#SIX. MILLION. PEOPLE. there are no bounds to the town the town has become the landscape at this point. no good/bad side of town

[faithfromanewperspective]

to anyone on the internet feeling the need to small-townify sydney. please, let me tell you, there's a stark difference between the walkable medium town depression-and-social-class-angst and the miles-and-miles-of-sprawling-suburbia depression-and-social-class-angst. just trust me on this one. sydneysiders have been working on building the latter for centuries now

[fatehbaz]

On 21 July 2016, Husky Energy Inc. spilled around 200,000 litres of oil mixed with diluents into the North Saskatchewan River, near the Saskatchewan-Alberta border. The oil spill breached the containment booms that had been built in the river, and flowed past cities and First Nations lands downstream of the leak. The cities of Prince Albert and North Battleford and the James Smith Cree Nation were forced to enact emergency drinking-water measures. Beyond the spill’s technical and infrastructural impact, the oil and diluents killed many more-than-human beings within the river [...]. I was horrified as I read posts that friends uploaded to social media showing dead beavers and herons and other beings floating down the river. I grew up along the kisiskaciwani-sipiy (North Saskatchewan River), in the city of amiskwaciwaskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta).

To speak of Edmonton/amiskwaciwaskahikan is to speak a water truth. It is nestled along, and spans, the banks of the mighty kisiskaciwani-sipiy, which has carved its way deep into the soil and clay and sand and stone to yield steep banks that cut through Edmonton like an artery, supplying the city with water, with life. The river binds Edmonton to a broader watershed. The clear mountain waters, which originate deep in the Rocky Mountains at the Columbia Icefield, become turbid and inscrutable by the time they flow past the factories and sewage plants and homes and bridges of amiskwaciwaskahikan.

But upstream of Edmonton, a four-hour drive south-west of the city, near Rocky Mountain House, you can still see the river running clear and with promise. The North Saskatchewan River, which my family is so deeply bound up with, is, in many ways, an unassuming prairie river. It winds its way, insistently, through the foothills to the west of the province, and rushes along vast stretches of prairie towards the clay-and-soil-rich banks of my prairie home town, which it moves languidly through, its steep banks covered, variously, in aspen, spruce, wild roses, caragana, hazelnuts and misaskwatomina (Saskatoon berries).

Within the city, the river lays bare dramatically steep cliffs, which, as a former nicimos (sweetheart/lover) taught me, hold dinosaur bones in secret pockets of the river valley.

These fossils, which hide in a city of a nearly million people, act as reminders of an order of existence in this place that today churns and turns on the risks and riches of Alberta’s oil and gas economy.

The fossil fuels which animate the political economy of my home province are a paradoxical kind of kin -- the bones of dinosaurs and the traces of flora and fauna from millions of years ago which surface in rocks and loamy earth in Alberta act as teachers for us, reminding us of the life that once teemed here when the place that we know as Alberta was home to myriad species who made life, made worlds, within lands and waters I now know as pehonan. But, the insatiable desire to liberate these long-gone beings from their resting place, to turn the massive stores of carbon and hydrogen left from eons of life in this place, weaponises these fossil-kin, these long-dead beings, and transforms them into threats to our very existence as humans in prairie metropolises like my home town. The oil economy turns these fossil beings into threats to the ‘narrow conditions of existence’ [...].

It is not the oil itself that is harmful. It rested beneath the loamy soil and clay of what is now Alberta for eons. Anecdotes of the Dene people’s use of the bituminous tar that occurs naturally along the Athabasca River in northern Alberta to patch canoes reminds me that these oily materials are not, in and of themselves, violent or dangerous. Rather, the ways that they are weaponised through petro-capitalist extraction and production turn them into settler-colonial-industrial-capitalist contaminants and pollutants. It is here that I am challenged to reconsider my reactions to the oil flowing along the river. The oil in the Husky spill is, yes, a contaminant. And the ineffective responses of state and corporate bodies alike enabled the oil to breach its containment, to endanger drinking-water systems.

But it is not this material drawn from deep in the earth that is violent. It is the machinations of human political-ideological entanglements that deem it appropriate to carry this oil through pipelines running along vital waterways, that make this oily progeny a weapon against fish, humans, water and more-than-human worlds. [...]

So what other worlds can we dream of for the remnants of the long-gone dinosaurs, of the flora and fauna that existed millions of years ago? [...] How can we tend to these narrow conditions of existence [...]? If we fail to do so, we may go the way of the dinosaurs, and it will be because the dominant human ideological paradigm of our day forgot to tend with care [...]. Forgot to tend to relationships, [...] to the continuous co-constitution of life-worlds between humans and others.

-----

Zoe Todd. “Fish, Kin and Hope: Tending to Water Violations in amiskwaciwâskahikan and Treaty Six Territory.” Afterall. 2016.

[love-killed-the-superstar]

i finally finished cass week!! its been lots of late nights but so much fun. thank you everyone whos been reading these. tonight i have some real good cassunzel/unknighted dream content for yall, so enjoy if that’s your thing

CASSANDRA APPRECIATION WEEK DAY 7 - FINALE

How is one supposed to feel, showing up at their girlfriend's wedding to somebody else?

Cassandra has been through the whole spectrum of emotions in the run up to it all. There's been joy, of course, and in abundance – these are her best friends, taking that next important step in their lives. While she... takes her own next step. Alone.

She has poured over detailed illustrations Rapunzel sent her in letters of the various wedding patterns she's considered. It's amazing how much input Cass has had in the whole thing, considering it isn't even her wedding, especially when also factoring in the distance between them. She's helped pick out the flavour of punch while hunched over a campfire on a cold night; she's backed up Rapunzel's desire to forego shoes, even in the royal cathedral, in her underthings while her clothes hung up to dry after she got caught in a flash flood.

Half the time it doesn't feel like her place, and she withholds her opinion. Or she'll write back something along the lines of 'you should ask your future husband, not me'. But then Rapunzel counters that with 'well, you're like my future wife, so your opinion is equally important'. And... well, that just leads to other emotions that are even harder for her to deal with.

The flip side of the coin is the disappointment she feels, knowing that Rapunzel can only marry one person and Eugene is the clear winner, in both the royal family's favour and the court of public opinion. After all, who would come to a wedding where the princess marries the very person that nearly destroyed the kingdom? Cassandra can't fault Rapunzel for making the choice to marry Eugene; he was in Rapunzel's life first, he's begrudgingly grown on the people of Corona despite his shady past, and during the mess that she caused he stepped up and took responsibility. He loves her. He'll do anything for her.

She's happy for them, really. But the whole situation still feeds back into this complex she's worked so hard to overcome these last couple years. Marriage just a... a ceremony, a piece of paper, a legal contract. A wedding is a big, over-dramatic party that she would never in a million years want to take part in anyway. And hasn't she always told herself, since she was an angry little kid rolling her eyes at the Day of Hearts' puppet show, that romance, matrimony, all that bullshit, is something she's never wanted for herself?

It's petty, plain and simple, to have such a sting of jealousy at the idea of Rapunzel and Eugene marrying. They deserve their happy ending! More than anybody! Cass will just... have to figure out a way to be okay with that. Chasing destiny on the open road is her happy ending anyway, and that's no life for a... what would she even be? Princess consort? Duchess?

...Fine. She doesn't need a title or status to be happy. So much of her identity has been clinging to words other people might use to describe her and it can only end if she wishes it so.

All the same – it would be nice, just for a day, if she could be Rapunzel's bride.

…

Cass doesn't mean to show up late to the ceremony, although she's sure that Lance will slide up and make some comment at the reception anyway. Maybe she just didn't want to get up that morning. Maybe it's because she stayed up late last night, camping out at the lagoon, thinking about the vows they took all those years ago. After all, wasn't that modelled after a private wedding, between the two rulers who bound their kingdoms together? A marriage that is recognised in Corona's history books? By extension, aren't her and Rapunzel already married, in their own way?

That should be enough.

By the time Fidella and Owl rouse her, their casual annoyance morphing into urgency as the sun rises higher in the sky, she already knows she won't make it on time. She won't even have time to change, after Rapunzel spent weeks pestering her for her clothing measurements to have an appropriate outfit tailored. Thankfully, Raps knows her well enough not to commission a dress.

Cass rides like she's never ridden before, determined to get there before the vows. What will Rapunzel and Eugene think of her if they look out to the pews and see she isn't there, after all she's done to convince them she's fine with it all? She promised herself, the moment she held the pale lilac wedding invitation in her hands six months prior, that she wouldn't ruin their big day for them. Even if she shows up with windswept hair and yesterday's travelling clothes on, she has to be there, cheering them on.

With her and Fidella's combined determination they make the journey from the lagoon to the castle walls in record time. Standing at the gate, she purses her lips in annoyance as Stan and Pete, in a frustrating display of competence, ask for proof of ID and her invitation.

“Stan, Pete, this is ridiculous. You know me. You've known me since I was a kid.”

“Sorry, Cassandra,” Stan says sagely, as she begrudgingly hands over her Corona citizen identification card. “Rules are rules, and this is a big day for the princess.”

“Besides, we need to be on the lookout for shapeshifters,” Pete adds on, holding her invitation to the light to search for the subtly printed Corona emblem on the paper. “It's a recent thing we've been told to watch out for. A couple years ago there was an incident at the goodwill festival, see.”

“Pete, that was also me,” Cass says flatly.

“Never can be too careful,” he sighs, shaking his head. “Captain's orders and all. We good here, Stan?”

“Yup, everything looks legitimate. Welcome back to Corona, Cassandra!” Stan says, reverting back to his cheerful disposition.

“I am going to kill Eugene for this. Figuratively, of course.”

Stan motions for the gates to open, and as they do, a narrow stream of what looks to be wine rushes past Fidella's hooves. She moves aside slightly, snorting a little in confusion.

“Eww,” mutters Pete, exchanging a confused look with Stan before clearing his throat. “Well, you'd better hurry to the wedding if you don't want to miss the vows!”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Cass wrinkles her nose a little at the trail of wine leading across the bridge, eyes widening as it becomes apparent that there is much more where that came from. As the gates swing shut once again, Cass wonders to herself what the fuck they have just walked into.

The whole kingdom looks to be a mess. There are lanterns flying everywhere, and between them there are doves. Passing through the lower town, it looks like there's been some sort of roof collapse at the old tar works, and the stream of wine gradually becomes a shallow river. Fidella does her best to step around the mess, but it's nearly impossible; even the houses lining the street have been doused. At this rate, the reception will be an extremely sober affair.

Cass picks her way through the winding streets leading up to the palace, passing by a few torn up carts selling imitation merchandise of Rapunzel's wedding attire. She can't help but scoff at the broken shoe cart. As if Raps would wear shoes, even to her own wedding.

The crowd, all dressed in their Sunday bests, look shaken to their cores when she finally reaches the courtyard. The tables that were laid out for the reception are overturned, there is soup everywhere, and no one knows quite what to do with themselves.

She approaches a guard, looking flustered as he tries to set a nearby table upright, and asks, “Uh, what happened here?”

“Some – some horse burst through in a frenzy,” he explains, shaking like a leaf. “It, uh, from a distance it kinda looked like Maximus.”

Cassandra's brow furrows. “Is everything okay?”

“There are no reports of a disturbance in the throne room,” the guard continues. “But as you can see, the decorations have all been tarnished.”

“Yeah, I can see that. Look, I won't keep you, I just need access to the throne room. I have an invitation here, signed by the princess...”

After an excruciating second ID check (she was seriously going to maim Eugene for introducing this ridiculous 'shapeshifter' check) Cass is granted access to the venue, and figuring it's probably best not to draw attention to her tardiness, she slips in through one of the side entrances, with its door propped open to let in some cool air on such a hot day.

Cass hops down from Fidella's back, scratching the side of her head affectionately as Owl swoops down to take her place. He hoots at her curiously.

“Yeah, I don't know what the fuck just went down either,” Cass whispers. “I'm sure we'll find out later. For now, let's just not make a scene?”

Fate has other plans, however. She makes it barely two steps past the doorway before almost being bowled over by a runaway eight-tier wedding cake.

“Woah!” she gasps, stepping out of the way just in time to avoid getting a face full of cake. She reaches around, gripping the sides of the trolley to try and keep it from rolling all the way outside. Fidella steps in to help, blocking the exit with her body, and Cass heaves a sigh of relief as the trolley grinds to a halt, the cake wobbling precariously for several painful seconds before stabilising. Owl hoots in victory and Cass exhales loudly.

“Oh thank god. That could have been a disaster.”

“...Hey, where's the cake?” a voice, unmistakably Eugene's, calls from beyond the edge of the corridor. Cass cringes. So much for quietly watching from the sidelines.

Steeling herself, she slips around the back of the trolley and with some effort, pushes it around the corner and into the throne room. There's an audible ripple of uncertainty through the pews, as the confused guests mutter to one another about why some windswept vagrant is wheeling out a cake that was already in position at the beginning of the ceremony. There's a hoot of laughter (definitely Lance) at Cassandra's dishevelled appearance, a sharp “is that Cassandra?” from three rows away (her dad's voice, for sure), and a few giggles she's guessing are coming from Kiera and Catalina's direction. She can't even bear to look at the king and queen.

Instead, she sees two figures in white. Eugene, looking proud as can be in his very expensive wedding garb that he bragged about to her in several letters... and Rapunzel, face framed by the soft lace veil behind her, looking so beautiful Cass could cry. Her surprise melts into pure glee, and if it weren't for the colossal cake in between, Cass knows Raps would be launching herself at her right then and there, present company be damned.

She passes Max and Pascal and almost chokes. That would explain the sorry state of the tar works' roof, at least. From somewhere behind, she hears Fidella stifle a snort of laughter.

“Well well well,” Eugene says, with a click of the tongue and a lopsided grin. “If it isn't our favourite little gatecrasher.”

It's his teasing, strangely enough, that helps her to find her voice in front of all these people. “Well geez, somebody had to stop this cake from rolling down the hill.”

…

The wedding reception ends up being less of a party and more of a clean-up operation after Max and Pascal's prior mischief, but when the venue has been tidied up and the main courses have been served, Cass slips away right as the king stands up to give a tearful toast. If she times it right she can change into the outfit Rapunzel has had tailored for her and return before the speech is concluded, no problem.

At this point, her room is basically an empty shell with a bed and a wardrobe, so it takes no time to lay out her new outfit ready. Glancing around the empty husk of a room while she starts to undress, Cass wonders when exactly Corona stopped feeling like her home. Maybe about the time she realised it was the people, not the place, that she gravitated back to time and time again?

The new suit doesn't look all too different to Eugene's, minus his father's sash. It's white, with similar detailing, and even some of the same gold accents on the collar. Cass blanches a little the longer she stares at it. God, she's going to look like she's trying to steal his thunder. On his fucking wedding day.

“Why did I let you do this, Raps?” she groans. She can't deny once wearing it, however, that it makes her look really good.

She stares at her reflection in the mirror on her closet door, trying for a smile. This whole situation feels bizarre, and she still can't stop thinking about how stunning Rapunzel looks in her wedding dress.

I wish she was marrying me instead.

The admission, even inside her head, is enough to make her growl in frustration, slap her forehead.

“Enough,” she grits out. “You are going to go out there and be supportive and happy for them because this is their day and you love them so much. Enough throwing yourself a pity party, Cass.”

With nothing else to say to herself, she ties back her hair, shaggier from her foregoing a haircut in quite some time, neatly plaiting it and securing it with a short piece of string from her satchel. Pulling a pair of white gloves on to tie the whole outfit together, she glares at her reflection for a few seconds to compose herself before heading back towards the venue.

“Looking dapper, Cass,” Lance mutters in greeting as she slides up beside him, trying to pretend that she hadn't slipped out in the middle of the king's big speech. He glances over at Eugene, sat beside Rapunzel at the front table reserved for the royals, and then back to her again. “Tell me, which one of you is the groom again?”

“Don't you dare draw anyone's attention to this, Lance. Raps has no idea how petty this makes me look to onlookers.”

He bursts out laughing, which quickly dissolves into a fake cough to deter the few people who turn to stare at him disapprovingly. “Haha, hmm. Uh, you know that was definitely intentional on her part, right? She wants you to feel included.”

“Included? I just feel like I'm third-wheeling a wedding.”

“Isn't that exactly what's happening?”

She groans quietly, before bursting into polite applause as the king embraces Rapunzel tightly and then raises his glass, before taking his seat. Edmund rises, and she can already see Eugene looking nervous at the weird shit he's about to start spouting to the unsuspecting audience.

“I came back here to support them, not to upstage Eugene at the after party.” She chews her lip. “Maybe I should change. D'you think I should change?”

“Look, Cass, Eugene knew about the matching suits ahead of time. If he had a problem with it he would have said something, believe me.” Lance grins and shakes his head. “I was just messing with you before about the third wheel stuff. You're their equal, don't you get that? This might as well be your day too.”

Cass pinches the bridge of her nose. “Don't say this stuff to me, Lance, or I'll seriously start feeling depressed. I need a drink. Is there any booze left, or is it all out on the street?”

“Unless they're planning on breaking out the communion wine, I think we're out of luck.”

“Damn it. Maybe I should just hide in the bathroom for the next six hours.”

As the toasts conclude, Rapunzel and Eugene are called to the dance floor for the first wedding dance. The orchestra rise as Arianna removes the train from Rapunzel's hair, and she and Eugene make their way to the centre of the venue with their hands clasped. Rapunzel's eyes search in the crowd as she walks, finally locking in on Cass as the conductor motions for the band to play.

“I love you,” Rapunzel mouths, and Cass weakly nods before losing Rapunzel's attention to the sweep of the music and the arms of her new husband.

…

“Cass!”

Rapunzel finds her on the steps, having put some distance between her and the rest of the party about an hour ago. After a couple hours of shit-talking bad dancers with Lance from the sidelines, catching up briefly with her father, and downing about a third of the punch bowl in an attempt to avoid conversations with people, Cassandra is all partied out.

Rapunzel's hair is mussed from hours of relentless dancing as she patters down the steps and flops down beside her, uncaring if the dust from foot traffic leaves a mark on the fabric.

“Hey, newlywed. You having a good time?”

“Of course! Oh, Cass, aren't the orchestra just wonderful? They play the classics, for my parents, but the upbeat stuff was a great surprise! When I'm queen, we'll dance like this at every function, mark my words!” The gleam in her eyes only brightens as she adds, “Besides... I keep stopping mid-step and thinking, I'm married now. I get to spend the rest of my life with Eugene. Isn't that just – just wonderful?”

“It is.” Cass offers her the warmest smile she can muster. “I'm so happy for you, Raps, really. You and Fitzherbert are going to have a great life.”

“All three of us are.” Rapunzel scoots closer and rests her head against Cassandra's shoulder. If only time could stop right now, Cass wishes silently, she wouldn't ask for anything ever again. “Cass, you are both my future. It's been so hard to find time to be with you today, and it's driving me crazy! You deserved to be up there with us today, you know?”

“But Corona law doesn't allow it,” Cass says softly, as if saying the words delicately will shelter her heart from fully feeling the weight of them. Rapunzel swallows and nods.

“Mhm. Yeah, it... it doesn't.”

She reaches for Cassandra's hands and squeezes them in her own. Cass can feel Rapunzel's wedding band dig slightly into her index finger, and tears spring to her eyes.

“Well,” she forces herself to say, “it's okay. If you had to marry either one of us, it should be Eugene. He's the more stable presence in your life, after all. He can help you keep this place afloat, while I – while I'm off travelling.”

“Let's not talk about this,” Rapunzel whispers, a pleading tone creeping in. “This... this should be a happy day for us, Cass! The start of something new!”

“You're right. Raps, this is a happy day. And – and I mean it, Rapunzel, I am so happy for you both. My best friends get to be happy together forever. Why wouldn't I be?”

She stands up quickly and holds her hand out, pulling Rapunzel to her feet. Rapunzel stares at her for a heartbeat, face clouded with some emotion too tumultuous to unpack in this moment, before reaching over and wiping a tear away as it spills over from Cass's eyes.

“I know you are.” Her face softens into a smile. “Hey, dance with me? Please?”

“I don't know, Raps...”

“Just one dance?” she asks, biting her lip. “I'm about ready to turn in, but... it wouldn't feel right if I didn't share at least one dance with the woman I love the most.”

“That's sweet of you. How will the man you love the most feel if I take the last dance?” Cass asks, quirking an eyebrow as Rapunzel begins tugging her up the steps by her wrist. “And your father, for that matter?”

“Oh, Eugene won't mind, silly,” Rapunzel laughs airily, marching them both towards the centre of the dance floor as other party-goers begin to stare. “And my father isn't dancing with you, I am.”

There are some whispers as they begin to dance slowly, stepping in time to a waltz; it's more of an open secret than anything, the way Rapunzel and Cassandra are with each other, but it still feels pretty brazen all the same. Cass is a bit rusty on her feet, having gone years since she last danced ballroom-style, but as she stares lovingly at Rapunzel's face, counting the smattering of freckles on her nose and seeing her own flustered face in Rapunzel's eyes, she realises it doesn't really matter. The steps are bullshit; everything is, except the hand clasped in hers and the other curled around the back of her neck.

Out of the corner of her eye Cass spies Lance, grin a mile wide, offering his hand out to Eugene. They start their own dance, a little clumsier, a little more comical than their own. Rapunzel giggles as they waltz past, Lance almost knocking into them as they spin.

“See? Eugene and Lance can make their own fun.”

Cass smiles back, exhaling slowly. There are still a few people watching with rapt interest: Queen Arianna, looking misty-eyed; Cassandra's father, fidgeting a little, his anxieties no doubt feeding off of the nervousness in Cass's own body language; a little girl she doesn't even know, clad in a waistcoat and pants, looking like she's seeing someone who mirrors herself for the first time. But as interest in their dance begins to wane, so do her fears.

“Dancing still isn't really my thing,” she confesses, as they begin to slow down. “It feels... awkward.”

“Oh.” Rapunzel pouts. “But, you know, gotta try everything once?”

“Of course. I can stand it if I'm with you.” She leans in to press a kiss to Rapunzel's forehead, but thinks better of it, leaning back again. “I, uh... yeah, it might be time for me to turn in, Raps.”

Rapunzel's smile fades a little in disappointment, but she nods. “Yeah. It's about time for us to leave too, so...”

“You're leaving tonight?”

“Yeah. No time like the present, right?” Rapunzel winds her arm around Cassandra's, clinging on as she calls over the din of the music. “Eugene! Are you ready?”

“Sunshine, I'll be right with you,” he calls back, in the midst of being dipped by Lance. Once he's back on his feet and says his goodbyes in a bone-crushing hug, he joins the two of them as they make their way to the edge of the dance floor.

“Is... is it okay for us to just leave like this?” Cass asks suspiciously. “You two don't need to make some kind of big announcement, or anything?”

“...Nah,” Eugene says after a long pause, exchanging a look with Rapunzel. “We can let the king and queen deal with that, right? Besides, the ship won't wait forever.”

Before Cass can protest further, Eugene slides up to the other side of her and links his arm in hers, and the two effectively march her down the steps and towards the docks.

“This is lovely and all, but I can't help the feeling that you two are kidnapping me,” she points out, as the three of them march on in silence.

“What! No! We – we just think you should see the boat! It's really gorgeous, and there's apparently an ice sculpture on board,” Rapunzel gabbles, starting to wax poetic in her ear as Eugene stands on the other side of her, equally enthusiastic.

“And get this – they didn't screw up my nose this time!! That's a huge deal, you absolutely cannot miss it-”

This weird pimping of the boat continues as they follow the path down to the harbour, greeting a few puzzled guards on the way as they tag along for protection. Cass can't shake the feeling that something extremely weird is going on. Eugene and Rapunzel have been shooting her odd looks all day, and she thought it was because her complicated feelings were obvious to everyone around her, but as they get closer and the ship comes into view, it definitely feels like there's a bigger story than that.

The boat is beautiful – the wood is dyed a deep cherry red, and the sails are the same rich purple as the Coronan flag, complete with the golden sun crest. On board, true to their words, is an ice sculpture, but as she strains her eyes, the sculpture depicting the happy couple looks suspiciously like a happy throuple, instead.

“Raps... Eugene... what exactly is going on here?”

“Oh, you'll see,” Eugene says under his breath, while Rapunzel giggles gleefully and gives no further answer.

Trunks of their belongings are already being loaded onto the ship when they arrive, and Cass notices a familiar satchel and carry on pack nestled beside one of Rapunzel's cases.

“Are – are those my things? Guys, what is going on?”

Finally, the two of them release her arms and she takes a step back, eyes darting all over as she tries to comprehend what the fuck is happening right now.

“Cassandra,” Rapunzel begins, clasping her hands together joyfully, “we're boarding the ship for our honeymoon, and... we were hoping you would like to come with us.”

She stares. “...But why?”

“Why?” Eugene scoffs. “Why indeed, Cass, let me think. You're our best friend, you're in a relationship with my wife – something as intimate as a honeymoon doesn't just happen with two out of three when it comes to us, you understand?”

“But – but this wedding isn't for us, it's for you,” splutters Cass, still wondering if she knocked her head at some point and woke up in a parallel universe, where things like a honeymoon for three were commonplace. He rolls his eyes, hard.

“Cass, look at us. We're wearing the same freaking suit. You do the math.”

“And we had our own wedding dance,” Rapunzel chimes in. “Even if you didn't really like it.”

“All right, just... stop, okay? Give me a minute to think.” Cass is starting to feel dizzy. “I – I know you both love me – in different ways,” she adds sharply, as Eugene opens his mouth. “But this is... pretty crazy. Even for us. I mean, people will talk about this, guys.”

Rapunzel and Eugene exchange amused glances. “Cass, everyone who knows us knows, and everyone who doesn't have a pretty good guess about what goes on between us three,” Rapunzel says slowly. “You don't have to worry about that anymore, do you understand?”

“It's different now!” Cassandra protests, shaking her head in pure, unfiltered amazement. “You two are married now and it's – adulterous. Probably. Maybe even treasonous? God, my head hurts.”

“So it's not a cut and dry situation, that's fine!” Eugene throws up his hands in exasperation. “But damn it, Cass, you're acting like this is the end of days. If you stuck around more than a few days at a time, you'd realise that the people of Corona really don't care as much as you think they do.”

Cass opens and closes her mouth a few times, unsure of where to even start with protesting everything they've been saying to her. She loses the train of thought anyway once she lays eyes on Rapunzel, with a desperate look in her eyes as she watches Cass, fidgeting with her hands.

“Cass,” she says quietly, taking a tentative step forward, “we can't force you to come with us, but we would really like you to. So we can right this – this rigid law that stops us all from being happy.”

“...Okay, now you've definitely lost me.”

Rapunzel makes a frustrated noise in her throat, running her fingers back through her hair and resting both hands on the back of her neck, like she so often does when she's trying to think.

“Cassandra – once we are outside of Coronan waters, the laws don't apply anymore.”

“...And?”

Eugene half-laughs, half-coughs, and Rapunzel shoots him a pointed look before continuing more gently, “And, when we're out at sea, certain... marriage laws... don't apply either.”

She bites her lip, hoping this will be enough to get the gears turning in Cassandra's head, but she stares on blankly.

“Oh, for christ's sake!” Eugene slaps his forehead and pulls Cass along to stand beside Rapunzel, staring them both down with folded arms. “Cass, I don't know how many times we have to spell it out for you, but this has always been your wedding day too. If you want it to be, anyway.”

The words finally seem to hit home, and she stares between them with eyes as wide as a deer being stalked.

“What?” she squeaks.

“Cassandra, I have wanted to marry the both of you for as long as this has even been a conversation,” Rapunzel explains, and her voice shakes a little with her next words. “Of course this is crazy, everything we do together is crazy! And, Cass? If you don't want to get on the boat and do this... I'll accept that. But – but I hope, after all that we've been through together, that you want to be my wife as much as I want to be yours.”

Time moves slowly as the weight of these words sink in, and Cass glances between Eugene, who is beginning to look emotional just in the presence of this proposal, and Rapunzel, laying her heart on the line just to show Cass how much she matters.

“You'd really do that? For me?”

“With you,” Rapunzel corrects, mouth splitting into a grin as her eyes gloss over with tears. “Cass, I would sail to the ends of the Earth if it meant I could marry you when we get there.”

“Oh god,” Eugene says in a hushed voice. He turns away, hand over his eyes. “You're both killing me here.”

“Can it, Fitzherbert,” Cass says on instinct, before a laugh bubbles up from her throat. “Raps, I – what do I even say to that?!”

“Say yes already, oh my god!”

“Eugene!” Rapunzel shakes her head, giggling helplessly. “Sorry, proposals get to him.”

Cass gives a watery laugh. “I'll bet. What's he going to do when we actually get married, huh?”

Rapunzel blinks a few times, then gasps in delight. “So it's a yes?!”

All Cass can do is nod before Rapunzel throws herself at her, hugging her tight enough to choke. Even with all the oxygen being squeezed from her lungs, Cass feels like she can breathe for the first time all day.

There's the sound of a throat being cleared behind them, and they turn to see a guard looking a little awkward to interrupt.

“Excuse me. Um... the smaller bags, should we load them on the ship, or...?”

“Yes, you should,” Cass says, barely able to contain her cheer. “Wherever these two go, I'm going with them.”

The guard shrugs, quickly turning back to the remaining luggage, and Cass cups Rapunzel's jaw, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before hiding her face in the top of Rapunzel's hair.

“Aww, don't be shy! I loved that!” Rapunzel giggles, pulling her in closer. “I loved that so much. Wherever we go, you're coming too. Yep... that's going in my journal for sure.”

“No,” groans Cass, still giggling despite herself. “Please, no record of anything sappy I say ever again.”

“Too late. See, you should know by now, Cass. Everything mushy we ever say will be immortalised in our wife's notebooks for the rest of our lives,” Eugene sighs, slinging an arm around her. Cass nods, keeping close as they steer her towards the boarding plank.

Our wife. It feels too fucking good to be real.

“This isn't a dream, right?” she asks suddenly, as they're halfway up the plank. “This is really happening?”

“Of course it's real, art can't imitate life!” scoffs Eugene, looking a little offended. “This face can't simply be replicated in dreams, Cassandra.”

