#best time to wear ruby gemstone

[sylusjinwoon]

{ 200 }

tender love and care.

sylus x (non mc)fem.reader

because you were labeled as sylus’s woman while here at the n109 zone, you were given several special privileges that made you just as powerful (if not, than more so) as sylus solely because you had such a man wrapped around your fingers.

you recall the date that marked your three month anniversary with him, where sylus gifted you a ruby, teardrop necklace with a matching ring as he told you the significance of his gift immediately,

“each time you walk out to explore the city and head out to work when i’m not around, these rubies will be a reminder to others that you are mine. that you’re under my constant protection, and should anyone dare to disturb your life, i’ll be there to teach them a lesson they shall never forget.”

even the memory of the passion in his voice, coupled along with the way he playfully bites down on your ring finger was enough to make you shiver in response.

the fact that you held his heart within the palm of your very hands filled you with a sense of unbidden joy, where you wanted to do nothing more than to litter his face with gentle butterfly kisses and shower him with the type of unconditional love he had been missing from his entire life.

and you had been with him ever since, never once regretting your decision to remain by his side.

currently, due to certain circumstances at work where several people had called out sick, you were forced to work a double shift. you did your best to cover for your missing coworkers as your supervisor gave you a grateful expression. once your shift ended later that evening, he allows you to take the rest of the week off as a thank you for all your hard work. despite the exhaustion you felt, you couldn’t ignore the undeniable happiness that courses through your veins.

as you step out of your workplace, you were immediately greeted by sylus. he was parked directly in front of your workplace building while leaning against his motorcycle. a grumpy expression was seen on his face, painting his handsome features in a scowl as the sight of it all made you giggle in response. all too eager to see him, you stop directly in front of him and allow his arms to automatically encircle around your form.

“i should kill that boss of yours for making you take over.” he growls into your ear, clearly upset. you tighten your arms around him in hopes of calming him down when you admit to him, “hey, there’s no need to be so grumpy. in fact, my boss was kind enough to give me the rest of the week off thanks to my hard work.”

upon hearing your words, sylus visibly relaxes, pressing a kiss against your lips before tossing you your helmet. it was specially designed in your favorite color, and you couldn’t help but smile at it for a moment as you held your helmet within your hands. sylus ends up donning his helmet first before getting on his bike, turning back to narrow his eyes at you, silently gesturing at you to get on.

with a playful roll of your eyes, you wear your helmet and get on behind sylus, wrapping your arms around his front. he places his hands over your folded arms, giving it a brief squeeze before revving up the bike and making its descent out into the city. knowing that he chose to take the scenic route back home, you take a moment to admire how brightly the city lights shone like gemstones beneath the moonlight. giggles were heard escaping from your parted lips, and oddly enough, sylus was able to hear the sounds of your laughter as he briefly gives your arm another squeeze with one hand before navigating expertly across the streets.

quite some time passes before you and sylus return to your shared penthouse apartment. he parks in his usual spot before taking off his and your respective helmets, holding them both in one hand while interlocking his fingertips with yours in the other. despite how you had been with him for close to two years now, your feelings never once went stale for him. you were just as in love and enamored with him as the first day, the day when you had just met him.

while riding the elevator with him to the top floor, you cuddled your body closer to his shoulder, earning a knowing smirk from him as he gives your hands a gentle squeeze in response. when you both finally reach the top floor, you watch sylus as he takes long strides toward the penthouse all while unlocking it with his key.

the moment you enter your shared home. you were immediately hit with the mouth watering scent of your favorite takeout, seeing it all spread out on the coffee table. you were so happy to enjoy all of your favorite foods with sylus that you couldn’t help but lean in to give him a chaste kiss.

“you’re spoiling me, my grumpy crow.” you tell him while framing at his face.

he scoffs before taking your hand, gently biting down against it with his crimson eyes twinkling with mischief and love for you, “anything for you, darling.”

sylus gestures at you to enjoy the meal first, moving to the side to place his keys on the counter along with storing your helmets. with your stomach growling, you take a box and dig in with your fork while settled on the couch, moaning at how delicious everything tasted. a few minutes later, sylus returns back to you with his arms crossed, clearly amused at the way you kept stuffing your face.

“how cute.” he hums before catching you off guard, choosing to pick you up from the couch as he settles you on his lap. your cheeks were felt heating up in response, yet still, you were comfortable enough to cuddle yourself even closer to his chest while continuing to eat.

you both enjoyed the rest of your late dinner, with you spoiling sylus by feeding him bites of your food and vice versa with him as well. by the time you finished your meal, you felt so full that you could barely move, choosing to land against him when sylus places the empty boxes and utensils on the table.

“what’s this? has my princess had her fill?” you cough at how suggestive he sounded, hiding your face within his shoulder as you playfully bit down against it. a low groan was heard coming from him, and you let out a soft, victorious laugh while telling him, “sy, i’m too tired and full to move… can you carry me?”

he feigns annoyance with a huff of your name, but doesn’t deny you of your wishes (he never could deny you). with a grunt, he stands back to his full height while carrying you in his arms, bridal style. you end up giggling profusely at the sensation, burying your head within his shoulder as he leads you to your shared bedroom and opens the door to the master bathroom.

setting you against the counter, sylus helps with taking off your clothes, leaving you bare for him as he does the same. you were given a moment to admire his delicious body, eyes tracing at the muscles that decorate the entirety of his godlike body. he sees your hungry stare and smirks before taking you in his arms once more. he begins to hum an unfamiliar turn, but you bask in this uncharacteristic softness exuding from the leader of onychinus (a side he only saves for you).

while keeping you in his embrace, he fills his luxurious, porcelain tub with warm water, adding your favorite scented bubbles within it before entering it with you. with his back settled against the tub, your own back was pressed against the front of his chest. you let out a soft moan upon feeling the hot waters surrounding you. the sensation of it coupled with the way sylus’s large hands began massaging at your shoulders was enough to make you practically melt against him.

you were dimly aware of his rich chuckles against your ear, dozing off against his gorgeous body. sylus works on washing your form while lathering your hair with shampoo, the sensation of it all earning a series of soft purrs from you.

“heh, is my kitten satisfied?”

you merely let out a hum in response, moving your head to the side as you allowed sylus to give the newly revealed skin of your neck a series of reverent kisses. once he was satisfied with cleaning you, rinsing your body free of any soap suds, he gets out of the bathtub while still holding you within his embrace.

never once does he leave your side. from drying your body with a plush towel, to helping you get into your sleeping clothes, sylus takes spoiling you with care to the next level. and by the time he reaches your shared bedroom while placing you in bed, you were already half asleep.

as you lay beneath the covers, body curled as you remained cuddled to him, sylus takes a moment to admire you. his long fingertips were felt brushing through your damp hair as he manages to capture a wet strand within his grasp, leaning forward to press a lingering kiss against it.

“i bet you have no idea what you do to me…” his gruff whisper was directed toward you, but it was clear that you were so deep in your slumber that you didn’t hear him. with a huff of your name, sylus reaches over his nightstand to pull out a tiny, velvet box. upon opening it, it would be revealed to contain your dream engagement ring.

as his gaze focuses on you, he takes a hold of your left hand with a hum, sliding the ring against your left ring finger before admiring it. a smirk paints his handsome expression when he leans closer to press a kiss against your ring.

“once you awaken… then you’ll know that my promises of forever has always been true and not simply a play on words. i hope you’re prepared to be mine, my darling love.”

and despite how you were in a deep sleep, sylus could have sworn he saw you smiling in response to his fervent promises of forever.

a.n. - don’t mind me, this is just a self indulgent mess that i need in my life. i love sylus so much;;; i need him so badly 😭

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

[thelordofgifs]

Congrats on the milestone! How about Maglor or Maedhros and jewellery, from the worldbuilding prompt list?

Digging up this old prompt for @maedhrosmaglorweek day 3! Have both of them.

"You will jingle as you walk," says Maedhros, "they will hear you coming for miles."

Maglor laughs, and tosses his head so that the dangling silver earrings chime. "A poor minstrel I will make, if my jewellery plays more music than I! No, Nelyo, these will not do." He removes them carefully, and lays them aside in the growing pile of precious metal heaped upon the side-table.

Maedhros, sitting cross-legged on the stone floor of his chambers in Himring, watches him with a faint little frown. "You must choose something," he says; "you cannot go to the feast dressed as plainly as a Vanya monk."

"My songbird's voice is adornment enough," Maglor says blithely, "and anyhow I did not come here to pick out my own gems. We must make some progress on deciding what to bring as gifts."

From the chest Maedhros draws out a long string of pearls, meant to be draped three times around the neck for the full effect. A souvenir from a summer Maglor spent in Alqualondë, long before the light of the Trees went out, or indeed before their father took it into his mind to preserve it. Maglor chose the pearls himself, going up and down a hundred beachside stalls to pick out those most perfectly round and white, and had Finrod his cousin teach him how to string them on a thread of silk before presenting them to Maedhros. How lovely they had looked set against his brother's fair skin; they had seemed almost to glow.

"These – these stones," Maedhros says, hesitant, "we could gift them to the envoys of the Sindar, perhaps."

Maglor swallows. "They are pearls, Nelyo," he says, keeping his voice light. Maedhros blinks at him, and he explains, "They come from the sea, from oysters. We used to get them from the Teleri." He pauses, and then, when Maedhros still looks bewildered, adds, "I do not think it good politics to gift them to the kin of those we slaughtered, whether or not they know of it."

Maedhros' face darkens. "You are right – Nolofinwë's host will murmur to see them, besides." He gives the pearls another troubled look and then sets them aside.

No use, Maglor has learned, in dwelling on these missing spaces in his brother's memory. They frustrate Maedhros enough as it is: and it is nothing personal, Maglor knows, that he has forgotten the pearls were a gift from Maglor. Their Enemy has taken from Maedhros things far more precious than the recollection of a trinket. It does not sting, that Maedhros does not remember.

Maedhros has turned his attention back to the chest before him. These are all his personal jewels, salvaged from their father's house in Tirion in the brief hours they had to pack before setting out on their ill-fated march. In the years of his captivity Maglor would indulge himself, sometimes, and open the chest, and admire the treasure within as though he were yet a fanciful child trying on his brother's baubles; and he would tell himself that he would hear Maedhros' laughing voice at the door any moment now, saying, Are you going through my things again, little magpie?

Maedhros does not much like to wear jewellery, these days. He says that it chafes against his skin, and on darker days that it puts him in mind of chains; occasionally he will consent to Maglor pinning back his hair with a bejewelled clip, or to an unobtrusive pair of earrings, but all his fine gold necklaces and ornate jewel-encrusted bracelets are useless now.

"Too few gemstones," he says now with a frown; "they were more marvellous than the metalwork, and would be better received."

Maglor thinks with some regret of a fine set of rubies his father had made him for his two hundredth begetting-day. Like all the house of Fëanor's best jewels, they were locked in the vault at Formenos, and stolen by Morgoth when he ransacked it.

"I know not how things are done in Doriath," he says, "but in any case the Mithrim Sindar are not over-fond of jewels, much like their Falmari kin. I do not think we need worry that our gifts will seem poor to them; in truth they will know not what to do with them. They wear flowers in their hair oftener than gems."

"It may be different in Doriath," Maedhros argues. "Findaráto says of Menegroth that the very walls are studded with jewels. Perhaps a gift of our own best would go some way towards earning Elwë's favour."

Maglor frowns. "Think you he will come himself, then?"

"Perhaps," says Maedhros, "but even if he does not we must not seem to be ungenerous. Many of those in Nolofinwë's host will be searching for any excuse to name us so." He passes his hand over his eyes, looking tired. Maglor only arrived yesterday, but he has his suspicions about how long his brother had gone without sleep before that. "We must choose presents for them too—"

"You gave Nolofinwë a crown," says Maglor; "surely he will be sated with that!"

The jest makes Maedhros laugh, as it would not coming from any of their other brothers, edged as it would be with resentment or mockery. Maglor is awfully, selfishly glad of that.

"Come here," says Maedhros, "you are distracting me. Help me choose what to give our own kin, at least."

Maglor settles on the floor beside him. "This for Findaráto," he says, picking out a necklace of sapphires that Maedhros never much liked in the first place, "it will go well with his eyes."

Maedhros favours him with a smile. "Well chosen," he says. Then he finds a very fine emerald, set into the front of a copper circlet but easily prised free, and examines it thoughtfully. This, Maglor remembers, is a relic of their father's first experiments with the art of capturing light; it does not shine with a light of its own as do the Silmarils, but catches and magnifies all the daylight coming through the window in a most pleasing manner, reflecting them back in every shade of green imaginable. Maedhros sets it aside, and when Maglor casts him a questioning look blushes and says only, "For Finno."

The next piece Maedhros draws out of the chest is a golden bangle, from Fëanor's filigree phase: the metal worked into the shapes of trees and flowers and leaping horses, studded all over with tiny gems in a multitude of colours. Their father was in a good mood, when he made this, Maglor recalls. The precision of the work appealed to him. Perhaps it was that more than the loveliness of the finished product that made Maedhros fond of it.

"You always liked this one," says Maedhros, his eyes warm now with recollection. "The number of times it turned up on your dressing-table, after I had spent hours searching for it! Here." And he slips the bangle onto Maglor's wrist.

Maglor tenses, forces himself to relax, and takes it off again. "I do not want it," he says, "thank you, Nelyo."

Maedhros blinks at him. "I cannot wear it," he says, "not a bangle, it will be – too tight." He shudders briefly and then masters himself. "You might as well take it, and then someone can have use of it."

You do not want him back, Celegorm spat once; all your mourning is performance only. You are quite content to sit here wearing his crown and playing dress-up with his jewels, in truth.

"I do not want it," Maglor says again.

"Káno," Maedhros says, very gently. He tilts Maglor's chin up to examine his face. "What troubles you?"

But how can Maglor tell him, I am not now the child you knew in Valinor, the little magpie who so loved to be adorned? How can he say, I too was sated with a crown? He cannot unburden himself to Maedhros, who so depends on him to be merry and bright and unruffled. He has lost the right to do so.

"It will get in the way," he says, "when I play my harp." Then he summons up a smile and says, cheerfully, "Five cousins yet to choose gifts for, and then you promised you would let me practice my new Sindarin songs after we dine! We had better hurry." And he turns back to the chest before Maedhros can object.

[howlingday]

The Bad End Delusion

Opzin walked at a quick pace into the hospital.

Ozpin: Excuse me Ma'am. I am the Headmaster of Beacon Ozpin and I would like to check in on two my students here. A Jaune Arc and Nora Valkyrie.

Nurse: That way and look for room 320.

Ozpin quickly moved that way as he heard the nurse mutter those poor kids. As he found the room he knocked on the door then slowly opened it.

Ozpin: Hello? Mr.Arc, Ms.Valkyrie it's Ozpin do you mind if I come in and talk?

