#Principles of commerce

[werbooz]

Why User-Centered Design is the Key to Online Success: Leveraging Psychology and Design Principles to Create Meaningful Experiences

 

User-Centered Design (UCD) is crucial in today’s digital world, where success relies not just on aesthetics or functionality but on crafting a user experience that resonates with users on a deeper psychological level. UCD prioritizes not only visual appeal but also the way users think, feel, and behave. Creating effective User-Centered Design is simpler than it may seem; it involves applying psychological principles, such as understanding cognitive load and paying careful attention to even the smallest design details. By focusing on these aspects, we can develop experiences that are not only intuitive but also rewarding. In this blog, we will explore why this approach is essential and how real-world examples highlight its significant impact.

Understanding Human Behavior: The Psychological Pillars of User Centered Design

Every user interaction with a product involves mental processing. If this process is considered overly cumbersome—in other terms if the user experiences a high cognitive load then—there is a likelihood that users will feel an overload and thus get annoyed and quit your site/product. One of the key ideas in user-centric design is reducing cognitive load, or the amount of mental effort required to use and understand a product.

Hick’s Law: Simplifying Choices

Hick’s Law states that the time taken to make a decision increases with the number of alternative choices available to the individual user and hence the more choices available to be used by or have the decision the more prolonged it will take for the user to make a decision. Thus, if a website bombards users with too many actionable options then the users may hesitate or leave entirely. Because of this same reason platforms like Netflix offer recommendations to its users to limit the choices and to show the user what’s most relevant. So, Instead of overwhelming users with the entire library, Netflix focuses on curating options that best fits the user preferences, thus making decision-making easier and faster.

Netflix Interface Showcasing Uses Hick’s Law to Simplify Choices

Fitts’s Law: Designing for Ease of Access

Fitts’s Law explains that why large, well-placed buttons are more effective than small buttons that are hard to reach. Users must have no friction or struggle to find key actions on your website/product. Amazon implements this really well by placing the "Add to Cart" buttons in prominent locations.

Design comparison showing familiar interface versus unfamiliar

These buttons are easy to spot and are large enough to click effortlessly, and also the buttons are placed so strategically to minimize user effort. This simple but thoughtful design element can significantly increase conversions because by doing so Amazon reduces the friction in the user's buying journey.

The Impact of Small Design Decisions: Tiny Tweaks that Leads to Big Results

Small design decisions can lead to a significant difference in how users interact with a product, even if the differences seem atomic or minute at first glance.

The Importance of Spacing 

Strategic spacing between elements can drastically improve focus and comprehension. According to the Gestalt Principles of Perception, specifically the Proximity Principle, items placed closely together are perceived as related, while those spaced apart draw more attention individually. Even something as simple as reducing visual clutter makes an enormous difference.

For example, Airbnb uses this principle beautifully. Their listings have plenty of white space, making it easier for users to digest information like pricing, property details, and reviews without feeling overwhelmed. By strategically spacing elements, they guide user attention to what’s most important—booking a stay.

FAQ

Que 1. What is User-Centered Design (UCD)?

Ans 1. User-Centered Design (UCD) is a design method that prioritizes the end user's demands, behaviors, and preferences. It entails studying and understanding customer expectations in order to develop products that are intuitive, simple to use, and aligned with user objectives.

Que 2.  How does psychology influence user-centered design?

Ans 2. Psychology has an effect on UCD because it helps creators understand how people think, act, and make decisions. Making digital systems easier to use and more interesting is based on psychological principles such as Hicks' Law (choice time), Fitts' Law (interaction efficiency), and the Gestalt principles (perception and organization).

Que 3. What is the difference between user-centered and conventional design?

Ans 3. The user's demands are prioritized in user-centered design, as opposed to traditional design that prioritizes aesthetics or corporate goals. Whereas traditional design may overlook important user feedback, resulting in usability problems, UCD constantly tests and refines based on user input.

Discover the Full Story

[jcmarchi]

Implementing SOLID Principles in Android Development

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/implementing-solid-principles-in-android-development/

Implementing SOLID Principles in Android Development

Writing software is an act of creation, and Android development is no exception. It’s about more than just making something work. It’s about designing applications that can grow, adapt, and remain manageable over time.

As an Android developer who has faced countless architectural challenges, I’ve discovered that adhering to the SOLID principles can transform even the most tangled codebases into clean systems. These are not abstract principles, but result-oriented and reproducible ways to write robust, scalable, and maintainable code.

This article will provide insight into how SOLID principles can be applied to Android development through real-world examples, practical techniques, and experience from the Meta WhatsApp team.

The SOLID principles, proposed by Robert C. Martin, are five design principles for object-oriented programming that guarantee clean and efficient software architecture.

Single Responsibility Principle (SRP): A class should have one and only one reason to change.

Open/Closed Principle (OCP): Software entities should be open for extension but closed for modification.

Liskov Substitution Principle (LSP): Subtypes must be substitutable for their base types.

Interface Segregation Principle (ISP): Interfaces should be client-specific and not force the implementation of unused methods.

Dependency Inversion Principle (DIP): High-level modules should depend on abstractions, not on low-level modules.

By integrating these principles into Android development, we can create applications that are easier to scale, test, and maintain.

Single Responsibility Principle is the foundation of writing maintainable code. It states that each class must have a single concern it takes responsibility for. A common anti-pattern is considering Activities or Fragments to be some “God classes” that handle responsibilities starting from UI rendering, then data fetching, error handling, etc. This approach makes a test and maintenance nightmare.

With the SRP, separate different concerns into different components: for example, in an app for news, create or read news.

class NewsRepository fun fetchNews(): List // Handles data fetching logic class NewsViewModel(private val newsRepository: NewsRepository) fun loadNews(): LiveData<List> // Manages UI state and data flow class NewsActivity : AppCompatActivity() // Handles only UI rendering

Every class has only one responsibility; hence, it’s easy to test and modify without having side effects.

In modern Android development, SRP is mostly implemented along with the recommended architecture using Jetpack. For example, logic related to data manipulation logic might reside inside ViewModel, while the Activities or Fragments should just care about the UI and interactions. Data fetching might be delegated to some separate Repository, either from local databases like Room or network layers such as Retrofit. This reduces the risk of UI classes bloat, since each component gets only one responsibility. Simultaneously, your code will be much easier to test and support.

The Open/Closed Principle declares that a class should be opened for extension but not for modification. It is more reasonable for Android applications since they constantly upgrade and add new features.

