#and word spread until the queen got involved (which i think was mary)

[littlefoxwithbighat]

Theres this fact i heard on No such thing as a Fish ages ago and i cannot find it anywhere and i do not want to go back through a bunch of episodes scouting for it but its driving me insane.

[thepeachgreentea]

this got Real Long Real Quick...

I wanna know more about Luka's soul song gift - like how much do emotions or personality play into it? ((I’m going with a lot)) Does it only work in person?? Or can he get like snippets from videos or vibes from pictures? Like it would make sense if it was only in person...... But where's the fun I'm that? Realistically it wouldn't be as strong as in person but I could see him getting some stuff. Pictures it probably wouldn't be a lot, or even much of anything, unless the soul song really didn't match the picture...

Which means Luka is one of the first people to realize something is Up with Adrien (and the Agrestes in general)

The ads around the city never felt right, never matched up with the snippets/vibes he was able to get - unless Adrien was supposed to be sad or melancholy. Which is... yikes...

Then the Adrien The Fragrance commercial happens. And that's an additional big Fucking Yikes

Like I can only imagine that Adrien isn't particularly big on modelling in general from what we've seen (with the Marinette-exception) so the filming of that could have only been Worse than normal. How many times did it take to get the emotions at the ‘right’ level? How long did it take to get the angles and all the action done?

Anyway: after the first time Luka literally cannot stomach watching it or even listening to it because it is so Wrong. The soul song snippets from the video are longer and more intense and it is just so discordant that Luka can't deal

Adrien is most certainly NOT feeling carefree. Or radiant. Or remotely dreamy. He's goddamn exhausted, frustrated, resigned, depressed, sweaty, anxious, awkward, stressed. It is a whole stew of (teen) angst offset with that upbeat music and the bright blue sky & all that w h i t e and the jumping for joy

It is such a strong dichotomy Luka has a visceral reaction every time and has to either leave the room or mute it and look away,

All of that means that after he meets Adrien in person, and gets to hear his soul song in a couple different situations and can see his emotions matching internally and externally he basically tells him they will always have space for him on the Liberty. (Also the first time he saw the LB + CN movie and heard Adrien's voice acting he only picked up some nerves - easily attributed to a new situation rather than a secret identity - but he was clearly enjoying himself even if it was a terrible script)

Therefore, Luka doesn't have particularly good feelings towards Gabriel, even before seeing any videos of him.

Style Queen was a Time. He was happy for Adrien but the bits he was getting from Gabriel were so rigid and tight... And rather selfish to boot. Which was weird given the situation

He has to try very very hard to not sneer or snarl at the tablet he first "meets" him on - probably at a Kitty Section practice or concert or at some class + family event.

I can also v easily picture him meeting him in person and being super uncomfortable at the sheer amount of manipulation and self-aggrandizing, selfishness, etc that rolls off of Gabriel, basically choking out his soul song. Either Lula barely refrains from punching Gabriel and manages to shake his hand but then desperately needs to clean his hands. Orrrr he does punch him and then basically coats his hands in sanitizer (either way he is Nino’s absolute favorite person for this alone)

Also, this would not be the first time Luka has figured out an abusive situation. It has happened with both his own and Juleka's friends & classmates. He is v much a protective older brother at heart

And because I damn well can have some Lila salt, some of which has been touched on before, unlike with Gabriel:

He had heard about her from Juleka and Kitty Section and was a bit confused about it but it wasn't until Rose was over and the girls were telling him about some of Lila's stories that he saw a picture of her.

And that was The Strongest he had ever reacted to a picture before: instant chills up his spine and an actual hiss escaped him

All 3 of them are shocked. Luka then has to explain that reaction as best as he can. Which is hard when you aren't great at words and while the soul song fragments are rather clear he would never make his guitar suffer trying to recreate them.

He manages tho and Julerose are at least wary of her afterwards. They start observing her more and a lot of her behavior and the way she talks can be very off-putting. They start noticing some of the digs that she makes at others, that she contradicts herself 5 different ways, and how she is constantly bringing the attention back to herself.

During all this they start noticing how both Marinette and Adrien react to her and it is Not Good. Mari gets defensive and will often try to bring up those contradictions that they started noticing. But jealousy is only a minor factor, at most. In certain situations it is possible that it could be involved... except those only happen when Adrien is looking very uncomfortable and Marinette notices or they make eye contact and then Marinette creates an opportunity for him to escape

Which is something that no one else is noticing which is really terrible and unhealthy...

Around this time is when Ivan has started to figure out something is up. and then he definitely knows when Julerose show Luka a video at a private band practice.

Because video and in person interactions make the BadBadBAD feelings worse and Ivan, while he often struggles with understanding & expressing emotions, has definitely noticed Lila - even though she is not actually there - causes a lot of stress and anxiety to Luka and he has gotten really good at methods of lessening those.

So, Luka sees the video with/of Lila and has an even stronger reaction than the picture before. His eyes get huge, and his face pales (gets slightly sickly?), and he hisses even stronger than the first time

He refuses to try to play her soul song because something like that is nearly impossible to recreate but also doesn’t need to be put out into the world but does his best to try and describe it

Possible: her soul song feels like it is drowning in toxic sludge - there is just so much negativeness that it is barely intelligible. It is being smothered by self-satisfaction and importance, narcissism, aggressive manipulation, pettiness, vile maliciousness, etc

In person interactions are awful. Luka avoids physical interaction as much as possible. Even more than he would with Gabriel, and he wants as little to do with that man as possible, ideally none. But Lila is worse...

There have been multiple times that he has had to step out/away to be able to get some fresh air and breathe again. At least once where he has been or almost has been sick - usually following a hug that he did not consent to or something similar

Ivan is definitely in the fold now, and Julerose share what they have noticed from taking their step back. He realizes he has noticed a lot of those same things but he wasn’t analyzing them and didn’t have the same context for them at the time that Luka, Juleka, and Rose did. But afterwards he picks up on them more clearly, and some other things they hadn’t - benefits of being one of the quiet kids (and a lesser target of Lila’s focus). He is part of the driving force in bringing Marinette and Adrien in first before going to others.

Marinette breaks down because more people believe her?? and support her and Adrien? it is a huge relief of tension. And she didn’t even have to convince them herself!! what a concept... but it is definitely a safe space for her and she can share her own experiences and that certainly is nice

they had all suspected Something was Up but weren’t expecting that so there are lots of hugs and tears and support and mutters of payback 

Adrien eventually cries because Kitty Section + Marinette give him a TedTalk about consent and personal autonomy. And now he has so many people (!!!) telling him he can say no and make his own choices, mistakes, and decisions. (Marinette’s part is largely “I told you so / do you believe us now?” because the Dupain-Chengs have probably already given this same talk as a family but that is just A family’s opinion, others probably think differently) And this is the first time he really truly believes it and... oooof there are a lot of emotions and interactions to unpack and reconsider

but now he knows he really needs to and that he can and should which is new, but so is having an actual support system...

Thus, Luka is ready to fight a bitch the first time he sees Lila and Adrien interacting. There is so much clinging and touching, and Adrien is panicking and no one is doing anything or is being waved off. And (unfortunately) this is one of the things that causes some people to start questioning things about Lila. Because most of them know of Luka as a really chill, laid-back guy who is open and accepting of people. and besides he has no reason to be jealous (((👀👀👀👀 too much to think about and unpack t h e r e))) so why would he be upset about Lila leaning on Adrien and holding his arm??

So, the questioning of Lila and what she says spreads out from Kitty Section and Adrinette to the rest of the class. They take a different approach. They slowly, carefully approach their classmates and take them aside when possible to talk about the situation

This allows them to be able to get their undivided attention and lay out what they have found out in a logical and cohesive manner, rather than attempting something rash or in the heat of the moment. Marinette grumbled about this method initially but when there were actual results and the burden was shared it was a huge relief for her.

In fact, others start coming to them about Lila.

because of the work of Kitty Section and Adrinette Lila’s audience has been steadily decreasing and it is getting easier to notice things. With a smaller audience the focus doesn’t get split as much and there are less questions for her to build off of or go on tangents from and the contradictions start standing out more, or she’s making more to try and keep them around her by holding their interest with different details

Plus, the comments about those outside Her Circle are getting meaner and more frequent. Usually they are still sneaky or underhanded but nowhere near as subtle as they were originally (were they ever, really?) and it is raising suspicions and hackles.

Eventually, Lila is left without an audience because the class has all been brought out of the cloud of manipulation and are working on trust and listening to each other more/better. and on how to not disregard other’s feelings (which is esp important with the high butterfly population in Paris, but is a v good life lesson in general). they are young and will make mistakes and will have to learn from them. but trials, growth, and change are all part of life so it is good for them.

But it essentially all stems from Luka and his ability to hear soul songs and reacting to those songs, or the lack thereof when they are being choked by evil intentions/emotions/actions/what have you

[440mxs-wife]

The Hunter’s Princess - Chapter 5: Arrows, Knives and Pistols

Pairing: Dean x OFC Kira (eventual), Prince!Dean x OFC Lady Kira. Other Characters: Sam Winchester, Prince!Sam Winchester, Castiel, Rowena, Gabriel, King!John, Queen!Mary, Lucifer and assorted minor characters.

Chapter 5 Word Count: 2490+

Warnings: None really. Each chapter will have individual warnings as needed.

A/N: This is from some material that’s been rattling around in my head from another project that changed direction. Couldn’t let all this content go to waste, though, so here it is. It’s a work-in-progress, and I will try and update as regularly as I can. If you want to be tagged in this series, send me a message!

Thank you and happy reading!

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On the morning of the first day of competition the air was crisp, but not cold enough to warrant an overcoat. Not a cloud in the sky, and the sun was out in full force, bathing the field of competition in its warmth.

Today, Kira would be demonstrating her skill with weaponry. First, the bow and arrow, then throwing knives and lastly, the flintlock pistol. She'd had plenty of practice over the years with these items, so she was not at all concerned about her performance.

Tomorrow's competition was an equestrian event, which involved a course of jumps and turns to prove her skill on horseback. Again, no worries, because she was perfectly comfortable on the back of a horse. Kira used to ride horses on her Aunt Brenda's farm, her favorite being an Arabian stallion named Midnight.

The part that scared Kira the most was the interview with the king and queen. Kira knew she had made an impression on the queen, but she had yet to  cross paths with the king. She could tell that the princes held a healthy respect for their parents. Kira had also heard stories that the king was not a man to accept disobedience lightly.

For anyone who had met Kira, it was well known that she has always had trouble following instructions. She had a tendency to follow her heart and leave her head to either catch up or be left behind. That alone was enough to make Kira a little anxious about meeting the king.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sarah entered Kira's room and opened the heavy window curtains, which allowed the abundant sunshine to flood the room with light. Kira was excited for the day's events, so she didn't need much coaxing. But as soon as Kira sat up, she felt a little dizzy so she stopped. She tried again to sit up, albeit a little more slowly and the feeling disappeared.

Kira reviewed her wardrobe and considered her fashion choices for  the day. She decided that a day dress would not be practical for the day's events. She   pulled on a pair of black leggings, a long rust-colored tunic and her black knee-high boots. She added the leather gauntlets for her wrists. Of course, Kira also made sure she had the locket, which she tucked under the collar of her tunic.

Sufficiently clothed, Kira wandered into the dining hall for the  morning meal. Serena and Christina were already seated at one corner of  the table, whispering with heads bowed together. As soon as Kira entered the room, Serena and Christina stopped talking. Adriana sat alone in the corner opposite the other two ladies, so Kira walked over to her.

Adriana had long, curly blond hair gathered in a low ponytail in back. Her coffee-colored eyes took in Kira's appearance, almost as if she were sizing up the competition. Adriana's attitude this morning seemed to be a complete   turnaround from their conversation at last night's dinner.

Kira wished Adriana good morning, and she politely responded. "Is it all right if I sit with you?" Kira asked.

"I'd rather have the time to myself, to prepare for today's competition if you don't mind," Adriana replied icily.

Kira could feel her cheeks growing warm. "I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way Adriana. If I've said something--" she cut Kira off.

"I'm not really interested in making friends or alliances. I'm here to compete for myself and for my homeland. So, you stay on your eastern side of the kingdom and I'll stay on my southern side of the kingdom. That way, we'll get along just peachy with each other," Adriana retorted as she got up to leave.

"Wow, making lots of friends, aren't we?" Serena sneered. "You've been doing a lot of running around with Castiel and the princes. You probably think that makes you better than the rest of us, but it doesn't. I'd watch your back if I were you, Lady Kira. Accidents can happen," Serena added darkly as she and Christina left the dining hall.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kira made her way to the field for the targeting event, where the other competitors were already waiting. While she walked, she thought about the conversation at breakfast, and each lady's reaction to her. She knew that she wasn't Serena's or Christina's favorite person. However, she thought she at least had a chance at friendship with Adriana. Guess I'm on my own here, she thought.