Nora: .....................

Jaune: ...You can come in.

As he enters the room he sees a heavily bandaged Jaune and Nora in the bright white hospital room. He's smells the dry blood and cleaners in the air.

Nora is just staring at the wall. What he can see of her face it seems she being crying for a long time and simply had no more tears. Curled up in a ball with her knees to her face.

Jaune's expression is one of anger, grief, and hopelessness. He is sitting up looking Ozpin in the eyes.

Jaune: Hello sir. I'm sure you have questions.

Ozpin: I do but those can wait for a bett-

Jaune: No. You need to know.

Ozpin: Alright tell me how a mission to check up on an old factory building in Vale went so wrong.

Jaune: Their was a Grimm like I never seen. One nome of us had ever even heard of. Even Weiss... Weiss. *deep breathe sounding like he's holding back a sob* Sorry.

Ozpin: Take your time Mr.Arc

Jaune: So we enter the building with me and Ruby deciding it be better with we stuck together. As we walked into the first couple rooms everything was fine but as we entered the factory line their was a mist. A red mist. That damn red mist. It was light at first and we didn't even notice at first. Everyone was getting kinda of droopy. We all thought it was because it was a long day.

Jaune: Then I heard something that sounded like my nephew crying. I looked around and as soon as I was about to ask the others if they could hear ot the lights went out.

Jaune: We all circled together to not let anything attack us. But it was dark and the mist made it hard to hear and think right.

Jaune: The monster quickly attacked knocking most of our weapons away while scattering our group. I think only Pyrrha and Yang still had theirs.

Jaune: I managed to hold on to Nora's hand to stick together. The mist just thickened and we tried to cover our mouths when we heard Ren scream in pain. We rushed in his direction but..

Jaune:...

Ozpin: Mr.Arc we can do this another time.

Jaune: .... He had no head and his legs had been torn off. We could have only been a few minutes away. How did it kill him so fast. He was one of the best fighter I ever knew.

Ozpin: ...

Jaune: We found are friends one by one by following their screams and angry shouts. Weiss was impaled in the chest by Pyrrha's spear. Yang arms were missing and with all the blood around her clearly bled out. Blake had a giant hold in her chest liek she was punched with imhuman force. Pyrrha... all we saw was her upper torso, head, and an arm.

Jaune: As we tried to process suddenly the gas was so thick it was hard to breathe then I saw all the bodies standing near us screaming if I was a real hero I should have done something with the voices of my family insulting me playing over.

Jaune: I couldn't tell what was real anymore. Then suddenly it attacked restlessly. Clawing,swinging, amd throwing us around like dolls. It seemed to change size constantly to avoid are hits. Nora's Aura broke first and I managed to hit it with a broken pipe before being throw into a wall.

Jaune: Last thong I remember was it's slow walk towards me spitting out gas while everyone expect Nora watched and laughed. They laughed and laughed and laughed until it felt like they were yelling in my head. Before it could finish me the wall exploded with team Cfvy quickly attacking amd driving ot away while they seemed to be wearing gas mask.

Jaune: I never saw Ruby.

Nora: I heard it say "With this Gemstone may Salem forgive me" while carrying Ruby away. She was still breathing as it ran.

Nora:.... Are they gone? Really gone?

Ozpin did not answer leaving Nora and Jaune to start crying again.

Jaune: I don't think I'm able to be a huntsman anymore.

Ozpin: I will call your family and let you rest for now.

Ozpin closing the door still hearing their cries.

(OK so that was a lot and I'm probably misspelling a lot of stuff but yeah. Their is more of this story but I can't write because it's just not where my skills lay. If you want to help that be cool but I'm not gonna bug you about it. So in this after Jaune and Nora heal they leave beacon and move out to live with Jaune's family one day getting married and having kids of their own one day.)

So thoughts? Criticism? Ideas? Want to hear it all? Want to know what happens next? Tell everything you thought of and how you would improve the Au idea.

First of all, great work! Really loved what you've put out there and I'd love to see more of this! Though that's gonna be hard since RWBY and JNPR are now dead, either literally or figuratively.

Second, I'm curious where, if anywhere this story goes. To be honest, it kinda feels like those Warhammer RWBY posts I made a while back, specifically the one where JNPR were killed by a Lichtor. I don't think you can really go further with so many characters dead like this, but hey, I've seen more impossible scenarios get resolved.

Last, the way I would improve this AU idea would be to give a follow-up to after this. I mean, sure, Team RWBY is dead with their leader abducted and Team JNPR have been broken beyond repair. I would follow this scenario up with Ruby being taken back to Salem (either she dies, gets corrupted, or escapes) and show us the interaction between Delusion and Salem. Either that or have Beacon respond to this attack by sending the best huntsmen and huntresses out to rescue Ruby, hopefully before it's too late. Third option is showing the impact all these deaths had on people throughout Remnant; parents and friends all reacting to the news that RWBY and JNPR are dead.

Until then...

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

[lilithin-the-rewriter]

Meet Thayer Rose, the RSA student:

Birthday: December 21

species: Gem/Crystal Fae (made that up)

age: ???

hight: 182 cm (6’4)

dominant hand: right

family: Queen Camellia Rose (mother) King Columbine Rose (Father) Evonna Rose (Elder Sister)

Home land: Ifearia

grade: sophomore

Class: Class A (No.3)

Club: anything ending in logy or graphy

best subject: history

Hobbies: studying gems and crystals

Pet peeves: dirty anything and being proved wrong

fav food: Oysters and Wagyu beef

least fav food: syrup

Talent: charming and breaking the hearts of people

Extra trivia:

• His iris are made of pure gold

• his hair is extremely fine and bendable ruby’s, making it seems like normal hair

• his teeth and claws are quartz

•He’s twisted from the gemstone/Crystal mines from Snow White

• 99% of the time he’s just sparkling because of his sparkly skin and the amount of jewelry he wears

• He enjoys annoying Vil, Thayers not a model but he’s a pretty man

• he’s a bit of an arrogant ass at first

(and if you’re wondering why I have three different picrews: i couldn’t decide which one to use)

[rockstrais]

What are your favorite aspects of Emerald & Mercury’s relationship?

this is a very broad question…. my gosh where do I begin?

I’ll start with how they didn’t choose each other each other by their own accord. emerald initially vetoed against mercury joining their party. it took them a while to actually accept the other’s very existence. em asks merc why he joins them. he says it was fate. cinder and her show up looking for his father the night he killed him? what else could that be except destiny. as we know, destiny & fate are heavy theme in rwby. the characters have to spend time challenging their ideas of that. we see that with pyrrha, ruby, weiss etc… but the thing is whether they were fated to meet… mercury and emerald subconsciously choose one other—despite their own protests. they’re the only people their age (literal seventeen year olds at the beginning of the show) they are each other’s first friends—and perhaps first loves(?) (wishful thinking on my part)

i also enjoy the symbolism around them. they foil and compliment each other nicely.

emerald is the gemstone of the planet mercury! in her concept art for v2, she’s seen wearing gold (linking her to cinder) jewelry. it’s later changed to silver (linking her to mercury).

emerald also has light/day symbolism! and mercury also has night/dark symbolism. every blocking of each scene they are in together has emerald in the light, representing how she’s always been morally good; and mercury teetering into the dark, representing how he keeps getting swept toward morally bad people. figures since he’s named mercury. he’s gonna be the one who is more morally grey than his peer. (haha, get it?) but as we see, emerald will get him to face the light.

their struggles also foil each other too. she projects a pseudo sister-mother relationship onto cinder, since she lacks that familial connection. she yearns for love above all else. it’s why she joined and stayed with cinder for so long. his father raised him to be killing-machine. to be the best of the best in his craft. of course he was never enough. (insert silver medal joke here) mercury craves respect above all else. it’s why he joined cinder. it’s why he accepted salem’s hasty promotion. he wants to be taken seriously very, very badly.

though unknowingly to both of them—they have what they want already!

mercury loves emerald unconditionally as she so desperately desires, you can see he cares for her. He might not show it in the best ways possible all the time, but he does. what is love if not wanting to crack a joke in front of the cute girl you barely know who’s now your partner in crime any chance you get? what is love if not trying to convince your best friend (though you’d never admit it aloud because your dad called it a weakness) to let go of the woman who is not a mother or sister to her whatsoever? what is love if not protecting the only person you give a damn about from some weird freak of a grown man who keeps threatening her?

emerald respects—dare i say admires—mercury as he badly craves. what is respect if not immediately going to apologize for upsetting him when he brought up his terrible childhood and abusive father because you assumed he didn’t know what it’s like to have such love for a parental figure (one who constantly failed you, not that you can admit it)? what is respect if not immediately trusting him with new information you overhead from a prisoner? over your mentor who just returned from the dead mind you. like, of all people, why is he, the boy you didn’t want, your first choice? if you don’t respect him why do you use his fighting style to escape a sticky situation and his favorite snarky insults? if that’s not respect, then do tell me what is?

and notice how i never said mercury wants love—like yes, he does. but not over respect. he wasn’t raised to need love. to be honest, he never makes a huge point about wanting because he already knows what it is. he learned it from emerald; her respect is her love. which is why he is trying to reciprocate that in the only ways he knows how. emerald doesn’t think her respect is love. her respect for cinder is more unwavering, unhealthy devotion. that’s not love. it’s one-sided. her begrudging obligation to give a damn about mercury has sprung into something much more.

both of them are too stubborn to realize it, but they’re getting and giving what they ask for. once they eventually—oh i can’t wait to see the epiphanies and developments that come from that!

anyways this was very long, sorry. you can see that i’m clearly passionate between these two!

[lemonisntreal]

Do you have a Tone Deaf version of Clay Calloway?

(Perfectly fine if you don't. I was just curious, plus I love all your redesigns) 🦁🎸

SORRY THIS TOOK FUCKING FOREVER LMAO [been sitting in my inbox since FEBRUARY THIRTEENTH, HOLY SHIT :D]. YEAH, here he is :pppp a solid draft for you

Lowkey [highkey] gave up on the clothing wrinkles on the arms, but I still like how it turned out I think. I don't have much on him in terms of rewrite, but I do have some, so I'll dump it all here under the cut.

I swear I love asks, please feel free to say/ask whatever, I'm just horrible at answering in a reasonable time-frame because I always want to make it this beautiful masterpiece and end up turning all of them into full-on posts- or, at least I want to ~_~

Headcanonssss-

Ash gave him that button off her jacket [probably needs to be resized I'm realizing lol] [also I totally adopted this headcanon from someone elses post- might've been yours. Whoever came up with it I love it <3]

Born during the reformation that happened after the war- basically, nobody was really fighting anymore during this time, but some big people in power were still being stupid [aka: not letting their prisoners go]

So that would be somewhere around 1947? Which would put his age at 61 in my universe [which is in 2008- the times are pretty much random, nothing really lines up irl. Ignore how they use tech and other things that shouldn't have been invented yet lol]

He grew up when the Skunk Dolls were new and popular and stuff. And he loved them- so much that the band actually kinda inspired his music career

[Skunk Dolls also made loads of protest songs btw. War stuff]

Takes a ridiculous amount of care with his mane, and if he lets you touch it, that's a true sign of trust

So the Piglets always like to play with it, and Ash has given him braids a few times

He's had that scruffy red jacket since his early days

I should draw patches on it-

Ash probably'll give him a quill or two to put in it too with all the patches and repair stitches

He wears a lot of plaid, I just didn't wanna draw it <3

Rough and torn up clothes too

Everything he owns has some sort of smudge or tear in it from motorbiking and/or just being himself <3

His ears are pierced in almost every way imaginable, and when Ash found out, she went CRAZY

Cue her getting him to try on a bunch of stuff

He likes wrought iron jewelry and has never been a fan of anything with gemstones in it

Buster is terrified of him, but Clay is just kinda a blunt person and it doesn't mix well with Buster sometimes. They get along eventually tho. There was also some really bad timing with the circumstances of how they even met in the first place too lol-

Johnny is also. Super terrified.

Buster and him are like "Ahhh.... that guy scares the living daylights out of me." "Ohh, thank god it's not just me-"

He has a strange out-of-pocket interest in astrology.

And in herbology and plants in general, but he picked that up from Ruby. Astrology was all his, and it is the one thing he will "nerd out" over

Also the kind of guy to make fun of you for nerding out too

Making fun of people is his love language

So is giving people food

He's not great with his words and can find it hard to express love by just telling someone. Back to the bluntness thing, you can often find him accidentally offending someone and he doesn't even realize it

The troupe very quickly learned this and it's more of an endearing trait of his to them [and to most people who know him]

REALLY good cook. Fantastic, in fact. Probably one of the best chefs out of any of the characters.

Learned the hard way that enlisting Buster's help in the kitchen is a bad idea. Also Ash isn't great either, but he actually tries to teach her some of his recipes. And she's quickly improving

Buster was just being an idiot and forgot you shouldn't microwave tinfoil

Clay travels a lot, but spends most of his time in Calatonia [he technically still lives at his and Ruby's house, but he's super scared of accidentally closing himself off again, so he only visits to check up on the flowers and maintain the property pretty much]

He's like Ash's second [and very cool] dad. Which- also intimidates Buster quite a bit :D

I feel like their dynamic could be a sitcom. Clay is Ash's awesome dad and Buster is Ash's lame [endearing] and oddly unhinged and anxious dad who feels like he has to be as cool as Clay [and always fails heehee]

Clay is more entertained by Buster's ridiculous criminal record than horrified and I don't know if that's worrying or just a classic Calloway W

He's a very nonchalant person

Ruby's death is the only time I can really think he had a legitimate emotional break that wasn't just him being snappy [which is also pretty rare]

Clay's also like an uncle to the Piglets

He's kinda just taken up the role of "super awesome miscellaneous family member" for everyone at this point

He's back performing again after Sing 2- just not frequently or putting out any new songs [on his own at least- he might do a collaboration or two with Ash]

[giulolosblackmail]

cozytober2024: 26. Back To School Shopping

There was a knock on the door, one short rap for the woman working the front desk. "Come in," Magda called absentmindedly.

The woman was grimacing, and Magda felt herself mirroring her in sympathy. "He's back," the woman said simply.

Magda dropped her quill to rub at her temples, her newly persistent headache making a resurgence. "Did he bring...?"

The woman nodded. "Only one manservant to carry his things this time." Small mercies. Magda opened a drawer at her left and pulled a nice brandy Lord Sakan had gifted her last they met. It would soon be gone.

Ramus strode into the room with all the imperiousness of a duke and none of the class. "I know that, technically, the academy will be 'open to the public' but I cannot see an institution being anything other than formal in the highest regard. I've narrowed down the choices, but I wanted your opinion before I commit to anything," Ramus droned on and on and on as Magda finished another glass.

