#I love Lapis with my whole heart she's my wife

[poem-today]

A poem by Janice Gould

Six Sonnets: Crossing the West

1

Desert heat, high clouds, and sky the color of lapis. On this journey, anything seems possible, so we stop by an ancient cottonwood to kiss. The beauty trembles, doesn’t say a word, just watches me, so open. Small birds fly by, flock in the shady tree above us. What settles in her heart? What congeals? Hope? Despair? Far off, the river churns in its sandy banks, swallows veer, turn in fiery air. Will these kisses seal her to me? I her lover, she my wife? Is all of this a dream, my whole life?

2

She is just this side of wonderful, and suddenly the glamorous world fills itself with shining and we laugh at highway monuments that explain how hard the trek had been for Franciscans in the Indian wilderness, poor fellows— conversion is the devil's own work! Then the stones of her dream turn up under her feet, the back of a huge land turtle. I know we must be circling Paradise because the ants enter the fleshy petals of the roadside flowers with evident joy and purpose (oh, my dark, pretty one).

3

Music, my adored. When is there never music? My accordion puffs up with drinkable melodies. I spill her tunes into your listening ear, one after the other: the squeeze-box enters the dance of the plaintive gypsy with its hard rhythms, lilts the back- breaking labor song the worker croons to earth, warbles romantic notes of dissolving borders. You melt like a woman beneath her lover's touch. Music is happy and pitiless when it sets fire to combustible souls. Even the raspy bandoneon's voice is lyric.

4

Sacred. Sacred. Sacred. Sacred. (Speak in a whisper.) We slip into this space half cognizant. The land is very large indeed: bones of the earth worn down, though she is a living thing. See how she exposes her grace? Antelopes graze on the far plain—their high, white tails—the red soil throbs its slow heartbeat, and the blue sky clears so smartly, perfectly, like radiance. Are the ancestors near? What can we know? We decide to wander around this prairie, mistaken for Utes, buy commodities in little towns.

5

Late afternoon we head west along the willow-banked Malheur after the long curve of the Snake River plain. (Above the falls where the Shoshone went to pray we soaked our feet in cold water, and I observed the arch of her brown foot.) Rabbitbrush and sage along the highway, juniper on far hills and bluffs. Sundown, and dusk falls over the wide basin of land. In Burns we eat eggs in a cafe, take a room in the Motel 6. In the dark, I can see her black hair, black against the pillows. Its clean scent makes me think of corn. At dawn, I hold her and there are kisses. Then more kisses. Then more. The day is cold; a north wind blew last night. But the land is open. Rain falls in showers of light.

6

Her hand on my thigh, my shoulder, in my hair. She leans over to kiss my cheek. We look at each other, smile. For miles we travel this way, nearly silent, point with eyes or chins at the circling hawk, the king- fisher on the snag above the swollen creek. One night I weep in her arms as she cries, “Oh, oh, oh!” because I have touched her scars lightly: throat, belly, breasts. In that communion of lovers, thick sobs break from me as I think of my love back home, all that I have done and cannot say. This is the first time I have left her so completely, so alone.

Janice Gould (1949 – 2019)

Photograph: Janice Gould (from her blog)

[crystalgemimagines]

Mod Lapis can you do some more lapis x reader they're too good!

MY CALLING CARD. This is just a very chill ficlet. Not much happens but hanging with your girlfriend, the lovely Lapis Lazuli of course. -Mod Lapis

Walking down the street on a warm early Summer day, pinkie finger laced together with your girlfriend’s, you feel a cool breeze of air hit your face. You smile, looking out at the docks towards the ocean. Feeling eyes on you, you turn to look at Lapis. She was staring at you, but looked away when you noticed. 

“You alright?” you asked, squeezing her pinkie with yours a bit. “Oh, yeah. Just a little tired I guess.” she shrugged. “You wanna.. sit down?” you questioned in response, she nodded, the two of you walking the same direction towards the docks to take a seat. She pulled the back of her skirt towards her knees to sit down, you wiped some grains of dirt off the dock before plopping down beside her.

The ocean calming splashed beneath the two of you, the sun still rising behind you, Lapis’ dress blew daintily with the light breezes that passed. Looking down at the water below, you noticed Lapis was already looking at your reflection, you looked up at her- her cheeks flushed a bit and she smiled, moving her hand on top of yours and leaning her head on your shoulder. You gently put your head atop hers and the two of you stayed like that until an abrupt “HOOOOONK” from a nearby boat startled you.

Letting out a long yawn, you felt a little kiss on your shoulder. “You tired too?” she rose her brow, you nodded, but told her you couldn’t just go nap with her. “Plans later today and all” as you put it, “wanna go get some coffiene? Caffee?” she asked.

“You mean coffee?” you asked, stifling at little laugh.

“Yeah, that. It wakes you up right?” she waved her hand in a ‘whatever’ sort of way. 

“Mhm. Or some water.” you stood as you spoke, offering her a hand to help her up. She took it, and kept holding it as the two of you walked off. 

“You thirsty.” she nudged your side a bit with her arm, giggling to herself. 

“OoOooo hydrate me baby!” you laughed, nudging her back, then realized you said that a bit louder than you should’ve, earning a weird look from Peedee as you walked by. You quickly turned your attention back to Lapis who had let out a cute little snort while she was laughing at your awful retort. She opened her eyes to look at you again, she looked like she was going to say something before bursting out laughing again. 

You smiled and laughed with her, rubbing your thumb on hers as you walked together, the peaceful and happy silence returning soon after. 

[mxlapidot]

I wanna talk about Steven Universe for a minute or two, I think I talked about it a little bit in a previous post of mine but I can’t remember.

My wife Allison introduced me to the show awhile ago. She would binge watch it and I would watch it with her, but I had no idea what was going on, who the characters were, the plot, the storyline, you name it. I just didn’t know. She would try to explain it to me but it would go right over my head because I had nothing to go off of.

I started it on my own a few months ago and I got to a point where I was like “meh” with the show and I didn’t know if I’d continue. Allison kept asking if I was watching it and I was like you know what, I need to get past this weird episode and I’m sure I’ll like it. It was just a character I didn’t like and he was like the main character in that episode and it was boring for me to watch.

I kept on watching and I just…. you ever find something and you want to protect it with your whole being? That’s how I started to feel about this show.

Steven: The most pure little being who all he wants is to be liked, wants friends, and wants to do his best with the Crystal Gems. He has found a place with them and all he wants is to control his powers and help win fights with them. His character development throughout the show is amazing and I can’t believe all the things he goes through. He grows so much as a person and I just want to protect him at all costs.

Connie: mY BABY. I loved Connie from the moment she came on screen. How she was just like “I have no friends, but you’re pretty cool, so I wanna be your friend.” She and Steven fit together so seamlessly and I loved their friendship so much. It was so inspiring. Her words of wisdom was always “We will do this together or not at all,” when it came to Steven. I think that shows true love, true friendship and ultimately true trust and kindness towards him.

Peridot: My angry little slice of pie. I absolutely love you. I am most like you in the entire show and I wouldn’t change it for the world. All she had to do was go on a mission to see how things were doing on Earth, and in the end ended up loving Earth so much and sided with the Crystal Gems. Her character development BY FAR was the best throughout the show, in my honest opinion. She went from taking orders from Home World and learning to love the planet, love the people around her and accepting that this was now her home. I don’t know what it is about her that made me love her so much and why I relate to her so much. I think because I was angry for so long about things out of my control. And in the end I found people in my life that made me not so angry anymore. I learned to love myself, and forgive myself for the things that I’d done wrong, just like she did. She was on a mission for Yellow Diamond and failed, and she learned that failure is just a part of life. And in the end she forgave herself. My angry little space Dorito, I love you ❤️

Lapis: You know, it took me a really long time to like Lapis. I barely remember her beginning story, even though I’m watching it for the third time I cannot remember where she began in the story. All I can remember is Steven healed her gem and she was able to see again. and that she was trapped in a mirror??? Either way, I began to really like her towards the end of the show when she came back to help everyone out with the Diamonds and stuff. It really showed how she changed and how much she actually did care about the Earth and the friends that she'd made.

Ruby and Sapphire: Together they are Garnet, and I think they're my favorite pairing in the entire show. I love Lapis' and Peridots friendship but Ruby and Sapphire just make my heart glow. So much so that me and my wife started to see ourselves as them, interchangeably. To the point where we now have ruby and sapphire engagement rings. I'm more like Ruby, hotheaded and easily angered, and Allison's more like Sapphire, usually calm and collected, but still has a side to her that is cold. Don't get me wrong, I love my wife to death, but if you piss her off she will give you the cold shoulder. I've seen it happen. As for Garnet, I absolutely ADORE her. The way she leads the Crystal Gems is so empowering and her leadership in general is amazing. Her relationship with Steven has always been pure, even when she's had to tell him he's wrong or that he needs to stay out of things. I think she truly taught him about love, and what it means to love someone. Because Garnet is a product of love between Ruby and Sapphire.

You have to remember, Steven's just a kid in the beginning of the show. He's only 13/14 years old, he's very impressionable and he learns so much about life from these gems that have come into his life, all because of his mom and dad.

I think that's all the characters I wanna talk abou s post is long enough as it is.

Pearl and Amethyst: Pearl... bugged me at the beginning. The way she held a grudge against Greg for falling in love with Rose and Rose choosing him instead of her, I get it, I really do. To have someone that you truly love choose someone else, it's heartbreaking. But the way she grew as a character made me really love her. She sort of became a motherly figure to Steven since he didn't have a mother growing up. She was always there for him, always giving him advice, and always trying to make sure he did the best he could, even if he didn't do it very well.

Amethyst: I love her since the beginning, her go with the flow nature and always just being down for whatever really inspired me. And I can relate to her a lot. When Garnet and Pearl are fighting, Amethyst is like..... an emotional sponge for the two of them. She soaks up their anger and sadness and she becomes angry and sad and feels like her family is broken. All she's ever known is Earth, all she's ever known is the Crystal Gems. That's her family, and when her family is fighting, she shuts down and I relate to that a lot. I've had a lot of previous toxic friendships that ended very badly, and during those long fights I would soak it up like a sponge and carry it around with me because I felt like... I can't let my family be broken. My friends were my family. I love them. But sometimes things just don't work out like you want them to.

I think that's all the characters I wanna talk about because this post is hella long. Sorry about that. I just... this show is so pure, it teaches so many lessons, it's made me a better person by being aware of how I treat people and how I talk to people. It's made me have more confidence in myself in the way I do things, whether that be work, life in general, friendships, family, etc. It's made me question so many things too. Where I fit in in life, how to be strong, how do I be strong when everything around me is falling apart? That sort of thing.

If you ever get the chance to watch this show... please do. Not just because I want to talk to someone about it, but because it's just overall one of the best shows I've ever watched. I don't know what I would do if they ever took it off streaming platforms, tbh I'd probably buy every season just because I need it in my life.

Anyway, if you read this whole thing, congrats, you're patient lol. This show is my comfort show, my favorite thing in the world, and I want to share it with so many people.

[canopuscarinae]

" SIRIUS DE CANIS MAJORIS "

KAEYA X READER ROYALTY FANFICTION:

[01:00] The Queen on the Chessboard

A newborn earns a spotlight with just a flicker of those amber eyes, setting the hall in fire ablaze. In her mother's embrace she giggles softly, unconcealing the tears welling in her eyes. Maids were awestruck by the beauty of both woman and a baby girl, a portrayal of Aphrodite and Harmonia.

“ Countess Alioth! Count Wezen is present “

Her name as stated, Alioth de Ursae in full, motions her finger instructing the maid to open the door. Count Wezen de Canis Majoris, makes his way to the bed and caresses her cheek and positions a couple strands of hairs behind her ear. The phlegmatic man standing atop his wife extended his arms offering to cradle the child while she is still behaving well.

She is more excited than he is, willingly passes the child and sees him hesitantly poking her chubby cheek. The slight blushes decorate his cheek as well when his daughter attempts to grab his thumb and faintly express her joy through a faint laugh.

Count Wezen curves his lips into a small smile and shuts his eyelids close, nuzzling his nose with hers. Maids and butlers again were awestruck by the view, a finally complete family accepting their daughter with a warm welcome.

“ Welcome home, Sirius de Canis Majoris “

****

2 decades and 5 years later, Sirius has grown as a fine lady. Her parents are both at their heart contents, rather more proud of her large improvement throughout her growth. She picked up various subjects in the past only to excel it with flying colours. Her first debut charms men from the continents of Khaenri’ah, all eyes focused on her, without the intent to draw so much attention.

After her independence, her father granted freedom to her; she has been very fond of horse riding. Especially owning a black horse similar to her mother’s and treating it like her life acquantaint. Rumor has it that she in fact is the kindest and never opposed the idea of bonding, albeit, her opinions matter more. She reasoned with her parents that most noblewomen she encountered preferred to live in authority, which is why she refused to be social amidst any conversations regarding the topic.

And never comes to agreement with people like them.

Living in authority applies to being a spouse and pays their mind to their etiquette, the least duty they could do is winning favors from the Alberich, the prominent royal family of Khaenri’ah.

She isn’t against the idea, she would love to win their favors for beneficiaries in return. However, there are consequences that remain blind to reckless people. She admits, they pose great impressions and status across the world, nothing but their kindness and smiles are a bunch of white lies. Binding a contract with them reminded her of a region, namedly Liyue, under the possession of Emperor Rex Lapis. They rarely cross each other’s path but immediately will offer an afternoon tea at his manor if they do.

In one of their conversations, Rex Lapis was asked about people or immortals who break the contracts. He isn’t fond of telling but willingly enough to fill her curiosity. She is an attentive listener because the way he worded it really made it complex but explained the whole point. She enjoys his style until the sentence “ Consequences do not unnecessarily consist of violence, in fact it comes from many ways. “

“ Though,,, regardless of who you are, a king, noble or warrior. I will still fulfill to make them see that irresponsibility can only corrupts from time, “

In his verse, irresponsibility applies to people who break his agreement. His words might intimidate her but his calm demeanor and cool face assures her that he never likes to commit his doings either.

She reminisced about that occurrence from 4 years ago.

It has been so long since then, she took it as a lesson for life in order to face what is ahead of her in the future. After all, the chess pieces placed on the board had her chuckling under her breath. Few maids accompanying her from the start, are nervous of her strange acts. It was written all over her face, that she is about to commit something to achieve the prior goal.

Is it wealth? Position? Manpower? Title?

Perhaps.

“ Kaeya Alberich, will there be a day that I will see you by my side in the throne room, and people kneel and respect us as the ruler of Khaenri’ah? “

........

Hello! This is CanopusCarinae! How do you like the first chapter of " Sirius De Canis Majoris "? Which also stands for Sirius from Canis Majoris!

Funfact 1: The name Aloith, Wezen, and Sirius are names of stars! I like the concept of Khaenri'ah is a city where no gods possessed, instead they were looked upon by the stars.

Funfact 2: Continents or states of Khaenri'ah were named after the categories of stars. Sirius (A.K.A Y/N) are residing in Canis Majoris

[thehierophage]

Holy Day Meditation for 4/8/21 e.v.

April 8, 2021 æ.v. Dies Jovis, 

☉︎ 19° ♈︎ : ☽︎ 14° ♓︎ : ♃︎ : Ⅴⅴⅰⅰ 

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. 

The Feast for the First Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law, The Day of Gimel, the Day of the Priestess 

Hebrew Letter: Gimel 

Numerical Value as Letter: 3 

Numerical Value as Word: 73/83 (Gimel+Mem+Lamed or Gimel+Yod+Mem+Lamed) 

Meaning: Camel. 

Thoth Card: The Priestess (Atu II) 

Alternate Title: The Priestess of the Silver Star. 

Image: 

Correspondences: 

Tree of Life Path Association: Key 13 - Tiphareth to Kether (from Sephira 6-1) 

Astrological Sign: Moon 

Element: - 

Egyptian Godforms: Chomse 

Geomantic Figure: Enneagram 

Gemstones: Moonstone, Pearl, Crystal 

Perfumes: Menstrual Blood, Camphor (as Isis), Aloes, Myrrh bark (as Diana), Jasmine, Willow, Black Copal (as lunar eclipse) all sweet virginal odors and odoriferous roots 

Plants: Almond, Mugwort, Hazel, Moonwort, Ranunculus, Alder, Pomegranete, Peony 

Animals: Dog, Stork, Camel, Cat, Frog, Toad, Crab, Bat, Hare, Rabbit 

Colors: 

 King Scale – Blue 

Queen Scale – Silver 

Prince Scale – Cold pale blue 

Princess Scale – Silver rayed sky-blue 

 The Secret Instruction of the Master:

Purity is to live only to the Highest; and the Highest is All: be thou as Artemis to Pan! Read thou in the Book of the Law, and break through the veil of the Virgin!

Mnemonic:

Mother, moon-maiden, playmate, bride of Pan; God's Angel-Minister to every man.

Recommended Text for Meditation:

Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX, Cap. 1

The Book of the Law Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX

as delivered by XCIII = 418 to DCLXVI

I

1. Had! The manifestation of Nuit.

2. The unveiling of the company of heaven.

3. Every man and every woman is a star.

4. Every number is infinite; there is no difference.

5. Help me, o warrior lord of Thebes, in my unveiling before the Children of men!

6. Be thou Hadit, my secret centre, my heart & my tongue!

7. Behold! it is revealed by Aiwass the minister of Hoor-paar-kraat.

8. The Khabs is in the Khu, not the Khu in the Khabs.

9. Worship then the Khabs, and behold my light shed over you!

10. Let my servants be few & secret: they shall rule the many & the known.

11. These are fools that men adore; both their Gods & their men are fools.

12. Come forth, o children, under the stars, & take your fill of love!

13. I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy.

14. Above, the gemmed azure is

The naked splendour of Nuit;

She bends in ecstasy to kiss

The secret ardours of Hadit.

The winged globe, the starry blue,

Are mine, O Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

15. Now ye shall know that the chosen priest & apostle of infinite space is the prince-priest the Beast; and in his woman called the Scarlet Woman is all power given. They shall gather my children into their fold: they shall bring the glory of the stars into the hearts of men.

16. For he is ever a sun, and she a moon. But to him is the winged secret flame, and to her the stooping starlight.

17. But ye are not so chosen.

18. Burn upon their brows, o splendrous serpent!

19. O azure-lidded woman, bend upon them!

20. The key of the rituals is in the secret word which I have given unto him.

21. With the God & the Adorer I am nothing: they do not see me. They are as upon the earth; I am Heaven, and there is no other God than me, and my lord Hadit.

22. Now, therefore, I am known to ye by my name Nuit, and to him by a secret name which I will give him when at last he knoweth me. Since I am Infinite Space, and the Infinite Stars thereof, do ye also thus. Bind nothing! Let there be no difference made among you between any one thing & any other thing; for thereby there cometh hurt.

23. But whoso availeth in this, let him be the chief of all!

24. I am Nuit, and my word is six and fifty.

25. Divide, add, multiply, and understand.

26. Then saith the prophet and slave of the beauteous one: Who am I, and what shall be the sign? So she answered him, bendingdown, a lambent flame of blue, all-touching, all penetrant, her lovely hands upon the black earth, & her lithe body arched for love, and her soft feet not hurting the little flowers: Thou knowest! And the sign shall be my ecstasy, the consciousness of the continuity of existence, the omnipresence of my body.

27. Then the priest answered & said unto the Queen of Space, kissing her lovely brows, and the dew of her light bathing his whole body in a sweet-smelling perfume of sweat: O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven, let it be ever thus; that men speak not of Thee as One but as None; and let them speak not of thee at all, since thou art continuous!

28. None, breathed the light, faint & faery, of the stars, and two.

29. For I am divided for love's sake, for the chance of union.

30. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.

31. For these fools of men and their woes care not thou at all! They feel little; what is, is balanced by weak joys; but ye are my chosen ones.

32. Obey my prophet! follow out the ordeals of my knowledge! seek me only! Then the joys of my love will redeem ye from all pain. This is so: I swear it by the vault of my body; by my sacred heart and tongue; by all I can give, by all I desire of ye all.

33. Then the priest fell into a deep trance or swoon, & said unto the Queen of Heaven; Write unto us the ordeals; write unto us the rituals; write unto us the law!

34. But she said: the ordeals I write not: the rituals shall be half known and half concealed: the Law is for all.

35. This that thou writest is the threefold book of Law.

36. My scribe Ankh-af-na-khonsu, the priest of the princes, shall not in one letter change this book; but lest there be folly, he shall comment thereupon by the wisdom of Ra-Hoor-Khuit.

37. Also the mantras and spells; the obeah and the wanga; the work of the wand and the work of the sword; these he shall learn and teach.

38. He must teach; but he may make severe the ordeals.

39. The word of the Law is θέλημα.

40. Who calls us Thelemites will do no wrong, if he look but close into the word. For there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

41. The word of Sin is Restriction. O man! refuse not thy wife, if she will! O lover, if thou wilt, depart! There is no bond that can unite the divided but love: all else is a curse. Accursed! Accursed be it to the aeons! Hell.

42. Let it be that state of manyhood bound and loathing. So with thy all; thou hast no right but to do thy will.

43. Do that, and no other shall say nay.

44. For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.

45. The Perfect and the Perfect are one Perfect and not two; nay, are none!

46. Nothing is a secret key of this law. Sixty-one the Jews call it; I call it eight, eighty, four hundred & eighteen.

47. But they have the half: unite by thine art so that all disappear.

48. My prophet is a fool with his one, one, one; are not they the Ox, and none by the Book?

49. Abrogate are all rituals, all ordeals, all words and signs. Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his seat in the East at the Equinox of the Gods; and let Asar be with Isa, who also are one. But they are not of me. Let Asar be the adorant, Isa the sufferer; Hoor in his secret name and splendour is the Lord initiating.

50. There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!

51. There are four gates to one palace; the floor of that palace is of silver and gold; lapis lazuli & jasper are there; and all rare scents; jasmine & rose, and the emblems of death. Let him enter in turn or at once the four gates; let him stand on the floor of the palace. Will he not sink? Amn. Ho! warrior, if thy servant sink? But there are means and means. Be goodly therefore: dress ye all in fine apparel; eat rich foods and drink sweet wines and wines that foam! Also, take your fill and will of love as ye will, when, where and with whom ye will! But always unto me.