“No one is saying anything about your face, Eugene,” Rapunzel sighs, shaking her head fondly.

“You know what, Fitzherbert? You've got a point. If this were a dream your nose would be a totally different shape, for a start.”

“I don't get it! How hard can it be to draw somebody's nose in accurate proportion to their face?!”

As they take their first steps onto the boat and the plank is removed, they turn to see a few familiar faces have gathered. The parents have come to wave their children off, in a quiet moment of finality before the next chapter begins. Arianna waves to them, her aura simply overflowing with joy, Frederic watches on with a stiffer wave, clearly still coming to grips with what's about to happen once the boat leaves Corona. Edmund, stood off to the side, is loudly asking Hamuel why their good friend is tagging along for the journey.

A little further back, Cassandra's father watches on. Upon first glance, she freezes; Rapunzel's arm is still holding her in close, and she nods towards him, trying for a smile. He nods back, slowly at first, before raising his arms to wave.

He is called over by Arianna and sheepishly joins her, his eyes never fully leaving Cass as he does so. Overwhelmed, she glances down at Rapunzel, who is leaning with her head against her shoulder, still beaming and waving at her parents.

“My father knew about this, then?” she asks quietly. Rapunzel shrugs, a shy smile on her face.

“I know we don't need it, but I wanted his blessing. I wanted him to know that you're loved, and you're gonna live a long life and be okay.”

The regal trill of trumpets fill the air, as the small cluster of guards on the dock stand to attention. A few words are read from a prepared scroll, carried away by the ocean breeze before Cass can hear, and then suddenly they're moving. The faces of their parents are growing smaller, the stretch of ocean growing larger, and Cass exhales shakily before turning to Rapunzel and Eugene.

“I think I'm going to puke,” she confesses.

“What?!” squeaks Rapunzel, alarmed.

“Well, now would be a terrible time to tell us you get seasick,” Eugene jokes, clapping her on the back. “Seriously though. You okay?”

“I'm fine. I just... realised how much of what was said happened in front of all those strangers. And then our parents. God, I'm gonna jump.”

“Yeah, no jumping,” Eugene says firmly, tugging her away from the boat's edge by her shoulders. “How long until we're out of Coronan waters.”

“Less than an hour.” The tremors are back in Rapunzel's voice again.

“And there are... aha! Three hours until the clock strikes midnight. You're in luck, ladies. If we play our cards right, this day will go down in history as both our anniversaries. How's that sound, huh?”

“Sounds like everything I've dreamed of,” Rapunzel sighs, melting against Cass. “Doesn't it feel good just to be here and not having to hide it?”

“I mean, we're embarking with a very small crew for a private ceremony outside of Coronan waters,” Cass points out. “Feels pretty hidden to me.”

Rapunzel pouts. “Ah, you're right.”

“You know... I think it's better this way. I wouldn't want it to be some public affair anyway,” Cass says quickly. “But yeah, this still feels like I'm in some sort of fever dream.”

“Want me to pinch you to be sure?”

“If you pinch me I will kill you. And hey, what was all this about a shapeshifter check at the gates, huh, Fitzherbert? I missed your wedding vows just so you could mess with me?!”

“Oh, that. I thought it would be funny!”

The ship sails off, disappearing into the evening sky, and even as she's bickering with Eugene and being held back by an exasperated Rapunzel, Cass can't help believing that this might be the start of her own happily ever after, after all.

[jyunshiim]

An Oath to Thy King༆

Genre: Angst | Fluff | Romance |

Themes:  Royal!Taehyun | Bestfriend!Beomgyu | Royal!au | friends to lovers | friends to acquaintances | rejection |

listen to: love poem | i hate to admit 

summary: Childhood friends face struggles and are faced with secret promises that no one knew about until her 18th birthday.

TW: a little suggestive but no nsfw

A King has been born. The palace was overjoyed with the birth of the new king who was ought to take the throne on his 19th birthday. The current reigning King’s smile painted across his honey toned skin beckoning all his servants to attend his wife. The palace was as blithesome as it had ever been, with servants, helpers and even some guards visiting the sweet, blessed baby boy, cradled in his mothers arms as she coos at him jubilantly. He was gifted many things by many of the King’s companions and people who worked for him and he helped. “One day son, you will take my throne and rule our kingdom,” he smiles at the child, his finger brushing against his soft cheeks “but for now, you are my little Prince Taehyun,”. 

A couple years went by and at the age of 5, Little Taehyun met his first friend. He was a year older than him but they got along from the first day bonding over toy cars and hide and seek. On a balmy spring day the little ones waddled and sprinted around the lavish rose bushes, hiding behind the hedges giggling gingerly before the other pounces out and startled the other. The would often tackle each other to the floor and tickle on another on the luscious verdant grass, sweet laughters filling the soft warm atmosphere. On Beomgyu’s 6th birthday there was a party at the palace on behalf on King Kang, since Beomgyu’s father was a close friend and a worker for him. The balloons were decorated around the dining hall and the guest lounge, blue and green streamers hanging from the tall ceilings and a little Taehyun excited about gifting his best friend a gift he begged his father to buy. When the king ordered everyone to assemble at the guest dining table, allowing the young Beomgyu to sit at the top of the table, he ordered his butlers to bring his gifts in but before that took place, you come running in with a box. Taehyun smiles ear to ear. “Father, yn is here!” he runs up to her and grabs her petite hand and pulls her towards Beomgyu and you tried to reach the table to put the gift in front of him but the King takes it from you gently helping you place it on the table. The gifts come in a Beomgyu’s smile was ever so precious. As the sun was pondering on the horizon, Taehyun, Beomgyu and you were sat on the balcony that was  connected to Taehyun’s bedroom; the view was of the kingdom and the fragrant rose garden just below him the the vine covered archway at the end of the garden. It was no regular garden, it was a garden that the king made for his wife before they got married hence why the archway was at the end with some green space. The you and the boys played together in Taehyun’s room as the parents were in a meeting discussing important matters. It was a warm evening, the ambience so enthusiastic, the warmth of the air embracing the three of the children on the balcony as they exchange gifts. “open your present Beomie” Taehyun giggled clapping his hands, his cheeks a light blushed pink and his honey orbs filled with pure happiness and joy. Beomgyu ripped open the silver wrapping paper swiftly to reveal a velvet box. Beomgyu gasped, the stars in his eyes illuminating his face and the smile growing on his face when he realises what it was. The box contained a bracelet made out of gold with the three of your initials on it, ‘Taehyun, Beomgyu and Yn’. Although, a little saddened you  looked down; a little disheartened you present wasn't as good but Taehyun comforted you. “yn! it’s okay! don’t be sad please” he frowns and hands you a little box too so the trio of you all had the same friendship bracelet. “OH MY- Taehyun thank you so much I love it so much we’re all matching now!” Beomgyu squeals in excitement. He opens your present and it was a crocheted teddy with ‘CB’ oh his chest with a little heart. “you are my best friends forever!” Beomgyu squeals with excitement as he tackles the pair of you to the floor. The two giggle under Beomgyu; “B-Beomgyu get up,” Taehyun giggles. “You have to call me Hyung i’m 6 and you’re 5,” Beomgyu plays around teasing him. “Yeah but IM a Prince!” Taehyun throws his stuffed cat at his head before it fell off the balcony. “NOO! kitty” Taehyun frowns whilst looking down from his balcony looking at his toy wedged between two rose bushes. “It’s okay Taehyun, you can get it tomorrow morning, your father said that you have to be asleep soon, we have to go,” Beomgyu frowns. As soon and Beomgyu uttered, rainclouds began to sheathe the blueish sky, turning them a dismal grey. Thunder and lightening began to arise, causing Taehyun and Beomgyu to become a little frightened. “hey, it’s okay! Beomgyu you have the teddy i gave you,” you point out before tiny Taehyun turns to you hugging you. “im scared i don’t like the thunder,” he whines. Your father and Beomgyu’s father wait at Taehyun’s door waiting for the pair of you to go home. “don’t worry, I’ll get kitty tomorrow,”. 

Six years later, your 10th birthday. You could remember this day almost perfectly as if it were a vivd dream that reoccured over and over again. The skies were painted a beautiful cerulean blue with specks of alabaster clouds dancing gracefully above you. The warmth of the sun grazed over your skin, gleaming over your slightly blinding you playfully. The bees buzzed around you and the joyous feeling in your stomach felt so exhilarating. “YN!” Beomgyu yelled as he saw you sitting in a slight daze holding your puppy plushie, sitting on your hand-built porch your father built; “happy birthday!” he smiled his puppy like features peering at her past the small gate. She skips over to him and opens the gate and he hugs her, as best friends do, and he passes you a little basket with some gifts. “I got you some of the best baked goods for your birthday as well as a little charm to!” he hands it to you. Your heart fluttered as if there were a million butterflies swarming inside. Beomgyu had always gifted her something on her birthday since they lived in the same neighbourhood but as for Taehyun, he wasn’t allowed out of the Palace as much as he was used to. Taehyun was often stuck in his tenebrous palace, studying ‘Royal etiquettes’, general studies, practicing fencing and also Korean literature too. It was tedious and at the age of 11 he barely understood the literature he was given but the King demanded he know each and every book inside and out. Taehyun would sit at his window seat each evening, gazing out into the nothingness of the town craving to venture into the main markets, the small forest and the mountain gardens just outside his palace. He held the leather book between his soft palms analysing and marking each sentence and word to learn about it further. Being so young yet so lonely meant he was able to focus on literature and reading and by the time he was 18, each and every word would be engraved into his mind. The palace was vast, but the emptiness of the building added to the loneliness.His father claimed it was only to make him ‘mature’ and to ‘teach’ him the ways of a royal but you and Beomgyu thought that it wasn’t fair. One afternoon, Beomgyu went outside Taehyun’s window and threw small stones to get his attention. It looked like Beomgyu was the Knight in shining armour and Taehyun was the damsel in distress but in reality it was Taehyun who was the imprisoned Prince and Beomgyu the resilient friend. That was until The King spotted Beomgyu and was asked to leave the palace grounds immediately and was reported for breaking and entering. That was indeed his first warning. As you and Beomgyu sat together in front of your house, your father approached you with a serious expression on his face; “we are ordered to go to the King’s palace for an urgent meeting,” he informs her. “Can I come too, Sir?” Beomgyu asked your father. “of course Beomgyu,” he ruffles his chestnut hair before holding your hand and making his way to the palace

 “Dont go anywhere too far okay sweetie,” your father reminds you. Of course you obey your father, you wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. “okay father i wont,” your sweet smile warming his heart, as well as Beomgyu’s. As soon as you and Beomgyu walked into the palace, a servant was escorting Taehyun to the main entrance before his dejected expression uplifted and his eyes were like two shining marbles glistening in the palace lighting. “oh my! you guys came!”  His happiness was through the roof when he saw you both. There was nothing more exciting to you than to sit with your best friends in the rose garden that held significant sentimental value to the Royals. You, Taehyun and Beomgyu sit outside in the rose garden watching the stars gleaming, the spring breeze sending slight shivers down your spine as the heavenly bodies setting the dark abyss of the night sky aglow; “happy birthday, Yn” Taehyun hugged not forgetting your birthday. “Thank you! you didn’t forget!” you giggle hugging him tighter, his arms gently embracing you. 

Years went on and You and Beomgyu gradually became closer since your father used to work with his father and also for the King. Taehyun became busier and busier the more the three of you grew up and the King limited the amount of time Taehyun could spend outdoors and outside the palace and meeting his friends and spending his precious time was useless to the King. By the time You were 17, Taehyun was completely unavailable to go outside and meet his friends which made you distant from Taehyun since the Palace grounds were now out of bounds. He was cooped up in his lavish palace, being served by his servants and butlers, everything in a silver platter whenever he asked for something, his bed being three times the size of him with sheer curtains draping over the frames, red and gold bedding fitted with almost no creases every time he got into bed, his attire always ironed and chosen for him; what a perfect life, right? However one thing that he couldn’t demand for was time. Although, You and Beomgyu didn’t know what happened behind closed door.

One winter’s night, ivory snowflakes glided on to the greyish cobble path sheathing the walk way as you and Beomgyu walk home together. You pulled your scarf over her face slightly to warm her icy cheeks, the piercing cold reddening your skin. Beomgyu’s hands were deep in his coat pockets and an idea sparked up in his head; “hey wanna go somewhere?” Beomgyu asks.

“like where? it’s freezing” you whine as you show her pinkish fingertips, pouting at him. Beomgyu puts his arm around your shoulders, “the barn house? our usual hang out spot” he chuckles and then smiles before the realisation hits you. You felt a bit stupid but Beomgyu found it oh so endearing. “ohh yeah, sure, I have nothing to do. My father is at the palace at a meeting again, he’s been going to a lot of meetings recently” you scrunch your nose before Beomgyu taps his cold finger on the top of your nose playfully before bolting ahead. “h-HEY!” you whined again as Beomgyu starts running. “Come and get me,” he teases as he runs down the street, laughter emitting into the icy atmosphere. The both of you end up at his barn house out of breath and sheltered from the blizzard that was about to hit the town, collapsing on the sofa’s he had there. “I win,” Beomgyu’s smug face teases, his vexatious energy radiating off of him. “only this time,” You warn jokily. Beomgyu prepares some hot drinks for you to warm up your frost bitten hands; When you held the cup of hot cocoa, the warmth flooded your body rapidly melting away the icy sensation in your hands. You looked up at Beomgyu as he was cleaning up the spillages, his messy hair over his forehead; and her mind reminisced.

Beomgyu looked different to what he did 7 years ago but it was clearly because of how he aged. He was 19, only a couple years older than you but his features were more defined and he just seemed so beautiful. His chestnut brown hair framed his charming face. His eyes, pools of dark cocoa always gleaming in the light and his skin a soft honey tone. You both sat together in the barn house which you both often did when you had nothing to do or had no plans such as tending to the Kings needs or desires and would talk about your secrets or things you were feeling~ thats how you both became closer over time. As you both sit cozily with the fireplace burning the logs Beomgyu threw in, you sigh and gaze at each other. “So anything today?” Beomgyu asks, leaning into the couch swinging his head back so his brown locks fell back. You thought for a bit and tilted your head slightly and sighed, “have you ever loved anyone before?” you ask nervously. He stops mid sip, licking the whip cream off his lips and smiling back, “I don’t know, have you?” He asks back. “perhaps,” you shrug. “what do you mean perhaps? do you have a crush on anyone? if they break your heart I will beat them up,” he threatens and puts his fists up punching the air making you giggle. “no.. I don’t know, don’t worry forget i even asked,” she shakes her head. “uh? you can’t just do that?” he scoffs and then silence deafens the room. He suddenly pounces on you making you yelp, his hands wrapping around your waist and tackling you to the couch. You were trapped between the couch and Beomgyu, his arms either side of you and his face directly in front of you. There was slight tension between the two of you, you gulp nervously. “i guess you still wont tell me?” he gives a playful little smirk before you push him away. Your heart was beating out of your chest. You divert the attention and sit up on the sofa, “i miss Taehyun, he hasn’t been seeing anyone lately,” you sighs, “ahh yeah me too, I do miss him,”

Their childhood had always been with the young prince but the King established new rules for Taehyun as he grew. It was as if he were trapped in a cage unable to escape from his preordained future he had waiting for him. Being a Prince wasn’t easy and in Taehyun’s case, being the only son, there was more pressure on him. - On the same night, when the blizzard hit the town, Taehyun gazed outside his tall glass windows that were draped in red and gold embroidered curtains and sighed. He sat in bed writing a letter which he did since he was 11 ever since he couldn’t go outside. It was like a diary account only to a specific person, his best friend of course. 

‘To my best friend, It has been a long day for me. I woke up at 5am and had breakfast at 5:30am making sure it was filling and nutritious and then starting my fencing training at 6am. After that I was tutored for 3 hours which was tiring and boring but it’s what my father wants. Lunch was lonely, i remember how we used to run amongst the rose bushes and you used to pretend you were a royal. it was cute i must say. I miss those days so much. My coronation is so soon and it’s nerve wracking, i’m sure you’d be there right? to see me finally turn King and I’ll let you stay here and we can be together again.’

The King’s personal servant knocks on the door and asks Taehyun to go to sleep. The hope and light in his eyes dissipates into the nothingness of his bedroom but before the servant left she left some valuable information. “Prince Taehyun, your father has asked me to tell you that there will be a compulsory meeting with your father to discuss some important matters next Friday.” she bows. “oh okay..” Taehyun responds. Next Friday. That was Taehyun’s 19th Birthday. When a royal is 19, they would need to be taught everything a budding King would need to know and what they should do. It wasn’t easy. Also marriage was to be organised by Taehyun’s father so the royal bloodline would stay intact but of course Taehyun wouldn’t be able to choose his lover... As the lights were turned off, white alabaster specks began blanketing the window pane, Taheyun pulled his sheets closer to his face pondered for a while. I miss you... 

“Yn,” her father calls out reading a letter that was from the King himself. “yes father?” you walk into the room where your father worked and he turned around handing you the letter, “ this is from the King to you sweetheart,” you take the letter into your hands and unfold it, reading it as you walks to you room. You stops. “invited to a meeting with the King and the Prince?” you say to yourself.You think about it. Beomgyu knocks at the door just before you closed your bedroom door, so instead he opened her window. “Hey yn wanna go on a walk?” he asks holding two hot drinks in his hands and a little white wooly hat sitting on the top of his head.You looks at the letter and back at him. “yeah hold on, lemme get my coat,”. “what’s that?” he asks as he passes the drink to her and points at the royal letter. “some meeting I have to attend next week,” you say. “just you?” Beomgyu asks curiously. “yeah I guess so? I think my father will come too,” you assure herself. Beomgyu nods his head in affirmation and then thinks for a little bit and decides to go somewhere else; “let’s go somewhere different today.” Beomgyu’s cheerful charming smile suggests and of course you went along with it, sipping at the saccharine hot chocolate, the warmth of the liquid swirling in your mouth, the softness of the melted marshmallows colliding with the savour of the dark chocolate. He grabbed your hand, fingers unintentionally interlocking and he ran to a special place, special to him anyway. After passing the stalls and passing the little meadow where you, Taehyun and Beomgyu used to frolic, Beomgyu took you to a desolate garden which was situated on higher ground not too far away from the palace. “wait this is the hidden garden you found when we were kids ,” you gasp. The tree was beginning to blossom and the flowers were spread across the concrete and between the crevices. There was a bench which wasn’t there from when you could remember. “I built this bench here so we could sit here and enjoy the view,” Beomgyu expressed to you. “BUILT IT?” you respond shocked! You both sat down on the bench, close together as you rested your head on your best friends shoulder. 

The stars gleamed down reflecting off the town’s architecture, the sheen of the town making you feel nostalgic. You sigh but you didn’t realise that Beomgyu was lovingly gazed at you, his finger tips fiddling with your hair that cascaded over your shoulders. His heart began to palpitate when you realised he was playing with you hair. “you having fun there?” she teases sitting up and facing him, your sultry, pinkish lips caught his eyes and his eyes. The chilling breeze raised the hairs on the back of your neck, or at least you hoped it was the breezed and not his delicate touch. His doe eyes were like two Tiger’s eye - the beautiful warm toned gemstone- and his blushed cheeks were like red apples. “Why are you staring at me like that?” you let out a slight giggle although there was a glint of admiration and love that you denied to yourself, but before you could laugh it off, Beomgyu’s hands cupped you face. A gasp left your lips before it even got the chance, it was swallowed up by his tender kiss, the velvety sensation of his lips against yours. This was your first ever kiss.

He felt confident and you didn’t seem to want to pull away but there you were, in his arms letting him guide you his hands around your waist. Perhaps it was the unconscious desire and the tension that had been present for years but you let him kiss you, of course giving the same energy and you allowed him to adulate her innocent lips with his own. Once he calmly pulled away, their eyes met; “I’m sorry, I know i shouldn’t have without asking but-” Beomgyu was interrupted by you, “if i didn’t like it i would’ve pulled away, no?” the atmosphere was awkward but it was clear to see you and Beomgyu had a fire burning within. After that day, they would meet in the same location and often share an act of affection, nothing was official since Beomgyu wanted to wait until your birthday to surprise her with flowers. He kept his feelings concealed and away from their ‘friendship’ respecting your choices but ever since that day when he asked if you liked anyone, it just made sense to him and of course he shot his shot. His heart fluttered every time he saw you and that was when he was 100% sure that he was in fact in love with you.  It was your 18th birthday: You  had to go to the meeting before you could do anything celebratory. You wore something flattering and formal to present yourself appropriately. The flowers were fragrant and blossoming, the soft sun light beaming over you as you skipped your way to the palace but as you arrived there, the King, the Prince and two guards were waiting for you. There was uneasiness lingering in the air; you began to feel suffocated, your throat closing slightly. Something wasn’t right. “Good morning Ms. L/N, please, follow us through to the meeting room,”. You looked over at Taheyun, the light in his eyes absent and empty. “hey Taehyun, how have you been?” you whisper, playfully smiling as you always did. “i’ve been fine, busy too,” there was no smile, nothing. “ i missed you so much,” You walk next to him and whisper and you swore you saw the corner of his lip curl slightly before dropping again...

Taehyun’s POV:

‘Her voice was like a breath of fresh air. Hearing her made my heart sing and seeing her was as if i were dreaming. She looked so... beautiful. Why is my heart beating so fast? Why have my ears gone red’ That was my thoughts. I had a crush on Yn since we were kids and it never changed, but it felt stupid to me that I had a crush on her for so long. “Why is she even here? was she supposed to be the designer for the coronation?” I thought again. The room felt bright again, her ecstatic energy radiating warm oranges, vibrant pinks and shades of yellow painting the aura of the dismal room but there was also the sense of comfort and being at home. I still dont know why my father invited just her, It didn’t make sense until my father began to speak at the table.~

The king seated you all down and he began to speak instantly. “ Thank you for coming to the meeting Yn,” he greets you with a simple thank you before he begins his main point. “I have gathered the Prince, myself and you all to discuss  Prince Taehyun’s coronation,” It sounded rather simple, perhaps you were supposed to hold the crown at the front or even decorate for the function? “I would like for you, Yn to marry my Son, Taehyun,” The King smiled proudly after letting hell run loose within Your mind. You and Taehyun lock eyes with worry and shock. “ sorry father, what did you say?” Taehyun gulped in fear of speaking back to his father since he knew the consequences. “Son, in order to be a King you’d have to marry and continue our bloodline. You wouldn’t want to disappoint the family do you?” The temper of the King was gradually rising, “your father made a promise to me 8 years ago that you would marry my son since i have helped your family with fortune and let you live on my land,” there was complete silence between the two.  “this isn’t me asking, this is me telling you that the marriage will occur before the coronation of Taehyun and therefore you would need to be at the palace for your fittings and other preparations,” The King said rather calmly as if it were such an easy thing to accept. How were you supposed to tell Beomgyu that she’s marrying his best friend, the prince?Your heart shattered at the thought of turning your back on Beomgyu; the vacant chasm in your chest only growing more and more as the King spoke. “ I shall let you both talk about this matter,” The King ups and leaves leaving you both alone, in silence.

“so..” Taehyun begins “ how has life been treating you huh?” he asks sounding genuinely interested in what you’ve been doing without him all these years. “oh um...” you start off. What do you start off with? The fact you’ve been lip-locking his best friend or that you have feelings for Beomgyu. “um well I have been studying a lot and often just taking walks and hanging out with Beomgyu,” You nod, her fingernails dug deep into her skin under the table. “How is he? I miss him quite a bit but I cant have anyone over until.. well..I’m king,” he sighs frantically biting his lip as a habit, rolling his eyes, . “Im sorry my father blackmailed your father,” Taheyun gulps “Just for the sake of my father, do this marriage thing.. but you can love anyone you want” His words ring in your ears. “ so you’re saying that I marry you for your publicity and your reputation but I can go on and live my life?” you asks feeling your stomach go bitter. Taehyun nods with a sombre expression. The silence was every so deafening and all you wanted was to run away from this mess but you didn’t want to leave Taehyun. “um so what have you been up to?” you try to change the subject but you instantly felt regret. “training, learning how to be king, i dont know it’s the sae every day from 5am every morning,” He sighs and a servant brings him water and places it in front of him. “You see that,” he eyes the water that was placed, “whatever I do, something is given to me even if I dont need it,” he scoffs. Taehyun wasn’t having a good time in the palace and your heart ached to see him this way. Before you could say anything else, a guard comes in and notifies you that you have been asked to be escorted out to make your way home. “i’ll see you soon Taehyun,” You run up to him and hug him, standing on your tiptoes. He has gotten a lot taller hasn’t he?

That evening you left the palace after being escorted to the front gates, jumping down the stairs before suddenly looking up to see Beomgyu with a bouquet of white and red roses waiting at the entrance with a charming smile on his face.You swore he could’ve been mistaken for a Royal. “how are you my love,” he says handing her the flowers and you accepted them, the aroma of the fresh flowers bringing memories back to Taehyun’s rose garden, before walking beside him and replying to him. “i’m fine,” although Beomgyu knew you long enough to know that you weren’t fine. He stopped you and put his hands on your shoulders; “what’s wrong?” he frowned, his glossy coffee bean orbs gazing back at you like a lost puppy. He didn't like seeing you sad, he made sure you were smiling and would dry your tears whenever you were crying. “It’s nothing,” you say before standing on the tip of your toes to kiss him, stumbling since you lost your balance but Beomgyu’s arms caught you. Not long after, he took you to your special place again, her head resting on his shoulder whilst saddening thoughts raced through your busy mind before Beomgyu broke the silence. The moonlight was beaming over the two tonight as the trees calmly rustled, dancing with the wind, whistling melodically. “Yn..” he begins clearing his throat, “After all these years i have made it clear to myself that-” he was interrupted by you, since you knew exactly what he was going to say. “you love me? that’s what you’re going to say right?” your voice cracked, your throat drying making it hard for you to speak. “I was, yes, I was also going to ask for you to be my girlfriend because I love you so much,” you couldn’t lie to him, you didnt want to hurt him. “The King and my father had a deal that I’d marry the Prince in return for what the King had helped us with,” your voice was hoarse and you could feel your eyes pool. Beomgyu’s bright, elated smile dropped, his sparkly eyes dimmed and his flame burnt out. His aura was grey, almost as if a matchstick lost it’s flame. “you.. the prince..” he scoffs, the corner of his lip curls half upset and half hurt, “of course, because you’re the only daughter out of the King’s companions... ” His head was in the palm of his hand. You put your hand on him gently and despite the butterflies and warmth he felt he couldn’t accept the Prince’s to be wife to be so intimate with him, it felt wrong to Taehyun and to himself. There was silence before Beomgyu decided it was time to take you home. It was midnight and all you could do is walk beside him in the darkness lit up by the street lamps, the air dense and humid with a slight breeze. You got to your house, the lights all turned off, everyone must’ve gone to bed. You turn around to Beomgyu, his sorrowful face looks at you; “have a goodnight yn,” he says before he leaves. There was no kiss goodbye, not even a heartfelt farewell. He just left.

 From the following day and onwards you had to go to the palace regularly and often had to meet Taehyun. There was a dress fitting in which the Prince and yourself  had to attend although you didnt want to go. The room was only occupied by a tailor, a dress designer, the Prince and yourself. The uneasy atmosphere making you feel anxious. “ G’day, Princess,” the tailor and designer bowed to you. Princess didn’t settle with you well at all. “we have picked out a few dresses for you to try and to get fitted for you,” the pair smiled before handing you a few dresses to go and try on. You went through a few of them and Prince Taehyun shook his head to most except one. It was a muted blue dress, with a tulle skirt that did make you feel like a princess. The bodice was embroidered with little blue flowers making it look like a miniature flower garden as well as the bottom of the tulle skirt. The veil was also a light blue which was attached to a white flower headpiece which was small and elegant. Taehyun’s eyes widened at the beauty he saw. “you look uh...” he struggled to find words to say. “pretty?” you finished his sentence as he nods to confirm what he thought, his cheeks burning up a crimson hue. “oh it seems like Taehyun likes this one, we shall get the measurements done as soon as possible,” the pair begin to take your measurements, tape measures around your body. You were already treated like the Princess and it felt.. weird. You learned about many Royal etiquettes over time, every time you went to the Palace and it was a big jump from being a regular towns person to a Princess. Not something you would expect every day. 

On a spring morning, Taehyun stands out on his balcony letting the cool, placid atmosphere sink in before he was interrupted by his father’s servant. Frustration took over his body, his fists clenching and his ears turning red, he despised his father and his fathers servants. He exhaled before turning around to see you standing there in a royal dress you had been styled in. “The King has asked me to leave The Princess with you until he calls you both down for the last meeting before the-” the servant was interrupted. “marriage okay, you may leave.” his tone was stern and his button eyes turned fierce and filled will hurt, anger and sadness. “yes sir,” the servant closes the door before he was left with you alone. “so, is this royal treatment any fun,” he sighs leaning against the frame of his balcony arms crossed. “i dont know..” you reply as you dig your fingernails into your skin again and Taehyun notices. He walks over, still furious from earlier, and grabs her wrist. “what is this? why do you keep doing it?” He asks, a taint of worry in his eyes but his tone sounding angry, his brows furrowed. “don’t do it, you always did it as a kid when your father yelled at you for getting lost in the palace,” he chuckles, easing off a little, reminiscing about the past; “remember how it was so easy to be kids,”. He remembers something and makes his way over to his bedside table. “ i have something to show you,” he says before getting a little wooden box out of his draws and opening it. The box was filled with letters, things he wanted to share with you and also a brooch he kept from his 16th. you looked through the crumpled papers and there was many letters addressed to his ‘best friends’ and some that weren’t addressed to anyone. The papers were discoloured and crumpled and also tear stained which you assumed from the random smudged ink on the letters. you read the letters carefully each one of then addressed to ‘best friends’ until at one point it changed; it wasn’t addressed to anyone. What happened there? you ask Taehyun and he looks down thinking of how to say what he was thinking. “Over time being in pure isolation, I missed your laugh, your energetic aura and i guess over time I developed a strong liking towards you and i can’t deny that,” he shrugged “so i just wrote whenever i felt my heart ache,” . The silence grew louder again. “you liked me? for how long?” you put the letter down. “since i don’t know, it just happened but you and Beomgyu seemed to have a stronger bond and it made sense so i tried not to get involved” Taehyun slowly closing the draw, observing the way the muscles in your face tensed up and the way you clenched your jaw. What did you feel? anger? sadness? frustration? you didn’t know what you felt but you knew for a fact it wasn’t positive. “did i say anything yn?” Taehyun lifts your chin up with his finger, the worry inundating his glossy, almond eyes “did i say anything to upset you,” his hand rests on your knee. You had to work up the courage to tell him but you couldn’t do it. The cowardice. 

