunity to make her feel special. He walked over and drew her into his arms.

‘I’m sorry Sophia, I don’t know how much time I’ll have to spend with you’ he replied.

‘It’s fine, Erin and I can catch up. It will be good to see her again, and I can see my friend Les too’

She knew the city well, having spent some time researching for her college thesis in the library there and taking a job later on in her career. It would be cold compared to Cordonia, and possibly wet and windy, but you never could tell with British weather. They might be lucky and hit a mild spell, or it could very well feel like all four seasons in one day. The city wasn’t big, and a shopping trip or a tour of Art galleries were both possible in bad conditions. She was excited to be going back there with Bastien and her friends.

------

Sophia settled down into the plush leather seat and buckled herself in. It was her first time on the royal jet, and she was delighted to have so much space. Bastien sat facing her, and Drake and Riley had seats on the other side of the aisle. They would be staying in Edinburgh at a different hotel before carrying on to a regular flight to New York afterwards. It was the day before Valentine’s Day.

‘This is rather special’ she smiled, and Bastien squeezed her hand. She was not a nervous flyer, and looked forward to looking out at the view when they took off.

‘I barely travel on regular flights’ Bastien said ‘I must admit it’s good not to have to queue or check your bags in, and to have plenty of leg space.’

Happily, a plane journey with Bastien was more pleasant than a road trip. He pointed out various landmarks as they flew toward the English Channel, when she was thrilled to fly over the island where her parents still lived, and on which she grew up. After that it was Sophia who pointed things of significance out to the other three. Bastien smiled to see her so excited to be visiting her home country. She had been born in the Midlands and she and her parents had moved to the tiny island in the English channel when she was little. She had gone to university in the north of England, and worked in Scotland before she had applied for the job in Cordonia. Despite the length of the journey, it didn’t seem long before they were taxiing along the runway. They were only a short tram ride away from the city centre, but they took a taxi which dropped Drake and Riley off at their hotel on Regent’s Terrace before taking Bastien and Sophia to the prestigious Balmoral Hotel right in the centre of the city on the main thoroughfare, Princes Street.

Bastien would be visiting the palace the next day to liaise with his counterpart there, but they had the afternoon and evening to settle into their hotel and perhaps do a little sightseeing. The car drew into a service entrance before they could get out, and their luggage was whisked away to their rooms while they checked in at reception. Sophia was delighted with their suite, which looked out over the famous Edinburgh Castle and along Princes Street, taking in the tall monument to Sir Walter Scott, famous writer of many books in his time. They had their own lounge as well as a huge bathroom with a walk in shower and corner bathtub.

As soon as the door had closed, Sophia flung her arms around Bastien’s neck for a passionate kiss.

‘My goddess’ he smiled as they stopped for air ‘I feel you’re very eager to put me through my paces’

‘We didn’t manage to join the mile high club’ she said in a sultry tone ‘So the least you can do is make love to me in a five star hotel with a stunning view of a historic landmark or two’

‘Nothing would give me greater pleasure’ he growled, loosening his tie.

------

Sophia had a glow and a spring in her step as she and Bastien made their way up the steep steps of Calton Hill which overlooked the city and held the famous national monument, observatory and Nelson’s Tower. The observatory at the very top had been developed recently and featured a new restaurant with extensive views through a huge ninety degree picture window, and Bastien had booked a table for the two of them.

Sophia caught onto Bastien’s arm as he negotiated the steps with his cane, but it was more to offer support if he needed it than to drag at him. He smiled, knowing her little trick and appreciating how caring she was. The higher they went, the more his thigh ached, but it was not challenging enough to slow him down much. He believed it was improving, and were he to come in a year’s time, he might make it to the top without any discomfort.

They were soon sitting overlooking the lights of the city as the light faded. The sun had set quietly and without spectacle. The hill was very popular with tourists and photographers alike, and many a photo had been taken and posted online and shared around the world. Perhaps the morning would bring colour in the sky, or the next afternoon – as it was February the sun would set in the late afternoon and rise around eight in the morning, so it wasn’t challenging to try and catch a spectacular shot.

‘This place was more or less derelict when I worked here’ Sophia explained to Bastien. ‘This is such an improvement. I’m looking forward to seeing inside the observatory in the morning.’ Bastien was reading the menu, and she reached toward him over the table. He took her hand without even looking away from the menu. Her eyes prickled, her heart skipped a beat and she squeezed his fingers. He looked over at her, puzzled.

‘What?’ he asked.

‘I love you, Bastien Lykel’ she said softly. She picked his hand up and kissed it and he responded by taking hers and drawing it to his chest.

‘And I you – with all my heart, my goddess’ he affirmed. They smiled fondly, lost in each other’s gaze for a few moments.

‘Sir, Madam, are you ready to order?’ Sophia jumped as the waiter spoke. She wondered how long he had been standing waiting for them to notice him. She had barely skimmed the menu, but Bastien had it all under control

‘We’ll have a bottle of champagne – the Veuve Cliquot - and the tasting menu’ he said. The waiter nodded and turned away. ‘The tasting menu has a small portion of everything to try’ Bastien explained in a low voice. ‘The couple on the table in the corner have it – the portions aren’t over generous but I’m sure you won’t mind that’ His eyes sparked, and she coloured, knowing that he wasn’t talking about sating just one appetite. She rarely over ate because it meant less opportunity to make love – a full belly was not compatible with their libidos.

‘I don’t know’ she said in a low tone ‘we need to keep our strength up’ Underneath the table she stretched out her leg and rubbed his ankle with her foot.

‘Room service is available twenty four hours’ he rumbled, leaning toward her. At that point the waiter arrived with the champagne and poured a little for Bastien to test, and he leaned back in his chair.

‘For the lady too?’ the waiter asked when the guard looked up at him and frowned slightly. He nodded and poured a little for her too. There was a flash of amusement in Bastien’s eyes as they both sipped.

‘What do you think, my sweet?’ he asked, and she furrowed her brow, pausing for a moment as she kept the wine in her mouth and rolled it around. She wasn’t sure if it was the correct procedure for champagne, but she hoped her bluff convinced the waiter. She swallowed, making a face of approval. She certainly wasn’t about to spit it out as she had seen some doing. Casting her mind back, she remembered Riley had lessons in wine tasting with the Beaumonts back when she was representing them in the social season. She resolved to ask her about it later.

‘Acceptable’ she nodded gravely, and the waiter poured more for both of them before leaving them to drink it. The main feature of the menu was that every ingredient was locally sourced, and it made for a very interesting range of dishes. Before long, the starters arrived – three small plates bearing food, and an empty plate each to sample the dishes. The waiter described the dishes for them, and instead of serving any of it out onto their plates, Bastien gave her a little to taste. There was a dish of trout with an accompanying relish, one of artichoke, ricotta and hazelnuts, and one of raw beef with wild garlic. She decided she liked the trout best and the beef least, so Bastien served her a little of the beef, halved the artichoke dish, and gave her most of the trout.

The food was not over generous as Bastien had said, but what it lacked in quantity it more than made up for in taste and texture. Sophia rolled her eyes and curled her toes at the delicately balanced flavours. Bastien looked at her in amusement.

‘What is it?’ she asked. His eyes flashed with amusement as he leaned closer to speak quietly.

‘You made that face only a couple of hours ago in our hotel suite’ Her eyes widened.

‘You mean – that’s my…’ she stopped ‘I make that expression when I…’ Bastien was trying hard not to laugh out loud, but he was very amused as his goddess flushed red. ‘You’re teasing me’ she hissed, but he shook his head and put his hand on his heart.

‘I speak the truth’ he whispered, and Sophia huffed.

‘Well you taste it’ she said, slightly miffed. Bastien was still trying not to laugh, but he took a small mouthful, rolling his eyes and mimicking her expression. She kicked him under the table, making sure it was his ‘good’ leg.

‘Just like that’ he teased. He gathered himself together ‘I’m sorry Sophia’ he said ‘Truly, it’s not exactly the same, but it is very similar’ She scowled a little, and he reached across the table to take her hand ‘It’s wonderful’ he said ‘I love that face. It means you’re happy, and if you’re happy, so am I’ Sophia tilted her head to the side, her expression softening a little.

‘Okay, I’ll consider forgiving you for laughing at me’ she said reluctantly. The waiter reappeared to clear their plates away, and it wasn’t long before the main course came. This time the options were scallops, crab and langoustine, and wild duck. Sophia was pleased at the selection of seafood, and this time Bastien just split each dish evenly. At the first taste, Sophia rolled her eyes again, but this time she exaggerated it, and under the table she slipped her shoe off and rubbed Bastien’s ankle. She made a sound of appreciation, and was rewarded by watching him nervously try to loosen his tie, looking sideways at the other diners.

‘This is divine’ she breathed, putting as much feeling into her words as she could. Bastien swallowed and his eyes darkened. He leaned over the table toward her

‘I think you’ve paid me back with interest’ he said quietly ‘any more of that and I’ll be tempted to clear the table and…’

‘Is everything okay with your meal, Sir?’ The waiter appeared at Bastien’s side, and he jumped. He recovered quickly, clearing his throat and answering

‘Yes, it’s excellent – pass our appreciation on to the chef please’

‘Certainly Sir – more champagne?’ he asked, as although their glasses were full, the bottle was empty.

‘No thankyou, but if you have a bottle of Glenkinchie I’ll have a glass with water on the side please.’ He glanced at Sophia ‘Will you try a glass of whiskey, my dear?’ Sophia smiled sweetly.

‘Of course, darling’ She gave Bastien’s ankle another nudge, and he drew it back out of her reach with a stern look. She sighed and carried on eating and sipping at the cool effervescent wine, savouring every mouthful. They finished their main course in silence, but they had attained a truce for the moment. The champagne finished, the whiskey was brought over in cut glass tumblers with a jug of water. Bastien took a tiny sip of the neat spirit before adding a drop of water, picking the glass up again and inhaling the aroma.

The dessert menu arrived, and Sophia beamed with anticipation. She had a sweet tooth though Bastien did not, but he often shared dishes with her, making the excuse that it would keep her waistline trim.

‘Though I would love you whatever shape you were’ he would affirm, and Sophia would eye him warily but say nothing. She looked at the menu in confusion. Bastien cocked an eyebrow at her. She leaned over and whispered

‘I have absolutely no idea what any of these things are’ she confided ‘or at least I can recognise the words – it is English after all – but it doesn’t sound very inspiring’ she looked down the list ‘What on earth is ‘Elric’s log’? I can’t tell you what I think it might be.’

‘I’m sure the waiter will enlighten us’ Bastien assured her, but she made a face. At that moment, Bastien’s phone chimed with a text message. He looked at it briefly, seeing it was a text from Drake. Sophia spoke before he could tell her.

‘Can we leave dessert?’ she asked, keeping her voice low ‘I have a much better idea’ Bastien frowned, but he saw her earnest expression. He looked over at the waiter and raised a hand to beckon him over.

‘Can we have the bill please?’ he asked

‘But sir, you haven’t had dessert yet’ Bastien pursed his lips and looked at his phone

‘Unfortunately I’ve been called away on important business, I have to go as soon as I can’

‘I’m so sorry Sir.’ The waiter said with concern ‘I’ll get the bill immediately’

 Minutes later, the two of them walked back down the hill arm in arm. Sophia was used to the cooler climate and wore a tweed jacket and a knitted cashmere hat, but Bastien found it cold and wore a stylish Italian wool coat that just skimmed his knees, and a woollen hat and thick scarf, whereas Sophia’s scarf was more for show than warmth. Their breath showed in the cool air, but it was still and the stars shone brightly.  

‘I’m sorry Bas – I know you’re not fond of dessert anyway, but it was just so - pretentious. I hope they didn’t charge you’ Sophia said apologetically

‘No, but they were a bit stressed trying to work out the new charges’ he said ‘I tipped them so they got almost the same as if we’d had everything and not tipped, so they can’t be too upset.’ He squeezed her hand ‘So, what was your idea for an alternative?’

