#colour scheme and it can make custom sounds when you type

[light-wrath-paradise]

Atlantis Word Processor most goated bitch on planet Earth btw.

[wapasofficial]

Top 5 Strategies to Maximize Your Spin-to-Win Campaign’s Success

Spin-to-win campaigns have become an effective tool for boosting sales, developing brand loyalty, and increasing consumer engagement. When used correctly, they give customers an entertaining and engaging method to earn deals, discounts, or rewards. However, a well-planned approach is necessary to get the most out of your campaign to achieve maximum success. This post will review the top 5 strategies you can employ to maximize the return on investment from your Spin-to-Win campaigns and increase their efficacy.

At WaPaS, we understand the power of gamification in modern marketing strategies. Our platform offers businesses the ability to easily implement spin-to-win games as part of their customer engagement initiatives, helping brands create memorable experiences that foster loyalty.

1. Offer Valuable and Relevant Prizes

Any Spin-to-Win campaign's ability to succeed largely hinges on the kind of prizes you provide. Insufficient rewards might discourage people from participating or make them think less of your company. Offering relevant and desirable prizes that fit the requirements and interests of your target audience is essential to maintaining user engagement.

Exclusive Discounts: Offer special deals on well-liked goods and services. Exclusive bargains can increase engagement since users enjoy feeling like they're receiving special treatment.

Free Goods or Services: Occasionally, the temptation of getting something for nothing could be the ideal source of inspiration. To prevent disappointment, ensure the free item is of a good calibre.

Gift Cards: Gift cards are a terrific alternative if you're unsure what kind of merchandise you want—granting people the autonomy to select what they wish may increase favourable brand interaction.

While developing your incentives, be careful to generate a feeling of urgency and highlight their worth. Emphasize that these are limited time offers or exclusive deals to encourage quicker conversions.

The rewards you provide must appeal to the type of person you want to attract. For example, if your target market is fashion-forward millennials, a discount on stylish clothing could be more enticing than a generic reward.

2. Include Gamification to Increase Engagement

Maintaining user engagement and enthusiasm for your Spin-to-Win campaign requires gamification. If the experience is engaging and interactive, users are more likely to engage and recommend it to others.

Key gamification elements that you may use are as follows:

Progressive Prizes: Give a dynamic touch by providing users who have previously engaged with higher prizes. This provides a reason for further participation.

Sound and Visual Effects: When users spin and win, add sound effects like cheers or victory sounds to make them feel accomplished. Additionally, visually appealing colour schemes, animations, and visuals can contribute to a more immersive experience.

Leaderboards and Tiers: Users may view their position to other users by adding leaderboards, which provide a competitive aspect. An additional choice is to make tiers of prizes according to the points or spins accrued over time.

Also, make the spinning mechanics as lively and smooth as possible. Users will stay interested throughout the process if a smooth, animated wheel turn that provides visual feedback creates excitement and anticipation.

3.  Mobile Optimization is Essential

Since mobile devices account for over half of all web traffic, optimizing your Spin-to-Win campaign for mobile is essential to its success and reach.

The following are the critical mobile optimization strategies to concentrate on:

Responsive Designs: Ensure your campaign is responsively built to look and work well across various screen sizes, including tablets and smartphones. Responsive designs should be able to change to fit multiple screen sizes without losing functionality.

Fast Load Time: Users who demand instant results from mobile devices may become disengaged with a slow-loading website. Ensure your animations and pictures load rapidly, especially on sluggish mobile connections.

Mobile-Friendly Interface: Make sure everything is simple to access and use on a touchscreen device, including the input fields (such as name and email) and the spin button. It should be simple to tap or swipe to start the spinning wheel.

Also, leverage mobile push notifications to remind users to spin one more or, if they haven't already, to collect their reward. The higher the campaign's mobile user optimisation, the higher the participation rates.

4. Advertise Your Spin-to-Win Campaign Through a Variety of Media

Promoting your Spin-to-Win campaign vigorously through various marketing channels is one of the finest ways to guarantee success. An isolated campaign will only connect with a small portion of your target market. Instead, you must ensure your message is heard clearly and loudly everywhere.

Important channels to leverage:

Email Marketing: Tell subscribers about the campaign using your current email list. Reminder emails tailored to them specifically might encourage them to join up and keep spinning during the campaign. Provide a compelling call to action (CTA) along with a link that directs readers to the spinning wheel.

Social Media Platforms: Use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to provide exciting information about your Spin-to-Win campaign. For your campaign to remain attractive, use various forms, such as pictures, videos, and narratives. A share button facilitates users' disseminating their experiences, augmenting your outreach.

Paid Ads: If you have the funds available, invest in paid advertising on websites like Google Ads or Facebook Ads. You may focus on particular groups of people and make your brand more visible to those most inclined to interact with it.

Pop-ups on Your Website: Use exit-intent pop-ups to entice visitors to your website before they go, allowing them to spin the wheel in return for subscribing to your newsletter or making a purchase.

If you vary your promotional tactics, your chances of achieving greater user participation and improved engagement will rise dramatically.

5. Gather User Information and Use It for Customization

One of the most significant benefits of implementing a Spin-to-Win campaign is the chance to gather helpful user data for future marketing campaigns that may be used for personalization. By collecting information such as email addresses, demographics, and behavioural data (such as the frequency of user engagement with your campaign), you can optimize your marketing efforts and elevate the customer experience.

Ways to Collect Data include:

Lead Generation Forms: Request an email address or more information from users, such as their name or birthday, before they spin. To reduce friction, ensure this form is brief and simple to fill out.

Segmented Email Lists: To provide more individualised email marketing, segment your audience using the data you gather. For example, you may send consumers various offers depending on how they have behaved in the past (e.g., whether they participated or not or claimed a reward).

Campaign Follow-Up: After the campaign concludes, send consumers customised offers based on the goods they expressed interest in or the prize they won. This encourages repeat business and keeps your brand prominent.

Developing relevant and personalized user experiences that encourage client loyalty requires data-driven marketing. By analysing the data you collect, you can improve your Spin-to-Win initiatives for future success.

Conclusion

More is needed to run a successful Spin-to-Win campaign than just a reward and a spinning wheel. Offering enticing prizes, including gamification, ensuring your campaign is mobile-optimized, promoting it through a variety of channels, and using user data for personalization are all necessary to optimise its potential.

By implementing these top 5 strategies, you can provide your audience with an enjoyable and engaging experience while boosting engagement, fostering client loyalty, and boosting conversions. Recall that the more personalized and engaging your Spin-to-Win campaign is, the better your chances of converting infrequent visitors into devoted patrons.

At WaPaS, we specialize in loyalty, rewards, user engagement and promotional strategies tailored to meet your unique business needs. Implement these top five strategies to provide your audience with an enjoyable and engaging experience while boosting engagement, fostering loyalty, and increasing conversions. Remember, the more personalized and engaging your Spin-to-Win campaign, the better your chances of converting occasional visitors into devoted patrons.

Elevate Your Engagement—Partner with Us to Launch Your Spin-to-Win Campaign!

[shuttersha]

Pros Of Plantation Shutters In Kellyville

Plantation shutters in Kellyville are a popular choice for window treatments, but they have some drawbacks. If you're thinking of adding plantation shutters to your home, you must know what they are and how they work before purchasing or hiring an installer. 

Plantation shutters are well-suited for many types of windows, including ones with an arch or curve. They can be used on any type of window and offer the same benefits as other types of shutters, such as privacy and security.

Range of Colours

Plantation shutters come in various colours and styles to suit any décor. They can be found in more contemporary designs or painted in a vintage colour scheme. Whatever style you choose, plantation shutters will add the perfect finishing touch to your home.

Range of Styles

While plantation shutters are traditional, you can also find them in a more contemporary style. This is an excellent option for homeowners who want to modernise their decor without sacrificing the beauty of their home's original architecture.

Plantation shutters in Kellyville are available in many different colours and styles, including white and beige, as well as dark browns and reds. The flexibility of this style makes it easy to customise your home’s design by adding custom details such as hardware or door stops that match the existing hardware on the window frames themselves!

Home Insulation

Plantation shutters are an effective way to improve energy efficiency, which can reduce your carbon footprint. They also help prevent drafts from coming through your windows and depressors, which means they’re more effective at keeping out bugs and insects.

Plantation shutters can be expensive compared to other options like curtains or blinds. Still, they pay off over time by reducing energy bills while protecting against heat loss in hot weather.

Little Maintenance

Plantation shutters require little to no maintenance. This is because they are made from wood, which is naturally porous and can be cleaned with a damp cloth. They will not need to be painted or cleaned at all if you use plantation shutters that are made from natural materials like cedar and cypress. Suppose you have plantation shutters made from other hardwood, mahogany or teak materials. Those types will require some care but not much more than regular cleaning products like vinegar or mineral spirits.

In addition to being easy on your wallet by not requiring any special supplies for cleaning purposes, these types of windows also tend to last longer than vinyl ones because they're built more slowly over time while also being able to withstand weather conditions better than their competitors' counterparts.

Adjustable

The louvres on plantation shutters can be adjusted to control how much light comes into your home and how much heat and noise enter.

The louvres on a plantation shutter system can be adjusted to allow privacy or block out unwanted sounds. For example, you want to keep out the sound of traffic but still want some light from outside when you're working at night or in low-light situations. In that case, it may be best for you to install louvres along one side of your window that faces away from street traffic so that no one can see inside through these windows.

Plantation shutters are an environmentally friendly window treatment choice considering they are made of sustainable wood, last a long time and don't require electricity or batteries.

Cost-Effective

Plantation shutters are a cost-effective way to improve your home's value and curb appeal without breaking the bank. While professionals or DIY enthusiasts can install them, you still need to know some things before getting started.

Conclusion

While plantation shutters require some work to install, they are a great way to improve the value of your home and control the light in your room. They also help insulate against heat loss and cold gains, saving you money on heating and cooling bills.

[gracejhon22]

IKEA's Custom Cabinets and Stylish Doors will Transform Your Kitchen

Every home's heart is in the kitchen, where priceless memories are created over delectable meals and sincere discussions. IKEA has a huge selection of solutions that can help you make your kitchen appear and perform better if you're trying to give it a facelift. IKEA provides everything you need to design a dream kitchen that represents your particular style, from their adaptable kitchen cabinets to a variety of cabinet doors.

Discover IKEA Kitchen Cabinets' Versatility

IKEA is well known for its stylish and reasonably priced furniture, and this is also true of their kitchen cabinets. You can design a very practical kitchen with plenty of storage space with IKEA kitchen cabinets while staying within your budget. IKEA cabinets are available in a variety of sizes and combinations, making it simple to construct a plan that precisely suits the dimensions of your kitchen and your unique demands.

The adaptability of IKEA kitchen cabinets is one of their main benefits. To create a layout that makes the best use of your kitchen's space, you can combine and contrast various cabinet components. IKEA provides the ideal cabinets for you whether you have a tiny kitchen that needs clever storage solutions or a large one that can accommodate imaginative ideas.

Improve the Look of Your Kitchen with Cabinet Doors

IKEA kitchen cabinets are efficient and practical, but the cabinet doors give your kitchen a little extra flair and individuality. IKEA's extensive selection of cabinet doors accommodates a variety of design tastes, from modern to traditional and everything in between.

Slab Doors: Slab doors are a great option if you like a simple, minimalist appearance. These doors are modern-looking and seamless, making them ideal for contemporary kitchens.

Shaker Doors: Shaker doors are a great choice for people who value classic elegance. Their traditional style adds a sense of sophistication to any kitchen with a five-piece construction and recessed centre panel.

Slim Shaker Cabinet Doors: If your kitchen is small or you want a more elegant appearance, slim shaker cabinet doors offer a modern take on the classic shaker design. These doors have a polished and streamlined appearance thanks to their thinner stiles and rails.

Use IKEA Custom Cabinets to Express Your Creativity

Even though IKEA has a huge assortment of cabinet doors, you could want something truly special and customized to your preferences. IKEA custom cabinet possibilities are useful in this situation. You can mix and match various door types, materials, and finishes to create a kitchen that truly embodies your personality by selecting IKEA custom cabinets.

You can experiment with different colour schemes, hardware options, and organizing features when using custom cabinets. To make the most of your kitchen's space and keep everything tidy, integrate creative storage options like pull-out drawers, lazy susans, and built-in dividers.

How to Begin Remodelling Your IKEA Kitchen

The idea of remodelling your kitchen may sound daunting, but thanks to IKEA kitchen retrofit simple planning tools and helpful employees, the procedure is a snap. You may use the kitchen planning tool to see your ideas come to life and design a unique kitchen layout by visiting your nearby IKEA store or browsing their website.

Once you have a design in mind, speak with IKEA kitchen specialists to make adjustments to it so that it satisfies your demands and budget. Additionally, the experts can offer insightful guidance on incorporating bespoke cabinets and picking the ideal cabinet doors for your kitchen.

Conclusion

IKEA has a wide range of options for remodelling your kitchen into a room that blends budget, elegance, and functionality. You may design a kitchen that you'll adore for years to come whether you choose their adaptable kitchen cabinet doors, browse their selection of cabinet doors, or explore the world of custom cabinets. So go to work, get some inspiration, and start your IKEA kitchen renovation trip!

[cinaja]

Before the Wall part 45

Masterlist

TW: Light torture (no real graphic descriptions, but I just thought I’d add a warning). If you don’t want to read it, skip the third and fifth scene.

