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the-firebird69 · 2 years ago

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And he respected Kathy fairly well and queen is Elizabeth a lot more I fought with her a little bit pressuring him instead of under enough pressure I don't have anything please and everyone keeps doing it to him here and we have to but he presses us he needs us to. This is the limousine we're producing it's a particular line eventually that produces the limos and it's also in an older look and it's what we're doing together as competing luxury vehicle companies and a spouse.

It's a huge car on the inside and we do retrofit and reinforce for people who are large and we accommodate people who are smaller as well so please note that when you're ordering to your salesperson. As they are well trained they will do the job appropriately and we're confident in them. The warlock tried to build Bentley's and Rolls-Royce under the same roof and thus their strange websites which we are changing now and they did not sell any cars that they made to anyone nor did they drive any did they made these the cars are selling now we're made in 2020 and there were not many left in other words the dealers are holding on to them and wondering what they're going to do. And I had a plan to take over Tommy f stuff after announcing he had it and it failed and invasion failed and their army is much more powerful than they thought and they're mad at everybody when it's their fault and they shut themself down it almost sets society down that they did not. Now is the time to celebrate recovering from the morlock and their plan, a large portion of that is confronting what will be the only remaining warlock group the clones. And to do so you may would like to travel in style and have your day chauffeured, whether it's a meeting at OPEC or in New York City over large concerns there's no better way to arrive than in style in Bentley

Hera

We're concerned about the verbage now this is how they speak these two and it's from a bunch of different languages stuff together into English and we speak differently too and it is a bit simple but that's the way it is. We like how this is and we like what they're saying it is a difficult time for many and the approach is usually quite Haggard and awful this would make it a lot nicer from the airport to the meeting and the meeting to the airport and we are also building these for a limousine companies right now and they're requesting a lot of them and smoked Windows is a staple and it's going on immediately they all want the top level armor and we're providing it and yes the top level armor is a bit pricey for this vehicle the starting price of the starting model the standard armor is $9 million dollars there are two levels above the next level is 12 million and the highest is 18 million because it is very expensive material and it is more difficult to build. We have thus far today sent 15 to be built to the Bentley plants and we have orders for 200 more it is an excellent vehicle and the choice of many for the security and their chauffeured needs

Lobo and Goddess Wife

Is a great a great way to save energy and I am ordering several of these and it is a nice company and it was run and owned by Ben Arnold not his wife, hello there fairly sharp woman he was running it very well and with an iron fist. Insurance the other clan but really they build a fine product it has differences they like speed and stealth and they do offer a stealth package and we did read it but they're not publishing it and they also our fairly decent folk and we are doing business with him and we are buying a lot of their mwrap type SUV right now and I'm actually stocking up on them for my secret service type rolls that we have a need for in our mansions and places business and for transporting things to and fro the other one is a little bit bigger and we ordering some of those to go in the caravan it's a great mix and you'll like it it works and we have running cars and chaser cars of each and their armored and they can have other things put in them but we do that after Rolls-Royce and after Bentley has a fully assembled them

Mike tew

I'd like to say a word that this car is outstanding is a wonderful limousine and my sister loved it and she had it built for herself and it was her company and my grand nephew respects it and is having us put the cars together and we don't have time to make the parts and they're providing us with military style vehicles for the espionage side of things which is outrageous but that's what's going on and they have been for a while they said in Oshkosh was kind of his thing with her and she sneaked up on him but his with a Humvee and his new there were other vehicles but his distinctly different and so we have two people who keep doing that and the reasons are kind of obvious but in obvious to some it's not exactly 100% parallel but it is decent and we're getting a lot of these and we're going to have nice caravans they look wonderful they attract attention they like the whole place up and you know it brings a smile to people's faces and they know that society is a little bit more tame than what they've been seeing

Mac daddy

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limoexpress · 3 years ago

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You can hire limo for Morristown from a car rental that provides fleet of limousines of top monikers such as Lincoln, Mercedes, stretch limos and sprinter vans. These vehicles can accommodate anywhere from 6 to 14 people depending the occasion and the number of people who are to ride the vehicle.

#Limo for Morristown #Limo Company USA #Hire Limousine Newark #NJ Limo Services #Limo services Edison #Limousine services Elizabeth

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laura-elizabeth91 · 2 years ago

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World leaders know their place at the funeral of the century

LONDON — It was the grandest of state funerals. It was a rare moment of shared national reflection. It was also a masterclass in diplomatic choreography.

Two full hours before Queen Elizabeth II’s solemn state funeral began at 11 a.m. Monday, the world leaders began to arrive. They came in waves — with a clear hierarchy on display.

For most, their arrival at the 750-year-old Westminster Abbey, just across the road from the Palace of Westminster, involved gingerly stepping off a coach onto a sawdust-strewn London pavement.

U.S. President Joe Biden, apparently the sole overseas visitor allowed to dodge the VIP ‘park and ride’ system in place for foreign dignitaries, arrived early in his armored limousine known as ‘The Beast’. He was the first incumbent U.S. president ever to attend a British monarch’s funeral.

LONDON — It was the grandest of state funerals. It was a rare moment of shared national reflection. It was also a masterclass in diplomatic choreography.

Two full hours before Queen Elizabeth II’s solemn state funeral began at 11 a.m. Monday, the world leaders began to arrive. They came in waves — with a clear hierarchy on display.

For most, their arrival at the 750-year-old Westminster Abbey, just across the road from the Palace of Westminster, involved gingerly stepping off a coach onto a sawdust-strewn London pavement.

Foreign royals, who had arrived on luxury mini-buses, were given some of the best seats in the abbey, with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, and members of the Spanish royal family, sitting near the queen’s immediate family near the altar. Europe’s longest-serving living monarch, Queen Margrethe of Denmark, sat directly opposite King Charles.

Former British prime ministers — John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson — arrived separately in a fleet of black BMWs. They were seated together, near the royal family in choir stalls. Cherie Blair and Gordon Brown — famously unhappy neighbors in Downing Street back in the 2000s — chatted animatedly as they waited for the service to start. Former Tory leaders May and Johnson were tactfully separated by the genial Philip May.

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kationella · 4 years ago

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Welcome to another episode where we tackle the lore of the Persona series. This time we have...

The Velvet Room

The Velvet Room is one if the few things that appear every Persona game. We all know the basics, so let's go deeper than that.

This place was created by Philemon as a way to help users on their journeys and give them an extra boost, so to speak. It is unknown when it was created, but with the help of facts I will mention later, we can guess it was way before P1.

It's location, like the Sea of Souls, changes constantly. However unlike the Sea, it is easier for a normal person to gain access to it. Well, as normal as a Persona user can get.

The Velvet Room has this ability to appear wherever a guest needs it. Usually in a set of different locations in the city/town where their journey takes place.

Formally, it serves as a bridge between the "human realm" and the Collective Unconscious, where the multiple pocket dimensions lie.

Due to its nature, a guest is able to visit the room in their sleep, mostly because their presence is required at the moment.

It's appearance is supposed to be a representation of the journey the current guest is going through. It's usually a mobile appearance like an elevator or a limousine.

However, if there is more than one guest at a time, it will default to a literal velvet room.

Keep in mind that a guest is not the same as a visitor. A visitor can't gain access to the room by normal means and can't use their services (It is possible for people with high spiritual sensitivity to see the door, though).

A guest is bound by a contract to complete their journey in exchange for the benefits the room entails.

What are those benefits? Game mechanics, mostly. Like managing Personas and Fusion. Ya know.

It's demon/shadow counterpart would be the Cathedral of Shadows.

To be granted entry as a guest of the Velvet Room you must either:

A) Have been granted your Persona by Philemon.

B) Own the power of the Wildcard. I will cover the Wildcards in a separate post.

The denizens of the Velvet Room can bring visitors whenever they want, though.

You can deny the contract the Velvet Room offers, though it is destined that you'll end up signing it anyways.

Despite having created the place, Philemon barely visits it. Let's talk then about the true denizens of the Velvet Room.

We can't talk about the Velvet Room without talking about Igor. He is the first face you'll see once you enter through that blue door.

Igor's creator is currently unknown. All that we know is that he started as a doll that was given life by unknown means. Like a weird Pinocchio.

He practically manages the Velvet Room, being in charge of fusions. However, Igor must always use some object in order to be able to use this ability. In P1 and P2 it was a bone telephone, while in the rest he uses a deck of cards.

This doesn't mean that Igor doesn't have personal abilities. He doesn't say it outloud, but it's obvious Igor has minor precognition. Mostly focused on his guests.

He does have full control over his retrocognitive abilities, which helps him to read the personalities of those around him based on their lifes. Not only that, but in one of the P3 dramas Igor is capable of sharing what he sees in the past with another person through a flashback of sorts.

Aside from this Igor can do minor spiritual healing, through so far we have only seen him dealing with curses.

Next in the list we have Belladonna. The singer of the Velvet Room with her masterpiece: the Aria of the Soul. Her voice is meant to enrich the soul and open your heart.

When you enter the room she will help to provide a calming sensation in the middle of your journey. Clear your mind.

But of course, the Aria of the Soul would be incomplete without Nameless, the piano player. Only he could play a song like that with his eyes covered. His role is the same as Belladonna, only he plays music instead of singing.

Nameless also has a minor job as a reminder to Igor of the costs of Personas since the old man always forgets.

Nameless mentions the following:

"That is why 90,000 and 155 nights have passed since I closed my own eyes."

If we do the math, those would be around 247 years. Persona 2, the game where he mentioned this, takes place in 1999.

With all of this information, we can say that Nameless has been playing his role since 1752. A probable date of origin? Who knows.

Both Belladonna and Nameless can sense the current status of the collective souls of humanity through their music.

Let's talk now about the Demon Painter. His most notable characteristic is that he is the only confirmed denizen to have been a human before, having lived in Sumaru City before his employment. Apparently his painting skills were so exceptional that he was offered immortality and a chance to reside in the Velvet Room. The Demon Painter skills actually remind me of Yusuke, so there's some food for thought.

The Demon Painter claims it has been decades since he became immortal. This would make the date of his employment between 1909 and 1979.

Belladonna and Nameless have been confirmed to still live in the Velvet Room (how big is it, anyways?) but nothing has been said of the Demon Painter.

Now we move onto the attendants. So far we have Margaret, Elizabeth, Theodore and Lavenza. Each attendant aids one guest at a time, making exceptions when it comes to their guest's party.

Only Lavenza has shown the ability to transform into a blue butterfly, so we can assume the others can do it too.

None of the attendants are human and have no knowledge of humans themselves. This leaves the possibility that they were created recently for the Persona protags in the open. How come Elizabeth hadn't tried to explore the human world before on her own?

Talking of Elizabeth, she's currently the only attendant that has basically abandonded her job to roam the human realm and search for a way to free Minato from the Great Seal. This may apply to Theodore on a minor scale with Minako.

From what we have been told, it is possible for Elizabeth to gain her own contract to start her own journey.

One last curious thing is that apparently the room uses a lot of spiritual energy to just exist. This is why a spiritual being must be constantly "powering" it so it works correctly. This being is usually Igor, explaining why whenever he isn't there, the room starts to malfunction.

