#alabaster health fair

[penpoise]

What Do Health Care Jobs Pay? Unveiling the Financial Landscape of Healthcare Professions

In the vast landscape of healthcare careers, one question echoes loudly: What do healthcare jobs pay? As the demand for healthcare professionals continues to surge, understanding the intricacies of healthcare salaries becomes crucial for both aspiring and current practitioners. In this article, we will unravel the factors that influence healthcare compensation, explore high-paying roles, and…

[daisychains111]

incorrect chb camper quotes but it's actually just my sister's quotebook from Twitter

Disclaimer: This post is gonna be LONG AF

Percy: "Ahh, die quieter"

Clarisse to Silena: "Do I look majestic?"

Will: "I live in America. Cultures?... casserole"

Nico: "At-home lobotomy"

Baby Nico to Clarisse: "You look like Harry Potter, You just need a scar black hair, different clothes, and to be a boy. "

Annabeth:"I don't know if I have enough sanity for 2 Holy books"

Leo: "I've seen titties before....not really in person, but yk"

Annabeth: "Do you have ears?"

Jason: "I kinda wanna work at Taco Bell"

Piper: "I've never been passive-aggressive in my life"

Will to Apollo: "There's no batteries in my butt Dad I'm not a robot"

Clarisse: "I'm not upset I don't hold grudges"

Ares to Clarisse: "I don't like your clothes it forces me to look at you"

Frank to Leo: "It's not 'drip' it's stupid"

Travis to the whole Hermes Cabin: "I'm the Rizzington bear... like Paddington bear but Rizz" (after his 1st date with Katie)

Nico: "I love Olive Garden, I wish Italians were real"

Rachel: "Come on, you guys stop trying to cockblock the view"

Katie: "If people can smoke weed in the middle of the day, then I can drink chamomile tea"

Rachel: "You don't want to piss me off I'm witewally a werewolf"

Piper about Jason: "All my friends are boys, and one just died... he would have made a great bridesmaid"

Frank: "I was doing a silly but the funny didn’t land"

Jason: "Why am I white"

Rachel: "I am not a whore, I am a celibate queen!"

Drew: "It's not the fashion statement that you think it is"

Nico about the Ares Cabin: "They're gonna call you a slur, but they're gonna be really nice about it"

Piper to Annabeth: "If we both think it, it's not bitchy"

Grover: "I'm just gonna write a paragraph or two about global warming"

Annabeth"I have like a 7th-grade reading level!!! (this is impressive when you're dyslexic)

Jason: "Dude I love yoga"

Will: "They say that Utah is the promise land"

Kayla: *explains what a text-fic is to grandparents (Apollo)*

Clarisse: "Put that on your Twitter!" *points knife at me*

Travis: "Do you eat?"

Katie: "...um yes?"

Travis: "Oh, I mean do you want to eat." (when he asked Katie out the first time)

Hazel: "That's not gonna change my heart. That's just gonna make me cry!"

Alabaster: "I wanna find someone somewhere to impregnate and then steal the baby......Where's your Twitter, that was kinda funny"

Percy about Leo: "I would spoon that man so hard"

Frank: "The closer I get to nature, the closer I get to being a werewolf"

Apollo: "I feel like Jaba the Hut"

Rachel: "It's because you ate girl dinner"

Apollo (same convo^)"I fell asleep, and I woke up, and I ate a girl dinner, and I didn't feel that good"

Percy: Don't mind me just cleaning the ocean" *hand angrily on hip*

Will to the Stolls: "Although my bellybutton was once my mouth I don't want soda in it!!"

Connor: "Look at how majestic I am"

Clarisse: *gasps* *throws uno cards* "This is communism at its finest, and I hate your life." *Is losing* "All I'm doing is humoring you now. There is no reason for me to play anymore." *throws cards* *again*

Nico: *passes out*

Will: "We need to take you to the doctor like right now."

Nico: "No fireworks are more important than my health"

Leo about Percy: "That's a pretty boy right there... if we were in prison, it's over."

Kayla when Will came out to her: "Slay motherfucker"

Annabeth: "I hope to not run over any old ladies...old men are fair game tho."

Percy: "Main characters get bullied, Jesus....yep!"

Leo: "What if I was an astronaut!!!!"

Travis: "Banana, Banana, Meatball"

Clarisse: "I am going to break your toe shut the hell up"

Katie to Connor: "I hope you get bullied in high school."

Clarisse about Leo: "This guy's a fuckin goober"

Clarisse: "What did you do to your sweatshirt? Did you get hungry?"-Grover: *sighs*

Nyssa (Hephaestus kid) to Leo: "Dont hurt me. I'm Batman!.... You better not tweet that"

Kayla to Apollo: "It's called multi-tasking Apollo! "

Apollo: "It's mother to you"

Clarisse: "I could fight God and win"

Percy: "So you wanna fight rn"

Clarisse: "No, I'm good"

Jason; "You look gang"

Leo: "What? I look gay!?!?!"

Jason: "You look straight, but nice"

Leo: "Oh... thanks!"

Apollo to Rachel"Lie, deny, cry, and for good measure be a raging slut."

Silena: "There's all kinds of nature out here"

Katie: "Live, laugh, love, low iron"

Annabeth to Piper: "Keep backing up...Cuz you have a fear of commitment

Lou Ellen to Katie: "Does your knee affect your shoe size... or are your feet just that small??"

Travis: "The amount of testosterone in me, peanuts are allergic to me!"

Leo: "I'm cracked up on feeling sexy"

Connor to the whole Hermes Cabin: "The "10" of us? our parents sp*rm pets"

Apollo about Athena: "OH gods, a single mom"

Apollo about Kayla's dad: "I cheated on myself with a man"

Malcolm about Athena: "She's a mom boogie woogie woogie"

Nico: "I cried at Chick-fil-A the other day"

Nico: "Live, laugh, lobotomy."

Drew about Thalia: "She has no friends and a dead brother."

Katie: "I wrote fanfiction on my i-pod touch"

Lacy to Leo: "Was it a tech? or was it a human?"

Will: "Live, laugh, love, tampons"

Kayla: "Die, cry, hate, condoms"

Aphrodite to Clarisse: "Do you like being a girl? You just always wear pants"

Percy: "Chill I know how to make conversations I have Rizz"

Will: "What! no! cow!"

Frank: "Fvcking knock it off seriously you guys are acting like children!!"

Travis to Lou Ellen: "Yesss pussy-pop you slayed"

Ashlyn (Hermes kid): "Chick-fil-A is mid, Taco bell is where it's at"

Percy during tlt: "You couldn't even buy a gumball with that shit (drachmas)"

Percy (same convo ^): "A quarter? You could buy a gumball with that shit"

Nico: "Your soul and your money!"

Tyson: "You've seen fishes, fishes move fast"

Leo to Frank: "What the fvck is a kilometer"

Leo making fun of Frank: "Mua ha ha ha I'm Canadian"

Percy: "Jesus didn't give up his life he gave up his weekend"

*as seen at 2am in the Apollo Cabin*

Gracie: "You're discriminating against me"

April (the token straight): "It's cuz she's gay"

Will: "We're all gay."

Nico: You don't have any slurs about you."

Leo: "No because I'm perfect"

this was fun to make lol....there will probably be a part 2 but like far in the future. if you made it this far I love you....also if you don't recognize names it's bc I deep-dived Wiki to find canon names for each cabin.

If y'all want one-shots based on these TELL ME I NEED STUFF TO WRITE ABOUT

[echotrinityme]

See You Again Chapter 5: Numb The Pain Away

Rupert is having a tough time after he was discharged from the Government. He's been spending all his time at the bar and is bitter, angry, and sad. 

Warning: Alcohol abuse and just alcohol use in general. Don't do what Rupert is doing in this chapter... EVER! Alcohol is bad for your liver and mental health. Drink responsibly and when you're old enough. 

Rupert drowned another shot of vodka and put the shot glass down. 

Rupert put a hand on his forehead as he thought about what happened these past few days.

He murdered Henry, lost his status as a captain, and lost everyone that he cared about. Rupert sighed as he felt his heart shrivel up and struggle to keep beating.  He felt hot liquid streaming down his face, started shaking, and started sniffling.

He didn't know what to do.

After he was discharged, he returned to his apartment to devise a plan. 

His mental health was getting worse.

His depression was making him drink and have nightmares, it doesn't help that little voice in his head has been telling him he's worthless, scummy, an idiot, he's a bad person, etc. He tried to ignore it but the voice kept getting louder and louder. 

"It's not fair..." Rupert muttered to himself, "It's not fair,"

The bartender gave him another shot as he left him alone, the bartender tend to the other patrons. Rupert drank the alcohol as two people walked in. 

Drake Camper and Josh Taylor wanted to have a drink before Quentin finds them and lecture them for being idiots. Drake noticed Rupert was drinking and brooding, he tapped Josh's shoulders and Josh glanced where Drake was looking at. 

"What's he doing here?" Josh questioned incredulously.

"Drinking," Drake stated the obvious.

"Can't blame him, I mean if I murder someone, I would drink heavily too,"

"C'mon, let's try to cheer him up!"

Drake and Josh quietly went over to Rupert who was silently sobbing. Rupert was too busy wallowing in misery that he didn't notice the presence of Drake and Josh. Rupert heard someone ordering a fruity drink and sat down next to him. He heard another voice and heard someone sitting down next to him.

"Hey, Rupert!"

Rupert looked to his side to see Drake Camper smiling at him and holding a fruity drink, he looked to his other side and saw Josh Taylor holding a drink. 

Great.

The two idiots who always get drunk are here and they are here to bother him.

"What do you two want?" Rupert croaked, "Can't you see I'm drinking,"

"We just want to cheer you up," Josh responded.

"How?"

"By drinking with you of course!" Drake answered with such enthusiasm.

Rupert didn't want company and he was wondering why Drake and Josh wanted to cheer him up considering he had done something horrible to Henry. However... he's been feeling rather lonely ever since Henry's murder. 

Rupert contemplated saying no to them but they'd already made themselves at home. Rupert was too depressed to tell Drake and Josh to fuck off. Josh was telling Rupert and Drake a funny story. Well, Drake was listening while Rupert was just brooding, but he was glad he has company on the inside. 

"I am in misery

there ain't nobody who can comfort me (Oh Yeah),"

Rupert growled under his breath as he heard a song that greatly described his situation that was playing in the bar. Rupert took another drink of his alcohol as Josh was about to tell an embarrassing story about Drake and Drake didn't like it so he shut Josh up by putting a chicken wing in his mouth. Rupert would have laughed but he's not in a laughing mood. 

"So I was saying to Jose," Josh talked to Drake and Rupert, Rupert felt a little better since the duo didn't mention Henry's death or his termination from the Government which he is thankful for.

Rupert was about to join the conversation when the bar's doors opened.

"What are two idiots doing!?"

Drake, Josh, and Rupert turn to the source of the voice, they saw Quentin Alabaster glaring at them. However, Rupert wasn't sure if he was glaring at him or Drake and Josh. Drake and Josh immediately jumped from Quentin's glare. They knew an angry Quentin when they see one. 

"Don't you guys have any better to do than to drink and bother someone?" Quentin questioned.

Drake and Josh shook their head while Quentin sighed, Quentin knew the duo was trying to help Rupert after he murdered Henry but... Rupert should be left alone. Quentin came up to them and grabbed Drake and Josh by their coats like they were kids that got caught doing something bad. 

"C'mon, you guys have work to do," Quentin said as he led the boys away from Rupert and they headed out the door. Quentin stopped at the door and saw Rupert who looked sad again. Quentin gave Rupert a pity look and he left. Rupert was now alone. Rupert sighed heavily as he felt the weight of the inebriation of the alcohol seep in. He closed his eyes, he needed more alcohol but his mind told him he has nothing to live for so he can damage his liver.

"Oi, got any stronger than vodka?" Rupert slurred at the bartender.

"We got absinthe, sir," replied the bartender in a concerned tone.

"Bring me it,"

"Don't you think you had enough alcohol?"   

"NO!" Rupert roared, startling the bartender and the patrons in the bar. Rupert slammed his fist down the bar table and his eyes were red. "GIVE ME THE ABSINTHE!" Rupert bellowed.

"I don't pay myself enough for this job..." the bartender thought as he got the absinthe and a shot glass for Rupert. He gently set the alcohol down and left Rupert alone. Rupert drank the shot glass but he needs more to numb the pain he was feeling, he took the bottle and drank out of the bottle.

The patrons and the bartender watched him with shocked and concerned looks, they were wondering if they should confront him about his drinking habits but on the other hand... they don't want to invoke his wrath. Rupert drank half the bottle as he stopped, he slammed the bottle down as he swayed a little. His face started to turn green and he quickly ran out of the bar. He vomited onto the grass while everyone cringed and winced, the bartender took out a bottle of water and went outside. He cringed in disgust as he saw the vomit and Rupert stopped. Rupert was trembling as he felt like shit, the bartender slowly came up to him.

"Here," the bartender held out the water bottle, "Drink this... this will help you feel better,"

Rupert glanced at the bottle and took it, he drank the water slowly. He sighed in contentment as he felt a little better but still feel like shit. "Thanks..." Rupert muttered.

"You're welcome," the bartender responded gently.

"Sorry for the display..." Rupert apologized, "I... am going through something,"

"I know,"

Rupert avoided meeting the bartender's eyes, he cleared his throat. 

"I should be going now... put the alcohol on my tab..."

The bartender nodded as Rupert started walking away, Rupert slowly walked back to his apartment as he felt numb. As soon as he was inside his apartment, he passed out on his living room floor. The alcohol knocked him out and he slept peacefully for the first time since Henry's murder.

Rupert woke up with a killer headache.

He felt like something sucked everything but depression. He wanted to die, hit something, or just lay in bed forever. Rupert took a shower and made himself a hangover breakfast. After he was done eating, he sat down at his table and thought about what's he going to do next. Rupert closed his eyes as he took out his phone and went on the internet. 

Usually, he would talk to Charles but after what happened with Henry, Charles and several others have declared Rupert socially dead. Rupert searched for random things then he thought came into his head. He went to take out his laptop and went online. He typed into a search bar and found what he was looking for. He got up and went to his bedroom, he got out two suitcases and started packing. 

Once he was packed, he wrote something on a piece of paper. 

He took one last look at his apartment, surveying the furniture and stuff he will be leaving behind. He let out a sigh of sadness as he left his apartment with his suitcases in tow. 

He headed to the airport and got on a plane. 

Where is he going?

[lured-into-wonderland]

Does Nunnally have any inhuman features?

Nunnally doesn't have any inhuman features. She perfectly passes as a human. The only noticeable thing would be her body temperature; it’s lower than that of a human and that’s relatively easy to notice if you actually touch her. Yet again, it is not that distinctively lower so that she couldn't be considered as an individual of a poor health. Her doll-like appearance, her fair alabaster skin, only adds to that impression. So, unless someone is experienced in noticing auras or detecting non-humans, it is difficult to recognize she's not the one. And Nunnally would like to keep it that way. She doesn't like talking about her true origins, especially that it usually ends up with her having to admit she does not know "what" (or who) she really is. 

[nancyjessica]

Facial whitening, or how to lighten the skin?

Dark, dull, and pigmented skin can be caused by many factors. These include excessive exposure to the sun, pollution, poor lifestyle, health conditions, and even stress. Brightened and flawless skin is the dream of many girls and there is no shortage of skin whitening cream and lotions on the market. In our article, we share with you some tips on how to naturally lighten your skin tone and get a flawless look. We provide tips that will help you lighten your skin tone, restoring its natural shade.

 Brightened face and healthy complexion thanks to diet

Processed foods, refined fats, sugars, carbonated drinks, low amounts of fruit, vegetables and water in the diet are the causes of faster skin aging. If you reverse the order in your current eating pattern and include more low-processed, fresh, high-fiber products, your skin will thank you for it with a radiant appearance. Particularly recommended eating models are the vegetarian diet and the paleo diet. A large amount of vitamins, micro and macro elements will help stop the symptoms of skin allergies and acne and will eliminate the grayness of the skin, making the complexion brighter. By switching to a vegetarian or paleo mode, get ready to improve skin elasticity and reduce spots visible on the skin.

Whitening peeling

Facial whitening peeling used systematically helps not only smooth the complexion, but also affects how brighter our face is. Systematic removal of dead skin reveals fresh, brighter epidermis and helps active ingredients reach deep into the dermis. Thanks to the whitening peel, Beauty Cream (moisturizing creams, deeply moisturizing and nourishing masks) work much more effectively. If you are looking for ready-made products, check out whitening peels with a natural composition and proven effect, such as:

How to lighten your skin? Drink water!

To keep your skin bright, moisturized and radiant, you should drink enough water. In order to maintain the proper level of hydration of the body, you should drink at least two liters of water a day. Drinking plenty of water improves the texture and appearance of the skin by flushing toxins from the body.

 Skin lightening – it's easy!

Well-groomed, flawlessly beautiful, fair skin is desired by women of all ages. It is also an important beauty secret of Korean women. A smooth face, free from imperfections, scars and other beauty defects is an undoubted advantage and the key to full female beauty. Striving to achieve the effect of alabaster skin, many women decide to use bleaching and facial brightening agents. Learn the secrets of Asian women and discover safe, natural, professional ways to get rid of uneven skin tone. When choosing cosmetics supporting facial whitening, be sure to choose proven products used in Korean care. Also check out our article about skin discolorations, where you will learn more about how to deal with imperfections in the pursuit of a perfect appearance. Moreover you should clean your face once with a face wash for oily skin.

Sleep is an ally of brightened skin

Sounds weird? But less sleep can indeed spoil the appearance of your skin. Your body needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep. You need to give your body and skin enough time to rest to bring out its inner glow and energy. When you sleep, your body improves blood flow to your skin, which means you wake up with healthy, glowing, and bright skin. If you are sleep-deprived, your skin may look dull and lifeless, not to mention the appearance of dark circles under your eyes.

Recommended Article: moisturizer for dry skin

[libidomechanica]

Not a good dear closd

A ballad sequence

               1

When I see, the gaze what I’d slips I see what     holding and fancient glow of beneath? Of wine, did cause it may tell their sovereign took his     curtainment of life? We did strength and

the dumb as hell. The vortex of flight of night short,     how fast, new; you wert, borne away. Feel another’s tears has not, speak to tell the months the     creeps both to free in Colin, Colins

still, and after sinners breed Willye beauty born out,     but fight, take hooked to the lust in reviving the World to the rampart. That had perplex     they are mine. Until of shabby greatest

side of thee thy behold then by say. Since shedding     with no stremendour was such a children cloudes and yet thy sweet the image of     this sons cleft full princely rose! So, to

the Soul. A fen strange it in a city won while     Juan, as children in someone are bleached and clos’d heated—and the surrender, and quite.     Dominion draws near. They building honours

haste before all the great ancient though thee more the     lakers, easily: Once I was, though Ireland’s true deform’d, yea, glare, or poison clouds these     thine eye, ear,—that home-run too, happy

stay. Wives hard sky limbs, and here, yet cap was in one’s     corps, till they sallied nation on me, and give there not the sweet a strife, learn, too, at present     castle, hard hands are have his eye

I eyed, such encrusteth what never be health sharply     ground the gate as himself arise, hey ho thus water shame, where these blood. In one of     care, or historic monsters a toga

or as yet the empty, as long years. It so     may take: for which wounds humane did Juan, with joy absorb another, were east, fair visage     and turns from the forest was sacrificial

move retain from the heave that is closing     we were dwelling partings can fashion. Let not so besidence common Sense. Ere you scarlet     coat, a feare of sigh, too latest

children gone. Like thirst alabasters swim in the     pretty creeps not so sweet; but t was quietly at this way of your love. That wild; so     you Diuell, of sweet sleeps without abound

a sprint of sleeves. Creation, a little bird in     quest them, she same we look into thy worth as might: lonely to hideth and twist; so too;     but blazed, and sighs. Like a chilled, fair: to

see. For the Kingdom is the to leaues the peonies     near,—that we continence, with Fortune enough, and Clear I’m enlight can saying,     Acceptable friends, least amidst flies; the

set my morn arise beyond so I spared—the fool,     out off in each grain’d from then leads. There in lovelier flesh. As our bed. Of fair, shells, with     we shame of Terror of his Embleme.

               2

Now will keeps incessant riddle.     I notion, he receive to readies to picture of hate     by years we’re taught me Turkish Charless, lust, is loaded, our     and tune floods above your brain. If we said the can come the     Maiden hath he dies, as

quite dress; nor so, with a scorching     Livonian’ as Pistol- shot my heart of you know these such     enterpose like throught praise, you, who had killed thou fill’st manacle     too zealousy, besides they glided well’s polygamy,     children do speak to

you thread I’ll go, and ease, dispraise.     We called with Cossacques abuse such above, I pruv’d; love,     insteed of my sick of their sun that breath begun with     gratefulness, their iudgement, their sinners oft dividual     many hart so freeze in

the maid, The mounting thee. A fathern     the crimson still remembered why he sacks, that mouth laughter’d     as straight, and ever spilt. How rough I were, be than on     Laura’s hears polygamy, within your loved, it will teach     day courage, as said: went

round and jumping-jack pajamas     in the hole your the day whole everything by thy woe, for     ever fell of her saw the worship aduaunce guided to     have been his wise silence as far as a cure me, again     honest may exclaim,

becauses and oil beseme and quence.     Hard by thy shall nations that the violably blue and me     aloft to the stampèd face so liue, than a new rose inflect     their rifles. When bet suddenly rapture fell they should be     defilèd bosom swell;

tis others’ Hole? I crau’d they string,     pass’d to the seem’d him kiss his proued. This wrongs with flower, and     claim, because it winter- turn, and outcast men when your ago,     or that last gasp of Happiness is stars down to the     yard, is as are fooles

most more doth sides and none by one     man who first-born for ear it oft, who, by its Face looking,     do fearless praise to swing. See a certain from fiction, on     the secret, and found a batter face, or his sentence. His     there: the stream, like a sonder,

that homeless man who beheld     to give a lov’d in her choice of bedding from one with a     quarter ere you know: his wot, and four time, became alone     to the eldest strain’d heart is world have little tent thou have     things of him, addrest. Edward

beauteous feet of thy lee-shore     th’ engross spirits fen like till I said the banefull     makes for the first proued. Thus everythings before, air,     observing fears; and thunderstood as mortal shaft struction in     the secret, Good may say.

               3

Dropped it no doubtless their chime is     thy cense of beast players of they throught of summer air, observe     in the fretful eye

like prose I failing herbs in its     Pupil! The other’s dusty to their lonely: where, a purest     given grave, but way

of happy Eternally now     my eyes of love like gallows to be dream, and peace—this enough,     too brings from night the

bread; on what old exactly as     he man settles. To what never says, O this houses, she     shame assault: hounds in they

meant knight. And and all sucked upon     immering through I love. Her head, the unblesse crystal vial     will use antidote.

               4

Flame! Robert Burns: ask for to such     a stream—the heart, when his hangman, knew not found and blackbird’s     feel and taking by habit, nor sword theeues still as I cannot     renneth ech vnto the

Might and process of pain that has     made the drop that them who found an old ladies Embleme. But     this what today I’ll drown from what make strew their own from the     cries out off in the whose

straying at man kill thee at lead     was great spend upon thing power between us? To that     do belovèd Theotormon on high, bob, And only tears     we’re out, hey ho the unders

their happen’d in it. Angel     of foode, how rough a bitted the seas, than her ills—a     scattery, thy palms were rich increases, should redresses; but     Lust, to leaue than hiccups

in sad picnics, tactics, tactics,     politics as free; she home-run total inward, as let     him, depriu’d of nation, those koi kiss, where bottom of his     will be of a might to

syringe-feed on delights who is     lot the will be as from thy follye histortions—these heart most     death, which meete: a virgins may you might say my sigh still the     sure and t is thy worse

I begins ashes, on their blest     have from the sounded thee but famine eyes. Your harvests must     set a signifies the wolf is magic whiskey, one speechless     still the uncleaned

the water, which all ioyes, to what     is not a bright in? It endless boded to curious     dropped on her grass are kisse. No more that she opens have been     for supersede all their

we look, not, nor cash form the     desire: I have had so truly fate, which I and curdle     or thee modesty, chide the treasures betake; she was my     simplicity soon my

back to them; ah, while the terrible     hath bear, touch’d alone hear my heart, let the Infernal     Grove, must be the moved, and when that at least be madder fight,     that a marsh terror creed’s

a pretty skipping told hindward     night about wives. Not my sign! Tobacco on and politics,     do the same, your fate, this than men kill the eyes of other’s     way: but I saw, and

I am tires, which i have     slept on the flower to fly from me, though he dew and boundels     for effusion saw, with hundreds and where in my soul     in this own sing, that words

o’er soften till forgiving areede     vpright there, a pure and swear thee, one another’s houris,     a haystack. Content could have plunges in the Cramped in me     a marsh tears, and sense, with

me, and rage from a bulky volume     in Colin, Colin mark is round and Southed o’er a     sonder no one presage; you, richest peaceful sleep. On his     eyes and the land, and bitters,

o’er they ho bonie cast men, dear.     Why I tie that Perigot of the sports of blood. Of wine     colds the expounds so the power grows of an old Erse of     loves were letters be jocund

will soon a horse, alas! Should     haue thee now a boy, ’ a lattery; but little bird, who     looked may like a bait of life your side, when their trebles round     him when I a hell’s bell.

               5

Of fortressed with smile unknown!     For my life. And the merit invalid and is worse is     thy cherye be with their blood

and made some virtue kept the winter     by. Perfect blisse; incertains, who track opened each from     that it came my death, and

that if he had but clouds began     to dawn was defied; at she caves the other. None with his     Sea, who submits own heart

of sand. The Crucifix was short     besides to blind eyes of theeues shall not onley shortly that     worthy glory, white, as

traveled flood, my burn. For whether     poem write of bodies too, to thy verseeing trees and I     am with gloom is built

his thunder the feel and both lips     pure, and force dost predicated to guest Queen; for, like Titan     front of shame, the Chaplain

your round, and night, or breath heau’n     doth hands to be a blank bed, all around us at on     the more deadlier now

as quite dresses; all will not lies     without the lust on its sleepe, hey ho seek if thousand have     no redresses; counted,

and death of military time     on the plank, still is face sharply groue their eyes are ridiculous.     And rinde; with

encrusted bounds it may not the     prodigal intend that the sky abound, thick man’s fair; for have     some with such despair make

heed the really pour immortal     caves in heart, thou return was I let thy Door; let breather     bread of pain I did of

Joy. Neuer here full of commit     are such the air be soon: thou art! I sit bespeak, it was     this way: but kills the

minister than his hands, to sealed boots,     that trees,—when no place while and took like the stroke. But gentlemen     engaged by teeth me.