"The academy robes are standardized, Duke Jorcastle. They will, as I have shown you before, cover most of what you are wearing."

Ramus pursed his lips and waved his hand at his manservant to set up anyways. "Now, I'm only focusing on the inner robes today," Goddess help her, "I've been away from the Spire for far too long to remember what could be considered in vogue."

"I'm sure Lord Jorcastle is much more well versed than I in these matters," Magda put up a token protest.

Ramus waved her off. "An eccentric at best, a woman's touch is best for these matters." Magda wondered if she could bribe Dowager Jorcastle into taking back up the title of Duchess. Just for another year.

"Lady Jorcastle would be honored, I'm sure, to share her opinions with you," Magda added, only a bit sarcastically.

"I'm sure she would," he replied dryly. "Now, obviously I wanted to choose a much more vibrant green, it matches the color of my magic, so the effect is really stunning with this lighter fabric." Perhaps the Jorcastles were much more similar than any of them cared to admit. "It clashes a bit with the school robes though. It has more of a blue undertone and this green is more of a yellow."

Magda fiddled with the ring on her finger as he carried on. The stone was new, pigeon's blood rubies were returning to the limelight and mother wanted her ahead of the trends. She had an idea. "It seems," Magda interrupted, "a bit presumptuous. Don't you think." He hesitated and Magda jumped on the chance. "It just seems rather backwards to choose the clothing and then the gemstones. Especially when, as an instructor in a mage academy, it would cement your competency to display the fruits of your labors. Magical stones are, after all, such a complex art. It would give your students something to look forward to, a shining example, if you will."

Ramus was positively beaming. "I knew I was right to come to you first," he cheered, before sweeping out of the office, leaving his manservant to pack up and follow in haste.

Magda scribbled down an urgent missive, asking Xavier how long it took a skilled mage to create approximately 20-30 magic stones. She needed time to plan.

[the-slumberparty]

Gemstone Asks:

ALEXANDRITE 

Alexandrite are known to change colour and believed to possess magic and bring balance . What part of the creative process do you feel brings balance to you? What is the most magical part of creating for you?

AMETHYST 

Amethyst is said to bring calmness. What do you finding the most calming atmosphere for creating?

AQUAMARINE 

Aquamarine is used as a defense against negative energy and known to bring courage. What are ways that you work through or avoid burn out as creator?

CITRINE 

Citrine represents generosity. What is the best compliment or comment you’ve ever received on a piece you’ve created? 

DIAMOND 

Diamonds are the hardest and most resilient of the stones. What do you believe is your best work that still stands up today? What do you like most about this work?

EMERALD 

It was believed that emerald could assist in seeing the future. What future pieces or ideas do you look forward to writing the most?

GARNET

Garnet symbolises trust, lifelong friendship, loyalty, and passion. Who are some creators you admire? What do you admire most about them?

LAPIS LAZULI 

Lapis Lazuli is known to represent honesty, harmony, and self-awareness. What was your greatest learning opportunity as a creator?

MORGANITE 

Morganite is associated with innocence, joy, peace, and confidence. How would you compare yourself now with yourself when you began to create?

OPAL 

Opals are often described as otherworldly. What’s an unusual or new idea/concept/trope you would like to explore in your creative process?

PEARL 

Pearls can take any amount of time from six months to years to form. What does the typical creative process look like for you, from clam to shining pearl?

PERIDOT 

Peridots are associated with fire and sun. Write or create a piece that includes these elements.

PINK TOURMALINE

Pink tourmaline is believed to reduce stress, anxiety, fear, and depression. What are ways you have overcome these emotions when facing obstacles in the creative process?

ROSE QUARTZ 

Rose quartz is said to be a healing stone. Talk about your favourite comfort fic/creation. Either that you’ve created or consumed.

RUBY 

Ruby’s are often compared to fire. What’s the fire that drives you to create?

SAPPHIRE 

Sapphires are known as an honest stone. What’s a moment of honesty that helped you in your creative process?

SPINEL 

The Spinel is an optimistic stone. Do you have an ultimate goal for creating? What is it? If you could do anything, what would you do?

TANZANITE 

Tanzanite is believed to transfer negative energy to positive energy. Was there ever a time you were able to turn a negative experience or obstacle into a positive outcome in your creative process?

TOPAZ 

Topaz is said to bring confidence and good fortune. What is some advice you have for fellow creators?

TURQUOISE 

Turqouise is seen as grounding those who wear it and bringing good results. What is the best advice you’ve gotten as a creator?

[solitaireships]

Christmas Gifts

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! I wanted to write something to celebrate, so here's a fluffy little ficlet of Selina and Alex exchanging gifts with each other

Rating: Gen

Genre: Fluff

Words: 1124 words

Divider by racingairplanes

It’s been a long time since Christmas has made Alex as excited as she was when she was a kid. Maybe it was back when she stopped believing in Santa that the holiday felt less special, or maybe it’s just because she’s been so busy with life that it’s hard to slow down. But as Alex sits by the Christmas tree with Selina, it’s easier to remember the feeling of excitement from when she was a kid.

There’s no magic there— especially since now Alex knows real magic, and knows it’s not nearly as fun as Kris Kringle and elves making gifts— but there’s something else. A joy that comes with being with the woman that she loves most, maybe. 

They took turns opening up gifts. Alex had insisted— that was the fairest way to do it. It’s been fun seeing Selina open up the things Alex got for her. Some of them are more for fun, like a cute pair of fuzzy socks with cats on them, but she tried to mix that with practicality like she did with a new leather jacket for Selina to wear. And Alex couldn’t help but be excited as she opened each gift from Selina— all ones that she insists were legally acquired. 

Selina always has had a good eye for things. Alex guesses it’s something that a thief needs to be good at. If you’re going to steal something from someone, you have to be able to tell what’s valuable. Or— if the target is more personal— you have to be able to tell what someone would hate to lose because of how much they value it. 

That knowledge must apply in reverse too, because Selina’s a skilled gift giver. She got Alex some of the comics she had on her to buy list for a while, as well as a new laptop that’s bound to be better than her current one that's E key barely works. But Alex thinks her favorite gift is a new ring made from a thin black band with a silver crescent moon on it, a gemstone decorated spinner in the space left by the moon. 

As Alex finishes putting away the wrapping paper around a new mug Selina got her— it’s patterned with the constellations— they’re down to only one more gift. Alex scoops up the box wrapped in cat-themed wrapping paper, offering it to Selina.

“This last one’s for you,” she says. 

“Hmm, what a shame that the whole gift giving’s about to end,” Selina says, taking the box and looking it over. She glances over to Alex, raising an eyebrow. “Is this going to be a good grand finale?”

“I think so. But I guess you’ll just have to see, now won’t you?” Alex replies. 

She knows Selina likes this part of the gift giving almost as much as the gifts themselves. She likes the theatricality, the anticipation. Alex isn’t too different on that front. Though for her it’s more about trying to solve the mystery of what could be hidden in each gift. She had pretty good accuracy with this year’s gifts, though she wasn’t able to tell what her new forever rose was just from the box. 

But now she gets to enjoy the fun of seeing Selina open this gift. In Alex’s opinion, it’s the best one she got. 

Selina unwraps the gift, glancing up at Alex with a playful smile on her face as she strips off the wrapping paper, getting down to the slim, light gray box. 

“You got me jewelry, didn’t you?” she asks. 

“Maybe. Or maybe I just put a gift card in there,” Alex replies, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Ha,” Selina replies. “I know you too well to think you’d do that.”

She opens the box, revealing a necklace inside. Its chain is made of a delicate silver that glitters under the light of the Christmas tree. Selina gives a low hum as she looks over it, her pretty green eyes landing on the charm at the end of the necklace. It’s the outline of two hearts interlocked together, one lined with rubies and diamonds while the other alternates between diamonds and amethysts. 

It was an expensive gift to get a hold of. Alex had to get it custom made. But she would gladly pay the price again with the way Selina looks at it, her fingers tracing over the two hearts. She’s always loved shiny things, but the way she looks at this is different, more soft and with that lovely look of adoration that she gives to Alex when she thinks she isn’t looking. There’s still a smile on her face, but now it’s more gentle and almost could be described as lovesick. 

Alex really is enamored with Selina.  

“Oh, Alley,” Selina says. “This is gorgeous.”

“It’s a perfect match for you then,” Alex says. 

Selina looks up at her, the more playful expression from before returning to her face. “Flatterer.”

“Well, you deserve only the best.”

Selina laughs. She takes the necklace fully out of the box now, holding the chain between her slim fingers. 

“Thank you,” she says. 

“You’re welcome,” Alex replies. She pauses before adding, “The rubies and amethysts reminded me of the two of us.”

Selina takes a closer look now at the heart charms. “Hmm. Purple for me, red for you?”

“Yeah.”

“God, you’re sweet,” she says. She stands up, closing the distance between them as she takes a seat next to Alex. “What did I do to end up with an angel like you?”

Alex laughs. “We both know I’m not an angel.”

“You are to me,” Selina replies. She presses a quick kiss to her cheek. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Could you help me put this on?” 

“Sure thing,” Alex says. 

Selina comes even closer now, taking a seat on Alex’s lap. She passes the necklace to her, letting Alex undo the clasp at the end. As Alex places it around her neck, she wishes that she could see what Selina looks like with it on. Even in her pajamas of an old tank top and yoga pants, she’s sure she looks stunning. Alex closes the clasp on the back of the necklace, moving to give Selina a quick kiss on the nape of her neck.

Selina turns around now, repositioning so the two of them are face to face. She cups Alex’s cheek in her hand.

“Merry Christmas, lover,” Selina says. 

“Merry Christmas, gorgeous,” Alex replies. 

This time, she presses a kiss to Selina’s lips, their mouths moving together. Alex’s fingers tangle in Selina’s hair, and Selina responds by putting one hand on her chest. And Alex thinks that this might be the best Christmas gift of all.

[numeroclinnic]

Remedies for Missing Number 1 in Numerology by Dr. Aneil Kkhare |Dubai's best Numerologist |+971 50 594 7781 |www.numeroclinnic.com

In numerology, the number 1 represents leadership, individuality, and self-confidence. Dr. Aneil Kkhare, Dubai’s leading numerology expert, explains that people with a strong presence of number 1 tend to be natural leaders with a strong sense of self and ambition. However, when number 1 is missing in your Lo Shu Grid, it can lead to self-doubt, a lack of direction, and an inability to assert yourself. Fortunately, Dr. Aneil Kkhare offers several remedies that can help you cultivate these important qualities and bring balance into your life.

1. Affirmations to Boost Self-Confidence

According to Dr. Aneil Kkhare, one of the most effective ways to remedy a missing number 1 is through the daily practice of positive affirmations. Affirmations like "I am confident in my abilities" and "I am a leader" can shift your mindset. Dr. Aneil Kkhare, based in Dubai, recommends standing in front of a mirror while repeating these affirmations to create a powerful mental transformation and boost self-belief.

2. Surround Yourself with the Color Red

Dr. Aneil Kkhare emphasises the importance of using color therapy to activate the energy of the missing number 1. In numerology, the color red is linked to power, vitality, and assertiveness. Incorporate red into your wardrobe, home, or workspace to invoke the leadership qualities associated with number 1. Whether in Dubai or elsewhere, using red will help you feel more confident and ready to take charge.

3. Carry or Wear Ruby or Red Jasper

Dr. Aneil Kkhare suggests that wearing gemstones like ruby or red jasper can further enhance the qualities of number 1. These gemstones are known to boost confidence and courage. If you’re in Dubai or seeking a consultation with Dr. Aneil Kkhare, he can guide you in selecting the right stone to align with your personal numerology chart. Carrying or wearing these stones can help you radiate leadership and self-assurance.

4. Practice Leadership Skills

Dr. Aneil Kkhare advises that practicing leadership in everyday life is key to overcoming a missing number 1. Whether you're based in Dubai or any other part of the world, Dr. Aneil Kkhare encourages you to actively put yourself in leadership positions, such as organizing events or taking charge at work. This hands-on approach will gradually build your confidence and decision-making abilities.

5. Sun Meditation and Sun Exposure

Dr. Aneil Kkhare emphasizes the close connection between number 1 and the Sun, which symbolizes energy and power. He recommends daily sun meditation to harness the Sun's vitality. Whether in Dubai’s warm climate or elsewhere, spending time in sunlight and visualizing its energy filling you with strength can help activate the number 1 qualities. According to Dr. Kkhare, the Sun's rays are crucial in balancing the absence of number 1 in your grid.

6. Creative Visualization

Dr. Aneil Kkhare encourages using creative visualization as a remedy for missing number 1. Imagine yourself embodying the traits of a leader—strong, confident, and in control of your life. Visualization helps to reprogram the subconscious, fostering leadership and independence. Based in Dubai, Dr. Aneil Kkhare can guide you through this process to ensure you're tapping into the power of your inner leader.

7. Donate to Charitable Causes

Dr. Aneil Kkhare suggests that acts of charity can help overcome the lack of number 1 energy. Giving to others requires taking initiative, which fosters leadership. Whether you’re donating time or resources, Dr. Aneil Kkhare, Dubai’s premier numerology consultant, recommends this as a simple yet effective way to strengthen your leadership qualities while making a positive impact on your community.

8. Mantras and Chanting

Chanting mantras is another powerful remedy for missing number 1, says Dr. Aneil Kkhare. The Sun mantra, "Om Surya Namaha," is particularly beneficial. Dr. Aneil Kkhare, based in Dubai, advises chanting this mantra daily to invoke the Sun’s strength and boost confidence. Regular chanting helps align your energy with the qualities of leadership and self-assurance associated with number 1.

9. Declutter Your Environment

According to Dr. Aneil Kkhare, having a cluttered environment can block the energy of number 1. Decluttering your home or workspace—whether in Dubai or elsewhere—creates space for clarity and leadership to flourish. An organized environment allows you to focus on your goals, which is essential for developing the qualities of number 1.

10. Journaling for Self-Expression

Dr. Aneil Kkhare suggests keeping a journal to reflect on your thoughts, actions, and leadership growth. Writing regularly about your experiences and goals helps foster self-awareness and boosts confidence. Whether you’re in Dubai or abroad, Dr. Aneil Kkhare believes that journaling is a powerful tool to help you embody the qualities of number 1 in your life.

Dr. Aneil Kkhare, Dubai’s leading numerology expert, explains that missing the number 1 in your numerology chart can result in challenges related to confidence, leadership, and assertiveness. However, through the remedies outlined above, you can activate the energy of number 1 in your life. From affirmations and gemstones to creative visualisation and leadership practice, Dr. Aneil Kkhare provides practical solutions to help you harness the power of number 1 and step into your leadership potential.

