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#Violin maestro
virtual-boy · 3 months
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{🎼}{🎼}{🎼} {🎻}{🎻}{🎻} {🎹}{🎹}{🎹}
"I heard music! And music IS MINE!"
["I heard music! And music IS MINE!"]
maestro from doctor who stimboard with music themes, drawing, sheet music, pianos and violins!
[requested by @inky-da-dinky, tysmmm!!! X03]
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opera-ghosts · 2 months
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Alexander Glazunov, Leopold Auer, St. Petersburg 1912
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futureofthemasses · 4 months
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Good news everyone I finally watched the new eps of Doctor Who
Bad news I now DESPERATELY need to cosplay this scene because military outfit AND violin playing????? I could even play what they played COME ON
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jhinxshaco · 8 months
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nurhanarman · 9 months
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Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition - Baba Yaga
#ThrowbackThursday with the greatest 'wicked witch' of all. Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition The Hut on Fowl's Legs "Baba-Yaga" Sinfonia Toronto; Nurhan Arman, Conductor Recorded live on November 10, 2023 at the Trinity St-Paul's Centre, Toronto - String orchestra version by Robert Patterson https://youtu.be/BTQ3tVNdXYE
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tekutiger · 7 months
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tosunaykut · 2 years
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“The Young Maestros” 🎨 Charles Auguste Romain Lobbedez . . . . . . . #aykuttosun #aykuttosunofficial #sanat #art #tablo #yağlıboya #paint #painting #theyoungmaestros #tual #resim #saturday #music #müzik #violin #guitar #maestro https://www.instagram.com/p/ClaweVcsxOK/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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mingtinys · 4 months
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lost for words
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pairing : lee jihoon x gn!reader
fluff , drabble , ultimate simp jihoon
warnings : none
word count : 0.6 k
requested ? no
a/n : this is what i imagine it would sound like if woozi wrote his own "shall i compare thee to a summers day"
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Jihoon is nothing short of talented. A maestro amongst artists and a musical prodigy to his peers.
He can pluck strings until they sing and make his fingertips fly across piano keys in a way that makes them melt together into a symphony. He can breathe life into a school child's recorder that could charm a brewing storm and he can fit together words like a jigsaw to reveal a lyrical masterpiece worthy of the Louvre. Trust, Jihoon has no qualms over his musical competence.
But how is it that he struggles to find any combination of words suitable to the occasion? Why now does his brain falter when it thinks of ways to encompass just how much he loves you? Not a dictionary in the world would be adequate enough to measure that of which he feels.
Because what he feels for you could not possibly be contained to ink on paper, you're much too special for something as archaic as that. Everything about you is so breathtaking. An enigma he's simply been blessed to experience in this lifetime. Jihoon could carve your likeness into crystal under the moonlight and it wouldn't be nearly as mesmerizing as the real thing.
Jihoon believes you outshine even the brightest stars against a jet-black sky. He'd choose the ones in your eyes to stare at for hours over the Milky Way in a heartbeat. Your voice sings a sweeter melody than Apollo's harp on a warm summer day. One he wishes he could capture and play on a loop for all of eternity. If all of history's greatest composers put their minds to one piece, still, they could not conduct a symphony worthy of your essence.
And, oh, how you call his name has him hearing bells. You light a fire inside him like flint dragged across steel— like a bow across strings. Your hand fits into his palm like the bout of a violin and he can't get enough of the harmony you bring to his life. Just your presence alone grounds him in ways he never knew possible.
When he kisses your lips, Jihoon can taste a song so decedent it leaves him full for days. Soft and delicate touches that crescendo into passion personified pluck at the strings of his heart in the late hours. The feeling of his arms around your waist as you sleep provides an indomitable security. Your even breaths fan against his collarbone like a lullaby, easing him to sleep. Then, when he wakes, you're still there, greeting him like a songbird.
You are his muse, his life, and everything more.
Jihoon understands now why so many of history's greatest ballads are written for lovers. Because the human language is a fickle thing. Always changing, never quite perfect, unsatisfactory in the eyes of man. Music lives on for centuries beyond their composers. It is, by all definitions of the word, immortal. There will always be someone to enjoy its tune and pass it down for years to come.
A song is but a time capsule of the memories that brought it to life. And Jihoon is not a man selfish enough to deny future generations of your beauty. He would write a song a day if it meant cementing your memory in history.
If only he could find the words.
"Are you ready?" Seungcheol's deep voice pierces through the thin silence.
"Not at all." Jihoon inhales as deeply as he can in his suit that feels one away thread from being too tight, then exhales slowly. The parchment with his vows crinkles and folds at the bend between his fingers.
The words in his palm are no soliloquy, but his heart bled them with every ounce of love he could muster through shaky hands. And the gold band on his finger is a gentle reminder he has a lifetime to spend writing ballads in your honor. There are only two words he needs to worry about right now.
I do.
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lovsalvatore · 2 years
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Your name on the list
Natasha Romanoff x Fem!reader
Summary: After missing a few notes during rehearsals, you have to prove once again to your Maestro that you still deserve a chance.
Warnings: +18, Minors DNI!, smut, nat has a penis, loss of virginity, groping, overstimulation, rough sex, pet names, a bit of manipulation, light choking, unprotected sex, praising, abuse of authority, infidelity, age gap.
Word count: 6.2k
a/n: here's part two for all you horny people. also; comment if you want to be tagged in the next part <3 ✰ series masterlist, main masterlist
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"Okay, stop!" the Maestro's loud voice makes everyone stop playing their instruments immediately. Your hands that were previously on the piano keys just rest on your lap, playing with a loose thread of your blouse. "What's going on today huh? Just because it's Friday and you guys want to enjoy the weekend doesn't mean you have to play like a high school band."
When she says this your eyes go directly to your friend on the other side of the orchestra room, Kate. She widens her eyes, and makes a funny face like she's bored. Even though Natasha's words can be a little harsh at times, everyone here is used to it. Especially Kate. You remember one time Natasha just walked out of the auditorium after making you guys play the same song for hours and hours, saying it was still bad, and all that Bishop said was that at least she didn't say it was terrible, just bad, and that coming from Natasha is like a compliment.
You end up quietly laughing at your friend's action, but then Natasha's body get in the way, stopping a few meters away from you, right in the direction you were looking. All you see for a few seconds is her white shirt, but lifting your gaze you meet her green eyes, feeling her strong judgment in you. Fuck. Your smile disappears instantly. "If you keep playing like this, you don't even have to show up on the day of the big performance." she continues, looking away from you and crossing her arms in front of her body. "An empty stage is better than a whole audience listening to whatever this is that you're playing. Because as much as this symphony was composed by me, the way you guys are playing make it sound like shit, and I don't want people to think I compose shitty music."
She takes a step forward, getting out of the line of sight between you and your friend. You look at each other again, and Kate mouths an 'ouch.', exaggeratedly making an offended expression with her face. You again cannot contain a smile. Bishop always finds the fun in tragic moments, and you love her for it. And you know that if Natasha even saw these kinds of interactions that you two have during rehearsals she would be pissed, not out of jealousy, of course she's not jealous of you, but out of the fact that she hates not being taken seriously.
"In the next rehearsal I don't want any mistakes, especially in the violin part, you're not playing in sync." Natasha takes a deep breath through her nose, turning her face to look in your direction, but you’re more focused on staring blankly at the keys of the instrument in front of you. "But for now... you're dismissed." as soon as she says the words everyone starts to get up, walking towards the stairs to go down from the auditorium stage. You follow your colleagues, going to the first row of seats, which is where everyone usually leaves their belongings. 
"Today she's in a bad mood." Kate says as soon as you reach her side. You take a quick look at the person she's referring to, she has her back to you, tying her hair up in her usual bun. You tried not to spend the entire night thinking about what happened between you two. But all you could imagine when you closed your eyes was how her cock felt inside your mouth, and how good it felt. You don't even remember when, but your hand was already inside your pajama pants, imagining it was her. You even tried using two of your fingers to mimic the feeling of what it might be like to have her inside you, but it hurt, all you were able to bear was half of just one finger of yours, so you stopped. You already know that she'll want to do something else today, and you think if it will hurt too. Or if she's going to let it hurt.
"I mean, it's impossible for her to be in a good mood."
You ignore Kate — so oblivious to your thoughts that you don't even know what to say to her — before picking up your backpack, slinging it over your shoulder. Every Friday you guys usually go to the bar at the end of the street after rehearsals, but you remember Natasha asking you to stay today again, and the way her mood is you sure don't want to give her another reason to stay even more grumpy. "I... I'm staying a little longer, the Maestro is helping me with some of my compositions." you lie, you don't even compose songs. "But you can go to the bar with the others, I'll meet you there."
"Oh... okay... I'll definitely want to listen to your piece later." she says in an excited tone, closing her violin case. "Just promise not to take too long, the bar is kinda boring without you."
"I promise."
"Okay perfect, and good luck with her." she pats your shoulder twice before walking past you, and you just stand there waiting for everyone to leave the orchestra room. When silence sets in, you realize that you are finally alone with Natasha again. She remains onstage as you grip the strap of your backpack so hard it looks like you want to tear the poor thing apart. You think if you look good, if the outfit you chose today caught her attention, if all the strands of your hair are in place. You’re nervous.
Natasha stares at you for a few seconds, actually, she couldn't take her eyes off you the entire time you were playing the piano, which isn't all that unusual, but this time she knew that at the end of the day she would have you, and that she wouldn't come home just to have to relieve herself alone thinking about you. But she didn't have a good day, you could tell from the way she was harsh with her words throughout rehearsal. Not that she isn't like that naturally, but today she put a lot of work into the insults. So all she wants now is to have something to make this day better. And you are the best option she has to solve this problem.
Her steps get louder as she steps down from the stage to approach you, who still has your back to her when you feel her presence so close to you. "Why don't you drop this, you're not leaving." she says referring to your backpack, and you immediately do as she asks, dropping it on the floor. Natasha smiles, seeing that she doesn't need to ask you twice for you to obey her. "Don't think you're an exception Y/N, you also disappointed me today."