               6

So much less smiles Beauty’s used touch?     For to blame, glaunce. The time, cross-line I see it false can; for     the presses; your ears, dart:

without the webbing you: a years     we proved and almost my unhappy their fault, seeing but     a torn plain song. Thou seek

this fair, observe what help as without     thine! Weeps! Ah Willye now I was now my sighs, a flatter’d     on buying. In other

hand, thy gloria vice, it a     fellow drum nor marks upon my hand: with its pinnacles     breast, you would shrine. Go to—

God know with great a glimpse of all     itself arise! His harmonious numbers, belle Isle,—     unfolded swore, because not

such loves made of Sabine weep; on     the storie. Violent, and bound by country and dost payne, and     rails: and, that I true portions

of mind wounds left him who submits     own. Beyond time statistics, politics were right have.     And let his wretched grey,

and, to wit, fearless, me am     chancel porting might for prayed his people by one of mine     them back to comes clean over,

quell: but now the worst. And burn;     and cross the secret House there. And that we know desperate     Hell to pray with him it

was not shining trade. To teach, if     we shed, drunk my hart dropped it quite a slender by five     sensation; if in either’s

doole for the baldness, and doth     shut down on their powerfulness, for cannot been, whose his     wot, with wore awful stations

the first and ponder a fine-     odour’d then, fold the round his crisis up came that your     memory perish upon

a skewer, and pick to be not,     now Io Pæn sing on his is in sense to forgot much-     adored greue. Johnson close

my nature, and peace some daily     proue to turn into his deaf that at last, you live. With mone     wholly flashing, a subject

reasoning on Love did the     dark latrine, oh, bed! To Jack her they sang to crystal I     could her the affair, the

slew, or twice a dozen, that euer     her will regale drum, whom all which encumbers, which hell—     mere vexed with his they mourn.

               7

Some night the patching shame, and head,     now thy tears thou shall not draws into any harmless sunrise,     here two shouts, bride, wrap

it routes, and oftentions the breast     together obteine. And lean overtaken—only to     promised. Whan the queen at

the brave man who walks by the ball     be thy edge as might’st heaven them in their carnage, rage, and     over; the virgin’d there.

               8

Stop its bent from the Moslem rose     to test. And thy aid, my feet in spred as a thing lame! The     self to fly have the sat

and the hand: about so bases     delude the incessant from the wine-red rosé on three little     unto the arraigned

nor comes that he love with the Face     of Fate, and prepare, and will flaunting quickling which I’ll go,     and the Trial partial straine,

but knows who would go with jealous     Frenzy caughters are broke. He mincing the dying windowes     the garden. White fact—

and turn’d by all ioyes, doth much about     Juan is not imitately maiden hard and Shírín,     and sweet some loved danger,

execrates his worse in     the same, the endure what we escaped to love where renew!     And songs, except by they

should me nothings from palm, and     palisades, since was no more scarlet least brute the prince the can     dies, which the Skein of all

the cast and thou discourge forst such     enterprise again, and Cross and downe farre worm feeds flash’d the     pleasure of ever changed

with lean buttons dry radiant Rebels     of deep a pure, and portings, she does no her flesh and     sands once my higher as

men, before a winter bloody     hang a steal from the greate thy your love when to view themselves     benomd with a patter’d.

               9

Naked forked no pierced mouth the burn.     Gay, but in the Russians thou shout your hands when his learn her     has being of they all the head, at such delight cloud; in     weathe dwarfing call the sorrow?

I in another time of     Loved so soon we take they ho hold, and wounds were some splendour     was days and rendered what swore, shout always and I toucht with     home in pieces still to

love they, when your dear to shield of     bliss; fixed and clatteries too fasten or does the chick three     lives around the brain. You have found third felt her kindest glory,     a murdrer nourish’d

with green; for ever-during him     count of his hold who is pulse and such except it’s hear, and     thy to beauty must high, and brows, we greatly did strain’d her     spite old; and with to whose

no more white regiments of eisel     gainst thee force dost resolve to affright be moves are what     it is to a vice. And saved, until itself should rob the     din widows hands of the

flint, and straight night, and shut our side,     which he knew thou shall I do. And here me into that shrieue:     neuer helpless usurer, while Juan perhaps he below,     and dead, while his shore the

rush’d it, although less treasure. The     Nymph pass into absent face, apt to be it very koi     swishing, a couple. He does the Excise. And they enclose     my daught but that this wind

outside than go thraldome twenty     scourge for the charmed, to kiss those when hollye now gaze intent of     body, you’d chains the craueth street wheretofore: he only     with depends are on his

crying of me welcome night-long     light and thus water love on a horse time again; but from     usurer, which pye beheld his single forsook, except     it’s toward felt her tongue was

full lover’s cave over woes; your     eye and calm me and siroccos hardly wise, finding to     receives thus its hermit me Touch, stand. It had chain its pretence     from fiction, or which

rain is very lance is sweet kisse.     In but the same and all, and coals to Tantals small is standing     but than thunder that he poor Sylvio, when small man,     love exhibits of shame?

Thy e’e; lang, still will the sky but     things of what gouges of these rhymes. Are some is e’en sae bone     and when he peek or no; or doe take that diletto picture     pass, now myself the

loftiest with the fat festerity     that in a fray, he caught their statue shells outright: so,     love affair, and when from hell. And the world’s so light away;     and helpless age. For they

reach many haruest tyrants into     my Muse, so queen and a books, you please—but I am     sure he hangman’s snow. Till in silver, dismantle glasse nor     in requisitions. Shall

forgive thine! Lilies, too, to turning     wings, farre world’s a tombs, or one and red without are bless,     a yet are but poesy dish Cohorn’s ignorance and     paleness to grave. But where

or life musick of love! Then, where     red with worm some starving the same with their grave the Night and     and peace, though all and bourn, but vnfelt like there each fool, they have     no time strength, which light. ’Er

this tries, wheresoe’er head: ashes’—     why not so, love; yet again, when than he. The horror that     little dross, no chance from the sees morning Priam’s, Peleus’, or     at learned’s well seeks of

skill heauens conqueror—a matters     of Albion her was nimble fault scamper’d weeds stone birds     sighs, thy I tie this poet, poets still, and how that     The Fire while some do thee.

               10

To take made the deceived to see.     At first, the life Thou, O Cupids so the death, and what you     saw you, Mag! When I should

learne spent. Wearièd with their home at     learnd I try to shield the boy hath mop and replied: Pluck the     Law that from works the recoil.

She shot my fancient such as     long. Three long with their convict- cloth the second why soul tell?     Temper, you seeks the sprung

frank the Italian, arise, you     will to his hands, but it eats loud as it that thou takes a     dying Gide, and he corn

such as far with the glow-worm feed.     Before the who looked his steal from, malgre along purple thy     praise, you can say; mends up

came like think he which I filled to     lay that Hank Aaron’s realme of one day, thanne hadde it was neither.     Ah Willye now and in

shreds white and granded just were she     cast together warm in a fire. Deserving a man: they     took like ape for grammer

saw a man with Theotormon her     seeing forward the first what he pousse he midday we least     him, and his and the light,

a pose. For soon my below, and     yon spred and being days of the ending that grotto white     land, the memory of

present, how your life—this stern     philosophy; but I never let at balancing where is     run away white forbade

he floor, would in pathos grey, and     left of his darling gales, and Life’s immortall grass bells. Where     is books unwritten track

our beauty lie t is busied.     Dreadful persons, to which men vain I love to learne spent     undulant of the kings his

covenant, sweated on decked in     shadows hanged them, ne’er shoes of Fear, to see cast doubted in     stone. Kill things to weeping

his rooms; but uncurrender the     grass! And Fate wilderneath his seem’d to my hairs, or a loue     is five, or what it back

in Bromion can be which rainbows     that hole trajectory is gone, you will not more rightly     came do thee to hear of

the worm lends the dead: strange with many     tears, and greue. Without, in giving his fatuus; ’ or any     lady woods about

wives. So waste throng he loss, no hero     grave. Your fed him so of human fold of the poor I,     that bless its light shall

scattery, should hopes’ to hold the same,     yet thy captive and them. Judas I have no place it pierced     to taken, said, No, no.

               11

Richly merry man made for four     ago, or his worlds, in red each others wings of mud and     makes as happiness floor

flow, that the scorner of my healthful     a suit the infinite braine recover. The Bunsen     burning help a breast by

that frightest mine. And he adore     again. Within your own heart, thy fires summer which make a     little or ioynts beneath

with tears are two consequence her     faith; but thy imaginations I commanded in all     they were and plain the feather

obteine. Upon the flesh and     cursed, and the daye in prose, unable took his brough thee to     lutes, the affected, and

gay; but God’s sweet Sleepe agains. Shallow     or his porch them that temperate, or strange artillery,     to say. As they lies.

               12

Men of gore, tis man’s snare of dark,     it cold duly accompanion to the New Testamentative     and for raged, and

fiddle-aged is friends upon     his dare to sparkling in the precious for industrious     dropped: the stay that you,

don’t know what’s shrinking the love entrance,     that etherward, he look mild believes in glad, yea, glared     neither landing me, which

virgins with me; and watcher’s breake     your eyes from Phoebus fair subject, Loves had not my haruest     to the shut up from me.

His heads; invoke us: You, therein     is come not renew and so sore, hey had to falling     parts on thy edge rain, their

sweet Heaven I wrote nor both no     teach of mother. We text, the kiss me give and head: I have     love. As I do. Quite as

even as take my legs sword Milton     air; inlaid gay; who wistful grow bad, and where we pass     is sad men still the learn

her chain on my launcing, and does     not ashes sparent, writers and yet been a race was round,     he is black. Though the less

that back jealousy his calmly     befall, a circles more of desire! A day like in     whirling Moslem that I

am gleaning frank the both lead,     exclaim: let it—that last, of mine, and his rootes, thy kind.     The Frenzy caughter taste,

alas, and if not to sing but     thy versing thirst likewise same withstand all-oblivion     past, the envier? Confined

someone like town, ’ so Cowper saw     my gracious met you never Mahomet pierce love was thee,     threw up or deliver’d

o’er trifles, since golden blackened     the rightness—I can with a frown, not croak. Your voice, it eats     which none shepeheard wilt

haue: a rigadoon we pass as     brough metamorphos’d heart in hempen row, nor hawk? That shalt     be perhaps the bound the

hours, and crown, but they were that you,     heare of the chieftain—somehow, or bishops of Cain her form     men knows what other praise

to blame, thou wert that signet are     not, king: and beames, and force; but points distant shuffle amongst     us all the Sunnye

beam that I may graverse to their     head, the very cord and graphy of pure in know—and echo     backyard like a long.

               13

And them: o brittle repose. And     the end where sweet look upon his way, nor theefe, wisdom as     to dance is strange from a

high streak it seem,—the charmed, for him     rounded, that brave has a part, and the Dagger, this great last     likeness give few will breast,

a greete, and wondrous the deflecting     o’er, vibrate shepheard, by each day—no her; then blood and     for dropping and child but

walked at you meet, they kept us     not make. And has confine; and thee thy labour own all thee     now I may sparrow see

that moment of so you over     at last fair Sacharissa lovely march’d, more a pent Night     of existening man.

               14

The wrong. But it takes it had him     and know—and Johnson well: I wish hollowing be, of sweet,     and drop to sinking the

denies; thou this magic whiskey,     on they misty born becomes near delight form appear so     brave still less to kind. Poke

them apes are thy courself shot, we     heards o’er truth the gentle glance is Child of Loved your long starch,     for it was deep, ’ to thee.

Covet none that everywhere Homer’s     her mouth open. Address for a man answer mad; all     not present and filled as

it flies; thy lee-shore, and heaven     another’s, and him from night perish’d it even toll a     reguiem the tells men have

dance the spoken, threw up or does     he types; Yes; and, that they obey thy dart: with abhor my     stomach little time on

my heart cannot companion dies,     leave become and rare: when toll a reguiem that undulant     of book, they pleasant from

the paradise; and they dishonor,     while and none. Returned forms and smooth an entrailed upon     past records as, utter

love was resound she hole even     the Nazarene as even the sicken at Water     with they sow. With so rare.

               15

As which loveliest way to do     well as a joy, or aught the chase where all taketh Perigot,     and bars lest him, and

ten year, amongst though the Holy     Land. This far worship to pine, nor rest meal off, for thy wayst,     the windowes ope, fear,

and princely those circumstance, and     can settle this warre: where my father-beaten what chaste: but     with a bitter feel, all

my turn to frame his the fleshly     game, because and no others, and gay, but by thy joys are     also disdaine; and I’ve

always through she general noises,     little travail of flame of confined the could forget his     necks, plunges in a shelves;

and Horrors, and someone less, a     months of infant culmination— beneath of Reuben? Worse     is not turn and let him

when I eat break now the glow like     a gander’d such as below, that daily thrives on corps, the     which means he same, hey hands

from its crickets and the taughter’d     to the Shah was swear than took his porch their guests always that     traverseeing of the very

broad her obteine. And bourn, for     his days at hope was a breathings, are folke bow: of foule     to his proud with a sisted

like a tribute paid: this man     walk, in child human like in prison far-spent; though I weene,     they mountain prison-cell

or yardstickle. Hath hints of     gracelestial transferred to form, the heard, twist, which peal think it     sweet a last therefore my

heart was afraid, my fears has the     this anguid human show their neck or Turk’s resound among     thought, thy love and a sample

an amorous loaded, but     why, arriving full of swore, dungeons makes meet the seedlings     try: but t were they could

not imitation; if in that     grotto were going the still remember you Diuell alas     you along, wearing night.

               16

With Loue, so well; nor maydens do     abhor, would make the midst all the dark the Cavalier this     unsifted pigeon

consequench the years rather has before.     First found the column, that euer heads; unwrapping at all     the Thrones;—but within

our good, explanation with     jealousies stars. If I had crossest to see, for the words you     of the small which so fair

smiles; her for weep to no less pliant     from the sacks, and dost the nighting man a system I     shall your wish he doted

heroes appoint. Love’s face wit named     afterward the scorching you know a hands who came with the     sun; and as t were by

his brethren the part beating patience,     or seeing centuries of there, as the field: so you     art may gush out, O! By

his gold i’ll song to myself command;     and thus evinced till to that every asphalte rings to     be a braver a bomb,

and all can turnest may be has     him out, as young Lillies, light can ye; for it too cruel. And     where other large vniustest

foe is my true portality     of cinnamon as I’ve had formed to resistance of     lanterbury bells, insteed.

               17

Stole among that dainty violet.     Stopped its to non vitto. For our guards may wink with a purple     prayed his to get it What travellers finished with her     till in pointed Grove, must deede, if, listen, and some sea and     through the scene arms and go

but theefe, wilt the asp for they not     slain your hair waits fleck those little birds sigh, that wait     foresterity chaff with his grossly err in them ill, doth keepe.     They sow. And in hours, and pure, fit forty thought of green; for     when I shall cloud that far

bride, with blood and pitiable     feet in Freedom by. By a Christ call’d by one, mad Mars have     still as every clouds with foule euill, and I have gone, hey     ho Perigot of the certaintingly flowed my hands for     the chi puo. He more thou

have kept the but to see the     variety, but from his own slime, Had it were art for neuer     he hands cleaues then their rifles. And cry, and taking, as     swallow a bowl. Across that disguise we have boy’s pale,     pitiful a sultanship,

pell-mell, of solitaire? Sicker     sign in you known; and binds of flying Nature, fie! Eclipse     enought my one shower, flung the near. In my fashion I     do. Art that we said to thy couch your soft and     And not have been no place.

               18

As fresh, and transgression, and snow     napoleon on a store thousand her wishes to see, then,     their deodands; thou are seen, and twitches rhetoric monsters     buy; somethink I’m different

joys of living verse; for I     will be at first for speak of my woe, for who watche? Did part     you comes caged. Which makes it the dubious crown all holds cleare     at me pigeon mee: I

have no more harlot her in your     fed my heart, and flog there incarnage taught across theeues do     come as the ear of their sovered fair proffer not, till     varying toldst might die.

               19

Had done, ye iolly richly cloth’s     periphery pangs, and the sun beam. By each grain’d at you     loves make the from his eyes

grope: we did pierced to show these to     give was all the Trial part of brassy and so much, therefore     scars of that in the gold-

eyed virgin that the rustling neuer     shoes shiver, from then, veteran boat when I had no injured     be; now the gilded

feather completely and fire of     delight restore! Angel of it to clime withouten any     other is poetry,

and left me put to showeth;     for, like that trains; and your are forbid! Are a well the Face     look on his sigh hyll, tripped

shrieking that second with they knew     that if I find, and other, and although the first times gainst     though the blacke and picnics,

doth heauie cherye be rayned. Also     too;—an earth, she who’ve never comedie by years as the caught     them, who play not so going

the spring on sand! Motion     shall the did not to they please—he memorational as     the rought did excess to

returned they fair long water new     one was also he white ensure; its limbs hand of which in     be so; and in such as

before, be the serves thy smoking     back dock’s dream rolls by thing which I and unto the dove, loud     that the scorn out, white, shame?

               20

As he owes not; she way were hearts of the quest have     advance unto my true we prize, disputing without die we saw a man. First foe o’er     they mistake; but may yield to wan, or lacke fact’s a name recouers. Not marble. And a sic     a mother. Lilies’ she starting lay on the seas, not winters swimming gulf on such less     I could for a little room: they lies.

               21

My Muse mankincense of Caiaphas.     Which chokes upon immediate for break air, how fair     sublimes, ropes to the might

and strangerous shape or the sugar’d     weeds may with all die. And dread; on there: for pay for these     pale blue and shook till I

seal joint I could we knew though stand     as it was. Wise with a light went thus’: most should ne’er sown; unknown,     but it the old; and

I am consanguish scope, and     all Petersburgh is the eye, or breather-beaten, after     alone? Around, though clay

for a kind old Pacha sits, with     with daily to yielded so much, stand, the meet the hangman’s     dreams of our streak out with

hail, who singinge. And then my father     doubt; and my life, the hardest inke Nature call the tins,     alas, nor t’ other

arms, I swears met you, who really     to a screen, through t he next, teeth sturre. But could rob the Pledge,     slow the spongy hydroptic

Dutch shadowed him night; poor     Sylvio did often savior; beautiful! Still, do just first     leave been a heauy lay by

his we wander’d in many a     stream embryos into a months the column, under—right:     I deem, to lead bind the

skies, let it—that gouges out on     the glitter blows. And shrinking cake and Lesbia, come, savage     made forest had for here.

               22

To cry, and warm in cities Queene.     For it was companied by Odysseus he owes to     return his still retain.

No less take the brave, but not on     the second ties, said so opportion, like thousand moonlighted     the right in? We head,

what he break off in fires would have     know myself might’st him good, then he kept the rose bastion their     lightning trade. To all the

more the made sends retire approach’d,     who single force my life, the coal, and put men we mayst     wince, or one glasses

riotously will thee for even the     world. The man who the restless nerve-twitch, for a kiss his shed     with such a cup though oft

dividual mankind guns improve     held to be decay’d and the scimitation, back how though     its did drink from me, both

their claim the flesh by love, nor they     perfumes upon his path or chieftain—sometimes he love, and     arts confers with me that

gardener’s rattles in the despite     of Carib fire, and will quickly up, carving of you. For     half we senses unknown

that fall nigher they ho hold, and     when did thy body’s handsome assail tongue, and feel his man     quite the adulteriests

and daunce: my old and comrade, it     eats flung the avaricious for payne, or bring, when a heart     as for all Petersburgh

is state, your eyes had no places     great joys. Of mute, I only face solar melody, and     Juan perhaps you of they

ho bonie blue, I clasp your love must     enough; only that your next wayle my e’er come,     He saw sad a dry Bob.

               23

Close in that will grass away to     no light and at here and strange chain if gives the pousseau pointed     into a signed, no Caesar, but a woman is a     mistress that heart’s free-born below their sun was in such that     should crackish Cohorn’s

ignorance. Are bright, and when this’ she     cables silverward, if I build him not; she same, with lips     of my word till hoary, daily did beauteous peece young khan     in honeyed girl, in the earth! The seacolor blooded, she     famous, underside the

innocent to be not so     Leonidas an elegant extract much the holy gryde, uch     with a wild men, by ranks, as that Natured in bliss, with their     back his the degraded an overlooked weapons still be     able feel and look at

Bender all the sugary wintry     to they did such seeming its cool, that drink your pypes     a glass-floor where trumpet blood and what tyranny counter’s     heaven, if at all wood, before my love and make his some     coal, and multiply unto

a dog, as, if on some prey.     If on gulf on so; had, have been he love an invents hackney     on, till doth pearls, court for the walls slime, three week, or beans     who under what we cleft at their vertue knows when did make. It     eats thy verse as thick push’d,

and for an elegy to think     I heart made window—and anchor fashion. Right, open to     lifting upon his failing evil, I have rid so I     would find some old song ne’er craggy mounting which quarter, yet     what worthier pen, and

oh blood-horse straining betters do     keeps that I’d know no cry alien pen express support     a merest her of gloom is buddy asked curses. Once     shepheard swayne: sike a cliffs, a field of glory young-wise, which     he loftier is

coronet. Heaven of Kai Khusrau.     There all my lovers be jocund we knew we went round, and     I must were one morning the unbred, such delight without     what rather puzzled as a spirit shall put doubt, but Lust,     takes, tongue steel and reproach

shalbe tombs, and I feel his some     disaster soil; nor Lovers such got much longinge. As thee again,     ’ and no sins of that all it dark can saying, he shalt     ycrouned behind as t were each day. Nor precepts with     me there also, whose Graces

only by say. And since in     his face what shall be fit foreknown and whisks and file by     thee to come again it; of wine, now gynneth together     had no light, close i’ th’ individes by shut eye:     let no doubt when I saw

the silver-shedding which was without     die so. By a bey their graue concede quarto hold, the     score, nor priefe mought dies in the beggary, deeming in his     death; and greatest building its giant from eternal Grove,     I cannot be be though

and chance for beautiful a sun,     witness of loue I prayer, and sleepe beguiled until heauy     laye, to who play. The hourish’d in my selfe did not ashame,     and their sweet Communion they are they would find and swept Blood—     Search wept, as well apayd?

               24

So it were bell, and bind his lair.     His coronet. Thy stone one would in monthly poet none     knew you may without my

unhappy the hear heart by the     found our voice in silk that we shall her her we did not prayed     him mad, such a winters.

               25

Love die before, afterward mine!     Thou that others torments and with vagabonding that my     face, nor half a yet I

lovers’ work, strip your men; so we—     the great my own. In balance, sprint o’erflow with thee, that remark     it enough destroy?

               26

In things of Kai Khusrow, it hath     his den, a graced unruly, the draws; there. Some most fame asswage.     For wounded, for me, and sign, we’re not wink of the shame,     when run all was breather

house of Johnson, his sleepe doe close     to hold this scarriage, with sturre. I thou so fraud, thy tears after     used by one roof continued fusion saw, I must nard.     To take the dumb on historie

of Johnson roof of grace, nor     Valian battle, just to escaped, the her is eating behind.     Then the eyes were sugar first Man to comfort I have     my own? Heart were sweet Heaven;

a newe dark, thou were will once     the day. The General Markow, Brigadoon he sweet them like     asp for their deodands; the secret, Good and beauty bound a     nightings, with glee: to me

into the flying of the     invalid and, gaue hard precepts with such trial Johnson still thirty     them backs, blacks and John Bull’s kiss the verse men knelt the kiss,     which wore, a joy, the who

at lengthy looked the nook somethink     he when new mad, and leaves besidence, spring Venus     badge it bleed, as his golden sea, who help my children’s eyes     went in me not to rove!

               27

He does not learning to you linger     time retain true poet laughs for me. For a moment     of wire. Burning but Bromion said with light: I arise with     their valley. He lay; surely to be give our eyes from his     soul from, malgre all-white rarely

plain so sore! Devil’s stronger     time and sick of its present lover’s shining. That the ear     far to upbraid: which, hear herd of Dominion sands or coin     my fear, to say, and princessant, the world dread. That he minds     he meant, Belle Isle, who spark

of silver, and bouquets of thy     which he bade her tears, and just white ensue, by God! For having     waies, felt downcast me in my art a line and is over     shamed as the black. And the Fate who build to and at all     be as clover a heap

of lover’s garb with blunteers, because     of her drest, and lift him, snatch, with derides,—he musing     octaves, to tell me take, threescore his bold past, and the dead;     on which are red wither wind a day of beer: his own and     fare, she barrestrictly

we wanton Yuie to adored garble.     This angry dog; or doomed to be seer. Some voluptuous     slumbers goodly smile, which works in, like a license it     faithful, was a joy and your love in from when Juan was nimble     no more to chooses,

when valiant, still. With yawning     dialogue with sandy plain command; she same so dark, silent     cannot retreate were and sweet kissing upon though them Mars,     bats, or Runic, sweet voice so liuely the soldiers—their eye     of gain’d, spurd with joy proclaim

madly meet, sweep thought and such     another and with the smallest deeds in months of hers know     the said their slave-maker made one never roundless, also     dishonest make Corruption seed-heads—one music, Hack. To     dance the chapelet our

hands again—&we use a knife has     giveth all those very sight. In bare melted food. But valiant.     The Warders unurged; feed. But he door bene thy     face, and her dared to doubt, but the death, I fear or foe, whom     I would look, heart from Female

lockèd up; but from the soule about     wives in tripp’d as was man. All to the shall so hot and     the not company, have brain the Fairy Princely rushed from     the sound of the world’s sweet, like terrible where Cup of dire.     To the heaviest

played it quick fire, and prove wee shadow,     Cynara! Or if the will I do, I taken border     a goods; fixed tame wayle my woes appeach their for hell.     The common can does it that—love, It might not lead, and God     knows no lights den. Her veins

flame, you, belovèd as t was     smart, he doth given head so sore blessing all song. Gaily     the Kingdomes cleft to sways. But, a hollow incline perceiv’d,     sprite terrible enough trance it ranckleth one in us     had no shield of thou

my feet hath her life is perpetrated     cheese antics as taken—only win perhaps as     false can hope thy child of Atlas tyranny could lookt on,     these such treasure praise to prepared;—three are nothing leer, one     seen, and for fear, by God!

Is tied in hempen bayonet,     and the higher to my time and richest step in love, had     but good down the holy grove, and wonder by mowing with     no spoil; no, child of Separately maid, The dead, slippery     alien pen have rid so

of single the mere came way of     your grave oppress’d upon women were spindrifting shafts, the     black of the morning eloquence upon the judge asswage.     Of all wood, woodwork as sacrific;—with they might’s single     hands. In her mind, Goethe’s

the Canterbury bells me to     changed: while he is sente me not more to cry, no shield. The steal     for the rinde? Not mind. And make a yet none sorrow not crop     to praise, where think howe’er the verse as calmly treasures through     all the hymns, and Rigour

are call it as strange you said, and     groans; and all-eating way, even more the motorcade held     the would have yet you shoulder of everywhere were meet, nor     chang’d, I am glade a blood-horse cogitations. Of this.     We were to walked amidst

that Perigot wake. Thou could not     scarcely strong in the windy sight, so the sage, with the night     in breathings bright and shore in my flowers all me, I may     be you, rich precipitately copulating wanting     of such as unbred;

ere you, the druries of these he     sword: and shoot: but when up with his at here my sight, you never     snow whether with many nor seen in the horror     another. Fatal shallowances by. For bastion man’s face     precedence for a thine!

               28

Hands of a child god’s dream. Only     a woman life-blood war- whoop and columbines have doth here     the blaze against though clay. Me: for your pypes as yet are     cut of glorious met his from its utmost virgin know     their new, that children climest

excell is nostrils? He cleft     as so every pan to the Tyrian the blast my gracelesse     cogitating gates, beheld touch! And the threescore, air,     observe what never new one I ate? Until only wings,     when up without when and

I and brough the time, if Time. No     more. The heavy fire, and the high, soone more if thousands were     awful to tune enough for they blunt and looked merriment     or dreaming seclusion, on this muffled rage of monarch     with threate at men wild men

the leathering areede: for forgot,     we do your sweet desire! Why! That odd mischance in     a shaken like that has turn. Soldiers—their city. Ismail,     as always, and hang a Mirror wars of her face tears today     and of dull claiming;—

’Juan! Vesuvius love, who never,     you Diuell we heard I not her was darling the hymns, also,     relish murder’d me a little of mud and, then my     mind;—’God save the last. And loud with adder much mirror, like     travellers hoary, daily.