Contact Dr. Aneil Kkhare for a personalized numerology consultation: 📞 +971 50 594 7781 🌐 Visit: www.numeroclinnic.com

[svelandre]

Discover the Elegance of Stone Bracelets in India with Svelandre

Jewelry has always been an integral part of Indian culture, symbolizing not just beauty and grace but also tradition and heritage. Among the various types of jewelry, stone bracelets have emerged as a popular choice for those looking to add a touch of elegance and sophistication to their attire. At Svelandre, we pride ourselves on offering an exquisite collection of stone bracelets in India that cater to diverse tastes and preferences. Whether you're looking for something traditional or contemporary, our range has something for everyone.

The Allure of Stone Bracelets

Stone bracelets are cherished for their versatility and timeless appeal. They can effortlessly enhance any outfit, whether it’s a traditional saree, a chic western dress, or casual everyday wear. The beauty of stone bracelets lies in their ability to blend with various styles, making them a must-have accessory in every jewelry collection.

At Svelandre, our stone bracelets are crafted with precision and care. Each piece features carefully selected stones that are not only beautiful but also of the highest quality. From vibrant gemstones to subtle hues, our collection is designed to cater to different tastes and occasions.

Why Choose Svelandre for Stone Bracelets in India?

Exquisite Craftsmanship: At Svelandre, we believe in the power of exceptional craftsmanship. Our stone bracelets are meticulously crafted by skilled artisans who pay attention to every detail, ensuring that each piece is a work of art.

Diverse Collection: Our collection of stone bracelets in India is diverse and extensive. Whether you prefer the classic elegance of pearls, the vibrant charm of emeralds, or the mystical allure of amethysts, you will find a bracelet that resonates with your style.

Quality Assurance: We take pride in offering only the finest quality jewelry. Each stone in our bracelets is carefully chosen and inspected to ensure it meets our high standards of quality and durability.

Affordable Luxury: At Svelandre, we believe that luxury should be accessible to everyone. Our stone bracelets are priced competitively, allowing you to indulge in beautiful jewelry without breaking the bank.

Customer Satisfaction: Customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do. From the moment you browse our collection to the time your chosen piece reaches your doorstep, we strive to provide a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience.

Styling Your Stone Bracelets

One of the best things about stone bracelets is their versatility. Here are a few tips on how to style them:

Traditional Attire: Pair a classic stone bracelet with your favorite saree or lehenga for a traditional look that exudes elegance and grace. Opt for stones like rubies, emeralds, or sapphires to add a pop of color.

Casual Wear: Stone bracelets can also elevate your casual outfits. Pair a simple stone bracelet with jeans and a blouse for a chic, everyday look. Stones like amethyst, topaz, or moonstone work well for casual wear.

Office Wear: For a sophisticated office look, choose a sleek stone bracelet in subtle hues. Stones like pearls, onyx, or aquamarine can add a touch of elegance without being too flashy.

Special Occasions: Make a statement at special events with bold and vibrant stone bracelets. Choose pieces with larger stones or intricate designs to stand out and add a touch of glamour to your ensemble.

Conclusion

Stone bracelets are a timeless accessory that can enhance any outfit, adding a touch of elegance and sophistication. At Svelandre, we offer a stunning collection of stone bracelets in India that cater to diverse tastes and preferences. With our commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction, you can be assured of finding the perfect piece that resonates with your style. Explore our collection today and discover the beauty and elegance of stone bracelets with Svelandre.

[fountainpenguin]

"So sing your sad excuses... You've got the scars to prove it."

---

Wait, this isn't an Origin of the Pixies update... We have a new Frayed Knots chapter today!

Chapter 34 - “Floodgates”

Read on FFN || Read on AO3

---

While Anti-Cosmo and his mother are on Anti-Fairy migration season, they decide to hatch a little scheme... and pick the Head Pixie's brain while they're at it. They've got questions about Anti-Fairy World's inheritance laws, and who better to ask than the pointy-hatted freak in the spreadsheets himself?

... And if you like that joke, Anti-Wanda's got a few more up her sleeve. Check it out!

(First 1,000 words under the cut)

---

Floodgates

In which Anti-Cosmo and his mother network with the Head Pixie, Anti-Blade challenges Anti-Lance, and Anti-Cosmo tutors Anti-Wanda in the Winter of the Scattered Whispers

---

Anti-Buster approved me to wear a new betrothal ring, seeing as I'd thrown mine off in the Eros Nest and none of us dared ask the Eros Triplets if I could have it back. We spoke of it in private. I kept my eyes downcast and told him what I wanted. He did not deny me that request, nor urge me to break ties with Mona.

For that, I was grateful. If she'd discovered our false betrothal all because Anti-Buster had put down his foot on the matter, well… I think I would have flown away from Cedarcross and never shown my face in Anti-Fairy World again. I might still be out there in the wild now, my entire body horribly overcome with gangrene, likely addicted to regeneration cycles and whimpering about all that I had lost. No, thank you… I'd cling on to my comforting lies. Without them, I might not be able to breathe.

Well, I met Anti-Buster, Fairy-Coleen, and the High Count all in the breakfast room in the very early hours of the day. Anti-Buster did all the fitting for me, though Coleen Prime floated nearby so she could offer the occasional thumbs up. The Fernfire family knows their gems… I'll say that much. I only wished I could choose one from the box she'd brought downstairs for Anti-Bryndin. My betrothal ring was mere foggilite. I wouldn't get the traditional black leather band with a gem until my wedding day. Though, I'd been wondering if I might be able to swap the leather out for a less animal-related material…

"A citrine," the High Count decided at last. He actually was the High Count right now, for Winni had shifted his attention somewhere else and had no interest in using his body at the crack of dawn. I turned away from the small mirror in Anti-Buster's hands to see Anti-Bryndin lifting a small jewel from Fairy-Coleen's display box. He weighed it in his palm. It was neatly cut, perfectly square. "Yes, this is good. An amethyst holds a pretty colour, but here is my true need. This best represents our friendship now."

"It suits him," Fairy-Coleen said, bowing low. She would have said that about any gem, I'm sure, but Anti-Bryndin looked satisfied nonetheless. He motioned for Anti-Buster to turn the mirror away from me and focus on him instead. Oh. As I watched, Anti-Bryndin took hold of his tongue and dragged it down. We Anti-Fairies are known for our long tongues, which we decorate with gemstones representing our closest friends and partners. I still carried both Anti-Lance's and Anti-Kanin's on the back of my tongue, although I'd considered removing the latter several times.

Anti-Bryndin looked as though he had a few gemstones in need of replacing. It's one of the downsides to acidic saliva, but of course… one of the perks of being noble is to enjoy gemstones any time of day you want them. A piece of jade on the High Count's tongue represented Anti-Elina. The ruby was for my mother. Although no one had confirmed the amethyst for me, I couldn't imagine anyone more fitting for it to represent than Shamaiin Vieldgarr, his childhood friend and the current Purple Robe.

There were two more gems for people I didn't recognise. So… did he plan to add the citrine to his tongue, then? That didn't seem quite right to me. It's traditional to select a favour together, with the favoured person identifying a stone they feel truly represents them and the recipient covering costs…

I didn't mean to stare, but Anti-Bryndin caught sight of me in the mirror and turned his ears my way. "Ah. Do you wonder about this citrine, Anti-Cosmo?"

My wings jumped. "Oh! Um…" I ducked my head, glancing off. "No, sir. I didn't mean to intrude on your personal space." I adjusted the Water-blue ring on my knuckle. But Anti-Bryndin didn't seem to notice I'd just tried to dip out of the conversation.

"Yes, it is a long time in coming, this favour jewel for my tongue…" Leaning his hip against the small food table beside us, Anti-Bryndin reached out and casually plucked up an apple. Its surface had grown dull, now freckled with brown, but he held it before his eyes as though it shone. He smiled. "These sounds in the energy field betray your curiosity. I do not mind this. It is for the Head Pixie that I choose a favour, but time zones have ruined him. We will discuss details tonight."

I coughed. More than a bit, actually; I spluttered. I only felt grateful that I hadn't been drinking from the wineglass one of the servants had brought me. But even without the shower of wine to accompany my shock, I forgot my composure. I forgot where I stood and whom I addressed. I whirled around.

"What? You don't mean he actually-? But- but… He's Seelie!" I couldn't believe the bizarre timing of it all, imagining this revelation back to back with my explanation to Blonda on why Seelie and Unseelie interactions rarely ever worked. I shook my head. "H-how did you manage to pierce your tongue if he doesn't even have…?"

Anti-Buster lay his hand on my shoulder. I fumbled my sentence to a close. Anti-Bryndin looked me over with pure amusement sparkling in his eyes. He nodded with a slight dip of his head. "The Head Pixie and I hold a relationship that is very close, and we choose to exchange the deepest of commitments."

"C-congratulations." My face must have been raspberry purple. I… I didn't understand. Certainly I knew that Anti-Bryndin and the Head Pixie must preen together, even deep preen, as Seelie political expectations would dictate the two leaders of two powerful races do, but for Anti-Bryndin to go as far as adorning the Head Pixie's chosen favour on his tongue…

I shivered. That was one step beyond political expectations. There must be deep affection between the two of them indeed, but I couldn't imagine how Anti-Bryndin had coaxed such commitment from the Head Pixie in such a short span of time. Um… Relatively speaking, anyway. I suppose they've had their friendship for nearly 10,000 years, so I may be exaggerating somewhat. But still, the Head Pixie agreeing to exchange favours…

… Had Anti-Bryndin actually informed the Head Pixie what that sort of bond implied? It might be incredibly rude of me to imply he didn't. But had he? My core twitched and fluttered in my head. Are you even allowed to exchange favours with another head of state? Surely that interferes with politics, and surely that must be seen as a conflict of interest somewhere along the way, wot?

[Cnt'd on FFN / AO3 - Links at top]

[corbenic]

garden proposal anon here 🖐 I would love to read the 10k words you found! really love your story ❤️

In response to this post and this post

Awww, thank you! It always means the world to me to hear that someone enjoys what I write.

I'm going to break the 10k into a few separate posts for easier reading.

Note: the 10k involves Evie processing the news of a loved one's terminal cancer diagnosis. It's a topic I'm sensitive about after a close friend of mine died of stomach cancer, and I've been careful to write a story that doesn't prick my cancer triggers—but please read with caution if cancer is a difficult subject for you

GARDEN PROPOSAL: AFTERMATH (PART ONE)

Word Count: 2,500

Summary: Evie O'Brien realizes that her boyfriend, the heir to the French throne, actually proposed marriage

Written: autumn 2022

Context: an early chapter two draft of my novel The Bonaparte Bride before I decided to publish it as Princess Imperial the website

Deviations from canon: the timeline (Julien proposes in October 2023 rather than March 2023), character ages and birth order, Countess Mimerel's job is different

Marry me.

For a moment, I don’t understand what Julien said. Then I do.

I splutter out, “Now?”

I’ve thought about marrying Julien, of course. We’ve been together long enough for the topic to come up. We decided to wait at least a year, more likely two.

The imperial calendar is already booked solid for most of next year. Emperor Louis-Napoleon will mark ten years on the throne in April. Three months later, Paris will host the summer Olympics. We can’t throw a wedding in there. The public might revolt due to the security bill alone.

I take a deep, shuddering breath. “This is… I… We…” I stop. Breathe again. Start over. “You don’t even have a ring.”

I sound like a whiny brat, and I know it, but I have standards. A proposal requires a ring. End of story.

“Oh. You want a Hollywood proposal.”

I’ve been in France long enough to have heard the term. It refers to the American-style proposal of a man dropping to one knee and opening a little velvet box to reveal the engagement ring, always followed by the words “Will you marry me?”

French women, I’ve gathered, are divided on this tradition. Some love it. Others hate it. But, for as long as I can remember, I’ve expected the man I love to get down on one knee for me.

I wasted so much time in various math classes imagining the ring he’d reveal. For a while, I thought it would be a star sapphire. Then I decided an Asscher-cut diamond on a pave band would be better. For a brief moment in undergrad, I was obsessed with rubies. That idea died when I learned that rubies with Burmese origins can’t be brought into the United States. The red gemstones are mined in lots of places, but I like the color of Burmese ones best.

The ring isn’t the important part, I know. Deciding to spend the rest of your life with your favorite person is. But I’m a magpie. I like sparkly things. And this is an important, meaningful sparkly thing.

“I want to show my family my ring before our engagement party,” I say.

The typical French proposal involves the couple discussing the subject and agreeing to get married. The groom then presents the bride with her ring at their engagement party. The bride isn’t the only one who gets a new piece of jewelry, though. She usually buys her fiancé a nice watch.

I am going to buy Julien a new watch, of course. This might be a trickier feat than him buying a ring for me. I love a variety of stones and styles. He’s much pickier about his watches. He owns over a dozen of them, but I’ve only seen him wear one: the Cartier Tank his parents gave him as an eighteenth-birthday present.

Julien opens his mouth to reply, but is cut off by a deep masculine voice rumbling, “Time’s up, Highness. Go back inside.”

I jump. I didn’t see Vincent, one of Julien’s bodyguards, approaching. He’s a tall, dark man. Quiet. Broad shoulders. Lots of muscles. Extremely competent, and extremely deadly. He also knits little hats for the local children’s hospital intensive care unit.

Julien stifles a groan. “I’m in the middle of something.”

“The Emperor will have my head if you catch the flu making sweet talk to your girlfriend in the rain.”

We can’t have that. Julien hates getting sick. There’s never a good time for him to fall ill, but this would be a particularly bad moment, since his calendar is packed.

“Let’s go,” I say.

Julien doesn’t argue. He releases my hands and puts one arm around my shoulders as we walk back through the garden and into the palace. Once we’ve crossed the threshold, I notice two other guards milling about.

They’re not the only staff members awaiting Julien’s return. The Grand Chamberlain of France stands beside the closest staircase, pointedly not leaning against it.

For the first time in French history, the Grand Chamberlain is a woman, the Countess Mimerel. She always wears a pearl necklace and red lipstick. She is a million years old, possibly older. I don’t know her first name. She might not have one.

Tonight, she’s swapped her usual navy blue skirt suit for a lacy black gown. She scowls in our direction. “Your Imperial Highness ought to return to the ballroom.”

Julien doesn’t look at her, instead nudging me toward the stairs. “I’m not leaving Evie alone. Also, we’re dripping all over the carpet.”

I stop him for a moment and take off my heels. Between my bedraggled dress, the plush carpet, and my towering heels, I’m less steady than I’d like. He takes the shoes from me and gently pushes me forward.

Countess Mimerel follows us up the stairs, too close for comfort. “You have a duty to your guests.”

“Evie needs me.”

The countess splutters indignantly. “Prince Julien, are you sure this is—”

“Respectfully, I don’t care.” There’s a steely edge to the words. I’ve never heard him use his prince voice around Countess Mimerel before.

Clearly, she hasn’t either, because she falls silent.

