#doing everything in her power for Scotland but also for francis

[icequeenjules26]

I always think I already love Francis as much as humanly possible but then he goes and proves me wrong. Sure he's dying but the only thing that matters to him is his Mary and it's incredibly cute but also hurts like a rusty knife to the chest...

[cristinborgia]

AU Austria: Best destinations for the wives of Felipe II of Spain (It should be clarified that he was not a good husband to say)

Mary Tudor- Queen consort of France (1516-1571)

Henry VIII of England was desperate, France did not want to form alliances with England trying to marry his daughter Elizabeth to the dauphin of France, Francis of Brittany. His second wife, Anne Boleyn tried to convince the French ambassadors to commit her only daughter to the dolphin, but Francis I of France would only accept an engagement to Mary, Henry VIII's legitimate daughter. Mary had been a maid to her younger sister Elizabeth in Hatfield for two years now and had been declared illegitimate, but it is believed that Henry still had a fondness for her eldest daughter and even considered her favorite.

In the end, thanks to his best friend Charles Brandon and his lover, Jane Seymour, the king was convinced to legitimize his eldest daughter in secret from his wife, the Boleyns and Cromwells. Mary Tudor was called to her father at More's Castle, something that made many servants or the other nannies in the House of Elizabeth think. Lady Maria was reunited with her father, who was said to hug her daughter for the joy of seeing her again. Henry VIII made a small ceremony where he legitimized his daughter in the eyes of the priest Thomas Cranmer, who was threatened with execution if he did not do what the King ordered, despite the fact that Cranmer was faithful to Anne Boleyn.

Maria was given back her title of Princess of England, Princess of Wales and above all the alliance with the dauphin Francis III of Brittany was signed, she also being a Dauphin of France and future Queen of France. In the middle of the year 1535 while Henry VIII's birthday was being celebrated, the princess arrived with some of her ladies looking charming and beautiful. It is known that Ann Boleyn was about to faint when she saw her stepdaughter entering and that her husband received her with open arms, being the cherry on the cake that Henry VIII declared before the court to Mary Tudor as a legitimate daughter and therefore the current one. Princess of Wales above Princess Elizabeth.

After that news that scandalized all of England, Mary was returned to her rooms in Ludlow Castle and received a pension from her father, but the princess sent this money to her mother, Catherine of Aragon, who was in trouble. economic after being exiled. Although Mary hated Anne Boleyn, she always had a fondness for her younger sister, Elizabeth, and asked her father not to take away her comforts from the little girl after she stopped being Princess of Wales.

At the end of 1535 the princess left for France saying goodbye to her relatives and asked Alice Middleton, widow of Thomas Moro, to deliver a letter to her mother after her departure. On January 1, 1536, Maria arrived in France, being received by her father-in-law, her fiancée and her in-laws.

Mary and Francis fell in love at first sight and Francis is said to have called Mary "the most beautiful and cultured princess he has ever known." The wedding took place a month later in Marseille, being a great ceremony and the dolphins were acclaimed in France and England. Mary was considered the desired queen after the death of Queen Claude in 1524 and they thought that she would bring color, peace and joy to France.

Francis and Mary settled in the duchy of Brittany where the princess sent some sums of money to her mother, Catherine secretly being Mary of Salinas the one who gave this money to her queen. While this was happening Ann Boleyn had an abortion and the king wanted to execute her under the crimes of adultery, witchcraft and incest, but in the end the second marriage of Henry VIII was declared void. Anne was exiled from the court and retired to a country house with her mother Isabel Howard.

At the end of the year 1536 Enrique married Jane Seymour and this managed to convince the king to be less harsh with Catherine of Aragon so he gave her first wife some fair amounts of money to eat. In 1537 Mary was born she had her first son, Henry who would be King of France as Henry II of France and this birth was taken with great joy for France. That same year, her younger brother was born, Edward the desired Prince of Wales and María, together with her family, traveled to England where she became the godmother of her brother, treating him with great affection.

María had a good relationship with some of her political relatives, but her sister-in-law Catherine de Medici always saw her as a rival of hers since she wanted to sit on the French throne with her husband, Henry of Valois. In addition, Catherine envied Maria since she had a good marriage with Francis, and a very healthy male child, while she had children who presented some deformities or a delicate health and her husband Enrique was in love with his lover Diane de Poitiers at the same time. which gave all his attention.

In 1538 his first daughter was born, Catherine named in honor of her maternal grandmother Catherine of Aragón, this would be Queen consort of Spain as she was the second wife of Philip II. Two years later in 1540 Mary was born who would be Queen of Scotland by marrying the eldest son of James V, James VI of Scotland. The birth of three healthy children increased Mary's popularity, in addition to the fact that she had made it fashionable to wear dark-hued dresses with diamonds as decoration, something unusual in the French court.

In 1541 her second son, Arthur, was born, who would become Duke of Orleans after the death of two of his cousins, Charles and Enrique. In 1543 her last daughter was born, Charlotte who would be Princess of Transylvania and her favorite.

Henry VIII died in the year 1547 being succeeded by the young Edward as Edward VI. Mary attended the coronation of her younger brother and asked permission to take her mother, Catherine of Aragón with her because she was already an older woman and it would be good to spend the last years happy with her. This was accepted by Edward VI due to the great affection he had for his older sister and María left with her mother for France but not without first recommending to her brother that he write letters in case he needs help and that he lean on his loyal advisor, Eustace Chapuys to deliver those letters because he knew that the King's uncles, Thomas and Edward Seymour would do everything possible to control the kingdom.

A few months after the death of Henry VIII of England, King Francis I of France passed away and the Dukes of Brittany were crowned, Francis being the second of his name. Mary made her mother her personal secretary, as well as being her loyal advisor, mother and daughter remaining very close.

In 1549 Thomas Seymour was executed on thirty-three counts of high treason. The Queen of France traveled to England and declared herself regent for the minority of her little brother. Although Mary was not very interested in politics, she knew that Edward Seymour, the brother of the late Thomas, would do his best to become regent and she did not want England to fall into the ambitious hands of the Seymours. Her position as regent did not please the Protestants and some members of the court, but especially Edward Seymour who believed he had more right to be the regent of her nephew. On January 23, 1550, Edward Seymour broke into the king's rooms to try to kidnap him, but the barking of Edward VI's favorite dog alerted the guards who arrested the Duke of Somerset. In the end Edward was imprisoned for treason and attempted murder of the king and half a year later he would be executed.

Mary, frightened by this situation, decided to send her younger brother to France to be under the protection of the king and people the queen trusted. The Queen's regency had many ups and downs due to her Catholic beliefs and her religious reforms to limit the power of Protestants whom she viewed as heretics. The regent spent a year in England and a year in France trying to carry out her position as Queen consort of France, this being somewhat stressful for her.

In 1553 her grandson, Henry the future Henry III of France, was born and the queen loved her grandson very much, so much that she granted properties in the Duchy of Brittany for her enjoyment. Two years after the birth of her grandson, King Edward VI became engaged to the French princess Elizabeth de Valois who was the niece of Mary.

Her role as her regent was repeatedly engulfed by tensions between Catholics and Protestants, the latter being the ones who did not want a woman, much less a fervent Catholic, to rule in the name of her king. These pressures and threats to her life caused different depressions for Mary, which were aggravated when her mother, Catherine of Aragón, died in 1558 due to heart problems at the age of 73.

The burial of her mother in the basilica of Saint-Denis, Mary Tudor left the regency of England when her brother Edward was 21 years old. Mary returned to France in 1560 with her family and continued her role as queen consort of France. In 1565 her husband Francis hers began to have various health problems and died that same year from an alleged stomach cancer being the traumatic death of her for Maria who was still depressed by the death of her mother.

Despite these deaths, the widowed queen remained next to her children, especially next to hers, her first-born Henry of hers, who was crowned Henry II of France. The queen mother focused on leading a quiet and family life with some of her grandchildren, but it is known that she had many complications with her young daughter Charlotte who was Princess consort of Transylvania when she married Esteban Bathory and with him she had a marriage marked by the infidelities, jealousy and the supposed madness of the princess.

In 1570 Esteban Bathory died and his son Esteban “el negro” locked up his mother in a mental asylum for his supposed insanity. Maria tried her best to get her little girl out of there and return to France with her, but this was denied by her grandson and her court. The confinement of the dowager princess made the French family begin to intrigue against the Bathory claiming that they were heretics who showed loyalty to Satan and that Charlotte, being a fervent Catholic, decided to get rid of her.

The health of the queen mother suffered after the confinement of the princess and she passed away at the end of the year 1571 at the age of 55. Ten years after her death, her grandson Esteban “el negro” died without issue, being succeeded by her younger brother Henry, who freed her mother, Charlotte from her, allowing her to return to her normal life.

AU Austria: Mejores destinos para las esposas de Felipe II de España (Cabe aclarar que el no fue un buen esposo que digamos)

María Tudor- Reina consorte de Francia (1516-1571)

Enrique VIII de Inglaterra estaba desesperado, Francia no quería formar alianzas con Inglaterra tratando de casar a su hija Isabel con el delfín de Francia, Francisco de Bretaña. Su segunda esposa, Ana Bolena trato de convencer a los embajadores franceses de comprometer a su única hija con el delfín, pero Francisco I de Francia solo aceptaría un compromiso con María, la hija legitima de Enrique VIII. María llevaba ya dos años siendo criada de su hermana menor Isabel en Hatfield y había sido declarada ilegitima, pero se cree que Enrique todavía sentía aprecio por su hija mayor e incluso considerada su favorita.

Al final gracias a su mejor amigo Charles Brandon y a su amante, Jane Seymour, el rey fue convencido de legitimar a su hija mayor a escondidas de su esposa, los Bolena y Cromwell. María Tudor fue llamada ante su padre en el Castillo de More algo que hizo pensar a muchos criados o las otras niñeras de la Casa de Isabel. Dama María se reencontró con su padre el cual se decía que abrazo a su hija por la alegría de volver a verla. Enrique VIII hizo una pequeña ceremonia donde legitimaba a su hija a los ojos del sacerdote Thomas Cranmer, quien fue amenazado con ser ejecutado si no hacía lo que el Rey ordenaba, pese a que Cranmer era fiel a Ana Bolena.