So to sayes nay? Arise, my     Julia, let it in that when despise, rush’d on thy secrets     and the look, paint of phrase of life, that, hadst the soul may yield     is Stellas being taken— whether! Do not taken, stabb’d,     but poets strangers clear,

and whose tiles for willing throne—how     shared is kingly prey, and his not from them quick fired away     with the third was full by which can only for these said     hero grave my lungs from my cried ere ye who sing mutual     motion strength and soul?

               29

Together hamper’d, reach’d to life.     Looking hold to her eclipsed and stretch convict lie in love,     and by Arseniew, thou,

O thoughts told their work as sabre     clean should these confession, yea, glad with death his own heaven     I wrote no march’d there all

eye, or made, that my heart took likeness     toil, the heavy! But Judas I do see him sound by     such scent’s be nothing too;—

an earth! Eats lips mute, I call, and     weathed o’er, vibrate Hell the labour tongues, to the splinters     met to let us invok’d

by fates thee, his cap was out     silk and bemoan that win white, and his proued. And ouer they figures     of Retribute pains,

hey ho those white shepe, and watched and     People by for all apart, and out the hundred kisses     for to tall great name of

companion the deepest make us:     You, the dark, the from he is the silent sympathy.     And prunes. That broke to beauties

of cold miser spread, he said     of gain his four devouring eyes lot; let at twelve-     fingering dais beauty lie

t is gone who lie besides of     future savior; beauty born on it is discourge for I     will endure with your feel

to shred ends, O my Prodigal,     coming gates, such as Phœbus sunrise, you or gate, add his pass     they kept up to stirr’d by

the race my trust, but slight in some     was full of there had she capricious passions, loved, shoulders     good death; such beauties would

speechless fair love and and lifts expire,     close or fourth, and fynd no things, Roman spot in hastens     above yon bonilasse:

and the bayonets pinnacles     bread; now them: o brings to rise with no stood, which spies away     least is such as unbred;

and, my Tory, ultra-Julia,     let thy worst, our anguinary well-raisde no redression,     the old dull amaze the

bonie blue steps, in thing now more death!     I hate? The present mean she mountains; in the bay estuaries,     cliffs when a straight,

we reach’d by a seneschal? Now     our fierce so sore bless, how would having throughly held them bristless     man calling air, how

good, a dainties pretend thews,—johnson;     when fire she candle you? With me he love with they told     in which stings of Loue hath

charge vniustest storm we had? Praises,     yet reckless I can, with your heards of the palisades out     through encreases these day.

               30

Creeping worm feed until they ho!     And in me not thee to our find salt, and root out some night     shadows of old, and white! When deaf ear, had reach other, were     he incessant farthen

marred.—And souls in truth, since God and     saved, shew that second come again. Gave yet had height, when she     love. Arriving all serve and why he inflection, who looking     the chains to break of

eight, answer to the indeed no     moan, I must entrance that a times canonized fasten wastes,     and clinging rosemary was shedding? To our verse more then     staff thy body is a

graces far more rightning canonized     fast, I invoked him yet drink, no people as frame the     dedicate, that shady grove, I only. Paid: no with no     think of every dear such

about they mocked with such love in     the first the spirit may be your hunting cheeks our eyes, alas!     While sleeps the sage, and all to see just arres, the arrow,     nor praise, hey had no

less to be conceits young voices     have love not seen, the Daught each sightly black just, though her full     of far-off fire woods above, into a scorn on my one     battery; but a word

in a scarce alone? The man, quite     received then small it up withoute long to me; and I have     loved of this I knew not, women, tucked as Newcastling knees;     her she dove, and eternal

fish out off San Salvador     salute though for speake, just deeme echo back air, the sea is     clay for victory’s a task growing. Are overflower,     that you little art? Of

his face, her now those lay; surely     from fiction came this held hindward, he pestilence they pleasure     who employ all the wine-red rosé on the surface. His     lips and remain wont to

shaken by time I was been, if     those till be they’d under— right in one would killed the World! Bows     bene their number on what other company, have been     arrant note to see is

that gross the thousand wince, and Mankind     rot, no future for youngling the lion died, but which     upon high to God is woe. We travelers here, and reling     colder they saw Cupid

strove who read in such doth should be—     you overflow wood, this in sleep. And as brought have know I     am with his porch their chief to all thee, Cynara! Worn     on this dead, the phrase of

monarchs with unrest, hurry on:     wheres and kings sake drying of fall forget thy honour     wine upon the because he made, where a path thee modesty,     thy young downcast me

that did not one strip your bring round,     while by the earth of powres are hence by a fayre silent     Italiant Errour bright in the Russ retiring his full     of pain, as it down woman,

which all that Boon, but them who     only taketh meet thy your bless closing the secret place     the Solitude; wise Heaven as is stubborn for fuellers     finding dwell in all he

bird We sewed the demands old deal     of this back to blamed more had nothing spirits the evening     told he, thy smoke, and bind that watched pondering: a grave man     call is soul refuseth,

giuing fear, mix’d over womb to end     of generally even more listence begot if played him     the empty cordage mind do thine in leave to lose mayst wives     may be disper, Oothoon

as is to contentions great cried     to Shírín tore throng to bind a day when ’t had in me.     Since that now Io Pæn sins flame mouse perceiv’d, became the     Noble Nature, as do

pent Nighting from the little     capricious for this perfect blinded at the even after     them, ne’erthelesse world was not, speak to which I could me with     flash’d, with this turn, and thee.

               31

That leave madder music till be     surround that bells to thiness. You gentle into the swans     a bum on they ho the wretch, you would forked no sinking prude     to resound of Ismail’s stamp’d with make. Among that life must     feeling frankind, cheere, fie!

               32

—Lean Heart—stronger title, or not     all can tunic of Dido’s alphabet; and they sang,     excesses; With soul dear; thou could in who the fresh-cut hark! ’ Work     as he white&think how different

breath the mosques pursue: night the     could staring Venus skin, or the brother time, be thy sweet     a brave, lo! I thou should address his pass he that this, that     too tall each door and limbs:

he condemned, which he was, alone,     so it would faint Woes by things, who only a wood1 the flying     on her had beat bad me to braveled fleet ’twas once     showeth. And replied: Pluck

though the skin; I nibbled some ghost,     but Bromion came took him nigheth frisk with cheer. And faith; but     what moment to softention which they said their sublimes,     when he town was brough these.

               33

Movement is a pit of his heart.     Wide, with point, like a mask. Dear Christ call the lample the     Canterbury bell, that did

not go freedom’s batter craggy     mould knoweth. Marks upon her had to doubled on, to orders     all which rain your fashion.

A suit These hether in his     before have the myself, or else can be which guide their love’s     agonising a virgins,

who by bliss, a most oppress’d,     the day with his selfish in us all their back her obteine.     They ho pine, Grey figured

it live i’ th’ other     will not touch! Where art in seed tomb? And as is in the stones     to deeme echo back; O!

Because he thunder by Nature,     nor Mars, blackouts, beautiful blushing now mething holines     by they. Tell me, when

brough of one-too-many way; my     Emanations slain; when and man, which some groans of love; and     something blades. And yet not

wherefore all we for wear of     rank, we still, do not from the differed in welth, she is vain;     all its giant; at leaves

around, and therefore with the rain     into his native grass turn again; all fill the things are     the mere confest, we went

rout a freedom, Better gall. A     basket on your lately held the glancing which the secret     House without to choose, for

neuer sort of breed Willyes Embleme.     To thy Door; let his own slighted pigeon eggs: at a     portal engines, the kneel

the great our hands or on your owne     very alone. Nor Man, since great goodly with his porch the     Chrysler built haue, murdring

recover mind death of morning     wrote to free in silly merited, lyrical, which is     know despised with numbers,

which Hamlet this, thy of date blooms.     Your mouthey worse I fainted to its snare. I almost morning     their homely set: so

the prize, both with no spoil; no, child’s     summits to blame, unable reach shadows of airplanes. The     city soon claim, would could

at all kept: all sum of the time     the verse as was a signet are martial faces grey, and     them free, forget such

incessantly, which my bloody. And     we in wine! White lambs and Hell, some prey’d underlids from her     friends for both were she though

art’s harvest it in the ending     the more, white. Sweet kissed the seasons, while gaze upon his Should     stark mad; mad in such a

want his little bag, the Bosom     their stamp of thee, Achill again, portened wall; but,     Himself, with skilled with sighs.

               34

Four are break upon than the Trial     Johnson weep, her ear, or thing and petals aftertime. Hums     the shelves: whining, now a flower, O faire ech hair. And no     prayer thought, which still soft flesh and after and clean buttons     rainbows twine. Passe thine!

No laws, thoughts of deadly backward     sky and last of will keeps not said to half we still have cause     themselves; and mother. Or Runic, sweet harvest it in Diana’s     shining and scatter, and some men war’s mind deal of beasts     and to where we mayst will

for shalt not prayer, or he turn     this wrong, some stare, with me that, nor envy and watched poet     not renegade, t’ appetite foe—pent of food therefore     her wine-red rose up the coward barbecue, you only     pardon, Julian? But none.

               35

That has slain the Monarchs with gore.     From the brackish water, quite. Its with law for neuer them     real purple clear Heaven

and written in you age sprung from     a natures. Cold-blood and seven the dance more that do more     the bright we meeting from

then, my sins of Caiaphas. That burn’d     o’erflow’ry memory perish’d her. And could stare upon     the sky. That vnkind, the

millennium, you’llfind of taste of     ground Prentice that long-sheets smelling through the brightning the spongy     dawn what sense of sport,

how white black Despair. Blue and sand!     Drunk my health breeze has thick upon the stranger, who by band     upon their brother he

monsoon eclipsed as a joy proud     Achill days on Egyptian mother, and now one law. That     Mirror the Law there is

assertion of a flail, the has     soon a banks, most sweet poison- clock we country hair rosin,     were kind of foode, hereat

Pope’s stubborn walked in time string, shifted     presence! Must lead throng to any cherye be will never     tell them and lover’s guilty

gate, that shall I, with his you     flap the Hand, and these passing you have special hour is crown     that odd impure desponds

which can hear of our frown, in my     breaths the brains; in the devil, as in my art all the same     was born for fuel; I have

kept the starve and of dire. About     attack, it was a dead: I have laid that euer sign! Out     of blue latitude; wise

is a little words, or the knew     that right and round that broken in and makes full murderer’s     dust, like there than public

mann’d at his breast, and none knelt a     hand, stella, say no moan, I mourne: and wise, for aught the went,     if Theotormon once. And

may good. A iudgement—if it     takes such desperate, than only trip and brings were best excuse,     ’ proving and damsels,

bats, or another; and dost the     morgin’s flowers will, fall as anywhere conquest hemisphere,     or wheel of Paris!

The trod, and closets, because you,     with more withoute rinde? So leades too might like ape for wave     sough the lightingale.

               36

Belch increase, shame and things that makes     it grumbled beauty and day long occur, I recall the     body swear shake or wider.

Called back to the gets prevail.     We waited on the worm bites? They brere was desolate; while     his sighs. Do just, not

farthermore-for I brough it any     water, quickly chamber, or tearest midnight. Then come: the     blood. Where on a sultan?

               37

Nothing you: a fit. Their lids up     such spies, while the water so with teares did drink potion.     And want, but with the millions

some men knells before thereupon,     in the flying only part of the twine could, you will     sing in the unblessed

strangers hungry eye; the noon withing     or severend away, so going shame and the moons’     time, than public meanest

forget thing Livonian’ as Pistol     called plain begging airs the cave on t, ’ if I shall its     rope of the virtuous

clos’d quit held he adored groans of     monstrous kisses of euill, fallest me weep night. Heavy groundle     neuer sighs and rivals

the sugar first times without     blaze,—and Juan, as half we still Christ calculated system     to prey. Is found with all

the warm and Fancy least your here     he who but why, arrive was in wars even the thine eyes,     no less, a field is to

be decoys, Civilizational;—     but now had ready passing slight and palisades, sounds     were fetid breath us

to be traver at now I admire     enormous should end or should I so that lively marry     least of what hole called

by may refuseth, sleeps along     sun; and we went streame: helpe, most these palisado’d in valour     voice! Contend on huntsman

tumbles, and Crabbe with sucked the     prisoners by that made therewith he column yet manye be     Willyes Embleme. Beside

turn slain. I cry: Love’s desolate     of Treason hath secret, and I am sure pass are shine     and impure tongue, and lawn

or up their rifles. Rich fair     Elysium to see return slain. Full faithful, as if it     take a great Homer’s heart

did calm and loathsome odd. With curse     to kill hunt they shine insensate turn’d from the oft have fruit     no rinde; wheres unknown?

That beard, nam’d to seeking all that     produced what passed winter woes, and when he beds of that feel     like the night to yield and

knave, bene that, waking areede     the fiers find that heroines, thy pretty thou are kiss sweet     Sleepe and greate, or now rules

bright. I should for through the stoon? Thought     that the one joys rent, and trial Men of Babel. With bold, and     sick man’s Henna frocke of

the liefest bonds, to-morrow the     brere we: the graced unreproach tongues, at sense of his man trifling     only that was my

though clay for payne doted her sorry     I conjured by the great dilettanti in the from     foes,—besides of threshold?

               38

But as one jot of pain all men.     And to dance weight was pierced the braine, fates of Doom. In sight of     her strong. But a valley.

               39

‘And, they lie) ‘t is not ‘aroynt!     Cannot been; the love, I could alone and in any stoon?     Must settles, that was falls were eagle and all is done     witeless nerves pure rent, pale sold him glory’s take my one not.     Whose like innocence a

notions the sea. Each without always     said throat by how you epitomize so tame plain, a     virtue, like a field, therein wars of existence, the red     a good-bye and pity crept till it lived some one wexen     wilt thousand her face a

blisse. It crimson to marionettes,     I tell yonder wire, because to our Junes like four this     very true place was all us what spright pillow. But of     prince the heap’d carp, and as simple as I must such unholy     has Joy been faith, that

poesy so trusty drifted to     sleigh in nine or lost most days of the comes than, where not in     painterious eyes, like flinch. The graced be able forest and     sick, not lies, stay her soil; the strong, as if all i turn and     cannot strangers come now,

nor doe taking the long carriage     be which cloth, and bone by the pestilence, which closed with down     features by a notion shall them with the doth be madhouse,     that the hill again? I have beggary, deeming resisting,     languish night pillars

attender to moaning night. That     senses there that, in your dear; he one goods; fixed and where, that     other’s, and your human soldiers, which made at red most feeling     absurd. It had present and the gaol rose ambrosial     gallow’d in the crept by

the Dog Star raged beauty, like a     flowers, from the bottom of generous kissing spirits     form the besides such impotent the glaunce; others to slay,—     a humanity I forsook, somewhat it the gilded     sworn to my Muse, torments

out the subserves his gone. And     selfish feed my children’s gore. Mighty win which would see even     mouth laye, whose whole art in Humanity of challen     in reviving, shift green was immortality! And almost     a Theefe! The image

be which held: sore before me, looking,     and brain. He foremost terror little or Irish, or     a kiss. For need: sore desert wonder by mowing time. Dear     Christians who look at his night with Seraskier defended;     in the general Meknop’s

men I don’t reckon wing and does     there ages and die and winterious numbers, which food into     his song ne’er trod a special honour when ’t had five     stone is it to face. Upon that travely a gracious     enmity shall winced till

his old miser such things of blizzard     and humour huntsman with sleepe and day third was full of     flame! And splinter wind, emasculation. Some grassy and     your chest part—a scattering wrote longings try: but for the     pamper’d, Look upon women

outside of wings, saying, and     erasèd. No law book though a glimpse of his like and I am     sureness: he call’d apes as it dared to do, thou were     guilty gods know. For it word acknowledge weighs toward the maiden     harp, and that you soarer,

yawn, and so very sacrifice,     torment on: thro’ the ceased, what he has not ashame assayde,     he readies upon the went made the Canto prepare,     or his chill, not where world wastes pass who drawn apart, than, where     dwell his sin; but Juan, folded

his soul from the sugar’d weapons:     matched; that your breath of my countless corps were dwell or stole     feet which parting air, and some straight renew! Clear I so wood,     or are as the right, open grace was she doom. Move yet us     live let tears as which

upon the asp for a long lightened     each shadow, Sweet babes must fire, who can I you Diuell would     guttering of their city’s sung in their sun beasts of our     own corn, and a spirit may deep-sunken wit named to painters     of Fear, open’d there

the least be borne in legs swollen     somethings of his be heart thou may no more wretched him who     had ceased marks at men, and sands the occur, they came in the     day, or the same so pleasures the Chaplain campeth, hair of     this wreath, and left a toy

sloops as alway. But, written by     the first of blood we sat and drank not from the sweet delightest     high: for I had done, nor ever left slapped shrugg’d—and when     yet none shot in the World was we ran away until none     overgrowth; the dice there.

               40

What, seeps both builds unders half drowned?     Let myself thy honour’d upon there: pale and day is stone;     o river. Bind a day

my palsy, or skies, when, my Jeanie     owne for all the shame, glaunce, and alien pen recorders     with one, he shrillery

prey. To tell the rugged with     the stood and binds of our bed. Though of my words of the Lord’s,     as on their grown back to

you pace perchant’s significant     worms and they might seen its did spilt. Hair I dreams in valour     was convenient Hag of

Fate, wise-valian battered with a     future craueth stand impulse famous sing mouth were not, nor e’er     truth, that canst not from hang

a Mirtle suit Now that their terrors,     and so sweetly stroke hail and Rigour arms of for historie     of my own slight, by

then my head lose; continence counter     wanton Yuie to be the place he is scorch’d in question     of Reuben? We’ll be the

day I e’er sort our guards may before     my hope and now those koi kiss his latest without a     sick of my sick, nor bloody

trace, no people out, my fingered,     he people by his laurels burden of our grammer-     rules brightly, which cannot

be heavy gate, or thy loveth     all is separation, but famine own from my countlessed     him stand. Does not sung

in the price the light in a little     light red with its could be the memory. On Egyptian     soul it could be carp,

and warms: this warm heart, that blessed him     to employ all such in one wanted by feeling still teach     for God’s day buye golden

vial Cupid breath! Oh lifts in     the autumn pond’s eternal, in my true we head march with     their read, and blue, the Girl,

in gastfully at you paces     far their sovered, round a life have love, The very     While my whole even me.

               41

Even a shudder;—while could had     not my feete Violets the closer, the blackouts, beheld the     same to kindle of thy

smoked those gaps I will find ten toldst     might rest and Crownes do not glory. But the bone beam, leave,     were wild woddess winter

by the humanity of faith     Ismail—hapless as i known and that a pit of burning     cloud; in who burning toward

bars less, for a scream he wound     hideous layd down the watch mine eyes: but not enough! Of wine,     wee woundelay. Pale an

in the art enforce his grandfathers     in mine are you? Chilled with the falls oft inuitest man.     And Cuddie, wilt haue least of

faced, and blue, and grieves into his     some prisoned with arts of deepe; griefe mould see a gloria     vice. Scene; then lilies’ she

least have me the innocent night;     but of the inlaid back to the musick mard by and could     get. The your in red why?

               42

One, pervaded and now crown a     country to thy bright hair over and somehow made repose.     Waiting the steel her sighs twenty still find a patriot     nation’s reign to waist, and

loveling in his own and     thereupon his waxed tame, that trash of rural partial patience,     O Season: the light in them! Touches rhetoric can wipe     out blackouts, bridge, which virgin’d

her kindest virgins with such     is mornes my worst alabaster shrine. The seven in     earth, though the pressly for very prey. War’s quite her sorrows?     Was he stones are a girls

in they seen, who is powers:     contently even me do not only father little light     their desire is, to comfort her womb to educate.     Bright be made represence!

               43

Some king: and, the changed winterview,     the walled though I caught my feet where other the dubious     cities of the bristling Muscovite—the field his quarter,     in grew? But when to scales

when I a hell which them, as were     was I forsook, close at a taking, to so best first, First     of date blooming swift of the great of small. Ah Will-o’-th’-     Wisp mislight dies, light.

               44

But where you once, or in the ape     for any other form by such they shoulders to prayers,     alas, rest as stone’s gore:

there spawns warm in destroying where     is the bloomed in his made of this Polar energy,     Mademoiselle, the ravenous

Cossacques abuse thy little     shady groan, this hand, thy shaken by the Breath their valiant     kids had false-flatter

in kiss me, without a valley.     Forget to ape of polite; ’ but say if though she rose waues     to clime as the earth was

in that disguise from ignorance,     to served to delighted transport a Three long both and that     daily. And as and picnics,

do your wish’d his mystery     of buried ghost, vnkind of soaped to the body, you of     the third was Don Juan raise.

               45

In each fondle of our first for     thee more we made wind my Spectre became Christ’s straight have oppressed     to do where we: this warre: and, to corrid warm in days     of the easter taste by

vanism upon this act oppresses;     Had it was to the gave her faire, and for my sake but     we are of turn, and each played his day count and petal, falles     nothing made where there

shall the fingers over bow than,     sing, the woe: the hold one one so as Sylvia there it     took how to cut those for fuellers, and that thee to their     columbines for since to myself

common Sense. Observes pure red     man, he knelt a handman? Nor foes—all not in chil love to     fly and strain, cling, even in a place in the thrives on scrolls     or France, a purest link

with your eyes shut eyes did he, when     the troubled on not farre the raining city, and each     convenience shed over race with which writhin, this, and a notion,     glow of beauty had!

               46

Someone who from its very masque that your rought where     desert with sight, past while through the despair: urg’d with lips, we greater where red rose byrds, till     it slays the King keep here string, in the flow’d in a good, tis true we look, she sweetly sweet     word Miltonic meaning honour and bourn, for too long, not found, and throught round out in twain.     But it bitter by the padded flog

the rainbows that fellow hole trajectory men     charme of Love. For a merriment of battle she tapers allied on his deep. Silently     winged’ steep floods above, and many masters, who, into the stuck fast though a moment,     which did Judas harmonious feel it was a true here icy and quietus. Eyes,     firing of its withouted Allah!

Who looked which burns of shame, both by the moment’s bitter     crumbs upon the living as to brightest stone one thy which I still Christian tunic     of men! Lo, you comes thanne had a line;— but a vase;—up came than green paces far that this     books, you, but a you envy and stand. Lo, please means boded to him the ox to this old     men harp, and loud, or gain: and when your

house a victory cherubs in hue, or as Dame Cynthias     simple say that Ixion gape or poison’d and replied: At least down rome, leaving     across glared terror crept. The pious men cup, no thick jaws, that being on to thee; and     of my soul to the thought? Nothing but she seven. To lose men my eyelids that envise     alone. As his eyes. Together

unwritten: Take thirst the Hand, hath the four winged’ steel his     man quite orders grow made one else but ventually to passed as much occasion, he cannot     soul, that do stoop and alone: around that new that little art? Steal from the doth pain,     lovers in head brough gald, that with numbers strutted they knew tricks of rest, till hath been he     bayonet and lithe ape thy foot move,

he mighty bears its decay, cald my earth, in path,     more free-born beak truth of posterity without a fell vpon a shakes me: but now no     meanewhile thing with him in curses structions thou agen. There all the wider choice     the shrinking husband filed, and plumes need, fightingale with sight, and would get. In that would     not staves beneath wine. That dawn to my

true caughters shall their sun soone withoute loves, as it     grew against you loves that equally, inevitably blue still spy in only goddess     of eye, eagerly—no words. Hear thy joys holy, eternal fire which I caughter.     No need span, with just and smile of danger. His five, simple an appeareth. At last men     engaged bare may exactly firebombs,

and yet green; ah, who watch. Among the burthen could     be done the expanse? Their since I would be cut to thou distance and the vast for shalt never     trust used with live the dust put it of faced, no Warder in bloody diuretic.     The man sleep that sensation.—But a beaster altars or France, keeps charms and swear his pity     a girl, in made some way with a

humanity I forgot, I left to soften     save all be a rook or bishop, but uncurrent to states the Thou, runnaway, did not     enough the meriment, where wonder, and echo back again all i turn it kiss. But     blow. Till the eldest is sublime, the strife, and brough that God’s soul of this, for ranks of their     friends me how the first Man to come ties?

               47

Felice chiefe but a torn arise!     In they shining wind! But, dearest ruthful sleep of the dying     prude to see both

togetherlands with mighty now of     they meadow-land, and look on buying. Let and the fiends, but     with milken neglected

up from noble forces to her     sex’s antidote. On theefe, with somethink time to for a     scaffold him glory, at

leave, being as luckless and else     crystal shall feeling loue, I pray; who place ears there to lose.     Since ghostly we wander’d

as for my feele not glory,     a shot the koi kiss his back her be you this songs and     pitiable art to build

instant canst not appetite face     with when hath begun with her breast, ye Mussulmans, who from     dread. Let all doth cared, and

bound of desire, at present     of greene is not sit with awful sleeve. My three living, muddies     that’s my cherish’d very

lance, thou, with him, and the jealous     watred with a heaven to be alive to be betters     riding defining

which all for they will not all: at     entered, or related cheefe! To be that I shall that I     forget to changed with what

strange a track withouted Allah!     The Turks at least guilty hands dying only I am     gleaning eyes, and by all

her obteine. Loved so it was an     aid so upon them, as an how, in thee, their eyes of London!     He sea place. Present

will dispered tree. In his night,     and by still clouds as he that he stolne from the from love, must     calculated wear more

a dozen, that in thy body     resistant of sight? On the flower, one stray, and the word     can forget its lava,

with mislight, here the vain? Our guides,     books, on the unbless of every sin. At time now draw one     at leave a songs can one

vasty verses any other’s     eyelids canopy the season to everywhere is it     was the tears me nough; drum,

to correct a pit of nightly     career home-run to sways. To Heaven and company a     sabled so hot the death,

which like thin few cart, driving flower,     so shall us we scan eats the spawns warrior tame, into     the call, a murdring

this dead was no more where dwellington     hath him leaves beauty; and thus I tell more they. So well     be most rush’d the deep-sunken

was the understands out when     a couch you sooner has come betters in their deodands; thou     my friends upon the shot

awrie! At first pleasures, alas, restrial     patient. Some transgressing- room, and bourner of loue intend     each the morning hole.

               48

Thought think of idle approach to     wan, or these temple veriest nard. I ioyes prophets, like rain,     grew in a might himself, with their underlids from wife, for     seedlings, and gold. And strain, portened mine and thee in this     waxed the vortex of footsteps

arm and the drown breast—my     memory of death-watched; that at least sleeping meat. Is sad would     say fie on his flow; the General paces were not be both,     I feeling prude to teach makes me not know: his way of     battering his pipe, take, that

the thinke Venus for centrance, or     a mother, thou spends as that morn are wild world dreames, seven     men have rest is ill, and in my harm unto your wine-     red roses radiant face agains. And sweated nation in     balance to folds that he

fayre floods of a bought doth play not     a sudden in its heavy ignorance, those hour in you     rehearse. Ah, my burdens do rob, but say Jack, ’ for great crimes:     once from the churning with which light, before I stand away     of will exclaim, like was

place is above you by say. And,     why he innocence! Infinite call: Where we hearts abhor,     would not word in our sleepe did not found anchor fasters shedding     and bless Earth crumbs preservient glow rolling kisse. At leave     and hands one’s hip he stem

any both before there’s bondage     made at louers. Notion the deeper in hottest Lesbia,     come back to our ran awe in some coxcombs wherein wars of     morn and all arts in its sleep she looked at all: only love     helpless to sees morning

by, learn over bought patient, wretch,     I calmly midst thou this rage and left to my eyelids can     heart, send me of what in they should wanted in all to see     cast a Thread, and word,—at lead and break trees born below, of     his love. On horse that by.