----

It is Seraphim custom to hold weddings at noon, to say the wedding vows at the exact moment when the sun is at its zenith. Two hours before the ceremony will begin, Miryam stands in a dressing room in the palace and watches the wedding dress that is laid out before her.

When Miryam first realized she would need to wear a dress, she was worried, but after close inspection, she came to the conclusion that this one is fine. It’s the cut that makes the difference, she thinks. This dress is made of several layers of silk, cut to fall up to her ankles and wrists. Even the neckline is high, and Miryam has come to the conclusion that she is fine with dresses as long as they are no more revealing than the clothes she normally wears.

Miryam reaches out to touch it, but hesitates, finger hovering just over the fabric. It is beautiful, all rich crimson and gold. Artful embroidery in gold thread runs up from the hem and pale blue pearls are stitched onto the fabric.

"What is it?" Nehelle asks. She is sitting on the couch, dressed in an ivory gown that seems to glow against her dark skin. Next to her, the seamstress who brought the dress watches in silence.

Miryam frowns. "It's just..." It's just that Miryam finds expensive clothes unsettling. Beautiful they may be, but she can never quite get over the fact that they are worth more money than she is. Far more, in this specific case. "It's so expensive," she says.

"Will you feel better if I tell you that it's passed down and was not made specifically for you?" Nephelle asks. "It's custom for wedding gowns to be passed down and only altered to fit the current spouses."

This actually does calm Miryam. At least this dress that could probably buy food for an entire village for years was not made specifically for her, and will be used again after today.

"And if I tear it?" She asks. “Or get dirt on it.”

Nephelle laughs and shakes her head. "Just go ahead. It won’t fall apart in your hands."

Carefully, Miryam picks up the gown. The fabric is soft in her hands, the many layers shift against each other.

"Shall I help you get dressed, my lady?" The seamstress asks.

Miryam shakes her head. "No, thank you. I'd rather dress on my own." She smiles at the woman. “But thank you for your work.”

The seamstress bows and leaves the room. Miryam turns to Nephelle, who is still sprawled on a chair. "I'd really rather get dressed on my own," she says.

"This is not the type of dress you can get into on your own," Nephelle says.

Miryam turns the dress, and indeed, there are several tiny buttons at the back. Even without the buttons, the many layers would be near-impossible to navigate without getting tangles up hopelessly. Slowly, she reaches out to pull off her tunic, but pauses at the first button. The very thought of undressing before someone else makes her skin crawl. She doesn’t want to do this.

"Should I get someone else?" Nephelle asks.

"It's not..." Miryam hesitates. She does not want Nephelle to think she has a problem with her. On the contrary, she likes Nephelle. "I don't like undressing in front of people," she says.

It is not just because of the scars. They don't bother her much, actually, save for the memories they occasionally bring up. The way people look at her when they see, that mixture of horror and pity, is more unpleasant, but even that is usually bearable. But Miryam cannot stand how bare being naked makes her feel. The way she feels the stares on her skin, the way it always feels like she is a thing put up on display for others to gawk at.

Nephelle nods. Thankfully, she doesn't seem offended. "Is there anyone you'd be comfortable with?" She asks. "Drakon?"

Miryam hesitates, then nods. Nephelle sticks her head out of the door and quietly speaks to someone outside before closing it again behind her.

“I could do your hair,” she offers. “If you want me to.”

Miryam smiles. “I’d like that,” she says. “And I’m sorry about…” She points vaguely at her clothes. “I know I’m being difficult.”

Nephelle motions for her to sit down on a chair and goes to stand behind her. “You aren’t being difficult,” she says as she gently pulls Miryam’s hair back. “And you shouldn’t feel obligated to do things you aren’t comfortable with.”

“Thank you,” Miryam says softly.

Nephelle nods and sets to work. She’s quick, fingers moving through the strands of Miryam’s hair with a surprising gentleness. She picks up strand after strand of Miryam’s hair, twisting them together with swift fingers. As she does, she keeps picking up pearls from a box and weaving them into the braid.

“These pearls are considered lucky,” she says and holds one out to Miryam in her open hand. They are the same pearls that have also been stitched on her wedding dress. “You can find them in a river close to here.”

“They’re beautiful,” Miryam says. They really are, shimmering pale blue in the light.

Nephelle closes her hand around the pearl and continues her work. Only a few minutes later, she steps back.

“Done,” she says with a smile. She picks up a looking glass from a cupboard. “Here, look.”

Miryam looks at her reflexion. Nephelle has woven her hair into a crown around her head in a complicated braid. The pearls shimmer softly in the dim light, almost like they glow from within, and make her look like she wears a crown of starlight.

“Beautiful,” Miryam whispers. She turns to Nephelle, smiling broadly. “This is wonderful. Where did you learn to braid hair like this?”

“My mother worked as Lady-in-waiting to our last Princess, Drakon’s mother.” Nephelle reaches out and pulls a strand of hair out of the braid so that it falls down loosely at the side of her face. “She taught me.”

“She must have been brilliant,” Miryam says.

She always wondered how Nephelle ended up in court and met Sinna. As far as Miryam knows, she isn’t noble, but if her mother was close to the royal family, it explains why Nephelle would also be given a position at court. There’s so much she doesn’t know about how the Erithian court works. She’ll have a lot of work to do after the wedding.

“Oh, she still is,” Nephelle says with a laugh. “She lives in the city, together with my stepfather. They used their savings to buy a house there after Drakon’s parents were killed.” She puts away her comb and carefully closes the box with the rest of the pearls. “They will be at the wedding, although I’m sure you will be too busy then. But they are at the palace quite often, so I’m sure you’ll meet them sometime.”

Miryam smiles. “I would love to.”

She was about to ask something else, but a knock on the door interrupts her. A moment later, Drakon pokes his head in.

“Took you long enough,” Nephelle says and grins. “What did you do, got lost in your own palace?”

Drakon grins and steps into the room. “I was getting dressed.”

Indeed, Drakon is already wearing his wedding attire. The colour scheme is the same as the one for Miryam’s clothes, all red and gold, offset with pale, shimmering pearls. Only the cut is different, and he wears a white sash with golden embroidery over it. A crown shimmers silver in his hair.

Miryam smiles at him. “You look beautiful,” she says. She suddenly has to fight the urge to reach out and touch him.

He smiles back at her, brightly enough that he seems to glow. “You too.”

“Yeah, you’re both very pretty.” Nephelle grins and nudges Drakon in the side before she walks over to the door. “I’ll leave you alone, then.”

Drakon waits until she closed the door behind herself before turning back to Miryam. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I should have considered that you wouldn’t be comfortable with having help getting dressed.”

“No problem.” Miryam just hopes Nephelle didn’t take it personally.

Slowly, she begins to unbutton her tunic. They’ve known each other long enough that Miryam undressing in front of him is… well, not easy, it is never easy, but certainly easier. Bearable. Besides, she did it before, a few months ago when they went swimming together.

With a quick motion, she pulls the tunic over her head. Drakon hides his reaction to her scars well, but of course, he has seen them before.

“Alright,” Miryam says, turning to her wedding gown. “Then let’s try this.”

Getting into the gown proves to be quite a challenge. Miryam keeps getting tangled up in the silk layers and Drakon has to help her out. By the time she actually managed to get into the dress, they are both laughing.

“This looks correct,” Miryam says, looking down at herself. “Doesn’t it?”

Drakon looks at the dress and grins. “I think so? But I swear, that dress is alive and trying to strangle us both.”

Miryam grins back and turns her back to Drakon so that he can close the buttons. His fingers are warm against her skin, his touch light. It takes only a moment before he steps back.

“Done,” he says.

Miryam turns around, layers of silk shifting around her as she does. Like she guessed, the dress covers her entirely, exposing almost no skin.

“You look stunning,” Drakon says and gently pushes a strand of hair out of her face.

Miryam stands up on her toes to kiss him. Drakon puts his hands on her waist and for a moment, they simply stand together closely, looking at each other. We’ll be married in a few hours, Miryam thinks and smiles.

A knock sounds on the door, loud and impatient. “Drakon? Miryam?” Sinna’s voice sounds through the door. They grin at each other. “What are you two doing in there? We’re one a schedule, damnit!”

----

“Nervous?” Nephelle asks. They are standing together in a hallway, waiting in front of the door that leads to the courtyard where the ceremony will be held, waiting for it to begin.

Drakon nods. He realizes that he is tugging around at his sleeve again and stops himself. The last thing he needs right now is to accidentally tear his clothes. “What if I mix up the vows?” He asks. “Or trip on the way?”

Nephelle puts a hand on his arm. “But you won’t trip, or forget your vows.”

Drakon isn’t quite so sure of that. But before he can fret more, steps approach from the other side of the hallway. Drakon turns around and sees a red-skinned faerie walking towards him.

“Kiko!” He calls and jumps forward to wrap his arms around his friend. “You’re here!”

“Of course I’m here.” Kiko claps Drakon on the back. “Wouldn’t miss my best friend’s wedding, would I?” He lets go of Drakon and holds him at an arm’s length to take a proper look at him. “Looking good,” he says. “Where did you find that pretty sash?”

Drakon grins. “Family heirloom.” He reaches out to muss Kiko’s hair. “You’re quite well-dressed yourself, though.”

“Yeah.” Kiko taps a hand against one of the horns poking out of his curly hair. “Even polished those.”

Drakon just hugs him more closely. “I’m so happy you came.”

“Well, you needed a third witness, didn’t you?”

It is custom in Erithia to have three witnesses there for each spouse. Miryam chose Andromache, Mor and Tasia and Drakon wrote to Kiko, asking him to be witness for him together with Sinna and Nephelle.

The door opens for a second time, and this time, it’s Sinna who steps in. “Oh, good. You’re there,” she says with a smile at Kiko before turning to Drakon. “Ready?”

Drakon swallows and nods. His stomach twists with equal parts excitement and nervousness. What if he messes this up?

“Hey.” Sinna reaches out and takes his arm. Smiles. “You’re getting married today,” she says. “To a woman you love. Enjoy it.” Drakon smiles and nods.

A gong sounds in the courtyard and the doors open. Blinding light floods the room, making Drakon blink. He takes a deep breath, then steps out into the courtyard.

Hundreds of faces greet turn to stare at him. The courtyard is crowded, and all eyes are either on him, or on Miryam, who just stepped out from a door at the other side of the courtyard. The people at the forefront hold branches with long, broad leaves in their hand, forming a corridor for them to walk through.

At her side of the courtyard, Miryam hesitates for a moment, then starts walking. He thinks he can see her smile at him and smiles back quickly and sets into motion towards her. Sinna, Nephelle and Kiko follow him with a few feet distance and Drakon has to fight the urge to look back at them for reassurance. Instead, he keeps his eyes fixed on Miryam.

They meet in the centre of a courtyard, under the huge tree that grows there. It is almost two thousand years old, with a trunk wide enough that it would take ten people holding each other by the hands to reach across it and trees that reach almost up to the highest tower. Officiating a marriage under a tree is considered lucky, and this one is old enough that it has surely seen many marriages already.

Miryam tilts her head backwards to look up at the tree’s roof, then smiles at Drakon. Standing in the sunlight, dressed in her red-and-gold wedding gown and with pearls glowing in her hair, she looks radiant as the sun. Drakon gives her a shy smile. Together, they turn to the altar that has been erected at the foot of the tree. Laid out over the altar are a small sun cake (a traditional marriage dish in Erithia), a goblet of wine and an ornate ritual knife. Under it, a snow-white dove flaps its wings in a silver cave. The High Priestess is standing behind it.

“Prince Drakon of Erithia and Lady Miryam from the Black Land,” she says, stepping forward. “Have you come here today, of your own choice and will, to be united in marriage?”

“We have,” Miryam and Drakon reply in unison. Drakon dares a look at her and sees her smiling back at him.

“Then hold out your hands,” the High Priestess says, voice carrying easily over the assembled crowd.

They both do. Drakon offers his left hand and Miryam her right, their thumbs brush against each other as they stretch out their arms. The High Priestess picks up the knife from the table.

“Then be joined in blood,” she says and slices it over both their hands in a quick motion.

The cut is shallow, but it still stings. Immediately, blood wells up. Drakon turns his hand around and clasps it with Miryam’s, careful not to stain either of their clothes. Miryam squeezes his hand and turns to face him.

“With this,” she says, voice ringing out over the courtyard, “I promise you my love and trust. From this day forward to the end of time, we are one.”

“With this,” Drakon repeats after her, voice mercifully steady, “I promise you my love and trust. From this day forward to the end of time, we are one.”

Heart thundering in his chest, he reaches for the altar and picks up the sun cake, a small dough ball filled with sweet sesame.

“I offer you this dish,” he says and holds it out to Miryam. “For what is mine is also yours, from this day forward to the end of time.”

Miryam takes the sun cake from him, smiling at Drakon, and takes a bite. Then, she holds the second half of the cake back out to him.

“And I offer it back to you,” she says. “For what we have, we have to share, from this day forward to the end of time.”

Drakon takes the cake from her. Sweetness fills his mouth as he bites into it. Miryam’s grip on his hand tightens briefly and he is nearly certain her fingers tremble slightly as she reaches for the goblet. “I offer you this wine,” she says, holding the goblet out to him. “For what is mine is also yours, from this day forward to the end of time.”

Drakon takes a sip of the wine, then holds the goblet out to Miryam. “And I offer it back to you, for I will never drink while you go thirsty, from this day forward until the end of time.”