‘Gelato’ her eyes shone ‘There’s an Italian restaurant very close – not even as far as the hotel – that makes award winning gelato’

‘I’m actually very partial’ he smiled. Her eyes it up

‘That’s wonderful! I used to go with Mark for pizza’ she said thoughtfully ‘The portions were so generous I never had room for gelato’ Bastien felt an unaccustomed stab of jealousy at the mention of her former lover. She felt him tense, and hugged his arm tighter.

‘I’m so happy to be here with you’ she said ‘There are lots of places to show you – we can make new memories together’ He smiled fondly, reassured of her affection.

‘I hope I won’t be kept too late tomorrow. You can show Drake and Riley round if you like, and with luck I’ll see you for dinner’

‘I’ve seen round Holyrood Palace’ she said ‘But of course you’ll be working in the parts the public don’t get to see’

‘I’m sorry they won’t allow me to take you round’ he said ‘They are extremely strict as to who enters, and with good cause’ Sophia shrugged as they came to the restaurant. The décor was oddly reminiscent of an American diner, but the staff were all Italian, and the menu was too.

‘Here we are’ she said, ‘Let’s hope they aren’t busy, it’s too cold to wander the streets with gelato’ Luckily it was quiet and they were able to take a table after ordering a scoop each. Sophia chose prosecco and strawberry and Bastien had panacotta and salted caramel, and they shared.

‘Really you can’t beat mint choc chip’ Sophia asserted ‘but I can’t resist trying this one’

‘I favour double chocolate chip’ Bastien said ‘but this is acceptable’

‘I’ll come in with Les tomorrow and try a sundae’ Sophia said ‘I don’t have room for one right now.’

‘That’s an excellent idea’ Bastien smiled ‘Drake and Riley are at a place called the Black Bull just around the corner, we can pick them up there. Where are we going next?’

‘We’re meeting Erin at a place called Tiger Lily on George Street’ she said ‘It’s about ten minutes’ walk away. I’ve not been there – it’s new, but places open and close all the time’ The two finished their dessert and met Drake and Riley at the Black Bull, which turned out to be similar to the place Riley used to work at in New York – a creditable dive bar frequented largely by bikers in studded leather jackets - before they set off across the city. Although the shops were closed, there were plenty of revellers walking around going to the many bars and restaurants and clubs. Soon they had reached their destination and her friend stood up from their table to wave them over. She was blonde and petite, and had similar looks to Sophia. Her partner was much taller – about the same height as Bastien. His hair was lighter, his shoulders as broad as the older man’s.

‘Sophia – it’s so good to see you’ Erin cried, throwing her arms around her before pulling away to introduce her partner ‘This is Sean – Sean, Sophia’

‘Nice to meet you’ Sophia replied, shaking his hand, and indicated the others ‘This is my partner Bastien, and I told you about Drake and Riley’ Erin’s eyes flicked to Bastien, and he reached out his hand and shook hers firmly. Her eyes widened a little in awe before she turned to Drake – and flushed red to the roots of her hair. Their handshake lingered a little longer, and Sophia nudged her, clearing her throat. She seemed to be having trouble tearing her eyes away from him, but at last she did, turning to Riley, who gave her a sharp look as they clasped hands. Erin looked back to Sean and took his arm affectionately as if to reassure him as he in turn shook hands with the others, and Riley visibly relaxed.

‘How are you finding Edinburgh? asked Erin as they all sat

‘I’ve been before, very briefly’ said Bastien. ‘I find it intriguing – the old town and the new town.’

‘It’s an incredible place’ Riley affirmed ‘It’s just oozing with history – and I can see where JK Rowling got her inspiration for Harry Potter’

‘You have some great dive bars’ grinned Drake ‘and the whiskey…’ he rolled his eyes ‘I’m in heaven’

‘This is a lovely place’ Bastien waved around at the plush surroundings – notably the ceiling covered in decorative cherry blossoms, the marble bar and dark wood tables, low walled booths upholstered with padded leather, the pillars covered with mosaic mirrors, the bright modern lighting.

‘It’s rather special’ Erin smiled, and looked thoughtful for a moment ‘I don’t know what you’re used to, but there’s no table service here - you need to go to the bar to order drinks’

‘Oh, I see - I’ll get the next round’ Bastien offered ‘What do you want, ladies?’ Sophia was looking at the cocktail menu, perplexed, but Erin was ready  

‘I’ll have a glass of Chardonnay please, Bastien’ He nodded and turned to Sophia

‘There’s far too much choice’ she said ‘I’ll have a glass of prosecco, that shouldn’t be too challenging’

‘Sophia honey, you need to live a little!’ cried Riley ‘Bastien may have to work tomorrow, but the rest of us are as free as birds, it’s the weekend’ She nudged her ‘I’ll choose for you, darling’

‘Really, I’ve already had champagne and whiskey’ she protested ‘and I hate hangovers, they’re such a waste of time’ She looked at the list again. Bastien was beginning to realise that Sophia was often overwhelmed when given a choice – the menu at the restaurant had been too much for her as well.

‘Have an old fashioned’ Bastien suggested ‘That’s whiskey based, but with soda so it’s a longer drink’

‘I’ll have a Manhatten’ grinned Riley

‘You should try a Gentleman’s Agreement, that’s whiskey based’ Sean piped up ‘I tried it first time I brought Erin here. It’s the best I’ve ever tasted’

‘It was our first date’ she smiled, squeezing his hand.

‘Thank you Sean, I like the name’ Bastien responded. ‘Does that sound good to you?’ he asked Drake, who nodded enthusiastically, and Bastien rose from his seat ‘I’ll be back shortly’ Sophia shifted toward the end of the leather upholstered bench.

‘I just need to go to the Ladies’ she said ‘Where is it, Erin?’

‘It’s past the bar to the right’ she replied, and Sophia made her way past the bar to find the bathroom.  She soon came back out to see Bastien still at the bar, waiting for his order. She was about to make her way over to help him carry the drinks back to their table, when she heard a familiar male voice that froze her in her tracks, hair on the back of her neck prickling.

‘Sophia? Sophia, is that you?’

[workingclassdan]

All albums I listened to in 2017

1. David Bowie - No Plan (ep) 2. Ryan Adams - Prisoner 3. Gone is Gone - Echolocation * 4. The xx - I See You 5. The Flaming Lips - Oczy Mldy 6. Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound 7. Japandroids - Near to the Wild Heart of Life 8. Foxygen - Hang 9. Ty Segall - Ty Segall 10. Camp Cope / Cayetana - Split EP 11. Cuddle Magic - Ashes/Axis 12. Hand Habits - Wildly Idle 13. Son Volt - Notes of Blue 14. Sun Kil Moon - Common as Light… (notable for shitness) 15. PVT - New Spirit 16. Steve Vai - Modern Primitive 17. Dirty Projectors - ST   (little bubble) 18. Middle Kids - EP 19. Father John Misty - Pure Comedy 20. The Waifs - Ironbark 21. Bruce Springsteen - (Odds & Rarities) 22. Thundercat - Drunk 23. Animal Collective - The Painters EP  (kinda bonkers) 24. Los Campesinos - Sick Scenes 25. Grandaddy - Last Place  (lost machine) 26. Methyl Ethel - Everything is Forgotten 27. Kingswood - After Hours, Close to Dawn 28. Holy Holy - Paint 29. Vagabon - Infinite Worlds 30. Spoon - Hot Thoughts  (do i have to talk you into it 31. Brian Eno - Reflection 32. The Shins - Heartworms 33. Laura Marling - Semper Femina * 34. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - The French Press EP * 35. Temples - Volcano 36. Roy Buchanan - Telemaster Live in 75 37. Real Estate - In Mind 38. Depeche Mode - Spirit * 39. Mastodon - Emperor of Sand * 40. Drake - More Life  (Passionfruit) 41. Ben Wright Smith - The Great Divorce 42. Sleepmakeswaves- Made of Breath Only - (hailstones) 43. Aimee Mann - Mental Illness 44. Jesus and Mary Chain - Damage and Joy 45. Steel Panther - Lower the Bar 46. Evyltyde - Rising 47. Spiral Stairs - Doris and the Daggers 48. Julia Holter - In the Same Room * 49. Boss Hog - Brood X 50. British Sea Power - Let the Dancers Inherit the Party 51. Anjou - Epithymia 52. The Melker Project Remix 53. New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions 54. Future Islands - The Far Field 55. Craig Finn - We All Want the Same Thing 56. Smith Street Band - More Scared of You Than You Are of Me 57. Cold War Kids - La Divine 58. Clark - Death Peak 59. The Black Angels - Death Song 60. Arca - Arca 61. Luke Howard - ? 62. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN. 63. Prince - ep 64. Incubus - 8 65. Amy Shark - Night Thinker ep 66. Mew - Visuals 67. Gorillaz - Humanz 68. Ryan Adams (b-sides) - 69. Tim Rogers - An Actor Repairs * 70. Feist - Pleasure 71. Bill Baird - Easy Machines 72. Bill Baird - Baby Blue Abyss 73. Thurston Moore - Rock n Roll Conciousness 74. Colin Stetson - All This I Do For Glory 75. Bob Dylan - Triplicate 76. Pond - The Weather 77. Alice Coltrane - The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane 78. San Cisco - The Water 79. Doug Tuttle - Peace Potato 80. Big Walnuts Yonder 81. Perfume Genius - No Shape 82. Penguin Cafe - 83. Mac Demarco 84. Afghan Whigs - In Spades 85. At the Drive-In - interalia 86. Slowdive - Slowdive - falling ashes 87. Dead Letter Circus - The Endless Mile - Lines 88. Nick Murphy - Missing Link ep 89. Bob’s Burgers - s/t 90. Fleet Foxes - The Crack-Up 91. BNQT - Volume 1 92. Do Make Say Think - Stubborn Persistent Illusions 93. The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's 94. Dan Auerbach - Waiting on a Song 95. Ben Ottewell - A Man Apart 96. Bernard Fanning - Brutal Dawn 97. Roger Waters - Is This the Life We Really Want 98. Underground Lovers - Staring at You Staring At Me 99. Elder - Reflections of a Floating World 100. Half Waif - form/a ep 101. The Kills - Echo Home non-electric ep 102. Bleachers - Gone Now 103. Amber Coffman - City of No Reply 104. Marika Hackman - I’m Not Your Man * 105. Husky - Punchbuzz 106. U2 - (some bootleg of latest tour) 107. Alt-J - Relaxer  (3WW) 108. Beach Fossils - Somersault 109. Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me 110. London Grammar - Truth is a Beautiful Thing 111. Lindsay Buckingham/Christine McVie - 112. Phoenix - Ti Amo 113. Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly, James McAlister - Planetarium 114. Big Thief - Capacity Mythological Beauty 115. Kirin J Callinan - Bravado 116. The Magpie Salute - The Magpie Salute (Live) 117. Portugal. The Man - Woodstock 118. Lorde - Melodrama * 119. Royal Blood - How Did We Get So Dark? 120. Ride - Weather Diaries 121. Cigarettes After Sex - s/t 122. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Flying Microtonal Banana 123. Jeff Tweedy - Together at Last 124. Tara Jane O’Neil - s/t 125. Baby Driver soundtrack 126. UNKLE - The Road pt1 127. Silicon Valley soundtrack 128. Haim - Something to Tell You 129. Broken Social Scene - Hug of Thunder 130. Jay-Z - 4:44 131. Tex, Don & Charlie - You Don’t Know Lonely 132. Oh Wonder - Ultralife 133. Radiohead - OKNOTOK 134. Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm 135. U2 (live Vancouver) 136. Japanese Breakfast - Soft Sounds from Another Planet 137. DJ Shadow - The Mountain Will Fall 138. Vera Blue - Perennial 139. Lana Del Rey - Lust for Life 140. Nine Inch Nails - Add Violence ep * 141. Singles soundtrack deluxe 142. Arcade Fire - Everything Now 143. Boris - Dear 144. Perera Elsewhere - All of This 145. Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface 146. The Murlocs - Old Locomotive 147. Dan Sultan - Killer  (fire under foot, kingdom) 148. Fountaineer - Greater City, Greater Love 149. Benjamin Gibbard - Bandwagonesque 150. Juanita Stein - America 151. Saskwatch - Manual Override 152. Kid Koala with Emiliana Torrini - Music to Draw To: Satellite 153. David Rawlings - Poor David’s Almanac 154. Damian Cowell's Disco Machine - Get Yer Dag On! 155. Jen cloher - s/t 156. Queens of the Stone Age - Villains * 157. Paul Kelly - Life is Fine I smell trouble 158. Davey Lane - I’m Gonna Burn Out Bright 159. Mogwai - Every Country’s Sun 160. Alvvays - Antisocialites 161. Ben Frost - The Centre Cannot Hold 162. Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins 163. Iron and Wine - Beast Epic call it dreaming 164. Gang of Youths - Go Farther in Lightness 165. Gold Class - Drum 166. King Gizzard and Mild High Club - Sketches of Brunswick East 167. Steven Wilson - To the Bone 168. The Preatures - Girlhood 169. Filthy Friends - Invitation 170. The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding 171. Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel - Dreaming in the Non-Dream 172. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream 173. Cloud Control - Zone rainbow city 174. Liars - TFCF 175. Neil Finn - Out of Silence 176. Deerhoof - Mountain Moves 177. Jake Bugg - hearts That Strain 178. Gordi - Reservoir 179. Meg Mac - Low Blows 180. The National - Sleep Well Beast 181. Beaches - Second of Spring 182. Chad Vangaalen - Light Information 183. Nothing But Thieves - 184. Foo Fighters - Concrete and Gold 185. Tori Amos - Native Invader 186. The Belligerents - Science Fiction (Sorry to Say) 187. Rostam - Half-Light 188. Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions - Until the Hunter 189. Ariel Pink - Dedicated to Bobby Jameson 190. Davey Lane - Back/Here/Forward 191. Lisa Mitchell - When they Play That Song ep 192. Tired Lion - Dumb Days 193. Mastodon - Cold Dark Place ep 194. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers 195. Lee Ronaldo - Electric Trim 196. Neil Young - Hitchhiker 197. The Killers - Wonderful Wonderful 198. Hyla - Osaka 199. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - The Vietnam War 200. Moses Sumney - Aromanticism 201. British India - Forgetting the Future 202. Matt Cameron - Cavedweller 203. Hammock - Mysterium 204. Ben Frost - Threshold of Faith 205. Philip Selway - Let Me Go 206. Prophets of Rage - s/t 207. Phoebe Bridgers - Starnger in the Alps 208. Pearl Jam - Let’s Play Two 209. Wolf Alice - Visions of a Life 210. Torres - Three Futures 211. Ibeyi - Ash 212. Wolf Parade - Cry Cry Cry 213. Liam Gallagher - As You Were 214. Andrew Bird - Echolocations: River 215. Bladerunner 2049 soundtrack 216. The Horrors - V 217. St Vincent - Masseduction 218. Kurt Vile & Courtney Barnett - A Lotta Sea Lice 219. Beck - Colors 220. Robert Plant - Carry Fire 221. Alex Lahey - I Love You Like a Brother 222. Destroyer - Ken. 223. William Patrick Corgan - wpc 224. Custard - The Common Touch 225. Love Migrate - Somewhere, Over the Mangroves 226. Protomartyr - Relatives in Descent 227. Polish Club - Alright Already 228. Ecca Vandal - s/t 229. Grooms - Infinity Caller 230. Lean Year - s/t 231. Kevin Devine - Instigator 232. King Krule - The Ooz 233. Portico Quartet - Art in the Age of Automation 234. Weezer - Pacific Daydream 235. Hans Zimmer et al (Blue Planet ll soundtrack) 236. Fever Ray - Plunge 237. Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights 238. Jim Lawrie - Slacker of the Year 239. REM - Automatic for the People (25th Anniversary) 240. Angel Olsen - Phases 241. Stranger Things 2 (Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein) 242. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats - Live at Red Rocks 243. Tame Impala - Currents (deluxe) 244. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Polygondwanaland 245. Sharon Jones - Soul of a Woman 246. Bjork - Utopia * 247. Aldous Harding - Party 248. David Gilmour - Live at Pompeii 249. Queen - News of the World (deluxe) 250. Stella Donnelly - Thrush Metal ep 251. U2 - Songs of Experience 252. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - Who Built the Moon? 253. Taylor Swift - Reputation 254. Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference 255. Wand - Plum 256. Weaves - Wide Open 257. Mavis Staples - If All I Was Was Black 258. Neil Young and Promise of the Real - The Visitor 259. Pony Face - Deja Vu 260. The Orbweavers - Deep Leads

