#but rather just the ADDITION of a new community n language n experience

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

am I getting too convoluted if I said Johnny dies Dallas lives n Pony loses his hearing as a result of the way Dallas hits him (to put out the fire) when he pulls him out of the church au??

[ecreads]

Title: Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices

Editors: S. K. Ali, Aisha Saeed

Authors: Randa Abdel-Fattah, Huda Al-Marashi, Sara Alfageeh, S. K. Ali, Hanna Alkaf, Ashley Franklin, Asmaa Hussein, Hena Khan, Rukhsana Khan, Ayesha Mattu, Candice Montgomery, Aisha Saeed, N. H. Senzai, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, G. Willow Wilson

Published: May 5th, 2020 by Amulet Books

Genre & Format: Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Verse & Poetry, Folklore/Folktale & Religion, Chapter Book, Graphic Novel

Key Themes: Community, Family, Food, Friendship, History, Holidays & Religious Celebrations, Multicultural, Multigenerational, Muslim Stories, Refugees

Reading Level: Third Grade, Grades 4-7

Language: English

ISBN: 9781419740831

Content Warnings:

Death

Islamophobia

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“A joyous short story collection by and about Muslims, edited by New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed and Morris finalist S. K. Ali

Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations.

The full list of Once Upon an Eid contributors include: G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina's Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape from Aleppo), Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky), Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop), Randa Abdel-Fattah (Does My Head Look Big in This?), Ashley Franklin (Not Quite Snow White), Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy's Khimar), Candice Montgomery (Home and Away, By Any Means Necessary), Huda Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage), Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.”

Review: Hijabi Librarians

“For Muslims around the world, the two Eids (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha), conjure images of joy and community and include celebrations which vary by region and consist of different traditions.

Common traditions for the observance of both Eids often include new clothing, congregational prayers, special foods, and most importantly, time with family and community. Through prose, verse, and imagery, including the vibrant cover art, and a comic selection, authored by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Sara Alfageeh, the stories in Once Upon an Eid capture all of those traditions and so much more.

Consisting of stories by 15 Muslim authors of diverse backgrounds, each selection explores an aspect of human experience with incredible complexity and sensitivity. Characters are relatable, and reflect a range of Islamic practice and identity. Stories are set in a variety of locations, with many taking place in non-Muslim majority countries and communities. Readers are given the opportunity to explore many Eids not just reflecting different cultural ties characters might have but the joys, sorrows, feelings of grief, and love that take place when set against a much beloved and significant holiday.

In Jamilah Thompkins-Bigleow’s “Perfect,” readers meet twelve-year-old Hawa on her way to celebrate Eid with her father’s side of the family in the Bronx. Though she would rather be celebrating with her friends, she is forced to confront a complicated relationship with her cousin, and the comparisons between them, that are tied to expression of identity and authenticity, body image and style, and family structure. In Hanna Alkaf’s “Taste,” set in Malaysia, the protagonist Alia feels alienated because of her mother’s absence and her sense of guilt surrounding that absence. In N.H. Senzai’s “Searching For Blue”, Syrian refugees make a home for themselves and carve a place for celebration in Greece. Thompkins-Bigelow’s poem “Eid Pictures” connects the joy and imagery of Eid in the African American community, the history of how that community was built in the United States, and the first Eid of stolen ancestors longing for their homelands, community, and faith.

The subtleties of each story offer readers familiar with particular communities the opportunity to see themselves, some for the first time in print. Readers unfamiliar with the diversity within the Muslim community are given an intimate look into different communities, challenging the false idea that Muslims are monolithic. On a deeper level, this book gives Muslim readers the opportunity to look at, consider, be in conversation with, and understand complex feelings and how we can improve understanding of each other on a fundamental human level with empathy and compassion. Stories are inclusive of different family structures, socioeconomic backgrounds, relationships between Shia and Sunni Muslims, and recent converts to Islam.

The core of the narratives are examining these familial relationships, expression of cultural, racial, religious identities, self-exploration and self-acceptance and are incredibly intersectional. While Once Upon an Eid centers Eid narratives, its stories are important to share in a library or classroom collection year round and hold universal appeal.”

Additional Resources:

Purchase

Additional Review: Kirkus Reviews

[otonymous]

The ABCs of Gavin (NSFW)

In honour of the Aerial Sweetheart™’s birthday on July 29th, please enjoy Gavin’s NSFW ABCs! 🥳

Warning: NSFW/18+: Explicit/graphic language - reader discretion is advised.

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Gavin will pull you against his chest to hold you close, pressing his forehead against yours and planting soft kisses on your face, your sweat merging together as your heart rates slow as one

While you’re washing up, Gavin will quickly fly to get your favourite eats and be back even before you’ve stepped out of the shower

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Gavin is particularly proud of his abs.  Have you seen them?  They’re absolutely delicious.  Go ahead and trace the muscles with your tongue.  He’s more than happy to let you.

The real reason he likes them is that he loves the look of utter desire that comes over your face whenever he takes off his shirt.  He loves the way you see him.

Gavin finds the nape of your neck absolutely irresistible

Every time you sweep your hair to one side or gather it into a ponytail, his gaze is instantly drawn to that delicate area, his eyes following the lines of your body as they curve out gracefully into the slope of your shoulders

He loves to press soft kisses to the nape of your neck, hold you close from behind to nuzzle his face into the area and inhale deeply, relishing the tickle of your soft strands against his cheeks

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum)

Nothing makes Gavin happier than the thought of you one day carrying his child, so he loves to give you that creampie (don’t worry, he would totally ask for your consent first!)

Outside of cumming in you, Gavin also enjoys ejaculating on your stomach while imagining it swollen with his seed

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Gavin has curated quite the collection of porn (and the protagonist always bears some physical similarity to you)

The Aerial Sweetheart™ has had to amass material to help maintain his sanity during extremely long dry spells while he was patiently waiting to reconnect with you

He was extremely embarrassed when you first found out (you’ve never seen anyone turn that red), but now the two of you love tuning in together, sometimes laughing while critiquing the storylines, which typically involve a delivery girl delivering an empty pizza box (oops! 😉) 

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Gavin isn’t particularly experienced, seeing as he’s been waiting for you ever since he first laid eyes on you in that downpour as a high schooler

The officer has had a couple of relationships in the past (it was bound to happen, with all the women throwing themselves at him and his super hot body), but they never lasted long because you were always in the back of his mind

BUT that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know what he’s doing — Gavin is driven to pleasure you and keep you more than satisfied in the bedroom/on the rooftop/on his motorcycle

You may be surprised, given that Gavin doesn’t strike you as being particularly talkative, but he is quite communicative during sex (e.g. “Does this feel good?  Do you like it when I touch you here?”) - especially when he’s first getting to know your body and preferences well

This sweetheart just really wants to pleasure you and treat you like the queen that you are

F = Favourite Position

Your man is a big fan of the Missionary position, because it gives him the freedom to control the speed and depth of his thrusts (by shifting the position of your legs), but also enables him to see each and every beautiful expression of ecstasy that flits across your face in response to the way he moves within you

This position also allows him to embrace and kiss you just as deeply as he’s fucking you

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc.)

Gavin tends to be more serious in the moment.  He can’t help it: he has wanted you for much of his life and still needs to pinch himself every now and then to make sure he’s not dreaming when you’re lying in his arms

When your feelings run that deep, you’re typically not in the mood to laugh

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

The officer is well-groomed and scrumptiously clean

The colours match

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

Sex with Gavin can be so sweet that the man literally has you crying from the sheer force of his passion for you

This officer is a man of action: he communicates with every kiss, every touch, every thrust — his body is telling yours the extent of his love and affection in ways that words never could

Gavin cannot stop kissing you, even when you’re both moaning with ecstasy into each other’s mouths.  Expect him to lay soft kisses on your eyelids, trace the angles of your jaw with his lips until they lead them back to yours, already open and waiting for his tongue to slip back in

He loves to gather your hair into his palm and press his lips reverently to the silky strands before deeply breathing in its scent

Gavin finds it incredibly hard to hold back when he sees your tears; hang on tight, because you’ll be in for a rough (and sexy) ride

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

On average, the officer will masturbate 2-3 times/week, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on whether or not he’s had the chance to engage in some sexy times with you and how busy he is with his top-secret duties

Gavin would die if you ever found out but…he enjoys setting up a comfortable atmosphere by lighting some scented candles before he touches himself

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Gavin loves to fuck you on the rooftops of buildings

He enjoys the way you cling to him for dear life as he’s propelling you through mid-air

He’s also found that you get incredibly wet when he’s got your skirt hiked up around your waist and your panties in his back pocket, thrusting hard and fast into you from behind as you grip the railing at the ledge, eyes focused on the lights of the city below without actually seeing anything through your haze of ecstasy