María le fue de vuelto su titulo de princesa de Inglaterra, princesa de Gales y sobre todo se firmo la alianza con el delfín Francisco III de Bretaña siendo también delfina de Francia y futura reina de Francia. A mitades del año 1535 mientras se celebraba el cumpleaños de Enrique VIII, la princesa llego con algunas de sus damas luciendo encantadora y bella. Se sabe que Ana Bolena estuvo apunto de desmayarse al ver a su hijastra entrando y que su marido la recibiera con los brazos abiertos siendo la cereza en el pastel que Enrique VIII declarara ante la corte a María Tudor como hija legitima y por lo tanto la actual princesa de Gales por encima de la princesa Isabel.

Después de aquella noticia que escandalizo a toda Inglaterra María le fue devuelta sus habitaciones en el Castillo de Ludlow y recibió una pensión de su padre, pero la princesa destino este dinero a su madre Catalina de Aragón quien estaba en apuros económicos tras haber sido exiliada. María pese a que odiaba a Ana Bolena, siempre tuvo un cariño a su hermana menor Isabel y pidió a su padre que no le quitaran a la pequeña sus comodidades tras dejar de ser princesa de Gales.

A finales del 1535 la princesa partió hacia Francia despidiéndose de sus familiares y pidió a Alice Middleton, viuda de Thomas Moro que le entregara una carta a su madre después de su partida. El primero de enero del año 1536 María llego a Francia siendo recibida por su suegro, su prometido y su familia politica.

María y Francisco se enamoraron a primera vista y se dice que Francisco llamo a María “la princesa mas bella y mas culta que haya conocido”. La boda se celebro un mes después en Marsella siendo una gran ceremonia y los delfines fueron aclamados en Francia y en Inglaterra. María era considerada como la reina deseada tras la muerte de la reina Claudia en 1524 y pensaban que ella traería color, paz y alegría a Francia.

Francisco y María se instalaron en el ducado de Bretaña donde la princesa enviaba algunas sumas de dinero a su madre, Catalina en secreto siendo María de Salinas la que entregaba este dinero a su reina. Mientras esto ocurría Ana Bolena tuvo un aborto y el rey quiso ejecutarla bajo los crímenes de adulterio, brujería e incesto, pero al final el segundo matrimonio de Enrique VIII fue declarado nulo. Ana fue exiliada de la corte y se retiro a una casa de campo junto a su madre Isabel Howard.

A finales del año 1536 Enrique se caso con Jane Seymour y esta logro convencer al rey de que fuera menos duro con Catalina de Aragón por lo que le entrego a su primera esposa algunas cantidades de dinero justas para comer. En 1537 nació María tuvo a su primer hijo, Enrique que sería Rey de Francia como Enrique II de Francia y este nacimiento fue tomado con gran alegría para Francia. Ese mismo año nació su hermano menor, Eduardo el deseado príncipe de Gales y María junto a su familia viajaron a Inglaterra donde ella se convirtió en la madrina de su hermano, tratándolo con mucho cariño.

María tenia una buena relación con algunos de sus familiares políticos, pero su concuñada Catalina de Medici siempre la vio como una rival ya que ella quería sentarse en el trono francés junto a su marido, Enrique de Valois. Además Catalina envidiaba a María ya que ella tenia un buen matrimonio con Francis, y un hijo varón y muy sano, mientras que ella tenia hijos que presentaban algunas deformidades o una delicada salud y su esposo Enrique estaba enamorado de su amante Diane de Poitiers a la cual daba toda su atención.

En 1538 nació su primera hija, Catalina llamada en honor a su abuela materna Catalina de Aragón, esta sería Reina consorte de España al ser la segunda esposa de Felipe II. Dos años después en 1540 nació María que sería Reina de Escocia al casarse con el hijo mayor de Jacobo V, Jacobo VI de Escocia. El nacimiento de tres hijos sanos aumento la popularidad de María, además de que ella había puesto de moda usar vestidos de tonos oscuros con diamantes como decoración, algo poco usual en la corte Francesa.

En 1541 nació su segundo hijo, Arturo que sería Duque de Orleans tras morir dos de sus primos, Carlos y Enrique. En 1543 nació su ultima hija, Carlota que sería Princesa de Transilvania y su favorita.

Enrique VIII falleció en el año 1547 siendo sucedido por el joven Eduardo como Eduardo VI. María asistió a la coronación de su hermano menor y pidió permiso para poder llevarse a su madre, Catalina de Aragón con ella debido a que ya era una mujer mayor y sería bueno pasar sus últimos años feliz. Esto fue aceptado por Eduardo VI por el gran cariño que tenia hacia su hermana mayor y María partió junto a su madre a Francia no sin antes recomendarle a su hermano que le escriba cartas por si necesita ayuda y que se apoye en su leal consejero, Eustace Chapuys para entregar aquellas cartas debido a que sabía que los tíos del Rey, Thomas y Edward Seymour harían todo lo posible por controlar el reino.

Unos meses después del fallecimiento de Enrique VIII de Inglaterra, falleció el rey Francisco I de Francia y los duques de Bretaña fueron coronados siendo Francisco el segundo de su nombre. María hizo a su madre su secretaria personal, además de ser su leal consejera permaneciendo madre e hija muy unidas.

En 1549 Thomas Seymour fue ejecutado por treinta y tres cargos de alta traición. La reina de Francia viajo a Inglaterra y se declaro regente por la minoría de edad de su hermano pequeño. Pesé a que María no estaba muy interesada en la politica, ella sabía que Edward Seymour, el hermano del fallecido Thomas, haría lo posible para llegar a ser regente y ella no deseaba que Inglaterra callera en las manos ambiciosas de los Seymour. Su puesto como regente no agrado a los protestantes y algunos miembros de la corte, pero en especial a Edward Seymour que creía que tenia mas derecho a ser el regente de su sobrino. El 23 de enero del año 1550 Edward Seymour irrumpió en las habitaciones del rey para tratar de secuestrarlo, pero los ladridos del perro favorito de Eduardo VI alertaron a los guardias que detuvieron al duque de Somerset. Al final Edward fue encarcelado por traición e intento de asesinato al rey y medio año después sería ejecutado.

María asustada por esta situación decidió enviar a su hermano menor a Francia para que estuviera bajo la protección del rey y de personas en las que la reina confiaba. La regencia de la Reina tuvo muchos altibajos debido a sus creencias católicas y a sus reformas religiosas para limitar el poder de los protestantes a los cuales veía como herejes. La regente pasaba un año en Inglaterra y un año en Francia tratando de desempeñar su cargo como Reina consorte de Francia, siendo esto algo estresante para ella.

En 1553 nació su nieto, Enrique futuro Enrique III de Francia y la reina amo mucho a su nieto, tanto que concedió unas propiedades en el ducado de Bretaña para su disfrute. Dos años después del nacimiento de su nieto, el rey Eduardo VI se comprometió con la princesa francesa Isabel de Valois que era la sobrina de María.

Su papel como regente se vio varias veces enfrascado por las tensiones entre católicos y protestantes siendo estos últimos los que no deseaban que una mujer y mucho menos una ferviente católica gobernase en nombre de su rey. Estas presiones y amenazas a su vida le causaron distintas depresiones a María que se agraviaron cuando en 1558 falleció su madre, Catalina de Aragón por problemas cardiacos a los 73 años.

El entierro de su madre en la basílica de Saint-Denis, María Tudor dejo la regencia de Inglaterra cuando su hermano Eduardo tenia 21 años. María regreso a Francia en 1560 junto a su familia y continuo su papel como reina consorte de Francia. En 1565 su marido Francisco empezó a tener diversos problemas de salud y falleció ese mismo año por un supuesto cáncer de estomago siendo su muerte traumática para María que estaba todavía deprimida por la muerte de su madre.

Pese a estas muertes la reina viuda se mantuvo al lado de sus hijos sobre todo al lado de su primogénito Enrique que fue coronado como Enrique II de Francia. La reina madre se centro en llevar una vida tranquila y familiar junto algunos de sus nietos, pero se sabe que tuvo muchas complicaciones con su hija pequeña Carlota que era Princesa consorte de Transilvania al casarse con Esteban Bathory y con este tuvo un matrimonio marcado por las infidelidades, los celos y por la supuesta locura de la princesa.

En 1570 falleció Esteban Bathory y su hijo Esteban “el negro” encerró a su madre en un asilo mental por su supuesta locura. María trato lo posible para que su pequeña saliera de ahí y regresara a Francia junto a ella, pero esto le fue negado por su nieto y su corte. El encierro de la princesa viuda hizo que la familia francesa empezase a intrigar en contra de los Bathory afirmando que ellos eran herejes que mostraban lealtad a satanás y que Carlota al ser una ferviente católica decidieron deshacerse de ella. 

La salud de la reina madre se vio resentida tras el encierro de la princesa y falleció a finales del año 1571 a los 55 años de edad. Diez años después de su muerte, su nieto Esteban “el negro” falleció sin descendencia siendo sucedido por su hermano menor Enrique el cual libero a su madre, Carlota de su encierro permitiéndola regresar a su vida normal.

[blackboar]

Journey to Bosworth: Behind Henry Tudor, the hand of France.

Today we're not talking about a particular figure that was vindicated or wronged at Bosworth field but about a country whose support was important, if not decisive, in the Tudor triumph: France.

France's support for the Tudor cause is a primal example of internal policy shaping the foreign one. During Louis XI's reign (1461-1483), France became more centralized country, destroying many powerful vassal's fiefdoms (Anjou, Burgundy, Armagnac, etc.…). Louis had made plans to incorporate one of the last large feudal demesnes autonomous from royal power: the duchy of Britanny. Britanny had been sometimes an English ally during the Hundred Years War, and it had a very fragile succession as Francis II of Britanny had only two daughters and cousins eager to take their place when he died. The issue was that Louis XI died before and left as ruler thirteen years of Charles VIII under his elder sister, Anne de Beaujeu. Anne wanted to pursue her father's expansionist policy. Still, as a regent, her position was far less secure, and there was a backlash from the nobility against her father's legacy. So France was quite unstable during the beginning of Charles VIII's reign, culminating in the 1485-1488 'Mad War' between the regency and various nobles supported by foreign powers.

