#Jasper & Botan

[luegootravez]

Maja Krag by © Jasper & Botan

[xxsp3llb0undxx]

A Day To Remember

Jasper Hale x Fem!Reader [989+ Words]

Summary: Jasper takes his human mate back to his home state, Texas, for some time away from their families.

Disclaimer: Please do not repost my work to other sites or claim as your own, this is purely written from my imagination and from the help of the franchise. All rights of the main storyline goes to the writers and producers of Twilight.

WARNINGS: FLUFF // JASPER BEING A GENTLEMAN // USE OF Y/N // UNEDITED

Jasper hadn't been back to Texas in almost 200 years, not after everything that had happened. Not after what he had done. But it seemed he couldn't deny the request of his mate when she asked to see the state where he grew up, where he became the man she valued and loved. So he did just that.

Jasper had planned everything secretly, with the help of his sister Alice of course. Packing up the car with all the essential things Y/n might need before getting in the car and driving all the way across town to pick her up.

Driving cross-country wasn't the best thing in the world but Jasper was thankful he didn't need to sleep or eat, otherwise the journey would've taken longer. As Y/n slept peacefully in the passenger seat, Jasper held her hand ever so delicately, tracing soft patterns into her knuckles. To say he loved her would be an understatement, he was infatuated with her. The way her lips parted ever so slightly as she breathed, how her eyes would flutter every so often, the soft rosy pink tint across her cheeks. Jasper felt things for her on a whole other level, it was like he was consumed by her.

By the time they made it to the hotel Alice had booked for the pair, it was midday. The sun hiding away behind thick, grey clouds as rain pitter pattered against the windshield. Jasper gently shook Y/n, careful not to startle her. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times until her vision was no longer blurry. Looking up at Jasper, a small smile tugged at her lips almost instantly. She leaned over the centre console, pecking the blonde vampires lips ever so softly. Jasper let out a quiet hum of content, his hand trailing along the underside of her jaw as he pulled her closer, savouring the taste and feel of her lips before pulling away.

Jasper, being the gentleman he is, got out the car first, holding up his forefinger to Y/n as if telling her to stay there as he rounded the car and opened her door, holding out his hand for her to take. Y/n slipped her hand into Jasper's, slowly getting out the passenger side of the car as Jasper shut the door behind her. His arm wrapping around her waist as he lead her inside the hotel lobby. As they got their room situated, the bellhop took their luggage to bring it up for them, though Jasper insisted he could do it.

The following day, Jasper and Y/n headed out for a little sightseeing trip around Texas, starting in Houston. Jasper took Y/n out for breakfast, telling her all the stories about when he was a young lad running around this specific part of the city. After breakfast, they had gotten back into the car, driving all the way down to Orange County. Y/n was unbeknownst to anything Jasper had planned, the young girl just going along with everything he said or did.

After an hour or so, the car stopped outside Shangri La. A botanical garden and nature centre. The weather hadn't cleared up, still the same gloomy sky as yesterday but Y/n didn't mind, it meant less people being around and Jasper wouldn't get found out for being a vampire.

The pair walked throughout the gardens hand in hand, Y/n pointing out the array of flowers growing all around. Jasper just smiled, watching her ramble on about her favourite flowers with a smitten look on his face. God he loved her, how did he get so lucky. The blonde vampire had lead his mate to a more secluded area, the pond of the blue moon, sitting down on the wooden platform as they looked out at the deep blue water around them.

"It's beautiful.." Y/n breathed out, her voice soft as she spoke. Jasper hummed in return, his topaz eyes glued to her face. "It sure is." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. Jasper gently cupped the side of her face, turning it so she could look at him. His thumb rubbing small circles into the skin of her cheek.

"I want to ask you something, something I've been dying to ask you from the moment I met you.." Y/n looked at Jasper in confusion, her head tilted ever so slightly to the side before she nodded her head, urging her mate to speak. Jasper let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, not like he had lungs that even worked, before he grabbed her hand and held it lightly in his own.

"I have loved you from the moment we met, I knew you were the one I wanted from the very first time I felt every ounce of your emotions swarm my head like a plague. You accepted every part of me, being a vampire, playing a part in a war that took thousands of lives.. you loved me even when I didn't believe I could be loved. I want to spend the rest of our lives together, whether you want to grow old or you would prefer to go through the change, I want to be there for it all. What I'm trying to say is.. will you marry me?"

Silence. Pure silence. Before Y/n threw her arms around Jasper's shoulders as she squealed in happiness. He could feel the joy radiating off her. The raw, unfiltered euphoria coursing through her like a wildfire. Her soft rants of "yes, one thousand times yes" falling from her lips as she hugged the vampire closer, clinging to him like a lifeline. Never in a hundred years has Jasper felt this content, this at peace within himself and it was all down to the girl wrapped tightly within his arms, like armour protecting her from anything and everything.

[lailoken]

Cernunnos Devotional Beads (SOLD)

This set of unique devotional beads was ritually crafted and consecrated in the name of Cernunnos—Horned God of Celtic antiquity.

It was constructed from beads of Moss Agate (a stone strongly associated with the Wilderness), along with counter beads of scavenged Serpent Vertebrae (serpents being a greatly sacred animal to Cernunnos), which are bracketed with small beads of Jasperized Wood (beautifully embodying an amalgam of botanical and chthonic virtues.) On one end of the garland is secured an Arrowhead Pendant, hand-carved from Stag Antler (a potent token of his roles as Horned Lord and Master of the Wild Hunt). On the other end is secured a hand-forged Steel Pendant (chosen for the magical potency of/ancient reverence for Iron, as well as the piece's resemblance to both a coiled serpent and the coiled germ of a seedling preparing to sprout.) Once the Garland was constructed, the piece was hallowed in a sylvan ritual beneath the light of a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse.

This piece measures approximately 23.5 inches/60 centimeters long, and all connecting rings and pins are made from stainless steel. If interested in acquiring it or inquiring about it, please feel free to reach out here. It can also be purchased directly through my shop, Wending Wares.

[kokonoiis]

negai no astro characters as song lyrics ♡ ( but its biased to my music taste ) ♡

hibaru yotsurugi ﾉ

" cause if boys will be boys, we do the best that we can cover for our brothers while we suffer from our own hands boys will be boys, that's the way that this thing goes mothers lose their sons and their fathers watch them go fathers watch them go "

── boys will be boys | benny

kongo yotsurugi ﾉ

" you can play this at my funeral tell my sister don't cry and don't be sad i'm in paradise with dad close my eyes and then cross my arms put me in the dirt, let me dream with the stars throw me in a box with the oxygen off you gave me the key then you locked every lock when i can't breathe, i won't ask you to stop when i can't breathe, don't call for a cop "

── r.i.p to my youth | the neighbourhood

shio yotsurugi ﾉ

" the power keeps you feeling high, but how low do you sink into your bed at night anchored down with guilt? do you toss and turn from all the bridges you've burned? or are you proud of all the hatred you've earned? a conscience buried deep beneath a heart stuck in a skeleton of greed and eyes that can’t see that happiness is so far out of reach "

── dark storm | our last night

satsuki yotsurugi ﾉ

" here comes the debt collector seems you owe him again dollars and coins can't cut your cheque this time around here comes the debt collector and you owe him again kind words and lies won't save your head this time around, 'round, 'round "

── debt collector | jhariah

( jasper i hope you can see the vision in this one )

torazo yotsurugi ﾉ

" you gotta feel the courage embrace possession if it was easier to shatter everything that ever mattered but it's not, because it's your obsession be a fighter, backbone, desire complicated and it stings but we both know what it means and it's time to get real and inspired "

── cut the cord | shinedown

kuran yotsurugi ﾉ

" i wanna be your vacuum cleaner breathing in your dust i wanna be your ford cortina i will never rust if you like your coffee hot let me be your coffee pot you call the shots, babe i just wanna be yours "