The best example of how to use the OCP principle in Android applications is interfaces and abstract classes. For example:

interface PaymentMethod fun processPayment(amount: Double) class CreditCardPayment : PaymentMethod override fun processPayment(amount: Double) // Implementation for credit card payments class PayPalPayment : PaymentMethod override fun processPayment(amount: Double) // Implementation for PayPal payments

Adding new payment methods does not require changes to existing classes; it requires creating new classes. This is where the system becomes flexible and can be scaled.

In applications created for Android devices, the Open/Closed Principle is pretty useful when it comes to feature toggles and configurations taken dynamically. For example, in case your app has an AnalyticsTracker base interface that reports events to different analytics services, Firebase and Mixpanel and custom internal trackers, every new service can be added as a separate class without changes to the existing code. This keeps your analytics module open for extension-you can add new trackers-but closed for modification: you don’t rewrite existing classes every time you add a new service.

The Liskov Substitution Principle states that subclasses should be substitutable for their base classes, and the application’s behavior must not change. In Android, this principle is fundamental to designing reusable and predictable components.

For example, a drawing app:

abstract class Shape abstract fun calculateArea(): Double class Rectangle(private val width: Double, private val height: Double) : Shape() override fun calculateArea() = width * height class Circle(private val radius: Double) : Shape() override fun calculateArea() = Math.PI * radius * radius

Both Rectangle and Circle can be replaced by any other one interchangeably without the system failure, which means that the system is flexible and follows LSP.

Consider Android’s RecyclerView.Adapter subclasses. Each subclass of the adapter extends from RecyclerView.Adapter<VH> and overrides core functions like onCreateViewHolder, onBindViewHolder, and getItemCount. The RecyclerView can use any subclass interchangeably as long as those methods are implemented correctly and not break the functionality of your app. Here, the LSP is maintained, and your RecyclerView can be flexible to substitute any adapter subclass at will.

In larger applications, it is common to define interfaces with too much responsibility, especially around networking or data storage. Instead, break them into smaller, more targeted interfaces. For example, an ApiAuth interface responsible for user authentication endpoints should be different from an ApiPosts interface responsible for blog posts or social feed endpoints. This separation will prevent clients that need only the post-related methods from being forced to depend on and implement authentication calls, hence keeping your code, as well as the test coverage, leaner.

Interface Segregation Principle means that instead of having big interfaces, several smaller, focused ones should be used. The principle prevents situations where classes implement unnecessary methods.

For example, rather than having one big interface representing users’ actions, consider kotlin code:

interface Authentication fun login() fun logout() interface ProfileManagement fun updateProfile() fun deleteAccount()

Classes that implement these interfaces can focus only on the functionality they require, thus cleaning up the code and making it more maintainable.

The Dependency Inversion Principle promotes decoupling by ensuring high-level modules depend on abstractions rather than concrete implementations. This principle perfectly aligns with Android’s modern development practices, especially with dependency injection frameworks like Dagger and Hilt.

For example:

class UserRepository @Inject constructor(private val apiService: ApiService) fun fetchUserData() // Fetches user data from an abstraction

Here, UserRepository depends on the abstraction ApiService, making it flexible and testable. This approach allows us to replace the implementation, such as using a mock service during testing.

Frameworks such as Hilt, Dagger, and Koin facilitate dependency injection by providing a way to supply dependencies to Android components, eliminating the need to instantiate them directly . In a repository, for instance, instead of instantiating a Retrofit implementation, you will inject an abstraction-for example, an ApiService interface. That way, you could easily switch the network implementation-for instance, an in-memory mock service for local testing-and would not need to change anything in your repository code. In real-life applications, you can find that classes are annotated with @Inject or @Provides to provide these abstractions, hence making your app modular and test-friendly.

Adopting SOLID principles in Android development yields tangible benefits:

Improved Testability: Focused classes and interfaces make it easier to write unit tests.

Enhanced Maintainability: Clear separation of concerns simplifies debugging and updates.

Scalability: Modular designs enable seamless feature additions.

Collaboration: Well-structured code facilitates teamwork and reduces onboarding time for new developers.

Performance Optimization: Lean, efficient architectures minimize unnecessary processing and memory usage.

In feature-rich applications, such as e-commerce or social networking apps, the application of the SOLID principles can greatly reduce the risk of regressions every time a new feature or service is added. For example, if a new requirement requires an in-app purchase flow, you can introduce a separate module that will implement the required interfaces (Payment, Analytics) without touching the existing modules. This kind of modular approach, driven by SOLID, allows your Android app to quickly adapt to market demands and keeps the codebase from turning into spaghetti over time.

While working on a large project which requires many developers to collaborate,, it is highly recommended  to keep a complex codebase with SOLID principles. For example, separating data fetching, business logic, and UI handling in the chat module helped reduce the chance of regressions while scaling the code with new features. Likewise, the application of DIP was crucial to abstract network operations, hence being able to change with almost no disruption between network clients.

More than a theoretical guide, the principles of SOLID are actually the practical philosophy for creating resilient, adaptable, and maintainable software. In the fast-moving world of Android development, with requirements changing nearly as often as technologies are, adherence to these principles provides a firm ground on which success may be founded.

Good code is not just about making something work—it’s about creating a system that can continue to work and grow with evolving needs. By embracing SOLID principles, you’ll not only write better code but also build applications that are a joy to develop, scale, and maintain.

[fashionfotorecccluse]

Small world: Not much has changed ...

[mitu444]

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[hsdigitalmedia]

Unleashing the Power of Mumbai Website Designers

Elevating Your Online Presence to New Heights

In the bustling metropolis of Mumbai, there exists a hidden force of creative geniuses who possess the extraordinary ability to transform your website into a captivating online masterpiece. Mumbai website designers are taking the digital world by storm, elevating the online presence of businesses to unprecedented heights. With their exceptional skills and boundless imagination, these designers have the power to create websites that not only attract attention but also leave a lasting impression on visitors. Using the latest design trends and cutting-edge technology, Mumbai website designers have the ability to capture the essence of your brand and translate it into a visually stunning website. From impressive visuals to seamless user experience, they possess the expertise to create a website that captivates your audience, drives engagement, and boosts conversions. Whether you are an established business looking to revamp your online presence or a startup seeking to make a splash in the digital world, Mumbai website designers are the secret weapon in your arsenal. Harnessing their immense talent and passion, they have the ability to unleash the true potential of your online business like never before.