The last thing Anne and her councilors wanted was English involvement during the difficult steps of a minority. England had shown itself troublesome in the previous centuries, and their kings still claimed the French crown. They also had an important stronghold in the country with the town of Calais, nearby northern France. Louis XI was very eager to not meddle with England and have it as neutral or as an ally against his enemies. This is why he gave help to the Lancastrians during the 1460s and supported Henry VI's restoration in 1470. He wanted English help against Burgundy, and Lancastrian England did declare war on the duchy prematurely in 1471, before Edward IV's invasion and restoration a few months later.

Failing to make England an ally, Louis XI at least succeeded at buying its neutrality. In 1474, he immediately made his peace with the triumphant Yorkist king in exchange for £10,000 per year and £15,000. He also promised his heir Charles to Elizabeth of York. But their relationship faded soon after. In 1480, England waged war against France's ally Scotland. Louis XI, who finally made his peace with the Burgundian estates in 1482, had no desire to neutralize Edward IV anymore. He stopped paying his pension and broke his son's marriage toward Elizabeth of York in exchange for a much more promising one with Margaret of Burgundy. It was a foreign policy disaster for Edward IV, who lost his Burgundian ally and his compensations for doing so.

1482 was a geopolitical disaster for England, which made Edward IV look like a fool. He made an unpopular peace that looked like he was bribed by England's traditional foe and got fooled by it.

Richard, who was duke of Gloucester by that time, was vindicated. He was the one who argued against peace. When Louis XI made his peace with Edward IV in 1475, he made sure to sustain it by giving pensions to many magnates like Lord Stanley, lord Howard or Lord Hastings. Richard refused to get money from the enemy and returned to the north shortly after, with rumors of tensions between him and his brother. Between 1480 and 1482, he spearheaded the efforts against Scotland, returning Berwick to England after its loss during Henry VI's reign. His prestige was enormous and no doubt played its part in his subsequent usurpation. Richard III had by 1483 the image of the greatest living warrior in England and an uncompromising foe to England's enemies.

When Edward IV died, Louis XI's last days were focused on events across the Channel. No doubt he was happy to see a minority that could neutralize England for many years. But by June, it was clear that his brother Richard would be king and shape his realm's foreign policy. Louis XI saw himself dying in the summer of 1483, and his worst fears were becoming real. It wouldn't be a child king in England closely monitored by the experienced Louis XI, but a bellicist and able king in England facing a frail regency in France.

Thus, Louis XI's last days might have been focused on the English situation. With Burgundy finally cowed and many other French magnates disappeared, London was the biggest threat. And Louis XI himself had broken the Picquigny deal, while Scotland was in no shape to help its French ally (they would have internal strife until James III died in 1488). Louis XI might have died advising his daughter and son-in-law, the future regents, to take care of the English problem first.

Anne would take up the regency and be a dominant figure in French politics. Her first target was Britanny, with an aging duke Francis II with only daughters to succeed. Francis II also had Henry Tudor in his custody. In late 1483, he would support an ill-fated attempt to overthrow Richard III hoping that the Tudor pretender would help Britanny against the regency. Its failure would condemn Francis II's hopes of immediate English help.

Anne de Beaujeu, regent of France, didn't look kindly on those attempts and had no cards to play in this game. She was too busy enforcing the regency and organizing the General Estates (reunion of the representatives of the three orders of France) at Tours in 1484. In short, she was in a fight for the regency against her male cousin and brother-in-law Louis II of Orléans. However, she never lost attention from the English question, as in the Tours General Estates. The chancellor of France, Guillaume de Rochefort, would discuss Edward V's fate compared to their own child-king Charles VIII. French propagandists and servants like Philippe de Commynes or the chancellor of France itself would accuse Richard III of killing his nephews. In short: the French regency was doing everything in its power to slander Richard III in the eyes of the French and continental public. The General Estates of Tours was the first to assemble deputies from the whole kingdom of France and the surest way to make sure those rumors would widely spread.

In September 1484, an opening would create itself for Anne. Henry Tudor would flee the destabilized court of Francis II (one of his councilors tried to sell him to Richard III) and come forward to his cousins of France. There, Anne would welcome him and secure the extradition of his other supporters stuck in Britanny. The Tudor card was now in French hands, and Britanny had now lost control of the English situation.

What did Anne think of the cousin she saw for the first time? They had a common ancestor in Charles VI of France, but familial solidarity was secondary to preserving one's estate and positions. Anne's position as a regent was precarious, and she certainly saw in 1484 the burgeoning of the feudal coalition against her. It was crucial to deter English involvement in the war. Indeed, Henry Tudor might have promised support to Britanny in 1483 in exchange for their help during Buckingham's rebellion. However, Briton's treasurer Pierre Landais did try to sell him to Richard III in exchange for support against France. This might have deterred Henry toward any promises he had made to Britanny in the past, but it was also worrying news for Anne, as it shows that Richard III was more than ready to intervene in France. For Anne de Beaujeu, Henry Tudor was free to ally with France and might be her best pawn against Richard III.

In March 1485, Richard III's wife died. It weakened his position, as rumors were spread accusing Richard III of poisoning his wife to marry his niece, Elizabeth of York. But that was another threat for Anne as Richard III was now free to use his marriage to create an alliance on the international stage. He might have considered Francis II of Brittany's heir, Anne, catastrophic for France. Henry Tudor would finally secure French support indispensable for his expedition.

When he landed at Milford Haven in Wales, Henry Tudor was accompanied by various exiles and opponents of Richard III. Those magnates (Wells, his uncle Jasper, the earl of Oxford) didn't bring many troops with them, and the bulk of the Tudor forces were French (and maybe Scottish) mercenaries led by Philibert de Chandée. Those mercenaries might have been 5,000 but were more probably 2,000 strong. With them, Henry Tudor received from the French king 40,000 Livres tournois for his expenses. Without France, Henry Tudor wouldn't be capable of being a challenge for Richard III. It is not sure if Anne and her allies thought that Henry Tudor would win. However, it would prevent Richard III from interfering in France for a time.

Thus, during 1485, in which Louis of Orleans would try various methods to overthrow the regency, England would not intervene. It was infringed by its internal matters, with Henry Tudor's expedition and ascension to the throne. Anne would succeed at overthrowing a dangerous bellicist king for a king untested in battle. Better, Henry Tudor's hand was promised to Elizabeth of York so that Anne wouldn't fear any dangerous marriage from him.

It's important to note that Henry Tudor wasn't a French puppet. The rumors that Henry VII would surrender Calais to the French in exchange for their help would prove unfounded. Henry VII would also support Britanny's support for independence in 1488, but on a small scale (he sent at best 700 men). His invasion of France in 1492 would be aborted, and Henry VII would resort to Edward IV's policies of getting pensions from France.

What Anne planned to achieve by putting France's weight behind Henry Tudor was, in the short term, to neutralize England. In the long-term, it was to replace Richard III, a dangerous, bellicist king whose anti-french policies were an indication that England might intervene in the continent on a large scale. Contrary to Edward IV or Henry VII, there was every evidence that Richard III wouldn't back down in exchange for cash. Bosworth was, indirectly, a French victory, which is deeply ironic as it marks for some the end of the French era.

If Richard III won at Bosworth, we might have looked at a whole different timeline. Richard might have sought revenge on France and court Anne of Britanny's hand. We could look at an alternative timeline in which Richard III land in Britanny, marry the heiress, and wage war against the regency.

[lawrenceop]

HOMILY for the 3rd Sun of Advent (EF)

Phil 4:4-7; John 1:19-28

The Dominican friar, Meister Eckhart, a German mystic of the late 13th-century once described the Holy Trinity in this way: “The Father laughs at the Son, and the Son at the Father, and the laughter brings forth pleasure, and the pleasure brings forth joy, and the joy brings forth love”. Laughter, pleasure, joy. This is how our God is, and this joy overflows into creation so that we and our world are held in being by God’s love. And who is this joy within the Holy Trinity, if not the Holy Spirit? So, when John the Baptiser promises that Christ will baptize us with the Holy Spirit (cf Mt 3:11), he means that we Christians will be filled with God’s Spirit of joy. And so, today, on Gaudete Sunday, ‘rejoicing Sunday’, St Paul says to us: “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4).

But what does it mean to rejoice? The dictionary defines ‘joy’ as  ‘intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness’. But is St Paul saying that we Christians should be wildly happy and laughing all the time? It would be rather exhausting! Indeed, should we feel guilty because we don’t feel like laughing and being gleeful in the face of the uncertainties, difficulties and even the genuine sorrows of this time? For many this holiday period, particularly this year, can bring up painful reminders of bereavements suffered at the end of the year, or the gloom of lonely and depressing pandemic restrictions, and the economic uncertainties faced by so many can make this a rather cheerless time. So, how can Sacred Scripture call us to “rejoice always”?

I think that we would misunderstand St Paul if we think it means mere happiness and forced merriment – the kind that you might experience at office Christmas parties when one ‘over-indulges’ in order to plaster over the real problems and tensions in the workplace. For St Paul was himself subject to beatings, imprisonment, and much suffering. He had worries about money to fund his missions, frustration about being misunderstood and maligned, and was grieved when Christian communities broke away from his teaching and guidance. So, Christian joy does not mean that we are without worries and sorrows. Nor does it mean that we should ignore these troubles and uncertainties and just focus on having a good time. Rather, joy means having a happiness and contentment that is deeply rooted in faith in God’s goodness, and hope in his promises. It means living according to the Beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs”. It means knowing that God’s love holds us in being, and that he cares for us, and desires our eternal happiness with him in heaven.