You swallow hard, feeling her smooth the strands of your hair to the side to be able to kiss the curve of your neck. You close your eyes, her breath so close to your ear that you pay no attention to any other sounds in your surroundings. "You're gonna have to work really hard if you still want to be my first choice for the world tour, because with all the mistakes you made today..." she sucks your pulse point after saying this, making sure to leave a mark for everyone to see. "...maybe you don't really deserve this opportunity after all, hm?"
You haven't missed a single note, since you've been playing for her you've never made that mistake. You play the piano since you were six years old, so hitting the wrong key is something very unusual for you. But when you hear her saying that you made a mistake, you end up believing, it's her song, not yours. And Natasha knows it, she knows you played the song perfectly. But she needs a something to make you give her what she wants, even though deep down she knows you'd give in for no particular reason. "I-I... I know I deserve it." you say in a weak voice. "I can prove to you that I'm the best option, I know I can, Maestro."
"Yeah?" you gasp as her strong hands grope your breasts, pulling your body towards her and making you feel her hard bulge against your ass. You tremble in anticipation knowing that you're going to lose your virginity to her today, and you've kind of been preparing for it all day, so maybe that must have caused you to miss a few notes. Yeah, that would make sense. "I can put your name on the list today, you wouldn't have to wait another day to be part of the world tour... but only if you prove to me that you really are the best choice. Would you like that?" she asks close to your ear, and you nod frantically. "Good."
You feel a cool breeze hitting your body as she suddenly pulls away. As you turn to face her, you see her grabbing your backpack from the floor, slinging it over her shoulder before taking your hand. You look at her confused, but let her lead you to wherever she is leading. The two of you enter the hall of the building that you come to every day to stay hours playing the piano. It's dark, probably all the other employees working here are gone by now. You're known as the late-night musician crowd here, the ones that play for more hours straight too, five hours of class in total. So it wouldn't be surprising if in fact the only ones left here are you and Natasha. "Did your parents complain that you were late yesterday?" she lets go of your hand to get a key from her pocket, and unlocking a door she takes your arm to pull you into the room.
"No, I told 'em I was practicing, and they believed." you answer, hearing the door lock behind you. It's a relatively small room, it has a piano against one of the walls, but unlike the one in the orchestra room — which is a grand piano — this one is an upright one. There's a couch with red upholstery, a few other decorations, and then a desk. You walk towards it, running your finger across the wood material from one end to the other. "Is this your office?"
Natasha drops your backpack on the sofa along with her glasses before walking towards you. "No." she answers, and you again feel her warmth behind you. "I have my own office somewhere else, I just leave my stuff here from time to time." her hands go to your hips, sinking her nose into your neck to smell your perfume. "I spent the whole night thinking about you." you understand that she's not here to talk, she just wants something specific from you. You let her grip your body possessively, her hands squeezing every inch of you like she doesn't want you to leave. It's hot, you think that's even a little weird considering the fact that it's winter, but having her so close to you makes it feel like summer. And you can't deny that feeling her gaze on you throughout rehearsal has you completely needy for her, you already know that your underwear situation isn't the best, and you can't wait for her to finally do something about it.
But then something on the desk draws your attention. A ring. Natasha is a married woman, but she rarely wears her wedding ring. She just puts it on before leaving the house to prove her wife that she wears it, but whenever she gets here for rehearsals she leaves the little accessory in this room. There were times when she forgot, and kept the ring on all day, but rarely did anyone notice. Because as much as she loves her wife, Natasha still hates showing everyone that she belongs to someone, and that thought only started when you entered her life, what a coincidence. You bend your body to pick up the accessory, and when you look at it you can see a date engraved on the inside. It has a name too, but before you can read it Natasha snatches the object out of your hand.
"Sorry." you whisper, expecting her to call you names for taking something that isn't yours, but she doesn't. She doesn't have time for that. Natasha puts the ring on her finger, before turning her attention again to gripping your body. You feel bad for a few moments, knowing she has a wife who don't even imagine the things she does to you. But your mind is immersed in desire when Natasha's hand starts to go down between your breasts, to the button of your pants. She plays with your zipper while planting kisses all over your neck, with that, you find yourself thirsting for her with every passing second. "Nat..."
"Did you hear what I said? That you didn't get out of my head last night?" she unzips, and slowly pulls your pants down to your thighs. You feel your cheeks burn, feeling her play with the hem of your underwear. Are you really prepared for this? You think. But also think of the world tour, and the answer becomes clear. "I had to fuck my wife thinking about you to relieve myself." you bite the inside of your cheek, hearing her say such words makes you wet. You feel bad for her wife, yes, but turned on to know that Natasha thinks so highly of you. She thought about you all night, just like you thought about her. Maybe this could be more than just an exchange of favors, no?
With one hand, Natasha spreads your legs apart. You have both of your hands resting against the desk, as her hand starts to move up your inner thigh. "You're always so quiet." she chuckles when her hand reaches between your legs, your body squirms, pressing her fingertips against your underwear Natasha can feel how wet you are for her. This just makes her harder. "Is it because you've never done this before? Is that why you don't know what to say sweet girl?"
"Uhum." you hum, closing your eyes when she presses on your clit. "I just... I just need..."
"What?" in one swift motion she pulls your underwear down, and you end up moaning as her hand goes straight to your slit. You spread your legs a few more inches apart when she starts to move back and forth over your folds, looking down Natasha groans at the sight of your cheeks so close to her covered cock. "What do you need?" she continues to spread your wetness all over your pussy while her other hand grabs one of your breasts, making you close your eyes at the aggressiveness she does. "Do you wanna tell your Maestro what you need from her, hm?"
You want to talk to her, you really do. But it's the first time anyone's touched you like this, and you can do anything but form a complete sentence. You didn't think she'd be this quick, you really thought you'd at least talk before she had all of you, but feeling her fingers slip through your slits makes you not mind too much about that. You just need her, you're practically begging her to finally ruin you. "I really need you to say it so I can keep going." she murmurs, opening your folds with her fingers before teasing your entrance. "Do you want me to stretch your tight little pussy? Want me to be your first?" she ends up sliding just the tip of her finger inside you, and since you tried to do the same last night, the sensation is not so strange for you, but even so, because she’s the one doing it, it makes you feel different type of feelings.
You manage to nod your head at her question, gripping the edge of the table tightly as she switches from teasing your entrance to playing with your clit. You smile trapping your bottom lip between your teeth, trying to follow her movement into your sex with your hips. "I need words baby, please."
"Y-yes, fuck I need you, p-please."
The Maestro smiles, her heart beating wildly inside her chest. She pulls down her own pants and boxers, her hard cock as it springs out brushes lightly against your cheeks. Your hands that were once on the edge of the desk are now both pressed against your low back as Natasha takes your wrists, and with her other hand she forces your body into the desk, causing you to whine in pain when your cheek is pressed against the icy wood material, your breasts practically smashed against the table. You close your eyes for a few seconds at her subtle movement, and think about how easily she can position you however she wants. She's much stronger than you. And she wasn't really planning on ending up being this aggressive, but sometimes she can't help herself.
"Fuck... you're so wet." she says as she pulls back a little just to get a good view of your sex, her hand still holding yours against your lower back. "Who knew you got so turned on in the presence of your Maestro huh? What would your parents think of that? I don't think they would be so proud to hear that you lie to them by telling you're practicing when in reality you're letting yourself be fucked by your conductor."
You turn your head away to hide the embarrassment you feel, but pressing your forehead against the table is even more uncomfortable, so you end up turning your face away again, resting your cheek on the furniture. Natasha uses her free hand to rub her cock against your slits, groaning at the sight of your wetness mixing with her pre-cum. "Natasha... I..." you whisper, remembering that this can hurt. Even though you're so turned on, so wet that you might not feel a thing, you're still tinged with fear, and the red-haired woman can see it too. "I don't know if-."
"Shhh." she silences you, letting go of your wrists to brush the strands of hair that fall over your face. "It's okay, no need to be scared, it will feel good, I promise." you find comfort in her words, and that makes some of the fear go away, even though you know she's not that honest sometimes. The older woman even thinks of getting the lub she brought, but seeing how wet you are she thinks that won't be necessary. A gasp escapes her lips as she continues to rub her cock into your slit, and feeling the heat of your sex only make her more painfully aroused. “Stay still detka.”
You close your eyes tightly as you feel her tip slowly stretching your hole, and you realize it's very different from when you tried to use your fingers. She stays still for a while, and you think it's not that bad, at least not until she starts sliding even more inside you. You grunt in pain when half of her cock enters you, and even though you are wet, it still burns a little, trying to get used to this new sensation. "Fuck, you're so tight." Natasha breathes out the words, moving her hips back and making your pussy clenches around nothing. "Is this okay? Can I keep going?”
"U-uhm y-yes." you open your eyes again when she pulls your head by holding your hair, lifting it slightly but your body still pressed against the table.
"Good... This might hurt a little. Tap my thigh if you want me to stop."
You don't understand why you would have to tap her thigh when you can use your words, but feeling her hand pressing over your mouth you understand why. She uses her hand to stifle the scream that rips from your throat as she thrusts her cock all at once inside your pussy, and it hurts, it hurts like hell, but even so, your hand remains still, making no move to tap her thigh. Your entire body protests Natasha's gross invasion, but you remember she said this will feel good, and that's what you want to believe in. She pulls out, leaving only the tip inside you, before moving her hips forward in a blunt act, causing the table to swell slightly beneath you. "F-fuck." you mumble against her palm, every inch of her stretching your walls, feeling like at any moment she's going to destroy you from the inside by the thickness and length of her. She is indeed really big, you don't know what was on your mind when you thought this would be easy to take.