The importance of a professional website design

A professional website design is crucial for making a strong first impression and building credibility. It enhances user experience, ensures brand consistency, and adapts to the mobile era. With SEO-friendly features, it boosts visibility in search results, giving a competitive edge. A well-designed site increases conversion rates, fosters trust, and allows for scalability, reflecting a commitment to quality and staying ahead in the digital landscape.

Understanding the role of Mumbai website designers

Mumbai website designers

play a pivotal role in crafting the digital identity of businesses in this bustling metropolis. They blend creativity and functionality to ensure websites not only look appealing but also deliver seamless user experiences. With an understanding of Mumbai's diverse industries, designers tailor websites to reflect local nuance

es and resonate with the target audience. They contribute to building brand credibility, enhancing online presence, and keeping businesses competitive in Mumbai's dynamic market.

Key Elements Of Effective Website Design

Effective website design

hinges on user experience and visual appeal. Clear navigation guides users seamlessly, while compelling CTAs drive desired actions. Responsive design ensures compatibility across devices, and fast loading times prevent user frustration. Engaging visuals and consistent branding enhance the site's aesthetic appeal, fostering a memorable user experience. Prioritizing SEO-friendly structures and integrating analytics contribute to search engine visibility and informed decision-making. Interactive elements, security features, and social media integration further enrich user interaction. Scalability and accessibility round out a well-designed website, adapting to growth and ensuring inclusivity.

Optimizing your website for user experience

Optimizing your website for user experience involves streamlining navigation, ensuring responsiveness across devices, and minimizing loading times. Clear calls-to-action guide users, while readable content and visually appealing design enhance engagement. Prioritize mobile-friendliness, accessible design, and optimized forms for a seamless experience. Consistent branding, social proof, and security measures build trust. Regular feedback mechanisms and A/B testing refine the site based on user preferences. Personalization and engaging content contribute to a positive user journey, fostering satisfaction and encouraging continued interaction.

Incorporating responsive design for mobile users

Incorporating responsive design for mobile users is essential for ensuring a seamless and visually appealing experience on smartphones and tablets. This approach involves creating a website layout that dynamically adjusts to different screen sizes, optimizing content and navigation for smaller displays. By prioritizing responsive design, businesses enhance accessibility, engage mobile users effectively, and improve overall user satisfaction, ultimately catering to the growing trend of mobile device usage for online interactions.

The impact of SEO on website design

The impact of SEO on website design is profound, influencing how a site is structured, coded, and presented. SEO-friendly design involves optimizing elements such as meta tags, header structure, and image attributes to enhance search engine visibility. User experience is also a critical factor, as search engines prioritize sites that offer a positive and intuitive experience. By integrating SEO principles into the design process, businesses can improve their website's ranking, increase organic traffic, and ensure a more effective online presence.

Leveraging the Power of Visual Elements in Website Design:

Harnessing the visual appeal of images, graphics, and layout, this approach enhances user engagement and communicates brand identity effectively. Thoughtful integration of visual elements captivates visitors, making the website not only aesthetically pleasing but also memorable and impactful.

Showcasing Your Brand through Compelling Website Content:

Crafted with a strategic blend of storytelling and information, compelling website content serves as the voice of your brand. It communicates values, highlights unique selling propositions, and fosters a connection with the audience. Quality content not only informs but also leaves a lasting impression, shaping the brand narrative.

Maximizing Conversions with Effective Call-to-Actions:

Well-crafted call-to-actions (CTAs) guide visitors toward desired actions, whether it's making a purchase, signing up, or contacting the business. Strategically placed and compelling CTAs enhance user experience, streamline the conversion process, and contribute to the overall success of the website in achieving its goals.

Collaborating with Mumbai Website Designers for a Successful Online Presence:

Partnering with Mumbai website designers brings local expertise and cultural understanding into the digital realm. These professionals tailor website designs to resonate with the diverse audience in Mumbai. Collaborative efforts ensure a website that not only meets global design standards but also reflects the unique identity and preferences of the Mumbai market, contributing to a successful online presence.

[theculturedmarxist]

In 2020, Robert Kuciemba, a woodworker in San Francisco was infected with covid by a co-worker after his Nevada-based Victory Woodworks transferred a number of sick workers to the San Francisco site for a few months. 

Through the proceedings of the case it turns out that the employer knew some employees might be sick but they transferred them anyway and ignored a San Francisco ordinance in place at the time to quarantine suspected covid cases.

Kuciemba was subsequently infected and he then infected his wife, who ended up in ICU on a ventilator.

The California Supreme Court just ruled against Kuciemba on the basis that a victory, while, in the court's words, "morally" the right thing to do, would create "dire financial consequences for employers" and cause a "dramatic expansion of liability" to stop the spread of covid.

There’s a few stunning details to note in this case. First, the court agreed that there is no doubt the company had ignored the San Francisco health ordinance. In other words, they accepted the company had broken the law. And then concluded “yeah, but, capitalism.”

Secondly, the case was so obviously important to the struggle between capitalism and mass infection that the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest business lobbying organisation got involved and helped the company with its defence. Remember, this is a tiny company in a niche industry. The involvement of the biggest business lobbyists in the country tells us a lot about the importance of the principle they knew was at stake.

Thirdly, the defence of the company is very telling. They said “There is simply no limit to how wide the net will be cast: the wife who claims her husband caught COVID-19 from the supermarket checker, the husband who claims his wife caught it while visiting an elder care home." 

Well, exactly. Capitalism couldn’t survive if employers were liable for covid infections contracted in the workplace, and the ripple effect of those infections. And they know it. 

This case is something of a covid smoking gun, revealing what we always suspected but had never seen confirmed in so many words: the public health imperative of controlling a pandemic virus by making employers liable for some of that control is, and always must be, secondary to capitalist profit. 

This ruling is also saying out loud what has been obvious to anyone paying attention for the last two years: employers don’t have a responsibility to keep your family safe from covid. You have that responsibility. And if you give a family member covid that you caught at work and they get sick or die – even if it was a result of law-breaking by your employer – that’s on you buddy.

It is the same old capitalist story: the shunting of responsibility for ills that should be shared across society, including employers in that society, onto individuals.

This ruling essentially helps codify workplace mass infection and justifies it as necessary for the smooth functioning of capitalism.

This is not new. This is where the ‘just a cold’ and the ‘mild' narrative came from. It came from doctors and healthcare experts whose first loyalty was to capitalism. Not to public health. To money, not to lives. Abetted by media who uncritically platformed them.