Miryam drinks, then places the goblet back on the altar. The ceremony is almost done now, but one vow is still missing – the most important one, perhaps. Slowly, Drakon reaches for the cage with the dove and places it on the altar between them.

“While we are one in love and trust,” he says, “neither can exist without freedom.” He pulls back one of the two bars that keep the door to the cage closed. “With this, I promise to never bind, restrict or force you, for you are your own person and not mine to keep.”

Miryam smiles. She never said so, but he always knew how important this part of Erithia’s traditional wedding vows is to her. “And I, in turn, promise you the same,” she says, pulling back the second bar. “For we are both our own people, and neither shall ever limit the other’s freedom.”

The door to the cage opens. The dove cocks its head to the side once, then flaps its wings and flies out of the cage. It circles once around Miryam’s head, white wings shining in the sunlight, then shoots of into the sky.

The High Priestess smiles at them. “Then I pronounce you married,” she says.

A moment of silence follows. Then, the crowd breaks into applause.

----

Everything’s ready.

The necessary preparations for his meeting with Clythia took most of the morning. He spent another couple of hours preparing his camp. He doubled the patrols and got everyone on high alert. If everything goes well today, Amarantha’s revenge won’t take long and his soldiers need to be prepared.

Today, for the first time ever, Jurian arrived twenty minutes early for his meeting with Clythia. They are meeting by the source of a small river. Jurian sits alone in the grass, his horse Bear tied to a tree a few feet away, and twists the bottle of wine he brought in his hands. He is hardly nervous, only strangely calm.

Clythia arrives a few minutes later. She doesn’t come by horse but winnows in. Fae so rarely ride. It’s like their ability to move through the world at will took away part of their connection to it.

“My dear,” she says, kneels down next to Jurian and kisses him. Jurian only barely manages to keep from gagging. The last time, he thinks to himself, this is the last time.

He holds out the bottle. “I brought the wine today,” he says and pours them two glasses. He holds one out to Clythia. “Here.” He makes himself smile. “For you.”

“Oh, thank you.” Clythia smiles brightly, oblivious to his unease as she usually is. “I can use something to drink right now. Had another argument with Mara, she didn’t want me to come. As if anyone could ever keep us apart.” She clinks her glass against his and smiles. “To us.”

“To us,” Jurian echoes, thinking that this is an irony if he ever saw one.

He forces himself not to look to closely as she takes a sip, instead concentrating on his own wine. He cannot arouse suspicions, not now.

Clythia takes another sip, then winces. “This tastes strange.” Jurian tenses, but she just shakes her head and laughs. “Human wine. Next time, I’ll bring the drinks again.”

If Jurian wasn’t so relieved, he would have been furious. Typical of Clythia to think that he prefers Fae drinks over human ones. He doesn’t, but of course, Clythia would never care about that. She simply drains her glass and refills it, still grinning like this is all some kind of joke.

It doesn’t take long for the effect to set in. Her face twists in confusion, then pain, as she presses a hand against her stomach. Coughs. She takes another sip of her wine, then coughs again.

“Something…” She presses a hand against her stomach. “Something is wrong. Jurian, I…”

Jurian remains sitting in the grass as she doubles over in pain. When Clythia coughs this time, blood splatters into the grass and Jurian is a little worried. He never saw the effects ground ash wood has on a faerie, and since he wasn’t sure about the dosage, he decided to be safe and added a bit more. He just wants to stun her, though. For the message he wants to send, it simply wouldn’t do to have her die this quickly.

Fortunately for him, Clythia doesn’t die. She simply coughs up a bit more blood and convulses on the ground for a while before she finally falls still. Jurian gets up and carefully approaches. He gives Clythia a sharp kick in the side, but she doesn’t stir. Good.

Dragging her across the ground is far harder than Jurian imagined. He only has to walk for a short distance, but Clythia is far heavier than he estimated and her limp body is unwieldy and keeps getting caught on roots.

When he finally reaches the ash cross he prepared in the morning, he is out of breath. He drops Clythia to the ground and frowns. Getting her up there will be a challenge. He picks up the piece of rope he had lying at ready and ties it around the crossbeam so that it forms lashes for Clythia’s arms. Still, it takes him three attempts to get Clythia up. By the time he has her securely tied to the cross, she is stirring. He has to be quick now.

Still, Jurian hesitates as he picks up the ash spikes he carved from branches earlier. He knows this is necessary if he wants to keep Clythia’s powers contained, but something in him hesitates. Until he remembers his friends, mutilated and spiked to stakes by Amarantha. He angles the spike and begins.

Clythia wakes at the second spike. She begins to thrash and scream, but Jurian doesn’t stop. He feels strangely detached from his body, like he is watching his hands move from the outside, without any real control over his movements. Three spikes later, Jurian is done. His hands are bloody, and he looks down at them, almost surprised that they belong to him. They don’t seem like his hands at all.

“Jurian,” Clythia moans. Her eyes crack open, but her head remains hanging limply to the side. “Jurian, what are you doing?”

“Do you remember our second meeting?” Jurian asks. “The meeting when you lured me out of my camp and kept me busy while your sister slaughtered my entire camp?”

Clythia shakes her head ever so slightly. “Please…” She whispers.

“When I got back,” Jurian presses on, “my soldiers were dead. All of them. But my commanders, the ones I had been closest to… they had been tortured. Spiked to stakes and left for me to find.” He steps forward. Fury is burning in him like fire, drowning out all other feelings. “You and your sister, you did that. You took everything from me.”

Clythia’s eyes widen. “No,” she whispers. Even now, at the very end, she still seems unwilling to grasp the truth of their situation. “I just wanted to save you. I did it for us.”

There is no us, Jurian thinks and draws his knife. “Then consider this a sign of my gratitude,” he says and slices the knife over her arm. When she screams, it sounds like revenge.

----

Now that the official part of the ceremony is over, the celebration has started. Long tables with an assortment of different kinds of food have been laid out and in the centre of the courtyard, space has been cleared for dancing. Miryam and Drakon are walking around, still hand in hand, accepting congratulations and talking to guests.

Miryam picks up another sun cake from one of the plates standing around and plops it into her mouth. It tastes wonderfully sweet and she decides that this is her new favourite food. It’s been a long time since she’s been this happy, or felt this light.

A green-skinned faerie with six spindly arms and roots growing from her head steps forward and bows to them. Miryam seems to remember her as a member of Drakon’s council. (She makes a mental note to learn the names as soon as possible.)

“Congratulations on the marriage, Your Highness,” she says.

“Thank you, Dina,” Drakon says with a smile.

Dina turns to Miryam and inclines her head again. “How do you like Erithia so far, Princess?”

Getting used to that title will take a while. Being called “Lady” was strange enough already, but “Princess” is another step further. And the bowing…

“It’s very beautiful,” Miryam says and smiles. “I still have much to learn about the workings of your court, of course.”

Dina smiles. “I can imagine.” She inclines her head another time and retreats.

Miryam picks up another sun cake. “I really love those,” she tells Drakon.

He takes up a cake of his own. “Do you want to dance?”

Miryam looks to the dancing floor. She knows the dance, at least in some variation, but there are some twists in this version that are unfamiliar to her. Which might be because those variations seem to rely heavily on the dancing partners having wings, since part of the dance takes place in the air. Mor and Andromache are dancing as well, though, and they simply leave out the flying part, so it seems possible.

“Sure,” she says. “It looks fun.”

Together, they walk over to the dance floor but wait at the side for the musicians to begin the next song. When they do, they step forward, other pairs making space for them.

The music begins slowly, allowing them to take the first few steps more slowly. Then, the music quickens and so do their steps. Miryam has never been the most sure-footed dancer, but Drakon leads the way with the quiet confidence of years of practice (and gracefully ignores the times Miryam steps on his feet).

They twirl over the dancing floor, moving closer and closer together. All around them, other pairs are dancing, but right now, they might as well have been the only two people in the world. Miryam feels like her heart is beating in tact with the music as it moves towards its crescendo.

“You trust me?” Drakon asks.

“Yes,” Miryam answers breathlessly.

Drakon moves his hands to her waist. As the pairs around them take to the air, he flares his wings and lifts them both off the ground. Air rushes past Miryam’s face and she yelps. Then, she is weightless, spinning through the air.

“All good?” Drakon asks as they spin through the air, twist around each other again and again.

Miryam tilts her head backwards and laughs. She loves flying, loves the feeling of weightlessness, of absolute freedom. The dance ends far too soon and Drakon lowers them back to the ground.

“You want to go again?” Drakon asks. He is out of breath but smiling with a giddiness that is certainly reflected on Miryam’s face.

She nods. “Of course!”

 They dance until they are both out of breath and sore. Only then do they step off the dancing floor, laughing and clinging to each other, and walk over to the food. Miryam eats until her stomach hurts. She only notices that the sun has already set when they pause next to one of the lampions that have been set up all over the courtyard.

“Drakon,” she says softly, “I think it’s time.”

Yesterday, Ravenia sent a message that she wants Drakon to meet her two hours after sunset. Miryam and Drakon both decided to go, although neither of them even pretended that there is a sensible reason behind it. No, they just really want to see the look on Ravenia’s face when she finds out what they did. Miryam isn’t entirely sure why she wants to go so badly. Maybe it is spite. Or she wants to proof to herself that she can face Ravenia and walk away victorious, that no matter how scared she may be, she can and will win this.

Drakon looks up at the sky. “Probably.”

Fortunately for them, it is tradition in Erithia for the couple to sneak away at their own marriage. Whoever notices that they are gone first is considered lucky for the next year. So when they simply vanish off their own wedding, no one will think anything of it.

“I’ll get us a distraction, then,” Miryam says.

Drakon nods and wraps his arms around her. Miryam picks out two strings across the room and twists them together. She doesn’t use enough power for them to hold, and as soon as she lets go, they spring apart. Sparks fly through the air and those are actually visible to the bystanders. People point, stop and stare. No one pays attention to them.

“Now,” Miryam whispers to Drakon.

He flares his wings and sends them both shooting into the air. For a moment, Miryam sees the celebration stretching out below. Then, Drakon turns right and they are gone over the edge of the roof.

Drakon lands on a windowsill on the other side of the palace. He flares his wings wide for balance, Miryam grips for the window frame. The ground is very far below. A good thing I’m not scared of heights, Miryam thinks.

“You take the wards, I deal with the lock?” Drakon asks and fishes a piece of wire out of his pocket.

“Sure.” Miryam flares her hands and two of the strings that form the wards move apart to create an opening. She grins. “Done.”

“Oh.” Drakon picks up his wire and sets to work on the lock. “We’re breaking into our own palace,” he mutters as the lock clicks and the window springs open.

“Fun, right?” Miryam asks and slides into the room. Drakon has a bit more difficulty climbing in, his wings keep getting in the way.

“I have clothes prepared,” he says once he’s inside and points to a pile that’s lying on a table. “So we won’t end up ruining these.”

Getting out of the dress turns out to be nearly as difficult as getting in. It is a small relief that Drakon struggles almost as much. In the end, they both have to help each other out of their clothes before they can change into something less formal.

“I’ll open us a window in the anti-winnowing wards,” Miryam says.

She already identified the wards she needs to work on, but opening them without doing any permanent damage takes a bit longer. When she is finally done, she nods to Drakon and he winnows them both away.

They land just outside of the wards surrounding the Lake Palace. Drakon straightens his clothes and smiles at her.

“I’d say that was an expertly done sneak-out.”

Miryam nods and looks over the dark lake towards the towering palace. She wonders if Ravenia is already there, if she brought Artax.

It has been years since Miryam last saw her. There was that one meeting at the very beginning of the war, the failed attempt to end the fighting, but beyond that, they had no reason to meet. Leaders of the Alliance and Loyalists respectively they might be, might have this entire war stretched out between them, but they only ever faced each other through others.

Miryam does her best to pretend her heart isn’t thundering in her chest like it wants to jump right out and run away as she walks up to the Lake Palace together with Drakon. She is terrified, and beyond angry that she is. To be afraid of Ravenia means to give her power, and Miryam refuses to do that. Today, she wins. And she will feel like it.

She holds her hand up over the crystal bowl at the entrance, watches blood drip into it and swears neutrality. Light shoots into the air and the wards around the palace quiver. Next to her, Drakon seems increasingly nervous.

Miryam reaches for his hand. “She can’t do anything to us,” she says softly. “Today, we win.”

Drakon nods and squeezes her hand. Together, they walk into the palace’s foyer. The door swings open and there, just on the other side of the room, wait Ravenia and Artax.

Miryam’s resolve not to be afraid lasts only for three frantic heartbeats. Her entire body seizes up, every instinct screams at her to cower. But she won’t. Never again. She forces her spine to straighten, calm to fill her veins.

Both Ravenia and Artax are entirely still. They are both dressed in their finery, Ravenia in court clothes and Artax in the Guild’s colours. They look like statues, like the stuff of Miryam’s every nightmare.

Ravenia’s dark eyes linger on Miryam for a moment and she stares back as coolly as she can manage. After what seems like an eternity, Ravenia finally turns her focus on Drakon.

“I see you’ve brought reinforcement,” she says. “I can’t say I’m surprised you are hiding behind that mortal, but surely you know that she won’t be able to help you here. The fact that you’re here alone is proof that you are defeated.”