The firing lanes were spread ten feet apart between each of the competitors. Points were to be scored as follows: Bull's eye was worth 25 points. Moving farther away from the center ring, the point values were reduced to 10, 7, 5 and 3. Each competitor was given ten arrows. The one with the most points at the end of the day wins the event.

First up were Christina and Adriana. They each shot their ten arrows, with Christina earning a total of 75 points. Adriana did almost as well, turning in a good performance with 72 points, while Serena shot extremely well for 87   points.

Finally, it was time for Kira to compete. She stepped up to the firing line and shot her ten arrows. All that practice at the firing range in the bunker must have paid off, because Kira pulled in 89 points. That put her in the lead after the bow and arrow event. She looked over at the royal viewing box, and locked eyes with Prince Dean. He gave Kira a somewhat subtle wink and a smile, causing her to blush slightly.

The next event involved the use of throwing knives. Kira had definitely had plenty of practice at this when fighting shapeshifters and werewolves. She again came away with the highest number of points. By the time the first two events were finished, it was time for the midday meal. The royal family left first to be seated in the dining hall, followed by the competitors.

After everyone was fed, they all trudged back out to the competition field. Each lady's personal flintlock pistols were waiting on a table inside each firing booth. This time, competitors would only have five shots instead of ten. This made the margin for error much smaller, so all shots had to count. Kira only hoped that the lead she had built up from the first two events would be enough to distinguish herself.

Christina and Adriana fared a bit better in this task, while Serena continued to turn in a superior performance. Kira knew she had her work cut out for her. She currently held the lead, but the gap had narrowed to less than what she was comfortable with.

Kira stepped up to the firing line and waited for her cue to begin her performance. As soon as she picked up her pistol, she knew something was wrong with it. Kira examined her firearm, and did not see any immediate evidence of tampering, so she decided to move on.

She lined up the target in her sights and fired the first round, but it went wide of the center. At that moment, Kira figured someone had messed with her sights so they were completely off. Fortunately, she had enough firearms experience to be able to compensate for this occurrence. Kira adjusted her aim and fired her next round, which pierced the target in the center area. The three remaining rounds joined it and the crowd applauded in  appreciation.

Kira and the other   competitors were called over to the royal box to receive the results of today's events. As they waited, she happened to again lock eyes with Prince Dean, who smiled and nodded in Kira's direction, causing her to blush  again.

A page handed Queen Mary a piece of paper with the day's results. She cleared her throat before reading aloud the information. "There are a total of six points separating the top performers. Here are the rankings: in fourth place, Adriana of the Southern territory and third place is Christina, our competitor from the Western territory."

The queen paused at this time, because she had yet to mention two competitors, Kira and Serena. "In second place but only three points off the leader, we have Serena from the Northern territory, leaving Kira from the Eastern territory as today's winner!" The crowd jumped to its feet and broke into a thunderous applause.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After the announcement that Kira was the points leader in the Princes' Challenge, she received no end of congratulatory hugs and well wishes. She began to get a little uncomfortable with all the attention, so she excused herself to her room for some rest. Prince Samuel caught up to Kira as she walked back to her quarters. "Is everything all right, Lady Kira?" he asked.

Kira gave a quick curtsy. "Yes, Your Highness, everything is fine. I just need a small break for now, but I'll see you at dinner," she answered.

Prince Samuel took her hand and kissed the back of it. "I look forward to seeing you, Lady Kira. Absolutely magnificent performance, by the way. Can't wait to see you on horseback tomorrow," he grinned. "Until dinner, Lady Kira," he said softly, kissing her hand again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Prince Dean saw Lady Kira try and gracefully remove herself from the crowd of well-wishers. His heart went out to her because she looked a little overwhelmed from all the attention. The prince walked around the corner from the competition field, and saw Lady Kira in conversation with his brother. Only it looked like he was letting his lips on the back of her hand do more of the talking.

Dean didn't blame Lady Kira, she was only being polite, but he was angry with his brother. Sam saw how Dean reacted when he saw Castiel and Lady Kira together that first day in the marketplace. On that day, Prince Dean admitted that he was a little jealous. Castiel assured him many times that he had no intentions towards Lady Kira other than friendship. Prince Dean, however, had other ideas.

Lady Kira, he thought. She's....amazing. She's smart, determined and beautiful, with a generous spirit. She certainly proved her weapons skills today, he acknowledged. The prince could see that the lady cares so deeply about others. It made him wonder if she's ever given a thought about what she wants from life.

It was clear to Prince Dean that Lady Kira genuinely wants to help people, not for the fame or recognition, but because it's the right thing to do. It sounded to him like the makings of a good queen. Collins told the princes and Castiel that her people absolutely adore her and are fiercely loyal to her. Prince Dean thought that it was easy to see why.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dean and Lady Kira arrived in the Tub Room, where Dean showed her where the shampoo, soaps and towels were located. She had brought some clothes from her room to change into after her bath.

"There's hot and cold running water in here, 'hot' is on the left and 'cold' is on the right. I'll get it started, then you can adjust the temperature to however you like. When you're done, just pull the plug at the bottom and all the water will drain away," Dean explained. "Any questions?" he asked. Lady Kira shook her head. "Welp, then I guess I'll leave you to it. Enjoy," he remarked.

"Thank you," Lady Kira murmured. She marveled at the convenience of not having to heat up the water before bathing. She wondered how she was ever going to go back to the way things were when she returned to her home dimension. Nevertheless, she was determined to do whatever it would take to restore balance in the universe.

As the water filled the tub, Lady Kira selected some lavender bath salts, which she knew would smell nice and help her to sleep. She grabbed the pitcher from the cabinet shelf and the shampoo so she could wash her hair as well. She sprinkled in the bath salts and let the water run for a few more minutes before turning off the faucet and stepping into the tub.

After Lady Kira finished washing her hair, she nestled into the tub and let her mind drift to the three men in charge of her return home. For a situation that ought to be scaring the daylights out of her, she was surprisingly calm. It was like she'd met them before, but how could she have done that?

Castiel....an Angel of the Lord here, but there was a Castiel who was best friends with the crown princes....Samuel and Dean! Of course, that's why these men looked familiar, why she felt so at ease around them.

She wondered if the princes and Castiel in her world were also hunters. If they were, it wasn't something that was well-known. Lady Kira imagined the circumstances were the same in this world, that these men saved people. They just didn't want the recognition for it.

When the water started to lose its warmth, Lady Kira exited the tub and reached down to pull the stopper, as Dean instructed. These men were certainly attractive, but she was drawn to Dean in particular. The way he carried himself gave off an air of protectiveness, determination and strength.

However, his moss-colored eyes held a hint of sadness in them each time he looked at her. His look reminded Lady Kira of a man who clearly longed to be with the woman he loved. She wondered if there was some sort of attraction between Dean and the woman whose place she had taken. Lady Kira made a mental note to ask Sam about the nature of their relationship, if any.

She caught a whiff of the scent from the lavender bath salts and inhaled deeply. As she stood up, she felt a jolt of dizziness in her head. She braced herself on the edge of the tub as a slide show of images flashed through her mind.

At first, she saw Dean standing next to an older man with a beard and a kind face. She recognized Sam, but this was a much younger version. In the next flash, there were two women, one with short dark hair and one with long blond hair, taking turns hugging Sam and Dean. Another flash featured a short man in an all-black suit with a dark beard and mustache, standing next to a woman with long and wavy red hair.

These must be her memories, Lady Kira thought. That lavender smell must have triggered it, she reasoned. Another dizzying jolt brought an image of Dean and Kira, sitting on a couch, his arms wrapped snugly around her. She reaches for Dean's hands and intertwines their fingers. Although they are not looking at each other, Lady Kira can see it in their eyes.

They are most definitely in love with each other.

Part 6 here!

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Tags: @janicho88 @akshi8278 @magssteenkamp @swiftlymoniquesblog @lyarr24 @miss-nerd95 @distefano123 @hobby27 @deanwanddamons @jessica-noel94 @wayward-mikaelson @jawritter @gabrielslittleangel @jensengirl83 @deangirl93 @ellewritesfix05 @supernatural-jackles @babygurltt

The Hunter’s Princess Series tags: @flamencodiva

[lostonrevenge]

Siren   (Part 2)

part 1

Summary: With Ursula’s necklace broken, Uma feels the sweet allure of fate when a siren is thrown into the Isle of the Lost – their tears one of the few resources able to restore the power of the necklace. Though pirates and sirens were never meant to mix. Can Uma fix her mistake before it’s too late?

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“You can leave us now, Harry” Uma says after Harry places Adamaris down on the bed.

He nods to his captain before exiting and closing the door behind him.

After watching him leave Uma turns to the siren sitting on her mattress, “should find you some clothes, aye?”

Adamaris smiles shily at her before she turns away to rummage through her draws. After throwing a few clothes that she finds onto the bed Uma bussies herself at her desk arranging things to give Adamaris some privacy.

Uma looks up from her desk at the thwacking sound of Harry’s coat falling to the floor. She scoffs lightly to herself, seeing Adamaris fiddling with the collar of the shirt.

“It folds down like this, see” she says as she fixes it for her, folding the collar down so it lies flat across her shoulders. “You can wear it sticking up, but that isn’t the look most people go for.”

“I like it this way” Adamaris says shily, bringing her fingers up to tap against the folded collar.

Uma smiles warmly at her, choosing not to bring up that she knows this is the first time she’s worn clothes. So instead she settles for getting down to business. Drawing in a sigh she turns away to pull a chair up to the bed.

“What was your name again?” she asks despite already knowing it, figuring it would be a good icebreaker.

“Adamaris” the siren says turning toward her and swinging her legs up onto the bed, folding them at her side as if they were still connected in a tail.

“I’m gonna call you Maris for short – you cool with that?” Uma checks to which she nods and Uma nods back.

With that out of the way, Uma leans further back in her chair. “What are you doing here?” she gets down to business.

The way she said it wasn’t unfriendly but Adamaris seems slightly taken aback at her forwardness and takes a few seconds to answer. “It’s a bit of a long story.”

“I’ve got time for a long story” Uma changes her tactic to being more approachable.

“I come from the rivers that flow down from Mount Olympus and into the Sea of Ariel” if Adamaris didn’t know any better, she would comment on the dark look that crossed Uma’s face at the name. “Where the river mouth meets the sea is a breeding ground for my pod. We’re mostly left alone until people come looking for tears to harvest.”

“You know what for?” Uma asks.

She shakes her head. “You hear rumours that it’s to maintain the barrier or the Queen needs them for potions to stay youthful – but it’s fairly obvious people have realised they can be traded. Most of us don’t care because it doesn’t mean much for us to shed a tear for someone.”

“You think different?” Uma guesses by the tone of her voice.

“Of course, I think different” Adamaris says gaining confidence and beginning to speak more powerfully. “Why should someone benefit more than me over something I give them?”

Uma nods as she continues.

“Even the little ones – my younger brothers and sisters are forced into it. They don’t have the resistance that some of us older ones have.”

“So, it’s not just you who disagrees?”

“There’s me and a few others…” Adamaris’ voice fades out for a second as a saddening look passes across her face. “Until the Palace guards come along.”

“The Palace is in on this?”

“They were the ones who started it and everyone else followed their example. They’re ruthless if you don’t comply. Managed to crack everyone but me.”

“You’ve never shed a tear?” Uma suddenly sits straight in her chair, her eyes going wide.

“No, I haven’t, no… So, I guess they saw no use for me and threw me in here.”

Uma chews on her lips for a moment before it spreads into a smile. “I like you” she says suddenly.

Adamaris looks up from the floor where she had been staring, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“Anyone who goes against the Palace like that has a place on my ship” Uma explains, standing up and nodding her head to the door. “Come on, I’ll show you round.”

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It had been a couple of days since then. In that time Adamaris began to adjust to the workings of the crew. She started in the lowest ranks scrubbing the deck, but that suited her fine since she still wasn’t used to having legs. It was nice to be able to work while sitting down.

She’d also been introduced to the rest of the crew which currently mills around her as she sits with her legs hanging off the edge of the deck next Harry as a party goes on behind them.

“You’re the only pirate here, you know?” she tells him, her voice slightly raised over the sound of music and stamping feet.

“Not entirely true” he says. “Most of their parents are in my father’s crew.”

Adamaris scoffs and rolls her eyes. “They’re merchants and traders.”

“All right then” Harry laughs. “If you know so much, what about Uma and Gil?”