Feel free to give voice to your pleasure as loudly as you want — with the wind whipping, no one will hear you, and that’s another reason why Gavin takes you up so high in more ways than one

Also, although it’s a bit small on him now, Gavin has saved his high school uniform and was hoping you did too.  Perhaps you could reenact the moment of your first meeting? 😉

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

Gavin enjoys his sexual exploits in high places (see Kink above)

Has also been known to lay you out on his motorcycle

To be honest, your apartment is still his favourite place: it’s private, he doesn’t have to feel rushed while making love, but he also loves to learn about you by looking at what you keep close: the dog-eared copy of The Little Prince on your shelf, the bite marks on the caps of your pens, the faded teddy bear from your father that you would never throw out no matter how tattered or torn, the snacks you keep on the tallest shelf in the pantry (and the step stool conveniently located nearby)

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Officer Gavin’s greatest motivation and biggest turn on is your love for him

Nothing gets him harder faster than knowing you desire him like he desires you

Want to really unleash the beast in the bedroom?  Tell him he’s the love of your life, your soulmate, that he’s the first thought in your mind when you wake and the one you see in your dreams, because then, Gavin will know he’s not the only one who feels that way

Gavin also loves to see you in his clothes: that loose white tee, his unbuttoned uniform — preferably with nothing on underneath

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

Like the other boys, Gavin refuses to share you with another person (please don’t ask him to, he will die on the inside)

Gavin also shies away from more extreme kinks that may result in bodily injury to you (he can barely bring himself to spank you, and once he does, he’s immediately rubbing the reddened area and soothing it with kisses)

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Officer Gavin likes to give as good as he gets

His oral game is strong, but fingering is his specialty 

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

Gavin can do both

He tends to get fast and rough when you whisper words of love in his ear — it’s like a dam on his emotions breaks and he’s unable to hold back

Note that Gavin will never, ever, be needlessly rough.  Never.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Gavin prefers extended lovemaking sessions, but is also down with quickies (see Kink, above)

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

The man is down with experimenting up to a certain extent.  As mentioned in “No” above, he draws the line at anything that could cause you bodily harm

Other than that, he’s willing to try new experiences (he’s pretty much willing to do anything for you)

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

Gavin.  Is.  A.  Machine.

He’s ready and willing to go for as many rounds and as long as your body can stand, if you’re up for it

Not gonna lie, he came pretty quickly the first time you had sex, out of sheer excitement (Gavin’s internal monologue: “Oh my god I can’t believe this is actually happening am I really making love to my dream girl omg omg omg…”)

BUT you best believe he ain’t no One-Minute Man (don’t worry, in addition to magic fingers, Gavin also has a habit of going south when transitioning to different positions so things stay nice and wet and comfortable)

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Gavin does not have toys to use on himself.  He has scented candles, his imagination (Psst! He’s thinking of YOU) and his hand thankyouverymuch

You know Gavin will pretty much do anything you want, so if you wish to include toys in your sexual repertoire, your man will oblige

Bonus points: take him with you to a sex shop to peruse the goods and watch him grow uncomfortably red

U = Unfair (How much they like to tease)

Gavin’s not really one for teasing, inside or outside of the bedroom

The extent of his teasing will be limited to whipping through the air or going faster on his motorcycle, just to get you to press closer to him

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

The officer tries hard to rein in his volume, but finds it difficult to keep his voice down, especially if his climax is close.  

Gavin’s biting his lower lip, breathing hard through his nose, furrowing his brows from a mixture of both ecstasy and concentration, but the odd moan and groan still manages to escape

The sound of his low voice in your ear drives you wild

There have been times when you could’ve sworn you heard Gavin softly whimper when he came

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Gavin loves your scent so much that he secretly purchased a bottle of the perfume you regularly wear just so he can inhale it deeply and think of you when his longing is particularly bad

He keeps it at the bottom of his underwear drawer please don’t go looking for it

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

Average girth and slightly above-average length, with a slight upward curve

Uncut

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Gavin’s sex drive is a bit higher than average

Hence, whenever he insists that you cover up in public, it’s to keep himself in check as much as the prying eyes of others

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

It really depends on the time of day

During daylight hours, Gavin typically encourages you to sleep in his arms while he closes his eyes and rests for a bit without actually falling asleep

To be honest, Gavin is always on the alert for anything that could pose a danger to you, so even if he does nod off, he’s an extremely light sleeper and has been trained to be mentally and physically prepared to face anything at all times

If you’re spending the night together, Gavin will wait until you’re in deep, peaceful slumber before he will allow himself to sleep, just in case he needs to soothe you if you have any nightmares

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

Thanks for reading!  Check out more of my work here! 📚

[glogstertrialexpired]

Hey guys,

I think, as students in Education, some us of were waiting for a video like John Baugh’s TED Talk “The Significance of Linguistic Profiling” because he acknowledges the use of people making assumptions about someone’s character based on his/her voice—in positive manners such as a baby in the womb learning his/her mother’s voice. Although, Baugh still makes the point of talking about linguistic profiling in which there is discrimination based on the language that a person uses. For example, the video that showed a man getting apartment offers rescinded because he put on a “non-white voice” over the phone, and then when he used a generic voice that is typical of a U.S. white male, the apartment offer was not taken away.

Right, I feel like this is nothing new of living in the U.S. We even have skits based about this sort of stuff—of having to adopt different personas to avoid discrimination:

So, this is my first time coming across the concept of “raciolingustic ideologies” which Nelson Flores and Jonathan Rosa both discuss in their article “Undoing Appropriateness: Raciolinguistic Ideologies and Language Diversity in Education.” This means that educators also have to be wary of how language is connected to race and what ideologies spur from it rather than just focusing on linguistic profiling—we’re not all going to talk to our students over the phone, right? Maybe just their parents? It’s bad enough that things are on Zoom and the other online platforms that districts/schools are sprinkling in with online learning—but we should probably take time to think about how this can relate to us.

Hopefully, *fingers crossed*, I’m not the only one who is thinking about assumptions that I have made, or thoughts that I have about certain characteristics of language being applicable to certain races—and minorities for that matter—when it comes to communicative interactions. Even if we don’t want to admit it, I’m positive that we’ve all thought “Oh, this person is probably [insert race or ethnicity] because of how the person is speaking.”

Right?

Right??

In his book: Black Linguistics: language, society, ad politics in Africa and the Americas, Baugh points out the societal expectations of accents and languages, which I find really interesting. In my experience, the "British accent" is praised because it is either "attractive" or "sounds intelleginent" but I am not sure if they have come across the Yorkshire accent/dialect (joke)—because that is, arguably, difficult to understand when it is thickly used. I am thinking about the societal standards of what "good English" is and what constitutes an "undesirable" accent in the U.S. (Baugh, 2003, p. 163)

Anyways, I am thinking back to the United States being a “country of immigrants” because the readings that we’ve done for the week have focused on multi-lingual students (which is great—especially since there has been an equal emphasis on Spanish speaking students). I’m still frustrated by how the construction of “academic language” has thrown pretty much all of the other languages used in the U.S. under the bus.

Yet, this research is doing well by stressing that the variations of languages in the U.S. should be validated (Flores & Rosa, 2015, p. 3). Also, that we should approach students who use different languages outside of the expected ones in classrooms in a manner that is an "additive approach" to where their use of home languages isn't put down in any manner or even "eliminated" (2015, p. 165). I thought that we were past the state of cultural destruction when it came to schools (looking at you, "Indian Residential Schools).

Thus, we should all have some sort of language tolerance when it comes to living and functioning in the U.S. We shouldn't really want that repeat of history.

Also, approaching these readings as someone who is interested in teaching has been further solidifying my idea that some of the problems that occur between white educators and non-white students lies at the basis of confusion (I don't want to put ignorance here, because of its strong negative connotation). Of course problems arise from lack of communication, this happens to me all the time (unfortunately) on a daily basis, but that is mainly because I consider myself socially awkward and I'm locked up in my room 24/7 staring at my laptop screen trying to gain some sense of reality with the lack of Spring Break and upcoming finals.

(accurate representation of me—but we all can't be winning.)

Furthermore, with the example that Flores & Rosa bring up about the Alim, a researcher, identifying an issue that the teacher had with African-American students with "vernacular English" is really interesting because it seems like the teacher was adamant about negatively perceiving the "vernacular English" used by the students instead of coming at it with an additive approach.

Maybe the teacher framed it as a you vs them moment? I.e. Vernacular English vs Academic Language? An additive approach could have had the teacher recognizing the differences, acknowledging them in a positive manner (oh! this contributes to the students' cultural backgrounds), made a neutral observation that emphasized that there needed to be a use of academic langauge in the classroom at that moment but vernacular english is also valid—instead of seemingly getting defensive and thus, going nowhere.