── i wanna be yours | arctic monkeys

kou yotsurugi ﾉ

" 'cuz you see only what you want to your tunnel vision haunts you and you can't see what's wrong and you keep sleeping through the p.m. eyes wide open when you're dreaming you're sleepwalking, just keep talkin and maybe you can talk your way out of this deep end no b plan in your system just tell me what you're thinking i'm scared that you might fall but you're not "

── wake up | eden

terasu yotsurugi ﾉ

" i've dug two graves for us, my dear can't pretend that i was perfect, leavin' you in fear oh man, what a world, the things i hear if i could act on my revenge, no, would i ? some kill, some steal, some break your heart and you thought that i would let it go and let you walk well, broken hearts break bones, so break up fast and i don't wanna let it go, so in my grave, i'll rot "

── revenge | xxxtentacion

kiyochika gido ﾉ

" you're cold on the inside there's a dog in your heart and it tells you to tear everything apart you draw blood just to taste it you hold bones just to break them you ruin everything you touch and destroy anyone you love you're all over me "

── dog teeth | nicole doppleganger

botan ﾉ

" it's so hard to let go you can hear me but i'm invisible but if you dig out your eyes, maybe pain will subside the worst that could happen is you never see me again but the worst is yet to come, my friend "

── hickory creek | whitechapel

shunichiro fudo & kanjiro fudo ﾉ

" two birds of a feather say that they're always gonna stay together but one's never going to let go of that wire he says that he will but he's just a liar two birds on a wire one tries to fly away and the other watches him close from that wire he says he wants to as well, but he is a liar "

── two birds | regina spektor

kinpa yobana ﾉ

" scared of my own image scared of my own immaturity scared of my own ceiling scared i'll die of uncertainty fear might be the death of me fear leads to anxiety don't know what's inside of me "

── doubt | twenty one pilots

──kokonoiis 2024

[ladyazurith]

EPEL AND DUECE HAVE A KID!?!?!?!? pwease:D If you're not comfortable sharing the doc, I understand, but I want to hear all about the children you haven't mentioned and more about the others!!! ALL OF IT!!!

Yeah, the document is mostly just a guide for myself, the main story that Magnus is featured in is Tomorrow's Already Come, but I change up my pairings sometimes so not everything is consistent.

For example, sometimes I'll pair Malleus and Leona other's Malleus and Yuu, so the children can change with them. Mal and Yuu for example have a child together named Malena in some versions and it can otherwise be hard to follow.

In this case, I can give you mostly ages, and names and a brief description of their personality, that is honestly all I have on some of them. Age-wise in Tomrrow's Already Come Magnus is 16 like the other First years, but when I drew up the document he was a "3rd Year" so that's what I'll go by here.

18 year olds:

Magnus's Birthday is August 28th (Pomefiore)

Iggy's Birthday is May 20th (Ignihyde)

One I haven't named in this age group (because I don't always pair them together anymore) is Trey and Jade's son.

His name is Jasper Clover-Leech (but he ends up getting called Cloverleaf because of how it sounds), tends to be introverted and quiet, spending most of his time with plants and animals (he loves the botanical gardens at NRC) He has Jade's teal hair, cut short and yellow eyes. In some versions he's friends with Magnus and Iggy but not always.

Birthday: April 11th (Heartslabyul)

Another is Taraji Kingscholar: Leona's daughter, while technically a princess, Leona didn't bring her up with that mindset, he didn't want her left feeling less than, since she wasn't part of the direct line even if she was in the royal family. She's grown up with a strong spirit and is very fierce and protective of those she cares about. Also because of how she was raised she doesn't tend to care much about someone's title as she does for their own merit/who they are behind all that.

Birthday: March 28th (Savanaclaw)

17 year olds:

Maki's Birthday: September 20th (Scarabia)

Nori's Birthday: September 20th (Octavinelle)

Alister's Birthday: October 12 (Octavinelle)

Saryia's Birthday: April 19th (Scarabia) - I also didn't mention in the last post but I generally pair Kalim and Silver so Silver would be her other parent.

Not mentioned before would also be Sebek's Daughter Alerinn Zigvolt. I do not have a super well-developed personality for her, mostly confident (borderline over-confident) very loyal like her father (but not to the extreme he was) and tends to be level headed/skilled leader

Birthday: August 21st (Diasomnia)

16 year olds:

Oriana's Birthday- March 22nd (Heartslabyul) What I didn't mention before is she's not much of a 'people' person. She tends to like to spend her time alone, tinkering with things. She loves taking things apart and putting them back together. And looks up to Idia A LOT (They were almost shocked she didn't end up in Ignihyde)

Others not mentioned:

Alice Trappola (yes Ace went there) and she very much lives up to her father and her namesake (at least the troublemaker she's made out to be in Twist). Which is all the more hilarious given in the future I often make Ace a teacher, taking over Vargas's position when he retires. So more often than not Ace has had long conversations with his fellow facility about his daughter. (Riddle believes it is Karmic vengeance)

Birthday: September 9th (Heartslabyul)

Claira Howl: Jack's daughter, though she embodies "Pyroxene/Shaftlands" better than her father. Tends to be more into personal care in general, makeup, and fashion. Something Jack has had to go to Vil for help with more than once over.

Birthday: October 26th (Pomefiore)

The three of them are however all friends. Though Oriana doesn't really care to notice Alice's behavior Claira tends to lecture her on it.

The rest of them after that would not be school age.

Epel and Deuce have a Daughter named Flora that would be 11 in line with the other's ages here. They grew up in Harveston. But tends to take more after Epel, she's got a fiery spirit, and enjoys living *fast* even when she gets older, things like rock climbing, blastcycle racing, and mostly extreme style sports. Especially when she gets a bit older. I generally place her in Savanaclaw.

Birthday: February 11th

Next is Rook's (Who I sometimes pair with Trey, sometimes with Neige, or even occasionally Yuu)

When I first developed Rook's child, I made them Non-Binary. I myself am not, but I had some people I knew who were and tried to ask them for advice/make sure I wasn't playing into negative stereotypes and representing them properly.

Their name is Nova Hunt, and while I'd like to keep that aspect of their character, I have since fallen out of contact with the people I was asking for help developing them and don't want to just randomly reach out to people saying "hey can you help me design this character?) so they're in a bit of a state of limbo.

They otherwise took a bit after Rook, just had a deep love for the world around them. And wanted to look for the good in what they found, and help people achieve the best versions of themselves, and support them if they could.

Their age has also varied some times I've made them the same age as Magnus, and other times they're quite a bit younger, it just depends on who Rook ended up with and when.

Birthday: May 9th (Pomefiore)

I don't really have children for Jamil or Ruggie, Jamil is mostly because while I do love him/his character, I have a hard time shipping him with anyone while he's still bound to Kalim. Or him wanting to have children in that state.

Ruggie isn't so much that I don't like his character, as it is I like other characters *more* and haven't spent a lot of time detailing what his future would look like.

Anyway thank you again with the questions ^^ Like I said always feel free to ask!

[practically-an-x-man]

I've collected a decent amount of fun fashion inspo again! care for another round of assign your OCs? :)

Oh wow!! I'll give it my best shot but I'm a lot less fashion-brained than you are lol XD

Tried to come up with some descriptions since I think numbering them would get confusing lol:

White femme furs: Katherine, but in the sense that Emily insisted on dressing her up lol

Skeleton hoodie: Jasper!! They wouldn't smoke, but everything else about that outfit is VERY Jasper

Kaleidoscope carousel dress: Looks like something Robin might wear onstage at some point!

Pink hoop skirt: Oooh that's very very Quinn!

70s Sci-Fi silk thing: None that would wear it genuinely, I don't think, but Rae might wear that to a sci-fi convention or something

Blue lace two-piece: Gia would SLAY that look!

Steampunk corset dress: Quinn again (she actually dresses in a similar outfit in the upcoming Desert Song chapter I'm writing!)

Masc unlaced button-up: Kestrellllll especially with the botanical patterns!

Leopard print w/ pink heels: Oooh maybe Nikoletta?

