#Pg. 427

[sassyengene7]

Spoiler ahead?

Tsats pg. 427

“I still like the idea of you having a perpetual band of little demons following you around, though.”

“Don’t you dare call it cute.”

“Nico and the Cocoa Puffs.”

“Don’t do that, either.”

“Sounds like a great power-pop band.”

“I swear, Will…”

“Catch them opening for Paramore this winter.”

“Glad to see you’re back to being your annoying self.”

this convo🥹🥹

They way they tease each other through the whole book!!

my heart is melting throughout reading this book I swear- the cocoa puffs are so cute ☺️

[purplepotatobread]

"I'm offensive and asinine on my own time too." - Kaladin Stormblessed, Words of Radiance pg. 427

[junkgatorswritings]

The Prisoner of Azkaban

Hello, I started reading the Harry Potter books with one goal in mind: to prove that one of the reasons it has so many plot holes is because JKR didn't plan out the marauders era.

This book is better than the last one on account of JKR actually (to some extent) figuring out what happened in the marauders era. Now maybe I'm just a tragic backstory type of gal but I really want to know exactly what happened. But I'll get onto my questions later.

Here's what we learn about Lily Evans in this book:

She was a bad egg (Aunt Marge ch. 2 pg. 28).

She begged Voldemort to kill her instead of Harry, and didn't take his offer to move aside (ch. 9 pg. 179).

James and Lily were Married (ch. 10 pg. 204).

Dumbledore advised the Potter's to go into hiding after a spy tipped him off (ch. 10 pg. 204).

There you go that's all we get. Which both makes sense and doesn't. She wasn't technically friends with the Marauders but you'd think that she'd be mentioned at the very least.

James Potter:

He was a wastrel (Aunt Marge ch. 2 pg.28).

At some point probably around their 5th year (because this is when they became animagus) the marauder's map was created (ch. 10 pg. 192). 

You never saw James without Sirius (ch. 10 pg. 204).

He trusted Sirius more than all his other friends (ch. 10 pg. 204).

Sirius was his best man (ch. 10 pg. 204)

Technically it says "they" named Sirius as Harry's godfather but lets be honest it was probably mostly James seeing as Sirius doesn't mention Lily at all (ch. 10 pg. 204).

Dumbledore advised him to go into hiding after a spy tipped him off (ch. 10 pg. 204).

James trusted Sirius so much he told Dumbleore that he thought Sirius would rather die than give up their location (ch. 10 pg. 205).

James insisted that he use Sirius as his secret keeper (ch. 10 pg. 205).

James told Lily to take Harry and go, that he would try and hold Voldemort off (ch. 12 pg. 240).

He was exceedingly arrogant, a small amount of quidditch talent made him think he was a cut above the rest, and apparently he strutted (according to Snape ch. 14 pg. 284).

He saved Snape from an exceedingly deadly prank that was set up by him and his friends. James got cold feet at the last moment, so saving Snape's life was just a way of saving his own future (according to Snape ch. 14 pg. 285).

James would have done the same thing as Harry and go see Sirius himself when he popped up on the map (ch. 17 pg. 339).

James must have used the invisibility cloak fairly often, Remus makes a mention of "the number of times" he saw James disappear under the cloak (ch. 17 pg. 347).

Was one of the cleverest students in the school (ch. 18 pg. 354).

He helped Peter become an animagus and he himself became an animagus in fifth year after trying since third (ch. 18 pg. 354)

There were several near misses for the Marauders when they were running around with Remus on full moons, nothing specific is mentioned about with who or how. They laughed it off because they were young and carried away with their own cleverness (ch. 18 pg. 355). 

James didn't actually know that Snape had been told about the whomping willow, but at great risk to himself he pulled Snape back before he could come face to face with Remus (ch. 18 pg. 357).

He was too arrogant to believe that he shouldn't trust Sirius (Snape ch. 19 pg. 361).

He flew as well as Harry (ch. 19 pg. 372).

James was nicknamed Prongs because his Animagus form was a stag (ch. 21 pg. 411-412).

He would have been disappointed if Harry never found any of the secret passages out of the castle (ch. 22 pg. 424-425).

Dumbledore knew James very well, and he thinks that James would have spared Peter Pettigrew as well (ch. 22 pg. 427).

Sirius Black:

He was rumored to be Voldemort's second in command (ch. 3 pg. 39).

He has a nasty temper, whether this is just a current timeline thing or not is debatable (ch. 8 pg. 161).

At some point probably around their 5th year (because this is when they became animagus) the marauder's map was created (ch. 10 pg. 192).

Madam Rosmerta was shocked to hear he'd gone dark, in fact he was the last person she thought would (ch. 10 pg. 203).

You never saw Sirius without James (ch. 10 pg. 204).

James thought he would rather die than tell anyone where they were hiding (ch. 10 pg. 205).

People think that Sirius got tired of playing double agent and the Potter's death was a declaration to him (ch. 10 pg. 206).

Sirius showed up to the Potter's house almost immediately after they were killed, he got there right after Hagrid pulled Harry out of the house (ch. 10 pg. 206).

He tried to get Harry from Hagrid, but failed (ch. 10 pg. 206).

Said he wouldn't need his motorbike anymore (ch. 10 pg. 207).

He was found laughing with Peter Pettigrew's severed finger in front of him in a crater caused by a magical attack thought to be caused by him (ch. 10 pg. 208).

Fudge believed that Sirius was unhinged for sometime after Voldemort's death (ch. 10 pg. 209).

Sirius was in a picture of James and Lily's wedding as the best man (ch. 11 pg. 212).

Sirius was one of the cleverest students in the school, it took him the better part of three years to figure out how to turn into an animagus (ch. 18 pg. 354).

He could transform into large enough of an animal to keep a werewolf in check (ch. 18 pg. 355).

There were several near misses for the Marauders when they were running around with Remus on full moons, nothing specific is mentioned about with who or how. They laughed it off because they were young and carried away with their own cleverness (ch. 18 pg. 355). 

Sirius thought it would be amusing to tell Snape how to get past the whomping willow (ch. 18 pg. 357).

He blames himself for the Potters death because he's the one who convinced them to make Peter their secret keeper (ch. 19 pg. 365).

The night the Potters died he went to check on Peter and found him gone, it didn't feel right so he then went straight to the Potters house (ch. 19 pg. 365).