Beomgyu waited outside your house as he always did which was strange to you since he hasn’t spoke to you for a week or two. You walk up to him in your tailored dress, made just for you, and he turns around. “hi,” he speaks forcing himself to smile before looking you up and down; You could almost hear his heart flutter... or was that yours? “Beomgyu, h-hi,” you stutter since apparently you forgot how to speak! “What are you doing here?” you ask him inching closer to him. “I came to say sorry, none of this is your fault and to be quite honest, i hope, over time you do love Taehyun,” his smile appears, his real, genuine smile. “of course I still love you and i will do anything to protect you but sometimes it’s just the right person but in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong life....” he rests his hands on your shoulders before pulling you into a warm embrace and you could feel your tears pooling at your eyes. You grasp his sleeve before burying your head into his chest and let your emotions run free. You were confused and lost; you felt lied to by your own father and felt like you were a part of a game, a stupid pawn to be played with. You didn’t want to hurt Taehyun or Beomgyu but there was only one path to take. “i’m so sorry Beomgyu..” you sob into his chest as he caresses your head gently. 

The more you hung out with Taehyun the more the bitter taste in your mouth left, the tense atmosphere was lifted and everything felt so...comfortable. You would go to the palace nearly every day to ‘reconnect’ with Taehyun. One day Taehyun’s father would organise a dinner for just the two of you to supposedly grow feelings for each other. The table for the two of you was set up in the well known and loved rose garden, a cylindrical wax candle in the middle illuminating the seating area prepared for you both. The chairs were in ivory white covers and the table cloth was a blood red. A vase was gently placed by a servant, the roses delicately presented. Your eyes locked with Taheyun’s as he pulled the chair out for you, you couldn’t help but smile. “what’s that smile for huh?” Taehyun teases, easing out of his ‘professional’ royal upfront and showing his real persona. “nothing,” you smile playfully before tucking your chair in, “why are you smiling so much for?” you tease back. His cheeks blush up a soft pink before he begins to speak again, “because I’m spending so much more time with you and it feels like we’re kids again,” he fiddles with the friendship bracelet he still had on. “kids, except me and you are getting married very soon which I understand was way out of our control,” Taehyun nods in agreement. “how are you feeling though?” Taehyun asks you. You couldn’t lie but you felt like there was a swarm of butterflies in your stomach, your cheeks burning up at the question. Are you falling for him? It’s too quick right? You ponder for a little bit. “i’m feeling.. I’m feeling great,” you smile at him, and everything felt as it were merging back into colour again. What was happening? It felt like some sort of epiphany. The evening went as planned, the pair of you talked and caught up with all sorts of things that happened. Soon after, for the second meeting between you both arrived which was a couple days before the big day. You waltz into the Palace happily to meet Taehyun but abruptly stop when you see Beomgyu with his father in the meeting room with Taehyun’s father. Your heart stops and everything goes grey again. You see Taehyun being escorted to you by his servants. you wanted to run and hide. Your eyes were so fixated on Beomgyu and he saw you; thats when your heart shattered when he smiled back and waved, his sweeter than bubblegum smile making your throat go dry. Once Taehyun approaches you he sees you focused on his best friend moreover, his best man. His hand rests on your shoulders and Taehyun smiles at you before gesturing to walk with him. You hoped he didn’t see your reaction to Beomgyu but unfortunately he did. “hey, are you okay? did anything happen?” Despite Taehyun assuming one thing he didnt want to come to conclusions without asking you. “I- uh, y-yeah,” you stutter, but he knew you werent telling the truth. He lift your chin up with his finger making your eyes meet his. “please Yn, tell me what’s bothering you,” he pleaded. He just wanted you to be okay and besides, telling the truth is better than lying. “Beomgyu and I-” he cut you off, “had a thing but my father forced you to marry me and you felt hurt and every time you see him your heart aches?” You could see he was feeling hurt, but not because you liked someone else. He felt hurt because he knew this would happen , that you would fall for someone else, he felt hurt for taking something away from you that made you happy. “Taehyun, listen I feel hurt because yes i did like him but he told me to move on and it just feels painful here,” you put you hand on your chest “and ... after all these weeks if being with you i-” He listens and then speaks “you’re falling for me?” there was some silence. “it’s okay, don’t force yourself,” he says, holding your hand as his fingers interlock with yours. Suddenly you begin to ease. 

You both went to his room, the balcony doors were wide open and you go to stand outside to get some air. You inhale the crisp air and exhale. You look out into the town and let your mind roam free for a little while but as you do you feel Taehyun’s hands wrap around your body and his head rests on your shoulder. You didn’t move, you didnt’ want him to move. It was comforting. “are you okay with this?” he asks you, and you nod your head in response. You could feel your heart beating faster but you could also feel his too. Beomgyu walks out of the palace and sees you on the balcony and gives you a smile and a thumbs up. You smile back at him before he walks away. Once Taehyun raises his head, you turn around to him, your watery eyes glistening in the sunset. “what’s wrong?” he asks but without any warning you cup his face and pressed your lips against, on the tip of your toes to reach him. Once you part , he had a shocked expression on his face but with nothing said, he presses his lips to yours again, one hand above your waist and the other on the nape of your neck.  Whilst you both share something so passionate such as this kiss, he guides you   to his bed; as you sit on his bed, you look up at him. You couldn’t believe what was happening. “are you okay with this,” he asks as you nod. instead of a gentle passionate kiss, his lips crash onto yours, Taehyun gently lowering himself onto you. An hour or so later, the pair of you were notified about dinner and Taehyun asked for his stylists to help you both pick out dinner attire. Although you couldn’t just forget about the moment you spent in his room despite it being impulsive, it meant something. Especially to you, as if it were a conclusion to whatever chaos disrupted your mind.

~a few weeks later~

It was warm springs day, the sun was beaming through Taehyun’s window. He sighs as he wakes up and it hit him what day it was today. The Royal Wedding. It wasn’t long until the servants came in with his attire and his pin to go on his blazer. It felt surreal that i would be marrying my best friend and even the thought of it was nice but of course i did feel bad for, although ever since that one evening in my room it felt like all our questions were answered from one simple kiss. okay simple may be an understatement but regardless...  Thoughts raced through his mind before he thought to ask about you; “where is yn?” he asks and the servants look at him blankly, “The Princess,” his voice sounding slightly angrier. Taehyun didn’t like how foolish his fathers servants were and luckily enough his status gave him authority to teach the imbecilic servants the correct way to approach him and pay attention whilst working. “she is getting ready your highness, should I get her for you?” one of them asks. “just give her this,” he takes his pin off his blazer and hands it to the servant. You on the other hand, were getting your dress fitted and hair done for such an important day but you couldn’t get one thing off your mind; what Beomgyu told you that one night. He wanted you to be in the right hands, perhaps he thought he wasn’t good enough and Taehyun was better for you but that evening you spent with Taehyun felt like a solution to all your questions. The King and the guests all gather in the beloved rose garden where you, Taehyun and Beomgyu grew up together, sitting under the white archway every time you visited; Taehyun stood  at the front with Beomgyu as his best man, standing behind him. Of course he’d be the best man, since Taehyun didnt have very many friends. “treat her well okay,” Beomgyu pat Taehyun’s back. The music queues as petals began to suddenly fall from above you. You inhale sharply, is this really happening? You see your father waiting for you so he could walk down with you and Taehyun at the end waiting along with Beomgyu. “yn sweetie, i’m sorry for making you go through this,” her father apologises as he walks with you until you got to Taehyun, “don’t worry, i understand and i can make this work,” you smile at him before you stand face to face with Taehyun, looking a beautiful as a Prince could be with his elegant white suit with his gold finishes here and there, gold epaulettes on his shoulders along with the gold friendship bracelet that the three of you had on. As the ceremony begun, Taehyun took your hands into his gently and stood up tall. The atmosphere felt magical, like you were some cinderella in your baby blue gown, holding the future King’s hands; you couldn’t help but forget about everything and get lost in Taehyun’s eyes. It was time for the vows and Taehyun went first. 

“From being children to blossoming into the young adults we are now, i promise to keep you safe from whatever harm comes in the way. I will promise to love you and take care of you and support you in whatever you choose to do and listen to you. I want to be your safe place front start to end, hand in hand you and I Yn. Even from the sidelines i will cheer you on and make sure you are happy and loved because you deserve every bit of it .This is the beginning of our journey, and I hope to spend every little bit with you.- Taehyun”

You exchanged your vows. The guests were in awe, applauding the newly wed couple as you both slip the silver rings onto each others finger before it was official. You were officially married to Prince Taehyun and had the new title as Princess. As everyone was free to enjoy the function, Taehyun offered his hand to walk you back down the isle and make your way to where the main function was held which was inside the palace. “congratulations Prince Taehyun and Princess,” Beomgyu smiles whilst bowing respectfully before you punch him playfully like the old days. “stop, it’s weird,” you smile a little “well I am a respectful being, am I not?” he nudges Taehyun. “Of course,”. The King notifies everyone that the dance will start soon and of course Taehyun help his hand out, bowing down at you, offering the first dance with you formally. “Would you care to join me on our first dance,” he asks you, and without a second thought, you take his hand. The lights dimmed and everyone watched the new couple dance together for the first time. Taehyun’s soft gaze making your stomach flutter, his hand on your lower back leading you to the music. “everything okay?” he asks and you nod. Beomgyu watches from the side, “that’s my girl..” he sways gently with the music as you and Taehyun dance. Little did you know, those vows were written by Beomgyu and he wrote it on the behalf of himself as well as Taehyun. Taehyun appreciated Beomgyu helping him write the vows since he felt the same too but it was time for Beomgyu to move on.. just like you moved on with Taehyun. Taehyun stood on his balcony that night thinking to himself and you ask him what was wrong before you got nothing but silence. You did what he did to you and wrapped your arms around his torso and you never felt so sure about your feelings now. “My love,” he turns around before hugging you again so your head rested on his chest so you could hear his beating heart “what’s gotten into you?” he asks. “I like when you call me that,” you mumble into his chest. “well you’ll hear it a lot often now,” he says cupping your face, before kissing your forehead. You finally got the courage to say those three words to him, after making sure your feelings were true; “Taehyun.. I-I love you..”~ “I love you too” he whispers back

Meanwhile a lot goes through Beomgyu’s mind; “I can’t give up on you... but i might as well forget you.. to help me but i cant stop thinking about you..” His mind races as he goes home to the 2nd bouquet of flowers that he bought for you that one night to keep him company..., now withered and fallen..

[carriagelamp]

Since it’s 🍁 Canada Day 🍁 I figured I’d do the same thing I did for Pride Month and post a round up of Canadian books. Canadian literature has a tendency to be overlooked, but there’s some amazing gems out there!

That being said, this is definitely not a definitive list. There’s lot of lists out there that probably better, more relevant books. This is just a personal list as a Canadian person of Canadian lit I’ve read that stood out to me for whatever reason. I definitely encourage you though to look into some of the new Canadian novels being written write now, especially all the awesome own voice stories being written by First Nations authors across the country!

I’ve read a fair few Canadian novels over the years, so I’m going to break them up into one post of highlights each day for the remainder of the week: one for Children’s Novels / Chapter Books one for YA / Adult Novels, one for Graphic Novels and one for Picture Books.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

This is like… The Canadian Novel ™ isn’t it? I imagine that even if you’ve never heard of any other Canadian novel, you’ve probably heard of Anne of Green Gables, if for no other reason than it’s been adapted a million times over. If you’ve never bothered to read the original though, I highly recommend it. Since it was written in 1908 the language is definitely old-fashioned, but that somehow makes it engaging enough to keep an adult reader hooked, while not being too difficult for a child reader who’s moved on to full length novels. It also, of course, makes a fantastic read aloud – I’ve reread this book easily a dozen times over the years since first having it read aloud to me by my mom, during which we both bawled our eyes out together.

If you somehow haven’t heard of Anne, it’s about Anne Shirley, a wildly imaginative (and just wild) orphan girl who is adopted by the Cuthberts and brought to live with them on their Prince Edward Island farm, Green Gables. The Cuthberts had originally intended to adopt a boy who could help with the farm work, but when Matthew Cuthbert finds a girl waiting for him at the train station he can’t bring himself to turn her away. And so begins the hijinks and misadventures of Anne as she grows from child to young adult.

Le Champ Maudit by François Gravel

I’ve always loved the genre of child-horror and this book absolutely delivers. The creature, vieux Nick, and the way it exists in space is delightfully chilling even as an adult. The story is about Oliver, who has often been warned by his uncle not to go into the cornfields – it makes sense after all, the cornfields are vast and uniform, it would be easy to get lost in them. Oliver has no reason to assume there’s something more sinister lurking in them, or that it could be tied to the other people who have gone missing over the years. That is, not until he makes the mistake of chasing a rabbit into the stalks one evening…

The Dragon’s Egg by Alison Baird

I was absolutely a “dragon kid” as a child, I loved any sort of dragon book I could get my hands on and I read this one over and over when I was in grade three. It’s about Ai Len who is given a lovely river stone by her father from his trip to China. Ai Len is shocked one night when, all of a sudden, she realizes that it wasn’t a stone at all, but rather a dragon’s egg. Lonely Ai Len befriends the baby dragon (who disguises himself as one of her gold fishes during the day) and helps him grow and learn as they try to figure out how he can get back home to the river his family inhabits.

Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton

Fatty Legs is the true story account of Margaret Pokiak, an Inuvialuit child who grew up with her family in the Arctic. At the age of eight, despite their reputations and her father’s reluctance, Margaret begs to be allowed to attend the Catholic residential school because there was nothing she wanted more than to learn to read. There, far from her warm, loving family, Margaret learns about the cruelties and humilities of residential school. This book is a good introduction to residential schools for young children – it shows the horrors while still keeping the story child-friendly and relatable.

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

The classic novel that inspired Disney’s film Homeward Bound. This story is about three pets – two dogs and a cat – who are left behind under the care of a family friend at an isolated cabin. These three determined pets though refuse to abandon their humans that easily. After a couple weeks of no contact, a decision is made: they will make the trek across the dangerous North Ontario wilderness in order to find their owners. This is a great animal story that genuinely feels perilous at times as these three house pets are forced to contend against the elements, wild predators, and even other humans.

Inkling by Kenneth Oppel

Kenneth Oppel is a human name in Canadian middle grade literature – not only is he a great writer, but an incredibly prolific one. If you have a middle school child in your life, consider checking out this man’s library of works because he has books that range across all sorts of different genres and topics, and they tend to be unique and gripping. They’re a staple in any Canadian school library.

Inkling is about a boy, Ethan, who is struggling with his life. His family has gone through a personal tragedy, his artist father is struggling to write a new graphic novel, and Ethan’s been entrusted with drawing the art for his school group’s graphic novel assignment, and he can’t bring himself to tell them his father’s talent wasn’t hereditary. Everything changes though, when one night, his father’s ink wakes up… This book is really heartwarming, with sweet family moments, lots of action, and an adorable ink blob that’s just trying to do its best.

My Name is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling

Another own voice novel, this time written by West Coast Salish and residential school survivor Shirley Sterling. This novel is written like a weekly diary by six year old Seepeetza who is taken from her joyous family home and forced into a residential boarding school. While there she is forced to change her name, her language, and all the things that made her life happy and complete. Despite all this, Seepeetza finds ways to survive and still find joy. This book is written for a slightly older audience than Fatty Legs, more of a thin middle grade novel but still balances the brutal horrors of residential schools with a child-friendly narration.

The Secret World of Og by Patsy Berton

This is another Canadian children’s classic, though a much less well-known one than Anne of Green Gables. My mom read this to me and my brother in early elementary school, a chapter a night, and I remember being completely wrapped up in it and it’s strange, quirky pictures. It’s about the five Berton children who discover a strange, cavernous world hidden beneath their club house, inhabited by little creatures called Ogs.

Secrets in the Sand by Sharon Siamon

This is exactly what it looks like: a true to form Horse Girl book. There’s nothing overly special about it, but I read it this month and was charmed by it. This is technically the second book of the Saddle Island series (and she has two other Horse Girl related series as well though I haven’t read them) but for whatever reason I read the second first and actually enjoyed it more of the two. It has it all! A spunky, head-strong girl! Her best friend and annoying brother! A small, financially struggling Maritime town! A brave horse that loves the ocean and swims into underwater caves! The promise of pirate treasure! Saving The Family Farm (and rebuilding it from the ground up on a tiny island)! Want a fun mindless horse adventure? Well here it is!

Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel

I know, I know, another Kenneth Oppel book but listen… he is so prolific and also it might be a crime to do a Canadian book list and not mention Silverwing. This was a childhood staple when I was growing up, practically everyone had either read it for class, read the entire series on their own because who wouldn’t want to, or watched the weird ass TV series. Or done all three! If you haven’t read Silverwing but like animal adventure stories, this is honestly one of the peaks of the entire genre imho. It’s about Shade, a small silverwing bat that struggles with the rules and limits placed around bat colony life. He’s constantly pushing things, constantly challenging others regardless of if they’re his bullying yearmates or if they’re the clan elders. But one day, Shade takes it too far and breaks a vital law: he stayed up and saw the sun. Now the owls are determined to have Shade killed and the clan is prepared to exile him for his transgression. All this just as the clan is preparing to migrate, and Shade, with his small runty wings, ends up falling further and further behind in the storm…

Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker

I debated whether or not to include this book, given all the BLM movements going on. This book isn’t own voice, and in the research I’ve done since becoming an adult has made me realize a number of the problems that surround it. But still, it felt wrong to leave out, both because of the social climate right now and because this was another classroom staple when I was growing up. It’s about a pair of young slave girls who are horribly abused on the planation they live on, and who eventually join in on a plot to run away, to find the rumoured “underground railroad”, a network of people who help black slaves escape captivity and escape – in this case across the border into Canada. Despite its flaws, this was a book we read in school and, through the book and classroom discussions, really introduced me to the concept of slavery and racism… and the fact that racism is still horribly alive today. It shook me as a child – it was written to be optimistic and adventurous for children, but it still had more violence and horror than I was used to in books at that age and it really shook me. So I included it in the list because, for me at least, I believe it had a positive effect on my growth as a person.

Up In Arms by Amanda Spottiswoode

This is a woefully underrated series because it really delights me. It’s about six friends, spread across two families. Though they’re from the UK, this series is all about their adventures with their uncle in Canada. Spottiswood writes children travel adventures, all set around the 1940s. The first, Brother XII’s Treasure is a treasure hunt along the West Coast during a sailing vacation; the second, The Silver Lining take them into British Columbia’s interior on cattle drive as the kids get drawn into adventures on horseback, a familiar villain, and old mining secrets. This third book I actually read before the others, and is my favourite of the series. It’s back on BC’s west coast, only this time rather than a vacation the kids of be sent to Canada because of the outbreak of WWII. You get high-flying adventure, wilderness survival, and planning a heist to help right the wrongs done to a local Indigenous community by the white settlers. It’s just a lot of fun.

[c-is-for-circinate]

It occurs to me that I promised y’all I’d tell you stories from the D&D campaign I’m running, and it’s now been a week since the first session, so I should definitely do some of that!  I can already tell it’s going to be a fun-as-shit campaign.  If nothing else, my party and I are collectively five variably-queer ladies who met at knitting group and range in age from “haven’t played D&D since 2e at GenCon in the 90′s” to “too young to remember fandom before AO3 existed”.  We’re real fucking cool.  I am going to have to explain, in detail, so many textiles and other interesting crafts.

I am a WORDY-ASS MOTHERFUCKER, so the whole tale will probably get pretty long in the telling, but: welcome to the continent of Nokomoris, on a world that probably has its own name but I haven’t decided on it yet because naming things is hard, dude.

[here’s where I will probably link game session posts in the future once they exist]

Hark, a backstory!  (And, our four players)

IF YOU RECOGNIZE THIS CAMPAIGN INFO BECAUSE YOU ARE PLAYING IT, CONSIDER YOURSELF UNDER DM ORDERS TO BACK OFF AND STOP READING.  I KNOW YOU FUCKERS ARE ON TUMBLR TOO, THERE IS A REASON I DIDN’T GIVE YOU MY HANDLE.  (I love you all very much and yes, there are spoilers in here.  Go away and text me now.)

Eastern Nokomoris, where our story takes place (or at least begins) is in a prosperous age of thriving city-states and collapsed kingdoms.  Most trade, culture, and even centralized government is based among the Nine Cities, massive metropolises located around the Attiks Sea and nearby lands.  Nearly a million people live in the nine cities, which are connected to each other via well-established sea and land trade routes, and also by what many are calling the most important technological/magical development of the modern age: a network of massive permanent teleportation circles, thirty feet in diameter.

The circle network is big enough to carry large trade wagons, livestock, huge parties of people, and even troops and war machines.  Sea and land trade has dropped by half between the Nine Cities in the past fifteen years, and continues to decline.  The cities themselves are thriving and prosperous, and it’s easier than ever to get beef and leather from Karna Vi, wool from Yefira, pottery from Celkan or metalwork from Tiers no matter where you live.

Outside of the cities, it’s another story.  Dozens of once-prosperous kingdoms, and even the whole of the Trava Empire, have fallen in the past seventy years: first during the Church Wars, and then in the yeas of chaos and rebuilding once the Wars were over.  Small towns everywhere that once paid taxes to a crown, and were protected in turn by royal troops and much-needed aid in times of hardship, have been left entirely to stand or fall on their own.  Some have thrived, becoming local centers of trade for whole coalitions of abandoned towns nearby.  Others have disappeared, died out, or simply faded into the wilderness, forgotten.  The great open plains of Highnorth where the Trava Empire once ruled, the endless golden sea of the Southgrass, the peaks and valleys of the Thavine Mountains, the deep many-colored forest of the Iris Peninsula--who knows what’s out there any more?

And in the Midlands, where the worst of the Church Wars took place...well, precious few towns even survived to rebuild in the first place.  Land that once held the most fertile farms in all Nokomoris is desolate now, scarred and cursed.  Most of the battlefield has been picked over by intrepid adventurers and out-of-work soldiers in the six decades since the Wars ended, already raided for magic and treasure.  The ruins remain, and the valleys where nothing will ever grow again, and the eternal shadow over the once-Holy City, and who knows what sorts of twisted things living in places people no longer go?

But it’s been sixty years since the Church Wars ended, and for most people, life is good.  Small-town farmers may no longer have the protection of any crown, but small technological advancements in plow design and crop rotation mean that they can produce more food than they need and sell the extra in the nearest city for coin.  More and more young people, freed from heavy labor on their parents’ farms, have learned reading, writing, history, and some amount of arcane talent.  The Grand Universities in the nine cities are thriving, full of scholars of all ages eager to learn and advance the course of knowledge everywhere.

Of course, there are ten times more scholars in the Grand Universities than there are professorships or other high-ranking positions to hire them to...and that is where our story begins.

.

Our intrepid party thus far includes:

Marion, a human paladin of indeterminate gender, whose human family stands among the nobles of the great city of Karna Vi, where our story begins.  Marion is an acolyte of the Church of Lost Things, which concerns itself with every god that does not easily fit within the purview of the other seven Churches, and also with every god that has been erased or forgotten by time (for all gods deserve worship, and all gods are capable of smiting those that neglect them, sooner or later).  They’re also a math major, largely because computer science hasn’t been invented yet.

Marion’s really hoping to be able to build and program a simple computing machine, a la Babbage’s Difference Engine (or Arthur C. Clarke’s The Nine Billion Names of God), to tabulate and generate all the possible names of every god ever to exist, which seems much more efficient than just combing piecemeal broken historical records trying to find them.  It has not been going well.  In a Church system where paladins are often more concerned with protecting people from the gods than for the gods, cracking this problem will let Marion figure out who the gods even are like nobody ever before.  But there are variables missing, and theomathematical constants they can’t even identify yet, let alone calculate--and they’re not going to find here.

Three interesting facts about Marion, as per their player: 

They once spent an entire week holed up in a lab over a holiday break and were declared missing-presumed-dead.  Police searches were involved.  It was a little bit of a scandal.

They are by far the most unremarkable and constantly forgotten member of their entire family.  (This perhaps says more about their family than about them.)

Everyone on campus is fairly sure they interfered with the campus clock tower specifically to give students more time on finals last semester.  This is false.  They were trying to run a different experiment entirely, messed with the clock tower by accident, and didn’t actually notice it was finals week even after it was over.

Kevin, an elf barbarian sportsball champion, hero of the university’s sportsball team for the past ten years straight.  Kevin is a foot and a half taller than any self-respecting elf ought to be, not to mention twice as broad.  He’s finally starting to acknowledge the fact that there is, in fact, no NFElf, and you can’t be a “professional sportsballer” within the Elven Ascendancy, and his bemused parents would really like him to do something with his life beyond playing those little games with the ball and all of those...non-elf people.

Kevin is also an art history student, mostly out of desire for an easy major that’ll make his parents happy while he happily spends most of his time out on the sportsball field.  He’s got high strength, basic middle intelligence, and negative wisdom.  He’s sat through more history classes than the entire rest of the party put together.  He understands approximately none of it.  Still--he can’t do sports forever, and art history makes his parents happy, and he might as well go on a quest to uncover lost art and artifacts and maybe prove he’s an actual adult sooner than later, right?

Three interesting facts about Kevin, as per his player:

Back in his home city playing little league sportsball, there were definite (and accurate) rumors about this wild elf that could and would straight-up squish opposing players.  That’s how the college recruiters found him in the first place.  It’s definitely why they wanted him.

He has so many groupies.  So many.  They come in so many different species and genders and Kevin is on board with every single one.  (On board?  On bed?  On convenient flat surface?  Does it particularly matter?  Not to Kevin!)

Kevin is covered in tattoos, and there are all sorts of rumors about what sort of eldritch magic they hold--like, that panther is probably a real panther bound by elven magic, right?  A pretty persistent rumor suggests that the tattoos all commemorate individual opposing team members he’s...either hospitalized or fucked, or both, literally nobody is sure.  (In point of fact, none of the above are true, and Kevin just has terrible taste in tattoos and a pretty stunning lack of both impulse control and supervision--but why quash the stories?)

Kou, a halfling bard whose girlfriend just left three weeks ago on a research expedition of her own, taking with her approximately 85% of Kou’s impulse control.  In theory, Kou is an alchemy major, studying science to make her scholar parents happy.  In practice, she probably spends more time sneaking into music seminars and/or busking on the street for spare change than actually doing alchemy, but her girlfriend was a Good Responsible Influence who made sure Kou didn’t get kicked out of the department, and to be fair, alchemy can blow things up sometimes so that’s always good.

Kou doesn’t so much have plans for the future as vague, contradictory aspirations, but that doesn’t mean she’s not smart.  She’s learned enough magic to use a set of recording stones to play, loop, and modulate beats or bits of music, thereby making her Nokomoris’s very first DJ, and she really wants to be a professional musician someday.  She just hasn’t figured out how to reconcile her dreams with her parents’ wishes, the lives they’ve worked so hard to create, or a halfling cultural legacy that has more to do with riding around snowfields covered in furs waving spears than it does with brightly-colored house parties.

Three interesting facts about Kou, as per her player:

Kou very definitely once spent a full day dressed up in halfling traditional garb, furs and all, including a very fuzzy fur hat.  It wasn’t until that evening that somebody saw the hat move and everyone realized she’d been wearing a curled-up live fox the whole time.

She once managed to create an incredibly destructive compound in alchemy lab out of ingredients that should not have actually been able to react that way.  She found out it was corrosive when she accidentally spilled it on six months’ worth of a different professor’s lab notes.  (She got an A anyway, because her lab professor hated the other guy, but that has more to do with Professors Ayanova and M’tiersi than Kou, really.)

She absolutely goes down to counter-protest every damn time those Family First assholes try to rally downtown in favor of child-producing (read: heterosexual, single-species) families.  Rumor says she once broke her guitar over a protester’s head, which horrifies her--Kou’s guitar is the most expensive thing she owns!  She used their own protest sign, like a sensible person.

Reigenleif, a mostly-female-probably gnome rogue known around campus as “Beer Run” for her skills at somehow always having access to better and cheaper beer than anyone else, and her general willingness to deliver to parties (for a small additional fee).  Reigenleif’s parents are small-time forgers who ended up mostly working for a local crime organization after a series of bad luck and political upheavals brought them to Karna Vi a few decades ago.  They really want their kids to go clean, avoid all the uncertainties and occasional jail sentences/executions that accompany a life of crime, and maybe make a little something of themselves.  Reigenleif, who has zero interest in staying on the right side of the law, mostly does odd jobs for a different, not-technically-rival criminal organization, and carefully does not tell her parents about it, ever.

Technically she’s an engineering major, and she’s more than got the brains for it, plus the accompanying curiosity about metallurgy and arcane artificing.  Still, she spends most of her time helpfully involving herself in other peoples’ projects rather than running her own.  (Her own projects have a lot more to do with figuring out new forging techniques and criminal tricks, and don’t look very good in the end-of-year department report.)  Enjoys causing trouble, not being in it.

Three interesting facts about Reigenleif, as per her player:

She absolutely owns a copy of the provost’s signet ring, which she can and has used to create documents allowing herself access to all sorts of University resources.  Like most things, she’ll share the use of it, quietly, for a price.  (She also owns a copy of Marion’s family signet ring, which is a much longer story that I as the DM do not know yet--can’t wait for that.)

Once captured and maneuvered a live swan into somebody’s office to cause as much chaos as possible so Reigenleif could get up to something somewhere else.  Is a little bit of a legend for it.

Aside from her not-actually-that-impressive family legacy of crime, Reigenleif’s spread a quiet rumor around school that she’s descended from the famous marauding pirate, Thrand Slender-Leg.  It’s possible that Thrand Slender-Leg never actually existed.  It’s possible that nobody had ever heard of him before Reigenleif made him up.  She’s certainly not telling.