While this ruling tells us little that we couldn’t already see from the public policy approach of the last two years, it is revealing (and to some extent validating) to see it confirmed by the highest law of the land in the United States. 

[zvaigzdelasas]

"We heard from employees who, because of noncompetes, were stuck in abusive workplaces," she said. "One person noted when an employer merged with an organization whose religious principles conflicted with their own, a noncompete kept the worker locked in place and unable to freely switch to a job that didn't conflict with their religious practices."

These accounts, she said, "pointed to the basic reality of how robbing people of their economic liberty also robs them of all sorts of other freedoms." The FTC estimates about 30 million people, or one in five American workers, from minimum wage earners to CEOs, are bound by noncompetes. It says the policy change could lead to increased wages totaling nearly $300 billion per year by encouraging people to swap jobs freely.

The ban, which will take effect later this year, carves out an exception for existing noncompetes that companies have given their senior executives, on the grounds that these agreements are more likely to have been negotiated. The FTC says employers should not enforce other existing noncompete agreements.

The vote was 3 to 2 along party lines. The dissenting commissioners, Melissa Holyoke and Andrew Ferguson, argued that the FTC was overstepping the boundaries of its power. Holyoke predicted the ban would be challenged in court and eventually struck down.

Shortly after the vote, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it would sue the FTC to block the rule, calling it unnecessary, unlawful and a blatant power grab.

Huh [23 Apr 24]

[photomatt]

My Beliefs and Principles

A number of people are trying to brand me as transphobic, so I thought I would list out a number of my personal beliefs so folks coming across this in the future can judge for themselves.

I believe love is love, and consenting adults should be able to have whatever form of relationship they want or don't want. I believe governments should recognize all these unions with the same rights.

I believe people should be able to change their name, gender identity, and preferred pronouns whenever they want and however many times they want. I personally endeavor to follow all these preferences that are known to me.

I support adults making any modifications to their body they like.

I support people choosing to share or keep private the above.

This is not meant to be comprehensive, and in researching this post to make sure I was using the right language to express my beliefs I read through the Yogyakarta Principles and agree with everything in that document, which is much more comprehensive.

A few other points I'll include for context and history:

Both Automattic and WordPress.org, founded or co-founded by me in 2005 and 2003 respectively, have consistently supported LGBT+ organizations, contributors, and employees.

Automattic's open time off benefit includes full pay for medical time off has supported a number of people transitioning. We've invested considerable development time in updating or working around legacy HR systems to recognize the principles above, and will continue to as best practices evolve or we find mistakes.

When we remodeled Automattic's NYC office before moving in we made the bathrooms gender neutral. Same for a commercial warehouse I've recently remodeled.

I've personally donated to LGBT+ organizations as far back as 2016, and more recently have donated mid five figures to Human Rights organizations.

I have dedicated my life since the age of 19 to open source software, which I believe to be radically inclusive, and democratizing publishing, commerce, and messaging. My hope is this work contributes, even if in a small domain-specific way, to a more fair and just society.

[dailyadventureprompts]

As much as I'm falling in love with Blades in the Dark, I'm still trying to what makes for an ideal setting for it, as I've had a few false starts bore hitting something that works with my current weird western.

Here's what I've figured out:

1) Systems of power rotten through with corruption and exploitation. The current order is a house of cards held up only by injustice, compromise, and brutality... and it responds with EVEN MORE BRUTALITY when it's threatened. People with power need to be desperate to hold onto it and so are more willing to take risks to hold onto it, which presents opportunities for the players (and other groups) to act when that deathgrip opens cracks in the facade.

2) A particular claustrophobia when it comes to the factions. everyone is in someone's pocket, owes a debt, or knows a guy. Can't swing a dead bluecoat without knocking against three different factions and at least two of them hate you. While this doesn't necessarily mean you need to have everything happening in one city things need to be close enough together that the crew is stepping on someone's toes no matter where they go. This keeps the crew playing the game of politics, trading favours for alliances while constantly risking the wrath of those higher than them.

3) Vice as societal lubricant. Just like the crew needs vice to unwind from their capers, the setting needs flow of vice to keep the wheels of power turning, no matter how greasy they get or who gets crushed underfoot. The masses need distraction, the elites need excess, the industries need fuel, and the strange need power. This gives the crew endless opportunities to find someone who's buying what they're selling, or piss someone off after their antics interrupt the flow of commerce.

4) Enough is NEVER enough. An organizing principle of any world using Blades as a system is that no one ever has enough of what they need, and so is driven to desperate action in order to get it. Even those on top of the pyramid lack the control they desire (see point 1), and everyone they squeeze to get it finds themselves grasping for something else too. NPCs who are rich in any one thing should be hungrily lacking in something else, be it material resources or ephemeral things like recognition or inner peace. When the debt comes due, the crew always owes more than they can pay off, meaning they must take further risks to try and stabilize, forcing them to bite off more then they can chew each time.

5) The Clock is Ticking. Whether or not they know it, every time the crew goes through the setup/mission/downtime cycle they're getting closer and closer to something big happening. One of the city's long standing tensions boils over into outright conflict, someone important dies and leaves a mess for others to clean up, something well and truly weird happens and it throws the system into chaos. Sometimes the party will kickstart this chain of events themselves, but it's always a good idea to have at least one in your back pocket, that way if they play things safe you can spring the unexpected on them and knock them out of their predictable pattern.

[valtsv]

fuck it. silt verses oc masterpost. eat up.

- anastasis crane - god-hunter, atheist, and wandering vagabond. both predator and prey in a single being. does dirty work so others don't have to. it's ya boy annie.

- house crane - old money cult family who rebranded after their god was outlawed following the imago war. now they construct and review binding contracts for both peninsulan and linger straits bodies of commerce and government - with an emphasis on the "binding" aspect. rumour has it they've been granted special dispensation to keep practicing their illegal and rather nasty banned rituals, so long as they're discrete and keep providing their services to the people who matter. they don't mix much with anyone outside of the family except on business, and are rarely seen in public. it's generally agreed that the reports of many of them being not altogether human are just scary stories for children, but a few people have claimed (under the influence of a few rounds at the local bar) to have known someone who worked for someone high up in business or politics who can confirm the truth of such claims with their own eyes. of course, these people have generally since disappeared, which makes corroboration difficult. their characteristic spindly, spidery features are probably just a product of ancestral aristocratic inbreeding. probably.