He thinks that Peter is weak and talentless, he thought that they could fool Voldemort by making him the secret keeper (ch. 19 pg. 369).

He didn't go insane because he knew he was innocent, and that wasn't happy so the dementor's couldn't suck it out of him (ch. 19 pg. 371).

He thought Remus was the spy (ch. 19 pg. 373).

Remus Lupin:

At some point probably around their 5th year (because this is when they became animagus) the marauder's map was created (ch. 10 pg. 192). 

He thinks that the makers of the Marauders map would have thought it entertaining to lure Harry out of the school (ch. 14 pg. 298).

He was very young when he received the bite that turned him into a werewolf. His parent's tried everything to fix it, but there was no cure. (ch. 18 pg. 352-353).

Dumbledore brought him to the school, and planted the whomping willow, so there would be a safe place for him to transform. Because there wasn't anything else to destroy he tore at himself. (ch. 18 pg. 353).

He was happier than he'd been in his entire life at Hogwarts, he had friends for the first time (ch. 18 pg. 354).

He made all kinds of excuses about where he was going when he transformed because he was afraid that his friends would leave him (ch. 18 pg. 354).

There were several near misses for the Marauders when they were running around with Remus on full moons, nothing specific is mentioned about with who or how. They laughed it off because they were young and carried away with their own cleverness (ch. 18 pg. 355). 

They used to roam the castle and Hogsmeade grounds with his friends, which is apparently how they learned so much about the castle and eventually got the idea for the Marauders map (ch. 18 pg. 355).

Remus and Snape didn't get along (ch. 18 pg. 357)

He thought Sirius was the spy. It's unclear if this is because he was put in prison, or he thought so before James and Lily died (ch. 19 pg. 373).

Peter Pettigrew:

At some point probably around their 5th year (because this is when they became animagus) the marauder's map was created (ch. 10 pg. 192). 

He was a fat little boy always following after James and Sirius (ch. 10 pg. 207).

He was always bad at dueling according to McGonigal (ch. 10 pg. 208).

He received the order of Merlin First Class (ch. 10 pg. 208).

His mother got back the order of Merlin first class and Pettigrew's finger in a box (ch. 11 pg. 215).

Was helped by Sirius and James with becoming an animagus, it took him the longest (ch. 18 pg. 354).

There were several near misses for the Marauders when they were running around with Remus on full moons, nothing specific is mentioned about with who or how. They laughed it off because they were young and carried away with their own cleverness (ch. 18 pg. 355). 

He was the Potter's secret keeper, because Sirius convinced James that no one would suspect Peter (ch. 19 pg. 365).

He betrayed the Potters (ch. 19 pg. 365).

He's been hiding from the death eaters more than Sirius (ch. 19 pg. 368).

He always liked big friends who would look after him, it used to be the other Marauders (ch. 19 pg. 369).

Peter never did anything for anyone unless he could see what was in it for him (ch. 19 pg. 370).

He says that Voldemort forced him to spy, but almost immediately back tracks and says that Voldemort was taking over everywhere and that he would have killed him (ch. 19 pg. 370-371).

General Marauder's era knowledge

Harry theorizes that Lucius Malfoy was in the inner circle and knew about Sirius (ch. 11 pg. 215).

According to Snape the Marauder's map is full of dark magic (ch. 14 pg. 289).

Snape was jealous of James, apparently of his quidditch prowess (ch. 18 pg. 357).

Snape saw Remus being led across the grounds by Madam Pomfrey one night and became curious (ch. 18 pg. 357).

Snape tried to get in on Sirius' advice and was then pulled back by James; saving his life (ch. 18 pg. 357).

Now on the surface this is a lot of information but here are my questions that I'm pretty sure aren't answered.

Why did Sirius think Remus was the spy? Was it simply because he was a werewolf?

Why did Peter betray them? Yes in theory it's because Voldemort was growing in power but was there a specific event? Did he get captured and then flip? Did he seek Voldemort out?

If Remus did think Sirius was the spy before he was sent to azkaban, why?

Where the hell are Lily's friends? One of her friend's is the only one who lives past the second war and she's part of the order, why doesn't she ever talk to Harry?

Edited on November 23, 2024 to add chapter numbers

[the-good-spartan]

A Few Notes on 427 BCE: The transfer of the Kingship at Sparta.

In the summer of 427 BCE, the Spartan army marched on Attika to ravage the land for the fourth time in the Arkhidamian War, but unlike the previous three occasions, they were led by an Agiad war-leader, Kleomenes. [Thuc 3.26]

Arkhidamos II, sole Eurypontid king since somewhere around 469 BCE, was probably seriously ill at this time – extrapolated from the fact that he was succeeded by his son Agis II, and the following year, the summer of 426, Agis was the War-King.

One king – the senior king - was always the war-king, so the fact that Agis didn’t lead that army in 427 means that Arkhidamos must still have been alive but couldn’t lead the army as he’d done for many years beforehand.

Kleomenes was the exiled [Agiad] king Pleistoanax’s brother, and was serving as regent to Pleistoanax’s son, Pausanias, who was underage – perhaps meaning below the age of twenty, when an ordinary Spartan could gain full citizenship if he’d met the stringent criteria related to his education, wealth and socialisation; though the eldest sons of Spartan king’s didn’t attend the agoge, so they may have had a different age requirement.

Please note that this is a guess based on almost pure academic speculation. There is a deep lack of evidence around all this topic.

Pleistoanax had been in exile for a long time. In 446, during the Second Sacred War [a series of battles between Athens, Sparta and allies on both sides, for control of Delphi] Pleistoanax invaded Attika, going as far as Eleusis and Thria, before turning back. He was believed to have been bribed into retreating. [Thuc. 2.21]

Cartledge, quoting Gomme, suggests that, ‘The real bribe, however, may not have been monetary, but “the offer to surrender, or discuss the surrender of, Megara, Troizen and Achaia,”’ [S&L:ARH pg. 197] places taken during the Sacred Wars.

In the winter of 446-445, Athens and Sparta agreed the 30 Years Peace which lasted until the outbreak of the Arkhidamian War. Pleistoanax was exiled before this, probably in 445 BCE. [Thuc. 2.21.]