"Fuck baby, you're so tight, how am I supposed to move inside you hm?" Natasha's fingers continue to wrap around your hair as she presses your face back against the table, while her other hand grabs your hips to keep you still. She starts to fuck you slowly but hard at the same time. Her every thrust is aggressive, some things on the table even move with every move she makes against you. You palm your hands to the side of your body as that aching feeling inside you starts to turn into a feeling you didn't know would feel so good until now. "Do you think you can take more? Want me to fuck you hard?"
You clench around her dick at the thought of her fucking you harder than she already is, and the sensation this causes around Natasha's length makes her moan in pleasure. "Oh that's it... clench around my cock, fuck you're so hot." she sinks her nails into your hips, pulling you closer to her. "Do you want me to continue? Want me to fuck you mercilessly?"
"P-please." you beg, even deep down you want her to take it easy at first, moving your hips back when she stops suddenly with her movements. "Keep going, feels so good."
"Hm?" you feel her strong hand against your throat, pulling you up and making your body fully erect again. You feel the relief this caused on your cheek, but what holds your attention the most is the way Natasha's cock starts to fuck you from behind. "Like this? Want me to treat you like a slut?" your arms are pulled behind your body while her other hand is still around your throat. Natasha fucks you while preventing you from moving your arms, and at the same time making it difficult for oxygen to rise to your brain. You arch your back, your eyes rolling as you feel her hit against the deepest part of your pussy.
She's rougher with your cunt than she was with your mouth, sinking her thick cock into your tight walls and making you moan over it. It still hurts, you didn't have time to get used to its size completely, but you get wetter with each thrust that gets easier and easier for Natasha to fuck you hard. You feel your pants sliding down your legs with every pound of her, and it's not long before it falls to your ankles. "You wanted this didn't you?" she asks tightening her fingers around your neck even more. "I bet this isn't the first time you've wanted this from me, tell me, did you touch yourself thinking about me too? Did you use those talented hands of yours to imagine I was fucking you?” she wants to hear it from you, she wants to know that she wasn't the only one doing this all these months that you've been her apprentice.
"I-I, yes." you admit it, even though it's not true. Even if you had impure thoughts about your Maestro you've never really touched yourself thinking about her, but if that's what she wants to hear, that's what you'll say. And again, a big mistake you just made. "Fuck. it. hurts." you end up saying it out loud between labored sighs, feeling the tightness in your throat loosen.
"Want me to stop?" you shake your head from side to side quickly, feeling embarrassingly closer to the edge. Natasha slows down her thrusts inside you as she lowers the hand that was previously around your throat to massage your clit. She fucks you slowly, while making circular motions on your bundle of nerves at medium speed. With her light movements you can feel better the way she moves inside you, not just hard thrusts. You feel her cock sliding over your walls, and how her fingers work so well on your clit.
That's much better, slowly and carefully. You throw your head back, not understanding how you can still stand when the way she fucks you makes you feel boneless. "S-so good." you murmur, your arms move a little when you feel her ridge digging deep into the spongy part of you, but natasha holds them tighter, pulling you against her, almost making your back press against her covered breasts. She again feels your perfume invaded her senses, and thinks how she never wants to try anyone's scent but yours.
You didn't imagine that your first time would be in a random room, with a woman much older than you, and whom you admire so much. But now you don't think how it could just be better that already is. It's just wonderful the way her dick enters you carefully, as if this whole time it was meant to be. You wonder if it's normal to feel so ecstatic so quickly, you didn't think that anything other than your hand would be able to pull you over the edge so fast. And you want to hold on longer, trying to prolong her pleasure as well, but it gets hard when all you can feel is her thick cock sliding in and out of you, as your clit begins to grow sensitive to her touches. “You’re doing so good.” she whispers close to your ear, increasing the stimulation on your nerve just a little bit, only to pull you further towards the climax.
She hates that it took you so long to give yourself to her, and even though you're not completely hers yet, she already feels that way. She's wanted this for a long time, and now that she finally has what she wanted, it's going to be hard for her to let go. She rolls her hips over yours, and it's torturous but perfect at the same time.
Natasha has a hard time keeping her movements slow, all she wants is to abuse you until you can't walk the next day. But she also wants to make you feel good, she wants to make your first time worth it. And it's working. You feel the orgasm starting to build, and you know you won't be able to hold it back for long because of the way she makes you feel like you're out of gravity. "I... fuck... I'm so-." you don't even know what to say, you just try to control the moans that insist on coming out of your mouth. "Fuck I think I'm-."
"Come for me pretty girl, come on, I know you're close, come on, I got you."
It doesn't take long for you to reach your peak, and unlike when you're alone, this time feels totally different. You close your eyes tightly when the pleasure is all you can feel in every muscle in your body, Natasha rests her forehead on your back as she feels you squeezing her cock, feeling the wetness that spreads on her hand as she keeps stimulating you. "That's it..." she stops inside you, pressing her finger against your clit and feeling your sensitive area pulsating on her fingertips. Your breathing is uncontrolled when you finally break out of the trance, feeling your body sweating even though she did all the work.
It feels like you're drugged, and you're afraid you'll end up becoming addicted to her. And this was only the first time, you don't know if there will be others, but really hope so. With time she stops completely, waiting for you to get back together. And you thank her for it. It was so good, you want to go again, and again, until you can't take it anymore. You didn't know it would feel this good, you really were afraid that it would just hurt, but even though it did, in the end it was worth it.
You stay that way for a few moments before Natasha slowly pulls out of you, and you suddenly complain about the emptiness. Your legs are shaky as you turn your body to face her, her eyes showing nothing more than desire as they look directly into yours. "You okay?" she asks gently, cupping your face in her hands. You nod, staring at her parted lips. You try to bring your face even closer to kiss her, but the Maestro holds your jaw, preventing you from getting any closer. "No... no kissing."
"Why?"
"Oh detka, we're not trying to fall in love here, are we?" she speaks in a subtle way, even though she knew those weren't the words you wanted to hear. But you end up agreeing with her, it's really not what you're looking for, it's just an exchange of favors. You force that thought into your head, feeling the tip of her cock pressing against your bare sex. You look down, seeing the length of her glistening with your fluids, she imitates your act, this time getting a perfect view at your pussy. Is certainly one of the best views she's ever had. "Gonna keep fucking you okay?" she warns, running her fingers over your slits to make sure you stay wet, You shiver as she runs her finger over your clit before returning to your entrance. She pulls two fingers inside you, wetting them before leading them to her mouth. Natasha hums while feeling your taste on her tongue, and you think it wouldn't be possible for a scene to be this mesmerising, but ends up being anyway. Being completely aware of your arousal she quickly gets back to work.
Natasha groans, lifting one of your legs up to her hip to continue. She hasn't come yet. You weren't expecting it when she pushes her cock back inside you, and unlike how she was doing it a few minutes ago this time she just uses you like a fuck doll. And that's what you are to her, just someone to fuck, not someone to create emotional bonds with. At least that's what she's trying to get herself to believe in.
"You don't know how good it feels to have you squeezing my cock... my god how tight you are." you'll never get tired of hearing her tell you this, it just works the way you feel around her even more. The sounds you two make aren't low by any chance, and you're grateful that there's no one around to know what the two of you are up to behind closed doors. "You're so fucking beautiful, you're perfect."
Your legs feel like jelly, still trying to fully recover from your last orgasm, and noticing your difficulty standing up Natasha holds both your thighs, pulling you to sit on top of the desk, while thrusting her cock even deeper inside you.
She grips your jaw tightly, forcing you to look deep into her eyes as she fucks you. You see the darkness that consumes her, so lost in desire it makes your body convulse. "You're just a tiny little talented slut aren't ya? Look how good you take me all in." her breath hits against your lips, and you try to control yourself so you don't end up realising it again, feeling overstimulated by her every second. "So... so good for me, only for me.”
You rests both your hands on the table, wrapping your legs around Natasha's hips feeling her fuck you quickly and aggressively. Her hands grip tight on your thighs, and she tries to maintain eye contact with you, but she wants to see how she fucks you, she wants to see the scene of her destroying you from the inside. She lowers her sight to focus on the way her cock disappears inside you, how you take her so well even being your first time. "Gonna come so deep inside you." she whispers, feeling closer with her own words. "Gonna fill you up so good baby."
You feel the heat getting more unbearable, as it seems the walls of the room get smaller around you, one of your hands going towards her shoulder for better balance. You expect the table to break at any moment, just like Natasha is doing with your insides. And unlike her, you keep your eyes glued to the expressions on her face; how her eyebrows furrow up, how she tries to keep her moans from being audible. "Oh fuck... fuck... keep taking it... that's it..." you feel her nails digging deep into the skin of your thighs, and you know you're going to be bruised all over, but the thought of it makes your heart warm. "Is this making you feel good? Oh I bet so. Want to tell me how good I make you feel?"
"Y-yes... you make me feel so good." you say in uncontrolled breaths, squeezing her shoulder hard as you feel yet another orgasm slamming against your body like a brick. But still Natasha doesn't stop, even noticing the way your walls tighten around her cock, she still keeps pushing inside you harshly. "Fuuuck... fuck I don't think I can... Nat... p-please-."
"Shhhh, yes you can, I'm almost there, keep taking it." her hands lift your shirt up to your breasts, and she grunts at the sight of them covered by your bra. All she wanted right now was to get that stupid piece of clothing off your body, but being content with what she has she just squeezes them, your breasts fit perfectly into her palms, and she gropes them so hard it seems like your skin burns with her touch.
Your legs fall from her hips, feeling so overstimulated you don't have the strength to keep them wrapped around her. Natasha also finds it difficult to keep pushing inside you because you're so tight, and you try your best to keep taking her. That pain that had passed comes back, making you cry when you realize that you won't be able to hold on. "Please... please!" you beg, squeezing her shoulder and making Natasha hiss from the strength you do it. "Nat please I can't… it hurts.”