“Uma’s a Cecaelia and Gil’s a farmer.”

“She’ll appreciate you calling her that” Harry holds his mug of rum out to her before taking a swig, knowing how Uma hates being referred to as a Sea Witch like her mother. “And what’s to say that a Cecaelia can’t be a pirate?”

“Wrong species” she smirks at him.

“So, you couldn’t be one either?” he tilts his head to her.

“Not only could I not be one, I would never want to be one.”

“Why not?”

“We’re complete opposites, we’re supposed to hate each other” she reminds him with a smile.

“And do you hate me?” he smirks at her but before Adamaris can answer Uma’s voice calls out to Harry from behind them. He sighs deeply as he hauls himself up, “Captain’s orders.”

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

After Harry had left Adamaris got bored quickly. There was no one for her to talk to since she really didn’t know anyone else well enough to strike up a conversation. So, after she finished her mug of rum, she put it down on a nearby table and headed off below decks.

As she was making her way to the bunk room her ears picked up on her name being mentioned from behind the door of the Captain’s quarters. On instinct she stopped in her tracks to back up and listen in.

“… I really need that tear from her. First tears are the most powerful. If there’s anything that can restore the power of my mother’s necklace and get us of this island that’ll be it” Uma was saying as she sits behind her desk and Adamaris freezes, understanding what the words are about. “Her first tear, Harry…”

Harry was in on this?

The rest of the conversation is lost to her ears as Adamaris spins on her heels and backtracks to the exit. No one seems to pay her any mind as she bursts through the door and pushes her way through the crowds on the deck to escape off the ship. With her feet on the dock she takes off through the alleys, any direction to get away from the wharf.

She remembers fellow sirens telling her about what it feels like to cry. She’d always thought that tears would be cold, being water and all, but they had said that your eyes grow hot and the tears burn as they spill out. Gasping in a breath, she bites down on her lip as she feels her eyes start to burn – she would not cry over this. A bunch of pirates who want to use her for their own benefit will never be glorified by making her shed her first tear.

It was that thought that filled her with rage and made her both blind and deaf to her surroundings. Moving through the dark alleyways she never thought twice about someone sneaking up on her until it was too late and something knocked her in the back of the head.

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

Adamaris comes to amongst the sounds of crashing waves. It would be relaxing if it weren’t for tail submerged in a shallow rockpool with the edge digging into the small of her back, her hands tied above her head, and a patch of tape over her mouth.

A growl sounds from her throat even before she opens her eyes to see a pair of Palace guards sitting on rocks close by.

“Oh look, she’s awake” one of them mocks in a faux-happy voice.

The other guard looks up at him from sharpening his sword – a clear intimidation tactic. “Silly move you made there, walking about on your own.”

“We tracked you from the ship” the first guard adds. “Seemed like they’re having a grand old time.”

“You think you found some friends? Too bad they won’t miss you” the second guard gets up off his rock and goes over to a pile of supplies.

Adamaris hisses at the sight of him picking up an all too familiar vile. Both guards ignore her as the first steps closer so he crouches down at the edge of the small rockpool.

“You were stupid to think that pirates would accept you. No one will accept you” he spits at her. “Not even your family.”

Adamaris pulls in a shaky breath.

“They didn’t put up much of a fight when you got the boot.” The guard turn to the other, raising his voice in mock confusion, “did they fight at all? I don’t remember seeing them fight to keep her.”

The words from the other guard are lost as the memory surfaces of her being pulled from the water and having chains latched around her while her family did nothing. Neither of her parents protested – firm believers that the Palace was not to be questioned, even over matters involving family. None of her younger brothers and sisters, who she had helped raise and look after, made a sound as she was dragged away. Not a tear was on any of their faces. They would cry because they were told to, but they wouldn’t cry for her.

She learns that tears can fall quickly as her eyes burn without any way to stop them. Before she knows it, the guard has the vile roughly pressed against her cheek, her first tear falling inside.

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” the guard mocks, capping the vile. “If only you had given us that back in Auradon. That way you could have stayed there instead of spending the rest of your days rotting on this island.”

Little did he know that it didn’t matter where she went because no one anywhere wanted her unless it was for what she could give them.

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

Rumours were always circulating around the Isle so it had been pretty easy to pick up on the whisperings of two Palace guards dragging a girl down to the caves by the shoreline, once they had found that their siren was missing. The trick was pinpointing which one.

A mix of sand and rocks crunch under Harry’s boots as he searches along the shoreline. In the limited light he can just make out the glint of Gil’s sword on his belt, and the blue of Uma’s hair further along the beach. He knows she’s furious at herself for being so careless - they both are. They should have known to keep better tabs on her when she’s wanted by many for a valuable resource.

He sighs deeply, contemplating searching somewhere else further down but when his breath stops, he hears the sound of an old sea shanty being sung close by. Pausing for a second, he blinks wondering if he’s imagining it but the sound is unmistakable and he turns away from it in favour of retrieving back up.

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

It was immediately clear that the guards never planned to untie her. Though they had the mercy to pull the tape from her mouth, even if it was in the most aggressive way possible. It would have been a stupid decision if Adamaris wanted to put a spell over them, but she doesn’t. For that to work she would need to make them desire her and that is something that she doesn’t want to enact.

Though with nothing else to do she begins to sing.

“The King and his men stole the Queen from her bed”

Legends show the singing of sirens can carry over large distances and can be heard over winds and tides.

“and bound her in her bones the seas be ours and by the powers where we will we'll roam”

Knowing this, if she’s lucky someone will hear her.

Going into battle often in their trio, makes moments like this ridiculously easy. Reaching the cave entrance, without a word they all know Uma will take the guard on the left, Harry will take the one on the right and Gil will guard the exit in case any of them try to escape.

Uma nods as the signal to her boys before her and Harry stride forward, all three raising their swords in the air.

“Yo ho, all hands Hoist the colours high”

Sounds of clashing swords echo from the cave walls, almost drowning out the last lines of singing.

“Heave ho, thieves and beggars Never shall we die.”

On the last lyric the final guard crumples into a heap at the Captain’s feet. With the battle over the three standing make their way to rockpool.

“You okay” Uma asks as she sheaths her sword.

“Like you care” Adamaris glares at her with a voice dripping in venom.

“What are you talking about?” Uma furrows her brow.

“You pretended to be my friend, but I know now that that” – she nods to tear in the vile Uma now holds - “is all you wanted from me.”

Uma looks down at the small vile in her hand.

“So, take it!” Adamaris yells. “You have what you want! Just leave me here like the rest of your kind would do to me.”

Uma is silent for a long while and if Adamaris had looked closer, she would have seen confliction in her eyes.

“I actually thought we could have been friends, you know?” Adamaris says quietly. “It felt nice to have people want me around for just me and not what I could give them. I was wrong.”

“No, you weren’t” Uma denies before she crushes the vile in her fist. Ignoring the sting of the glass drawing blood from her hand, she shakes away the shards dropping the broken pieces to the floor.

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

The ship gently rocks beneath her as Adamaris hangs her legs off the edge. The sky is dark around her and the deck is quiet, the party long been packed away. In the distance she watches the lights of Auradon sparkling through the gaps in the mist as the wind blows it about.

At the sound of boots behind her she quickly wipes away a tear as Uma moves to sit next to her.

“At least let me know when your going to cry. They may not be your first tears but they’re still a valuable resource.”

Adamaris scoffs and her face breaks into a watery smile.

“You miss it don’t you?” Uma’s tone turns sympathetic.

“Hmm” Adamaris hums, “it’s still my home.”

“I never really thought how hard it must be for you to have everything there and now nothing here” Uma tells her.

She shakes her head. “Apart from freedom, you’ve given me more than I ever had over there.”

“We’ll give you that too.”

Adamaris looks over to her new Captain in confusion, not really sure what she’s meaning.

“Freedom” Uma nods over to Auradon. “We’ll get you back there… That’s a promise.”

[greeneyedgirls4]

Heart of a Saint. Life of a Sinner.

Summary - Her name was Raven. She had it all. The mind, good looks and sparkling personality. She truly was the Queen of everything.. or so she would let you think.  

Her name was Raven.. and this is the story of how she died.

Chapter - 6/32. Bucky x reader.

Warnings - Just some fluff and Bucky actually showing some caring emotions towards Raven (if you really squint) :) I can’t wait for you all to read the rest!

You can also find me and this story on - AO3 and Fanfiction.net so feel free to leave some feedback wherever suits (I love feedback so honestly go for it!) please and this is my Masterlist. Thanks and enjoy!

“That is what you got from that whole conversation?” I say, pulling out of his grip but once again his hand finds my wrist. “Bucky I don’t want to talk about this right now!”

“Can’t you see I’m trying to help?” He's almost pleading with me and it both warms my heart and breaks it all at once.

I meet his eyes but the tears begin to blur my vision. “They’re alcoholics so they don't actually know what they're saying half the time.” I whisper, leaning against the wall beside us. “They barely realise I’m there and when they do, all they ask me to do is get them drink then they drink themselves into some kind of oblivion until the cycle begins again.”

“Were they always alcoholics?” Bucky asks, his grip loosening around my wrist.

“Dad never was. He has worked his whole life but mum was on and off. Now for some reason after we lost our last house they have both hit it hard.” I sigh when I realise this is my problem and nobody else should suffer because of it. “I shouldn't be telling you all of this.”

I look down at the ground only for Bucky’s hand to gently lift my chin and eyes back up to his handsome face. “It’s better to talk to someone rather than dealing with it on your own.”

“I have Den.”

“Yes but Den is only eight and doesn't fully understand it himself. Raven you're only fourteen yourself for god's sake.” Bucky exclaims and I can hear the worry creeping through in his voice. This only causes me to feel even more embarrassed.

“Please don't tell anyone about this.. the only person I have told is Mary and she doesn't even know this much.”

I hear Bucky sigh as he looks over my shoulder then into my eyes with such intensity that I almost faint. “I’m only agreeing not to report this to anyone because you asked so nicely.. and the fact you have really pretty green eyes.”

The cheeky smile that graces his face causes me to laugh and all of a sudden I'm happy again. He has a way of always keeping me upbeat. “Always the charmer Barnes.” I say, making my way towards the classroom again.

“You know it doll.” He calls out as his long legs struggle to keep up with my own. This was the one thing I did like about myself, my long legs and their ability to get away from pretty much anyone.

When we reach the classroom, I put my hand on the doorknob. “Here we go..”

Opening the door the whole class goes quiet again as me and Bucky take our seats. Bucky begins his apology by being his usual charmer of a self. “Mrs you know we all adore you well I was having a bad day and I apologise.”

The teacher only nods before glancing at me. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn't have got involved.”

“No you shouldn't have. Just ignore people when they are trying to get a rise out of you. Makes you the stronger woman.” Mrs Crawford says before pointing towards the board again and continuing the lesson.

The class finishes quickly and I rush to go and collect Den from his school across the street.. or was today football day?

“Hey Raven.” I hear Mandy say behind me. When I turn she is standing with a few of our closest friends. Mandy is another girl I met during elementary school. Mandy, Shona, Daniel, James, Robert, Carol, me and Mary all went to the same elementary school and had been in the same class until a new girl called Dorothy aka Dot moved in meaning Mandy had to move to a different class. 

Nobody liked Dot and I had heard Bucky had went out on a date with her a while ago which caused me to hate her even more. Why would he even lower himself to a slut like her. It was well known she slept with anything that moved but thankfully, as far as rumours went, Bucky hadn't gone that far with her. A kiss was all she got.

“Hey Mands, what can I do for you?” I say, smiling at the petite blonde twirling a piece of hair in front of me.

“Welllll we are having a party at mine this weekend for James’ birthday and we really want you to come. I know you've been busy with Den but just give us this weekend.. please?” She says, putting her hands together in a praying stance.

“Will all the good looking guys be there?” I whisper, winking when Mandy and the rest of the group nods. “Then count me in! I’ll see you ladies about six.”

“This Saturday. Don’t forget Raves.” Mandy calls out as our friend and now her boyfriend Robert starts to pull her towards their after school club meeting room.

I smile as I watch Mandy struggle against the dark haired Robert. He was the strongest in our group so she wasn't getting out of that grip any time soon.

“So how is your assignment with Bucky going?” Mary says and I can tell by the grin on her face that she knows she completely scared the life out of me with her sudden question.

Walking towards the exit with Mary beside me I shake my head. “It’s.. there. Bucky has just not been helping at all and we were meant to talk about it a few nights ago at th-” I stop when I realise I’ve said too much.

“Wait!” Mary shouts, making me start to shh her. “Don't tell me you were his circus date..”