For context, in 418 BCE, Agis II did the same thing, accepting a four-month treaty with Argos without consulting the ephors and gerousia then returned ‘the finest army ever seen in Hellas’ to Sparta. The authorities at home were livid - they threatened to burn down Agis’ house and fine him 100,000 drachmae. He managed to avoid this outcome, but the next time he marched out with the army, he had to take ten commissioners with him, and if he wanted to withdraw his troops from enemy territory, the ten had to agree. This was completely unprecedented. The War-King had always been the absolute authority when on campaign. [Thuc 5.63]. But, all things considered, he was lucky that his victory at the Battle of Mantinea let him off the hook.

Thucydides tells us that Pleistoanax took refuge on Mount Lykaion (in Arkadia), sacred to Zeus Lykaios, where he lived in a house that was built half inside the sanctuary, ‘because he was afraid of the Spartans.’ [Thuc 5.16]

We don’t know when Pleistoanax returned to Sparta with any precision, but it was almost certainly later in 427 BCE, and I’d personally put money on it being only possible after Arkhidamos’ death. It’s said that ‘they brought him back with the same dances and sacrifices as when they inaugurated the kings at the original foundation of Sparta.’ [Thuc 5.17]

The fact that he wasn’t made War-King, despite his seniority both in personal age and the seniority of the Agiad line, suggests that he was considered a ‘new king’, rather than a restored one; but perhaps it was the cause of his exile which prevented him being made the War-King as was his ancestral right.

His return was apparently difficult for him. The Spartans, understandably, didn’t trust him at all.

When speaking of the push for the Peace [of Nikias, in 421], Thucydides tells us that Pleistoanax was very eager for the peace to be agreed, because his opponents were causing his ‘embarrassment.’ Every time Sparta had a set-back in the war, they put it down to his ‘illegal’ return, accusing him and another brother, Aristokles, of bribing the Pythia to repeatedly tell Spartan delegates seeking guidance from Apollo that ‘they must bring back the seed of the demigod son of Zeus from a foreign land to their own, or they would always plough with a silver ploughshare.’ [Thuc 5.16-7] The son of Zeus is Herakles, from whom both the Spartan royal houses traced their lineage.

Quoted Sources:

Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond.

Paul Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia: A regional history 1300 - 362 BCE.

[maytheblogbeforeverinyourfavor]

“Oh, a ghost story. Ugh. Boo. So ridiculous. Well he’d try to love it when he saw the Covey tomorrow” -pg. 427

More Coryo sass for your feed… just thought y’all would enjoy it 💅

[malazanquotes]

"If I kill you, you'd just curse me with your last breath, then I'd be miserable."

"So what would change, Koryk?"

"Having a reason to be miserable is always worse than having no reason but being miserable anyway."

Koryk ponders killing Bottle, Reaper's Gale, pg 427

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, May 30- Friday, May 31 PART 1

Willow: If you get the apartment, this'll be your hallway. We'll walk down this hall, and we'll say, "La la, I'm on my way to Xander's." Buffy: Just warning you, Xander, I probably won't be doing that. Riley: Really? I will.

~~The Replacement~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

a killer (Giles, T) by voices_not_echoes

Extended Hospital Stay (Faith, T) by MadeInGold

Number One Fan (The Rockstar and the Groupie) (Buffy/Spike, M) by Passion4Spike

Sweet Freedom (Crossover with Pirates of the Caribbean, NR) by Viwiel

like a dog with a bird at your door (Tara/Faith, G) by Faith_withaknife

From the Brink of Death (Angel/Riley, M) by MadeInGold

Hellflower (Buffy/Spike, E) by Geliot99

Peculiar Occurance (Crossover with Glee, NR) by Viwiel

A Lot Less Than Six Degrees (Crossover with Gossip Girl, NR) by Viwiel

Death of A Sorceress (Comics, NR) by eevol76vamp

Return to Mosaic (Buffy/Spike, NR) by eevol76vamp

Billy the Apprentice (Buffy, G) by eevol76vamp

Consequences (Willow/Tara, M) by JadeWine

What Happens on Saturday (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by HappyWhenItRains

Oh, Captain, My Captain! (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by all choseny

Ten Kisses (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by DarkVoid116

Consequences (Xander, FR18) by samsas

[Chaptered Fiction]

Shadowed Suspicion, Chapter 427 (Crossover with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, T) by madimpossibledreamer

To The Skylark, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, M) by squiddz

Snapshots from the Spuffyverse, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by cawthraven

Hero, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Willow, M) by Xyex

Bathroom Wall, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by hulettwyo

Reclaimed, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Holly

Waiting for You, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by honeygirl51885

See You Yesterday, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, R) by all choseny

Deliverance From Destiny, Chapter 19 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Ragini

Maclay Down, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Soulburnt

Through The Keyhole, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Geliot99 and cd85

Early One Morning, Chapter 50 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by all choseny

Love Bites But So Do I, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CheekyKitten

Fixer Uppers, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Melme1325

The Neighbor's Point of View, Chapter 109 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by the_big_bad

The Devil's Trill, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Murray

A Ripple In Time, Chapter 43 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CheekyKitten

Rise of the Sineyans, Chapter 5 (Buffy, FR18) by BlueZeroZeroOne

Aim High, Chapter 3 (Crossover with Stargate, FR13) by Buffyworldbuilder

Assorted Chapters, Chapter 238 (Multiple crossings, FR13) by Manchester

Stomping on Butterflies, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, 18+) by Blackoberst

Bruises, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, AO) by hulettwyo

What The Drabble? Vol. 2, Chapter 30 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by veronyxk84

Unicorn, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Desicat

Anarchy Tour, Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Alyot

[Images, Audio & Video]

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[aysufs]

Al Fudayl bin Iyaad (رحمه الله) said:

“The extent the sin is small to you

the greater it is with Allaah.

The extent the sin is great to you

the smaller it is with Allaah.”

[Siyar A’lām an nubalā’, vol.8 pg. 427, translated by Ustādh Abū Tasneem]

[sassy-ahsoka-tano]

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#also a psa to everyone whether youre into dudes or not there is nothing more comfortable than sleeping in an extra large men's tshirt

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

🍁 Autumn & Halloween Prompt List 🎃

It's about to get spoopy up in here. We wanted to do something special not only to celebrate everyone's favorite season but also to honor the amazing writers and creators on Tumblr.

Most of us are creators of some kind — whether that be writers, gifmakers, or artists — and this time of year is hard. We start running into fatigue + the scariest thing during the whole Halloween season: creator's block.