So, I think that there has to be an active validation of languages outside of the academic language that is used in school settings. I'm not suggesting any praises, but—acknowledging that there is a time and place for certain languages, e.g. academic language to make sure that students test well, while creating an environment that allows academic language and other languages to function side-by-side without "eliminating" a student's use of a language.

For lingustic justice, we have that suggestion that Baugh made in his TED Talk, for people of the "standard accent" in the U.S. to not put down any other accents that deviate from the mainstream. That perhaps, normalizing and validating the different accents will put a lot of work into minimizing linguistic profiling.

References:

Baugh, J. (2019). The Significance of Linguistic Profiling: TEDTalk [video] Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjFtIg-nLAA.

Baugh, J. (2003). Black Linguistics: Language, Society, and Politics in Africa and the Americas. Routledge.

Rosa, J. & Flores, N. (2015). “Undoing Appropriateness: Raciolinguistic Ideologies and Language Diversity in Education.” Harvard Educational Review Vol. 85(2). Harvard Education Publishing Group.

[strategemme]

I THINK WITH MY HEART AND I MOVE WITH MY HEAD

EMMELINE VANCE: Character Task No. 1

𝖖 𝖚 𝖔 𝖙 𝖊 𝖘

The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves. I don't trust society to protect us, I have no intention of placing my fate in the hands of men whose only qualification is that they managed to con a block of people to vote for them. They used to say that if Man was meant to fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to. There are things that have to be done and you do them and you never talk about them. You don't try to justify them. They can't be justified. You just do them. Then you forget it. Due to personal reasons, I will be performing vigilante justice. 

𝖇 𝖆 𝖘 𝖎 𝖈

NAME: Emmeline L. Vance; there isn’t a soul (presently) alive that knows what the “L” stands for. NICKNAMES: Em; other abbreviations of her name are generally acceptable as long as you don’t try to call her Emmie.  AGE: 22 BIRTHDAY: August 27, 1957 GENDER: Female PRONOUNS: She/Her

𝖋 𝖆 𝖒 𝖎 𝖑 𝖞

MOTHER: Florence Vance neé Chevalier ( 50 ) { born in France, moved to England after marrying Devon } // muggle  FATHER: Col. Devon Vance ( 57 ) { recently retired from the British Army } // muggle  SIBLINGS: Anthony Vance ( 28 ) { named after a dear friend of Devon’s that was killed during the Second World War } // muggle 

𝖕 𝖍 𝖞 𝖘 𝖎 𝖈 𝖆 𝖑 𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖇𝖚𝖙𝖊𝖘

FACE CLAIM: Demet Özdemir BUILD: Average height, athletic HAIR: Long, worn in waves on nights requiring effort and otherwise tossed into a bun   HAIR COLOR: Brunette EYE COLOR: Brown SKIN COLOR: Tan DOMINANT HAND: Right { she’s pitiful when it comes to her left hand }  ANOMALIES: (1) Scar across her left palm from making a blood-pact as a ten year old; it’s so faded now that you can only catch a gleam of silver in the bright sun. (2) Various small burns across her hands and forearms from healing poultices gone askew. SCENT: Vanilla and cedar wood; she’s worn the same perfume since her Hogwarts  ACCENT: Standard English  ALLERGIES: Cats  DISORDERS: Insomnia; she’s always attributed it to a general pace of “too much to do and too little time,” but there are nights when all she wants to do is collapse into her bed yet finds herself condemned to staring at the ceiling; many people make the mistake of believing that she doesn’t need sleep to operate, but her history of errors speaks otherwise.  FASHION: She spends far more time in lime green robes than she cares for, and thus compensates with a wardrobe full of neutral colors. She still feels more comfortable in muggle attire than wizarding robes, and thus is seen frequently in various combinations of jeans, blouses, and boots.  NERVOUS TICS: After years of having her tics evaluated and erased, Emmeline has largely eradicated any tells of nervousness. Old habits die hard, however, and with the stress of the war mounting, she’s falling back into drumming her index and middle finger on any solid surface capable of absorbing her anxiety. As she’s assumed a leadership position, she’s also taken up the habit of pacing while waiting for her teams of tier three operatives to return.  QUIRKS: (1) With the current travel restrictions, Emmeline has fallen back into driving. She learned during one of her summers away from Hogwarts, and her trusty Vauxhall Viva has carried her across Britain and back several times over. (2) When approach Diagon Alley for pleasure, Emmeline prefers to enter through the Leaky Cauldron. There’s something symbolic about crossing from Muggle to Wizarding London. (3) If Emmeline starts something, she has to finish. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, she cannot abandon a task already underway. It is one of the reasons she spends so long planning: planning necessitates time and distance while action must be immediate. 

𝖑 𝖎 𝖋 𝖊 𝖘 𝖙 𝖞 𝖑 𝖊

RESIDES: Puddlemere, England { London has always been home, and her work at St. Mungo’s frequently brings her into the city. But as war rears its head, Emmeline has opted for more strategic ground. The community of Puddlemere is welcoming to muggleborns, and her proximity to other Order members offers safety that could never be found in city streets. } BORN: London, England  RAISED: Too many places to count, though Emmeline isn’t partial to declaring military barracks as her hometown. Jokingly, she’ll say that Hogwarts was the most permanent home she had while growing up. More seriously, she’ll consider herself a Londoner.  PETS: A tawny owl named Machiavelli, though she considers him more of a useful friend than a pet.  CAREER: Healer { additionally, a vigilante; she offers free... how shall we say.. r e t r i b u t i o n to muggleborn and half-blood families that need a little extra muscle, be it of the offensive or defensive sort. } EXPERIENCE: In the medical field, Emmeline has specialized in accident and emergency, though it seems every Witch or Wizard only deems medical care necessary in such cases. Outside St. Mungo’s, she has frequented several underground dueling clubs to keep her skills sharp.  EMPLOYER: St. Mungo’s POLITICAL AFFILIATION: The Order of the Phoenix  BELIEFS: The the Wizarding community is in desperate need of some muggle influence (preventative medicine, to start, but automobiles, microwaves, and telephones would be a wonderful addition). The motivation of purebloods to eradicate such influence only keeps the community from advancing and reaching full potential, and the mounting war is representative of the collision between the old world and the new. (That said, she’s strongly of the belief that no one should have to die while seeking out inclusivity.)  MISDEMEANORS: Nothing that has found its way onto her record.  FELONIES: Being a muggleborn is starting to damn well feel like one.  DRUGS: Never. As much as Emmeline has a tendency to lock herself within her mind, she has yet to seek out drugs as a key.  SMOKES: Unfortunately. She knows she shouldn’t, but nicotine is often the only thing capable of taking the edge off and stimulating her focus at the same time. It’s a necessary evil, and her pocket is rarely without a pack  ALCOHOL: A taste for scotch runs in the family, and it’s often one of the most expensive items on her list of expenses for the month. She refuses to touch it while in the process of acting, but it plays a large role in her planning stages.  DIET: Emmeline never managed to find the time to take up cooking, and as such, she depends on local takeout.  LANGUAGES: English, French  PHOBIAS: Deep water { she adores swimming, but will never go so deep that her toes can’t graze the bottom } ; failure { a common fear, but many years passed where she refused to speak up in class because her fear of being wrong was greater than her confidence in being right; now those days have passed and she’s perhaps too passionately outspoken, but if she isn’t complete convinced of something, the words will never pass her lips } ; death { she’s grazed the reaper more times than she can count, either in her own life or accompanying the paths of others. still, she can’t imagine what it would be like to see her own funeral. she acts with certainty and confidence, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t fear what is on the other side of that bright green flash. } HOBBIES: Reading, board games or cards, camping, pick-up games of very, very, very amateur Quidditch  TRAITS: I never dreamed about success; I worked for it.  { + }: Hardworking, clever, frequently compassionate (but...) { - }: Occasionally apathetic, subconsciously manipulative, righteous 

𝖋 𝖆 𝖛 𝖔 𝖗 𝖎 𝖙 𝖊 𝖘

LOCATION: Diagon Alley; it is the place where she first felt that her magic was a blessing rather than a curse, and it continues to instill that childlike hope in her whenever she visits. It’s one of the few bright places remaining.  SPORTS TEAM: Puddlemere United, naturally. She’s only recently moved to Puddlemere, but she has a long history of training Mediwitches and Mediwizards during Puddlemere’s practices and matches, and as such has brushed shoulders with the team just enough to be emotionally invested in their success.  GAME: Chess (of either the muggle or wizarding variety)  MUSIC: She knows the correct answer to this is anything orchestral, yet Goodbye Yellowbrick Road is the most frequently-played record in her flat.  MOVIES: The Godfather, Patton, Saturday Night Fever FOOD: Her mother’s Beef Wellington. She’s yet to find its rival.  BEVERAGE: Scotch, Earl Grey COLOR: Light green (but certainly not lime, damn those robes) 

𝖒 𝖆 𝖌 𝖎 𝖈

ALUMNI HOUSE: Ravenclaw  WAND (length, flexibility, wood, & core): 11.25in, sturdy, redwood, dragon heartstring AMORTENTIA: Leather, incense, cotton  PATRONUS: Hawk  BOGGART: The visage of the first patient that died due to her negligence. It isn’t an exact replica from her memories, but one that is in the process of decomposing. It’s propped up in a bed like the ones populating St. Mungo’s. 