“It was just a trip because he felt sorry for me. Anyway we didn't talk about it and now I’m way behind because he hasn't been helping.”

I see Mary smirk and I know she's up to something.. or about to be. “I see the way you two look at each other. It’s been clear since the moment you met that you've had some kind of connection and now it’s a clear crush on each other.”

“It is not!”

“You’re in denial Raven.”

Rolling my eyes once again I begin crossing the road. “I am not.”

“You so are! It was only a matter of time before something happened between you’s.” Mary shouts back as she stays on her side of the road and I reach my end. “If it hasn't happened already then I give it a few years until you’re both legal and you two will be fucking like rabbits.”

“Mary! Children present.” I say, nodding towards Den and the rest of his class filtering out of the small school on the corner.

“How do they think parents have children?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow Mary!" I call out just as Den hugs my legs and takes my attention away from the blonde walking into her house with a cheeky grin on her face. “How was school?”

“Eh, it was ok. How was your date the other night?” Den replies, a cheeky smile lighting up his face.

I only sigh as I take his hand and lead him towards our house. “How do you know it was a date?”

“I may or may not have heard Bucky’s little sister Rebecca talking to a friend about how Bucky hasn't shut up about you and your date.”

“It could have been any girl she was telling them about. He's gone out with loads.” I say, trying to calm my racing heart. If true then maybe Bucky does like me and is just waiting until the right moment. Or if it’s not true then it all is a game to him. He’s such a good liar sometimes it’s hard to tell.

“He may have gone out with loads of girls but none of them are you sis.”

And with his words my heart feels whole again.

Maybe life is getting better.

Tagging a few friends to spread the word and feedback is always welcome  - @deathbyukmen @ex-bookjunky @fanboyswhereare-you @myplaceofheavenorhell @galacyan-imagine @xllizette @honeybournehippy @sgtbxckybxrnes @wolfpawn @jackierand @cumonbucky @scarlettsage77 @lokisgloriouspurpose9  @archy3001 @redlipstickandplaid  @unicorns-and-fairy-dust @starstruckpastalandbear and anyone else who wants to have a nosy.

So what do you all think? Do they have a tiny little crush on each other? Is Mary right and therefore planning something? ;) Mm it’s only going to get better, I piggy promise!

[firexfate]

the black sparrow || reign

♔ six ~ count vincent’s plot ♔

A couple of weeks has passed, and everything remained just how it was before. Bash and Aaliyah were not on speaking terms (or more like, Bash did not understand why Aaliyah was not talking to him, so he was spending most of his time with Mary). Olivia still remained at court. Francis was still looking for a place for her to stay, and Alisa was trying her best to do everything she could to help. She has written to many of the royal families near Russia that she was acquainted with, but it seems as though that the scandal has spread far and wide, many knew of this Olivia D’Amencourt. She finally managed to find a family in Poland, which written back to her, glad to accept her. It seems as though Olivia’s news regarding the scandal has not reached all of Europe. Alisa left her office with the letter in her hand, eager to show Francis the news. It has seemed that when she arrived, Francis was busy with someone else, standing beside his mother and Mary. He was conversing with a man with dark hair, expensive clothes. He appeared to be a royal, and he seemed to be here on business. Francis caught Alisa’s eye and smiled at her warmly. 

“Ah, Alisa,” He gestured to the Tsaritsa behind the Count, who turned around to face Alisa, who approached them quietly, “Allow me to introduce, Count Vincent from Italy. Count, this is Tsaritsa Alisa Ivanova of Russia.” The Count bowed low before her, before taking her hand. 

“Your Grace,” He smiled at her, but it did not reach his eyes, which unnerved the young woman, “I have heard many good things about you. It is an honor to meet you at last.” He bent down to kiss the knuckles of her hand like a proper gentleman, causing Francis to flinch with a sudden flare of anger. Alisa smiled warmly at the Count. moving to stand beside Francis. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Count Vincent. What brings you here to the French Court?”  She inquired, keeping her tone light. Count Vincent sighed dramatically in response. 

“Some bad business, I am afraid,” He said gravely, “My son, Roberto, has been held hostage here, a few years back. I paid the necessary price, of course, in exchange for his life. However, he had died while making the journey home. He was malnourished and mistreated when he was held here as a prisoner, and I would like some form of payment for all of the... torment I was put through.” 

“I am so sorry for your loss.” Alisa’s eyes flooded with concern. “It is cruel that he had such a short life.” The Count bowed his head towards her direction. 

“And I apologize for your involvement in all of this, Tsaritsa, you are not to blame for any of this. The same goes for you, Queen Mary, but I require those reparations, as soon as possible.” Catherine nodded at once. 

“Of course, we will pay any sum that is required.” The Count bowed once. 

“I will not be departing France until I am satisfied, nor will my men.” He informed them shortly. “Nobody leaves the castle, or comes inside until your debt has been paid.” He turned at his heel and swept out of the room, his guards a second behind him. Alisa pressed a hand over her heart. 

“We can’t leave until our debt is paid...” Mary murmured to herself, before gazing up at Francis. “What does this all mean?”

“It means that we are being held hostage,” Alisa explained shortly, turning around to face Catherine. “We must act swiftly.” The Queen nodded. 

“What should we do?” Mary asked, worry lacing her words. 

“We have to inform all of the servants, guards, your ladies, everyone that is inside the castle must know of this plot. Nobody leaves the castle.” Alisa instructed. Mary did not move, staring at Alisa as though she has three heads. 

“Mary, go,” Francis told harshly, siding with Alisa, “We do not have time for any of this. Do exactly what Alisa tells you to do.” 

“She---” Mary began, sputtering. 

“She knows exactly what she is talking about. I really don’t give a damn about how much you hate her. We share a similar problem, now, and we must work together.” With Francis’s final words, Mary departed, sparing one last look of loathing to Alisa’s direction. Catherine let out a heavy sigh. 

“Let us speak somewhere privately about this matter.” She instructed, taking the lead. Francis turned to Alisa, taking her hand gently, not caring at this point whether or not it was proper. 

“Are you alright?” He whispered gently. Alisa nodded. 

“Believe me, Russian Court is by far worse than this.” She told him before she could stop herself. Normally, she would not say these things, even to people she was close to. This would require a strong form of trust, which never came easily for the young Tsaritsa. It took her a long time to develop trust for Francis, even as she was falling in love with him. But now, she felt as though she can confide him in anything. This was the first time she was fully open about her feelings with him, and Francis seemed to notice that to, as their eyes locked. 

“We will be out of this mess, I promise.” He assured her, squeezing her hand, as the two entered Catherine’s room. 

“Leave us.” She told her servants and her guards. Catherine turned around to face the two of them. 

“The situation is very severe,” She began in a low voice, “Without Henry’s protection, we are all very vulnerable.” Alisa pursed her lips. 

“Then, we have no choice, but to follow the Count’s instructions.” She resolved. 

“We could pay double the price,” Francis suggested. 

“That won’t do,” Catherine started shaking her head, “The Count is not a fool. Five times the amount.” Alisa shook her head. 

“Not enough. Double it.” 

“Ten times the amount then,” Catherine agreed, “Find the Count, and we will settle this matter once and for all.” Alisa slipped her hand out of Francis’s reach. 

“I’ll go.” She offered and slipped out of the room before Francis could protest. She came back around ten minutes later, with Count Vincent at her heels. Mary was already in the room, with Francis and Catherine, so Alisa assumed that she had done what was required of her. The Count plastered on a fake smile as he faced Catherine. 

“Well? The lovely Tsaritsa tells me that you have reached a decision.” Francis nodded, his lips tightening at the endearment towards Alisa. 

“Ten times the amount you were forced to pay for Roberto.” The Count raised his eyebrows. 

“That is indeed a most gracious sum, enough to make any poor man rich, but,” He sighed dramatically, walking around the room, “I am afraid that won’t do.” Alisa smiled thinly. 

“Of course, it won’t.” She found herself speaking, surprising everyone else in the room, “It is not equal payment, you have lost a son, after all. It is not fair to you or to him.” The Count raised his eyebrows, his lips curling in a lopsided smirk. 

“Go on.” He commanded. 

“You don’t want money, Count. I’ve seen men like you come to the Russian Court, thirsty for revenge, and I understand you. You want equal pay, and that would only mean that King Henry would have to pay an enormous sum of money, while you hold one of us hostage.” The Count was indeed impressed by the Tsaritsa’s thinking, bowing his head to her in respect. 

“You are just as wise as you are beautiful, Your Grace. That is exactly what I want.” Alisa faked a smile in return. 

“If that is the case,” Francis’s voice brought her attention back to him, “Then, I am the person you want. My father would gladly pay any sum to get back, as I am the future King of France.” Mary gasped, clamping a hand against her mouth. 

“No, Francis!” For the first time, Catherine seemed to side with her. 

“You cannot do this, my son! You are the future King of France, and you are more valuable than any of us here.” She insisted. Alisa turned to the Count. 

“If you will give me a few moments, Count Vincent, I will be able to convince all of them.” She spoke. The Count nodded with a smile. 

“Of course, thank you, Tsaritsa Alisa.” He bowed, before leaving the room. Alisa turned to all of them, who were still arguing regarding Francis’s fate. 

“Mother, I have to do this for the good of France!” Francis insisted. “The people come first.” 

“Alisa,” Mary begged, walking over and taking her arm, which was a surprise to everyone including the Tsaritsa herself, “Please, convince him! This can’t be the only way.” 

“Convince Francis?” Alisa shook her head with a hollow laugh. “You know that there is nothing that we can do to stop him.” She looked over to Queen Catherine. “But we have a bigger issue at hand: I do not trust this Count, I think he is bloodthirsty for revenge. Even if he agrees to this deal, our people are not safe.” 

“The whole castle is guarded!” Catherine told her, flailing her hands up in the air. “How do you expect us to get everyone out?” There were a few moments of profound silence, all were thinking of a way. 

“The tunnels.” Mary suddenly spoke up. Alisa arched her eyebrow about to ask her to elaborate, but Catherine beat her to it. 

“The tunnels?” She scoffed. “There are so many ways one can turn, it is a maze in there! There is no guarantee that we will all get outside. We could be lost in there forever, and not even Henry will find us there!” 

“There is a girl who lives down there,” Mary continued, completely ignoring Catherine, her eyes flickering over to Alisa, “Her name is Clarissa. She saved my life multiple times. She will help us draw a path towards the exit.” 

“A ghost,” Catherine muttered, “Nobody has seen this girl. She is not even a credible source.” 

“This is my plan,” Mary stated fiercely, turning to glance at Catherine, “And it is the only one that we got.” 

“Find this girl,” Alisa managed to find her voice again, taking action, her eyes blazing with determination, “Tell her that we need her help to get us through the tunnels.” Mary nodded. Alisa turned to Catherine. “While everyone gets out, we will need a distraction.” 

“A banquet,” Francis suggested, with a faint smile, “Mother’s specialty. The men will be too full and drunk to realize what is going on.” The rest of the group nodded in agreement. Catherine turned to Mary. 

“Is there a way to the tunnels that is closest to the dining hall?” She demanded. Mary nodded. 

“Yes, but it only opens from the inside.” She admitted. 

“Then, we will need someone to stand outside the door to let others in.” Francis decided. “I will talk to Olivia, she will do it.” 

“You will go with the servants, the guards, the other members of the household, your brothers---” Alisa began, instructing Francis, before getting hastily interrupted by Mary. 

“But how will we get away from the banquet without attracting any suspicion? If we will all just leave at once, Count Vincent will know something is going on.” She said worriedly. Alisa smiled ever so slightly. 

“That is why we won’t go at once.” Catherine nodded. 

“I will stay behind, I will be the last one there.” She decided, sacrificing herself fully. Alisa bit her lip, swallowing hard, knowing that it was a bold move on her part, but she must go through with it. 

“As will I.” Francis felt his blood run cold at her words, and he shook his head. 

“No. Absolutely not.” Alisa looked up at Francis. 

“Francis, please.” She begged. He was making all of this unnecessarily harder. Francis did not back down. He walked in front of her, his blue eyes, darkening ever so slightly. 

“Alisa, we are not discussing this. You are coming with me, even if I have to drag you into those tunnels myself.” Alisa smiled faintly, shaking her head. 

“I will stay, so everyone can get to safety, for the good of France.” 

“And what about your safety?” Francis shot at her, before he took a deep breath, his voice softening, as he took her hand and pressed it to his cheek. “I’m not losing you.” 

“I’m a survivor,” She told him gently, “I always was. If I got through this long, I can push through this.” Francis did not respond to that, kissing her hand multiple times, before letting go and looking up at his mother and Mary. 