In the words of the prophet Isaiah, who is very much an Advent voice, we rejoice because God has “clothed me in the garments of salvation” and “covered me in the robes of righteousness”. Indeed, Isaiah uses the imagery of marriage to express how we should rejoice: that deep satisfaction and joy of a bride or bridegroom, who is being joined forever to his or her one love. And because of love, the husband and wife, together, can endure all hardships and trials. That is the kind of union we have with God because the Holy Spirit dwells in us, like in a temple, and he fills us with God’s presence. God’s Spirit in us, wedded to us in love, fills us with the joy of the Blessed Trinity himself. Joy, therefore, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, a divine gift that comes from our graced union with God.

It’s a tragedy that often we don’t experience this but this is the true gift that God wants to give us this Christmas, and indeed, he wants to give it to us daily. Instead of seeking delight in and from God, though, we often are tempted by the pleasures and transient joys of the world; we seek consolation from things that do not last and which may even be destructive of our true happiness; and we settle for the fleeting fancies of this world rather than the deep and abiding joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. Pope Benedict XVI, when he visited Scotland in 2011 put it really well, and I think he speaks to our experience today. He said: “There are many temptations placed before you every day - drugs, money, sex, pornography, alcohol - which the world tells you will bring you happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive. There is only one thing which lasts: the love of Jesus Christ personally for each one of you. Search for him, know him and love him, and he will set you free from slavery to the glittering but superficial existence frequently proposed by today’s society. Put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God”. This is what Pope St Leo the Great said also in his great Christmas sermon: “Christian, remember your dignity, and now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition. Bear in mind who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Do not forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of God’s kingdom.” If we always bear this in mind, who or what could rob us of our true joy. For we belong to Christ; we are promised the eternal and unending joys of heaven; we are one with him in Holy Communion. Why, then, do we settle for less and fall into sin, lust after silly worldly pleasures, and futile quick-fix deceptive solutions?

So instead of seeking the consolations of the world, today’s Gospel calls us to seek the God of consolation, who is Love. Seek God, who St John says, stands among us, and whom we do not know. For often God’s Spirit is active and at work in our lives, and he consoles us, and brings us joy, but we do not know it because we don’t recognize him at work, present in our lives. If we want to seek the God of consolation then, we need to quieten down, and listen for his Voice of comfort crying out in the wilderness of our lives. If we want peace and contentment, we need to seek God’s perspective, and see things as he does. And we do this through prayer. As St Paul says in the epistle: “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)

The Holy Spirit, who I have called the joy within the Blessed Trinity, is here called the “peace of God” by St Paul because it is the Spirit, bestowing God’s sanctifying grace upon us, who brings divine peace to our hearts. It is the Spirit who reconciles and conforms our will to God’s will, and who thus gives us assurance of God’s providence and governance of all things, no matter how terrible circumstances might seem. Therefore, while the media might be full of gloom, and the doomsayers predict ruin and catastrophe, we Christians remain hopeful and joyful in the Lord; we “rejoice in the Lord always.”

And such joy is one vital thing we Christians have to share with others, to bring “good tidings to the afflicted and comfort the broken-hearted”. This Christian joy, as St John says, “bears testimony, it bears witness to the light, that all might believe in [Christ]” (Jn 1:7). This joy is a cry in the wilderness of our world, of our sin-wounded human lives – not the crying of tears and sorrow, but the cry of excitement, joy, and delight that is St John the Baptist’s upon seeing the Messiah. So, as Pope Francis has said: “Do not keep Christ to yourselves! Share with others the joy of your faith. The world needs the witness of your faith…” So, as you return from Church today, laugh a little, and rejoice – some of us will go forth from this Mass tonight to bring light and song into our streets and public squares! And if people ask you why, tell them about the Blessed Trinity who is the eternal source of our unending joy.

[fiore-rosewood9]

England personal  headcanons

Warning: some of this may upset you, so if you are a small child/teen or really sensitive to certain topics, this is not for you.

England copes with loneliness and the big amounts of work by drinking alcohol until he passes out. 

He is prideful so he wouldn’t admit he feels lonely and left out just like Prussia.

Sometimes he could pout but if he is feeling angry due to the lack of sleeping he would most likely give a sassy remark to anyone talking to him.

He is someone who reads books and drinks a cup of tea either in his bed or work room, next to a candle light to for relaxing

Arthur is the type of person that watches the earlier versions of doctor who religously and complain to France over how much the show has changed.

He is an old dark bitter man, that just needs someone to listen to him and respect him after everything he has experienced. That is why he respects Russia, he thinks they have a lot in common as big powers in the past and now being mocked during and out of meetings for no longer being powerful. 

He still smokes even though it ruins his gentleman image, smoking is the other bad coping way he uses. The others are leaving without warning, drinking and at rare moments starving.

He has lost his appetite due to many reasons, he doesn’t tell why but the rumour about him losing his receptors due to drinking hot tea every day

He gets nostalgic every time he looks through old clothes and objects, and tends to cry, that is why he holds his attic locked, so no one would come in and he wouldn’t get emotional over nothing.

He is over America and forth of July but sometimes throws up in the toilet. Even though America makes big parties, he feels awkward and rarely comes because he feels out of place. The same issue is not happening with his other colonies.

Francis despite the many years of rivalry still stays his best love and friend. He feels like he can take off his mask and be honest with the other nation

Arthur would wear leather pants or jeans  just to feel a boost of confidence when he needs it.

He still has doubts and insecurities, like any other nation but he can hide them well. He still would get hurt if another nation points out something personal to him.

He still regrets what he did to Jeanne of Arc and would never admit that one of the reasons he did it was jealousy. France would never forgive him if he does.

His food is not that bad, France is just exaggereting. Some of his meals are okay, and some are good. His problem is that he is forgetful and that leaves the food burnt.

His relationship with Scotland is not as bad as it used to be. They have normal conversations over whiskey at some moments. The same cannot be said about his other brothers.

England can’t hold his liqour well, but will never admit it and would fight until the end, even if it means getting drunk.

He misses Hong Kong from time to time but would never say it.

He has good relationship with Japan still and is his guest over tea. Japan still visits his house as well. When England visits Japan he gets excited over Japan’s mythical animals and ghosts, even though Japan politely smiles and nods but when he turns around he mumbles to him self. “But I live alone.’’

England still practices magic in his basement and Norway and Romania aren’t the only ones who he talks about it to, Belarus also practices magic.

He has hard time making and keeping friends now, even though if you have met him you would probably think he is just a charming, kind man passing by.

He has cosplayed as a pirate at Paris’s disneyland. Francis just happened to see photos of him and keeps them for blackmail in case he needs to.

Francis would call him king Arthur as a joke just to tease him sometimes.

When he was a pirate and was all alone in his room he would write poems and letters to him self mostly. Francis has seen some of them and still keeps them without Arthur’s knowedge. The other people who know bout his secret are Spain and Prussia.

He has asked Spain for forgiveness many years after what he has done and has done to so to each one of his colonies, except America.

He and Prussia sometimes go to a pub and talk to each other.

Despite what everyone thinks, he has good relationship with Italy. In the begining he intimidated him but now he sees no reason to acts kind towards him.

Germany isn’t the only one who keeps the meetings under control, the other one is England, Hungary and China.

He still doesn’t have the best relationship with China and avoids him.

Even though it is rare since he is busy talkin to the others, has lots of work or is outside, he makes small talks with India, most consisting of how each other is.

Because he can starve to feel like he is still in control, he gets pissed off even more and would most likely lash out much more agressivly if he hasn’t eaten in the last 6 hours rather if he has eaten. 

Nyo England is insecure about her chest size because it is small and she thinks she isn’t attractive enough because of it, especially since she compares her self to other girls, like Belgium and Hungary and Nyo France.

Nyos and Normal nations live in the same unvierse so do the 2ps, but they rarely see each other. Each represents something different, one represents the land for example, the other the people etc.

Nyo England would most listen to rock from  70′s and 80′s as something to wake her up and has some of Queen’s songs downloaded on her phone. “Somebody to love” is her alarm.

England refuses to usually wear glasses even though with his age he needs them, so he has contacts like Prussia, even though Prussia’s eye sight is much more damaged from his childhood than Arthur’s. Nyo England doesn’t have this problem.

Nyo Canada is much more compared to Nyo England rather than Amelia, because Amelia has short hair.

Some of France’s clothes still stay in England wardrobe since the last time he visited him.

He is not on good terms with his 2p and despises everything he represents or does even though they are the same nation.

He is a cat person, but when he was a child with just a cloak and bow in hand he used to have a wild dog as protection until it was shot by villagers. When he was at the peak of his power he took a tiger because he thought it was exotic and represented power but once he saw that he couldn’t control or tame the animal he sent it to a special place where people with more experiences could take care of it. Now he is satisfied with the smaller versions of the tigers walking around his old house. Also known as cats.

He talks to Matthew over the phone or on camera much more than he visits him nowdays.

He can be annoyed with nyo France, but she is a lady, a woman and he can’t just punch her like he does with Francis. That doesn’t mean he can’t curse.

He loves children and would like to have one but he knows he can’t marry someone, especially human. That is why he has worked as elementary teacher once in his life, to live the dream.

Nyo England has three moods- black official clothes and suits, floral dresses, long dresses, mostly pastel colours and punk revealing clothes with piercing and there is no in between.

Nyo England has a tattoo on top of her chest and on her ankle, while England has on his waist and shoulder.

His cats are named after his old bosses.

He still has nightmares from the world wars and flinches no matter if he is sleeping or not.

[marymccartneyphotos]

The McCartney Family Album

April 6, 2008 -- The Guardian

To mark the 10th anniversary of Linda McCartney's death, Paul and daughter Mary have selected the best of her photographs for a revealing exhibition. Here, Mary tells Sean O'Hagan why the pictures are so special to her.

When I ask Mary McCartney to describe her mother's photographic style, she thinks for a long moment and says: 'She approached photography the way she approached everything else - with quiet confidence.' You can see that in the photographs spread out before us on the table of the west London members' club where McCartney has met me to talk about a forthcoming exhibition of her mother's work. The show, which opens at the James Hyman Gallery on 25 April, is the first major retrospective of Linda McCartney's photography, and has been timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of her death from breast cancer. The photographs have been selected by Paul and Mary McCartney, with input from Hyman, from 4,000-odd contact sheets.