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Democrats Nominate Biden for President (NYT) Democrats formally nominated Joseph R. Biden Jr. for the presidency on Tuesday night, anointing him as their standard-bearer against President Trump. Denied the chance to assemble in Milwaukee because of the coronavirus pandemic, Democratic activists and dignitaries cast their votes from locations across all 50 states, the American territories and the District of Columbia. By voting to nominate Mr. Biden, 77, Democrats delivered to the former vice president a prize he has pursued intermittently since before the night’s most prominent young speaker, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, was born.

Colleges grapple with coronavirus as students return (AP) Notre Dame and Michigan State universities became the latest colleges to move classes online because of the coronavirus on Tuesday as colleges struggle to contain outbreaks and students continue to congregate in large groups without masks or social distancing. Tuesday’s actions followed the decision by officials of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to switch to remote learning starting Wednesday, as the virus makes its mark on colleges—and college towns—across the United States. Other universities are reconsidering plans to hold in-person classes or implementing new testing regimes. And some are threatening crackdowns on students who get too close with others, in violation of social distancing rules. In the past few days alone, college students at schools in North Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Vermont, Kansas, Colorado and at the Air Force Academy have tested positive, creating a ripple effect that has put hundreds of other students into quarantine or isolation.

Anger escalating into violence (Times of London) All across the United States this summer, against the febrile backdrop of lockdowns, a recession, protests over police brutality and the political tumult of an election year, there are reports of minor arguments escalating into shootings. In Chicago 2,500 people have been shot, a rise of 44 per cent on last year. In Philadelphia the tally is 1,203, a rise of 36 per cent. More than a thousand people have been shot in New York city, a rise of 84 per cent, with murders up 29 per cent. Among the victims was a man heading to work who was shot after a run-in with a stranger on a platform of Grand Central station. Another was shot 11 times after an argument over a parking space. In Kansas City, where murders are up by 38 per cent, arguments were the leading cause of killings, according to police data.

San Francisco blanketed in smoke as California fires rage (AP) Thousands of people were under orders to evacuate in regions surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area Wednesday as nearly 40 wildfires blazed across the state amid a blistering heat wave now in its second week. Smoke blanketed the city of San Francisco. Police and firefighters went door-to-door before dawn Wednesday in a frantic scramble to warn residents to evacuate as fire encroached on Vacaville, a city of about 100,000 that lies between San Francisco and Sacramento. Fire officials said at least 50 structures were destroyed and 50 were damaged and that four people were injured.

Reeling From a Storm, Iowans Worry They Have Been Forgotten (NYT) A week after a violent storm tore through Iowa, toppling trees and leaving grain silos in crumpled heaps, residents of devastated places like Cedar Rapids were left wondering whether the rest of the nation had any sense of their plight. Between the coronavirus pandemic and the rush of news in a presidential campaign year, attention to the Midwest’s storm seemed to shift away especially quickly, residents said, leaving them feeling overlooked even as they dug through rubble. At one apartment complex in Cedar Rapids, residents whose homes were destroyed in the 100-mile-per-hour winds that left hundreds of thousands of Iowans without power have been living in tents. They cook meals on grills. Some who have chosen to try to stay inside step over splintered walls and hope that the building does not crumble further.

Vaccine warning from the pope (Reuters) Rich countries should not hoard a coronavirus vaccine and should only give pandemic-related bailouts to companies committed to protecting the environment, helping the most needy and the “common good”, Pope Francis said on Wednesday. “It would be sad if the rich are given priority for the COVID-19 vaccine. It would be sad if the vaccine becomes property of this or that nation, if it is not universal and for everyone,” Francis said at his weekly general audience. The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that any nation that hoards possible vaccines while excluding others would deepen the pandemic. “The pandemic is a crisis and one never exits from a crisis returning to the way it was before,” Francis said.

Satellite maintenance (The Verge) Last February, Northrop Grumman’s MEV-1 satellite successfully latched on to a doomed communications satellite Intelsat 901, which had run out of fuel after 20 years. As a result, for the cost of $13 million a year MEV-1 will allow Intelsat 901 to stay active for another five years, potentially moving on to another host afterwards. This could be the future of satellite maintenance, and a successor satellite MEV-2—which hopes to remain in service for 15 years—is now bound for Intelsat 10-02, where it will hopefully latch on and extend that satellite’s lifespan as well.

Venezuela Deploys Security Forces in Coronavirus Crackdown (NYT) President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela has tackled the coronavirus much as he has any internal threat to his rule: by deploying his repressive security apparatus against it. Officials in Venezuela’s government are denouncing people who may have come into contact with the coronavirus as “bioterrorists” and urging their neighbors to report them. The government is detaining and intimidating doctors and experts who question Maduro’s policies on the virus. And it is corralling thousands of Venezuelans who are streaming home after losing jobs abroad, holding them in makeshift containment centers out of fear that they may be infected. In commandeered hotels, disused schools and cordoned-off bus stations, the returning Venezuelans are forced into crowded rooms with limited food, water or masks and held under military guard for weeks or months for coronavirus tests or treatment with unproven medications, according to interviews with the detainees, videos they have taken on their cellphones and government documents.

Batman prowls streets of Santiago delivering food to homeless (Reuters) A stranger disguised as Batman is prowling the streets of Santiago delivering food to the homeless, providing sustenance and light-hearted solace to those in need following months of lockdown in the Chilean capital. The man, who wears a shiny batman suit complete with a coronavirus-ready sanitary facemask, delivers a few dozen plates of hot food to homeless people throughout the South American capital on a regular basis. He said he prefers not to be identified. “Look around you, see if you can dedicate a little time, a little food, a little shelter, a word sometimes of encouragement to those who need it”, he said, adding the disguise was meant to bring good cheer and unite.

IRA members arrested across Ireland (Foreign Policy) British and Irish authorities conducted a joint raid on suspected members of the paramilitary New Irish Republican Army across Ireland on Tuesday, arresting 10 individuals under antiterrorism legislation. Officials said Tuesday’s sweep was part of an ongoing investigation into the group’s activities, occurring just days after it held an armed show of strength in the city of Derry. Members of the New IRA were most recently implicated in the killing of journalist Lyra McKee in April 2019.

Scotland leans toward leaving the UK (Financial Times) Just six years after Scotland voted “No” to independence, opinion polls suggest that if a second referendum on the issue was held, a majority would now back leaving the UK. The shifting polls have dismayed Scottish supporters of continued union and sent shockwaves through a Conservative UK government suddenly scrambling to find ways to shore up UK unity even as it grapples with the coronavirus pandemic and looming introduction of post-Brexit border controls with the EU. Brexit’s unpopularity in Scotland and a widespread perception among voters that Edinburgh has responded better to Covid-19 than London appears to be tipping the balance toward a separation that would strip the UK of a third of its landmass and 8 per cent of its population.

Decadent dogs (Foreign Policy) North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un sees threats to his authority all around him. Known for his penchant to ruthlessly crack down on those he views as rivals, he even stands accused of ordering the assassinations of close relatives. Now, Kim has gone one step further. According to local sources, last month, Kim ordered pet dogs in the capital of Pyongyang to be rounded up and confiscated, claiming they represent “Western decadence” and are little more than a “‘tainted’ trend by bourgeois ideology.” The report said that high-ranking North Korean officials often keep pets as a show of status, and the regime’s decision to confiscate pets from ordinary people has stoked some resentment.

Wetting the Buddha’s toes (Foreign Policy) The record-setting rains and flooding in southern China continues, with the waters now reaching the toes of a famous statue of the Buddha in Leshan that normally sits well above the confluence of the Min and Dadu rivers, for the first time since 1949. The Three Gorges Dam is facing the largest inflow since it was completed in 2006, although claims that the dam is in imminent danger of collapse are exaggerated. The Chinese government is waging a complicated battle against the waters, diverting as much as possible onto farmland while evacuating other areas and issuing warnings across entire provinces.

UN crisis looms as US readies demand for Iran sanctions (AP) After a resounding defeat in the U.N. Security Council, the United States is poised to call for the United Nations to reimpose sanctions on Iran under a rarely used diplomatic maneuver—a move that is likely to further isolate the Trump administration and may set off a credibility crisis for the United Nations. The sanctions had been eased under the 2015 nuclear deal that President Donald Trump withdrew from two years ago. But last week the U.S. lost its long-shot bid to indefinitely extend an international arms embargo on Iran and has now moved to a new diplomatic line of attack. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to travel to New York on Thursday to notify the Security Council president that the United States is invoking the “snapback” mechanism in the council���s resolution that endorsed the nuclear deal. It allows participants to demand the restoration of all U.N. sanctions in a complicated procedure that cannot be blocked by a veto. The administration’s snapback plan is bitterly opposed by China and Russia as well as the other Security Council members, including U.S. allies Britain and France, and could set the stage for a battle over the legitimacy of the U.N.’s most powerful body.

15 Years After an Assassination Rocked Lebanon, a Trial Ends on a Muted Note (NYT) The case went to trial in a country far from the crime scene with none of the accused in custody. It cost hundreds of millions of dollars to prosecute and employed armies of investigators, researchers and lawyers. But when the verdict on the most consequential political assassination in Lebanon’s recent history arrived on Tuesday, it left the country without a sense of closure and failed to answer even the most basic question: Who ordered the killing? For a huge suicide car bomb attack in Beirut in 2005 that rattled the Middle East and killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others, a United Nations-backed tribunal in the Netherlands acquitted three defendants for lack of evidence. The fourth man, Salim Ayyash, was convicted of participating in a conspiracy to carry out the bombing. But if he is ever apprehended, the court will have to try him all over again since he was tried in absentia. The long-awaited verdict from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was created in 2009 at the behest of the United Nations Security Council, disappointed many Lebanese and others who had hoped that an international inquiry would reveal—and punish—those responsible for the crime and break the country’s long cycle of impunity for political killings.

[elshanwithstats-blog]

Coronavirus and Unemployment

- The Data set that I have chosen is the ‘Gapminder Data set’.

- The research question that I am going to work on is:

“ Does pandemic sitiuation affect world employment and economy globally”

Hypothesis: There are lots of negative effects on economy and employment during pandemic period 

                                                 My codebook

The search terms that I used for my literature review are:

- Employment and economy before pandemic

-  Obstacles for employment in pandemic

-  Quarantine’s effects on Firms and factories

- Economic derogation during quarantine

- Reduction on number of employees

Literature Review Summary:

The Coronavirus has already led to disruption in manufacturing output, foreign travel and consumer demand. If the virus spreads and becomes a pandemic, what will be the likely economic effects?

In short, a global pandemic will have a serious supply-side impact – especially on foreign travel, manufacturing and investment. The uncertainty and decline in travel will also lead to people staying off work, losing income and causing a fall in demand. If it is relatively short-lived, the economy may quickly bounce back. But, if it is prolonged, it could lead to permanent loss of output – with vulnerable groups of workers particularly negatively affected.

Initial estimates on the effects of COVID-19 on the world economy include

A fall in global GDP of up to 4% below baseline (World Bank April 2020)

A fall in UK GDP of 14% (According to Bank of England)

A fall in US GDP of 10% (Golden Sachs)

Supply-side effects

Reduced manufacturing output. The most effective response to the virus is quarantining and limiting chances for the virus to spread. In China, the high number of cases, led to workers staying at home, either because they have the virus or because they fear to catch it from other workers. This has led to a very significant fall in manufacturing output. In one month, the official China manufacturing index fell to 35.7 (above 50 is expansion, less than 50 is contraction) It is the biggest fall on record.

Knock-on effects. Even for countries or regions not affected by the virus, the global interconnectedness of supply chains means that nearly all manufacturers are affected by the lack of availability of parts. This leads to supply bottlenecks. UK car producers have reported bringing spare parts in suitcases from China. Big companies like Apple, which produce the iPhone in China have warned of supply shortages occuring soon.

Confidence. In a time of uncertainty, firms will cut back on investment and wait until what happens. If the pandemic causes uncertainty for a prolonged period of time, it will cause investment projects to be delayed and even postponed completely.

Lost productivity. A rise in sickness and mortality itself has an economic cost.

Demand-side effect

If travel restrictions are imposed, there will be a big fall in demand for some sectors, especially travel and tourism. Already airlines have issued profit warnings for 2020 and some flights have been cancelled. It will also cause a significant fall in demand for certain tourist sights and related business. For example, the popular tourist city of Venice is completely deserted as people avoid due to the outbreak in Italy. This will be devastating for local business, such as restaurants and gift shops who rely on tourists.

A limited pandemic may have some benefits for local tourist destinations. For example, rather than risk flights, Americans and British holidaymakers may choose to holiday at home, so there could be winners in the domestic tourist industry. But, this relies on the virus being contained in those particular countries. A real pandemic would probably cause a worldwide fall in travel.

Impact on workers. In recent years, there has been a rise in self-employed workers and workers on zero-hour contracts. This means that more workers are vulnerable to having to take time off work. If workers can work at home or get sick pay, their income will be maintained. But, for gig workers like delivery drivers and English language teachers, they could face very low income from travel restrictions and a decline in business.

Confidence. The stock market has seen its biggest contraction since the global credit crunch. With falls of 12%. A falling stock market can cause a decline in consumer wealth and hold back spending as people absorb the negative news. One study suggests falls in the stock market only have a limited effect on reducing GDP growth

“In the case of prolonged falls in share prices of 10 per cent, the QUEST model gives an additional negative output effect in the range of between -0.2 and -0.8, depending on the monetary policy response.” (effects of pandemic)

Limited scope for monetary policy. In western Europe and Japan, interest rates are already very low, there is limited scope for significant interest rate cuts. Even if rates were cut from 1% to 0.5%, it is not clear this would make much difference to the effects of the crisis. Japan has announced stimulus measures to shore up the economy – but given a prolonged period of stagnation it is uncertain whether this will make a significant difference.

Evaluation – How bad would the effects really be?

Liberia, for example, saw GDP growth decline 8 percentage points from 2013 to 2014 during the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The World Bank estimates that a very serious global influenza pandemic would cost the world economy $800 billion and kill tens-of-millions of people.

Time. An important question is how serious and prolonged is the crisis. If the crisis is less than six months, there is every chance that the economy can rebound with no loss of output. If firms delay production for three months, they build up a backlog of orders, when people return to work, this backlog can be solved due to people working over-time. This can lead to a post-crisis mini-boom.

How serious is the pandemic?

A model by the EU commission in 2006, tried to model the effects of a future pandemic on the economy.

Can people work from home? In recent years, we have seen a shift in people working from home. A pandemic crisis would speed up this shift and more firms could encourage people to work from home. This can work for some sectors, but you cannot outsource manufacturing or nursing, supermarket sales. It is clear that any pandemic would hit vulnerable sectors much more.

Can monetary/fiscal policy offset the fall? Usually, if we get a demand-side shock (e.g. fall in confidence), the monetary authorities can cut interest rates to boost demand. The government can pursue fiscal policy to increase public sector investment. This helps to maintain aggregate demand. The problem is that a pandemic is both a demand-side and supply-side shock. If people stay at home because they are sick or because they fear to go to work, demand-side policy cannot deal with that. A tax cut does not particularly help if you are not working or it is difficult to get goods.

How much would economic activity cease? In the beginning of a pandemic, where is highly localised, there is a strong case for strict quarantine, leading to the factory shuts downs we see in China and ghost towns in Italy. However, if the pandemic reaches a tipping point and the virus becomes widespread, severe travel restrictions may not be effective anyway. It is uncertain how people will respond. It may reach a point, where critical industries like foods supply have to continue – regardless of the risk of transmission. The WHO state dealing with a pandemic is not just about the direct health effects on sickness and possible fatalities, but also wider issues such as the potential breakdown of social order. E.g. failure to provide sanitation and food supplies could cause more serious problems than the virus itself.

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Employment Contracts

 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the global economy, employers in large and small businesses are faced with a dreadful conundrum on whether to let their staff go, cut their hours, or declare them redundant.

It is however highly unlikely that most employers, in drafting their contracts of employment, would have contemplated the current circumstances; particularly the level of interruption and disruption to work as we know it, which has been occasioned by the Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, employers and employees have had to be deal with this unprecedented situation by adopting new ways of meeting their obligations under their employment contracts.

The primary legislation on labour and employment matters in Nigeria is the Labour Act1. The other relevant legislations are the Trade Union Act2, the Trade Disputes Act3, National Industrial Court Act4 and the National Industrial Court Rules, 20075. Nonetheless, the relationship between employers and employees are typically regulated by the contracts of employment which sets out the terms of such employment. It is trite that parties to a contract are bound by its terms and cannot vary the terms and conditions of the contract except with each other's consent6. This principle extends to employer – employee relationship and to the extent that a contract of employment is a contract, the general principles relating to general contracts will apply unless the law provides for a departure from such general principles. Hence, in NEPA v. Adesaaji7, it was held by the Court that in an employer-employee relationship, the parties' relationship is governed by terms and conditions of the contract between them. The foregoing therefore begs the critical question: What options are available to employers considering the impact the pandemic is having on their businesses? In this article we will analyze the options available to employers for addressing their employment issues during this pandemic under the existing legal framework in Nigeria.

Working from Home: The New Normal

As expected, the first reaction by most organizations has been to direct their employees to work remotely, to protect their employees and clients from the spread of the pandemic. This directive may raise the question of whose responsibility it is to provide remote working tools to the employee? This question can be answered from the decision in the case of Gattuso v. Harte-Hanks Shoppers, Inc8, where the California Supreme Court held that the intention of the provision of California Labor Code9 which requires an employer to indemnify its employees for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred as a direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, is to "protect employees from suffering expenses in direct consequence of doing their jobs." It is important to note that whilst the above case is from the jurisdiction of the State of California, in the United States of America, the dictum of the Court in Adetoun Oladeji (Nig.) Ltd. v. N.B. Plc10 on the application of foreign judgments in Nigeria as a form of judicial precedent may be instructive in this regard. The court held that, "... decisions of English courts or any foreign court are not binding on Nigerian courts. They are merely of persuasive authority". In addition to this, by virtue of the Third Constitutional Alteration Act of 2010, the National Industrial Court was empowered to apply all labour-related international conventions, treaties and protocols ratified by Nigeria even where they have not been domesticated11. Indeed, section 7(6) of the National Industrial Court Act provides:

"The Court shall, in exercising its jurisdiction or any of the powers conferred upon it by this Act or any other enactment or law, have due regard to good or international best practice in labour or industrial relations and what amounts to good or international best practice in labour or industrial relations shall be a question of fact".

So, if our courts are persuaded by foreign decisions on the issue of who bears the costs of expenses of working from home during the periods of lockdown, Nigerian employers may be required to reimburse employees who had to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic for their reasonable and necessary home office expenses if they did not do that before now.

Deferment/Reduction of Salaries

Having regard to the current realities especially the inability to do business as we know it, one of the options available to employers may be to vary the terms of their employees' contract such that there is a deferment or reduction of agreed salaries. This approach should be a win-win situation for both parties as on one hand, employees would be able to retain their employments during the pandemic and on the other hand, the employers are able to manage their resources until things return to normal. In the event that this option is considered, an employer is required to notify/engage its employees and obtain prior consent as to when and how the changes would take effect, before implementing same12. In Adebusola Adedayo Omole v. Mainstreet Bank Microfinance Bank Ltd,13 the Court held that it is not acceptable for an employer to engage in unilateral reduction in the wages and salaries of workers as the reduction of the salary of the employee by the employer, without her consent, violated the spirit of section 5(1) of the Labour Act and the ILO Convention14. Furthermore, to avoid any adverse claims on the acceptance of the reduction or deferment, the employer should ensure that the employees communicate their acceptance of the changes in writing. In other words, in communicating the deferment or reduction, the employer should ensure that the notification is communicated in writing and request for a confirmation of acceptance in writing.

However, there may be instances where an employee refuses to give a written consent to such deferment or reduction in salary but continues to receive the reduced salary and does not complain. In that situation, the Court may infer an acquiescence on the part of the employee as in Oyeyemi v. Guardian Global Resources Nigeria Ltd15 where the claimant claimed that the reduction in his salary was without his consent. In dismissing the prayers of the claimant, the court held that even though his consent was required, his silence and continued stay in the employment without any form of protest; whilst receiving the reduced salary for over a year, was an acquiescence to the variation and that his silence for a year was deemed as consent.

Deferment of bonuses and promotions

Another option available to employers is deferment of bonus or promotions. In most companies, bonus determination and application usually form part of the company's policies which are typically incorporated by reference in employment contracts; thereby, becoming binding. In such circumstance, the provision for bonuses and promotions vests a right in an employee and may be recoverable against the employer due to the expectation interest they create for the employee.

The doctrine of legitimate expectation is that where an employer by his actions or inactions, creates a state of affairs that gives an employee an expectation interest which is legitimate and reasonable, then such employer is by law obligated to meet up with such expectation.

The leading and most frequently cited case supporting this approach in employment matters is the case of Toussaint v Blue Cross and Blue Shield16, which came up in the State of Michigan.

The issue before the Supreme Court was whether a voluntary promise, including a discharge-for-cause policy, made by the employer to his employee in a handbook constituted a binding obligation upon the employer. The Court held that such a policy could bind an employer if the 'employer's written policy statements set forth in the manual of personnel gave rise to legitimate expectations'. The court held that when a promise acquires legitimate expectation, the employer's unlawful breach or departure constitutes a breach of contract.

Essentially, for legitimate expectation to give rise to protection, all that has to be proven is that the employer has chosen 'to create an environment in which the employee believes that, whatever the personnel policies and practices, they are established and official at any given time, purport to be fair, and are applied consistently and uniformly to each employee'. Consequently, an employer that makes a voluntary promise in a formal statement that is reasonably capable of creating a legitimate expectation to the employee 'may not treat its promise as illusory'.17

Whilst this is a developing area in Nigerian jurisprudence, the National Industrial Court (NIC) recently applied the principle in the case of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria & Ors v. Federal Ministry of Health18. The Court acknowledged that the practice of skipping salary grade levels by Government can create an expectation interest, which in turn was capable of creating an entitlement or vested right in favour of the complainants who had all the while been beneficiaries of the practice19.

Having said that, it does appear that there is a tendency for the courts to respect the employer's decision where there is genuine reason for the employer to resile such as when the future of the business and its survival is at stake20. The test must therefore be applied on the fact of each case, the context and impact of the promise made by the employer and the degree of business efficiency or need, when considering an employer's decision to revoke its promise.21

Promotions, on the other hand, are not contractual rights, as they are usually conditional upon the employee meeting certain organizational performance-based indexes. Thus, in the case of Sylvester C. Nwoye V. Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria22, it was held that promotion from one level or position in an organization to another is not a right but a privilege, which is earned. Hence, an employer cannot be compelled to promote its employee no matter the good opinion the employee might have of himself.

Paid and Unpaid Leave

Whilst section 18 of the Labour Act23 provides for at least six (6) days of paid annual leave for every 12 months of employment, most employment contracts typically provide for more number of days which can be taken as annual leave by the employee in an organization. Due to the compulsory stay at home directed by Government to curb the spread of the pandemic, many organizations may consider bringing forward the scheduled leave days/period of employees such that the leave days become part of the period now being compulsorily spent at home. This may however not apply to businesses whose employees have been working remotely during the lockdown, as this is likely to be considered an unfair labour practice by the Courts.

Thus, in Akinfemiwa Akinyinka v. More Time CO23 Gas Plant Ltd24 the National Industrial Court held that denial of annual leave to an employee is an unfair labour practice. The Court, in upholding the case of the Claimant held; "We find that the denial of annual leave entitlement to the claimants all through their years of service to the 1st defendant coupled with the 1st defendant's work days is inhuman and so a deprivation of the right to annual leave under section 18 of the Labour Act. This is, therefore, an unfair labour practice which this court cannot close its eyes to. There has been a violation of a legal right which entitles the claimants to an award of general damages and its quantum need not be pleaded or proved".

Declaration of redundancy

In Nigeria, redundancies are governed by the Labour Act, the decisions of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), the contracts of the affected employees, organizational policies or employees' handbook, and the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement between an employer and the representatives of a trade union.

The Nigerian labour law acknowledges that an employer reserves the right to pay off any employee whether based on redundancy, idleness etc. or at the end of a project where the employee is engaged. The Labour Act defines redundancy as an "involuntary and permanent loss of employment caused by an excess of manpower".25 No specific rules apply to mass layoff or collective redundancy. Section 20 (1) of the Labour Act provides that in the event of redundancy, employers shall apply the procedure as follows:

informing the trade union or representatives of the employees of the reason for and extent of the anticipated redundancy

applying the principle of 'last in, first out' in determining the employees to be affected by the process, subject to all factors of relative merit, including skill, ability, and reliability; and

negotiating redundancy payments of the affected employees.

Though the definition of excess manpower is not provided in the Labour Act, the courts have considered the acquisition of a company, restructuring, reduction of production line, shortage of raw materials, economic and technological reasons as valid grounds for declaring redundancy.

In Alexander O. Ejah & Ors v Niger Mills Co. Ltd26, the Court reasoned that from the evidence shown, the mass termination of employment of the Defendant's employees arose from a change from a manual to an automated process requiring fewer staff; the disengagement was necessitated by economic and technological reasons, and was thus within the contemplation of the Act as a ground for redundancy. Also, in Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Ltd v Oje27 the Court described redundancy in the following words: "it is a mode of removing of an employee from service when his post is declared 'redundant' by his employee (sic). It is not a voluntary or forced retirement. It is not a dismissal from service. It is not a voluntary or forced resignation. It is not a termination of appointment as is known in public service. It is a form unique only to its procedure where an employee is quietly and lawfully relieved of his post....".

Another insightful decision of the Court in this regard is the case of Okwara Agwu & Ors v. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc28. where the Supreme Court, in dismissing the appeal held that a Court will not compel an unwilling employer to retain employees it does not need, and that the only thing a Court can do is to order for payment of all entitlement of the employees, based on the provisions of the contract of employment. In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that employers be transparent about the redundancy process and inform employees of the intention to declare a redundancy as well as negotiate a disengagement package where necessary.

Termination

In light of current realities and considering the effect of the pandemic on business activities, employers may also, as a last resort, rely on the principle of frustration or contractual force majeure to terminate employments.

Generally, frustration is upheld as a basis for termination where it is established to the satisfaction of the court that due to a subsequent change in circumstances, the contract has become impossible to perform29. Such change in circumstance may include subsequent legal changes, outbreak of war, cancellation by an unexpected event.

The consequence of the occurrence of a frustrating event which makes parties unable to perform their contract such as lockdown directives by governments to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic is that the contract is terminated immediately and the parties discharged.30

Force majeure provisions, on the other hand, are provisions contained in the employment contract which allows the parties to determine in their contract, such occurrences which may be termed as being beyond their control and described as force majeure events. This is distinct from the principle of frustration in that for force majeure provisions to hold, such events must have been agreed by the parties and their occurrence must be such that they affect the performance of parties' respective obligations under the contract. These events typically include wars, floods, or pandemics such as COVID-19. However, for an employer to rely on a force majeure clause, such clause must specifically mention pandemics, or acts of government which are beyond the reasonable control of the parties.

The above notwithstanding, it is not enough to have merely described the events which may be regarded as a force majeure event in the contract, an employer who seeks to rely on it, has the duty to prove that the pandemic and the resultant government lockdown has prevented it from being able to physically or legally fulfil its contractual obligations to the employee. However, an employer will not be heard to say that such occurrence has merely created a difficulty to perform, higher cost of performance, or less profits to the business. The employer must be able to prove that:31

such occurrence was reasonably foreseeable at the time of entering the contract

such occurrence is beyond the control of the employer/employee and cannot not be reasonably avoided; and

due to the occurrence of such event, the employer/employee is incapable of performing obligations under the employment contract

CONCLUSION

Whether or not the parties are still able to continue performing their contractual obligations in the face of the current pandemic will depend on pertinent considerations such as:

the nature of the job and ability of the employee and availability of tools for the employee to work remotely

the nature, length, and effect of the force majeure/frustrating event such as the COVID-19 pandemic

whether in the circumstance a reasonable employer could have been expected to wait any longer before taking a decision, and

reasonable adjustments made by the parties to ensure the continued performance of the contract32.

It would be practical for employers to engage their employees before arriving at a decision as this would afford the employer the opportunity to communicate its present predicament to its employees. It is also advisable for the employer to comply with the provisions of the contract of employment for the execution of whatever decision they elect. This may include notice/pay requirement, severance packages, terminal benefits, or consultation with union representatives and compliance with international best practices. It is important to note however that for employers in the oil and gas sector, an approval from the Department of Petroleum Resources ('the DPR') must first be obtained before releasing any Nigerian staff33. The Guidelines defines "release" to include but not limited to, the removal of a worker in a manner that permanently separates the worker from the employer in ways such as by dismissal; retirement; termination; redundancy; release on medical grounds; resignation; death or abandonment of duty post".34 Thus, any employer who wishes to release a worker shall apply in writing to the Director for the Minister's approval stating the manner of staff release, the reasons for the proposed release, the compensation due to the Worker, and any proposed replacement for the Worker.35

On a final note, if disputes arise between employer and employee, it is recommended that such disputes are settled through Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms such as mediation, negotiation or arbitration. However, where either party is dissatisfied with the outcome, they may resort to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) for adjudication

The links to my literature review:

https://www.mondaq.com/nigeria/employment-and-workforce-wellbeing/938130/the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-employment-contracts

https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/161156/economics/economic-effects-of-a-pandemic/

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/coronavirus-unemployment-jobs-work-impact-g7-pandemic/

[theworkofxanderking]

The Originals: Bad Blood (Alternative Season 5)

Episode 9: 731 Days

Warnings: I do not own the original content to “The Originals”, “The Vampire Diaries” or “Legacies” or any of the characters from the television shows.

15 plus, displays of Violence, Gore, Torture, M/M, F/M, F/F.

Day 14

Rebekah had Augustus tied to a cross in Saint Charles Church located within the ghost town turned prison world Helton his body heavily bleeding and cut and bruised in several places while Rebekah taunted him with a knife she was holding as Nathaniel walked into the church.

