#Scots storytelling

[paulinecordiner]

A wonderful morning today at Greyhope Library with the bairns from Primary 1 at Greyhope School - parents, carers and wee brothers and sisters were invited to see the new library and enjoy some stories with myself and Fizzy the Fairy!

[thebibliosphere]

Hello Joy! If you're up for it, I've got a question for you. I've started writing a new story that I set in a world based on 1500's Scotland and I wanted the main characters to have Scottish accents, but alas I am from the American Midwest. Do you know of any resources or any people who could help me write my dialogue more accurately?

There are some resources for Scots English (like the the DSL), but I’m going to give you the advice I wish a lot of non-Scots people would use when it comes to writing historical Scottish accents: don’t.

The Scots language is not a monolith, and accents and dialect to this day vary greatly depending on region.

Most of the time even with research, what happens is a butchery of our language which borders on parody (sometimes even amped up by publishers because they want the Outlander effect) and is neither correctly spelled nor even phonetically accurate. A better way of writing accents/dialogue (and the way I tend to do it myself even when writing this sort of thing) would be to use regional and tone indicators.

So things like “he spoke with the broad, sweeping brogue of the lower west coast” or “her manner of speaking quickened with excitement, thickening her accent.”

If you want to use some Scots words, you can do so. Just make sure you look them up in the DSL and spell them correctly instead of making up your own.

A common phrase I like to use as an example for how to inject some Scots words into the dialect without murdering it would be the often very sarcastic “oh aye, so you think so?”

It’s a phrase often used when someone is blustering or maybe being a wee bit rude. Sort of like saying “oh really?” As you invite someone to keep digging their own grave.

I’ve seen it spelled every which way from “och aye, di’ye ‘ink sew?” (Pure jibberish, don’t do that) to the slightly more legible if not entirely accurate, “oh aye, dae ye think soe?”

Another could be something like, “oh aye, he’s muckle canny” to mean “oh yes, he’s very smart.” I’ve seen all of those words misspelled at one point, the most memorable being “och aye ‘e’s mochel cannae” which is just…

Canny is smart/capable while cannae means you can’t do something. (And muckle can be spelt mochell if you want to but some modern Scots readers will squint at it)

I tried explaining that what the author had written was the equivalent of “yes. he’s very can’t” but she wouldn’t listen and it went to print anyway. Agony.

Anyway, I mentioned the DSL up top so I suppose I should link to it.

Most of the recorded words there are from 17th century onward. There is an option to search prior to that, though it is limited.

There are surviving texts from the 1500s, though unless you want your work to be readable by a limited few, I wouldn’t try to imitate it. It’s mostly written in archaic Scots that’d be illegible to even modern Scottish readers.

If it’s something you intend to go to print with, I’d also suggest hiring a Scots sensitivity reader. They can make sure there’s nothing glaringly obvious with misspellings and also if they know their history, point out where something is off.

My favorite is when Scottish historical stories have potato scones in the 11th century, which begets the concept of agricultural time travelers, but alas, it’s never that interesting and just a factual error.

Anyway, I hope that was helpful and not discouraging. Please do write your story. Just don’t fall down the Outlander trap of writing nonsense and trying to pass it off as a language that still exists and for which there is recognized meanings and spelling. Which it sounds like you want to do, so yay! Thank you for wanting to be considerate and as accurate as can be.

[photosbyjez]

Cornflower from Rabbie Burns' Cottage -- FOTD Jul 30

Cornflower from Rabbie Burns' Cottage -- FOTD Jul 30

Hi all 👋 My latest post for Cee’s FOTD. For the next few days, I’ll be featuring cornflowers from the gardens at Rabbie Burns’ Cottage. If you follow my blog, you know I’m currently working on a project fusing my photography with AI creativity. For more on my journey with AI, check out my Fan Of… series, the latest of which is a reimagining of some lensball shots.

[greenwitchcrafts]

January 2024 Witch guide

Full Moon: January 25th

New moon: January 11th

Sabbats: None

January Wolf Moon

Known as: Bear Moon, Chaste Moon, Cold Moon, Disting Moon, Goose Moon, Moon of Little Winter,  Moon of Strong Cold, Quiet Moon, Snow Moon, Stay at Home Moon, Sun Has Not Strength to Thaw Moon & When Snow Blows Like Spirits In The Wind Moon

Element: Air

Zodiac: Capricorn & Aquarius

Nature spirits: Brownies & Gnomes

Deities: Freya, Hera, Innana & Saraswati

Animals: Coyote & fox

Birds: Blue Jay & pheasant

Trees: Birch & Hazel

Herbs: Cones, holy thistle &marjoram

Flowers: Crocus & Snowdrop

Scents: Mimosa & musk

Stones: Chrysoprase, garnet, hematite, moonstone, onyx & jet

Colors: Black, blue-violet, grey, silver & white

Energy: Adventurous, ambitious, awareness, beauty, beginning & conceiving; business, career, conserving energy, energy below the surface, organization, political matters, potential, protection, recognition, reputation, reversing spells & spirituality

The name for the January full Moon is believed to have originated from Celtic and Old English roots, which European settlers then brought to the New World.

At one point, gray wolves were among the most widespread land mammals on our planet. According to the Wolf Conversation Center, gray wolves “inhabited most of the available land in the Northern Hemisphere.” Habitat destruction and persecution by humans have reduced their range by about a third worldwide and 90 percent in the lower 48 states.

The wolf’s adaptable nature to survive in a wide range of habitats and ability to prey on the largest mammals living in those regions made it widespread. Basically, if there are enough deer, moose, elk, caribou, bison, and musk ox, wolves can survive. Predation of domestic animals caused friction with European settlers and early Americans who aggressively hunted the wolves.

Werewolf myths can be found in ancient Greek and Roman societies, throughout European history and among some Native American tribes. In modern storytelling the transformation from man to wolf has been closely tied to the full Moon in films like “The Wolf Man” and “American Werewolf In London.”

Howl at the Moon means to waste energy pursuing something unattainable. It’s shorthand for doing something crazy. However, howling is hardly a waste of energy among wolf packs. And they aren’t howling at the Moon. The Moon just happens to be shining during times when wolves most often howl.

A wolf’s howl can be heard miles away. The vocalization helps wolves locate separated members and even communicate between packs marking their territories. One study recorded spontaneous howls and responses happen most often between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The cry of wolves doesn’t play into the Sioux name for the January full Moon, which is known as “The Time When Wolves Run Together.” Wolves do plenty of running to defend territory that can stretch hundreds of square miles to find enough prey to support the pack.

