#Loria was hard

[smilesrobotlover]

I’ve been thinking about the big deities of Hyrule and decided to make designs for different deity designs.

Hylia is the Goddess of Heroes, ordered by the golden three to watch over the Triforce when they left. She is the goddess of Hyrule, though it existed when she no longer existed because she gave up her immortality to defeat Demise. So really, no goddess protects the Triforce, and instead it scattered after ocarina of time when Ganondorf tried to grab it. But yeah Hyrule is kind of a mess with no Goddess to protect it. I lvoe big bird woman but honestly, I wanted her to look like Hylians so she’s a regular Hylian with some godly designs added. Yayy.

Then there’s Labryn, the war god of Labrynna. He’s focused on war and strategy and so he has the owl insignia to kind of represent Nayru’s wisdom. He’s kind of meant to be a mixture of Ares and Athena. He’s fun! Very rageful and has no respect for Hylia or her heroes. Hope he doesn’t create a labyrinth to test a hero 😳 that’d be crazy tho

Then we got Hollow and Drumm, the dancing gods of Holodrum. I want that kingdom to be focused on entertainment so I gave them the comedy and tragedy masks which is fun. Their designs are loosely based after the oracle Din too and yeaaaah. Idk what they do but they just kinda vibe and do their own thing.

Then there’s Oshus, king of the oceans. I feel like the ocean is its own domain, it’s own kingdom. I mean in our world, the ocean is its own world, so it makes sense for the ocean here to be separate from the kingdoms on land. So Oshus is doing his own thing and watching over the world of the ocean. And I also just love him. Def adding a ton of power to him, putting him on the same level as Hylia but idc it’s what he deserves. Now, if he was so powerful, why couldn’t he defeat Bellum? Well… Hylia had Demise so…. And she didn’t survive that battle sooooo…. Tho he’s not involved with Hyrule, Oshus has a lot more respect for Hyrule and its hero after phantom hourglass :3c

And idk, I wanted to draw Loria. Idk how her world exists she’s just kinda there vibin.

[moonriver080]

【Funny Story Time】

I wrote an article for my 6 pictures

I tried to machine translate a paragraph and modify it.

But it's too long. I give up.

During Links meal breaks, the chains sometimes share anecdotes from the past to improve their understanding of each other ......

Well, sometimes it's not so much the anecdotes that are shared as it is the puzzles or the creepy pasts that are shared on reflection. (And some people seem to enjoy it.

It was a spring-flowery afternoon, and the sun was just right, and mixed with the sweet aroma of the chef's well-cooked courser milk soup, it had to be said that it was a very good soothing respite for Links, who had just finished a hard-fought battle, both physically and mentally.

Everything was just right, so Warriors let his guard down and picked a conversation that had left him a bit exhausted for the next week (Oh! Don't get me wrong, it was actually quite an interesting process and development /grin/)

Huh, how could he be blamed, after all the Warriors, who was more social than the other Links, was relatively adept at grasping the melodrama of the atmosphere, knowing when to be quiet and when it was better to have a chat.

They all understood that the team was, with the exception of certain ones, clamshells that had come to life one by one. (Or maybe some of the outgoing ones are actually clamshells.) (Aha! A new way of flirting with oneself is born.)

Anyway, this is why Warriors wave his spoon smugly (like a tiny flag): "...... When we triumphed, the streets were filled with petals and ribbons, and people clustered in the streets and upstairs and on the rooftops, and though, trampled by the war, both the roads and the .. were somewhat depressed ...... Well! That part doesn't matter now!"Warriors stirs the soup and takes a small sip (any more and we won't be able to start a conversation today, Wild, the

boy's food is gaggingly good), "...brave soldiers walk the streets of Castle Town, their footsteps without the thunder of applause that rises up at the first moment, and my beloved Epona kicks and stomps (and here it's being torn apart by sunlight) down the stone streets, edged in gold, and the streets are filled with the most beautiful and beautiful things in the world.My beloved Epona was kicking and stomping along the stone streets edged in gold by the sunlight (glared at by a certain few here), flowers were thrown from all over the place to send blessings to the soldiers, and the fallen flowers covered the whole road, Aaannnnnd!Of course~ I received the most bouquets of flowers~ No matter which way I looked, the screams were like the rising of the tides that rose up and down, and went on and on and on~"

Warriors grunts and laughs as he speaks, lifting his bangs and skimming the ends of his hair.

Gee, he's always showing off his hormones that have nowhere to go.Legend smacked his lips on his spoon, the delicious food immediately soothing his prickly nerves caused by the teasing, but ......

Putting aside some of his "preconceptions", Warriors was indeed a strong general with leadership qualities, and under the circumstances, it was only natural that he would be welcomed to protect the people, lead the soldiers, gather the divided world, defeat Ganon, and bring safety to the people.With this in mind, Legend picked out the fruit in the soup and took a bite.Looks like he's popular, that's really good. Well, yummy.

(Wild has fine-tuned for everyone's tastes, the golden apple chunks added late in his bowl are soft, crunchy and sweet after micro-cooking, rich in flavor, he had asked for some seeds long ago, but Wild said that this golden apples are produced by probability,. Hummm, Legend who is the hottest apple supplier in Hylia and Loria' smiles but does not say anything.)

But ......Legend chewed another bite of apple chunks, looking at him like this is really unpleasant ah.Legend was disgusted by the image that appeared in his mind of Warriors riding horses and throwing flying kisses to stir up a cheering crowd of cold shivers, ah, can not think about it, a little stomach.[I'm not sure if this paragraph is translated correctly (because I read it myself as if something was wrong, but I don't know what went wrong).]

The Chef of Peace, who had been listening to the story since a moment ago and had somehow become a bit dazed, came back to his senses and looked at Legend, who was blushing a bit darkly, in puzzlement.

【If you want to know the full text, let me know, and maybe I'll translate it intermittently.】

Eggs①: (Three photos taken by Wind) (Price:?)

Confused by the first delivery of the bouquet

Link)

(Link, who was surrounded by civilians, gave flowers and scattered petals to celebrate shyness and cover his face)

(Link who was frightened by the enthusiasm of the people and hid in the Zelda King)

Eggs②:

A week later, another tea break.

Wars looked at Time, who was being chased and intercepted, and drank a cup of sweet and sour fruit tea contentedly.

Offensive and defensive potential is also different, sapling, soldiers are not tired of cheating, plan and then move, is also for the trick. (Completely strung together.)

Wind? Wind curled his lips as he held a small part of the empty cookie bag. Wars really held a grudge.

[savemohammedfamily111]

I'm Mohammed Ayoub Al-Madhoun, a Palestinian from Gaza, I am 25 years old, married and have two beautiful daughters, Masa, who is three years old, and Misk, who is ten months old.

We used to live a safe life full of joy and prosperity. We worked hard without any slacking during the past 5 years.

I graduated from the Gaza Community Training College, majoring in mechanical engineering, but there were no job opportunities, so I resorted to looking for new ways of working. I worked as a taxi driver to provide the basic necessities of life, such as food, drink and shelter. We started building our new house a very short time before the war, and it seems that we have become without anything.

Unfortunately, there are still large financial payments that have not been paid yet, approximately ten thousand dollars.

I was able to own a car in installments a few months before the war, unfortunately I do not know its fate as I was unable to take it to the southern Gaza Strip because we left with nothing on foot, and when I was able to complete its installments, the seller began to demand his right.

It is very difficult to say that we have lost everything, it is like a recurring nightmare that we live every day, we have lost our beautiful and peaceful life and our warm and safe home, our dreams of a bright future have been shattered.

We were forced to evacuate our home after the army bombed the house adjacent to our home in Jabalia neighborhood and our home was severely damaged to the point that it was no longer habitable.

We left everything from food, drink and clothing in our homes, and we left our home and headed to the southern part of the Strip hoping for a better and safer life, but unfortunately there is no longer a safe place in Gaza, and I also need an eye operation that is very expensive and needs to be performed abroad.

Therefore, I am forced to communicate and ask for help from you, hoping that you will extend a helping hand to us in our difficult and difficult days.

Every donation will greatly affect our ability to deal with these enormous challenges, and provide basic necessities such as food, drink, clothing and treatment in particular.

I am very optimistic about returning to the life I have always wanted. Your invaluable help will be used to provide for my family's basic needs and restore our home when it's time to return.