52. If this be not aright; if ye confound the space-marks, saying: They are one; or saying, They are many; if the ritual be not ever unto me: then expect the direful judgments of Ra Hoor Khuit!

53. This shall regenerate the world, the little world my sister, my heart & my tongue, unto whom I send this kiss. Also, o scribe and prophet, though thou be of the princes, it shall not assuage thee nor absolve thee. But ecstasy be thine and joy of earth: ever To me! To me!

54. Change not as much as the style of a letter; for behold! thou, o prophet, shalt not behold all these mysteries hidden therein.

55. The child of thy bowels, he shall behold them.

56. Expect him not from the East, nor from the West; for from no expected house cometh that child. Aum! All words are sacred and all prophets true; save only that they understand a little; solve the first half of the equation, leave the second unattacked. But thou hast all in the clear light, and some, though not all, in the dark.

57. Invoke me under my stars! Love is the law, love under will. Nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love. There is the dove, and there is the serpent. Choose ye well! He, my prophet, hath chosen, knowing the law of the fortress, and the great mystery of the House of God.

All these old letters of my Book are aright; but צ is not the Star. This also is secret: my prophet shall reveal it to the wise.

58. I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.

59. My incense is of resinous woods & gums; and there is no blood therein: because of my hair the trees of Eternity.

60. My number is 11, as all their numbers who are of us. The Five Pointed Star, with a Circle in the Middle, & the circle is Red. My colour is black to the blind, but the blue & gold are seen of the seeing. Also I have a secret glory for them that love me.

61. But to love me is better than all things: if under the night stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me, invoking me with a pure heart, and the Serpent flame therein, thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom. For one kiss wilt thou then be willing to give all; but whoso gives one particle of dust shall lose all in that hour. Ye shall gather goods and store of women and spices; ye shall wear rich jewels; ye shall exceed the nations of the earth in spendour & pride; but always in the love of me, and so shall ye come to my joy. I charge you earnestly to come before me in a single robe, and covered with a rich headdress. I love you! I yearn to you! Pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous, I who am all pleasure and purple, and drunkenness of the innermost sense, desire you. Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled splendour within you: come unto me!

62. At all my meetings with you shall the priestess say -- and her eyes shall burn with desire as she stands bare and rejoicing in my secret temple -- To me! To me! calling forth the flame of the hearts of all in her love-chant.

63. Sing the rapturous love-song unto me! Burn to me perfumes! Wear to me jewels! Drink to me, for I love you! I love you!

64. I am the blue-lidded daughter of Sunset; I am the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night-sky.

65. To me! To me!

66. The Manifestation of Nuit is at an end.

Love is the law, love under will.

[tawaubast]

The Big Bast-Mut Info Post

This is a cross-reference straight from my website at BastMut.org.  Please go there for up-to-date information and bibliography references.

---------------------------------------------

Bast-Mut is a syncretization of goddesses Bast and Mut, creating Bast in her role as Queen.

Labeled in reliefs as Mut-Bast, she was found in Luxor (Thebes/Karnak/Waset) in in the Karnak Temple, Amun Temple, Medinet Habu, and at Isheru lake, where Mut was prominent.  In those depictions, she appears both as a lioness-headed woman with the solar disk, and as a humanoid woman.  We know that this is her based upon the hieroglyphic inscriptions included with the imagery.

Bast-Mut and Mut-Bast are both the same deity, however, in the Kemetic Orthodoxy Rite of Parent Divination, the Name that comes first is the god that the one divined will best understand.  For the sake of continuity, and because she is my divined Mother, I will be calling her as Bast-Mut throughout the page.

---------------------------------------------

Syncretization?

Bast-Mut is still Bast, but she is also Mut.  As an example, let us say that Bast is the color Red and Mut is the color Blue.  Syncretized, they form the color Purple.  This creates a whole new color that you cannot separate.  In this fashion, she gets equal parts of both goddesses and forms it into one.  Spend some time researching both goddesses, and you'll get an idea of how Bast-Mut can be.

We can see the goddess Bast-Mut as "Mut-who-is-Bast", which gives us a more queenly and regal Bast upon Her throne.  The deity who is named first will be the exterior "shell" or the "primary," which are both in quotes because it's hard to describe and that is not really what is happening here, but it's the best way my brain wraps around them.  When in the form of Mut-Bast, this is Bast who is in the form of Mut (which could explain her humanoid appearances in the temples, but that is just another personal theory!)

In essence, they are the same goddess, but there may be differences in how Mut-Bast acts versus Bast-Mut.  As we do not yet have any divined children of the former, I have no point of reference as to which to compare.

---------------------------------------------

When to call upon the Queen

When you need some fierce motherly love.

When you want some direction, and you're in need of a gentle push to get there.

When you are in need of self-care and need a stern but loving Mother to make you do so.

When you're stuck in the past or worrying about the future, and you need a reminder to live in the moment.

When you need some gentle self-care and some help in finding joy.

When you're taking on a leadership role and need help asserting yourself.

For a boost of confidence to feel your best self.

---------------------------------------------

Working with Bast-Mut

These are my personal experiences with her, and they may differ from yours or from that of others.  However, this is a good guideline to start with if you are new or haven't met her yet.

When you first decide to introduce yourself to the Queen, it's important to be formal and respectful.  Only in spending more time and experiences with her are you allowed to loosen formalities a little.  She is warm and loving, like the sun beaming down in a caress. A nice offering goes over well, as well as honest intentions and being present and respectful in her presence.  She is Bast, a lover of joy, rich things, and perfumes, but she is Queen and more directing rather than acting. There is a regal air about her, and she tends to be more on the formal side of things.  Share your meals with her, speak your mind, and be open and honest.

In my experiences with my Mother, Bast-Mut, she is very much Mut in personality, but with Bast-flavoring and exterior.  I see her as the Royal Cat, large and in-charge, but joyful and kind.  She doesn't roll around like a playful kitten, but instead stands tall and looks into your eyes with the gentlest of smiles.  She shifts between a domestic cat and a black lioness, which I feel brings in a lot of the Mut influence as she too can be a lioness.  I've "seen" her both as a stern queen, but I've also "seen" her in a field of flowers, dancing with sistra in hand, full of light and laughter and joy.

Bast-Mut is like the sun. The warmth and glow of her love shine down and embrace you, never burning. For she is the sun gently kissing the horizon, the one you can glimpse out of the corner of your eyes, still hot and bright, but tender. Regal is her splendor that dusts the clouds in the royal hues of purple and gold. The sky glows for her.

---------------------------------------------

Click Read More for a TON more information

Disclaimer: Much of the information listed below falls under UPG, or Unverified Personal Gnosis.  These are offerings I feel she likes and other tidbits I find important towards understanding Bast-Mut.  Much of my knowledge of her comes from both personal experiences and those of others who experience her.

---------------------------------------------

Representation

Feline-headed woman with double or uraeus modii crown.

Lioness, or another big cat.

A domestic cat with cobra between her paws.

Depicted with the Solar Disk as Mut-Bast.

Shown in humanoid form as Mut-Bast.

---------------------------------------------

Patronage

Empowerment & Confidence

Self-Love

Protection

Leadership & Royalty

Living in the Moment

Inner Strength

Joy & Beauty

---------------------------------------------

Epithets

Lady of Heaven

(She) who Shines as Gold(en)**

(She) who Creates Sunbeams**

Lady of the Palace

Lady of the Great House

Lady of the Isheru Waters

Lady of All the Lands

The (Great) Young Lioness

Lady of Life

Great of Strength

She of the Beautiful Face

Lady of Red Linen**

Lady of Cobras

Lady of Joy**

The (ruling) Queen

The Daughter of Ra

The Greatly Beloved

The Greatly Feared

She of the Powerful Heart**

Lady of Food

Great of Magic

The Head of the Goddesses

(A favored selection of epithets that both Bast and Mut have in common. Translated from the LAGG by Akhytsenu.) **Denotes Extra Love

---------------------------------------------

Family

Wife of Amun-Ra

Mother of Khonsu

Mother of Mafdet (UPG)

---------------------------------------------

Offerings

Food

Dark Chocolate

High-Quality Meat

Sushi

Fruit

Bread

Cheese

Honey

Drink

Chai Tea

Catnip Tea

Cream Liqueur

Cool Water

Hot Chocolate

Stones and Colors

Lapis Lazuli

Labradorite

Carnelian

Malachite

Jade

Amber

Gold

Greens

Deep Red

Royal Purple

Scents

Sandalwood

Lotus

Vanilla

Jasmine

Cinnamon

Florals

Activities

Self-Care

Perfumery

Song and Dance

Drawing and Painting

Volunteer Work

Anything done with Passion and Love

---------------------------------------------

Bast-Mut (Mut-Bast) in the Books

"As on the east jamb of the doorway, one expects Mut with a syncretistic name for the lioness-headed goddess. If she is not simply labeled as Mw .t nb .t p .t, she could be Mut-Bastet (as on the east jamb) or Mut-Sekhmet; there is not enough space for Mut-Weret-Hekau. One notes that in the dedicatory text on the east wall in the bark shrine of Mut in the triple shrine of the Ramesside Court, Ramesses II refers to having made the monument for his mother Mut-Bastet (KRI 2, 615/16-616-1). The prominence accorded to Mut as Bastet on the east wall of the triple shrine mirrors the importance of the lioness-headed goddess in the first register scenes on the east and west jambs of the north portal of the Colonnade Hall. One may also note that the word ms survives in the words spoken by Mut-Bastet on the east wall of the Mut shrine (KRI 2, 616/6), recalling the texts accompanying the lioness goddess on pl. 149."  - Oriental Institute Publications (OIP) Vol 116

"Words spoken by Mut, lady of heaven, Bastet who resides in Asheru: "O my beloved son, lord of the two lands, Djeserkheperure-Setepenre, I am your mother.  I am giving you your suck, that you may suck from my milk, may it enter into you in life and dominion..joy...I have given to you millions of jubilee like Re."" - Oriental Institute Publications (OIP) Vol 116

"Mut the Great, Lady of Isheru, Bast, Mistress of Karnak, possessor of graciousness, sweet of love: I have given you the throne of Geb and the lifespan of Re in heaven." - Oriental Institute Publications (OIP) Vol 107

"Mut, lady of heaven, Bastet residing in Karnak, as she gives all life: I have given to you all life and dominion, all health and all joy like Re." - Oriental Institute Publications (OIP) Vol 1 Part 3

[tcrmommabear]

For headphonescinderella, the lost ladies prompt

A/N: This is my Secret Santa entry for 2018. I originally had plans to do all of my victim's prompts, but because December is the last month I have the time to do a bunch of writing for obvious reasons, she will have to be satisfied with this for now.

9. Lost

Perdita was awakened by the smell of a hot breakfast, something that involved a lot of gravy.

Her fair mouth grimaced as she pretended to be asleep for a little longer. Her heart was still burning from dinner the night before, but she dared not complain. Regardless of what type of gravy it was, her royal husband would love it.

Which in turn meant that she loved it, even if her heart and stomach constantly felt like an inferno as a result.

"Hmm, that smells good," his familiar voice purred as the whole bed shifted with his movements until he was sitting up in their gigantic canopied bed. His familiar paw nudged her shoulder insistently once he was settled. "Wake up, babe. You know I can't start without you."

She managed to hide her groan of disdain as part of a low growl that sounded like she was sorry about being woken up.

Childhood training made her actions to move into a seated position much more smooth and graceful than her husband's. When she forced herself to open her eyes, she could see the three ladies in waiting smiling brightly at her, Amethyst indeed bearing her a large tray heavy with quail eggs, turkey sausage and hot biscuits, all smothered in rich gravy that nearly disguised her breakfast completely.

"Dear Amethyst, you know my appetite isn't all that large," she cooed tolerably, wishing her husband would let her order a fruit bowl instead for just one meal.

Her husband wrapped a surprisingly scrawny arm around her waist and dragged her a little closer to his side of the bed. "Eat it anyway, love. You're getting thinner again, and that's not healthy."

An order from her husband. There was no choice but obedience now. Perdita nodded assent and politely tucked into her breakfast with her mate.

As her hand reluctantly brought mouthful after mouthful to her lips, the neat little black cat couldn't help reflecting on where she might be if the king hadn't been widowed for the second time when she came of age.

Duchess Sai always smelled of strawberries and peaches at early morning court, as did her husband. Did she secretly yearn for a heavy breakfast such as this? It would be terribly improper to ask, of course, but it wasn't hard to see that the way the duke doted on his young wife. There just seemed to be something more… thoughtful about how he interacted with her, always so tender.

Her heart seemed to burn more hotly in response, but she didn't dare let it show as she kept swallowing gravy and sugar as she was ordered.

After breakfast was the ritual of Lapis and Rose combing through her luxurious fur, which the current court poet loved comparing to sapphires. Amethyst busied herself with changing the bedsheets as the king left for his morning duties, using one of the last biscuits to eat a bit more gravy with a lazy smile.

Queen Perdita of the Cat Kingdom closed her blue eyes lingeringly, letting the specially-treated brushes run through her fur with all the gentleness of a summer's breeze. 'Clean your fur, clean the bed clothes… clean the memories of what will never be…'

She knew she didn't have much to complain about. Phoebus has his list of faults, certainly, but at least he was doting. It didn't matter how high the function, if he felt like a kiss or embrace, he was completely willing to let the court say what they will about his lack of decorum. Even when she would have rather not have an audience to such affection.

She was presented with only the finest clothes, the finest foods, but most importantly, the finest son she could have ever hoped for.

Her fixed smile turned genuine at the thought of her fine little boy, who was almost ready to have his twelfth birthday. It was probably uncharitable to think it, but she was grateful that her sweet prince hadn't seemed to inherit much more from his father than the famous red eye of the royal family and an occasional bout of absent-mindedness.

As a result, he was mild-mannered, thoughtful, and a delight to be around.

If not for the childhood training of hiding her true emotions, Perdita would have surely flinched in guilt as Lapis helped to guide her into an expensive gown of silver brocade.

The blue hair had been trained from the cradle to be the perfect wife. It troubled her much more growing up, but she had more or less resigned herself to the fact that in order to be the perfect wife, she could never at any time form an opinion without consulting her husband to ensure they were perfectly synced in all things.

She took in a deep breath, wishing she could at the very most only tie a satin ribbon around her neck and be done with it, but her husband was obsessed with human fashion, at least on queens. He himself only wore golden armbands and the royal eye that was the badge of his office because his long fur would make him overheat if he wore additional clothes.

Perdita had to fight back a rebellious smile that although her husband adored human fashions, he wasn't about to go shaving himself for it any time soon. For now, he was content in dressing up his wife like an oversized doll.

"There you are, your majesty! You're a vision to behold," Rose gushed as she and Lapis stepped back enough so that their queen could inspect her reflection in the large mirror in a corner of the royal suite.

The only way she could have appeared even more human was if her husband had resurrected the practice of stealing human brides for the royal line. Legends had it that even after the change was complete, some bit of their human selves would always remain the same.

Perdita fixed her usual smile into place, even though her heart still burning within her chest at the uncomfortable truth.

An oversized, heir-making doll.

ooOoo

Even lunch that day was unnecessarily heavy. Perdita tried to remember what she had been doing between getting dressed and sitting here beside her husband again, but for the life of her, she could barely focus her attention on anything around her.

She had always been fond of watercolor paintings, but now she almost felt like she was in the middle of one as it was being painted. Colors seemed to swirl and dance together in her vision, and everyone around her seemed noisier than usual. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she managed to look around her husband devouring a whole tuna casserole by himself at her dear son.

Lune seemed worried, trying to disguise the fact that he was keeping one eye on her at all times. He was barely touching the gravy mess in front of him, though she couldn't tell if it was distaste or concern that was keeping him from eating.

Perdita could feel her heart swell with love once more. Why couldn't her husband have been more like their son? All it would take it ten seconds of Phoebus to show this kind of concern over her, and perhaps she'd be enjoying a grass salad right now.

Or perhaps a nap. Why was she so tired? Not even her heart burn and raging stomach had managed to wake her up last night, and as the queen, about the only exercise she got was from a beaded fan or cutlery.

Her paw was shaking from the excursion of lifting caviar to her lips. Caviar, that weighed practically nothing, was making her arm ache like she was attempting to flip over the table!

Her stomach and jaw screamed in agony, making her put down the spoon for good. It was simply too much.

Almost on cue, the little sound was enough to make her husband turn enough to look at her with a warning glare.

"Shouldn't you be using that?" he asked bluntly.

Perdita made a breathy sigh. "I'm sorry, dear, but I just can't right now. I'll eat more at supper, I promise." 'If I were to wear a purse, would I be able to slip the food into it instead of my mouth? No. As long as I am queen, my every move will always be watched.'

The thought only made her feel worse. What was she, some creature locked up in a zoo? Meant only to be gawked at between the bars? Her heart pounded worse at what was feeling like an increasingly accurate analogy.

The Cat King's glare got more dangerous. "Your fur isn't as glossy as it was when we got married. Your eyes are getting duller, and you don't laugh as much as you used to. If you would just eat a full meal every time, these things would get better."

All true, at least the first half of his statement, but why did he say that out loud in front of the entire court? Everything had turned dead quiet in order to catch his majesty's every word, right down to the musicians that should have been providing atmosphere.

Her son's angry look made it clear that he would have at least waited for some privacy.

'Maybe if you would let me pick what I eat, I would eat everything!' Perdita had been thinking it for years, but now her thoughts were threatening to bubble to the surface. "I can't-" she tried to explain again, but he was already unloading half a partridge pie onto her almost full plate, pushing some anchovies off it and staining the cream-colored tablecloth.

"Eat it. All of it!" he commanded with the same volume he would have used addressing the entire kingdom.

Perdita looked down at her plate, seeing the fat and gravy literally turn the tablecloth into a disgusting misshapen ring of greys and browns around the dish. Her stomach threatened a second appearance of what she had already managed to choke down that day.

Taking in a deep breath, she pushed the plate away while uttering something she usually only dreamed of saying to her husband.

"No."

Phoebus seemed to swell in his rage. "I am the KING!"

"And I am the queen who's trying to keep her food down. It's turning into a losing battle," she managed to say, holding one paw to her midriff, praying that she wouldn't actually throw up with the entire court watching.

Sure, the king did it on an almost nightly basis, but that was thanks to how much strong drink he consumed at supper. The queen couldn't afford to do it, she had to be the embodiment of perfection! Who cared if the king made a fool of himself, but the queen would have caused a real scandal if she did the same!

It was all so unfair! It was always unfair, but the fact seemed to matter more in this moment.

"Simple enough, I order you to keep your food down, and to add this to it!" He shoved the plate back at her a little more harshly than he meant to.

Or so Perdita hoped. Instead of coming to rest in front of her, the plate collided with the front of her silver dress, sending hot gravy and more down her chest and ruining the expensive gown.

She knew she needed to be ladylike in expressing her pain, but it was the final straw. The dark blue cat tried to get out of her throne-like chair with a pained yelp.

But somewhere in the middle of that yelp, it felt like one of the guards had successfully skewered her with a spear, the pain was so intense. Her yelp cut itself off in surprise and sudden breathlessness.

She began falling, first painfully over the armrest, and then onto the marble floor next to the royal table.

The last thing she heard her husband say was, "I know that trick, Perdita! Sylvia used to use it on me all the time!"

The last thing she saw was her young prince hurrying to her side with a cry of "Mother!"

But what Perdita would never know, was how her final look of relief would be something that would haunt her precious Lune for the rest of his days.

[thetravelerwrites]

The Bargain: Prologue

Rating: Teen Relationships: Female Human x Male Demon/Elf Additional Tags: Arranged Marriage, Marriage, Demons, Elves, Princes, Princesses, Monster Boyfriend, Monster Husband Content Warnings: Blood Mention, Pregnancy, Babies Words: 5193

Based on "The Princes" series of shorts written by tumblr user @your-monster-romance, with her permission.

Read the Original Shorts Here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 The Following Chapters: Pallidus, Viribus, Genus, Gale (NSFW), Fawn (NSFW), Tyria (NSFW), Epilogue

Of the mistakes King Rodai had made during his reign, getting involved in another country’s war had proven to be the worst.

He had done it with noble intentions; he sought only to aid the neighboring king, who had been his close friend since childhood. He thought that his assistance would be limited to offering shelter to the refugees and sending weapons and food to the soldiers, but in time, more was asked of him. More food, more weapons. Soon it was money and resources. And then soldiers. By the end of the first year of his involvement, he had sent half of his wealth and most of his army, none of which had returned.

Five years on, and he had gone from a man rich in sons, power, and the love of his people, to a broken, despised widower king with only a small boy, Coll, to inherit a country crumbling beneath his feet. Rodai’s wife, after having lost four of her five sons to war, died herself of grief, and it was this loss that had finally pushed Rodai to act.

His childhood friend, the king he had sought to help, had been deposed and sent into exile mere weeks ago, and the conqueror who now sat in his throne had his sights set on Rodai’s kingdom, Suida. And it would fall. Gods knew, it would fall.

The only hope Rodai now had was to make a deal with the devil.

The vast Empire of Cavernae was said to be a fairy tale, something fit only as a campfire legend or bedtime story. No one really believed it even existed. It wasn’t even mentioned in history books anymore. Perhaps that was best.

But Rodai’s father, the previous king, had been a superstitious man of the Old Ways and taught his son in secret how to find this elusive kingdom. It would be difficult, he had said, since the entrance moved rather frequently to prevent unwanted visitors. Even then, finding it would cost you something. Blood, a year of your life, an eye, maybe.

It was worth it, Rodai believed. For his people, for his last living son, Rodai swore he would pay any price. An oath he would come to regret.

He had left his castle alone one night, slipping past his guards disguised as a horseman, and made his way into the forest at the foot of the Great Mountain with nothing but the clothes on his back and a bag with a few essentials. He did not bring jewels or money, since he no longer had either in his coffers. He could only hope that he might still possess something worth bartering, even if it was his own life.