Julien guides me up two flights of stairs. When we reach the landing, we take a right-hand turn, walk a while, and then turn again. Julien stops outside a nondescript door engraved with a bee.

Behind us, the countess says, “I’ll notify Their Majesties.”

“Thank you.” Julien unlocks the door, and we walk into his sitting room.

The walls are painted a sulky green. A large cream rug with marigold and emerald polka dots spreads across most of the room. Two sofas and some armchairs form a frame around the marble fireplace. One is an heirloom, supposedly one of his great-grandmother’s favorite pieces, currently upholstered in cream stripes.

A door is set into the left-hand wall. It’s nearly invisible, since it’s painted the same color as the walls. Julien opens it. We emerge into a small, dark hallway lined with antique-looking lamps and multiple wooden doors. Julien’s bedroom is squirreled behind one of these.

An intricate floral stucco piece bursts across the ceiling, surrounding a crystal chandelier. The ceiling and walls are painted a moody dark blue. A painting of a lily pond stretches across an entire wall. It’s by Monet, of course.

An armoire sits against the wall opposite the water lilies. It’s flung open, revealing several gray suits. An armchair, upholstered in the same cream striped fabric as the heirloom sofa in the sitting room, is carved with acanthus leaves. A sweater in the shade I like to call “Julien gray” has been flung over its back.

The massive bed is set between two windows, which look out over the public section of the Jardin des Tuileries. The bed itself is piled high with pillows in various shades of cream and dusty blue. The coverlet is a restrained floral design in the same pastel hues, set against a dull gray background. A sheer white canopy floats down from above, dusting the floor. I’ve always assumed Julien’s interior designer caved on the paint color but insisted on the bed linens. This is too feminine, dare I say romantic, for the prince’s taste.

Julien flings open yet another door. This one opens onto the bathroom. I plod after him.

The walls are the same dark blue as the bedroom. The tile floor resembles a checkerboard. I take my shoes from him and set them next to the bathtub. It’s a deep porcelain basin, in spotless white, with clawed feet. He peels off his suit jacket and drapes it over the edge of the tub. The jacket is quickly followed by his bow tie and Legion of Honor sash.

I turn on the shower. The water in Tuileries Palace might as well be piped from Antarctica. The plumbing hasn’t been updated in decades, so it takes almost five minutes for water to warm up. Supposedly this will be fixed by the end of summer.

None of the Bonapartes are optimistic that this will happen. Tuileries Palace has been under renovation for five years. The entire process was only supposed to take three years, but the palace is a black hole where money is concerned. It doesn’t help that the team keeps uncovering more problems. Dicey electrical wiring, black mold, lead, asbestos… The situation is bad enough that Parliament has debated multiple times whether the imperial family should relocate until the renovations are done. A small but vocal group has floated the possibility of razing the Tuileries to the ground and building a new, up-to-code palace in its place.

I toss the coat over the edge of the tub, then try taking off my dress. I can’t find the zipper once it gets halfway down my back. I fumble for it, but my hands are too cold to easily grip the small tab. “I’m going to need some help.”

Julien immediately moves behind me and unzips it all the way. “There you go.”

“Thank you.” I wriggle out of the dress and toss it in the general direction of the bathtub. It lands in the middle of the basin.

“Holy fuck.” Julien stares at me. “That is a gorgeous blue.”

The dye from my dress must have transferred. This lingerie is supposed to be white, not blue. I find a mirror and investigate.

Sure enough, the white lace corset and panties are now the same pale blue as some of the throw pillows on the bed. The color is patchy and uneven. It reminds me of the time my third-grade class tie-dyed shirts.

More importantly, I look terrible. My hair has come undone and hangs around my face in scraggly waves. The supposedly waterproof mascara is streaked across my cheeks and has dripped onto my chest, just beneath one of my collarbones.

“Please tell me you keep an emergency stash of makeup remover.” I brought some with me, of course, but my bag is in the bedroom.

The air is cool enough that I can feel my skin breaking out in goosebumps. I am probably still shivering.

“Shower first,” Julien says.

I roll my eyes. “Fine.”

The water is a tolerable temperature, so I step into the shower.

Julien peels off the rest of his clothes and joins me. “This”—he tugs at the scalloped edge of the corset, knuckles brushing my breast—“should come off too.”

“It’s already ruined. More water won’t hurt.”

“I’m not opposed to showering with my fiancée wearing lingerie,” he says, “but you won’t warm up if your clothes are cold.”

I take his face between my freezing hands. He shudders. I must have lost more body heat than I thought. “We are not engaged.”

“Oh, please. We are going to get married. The entire court knows it.”

“I have not said yes and there is no ring on my finger. Therefore, we are not engaged.”

Julien spins me around and starts unhooking the corset. “But if I get on my knees with a ring in hand, you’ll say yes?”

My breath hitches. I’m not sure if this is because of his hands on my nearly-naked body or the enormity of what he’s saying.

The corset drops to the floor. Julien sighs. “That was a very sexy surprise. I’m sorry I ruined it.” Before I can say anything, he adds, “This is my fault. I said something I shouldn’t have, and it hurt you, and it derailed your plans for the evening.”

“It’s not your fault. You have no control over my mom’s cancer.”

“I shouldn’t have asked until later. You were already under the metaphorical microscope. I expect tomorrow’s tabloids will be filled with stories about you fleeing the ballroom in tears.”

I turn around and press my face against his shoulder. “I should have known not to give the press ammo for the social climbing slut narrative.”

He brushes a hand over my hair. “Stéphanie will have strong words for both of us tomorrow.”

I wince. Stéphanie is head of Julien’s public relations team. She’s the mastermind behind several of his charity initiatives and the ongoing push to present him as a statesman. Unofficially, she and I are trying to improve my image. This involves attending cultural and charity events, taking etiquette classes, practicing good posture, and dressing well. As of last week, she thinks it’s working. There’s been a 6% decrease in the number of negative stories published about me in French newspapers. More importantly, positive stories have increased by 20%. It’s taken months of work to get to this point, and I just undid all of it.

Julien kisses my forehead. “I’m going to find you some clothes. Makeup remover is in the second drawer from the bottom, closest to the wall.” He steps out of the shower.

I turn off the water and follow him. I don’t bother drying off yet. All his towels are white. I don’t want to stain one with runny mascara.

The drawer Julien mentioned is filled with square olive green soap bars. There is a single bottle of micellar water tucked at the back. I retrieve it and start scrubbing off my makeup.

I’m almost done when he returns. He has changed into his favorite gray sweatpants and matching hoodie. He places a pile of clothes on the counter next to me. I recognize the silky black shorts and camisole I keep here. He retrieved my extra pair of panties from my bag. Unexpectedly, there’s also a black cashmere sweater. I towel off and get dressed.

The sweater is baggy on me, but not horribly so. I cuff the sleeves to a comfortable length. Julien’s signature woodsy scent clings to the fabric.

When I emerge from the bathroom, he is nowhere to be found. The armoire door is closed. Otherwise, nothing has changed. I hug the sweater tight and peer out the nearest window. The public gardens are quiet and still. The temperature has dropped just enough to transform the rain into small snowflakes. I am transfixed by their slow, elegant dance from the heavens to the ground. It’s a shame they’ll be gone by morning.

Behind me, the door opens. I turn. Julien and his father have entered the room.

The Emperor of the French is in his full evening finery: suit, white bow tie, red sash, shiny black shoes. He has the same bouncy dark curls as Julien, except shot through with gray. His salt-and-pepper beard is trimmed close to his face. Like Julien and Jo, he has a straight nose.

“We need to talk,” he says.

I don’t want to, but the tone of his voice leaves no room for disagreement. I follow the Emperor out of the room. Julien falls into step next to me and takes my hand.

[aquostrainer]

Where my Power Rangers fans at? This is a mini project that spawned out of a random sketch over the course of a couple days...

Power Rangers: Rainbow

(I wanted to call it Prism, but I recently found out an unadapted Sentai team was labeled as the Prism Rangers in PR lore. Anyways...)

This concept is based on multiple things, mainly magic, the colors of the rainbow, elements and gemstones. These Rangers come from Earth and realms beyond to fight an enemy seeking to conquer the world across dimensions. I don't really have that much lore figured out so I'll just briefly explain the powers of the individuals Rangers:

1. The Ruby Red Ranger

No team can function without a solid leader. Therefore, the Red Rainbow Ranger represents the element of Earth. Each Ranger is gifted a magical staff as the equivalent of their morpher, and this staff provides them varying levels of power to control their respective element. They can also cast a transformation spell upon their staff to become a specialized weapon. Red Rangers are often relegated to wielding swords, so I wanted something unique that still filled that niche. Red can summon a shovel that acts as a close combat weapon or a sidearm. Its main ability allows her to cause destructive tremors in the earth. I imagine this character as a roughly 19-year-old college student.

2. The Amber Orange Ranger

Like the rainbow, I wanted every other Ranger to function as a transition from one to the next. Quick spoiler: Yellow represents the element fire. So, my idea of a combination of Earth and Fire is Metal. As the second-in-command, Orange is tough as steel, and commands all metallic substances with his power. I had this loose idea of their weapons also reflecting their number in the team, so Orange can transform his staff into two, a hammer and a sword. Out of uniform, this character is probably one of (but definitely not thee) most different of the team because he is actually the 35-year-old metal/woodshop instructor at the college most of the characters attend. Besides the actual mentor figure (a talking rainbow dragon, did I mention that?) he often acts as a secondary mentor.

3. The Topaz Yellow Ranger

Yellow burns bright as the sun, so of course this Ranger commands the element fire. Typical of Yellow Rangers, he is a high-energy team player. Beyond being a Ranger, he is an athlete who mainly specializes in cycling (clock the shape of the helmet). This Ranger pushed me to think more outside the box with his weapon. He can conjure a three-barrelled device that functions as either a lantern or a flamethrower. I was thinking it could probably use a third function to remain on-theme, but I haven't come up with one yet... I imagine him to be 20-21.

4. The Emerald Green Ranger

Functionally the "heart" of the group, as green sits in the middle of the colors of the rainbow, this Ranger commands electricity. They keep the spirit alive! Again, I don't have much lore on these characters figured out. So far, this character is disabled (missing their left eye, wears an eye patch) and they're a tattoo artist. 21-years old. They have what I think is one of the coolest weapons of the group: a bo staff that collapses into a four quarter staff, but instead of being held together by chain links, it's electricity.

5. The Opal Cyan Ranger

There haven't been enough explicitly cyan Power Rangers for any kind of archetype to be applied to them, but mine is the youngest of the group, being a high school student who participates in a summer educational program at the same college. They represent the childhood amazement of superheroes, and for better or worse, they look at their work as a Ranger as a chance at having the best time of their life. They are a dancer who goes with the flow, seeking to experience all that life has in store. Maybe you've guessed, but they command the element of air. Their staff can transform into a weapon reminiscent of ribbons used in performance. This one can extend beyond its normal size like a lasso or a whip, and it can be used to conjure gale-force winds. 16-years-old

6. The Sapphire Blue Ranger

Blue, my favorite color! Surprise, surprise, she is the genius of the group. She majors in climate studies and seeks to be an environmental scientist. Her element is ice, an allusion to the archetype of Sentai Blue, who can be the cool, calm and collected types. I struggled with coming up with a weapon that represents the number six, so I just gave her a cool-looking pickaxe. But hey, if you look at the blade as a polygon, it does have six sides! 18-years-old.

7. The Amethyst Purple Ranger

The wild card of the group, this Purple Ranger hails from the aforementioned other realms before, presumably the same one the rainbow dragon comes from. Think of her as basically Wonder Woman or Nubia as a Power Ranger. She's a warrior who fights injustice and operates from a place of compassion. Functionally she is like the Pink Ranger of the team (although I have ideas for incorporating pink into the "special" Rangers for this team, haven't designed them yet). She commands the element of water, which can be gentle and healing, but also tempestuous and unrelenting. Her special weapon is a seven-pronged trident (probably not the right word cuz 'tri' is three, I know). Note the gold and silver blades, of which the silver are ejectable, harpoon-like projectiles. She's 22-ish.

Of my recent art, I'm genuinely most proud of this. As a newbie artist, you frequently look up every now and then and get a reminder of how much your skills have grown, and I feel like this marked a significant step in my journey. Again, this is hilarious to me because it all started as a random sketch. I had no intention of making the whole idea. Suddenly I found myself churning out each Ranger every two hours or so. It was fun. I wonder if I'll ever use them for a bigger project one day. Let me know if you like these 😁

[ornatejewelsblog]

Tennis Bracelet- A contemporary adornment

Adorning jewellery has been a mandate in today’s glamorous world! One piece of jewellery that makes you and your look standout is a tennis bracelet. These magnificent pieces have been filling wrists for decades, attracting wearers with their sleek shape and brilliant shine. In this blog, we will delve into the charm of tennis bracelets, exploring why they’re a must have accessory for fashion- conscious women. Whether you're searching for a classic silver tennis bracelet women or a modern twist on this iconic piece, we'll guide you through everything you need to know.

What Is a Tennis Bracelet?

A tennis bracelet is a piece of jewelry worn on the wrist. It's made of a single line of small, identical gemstones like American diamonds, sapphire, ruby, etc., linked together with metal settings. The name "tennis bracelet" came from a famous incident in the 1980s when a tennis player's bracelet snapped during a match, causing her to pause and search for it. Since then, this style of bracelet has been known as a tennis bracelet. It's loved for its elegant and timeless design, often worn casually or for special occasions, adding a touch of glitz to any outfit.

Sterling silver In Tennis Bracelet

Sterling silver is one of the best metal types for a tennis bracelet. Sterling silver is a shiny metal that is extremely lustrous and lends a classic look. When it comes to a tennis bracelet, stones like American diamonds, sapphire, ruby, emeralds, etc., complement the backdrop of sterling silver really well. The beauty of these stones perfectly matches up the shininess of the sterling silver. Be it a casual day out or an evening party, a tennis bracelet silver 925 crafted from sterling silver can be a great addition to your overall look as it ensures to make you stand out in the crowd with its classic beauty.

Why is a Tennis Bracelet so Special?

Tennis bracelet is an accessory that is a must-have for women in their wardrobes: Some of the reasons that makes this piece of jewellery special are:

Versatility: Tennis bracelet is highly versatile because it can literally be paired up with any outfit and sleeve type. Be it a short sleeved top or a full sleeved upper, tennis bracelet silver 925 looks good with all.

Timeless design: the minimalist designs of silver tennis bracelet make it a timeless designed accessory that can never go out of style. Wear it solo or stack it with other bracelets, this accessory can elevate any style effortlessly.

Symbol of luxury: Tennis bracelets are a typical symbol of luxury because of its elegant design that truly makes it a coveted addition to any jewellery collection.