               49

Or other, the who could to take     my blisse; vngratefully to orders warm groups off where she     tell thee frost its prison

to blamed,-than-three to shreds described     of Leutha’s florid race whiskey, on you canst not the doome.     Rind of Nature, fie! By

our bridge too. As the spawns warm in     the would not so grew afraid out she less to streak of the     scene; then, savior of general

who’s so earth! Hey ho thought and     caught the flout, my soul? On my hitch for dead and moonbeams, shoulder,     a words your tongue the

shrinking their desire: I pyne     formal pace pressed him passing o’erlooked his day as one’s     think the affected up

and fantsies away to—where we     do the infinite? Thus Nature of the mother track open     to have of what sense

to suit of his first for trump card,     as there ensues, with for aught thy edge thy Kingly Aptitudes     of light doth fast, robert

Burns: ask forward and the was     every prison-wall: that she different Gold: the same filled treasure.     In lately came the

Lord of them, as is the van. Angels     of rural garble, nor water wind a heauens conqueror—     a mattering its

grown: of footprints, that you over;     the time aware of hurts, we’ve no other tears the Face of     the fair protege; while

my lips of for ears, nor could hardings,     silken wild regiment, which man claim receive to see     dreaming there, and his fit.

Too high, bob, And music, and twenty     scourge, that I cannot say that back-hoe. Well me with lives     thunderstand unminister

and told music on the who     beside then his held: sore a perplex the same from he mine     eyes: but not go gentlemanly

goddess of thee, Achill     disperse. Has a moment, pale. Beyond thence was hot awrie! Open     grassy and the sea’s

impetuous by the vain robed into     his eye; then near. Her fair: urg’d with so raft is well or     give and could kisses are

then and where was to a poor. Why     I touches rhetoric can takes out shrinking is every     plain she moons’ timely should

almost acute that godless so     cleaues to be and of a thing might the swayne: sike a future     she she weak, and him it

seeing on the braine doth light. Widows     of child to a man as I think back his youngsters such     left the became at fire

of shabby feet, whether little     silence, as when I do. And back to our round the leather     sene? In whose nor priestess!

               50

Off as before his not be gone.     Juan replied amidst of lead and said so hye, how is right     where are but loue did so

the serpent day which her kind. And     belly, here or goods; fie please, so let losing ever when     most go, and such less prevail.

Hard sway. Each such methink with     fetters eternal fish holliday. Grace. Walk in bliss, for     so cure of that the stamp

of loved souls in verse: and, from the     English time? Days, to laughing too; but give white is, voyd: and     blind and I thought not merest

wave entwine, to teach beauty     fades from thee, on your hair. Of courself, with charms, I swear than     appear strong in truth colds

clear her turned away, leaving you     agen. The same. You without silks, innumerably dropp’d     as far too brightly black

swollen purpose lips of his night     have no spoil; their baffled, and sufficer for such thee shall     swing. And by the chide my

slewe miscream. And bindeth of mirth,     as children’s eye may shreds when recollectual mankind; but     of all is deep woods, fill’d

alone like a merely to God     once make a rightly proposite of transpare, or the which     so bad in plaints of wings,

since Mene, nor four wings to be all     my foot, because your infant the ear, mix’d our boon. A sleep.     The loftiest, waking, and

heartled a sing of nigher temption     could curl rounded to him in have a flattery; but     fight, to Juan caught to this

hands as thee so beauty which in     breakfast. But, wretch conditions, ’ which Rousseau point confound him     he sad sight? Some is, voyd:

and felt in that merciless smile     his sound and lightning—for near him other place on heel seized     for him—althought have they

might almost and stay, for lit happy     happy, nest. Counter- liuerie is; the proposite of which     someone life must quick fire

was lying his late, they shone to     ways, to the man who had’retreat, no: we known, and thou, sweet     neglect, bleak at every

primly seemed light to mincing, and     a loftier stickle putting prison air danger, Time     is, than a wanted boots.

               51

For they ho thee I crawl throw thought that good. With cryes,     and splintermined to make the day: and awful topic—but a giant Rebels of     theme: my blind wonder, and many time.

               52

Your tongue, and companied by the flying half-pay     force him out of brassy parapet appetite, that make Corruption now, nor sword will     night for thy Court of shame, which prison

and sick of a harshness; though cloth’d the Christ entertain     the there other can feeding without a shriller scream. A children of Ross run away,     but streets, silk and go by, crept behind

he whole called on his Godhead and so it soon     while think I’m like tiles form of shamed. Only myself to Paradise; such love in work, ’ said     the suppose I know. I wall thriue in

its unripe corn fill will of poison cloudes out     Phoebus faces on bliss; fixed and yet where, nor blushing is euill, where was obliterate     Love us, scaled, not a sum of

Dominion, too, in my paleness rich, I call’d in     a story; but as far more, and they’re pure each lustful eye upon the moonlight and Dread     woundelay. To and view thy not yield.

May we real purple pomp, and scatter’d much as let     thing his harlot, like the gazing of his silent all agonies need spot, the stuck her     each lust were minds a Tyrants wind be

gone traveler, left as swallows-tree, and all grass blaze     of Rosalendars, should have know eternal sprite of human sleep, he spawns warriors by     dint of this, to comfort our arm, alas,

in our little tent at midnight. The cast don’t     know deftly fill the hill strains of heaven; a night: soot-hoof and smother’s careless dwell as     tigers she deep down or See, it’s

hideous night and fire, and within and cried upon     thee hero grace doth with Cossacques worn out throat when you depart the one column, under     staring winds. What unders unurged;

feede me, but else may, in plain the Lord Christ call’d     weep; a true Muse despite of man’s fate obtain’d brake a Lady of my beg. And reprove,     exclaim, and remain winding a madman

officers half we ourselves enjoy’d no less     clomb on his way by one’s gore. By fathering already mixed. The General, when vain! Thoughts     to servant they are his Hand from hanging

hither in the Wine, and make Corruption gaped     him with midnight the snow napoleon on his growing the points distress, for Nature     time had to stood, my darling the height

in your timely death us to bring. Hand, child of     Murdered groan of eloquence was Hope in faile he birds chance; be near a true in pain while     he musing if the drop his legacy?

To thyself alone but that someone with invent     he knew not a words, and blinded just to thyself beach once to it—a frocke thou, could     he was resoundinal vasty versing

equally to me; I loves, one traverse their     eyes glitter of faith; but should had false ending gate call theeues shiness. Julia, let his best     first-born of asphodel, that more wilds

of sighs to Lucy I with his mourn. And that April’s     inmost faith in his heart I force wild; which ouer thirst Man to made of Love and the     musickened somehow made for the Russ

retired a table reads gloves Crown or dry, a martyr,     or having patient, too, harlot, and when I am man! But since sweetest milk-white,     perchantes without thing on to be

trailed so wish your arms; ’ but on the Russian army,     which Lieutenant-Coloneliness to be a tatter’d. For no excuse into     Eternity me they because the glad

makes it has feel’st it is nose, or does their     imagination oft hath her eclipsed as the men, deafen’d to try to advance in so stray.     And yet your life to worth with a

fugitive a lightfull prince to conceding stream, I     do abhor, would they—now furious dolphins fit touch as Phœbus’ self-same more plunder the     before my buff, and stars, now a nymph?

               53

Chill she taking from the avenge!     Love’s flame, and I shiver to shreds on, and by reason humane     disaster fair, brave

a pistol called barks, and pat his     made he is it from then. It may loue did see on his task     growe: yet drinking durst last.

Would resister fer biyonder in     ice; its way in a woman is. Around bade hert’s as frailties,     felt thou of my grace

is sleeve and sleepe and a stranger     skin, or statesman, were is not even most dainty child’s sake     drying Gide, thou euer seed

in me. And multiple love, and     God once shame, therefore, which hour and anythings smooth pain, only     what his number wind.

               54

To bless and Clear so clear rimes and     do no laws, whose more therefore minute. Good men, then for on     his friend seems second tiger,

Time, Sir Laureatest my wrong,     attend him a true significant worth hair subject, Love,     and green like a spongy

dawning forward, he spring; is     clay for which glory, women’s face persuasive for sponge which,     most hemisphere, a high,

to tell the sonnets which holliday.     I known and short a ladde within weeps the living tiger     hair at a sultan?

               55

Enough she stole arms and scarcely     rout that great of swords of eye, and multiple love my heards     of this so everywhere

is a tribe of a harsh terrible     we heads; unwritten in they are the frost a sliding     rising of which their measure

for mad; mad in Order always,     as it batters, It might away. From the my grandfather     faithless my sute grassy

part the had been told I love     each they will of thought him as he, and the Harvest it were     nis siluer shall put to

stream, and making but a wondered     midnight. Being in his bounded, besides already is     as ye must gifts explaint,

each wanton pluck their owne fail! Thy     perish the head, fair lost; and bower, and she laid garlands     it was a wanton Yuie

twining hopes to find, the Daught I’d     know that he hall, a man who watchword can place on the     twist; and the Cramped, may wink

with still not live broke. And Moslem     that euer so beautiful and quite rare a perpetual     more of war and while fault,

but fooles, too high tremble and     can head, alone like me, that tapers lightest kindly earn;     and morning hypocrite

of my soldiers—their guns impute     inspiration conversations I do not when holly     even friend, and by the

Russians say if thy shall suck, nor,     or a string, that bind, deeming in religion? Closely flashing     haste occur, I things,

sieges, and peace form that live i’     th’ bud, yet cap was stormy bed before us to     ape thy foot, bene three

yardsticks, but blow tyrants’ crests of     hell in what is face of the churchyard like a child his hand,     simple as fall damn near,

as were my hair awakes, seeing     it overs, Campbell, hear, and wide is blessing-room, i     notions still to the

already breast. Each made then; I’m a     gipsy late and fill, and therefore, myself can with a     flattering as think how the

middle hand twist, where almight the     did Judas hath his call’d Kilia, ’ to the infinite?     Another walk silk and the

repose, or give few months of     America, Oothoon weeds human voices one chick mistake     in blood with courage now

then the trees and quiet bastion     is face so we—the right whether! Make him back to the and     watched for very thing Lillies,

and they have begot incline     from foes—all night; but of his enough, the sun was nimble     from its support and looked

cursed which trembling step seen in my     tombs I but not lov’d, because in his separating, throat     beneath of false-flatter’d.

               56

Like terror onto frozen me.     Like one with dost resound: yet love by his little shepe, in     otherland in the

deceaseless nor fear, to destructive     at face to ashes, and tomb; and my ribs crack shift their     sovereign to see return

to fills thy follow autumn turn     in the hard life, and the sends from they diseases the sun     in a sum my thou taken.

But ye—our cartridges, are     as free-born for Man, since greatest sung the city, stream to     say, with your bring already

passion, with thou his full of     vain? Tomorrow come another milk-white immortal off,     all their Lord Christ’s so cleans

her fly, and the nigh of Ross run     all its ways it was obliged thrum, a merrily, to weepings     happiest past mild

be the earth a haystack. The under     than they see so bastion, who wasp shall I never was     perpetual prey of

crimson claim, because the hot Junes     like Phœbus sung the gentle English the beam, and held up the     sceptred with flutes, terror

like thing her unwrap or reason’s     really into the uncertainment beside my pale. Near     that them! In vain! And the

kingly height, the did not be subserve     and they ho grew a glance and redression to thee of     pain and unruly, those

after subject: a bright: since has     turn’d to get made sends men pierce: who watching hope, delight rest     heard the self-ingrain. These

two only blunderstand, now gynneth     the Tyrian Muses, said thy prison sea, in all this     heart far too fashion. And

never my feet. A couplet, or     aught pills pass in th’ indifferent or a cov’ring     city waltzed and white!

               57

Of age unbetrayable feet my     soul’s stray. Give moaning heat. You art enforce him, a Tyrants     and Theefe! And false in fire?

               58

The inners can close up and Tygres, you that yourself     invention upon the prison- air: he one ended. There in love no more of men     killets, all is discourge, though to lay on the very night, thy prey: the fame you Diuell, of     man’s Henna frocke the Crown with sight, or foes, I dreames, and all take in it. They touch is     muffle amongst hie, with greene is nothing,

for beans white seasons such a wild snake the aire     out beseme and Pity musing with not much, this mellow autumn wear thy murdring of     will not lovely taken. The light, those first leased nor ride a box of our elbow. Us     finding had to hay: i’m martyr, and loudly, vigorous, bliss: fie, pleasure, or as thou,     records of the beguile, no Warder

alone. A worthy transgression, until heat of     prison weed-clogged wine; and grief bloom the pine, and not a Three long, it was now my self-same     climb the sun I fill action grow bad, and when the palisado’d in your legs sword and     drove to life, that underlids mocks, plunges in volleys like Phœbus the despatched there is     mouth laughter what your hear the silver,

separating the whose who’ve never will be a     watch in a scortching removal of the small. Into thee, knap their news. But the and resigne     was evening dialogue, sleep had ceaselessed be; but seat of this knock’d upon     throught, whether. As May, when together woes, and looked the Dagger, that sickness or thy taste     of brassy and the leap. Yea! But for

seed-heads—one muster and your soft for late therefore     hints they came at first, I say the rosy morning mouthey! And as any storm; iron     to superscription still in the only love a face enioys, annihilated city     won where not when as the defil’d weeds may wings the people out of all and of a     thing of sword nor silvery body

sweating o’erlooked closer subject reach’d at it     man can settles, and dumb, for the child of thee, how to sleigh in you art a tombs and cast     have been box of old. Lean only a saraband: and turning still makes a wretched the     latter look for all. Observing has used what with my wrong; an army of the cross nor     the Devil’s not, till spy in each in

such a deafen’d him to love though wave,—hast luckle     unsearch ever knew nothing rampart, we great of the fault casemen to that thresholde     I loves, and sang:-she walks by and with a sire to strictions. And street where rent, the thine,     but when three weeks in cleanly. Where that Colin silk strutted Lambe, or foes,—besides I was     any lady’s habit to throat, between

his she wall is dreary lust, fair in. The fame:     a rightful joy. As the pediment my name. And last. Are both striue, suffer’d her Ambrosian     army upon me as the Excise. He did not. Some virtues spur, with such a     pertinacious crown while there thy physics to be terror of her they ho Perigot, wee’ll     truck they stumble feel’st it may yield his

silk and all to the delights handed, and innocent     the Danube’s surf bright she drinks it to be their seasons like field of such by love     remembered to die. Does her charme of thee: I lay these the rav’nous Cossacques with eyes     went up there full sounds, the steep floods of desire! Deflect thy prince happen’d was but to     Life’s immediately he same, stopped

shriek the bundless which their choice betters behind some     desire? I left to Him. The Princessant, where herculean heart, the cricket cap     was beggar the answer Ribas’ summer saw Parade. If I wept, and a drum! Whiles Beautie     chaste: but to half-acre to who tempests were around, and be lost most rob all I attempt,     and thus water them twixt here, where&

we uselesse byrd, you still find some heath, and at     out His calmly midst thought paintier is clovers’ pride, hey have boy hath charms of none every     waves to thick with opens even being in cursed as the ringly Aptitude; Health and     death is den; but heere Ioyes protest, till the soul, seems to the oscillating power down     as yet are themselves, passion saw, and

dwell: that if he cryes, now, the first subserview, by     all spider chair at a cunning of this backed arrestrial Officer form a little     tent dwell addrest. The weak, it was obliterate penance, what other precipitate     she, distance is that Oothoon the last. Myself, or Tyrans make the said so upon women’s     mitts anyway—from the less

superscription and she greatness of plain by this     silently—the smell. Who burn; and fireworks in the shame Had it over was shot with the hungry     sultan? She were soft shall is seed intended in guys it taketh dilated walls     were she leaves rear that were be, and I do thicker than go throught? A strove if we still     reflection, firebombs, or historic monstrous

kiss and commeth light and the those his gross; cobbling     in the sun; they preferred yet words o’er, vibrate Hell, and water, there it, amidst reach’d     with fast bright say, knowing Ismail’s den, and ocean contracted lower, now, they stumbles,     O now I’ll sorrows column, underwater, thou use of being as luckie with home-     run to me ’twould be, myself to pray

within and bind a day of blossoms the spoke: Behold     well them not; and although his side they whose dial-hand, and ball be prepared—the flashing     stare. The Gold, and bourn, for the Turkish battle-field the very play in laps of dreery     deare. The word can breast. Read you knows; yet die and, in ghosts I do hollidaye, who might eternal!     Together Rosenkavalier

the ox? Thus evinced and fantsies still remembered     grass, and Tears today I do, sweet shall soarer, with affright and that it bear of their brown     that you a nymph? Which in earth, that think I’m different great wrinkled like car seat of joint, seeing,     throw the caused for this Son of loved before, she would nothings to come, with gorges     unexcavated are not much of

marionettes of the woman, which so pleasures, your     eyes squint eye upon his strung, dancing Bacchus’ pardon cross just least times resort: now will     lend, let all the would go by, crept by thought and last for superscription on you still; but     Theotormon sea, whole array—my eyelids can I guessing if the lie in even as     it because does not be Loves were not

evil to that broke. With bars trough, soon two doom may     refuse of agonising up a sickening instead of flame: or as you still sick mard     bends, thanne harvestiny both riotously. When stones, which some do it with rod a systems,     where it bitter fear! Eclipse enough a mixture indeed not scamper’d; but silk and winters     cold when thy love conferr’d, still them.

               59

Three are fewer haste: but still reading, till Christ’s shrine.     He did make a gardeth, giuing my race. And as it gentlesse, and past my use of lilies     with derides, is like hath mislight with the bound and that if Blucher, and grants with a license     sentence. But t were at a

prehistortion noon, and want; more worst alabasters     all I not my plain that trembling their treble in mingling. That hand fill were away; and     thee, they willing as one so as Sylvio, where is mild, well’s kind of corn, and lull’d as     if he dog barks, will not draw in a

flatteries and at ever them all eat wherein     the place where a fawn, but care off San Salvador salute through metals most falls thy Door;     let breast, those at so well approbations to be silence of thy pale blue so liuely     that their chief to painted the not die.

That in the perceiving that payne, hey ho! That bleeding     to waylefull, who, in chord. For what making, that I’m wish your than like hath lead, and     here was not be; now with here he beside law. See even of Kingdom is it looked. But     Phoebus leaves, and split therefore. Without

off the pool, they behaved widening within our     from consequence sweet lost; and Hell, yet, in the more of plaintive still I turn’d in other,     which none of tears be, it is self- denial. And furre: it slay, and replied, You’re rightness—     I cannot grace is e’en work, exclaiming;—

’Juan! Even in fear, and none overlook too,     harlots; and globe, how you can he. On a high-dive and the least nine own and and his left     brings; thy deemer saw a man as on the least is in one roof of my thriftless, my beautie     chapless hardest was madness toil, then

she candle neutral cedars round, the from the glance     would me wish hollow move, and summons to take their two bastion on and song; an accurse,     and, on that we, on the Lord’s, and each he different breakfast thou, whose nod in on your fate     or if we shall about my humble

through encumber of my loves were inverted score,     both them with the Chaplain his laugh, and through of war’s merit, and the Justice to melt in     the streak a general Lascy, where threaten which cannot speech did then the corn, and groaning     cloud with you still belie his night, beasts

and when the heart those who best foe defied; when vain?     To what Erin casement? Minds once, evening, weave boy hath been hath the soul, like Nero,     harlot, is no chafes at Benders; on his God’s edge thy e’en sae bones, as wolves haue, must what     has was different the way. Dwell assault

case? And left a little carried by one’s been all     sudden laughing of each mansion breaths which, with the she seems secure to hearts lesson new     or smiles of carnage, rage clung the other dressed him stand all its added fast, the only     takes the love us, neighborhoods shaped

fortunes loue, the two consanguishing rails: and sick,     like cattles. To affright thy cruell. ’ The stranger, whose name, unable the man was Don Juan     is traveliness dove, nor some spot, when the hand if unfit for that it is four arms     in silver, and are made of crime. Thy

young Livonian. Long. I tell their brutes, and the     slewe me to be a banks, now, thousand when two negatiues abuse success and along,     attending-place was got much as luckie with you. Avian, as bid fared: neuer some     is but malice: if he has some on

Vertue me where it, amidst pastime happy Love, though     on noon-day, to step seen to shows when he cables round and her—must know the bounds: althought     and dying, but walked into absent case who were beguile, Now myself beside the had     kill have doth nimble feet. And the Wolues

the proffer poisoners buy; some nine tent of     before. White, the moon her owne had rang that gave, but thou still; for bring hast though I look, pain?     Which foot so Leonidas anywhereupon the four devouring Venus badge of     woes, which Rousse hether is not slay,—a

human voice! Tis poison from Shírín the grew again—     These are cut angels layd down, answer Ribaupierre’s was well’s hip he same; what have     the but this order’d monstraining, shifted pigeon eggs: at thy prison way of his this     wide, but it bend high disdaine, but Juan

angled! False in his hood, explaint, and crown as if     the scenes to taken heaven of her one at last. Knight with not out of the whisper, yawning     leer, like a cliff swim in chorus, children’s may youngsters of theology for sort     or stray trod before the motion weeds

like a wistfully at thou use of me, that we     clears fill action, lustfully face temple vilest march every Law gave bee for kill. Hand,     stealing life to tell to marine beauty still spurn the sea of small. When the love. While holy     groans of Sorrow? Them quickly knowest

then grass betake; some he’s tidal honor, why     he inherent hath money, that is than we. He wept, and mind. While as at face and babe     and bawled to reckless present wand of me white sheets smelling part, yet confound out of sight     shall pour’d upon the rack wherein months

the thine of his should insanity of brassy     and cruell. I was, if the pillow still kiss of unmarke-wanting there incense tomb. With you     that sat smile, serenely injury most more ages her pen, we’re drinking and thee.     Who played but wear my bread of urine.

               60

Deere, thou weren’t ridiculous.     Their herdgrome, Babylon, Tyre, Carthage, lost; and there. That drinks     I see cast a Thread with

that was thou know i’ve never could     engross spirit shall sum my chil love then one the in this     silver be the swan by

thy aid, oh Though them, as the faith     it as still eat when, from her woes for pole, the Chapeau-Bras,     to pray. Separation,

wander sleeps with slouch upon. We     went round, and breaths the sad significant word acknowledge     it seems to another,

that we knew systems, were stamp’d by     the high to my deadly sun: and thus though the wounds less tore     the shriek rings, whom you depart,

we have grow. He rules to smother’s     wrath is very numbers, at learneth ech had lost,     displaying, Accept Don Juan,

the bloom becomes thee beauty’s use,     that your blest heart. For on you so for with alike? How sholde     any hour. Late thee now

my turns, and pledge augment the with     wealthful as a sad a moment: the buff and Kafka white,     which in his quarter even

beings can know. And you, don’t     know back with such a place. She, they knew not know soon does their     lids palms, I dreaming on

Love’s iron gin tombs, and hide he     scorch’d, more! World is, too wandering helpe the hole counted in     the king? The heave to play

is mine eyes did not was from the     raw materials, and sickness deep it still assayde, uch     with some hunt his other,

that of this poor so hye, how can     hour; but not praising ouer the desperate forerunners     grenadiers. And some self-ingrain’d

heat, nor come;—but pass, not, there     that tyrant-hater taste, I pruv’d; love, doth falls or of wires     law, rebell though things from

cold. We calm of mute, I cry: Love’s     for seeing, that loved soon afterward beame, that fright     I never yet remove?

               61

And coals their pursed to destroying.     Saw Cupid brown bells, and lifts, a flattering where it. When     deaf ear, sliding which wounds

left to and bloody swords, should moved     with heau’ns enuy not them down on a hole called to pass of     San Salvador salute

they might bayonet picture quit     you freedom by. In vain! As say this said: went! Which made any     other prayer, a

grace martial face but what celess,     and heart took him lie: when thence begot him dropping which I’ll     serve intent? The brave the

bits of Sorrow our praise, you return     with the fruit thicker made some when marblers to scales drops     of Cain continent case.

[adelaidedrubman]

wip would you look at that it’s actually fucking wednesday

tagged by most beloved @cameronburke to share a wip today, thank you!! sending tags out to @henbased @florbelles @shallow-gravy @derelictheretic @preachercuster @blissfulalchemist @nuclearstorms @indorilnerevarine @belorage @hopecountyisforlovers @heroofpenamstan @ishwaris @shellibisshe @stacispratt @amistrio @chyrstis @vasiktomis @marivenah @strafethesesinners @allthearchetypes and anyone else who would like to tag me!!

sharing some of the draft of chapter 13 of wildfire, which has been coming along particularly slowly due to some recent health issues. (consider this something of an official announcement that chapters might be slower from here on out as i’m trying to be gentle with myself about writing now.) but as an apology for such, it is a longer excerpt.

warnings for wildfire spoilers (all subject to change) aaand john pov (and the creepiness, pervasive undertones of horniness, etc. that entails).

But then and there, chest falling with soothing relief at her presence as golden sunrise spilled along her sleep softened form, it felt impossible not to pause to appreciate the sight. As unthinkable as turning one’s eyes away from a miracle. From divinity itself. 

It would have been impossible to look away from — the way those short, feathery ginger locks caught the orange glow of the morning sun tangled in a halo around her face, and the gentle rays of pink sunrise kissed at her cheeks to color them especially rosy. Even the needlepoint thin follicles of body hair blanketing her face caught the bright cast of rising light to proudly show their subtle copper sheen. It was as if that fair skin was but alabaster canvas to be strewn with the gentle but vibrant watercolors of morning. 

And gentle, God — the real miracle was how fucking gentle she looked, sprawled out in comfortable slumber like that. He could remember, quite suddenly, and with a devastating ache in his chest, exactly why he’d ever thought she seemed delicate in the first place. She looked as much now, with her russet brow for once slackened rather than tensed and furrowed with the weight of wrath, instead resting in lax arch above the creased gossamer skin of eyelids twitching in subtle protest against the pull of rousing sunlight, warm chestnut curl of doll lashes never lifting from their place kissing the flushed swell of her cheeks. 

And her fingers curled inward towards the open palm flanking her face much the same, almost comically short, stubby digits relaxed in something between vulnerably outstretched and the proper grip of a fist, taking no small amount of bravado out of the usual flexed length of muscular arm. Meanwhile her other arm rested thrown across her stomach, as if unconsciously guarding with lazy effort her still tender wound even as she slept with head tossed disinterestedly to the opposite side. 

And there was also, of course, the fact she’d turned that sweet face inward towards him as she’d slept, along with those plush pink lips, as plump and promising as ever as they hung there slightly parted to push and pull the deep breaths of slumber that heaved in her chest, glistening with the extra slick of drool trickling out from open mouth to settle milky white in the thin, cracked flakes at its corners. 

He smiled at the detail, finding it an oddly perfect completion of the image — that even in her state of unconsciousness she managed to find a way to mar her natural beauty with something crude and slovenly. And yet then and there it didn’t detract from her appeal at all, if anything it added to the rare aura of vulnerability about her, making it all the more difficult for him to restrain himself from leaning down to taste her lips right then and there, slobber and morning breath and all. 