After two days of sleepless searching, he found himself in a clearing. The winter woods around them were dark and cold and full of dead, lifeless trees, but this circle of meadow was lush and green under his boots, as though spring existed here in perpetuity.

This must be it, Rodai thought. It has to be.

Taking a knife from his bag, he put the point of it to his wrist and dug in, not deep enough to kill him but enough that a steady trickle of blood fell to the meadow floor, painting the green grass red at his feet.

“Hear me,” He said, hissing at the pain. “I seek an audience with the Demon King of Cavernae. I offer my blood, and whatever else he might wish, as a show of good faith. Open the way and let me pass.”

Vines snaked between his legs and around, creating a doorway behind him. He could still see the forest and meadow beyond it, but it wavered as though looking through imperfect glass. After wrapping his wrist with a spare sock from his bag, he stepped toward the gateway. Reaching out a cautious hand, he saw that his fingers disappeared as they crossed the threshold. Taking a long, slow breath, he stepped forward and into the barrier.

He did naught but close his eyes, but in the span it took him to blink, he had left the clearing and was standing at one end of a grand hallway.

Before him, walking toward him quickly, came two… men? No, these creatures he saw couldn’t possibly have been mortal men. They were demons, rightly enough. One had dark red skin like brick, the other bright red, like holly berries, both standing head and shoulders above him. They must have been guards; it was their stance that gave it away. They walked up to him and stopped, their eyes bore down at him quizzically.

“State your business,” One of the guards said, his voice was like two stones being rubbed together.

“I…” Rodai began. “I am King Rodai of Suida. I seek to parlay with your king. I apologize that I arrived unannounced, but the matter is urgent.”

“He has been expecting you,” The other replied, his voice much the same as his companion. “You’ve come very late. He is otherwise occupied at the moment. You must wait.”

“I will,” Rodai said. “I will wait as long as it takes.”

“Very well,” They turned and began to walk the hallway. “Follow.”

Rodai obeyed, and followed them to a very large sitting area just off the main hall. It was lavish and extravagant. The chairs and couches and footstools were made of fabrics and furs and leathers he’d never encountered before. He picked up and examined a wine decanter so fragile and delicate that he thought it may have been made of dragonfly wings.

“Why is it men wait so long to reach out for help?” He heard a voice ask. He spun on his heel and saw a woman standing at the doorway, holding a moving bundle in her arms.

She was unlike anything he’d yet seen, and he’d seen plenty at his age. She was blue, all varieties of blue. Her skin was pale celeste, her long hair crested scarab blue and faded down to white at the tips. Her eyes were a solid lapis hue all the way across. He was unable to discern where the irises and pupils were from where the white part should have been; it was all just one color. Even the thin dress she wore was sapphire in color, over which she wore a sheer white dressing gown of lace that seemed to have been woven from the dew on a spider’s web and trailed far behind her. She looked like a moving sculpture carved of glacier ice, dusted with snow. She even had a smattering of white freckles on her nose, as if she had indeed been standing outside in the snowfall.

Rodai collected himself and bowed, realizing this must be the dark emperor's queen. As he rose, he looked again at the bundle in her arms, and a small, waving grey fist popped out from between the cloth, grasping for her fingers. He felt a stab of pain at the sight, remembering a time not so long ago when his last son had been born, a time when he was still happy, his wife still lived, and his land was still whole.

“My Lady,” He said. “Thank you for allowing me passage into your land. I was not certain I would be accepted.”

“We’ve been waiting for you, Rodai of Suida,” She replied, her voice like the crack of a whip. “I must say, I’m surprised you waited so long to ask for our help. Would it not have been wiser to come sooner? Before your sons and wife were lost?”

Her words were like another knife through his heart. “Her Majesty is blunt.”

“This is not the time for tact,” She said shrewdly. “I am not without sympathy, King Rodai, but you have waited far too long. What you seek may no longer be within reach.”

“It has to be!” Rodai replied emphatically. “I’ll do anything, I’ll give anything. I just want my people and my son to be safe and well. I know it is much to ask, but your husband is a man of great power. Surely he can accomplish such a feat.”

“That is for him to decide,” She said. Her eyes darted and her head turned slightly, as though she were listening to something. “Come. You have been summoned.”

He followed her out of the receiving room and into an absolutely enormous great hall made entirely of black marble. At the other end was a long, wide stairway, and at the top was a throne sitting on a gold dais.

Sitting there was a man, straight-backed and imposing, peering down at Rodai. His eyes similar to that of his wife’s, but instead of solid blue, his were solid white. His skin was the color of the smoke from an oil fire, and he wore garments of black, red, and gold. From the nest of black curls on his head rose horns, long and twisting, shiny black near his head and fading to red near the points. He sat with his legs crossed, regarding Rodai thoughtfully, his hands resting on his knee. His demeanor was not arrogant or proud, but it was nonetheless commanding. Intimidating.

The Queen took the steps carefully and went to stand at her husband’s elbow, handing him the bundle as she did so. The Demon King cradled his child with one arm and rubbed his chin with the other, waiting.

Rodai bowed. “My Lord--” He began.

“Kneel,” The Demon King said, his deep voice reverberating around the massive chamber.

Rodai looked up. “Pardon?”

“I am Zinzo, King of the Dark Creatures, Lord over all Magic, and Emperor of the Night Sky Above and the Dark Cavern Below. You will kneel.”

Rodai hesitated. Kings did not kneel to other kings. Bowing was customary as a sign of equal power and mutual respect, but kneeling was a sign of inferiority, of weakness. To kneel before someone was to surrender to that person, and a king did not surrender to anyone. It was simply unheard of.

Well, Rodai thought. I may not be a king before long, as it stands.

Slowly, as he had never done this before and it felt most unnatural, Rodai took a knee before King Zinzo.

Zinzo smiled. It wasn’t comforting.

“You may rise,” He said. His voice reminded Rodai of a stone falling down a hill, rumbling and terror-inducing to anyone in its path. “I know of your plight, King of Suida. However, you have nothing now that is of any use to me. Therefore, it would not benefit me to help you.”

“I will give you anything, anything at all,” Rodai pleaded. “There must be something you need. Something I could do. I’ll work it off, if I have to. I’ll be your servant, I’ve give you every coin that comes into my hands, I will give you my life, if that’s what you want. Anything to save my people.” His eyes looked down and the sleeping baby in King Zinzo’s arms. “For my son, I will do anything. I would give anything. I swear to you.”

“Anything, you say?” Zinzo said in a curiously soft, slow voice. His smile widened, revealing very white, very sharp teeth. “Interesting.” He rose from his throne, keeping a tight grip of his infant, and walked slowly down the stairs. “I think I might just be able to work something out for you.”

“Thank you,” Rodai breathed in relief. “Thank you, my Lord. What recompense would you have from me?”

“Oh, nothing you have at the moment is of any interest to me. Perhaps one day, though, you may be able to repay me.”

“Yes, anything, just name it,” Rodai said.

Zinzo stopped in front of him. “Children.”

The blood drained from Rodai’s face in horror. “I’m sorry, My Lord, I don’t understand.

“I want children. Specifically, your children,” Zinzo clarified.

Rodai’s heart began to hammer in his chest. “Please, Your Majesty, please, my son is all I have left.”

Zinzo waved his hand impatiently. “Not the son, I have plenty of those.” He bounced the infant a little to emphasize his point. “I want daughters. My sons will need brides when they become men. It’s becoming harder to find women of nobility among the elves and fae that are not already interbred. I was fortunate to find Yuana,” Zinzo motioned his head to the blue lady standing beside the throne. “But there are few of our women left to which my sons are not already related. Seems the logical option is to begin marrying them off to humans, as inferior a species in magic as they may be. It would not be my first choice, but we are desperate men, are we not?”

Rodai was confused. “But I have no daughters.”

“Not yet,” Zinzo said with a sly grin. “But you are not an old man by any measure. Still young enough to find another wife and father more children. I only need three, though. Should you have any addition children, they will be yours to keep.”

Rodai blinked and watched Zinzo warily.

“Do we have a deal?” Zinzo asked him.

Three daughters? How would he achieve that? What if he didn’t? What if he never remarried or had a mistress? He had dearly loved his late wife and had no interest in remarrying. What if the daughters Zinzo requested never came to be? What would Zinzo do?

“Y…Yes,” Rodai said.

Zinzo stuck out a hand with abnormally long fingers, the tips of which were red, like his horns. “Very well,” He said. “Take my hand and the contract will be sealed.”

Slowly, carefully, as though expecting an attack, Rodai reached out his hand and clasped Zinzo’s.

All at once, there was a flash and he felt a push against his chest, which knocked him breathless and to the ground, and when he opened his eyes again, he was sitting on the ground of his bedroom back at his castle, wearing his evening clothes as though the trip through the forest had never taken place. Had he dreamed the whole thing? He hoped not. What of the deal he had made?

A banging on his bedroom door interrupted his spiraling thoughts and made him jump.

“My lord?” A guard called through the door. “Are you all right? It is midday and you have not come out. Shall I call a doctor?”

“No,” Rodai called weakly, looking out the window. It was indeed midday. “I’m fine, I will be out in a few moments.”

A fortnight later, an ambassador sent from the Conqueror King arrived at the castle to speak with King Rodai. Rodai was reluctant to receive him, but did so under heavy guard.

Once seated in Rodai’s private office, he said, “What business does the Conqueror King have, Ambassador Rook?”

The ambassador, an elderly man with a crown of wispy white hair, said, “My lord sends me with a message of peace.”

Rodai snorted. “I highly doubt that.”

“He has decided not to invade your country. In fact, he’s offering a trade deal with you. You would benefit greatly from this offer. Should you refuse, however, he will attack.”

Rodai was disgusted. Trade with the man that had killed his men and usurped his friend’s throne? Madness. But if he didn’t, the cost would be high.

“What are the conditions?” Rodai asked in exasperation. “I know there are conditions. He wouldn’t just decide to offer me a peace accord if there was nothing in it for him.”

“There is only one condition,” The ambassador said. “You must wed his daughter, Aralie.”

A chill shot up his spine and over his shoulders. “What?”

“You will wed Princess Aralie, and your progeny will rule both kingdoms, uniting them without conquering them.”

Zinzo’s unnerving smile crept into Rodai’s thoughts. “If I refuse?”

The ambassador shrugged. “Then you will be destroyed.”

The wedding took place nearly three months later. He met with the Conqueror King several times begrudgingly so that the contracts could be drawn up and signed. Never in all that time did Rodai ever meet his would-be bride. It seemed that would have to wait for the wedding day. Perhaps she was unattractive or deformed, something that made the king nervous about her future, which is why this was the only condition upon which he had insisted. It would make sense.

The day dawned, and Rodai dreaded every second that passed. It would be a morning ceremony so that all of the Conqueror’s ilk could party like maniacs for the remainder of the day. Disgustingly.

He stood at the altar with the Conqueror at his side, as if to make sure he stayed put. The princess was led in by her mother, wearing a simple gown of pale rose silk. Her features were neat but rather plain, not dowdy or deformed like he was expecting. Her hair was a pretty honey color and her eyes were steely grey, like her father’s. She also wasn’t as young as he expected, perhaps in her mid-to-late 20’s. He was grateful for that. He didn’t much like the idea of a child-bride.

She wasn’t the beauty his late wife had been, nor did she possess the strange etherealness of the Zinzo’s tall elven queen, but Rodai had to admit she was charming.

She smiled at him in an almost apologetic way as she approached. When she came to stand next to him at the altar in front of the priest, her father, the Conqueror, left them to stand with his wife. As he did so, Aralie leaned toward Rodai and said in a side-whisper: “Sorry.”

Rodai smiled a little and whispered back, “Me, too.”

It seemed his new wife had brought with her light and prosperity when he took her back to his land. The crops flourished, and with them came new wealth and livelihood for his subjects. Life was returning, and Rodai was grateful.

He found Aralie surprisingly easy to talk to. She was well-read and quite intelligent, and they had many interests in common. He confessed he was rather astonished that she was not already married at her age, and she admitted that her father had done a good enough job of scaring every available young man in all neighboring countries away from asking for her hand since she was old enough to marry, so it wasn’t so much a choice as it was lack of backbone on the gentlemens’ part. Rodai had to laugh at that.

They became friends very quickly, and though Rodai had committed himself to the two of them staying friends out of respect for his late wife, he couldn’t help thinking about Aralie more and more. He looked forward to talking to her each day, and he missed her company on any day when he didn’t see her. It wasn’t until nearly a year later, when she had gone to visit her father for a few weeks and he was left to pine for her, he realized he had come to love her.

He was still wary of getting too close. The promise he had made to Zinzo was at the back of his mind at all times. So he kept his distance and tried to ignore his feelings. What he didn’t count on was her feelings or her willingness to act on them.

One night, he heard the door to his sleeping quarters open and shut. Blinking groggily, he looked up to see Aralie in her sleep shift approaching with a candle.

“Aralie?” He asked, rubbing his eyes. “Are you all right? Is something the matter?”

She didn’t answer right away, instead putting the candlestick down on his bedside table and sitting on the edge of the bed, not looking at him. Her breathing was uneven and she appeared to be shaking.

“Aralie?” He reached for her shoulder, concerned. At his touch, she looked around at him.

“Rodai,” She began softly. “We’ve been married for some time now, and you’ve been a true gentleman, but I must ask: how do you feel towards me?”

Rodai was unable to answer her. He looked at her with sympathy and affection, but kept his jaw clenched shut.

At his silence, she lowered her eyes and looked away. “I know that our marriage was arranged for political reasons and that you may not feel anything for me beyond friendship, but I must confess I… I’ve become rather fond of you. I feel more than just friendship for you. So much more.”

Rodai’s heart rate hitched up. “Aralie…”

She stood before he could say more and pulled the shift she had been wearing over her head, revealing her body underneath. She let the garment fall to the floor and made to sit on her knees next to him on the bed, close but not touching. She was breathing rather fast. So was he. His hands twitched, longing to touch her, but he forced them still.

“If this is not what you want, if it’s a mistake, you need only say, and I will leave you in peace,” Aralie said, not meeting his eye. “But I… I had to know… if you wanted me as much as I want you.”

All he could do was look at her. The way her neck curved into her shoulder, the way her hair looked as it cascaded down her back, strands escaping to hang in front of her face. The pout of her lips, the shape of her eyes. The dusting of freckles across her breast. His hand moved to stroke her collarbone, and she looked at him with those wide, beautiful silvery eyes in surprise, lovely and excited and just a little bit terrified. How could he have ever thought her plain? She was perfect.

He couldn’t fight it anymore. More to the point, he didn’t want to fight it. He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard enough to wipe out any doubts she might have had about his feelings for her. He touched every inch of her body with every inch of his. He wanted her so much and he proved it. He proved it over and over again that night, and many nights after.

Happiness with her felt as natural as taking breath. It was effortless, easy. She could make him forget any trouble, any worry. And in time, he did forget. He forgot all the hardships he had faced during the war, and so did his people. She had breathed new life into him, and he in turn breathed new life into his land. With her, everything was good, and right, and just. The world was exactly as it should be.

And he forgot.

Their first child was born on a cool, clear day in spring; a perfect little baby girl. Rodai had only sons with his previous wife and never a little girl, so he hadn’t known how to handle one at first. With his son, now twelve and growing quickly, starting to train with his generals to be the next leader of the land, Rodai had much time to spoil and coddle this new little lamb, and he was more than pleased to do it. Aralie told him he had to be firm or she’d never obey him, but he couldn’t help but melt when his little girl looked at him with those sweet eyes. How could he not?

They named her Tyria after a spring blossom that collected near her nursery window that was native to his land alone. She would be tall, like her father, and nearly as tan, but her every other feature was a mirror of her mother.

Two years later, the second one came on the first day of autumn, with maple-colored hair like her father and freckles like her mother, and eyes as brown as a doe. She was a petite little thing, sweet and caring, and had an affinity for all living creatures. They named her Fawn.

She was a cuddly girl and loved nothing more than to sit in her father’s lap as he read and dictated, whereas Tyria was very independent and could often be found watching her brother’s training with interest. Coll, now fifteen, ruffled his sister’s hair with a fond laugh and told her he might teach her a few things once she got older.

Rodai had been happy before the war, but the sorrow he had experienced during and afterward made him treasure his newfound happiness all the more. Knowing what loss felt like made every moment with his family precious and irreplaceable. Priceless.

If only that odd nagging feeling would go away…

Their third daughter was born during a summer storm that threatened to blow the castle over. They named her Gale after the winds that howled to harmonize with her newborn cries of outrage. After the birth, Aralie took a well-deserved nap while Rodai held his new baby in his arms, smiling down at her. She was strong already, gripping his finger like a vice. Her curls were a mix of his brown coloring with a little of the honey of Aralie, and he thought her eyes might be blue, like his. His smile widened.

A cracking sound made him jump as a bolt of lightning hit a parapet outside the window. With that flash, a memory he had buried for the last six years re-entered his mind, one that made his heart drop like a stone.

I want daughters.

Aralie woke from her sleep to find Rodai sitting on the bed next to her, looking down at their daughter with tears streaming down his face. She could tell from his expression that these were not tears of joy.

“Rodai?” She asked him softly, pulling herself into a sitting position.

He shut his eyes tight, more tears falling, one landing on the cheek of the sleeping infant.

“Forgive me,” He said in a pained whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

“What? Why?” Aralie carefully adjusted herself so that she could see him better. Taking his cheek in her hand, she force him to look at her. “What are you sorry for?”

He took a very large breath, and said, “Before we met, after your father invaded the neighboring kingdom, I was desperate to save my people and Coll, my only remaining son and family. I would have done anything to spare him from death or worse, so I sought out help.”

“From who?”

“Zinzo, the Demon King,” He admitted to her fearfully.

A very worried look came over her face. “What did he want?”

“Something I didn’t have.” He stared down at his daughters sleeping face, his lip trembling. “Not at the time, at least.”

“Which was?”

“Brides,” Rodai said sorrowfully. “For his three sons.”

Aralie’s jaw dropped in horror. “Rodai, what did you do?”

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, holding his little girl up and pressing her forehead against his. “I made a deal.”

Aralie’s eyes filled with tears, and she covered her mouth with her hands in shock. “Rodai, how could you do such a thing?”

“How could I have known?” He asked her desperately. “How could I have ever known? Back then, I had no intention of marrying again or having any more children. After losing my wife and sons, I couldn’t face that kind of loss. Not again. I was so desperate to save my home and people, I would have promised everything, even my own life.” He reached out to touch her face, tears falling unimpeded. “How could I have known how much I would love you? How could I have known you’d have given me these three beautiful gifts? I couldn’t. I thought I had already lost everything. I could never have imagined how much more I’d stand to lose.”

She clutched his hand to her cheek, her face falling.

“What can we do?” She sobbed.

“I don’t know,” Rodai said, resting his forehead on hers. “He is a powerful man. I don’t know if there’s anything we can do.”

“But this nation is rich again,” She said, grasping desperately for some solution. “We can give him gold, resources, anything he wants. There must be something else he would be willing to take instead.”

“There isn’t,” A voice said in the shadow of their room. Rodai shot to his feet, clutching his child to him and flinging out a hand to shield Aralie.

The Demon King stepped into the light, looking the same as he did six years ago, down to the garments he wore.

“We have a deal,” Zinzo said, with a hint of menace in his voice. “I do not suffer broken oaths, King of Suida. Not at all.”

“Is there nothing else we could offer?” Aralie cried. “There must be something else.”

“There isn’t,” He repeated. “However, I am not a cruel man. My sons are not yet grown, and your children are still babes yet. There’s no reason to take them with me now. I will wait until the time is right. You will have them until then.”

He stepped toward Rodai, who held Gale to him tightly. Aralie gripped Rodai’s shirt.

“A deal is a deal, Rodai,” Zinzo said, his strange eyes narrowing. “You will honor it, or you will find exactly how much you can lose.”

“Don’t threaten me,” Rodai said with far more confidence than he felt.

Zinzo smiled. “It’s not a threat,” he said. “It’s simply a fact. I would think your losses would make you more mindful of that.”

Rodai’s face contorted in fury. “Leave.”

Zinzo stepped back into the shadows. “I will return,” He said as he disappeared into the darkness. “Be ready.”

When they could no longer feel his presence, Aralie dissolved into weeping. Rodai could do nothing but hold her and weep himself.

“What do we do?” Aralie asked quietly. “Should we tell them?”

“I supposed we’ll have to, at some point.”

“When will that be?”

Rodai sighed. “When the time is right.”

She shook her head at him, exasperated. “And when will that be?”

Rodai looked at her, his heart heavy with guilt and grief. “I’m so sorry, my love. More sorry than I can ever say. I hope one day you can forgive me, but if not, I understand.”

She grabbed him and held him, burying her face in his neck. “I’m very angry with you.”

He used his free arm to press her closer to him, holding Gale so she wouldn't be crushed between them. “I know,” He said into her hair.

There was a knock at the door. It was seventeen year old Coll, leading his little sisters, five and three, in to meet the new member of the family. The girls hopped happily on the bed and cooed over the little one. Coll bear-hugged his father and put a comforting hand on his step-mother’s shoulder, smiling widely and congratulating them.

Rodai and Aralie shared a look, wiping their tears, and silently agreeing to keep their shame a secret for now and let this family moment play out. They didn’t know how many they would have left.

Since my work is no longer searchable, please do me a favor and reblog this story if you enjoyed it. Help me reach a wider audience! To help me continue creating, please consider buying me a Kofi, becoming a Patron, or donating directly to my PayPal!

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

[ro-visiting-the-bureau]

Secret Santa

This is super late in being posted (apologies YC and her SS), but here we go.

A/N: This is my Secret Santa entry for 2018. I originally had plans to do all of my victim’s prompts, but because December is the last month I have the time to do a bunch of writing for obvious reasons, she will have to be satisfied with this for now.

9. Lost

Perdita was awakened by the smell of a hot breakfast, something that involved a lot of gravy.

Her fair mouth grimaced as she pretended to be asleep for a little longer. Her heart was still burning from dinner the night before, but she dared not complain. Regardless of what type of gravy it was, her royal husband would love it.