As of the latest games it seems that the velvet siblings have learned how to control it without Igor's help.

Since it was inspired from a story from Edgar Allan Poe, I'll headcanon that he was a Persona user and you can't change my mind.

Questions I don't have the answers to:

- Where did the Velvet Room denizens come from?

- Did Philemon sense when Yaldabaoth took over the room?

- What happened to the Demon Painter?

- What will happen once Elizabeth completes her journey?

- What does the contract say exactly?

- Do you offer your services to the Velvet Room or are you recruited?

- Since Tamaki uses shadows instead of Personas, would she go to the Cathedral of Shadows instead?

- Where were the rest of the denizens when Yaldabaoth took over?

#persona 1 #persona 2 #persona 4 #persona 5 #persona 3 #analysis #lore #meta #philemon #igor #belladonna #nameless #margaret #elizabeth #theodore #lavenza #demon painter

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xhxhxhx · 5 years ago

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Thinking about Ross Douthat’s “The Age of Decadence” this morning:

“Do people on your coast think all this is real?”

The tech executive sounded curious, proud, a little insecure. We were talking in the San Francisco office of a venture capital firm, a vaulted space washed in Californian sun. He was referring to the whole gilded world around the Bay, the entire internet economy.

That was in 2015. Here are three stories from the five years since.

A young man comes to New York City. He’s a striver, a hustler, working the borderlands between entrepreneurship and con artistry. His first effort, a credit card for affluent millennials, yanks him into the celebrity economy, where he meets an ambitious rapper-businessman. Together they plan a kind of internet brokerage where celebrities can sell their mere presence to the highest bidder. As a brand-enhancing advertisement for the company, they decide to host a major music festival — an exclusive affair on a Caribbean island for influencers, festival obsessives and the youthful rich.

The festival’s online rollout is a great success. There is a viral video of supermodels and Instagram celebrities frolicking on a deserted beach, a sleek website for customers and the curious, and in the end, more than 5,000 people buy tickets, at an average cost of $2,500 to $4,000 — the superfluity of a rich society, yours for the right sales pitch.

But the festival as pitched does not exist. Instead, our entrepreneur’s plans collapse one by one. The private island’s owners back out of the deal. The local government doesn’t cooperate. Even after all the ticket sales, the money isn’t there, and he has to keep selling new amenities to ticket buyers to pay for the ones they’ve already purchased. He does have a team working around the clock to ready … something for the paying customers, but what they offer in the end is a sea of FEMA tents vaguely near a beach, a catering concern that supplies slimy sandwiches, and a lot of cheap tequila.

Amazingly, the people actually come — bright young things whose Instagram streams become a hilarious chronicle of dashed expectations, while the failed entrepreneur tries to keep order with a bullhorn before absconding to New York, where he finds disgrace, arrest and the inevitable Netflix documentary.

That’s the story of Billy McFarland and the Fyre Festival. It’s a small-time story; the next one is bigger.

A girl grows up in Texas, she gets accepted to Stanford, she wants to be Steve Jobs. She has an idea that will change an industry that hasn’t changed in years: the boring but essential world of blood testing. She envisions a machine, dubbed the Edison, that will test for diseases using just a single drop of blood. And like Jobs she quits college to figure out how to build it.

Ten years later, she is the internet era’s leading female billionaire, with a stream of venture capital, a sprawling campus, a $10 billion valuation for her company, and a lucrative deal with Walgreens to use her machines in every store. Her story is a counterpoint to every criticism you hear about Silicon Valley — that it’s a callow boys’ club, that its virtual realities don’t make the world of flesh and blood a better place, that it solves problems of convenience but doesn’t cure the sick. And she is the toast of an elite, in tech and politics alike, that wants to believe the Edisonian spirit lives on.

But the Edison box — despite endless effort and the best tech team that all that venture capital can buy — doesn’t work. And over time, as the company keeps expanding, it ceases even trying to innovate and becomes instead a fraud, using all its money and big-time backers to discredit whistle-blowers. Which succeeds until it doesn’t, at which point the company and all its billions evaporate — leaving behind a fraud prosecution, a best-selling exposé and the inevitable podcast and HBO documentary to sustain its founder’s fame.

That’s the story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. It’s a big story. But our third story is bigger still, and it isn’t finished yet.

An internet company decides to revolutionize an industry — the taxi and limousine market — that defines old-school business-government cooperation, with all the attendant bureaucracy and unsatisfying service. It promises investors that it can buy its way to market dominance and use cutting-edge tech to find unglimpsed efficiencies. On the basis of that promise, it raises billions of dollars across its 10-year rise, during which time it becomes a byword for internet-era success, the model for how to disrupt an industry. By the time it goes public in 2019, it has over $11 billion in annual revenue — real money, exchanged for real services, nothing fraudulent about it.

Yet this amazing success story isn’t actually making any profit, even at such scale; instead, it’s losing billions, including $5 billion in one particularly costly quarter. After 10 years of growth, it has smashed the old business model of its industry, weakened legacy competitors and created value for consumers — but it has done all this using the awesome power of free money, building a company that would collapse into bankruptcy if that money were withdrawn. And it has solved none of the problems keeping it from profitability: The technology it uses isn’t proprietary or complex; its rival in disruption controls 30 percent of the market; the legacy players are still very much alive; and all of its paths to reduce its losses — charging higher prices, paying its workers less — would destroy the advantages that it has built.

So it sits there, a unicorn unlike any other, with a plan to become profitable that involves vague promises to somehow monetize all its user data and a specific promise that its investment in a different new technology — the self-driving car, much ballyhooed but as yet not exactly real — will make the math add up.

That’s the story of Uber — so far. It isn’t an Instagram fantasy or a naked fraud; it managed to go public and maintain its outsize valuation, unlike its fellow unicorn WeWork, whose recent attempt at an I.P.O. hurled it into crisis. But it is, for now, an example of a major 21st-century company invented entirely out of surplus, and floated by the hope that with enough money and market share, you can will a profitable company into existence. Which makes it another case study in what happens when an extraordinarily rich society can’t find enough new ideas that justify investing all its stockpiled wealth. We inflate bubbles and then pop them, invest in Theranos and then repent, and the supposed cutting edge of capitalism is increasingly defined by technologies that have almost arrived, business models that are on their way to profitability, by runways that go on and on without the plane achieving takeoff.

Do people on your coast think all this is real? When the tech executive asked me that, I told him that we did — that the promise of Silicon Valley was as much an article of faith for those of us watching from the outside as for its insiders; that we both envied the world of digital and believed in it, as the one place where American innovation was clearly still alive. And I would probably say the same thing now because, despite the stories I’ve just told, the internet economy is still as real as 21st-century growth and innovation gets.

But what this tells us, unfortunately, is that 21st-century growth and innovation are not at all what we were promised they would be.

I wonder if we’ll think about Silicon Valley the way we think about Texas wildcatters and Florida real estate hustlers.

It’s not that there isn’t innovation in California. There is innovation in California. There was oil in Texas and real estate in Florida too. But their dilemmas are the same: the market has matured. The frontier is a confidence game, but the core is stagnant.

Facebook and Google monopolized social and search. They have the profits that newspapers used to have and broadcasters still do. Apple sells luxury products to the affluent, like the LVMH of Cupertino. They are not growing and innovating. They are insulating.

They acquire smaller firms that might threaten their business: Instagram, WhatsApp, Waze, DoubleClick. They do just enough to insulate themselves. They do no more. A little while ago, they challenged one another: Apple tried search, Google tried social. They don’t do that anymore.

It would be nice if they tried something new.

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monroelimousine · 10 months ago

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underthewingsofthblackeagle · 5 years ago

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After her marriage with Frank Randall has failed and Claire Beauchamp flees from her violent husband, she finds refuge in the house of the Fraser/Murray family in Berlin-Wilhelmshorst. But then tensions arise between Britain (which has since left the EU) and some EU member states. All holders of an English passport are required to leave EU territory within six weeks … and suddenly Claire’s fate looks more uncertain than ever.

This story was written for the #14DaysofOutlander event, hosted by @scotsmanandsassenach

Note: This chapter contains references to domestic violence and suicidal thoughts. If these things trigger something in you, please skip this chapter.

Chapter 3: 14 Seconds (1)

Etienne Marcel de Provac Alexandre was satisfied. No, Etienne Marcel de Provac Alexandre was not satisfied. He could not be satisfied at all, because in reality he did not exist. It was James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser who was satisfied that Etienne Marcel de Provac Alexandre, his alias, had also successfully completed this assignment. Neither the negotiations nor the conclusion of that special trade agreement with the Argentinians had caused any problems, so he was able to finish his job in the time allotted.

“Buenos Aires - Skyline” by maymuc

The success with which he had been able to complete his mission helped him to get over the inconvenience of his onward flight to Boston. It took more time for these 8,500 kilometres than for the return flight from Boston to Berlin. So he flew from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza shortly after eight in the evening first to Lima, where he had an 80-minute stopover at the Jorge Chavez International Airport. Then he was able to board a plane that took him from the Peruvian capital to Florida. He used the time on the plane to get some sleep. When he arrived at Miami International Airport, he first had an extensive breakfast. Then he wandered around a bit, just to move his legs and afterwards he immersed himself in various wine magazines. While he was still reading and waiting for his connecting flight to Boston, an elderly gentleman approached him. According to his legend, Jamie introduced himself as a French wine merchant who, on behalf of the Berlin-based company "In Vino Veritas - International Wines and Spirits", searched for new wines worldwide or brokered wine sales to partners. This company - "In Vino Veritas" - really existed. And if anyone should have the idea to make further investigations about the firm, he would find nothing else but a flourishing wine and spirits trade, based in the German capital. Every time James Fraser mentioned this name or passed on his business card bearing this company’s name, he had to force himself not to smile. The irony of this name had made him laugh out loud when Ernst Neuenburger first told him about it. Because there was no truth in the wine that this company sold at all. On the contrary, this wine was nothing but deception. "In Vino Deceptio" would have been the correct name, but for very understandable reasons, that name had not been chosen. Ernst Neuenburger had acknowledged Jamie's loud laughter by saying:

"Irony is one of the best gifts to survive the challenges of this life."

The elderly gentleman who approached him at the airport in Miami made a harmless impression. He showed no great interest in the personal background of the person he was talking to, nor in his business relationships. It seemed as if he was simply trying to bridge his own waiting time by philosophizing with someone he liked about a topic in which both were interested. For Jamie, that was o.k. It was due to his thorough preparation by Ernst Neuenburger's staff that Jamie was not only very well versed in European wines, but also in Australian, New Zealand, North and South American wines and their respective markets. On their behalf, he attended the Austrian Wine Academy and completed his training as a Wine Academician with the Wine Diploma, also known as the "International Wine Specialist". He was thus not only accepted into the "Club of Wine Academics", whose members were active in 41 countries around the world, but also acquired the prerequisites for the "Master of Wine" degree. Jamie was happy to take the trouble of this training, which not only helped him to fulfil his covert mission, but also raised his status in his real business life. The fact that his certificates and diplomas were issued in his alias name and in the name of James Fraser was also taken care of by Neuenburger’s staff. Etienne Marcel de Provac Alexandre talked for almost an hour with the older American, who introduced himself as Bob Snider ("the one from Boca Raton, not the folk singer from Canada"), mainly about American, French and German wines. Then his flight was called and Etienne Marcel de Provac Alexandre said a hearty farewell to his interlocutor.