Shopping for the Perfect Tennis Bracelet

When shopping for a tennis bracelet, consider the following factors to ensure you find the ideal piece:

Quality of Craftsmanship: Opt for reputable jewellers like Ornate Jewels that are known for their craftsmanship and attention to detail, ensuring your bracelet stands long to the test of time.

Metal Choice: Whether opting for classic sterling silver or gold, choose a metal that complements your skin tone and personal style preferences. Sterling silver has been the most preferred metal type for women.

Gemstone Quality: Pay close attention to the quality and clarity of the gemstones, ensuring they sparkle with brilliance and enhance the bracelet's overall charm.

Fit and Comfort: A good fit silver tennis bracelet for women should feel comfortable on your wrist, with enough flexibility to move freely while maintaining the same fit.

Caring for your Tennis Bracelet

Taking care of a tennis silver bracelet for women is important to keep it looking shiny and new. Here are some easy steps to follow:

Regular Cleaning: Use a soft cloth or a jewelry cleaning solution to gently clean the bracelet. This helps remove dirt and other material buildup.

Store Properly: When you're not wearing the silver tennis bracelet, store it in a soft pouch or a jewelry box to prevent scratches and tangles.

Avoid getting stuck to hard surfaces: Try not to knock your bracelet against hard surfaces. This can loosen the settings and damage the stones.

Check Settings Regularly: Periodically inspect the bracelet for any loose stones or damaged links. If you notice anything, take it to a jeweller for repairs.

Professional Cleaning: Consider getting your bracelet professionally cleaned and inspected once a year to keep it in top condition. By following these simple care tips, you can enjoy your tennis bracelet women for years to come, keeping it sparkling and beautiful.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a tennis bracelet is a great choice for those who value elegance and sophisticated beauty. The ultimate detailing of this accessory is what makes it win the hearts of women easily. The combination of sterling silver and gemstones is so exquisite that it makes this tennis bracelet a must-have in every woman’s wardrobe. To buy a silver tennis bracelet online, consider Ornate Jewels as the top place. Ornate Jewels as a brand has always believed in providing customers with top-notch quality jewellery that is beautifully designed yet affordable as well. Choose Ornate Jewels and get the tennis bracelet women added to your jewellery collection now!

FAQs

Can you wear a tennis bracelet every day

Yes, a tennis bracelet can be worn everyday as it is simple yet elegant. Whether you want to carry with your office look or wear it for a casual day-out or wear it along with a cocktail party dress, this accessory makes sure that you stand out in the crowd because it lends a sophisticated look to every outfit.

2. Why do people buy tennis bracelets?

People buy tennis bracelet for many reasons. Some of the reasons are that these bracelets are highly versatile, lend a sophisticated touch, are affordable, can be worn for day and night both and are available easily. These reasons totally make customers own a tennis bracelet for themselves.

3. Do American diamond suits with sterling silver for a tennis bracelet?

Yes, American diamonds and sterling silver blend effortlessly for crafting a silver tennis bracelet. Both of these materials are highly lustrous, so they make up a jewellery piece that’s highly versatile and lends a very sophisticated touch.

[mythicalsanctuarysodor]

Happy late James day! Have a pic and a fic for my lateness-

(Warning! Under the cut is a fanfic that may contain topics sensitive to some readers, read tags for more info. Otherwise, you have been warned, read at your own choice.)

James smiled and waved as he saw Gordon, Duncan and Sir Bertrum board the train out to the mainland, Edward and Henry standing at his sides were doing the same as the old stallion and forest spirit wished them good luck. Once the train had left the other mythos were left with their own plans for the day, Edward was taking his wife into town so they could go furniture shopping for their new house, Henry was finally ready to go into the forest he once called his home, Thomas was going to do a bit of expansive exploring around the island, Percy was going to visit the Skarloey, and their jockeys were going to hang around the docks chatting with old friends.

James however had a train to catch as he was going to the mainland for a visit, when the others questioned him his answer was- “I always wanted to learn a little bit of alchemy, and now is the best time with all the classes popping up.” They bought it as it also was to explain why he would be gone for a few days. With suitcases in hand James’s own train to Manchester was coming in, the others wished him luck as the unicorn boarded the coach.

James made sure to get a coach that had compartments so he wouldn’t take up to much space, he had a long way from Sodor to Horwich after all. So he sat his luggage on the seat and laid down in the middle of the compartment. As the train carried on, after an hour someone knocked on the compartment door, James looked up from a book he was reading to see a human there, James was honestly expecting a mythic to join him before a human would.

“Hello, do you mind? Everyone else is full.” The man said. “Sure, though I apologise for the tight space.” James said as his body didn’t quite take up the whole small isle but there was enough space for two humans. The man smiled and sat down on the opposite seat to James’s luggage. James was about to go back to his book when the human decided to engage in small talk.

“So, where are you heading?” “I’m heading back home to Horwich, I’m hoping to still find some family there.” James said. “Ah,” the man smiled and nodded then got a notepad and pencil out and began writing down what James had told him. The crystal mythic found this strange and asked about it, “Do you record your conversations with people?” “Oh! Sorry, no-no I’m a mythology professor in Manchester, ever since the new law many of my colleagues have been jumping at the chance to talk to as many mythic as possible to record things while their still fresh.” “Ah! Well in that case I’m one to brag and boast, if you have questions I’d be happy to answer, professor…?” “McGlynn, Oswald McGlynn.” The man said extending his hand for a shake. “James, James Shire!” James smiled and gently shook his hand.

The first thing Oswald did was gasp when he got a good look as James’s hand and arm, as the unicorn was wearing a short sleeve dress shirt and vest today. “My goodness your arm, is this solid gemstone?” Oswald asked. “Yes it is, 100% ruby and my tail and frills are flecks of gold.” “Good gracious you’re a walking few million pounds! You must have done something extraordinary before boarding this train.” “Not really, I did mixed traffic work on a railway off of Barrow-in-Furness, granted I did pull the express there a few times but otherwise it was mainly goods work with some passenger trains mixed in.” “So you were an industry mythic?” “I guess I still am, because our owner offered us to still work there if we wanted, I said yes and he’s given me a few months to get my interests in order.”

This confused Oswald, he had gotten the impression that many industry mythic had been glad to leave their old jobs behind. “Why are you still working there? I’ve seen several reports of mythic loathing their old jobs they were forced into.” “My boss was actually rather fair compared to what I’ve heard about other railways, and he still is fair by giving us proper wages, heck, I did just say he’s giving me a few months to get my things together before going back to work.” “True, I guess there are a few good eggs out there. But moving on, since you’re an industry mythic, were you paired with a locomotive?” “I was, a Lancashire and Yorkshire class 28.” “So how did you get from that railway to the one you’re on now?” “That particular class of locomotive was riddled with problems, and mine was chosen to have some modifications done. They worked, but they didn’t have enough money to do it on the others. So I was eventually sold off to the railway I work on now when they needed a quick cash grab.” “Sounds like that was for the best in the end.” “Absolutely, my best years are with my current home.”

As Oswald scribbled down his notes he then moved onto a more personal topic. “If you don’t mind this next topic, I was wondering if you could tell me about you personally. Like… your middle name, last I knew working class mythic didn’t get family names and rarely got proper names at all.” “Ah! Well… I was wild caught truth be told, my herd had its own language and when my name was translated it meant supplanter, and the human name James means supplanter. As for my surname, I just needed something to write on my new birth certificate, so since Yorkshire and Lancashire both ended in ‘Shire’ I chose that. It also makes sense because I’m a horse.” James explained with a chuckle. “Alright, then what about your heritage? I’ve never seen a unicorn made out of minerals before, so are you from an area with caves?”

James seemed to pause at that question. Back when he first arrived at the NWR he got asked that frequently, eventually people just stopped asking but it was always still a mystery in the air of what James 100% was. “It’s… complicated. I’m sorry but this isn’t one I’d like to answer.” “No need to apologise, I understand that some things of the past should stay there. But if you can’t tell me that then I would like to ask how you maintain your body, do you need to eat rubies or gold? Or what is your diet in general? I couldn’t help but notice you also have wrather sharp teeth.” “Well to answer the whole thing about my food I’d have to say I’m an omnivore like you, I can eat my fruit and meats. Not rocks however, my body isn’t the you are what you eat factor.” “If you don’t mind me asking then, how do you bathe? Do you polish the rock or do you just run it under water?” “Run it all under water and then dry the gem part with a special towel.”

Oswald then got to the last few questions he had. “Okay, last few, and the most awkward of all. How do you court and mate?” “We’re still not barn animals so I wouldn’t say ‘mate’, but to answer that question my species specifically reproduces asexually, using a method akin to how most industry mythic were born except instead of using a female or female equivalent they put the beginning embryo into a large crystal, and it gestates from there. As for dating? My species are technically gender fluid or don’t identify with any gender so we don’t mind who we date as long as they’re the right person, but me personally I’m not looking for any love at the moment.” Oswald smiled as he put a firm dot at the end of his last note. “Thank you very, very much James, I’m hoping this will help my classes understand mythic better. Um, if I could interest you, would you like to come to the university I work at for a live demonstration? You’ll be paid and such.” Oswald handed James his card. “I’ll definitely consider it, it was fun getting to talk about myself for an hour or so.” James said as he checked his pocket watch. Oswald was surprised to, checking his own wrist watch. “Oh my the time flew by fast, my stop should be coming up soon.”

James did his best to stretch as his own stop would be coming soon as well. “Well if you get off before me I want you to take this.” James made a small square plate of ruby form in his hands that had some odd pictures but also some numbers on it. “This is so I can just teleport into your class room if you place it on the floor, it also has my crystal ball sigil and phone number on it, but I might not be me answering the phone, just ask for me if not.” Oswald was amazed! He just saw James do magic and he didn’t even think to ask about that! He took the ruby with glee and carefully wrapped it in cloth before packing it in his brief case. “Thank you very much James, and who knows, maybe now having a sigil will give me an excuse to use a crystal ball or magic mirror.” Oswald said as he got up and saw his stop approaching. “Well this is my stop, it was a pleasure talking with you James.” “Likewise! If only more humans were like you, we would be a lot further along than we are now.” Oswald chuckled as he smiled and left the coach, waving to James.

Once James was on his way again he began to dread reading the signs of the stations as they came up, but eventually he found the one he was looking for… Horwich. He began to collect his things and climbed out of the coach, to his surprise he saw a lot of mythic walking around on the platform, working as ticket sellers, maintenance, he even saw who looked like a tall faun hybrid as the station master. Regardless he trotted off and began to search around, he remembered some of the tracks but a lot of them had been paved over by roads, now the only ones really around were tramway tracks. But as he undoubtedly knew, all tracks lead to the place where engines run, so he followed them across roads and past other landmarks he used to know until he was standing in front of the brick building of Horwich works.

He trotted in to try and see if he knew anyone there, it was being cleared out as the working class mythic that would have previously lived there were moving out. And to his surprise he did see someone he recognised, a brother in steel as they were paired with the same engine type but weren’t biologically related. “12517?” James asked. The unicorn centaur turned around from the other mythos he was addressing and gasped when he saw James, “12520?! Holy cow! What?!” The centaur trotted up to James and pulled him into a tight hug. “Brother it has been decades! Where have you been? Is this a new gemstone? What’s with the solid red look? Why have you come back? Do you have a name now?” James laughed as he hugged back and even ruffled his brothers short hair. “Haha! It’s good to see you again to big brother! To answer your questions- A railway on an island from Borrow-in-Furness, yes it is new and the gem is ruby, I went for a solid red look since I asked for a new colour after I had a bad crash, I wanted to see my family in steel again, and yes! I was christened that nickname I insisted you all called me back in the day, my name is James!”

The class 28 unicorn chuckled and trotted around James in a playful manner. “Well James, it’s nice to finally say that’s your name, the old managers here will be furious! As for me, my name is Jacob! Just got it on paper a few days ago actually.” Jacob laughed. “Jacob? My name is a derive from that name, they both mean ‘supplanter’, did you struggle to come up with a name or something?” James asked actually feeling a little offended that his brother would just copy his name. “Actually… all of us choose a name beginning with ‘J’, it was so we could honour you. You were the most gutsy of us to insist you had a name and hardly responded to anything else.” Jacob winced as he remembered those punishments James would get if he didn’t listen to his industrial name.

James grimaced and squirmed under his clothes, remembering those days of his youth well. But he pushed it aside at the feeling of pride that his brothers and sisters would name themselves after a similar theme to his own name. But just then a shout came from an office door, “52530! Quit your gossiping and get back to work!” Jacob jumped as it seemed a manager was addressing him. “Yes sir! Right away sir!” Jacob was about to gallop off but James skipped in front of him and stopped him. “Woah, woah, woah! Hold your horse Jacob, what does he mean by work?” “I’ve been pulling wagons of living stuff for the other mythic that have been moving out, there’s a lot to get through, would you like to give me a hand?” Jacob asked. “Did you somehow manage to open a moving company in the span of a few days ago from getting your name on official paper?” “What? No.” “Then why are you moving other mythic’s crap and not just your own?” “Because I was told to?”

James facepalmed at his brother, the clink of ruby on ruby from his hand to his horn not being very subtle. “Jay… that kind of defeats the purpose of what this whole mythic rights thing has done for us, you don’t have to do anything that manager tells you to do! Did you ask the other mythic if they wanted help with moving out?” “No.” Jacob said. “Did they ask you and you agreed to help?” “No.” “Are you only doing it because that man told you to?” “Yes.” “Those mythic are grown adults they can sort their own moving situation out, now. Where is your crap? I’ll help you pack and we can get you started on getting out of here.”

Jacob looked to be thinking to himself as James could see the gears turning in his brothers head when they heard another shout from the manager. “52-!” “How about getting off your own fat ass and doing it yourself you lazy git! He doesn’t work for you anymore and his labour is not for free!” James shouted causing the whole works to go silent. The manager in question standing in the office door stood completely out and marched right up to James with a furious scowl. “Who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that centaur?” the man yelled. “I am this stallions brother in steel, that’s who the hell I know I am, and who do you think you are demanding things of him? He’s not your worker, his time is not a charity, if you want him to be a moving service you’d better start paying him.” “I’ve been his manager for the past five decades, so when I tell him to do something, he does it!” the man shouted. “In case your dead braincells in the back maybe didn’t hear, the only manager your of- is the bacteria in this tetanus hot spot! You have no power here! Come on Jay, show me your stuff and we can blow this joint.”