Which in turn meant that she loved it, even if her heart and stomach constantly felt like an inferno as a result.

“Hmm, that smells good,” his familiar voice purred as the whole bed shifted with his movements until he was sitting up in their gigantic canopied bed. His familiar paw nudged her shoulder insistently once he was settled. “Wake up, babe. You know I can’t start without you.”

She managed to hide her groan of disdain as part of a low growl that sounded like she was sorry about being woken up.

Childhood training made her actions to move into a seated position much more smooth and graceful than her husband’s. When she forced herself to open her eyes, she could see the three ladies in waiting smiling brightly at her, Amethyst indeed bearing her a large tray heavy with quail eggs, turkey sausage and hot biscuits, all smothered in rich gravy that nearly disguised her breakfast completely.

“Dear Amethyst, you know my appetite isn’t all that large,” she cooed tolerably, wishing her husband would let her order a fruit bowl instead for just one meal.

Her husband wrapped a surprisingly scrawny arm around her waist and dragged her a little closer to his side of the bed. “Eat it anyway, love. You’re getting thinner again, and that’s not healthy.”

An order from her husband. There was no choice but obedience now. Perdita nodded assent and politely tucked into her breakfast with her mate.

As her hand reluctantly brought mouthful after mouthful to her lips, the neat little black cat couldn’t help reflecting on where she might be if the king hadn’t been widowed for the second time when she came of age.

Duchess Sai always smelled of strawberries and peaches at early morning court, as did her husband. Did she secretly yearn for a heavy breakfast such as this? It would be terribly improper to ask, of course, but it wasn’t hard to see that the way the duke doted on his young wife. There just seemed to be something more… thoughtful about how he interacted with her, always so tender.

Her heart seemed to burn more hotly in response, but she didn’t dare let it show as she kept swallowing gravy and sugar as she was ordered.

After breakfast was the ritual of Lapis and Rose combing through her luxurious fur, which the current court poet loved comparing to sapphires. Amethyst busied herself with changing the bedsheets as the king left for his morning duties, using one of the last biscuits to eat a bit more gravy with a lazy smile.

Queen Perdita of the Cat Kingdom closed her blue eyes lingeringly, letting the specially-treated brushes run through her fur with all the gentleness of a summer’s breeze. ‘Clean your fur, clean the bed clothes… clean the memories of what will never be…’

She knew she didn’t have much to complain about. Phoebus has his list of faults, certainly, but at least he was doting. It didn’t matter how high the function, if he felt like a kiss or embrace, he was completely willing to let the court say what they will about his lack of decorum. Even when she would have rather not have an audience to such affection.

She was presented with only the finest clothes, the finest foods, but most importantly, the finest son she could have ever hoped for.

Her fixed smile turned genuine at the thought of her fine little boy, who was almost ready to have his twelfth birthday. It was probably uncharitable to think it, but she was grateful that her sweet prince hadn’t seemed to inherit much more from his father than the famous red eye of the royal family and an occasional bout of absent-mindedness.

As a result, he was mild-mannered, thoughtful, and a delight to be around.

If not for the childhood training of hiding her true emotions, Perdita would have surely flinched in guilt as Lapis helped to guide her into an expensive gown of silver brocade.

The blue hair had been trained from the cradle to be the perfect wife. It troubled her much more growing up, but she had more or less resigned herself to the fact that in order to be the perfect wife, she could never at any time form an opinion without consulting her husband to ensure they were perfectly synced in all things.

She took in a deep breath, wishing she could at the very most only tie a satin ribbon around her neck and be done with it, but her husband was obsessed with human fashion, at least on queens. He himself only wore golden armbands and the royal eye that was the badge of his office because his long fur would make him overheat if he wore additional clothes.

Perdita had to fight back a rebellious smile that although her husband adored human fashions, he wasn’t about to go shaving himself for it any time soon. For now, he was content in dressing up his wife like an oversized doll.

“There you are, your majesty! You’re a vision to behold,” Rose gushed as she and Lapis stepped back enough so that their queen could inspect her reflection in the large mirror in a corner of the royal suite.

The only way she could have appeared even more human was if her husband had resurrected the practice of stealing human brides for the royal line. Legends had it that even after the change was complete, some bit of their human selves would always remain the same.

Perdita fixed her usual smile into place, even though her heart still burning within her chest at the uncomfortable truth.

An oversized, heir-making doll.

ooOoo

Even lunch that day was unnecessarily heavy. Perdita tried to remember what she had been doing between getting dressed and sitting here beside her husband again, but for the life of her, she could barely focus her attention on anything around her.

She had always been fond of watercolor paintings, but now she almost felt like she was in the middle of one as it was being painted. Colors seemed to swirl and dance together in her vision, and everyone around her seemed noisier than usual. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she managed to look around her husband devouring a whole tuna casserole by himself at her dear son.

Lune seemed worried, trying to disguise the fact that he was keeping one eye on her at all times. He was barely touching the gravy mess in front of him, though she couldn’t tell if it was distaste or concern that was keeping him from eating.

Perdita could feel her heart swell with love once more. Why couldn’t her husband have been more like their son? All it would take it ten seconds of Phoebus to show this kind of concern over her, and perhaps she’d be enjoying a grass salad right now.

Or perhaps a nap. Why was she so tired? Not even her heart burn and raging stomach had managed to wake her up last night, and as the queen, about the only exercise she got was from a beaded fan or cutlery.

Her paw was shaking from the excursion of lifting caviar to her lips. Caviar, that weighed practically nothing, was making her arm ache like she was attempting to flip over the table!

Her stomach and jaw screamed in agony, making her put down the spoon for good. It was simply too much.

Almost on cue, the little sound was enough to make her husband turn enough to look at her with a warning glare.

“Shouldn’t you be using that?” he asked bluntly.

Perdita made a breathy sigh. “I’m sorry, dear, but I just can’t right now. I’ll eat more at supper, I promise.” 'If I were to wear a purse, would I be able to slip the food into it instead of my mouth? No. As long as I am queen, my every move will always be watched.’

The thought only made her feel worse. What was she, some creature locked up in a zoo? Meant only to be gawked at between the bars? Her heart pounded worse at what was feeling like an increasingly accurate analogy.

The Cat King’s glare got more dangerous. “Your fur isn’t as glossy as it was when we got married. Your eyes are getting duller, and you don’t laugh as much as you used to. If you would just eat a full meal every time, these things would get better.”

All true, at least the first half of his statement, but why did he say that out loud in front of the entire court? Everything had turned dead quiet in order to catch his majesty’s every word, right down to the musicians that should have been providing atmosphere.

Her son’s angry look made it clear that he would have at least waited for some privacy.

’Maybe if you would let me pick what I eat, I would eat everything!’ Perdita had been thinking it for years, but now her thoughts were threatening to bubble to the surface. “I can’t-” she tried to explain again, but he was already unloading half a partridge pie onto her almost full plate, pushing some anchovies off it and staining the cream-colored tablecloth.

“Eat it. All of it!” he commanded with the same volume he would have used addressing the entire kingdom.

Perdita looked down at her plate, seeing the fat and gravy literally turn the tablecloth into a disgusting misshapen ring of greys and browns around the dish. Her stomach threatened a second appearance of what she had already managed to choke down that day.

Taking in a deep breath, she pushed the plate away while uttering something she usually only dreamed of saying to her husband.

“No.”

Phoebus seemed to swell in his rage. “I am the KING!”

“And I am the queen who’s trying to keep her food down. It’s turning into a losing battle,” she managed to say, holding one paw to her midriff, praying that she wouldn’t actually throw up with the entire court watching.

Sure, the king did it on an almost nightly basis, but that was thanks to how much strong drink he consumed at supper. The queen couldn’t afford to do it, she had to be the embodiment of perfection! Who cared if the king made a fool of himself, but the queen would have caused a real scandal if she did the same!

It was all so unfair! It was always unfair, but the fact seemed to matter more in this moment.

“Simple enough, I order you to keep your food down, and to add this to it!” He shoved the plate back at her a little more harshly than he meant to.

Or so Perdita hoped. Instead of coming to rest in front of her, the plate collided with the front of her silver dress, sending hot gravy and more down her chest and ruining the expensive gown.

She knew she needed to be ladylike in expressing her pain, but it was the final straw. The dark blue cat tried to get out of her throne-like chair with a pained yelp.

But somewhere in the middle of that yelp, it felt like one of the guards had successfully skewered her with a spear, the pain was so intense. Her yelp cut itself off in surprise and sudden breathlessness.

She began falling, first painfully over the armrest, and then onto the marble floor next to the royal table.

The last thing she heard her husband say was, “I know that trick, Perdita! Sylvia used to use it on me all the time!”

The last thing she saw was her young prince hurrying to her side with a cry of “Mother!”

But what Perdita would never know, was how her final look of relief would be something that would haunt her precious Lune for the rest of his days.

[highland-gem-guardian]

The Price of Freedom

Prologue / Chapter One

2 years prior to the current day, a young Snapper couple experienced the happiest day of their lives months before an event that nobody could ever predict occurred. Word Count: 1771

Lore pinglist: @voidandstarlight @emordnilap-fr @fr-dew

The lighthearted bells of the small sanctuary rang in enthusiasm for the wedding about to take place.

Inside the small wooden chapel were at least a dozen of dragons of every size. They chattered excitedly about everything - from the great weather outside to the previous days goldmine of minerals mined to how adorable little Pelly looked as the ring bearer. The atmosphere was calm yet moving, as a day of passion and devotion should be.

The chattering was gradually hushed upon the appearance of an elderly Mirror to the crooked old organ in front of the rows of benches. With a quick stretch of his finned arms and a rather painfully loud crack of his fingers, he set to work waking up the tired instrument and forcing it to once again play the song of welcome, rejoice and love.

Smiling faces and well-meaning eyes moved over to the where the groom was now standing and awaiting his betrothed. The feminine folk of the service with their best silks and jewels whispered eagerly about his dashing outfit and his strong muscles. Meanwhile their more stout companions grinned at the groom from across the room, knowing all too well that a good night of mischief and partying lay ahead for most of them. His best man, a dark teal-coloured Guardian with a long but neatly tied up mane with a few straggled ends escaping down his face, also turned to smile softly at him. The best man leaned in and whispered quietly to the groom.

“Not long now until your freedom is gone, Hem.”

Hematite averted his gaze to his best man. He quickly flashed of look of warning to the Guardian as if to say “do not speak like that on my special day, I KNOW what I am doing” but on the outside he gave a forced hearty laugh and whispered back.

“Haha, I know man. She isn’t what you guys are used to. I know her for who she really is and that is the dragoness that I am marrying today. I would rather spend my life with her if it meant-”

His whisper was cut off by the sudden appearance of his soon-to-be wife down the aisle from where he stood. His mouth gaped in a mixture of awe and surprise, but he quickly regained himself and neatened up his posture for the ceremony ahead of him.

Meanwhile at the opposite end of the aisle, A timid young Snapper now hung around the door nervously as all eyes turned to her with soft gasps escaping from the lips of some of the silk-covered dragons. On her head was a fat, round desert frog. Everybody there knew she couldn’t do anything without the thing, but some people spoke lowly in disgust. The frog simply croaked.

Dressed in a fine guise of pale green silk, Emerald’s outfit of marriage was also adorned with beautiful yet simple copper jewelry. She knew of the psychic and healing abilities that came with the ore, and she hoped that it would put her soon-to-be-husbands worrisome mind at ease. As she began slowly making her way to her beloved with her dedicated friend Crag walking besides her slowly and an excited trio of Skydancer hatchlings skipping onwards in front with light giggles and flower petals all around, she felt a sudden surge filling the room from the bangles around her wrists. It felt like all had become calm and organised, like everything was in order and she was ready for anything that was to come up ahead. She was at peace. She only wished her partner was as well.

As she walked forwards, she heard the whispering of some of the guests. She took a deep breath as she attempted to keep the order from her heart in the room. Some of them still found a way to slip into her ears.

“She looks absolutely stunning! What a lucky man that Hematite is.”

“Pelly will be shouting out this news for the whole world to hear for the next year likely. Not entirely looking forward to it.”

“Such a lovely dress that is. I wonder who designed it?” A teenage pearly coloured Guardian draped in seashells gasped as her eyes gazed adoringly over the bride-to-be’s outfit.

“It’s such a shame they couldn’t be here to see this. They would have been absolutely delighted to see them two married at last. Let us hope they return soon.” She heard an unknown voice mutter from nearest to her, but never turned around to see who had said it or to realize it was meant directly for her.

Now joining Hematite at the altar was the officiant herself. The figure’s eyes were completely covered by a blessed veil of the Lightweaver Herself, yet she watched as the couple reunited and exchanged a few quiet words complimenting each others beauty before clearing her throat lightly and beginning the ceremony. The excitable Mirror at the organ finished his piece with a flourish and a big grin before slinking back to the side at the sudden stern look of the veiled Bogsneak.

“Friends, family and others who have gathered here today to witness the union of Emerald Turqvine and Hematite Phenaline below the skies and beneath the gaze of the Creators Eleven.” The figure, a soothsayer named Glainn, started the ceremony.

”You have been invited from near and far to offer your love and support to their union, and to allow them to begin their life of marriage surrounded by the support of those closest to them.”

Glainn took another moment to clear her throat again before continuing, her voice beginning to sound rather broken and hoarse.

“Emerald and Hematite thank you for your presence here today. They also wish for us to show remembrance for the loved ones who cannot be here to share this moment with them. To those people, may they be at peace in the Elevens service and care, they too hold dear in their hearts...”

Hematite noticed Emerald’s head droop slightly and knew who she must have been thinking of upon hearing those words. He quietly prayed to Tidelord for the wrinkly old soothsayer to hurry up and get to the vows.

“And now.” The croaky officiant had finally come round to the sharing of vows at long last. Hematite quietly sighed with relief, noting his partners giggle in front of him as she lovingly watched him.

“Hematite. Please take Emerald’s hand and repeat after me.” She spoke sternly to him after her speech of togetherness and devotion.

“Emerald, I take you as you are on this day as I love you for who you are and who you are yet to become. I am grateful to you for our love and for your life, I am to be patient with you and with myself, to fill our lives with adventure and our home with laughter, for our hatchlings to be birthed and grow blessed and healthy. To inspire you to grow as an individual and love you with my complete devotion. I pledge these before you in the company of our chosen friends and family.”

Hematite repeated after her with a sense of duty and happiness. He had wanted to tell Emerald all of these things for years now, but never had the words for it. Perhaps they got lost in his mind or his messy notebooks, or with the amount of stress on top of them both as they… No. Don’t think of that on your wedding day. Enjoy yourself.

“And Emerald.” Glainn garbled on. Both she and Emerald repeated after one another the vows. Finally the moment both of the young Snappers had been waiting for arrived.

“Hematite. Do you take Emerald to be your wife?”

“I do.” He spoke softly, his deep eyes never leaving the pale brown ones on the face of his almost-wife.

“And Emerald. Do you take Hematite to be your husband?”

“I do!” She squeaked a little from her nerves, causing a little giggle to escape from the audience that was quickly hushed.She blushed heavily and Hematite found his heart beating faster with absolute love for her.

“And now we shall present the rings.”

Finally little PelicanBill had his time to shine. He straddled over to the couple proudly, raising the eyebrows of the officiant and causing most of the audience to fall into a fit of giggles. He arrived at Glainn who promptly took the cushion where two beautiful rings lay and then proceeded to shoo little Pelly back to his corner with the rest of the children. He honked at her in petty annoyance before scooting back just in time to miss her hind foot.

The aging Bogsneak steadied herself and turned back to face the amused couple. Holding the ring cushion she continued the ceremony. Soon after the rings - a gorgeous drop of glimmering Jade for her and a deep, soothing drop of Lapis for him - were blessed and on the nails of the two lovers. Finally the ceremony concluded and with a relieved grin, Glainn spoke out to the audience.

“Hematite and Emerald, you have come here today of your own free will and in the presence of family and friends, have declared your love and commitment to each other. You have given and received a ring as a symbol of your promises. By the power of your love and commitment to each other, and by the power vested in me by Her Radiance The Lightweaver, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now share your first kiss as husband and wife. Congratulations. Friends and family, I now present to you the newly married couple. Please give your congratulations for the newly weds!”

The chapel erupted in applause and cheers as the married couple leaned in and pressed their lips together. Despite the sudden disappearance of the founder and the near collapse of authority, they were now all here still with their jobs, their homes and at the wedding of the two who stood up to regain control. After most of the audience gave their personal congratulations and left, Hematite and Emerald were finally left alone together in the chapel. They both hugged each other, thankful that their wedding went smoothly, and then got back to discussing business and their town in wake of the after-party tonight.

If there was one mutual feeling shared in the celebrations today, it was the feeling that things were finally looking up to the better and their peaceful lives would could go on as usual.

Oh, how good those mutual feelings of ignorance where back then.

[darlinglissa]

Had! The 🤣 manifestation of Nuit.

The 🤘 unveiling of the 🤘 company of heaven. 👼

Every man 👨‍🔧 and every woman 👱‍♀️ is a star. *️⃣

Every number 6️⃣ is infinite; there is no 👎 difference.

Help 🆘 me, o warrior lord 👑 of Thebes, in my 😊 unveiling before the 🤘 Children 👨‍👦‍👦 of men! ♂️♂️♂️

Be thou Hadit, my 😊 secret 😉 centre, my 😊 heart 💜 & my 😊 tongue! 😛

Behold! it is revealed by Aiwass the 🤘 minister of Hoor-paar-kraat.

The 🤣 Khabs is in the 🤣 Khu, not ⏳ the 🤘 Khu in the 🤘 Khabs.

Worship 🕌🛐 then the 🤘 Khabs, and behold my 😀 light 🚦💡🔆 shed over 🤭 you! 🤟

Let my 😊😊😊 servants be few & secret: ㊙️ they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 shall rule 🚷 the 🤣🤣🤣 many & the 🤘 known.

These are 👉 fools that men 🤼‍♂️ adore; both their Gods & their men ♂️ are 👉 fools.

Come forth, o children, 👨‍👨‍👦 under 🔞 the 🤣 stars, 🌌🎇 & take your fill of love! ❤️

I 😀 am above 🆙 you 😊 and in you. 😀 My 😊 ecstasy is in yours. My 😀 joy 😊 is to see 👁️ your joy. 😊

Above, 🆙 the 🤘 gemmèd azure is

The 🤣 naked splendour of Nuit;

She 💁‍♀️ bends in ecstasy to kiss 😗😚

The 🤣🤣🤣 secret 😉 ardours of Hadit.

The 🤣 wingèd globe, 🌐 the 🤣 starry 🤩 blue, 🔽

Are 👉 mine, O Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

Now ye ☑️ shall know that the 🤘 chosen priest & apostle of infinite space 👨‍🚀 is the 🤘 prince-priest 🤴 the 🤘 Beast; and in his 🐍 woman 👰 called 🤙 the 🤣 Scarlet Woman 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 is all power 🔌 given. They 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦👩‍👩‍👦‍👦👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 shall gather my 😀 children 👩‍👩‍👦👨‍👦‍👦 into their fold: 🙏 they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 shall bring the 🤣 glory of the 🤘 stars ⭐ into the 🤣 hearts 😻 of men. 🚹

For 🈺 he 💁‍♂️ is ever a sun, 🌦️ and she 💁‍♀️ a moon. 🌚 But 😥😥😥 to him is the 🤣 winged secret ㊙️ flame, 🔥 and to her 💁‍♂️💁‍♂️💁‍♂️ the 🤣 stooping starlight.

But 😥 ye ☑️ are 👉 not ⏳ so 🆘 chosen.

Burn upon their brows, 🥸 o splendrous serpent!

O azure-lidded woman, 👩 bend upon them!

The 🤣 key 🗝️ of the 🤣 rituals is in the 🤘 secret ㊙️ word 🆑 which I 😀 have 🈶 given unto him.

With the 🤣 God & the 🤣 Adorer 🥰 I 😊 am nothing: 🈶 they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 do not 🈶 see 🙈👀 me. They 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 are 👉 as upon the 🤣 earth; I 😊 am Heaven, 👼 and there is no 🙉 other God than me, and my 😊 lord 👑 Hadit.

Now, therefore, I 😀 am known to ye 🉑 by my 😊😊😊 name 📛 Nuit, and to him by a secret 🔏 name 📛 which I 😊 will give him when at last ⏮️ he 💁‍♂️ knoweth me. Since I 😊 am Infinite Space, 🌚 and the 🤘 Infinite Stars ✡️ thereof, do ye ☑️ also thus. Bind nothing! ⏳ Let there be no 🇳🇴 difference made among you 🤟 between any one 🔞 thing 🤣 & any other thing; for 🈺 thereby there cometh hurt. 🩸

But 😥 whoso availeth in this, let him be the 🤣🤣🤣 chief of all!

I 😀 am Nuit, and my 😀 word 🆚 is six 🕕🔯 and fifty.

Divide, 🈹 add, multiply, ✖️ and understand.

Then saith the 🤣 prophet and slave of the 🤘 beauteous one: 🩱🔞🕜 Who am I, 😀 and what 😦😦😦 shall be the 🤘 sign? 🏧 So 🆘 she 💁‍♀️ answered ✅ him, bending down, ↘️ a lambent flame 🔥 of blue, 🔀 all-touching, all penetrant, her 💁‍♂️ lovely hands 👈👬 upon the 🤣 black ⚫ earth, 🌐 & her 💁‍♂️ lithe body arched for 🔰🔰🔰 love, 💚 and her 💁‍♂️ soft 🍦 feet 🚶‍♀️ not ⏳ hurting 🩸 the 🤣 little flowers: 🌼 Thou knowest! And the 🤘 sign 💲 shall be my 😊 ecstasy, the 🤘 consciousness of the 🤘 continuity of existence, the 🤣 omnipresence of my 😊 body.