✨ Cue the prompt list ✨

This prompt list is split into three groups: dialogue, scenario, and NSFW prompts. Each section has 31 prompts which are sorted with more general autumn themes first and Halloween-specific prompts after that.

A HUGE HUGE thank you to Shawni (@austin-butlers-gf), Sage (@fangirlwithasweettooth), Kenzie (@fangirl-imagines), & Gabby (@dontbesussis) for helping to create this lovely list!

Feel free to reblog + use for whatever it is that you create and post here on Tumblr! Happy Halloween and enjoy 👻 ♥️

DIALOGUE

[ prompts with / indicate that both characters A + B have lines ]

“You have a leaf in your hair.”

“You’re shivering.”

“Why don’t you take off that mask? I’d like to see your face.”

“You’re scared of that, really?”

“That’s your favorite candy? You have shit taste.”

“Promise not to laugh at me if I scream.”

“My friend abandoned me at this Halloween party and I don’t know anyone. But you look as miserable as I feel.”

“If you can’t summon flames directly from hell, store-bought is fine.”

“It says take one, love.”

“Well…you grabbed my hand first.”

“Oh, I see. Is someone a little scared?”

“I spent so long in the darkness I’d almost forgotten how beautiful the moonlight is.”

“You’re the devil in disguise.”

“Nice try. You’ll have to work harder to scare me.”

“I know you’re trying to be scary, but you’re just way too cute.”

“I couldn’t find a costume, so I just decided to go as your [partner/bf/gf].”

“You’re a scaredy cat.” / “I am not!”

“Boo!” / “You were scarier with the mask off.”

“What are you supposed to be?” / “It isn’t obvious?”

“Ew candy corn?” / “What? This candy is hated for no reason. It’s good!”

“That kind of scared me.” / “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

See the full post

514 notes - Posted October 1, 2022

#4

My Bestest Girl

Character/Fandom: Elvis - Elvis (2022)

Requested: No

Prompt: You have a nightmare but your husband is always there to comfort you when you need him. Feat. a spicy ending. [ Fem!Reader ]

TW: mentions of sex

Rating: Pg-13     ||     Word Count: 1030

A/N: I swear this morphed into like 3 different things as I was writing it. Part 2...maybe? Smut is coming cause i can't control myself, i just don't know when 😂

🦋 mila

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

You’re running like you’ve never run before. One foot replaces the other faster than you can even think and you feel a pain from somewhere, but you can’t place it exactly. Your chest heaves and you feel panic spreading throughout your body. The darkness around you starts to cave in. There are no walls, but you feel them crushing down on you anyway. Although you try to push them back, they only come faster. The horrific, distorted face of someone you don’t recognize appears floating in the darkness, and your heart lurches as-

Suddenly, you’re awake, sweating and shaking a little in the bed. It takes a moment for you to return to reality and remember where you are and that you’re safe.

“Baby?” Elvis’ deep, smooth voice comes out raspier than usual. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

You curl your arms around your knees, and your husband leans up. The bed shifts under his weight as he scoots toward you and wraps his arms around your shoulders.

“What’s the matter, baby girl?” he asks again, rubbing your shoulder and tucking some loose hair behind your ear.

You look at him in the dark. His blue eyes peer tenderly back, his eyebrows knitted in concern. Although his hair is disheveled, he still looks as handsome as the day you married him. Something in the way he’s gazing so intently at you draws your tears out. You fall back into his arms and start to sob. The cold air in the bedroom freezes your tears as they trickle down your cheeks. His grip loosens and then retightens to bring you all the way into his lap, and you bury your face into his shoulder. His skin is warm and smooth, and you feel terribly guilty for wetting his beautiful chest with your ugly tears.

“Come ‘ere,” he whispers, rubbing your back. “Come ‘ere and let me hold ya. Everything’s gonna be aright. Shhh, it’s okay. Everything’s okay.”

You let your body go limp in his strong embrace, and you feel completely supported. The way he rubs your back and squeezes you just a little too tightly makes you feel like nothing in the world would dare try to hurt you. He presses a few kisses to your sweaty forehead. As you heave to a normal breath, Elvis leans back and moves your hair out of your face so he can see your eyes.

“You’re my bestest girl, you know that?”

“I thought your mama was your bestest girl,” you sniffle with a small smile.

Elvis smiles back, wipes a stray tear from your cheek, and then shakes his head.

“She’ll always be my first girl, but you became my bestest girl the day I married ya,” he says, and you smile so hard it hurts. “Now, tell me what’s goin on. D’ya have a nightmare?”

You nod.

“What about, baby girl?”

“I was trying to run away from something and it wasn’t working,” you say, feeling tears well up again. “I couldn’t see exactly what it was but I just know I was terrified of it. As I was running, the hallways started to get smaller and smaller like they were squeezing me to death.”

“Well that don’t sound like fun, baby. But hey, look,” he responds, taking your hand in his. He flips your palm so that it’s facing the ceiling and curls his own fingers over yours. “I’m here. I’ll always be here for ya. Ain’t nothing gonna hurt you while I’m here.”

He squeezes your fingers and smiles down at you. You glance up at him in the moonlight and gently touch his cheek. He leans into your hand, and you brush the lines around his smiling mouth with your thumb. You pull him toward you and press your lips to his. As you kiss him, his arm snakes around your back and pulls you against his chest. You wind your hands around his neck and back, spreading your fingers to absorb as much of his warmth as possible.

He pulls back for a moment to gaze into your eyes before kissing your cheek and your neck. He brings you into a big bear hug. Your legs reposition to hug his waist, and you throw your arms over his shoulders. As you squeeze out your stress, he peppers kisses all over your neck and shoulders.

You feel him kiss the top of the strap of your nightgown and then pause. You turn to look at him. He stares at the strap with an angry expression for a moment before quickly moving it out of the way, planting a kiss on your bare shoulder, and putting it back. He nods as if he’s pleased with the job he’s done. You throw your head back to laugh, but he takes the opportunity to assault your undefended neck with kisses. His breath tickles your skin, and you giggle, playfully trying to push him away. After a few moments, he stops, kisses your jaw sweetly, and meets your eyes.

“You feelin any better?” he asks, and you nod enthusiastically.

“Much. Thank you. I love you,” you respond in a whisper.