'It's an incredible archive,' says Mary, herself a respected fashion and portrait photographer. 'Mum never stopped taking photographs, though it may have seemed that way to the public. It's about 30 years' worth of work. The only gap is around the time when Stella and I were born when, as she said, she was up to her neck in nappies. Otherwise she always seemed to have a camera in her hand.'

To many people Linda McCartney was known, first and foremost, as the wife of a Beatle, and then as a vegetarian-cum-animal rights campaigner. Yet it is her career as a photographer, which waned as she embraced motherhood, music and activism, that is her lasting legacy.

'She was an instinctive photographer and always unobtrusive,' continues Mary. 'She wasn't that interested in straight portraiture or art photography - the images she caught were nearly always intimate, relaxed and oddly revealing.'

You can see that intimacy in her shot of John Lennon and Paul McCartney working on lyrics in the corner of a recording studio. Both are immersed in the task, but obviously having a good time. McCartney, his biro poised over a sheet of paper, may just have amended the lyrics. Lennon obviously approves. They seem almost conspiratorial and to have the intimacy of a long-term couple. Which, in a way, they were.

With the Beatles, Linda's access was assured. Before she met Paul, though, she had worked with many of the icons of the Sixties pop scene, including Jimi Hendrix, whom she famously captured mid-yawn. He didn't seem to mind.

'It was a different time,' says Mary, 'before PRs and image makers took over. Back then, she told me, the manager would often be a friend of the band. If you were cool and they liked you, you could friend hang out.'

Mary's younger sister Stella, now a celebrated fashion designer, is in one of the most intriguing family snapshots. It was taken at Paul McCartney's cottage in Scotland, near the Mull of Kintyre, which he famously hymned on one of Wings's more mawkish songs. Paul balances on a fence in dressing gown and slippers. He is watching with some concern his young son James, who has just leapt off the bonnet of the family Land Rover. Immune to the drama, Stella is kneeling on the grass in the foreground, immersed in some private reverie.

'That's Poppy, our family dog,' says Mary, pointing at a pooch in the background. There is also a sack of logs, or maybe potatoes, in the foreground near Stella. It is a detailed photograph but intricately composed: the dark, looming cottage on the right of the image, the fence that arcs away to the horizon, the tall figure of Paul echoed by what appears to be a ring of standing stones in the background on the left.

It is also a perfectly rendered moment, a deceptively casual portrait of a family caught up in one of the small dramas of the everyday. The age is given added resonance by the fact that it is a glimpse into the private life of the McCartney family at a time in the early Seventies when Paul had fled the media-fuelled madness that attended the Beatles, and by the fact that Linda is the invisible, guiding presence.

'I love that photograph,' says Mary. 'It's so weird - the dog, my brother jumping into the air, and Stella in a world of her own. I could look at it for ages. It's not set up at all; it's all about watching and timing. I bet she didn't even change the lens to take it, just used the same old 50mm lens she always did. That's what I mean about instinctive. There's a faith that it will be alright and it is. She just gets it.'

She stares at it some more, and the photographer in her gives way to the loving daughter. 'We used to walk that fence all the time to see how far we could go before we fell off. So it has all those memories, too. Our lives are mapped out in our mum's photographs. I found out her and Dad's story just by looking through the contact sheets: her rock'n'roll stuff, then her photographs of the Beatles, then her meeting Dad. It's like her diary, really, a record of her life.'

Linda Louise Eastman began her career as a photographer almost by accident. While working as a receptionist for Town & Country magazine in Manhattan in the mid-Sixties, she picked up an invite for a press party on a boat on the Hudson. It was for the Rolling Stones, newly arrived in America. She charmed the bad boys of rock as she later charmed Hendrix and Jim Morrison.

Soon afterwards, she forsook the genteel concerns of Town & Country for the more earthy delights of the Fillmore East, a celebrated but grungy New York rock venue, where she became the house photographer, capturing live images of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, the Doors and the Who. Before Annie Leibovitz became Rolling Stone magazine's favourite snapper, Linda was the first woman photographer to have her work on the cover - a portrait of Eric Clapton.

'Mum liked doing music work when it was all free and easy,' Mary says, 'but when the lawyers and the accountants took over, she lost interest. She was independent always. She did it on her own terms or not at all. Plus, she had children. Children take over your life.'

Contrary to received wisdom, Linda Eastman was not an heir to the Eastman Kodak empire, but she did come from wealthy American stock. Her father Lee was a music-business attorney, while her mother, Louise Sara Lindner, inherited the Lindner department-store fortune. She died in an aeroplane crash in 1962, when Linda was just 20, precipitating in her daughter a lifelong aversion to flying.

'I think Mum and Dad were close because they both lost their mothers when they were young,' says Mary. 'It was one of the things that bonded them. You could glimpse it when certain songs came on the radio, and they'd both be suddenly sad at the same time. I also think it's what made them so family-oriented.'

Family life, one suspects, is also what grounded Paul McCartney after the craziness of the Beatles years - though blissful domesticity also seemed to soften his musical brain. For a long time Linda stopped being a professional photographer to become a musician of sorts with Wings, and had to contend with the wrath of Beatles fans who blamed her and Yoko Ono - but mostly Yoko - for the fall in quality in both Paul and John's solo work. She later admitted that she sometimes sang out of tune on early Wings songs.

Paul met Linda in the famed Bag O'Nails club in London in May 1967, where the new rock aristocracy hung out, and where she was taking shots of Georgie Fame for a feature on Swinging London. That same week, they met again when the Beatles unveiled their Sergeant Pepper album at a party in their manager Brian Epstein's Belgravia pad. In September 1968 Paul asked Linda to fly to London for a date. They married six months later. Mary was born in August 1969. On the back of her father's first solo album, McCartney, she is the curious infant peeking out of her father's jacket straight at her mother's lens.

'It's a beautiful moment, isn't it?' Mary says. Does she remember much about her childhood in Scotland? 'Oh God, yeah! I remember we'd go off exploring a lot, Stella and me, and we didn't have to be watched all the time.' It's a revealing memory, a reminder that they were still the children of one of the most famous pop stars in the world and had to be protected accordingly.

How big an influence is her mother on her own photographic style? 'I'm not sure. It was more her attitude I admired. She was feisty in her own way, but not in a big, in-your-face way. I suppose she was quietly persuasive. It took me a long time to even get to that point. I used to be so green when I started, almost apologetic. I'm more like her in the way I approach my personal projects: just me and the camera and a few rolls of film. She gave me loads of advice all the time and I really miss that, chatting and arguing over the contact sheets. I remember when I used to moan about missing a great moment, a great photograph, she'd say: "Oh, don't worry, it's in your soul camera." I think she really believed that.'

Was it hard to be the child not just of famous parents, but parents who were seen as alternative types - hippies, vegetarians, animal rights activists? 'Well, my friend Josie used to call us hippy convoy kids,' she laughs. 'We were tomboys, that was down to Mum. She was a bit anti-authority, a bit rebellious. At the local comprehensive in Rye I tried to blend in but Mum and Dad would turn up in the Land Rover with the rainbow-stripe fabric on the seats. The rock hippy parents! I did the whole thing of being embarrassed as a teenager. I'd look at her odd stripy socks and go: "You're not going out dressed like that, Mum!" Now I think it's beautiful. Like the way she cut her own hair. It's quite cool, really.'

There is a powerful self-portrait of Linda towards the end of her life in Francis Bacon's studio. I ask Mary if this was the last image taken of her mother before she died. 'No,' she says haltingly. 'I think I took the last photographs of her. I was working on the press pictures for her cookbook. I think the very last one was a close-up where she is looking deep into the lens. Really intimate and poignant. The thing is,' she says, tears welling up, 'I don't think she ever saw it.'

As she composes herself, she sorts through the images. 'That's the thing about photographs,' she says. 'They are wonderful reminders of things, but they also carry memories, sadness.'

It must have been an emotional experience to sort through her mother's archive for the show. 'In one way it was, but in another it was satisfying. Me and Dad have a proper grown-up relationship now. I feel I was a kid for so long, but now we have both been through a lot. We're both divorcés, for a start,' she says, laughing mischievously.

Though I had been warned that the words Heather Mills were not to be even mentioned, it seemed an opportune moment to utter them. Did you, I ask, gritting my teeth, ever do a portrait of her? 'No,' she says, looking perplexed at the very thought. 'No. Not really. I didn't.' Funny that, I say, but she does not respond. The silence, though, says enough. In more ways than one, she is her mother's daughter.

Linda McCartney's photographs will be at the James Hyman Gallery, 5 Savile Row, London W1 (020 7494 3857) from 25 April to 19 July

[xqueenofscots]

ALTERNATIVE VERSE #2                    ➺  with @gratiamdei VERSE:                                                     ♜  ( modern royal ). RELEVANT TAGS:  ♔ the most honourable  ( richard )  //    ♜ the malmsey king  ( george )  // ♔ the most gracious   ( isabel ) //  ♜ our crown prince  ( james )  //  ♜ rose of scotland  ( cecily )  //   ♜ our wee prince  ( george )  ||

the relationship between mary stuart & richard plantagenet is one that faces great media popularity and a constant glare of scrutiny from those around them. titled and privileged as the princess of scots and duke of gloucester respectively, expectation wears them down over everything they do. mary, being the daughter of a king and richard, brother to a king, find that the wants of others force them apart for quite some time. though a flirty and fun relationship blossomed between them in mary’s first and second year of university, it was quickly stamped out by her father and the establishment, forcing richard away from edinburgh and away from her, back to bounce between york and london. not only disconnected from him, mary finds herself isolated from the friends she loved too - george, isabel, francis, anne and more - to have to work her way through a miserable third year. but, she is as stubborn as she is determined, and managed to pass well into another summer.

during that time, mary tries and tries to contact richard and george, constantly being met with unanswered calls, emails, messages and even letters. this devastates her, to the point that she drastically ends up in the company of a man close to the royal family but wrong in every way possible. jamie, the son of a wealthy & influential peer close to the throne in friendship, became infatuated with mary. for a time, the feeling was reciprocated, but that very quickly burned out. as her studies came to an end, mary was lonely, confused, and stuck with a man she was sure at times despised her. controlling, manipulative and possessive, it took just one time of him raising his hand to her for mary to escape, not long after her graduation. it was a time that should have been for celebrations, but mary was in fear for her life.