“I’ll speak to Olivia and go to the Count myself. Mary, go speak to this... Clarissa.” He departed, sparing Alisa one last loving look before he left. Catherine sighed, moving towards the door, Alisa following her. 

“I will go get the banquet ready, and you, my dear, warn everyone else.” Alisa nodded, heading in the opposite direction. Her thoughts were on Francis, on the plan, wondering if everything would go according to plan. If they fail, the Count will kill them all. But this plan was a fairly good one, no one could possibly know. They will succeed. Alisa shook her thoughts, squaring her shoulders, walking straight ahead, fire in her soul. 

♖♖♖

Everything went according to plan. Francis led the members of the household into the tunnels, with Olivia’s help (who only reluctantly agreed to open the door after a person knocks three times). Alisa, her ladies, Catherine, Mary, and Mary’s ladies were in the banquet, entertaining the Count for as long as they could. Alisa sat beside the Count, to Mary’s relief and began talking to him, laughing along with him as he spoke of Italy. She was only half-listening to what he was saying, her thoughts wandered back to Francis. She hoped that he was alright, that everyone was safe. Her ladies left towards the beginning of the evening, they should be in the tunnels by now. 

“Gentleman,” Catherine proclaimed suddenly, raising her goblet of wine, “A toast to Count Vincent, and as a gift to all of you...” She gestured to the chest, which she promptly opened, revealing a hoard full of gold. “Help yourselves.” The Count’s men let out murmurs of appreciation as they reached forward greedily to grab as many gold pieces as they could, before continuing to eat and drink. Alisa looked over at Mary, who caught her eye, nodding once. It was time for them to leave. Mary leaned forward to say something to the Count that Alisa did not catch. With that, Mary rose to her feet and walked out of the room. Alisa managed to relax, looking over at Catherine. So far, God was on their side. 

Alisa thought of this to son, as suddenly, Mary returned with her ladies, escorted by an Italian soldier. Fear rushed through Alisa like adrenaline. Suddenly, Alisa’s eyes fixated on one of the men, who was choking, before he collapsed on the floor dead. Aylee clamped a hand over her mouth, as all of the men who have touched the gold were now dead. Alisa’s eyes snapped to Catherine, who did not look surprised in the slightest. Poison. This was her doing. 

“What is this?” The Count boomed, rising on his feet and glaring at all of them. He looked positively angry, causing some of the ladies to gulp in fright. 

“Did you really think,” Alisa said quietly, catching his attention, “That you could get away with all of this? My dear sir, you are clearly mistaken.” The Count’s lip curled in fury. 

“You are just as they described, Tsaritsa,” A low growl broke through the corner of his lips, “Cunning and powerful, I knew you are not to be trusted.” Alisa let out a dry laugh. 

“Then, you clearly have never been to Russian Court and have never met my father.” She shot at him. 

“Count, I demand that you free my sons,” Catherine cut in, standing up, “I understand your pain, but they have nothing to do with this!” The Count slammed his hand on the table, startling the ladies. 

“You understand nothing!” The Count snarled. “You have no idea what it is like to lose a child unless you rip out your heart and hand it to me, cutting it from your chest. Because that is exactly what it feels like.” He turned to the very few men he had left. “Take them all.” As one of the men advanced towards Alisa, she tensed, bracing herself, unlike the other ladies, who screamed as they were grabbed by the men. As soon as the men approached her, she knocked him out with two punches, causing the Count to look up, as he prepared to manhandle Mary. Alisa stepped forward, rage burning in her eyes. 

“Now, that I have all of your attention,” She responded smoothly, “Release Mary and her ladies.” 

“You are strong, Alisa,” Count Vincent mused, still struggling with the Scottish Queen, “But you are a woman and have no power against me.” 

“I’ll show you power,” Alisa murmured, before pulling out a knife from the skirts of her dress, before stabbing him in the shoulder. The Count howled in pain as he jumped back, releasing his hold on Mary, who rushed towards Queen Catherine, The Count lunged at Alisa, who kicked him in the shin, sending him back. 

“You little Russian bitch!” He roared in anger, pulling out his sword. Alisa braced herself to fight again, but she didn’t have to, as he was knocked to the ground by Francis. Alisa clamped her hand against her mouth, as she watched him wrestle the Count. Alisa looked up and saw Bash and some of the other guards running to help free Mary’s ladies. She moved to help them too, knocking one of the men out, who was trying to rape Lola. She pulled her to her side. 

“Are you alright?” She asked breathlessly, as the rest of Mary’s ladies came to join her. 

“Yes, thank you.” Lola managed to get out. 

“Get behind me.” She ordered all of them, and they complied, feeling more protected with the Tsaritsa. Alisa’s eyes fell on Francis and Count Vincent, who was fighting still. Francis had the upper hand, as he was a more skilled fencer, but the Count reached in his pocket and pulled out a knife. A bloodcurdling scream broke through the Tsaritsa’s lips before she could even stop herself. 

“FRANCIS!” She screamed, rushing forward on primal instinct and stabbing Count Vincent in the neck. Blood splattered all over her hand as the Count, crumbled on the floor, dead. Alisa breathed heavily, unevenly, as she sank to the ground herself. Her eyes were dazed as she stared at the bleeding body. She had seen this somewhere before, not that long ago.

Russian Court. One year ago. A thirteen-year-old girl stood at the doorway as she watched her father, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, being stabbed over and over again to death. The girl did nothing, just watched. There was no feeling in her eyes, no tears, she was stoic. Her father, her only family, was murdered in front of her, and she had no remorse. Entering the room when the deed is done, she took a knife lying carelessly on the Tsar’s study table. She bent down beside her father, looking down at him. 

“Don’t worry, Papa,” She whispered in her native tongue, her voice soft and deadly, “I will be a better ruler than you ever hoped to be. I hope you’re happy where you are. In hell.” With that said, she tightened her grip on her knife as she slit his throat ruthlessly. She let out a shaky breath out as she flung the knife to the side and walked out of the room, without glancing back once. 

“Clean up this mess.” Those were her final words before she vanished out of sight. 

Alisa’s eyes flickered wide open as she let out deep breathes, her whole body began to tremble violently. Someone was speaking to her, she did not know who, and it took her a few minutes to step back to reality. 

“Child, let go of the knife,” It was Catherine’s soothing, surprisingly gentle voice, as she rubbed the back of the Tsaritsa gently, “Let go.” Alisa looked down at her hand. Her knuckles were white with how tight her grip was. She loosened her grip and watched as the knife collided to the stone hard floor. Catherine gently helped her up, looking over at her. 

“You are a brave, brave woman, Alisa,” She spoke gently and with feeling. “You did well.” Alisa nodded, recovering herself, managing a smile. 

“I need to get the blood off.” Her lips barely moved as she spoke, before she headed towards the exit. 

“Thank you.” A voice caused her to turn around. Mary pulled away from hugging Kenna, who was hurt. “You saved my life.” 

“Don’t mention it.” Alisa nodded at her. 

“I was wrong about you.” Mary apologized, even though she knew her words probably meant nothing at all, “All of those words that I have said... I was stupid, and I was not thinking clearly.” Alisa faked a smile, but it was hard as her lips were quivering, and she left the hall, shaking as she was, heading to her room. She headed straight to the washroom, peeling off all of her clothes one by one, washing her hands and her face. It took all of her strength not to cry, as she gazed at herself in the mirror. She changed into her white nightgown, placing her dark blue robe over her, as she sat down. She gazed at the fire, clenching her fists together, forcing herself to stay calm. A knock on her door sounded before a guard stepped into her room. 

“Your Majesty, Prince Francis would like to speak to you.” He announced as Francis came inside. 

“Leave us,” Alisa whispered in a voice unlike her own. She moved up to her feet shakily to meet Francis. It was all it took - one glance at him - and she felt herself crack into a thousand pieces again. She couldn’t stop herself this time, breaking down in front of him. 

“Oh, Alisa,” Francis murmured softly, before crossing over at once, pulling her into the cradle of his arms. Alisa felt her arms wrap around him, clutching onto the fabric of his clothes, dissolving into uncontrollable sobs. Her whole body shook so hard that Francis had to hold her up. “Shhh, shhh, my love,” He whispered, stroking her hair, “It’s alright. You’re safe with me.” Alisa’s hysterics died down, even as silent tears fell from her eyes. Francis pulled away ever so slightly, cupping her face in his hands, wiping the tears with his thumb. “I have you.” 

“You were supposed... supposed to lead everyone out of the tunnels. Why, why did you return, Francis?” She let out shaky breaths, holding onto his arms. 

“You were right about the Count,” Francis sighed, “I knew there was something off once I left all of you, and I had to return, but... mostly, I was worried about you. I was worried something bad had happened to you, and I had to come back.” 

“Francis---” 

“I will never leave your side ever again, nor will I let you leave mine,” He vowed, his blue eyes burning with love now more than ever, “And I will make sure of it.” Alisa blinked a few times in confusion. 

“What do you mean?” She asked curiously. 

“I think you know,” He was fighting off a small smile, “I had enough waiting, hiding my love for you. I want it to be known to the whole world that you are going to be my fiancé. I am going to talk with my father to break his treaty with Scotland and negotiate with Russia, instead.” Alisa felt a warm smile, break through the corner of her lips. 

“You want to marry me? Even after what happened with the Count?” 

“Even more so, now,” Francis assured her, pressing his lips on her forehead, before resting his against hers, “I didn’t realize that it was possible to fall in love with you any more than I already have. I was wrong. You are so strong, so brave, so incredible. I’d be honored to pledge myself yours as your husband.” Alisa felt a surge of emotion roll through her body and connected her lips with his. Francis deepened the kiss ever so slightly, with her permission, before the two pulled away out of breath. 

“Could you stay with me?” Alisa whispered, her voice quivering again, “I feel safer when you’re here, and I will be able to sleep that way.” Francis smiled and nodded. 

“Of course, my darling,” He assured her gently, leading her towards her bed. Alisa slipped under covers as Francis sat at her bedside, holding her hand and stroking her hair until she drifted off. He proceeded to guard her like this the rest of the night. 

____

A/N: Well, that took forever to write because this was one long chapter, not gonna lie. So much happened, and the next chapter is going to be more fluffy so you guys will get a break from the dramatic French Court. Updates might be slower than usual because tomorrow I am back from spring break and going to uni again. *sighs*  Anyways, please let me know what you think. I hope you enjoyed! <3

[jackblankhsh]

Why I Quit -- Santa’s Elf

"In my Mom's rendition, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer eventually goes on a rampage, beating elves to death with his hooves, and disemboweling reindeer with his antlers. As for Santa, well, lemme just say ho-ho-holy shit.  Thing is I can't help thinking she taught me the right & wrong lesson with her variation.  

 "Allow me to elaborate.

 "Nothing motivates a person to grasp at any job like a looming eviction that'll cast one out into Chicago winter.  It is a wicked season.  Polar bears stalk the streets.  Great glacial mounds dot the city wherever the homeless, huddled together for warmth, have frozen into human icebergs.  And always there those driven mad by cabin fever who turn into winter banshees, their screams echoing down the icy streets.  

 "Call me a coward, but I've lived here long enough to know better than risk Winter on the streets. So, following the word of a grape vine bird, I went to the Brick House Diner.  There I found Chari chowing down on a burrito.  

 "Chari is a queen in the skin grift game commonly known as stripping, though she prefers the term gash flasher.  Folks often misperceive Chari, given that she spells 'Cherry' C-H-A-R-I; however, she's certainly innovative.  Consider how she alters her act for holidays.  Around Easter she dances as Bunny, near the Fourth of July she's Booty Ross, and close to Giftmas she's Mary Christmas -- 'merry' spelled M-A-R-Y.

 "We met at a bachelor party.  When the groom asked if Chari might be inclined to acts other than sexy dancing she rewarded those hooker implications by performing an act of surra de bunda so severe it broke his nose and gave him a concussion.  Always respect a woman who can use her butt as a wrecking ball.

 "After the usual chit-chat kindling we fired up the real conversation.  

 'I heard you know about a job.'

 "She nodded, 'You know I pick up all kindsa stuff.  Guys think they're impressing me, or some shit.  Can't complain though.  My stock portfolio is crazy good.'

 "Fishing in her purse she produced a pamphlet.  Passing it across she said, 'I think the guy who gave me this was thinking like save the stripper, or whatever.'

 "I chuckled, 'The ol' respectable job angle.'

 "She smirked, 'Like I'll be so grateful I'ma just have to suck his dick.'

 "I said, 'Well, as a man, I can say we're raised with the grateful BJ delusion.'

 "She rolled her eyes, 'Oh please, you believe it because you want it to be true.  Ain't no different than Jesus saves.'

 "Glancing over the pamphlet I said, 'Speaking of grateful oral...'