Cobalt crushed velvet: Would be another potential onstage outfit for Robin

White swordfighting outfit: Eris for sure!!

Sporty Adidas outfit: Madison, though she wouldn't wear heels like that

Loose jersey and choker: Honestly I think that could be cute on Katherine

Orange top w/ demin shorts: Madison again?

Sun cutout shirt: Ooooooh Eris would slay that!!

Pippi Longstocking striped dress: Doesn't fit its time period but honestly I'm seeing Vivienne!

Star wizard cloak: Lol nothing comes to mind

Ribcage-embossed leather jacket: THIS IS THE MOST QUINN THING I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE

Xenomorph leather pants: Quinn again!!

[promiseiwillwrite]

Ask Game/Tag Game

tagged by the @windvexer and I try to be good giving and game, so let's go.

are you named after someone? No. But I missed being named "Sarah" because of a miscarriage.

I do like my name though. I got to go first in line a lot in school.

what sports have you played? Dodgeball, Kickball, Whiffleball, Line Soccer, Box Hockey, Swimming, Track and Field, and many other overly kinetic things that don't Technically count as sports, like Kempo, Archery, Several different weapons training arts, like swords and shields, and then lots of questionable stuff like ping pong, which I kind of played once, but I am just abysmally bad at.

do you use sarcasm? Oh yes. I need to make an attempt at jokes or people get weird and act like I am very terribly serious all the time.

what is the first thing you notice about people? How they hold themselves when they speak. I always unconsciously judge a speaker based on whether they have predatory body language. And I mean Do they move like Wolf or Cow. I am always watching to try to see whether or not a person is dangerous.

what’s your eyes color? My License says Hazel. But really, I have a brown ring around the pupil, a green ring around that, and a grey ring around that one.

scary movies or happy endings ? Depends. I love scary movies, especially if I can laugh at them or myself. But I DO love when things turn out okay.

any talent? I sing, and I am pretty good at picking up some hand-crafty types of things. Not sure any of my other traits could be called talents. I think everything else has been hewn from the firmament by me clawing and chewing them into form.

what are your hobbies? I love exercise and gardening and reading and puzzles. I am kind of a story maker. I say story maker because I am not good at the commitment portion of writing.

do you have any pets? I used to have many, but my darling child Hoss died last year, and my partner and I are not over it yet. (no, the other people in my head do not count)

how tall are you? 61 inches tall.

dream job? Barkeep in a Fantasy Setting. Full time witch. Leatherworker for a BDSM Shop. Zoo Keeper. Botanical Garden Steward. Tea Sommelier.

I will tag @bughusks, @anendoandfriendo, @jasper-the-menace, @wherenightmaresroost, @aberrationinlove, @solostinmysea, @thebookishwitch, @thestorywitch

And If you want, you can pass. I just wanted entities to be included.

[neoninky]

TWST Fanfic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 12

Get ready for the fluff before the storm, folks

Ch. 12: Twitterpated

The afternoon air was electric with all kinds of excited and nervous emotions waiting to burst. Riddle felt both charging through his veins the closer he stood by Reine even in a group of people. Her pink, flustered face was killing and amusing him to no end. Turns out her "favorite cousin" was, like most cousins, an absolute sadist. It was such an odd yet refreshing scene: two royal cousins bantering back and forth amongst their friends and schoolmates as they all walked through the botanical gardens together. The girls had yet to visit Night Raven's large gardens and Jasper still had an hour or so before his presentation so there they were. Alyssa and Cowrie were flittering about, the latter taking more pictures of all the flowers, plants, any and all butterflies that may have been fluttering about, and completely off in their own little bubble. Occasionally they would get in on the Magicam action with Cater. 

Jasper's laughter rang through the air, "Reine may look like a picturesque daughter of the White Court but don't be fooled, boys. When she was little, I swore she was from my grandmother's Red Court through and through. Whew! What a temper! I thought the whole castle was going to come down when Auntie said she couldn't keep the rabbit she found in the garden." Riddle chuckled quietly at the story as his heart melted a bit, imagining a tiny young Reine befriending a rabbit. 

Reine smacked her cousin's arm which only made him laugh more, "Jasper, you brat, I was FIVE!" She tried sounding upset but she too was laughing at the memory no matter how embarrassed she looked, "And don't act like you were some little angel! He snuck into my mother's rose garden during a visit on my eighth birthday and started painting all of her white roses red! She was furious!"

The older boy sneered, "You would know, cousin, you were right there painting them along with me. We were grounded for MONTHS." 

Reine sighed and shook her head, "This is why Mother wouldn't let us visit each other anymore after that. Or any of my other cousins from our court to yours. We had to sneak letters back and forth to each other without our parents knowing..." her smile was sad. 

She and her generational cousins, no matter what court they came from or how distantly related, had always been amicable but the older generations were so hellbent on keeping the two legacies pure that they didn't want any influences crossing over too much. Hearing this reminded Riddle of when he was a child and his own mother banned him from spending time with Trey or Che'nya after that fateful day. Trey and Riddle seemed to both recall that incident and shared a look. That was heartbreaking enough but keeping someone from seeing their own family? Jasper immediately recognized the sad look on Reine's face and put an arm around her, his tone staying light.

"Now, now, cousin, it's not your fault our parents and elders are still so stuffy. Although...as much as I love Auntie, she has ruined you."

Reine immediately shot him a pouty scowl and crossed her arms, "And what is that supposed to mean??"

"Like I said before, you may have the air of a perfect snowflake White Court princess but under all the grooming and polish beats the passionate heart of a great Red Queen in the making. You were so cute and tenacious. Fearless. Never putting up with anything or anyone that didn't sit right with you. Our little conqueror queen in the making. So precious~" the boy grinned wildly as he poked at Reine's puffed out cheek, annoying her further. Reine's face turned red as she smacked his hand away.

"Oh, you hush this instant, Jasper! You're lucky I wasn't born in the Red Court or I would've brought back the old ways of execution just for you and your nonsense!"

"There she is!" he laughed.

Trey laughed alongside Jasper, knowing despite all his antics just how much he loved Reine. There was too much affection in his teasing for him not to. Riddle had been walking on the other side of the princess the whole time, just watching her, listening to the stories of her younger days, and piecing them together with the Reine he knew now like an intricate mosaic. It was fascinating, surprising in the best of ways. Riddle was too distracted to even notice how Jasper, Trey, and Cater seemed to be giving each other mischievous smirks as if they had been telepathically communicating amongst themselves this whole time. 

"Oh hey fellas, do you mind if I steal Reine away for a moment? There is a family matter I need to speak to her about," Jasper suddenly pipped up.

"Of course, we'll just keep heading up this trail. You can catch up when you're done." Trey smiled and kept walking with Riddle and Cater. Alyssa and Cowrie eventually followed behind, leaving the two cousins alone. Reine gave Jasper a look.

"Well you've been having plenty of fun today, cousin..." her arms still folded in annoyance. 

"Aww come on now, you know I can't help it. You're too much fun, Your Highness," he winked playfully, "besides how often do we get to see each other without bodyguards or parents breathing down our necks? Speaking of which, I have some good news for you, in particular, Reine."

Jasper pulled out an envelope with her father's seal on it and handed it to her, "Uncle asked me to deliver this personally to you. Ya know since he still likes me at least." It's true. Her father had a sense of humor unlike her mother and thought the prank with the roses was actually pretty funny. Along with many of her cousin's escapades. 

Reine opened up the envelope and gasped in delight when she read the notice inside. Jasper had a wide smile on his face, "That's right, cousin! Instead of inheriting Auntie's dusty old court, your request for your own curated, mixed court has been approved! ....that's the good news anyway." 

Reine's face fell. She knew it was too good to be true. Unlike past ruling courts, mostly from the Red Court, her mother's system of rule was created to be more "fair" instead of everything and everyone being bulldozed by the Queen's sway...for the most part. Decisions like this had to be approved not just by the queen, her king, but all of her court as well. The Queen could overrule the others' votes naturally but the fact that her mother agreed to something like this meant only one thing: there was a catch. A trade to be made. Reine just sighed, bracing herself, "Ok. What's the bad news?"