"Baby, begging isn't going to get you anywhere... you didn't ask me to stop, so keep quiet hm?" you nod your head realizing that what she says is true, you didn't actually ask her to stop, you just begged, but for nothing in particular. You feel so sensitive, her cock feels so big on you that it really hurts, but also a pain that feels really good. Fuck, it hurts so good you even feel ashamed to admit it. It feels like you're going to pass out, the room grows dark and your breath gets shorter. And the Maestro sees the tears running down your cheeks, and that's the last straw for her. With a few more thrusts you feel her warm fluid being released inside you, painting your inner walls all over. "Yeah... that's it... fuck… you feel so good."
Natasha practically collapses on top of you, resting her head in the crook of your neck as she continues to fill yourself with her cum. She moves her hips slowly to fuck the cum inside you, and you hate to admit that the wet noises of her action are so arousing. She closes her eyes for a few seconds feeling her dick throbbing inside you. "Nat..." you whine as she pulls away, and then taking her cock outside you you can feel the liquid seeping through your slits. You sigh with immediate relief, and only then do you realize your face is wet with your tears. Natasha grabs her shaft, rubbing it in your pussy and watching as her white juice spreads through your folds. She slides the tip back inside to keep every last drop that’s left in you, before going back to rubbing the end of it on your clit. Natasha is mesmerized, and even though she wants to continue she takes a step back.
"You did so good, I'm proud of you." she runs her knuckles over your cheeks, wiping the tears away. You close your eyes in her caress, feeling your pussy throbbing. "You were perfect."
And then the room is back to its normal size, the walls aren't suffocating you anymore, and the heat isn't so unbearable. Natasha picks up your underwear on the floor, and passes them by your feet to help you put them on, and you end up getting up from the table so she can pass the piece of clothing to your thighs. She doesn't say anything as she picks up your pants as well, holding them out to you before running her fingers over the strands of her hair. She's still hard when she tucks her cock into her pants, and as soon as you're fully dressed again you approach her. "I can help you with that..." you say directing your hand to the bulge in her pants, but Natasha shakes her head no.
"No, it's okay sweet girl." you smile when you hear her call you by the nickname, then just nod as she starts walking towards the door. She unlocks it, and holds it open for you to pass. As you move you can feel some of her cum that was still inside you wet your underwear, and then it hits you, you really did it, it doesn't even seem real, and the worst of it is that you liked it more than you should have. After you pick up your backpack on top of the sofa, you two begin a silent path through the corridors. You feel your legs weak, and you fear it will only get worse when you wake up the next day. But as has been said before, it was all worth it. When you're next to her, you see Natasha fiddling with her phone, talking to someone in messages. You also notice the way she squeezes her cock over her pants, the discomfort you left her in still isn't entirely gone. "Are you gonna get an uber or something?" she asks as soon as you step onto the sidewalk outside of the building.
"Uhm... no... I'm gonna go to a bar with my friends at the end of the street."
She just nods, not taking her eyes off her phone screen. You tighten your backpack straps, rocking your body back and forth not knowing if you should just walk away or wait for her to say goodbye first. She types quickly to whoever is talking to her, and you see the way her brows furrow, like she's worried about something. "I uhm... I should go." she says before finally looking up at you, giving you a weak smile. "Are you okay with what happened today?"
"Yes." you answer immediately. "It was... really good."
Indeed it was, you could do it for hours. You didn't know sex could feel this good. Or at least the sex with her definitely was.
"Okay good." she's relieved that she didn't make you do anything you didn't want to, even though she knows the real reason why you actually did it. "And... I'll talk to you next week about what I told you earlier."
"What?" you ask, not really knowing what she's talking about.
"The list... Your name on the list."
Oh, this.
For a moment you even forgot about it, you felt so good in her presence that you didn't even remember that in fact all of this was for other intentions. "Oh yes of course… okay." Natasha stares at you for a few more seconds before walking towards her car, leaving you alone. When she drives away you follow the vehicle with your eyes until it completely disappears from your view. And then you're back to reality. And what a shitty reality.
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taglist: @kksalexa @madelineleong @shaniaauld03 @natashafanatic @gayerthanevertbh @wifeofnatasharomanoff
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thedeviltohisangel · 6 days
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All The Things I Did (Interlude): Happy Birthday, Flyboy
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@gloryofroses19 reminded me over the weekend that it was John's birthday so I had to write a little interlude. this takes place circa 1951 while the Egan's are living in Japan. I hope you all enjoy it, it is nothing but fluff fluff fluff with maybe a little bit of sexy flirting sprinkled in. love you xoxo
Cass craned her neck in the mirror to make sure she had gotten the hair at the back of her head into her curlers. She had tried to pack her entire vanity into her suitcase but hadn’t been completely successful. And she could tell exactly what was out of place in front of her as she sat in front of the mirror. She was missing her eye shadow brush that was tapered at her preferred narrow angle. The other three laid out in front of her just weren’t the same. Same for the two blush brushes that were different than the one she knew must have been left at home and the pan of eyeshadow that wasn’t the shade of pink that she had thought she’d packed. She sighed, knowing it was probably smeared over Penelope’s face by now. 
When it came to biding her time, the toddler was most certainly taking after her mother. She knew how to be patient. How to observe for a weakness. How to act innocently for forgiveness. It worked on John like a charm. Their daughter knew how to play him like a maestro on violin and he fell for it happily every time. 
“I thought you were going to take a bath with me before dinner?” John bent down to kiss the top of her head but paused when he couldn’t find an opening in the curlers. His hand wrapped under her chin and tilted her head back. “I don’t like when things get in the way of kissing you.” His thumb stroked over her throat as their lips connected.
“I said I would take a bath with you after dinner. We would never make it to dinner if I took one with you before.” They were spending John’s birthday weekend in a villa with a stunning view of Mount Fuji. The morning had been spent in the natural hot springs and the evening promised a beautiful dinner by candlelight. The relaxation they needed with only a few months left before Imogene’s first birthday brought a new wave of activity into their home. “And don’t distract me from trying to get ready! I haven’t gotten dolled up in a while and I’ve been looking forward to it.” She turned back towards the mirror and the various creams and serums and powders with a huff. 
“Have I told you how much I love you recently?” Cass blushed. After four kids and six years of marriage, she would never tire of her sweet man. 
“It’s been a couple of hours I think…” she mused as she tried to focus on curving the bronze tone around her eye just right. 
“I guess I should fix that then.” She giggled as he dropped to his knees before her and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her robe-clad figure to his lips. His nose nudged open the fabric and kissed at the skin of her stomach that was bare, smiling as she squirmed slightly from the tickling. “I love you so much. You’ve given me the four most beautiful babies in the entire world. You’ve allowed me the honor of being your husband. You moved across the world so we’d never have to be without each other’s touch. Telling you I love you can’t even begin to capture the extent of what I feel for you.” She held his face in her hands.
“It’s your birthday. I’m the one who should be making such wonderful speeches about you.” John shook his head and pressed forward to kiss her.
“You’re the only reason I’m even here to celebrate my birthday, Spook. The only reason I even have it in me to be happy.” It wasn’t lost on him that he could have been alone for this birthday. That he could have been spending it at the dining hall on base with his men trying to cheer him up, rereading the letters from Cass and the kids until his sorrow allowed him to find a restless sleep. 
Instead, three months after the birth of Imogene, Cass had packed up their family and their home and moved to Tokyo. She was Chief of Operations at Tokyo Station. John had been promoted to Colonel. They were busy and they were exhausted but they were happy. They were in love. And most importantly, they were together. 
“I love you.” It was her simple attempt at trying to capture everything swirling in her heart. There would never be the words for the feelings. They hadn’t been invented because a love like theirs had never occurred. 
“I love you, too, baby. I love you so much.” She puckered her lips and he pecked a kiss against her gently. 
“Now if you don’t mind…”
“Fine, fine. I’ll leave you to your potions.” He rose with a grunt, Cass biting back her remark about him becoming an old man but holding back her ogling when his fingers scratched at the hair that disappeared into his boxers. “I offered a bath, Cassandra Ann Egan. You don’t get to say no then look at me like that.”
“My full name?” she gasped. “As if I could say I changed my mind and you wouldn’t be on me in a second.” She pointed a makeup brush at him for effect. His head poked back into the bathroom instantly. 
“Have you changed your mind?”
----
Every nerve in her body felt on fire as their fingers danced together in the middle of the dinner table. Their last course was being cleared before dessert but her husband looked more appetizing than anything they could put in front of her. 
He hadn’t let go of her hand once the entire meal. Had stroked his thumb over the top of her hand. Traced a heart onto her palm. Twisted their fingers together in a waltz that had her breath stolen and heart skipping. She loved the way their fingers slotted together like they were carved from the same rock at the center of the earth. Like he was made just for her to love. 
“You look very handsome tonight,” she hummed.
“It’s a wonder I even have the sanity to sit at this table, Cass, with how beautiful you look tonight.” The champagne urged a giggle from her lips and he smiled triumphantly. “How’s it possible to love you more everyday?” His question was sincere. His eyes soft and curious as he regarded her like the eighth wonder of the world. 
“I wish I had the answer. But I love waking up every morning and learning that it remains to be true.” Cass brought his hand to her lips and kissed each knuckle before bringing it to her cheek. “Happy birthday, Johnny.” 
“Thank you, baby.” He leaned across the table to kiss her and was about to ask her to ditch dessert and head back to their villa when the manager appeared next to their table. 
“Colonel Egan, Mrs. Egan, I apologize. We have your children on the phone at the front desk.”
“What?” Cass pushed back from the table with a preternatural speed. “Is everything okay? Oh my God!” John jogged after her as she made a beeline for the front desk. 
“Mommy?”
“Penny? What’s wrong, my love? Where’s Joan?” 
“I want to talk to Daddy.” Cass handed the phone to her husband, pressing her chin into her chest so she could listen. 
“Hi, Princess.”
“Happy birthday, Daddy!” John smiled and the tension eased from Cass’ muscles. “Gale and Lillian and Immy are asleep but they say happy birthday too.” Penelope knew it was tomorrow but was resolved to be the first of her siblings to say it to her father.
“Thank you, my love. And why aren’t you asleep?” 
“Too hard. I miss you and mommy.” 
“We’ll be home tomorrow and I want so many hugs and cuddles from you as my birthday present.”