“I didn’t come here to marry you,” Drakon says. Miryam is proud of how resolute he sounds, even though she can sense his fear. “I came to tell you that I won’t.”

Ravenia gives him a sharp smile. “Surely Your Highness remembers the punishments for breaking a contract.”

Today, we win, Miryam thinks and smiles back at Ravenia. “Surely Your Majesty remembers that this particular contract allows exceptions.”

Momentary confusion flickers over Ravenia’s face, but she quickly reins it in. Artax looks between Miryam and Drakon, though, frowning. Then, his eyes widen, something like shock flickering over his features.

“Your Majesty – “ he begins, stepping forward.

“We married,” Drakon says, reaching for Miryam’s hand.

“And we are mates,” she adds sweetly. “So you’ll find, Ravenia, that your precious marriage contract is no longer worth the parchment it’s written on.”

Ravenia stares at her. “You…” It’s the first time Miryam ever heard her fumble for words. “There’s no way this is real! You cheated.”

Artax is watching her, now, unblinking. “You forged it. The mating bond.”

Miryam squeezes Drakon’s hand and looks between the two people she hates most in the world. Smiles. “But surely you know that mating bonds are the will of the Cauldron,” she says. “It’s fate. If you’ve got a problem with it, you ought to take it up with the Mother.”

Artax steps forward, quick as lightning. Suddenly, the air is heavy with his power. Around them, the wards tremble in warning. “You arrogant little piece of trash, who do you think you are? I’m going to - “

“Go on,” Miryam interrupts. Her heart is thundering, but she still steps forward. “Attack me while under a neutrality spell. Go right ahead and see what it gets you.” Adrenalin is thrumming through her veins and she almost hopes that Artax will start this fight.

“Artax,” Ravenia snaps at him when he doesn’t step back immediately.

That one word is all it takes. His power deflates and he lowers his head, steps back to his position a step behind Ravenia. It’s like a weight vanished from over them, like the air has finally become breathable again.

Ravenia turns her attention on Miryam and Drakon. “Do not think I will simply let this slide,” she says. Her voice is a knife that cuts through the air. “You might have won today, but be assured that you will pay tomorrow.”

Drakon flinches slightly, but Miryam meets her gaze calmly. “You’re the only one who’ll pay,” she says. “I will make sure of it.”

Ravenia snorts. Without another word, she storms past them and out of the room. Artax follows closely behind, not without shooting a look that promises vengeance at Miryam.

----

There’s blood on Jurian’s hands, covering his skin up to his elbows. Blood splattered all over his clothes. In some places, it already dried rusty brown, in others, it is still bright red.

Bile rises in Jurian’s throat, he forces it back down. He has been covered in more blood than that and it’s been years since it last bothered him. There’s no reason this should be different. No reason the blood should feel like a stain this time.

He breathes slowly through his mouth, careful to avoid the stench of blood in the air, and turns around to take one last look at Clythia. Now that she is hanging limply on the ash cross, she no longer looks so high and mighty. There’s no way anyone could imagine she ever made his life this terrible.

Jurian turns around and walks back to Bear. The horse shies away from the blood on his clothes, shaking its huge, fuzzy head, but a murmured word in its ear calms it. Jurian climbs into the saddle and rides back to his camp.

The soldiers at duty look at him strangely when they see him covered in blood like this, but no one asks what happened. Without a word to anyone, Jurian returns to his tent. He methodically strips off his clothes, dips a piece of cloth into a bucket of water that stands ready and begins to clean himself. Soon, the water has turned deep pink.

Jurian finds new clothes in his chest and dresses. Then, he sits down at his desk and begins a note. It’s quick, only a couple of sentences.

Come to the source of the river Thexi. You’ll find something that belongs to you and that you should have taken better care of. Jurian.

----

“There’s something I want to show you,” Drakon says. They are standing together on the bridge outside of the Lake Palace, looking out at the dark water. “It’s… it’s the reason for this entire matter.” He gestures vaguely in the direction Ravenia stormed off in.

Miryam arches an eyebrow. “Consider me intrigued.”

She has been trying to figure out the reason for Ravenia’s interest in Drakon for years now. So far, she hasn’t been able to come up with a single theory. But maybe now that they are married, Drakon is finally allowed to tell her.

Together, they walk out of the room and towards the edge of the wards. As soon as they are outside, Drakon winnows them both away.

They reappear in a dark forest. It’s a jungle, but not one Miryam recognizes. Not Erithia, unless she’s sorely mistaken. The plants are different, the trees bigger and with broader leaves. All around them, flowers grow, their petals glowing blue, red and orange in the moonlight. Miryam reaches out for the closest plant, a glowing pink orchid, and reaches out for it. She’s never seen bioluminescent plants before.

Only then does she notice the strings. There are many of them here, far more than anywhere else. This might just be the biggest concentration of strings Miryam has ever seen occurring naturally. The very air seems to be vibrating with magic.

Miryam turns around to Drakon, who is watching her. “Where are we?” She asks.

“An island,” Drakon says. “About a hundred miles off the Continent’s eastern coast.”

Miryam frowns. “I don’t hear the ocean.”

“It’s a big island – about half the size of Prythian – and we are near the centre.”

Miryam gapes at him. “Half the size of…” She runs a hand through her hair and shakes her head. “This is the secret? An island half the size of Prythian no one knows about?”

Drakon winces. “It’s part of the secret.” He plucks one of the flowers from a bush and puts it behind Miryam’s ear. “The less weird part, I’m afraid.”

The less weird part? Well, Miryam’s day is certainly taking an interesting turn. “Go on,” she says, looking around this strange, magical island. “It takes more than a little weirdness to shock me,” she teases.

Drakon makes a face that can only be interpreted as extreme doubt. It’s not reassuring.

“This is Cretea,” he says.

“Cretea,” Miryam repeats. The name sounds familiar, but she can’t quite place it. She knows all the Continental countries, and this isn’t one of them. But what… And then, she remembers. “Cretea as in the island that the Mother used as her seat of power in your myths?” She asks slowly. “Cretea as in the island she allegedly created and that vanished after her disappearance? That Cretea?”

“Yes, I’m afraid it is.”

Miryam nods slowly. Up until ten minutes ago, she would have argued that Cretea doesn’t exist and likely never did. Now she is standing on it. Wonderful. Maybe she should sit down.

“And how did you end up knowing the location of an island that Fae across the world have been searching for millennia?” She asks.

Drakon starts playing around with the hem of his clothes. “It’s a bit of a long story,” he says. “And there’s something else I wanted to show you. I’ll tell you on the way.”

Miryam nods and together, they set off. Drakon seems to know where they are going, although Miryam cannot make out any path in the jungle they landed in.

Cretea is beautiful in an eery, strange way. Miryam barely dares to step anywhere for fear of accidentally destroying something, of leaving a stain on this place. Like most humans, doesn’t believe in gods, but she can easily understand why the Fae might have once looked at this place and concluded that it must have been home to something divine.

“What do you know of the story surrounding Cretea and the Mother?” Drakon asks.

“Only the barest details, really.”

She knows enough to understand the basics of the Fae’s religion and growing up, she heard the stories in passing a few times, but they never really interested her. What use are gods when you are getting enslaved in their name, when they never move to interfere while you are beaten and murdered?

“I’ll shorten the beginning, then,” Drakon says. “All that’s important about it for this particular story is that the Mother created this world, using the Cauldron as its anchor, and then made all kinds of different creatures to live on it, each with their own strengths so that they might learn from each other.”

Miryam nods. In the Black Land, they tell the story differently. There, the Mother loved some of the creatures she made better than others, created some to rule and others to be rules. She likes the Seraphim version better, although it still doesn’t make her particularly fond of this goddess of theirs.

“After that work was done,” Drakon continues, “and things had settled in our world, the Mother settled down. She created an island for herself, where she might live away from the dealings of the world, and where her people might seek her out to ask for help.”

She should have helped my people, Miryam thinks, but doesn’t say it. This is, after all, only a story.

“One of the people who came to her,” Drakon continues, “was a Fae named Daín. There are different versions of how exactly it went, but fact is that him and the Mother fell in love. She made him into her consort and gifted him a sword she had created from the Cauldron. A blade they called Godmaker, because it gave Daín powers larger than those of an ordinary Fae as well as a longer life. They whoever wielded this sword was undefeatable, that simply being touched by its blade meant to lose your soul.”

Above them, a bird lets out a shill scream and Miryam looks up just in time to see a green tail vanish in the leaves.

“For a millennium or two, all went well,” Drakon says. “But then, an enemy rose up. A witcher who envied the Mother her power.”

“That does sound like something a witcher might do,” Miryam says, thinking of Artax.

“He killed Daín,” Drakon says, “and stole his sword. The Mother caught and punished him, but even she could not bring Daín back and without him, she had lost her will to live in this world. She vanished and never returned.”

He stops before a rough stone wall that looms up in front of them. Only at the second look does Miryam notice the door the bronze door that is laid into the rock. Drakon fishes around in his pocket and produces an ancient-looking iron key.

“And what do you have to do with all that?” Miryam asks.

“My ancestors were close followers of the Mother,” Drakon says. “Confidants of hers, almost. Before the Mother vanished, she cast spells around Cretea to hide it from anyone who might go looking for it, and tasked my family with its protection.”

Miryam rubs her neck. I don’t believe in gods, though, she thinks. “I’ve never heard this version of the story before,” she says.

“Because no one knows. No one but the members of my family and the current High Priestess are allowed to know about Cretea.”

“Sounds like a lot of pressure,” Miryam mutters. And it means that Drakon’s family is way older – and way stranger – than she would have thought possible. If they were around for the time when the Mother allegedly lived, that means Drakon’s family if roughly ten thousand years old. “And a lot of trouble to go through for an island.”

“It’s not about the island,” Drakon says and pulls the door open.

It must have been inlaid with lead, some protective spells on top of it, because as soon as it opens, a wave of power swaps out of the hole yawning behind. Miryam flinches back.

Never, not once in her life, has she felt this much power. It makes the hairs on her entire body stand up. A shiver runs down her spine and her own power trembles – whether in excitement or fear, she can’t tell. Even the strings around her seem nervous. They constantly move around, mingle with each other and break apart again. The entire commotion gives Miryam a headache.

“It’s about the sword,” Drakon says. The power in the air seems to bother him less, either because he doesn’t feel it as much as she does, or because he is used to it. “That’s what’s hidden here, that’s what my family is charged to protect. And that’s what Ravenia is after.”

Miryam can barely concentrate on his words over the power that is still thrumming through the air. “You mean you have this sword in here?” She asks. Her fingers are trembling.

Drakon nods. “You want to see it?”

Of course Miryam wants to see it.

Walking into the cave is like swimming against a strong current. The power in the air makes it hard to breathe and Miryam grips Drakon’s hand so tightly it probably hurts. The tunnel is lit by bioluminescent plants that cast an eery light into the corridor. It takes a bent and they are standing near an artfully carved doorway. Magic is shimmering in it, some kind of ward. Drakon stops pauses.

“There’s a spell,” he says. “To keep out intruders. You need to face your greatest fear.”

Miryam nods. “That’s no problem.”

Drakon frowns. Clearly, this is not the type of response he was expecting. “Are you sure?” He asks.

“Yes.” Miryam takes a deep breath and steps forward. “I did that already.”

Mist rises in the doorway. It hangs in the air for a moment, then forms a figure. For the second time in one evening, Miryam comes face to face with Ravenia. This time, flames flicker around the queen’s fingers and she holds a short spear in her hand.

“You can’t go through here,” she says. “You are too scared.”

“Scared or not, I’m still winning against you.” Miryam steps forward and meets the illusion’s dark eyes. (It is far easier than with the real Ravenia.) “And now get out of my way.”

Ravenia remains standing in the doorway for a moment longer, then, the mist crumbles. Miryam smiles over her shoulder at Drakon and walks through the doorway.

The room she steps into is empty, save for a sword that’s laid out in its centre. It is the epicentre of the power in the air, radiating so much sheer power that it slams into Miryam like a physical blow. Even the strings shy away from it, giving it a wide berth. Miryam realizes she is trembling. Her power flares painfully and the power is pressing against so hard she can barely breath.

It’s simply too much.

Miryam turns around and stumbles back out of the room, scattering the mist in the doorway. She nearly stumbles into Drakon’s arms, who catches her before she can fall.

“Miryam.” He grips her by the arms to steady her. “What happened?”

Miryam can only shake her head. She is gasping for air.

“I don’t believe this!” A new voice interrupts.

Miryam yelps and spins around, only to come face to face with a dark-haired man. “Ghost!” She rubs a hand over her face. “What… What are you doing here?”

“I have been here for the last couple of millennia,” Ghost says with a jerky shrug. “You are the one who’s new.” He turns to Drakon. “You married?”

“Yes.” Drakon reaches for her hand. “Miryam, is everything alright?”

She nods. Now that she is a bit further away from the sword, she can actually breathe again. “Just a bit much power,” she says and turns to Ghost. “And what do you mean you’ve been here for millennia?”

“I’m trapped here,” Ghost says. “Have been for a while. It’s punishment.”

Miryam stares between him and Drakon. Millennia. He has been trapped here for millennia. Alone, in this cave. What kind of crime could warrant such a punishment?

“Hasn’t Drakon told you?” Ghost asks. “I’m the big bad witcher who stole the sword.” His voice is biting with sarcasm. “And because of that, I obviously deserve eternal imprisonment. Who cares about my reasons?” Something in his tone shifts as he continues, like the edge breaks and leaves only raw splinters behind. “So I’ve been stuck here. For several millennia, alone. Fun, as I’m sure you can imagine.”