𝖈 𝖍 𝖆 𝖗 𝖆 𝖈 𝖙 𝖊 𝖗

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Neutral good  MBTI: ENTJ MBTI ROLE: Analyst ENNEAGRAM: Type 8  ENNEAGRAM ROLE: The Achiever  TEMPERAMENT: Choleric WESTERN ZODIAC: Virgo  CHINESE ZODIAC: Rooster PRIMAL SIGN: Corgi TAROT CARD: The Chariot TV TROPES: Lady of War, Female Empowerment Song, Historical In-Joke, Showing Up Chauvinists  SONGS: Tongues -- Joywave // History Has Its Eyes on You -- Christopher Jackson // Come With Me Now -- KONGOS // Vindicated -- Dashboard Confessional // Baba O’Riley -- The Who // Vienna -- Billy Joel // Machine -- MisterWives // Kill Your Heroes -- AWOLNATION // Sabotage -- Beastie Boys 

𝖎 𝖉 𝖊 𝖔 𝖑 𝖔 𝖌 𝖎 𝖊 𝖘

Muggle influence will do more good for the wizarding world than it ever will harm

Encourages second chances but condemns those that require a third 

People should expect to get out of the world what they put in (no more, no less) 

Violence should be a last resort, but damn if it isn’t a definitive one

Those that are neutral in a time of oppression have chosen the side of the oppressor 

Sugar has no right to be in coffee or tea 

History repeats itself; if you can’t find a parallel within the pages of history books, the situation simply hasn’t developed thoroughly enough yet 

Cheap scotch is worse than sewer water 

[elven-ariaera]

Read the New Leaf Diaries first here!

Start from NH Diaries part 1: Permanent Island Getaway

Day 7

Kitt moved in this morning. It felt so good to have her back in my life. I did not realize how nostalgic I would get already, but no matter what, I am sticking with my plan to move forward. Citytown is behind me, and Islandtown is my future.

I got a free tee-shirt in the mail from Dodo Airlines. Audie didn’t seem to care much about it and gave me a lecture on fashion. I guess she does know what she’s talking about. Maybe I should pawn it off on some poor unsuspecting fool…

Until then, all I can do is think about my life choices while wearing this dumb dodo shirt…

That night a terrifying thing happened. A tarantula appeared and tried to get Audie! Luckily for her, I had a bug net in hand. I crept up next to the little sucker and swiped my net! …Only to miss and get bitten by the arachnid. Luckily she dragged me back to my house and all was well again. 

You know, that’s a reoccurrence that I could never quite figure out. Whenever I am bitten by a spider or stung by bees to the point of passing out, I always wind up back in my home. Who is taking me there? Is that you, Antonio? 

Day 8

I caught a Whale Shark! I thought about doing a little more fishing after my excellent finds two nights ago and my word I’ve done it again! Sure it was the most ridiculously heavy thing I’ve ever had to reel in — I’m surprised the line didn’t snap — but I did it!

I brought it to Blathers to give it a nice new home in the museum. Let me tell you, finding a plastic baggie big enough to bring it in was its own challenge. He told me some interesting tidbits about the gentle giant. Learning can be fun sometimes!

Is that an actual option?

I had also been working on a garden for a while now and I must say it is really coming along! I’m so pleased… That’s it. There’s no punchline. Not everything in life is a joke! Can’t I just have a moment of serenity for once in my life?

Oh, I had nearly forgotten! Stitches finally moved in! I’m not sure why he was the last one to move in when I asked him first, but I guess he had a lot of things to unpack. I visited him to welcome him to the neighborhood as he unpacked and he was very persistent about cleaning the back left corner of his home… Even though the entire floor was coated in dirt.

In other news, Audie and I have continued to bond and I’ve learned some things about her. She might not be as innocent as I initially thought…

I didn’t realize you played Smash Bros too!

But then we got to chatting about movies and it turns out she’s writing one. A rock-opera to be exact. While I was genuinely interested, its plot was a little hard to follow…

Really, all the neighbors and I have been getting along rather well. I jumped in on a conversation between Bud and Kitt, though, and it seems they have rather opposite tastes. Literally.

All these wacky shenanigans that go on in this town, I swear, it’d make for some kind of sitcom. I actually just received a cartoonist set from Kitt earlier, perhaps I’ll try my hand at it sometime. For now, these journals will have to suffice.

Day 9

I had gotten a new room expansion for my house the other day and it seems that word spread quickly! Audie has been dying to come over and see the place since the first day, but now she has sort of been inviting herself over. 

It’s not that I don’t want her over, she’s easily become my best friend of all the island’s residents that live here. I simply want to gussy up the place before she comes. Still, she remains persistent… Is this what Antonio felt like about my persistence? 

…Man, what a great feeling to be loved and admired so much.

I headed over to check in on Stitches today seeing as he was still new to island life. He seems to be progressing rather quickly and is already doing stuff.

On another note, he keeps insisting that he has bug friends who live inside the floor and whisper things to him while he sleeps. Should I be concerned? 

Mabel dropped by today to set up shop in the town plaza. I always enjoy her selection of clothing to pick from. She’s also quite the trooper — It rained practically all day today, and still, she stood outside waiting for potential customers. I do think I was the only one though…

She just stands there… Menacingly!

Later that night Audie insisted on coming over again. I did explain to her that I was waiting for the renovations on my new room aka extension walk-in closet to be finished before anyone saw, and she seemed to understand, so we went back to her place to chat for a while. I found it a little ironic that she didn’t want me to snoop around her house yet she kept trying to persuade me to invite her over to my house… Does she have a secret shrine of me? 

…That would be so sweet! She’s the best friend I ever had!

We later went on a late-night stroll and things got real. I told her about my previous fishing escapades and she kept freaking out. It seems she has a severe case of ichthyophobia. 

Day 10

The resident’s hall was under construction and they have now finished and revealed the new and improved plaza. It looks magnificent! Nook had even gotten new help from off-island. He hired Isabelle, my assistant from back home. I guess Citytown isn’t doing so hot without me… 

Now I have no quarrel with Isabelle under normal circumstances, but I can’t help but feel that Nook is trying to replace me. I am your island representative, not her! Don’t you dare get any ideas…

Ugh, Isabelle, you make it so hard to hate you when you act so precious!

Anyway, it’s clear that I’m still the favorite of the residents. Stitches came by and gave me a house-warming gift even though he was the one who just moved in… Still, it was much appreciated.

I dropped by the town hall today to carry on business as usual, but of course, Tom Nook just had to rave about what a great help Isabelle would be. I mean, sure, she did let me change the flag because of my magnificent artistic potential, but that doesn’t change anything! I’ve got my eye on you, Isabelle…

Btw, the flag looks fabulous. 

Other business included the construction of a suspension bridge. Of course, most of that money was coming out of my pocket, but still, if it could save me from a pole-vaulting accident, I’d gladly pay the majority.

I decided to look for more resources to sell off-island and the dodo’s brought me to a wonderful place. They brought me to an island filled with rare hybrid colored cosmos growing all over! It was truly a sight to behold! My garden would look absolutely stunning with some of these added in the variety! Why haven’t these dodo-brains ever brought me here before? Oh…

In addition, I think my talk with Audie yesterday night helped her overcome her fear of fish. But I still don’t think she understands how fishing works…

Day 11

I still needed to make some money for that suspension bridge, so I thought a little bug catching and tree shaking would do the trick. Kitt called out to me, asking if I was having a fun time bug catching. She then apologized for assuming, and though she did assume correctly, I appreciate her earnest apology. 

We also opened a campsite today! To think, the future resident of my town would soon be here! Nook was very persistent about persuading people to settle down here, and I couldn’t agree more. I wonder what kind of animal they would be? I wonder if maybe… No. Certainly he wouldn’t be there…

Enough stressing myself out over the thought of my future resident. I also took another mystery flight from Dodo Airlines to see what magnificent isle they might bring me to today. Yesterdays “Hybrid Island,” as I am thoughtfully dubbing it, was a sight to behold. How could they ever top that?