“Tea party?” He chuckled and hugged Cass closer to his chest. 
“A really big tea party.” Penelope squeaked with delight on the other end of the phone…Before she was quieted by the muffled sounds of the nanny discovering her in the kitchen. 
“Bye Daddy. Love you.” The line was clicked off before he could even respond. 
“Well, Penny knows how to use the phone,” he mused. He apologized as he handed the phone back to the front desk. 
“She’s going to be a menace as a teenager.” John kissed the top of his wife’s head as he pushed her chair in for her, back at their table after the momentary distraction. 
“That’s why we have Gale to balance her out. Maybe the two of them can meet in the middle some day.” Where Penelope was fire and brimstone and spinning on every axel, Gale was quiet and patient and observant and measured in his approach to everything. 
“But they're both so full of love. All of our babies are.” Cass’ voice was dreamy as she thought of the precious little Egans that were at home. “I miss them.” Immy in particular was still so little. A tiny baby that clung to her parents and was just happy to tug on Butter’s ears all day.
“I miss them, too. But we’ll have them back in our arms tomorrow. And you deserved a couple nights to focus on yourself. You put them first and are the most wonderful mother in the world, Cass. It’s okay to give yourself a full night’s sleep once in a while.”
“I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to balance it all, as hard as I try. But I love this life so much, John. The life we’ve built together.”
“You thrive in the chaos, baby,” John teased with delight in his eyes. “Actually-” Cass clapped as he was interrupted by the appearance of a chocolate cake with a litany of candles. 
“Happy birthday, Flyboy!” It was simply sinful coming out of her mouth. Made his cheeks burn hotter than the flames dancing on the cake. Made him shift his hips to try and quell his growing desire for his wife. “I could sing for you…” He hummed as the cake settled in front of him.
“The song of a siren. You can sing for me in the bath.” She rolled her eyes.
“You and that bath.” He merely winked, closing his eyes to make a wish before blowing out the candles. “I love you.” Cass leaned across the table to meet him halfway in a kiss as the cake was taken away to be plated for them. 
“Are you going to let me feed you cake like it’s our wedding day?” 
“Is that what you wished for?”
“We can have another wedding if you want, Spook.” He’d marry her every single day. Every version more opulent than the last if that is what she wanted. 
“Maybe in a few years. I want to just relax and enjoy Immy as a baby. Enjoy all our kids exactly in the stage of life they are now.” They thanked the waitress who returned with cake and John tugged Cass’ plate away from her. His fork cut through the sponge and extended towards her lips and she made sure her desires for what she truly wanted between her lips were known through her eyes.
“Just like that,” he whispered in a daze as he didn’t even try to control the lust coating his gaze. He was a selfish man, wanting this angel all to himself. But he had no interest in ever sharing. The world had already taken so much of her. The pieces that remained were his to cherish. His to protect. He wouldn’t fail her again. He couldn’t fail her again.
And it was that thought that woke him violently from his sleep only a few hours later. A cool sheen of sweat across his skin. His chest heaving with the struggle to bring in oxygen. 
“Baby?” Cass pinched her face together where it rested on his bare chest as his turmoil woke her from her slumber. “What’s the matter?” she slurred.
“Nothing…Just…” Germany. Wisconsin. Flashing through his mind at a dizzying speed. The level of anger he had held for her. The near hatred that had watered in his mouth when he saw her in that camp. How the word divorce had fallen from his lips that night in his childhood bedroom. How his actions could have led down a path that didn’t end here. 
“Bad dreams?” 
“Memories.” He didn’t ever want to forget the horrors they had been through together. Ever let the ache in his chest at putting her through what he did escape him. He needed to remember so he could be sure to cherish the moments they had now. Cherish the gift heaven had given him by keeping her in his universe. 
“And they’re just that. In the past.” Cass kissed at the patch of hair over his heart and rested her chin on her hand, gazing up at him. 
“I’m sorry. For how I treated you in Germany. For everything I said to you that night in Wisconsin.” She sighed and shifted so her elbow was resting on the pillow next to him. The nightmares of the war plagued both of them. Woke them from sleep less frequently than they had before but often enough they’d had this conversation many times. 
“You’ve made up for it four times over with our babies.” Her fingers wrapped with his as she pressed kisses to each of his knuckles. “You’re loved, John. You’re endlessly loved.” She had forgiven him years ago. Received his forgiveness in kind. But she would remind him of that every night if he needed. Anything to bring him the peace he had earned.
John leaned forward and pressed kisses to her bare shoulder, collarbone, up her neck and to her lips. “If I give you another baby, am I forgiven five times over?” Her leg was over his hip with a breathless laugh, his hands steadying her at the waist. 
“When Immy is older, we can talk about it.” Considering John’s apathy for condoms, it might happen sooner. 
She guided him into her with ease, sighing at the feeling of him stretching her out. John needed this. The physical reminder that she was his and here and not leaving. The reminder that they worked together better than they ever had. “I need you, always.”
“You have me, always.” Her blue sky. His north star. A compass he’d follow anywhere knowing it would lead him home. It wasn’t a place, it was a person. His wife. His own corner of the universe that was his to seek solace in. 
No one could take this from them. 
It was theirs. And they'd protect it with all they had. 
No matter what it may cost them.
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aurelion-solar · 9 months
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TFT Remix Rumble Emotes
HEARTSTEEL Ezreal - "Heartsteel Love"
DJ Sona - "Drop the Beat"
Pentakill Karthus - "Nyaah!"
Maestro Jhin - "World's Smallest Violin"
True Damage Ekko - "Look Into The Future"
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opera-ghosts · 2 months
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Leopold Auer and Jascha Heifetz
Today: On the anniversary of his death, enjoy this short c. 1920's colorized silent film clip showing hugely influential violin pedagogue Leopold Auer (1845 - 1930) "coaching" one of his greatest students -- legendary 20th Century super-virtuoso Jascha Heifetz (1901 - 1987).
Auer himself studied under the celebrated virtuoso Joseph Joachim (1831 - 1907), and by the time he was 23 years old, he was already actively teaching.
By most accounts, Auer was an exceptional concert violinist. Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) in particular was very taken with his playing, noting in a published review that Auer possessed “great expressivity, thoughtful finesse, and poetry of interpretation.”
Nevertheless, Auer’s lasting claim to fame undoubtedly lies in his incredible pedagogic legacy. Auer’s pupils included some of the greatest 20th Century violinists, including Efrem Zimbalist (1889 - 1985), Mischa Elman (1891 - 1967), Jascha Heifetz (1901 - 1987), and Nathan Milstein (1904 - 1992)… an "honor roll" that could easily be extended...
One infamous incident from Auer's career is worth recounting: Tchaikovsky initially wanted to dedicate his famous Violin Concerto to Auer, but after Auer tactlessly informed Tchaikovsky that he regarded the work as “unplayable,” a furious Tchaikovsky withdrew the proposed dedication. (Auer later changed his mind, and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto came to occupy a prominent place in his extensive repertoire.)
In addition to his pedagogic activities, Auer also penned several books late in life, including “Violin Playing As I Teach It” (1921), “My Long Life in Music” (1923), and “Violin Masterworks and Their Interpretation” (1925). They remain worthwhile reads for violinists.
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scuttlingcrab · 8 months
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A Night at the Symphony
Another Raphael POV piece. I'm thinking on making this into a longer series, with more little snippets of Raphael as he goes throughout his other business.
I listend to Tchaikovsky: Valse sentimentale, Op. 51, No. 6 on repeat whilst writing.
Summary: Raphael goes to the symphony to check in on a client.  
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The concert hall hummed with anticipation, the atmosphere was electrifying as the audience slowly found their seats. Raphael glided from the shadows into his private balcony, only the best seat was reserved for him; the symphony’s resident devil.
He stood with his hands behind his back, confidently surveying the elegantly dressed concertgoers. A wondrous melting pot of opportunities lay beneath him, succulent souls ripe for the taking. Dinner and a show? Raphael would feast well tonight. 
The lights slowly dimmed and with that the chatter from the crowd subsided, the murmurs turned to whispers and then there was silence. The performance was about to begin and Raphael took his seat. 
A thick red curtain parted, revealing a sea of musicians on stage. They sat up straight and stared intensely out in front of them, holding their bows proudly as if preparing to charge into battle. 
Marin Goldfeather, the spindly stone-faced conductor, marched out from the wings to centre stage. Marin bowed deeply to the audience, then rose to focus on his army of musicians. He raised his baton high into the air and paused, his musicians readied their bows. 
Marin slashed his baton through the air and the music swelled. It filled the hall like a giant wave, surprising Raphael as it hugged him into a tight embrace. Violins introduced the rich melody, followed by cellos and flutes promptly joining in to set the mood for the first song of the evening. Raphael leaned forward and dug his fingers into the cushioned armrests of his chair, wetting his lips. A magnificent opening! 
An hour passed, then two. Oh, how he wished he could indulge all evening. Each song somehow surpassed the next, the music ached, bellowed, wanting to be held, to be loved; full of nostalgia and longing, for something or perhaps a moment in time Raphael had never experienced. Each instrument, albeit different in nature, blended so effortlessly together.
Raphael’s heart floated to his throat. He found himself unexpectedly moved by the music, a mortal emotion he rarely liked to allow himself, or admit he could bear. The soft sounds of the melodies had distracted him for the first time in aeons. If even for a minute, his mind was vacant of the strings he had to pull, the armies he had to mould, in order to lead himself to victory in the Hells. 
When the final song concluded and the audience stood on their feet roaring in appreciation, tears formed in his eyes. The tears were fleeting, as the drops of water evaporated as soon as they touched his skin. Raphael leaned back, concealing his face in the darkness of his box as he let the rest of the emotions overtake him. He sat there for a moment, holding a tight fist to his chin, the gears turning in his head. Time to pay the conductor a visit.
Raphael soon found himself backstage, observing the cluster huddled around Marin’s dressing room. As he entered the packed quarters, some patrons recognised him, nodding as he passed; while others unconsciously parted the way, sensing his importance. 