“Terminal - Miami International Airport” by Martin St-Amant (S23678) - Eigenes Werk, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6281155

When James Fraser took his seat on the plane that was supposed to take him (finally!) to his next destination, he first wrote down the content of his conversation with "Bob Snider" and all the details he could remember about the man he had spoken to. The senior may have been harmless, but the mere fact that a stranger had come to speak to him obliged him to report this contact to his employer. It was shortly after three in the afternoon when his plane landed at Logan International Airport. He took a taxi to the hotel where "In Vino Veritas" had booked the so-called "Boston Studio" for him. When he entered the room, he had to smile. The arrangement of the furniture in the various hotels around the world amazed him again and again. Here, it was the mixture of modern furniture and furniture trimmed on old that made him shake his head slightly. He would never really feel comfortable in such a mixture. But maybe it was better that way. The discomfort he felt in such rooms made him want to return home all the more. All that mattered to James Fraser was that the hotels booked for him had a fitness area that was open 24 hours a day. And that's exactly where he went after having a light dinner in the hotel restaurant that evening. One hour of workout and a long shower later he returned to his rooms where he went over the planning for the next day. Twenty minutes later James Fraser, alias Etienne Marcel de Provac Alexandre, sank into his bed and fell asleep contentedly.

“Luftbild des Hafens von Boston” by ArnoldReinhold - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83686125

Just a few blocks away from Fraser's hotel, Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall was lying in the bed of her conjugal bedroom. Tears were streaming down her face and wetting her pillow. Although she had been lying under her warm blanket for more than half an hour, she trembled all over her body as if she were standing outside the house on a frosty winter's night without a coat. Behind her lay another evening of arguments, insults and humiliation. Frank, her husband for almost 10 years, had left the house at some point in a rage. She knew that he would now be sitting and drinking in one of the nearby bars. If he picked up any woman who wanted to spend the night with him, he was never expected to come home soon. But if he left the bar empty-handed, he would return ‘home’ and the night could turn out even darker. Frank Randall could not find a woman that night who would voluntarily share a cheap hotel bed with him. He returned to the house he and his wife had once called ‘home’. That night, Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall's worst fears came true.

The next morning, James Fraser woke up well rested and full of energy. His first course, after a brief visit to the bathroom, took him back to the hotel gym and then to the shower. Just as he was getting dressed for the new day, the room service brought the "Continental Breakfast" that he had ordered the night before. He had breakfast, reading on his tablet the various international newspapers whose online editions he had subscribed to. Exactly the peaceful and quiet morning time, as he appreciated it. There were still four hours to go before his next appointment, a business lunch with “Paul Smith”. That man was also on Ernst Neuenburger’s payroll but had a completely different legend. Jamie had decided to use this time to have a look around the area of his hotel. The hotel's limousine service first took him to Paul Revere's house, and an hour later he was driven from there to the Old North Church. He would also have liked to visit the Museum of Fine Arts, but there was not enough time left and so he let his driver take him to the steakhouse where he should meet "Paul Smith". When he arrived there, his "business partner" was already sitting at the table reserved for them. The men, who had never seen each other in person before, greeted each other like long-time friends. No one would have suspected that they knew each other only from photos that Ernst Neuenburger had placed quite innocently in the advertisements of a wine magazine some time before. They ate and drank and had lively conversations (and for those sitting nearby with ears too big) about current trends in the wine scene, prices, order quantities and shipping options. At the end of the extensive business dinner, they signed each other's contracts, both of whom knew that they would never experience any real economic development, and then toasted each other loudly with champagne to this glorious "business deal". Shortly before three o'clock in the afternoon, "Etienne" and "Paul", who called each other by their first names only and addressed each other as "brother", left the restaurant. Their sunny mood was in stark contrast to the dull, autumnal weather that swept over the city of Boston that afternoon. Paul waved at a passing taxi and got in. Jamie waited for the limousine service, which was parked a bit far away, and due to the rather cold weather was quite happy that the car started moving in his direction immediately. While he was still waiting, his eyes fell on an advertising flyer, which was driven across the sidewalk by a light wind. A name that was emblazoned on this flyer caught his attention. It was the name of a painter - Gerhard Richter. Jamie not only admired the paintings of the professor, who had taught painting at the Art Academy in Düsseldorf from 1971 to 1993 and whose works were among the most important and expensive of any living German artist. He was also fascinated by his life story, to which Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck had set a monument in his film "Never look away" (”Werk ohne Autor”). Without thinking for long, Jamie bent down and picked up the flyer. Still in the car he began to read. A small gallery not far from his hotel advertised an exhibition documenting Richter's life and work. Jamie put the flyer in his left breast pocket. He would love to spend part of his free evening visiting this exhibition. But now he had to hurry, because a small, private teleconference with the "managing director" of "In Vino Veritas" was scheduled for three o'clock in the afternoon local time, and he didn't want to be late.

While Etienne Marcel de Provac Alexandre reported to his boss in faraway Berlin about the successfully concluded contracts with "Paul Smith", Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall made her way through her neighbourhood. Although the weather was unusually cold for the time of year, with 13.8 degrees Celsius, she could no longer bear to stay in her "home" after everything that had happened the previous night. At first she had thought of going to a nearby café that she visited regularly in the past. But the thought of having to sit on a hard wooden chair had made her refrain from doing so. Not far away there was also a church that she had visited repeatedly and the fact that the pews were furnished with soft seat cushions lead her steps hopefully towards this building. But her hope was to be disappointed. On the - closed - main portal there was a handwritten notice that on that day the doors of the church would stay closed due to a sudden illness of the sexton. Resigned, she turned around. Where could she go now? Her gaze fell on a small gallery that was open until six o'clock in the evening. That was still three hours away. Three hours in which she could look at the pictures there, or sit down in front of one of the works of art. Three hours in which nobody would approach her or ask her about anything. Three hours in which she could think about her next steps in peace. Somehow she had to find a way out of this misery. But she did not know how. Only one thing she knew with one hundred percent certainty: She would never return to Frank Randall. Not a single moment would she voluntarily stay in the presence of this monster again. She would rather put an end to her miserable existence. Claire had already thought about this once before. Back then, on 31 May 2018, when Longfellow Bridge was reopened after five years of repairs. But when she stood on top of the bridge, she was not sure whether a jump from there would bring the longed-for end to her agony. She had turned away and had returned. Returned to her life with Frank, whom she knew was cheating on her regularly. Returned to a life of lies. Returned to a life where she tried to numb all her pain with alcohol and pills. But if her experience had shown one thing, it was that no drug in the world could cover those wounds, especially not those that Frank had inflicted on her the previous night. Something had to happen.

“Ausstellung” by beludise Twenty minutes before 4:00 pm Jamie had finished the conference call. Through one of the windows of his room he looked outside and noticed that the sky was darkening. A strong wind had come up and rain began to patter against the windows. But even if the thunderstorm was about to start, he would not be deterred from visiting the small gallery whose flyer he still carried with him. He dialed the number of the reception and ordered the limousine service again. On the way to the lobby of the hotel he thought about how much he would have loved to get in touch with Jenny, Ian and the kids via video conference. But that was not possible. The chance of endangering himself, his job and possibly his family was too great. But it would not be long before he would finally see them again. The following evening his flight left and the following day, with a small detour via the headquarters of "In Vino Veritas", he would arrive back home and see them all again. He was already looking forward to it very much. For him, his family was the most valuable earthly possession and he wished for nothing more than to be able to start a family himself one day. Up to now he had always pushed that thought away. While he was still living in Scotland, the administration of his parents' estate and the political activities took up all his time and energy. Moreover, he would not have wanted any women to be the wife of a man who was a convicted traitor, being held in a London high-security prison and therefore not able to provide for his family. But more important than this was the fact that he had not yet met "the" woman with whom he really wanted to spend his whole life and with whom he wanted to start a family. When he entered the foyer and the receptionist told him that his limousine had just arrived, James Fraser had no idea that he was less than an hour away from that very encounter. Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall had entered the gallery, paid the entrance fee and accepted an exhibition guide, which she had immediately stowed in her handbag. She had wandered aimlessly through the rooms until she found a small bench in one of the back exhibition rooms. It stood in front of a picture showing an older man with glasses, standing in front of a reddish wall. But she only took note of it peripherally. Much more important in her present situation was that there was soft upholstery on the bench. Carefully she sat down on it and yet the pain went through all her limbs.

When Jamie's limousine stopped at the curb in front of the gallery entrance, it had already begun to rain in torrents. The sky had darkened to black and now and then a loud roll of thunder could be heard. Carl, the limousine driver, parked near the entrance and then quickly jumped out of the car with a large black umbrella bearing the logo and name of the hotel in golden letters. He opened the door on the rear passenger side and held the umbrella so that Jamie could get out without getting wet. The chauffeur accompanied him the few steps to the gallery, then quickly hurried back to the limousine where he would wait for the guest to return. As soon as he had entered, Jamie was greeted by a friendly member of the gallery staff. He paid the entrance fee and received the exhibition catalogue. Then he slowly started his way through the exhibition. It took him about forty minutes to reach the back room of the gallery. Already from a distance he saw the well-known photo that showed the painter in front of his famous work "Wall". Only once had Richter had himself photographed in front of this work. This photo had then adorned the title page of the art magazine "art".

“Locken” by KRiemer In front of exactly this two-meter by two-meter picture sat a petite woman, whose head was surrounded by an only slightly tamed, dark brown mass of curls. Carefully and anxious to make as little noise as possible, Jamie approached her with some distance. A few minutes passed, then he heard the woman sniffing softly. She opened her handbag and was obviously looking for a handkerchief in a hurry. Jamie reached into the right pocket of his jacket and pulled out a pack of Tempo tissues, which he opened and held out to the unknown woman.

"Please, take one of these.” The woman turned her head up to him and looked at him with big amber eyes, red from weeping. Later, James Fraser would tell again and again how those first 14 seconds, when he looked into the most beautiful eyes in the world, decided his future path of life.

#14DaysofOutlander #Outlander #From Boston to Berlin in 14 hours #Claire Beauchamp #Jamie Fraser #Frank Randall #Boston #Berlin #Ian Murray #Jenny Murray #Outlander Fan Fiction #clairexjamie

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jovialyouthmusic · 5 years ago

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Top of the Tree

Bastien meets Sophia’s parents for the first time as they visit for Christmas

Word Count 3592

A/N All the ‘holiday’ (for Brits, read ‘Christmas’) stories got me wondering what Sophia and Bastiens’ first celebration would be like. Please note I have modelled Sophia’s parents on mine as a tribute to them. There are a few truths hidden in the story - see if you can spot them, or I’d be happy to tell when asked.