In short, they didn’t. They brought me to an island where every fish in the river was a black bass. Every. Single. One.

I hate you all…

As awful as that experience was, I had to be grateful that the ocean fish were not all sea basses. Ugh. I shudder at the very thought of such a place even existing. Still, I complained to their manager. I had already booked a Nook Miles Ticket in advance, so their flight tomorrow had better be good!

All the neighbors today kept stressing out about the Happy Home Designers committee and I just couldn’t understand why. They give you nice presents if you do a good job decorating your home, right? Well, when speaking to Audie, she presented it to me in a whole different way. I’ll never look at the Happy Home community the same way again…

A friend of mine had invited me and another chum over to his island later that evening. It was a delightful night filled with picnics and hide-and-go-seek.

I also met someone. Roald. His eyes were so striking, I could not look away. With that and his chiseled features, one could easily… No. Stop it. You are a one-anteater kind of woman! Someday he’ll come back. I know he will. Until then, I must resist the sweet temptations of this gorgeous hunk of penguin. 

Oh, you lift? I can tell…

Day 12

Today’s the day~

We have a guest at the campsite! Oh, I can’t wait to meet them! I’m so excited that I had to write about it the first minute I got up today! This lucky fellow isn’t even aware that they’re going to be our future resident! Ooo, I’m so excited! I have to go! I’ll write more when I get back tonight!

I don’t want to talk about it. Ugh, but I have to vent somewhere, don’t I?

Our guest today was Graham, the hamster. Ugh. I do not like Graham. Why? He’s such a wannabe poser! He claims he’s a celebrity and uses corny terms all the time. He greeted me by saying “Bonjourno!” and later exclaimed his excitement by shouting “Guten Tag!” First — that’s not even the same language as you were faking before, second, you’re not using that phrase properly! Don’t think I’m not onto you, hamster.

To make matters worse, he doesn’t even refer to me by my name. He just calls me “Hey, you!” Do you even know who I am, pal? I’m more a celebrity than you’ll ever be!

Ugh, after that nightmare finally ended (for now,) I needed a bit of joy in my life. Stitches was the perfect friend to brighten my day. But then I screwed that up too — I thought it would be cute to give him a stuffed Panda Bear, and then I remembered he is a stuffed bear. Oh, my dear sweet Stitches, I am so very sorry.

Then Gulliver washed up on my shore again. Even he is aware of my excess loads of free time so, of course, I had to help him…

I decided it was time to just take a breather and use that Nook Miles Ticket I had. I looked the pilot dead in the eyes before we took off and said, “I swear, if you bring me to black bass island one more time, it will be the last thing you ever do.” Needless to say, he brought me to Bell Rock island today. I went to the island with 5,000 bells and came home with 87,000. I am one satisfied customer.

By the way, how does that work? I understand when I chip away at a rock and things like stone or clay fall from it, but bells? Perhaps bells are actually a type of stone valued so much by the animal people it’s used as currency? You see, I could accept that, but the fact that sometimes it flies out of the rock wrapped in little bags, it just baffles me!

Well, with all my profits from that trip I managed to pay for another bridge. Audie and I were discussing how this would benefit us by not having to use the vaulting poles anymore.

Also, Kitt hurt my feelings today too. She said that my style was basic. She could see I was a bit upset by this, so she covered it up by saying she meant I wore basics well, but I knew what she really meant. I’m starting to remember why I let her move from Citytown…

Yeah, well, your hat doesn’t match your jacket!

Though this day was full of ups and downs, the final part of my story ends with the highest high one could feel. Later in the evening, I thought I should attempt to find the rumored Tarantula Island. I haven’t had any luck finding a specimen for the museum, so certainly I would be able to find one in a place literally named after the creature. But I did not find the island. However, what I found was even better. Love.

I got off the plane, and lo and behold, there he was. My precious, my darling — Antonio was there! I ran to his side, thrilled to see him, nearly jumping into his arms — but I controlled myself.

We talked and talked, catching up on life since we last saw each other. It turned out he was doing a survival training challenge, which is why he was out on the island. Typical Antonio. Still, his training was doing him wonders, ooh, those muscles!

He also noticed how much I have been toning myself as well, what with all this island hopping and hard labor Nook tasks me with.

He off-hand mentioned that he’d love to his island training full time, so I took the opportunity and asked him to move in with me— I mean, to Islandtown. After everything that had happened between us, I thought perhaps I came on a bit too strong, but he answered in the affirmative. Antonio, sweet, sweet, Antonio, is going to be part of my village once again!

Despite all the bad things that happened today, I can rest easy knowing my favorite animal is going to be with me.

Day 13

Graham was the first one to move in today, but Antonio will be here tomorrow! I’m so excited! Audie and I got together and talked about it all morning. It was funny because she was watching a romance movie the day before and had an inkling something special might happen!

But sadly, poor little Stitches was sick today! I immediately ran over when Kitt told me the news and brought him some medicine. He was feeling a lot better afterward, but I told him he should still rest inside for the day.

I proceeded from there to go to the Town Hall as Tom Nook had requested for my assistance — MY assistance, not Isabelle’s… Okay, Isabelle’s too. Ugh.

If you think for one second that I’m your task force you’ve got another thing coming…

Anyway, the two of them asked me to keep inviting new residents to live in our town. Easy enough! I knew plenty of people from back home who would love to live here! I called up my girl Whitney from back home and invited her to camp out with us here on the island. I figured we’d hang out a bit and then I’d ask her about moving in.

She was thrilled when I called her and came over immediately. We had such a good time catching up, it’s been so long! These past few days have been overwhelming me with emotion with so many familiar faces.

However, when I mentioned that Whitney should move to Islandtown, she didn’t say no, but she didn’t quite feel ready yet. I get it. Citytown is a great place. I mean, it’s less great now that I’m not mayor anymore, but it’s still pretty cool. I’ll invite her over again after she’s thought it over a bit.

Oh! With my garden doing so well, I decided to set up my own little flower shop right outside my house. I stood there for three hours today and not a single customer. Mabel, I applaud your patience and durability.

I was hoping to raise a bit of money through this stand to set up a bridge. You see, when I picked a spot for Antonio’s house to be, I didn’t realize he had no connection to the other parts of the island. It was imperative that I got this bridge funded and finished by tonight. Luckily I had some help from friends to donate enough bells for the project to be completed. It took a lot of hard work and a lot of fishing…

But it will all be worth it. Tomorrow, my prince charming moves to town. 

A Residents Representatives work is never done! With so many tasks to complete and more residents moving in, how will our solo human villager handle the heat? Read the New Leaf Diaries first here! Start from NH Diaries part 1: Permanent Island Getaway…

[star-spangled-eyes]

The Royal Romance Deleted Scenes, Alternate Endings & Additions...Book 1, Ch. 19

These “deleted scenes”, alternate endings and additions are from The Royal Romance – a story written and owned by Pixelberry Studios. All main story character names and fictional places are owned and created by Pixelberry Studios. Some content belongs to Pixelberry, whereas the rest is created and written by this author.

Master List of Chapters

Book/Chapter: The Royal Romance, Book 1: Chapter 19 - Long Live the King (Alternate Ending) “Is This Really Goodbye?”

Content Type: Alternate Ending

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Bragnae Bennett -- *pronounced Brawn-yah)

A/N: I fell in love with this series immediately, and I always envisioned more depth and experiences with the characters to make it more realistic. I had a lot of fun writing these “moments” that we didn’t get to see in the books, especially when giving Drake and the MC a lot more time together to show just how much they care about each other. These are NOT the full chapters from the book itself, rather they add to or expand upon certain moments in the story. I do apologize that they are scattered across the series, but I am working to fill in the moments in each chapter. I hope you enjoy what I’ve decided to add to this already amazing series, and stay tuned for more posts!

***These chapters set the foundation for my fanfic series The Royal Couple. 

Warnings for deleted scenes, alternate endings and additions: Adult content, suggestive and strong language, sex, violence

Warnings for this chapter: Adult content, suggestive and strong language, mild violence, anger, sadness

Word Count for this chapter: 4312

Setting for this chapter: Prince Gabriel was just crowned as King of Cordonia and is about to choose his bride-to-be. Bragnae is torn between accepting his choice publicly despite her feelings for Drake, or embarrassing the new king with a rejection in front of the whole court. Fortunately and unfortunately, Bragnae’s choice was made for her when scandalous pictures of her surfaced on the internet.