“You do realize you’re just going to torture him to death and then the day will repeat itself and he’ll be alive again.” Nathaniel told her while walking towards her.

“True but then I’d literally have nothing else to do.” Rebekah responded before plunging her knife into Augustus’ chest causing him to scream in pain. “I am curious to why a church has so much torture equipment.”

“In fairness Rebekah you turn everything into a weapon.” Nathaniel replied while ignoring his father’s screams.

“We’ve been here for two weeks now and your yet to tell me anything about this little town of yours.” Rebekah said to him as she pulled her knife out of Augustus’ chest and slit his throat causing him to bleed out within seconds and silencing his screams in the process. “I’m beginning to work this place out for myself slowly, but it would be far easier if you just told me.”

“This place used to be a home a long time ago until it wasn’t.” Nathaniel admitted clearly hiding something from his friend.

“A clearly satanic church, a rundown hotel which we are forced to call home and woods which whisper. This is not a normal town is it?” Rebekah asked. “What’s in the woods? The spirits of your zombie friends.”

“Woods which whisper if only you could hear yourself Rebekah.” Nathaniel scoffed. “It’s just a normal town that got abandoned like many other towns.”

“I will find out what your hiding Nathaniel and for your sake it better not be another Malus witch or a long-lost bloody sibling of mine.” Rebekah stated making her intentions clear.

Day 182

It had been half a year since Nathaniel, Rebekah and Augustus first found themselves trapped within the ghost town of Helton and luckily for Augustus Rebekah’s attentions switched from torturing him to uncovering the secrets of the town in which her friend Nathaniel and her brother Henrik once called home.

She knew there was something especially eery to Helton some reason to why it had become a ghost town in those six months she researched in the rundown library, scoured the woods endlessly and turned every abandoned home upside down numerous times but it wasn’t until she went deep within the woods that she uncovered something she never knew existed within the ghost town she had been forced to call her home.

Rebekah went deep into the woods deeper than before until she came to the end of the woods and found herself staring at a small farm with an even smaller home on the land instantly sending her chills down her back and that was before Augustus walked out the front door of the farm home.

“182.” He shouted at her as he began walking towards her and her towards him.

“What the bloody hell are you shouting about?” She asked him while continuing to look around the abandoned farm.

“182 days it took you to finally find this place.” Augustus replied to her. “I had you finding it sooner, but those woods do tend to play tricks on the mind.”

“What is this place anyway?” Rebekah quizzed the Malus witch.

“You really do know nothing about this place.” Augustus responded with a laugh. “You can’t blame my son he gets his distrust from me.”

“He gets it from running from you for a thousand years.” Rebekah snapped at him.

“This little farm is my home or at least at one stage in my life it was my home although it wasn’t here when Nathaniel lived here or at least the second time he lived here.” Augustus revealed to her before out of nowhere Rebekah and Augustus found themselves in the woods once again. “And I guess it’s gone once again.”

“What the bloody hell is with this town?” Rebekah asked while looking around the woods in confusion. “I thought we’re cut off from all magic.”

“We’re not talking about magic when it comes to this place we’re talking about pain, loss, rage and death the four most powerful forces in the world.” Augustus revealed. “Helton really puts the ghost in ghost town the land itself is cursed by the blood of my wife.”

“The Other Side is gone how is that even possible?” Rebekah quizzed knowing the answers would just make her more confused.

“This is where I murdered my betrothed and it’s also the land in which several terrible acts were committed not just by me but by your brother and my son. I may have cursed this land, but they made sure the curse was never broken.” Augustus explained to her. “My wife was a powerful witch who feared her own death at my hands and bound herself to this land before I killed her only, she didn’t just bind herself she bound everyone who died to this land for centuries.”

“So, this place is freaking haunted by a curse that’s not broken by the whole no magic deal?” Rebekah asked.

“It may have started as a spell, but it grew into something far worse it grew into Malus.” Augustus admitted. “This town is the source to our power this is where the Malus witches were slaughtered by me after my wife’s death and this is where they remained. Malus was only meant to be a magic opposite to nature to keep a balance however I manipulated it to my own gain to possess unseen power but now there’s no magic in place draining the land we are left with just ghosts very angry ghosts.”

“The whispering woods are the spirits of people you killed.” Rebekah realized.

“People myself, Henrik and Nathaniel all killed yes although mostly me.” Augustus revealed to the original vampire turned human by their prison.

“Why are you telling me all this?” She asked clearly not trusting of a man she believed was more monster than man.

“Without magic I am as human as you are and since you’ve stopped torturing me…” Augustus began to say.

“You’re lonely,” Rebekah scoffed while rolling her eyes. “Imagine how lonely it would be on the run for a thousand years.”

“Imagine how lonely it would be being possessed by darkness for a thousand years.” Augustus told her and, in that moment,, Rebekah began to see a man within the monster who had made her friend’s life hell for so long a man within the monster who had made his own son’s life hell for most of his life.

Day 243

8 months had passed in Helton and things weren’t getting any better for the three remaining residents Rebekah Mikaelson had managed to form a wedge between herself and Nathaniel due to her newfound and reluctant alliance with his father Augustus but despite how much she long to repair her fractured friendship she wanted to return to her family more and Nathaniel wasn’t willing to help leave this prison he had helped create for them all.

Nathaniel Malin would’ve loved to leave Helton behind and find Henrik once again, but he knew that would mean allowing his father back out into the world and that was not an option for him. He knew if they remained within the ghost town his father nor himself would cause anymore harm and that they’d both be free from the darkness that lured their lives. That never stopped him worrying about the man he claimed as his son but deep down he had faith in Elijah being able to save Henrik from himself.

Augustus Malin was a story that witches told their children in the night a tale of too much power leading to destruction of oneself. He was considered a monster and rightly, so the man killed his coven, murdered his own wife and hunted his own son for a thousand years all in the name of claiming more power. However, without that magic, without the darkness corrupting his very soul he was just a man who did terrible things which now weighed heavy on his soul. Augustus sought out redemption but neither Nathaniel nor Rebekah were going to give that to him easily.

Nathaniel sat on his rocking chair with a blanket around him outside of his run down cabin that was placed just before the Helton woods as he watched the flames burn on the large bonfire he had built when he noticed his father Augustus walking towards his home.

“Unless you’re here to provide yourself as kindling for my fire then I suggest you walk straight back around.” Nathaniel warned him.

“I proposed to your mother around a bonfire just like this one.” Augustus revealed to him.

“You don’t get to mention her name you lost that right when you killed her.” Nathaniel snapped at his father as he stood up to face him.

“She was a remarkable woman, stubborn, brave and fearless just like you.” Augustus continued while walking closer towards his son.

“Oh, I was filled with fear for a thousand years wondering each day if it was my last if my father was going to kill me.” Nathaniel admitted to him. “You took my mother from me and then you took my life from me. My entire existence has been outrunning you and nothing else.”

“I’m not using this as an excuse of any kind but once the Malus takes a hold as you know there’s this undeniable darkness that consumes you. I didn’t have that darkness before I killed my own wife nor my coven on this very land however I was consumed by it by the time I began hunting you.” Augustus told his son. “How else do you think a baby managed to escape me? Because I let you go to a witch who hid you from me knowing one day, I would no longer feel that love and only the darkness.”

“So, what? You expect me to be grateful because you couldn’t kill me as a baby?” Nathaniel snapped.

“You have a million reasons to hate me for the rest of eternity Nathaniel and no-one would ever blame you, but I have a million reasons why I love you my son.” Augustus explained to the son he had spent most of his life hunting. “You lost your mother at my hands, then you lost the family that raised you and spent your life on the run and yet you still managed to love you still managed to find yourself some form of family.”

“Because I’d never allow you to beat me.” Nathaniel replied with pure hatred in his eyes for his father.

“I admire that more than you could ever imagine even when I had no emotions, I admired that.” Augustus told him. “I wish I could rewrite our history; I wish I could stop myself from killing your mother and my coven. Your mother truly was remarkable just like you.”

“Then why kill her?” Nathaniel asked with tears forming in her eyes. “Why on earth would you kill her?”

“She was a Malus witch too, a beautiful raven-haired woman with skin so pale it was like it had never been touched by sun, her lips blood red. Her name was Clara.” Augustus said while revealing Nathaniel’s mother’s name to his son for the first time. “She had a vision of well I guess me becoming the monster I am today and she wanted to run with you I never meant to kill her but I was fighting to keep you and one thing lead to another and…”

“You killed her.” Nathaniel said as her voice began to break. “She was your first taste of Malus power.”

“And from then on I needed more and more until it consumed me.” Augustus admitted much to his own disgust and his son’s horror.

Day 365

An entire year had passed, and Rebekah was still trapped in Helton alongside warring father and son Augustus and Nathaniel although a lot had changed in four months.

Rebekah had found her friendship with Nathaniel fully restored which was far from easy considering she did kill him that one time but risking eternity in a prison world for him proved to be quite the deal breaker even if Nathaniel didn’t like her growing friendship with the man who murdered his mother and tried to kill him.

Rebekah was still adamant there was a key, trick or loophole in which she would find that would lead her out of the ghost town once and for all refusing to give up on her family and striking up an unlikely friendship with Augustus in the process.

Augustus was far from the monster he once was he showed care for Rebekah and a longing for reconciliation with his son although Rebekah denied her care for him out of respect to Nathaniel who avoided his father like a plague and in a small town like Helton his avoidance was rather impressive.

Augustus without Malus was just a normal man who had done monstrous things and although neither Rebekah nor Nathaniel would admit it, they had begun to see the man within the monster.

Nathaniel stood in front of the rundown Helton Hotel within the town center of Helton looking at the building with a sense of reminiscence the building clearly meaning a lot to him with a history running deep into his heart.

“Out of all the places I catch you lurking around here this bloody hotel tends to be your number one spot.” Rebekah said to him while walking up to him from behind having walked from the direction leading towards the Helton woods.

“And I always find you either coming in or out of the woods.” Nathaniel replied while turning to face his friend. “How many times has it led you there?”

“A few times not before it kicks me out it tends to kick Augustus out too; I figure you’re the one it wants to visit not us.” Rebekah revealed to him.

“I know I’m a Malus witch and with that comes a certain level of macabre but even I am not willing to visit the scene of my mother’s murder at the hands of my own father.” Nathaniel admitted.

“Trust me I understand that,” Rebekah replied before looking at the hotel. “So, what’s the deal with this place? I know your big on secrets but one little slip up is hardly going to be the undoing of this bloody prison world.”

“The hotel once belonged to me in one of my many attempts to live a human life,” Nathaniel said with a sigh of sadness. “I didn’t know the land was cursed at first or that it was the town in which so many of my kind were slaughtered by my father.”

“What happened here why was this place abandoned?” Rebekah quizzed him.

“It wasn’t abandoned the townspeople still reside here they just reside among the dead.” Nathaniel explained to her. “I was under the illusion Henrik and I could live a normal life here my worshipers told me of a land my father never dared step foot and so we moved here. I was genuinely happy here running this little hotel and dealing with the miserable townsfolk but like it does so many times disaster struck as Henrik’s darkness grew stronger.”

“He slaughtered the entire town I guess mass murdering really does run in the family.” Rebekah responded.

“Not all some survived his violent outburst but I couldn’t let them escape Helton flee and then spread word of what had happened after all we were in hiding so I murdered the remaining survivors and buried their bodies in the woods with a cloaking spell.” Nathaniel revealed. “It was big story back then how an entire town vanished from out of sight becoming something of an urban legend until it started to slip from people’s minds. Ironic how I made them disappear and now we’ve disappeared with the town itself.”

Day 425

Two months had passed since Nathaniel’s bloody revelation to Rebekah and their friendship had grown stronger than ever because of it.

Rebekah revealed her loves and losses over the years to him while he admitted he had only ever loved one man truly and that was her brother Klaus Mikaelson. She told him of the near calls and horrors of her own father hunting her while Nathaniel shared his own father horror stories. Rebekah complained about the many struggles of being Klaus, Elijah and Kol’s sister for a thousand years while Nathaniel admitted to the burden of playing father to the mass murdering Henrik.

It was as if a thousand years had never passed and Rebekah and Nathaniel were as close now as they were back in their human years if not closer. However, Nathaniel remained distant from his father until one day he went deep into the woods.

Nathaniel was reluctant at first but after many conversations with Rebekah he decided to go into the woods and continued to roam until he found himself out of the woods and on to the run-down farm that Rebekah and his father had previously visited.

He had no memory of the place in which he was born and yet he felt a connection to the place as he walked towards the farmhouse he began having flashbacks of a woman running across the field holding a baby covered in cloth the woman looking terrified while trying to soothe her crying child only for Augustus to appear as if from out of nowhere right in front of her.

“If only I saw the monster within the man sooner.” The woman said to Nathaniel as she appeared in front of him and was no longer in his flashbacks.

“Mum,” Nathaniel said to her as tears formed in his eyes. “How is this even possible? This place is free from magic I had a powerful witch see to it myself.”

“The afterlife holds a very different magic to that of witches.” She revealed to him. “As to why I’m here instead of finding some peace well that answer lies within my own blame. I’m trapped here for as long as your father walks this earth because of a spell I was foolish enough to believe would help me be around for you somehow.”

“I always wondered what you would look like what you would be like if you regretted having me.” He cried. “I mean it’s because of me that you died if you weren’t trying to save me you would never have died that way.”

“Oh, my darling Nathaniel you hold no blame in any of this you were just a baby born to a cruel world filled with malice.” She explained to her son. “If I knew what your father would become if I knew what giving birth to you would lead to I’d do it all over again because you got to live and that’s all a mother wants for their child.”

“But I’ve not lived mother not really I’ve spent centuries on the run longing for a life but never really getting one because of him.” Nathaniel admitted. “And now I’m trapped here forever but at least I’m finally reunited with you.”

“You’re not trapped here forever,” Clara revealed to her son while placing her hand on his cheek to comfort him in his time of need. “There’s always a loophole when it comes to any spell and it just so happens, I know how you and your friend can leave this place behind forever and finally get to live your life however you choose.”

“How?” Nathaniel asked clearly eager to know the answer.

“The spell was created to hold your father and therefore can be broken by his death.” Clara made clear to him.

“But Rebekah killed him a bunch of times and he just came back the next day.” Nathaniel told his mother.

“A Malus witch can only truly be killed by a Malus witch they made sure of long before even your father’s and my time.” Clara confessed. “For you and Rebekah to be rid of this town and be free you’re going to need to kill your father.”

Day 547

The First year in Helton had been and gone and Rebekah, Nathaniel and Augustus were nearing their second with only six months to go.

Rebekah had found ways to pass the time she spent in this ghost town turned prison world as her reluctant bond with Augustus took an unexpected passionate turn beginning a sordid affair they both knew to keep hidden from Nathaniel knowing he’d feel betrayed for many reasons; one being Rebekah was his only friend and another being Augustus was well Augustus.

Augustus knew Rebekah had no feelings for him and he had none for her but their time together they both cherished making them feel anything other than completely and utterly alone.

Nathaniel was not one for helping anyone feeling less lonely having struggled in recent months after being told by the spirit of his mother he had to kill his father which surprisingly to him he had found himself not wanting to do. His hatred for the man had dwindled as he started to see him as another victim of the all-consuming Malus which he too possessed.

Nathaniel felt guilty towards his mother for not particularly wanted to kill the man who murdered her, furious with his father for making himself more human to him and even more guilty towards Rebekah knowing how much she wanted to be reunited with her family but not willing to make the sacrifice needed for her family reunion this time around.

Rebekah climbed off Augustus’ naked body before falling to the floor of the abandoned church, so she was lying next to him with nothing but a sheet covering their sweaty naked bodies having quite clearly just having sex.

“I can’t quite decide whether torturing you or sleeping with you is more enjoyable.” Rebekah joked before kissing Augustus passionately. “Definitely the torture part.”

“Well I certainly prefer one to the other however both don’t require much sleeping.” Augustus said with a smirk before kissing Rebekah once more.

“Oh, bloody hell,” Rebekah groaned as Augustus began kissing her neck. “Nathaniel is going to kill us both.”

Day 730

Two years had officially gone by and Helton was still the only place Rebekah, Augustus and Nathaniel called home unable or unwilling on Nathaniel’s part to break the curse that kept them in the ghost town turned prison world.

Nathaniel had grown rather fond of the peace and quiet and took his time to read several books from what remained of Helton’s library and would often attempt Rebekah’s hand at reading some literature leading to a book club of sorts being formed between the two and Nathaniel quickly noticed Rebekah’s only genre of literature she had any interest in was that of romance perfectly fitting for the girl who normally fell in love too easily.

Nathaniel sat on a bench just outside the decaying building which was one a store within the town center while reading “Wuthering Heights” the book itself looking as old as when it was first released in 1847 which is when Nathaniel more than likely purchased this book.  He was so engrossed within the story he hadn’t noticed his father Augustus walking up the street towards him until it was too late, and Augustus was in front of him.

“I’d be careful about seeking out all consuming passions they tend to consume you in ways not written in books.” Augustus said to him as Nathaniel closed his book and stood up to face his father.

“Ironic that the king of consumption wants to advise me on that particular topic.” Nathaniel replied coldly.

“Your snaps are getting less sharp my son either your growing lazy or your starting to hate me less.” Augustus responded with a smile.

“Don’t worry father my hate for you grows stronger with every day that goes by.” Nathaniel said to his father, a statement which neither of them believed.

Their altercation was quickly interrupted when they saw Rebekah walk past them holding a sledgehammer looking like a furious woman on a mission forcing them both to follow her in a quest to find out what she was up to.

Nathaniel and Augustus continued to follow Rebekah step for step right through the town center and towards the road leaving Helton knowing she couldn’t be trying to leave having given up with this method within the first weeks of being trapped there.

They continued to follow Rebekah right up to the Helton graffiti-ed sign with nothing behind it but woods and forestry before she began screaming frantically as she wielded the sledgehammer at the sign multiple times leaving the sign dented in the process before Nathaniel and Augustus managed to walk over to her, Augustus taking the sledgehammer off the furious Mikaelson woman.

“I hate it here!” She screamed. “I hate this miserable little ghost town; I hate the infuriating spirits who never bloody show themselves. I hate everything about this god forsaken town, and I want the hell out right now!”

“I know how to break the spell.” Augustus reluctantly admitted.

“You do?” Nathaniel asked, shocked to know he wasn’t the only one with the answer.

“Are you serious?” Rebekah questioned while attempting to pull herself together after her recent outburst. “Well do tell us.”

“The spell can only be broken by Nathaniel he has to kill me.” Augustus revealed much to Rebekah and Nathaniel’s shock.

Day 731

“Are you sure about this?” Nathaniel asked his father while he held a knife in his hand as the two of them and Rebekah stood within the ever-moving Helton Farm, the same farm in which Augustus had taken the life of Nathaniel’s mother.

“I took a magic once known only as opposite to nature our witches drew from death which is a natural process. I took that magic and I bastardized it to make myself more powerful at first, I only wanted to keep you but once I got a taste of true death I became addicted and therefore created the Malus in which we practice. I cursed this land by my own actions, I took your mother, your coven and your family.” Augustus admitted to his son. “It’s only right that my permanent death will not only free you to live a wonderful life but will restore the natural balance well and truly.”

“I’ve been running from you for so wrong I lost count of how many times I wished you dead and now I’m struggling to do the deed.” Nathaniel replied as tears formed in both his and his father’s eyes. “I do not blame you for the all-consuming darkness that consumed you, but I do thank you for your sacrifice. I wish you had a chance to be my father.”

“I do too,” Augustus revealed making tears form in Rebekah’s eyes. “I may have never been a father to you, but you have always been the most amazing son I could ever have asked for.”

Nathaniel lifted his hand that was holding the knife before cutting his father’s neck open with it harshly and quickly forcing him to fall to the ground and bleed out as tears fell down Nathaniel’s cheeks. Before Rebekah had a chance to comfort her grieving friend both her and Rebekah found themselves on a dead-end road with nothing but trees and forestry behind them.

The exact same spot in which Hope, Klaus and Bonnie stood two years and one day ago.

“Nathaniel,” Rebekah shouted as she looked down to see her belly which had what looked like at least a six-month pregnancy bump. “What the bloody hell?”

[froggybaek]

poor unfortunate souls - lee minho

♛➩ genre: Disney!au, hella fluff, minor angst?

♛➩ pairing: neutral!reader x lee minho

♛➩ warnings: this is a rewrite of the original story, “brawl” that I posted ages ago on @kamino-ink

♛➩ summary: you’re not exactly the most interesting of fairytale characters in town, the offspring of a couple that maybe appeared once or twice in a background illustration; but that was it, nothing special. yet, somehow, you’ve managed to catch the eye of ursula's son - and he would do anything, anything to protect you.

♛➩ word count: 6.8k

 You are just fifteen when your mother and father practically drag you through the dense forestry of Neverland, their lips pursed into thin, worried lines. Your own lips are parted to release desperate cries of confusion and anger - a mixture of emotions that you would choose to never feel again if truly given the option.

 You have barely lived long enough to understand what was happening. All you know, for the record, is that something big was coming - something so big, so dangerous, that it had the entirety of Neverland running for cover... for safety.

 You also know that your parents won’t be coming with you, wherever you’re going. They tell you that you’ll be on your own in this - this “new world,” according to what Pan told everyone. He had been able to locate the curse before it had been enacted and read the foreign language on the scroll; what he read, well, it would be the thing that condemned your world.

 “Ursula, Cruella, and the Evil Queen all came together to write this curse,” Pan had spoken to the crowd of creatures, his voice reaching the deepest, darkest depths of the mystical island, “their powers combined have made it so our entire universe will fall victim to its bounds. In a few weeks time... our youngest will be casted away into a new world - from what I know, their own children will likely be the top dogs in this place. They call it a restart.”

 The man - or rather, the eternal boy, paused for a moment. His gaze wandered over the frightened beings of his people, of his land. How he hated this - this absolute madness. Once upon a time, Peter Pan himself had been a curse to Neverland, so he understood the everlasting consequences of the three women’s actions. Perhaps they knew of this as well, what effect it would have on their lives and the lives of their own children - but maybe it was part of their plan.

 A plan that not even Peter Pan, the King of Neverland, could come to comprehend. “Families will be separated during this curse. Your children will be sent to their created land, but those of us who have surpassed the certain age of youth... we will stay here-”

 “What do you mean?”

 “We came here to never grow old, to stay together forever - will we have to live without our own children as they grow old!?”

 “What of my son? He is ill - if he continues to age in this new land, won’t the sickness spread and k-kill him?”

 The brunette boy stares down at the rumbling crowd, listening closely to the worried complaints of humans, mermaids, and fairies alike. Should anyone else have been in his place in that moment, they would assume that most everyone there would be sent to the new land together - after all, there were many, many younger looking boys and girls in their midst. Unfortunately, many of those inhabitants had ventured to Neverland decades ago - if they stepped off of the island at any given moment, they would promptly revert to their true age, likely surpassing the stages of youth.

 Pan was like them, of course, having become a resident of Neverland when he was very young; why, by now he would surely be into his fifties or sixties.

 “I am afraid that I don't have all the answers to your questions. I can try my best to give you all comfort, but I suggest preparing yourselves - and your children, for the worst possible outcome.” He continued his solemn announcement, his eyes following and meeting the others of random creatures crowded beneath the spire he stood on. When his own sad gaze happened to catch your own frightened one, your felt the hands of your parents squeeze you tightly between their bodies; in Neverland, you would forever be fifteen - but you three had only arrived a mere two years ago.

 If the curse was as he described it, then you would surely be sentenced to whatever evil it held.

 “I don’t know the cut off, but we should all be ready just in case. My best guess would be around the age of twenty-five, although if you are eighteen or younger it is guaranteed you will be sent off. Say your final goodbyes, and... know that us who stay will never forget your legacy here, in Neverland.”

 You are only fifteen years old, technically seventeen if time had not been paused in Neverland, when your small family reaches a familiar campsite in the middle of the dense, lush forest. A few other families and their children hold each other tightly, clinging to one another as the dark, purple cloud - otherwise known as the curse, floats closer and closer to the inner parts of the island.

 Pan himself seems to be lecturing the “youngest” Lost Boys, or rather, those who had come to Neverland far later than the others and would likely be swept up by the curse. The older Lost Boys do the same, rounding up their youngest boys - some cry, some don’t, but the depressed and anxious atmosphere hanging in the air is enough to hint at what is soon to come.

 “Y/N, you are our only child,” your father begins breathily, dropping down to his knees so he can be at eye-level with you, your mother quickly following his actions and grasping at the palms of your cold hands, “no matter what - no matter what the goals of those other children are, the ones born from the evil monsters who cast this curse, you must protect yourself and no one else.”

 “Try to seek out anyone from Neverland once you arrive. Stick together, but don’t forget-”

 “- to protect myself.” You breathe out quietly, glancing upwards to see that the cloud has reached the camp, just feet away from swallowing you whole. Just as the purple haze begins to touch the toes of your parents, you meet their watery gazes once more and give their hands a gentle squeeze.

 “I promise to keep myself safe.”

————————————————————————

 You kept your promise.

 The second you were transported out of Neverland, out of your home and away from your mother and father, you had cautiously looked around your new, foreign surroundings.

 You had dug your toes into the gritty sand beneath your feet by the ocean’s edge, steadying yourself in the case of a surprise visitor or attacker; after all, who were you to trust other than those who you knew from Neverland?

 Luck had a fifty-fifty chance of being on your side that fateful day, truly. A couple of days before the curse was set to reach Neverland, a good majority of its inhabitants had decided to group their children or their youngest into the camp of Peter Pan himself - that way there could be at least of sliver of hope that you all would wind up together from the very beginning.

 Unfortunately for you, and likely the others who had been transported by the curse, you had ended up completely and utterly alone.

 You weren’t sure how or why, but you had ended up alone on the beachside. It had been very, very quiet, with only the occasional call of a bird or the ocean lapping at the sandy shore being your source of company. There is a small, slighting movement between your toes still bare from the process of going through the cloud, to which you tilt your head down and find yourself spotting a little crab. Its bright orange shell contrasts immensely with the pale grits of the beach, the claws attached to its body trying to snap at your exposed skin.

 Crabs were not new to you, obviously, but this little creature was from an entirely different world - maybe even a different universe. After all, you had lived on an island for the past two years of your life, accompanied by a beautiful beach all for itself.

 But... would everything else in this new place be the same? You couldn’t be sure, and in all honesty, you weren't quite sure if you wished to venture beyond the comfort of the oceanside. You had promised them - you had promised to your mother and father that you would keep yourself safe before anyone else.

 You don’t even wince when the crab’s sharp claw pierces the skin of one of your toes, instead finding yourself leaning down and opening the palm of your hand. Reaching down slowly as to not frighten the creature, you manage to scoop it up into the now sandy palm of your hands. For some strange reason, it suddenly ceases in its furious little attacks on your body.

 The orange crab manages to comfort you, in a way, just as the waves of the ocean and the gentle breeze sweeping across the shore did. This singular area of the new world helped you feel closer to home - and home... was always safest.

 “Thank you, little crab,” a breath of air escaped your lips, a sense of relief washing over your bones, “you may not know this, but you have helped me feel safe.”

————————————————————————

Three years. Thirty-six months. One-hundred and fifty-six weeks. One-thousand and ninety-two days. Twenty-six thousand, two-hundred and eight hours. One million, five hundred seventy-two thousand, four hundred eighty minutes.

That is how long you and, from what you happened to understand, the rest of the fairytale characters had been stuck here - on a planet called Earth. To be more specific, you all were located in a place called Maine in a country the humans from Earth called the United States of America.

Only a select few from your world had been able to find out this information after having gone past the boundaries of the designated area - or town, if you could call it that. From what they had learned, everyone who had come from your world into this one were recognized as fairytale characters in children’s tales.

For instance, your beloved Peter Pan had a book published about him some decades ago, though it had been dumbed down for the sake of the younger kids who viewed the fairytale as something more, something hopeful. To be frank, this world wasn’t exactly familiar with the actual children of their beloved bedtime story heroes and villains, more so the parents instead. Not that any of them would recognize you, as you had been born to what they called “background” characters.

In your mind, that was perfectly alright - being the offspring of two people who weren’t exactly heroes nor villains. That in itself meant you could be whoever you wanted to be - whatever you wanted to be, especially in such a foreign land; you call it foreign, anyways, as you rarely, if ever, ventured away from the beach that you called home.

Yes, home... while it could never compare to the simple yet wonderful paradise that was Neverland, it suited you well enough. Not even a yard away from where you had first appeared after the effects of the curse, there had been an abandoned hut of sorts all for the taking - your taking, to be precise. Made of driftwood and other oddly natural resources, the hut offered you shelter and safety while you found your bearings all those years ago.

“Stop pinching me, you little demon.” You break yourself out of your mindless thoughts as a familiar stinging sensation erupts from your ankle. Glancing down on the wooden steps of your porch, your bored gaze spots Sebastian clawing at your raw skin. The damn crab always pinched at you whenever he wanted something nice to eat, mainly algae, though.

Ever since you had first picked him up when he was just a miniscule, pretty harmless crab, the damn thing had stuck by you and went everywhere with you - and yes, that did include the occasional trip to the market when you had to pick up some food or anything of that manner. Some people gave you strange looks every now and then, although most of the population had already been so used to animal companions back in the old world that it wasn’t much of a hot topic at this point.

Although you did have to admit, spotting a local resident who rarely left their home on the beach carrying pounds of food with ease, along with a strangely protective fiddler crab perched on their head most certainly had to be a sight to see.

There’s another pinch to your ankle, making you groan under your breath as you look down to scold the crab again; and then you hear it.

Or rather, them.

“Ohhhh Y/N! We’ve come to annoy you!”

“No, Jisung - you dragged me here so they wouldn’t beat your ass again. You alone came all the way out here to be annoying, as usual.” Seungmin grumbled, sending you a tired grimace while his wild companion darted across the sand, sending it flying comically into his front side.

The younger boy raised by silverback gorillas and just two humans stumbled a bit as he ran closer and closer to you, his toes catching on the sand (somehow) more than once; then again, he had been trained to walk and run a certain way for a majority of his life. How his mother never bothered to teach him to be a bit more careful or proper, you would likely never know.