Warnings - brief mention of problems with fertility. Otherwise, all fluff xx

Bastien waited with Sophia in the tiny terminal of Cordonia’s airport. Her eyes shone and she fidgeted nervously. Her parents were arriving soon to spend the Christmas holidays with them and meet Bastien for the first time. He was restless, pulling at his tie, wishing he had a mirror to check that he was neatly presented. In order to make a good impression he had left his cane in the car, as he was able to do for short periods of time, though he knew he might regret it later.

‘They’ll be landing soon’ she exclaimed ‘It will be so good to see them – it’s been a long time’

‘I’m looking forward to meeting them’ Bastien smiled, though he felt a slight pang of nervousness.

‘They want to meet you too’ she replied ‘Having them here for Christmas will be lovely.’

‘Are you absolutely sure they’re okay with me being so much older?’ Bastien asked for the tenth time. He wasn’t really much for family gatherings, only having foster parents, and it was important to him that Sophia’s parents like him. She hugged his arm and leaned into him

‘It’s fine Bas, ten years isn’t that big a difference, and they know my tastes. My first proper boyfriend was six years older and Dad nearly had a fit, but he’s cool now. Don’t worry, Bas - Mum will just eat you up and Dad will want to hear all about your job. Staying at the Palace is a huge deal for Mum – she’s always following news of the British Royal Family. She’ll probably not know what to do with herself, but she’ll settle down’

The airport tannoy announced the arrival of the flight, and soon the passengers started to file through. Sophia grinned excitedly

‘Oh there they are!’ she bounced on the balls of her feet and waved as a middle aged couple – the man tall and dark haired, the woman a full head and a half shorter and also raven haired, detached themselves from the line and made their way toward them. As a child, she had amazed admirers – she was a cute toddler but a fair haired girl with dark haired parents drew many an odd stare, but it was natural and in later years she delighted in telling folk that it was quite possible, as both parents must hold a recessive gene for blonde hair. She was a cherished only child, her mother having had trouble conceiving, and in the back of her mind she had wondered whether it would be possible for her to have children at all. Her biological clock had not troubled her at all, and of course, Bastien had a vasectomy so unless he specifically had it reversed, fertility wasn’t a pressing issue.

She couldn’t contain herself any longer and rushed forward to throw her arms wide and hug her mother. Her father, a stern faced man who looked younger than his years, as did her mother to a greater degree, smiled warmly at the reunion and turned his gaze to Bastien as he made his way toward the family group. He felt his stomach lurch with apprehension – this was a unique situation as he’d never had a partner long enough for it to be considered important to meet relatives. He smiled nervously as Sophia let go of her mother and turned to her father to hug him warmly too.

‘Dad, I hope you had enough leg room, are you okay?’ she asked. Bastien was now under the full scrutiny of Edith, who looked him up and down appraisingly before speaking,

‘Is this your man, darling?’ she asked cautiously and Sophia turned back to him, taking his arm and pulling him closer, smiling happily

‘Mum, Dad, this is Bastien’ she replied ‘Bas, meet my parents’ He plastered a smile on his face and extended his hand to her father, who reached out and grasped it firmly, patting his elbow with the other.

‘A pleasure to meet you, Bastien’ he intoned gravely

‘Mr Turner – Mrs Turner’ he replied

‘Please, call me Bob – and this is Edith’ her father replied. Bastien badly wanted to loosen his collar and he felt himself sweating slightly. This had to be the second most terrifying moment of his life, worse than diving to shield Liam from the assassin’s bullet, only slightly less terrifying than the moment he realised Sophia had been kidnapped. His heart hammered in his chest and his hands felt clammy. It was ridiculous that over his working life he had faced many a danger with cool aplomb, but this was seriously threatening his usually calm demeanour.

‘Of course Bob - Edith’ he answered. Edith was eyeing him up – literally, as he was two heads taller than her, and he swallowed hard.

‘My goodness, you’re tall’ she remarked ‘what’s the weather like up there?’

‘Mum – for goodness sake’ Sophia sighed ‘That has to be the oldest joke in the book.’ Bastien realised he was staring at the older woman, holding his breath. The others looked at him and he snapped out of it, smiling faintly

‘Joke – ah it was a joke – oh actually I’ve not heard that for a long time’ he blurted, affecting a laugh.

‘Probably not since your school days’ Bob remarked ‘Don’t worry son, everyone’s tall to her – she’s such a shortarse’ He patted her shoulder and Bastien blinked at the apparent abusive term, but Edith only rolled her eyes and sighed.

‘Oh Turner’ she said exasperatedly, and looked back to Bastien ‘Well for goodness sake, what does a woman have to do to get a hug?’ she cried, and threw her arms around Bastien. He hugged her back, bending over so that he didn’t pick her off the floor. She drew back and looked at him again.

‘He’s very handsome, dear, you chose wisely’ she said to Sophia, and at last she turned her attention back to her daughter. ‘So, when are we going to the Palace?’ she asked ‘Do we get to meet the King? How well does he know Queen Elizabeth?’ She dropped a curtsy at the name - Sophia laughed and Bastien breathed a sigh of relief that the spotlight was no longer on him.

‘Patience Mum, all in good time. Come on, let’s go to the car’ Bastien took the handle of Edith’s suitcase and lead the way outside to the SUV. Sophia had said that using a limo would be over the top – her mother was so excited about the Palace that it would just be too much for her.

‘Mind if I ride shotgun, son?’ Bob asked ‘The girls can catch up in the back’ Bastien swallowed and forced a smile. It was unnerving that the older man called him ‘son’ just as his former Captain, Jackson Walker had, and he had to make an effort to remind himself that he wasn’t his superior – at least, not in a formal way.

‘Of course, Mr Turner’ The older man frowned slightly

‘Bob please, no need to be so formal, son’ Bastien closed the back after loading the bags. Sophia was already in the back seat making Edith comfortable.

‘I’m sorry Sir – I mean Bob, force of habit with my job’ Bastien replied sheepishly

‘I can understand that, Lykel – or would you prefer your first name?’

‘That’s really up to you, Bob’ he said, forming his lips around the unfamiliar name. ‘Whatever you’re comfortable with.’ He went to open the passenger door and Bob got in with an odd look on his face – scepticism and wariness, Bastien decided. He got in and made sure everyone was belted in before checking the mirrors, indicating and pulling off smoothly. When they had left the airport and were cruising along the main road toward the Palace, Bob patted the dashboard in front of him. He had the impression the older man was watching the way he drove and for the moment he appeared to be comfortable with his proficiency. He felt more at ease driving as it gave him something else to focus on.

‘I’ve never driven one of these beasts’ Bob said ‘What kind of mileage does it do? It can’t be very economical – is it yours?’ Bastien blinked at the barrage of questions.

‘Economy isn’t the most important issue in my line of work’ he explained ‘This is one of the fleet assigned to the Royal Guard. It’s useful because it’s tough and versatile, used for all sorts of jobs including escort duty for the Royal Limousines. Those are specially built, bullet proof and with reinforced chassis to withstand bombs. Most of these vehicles are modified too’ Bob stuck out his bottom lip and nodded sagely.

‘My brother ran a limo business in London’ he said ‘He told me he acquired a car that was used to drive the Prime Minister around – he said it had reinforced steel plating in the chassis like you said.’ He looked off into the distance as they drove ‘I was never sure if he was telling the truth though, he was a bit of a dark horse’ Bastien looked sideways at him, and Bob turned to him again. ‘A vehicle like this isn’t that practical on the island where we live, but some folk have them anyway’ Bastien smiled, making a note to ask Sophia about her Uncle later.

‘I have a Goldwing bike’ he said ‘and King Liam bought me a car in gratitude for my service to the Crown, but I don’t get to drive it much’ Bob looked interested

‘Oh yes – what is it?’

‘Ford Mustang’ Bob’s eyes lit up

‘That’s impressive’ he said ‘Classic or new?’

‘New’ Bastien said ‘I’m sure we can go out for a spin if the weather’s kind to us’

‘Now that I’d enjoy more than staying in a fancy Palace’ he grinned ‘don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful and I know it’s where you live, but I like things plain and simple’ Bastien coughed, embarrassed.

‘I’d really like to move out when the job allows – I’ve brought it up with the King but for now it’s useful for me to be on site. I’ve lived there a long time so it’s a big decision. I can look after myself, but it’s convenient at the Palace – as staff I don’t have to cook or do laundry, and I could have our – uh my… suite cleaned if I wanted’ Despite Sophia being in her late twenties and himself ten years older, he felt self conscious talking about their living arrangements to her father, them not being married – or even engaged.

‘It’s okay son, I know you live together. My girl’s a grown woman and I trust her decisions’ Bob chuckled ‘You don’t have to pussy foot around the issue’

‘Thankyou Sir – I mean Bob…Our suite in the staff wing is quite modern, you won’t be staying in the State rooms, which are quite impressive and ornate. The King was kind enough to extend our living quarters recently, so we have a guest room all set up for you’ They had reached the outskirts of the capital now, and Bastien had to concentrate to negotiate the turns and roundabouts that lead through the middle of the town before they went to the Palace. Bob looked out of the window as the two women continued to chat in the back.

‘I thought you might like to drive through town’ Bastien explained ‘It’s very picturesque, and some time while you’re here we can come in late on to take a look at the Christmas lights’

‘I know Edith would love that’ he replied ‘Though you might have a hard time getting her away from the Palace. She’s hoping for a tour of the entire property if it’s allowed’

‘I’m sure king Liam would be delighted’ he replied ‘He’d most likely conduct it himself’ Edith spoke up from the back, obviously picking up on their conversation after a pause in her own dialogue with her daughter.

‘Did you hear that Sophia?’ she trilled ‘The King himself showing me around – what an honour!’

‘He’s very informal, Mum’ Sophia said ‘I’m sure he’d love to meet you both’

‘Oh well, if he’s not busy – you know, opening Christmas fairs and kissing babies’ Sophia laughed and Bastien couldn’t help but smile.

‘I don’t think the King’s schedule is particularly busy’ he replied. He slowed down ‘We’re almost there Edith, take a look out of your side of the car’ The railings that defined the boundaries of the Palace came into view, and Edith looked out, gasping in admiration at the parkland beyond.

‘How on earth do they keep the grass so tidy?’ she pondered aloud, and in the rear view mirror Bastien saw Sophia’s lips tighten a little.

‘There’s a whole team of gardeners who look after the grounds, Mum’ she said

‘That will be expensive’ Edith remarked ‘Has he thought of having a flock of sheep to graze it?’ He heard Sophia make a soft sound of exasperation, but thankfully Edith fell silent after that. It was a little while before they came to the gates and stopped at the security booth. Parker was on duty and looked in to check that Bastien was at the wheel. A second guard went around the back of the vehicle to open up and check the luggage.