Stray tracks: Hans Zimmer & Radiohead Lisa Hannigan - Oh! You Pretty Things Jarvis Cocker & Chilli Gonzalez Jack Whiter Glen Hansard (2) John Butler Trio Ryan Adams - back in your head Brian Eno & Kevin Shields Tropical Fuck Storm (2)

2016 catchups:

Ryley Walker & Charles Rumback Alex Isenberg Lisa Hannigan Margaret Glaspy Catfish and the Bottlemen Badbadnotgood 1 Mile North Chris Forsyth Peep Tempel Tash Sultana Rogue Wave Damien Jurado Love Migrate - Luke Howard Kaleo

[itsyokythings-blog]

My Five Acres. Travel. Adventure. Yoga. My Five Acres. Travel. Adventure. Yoga. - Travel. Adventure. Yoga.

When you’re in Turin, you won’t want to miss a visit to Superga Basilica. It makes a great half-day trip from the city, offering sweeping views, a ride on a historic tram, and of course, the grand edifice itself. This post covers everything you need to know for your visit.

What’s in our guide to visiting Superga Basilica?

1. 3. 5. 7.

The Superga Basilica is a massive and very impressive structure, even from the parking lot.

You can drive up, hike up, or take the historic rack tramway to the top. At the Basilica di Superga, visitors are welcome in the Royal Apartments, the Royal Tombs, and to climb the steep stairway to the top of the dome. Currently the Basilica itself is undergoing restoration, so the only way to see it is to attend Sunday morning mass.

After visiting Superga Basilica, take advantage of the hiking trails that lead from the Basilica into the Parco Naturale della Collina di Superga (The Natural Park of Superga Hill) where you can wander for hours along wooded trails, past burbling creeks, and through sun-dappled meadows.

There’s even a cafe in the park where you can stop for a bite or a glass of beer. We spent many happy hours wandering these trails while staying in nearby Pino Torinese.

So, if you want to add Superga to your Turin itinerary, read on for…

How to Visit Superga Basilica — Your Guide to a Great Day Trip

Also don’t miss these posts:

Your complete Torino guide → How to visit Sacra di San Michele → Your guide to visiting Mole Antonelliana →

The marble pillars hold the grand entry to the basilica in place.

War often destroys important buildings but with Superga Basilica, the opposite is true. Superga was actually created by a war.

In 1706, Turin was invaded by the French army, while Italian and Austrian troops struggle to hold them back. As the Battle of Turin raged, Duke Vittorio Amedeo II climbed Superga hill to observe the battlefield from a distance and work out a winning strategy.

At the time, there was a small church at the top of the hill, so the Duke turned to prayer for help. He vowed to a statue of the Virgin Mary that if his side won the battle, he’d build a grand church on the spot. Whether through clever strategizing, sheer force of will, or by the hand of God, the Italians won the battle and the Duke kept his vow.

In 1717, the long period of construction began with a 2-year project to flatten the mountain-top. At great expense, the Basilica slowly rose during the next 12 years, with the crowning achievement being the 75 m baroque dome, which has stood proudly watching over Torino ever since.

The dome of Basilica di Superga rises 75 metres into the air.

There are several attractions that you can visit at Superga, and all are separately priced so you can pick and choose.

Attend Mass at Basilica Superga

The Basilica itself is intricately decorated with columns and sculptures of Carrara marble. The dome from inside is an impressive sight as are the many altar paintings. You can also visit the Chapel of the Vow, which still houses the wooden statue of Mary upon which the Duke made his vow.

Currently, the Basilica is undergoing renovation, so the only time you can visit is Sunday morning for mass. See the

Ascending the winding staircase of the Basilica is a steep and narrow undertaking.

Climbing the narrow winding staircase to the dome will bring you to an expansive view of Turin from above. If you’re there on a clear day, the Alps will sparkle in the distance, calling you to their craggy slopes. If not, you’ll see one of Turin’s biggest problems — the smog that regularly hangs over the city like a forlorn cloud.

Explore Superga Park

If you drive up to Superga, that doesn’t mean you’re out of options for walking and hiking. The Basilica sits on the edge of Parco Naturale Della Collina di Superga. The name is a mouthful, but it just means “nature park of the Superga hill”. Hiking trails criss-cross the park and you can go on a short or long hike right from the Basilica.

If you prefer to drive, head out along the winding Strada dei Colli, which takes you on a scenic route through the hills. You’ll come out in the charming village of Pino Torinese, where we stayed for almost 3 months!

It’s worth a stop to explore the local shops, selling regional produce, artisinal baking, and wine. There’s also a nice gelato shop and a coffee shop in town should you need some refreshments.

Stay in the Basilica di Superga Guest Rooms

If you want to stay in the hills overlooking Turin, you can book into the Servants of Mary’s guest rooms at Basilica di Superga. Recently renovated, these rooms offer comfort in the style of a (very modernized) 18th Century guesthouse.

They have single and double rooms, as well a family rooms that can accommodate up to five people.

If you want the full historic experience, take the rack tramway to the top of Superga hill.

Though you can get to Superga by car or on foot, the experience is most interesting if you use the Superga Rack Tramway.

Originally opened in 1884, the tram cars were once heaved up the more than 400 m route by cables running alongside the track. The whole system was driven by a steam engine in the upper station.

Now, of course, the tram is powered by electricity and the cables have been replaced by an electrified 3rd rail.

Still, rattling along in the wooden tram as it strains to climb the hill, it’s easy to imagine gentlemen dressed in immaculate suits and ladies in Empire-waisted white dresses perched elegantly on the wooden benches as they rode up the hill to mass.

After ascending the cupola at Superga Basilica, you’ll see the towers up close and the Alps in the distance.

Museo del Grande Torino e della Leggenda Granata

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This is the interior of the tram car that will chug you up the hill to Superga Basilica.

There are lots of options for visiting Superga Basilica.

By car. If you’re in a rush, driving to Superga is the quickest way to get there (and also the least fun). You’ll have to wrangle with the madness of Italian traffic and I defy even the most pious ler to drive the whole way without swearing at a few of the crazier drivers.

From the city centre, it’s about a half-hour drive to the Basilica, where there’s an ample parking lot. There is a small parking lot at the Sassi station if you want to drive and take the rack railway to the top.

By tram and rack railway. The best way to get to Superga is to take the number 15 city tram from Piazza Castello, stop 471 Castello . Ride the tram for 22 minutes and get off at stop 589 Sassi-Superga. There, head inside to buy your tickets for the rack tramway which takes about 15 minutes to get to the top.

Hike to Superga. This is our favourite option, because it combines a fun outdoor activity with one of Turin’s major tourist attractions. There are plenty of routes to hike up to Superga.

The one I suggest starts in Croce, a small area near Sassi. From Piazza Vittorio Venetto, take bus 61 and get off at the Croce stop. The trail, marked Sentiero 29, starts off of Corso Casale, just west of the bus stop and Via Croce. It is clearly marked on Google maps.