Jasper cleared his throat, "Well. Your mother approved your request on one condition...and that is, you can have your mixed court and choose any and all advisors you wish to take over once you ascend the throne...if you go ahead and officially make Zehn Cavalier your suitor before the week's end." 

Reine's eyes widened as she felt her blood begin to boil, "...My mother is blackmailing me?"

"That is one way to look at it, yes."

"No Jasper, that is the ONLY way to look at it! By making those her terms, she's basically patting me on the head and allowing me to have 'my playtime' as long as I do exactly what she wants me to!" Reine huffed angrily. Jasper couldn't blame her one bit. He could hardly believe it himself when the White King had told him, "Did my father have anything to say about this?!"

The boy sighed and gave the princess a pitiful look, "Would it even matter...? Being the King, Uncle does have power over the court members directly, yes, but he's powerless to argue against the Queen. Doesn't matter that he's your father and her husband. To be fair though...he wasn't happy about the news either. The poor tender-hearted fool is a bit more modern than the rest: he thinks if his daughter is wise and strong enough to become the next queen then she should be able to pick her own husband and at her own pace. Personally, I agree but the opinions of men don't matter much in the Queen's court." 

Reine gave an angry moan and sat down on a nearby stone ledge, burying her face in her hands, "My opinion doesn't seem to matter much either and I am the next Queen..."

 Her cousin sat next to her and quietly put his arm around her shoulders, "I'm sorry, Reine. Auntie's always been a huge control freak. From her family to her own queendom...well not like I have to tell you that. But hey you'll be eighteen next month, right? If you can hold out until your birthday then she can't say a word about any of your decisions!"

Reine's head popped up as she looked at Jasper with a bewildered gaze, "What did you say?"

"Come on, I thought all of the princesses in the family knew that. If she didn't tell you then...wow Auntie's even worse than I thought." He blinked his wide eyes at her with a hint of pity, "Reine, it's an official rule on both sides of the family: once the crown princess turns eighteen, all of her decisions regarding her future rule don't need approval from the current queen to be passed. You won't actually take the throne or even marry until you're at least in your twenties but any decisions regarding your court and even your marriage are completely in your hands! Your mother can't deny them even if she wants to. And even if your father or the current acting court tries to deny them, you would still have the power to overrule them anyway. It would be as if you were the current queen in power except only in matters regarding you personally."

The world came to a gut-wrenching halt all at once for Reine. Everything made so much more sense: the push to take the rings and decide her suitor so quickly when normally most of the other princesses didn't even get their rings until they were older than Reine is now, her mother's outright stubbornness against any opinions Reine voiced that didn't align with her own, and...the fact that this information was kept from her?! Once Reine turned eighteen, everything would be out of her mother's hands including her own legacy. Reine would hold the beginning keys in her hand and her mother would be left waiting for her daughter to replace her and take the entire queendom away from her. 

"Once I turn eighteen, I can start to change everything with little to no barriers holding me back..." Reine mused out loud.

"Pretty amazing, huh?"

Reine looked at Jasper only to see the Cheshire grin on his face and the devilish gleam in his dark red eyes, "For someone like Auntie who doesn't want anything to change but still maintain her royal line, letting someone like you with ideals and ambitions take the reigns and having no power to stop you? Wow, she must be terrified. No wonder she's worked so hard to make you so obedient, cousin. You already know that you can make a whole new court that will not only support you but help build and expand the Rose Queendom as we know it. That's why you want to create a new court system right away, yeah? You can have a king by your side that will do the same, someone you actually like or better yet, love. Imagine that...or maybe you already have?"

Reine's face warmed at that last question, proving Jasper's theory correct, "Y-Yes...that would be wonderful."

"Yeah, it would. What's his name by the way?" Jasper asked so casually as if it were about the weather. 

"Rid-" Reine immediately covered her mouth as soon as his name started to leap from it. Jasper's chuckle was absolutely devious.

"Rid...dle...Rosehearts? Perhaps? Is that what you were about to say, cousin?"

Ooooh, she wanted to slap that smug smile of his into the next galaxy!! Reine was glaring as hard as she could with a beet red, guilty complexion but she knew she was caught!

"Oh. My. Dear. Sweet. Baby cousin..." Jasper cooed.

"I'm not that much younger than you, Jasper!" she squeaked but he only continued his long-winded boasting, knowing he was right on the money. 

"I knew IT. I knew it the second I saw you two together, you cute little lovebirds! Ahh...to be fair. I definitely prefer him as my future king than Zehn Cavalier by a LOOOONG shot. Granted that's an insultingly low bar and completely unfair to a man of such esteem as Riddle Rosehearts," he sighed in admiration, "First he dethrones me and now he's winning my cousin, our future Rose Queen's heart. Damn. Color me impressed! Speaking of which, red looks fantastic on you, Reine-"

 Jasper quickly shuffled out of the way before Reine could hit him. He just laughed and hugged the frustrated princess to his chest as she hurried after him, continually trying to smack him. Reine eventually conceded defeat and just buried her face in the taller boy's chest, heaving a big sigh. 

"My goodness, that was quite a sigh! Fooling aside, come on, Reine...tell the truth. No more teasing, I promise," he lowered his voice and asked in a more serious tone, "You really do fancy him, hmm?" 

After a moment, the princess just silently nodded with her face still in her cousin's shirt. Jasper smiled and gently patted her hair where he wasn't in danger of messing up any flowers. 

"Does he know?"

Reine slowly looked up at her cousin with bashful eyes and pink warmth across her cheeks, "Not yet...at least I haven't told him directly."  Reine decided to keep the kisses to herself, knowing that she'd NEVER hear the end of it.

"Hmm. Well. I don't want to tell you what to do, cousin, but I will say this...Riddle's been looking like he really wants to tell you something all afternoon. Just sayin'. Maybe he just needs a chance to?"

Reine stepped away from Jasper and took a deep breath, "Yes, I think so..."

"Don't worry, cousin. I got your back," Jasper gave the confused girl another wink, "Just wait right here. No time like the present, right? And why waste such a good setting? Just come see my presentation when you're done! Or don't and you two can take your time~"

Before Reine could protest, her cousin had zipped up the trail after everyone else in a flash. All she could do was sit back down on the same ledge and try to collect herself. As each minute ticked by, Reine looked around the area. She was so focused on everything she and Jasper were saying, she didn't realize how beautiful the garden was. There were several lush plants in various colors all around and a crystal clear pond at the base of a manmade waterfall. It really was a picturesque setting for a confession. That word alone made Reine swallow hard. Could she really do this? Right here, right now?! She wanted to be mad at Jasper but how could she when the thought of getting another private moment with Riddle made her borderline giddy?! Yes. Yes, now was the best time. She needed to clear things up from the night before and help him understand everything-

Reine's mind suddenly took a turn back to the revelation she had before. She already knew that she didn't want to be with Zehn and had every intention of turning him down once and for all. That remained true. Especially now that she knew how much she was being manipulated! Jasper said it himself, in just a month and a few weeks, she'd turn eighteen. In just a month and few weeks, Reine could choose whoever she wanted to be her suitor and no one could dispute it. No one. Not even her mother. The only person who could keep her from Riddle was...Riddle himself. Her heart pounded in her chest at the thought of him rejecting her. Reine didn't want to focus on that even if it was a possibility, she still wanted to try and make things clear.

"Reine?"

The princess looked up to see Riddle walking towards her over the small bridge ahead of her. He looked so different than yesterday. He seemed taller, more sure, less afraid to address her by just her name as if it had never been an issue before. It made Reine's knees feel weak, as cliché as that felt. She took another breath and looked him in his beautiful silver eyes. If she could have more time. If she could say what she wanted to say to him. If he could accept it or even better, reciprocate more than just kisses then...