Permatags: @burnsoslow @cora-nova @dcbbw

“Thank you all for being here tonight. This is an incredible honor and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly,” Gabriel began. “I only hope that I can serve Cordonia with the distinction that my father did.”

Gabriel bowed to his father and Regina, the now former King and Queen of Cordonia, before hugging them both tightly.

“And now the time has come. Gabriel will choose his bride,” Regina announced.

“First,” the King Father interjected. “Let us thank you all for spending the social season with us.”

“And particularly for all of the young ladies, thank you for your time. I could imagine any one of you being a fitting queen for my son,” Regina added.

Suddenly, a royal advisor walked up and whispered to the former King and Queen. “If you’ll excuse us one moment,” Regina said as the two of them stepped away from the crowd to confer with the advisor, inviting Gabriel to join them.

Just then, a phone buzzed. Then another, and another. One by one, people in the crowd checked their devices.

“Oh my!” Madeleine gasped.

“Oh non!” Kiara joined in.

“She wouldn’t…” Penelope said, flabbergasted.

“Bertrand!” Maxwell screamed at his brother.

“What?” Bertrand said, annoyed as Maxwell shoved his phone in Bertrand’s face forcing him to look at the screen.

“Those bastards!” Drake said angrily.

“Drake… what is it?” Bragnae asked, fearful of how he might answer. She had a terrible feeling it had something to do with her.

Drake looked up at her with a sad expression on his face. “That night Tariq thought you walked into his room… Someone got photos of it. You were set up.”

“It’s all over the news!” Hana exclaimed with deep regret.

Hana walked over to Bragnae’s side, and showed her a news story published just a few minutes ago. In the leading photo, Tariq was reaching out for Bragnae while she stood there in her underwear. The headline read, ‘Prince Humiliated by Unfaithful Suitor!”

Bragnae’s heart sank. She couldn’t believe it. As if that night wasn’t awful enough, now all of Cordonia knew about it, and worst of all, they were seeing her in an extremely vulnerable and exposed position. She wanted to crawl into a hole and die. This was the worst feeling she’d ever had. She was betrayed. This news article put a spin on the situation claiming she wanted to humiliate Gabriel by sleeping with Tariq. Her breathing increased as panic spread throughout her body.

Oh my God! Oh my God! This can’t be happening. Who did this to me? Why did they do this to me? Those assholes! As if I’d ever want to be with that creep Tariq. But that doesn’t matter. This picture shows one of two stories, and the press decided to use the more scandalous version corrupting all of the Cordonian citizen’s minds. But wait. Gabriel. He must hate me. This will hurt him so much!

Bragnae couldn’t breathe. As her thoughts spiraled, she only managed to sputter out one word. “But…”

Seemingly from nowhere, the royal guards appeared around her. “I’m so sorry, Lady Bragnae, but I’ve been ordered to escort you out… immediately. Along with the representatives from House Beaumont,” Bastien said as he gripped her arm firmly.

“This is absurd!” Bertrand reprimanded.

“You can’t do this to Bragnae!” Maxwell said with a serious and fierce look – one Bragnae had yet to see in Maxwell before.

Two other guards grabbed Maxwell and Bertrand, and began dragging the three of them out of the ballroom hastily. Bragnae could barely comprehend the events that were unfolding around her. She was angry and confused, and now she was being forcibly removed from the Coronation Ball. Drake’s livid voice brought her back to reality.

“Get your hands off her!” Drake yelled as he started after them.

“Bragnae!” Hana said desperately.

Both Hana and Drake were now fighting through the crowds to reach them, but the other members of the guard were instructed to hold them back. Across the room, Gabriel was frantically scanning the crowd for Bragnae’s face.

“Where is Lady Bragnae?” Gabriel asked quietly, but just as soon as he said it, he spotted her. “Bragnae!”

“Gabriel!” Bragnae screamed back.

The room erupted into chaos, and was filled with deafening noise making it impossible for their voices to carry to each other.

“Given the circumstances, I’m sure Lady Bragnae has withdrawn from consideration,” Regina said, turning to Gabriel.

“But… I need to speak to her,” Gabriel replied angrily.

Noticing Gabriel’s uncharacteristic show of emotion, Regina pulled him aside, and whispered to him before turning back to the crowd. Gabriel grew more furious as Regina spoke to him before he bitterly conceded to whatever he was hearing. The King father turned outward to the crowd once more.

“And now, Prince Gabriel must make his choice,” Constantine declared, glaring over his shoulder at Gabriel who stood behind him slightly shaking his head back and forth at his father. At this announcement, the crowd hushed to hear the news.

With a disappointed and furious look, Gabriel stepped forward to address the crowd once more. “I choose…” He paused, struggling to say the next two words. “Lady Madeleine,” he gritted through his teeth. Gabriel shot daggers in the direction of his father only to receive a knowing nod from Constantine.

A few feet away, Madeleine stepped forward to stand next to Gabriel with a winning smile on her face, “I’m deeply, deeply honored to accept.” She reached up to kiss Gabriel on the cheek as he clenched his fists, still seething about his forced choice.

Bragnae shuddered at Gabriel’s words unsure of how she truly felt about it. She turned back to face what was in front of her. She was almost to the door that would lead her out of the ballroom and eventually the palace. She panicked as thoughts of her life in Cordonia flashed before her eyes. She was about to lose her friends… she was about to lose Drake.

No! I can’t leave like this! I need to see him again!

Bragnae turned back to find Drake again through the crowd. Her eyes searched for him desperately until finally she saw him still being held back by the Royal Guard. His face was fraught with emotion that was somewhere between shock, anger and sadness. As the crowd continued to cheer and clap at Gabriel’s decision, Bragnae knew she could only communicate with Drake with her eyes. She offered him a pleading, yet apologetic look feeling her eyes well with tears. Drake mouthed her name never letting his gaze stray from her face. As the doors closed behind her, his face was the last thing she saw.

Bastien’s grip loosened on her arm, still guiding her toward the staircase. She ascended the stairs feeling like a disobedient child being reprimanded, and sent to her room. She was utterly embarrassed. Behind her Bertrand was giving the guards two kinds of hell.

“Unhand me at once! This is completely uncalled for!” Bertrand demanded.

“There’s an explanation to this! Can’t we just calm down and talk about it?” Maxwell pleaded.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Bragnae noticed she was being led back to her room at the palace. She looked back to see Maxwell and Bertrand being escorted in the opposite direction, presumably toward their own rooms. Bertrand was still ranting as his voice faded the further apart they became.

“Maxwell! Bertrand!” Bragnae screamed.

“Keep going,” Bastien said to her sternly, tightening his grip on her once more.

They reached her room and escorted her in. Bragnae felt relief on her arm as Bastien finally let go of her. He moved to face her. Two other guards stood inside her room in front of her now closed door.

“Lady Bragnae, you have exactly five minutes to gather your things. We’ll be escorting you off the palace grounds, and you will be returning to New York tonight.”

Bragnae’s mouth gaped open as she looked at him in horror. She wanted to scream, cry and punch Bastien all at the same time. She looked around her room with sadness. So much had transpired within the last ten minutes. As her mind raced through everything, she found herself becoming irate at her current situation. Throughout this whole social season, she had done her best to keep her cool, and represent House Beaumont with as much poise and elegance as she could. All things considered, she thought she did well enough. All of her hard work learning their customs and new things like the game of croquet, and enduring the endless snide comments from the royal family, her competitors and the press for what? To be forced to leave the country because one news article claimed that she was some tramp out to break Gabriel’s heart?

This is complete bullshit.

“Can I at least change out of this dress before you make me go?” She pleaded with Bastien, but made no effort to hide her snarky attitude.

“Do it quickly,” he replied.

Bragnae marched to the bathroom thankful all of her clothes were in a closet linked to it. She hated that Bastien and the other guards were watching her every move, so the privacy was more than welcoming to her at the moment. She closed the door, and let out a sigh. She walked over to her dresser and found a pair of jeans and a black tank top, and changed out of her dress. Bragnae looked at all of her beautiful dresses hanging in the closet reminiscing the memories she made in them. She felt tears start to pool in her eyes again, but she quickly blinked them away. She grabbed her suitcase, and began packing the dresses and other clothes she had. Next, she turned to her vanity to collect her toiletries. She stared at herself in the mirror.

I can’t believe this is how it’s going to end. I can’t even speak to my friends, and I’m about to be toted off like some common criminal. This is fucking ridiculous.

Bragnae pounded her first on the vanity. Just then she heard a knock on the door.

“Sixty seconds, Lady Bragnae,” Bastien called from beyond the barrier.

Ugh. Fine. Have it your way, asshole.