Other Celebrations

• Hogmanay | January 1st: is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) and, in some cases, 2 January—a Scottish bank holiday. In a few contexts, the word Hogmanay is used more loosely to describe the entire period consisting of the last few days of the old year and the first few days of the new year. For instance, not all events held under the banner of Edinburgh's Hogmanay take place on 31 December.

The origins of Hogmanay are unclear, but it may be derived from Norse and Gaelic observances of the winter solstice. Customs vary throughout Scotland and usually include gift-giving and visiting the homes of friends and neighbours, with particular attention given to the first-foot, the first guest of the new year.

• Compitalia/ Feast of Lades | January 3-5: was an annual festival in honor of the Lares Compitales, household deities of the crossroads, to whom sacrifices were offered at the places where two or more ways met.

Dionysius said that Servius Tullius founded the festival, which he describes as it was celebrated in his time. Dionysius relates that the sacrifices consisted of honey-cakes (Ancient Greek: πέλανοι) presented by the inhabitants of each house; and that the people who assisted as ministering servants at the festival were not free men, but slaves, because the Lares took pleasure in the service of slaves. He further adds that the Compitalia were celebrated a few days after the Saturnalia with great splendor, and that the slaves on this occasion had full liberty to do as they pleased.

During the celebration of the festival, each family placed the statue of the underworld goddess Mania at the door of their house. They also hung up at their doors figures of wool representing men and women, accompanying them with humble requests that the Lares and Mania would be contented with those figures, and spare the people of the house

Sources:

Farmersalmanac.com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Llewellyn's 2023 magical almanac: practical magic for everyday living

Wikipedia

Encyclopedia Britannica

[hadesoftheladies]

FEMALE MOVIE/TV RECS (PART 2 / HISTORICAL FICTION/NON-FICTION)

got inspired from a recommendation post so decided to make a list of movies and shows with female-centric stories/female protagonists. since i can't post all of the genres in one post, i'll split it into multiple posts and y'all can save or add to the list as you wish. (disclaimer: i have watched most of these, but i only know about the existence of others. not every movie/show on these lists will be my recommendation. my recommendations will be beneath the list with reasons. also some of these are way better than others in terms of storytelling/performance--which is why i'll list my faves separately):

Common Themes of Media in the List:

-Workplace/general sexist discrimination

-Husband being pieces of shit and whiners

-Strong emphasis on sisterhood

-Romance plays a large part (both hetero and homo)

-Female genius and triumph

-Scheming mothers (always scheming)

-Grief, loss, and growth

-Motherhood is difficult but we pull through TM

HAVEN'T WATCHED:

Mozart's Sister

Lessons in Chemistry

The Conductor

Lizzie

Radioactive

Cable Girls

The Great

The Queen's Gambit

Britannia

Harriet

Mary Queen of Scots

ONES I LOVEDDDD:

A League of Their Own (9/10) (a favorite!)

Hidden Figures (8/10)

The Woman King (8/10) (a favorite!)

Anne With An E (9/10) (a favorite!)

Dickinson (8.5/10)

The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel (9/10) (a favorite!)

Gentleman Jack (8/10)

The Gilded Age (7.5/10)

HONORABLE (NON-LISTED MENTIONS)

The English (an english woman teams up with a native american cowboy to take revenge on the men who hurt them)

The World to Come (two women isolated by the wilderness and their husbands fall in love)

The Pursuit of Love

Colette

PERSONAL NOTES:

The Buccaneers is pretty feminist and wholesome, although oftentimes childish and full of Netflix cliches (even though it's an Apple TV original). It tries very hard to be Dickinson and Little Women but is a far cry away from Dickinson's edge and fierceness and Little Women's maturity and realism. It's more interested in appealing to Bridgerton audiences and its worse for it. But it's still full of the nice stuff, like strong female friendships and sisterhoods. Ooh, and lesbians! It's adamantly female-centric.

As for Little Women, I prefer the 90s version with Winona Ryder, but Greta did more justice to the source material than Louisa May Alcott herself in the new version.

The Book Thief and The World to Come are also tragedies, so you know. Ammonite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Summerland and The Favourite are lesbians and bisexuals in their full glory, although all of them have vastly different tones (The Favourite is a dark comedy, I believe).

Speaking of The Favourite, Mary & George is like that but it's men vying for the affections of the king. Don't get it twisted though, Mary, George's mom, is the protagonist and primary mover of the show. It starts and ends with her. Also, more lesbianism! (I don't get tired of pointing that out.)

Belle is one of the few autobiographical historical fictions of a black woman. My dad and I love it. It, however, does not surpass The Woman King. The Woman King is like . . . one of the best historical movies on African women I've ever watched! Or just in general! It gives so much agency to African people in the colonial age and tells the story with nuance and perspective--it is a decolonized view on the slave trade that places West African people at the center. It's pretty intense and gory, though. Like it's dark, but like the performances are insanely good, and so is the story. Real life Wakanda and all that!

[scotianostra]

On August 15th 1771 Sir Walter Scott the poet and novelist was born in Edinburgh.

Walter survived polio as a toddler which left him with a limp and he used a cane the rest of his life. He was the first author to have international fame in his lifetime and is credited with inventing the historical novel.

Scott used the great storytelling tradition of the Highlands to help bring back the Scottish identity that had been cruelly crushed by the British. His Waverly novels were very popular in Europe and America starting Romanticism and influencing American writers such as Thoreau and Twain.

As well as popularising the historical novel, his books more or less invented tourism in Scotland. A family holiday to Loch Katrine inspired Scott to write the epic narrative poem The Lady of the Lake; a romantic, stirring tale of secret identity, love and loss. It was a publishing phenomenon and readers flocked to see the landscape Scott had described. Thus when travel entrepreneurs such as Thomas Cook began selling packaged railroad tours in the 1840s, Scotland was one of the most popular destinations. Victorians who had grown up on Scott’s Waverley novels, and now technology made it possible to reach these areas

Scott was a prolific writer, publishing two novels a year. Readers around the globe devoured his tales of historic Scotland and its noble, heroic people.

Composers in particular found inspiration in his work, among them Gaetano Donizetti who was inspired to write the tragic opera Lucia del Lammermoor based on Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor.  Franz Schubert was similarly moved, setting text from The Lady of the Lake to music to create his much-loved work Ave Maria.