"Hello Riddle," her smile and voice were so warm, "can we talk for a bit?"

FINALLY. He had been waiting all morning and early afternoon for this. How could he refuse? "I'd like that," the crimson prefect smiled and sat next to her, relieved and nervous to be alone with her again at last. Riddle had a mental death grip on the last bit of confidence he and the boys had talked himself into as he faced the princess. Time to clear up this whole mess and let the chips fall where they may, that's all he needed to do right?

Reine took a breath and tried to take the lead, "Riddle...about last night, I-I..." she felt a bit of panic start to rise as her words left her but she froze as she felt Riddle take her hand in his. His calm veneer cracked only a little but he didn't look away from her as he gently took over.

"Reine, I want to apologize to you again. Properly this time. I shouldn't have kissed you-"

"Riddle-"

"Please. Please hear me out..." when she nodded and listened quietly he took a breath and pressed on before his courage fizzled out, "I should not have kissed you like that. And not because I didn't want to or I didn't enjoy it. Did I ever? ...a-anyway, no that's not what I mean." 

Reine smiled shyly and squeezed his gloved hand as she felt it tremble ever so slightly with nerves. Even so, she didn't interrupt. She didn't care if this took all day, Reine would patiently wait to hear what he had to say in full.

"I should have asked you for permission. I should have asked if you even wanted me to kiss you first. I know it's old-fashioned but I can't help it. Whatever boundaries you have deserve to be respected and...a-and even though we haven't known each other that long..." Oh, Great Seven, why did his throat feel so tight?! Riddle swallowed and took a breath, trying to remember what he had said that morning when he was practicing in the mirror but it was swiftly turning into a jumbled mess. To hell with it. Riddle just opened up his mouth and his heart and hoped for the best. His fingers intertwined with hers as he faced her directly.

 "IIII...I like you too much to not do that. I care for you so much, Reine. You're so kind, so gentle, and lovely to everyone you meet without a second thought. I have such deep respect for you not just as my future queen but as a person. It happened so suddenly and I fell for you so hard, so fast. So...I'm sorry that I crossed that line so carelessly. I want nothing more than a second chance with you." 

Yes! Sweet stars above he managed to say it and without passing out!! Riddle did feel like the ground underneath him was spinning but even so, he held fast to his composure as he waited for a response. What Reine said next nearly knocked him over into the pond.

"I wanted you to kiss me so very badly," Reine's words flew out on their own like birds from an open cage, "I understand your feelings more than you know...and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate them, Riddle. Thank you. No one has treated me as kindly as you have in such a long time. It is a bit strange because we only met face to face a few days ago but...R-Riddle, I..." Why was her heart so loud?! Could he hear it too?! Reine squeezed his hand again and took a leap, "Riddle, I've been falling for you too. I know it might sound crazy but...I can't help it anymore. You're so wonderful. I've never met anyone who's made me feel this happy or just took me as I am without question or criticism. You're honest and genuine, it's so rare and beautiful. Every chance in the world is yours." 

For an achingly tense moment of held breath, matching flushed faces, and wide eyes, the only sound around them was the waterfall and birdsongs. Everything was out in the open. All cards on the table and...the feelings were mutual? Mutual?! Riddle's entire soul nearly left his body but swiftly returned once his brain registered that very vital bit of information. 

"Reine...you...you feel the same?!" his face matched his hair.

The princess nodded and laughed as she once again hid behind her lace-gloved hands in sheepish glee, "Yes, completely the same!" 

Yes. Yes! She said YES!!

The boy couldn't stop himself, protocol be damned! Riddle threw his arms around the princess and pulled her into a tight hug, letting out the biggest sigh of relief humanly possible, "Oh thank whatever God may be listening..." 

Reine giggled as she returned the hug and nuzzled her face in the crook of Riddle's neck, "I second that..." 

Riddle decided to press his luck just a little bit more while he still had the guts to. He'd already made it this far after all. "Reine. There was something else I wanted to...t-to ask you about..." he cleared his throat as he pulled back from her, clearly his nerves were still frazzled, "I don't have any lavish gifts or anything like that but...w-would you let me escort you to the dance? ...Please?"

If this boy got any cuter, Reine was going to explode. Before she even gave him an answer, she removed the rose boutonniere from her vest and pinned it to his jacket before kissing him on the cheek, "Absolutely. Yes."

Riddle gently touched the roses now attached to him with a shy grin on his face before looking Reine directly in the eyes, pressing his luck even more, "...Can I try again with that kiss?"

The princess was still blushing a bit but that didn't stop her mischievous grin, "On one condition. You never call me 'Miss' Reine again." 

He gave his answer and his promise by pressing his lips to hers as gently as he could while still being as eager as can be. Reine's content little sigh was the best sound in the world to him right now. 

Meanwhile, outside the greenhouse, Cater and Trey were taking bets with Jasper on whether or not the lovebirds would actually show up to the presentation or not. Once Jasper had shepherded them all outside and let them know what was going on, Alyssa was beside herself to the point that Cowrie casually covered the tiny blonde's mouth so her squeals couldn't be heard all over the campus. The mermaid had been looking at Magicam while her classmate was losing her mind and saw some pretty interesting things happening in real-time, "Ehhhh... Lyssa, lookit."

-

Across the Night Raven campus around the same time as the garden rendezvous, the first move was officially and very publically made out in the courtyard just outside the still full cafeteria. And who better to open the hunt than the first contender?

Charlaine and her dormmates let out a shriek as something very quickly zipped by them overhead. Moments later, the petite singer found herself surrounded by falling flower petals as she looked up at the source. Her vice dorm leader stared up at it and finally asked, "...is that a flower bouquet...attached to an arrow?"

The card on the flowers had Charlaine's name on it and only when she removed the bouquet itself did she notice that the flowers were actually her favorites: purple irises and white and yellow lilies. Somehow the majority of the flowers survived their extreme journey and found themselves being immediately doted on by the petite redhead.

"Awwww! How beautiful!" she gently held them close to her as she fawned over them, "who knew these were my favorites though...?"

Charlaine nor the rest of the students in the area had to wait long to find out. 

"Madamoiselle Skylark!" 

Rook Hunt suddenly appeared before her from who knows where and gave a graceful bow before her, removing his hat in a flamboyantly chivalrous way. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he shot the arrow, seeing as the bow was still in his free hand and the quiver on his back. But he did set the bow down as he fell to one knee before the stunned girl, ignoring all the shocked and confused stares he was getting from everyone else in the area. 

"My songbird, you have charmed my very soul! My heart is set a blaze by your very presence!" Yes, this was happening and it was being recorded by a couple of passerby's phones, two of them being Manari and Elise. "May I be so honored as to hear your song once more? To bask in your delicate beauty and dance with you under the stars into blissful paradise if not for just one night, ma chère?"

Charlaine seemed to be frozen in shock but she thawed quickly. Her face broke into a bright smile as she gasped in delight with stardust in her eyes, "Oh my goodness, yes!!"

Rook gave a shout of jubilation as the girl quickly pinned her songbird-themed boutonniere on him and proceeded to give her hand several kisses as the rest of the girls around her all gushed over the scene before them. Manari whooped and clapped for her follow dorm leader, "Well damn. Shots fired...literally." After that, things escalated pretty quickly. Manari didn't stick around long as she was approached by a couple of Scarabia boys that said she and Jinnah were needed in the gymnasium of all places. Elise urged her to go before liking the onslaught of videos just posted of Rook's grand display on Magicam along with a few other displays happening across campus.

Deuce and Epel had been in the crowd, watching Rook in action. Deuce knew he wasn't even a fraction as poetic or charming as his Pomefiore senpai but he was still determined. He just had to find Alyssa. After both Epel and Jack had hyped him up earlier, there was no going back! He didn't have to wait long as he felt someone grab his shoulder and pull him away from the crowd without so much as a warning. Granted not every guy's approach was nearly as showy as the hunter's. Floyd was definitely a lot more straightforward. He was too impatient for any other method, honestly. 