 "She said, 'Don't be getting ideas.  This is me paying you back.  That bachelor party was gonna kill me.  Besides.' She smirked, 'I think you'll be an adorable elf.'

 "The next day I found myself in the beige office of a mall manager in Niles.  After introducing myself we stared at each other in silence for well over a minute.  I think he kept expecting to pull off my face, revealing Chari beneath a mask, and his pornographic fantasies of gratitude would come to life.

 "Finally, playing off that note, I said, 'So about this job, Chari said I'd be a good fit.'

 "He nodded, 'It's not hard.  Tricky part is whether you like kids.  You like kids?'

 "A few years back I attended a family gathering.  The three year old crotch fruit I'm supposed to call my nephew got to its feet.  The whole family cheering it on my brother's rat child started baby-staggering towards me. Arms spread wide it giggled. Leaping off the couch I shouted, 'Not today Satan!' and punted it across the room.  (I may've been drinking.)  

 "As such, I informed the manager, 'I know how to handle kids.'

 'Okay.  Let's get your costume.'

 "I shuddered. Though aware of this aspect of the job I didn't look forward to it.  I've often had vivid nightmares about a sweaty Walt Disney furiously masturbating to forlorn actors sadly donning the mouse costume.  

 "The manager said, 'Follow me.'  

 "He led the way through a network of halls behind the shops taking us to a locker room. While he searched for a box containing my costume I waved to a maintenance worker in overalls.  

 "The maintenance guy said, 'What they rope you into doin'?'

 'Elf.'

 "He grimaced, 'You let me know when you wanna die.  I'll kill ya.  Did it for the last guy.  Least I can do, ya poor bastard.'  

 "Right away, I liked him.  

 "The manager returned carrying a battered cardboard box.  Handing it over he said, 'Put this on then go to the middle of the mall.  Santa's there.  You can't miss it.'

 "Opening the box I sighed heavily.  Inside I found red tights, a green short sleeved shirt, and a red and white striped long sleeve shirt as well as a pointy green cap, and a set of fake points for my ears.  Everything smelled like diseased feet, and the points felt like uncooked chicken. Yet, I soon found myself transformed into an elf.  

 "Walking the mall is like roaming the belly of a beached whale.  The labored breathes of certain patrons even helps conjure a vivid image of the leviathan struggling to breath as its own weight crushes it out of existence.  Meanwhile, despite everything in a state of slow decay, creeping towards death, delusions of survival abound like the leather store believing yalmukes will save the dying retailer, or the lingerie shop's unsettling new line of preteen thongs. Like dynamiting a beached whale it would be merciful to burn this place down.

 "I spotted the ersatz Santa village long before I reached it.  It appeared to be constructed on a budget of zero fucks, and discarded pizza boxes.  Buildings, particularly Santa's workshop, stood so crooked they must've been constructed by a German expressionist.  In front of it all sat Santa, enthroned on a thrift store recliner spray painted gold.

 "Next to him stood a perky albino asparagus who introduced himself as, 'Todd.'

 "Santa introduced himself as Santa.

 "I said, 'I see we're going method.'

 Todd beamed, 'If it makes the kiddies happy that's cool.'  If he smiled any wider his head would've come out his mouth.  

 Slapping a nicotine patch on Santa said, 'Lez do dis.'

 "And so it began... a job that made me want to smoke heroin out of a shotgun, get a nice double barrel overdose going.

 #

 "Later, unprompted, Santa said, 'Been doin' this job fer-fuckin'-ever.  Started when my bitch wife took off with the kids, and I was missing children, which is something never thought I'd say.  So I was like, "Mall Santa!"'

 'Why'd she leave?' I asked.  

 "He shrugged, 'I's fucking our neighbor, and that asshole got it in his head I wanted him to kill her.  So there was this whole misunderstanding.  Oh, hold up.'

 "Todd lifted an approaching child into Santa's lap.  The kid stared in wide eyed wonder.    

 "'Hello little boy!' Santa said, 'What do you want for Christmas?'

 'I wanna thister.'

 'Then send us your mom,' I said.

 "Santa choked down a laugh.  He told the kid he'd see what he could do, but if there was anything else, say a toy of some kind... but the boy insisted on a sister.  

 "Todd snapped the kid's photo with a digital camera.  Then I helped the boy down.  Delivering him back to his parents I asked if they wanted to buy the photo.  Like most they declined having already snapped pics with smart phones like the cheap bastards they are.  The same way they used Santa as a scapegoat, blaming him when they couldn't afford gifts for their kids.

 "So it went, eight hours a day for the next twelve days.  

 "Occasionally packs of mallrats tried to storm Santa's village.  This usually involved Goth kids screaming about Krampus.  We kept giant fake candy canes at the ready, and though bludgeoning teenagers is always a perk, it made the job feel worse afterward.  Those battles sent me to such dizzying heights the drop back to reality felt like orbital skydiving -- too much time to fully consider the fall.  

 "Todd, on the other hand, possessed a mystifying ability to always smile.  After one fight he said, 'That young fella had some skills. Good for him.'

 I said, 'Maybe next time he'll kill you.'

 'Then he'll be a winner!' Todd said.  Watching him bandage himself with wrapping paper and gauze, I considered stealing a pinch; suspecting I could get a cheery high sucking on Todd's bloody gauze.  

 "But most days belonged to managing the slow procession of beaming children accompanied by bored adults lobotomized by parenthood.  

 "In the locker room one night a gruff voice asked, 'You wanna die?'

 "Startled I leapt forward bouncing hard off my locker.  Spinning around I found the maintenance guy standing directly behind me.

 "I said, 'Not yet. Things are okay... I guess.'

 "He nodded, 'When you're ready, say the word.  You won't even know I'm coming.  Just.' He snapped his fingers, 'Lights outs.'

 'I don't doubt it,' I replied, 'Hey, I'm just here until I've got enough to buy a gun.  Then I can rob a bank like someone who still has their dignity.'

 'Like Todd,' he said.

 "Todd having dignity proved hard for me to swallow.  For instance, his frog eyed crotch stared down kids all day, and despite even the most direct statements he never did a thing about his huge man-el toe. Yet, it does take a stalwart individual to be so... Todd.  Like physics, and voluntary celibacy, optimists have never made sense to me.  Despite whatever obvious negativity I sent his way Todd remained a prince of the bright side.  Some days my only motivation for work orbited some contrived scheme to break Todd's smile, yet I slowly began enjoying his immutable nature -- the seemingly eternal persistence of his mood.  

 "The maintenance guy's words echoing in mind, I started seeing Todd in a new light. Instead of a silver lining seeking lunatic I started seeing a young man impervious to the world's woes.  Of course, I harbored doubts.  Perhaps in private he metamorphosed into a snarling bitter dick, a speculation I held on to until one fateful day.

 "Close to the end of work we let our guard down.  We each wanted to go home for our own reasons.  Santa had been peed on four times; it being payday meant I was anxious to get my drink on; and Todd wanted to hurry home to make a gingerbread house for his grandma.  We didn't notice the circling, growing Krampus kult clad in black... until it was too late.  

 "A wiry teen jumped atop the phone case kiosk.  

 "Holding high an ornate, impractical dagger he bellowed, 'Death to the red lie!'

 "And then the stygian tsunami came from all directions.  Surrounded, we didn't stand a chance.  Still, we fought the good fight.  At one point I frantically threw children at the legion of incoming Goths, bowling them over.  Santa put on a pair of reindeer antlers, and charged into the swarm head first. Anytime I saw a piercing I grabbed it, and pulled hard as I could.  

 "About to be overwhelmed I shouted, 'Robert Smith is dead.'  As the swarm paused to check their phones I used that as our chance to flee.

 "Grabbing Santa I said, 'We gotta go!'

 'Ho-ho-hold up,' he stammered, 'Where's Todd?'

 "I saw him lying face down.  Shoving Santa to kick start his exodus, I hurried over.  Scooping up Todd I fireman carried him back to the locker room where I dropped him unceremoniously on the ground.

 "Gasping, I declared for the millionth time in my life, 'I gotta quit smoking.'

 "Then I noticed a pool of blood spreading from Todd.  Rolling him over revealed a set of pentagram themed shuriken stuck in his back. It didn't look good.  Also, it's entirely possible when I dropped him I may have inadvertently driven them deeper into Todd.

 "Kneeling beside him I lied, 'You're going to be okay.'

 "Todd said, 'As long as the kids are happy.'

 "Then he died. Smiling.  Later I watched the maintenance guy mop up his blood, erasing what was left of Todd, save for a vague stain on the locker room floor.  The next day I arrived to find a doughy guy in the locker room struggling into the elf costume.  It'd been washed, but there were still holes in the back.  

 "Wrestling with the tights the guy said, 'This fuckin' shit better be worth it.'

 "Seeing that sourness, I told the new guy, 'When you the manager come around, tell him I quit.'

 "Chicago winter isn't the worst thing in the world... like Rudolph, Todd was born with a gift people didn't appreciate until they needed it.  To see him replaced so easily, well, frankly your honor, that's why I burned down the mall."

[good-queen-bess]

i read gristwood's book on elizabeth and robert and i got the sense it wasn't a healthy relationship despite the love they felt for one another.

Well, here I go, starting World War III…!

Finally someone who can see the light!!! Ok, let’s get one thing straight – Elizabeth and Robert did have affection for each other – there’s extremely little doubt about that. However, their courtship was much more tense than Elizabeth’s other ones (at least that’s what I find – I’m not a historian, though, so don’t take my word for absolute granted {then again one should never take anyone’s word for granted when it comes to history, whether they’re an expert or not…!}). I would assume the tense relationship was because real emotions were on the line.

Although Elizabeth sometimes grew somewhat fond of other suitors, she rarely grew a genuine, deep-rooted attachment to them. Robert was different in this case. Out of all her suitors throughout her reign, Robert was the one Elizabeth knew the most and for the longest amount of time. They knew each other at least since Elizabeth was just eight years old; perhaps they knew each other a little bit before that. Their courtship during Elizabeth’s reign was out of love, surely (and the length of their courtship also indicates that they did like each other very much), but because such an intense passion burned between the two, their ugly sides were exposed quite clearly. This is human, but there is a line. I haven’t read that book by Gristwood, so I cannot say for certain whether the portrayal was a totally fair one or not (though, in my opinion, perfect portrayals are impossible to display – our own opinions will inevitably seep through, no matter how hard we try to refrain from it). But I think it is certainly fair (though some people may choose to deny it) to say that they did not have a healthy relationship.

Elizabeth could become incredibly possessive and controlling. At times, she even became quite irritable or uneasy when Robert wasn’t by her side. But, by God, could she express her disapproval when Robert did something that she didn’t particularly like! She often demeaned him and mocked him in public when he did something she frowned upon, especially when she finally found out about his affair with her cousin (whom Robert had gotten pregnant and married), Lettice Knollys. Not only did Robert get shunned, essentially, for a period of time (their fondness did not reach a similar point it was at during, say the 1560s, until the mid-1580s), but Lettice was banished from court as a result. Knowing Elizabeth’s poor temper, I think it is not a stretch to imagine Elizabeth having harsh verbal and minor physical altercations with both Robert and Lettice…! I think it is a slight understatement to say that jealousy was one of Elizabeth’s greatest vices.

And, if I’m being honest, sometimes Robert acted like all he wanted to do was just get under Elizabeth’s dress, or try to use her for his own benefit. Often depicted as arrogant and narcissistic due to his unpopularity during much of Elizabeth’s reign, Robert was also known for being a bit of an alleged playboy. I say ‘alleged’ because he certainly had affairs, though not all of them can be proven (given rumours that may have been spread about him during his lifetime or even afterwards). He had one with Lady Douglas Sheffield, which also coincided with his relationship with Lettice (before they were married), while he was (strictly speaking) still courting Elizabeth. When Sheffield admitted she was with child, she said that Robert was the father, and even went as far as naming the baby Robert Dudley.

While Robert wrote to Sheffield explaining to her that he couldn’t possibly marry her (as she, too, had urged he must marry her as a result), Elizabeth discovered this matter, and even threatened that if the rumour was true, she would throw him in the Tower. To be frank I don’t think she’d ever put him in such a place they had both been thrown into before, and it’s quite likely this is an exaggeration on the part of someone who was merely looking for a slanderous but interesting story. But it’s quite clear that Elizabeth’s jealousy and sometimes manipulative actions of retort (though indicative of a toxic relationship) were signs that she was also hurt.

And the whole marrying Lettice fiasco? Well, I’m not particularly sympathetic to someone who decided to marry the Queen’s younger, more attractive relative, who looked quite like Elizabeth herself. It just makes me feel uncomfortable for all parties involved, though at the same time, Robert should have expected that Elizabeth would have found out eventually, and that she would have reacted quite badly.