See the full post

545 notes - Posted June 30, 2022

#3

ASG - Part Two: Burnin' Love

Character/Fandom: Elvis - Elvis (2022)

Requested: Yeah, by me 💀

Prompt: Elvis sweeps Bird outside to the lake to cool down on a hot day. Spoiler, she doesn't cool off, but it’s not the temperature that has her sweating. [ Fem!OC ]

TW: Nothing tbh? this is vanilla af

Rating: M     ||     Word Count: 4442

A/N: this might be my favorite smut that i've ever written...

This is Part 2 of ASG. Find the rest of the series here!

🦋 mila

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

She happens to be passing through the living room when a knock on the door comes. She's suddenly very pleased to be the one who opens it since Elvis is standing on the other side. It's been a week or so since their little walk and they've managed to see each other a couple of times. Mostly, he would walk her home after work. Paranoid that someone would see her and tell her father, Bird hasn't let anything happen that would have been too scandalous. Elvis respects her wishes and she appreciates it.

“Elvis?”

“Hi baby, how ya doin’?” he asks, smiling and stepping inside the house.

She curls her fingers into her palms and then grabs him by the shirt sleeve.

“This a nice house ya got he-”

He cuts off when she harshly drags him into a corner of the room, behind a bookcase.

“Thank you, but I’d appreciate it if ya didn’t alert my daddy your presence,” she responds, glancing out from behind a stack of books to see if her father is anywhere near. When she swivels back around, she jumps back at how close Elvis is to her face.

“Why not, baby girl?”

His arms wind around her waist and start to pull her toward him. She sucks in a breath and clenches her jaw, trying to keep his hands off her.

“Because he’ll probably kill ya,” she responds, glancing around again. “He don't like greasers or singers. Or anyone who ain't a devout Christian.”

“Well good news for ya daddy, I am a devout Christian.”

She raises an eyebrow.

“Not nearly devout enough for my daddy. ”

“Well if we ain’t gonna have any fun in this house, let’s get outta here then,” he says, nuzzling his face into her neck. She stifles a giggle.

“Stop that! What would we even do?” she asks.

“We could go for a walk,” he says, kissing her jaw, “or look at the record store,” he kisses her neck, “I don’t care where we go as long as I’m with you.”

She finally manages to release him from her neck and smile.

“It’s too damn hot for all that,” she replies, feeling a streak of bold lust. “We could go down to the lake? That oughta cool us off.”

“Ain’t nothing in the world that could cool you off, mama.”

“Just go,” she says, flushing. She pushes him toward the door. “Before daddy sees you. Or worse, sees me with you.”

See the full post

563 notes - Posted July 3, 2022

#2

ASG - Part Four: All Shook Up

Character/Fandom: Elvis - ELVIS (2022)

Requested: yes! - anons

Prompt: When Gladys Presley invited Bird up to Graceland to work as a cook in the house, she had mixed feelings. But in order to support herself and your daddy, she moved up to Memphis anyway. Things have been awkward between her and Elvis, but strange things are happening every day and, not surprisingly, Elvis has her all shook up again. [ Fem!OC ]

TW: Angst, smut, cursing, a little physical aggressiveness + i think that's it!

Rating:  M, this is good stuff baby  ||     Word Count: 16,293 🥴

A/N: IT’S FINALLY HERE!! I have never worked harder on a fic tbh, and the dialogue in this one hits so hard. Yes, the one part is inspired by that scene in Dirty Dancing — you know the one. Sorry for taking FOREVER, but I really hope y'all enjoy it!

This is Part 4 of ASG. FInd the rest of the series here!

🦋 mila

This is a BIG boi + it’s special, so pls read these notes:

This is super long, so I put little PAGE BREAKS in places where you can pause reading. Please take advantage of them!

Deadass made a PLAYLIST to enhance your reading experience. It's in order + should flow with the plot. But depending on reading speed, it might be off, and that's totally okay! If you want the true experience, I've written where to jump + play certain songs in the fic. This is obvi totally optional!!!

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

“I jus don’t know what to do bout it,” Gladys says, running a hand over her face. “They’re makin fun of my baby all over town. And probably all over the country, too.”

“I’m really sorry, Mrs. Presley,” Bird responds, taking a bowl of something warm from her fingers. “I can always go back home if this is a bad time.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, honey,” she replies in her thick southern drawl. “We love havin you over. You don’t know how nice it is to have another woman in this damn house.”

Bird smiles painfully as she watches Gladys reach for a beer.

A lot has happened since Elvis had broken Bird's heart and left her sobbing on the floor of her house in Louisiana. It was almost five months later when she received a call from Gladys Presley. She had been shocked to hear a familiar voice on the other end of the line. She’d called to ask if Bird wanted to come up to Memphis and move in with the family. One of their cooks had quit and Gladys couldn’t find anyone who cooked southern-style food the way she liked it. Bird knows she'd taken quite a liking to her. Whenever Elvis had brought her home for dinner, just a handful of times, Bird was always willing to help.

Anyway, she did always have a knack for cooking, especially those delicious southern-style comfort dishes. She had originally refused, but when Gladys called twice more and offered to pay Bird handsomely, it wasn’t really a conversation anymore. She and daddy were struggling after he turned to alcohol for comfort and wasn't working as much as usual. Bird had picked up an extra job at the diner in town while still working at the hayride. She'd been working herself to death, but with the Presley’s money she can help support herself and her father without having to break her back.

Plus, she’d offered.

Bird is always incredibly nervous about seeing Elvis, especially after everything that has happened. But she didn't know what else to do. It was too good of a deal for her. So, she'd packed up some of her belongings and moved up to Memphis, leaving daddy at home by himself.

Mr. and Mrs. Peachtree, the Presley’s neighbors, welcomed her into a small guest house in their backyard. Gladys had offered for her to stay at Graceland, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to bear it. Being so close to him and not being able to have him. It was all too painful, too regretful. And she knew Elvis wouldn’t want her there, anyway.

It really hasn’t been all that bad. The money is good, the amenities are nice, Mr. and Mrs. Peachtree are always warm and welcoming toward her. Gladys has been surprisingly like a surrogate mother in many ways. She’s been protective over her, frequently asking how Bird's getting on at the house and whether the Peachtrees are treating her right. She's even asked how bird's father is a time or two, even though Bird get the feeling Gladys doesn’t like him much. You can’t blame her. She’d even let Bird have a few sips of beer, despite the fact that she was still underage. That’s something her father would never allow her to do, even if you were of legal age.