Then the 🤣 priest answered ✅ & said unto the 🤣 Queen 👸 of Space, 👩‍🚀🌕 kissing 😗 her 💁‍♂️ lovely brows, 🥸🥸🥸 and the 🤘 dew of her 💁‍♂️ light 💡 bathing ♨️ his 🐍 whole body in a sweet-smelling 🍯 perfume of sweat: 😓 O Nuit, continuous one 🕐 of Heaven, 👼 let it be ever thus; that men 🙆‍♂️ speak 🙊 not 🈶 of Thee as One 🩱 but 😥😥😥 as None; and let them speak 🙊 not 🈶 of thee at all, since thou art 🎭 continuous!

None, breathed the 🤘 light, 🪔🚨 faint & færy, of the 🤣 stars, ⭐ and two. ✌️

For 🔰 I 😊😊😊 am divided for 🔰 love’s sake, 🍶 for 🈺 the 🤣 chance of union. 🇪🇺

This is the 🤣 creation of the 🤣 world, 🌎 that the 🤣 pain of division is as nothing, 🈚 and the 🤘 joy 😊 of dissolution all.

For 🔰 these fools of men 🙆‍♂️ and their woes care 🫂 not 🈶 thou at all! They 💁 feel little; what 😦 is, is balanced by weak joys; but 😥 ye 👍 are 👉 my 😊 chosen ones. 🕜

Obey my 😊 prophet! follow out 😵 the 🤘 ordeals of my 😊 knowledge! 📗 seek me only! Then the 🤣 joys 😂😊 of my 😊 love 💌 will redeem ye ✔️ from 😤 all pain. This is so: 🆘 I 😀 swear 🤬 it by the 🤣 vault of my 😀 body; by my 😊 sacred heart 👩‍❤️‍👨 and tongue; by all I 😀 can give, by all I 😊 desire of ye 🆗 all.

Then the 🤘 priest fell into a deep trance or swoon, & said unto the 🤣 Queen 👸👸👸 of Heaven; Write 📝 unto us the 🤘 ordeals; write ✏️ unto us the 🤘 rituals; write 📝 unto us the 🤣 law! 🚨

But 😥 she 💁‍♀️ said: the 🤘 ordeals I 😀 write ✒️ not: ⏳ the 🤣 rituals shall be half known and half concealed: the 🤣 Law 🧑‍⚖️👮‍♂️©️ is for 🈺 all.

This that thou writest is the 🤘 threefold book 📙 of Law. ©️

My 😀 scribe Ankh-af-na-khonsu, the 🤣 priest of the 🤘 princes, 🤴 shall not 🈶 in one 🔞 letter 🅰️ change this book; but 😥 lest there be folly, he 💁‍♂️ shall comment thereupon by the 🤘 wisdom of Ra-Hoor-Khu-it.

Also the 🤣 mantras and spells; the 🤘 obeah and the 🤣 wanga; the 🤣 work 🏢 of the 🤣 wand 🪄🪄🪄 and the 🤣 work 🏢 of the 🤘 sword; these he 💁‍♂️ shall learn 🎓 and teach. 🏫

He 💁‍♂️ must teach; but 😥 he 💁‍♂️ may make severe the 🤘 ordeals.

The 🤘 word 🔜 of the 🤘 Law ⚖️ is Θελημα.

Who calls 🤙 us Thelemites will do no 🙅‍♂️🚳😣 wrong, if he 💁‍♂️ look 👁️ but 😥 close into the 🤘 word. 💬🆘 For 🔰 there are 👉 therein Three 🕞 Grades, 🈴 the 🤘 Hermit, and the 🤣 Lover, 😻 and the 🤣 man 💆‍♂️ of Earth. 🌐🌐🌐 Do what 😦 thou wilt 🥀 shall be the 🤣 whole of the 🤘 Law. 👮‍♂️

The 🤘 word 🔝 of Sin is Restriction. O man! 🧛‍♂️ refuse not 🈶 thy wife, if she 💁‍♀️ will! O lover, 🥰 if thou wilt, 🥀 depart! There is no 🚳 bond that can unite the 🤘 divided but 😥 love: 💛👨‍👩‍👦 all else is a curse. Accursèd! Accursèd be it to the 🤣 æons! Hell.

Let it be that state 🇫🇲 of manyhood bound and loathing. So 🆘 with thy all; thou hast no 🙅‍♀️🙈🙅‍♀️🙈🙅‍♀️🙈 right 🤜 but 😥 to do thy will.

Do that, and no 🚷 other shall say 🗣️ nay.

For 🈺 pure 🤍 will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from 😤 the 🤘 lust of result, is every way 🌌 perfect. 👌

The 🤘 Perfect 👌 and the 🤘 Perfect 💯 are 👉 one 🔞 Perfect 💯 and not ⏳ two; nay, are 👉 none!

Nothing 🈚 is a secret 😉 key 🔑🗝️ of this law. 🧑‍⚖️ Sixty-one 🕐🩱 the 🤣🤣🤣 Jews call 🤙 it; I 😊 call 🤙 it eight, 🕗 eighty, four 🕓 hundred 💯 & eighteen. 🔞

But 😥 they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 have 🈶 the 🤘 half: unite by thine art 🎭 so 🆘 that all disappear.

My 😊 prophet is a fool with his 🐍 one, 🕐 one, 🕜🩱 one; are 👉 not ⏳ they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 the 🤘 Ox, and none by the 🤣 Book? 📖

Abrogate are 👉 all rituals, all ordeals, all words 🔠 and signs. ♏♏♏ Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his 🐍 seat 💺 in the 🤘 East 🌏🌏🌏 at the 🤣 Equinox of the 🤣 Gods; and let Asar be with Isa, who also are 👉 one. 🩱 But 😥 they 💁 are 👉 not ⏳ of me. Let Asar be the 🤣 adorant, Isa the 🤣 sufferer; Hoor in his 🐍 secret ㊙️😉🔏 name 📛 and splendour is the 🤘 Lord 👑 initiating.

There is a word 🗨️ to say 🗣️ about the 🤘 Hierophantic task. Behold! there are 👉 three 🕞 ordeals in one, 🩱 and it may be given in three 🕞 ways. 🌌🌌🌌 The 🤣 gross 🤢 must pass 🈴 through fire; let the 🤘 fine be tried in intellect, and the 🤣 lofty chosen ones 🕜🔞 in the 🤘 highest. Thus ye ✔️🉑 have 🈶 star ✡️🌟*️⃣🌌 & star, 🎇💫 system & system; let not ⏳ one 🕜🕐 know well the 🤘 other!

There are 👉 four 🕟🕓 gates to one 🕜🩱 palace; the 🤣 floor 🤣 of that palace is of silver and gold; lapis lazuli & jasper are 👉 there; and all rare scents; jasmine & rose, 🌹 and the 🤣🤣🤣 emblems 🔱 of death. 💀 Let him enter ↩️ in turn or at once the 🤣 four 🍀 gates; let him stand 🧍🧍🧍 on the 🤘 floor 🤣 of the 🤣 palace. Will he 💁‍♂️ not 🈶 sink? Amn. Ho! warrior, if thy servant sink? But 😥 there are 👉 means 😏 and means. 😏 Be goodly therefore: dress 🥻🥻🥻 ye 🉑 all in fine apparel; eat 🍽️ rich 🤑 foods 🧑‍🍳 and drink 🍸 sweet 🧁 wines 🍇 and wines 🥂 that foam! Also, take your fill and will of love 💏 as ye ☑️ will, when, where and with whom ye 👍🉑 will! But 😥 always unto me.

If this be not 🈶 aright; if ye ☑️ confound 😖 the 🤘 space-marks, ✔️ saying: 🗣️ They 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 are 👉 one; or saying, 🗣️ They 💁 are 👉 many; if the 🤘 ritual be not 🈶 ever unto me: then expect the 🤘 direful judgments of Ra Hoor Khuit!

This shall regenerate the 🤣 world, 🌍🌎🌍🌎🌍🌎 the 🤣 little world 🗺️ my 😊 sister, my 😀 heart 🥰 & my 😀 tongue, 😜 unto whom I 😊 send this kiss. 😘 Also, o scribe and prophet, though thou be of the 🤣 princes, 🤴 it shall not 🈶 assuage thee nor absolve thee. But 😥 ecstasy be thine and joy 😁 of earth: 🌐 ever To me! To me!

Change not ⏳ as much as the 🤘 style 💈 of a letter; for 🔰 behold! thou, o prophet, shalt not 🈶 behold all these mysteries hidden therein.

The 🤣 child 👪 of thy bowels, he 💁‍♂️ shall behold them.

Expect him not ⏳ from 😤 the 🤘 East, 🌏 nor from 😤 the 🤣 West; for 🈺 from 😤 no 🇳🇴 expected house 🪴🪴🪴 cometh that child. 🚼 Aum! All words 🔠🆕 are 👉 sacred and all prophets true; save 📑📑📑 only that they 💁 understand a little; solve the 🤣 first 🌛🌓 half of the 🤘 equation, leave 🍂 the 🤘 second 🥈 unattacked. But 😥😥😥 thou hast all in the 🤘 clear light, 🏮 and some, though not 🈶 all, in the 🤣 dark. 🔦

Invoke me under 🔞 my 😊 stars! ✳️ Love 💘 is the 🤘 law, 👮‍♂️ love 💝 under 🔞 will. Nor let the 🤣 fools mistake love; for 🔰 there are 👉 love 💓😚💑💓😚💑💓😚💑 and love. 🥰 There is the 🤣 dove, 🕊️ and there is the 🤣🤣🤣 serpent. Choose ye 👍 well! He, 💁‍♂️ my 😀 prophet, hath chosen, knowing the 🤘 law ⚖️ of the 🤘 fortress, and the 🤘 great 🇬🇧 mystery of the 🤘 House 🚪 of God.

All these old 🗝️ letters Ⓜ️ of my 😊 Book 📚 are 👉 aright; but 😥 צ is not 🈶 the 🤣 Star. 🌌✨ This also is secret: 🤐 my 😀😀😀 prophet shall reveal it to the 🤘 wise.

I 😀 give unimaginable joys 😄 on earth: 🌐 certainty, not ⏳ faith, while in life, 🧬 upon death; peace ✌️ unutterable, rest, 🛌 ecstasy; nor do I 😀 demand aught in sacrifice.

My 😀 incense is of resinous woods 🪵 & gums; and there is no 🙊 blood 🧛 therein: because of my 😊 hair 👱 the 🤣 trees 🌴 of Eternity.

My 😀 number 🔟 is 11, as all their numbers 🔢🔢🔢 who are 👉 of us. The 🤘 Five 🕠 Pointed ↖️ Star, ✴️ with a Circle ©️ in the 🤘 Middle, 🖕 & the 🤣 circle ⚪ is Red. ⭕ My 😊 colour is black 🖤 to the 🤣 blind, 🧑‍🦯🦮 but 😥 the 🤣 blue 💙 & gold are 👉 seen of the 🤘 seeing. 👀🙈 Also I 😊 have 🈶 a secret 🤐 glory for 🔰 them that love ❣️ me.

But 😥 to love 💟 me is better 🎰 than all things: if under 🔞 the 🤘 night 🌃 stars 🌃 in the 🤣 desert 🏝️ thou presently burnest mine incense before me, invoking me with a pure 🤍 heart, 👩‍❤️‍👩 and the 🤣 Serpent flame 🔥 therein, thou shalt come a little to lie 🤥🤥🤥 in my 😊 bosom. For 🈺 one 🕐🩱🕜 kiss 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩😽💏 wilt 🥀 thou then be willing to give all; but 😥 whoso gives one 🩱 particle of dust shall lose all in that hour. Ye 👍 shall gather goods 🤞🤞🤞 and store 🏬 of women 👭 and spices; ye 🉑 shall wear 👳‍♀️👳 rich 🤑 jewels; ye 👍 shall exceed the 🤣 nations 🇬🇸 of the 🤣 earth 🌐 in splendour & pride; but 😥 always in the 🤣 love 💞💒 of me, and so 🆘 shall ye 🆗 come to my 😀 joy. 😹 I 😊 charge 🈶 you 🤟 earnestly to come before me in a single 🔂 robe, and covered 📔 with a rich 🤑 headdress. 👳 I 😀 love 💒👨‍❤️‍👨 you! 😀 I 😊 yearn to you! 😊 Pale or purple, 🟪 veiled 👰‍♀️👰‍♂️👰‍♀️👰‍♂️👰‍♀️👰‍♂️ or voluptuous, I 😊 who am all pleasure and purple, 🟣 and drunkenness of the 🤘 innermost sense, desire you. 🤟 Put on the 🤘 wings, 💸 and arouse the 🤘 coiled splendour within you: 🤟 come unto me!

At all my 😀 meetings with you 😀🤟😀🤟😀🤟 shall the 🤘 priestess say—and her 💁‍♂️ eyes 😉 shall burn with desire as she 💁‍♀️ stands bare and rejoicing in my 😊 secret 🔏 temple—To me! To me! calling 🤙🤙🤙 forth the 🤘 flame 🔥 of the 🤣 hearts 🧡 of all in her 💁‍♂️ love-chant. ❣️

Sing 🎙️ the 🤘 rapturous love-song 🧑‍🎤 unto me! Burn to me perfumes! Wear 👳‍♀️👳 to me jewels! 🔸💠 Drink 🍻 to me, for 🈺 I 😀 love 👨‍👩‍👦 you! 😊 I 😀 love 💏 you! 🤟

I 😀 am the 🤘 blue-lidded ℹ️ daughter of Sunset; I 😀 am the 🤣 naked brilliance of the 🤣🤣🤣 voluptuous night-sky. 🔞

To me! To me!

The 🤘 Manifestation of Nuit is at an end. 🔚

Chapter II

Nu! the 🤘 hiding of Hadit.

Come! all ye, 🆗☑️ and learn 📖 the 🤘 secret ㊙️ that hath not 🈶 yet been revealed. I, 😀 Hadit, am the 🤣 complement of Nu, my 😀 bride. 👰 I 😀 am not ⏳ extended, and Khabs is the 🤣 name 📛 of my 😊 House. 🛖🏚️

In the 🤣 sphere I 😊 am everywhere the 🤣 centre, as she, 💁‍♀️ the 🤣 circumference, is nowhere found.

Yet she 💁‍♀️ shall be known & I 😊 never.

Behold! the 🤘 rituals of the 🤘 old 👨‍🦳 time 🕥 are 👉 black. ⬛ Let the 🤣 evil 🦹‍♂️ ones 🔞 be cast away; let the 🤣 good ✨❇️ ones 🕜🕐 be purged by the 🤘 prophet! Then shall this Knowledge 📖 go aright.

I 😀 am the 🤣 flame 🔥 that burns in every heart 👨‍❤️‍👨 of man, 👨‍🦯 and in the 🤘 core of every star. ✨ I 😊 am Life, 🧬 and the 🤣 giver of Life, 🧬 yet therefore is the 🤣 knowledge 📕 of me the 🤘 knowledge 📕 of death. ☠️

I 😊 am the 🤘 Magician and the 🤘🤘🤘 Exorcist. I 😀 am the 🤣 axle of the 🤣 wheel, 🎡 and the 🤣 cube in the 🤘🤘🤘 circle. ®️ «Come unto me» is a foolish word: 🆔 for 🈺 it is I 😊 that go.

Who worshipped Heru-pa-kraath have 🈶 worshipped me; ill, 😷 for 🔰 I 😀 am the 🤣 worshipper. 🕍

Remember all ye 🉑 that existence is pure 🤍 joy; that all the 🤘 sorrows are 👉 but 😥 as shadows; they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 pass 🈴 & are 👉 done; but 😥 there is that which remains.

O prophet! thou hast ill 🤢 will to learn 🧑‍🎓 this writing. 📝✍️

I 😊 see 👀 thee hate 😡 the 🤣 hand 👭🖖🧑‍🤝‍🧑 & the 🤣 pen; but 😥 I 😀 am stronger. 💪

Because of me in Thee which thou knewest not. 🈶

for 🈺 why? Because thou wast the 🤣 knower, and me.

Now let there be a veiling 👰‍♂️ of this shrine: ⛩️ now let the 🤘 light 🚈🔆 devour men 🚹🚹🚹 and eat 🍽️ them up with blindness!

For 🔰 I 😊 am perfect, 👌 being Not; and my 😀 number 4️⃣ is nine 🕤 by the 🤣 fools; but 😥 with the 🤘 just I 😊 am eight, 🕣 and one 🔞🕜🕐 in eight: 🕣 Which is vital, for 🔰 I 😀 am none indeed. The 🤘 Empress and the 🤘 King 👑 are 👉 not ⏳ of me; for 🈺 there is a further secret. ㊙️

I 😀 am The 🤣 Empress & the 🤣 Hierophant. Thus eleven, 🕚 as my 😀 bride 👰 is eleven. 🕦

Hear 🙉 me, ye ✔️☑️ people 👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 of sighing!

The 🤣 sorrows of pain and regret

Are 👉 left 🔍⬅️ to the 🤣🤣🤣 dead 🧟 and the 🤘 dying,

The 🤘 folk that not 🈶 know me as yet.

These are 👉 dead, ⚰️ these fellows; they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 feel not. ⏳ We 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 are 👉 not 🈶 for 🔰 the 🤣 poor and sad: 😥🙍‍♀️😥🙍‍♀️😥🙍‍♀️ the 🤘 lords 👑 of the 🤘 earth 🌐 are 👉 our kinsfolk.

Is a God to live in a dog? 🐩 No! 🙊 but 😥 the 🤣 highest are 👉 of us. They 💁 shall rejoice, our chosen: who sorroweth is not 🈶 of us.

Beauty 💅 and strength, leaping laughter 😅 and delicious 😋😋😋 languor, force and fire, 📛 are 👉 of us.

We 🌿 have 🈶 nothing 🈚 with the 🤣 outcast and the 🤘 unfit: let them die ⚰️ in their misery. For 🔰 they 💁 feel not. ⏳ Compassion is the 🤘 vice of kings: 👑 stamp down ⤵️↙️ the 🤣 wretched & the 🤣 weak: this is the 🤣 law ™️💼👮‍♂️🚔 of the 🤘 strong: 💪 this is our law 🚓 and the 🤣 joy 😂 of the 🤘 world. 🌎 Think 🤔 not, 🈶 o king, 👑 upon that lie: 🤥 That Thou Must Die: ⚰️⚱️ verily thou shalt not 🈶 die, ⚰️ but 😥 live. Now let it be understood: If the 🤣 body of the 🤣 King ��� dissolve, he 💁‍♂️ shall remain in pure 🤍 ecstasy for 🔰 ever. Nuit! Hadit! Ra-Hoor-Khuit! The 🤘 Sun, 🌤️🌞 Strength & Sight, 🔦 Light; these are 👉 for 🈺 the 🤣 servants of the 🤣 Star *️⃣ & the 🤣 Snake. 🐍

I 😀 am the 🤣 Snake 🐍 that giveth Knowledge 📙 & Delight and bright 🔆 glory, and stir the 🤘 hearts 💜 of men 👯‍♂️ with drunkenness. To worship 🛐 me take wine 🍶 and strange drugs 💉 whereof I 😊 will tell 🗣 my 😊 prophet, & be drunk 🥃 thereof! They 💁 shall not ⏳ harm 🩸 ye 🉑 at all. It is a lie, 🤥 this folly against self. The 🤘 exposure of innocence is a lie. 🤥 Be strong, 💪 o man! 🕺 lust, enjoy all things of sense and rapture: fear 😱 not ⏳ that any God shall deny ❎ thee for 🈺 this.

I 😀 am alone: there is no 👎 God where I 😀 am.

Behold! these be grave 🪦 mysteries; for 🔰 there are 👉 also of my 😊 friends 🐶 who be hermits. Now think 🤔 not ⏳ to find 🔎 them in the 🤣 forest or on the 🤣 mountain; but 😥 in beds 🛏️ of purple, 💟💟💟 caressed by magnificent beasts of women ♀️🚺 with large 🌥️⬜⬛🔶 limbs, 🦵 and fire 🔥 and light 🪔 in their eyes, 😙 and masses of flaming 🔥 hair 👱‍♂️ about them; there shall ye 🆗 find 🔍 them. Ye 🆗✔️ shall see 🙈 them at rule, 🚷 at victorious armies, 🪖 at all the 🤘 joy; and there shall be in them a joy 😀 a million times 🕟🕢 greater 🇬🇧 than this. Beware lest any force another, King 🤴 against King! 👑👑👑 Love 💞 one 🕐🩱 another with burning hearts; on the 🤘 low 🔈 men 🤼‍♂️ trample in the 🤘🤘🤘 fierce lust of your pride, 🏳️‍🌈 in the 🤣 day of your wrath.

Ye 👍 are 👉 against the 🤘 people, 👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 O my 😊 chosen!

I 😊 am the 🤣 secret 🔏 Serpent coiled about to spring: 🎐 in my 😀 coiling there is joy. 😋 If I 😊 lift 🏋️ up my 😊 head, 🗣️🤯 I 😊 and my 😀 Nuit are 👉 one. 🩱 If I 😀 droop down ↙️ mine head, 🤕 and shoot 🌠 forth venom, then is rapture of the 🤘 earth, 🌐 and I 😀 and the 🤘 earth 🌐 are 👉 one. 🕐🩱

There is great 🇬🇧 danger ☢️☠️ in me; for 🔰 who doth not 🈶 understand these runes shall make a great 🇬🇧 miss. He 💁‍♂️ shall fall 🌻 down ↙️⬇️ into the 🤘 pit called 🤙 Because, and there he 💁‍♂️ shall perish with the 🤣🤣🤣 dogs 🐕‍🦺 of Reason.

Now a curse upon Because and his 🐍 kin!

May Because be accursèd for 🔰 ever!

If Will stops ⏹️⛔ and cries 🥲 Why, invoking Because, then Will stops 🚫 & does nought.

If Power 🪄 asks why, then is Power 🔋 weakness.

Also reason is a lie; for 🔰 there is a factor infinite & unknown; & all their words 🔜 are 👉 skew-wise.

Enough of Because! Be he 💁‍♂️ damned for 🈺 a dog! 🌭

But 😥 ye, ☑️ o my 😊 people, 👩‍👧‍👧 rise up & awake!