God Bless You

I ASK ALL OF YOU TO HELP MY FAMILY AND DONATE IN THE LINK PLEASE🍉

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[kairoot]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈: Suitors’ Rounds | 𝐀𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐚’𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐱.

PAIRING ▸ prince!hongjoong x princess!female!oc

GENRE ▸ royal au, arranged marriage, strangers to lovers, angst, fluff

WARNINGS ▸ scolding i guess?, mistreatment, let me know if I can add anything

MILAN’S NOTE ▸ enjoy the first chapter ! :p wc: 5.2k

SECTION SONG — my future by billie eilish

italics indicate flashbacks!

"How many times must I remind you, Loria?!" Lady Valenti had grabbed the poor girl by her arm, dragging her into her bedchamber.

"But, Mama, I was only-" Loria started, only to be interrupted by her grandmother seeing her way into the room with a nod to the guard outside the large double doors.

“You should not be so hard on her Adela, you were once her age.” She spoke, her tone calm and reminding as she stopped a few feet in front of the door and glanced at Loria before turning to look at her daughter.

"Is this how she will act when she is to present herself to her suitors in the future? Will she behave like an untrained canine while she is being courted?" Lady Valenti asked, rhetorically questioning her mother as she slowly turned around to meet her gaze.

Loria diverted her gaze to the floor, tears instantly glazing her vision. Her mother had been treating her this way ever since she’d expressed to her that she wanted to be a kingdom archer and not a princess. To which her mother- of course, quickly disapproved of.

She was also no longer in the pale baby blue dress her mother had sent her off in during the early hours of the day where, she’d been with her daughter, but she was now fitted in Khaki shorts and a ruffled white polo shirt- that was no longer spotless but now littered with the remnants of her time in the fields where she’d been carelessly pulling dirt and rust covered arrows out of their targets. Even her knee length socks looked as if they’d been spat on by the mud monster itself.

The preteen turned around in her seat, her curls that she’d sloppily tied into a high ponytail swayed with her movements as she faced her bedside table.

“She is not to be courted for another 7 years, why are you urging your concerns of marriage onto her at such a time?” Loria’s grandmother asked, her face subtly displaying her confusion.

“Because she wishes to be a knight.” Loria’s mother deadpanned.

“I wish no such thi-” Loria cut in, attempting to defend herself from her mother’s false claim.

“Quiet Loria! You are not to speak unless you are spoken to directly, do you understand!?” Lady Valenti raised her voice, no longer able to hold back her frustration as she turned to glare at her daughter.

Loria shrunk back down into the position she was previously at, returning her gaze back to the floor as she nodded wordlessly at her mothers outburst.

Her grandmother shook her head as she silently stared at her daughter, disappointment now evident on her features.

“You are exaggerating, Adela.” Her grandmother said, her frown only becoming more apparent.

Lady Valenti was still as she stared at her daughter through the vanity mirror that she sat in front of. She felt the slightest bit of pity for a moment, watching as her daughter frowned at the polished marble floors, and fought back her tears. Despite her tick of pity a disappointed scowl remained upon her features.

“You are of no help to the cause either, Mother. She wishes to play with weapons and practice in the fields as though she is training to be in battle, as though she is a prince! And you are teaching her how to do it as if it will be useful to her in her future. I will not allow her to trash her rank and attempt to be something she is not.” Lady Valenti said with finality as she turned her head away from the mirror and towards her mother.

Tears welled up in Loria’s eyes once again, threatening to spill but she held them back. Hearing those words and receiving that kind of treatment from her mother was nothing new to her. It was not the first time she’d done this and it surely wouldn’t be the last.

“Your Majesty!” One of Lady Valenti’s hand maidens came hurriedly into the room, distress and concern written all over her face.

Both Lady Valenti, and her mother diverted their attention to the girl. They wordlessly waited for the girl to continue and explain her sudden urgency, worry making its way onto their own faces.

“It’s- Qu- Queen Minjae of Aurora, she has been transported to the medical wing, she’s been wounded- fatally!” The girl stresses.

The last few words of her sentence were barely processed through Loria’s grandmother’s head as she immediately made her way out of the room. Urgency in her steps as a guard made his way behind her, barely catching up as she turned a corner heading straight towards the palace’s medical wing.

Loria looks up at her mother, confusion and worry written all over her face.

“Watch over Loria, I will go see to her Majesty. Do not let her out of your sight.” Lady Valenti says to the hand maiden that had remained in the room after giving her the news.

“Yes, your Majesty, as you wish.” The girl bowed in obedience as she turned her gaze to Loria, who watched as her mother hurried out of the room.

Minjae, it was a name she had heard before but wasn’t familiar with. But Loria assumed she must have been pretty important considering the title she held. Queen Minjae.

-

Even now, 7 years later- her mothers mistreatment and emotional abuse remained consistent. Loria was 20 now, and with that the threats and lectures were only getting more intense. However her mother’s nagging wasn’t all that remained.

Loria's passion for archery did as well.

She stood in one of the many grassy meadows of Aibira, one not far from the walls of her Royal estate, her curls hanging loosely in a low ponytail as they danced with the breeze.

Her arms were occupied with the large bow that she was steadily pointing towards one out of 3 targets standing a few yards before her, her form perfect, her body still and one of her eyes squinted closed as she aimed for the perfect 10.

Loria took a deep inhale, her index finger ticking in preparation to release the arrow she held.

"Your Highness!" A shaky, almost panicked voice called out.

The sudden intrusion startled the princess, resulting in her releasing the arrow carelessly. The arrow flung sharply in whatever direction it wanted rather than the one she’d so carefully calculated.

Loria's head snapped in the direction of the anxious tone, hearing the subtle “thwump” of the arrow she’d released hit what she hoped was one of the targets.

A young woman ran towards her, the edges of her washed blue dress bunched into her fists so that the skirt of her gown would hang above the threatening grass.

"Helena?" Loria questioned, making eye contact with her one and only lady in waiting. Questioning her by a simple call of her name and a confused expression to top it off.

"Loria!" Helena called for her by her first name when she got closer. The maiden stopped abruptly, bending over slightly as she tried to catch her breath. She exhaled before speaking again.

"Lady Valenti, your mother.. Wishes.. Wishes to see you." She managed to get out, her breathing slowly but gradually stabilizing.

Loria scoffed in disapproval, intending to ignore her maiden's message the second the words “Lady Valenti” had left her lips. She turned back towards the targets she’d been practicing with and smirked to herself.

"Bullseye.” She whistled proudly, observing the arrow that she thought she’d inaccurately released, pride bubbling in her chest as she looked at how the fine arrow pierced the target before reaching for her quiver to retrieve another arrow then walking a little ways to line up with the next target.

"Loria, she-" Helena started, but was interrupted by Loria’s taunting question.

"Do you think I could stick another one like that? Shall I close my eyes this time?" She asked with a small smile before closing her eyes and pretending to ready her arrow for the target. Whatever it is her mother wanted could wait. She was almost positive it was something about her royal duties or some other lecture that she could not stand to hear right now.

Helena swallowed hard, trying her best to urge the Princess back into the palace where she assumed her mother was growing more and more impatient until the point where she’d eventually-

"Loria Valenti!" Loria’s mother wailed, nearly shoving poor Helena as she stomped her way over to her daughter.

Loria groaned to herself before turning around once again to face her “evil” mother’s wrath.

"Mother.. I-” She started, closing her eyes with a sigh before they shot back open at the feeling of her Mother’s polished nails digging into the uncovered flesh of her arm.

"I recall telling you to return to the castle before 12, or was I hallucinating. Or perhaps I was talking to the WITCH pretending to be my daughter, hm?” She spat gritting her teeth, anger evident in her voice as she yanked Loria back towards the castle.

Loria’s breathing was heavy as she attempted to release herself from her mother's clutch. Her struggles only resulting in her mother’s grip getting harsher, her skin was tan but the bruises from her mother’s nails would surely be visible.

Her words of protest were left unheard as her mother forced her into the palace. Helena followed sheepishly behind the two.

"I cannot, to this day, fathom why you must partake in such hobbies, Loria. It is not princess-like, you are behaving like a prince in training!" Lady Valenti yelled, shoving Loria towards the stairs that were routed to her bed chambers.

"It is not about being “princess-like”, it's about being me, Mama! Indulging in my passion and my gift!" She retaliated, trudging up the steps.

"Will you inform your husband of such intentions, then?" She retorted, walking past Loria and making it into the room before she could.