Miryam very badly wants to reach for his hand or squeeze his shoulder in comfort, but he’s incorporeal, so that option falls flat. “That’s terrible.” She turns to Drakon. “Can’t we do anything about this?”

Drakon looks down at his shoes. “Ghost is tied to the sword,” he says. “I thought maybe you could change the bond so that he can at least move freely around Cretea.” He shrugs a bit helplessly. “I had meant to ask you, but after it almost went wrong that one time, I couldn’t take the sword off Cretea again and I wasn’t allowed to bring you here.”

It takes Miryam a moment to catch on to what Drakon is implying. Looking back, she should have probably figured it out earlier, but she was a little caught up on the fact that her partner – husband, she will have to get used to calling him that – comes from a family that apparently owns both the most sacred island in the entire Fae mythology and the most powerful magical item Miryam has ever seen.

“You mean you took this sword off Cretea so that I could talk to Ghost?” She asks slowly. “If… if Ravenia had gotten her hands on that sword, you…” She shakes her head and runs a hand through her hair.

Drakon steps from one foot to the other. “I was careful,” he says. “And I couldn’t let you die.”

Miryam sighs. “I love you,” she says softly. (Ghost makes a noise that sounds like aww.) “And obviously, I’m grateful that you and Ghost helped me and I didn’t die.” She truly is. But especially now that they are married, there’s something she needs to make clear, before a situation like this repeats itself and goes badly. She squeezes Drakon’s hand and waits until he looks up before she continues, “But you have to promise me that you won’t ever do anything that could cost us this war. Not for me.”

----

Like always, the entire backstory surrounding the Mother, Daín and Ghost has been created together with @croissantcitysucks (I hope you liked how I wrote it here Lyn😉)

[infcstissumam]

Headcanon Masterlist

|| Yeah, I needed an entirely separate post for just my headcanons! Haha

note: outdated = I no longer believe this or like the headcanon, semi-outdated = I kind of like the headcanon, but there are facets of it I no longer enjoy or believe.

Multiple Papa’s / General Papal Lore

Papa Nihil, I, II and III Teeth Headcanons + pictures (semi-outdated)

Differences between resurrected ghouls through the Eras (Papa I, II & III) (OUTDATED)

Comprehensive Papa Supernatural Power + Ability masterlist 

The Clergy once attempted to house all Papas together... once 

All the Papa + Cardinal Copia’s associated weapons (crack)

Papa pupil Headcanon + infographic (semi-outdated)

Both Papa’s and Ghouls have specific periods of heat/rut during the year

Papa finger-nail/talon headcanon

Papa fertile period headcanons

Papa Speaking Pattern headcanons

Era building scheme headcanon

Papa Papacy symbolism + Cardinal Copia (this aged really well ngl)

Papal makeup is supernatural and the Papa’s are cryptids; and more at 11

When forced to run, Papa’s have to pull a Disney princess and lift up their chasuble ( more on this here )

Papa true age/human age headcanon (semi-outdated)

The Papa’s have their own ‘true tongue’ similar to Ghoulish

Dark emeritus brother headcanons (this headcanon isn’t outdated, more a dark interpretation shitpost)

Papal skeletal face paint headcanon (semi-outdated, canon kinda went against this, but that’s questionable itself, given former sisters of sin never had facepaint, thereby bringing into question whether they’re mere sisters or a higher rank that shares habits)

How Primemovers work/get assigned

Papa dicks headcanon + Copia

Papa I, II and III birth name headcanons

Ghost Project/The Church’s ultimate goal

The four original Papa’s regarding children

Papa I, II, III and Popia’s MBTI

Papa I, II and III favourite foods and drinks

The Papa’s naturally grow horns

How to make a Papa purr without fail

Papa Anatomy Headcanon (semi-outdated)

Papa I, II and III dealing with a sibling (not assigned to them) being friendly and happy with them

Papa’s and the occult

Where is the ministry located and how did they get there?

Papa Nihil

Papa Nihil being first introduced to a baby Papa II and Papa III (semi-outdated)

Nihil always wanted a daughter (sexism tw)

Papa I

Papa I doesn’t really enjoy one night stands

Papa I & II fashion headcanon

Papa I isn’t fully white

Papa I will not allow the young or vulnerable to have hearing protection at his show + his partial deafness

Papa I enjoys gifting small jewellery to his s/o

Papa I headcanons (OUTDATED)

Papa I & III reactions to finding an anonymous bouquet of roses for them (+character study)

Papa II

What I believe the best time for Papa II is (semi-outdated)

How Papa II says ‘I love you,’ his stance on PDA and when he lost his virginity (semi-outdated)

Sister Imperator being Papa II’s mom

Cardi C being Papa II’s son (OUTDATED)

Papa II natal chart

How is Papa II for eye contact during sex

Papa II’s signature sunglasses are custom

Papa II has had two prime-movers (semi-outdated)

Having Papa II fall in love with you would include (semi-outdated)

Papa II’s greatest regret

Papa II’s opinion on thiccness (semi-outdated)

Papa II doesn’t like colourful/patterned socks

Papa II’s Papal Ferula isn’t just for show (semi-outdated)

Papa II misses how close he used to be with Papa III

Papa II instinct is always to protect those around him

Papa II’s favourite Ghoul

Papa II pals around with Omega

Despite his hatred for Papa II still secretly desires his approval

Papa II only sits like a substitute gym teacher

Papa II is always ready to square-up

How would Papa II react to someone trying to help him overcome his trauma

Would Papa II be protective over his kin/children?

Papa II dossier

The storyline of Circe takes place with Papa II, not Papa III

Papa II nearly put Bon Jovi on Infestissumam for his cover

Papa II doesn’t despise children and does, in fact, have the dad instinct

Papa II doesn’t give a fuck but this doesn’t mean he doesn’t care

Papa I & II fashion headcanon

Papa II gentle lovemaking hc (this is more an imagine though??? idk)

Papa II & III + primal play

Papa II on the first date (OUTDATED)

Papa II is selfish

Papa II & III’s relationship (THEY’RE SUPER CLOSE AND THEY LOVE EACH OTHER YOU EDGELORDS)

Papa II doesn’t go out of his way to glamour himself

Papa II can play the organ

Papa II often tried to seek out his father as a boy 

Papa II’s titles, because he’s an extra bastard

Papa II has a gold tooth

Papa II picks at his talon when bored or impatient

Papa II is a secret romantic

Papa II’s hair type

Papa II with an insecure partner

Papa III

Papa III regarding ghouls with missing limbs/digits, etc.

Papa III’s reaction to getting someone pregnant

Papa III didn’t have a nice childhood, or so to speak (semi-outdated)

Papa III refuses to have sex with a conversation first

Papa III can be the living embodiment of a spoiled brat (semi-outdated)

Papa III is an AFAB trans-man (not outdated! I still love this headcanon, I just don’t write it as often anymore)

Papa III, regardless of verse, is always the last to die

Papa III is scared of violent storms

Papa III is the only Papa to let his ghouls call him Papa

Papa III + applicable life skills (spoiler: he doesn’t have many)

Papa III unapologetically tears up during sex

Papa III has ADHD

Papa II & III + primal play

Papa III favourite kinks

Papa III needs therapy: a masterpost

Papa III’s only photo of his mother

Papa II & III’s relationship (THEY LOVE EACH OTHER)

Papa III tries to befriend his ghouls and views them more like pals than meaningless servants (semi-outdated)

Papa III talking in his sleep and mumbling

Papa I & III reactions to finding an anonymous bouquet of roses for them (+character study)

Cardinal Copia / Popia

Copia is the type of guy to get his s/o flowers

Copia will do a little happy dance when excited

Copia is autistic

Copia + having a mommy kink (y’all are heathens istg)

Sub Copia headcanons

Popia jealousy headcanon

Copia with an S/O that plays full contact sports

Copia signs off business emails with an emoji

General Ghoul Headcanons

The Ghoul’s have a far more refined sense of smell

The Ghouls, like rabbits, will headbutt for attention and affection

The Ghoul’s regarding human periods

Ghoul death/veneration headcanon

Ghoul Temperature headcanons

Ghoul anatomy headcanon

Ghoul body mod culture headcanons + piercings

You can trance Ghouls

Ghoul sounds headcanon (not nsfw surprisingly!)

Can Ghouls and Humans procreate with each other?

Ghouls + bodily insecurity

The Ghouls are trained like bridesmaids to help their Papa in fashion disasters

Ghoul Mating Rituals

Ghoul Strength headcanons

Church Reaction to Ghoul’s dating

Ghoul’s can impact the dreams of the sleeping headcanon

Friends to Lovers series

Friends to lovers: Cumulus

Friends to lovers: Cirrus

Friends to lovers: Dewdrop

Era 4 Ghouls

Ghoul dicks headcanon (Era 4 only)

Era 4 Ghoul Guilty Pleasure headcanon

How the Ghouls would handle their chubby S/O being taunted or treated poorly because of their weight

Aether, Dew and Mountain with a seriously sick S/O

Dew refuses to wear clothes + why

Rambling about Dewdrop

Dew can and will steal your stuff

Fluffy Dewdrop headcanons

How to really piss off Dewdrop

Rain + the sub or dom debate

Cumulus & Mountain NSFW headcanons

Mountain + a smaller lover headcanons

Mountain refuses to be ‘that huge ghoul’

General Swiss headcanons

Swiss loves making nicknames for people

Other Ghoul Headcanons

Era 2-3.3 Ghoul Zodiac Signs

Special Ghoul headcanons

[stars-my-darling]

54 and 55 pls 🥺💘

054: “May I have this dance, wife/husband? ” and  055:  “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m so happy I can finally call you my wife/husband.”

I don’t need a cake, a fancy wedding’s not for me

Title from Meghan Trainor’s “Marry Me”

The day had been a disaster. Between Cheddar eating the cake and the bomb scare at the venue, the whole day had been nothing like Amy had planned. It certainly hadn’t turned out anything like how she’d dreamed her wedding day would be when she was a little girl. From a young age, Amy had had a plan for her life. Go to school, then college, then the police academy and then work as a police detective like daddy before becoming the youngest female sergeant in the NYPD, then get married and have kids and work her way up to become Captain.

That had been her life plan for as long as she could remember. Although, the details had changed. As a little kid, she had envisioned herself in a huge ballgown on her wedding day with humongous puffed sleeves like the ones Ariel had in The Little Mermaid instead of the sleek, elegant mermaid cut she had pictured herself wearing in recent years. Also, as a kid, she had initially planned on having about eight kids like her mom. Now, as an adult women who truly understood the vast responsibility of having a child, had landed more on two or three.

However, her plan for her wedding day had stayed similar. She had longed for a classy, extravagant affair in a big venue, slow dancing to sweet, heartfelt love songs and detailed, lavish party favors. She had known for years the colour scheme she wanted, the type of flowers, what would be served for the meal. In true Santiago fashion she had planned for it all well ahead of time.

However, on the big day, all her well-devised plans were crumbled by forces completely outside of her power. The big day she had fantasized about for years was now ruined. Their was no cake, no venue, no meal, none of the ornamental traditions or customs that most people got on their wedding day was going to be her’s.

But yet, she had never been happier. It was almost midnight and most of the wedding party had already headed home. Between the Captain’s news putting a real downer on the remainder of the evening and there being nothing much for the squad to do between no meal to eat and no fellow guests to mingle with, the evening had slowly evolved into a typical night at Shaw’s. Only tonight, Amy was in a wedding dress and Jake was in a fancy tux.

Aside from the fact that Amy and Jake got some funny looks from fellow customers at Shaw’s, it felt almost like any other night. By the time closing time had rolled around, the bar was almost deserted. Shaw, just for them, had put on a wedding song mix for them and cleared a bit of floor space so they could have some form of dance floor. To which Jake had responded by giving Amy his arm and stating “May I have this dance, wife?”. Putting extra emphasis on the last word. Amy had beamed and taken his arm and let him slow dance her around the floor to the sound of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” as the rest of the squad had gazed on.

Eventually, after Jake and Amy were the only ones left in the bar and Shaw had  politely told the newlyweds that he would be closing soon, they had gotten a cab home.

Something felt different when they stepped through the threshold of their apartment. It felt almost like they were literally taking a big step in their relationship. A moment later, when Jake had shut the door and turned to Amy she realized this was the first time they had entered this apartment as husband and wife. It was where they were going to continue to live now that their relationship was legally binding. This was the first day of the rest of their lives as a married couple.

And Amy had never been happier. She was full of pure giddiness and maybe it was the fact that she had had a few glasses of wine in her, but she couldn’t help but start to giggle. “We’re married!” she said in a hushed whisper. “I know!” Jake exclaimed, also equally as giddy and tipsy. She strode towards him, bridging the gap between them, snaking her arms over her shoulders and pressing her forehead to his. “I’m your wife!”

Jake smiled at her and placed his hands on her waist. “Your my wife!” he giggled. They shared a brief kiss. He rested his forehead against hers. “I’m gonna spend the rest of my life with you” he whispered, his voice soft and tender. They just stood there for a few minutes, swaying back and forth, like they were slow-dancing to own private little song. After a few moments, they pulled away and smiled at each other. In that moment, it felt like her and Jake were the only two people in the world. Everything they needed was right here in this apartment.