Raphael placed a hand on Marin’s shoulder, interrupting the conversation at hand. 
“Maestro, congratulations are in order.” 
Marin took a sip from his champagne glass as he turned around, ready to devour yet another compliment. He froze when he met Raphael’s cool gaze. 
“M-Master Raphael!” Marin choked. 
He bowed clumsily, spilling some of his champagne onto the carpet. 
“True to your word, Marin, you have created the finest piece of music I have been fortunate to experience in all of the Sword Coast.” 
“You honour me, sir.” 
“And quite the attendance this evening,” Raphael noted, eyeing the guests continuing to fill his dressing room. 
“Ah, well yes, I am most fortunate.” Marin paused, shifting his feet uncomfortably and tugging at his high necked collar. A drop of sweat appeared from his receding hairline.
Raphael leered as he watched the bead of sweat fall slowly across Marin’s face, followed by another. Marin leaned forward and whispered, “about our agreement…” he cast Raphael a knowing glance.
Raphael considered Marin for a moment. 
“As you have impressed me, maestro, I’ll be more lenient this time and give you a few days extension on your next piece. You deserve some time to… celebrate.” Raphael’s eyes went to the champagne glass Marin was clinging to, and the gaggle of beautiful women behind him.  
Marin’s face grew sickly, he staggered, about to faint. Raphael grabbed his arm to keep him centred and snapped his fingers. The air hissed and time stood still around them. 
“Why the long face, maestro? Are you not pleased? All these mortals, finally here to see you, to appreciate your music. Is this not what you wanted? What you’ve dreamed?” 
Marin looked around him, opening his mouth as if to call out for help. He recoiled into himself as he looked into the faces of his frozen guests. 
“B-But…It was my masterpiece. I-I can never write another like this!”  
Another snap of Raphael's fingers and Marin’s contract sizzled into view. Raphael twirled a finger and the scroll opened, unravelling itself nearly to the floor. He pointed his long index finger to the text in the middle of the contract. 
“If you see here, clause 6.1.13 - ‘the client shall produce the greatest symphony the benefactor has never heard.’ Quite simple terms, no? I am dumbfounded at your confusion?”
Marin was clawing at his collar, struggling to unfasten his doublet. 
“Now that I have been most fortunate to hear your work this evening, it means the terms of this contract are still unmet. You know the cost if you fail to achieve what is required of you, yes?”
Marin was gasping for air, like a fish out of water. Raphael scowled at him, a sour taste in his mouth. How was that the same creature who brought him to tears only moments ago? 
“Chin up, maestro, you really should read the fine print.” 
Raphael snapped his fingers and the room returned to life, the lively gossip continuing as if nothing had changed. Marin fell back into the group of women he had been conversing with before Raphael interjected. The women squealed in shock as they tried to lift him to his wobbly feet. 
“R-Raphael, I implore you to—”  
But Raphael was already walking towards the door. “I await your next masterpiece!” Raphael exclaimed as he disappeared into the crowd. 
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dreamdepot · 5 months
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New Story: Dreams of the Kingdom
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[Link x Male!Reader]
Power. Wisdom. Courage. The legend of Hyrule has always been the story of three. Where does that leave you, oh mighty prince of the wild?
A sequel story to Prince of the Wild.
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Edited 7/5/2024 - Links have been updated
Chapter 1: The Slumbering Beast
>Next
Chapter 1 is now up on Wattpad, A03, and below the break
For links to the prequel Prince of the Wild, please see the following links:
Wattpad AO3
The ballroom was filled with laughter and music. The moonlight streamed down through the windows on the festivities. You straightened your crown, trying to make sure you looked just right in your reflection on the window. Tonight was going to be special; you just knew it.
The music swelled with a flourish of the violins. People glided across the polished marble floors, twirling to the beautiful piece. You could see your best friend, the royal poet and maestro Sharpe, absolutely beaming as he conducted the orchestra.
You let your eyes wander over the crowd. Your father, King Rhoam, was stoic as ever, watching from his own corner. Princess Zelda, your younger sister, was happily chatting with Robbie and Purah, no doubt sharing research notes. Impa and Mipha were laughing over drinks while little Sidon chowed down on snacks. Revali was attempting to dance with the ambassador from Hytopia, but it was impossible to tell who was worse at it. Daruk was drinking each of the castle guards under the table. Apparently, none of them ever heard that Gorons were unaffected by Hylian liquor. Your heart swelled with happiness, though it still felt a little empty without the one who was most important to you.
“Waiting on someone, sparrow?” Urbosa asked, gently laying a hand on your shoulder. She had a knowing glint in her eye as she sipped her Noble Pursuit.
“You wouldn’t have happened to-”
“I believe I saw him walking towards the Sanctum.” Your heart skipped a beat, and you were ready to run upstairs, but Urbosa’s grip held you back. “Don’t get into trouble, sparrow. You still need to make an appearance later tonight.”
You blushed but nodded. “Of course, you know I’m always professional.”
“Of course,” Urbosa said. She brushed a stray bit of your hair back and smoothed some wrinkles off your coat. “Go, I’ll cover for you.”
You barely got out a “thank you” before dashing out of the ballroom to the stairs. The music grew fainter and fainter as you made your way up the castle. A giddy bubble of happiness felt ready to burst out of your chest. You were Prince [Y/n] Daltus Hyrule, Lord of Akkala, Order of the Picori, Colonel in the Grand Hylian Army, Defender of the Holy Triforce, and Champion of the Goddess Din – but the most important title of all was Boyfriend of the Hylian Champion. Reaching the top of the steps, you pushed the doors open as quietly as you could.
“Link?” you called out. The torches were all lit inside, but all was quiet. You shut the door and entered. “Link? Are you here?”
No response.
You frowned, walking past the thrones, ignoring how the shadows danced on the walls. Suddenly, a wooden training sword clattered to the ground right at your feet. You looked up, seeing the knight grinning from the upper floor. “Oh, you’re on!”
You picked up the sword – slightly upset it was a single handed one instead of your preferred claymore – and mounted the stairs, charging up to the hidden lounge above the Sanctum. Link met you halfway, your swords clashing with a dull thonk. You drove him backwards up the stairs, slash after slash. Link laughed with each one, parrying them effortlessly.
The two of you clashed, when you saw your chance. You parried his blows, and…
…pulled the small rug from under him. Before he could get up, you pointed your sword at his chest. “Finally!” You shouted. “I win!”
“One out of – what, a thousand?” Your knight grinned.
You shrugged. “Hey, I’ll take it.” You helped him up and pulled him into a hug. “You didn’t get hurt when you fell right?”
“No, I’m fine,” he laughed. “Takes more than a practical joke to hurt a knight, your majesty.”
You took his hand and started leading him downstairs. “We should head back before Father gets upset.” You reached for the door but stopped. Someone was standing on the balcony overlooking Hyrule Field.
“Hello?” You let go of Link’s hand as you walked over to the balcony. The music seemed to fade away as you got closer. The figure didn’t seem familiar. “Oh, pardon me, but all guests should be downstairs. I’d be happy to show you the way.”
“There’s no need for that, I’ve been waiting for you,” a rumbling baritone voice said. The figure turned, revealing a wall of a man with a piercing glare. It felt like he could see you through to your soul. Your head throbbed with a migraine. For some reason, your left hand – the hand emblazoned with the mark of the Triforce of Power – felt like it was burning.
“Who are you?”
The moonlight turned a bloodstained red. “Of course you would forget me, but I certainly haven’t forgotten you and your treachery.” He reached out, firmly gripping your chin and tilting your head up to look you in the eyes. Panic rose in your throat looking into his glowing red and yellow eyes. He let out a low rumble of a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll be seeing you soon to take what is rightfully mine, little prince.”
The world swam and grew dark as a terrible laugh filled your ears. A scream tore from your throat. Pain shot through your body…
==
“[Y/n]! [Y/n]!!” Link shook you gently. “It’s okay! I’m here, I’m here…”
You gasped for air, looking up to see your handsome knight looking down at you. He wrapped you in his arms. “It’s okay, it’s just a nightmare. You’re going to be okay.”
You held him close, not caring how tangled you were in the sheets. It was still late, and the moon hung outside your window – thankfully still its normal pale color.
Your heart slowed as Link held you and stroked your hair. “Big spoon or little spoon?”
You told him your preference, and the two of you shifted to a more comfortable cuddling position. “It was the same dream,” you finally said.
“The royal ball and the stranger?”
“Yeah,” you said. “He knew me. I… I don’t know how to explain it but looking at him felt like… pure evil… It was almost like the Calamity.”
Link nodded. “Do you want to go talk to Symin about it? He helped Zelda when she had those nightmares last year.”
“Maybe,” you said. “I’m just confused. He knew me, Link. He said he was going to take what was ‘rightfully his’.”
“I’m sure it’s just a silly dream, but…” Link frowned and pressed his hand to your forehead. “Hmm doesn’t seem like a fever, but maybe the gloom is getting to you.”
“It’s not the gloom,” you said, pushing his hand away. “Maybe I’m stressed out? Maybe… maybe I’m just missing them.”
Link sighed. “I miss them too.”
“I did beat you this time though.”
Link snorted. “So, you’re saying you can only beat me in your dreams?”
“Shut up,” you laughed.
The two of you stayed quiet for a moment, just enjoying the cuddling. It was hard to believe it had been five years. Five years since you woke up in a cave, five years since you found Link without his memories, and five years since the two of you saved Hyrule and your sister. The life of the “lost prince” was never dull with Hyrule’s greatest swordsman as your boyfriend and Princess Zelda as your sister. The three of you had helped to rebuild most of Hyrule, bringing the people back together and creating a semblance of a government. Your New Hyrule Trading Company was now run through the Stable Association, a union-run business, giving you more time to train the new militia taking care of monsters across the land – not to mention helping your sister run things. “Helping” may be a bit generous, as Zelda was much more suited to academics than government and diplomacy. Most of the time, you and Link helped to set treaties and lead major reconstruction projects while Zelda focused more on educating Hyrule’s children and surveying old ruins.