‘Welcome back Sir. I take it this is Mr and Mrs Turner?’ Parker asked with a smile

‘Don’t take it for granted, Parker’ he replied sternly ‘I may be Captain, but you need to double check’

‘Of course Sir, I was about to ask for their ID’ Parker replied, colouring a little ‘If you think it’s necessary’

‘Of course I do, just putting you through your paces’ Edith looked flustered, but Bob reached into his jacket pocket and calmly handed over his and his wife’s passports for the guard to look at. He examined them carefully and handed them back.

‘All seems to be in order, you can go on in’

‘Better safe than sorry, son – you have an important job’ Bob remarked to the guard, and turned back to Bastien ‘I appreciate you not treating us any different from any other first time visitors, Lykel’ he said approvingly ‘I’ve had to deal with Royalty in my time, though not in such a major role as you’ The gates opened, and Bastien eased the car forward along the long sweeping drive toward the Palace.

‘Is that so, Bob?’ he asked, intrigued. Sophia hadn’t talked much about her parents though he knew they were close. It was probably a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’

‘That’s right, the Force has had to organise a few Royal visits over the years’ he replied ‘Edith and myself were invited aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia once – sadly the sea was too rough for the tenders to go out on the day, but it was an honour to be included’

‘Oh yes’ Edith piped up from the back ‘Bob was part of the security detail for the Prince of Wales once – we have a signed photograph of his Highness’ He saw her bob her head a little as she mentioned the British Prince.

‘That’s impressive’ Bastien agreed. He slowed down to give them a good view of the façade of the Palace before continuing around to the side, making for the service entrance and the garages. ‘We can go and take a tour through the main entrance tomorrow, Edith’ he said ‘You must be tired after your journey – we’ll have a little something to eat and you can settle in. We won’t have far to go to our suite from this entrance’ He brought the vehicle to a stop and went round to open the door for Edith. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Drake coming out to the car as Sophia’s mother got out.

‘Sophia!’ Drake called ‘welcome back – are these your parents?’ Edith looked at him, wide eyed and hissed at Sophia

Is this him – do I curtsy?

‘No Mum, this is my friend Drake Walker’ she said ‘I’m sure I’ve told you about him’

‘Oh’ Edith said, deflating slightly ‘Pleased to meet you, Drake’ He leaned in and embraced her briefly before turning to Bob, extending his hand

‘Mr Turner’ he said ‘I hope you enjoy your stay’

‘Thankyou son, it’s a privilege to stay here’ he narrowed his eyes at him ‘You’re not some sort of fancy Duke or Lord are you?’ Drake laughed

‘Lord no, I’m just plain old Drake Walker, just a mister’ he said

‘Drake’s father was head of the Guard before me’ Bastien explained ‘He died in service’ Bob turned back to the younger man

‘I’m sorry to hear that, Walker. Were you tempted to join the guard yourself?’

‘Uh – no Sir’ he said regretfully ‘But Bastien stepped in and helped me and my sister when we lost Dad. I train with him and the Guard, though I’ve never applied to join’ Bob slapped him on the back after an approving look in Bastien’s direction.

‘That’s okay son, it’s a hard thing to do. I’m sure your talents lie elsewhere’ Drake flushed scarlet

‘Um yes, heh – my talents lie elsewhere Sir’ he mumbled ‘Can I take your bags?’ Sophia hid a sly smirk and he winked at her. Edith narrowed her eyes at him, which made him twitch nervously as he reached over to open the back of the SUV for the luggage. He went ahead, and the others followed, Edith keeping up a monologue on everything she saw, admiring or deprecating it as she went. Bob rolled his eyes at Sophia, and Bastien picked up his cane to follow. He had reached his limit after going without it at the airport and he felt a dull ache in his thigh. Bob caught sight of it and raised his eyebrows.

‘Sophia told us you were hurt in an assassination attempt’ he observed as they went inside. Bastien nodded

‘Yes Sir – Bob, my leg troubles me but it’s improving. Sophia takes good care of me’ Bob smiled warmly.

‘From what she tells me it’s a mutual arrangement’ he said ‘I’m glad she’s found someone so protective’ Bastien nodded in answer and had to take up the rear of the group as they ascended the stairs, so it was Sophia who opened the door to let everyone in. Drake deposited the suitcases by the door and left.

Edith swept into the lounge, taking it all in. The table under the window, formerly Bastien’s dining table when it was just his living space, now sported a decorated Christmas tree and there were tasteful tinsel decorations all around the walls, a few Christmas cards displayed on the bookcase and hanging in strings on the wall. The two extra rooms that the remodelling of the suite had given them had been repurposed and the adjoining suite’s bathroom had been split into en suites for their rooms and for Theresa’s on the other side. Bastien’s treadmill and static bike had been put into storage from his makeshift gym in order to make a dining room for the four of them and any other guests they might have. The other room was already a bedroom, but a few pieces of furniture had been added to make things more comfortable for the guests. The lounge still sported a small kitchen area, and Sophia and Bastien’s bedroom and bathroom were accessed from the corridor within the suite, as was his study.

‘It’s a lovely room’ Edith declared ‘and you decorated for Christmas, how wonderful – oh that reminds me’ she rummaged in her bag just as Bastien arrived. Edith pulled a little package wrapped in fabric and ribbon, and handed it to Sophia. Eagerly she took it and opened it carefully. Bastien looked on as she stared at the worn and faded ornament that lay in her hand, her eyes welling up with tears.

‘Oh Mum’ she cried, and threw her arms around her. Bastien cast his eyes toward Bob, who leaned toward him and spoke quietly.

‘It’s the fairy that always goes on top of the tree’ he explained ‘Sophia chose it when she was five. It’s not in the best condition – but Christmas isn’t Christmas without it’ Sophia turned to her father

‘Dad’ she said, her voice catching a little ‘You should put it on top of the tree – just like the first time’ Bob smiled fondly

‘I’m not the man of this house’ he replied and turned to Bastien ‘You do it, son. I’ve only just met you, but Sophia’s obviously made her choice – you should take over the tradition’ Bastien rocked back on his heels and looked to his lover questioningly. She nodded, tears still glistening in her eyes.

‘Please, Bas’ she said quietly ‘Will you?’ He stepped forward and stood in front of her as she held the delicate scrap of wood and fabric and wire out to him. She looked up and he took it from her gently, cradling it gently in his hands and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. He was aware of Edith looking on with a smile, and Bob moved across the room to put his arm around his wife and squeeze her firmly. He felt a warmth that he had never felt before – of acceptance and affection and love radiating from Sophia and her parents. He swallowed and at last found his voice.

‘I’d be honoured’ he said softly. ‘Thankyou for asking me’

#bastien lykel #trr bastien #sophia x bastien #OC x Bastien #pure fluff #trr au fanfic

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foxyotomelady · 5 years ago

Text

It wasn’t supposed to be, Chapter VII (JuminxOC/Reader)

Author’s notes:

I really like this chapter ^^ It's quite a fluffy one :) But don't be fooled, from now on the story will keep getting angstier :>

I can't believe it's still such a slow burn. How I lasted so long I don't even know.

Buy Me A Ko-Fi Have a nice reading!

Zen: So you think we can invite them to the party? Riyu: yes, I think it's a great idea ~! ^^ Riyu: Thank you, Zen. Zen: always at your service! Zen:

[Jaehee Kang has entered the chat room]

Jaehee Kang: Riyu, Zen, good morning. Zen: hello, Jaehee ^^ Riyu: yes, hello, how is work going? Jaehee Kang: Not bad. But I have a question for you, Riyu. Jaehee Kang: Mr. Han ordered me not to set any meetings for the evening because... Jaehee Kang: you are going for a walk? Zen:

Riyu: um... yeah ^^' Riyu: Will that causes any problems for you, Jaehee? Jaehee Kang: thank you for asking, but no. It actually means less work for me, but... Jaehee Kang: I just don't remember when Mr. Han was on a walk lately. Riyu: So it's good that I want to change it? ^^ Jaehee Kang: I guess... Zen:

Zen: Why did I feel this strange feeling suddenly? Zen: ugh ;;; This guy is acting strange... Riyu: it was my idea with this walk Riyu: and Jumin doesn't behave strangely ;; Zen: Let's just hope that nobody will see you together... Jaehee Kang: Zen is right. Not long ago Mr. Han dealt with rumors about you two. It's better if these rumors wouldn't come back... Riyu: I want to take him to a little-known park, I don't think there will be many people. Zen: you don't plan to murder him or something like that? lol Riyu: what? ^^' Zen: sorry, I think I spent to much time with Seven lately Riyu: Yeah, that's definitely what Seven would say ^^' Jaehee Kang: well, I'm glad you two get along so much. Zen: sigh ;;; sorry, Jaehee, I can't agree. It somehow worries me. Riyu: don't be like that, Zen ;;; Riyu: you have these bad feelings just because you don't like him.

The walk was quite normal and nice. For sure Riyu would feel less strange if it wasn't for the two bodyguards who followed them. They kept some distance from them, but still...

They talked about everything and nothing, the time passed very nicely. Jumin even agreed to try the tastes of the ice creams that Riyu chose, and she has to admit that these were quite unusual flavors - such as lemonade or mojito. Riyu suppressed a laugh as they sat on the bench to eat. Jumin, in his perfect outfit, eating ice cream with a face as if he were surprised that something might taste so good... it was quite a unique sight.

"What a shame cats can't eat ice cream..." He said suddenly. "I think I just came up with the idea for a new project."

This time, Riyu chuckled, though suddenly she felt sorry for Jaehee. She would have to apologize to her later because she provoked the idea in his head.

The park was not visited by many people. Those who passed by gave Jumin strange looks - he didn't really fit into this environment - but he didn't care. At one point, as they passed by the trash can, Riyu heard a strange whimper. She stopped.

"Jumin? Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"I think it comes from the trash..." Riyu approached the object and looked inside.

"Wait, you can't just -"

By the time Jumin could finish his sentence, Riyu was already half diving in the trash can, "Oh God! It's moving!"

Riyu suddenly felt someone grab her waist and pulls her out, then put her on the ground. Of course, it was Jumin. However, she managed to catch a bag that was moving.

"What are you doing?" Jumin looked at her simultaneously angry and amazed.

Riyu did not answer, put the bag on the ground and untied it. Quiet whimpering intensified. Inside the bag... there were four puppies. Tiny puppies, they barely opened their eyes. Riyu felt her heart break.

"Jumin..." Her voice has already broken. Tears came to her eyes.

Jumin squatted in front of her. As usual with a stoic expression, "That's weird."

"Who... Who could do such a thing ?!" Riyu was already speaking through her tears, unable to stop them. "We must help them! Jumin, please, we must help them somehow!"

Riyu began to take off her coat.

"What are you doing?" Jumin asked her.

"We have to... We have to wrap them in something."

"Take my coat," Jumin calmly removed his coat and, without worrying about whether it gets dirty, put it on the ground next to the bag. Riyu gently put four puppies on it, still crying.

Jumin handed her a handkerchief, then straightened up and looked around, "There are no cameras here."

Riyu wrapped the puppies with the material tightly and began to wipe her tears with a handkerchief, "This is a poor neighborhood."

Jumin sighed, "It's a pity, the cameras would make the investigation easier."