When King George IIII visited Edinburgh in 1822 Scott was put in charge of the festivities. This was the first time a reigning monarch had made it north of the border in over 200 years and Scott masterminded a spectacular Scottish show in his honour.

He created a romantic - and, some argued, and still do argue, an unrealistic - vision of the Highlands on the streets of the capital with parades, gatherings of clans and swathes of tartan on display. King George himself lapped up this romantic symbolism, dressing in a kilt for the occasion and, like a 19th century influencer, prompting others to wear it too. It marked a turning point in the way the world saw Scotland, and the return of tartan to fashionable society following a ban enforced by the government in the aftermath of the Jacobite rebellion.

Scott’s influence in society allowed him to lobby on causes he held dear.Sir Walter Scott got involved in a number of political issues. Particularly, his interested in issues where the government was trying to impose things on Scotland. For example, the Bank of England wanted to withdraw the right of Scottish banks to print bank notes, it's testement to the man that he features on bank notes not just today, but going back to the days of smaller nbanks, like the Linen Bank in Scotland, The Bank of Scotland range of notes still carry his portrait. Scott He stirred up such a furore that the government backed down, so you have him to thank that your not carrying English bank notes around with you, imagine a life where we Scots couldn't have a good old moan about businesses in England refusing to take our money as payment!

Scott’s popularity as a poet was cemented in 1813 when he was given the opportunity to become Poet Laureate. However, he declined and Robert Southey accepted the position instead.

Having suffered a stroke in 1831, which resulted in apoplectic paralysis, his health continued to fail and Scott died on 21st September 1832 at Abbotsford, I hope to read and post more about Sir Walter Scott in just over a months time.

[asterlark]

the thing that gets me so much about the storytelling in knives out is that it's a story within a story within a story- or i guess more accurately, it's a story about multiple stories being told and acted in and against each other. ransom/hugh/supreme scumbag wrote the story of harlan's murder and of pinning the crime on marta; meanwhile, harlan wrote the story of what marla would do in the aftermath of his death and the ensuing investigation.

problem for mr. hugh is, marta is not a flat character or a pawn in his game he can manipulate to his will to ensure he gets away scot free (and, to a lesser extent, despite harlan's insistence and marta's best efforts, marta cannot carry out his lie for long during the high-pressure investigation. even when it's in her own best interest to lie, marta cannot and will not be manipulated into telling a false story). marta is a smart and caring human being who has agency in her narrative- and since she is the heroine, the narrative wants her to win, so she has allies like blanc on her side. blanc mostly doesn't interfere with the stories being told, he observes them and then, as he says, strolls leisurely along the real story- the truth's- axis and eventually comes to its inevitable conclusion. this is when he will step in and act upon the narrative, but only to reveal the truth and to ensure the hero gets the rewards they deserve.

on top of all that, it really gets me how there's a very meta framing device of the primary murder victim in this mystery being a famous murder mystery author, and much of the plot revolving around his efforts to author what his loved ones' lives will be like after his death... and the way hugh's murder plot is like something right out of a harlan mystery novel (to the point that harlan, before he realizes he's about to die, makes a point to write down the method of murder as an ingenious way to kill someone)....... and all that isn't even considering all the stories the family members tell themselves and others about their relationship to harlan, how they view the family legacy, etc.

marta is the heroine precisely because she is not trying to tell a false story for her own gain (as the family accuses her of doing after the reading of the will)- she is simply concerned with carrying out her late friend's wishes and doing right by him. she is probably the only person who really knew harlan, the full truth of him, and was his friend without any selfish agenda. she is a good person, a person who would never try to claim another's story as her own, which is exactly why harlan trusted her with his life, his home, and his legacy. he couldn't have known what would happen, but he knew she would do her best to honor his memory after he was gone. ultimately though, no matter who else tried to write or edit it (including harlan), this is marta's story and hers alone to live and change and discover.

this has been a long post already so i'll end it here but suffice it to say that over four years post-release, i'm still so fascinated by the ways these characters actively try to either rewrite the story playing out in front of them, or reveal the truth at the heart of things (as blanc would say, the hole inside of the donut's hole). this movie just makes my storytelling and puzzle-loving nerd heart go BRRRRR

[makingqueerhistory]

OurStory Scotland is a registered Scottish Charity (SCIO). We collect, archive and present the life stories and experiences of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender) community in Scotland. This involves oral history work with all ages, including the older generation, whose stories reveal the tremendous changes that have occurred in the situation of LGBT people during their lifetime. In addition to collecting stories, images, artefacts and research materials from LGBT lives, we present our heritage through the arts, in exhibitions, storytelling and drama.

[beyondmistland]

Something I posted on A Forum of Ice and Fire after Elio Garcia confirmed GRRM has deliberately refused to think about what the heck the Master of Laws does on a day-to-day basis apart from advising the king

“Also, I have to say, GRRM could have done a lot more when it comes to his portrayal of class and sexuality. The lack of mayors or mayoral councils, the unimportance of guilds and/or a middle class in politics, the general lack of rebellions, etc. I'm not expecting a P.H.D thesis but like I said regarding Westerosi jurisprudence, some broad strokes details could not only have done wonders to enrich the setting but ALSO opened up new avenues for storytelling. To give just one example, if GRRM bothered to introduce the Justicars from the MUSH to the canon of the books, one could easily write a series of Cadfael-like mysteries a la Dunk and Egg about one set in the time of, say, Jaehaerys I, who would probably establish them as part of his legal reforms. This would be a breath of fresh air for readers because the protagonist would be a bit closer to the smallfolk's POV in that, unlike Davos, he doesn't have the personal friendship of the king. (The fact the Justicars would be middle class new men with education and training would mean not only the nobility would detest them but possibly the maesters as well, assuming the Justicars aren't essentially half-maesters trained at the Citadel.) Say for instance a Justicar making his usual tour of the realm, making sure the lords are actually enforcing the legal code properly (again, no need to get into nitty-gritty detail, just broad strokes) finds himself in the lands of Lord Bracken, whose subjects have been complaining is being unjust in his rulings. The Justicar would have to investigate the complaints while also avoiding finding a knife in his back because Lord Bracken is a particularly prickly person. Then, halfway through the story, the big twist could be that some of the people complaining against Lord Bracken have actually been bribed or planted by Lord Blackwood or that our protagonist is in fact nearly murdered and while he thinks its because of Lord Bracken during the climax the actual culprit turns out to be Lord Blackwood, who demands a trial by combat to prove his "innocence." If the story ends with Lord Blackwood losing then for the Justicar its a classic example of "deceptive first impressions aside, case solved, time to move on." If Lord Blackwood wins, thereby getting off scot-free (and establishing a long-term threat to our protagonist), you could have an ending more reminiscent of, say, Chinatown, which, from what I've heard since I haven't seen the actual movie, ends with the villain getting away with their crime but the detective at least knows the truth. The Justicars would also intersect nicely with Gyldayn's history. Aegon IV's corruption could include him firing the ones unwilling to take bribes after being himself bribed while Aegon V would find his getting murdered by rebellious lords due to his pro-smallfolk reforms.”