Everything had been going well for a time, until a few months ago. Certain caves and old wells began to leak an odd crimson mist. At first, it seemed harmless, but then the sickness came. There were a few isolated cases that seemed to clear up quickly, but over the past few weeks, reports were getting worse. The mist was only growing thicker and more toxic. Purah named it the gloom, and it seemed to be tied to the malice that Calamity Ganon once produced. The difference was that this gloom was toxic and lingering. It seemed to seep from underground, though no one could figure out where or why. The worst of it came from the depths of Hyrule Castle. Whatever it touched, it devoured in decay. Your pride and joy, the construction of New Castle Town, was rotted back to rubble. Each time you had Hudson Construction try to rebuild it, they never got past laying the foundation before the houses would begin to decay. Residents were forced back to build a new settlement called Lookout Landing, just south of the ruins. Even then, it was little more than a lightly fortified trading and research outpost.
“Hey, I can tell Zelda to postpone the expedition,” Link said.
“No!” You said, then paused. “I appreciate the thought, but it’s too important to investigate the gloom. We need to get to the bottom of it – literally.”
Link rolled his eyes. “Right, but if you need to rest, you need to rest.”
“I know, but I promise I’ll be fine.” Link frowned, staring into you. “Okay, I’ll go see Symin after the expedition, but I promise I’ll be fine.”
“Good.” Link smiled, leaning forward to give you a gentle kiss.
The two of you talked for a little while more before you both drifted off into a gentle sleep. While Link may have been next to you, something still made you feel restless.
==
The next morning seemed to pass in a blur, and you weren’t truly shaken from your thoughts until you were descending into the depths of Hyrule Castle.
“This gloom keeps getting thicker,” your sister, Zelda, commented as you descended. She held the torch for you and Link. The two of you remained calm, but you were both on high alert. The weight of your Sword of the Six Sages was a comfort, not knowing what could be around the next corner. “We’ve been descending for a while now… These tunnels are deeper than I thought. What could be down here?”
“I have a feeling even Father didn’t know about these tunnels,” You commented as you passed some luminescent moss. “Some of this looks older than even the Sheikah tech.”
“I wish we were coming down here to explore for more academic reasons instead of trying to find the source of the gloom,” Zelda said, scanning over the wisps curling around her feet. “Though here, it seems almost misty and not concentrated enough to harm us…”
“What’s the plan then?” Link asked.
“We’ll keep going. With it coming up from beneath Hyrule Castle…” Zelda paused, then turned to you and Link. “We do not know what waits below, so we need to be ready for anything. But I know I’ll be okay with both of you. Let’s go solve this mystery.”
“That said, it may be best for you to stay behind one of us.” You drew your secondary weapon, an Eightfold Blade, and took the lead.
“As you wish… General,” Zelda said with a little laugh.
“You appointed me as head of Hyrule’s military, let me do my job, Princess,” you snarked back. You led the way deeper. Water dripped down the walls, leaving chalky stains. You could see just ahead that the cave looped into some ruins. “I bet no one has been down here in centuries…”
“Exactly, isn’t it exciting?” Zelda said. You smiled, happy to see your sister in her element. You couldn’t begin to count the number of ruins you explored with her over the past few years. While her obsessions may have moved on from the Sheikah, the promise of a new discovery always got her excited.
Before you could take another step, you heard something you hadn’t heard in five years. It was a familiar chime. Both you and Zelda turned to Link, seeing the Master Sword begin to glow. “It must be sensing something,” Zelda muttered. “I knew we had reason for concern…”
“Maybe we should have investigated the castle sooner,” you added. “Perhaps something from the Calamity is still lingering here.” Zelda shifted uneasily.
Link was always quick to notice when your sister was worried. “We’re going to be okay. If it really is something left over from the Calamity, it can’t be that strong with Ganon sealed away. Between the three of us, I know we can handle it.”
“Of course,” Zelda said, “I needn’t worry with the two best swordsmen in Hyrule around. All the same, we should proceed with caution.”
“Onward then,” you said, though you swapped from the smaller blade to your primary weapon granted to you by the Great Deku Tree: the Sword of the Six Sages. Link too drew the Master Sword and joined you in front of Zelda. It was best not to take chances. The soft white glow from your sword and the soft blue from the Master Sword was a small comfort to the three of you in the dark caves. With that, you continued deeper into the ruins.
As old as they were, the ruins were well preserved and mostly still standing. A few walls had collapsed to rubble, but the path was still clear. The gloom had grown a little thicker but clung to the floor and merely wrapped around your ankles, harmless for now. Zelda paused for a moment to observe the architecture. “Easily older than the Sheikah, and this unique style… wait!” She knelt at a fallen relief. “Something is written here… yes. I think this may be from the Zonai!”
The farther you walked, the better condition the ruins were in. “Yes, yes!” Zelda said, getting more excited with each step. “These carvings are absolutely Zonai in origin. I can’t believe we’re finding evidence of one of the oldest civilizations known to history directly under the castle.”
“The Zonai built those labyrinths, right?” Link asked.
“Yes, and they were said to worship the dragons. It’s said the Zonai had godlike powers and at one point lived in the sky. Unfortunately, we still know so little. Many history books on the Zonai give us more stories than factual history.”
Soon you came to the end of the hall, where two towering statues stood. Zelda stopped to inspect them further. “Is this what the Zonai looked like? They seem so different than us, and such large ears… I wonder if they were associated with the ancient city-state of Skyloft? Or perhaps they were some sort of precursors to the Oocca Civilization?”
You had a different question on your mind. “If they lived in the sky, why are they here underground?”
“An excellent point…” Zelda muttered, lost in thought. “Let’s see what else is ahead.”
You looked at the statues and for a moment, they seemed to shift. Their eyes seemed to glow with the faintest light, watching you. You rubbed your eyes and they appeared normal again. “Maybe it is the gloom,” you muttered to yourself.
You caught up with Link as the three of you made your way down the stairs, deeper and deeper. The ruins opened into a massive hall. Suddenly, you heard a familiar chittering. “Heads up,” you said, easily dispatching a keese. Link nodded, charging the second while you cleaved the third and final. You sheathed your sword, watching the keese fall to the ground.
“You aren’t hurt, are you?” Zelda asked.
“Zel, they’re keese. Link and I take care of keese like every day.” Still, she looked the both of you over, before giving a nod of approval. You couldn’t fault her, since you knew you’d be doing the same to her and Link if the roles were switched. With the monsters dealt with, you could take in the room. One wall was mostly covered by fallen rocks – likely from the Calamity – but the rest of the room was filled with sprawling carvings.
Zelda turned and let out a little gasp. “Look at these murals.” She walked the torch closer, letting the light dance across the eerie images. “The written histories of the Royal Family include stories of a great war fought long ago.”
Your many hours of tutoring in the Castle library played back in your head. “This isn’t just any war, Zelda,” you frowned looking at the murals. Zelda may have been the brains of the family, but you certainly knew the stories of your kingdom inside and out. You stopped before a carving of a wave of monsters. “This was clearly a very bloody one, and if we’re in the oldest part of the castle, it might be… Zelda, you don’t think it’s… that legend, do you?”
“What legend?” Link asked.
You felt a pit growing in your stomach. “The legend of the Demon King… an evil to surpass Demise.”
“Precisely,” She said, running along the walls. “It’s said that our ancestors – the first of Hyrule’s royal family were born from a union with the gods who descended from the heavens. These murals tell a similar story, and if they are accurate, then the gods mentioned were the Zonai… They must have forged a relationship with the Hylians of that time, working together to establish the kingdom of Hyrule!”
She turned to where the murals started to depict a man with a grotesque wave of red behind him. You felt a chill go down your spine. It couldn’t be possible… he couldn’t be the man from your nightmares. “This figure,” Zelda continued, “He seems to be stealing something of incredible power from the young kingdom. This all aligns with what I’ve read during my studies… and this!” She said, running back to the last panel. “And this shows the Demon King, and a fierce battle against him. If the creature depicted here really does represent the Demon King, then…” She stopped and gasped. “Incredible! This mural must be the great war recorded in the royal histories! This is the First Imprisoning War and the events that led up to it! This is a huge discovery!”
Zelda started fiddling with her pack. Link took the torch for her as she fished out her Purah Pad, Purah’s fantastic upgrade to the Sheikah Slate. You on the other hand stood frozen at the last panel, staring into the gargoyle-like grin of the monstrous Demon King. You took a shaky breath. “First Imprisoning War?” Link asked you.
“The First Imprisoning War sealed the Demon King. The Second sealed the king of thieves – who once tried to steal the Triforce from the Sacred Realm. Right, Zelda?”
“Yes, exactly, though some scholars suggest the Demon King and the king of thieves could have been one and the same – not that I necessarily subscribe to that theory,” she said, snapping photographs of the mural. “Why are you so jumpy?”
“No particular reason,” you muttered back. Link placed his hand on your shoulder, asking a silent question. “Later,” you whispered to him. He offered you a smile that helped to calm you.
“The part I don’t understand,” you said, steeling yourself, “is what he stole.” The three of you walked back to the third panel. “These objects… what do you think they are? Tears of Light? They don’t look anything like the Triforce.”
“Another excellent question,” Zelda said, lowering the Purah Pad. “Perhaps this was before our ancestors discovered the Triforce? Or perhaps it was hidden away. I would hate to think of what could have happened if the Demon King had stolen it.”
“Yeah,” you said, instinctively rubbing the tattoo on your hand. The power thrummed through your body for a moment, but it didn’t make you feel any better.
“Only more and more questions,” Link said, handing the torch back to Zelda.
“Maybe we’ll find more answers farther ahead,” she said. “Let’s keep moving deeper.”
This time, Link took the lead with Zelda while you brought up the rear. Your hand twitched and your gut twisted. It wasn’t like you to be so unnerved by something like that, but something felt deeply wrong, and the deeper you walked, the more the feeling grew.  