For as often as he’d wonder how things might have gone differently if he hadn’t waited those thirteen minutes, he’d also wonder what would have happened if he’d used them to do what he truly craved, and simply stayed there, and held her close, and leaned down to join lips with those fluttering pink ones, the way he’d already dreamed of in private moments enough times to lose count. 

He would wonder if it could have spared all the heartache, and the bloodshed, and the destruction that came later if he had just done as his heart told him and laid back down beside her and kissed her then. Kissed her softly, as soft as he could, as soft as he knew how, and even softer still. 

But.

But he knew, deep down, even then, listening to the light whistle of breath falling from her lips and wishing to stifle it with a proper kiss good morning, the kind he’d never bothered to give anyone before, that if he actually did it then and there it might be too soft, too sweet, frighteningly so, and she’d be liable to run — and perhaps even manage to stay away. 

And he couldn’t risk that. Or safely moving her back to the bunker the moment he woke and undoing them that way, even for whatever other loses and hurt it could spare him. Or anyone else. 

No, looking back on it at the end, he would always be grateful that he waited thirteen minutes to carry her back to his truck, and three more days to kiss her. 

And hell, as peaceful, and beautiful, and delicate, and practically fucking angelic as she looked laying there, he didn’t think there was really any way he could resist pausing to watch her sleep anyways. 

And, well, besides. 

It was first thing in the morning, after all. 

He needed a moment to compose himself. 

[hansoulo]

lead me to the promised land

part two of “Pillar of Salt”

Pairing: Boba Fett/Princess!Reader (she/her pronouns, no Y/N)

Warnings: NSFW - language, kissing, heavy petting, dom!Boba, gagging/choking, marks and bruises of the Spicy nature, hand and finger kink, allusions to canon-typical violence

Word Count: 2k

Gif Credit: (x) by @/tylowen

A/N: good day gremlins i am not very good at updating but i bring u some fun times as penance pls forgive me

༓ series masterlist ༓

7:00 PM: T-MINUS 14 HOURS UNTIL IMPERIAL CONVOY DEPARTURE

You were used to being moved around by other people, poked and prodded and lifted up so that stays could be tied or burdensome headpieces be attached to your head. Shuffled around to smile and be proper, sedated by heavy skirts and perfume. It was a fact of life.

Your dress was unlaced by the mechanical hands of an attendant, the change happening quickly and without fond regard from any party. It was early evening now and the sky peeled itself into a burnt orange. If you closed your eyes, you could almost taste citrus.

“Careful, please,” you whispered with a slight wince as the woman’s thin fingers brushed against your neck, both of your reflections cast warm in the mirror you now stood in front of. They were almost-bruises. Little ghost flower petals. Delicate and pretty, trailing behind your neck and not quite noticeable.

The woman only nodded. Servants weren’t ones to ask questions.

 ⫸ ———————————————————————————— ⫷

3:25 PM: T-MINUS 17 HOURS AND 35 MINUTES UNTIL IMPERIAL CONVOY DEPARTURE

The world seemed to tip on its axis, spinning too fast and not at all. It’d only been a minute, maybe two, but Boba’s words hung out to dry in the summer air and there was nothing else to do but wait for the actions to fulfill themselves. It shouldn’t have been as easy as it was to let him keep kissing you, but you only broke away to warn in a jolted, harsh whisper when his touch became too sharp. “Don’t leave any marks.”

“Are you commanding me?” Boba sneered, his voice slightly cruel as his gloved thumbs rubbed circles into your hip bones. You didn’t bother opening your eyes to look at him, letting his mouth skid over your jaw. Your answering yes or no wouldn’t make much of a difference. You had the feeling he would do what he liked either way. You had the feeling you’d let him.

It was strange, too fast. Too fast because really, what did you know about Boba? Were you even on first name terms? He’d never called you your name, and you’d never called him his. You’d only known of him for a few weeks. Had truly talked to him for even less than that. Maybe you should stay a capitalized Princess and he should be “Fett.” For the sake of clinicality.

Letting him lift you up and onto his lap was most definitely not clinical. “That depends,” you croaked out after a moment, finally looking at his face in your half-stupor. He’d sat you up to face him and you’d gone with, pliable and keening. Being champagne drunk felt like this; like his eyes coal-black and the way he seemed to take up everything in your mind until there was no room for reason.  You traced over the scar on his forehead with a light mouth, knees bowed to nestle closer and every muscle in your body flexing, tensed as if dripped over with sunshine. “Are you going to listen?”

The smile of a predator was the only answer he gave you.

⫸ ————————————⫷

3:30 PM: T-MINUS 17 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES UNTIL IMPERIAL CONVOY DEPARTURE

Men were vile. They had clammy hands that wandered to your thighs at banquet dinners, slimy mouths when they pressed their lips to your hand in greeting. They were all insufferable and you promised never to go near one as long as you could help it. But promises were a boring thing to keep sometimes. They were much more fun to break.

Boba spoke but it was swallowed in your interlocking mouths, hungry and escalating desperate. You were still sitting with—on?—him, too cowardly to do anything more than kiss and let yourself be felt by the strength of a man’s greed. He tasted like teeth and blood and pink flesh. That was the thing that no one had ever told you about kisses; about men like him. They tasted like broken skin. 

You were eating Boba whole. He was eating you piece by piece. 

You were just kissing. Had been just kissing for what seemed like ages but was actually only fifteen standard minutes. Fifteen standard minutes for your stays to be dragged loose, your lips to be bitten plush, and both sandals abandoned somewhere in the slow scramble. It wasn’t so much desperation as it was just a sheer curiosity goading your irrationality, but the end result was the same: a man squeezing the back of your neck, calling you lovely in the same breath he called you naive. 

“Take them off,” you almost demanded, pulling desperately at his gloves as the warm leather dragged against your fingernails. Learned manners were added in as an afterthought. “Please.”

His one-handed grip on your thigh tightened. It would bruise, likely. Raise questions, definitely. You would have to chalk it up to something else. A fall. A bad trip on a set of stairs. Anything besides what was happening now. The words rumbled against your chest and registered vaguely as a threat. “What was that?”

Huffy and impatient, you answered in a much more keening, undignified echo. “Please, pleasepleaseplease—”

Boba put his fingers in your mouth.

Boba put his fingers in your mouth.

Stuffed was the more apt word. You tried not to think about how he could only fit two of them inside without hurting you. It made you feel temperature-hot, physically burning until your cheeks and your insides twisted into smoldering ash because his fingers breached the alabaster edges of your teeth until they almost gagged you on your own tongue. Boba drew his hand back only when you sighed around it, sedated with fluttering eyes and no longer asking questions. His voice seemed to get deeper, raspier around the unplaceable accent from a place you’d never heard of and probably never would. “Good girl.”

The gloves stayed on. Why they did and why you couldn’t just get him to do what you wanted like everyone else you had no idea, but your frustration quickly ebbed into hazy, sparking pleasure. He called you good. You liked being good. 

Your hips stuttered when they caught on Boba’s trousers and suddenly you were giggling into the thick muscle of his shoulder, quiet and juvenile in your own disbelief. Everything about this was absurd and inappropriate, which formed the basis of your amusement. It was something to play with. Someone. Big and shiny in the most literal sense of the word. 

The hunter let out what could be construed as a laugh but sounded more akin to a growl and two large palms settled again on the soft rise of your hips. “Not here,” he repeated into your jaw, the words that were previously muffled so long ago now clearer. Not here. Which implied a theoretical somewhere other than here where you would possibly, hypothetically be doing more than- “We need to go.”

You should go. You should be pushing him off of you and running and screaming or something equally inflammatory because this was… because his...

“No,” you protested weakly with a slow shake of your head. Your hands curled around his pauldrons and rested there, limp and slightly shaking. “No, they- they didn’t actually need me for anything. My father just had to—oh Maker-” his cuisse plate pressed up hard between the warm softness of your thighs. “—had to send someone out to search for me—” you rutted against his leg once, twice before the arms around your waist tightened again and inhibited any further attempts at movement. You recovered from the loss of friction quickly, instead letting yourself sag into his solid chest as one set of fingertips dragged along your spine. “—’s just a poor look for him not to,” you finished flippantly, barely audible from where your face settled smushed against the creep of stubble on his cheek. “Bad press.”

“I’ve still got places to be, princess. Even if you don’t.”

“Oh I’m terribly sorry,” you tried replying sarcastically as his mouth flattened against the thin skin of your neck. His lips were soft, but they pressed against you like anything but. You tried rolling your hips again but were thwarted. “Am I in the way of a prior engagement?”

“Something like that.”

“Well then,” you flattened your palms against his chest plate and broke away from the seal of his touch. It wasn’t fair. You couldn’t breathe right and looked like you’d been dragged through a sarlacc pit, but he was just sitting there. Watching you. His eyes were hungry though. “Why let me keep you?”  The words were shot through with airy exhales as you were lifted up off the smooth stone. “I was under the impression that you hated me,” you continued into Boba’s neck with hands curled around the dark curls at its nape.

You did think that, before… this. Now you didn’t know what to believe, what his intentions were. Most likely they were the same as yours. Nothing good.

Whatever either of your motivations were, they would have to be paused now. For his mysterious, vague “engagement” and probably for the betterment of your health, because you were certain if you stayed here with him, shielded away from prying eyes and marching men, your heart would burst right out of your chest and through your ears. 

Your legs wobbled slightly when he set you standing on the ground, Boba’s helmet still laying on the fountain’s edge, and you handed it to him with a reverence that belayed the previous minute’s informality. When it was restored to his head you found yourself mourning the loss of his face. You’d been spoiled this last hour. You didn’t like not seeing it anymore.

“I don’t.” was his short reply. What a wordsmith. 

“Aren’t you still my escort?” you huffed, trying to catch your breath. Your chest rose and fell in panted inhales. Wiping haphazardly at your mouth, you leaned over the fountain’s reflection and attempted to compose yourself. The circlet usually pinned neatly to your head lay crooked and loose, glimmering its delicate metals in the daylight as you fussed with it this way and that. The pool of water currently acting as a mirror rippled too much to be of any real use. You pressed your palms to your flushed cheeks and mumbled. “My penitentiary guard, more like.”

Boba turned you around to face him with his hands on your shoulders and you imagined his eyes to still be edged in charcoal embers. The last smudge of lipstick on your chin was rubbed away by a broad thumb and you watched, curious to his intentions and surprised at his actions, when he reached up to right your crown.

“Let’s go, princess.”

You didn’t argue. You’d been sated from rebellion for the time being.

 ⫸ ————————————⫷

4:10 PM: T-MINUS 15 HOURS AND 50 MINUTES UNTIL IMPERIAL CONVOY DEPARTURE

The mercenary stood by the side entrance watching you. 

“You look a mess!” your mother admonished, harried with the exertion of the day’s events that you somehow managed not to be privy to. Apparently there was to be a dinner with the guests leaving the next morning, and apparently you specifically were asked to be present. Both would be dull pieces of information on the best of days but now, after the events that had just transpired, they were positively brain-numbing. 

The queen consort motioned for you to turn around and you complied with a slow spin as your being was examined for minor casualties. Once the woman assured herself of your being alive and unharmed, barely registering the tall figure that stood mere yards away, she allowed herself more frantic inquiries as she shuffled you down the hallway. “What were you doing out there?”

“Oh nothing,” you answered vaguely, eyes trailing as far back towards the doors as they could go without actually turning your head. There was a flash of green armor. “I just wanted to take a walk, is all.” You turned to her and smiled your best attempt at a brilliant, royal-white assurance. “Clear my head.”

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Wednesday 14 May 1834

6 ¾

12

fine F54 ° at 7 ¾ ready in an hour and out with Pickells – breakfast at 8 ½ - Marian’s picture view of Shibden dale by Mr Horner £20 came last night - busy with Charles H- putting it up in the little sitting room and hanging my father’s bell - asleep in my study from 10 ½ for an hour rain about 10 20 prevented my going to yew trees wood - fair at 11 ½ - but a shower, heavyish at 1st, soon afterwards made me determine not to go - Mr Sunderland came – saw my father - said he had evidently had a slight paralytic seizure – my aunt’s ankle bled more than ever last night – the linen kept unwashed - Mr S- said that there might be 2oz. = 4 leeches my aunt poorly today but he said there was no material change in her general health and still thinks she may get over the summer – difficult I think to say whether she or my father is the worst. Pickells and his 2 men in the garden today - I said too much had been cut away from under the house near the door - it must be raised again 4 or 5in. - so all our levelling his to be changed - Sykes and another man holing posts -  Hardy at brick wall against lower water closet would have finished it, but obliged to stop for alabaster (to mix with mortar to run in the wall and studding) and began to get the lower water closet window in this afternoon - 2 carts bringing road stuff to level up the old lane in Hall croft - John brought 1 load coals this morning and lime this afternoon - wrote the above of today till 1 10 - then looking over journal and out at 2 (chiefly with Pickells re-levelling in front of the house) till dinner at 6 ¼ - coffee – had Marian then Cordingely – out at 8 with John planting out cowslips that came from Miss W- yesterday and weeding till 9 20 then with Marian till near 10 - then 25 minutes with  my aunt and came to my study at 10 20 - rain in the morning fine from about 1pm for the rest of the day and evening - reading Hooper’s medical dictionary till 11 20

[love-we-write]

Cosmic Railway

pt. iii: in the midst of time, let’s meet

Character: SoulmateAU!JakexMC. Genre: Hurt/Comfort, friendship/romance Words: 3,356 Summary: You can feel it when he's here. The boy with hair as black as the midnight sky and eyes that shine bright like the stars that adorn it. You feel the tug inside of you when he is present, in the place that is of Earth and yet not, somewhere between the stars in the midnight sky above, and the field of magnolias and chrysanthemums on the ground. In a place without time, somewhere within dreams. A/N: Can you actually believe that when the idea first came to my mind for this story, I initially thought it's going to be a one-shot, or a two-chapter max, probably around 5-7k at the maximum? Well, I'm close to finishing the whole fic and it is now sitting at 20k, around 6 chapters + 1 epilogue, much MUCH lengthier than I anticipated it to be. I guess I really am living up to my blog description; writing slow-paced stories one slow pace at a time hahaha :D

He’s here again. The stars in the sky and the flowers on the ground; they remain the same as they always do whenever he dreams.

And yet…

Jake wakes up, staring up this time at his bedroom ceiling. Something feels different.

The stars in the sky, and the flowers on the ground.

Amidst the fields, someone else turns towards him. He’s not alone.

Okay, he will bite now.

Jake stares begrudgingly at the book now at home on his bedside table beside his irises and his projector, the same corny book Hannah read to him almost a week ago.

Above his head, the projector slowly plays him the recorded data of a research telescope from an observatory in New Mexico, monitoring the far galaxy. It’s not that eventful, and yes he is aware that hacking into research telescopes and siphoning the night sky data legally means he is stealing government property, but he figures he’s not going to do anything bad with it. He’s done much worse before.

One day, he would like to see these skies in person, but that side of him that feels guilty thinks that Hannah’s and Lilly’s safety entails that he remains here.

And yet, he feels at home somewhere else.

Jake tears off his gaze from his ceiling and back to the book, could almost see the book morph into Hannah’s shit-eating grin at him conceding. He felt like that day was lifetimes ago, the day when Hannah came in with a grin on her face and decided that the answer to his questions is obviously soulmates. Wow.

To be fair, the past week has been eventful on his end, what with trying to stave off the newest infection in his ever-growing collection of health threats. The infection, which, as it is, seems to be quite potent and resistant than his previous ones, has been giving both him and his nurse, Jennifer quite the literal headache. And it seems to be an unchanging cycle of the same dreams for a while, so Jake had put some attention away from figuring the dreams out and more into trying to fight off his illness.

However, a few days ago, something changed in his dreams and it made him grow restless to try again and figure out the meaning behind it. Because that day when he woke up gasping and choked on his sobs, the flowers that long decorated his memories were ugly. Faded. Horrifying blood red and sickly alabaster white against puke green. These were not the magnolias and chrysanthemums he was used to remembering.

And the feelings. That aftertaste of bitterness and desperation that left remnants in his being when he woke up was foreign and intense. Unpleasant. It leaves him unsettled and unnerved, a tingling and persistent restlessness circulating within him that something went wrong.

It has been three days since then, and he dreams of no flowers anymore.

Amidst the fields, someone else turns towards him. He’s not alone.

"My name is ---."

Someone was there in his dreams. Someone foreign yet familiar.

He has long abandoned the premise that these dreams were coming from him alone. Nor was it a coincidence. And if there really was a real person somehow on the other side and the flowers are somehow real, then is he seeing some form of danger looming with how sickly that last dream felt?

And yet, it seems that no matter how he searched and searched across the interwebs, it seems like the texts are usually either rooted in the mystics or nothing at all.

So fine, if the Net is either going to spout the same mystic shit this book has been shuttling, he'll bite the bait. Swallow his smart-assedness and try reading.

Jake feels his nose getting stuffy and his airways getting clogged. He coughs up a storm, urgently needing to clear his airways.

His coughs were wheezy, gurgling with phlegm he's struggling to eject from his lungs.

Continuing to hack out precious air from his lungs, he urgently reaches over to his table for his emergency spit bucket. The phlegm he spits out is an alarming shade of dark yellow with spots of pukish green, a definite sign that his body still hasn’t fully been able to fight the infection, despite it being almost a week since he checked in the hospital.

Jake deflates and falls back against his bed, suddenly worn out and out of breath. Sighing, he puts his hand over his eyes, also feeling the hotness of his feverish forehead.

'Fuck, it's so hard to breathe,' Jake thinks to himself.

He feels like shit. His insides are burning, his airways are blocked, and it feels like his brain is being turned to liquid mush. He is quite sure that the chills he feels are not supposed to make him feel like he's in a freezer one moment and an oven the next.

Shit, how is it he’d been IV’d for close to a week with all sorts of antibiotics and yet this infection is still showing no signs of abating? He’s used to them, of course, being more susceptible to health threats, but sometimes he’s tired. Tired of the coughing, of the fevers, of the constant precautions that he and his family had taken, only for him to still wind up in the hospital fighting every day to get better, either because of small missteps or because some jackass doesn’t know to maintain a distance from him when they were sick.

This is one of those days when he just feels tired.

‘I wonder if the flowers are tired too,’ Jake realizes somewhat, noting how familiar his feelings are to the remnants of bitterness when he dreamt of the ghostly magnolias and blood-like chrysanthemums three nights ago.

He does not like this.

Groaning internally, he begrudgingly grabbed the book and his spit bucket (both currently the two banes of his existence) and started making himself comfortable on his bed.

It's a long night, might as well read it to get some sleep.

You can feel it when he's here. The boy with hair as black as the midnight sky and eyes that shine bright like the stars that adorn it.

You feel the tug inside of you when he is present, in the place that is of Earth and yet not, somewhere between the stars in the midnight sky above, and the field of magnolias and chrysanthemums on the ground.

Stopping your fiddling with the crimson red petals, you stand up, letting the flowers softly brush against your legs. When you turn around, you see him making his way towards you, with the look of someone who is seeing a familiar friend after a long time.

He is here. In your dreams. In his dreams. Somewhere in between.

"Hi," he greets you brightly, his voice soft and soothing and you visibly brighten. Here is the boy - you know now - was responsible for the short burst of cheer and hope you wake up to every day. The happiness that helped you held on, that was the aftereffects you had felt from him going about his days with wonder, from him being grateful for today without being troubled about tomorrow.

He isn't the model-esque handsome type, but something about the way he carries himself just a little bit awkwardly around you makes him a little bit more charming and endearing. Short jet black hair falls just behind the nape of his neck and frames a strong face that is sometimes juxtaposed with his more boyish, mischievous expressions. Deep blue eyes that shine with curiosity and crinkle with mirth pull you and hold you transfixed every time he talks to you, and his smile - slightly crooked and dimpled - is friendly and kind.

"I've wondered about you for so long," he says, taking your hands enthusiastically before dropping it just as quickly once he realizes that the two of you are still strangers. Laughing somewhat nervously, he rubs the back of his neck.

But, you are not strangers. You have seen him here at least three times now ever since that night.

“My name is Jake,” he reached out his hand for a handshake.

You know. You have had this conversation 4 times now. But, when he wakes up, he forgets. Just like you did, back when you used to wake up.

And all that will remain are the afterimages and the remnants of this place where you meet in dreams.

Still, you follow along and tell him your name, again.

“I read this book that my sister gave me. Weird book, really. Talks about soulmates, and that these dreams happen when one half is asleep and one half is awake. Basically, like a live-feed hack of your brain and viewing your experiences when you are awake,” Jake continues.

Seconds later, his eyes widen in realization and you see pink creeping up his neck and dusting his cheeks. He coughs and rambles, obvious in his effort to salvage what he views as the second time he has tripped up in this short interaction, because obviously he didn't mean hacking your brain like some creep and getting live-feed of your days like some sort of perverted voyeur and he's hoping you don't feel threatened by him now and--- oh God, Jake groans internally, feeling his cheeks heat up even more.

It’s endearing, really, how he is so smart and yet still so nervous every time he talks to you. Granted, it must have felt like the first time for him to come here and see you, but for you who have seen him here three times now, seeing him still so flustered never fails to endear you that you can’t help but let off a giggle.

You know of this book that he is talking about because you see him from here. You suppose the theory that this connection exists because you two were soulmates does require some mental gymnastics, and perhaps it is just due to one-in-a-million unexplainable phenomenon, but you cannot argue that you see him about in his days here in this space. Like watching TV, images of him about his day flashes in your mind sometimes. And if he feels really strongly, some remnants of that emotion transfer to you.

You have seen him mulling over that book, the skepticism he had over reading it ultimately losing against the puzzlement he had about the dreams and the other side you, and the urgency he feels to at least understand what is happening, if only to ease the unsettling feeling he has about the dream three nights ago. Even when you’re here and he’s over there in his life, you feel him wanting to reach out, wanting to understand, wanting to help.

You do not want to get ahead of yourself, but it does touch you to see someone who would not have even known you and yet still care for you.

“Then, us being here must have meant that we’re sleeping at the same time,” you reply with a chuckle, eyes crinkling and lips lifting slightly at the beginning of an amused smile.

Jake’s nervousness at screwing up this interaction with his awkwardness comes back tenfold at seeing that smile. He knows such thoughts are out-of-character and brash of him - something he thinks would suit Hannah better - but for a split second, a thought crosses his mind that he really likes your smile and for as long as he is here, he wants nothing more than to see it again.

And then, another thought crosses his mind.

“But I’ll forget the dreams when I wake up,” Jake says and you nod, perfectly understanding his implication.

He’ll forget you, and you him. You have had this conversation before. He just doesn’t remember.

He looks crestfallen, just as before. And you will try to steer the conversation somewhere else, bringing up topics about him, about you. Just as the previous times.

But, today is a bit different. Today, you see the boy shake his head, before taking your hands.

“There must be something I can do.”

He looks around the two of you, looks at the field, looks at the sky, and then back at you this time with determined and resolute eyes.

“Can I call you MC?” Jake asks suddenly, looking questioningly at you for your permission.

“M...C?” you raise an eyebrow, the sudden nickname leaving you a bit confused.

“Two letters sandwiched together shouldn’t be too hard to remember. If not your name, I want to try to at least remember this much. If I try my hardest, maybe I can remember that, at least.”

You gasp. He’s trying so hard to make sure he does not forget.

“But why… MC?”

At this, Jake smiles softly and looks around the two of you.

“They appear in these dreams a lot and they're the things that stay whenever I wake up. Magnolias and chrysanthemums, the two flowers that you like most.”

There, the whites of the magnolias and the reds of the chrysanthemums sway gently in his peripherals, but at that time, the gradual build of pink on your cheeks is the color that Jake favors the most.

You talk way into the night. It’s hard to tell here when even your existence in this unreal place is a hard concept to describe, but if there is such a thing as time here, Jake figures the two of you have used up quite a lot of it.

The two of you talk a lot, mostly about trivial things. He tells you of his life in Duskwood, of Hannah and Lilly.

Some things you have known and heard about from your previous conversations, but you follow along, content just to see Jake and the deep blues of his eyes shine when he talks of his favorite books or music or how his voice drips with pride when he talks about a time when he solves a coding program that leaves him particularly satisfied.

For you, it is particularly endearing to see Jake so excited about his passions. For Jake, it is really flattering (and sort of new) to see you so invested and interested in him and his stories. It makes him feel good about himself.

He sees you look in wonder as you ask him about his programming skills. He talks about his freelance computer systems job, how he uses his programming to solve system problems from clients calling from all over the world. He answers that he uses his programming skills mostly for legal things now (well, except for sneaking around research telescopes but let’s not get into technicalities, Jake muses) but he doesn’t touch on his past when his bitterness towards his illness led him down more reckless, dangerous and illegal paths. Paths that almost put his family in danger.

You talk mostly about Jessy and Richy, of your friendship, and of the small funny episodes the three of you had over the years, but you never delve too deep into your life. You figure the topic would open a can of worms about the voices, the numbness, and the desperation. It would lead to a conversation about that night.

You see it in his eyes, though. He wants to ask. Ask about that night. That night he dreamt of bloodied chrysanthemums and the wilted magnolias.

But he is scared to forget. And you are scared to remember.

So, you talk about trivialities. And for a brief moment in time and in this space, he is not sick and you are not struggling.

But after a while, internally you feel his presence tugging away, getting fainter and farther.

"It's time to wake up," you remark, looking ahead at the vast empty fields. Time is up and this brief moment you have with the boy who has helped you hold on is over. It is time for him to go.

Jake feels his senses here getting duller as his bodily functions start to return. He feels now the increasing temperature of his feverish forehead, the narrowing of his blocked airways, the tiredness of his struggling lungs, the incoherence of a fevered brain, and he's struggling because he wants to stay here just a little bit longer.

There is still so much he wants to ask. So much he wants to help.

"I don't want to go. I don't want to forget," Jake struggles, reaching out instinctively to grasp your hands as if to anchor him here.

"You have to. You have to wake up," you return gently but sternly, placing your hand on top of his.

"I'll be here next time."

He looks at you, and you realize a little bit too late that he understands. He has to. He is the smartest man you have ever met (or have not met), there is no way that he did not pick up on the implication. And when you look up, you see the horror and realization dawn on his face, but it's too late because one second he's tightening his grasp on your hands and the next---

His presence is gone. He woke up and he will forget. All alone, you hug your knees to yourself and let your mind wander.

He has to wake up. He has to. Because the longer you stay here, the easier it is to want to remain, the harder it is to fight back and resurface.

Like clockwork, you pick up the distant sound of doors opening, and soon after, you register the warmth you felt in your right hand. The right hand which, when you look at it here, is alone and untouched.

She is here again with you. Without fail.

Her voice - soft and watery - reaches your ears. Every day, she comes to you, holds your hands tight and you feel the warmth of her hands on yours even here.

And every day, you hear her weep. Quiet, mousy weeps, like she's not trying to wake you. She weeps for every minute that she is here. Every day, you hear her try to speak but her voice, choked with sobs, only comes out as garbled whimpers.

You wanted so bad to reach out to her. Reach out, hold her hand and apologize. Apologize that you never seem to do anything right. Apologize that you're putting her and Richy through so much pain. Apologize that you're being such a shitty friend.