- fen kahron - ferryman presiding over a treacherous stretch of marshland. you will not be able to cross without her help, but that hasn't stopped people from trying, either out of principle or to avoid the toll, which takes the form of something of personal value to the individual. fortunately, her god's mouth is always open. she's not terribly fond of the parish of tide and flesh - her relationship to her god is personal, and they keep trying to convert her. which is silly, really, because she's been dead for a very long time.

- the carrion-herald / the bleach-bone king - an angel/saint(?) of death and decay that feeds on the dead and dying in extreme, remote environments where rescue or retrieval is unlikely. his coming is heralded by his halo of carrion birds seen circling overhead. those who worship him see this as a sign of luck - either you've been chosen to meet him, or to bear witness to his procession.

- harmony joy - a love-saint who leads a dancing plague. once human, she called a god into her in her aching loneliness after being ostracised utterly from her community and forced to bear witness to their collective happiness together, which blessed her to dance forever so beautifully that she would never want for a partner again. she might seem sentient at first, but spend long enough in her company (not recommended) and you'll soon realise that her apparent personality is simply a fragmented collection of lovingly preserved scraps of her past lovers, who, once in her thrall, will dance until their bodies give out, even if their minds should break and skin and sinew should snap and be torn away in strips. sightings of her procession have dwindled in recent years, likely due to modern technological advancements allowing for more effective deterrence and warning systems, as well as the improvements in long-range weaponry, but she still features prominently in urban legends and cautionary tales about staying out late alone.

[wisteriagoesvroom]

📘📘📘

:))

carcar historical/victorian AU. oscar represents the industrial interests of webber & associates, as a steward tasked with ensuring the success of an ambitious project: the construction of a new railroad, one that is set to be a highway for new modes of commerce and trade on a vast scale.

the issue is, there is one member of the gentry who refuses to allow construction through his land. enter: carlos sainz jr. the two clash right away, and a battle over what seems to be a railroad really is about the battle of different interests and willingness to change.

(does oscar visit carlos's estate one night to try and understand what carlos's prickliness is about? yes. do they have a clash of principles that results in both of them shouting at each other in heated tones? yes. do they end up kissing each other up against the library walls where only the pages and old editions and gas lamps are there to keep their secrets? also, very much, yes.)

from: put a book emoji into my inbox and I'll explain the plot of a fanfiction that I haven't written but daydream about.

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

Do we know the favorite books that the French revolution figures liked to read? (It could be anyone, Robespierre or Saint just or Louis xvi it doesn't matter).

Much like this old ask about revolutionaries’ favorite dishes, I can’t say I know of any instance of someone exclaiming: ”this is 100% my favorite book,” but at tops people mentioning books that they thought were good or bad:

In his memoirs, Brissot writes he’s picking up Rousseau’s Confessions for the sixth time, so I guess that could qualify as a favorite book? send help

We have this list of books seized at Robespierre’s place after his death.

According to the memoirs of Élisabeth Duplay, Robespierre would read ”the works of Corneille, Voltaire and Rousseau” for her family in the evenings.

In a short biography over Desmoulins written in 1834, Marcellin Matton claims his favorite book was René Aubert de Vertot’s Histoire des révolutions arrivées dans le gouvernement de la République romaine (1719), of which he always carried a copy. Matton is an infamous romanticizer it’s from him we have the stupid leaf myth for example, but I’m willing to give him some leeway here since he could have obtained the information from Camille’s mother-in-law and sister-in-law, who were his friends:

In one of his first classes, he received Vertot's Révolutions romaines as a prize. Reading this work transported him with admiration; in the future, he always had a volume in his pocket. It was for him an indispensable companion, it was his vade mecum. He used or lost at least twenty volumes. It is perhaps to this excellent work and to the particular work that he did on the discourses of Cicero and especially on his Philippics, that we owe the lively and sharp style which distinguishes all the writings coming from the pen of Camille .

Desmoulins was however less fond of Rousseau’s Confessions, in number 55 (December 1790) of Révolutions de France et de Brabant he admits that he abandoned the book after getting infuriated by it:

Not that I idolize J.J. as I did in the past, since I saw in his Confessions that he had become an aristocrat in his old age. How far he was from looking at an Alexander with the pride of this Cynic, to whom he is compared, and how painfully I saw that he united the opposite faults of Diogenes and Arisippus! It is a pleasant thing to hear the author of the Social Contract protest in his Confessions about the simplicity of the commerce of such great lords (M. and Madame de Luxembourg) he cries with joy, he wants to kiss the feet of this good marshal, because he wanted to accompany one of his friends, an office clerk, for a walk. Is there anything smaller, more ridiculous? I received, he says elsewhere, the greatest honor that a man can receive, the visit of the Prince de Conti, (an honor that Rousseau shared with all the girls of the Palais-Royal.) At this point I tossed away the book out of spite, and I admit, that I had to reread the speech on equality of conditions, and Julie's novel, in order to not hate the philosopher of Geneva, like Durosoy and Mallet du Pan; for the same principles, in the mouth of such a great man, are more condemnable and worthy of aversion than in the mouths of our two gazetteers, whom God created poor in spirit, and predestined as such to the kingdom of heaven.

In a diary kept over the summer of 1788, Lucile Desmoulins mentions reading L’Âge d’Or (1782) by Sylvain Maréchal (of which she also copied two verses, Le Trésor and Le contrat de mariage devant la nature, in a notebook the year earlier), Les Idylles et poèmes champêtres (1762) by Salomon Gessner, L’Hymne au soleil, suivi de plusieurs morceaux du même genre qui n’ont point encore paru (1782) by Abbé de Reyrac (where she wrote down the verse La Gelée d’avril), Nouvelles lettres anglaises, ou Histoire du Chevalier Grandisson (1754) by Samuel Richardson and  Les Noces patriarchales, poëme en prose en cinq chants (1777) by Robert Martin Lesuire.

In his memoirs, Buzot mentions enjoying the works of Rousseau and Plutarch:

With what charms I still remember this happy period of my life which can no longer return, when, during the day, I silently roamed the mountains and woods of the city where I was born, reading with delight some works of Plutarch or of Rousseau, or recalling to my memory the most precious features of their morality and their philosophy. Sometimes, sitting on the flowering grass, in the shade of some thick trees, I indulged, in a sweet melancholy, in the memories of the sorrows and the pleasures which had in turn agitated the first days of my life. Often the cherished works of these two good men had occupied or maintained my vigils with a friend of my age whom death took from me at thirty, and whose memory, always dear and respected, has preserved from many errors!