Riyu sniffed, "Investigation?"

"I'm not going to leave it like this. I will do everything so that the person responsible for this will be punished."

Riyu swallowed hard. For some reason, her heart flooded with a pleasant warmth. She cried even more. Jumin crouched next to her again, "Riyu? Did I say something wrong?"

Riyu shook her head with a smile, "We should take them to the vet."

Jumin called the police and left one of the security guards in place to describe the situation to them. Then he and Riyu took the puppies to the limousine and drove straight to the vet. Jumin was furious with the person who had committed such a cruel act. But he wasn't mad at this person just because of the puppies, he was mad because this person made Riyu worry so much... She cried as if her heart was falling apart. What a gentle and tender person she was... Despite her fierce attitude, she had a soft heart. Fortunately, after the veterinarian examined the puppies, it turned out that they were still to be saved. They were cold, dirty and dehydrated, but the vet gave them a good chance of survival. The vet also agreed that he would be their temporary home. On the way back, when they were sitting in the limousine, Riyu still looked sad. "I will ask Assistant Kang to spread the adoption ads wherever possible. These puppies will quickly find a good home, I guarantee you." Riyu smiled gratefully at him, "Thank you... People can be so cruel." "These puppies were lucky you find them." "And you, Jumin. I couldn't do much alone, except handed them to the vet." "It's still a lot." Jumin scanned the girl's face. There were still tears on her cheeks. He didn't understand why he felt such a strong need to touch her now, but he reached out with both hands to her face and gently wiped the tears from her skin with his thumbs. "You’re such an extremely strong yet so kind person... I don't think I ever meet someone like you before." Riyu blinked, looked into his eyes. He still didn't take his hands from her face, cupped her cheeks tenderly. He leaned toward her, still not quite aware of what he was doing and why he was doing it. The girl's gaze leaped from his eyes to his lips. Their trembling breaths combined into one. The girl suddenly put both hands on his chest, "J-Jumin..." Her almost frightened voice snapped him out of this strange, bewildering trance. He slowly withdrew his head. He didn't know what to say. "I think..." Riyu was also chosing the words with difficulty. "We shouldn't... It's inappropriate... I..." Jumin took his hands off her face, leaned stiffly against the seat, adjusted his tie and cleared his throat, "I'm sorry. I'm not sure why I wanted to... Let's just forget that." "Yes..." Riyu said softly, clutching the fabric of her dress. "Let's forget that..." His heart was still pounding. God... did he just try to kiss her? A woman whom his father entrusted to him? How was he supposed to forget about it? And how was he supposed to ignore these confusing feelings?

Jumin Han: Assistant Kang. Jaehee Kang: Yes? I'm here. Jumin Han: Don't you want a dog by any chance? Jaehee Kang: ??? Riyu: When we were on a walk, we found puppies abandoned in the trash... Jaehee Kang:

Jumin Han: Yes, that's true. We're looking for a home for them, and since you've always looked after Elizabeth well enough, I thought you might want to take care of the dog. Jaehee Kang:

Jaehee Kang: I can't take a dog, Mr. Han. Who will you leave Elizabeth with if needed? Jumin Han: Now that Riyu is here, she can look after her. Jaehee Kang: Riyu will not stay in your apartment forever... Jumin Han: Right. I almost forgot about that. Riyu: Um... ^^ ' Jaehee Kang: .... ;;; Jumin Han: Maybe Yoosung? Or Zen? I wouldn't entrust any animal to Seven. Jumin Han: Anyway, Assistant Kang. Jumin Han: Tomorrow you will have to prepare adoption announcements and send them to several places. Jaehee Kang:

Riyu: Please, Jaehee... I know we give you additional work, but it's important to me. Jumin Han: You don't have to ask her, Riyu. It's her job. Riyu: No... I don't think it's her job, that's why we should apologize and thank her. Jaehee Kang: Thank you for saying that, Riyu. But Mr. Han is right. It's my job. Do not worry. Jumin Han: Her duties include everything I ask her to do. Jumin Han: And you are just an extremely nice person, as I already said today... Riyu: Um... Yes, thank you, Jumin. I'll go to sleep now, goodnight both of you! [Riyu has left the chat room] Riyu sighed and slipped under the cover on her bed. She still had this 'accident' in the car in her head, before her imagination's eyes... They both said they must forget about it. But it's easier said than done. Her heart was beating faster at the thought alone. When they returned to the apartment, they ate dinner in silence and awkwardness. Riyu escaped to her room as soon as she could. What was happening now in her head and heart disturbed her greatly. She had to talk to someone. And she decided to call the one who recently offered to help her if needed. Zen picked up the call almost immediately, "What? Why? This jerk did something weird?" "No, no, no, Zen, calm down!" Zen took a deep breath and then let it out, "God... Don't scare me like that! I asked you to call when something strange happened, so I thought... What's going on?" Riyu began to tightening a piece of bedding in her fingers, she felt embarrassed, "Actually... It's related to Jumin... Just don't freak out..." "I'm already freaking out..." "Zen, please... I don't have anyone else to talk to about it. Jaehee... Jumin is her boss, that would be too awkward. Seven would definitely turn everything into a joke and Yoosung... He's just too innocent, "Riyu sighed. "Too innocent? I'm freaking out more and more..." "I know you don't like Jumin... And I'm sorry to bother you." "Don't say that! You don't bother me!" Riyu took a deep breath, "I think I... I might start... falling for Jumin." Silence. "Z-Zen? Are you there?" "I am... I just... I think I heard you wrong. Can you say it again?" Riyu growled, felt her face flushed, "No, don’t make me repeat myself. It's embarrassing enough already, Zen." "Did you... Did you just say... You started to..." Zen couldn't say it, he just couldn't force it through his throat, "...for this jerk?" "Yes..." Riyu whispered softly and dipped her head in the cover. She was glad that she was talking to Zen over the phone and he didn't have to look at her now. "I... Er... I don't know what to say. I can't imagine how anyone could..." "Of course you can't... You two don't get along too much. But Jumin was so nice to me, we spent a lot of time together and... I don't even know when it started. And today... Today... Jumin... We almost... Jumin wanted to kiss me. " "WHAT? I knew this guy is weird! Does he force himself on you?! I kill-" "Zen, Zen, stop it! It's not like that at all! Calm down!" Zen breathed again, "I'm sorry... But you... His father..." "I know! That's why I wanted to talk to someone about it... We can't... I don't know, maybe it's... We were both emotional... Maybe that's why it happened. I mean... almost happened." "Emotional? Why?" "Ah, you probably haven't read the chat room yet. We found puppies abandoned in the trash..." Riyu talked to Zen for some time. Soon they changed the subject to something else, which for a moment managed to chase away her thoughts about Jumin, but then Zen returned to a similar topic again, "Riyu... If you don't want to, you don't have to tell me. I know that when we were having coffee you wanted us to leave this topic alone, but... Why Mr. Chairman?" Riyu was already so emotional and moved today that she let her emotions and instincts carry her again, "I will explain some things to you, Zen... But promise me that you will not reveal it to anyone. It must remain between us."

At the same time, Jumin was talking on the phone with V. In his bedroom, calmly sipping wine from a glass. "From what I've seen, Riyu gets along with everyone," V said, and only part of the information reached Jumin's mind. "Yes, yes." "It's quite surprising. But I'm glad I made the right choice." "Yes, you are right. Have you set a date for the party?" "Not yet, but I will inform you all soon. Jumin?" "Yes?" "I have the feeling that you called me for a specific reason, and now you’re barely saying anything." "Is that so?" "Yes. Are you going to say why you really called?" "Well, it's associated with Riyu." "Oh? What exactly do you mean?" Jumin took a long sip of wine, "I just feel weird." "You feel weird? And it has something to do with Riyu?" "Yes, exactly." "Jumin... You have to be more specific. Do you feel strange because she is your father's woman?" "Well, it certainly doesn't help. But that's not all." "So why?" "Riyu is surprisingly nice, tender, has a soft heart. She is pretty, cute..." "Um... Cute?" "Yes, that's exactly what I think. And it gives me no peace. In fact, for some time I can't stop thinking about her." V laughed awkwardly, which pulled Jumin out of his deep thoughts, "What? Did I say something funny?" "No... I just think... Maybe you're starting to feel something for her?" "What do you mean?" "Seriously, Jumin... You're hopeless when it comes to this matter. Of course I mean you fall in love with her." Jumin was speechless for a moment. He froze and his heart almost stopped its beating, "What?" "Well... I must admit, that - I didn't foresee," V laughed again. "It's impossible. I mean... Riyu has to marry my father. Not that I liked this idea, but... I couldn't do that to him." "You couldn't do what to him? Life would be too easy if we could control our hearts..." "I think I must... I must be going now. Goodbye, V." "Jumin, wait-" Jumin hung up - he didn't remember when was the last time he did this to his best friend. But he just couldn't keep talking with him any longer. His stomach clenched. He placed the glass of the wine at the table nearby, rest his elbows on his knees and hid his face in both his hands. God... He thought. Am I really... Falling in love with her? Why her? Why her? His heart couldn't make the worst choice…

#fanfiction #MysMe #mysme fanfic #mystic messenger #jumin #jumin han #jumin x reader #jumin x oc #jumin han x reader #jumin han x oc #zen #jaehee #It's happening guys #the drama #( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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limoexpress · 3 years ago

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Car rental services Elizabeth

#Stretch Limousine Edison #Car rental services Elizabeth #EWR to New York City

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nafjoaolampreia · 5 years ago

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10 Times When History Repeated Itself but No One Realized It

Scientists say that history goes in circles. So the events we observe now, have already appeared in the past and are likely to come up in the future. This theory is known as historical recurrence.

1. Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations

Even though there is almost a century between the 2 crimes (1865 and 1963), scientists and others interested in this have found a number of similarities. Both presidents were killed by a gunshot to the head. The killings were in public, for Lincoln it happened in the Ford Theatre and for Kennedy it happened in a car. Interestingly, Kennedy took his last trip in a Lincoln limousine.

Both shootings happened on a Friday. Both killings are believed to have had a political undertone. In both cases the alleged criminal (a solo gunman) was caught and their name was released. The conspiracy theories around these 2 assassinations never stop growing and developing.

2. 2 remarkable Queens, Victoria and Elizabeth II

The British often compare these 2 queens. The first similarity is their remarkably long reign. Victoria ruled for over 63 years and was the longest reigning British monarch before September 2015, when Elizabeth II broke her record. Despite their long reign, both ladies are known for their interest in modern technologies.

Both become queens at an early age, Victoria 18 and Elizabeth 25. Both were happily married for a long time and both had more than one child. They are said to have been strict mothers and the actual heads of their families.

Both queens were once attacked by a gunman during a ride near Buckingham palace. And on a lighter note, both queens absolutely enjoy the love and respect of their nation.

3. Women warriors, Joan of Arc and Emilia Plater

These 2 young ladies led parts of their national armies and fought the enemy for the independence of their motherlands. Joan of Arc was a hero of the French struggle against the British empire in the 1420s. Emilia Plater led Polish troops against the Russian Empire during the uprising of 1830.