Then at that exact moment, Jake makes the best suggestion. “I’m hungry, do you wanna order pizza”. At the mention of food, Amy releases how hungry she is, especially since the they never got to eat the three course meal they had planned. “Absolutely” she grinned “and we should order the chili dip too”

“and the garlic bread?” Jake asks, excitedly

“why not? we’re married!” Amy beamed “and order their double chocolate brownies for dessert”

“I’m so in love with you right now” Jake said as he pulled out his phone and started to dial up their local pizza place. Amy made her way to their bedroom, reaching for the zip on the back of her dress as she did. “I’m gonna get changed” she called back at him.

Once Amy was is in their bedroom, she stepped out of her shoes and unzipped her dress. As the heavy lace and tulle fell to the ground, she stepped out of the dress and gathered up the material, laying the gown out on the bed. She ran a hand over the bodice, not being able to suppress a short pang of sadness over the fact that she hadn’t been able to wear her own wedding dress. It quickly subsided and she got changed into her pajamas.

She came back into the kitchen just as Jake was hanging up the phone. “Pizza’s on it’s way” he informed, turning to face her. “Great” she replied “why don’t you get changed? I’ll find something to watch on TV”

“Good idea” Jake said, not being able to pass her without pressing a kiss to her cheek on his way into their mutual bedroom.

Amy settled herself onto the couch, grabbing the remote. She started flicking through everything they had recently recorded in the search for something to watch. She eventually found the latest few episodes of jeopardy! just as Jake came in, wearing his own pajamas. “Jeopardy! sound good?” she asked, running it by him. “Sure” he said, picking his usual spot beside her. Within the first ten minutes, they were cuddled up together like two birds in a nest, limbs tangled around each other. They soon had to untangle themselves when they heard the doorbell ring.

Jake got up to get the food and within seconds they were gorging themselves on cheesy dough and greasy bread. As Amy sat there, with her husband, on the couch, eating take out and watch TV, she couldn’t help notice that this was what her future was. This was what most of her evenings would probably look like from now on. The rest of her days were going to be filled with stability and comfort and take out in front of the TV.

And it was bliss. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

She must have been smiling at him because she caught Jake looking at her. “What are you smiling at?” he asked. In response, she leaned over and kissed him. And she kept kissing him. Soon Jake had scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

Later, when she was under the covers, lying next to him, she kept smiling at him. He was fast asleep and she traced her hand over his face.  “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” she whispered to him “I’m so happy I can finally call you my husband.” With that Amy laid down and readied herself to get back to sleep.

“I’m happy I get to call you my wife” Jake surprised her by saying, clearly not as asleep as she had thought

With that Amy smiled and got ready to fall asleep next to him. Something she would happily do every night for the rest of her life. So maybe she didn’t have the big day she has hoped for. Maybe everything didn’t go according to plan. And yes, maybe she would end up feeling a little bit jealous when she went to someone else’s wedding in the future and saw how pretty and planned everything was. But now, Jake Peralta was her husband and could never be unhappy with that.

[worstloki]

thor’s room is neat and tidy and exactly what kind of room you would expect from someone who spends most of their time not in the room itself, because he’s usually out training and mainly uses the room to sleep and bathe. servants keep it neat and tidy. the colour scheme of his room is varying shades of beige and some brown. the only thing that isn't always neatly stored out of view is Mjolnir because the servants can move any dumbbells or clothes he’s dumped out of place but they cant move the hammer. 

luckily, the servants have never complained or even mentioned Mjolnir being out of place, although it does bother thor when he wakes up, forgets where it was and falls over it because he’s still drowsy in the mornings. Unluckily, the servants always come to his room after cleaning loki’s so if thor isn't out of the room early enough he has to hear them complain about what a mess Loki’s room always is and how nothing is ever in the right spot the whole morning. 

its weird because Thor knows his brother spends no more time in his room than himself, so it shouldn't be such a mess, nor did thor know what loki could be using his room for, since as a warrior thor only has weapons and clothing stored there. he gets curious when he finds out loki starts requesting the servants not to clean his room at all and decides to unravel the great mystery.

while both of them are meant to be heading to sword practice thor declares his need to use the bathroom and sneaks off into loki’s room only to find an entire rainforest crammed in there with at least 4 extinct dragons of various breed and no space whatsoever that isn't crammed with something like books or random trinkets that are definitely not Asgardian. 

he finally understands why the servants are always complaining- it would be a ridiculously impossible task to be expected to neaten this wilderness. Not that thor believed it needed cleaning, in fact, he rather liked the ambience and mood created by the rich green plants and strange creatures living in the room. it was definitely more lively than his room. 

over time, thor began to take an increasing number of bathroom breaks and declare himself feeling unwell to sneak off and explore loki’s room. while he was sure it was the same size as his own it felt far less constricting despite being filled with things that were constantly changing. every few days thor would find the scenery and environment to be completely different - shifting mainly between green and brown dense rainforests, white and blue snowy settings, trees with blazing reds and yellow leaves, and occasionally what appeared to be a cold desert of shades of black. the terrain of the room was constantly shifting but the things stored in the room mostly remained where they were, so thor could always find the things he wanted to, like the box that played strange music and the shelf of astronomy books that painted the stars in excruciating detail.

thor knew the room obviously worked through magic, but what thor still didn't understand was how loki had the time to customize his room, or conceal the assortment of exotic creatures in it, or discover all the different trinkets in the room, when loki and thor both spent equal amounts of time training and doing things far away from the room. there was no way loki was sneaking off during class because he would have noticed, which meant loki must be re-doing his room and going on adventures during the night, when thor was sleeping. that didn't quite make sense either because it meant loki wasn't sleeping and if he wasn't sleeping he would be tired all the time; which loki was not.

Finally, thor decided he would visit his loki’s room at night, just to check if his brother was sleeping or not. As he made his way to the room and walked through the dark corridors in his armour (just in case loki needed help or if one the dragons tried to chew on his hair again, he kept telling himself), the silence was as if the entire palace was holding its breath. He reached the room, opened the door and slipped inside expecting to find the lush forest he had seen earlier that day, but instead he found nothing. 

The room was plain, and it was boring, and it was beige. 

Thor quietly closed the door behind him and looked around. The only colour was coming from loki as he slept, and it was a bright green colour seeming to be coming from under his eyelids. Thor didn't know much about magic but he figured that your eyes were not meant to glow while you slept. He was reaching out to shake loki awake when the glowing became brighter. Thor decided it would be best to leave when he realised the room had begun to melt and dissolve, darkening in colour as it did so. Within seconds Thor was standing on nothing, and yet something, in space. 

There was no longer a room. Just him, standing on something he couldn't see, the contents of loki’s room and the vast endlessness of stars and blackness around him. He jumped onto the nearest bed just to ensure he didn't start floating off. 

Slowly, from what could only be loki’s fingertips, the room began to fill up, with plants, the sound of running water, and the heavy moisture you feel when there is mist in the air. The room filled itself in, and soon the room showed no signs of ever being in space, and the animals found themselves looking for places to lay and rest, and the place was as solid as ever.

Thor didn't know if it was intentional, he didn't know if Loki was subconsciously redecorating his room, and he wasn't entirely sure why or how his brother was harbouring such strange and unique types of snakes, but he found that he could agree that beige was a pretty boring colour and deserved to be covered up. Maybe tidiness wasn't always good, and perhaps it was even possible that chaos could make a place more lively and fun to be in. 

So thor left his brother’s room, perhaps with more questions than when he had started, and just one he intended to actually ask aloud: could you help me redecorate?

[zephyrchin5]

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Before using any cleaning product on rug, test it on the fibers in a low-profile place to make sure it does not create discoloration.

I 'water rinsed' those locations once again and also it still feels extremely little 'gaudy'.

If there is shade transfer, do not use the product on your carpet.

Develop an option that is one part vinegar as well as one component water.

Everything essential to cleanse your carpetings can be located at your neighborhood hardware or supermarket.

This classification of carpeting spots consists of all non-oil-based food and also beverages, blood, vomit, ink, latex paint, and also cologne.

Initially, get rid of the spill as high as possible without pushing it right into the rug, literally removing solids with your hands and also blotting fluids with a white cloth.

Then, pour the vinegar solution over the area influenced by urine, gently scrub it, as well as let the area completely dry completely.

Washdown, health and cleaning equipment selected for performance, quality and reliability. Call us on or e-mail Conversely to order now on the website, you canregister/ log in. We have a big option of professional biography degradable stove cleansing chemicals. We have a large variety of expert dip tanks as well as van mounted oven cleansing storage tanks offered.

Exactly How To Get The Smell Of Family Pet Pee Out Of Carpeting.

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Cleansing regularly ensures you create a good impression to anybody strolling into the office and offer the perception of a professional, organised business. The UK market for contract cleaning is estimated to be ₤ 5.6 billion alone. Within this large industry there are a selection of different types of cleaning company that will fit various types of services. These variety from the demand for a commercial tidy to wanting a one off standard tidy.

Bleach does an amazing job of killing bacteria; it eliminates difficult spots and whitens clothing. For the last couple of years, I have actually truly been attempting to eliminate harmful chemicals from our home. It is difficult to remove them completely, because the chemicals are truthfully in virtually every little thing. Breathing in the chemicals utilized in traditional cleaners threatens and harmful, especially if you have bronchial asthma or allergic reactions.

[littleworldbigdreamsblog]

Intruders- Jessie Reyez (A Review)

Introduction

So from the first time I heard this song and watched the video I knew I had to write something on this. I have always loved Jessie Reyez, I even wrote one of my thesis papers about her song “Gatekeeper”. If I can find it I will definitely post it here. The topics that I will tackle with this one are quite heavy but it must be done. We will be looking at colonialism, the manipulation of history and the personification of nature. 

The Artist 

My girl Jessie Reyez has been making music people have been afraid to make and I will say something I don’t say often; she is so underrated. I wish more people knew about her and the messages she convey in her lyrics. Her voice is also so unique and she sings with so much passion and conviction. I have watched so many live performances of hers and I haven’t been disappointed so far. If you have never heard of Jessie Reyez I do encourage you to give her music a listen. Also she has a new album out called “Before Love Came to Kill us”, stream that ish everywhere.  

Song 

Listen here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVhqNnFh25E

So in most of Jessie’s lyrics she does this very interesting thing which again I wish more people talked about. The lyrics of her songs usually create a meta narrative. This just means that there is a main story which possesses a message or a world view within another story. For instance using “Intruders” as an example it reads like a love letter and sounds like a love song. I was casually browsing the comments on some lyrics sites for this song and a lot of people just saw the song as her saying that the man is hers and these “intruders” or other females don’t belong within their relationship. Absolutely nothing is wrong with seeing the lyrics as that alone but if you dig deeper paying special attention to certain words, you would see that this song is a lot more than what meets the eyes or ears. That is where the concept of the meta narrative comes into play. The story we read or hear on one level is a love story and the main story is about land being taken. People who would have done a little history even secondary school history know there is a term for such actions:colonialism. For a little recap National Geographic explains it to be when “one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people”. If you watched the music video you would see more physical representations of colonialism which I will get into but for now we are looking at the words and what they say. 

From the first set of lines in the song there is reference to the original natives of whatever colonized land she is writing about, “I found ya, cleared land /  Put down my flag /This is mine from now on”. As someone from the Caribbean I immediately thought of the Amerindians of the greater Antilles. These Amerindians or Indigenous people are known to be the original settlers of the Caribbean and possibly that of America. There were some studies done to try and track where these people came from and the results varied. Some researchers claimed they came from the Amazon while others said the DNA found from bones matched that of  people from Asia. Wherever they traveled from they are the known first civilization of people to inhabit these lands. Just those opening lines say a lot as it relates to theme and it is amazing how much just a few lines can say.      

There are other pieces of evidence of this song alluding to a telling of the colonization of native lands and people. In the second verse she sings “ I wrote you a love song /A war song/ I'll sing it when the ships come, yeah / I'll die for my state” which paints the picture of the natives standing together as the ships of the foreigners arrive willing to die for their land. And that is exactly what happened. Some assimilated while the ones who rose up were killed like animals. It was an act of genocide and historical records tend to see it another way. These records refer to the Amerindian settlements as pre-history which is incorrect as pre-history implies that the colonization of the land is the main or more important part of history when all of it is our history. This is what I meant by the manipulation of history. Just like there is evidence ie artifacts and relics as proof of the Europeans “discovering” the land, there is also evidence of the first settlers. It was a fully structured civilization which involved the tools they used, the type of agriculture grown and even their burial rituals and customs.  So therefore we cannot and should not see it as pre-history. For instance, growing up in the Caribbean, history was taught according to a British curriculum.It was only when I got older and more educated that I realised how biased it was. it was framed to make the Europeans look like our saviours. No sir! 

Video 

So the music video is a visual representation of this message or meta narrative that the song has. The video starts with a kind of Pocahontas like colours of the wind vibe with the main character worshiping the land. The land itself is personified as a man. Personification is giving more of less inanimate objects human-like features. The main character is using every part of the land to live and at the same time not harming it. 

It is a relationship that functions in harmony..... 

......until the fire nation attacked....I mean colonizers.

I feel like the Toronto-based studio, Solis Animation really studied the lyrics of the song and were able to create a video that works with the true meaning. Actually with both meanings of the the meta narrative. It functions as painting a picture of a love story but also one that shows an aspect of history that some people gloss over, that is, colonialism. I mean you can’t get clearer about what this video is really about. Even taking a look at what the colonizers were wearing. The uniforms were very similar to that of either the English or Spanish military like the colour scheme and the shape of the hats.  