she manages to get to england and things begin tumbling into place once more. with the help of isabel and her family, she is looked after well and brought back to herself, reunited with all of those she had missed for so very long, richard being the most welcomed one of all. but, there was a growing media storm over mary’s sudden departure from scotland, constant rumours swirling that there was a weakness in the monarchy or that there was an imminent power struggle. through the chaos that was following her from scotland, richard’s brother edward was not keen on him being in a relationship with mary. constantly having them watched and followed, it all finally gave way when it became clear that they were not going to be separated. after some months of living in england and remaining defiant of her calls back to scotland, mary remains firm standing, but overjoyed when richard asks her to move in with him.

from then, the life that mary begins to build with him in england is so far removed from what she had known in scotland, but never unhappy. it takes time, but the media scrutiny of her begins to fade away and instead change to always happy, curious interest over the couple. so much so, that it forces both kings, edward and james, to relent and leave them be. for the next two to three years, their lives continue in this way, occasionally making both official and non visits to scotland where her father always tries to press the issue of her still remaining heir apparent, that the responsibility must fall to her, but mary is aware always of her half brother lurking in the shadow of the crown, that there is always the consideration from parliament to make him a legitimate heir, should mary falter.

within these years, mary and richard decide to move from the city and out into the country, remaining close to george and isabel and their children. this allows them to retreat from full scrutiny of the media and the world, and enjoy helping to bring up maggie and teddy, who they absolutely adore. but soon, the feeling of seeing the children leave starts to become painful for mary, that she misses them more and more, and that they’re home begins to feel a bit empty, making her feel that something was missing. mary leads herself into a stressed time of feeling confused and scared but manages to work out her feelings for isabel through a long night, to finally work up the courage to talk about her longing for a child with richard. to her much wanted for relief, her feelings were entirely reciprocated, as they both hoped for starting a family together.

after around seven months, mary finally discovered that her small string of illnesses and bad mood swings were due to the fact that she was pregnant, and so very glad for it. though those first few months were difficult for sickness and her health, she was delivered of their first child two weeks early, a healthy boy whom they chose to name james. but, his namesake grandfather and uncle were not overly impressed by his arrival, given the implications on the scottish crown he would have. and, even in the modern age, the fact he was born out of wedlock. if it were not for mary’s mother, her brother might have used his nephew’s birth to utterly ruin mary and her chances of inheriting the throne. this isolation and coldness towards their son only pushed mary further away, causing deep hurt that she tried so very hard to hide. after some days for the both of them to recover in hospital, mary was allowed home with james and richard, to find her mother waiting for them all there. even despite the protests of her husband, she chose to stand by mary and her new grandson, something she would continue to do, despite everything that would happen. 

james began to grow into a healthy and happy little boy, doted on utterly by his parents and so very loved by all around him. his grandmothers, marie and cecily, and his uncle and aunt, george and isabel, all remained very steadfast in his life right from his birth. but what loomed over his future already was the pressures mary faced still from scotland, and the threats it put on her happy life in england. it was no easy decision to make, nor even consider, but the prospect of being queen filled her with fear and loathing, no longer like it was a privilege or her right. not only that, but what firmly made the decision for her and richard was the proposal from her father to find a way to invest james as potential heir for scotland in her place, effectively turning his grandson into nothing more than a political pawn. deeply angered and offended, this was utterly rejected by mary and richard. their son would remain in yorkshire to grow up and would not face the pressures of a crown --- and there was only one way to ensure this. 

once recovered well enough, mary makes that daunting journey back to edinburgh, to face her father and the privy council to formally abdicate her rights as crown princess and heir apparent to scotland, formally declaring for her half brother to be considered in her stead so as to save her son from being decided upon. it was a bold and frightening decision to make, but one that in time, realisation allows her to see it was the right one. such a public display to her father’s councillors protects her son, and no doubt thrills her brother, but mary leaves behind the politics of scotland feeling lighter than ever before. the journey home feels different, but mary still retains a courtesy title of being a princess of the blood, for the ceremony that it is worth. 

close to two years pass and james continually grows into being an inquisitive and happy little boy, with mary and richard moving into a larger farmhouse in yorkshire with greater lands so that they may build on their family more. they start to own dogs and horses, richard begins teaching james how to ride and enjoys letting him help look after the animals, and life is at peace truly. but, some months after james’ second birthday, mary begins to go through familiar patches of illness again, and discovers that she is pregnant again. this time though, she and richard decide that before their second child’s arrival they want to make their family officially one. in a small and beautiful service, they marry and mary decides on taking richard’s name so as to personally cut any ties with her royal lineage. but, in times when the couple still need to make formal, royal appearances, she does elect to style herself through richard’s title as duchess of gloucester. but, she is not entirely ashamed of her own family, and still wears colours associated with her courtesy titles still relevant to her. 

throughout a fairly easier pregnancy, mary then gives birth to a healthy girl, whom they decide to name for richard’s mother --- cecily.  much like with james, it did take some time for mary to recover, but little cecily made it easy for her parents from the beginning. being such a sweet and gentle girl, her brother also took very well to a new baby in the house. life settled down for them again, between a newborn and a toddler, but mary could imagine her life no other way from then on. still remaining close to george and isabel, all of the children became as close as they were, and their families began to merge into being like one. but, there was still one piece missing, with cecily reaching nearly her third birthday, mary and richard still longed for one more, and though coming as a little surprise, their second son was so very loved as well. they decided to name him for his uncle, george, who began to dote on his new nephew right from his birth. as he began to grow older, george took very much after his uncle and fell in line with his mischief, thus earning him the affectionate nickname of wee george, for they were nigh on inseparable. 

life remained simple but perfect for them, safe in their haven of home but remaining popular and well-liked for the way they chose to raise their children and stay out of the media spotlight. aside from the expectations of being royal, mary and richard simply loved one another, and loved their children, and it was the happiest way mary could ever have imagined her life being. 

[empathetixss]

Margaery Tyrell Verses ( taken from my old blog )

( V: YOU WERE JUST A ROSEBUD ONCE (YOUTH) )

Margaery as a child growing up in Highgarden.

( V: THE GOLDEN ROSE OF HIGHGARDEN )

Margaery as a teenager in Highgarden. (ages 13-14)

( V: LOVELY AS A DAWN (GOT/ACOK) )

Margaery during her marriage to Renly. sub versus: (listed with particular players.)

When Winter met Spring (Robb Stark marries Margaery after Renly dies)

( V: GROWING STRONG EVEN UNDER LION’S CLAWS (ASOS) )

Book Canon. Margaery of House Tyrell. She is gentle and kind, sweet and beloved by the small folk. Recently engaged to one Joffrey Baratheon. She is the QUEEN to be, though the real question is, does she desire it? Verses that are housed under this verse LOTR Verse - Elvish Rose - Mace Tyrell is Half-Elven. He marries a human, Alerie Hightower and chooses the fate of the mortals. His children have the choice as well, His youngest has not chosen her fate yet. Lady Rose - Lady of a keep. Margaery is a mortal, that lives close to Rivendell. (or in some verses Mirkwood)

( V: OF THORNS (AFFC/ADWD) )

During Margaery’s Trial by Faith. She’s held in a tower by the septa’s and The High Sparrow. After the evidence falls away from Margaery, she is released into the custody of Randyll Tarly.

( V: UNE ROSE DANS DE LE NORD )

After House Tyrell falls on the ‘wrong side of history.’ Loras is sent to the Stormlands, Garlan is sent to the vale, and sweet, young, Margaery is sent to the North. On top of all of this, the Tyrell’s must pay a certain amount of gold every year to the crown to keep the children fed. Or so they are told. Margaery wins over House Stark and eventually ends up betrothed to Robb Stark.

( V: WINTER IN OUR BONES )

Margaery is engaged to marry Robb Stark, but it all ends at the Red Wedding. Jon Snow, now Jon Stark, saves her life. (with: @moreastark )

( V: THE FRANKISH ROSE )

Season 2-3: Margaery is the daughter of Frankish King Mace Tyrell. He’s done his best with all three of his sons, now he wants Margaery in on the game. Yet there was a reason she was kept hidden. To keep his kingdom safe Mace was forced to give up his beautiful daughter to King Ragnar. Now in Kattegat, she has to survive.

Season 4B: Margaery is the daughter of a Frankish Lord. She resides in Paris and among Princess Gisla and Duke Rollo's court. She's just a lady in the court, curious about the Viking Raiders among them at the moment.

( V: DRIPPING IN GOLD )

A royalty au currently under construction. (Verse with: halfawolf)

( V: HOIST THE COLOURS )

grim tides/Black Sails/POTC/Pirate!Queen Margaery. Queen of the Pacific, and Agean, The Rose of Highgarden has truly come a long way. From stowing away on a ship as a small child to escape the British Attack on her family, to having her own crew, she’s practically unstoppable. It doesn’t hurt that many of her male counterparts doubt her ability as a pirate captain because she’s a woman. She proves them wrong, Every. Single. Time.

( V: THINGS WE LOST )

From a young age, Margaery was betrothed to Jon Targaryen. The Heir to the Seven Kingdoms. Now, it’s time for them to bring their families together. (w: halfawolf)

V: THINGS WE LOST TO THE FLAME

Jon is exiled and stripped of his title, Margaery is forced to wed another, life is not as she planned it until Jon comes back to her. (w: moreastark)

( V: THE RELUCTANCE OF THE WOLF )

(A WANTED VERSE) Forced into marriage with one another by Lady Olenna and Lady Catelyn’s arrangement. Margaery tries to make the best of her fate. Lady Catelyn is a joy and kind to her. Wonderful in every way. While Robb… Robb is cold to her. Margaery becomes scared that she is trapped in another loveless marriage and struggles to understand her cold & grim husband.

( V: A MODERN ROSE )

Margaery works for her father a respected lawyer in the Tyrell Firm. In her spare time, she paints.