I also remember reading somewhere that he originally put pressure on Elizabeth to make him Earl. She felt obliged to, though at first she knew how controversial it would be, and tried to avoid it, even ripping up the papers making him Earl in his face (I’ll need to double-check this, though. I definitely remember reading that; I just need to find where, so I’ll get back to you on that, if you wish). She eventually made him Earl of Leicester in hopes that he could marry Mary, Queen of Scots…which he wasn’t exactly happy about, and in the end the proposed marriage between Leicester and Mary never happened.

Now, with all this being said, they definitely were in love; they just had a 'funny way of showing it’ sometimes, I guess, if one is to put in mild terms. I feel their passion exposed the worst in each person at different times, each one a result of what the other person did. But I am merely emphasising some of the negative aspects of their relationship. Their relationship is open to interpretation. I feel their relationship was mutually beneficial at times, and quite sweet too, but they certainly had difficulties and they definitely didn’t always act like one ought to in a healthy relationship.

Please forgive this terribly belated answer (December has been quite a roller-coaster for me), but I hope I helped somehow, despite my lateness! 

[readingsanctuary]

I was so good this month when it came to book buying, in that I actually didn’t buy any! I’m genuinely quite proud of myself for exhibiting some self-control for once. I still have quite an impressive book haul this month however, because it was my birthday on the twenty-second and my family knows me so well, that I ended up receiving an impressive stack of books from them. I’m very excited about all of these, but enough rambling from me, let’s get started.

Catwoman: Soulstealer – by Sarah J. Maas

When the Bat’s away, the Cat will play. It’s time to see how many lives this cat really has. . . .

Two years after escaping Gotham City’s slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Batwing is left to hold back the tide of notorious criminals. Gotham City is ripe for the taking.

Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove he has what it takes to help people in his role as Batwing. He targets a new thief on the prowl who seems cleverer than most. She has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and together they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman may be Batwing’s undoing.

In this third DC Icons book–following Leigh Bardugo’s Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Marie Lu’s Batman: Nightwalker–Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse, forming unexpected friendships and entangling herself with Batwing by night and her devilishly handsome neighbor Luke Fox by day. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the heist that’s closest to her heart?

This book crept up on me. I honestly had no idea that it was out this month, it’s been so quite. I wasn’t even sure whether I wanted to read it until I saw Zoe from NoSaferPlace’s review, and she convinced me that I wanted to give it a try, also she mentioned that Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn make appearances, which caught my attention. So when I unboxed this beautiful hardcover in the August Illumicrate Box, I was pleased, because I definitely want to give it a chance, and I have the matching Wonder Woman edition.

Howl’s Moving Castle – by Diana Wynne Jones

“How about making a bargain with me?” said the demon. “I’ll break your spell if you agree to break this contract I’m under.”

In the land of Ingary, where seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, Sophie Hatter attracts the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help – the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.

But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls…

I’ve been sort of wanting to read this for a few years now, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot just recently. I love the studio Ghibli film, and am looking forward to seeing how the book compares. This was a gift from my sister, and she knows me so well.

The Backstagers: volume 2

All the world’s a stage . . . but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic—literally!

Jory and the rest of the Backstagers have one goal this semester: to put on the best show their town’s ever seen. But best laid plans aren’t easy to achieve when there’s an entire magical world that lives beyond the curtain! When one of the actors suddenly goes missing, the Backstagers must band together to save their comrade and maintain the natural balance of . . . theater. 

This was also a gift from my sister, who remembered me reading and enjoying the first volume while we were on holiday. I am incredibly excited for this one. The Backstagers is just such a cute and enjoyable series. I’m so excited to see where the story goes, and maybe learn more about the mystery’s of the backstage world.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – by J.K. Rowling (Hufflepuff Edition)

Exclusive Hufflepuff House Edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – a highly collectable must-have for all Harry Potter fans!

Let the magic of J.K. Rowling’s classic series take you back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Issued to mark the 20th anniversary of first publication of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, these irresistible House Editions celebrate the noble character of the four Hogwarts houses. Featuring gorgeous house-themed cover art and interior line illustrations by Kate Greenaway Medal winner Levi Pinfold, each book will also have vibrant sprayed edges in the house livery. Entertaining bonus features exclusive to each house accompany the novel. All seven books in the series will be issued in these highly collectable House Editions.

A must-have for anyone who has ever imagined sitting under the Sorting Hat in the Great Hall at Hogwarts waiting to hear the words, ‘Better be HUFFLEPUFF!’

I adore my Philosophers Stone Hufflepuff hardcover edition, and knew that I wanted the matching Chamber of Secrets edition to go with it. I hope that they continue to release the whole series in these editions, because I am so in love with them. This was a gift from my parents, who have always fed and supported my love of Harry Potter and reading in general.

Hunted – by Megan Spooner

Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them. 

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. 

Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

This Beauty and the Beast retelling has been sort of distantly on my radar for a while, I’ve heard good things, but I’ve never gotten around to reading it. Now I have no excuses, because my parents got me a copy for my birthday, and I am so happy about it.

Undead Girl Gang – Lily Anderson

Mila Flores and her best friend Riley have always been inseparable. There’s not much excitement in their small town of Cross Creek, so Mila and Riley make their own fun, devoting most of their time to Riley’s favorite activity: amateur witchcraft.

So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone’s explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.

Unfortunately, Riley, June, and Dayton have no recollection of their murders, but they do have unfinished business to attend to. Now, with only seven days until the spell wears off and the girls return to their graves, Mila must wrangle the distracted group of undead teens and work fast to discover their murderer…before the killer strikes again.

I knew I wanted to read this the very moment that I heard about it. It looks and sounds so awesome! I love almost anything involving witches, and I think this will make a great autumn read.

Reign the Earth – A.C. Gaughen

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.

But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. Even more unsettling are Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother, which unleash a power over the earth she never knew she possessed—a power that could get her killed. As rumors of a rebellion against Calix spread, Shalia must choose between the last chance for peace and her own future as an Elementae.

I saw a lot of reviews for this around the time it was released, and I was completely sold on the concept. I have a weakness for elemental magic, and I’m in a major fantasy mood right now.

Of Fire and Stars – by Audrey Coulthurst

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine—called Mare—the sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two become closer, Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. And soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.

This has been on my TBR for a while now, but I never got around to buying myself a copy. I’m really glad to now have the chance to read this. I mean honestly, I was sold on this from the moment I heard that there was a f/f ship with two princesses.

A Crown of Wishes – by Roshani Chokshi

Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes – a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

I got my copy of Star-Touched Queen for my birthday two years ago, and fell in love with the beautiful writing style. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on A Crown of Wishes ever since. This book is so beautiful, and I’m really looking forward to reading it.

Ms Marvel: vol 9 – Teenage Wasteland

Kamala Khan has vanished! But where has she gone, and why? Jersey City still has a need for heroes, and in the wake of Ms. Marvel’s disappearance, dozens have begun stepping up to the plate. The city’s newest super hero Red Dagger and even ordinary citizens attempt to carry on the brave fight in Kamala’s honor. Somehow, Ms. Marvel is nowhere…but also everywhere at once! Absent but not forgotten, Ms. Marvel has forged a heroic legacy to be proud of. But when an old enemy re-emerges, will anyone be powerful enough to truly carry the Ms. Marvel legacy – except Kamala herself?

COLLECTING: MS. MARVEL 25-30

This was another birthday gift from my parents, who are totally awesome, and know that I love this series. I’ve already devoured this, and really enjoyed it.

The Ancient Magus Bride: volume 4 – by

“I am not alone.”

Chise has been summonsed to the Dragon Aerie to begin crafting her very own wand, but her journey has more to offer than she had anticipated: magical wonders, enlightening visions, and perhaps most importantly, insight into Elias’ past and the secrets he has been reluctant to reveal about himself.

Yet while Chise finds some answers about the inhuman mage’s history, mysterious beings are displaying an unexpected interest in Chise herself.

I love this manga series, it’s definitely one of my favourites. So I was thrilled to receive the fourth volume for my birthday, especially since I’d been having trouble tracking it down. I’ve already read, and really enjoyed this.

Giant Days: volumes 4 & 5

Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.

My Auntie picked these out for me off my wish-list because she liked the look of them, and I am thrilled that she did. I’d been really looking forward to continuing on with this series, and naturally dived right on them. I’ve already read and really enjoyed both volumes, this series is always a fun time!

So, this haul is kind of big, and more than a little bit late, but I can’t put in to words just how grateful and lucky I feel to have been given so many wonderful books this year. I feel so inspired and motivated to read right now, and I’m looking forward to getting to some of these next month.

Have you read any of the books I’ve hauled recently? What did you think of them? I’d love to hear from you in the comments! 

Want to chat, about books or anything else, here are some other places you can find me:

Twitter @reading_escape

Instagram: @readingsanctuary

Goodreads

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August Book Haul I was so good this month when it came to book buying, in that I actually didn't buy any!

[rusticrevivals]

Take Dorothy out of Kansas, stick her in a fantasy world where she meets fairy god-mothers with crowns and magic wands and high-heeled slippers… and whaddaya got?  You’ve still got ginghamized Dorothy, bless her, headin’ back to Kansas- just a little older and wiser.  “There’s NO PLACE LIKE HOME”…

  Here in the Appalachians, you send a tomboy, “Chip”, (me, see below, age 10 and 14)  to a new place, and she’s confronted with crowns and high heels and told she’s expected to help organize a bunch of princesses, and she’s in a tail spin… but guess what? The mail lady (Glinda the Good Witch?) knows everybody, waves her magic wand, steps in with her ruby shoes and all is well… turns out those princesses are just good ole country girls like Chip herself!  The tricky bit’s gonna be getting them OUT of Kansas!

Apparently Queens’ Pageants (formerly ‘beauty pageants’ but no longer quite so exploitative of women) are popular in every single town in New Brunswick.  The crowned gals are even EXPECTED to wear their tiaras and sashes to school the following day, and actually aren’t laughed out of the building, either! (Having taught in 4 rather rough schools in 3 different countries, I find this VERY difficult to come to terms with, but apparently it’s common practice and just as accepted as one of my 12-year-old students carrying an ankle knife to school in inner city Leeds, U.K. or my 15-year-old pupil breast-feeding her baby in my English class ‘on the rez’ in Browning, Montana!)

I’ve often been surrounded by lovely young women while teaching in Canada and abroad.  Some of the girls I’ve had the pleasure of working with onstage have even gone on to become actresses/models/singers and strong professionals who use some of the public-speaking and debate skills I helped them work on in their high-school days. However, this pageant thing is a very new concept to me.

(above, some of the lovely young ladies to whom I taught Drama and coached in a variety of musicals, ‘on the rez’ in Browning, Montana – please note, the above were NOT the same students who breast-fed their babes in class!)

For those girls, and some of the others I’m so proud of, I made a banner last year on International Girls’ Day, (although they are no longer ‘girls’, but very strong and talented  women now, and can all be seen or heard in public forums in one way or another).

above, some of my beautiful former students – from the USA, the U.K., and yes, Canada, too!

However, none of those girls are really the tiara-wearing types, either.  Up until a month or so ago I was feeling very much ‘out of my element’!

New Denmark is a wonderfully-close-knit community, as you’ll know from reading some of my previous blog postings.  It’s not just a mountain area where everyone pitches in and helps each other and attends church, dances, games’ nights, luncheons, etc. on a weekly basis – it’s got the additional distinction of being the largest AND oldest Danish community in Canada, and is thus rooted in tradition.  Founder’s Day in New Denmark has always been an important celebration, and until recent years was an annual event.  The little rural museum just up the road from us is a Provincial Historical Site, as “Immigrant House”, where the majority of settlers stayed in 1872 before being granted their land, was on that corner. There’s a great video posted online about the Centennial Parade from 1972, which I just love watching! It’s so dear and even, now, familiar!  www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAvS-3M78rQ

This year, by accident (I was meant to be going to a meeting of the historical committee and ended up at the 145th planning committee meeting instead!) I am helping organize the Founder’s Day activities, and thus you’ll see lots more photos from this fun event later in June. It’s held around the 19th of that month every 5 years now, because that’s when the first ship with the majority of Danes landed here.  One of the events is a big parade from near our farm, at the rural museum corner, up the hill past the church and on to the little rural ‘rec centre’.  And what’s a parade without a bevy of beautiful young ladies waving their delicate hands and straightening their tiaras on a floral-decorated float?    Here’s a screen shot  with their centennial year’s Queen and Princess, 1972:

About the only thing I’m familiar with in that picture is the TRUCK.  But I digress… Having heard rumours (I guess) that I was a former Drama teacher – and NOT having heard rumours that I was a tomboy who despised cutesy, demure women, frivolous ball-gowns, high heels, and anything superficial or commercialized, a former director of the Founder’s Day planning committee pointed his over-large finger at me at the very first meeting and delegated me in charge of the pageant.  Luckily for me, Mary Beth the Mail-lady (secretary of no less than FOUR committees in this small “happenin’ ” place!) immediately stepped in and organized a bunch of people who knew a lot more about pageants than I EVER will, to help!  Mary Beth has ordered the tiaras, too, so thank God that’s out of my hands, as they’d have ended up with Stetsons or dressage top hats!  (We suspect M.B. ordered the extra one so she can be seen driving about the hills and dales delivering her letters and feeling “special” ).