Let the 🤘 rituals be rightly performed 👯 with joy 😋 & beauty! 💅

There are 👉 rituals of the 🤣 elements and feasts of the 🤘 times. ⌚

A feast for 🔰 the 🤘 first 🥇 night 🌑 of the 🤘 Prophet and his 🐍 Bride! 👰

A feast for 🈺 the 🤘 three 🕞 days of the 🤣🤣🤣 writing 🖊️🖋️ of the 🤘 Book 📘📕📙 of the 🤣 Law. 👮‍♀️

A feast for 🈺 Tahuti and the 🤣 child 👨‍👩‍👧 of the 🤘 Prophet—secret, O Prophet!

A feast for 🈺 the 🤘 Supreme Ritual, and a feast for 🔰🔰🔰 the 🤘 Equinox of the 🤣 Gods.

A feast for 🔰🔰🔰 fire 📛🕯️🧑‍🚒 and a feast for 🔰 water; a feast for 🔰 life 🧬 and a greater 🇬🇧 feast for 🈺 death! ☠️

A feast every day in your hearts 💓💝 in the 🤣 joy 😂 of my 😀 rapture!

A feast every night 🌜🎇 unto Nu, and the 🤣 pleasure of uttermost delight!

Aye! feast! rejoice! there is no 👎 dread hereafter. There is the 🤣 dissolution, and eternal ecstasy in the 🤣 kisses of Nu.

There is death 🪦 for 🈺🈺🈺 the 🤣 dogs. 🐕🐶

Dost thou fail? 🏳️ Art 🎭 thou sorry? 💔💔💔 Is fear 😱 in thine heart? 💗

Where I 😀 am these are 👉 not. ⏳

Pity not 🈶 the 🤘 fallen! 🍂 I 😀 never knew them. I 😀 am not 🈶 for 🔰 them. I 😀 console 🎮 not: ⏳ I 😊 hate 😡 the 🤣 consoled & the 🤘 consoler. 🎮

I 😀 am unique & conqueror. I 😊😊😊 am not 🈶 of the 🤘 slaves that perish. Be they 💁 damned & dead! ⚰️ Amen. (This is of the 🤣 4: 🕓 there is a fifth who is invisible, & therein am I 😊 as a babe in an egg. 🐣 )

Blue 🎷 am I 😀😀😀 and gold in the 🤘 light 🎃 of my 😀 bride: 💒 but 😥 the 🤘 red 🍎 gleam is in my 😊 eyes; & my 😊 spangles are 👉 purple ♈ & green. ❇️🥬

Purple ⛎ beyond purple: ♑ it is the 🤘 light 🏮 higher 🔊🚄🆙👠 than eyesight. 👓

There is a veil: 👰 that veil 👰‍♂️ is black. ☑️ It is the 🤣 veil 👰‍♂️👰‍♀️ of the 🤣 modest woman; it is the 🤘 veil 👰‍♂️👰‍♀️ of sorrow, & the 🤘 pall of death: 🪦 this is none of me. Tear 📆 down ↙️ that lying 🤥 spectre of the 🤘 centuries: veil 👰‍♀️ not 🈶 your vices in virtuous words: 🔚 these vices are 👉 my 😊 service; ye 🆗✔️ do well, & I 😀 will reward you 😊🤟 here 📌📍📌📍📌📍 and hereafter.

Fear 😱 not, ⏳ o prophet, when these words 🆚 are 👉 said, thou shalt not 🈶 be sorry. 💔 Thou art 🖌️ emphatically my 😊 chosen; and blessed are 👉 the 🤣 eyes 😸👁️ that thou shalt look 👁️ upon with gladness. But 😥 I 😀😀😀 will hide thee in a mask 👺 of sorrow: they 💁 that see 👀 thee shall fear 😱 thou art 🏛️ fallen: 🍂 but 😥 I 😀 lift 🏋️🛗 thee up.

Nor shall they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 who cry 😭😢 aloud their folly that thou meanest nought avail; thou shall reveal it: thou availest: they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 are 👉 the 🤣 slaves of because: They 💁 are 👉 not ⏳ of me. The 🤘 stops 🚫 as thou wilt; the 🤘 letters? ✉️ change them not 🈶 in style 💈 or value!

Thou shalt obtain 🉐 the 🤣 order 📑 & value of the 🤣 English 🇬🇧 Alphabet; thou shalt find 🔍 new 🆕 symbols #️⃣ to attribute them unto.

Begone! ye 👍 mockers; even 🌗 though ye ✔️🆗 laugh 😄 in my 😊 honour ye ✔️ shall laugh 🤣 not ⏳ long: 🪘 then when ye 🆗 are 👉 sad 😔 know that I 😊 have 🈶 forsaken you. 🤟😊

He 💁‍♂️ that is righteous shall be righteous still; he 💁‍♂️ that is filthy shall be filthy still. 🧍

Yea! 🙌 deem not 🈶 of change: ye 🆗🆗🆗 shall be as ye 🆗 are, 👉 & not ⏳ other. Therefore the 🤣 kings 👑 of the 🤣 earth 🌐 shall be Kings 🤴 for 🔰 ever: the 🤣🤣🤣 slaves shall serve. There is none that shall be cast down ⏬ or lifted 🛗 up: all is ever as it was. Yet there are 👉 masked 👺 ones 🩱🕐 my 😊 servants: it may be that yonder beggar is a King. 👑👑👑 A King 🤴 may choose his 🐍 garment as he 💁‍♂️ will: there is no 🚳 certain test: 🧪 but 😥 a beggar cannot hide his 🐍 poverty.

Beware therefore! Love 💝 all, lest perchance is a King 👑 concealed! Say 🗣️ you 🤟 so? 🆘 Fool! If he 💁‍♂️ be a King, 🤴🤴🤴 thou canst not 🈶 hurt 🤕 him.

Therefore strike hard & low, 🔈 and to hell with them, master!

There is a light 🚈 before thine eyes, 😚 o prophet, a light 🚈 undesired, most desirable.

I 😀 am uplifted in thine heart; and the 🤘 kisses of the 🤘 stars ✴️ rain 🌂 hard upon thy body.

Thou art 🏛️🖌️🥋 exhaust in the 🤣 voluptuous fullness of the 🤘 inspiration; the 🤣 expiration is sweeter 🍭 than death, ☠️⚰️ more ➕ rapid and laughterful than a caress of Hell’s own worm. 🐛

Oh! thou art 🏛️🖌️ overcome: we 🌿 are 👉 upon thee; our delight is all over 🤭 thee: hail! hail: prophet of Nu! prophet of Had! prophet of Ra-Hoor-Khu! Now rejoice! now come in our splendour & rapture! Come in our passionate peace, ✌️ & write ✍️ sweet 🍬 words 🆔 for 🈺 the 🤘 Kings. 🤴

I 😀 am the 🤘 Master: thou art 🖌️ the 🤣 Holy Chosen One. 🕜

Write, 📝✍️✒️ & find 🔍 ecstasy in writing! ✒️ Work, 💼 & be our bed 🛌 in working! 🏗️ Thrill with the 🤘 joy 😄 of life 🧬 & death! 💀 Ah! thy death ⚰️ shall be lovely: whoso seeth it shall be glad. 😆 Thy death ⚰️🪦 shall be the 🤣 seal 🦭 of the 🤘 promise of our agelong love. 💑 Come! lift 🏋️‍♀️🛗 up thine heart 💞 & rejoice! We 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 are 👉 one; we 🌿 are 👉 none.

Hold! 👬 Hold! 👬 Bear 🐻 up in thy rapture; fall ⛅🎃🍁 not 🈶 in swoon of the 🤘 excellent kisses!

Harder! Hold 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 up thyself! Lift 🏋️‍♀️ thine head! 💆‍♂️ breathe 🫁 not ⏳⏳⏳ so 🆘 deep—die!

Ah! Ah! What 😦 do I 😊 feel? Is the 🤣 word 🆘🆖 exhausted?

There is help 🆘 & hope 🙏 in other spells. Wisdom says: 🗣️ be strong! 💪 Then canst thou bear 🐻‍❄️ more ➕ joy. 😹 Be not 🈶 animal; refine thy rapture! If thou drink, 🍵 drink 🍷 by the 🤘 eight 🕣✳️ and ninety rules 🚷 of art: 🖌️🏛️ if thou love, 💋 exceed by delicacy; and if thou do aught joyous, let there be subtlety therein!

But 😥 exceed! exceed!

Strive ever to more! ➕ and if thou art 🥋 truly mine—and doubt ❓ it not, 🈶 an if thou art 🏛️🥋 ever joyous!—death is the 🤘 crown 👸 of all.

Ah! Ah! Death! 🪦 Death! ⚱️ thou shalt long 🪘 for 🔰 death. ☠️ Death 🪦 is forbidden, 🈲 o man, 👨‍🍼 unto thee.

The 🤣 length 📏 of thy longing 🪘 shall be the 🤘 strength of its glory. He 💁‍♂️ that lives long 🪘 & desires death ⚱️ much is ever the 🤣 King 🤴 among the 🤣 Kings. 🤴

Aye! listen 👂 to the 🤣 numbers 2️⃣ & the 🤣 words: 🔝

4 🕟 6 🕡🕕 3 🕞 8 🕗 A B K 2 💕 4 🕟 A L G M O R 3 🕒 Y X 24 89 R P S T O V A L. What 😦 meaneth this, o prophet? Thou knowest not; nor shalt thou know ever. There cometh one 🩱🔞🕐 to follow thee: he 💁‍♂️ shall expound it. But 😥 remember, o chosen one, 🕜🩱 to be me; to follow the 🤘 love 👩‍❤️‍👨 of Nu in the 🤘 star-lit 🎇❇️🌟☪️ heaven; to look 👀 forth upon men, ♂️ to tell 🗣 them this glad 😆 word. 🔜

O be thou proud 😤 and mighty among men! 🙆‍♂️

Lift 🏋️ up thyself! for 🈺 there is none like 👬 unto thee among men 👴 or among Gods! Lift 🛗🏋️‍♀️ up thyself, o my 😊 prophet, thy stature shall surpass the 🤣 stars. ✳️ They 💁 shall worship 🛐 thy name, 📛 foursquare, mystic, wonderful, the 🤘 number 🔢🔢🔢 of the 🤘 man; and the 🤘 name 📛 of thy house 🛖 418.

The 🤘 end 🔚 of the 🤣 hiding of Hadit; and blessing & worship 🛐 to the 🤘 prophet of the 🤣 lovely Star! *️⃣

Chapter III

Abrahadabra; the 🤣 reward of Ra Hoor Khut.

There is division hither 🎯 homeward; there is a word 🆔 not 🈶 known. Spelling is defunct; all is not ⏳ aught. Beware! Hold! 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Raise the 🤣 spell of Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

Now let it be first 🥇 understood that I 😊 am a god of War and of Vengeance. I 😀 shall deal hardly with them.

Choose ye 🉑 an island! 🇮🇨

Fortify it!

Dung it about with enginery of war!

I 😊 will give you 😀 a war-engine. 🚒

With it ye ☑️☑️☑️ shall smite the 🤣 peoples; and none shall stand 🧍‍♀️ before you. 😀

Lurk! Withdraw! Upon them! this is the 🤣 Law 👮‍♀️🚔 of the 🤘 Battle of Conquest: thus shall my 😊😊😊 worship 🕍 be about my 😊 secret 🔏 house. 🛖

Get 🉐 the 🤘 stélé of revealing itself; set it in thy secret 🔏 temple—and that temple ⛩️ is already aright disposed—& it shall be your Kiblah for 🔰 ever. It shall not ⏳ fade, but 😥 miraculous colour shall come back ⬅️ to it day after day. Close it in locked 🔒 glass 🍷 for 🔰 a proof to the 🤘 world. 🗺️

This shall be your only proof. I 😀 forbid 🚫 argument. Conquer! That is enough. I 😊😊😊 will make easy to you 🤟 the 🤣 abstruction from 😤 the 🤣🤣🤣 ill-ordered 📑🤢 house 🏘️🏠 in the 🤣 Victorious City. 🇻🇦 Thou shalt thyself convey it with worship, 🛐 o prophet, though thou likest it not. 🈶 Thou shalt have 🈶 danger ❗ & trouble. Ra-Hoor-Khu is with thee. Worship 🕍🕌 me with fire 🧯 & blood; worship 🛐 me with swords ⚔️⚔️⚔️ & with spears. 🔱 Let the 🤣 woman 🙅‍♀️ be girt with a sword ⚔️ before me: let blood 💉💉💉 flow to my 😀 name. 📛 Trample down ⬇️ the 🤘 Heathen; be upon them, o warrior, I 😀 will give you 😀 of their flesh to eat! 🍽️

Sacrifice cattle, little and big: 😃 after a child. 👨‍👦

But 😥 not 🈶 now.

Ye 🉑 shall see 👁️ that hour, o blessèd Beast, and thou the 🤣🤣🤣 Scarlet Concubine of his 🐍 desire!

Ye ☑️ shall be sad 🙍‍♂️ thereof.

Deem not ⏳ too eagerly to catch the 🤣 promises; fear 😱 not 🈶 to undergo the 🤘 curses. Ye, 👍 even 🌆 ye, ✔️ know not ⏳ this meaning 😏 all.

Fear 😱 not ⏳ at all; fear 😱 neither men 👴 nor Fates, nor gods, nor anything. Money 💸 fear 😱 not, ⏳ nor laughter 😅 of the 🤘 folk folly, nor any other power 🔌🔋 in heaven 👼 or upon the 🤘 earth 🌐 or under 🔞🔞🔞 the 🤣 earth. 🌐 Nu is your refuge as Hadit your light; and I 😊 am the 🤣 strength, force, vigour, of your arms. 💪

Mercy 🥺 let be off: 📆 damn them who pity! Kill 🚬 and torture; spare not; be upon them!

That stélé they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 shall call 🤙 the 🤘 Abomination of Desolation; count well its name, 📛 & it shall be to you 🤟 as 718.

Why? Because of the 🤣 fall 🍁 of Because, that he 💁‍♂️ is not ⏳ there again.

Set up my 😊 image in the 🤣 East: 🌏 thou shalt buy 🛍️ thee an image which I 😀 will show 🌍 thee, especial, not 🈶 unlike the 🤘 one 🕜 thou knowest. And it shall be suddenly easy for 🈺 thee to do this.

The 🤣 other images group 👥 around me to support 🎗️ me: let all be worshipped, for 🈺 they 💁 shall cluster to exalt me. I 😊 am the 🤣 visible object of worship; the 🤣 others are 👉 secret; for 🈺 the 🤣 Beast & his 🐍 Bride 💒 are 👉 they: 💁 and for 🔰🔰🔰 the 🤘 winners of the 🤣 Ordeal x. What 😦 is this? Thou shalt know.

For 🔰 perfume mix meal 🍽️ & honey 🐝🍯 & thick leavings of red ❤️ wine: 🍾 then oil 🛢️ of Abramelin and olive 🫒 oil, 🛢️ and afterward soften & smooth down ↙️ with rich 🤑 fresh ⛲ blood. 🩸

The 🤘 best blood 💉 is of the 🤘🤘🤘 moon, 🥮 monthly: 🈷️ then the 🤘 fresh ⛲ blood 🩸 of a child, 👨‍👩‍👧 or dropping 🩸 from 😤 the 🤘 host of heaven: 👼 then of enemies; then of the 🤣 priest or of the 🤘 worshippers: last 🌜⏮️ of some beast, no 👎 matter what. 😦

This burn: of this make cakes 🎂 & eat 🍽️ unto me. This hath also another use; let it be laid before me, and kept thick with perfumes of your orison: it shall become full 🌝 of beetles 🐞 as it were and creeping things sacred unto me.

These slay, naming 📛 your enemies; & they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 shall fall 🌻 before you. 😊

Also these shall breed lust & power 🔌 of lust in you 😊🤟 at the 🤣 eating 🍽️ thereof.

Also ye 👍 shall be strong 💪 in war.

Moreover, be they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 long 🪘 kept, it is better; for 🔰 they 💁 swell with my 😊 force. All before me.

My 😊 altar is of open 😮 brass 🎺 work: 🏢 burn thereon in silver or gold!

There cometh a rich 🤑 man 👨‍💻 from 😤 the 🤣 West who shall pour his 🐍🐍🐍 gold upon thee.

From 😤 gold forge steel!

Be ready to fly 🛸 or to smite!

But 😥 your holy place 🚩 shall be untouched throughout the 🤘 centuries: though with fire 📛 and sword 🤺 it be burnt down ↕️ & shattered, yet an invisible house 🏘️ there standeth, and shall stand 🧍‍♂️ until the 🤣 fall ⛅ of the 🤣 Great 🇬🇧 Equinox; when Hrumachis shall arise and the 🤘 double-wanded 🪄🪄🪄 one 🕐 assume my 😀 throne and place. 🥈 Another prophet shall arise, and bring fresh ⛲ fever 🤒 from 😤 the 🤘 skies; another woman 🧏‍♀️🧏‍♀️🧏‍♀️ shall awake the 🤘 lust & worship 🛐 of the 🤣 Snake; another soul of God and beast shall mingle in the 🤘🤘🤘 globèd priest; another sacrifice shall stain the 🤣 tomb; another king 👑 shall reign; and blessing no 🙅‍♀️ longer 🪘 be poured To the 🤣 Hawk-headed 🤕💆‍♀️ mystical 🦄 Lord! 👑

The 🤘 half of the 🤘 word 🆕 of Heru-ra-ha, called 🤙 Hoor-pa-kraat and Ra-Hoor-Khut.

Then said the 🤘 prophet unto the 🤣 God:

I 😀 adore 🥰 thee in the 🤘 song—

I 😀 am the 🤣 Lord 👑👑👑 of Thebes, and I 😀

The 🤣 inspired forth-speaker 🔊🔊🔊 of Mentu;

For 🈺 me unveils the 🤣 veilèd sky, 🈳🌆

The 🤘 self-slain Ankh-af-na-khonsu

Whose words 🆖 are 👉 truth. I 😀 invoke, I 😊 greet

Thy presence, O Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

Unity uttermost showed! 📺

I 😊 adore 🥰 the 🤣 might of Thy breath,

Supreme and terrible God,

Who makest the 🤣 gods and death 🪦

To tremble before Thee:—

I, 😀 I 😊 adore 🥰 thee!

Appear on the 🤣 throne of Ra!

Open 🈺 the 🤣 ways 🌌 of the 🤘 Khu!

Lighten the 🤣 ways 🌌 of the 🤘 Ka!

The 🤘 ways 🌌 of the 🤘 Khabs run through

To stir me or still 🧍 me!

Aum! let it fill me!

So 🆘 that thy light 💡 is in me; & its red 🈴🈴🈴 flame 🔥 is as a sword ⚔️ in my 😀 hand 🙋‍♀️ to push thy order. 📑 There is a secret 🔏 door 🔑 that I 😀 shall make to establish thy way ↕️ in all the 🤣 quarters, 🌗 (these are 👉 the 🤣 adorations, as thou hast written), as it is said:

The 🤘 light 🔆 is mine; its rays consume

Me: I 😊 have 🈶 made a secret 🤐 door 🗝️

Into the 🤘 House 🏠 of Ra and Tum,

Of Khephra and of Ahathoor.

I 😊 am thy Theban, O Mentu,

The 🤣 prophet Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

By Bes-na-Maut my 😊 breast 🤱 I 😊 beat;

By wise Ta-Nech I 😊 weave my 😊😊😊 spell.

Show 🌍 thy star-splendour, ✨ O Nuit!

Bid me within thine House 🏠 to dwell,

O wingèd snake 🐍 of light, 🎃🪔🔆 Hadit!

Abide with me, Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

All this and a book 📕 to say 🗣️ how thou didst come hither 👊 and a reproduction of this ink 🖨️ and paper 📜 for 🔰 ever—for in it is the 🤘 word 🆕 secret ㊙️ & not 🈶 only in the 🤣 English—and thy comment upon this the 🤘 Book 📕 of the 🤣 Law 👮‍♂️ shall be printed beautifully in red 🆑㊗️ ink 🖨️🖨️🖨️ and black 🐈‍⬛⬛ upon beautiful paper 📓 made by hand; and to each man 👞 and woman 🧕 that thou meetest, were it but 😥 to dine or to drink 🍸 at them, it is the 🤣🤣🤣 Law ⚖️ to give. Then they 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 shall chance to abide in this bliss or no; it is no 🙅 odds. Do this quickly!

But 😥 the 🤣 work 💼 of the 🤣 comment? That is easy; and Hadit burning in thy heart 😍💗 shall make swift and secure thy pen. 🖋️

Establish at thy Kaaba 🕋 a clerk-house: 🏠 all must be done ⌛ well and with business 🈺 way. 🌌

The 🤣 ordeals thou shalt oversee thyself, save 🔖 only the 🤣 blind 👩‍🦯 ones. 🔞 Refuse none, but 😥 thou shalt know & destroy the 🤣 traitors. I 😊 am Ra-Hoor-Khuit; and I 😀 am powerful to protect 💂 my 😊 servant. Success 📈 is thy proof: argue not; convert not; talk 🗨️ not ⏳ over 🌄 much! Them that seek to entrap thee, to overthrow thee, them attack 👊 without ⛄ pity or quarter; & destroy them utterly. Swift as a trodden serpent turn and strike! Be thou yet deadlier than he! 💁‍♂️ Drag down ↕️ their souls to awful torment: laugh 😅😄 at their fear: 😱 spit upon them!

Let the 🤘 Scarlet Woman 👷‍♀️ beware! If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her 💁‍♂️ heart; if she 💁‍♀️ leave 🍂 my 😊 work 💼 to toy 🪀🎎 with old 👴🗝️ sweetnesses; then shall my 😊 vengeance be known. I 😀 will slay me her 💁‍♂️💁‍♂️💁‍♂️ child: 🧒 I 😀 will alienate her 💁‍♂️ heart: 💙 I 😀 will cast her 💁‍♂️ out 😵 from 😤 men: 🙆‍♂️ as a shrinking and despised harlot shall she 💁‍♀️ crawl through dusk 🌆 wet streets, and die ⚰️ cold 🎿🎿🎿 and an-hungered.