If you go on a clear day, you can see the Alps encircling the city of Turin.

Entry Prices

€3 for Basilica Dome

€5 for Royal Tombs or Apartments

€9 for Royal Tombs and Apartments

Free with Torino + Piemonte Card or Royal Card

Basilica Closure

Currently the Basilica is undergoing restoration, so the only time you can enter is for Sunday morning mass, which begins at 11:30am. Entry is allowed from 10am.

Summer Hours: March 1 to October 31

Thursday to Tuesday — 7am to 10pm

Closed Wednesday

Winter Hours: November 1 to February 28

Saturday, Sunday, & public holidays — 10am to 6pm (last entry at 5:15pm)

We hope this guide to Superga Basilica helps you plan a fun and flawless trip to one of the most famous spots in Turin. With hiking trails, impressive architecture, the historic rack tramway, and the magnificent view, it’s worth a half-day while you’re in the city. For more things to do in Turin, see our complete guide.

♥  Happy mindful adventures, Jane & Stephen

We’re not going to lie, it takes a LOT of work to create guides like this. But it’s easy to help us out! If you book or buy something using one of our personal links in this post, we’ll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you. Of course, we would never recommend anything we didn’t 100% believe in! Huge thanks in advance! –S&J

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The post How to Visit Superga Basilica – Your Guide to a Great Day Trip from Turin appeared first on My Five Acres. Travel. Adventure. Yoga..

[topfygad]

Non-technical mountain climbs: 12 mountains for mortals

There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me

As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills sill leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like.

All too often I only find time for some wilderness backpacking in Europe or low-altitude scrambling in the UK. Regardless, I still have high hopes of climbing the seven summits (three down, four to go).

I’m aware that I’ll never be a Reinhold Messner or Chris Bonington (I’ll settle for reading their books instead) but I still long to pitch myself against tall mountains with imposing names.

If, like me, you’re in the amateur climber base camp, you’ll surely enjoy these great non-technical mountain climbs. There are no ‘death zones’ on these mountains but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me.

Non-technical mountain climbs

With the help of Adventure Consultants, we have classed the following as non-technical mountain climbs.

These peaks are below 7,000m (23,000ft) and do not require extensive high-altitude experience or practical knowledge (e.g. rope, crampon and ice axe skills or the ability to abseil and rappel).

That said, as with all adventure sports, the more experienced and prepared you are for these challenges, the better.

1. Mount Kilimanjaro

Location: Tanzania, Africa Elevation: 5,895m (19,341ft) Range: None – freestanding Duration: 5-7 days

Andrzej Kubik/Shutterstock Kilimanjaro is the world’s highest freestanding mountain

Kilimanjaro was the first seven summit I completed because it’s by far the easiest. There are several easy to moderate routes to the summit, making it one of the most accessible moderate-altitude treks in the world.

Africa’s highest mountain is also the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Like many volcanoes, it is not attached to a mountain range.

The Machame Route is by far the most picturesque but the mountain is very popular among tourists and hikers so don’t expect to have any of the routes to yourself.

More info: Adventure Consultants

2. Mount Temple

Location: Canada, North America Elevation: 3,544m (11,627ft) Range: Bow Range Duration: 1-2 days

Dreamstime Mount Temple dominates the western landscape of Banff National Park

The most accessible peak above 3,400m (11,000ft) in the Canadian Rockies is also one of the most frequently climbed. The summit can be gained in a day thanks to its relatively low elevation gain: approximately 1,600m (5,250ft).

Despite the relative accessibility, it should be noted that the mountain is a giant and dominates the western landscape of Banff National Park. Some fairly moderate to intense scrambling is required even on the ‘easy’ route.

More info: A Scrambler’s Guide to Mount Temple

3. Ojos del Salado

Location: Argentina/Chile, South America Elevation: 6,893m (22,615ft) Range: Andes Duration: 12 days

Dreamstime Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano in the world

Positioned on the Argentina-Chile border, Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano in the world. It is also the second-highest mountain outside Asia, second only to Aconcagua 630km further south.

Due to its proximity to the Atacama Desert (the driest place on Earth), conditions on the mountain tend to be fairly dry all year round. Despite this, expect to find snow on the slopes as it can fall all year round due to the volcano’s exposed slopes.

More info: Adventure Consultants

4. Khüiten Peak

Location: Mongolia, Asia Elevation: 4,375m (14,354ft) Range: Tavan Bogd Duration: 7 days

Dreamstime Khüiten is the highest peak in Mongolia

The highest peak in Mongolia is probably the most remote mountaineering experience in the world. Its peak sits on the trilateral border of Mongolia, Russia and China!

It is not a technical mountain but is challenging to reach. The surrounding wilderness comprises spectacular flowering fields and vast open mountain tundra inhabited only by traditional herding families – everything one would expect of the plains of Mongolia.

More info: Adventure Consultants

5. Mount Whitney

Location: USA, North America Elevation: 4,421m (14,505ft) Range: Sierra Nevada Duration: 1-3 days

Dreamstime Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States

Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States (i.e. excluding Hawaii and Alaska).

It looks intimidating on the first view but the popular Mount Whitney Trail starts at an elevation of 2,550m (8,360ft) meaning the summit can be reached in just a day (if you’re brave!).

Most hikers prefer to take at least two days to complete the 35km round trip with an elevation gain of just over 1,900m (6,100ft).

More info: National Park Service

6. Mount Elbrus

Location: Russia, Europe Elevation: 5,642m (18,510ft) Range: Caucasus Mountains Duration: 7 days

Elbrus was my second of the seven summits. It requires some crampon and ice axe use but these basic skills can be learnt from guides prior to ascent. 

A cable car takes would-be summiteers to the accommodation at the base of the climb at 3,600m (11,800ft). Here, climbers can undertake some acclimatisation hikes before tackling the mountain proper.

Huts along the route make for a relatively ‘comfortable’ ascent before the 3am summit bid.

More info: read my trip report on climbing Elbrus

7. Mount Brewster

Location: New Zealand, Oceania Elevation: 2,516m (8,255ft) Range: Southern Alps Duration: 1-2 days

Leigh Blackall/CC BY 2.0 Mount Brewster does not require acclimatisation

Brewster is a great mountain if you’re looking for a taste of alpinism in the wilderness of New Zealand’s South Island. There’s no need for acclimatisation on this mountain but your guide will cover some basic alpine skills (ice axe and crampon) that you’ll need during the ascent. 

Apart from that, just plenty of stamina and a pair of steady legs should be all you need to get to the top. Brewster Hut provides comfortable overnight bunk beds at 1,450m (4,750ft), making for a pleasant summit day via either the West or South Ridge.

More info: Adventure Consultants

8. Pokalde Peak

Location: Nepal, Asia Elevation: 5,806m (19,049ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 9-12 days

Daniel Karfik/Shutterstock Pokalde offers glimpses of Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest

Pokalde Peak is one of Nepal’s most popular trekking peaks and provides an excellent introduction to Himalayan mountaineering if you plan to take your skills further. You’re among the big dogs around here. Expect to glimpse the Himalayan giants of Nuptse, Lhotse and of course Everest.

Luckily for you, on this mountain, you’ll be well below any death zones. Ideally, you’ll have some experience of ice axe and crampons before attempting this but there will be plenty of opportunities to hone these skills.

More info: Adventure Consultants

9. Mera Peak

Location: Nepal, Asia Elevation: 6,476m (21,246ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 18-20 days

Janos Rautonen/Shutterstock Mera is Nepal’s highest trekking peak

Nepal’s highest trekking peak is less technically demanding than Pokalde Peak but its higher altitude requires longer and higher acclimatisation days.

The gentle climb to the summit should not deceive would-be climbers. This mountain is very high and as with any Himalayan peak, it is susceptible to severe weather conditions. Additionally, the trekking route from the north requires some high-altitude glacier walking.

More info: Adventure Consultants

10. Stok Kangri

Location: India, Asia Elevation: 6,153m (20,182ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 7-9 days

AL-media stockhouse/Shutterstock Stok Kangri is one of the more accessible Himalayan mountains outside of Nepal

Stok Kangri lies in the middle of the captivating area of Ladakh in the northern part of the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the more accessible Himalayan mountains outside of Nepal. High above the Indus Valley, many mountains in the area quickly rise above 6,000m (19,700ft).

You’ll probably fly into Leh, the capital of Ladakh, at 3,524m (11,560ft) and acclimatise thoroughly before moving onto base camp at 4,980m (16,340ft) to attempt the summit.

More info: Summit Post

11. Mount Chimborazo

Location: Ecuador, South America Elevation: 6,268m (20,564ft) Range: Andes Duration: 7-15 days (depending on experience/skills and program)

Dreamstime Chimborazo’s summit is Earth’s closest point to the sun

On the summit of Chimborazo, you’ll be at Earth’s closest point to the sun. Due to the mountain’s location along the equatorial bulge, its summit is the farthest point from the Earth’s core.

Depending on your experience, it may be best attempted as part of an Ecuadorian volcanoes expedition taking in the Cotopaxi and Cayambe volcanoes beforehand.

These lower-altitude volcanoes are no easy feats themselves and will equip you with the acclimatisation and basic mountaineering experience you’ll need to tackle the (currently) inactive stratovolcano of Chimborazo.

More info: Adventure Consultants

12. Aconcagua

Location: Argentina, South America Elevation: 6,961m (22,838ft) Range: Andes Duration: 14-17 days

Aconcagua was the third seven summit I completed. The highest mountain outside of Asia, Aconcagua is an awesome mountain for professional and amateur climbers alike.

The route is non-technical and often referred to as the ‘highest trekking peak in the world’. The key to mastering this mountain is time and acclimatisation – there is no shortcut to the top. It is perfect preparation if you dream of going on to tackle the big mountains of the Himalaya.

More info: read my trip report on climbing Aconcagua

Other non-technical mountain climbs

Another popular alternative to Mera Peak in Nepal is Island Peak (Imja Tse). Island Peak, at 6,189m (20,305ft), is usually considered to be Nepal’s second-highest trekking peak.

Mount Toubkal in Morocco is North Africa’s highest peak at 4,167m (13,671ft) and a popular introduction to the Atlas Mountains.

The Breithorn at 4,164m (13,661ft), located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, is one of the Alps’ most accessible trekking peaks.

Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia is another popular trekking peak. At 4,095m (13,435ft) it is the highest mountain in Malaysia as well as the wider the Malay Archipelago.

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills covers everything from the basics of equipment, knots, rappelling techniques and leave-no-trace principles to the more advanced skills of setting up complex anchors, evaluating avalanche terrain and developing your leadership skills.

Lead image: Dreamstime

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[thegloober]

Sagittarius Rising – Long exposure photography from the stratosphere

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how I shoot long-exposure photos from the cockpit and how they end up sharp, despite flying at roughly 950kmh / 500kts through the air. I will try to answer that question in more detail, going through the process and challenges step by step. Hopefully it sheds some light (pun intended) on the techniques I use and for the pilot-photographers among us some valuable and easy-to-use tips for your next night-flight.

How it began

Back in 2006, when I started flying the Boeing 737 all over Europe for Transavia, I was fascinated by the world at night that passed by my windows at an altitude where we would overfly most of the European weather. A perspective and tranquility that was unparalleled from what I’ve seen before and that simply asked for to be captured.

It was not just the mesmerizing view of countless of city lights of the sleeping world below that fascinated me; also the moonlight on the snow-covered Alps, the constellations above and the other wonders of the night that are simply unique when seen from a pilot’s perspective.

In an attempt to capture those wonders of the night sky, I used my very limited funds to buy the Nikon D80. A beginner-model DSLR camera that gave relatively satisfying results by day. At least it was better than the compact camera I had before.