James grabbed Jacob’s arm and started walking further into the works for Jacob to show him where he was staying. “So, where’s your stuff?” James asked only to not hear a word from Jacob. When he looked back he saw his brother quietly crying to himself, tears dripping off his cheeks. James stopped and addressed his brother again, “Jay? Hey Jacob? Come on bro use your words.” To his surprise, Jacob shoved James away from him, huffing as his face became red from anger. “What good has words ever done? All the words I tried to say to you just always went right over your head! I was always getting in trouble for you James, and even after fifty years you still haven’t changed! I’m still going to be getting in trouble for you!” James looked hurt but also confused. “Jacob, you shouldn’t be getting in trouble because of me, not back then and sure as dam hell not now. If you think you have to cop that on the chin still your wrong, you can walk away no matter how much he yells at you because for once in your life he has no power over you. You just saw what I did, I don’t have to take anything from him, you’re in my shoes now, you don’t have to take it ether.”

Jacob still cried. “It’s not that easy James, fifty years doesn’t just disappear like that.” “I know! Thirteen sure as hell weren’t off my back the second I left here, and you coped a tongue lashing while I endured a literal lashing, I was broken and shattered so many times Jay, I was most of the time in too much pain to even move because they never allowed me a second to just let the part of me connected to the stone actually heal, you remember why I was so bad at magic back then? That was because the migraines made it physically impossible for me to even conjure the will with how many times they broke my horn. I was in a hell Jay… it took me more than thirty years, if I can get over it, I know you can to. Granted, it’s obviously not going to be the same journey as mine, far from it. Like you said, that’s fifty years that’s not going to go away overnight. But where do you think beginning to recover starts? You’ve already been given the push, you just need to take the first step.” James held onto his brothers shoulders as he spoke to Jacob, having the older stallions full attention.

Jacob looked to be in thought again and this time James covered his ears so no outside source could cut him from them. It took a minute or two but eventually Jacob whipped his tears, then guided James to the back of the works where his personal belongings were. They were in a large gym bag, packed and ready to go. “This all?” James asked. “Yeah… I didn’t bother much for personal possessions that I couldn’t carry on my person.” “Fair, you lived in a work shop after all.” James picked up Jacob’s luggage and they began to trot out. “Are any of our other siblings here?” James asked. “No, I was the only one who stayed here, everyone else were in sheds.” “You have a new living arrangement sorted out yet?” “There’s a local mythic shelter, I was going to crash there while I get my bank details in place for the money.” James gasped and instantly shook his head. “Oh hell no, no brother of mine is staying in a shelter until he gets his life together. You can crash at my place, I kind of went over board when making it and now it’s just that bit too big.” Jacob was surprised. “James seriously, you don’t have to take me in.” “Bull shit, I have an obligation out of love to. Plus, if your still looking for hauling work, the place I’m at is still looking for hires, we’re wrather short on unicorns.”

Jacob thought about is for a second before smiling and nodding. “Alright it couldn’t hurt to live with family. So, where is your new place?” “It’s on an island past Barrow-in-Furness, the island of Sodor.” “I’ve heard of Sodor, its alongside the isle of man isn’t it?” “It is!” “Huh… well it’s a little far but if your happy with it than it must be worth it.” “Great! I can teleport us there now.”

James erupted a 10ft stalagmite of ruby from the ground, it’s red glow being a sign of imbued magic. “Holy cow! You figured out how to teleport?” Jacob asked. “My own way of teleporting, yes. I still can’t do it the way you lot can though.” James said as he began to walk through the ruby with Jacob following him. When they got to the other side, they were in James’s front yard on a large property of land with farm land and horse paddocks in the surrounding area.

“Woah… I see what you mean when you say you’ve made it to big.” Jacob commented. “This isn’t what I meant. I knew I wanted a large bit of land because, well come on, we’re half horses. What I meant when I said I made it to big was my house.” James said as he began walking up the hill and gesturing for Jacob to follow. The unicorn stallion did and when he was over the hill he could now 100% see what James had meant, on the top of the property after a small hill was a giant mansion made with all variants of gemstone and other such materials, plants climbed up the walls and made archways, some bricks sporadically had a shine to them, the windows were all stained glass around the rims with wooden windows having carved details, there were towers around the roof reminiscent of old castles with many balconies, and the pathway lights were designed to ether be glowing plants or gems that would light up at night. Jacob was amazed at how much effort looked to have gone into this, like it was ripped right out of an old times fantasy novel that a matriarch would live in.

“Sweet Jesus fucking Christ…” Jacob whispered out loud. “Regret choosing to come with me yet?” James asked cockily as he began to walk up to the front door. “I’m beginning to trust your judgment more and more despite knowing I shouldn’t.” Jacob said quickly trotting to catch up with James. “Trust me dear brother when it comes to architecture, I am a king at it.” James said as he opened the door and let themselves in.

To Jacob the inside was no better than the outside, archways that connected the rooms were heavily detailed in different themes of pictures, large centaur sized leather sofas lined the living room walls with a giant magic mirror mounted on the wall, the stairs were all with decorated railing, marble floors with some carpets and rugs in the appropriate rooms, and again, everything looked like a palace!

“Upstairs are the bedrooms, study, library, studio, theatre, and entrance to the veranda out back, though there’s an entrance on this level to. Bathroom on this level is over on that side, and there are bathrooms with all the guest rooms. Master bedroom is on the third floor, if you need me during the night that’s where I’ll be. Kitchen and living room are to the right as you can see, I don’t have much food kept yet but there are a few quaint café’s down the road if you get hungry at the moment. Theres a pool and fountain at the back along with a garden, there’s also a river and pond, I don’t recommend swimming in there because there are a few fish. The only rules I have off the bat are don’t go down stairs, there’s a magic stone there that leads to my personal forge, and my bedroom is off limits unless you get my say so. Otherwise, that’s the whole place. If you want to explore the bedrooms and pick one go right ahead.” James said as he whipped his hooves on the carpet and left his luggage at the front door.

Jacob almost dropped his bag in surprise at how massive the place was, he swore he was walking through a modern palace with how everything looked. “Do you have anyone else living here?” Jacob asked. “No not yet, I haven’t shown any of my friends this place yet but I want to offer them it while their own homes are being built. The majority of them have been getting personal stuff out the way first like healthcare and marriages.” “Understandable. So, what do you want to do first?” Jacob asked. “I actually wanted to immediately head back out, back to Horwich.” “Why? We just came from there.” “I know. I wanted to visit the works first to see if any of you were there and needed help, but I wasn’t just there for the works.” “Really? What else then?”

James gave Jacob a saddened expression. “You remember I’m wild caught right?” “Yes, but what-” Jacob then had an idea of what James was getting at. “Oh! Are you going to try and find your birth family?” Jacob asked. “I know where they are, it’s just a journey I have to take alone. There are some sides of my past that I don’t want you or quite frankly anyone else seeing, and I especially want to have some time with my mother.” Jacob was surprised; even when they were kids James hardly ever talked about his life before he was captured and ran through the trade. Back then James wasn’t even any kind of gemstone, he was just ore rock with a few things from metal to precious stones sticking out of him and he didn’t speak English.

“Okay… I can hang around here for a bit while you’re out. How long do you think you might be gone?” Jacob asked. “I might be gone for a few days if I’m being completely fair… I’m hoping to broaden my knowledge on my unique magic and also catch up with many people.” James admitted. “Where will you be going?” Jacob asked causing James to slope his shoulders and look rather pensive. “Do you remember Aspull pumping pit?” James asked. Jacob gasped, “The pumping pit? What on earth could you want with down there?” “That’s where I was found and roped. And it’s not the pit itself I’m there for, it’s the local mines in the area that the pit drained. Down those mines are where my craft of magic comes from.” Jacob looked very concerned. “Just… please little brother, come back home, preferably in one solid piece.” James hugged Jacob before handing him a cut of the house keys. “I’ve got a wave point set in the back yard, I’ll come back through there when I arrive home, you’ll know it when you hear it. In the studio I’ve got multiple clothes I’ve made that you can try on and have, the completed ones are in a walk in closet, try those on. But I recommend having a shower first. Here’s 500, feel free to use that at the café’s I mentioned. If it’s an emergency here's my personal sigil, you have plenty crystal balls around here to use. And feel free to study up on some magic if you like.” James said handing over a paper and some bills. Jacob smiled and hugged James again before watching him leave back through the ruby he made, once he was gone, Jacob got to searching for a bedroom to pick.

With James he had teleported back to Horwich works, and when he came back through the crystal he immediately shattered it into a red sand that blew away in the wind. Now it was just the long walk to the old pumping pit.

This proved to take under an hour though, much to James’s surprise as he remembered it being a lot longer. Once he was out of Horwich and had run across the train tracks he was into more open farm land as he came closer to Aspull, he followed the farmlands boarders until he came across the forest where the pump now resided in the middle of. He was aware of it’s closing in the 30’s and it now being abandoned, that made it all the more easier to James though.

When he finally found the pit, he was surprised to see how different it looked. The quiet forest a complete contrast to the horrid loud growling the pumps had made back in the day. The tubes gone, and the boilers gone to that operated the pistons. James walked over to the maintenance cover that sat in the ground almost sacrilegiously with how the old moss covered stones looked, he removed it and couldn’t help but shiver as he thought over how he was really doing this, no turning back now.

James gently poked one of the stone pillars, what grew from the spot was a flat plate of ruby. James lifted his luggage up to the mounted ruby and when the gem lit up James’s belongings were teleported through it, acting like a storage pocket dimension. With James unburdened of his packaging his clothing was next, he stripped of all the cloth on his body, leaving his skin and stone left. What was next was something not even his siblings in steel have seen, not even anyone from Sodor. James’s lower body of crystal that resembled a horses began to change and shift, the breaking and grinding of stone took over the silent forest as James began to morph.

Gone became of James’s horn and hooves, his legs becoming two and turning much more human minus the feet. He began to hover off of the ground as the rest of him changed, the gold glitter flow of his tail and frills disappearing and being relocated to his hair, a long whisp of a golden trail started falling from his scalp and trailed far behind him to drag close to the ground. The crystal that attached to his skin began to grow and cover his body more, growing down from his ears to his neck and connecting at his shoulders to his spine then at his new legs. Spikes of ruby grew from James’s more exposed sides of his shoulders and top of his arms, across his hips and even around where his ankles would be. Eventually the only skin that was left was James’s face, front neck, and front chest and ribs. But that wasn’t to say his organic parts didn’t change ether, James’s usually sharp teeth were sharper, turning from canines to outright fangs, his red eyes turning a more fire orange with white pupils and black sclera.

James looked at his hands once he was done, his nails now claws and the world looked so much more different to him now. He was annoyed by the daylight and the lack of any immediate magic around him besides his own made him practically blind on the surface, but underground was a very different story.

He gently lowered down the maintenance hole, and then closed it up once he was under the earth. Instantly his vision was much better, his eyes allowing his sight back once he was in a complete abyss. He lowered down to the bottom of the pit and searched his memory for the old tell-tale signs of caves, once he found where an old pipe used to be James’s old childhood memories came back to him, the routes and the curiosity he used to be so naïve with.

James followed the old holes where the pipes used to be, and eventually he found the water source they used to drain so long ago. James didn’t have any issues about breathing, so he dived into the water and swam through the underground rivers to where they lead. It took a long time, swerving the tight corners and sometimes resurfacing and travelling down the old abandoned mines before needing to dive back into the water again. But eventually, he found what he was looking for.

After another dive into water from a mine, this time the water sucked downward like the plug from a bathtub. James was taken down with it before he was spat out on the other side down a waterfall into a more open natural cave. He fell onto the stone with a thud and clink with a few shards of ruby breaking off, James groaned and just decided to lay there for a second while the pain subsided. That was until he saw something familiar.

Lining the wall above him, was a vain of sapphire. And it wasn’t a normal natural ore, it was like when he made his rubies appear, they had a magic aura to them that James saw as glowing. He instantly shot up from the floor and began to follow the sapphire down the cave, the more he followed the vain the more carved out the cave got, like it was shaping out to be a walk way or tunnel. It ended up being a muralled tunnel as different gemstones suddenly started showing up and forming a picture the further in James followed them.

Eventually he came to the mouth of the tunnel and when he was out the other end what greeted him was a massive miles upon miles long underground ravine with raging waterfalls and a river flowing at the bottom. But what was most surprising was that this ravine was inhabited, along the faces of cliffs and inside some more open spaces of cave were carved out houses into the rock faces. A massive architect of a bridge stretched across the two sides and more bridges roped across on some lower levels, and even from here James could see some species of mythic milling about and going about their days, it was a whole city and society, and it was his old home.

James felt like he wanted to scream with joy as he almost instantly recognised the layout, he was about two-fifths into the ravine and currently in the more middle class suburban area than the city. James knew he needed into the actual city itself and the closer to the capital he got the closer to his old house he’d get, so without any more time wasted, James bolted off down the path he was on to get to the bridges and cross them.

James’s speed made him seem like a sparkler as he ran down paths and roads, he spooked many of the mythic but didn’t stick around long enough to hear them out, quickly crossing town after town before he was rapidly approaching the capital. Once James got close enough to it’s boarders he slowed down considerably to take it all in, these were his city streets, this was his true home he remembered from fifty plus years ago.

As he rounded a corner he finally saw the ravines crown jewel, at the very end on a straight rock face, was a castle mounted on the stone. It had multiple spires and towers, thousands of windows, millions upon millions of fancy decorations, and it was all for one thing. A vampire clan.

Back in the late 18th century a vampire family business discovered a source of gold and coal at the top, and throughout all the mining down, they eventually came across this society of cave golems and other various types of underground mythic. Once they did they began asserting themselves as the ravines monarchy, eventually it didn’t become too uncommon to see bats down here and vampires joining into this society.

James remembered staring at that palace long ago when he was much, much younger. Someday hoping that his father would magically decide one day to come see him from that castle, so he could know who his other half was. James didn’t realise how intensely staring at it he was until someone broke his focus. “Quite the detailed place isn’t it?” A voice next to James said speaking in the local tongue. James quickly had to recollect his old language to answer them. “I-I’ve seen bigger.” James stuttered out hoping he wasn’t forgetting anything. “Are you okay? That came out rather odd.” A cave golem looking similar to James said but without the human flesh part. “Sorry, I haven’t spoken this language in a very long time. I went to the top for a while you see,” James explained to the crystal golem.

“You’ve seen up top-?” the golem seemed to stop himself in his tracks once he got a better look at James, noticing that he wasn’t 100% crystal. And to James’s surprise, he said his old name. “Zirconiame?” “Um, yes actually. Sorry though, have we meet?” “Zircon! Oh my boy it has been a very long time indeed! Yes we have meet, I was the sorcerer that tutored you, don’t you remember that?” James gasped when he did recognise the golem in front of him. “Mr Ospal! Yes I do remember! Sorry for not recognising you sooner, you’ve changed a bit since the last time I saw you.” James gave his old teacher a hug as he was happy to finally see a familiar face. Mr Ospal laughed while gently petting James’s back and setting him down, “I could say the same myself dear boy, your adorning ruby now? And your locks, weren’t they admitting coal dust before? And my you look much older, a lot like those vampires. It seems your mother was right when she said your vampire heritage would show up the more you got older, there’s no mistaking those fangs.”