[aelfgyvaa]

Period Drama Costuming - a (ranty) review

I love period dramas. I watch them like my life depends on it, and as a result, I have Thoughts. Period dramas are arguably where costuming becomes most important - here, costume isn't solely a storytelling device, it's a reflection of the specific place and time in which the narrative is taking place. Sometimes it's done well. Sometimes it really - really - isn't.

It's reductive to try and make any sweeping, general rules about how costumes in period dramas should be done. Every show has its own tone and style, and this is important to consider. However, some productions can take this in... interesting directions. We can really only judge each attempt at historical costuming on an individual basis, which - spoiler alert - is exactly what I'm about to do. Below the cut, I've had a look at some bad costumes, some good costumes, and some that don't really seem to fit in either category.

DISCLAIMER!! - This is simply an opportunity for me to rant about something I have a lot of (subjective) Feelings™ about, and is in no way supposed to comment on the overall quality of any of the pieces discussed. I'm also NOT claiming to be an expert on this topic. There are lots of people on here who undoubtedly know more about this than me, and if you're one of them, I'd really love to hear your thoughts!!

The Bad

Reign (The CW, 2013-17)

I've just gotta get this one out of the way. I made it through an almost-entire season of Reign before the atrocity that is its costuming got the better of me. If you'd shown me photos from this show without telling me it's about Mary Queen of Scots, I couldn't have guessed what period this might be set in. Reign's costume designer has stated "I wanted gowns that kept some kind of Elizabethan element, whether it was a nipped waist and extreme silhouette, or if it had a bit of a medieval feel" and uh. Yeah. By and large, that didn't happen. From what I can tell, a somewhat historical silhouette does begin to appear in the show's final season, but at what cost?

Perhaps Reign wouldn't have been as bad if the dresses were at least nice to look at. Instead, they're generally reminiscent of prom dresses - the fabric looks cheap, and the details look so tacky that I can't even endorse the costuming for this show from an aesthetic standpoint. Sorry to any Reign fans out there, but this is almost certainly going to be my most scathing review of the lot.

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The Musketeers (BBC, 2014-16)

I love The Musketeers. I really do. But what the costume department was thinking - especially when it came to the women's costumes - I really have no idea. I mean, a Peter Pan collar?? On the Queen of France??? IN THE 1620S???? Truly something. Constance always looks like she only half-finished getting dressed that morning (why is her hair down. she's married.), and Anne sports some of the most outlandishly ridiculous collars I've ever seen. I don't even want to get into what Marie de' Medici is wearing. It's belts - as a necklace apparently! She also appears to be hiding some kind of gourd under her hair, but alas.

Yes, the men wear pleather. Yes, it does upset me.

The Musketeers' costumes perhaps wouldn't sting so badly if they didn't dress numerous background extras in significantly more accurate clothing. I've spent too much time watching this show and sighing in despair because Noblewoman Number 3 has a more accurate 1620s dress than the literal Queen.

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The Spanish Princess (Starz, 2019-20)

I haven't properly sat down to watch The Spanish Princess through to its conclusion yet, but I do intend to - when she's not fawning over Richard III, Philippa Gregory adaptations can still be good fun, despite having about as much historical authenticity as the Fiji mermaid.

Nevertheless, no one in this show seems aware of what time period they're in, with dress styles spanning from early 14th-century surcoats to some fairly Elizabethan-looking silhouettes. The fabric choices are all over the place, and similarly - although not quite as egregiously - to Reign, often don't even manage to look good. Even from a modern standpoint, this show is colour- and pattern-clash galore. There is also practically no layering whatsoever, with the dresses going on as single pieces without a panel in sight. Admittedly probably easier from a production standpoint, but still.

Don't even get me started on the headdresses. Weird, pudding-cap-esque padded crowns and tiny scraps of fabric like the ones seen on Mary Tudor (an attempt at a French hood? I shudder) are fairly constant, although I have spotted a few passable attempts at a Gable hood.

They do get points for giving Arthur Tudor a fuck ass bob. Thanks.

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The Buccaneers (Apple TV+, 2023-)

When I first started The Buccaneers and saw what its costuming had to offer, I audibly sighed. If you're a fan of visible back-lacing, cheap quality fabrics, and poorly fitting bodices, this is the show for you. The 1870s look is not a difficult one to emulate, and yet The Buccaneers fails rather miserably with its main characters, half of whom appear to be walking around in their underwear, with untied hair and single-layer dresses. Poor Nan only seems to own about two outfits that aren't visibly too big for her.

But by far the greatest crime committed by The Buccaneers' costume department comes in the decision to have multiple instances in which characters appear to be wearing corsets as tops. Yeah. I had a rough time with that one too. Mabel seems a particular victim of this - in both of the images above she looks as if she's been rushed out of the house before she got the chance to even button up her dress. A State of Affairs indeed.

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The Good

Becoming Elizabeth (Starz, 2022)

Although I was slightly underwhelmed with the execution of Becoming Elizabeth's story, this was absolutely overshadowed by its costuming, which is probably one of the most historically accurate depictions of Tudor clothing I've ever seen. With the same costume designer as Shardlake (which is also very well done - a big day for fans of Anthony Boyle's codpiece), it's remarkably clear how much research went into the pieces worn on this show, with some directly recreated from portraits, and others visibly inspired by surviving clothing from the period.

I won't pretend that Becoming Elizabeth's costuming is without flaws - I'm not a fan of Elizabeth's hunting/riding clothes, and she wears her hair down far too often (Catherine Parr appeared at times to have access to a Dyson Airwrap). However, the positives definitely outweigh any gripes I have. We have dressing scenes in which we see the separate layers and panels that comprised Tudor dresses, and the French hoods actually have hoods, as opposed to simply being the semi-circular headbands we see far too often. The royal women wear ermine fur on their sleeves, and I was also a fan of the jewellery.