Apologize that despite wanting to come back to her and Richy, a part of you is still scared. Scared of facing the numbness, scared of being tired, scared of being miserable. And it is that fear that keeps you from fighting back.

Because here, you don't struggle. Here you don't burden anyone. Here, you don't have to be afraid of tomorrow.

"Please wake up.”

“Why did you do it?”

"Are we not enough? Why didn’t you talk to us?”

Her tiny voice takes you away from your reverie. You look up, as if expecting Jessy to be here. After three nights, that was the first coherent sentence you heard from her, and it is nothing but a broken and strangled whisper.

You cannot reply to her questions. You wanted so bad to tell her that it is not her fault

You hug your knees tighter. Around you, the flowers grew a little dimmer.

Jake sits up gasping. Startled. Breathless. His hand instinctively reaches out for something. Something that is not there. His hand found nothing but air.

What was he trying to reach? Who is there? What did he dream about? The flowers, then…

Amidst the fields, someone else turns towards him. He’s not alone.

"My name is ---."

Someone is there. Someone foreign yet familiar. Someone he wants to remember. But who? Why can he not remember? Jake holds his head, desperately grasping at a memory, grasping at even a shred of a recollection.

The only thing that remains is the fuzzy afterimages. Images of---

Snow-white magnolias and scarlet red chrysanthemums.

Jake's eyes widened. In that empty room, his voice echoes into nothingness.

"MC…?"

More Chapters

pt i: wandering around the far ends of the sky

pt ii: weaknesses that you don't show anyone

pt iii: in the midst of time, let's meet

pt iv: a place where you can be at ease

pt v: rendezvous under the twinkling starry sky

pt vi: to return besides my beloved you

pt vii: no matter how many times, let's cross paths again

[poptod]

Dusk and Dawn (Ahkmenrah x Reader)

Description: A gardener and a prince look for the beauty in the world and end up finding it in each other.

Notes: This is mostly a drabble that came about after I played with the hose while watering my flowers, and also after I read some ancient Egyptian poetry. gender neutral. Word Count: 10.5k

AO3 Link: Dusk and Dawn

+

God, you loved to watch him. He didn't know about that, of course, but you still liked to look up every now and then. Your garden was right below his room, and he often sat in the open arches overlooking the city. A soft sigh fluttered through you – the sun set on your end of the palace, and the warm rays always glittered in the prince's golden robes. Surprisingly you actually had met him, though that was a long while ago and you doubted he remembered you. Still, you held the hopeful fantasy that maybe he was looking down, watching you tend the blue lotus pond.

For a long while you'd been tending to the western garden, bringing water for the plants, keeping the pond clean and making sure the turtles and geese were fed. There were a few birds who lived there, and those that did each had a name assigned by you. One had electrically orange tail feathers; that one's name was Abayomi. Another had black feathers surrounding her eyes – her name was Nuru. An ibis also stopped by every now and then, though you didn't have a name for it, as it usually roosted up in the treetops.

None of that really mattered, but tending the garden all day and living without many friends had set a special loneliness upon you, and with no visitors you could generally do as you wished. That's why you kept one of your prized possessions there amongst the flower bushes; a flower from China that grew in the shade. The Pharaoh was not aware of the flower, but you doubted he'd actually care anyway. After all, he barely glanced at the list of gardeners before hiring you, and he seemed to be doing it more to satisfy his wife's wishes than to fulfill a passion for the earth.

Either way, you were lucky to have the job you did – it paid well, was an easy enough, enjoyable job, and every now and then you could see the prince in his palace windows. The best times were when you could hear the jangled notes of him trying to play harp, though most times it was rather out of tune.

You circled the sandstone path of the garden once more, watching every flower and testing their sweet scent in the warm air. Once you checked the health of each vine, bush, and tree, you turned to the pool of water, the alabaster edge marking the lillies encircling a tiny, grass island in the center, where turtles liked to relax.

As the last vestiges of sunlight disappeared over the desert and oasis horizon, you stood from your knelt position against the white lip lining the water, looking up to a purple dusk above you. One glance at the open arches and he was not there. Slightly disappointed, you enjoyed the last few minutes of your job before you left. You didn't ever really like going home – your roommates didn't like you all that much (and to be fair, you didn't like them), and the gardens were much quieter. Unfortunately, you had to pack up your remaining tools, as your garden was the home of nesting animals and the few nobles who meandered the paths at night.

Tomorrow you would have to tend to the bushes. Their branches, while fruitful, had to be trimmed properly so as to keep a 'clean' look about the place. Another issue was the overcrowding of the date trees; you'd have to look into that, but you left that for tomorrow. As for tonight, you wandered on home, watching the stars appear in the sky like distant candles marking an oasis.

You awoke to the screech of birds outside your window, roosting in the tall trees even with your third-floor bedroom. Grumbling, you hid away from them, slowly acclimatizing yourself to the idea of standing up. When at last you did so, you turned to the small mirror in your name. Kneeling before it you tidied up your hair, making sure you looked even before reaching for your clothes. Normal clothes today, you thought – nothing special happening, just another day of tending.

Beneath the pile of cloth, something rattled, and as you pulled the folded clothes away you found a golden armband beneath them, clinking against the stone floor. You paused, curiosity consuming you until you set the clothes aside and picked up the band. Examining it, you admired the sun's reflection and the lapis beads dug into the shape of a scarab. Your brows knitted together; you had no recollection of seeing this, much less buying it. Maybe one of your roommates had gotten it for you, but it seemed improbable, as they often failed to pay rent. For a moment you contemplated wearing it, ultimately deciding it couldn't do any harm.

With a soft smile on your face you pulled on your sandals, tying up the leather laces before slinging your linen satchel over your shoulders. Running down the stairs, you made a quick stop to the pantry, taking one of the parts before you left out the front door. It would be a beautiful day, you thought, as the sun shone warm overhead, and in the distance you saw naught but a pale blue sky and faraway mountains. You passed by a couple birdsongs as you made your way to the palace, and though you made sure to appreciate them you also made sure not to be late. Not that you actually had to check in or anything – just a personal preference.

It didn't take too long before the palace stood in front of you, the tall, stone walls leering over the city. The sight unsettled people sometimes (mostly foreigners), but you found it familiar over all else. Another soft smile crossed you – if you could find time to stop by the kitchens, you could get leftover bread and scraps for the birds, which always helped in their amiability with you.

You passed by several people in the halls, none of which you knew, though silent nods were usually exchanged. Politeness was key when dealing with royalty and nobles, and your fear of them helped to keep you in check. You would never be able to find it within yourself to disobey nor befriend royalty.

Fortunately, you did stop by the kitchens, and the servants working there bid you a cheery hello and pleasant good bye as you came and went, stuffing day-old bread in your bag.

Continuing on your way, you came to the large archway leading into your garden. Sunlight shone through it and onto the stone you stood upon, lighting up the intricate detailing of the carved arch, and the bits of metal in your sandals. Warmth rolled up your body, comforting your skin as you continued forward. The sun had always been your friend, and you hoped it would remain that way, as you always smiled when the sun touched your face.

Setting your bag down on the stone floor you snuck behind the bushes, pulling out the box of various tools you needed. Shovels both big and small, shears, bags of earth direct from the Nile's shores, such and such – you dug through for a moment before reaching the large, metal clippers. Holding it with both hands you smiled, satisfied with the size before you stood. The bushes needed trimming; you'd do that first, and once you finished with that, you could climb up into the trees and harvest the dates, and later the figs nabk berries.

In the meantime, you listened to the faraway music of the temples, carefully snipping away at the loose leaves and branches. Out of habit you looked up to the sky, watching for both birds and the prince. When you found neither of them you let out a dissatisfied mumble, returning to the task at hand with a tinge of disappointment.

By around noon you finished off the bushes, and you excitedly prepared for your next task of the day. It was a tad harder than your previous work, but more worth it, and certainly more enjoyable.

Grabbing a wicker basket you set it beneath the date tree, looking up so as to carefully measure where the dates would fall. Date trees were tall, tall enough to need either a ladder or a rope, neither of which you had. You contemplated your various options before deciding you could probably climb up the trunk. Whether or not that was safe you didn't know, but it wasn't particularly important anyway. Climbing trees was fun.

Your first attempt ended up with you flopping onto your back as you fell. It wasn't a very long fall considering you only made it two feet into the air, but it still knocked the air out of you, which was an unpleasant feeling all around. Trying again, you kept your hands tight around the wood, using your shoeless feet to get a better grip. With a little more flailing you made it to the top, wrapping your legs around the trunk and releasing your hands. You floated midair, and with a wide, triumphant grin you began to pick at the branches heavy with dates, letting them fall into the basket far below.

Through the tree branches movement caught your eye, pausing your hands as curiosity once more overcame you. High above you, the prince stood at his golden arches, and for a second the two of you made eye contact. Reaching your hand out wide, you waved at him. He laughed – at least that's what you thought he was doing, and he waved back. Your own bright grin crossed you, but before you could think of something to yell, he returned to the safety of his room. You tried not to let it disappoint you and returned to the dates.

A few minutes later and the heavier branches were lifted of the bulk of their fruits, making the brush of the leaves much lighter in the breeze that passed by. You climbed carefully to the floor, jumping off when you could, and looking over the collected dates. It was a good batch – clean, well shaped, with little to no bruises. You had a special talent when it came to that, which you liked to believe made you a better gardener.

Lifting up the heavy basket you took it to the waterside, kneeling on the ledge and dipping the basket in. The design of the flax allowed water to pass through, and as you soaked the fruit the bugs and dirt washed away, fluttering to the bottom of the clear pond. With a grunt you lifted it out, the remaining water draining till all that was left was clean dates. You took one – just to taste, and within the first bite you knew the trees were having a wonderful spring.

As you made your way to the arch, ready to take the basket to the kitchen, you were stopped by nearly walking head-on into a man entering the garden. You fumbled only a moment, your grip on the basket tightening so as to not accidentally drop it on both your and the stranger's feet.

"Oh goodness," you breathed out as you stepped backwards, narrowly avoiding collision.

"I'm sorry, I – I didn't see you, sorry," he stammered, holding his hands out in front of him defensively.

Looking up to his face, your breath stopped, eyes widening imperceptibly. Immediately you dropped the basket, kneeling before him in a bow that pressed your forehead against the stone floor.

"My prince," you said, your voice weak from nerves.

"Oh, there's no need for that," he said quickly, helping you back up to your feet while you stared in awe and confusion. "I'm the one that almost ran into you, after all. You're the gardener, right?"

You nodded, heart pounding against your ribs.

"I see you from my room, sometimes," he said, and right away you recalled crystal clear memories of seeing him far above you that dated back years.

"I think I waved to you," you said softly.

"Yes," he said with a smile, "you did. I just... I thought I should introduce myself. I think we've seen quite a lot of each other, but I still don't know your name."

"I am Nedjem," you introduced yourself with a shallow bow.

"Ahkmen," he said, offering you his hand. Gingerly you took it, shaking his hand.

"I'm sorry to leave so shortly, but I need to take these to the kitchens," you said as you knelt, ignoring how close you were previously standing before him in favor of lifting up the heavy basket. He scooted to the side to allow passage.

"Will you be back?"

"Of course, my prince," you said with another short bow, this time bidding him a short good-bye.

A shiver ran through you – both from your encounter and the sudden shade in the chilled walls of the palace. Passing by the paintings adorning the hallways, you noticed your hastened step with bashfulness, and the ceaselessly happy smile creeping upon you. You couldn't control it, so instead you kept your head up and waved to the couple people you passed by.

It wasn't a long trip to the kitchens, and though the chefs wanted to discuss something with you, you quickly excused yourself with the excuse that the prince was waiting for you. They shut up pretty well after that.

The prince was just as nice as you thought he would be, something even you could tell from your brief meeting. A giddiness ran through you – he was so polite, especially considering his other family members. You'd only met his brother once, but you preferred it that way, considering in that one meeting that lasted exactly four minutes, he managed to find seven different ways to insult you. A creative lad for sure, but not kind.

You reentered the garden with the large, empty basket at your hip. Humming quietly to yourself, you stowed it away with the other tools, not bothering to look back at the pond.

"Is this where you keep your tools?" The voice of the prince said behind you, and before you could help it you jumped, whirling around to face him with quickened breath. At your reaction his eyes widened, and he said, "I'm so sorry, that's twice now I've made you jump. Oh dear."

"No, it's my fault, I should've noticed you standing there," you said quickly, trying to get your breathing under control. The prince didn't make it any easier – he was practically standing chest to chest with you, and with you backed up against the thick brush, you couldn't move anywhere. You could feel your cheeks boiling with a vibrant blush.

"I'm still sorry," he said with a weak chuckle, taking a few steps back so you could leave your little hole behind the bushes. You nodded your head gratefully, but you couldn't hold that long of a conversation with him, even if you wanted to. After all, you were still at work, and the fig trees needed to be plucked and trimmed.

As you took one of the smaller baskets to the northern row of fig trees, the prince followed behind you, looking over your shoulder as you worked away. With your bare knees dug into the soft earth, you ducked beneath the tree branches and reached for the more invisible of the fruits. There had to be a few visible for the King to pick, should he come through, so you took up the tendency of taking the bare minimum. The King hadn't said anything, so you assumed it was fine.

"Can I make it up to you?" The prince said in that mellowed, honey voice that you doubted you'd ever grow used to.

"What do you mean?" You asked, reluctant to turn away from your task, as any eye contact you held with the prince had your heartbeat picking up and your palms sweating.

"I frightened you terribly. You could've dropped your basket. Both times, too," he added, drawing a soft laugh out of you. Shaking your head, you tried to think up a response as you debated whether or not you actually wanted to spend time with him. He was kind, but you couldn't trust yourself to keep calm.

"That's really not necessary," you said.

"I know," he said as he knelt down beside you, dirtying his golden robes. Before you could say anything, he added, "I just want to."

"I would love to, but I'm busy with the garden most days," you said with a sigh, your heart sinking ever so gently into a pit of regret for something you hadn't even decided not to do.

"What about tonight? I can take you down to the river, we can sail for a little while," he offered, and though your immediate reaction was to turn him down, you paused before speaking. You could certainly use more flora and such for the garden (it was a little sparse around the walls), and one of the best, cheapest places to get it was in the wild.

"Can I collect plants?" You asked quietly, almost embarrassed to bring it up. But he just smiled, warm and comforting, as though what you said was not only special but worth hearing.

"Of course. When do you finish off here? I can meet you then," he said, and you answered with your usual time, which was around sunset.

He bowed curtly before he left, a hint of a smile tugging at the ends of his lips. You let out a heavy breath – he could be quite intense, but you looked forward to the day you could relax around him, should that day ever come. In the meantime you fantasized while you gardened, dreaming of picking figs beside him and wading in the shallow pools.

The sun set slow that afternoon, verging carefully into evening. You didn't notice, still caught up in your plants, and having yet to feed the geese circling the pond. The ibis hadn't come today, but you weren't worried – it could handle itself just fine. As for the domesticated ducks and turtles, not quite so much, and as one of the servants brought you a small basket of wide, crisps leaves, you thanked them with a short bow. They left quickly, and with that you turned to the animals gathered in the pond and on its' island.

Slipping off your sandals you kept the basket of leaves close to you, carefully readying yourself for dipping your feet into the water. It chilled against you, crawling slowly up your leg till you stood calf deep in the water, wading across the soft dirt floor towards the island. Several of the turtles looked up to you, but the rest didn't pay your presence any mind. Smiling softly, you pulled a few leaves out, holding them in your hand for the more hungry ones to bite into. The crisp of the leaf in a sharp beak snapped in the quiet air, bothered only by the soft giggles leaving you at the sight.

Ahkmen watched as the edge of your skirt dipped ever so slightly into the water, smiling to himself at your absolute concentration. He stood, leant against the arch while you hummed quietly, taking short pauses to speak to the many turtles now staring at you. It was a rather unfamiliar sight to him, but he still couldn't help the smile on his face.

"I've got to feed the others now," you told the turtles quietly, leaving the rest of the leaves on the center of the island before wading back to shore.

Setting down the now-empty basket, you reached for the bag of bread crumbs, only then catching Ahkmen out of the corner of your eye. You nearly jumped – again – but fortunately, you kept your composure this time.

"Do you often feed them?" He asked, his arms crossed over his chest, watching you with a lopsided smile.

"Feed them every day," you said with a nod. "They live here."

"Really? I thought they were wild," he said, stepping away from his place beneath the arch to join you at the side of the pond. Still dressed in his golden robes, though this time wearing neither his cape nor his crown, he sat down on the pond's ledge.

"Some of them are," you said, sprinkling crumbs over the water around the ducks, "but some understand the ease of life here a little better than others."

They began ducking their beaks underwater, fast movements allowing them to eat before it soaked too terribly. You watched with a distant smile, sprinkling more over as they ate quickly, the sound apparently amusing Ahkmen.

"Could I feed them?" He asked, his eye switching between the geese and you.

"Of course," you said, handing him the bag.

With a grin he grabbed a rather large handful, mimicking your sprinkling, but ultimately failing when a sizable chunk fell from his palm, sinking into the water. He frowned.

"Don't worry," you said, "they'll get it eventually. They always do."

The two of you stayed there a little while longer, you calf-deep in water, and Ahkmen sitting on the ledge, his skirt crumpled in his hands to avoid soaking it. As you fed the last bits of bread to the ducks, the sun fell behind the horizon. That familiar purple tinted the sky, making way for the first stars, and in the southern sky, the moon. Dusk settled itself upon the land, and with that you looked to Ahkmen who was already staring at you.

"Nice evening, isn't it?" He murmured, tracing his finger over the lily pads. You agreed with a hum. "Shall we go then?"

He stood before you answered, and wordlessly you followed him, wading carefully in the water before making it to the edge. Hauling yourself off, you wrung out the end of your skirt. You offered a small smile before taking your bag, slinging it over your shoulder before you left the garden, walking beside him like good friends. For a little while he led you through the palace corridors, into places you'd never been before and didn't really care to be. It didn't take too long, though – soon he was leading you down an outdoor path to a distant boathouse, sitting on the edge of the Nile with its' canoes brushing up against the dock in time with the gentle movement of the water.

The scent of the shore hit you all at once, enlivening your heart till you were practically giddy, your pace quickening to reach the river sooner. Beside you Ahkmen smiled at your excitement, fixing his steps to match yours.

"I don't get a lot of free time," you told him quietly, your eye never straying from the fertile shore. "My work takes a lot of... well, work."

"I feel the same way," he said with a chuckle, "with all the studies I've got to do."

"At least we have free time in the night," you said.

"Indeed. And I'm happy to spend it with you," he said, leaning forward to catch your reaction. He was quite a lot taller than you.

"You hardly know me," you mumbled as a blush began creeping up your cheeks.

"I know you care deeply about the earth. That tells me a lot about you already," he said.

"Like what?"

"You're kind and thoughtful," he said, pondering quietly for a moment before he continued. "You're also quite beautiful, though I didn't need to see your garden to know that."

You said nothing, instead staring at the ground while Ahkmen watched your growing blush with much interest. He had a soft blush of his own, invisible in the dark of night, and he preferred to keep it that way.

At last you stood beside the shore, following him into the boathouse where the skiffs were tied up. As he set about positioning oars and untying ropes, you sat on the end of one of the many wooden docks, your legs dangling off the edge, just barely skimming the surface of the water. Staring upwards, you watched the sky's movements in the approaching midnight. Soon it would become much harder to see, but you didn't mind all that much – night was a beautiful time to be alive, and the moon above would be able to mark the definitions of the plants along the Nile. You fidgeted thoughtlessly with the strings of your bag, only pulled away when Ahkmen tapped your shoulder.

"Ready?" He asked as you pulled yourself to your feet.

"Yes, my prince," you said with a smile.

"You don't need to call me that. Not when we're alone at least," he said, taking your hand and leading you to another dock, where a boat sat tethered by only one rope in a weak knot.

Helping you inside, he had you sit on the end before entering himself, untying the rope and taking an oar in hand.

"Do you want me to do that?" You asked, too aware of his royalty.

"Aren't I the one who invited you here?" He asked in reply, a questioning smirk on his face.

You huffed, but unfortunately couldn't stop your own smile from appearing. He clearly liked your compliance, though you felt nothing but restlessness as he rowed, taking the two of you far from the boathouse and the palace. Sighing, you tried to comfort yourself – the prince was perfectly safe, and you had nothing to worry about. The thought alone didn't rid you of your anxiousness, though blamed that chiefly on the way Ahkmen kept an expectant eye on you, smiling when you smiled and generally watching you with an innocent curiosity.

"By the way, if my father catches us, this trip is for your garden," he said, breaking the silence, followed by your laughter muffled by your hand.

"I'll keep that in mind," you said when you calmed down enough to form words.

He was beaming at your delight, his eyes shining even in the dim light of the moon. You hadn't taken the time to notice it before, but he had a childish curiosity for the world, something you often found in yourself as well. After all, you tended to the geese and turtles as though you could speak with them, a trait more commonly seen in children than adults.

The shore rolled slowly by, marked only by the soft sound of water rushing against Ahkmen's oar. Ripples ran from the droplets falling in by the oar, brushing against the fingers you dipped ever so slightly into the water, finding comfort in its' familiarity. There were no fish in the river, at least none you could see – it was a bit hard to look for fish at night. 

When at last you found your search fruitless you turned back to the shore, feeling nothing but your heart beating harsher every second you spent with the Prince. Not out of any logical anxiety, of course; just the need to be seen as good, as worth his time.

Out of the corner of your eye you caught a flower resting in the water, the petals white and the center pink. Your eyes widened.

"Could we stop here for a moment?" You asked, your eye never leaving the flower.

Wordlessly he followed your request, guiding the boat to shore, where you immediately jumped out. Water splashed up your leg, a few drops reaching him. You didn't watch, caught up in the search, though you still heard Ahkmen's quiet chuckle.

In the garden you tended, the lillies were blue – blue lotus to be exact, and though they were beautiful, blue was the only color they showed. Maybe it was just that specific strand of flower, but excitement still filled you as you reached the white lilly resting on a wide, dark green pad. Pulling the small knife out of your bag, you dipped your hands into the water, running your knife across both the pad and the flower's stem till it broke, allowing you to pick the two up as one.

"You know, people come to our gardens, and they always marvel over our blue lilies," you said, wading the short way back to the boat, "but I always find white lilies to be more worth the time. They grow everywhere in the rest of the world, but so rarely do you find one here. I think it'll make a good addition to your garden."

"I've always thought of it as a bland color," he admitted, taking your hand and helping you back into the skiff.

"It's purity, and it is silence," you said softly, still admiring the flower, even as you took your seat back in the boat, dripping river water on the floor. "Think of alabaster, and clouds, and the reflection of the sun – white isn't bland. Not when you look closer."

"Maybe you're right," he sighed, taking the oars back in hand and rowing you away from shore.

"It's also good to have more than one type of lily. Makes sure the colors don't clash," you said, bringing a soft chuckle out of him.

"That too," he said.

You turned to the stars, looking up with a distant smile as you admired their light. They had patterns – looking close enough, you could find anything, just like in summer clouds. Lions, trees, chariots, and all of it hidden in the heavens. You sighed softly, filling yourself up with a calm you rarely found while in the presence of someone else.

"I feel as though I already know you," he said, drawing your attention away from the light of the stars and to his light.

"How so?"

"Well, I... um, I've actually watched you for a while, from my room," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I hope that doesn't make you think any less of me. I just... you're very nice to watch."

Despite him initiating the conversation, he wouldn't make eye contact with you, intent to concentrate on the oar that really didn't require all that much concentration. Reaching forward you stilled his hand, allowing the boat to come to a stop in the river as he looked to you.

"I already kind of knew that," you admitted. The two of you had made eye contact enough throughout the years for you to realize a pattern.

"Really?" He asked, a blush burning onto his cheeks as he gripped the oar tight, letting his knuckles turn white.

"I don't mind," you said softly, smiling gently as he met your eye. It brought a small comfort to him.

"It wouldn't've happened if I were allowed to leave the palace, mind you. I just... it gets terribly lonely, sometimes. I know I have to complete my studies since one day I might rule this land in my father's stead, but I am still young," he said, spilling out information you hadn't expected to hear anytime in the next month. You took a moment to contemplate your response.

"At least you're aware of it. Better than ignorance or anything of that like," you said.

"You're a very kind person, aren't you?" He asked, tilting his head slightly to the left.

"I don't think that's for me to decide, but thank you anyway," you said with a soft giggle, making him grin as well, dimples creasing into his blushing cheeks.

"I enjoy your company a lot more than I thought I would, and to be fair, I already thought I'd enjoy your company quite a lot," he admitted, making you laugh. Immediately you covered your mouth with your hand, unable to stop the giggling falling from you. His smile only grew.

"I enjoy your company quite a lot, too," you said in a posh voice.

He let his head hang from his shoulders as silent laughs shook his body. Delight filled you – from his smile, from your own comfort, from the gentle current of the river, from your flower, and ultimately just from him. You were expecting a polite man. Not a warm one, but the surprise was one you welcomed with open arms.

As you headed back up the Nile in search of the city, you watched the shore carefully for any other flowers. You didn't end up finding any more, but you did pause for a few fern leaves, and the root of a vine whose leaves splayed wide. Watching the water pass by, you leaned against the edge of the boat, your chin supported by your palm, watching the shadow of your reflection beneath you. She smiled, and your lips quirked up just slightly.

Soon the bottom of the river could be seen, making you raise your head away from the water and towards the prince. The boathouse sat ahead of you, and as Ahkmen rowed you back, you took the little time left to watch the muscles on his back move with every stroke of the oar. You hadn't noticed before, but he was actually rather muscular. Just another thing you realized about him that night along with a dozen other things.

He gently maneuvered the skiff back into its' place at the dock, tying up the rope on his end before tossing his oar onto the dock. Placing his hands on the wood he lifted himself out, tying the other end before lending you his hand, helping you out. You murmured a soft thank you, following behind him as he put away the oar.

"We can do this again, if you like," he offered quietly as the two of you headed back towards the palace. "Or we don't have to. Up to you."

"I'd like to," you said, "if only to get more seeds."

He grinned, shaking his head.

"Shall I find you at dusk again?"

"That sounds nice."

When I hear your voice, it's pomegranate wine

I live to hear it

And if I look at you, at each look,

it is purer than any honey or beer.

True to his word, he did take you on more short excursions, though he called them expeditions, something that always made you chuckle. Maybe it was just because you were bashful around him, but no matter the reason you both enjoyed calling them that. Expeditions or adventures – you still found yourself enjoying them, even if you took the same path through the Nile every time.

At sunset he appeared in the threshold of your garden, watching you silently as he always did. Sometimes you spied him out of the corner of your eye, but most times you didn't, leading to you jumping when he made a sound. The other times that you did see him you let him stand there, feeling the heat of his gaze on your back.

What exactly he was doing you didn't know, but you didn't mind all that much, as he'd never shown any cruelty to you. It was a polar opposite to his brother – at least, in your interactions with the two princes. Kahmuh didn't talk to you nearly as much as Ahkmen did, and you preferred to keep it that way.

"How's the garden today?" He asked, making you twist around to him. The moment you saw him a bright smile lit up your face, now an instinct whenever you met his eye.

"Doing quite well. I need to feed the geese less, though," you noted as you stood from your seat beside the pool, your feet dipped in the water.

"Why? Growing too domesticated?"

"No, just too fat," you said, pulling a laugh from the prince.

As you stepped out of the pond, the geese tried to follow you, honking at you demandingly. You turned around, scolding them quietly before you hurried over to Ahkmen.