Loria scoffed, stomping into her room with irritance evident in her body language. Helena entered behind the two with her head slightly lowered.

Lady Valenti called for the dress maidens by a ring of a bell. One by one 4 maidens made their way into the large room. One for her hair, one for her face, another for her scent selection, and the other for dressing and fitting.

Loria slumped sideways in her vanity chair, groaning and covering her face with both hands. She was slouching, which her mother was quick to notice and reacted with a stinging smack on the girl’s arm.

Loria purposely delayed her reaction, the sting of her mother’s hand only irritating her more as she cut her eyes at the woman, anger brewing in her gut.

"Will you sit like a man as well? Straighten your back and align your shoulders as you were taught Loria."

"Perhaps I will." Loria mumbled, earning her another smack to the arm.

“She is due for a bath, clearly. Wash her and have her dressed by 3 pm. Her suitors will be arriving by 4.” Lady Valenti ordered, turning towards the dressing maids and glancing at Loria once again with a disappointed scowl before leaving the room.

She slouched in the seat once again, sighing while fighting back a dramatic scream of frustration.

“At least you’ll be a Queen, Lo.” Helena gave her a small smile before stepping back to allow her room to stand.

“If she isn't dead by the time I am crowned she will continue to nag me. Though I don't doubt that even by the means of death she will resume her haunting.” Loria responded, an unamused look on her face as she walked down a shorter hallway towards her bathing room, all 5 maidens following behind.

“My lady, I’ve heard through the grapevine that Prince Evrin of Kairos will be on your list of suitors today.” One of the dressing maidens spoke with a fond smile as she ran the plush sponge across one of the princess’ shoulders.’

“Who is that?” Loria asked, her sarcasm seeming to have flown over all the lady’s heads as they all paused in hesitation for a moment. Letting an awkward silence settle over the room before Loria spoke up once again.

“I’m only kidding..” She clarified.

The maidens forced their laughter before resuming their activities and conversation.

“He’s really dashing isn't he? I’ve yet to see him in person but I hear he's quite handsome and polite.” Another comments, nearly swooning as she imagines him as the perfect prince charming.

“Right.. well. I’d rather get this whole thing over with as soon as I possibly can.” She sighs. “I dread spending over 5 minutes with any man no matter how dashing.” The princess said, disinterest heavy in her tone as she suddenly stood up, water splashing and startling the maids who stood up just as quickly after her.

“Shall I be dressed?” Loria asked, throwing a thick chrome laced robe over her shoulders before slipping into her slippers and exiting the room.

“Of course, my lady. As you wish.” Helena said, nodding at the dress maidens towards the direction of which she was headed.

-

Staff shuffled around the Valenti home like mice. Loria sat on one of the plush seats in the sun room. Doing breathing exercises as she struggled to exhale properly, the corset and tight lining splayed across her torso making the task more difficult than usual.

“Quickly, everyone. Everything must be perfect.” Lady Valenti announced wearing a proud almost eerie smile on her face, seeming to be enjoying the torture and pure agony of her eldest daughter.

Frustrated wasn’t even the word to describe Loria’s current mood. She attempted to pull the dress as far away from her chest as she could, eventually giving up.

“Cheer up, flower.” Her grandmother spoke across from her. She gave Loria a reassuring smile, the girl’s face straining as she tried to return her grandmother's kind gesture.

“The stabbing corset and itchy pearls and diamonds will all be worth it, bloom.” Her grandmother said, turning to look out towards one of the many windows in the room.

Loria gave her grandmother a gloomy look, trying to see things from her perspective. Or in other words figure out what exactly she meant by that. No matter how old Loria got, she’d always see marriage the way she always had.

A trap. Prison. Something those of royalty did only for power.

She wanted to be free. Free to do whatever her heart longed to do.

“Will Father be here?” She asked her grandmother, but her mother answered instead.

“Your Father will not be joining us today,” Lady Valenti said.

“He has many things to do.”

“But when does he not.” Loria grumbled, adjusting in the hard chair.

“What was that, dear?” The Queen hummed, fixing her hair in the main room’s mirror.

“Nothing,” Loria scoffed. “Where is Celine?”

“Off to her pianoforte lesson.”

“And Jade?”

“Latin lesson.”

“And will my sisters be joining me today?” Loria asked, folding her arms.

“Dearest, Loria. Your questions will stir up a headache if you continue. Now— Helena, did I not tell you to pin the girl’s hair up?” Lady Valenti’s eyes nearly popped out of her head seeing Loria’s curls cascade down the sides of her bosom.

“Your Majesty, I—“ Helena started, getting up from her place next to the main room’s table. She put down the bowl of fruits, rushing to the Queen’s side.

Lady Valenti’s hands came to hold the sides of her daughter’s face, examining her head.

Two thick strands of hair were pulled back into a flowery ribbon with the rest falling past her shoulders and wavy bangs separated, framing her face.

“Mother, stop!” Loria swatted at the Queen’s hand, trying to move away from her touch.

“It was my idea. Not Helena’s.”

“I should have known.” She scoffed, standing back up straight.

“Uhm, Your Majesty. The suitors have arrived.” One of the servants spoke, peeking their head through the rather large doorway.

The Queen gasped, hurriedly taking her place next to her daughter’s seat.

She cleared her throat, smiling, “Please, bring them in.”

The servant nodded, turning to the doorway. He beckoned someone towards the room before taking his spot again.

“Now presenting, His Grace, The Duke of Aldric.” He announced just as a man with piercing blue eyes walked in. His hair brown and curly with some strands lighter than others.

“What on Earth would a Princess want with a Duke?” The Queen mumbled, giving the Duke a strained smile.

He wore a cocky smirk, standing a few feet away from the Queen and Princess.

“Your Majesty. Your Highness.” He bowed slightly, his smirk growing even wider now.

Loria gave the Duke an uneasy grin, watching him step closer to her. He held his hand out to take hers, to which she hesitated a bit before forcefully bringing her hand up to meet his. He gently took it and brought it to his lips.

She nearly hurled but kept herself together by a gentle smile and nod of her head.

The Queen stepped to the side, giving them both some space.

“I hear you are the athletic type.” He squats down to where her legs are, but not before letting his eyes roam her form on his way down before meeting her eyes.

Loria hummed, raising an eyebrow. She leaned away from the Duke slightly, the uneasiness in her stomach refusing to subside.

“I mean, I’ve seen your form in the garden.. So your stamina should be great, yes?” The Duke smiled, comparing two completely unrelated circumstances just to be a pervert.

Loria gasped, her hand raising to land a harsh smack to the Duke’s cheek.

“Loria!” Lady Valenti exclaimed, immediately standing from her seat.

The Duke was dismissed as he quickly walked out, holding the side of his cheek, face beet red.

“His question was rather inappropriate, Mother. Was it not, Gram?” Loria turned to her Grandmother who seemed to be more interested in the book in her hand than her granddaughter’s dilemma.

Loria scoffed as her mother shook her head. She signaled for the servant by the door to let in the next suitor.

This one was a Duke as well but seemed a bit older than the last. He appeared solemn, walking in long strides.

He did a quick neck bow before heading straight toward the Princess.

Loria’s eyebrows raised in surprise, stunned to see the man in such a hurry.

“Your Highness,” He began, his voice deep and gravely. “I’ve heard many say you find joy in archery. Is that the truth?”

Loria cleared her throat, “Yes, it is the truth. Did you think otherwise?”

She was only 2 suitors in and already wanted to send all of them out on their heels, whether they got to see her or not. She knew that their questions would just be on the topics of her athleticism or whether she was able to carry a child.

“Yes.” He replied honestly, flaunting a nearly forced smile.

“And may I ask why that is your Grace?”

“Well, because you are a lady, Your Highness. A weapon should be left in a man’s care. Wouldn't you agree?” He asked.”

“If I agreed, I wouldn't prefer to be out in the fields practicing, rather than spending my time talking to you right now, would I?” The princess responded, giggling at herself as the duke awkwardly chuckled along with her.

Her mother squinted at her, fighting back a scowl from her place not far from Loria’s side.

“I’m only kidding, but I am curious as to why you’d think such a thing. Is it because you believe a man is more capable of handling deadly weapons and poisons rather than a woman, I suppose?”

“I-“

“Have you ever wielded a bow and arrow, your Grace?” She asked, tilting her head. A smile slowly crept onto Loria’s face as she watched the Duke quickly grow embarrassed from being put on the spot.