The care that went into the costumes for Becoming Elizabeth is so clear - I truly wish I'd enjoyed the plot more, if just so that I could spend more time staring at those dresses.

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Emma. (Autumn de Wilde, 2020)

I adore Emma, and its costuming is honestly perhaps the biggest part of that love. The waistlines! The hairstyles! The bonnets! Emma's costumes are proof that you don't have to sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of stylization - it's by far the most zany and colourful of any direct Austen adaptation, and yet its visuals remain strikingly faithful to the Regency period.

Like Becoming Elizabeth, many of the pieces worn in Emma bear a striking resemblance to surviving pieces and fashion plates from the era. The only problem I've noticed in this was the alarmingly strange detachable ruff-thing Emma is shown wearing in one scene, but frankly, it still manages to fit the tone of the piece.

I'm usually not a huge fan of the Regency fashion depicted on television - I find it rather dull - but the costumes in this movie are gorgeously distracting in every scene. Turns out historical accuracy actually can make things better - who knew!

Is this enough to make me forgive Alexandra Byrne for the costumes in Mary Queen of Scots (2018)?

No.

(I do not forgive ANYONE who worked on Mary Queen of Scots for making Mary Queen of Scots.)

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Firebrand (Karim Aïnouz, 2023)

Firebrand hasn't even been released outside of Cannes yet, and already I am so, so down with everything it's giving. This movie could end up being the dullest two hours of my life, but I'll still sing its praises for one very simple reason - CHIN. STRAPS.

THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS!! The French hoods FINALLY have chin straps!!!! It's only been in virtually every well-known painting of them ever, no big deal.

Although we only have one trailer and a few promo photos to go off of, the costumes in Firebrand look fantastic, with enough layers, fur, embroidery, and hoop skirts to keep me happy for perhaps the rest of my life. We'll see how the movie itself turns out, but it already has a lot going for it in my eyes.

Also shoutout to Henry VIII's absolutely manky leg ulcers in the trailer. That's what I like to see.

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The Outliers

Right. Here is where the hypocrite accusations are about to come flying. But frankly, I said it myself at the start that every period piece deserves to be judged on an individual basis, and the tone and intention of each piece is important in how its costumes are perceived.

That being said, if you think any of the 'bad' costumes deserve to be in this section - maybe they should've tried not being ugly, idk.

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Bridgerton (Netflix, 2020-)

Bridgerton's excuse for its inaccuracy comes not from its lack of effort, but rather from its deliberate rejection of the historical narrative in any form whatsoever. We have two Real People™ in Queen Charlotte and King George III, but even their spin-off opens with a disclaimer that their story will be utterly fictional. Bridgerton does not present an issue like some of the other pieces on this list because it is actively opposed to being historically accurate to a degree that few other period pieces have arguably ever achieved.

Literally nothing about Bridgerton is consistent with history, so it does not disappoint when its costumes aren't either. The clothing does take visible inspiration from the Regency silhouette, but even then it is not consistent, with Queen Charlotte's costumes still firmly Georgian-esque (and honestly, marvellous wigs aside, they're not... bad?). Bridgerton is a historical fantasy before it's a historical drama, and as such it's easy to just sit back and enjoy the costumes for what they are - even when what they are is garish.

────────────

The Great (Hulu, 2020-23)

The Great is first and foremost a dark comedy, not a historical piece. Yes, Catherine the Great and Peter III were real people, and yes, much like in the show, Catherine did overthrow her husband in real life, too. But the similarities end here, as none of the characters in The Great have any intention of resembling their real-life counterparts.

Set roughly in the 1740s, the costumes in The Great are clearly far from reality, but they still resemble the silhouettes we know and recognise as 18th Century. The show is a satirical means of poking fun at the opulent aristocracy, and as such every costume conveys a distinct appearance of luxury. Every single item of clothing worn by the nobility looks absurdly expensive, and the exaggerated ridiculousness of many of the looks we see onscreen are an intentional way of conveying how utterly disconnected the people at court are from reality. From Peter's leopard skin jacket to ladies wearing powdered wigs as hats, The Great's costuming is purposefully elevated from its historical source material, and that is precisely what makes it so good.

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The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018)

Sandy Powell's work on The Favourite is perhaps one of my all-time favourite pieces of costuming. Similarly to The Great, The Favourite utilises clearly recognisable aspects of 18th-century fashion - with ermine fur trim, half-length sleeves, and periwigs - but stylised so that everything conforms to a solidly black and white colour palate.

The Favourite's costumes are gorgeous and evocative of their time period - with well-portrayed mantuas, riding habits, fontanges etc. - all while conforming to Lanthimos' characteristically off-beat style. The shared colour palate really puts the three leads on equal footing in a visual sense, which is key in exploring the relationships that Abigail and Sarah are able to manipulate Queen Anne into developing. Had the colours and fabrics been historically accurate, I believe the movie would have risked making Anne too visibly above the rest of her court, but the striking congruence among the cast successfully solidifies their ability to exploit one another, regardless of status.

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I don't know if there are any conclusions to be drawn from this, I just love talking. If you've made it this far - thank you for reading! I hope you found at least some of this interesting.

I'm always open and eager to discuss this topic, so please do let me know your thoughts - What are your favourite period drama costumes? What piece of costuming made you go OH JESUS WHAT IS THAT???

Anyway, thank you for going down this little rabbit hole with me - my asks are always open! <3

[paulinecordiner]

Traditional Family Story Telling with Pauline Cordiner - THIS SUNDAY!

Banff Castle is delighted to host a special afternoon of traditional family storytelling on Sunday 1 st September 2024, featuring the popular storyteller Pauline Cordiner.

This magical event will offer two sessions at 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, promising to delight audiences of all ages with a rich array of Scottish tales.

Pauline Cordiner shared her excitement about the event, saying, "I'm going to be telling tales of frustrating Fairies, Lucky Loons and Contermacious Coos!"

Known for bringing a wide variety of stories to life, Pauline’s storytelling repertoire includes traditional Scottish folklore, fairy tales, creation myths and her own original works. Her performances are further enriched by her passion for science, history and the environment, making them not only entertaining but also educational.