Bragnae opened her cosmetic bag and held it against the edge of the vanity as she swiftly moved all of her products into it with one swipe of her arm. She threw the bag into her very full suitcase, and begrudgingly zipped it up. She threw the door to the bathroom open carrying her luggage by the side handle. Bragnae took a few steps out of the bathroom looking Bastien in the eye as she purposefully dropped her bag on the floor. It was her last act of defiance. Bastien sighed shaking his head.

“Pick up her suitcase, and let’s go,” Bastien ordered the other two guards.

Bragnae planted herself in the spot she stood burning a hole into Bastien with her look with her arms folded across her chest. He moved to grab her arm again, but she whipped it out of his reach.

“Do not… touch me,” she growled. “At least let me walk out of here with what little dignity I have left.”

Bastien pulled back slightly reacting to her tone as if he was surprised she would stand up for herself. He said nothing as he lifted his arm in the direction of the door insisting that she walk ahead.

Bragnae took a deep breath looking around her room once more, and then headed for the door. It wasn’t long before the guards led her into a black SUV outside of the palace sitting on either side of her in the back seat. Bastien climbed into the driver’s seat, and took off for the airport. She looked back at the palace watching it get smaller and smaller as they drove away. Drake. She turned back to face the dark road ahead of her. Endless tears flowed down her face. The car was completely quiet, except for her occasional sniffle breaking the silence. She leaned forward in her seat resting her head in her hands.

When they reached the airport, one guard grabbed her suitcase as the other opened the door for her to get out. Bastien sidled up next to her as they walked into the main entrance.

“We’ve got you on the red eye leaving at 1:15 a.m. Continue to cooperate with us, and this will all go smoothly,” Bastien said. “You will not be returning to Cordonia.”

Bragnae glared at him, but kept walking without replying. Soon, she was through security and arrived at her gate. She rolled her bag over to a seat facing the window and sat down.

“I want you two to stay with her until she boards the plane,” Bragnae heard Bastien say to his subordinates.

Bastien walked over to stand in front of Bragnae with a soft, almost regrettable look on his face, which was very different than she had seen in the last half hour.

“Lady Bragnae… for what it’s worth, I’m sorry we had to remove you from the palace like that.”

Bragnae stared up at him. Her blood boiled.

“Fuck you, Bastien,” she replied, her words dripping with indignation. “You have no idea what you’re forcing me to leave behind. You’re all a bunch of cowards. You’d trust the word of the press before you’d even look into the situation yourselves. What about your new King? Do you think this is what he wanted? I know for a fact it’s not. It’s fucking bullshit, and you know it.”

Bastien hardened his gaze before speaking again. “Have a safe flight, Lady Bragnae,” he said curtly as he walked off.

Bragnae slumped in her chair looking out the window at Cordonia. She could faintly see the palace sitting atop the hill in the distance. Cordonia grew to be a second home to her – maybe more like an actual home. She felt more comfortable here than she did most of the time living in New York. There was something about Cordonia that drew her in. Perhaps it was the people, or maybe it was the feeling of being swept up in some sort of fairy tale in a far off land she’d never heard of before. It was truly magical, and this experience was everything to her. It took on a whole new meaning of the word adventure. She made new friends… and enemies. She learned more about herself and took risks. She found love. True love. And now, she was leaving it all behind against her will. There was still so much to say. She sat there and stewed thinking about everything.

I bet Gabriel thinks I’m some sort of crown chaser by now. He probably hates me for embarrassing him like that. I can’t say I blame him though. I should have told him about that night at Applewood Manor, but then again, I didn’t think I was being watched. I just wish I could have explained it to him. Those fucking vultures set me up, and plastered my half-naked ass all over the internet right as he was about to make his announcement. Coupled with that threatening letter… How convenient. I should have put two and two together earlier before all of this happened. I’m such a fool.

But let’s be real, Bragnae. What would you have done if this didn’t happen? You’re in love with Drake! And Gabriel is in love with you, and you love him… but you’re not in love with him. How did this happen?!

What if Gabriel had chosen me like he told me he was going to do earlier tonight? I was resigned to say yes. This was the only thing to do. It was the proper thing to do. I came here for Gabriel after all… But does that mean I’d have to be unhappy for the rest of my life?! Ugh, this is such a mess. What was I going to do? Embarrass him by declining his offer to marry me in public. Or would I have said yes, and then broken it off later to save him the humiliation of being let down in front of everyone. That wouldn’t have been good either. What if I had gone through with marrying him, while still secretly loving Drake? Would I have just moved on and forgotten my feelings for Drake? Maybe, but I doubt it.

This doesn’t even matter, Bragnae! Why are you going over this?! It doesn’t matter anymore.

Perhaps this was for the best. This way, the decision was made for me. What do they call it when this happens? … A blessing in disguise? Still! I wanted to make this decision! I want control over my life! I didn’t want to be thrown out of the ballroom with my name tarnished like that.

I want to be with Drake. Bragnae scoffed at her thoughts.

I finally know who I want to be with, and now that can never happen. I’m leaving Cordonia, and I doubt he’ll follow me to New York. Especially with Gabriel hating me or whatever he feels about me, Drake would never betray him like that. It basically took an act of God to get Drake to even admit his feelings for me or even kiss me despite his loyalty to Gabriel. It would make Gabriel look really bad if his best friend left the country to be with ‘the harlot that jilted the Prince’ at the end of the social season.

Reality was finally starting to set in crashing over her like a tidal wave. She was never going to see Drake again. She would never get the chance to tell him that she wanted to be with him, and only him. Bragnae finally knew what it felt like to truly love another person, and being ripped away from him without a proper goodbye was breaking her heart. She couldn’t breathe. The pain of losing him before things even had a chance to start was overwhelming. Being forced into this situation made her feel like someone ripped her heart out of her chest, and stomped on it in front of her. There was nothing she could do. Realizing this, Bragnae started to cry. Not caring who was looking at her, she allowed herself to cry harder. The tears poured as she gasped for air, but it wasn’t making her feel better. She was angry, and desperately wanted to pound her fists into something. She didn’t care who or what that was. Bragnae leapt up from her seat and ran to the bathroom just down the way. One of the guards stood up to follow her, but stopped when he saw her go in.

She headed right for a stall and slammed the door behind her. She leaned against the cold metal sobbing even more, and kicked it a few times. After a few minutes, she emerged from the stall, and walked over to the sink to splash some cool water on her face. When she looked up she saw just how red and puffy her face was with her eyes all bloodshot. She stood with her hands on either side of the sink holding herself up as she continued to look into the mirror. Nothing was making this pain going away, and it was incredibly frustrating. So many different emotions coursed through her veins, and it was unbearable. She wondered when this pain would go away, if ever. She dropped to her knees, and turned to lean against the wall. She tucked her legs against her chest, and held herself quietly.

Bragnae had to do something to help herself. She needed to break away, and take back some control. She briefly considered tricking the royal guards somehow, and sneaking out of the airport, but the image of her being thrown into a Cordonian jail turned her off of that thought. She had to talk to Drake again. She had to tell him that she loved him, and how much she was going to miss him. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, and brought up Drake’s number. She hesitated at first, but pushed the button to call him anyway. The phone went straight to voicemail. She hung up and dialed again. Same thing. She sighed. Bragnae wished at this moment that Drake had recorded his own personal greeting on his cell phone, so she could hear his voice again. She ended the call, and stared at her phone.

Maybe I’ll just text him, then. But what do I even say? I don’t want to tell him I love him over a text. That’s so tacky. Who knows if his phone is even on or when he’ll even get it?

Bragnae began talking herself out of texting Drake, but then realized it hurt more to not even try to reach him. She opened up her Message app, and began typing a text to Drake.

              [Hey Drake…]

Bragnae paused before sending the message.

Ugh! What do I say?!

Feeling sad and defeated again, she navigated to her Photos app. She scrolled through the first few pictures of her with her friends. There were a few selfies she and Hana took before Karaoke night began, a picture of Bertrand, her and Maxwell at the Beaumont Bash holding up champagne bottles and the swords they opened them with, a few more selfies of her, Hana and Maxwell from that night as well, and many goofy poses of Maxwell throughout their travels. She continued swiping through her pictures until one made her stop dead in her tracks. It was the selfie she took of her and Drake the night of his birthday at the American-themed country bar. She had almost forgotten about it.