 I also think it is important to note that all the people who came off the ships were female. This ties back to the part of the song that infers that it is about a love story. It is to mean that the intruders in the video while describing European colonizers, are also symbolizing the other women that would want to enter the relationship.  

As the good parts of the land were personified we also saw what happens when land is pillaged and destroyed, mainly how it bleeds. This heavily reminded me of the poem by Eric Roach called “Carib and Arawak” from his book The Flowering Rock. The poem really speaks about the land remembering the history of the genocide of the indigenous people of the Caribbean in particular the Caribs and Arawaks of Trinidad and Tobago. The poem highlights the concept of the flowers (hibiscus) grown on the land after colonial times being a reminder of the blood and death that occurred on the land. The hibiscus because of their original and true colour being red, it symbolizes how the land is bleeding out of revenge of the past.  I absolutely love this poem and if you have an interest in reading it, message me as I know it is almost impossible to find online.     

In these couple of frames we also see that she is willing to fight for her lands. This time marking herself with the blood of her home on her way to defend it. This shows the fighting spirit of the natives in order to protect their home. Based on historical accounts and records it states that some natives were peaceful and ready to cooperate until they were betrayed and they felt the need to reclaim their home.   

I believe we have come to the end of analyzing this piece of art. As someone from the Caribbean I really appreciated the way this video was put together. It emphasizes a part of our history which is sometimes buried and lost. It took a little longer to pull together not only because of the the research but also things going on in real life. I hope you learned something from reading this and if you feel like you can educate me some more on the topic feel free! 

References: 

Lyrics : https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jessiereyez/intruders.html

What is Colonialism? : https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/topics/reference/colonialism/

Where Native Americans came from: https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/where-native-americans-come

Eric Roach-https://www.peepaltreepress.com/authors/eric-roach

All gifs : https://giphy.com/channel/BobbieSan

[spacemensigns]

The 12 Most Unlikely Reasons Why Customized Floor Mats Are on a Rise

Welcome to the world of customized floor mats! Yes, you read that right. Floor mats have come a long way from just a carpet lying on the ground. Nowadays, people customize their floor mats with unique designs and logos to showcase their style and personality. It may sound surprising, but there are some unlikely reasons why customized floor mats are becoming increasingly popular among households and businesses alike. From branding opportunities to protect against dirt and weather conditions, let's dive into the 12 most unexpected reasons behind this trend! (Information Credit: https://www.spacemen-signs.co.za/service/customized-floor-mats)

What are customized floor mats?

Customized floor mats have been designed and created to accommodate the specific needs and preferences of an individual or a business. Unlike standard floor mats, these customized versions can be tailored to match the branding, colour scheme, and overall style of any space while still retaining their protective qualities.

Customized floor mats come in different shapes, sizes, materials, and designs. They can be made from durable materials like rubber or vinyl for high-traffic areas such as offices or restaurants. Residential spaces like homes or apartments can be made from softer fabrics like carpet or synthetic fibres.

One significant benefit of customized floor mats is that they serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. They protect floors against wear and tear caused by foot traffic and add a touch of elegance to any room.

Another advantage of customized floor mats is the ability to create business branding opportunities through personalized logos printed on them. This helps establish brand recognition and promotes customer loyalty.

In summary, customized floor mats are innovative pieces that protect while adding character to any space.

History of floor mats

The history of floor mats dates back to ancient times when people used animal hides and woven materials as flooring options. In the early civilizations, floor coverings were primarily used for practical purposes, such as providing warmth and insulation from cold grounds.

However, with time, the purpose of these coverings evolved into something more aesthetic. The Chinese are known for creating some of the earliest decorative floor mats made from bamboo or reed.

As civilization progressed, so did the materials and styles used to make floor coverings. Persian rugs became popular in Europe during the Renaissance, while Oriental carpets gained popularity in America during Colonial times.

Various types of synthetic fibres have been introduced into mat production in modern times. These fibres provide water resistance, durability and an array of colours not found in natural fibres.

Today's customized mats come in various shapes, sizes and design catering to individual tastes, making them functional and stylish additions to any home or business space.

How are customized floor mats made?

Customized floor mats are made using a specialized process that involves several steps. The first step is to create the mat's design, which can be done using software or by hand. Once the invention has been finalized, it is transferred onto a template for cutting.

The second step in making customized floor mats is to select the materials and colours used for each piece. This includes choosing the carpet or rubber backing type and selecting from a wide range of colours and patterns.

After all these elements have been decided upon, it's time to begin cutting and assembling the custom mats. The pieces are carefully cut according to their templates and glued together with strong adhesive.

Once assembled, each mat undergoes quality control testing before being shipped to customers. This ensures that every mat meets high standards for durability and functionality.

Creating customized floor mats requires significant attention to detail at every production stage - from designing and selecting materials to assembly and quality control testing. But when done correctly, these personalized accessories can offer style and protection for any vehicle interior!

The benefits of customized floor mats

Customized floor mats have many benefits, making them an excellent investment for any business or homeowner. One of the most significant advantages of customized floor mats is their ability to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your space. You can choose from various colours, designs, and patterns to create a unique look that complements your decor.

Customized floor mats also serve as an effective marketing tool for businesses. You can add your company logo, slogan, or contact information on the mat's surface, ensuring maximum brand exposure every time a customer enters your premises.

In addition to aesthetics and branding benefits, custom floor mats provide practical use in protecting floors from dirt, water damage and slips resulting from wet surfaces. They are specially designed with durable materials such as rubber and polypropylene that offer superior grip and slip resistance properties.

Another advantage is easy maintenance; customized floor mats are effortless to clean since they trap moisture effectively while keeping dirt away from underlying floors, cleaning up messes quickly without damaging flooring material underneath.

Finally, personalized/customized options let you design according to specific requirements, which means size compatibility with existing spaces will be precise guaranteeing perfect fitment regardless of shape, size or location-specific workspaces. 

This makes Customised Floor Mats not just visually appealing but functional too!

Some of the most popular customized floor mat designs

When it comes to customized floor mats, the design possibilities are endless. From sports teams and hobbies to personalized monograms and logos, there is no limit to what can be put on a floor mat. Here are some of the most popular custom designs:

1. Sports Teams: Fans love showing their team pride by displaying their favourite team's logo on their car or home floor mats.

2. Monograms: Personalized initials add a touch of sophistication and elegance to any car or home.

3. Logos: Custom logos are great branding in commercial settings such as offices, stores, and restaurants.

4. Patterns: From animal prints to geometric shapes, patterns offer an eye-catching way to add personality to your flooring.

5. Inspirational Quotes: Words have power! Motivational quotes inspire positivity every time you step on them!

6. Pet Prints: Pet lovers enjoy seeing paw prints all over their floors with customized pet print designs of different animals like cats and dogs

Whatever design you choose for your custom floor mat will make a bold statement while protecting your floors from dirt and wear and tear!

How to purchase a customized floor mat

Purchasing customized floor mats is a straightforward process. First, you must identify a reputable manufacturer or retailer producing customized floor mats. A quick online search will help you identify various options available.

Once you have identified a suitable outlet, browse their website to place the available mat designs. Most retailers offer pre-designed templates for customers, but some may also accept custom design requests.

After selecting your preferred design, specify the mat size and material required. The most common materials used include rubber, carpet and vinyl.

Next, provide any additional customization requirements such as colour preferences, logos, or text to be included on the mat.

The final step is placing the order and making payments using one of several payment methods accepted by the dealer. Your order will be processed and shipped within a few business days depending on location.

In summary, purchasing customized floor mats involves identifying a reliable retailer or manufacturer with customizable options online while specifying your ideal design preferences, including colours and sizing, before completing payment processing methods offered by said dealer.

Conclusion

Customized floor mats have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many homeowners and businesses opting for these personalized accessories. From adding style to providing safety and protection, customized floor mats offer a range of benefits that make them an attractive choice.

Whether you're looking for durability or functionality, there's no denying the versatility of customized floor mats. With endless design possibilities and a range of materials, it's easy to find the right mat that suits your needs perfectly. If you're thinking about investing in customized floor mats for your home or business, don't hesitate! Please take advantage of their many benefits and order yours today. You'll be amazed at how much they can improve the look and feel of any space while also keeping it clean, safe, and protected.

[miralfootball]

Email organise

#EMAIL ORGANISE ARCHIVE#

#EMAIL ORGANISE FREE#

Sound crazy? Maybe it does, but all the alternatives assume the continuation of the present system… and that’s even crazier…

#EMAIL ORGANISE FREE#

We want to improve everyday conditions for ourselves and other working class people, but we also struggle for the revolutionary transformation that can create a free and equal society, one based on mutual aid and co-operation. Our members are workers, claimants, students, migrants, unemployed and other working-class people committed to building a libertarian communist union movement actively opposed to all forms of oppression and exploitation. The way we organise reflects the free society we want to create: one based on voluntary association, democratic participation and self-management. We are actively working to promote solidarity in opposition to capitalism, the state, patriarchy and all other forms of oppression and hierarchy. We are a small group of ordinary working class people who are fed up with being fucked about by the profit system, fed up with seeing our communities torn apart by racism, patriarchy, nationalism and sectarianism, and sick of a greedy few getting rich off everyone else’s backs. Our history goes back to the original formation of Organise! by the Ballymena and Antrim Anarchist Groups in 1985. Organise! is an anarchist political group in Ireland who take inspiration from the self directed struggles of working-class people, particularly those organised on anarcho-syndicalist lines. Get Involved and help Build an Anarchist Alternative.

#EMAIL ORGANISE ARCHIVE#

We are working on building up a more extensive online archive over the coming months. We are still adding copies of The Leveller to our archive here and have started to add pamphlets as well. From the Just Books Collective there is the Just Books online shop and of course the Just Books Review. You can check out our new southern bulletin Class War and our northern bulletin Black Star, the latest copy of The Leveller which is being relaunched later this year as a magazine. Over the past year we have added quite a bit to the site. Similarly, using a' tracking number' filter will provide you with all the emails about all the purchases.Welcome to the website for Organise! anarcho-syndicalists in Ireland, launched on May Day 2020. Such as the newsletters that you have not subscribed to. The magic of the filter is that while creating a filter that searches your inbox for the phrase 'unsubscribe' will automatically send those emails to your junk folder. Gmail Filtersįilters can do much more than simply sorting your emails into categories. Hover your mouse over 'Label colours', this will again open a new menu that has a variety of preset label colour schemes along with text and highlight colours, as well as the ability to add custom colours and remove colours. When you see a small downward-pointing arrow appear, click on itģ. Go to the left column and hover your cursor over a label you want to colour-codeĢ. Fortunately, you can colour-code some or all of your labels to make your emails more visually organised and appealing. Labels can help you organise your Gmail messages by sorting and categorising them. Select the type of inbox you want from the pull-down selection under the "Inbox” tab.

[wilderwestqueen]

wilderwestqueen - fanfic masterpost

Full Stories 

A Pinch of Sugar and a Dash of Spite / tumblr / ao3 / fanfic.net  [In Progress]

Hiccup Haddock's just trying to sell coffee and stumble through presentations about Shakespeare, but one persistent rude customer keeps ruining his day. Astrid Hofferson would be the top of her class if it weren't for one golden boy barista that needs to be taken down a notch. 

Brave As A Noun / ao3 / fanfic.net [In Progress]

Hiccup's struggling. University is difficult, his father is on his back, and he hasn't admitted to anyone just how bad his anxiety is getting. He's slipping right off the edge, and if he's not careful, he's going to fall right off. [Friendship/Angst/No Shipping] 

You’re Everything I Want (And Nothing I Can Keep) / tumblr / ao3 / fanfic.net  [Complete]

"Prove it. Bring her along this weekend, and prove it to everyone." After a little white lie, Hiccup has to do something drastic to avoid embarrassing himself at a family reunion. Lost for any other ideas, Hiccup asks his best friend to pretend to be his girlfriend, just for a day. What could possibly go wrong?

If This Is A Rom-Com, Kill The Director / ao3 / fanfic.net  [Complete]

Hiccup and Astrid are both popular actors. And they hate each other. As luck would have it, they're both cast in a film adaptation of a popular Shakespeare play, and have to face their bad feelings for each other head on. In true Shakespeare fashion, it's going to go wrong before it goes right.

Don’t Tell The Bride / ao3 / fanfic.net [Complete]

Hiccup and Astrid are two broke art school graduates whose only wish is to get married. When the television show 'Don't Tell The Bride' offers them the money to pay for the ceremony, Hiccup and Astrid jump at the chance. Only there's a catch. Hiccup has to plan the wedding alone, and Astrid's not allowed to know anything about it. 

Oneshots

I’ve Got You Now / tumblr / ao3 / fanfic.net

Astrid and Hiccup have a nerf gun war. 

How To Survive Christmas: A Guide By Hiccup Haddock / tumblr / ao3 / fanfic.net

The Christmas season is difficult enough with your father messing with your love life. When Astrid gets invited over for Christmas, Hiccup becomes obsessed with making it the best Christmas ever. 

This Little Game / tumblr / ao3 / fanfic.net 

Viggo's games are dangerous to play, and when it all comes crashing down for Hiccup and Astrid, they have to make the most difficult choice of their lives: only one of them can come out alive.