By night though, the D80 was having a hard time to cope with the lack of light so by logical reasoning, I decided to invest in a lens that would offer the widest angle and had the largest lens-opening for light (aperture) so even my little D80 could achieve at least something at night.

Enter; the Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens. Buying this lens was a huge risk considering the steep price, my very restricted financial means and the rather limited-use of Fisheye lenses in general. You will often see those lenses ending up on eBay or second-hand marketplaces after owners found that their use is too limited or even useless in normal photography due to their extreme distortions.

For me though, this little lens has proven to be a unique asset to my unique position above the clouds and even today, nearly 12 years later, I carry that same objective with me. A few scratches, lots of stories and adventures later, she’s always close at hand. Looking back, buying this tiny Fisheye lens was one of the best investments I have ever made.

How it evolved

In a small space like the cockpit of an aircraft the Fisheye lens proved to be a winner, but the camera was clearly a limiting factor. Soon, my holiday-money was invested in the Nikon D200; a slight step up the camera-ladder and my photography took another small step forward.

But it wasn’t until I was starting to fly the Boeing 747 in 2011 that my night-photography started to get serious. With flights all over the world and through all time-zones, I was getting more and more interested in capturing the next challenging thing; the moonlight reflected on the clouds, the tender light of a sun long gone below the horizon or even the wonders of the northern lights or falling meteorites.

Finally, my finances (barely) allowed me to invest in my very first full-frame DSLR, the Nikon D800. Only now I started to reap the benefits of using a prime f/2.8 lens on my camera and the real experimenting began.

The balance between shutter-time, aperture and ISO (sensor)-sensitivity became more and more a second nature. Just a glimpse out of the window will tell me what settings are needed without too much ado. Factors like the phase of the moon, amount of lights from the ground, strength of the Northern Lights or intensity of nearby thunderstorms all led to the point that I started to get a good intuitive feel for the camera settings needed at any time.

Sharp images

Many people have asked me how I manage to get sharp images despite the fact that the airplane is flying at high speeds through the atmosphere. There are a few factors at play here, and I’ll try to cover them all with as few words as possible.

– Airplane movement;

The airplane is flying at nearly 950km/h or 500kts through the atmosphere. When taking pictures with a long shutter-time (anything between 3 and 30 seconds), you are bound to get some blur from the lights that pass by. But what is the actual movement? Sure; the lights on the ground pass by noticeably, resulting in streaks or lines of light. But what about the stars? Don’t they move?

Well think about it.. the stars are literally light-years away. Many billions of miles/kilometers. The movement of the aeroplane relative to the stars is nil, nothing. We can easily fly a thousand kilometers an hour; but the stars so extremely far away simply don’t move.

Besides the lack of relative moment, with shutter-times over 30 seconds you will see the movement of the stars ever so slightly, but that is simply because of the rotation of the earth. Then again.. for shutter-times of anything above 15 seconds you will need to have an extremely stable atmosphere to get a sharp shot and you have to be lucky to get any sharp shot anyway. The movement of the stars is your least concern with those very long shutter-times.

– Turbulence:

The eternal and unpredictable spoiler. Whenever I see something incredible that requires a longer shutter-time, I grab my camera and… turbulence starts. Just as predictable as when getting a fresh cup of coffee filled to the brim, or starting to fill out the fuel-calculations on the paperwork; turbulence. Sure to make my handwriting look like Japanese characters with an Okinawa accent.

Long story short; there is nothing I can shoot with turbulence and perhaps its nature’s way of telling me to just enjoy the view without being able to share it with the rest of the world.

I have been unable to shoot some of the most amazing views of Northern Lights and moonlight because of this.. frustrating but hey, what can you do but to simply enjoy it in all silence.

Apart from those annoying moments, most of the times I simply wait for a few minutes when the air is stable enough to just get my camera out and hope for the best.

Fortunately, the Boeing 747 is one of the largest planes in the world and due to its size and weight, the machine is very stable by nature and not easily tossed around. Another benefit of flying the most iconic and beautiful machine in the world.

– Fixation of the camera:

No tripods or other equipment are used. There is simply no room in the small cockpit for those things, neither are they practical to carry along during a 3-4 week trip.

The most efficient way is placing the camera on the glare-shield (the cover of the instrument panel up to the front windows) where I simply put the camera and press the trigger, hoping the air is stable enough.

To fix the camera a notch up or down I use simple stuff like my glasses-case, agenda or lens-cover to stabilize the camera position.

For the window-shots I hold the camera by hand and push it into the corner of the window frame and hold it there. The camera is quite bulky and this allows a relative easy fixation in a position somewhere in the window frame.

– Wide-angle lenses:

One other trick to get sharp images in-flight is using a wide-angle lens.

The further you zoom out (use wider angle view), the less any eventual movement will show in the photo. Imagine; let’s say you zoom in with a tele-lens on the moon or a star and use a long exposure. Even the slightest movement of the camera, air or tripod could blur the image. Now imagine using a wide-angle lens to cover the entire sky.

A slight tremble of the tripod or camera becomes nearly unnoticeable in the general photo. The same applies for cockpit photography; use a wide-angle lens and cover as much as you can from the sky as possible. This gives you a bit of leeway for any tremble or movement of the aeroplane.

– Window reflections:

Next to turbulence, reflections are my worst enemy.

In general, I found that dimming the cockpit lights as much as practically possible helps in reducing the ambient light pollution of my images. Another trick is to place the lens-opening as close to the window as I can. You’ll see that if you press the camera nearly against the window, the reflections are more or less disappearing from immediate view.

Unfortunately, there will always be some reflections and here comes another benefit of the 45MP sensor of the Nikon D850; you can crop a lot of the image out and still end up with a very high-resolution image. A definite advantage of the D850 or any other high-end camera.

From the passenger cabin:

‘Well Mr. Pilot; its all nice and dandy that you’re shooting images from that fancy cockpit but how about us passengers, bound to the inflight-entertainment of a wing-view, crying children and a few peanuts?’ Fear not my friends, for I have often taken my photos through the small windows of airliner-cabins as well and I know the limitations of life and photography from the passenger cabin.

Basically the same principle apply; try to fix the camera as close to the window and prevent any reflections. One way to do that is to try and block the camera body between a seat and the window, if possible. Or just press it against the window with any means possible and keep it as still as possible.

In order to reduce the amount of reflections and ambient light, ask for a blanket and try to cover as much of the area around the window as possible. You might get a few frowns from other passengers, but after a few tries you might end up with that awesome shot of the stars, northern lights or moonlight finally.

What’s in the bag.

Today I always carry the Nikon D850 in my flight bag, together with the following lenses.

– Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. Even though this is a DX lens (designed for crop sensors) I love the sharpness, speed and reliability of this little lens. Ideal for long exposures from the flight deck and easy to carry with me due to its small size and low weight, I always have it at hand while I’m flying.

– Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8. By far, one of the very best wide-angle lenses that Nikon has to offer at the moment. The 14mm’s are just perfect for long-exposures and shots, both day and night.

– Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8. Even though its relatively heavy and I do not use it that often, the 24-70 is perfect for daylight use and air-to-air photos.

Conclusion

To take sharp night-images from an airplane (both cockpit and cabin) you need to keep the following things in mind; – preferably, use professional equipment that can handle low-light conditions – use wide-angle lenses – place the camera as close to the window as possible – cross your fingers and hope for a smooth flight!

About the Author

Christiaan van Heijst is a pilot, born and raised in The Netherlands. He is flying as a Senior First Officer on the Boeing 747-8 and -400 Freighter, and combining his passion for flying with the passion for photography. His job allows him to see many beautiful places, and he has captured many different parts of the planet with his camera.

If you’d like to see more of Christiaann’s work, make sure to visit his website, Instagram, Facebook page, 500px, and follow him on Twitter. This article was also published here and shared with permission.

Source: https://bloghyped.com/sagittarius-rising-long-exposure-photography-from-the-stratosphere-2/

[readbookywooks]