“Look out, Ji,” you say in an otherwise monotone voice, the corners of your slightly chapped lips twitching into an amused smirk as he nearly falls into a quick stop just a foot away from your form sat on the porch, “Sebby here will not hesitate to pinch you.”

“I don’t get why that - that thing hates me.” He whined, brushing his blonde hair out of his eyes, glaring at the crab that had taken the liberty of perching himself on top of one of your feet as if to guard you - not that the poor thing could, but it made your heart flutter in adoration for how he tried.

Seungmin, who had been a wee bit preoccupied with sweeping the microscopic grains of sand off his shirt and pants, walked up to the two of you and managed both a soft look to Sebastian as well as a nasty glare to his comrade. “You were literally raised by gorillas most of your life with the exception of your parents, Jisung. To be frank, you have zero grounds to wonder why a crab doesn’t like you, of all things.”

“Okay first of all, neither of these cases have anything to do with each other, Mr. Witch-”

“The fuck do you mean it has nothing to do with - whatever you gremlin, don’t call me a witch. I am a fairy!”

“Ohh, because that is so much better-”

You let out a pitiful sigh once the two start to bark at each other, arguing back and forth as they usually did. How they never actually fought, you would never know. Figuring that they might want a bite to eat or at least a drink to sooth their soon to be sore throats from all the yelling, you heave yourself off the top step of your porch, getting ready to turn around and head inside when a hand suddenly rests on one of your shoulders.

“They are... quite the pair, aren’t they?” The newcomer hums in utter amusement, their long fingers squeezing your shoulder, their footsteps somehow being heard by you even over the consistent arguing going on just a mere foot away.

“Mhm, they sure are. Although it is a bit entertaining, seeing them fight and all, it does hurt my ears.” You reply with a little more volume than usual so you can be heard by the man who now comes up to stand next to you just on the front porch of your hut, with him using your shoulder to push himself up right beside you. “What brings you here, Minho?”

The slightly older man grumbles at your all too formal tone. He had, on many occasions, especially when you first met, asked you to not use that bland tone of voice when speaking with him; mostly because it felt so weird for a friend to address him as if he was someone of importance. Which, he arguably was, to a degree.

He parts his lips to chastise you for the same issue once more, but the words he was about to say wither into nothing when he sees your lips pulled into a smirk filled with mischievous delight. Damn you for being so - well, you.

Speaking of you, you had started to wave a hand carelessly in front of the man’s face, one eyebrow quirked in amusement as he simply stares off into space as if he had some sort of vision. “Hello? Earth to Minho?” When he still didn’t manage to utter a response of any kind, you step closer to him and poke at his nose, “hey, octopus, you still there?”

“I told you to stop calling me octopus,” he retorted quickly, snapping out of his daze within mere seconds, “you got that stupid name from Chan, didn’t you?”

“Course I did - he gave me a cookie to seal the deal of me calling you octopus. I never turn down food, Minho.”

The silver haired man groans quietly under his breath, silently cursing Cruella’s son for using his own best friend against him. “He only does it because I called him a bastard when we first met, you know; rightfully so, too!”

You snort in disbelief, already making your way back into your home with the complaining man following closely behind. “Uh huh. Tell me again, why did you resort to calling him a, and I quote, ‘half-and-half bastard’?” You question him, hearing his footsteps on the wooden floorboards of the shabby hut while you wait for his answer.

“Cause’ of his dumbass fucking hair, love. I mean, black and white hair of all things? I get his mother is literally Cruella de Vil, but I don't think that’s how genetics work.” Minho continues his miniature rant with a hint of whine to his voice, unknowingly causing your lips to curl into a small smile, “the whole bastard issue arose when he lunged at me for petting one of his thousands of cats. Said’ that my ‘fishy stench’ would rub off on them, or some bullshit like that.”

“You know, you sure do curse an awful lot, Minho.” You point out with an airy laugh, bending down to grab a pair of spare, sand-covered shoes.

He actually whines out loud this time at your comment, all the while resisting the strong urge to stare at your backside when you bend down - bloody hell, why was he so disgusting? Before he could usher out a snippy retort, he was interrupted by the sound of two other pairs of feet walking into your hut.

“Alright lovebirds, we need to go to the store before it closes. And knowing Jisung, well, we’ll be held up for at least twenty minutes looking at the mangos so he can find the perfect one.” Seungmin announces suddenly, although it left you mildly confused; had they all really come down to pick you up and drag you into town just for a grocery run?

As if he could read your mind (in reality he could simply read your expressions like an open book) Minho explained what was happening, “Chan is having a big party tonight to celebrate Jeongin’s crew returning from their voyage. Apparently the kid might have found a way to get back home.”

Home... that’s right - you weren’t truly at home, watching two of your closest friends bicker almost on a daily basis outside your front door. You weren’t technically back home where you originally came from, feeling your heart race even the slightest bit when the only son of Ursula made eye contact with you while you spoke with him. The little crab, now having perched himself on a makeshift “bed” of sand and pebbles by the front door, did not come with you all when the curse had hit the other world.

Having mostly isolated yourself from the rest of the new world, not including the few friends you had somehow made, you sometimes forgot that a good majority of them had always desired to go back to where they came from. Jeongin, who was the offspring of the great yet foul Captain Hook, frequently took his crew across the ocean as far as they could go in search for any clues to get home. You see, there was technically a limit to how far any of the fairytale characters could venture outside of town, lest they wish to lose all of their memories (which had been learned the hard way, unfortunately,) though the pirates had somehow found a loophole in the town barrier. They could sail the sea with no issues, for the most part.

Sometimes, you wished that you could have been born in this world. You felt much more at peace, here, not having to worry about warlocks or evil queens threatening to curse everyone at a moment’s notice.

A hand cautiously finds solace in wrapping around your wrist, nearly making you jump a good foot into the air. You glance to your side, breathing a bit heavily from having been brought out of your thoughts.

“Y/N, are you alright?” Minho asked you softly, a great contrast to his normally sarcastic tone. Knowing that you were, in fact, not quite alright, you go ahead and nod anyway just to reassure the worried man. Though, from the way he narrows his eyes, you can just tell that he knows you’re outright lying to both him and the other two concerned boys.

But he doesn't call you out on it.

Instead of pointing out your blatant lie to avoid talking about whatever had suddenly begun to bother you, he pushes himself in front of your body and hunkers down. Before you can process what in the world he’s up to now, he had somehow managed to grab your arms and haul you onto his back with ease.

 The single shoe you had shimmied up to the end of your ankle falls to the floor with a distinct ‘plop!’ and you, of course, huff in annoyance and surprise; even so, you don't hesitate to gingerly wrap your arms around his neck, curl your mostly bare legs around his waist, and tuck your face into the crook of his neck just above his shoulder.

 “Minho, what’re you doing?”

 “I’m carrying you while we go out, obviously.” He replied almost softly, his voice laced with a foreign sort of tone that you couldn’t quite pinpoint. It sounded akin to a sense of caring and gentleness, very warm - it reminded you of how Peter Pan used to talk to everyone in Neverland. “Now hold on, love, we’re probably going to have to chase after that damn monkey and Seungmin.”

————————————————————————

 You had to make a mental note to yourself to never, ever go shopping with those three hot messes ever again. 

 Minho had refused to put you down the entire time you lot wandered around the grocery store, stating each time you complained about wanting to walk that it more than likely had a policy where you couldn't just - wander around barefoot; and yes, that meant you had to scold Jisung for wanting to rip off his shoes and climb on the shelves instead of shopping like a normal person on more than one occasion.

 Then there was the little monkey demon himself, resisting the urge to hop around and swing from the ceiling lights a majority of the time instead of actually helping to cross items off of the list. The other percentage of the trip in his case meant staring at a box of mangos and arguing with the nearest clerk about their ripeness and making sure the one he wanted to purchase was “absolutely perfect with just the right amount of mango,” whatever that meant.

 And finally there was poor, little Seungmin - not so much poor, really, as he too started a plethora of arguments with the sales clerks at almost every corner. The feisty fairy boy would point out the tiniest of flaws in how they arranged and organized their products, even going as far as to scold fucking adults for putting a single jug of two percent white milk in front of a row of whole milk cartons.

 From what you could recall, you had left the beach at some point early in the morning, as you had been watching the sun rise over the blue ocean with precious Sebastian at your feet; that was just when the trio had arrived. And now it was around midday from what you could tell. You would have resorted to taking a quick glance at your mobile phone that you totally weren't still getting used to, but Minho had snatched it the second you attempted to use it to distract yourself from the chaos that was the grocery run.

 Understandably enough, you had at least tried to sneak the phone out of his pants pocket at least four times during the passing hours, although your attempts had left Minho with a noticeably flushed face.

 Now, here you were, practically glued to the man’s back as he walked a couple of feet behind Jisung and Seungmin, who were bickering yet again about god knows what while carrying the many bags of food and drinks to Chan’s house so they could start to set up for the party.

 Every now and then, you would feel a strange shiver run up your spine - as if someone was staring daggers into your very soul. You had brushed the creeping sensation off for quite some time now, figuring you might have been feeling a little paranoid being out in the public since you didn't make it a priority to head into town too often.

 At some point, though, the feeling of being watched so, so closely had overwhelmed your senses, sending you into an overload of confused emotions - mostly worry. While Minho diligently walked with a certain pep in his step, his hands resting just tight enough on your calves to help keep you steady on his back, you suddenly twisted your head back just enough to look behind you.

 Almost immediately you had made eye contact with some of the most repulsive boys you had ever seen in your lifetime - not to say they were ugly, no; rather their hungered stares that had previously been aimed shamelessly at your backside made you shiver in disgust.

 “Minho, please put me down.” You turned back around, knowing full well the little perverts had gone right back to eyeing your rear, your words hushed and soft.

 To Minho, you sounded like a kicked puppy. “How come, love? You aren’t wearing any shoes, you’ll end up with blisters.” He pointed out quietly, slowing down a bit and almost melting in with the rest of the crowd.

 For some odd reason, he felt like he had to slow down even though you weren’t trying to keep pace with him; that in itself made him worry just a bit. “Y/N? Hey - what’s wrong?” He pressed on gently when you didn’t come up with an excuse, as he could now only feel your somewhat labored breaths brushing the shell of his ear.

 “... c-could you hand me your coat, then?”

 “Are you cold?”

 “M-my legs are a bit chilly, I just want to wrap it around my waist is all.”

 Lying has never been your... strong suit, to say the least. If anything, trying to get away with anything that wasn’t the truth was your weakest point, to put it nicely. Most of your small group of friends knew this all too well, considering you tried (keyword tried) to fib about the most miniscule of things, and usually they would let it go - no big deal.

 But not Minho - he could read you like an open book, and he dared to call you out on your bullshit ninety-nine percent of the time.

 “If you were cold, you would've been nagging me about giving you my coat ages ago when we first left the store,” he places a certain annoying amount of emphasis on the single word ‘nagging’ as if to mock you for constantly nagging him - which you did on occasion, not all the time, “tell me the truth right now or I’ll make sure to tell Chan about the time you had a wet dream about him-”

 “Okay, okay! Just - shut up, octopus,” you interrupt him quickly, cheeks flushing a deep red as if the older man mentioned was able to actually hear what your friend had just announced to the public - those who cared to listen, anyway, “those two boys behind us are... they’re um - they’re staring at my ass and it’s making me uncomfortable.”

There’s a pregnant pause. Both you and the man carrying you fall completely silent, with you nervously nibbling on your already chapped bottom lip and your companion slowing to a total halt. The crowd parts around the pair of you, some small curses flying your way from the sudden stop, but Minho doesn't seem to care at all.

 In seconds he has taken the liberty of obeying your quiet request from just moments ago, promptly helping you slide down his back and stand steady on the warm pavement of the sidewalk. You think, just for a moment, that everything has gone by smoothly enough; that Minho will simply ignore the two culprits and walk with you to catch up with Jisung and Seungmin.

 Oh, you couldn't have been more wrong.

 Slowly, almost comically, Minho turns on the heels of his shoes to face the notably younger boys dead in the eyes. “Apologize.”

 They both stop dead in their tracks. “Uh - what?” One of them asks loudly, the other echoing his words like a parrot.

 “I said, apologize to my friend here,” Minho presses on with a sickly smile, verging on the definition of wicked as he steps forward to the frozen pair and places a hand on each of their shoulders to prevent them from possibly escaping, “or would you like for me to beat the word ‘sorry’ into your empty heads?”

 “H-hey, it isn’t our fault that they chose to wore pants that showed off their ass, man-”

 “Excuse me?” Your huff of offense goes unheard, having been immediately overpowered by the literal growl that emits from Minho’s throat. His fists clench once, twice, and then one final time before he lunges at the two boys, showing no mercy to them as he absolutely pummels them with zero hesitation.

 The crowd that had previously been focused on walking around the four of you now begins to form a sort of circle, encasing you all in a ring. No one dares to try and stop the fight, more than likely because they all recognized the instigator as the very son of Ursula himself, who was notorious for picking fights and always winning them.

 In the distance, you can hear the muffled voices of Jisung and Seungmin coming back to search for where you two had gone off to, only to see their elder beating the shit out of a pair of boys their ages.

 For a split second you just watch. You watch as the two boys begin to bleed from the cuts inflicted by the few rings your silver haired companion wore on his knuckles. You watched in eerie silence as they cried out for help, their lips being busted with ease from their assailant’s precise punches.

 Then you can’t take it anymore. The crowd’s attention pans from Minho to you, as if somehow knowing that he had started the brawl in your name - which, he had, and rightfully so; you knew this fact deep down in your heart.

 But you hated so much attention being brought onto you, no matter if it was deserved or not in any circumstance. You had spent most of the past three years making sure a select few, special people knew who you were and where you came from - no one else did, nor did you want them to.

 You take a tentative step forward - not in fear of the possibility of Minho accidently swinging at you in his fit of rage, but because all eyes had now definitely switched their attention to the smaller person reaching out to the cursing man still on top of the two boys crying out in pain.

 Your hand mimics his actions from earlier that same day, gently going to rest on one of his shoulders, squeezing him reassuringly. “Minho... please, let’s go.” You utter quietly, nearly inaudibly, but he catches your words.

 In no time at all, as if you had pressed a button on a remote that controlled his every action, Minho finally climbs off of the bloodied and bruised boys. He scans the gawking crowd, his fiery glare enough to make them stop staring and move on with their lives.

 He doesn't even spare his victims another glance, choosing to go ahead and turn his back to them and grab one of your hands, intertwining your fingers together with his own. Not a word is spoken between you two as he quietly leads you away from the scene, carefully brushing past a stunned Jisung and Seungmin.

 “C’mon, we have a party to get to.”

————————————————————————

 You never made it to the party, or rather, you never went with the other boys in the first place. The entire encounter from just hours ago had made you feel so gross, so violated and objectified; and you had promptly concluded that going to a party filled with drunk, likely hormonal boys and girls alike wouldn't have been the best idea at the time.

 As opposed to a crowded, booming crowd cramped inside one singular structure, you had found a familiar comfort in sitting on the front steps of your hut. Sebastian was sprawled out between your bare, sand covered feet, his orange shell shining in the gentle moonlight that cascaded down onto the peaceful beach.

 Leaning into the warm side of the man sat in silence beside you, a wave of safety nets over your body.

 “You know, you didn’t have to stay here with me tonight. I know you were looking forward to seeing Jeongin and Felix again.” You breathe out into the night, unconsciously nuzzling closer into the oddly quiet man’s chest as a cold chill wafts over the shore.

 He has one arm slung securely around your shoulders, his hand hanging in the open air. Yet as you scoot closer to him for warmth, he lets his lonesome hand drop down to your waist so he can fiddle loosely with your fingers that rested on the top of your thigh, having been covered with his coat like a fluffy blanket.

 “I’d much rather be here with you, truth be told,” the man admits to you, letting his head fall on top of your own since it had drooped onto his shoulder, “not to mention that half and half bastard would lecture me in front of everyone after what I did to those dirty perverts.”

 You hum softly in agreement. “What poor, unfortunate souls. I’m sure they’re in a bit of pain right about now.”

 Minho chuckles from above you, his rumbling laughs causing both his and your bodies to vibrate. “Hey - what gives?” You whine, tilting your head slightly to get a better look at the amused man.

 “Ah, sorry love - just reminded me of my mother is all.” He responds with a smaller laugh, lips still curled into a warm-hearted smile as he looks down to meet your bright, slightly tired gaze. You swear that, in that moment, you heart skips a beat. His gentle yet somehow mischievous brown eyes seem to twinkle in the moonlight, the reflections of the thousands of stars in the night sky sparkling like diamonds in his gaze.

 What was so different now? Why had Minho started to affect you in ways you didn't even know were humanely possible?

 You had known each other for almost three years, after all. Back then, when he had gone out of his way to make flirtatious jokes with you and banter with you about the silliest of matters just to rile you up, nothing had felt the way it did now.

 These days, you often caught yourself smiling stupidly at any little thing he said, may it be a bland joke or a witty reply that would send anyone else into hiding out of sheer shame and embarrassment. Perhaps it was because he had so quickly come to your defense just that same day; no, that wouldn't make any sense at all, as the man had vehemently done the same thing many times beforehand.

 Like the time where the child of Jafar had innocently enough offered to show you a good time - mind you it had been playful banter, as you had actually been quite close with the man known as Hyunjae for years, since before the curse had been enacted. Yet Minho, not knowing this, had just about called the other man every curse word in the dictionary. Of course, he had ceased his onslaught and even took it upon himself to formally apologize after you’d stopped him and explained the whole situation.

 Then again, there had been another time when a group of “b-listers,” as he had called them, tried to convince you to let them put sunscreen on your back just last summer. Each time you said no, and politely so, one of them would whine like a toddler and insist that you would get a horrid sunburn if they didn't help you out. Within milliseconds of noticing how uncomfortable you were, Minho had plopped down behind you on your towel and applied the cream himself, all the while smiling wickedly at your harassers until they ran away with their nonexistent tails between their legs.

 “Hey, Min?”

 “Yes, Y/N?”

 “Why do you always feel like you have to stand up for me?”

 Your sudden question stuns him for a few seconds, as made obvious by the way his lips part in surprise. He doesn't necessarily hesitate to answer your question, he just didn't know why you would ask - and it flusters him to his very core.

 He recovers from the odd question quicker than you expected, shaking his head at you and your damned curious expression. “Isn’t it obvious, love?” Minho breathes out, although he doesn't give you enough time to answer. “I stand up for you because I need to... not that you can’t do it yourself, I just - I suppose I feel like I have to protect you because all the princes do it.”

 “W-what do you mean by that?”

 “I - well, I am no fairytale prince by any means, given my bad reputation around here and my ancestry... but all those princes protect their partners because that’s what you do when you love someone. You want to protect them from the world and everything bad about it, you want to make them feel safe at all costs.” Minho explains with a quiet, demure tone, becoming more and more shy with each word that spills past his lips. “I stand up for you because I love you with every fiber of my being, Y/N; and if you don't feel the same way, I would still fight for you.”

 “Who said that I don't feel the same way?” You retort immediately without thinking, not that you truly needed to. You knew that you loved him, that wasn't something you had to ponder about inside your head.

 You don't need to think about your next move, which involves you tilting your head up a bit further and scooting so close to the stunned man that you were practically on the verge of sitting in his lap. You don't have to wonder if it’s the best idea to trace his jawline with one of your fingers, if it’s in your best interest to tilt his head down just enough so you can finally connect your lips with his own.

 There aren’t fireworks when you kiss him. There isn't a cliché spark that booms in your chest at the feeling of his plump lips melding with yours.

 You feel safety wash over your body when he makes a small noise of appreciation against your lips.

 You feel love rushing through your veins as he raises a hand to cup your cheek and deepen the kiss.

 You both feel at home as you kiss under the moon and the stars, the sounds of the ocean falling deaf to your ears in favor of the shared love that becomes one with true love’s kiss.

 And you wouldn’t have had it any other way.

[melissawalker01]

ATV Accident Lawyer Midway Utah

Historically, the first Anglo-Americans to visit the area just east of Mount Timpanogos were members of a fur-trapping brigade led by Etienne Provost in 1824. For many years, the valley was referred to as Provo or upper Provo; the river running south through the valley still bears the name of that explorer but the town became known as Midway City. A wagon road completed through Provo Canyon in 1858 brought the first settlers to the area. In the spring of 1859, many more families began moving farther to the west along Snake Creek. Two small communities were established, called the Upper and Lower Settlements. One was later named Mound City because of the many nearby limestone formations. In 1866, Indian hostilities grew and territorial governor Brigham Young encouraged settlers to construct forts for protection. The two small settlements reached an agreement to build a fort halfway or midway between the two existing communities thus the beginning of our modern day town named Midway. It was in the 1860s and 1870s that a large number of Swiss families arrived with names such as Gertsch, Huber, Kohler, Probst, Zenger, Durtschi, and Abegglen, among others, some still are found in Midway today. Midway was incorporated June 1, 1891.

From the beginning, Midway’s industry was based on livestock and farming; however, as the town grew so did the need for building materials. In the early 1850s sawmills were built with three main operators: Henry T. Coleman, John Watkins, and Moroni Blood. In 1861, John H. Van Wagoner constructed the first commercial gristmill. Soon followed retail stores, one of which was the Bonner Mercantile Store. Later other retail stores were built by Henry T. Coleman and Simon Epperson. As the town grew so did the need for additional stores a confectionery and grocery store, blacksmiths, livery stables, boarding houses, and other businesses soon fulfilled the growing town’s booming economy. Nearby mines, particularly those in Park City, also began to play an important economic role in many Midway households, and did so into the late 1960s. Because of the many ninety-degree-pluses hot water springs or ‘hot pots’ in the Midway area, several resorts were developed including Schneitter’s Hot Pots (now the Homestead) and Luke’s Hot Pots (now the Mountain Spa); both were established in the 1880s. Important civic improvements were made in the 1930s and 1940s. A concrete sidewalk program began in 1938, and the Midway Recreation Center, usually referred to as the “Town Hall,” was dedicated in June 1941 which is now the center of many community events including the famous Swiss Days held each fall.

Midway Swiss Days brings thousands of people to its tiny town. it was originally called Harvest Days and was established in 1947 through the efforts of Luke’s Hot Pots Resort owners Joseph B. and Pauline S. Erwin and a number of local enthusiastic supporters. The club became known as the Midway Boosters and continues today to play a role in many city improvements and activities. Although agriculture is still a significant industry, recreation has fast become an important aspect of Heber Valley’s economy. Local recreation attractions include golf courses, Deer Creek Reservoir, Wasatch Mountain State Park nationally known Homestead Resort and the Olympic Venue Soldier Hollow. Soldier Hollow is home to world-class cross-country skiing, tubing and soon will add one of the State’s largest golf courses to its venue. As the world changes so does the community and as the world discovers Midway and its charm, we hope we have captured some of the past and preserved all of those future visitors and citizens of Midway to enjoy.

What You Need to Know and Do after an ATV Accident

In case you didn’t know, ATV stands for “All Terrain Vehicle” and there are many uses for them besides fun. People use them to plow farms, plow snow, and even to transport materials. And the accidents that come from ATVs are from these uses as well as recreational ones. In the United States, alone, ATVs are responsible for 100,000 injuries and 650 deaths every year but think about how many more people get on ATVs when they’re on vacation? Yet most of never even think to stop about the risks and injuries that happen from ATVs. The next time you find yourself with an ATV and you’re asked to sign some kind of contract before riding one, learn about what some of the most common ATV injuries are, how to legally protect yourself, and what to do if you ever find yourself in need of injury lawyers.

Before Going ATV Riding

In many states, you must register an ATV if you buy one and you must have insurance if you want to ride it out on the open road. In addition, some states also require special licenses for the driver and there are strict age restrictions on who can ride one. For instance, some states require children under a certain age (usually 16) to ride with supervision, which is probably a good idea because ATVs are responsible for about 77 children’s deaths per year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of course, if you choose to not follow the law, no one will ever know but if you ever find yourself in an accident, you won’t have any legal protection and you can be charged for not following state regulations. Always check with your local DMV before buying or riding an ATV.

ATV Insurance

While some states require you to have ATV insurance before riding one, some don’t, which leaves many ATV users to think they probably won’t need one. But we’ll tell you this: most ATV users who get into accidents never thought they would need one too. Those who had it were glad they did and those who didn’t regret it. Depending on the type of ATV insurance you buy, it can cover a range of damages and risks. Some cover bodily injuries, some cover property damages, some cover collision damages, and some cover all. In a worst case scenario, you can end up in an accident where you hurt yourself or someone else severely and you would have to pay thousands of dollars for medical expenses and property damages. Even if you just have a medical ATV insurance, it would cover your entire medical expenses, otherwise, your health insurance will be your only safety net. At the end of the day, the choice to get ATV insurance or not is up to you but as with most auto insurances, some coverage is better than no coverage.

After ATV Accident

Right after an accident, you should seek medical help as soon as possible. Even if you feel fine, there can be internal or delayed injuries that you can’t see or feel until later on. Go and get yourself checked out in the hospital just to be safe.

Among those who reported being in ATV accidents, the most common injuries were: • Arms and hand (29%) • Head and neck (27%) • Legs and feet (22%) • Torso (20%) • Other (2%) But keep in mind; you can have one or multiple injuries when you get into a 4-wheeler accident.

Brain Injuries: Of all the ATV injuries, brain injuries are probably the most worrisome because you cannot see them from the outside and sometimes symptoms might take up to days or even years to show up. This makes the cause of the injury difficult to trace and it poses a problem if you end in court. Traumatic brain injury, memory loss, and permanent concussions are some of the more severe injuries that can happen to ATV crash victims. Children are especially more susceptible to brain injuries because their bodies are smaller and the impact of the crash can harm them more.

Spinal Cord Injuries: Spinal cord injuries are another type of damage to look out for if you’re ever in a four-wheeler accident. Aside from being painful, spinal cord injuries can be devastating because they can cause a person to become disabled. They can lose their ability to walk, to move, and drastically change the quality of the person’s life. A less experienced but similar injury in its potential affect on your life is one that causes hip pain, which can be easily overlooked initially.

Seek Medical Attention: Regardless of severity, all ATV injuries should be examined. If you ever get into an ATV accident, never underestimate the amount of damage it can do to your body. Always go to the hospital as soon as possible to get your whole body checked out. Recovery from ATV injuries is both time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, it can put you out of work for weeks, months, or even years. If you’re looking into getting legal compensation for your injuries, make sure you keep formal documents of all your injuries and doctor’s visits.

Document Wreckage: If possible, make sure you get pictures of the accident. This means pictures of the vehicle, the environment, and any visible injuries on yourself and anyone in your party. These pictures will serve as evidence and give you leverage if you do end up going to court. You’ll also want to obtain a police report in case you end up needing a lawyer. Get Names of Witness: If you end up crashing into another vehicle or someone else’s property, or even your own, get the names of everyone that is involved. If it’s another vehicle, make sure you take down their license plate number, contact information, and insurance information. For insurance and legal purposes, you’ll need all of this information in case any of your information is called into questioned and needs to be investigated. If the other party involved is unwillingly to cooperate, do not try to force them. Call the police and take down whatever information you can. Take pictures of their license plate if it’s there. You are also not legally bound to answer any of their questions.

Get Legal Help

One study of an ATV accident in Midway found six victims permanently damaged and needed $11.5 million dollars to pay for basic long-term skilled care until they’re 65 years old. Without legal representation, the six victims involved would not have been able to get the money they were entitled to care for themselves and their families. Even if your accident doesn’t bring about such extreme consequences (and we hope it doesn’t), you might be entitled to legal compensation for whatever damages happened to you. Vehicle accidents of any kind can cause a lot of mental, physical, and financial stress on the victims and the victims’ families. After you get the medical treatments you need, find a lawyer that specializes in vehicle accidents to get a free review of your accident. ATV injury lawyers are especially knowledgeable in this area and will be able to quickly access your case.

Even if the cause of your accident is unclear, get a lawyer’s opinion on the accident. What if the manufacturer of your ATV had a recall for your ATV years ago but the seller never informed you? What if the road your accident happened on had caused several other accidents? Our point is, you don’t know what you don’t know and a lawyer will be able to help you find out.

Notify Your Insurance

If you have ATV insurance, notify the company and send in all the necessary documentation to file a claim as soon as possible. In situations where another party was involved, make sure you get the names and contact information of the other people. If you have evidence to prove it was the other party’s fault, get their insurance information and notify their insurer. If, however, you don’t have evidence but strong reasons to believe it was the other party’s fault, you’ll need to get a lawyer.

Have Fun But Be Prepared

We do not mean to scare you about riding ATVs but we do think it’s important that you are aware of their dangers and are prepared if you ever find yourself in an ATV accident. To put things into a healthier perspective, deaths account for less than one percent of all 4-wheeler accidents. Most ATV injuries are not fatal and most victims heal from them. But the emotional, physical, and mental scars that are left can take a toll on the injured person. If you suspect you have any emotional or physical traumas from an ATV or vehicle accident, don’t be afraid to get in touch with one of our ATV injury specialists for a free case review of your accident. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are 3-wheel and 4-wheel motorized vehicles designed for off-road riding. ATVs are used for both fun and rescue, as they provide quick and easy access in off-road areas. Unfortunately, every year, many people including children are severely injured in ATV accidents. Some victims suffer fatal injuries.

According to the most recent available Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) statistics, more than 100,000 ATV injuries occurred in a single recent year, with 25 percent of those injuries affecting children under the age of 16. CPSC reports that, on average, 568 adults and 144 children die in ATV crashes every year. ATVs have a high center of gravity and are prone to roll over. Riders can be trapped underneath these vehicles that weigh up to 600 pounds. They are not designed for use on public roads, and drivers often fail to see ATVs, which can result in collisions. As with motorcycle riders, ATV riders have no protection whatsoever from the vehicle in an accident only whatever protection their protective gear provides them. Many different factors may contribute to ATV accidents, including: • Vehicle defects. • Improper positioning on the vehicle. • Too many riders on the vehicle. • Lack of protective gear. • Operating an ATV at unsafe speeds. • Riding on paved roads. • Operating an ATV under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • Negligence of other drivers.