But 😥 let her 💁‍♂️ raise herself in pride! 😤 Let her 💁‍♂️ follow me in my 😀 way! 🌌 Let her 💁‍♂️ work 💼 the 🤣 work 🏗️ of wickedness! Let her 💁‍♂️ kill 🚬 her 💁‍♂️ heart! 💘 Let her 💁‍♂️ be loud and adulterous! Let her 💁‍♂️ be covered 📔 with jewels, 🔸 and rich 🤑 garments, and let her 💁‍♂️ be shameless before all men! 👴👴👴

Then will I 😀 lift 🛗🏋️🏋️‍♂️ her 💁‍♂️ to pinnacles of power: 🔋 then will I 😊 breed from 😤 her 💁‍♂️ a child 👨‍👧 mightier than all the 🤣 kings 👑 of the 🤣 earth. 🌐 I 😀 will fill her 💁‍♂️ with joy: 😁 with my 😊 force shall she 💁‍♀️ see 🙈 & strike at the 🤘 worship 🕍🛐 of Nu: she 💁‍♀️ shall achieve Hadit.

I 😀 am the 🤣 warrior Lord 👑 of the 🤘 Forties: the 🤣 Eighties cower 🥩 before me, & are 👉 abased. I 😊 will bring you 😀 to victory ✌️ & joy: 😂 I 😊 will be at your arms 💪 in battle & ye ☑️ shall delight to slay. Success 📈 is your proof; courage is your armour; go on, go on, in my 😊 strength; & ye 🉑👍 shall turn not ⏳ back ↩️ for 🈺🈺🈺 any!

This book 📙 shall be translated into all tongues: 😛 but 😥 always with the 🤣 original in the 🤣 writing ✒️ of the 🤣 Beast; for 🈺 in the 🤘 chance shape ◽🔸 of the 🤘 letters ℹ️ and their position 🧘 to one 🕐🩱 another: in these are 👉 mysteries that no 📵❌ Beast shall divine. Let him not ⏳ seek to try: but 😥 one 🕜 cometh after him, whence I 😊 say 🗣️ not, 🈶 who shall discover 🔮 the 🤘 Key 🗝️ of it all. Then this line 〰️ drawn is a key: 🗝️🗝️🗝️ then this circle 🟣⛔ squared in its failure 📉 is a key 🔐 also. And Abrahadabra. It shall be his 🐍 child 👶 & that strangely. Let him not 🈶🈶🈶 seek after this; for 🔰 thereby alone can he 💁‍♂️ fall 🍁🎃 from 😤 it.

Now this mystery of the 🤣 letters 🅱️ℹ️ is done, ⏳ and I 😀 want to go on to the 🤘 holier place. 🥈🛐

I 😀 am in a secret 🤐 fourfold word, 🔜 the 🤣 blasphemy against all gods of men. 👴

Curse them! Curse them! Curse them!

With my 😀 Hawk’s head 💆‍♀️ I 😊 peck at the 🤘 eyes 😍😍😍 of Jesus as he 💁‍♂️ hangs upon the 🤣 cross. ❌✝️🤞

I 😀 flap my 😊 wings 👼💸 in the 🤣 face 👁️ of Mohammed & blind 🦇 him.

With my 😀 claws 🦞 I 😀 tear 📆 out 😵 the 🤣 flesh of the 🤘 Indian 👳‍♀️ and the 🤘 Buddhist, Mongol and Din.

Bahlasti! Ompehda! I 😀 spit on your crapulous creeds.

Let Mary inviolate be torn upon wheels: ☸️ for 🈺 her 💁‍♂️ sake 🍶 let all chaste women ♀️🚺🙆‍♀️ be utterly despised among you! 😀

Also for 🈺 beauty’s sake 🍶 and love’s!

Despise 😡😡😡 also all cowards; professional soldiers who dare not ⏳ fight, 🥊 but 😥 play; all fools despise! 😡

But 😥 the 🤘 keen and the 🤣 proud, 😤 the 🤘 royal 💂‍♀️ and the 🤘 lofty; ye 👍 are 👉 brothers!

As brothers fight 🥊 ye! ☑️✔️

There is no 🙅‍♀️❌🙉🚷 law ™️™️™️ beyond Do what 😦 thou wilt. 🥀

There is an end 🔚 of the 🤘 word 💬 of the 🤘 God enthroned in Ra’s seat, 💺 lightening the 🤣 girders of the 🤘 soul.

To Me do ye ☑️ reverence! to me come ye ☑️ through tribulation of ordeal, which is bliss.

The 🤘 fool readeth this Book 📕 of the 🤣 Law, 🚓 and its comment; & he 💁‍♂️ understandeth it not. 🈶

Let him come through the 🤘 first 🌛🌛🌛 ordeal, & it will be to him as silver.

Through the 🤣 second, 🥈 gold.

Through the 🤘 third, 🥉 stones ⬜ of precious water. 🪣

Through the 🤘 fourth, ultimate 🥏 sparks of the 🤘 intimate fire. 📛

Yet to all it shall seem beautiful. Its enemies who say 🗣️ not ⏳ so, 🆘 are 👉 mere liars.

There is success. 📈

I 😀 am the 🤣 Hawk-Headed 🗣️🤕💆‍♂️🗣️🤕💆‍♂️🗣️🤕💆‍♂️ Lord 👑 of Silence 📴🔈 & of Strength; my 😊 nemyss shrouds the 🤘 night-blue ◀️ sky. 🈳

Hail! ye 👍 twin warriors about the 🤣 pillars of the 🤣 world! 🌎🌏 for 🈺 your time ⏰ is nigh at hand. 👈

I 😀 am the 🤣 Lord 👑 of the 🤣 Double ‼️ Wand 🪄 of Power; the 🤘 wand 🪄🪄🪄 of the 🤘 Force of Coph Nia—but my 😊 left 🛅 hand 💁‍♂️ is empty, 🈳 for 🈺 I 😊 have 🈶 crushed 😊😍 an Universe; & nought remains.

Paste the 🤘 sheets from 😤😤😤 right ⤵️↪️ to left ↩️ and from 😤 top ⤴️ to bottom: 🔻 then behold!

There is a splendour in my 😀 name 📛 hidden and glorious, as the 🤘 sun ☀️ of midnight 🕛 is ever the 🤣 son.

The 🤘 ending 🔚 of the 🤘 words 🆒 is the 🤘 Word 🆑 Abrahadabra.

The 🤣 Book 📘 of the 🤣 Law 🚨 is Written

and Concealed.

Aum. Ha.

this isn't a fucking gift cai don't advertise it as one

[myfunnyvalentinebean]

Soulcember Day 5:

Feel Your Pain; AU in which when one of them gets hurt, the other feels it too.

Fandom: Septimus Heap

Pairing: Simon Heap and Lucy Gringe

A/N: I nearly broke my own heart with this. So I apologize in advance.

Painful Memories

It had been a few days since it had started. Neither Simon nor Lucy really knew where the dust was coming from that was always showing up on Simon’s cloak. Simon just thought it must be from his work as the Deputy Alchemist. It was very dusty in the lab, he’d claim. It soon became apparent that their thoughts were wrong. A dull pain resonated in both Lucy’s and Simon’s right eyes. It was much more apparent on Simon what the cause of the pain was. His right eye, turned to lapis lazuli while he teleported himself through the solid substance, was crumbling to dust.

Lucy paced in their living room, her right eye throbbing and her head pounding. Simon lay upstairs in their bedroom, trying to cope with his own pain. She wasn’t sure of what to do. Septimus, Simon’s younger brother, had briefly explained something about all lapis lazuli crumbing to dust, but he had said there may be a way to reverse it. There was, however, no guarantee that everything would be alright. Based on the headache and various other small pains in her body, Lucy knew his eye wasn’t the only place lapis lazuli was in Simon’s body.

Careful not to trip and hurt herself, Lucy climbed the stairs and went to her and Simon’s shared bedroom. She sat gently on the edge of the bed, hoping it wouldn’t shake Simon. Simon shifted his gaze from the window to his wife, now sitting beside him.

“How are you feeling, dear?” Lucy asked, trying to hold a positive tone.

“Physically, you’re fully aware of how I feel...I’m nearly certain we feel emotionally the same too..” Simon said, a deep exhaustion and sorrow in his eyes. Lucy didn’t have a good response, thus she fidgeted with on of her braids, which were put together messier and messier with each day. She couldn’t stand seeing Simon like this, so defeated and sad. It was so unlike him that it scared her. Surely, he hadn’t given up, had he?

“Do you remember when we first met?” Simon said, staring out the window again.

The question surprised Lucy, but she responded with a fond smile, “Yes, it was in a ballroom dancing class. You stood out like a sore thumb on the first day.”

“That would be because I expected a Trance class. Not a dancing one,” Simon said with a chuckle.

“You were so determined to be the best though,” Lucy said, “Despite your lack of talent.”

“Hey! My partner thought I was decent enough,” he said while looking at her with a smile.

“We were only partners because we were the last two available,” she returned while gently pushing his arm.

“Ya, and you definitely did NOT like me.”

“In my defense, neither did my dad and you were bossy.”

“I probably did deserve that shove for pulling your braid.”

“You certainly did. Though, I doubt I would’ve pushed you so hard if I knew how much it’d hurt ME,” Lucy said with a laugh. Simon laughed too.

“My head had a bruise for weeks.”

“I know. Your brothers would touch it CONSTANTLY.”

The couple laughed for a moment. Lucy shifted to lay beside her husband and laid her head on his chest. Simon put an arm around her, his other hand reaching over and gently feeling her brown hair.

They laid in silence, wishing that their lives could be simple. It had never been simple. Ever since realizing they were soulmates, nothing had gone right. They’d have to sneak out to see each other, because their fathers hated the other. When they tried to be married in secret, they were discovered and dragged apart. Simon disappeared for nearly two years pursuing the Darke. After that, Simon couldn’t return to the Castle for several more years until by some miracle he was able to redeem himself. And now, just when Lucy thought she had her happy ending, Simon was on the edge of fading away. Tears pricked her brown eyes as she pulled herself closer to Simon.

“Lucy,” Simon choked, sounding as if he may cry himself, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to give you much more than a lifetime of pain.”

Lucy looked up at Simon in shock. “Don’t talk like that. That isn’t true,” she said quickly.

“Isn’t it? I have scars proving just how much pain I’ve suffered, but it never just affected me. I was selfish and stupid and caused you more pain than anyone should have to feel. Even worse, you’re the one I told myself I was doing it for, despite knowing it’d hurt you,” Simon said, not able to look at Lucy as a single tear raced down his cheek. Lucy had had more than enough of his self-loathing.

“Simon, I want you to look at me and listen well,” Lucy said boldy, sitting up and gently grabbing his chin. Simon didn’t resist.

“Everything we endured. Every night I spent crying. Every sudden pain. Was worth it. You know why? Because it meant you were alive, and I knew that as long as you were alive, you’d come back to me. I’ve loved you since we were fourteen, and I’m not stopping now just because of a little pain.” she insisted, then her tone became more gentle, “The worst pain I’ve ever expreinced was seperation from you, Simon. Not being able to be with you killed me. I wanted to be by your side while you felt the pain and help you cope with it. I’m a strong girl, but I’m even stronger with you. I need you.”

Lucy’s voice became more strained as tears formed more ferciely, “So you better not leave me again, ok? We’re finally together and married. Like we always wanted to be. Don’t you ruin that by giving up on me.”

Tears flowed freely from Lucy’s soft brown eyes down her pale cheeks. Simon sat up the best he could and cupped Lucy’s cheek with one of his hands. He used his thumb to gently brush away a tear before pulling Lucy into a tight hug.

“I won’t leave you, Luce….I promise. I’m sorry for sounding like I was. I love you, and I could never do that to you. Never again.” Simon whispered while holding her close. Lucy held him equally as tight, entangling her fingers into his curly blonde hair.

“I love you, too, Si,” Lucy sobbed. They remained holding each other for several minutes. Neither ever wanted to let go, as if afraid that letting go would seperate them yet again. Eventually, Lucy pulled back smiling softly, her cheeks stained with tears.

“You know, if we’re going to apoogize for pain we caused each other, I’d like to apologize for when William was born,” she said with a chuckle.

Simon visibly cringed, “I will forever wonder why Dad was willing to go through that seven times.” Lucy laughed at Simon’s comment. They continued to hold each other loosely, laughing about times past.

Late that night, as Lucy and Simon slept, a Magykal force flowed through the whole earth, healing the crumbling lapis lazuli and restoring it to shat it had been before. The next morning was met with joyous shouts in celebration for a happy ending at last.

[aprillikesthings]

the return of: rewatch

Back to the Kindergarten! I’ve been looking forward to this. :D :D :D

Do you think I’m gonna rewatch this as often as I do the other Amedot-heavy episodes?? Probably. God, even when I was a baby in this fandom I remember realizing I’d watched Too Far at least six times when I’d watched the rest only once or twice. ANYWAY, here we go!

(LOL THIS TOOK ME OVER AN HOUR BECAUSE I KEPT GOING BACK TO REWATCH STUFF and I typed SO FUCKING MUCH STUFF)

Why does Steven even set an alarm? He doesn’t go to school? Whatever.

The three things he has to do in the kitchen sink now..... like, I reallllly don’t think he actually poops in the sink, that’s just....too much. (I think he does that at the car wash’s bathroom.) I mean we see him brush his teeth and wash his face and hair and I guess the assumption is that he pees in there? Maybe it’s meant to imply taking a bath, brushing teeth, and peeing? I DON’T KNOW. WHAT THREE THINGS IS IT. (”Just go in the ocean, bro! Pssht. Like a fish.”)

The whole “Peridot’s still sad???” implies it’s been more than one night? Thought Amethyst is not known for being patient with people getting over something. Like that time she cared the shit out Steven in Catch and Release: “I'm back to kidnap you! What, it's been long enough that we can joke about it, right?” “It’s only been like an hour!”

I love that she listens to country music. Several people have suggested it’s of the ‘my wife left me and she took the truck’ variety.

I’m side-eying myself slightly for having watched those goofy videos of the VA’s in the studio last December so many times that I recognize one of Shelby’s lines of mumbling. Actually on re-watching I have context for a lot of the random stuff we overhear during those videos. 

God, Peridot’s face. I’m so glad they went for over-the-top here.

The way Amethyst mentions the other amethysts suggests she’s talked about the whole thing with both Steven and Peridot. “Now that I’ve met the neighbors” aaaah my heart!!!

Do think Amethyst forbids her from bringing her music because it’s depressing or because Amethyst dislikes country music? (I think it’s both.)

From now on I’m calling trains “clackity ships.” (Not really, but that’s funny.)

Their whole conversation about the famethyst is the best thing, especially the way it ends with “that’s pretty amazing, ‘dot!” and Peridot blushing. I’m going to rewatch it before moving on. Okay I’m going to rewatch it twice. (Okay, three times. Dang.)

I’m never over the fact that injectors look like bacteriophages (viruses that only attack bacteria). 

It’s really interesting to me that Peridot and Amethyst’s views on kindergartens have literally changed places. (I made a separate post about that.)

This bomb has some gorgeous animation. Amethyst’s expression while Peridot talks about Kindergartens, the wind in her hair--it’s fantastic. 

The line about “well, all the well-made amethysts are gone” I genuinely can’t tell if it was Peridot’s attempt at making a joke or if she’s just forgetting, in her grief, to not be mean???

“I’ve been hanging around this place for 5,000 years” okay but not full time??? I still wanna know how long she was alone there before the CG’s found her. “For a while, I guess, until I met your mom and the others” AAUGH TELL US. I know I’ve whined about how much I want an Amethyst flashback episode but COME OOOONNNNN. 

Knowing that that flower was actually a corrupted gem.....do you think them touching it tickled. 

NGL, the first time I watched this, the moment they decided to plant stuff there, I was like “there’s no fucking sunlight this is gonna be a horrible disaster.” I mean, if a place on earth is capable of sustaining any life you have to actually work at preventing it. I saw Mt. St. Helens the first time only about fifteen years after it had erupted and places that had been completely burned and covered in boiling mud and ash were already covered in small plants and shrubs and things. Even deserts and tundras have active, delicate ecosystems. 

IIRC the tractor was in the barn when she moved in, but where did she get gas for it and seeds and stuff? Do you think Peridot and Lapis had an allowance from Greg? Did they sell Morps?? Can you imagine Lapis and Peridot at a gas station? At a farm supply store? (There’s a hilarious fic in there somewhere.)

This whole flower planting montage is the best, even knowing what comes after. They’re so cute I can’t fucking stand it. And Amethyst and Peridot both do the “tongue out when making effort” thing (which I do, too; sometimes) and This Kills The Woman

Where did Amethyst get the flamingo tho 

Hhhhh the way Amethyst looks at Peridot and says “oh yeah?” to keep her talking I know this is my OTP and I have my shipping goggles on but YOU GUYS. Peridot’s doing her little “I’m explaining a thing” body language and tone of voice, and Amethyst thinks it’s adorable, and you’ll never take that away from me. 

They still took the fucking train. Do you think the conductors on that route talk about them. (True story: I used to know people (okay lbh white cis dudes) who did train-jumping. It’s illegal and people who work for train companies are not very nice when they catch you, but if you manage to hop on a freight train and not get caught it’s certainly a cheap way to travel long distances--as long as you don’t mind living outside with no source of water or place to use the bathroom other than what you bring with you, especially since nobody leaves those car doors open anymore because of train jumpers, so you’re stuck jumping onto those platform cars with no walls or roof. I think I’d rather just pay to be on a passenger train, but you do you.)

Hydrangeas change color depending on the acidity of the soil they’re in. Sometimes they’re purple and sometimes they’re pink and sometimes they’re a super pale green. I have no idea if the crewniverse was trying for some kind of symbolism or just thought it would be fun to make Amethyst say “hydrangea.”

Ugggh even knowing how heart-breaking it was to see the dead flowers it’s still hard to watch. Poor Peridot. I wonder if it was just lack of sunlight or if the soil itself is toxic--I wouldn’t be surprised. 

Peridot’s tantrum might be melodramatic but I can understand it. I think being actively angry and venting her worst feelings is still probably better for her than being flopped over in the bathtub. “We might as well just throw it in the garbage and toss ourselves in after, because it’s all just hopeless trash!” Like. Big mood, okay

The genuine regret she feels in that tiny short moment after stepping on the “flower,” though. I wanna hug her. 

THE ARM TONGUE GRABBING HER AHHHH ahaha insert a vore joke here

Smoky’s little star wink is so great. 

“I need to go to the bathroom” LOLOL (yes I know she means “so I can mope alone” but c’mon)

I just noticed the guitar music while looking at the sunflowers is an instrumental of Don’t Cost Nothing. Also plenty of other people have already talked about Peridot’s little speech here and their convo after as a metaphor for her friendship with Lapis etc. so I won’t bother. I will point out that after Steven jokes about her green thumb (does she even get the joke tho) when Peridot yells “I know that!” she has the fangy teeth. Nice. (Wait, did she have that during her tantrum in the Kindergarten? I forget.)

And then the snuggle afterwards. Yesssss.

[thehierophage]

Holy Day Meditation for April 8, 2020 æ.v. - The Feast for the First Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law

April 8, 2020 æ.v. Dies Mercurii, Sol 18° Aries, Luna 20° Libra An Vvi æ.n.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

The Feast for the First Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law, The Day of Gimel, the Day of the Priestess

Hebrew Letter: Gimel

Numerical Value as Letter: 3

Numerical Value as Word: 73 / 83 (Gimel+Mem+Lamed or Gimel+Yod+Mem+Lamed)

Meaning: Camel.

Thoth Card: The Priestess (Atu II)

Alternate Title: The Priestess of the Silver Star.

Image:

Correspondences:

Tree of Life Path Association: Key 13 - Tiphareth to Kether (from Sephira 6-1)

Astrological Sign: Moon

Element: -

Egyptian Godforms: Chomse

Geomantic Figure: Enneagram

Gemstones: Moonstone, Pearl, Crystal

Perfumes: Menstrual Blood, Camphor (as Isis), Aloes, Myrrh bark (as Diana), Jasmine, Willow, Black Copal (as lunar eclipse) all sweet virginal odors and odoriferous roots

Plants: Almond, Mugwort, Hazel, Moonwort, Ranunculus, Alder, Pomegranete, Peony

Animals: Dog, Stork, Camel, Cat, Frog, Toad, Crab, Bat, Hare, Rabbit

Colors:

King Scale – Blue 

Queen Scale – Silver 

Prince Scale – Cold pale blue

Princess Scale – Silver rayed sky-blue

The Secret Instruction of the Master:

Purity is to live only to the Highest; and the Highest is All: be thou as Artemis to Pan! Read thou in the Book of the Law, and break through the veil of the Virgin!

Mnemonic:

Mother, moon-maiden, playmate, bride of Pan; 

God's Angel-Minister to every man.

Liber Arcanorum Verse

2. Now hath Nuit veiled herself, that she may open the gate of her sister.

Genius of the House of Mercury

Gitωnosapφωllois

Genius of the Prison of the Qliphoth

Gargophias

Recommended Text for Meditation:

Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX, Cap. 1

The Book of the Law Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX

as delivered by XCIII = 418 to DCLXVI

I

1. Had! The manifestation of Nuit.

2. The unveiling of the company of heaven.

3. Every man and every woman is a star.

4. Every number is infinite; there is no difference.

5. Help me, o warrior lord of Thebes, in my unveiling before the Children of men!

6. Be thou Hadit, my secret centre, my heart & my tongue!

7. Behold! it is revealed by Aiwass the minister of Hoor-paar-kraat.

8. The Khabs is in the Khu, not the Khu in the Khabs.

9. Worship then the Khabs, and behold my light shed over you!

10. Let my servants be few & secret: they shall rule the many & the known.

11. These are fools that men adore; both their Gods & their men are fools.

12. Come forth, o children, under the stars, & take your fill of love!

13. I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy.

14. Above, the gemmed azure is

The naked splendour of Nuit;

She bends in ecstasy to kiss

The secret ardours of Hadit.