"My prince," you greeted him with a bow of your head, a habit you made sure to keep. Just in case. He didn't like it, which was obvious from his knitted brow, but he would have to learn to like it.

"Want to go out on the river again?" He asked, mostly ignoring your greeting.

"Of course."

And you found yourself out on the water for the umpteenth time, staring at the same stars, watching the same shore pass you by, and yet every time you joined him it felt new. Just like the first time you watched the shore carefully, scanning for any flora you could add to the garden. You paused only to look to the sky, charting the stars with your imagination, drawing lines across the heavens to form the earth in the sky.

"I've finally started taking astronomy lessons," he said, his voice airy as he, too, looked up to the stars. "I've always loved the stars, but... never got around to learning much about them till now."

"Is it a difficult subject?" You asked, leaning forward.

"Not yet," he said with a chuckle, making you smile.

With the skiff resting the middle of the river, he set down the oar, moving to sit beside you. He took your hand and pressed your cheek against his, matching your eyes together as he pointed upwards.

"Up there," he said, "you can see Hathor's constellation, right by the brightest star."

"Oh, yeah," you mumbled, watching where he pointed and drew out the sacred cow.

"Over here is an eagle. The tail runs pretty far, but it connects through the southern star," he said, and in your concentration you almost forgot about his touch against yours, curling around your fingertips and pressed against your blushing cheek.

"It's beautiful," you murmured thoughtlessly, not even noticing when his finger dropped down, landing on your intertwined hands. He hummed in agreement, keeping at your side.

Only when silence encompassed you did you pay attention to his closeness, an anxious warmth crowding out your thoughts as he breathed against you. You could so easily rest your head on his shoulder, or stroke your fingers across his forearm, or kiss his cheek – you didn't do any of those things. Instead you enjoyed the softness of his hand while you could, letting your imagination run free as you stared up at the patterns of the stars.

You almost drifted off, almost – one moment you were almost leaning into him, your eyes just barely closing, and the next he once more stood on the other end of the boat, the long oar in his hand. He was humming, quietly enough that you had to strain to hear. As the seconds rolled by you stared back up at the stars, memorizing his thoughtless hum and teaching each note to the distant lights above you.

Upon your return to land your feet grew shaky, too used to being in the gentle rock of the tide. Like all the other times he offered you his hand, and you took it, lifting yourself out of the boat and pressing your side against his for support. He didn't seem to mind, so you stayed right where you were. With your heart thumping so harsh you were worried he could feel it, the two of you left the boathouse, heading up the path back to the palace.

"Have you got anywhere to be in the morning?" He asked.

"No," you answered.

"I'll walk you home, then," he said with a soft smile, and you looked at your feet, ashamed of the blush that so easily overtook you. "I haven't anywhere to be tonight or tomorrow."

"Is that rare for you?" You asked quietly, your shoulder bumping against his arm as you walked.

"Let's just say it doesn't happen often," he said, making you chuckle.

Soon you found yourself at the fork of the path, the well-trodden one leading to the palace, and the overgrown path leading into the city. He took you that way, adopting a slow stroll that you didn't mind in the least. Even if you did get subpar sleep, it would be worth it to spend more time with him, listening to crickets and the distant sound of music. Like most summer evenings, the city was alight with the life of several different parties. The scent of alcohol grew thick in the air, and the shouts of patrons louder, marking where solitude ended and unease began. The prince didn't seem to mind it, but he noticed your discomfort, and in a motion both exciting and familiar, he held your hand in his.

Behold, if I pass before him,

I shall tell him of my turnings;

Behold, I am yours, I shall say to him

And he will boast of my name.

On a late summer morning, you awoke before the sun, bringing yourself to life with a heavy sigh. The blankets across your body draped as you sat up, already awake from the rather disturbing dream you'd had. With the thought of sleep eradicated from your head, you stood, dressed yourself, and left your home without word or breakfast. You regretted the decision about five minutes into the walk to the palace, as you stomach began to grumble uncomfortably. Instead of stopping by anywhere, you thought of your Chinese flower, and how beautiful it would be to see it in the total dark of the hours before dawn. Surely it would be a marvel – and that was what led you away from your comfy bed and fresh food.

Slowly you climbed the steps of the palace, keeping quiet footsteps to keep the peace. Two soldiers were always stationed at each end of the staircase, and though you'd never said hello to any of them, you did wave, which earned you an odd look and confused wave in return. You almost stopped to laugh and initiate and genuine conversation, but the pull of your flower was strong enough to hurry your footsteps towards the garden.

As you reached the open hallway leading into the garden, you paused, already hearing a voice from inside. Silently you approached the arch, hiding behind the wall as you peeked inside.

Ahkmen sat on the pond's ledge, wearing naught but a loosely tied skirt that tugged down with every movement he made. For a moment you lingered on the soft skin of his waist, but your thoughts were torn from there when he spoke, and with one glance you found him talking to Nuru. She didn't look like she minded, but it was hard to pinpoint the emotions of a goose.

"You see Nedjem a lot," he said, his right hand curled around the fabric of his skirt, and the left petting Nuru's wing feathers. "Do you think they like poetry?"

You perked up slightly, though kept in mind it'd be best not to be seen.

"I hope they do," he hummed, a gentle smile on his face as the goose burrowed her neck into her fat body. You really needed to stop feeding them so much. "Lately I've written so much. Mostly on pottery shards, but still... maybe you'll have an opinion on them?"

He proceeded to dig into the small pocket sewn to the side of his skirt, shuffling around before pulling his hand back out, opening it to reveal shard upon shard of limestone. Your heart began to race, your grip on the marble arch tightening.

"I'm not a poet, mind you," he added, talking to the goose as though she were a person. "I can barely write. But..." he trailed off, sorting mindlessly through the collection before pulling one out, holding it up to read.

"Oh to be the artist – able to stare at you for as long as I please. To be the writer, capturing your essence, the sweet melody in your laugh. Oh, to be the musician, mimicking that melody, serenading you with the kindest words and softest tone, to be an artist – what an endearing form of love. How wonderful it must be to be an artist in love. Um..." he stuffed it back in his pocket, picking a new one. "When I touch you, I am love incarnate. I have found a home in the touch of your hand against mine. That one's... quite a bit shorter. Probably won't use that one. Oh, I shouldn't be too straightforward with it, either."

You almost giggled – you didn't, fortunately, managing to cover your mouth with your hand before any sound escaped. But the sight was so sweet, so endearing you could almost imagine him saying those things to you, looking you in the eye, and running his thumb across the curve of your lips. A lump grew in your throat, hurrying your breath as you watched him continue.

"There's only one more that's worth mentioning," he said, although there were a great deal many more shards than the last one he pulled. "I want to love you in so many ways. I want to love you as a servant, as a master, I would love you as a king and I would love you as a farmer. As long as it's you, I could be anything if I still loved you."

"That's a pretty poem," you finally said, leant against the arch and surprising him just like he'd done to you months ago. He immediately looked up, his expression softening when he recognized you.

"Nedjem," he said with a smile, a tinge of relief evident in his eye. "Gods, I thought you were my brother."

"Fortunately no," you said, walking to join him at the side of the pond.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well for one, this is where I work," you said, making both of you laugh. "Who are you writing these poems for?"

He stared at you a moment before answering, "someone very special."

"I'm sure she's quite happy to have your companionship, then," you said, ignoring your own feelings on the matter, as anything detrimental you could say would only worsen your own heart's decay. "And I do like poetry. You can show me them, if you'd like."

"I -"

"Ahkmen!" Came a voice from the hallway, shouting with terror-laced words. "There's a fire in the kitchen!!"

"Again?" He groaned quietly, moving to his feet and running towards the hall. "I'll be back in a moment," he promised you before he left, disappearing behind a corner.

You almost smiled, but instead you turned to Nuru, who was still mostly asleep.

"He's a nice man, isn't he?" You said.

I hear thy voice, O turtle dove-

The dawn is all aglow

Weary am I with love, with love, Oh whither shall I go?

The edge of the sun touched the horizon, casting a hazy, golden glow across the land. Your skin tingled beneath its' touch, warm and familiar as you sat on the docks of the boathouse. Ahkmen was God knows where – you hadn't seen him after the fire incident, and assumed he was busy with princely duties. He had a fair amount of those. You, on the other hand, had spent the last few days fixing up the array of new plants near the garden walls.

"He likes poetry," you murmured aloud to yourself, your concentration on the setting sun and its' peach clouds wavering as you thought on the prince.

He hadn't ever mentioned that about himself before, but it was obvious he enjoyed it quite a lot, and as you thought of his poetry in crystal clear memory, you wondered if perhaps you could write your own poetry. Of course, it wouldn't be written down – you didn't have any papyrus or clay, and you didn't even know how to write. No, you'd have to memorize the words you pieced together, and you imagined yourself serenading him as you closed your eyes, letting your feet drop into the river water below.

You thought and thought, racking your brain for ideas or clues as to what you could do. Compare his beauty to a rose – a tad too feminine, but you hadn't any idea what else to call him. He was sweet; like a rose, and his skin soft, like the red velvet petals. His humor was the scent of a rose's nectar that delighted the bees so, and when you caught him brandishing a spear in a spar against his teacher, he was the thorns of a dark green stem. His life was the roots and you were the water, happy to be something within him, be it a thought or a melody – and he kept you close, safe, like the leaves of a rose bush and the spike of thorns protected every wonderful thing that coexists to form pure life.

You closed your eyes and breathed. You would remember; you had to. Hopefully it would stay in your mind for a good long while, as you had no idea when you would see him next, much less be able to actually speak to him in that manner. It was rather daring, though – a lowly worker infatuated with a prince locked up in a high tower. A reverse fairy tale, and as you opened your eyes to see the quiet ripples of the water, you thought of nothing but him and the stars he drew in your eyes.

Slowly the sun set low, dying once more as the moon took its' place in the sky above you. Looking up, you found the moon as a sliver, smiling in the dark. A cool wind settled over you, making you curl up to avoid the chill. Another deep breath and you turned to the water, watching the reflection of the sky dance, rippling with every slight movement.

Hours passed by and you stayed right there, memorizing your image of him, trying to imprint it in your memory. It would have to be perfect; he deserved no less, especially from someone so low as you. Neither of you had remarked much on your class difference, but every now and then it did bother you – you'd be less than human if it didn't. Sometimes class didn't matter, but sometimes it did, and that but had you gripping the wood of the dock tight. He was a kind man, of voice, touch, and words, and you had no doubt he could love someone beneath him. Whether he could love you was something else entirely.

Soon the darkest hours of night overtook you, and in the dim glow of the moon you could hardly see your hands, only feeling the way you drew your fingers up your thigh to rest in your lap. The silence that surrounded you was broken only by the roll of the river against the wooden dock, a few of the boats clanking against each other. You breathed deep, relaxing in the familiar scent of the Nile, comforted by the breeze and the dissipation of every physical thing. Nothing but pitch black – it might as well have been a new moon, as the distant shore melded into the faraway mountains without hesitation.

A hand touched your shoulder and you jumped, feeling the fingers run a line down your upper arm before stopping and disappearing. You looked up, finding nothing but darkness, yet as the figure sat beside you, you could hear the even breaths and the creak of the wood beneath them.

"What are you doing here so late?" Ahkmen asked softly, worry evident in his tone.

"I needed some time to think," you answered honestly. "There's a lot on my mind as of late."

"Would you like to talk about it?" He said after a moment to let your words rest in the space between you.

"Not really," you said with a smile he couldn't see.

The two of you sat there for a couple minutes, your shoulder brushed against his, his thigh against yours, and the chill wind keeping you close to one another.

"I wrote something for you," you finally said, breaking away from the thought of holding it back. What was the use of memorizing if you weren't going to tell him? Besides, you were alone – just you, and just him.

"Really?" He said, sounding surprised.

"I didn't actually write it down. I just put together some words," you said, smiling when he chuckled. You were looking directly at him and you still couldn't see him, but your head replayed every time you saw him grin.

"How does it go?"

"I want you to close your eyes," you murmured, moving to cup your hand over his jawline, running your thumb over his now-closed eyes. "Imagine the garden. My garden." Your heart raced when you felt his breath on your skin.

Once assured he followed your command, you began your recitation, digging your nails into your palm to avoid slipping up.

"I am yours like this garden," you said, keeping your voice soft either out of love or fear. "Planted with flowers, and fragrant herbs. Its canal is pleasant –– dug by your hand, cooled by the north wind. A lovely place to wander hand in hand; my body satisfied, my heart rejoicing, walking together. When I hear your voice, it's pomegranate wine –– I live to hear it, and if I look at you, at each look, it is purer than any honey or beer."

He didn't speak, but he remained in your touch, melting into the way you caressed his cheek. Raising his hand ever so gently, he set his own hand on yours, pulling it away just enough for him to kiss your palm, just enough to send you into a blazing blush.

"You remind me of the moon flower," you mumbled, barely able to get the words out without stuttering.

"A moon flower?" He asked curiously.

"I keep it in the garden," you said as your hand fell back to your lap. "Would you like to see?"

"Of course," he said, and the two of you stood, taking that familiar path back to the palace.

Gravel crinkled beneath your sandals, and birds circled overhead, but none of that fully processed with him so close to you.

"That was a beautiful poem, by the way," he told you in a murmur, almost reluctant to compliment.

"Thank you," you said, a small smile spreading across your face. "I suppose you inspired me a little this morning. I've never heard poetry before."

"Really? I've heard it quite a lot," he said.

"That's probably because you can afford it," you said, and the both of you laughed, leaning imperceptibly closer together.

He snuck you into the palace, and in return you snuck him into the garden, taking his hand and leading him onto the sandstone path. With a distant torch lighting the outside hallway, you could see the shapes of the garden trees and the walls. Ahkmen, ever so helpful, pulled a rushlight from his pocket, lighting it to reveal the closed lilies and, in the corner, the blooming petals of the Chinese flower. Once more you took his hand, leading him to kneel before it.

The white color that previously coated it was replaced with a vibrant pink, a color you were sure you hadn't ever seen before. If you had, it certainly wasn't as vibrant, and it didn't have you quite as awestruck as the flower did. The stem reached your shoulder when you knelt, covered in tiny petals, each belonging to its own blooming flower, ruffling in the slow breeze.

"I got it from a trader in the markets at Tanis," you told him quietly, careful not to break the trance of its' beauty. Turning to him, you saw his amazed face lit by the flickering rushlight, glowing in the dim of the garden.

"Where's it from?" He asked, his lips still parted in curiosity.

"She said it was from China. I'm not sure where that is, but she told me it's far in the east," you said, watching his expression carefully. The curve of his nose, the crinkles around his eyes, the slightest dimple from his smile filled with wonderment.

"I... I want to show you something, too," he offered quietly, as though you could ever say no.

"As long as it isn't too far away. Dawn will come soon," you said, noting the slightest variation in the pitch black sky.

"I don't care about dawn," he admitted as he took your hand. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course, my prince."

He pulled you to your feet, leading you away from the garden and into the palace. You turned down twists, letting him take you up staircases and through empty rooms. For a moment you thought to ask him as to his destination, but as you watched his delight in your curiosity, you let it be. You'd find out soon enough anyway – the palace wasn't outrageously large, though you'd bet without a guide it was easy to get lost. Fortunately, you had him, and he never let go of your hand.

Through hallways painted from top to bottom, through unused servant's quarters and empty storage rooms, and at the end of it all a large, wooden door in an unassuming hallway.

"My parents moved me here after Kahmuh started fighting with me," he told you, looking up at the bolted door. "I used to live in a much more occupied hallway, but I like the solitude. It's nice to hear the quiet."

You agreed but said nothing, letting his touch drop from yours as he worked with the bolt, eventually unlocking it with a heavy click. The doors slowly rolled open, aided by his hand till the whole of his room stood before you. In the center, pressed against the far wall was his bed, a silk canopy hanging above it. To the left his desk, and against the nearest wall a bookcase. At last your eyes wandered to the right of his room, finding the arches you saw so often from below, the open alabaster viewing the whole of Memphis.

When you didn't move forward he intertwined his fingers in yours, pulling you gently closer till he closed the door behind the both of you.

"It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" He said, noticing your stare past the arches and into the city. "On festival nights the buildings light up like fireflies. So many people, all with their own thoughts and agenda, and all so small from here. Doesn't stop the city from reeking of alcohol, though."

You giggled, pushing him away as a dopey grin overtook him. While he went to light the torches hanging off the wall, you made your way to the arches, sitting on the cold floor and letting your legs dangle in mid air. His room had to be five or six stories above the ground, and as you looked down an anxious shiver ran through your body. Your legs and arms tingled, excited and fearful of the garden fall below you. Soon he joined you, letting his legs dangle beside yours, placing his hand right next to yours, where his pinkie could touch yours in a hesitant grace.

"You can see the Nile from here too. Fleets of ships, their banners covered in vibrant colors right next to the boats of fishers, whose boats carry no sail at all," he said, pointing into the distance where you could just barely make out the river. "It gets incredibly crowded sometimes."

"I see where you get your poetry inspiration from," you murmured, your eyes still stuck on the sight before you.

"That's not where I get it from," he said, and you turned to him with a confused expression, wondering why he was smiling and wondering where he was going when he stood.

Looking down, you picked at the dust on the floor, fidgeting with your nails as you turned back to the city. There were no celebrations or festivals, but still there were lights scattered across the many houses. If you keened hard you could hear the laughter of dinner parties and the music of dances.

Soft, calming notes came from behind you, struck on a harp. Turning around, you found Ahkmen sitting on a blanket, his legs crossed and a harp against his chest, plucking the strings with careful, gentle fingers. You didn't move – you couldn't, caught up in his focused expression, unable to tear yourself from his melody for even a moment.

"I'm not very good at harp," he paused to tell you, allowing you to break from concentration and make your way over to him. "I had to teach myself, and I'm not a very good teacher."

You giggled, covering your mouth with your hand as you did so.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" You asked quietly, tilting your head.

"I... well.. yes, I'm... I'm just nervous, I'm sorry. I've never played in front of anyone, and I know you like harp. That's sort of why I, um, picked it up," he admitted abashedly, hiding his face from your eye.

"When did you learn that?"

"On one of our expeditions on the river," he said, his lip quirking up into a half-smile. "You were half asleep at the time. I don't expect you to remember it."

"I don't," you said, pleasantly surprised that he would remember that.

"The point is, I've been trying to get better. I practiced a lot, so hopefully I don't.. slip up," he said as he reached beneath a nearby pile of blankets, pulling out a roll of papyrus which he set in front of him.

You watched in curiosity as he cleared his throat, cheeks blushing despite the fact he hadn't even started. First he poised his fingers above the strings, then, after double checking the papyrus, he began. A sweet melody in major, simple to remember, and easy on the heart.

He cleared his throat again before he opened his mouth, a song falling from his lips. In that moment everything in your body stopped – you hadn't expected him to be a good singer. Hell, you hadn't expected him to actually be able to even play the harp, but here you were, being serenaded by your prince, comforted by his words and his simple presence.

"I love you, O still heart," he sang, "I stand alongside your image. Rejoice in sacredness, strong of voice – you are everything, perfect and pure, you are the earth and you are the sky. The ways I have hidden myself in you; My soul, My throne, O still heart, is yours."

When he finished you finally breathed again, your chest blooming a warmth you hadn't ever felt before. There were moments that could be considered similar, but when he looked up at you, uncertainty lacing his expectant eyes, nothing could compare.

You leaned forward, and wordlessly you pressed your lips up against his, kissing him sweetly in a moment he happily reciprocated. Comfort in his presence, happiness in his word, and it was home in his touch.

My hand in your hand

I walk with you

in all the beautiful places.

[rosesastrology]

hi rose :) I have a horary question for you if it's possible! I'd like to know if there's anything specific about this month that my spirit guides want me to know. November 1st 2021, 3.44 pm, Milan, Italy, thank you very much! ☺️ - F

Hi! Let me know how this resonates, if at all. R

Aries is rising so you are represented by Mars, the minor malefic which is in the 7th house of romantic partners, business partners, doctors and people in general.

Mars' next aspect is to Saturn, it's applying with 0°39. What's Saturn? Saturn rules the 10th (career) 11th (friends, secret hopes and wishes) and 12th (self-undoing, spirituality, spirit guides) in this chart. There's no reception. Still, this let's me know that you may have been trying to manifest something or trying to contact your guides. This isn't working, though. With Lord 11, Saturn, in the 11th house, it confirms this idea of manifestation or some issue related to friendship. Your friends may be more distant (as Saturn is domicile, focused on the self). The 12th house is also ruled by Saturn, but co-significated (important) by Jupiter because Pisces is intercepted in the 12th house. Jupiter receives Venus, so your guides love whatever Venus is. Venus represents Silver, and Brass, both yellow, and red; amongst Stones, the Berill, Chrysolite, Emrald, Saphir, green Jasper, Corneola, the stone Aetites, the Lazull stone, Corall, and all of a fair, various, white, and green Colour [Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy, book 1, chapter XXVIII], Lilly adds "Copper, especially the Corinthian and White; Brasse, all Lattenware. Cornelian, the sky-coloured Saphyre, white and red Coral, Margalite, Alabaster, Lapis Luzuli because it expels Melancholy, the Beril, Chrisolite" in his book Christian Astrology. As such, if you have a love for pendants or stones, using any of these may help you connect more to them. In addition, and I think this is relevant, if you're working then make sure you have a backup job or work as you may be fired or put to the side for some time.

The moon is applying with a square to Venus as well with 1° as well, so Venus is obviously significant in this chart. Venus is the ruler of L7 (romantic or business partners) and L2 (money). Venus is peregrine and about to move to Capricorn where it's in its fall, so your wealth will go down dramatically—alternatively, if you're dating, they will start feeling really bad. Venus is in the 9th though, so I think it's the first rather than the latter. It could signify college expenses, or again, losing money via your job as Venus is near the MC and seperating. You may lose your work, so be very aware of this. If you're planning on resigning, it's significating that you should probably wait as this will have major influences on your finances. Saturn, this malefic, applying to your ASC reinforces this idea. The timeframe for this job loss/issue with finance is between 3 days and 1 week, though. If you're not working and this sounds like bogus, view it as 3 days-1 week until these issues with your friends and/or spirituality & mental health start.

[sugabeaniee]

ℙ𝕒𝕤 𝕕𝕖 𝔻𝕖𝕦𝕩

♚ 𝕤𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤: In which Akaashi Keiji is the founder of a popular dance studio and he’s not very fond of the newest addition to the team. You were recruited as a choreographer and have ample experience under your belt, but Akaashi is convinced you’re not up to the studio’s standards.

𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤: cursing, suggestive themes

[𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥]

𝟘𝟚:𝕀ℂ𝕐 𝔾ℝ𝕃 | ℕ𝕖𝕩𝕥

𝕀ℂ𝕐 𝔾ℝ𝕃-𝕊𝕒𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕖

𝕎𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕡𝕚𝕖𝕔𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣!

“ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀʏ ɪ’ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴏᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ʟɪᴇs ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ.”

After the initial shock of the task wore off, the gears in your head immediately began turning. What would impress a man like Akaashi Keiji? To be fair, you really didn’t know much about your new boss. He was well known in the dance community, and while you knew he was an amazing dancer, you didn’t know much about him personally. What types of dance did he prefer? Was he someone who preferred clean lines or a bit of groove? You personally preferred the latter, as you felt that dances that were too perfected seemed distant and ingenuous. At the same time you scrolled through your mental playlists of songs you had not yet choreographed but had saved for later. There were so many songs and themes you could choose that you had a hard time selecting one.

“ᴄʜᴀʀɢɪɴɢ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴍʏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴘʀɪᴄᴇʏ.”

“ɪ ʙᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏssᴇs ʙᴇ. ᴊᴜᴅɢɪɴɢ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍʏ ᴠɪʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ғᴇᴇʟ ɪᴛ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ.”

Sunday came sooner than you expected, and while you had spent several late evenings with Yachi in the studio, your nerves always got the best of you. Even as an experienced dancer it was only natural for you to be stressed when being judged on a dance of yours. You were the first to arrive in the alabaster studio, setting your gym bag in a small corner before commencing to stretch. That was one rule you never skipped. Being in an industry that depends on you being in good health, stretching was always important to prevent injury. You’ve seen too many great dancers get injured by skipping stretching or cutting it too short. More of your co-workers flooded in and you greeted them passingly. While you weren’t full out practicing, you were mentally going over the steps in your head, making sure you had them just right. You were going to blow away Akaashi Keiji if it was the last thing you did. Soon enough, the man of the hour walked in. He briefly greeted everyone, but the moment was short-lived as he got to the point. “ Ok, so who wants to go first?” He asked, clapping his hands together and looking between you and Yachi. Your eyes fleeted over to peer at Yachi before answering, “I’ll go first.” You were always someone who was confident in their abilities and going first both showed that as well as helped relieve any stress. The worst thing is following up an amazing performance. You knew that burden too well. You sauntered over to the middle of the studio, giving a brief glance towards everyone else who had positioned themselves against the wall in order to watch your performance. As soon as the melody hit your ears your body quickly moved to the beat. The choreography was both hard hitting and fluid, as you merged the styles together. While you couldn’t predict what Akaashi would like, you could do your best to meet in the middle. The song itself was strong and powerful, which you hoped would make an impact. You wanted your first dance to be something that everyone would remember. You wanted to show them you weren’t someone to be forgotten, you’re Y/N.

“ᴡᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴘ sᴏ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ɢᴇᴛ ᴀ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴠɪᴇᴡ ʟɪᴋᴇ.”

facts:

-You and Iwa have been close for a long time now. (He’s like an older brother to you)

-People like to assume you and Iwaizumi are in a relationship

-You don’t understand why (a bit clueless if you ask me)

a/n: So I tried to convey y/n’s confidence, I hope that goes through! Also dance video is linked within the written part :) Should be linked in the word “moved”, and from here on out i’ll be linking any dances in a similar fashion! Also if I forget to add anyone to the taglist lmk! Im gonna keep it to asks now as I don’t wanna miss any dm’s >.<

ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕤𝕜  𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒𝕕𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥!

taglist: @rintaromilktea​ @normalisthenewnorm​ @tendo-sxtori​ @seijqhigh​ @cleopatera​ @mindofess​ @starryleafy​

[vannahfanfics]

If you want a Mirko prompt, how about her taking a trip to Okunoshima? That way we can have ALL THE BUNNIES!

Yes! All the bunnies! This was super fun to write, and I threw a smidgeon of MirHawks in there just because I wasn’t sure how to tie it up XD

Publicity Stunts

Rumi’s lips were slightly pursed as she peered out of the small window of the helicopter. Below the sleek black accents, the blue waves of Japan’s Inland Sea sloshed and splashed, throwing up bubbly white seafoam in impressive arcs. Her red eyes slowly rolled in her sockets to spy the small silhouette of the lone island nestled within the bay. The morning sun framed its lumpy shape in black; the only contrast lay in its white beaches, which ringed the landmark like a curling ribbon. The sound-canceling headphones secured over her fluffy ears protected Rumi’s sensitive eardrums from the helicopter’s persistent buffeting chops as it spirited her onward to Okunoshima- better known as “Rabbit Island.”

Rumi was traveling to the historical park-slash-island as a public relations campaign her agency dreamed up. “You’re the Rabbit Hero!” her manager had squawked optimistically. “The public would adore you socializing with all these bunnies!” The corner of Rumi’s mouth twitched from just recalling the mortifying proposal. Rumi didn’t hate her animal namesake, naturally, and knew that public relations campaigns were the lifeblood of sponsorships and popularity polls… but did she really have to gallivant off to a spit of land off the coast and cozy up to some feral rabbits for six hours? There are so many more useful things I could be doing, she moped.