“Well, um-“

The Queen sighed from her place beside Loria, her hand coming up to pinch her nose bridge. She shook her head once again before waving the Duke out, the servants coming to escort him.

Loria felt exhaustion creep up on her. She was ready for the day's end already. The dreadful day that consisted of her drowning in expensive jewelry with a dress that nearly crushed her ribs and deflated her lungs. The day where her freedom would be taken away from her. Just to please everyone but herself.

She leaned her head against her hand, rubbing where the tension grew in her temples. It was going to be an eternity before she could see the green fields again.

The next few suitors did just what she thought they would do. They questioned her actions as a lady, wondering why she would rather be outside climbing in trees than remaining inside with her lady in waiting, sipping black mint tea and wine while eating fancy midday meals.

Some asked how fertile she was, wondering how many children she could bear. If her personality was not up to par they'd settle for her womb instead. All of it was making Loria want to vomit but she wasn’t surprised in the slightest by their words. Men in general were one of the many reasons she refused to be married. They were so simple minded and all wanted the same thing from what she’d seen.

She was hardly responding to any of them, humming only when she needed to as she hardly made eye contact with the least of them, she was growing bored. Not like she wasn't from the start but even more so now.

“Now presenting, His Highness, Evrin Remington, the Prince of Kairos.” The volume of the servant’s voice knocked Loria out of her trance as she sat up in her seat, readjusting her posture. Noticing how even Helena did the same from the corner of her eye. Even going as far as to smooth her dress out and cradle her breasts before pushing them up.

Even her grandmother diverted her attention from the book she’d been so immersed in to look towards the double doors. Loria rolled her eyes at this.

She glared towards the doorway, her nose flaring in frustration. She was tired of sitting still. The weariness was getting to her.

Her eyes widened slightly and a crumb of the heavy exhaustion she was previously feeling wore off as she made eye contact with the rather tall man making his way into the room.

It wasn’t his height that caught Loria off guard but the way he carried himself. In confident strides. Much different from the others she'd seen. He walked with actual confidence rather than cockiness. The smile he wore was not one of faux pride but gentle, welcoming even.

His skin was dewy and bronze, melanin glazing his tone as if he'd been kissed by the sun goddess herself. The golden earrings he wore complemented his tone quite well.

His jaw and eyes were as sharp as one of Loria’s arrows, making his face appear well-sculpted. He looked as if he were conceived from true genuine love rather than just a loveless session of intercourse with only one intent of bearing a child for an heir.

After giving a polite greeting to her mother and grandmother he finally turned and made his way over to Loria, holding her gaze as he greeted her. He walked toward her slowly, one corner of his lip curved into a small smile.

Loria noticed the ink that was etched onto his hand in multiple different yet repetitive patterns when he reached for hers. His lips met her skin just like it did with the Duke. Only the Prince’s lips were softer, more pillow-like and didn't smoosh sloppily onto her delicate skin. His deep cupid’s bow pressed to the back of her hand multiple times.

“Your Highness,” The Prince spoke with a strong accent rolling off his tongue. “It’s an honor to be here with you.”

Loria didn’t respond but she kept her eyes on his. He smiled at her borderline dumbfounded expression, taking a seat next to her.

“Princess,” He held onto her hand tightly. “I will be crowned King soon. I’d like you to rule by my side..”

“Straight to the point huh..” Loria’s inner monologue said before her eyes widened a bit once again, “Um, I don’t-“

“Think about it. We’ll talk more when I’m courting you.” He chuckled at her expression. Her face remained the same, confusion spread across her features. He seemed sure that she was going to pick him.

He stood up after admiring her for a few seconds. Bowing one last time, he turned to leave.

Loria noticed a section of white curls that ran among his natural dark ones, had he dyed it? She wouldn't dare to say it outloud but she found it rather enticing. Her eyes remained on the spot of hair until the Prince turned to look at her again. He sent her one last smile before disappearing out the door.

Everyone in the room seemed to exhale at once when the prince was out of view, except for Loria. She glanced over to her mother who was already looking at her. She was hiding her grin behind the book she was “reading”, her eyebrows raised with a knowing look.

The Princess shook her head a sigh escaping her for the 10th time.

The next suitors were just as annoying as the first few. Though, this bunch was an older group. Older than the second Duke that approached Loria about being a lady.

Most of them looked old enough to be her grandfather.

“Can we just bring in the last one please? I’m exhausted, Mama, we’ve been here for at least 3 hours and I’m in dire need of rest.” Loria’s body slumped in her chair as she fanned herself with her manicured hand.

The Queen sighed, handing her daughter a nearby paper fan.

“I suppose we could. Send everyone out and bring in the last suitor, will you?” Lady Valenti said, knowing full well she’d only agreed because she was sure her daughter had chosen Prince Evrin.

The servant obeyed with a quiet “Yes, your majesty” before entering the halls to escort everyone else out. Loria giggled at the sound of middle aged men groaning and protesting.

They had all been sent home without meeting the Princess.

The servant entered the main room again, standing closely by the door.

“Your Majesty. I present to you, His Highness, Hongjoong Kim, the Prince of Aurora.” Even the servant seemed to have grown tired from announcing all the names and putting up with the suitors’ nonsense.

“What a lovely name.” Loria mumbled to her mother. The Queen hummed, going back to her book to give privacy.

In walked a male with jet black hair. It was sleek and straight, two strands laying against his forehead while the rest was pushed back.

His face was on the softer side, and he was much shorter than most of the other Princes she'd encountered but he still appeared intimidating nonetheless.

There was a large distance between him and Loria as he didn’t want to intrude on her personal space out of respect.

“You don’t have to stand 2 yards away from me, you can come closer.” She giggled, signaling for the Prince to move closer.

He let out a small chuckle, walking with his hands tucked behind his back.

He stood in front of Loria for a moment before taking her hand and giving a slight bow. She expected him to kiss it like everyone else, but he didn’t.

Her hand did linger in his for a moment as he examined it, sending sparks through her body. She shifted, the foreign feeling confusing her.

“So you’re into archery?” He finally spoke, dropping her hand gently.

There was a short silence as she lingered on how his gaze had settled on her hand for a moment before he released it, perhaps he was looking for scars or grime? Or was it for another reason.

“How’d you know?” She tested, seeing if his obvious question and his focus on her hand had any correlation.

He smiled, tilting his head and squinting a bit.

"Well it is the talk of the town, about how the Princess of Aibira is much more interested in having an arrow between her fingers rather than a ring. But any experienced archer would tell based on how the joint on your left index finger is slightly calloused, probably from your arrows, no?” He raised an eyebrow. Loria’s eyes widened slightly at his attentiveness. So that's what he was looking at.

“You also pointed out my distance from you in yards.. Rather than meters, which people typically tend to measure in."

She smiled slightly, clasping her hands together.

“I do have a passion for archery. But from your knowledge, I’m assuming you do as well?”

He hummed in response, his hands retreating to their place behind his back.

“Of course he does, he is a prince, Loria.” Her mother cut in with a kind smile towards the prince, but Loria could see the pure spite behind it. She was trying to say something.

Loria ignored her mother, not even looking her way, “Do you really? Or are you just saying that to sway my favor?” She squinted her eyes in suspicion.

He raised one of his hands, showing where his finger had been cut by multiple arrows.

Loria was stunned once again, her mouth opening to speak.

“Well, I think it’s time we wrap things up. Wouldn’t you agree, Your Majesty?” Loria’s Grandmother had interrupted her.

“Hm. All this bow talk is giving me an agonizing migraine.” The Queen set her book down, standing from her seat.

Loria’s eyes remained on the Prince. He gave her a nod before bowing to the Queen and turning to leave.

Even hours later, at dinner and when she was preparing for bed, Loria’s mind wandered to her last suitor. She didn't get a chance to say all she wanted to say but she was sure she'd see him again.

“So, do you have someone in mind?” Helena asked, brushing the Princess’s hair.

She looked in the mirror, her eyes meeting Helena’s.

“I’m not sure. But my interest is piqued. Surprisingly.”

Helena hummed, continuing her gentle strokes.

Later that night, Loria went out into the garden during one of the few moments the castle was still and quiet.

She sat the dim lantern next to her in the grass as she lay on her back.

Looking up at the twinkling stars, she couldn’t help but to think about the Prince of Aurora. About their conversation.

He was the only one who’d seemed to capture Loria’s attention but not only because of his looks. Everything about him.