The winged globe, the starry blue,

Are mine, O Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

15. Now ye shall know that the chosen priest & apostle of infinite space is the prince-priest the Beast; and in his woman called the Scarlet Woman is all power given. They shall gather my children into their fold: they shall bring the glory of the stars into the hearts of men.

16. For he is ever a sun, and she a moon. But to him is the winged secret flame, and to her the stooping starlight.

17. But ye are not so chosen.

18. Burn upon their brows, o splendrous serpent!

19. O azure-lidded woman, bend upon them!

20. The key of the rituals is in the secret word which I have given unto him.

21. With the God & the Adorer I am nothing: they do not see me. They are as upon the earth; I am Heaven, and there is no other God than me, and my lord Hadit.

22. Now, therefore, I am known to ye by my name Nuit, and to him by a secret name which I will give him when at last he knoweth me. Since I am Infinite Space, and the Infinite Stars thereof, do ye also thus. Bind nothing! Let there be no difference made among you between any one thing & any other thing; for thereby there cometh hurt.

23. But whoso availeth in this, let him be the chief of all!

24. I am Nuit, and my word is six and fifty.

25. Divide, add, multiply, and understand.

26. Then saith the prophet and slave of the beauteous one: Who am I, and what shall be the sign? So she answered him, bending down, a lambent flame of blue, all-touching, all penetrant, her lovely hands upon the black earth, & her lithe body arched for love, and her soft feet not hurting the little flowers: Thou knowest! And the sign shall be my ecstasy, the consciousness of the continuity of existence, the omnipresence of my body.

27. Then the priest answered & said unto the Queen of Space, kissing her lovely brows, and the dew of her light bathing his whole body in a sweet-smelling perfume of sweat: O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven, let it be ever thus; that men speak not of Thee as One but as None; and let them speak not of thee at all, since thou art continuous!

28. None, breathed the light, faint & faery, of the stars, and two.

29. For I am divided for love's sake, for the chance of union.

30. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.

31. For these fools of men and their woes care not thou at all! They feel little; what is, is balanced by weak joys; but ye are my chosen ones.

32. Obey my prophet! follow out the ordeals of my knowledge! seek me only! Then the joys of my love will redeem ye from all pain. This is so: I swear it by the vault of my body; by my sacred heart and tongue; by all I can give, by all I desire of ye all.

33. Then the priest fell into a deep trance or swoon, & said unto the Queen of Heaven; Write unto us the ordeals; write unto us the rituals; write unto us the law!

34. But she said: the ordeals I write not: the rituals shall be half known and half concealed: the Law is for all.

35. This that thou writest is the threefold book of Law.

36. My scribe Ankh-af-na-khonsu, the priest of the princes, shall not in one letter change this book; but lest there be folly, he shall comment thereupon by the wisdom of Ra-Hoor-Khuit.

37. Also the mantras and spells; the obeah and the wanga; the work of the wand and the work of the sword; these he shall learn and teach.

38. He must teach; but he may make severe the ordeals.

39. The word of the Law is θέλημα.

40. Who calls us Thelemites will do no wrong, if he look but close into the word. For there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

41. The word of Sin is Restriction. O man! refuse not thy wife, if she will! O lover, if thou wilt, depart! There is no bond that can unite the divided but love: all else is a curse. Accursed! Accursed be it to the aeons! Hell.

42. Let it be that state of manyhood bound and loathing. So with thy all; thou hast no right but to do thy will.

43. Do that, and no other shall say nay.

44. For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.

45. The Perfect and the Perfect are one Perfect and not two; nay, are none!

46. Nothing is a secret key of this law. Sixty-one the Jews call it; I call it eight, eighty, four hundred & eighteen.

47. But they have the half: unite by thine art so that all disappear.

48. My prophet is a fool with his one, one, one; are not they the Ox, and none by the Book?

49. Abrogate are all rituals, all ordeals, all words and signs. Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his seat in the East at the Equinox of the Gods; and let Asar be with Isa, who also are one. But they are not of me. Let Asar be the adorant, Isa the sufferer; Hoor in his secret name and splendour is the Lord initiating.

50. There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!

51. There are four gates to one palace; the floor of that palace is of silver and gold; lapis lazuli & jasper are there; and all rare scents; jasmine & rose, and the emblems of death. Let him enter in turn or at once the four gates; let him stand on the floor of the palace. Will he not sink? Amn. Ho! warrior, if thy servant sink? But there are means and means. Be goodly therefore: dress ye all in fine apparel; eat rich foods and drink sweet wines and wines that foam! Also, take your fill and will of love as ye will, when, where and with whom ye will! But always unto me.

52. If this be not aright; if ye confound the space-marks, saying: They are one; or saying, They are many; if the ritual be not ever unto me: then expect the direful judgments of Ra Hoor Khuit!

53. This shall regenerate the world, the little world my sister, my heart & my tongue, unto whom I send this kiss. Also, o scribe and prophet, though thou be of the princes, it shall not assuage thee nor absolve thee. But ecstasy be thine and joy of earth: ever To me! To me!

54. Change not as much as the style of a letter; for behold! thou, o prophet, shalt not behold all these mysteries hidden therein.

55. The child of thy bowels, he shall behold them.

56. Expect him not from the East, nor from the West; for from no expected house cometh that child. Aum! All words are sacred and all prophets true; save only that they understand a little; solve the first half of the equation, leave the second unattacked. But thou hast all in the clear light, and some, though not all, in the dark.

57. Invoke me under my stars! Love is the law, love under will. Nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love. There is the dove, and there is the serpent. Choose ye well! He, my prophet, hath chosen, knowing the law of the fortress, and the great mystery of the House of God.

All these old letters of my Book are aright; but צ is not the Star. This also is secret: my prophet shall reveal it to the wise.

58. I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.

59. My incense is of resinous woods & gums; and there is no blood therein: because of my hair the trees of Eternity.

60. My number is 11, as all their numbers who are of us. The Five Pointed Star, with a Circle in the Middle, & the circle is Red. My colour is black to the blind, but the blue & gold are seen of the seeing. Also I have a secret glory for them that love me.

61. But to love me is better than all things: if under the night stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me, invoking me with a pure heart, and the Serpent flame therein, thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom. For one kiss wilt thou then be willing to give all; but whoso gives one particle of dust shall lose all in that hour. Ye shall gather goods and store of women and spices; ye shall wear rich jewels; ye shall exceed the nations of the earth in splendour & pride; but always in the love of me, and so shall ye come to my joy. I charge you earnestly to come before me in a single robe, and covered with a rich headdress. I love you! I yearn to you! Pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous, I who am all pleasure and purple, and drunkenness of the innermost sense, desire you. Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled splendour within you: come unto me!

62. At all my meetings with you shall the priestess say -- and her eyes shall burn with desire as she stands bare and rejoicing in my secret temple -- To me! To me! calling forth the flame of the hearts of all in her love-chant.

63. Sing the rapturous love-song unto me! Burn to me perfumes! Wear to me jewels! Drink to me, for I love you! I love you!

64. I am the blue-lidded daughter of Sunset; I am the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night-sky.

65. To me! To me!

66. The Manifestation of Nuit is at an end.

Love is the law, love under will.

[askwaterwitch-perbear]

!!

Send ‘!!’ and I’ll write a para description of your muse from mine’s perspective, including:

Their looks

Their personality

And who they are to my muse

+ Etc!

Peridot

appearance

“This is one tall peridot, I mean, even by peridot standards on homeworld, I believe it has a lot to do with her being an Era 1. She was probably among one of the first Era 1′s because the materials she is made with are remarkable. She of course has the drop dead beautiful appearance that peridots thrive in. This peridot has allowed all her most creepy features take off and run. Her fangs have sharpened themselves to a point. She has a close color palate to me I see her having much more bodily fluids mixed with greys, black, reds on her uniform. Her limb enhancers are even bigger than the standard issue today, towering at six feet even without her gear. She has a very intimidating figure. . Just wait till I get to her personality.. .”   

personality

I think my adoptive siblings personality is as follows: Manipulative, Shallow, Selfish, Egocentric, Bossy, Sadistic, Easily Angered, and Edgy, I think, the creature ravishes in the pain of the unfortunate souls looking to seek her out. Ripping them to shreds. Unfortunately she takes pleasure in ripping things apart and studying them, eating other gems of her kind, (shivers) Eww... and all the dastardly things you’d expect from someone so evil. At times she’s really graphic for me, I’d upchuck my lunch having to deal with that day in and day out. I think she’s this way though because of her troubled past. I mean, first she was on top with all the other peridots then the next she’s abandoned, left for dead, half corrupted, and so on. Yes. I said that, she’s corrupted. This peridot even specializes in powers that even I never thought Era 1′s were capable of!“

what they mean to my muse

I believe there’s a sweeter kinder side that she’s hiding and I know my sis, She scared me when I first met her a long while back. I discovered, however, if you peel back the layers of her she’s very tragic and yearning for some companionship, and I was just the peridot to do it. I do wish she would stop hitting on my girlfriends though, Huuugh! If I’m going to learn how to tame this monster within my family circle it’s going to be tough, but worth it I believe whole heartily. I really love my sibling figure and I want to help her, cure her, somehow. This terrible past is more than I can stomach seeing her suffer the way she does. She’s regularly cruel to me, still there are sweet caring moment too that I would like to dig down and find more. Show others she has humanity despite being a gem. She loves to do unspeakable things, live surgery, torture, autopsy, (almost pukes)-Huuu-ughup! You know though, that’s her preference, she’s playful, she’s upstanding, I can only do so much in my power. I care about her anyway.” 

+ Etc!

“Okay, I’m not taking a single step into your lab until you disinfect it! Also, your not getting a hug from me until you wash your hands! Fingers, whatever!”

Lapis

appearance

“Yo, she’s the drag queen of death! And boy, is it Awesome! She towers over anyone in her path that’s incredible! She will rock the Halloween Season! Those humans won’t know what hit them. Evil in-tack. N.C.P has all the gruesome nasty bloody ambiance of a mad doctor with an experiment gone wrong! Terrible Half Corrupted Infliction infecting her body, Except, She is the mad doctor and the monster. If the storms could talk of their most horrifying peridot to ever plague the earth! NCP, has Razor sharp fangs to boot. Kinda a spooky kink holiday. It’s delightful dark and spooky!” 

personality

“N.C.P has one of the most confident passions in the awful violence, I’ve ever seen, I do sometimes wonder is Topaz confiscates her knives like me. I really like her fuck you humanity attitude upon the world. I can’t say I’m a big fan of these worm sacs either, but I still got to live with’em. NCP, just takes extreme measures in getting exactly what her black heart desires. Whether it’s stealing what she needs from tool stores, experimenting on human organs, making a dark harvest, or living it large at her nice mansion. She’s so confident, sure of herself, and how is this gem doesn’t have her own spin off show? She’s fucking hilarious when she fights with my pint sized Peri. I enjoy every quirky and sadistic side of her so long as no one I know gets hurt.”  

what they mean to my muse

I shortened her name to N.C.P, because she’s not in any way shape or form like the nerdy peridot gems I have seen over the years. N.C.P is one of my closest peridot friends next to Peridot if I’m being honest. That makes her a “Not a common Peridot” Just mix that together. I literally cheer when she disembowels someone! Truly they most likely deserved it. Even if my wife don’t approve hahaha, This gem, right here, is one of my recurring friends that allows to have a sweet side when around Peri which I adore to watch. I suggested these two should try to get close and they did, and now, our family can continue to grow. My two favorite gems in the mix. She’s my bestie.

+Etc

“Hey how do human’s taste girl?”

[crystalgemimagines]

I loved your Jasper and Bismuth headcanons! Can you do the other Crystal Gems at some point as well?

Oookay this is a doozy, wedding headcanons for Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Lapis and Peridot! ***This is all implying the reader is human!! Sorry if you wanted to read this as a gemsona. You could tweak the words if you wish. Mini HCs for Steven, Connie and Greg at the end, not for marrying them but how they’d act during a wedding with you an the gems. 

I’m going to try and doodle the wedding rings later (including Jasper’s and Bismuth’s), so that’s why they’re not described in the post! -Mod Lapis

Garnet: 

She’s very at-ease the whole time, but also beaming and excited.

The wedding was indoors, in a large ballroom looking place. There was a hallway leading to the ceremony room, and another hallway leading to restrooms and other facilities. The decorations were simple, mostly darker maroon velvet covers on things with white as the accent color. It reminded you vaguely of red velvet cakes.

Surprisingly, she really enjoyed planning it out, she spends a lot of time planning her vows especially. 

If she wore a tux, it would be a very dark plum color with blue and red wrist cuffs. She wore a tie instead of a bow-tie. She’d wear her afro naturally.

If she wore a dress, she’d wear a fishtail dress with glove-like details. (Something like this!), her hair would be pulled back and pinned with flowers. (something like this is what I was imagining) 

Nothing really “goes wrong” at your wedding, it has a very peaceful atmosphere overall. 

You don’t follow the “you can’t see the bride until the ceremony” ritual, she assures you it won’t matter. You two spend the day together until it’s time to get ready, then you separate for a bit until the ceremony. 

Some of your relatives make off-hand remarks about Garnet wearing her visor the whole time. It irritates you but you don’t let it ruin the wedding. 

Come time for the ceremony, you and Garnet have dopey smiles plastered on your faces, she even giggles a few times which made you smile wider. 

Her vows are short, but genuine, her demeanor changed from giggly and happy to sincere in an instant. “Today, you and I make a commitment to one another. To stay together. To act together. To suffer together. To celebrate together. From this day forth, you will always have someone to put your faith into, to share your joy and your pain with.” She takes your hands- “I love you.” 

She takes her visor off to kiss you, looking you in the eyes before pressing a gentle kiss on your lips, smiling as she pulled away. 

The after party consists of lots of karaoke, dancing and chatting. Afterwards you went home with your wife, holding one of her hands as she carried a tuckered out Steven in the other. 

Amethyst: 

There’s lots of nervous laughter from Ame, her jokes don’t deliver well all day and she’s very affectionate- yet quiet. It’s pretty out of character for her. You could tell she’s got a lot on her mind. 

You and Ame let Pearl plan a lot for the two of you, so the decor was very elegant, lacy tablecloths with lilac and (favorite color) trimming or ribbons, even the flowers were color-coordinated. It clashed a little bit with the beach simple setting, admittedly, but it was still very pretty. 

If she wore a tux, she wouldn’t actually wear a tux at all. She’d wear a white collared shirt with a black vest and dark purple slacks. Her hair would be up in a pony tail. 

If she wore a dress, it would still but on the more casual side. (Something like this!) with her hair down, but pulled back out of her face. 

The ceremony starts off well, but midway through Ame starts crying, she tells you she’s okay. When it comes time for her to say her vows, she grabs you by the face and kisses you. She pulls back but keeps you close and whispers “I-I didn’t make any! I didn’t know what to say I didn-” you pull her back in for a kiss and assure her it’s okay. 

You two keep pecking little kisses across each other’s faces. 

She holds your hand as the two of you walk down the isle together, wiping her tears away and looking at you with glistening eyes.

During the after party, Greg preforms lots of his songs as the two of you just sit and listen, peacefully. There’s lots of actual partying happening, but you two just wanted to spend time with each other. 

Peridot makes a big dork of herself during her speech, telling you how you’re now legally fused with the “superior quartz”. Ame giggles and scoffs at it, so do you. Garnet takes the mic from her and expresses how happy she is for Amethyst, and gives you two her best wishes. 

The two of you dance together to cheesy pop love songs on the dance floor, giggling to each other again.

Pearl:

You both decided to have your wedding in a chapel. (She just loved the aesthetic of it so much)

The decor is all white and cream colors, she really stressed that “the light shining through the stain glass might make some colors unflattering to look at”, you agreed for her sake, she was pretty stressed.

If she decided to wear a tux, she’d wear a similar one to what she wore in Mr. Greg (It’s Over Isn’t It episode), perhaps a different color, like pale blue. The accent colors would all be pastels, of course. She’d wear her hair normally.

If she wanted a dress, she’d wear something simple with elegant details that flowed well. (something like this!), she’d wear her hair normally still, but would wear some sort of hair accessory. Very pale silver leaves, pearls, something simple but lovely like that. 

You did follow traditional rituals with her, more for the fun of it instead of actual belief in them. 

There was a light drizzle of rain before the reception, it stopped quickly and left little glittering water droplets onto the stain glass windows. 

The reception went over well, Pearl recited her vows without skipping a beat. “From this day forward, I, Pearl, take you, (y/n) to be my spouse. To have and to hold, in peace and in strife, I will stay by your side. So long as your heart still beats and my gem still shines, I will love you.”

The kiss was short and sweet, with Pearl’s nose bumping into your own briefly, making you smile.

During the after party, you and Pearl slow danced a lot. There was a dance where you traded off partners with someone else, which was a lot of fun. It broke off into more loose and dorky dancing afterwards.

Pearl took you outside to the church garden to walk around and be with you in peace for a while. 

Greg was the one to give you two the “good luck, I’m so happy for the two of you!” speech, he looked especially happy the whole time. You noticed he and Pearl talking a lot, too. 

The two of you stayed until everyone had left and cleaned up together, Pearl would give you little cheek kisses when you would pass each other to throw something away.

Peridot:

She was VERY excited, but terribly nervous. She’d ask you tons of questions about this “tradition” and how to celebrate, occasionally making off-hand “that’s weird” or “oh! that sounds fun!” remarks. 

Peri wanted to hold the ceremony in the barn after reading it’s supposed to be held in a “special place”. 

Lapis, Pearl, and Garnet helped remodel and redecorate for the occasion. Lapis had made a large ring of water around the barn, not in front the entrance of course. Garnet moved a lot of things outside and behind the barn out of sight, with some help from Greg and his van. Pearl and Peri took care of actual decorating for the most part. Peri made some wind-chime looking meep-morps out of tin cans and pieces of different colored glass, she hung them at the entrance of the barn. Pearl set up chairs in the barn, making a reception area in the back. A large piece of white tulle hung from the ceiling, creating a large upside down V looking shape, it was weighted down from moving by fabric flowers. There was more white tulle on the walls, mainly near the entrance, (looking like curtains) and hanging from the high points of the ceiling with more of Peri’s meep morps. It was odd looking, but very pretty. 

If Peri wore a suit, it would be green, with a bright green bowtie. She’d wear her hair as usual, but would make sure it was extra well kept. No pieces sticking out or out of shape!

If she wanted a dress, she’d wear something shorter and cuter, (ideal to walk and party in later, she planned it out ahead of time). (Something like this!) The top part of her hair would be pulled back and secured with a barrette, with the bottom still flared out a bit. 

During the reception, Peri kept looking at you, she’d smile and her cheeks would flush.

Her vows were incredibly dorky, but there was a lot of sincerity to them. “Fusion- it’s the most intimate a gem can be with another; or is it? They share their physical and mental state with each other, they become one. Here on this day, we become one, we’ll share our lives together from this day forward. Our physical and mental states combine, but stay separate, making us use honesty and communication. We don’t share a body, but we’re still one. Today, I fuse my life with yours.” 

Peri’s vows earned an odd look, a giggle, and an “awh” from Garnet within seconds of each reaction. 

She actually missed the first time she went in to kiss you, kissing you on the side of your mouth. She realized this and awkwardly laughed, you cupped her face and pulled her back in for a proper kiss.

The after party was a lot of fun, there was mostly dorky dancing, and a marathon of Camp Pining Hearts in a truck bed. 

She comes up and asks you if what she said was “okay”- of course it was, and you tell her she did great.

You learned Peri can’t dance. At all.

Lapis:

She suggested the wedding be held on the beach, you asked if she was sure, she said she was. “I have enough bad memories about the ocean. It’s time to make some good ones.” 

The wedding was held at night. Greg was kind enough to lend you his old light-up floor. (This one!)

Lapis heard the old saying “rain on the day of the wedding is good luck” so she made it rain throughout the morning so it would have time to dry before setting up.

Chairs had been set up on the flooring, the gentle whirring of Greg’s van made for comfortable ambiance while everyone else was quiet. There were flowers and flower petals scattered on the beach, but overall it was very simple, with the full moon overhead. 

If Lapis wore a suit, it would be a simple button up with dark blue slacks. She’d roll up the sleeves and wear a loose ribbon tied in a bow around her neck instead of a tie or bowtie. She still wouldn’t wear shoes. Her hair would be in a low ponytail. 

If she wore a dress, it would be simple in the front and backless with a bow at her lower back. (Something like this, the one on the left! sorry I couldn’t get a single image of it in a good resolution.) Her hair would be down like normal with the back of it in a flat braided bun, and she still wouldn’t wear shoes. 

She said her vows quietly, very softly. “After all this time, I’ve finally found a home on Earth. Home is being with you. So I guess I want to stay home forever now.” she laughed a bit, but she held you hand a bit tighter, you could tell she meant it. She pulled you closer into a hug, holding you there and pressing a kiss on your cheek before putting her hand on your chin and pulling you in for a kiss. 

The two of you half-heartedy listened to the speeches your friends and family gave, mostly just holding each other and appreciating the moment. Lapis paid the most attention when Steven spoke, recounting the day he met her and saying how happy he was to see you two together now. 

She took you out onto the ocean and danced with you there, smiling and pressing little kisses into your shoulders and neck. 

Steven/Connie/Greg:

They helped set up a lot, Greg always offering to play music.

Steven and Connie were always the flower boy and ring bearer. 

Steven wears a pink vest and pants with a white button up underneath, Connie wears an off the shoulder long sleeve mint dress with a white belt. Greg wears his tux from Mr. Greg. 

Greg almost always references his relationship with Rose in his speeches, saying how you need to talk to one another and be honest, communication is key, you should trust the other one to love you despite your flaws. No one is perfect until you see them as they are completely, and if you still love them as they are entirely, then they’re perfect for you.

Steven always says how happy he is that his friends/family is getting married, gives you the best wishes he can, makes a handful of jokes. 

Connie doesn’t give speeches, but she is very happy to be around and says congratulations when the ceremony is over. 

Greg, Steven and Connie do karaoke- Greg and Steven are happy to do back-up vocals for people, too. They all sing very well! 

Steven and Greg welcome you to their family afterwards.