STRAWBERRY'S ADVENTURE

DIGORY kept his mouth very tight shut. He had been growing more and more uncomfortable. He hoped that, whatever happened, he wouldn't blub or do anything ridiculous. "Son of Adam," said Aslan. "Are you ready to undo the wrong that you have done to my sweet country of Narnia on the very day of its birth?" "Well, I don't see what I can do," said Digory. "You see, the Queen ran away and - " "I asked, are you ready?" said the Lion. "Yes," said Digory. He had had for a second some wild idea of saying "I'll try to help you if you'll promise to help my Mother," but he realized in time that the Lion was not at all the sort of person one could try to make bargains with. But when he had said "Yes," he thought of his Mother, and he thought of the great hopes he had had, and how they were all dying away, and a lump came in his throat and tears in his eyes, and he blurted out: "But please, please - won't you - can't you give me something that will cure Mother?" Up till then he had been looking at the Lion's great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion's eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory's own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself. "My son, my son," said Aslan. "I know. Grief is great. Only you and I in this land know that yet. Let us be good to one another. But I have to think of hundreds of years in the life of Narnia. The Witch whom you have brought into this world will come back to Narnia again. But it need not be yet. It is my wish to plant in Narnia a tree that she will not dare to approach, and that tree will protect Narnia from her for many years. So this land shall have a long, bright morning before any clouds come over the sun. You must get me the seed from which that tree is to grow." "Yes, sir," said Digory. He didn't know how it was to be done but he felt quite sure now that he would be able to do it. The Lion drew a deep breath, stooped its head even lower and gave him a Lion's kiss. And at once Digory felt that new strength and courage had gone into him. "Dear son," said Aslan, "I will tell you what you must do. Turn and look to the West and tell me what do you see?" "I see terribly big mountains, Aslan," said Digory, "I see this river coming down cliffs in a waterfall. And beyond the cliff there are high green hills with forests. And beyond those there are higher ranges that look almost black. And then, far away, there are big snowy mountains all heaped up together - like pictures of the Alps. And behind those there's nothing but the sky." "You see well," said the Lion. "Now the land of Narnia ends where the waterfall comes down, and once you have reached the top of the cliffs you will be out of Narnia and into the Western Wild. You must journey through those mountains till you find a green valley with a blue lake in it, walled round by mountains of ice. At the end of the lake there is a steep, green hill. On the top of that hill there is a garden. In the centre of that garden is a tree. Pluck an apple from that tree and bring it back to me." "Yes, sir," said Digory again. He hadn't the least idea of how he was to climb the cliff and find his way among all the mountains, but he didn't like to say that for fear it would sound like making excuses. But he did say, "I hope, Aslan, you're not in a hurry. I shan't be able to get there and back very quickly." "Little son of Adam, you shall have help," said Aslan. He then turned to the Horse who had been standing quietly beside them all this time, swishing his tail to keep the flies off, and listening with his head on one side as if the conversation were a little difficult to understand. "My dear," said Aslan to the Horse, "would you like to be a winged horse?" You should have seen how the Horse shook its mane and how its nostrils widened, and the little tap it gave the ground with one back hoof. Clearly it would very much like to be a winged horse. But it only said: "If you wish, Aslan - if you really mean - I don't know why it should be me - I'm not a very clever horse." "Be winged. Be the father of all flying horses," roared Aslan in a voice that shook the ground. "Your name is Fledge." The horse shied, just as it might have shied in the old, miserable days when it pulled a hansom. Then it roared. It strained its neck back as if there were a fly biting its shoulders and it wanted to scratch them. And then, just as the beasts had burst out of the earth, there burst out from the shoulders of Fledge wings that spread and grew, larger than eagles', larger than swans', larger than angels' wings in church windows. The feathers shone chestnut colour and copper colour. He gave a great sweep with them and leaped into the air. Twenty feet above Aslan and Digory he snorted, neighed, and curvetted. Then, after circling once round them, he dropped to the earth, all four hoofs together, looking awkward and surprised, but extremely pleased. "Is it good, Fledge?" said Aslan. "It is very good, Aslan," said Fledge. "Will you carry this little son of Adam on your back to the mountainvalley I spoke of?" "What? Now? At once?" said Strawberry - or Fledge, as we must now call him - "Hurrah! Come, little one, I've had things like you on my back before. Long, long ago. When there were green fields; and sugar." "What are the two daughters of Eve whispering about?" said Aslan, turning very suddenly on Polly and the Cabby's wife, who had in fact been making friends. "If you please, sir," said Queen Helen (for that is what Nellie the cabman's wife now was), "I think the little girl would love to go too, if it weren't no trouble." "What does Fledge say about that?" asked the Lion. "Oh, I don't mind two, not when they're little ones," said Fledge. "But I hope the Elephant doesn't want to come as well." The Elephant had no such wish, and the new King of Narnia helped both the children up: that is, he gave Digory a rough heave and set Polly as gently and daintily on the horse's back as if she were made of china and might break. "There they are, Strawberry - Fledge, I should say. This is a rum go." "Do not fly too high," said Aslan. "Do not try to go over the tops of the great ice-mountains. Look out for the valleys, the green places, and fly through them. There will always be a way through. And now, begone with my blessing." "Oh Fledge!" said Digory, leaning forward to pat the Horse's glossy neck. "This is fun. Hold on to me tight, Polly." Next moment the country dropped away beneath them, and whirled round as Fledge, like a huge pigeon, circled once or twice before setting off on his long westward flight. Looking down, Polly could hardly see the King and the Queen, and even Aslan himself was only a bright yellow spot on the green grass. Soon the wind was in their faces and Fledges wings settled down to a steady beat. All Narnia, many-coloured with lawns and rocks and heather and different sorts of trees, lay spread out below them, the river winding through it like a ribbon of quicksilver. They could already see over the tops of the low hills which lay northward on their right; beyond those hills a great moorland sloped gently up and up to the horizon. On their left the mountains were much higher, but every now and then there was a gap when you could see, between steep pine woods, a glimpse of the southern lands that lay beyond them, looking blue and far away. "That'll be where Archenland is," said Polly. "Yes, but look ahead!" said Digory. For now a great barrier of cliffs rose before them and they were almost dazzled by the sunlight dancing on the great waterfall by which the river roars and sparkles down into Narnia itself from the high western lands in which it rises. They were flying so high already that the thunder of those falls could only just be heard as a small, thin sound, but they were not yet high enough to fly over the top of the cliffs. "We'll have to do a bit of zig-zagging here," said Fledge. "Hold on tight." He began flying to and fro, getting higher at each turn. The air grew colder, and they heard the call of eagles far below them. "I say, look back! Look behind," said Polly. There they could see the whole valley of Narnia stretched out to where, just before the eastern horizon, there was a gleam of the sea. And now they were so high that they could see tiny-looking jagged mountains appearing beyond the northwest moors, and plains of what looked like sand far in the south. "I wish we had someone to tell us what all those places are," said Digory. "I don't suppose they're anywhere yet," said Polly. "I mean, there's no one there, and nothing happening. The world only began today." "No, but people will get there," said Digory. "And then they'll have histories, you know." "Well, it's a jolly good thing they haven't now," said Polly. "Because nobody can be made to learn it. Battles and dates and all that rot." Now they were over the top of the cliffs and in a few minutes the valley land of Narnia had sunk out of sight behind them. They were flying over a wild country of steep hills and dark forests, still following the course of the river. The really big mountains loomed ahead. But the sun was now in the travellers' eyes and they couldn't see things very clearly in that direction. For the sun sank lower and lower till the western sky was all like one great furnace full of melted gold; and it set at last behind a jagged peak which stood up against the brightness as sharp and flat as if it were cut out of cardboard. "It's none too warm up here," said Polly. "And my wings are beginning to ache," said Fledge. There's no sign of the valley with a Lake in it, like what Aslan said. What about coming down and looking out for a decent spot to spend the night in? We shan't reach that place tonight." "Yes, and surely it's about time for supper?" said Digory. So Fledge came lower and lower. As they came down nearer to the earth and among the hills, the air grew warmer and after travelling so many hours with nothing to listen to but the beat of Fledge's wings, it was nice to hear the homely and earthy noises again - the chatter of the river on its stony bed and the creaking of trees in the light wind. A warm, good smell of sun-baked earth and grass and flowers came up to them. At last Fledge alighted. Digory rolled off and helped Polly to dismount. Both were glad to stretch their stiff legs. The valley in which they had come down was in the heart of the mountains; snowy heights, one of them looking rosered in the reflections of the sunset, towered above them. "I am hungry," said Digory. "Well, tuck in," said Fledge, taking a big mouthful of grass. Then he raised his head, still chewing and with bits of grass sticking out on each side of his mouth like whiskers, and said, "Come on, you two. Don't be shy. There's plenty for us all." "But we can't eat grass," said Digory. "H'm, h'm," said Fledge, speaking with his mouth full. "Well - h'm - don't know quite what you'll do then. Very good grass too." Polly and Digory stared at one another in dismay. "Well, I do think someone might have arranged about our meals," said Digory. "I'm sure Aslan would have, if you'd asked him," said Fledge. "Wouldn't he know without being asked?" said Polly. "I've no doubt he would," said the Horse (still with his mouth full). "But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked." "But what on earth are we to do?" asked Digory. "I'm sure I don't know," said Fledge. "Unless you try the grass. You might like it better than you think." "Oh, don't be silly," said Polly, stamping her foot. "Of course humans can't eat grass, any more than you could eat a mutton chop." "For goodness' sake don't talk about chops and things," said Digory. "It only makes it worse." Digory said that Polly had better take herself home by ring and get something to eat there; he couldn't himself because he had promised to go straight on his message for Aslan, and, if once he showed up again at home, anything might happen to prevent his getting back. But Polly said she wouldn't leave him, and Digory said it was jolly decent of her. "I say," said Polly, "I've still got the remains of that bag of toffee in my jacket. It'll be better than nothing." "A lot better," said Digory, "But be careful to get your hand into your pocket without touching your ring." This was a difficult and delicate job but they managed it in the end. The little paper bag was very squashy and sticky when they finally got it out, so that it was more a question of tearing the bag off the toffees than of getting the toffees out of the bag. Some grown-ups (you know how fussy they can be about that sort of thing) would rather have gone without supper altogether than eaten those toffees. There were nine of them all told. It was Digory who had the bright idea of eating four each and planting the ninth; for, as he said, "if the bar off the lamp-post turned into a little light-tree, why shouldn't this turn into a toffee-tree?" So they dibbled a small hole in the turf and buried the piece of toffee. Then they ate the other pieces, making them last as long as they could. It was a poor meal, even with all the paper they couldn't help eating as well. When Fledge had quite finished his own excellent supper he lay down. The children came and sat one on each side of him leaning against his warm body, and when he had spread a wing over each they were really quite snug. As the bright young stars of that new world came out they talked over everything: how Digory had hoped to get something for his Mother and how, instead of that, he had been sent on this message. And they repeated to one another all the signs by which they would know the places they were looking for - the blue lake and the hill with a garden on top of it. The talk was just beginning to slow down as they got sleepy, when suddenly Polly sat up wide awake and said "Hush!" Everyone listened as hard as they could. "Perhaps it was only the wind in the trees," said Digory presently. "I'm not so sure," said Fledge. "Anyway - wait! There it goes again. By Aslan, it is something." The horse scrambled to its feet with a great noise and a great upheaval; the children were already on theirs. Fledge trotted to and fro, sniffing and whinnying. The children tip-toed this way and that, looking behind every bush and tree. They kept on thinking they saw things, and there was one time when Polly was perfectly certain she had seen-a tall, dark figure gliding quickly away in a westerly direction. But they caught nothing and in the end Fledge lay down again and the children re-snuggled (if that is the right word) under his wings. They went to sleep at once. Fledge stayed awake much longer moving his ears to and fro in the darkness and sometimes giving a little shiver with his skin as if a fly had lighted on him: but in the end he too slept.

[topfygad]

Non-technical mountain climbs: 12 mountains for mortals

There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me

As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills sill leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like.

All too often I only find time for some wilderness backpacking in Europe or low-altitude scrambling in the UK. Regardless, I still have high hopes of climbing the seven summits (three down, four to go).

I’m aware that I’ll never be a Reinhold Messner or Chris Bonington (I’ll settle for reading their books instead) but I still long to pitch myself against tall mountains with imposing names.

If, like me, you’re in the amateur climber base camp, you’ll surely enjoy these great non-technical mountain climbs. There are no ‘death zones’ on these mountains but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me.

Non-technical mountain climbs

With the help of Adventure Consultants, we have classed the following as non-technical mountain climbs.

These peaks are below 7,000m (23,000ft) and do not require extensive high-altitude experience or practical knowledge (e.g. rope, crampon and ice axe skills or the ability to abseil and rappel).

That said, as with all adventure sports, the more experienced and prepared you are for these challenges, the better.

1. Mount Kilimanjaro

Location: Tanzania, Africa Elevation: 5,895m (19,341ft) Range: None – freestanding Duration: 5-7 days

Andrzej Kubik/Shutterstock Kilimanjaro is the world’s highest freestanding mountain

Kilimanjaro was the first seven summit I completed because it’s by far the easiest. There are several easy to moderate routes to the summit, making it one of the most accessible moderate-altitude treks in the world.

Africa’s highest mountain is also the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Like many volcanoes, it is not attached to a mountain range.

The Machame Route is by far the most picturesque but the mountain is very popular among tourists and hikers so don’t expect to have any of the routes to yourself.

More info: Adventure Consultants

2. Mount Temple

Location: Canada, North America Elevation: 3,544m (11,627ft) Range: Bow Range Duration: 1-2 days

Dreamstime Mount Temple dominates the western landscape of Banff National Park

The most accessible peak above 3,400m (11,000ft) in the Canadian Rockies is also one of the most frequently climbed. The summit can be gained in a day thanks to its relatively low elevation gain: approximately 1,600m (5,250ft).

Despite the relative accessibility, it should be noted that the mountain is a giant and dominates the western landscape of Banff National Park. Some fairly moderate to intense scrambling is required even on the ‘easy’ route.

More info: A Scrambler’s Guide to Mount Temple

3. Ojos del Salado

Location: Argentina/Chile, South America Elevation: 6,893m (22,615ft) Range: Andes Duration: 12 days

Dreamstime Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano in the world

Positioned on the Argentina-Chile border, Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano in the world. It is also the second-highest mountain outside Asia, second only to Aconcagua 630km further south.

Due to its proximity to the Atacama Desert (the driest place on Earth), conditions on the mountain tend to be fairly dry all year round. Despite this, expect to find snow on the slopes as it can fall all year round due to the volcano’s exposed slopes.

More info: Adventure Consultants

4. Khüiten Peak

Location: Mongolia, Asia Elevation: 4,375m (14,354ft) Range: Tavan Bogd Duration: 7 days

Dreamstime Khüiten is the highest peak in Mongolia

The highest peak in Mongolia is probably the most remote mountaineering experience in the world. Its peak sits on the trilateral border of Mongolia, Russia and China!

It is not a technical mountain but is challenging to reach. The surrounding wilderness comprises spectacular flowering fields and vast open mountain tundra inhabited only by traditional herding families – everything one would expect of the plains of Mongolia.

More info: Adventure Consultants

5. Mount Whitney

Location: USA, North America Elevation: 4,421m (14,505ft) Range: Sierra Nevada Duration: 1-3 days

Dreamstime Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States

Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States (i.e. excluding Hawaii and Alaska).

It looks intimidating on the first view but the popular Mount Whitney Trail starts at an elevation of 2,550m (8,360ft) meaning the summit can be reached in just a day (if you’re brave!).

Most hikers prefer to take at least two days to complete the 35km round trip with an elevation gain of just over 1,900m (6,100ft).