“I just hope he’s doin aright,” Gladys continues. “That damn Colonel is always tellin him what to do.”

Bird keeps her mouth shut but raises her eyebrows in agreeance. Despite sympathizing with her, Bird doesn't feel like it’s her place to say anything about the family. Not to mention this entire conversation is still a sore spot since she's convinced that the Colonel is the reason for her breakup with Elvis.

“Oh lord they’re home! My poor baby!” Gladys shouts, glancing out the windows.

Speak of the devil, himself. Bird joins Gladys at the window, watching the familiar dark purple 1956 Cadillac Eldorado drive slowly up the path to the house. There has been a crowd outside for hours now, and the noise is driving her crazy.

The dinner isn’t even finished cooking yet, but Elvis and Mr. Presley would be bursting through the front door any minute now. They’re coming back from New York where Elvis had been on the Steve Allen show. Long story short, the performance was a disaster. He’d been put onstage in full-length tailcoats and forced to sing to a hound dog. An actual hound dog.

Bird watched at home with the Peachtrees, squeezing a pillow tightly. She'd felt especially awkward in recent days. She likes the Peachtrees very much, but they are made of old money and she knows they have mixed feelings about the Presleys. Mrs. Peachtree has been adamant that Elvis isn’t the type of boy young girls should be looking up to. And she used his “Hound Dog” performance as ammunition to prove her point. Bird bites her tongue whenever the Peachtrees begin to badmouth him. And she pretends not to know about all of the rude things the other neighbors whisper about the Presleys behind their backs.

Just as the car parks, Bird quietly dips back into the kitchen to help Alberta, the other cook, with the rest of the food. But mostly to avoid Elvis. She does that a lot nowadays, avoiding, and she doesn't even want to think about the first time he’d discovered her at the house. Apparently, Gladys had neglected to tell her son that his ex-sweetheart would be coming up to work in the house.

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645 notes - Posted July 16, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

ASG - Part One: A Southern Gentleman

Character/Fandom: Elvis - Elvis (2022)

Requested: No, but it is deserved

Prompt: Bird's old friend, Elvis, looks a lot different than she remembers - a lot hotter, that is. Can she control herself as he walks her home like a good southern gentleman? [ Fem!OC ]

TW: None!

Rating: Pg-13     ||     Word Count: 1484

A/N: He's obviously not dating Dixie in this version. Damn...I really don't know what to do with myself. I used to have a crush on Austin a long time ago, but it's been rekindled like 2 million times stronger. Austin w/ dark hair just hits different 😩

This is Part 1 of ASG. Find the rest of the series here!

🦋 mila

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

She’s folding an extra towel in the wings of the stage when a flash of pink silk catches her attention. She glances up just long enough to see a guitar and a pair of fancy black and white shoes. She shrugs, going back to finish her work and thinking nothing of it for the time being.

“He’s a young singer from Memphis, Tennessee,” the announcer’s voice booms around the building. “Give a warm hayride welcome to a Mr. Elvis Presley.”

Her head snaps up when she hears the name. Elvis?? She had gone to elementary school down in Mississippi with a boy named Elvis. It couldn’t possibly be the same boy…could it? She hurriedly finishes folding up the towels she’s working on and quietly sneaks behind the edge of the stage curtains. As she peers out at the tall young man standing at the microphone, she’s sure it can’t be him. The little boy she had known was blonde, skinny, and bony.

“It goes something like this…” the singer mumbles into the microphone. He continues to mutter a little bit of a song.

“Get a haircut, buttercup!” yells a man from the crowd.

Before she gets a chance to think again, he begins to sing. Like…really sing. His voice is strong and forceful, like nothing she’s ever heard before. She watches from the wings and can’t help but smile as he wiggles, dances, and moves around on the stage. His voice is incredible, deep and smooth. But the way his body moves, she has never seen anything like it before. Some girls in the crowd begin to holler, scream, and yelp. she bites her own lip and holds back a smile as she watches the silky pink fabric dance along his body.

Not before long, the entire crowd of women is leaning toward the stage and shrieking. As he reaches back into the crowd, some of the girls even pull at his clothes and the pink suit jacket lifts off his frame. As he stumbles back behind the curtains, a woman yells from the crowd. Bird peers around the curtain and catches a second’s glimpse of her: an older lady with dark hair. She knows this woman. She’s seen her before...

The sound of laughter near her catches Bird’s attention and her eyes land on the back of the singer’s frame as he walks away. Before she can stop herself, she speaks up.

“Elvis??” she asks, gripping the curtain tightly.

The tall figure pauses for a moment before a handsome face emerges from the shadows. She can’t help but smile. The moment she meets his sea blue eyes, the recognition spreads across his face. He lets out a breathy chuckle and smiles sweetly.

“It really is you…” she mumbles.

“Bird?? It can’t be…” he asks in a voice deeper than she expects. She releases her death grip on the curtain and reaches down to smooth her skirt.

He hands his guitar off to a bandmate and walks toward her. As he comes closer, she can smell him – a mix of sweat, musk, and something sweet like cinnamon. It’s almost intoxicating. She reaches out to steady herself on a table.

“What the hell are you doin’ up here?” he asks.

“Daddy got transferred up ‘ere, so we moved. I work 'ere,” she responds. “What are you doin up here? I almost didn’t recognize ya. You were blonde last I saw.”

“Yeah,” he replies, dropping his head to rub the back of his neck. A few strands of dark black hair fall over his forehead, and she has the urge to brush them away but she resists. “Well, how bout you, I mean, you’re all grown up now. Look at ya…”

She flushes as he gestures at her body. He leans on the wall near her, positioning his body diagonally. She takes a deep breath, quickly glancing at his flexing bicep. He tilts his head to look at her, and she catches his eyes tracing her figure up and down.

“You’d better get going, Bird,” one of her coworkers says as they pass by. “Your daddy won’t be happy if you get home late again.

“Oh damn,” she mutters, glaring through the cracked glass of her old wristwatch. “Well…I’d better start back. You 'member how daddy is.”

As she turns to reach for her sweater, his hand catches her wrist.

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647 notes - Posted June 30, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[theblackguywhotips]

PG 427: Who Will Survive In America?