James almost instinctively hushed his old teacher and began to guide him away from the public spot they were in. “Maybe still keep that vampire knowledge on the low, I don’t know how much has changed but I don’t want to take any chances.” “As your mother always said little Zircon- in little ways where everything stays, I agree keeping your heritage hush might be a good idea for a little while longer. But enough about that, where have you been? You disappeared one day and never came back. You said you came to the top?” Mr Ospal asked.

“The surface, yes. I didn’t listen to my mother’s words and went exploring up the waterfalls, I travelled up and up for hours before I finally found the surface. I was amazed by what I saw, these creatures were of warmer flesh than vampires and only had flat stones for moving on, they motioned with four legs on a long body and a large sharp rock stuck out from their heads and that’s how they casted magic! I ever so wanted to do what they did, pulling items with no magic at all, a whole new language, a whole new set of rules, it was all so exciting that I did everything I could to try and act like them. It worked, but not in the way I thought it would…” James grew sad at the old memories.

“I was wrapped up to tight in thick fabric chains, I was hurting before I knew it and wanted them to stop but they didn’t. I eventually just started crying and pleading with them to let me go but they understood none of my words as I was taken away into an order that didn’t allow me to come back home. Compared to them, they made the vampires appear as the water harmonies. It wasn’t until a few cycles ago did I finally have my freedom back and decided to come see down here again.”

Mr Ospel was horrified by James’s words, they had been told by vampires that creatures up top were much more horrid than they, and judging from James’s experience he was inclined to believe it. But regardless, at least he was home now, that was the good thing. “Well Zircon, I imagen your mother would like to hear it. She had never been the same since you had gone.” James became worried when he heard that, he could imagen his mother not taking it well. “Is she still where her old home was? I was on my way to her when I caught sight of the palace.” “No, she moved after a few years of your disappearance. She now lives down the deep halls of the palace.” James knew what the actual deep halls were, to the cave golem they were less personalised homes, but James knew better when he heard their descriptions, they were cells. His creator being in the palace cells made his heart pound he could feel his teeth begin to poke him gums. The anger in his body must have reflected strongly to his old teacher as Mr Ospel grew concerned.

“Zircon? What is the matter?” “Those deep halls are not something to be called homes, the vampires view them at an entirely different view. Do they except visitors to the deep halls?” “Yes they do, I visit her often. I was actually just on my way.” “May I accompany you?” “I was hoping you would.” Mr Ospel smiled as he began to lead the way to the palace entrance. They travelled over a few bricked roads before coming up to the bridges that entered the castle, James was nervous as he had seen what vampires were capable of up top and didn’t want to be involved in a fight with one despite him being half vampire. James covered the rest of his body in ruby so they wouldn’t become suspicious, but he was still on guard as he saw the entrance guards.

Mr Ospel spoke to them mainly and they let them in without issue, but soon a lone guard escorted them to the dungeons. When they were finally down to the cells, to James’s great shock his mother had a rather swanky prison, it had some flower plants around the room with glowing sunstones above them, a king sized bed in the middle with canopy, and despite the bars being open she could lower a privacy curtain if she wanted. James smiled when he saw her sitting on the bed, but saw that someone was in there with her sitting on the bed, it appeared to be a male vampire.

“Gemini, please… won’t you have something today?” The male vampire said in a tinge of a Scottish accent, causing James to grow concerned. Gemini wasn’t his mother’s name, and what was this about having something today? But Mr Ospel spoke up when he saw the two together however. “Sir Nightingale, how is she today?” Mr Ospel asked as they were let into the cell. “Ah! Mr Ospel, please I am hoping you can convince her to consume today.” It was obvious to James that this Sir Nightingale wasn’t all that fluent in gem-glyph, making him think this man was a doctor. “I actually have hope that this young man may be able to do that better than I.” Mr Ospel said gesturing to James.

James was surprised, but was quickly on it when he realised that his mother hadn’t been eating with what they were implying. James dropped the ruby coving his remaining skin and floated up to his mother’s side, the vampire gasped but quickly floated out of the way. James got under his mother’s face to meet her gaze, she looked at him and instantly perked up with interest at the sight of him. “Mother? What is going on here? Are you alright?” Were the first words out of James’s mouth before he was tackle hugged tightly by his mother. “Zirconiame!” She shrieked as she pulled James into the air with a spin. “Mother! Mother! To tight! My neck!” James cried as his mother’s strong arms crushed his neck. “Ah! Oh my child, I’m so sorry, you are not to hurt are you?” “No, no, no! I am okay, just a little crushed. But mother, what on graces happened to you? Why are you in the palace? Why are you not eating? Who is this man and why do they call you Gemini?” James asked having many questions. “You ask me questions?! Zirconiame! Where have you been? Why have you been gone so long? What happened to you? Why are you in different minerals? What of your tone? You speak as if you have trouble with your voice.”

James gently sat his mother back down on the bed and had a proposal. “Okay, okay! How of this? I answer one question of yours, you answer one question of mine, deal?” “Yes, now- where have you been?” “Ah, that has to also answer my tone. I found my way up to the top.” Both his mother and the vampire next to James gasped. “You have been to the surface young man?!” The vampire shouted with his eyes glowing red. “Yes I did, and please do not authorities me sir, I do not know you. I would also not call being over fifty young.” “It is to over two-hundred.” The vampire said snootily. “Zirconiame, this is your other half, father.”

James’s jaw hit the floor when he heard his mother’s words… this vampire was his father? James looked to the man and could now see the resemblance between him and his more human appearance, but still… last he checked his father was a no show with nothing to do with him or his mother, why was he here now? James switched to English for this as he didn’t want Mr Ospel or his mother knowing what he was really saying. “You are my dad?” Sir Nightingale seemed surprised that James knew fluent English, but rolled with it anyway also in English. “Yes, I am. I can gather that you are upset with me Zirconiame.” “Call me James, it was a new name I insisted on when I was up top.” “Alright then. So, James, you are unhappy with me?”

James sighed. “I confess my anger is more of confusion. Why is my mother in a cell? Why are you suddenly here? Where were you when I was growing up?” “Well, to answer where I was when you were growing up, I was here, in the castle. …Have you been educated on the roles of a vampire clan?” “A vampire hierarchy, yes.” James nodded.

Sir Nightingale went on to explain, switching back to gem-glyph for the golems in the room. “Well, at the time my parents had just pasted, so I fled here to hide from the hunters that killed them, taking on the new title of king and ruling this ravine as its matriarch. While I was still coping from the loss of my parents and suddenly needing to take over a kingdom, I met your mother.” The king paused with a chuckle.

“It in all honestly played out like a romance novel. At the time I thought that we could have you, I thought everyone was moved on with the times and that I was allowed to officially marry your mother and have her be queen beside me with you as the prince, but apparently my vampire subjects still didn’t see it fit. So I was forced to marry a vampire and live my life as such of a typical king and queen, with the relationship I had with your mother and you a secret. But things came to a nasty end when your half-brother was born.”

“-He was born, found out he wasn’t an heir, vamp wifey put logic in her head and discovered about me.” James interrupted having actually heard this story from Harper. The king was surprised and shocked causing James to elaborate, “It’s not the first time I’ve heard that story, heck, I actually have a co-worker who is a hybrid and a vampire heir from America. Now he works on the same railway as me.” “R-Really?” James���s father asked shocked that he wasn’t the only one.

“Yeah, so what happened next? My co-worker said that his step-mum wanted him gone so that her child could be the true heir, did that happen with yours?” James asked. “Yes actually, once my wife found out she set up a warrant on your head. I came to warn your mother and you but when I saw her again she looked in a similar state to now, not eating and just had no life left in her. You were also nowhere to be found.” Nightingale said. “By then you had been missing for a year, I had searched the whole ravine for you and found no trace.” James’s mother said. “So we concluded that if you weren’t here, you had to be up there. I got to searching on the surface for you while also dealing with the many other things that happened, your mother I moved in here so she could be under constant surveillance and so that the other vampires wouldn’t grow iffy, I divorced my wife, I actually got custody of my son, and I still had all the mining business to deal with.” “While searching probably the whole country for me…” James hushed out and slumped down onto the mattress.

“Yes… but, please James, what happened to you?” “James?” the ruby mythic’s mother asked her love. “Ah, that was my new name I choose once I was on the surface. I told Mr Ospel this story already but I’ll give you the abridged version. I followed the waterfalls up from where they came and eventually found the surface, I saw unicorn centaurs working and wanted to be like them, so I shape shifted into looking like them and when I went out in the open I was captured and ran through the trade-” “WHAT?!” The king roared when he heard that, the whole stone around them shaking.

“You were ran through the mythos trade?! That’s why I couldn’t find you, I was looking for you assuming you were ether still looking like a golem or using your vampire side to live amongst them, I had no clue you were in the working class. Where did you end up? What did you do?” James’s father asked sounding really concerned. “What is this trade? Why does it worry you my love?” James’s mother asked sounding concerned as well. “I believe the rest of our sons story will reveal more my Gemini, lets listen.” With that James continued.

“Yes, like I was saying, I was ran through the mythos trade and ended up being put to work as a railway colt. I didn’t know how to speak English at the time, or cast the normal spells that the unicorns did, so it was a few months of trial and error before I got everything right. Afterwards I started to rebel a lot more, I insisted on them naming me instead of just calling me a set of numbers, that got me in a lot of trouble and caused a lot of pain. But at some point the locomotive I was paired with got an overhaul to fix its problems, it worked but they couldn’t do this to all the others and eventually I was sold to another railway where I still work today. I have a new home, I’ve got a big set of land with a nice house I made myself, I have a brother in steel with me at the moment and I have an amazing group of friends, all in all I guess I got what I wanted when I travelled up those waterfalls and saw those unicorns.” James chuckled.

“Where do you live now James?” His father asked. “On an island off of Barrow-in-Furness and in between the isle of man, the island of Sodor.” “Sodor? I’ve heard of that place, my distant cousins visit there for vacations every so often with the Hatt family there.” The king mentioned. “The Hatt’s are my bosses actually, and I think you’re referring to the Duke and Dutchess of Boxford aren’t you?” James asked. “Yes I am! Ohh… you were so close yet so far, I’m disappointed in myself for missing you.” “Well, to be fair, it wasn’t like I wanted to be found out by anybody up there. None of my steel siblings or close friends even know my true origins, the closest they know of it is that I was wild caught and spoke another language while being half made of stone.” James admitted. “Then what did you tell them when you went to come down here?” James’s father asked. “I said I was coming to Horwich to expand my magic knowledge, which wasn’t entirely wrong, I was kind of hoping mother would catch me up to speed.” James’s mother chuckled and slowly shook her head. “I’m sorry to say Zircon that I don’t have much magic left, I would not be able to teach you properly with how little I have.” “I’m in my older years as well Zircon, I would not be able to mentor you ether.” Mr Ospel said.

James thought for a bit before asking, “Do you still have those books on them?” “Yes I do, here, this is them.” James’s mother handed him a flat rock of lapis, it was another magic rock like what James used to teleport his belongings into a pocket dimension. “This is great! Is it all of them?” James asked. “Yes, down to the final addition and master class.” “I can imagen those would be really useful for the times up top.” James’s father commented when his love mentioned master class. “Really, really useful! These could actually help a friend of mine if I predict the craftsmanship of some prosthetics he’s going to get.” James said as he looked eager to bite into the knowledge of the rock. “I agree, if that’s the best those professional alchemists can do then their a flop just waiting to be found out.” James nodded with his father.

“Well then Zircon? What will you be doing going forward?” Mr Ospel asked. “I kind of want to stick around for a bit while I study these, catch up a little and get reacquainted.” James said. “If your looking for more magic knowledge on your plate I can show you these old vampire mage spell books, my other son didn’t take much of an interest in them but you seem to be quite the academic.” James’s mother and Mr Ospel chuckled a little at that since James wasn’t much for school in the past. “I didn’t know vampires had their own magic.” James commented but never the less intrigued. “We do, but its considered old magic, so nobody really bothers with it anymore. It’s on the lines of necromancy if that’s something you’d want to look into.” James nodded his head enthusiastically with a big smile on his face.

The king chuckled, and got up to show him where the books were, switching back to English. “There in the library, there’s also a study that you can use, but I’d recommend practicing your alchemy magic outside.” “I can work with that,” James smiled before giving his mother a hug and kiss on the cheek, “I’ll come and visit you every day, I love you so much mother.” James’s mum kissed his forehead before letting him go, watching as his father guided him out the cell and back up the stairs. She then proceeded to have a coughing fit, hacking up clouds of dust and gravel and grinded lapis. Mr Ospel caught her before she fell back on the bed and sat her up right so she wouldn’t choke. “Lazillie, do you really think you can afford to spend any more time spent lost with him? You don’t have much time, you should follow them up to the study.” Mr Ospel pleaded. “No…” Lazillie croaked out. “I’ve had my best memories with my child… Harlow deserves his best moments with his son just as much as I had. My boys deserve some time together.” Mr Ospel was very concerned and hoped she knew what she was doing, because he didn’t have the heart to tell her son that his mother that he just saw again after fifty years was dying.

For the rest of the month James had gotten into a new routine, he would see his mother at every mealtime and eat with her, while the other time was spent with his father in the study hall. Apparently his majesty had wanted to take up alchemy for the longest time but the methods that the golems used wasn’t translatable very well to written form, so James did his best in coaching him through the beginners steps. During this time James also took up a new form while in the castle of a far more human body, even wearing pants and shoes for the first time in his life, the ruby of his body pushed so far up his limbs that it looked like his nails were painted and he had red earrings in.

He also had the pleasure of meeting his half-brother Damon who was a pure blooded vampire prince, but since James was the heir that made this vampire a duke. Needless to say they didn’t get along all to swimmingly, Damon was three years younger than James but sometimes he made it sound like they were thirty years apart, he complained like a man child all the time and argued with James about every conversation even if James was in the right. It especially ticked James off when he insisted he was right about alchemy even if the guy had never bothered to read a word of gem-glyph in his life, so James often took a page out of Toby’s book and let the man child make a fool of himself to prove a point. It didn’t make their father any to pleased but it was plenty satisfying.

In the end James got a lot more skills than he initially thought he’d come back with, he graduated up to archivist in his alchemy studies that was essentially a master’s degree, he got to the level of bachelor in his vampire sorcery, he also walked away with a diploma in fashion as a tailor had offered to teach him in the middle of his other studies. All in all, James was pretty darn proud of himself for doing all that in the span of a month.

At the end he wished his family well and gave them his address so they could visit him, but under the guise of being old friends. So it was surprise that not even a week after James had come back home, Sir Bertrum announced that the vampire king of Aspull was coming to Sodor for a vacation along with the Duke and Dutchess of Boxford.

But that is a story for another day…