More info: National Park Service

6. Mount Elbrus

Location: Russia, Europe Elevation: 5,642m (18,510ft) Range: Caucasus Mountains Duration: 7 days

Elbrus was my second of the seven summits. It requires some crampon and ice axe use but these basic skills can be learnt from guides prior to ascent. 

A cable car takes would-be summiteers to the accommodation at the base of the climb at 3,600m (11,800ft). Here, climbers can undertake some acclimatisation hikes before tackling the mountain proper.

Huts along the route make for a relatively ‘comfortable’ ascent before the 3am summit bid.

More info: read my trip report on climbing Elbrus

7. Mount Brewster

Location: New Zealand, Oceania Elevation: 2,516m (8,255ft) Range: Southern Alps Duration: 1-2 days

Leigh Blackall/CC BY 2.0 Mount Brewster does not require acclimatisation

Brewster is a great mountain if you’re looking for a taste of alpinism in the wilderness of New Zealand’s South Island. There’s no need for acclimatisation on this mountain but your guide will cover some basic alpine skills (ice axe and crampon) that you’ll need during the ascent. 

Apart from that, just plenty of stamina and a pair of steady legs should be all you need to get to the top. Brewster Hut provides comfortable overnight bunk beds at 1,450m (4,750ft), making for a pleasant summit day via either the West or South Ridge.

More info: Adventure Consultants

8. Pokalde Peak

Location: Nepal, Asia Elevation: 5,806m (19,049ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 9-12 days

Daniel Karfik/Shutterstock Pokalde offers glimpses of Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest

Pokalde Peak is one of Nepal’s most popular trekking peaks and provides an excellent introduction to Himalayan mountaineering if you plan to take your skills further. You’re among the big dogs around here. Expect to glimpse the Himalayan giants of Nuptse, Lhotse and of course Everest.

Luckily for you, on this mountain, you’ll be well below any death zones. Ideally, you’ll have some experience of ice axe and crampons before attempting this but there will be plenty of opportunities to hone these skills.

More info: Adventure Consultants

9. Mera Peak

Location: Nepal, Asia Elevation: 6,476m (21,246ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 18-20 days

Janos Rautonen/Shutterstock Mera is Nepal’s highest trekking peak

Nepal’s highest trekking peak is less technically demanding than Pokalde Peak but its higher altitude requires longer and higher acclimatisation days.

The gentle climb to the summit should not deceive would-be climbers. This mountain is very high and as with any Himalayan peak, it is susceptible to severe weather conditions. Additionally, the trekking route from the north requires some high-altitude glacier walking.

More info: Adventure Consultants

10. Stok Kangri

Location: India, Asia Elevation: 6,153m (20,182ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 7-9 days

AL-media stockhouse/Shutterstock Stok Kangri is one of the more accessible Himalayan mountains outside of Nepal

Stok Kangri lies in the middle of the captivating area of Ladakh in the northern part of the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the more accessible Himalayan mountains outside of Nepal. High above the Indus Valley, many mountains in the area quickly rise above 6,000m (19,700ft).

You’ll probably fly into Leh, the capital of Ladakh, at 3,524m (11,560ft) and acclimatise thoroughly before moving onto base camp at 4,980m (16,340ft) to attempt the summit.

More info: Summit Post

11. Mount Chimborazo

Location: Ecuador, South America Elevation: 6,268m (20,564ft) Range: Andes Duration: 7-15 days (depending on experience/skills and program)

Dreamstime Chimborazo’s summit is Earth’s closest point to the sun

On the summit of Chimborazo, you’ll be at Earth’s closest point to the sun. Due to the mountain’s location along the equatorial bulge, its summit is the farthest point from the Earth’s core.

Depending on your experience, it may be best attempted as part of an Ecuadorian volcanoes expedition taking in the Cotopaxi and Cayambe volcanoes beforehand.

These lower-altitude volcanoes are no easy feats themselves and will equip you with the acclimatisation and basic mountaineering experience you’ll need to tackle the (currently) inactive stratovolcano of Chimborazo.

More info: Adventure Consultants

12. Aconcagua

Location: Argentina, South America Elevation: 6,961m (22,838ft) Range: Andes Duration: 14-17 days

Aconcagua was the third seven summit I completed. The highest mountain outside of Asia, Aconcagua is an awesome mountain for professional and amateur climbers alike.

The route is non-technical and often referred to as the ‘highest trekking peak in the world’. The key to mastering this mountain is time and acclimatisation – there is no shortcut to the top. It is perfect preparation if you dream of going on to tackle the big mountains of the Himalaya.

More info: read my trip report on climbing Aconcagua

Other non-technical mountain climbs

Another popular alternative to Mera Peak in Nepal is Island Peak (Imja Tse). Island Peak, at 6,189m (20,305ft), is usually considered to be Nepal’s second-highest trekking peak.

Mount Toubkal in Morocco is North Africa’s highest peak at 4,167m (13,671ft) and a popular introduction to the Atlas Mountains.

The Breithorn at 4,164m (13,661ft), located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, is one of the Alps’ most accessible trekking peaks.

Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia is another popular trekking peak. At 4,095m (13,435ft) it is the highest mountain in Malaysia as well as the wider the Malay Archipelago.

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills covers everything from the basics of equipment, knots, rappelling techniques and leave-no-trace principles to the more advanced skills of setting up complex anchors, evaluating avalanche terrain and developing your leadership skills.

Lead image: Dreamstime

source http://cheaprtravels.com/non-technical-mountain-climbs-12-mountains-for-mortals/

[topfygad]

Non-technical mountain climbs: 12 mountains for mortals

There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me

As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills sill leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like.

All too often I only find time for some wilderness backpacking in Europe or low-altitude scrambling in the UK. Regardless, I still have high hopes of climbing the seven summits (three down, four to go).

I’m aware that I’ll never be a Reinhold Messner or Chris Bonington (I’ll settle for reading their books instead) but I still long to pitch myself against tall mountains with imposing names.

If, like me, you’re in the amateur climber base camp, you’ll surely enjoy these great non-technical mountain climbs. There are no ‘death zones’ on these mountains but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me.

Non-technical mountain climbs

With the help of Adventure Consultants, we have classed the following as non-technical mountain climbs.

These peaks are below 7,000m (23,000ft) and do not require extensive high-altitude experience or practical knowledge (e.g. rope, crampon and ice axe skills or the ability to abseil and rappel).

That said, as with all adventure sports, the more experienced and prepared you are for these challenges, the better.

1. Mount Kilimanjaro

Location: Tanzania, Africa Elevation: 5,895m (19,341ft) Range: None – freestanding Duration: 5-7 days

Andrzej Kubik/Shutterstock Kilimanjaro is the world’s highest freestanding mountain

Kilimanjaro was the first seven summit I completed because it’s by far the easiest. There are several easy to moderate routes to the summit, making it one of the most accessible moderate-altitude treks in the world.

Africa’s highest mountain is also the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Like many volcanoes, it is not attached to a mountain range.

The Machame Route is by far the most picturesque but the mountain is very popular among tourists and hikers so don’t expect to have any of the routes to yourself.

More info: Adventure Consultants

2. Mount Temple

Location: Canada, North America Elevation: 3,544m (11,627ft) Range: Bow Range Duration: 1-2 days

Dreamstime Mount Temple dominates the western landscape of Banff National Park

The most accessible peak above 3,400m (11,000ft) in the Canadian Rockies is also one of the most frequently climbed. The summit can be gained in a day thanks to its relatively low elevation gain: approximately 1,600m (5,250ft).

Despite the relative accessibility, it should be noted that the mountain is a giant and dominates the western landscape of Banff National Park. Some fairly moderate to intense scrambling is required even on the ‘easy’ route.

More info: A Scrambler’s Guide to Mount Temple

3. Ojos del Salado

Location: Argentina/Chile, South America Elevation: 6,893m (22,615ft) Range: Andes Duration: 12 days

Dreamstime Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano in the world

Positioned on the Argentina-Chile border, Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano in the world. It is also the second-highest mountain outside Asia, second only to Aconcagua 630km further south.

Due to its proximity to the Atacama Desert (the driest place on Earth), conditions on the mountain tend to be fairly dry all year round. Despite this, expect to find snow on the slopes as it can fall all year round due to the volcano’s exposed slopes.

More info: Adventure Consultants

4. Khüiten Peak

Location: Mongolia, Asia Elevation: 4,375m (14,354ft) Range: Tavan Bogd Duration: 7 days

Dreamstime Khüiten is the highest peak in Mongolia

The highest peak in Mongolia is probably the most remote mountaineering experience in the world. Its peak sits on the trilateral border of Mongolia, Russia and China!

It is not a technical mountain but is challenging to reach. The surrounding wilderness comprises spectacular flowering fields and vast open mountain tundra inhabited only by traditional herding families – everything one would expect of the plains of Mongolia.

More info: Adventure Consultants

5. Mount Whitney

Location: USA, North America Elevation: 4,421m (14,505ft) Range: Sierra Nevada Duration: 1-3 days

Dreamstime Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States

Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States (i.e. excluding Hawaii and Alaska).

It looks intimidating on the first view but the popular Mount Whitney Trail starts at an elevation of 2,550m (8,360ft) meaning the summit can be reached in just a day (if you’re brave!).

Most hikers prefer to take at least two days to complete the 35km round trip with an elevation gain of just over 1,900m (6,100ft).

More info: National Park Service

6. Mount Elbrus

Location: Russia, Europe Elevation: 5,642m (18,510ft) Range: Caucasus Mountains Duration: 7 days

Elbrus was my second of the seven summits. It requires some crampon and ice axe use but these basic skills can be learnt from guides prior to ascent. 

A cable car takes would-be summiteers to the accommodation at the base of the climb at 3,600m (11,800ft). Here, climbers can undertake some acclimatisation hikes before tackling the mountain proper.

Huts along the route make for a relatively ‘comfortable’ ascent before the 3am summit bid.

More info: read my trip report on climbing Elbrus

7. Mount Brewster

Location: New Zealand, Oceania Elevation: 2,516m (8,255ft) Range: Southern Alps Duration: 1-2 days

Leigh Blackall/CC BY 2.0 Mount Brewster does not require acclimatisation

Brewster is a great mountain if you’re looking for a taste of alpinism in the wilderness of New Zealand’s South Island. There’s no need for acclimatisation on this mountain but your guide will cover some basic alpine skills (ice axe and crampon) that you’ll need during the ascent. 

Apart from that, just plenty of stamina and a pair of steady legs should be all you need to get to the top. Brewster Hut provides comfortable overnight bunk beds at 1,450m (4,750ft), making for a pleasant summit day via either the West or South Ridge.

More info: Adventure Consultants

8. Pokalde Peak

Location: Nepal, Asia Elevation: 5,806m (19,049ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 9-12 days

Daniel Karfik/Shutterstock Pokalde offers glimpses of Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest

Pokalde Peak is one of Nepal’s most popular trekking peaks and provides an excellent introduction to Himalayan mountaineering if you plan to take your skills further. You’re among the big dogs around here. Expect to glimpse the Himalayan giants of Nuptse, Lhotse and of course Everest.

Luckily for you, on this mountain, you’ll be well below any death zones. Ideally, you’ll have some experience of ice axe and crampons before attempting this but there will be plenty of opportunities to hone these skills.

More info: Adventure Consultants

9. Mera Peak

Location: Nepal, Asia Elevation: 6,476m (21,246ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 18-20 days

Janos Rautonen/Shutterstock Mera is Nepal’s highest trekking peak

Nepal’s highest trekking peak is less technically demanding than Pokalde Peak but its higher altitude requires longer and higher acclimatisation days.

The gentle climb to the summit should not deceive would-be climbers. This mountain is very high and as with any Himalayan peak, it is susceptible to severe weather conditions. Additionally, the trekking route from the north requires some high-altitude glacier walking.