Rod, Justin and Karen discuss the results of the 2024 election.

[incamminoblog]

Dalle «Omelie» di san Giovanni Crisostomo, "Per me il vivere è Cristo e il morire un guadagno"

Dalle «Omelie» di san Giovanni Crisostomo, vescovo(Prima dell’esilio, nn. 1-3; PG 52, 427*-430)Per me il vivere è Cristo e il morire un guadagno     Molti marosi e minacciose tempeste ci sovrastano, ma non abbiamo paura di essere sommersi, perché siamo fondati sulla roccia. Infuri pure il mare, non potrà sgretolare la roccia. S’innalzino pure le onde, non potranno affondare la navicella di Gesù.…

[sidewalkstamps]

Ward & Roberts Pasadena (Photo taken on September 4, 2023 in Pasadena by Logan Crawford, sent to me by Tim Aarons)

Ward & Roberts were listed as being located on Summit av in Pasadena, California (Hendricks' Commercial Register of the United States for Buyers and Sellers, Volume 11, pg. 312, Samuel E. Hendricks Company, 1901).

They are also included in a listing of "Contractors and Large Users of Cement" (Directory of American Cement Industries and Hand-book for Cement Users, Volume 1, p. 427, Municipal Engineering Company, 1901).

[birdb1tch]

theres a few reasons. if you havent read Fire and Blood and plan on reading it then be warned that this is full of spoilers

A. Rhaenys wasn’t unfavored when she and Viserys were being voted for. There were plenty of houses that had publicly supported her. Pg 426 of F&B, “The northmen were of great concern [to the Green Council]: Winterfell had spoken for Rhaenys at Harrenhal, as had Lord Stark’s bannerman, Dustin in Barrowton and Manderly of White Harbor.”

which leads to my next point

B. Rhaenyra is backed by House Velaryon, as well all the other houses in Corlys’ fleet (in the book, Lord Bar Emmon, Massey, Celtigar, and Crabb are specifically named.) This not only means that Team Black has the ability to control sea trade (which, iirc, ends up happening), but they also have the House Velaryon’s dragonriders as well.

C. Rhaenyra has more dragons than Aegon. While most of Team Black dragons are younger/smaller than Team Green’s, they still had more.

TB - Syrax, Meleys, Caraxes, Seasmoke, Vermax, Tyraxes, Moondancer and Morning ( Fun facts! + the other 3 dragons on Dragonstone, Sheepstealer, The Cannibal and Grey Ghost. Only Sheepstealer was tamed and it’s unlikely that other great houses or the smallfolk even knew of their existence. I also considered adding Stormcloud, Little Aegon’s dragon, but with the timeline of the show, its not likely that Aegon would have claimed him by the time the war started) (Extra Info: There were two other Dragonriders that were on TB, but the smallfolk and other houses wouldn’t have known abt them when first deciding their allegiances. fun fact: they swapped to TG. They rode Vermithor and Silverwing)

TG - Vhagar, Dreamfyre, Sunfyre, Tessarion (Jaehaerys and Jaehaera also had dragons, Shrykos and Morghul respectively, but again with the timeline, not sure whether the twins would have bonded yet + Jaehaerys was killed before riding Shrykos and Morghul was killed before Jaehaera could ride her.)

D. House Arryn was allied with Rhaenyra not just because of family ties, but because the Eyrie was ruled by Lady Jeyne Arryn. Her claim to the Eyrie has already been contested three times by her own family, and Rhaenyra being passed over for Aegon would bring her claim into question.

E. Not everyone agreed that Aegon being a man overrides the fact that Rhaenyra was Viserys’ named heir. There were houses that sided with Rhaenyra because they bent the knee to her and felt that it was wrong to not support her. Smallfolk were also divided about Aegon being named king. Pg 427-428 of Fire and Blood, “[…], and riders went forth on pale horses to spread the word to the people of King’s Landing, crying ‘King Viserys is dead, long live King Aegon.’ Hearing the cries, Munkun writes, some wept whilst others cheered, but most of the smallfolk stared in silence, confused and wary, and now and again a voice cried out, ‘Long live our Queen.’“ Further in page 428, we get, “How many came to see [Aegon’s crowning] remains a matter of dispute. Grand Maester Munkun, […], tells us that more than a hundred thousand smallfolk jammed into the Dragonpit, their cheers so loud they shook the very walls, whilst Mushroom says the stone benches were half-filled.”

this got a lot longer than i meant it to, but i hope it cleared some things up

I still find it difficult to believe how many lords and houses supported Rhaenyra during the Dance. Not in an anti Team Black kind of way but like even in the asoiaf so many fans don't like the thought of Sansa inheriting Winterfell because there is Bran and Rickon and Jon, the supposed male heirs. So, to think of the dance almost 250 years before game of thrones and so many lords supporting Rhaenyra while Aegon is the eldest son of the King seems kind of unrealistic to me. No offence but Rhaenyra was named heir before Aegon was born and Aegon is the son of the King, a son Viserys and everyone in the realm longed for, waited for years for a prince. The smallfolk definitely sees Aegon as the rightful King and Heir.

Also Viserys became King for the exact same reason that He was a man and Rhaenys a woman. The lords of the realm chose him as their King because he was a man and to believe the same lords and/or their heirs chose Viserys' daughter and not his son as their King/Queen is not so easy to digest for me at least. Did the realm change their views on patriarchy so quickly in the span of a few years?????

[for-thebelievingwomen]

The first question of Fatwa no. 17000

Q 1: What is the ruling on women being admitted to a hospital for delivery given that all the doctors in the hospital are males?

A: It is not permissible for male doctors to undertake the delivery of babies except in cases of necessity. For instance, if the woman's life is endangered and no female doctor is available. Allah (عز وجل) says, ."..except under compulsion of necessity."