Poison In My Veins / tumblr / ao3 / fanfic.net

What if, in 'No Dragon Left Behind', the antidote to the Slitherwing poison takes much longer to work? What if Hiccup is forced, once again, to imagine a world without Astrid in it?

A Little Chance Encounter / tumblr / ao3 / fanfic.net 

Astrid doesn't like being set up with people at the best of times, but damn, did it really have to be with the one night stand she'd run away from the night before?

Here Comes The General / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

If you’ve got beef with the tribe of Berk, remember the golden rule: Never, ever, mess with General Hofferson.

Sing Me A Song / tumblr / fanfic.net

Hiccup serenades Astrid. It does not go well.

Just Pretend I Didn’t Say That / tumblr / fanfic.net

While Astrid seems to be asleep, Hiccup lets something slip.

Worth The Risk / tumblr / fanfic.net 

After the events of Shell Shocked, Hiccup and Astrid have a talk.

In the dim light of evening / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

After a hard day of responsibilities piling on top of one another, Hiccup breaks down in Astrid’s arms.

Kiss The Girl / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

It’s New Year’s Eve, and Hiccup has three resolutions: 1) to spend more time with his cat, 2) to remember to log out of his Facebook, and 3) Kiss Astrid Hofferson.

Moves And Countermoves / tumblr / fanfic.net 

In a bid to save Astrid, Hiccup gives himself over to Viggo.

At Your Window / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

In the middle of the night, Hiccup shows up outside Astrid’s bedroom.

Heather’s Helping Hand / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

After getting tired of watching Hiccup and Astrid dance around each other, Heather decides to intervene and get these two to admit their feelings once and for all.

A Grim Fall / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

After being brainwashed by the Grimora, Toothless and Hiccup fall over the edge of the cliff. Toothless escapes from the ocean, safe. Hiccup doesn’t.

Not Gonna Leave You / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

In the midst of the worst storm the archipelago has ever seen, Astrid rescues an injured Hiccup.

Just Let Me Help You / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

Hiccup patches Astrid up after she gets injured.

Just For Tonight / tumblr / fanfic.net

Her fingers hover over the delivery instruction box and then she giggles as she types in: Send the cutest delivery boy you have. OR Astrid’s lonely, and she needs something to go right tonight.

Fifteen Ways To Say I Love You / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

Astrid Hofferson’s got the perfect boyfriend. He’s kind, considerate and rather attractive. She’s pretty sure she loves him, and that he loves her too. So why hasn’t he said it yet?

The taste of scotch rich on my tongue / fanfic.net 

It’s late, and Astrid’s sad and drunk. One night, she tells herself. One night to be alone and sad. She certainly wasn’t banking on an equally as sad stranger to come make her feel better.

Winter Might Not Be So Bad After All / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

Astrid’s not a winter person, so when she wakes alone on a snowy day, she can’t help but be in a bad mood. But with the arrival of her boyfriend, Hiccup, she finds a new appreciation for the winter season.

Without You / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3  

In the aftermath of Astrid nearly drowning, Hiccup has a realization: without Astrid, who is he anyway?

Make The Good Things Better / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

It’s New Year’s Eve, and Hiccup finds himself at a party, next to the girl he’s been pining after for years. If only he could summon up the courage to tell her how he feels…

I Won’t Let You Be Lonely / tumblr / fanfic.net 

‘At some point, she’s going to have to admit out loud that she’s been stood up, and the last thing she wants is anyone’s pity.’ Astrid’s night would have been sad and lonely, if it weren’t for the green-eyed boy who saved the day.

Temporary / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

Astrid and Hiccup meet on holiday and get on like a house on fire. The only problem is the time limit: when the summer ends, they can never see each other again.

No Tomorrow / fanfic.net 

Hiccup’s in love with Astrid, that much anyone can see. But he’s afraid to tell her - and everyone keeps telling him that he might not always have a chance to do so. They are Vikings, after all. What if there was no tomorrow?

Screaming Colour / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 

Astrid sees the world in a monochrome cast, nothing but black and white until the day her soulmate comes along and lets her see in colour. Until then, she’s got her best friend Hiccup to describe all the different colours to her. But is that enough?

Rule Number Two / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3 / 

High school is hard enough without having to fight monsters every day. In which Hiccup and Astrid are monster hunters, juggling school with protecting the students from unimaginable horrors. They have only two rules. Number 1) Keep the secret. Number 2) Don’t die.

Girl Talk / fanfic.net / ao3  

A year after Hiccup destroyed the Red Death and united the village with the dragons, the Bog Burglars arrive for their annual visit. Astrid and Camicazi get a chance to talk about their mutual dragon training friend.

Tumblr drabbles/ficlets 

‘When your otp is in an intense argument and their faces get closer together, but then they stop talking and look at the other’s lips’ 

‘the best part of height differences in OTPs: when the taller one lifts the smaller one’s chin so that they can kiss them.’ 

2018 Secret Odin fic: ‘I don’t want to lose you too’

Astrid really hates Hiccup’s beard

@margarethelstone​ told me to write a fic about chewing gum so i did

Ask Prompts

1. “Hiccstrid story strung to the tune of Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift? Like, a song line or two, and then a drabble (a SHORT one) based off of it?” (tumblr) (ao3) 2. “He had your eyes, Hiccup. Look at him.” (tumblr) (ao3) 3. “Hiccup can’t find his favorite shirt and trashes his room looking for it. He runs to the to the living room in a rage to ask Astrid, and there she is, reading a book in his shirt (and looking really good in it, too). He decides to let her keep it.” (tumblr) 4. “Hiccstrid beach.” (tumblr)

5. “Hiccstrid guitar ❤” (tumblr) 6. “Hiccstrid cold :D :D 😃” (tumblr)

7. “Micro-story: Saviour” (tumblr)

8. “Hiccstrid “Can we pretend I didn’t just say that?” (Probably Hiccup after saying that Astrid is beautiful or something)” (tumblr) (fanfic.net)

9. “Can I ask for a oneshot in which Hiccup tries (and fails) to serenade Astrid? Pretty please?” (tumblr) (fanfic.net)

10. For that new prompt list of yours, maybe a 28 or 45? Both sound good ;) (knocking on the wrong door AU) (tumblr)

30 Day Fic Challenge (failed spectacularly) 

Day One: Island / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

Day Two: Warm / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

Day Three: Chief / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

Day Four: Scheme / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

Day Five: Halloween / tumblr / fanfic.net / ao3

[digitechseed]

Digital Marketing Strategies for Video Content Creators

Promoting your brand is complicated enough, so why would you invest in video content? It might seem like too much effort, or you’re not a great camera person; however, being a video creator can bring many benefits. It’s a great way to draw attention, improve engagement, and increase engagement. It is also the kind of content that is most popular with users. Digital Marketing Strategies for influencers to help their videos reach more audiences and get engaged.

As you optimize landing pages and develop full campaigns around written content to make sure it is effective, you must take the same approach with video. Also, it would help if you weren’t relying on “going to the top of your list,” but you can incorporate some cutting-edge strategies or techniques into videos to ensure it is a driving force for your business.

However, there are five steps to take to make sure that every video you make is optimized to give the best performance when it’s released to the crowd:

A. Define Goals

The first step to developing your video plan is to define your video’s goals. It is ideal for making a video for each stage of the funnel for marketing. However, first, you’ll need to determine which one is the most crucial to focus on.

Awareness: Here, a problem or an     opportunity is identified, and the user realizes that they are facing a     crisis. Videos at this point should draw attention to users and present     the brand’s image to a new group of people.

Examining: The viewer is currently     pondering how they can solve the issue they’re facing. They’re looking for     suggestions, watching reviews on products, and searching for affordable     solutions.

Choice: The solution has nearly been     discovered, and you’d like to stay at the forefront of your mind. Show     your potential customer proof of customer satisfaction. Also, show that     your product is superior to the other options.

B. Keywords Selection

Keyword research is often the initial step in an SEO writing process. It is vital to strive for top positions in search engine results. It is essential to know what keywords your prospective viewers are using when searching for the type of video you’re offering and then improve the CTR (click-through ratio) in organic and paid results.

Depending on the content you’re creating and how competitive the area’s keywords are, you’ll likely have to modify and tweak until you’ve found the perfect balance between the demand and opportunity. However, you should not be too broad or specific when looking for keywords.

C. Metadata

Video metadata refers to all digital data regarding your video that you can use to identify:

Author

Title

Date of creation

Thumbnail

Video length, etc.

This data is saved and indexed by your platform hosting your video when you upload it to ensure its correct place in search results for videos.

Once you’ve done your keyword study and have a sound SEO strategy in place and optimized, you can improve the meta description of your video using the information you’ve gathered while uploading it on the host platform, such as YouTube.

To make your video more visible and increase your visibility, include your most popular keywords in your copywriting of the movie’s description, title, description, and tags. Make sure that the metadata is consistent with the style of your video and incorporate those keywords seamlessly. It should be unique and intriguing but avoid clickbait because you may lose your customers and damage the reputation of your business.

D. Thumbnails

Thumbnails are created to give viewers a glimpse of what your video might be about. The best tips to consider when making and editing thumbnails of your videos:

Keep it short and straightforward, not clog up the same space with     contradicting images, text, etc.

Keep the same style across all channels.     Thumbnails that adhere to the same design or colour scheme look more     attractive and are clickable.

Use vibrant colours and compelling     elements to     attract your audience’s attention. You’re competing against hundreds or     even thousands of similar videos on the subject. Make sure yours stands     out and is watched!

Make use of fonts that can be     easily read on     the thumbnails of your videos. The viewers will scroll past videos that     are confusing or hard to comprehend. People are attracted to clicking     videos when they know what they can expect.

D. Choose Right Channel

You’ve finished your video, uploaded your video to your preferred video hosting platform, and written an excellent SEO strategy content for your site and metadata. What’s next? The most enjoyable part is sharing it with the world!!

Explore new channels you share it across, including social media and advertisements to email marketing, and expand to new video platforms. It increases the visibility of your video and increases the ways viewers can share your content on their networks.

You’ll likely have a more significant number of subscribers on specific sites. However, it’s still worth the effort to share your video on multiple platforms. The reason for this is that the higher the engagement of your video is on every video hosting platform, the higher the chance it will appear in Google’s video tab!

E. Conclusion

In the current world, making an online video or video series to advertise your services and products is a logical choice. It’s an excellent method of connecting and building an association with your clients, communicating your company’s primary message, and promoting new services and products. And these strategies and tools will make it more simple! DigiTactSeed helps influencers’ marketing strategies micro-influencers like video content creators on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reel.

[shadowyfiretyphoon]

The Most Common T-Shirt Design Mistakes

There are many ways to make mistakes in t-shirt design. While there are some things you can do to improve the quality of your design, there are some mistakes you can avoid. In this article, we'll discuss the most common mistakes people make and how to avoid them. Read on to learn about the most common T Shirt Printing Perth, and how to avoid them.

Don't forget to include important details about your design. Make sure that your design fits your company's brand personality, and is technically sound. Include details about the type of t-shirt you'd like, as well as the design's printing and material requirements. Send a few examples of your design to your designer and ask for their feedback. Make sure they understand your vision and that your design's look matches the style you're looking for.

Contrast cannot be stressed enough. If colours do not contrast well, the text will be difficult to read. A t-shirt that has dark colour on a white shirt is difficult to read. Therefore, use a good contrast between the background colour and the text. Also, make sure that the text is at least a 10th of the design's height.

Remember that human eyes can only process a small amount of information at one time. Avoid making your design too complex or cluttered. A good T-shirt design with relevant text and graphics will grab the attention of its intended audience quickly. Oftentimes, people get carried away with their originality and creativity, and create a messy mess with their design. Make sure you research and experiment with your designs on friends and family before finalizing your final design.

Using web images for t-shirt design is a mistake. The quality of these images is usually low and they are not suitable for printing. High-quality images are necessary for professional looking designs. An image with a resolution of 300 pixels or more is ideal, otherwise it will appear blurry. Images are critical to t-shirt design, so choose your images wisely.

Remember that t-shirt design is a business decision. It is a reflection of your brand and your products or services. Design your t-shirt to reflect these characteristics, and keep in mind the budget you have. Depending on the quantity of shirts you need, you'll want to select a color scheme and printing method. Avoid the following mistakes:

One of the most common TSHIRT DESIGN MISTAPS we see everyday is using the wrong size. Even though most people tend to use standard sizes for clothing, it is important to think in terms of scale when designing your T Shirt Screen Printing Perth. Sizes can be inaccurate, and certain shapes can make a T-shirt look much bigger than it actually is.

Remember that designing custom t-shirts is a business decision, and mistakes can make your t-shirt designs look bad. Whether you are printing a standard design, or a more personalized product with delicate embroidery, the design must be finalized before production begins. Even small mistakes can ruin your plans. It's better to enlist the help of a professional to plan your custom t-shirt order, which will save you a lot of time and unnecessary expenses.

Another mistake people make is adding too many colours to a design. Using too many colours is not only unprofessional, but will also increase the cost of screen printing. Generally, you should stick to one to three colours. More than this, you will only end up with a bunch of shirts that look ugly. For a first year, it is best to start small and build up from there.

Business Name: Uptempo Design & Screen Printing Perth

Country: Australia

Address: 7/33 McDonald Cres, Bassendean WA 6054

Email: info@uptempodesign.com.au

Contact No: +61863369440