More info: Adventure Consultants

10. Stok Kangri

Location: India, Asia Elevation: 6,153m (20,182ft) Range: Himalaya Duration: 7-9 days

AL-media stockhouse/Shutterstock Stok Kangri is one of the more accessible Himalayan mountains outside of Nepal

Stok Kangri lies in the middle of the captivating area of Ladakh in the northern part of the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the more accessible Himalayan mountains outside of Nepal. High above the Indus Valley, many mountains in the area quickly rise above 6,000m (19,700ft).

You’ll probably fly into Leh, the capital of Ladakh, at 3,524m (11,560ft) and acclimatise thoroughly before moving onto base camp at 4,980m (16,340ft) to attempt the summit.

More info: Summit Post

11. Mount Chimborazo

Location: Ecuador, South America Elevation: 6,268m (20,564ft) Range: Andes Duration: 7-15 days (depending on experience/skills and program)

Dreamstime Chimborazo’s summit is Earth’s closest point to the sun

On the summit of Chimborazo, you’ll be at Earth’s closest point to the sun. Due to the mountain’s location along the equatorial bulge, its summit is the farthest point from the Earth’s core.

Depending on your experience, it may be best attempted as part of an Ecuadorian volcanoes expedition taking in the Cotopaxi and Cayambe volcanoes beforehand.

These lower-altitude volcanoes are no easy feats themselves and will equip you with the acclimatisation and basic mountaineering experience you’ll need to tackle the (currently) inactive stratovolcano of Chimborazo.

More info: Adventure Consultants

12. Aconcagua

Location: Argentina, South America Elevation: 6,961m (22,838ft) Range: Andes Duration: 14-17 days

Aconcagua was the third seven summit I completed. The highest mountain outside of Asia, Aconcagua is an awesome mountain for professional and amateur climbers alike.

The route is non-technical and often referred to as the ‘highest trekking peak in the world’. The key to mastering this mountain is time and acclimatisation – there is no shortcut to the top. It is perfect preparation if you dream of going on to tackle the big mountains of the Himalaya.

More info: read my trip report on climbing Aconcagua

Other non-technical mountain climbs

Another popular alternative to Mera Peak in Nepal is Island Peak (Imja Tse). Island Peak, at 6,189m (20,305ft), is usually considered to be Nepal’s second-highest trekking peak.

Mount Toubkal in Morocco is North Africa’s highest peak at 4,167m (13,671ft) and a popular introduction to the Atlas Mountains.

The Breithorn at 4,164m (13,661ft), located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, is one of the Alps’ most accessible trekking peaks.

Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia is another popular trekking peak. At 4,095m (13,435ft) it is the highest mountain in Malaysia as well as the wider the Malay Archipelago.

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills covers everything from the basics of equipment, knots, rappelling techniques and leave-no-trace principles to the more advanced skills of setting up complex anchors, evaluating avalanche terrain and developing your leadership skills.

Lead image: Dreamstime

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[thegloober]

Sagittarius Rising – Long exposure photography from the stratosphere

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how I shoot long-exposure photos from the cockpit and how they end up sharp, despite flying at roughly 950kmh / 500kts through the air. I will try to answer that question in more detail, going through the process and challenges step by step. Hopefully it sheds some light (pun intended) on the techniques I use and for the pilot-photographers among us some valuable and easy-to-use tips for your next night-flight.

How it began

Back in 2006, when I started flying the Boeing 737 all over Europe for Transavia, I was fascinated by the world at night that passed by my windows at an altitude where we would overfly most of the European weather. A perspective and tranquility that was unparalleled from what I’ve seen before and that simply asked for to be captured.

It was not just the mesmerizing view of countless of city lights of the sleeping world below that fascinated me; also the moonlight on the snow-covered Alps, the constellations above and the other wonders of the night that are simply unique when seen from a pilot’s perspective.

In an attempt to capture those wonders of the night sky, I used my very limited funds to buy the Nikon D80. A beginner-model DSLR camera that gave relatively satisfying results by day. At least it was better than the compact camera I had before.

By night though, the D80 was having a hard time to cope with the lack of light so by logical reasoning, I decided to invest in a lens that would offer the widest angle and had the largest lens-opening for light (aperture) so even my little D80 could achieve at least something at night.

Enter; the Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens. Buying this lens was a huge risk considering the steep price, my very restricted financial means and the rather limited-use of Fisheye lenses in general. You will often see those lenses ending up on eBay or second-hand marketplaces after owners found that their use is too limited or even useless in normal photography due to their extreme distortions.

For me though, this little lens has proven to be a unique asset to my unique position above the clouds and even today, nearly 12 years later, I carry that same objective with me. A few scratches, lots of stories and adventures later, she’s always close at hand. Looking back, buying this tiny Fisheye lens was one of the best investments I have ever made.

How it evolved

In a small space like the cockpit of an aircraft the Fisheye lens proved to be a winner, but the camera was clearly a limiting factor. Soon, my holiday-money was invested in the Nikon D200; a slight step up the camera-ladder and my photography took another small step forward.

But it wasn’t until I was starting to fly the Boeing 747 in 2011 that my night-photography started to get serious. With flights all over the world and through all time-zones, I was getting more and more interested in capturing the next challenging thing; the moonlight reflected on the clouds, the tender light of a sun long gone below the horizon or even the wonders of the northern lights or falling meteorites.

Finally, my finances (barely) allowed me to invest in my very first full-frame DSLR, the Nikon D800. Only now I started to reap the benefits of using a prime f/2.8 lens on my camera and the real experimenting began.

The balance between shutter-time, aperture and ISO (sensor)-sensitivity became more and more a second nature. Just a glimpse out of the window will tell me what settings are needed without too much ado. Factors like the phase of the moon, amount of lights from the ground, strength of the Northern Lights or intensity of nearby thunderstorms all led to the point that I started to get a good intuitive feel for the camera settings needed at any time.

Sharp images

Many people have asked me how I manage to get sharp images despite the fact that the airplane is flying at high speeds through the atmosphere. There are a few factors at play here, and I’ll try to cover them all with as few words as possible.

– Airplane movement;

The airplane is flying at nearly 950km/h or 500kts through the atmosphere. When taking pictures with a long shutter-time (anything between 3 and 30 seconds), you are bound to get some blur from the lights that pass by. But what is the actual movement? Sure; the lights on the ground pass by noticeably, resulting in streaks or lines of light. But what about the stars? Don’t they move?

Well think about it.. the stars are literally light-years away. Many billions of miles/kilometers. The movement of the aeroplane relative to the stars is nil, nothing. We can easily fly a thousand kilometers an hour; but the stars so extremely far away simply don’t move.

Besides the lack of relative moment, with shutter-times over 30 seconds you will see the movement of the stars ever so slightly, but that is simply because of the rotation of the earth. Then again.. for shutter-times of anything above 15 seconds you will need to have an extremely stable atmosphere to get a sharp shot and you have to be lucky to get any sharp shot anyway. The movement of the stars is your least concern with those very long shutter-times.

– Turbulence:

The eternal and unpredictable spoiler. Whenever I see something incredible that requires a longer shutter-time, I grab my camera and… turbulence starts. Just as predictable as when getting a fresh cup of coffee filled to the brim, or starting to fill out the fuel-calculations on the paperwork; turbulence. Sure to make my handwriting look like Japanese characters with an Okinawa accent.

Long story short; there is nothing I can shoot with turbulence and perhaps its nature’s way of telling me to just enjoy the view without being able to share it with the rest of the world.

I have been unable to shoot some of the most amazing views of Northern Lights and moonlight because of this.. frustrating but hey, what can you do but to simply enjoy it in all silence.

Apart from those annoying moments, most of the times I simply wait for a few minutes when the air is stable enough to just get my camera out and hope for the best.

Fortunately, the Boeing 747 is one of the largest planes in the world and due to its size and weight, the machine is very stable by nature and not easily tossed around. Another benefit of flying the most iconic and beautiful machine in the world.

– Fixation of the camera:

No tripods or other equipment are used. There is simply no room in the small cockpit for those things, neither are they practical to carry along during a 3-4 week trip.

The most efficient way is placing the camera on the glare-shield (the cover of the instrument panel up to the front windows) where I simply put the camera and press the trigger, hoping the air is stable enough.

To fix the camera a notch up or down I use simple stuff like my glasses-case, agenda or lens-cover to stabilize the camera position.

For the window-shots I hold the camera by hand and push it into the corner of the window frame and hold it there. The camera is quite bulky and this allows a relative easy fixation in a position somewhere in the window frame.

– Wide-angle lenses:

One other trick to get sharp images in-flight is using a wide-angle lens.

The further you zoom out (use wider angle view), the less any eventual movement will show in the photo. Imagine; let’s say you zoom in with a tele-lens on the moon or a star and use a long exposure. Even the slightest movement of the camera, air or tripod could blur the image. Now imagine using a wide-angle lens to cover the entire sky.

A slight tremble of the tripod or camera becomes nearly unnoticeable in the general photo. The same applies for cockpit photography; use a wide-angle lens and cover as much as you can from the sky as possible. This gives you a bit of leeway for any tremble or movement of the aeroplane.

– Window reflections:

Next to turbulence, reflections are my worst enemy.

In general, I found that dimming the cockpit lights as much as practically possible helps in reducing the ambient light pollution of my images. Another trick is to place the lens-opening as close to the window as I can. You’ll see that if you press the camera nearly against the window, the reflections are more or less disappearing from immediate view.

Unfortunately, there will always be some reflections and here comes another benefit of the 45MP sensor of the Nikon D850; you can crop a lot of the image out and still end up with a very high-resolution image. A definite advantage of the D850 or any other high-end camera.

From the passenger cabin:

‘Well Mr. Pilot; its all nice and dandy that you’re shooting images from that fancy cockpit but how about us passengers, bound to the inflight-entertainment of a wing-view, crying children and a few peanuts?’ Fear not my friends, for I have often taken my photos through the small windows of airliner-cabins as well and I know the limitations of life and photography from the passenger cabin.

Basically the same principle apply; try to fix the camera as close to the window and prevent any reflections. One way to do that is to try and block the camera body between a seat and the window, if possible. Or just press it against the window with any means possible and keep it as still as possible.

In order to reduce the amount of reflections and ambient light, ask for a blanket and try to cover as much of the area around the window as possible. You might get a few frowns from other passengers, but after a few tries you might end up with that awesome shot of the stars, northern lights or moonlight finally.

What’s in the bag.

Today I always carry the Nikon D850 in my flight bag, together with the following lenses.

– Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. Even though this is a DX lens (designed for crop sensors) I love the sharpness, speed and reliability of this little lens. Ideal for long exposures from the flight deck and easy to carry with me due to its small size and low weight, I always have it at hand while I’m flying.

– Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8. By far, one of the very best wide-angle lenses that Nikon has to offer at the moment. The 14mm’s are just perfect for long-exposures and shots, both day and night.

– Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8. Even though its relatively heavy and I do not use it that often, the 24-70 is perfect for daylight use and air-to-air photos.

Conclusion

To take sharp night-images from an airplane (both cockpit and cabin) you need to keep the following things in mind; – preferably, use professional equipment that can handle low-light conditions – use wide-angle lenses – place the camera as close to the window as possible – cross your fingers and hope for a smooth flight!

About the Author

Christiaan van Heijst is a pilot, born and raised in The Netherlands. He is flying as a Senior First Officer on the Boeing 747-8 and -400 Freighter, and combining his passion for flying with the passion for photography. His job allows him to see many beautiful places, and he has captured many different parts of the planet with his camera.

If you’d like to see more of Christiaann’s work, make sure to visit his website, Instagram, Facebook page, 500px, and follow him on Twitter. This article was also published here and shared with permission.

Source: https://bloghyped.com/sagittarius-rising-long-exposure-photography-from-the-stratosphere/