Types of Injuries in ATV Accidents

Since ATV riders are virtually unprotected, a range of serious injuries can result from accidents. Of the more than 100,000 ATV injuries that occurred in one recent year, the CPSC reports that there were: • 31,400 arm and hand injuries (29 percent). • 29,300 head and neck injuries (27 percent). • 23,100 torso injuries (22 percent). • 22,800 injuries to the legs and feet (21 percent). • 1,300 other injuries (1 percent). Particularly when riders do not wear helmets, traumatic brain injury can be a devastating result of ATV accidents. Crushing injuries, torso injuries and paralysis caused by spinal cord injuries are common when ATVs roll over. Fractures, contusions and abrasions are also common. In the most tragic cases, ATV accidents result in death.

Who May be Liable for an ATV Accident?

Liability for an ATV accident depends on what caused the accident and how it occurred. If the accident and injuries were caused by the faulty design of the vehicle, the ATV manufacturer may be liable. If a driver who failed to see an ATV on the road caused the accident, that driver may be liable for the ATV riders’ injuries. An ATV passenger injured in an accident caused by the negligence of the operator may be entitled to a claim for damages against the operator.

If you have been injured in an ATV accident due to the negligence of another person or because of faulty manufacturing of the vehicle, speak with a Long Island four-wheeler injury attorney as soon as possible. You may be entitled to file a claim for compensation for the injuries you have suffered. Our knowledgeable motor vehicle accident attorneys can evaluate the circumstances of your accident and advise you as to whether you have a case, who could be liable and what damages you may be able to claim. We handle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, and you will pay us no fees up front when you work with our firm. Call Ascent Law LLC now for a free consultation. We respond to messages as soon as possible, and we can come to you if you are in the hospital or unable to travel.

Midway Utah ATV Accident Lawyer Free Consultation

When you need legal help with with an ATV Accident Injury case in Midway Utah, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

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ATV Accident Lawyer Midway Utah

Historically, the first Anglo-Americans to visit the area just east of Mount Timpanogos were members of a fur-trapping brigade led by Etienne Provost in 1824. For many years, the valley was referred to as Provo or upper Provo; the river running south through the valley still bears the name of that explorer but the town became known as Midway City. A wagon road completed through Provo Canyon in 1858 brought the first settlers to the area. In the spring of 1859, many more families began moving farther to the west along Snake Creek. Two small communities were established, called the Upper and Lower Settlements. One was later named Mound City because of the many nearby limestone formations. In 1866, Indian hostilities grew and territorial governor Brigham Young encouraged settlers to construct forts for protection. The two small settlements reached an agreement to build a fort halfway or midway between the two existing communities thus the beginning of our modern day town named Midway. It was in the 1860s and 1870s that a large number of Swiss families arrived with names such as Gertsch, Huber, Kohler, Probst, Zenger, Durtschi, and Abegglen, among others, some still are found in Midway today. Midway was incorporated June 1, 1891.

From the beginning, Midway’s industry was based on livestock and farming; however, as the town grew so did the need for building materials. In the early 1850s sawmills were built with three main operators: Henry T. Coleman, John Watkins, and Moroni Blood. In 1861, John H. Van Wagoner constructed the first commercial gristmill. Soon followed retail stores, one of which was the Bonner Mercantile Store. Later other retail stores were built by Henry T. Coleman and Simon Epperson. As the town grew so did the need for additional stores a confectionery and grocery store, blacksmiths, livery stables, boarding houses, and other businesses soon fulfilled the growing town’s booming economy. Nearby mines, particularly those in Park City, also began to play an important economic role in many Midway households, and did so into the late 1960s. Because of the many ninety-degree-pluses hot water springs or ‘hot pots’ in the Midway area, several resorts were developed including Schneitter’s Hot Pots (now the Homestead) and Luke’s Hot Pots (now the Mountain Spa); both were established in the 1880s. Important civic improvements were made in the 1930s and 1940s. A concrete sidewalk program began in 1938, and the Midway Recreation Center, usually referred to as the “Town Hall,” was dedicated in June 1941 which is now the center of many community events including the famous Swiss Days held each fall.

Midway Swiss Days brings thousands of people to its tiny town. it was originally called Harvest Days and was established in 1947 through the efforts of Luke’s Hot Pots Resort owners Joseph B. and Pauline S. Erwin and a number of local enthusiastic supporters. The club became known as the Midway Boosters and continues today to play a role in many city improvements and activities. Although agriculture is still a significant industry, recreation has fast become an important aspect of Heber Valley’s economy. Local recreation attractions include golf courses, Deer Creek Reservoir, Wasatch Mountain State Park nationally known Homestead Resort and the Olympic Venue Soldier Hollow. Soldier Hollow is home to world-class cross-country skiing, tubing and soon will add one of the State’s largest golf courses to its venue. As the world changes so does the community and as the world discovers Midway and its charm, we hope we have captured some of the past and preserved all of those future visitors and citizens of Midway to enjoy.

What You Need to Know and Do after an ATV Accident

In case you didn’t know, ATV stands for “All Terrain Vehicle” and there are many uses for them besides fun. People use them to plow farms, plow snow, and even to transport materials. And the accidents that come from ATVs are from these uses as well as recreational ones. In the United States, alone, ATVs are responsible for 100,000 injuries and 650 deaths every year but think about how many more people get on ATVs when they’re on vacation? Yet most of never even think to stop about the risks and injuries that happen from ATVs. The next time you find yourself with an ATV and you’re asked to sign some kind of contract before riding one, learn about what some of the most common ATV injuries are, how to legally protect yourself, and what to do if you ever find yourself in need of injury lawyers.

Before Going ATV Riding

In many states, you must register an ATV if you buy one and you must have insurance if you want to ride it out on the open road. In addition, some states also require special licenses for the driver and there are strict age restrictions on who can ride one. For instance, some states require children under a certain age (usually 16) to ride with supervision, which is probably a good idea because ATVs are responsible for about 77 children’s deaths per year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of course, if you choose to not follow the law, no one will ever know but if you ever find yourself in an accident, you won’t have any legal protection and you can be charged for not following state regulations. Always check with your local DMV before buying or riding an ATV.

ATV Insurance

While some states require you to have ATV insurance before riding one, some don’t, which leaves many ATV users to think they probably won’t need one. But we’ll tell you this: most ATV users who get into accidents never thought they would need one too. Those who had it were glad they did and those who didn’t regret it. Depending on the type of ATV insurance you buy, it can cover a range of damages and risks. Some cover bodily injuries, some cover property damages, some cover collision damages, and some cover all. In a worst case scenario, you can end up in an accident where you hurt yourself or someone else severely and you would have to pay thousands of dollars for medical expenses and property damages. Even if you just have a medical ATV insurance, it would cover your entire medical expenses, otherwise, your health insurance will be your only safety net. At the end of the day, the choice to get ATV insurance or not is up to you but as with most auto insurances, some coverage is better than no coverage.

After ATV Accident

Right after an accident, you should seek medical help as soon as possible. Even if you feel fine, there can be internal or delayed injuries that you can’t see or feel until later on. Go and get yourself checked out in the hospital just to be safe.

Among those who reported being in ATV accidents, the most common injuries were: • Arms and hand (29%) • Head and neck (27%) • Legs and feet (22%) • Torso (20%) • Other (2%) But keep in mind; you can have one or multiple injuries when you get into a 4-wheeler accident.

Brain Injuries: Of all the ATV injuries, brain injuries are probably the most worrisome because you cannot see them from the outside and sometimes symptoms might take up to days or even years to show up. This makes the cause of the injury difficult to trace and it poses a problem if you end in court. Traumatic brain injury, memory loss, and permanent concussions are some of the more severe injuries that can happen to ATV crash victims. Children are especially more susceptible to brain injuries because their bodies are smaller and the impact of the crash can harm them more.

Spinal Cord Injuries: Spinal cord injuries are another type of damage to look out for if you’re ever in a four-wheeler accident. Aside from being painful, spinal cord injuries can be devastating because they can cause a person to become disabled. They can lose their ability to walk, to move, and drastically change the quality of the person’s life. A less experienced but similar injury in its potential affect on your life is one that causes hip pain, which can be easily overlooked initially.

Seek Medical Attention: Regardless of severity, all ATV injuries should be examined. If you ever get into an ATV accident, never underestimate the amount of damage it can do to your body. Always go to the hospital as soon as possible to get your whole body checked out. Recovery from ATV injuries is both time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, it can put you out of work for weeks, months, or even years. If you’re looking into getting legal compensation for your injuries, make sure you keep formal documents of all your injuries and doctor’s visits.

Document Wreckage: If possible, make sure you get pictures of the accident. This means pictures of the vehicle, the environment, and any visible injuries on yourself and anyone in your party. These pictures will serve as evidence and give you leverage if you do end up going to court. You’ll also want to obtain a police report in case you end up needing a lawyer. Get Names of Witness: If you end up crashing into another vehicle or someone else’s property, or even your own, get the names of everyone that is involved. If it’s another vehicle, make sure you take down their license plate number, contact information, and insurance information. For insurance and legal purposes, you’ll need all of this information in case any of your information is called into questioned and needs to be investigated. If the other party involved is unwillingly to cooperate, do not try to force them. Call the police and take down whatever information you can. Take pictures of their license plate if it’s there. You are also not legally bound to answer any of their questions.

Get Legal Help

One study of an ATV accident in Midway found six victims permanently damaged and needed $11.5 million dollars to pay for basic long-term skilled care until they’re 65 years old. Without legal representation, the six victims involved would not have been able to get the money they were entitled to care for themselves and their families. Even if your accident doesn’t bring about such extreme consequences (and we hope it doesn’t), you might be entitled to legal compensation for whatever damages happened to you. Vehicle accidents of any kind can cause a lot of mental, physical, and financial stress on the victims and the victims’ families. After you get the medical treatments you need, find a lawyer that specializes in vehicle accidents to get a free review of your accident. ATV injury lawyers are especially knowledgeable in this area and will be able to quickly access your case.

Even if the cause of your accident is unclear, get a lawyer’s opinion on the accident. What if the manufacturer of your ATV had a recall for your ATV years ago but the seller never informed you? What if the road your accident happened on had caused several other accidents? Our point is, you don’t know what you don’t know and a lawyer will be able to help you find out.

Notify Your Insurance

If you have ATV insurance, notify the company and send in all the necessary documentation to file a claim as soon as possible. In situations where another party was involved, make sure you get the names and contact information of the other people. If you have evidence to prove it was the other party’s fault, get their insurance information and notify their insurer. If, however, you don’t have evidence but strong reasons to believe it was the other party’s fault, you’ll need to get a lawyer.

Have Fun But Be Prepared

We do not mean to scare you about riding ATVs but we do think it’s important that you are aware of their dangers and are prepared if you ever find yourself in an ATV accident. To put things into a healthier perspective, deaths account for less than one percent of all 4-wheeler accidents. Most ATV injuries are not fatal and most victims heal from them. But the emotional, physical, and mental scars that are left can take a toll on the injured person. If you suspect you have any emotional or physical traumas from an ATV or vehicle accident, don’t be afraid to get in touch with one of our ATV injury specialists for a free case review of your accident. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are 3-wheel and 4-wheel motorized vehicles designed for off-road riding. ATVs are used for both fun and rescue, as they provide quick and easy access in off-road areas. Unfortunately, every year, many people including children are severely injured in ATV accidents. Some victims suffer fatal injuries.

According to the most recent available Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) statistics, more than 100,000 ATV injuries occurred in a single recent year, with 25 percent of those injuries affecting children under the age of 16. CPSC reports that, on average, 568 adults and 144 children die in ATV crashes every year. ATVs have a high center of gravity and are prone to roll over. Riders can be trapped underneath these vehicles that weigh up to 600 pounds. They are not designed for use on public roads, and drivers often fail to see ATVs, which can result in collisions. As with motorcycle riders, ATV riders have no protection whatsoever from the vehicle in an accident only whatever protection their protective gear provides them. Many different factors may contribute to ATV accidents, including: • Vehicle defects. • Improper positioning on the vehicle. • Too many riders on the vehicle. • Lack of protective gear. • Operating an ATV at unsafe speeds. • Riding on paved roads. • Operating an ATV under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • Negligence of other drivers.

Types of Injuries in ATV Accidents

Since ATV riders are virtually unprotected, a range of serious injuries can result from accidents. Of the more than 100,000 ATV injuries that occurred in one recent year, the CPSC reports that there were: • 31,400 arm and hand injuries (29 percent). • 29,300 head and neck injuries (27 percent). • 23,100 torso injuries (22 percent). • 22,800 injuries to the legs and feet (21 percent). • 1,300 other injuries (1 percent). Particularly when riders do not wear helmets, traumatic brain injury can be a devastating result of ATV accidents. Crushing injuries, torso injuries and paralysis caused by spinal cord injuries are common when ATVs roll over. Fractures, contusions and abrasions are also common. In the most tragic cases, ATV accidents result in death.

Who May be Liable for an ATV Accident?

Liability for an ATV accident depends on what caused the accident and how it occurred. If the accident and injuries were caused by the faulty design of the vehicle, the ATV manufacturer may be liable. If a driver who failed to see an ATV on the road caused the accident, that driver may be liable for the ATV riders’ injuries. An ATV passenger injured in an accident caused by the negligence of the operator may be entitled to a claim for damages against the operator.

If you have been injured in an ATV accident due to the negligence of another person or because of faulty manufacturing of the vehicle, speak with a Long Island four-wheeler injury attorney as soon as possible. You may be entitled to file a claim for compensation for the injuries you have suffered. Our knowledgeable motor vehicle accident attorneys can evaluate the circumstances of your accident and advise you as to whether you have a case, who could be liable and what damages you may be able to claim. We handle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, and you will pay us no fees up front when you work with our firm. Call Ascent Law LLC now for a free consultation. We respond to messages as soon as possible, and we can come to you if you are in the hospital or unable to travel.

Midway Utah ATV Accident Lawyer Free Consultation

When you need legal help with with an ATV Accident Injury case in Midway Utah, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

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from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/atv-accident-lawyer-midway-utah/

[coming-from-hell]

ATV Accident Lawyer Midway Utah

Historically, the first Anglo-Americans to visit the area just east of Mount Timpanogos were members of a fur-trapping brigade led by Etienne Provost in 1824. For many years, the valley was referred to as Provo or upper Provo; the river running south through the valley still bears the name of that explorer but the town became known as Midway City. A wagon road completed through Provo Canyon in 1858 brought the first settlers to the area. In the spring of 1859, many more families began moving farther to the west along Snake Creek. Two small communities were established, called the Upper and Lower Settlements. One was later named Mound City because of the many nearby limestone formations. In 1866, Indian hostilities grew and territorial governor Brigham Young encouraged settlers to construct forts for protection. The two small settlements reached an agreement to build a fort halfway or midway between the two existing communities thus the beginning of our modern day town named Midway. It was in the 1860s and 1870s that a large number of Swiss families arrived with names such as Gertsch, Huber, Kohler, Probst, Zenger, Durtschi, and Abegglen, among others, some still are found in Midway today. Midway was incorporated June 1, 1891.

From the beginning, Midway’s industry was based on livestock and farming; however, as the town grew so did the need for building materials. In the early 1850s sawmills were built with three main operators: Henry T. Coleman, John Watkins, and Moroni Blood. In 1861, John H. Van Wagoner constructed the first commercial gristmill. Soon followed retail stores, one of which was the Bonner Mercantile Store. Later other retail stores were built by Henry T. Coleman and Simon Epperson. As the town grew so did the need for additional stores a confectionery and grocery store, blacksmiths, livery stables, boarding houses, and other businesses soon fulfilled the growing town’s booming economy. Nearby mines, particularly those in Park City, also began to play an important economic role in many Midway households, and did so into the late 1960s. Because of the many ninety-degree-pluses hot water springs or ‘hot pots’ in the Midway area, several resorts were developed including Schneitter’s Hot Pots (now the Homestead) and Luke’s Hot Pots (now the Mountain Spa); both were established in the 1880s. Important civic improvements were made in the 1930s and 1940s. A concrete sidewalk program began in 1938, and the Midway Recreation Center, usually referred to as the “Town Hall,” was dedicated in June 1941 which is now the center of many community events including the famous Swiss Days held each fall.

Midway Swiss Days brings thousands of people to its tiny town. it was originally called Harvest Days and was established in 1947 through the efforts of Luke’s Hot Pots Resort owners Joseph B. and Pauline S. Erwin and a number of local enthusiastic supporters. The club became known as the Midway Boosters and continues today to play a role in many city improvements and activities. Although agriculture is still a significant industry, recreation has fast become an important aspect of Heber Valley’s economy. Local recreation attractions include golf courses, Deer Creek Reservoir, Wasatch Mountain State Park nationally known Homestead Resort and the Olympic Venue Soldier Hollow. Soldier Hollow is home to world-class cross-country skiing, tubing and soon will add one of the State’s largest golf courses to its venue. As the world changes so does the community and as the world discovers Midway and its charm, we hope we have captured some of the past and preserved all of those future visitors and citizens of Midway to enjoy.

What You Need to Know and Do after an ATV Accident

In case you didn’t know, ATV stands for “All Terrain Vehicle” and there are many uses for them besides fun. People use them to plow farms, plow snow, and even to transport materials. And the accidents that come from ATVs are from these uses as well as recreational ones. In the United States, alone, ATVs are responsible for 100,000 injuries and 650 deaths every year but think about how many more people get on ATVs when they’re on vacation? Yet most of never even think to stop about the risks and injuries that happen from ATVs. The next time you find yourself with an ATV and you’re asked to sign some kind of contract before riding one, learn about what some of the most common ATV injuries are, how to legally protect yourself, and what to do if you ever find yourself in need of injury lawyers.

Before Going ATV Riding

In many states, you must register an ATV if you buy one and you must have insurance if you want to ride it out on the open road. In addition, some states also require special licenses for the driver and there are strict age restrictions on who can ride one. For instance, some states require children under a certain age (usually 16) to ride with supervision, which is probably a good idea because ATVs are responsible for about 77 children’s deaths per year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of course, if you choose to not follow the law, no one will ever know but if you ever find yourself in an accident, you won’t have any legal protection and you can be charged for not following state regulations. Always check with your local DMV before buying or riding an ATV.

ATV Insurance

While some states require you to have ATV insurance before riding one, some don’t, which leaves many ATV users to think they probably won’t need one. But we’ll tell you this: most ATV users who get into accidents never thought they would need one too. Those who had it were glad they did and those who didn’t regret it. Depending on the type of ATV insurance you buy, it can cover a range of damages and risks. Some cover bodily injuries, some cover property damages, some cover collision damages, and some cover all. In a worst case scenario, you can end up in an accident where you hurt yourself or someone else severely and you would have to pay thousands of dollars for medical expenses and property damages. Even if you just have a medical ATV insurance, it would cover your entire medical expenses, otherwise, your health insurance will be your only safety net. At the end of the day, the choice to get ATV insurance or not is up to you but as with most auto insurances, some coverage is better than no coverage.

After ATV Accident

Right after an accident, you should seek medical help as soon as possible. Even if you feel fine, there can be internal or delayed injuries that you can’t see or feel until later on. Go and get yourself checked out in the hospital just to be safe.

Among those who reported being in ATV accidents, the most common injuries were: • Arms and hand (29%) • Head and neck (27%) • Legs and feet (22%) • Torso (20%) • Other (2%) But keep in mind; you can have one or multiple injuries when you get into a 4-wheeler accident.

Brain Injuries: Of all the ATV injuries, brain injuries are probably the most worrisome because you cannot see them from the outside and sometimes symptoms might take up to days or even years to show up. This makes the cause of the injury difficult to trace and it poses a problem if you end in court. Traumatic brain injury, memory loss, and permanent concussions are some of the more severe injuries that can happen to ATV crash victims. Children are especially more susceptible to brain injuries because their bodies are smaller and the impact of the crash can harm them more.

Spinal Cord Injuries: Spinal cord injuries are another type of damage to look out for if you’re ever in a four-wheeler accident. Aside from being painful, spinal cord injuries can be devastating because they can cause a person to become disabled. They can lose their ability to walk, to move, and drastically change the quality of the person’s life. A less experienced but similar injury in its potential affect on your life is one that causes hip pain, which can be easily overlooked initially.

Seek Medical Attention: Regardless of severity, all ATV injuries should be examined. If you ever get into an ATV accident, never underestimate the amount of damage it can do to your body. Always go to the hospital as soon as possible to get your whole body checked out. Recovery from ATV injuries is both time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, it can put you out of work for weeks, months, or even years. If you’re looking into getting legal compensation for your injuries, make sure you keep formal documents of all your injuries and doctor’s visits.

Document Wreckage: If possible, make sure you get pictures of the accident. This means pictures of the vehicle, the environment, and any visible injuries on yourself and anyone in your party. These pictures will serve as evidence and give you leverage if you do end up going to court. You’ll also want to obtain a police report in case you end up needing a lawyer. Get Names of Witness: If you end up crashing into another vehicle or someone else’s property, or even your own, get the names of everyone that is involved. If it’s another vehicle, make sure you take down their license plate number, contact information, and insurance information. For insurance and legal purposes, you’ll need all of this information in case any of your information is called into questioned and needs to be investigated. If the other party involved is unwillingly to cooperate, do not try to force them. Call the police and take down whatever information you can. Take pictures of their license plate if it’s there. You are also not legally bound to answer any of their questions.

Get Legal Help

One study of an ATV accident in Midway found six victims permanently damaged and needed $11.5 million dollars to pay for basic long-term skilled care until they’re 65 years old. Without legal representation, the six victims involved would not have been able to get the money they were entitled to care for themselves and their families. Even if your accident doesn’t bring about such extreme consequences (and we hope it doesn’t), you might be entitled to legal compensation for whatever damages happened to you. Vehicle accidents of any kind can cause a lot of mental, physical, and financial stress on the victims and the victims’ families. After you get the medical treatments you need, find a lawyer that specializes in vehicle accidents to get a free review of your accident. ATV injury lawyers are especially knowledgeable in this area and will be able to quickly access your case.

Even if the cause of your accident is unclear, get a lawyer’s opinion on the accident. What if the manufacturer of your ATV had a recall for your ATV years ago but the seller never informed you? What if the road your accident happened on had caused several other accidents? Our point is, you don’t know what you don’t know and a lawyer will be able to help you find out.

Notify Your Insurance

If you have ATV insurance, notify the company and send in all the necessary documentation to file a claim as soon as possible. In situations where another party was involved, make sure you get the names and contact information of the other people. If you have evidence to prove it was the other party’s fault, get their insurance information and notify their insurer. If, however, you don’t have evidence but strong reasons to believe it was the other party’s fault, you’ll need to get a lawyer.

Have Fun But Be Prepared

We do not mean to scare you about riding ATVs but we do think it’s important that you are aware of their dangers and are prepared if you ever find yourself in an ATV accident. To put things into a healthier perspective, deaths account for less than one percent of all 4-wheeler accidents. Most ATV injuries are not fatal and most victims heal from them. But the emotional, physical, and mental scars that are left can take a toll on the injured person. If you suspect you have any emotional or physical traumas from an ATV or vehicle accident, don’t be afraid to get in touch with one of our ATV injury specialists for a free case review of your accident. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are 3-wheel and 4-wheel motorized vehicles designed for off-road riding. ATVs are used for both fun and rescue, as they provide quick and easy access in off-road areas. Unfortunately, every year, many people including children are severely injured in ATV accidents. Some victims suffer fatal injuries.

According to the most recent available Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) statistics, more than 100,000 ATV injuries occurred in a single recent year, with 25 percent of those injuries affecting children under the age of 16. CPSC reports that, on average, 568 adults and 144 children die in ATV crashes every year. ATVs have a high center of gravity and are prone to roll over. Riders can be trapped underneath these vehicles that weigh up to 600 pounds. They are not designed for use on public roads, and drivers often fail to see ATVs, which can result in collisions. As with motorcycle riders, ATV riders have no protection whatsoever from the vehicle in an accident only whatever protection their protective gear provides them. Many different factors may contribute to ATV accidents, including: • Vehicle defects. • Improper positioning on the vehicle. • Too many riders on the vehicle. • Lack of protective gear. • Operating an ATV at unsafe speeds. • Riding on paved roads. • Operating an ATV under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • Negligence of other drivers.

Types of Injuries in ATV Accidents

Since ATV riders are virtually unprotected, a range of serious injuries can result from accidents. Of the more than 100,000 ATV injuries that occurred in one recent year, the CPSC reports that there were: • 31,400 arm and hand injuries (29 percent). • 29,300 head and neck injuries (27 percent). • 23,100 torso injuries (22 percent). • 22,800 injuries to the legs and feet (21 percent). • 1,300 other injuries (1 percent). Particularly when riders do not wear helmets, traumatic brain injury can be a devastating result of ATV accidents. Crushing injuries, torso injuries and paralysis caused by spinal cord injuries are common when ATVs roll over. Fractures, contusions and abrasions are also common. In the most tragic cases, ATV accidents result in death.

Who May be Liable for an ATV Accident?

Liability for an ATV accident depends on what caused the accident and how it occurred. If the accident and injuries were caused by the faulty design of the vehicle, the ATV manufacturer may be liable. If a driver who failed to see an ATV on the road caused the accident, that driver may be liable for the ATV riders’ injuries. An ATV passenger injured in an accident caused by the negligence of the operator may be entitled to a claim for damages against the operator.

If you have been injured in an ATV accident due to the negligence of another person or because of faulty manufacturing of the vehicle, speak with a Long Island four-wheeler injury attorney as soon as possible. You may be entitled to file a claim for compensation for the injuries you have suffered. Our knowledgeable motor vehicle accident attorneys can evaluate the circumstances of your accident and advise you as to whether you have a case, who could be liable and what damages you may be able to claim. We handle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, and you will pay us no fees up front when you work with our firm. Call Ascent Law LLC now for a free consultation. We respond to messages as soon as possible, and we can come to you if you are in the hospital or unable to travel.

Midway Utah ATV Accident Lawyer Free Consultation

When you need legal help with with an ATV Accident Injury case in Midway Utah, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

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Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/atv-accident-lawyer-midway-utah/

[tcplnyteens]

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories Of Queer Teens Throughout The Ages Edited by Saundra Mitchell

Written by Anna-Marie McLemore, Natalie C. Parker, Nilah Magruder, Mackenzi Lee, Robin Talley, Malinda Lo, Dahlia Adler, Kate Scelsa, Elliot Wake, Scott Tracey, Tess Sharpe, Alex Sanchez, Kody Keplinger, Sara Farizan, Tessa Gratton, Shaun David Hutchinson and Tehlor Kay Mejia

In this wonderful collection of short stories, you will be pulled into worlds filled with magic and worlds much like ours, where love, in any form, can overcome all. Whether it be two girls becoming pirates and taking charge of their lives, a thief and witch tearing apart a corrupt system or a new years revelation, this book will pull at your heartstrings and is bound to make you want to fall in love.

–SPOILERS–

This book is such a great collection of short stories and I would highly recommend it to all. There are so many important lessons within each and every one of these stories and I think there are valuable pieces of information that I think everyone should have in their repertoire.

Roja: This story was so good, I’m not usually one for historical fiction but it is starting to grow on me, especially when magic and fairytales are involved. I loved this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. I loved that it involved an accurate trans character, there are real historical accounts of girls dressing as men to fight, although they were not always trans, I did love the accurate historical representation. It was so great that the girl wasn’t ashamed of him and loved him for who he was, she fought for him even though people looked down on her for existing. These people didn’t even care enough to acknowledge her as a human. Her strength, her power, her willingness to fight against those oppressive men is not only representational of the plights of what women have gone through for centuries, but it’s also great to see a powerful female character stand up for what she believes in and for the people she loves. This story was just wonderful and I loved it so much. It is one of the many reasons I would recommend this book.

The Sweet Trade: I feel like this story fits a common theme that appears in some of the books that I’ve read: girls wanting to be pirates, which is awesome. I love that even though Clara is only sixteen she knows what she wants from life and it’s not to be married to some pushover of a man who only wants money. She wants to take control of her life and create her own destiny which is completely badass if you ask me. And then she meets Pearl, who is also running away from her wedding, and they help each other, women supporting women at its finest. It is such a sweet little story of two girls falling in love as they take charge of their lives. I liked it very much, although I wish it were a tad longer.

And They Don’t Kiss At The End: I don’t have a whole lot to say about this story but it did like it a lot. My most prominent reason for enjoying this story so much was that it had asexual representation. You never ever see aromantic or asexual representation and I really loved how this book went about it, it was just wonderful to see. Another reason I loved it was because Vince didn’t pressure Dee into doing anything she didn’t want to, he was completely accepting of her boundaries and that is so important in any kind of relationship. These types of stories are the kind I want to be made into a full out book, it’s so important for teens to know that they have options and whatever they might be feeling or not feeling is normal. Diverse representation in media is so important, and this book does it right.

Burnt Umber: This story was sweet and simple. I love the fact that you don’t really see the end coming. From the beginning, all Constantijn can think of is the handsome boy who works at the docks, it’s very endearing until Joost comes to model for his class. I was so excited that maybe they’d become friends and then something more, but then it turns out Joost is kind of mean and Constantijn loses interest, yes he may be pretty but he isn’t nice to Constantijn’s friends. I think that this is an important story about knowing what’s good for you and what’s not, no matter how appealing it may look on the outside. It is a very sweet little story and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Dresser And The Chambermaid: Again with the wonderful historical fiction! This was such a sweet little story, I don’t have a whole lot of analysis for this one but I will tell you I was so happy in the end when they both got to be dressers and Suzanna got recognition for her hairstyle. It was so funny that when they were kissing in the hallway and the king kind of walked in on them and was just like “whatever, I can’t judge since I’m going to meet my mistress and cheat on my wife” and just left. Like that was a little piece of comic relief and I loved it, what a wonderful upbeat little story.

New Year: Same as the last, I don’t have much to say about this story. I do think however, it was a great way to highlight the adversity that queer people have faced throughout history, especially queer people of color. ‘Minority’ groups have long faced persecution, as well as queer people. When you persecute two groups that sometimes overlap, its an onslaught of discrimination, and although this story doesn’t go very deep into that issue it hints at it. But I also think that this story was a little bit about the main characters queer awakening. She has little exposure to the LGBTQ community but she sees something in it that intrigues her and makes her feel something, and I think it’s important that people realize that exploration outside of the socially accepted “norms” is good and can show you parts of yourself that you didn’t even know existed. At least that’s what I gained from this story.