Wow any chance you can sound even more like an 18th century man stereotype, Buzot?

…and that’s basically all I can come up with for the moment. But add on if you know anything more! @louis-antoine-leon-saint-just @lazarecarnot maybe you would like to share your favorite books with us if you have any?

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The New Yorker :: @NewYorker [An advance look at Barry Blitt’s “Left to Their Own Devices,” the cover for next week’s issue.]

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

March 28, 2025

Heather Cox Richardson

Mar 29, 2025

“Another wipeout walloped Wall Street Friday,” Stan Choe of the Associated Press wrote today. The S&P 500 had one of its worst days in two years, dropping 2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 715 points, losing 1.7% of its value. The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.7%. On Tuesday, news dropped that the administration’s blanket firings and wildly shifting tariff policies have dropped consumer confidence to a low it has not hit since January 2021. Today’s stock market tumble started after the Commerce Department released data showing that consumer prices are rising faster than economists expected.

AIG chief international economist James Knightley said: “We are moving in the wrong direction and the concern is that tariffs threaten higher prices, which means the inflation prints are going to remain hot.” Business leaders like lower interest rates, which reduce borrowing costs and make it cheaper to finance business initiatives, but with rising inflation, the Federal Reserve will be less likely to cut interest rates.

Makena Kelly of Wired reported today that billionaire Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) is planning to move the computer system of the Social Security Administration (SSA) off the old programming language it uses, COBOL, to a new system. In 2017, the SSA estimated that such a migration would take about five years. DOGE is planning for the migration to take just a few months, using artificial intelligence to complete the change.

Experts have expressed concern. Dan Hon, who runs a technology strategy company that helps the government modernize its services, told Kelly: “If you weren’t worried about a whole bunch of people not getting benefits or getting the wrong benefits, or getting the wrong entitlements, or having to wait ages, then sure go ahead.” More than 65 million Americans currently receive Social Security benefits. Today Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) recorded himself calling the SSA and being told by a recording that the wait times were more than two hours and that he should call back. And then the system hung up on him.

Musk told the Fox News Channel today that he plans to step down from DOGE in May, apparently at the end of the 130-day cap for the “special government employee” designation that enables him to avoid financial disclosures. In February, White House staffers suggested Musk would stay despite the limit.

Today the State Department told Congress it is shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) altogether by July 1. Whatever agency functions the administration approves will move into the State Department. Founded by President John F. Kennedy and enjoying bipartisan support, USAID administers programs for global health, disaster relief, long-term economic development, education, environmental protection, and democracy. It is widely perceived to be a key element of U.S. “soft power.”

USAID was created by Congress, and its funds are appropriated by Congress. Congress and the courts have established that the executive branch—the branch of government overseen by the president—cannot kill an agency Congress has created and cannot withhold appropriations Congress has made. The authors of Project 2025 want to challenge that principle and consolidate government power in the hands of the president. It appears they have chosen USAID as the test case.

As Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shatters science and health agencies, the nation’s top vaccine regulator, Dr. Peter Marks, submitted his resignation today after being given the choice to resign or be fired. Dan Diamond of the Washington Post noted that Marks has been at the Food and Drug Administration since 2012 and has been at the head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research since 2016.

In his resignation letter, Diamond says, Marks expressed his deep concern over the ongoing measles outbreak in the Southwest—now more than 450 cases—and warned that the outbreak “reminds us of what happens when confidence in well-established science underlying public health and well-being is undermined.” Marks said that although he was willing to work with Kennedy on his plan to review vaccine safety, “it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

On Tuesday, news broke that Kennedy has tapped anti-vaccine activist David Geier to lead a study looking to link autism to vaccines, although that alleged link has been heavily studied and thoroughly debunked. Infectious disease journalist Helen Branswell notes that Geier does not have a medical degree and was disciplined in Maryland for practicing medicine without a license.

British investigative journalist Brian Deer, who has written about the hoax that vaccines cause autism, told Branswell: “If you want an independent source,… [you] wouldn’t go to somebody with no qualifications and a long track record of impropriety and incompetence.” But, he said, “[i]f you wanted to get in anybody off the street who would come up with the result that Kennedy would like to see, this would be your man.”

Tara Copp of the Associated Press reported today that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has done some targeted staffing, too. His younger brother Phil Hegseth is traveling to the Indo-Pacific with the secretary in his role at the Pentagon as a liaison and senior advisor to the Department of Homeland Security. Hegseth also employed his brother when he ran the nonprofit Concerned Veterans for America, where the younger Hegseth’s salary was $108,000 for his media work. Copp notes that a 1967 law “prohibits government officials from hiring, promoting or recommending relatives to any civilian position over which they exercise control.”

Hegseth and his colleagues are still in the hot seat for uploading the military’s attack plans against the Houthis in Yemen to Signal, an unsecure commercially available messaging app. Yesterday, Nancy A. Youssef, Alexander Ward, and Michael R. Gordon of the Wall Street Journal reported that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz identified a Houthi missile expert whose identity Israel had provided from a human source in Yemen, angering Israeli officials.

Americans, especially those with ties to the military, aren’t happy either. Military, the leading news website for service members, veterans, and their families, titled a story about the scandal “‘Different spanks for different ranks’: Hegseth’s Signal scandal would put regular troops in the brig.” Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt of the New York Times reported that the story had “angered and bewildered” fighter pilots, who say “they can no longer be certain that the Pentagon is focused on their safety when they strap into cockpits.”

At a raucous town hall held today by Republican representative Victoria Spartz (R-IN), the crowd booed Spartz loudly when she said she would not call for the resignations of Waltz, Hegseth, and the rest of the people on the group chat.

All the mayhem created by the administration has created enough backlash that the White House appears concerned about upcoming special elections on April 1. One is for the seat in Florida’s District 6 that Waltz vacated when he became national security advisor. In 2024, Trump won that district by 30 points, and Republicans considered their candidate, state senator Randy Fine, whom Trump has strongly endorsed, to be such a shoo-in that he barely campaigned. His website features pictures of him with Trump but has only bullet points to explain his stand on issues.

Democrat Josh Weil, a middle-school math teacher who has outraised Fine by almost 10 to one, is polling within the margin of error for a victory in a contest where even a 10- to 15-point loss would show a dramatic collapse in Republican support. Weil has tied Fine to Musk’s unpopular DOGE and to the president, as well as to cuts to Social Security and Medicaid.