He didn’t bombard her with questions about children or being the new Queen. He didn’t question her athleticism just to tell her she wasn’t ladylike. The Prince had observed her without even speaking.

She’d never found herself thinking about any other man as much as she thought of her father.

TAGLIST: @telail (message or comment to be added)

SYNOPSIS ▸ Loria B. Valenti III, the crown princess of Aibira harbors a deep passion for archery along with a strong disinterest of marriage. Loria faces the pressure of needing to find a beneficial royal suitor by the wishes of her family, in hopes of bringing the Kingdom of Aibira an increase in alliance and power. The princess meets 2 potential suitors, but only one of them seems to get her attention. Hongjoong Kim, crown prince of Aurora succeeding in his goal of courting her highness by his reciprocated passion for the arrow between his fingers. Much to his dismay the other suitor, Evrin Remington crown prince and king to be of Kairos is adorned with wealth, knowledge, power, and his heir to the throne appeals to the royals of Aibira. His and Loria’s marriage would bring many benefits to her and his country. Despite the circumstances Evrin has yet to give up on Loria, his greed and desire for the princess drives him to form an alliance with those closest to her, the goal being to remove Hongjoong and make room for himself. Will they succeed?

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[lorwolfofficial]

We're back! Apologies for the radio silence over the past few months, we're pleased to say that JimJim's arm has been healing well and is almost entirely recovered. Our team has been hard at work building, testing, and creating art assets for the achievement system - and we're pleased to announce that it will be launching today as soon as the scheduled maintenance has concluded!

We've also taken this time to go back and address some of the bugs and issues that have been reported. Recent code changes have been recorded in the latest Patch Notes 1.1.6.

It's finally ready; achievements have just landed in the world of Loria! Players can track their progress as they complete goals and unlock achievement-exclusive rewards through everyday, regular gameplay. Navigate to the Achievements page from the Den menu:

Achievements have been divided into four subcategories - General, Gameplay, Professions, and Den. If you have an achievement reward available to claim, it will display as a small red dot next to the tab name.

General: For completion of general gameplay tasks such as achievements completed, weekly activities completed, etc.

Starter: A category to help onboard new players to the game. Apparel items awarded in this category are not soulbound, and can also be purchased from Marvin's Mole Market.

Gameplay: Includes Arena, Campaign, Gauntlet, and Pageant tasks and awards several different exclusive apparel sets and recipes.

Professions: Covers every profession and awards weekly event vouchers.

Den: A category for miscellaneous tasks such as inventory management, wolf breeding, etc.

Completing an achievement may grant any of the following: Achievement points, Moonstones, Pebbles, Forum titles, Companions, apparel items, food, materials, and more. (As a side note, this update has almost doubled the total number of official game apparel!) Once an achievement has been claimed, it will be sent to the player via Notifications.

Achievement points and titles will display below a player's profile within the Forums. Titles can be set from the Account Settings page.

Some final notes:

Due to this being the very first iteration of Achievements, the majority of player progress made prior to this update can not be backdated. Achievements such as profession and companion level will be updated automatically by the system. Moving forward, players should expect some adjustments as we continuously work to ensure a fair and rewarding experience. We've set the rewards and requirements according to the predicted data of an average player who logs in over the course of a year, but this may change as more players engage with the feature and provide feedback. Some achievements will be met relatively quickly, while others are to be earned over paced regular gameplay. We plan to add even more achievements and rewards as the site and its features grow to ensure the average player always has something to work towards. We welcome any and all gameplay suggestions from our community to be posted in the Suggestions Forum.

New Recipe Search and Mining Ore

A new search, sort, and pager feature have been added to both the Crafting and Cooking professions. Now, players can easily search and sort through their ever-expanding list of recipes without having to scroll through the entire page.

It's time to collect all the shinies - precious gemstones can now be mined throughout the caves of Loria! Players can now rarely find Sapphire, Ruby, Amethyst, Citrine, and Emerald gems. As of now, these gems can be used to craft the exclusive Achievement daggers. We plan to release many new crafting recipes and apparel items featuring these rare gems.

New Breed Sneak Peak

Shown above are a couple sketch ideas for Lorwolf's upcoming wolf breed - Direwolves! We're aiming for this breed to be big, bulky, and powerful; with massive fangs and a short bob-tail. It will be similar to lynx cats in appearance and will have a special affinity for nature and ancient magic.

In other news, our annual Black Friday sale returns next week; more info about that will be coming soon! Thank you for sticking with us, especially when development may seem slower than usual. Our small yet passionate development team is committed to bringing the best experience to our players. We are so proud of how far we've come, and we want to thank you for your continued patience.

Moonsblessings, Alaunis, JimJim, and Swell

[lizardkingeliot]

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Okay... so. Who wants a lil (slightly nsfw) teaser from chapter two of until i come back from the dead for you? I'm tentatively planning on posting next Friday so fingers crossed! 💖

—

Eliot reached for a faded green tile, but before his hand could make contact the sound of footfalls on the puzzle drew his eyes quickly upward. And his hand stilled over the tile. And he pulled it back to rest in his lap slowly, slowly. “Hey,” he said, pulse in his neck fluttering at the sight of Quentin, his half-open shirt. The one he hadn’t bothered to do up all the way after they’d finished fucking around hours ago.

“Hey,” Quentin said, looking entirely at home in his new Fillorian clothes. All soft linen in shades of brown and dusty blue. Hair tied in a loose knot on the back of his head, a little smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “So I was, um—I was wondering if you, uh…”

Quentin tucked a stray tuft of hair behind one ear, averted his gaze. Bashful in a way Eliot couldn’t help but find fucking <i>adorable.</i> Jesus. A little stirring between his legs when he remembered that bashful mouth stretched around his dick before the sun had come up that morning.

“You were wondering if I, uh…” Eliot’s mouth twitched in a smile, fighting the sudden urge to lunge forward and pull Quentin down onto the puzzle. Pin him wriggling and hard against the half-formed pattern and swallow him goddamn whole.

“You know, like, uh—if you wanted to… make out. Maybe, um—”

The smile on Eliot’s face instantly transformed onto a full-on, pearly-toothed grin. “God, look at you—”

“You don’t have to—” Quentin frowned down at Eliot with his entire gorgeous grumpy perfect face. Brows knitting so tightly together it was like they were trying to fuse. “You don’t have to be a dick about it, okay, just—”

“Hey, no, I’m not…” Eliot drew a breath, huffed it out. Reaching forward and gripping one of Quentin’s pant legs, giving it the softest tug. “Just—god. Look. Uh…” He tossed the sketch in his hand to one side, didn’t give a shit if it floated away all the way to Loria. The pattern didn’t matter. They could dream up a thousand more patterns just like it tomorrow. “Come down here with me. There’s something I wanna tell you.”

[sheepinthebigcity]

Urgent Appeal from Blockaded Gaza

To all those with kind hearts… We are a Palestinian family from Gaza, speaking to you from a small tent in the south of the region after the occupation destroyed our home, leaving us with nothing. Our situation worsens day by day, and prices have become unbearable amid closed borders and merchants hoarding essential goods.

We are a family with a father suffering from illnesses and shrapnel wounds, and a mother striving to care for us in these harsh conditions. My younger siblings share this tent with us, unprotected from heat or cold, and our two young nieces only dream of having food and water in safety.

Today, a bag of flour costs 300 shekels, and a kilogram of tomatoes is 55 shekels, prices that most of us simply cannot afford, pushing us closer to the threat of starvation. We, therefore, appeal to all generous souls everywhere to lend us a hand; your help may be our only lifeline.

Any donation, no matter how small, could bring us hope in these hard times. We need your support to secure the most basic necessities and to keep alive the dream of a future with safety and peace for us and our loved ones.

May God bless you and your wealth, and help you continue doing good. To offer support, please reach out via GFM (https://www.gofundme.com/f/faydxu-help-mohammed).

Reminder to donate

[rapha-reads]

Seriously one of my favourite thing about The Magicians are the random musical episodes because they go HARD. Like, they're not phoning anything, they go all in. Man that show is crack. Eliot going to duel the king of Loria belting out Les Misérables is making me trip so good.