Both women were first rejected by army officials and had to try hard to get in the military. Both came from noble, but not super-rich families. Both wore male clothes to be an active part of the fighting. Also, both were an important motivating role for troops and were considered a symbol of the rebellion.

Unfortunately, both heroines died young. They have been commemorated by their nations and are even remembered today.

4. Josef Stalin and Genghis Khan

These 2 well-known men ruled the largest countries of their times, the USSR and the Mongol Kingdom. Both Josef Stalin and Genghis Khan were known for their cruelty and at the same time initiated significant reforms in their countries. Under Kahn’s rule the territories of the Mongol empire imposed a legal code (for the very first time), named Yassa.

Their personal life holds a number of similarities as well. Both spent their childhood in poverty and experienced the early death of their father. Both men took a pseudonym, describing their specific features: Stalin meaning “man of steel and Genghis Khan meaning “the great ruler.” Both lived a long life, more than 60 years, and were married several times.

Finally, the death of both rulers are full of rumors, mysteries, and conspiracy theories.

5. Napoleon and Charles XIV John of Sweden

If you consider someone an inspiration, you might try repeating their life story. Jean Bernadotte was born to a middle-class family and reached his top career point through army service. At the beginning, he was a fan of another talented military man, Napoleon Bonaparte, who was also self-made. Later on they both became friends for a while.

Both men reached top governmental positions without being royal by birth or blood. Napoleon became the French emperor after a revolution. Bernadotte was adopted by a Swedish king and ended up Charles XIV John, a king of Sweden. Both rulers introduced important reforms and changes in their countries and started a new dynasty.

6. The Titanic and The Vasa tragedies

Many people around the world recall the Titanic as a ship that sank during her maiden voyage. However, if they are Swedish, they’d definitely remember the Vasa. The fact that they sank is only one of a number of similarities between these 2 catastrophes.

In both cases the sinking was allegedly caused by construction issues. The issues were believed to have been because of the ships’ modernity and size. Also, both ships sank in good weather conditions and the deaths of the passengers were caused by the lack of safety boats and a poorly organized rescue process.

By the way, both ships were filled with very festive passengers who were relaxed and celebrating and both tragedies were a huge shock as there was so much excitement centered around these ships.

7. The Great Depression and The Great Recession

The Great Depression and the Great Recession are the 2 biggest economic downfalls of their time. Both crises began in the U.S. and later spread to the rest of the world. They caused a great number of problems in different spheres internationally (like the tension between Greece and the EU, or the rise of the Nazi regime).

In the 1920s stock market imploded due to the massive sales of overpriced shares which caused the Great Depression in 1929. The Great Recession is attributed to the high-risk loan (aka, mortgage) crisis. The Depression happened so long ago that there has been more than enough time to analyze it. Yet historians and economists alike are still asking new questions.

The study of the Great Recession is ongoing and will need much more time to be properly analyzed.

8. The mysteries of the Dyatlov Pass and Andrée’s Arctic balloon expeditions

In 1959 a group of students traveled to the Ural mountains (USSR) for a 2-week expedition and they never returned. Another group, who were led by S.S. Andree (Sweden), was trying to reach the North Pole in 1897, only to die on the way.

It’s likely that the members of these 2 expeditions had never even heard about each other and it’s the mysterious deaths of the expeditions’ members that unite these 2 stories. Both groups consisted of amateurs but despite that they were very well-prepared. They carried enough warm clothes, matches, etc. to survive for a long time.

The weather conditions were reported to be suitable for the journeys. Scientists and amateurs are still studying photos, DNA samples, and other materials searching for the cause of these tragedies.

9.The Erdington Murders

2 20-year-old women were murdered in Erdington, a suburb of Birmingham, England on the 27th of May at night. Mary Ashford and Barbara Forrest had both been drowned at a local pool. Both bodies had bruises, showed signs of rape, and both girls had been out dancing the previous night.

The only difference is that there are 157 years between these cases. Mary was murdered in 1817 and Barbara in 1974. In both cases the investigators never found the murderer, even though there were many suspects who were released by the court due to a lack of evidence.

The siblings of both victims tried to appeal the court decision and failed and the mysteries are still well-remembered in the neighborhood.

10. Chaplin and Distracted Boyfriend

A meme known as Distracted Boyfriend appeared on the internet in the 2010s. It is believed to have first been introduced on Facebook by an unknown user. The image shows a young man turning to look at another woman while holding hands with his girlfriend. This situation often appears today in real life and it also happened in the Chaplin-era of cinema.

A poster from 1922 shows a Charlie Chaplin film called “Pay Day” that looks incredibly close to this meme. We can see the main hero, his wife, and the lady attracting his attention. Obviously this was long before the internet era, but the similarity is striking!

https://brightside.me/wonder-curiosities/10-times-when-history-repeated-itself-but-no-one-realized-it-you-might-want-to-check-your-textbooks-after-reading-this-567010/

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elles-choices · 6 years ago

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Godsend: Chapter 1 & 2 (TRR AU, Liam x MC)

A/N: Hey guys, I’m so excited about this series that I’m sharing a double chapter with you! I hope you guys like it as much as I do :)

Chapter 1: Hometown Glory

Pairing: Liam x MC (Catherine aka Cathy), Drake x Meg

Summary: As the spare to the throne, Liam leaves Cordonia to University in the States. Hoping for some normalcy in a life outside the spotlight, he leaves his comfort zone embarking in new adventures and falling in love for the first time until fate strikes.

Disclaimer: Some characters belong to Choices by Pixel Berry

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Chapter 1: Hometown Glory

Liam walks through the hallways of the place on the way to the Government wing to see his father. He has no idea why, but he was summoned by Constantine and this usually happens when he and his bother are in trouble — his thoughts start racing but he can’t think of anything that he might have done or taken part of. He takes a deep breath before knocking at the study door, slowly opening it. He sees his father on the phone, with a had gesture he signalizes Liam to come in and sit down, waiting until the call is over.

„Very well, Hakim. Why don’t we save the details for our dinner next week? Perfect! Alright, talk soon, old friend“, Constantin hangs up and looks at Liam very seriously. „So Liam, I heard from Regina that you were talking about transferring to an U.S. University“, he stands up and walks to the bar cart, pouring himself and Liam one fingers of whisky.

„Yes, father. I believe that living abroad would broaden my horizon and I’d like to get to know other cultures before I finish college and start working in service of the crown“, he looks at his father, who hands him a drink.

Constantin walks back to his chair, „Regina thinks it will be good for you“, he sits down and looks at Liam, „and I cant deny, I think it is a good idea myself“. Liam smiles and his eyes widen. „I pulled some strings and due to your impeccable curriculum and grades, you were admitted into Stanford. You will be flying next week to California“, he smiles.

Liam jumps from his chair and walks up to his father to hug him, „Father! I can’t believe it… I never thought you would ever consider letting me go! Thank you so so much!“, he smiles.

„Liam, my son, I just wish you would have come to me first“, he hugs him, patting him on the back. „However, there will be rules!“, his tone becomes stern and Liam goes back to his seat, „There can be no scandals and nobody can know you are a prince“, he opens a drawer, picking up a brown envelope and putting a few papers on the table, „In the U.S you will be known as Liam Thompson, a British exchange student from London. Only the US Government and the University know your true identity. This is your new passport, drivers license and everything you will need — The British Government has helped us with everything and it’s only be possible thanks to our shared ancestry with the English Monarchy, Queen Victoria. So, next time Elizabeth invites us for a wedding, we better show up!“, he smirks. „I’m taking your platinum credit card, you will get a normal one with a comfortable limit to live off but not too high to draw attention — if someone asks about your comfortable life though, tell them your parents are bankers. You will live near campus in a two bedroom apartment that you will share with Drake. Your security detail will occupy the apartment in front of yours and will be always in your shadows, making sure that you are okay“, he puts everything back into the envelope and hands it to Liam. „However, if the press finds out about it and your whereabouts or if anyone discover your true identity… that’s it! You will have to come back home, understood?!“

Liam smiles, „Understood, father! This is only fair…“

„Alright, I guess you have a lot to get done before flying out to your new life in the states, so you better get it done!“, he walks up to Liam and hugs him once again. „Now, I will try to track down your brother to tell him the news. I’m sure he will want to say goodbye in style!“, he chuckles.

„Okay. I really have a lot to get done. See you later, dad and tell Regina thanks from me!“, he smiles and walks out of his father’s study.

——————

One week later…

Leo knocks at Liam’s apartment urgently, „Come on, little brother! The guys are already waiting!“. Liam opens the door suddenly and Leo almost falls into his room, causing Liam to chuckle.

„Alright! I can’t even get ready for my own going away party…“, he shakes his head while his brother puts his arm around his neck and they walk down the stairs to meet Drake, Maxwell and Bertrand in the entrance of the palace. Liam greets each one of them and says: “If everyone is already here, what are we waiting for? Let’s get this party started!“. The guys cheer and one after the other enter the limousine but shortly before Liam’s turn to go in, he hears a familiar voice behind him.

„So, it is true?!“, Olivia stands there, her eyes welling up with tears.

„Guys, go ahead, I have to talk to Liv for a second… and no worries, I’ll be right behind you. Now, go, go, go!“, he shuts the car door and watches as they leave, turning back to Olivia. „Let’s go for a walk.“

Olivia crosses her arms in front of her and walks out of the palace with Liam following behind her. Heading to the gardens, she says: „I can’t believe you were going to leave without saying goodbye! I really mean nothing to you…“, she lowers her head, looking at her feet.

„Liv, don’t say that“, he stops her and puts his hands on her shoulders. „You are one of my best friends. It’s just too complicated right now“

„I don’t wanna be your friend, Liam. I want more… that kiss meant something to me… I thought you felt the same way“, she looks at him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He hugs her and she rests her head on his chest, „I’m sorry, Liv. I thought, perhaps there was more there but… I love you as a friend, as a sister and it won’t change!“

Olivia pushes him away, „Wow Liam… as a sister?! You kiss me and then tell me you love me as your sister?“, she looks at him for a moment in silence, her face expecting something from him but there is nothing there, „Good. I wish you a good flight, Liam. Have fun with your new life!“, she walks away.

„Liv… Liv! I’m sorry for hurting you… I really am!“, he says, walking in her direction but she doesn’t answer, just makes some motion with her hands and leaves. Liam watches her as she goes, torn between going after her or letting her alone but he knows, it’s better to leave things this way — he will never be able give her what she wants from him.

——————

Liam arrives at the beer garden thirty minutes later and everybody notices due to his facial expression that he had a lot in his mind. He sits next to Leo and Drake, watching Maxwell and Bertrand greeting someone on another table.

„What happened? You look down… it’s your going away party, you should be happy to leave this place for a while to enjoy some time with people of your own age“, Leo says.

„He kissed her, that’s what happened!“, Drake says sipping his pint, earning him an annoyed glance from Liam before he looked at Leo.

„Yeah, I just made my situation with Liv a lot more complicated“, he takes Leo’s pint and takes a gulp, „She spent the entire summer throwing herself at me, I thought maybe there could be something there… but there isn’t. Now she is hurt and mad at me“.