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Chairman: 'Abdul-'Aziz ibn 'Abdullah ibn Baaz

Member: Salih ibn Fawzan Al-Fawzan

Member: 'Abdul-'Aziz ibn 'Abdullah Al Al-Shaykh

Member: Bakr ibn 'Abdullah Abu Zayd

[The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta': Group 1: Vol. : 24: pg. 427]

[coinsdresssanskritbooksstamps]

2 _- 3, Ayurveda

Vintage antique oldest rarest books -

1, સુશ્રુત આયુર્વેદ Vol.1, સૂત્ર સ્થાન, નિદાન સ્થાન, શરીર સ્થાન, ચિકિત્સા સ્થાન, કલ્પ સ્થાન, ઉત્તર સ્થાન, પે.543, Yr.1948

2, સુશ્રુત આયુર્વેદ Vol.2, ચિકિત્સા સ્થાન, કલ્પ સ્થાન, ઉત્તર સ્થાન, પે.703, Yr.1948

3, *નિસર્ગ ઉપચાર દ્વારા રોગમુક્તિ, પે.203, Yr.1984

4, લસણ - મથી ચમત્કારી અસર, પે.32, Yr.2014

5, વૈદિક છંદો મીમાંસા, સંસ્કૃત હિન્દી, પે.269, Yr.1959

6, માનવ મૂત્ર, પે.393, Yr.2000

7, રોગો કી અચૂક ચિકિત્સા, હિન્દી, પે.340, Yr.1947

8, ચરક નો સ્વાધ્યાય Vol.1, પે.725, Yr.

1973

9, કુદરત ની રીતે આરોગ્ય, પે.206, Yr.1967

10, ગદ નિગ્રહ: વૈદ્ય વર્ય શ્રી શોઢ લ, સંસ્કૃત, પે. 850, Yr. A.D.1915

11, આયુર્વેદ નિ��ંધ માળા Vol.2, પે.416, Yr. સ. 1997

12, આરોગ્ય નિધિ Vol.2, હિન્દી, આશારામ,પે.240, Yr. X

13, મારી બાયપાસ સર્જરી,સ્વામી સચચિદાનંદજી, પે.64, Yr.2007

14, આરોગ્ય સંપદા, પે.32, Yr. X

15, રોગ શોક નું મુળભુત કારણ વિકૃતિ ચિંતન, પે.72, Yr.2010

16, પ્રાથમિક સહાયતા, હિન્દી, પે. 331, Yr.2010

17, આ સાદી રીતે સાજા થાઓ અને સાજા રહો, પે.204, Yr.1968

18, ચરક, સંક્ષિપ્ત, પે.464, Yr.1980

19, 100 વર્ષ નીરોગી રહો, પે.250, Yr. X

20, રોગ મુક્ત જીવન, પે.176, Yr.1996

21, દિનચર્યા પે. 302, Yr. સ. 1990

22, શરીર અને તેના કાર્યો, પે.300, Yr. X

23, અર્વાચીન દાંપત્ય સંહિતા, પે.187,

Yr.1990

24, માટી ના ઉપચાર અને માટી નો મહિમા તેમજ ઔષધ રૂપે ઉપયોગ, પે.16, Yr.1997

25, માતા અને બાળક , પે. 181, Yr. 1973

26, પ્રદર રોગ, પે.31, Yr.1989

27, વૈદિક વિનય, Vol.3, પે. 272, Yr.1964

28, હદય રોગ નો પાયા નો ઉપચાર, પે.138, Yr. 1999

29, મધવ નીદાનમ, Vol.1, સંસ્કૃત, પે.520, Yr. સ.2046

30, મધવ નીદાનમ, Vol.2, સંસ્કૃત, પે.509, Yr. સ.2046

31, આરોગ્ય નિકેતન, પે.322, Yr.1993

32, The Brain that changes it self, ENG. Pg.427,Yr. 2007

33, મનો ચિકિત્સા, પે.268, Yr.2009

34, હાઈ બ્લપ્રેશર , પે.48, Yr.1998

35,, ઔષધ દર્શન , પે.70, Yr. 2004

36,

[horizon-verizon]

Many other grievous losses were suffered by both sides in what became known as the Battle of the Burning Mill...and when the Brackens finally broke and fled back unto their own lands under the command of Ser Amos’s bastard half-brother, Ser Raylon Rivers, it was only to find that Stone Hedge had been taken in their absence. Led by Prince Daemon on Caraxes, a strong host made up of Darrys, Rootes, Pipers, and Freys had captured the castle by storm in the absence of so much of House Bracken’s strength. Lord Humfrey Bracken and his remaining children had been made captive, along with his third wife and baseborn paramour. Rather than see them come to harm, Ser Raylon yielded. With House Bracken thus broken and defeated, the last of King Aegon’s supporters in the riverlands lost heart and lay down their own swords as well. Yet it must not be thought that the green council was sitting idle. Ser Otto Hightower had been busy as well, winning over lords, hiring sellswords, strengthening the defenses of King’s Landing, and assiduously seeking after other alliances. After the rejection of Grand Maester Orwyle’s peace overtures the Hand redoubled his efforts, dispatching ravens to Winterfell and the Eyrie, to Riverrun, White Harbor, Gulltown, Bitterbridge, Fair Isle, and half a hundred other keeps and castles. Riders galloped through the night to holdings closer to hand, to summon their lords and ladies to court to do fealty to King Aegon. Ser Otto also reached out to Dorne, whose ruling prince, Qoren Martell, had once warred against Prince Daemon in the Stepstones, but Prince Qoren spurned his offer. “Dorne has danced with dragons before,” he said. “I would sooner sleep with scorpions.” Yet Ser Otto was losing the trust of his king, who mistook his efforts for inaction, and his caution for cowardice. Septon Eustace tells us of one occasion when Aegon entered the Tower of the Hand and found Ser Otto writing another letter, whereupon he knocked the inkpot into his grandsire’s lap, declaring, “Thrones are won with swords, not quills. Spill blood, not ink.” The fall of Harrenhal to Prince Daemon came as a great shock to His Grace, Munkun tells us. Until that moment, Aegon II had believed his half-sister’s cause to be hopeless. Harrenhal left His Grace feeling vulnerable for the first time. The subsequent defeats at the Burning Mill and Stone Hedge came as further blows, and made the king realize that his situation was more perilous than it had seemed. These fears deepened as ravens returned from the Reach, where the greens had believed themselves strongest. House Hightower and Oldtown were solidly behind King Aegon, and His Grace had the Arbor too...but elsewhere in the south, other lords were declaring for Rhaenyra, amongst them Lord Costayne of Three Towers, Lord Mullendore of Uplands, Lord Tarly of Horn Hill, Lord Rowan of Goldengrove, and Lord Grimm of Greyshield.

Fire and Blood, by George R.R. Martin, pg 427-429