He and Jade had been running some errands for the Lounge when he spotted Luna Cerith practically floating down the school's corridor, surrounded by a number of other boys trying to ask her out. She would kindly reject some only for more to spring up like weeds. At first it was entertaining to see Luna crush their hopes and dreams with that smile on her face but now Floyd just felt extremely annoyed. The female eel clearly wasn't interested in any of these idiots. Even he could take that hint! Floyd felt a shiver run through him as he looked her up and down in her Cerulamare uniform, remembering her mermaid form from their swim they had last night. She made a beautiful human girl, sure, but her eel form? Her shiny golden eyes matched the cute dusting of spots all along her arms, shoulders, back, hips, and tail. The warm golden cream color of her eel skin beneath the thick dark stripes that hugged her curves and matched her sleek black, gold-flecked hair. She was way too gorgeous for these losers, no matter what form she was in! Seeing one boy get a bit too close to Luna and whisper something in her ear that made her pull away from the boy turned Floyd's annoyance to full-on anger. Jade noticed his twin lagging behind and staring at the scene up the corridor.

"Oya...Floyd, you're growling and salivating...?"

Jade's eyes flicked to the female in question and just laughed under his breath. He knew getting in between Floyd and his prey was a bad idea so the twin just watched and waited off to the side, just to make sure his brother didn't do too much damage in the next few seconds. 

As much as Luna did enjoy playing with human boys from time to time, this particular one was getting a bit too pushy for her tastes. Especially for one she didn't even use an enchantment on. You'd never know it from her cool, vixen demeanor but she was starting to get impatient with him not taking no for an answer. Just when she pushed him away, putting some distance between them, was she faced with a more interesting challenger. Luna didn't even flinch when Floyd suddenly slid between her and the annoying boy and caged Luna with his arms up against the wall behind her. The other boy, however, looked terrified as Floyd glared and growled at him from over his shoulder, his yellow eye glowing brightly. The boy didn't even bother arguing before turning tail and running off in the opposite direction. How boring...

The eel brother did a complete 180 as he turned back to the elder Cerith sister, "Lunaaaaa~"  he sounded like a happy puppy in a boy's body as he smiled down at her, "Hey Luna, I wanna swim with you some more. And dance with you. Forget about these bottomfeeders and pay attention to me instead," he giggled, "Oh I have a pretty thing for you too." 

The 'pretty thing' Floyd had in his pocket was a small mascot eel pendant he had purchased from the same brand that he bought some clothes from. He hadn't really worn it in a while but the eel was very cute and yellow-gold which made him think of Luna's pretty speckles.  The female eel cooed over Floyd's offering, "Oh Floyd, for me? You're so sweet~" the boy internally preened under her dulcet praise and attention "I'd love to have some more fun with you too, Floyd~" she giggled, sweetly batting her eyes up at him as she put on his necklace. Before he could change his mind, she removed her boutonniere from her jacket and slipped the stem in between his sharp teeth, all the while giving him a look somewhere between flirtatious and threatening.

"Don't get bored and stand me up, ok? I'll be so upset..." Luna gave the tall eel a playful kiss on his jawline before slipping away from him with a satisfied grin so not to distract him further seeing as how Jade was patiently waiting. Floyd's sharp-tooth smile widened as he giggled wildly, his eyes following her until she was out of sight. She was fun.  Yes, Luna had heard plenty about Floyd's infamous mood swings but that didn't deter her interest whatsoever. Floyd was very different from the usual boys she'd lure in so even if he did get bored and ditched her eventually, which she fully expected to happen, Luna would at least have all the fun she could with him before that inevitable end. Jade eventually approached his twin, chuckling at his riled-up state, and properly pinned the flowers to his jacket before Floyd got the bright idea to eat them first. Jade could see how dangerous Luna was a mile away but as long as his brother wasn't being hurt, he wouldn't interfere in their little game. If anything, it was very entertaining to see a girl have such an effect on his brother. Even just saying her name around Floyd already made the eel either melt into a happy stupor or turn territorial, more so than when he caught Zehn trying to bother Elise at the Scarabia party that one night. Jade couldn't help but feel impressed and intrigued.

The Night Raven boys had made it clear that they could, in fact, give their rival school a run for their money within the hour. But the crowning achievement went to none other than the Scarabia dorm. Kalim was never one to hold back. It was an actual miracle that Jamil talked him out of a full-scale parade through the campus, complete with exotic animals. Even so, Jamil had a massive headache from just looking at the scene before him. Kalim had insisted on doing everything himself and boy did he? When Jinnah and Manari walked into the gymnasium, the girls nearly fell over.  How...why....but mostly HOW did Kalim fit all of these flowers into the gym?! The Scarabia prefect's head popped up from behind one of the many bushels with a big smile on his face. He wasted no time in scurrying up to the girls and extended the gorgeous silk scarf in his hands out to...

"Jinnah! I didn't know which flowers you liked best so I got you every kind that I could and this scarf made from my family's own silk reserve! I thought it would suit you and make you even more beautiful, especially when you dance! I love watching you dance-wait I'm getting off topic-Please go to the dance with me!"

The two girls looked at each other and then back at Kalim's eager smiling face. Confused didn't even begin to cover what they were feeling. They - and pretty much everyone on the island - had thought Manari would be the one he asked, not her!

"You're asking...me???" Jinnah pointed to herself in a daze.

"Yes! I am asking you, Jinnah...w-was that not clear?!" Kalim started to panic a bit and looked back at Jamil for support. The vice dorm leader just facepalmed. Thank the Desert Sage he was able to talk Kalim out of bringing out the elephant or else this poor girl would have thought he was even crazier. Manari gave Jinnah a literal push and motioned for her to give the poor boy an answer. Sure, she too was surprised but she was not about to stand there and let Jinnah leave the poor guy hanging! Jinnah quickly pulled herself together and gave Kalim a big smile, "O-Oh! Yes, yes you made yourself very clear, Al-Asim! I'm just so..SO surprised!"

Jinnah carefully took the scarf from him and admired it. It was an absolutely gorgeous shade of turquoise, embellished with gold designs. She prayed as she wrapped it around her neck and head that he never told her how much it was actually worth, "Thank you so much for your generous gifts, Al-Asim. Of course, I will go with you!" Jinnah beamed as she pinned her boutonniere onto his vest. Kalim was just as over the moon as much as Jamil was relieved. There would be no living with him had Jinnah rejected him. Kalim jumped up with a happy shout and turned to Jamil with a sparkle in his eyes, "JAMIL! SHE SAID YES!!"

"Yes Kalim, I saw..." he said with a tired grin.

"Now you can ask Manari and we can all go together!" Kalim exclaimed, loud and proud, with the biggest smile on his face.

Jamil nearly burst into flames where he stood. Did Kalim really just put him on the spot like that?! Jinnah gave her dorm leader a wide-eyed look with an impish grin. Manari gasped in mischievous delight, a slight girlish glow on her face, "Ooo, I like that idea! How about it, Viper-kun? Want me to save you from being a third wheel?"

Jamil was practically sweating as he fought the urge to hide in his hood. There was no escape. Every exit was blocked by all these damn flowers so he just surrendered and muttered, "Uhh...y-yeah sure......sounds g-good."  It wasn't the most suave response but Manari still squealed and made a b-line towards him, tagging him with her boutonniere before he could actually try to run away, "Ooo Jamil! Who knew you could be so cute? How could I refuse?!" she giggled in pure glee. Her awkward troubles with Prince Yasmine were put on the back burner at breakneck speed. Yeah, hiding in the hood was a good idea Jamil decided.  In he went, making the girls laugh and coo at him even more. The next question was what the hell were they going to do with all these flowers?