Gangster Lawyer: assilat-vojjor Drogo is a respected Gang leader on trial for a murder he didn’t commit. Margaery is his Lawyer. Our Gentle Sin: astormcrow. Margaery and Daario get close to one another, start an affair. At the same time, he kills people for a living. Crushing them in high heels and pearls: wintersking. Margaery is Robb’s boss. Currently they’re having a torrid affair.

If you let my soul out (it’ll come right back to you.)  Reincarnation verse.

The Drifter: Margaery Tyrell runs into Jon Snow while wandering the streets of Paris. & she can’t help but be drawn to him. Little does she know that he is hiding a secret. (w: moreastark)

( V: A COLLEGE ROSE QUEEN )

Margaery is the Youngest of the Tyrell’s. Attending Harvard Law in the fall, Margaery is just trying to make it in a family that vacations in Europe for the hell of it. Mostly she’s just looking for fun.

( V: OBLIVION )

Margaery Tyrell is a British-born scientist, working for the government. She double majored in biology and anthropology. She’s never really thought much of the superhero’s other than the fact that they’ve saved the world. She proud of the work she does and believes in what’s right for the future. That being said, her loyalty is not easily swayed or bought. (Notes for Marvel-verse)

* Recruited by Nick Fury. * Security Level Clearance: 5 (sub verses): Webbed Roses with webheadedhero You Can Keep Your Shield On with buyxwarxbonds Notes for DC verse * Recruited by the Secretary of Defense. * Lived in Metropolis

(V: A LADY IN WAITING (TWQ) )

The White Queen Verse: Margaery is a noble lady. Her family has the symbol of the Golden rose. They are neither York or Lancaster. Tyrell’s are really all for themselves.

( V: A LADY IN WAITING (TUDOR) )

Upon hearing of the death of her beloved cousin Anne, Margaery ventures to King Henry VIII’s court for answers. - She’s managed to ensnare the king in her thorns and finds herself caught as well, because her feelings fro him have grown beyond what she thought they would. (Timeline: Anne of Cleves is queen, but before Kitty Howard meets Henry.) - Anne sent for her cousin before her death and she has been there since her second miscarriage. verse with vivatreginam -Margaery arrives after the death of her cousin Anne, taking in Elizabeth and offering up her home as a place for her. verse with any elizabeth

( V: A ROSE OF FRANCE )

French born, but Spain raised Margaery Tyrell, is brought back to court along with the rest of her family when they hear of Prince Francis’ wedding to Mary Stuart. Of course they are overjoyed and offer their services to the young couple swearing themselves to them. While Margaery’s ambitious grandmother seeks a powerful marriage for Margaery perhaps with a royal of Scotland, Margaery skeeks to get to know the future queen better. Hoping to call her friend one day.

( V: LA BELLE PETITE ROSE )

BBC’s The Musketeers Verse. Margaery is the King’s Cousin, but that doesn’t mean much in France. Serving under Queen Anne as a Lady in Waiting, she is happy with her position. Although, she is intrigued by The Musketeers in the service of the King. 

Une Rose de Versailles: A Noble Catholic Lady from the south of france, originally she’s engaged to the Dux De Baratheon known as Joffrey. She’s not very happy with the match, as the man has a reputation for cruelty. She has come to Versailles, when the King moves court from Paris to there. She finds herself a bit more at ease there, she is able to be herself more and be around women other than her future mother-in-law. Her fiance hates it and wishes to return to Paris. She has hope that she might catch the king’s eye, but she knows that women here are everywhere each wanting a piece of the king.

( V: OF IRON THORNS )

Margaery has taken the Iron Throne through her son after the death of her husband. Now she has to keep it. (husband can be Renly, Joffrey, or Tommen.)

( V: THE TALES ARE REAL )

The Original Rose Beauty: Margaery was a noble lady in Snow’s court, but also a friend for Queen Regina until her identity as a Princess and future Queen of her own realm was reviled. Margaery was Aurora’s mother, the first sleeping beauty. Sometimes known as Briar Rose. She tried her best to shield her daughter from the curse but was unable to do so. When the first curse hit, she was swept up and sent to Storybrooke. Living under the curse, she works in the flower shop owned by Moe French. She spends her days doing inventory and ordering new flowers when needed. The day that repeated for 28 years, she would visit the sheriff's station with coffee, and cut flowers in the shop. When Emma came to town, she was curious about the woman who seemed to be hanging around Young Henry but said nothing of it. Sticking to herself and the solitary life the curse forced her to lead. After the curse breaks, every memory is brought back to her. She believes she is without her brothers, her husband, and her daughter in this land without magic and would give anything just to see them again.

( V: LIFE IS WAR )

A modern twist on a love story. Verse with moreastark

( V: A LOYAL KNIGHT )

Athos entered Margaery’s service when she was still married to Joffrey. The sadness that surrounded the man caught her attention and she did everything she could to get him to smile. Little did she know she would fall head over heels in love with the knight. They hide it as best as they can although she would rather be with him than apart from him. (w: dettexhonneur)

( V: DON'T FEAR THE REAPER )

Margaery had gotten out. More than that. She had made a place for herself outside of the MC. Her father had just been the MC's lawyer, it wasn't like she had to be anything to them, right? She could go and do whatever she wanted. That is until, she came home. She came home for a funeral and saw... Him again. Jon. She had been to High School with him. He had been her first everything. She had thought for a while, he would be her everything. Until she grew up. She went to college, became a lawyer, and seeing Jon again, made her feel like a teenage girl. Especially on the back of his bike. Now she's got a choice. Stay, start over with the man she loves, or go back... (verse with: moreastark)

( V: DON’T LET YOURSELF BE HUNTED )

When Margaery was a child she always knew there was something different about her, and her family. She always just thought it was odd that her father could influence those around him with a word, her grandmother’s plants never died, and her brothers… Well, Willas’ super memory and intelligence was next to none, and his ability to seemingly communicate with Animals, Garlan and his super strength, Loras and his agility, she wondered what her powers would be. At nine the voices started. She could hear them even in her sleep, it was all so very loud and overwhelming, she just wanted it to stop, but it didn’t. It just got worse and louder, it wasn’t until later that she learned these voices were not in her head, they were in the heads of others. She also learned that she could feel other’s emotions as well and project her own on them. Margaery harnesses the powers of empathy and telepathy, her grandmother does her best to help her control it.

Her family is heavily involved in the Hellfire club, and Margaery didn’t have much of a choice, but to do the same. She has always admired the X-Men though and is considering switching sides.

( V: IN A LAND OF WONDER )

Margaery Tyrell is visiting the Kingdom of Camelot with her father and brother.

( V: MAGIC AMONG US )

Growing Strong. It’s the Tyrell House motto, it’s also Margaery’s personal mantra. She's a Ravenclaw.

( V: GROW TILL YOU CAN’T ANYMORE )

District Eleven, Margaery, and her family have much knowledge about plants, orchards, and people. When Margaery is picked as a tribute, she proves herself and wins her games… Allowing herself to be taken in by the charms of the capitol like her brother before her. She’s become the favorite of many. Alt verses: Burn it all down - Margaery joins the rebellion.

[letterfromtrenwith]

Grand Jeté - Ch. 1 & 2

When George Warleggan quits a high powered job in the City to take care of the finances of the South West Ballet, run by his friend, Francis Poldark, it changes his life - even more so than he expected.

Elizabeth Chynoweth came to the South West to come back home, take on new challenges, and leave behind a less than perfect time in her life. She intends to focus on her art, but everyone knows what they say about best laid plans...

~

Chapter 1 

George was straight out of bed at the first bleep of his alarm; it wouldn’t do to be late on his first day. Once showered and dressed, he navigated around the piles of still unpacked cardboard boxes to make a quick coffee. The machine had come straight out of its box when he arrived, although he did have to rummage for a clean mug.

Halfway through the cup he glanced at his watch – 7:45 am. Francis had told him to be there at 10. Right; this new schedule was going to take some getting used to. He’d thought through almost everything about taking this job: relocating, the pay cut – the quite significant pay cut, moving into a completely new industry, not to mention splitting from the family firm…A change in working hours hadn’t even crossed his mind. He’d spent the last few years getting up at 2 in the morning to catch international markets, elsewise being at his desk by 8 am at the absolute latest. On top of travelling all over the world at the drop of a hat.

All that was done with now, he supposed, although it was no great loss exactly. Especially the travel. George had been to almost every corner of the world – Sydney, Tokyo, Moscow, even Riyadh – but to him they all looked the same. Hotels, offices and airport lounges. It had been in one such lounge that he’d realised he needed to get out. So when, not three months later, Francis had come to him with his request, at had seemed like fate. Despite all the upheaval he’d known it would cause, he’d taken the job. Upheaval was probably putting it lightly, to be honest. Breaking the news to his father and uncle had been exactly as terrible as he’d expected.

“What do you mean you’re putting your notice in?!” Cary had exploded, even his bald head flushed with rage. George’s uncle had never been the calmest of men. “You can’t put your notice in! Nicholas, talk some sense into your idiot son, will you?!”

“What’s going on, George?” His father was a more even-tempered man, but his brow was furrowed, flint grey eyes narrowed.

“I’ve been offered another job and I’ve accepted it. That’s all.” Despite their anger, he’d felt an odd calm while he sat there. He’d spent years trying to live up to their expectations. It was time to do what he wanted.

“Without consulting us?” Cary demanded and George had bristled, ready to reply that it was not up to them, but Nichols cut in.

“Where? Pascoe’s? Because you know they’re not half the firm we are. And, if they’ve offered you more money, we can easily match it, you’re due a pay grade increase soon as it is.”

“No, not Pascoe’s.”

“Well, where, then? Basset’s? Coutts?”

“No – “

“Surely not consultancy work?” Cary curled his lip in distaste.

“No.” George had taken a deep breath. “I’m going to be the Financial Director for the South West Ballet.”

He winced into his coffee as he remembered the reaction to that. Needless to say, it had gone down like a lead balloon. Storming out of the office, Cary’s curses ringing in his ears, had been the last time he had seen or spoken to his father or uncle. His secretary had packed up his office for him, and that was the rather inauspicious end of his career at Warleggan Wealth Management. He certainly couldn’t go back there, no matter what happened now. Even in the unlikely event Nicholas and Cary would have him, sheer stubbornness wouldn’t allow him to go. He’d wanted out of that work, so going to a rival wasn’t an option either. They’d likely only hire him to get one over on Nicholas, anyway. So, he needed to make a success of this. No pressure.