A celebrated storyteller with deep roots in the fishing and farming traditions of the North East of Scotland, Pauline is known for her engaging and interactive style. She often incorporates

traditional Scots songs and bothy ballads into her performances, using music, puppets and costumes to create a dynamic storytelling experience that encourages audience participation and leaves a lasting impression. A spokesperson for Banff Castle remarked, It's going to be a wonderful interactive experience and we positively encourage our audience to come along dressed as their favourite fairy, wizard, or witch."

Event Details:

Date: Sunday, 1st September 2024

Time: Sessions at 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Location: Banff Castle, Banff, Scotland

Tickets for this family-friendly event are on sale now and can be purchased here:

https://tinyurl.com/2ud98z7e or at the door.

Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in the magic of traditional Scottish storytelling at Banff Castle. For media inquiries, please contact: info@banffcastle.com

About Banff Castle: Banff Castle is a historic venue located in the heart of Banff, Scotland. It hosts a variety of cultural and community events throughout the year, offering a unique setting that blends history with contemporary activities.

About Pauline Cordiner: Pauline Cordiner is a storyteller with over two decades of experience, known for her engaging and interactive performances that draw from the rich storytelling traditions

of the North East of Scotland. She is passionate about sharing tales that entertain, educate, and connect with audiences of all ages.

[thlayli-ra]

Stray (part 5)

Characters - CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Larry, ??? and ???

Pairing - CM Punk/Drew McIntyre

AU - Stray AU

Rating - Mature

Warnings - Mild threat

Words - ~1,800 words

Summary - Punk has two 'visitors'

Punk and Drew sat at the dining table, surrounded by empty plates and used cutlery from breakfast. Since Joe's departure, the atmosphere was much calmer and relaxed, both men comfortable in each other's company despite only knowing one another for less than twenty-four hours and the bizarre circumstances under which they met.

'Ok, so what's the sign for hockey?' Punk asked. For the past half hour, he'd been trying to pick up some more BSL from Drew. The Scot acted out swinging a small hockey stick. 'Oh,' Punk said, copying the motion, 'makes sense, I guess.'

Outside, the day was dull as remnants of the storm lingered in the air and yet it felt like the sun was shining brightly. Punk was warm inside and out but couldn't quite put his finger on why or how.

'Hey, what was that sign for Punk again? For me?' Drew swooped his thumb over his chest in a figure of eight and Punk carefully copied, trying to get it right. 'I'm still blown away by that,' he confessed. 'What about you? You got a sign?'

Cat paw. Drew flattened his palm and placed it against the top of his head as if measuring his height then stretched his long arm up and up.

'Ahhh, cause you're tall. I get it! So, this is Punk,' (he did the figure of eight), 'and this is Drew,' (he did the arm stretch), 'then how do you say, Punk and Drew are friends?'

The Scotsman stopped to think for a brief moment, drawing in his bottom lip. Lifting up his left hand, he pointed out his finger and stroked it horizontally against his chin twice*.

'Oh, ok.' Punk then acted out each sign in turn. Figure of Eight. Hand Stretch. Chin stroke. 'See?' he beamed from ear-to-ear with pride. 'Punk and Drew are friends.'

Blue eyes sparkled silently back at him, dimples forming on cheeks as pink as clouds during a radiant dawn. Bizarrely, Punk felt a little flustered when Drew looked at him like that.

But then Drew jumped, as if an idea had pinged into his head and he tapped his large finger against the table to get Punk's attention. With the cage-fighter watching him carefully, he made a motion like he was holding a camera to his face and clicked the invisible button. Punk grimaced in confusion, so the Scot began tugging at his long locks then pointed at Punk.

'Oh yeah!' It finally dawned. 'I did promise you I'd show you some old pictures, huh?'

A stern cat paw. Then he made the shape of an 'X' with his finger on his chest, right above his heart.

'Yeah, 'promise',' Punk nodded, copying the motion himself. ''Promise'.'

He dug around in one of his drawers and pulled out a large envelope hidden down deep at the bottom. Placing them in front of Drew, he gave him free reign to look through them and the blue eyes shimmered like stars as he pulled the pile of photos out. Immediately, his mouth dropped open and he locked eyes with the cage-fighter, fanning his open hand over the side of his head.

'Told you it was long,' Punk shrugged but Drew shook his head. The Scot looked around him and eventually lifted up his coffee cup - a gag one Punk had gotten from his good friend AJ, which said 'I'm a ray of fucking sunshine' on it - and pointed to the cartoon sun. It took Punk a moment or two to understand he was pointing at the colour. Yellow.

'Ohh! Yeah, I was blonde,' Punk laughed. 'Well, I dyed it blonde. Badly. Look at the fucking roots.'

Drew flicked through each photo, a grin plastered wide on his lips with every new discovery. Together, the combed through the old photos, Punk giving little backstories for each one. Sometimes his tales went off on long, winding tangents but Drew didn't mind at all, absorbing every word the cage-fighter told him, completely drawn in by his animated storytelling.

It suddenly dawned on Punk just how much he'd missed this feeling. Of companionship. Of warmth and joy. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed this hard - the past few months had been nothing but misery and grief.

It was also nice having somebody new in his life. All his tales were fresh again instead of the same tired old jokes. Drew laughed loud and merrily, his mirth infectious. Around them, the room glowed with a light that Punk was sure had died out long, long ago.

He could have stayed that way forever. But...

'Well then,' Punk leaned back with a groan, spying the scattered dirty dishes, 'guess I'd better clean up.' Beside him, a chair screeched as Drew hobbled up, still limping slightly on his bandaged foot, and he began gathering up the nearby plates. 'Oh, it's alright, you don't have to-' but the cage-fighter was told to stay put by a palm on his chest. Drew pointed to himself and made a face that was not to be argued with. 'Ok then,' Punk shrugged and made himself comfortable, 'if you insist.'

Grabbing up everything on the table, Drew stumbled across to the kitchenette but the moment he placed them on the counter by the sink, they both heard a strange loud buzzing sound.

'Door bell,' Punk explained. 'Probably the mailman.'

Heaving himself up, he walked over to the front steps, not noticing the way Drew's entire large frame had wound up as tight as piano wire, watching him with frightened rabbit eyes as the cage-fighter bobbed away from sight.

Punk pulled the door open.

It was not the mailman!

Standing on his doorstep were two men. Men dressed in police uniforms.

'Good day, sir,' one smiled stiffly. He had an unusual, angular face and a brutal haircut, shorn at the sides with blonde hair folded flat against his scalp. He stood an inch taller than Punk. 'I'm Officer Johnston and this is Officer Callahan.' The other cop gave a sharp nod. He was shorter and bald with a neat goatee lining his chin.