[whewchilly]

today is really just liiiiike the Danke Seb stickers on their helmets. “I thought that Seb didn't even know I was in the simulator, but then I received a letter one day, thanking me for all the hard work – that meant a lot to me at the time”“To Charles you are the most talented driver I’ve come across in 15 years of f1. Don’t waste it. But be sure whatever you do to be happy and smile. Thanks for everything.” I never had this relationship with other teammates. “sometimes i’m just there listening to him for one hour” @.scuderiaferrari A very special bond. Sebchal ❤️ Charles reposting Ferrari’s Seb posts to his story Charles liking Christian Horner’s instagram Charles and Andrea and Ricky and Steve showing up to the track run with their tribute tshirts. a signed replica of Loria’s engine cover. Mattia: “Every fan loves Seb, and as a team we still love him. Telling him we weren’t going to renew was the hardest task of my career.” “[Ferrari] will always be in my heart. You are unique.” Seb told Charles that he always wanted a street named after him in Maranello (inside the factory building). He told Charles "Now make sure you get one." “I asked him if he enjoyed the race and I wished him all the best and he asked me how my race went and I told him we did our best.”“I think [Charles] will go a long way, he will be the man of the future. I hope he gets the car he deserves“”[Seb] has always been super caring and trying to help me whenever I was going through more difficult times” “People can remember how many races and championships I’ve won but I would rather be remembered that I’ve been kind, attentive and just me”“i think i have a special connection with [Seb]. what i'll miss most about him is just the person he is”“we got along really well. I really enjoyed the time we spent together. [Charles] taught me some things, not necessarily about driving.” Charles in P2 with one finger up on the podium “It was a little bit like I was looking at my younger self.”“As I told [Seb] many times, we have a pass for you if you want to come to a race again” “I don’t think he will come back unfortunately””I missed you the day i left”

[looseygoosey66]

JUNE 2013 COVER STORY – Pearl Jam Guitarist Stone Gossard Making Time for ‘Moonlander’

“We live and we die by time. And we must not commit the sin of losing our track on time.” ~ Chuck Noland: “Cast Away”

Time is an amazing thing. It is precious and it can be fleeting. It seems the older you get, the faster time flies by and your life is measured by what you do with that time.

Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard certainly makes the best of his time. Not only is he in one of the world’s biggest rock bands and constantly touring, but he also has Brad, a side band with his friends Regan Hagar and Shawn Smith. More importantly, Gossard is a father and husband.

“My typical day isn’t always music,” Gossard said from his home in Seattle. “I usually get up, drink way too much coffee, make sure my daughter eats her cereal and I brush her hair before school. Then I take her to school, run some errands, then come home, walk the dog with my wife, then have lunch, pick up my daughter from school and come home and play. Then it’s diner and a movie and off to bed. That is the excitement of my day now. I love it.”

“Then again,” Gossard continued, “the typical day could mean getting up, flying to South America to play some shows, write some music or go to the recording studio.”

Gossard has found the time and the perfect way to merge the love of his family with his music on his sophomore solo album Moonlander. The album will be released on Pearl Jam’s own Monkeywrench Records on June 25. Gossard started releasing singles 10 weeks prior to the official release date.

“We knew we needed some art work to go with the album so we came up with the idea of an original piece of art to go with each single we put out every week. When you have an album and you don’t plan on playing a lot of shows, if any at all, you have to do something special with promoting the album to draw interest and have a destination to generate interest so people can hear it. I don’t know if this idea will work, but it was fun.”

The art work incorporated with the single was provided by Gossard and his daughter.

“My daughter loves to paint and draw and when she would, I would as well. I hope the pieces convey a sense of freedom from formal rules and of playfulness that comes from hanging with your lovely 5-year old.”

The weekly single idea grew when Gossard’s wife found Washington state craft maker, Terri Swinhart at Once Upon a Drawing (http://once-upon-a-drawing.blogspot.com), they sent one of the drawings to the artist and she created a “softie” which goes with each single and which Gossard signed and gave away in weekly contests.

“My wife found Terri Swinhart online and we sent her a drawing my daughter did to see if she could make something for us and when we got it back the softie was dead on. It was mind blowing. She does a great rendition of the art work.”

When working on a solo album time is a luxury Gossard does have. It’s been 12 years since he released his solo debut Bayleaf and the 11 tracks for Moonlander were recorded over an 8-year span, 2003-2011.

“Over the last year, I went through all of my old demos and recordings that weren’t used as Pearl Jam or Brad songs and picked my favorites. With the help of Floyd Reitsma (Studio Litho engineer), Pete Droge (Executive Producer), and Hans Teuber (multi-instrumentalist and long time Hank Khoir collaborator) I went about trying to finish them. There was lots of re-singing tracks, fleshing out and re-editing, adding new instruments…”

As most guitarists do, Gossard would save any guitar riffs to his computer for possible future use. Over eight years of doing this, the hard drive became pretty packed with riffs, songs, or lyrics Gossard had to sift through.

“As a guitar player if you come up with a little something you want to save it just in case, even though about 90 percent of the time you know it won’t be used. But you keep it because…I don’t know. “

As a music veteran of over 25 years and being in some of rock’s seminal bands (Green River, Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog), Gossard doesn’t find it time consuming going through all the files when trying to record a song for an album.

“I never had a problem focusing on a project, whether it is Brad or Pearl Jam, you just get in and listen. I don’t find it hard going back through these pieces of music. I make quick decisions to get things done. I had this record done about five years ago, but as I listened to it then, the album wasn’t a good as I wanted it to be. So I put it back in the cooker again to make sure I had everything I wanted before releasing it.”

For the most part putting out a record is about timing but when you are in the position Gossard is in, one doesn’t have to worry about getting a solo record out or putting one out if at all. But when you are an artist who is always creating, you know when the time is right to showcase your work.

“I just had these moments about everything that were recurring where I would think about these songs I was working on. I would always go back and work on them if the studio was available and work on overdubs, guitar parts or just listen until I got what I wanted.”

To get what he wanted, Gossard enlisted an impressive collections of friends/musicians to play on the album. Moonlander features appearances from Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden), Matt Chamberlain, Regan Hagar (Brad, Malfunkshun, Satchel), Pete Droge, Brandon Harper, Gregg Keplinger, Keith Lowe, Barbara Ireland (The Fags) and Hans Teuber.

“I have been so fortunate. If I’d look back and thought about the people I’ve played with and got to meet. With all the twists and turns I have been through in my life in music, I am so blessed to play with people like Ed [Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder], Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age or Shawn Smith [Satchel, Pigeonhead, Brad] and the list goes on and on. I am a little bit numb to it because it just seems natural. I don’t know how to explain it…I am truly blessed…I don’t know what I did exactly, but it has been incredible. “

Gossard has always been one to recognize and use his fortunes to help people, communities and the world. Gossard has supported and/or worked with amazing foundations.

“I’ve always been conscious of philanthropy even before the success. It’s about giving back, creating a better place for everyone. It comes in waves for me with my schedule. It’s very important to me. At the end of the year I do what I can to give back and help those people in need. It’s something I’ve been involved with and do it when I can. I wish I had more time to do it on a more consistent basis.”

With his new album Moonlander and his daughter hand in hand, Gossard continues to give back with his music and time, finding the littlest things in life mean the biggest.

“I think my idea of fun these days is the simplest things. Staying with my daughter, going to the beach to throw rocks in the ocean, teaching her how to fish, watch her play…that’s a big night out for me. Hanging out with the wife and my daughter…when you have a kid you can’t be more in love.”

ALBUM REVIEW

Stone Gossard - Moonlander

(Monkeywrench)

A dozen years after his funky first solo album Bayleaf, Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard returns with Moonlander.

The captivating 11 tracks from the album were recorded from 2003-2011. Scouring through his hard drive of old demos and recordings that weren’t used as Pearl Jam or Brad songs, Gossard compiled enough material for Moonlander.

With the help of musicians/friends – Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden), Matt Chamberlain, Regan Hagar (Brad, Malfunkshun, Satchel), Pete Droge, Brandon Harper, Gregg Keplinger, Keith Lowe, Barbara Ireland (The Fags) and Hans Teuber – the songs show Gossard stretching his legs as a solo artist, and most notably his confident singing voice. In addition, the songs come to life with the help of Floyd Reitsma (Studio Litho engineer), Pete Droge (Executive Producer), and Hans Teuber (multi-instrumentalist and long time Hank Khoir collaborator).

Gossard stays true to his love for funky riffs on the opener “I Want Something Different,” which contains a blistering soulful guitar lead. The title track is a playful homage to Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust-era complete with the bells and whistles in the sound effects. The first single “Both Live” is so infectious you will be singing the chorus (“I gotta go, I gotta swim, I gotta use my fins”) long after the song is over. “Your Flames” and “Battle Cry” are two gorgeous slow burners finding Gossard’s warm vocals envelope you with his storied lyrics.