Trump is now personally campaigning for Fine and for the Republican candidate to fill the seat vacated by former representative Matt Gaetz in Florida District 1. There, Democratic candidate Gay Valimont is running against Republican Jimmy Patronis in a district that elected Trump with about 68% of the vote. Like Fine, Patronis is strongly backed by Trump and wants more cuts to the federal government; Gay is a former state leader for Moms Demand Action and focuses on healthcare and veterans’ services. She has criticized DOGE’s cuts to VA hospitals. Like Weil, she has significantly outraised her opponent.

Republicans are concerned enough about holding the seats that billionaire Elon Musk, who poured more than $291 million into the 2024 election to help Republicans, has begun to contribute to Republicans in Florida. On Tuesday he spent more than $10,000 apiece for texting services for the Florida candidates.

Musk has contributed far more than that—more than $20 million—to the April 1 election for a ten-year seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Trump loyalist Brad Schimel is running against circuit court judge Susan Crawford in a contest that has national significance. Wisconsin is evenly split between the parties, but when Republicans control the legislature and the supreme court, they suppress voting and heavily gerrymander the state in their favor. When liberals hold the majority on the court, they ease election rules and uphold fair maps. Currently, the state gerrymander gives Republicans 75% of the state’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives although voting in 2024 was virtually dead even. The makeup of the court could well determine the congressional districts of Wisconsin through 2041, through the redistricting that will take place after the 2030 census.

Musk has told voters that if Crawford wins, “then the Democrats will attempt to redraw the districts and cause Wisconsin to lose two Republican seats.” Not only has Musk said he is going to Wisconsin to speak before the election, but also he is handing out checks to voters who sign a petition against “activist judges,” a suggestion that it would not be fair to unskew the Republican gerrymander. Last night, Musk advertised a contest that would award two voters a million dollars each, with the condition that the winners had to have already voted.

This morning, Wisconsin Democrats issued a press release noting that Musk had “committed a blatant felony,” directly violating the Wisconsin law that prohibits offering anyone anything worth more than $1 to get them to “vote or refrain from voting.” Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler said that if Schimel “does not immediately call on Musk to end this criminal activity, we can only assume he is complicit.”

Musk deleted the tweet and then, eliminating the language that said people had to have voted, posted that he would give the checks to spokespeople for his petition. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul sued to stop Musk “from any further promotion of the million-dollar gifts” and “from making any payments to Wisconsin electors to vote.” “The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that elections in Wisconsin are safe, secure, free, and fair,” Kaul said in a statement. “We are aware of the offer recently posted by Elon Musk to award a million dollars to two people at an event in Wisconsin this weekend. Based on our understanding of applicable Wisconsin law, we intend to take legal action today to seek a court order to stop this from happening.”

MeidasTouch reposted Musk’s offer to “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote” and noted: “No matter what side of the aisle you are on, you should be appalled that a billionaire thinks he has the right to buy elections like this.” Former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party David Pepper posted: “Have some pride, America. We are so much better than this guy thinks we are.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[accountability-movement]

How Far Into Project 2025 Are We?

Here is a status report of Project 2025's primary goals, organized by the anticipated timeframe for their potential implementation in the United States. A green check (✅) indicates goals that have been completed, a red check (❌) denotes those that have not yet been achieved, a question mark (❓) signifies goals attempted through executive orders, and a yellow dash (🟡) represents goals currently in progress.

Within the Next Week:

Appointment of Key Officials:

Appointment of individuals aligned with Project 2025 to significant administrative positions.

Example: Appointment of Russell Vought as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Status: ✅ Completed

Within the next month:

Restructuring Federal Agencies:

Initiation of efforts to downsize or eliminate specific federal agencies, such as the Department of Education and the Department of Commerce.

Example: Proposal to abolish the Department of Education.

Status: ❓ Attempted through Executive Order

An executive order has been prepared to begin winding down the Department of Education, urging Congress to pass legislation to abolish it. However, significant challenges exist due to the department's funding and existence being mandated by Congress.

Policy Reversals:

Reversal of existing policies related to environmental regulations and LGBTQ+ protections.

Example: Rolling back climate change initiatives.

Status: ❓ Attempted through Executive Order

President Trump signed Executive Order 14162, "Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements," directing the immediate withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement and other international climate commitments.

Within the Next Year or Longer:

Judicial Appointments:

Appointment of federal judges who align with Project 2025's conservative principles.

Status: 🟡 In Progress

The administration is in the process of nominating and confirming judges aligned with its conservative agenda.

Legislative Changes:

Enactment of laws to implement tax reforms, such as reducing corporate tax rates and instituting a flat income tax.

Status: 🟡 In Progress

The administration has proposed significant tax reforms and is working with Congress to pass the necessary legislation.

Social Policy Overhauls:

Implementation of policies to infuse government and society with conservative Christian values, including restricting abortion rights and redefining marriage.

Status: ❓ Attempted through Executive Order

President Trump signed an executive order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," which implements strict binary definitions of sex and mandates their use throughout the federal government, affecting policies related to gender identity and LGBTQ+ protections.

[bonne-chanson]

✎𓂃 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 : 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒙 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 ᝰ.ᐟ

a mini-series of one shots dedicated specifically for the characters of bungo stray dogs: stormbringer!

✑ 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 !

based on the planets suite, op. 32 by gustav holst, one of my favorite orchestral works ever. i thought it would be nice to write something for this, mostly because i attended a very special performance of it around a month ago (and also to celebrate the manga adaptation that recently came out)!

because the piece contains seven movements based on each planet of the solar system (as well as their respective personalities), i will be assigning one movement per character, as listed below:

i. mars, bringer of war : paul verlaine x reader

the ominous and angry first movement of the entire suite ; represents the roman god of war, mars

contains nsfw. MDNI!

ii. venus, bringer of peace : lippmann x reader

the ethereal yet eerie second movement, a slower contrast to the first ; represents the roman goddess of love, venus

iii. mercury, the winged messenger : albatross x reader

the fast and vivacious third movement, short yet playful ; represents the roman god of commerce and messengers, mercury

iv. jupiter, bringer of jollity : piano man x reader

the well-known and majestic fourth movement of the planets containing the most popular theme of the seven ; represents the roman king of all gods, jupiter

v. saturn, bringer of old age : iceman x reader

the slow and unsettlingly powerful fifth movement accompanied by a harp with passages as icy as the planet’s rings ; represents the roman god of time, saturn

vi. uranus, the magician : adam frankenstein x reader

the boisterous and idiosyncratic sixth movement ; represents the roman god of the sky, uranus

vii. neptune, the mystic : doc x reader

the mysterious and other-worldly seventh movement ; represents the roman god of the sea, neptune