Leo takes the pint back from Liam’s hand, „She will survive, Li. This was a stupid move though, everybody knows she has been crazy about you from a young age. However, what is done is done. You are leaving and now with you moving away, she will have no other choice than get over it“, Leo wraps an arm around his neck, „“I’ll miss you, brother but I am glad you will be able to leave this madness. And I envy you for all those American girls… make me proud, little brother!“.

Liam laughs, „Yeah, I’m pretty sure being an asshole is not part of my curriculum“, they all laugh and Maxwell and Bertrand join the guys.

„Hey, what did we miss?“, Maxwell says smiling.

„Not much, just my brother being an ass…“, Liam laughs.

„Wait, you are talking to the next king, Liam. You better show some respect!“, Bertrand says in a very serious tone.

„Too late for that, Bertrand!“, Drake says smirking.

„Alright, who wants more beer?“, the guys put their hands up excited, „Good, let’s get this party started! My brother is leaving to the land of opportunity, we have a lot to celebrate!“

To be continued…

For more chapters go to my MASTERLIST in my bio.

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Chapter 2: Party In The USA

It’s been three days since Liam and Drake arrived in Palo Alto. While Liam has been busy buying books and getting ready for summer quarter, Drake has been out getting to know their new surroundings. Suddenly Liam hears a knock at his bedroom door:

„Come in!“, he looks at the door, closing his book.

„Hey Li, what are you up to?, Drake asks.

„Just catching up with my reading. Where have you been all day?“, he says smirking.

„Yeah, I wanted to go shortly to the coffeeshop but I met this cute girl, Meghan“, he walks into the room and sits down on a chair, looking at Liam, „She showed me around… and she invited us to this party tonight“, he puts his feet on Liam’s bed.

„Not a chance, Drake!“, Liam pushes his feet away from his bed, „I don’t know anyone yet and I’m not going to be your third wheel!“.

Drake chuckles, „She has a roommate… for what I head you two are perfect for each other, she is all about studying but she is cute, I saw her photo!“, Drake stands up, „And I’m not asking you to come, I’m telling you to because if you don’t… then her roommate is going to be the third wheel and you can’t let it happen!“, Drake smirks and Liam throws a pillow at him.

“Alright... but only because I can’t leave the poor girl alone with you two making out!”, he takes his book in his hands, lying down while Drake leaves his room.

—————

When Drake and Liam arrive at the party, they walk around looking for Meghan, finding her next to the drink table.

„Hey! There you are, I thought you guys had changed your minds!“, she says hugging Drake, „I take this is your roommate? Hi, I’m Meghan“, the petit brunette smiles friendly, shaking his hand.

„Meg, where is your roommate. Liam is already looking forward to get to know her!“, Drake chuckles and Liam throws him an annoyed glance.

„Cathy?! She should be here any minute. Last time I talked to her she was leaving the hospital to go home and change“, she says handing the guys a cup of beer.

„Is she okay?“, Liam asks.

„Oh, yeah. She is a med student doing rotation, so basically she is assisting residents…”, she sees a familiar face coming to their direction, “There she is!“, she says excited. Liam turns around to see the 5’8 blonde with big green eyes and the sweetest smile he has ever seen — she is wearing a red floral summer dress and flats. He stares at her for a moment feeling his heart skip a beat. Meghan hugs Cathy and says: „So good to see you! How was your day?“.

„Good but I’m exhausted!“, she looks at the two guys behind Meghan, „So, I see you have made new friends already…“, she giggles.

„Yeah, these are the exchange students I told you about, Drake Walker and Liam Thompson. Guys, this is Catherine Levine but everybody calls her Cathy“, she says making them acquainted.

„Hi Drake, nice to meet you“, she shakes his hands and turns to Liam, „Hi, nice to meet you“, she offers him her hand and Liam takes it, kissing her knuckles without taking his eyes of hers. Catherine blushes and looks at the others. Drake shoves him discreetly and Liam releases her hand.

„Hi Cathy, I’m Liam and it is nice to meet you too“, he can’t stop looking at her, Meghan throws a glance at Drake and he says:

„Yeah, you two get to know each other… we have to go somewhere to do something else…“, he takes Meghan’s hand and they leave chuckling.

„Can I offer you something to drink? Perhaps a beer?“, Liam asks.

„I’m not of drinking age… and I don’t really like alcohol, thanks anyways. But I’d love a glass of orange juice“, Cathy smiles and leans on the wall next to Liam. „So, you are British?!“, she looks to the side and catches him looking at her.

„Yeah, how did you know?!“, he smiles, handing her her drink.

„Your accent makes it obvious… and no American guy would be such a gentleman and kiss a girl’s hand“, she giggles and Liam blushes.

„I’m sorry for that… force of habit... I mean, not that I do it often... I just...”, he closes his eyes afraid he is making a fool of himself and breaths deeply for a second, “I never meant for you to feel uncomfortable“, he mumbles.

Cathy turns to him, „I didn’t… I thought it was really cute“, she smiles and takes a sip of her drink. She looks at some drunk guys trying to flirt with a girl, „I don’t really know why I agreed to this… I can’t stand these parties where people only come with the intent of getting drunk!“.

„So you hate college parties then?“, he chuckles, „Do you wanna go outside? It’s kinda loud in here“, Liam says nervously, „But don’t feel pressured to go with me… I mean, it is only an offer“.

„I know, Liam… relax, I don’t bite!“, she smiles, putting a hand on his shoulder, „Let’s go“. They walk through the crowd on their way outside and make their way along the sidewalk for a couple of minutes until they arrive in front of a car and Cathy sits on its hood, „Come on“, she taps on the space next to her.

„Won’t we get in trouble if the owner sees us?“, Liam says looking around.

„Nope… because I’m the owner, come on!“, she leans back against the windshield, looking at the sky, „So, what are you majoring in?“, she looks at him.

„Political Science and Economics“, he looks at her, „I was told you are a med student…“, he smiles.

„Yes, I always wanted to be a doctor but it does take a lot of my time and energy…“, she looks back to the sky. „Are you excited about living in another country?“

Liam chuckles, „You can’t imagine how happy I am! Back home, everything is so… different“, he looks down, his voice expresses sadness, „It was fine as long as my brother was around but when he was old enough to leave, things changed… thankfully Drake was always there for me“, he looks at her shortly, „I don’t wanna bother you with these things... let’s talk about something happier“.

Cathy turns to see him and hugs him shortly, whispering into his ear, „Whenever you need someone to talk to, just let me know“, she looks into his eyes and smiles. They sit back for a while watching the sky in silence from a moment and Liam couldn’t stop himself from look at her every now and then. Suddenly, Catherine’s phone rings and she answers:

„Hey! We are at the car… when you leave the house just take the path to the left, along the sidewalk. We are waiting!“, she hangs up. „They are coming and we will drive to our apartment. Do you wanna come?“, she smiles.

Liam smiles brightly, „Yeah… sure. But we didn’t have time to buy a car yet. Do you mind if we drive with you?“

„If you trust me with your life“, she winks at him and gets out of the hood of the car, giggling.

Meghan and Drake get closer, he has an arm around her waist. Liam looks at Cathy and smirks and Meghan says: „Okay, okay… nothing to see here! Let’s go, this party sucks“. They all get in the car and drive to Catherine’s and Meghan’s apartment. They order in some pizza and chat for a while before Meghan and Drake disappear in the apartment.

Cathy and Liam are in the living room laughing together talking about movies and whatnots, when she hears something, „Psst…“, she says holding a hand up, „What is that?“, she hears faint panting, moaning, grunts and start blushing when she looks at Liam.

He starts laughing and whispers, „What about we give them some privacy and step out for a minute?“. Cathy stands up and leads Liam to the balcony, where he sees a telescope. „Is it yours?“

„Yeah, stargazing is one of my hobbies“, she leans on the railing and looks at the sky.

„This is a fascinating hobby. What is your favorite constellation? And can you show me?“, he leans on the railing looking at her.

„Orion… but you probably already know how to find it“, she giggles.

„No, tell me more about it, please“, Liam smiles.

„Okay… According to greek mythology, Orion was a gigantic hunter with supernatural powers. He was very strong but extremely dumb and one day he said he would kill every animal on the planet, enraging the goddess Gaia, who sent a scorpion to kill him. The giant soon realized he couldn’t shoot an arrow through the scorpion’s armor and jumped into the sea to avoid the creature. Artemis hit him with an arrow after Apollon tell her, this giant was a terrible villain. When she saw the body, she realized it was her friend Orion and begged the gods to bring him back to life but they refused, so she put his picture in the sky“, she smiles excited and places herself in front of Liam. He is so close to her that he can smell the lavender scent of her hair, „Hold me tight with one hand and give me your other hand“, he does as she says, „There, you see?“, she takes his hand pointing her finger to the stars, „Head, shoulders, the belt…“. Liam chuckles and Cathy turns around, „Wait… you tricked me! You already know, don’t you!“, she looks up into his eyes, he is still holding her tight.

„Yeah but I enjoyed your lesson anyway…“, he realizes how close they are and feels a force pulling him to her. He tries to resist it and his hand leaves her waist. „It’s kinda late… you said you were tired, I should go“.

„I’d love you to stay but I actually have to wake up early“, she sighs, „ But I’ll drive you home and no discussion… it’s not like I will get any sleep now with those two putting on a show“, she giggles.

Liam stares into her eyes for a moment, „Okay… Thank you!“.

Cathy takes his hand and they walk to the car. It was a five minutes drive and they listened to some music, Liam kept glancing at her, admiring her beauty while she was focused on singing the songs out loud.

The car stops in front of Liam’s building, „So, here we are…“, she looks at him smiling.

„Give me your phone, please!“, he says with a chuckle.

„What? Why?“, she says giggling.

„Just give me your phone, you will see!“. She hands it to him and he types something in it, „Here… now you have my number. Let me know you are alright when you get home!“, he looks at her nervously for a few seconds, not really wanting to leave. Then, he leans in slowly to kiss her, noticing she is blushing. She looks down to her hands and he goes for her cheeks instead. „Sweet dreams, Cathy“, his voice is husky and tender.

„Sweet dreams, Liam“, she looks into his eyes one last time before he leaves and she drives away.

—————

After a shower, Liam lies in his bed thinking about this evening and he can’t stop thinking about her. He wanted so bad to kiss her but he was afraid of overstepping the boundaries with her. He doesn’t know her, yet he knows that there is something special about her, something that makes him nervous and his heart beat faster. Her smile, her eyes and those lips of hers, something sensual and angelical at once. Suddenly a text comes in, pulling him back out of his thoughts. He opens it and smiles:

„I’m home. It was nice meeting you, Liam. Have a good night, x Cathy“

Quickly, he answers, „I’m glad. It was nice meeting you too, Cathy. I hope I see you around soon!“ And leaves his phone on the nightstand, knowing it will be hard to sleep thinking of her.

To be continued…

For more chapters go to my MASTERLIST in my bio.

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