“I Don’t Want To Go To Bed” starts off slow with janglely guitar strums then catches on with a soaring chorus while “Remain” is a straight-forward story teller ballad. The sleeper hit of Moonlander is the fun, quirky ass-shaking groove of “Witch Doctor.”

Moonlander is a journey in funky quirkiness, Americana, pop, rock and jazz musicianship all wrapped in Gossard’s unique (and somewhat puzzling) song lyrics. In short, Stone Gossard has hit the mark with this one.

[telemna-hyelle]

How is your SOH Ghirahim different from Skyward Sword Ghirahim if you don’t mind me asking! And the similarities? 🤔🤔

SOH Ghirahim is Skyward Sword Ghirahim! Just at a later point in his timeline.

Demise is, at heart, a creature of destruction, and incapable of creating something poweful enough to stand up to Hylia's sword, so he used dark magic to steal a powerful weapon from another dimension. He took Loria's Sovereign Blade and and poisoned and corrupted Ghirahim, twisting him into Demise' own image.

After Ghirahim's final defeat, Loria finally was able to rescue her poor sword and purified him of Demise's curse, but he was still badly damaged. Hence, how Sea has to reforge Ghirahim and help him return to what he was meant to be, before Demise took and twisted him.

It was... very hard on Ghirahim. The magic Demise used was invasive and terrible, and the way Demise treated him was worse, and Ghirahim had done terrible things in his blind devotion to his slavemaster. He's had a couple millenia to rest and come to terms with waht happened... but it wasn't easy, and there were still a lot of open wounds. He wasn't keen on the prospect of a new master, not after what Demise did... but then he met Sea. And from the start, even though Sea was afraid of him, he treated him with respect. And it wasn't long at all, once Sea started to be a little less afraid, that Sea began referring to Ghirahim has his business partner, treating him as an equal. It... meant a lot to Ghirahim. Because of this, and his eventually strong friendship with Sea, Ghirahim is devoted to the line of Lorulian Heroes and strives to defend them to the best of his strength.

[nix-lw]

Lost and found

It was early summertime in the southern part of Loria. A pair of lupins could be seen trekking through mud and swampy water as they painstakingly made their way into ever denser vegetation. Having recently moved to Murkwood and been accepted to stay with a pack living in the Entangled Swamp, the pair had sought to prove themselves worthy of respect amongst their new friends. They had been tasked to take care of a particularly aggressive Colpach that had begun attacking scouts in the area. After tracking it for three days they had found themselves face to face with the looming beast somewhere in the middle of Southmarsh. The battle between them had been long and hard but in the end the lupins claimed victory. After packing the antlers into a leather bag as a trophy, the pair had begun their journey back. However, what the pair had failed to consider was that the monsoon season had just begun and heavy rainfall drastically altered the terrain, making it almost impossible for wolves unfamiliar with the area to keep track of where they were. Now, four days later, they had come to accept that they were absolutely and utterly lost. “Where in Orrin’s name are we?!” the young female snapped, her striped fur raised in anger as she clawed her way over yet another mud covered log. The sword at her side got caught in a small branch, hindering her efforts for a bit before she finally wiggled it free with an annoyed huff.

“Further into this blasted swamp than we’d like to be Drifa, that’s for sure..” came the deadpan reply of her mate. His once shiny silver coat was now so soaked with murky water that it appeared more green than gray, same for his armor and sword.  

The female turned her head towards him with an unamused look on her face.

“Oh, you don’t say, Greipr? Do you have any other totally obvious things you’d like to share, hmm?”

He shrugged unfaced at her sarcastic question and followed her up over the log, stopping right beside her to scan the surroundings. His eyes landed on something that peaked out from behind a tree. “Actually, yes. There’s something over there. I..think it might be…a sign?” At that Drifa perked up, her eyes trying to find the object Greipr spoke of and sure enough, there it was. With renewed energy she leapt over the log back into the muddy water and ran over to inspect the object.

“Drifa, hold on!" Don’t rush like that! There could be things hiding in the water for all we know!” “Don’t be such a worrywart, I can take care of anything that dares to try and mess with me.” Drifa rounded the tree and looked up at the wooden item that had been fastened around the trunk. It was indeed a sign, however instead of writing it had a strange symbol painted on it. The young female had no idea what it was and that in turn meant that it was of no help to them. As Greipr caught up to her she let out a loud snarl in anger. Drifa turned her head towards the thick canopy above her as if hoping to set the surrounding leaves on fire with her gaze. “Blasted swamplands and their blasted worthless signs!” Her angry words got swallowed by the thick vegetation, as if the swamp itself ignored her words. Then, somewhere in the distance, came a faint sound. It sounded like…laughter? From the treetops above something large, white and fast swooped down towards them. The two lupins drew their swords and got into a fighting position, ready to protect themselves from whatever was approaching them.It landed with a splash in front of them and to their great surprise they came face to face with an enormous volmyr. Her coat was almost perfectly shimmering white, apart from some speckling of color on her neck and tail. Her red eyes were a striking contrast to her pale fur and they seemed to sparkle with interest as she looked down on the frightened lupins.

“‘Ello there little ones! Couldn’t help but notice you down there, are ya lost?” Her voice was surprisingly warm and friendly, her sharp teeth glistening in the afternoon sun as she grinned at their confused faces.

Drifa and Greipr looked at each other before slowly putting their swords away and bowing to the stranger as they had been taught was a murkwood greeting.

“Hello to you too . Yes, as a matter a fact we are. Lost. You wouldn’t happen to know which way we should go to get to the Entangled Swamp?” The volmyr began to laugh heartily at her question.

“Oh you poor dears, oh no you poor little lost pups! What in the Great Maggot’s name have you been doing? The Entangled Swamp is a week's marsh away from here, in the opposite direction! Come, follow me. I know a place where you can rest for a bit.” Although not completely comfortable with following a complete stranger into unknown territory, everything was better than staying lost in the humid swamp for another minute. The lupins were promptly led around trees, over flooded paths, under lush draping vines and then finding themselves in a clearing. There was a gap between the treetops that allowed sunlight to reach down all the way to the ground, making the spot surprisingly dry for being in the middle of a swampland. Drifa plopped herself down in the sunlit grass, happy to finally have a semi-dry place to sit. Greipr joined her, taking off his armor to allow his fur to dry in the sun.

The volmyr smiled pleased at their relaxed state and told them to stay put while she went to grab some things. With that she swooped up over the treeline and disappeared into the sky. She came back with a basket filled with warm bug stew and home baked bread. To their great surprise she also returned accompanied by another volmyr whose coat was a blend of golden and muted pink clad in a red mantle. Her fierce eyes seemed to look directly into their soul, making the young pair squirm in place as they did their best to appear unfazed by the piercing gaze, puffing up their chests to seem larger. Something that didn’t really make much of a difference when faced with a wolf more than twice their size.

“Are these the fools you told me about? They’re nothing but pups! Who allowed them to wander so far into the swamp during monsoon season without a guide?” “Now, now dear… Don’t scowl like that, you’ll scare them.” the paler female said, gently patting the other with her wing. This only made the volmyr scowl even more, alternating between looking at the young lupins and the white volmyr beside her. Drifa took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves and stood up to greet the unknown wolves properly. “Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Drifa and this is my mate Greipr.” Both of them bowed respectfully to their unknown saviors. “We thank you for offering your help to us in a time of need, we shall make sure to repay you in the future. Who might you be?” “You´re twenty years too early to ask that, little pup! Come back when you’re dry behind your ears.” Huffed the scowling volmyr and flapped her giant wings, taking off into the sky and disappearing above the trees out of sight.

“Haha, there she goes… Don’t worry about her dears, she’s just a little bad with words sometimes. Ya can call me Saskia, nice to meet ya! Now here, have some soup.” The two lupins got a nice meal, some helpful directions to get back to their home as well as a list of useful ways to avoid getting lost in swamps. Saskia stayed with them until sunset, happily chatting with them as they rested and ate. Drifa and Greipr learned that the other volmyr they had met was named Wormrot and she was Saskia’s mate. The two of them were leaders of a pack that lived in the area and they were used to helping wolves who traveled further into the swamp than they meant to. When the sun was close to disappearing beneath the horizon Wormrot returned to the clearing, claiming to be there to take Saskia home. However the young lupins couldn’t help but notice she also came carrying a basket containing two blankets that she just so happened to forget to take with her when she flew away again.