- 

Surprise to no one, Reine and Riddle never made it to Jasper's presentation but he wasn't upset in the least. Trey and Cater attended as did many other Heartslabyul and Rose Queendom students. Alyssa was also in attendance but got up and went outside part of the way through. Cowrie had suddenly texted her, saying that she needed to meet her outside the building right now. The blonde was confused when the mermaid was nowhere in sight. Instead, there was a very nervous-looking first year pacing back and forth down the pathway. Alyssa felt a rush of giddiness as soon as she saw the spade mark on his face. She had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing when she spotted Cowrie poking her head out from the bushes and chucking a pebble at the boy, making him yelp. The mermaid gestured to Alyssa and dove back into the bushes once she got Deuce's attention. Alyssa just smiled and waved to the boy as he nervously approached her.

"H-Hello Alyssa! Um, fancy meeting you here!" That was terrible, what am I doing?!

"Hello Deuce," Alyssa said his name so sweetly it nearly put the poor boy's heart in shock. Oh, she knew exactly why he was here and what he was doing...or trying to do at least. Deuce had no idea that Alyssa's boutonniere was already as good as his. The little Rosabyrine blonde had already decided it the minute she woke up that morning. Still...watching him try was so cute.

-

The princess and crimson tyrant were enjoying their haven inside the gardens too much to leave just yet. Their stolen time away from all the chaos happening elsewhere was too precious to waste. Though they did enjoy a good laugh at all the videos and pictures being uploaded of the Night Raven boys' over-the-top endeavors. 

"Wow...and I thought being serenaded by our brother school was a lot. I remember one year, a boy did it while riding a white horse and playing guitar," Reine laughed with her head leaning on Riddle's shoulder.

"Ugh," Riddle cringed out loud, "A white horse and a guitar? Does that actually work??" Reine just laughed and shook her head, "It's not my cup of tea persay but who knows..."

His disgust didn't last as he looked down at the princess' soft smile as she giggled at more photos. He then remembered both Che'nya and Adela's stories about Zehn Cavalier always making sure that he was Reine's date to all events and no one else. Ha. Riddle felt a deep sense of accomplishment and pride swell up in his chest. Oh, he would love to see the look on that bastard's face once he got the news that it was he, Riddle Rosehearts, who had won the day and NOT him. He would relish it to no end. 

"My, my, don't you look pleased, Mr. Rosehearts?"

Riddle snapped out of his reverie and cleared his throat, "I'm...just...very happy...also I admit I did overhear that, in the past, it was Mr. Cavalier that always won your affections for these kinds of events."

The princess laughed dryly, "I wouldn't say he won them so much as I was heavily obligated...at least that's what I thought for so long." 

Her smile suddenly faded. Reine was enjoying this blissful high so much that she almost forgot Zehn completely. Riddle stiffened as she sat up and faced him with a nervous smile, "Riddle, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about but before I can...I need to talk to Zehn first."

Why did he suddenly have such a dreadful feeling in his gut? Riddle's worry must have registered on his face because Reine's smile softened as she leaned in to give him another gentle peck on the lips, "Don't make that face. It's not a bad thing, I promise. I just need to set things straight before I can take the next step properly. That's all."

Riddle's anxiety didn't go away but he trusted Reine and wanted to respect her wishes. He took both of her hands in his and placed gentle kisses on each of her knuckles in show of his support.

"I will wait for you then."

He felt a chill pass over him as Reine left him behind in the garden, promising that she'd be back soon. How ironic it felt that the sun was sinking below the horizon right as her warm voice and smile left his presence. But Riddle didn't move. He waited for her just as he promised.

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

Tagging:

@1ndigowitch @evieyouknow @foxwitchaine @nuitthegoddess

@victoria1676 @wysteriadelights @iscarlettappel @espada188

@feldya

[plantlife1]

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[luegootravez]

Laurie Gordeijns by © Jasper & Botan

[xxsp3llb0undxx]

Since Jasper is from Tx, I was wondering if you could write him going back there. But to Orange Tx, and specifically the Shangri La Gardens!

I was looking around for cute small garden (public) places for Jasper to take reader out on a date. Maybe they could go on a cloudy day & he wears long sleeves anyways! So, I figured the sun wouldn't be a uber big thing. I just went there the other day and there is lots of shaded area.

Just copy and paste and it'll bring you to the web pages. It won't let me link cause I am anon...

Maps (shangrilagardens.org)

Shangri La Botanical Gardens & Nature Center (shangrilagardens.org)

hihi nonnie !! I just saw your request, i know it has been sitting in here for quite some time and im dearly sorry for that ! Would you like it to be a full fic or headcanon ?

[ad-caelestia]

catalysts in witchcraft

a catalyst by definition is: a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible.

in spellwork, a catalyst (by my own definition) is something you can use to amplify a spell or ritual and has the potential to manifest results quicker than you would have without a catalyst.

based on my research, all of the correspondences below are associated with either manifestation, energy/power, success; or, some or all of the above.

botanicals: acorn, allspice, aloe, amber, angelica, balm of gilead, bamboo, belladonna (nightshade), bergamot, black haw, black walnut, carnation, carrot, cedar, centaury, cherry bark, cinnamon, cinquefoil, club moss, coffee, cowslip, cramp bark, daffodil, damiana, dittany, dragon's blood, ebony, echinacea, fig, frankincense, gentian, ginger, goldenseal, ham, hawthorn, lady's mantle, lovage, mastic, mint, mugwort, myrrh, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, red pepper, rowan, sage, sandalwood, spinach, st. john's wort, star anise, sunflower, tangerine, vanilla, walnut, witches burr, wormwood (absinthe)

crystals: amazonite, aventurine, carnelian, cinnabar, citrine, garnet, goldstone, herkimer diamond, honey calcite, lapis lazuli, pyrite, quartz, red jasper, sunstone, tiger's eye, yellow jasper

colors: magenta, red, orange

lunar phases: blue moon, full moon, black moon

day of the week: sunday, monday, tuesday

planet: sun, moon, mars, pluto

constellation: andromeda, cetus, corona borealis, crux, draco, eridanus, hydra, hydrus, leo, lupus, orion, perseus, the pleiades, sagittarius, taurus

zodiac sign: aries, leo, scorpio, capricorn

tarot card: the star, the sun, the world

compiled from my personal grimoire & based on my own associations & research

© 2024 𝚊𝚍-𝚌𝚊𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊

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[soraavalon]

DM: Oh god, so yeah you guys will be there next session. Jesus fucking Christ. Okay. Hunt (OOC): *laughing* Tark (OOC): Yeah, you gotta... Moriarty (OOC): We're just kicking these problems down the road, right Swan? That's a future me problem. DM: It's a now-me problem actually, I think. Nathaniel (OOC): Swan preps for the deal and we just went to a botanical garden. DM: Yeah. I mean, you guys just enjoy the botanical garden. Nathaniel (OOC): We're gonna make a deal with the fey. Actually, I want to buy a flower. DM: Yeah. Nathaniel (OOC): 'What is wrong with you?' DM: I was so prepared. It's fine and I'm ready to reshuffle some things in my brain that I had organized. Tark (OOC): So let's skip forward a couple days, we're in Mistwood. *dissolves into laughter* DM: Oh man. Moriarty (OOC): Nothing interesting happened on the flight over. Tark (OOC) & DM: No. DM: Super normal, like a day's flight. It'll be fine. Eudora (OOC): We're like mostly cutting across this little sliver of the lake. Tark (OOC): Yeah. DM: Yeah, that's a good name for the next session. Marigold (OOC): We should go fishing. DM: Mm-hmm. Eudora (OOC): The name of the next chapter? Moriarty (OOC): 'We Should Go Fishing?' Is that the name of the next chapter? DM: Yes. 'You Should Go Fishing'. Marigold (OOC): Plot twist, we don't actually go fishing DM: Tracks. Nathaniel (OOC): Why would we do what Swan expects for once? DM: Oh. I can spell. Eudora (OOC): Hmm. Hunt (OOC): *reads the notes doc* Ooh. Moriarty (OOC): Ooh? Eudora (OOC): Interwoven. Nathaniel (OOC): Uh-oh. Eudora (OOC): So we're gonna find a weaver. Moriarty (OOC): Oh my god, there's one in my backstory. DM: Oh fuck, I forgot about that. Hunt (OOC): *laughs* Nathaniel (OOC): We were just talking about Nathaniel getting [something] into the Arcane Weave, so... DM: True. Nathaniel (OOC): Worried. Eudora (OOC): Finding an arcane weaver. DM: Just gonna start chewing on Nathaniel. Nathaniel (OOC): Don't! DM: Welcome back on the menu! Nathaniel (OOC): No. No. Moriarty (OOC): Looks like meat's back on the menu boys. Nathaniel (OOC): No, no you promised. -laughter- DM: I sure made a promise. There's no accounting for what you people choose to do. Nathaniel (OOC): Nate physically hiding behind Eudora. Eudora (OOC): You have to crouch down to do that. DM: You're so much--- Tark (OOC): Yeah! Exactly. On the floor. DM: Nathaniel flinching (?) back into Eudora, 'No please, take her!' Moriarty (OOC): 'You promised it was over. DM: I also promised everybody that I wasn't changing things that were already set in motion so... Tark (OOC): Lies. Lies and slander. DM: I don't. I'm like 'Oh, that's what's going on.' It's fine. I thought Mistwood was gonna be a little ways away. Nathaniel (OOC): Wait... Wait no. DM: It's fine and I can reshuffle things and we'll still get to Hunt's quest, I promise. Moriarty (OOC): We're gonna fuckin' find Nicholas Price DM: Eudora, you walk into Jasper. Nathaniel (OOC): We- Somebody picked this town, if we find Nicholas I'm going to lose my mind! I'm going to become an unwell person! Hunt (OOC): And to think, if he was actually in Mistwood this whole time, he was so close. Nathaniel (OOC): I will lose my whole mind. I will never trust again. DM: Anyways. Nathaniel (OOC): I don't like the tone of Swan's voice.