Before they left that night, Bragnae leaned in and wrapped her arm around Drake’s waist holding her phone out in front of them demanding a selfie. The memory made her smile for a brief moment. She remembered him grimacing at her, but he relented and leaned in close for the shot. The result was the most perfect picture she’d ever seen. The angle from the camera looked down on them with Bragnae beaming as she displayed a full smile, while Drake had an eyebrow somewhat raised, and one side of his closed mouth slipping up into a smile ever so slightly. It was so perfectly Drake. He rarely smiled, and even though his wasn’t the biggest in this picture, it still made Bragnae’s heart skip a beat when she looked at it. She knew how much he held in his affections for her, and in this photo, she could see the restrained happiness he was allowing to show. Despite them revealing their true feelings a few weeks after his birthday, she knew they both felt a spark that night. He really opened up to her on his birthday. It was the first time she really hugged him, and felt him return her embrace with sincerity.

He looks so good in this picture. Those beautiful, brown eyes… those lips… that strong jaw line. And his soft, gorgeous hair.

Bragnae felt herself blush remembering his touch, and how well he kissed. And it wasn’t even about how good of kisser he was. It was how she felt when his lips were on hers. The undeniable electric bolt that surged through her body every single time never ceased to amaze her. Kissing him felt so right despite it always having to be in secret. She closed her eyes trying to hold onto the memories of when they could be alone, and truly be themselves around each other. She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she opened her eyes again. She looked at her phone once more, this time zooming in so just Drake’s face filled her screen.

I’m going to miss you so much, Drake.

Feeling a bit of inspiration looking at his face, Bragnae decided to return to the Message app.

                 [Hey… I just wanted to say thank you for everything you’ve done for me. And I’m going to miss you… a lot.]

Bragnae sent the message hoping it would mean something to Drake when he read it. But before she could put her phone away, her screen lit up, and displayed the words ‘Not Delivered’ underneath the message she sent. Bragnae tapped the message attempting to send it again, but it came back the same. She looked to her reception bars and saw a ‘1x’ where full bars should be.

Great, I have no reception. I guess it’s not meant to be, then. Just my luck.

Bragnae stood up, and decided to return to her seat to await her flight back to New York. When she exited the bathroom, she saw one of the guards standing just outside of it waiting for her. She sighed in disgust and walked over to her seat. Before sitting down, she looked out the window, and decided to change her seat facing away from it.

It’s time to stop emotionally cutting myself. I’m really going back to New York. I need to look forward, and not dwell in the past.

Bragnae’s pep talk carried no weight, as she didn’t even believe herself. But she had to try. Anything was better than the pain she felt. She drew in a deep breath suddenly feeling exhausted. She slumped down in her chair once again, closing her eyes. Her flight was supposed to begin boarding in an hour. That’s all she had to wait for. Then this would all be behind her. She tried to will herself to sleep, but her mind was still racing. No matter what she did to think about anything else, the thought of leaving the love of her life consumed her.

Drake…

[annoyedfanfiction]

Spock x reader (3) --> italics are Vulcan

“Commander, I was informed that the laboratories are in need of an additional officer,” you queried, rapping singularly on the door of the science department and glancing in at Spock, examining what appeared to be some form of eucalyptus. “I am afraid you may have been given false information, Lieutenant,” he stated, looking up at you with a furrowed brow. You growled, irritably, turning away. “Thank you for your honesty, Commander. I believe we both know where I will be going, now,” you answered, preparing yourself to storm down the corridors. “I cannot condone such an unwise action,” Spock answered, and you once again recognised his hand on your clothed wrist. It had become almost expected that his hands rested on your sleeve, brushing against you lightly in corridors or on the bridge. You brushed it off as an attempt to gently reintroduce the casual physical contact which was consistently lacking on New Vulcan. “Given that you are already here, may I ask your help with the away mission I am currently planning? We have been informed that there may be injured fauna close to our landing site, which poses both moral and tactical dilemmas.”

“Spock! Y/N!” Jim summoned both of you to his chair, waving his PADD around, dramatically. “May I ask why Y/N has been assigned to an away mission two days before her probation ends?” “My probationary period ended last Friday, Jim,” you frowned, in response. “You’re a week behind. And I was selected because the indecisiveness which you are so irritated by made me the most qualified candidate. I have science, medical, and tactical training which allow me to deal easily with injured fauna, as well as communication skills if necessary.” “There is meant to be no intelligent life on this planet,” he answered, raising an eyebrow at Spock. “Nevertheless, Captain,” Spock chimed in, placidly, “In light of our previous experiences, there is a projected 79.4% chance that an unexpected situation, involving either dangerous climatic conditions or alien lifeforms will occur. Lieutenant Pike’s skills make her the most qualified candidate for adapting to an alteration to our schedule.” “If we work by that logic, Y/N would be on every away mission,” Jim huffed, rolling his eyes. “Indeed, Captain,” Spock responded, tilting his head, “Overlooking extenuating circumstances, Lieutenant Y/L/N would be a useful asset in most situations.”

“A useful asset,” you mused, flopping onto Jim’s bed as he clattered through his bathroom.  “That’s high praise from Spock,” he pointed out, emerging topless and wrapped in a towel. “Oh. You weren’t complaining.” You grinned up at him. “The last Vulcan who said anything even close to that was Selek,” you answered, as he pulled on a pair of pants. “And that was after six months of slaving over reestablishing the entirety of Vulcan society on a different planet.” “Ok, I get it,” he laughed, throwing himself onto the bed beside you. “You’re ecstatic. Which totally has nothing to do with the not-crush you don’t have on my First Officer.” You slapped him with a pillow. “Shut up. I’m done talking about that absolute non-thing with you. Or anyone.” You smiled despite yourself. “What’s today’s idea to get both of us into trouble?” He grinned, blue eyes lighting up with mischief. “Are you wearing socks*?”

“Scotty! I finished the repairs in the artillery bay!” you yelled, hurriedly wiping grease from your hands. “I need to get to the bridge!” “Aye, one sec, take those,” he emerged from under the console he was mending to wave vaguely at a pile of folders on the desk. “And tell yer pesky brother ah wan’ due warnin’ before our next inspection!” “I’ll be sure to pass on the sentiments” you smiled, snatching up the reports and sprinting for the turbo lift. You dodged Hawkins on the way up with a brusque nod, before skidding into the lift next to Hendorff. You greeted him, with a smile, before quickly forcing your knotted hair into some semblance of neatness, tucking any stray strands out of your face.

“Permission to enter the bridge,” you requested, not waiting for Jim’s response. You smiled at Uhura as she stood to take her break, and danced over to place a warm kiss on Jim’s cheek. “I have a present for you, Captain.” He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, making your grin widen as you dumped the reports on his lap. “Courtesy of the Chief Engineer. I believe it could be considered revenge for the short notice on that inspection. The amount of burns I got scrambling for last minute repairs that weren’t even urgent is unholy, James.” “Ooh, full name, someone’s in trouble,” Bones laughed, broadly, as he entered the bridge. “Permission to enter the bridge, Captain? Granted, Bones,” Jim mimicked, under his breath. “Spock, is there something else I need to do with these reports or can I send them to filing?” “I would recommend a thorough check for...unorthodox language, prior to filing,” Spock answered, rising to join the gathering around the Captain’s chair. “I checked them,” you offered, easily, skittering away to your chair to avoid the errand-running. “They should be up to scratch.”

“Up to scratch?” Spock questioned, tilting his head. “Apologies, Commander, I am beginning to use human idioms again,” you replied, turning back to him. “I have always had trouble with them. They should meet the desired standard for submission.” Spock hummed, curiously, and furrowed his brow. “Are you alright, Commander?” “Quite, Lieutenant,” he responded, with a brief nod. “Simply curious. Often these idioms make very little sense even to those saying them.” “I find the etymological origins can be quite helpful in understanding their use,” you agreed, nodding, “Up to scratch, for example, comes from several sources in which humans used a mark to indicate a required standard or position, but the primary use is from early boxing matches...recreational fighting, when a contestant was required to walk to the mark in a certain period of time to avoid defeat.” Jim and Bones stared at her, blankly, but Chekov and Sulu just smiled, shrugged and turned back to their stations. “Fascinating,” Spock nodded, once, then turned back to his place. “Thank you for your explanation, Lieutenant.” “You just had an entire conversation in Vulcan interspersed with Fed Standard,” Jim pointed out, scrunching up his nose. “Why not just Vulcan?” “Well, since the Commander understands both languages, rather than taking long pauses to find a translation for specific idioms, such as ‘up to scratch’ or ‘boxing’, it is easier to say the equivalent in Fed Standard,” you shrugged, crossing your legs beneath you, and running your fingers along the hem of your trousers. Jim opened his mouth to respond, but your earpiece hissed to life with a bell from the comm.“We have a transmission coming through from a Klingon starship.” You were almost alarmed by how calm your voice was, your smile dropping entirely. Bones cursed, as Jim gestured for you to play it.

*Inspired by Sock Skating by @coyoteimagines, which is an amazing piece of work thank you so much.