Punk felt his hackles rise instantly. Putting on his best poker face, he folded his arms over his chest. 'Am I in trouble, officers?'

The blonde laughed. A humourless chuckle. 'Not at all, sir, we're just working our way around the neighbourhood. May we ask you some questions?' His attempt at the accent was decent but it was clear he was not from the US.

'Sure. Ask away,' Punk replied.

'Does this man look familiar to you?' The blonde lifted up a pencil sketch. Punk knew it would be of Drew before he even laid eyes on it and hoped to hell he gave nothing away. It was a vulgar likeness of the Scot; cold dead eyes and a fierce line for a mouth. An artistic depiction of a dangerous criminal, a thug, not the gentle giant riddled with trauma from the cruelty inflicted on him for years.

Punk scrunched up his face. 'No,' he said, shaking his head. 'Not seen anybody like that.'

'He'd be easy enough to spot,' the blonde officer explained. 'Very tall, maybe six foot five, muscular build, dark hair, blue eyes. Speaks with an accent.' Like you. 'He was last spotted roaming around this area.'

'Nope, think I'd remember seeing somebody like that around here,' Punk shrugged.

'This is a very dangerous man, sir,' the other office chimed in. Punk turned his focus to the shorter man. 'Any information you can give us is crucial so that we can apprehend him as quickly as possible.'

You're trying to hide your accent too! 'I'm sorry I can't help,' Punk dropped his arms and prepared to shut the door. 'Hope you have better luck elsewhere officers-'

'Hold on!' The blonde placed his palm on the door, stopping Punk from shutting it. Now, Punk could no longer contain the glare in his eye. 'How about this, sir? Does this look familiar to you?'

He lifted the item up and the blood drained from Punk's skin.

It was Drew's muzzle!

Punk's brows flattened, his nostrils flaring. 'Are you trying to imply something here, officer?'

'Not at all,' the cop smiled. No! Sneered! 'This belongs to the man we are seeking. He was wearing it when he was last spotted.'

'Then my advice would be to try sniffing round the fetish clubs instead of wasting good peoples' time.' Punk gave a mocking smile and grabbed the door again. 'Can I go now?' This time, the blonde didn't try to stop him.

The instant the door slammed shut, Punk gasped in a breath, feeling every bone in his body rattle. He pressed his face against the peephole, finding the two men slowly walking away, deep in conversation. His breathing picked up pace, sharp, painful pants that filled his chest with dread. The men stopped. Ice stabbed Punk's heart. One looked back and right at him, as if seeing him through the tiny chink and Punk jumped back with fright.

He locked the door tight. Yanked over the chain.

And waited.

And waited.

Nothing.

He chanced another peep through the hole. The men were gone.

Relief crashed over him and he fell back against the wall, scrubbing his hand over his clammy face.

There was no doubt about it - those were the men who had imprisoned Drew. And they were looking for him! Hopefully Punk had done enough to throw them off the scent.

By the time his legs had stopped wobbling enough for him to climb the stairs again, he found the kitchen area empty, dirty dishes left abandoned in the sink. 'Drew?' he called out, looking around him. He heard a whine and found Larry pawing at the door leading down to his home gym. Going in, he switched on the light but couldn't see a sign of the Scot. Unless...

Punk walked down the stairs and into the wet room. His heart sank when he found a large figure curled up and cowering in the far corner. 'Hey, hey it's ok,' Punk said, crouching down beside Drew and wrapping his strong arms around him. 'They're gone, they're away.'

Large hands gripped him and pulled him in tight, just like they had in Punk's bed last night. Instinctively, the cage-fighter's fingers found Drew's head and began stroking through his hair to calm him.

'Those fuckers will never get their hands on you,' Punk whispered, his lips flush against Drew's crown. 'I meant what I said - as long as I'm still breathing, I’ll never let them take you. I can promise you that.'

A trembling fingertip pressed against his chest, right over his heart. And made the shape of an 'X'.

'That's right,' Punk replied. ''Promise'.'

*For those unfamiliar with BSL, Drew did NOT sign 'friends'! 😁

To be continued...

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[photosbyjez]

Seasonal Highland AI Transformations: Cornflowers from Rabbie Burns' Cottage -- FOTD Jul 29

🌸 Discover the beauty of AI creativity at Rabbie Burns’ Cottage! From summer blooms to winter snowscapes, see how AI transforms cornflowers in Highland settings. #AIArt #AIArtwork #AIArtCommunity

Hi all 👋 My latest post for Cee’s FOTD. For the next few days, I’ll be featuring cornflowers from the gardens at Rabbie Burns’ Cottage. As with my latest Fan Of… post (see link 👇), I’m exploring some DALL-E AI preset styles for my edits. Continue reading Seasonal Highland AI Transformations: Cornflowers from Rabbie Burns’ Cottage — FOTD Jul 29

[crowns-of-violets-and-roses]

Do you have any good sci-fi recs? I haven't read anything written in the last decade except Murderbot I think.

Oh I have so many. I'll skip the series and books that have been deluged with big American SF awards (although Embassytown, the Teixcalaan duology, The Broken Earth trilogy, and The Locked Tomb series are all more than worth a read to name a few) and list a few other things here that have been published in the last decade or so that I loved.

Ada Palmer's Terra Ignota series is amazing. Set in the 25th century where nation states have been replaced by voluntarily joined polities called Hives. The books are framed as a history (the author herself is a historian as a day job) written by an infamous criminal aping the style of the eighteenth century. Lots of fun and a deeply ambitious set of books. They sometimes stumble and fail to realise their ambition but still a great series.

Deep Wheel Orcadia is a verse novel written in the Orcadian dialect of Scots by Harry Josephine Giles. English translations are provided but I found it best read by reading each section in the Orcaidan first and then the English after. Depending on your dialect of English you may often be able to understand a lot of what's happening before moving into the English translation. It follows an artist Astrid returning to her home and an heiress Darling who has run away from her life. They both come to the space station Orcadia and the novel focuses on them and the ordinary people of the station. There's lines of it still lodged in my mind years after reading it.

In Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky a runaway project to terraform a planet and accelerate evolution leads to the inadvertent creation of sentient spiders. It focuses on the development of the spider society, a generation ship of humans and eventually the two of them meeting. A great work of xenofiction. It has two sequels - I've read and enjoyed one and have heard good things about the other - but was originally a standalone and can be read as such.