Another lucky thing: ’twas Mary Beth herself who said “why don’t we just make the theme ‘COUNTRY’ this year?  Well, ole Chip of Rustic Revivals can do THAT!  And it ties right in with our enormously talented photographer, a former New Denmark pageant gal herself, Miss Tiffany Christensen.  As I’ve organized and decorated so many rustic weddings and events in my rural-based businesses, so has Tiffany taken plenty of rustic and rural-based photography, because it’s not only what we see and live out here, it’s ALSO become a world-wide fad even for those who’ve never set foot in a barn or old klunker of a pick-up truck before!  (On Saturday, my Rustic Revivals was at our first N.B. craft sale, right at the little rec centre where the pageant will take place, and had some of the best attention ever, because folks in the mountains ‘get’ primitives, and several custom orders are coming in also for yet more ‘Burlap Bags’, ((as Richard calls me)) creations.  I’ll be doing a special Easter blog with my latest line next week.)

Thus, Tiffany and I have both been involved in promoting the beauty and history of the rural landscapes around us.  Here’s a lovely photo she took recently, and she’ll be doing a number like this for the pageant girls, as they are to have a ‘spa and photography day’ together in May.

You can see the rural and rustic trend that is so popular now for both weddings AND grads/proms, etc, so why not in our own rural pageant?   (Excuse the blurriness of the following – this is obviously not in Tiffany’s originals, but my ad program isn’t always in love with the wordpress one!  Isn’t her logo neat?  Look how the camera is subtly wrapped into her initials!  And the natural leaves/sheaves represent the countryside we love!)

As Rustic Revivals  has also now debuted locally (after 7 years of ‘touring’ the back roads of Montana, Yorkshire, Aberdeenshire and Ontario!), we realize the mountains here in Appalachia are just the right spot for us!  Although online selling isn’t to be ruled out :  www.etsy.com/shop/rusticrevivals

And RURAL Revivals, (its sister company), as special rural events organizer and country-themed decorator/interior designer (www.facebook.com/rural.revivals   and  http://rusticrevivals.wixsite.com/ruralrevivals ) will also be comfortably-based and definitely using Miss Christensen for all events photography and official before-and-after shots of our specialty rooms with shabby chic/’country’/French Provincial/ ‘cabin’  make-overs (if you haven’t yet viewed my own crappy before and after photos, see previous posts on renos).  Former campaigns which have included us in newspapers and on television have resulted in less attention than in just having the good readers of this blog spread the word…

…so I’m hoping that those of you who are in New Brunswick or who have the money to fly her out to you, will consider using Tiffany Christensen as YOUR official photographer as well!

Of course she doesn’t just take portraits in rural settings; have a look at all her lovely work on her FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/TiffanyChristensenPhotography

I tried 3 times to catch the magic of the hoar frost on the mountainsides, for instance, this winter, and failed spectacularly, but Tiffany has a real talent:

She was also able to capture the stunning autumnal colours here better than I!

Having said that, I’m not a COMPLETE amateur when it comes to pretty country girls posting for the camera.  Last spring, nearly a year ago, in fact, a gorgeous former riding student from Scotland came for a visit to Ontario and wanted the ‘typical’ Dukes of Hazzard/’Western’-and hill-billy-style pics. So, I introduced her to my native friend and her teepee,another former riding student and her horse, Richard’s ’73 Nova for that Dukes of Hazzard effect and also, of course -his moonshine jug. Then I got my camera out. Here’s a slideshow for fun:

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I also loaded up all my rustic decor and we spent an all-afternoon photo-shoot with some work that I’m pretty proud of, and she SHOULD be as well:

The ‘other type of riding’…

While I wouldn’t suppose to be as good as Tiffany, and while it DID take us about 50 photos just to get one good one, I am rather proud of the above.  Now, someday, especially with the gorgeous gals we have in this year’s pageant as models, Tiffany might even have a front cover for some real fashion mags.  I do like to think that ours could have just as easily been on a Vogue special issue:

And, funnily enough, here she is even posing as a MaryBeth !

That’s right, I’ve worn many hats in my time, in many different places around the world… Off-stage, On-stage, Mounted, UnMounted, in various positions for the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Education etc.  Mom/Joy even thinks that should be the title of my autobiography.  Either that, or she’s suggested “The Many Beds in Which I’ve Slept”?  I keep telling her that just makes me sound like a slut…

HOWEVER, AS MANY HATS AS I’VE WORN, I’VE NEVER WORN A TIARA!

  The pageant girls, and I won’t name them here, are all eager, however, to be dubbed “Queen”, or at least “Princess”, despite them being very much Appalachian Country girls in their own right.  One of them is line-dancing for her talent, and another even asked if she could ride her DIRT BIKE for her talent portion!  So I’m no longer worried about dealing with the demure, prissy type – these young ladies are up for anything!  Ironically, not only has the group dance which I’m choreographing morphed into a hill-billy dance in barefeet (and I was a chorus dancer in L’il Abner onstage in barefeet forty years ago!) but the other talents a few of the girls wish to show-case are Poetry Reading and doing a Monologue.  With NO suggestions even, by me, an English/Drama teacher, with published poetry and an award on her wall for doing Dramatic Monologues!  Well, really, since MaryBeth rounded up all this extra help for me to have the promenades, turns, waves and poise stuff looked after, I can do this! Who’d have thought this pageant gig would end up being so close to my own propensities  (ie: rustic decorating, slopping out verse, projecting loudly, and strutting about in patched clothes with a heavy emphasis on the balls of my feet!!!!   Yeeee- hawwwww!)

By the way, speaking of all-things-hill-billy:  In regard to this week’s title, did you know a ‘hootenanny’ is actually a SCOTTISH word, which should please Mom/Joy?  According to Wikipedia, it is simply “a Scottish word meaning ‘party’ or ‘celebration’. With the Scots being one of the biggest groups of settlers in the Appalachian region (bringing with them their whisky-making tradition and methods, leading to the area’s moon-shining tradition) it is not surprising that hootenanny became an Appalachian colloquialism. ”     Besides I like it better than ‘hoedown’, although that is an equally pleasant-sounding alliteration to match with ‘hill-billy’. It’s just that ‘hoe-down’ will likely be needed in future titles to represent our extensive gardening, which is a must when living self-sufficiently!

Every Monday night we are in rehearsal now with the girls.  Chantal, one of the moms, a MaryBeth recruit to our committee, and herself a participant in numerous provincial pageants (“but that was HOW many years ago?” her daughter piped up last night) is an invaluable wealth of info. for both me and the young ladies, as she is instructing them in poised walking with books on heads, and my old Tickle Trunk petticoats on their lower half to aid in twirls and turns.  Even with ‘cammo’ and baseball hats, Chantal can get these ladies to SPIN!

  (above, note the Danish ‘welcome’ in our church basement:  “Velkommen” – it’s seen in every public building here in the community, and the Danish flag, on Mary Beth’s cartoon mailbox and picket fence, is seen flying on at least every other farm!  Also, please note that while I have permission to publicly post these photos of the pageant gals, I am not going to name them, as a respect to their underage privacy!)

I also asked Chantal to please choreograph the girls’ initial ‘promenade’ in their casual clothes (which they are piecing together with only $10.00 from second-hand and rummage sales, don’t you think that’s a wonderful tradition?) and also their ball-gown finale, when they will be escorted on to the stage by two little 7 year old boys dressed in flannel shirts and wearing cow-boy hats and boots to keep in line with our ‘Down-Home Country’ theme.  I can’t wait to see that!

Here are some photos I took last night of Chantal rehearsing the girls in high heels to prepare for their intro-dance, which will be to Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” (’cause I wanted to have only women singers, we needed country songs for the theme, and we DEFINITELY needed a Canadian!)  As always, please click on each photo to blow up and read the captions:

Balancing Precariously ‘in format’

Chantal instructs, with Tiffany, to left, taking her ‘official photos’ for a wonderful behind-the-scenes slide show she has planned for pageant night!

another format that should be a fun ‘intro’

Chantal ‘gets down’ with some finger-snapping, hip-swinging, trying to impress on the girls the importance of having that ‘attitude’

Tiffany asked the girls and Chantal to hold the final pose of their first dance while she snapped an official shot. This is my much-less clear one!

To give their poor tootsies a break from the high-heels they aren’t all used to wearing (and certainly not dancing in!) we next went to my ‘group dance’, a bit of a production into which I’ve of course introduced a touch of ‘drama’ (bit of business at the beginning).  Here’s another big irony:  those poor girls, who are country/mountain gals at heart, have to learn to walk gracefully and to show off their feminine wiles one minute, switch to being what many of them (like me) would rather walk like – a relaxed mountain-girl hill-billy in bare feet, and then throw on a ball-gown and go back to that poised, tall, no-slouching grace again.  It’s really going to be an amazing challenge for them!

Here are some of last night’s rehearsal for the group dance, which will be to Lisa McHugh’s ‘Hill-billy Girl’ – but I dislike her line-dance to the same, and as one of our girls is doing a line-dance for her ‘talent portion (she goes for lessons every week with her grandfather, but he declined doing it in the pageant with her!) I’m putting in my own choreography.  (Though my back has been much better since the 3rd surgery in 2008, the knees, since the last crashing somersault fall off Junior in 2004 are progressively worse with osteo-arthritis.  Since they won’t do knee surgeries now until we hit age 60, and because I refuse to let the pain take away ALL my activity levels, I ‘strap up’! ) Click on any of the below to enlarge and read the captions:

plain old ‘grapevine’

now, that lean back, inside leg out thing…

Within the Hillbilly Girl dance there are two instrumental bits and I’ve planned a ‘showcase’ of each girl’s gymnastic talent aka “hillbilly jumps and kicks” to add some excitement… Here’s one from last week’s rehearsal, with faithful Tiffany taking photo:

Lastly, the girls put their high-heels back on to practice their more formal ball-gown finale. Chantal is playing the part of the little 7 year-old boys, as she escorts each to the stage and instructs them on their ‘turns’. They will then be asked a question on their thoughts or beliefs on a certain subject, by the M.C., prior to the judges making their final decisions.  Here’s each of the lovely girls as they come down the aisle to Jessica Andrews’ ‘Who I Am’ (Rosemary’s Grand-daughter).  And one of them actually IS a Rosemary’s grand-daughter, too!  I suggested that her grandmother would LOVE this song, then. However, we were informed that Rosemary was quote/unquote ‘unable to attend’.  We said ‘oh, that’s too bad, why not?’.    ‘Wal, ’cause she’s dead’ was the drawled response.

  By the way, when you see very ripped jeans (above) please note that these are not being worn in preparation for the Hill-billy Girl dance with me.  For those of you not as ‘hip’ as I am to the modern fashion (the very use of the term ‘hip’ proves this is entirely tongue-in-cheek) these are the designer pants that cost so much nowadays, and another bit of irony is that the girls are going to be buying their ‘casual wear’ for the pageant at rummage sales for under $10.00, and likely (because their grandparents won’t approve) leaving these jeans at home!

Thus, the ironies of my life in the Appalachians continues.  Just when you think something is being introduced into your life which you just can’t come to grips with, you take off your shoes, your bare feet help you get sticky purchase, and there you are.  You’ve come to grips!

Kick off them ruby slippers, Dorothy.  You’re back on the farm, baby.

Funnily enough, the above “Find Your Style” meme is at the top of our Rural Revivals’ website, http://rusticrevivals.wixsite.com/ruralrevivals  and is not only what the girls are considering wearing for their group dance, but the ‘find your style’ motto is how they are being told to go find their rummage sale casual outfits for both their Princess tea and their Introductory walk onstage the night of the pageant!  So maybe I DO know more about this then I at first thought!

        Hill-billy Hootenanny: Purty Pals & Gingham Gals Take Dorothy out of Kansas, stick her in a fantasy world where she meets fairy god-mothers with crowns and magic wands and high-heeled slippers...