✑ 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 !

typically, when a performance is well-received, an encore unrelated to the main repertoire played follows. that being said, i’ll be applying the same principle for this mini-series for another character if the audience wishes. should these one shots be received well enough, i will add a bonus (underrated) character to the list, based on the helios overture, op. 17 by carl nielsen, just to complete the entire solar system for this repertoire. ;>

(encore!) an overture to helios : ??? x reader

a concert overture so warm and brooding, it paints a picture of the sun rising and falling over the aegean sea with swelling strings ; dedicated to helios / sol, god of the sun

i have so much love for this piece in particular (as it is one of the orchestral works i grew up listening to), so i hope you guys get to enjoy it as much as i do through some of the stormbringer characters. 🫶 much like holst himself (who favored saturn), i also have a favorite movement here so i tried not to be so biased about it lmao (i gave it to piano man).

these one shots won’t be connected in any way (unless you’re creative enough to find some way to connect them lol)! feel free to read them in any order — i assigned those movements to certain characters solely because i thought they fit the music and the context behind each part of the suite. :}

as for the scheduling: expect the one-shot to drop every time a new chapter of hoshikawa’s stormbringer adaptation is out (which means this will be monthly)! i will do my best to time it right!

next one-shot: lippmann x reader -> april 30!

also, just a short heads-up: some one shots may or may not contain nsfw! and as always, when that is the case, MDNI!

anyway, hopefully i get to play this piece one day! :’>

✎ . . . ᝰ.ᐟ

[midnightslurpees]

Prologue

Knight!Steve Harrington x Princess!Reader

Find series master list here

Chapter warnings: No warnings, just a longer introduction into the fic. (800+ words)

A/N: Ahhh. It's finally happening. I've finally started to write my first fic. This little idea of my has been brewing my the back of my mind a while now and thought i would finally write it and share it with others Not to sure how long the overall story will be but i know the plot start to finish. Just hopefully i can find my love of writing trying to get from point A to B

===================================

In a realm far away, a tale unfolds, of hearts entwined, yet fate foretold. Forbidden love, a flame so bright, But destiny's grip, a bittersweet plight. He, a knight with a heart so true, She, a princess with duties to pursue. Their hearts collide, a love untamed, yet an oath was sworn, their love constrained. She, a jewel of a kingdom fair, her hand was sought by a suitor's snare. To wed another, her heart would break, yet it would be for the kingdom's sake. Fate's cruel twist, their love torn apart, the knight felt a pain, like a dagger through his heart. He yearned for ease, a twisted cure, He sought help in magic's allure. The forest answered his desperate plea, offering an elixir to set him free. In his grief-stricken state, he took the forbidden path, Unleashing dark magic, a furious aftermath. His heart turned to darkness, hatred did consume, A pawn in the game, he danced with doom. Once noble and just, he became twisted and vile, He aided the villains, his heart filled with guile. Though this story weaves a tragic thread, I can assure you on how this tale ends. If there's one thing we know for sure, it’s that true love can save us all.

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

Teigrod, a kingdom in the north. Centuries have passed since the first stones of the village walls were laid. Inside these walls was a bustling hub of activity and a centre of trade and commerce. Its streets are lined with stone buildings adorned with colourful banners and bustling market stalls. Within there’s a baker, blacksmith, seamstress, apothecary and anything one village would need to get by. At the heart of the kingdom lies a castle. A castle made of stone and built by the family whose blood still lives there to this day.

Behind the castle walls are gardens. Once only for the royals that lived within, it turned into a training ground for the royal guard and a place where the farmers grew more of their crops as the years passed. The back of the gardens has become part of the enchanted woodlands. The kingdom's military strength is evident in the presence of well-trained knights who serve as protectors of Teigrod. Clad in shining armour, they uphold the principles of chivalry and defend the kingdom from external threats. Vines from the woods climbed over these walls to find solace away from what lurks deep within the forest.

As for the royal family, the King and Queen ruled side by side for the last few years. They only ever had one child, Y/N Teigrod, the next in line for the throne. The king and queen would always put the needs of the kingdom before their own and do whatever was best for it. Despite this, they were a highly known family amongst the many kingdoms around and would go to many events and dances and were always the ones to keep the peace.

Teigrod was one of those kingdoms where the kingdom loved their rulers, and the rulers loved them. There never was a real dynamic of peasants and royals, which is why the kingdom flourished as it did. However, not everyone perceived Teigrod in the same light. Azuria viewed the harmonious and inclusive nature of Teigrod as a sign of weakness. It is what love does to you after all. Azuria sat on the other side of the Oerfel mountains and was carved into the brittle stone. A once beloved queen gone meant that only the bitter heart of a king remained and their eldest son.

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

Music and laughter erupted throughout the village streets. The scent of wildflowers filled the air as the townsfolk adorned their homes and shops with vibrant garlands and wreaths. Colourful ribbons danced in the breeze, clinging onto doorsteps and street posts in hopes of not flying away. The rhythmic beats of drums and the melodies of flutes filled the air. The sound of ancient hymns echoed throughout the streets. The village square became a stage as the village folk danced, twirled and leaped to the music. The town folks stare at the maypole with their faces flushed with excitement for the day's events. Everyone wore flower crowns or a garland of some sort, embracing the festivities of Beltane.

The same energy was evident throughout the halls of the castle too. You were wandering through the halls, adorned in your regal gown of silk and lace. You exchanged greetings with the castle staff, who were preparing for the day's festivities. The maids scurried about, decorating the halls with vibrant tapestries and floral arrangements, whilst the cooks busied themselves, making delectable aromas waft through the air.

Your eyes darted around the hallways, hoping to catch a glimpse of Robin, your handmaiden. Your footsteps sped up as she ventured down the hall leading to the throne room. In your hand you held a delicate flower crown that you’d woven for Robin using flowers found within the castle garden. As you turned a corner, you collided with a sturdy figure. Your steps faltered, and her eyes met those of honey and moss belonging to the head of the royal guard.

“My apologies, princess”