Molly’s Lips: I love this story, first it is a reference to one of my favorite songs, which is great, who doesn’t love Nirvana(more specifically the Vaselines)? I think it’s great that this story addresses the insane amount of grief the country was feeling over his man’s death. He was an icon loved by millions, and he was just gone. I love this because I totally get what Molly is feeling. When you love someone that much you just want to be enough to make all the hurt go away and make sure they will always be okay, but it’s not always enough to just be there, you have to listen and try to understand because that’s what they need you to do. The way this story played out, however short, was just perfect and adorable, like so many of the stories in this book I wish it were a full-length book.

The Coven: This story also contains something I read about often, witches. I love magic! Magic is so cool, in almost any aspect. I also just love the way this was laid out, I love Dean’s description of Vivi, I’m a sucker for women in cool hats and doing *scandalous* things in eras past. I also love the little easter egg in there, Gertrude Stein was having a conversation with young Ernest Hemingway, cool! But I just love this story, it’s very mysterious and its another piece of historical fiction, a story after my own heart. And who doesn’t love a little magic in Paris? I also liked that Dean had those foggy days because I totally feel that, when you’re a person who tends to take on other peoples problems because of your big heart, you put those problems ahead of dealing with your own pain, it was really great to see her deal with her grief and realize that she can help herself.

Every Shade Of Red: Another take on a fairytale, yay! Everyone knows the classic story of Robin Hood stealing from the rich to give to the poor, most kids my age grew up watching the Disney version with all the animals. But this version has a special place in my heart. I love fairytales and retellings of them, and I love that in this story we have Robin as a leader of a motley crew but he’s also trans which is so cool, we have a trans character where the story isn’t only about them being trans. That is so important, most YA novels and stories that have trans protagonists its only about their journey of self discovery and figuring out what they want to do with this newfound freedom, which isn’t a bad thing, but trans people have lives outside of their transition and dysphoria and I think it’s important that people recognize that. But I also think that this story would ring true for many trans people, their parents disowned them or cut ties completely because of who they truly are and this happened for Robin in this story, although I do like the twist that he used to be Marian, I was kind of suspecting it but it was still surprising. This story gives off Six of Crows vibes, even though there are no trans characters in that book it has similar themes (go read it if you haven’t yet). But I was so incredibly upset with the ending!! Totally unfair of them to do that to Robin, it was a cruel twist of fate that I didn’t see coming, and Will’s father no less, like wow. Did not see that coming at all, not cool, not cool at all. I did love this story but there needs to be more, I need to know if they find their way back to each other because if they never do I’ll be very upset for like, the rest of my life.

Willows: I had mixed feelings about this story. It was interesting and weird but also really confusing. Benjamin was himself, but also other people. And the Return? Like what is that? And if the town knew that he and Sebastian were a thing, why hadn’t they taken care of it yet if they cared so much about maintaining the sanctity village? Also in the end when they run away it was kind of implied that Sebastian knew that the witches were there and teat they could protect them, but it was written in a way that made it kind of hard to understand. Overall this story was intriguing but I think things could’ve been laid out more clearly so that it makes better sense to the reader.

The Girl With The Blue Lantern: I love this tory! Although its a little short for my liking its so cute, although I wonder what Oriana is, is she a sprite? A fairy? A nymph? Who knows but I like her. It sucks that Ella had to live with her father like that it was so awful, I can’t imagine, and then she’s been taking care of him and helping him this entire time and when she finally has enough money to et themselves up for a decent life he takes her money and accused her of stealing from him and selling her body to make money. Like that an awful man she never deserved that. I was a little nervous though when she stepped into the water, I thought something bad might happened but I was so glad that they are able to be together now and will be able to love each other forever, it’s such a nice happy ending. Very cute, 10/10.

The Secret Life Of A Teenage Boy: Again too short! I know this is a book of short stories but I want all for them to be full books, I love all of them too much. I did love this story, its just so sweet and innocent and its kind of a self-realization story, he always knew he was different and was to afraid to say anything but then by fate he meets this guy and it changes his whole life, even though it only took not even an hour, stuff like that just makes my heart melt, because that’s what I want true love to be like, one minute can change your whole perspective on life, and you just gotta roll with the punches but you also have to know what is good for you and what you want from life and I think that this story was a perfect example of that and I really enjoyed it.

Walking After Midnight: I love this era, the ’50s and ’60s are my jam, especially fashion-wise, but the era was so cool in many ways. This story was so sweet, I think it was another little piece of the lgbtq+ spectrum that we don’t usually get to see, maybe demisexual or asexual, but either way it was a super cute story about exploring your options, no matter where you are in life, you’re not stuck, there is a way out and you have options, it doesn’t matter your age or race or gender, you have those opportunities if you look for them they’ll be there. I just really like this story because it was just so hopeful and upbeat and it did have some serious parts but it was very just flowing but it also had a great underlying message.

The End Of The World as We Know It: I love this, I was born two years after the Y2K thing so I totally missed it but it sounded interesting. I also missed the Columbine shooting, the fact that this book brought it up was like a punch in the gut, the way that the characters said it was probably never going to happen again, and here I am in June of 2019 and in the twenty years since the Columbine there have been over 230 school shootings in the US, and although I don’t usually get into politics on this account I think that this is an important statistic that everyone should know. On a different note, I did like this story, it was sweet and simple, another story of self-discovery and young love like many in this collection, it was just super chill and I love the note at the end when it says “sorry I couldn’t stay I had to go break up with my boyfriend” like what a great way to start out the new year.

Three Witches: I love this story although I am a bit confused about the title, I don’t really know what it had to do with the story, I can only assume it is Gracia, Violante, and the unknown woman at the end of the book. This story made me sad but also happy, sad because this woman was being accused of being a sinner for loving a woman, she was being punished because the church said it wrong to love freely. It made me happy because she, in turn, found love in her imprisonment and set both herself and Gracia free. Stories like this really pull at my heartstrings because I don’t understand, and this is my personal opinion, I’m not judging anyone, how you can believe that one superior being makes everything so and he said that loving someone is wrong, I just don’t understand that. But this story made me happy because they both discovered strength in themselves and each other in times of weakness and that’s what love really is.

The Inferno and the butterfly: I love love love this story! It’s so good! Both of these boys had gone through so much and thought they had people who loved them and cared for them and both had that idea ripped from their hearts and minds but they found each other and they found a way to create real love that wouldn’t be taken away by anyone else, and that is beautiful. As I addressed earlier, historical fiction is growing on me, but magic has always been something I loved reading about. This story kind of reminded me of a darker shade of magic, old London and magic are like the best duo ever and this is such a great little love story and the combination is so good, this is probably my third favorite out of this collection.

Healing Rosa: This story is so cool, I have a little bit of an obsession with different cultures and their healing rituals, myths about where they come from interest me so much and I think that’s why I love this story so much. Another reason why I love this story is that it addresses in some aspect, mental illness and how it can affect someone, not only mentally but also physically. Lastly, I love this story because, in the end, Rosa’s dad accepted her for who she was and realised that his own sadness and bitterness was nothing compared to what he would experience if he lost his daughter and that’s what truly pulled me into this story. There are so many people in this world who are disowned and pushed away by their families because they don’t know how to accept their children’s differences and I think it’s important that we address the happier sides of the narrative instead of only the bad ones, it gives hope to those who may not have it, and that goes for everything in life.

Top Three: Every Shade of Red, Roja, The Inferno and The Butterfly

-maren

[maren-reads-books]

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages Edited by Saundra Mitchell

Written by Anna-Marie McLemore, Natalie C. Parker, Nilah Magruder, Mackenzi Lee, Robin Talley, Malinda Lo, Dahlia Adler, Kate Scelsa, Elliot Wake, Scott Tracey, Tess Sharpe, Alex Sanchez, Kody Keplinger, Sara Farizan, Tessa Gratton, Shaun David Hutchinson and Tehlor Kay Mejia

In this wonderful collection of short stories, you will be pulled into worlds filled with magic and worlds much like ours, where love, in any form, can overcome all. Whether it be two girls becoming pirates and taking charge of their lives, a thief and witch tearing apart a corrupt system or a new years revelation, this book will pull at your heartstrings and is bound to make you want to fall in love.

--SPOILERS--

Like previous reviews of short story books, I will go through each of these stories in quick mini-reviews so that you guys can get unlimited access into the bookish section of my brain. This book is such a great collection of short stories and I would highly recommend it to all. There are so many important lessons within each and every one of these stories and I think there are valuable pieces of information that I think everyone should have in their repertoire.

Roja: This story was so good, I’m not usually one for historical fiction but it is starting to grow on me, especially when magic and fairytales are involved. I loved this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. I loved that it involved an accurate trans character, there are real historical accounts of girls dressing as men to fight, although they were not always trans, I did love the accurate historical representation. It was so great that the girl wasn't ashamed of him and loved him for who he was, she fought for him even though people looked down on her for existing. These people didn't even care enough to acknowledge her as a human. Her strength, her power, her willingness to fight against those oppressive men is not only representational of the plights of what women have gone through for centuries, but it’s also great to see a powerful female character stand up for what she believes in and for the people she loves. This story was just wonderful and I loved it so much. It is one of the many reasons I would recommend this book.

The Sweet Trade: I feel like this story fits a common theme that appears in some of the books that I've read: girls wanting to be pirates, which is awesome. I love that even though Clara is only sixteen she knows what she wants from life and it's not to be married to some pushover of a man who only wants money. She wants to take control of her life and create her own destiny which is completely badass if you ask me. And then she meets Pearl, who is also running away from her wedding, and they help each other, women supporting women at its finest. It is such a sweet little story of two girls falling in love as they take charge of their lives. I liked it very much, although I wish it were a tad longer.

And They Don’t Kiss At The End: I don't have a whole lot to say about this story but it did like it a lot. My most prominent reason for enjoying this story so much was that it had asexual representation. You never ever see aromantic or asexual representation and I really loved how this book went about it, it was just wonderful to see. Another reason I loved it was because Vince didn't pressure Dee into doing anything she didn't want to, he was completely accepting of her boundaries and that is so important in any kind of relationship. These types of stories are the kind I want to be made into a full out book, it's so important for teens to know that they have options and whatever they might be feeling or not feeling is normal. Diverse representation in media is so important, and this book does it right.

Burnt Umber: This story was sweet and simple. I love the fact that you don't really see the end coming. From the beginning, all Constantijn can think of is the handsome boy who works at the docks, it's very endearing until Joost comes to model for his class. I was so excited that maybe they'd become friends and then something more, but then it turns out Joost is kind of mean and Constantijn loses interest, yes he may be pretty but he isn't nice to Constantijn’s friends. I think that this is an important story about knowing what's good for you and what’s not, no matter how appealing it may look on the outside. It is a very sweet little story and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Dresser And The Chambermaid: Again with the wonderful historical fiction! This was such a sweet little story, I don't have a whole lot of analysis for this one but I will tell you I was so happy in the end when they both got to be dressers and Suzanna got recognition for her hairstyle. It was so funny that when they were kissing in the hallway and the king kind of walked in on them and was just like “whatever, I can't judge since I'm going to meet my mistress and cheat on my wife” and just left. Like that was a little piece of comic relief and I loved it, what a wonderful upbeat little story.

New Year: Same as the last, I don't have much to say about this story. I do think however, it was a great way to highlight the adversity that queer people have faced throughout history, especially queer people of color. ‘Minority’ groups have long faced persecution, as well as queer people. When you persecute two groups that sometimes overlap, its an onslaught of discrimination, and although this story doesn't go very deep into that issue it hints at it. But I also think that this story was a little bit about the main characters queer awakening. She has little exposure to the LGBTQ community but she sees something in it that intrigues her and makes her feel something, and I think it's important that people realize that exploration outside of the socially accepted “norms” is good and can show you parts of yourself that you didn't even know existed. At least that's what I gained from this story.

Molly’s Lips: I love this story, first it is a reference to one of my favorite songs, which is great, who doesn't love Nirvana(more specifically the Vaselines)? I think it's great that this story addresses the insane amount of grief the country was feeling over his man's death. He was an icon loved by millions, and he was just gone. I love this because I totally get what Molly is feeling. When you love someone that much you just want to be enough to make all the hurt go away and make sure they will always be okay, but it's not always enough to just be there, you have to listen and try to understand because that's what they need you to do. The way this story played out, however short, was just perfect and adorable, like so many of the stories in this book I wish it were a full-length book.

The Coven: This story also contains something I read about often, witches. I love magic! Magic is so cool, in almost any aspect. I also just love the way this was laid out, I love Dean’s description of Vivi, I’m a sucker for women in cool hats and doing *scandalous* things in eras past. I also love the little easter egg in there, Gertrude Stein was having a conversation with young Ernest Hemingway, cool! But I just love this story, it's very mysterious and its another piece of historical fiction, a story after my own heart. And who doesn't love a little magic in Paris? I also liked that Dean had those foggy days because I totally feel that, when you're a person who tends to take on other peoples problems because of your big heart, you put those problems ahead of dealing with your own pain, it was really great to see her deal with her grief and realize that she can help herself.

Every Shade Of Red: Another take on a fairytale, yay! Everyone knows the classic story of Robin Hood stealing from the rich to give to the poor, most kids my age grew up watching the Disney version with all the animals. But this version has a special place in my heart. I love fairytales and retellings of them, and I love that in this story we have Robin as a leader of a motley crew but he's also trans which is so cool, we have a trans character where the story isn't only about them being trans. That is so important, most YA novels and stories that have trans protagonists its only about their journey of self discovery and figuring out what they want to do with this newfound freedom, which isn't a bad thing, but trans people have lives outside of their transition and dysphoria and I think it’s important that people recognize that. But I also think that this story would ring true for many trans people, their parents disowned them or cut ties completely because of who they truly are and this happened for Robin in this story, although I do like the twist that he used to be Marian, I was kind of suspecting it but it was still surprising. This story gives off Six of Crows vibes, even though there are no trans characters in that book it has similar themes (go read it if you haven't yet). But I was so incredibly upset with the ending!! Totally unfair of them to do that to Robin, it was a cruel twist of fate that I didn't see coming, and Will’s father no less, like wow. Did not see that coming at all, not cool, not cool at all. I did love this story but there needs to be more, I need to know if they find their way back to each other because if they never do I’ll be very upset for like, the rest of my life.

Willows: I had mixed feelings about this story. It was interesting and weird but also really confusing. Benjamin was himself, but also other people. And the Return? Like what is that? And if the town knew that he and Sebastian were a thing, why hadn't they taken care of it yet if they cared so much about maintaining the sanctity village? Also in the end when they run away it was kind of implied that Sebastian knew that the witches were there and teat they could protect them, but it was written in a way that made it kind of hard to understand. Overall this story was intriguing but I think things could've been laid out more clearly so that it makes better sense to the reader.

The Girl With The Blue Lantern: I love this story! Although its a little short for my liking its so cute, although I wonder what Oriana is, is she a sprite? A fairy? A nymph? Who knows but I like her. It sucks that Ella had to live with her father like that it was so awful, I can't imagine, and then she's been taking care of him and helping him this entire time and when she finally has enough money to et themselves up for a decent life he takes her money and accused her of stealing from him and selling her body to make money. Like that an awful man she never deserved that. I was a little nervous though when she stepped into the water, I thought something bad might happened but I was so glad that they are able to be together now and will be able to love each other forever, it's such a nice happy ending. Very cute, 10/10.

The Secret Life Of A Teenage Boy: Again too short! I know this is a book of short stories but I want all for them to be full books, I love all of them too much. I did love this story, its just so sweet and innocent and its kind of a self-realization story, he always knew he was different and was to afraid to say anything but then by fate he meets this guy and it changes his whole life, even though it only took not even an hour, stuff like that just makes my heart melt, because that’s what I want true love to be like, one minute can change your whole perspective on life, and you just gotta roll with the punches but you also have to know what is good for you and what you want from life and I think that this story was a perfect example of that and I really enjoyed it.

Walking After Midnight: I love this era, the ’50s and ’60s are my jam, especially fashion-wise, but the era was so cool in many ways. This story was so sweet, I think it was another little piece of the lgbtq+ spectrum that we don't usually get to see, maybe demisexual or asexual, but either way it was a super cute story about exploring your options, no matter where you are in life, you're not stuck, there is a way out and you have options, it doesn't matter your age or race or gender, you have those opportunities if you look for them they'll be there. I just really like this story because it was just so hopeful and upbeat and it did have some serious parts but it was very just flowing but it also had a great underlying message.

The End Of The World as We Know It: I love this, I was born two years after the Y2K thing so I totally missed it but it sounded interesting. I also missed the Columbine shooting, the fact that this book brought it up was like a punch in the gut, the way that the characters said it was probably never going to happen again, and here I am in June of 2019 and in the twenty years since the Columbine there have been over 230 school shootings in the US, and although I don't usually get into politics on this account I think that this is an important statistic that everyone should know. On a different note, I did like this story, it was sweet and simple, another story of self-discovery and young love like many in this collection, it was just super chill and I love the note at the end when it says “sorry I couldn't stay I had to go break up with my boyfriend” like what a great way to start out the new year.

Three Witches: I love this story although I am a bit confused about the title, I don't really know what it had to do with the story, I can only assume it is Gracia, Violante, and the unknown woman at the end of the book. This story made me sad but also happy, sad because this woman was being accused of being a sinner for loving a woman, she was being punished because the church said it wrong to love freely. It made me happy because she, in turn, found love in her imprisonment and set both herself and Gracia free. Stories like this really pull at my heartstrings because I don't understand, and this is my personal opinion, I’m not judging anyone, how you can believe that one superior being makes everything so and he said that loving someone is wrong, I just don't understand that. But this story made me happy because they both discovered strength in themselves and each other in times of weakness and that's what love really is.

The Inferno and The Butterfly: I love love love this story! It's so good! Both of these boys had gone through so much and thought they had people who loved them and cared for them and both had that idea ripped from their hearts and minds but they found each other and they found a way to create real love that wouldn't be taken away by anyone else, and that is beautiful. As I addressed earlier, historical fiction is growing on me, but magic has always been something I loved reading about. This story kind of reminded me of a darker shade of magic, old London and magic are like the best duo ever and this is such a great little love story and the combination is so good, this is probably my third favorite out of this collection.

Healing Rosa: This story is so cool, I have a little bit of an obsession with different cultures and their healing rituals, myths about where they come from interest me so much and I think that's why I love this story so much. Another reason why I love this story is that it addresses in some aspect, mental illness and how it can affect someone, not only mentally but also physically. Lastly, I love this story because, in the end, Rosa’s dad accepted her for who she was and realised that his own sadness and bitterness was nothing compared to what he would experience if he lost his daughter and that's what truly pulled me into this story. There are so many people in this world who are disowned and pushed away by their families because they don't know how to accept their children's differences and I think it’s important that we address the happier sides of the narrative instead of only the bad ones, it gives hope to those who may not have it, and that goes for everything in life.

Top Three: Every Shade of Red, Roja, The Inferno and The Butterfly

-maren

[diabolikotaku]

Vampire! Yui Komori Headcannons

Sorry it took me like three million years to answer you!

Vampire Age: 17

Human Age: 117

Her father is Seiji Komori, the Vampire King

Goes by Christian name in demon realm: Solomon 

The youngest of four

Her eldest brother Yusuke, her older sister Yuna, her twin brother (who was born 2 hours earlier) Yuito, then Yui.

Yusuke and Yuna are fully Japanese while Yuito and Yui are half East-European

Yusuke and Yuna had a different mother than Yuito and Yui.

Yui has an orthodox name: Anastasia (Anya) Vasiliev

Yuito is Aleksandr (Alex) Vasiliev

Yusuke and Yuna go by catholic names: Jeremias and Juliette Lazarus

Her mother is Natsia Vasiliev

She was a low-class vampire who was filled with greed, so she decided to become a handmaiden at Seiji’s manor in order to seduce him, have his children, and demand money.

After all of her plans failed, she drugged Seiji and raped him

Once she was pregnant, she threaten Seiji to spread all over the demon realm that he committed adultery with a low class demon, unlike his current wife Hanako (Helena Lazarus) if he didn’t give her enough money so she could be comfortable

She didn’t even want to keep her children once she got the money, so she ditched them with Seiji.

Alas, Seiji still loved Yui and Yuito. So he and Hanako kept them nd treated them like family.

She was born with Yuito on June 21, 1901

The reason why she was made the ‘heiress to the Komori throne’ was because Yusuke fell in love with a werewolf (violation of vampire law) and was banished to the Miasma islands in the demon world (it’s just really hot and everything at some weird black miasma around it he’s immune to, he and his wife Yuri are living happily together), Yuna loathed absolutely everything about Seiji and swore to never associate with him or anything involving the vampire throne, and Yuito just calmly passed the responsibility down to Yui.

She couldn’t say no at that point

She has many nicknames in the demon realm, such as: Anya the Blood Heiress, the Trinity Cross, the Rose, etc.

Yui lives by herself in the Komori Manor, with the exception of a few servants.

For someone who’s loaded, you’d think she wouldn’t have to lift a finger.

Nope, she does all of the cooking, gardening, and sometimes cleaning herself

She needs something to do to pass the night time

That’s why she was so happy when Seiji told her that she was having guest staying with her from now on...Until he explained her situation.

Basically, six people with pure blood are sent to the Komori manor as ‘food banks’, one of them is the true blood Adam and will help make her the Eve of the demon realm

She had to pick wisely on who her Adam would be

Nevertheless, she was still happy about not being alone.

Yui has the complete opposite demeanor of what a vampire should act like/are perceived to act like.

Most vampires are sadistic, cruel, unforgiving, wouldn’t look twice at a human, usually arrogant, thinks everyone around them are weak, etc.

Nah, Yui’s all like: smiling, giving kindness to others, being helpful, friendly, caring, motherly, nurturing, equal to everyone, understanding, etc

So that’s why the Sakamaki brothers brushed her off when they first met her.

But now we get into her Sadistic side.

Yui has a completely different personality in her that sleeps, only wakes up to feed or pretty much take control when she feels like it. Sadistic is very much like the typical aristocrat vampire.

Normal Yui hates talking about or when Sadistic wakes up because it means she’ll lose control and Sadistic will destroy the trust she built with her humans.

When Sadistic wakes up, Yui’s eyes turn blood red.

Yui has to watch everything Sadistic does and she can’t take it.

That’s why she tries so hard to get along, have people’s trust, and make up for Sadistic’s words

Yui has some control over Sadistic, that’s why the boys don’t die after Sadistic feeds on them.

she tries to drain them like a juice box!

Yui is very innocent while Sadistic is very nasty and so not innocent if you catch my drift.

Sadistic is fond of punishments

Yui cries as she watches in horror what Sadistic does to the boys.

Has a fox and an owl familiar

The fox is named Xian and the owl is named Fester

Yui’s favorite colors are dusty rose, lilac velvet, pink ruby, and cream.

She’s quite up to date with what’s happening in the modern world.

switches between old-time clothes and modern clothes if not at school.

will sometime say old-time things by accident

still doesn’t own a phone (and Seiji didn’t put a land line in.)

When the Sakamaki brothers first discovered she was a vampire, Subaru was the one to pull out a trinity cross (gift from mother)

She dead ass pulled her rosary from under clothes and smiled, “You have one too? I figured you weren’t too deeply involve with religion by how you act!”

This confused the brothers and resulted in Ayato smacking Subaru up the head.

When she was little, she couldn’t bare to hurt a creature for blood, so she starved herself until her father make her drink blood via transfusions/cups of blood so she wouldn’t die on him.

She stopped doing that when she was around 13 in vampire years, but it always hurt her on the inside to hurt someone for blood.

She really does care for all of the Sakamaki boys, even if they brush her off because she seemed weak or she terrified them.

She helped Ayato find something around to Manor to do as a past time because there was no internet here...Or a phone line.

Gave Reiji the room with the largest study and always 

Showed Subaru where her personal little chapel was so he could pray.

(Even though he would always criticize her about not being right) She would bake sweets when she can for Kanato.

Introduced crossword puzzeles to Laito

Showed Shuu the music room

Yui actually used to play the piano when she was younger, but became rusty

Yuito and Yuna never learned how to play one

Yusuke was an excellent violinist and she always loved to listen to him play

That’s why Yui was happy to hear Shuu knew how to play the violin.

Yui is a hopeless romantic, when she just hit ‘puberty’, she spent all day in the library reading romance novels and dreaming of her ‘one true love’. When she gets the chance to, Yui buys romance novels in town and indulges in them.

Well, she sure gets a selection...

and they’re certainly no prince charming. 

For being this old, she’s bound to have at least one lover in the past, right? You’re correct! She used to spend her time with a human artist back in 1981.

His name was Takizawa Hayato

He taught her how to draw, or at least he tried too. 

Yui’s still pretty bad at drawing people, but she can draw landscapes pretty well.

It only lasted for a little bit when he found out she was a vampire (and he questioned why she stayed the same age as when she met him while he aged). 

Yusuke had to kill him.

Over the years, she learned how to crochet doilies out of pure boredom

And also learned how to sew a bit, you really have nothing to do after years of no internet.

Knows some Russian along with Yuito

Yusuke and Yuna know Italian.

Met Cordelia once

Yui didn’t really like her

Also that one time was when Seiji killed her because of some unknown reason.

If this were formatted like the actual games, then there would be a part in one of the boys’ route where she would lose a lot of her own blood and Seiji would give her a transfusion of Cordelia’s blood. Thus Cordelia becoming one with Yui.

Let’s get into some Otome Game shit :

(We’re going by Haunted Dark Bridal btw)

The best endings:

All: Marriage

maybe kids?

Becoming ‘Adam’

overcoming the shitty parts

Bad endings:

Ayato: Yui gets amnesia and doesn’t remember Ayato, making him crazy.

Kanato: Yui kills Kanato but keeps his corpse as a doll.

Laito: Sadistic becomes the controller of Yui’s body and abuses him for the rest of his days.

Shuu: Yui dies in a fire

Reiji: Yui is killed by Karlheinz

Subaru: Yui locks up Subaru and he is forced to become crazy like his mother.

Routes:

Ayato: Since he is main bae in the original series, there’s gonna be lots of cute things, 

Kanato: i feel like there might be a lot of bonding in this route, of course it’s eventual, but when the time comes Kanato just clings onto Yui. This can help out a little bit with his complex about being the ignored child and help him move on. Possibly help him grow up a little? But then again, we love our man-child.

Laito: ear porn This route could go either ways, it either helps Laito rip away the playboy act and get over his problems about his mother (and him being sexually abused) or it helps him become more...Child-like again? Like before Cordelia fucked him over. 

For the triplets, there might be a discovery arc about why their mother was involved with a family of vampires for some reason.

Shuu: I feel like Shuu’s route would probably be a healing route for him, from being cold, emotionless, tired, and shut-in, to someone who can get over his past. Even though it still lingers, I think Yui helps him out with his ptsd and depression and he gets better throughout the playthrough.

Reiji: The route that holds most of the actual plot. But there is still memorable moments between Reiji and Yui that satisfy the soul and goes over some of Reiji’s issues.

Subaru: Maybe a mix between a healing and a discovery route. Like Subaru finds out his mother was involved with the Komoris somehow and he’s trying to get the answer some how from Yui, the more time they spend together they fall in love and they have to come over some epic plot I can’t think of while he tries to heal after the ptsd of watching his mother suffer her days in that locked cage his father called her room.

All of them will have the main plot of the story, though.

In each route, Yui’s struggles will be revealed.

Ayato: Her mother, definitely 

Kanato: Sadistic’s origins

Laito: Her mother / Struggling with controlling Sadistic

Shuu: Hayato / the depression of being practically immortal.

Watching all of her friends grow old and die while she doesn’t change

being unable to friend humans because of this

generally has been alone her whole childhood besides her family.

etc.

Reiji: being maltreated because of her mother’s intentions

the  other servants knew about this and some of them maltreated Yui harshly.

Subaru: Her self-worth / the fear of hurting those weaker than her

Maybe some other alternative bad endings would be either Yui or one of the boys becoming Yandere over the other person???

There has to be saucy stills because is diabolik lovers, you cannot expect less.

Maybe add a rival to the boys were he’s trying to obtain Yui in order for her to love him or just kill her, idk.

The Komori family is filled with pure-blooded vampires that go back for several generations (well, except Yui and Yuito)

Has a summer home and a winter home. The summer home when the bounty hunters get into town and the winter home for when the war was happening in the city the summer home was located at.

Sadistic formed in her when the servants were abusing her, when Yui had enough Sadistic came over and killed the servants and hid them before Yui ‘woke up’.

The only kind of makeup Yui knows how to do is Victorian-styled.

Makes her own perfumes and makeup from flowers and such

Before this whole ‘Adam and Eve’ stuff, Yui was supposed to get married to a high-class vampire family’s eldest son, but he was killed by Yuito

The son wanted to kill Yui and sell her organs and blood to the lower-class vampires and demons for a price.

sleeps in a regular bed

Locks herself in her room when blood moon arrives because she doesn’t want to hurt anyone during that period of time. 

Sadistic doesn’t come out, this is a whole new monster Yui doesn’t understand.

2nd year

Considered popular by the students, but not ridiculously popular.

Has her fair share of fans

when some girls were trying to intimidate Yui about staying away from the Sakamaki brothers, she just scoffed and told them she can’t avoid them since they live with her.

And she also told them that they wouldn’t be into girls like them, it shut them up real fast.

Helps Subaru and Ayato study (even though it’s a difficult process)

Favorite foods are: fruit tarts, parfaits, and pancakes

wants to have three children

She’s afraid of turning someone into a vampire after the incident with Yuna and a past lover.

Still can’t swim

Follows her father’s orders without a fail.

Including keeping in 6 human boys for food.

Will occasionally take the boys out to the town next to the school.

Feels bad for the boys since they can’t go out often, so she places in vases of flowers to liven up the dark manor.

Somehow, she has met all of the sakamaki mothers one what or another.

Karlheinz actually tried to kill her once, however he was mistaken by Yuito and got badly injured.

That’s all I got for now~