It wasn't published in the last ten years but Yōko Ogawa's The Memory Police was only translated into English in 2019 so I'm including it here. Set on an island where people periodically forget about different objects and concept and they're removal is then enforced by the titular Memory Police. I'm generally suspicious of literary authors writing SF (I often find it's worse than their usual writing and not good SF) but this book is brilliant and the best I've read by Ogawa.

Isabel J. Kim is one of the best SF short story writers currently writing. While she's best known on tumblr for Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid In the Omelas Hole many of her other stories are better than it. For sci-fi specifically Zeta-Epsilon is a good intro to her work. If you're into SF and fantasy her entire bibliography is worth reading and is nearly all available for free online.

Ted Chiang had a new short story collection Exhalation released in 2019. Chiang is always thought provoking and unlike many SF authors focused on exploring the implications of an idea or concept he knows how to imbue human emotion into his work. The story the collection takes it's title from is available online and is one of my favorites by him if you're looking to get a sense of his work.

Porpentine is best known for her brilliant interactive fiction (IF) . She has a very distinct voice and it should be noted her work is often extremely dark. Usually I'd recommend With Those We Love Alive as an intro to her IF but it's more fantasy than SF, Howling Dogs might be a better entry point if you're into SF specifically and if you're interested in her work she has a collection Eczema Angel Orifice which collects much of her early work. She's also written more experimental work like Foldscape a game made exclusively of folders.

If you aren't into IF Mall school was an early "rare venture into linear storytelling" that I'm fond of. She's written more linear writing in recent years and has released a bunch of short stories, novellas and an amazing novel Serious Weakness (though other than being set five minutes in the future there aren't many SF elements in it).

[onlinedepartmentofnarration]

The Narration Office Staff Directory

The Storyteller "Karlan" (Stanley Parable)

The Curator "Cadence" (Stanley Parable)

The Gamemaker "Pascha" (There Is No Game)

The Global Network "Gigi" (There Is No Game)

The Tester "Andrew" (Dude Stop!)

The Doctor "Glenn" (Superliminal)

The Manager "Cyrus" (Dr Langeskov, The Tiger, And The Terribly Cursed Emerald)

The Insister "Jean" (Slay The Princess)

The Dramatist "Donovan" (The Unique Adventure)

The Instructor "Smith" (Accounting Plus)

The Yesman "Smitherson" (Accounting Plus)

The Soother "Clovis" (Accounting Plus)

The Satirist "Brian" (The Narrator Is A Dick)

The Beginner "Jack" (The Corridor)

Narration Subjects

Stanley (The Stanley Parable)

Mariella (The Stanley Parable)

Nico "User" (There Is No Game)

Mal "Subject 17" (Dude Stop!)

Solomon (Superliminal)

Kasey "Player" (Dr Langeskov, The Tiger, And The Terribly Cursed Emerald)

Quinn (Slay The Princess)

Bob (The Unique Adventure)

Scot "Scooter" (Accounting Plus)

James (The Narrator Is A Dick)

Monica (The Corridor)

Incarcerated For Narrative Crimes

The Adventure Line™ (The Stanley Parable)

Employee 432 (The Stanley Parable)

Mr. Glitch (There Is No Game)

The Voices (Slay The Princess)

The Clown (Accounting Plus)

Cardboard Man (The Corridor)

Now Hiring Narrators!

[smashing-teacups]

A Breath of Snow and Christmas, Chapter Two

A/N: Only a bit delayed, now that it’s, you know, February... 😅

“No she did not!”

“Aye, she did.” Even in the dim lighting of the bar, I could see Jamie blush straight to the tips of his ears. Shaking his head, he brought his tumbler to his lips and took a healthy swallow. “Fair certain the whole campus saw ‘fore I got wind of it.”

Despite the dire warnings from Google that the holiday might impact business hours, it had been surprisingly easy to find a pub that was open at 9:30 PM on Christmas Eve. Even more surprisingly, we found that the place was packed by the time we arrived: middle-aged couples dressed in their finery, out for a nightcap after the symphony or ballet; clusters of raucous university students clutching pint glasses as they chatted and laughed; a handful of lone patrons hunched over their cups.

Willing to take whatever space was available, we’d gratefully accepted a pair of stools at the far end of the counter, huddled quite close together by virtue of necessity. Given our unorthodox day back at the hospital, though, what might otherwise have been an awkward proximity for a first date felt surprisingly comfortable — natural, even — between the two of us. And with the addition of alcohol, the last of my social inhibitions had all but dissolved, my head pleasantly light, my belly warm with whisky, and my knee tucked intimately between Jamie’s.

He was a born storyteller, and I found myself completely enraptured as he spoke about his childhood in the Scottish Highlands, his embarrassing trials and tribulations at uni (I simply couldn’t get over the fact that he’d been a frat boy, and had teased him until he finally relented and told me about it), and his bumbling romances all throughout. I couldn’t help my initial skepticism when he mentioned that he hadn’t been in many relationships — one look at him, and I thought he must have slept with half of Massachusetts. But the more he talked, the more apparent it became that he actually found his appearance to be a hindrance; he was frustratingly noticeable, always drawing the wrong sort of attention at the wrong time. He’d just finished telling me about a girl at uni who’d printed out his pictures from Facebook and pasted them over the faces of naked men in a Hot Scot calendar, then pinned it up on the community board with a sticky note that said You’re welcome, ladies!  

“I hope you got a bloody restraining order!” I fumed.

“Nah.” His mouth twitched, not quite a smile. “She was only a lass, a freshman. Didna mean any harm by it, jes’ thought she was bein’ funny.” He tipped his tumbler back, draining the dregs, then spun the empty glass between his hands for a moment before shrugging dismissively. “But that was, uh… that was the end of my love life at uni. Most everyone thought I was the one who’d put it up, and ye can imagine what sort of impression that left on the women I was interested in.”

I nodded slowly, well aware of what I would have thought — assumed — had I been in school with him. “I’m so sorry.”

At long last, he raised his lashes to look at me, and not for the first time, I was struck by how kind his eyes were, how soulful. “I’m not,” he said softly, setting his glass down on the bartop with a dull clink. “Probably better that way, in hindsight. Meant that I was able tae put all my focus into my studies. Dinna ken that I would have ever gotten into nursing school otherwise.”

I smiled, watching him over the rim of my glass as I took a long, pleasantly burning sip of my own whisky. Following the segue onto common ground, I asked after I’d swallowed, “So what made you decide to go into nursing?”

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