[xtruss]

Why Does Pantone Have a Color of the Year? It Started with ... Birds

This is the Year of Peach Fuzz, According to Pantone. The Company's Annual Color Craze Originates in Part From the Work of a 19th-Century Ornithologist Who Described the Dizzying Array of Bird Colors.

— By Carrie Arnold | December 7, 2023

American flamingos get their famous pink color from eating tiny crustaceans and algae. Photograph By Jasper Doest

Pantone has announced its color of the year, peach fuzz, which highlights the hue’s coziness and comfort. The shade “brings belonging, inspires recalibration, and an opportunity for nurturing,” Pantone’s executive director Leatrice Eiseman said along with the announcement.

As it does every year, the color not only represents design trends but also the current culture. While Pantone’s trend-setting world of digital design seems as distant as it could be from dusty museum shelves of century-old bird specimens, the two topics are closer than you might think.

That’s because the company’s giant color compendiums originate at least in part from ornithology and natural history.

Robert Ridgway, an ornithologist and artist at the Smithsonian's United States National Museum from 1886 to 1929, was tasked with describing the country’s diverse bird life. To do that, he needed first to accurately describe birds’ color, from the vibrant reddish orange of an American robin’s breast to the wine reds of the purple finch. That’s harder than it might sound, as a color can appear different from moment to moment based on ambient light and other nearby shades.

The bold hues of many bird feathers, such as the Peacock's, inspired ornithologist Robert Ridgway to create detailed color dictionaries for the first time. Photograph By Stefano Unterthiner

To solve this problem, Ridgway published two dictionaries of over a thousand different colors, from mustard gold to peacock blue, featuring page after page of hand-painted color swatches. These humble beginnings—Ridgway self-published the latter volume at his own expense—ultimately gave rise to the Pantone Color Institute in the 1960s.

“There wasn't this common vocabulary about color until Ridgway created it,” says Brian Ellis, president of the Illinois Audubon Society and portrayer of Ridgway in living history skits. “He had a very specific need, but what he created quickly found a very broad use.”

True Colors

For both amateur birders and ornithologists alike, color plays a major role in species identification, says Kevin McGowan, senior course developer and instructor at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.

But simply describing a bird as “blue” isn’t enough. Blue jays, eastern bluebirds, and indigo buntings are all blue birds, but the rich azure of an indigo bunting is nothing like the softer, sky blue of a jay.

“It is extremely difficult to describe the subtle color differences,” he says. Due to innate biological variations, “we may, in fact, be seeing something different.”

Left: An Immature Indigo Bunting perches on a branch in Las Cruces, Costa Rica 🇨🇷. The birds are known for their rich, deep blue hues. Photograph By Cagan H. Sekercioglu

Right: Ridgway's 1912 book, Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, published in was an immediate hit, selling out several printing runs. Swatch By Robert Ridgway

Ridgway devoted much of his time to describing the diversity of North American birds, ultimately naming and describing over a thousand species, according to Ellis.

Ridgway sketched and painted many of these birds with his wife, Julia Ridgway, with a skill that rivaled John James Audubon.

While color dictionaries had existed for centuries before Ridgway’s life, they were far from comprehensive, nor were they designed for naturalists.

The late 1800s also saw the advent of chemical dyes. Derived from coal tar, these chemical dyes did not have the batch-to-batch variability of botanical dyes upon which the world had historically relied, opening up a whole new world of color to Ridgway and others, Ellis says.

An Indispensable Resource

In Ridgway’s 1886 book, A Nomenclature of Colors for Naturalists, he and Julia painted entire pages with an individual color, cutting them up into small swatches to be glued into each book. This ensured that, say, the olive green in each volume was identical. Their brush strokes can be seen in the book’s 186 color plates.

“In their handmade books, every copy was exactly to standard,” Ellis says.

Though this was an accomplishment, Ridgway still felt the volume inadequate. So he struck out on his own to publish a larger volume. In this version, the Ridgways organized each page in a spectrum of shades, with pure white at the top left and black at the bottom right. Arrayed in between was a range of hue and tone, enabling painters and naturalists alike to precisely match colors.

The resulting Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, published in 1912, was an immediate hit, selling out several printing runs. As he hoped, naturalists found the guide indispensable, as did designers, stamp collectors, and food colorists.

The Ridgways’ color guides are still fundamental to our understanding of the diversity of life, says Sarah Luttrell, a research assistant in the Feather Identification Lab at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

“Humans are really visual creatures. Color is the thing that strikes us first,” she says.

The Scarlet Macaw of South America has Brilliant Hues of Red, Blue, and Yellow. Photograph By David Liittschwager

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Ridgway published two dictionaries of over a thousand different colors, from mustard gold to peacock blue, featuring page after page of hand-painted color swatches. Swatch By Robert Ridgway

The Rainbow Lorikeet, Native to Australia 🇦🇺, is one of the most Colorful Parrot Species. Photograph By David Liittschwager

For both amateur birders and ornithologists alike, color plays a major role in species identification. Swatch By Robert Ridgway

Ridgway For the modern Age

In the late 1950s, printers and advertisers were facing a similar color quandary as Ridgway had, only on a larger scale. Manufacturers needed to ensure that the colors they used were both distinct from competitors and consistent across time and space.

Recognizing an unmet need, Lawrence Herbert bought out the printing company where he worked in 1962 and created Pantone. The company’s Pantone Matching System was essentially an industrial-scaled version of color systems like those Ridgway’s 1912 volume and similar works by color aficionados like Albert Munsell. The color dictionaries have also gone digital to reproduce colors on computer screens.

The selection of peach fuzz as 2024’s Color of the Year may not have resounding implications for Luttrell in the Feather Identification Lab, it remains a key part of her work in identifying species.

“There's lots of things still to learn about color and how it matters for the animal. The better we can measure it, the more we can learn,” Luttrell says.

A Female Saker Falcon Guards her Chicks, called Eyases, in their nest overlooking the Mongolian Plain 🇲🇳. Photograph By Brent Stirton

Before Ridgway's Color Paintings (Pictured, Warm Earth and Gray Tones), there were few color reference guides available to scientists and the public. Swatch By Robert Ridgway

[vampyredefender-a]

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