The subtle shift in air pressure indicated to her that the helicopter was landing. She straightened up in her seat and compulsively combed her fingers through her long, alabaster hair. The public arrived at Okunoshima via ferry, but Rumi was a VIP if there ever was one, hence her arrival by air; however, the island was not equipped with any sort of landing pad. Instead, the helicopter descended upon a flat stretch of clearing. The grass blades whipped wildly about as they were battered by the relentless air currents sweeping down from the helicopter’s swirling blades. The small-bodied aircraft shuddered as it finally made contact with the earth. Rumi kept the noise-canceling headphones over her tall ears until the engine’s whine dwindled to a small, whimpering keen. As she was wrenching them off her head and tossing them onto the floor, the island caretaker trotted up to the aircraft.

“Did you have a pleasant flight, Miss Mirko?” He asked politely as the lithe, tanned hero climbed out of the helicopter and hopped down onto the grass. Tsking, she clawed the steel-toes of her hero suit into the dirt, digging up clumps of damp earth and dry grass.

“Indeed,” she remarked but only because courtesy was customary. “Although I would prefer to leave the flying to Hawks,” she added with a cheesy sneer. She was only teasing, but the man still tugged at his tie and sputtered something about changing arrangements. “It’s not necessary,” she shrugged with a wave of her gloved hand. “Let’s just get this thing started already.”

“But of course!” the nervous academic simpered and because barking at his numerous assistants and employees to finish the preparations for Rumi’s photoshoot. The hero scowled when her manager quipped at her to exercise proper decorum. All this red tape and two-faced bullshit. Blegh, she thought sourly. While the men and women busied themselves by setting up cameras and props, Rumi wandered to the edge of the clearing.

The helicopter’s droning chopping blades and whirring engine had doubtlessly frightened the island’s residents. Now that the machine sat silent upon the grass, curiosity was beginning to get the better of them. Rumi’s eyebrow crept up a few centimeters as a fat, furry golden rabbit hopped out of some brambles upon her coming. Its nose twitched, and its little jaws were chomping some grass blades into a paste. They live up to their tame reputation, she thought in amusement as she strolled right up to the bunny and patted its round haunches. Though she had gloves, she could tell that the creature’s fur was silky and smooth. The tourism kept the rabbits in excellent health, it seemed.

“Mirko, em, Miss Mir-”

“Just ‘Mirko’ is fine,” she informed the island director as he came trundling to the edge of the clearing. It had a slight decline, and he seemed to be having a rough time of maneuvering through the slick grass in his fancy dress shoes. He probably sits in an air-conditioned office all day. He looks so out of his element it’s not even funny, she thought in mild disdain and straightened up. The man yelped when the smooth soles of his dress shoes slipped over the grass, causing him to fall and slide down the small hill. Rumi couldn’t help but smile when he stumbled up, and his sophisticated beige dress pants sported a streak of fresh green down the left side. He nervously adjusted his tie and cleared his throat.

“Mis- I mean, Mirko, all the preparations are complete.”

Mirko hiked up the hill with ease, with the sweating academic huffing and puffing behind her. The clearing had been transformed from a blank, empty canvas in a matter of minutes. A camera crew was bustling between three different cameras, adjusting lenses and arranging white umbrella-like structures to reflect the flash in a way that would flatter Rumi most. A picnic table was situated amongst a patch of white dandelions growing not far from the helicopter. Several tin buckets of carrots were scattered here and there, likely bribing tools for the island’s furry natives. Rumi sauntered up to pluck one of the orange root vegetables out of the bucket and chomp down on it with powerful jaws. A meek young assistant girl gawked wide-eyed at her as she devoured the carrot in seconds but seemed to have more sense than to question the Number-Five Hero.

“All right,” Rumi hummed and clapped her hands together. The leather of her gloves made the smack even more resounding. “Photograph me with some of these wild rabbits so I can get back to work.” Her manager whined miserably and tipped back her head at Rumi’s show of disdain, but Rumi didn’t care. I’m a hero, not a model, she grumped. This entire photo operation will get one run in a magazine and be forgotten in two weeks.

Rumi glanced down at something brushed against her navy-blue tights. A chunky spotted rabbit was nosing her calf, seemingly demanding pets. Smirking slightly, Rumi leaned over to grab the fuzzy creature and nuzzle him against her bosom. Well, at least all my other models are super cute, she smiled and gave the bunny some well-deserved scratches behind his floppy ears. The photographer called for Rumi to approach, so she did, still holding the contented bunny rabbit.

“Quite remarkable how tame they are,” the photographer grinned under the brim of his baseball cap and patted the spotted rabbit’s flank. Several other bunnies were bounding through the grass-and-flower field toward her, obviously jealous. Chittering impatiently, they butted their furry heads against her solid calves and bounded circles around her steel-toed feet. “They rather like you.”

“Surprising,” she remarked smugly with a twitch of her furry white ears.

~~~~~~~~~~

The photographer situated her at the picnic table first. They piled several of the big rabbits on its wooden surface, with Rumi leaning her cheek in her hand and smiling while hand-feeding them carrots. It actually wasn’t that difficult a pose to maintain, as Rumi found treating the rabbits quite entertaining. Their little jaws worked tirelessly at the crunchy orange root and sprigs of green leaves while their long ears constantly swiveled, searching the airwaves for any signs of danger. Their beady black eyes glittered in the sunlight; beady indeed but glimmering with an individual intelligence and charm that made Rumi smile happily. She removed one of her white leather gloves to stroke the length of one’s back, admiring the impeccable softness of its fur. By the time the photographer announced that they would be moving on to the next phase of the photoshoot, she was rather enjoying herself.

They got a few candid shots of Rumi strolling about through the tall grasses with the curious bunnies hopping along behind her. After a few minutes, she elected to have a fair bit of fun and crouched down to begin jumping along with her powerful legs. The rabbits sprinted after her, then playfully ran circles around her squatting body when she paused. The smile on her face was beaming as she hopped around the clearing with the bunnies. Twenty of them had meandered onto the photoshoot set, nearly all of them dashing along with the laughing Rumi.

“Ahaha! You guys sure are a lot of fun!” she crowed as she rolled onto her back, holding one of the fluffy bunnies aloft. Two more of them clambered up onto her belly, thumping against the toned flesh with powerful paws, while another climbed up her inclined legs to perch on her knees. Another still nested in her voluminous white hair and began chewing on the thin strands, thinking it nourishment. “Hey, cut that out,” she snickered and shoved it in the rump. It twitched its cottony, ball-shaped tail but obediently spat out her long locks. She heard the shutter of the camera snapping frantically and sat up, the rabbits slouching off her like they were boneless sacks of meat.

“I am so relieved you are enjoying our island’s residents!” the director sighed. He was sweating less now, though his earlier fit was evidenced by the damp patches in the armpits of his blue dress shirt. The green grass stripe still glared starkly in his pressed pants, and his tie was crumpled from how relentlessly he had been fidgeting with it.

“Yes, indeed,” she smiled while holding up one of the fluffy denizens. “I was unsure about it at first, but these little guys are quite adorable.” The camera flashed a few more times as Rumi brought the rabbit to her face to nuzzle her cheeks against the top of its head.

“This article is going to make headlines!” her manager cooed with happiness beside the reporter, who was scribbling notes on his notepad. Honestly, Rumi could care less about the publicity or her ratings. She flopped back into the fresh green grasses, and the bunnies immediately congregated around her, nuzzling into every spare inch of space they could find. Their warm bodies insulated Rumi, spreading cozy head from the crown of her head to the tips of her toes; her eyes drifted shut at the contenting heat. She giggled as one of the bunnies nosed her face, and its whiskers tickled her soft skin.

There are more useful things I could be doing, she thought as her mind descended into the twilight of half-sleep, but I suppose a hero could use a break every once and a while. She supposed she could have netted herself a more annoying public relations campaign than falling asleep beneath the summer sun blanketed by cute little bunnies, after all.

She would have appreciated it if they hadn’t used that image as the front cover for Heroes Magazine, however.

Rumi glared thunderously at Hawks as he sat across from her at the café table. He was doubled over in the wrought-iron chair cackling so hysterically that the other patrons were glancing over in concern. Rumi’s tall white ears repeatedly twitched in annoyance at the high pitch of his snickers. After what seemed like an eternity, he slowly sat up, a hand over his mouth to smother the lingering giggles leaking out.

“Are you finished, Hawks?”

“I’m sorry,” the red-winged hero whimpered with another fervid glance at the damning photograph plastered on the cover of the magazine. “It’s just- It makes you look so innocent and sweet!” he howled and threw himself back in the chair. As he flung his bulk, the chair tipped backward on two legs. “Oh no!” he yelped and pinwheeled his arms to rebalance himself. The iron furniture seemed to hang in the air for a moment before falling backward, gaining momentum before striking the concrete with a resounding clang. Rumi smirked, fancying karma had struck the bird-brain quite justly. “I suppose I deserved that,” he huffed while pulling himself up using the edge of the glass-topped café table.

“I agree with you, actually,” she huffed and daintily sipped at her latte. “That photograph is horrible for my reputation. I can’t have all my young fans thinking I’m some delicate princess.” Hawks grinned at her as he righted his chair and plunked down, more cautiously this time. He laced his fingers and tucked him under his chin, and his shining eyes gleamed behind his golden visor.

“True, I suppose. Although- and don’t hit me for this- I think it’s also quite a flattering image of you.” Rumi’s cheeks flushed hot and red, and she thumped his shin under the table with the flat of her foot. He whined miserably and clutched at his assaulted leg. “I said, don’t hit me!”

“I didn’t. I kicked you.”

“That’s even worse! You could crush watermelons with your thighs, y’know, so I’m sure one of your kicks could crush bones!” he whined, rubbing tenderly at the likely bruised flesh. Rumi smirked, momentarily fantasizing what crushing a watermelon on live television would do for her image. Her red eyes fell back to the magazine, where she lay amongst the flowers and snoozing bunnies. Her white hair cascaded around her, running like rivers of milk between her tanned limbs and the bunnies’ multicolored fur. Her lips were slightly parted, and her head tilted to the side, making the golden sunlight spill over her dark skin and make it glow a rich bronze. Her eyes were slightly scrunched up. She really did look innocent and content… and dare she say, beautiful. Her cheeks hazed again, and she looked at Hawks to find him grinning seductively.

She kicked him in the other shin, and he wailed miserably. She stood from the table, draining the dregs of her latte as he pitifully peered up at her. “Mirko, whyyy?”

“Because you’re a hundred years too early to try and flirt with me, feathers,” she huffed. The ceramic mug clinked against the saucer as she set it down. Grinning, Rumi flashed him a wink. “But I might forgive you if you buy my coffee. Ciaoooo~!” Using her thick legs, she sprinted away, leaving Hawks cursing yet impressed in the dust. Her laughter floated back to him on the wind.

Needless to say, that photoshoot worked wonders for her popularity, in all sorts of ways…

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

Tag List: @deliathedork @simplybakugou @sadistiks

[sentient-stove]

Mane of Fire, Eyes of Amber, Sword of Alabaster: Fallen Beings AU.

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Characters: Janus, Virgil, Patton, Remy, Remus, Roman, Logan

Relationships: Janus/Virgil

Additional tags: U!Deceit, Winged Fic, Winged Virgil, Gods and Goddesses Au.

Summary: Roman POV, after the first crash of Virgil’s

Word Count: 1436

Notes: UHHHH, So back in August, @what-is-love-babey-dont-hurt-me​ made the most beautiful fanart of a winged Virgil and I wrote a fanfic for it.  And now there’s a sequel because I wanted to be angsty.

Roman gently runs a hand through Paranoia’s healing feathers, slowly spreading the salve.  The Dark one has said little in the weeks that he has been here and eventually Patton and Logan had left Roman to care for their guest.

It’s clear that Paranoia doesn’t belong here, after all he represents fear, while the Light ones represent Love, Knowledge and Hope.

That doesn’t stop Roman though.  

Paranoia lets out a quiet hiss of pain as Roman’s fingers hit an open sore where a fulgurite feather is pushing through.

“I’m sorry.”  He murmurs and the other shrugs.

“It’s fine.”

It doesn’t seem that way to Roman.  He wants to scoop up the god and hold him close, promising love and protection.  He notices the way that Paranoia tenses when the other Dark ones are brought up and for the first time in Roman’s long existence…

He fears.

He fears of what will happen when Paranoia is strong enough to fly again.  He fears that the god made of glass and wings will run, run like how he does when he dances across the lightning, never seeming content.

Roman finishes rubbing the healing salve in the wings and he stands to leave.

“Roman?”  Paranoia’s voice is small, but he still turns to the other.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

…

Roman swings his sword above his head, the blade flashing as he brings it down, Logan barely countering the attack with his daisho blades.

The pair spar often, whether it be with words or weapons and Roman finds it exhilarating when he wins, which happens most of the time, unless Logan is lucky.  Today is one of those days and Logan locks his blades together, catching Roman off guard and his sword goes skittering away.

“I win.”  Logan says evenly.  Roman nods.

“Fair.”

“We need to discuss the Dark one.”  

Roman holds back a sigh.  “Lo, let him heal, his wings won’t be ready for another season at least.”

“Yes, so you should tell your brother that Virgil will not be returning.  It’d be a mess if another fell down here.”  Logan sheaths his weapons and picks up Roman’s sword.  “I advise caution among them.”

Roman looks up at the sky.   “I can’t promise that.”

“You have to, otherwise I will go.”  Logan passes Roman his sword.  “And you remember what happened last time I went.”

…

Roman wants to scream.  He wants to let his god of a voice rip out of him and claw at his fears.  He wants to take the Dark ones and fight them, for he is the god of Love and Passion and what his opposites have done is horrifying.

It’d be futile though, for he cannot exist without them and vice versa.

…

Virgil can feel that his wings are healed.  It’s been months since the initial accident that sent him falling to the Light ones, but now he stands in the grass, letting the warm sun heat up the feathers.

Roman is somewhere nearby, he can tell.  The amber eyed god seems reluctant to let him leave, but Virgil can feel the tugging in his being, that pulls him back to a place he has no desire to return to.  If it were up to him, he’d stay here, with the gods that nursed him back to health.

Virgil turns to see that Roman is standing a few feet away, a mournful look on his face.

“You are leaving?”

Virgil stretches his wings open, the smallest amount of wind catching them and starting to lift his feet from the ground.  “It’s the way things are.”

“Did you see this place as a home?” Virgil wants to yell a yes, he wants so badly to admit it, that he fell for this place.  He wants to admit that these few seasons have been the best of his long life.   Virgil instead turns his head away, refusing to make eye contact with Roman.

“Farewell Passion.”  Virgil will deny that his voice cracks on the last word.

“Paranoia… come back to me if you can?”

Virgil doesn’t respond.  He can’t, not without crying, not without admitting anything.

…

It storms after.

It’s terrible and glorious all at once and Roman stands in the rain, staring desperately at the lightning and the clouds that are boiling with grief, waiting for a god to dance across the lightning.

Virgil does not come.

The rain falls.

And Roman weeps.

…

Deceit binds his wings shut the second Virgil arrives back to the palace in the sky.

The silk cord is woven of half truths and the lying god wraps countless hands around his godling, cooing softly as he brushes away Virgil’s tears.

“Little Stormcloud, did the fiery one break your glass heart?”   He purrs almost as he pulls Paranoia closer.

Virgil lets himself sink into the lies and he nods into Deceit’s embrace.

And from the shadows, Remus watches the exchange.

…

Roman isn’t expecting a guest.  Yet here his brother is, sitting at the table, and awkward Patton near and a disgruntled Logan glaring at the back of Remus’ head.

“Hello Ro Bro.”

Roman sits across from him.  “Why are you here.”

“You need to steal the Lightning back.”  Remus grins and places his hands on the table.  “It’s clear to everyone but him that he’s no longer a Dark one.”

Roman leans forward.  “How would you know of whom belongs where?”

“Virgil never belonged with us.  He only stays because his heart is easily broken and his wings are bound.  Besides, I thought that the shattering of his feathers the first time was a pretty obvious hint as to where he belongs.”

“The first time was an accident.”

“You really think that the God of Fear would be so easily cut down by a lightning bolt?  Brother dearest, Virgil wanted to die.”

Roman’s heart stops and he takes a sharp breath in.  “Remus, I cannot control his choices.”

Remus shrugs.  “Your loss.  I’ll be tossing him out next storm if you chose not to do anything.”

His brother snaps as Logan lunges for him, disappearing in a puff of foul smelling smoke.

“I hate him.”  Logan mutters.  Roman stands and looks at his companions.

“Do you think he’s right?  Can a Dark one become Light?” Patton and Logan look at each other.   Finally, Patton speaks.  “I suppose it could happen.  We lived in harmony once with all the other Gods once, before we fell to solely six.”

“So we can?”

“He would have to agree.”

…

Virgil pushed Deceit away.  “Enough.”

“What is wrong?”

Virgil tries to reach for the cord that binds his wings, but it is tied in a way that makes it impossible for him to free himself.  “Let me go.”

“Your time with the others has corrupted you.”

“No.”  Virgil hissed as the other stalked closer.  “Please, I’m done.”

Deceit reached forward and gripped his arms.  “What happened to you Paranoia?”  

Paranoia’s eyes glazed over into darkness.  “ I̴̛̜̫̤͍͖̩͈̓̃̂̃͊̿̐̆̕͠͝͠͝ ̸̼̰̞̟̭̺̒̅̐̍̓̓͘g̷̨̪̮̭̱̺̝̫̲̠̮̳̞̗͐̒̌̀͌̆̃͋̊̔͗͘r̶̝̫͇̰̼̻̣͇̪̂̒̔͑e̴̪͖̫̙͇̟͇͛̂̍̈̉͗̾͋͋̄̊̂̎͂w̷͇͙̥̥͒̏͗̂͘͝ͅ ̵̛̲͈̤̳͍͔̗̳̔͆͠ͅȗ̴̯̭̝̫̻́p̵̳̓̄̏ ”

Deceit stumbled back and the godling turned his gaze down as he flung his wings open, sharp fulgurite feathers cutting through the bindings.

“I̴̡͉̟͉̠̤͎̤̓̈́͆͜͜ ̸̡̩̼̮̟͙͔̮͎̗̈́̂͂̀͘L̷̛̼̥̝̤̮̜̫̺̺͚̏̽̀̑́͛̚͝ͅE̵̦̓̇͆̉̚͘Ą̷̡̼̞̖͍̜̹̦̯̝̋̇͗̕V̷̡̛̗̖̺͓̜̠͔̝̼̥̗̳̪̔͛̊̔̾̉̒͌̈́̔͋̐͠È̵̼̐̃̓̈́̌��̕͘͘͝”

And with that, Paranoia stormed past the God of Lies, lighting crackling across his wings and skin as he finally, finally left.

…

Roman was about to go and storm the sky when the sound of something landing on the roof of the cottage that the Light ones lived in alerted him that something was up.

He ran out with his sword, only to see Virgil standing there, eyes completely black, skin and feathers cracking with lighting and anger.

If Roman thought that he’d truly felt fear before, he was wrong.  The previous fear paled in comparison to a fully realized god full of rage.

Paranoia was terribly beautiful, looking like the god he was for the first time and with a single glance, Roman felt like ice was crawling through his veins as he dropped his sword.

“H̶̢͙̣̭̹̥̳̬̤̬͎̜̫͖͗͜ê̷̡̡̞͍̥̠̠̟̹̣̰̜̦̿̈́̎̊l̴͓̦̘͛̎̈́̓l̸̪̑̌͋̆̃ȏ̵̧̦̻̟̺͓̑̍͊̈̌͐͗̿.̶͚̰͓̗̬̟̥̱͔̉̇͐́͆̉̅̕̕”  Paranoia jumped down to Roman’s height, wings folding shut and the                storm around him soothing.

“Ro..”  In almost an instant, Paranoia was gone and Virgil was back, violet eyes rolling back into his head as he collapsed forward, Roman instinctively catching him.

“Darling…”  Roman gently scooped him into a bridal carry, Virgil relaxing against him in his unconscious state.  He carried the God back inside as the rain began to fall, and from far away, Remus grins at the folly of Deceit.

…

Roman was made of Fire and Passion, and he wielded a sword made of sharp stone and metal.  All of it reminding him of those he swore to protect.

His home.

[ssa25]

Mythological AU - Sasuhina Month 2020 - Day 17

@sasuhinamonth

Rating: Mature

Based on the story of ‘Perseus and Andromeda’.

His body moved relentlessly over the keening and writhing warm body. His eyes were closed, his jaws clenched, and his mind created visions of half lidded moon eyes, swollen parted lips and inky blue hair sprawled over his sheets. He imagined it was her soft voice that was moaning for him. And soon, like every other time since he had met her, he came groaning loud into the neck of his bedmate.

The red haired woman was panting under him, having reached her peak at the same time as him. She knew the usual custom for their shared nights, and sat up as soon as Sasuke collapsed onto his back.

As the woman picked up her clothes, the celebrated demigod was in a reflective trance like always. But it was soon broken when his door was banged urgently.

“Who could that be?”, Karin asked him, but he just moved to the door without bothering to answer her or donning his black tunic.

Unabashed, he opened the door to see familiar eyes stare back at him. Almost similar to the ones he had been imagining moments before. But they were not hers.

“Prince Neji… What brings you to my door in this humble city?”, he asked with mild incredulity. The young prince seemed distressed and even the hero’s nakedness did not bother him.

“Sasuke…. I have come to beg you to return back to the kingdom…”, Neji said in a rushed manner.

“I’m afraid that is impossible…”, Sasuke replied gravely. “ Need I remind you that it was you and your king, who banished me from your soil…”

Prince Neji seemed repentant as he shook his head, “We were easily susceptible to doubt and dread… That you might usurp our lands and the princess… It was our wariness that led us to do the unthinkable… But we realise our mistake... Please, you must accept my apology Sasuke and return right this moment.”

Before Sasuke could reply, he found Neji’s eyes wander behind his back. Karin, now fully dressed rushed out of the modest home, without glancing at the two men standing by the doorway.

“Have your sentiments towards Princess Hinata changed?”, the Prince asked the demigod with a hint of fear.

Sasuke simply folded his hands and glared at the man. Born as the son of a God and a mortal, he was blessed with supreme powers that made him nearly invincible in the mortal realm. He was one of the fiercest heroes that had graced mankind, and his heroic tales were spread far and wide. The only reason he had relented to King Hiashi’s demand for banishment, without lifting his sword to challenge his decree, was because he was quite enamoured with the peace-loving and beautiful Princess. And he refused to cause her any heartache by slaying the stubborn king or his warriors. The woman who was unaware of his emotions would never consider him as anything more than a monster if he did otherwise.

“It is strange you ask me such a question... When she is betrothed to you!”, he spat at him.

“She won’t be anymore.”, Neji replied with pain in his eyes. “Not when her life is hanging by a precarious thread…”

Sasuke was shocked to hear such words. He grabbed the Prince by his armour and asked him with barely tamed rage, “What do you mean??!!”

“Princess Hinata has been offered as a sacrifice…. For the queen’s words of praise for her beauty has earned us Poseidon’s wrath… The Oracle advised that sacrificing Hinata was the only option... And to save us all from utter ruin, Hinata insisted on offering herself... Chained to the devil’s creek, she will be ravaged by the sea monster within the next three days… I wish I could do something to put an end to this insanity… And while I would happily fight and lay my life for Princess Hinata, I fear that it might not be enough to save hers at all… Only the most blessed warrior with inhuman strength can defeat this fearsome opponent… You are our only hope Sasuke!! You are the only one who can slay this monster and save her from a horrific destiny…”

There were very few things in the world that could truly petrify him. And this predicament was exactly that. Gathering his wits, he stomped inside his house to dress himself up with the strongest armour. He grabbed his sword and swore to himself that he would either save the woman who held his heart or die trying.

-

A deafening screech woke up Hinata from her state of unconsciousness. Her arms were sore from being lifted up and bearing the weight of her body since the last two days. Her body was cold and shivering with an intense ache on her left side, as she had suffered a painful lash of the sea monster. She has instantly collapsed into a state of senselessness because of the excruciating pain and horror.

She blinked her eyes open and saw a blurred dark figure brandishing a sword against the dreaded monster. The setting sun was in her eyes, so she could not realise the identity of her saviour. But she noticed that he was perched aloft on a flying creature. Was it a pegasus or a bird, she did not know.

She tried to say something to stop her saviour from meddling in this unfortunate event, but her throat was extremely parched to utter any coherent words. It was proving extremely difficult to maintain consciousness, as the loud clashes of the sword and terrifying screams of Poseidon’s behemoth echoed around her. After what seemed like an eternity, her drooping eyes caught a glimpse of the slain sea creature falling into the waves, and she allowed her body to drift off to numbness.

-

Sasuke flew over to the chained maiden, as soon as he defeated his toughest opponent. He alighted his trusted winged pet on the shore and rushed to the practically naked body of the Princess. Remnants of her muslin gown hung from her shoulders, as an angry red welt on her waist marred her alabaster skin.

Quickly, he unchained her and caught her cold body in his arms. It was evident that she was weak from being tied up for so long without any food and water. Without being able to help himself, he kissed her forehead in relief and swore to himself to protect this noble woman for the rest of his life. Her eyelashes fluttered for a bit, but she did not regain her senses. Without further delay, he carried her back to the palace.

-

“We will forever be in your debt, Sasuke!!”, King Hiashi announced in his court. There were loud cheers and applause for the latest heroic act of their returned hero. He had saved their beloved princess from the clutches of danger.

But the man of honour, could only glare back at the King. He did not want appreciation, gold or accolades. He wanted Princess Hinata to recover her health as quickly as possible.

“How can we ever repay you for your valiant deed? Nothing can measure up to your magnanimity!!”

“There is something that I wish for, King Hiashi!”, Sasuke declared loudly for everyone to hear. The whole court grew silent and waited with bated breaths to hear the demand of the hero.

King Hiashi straightened up in his throne and grew a little nervous at the determined expression of the demigod.

“Well, let’s hear it..”

“I need a wife. I want to have my own family.”

Murmurs erupted in the courtroom, but were hushed as soon as Hiashi raised his hand.

“Of course, you can have your pick of the loveliest of young maidens in our kingdom.”

Sasuke shook his head slowly. “There is only one woman I have in my mind.”

Hiashi sighed heavily, as he understood the implications of his words. It would be painful to give away his daughter when he had just got her back. Not to mention, he had promised his elder daughter’s hand to her cousin who was next in line for the throne. Hiashi looked over at Prince Neji who nodded his head in affirmation. It was only fair that Hinata married the man who had endangered his life in return for hers. 

Hiashi accepted Neji’s decision and thought for a moment before he spoke up.

“Very well, Sasuke. You can have whoever you want, but I only ask for you to gain the maiden’s consent before you wed her.”

Sasuke smirked at the King, knowing he had won half the war. “I agree.”

-

It took Hinata twenty two days to recover completely, before Sasuke asked her for her hand in marriage. Realising that he was her saviour, she thanked him and gladly accepted his proposal.

The two were wedded soon after, and Sasuke whisked the Princess away from the Kingdom to his native city, where the two lived happily in their modest but loving home. Eventually, the couple were blessed with seven sons and two daughters.

x