The three of you exited the staircase and entered into a massive chamber. “Oh Hylia…” Link muttered. A twisting ribbon of light drifted from some kind of pyramid collector lined with runes, feeding into a skeletal glowing arm with a warm green-blue light. Most disturbing of all was the desiccated corpse the hand was pinned to, digging into the chest. Dark clouds of gloom spilled from the wound.
“What is that...” Zelda murmured. “How long has this been under the Castle?”
As the three of you drew close, the arm’s light faded, and it fell to the ground. A glowing tear shaped stone popped out of the arm’s bracer, bouncing on the floor to Zelda. She tapped it hesitantly before picking it up. The stone glowed with warm golden light in her hand.
Suddenly, the three of you heard a crack and a heartbeat. You and Link instantly moved in front of Zelda, drawing your swords. The corpse cracked, its fingers starting to move, then its arm, then its spine, until finally, the head snapped towards you, demonic eyes glowing in your direction.
A burst of concentrated gloom and malice burst from his chest, rushing straight for Zelda. Link stepped in, shoving you away and knocking it back with the Master Sword. It doubled back, crawling up Link’s arm, burning away at his skin.
“Link!” You shouted, preparing to swing your sword at the gloom.
“No! It’ll get you too, don’t!” Link summoned every ounce of strength and swung the Master Sword at the gloom again.
You could hear a crack, and the Master Sword’s blade shattered in his hand.
The tip of the sword flew from the mess, slicing across the corpse’s cheek. You and Zelda rushed to Link’s side, helping him to stand. You tried not to look at the terrible burns on his arm, keeping your attention on the monster in front of you.
“Was that the sword that seals the darkness?” A raspy voice came from the corpse. “A blade that shatters so easily against my power cannot save you from me.” His eyes scanned across you as he tried to pull himself up. “Zelda… and you, who carries that fragile sword is Link. Rauru placed his faith in you and that was all you could do?” He turned his eyes to you, and the monster seemed to smile.
Suddenly, the eyes felt very familiar. You could hardly choke out the words. “It’s him.”
“Ah… [Y/n], you do remember me. And here you are, right where I want you. Millenia of preparation, all coming down to today. Oh, how I’ve waited for this moment.”
“How do you know our names?” Zelda asked.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he summoned a miasma of pure gloom and malice, releasing it from his chest into the runed pyramid above. The caves shook and a terrible earthquake tore through the walls. Boulders tumbled from all above you as the ground started to give way. You looked up and could see the stars as the corruption forced Hyrule Castle into the sky. As the gloom dissipated, the altar collapsed, and the corpse tumbled into the darkness below.
The earth still shook as Link fell to his knees, the decayed Master Sword still in hand. “Link!” you and Zelda both shouted, but it was cut off by a scream, as the ground gave way. Both of you began to fall back into emptiness. Link leaped after you, reaching out to catch you. He opened his hand, stretching out…
Your fingers barely missed his.
You turned to reach Zelda, but the stone glowed bright and she disappeared in ribbons of light. Link tried to reach you again, but the glowing hand seemed to regain its power, holding him aloft before yanking him upward in a burst of light.
You fought to stay calm, hearing the demented laugh of the monster somewhere deep below you. You pulled your left hand close to your chest. A familiar warmth spread through your body as your hand began to glow with a golden light.
A familiar voice whispered in your ear, albeit more urgent than the last time you heard it. “Sleep. He won’t get his hands on you today.”
As your consciousness began to fade, you wanted to ask what she meant. Instead, as sleep overtook you, there was only one thought in your mind.
Link, Zelda, please be safe.
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nurhanarman · 2 years
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Today we wrapped up 10 hours of recording sessions at CBC Glenn Gould Studio. Yesterday we recorded 'Arabesque' by Christos Hatzis and 'Capriccio Ballo' by Alice Ping Yee Ho. At today's session we recorded 'Skartaris' by Larysa Kuzmenko. All three works are written for solo violin, piano and string orchestra. It will make a unique Sinfonia Toronto CD with pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico, violinist Marc Djokic and maestro Nurhan Arman. #SinfoniaToronto #TorontosChamberOrchestra #violin #violinist #pianist #Piano #orchestra #duo #concert #cd #recording #audio #maestro #composer #CanadianMusic #canadiancomposers #canadianpianist #canadianviolinist #komponist #orchestradacamera #chamberorchestra #doubleconcerto #Symphony (at CBC/Radio-Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkKA5KUA0xJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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tyunclouds · 5 months
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Classical trained (college) musician here to roast the ever loving fuck out of SEVENTEEN defiling classical instruments. Let's begin.
JIHOON THE SOLOIST:
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It is extremely obvious to everyone (hopefully) that he's not actually playing. His right hand never changes notes, his wrist is completely collapsed, and his hand is angled in a very directionally odd, extremely stiff position. Looking at this, he seems to have no idea where his 1st through 4th fingers should lie. His bow is slightly above the finger board, aka where you PLUCK using your FINGERS, which is not where it should be to get the sound you're listening to, and his bow grip is not the worst I've seen, but his pinky is straight and not on the bow, meaning he will likely be stiff and have no control. I can't see if his hand was too high or low on the bow from this specific screenshot, but I'm too lazy to check further for risk of having another stroke. Anyways, what I do remember is most of the notes are on the higher two strings, A and E, and he is continuously changing strings all the way down to G, the lowest string, while we hear high notes in the recording. Overall, this is a complete hot mess. Elementary schoolers can hold and fake playing a violin better than this. 2/10.
Here's Hilary Hahn as an example of how violin soloists should look while playing. Notice the difference in how she holds the bow, where the bow is hitting the strings, and her left wrist not resting on the violin itself (aka not collapsed), but rather is in a place that would allow her to actually play notes and shift up and down the string significantly better.
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MAESTRO ENSEMBLE:
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When playing in an ensemble, instruments are not randomly assorted like this, they're supposed to be layered by how much they can project (aka how loud they are), which is why the strings are usually in front, as they're much quieter than the VERY LOUD PERCUSSIONIST, as well as grouped with the same instruments. SO WHY IS WONWOO IN THE FRONT?! WHY IS JEONGHAN SO FAR REMOVED FROM THE OTHER TWO VIOLINISTS?! Jeonghan should be in the front, where his playing can be heard, Mingyu somewhere in the middle, and Wonwoo should be in the back next to Jun, the other percussionist (yes, cymbals by themselves are also percussion, as are triangles and xylophones). As I'm not super familiar with clarinet or drums, I cannot rip into Mingyu and Wonwoo the same way I can Jeonghan, so I will simply target him for giving me an ulcer. His bow grip is literally a fist, his bow is completely crooked, his right wrist is collapsed and his fingers are too close together. I'm also 90% sure he doesn't have a chin rest. Come to think of it, I don't think Woozi had one before either and that's just terrible posture. (Once again, you can look at Hilary Hahn, above, for comparisons.)
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Seungkwan just hurts my entire soul here and I forced my friend to pause on it from sheer disbelief. Violins are only ever played on your left shoulder with a right handed bias, whether you yourself are right handed or not. Seungkwan's violin is on his right shoulder making him look straight out of a piss poor stock image. He's playing on the wrong side of the bridge, which will only ever sound screechy because you're not supposed to play there ever, his first finger has been separated from the rest of his hand, making playing notes other than open strings impossible, and his bow grip is the worst of the violinists so far. Hoshi and Minghao have their fingers on multiple strings at once, which would sound terrible when you're not trained to play chords, their hands look very stiff which would be terrible for vibrato, and their bows are on the finger board, which, again, are where they shouldn't be. I can't see Minghao's bow grip, but Hoshi's bow grip is, I think, the worst bow grip of all the string players I can see. He's holding it how first graders attempt to fist a pencil when writing their name.
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Now here, we get back into the organization of the ensemble members. But first, I would like to point out that I've asked all of my classically trained roommates (3) what Dino is playing and none of us can figure it out. What we can figure out, however, is that Vernon is playing a flute and, as one of my roommates was a flutist, can confirm he is playing it backwards and rather than the more common incorrect posture of holding the flute too high, which typically gets corrected when actually playing, he is angling it towards the ground. They have no idea how one would even begin to play it the way he's holding it and got so passionate they demonstrated it to me on a pen.
So on their organization, as I touched on earlier, instruments are mainly sorted by their projection (general volume) and grouped by shared instrument. They're assigned "first" and "second" typically based on their proficency in their instrument, with "first" often being the "soloist" if the piece requires it. I've included a helpful chart to demonstrate how this would possibly work out in an actual ensemble based on their instruments (minus Dino as I cannot tell what he is playing).
Key: WZ (Woozi) -> presented as main violinist / soloist, JH (Jeonghan) -> he held the violin the right way, SK (Seungkwan) -> he held the violin the wrong way, VN (Vernon) -> flute and clarinet can most likely be interchanged, but I based this on how my university orchestra is set up, MG (Mingyu), HS (Hoshi) -> this is an assumption, but because his bow grip is so terrible, I wanted to hope Minghao had a better bow grip than him, MH (Minghao), JN (Jun) -> Cymbals are usually not placed in the center as they're generally not the main percussion instrument, JS (Joshua) -> his drum is less bulky, therefore placing him in the middle is more likely than having a bulky drum in the middle, WW (Wonwoo) -> he has a bulky drum, therefore him being on the side is more likely for the percussion section, DK (Dokyeom) -> the conductor should be a lot closer than he is in their ensemble, but far enough away that all players can see the conductor to be able to properly keep time as well as watch for any artistic expressions being encouraged.
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Additionally, I don't think I need to point this out, but Dokyeom's posture and conducting are just not right. He's also extremely far from the ensemble and should not be that far away as he needs to be able to cue entrances, influence dynamics and musicality, etc. It is very hard to target a section from that far away.
Overall, I'd give this ensemble a 1/10. I gave them a point to be nice, but it honestly deserves a 0/10.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk and listen to their new comeback: Maestro.
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