After bidding Saskia goodbye and promising to visit again once they’ve grown more used to their life in Murkwood the young lupins settled down for a night of well deserved rest ready to finally make their way back home the following morning.  -------------------- A little ramble story about two of my wolves getting lost and @maggotjuicebox-lw pack leaders being kind souls. Bless the swamp wives. 

[quichelewoof]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

..........Demelza Ravenfur..........

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

I don't need you or your army Taking control trying to save me ●◉◎◈◎◉● combative | headstrong | elusive ●◉◎◈◎◉● “Pain shapes a woman into a warrior.” Anon

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

⌜ • ° + ° • ⌝ .Appearance. ⌞ ° • + • ° ⌟

Coarse, tufts of lilac and purple fur stick out from beneath her helm and cloak, weathered down by the cold flurries that come across from the Icerun/Darkspine border of Ravenschloss. Always standing on the battlements of Ravenschloss's Castletown, it is said that when you see the orange glow of eyes and billowing blue fabric one will feel finally safe. The steadfast captain and guardian of the wall and her stoic figure sends out encouragement to the common folk of Ravenschloss.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

⌜ • ° + ° • ⌝ .Personality. ⌞ ° • + • ° ⌟

With a strong backbone, calm demeanour and a warrior's patience, Demelza is the shining example of what a Captain of the Guard should be. From being organised for rescue missions, to tender care for the Icerunian refugees and a stern paw for the rules, she is well-loved by the common folk. Unfortunately, her unbending attitude has her crossing swords with the nobler sort of Ravenschloss, and is often gossiped about in the rings of lords and ladies. Whilst her Side Captain balances her more severe attitude, enough so to avoid reprimand, if Demelza is not careful, she'll find herself swiftly removed by the Lord of Ravenschloss, her father.

  ───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

⌜ • ° + ° • ⌝ ...History... ⌞ ° • + • ° ⌟

A long time ago, Demelza's ancestors travelled the march across the stretch of Loria, broken down by Korvo's chaotic rampage. The travellers saw the wake of damage that chaos had brought upon the land, but travelled further and further north-east to thick, lush trees of Darkspine. The sheltered and suspicious nobles of Darkspine pointed to the travellers to the northmost point of Loria, allowing them to make claim to the land there so long as they made sure to always uphold honour and loyalty to the Darkspine courts. Demelza's ancestors agreed and continued their final journey to the tip of Darkspine, along the border of Icerun. The land was hard from the frosts of Icerun, the winds bitter and fierce, yet the travellers could feel that chaos had not etched its mark here and labouriously set to the task of making this inhospitable land a home. Yet the cold was the least of her ancestors concerns, a war had begun to brew in the frigid heart of Icerun, the warlords and their Queen had begun to feel unrest from the pains of Chaos. There was not enough food to share among her people, the warlords no longer trusting in their Queen began pillaging across Icerun, but their sights did not stop there. The lush lands of Darkspine was tempting to many, with a drought just beginning to work its way into Goldsea and the Mistvale filled with danger, it was not long before the first of many invaders swarmed her ancestors. It was a cold day as any, but a blistering wind blew in blinding the wolves unfamiliar to such weather. And that's when the first group attacked, with the wind at their backs and their iron armour, they plunged the group into despair and fled into the night after their brutal deeds were done.

Grief hardened her ancestors, and so, aided by the Darkspine's forces, they built a wall, but it was not enough, over time the walls thickened, the buildings became higher, the wolves became tougher and as more Darkspine forces came to assist, before Demelza's ancestors knew, they were made into a force to protect the border at little to no cost for the Darkspine nobles who soon encroached upon their home and raised their very own castle. The Raven family took over for generations, firstborn to firstborn (or sly secondborn) till the current Lord lost his Lady, with a sickly heir, the Lord took in an adopted child who looked mysteriously like the Lord with their fiery orange eyes. Demelza, a hidden daughter of the Lord and his Captain on a secret night after a skirmish on the Icerun plains. Demelza's mother, a wolf whose blood was thick with the Founder's blood, had long disappeared after a scouting mission and with no one left, Demelza could not decline her father's offer. Become a respected Captain and he'll allow her to send out a search party to find clues to the whereabouts of her mother.

It was not an easy path, to be sure. A half-noble with a Founder's blood in her haunches. A ridiculous spectacle to the Darkspine nobles to be sure, as well as her half-brother. With plot after insidious plot, her brother made sure her growing years were nothing short of pain filled. Despite the struggles and having to overcome her own weakness, Demelza rose up through the academy to take place at the top of her ranks. Free from her brother's clutches, she was sent out to skirmish after skirmish, a different kind of pain but one more welcome than the last on the flat plains of Icerun, where only the blade was honest. Upon her return, she was made Captain and worked for those of Founder's blood and the refugees, building up her image. No longer was she seen as just a half-noble, founder's whelp.

Now, respected and loved, Demelza now seeks to claim her reward from her father...

[non-fantasy]

Urgent Appeal from Blockaded Gaza

To all those with kind hearts… We are a Palestinian family from Gaza, speaking to you from a small tent in the south of the region after the occupation destroyed our home, leaving us with nothing. Our situation worsens day by day, and prices have become unbearable amid closed borders and merchants hoarding essential goods.

We are a family with a father suffering from illnesses and shrapnel wounds, and a mother striving to care for us in these harsh conditions. My younger siblings share this tent with us, unprotected from heat or cold, and our two young nieces only dream of having food and water in safety.

Today, a bag of flour costs 300 shekels, and a kilogram of tomatoes is 55 shekels, prices that most of us simply cannot afford, pushing us closer to the threat of starvation. We, therefore, appeal to all generous souls everywhere to lend us a hand; your help may be our only lifeline.

Any donation, no matter how small, could bring us hope in these hard times. We need your support to secure the most basic necessities and to keep alive the dream of a future with safety and peace for us and our loved ones.

May God bless you and your wealth, and help you continue doing good. To offer support, please reach out via GFM (https://www.gofundme.com/f/faydxu-help-mohammed).

please share and donate!

[onlyoneof]

Urgent Appeal from Blockaded Gaza

To all those with kind hearts… We are a Palestinian family from Gaza, speaking to you from a small tent in the south of the region after the occupation destroyed our home, leaving us with nothing. Our situation worsens day by day, and prices have become unbearable amid closed borders and merchants hoarding essential goods.

We are a family with a father suffering from illnesses and shrapnel wounds, and a mother striving to care for us in these harsh conditions. My younger siblings share this tent with us, unprotected from heat or cold, and our two young nieces only dream of having food and water in safety.

Today, a bag of flour costs 300 shekels, and a kilogram of tomatoes is 55 shekels, prices that most of us simply cannot afford, pushing us closer to the threat of starvation. We, therefore, appeal to all generous souls everywhere to lend us a hand; your help may be our only lifeline.

Any donation, no matter how small, could bring us hope in these hard times. We need your support to secure the most basic necessities and to keep alive the dream of a future with safety and peace for us and our loved ones.

May God bless you and your wealth, and help you continue doing good. To offer support, please reach out via GFM (https://www.gofundme.com/f/faydxu-help-mohammed).

[origsmocs]

Urgent Appeal from Blockaded Gaza

To all those with kind hearts… We are a Palestinian family from Gaza, speaking to you from a small tent in the south of the region after the occupation destroyed our home, leaving us with nothing. Our situation worsens day by day, and prices have become unbearable amid closed borders and merchants hoarding essential goods.

We are a family with a father suffering from illnesses and shrapnel wounds, and a mother striving to care for us in these harsh conditions. My younger siblings share this tent with us, unprotected from heat or cold, and our two young nieces only dream of having food and water in safety.

Today, a bag of flour costs 300 shekels, and a kilogram of tomatoes is 55 shekels, prices that most of us simply cannot afford, pushing us closer to the threat of starvation. We, therefore, appeal to all generous souls everywhere to lend us a hand; your help may be our only lifeline.

Any donation, no matter how small, could bring us hope in these hard times. We need your support to secure the most basic necessities and to keep alive the dream of a future with safety and peace for us and our loved ones.

May God bless you and your wealth, and help you continue doing good. To offer support, please reach out via GFM (https://www.gofundme.com/f/faydxu-help-mohammed).

!!!