Eventually, it was time to go. It was only a 20 minute drive from his new flat to the Hall for Cornwall, the large Truro arts complex where the company was based. Property prices in the county might have been on the up, but they were still nothing compared to London. As far as George was concerned, he’d got the place for a song.

As he pulled his car up around the back of the building, he spotted a door marked ‘South West Ballet Staff’. Francis had dropped round a key card for him but just as he was locking the car, the door opened to reveal the man himself. Francis Poldark was tall and wiry with a mass of reddish-brown curls and a perpetual air of nervous energy. When he wasn’t dancing, that is.

George had first met Francis at prep school – right here in Truro, in fact. Despite getting on well, they’d almost entirely lost touch when Francis followed his elder sister, Verity, to the Royal Ballet School and Cary and Nicholas decided in their wisdom to ship George off to Gordonstoun in Scotland. A few years later, while George was working for the firm in between his first and second years at Oxford, and Francis was in his first years with the Royal Ballet, they had run into each other by chance in Covent Garden. After sharing a drink, Francis had offered to get him a ticket to the production of Cinderella he was appearing in. Neither ballet nor fairy-tales were exactly George’s thing, but he’d agreed so as not to seem rude, and in the end had been surprised not only by how much he’d enjoyed it but primarily by the way performing transformed Francis. He’d seemed to have barely changed from their school days, but on stage he was a different man altogether. Confident and expressive, drawing attention even though he was in the corps de ballet at the time.

Naturally, he’d risen quickly through the ranks, and George had been to see both him and Verity – who was also in the company – dance many times thereafter. The three of them had become close, socialising between their busy schedules. For an Economics Student, and later a Wealth Management Executive, he’d become oddly immersed in the world of ballet, Francis persuading him to tag along with a few company social outings. He’d expected dancers to be snobbish and elitist, but actually mostly found them friendly and welcoming.

A few years ago Francis had joined the South West Ballet, persuaded by an old ballet teacher so far as George knew, and Verity had followed shortly thereafter. The company hadn’t been in the best shape either artistically or financially, but Francis had helped the management begin to turn it around. In relatively short order, he’d found himself appointed to succeed the outgoing artistic director, despite his relative youth. He’d come to George to ask if he knew of anyone who would be interested in taking on the financial side of things, likely not expecting George to ask if he could have the job himself, but agreeing enthusiastically nevertheless.

“I’m sorry I can’t show you around properly right now, but I’m already nearly late to class. Here’s the finance office, Rosina will help you find everything. I’ll catch you later, bye!”

And he was off, leaving George with Rosina who was a sweet, cheerful looking young woman sitting at a desk in a rather disorganised office.

“So,” she said, looking around her, “where would you like to start?” 

~

“How’s it going – woah.” Francis stepped into the room, gazing around in amazement at the now almost spotless office. “Going well, it seems.”

“It’s a start.” Rosina had turned out to be efficient and helpful, if a little overwhelmed by the task she’d been left when the accountant she’d previously worked with retired. They’d managed to get rid of all the old clutter which wasn’t needed anymore and impose some semblance of order on what was left. Considering the lack of attention that had been paid to them, the finances of the South West Ballet were actually not in the worst shape ever, although they company was mostly just ticking over. He’d already identified a few places where they needed to cut costs, and few others where they could make savings. They could do with a new accounting system, and probably to change banks, but that could be dealt with in time.

“It’s more than we’ve had for a while. Like I told you, I’ve been pleased with what we’ve managed to do artistically, but I’m not afraid to admit that the management has left a lot to be desired. I think you’ve done enough for today, though. There’s no need to work the same hours you did in London!”

“What – “ George looked at the watch he’d slipped off a little while earlier and was shocked to realised it was after nine o’clock. He’d told Rosina to go home at half past five, but had no idea so much time had passed. “Oh. Wow.”

“Workaholic.”

“You do know you’re still here, don’t you?” Francis laughed.

“Choreography changes. Everything has to be perfect in ballet, you know.”

“Well, unless you want a visit from the taxman, everything has to be perfect in accounts, too.”

“Do you want to get a drink? Celebrate your first day?”

“Oh, that’s nice of you, Francis, but – “he stifled a yawn; now that he’d noticed the time, he also realised how tired he was. “I should probably get some rest.”

“Are you sure?” Francis produced a bottle of whisky from behind his back and waved it enticingly. George couldn’t help but smile.

“Well, perhaps just one…”

It really was just one, considering they both had to drive home, but it was a good one, and he didn’t end up getting home until after eleven. He debated setting his alarm back to match his new starting time, but then he thought about how much work he still had to do. Francis had told him not to overdo it, but he’d taken this job and he was determined to do it well. Once he’d got the day to day running smoothed over, it would be a lot easier.

“I’m glad you came,” had been Francis’ parting words to him when they’d got into their cars. As he lay in bed, slowly dropping off, he realised he hadn’t felt such a sense of achievement in his work for he didn’t know how long. He was glad he’d come, too.

Chapter 2

“Damn, damn, damn, damn…” Elizabeth tied her shoes as hurriedly as possible in the empty changing room, cursing both her decision to take the bus that morning, and the bloody woman who’d forced them to wait for fifteen minutes because she couldn’t remember which pocket of her handbag she’d put her travel card in.

“Oh, Elizabeth, decided to join us, have you?” Francis called as she slipped into the studio. He wasn’t being serious, of course. They hadn’t even started; everyone was still warming up around the sides of the room. She joined a group in the corner, slipping easily into her usual stretching routine, finding it dissipated her irritation. As she came to a close, two arms slid around her waist from behind and she was tightly embraced.

“Hello, gorgeous girl. How are you today?” Caroline Penvenen looked more like she should be striding down a couture runway than leaping across a stage, but she’d thankfully chosen to put her incredible talent to good use and so had become a principal with the South West Ballet, via early years at the Birmingham Royal Ballet and La Scala. She’d arrived at the same time as Elizabeth and the two had become fast friends. To some, it may have seemed like a step down, but Elizabeth knew that she’d come back to Cornwall to take care of her elderly uncle and so considered it entirely worth it.

Caroline wasn’t the only one with local roots. It was remarkable, really, the way they all seemed to have gravitated back to Cornwall. Elizabeth herself was originally from the area; and when she’d met Francis and Verity Poldark at the Royal Ballet School, they’d all been shocked to realise that they’d grown up just a few miles apart but never met. There were a few places she could have gone after her departure from the English National Ballet, but the lure of home and working with Francis had brought her here.

“All the better for seeing you, darling.” She teased and Caroline laughed, planting a deliberately sloppy kiss on her cheek before she let her go. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, wiping her face. “How’s the knee, Margaret?”

“Getting better all the time, I’m happy to say.” Margaret replied from her position on the floor where she was slowly working said knee back and forth. For anyone else, the minor fender bender she’d been in might have been a trivial matter, but it had left her with what had originally been thought a career-ending injury. Blessedly, Francis insisted on all of his dancers having excellent medical insurance, and treatment from a specialist surgeon in London had allowed her to dance again, although she had taken a temporary reduction in status to soloist to let her ease back into it.

“Does it still hurt?”

“No, thank God. Not really, anyway. It’s stiffness I’m mostly worried about. Or, God forbid, it locks up in the middle of a bloody jete or something. Give the audience a good laugh, I suppose.”

Before Elizabeth could reply, Francis clapped his hands together and announced it was time to begin. They were well into rehearsal for their new season, and had even started early preparation for their Christmas show, although that was months away yet. First was their autumn debut – Copland’s Rodeo, followed by Dracula – for October, of course – and then the de Valois double bill of Checkmate and Bar aux Folies-Bergere. It was quite an intensive program but the company relished the challenge, and since they were a relatively small group it meant lots of opportunities for everyone to shine.

“Okay, can we start with Rodeo – the Saturday Night Waltz. Demelza, Malcolm, to the front please. Everyone else, you know your positions.” Demelza Carne was another Cornish local, born in a small fishing village on the far west coast; she’d taken classes the St Ives School, run by the former South West dancer Edwina Teague. She’d only joined them last season, from the Rambert, which had caused a bit of jealous gossip amongst some of the bitchier soloists who’d hoped to be promoted to the empty principal slot. However, despite coming from a contemporary company, she’d more than silenced any criticism when she’d danced the title role in La Sylphide. An athletic redhead with a pretty, elfin face and a wide, easy smile, she was the perfect choice for the Cowgirl, Rodeo’s lead. Malcolm, her leading man as the Chief Roper, was one of their few outsiders – a Scotsman. Tall and dark, he played the mysterious, dashing hero with ease.

Elizabeth didn’t appear in this section. Indeed, her role in Rodeo was a very minor one, but she had no complaints on that score, since she was playing Mina in Dracula, and the Black Queen in Checkmate. Settling down next to Margaret under the barre, she watched her colleagues flow effortlessly through the choreography, Caroline and Ed Carkeek, a soloist completing the four-handed main cast, joining Demelza and Malcolm. The production was an inspired choice by Francis – the Wild West for the South West Ballet.

Francis had been rather thrown into taking responsibility for the company. He and Verity had joined at the behest of its previous artistic director, Joan Nanskervis, a friend of their great aunt Agatha, who had also danced with the South West in her – and its – youth. However, just as the then struggling company had begun to turn around, following Francis’ suggestion that Joan invite Elizabeth and Caroline to join them, Joan had been struck down by a debilitating respiratory condition, forcing her almost immediate retirement. Francis had therefore found himself principal dancer, artistic director and occasional ballet master. In Elizabeth’s opinion, he’d done an amazing job.  Verity had helped, of course, and they’d all been heartbroken when she’d chosen to take a leading principal position with the Scottish Ballet last year, although no one could criticise her desire to strike out on her own after performing alongside her brother for so long.

After running through some more Rodeo sequences, Francis announced a break for lunch, after which they would rehearse some of Checkmate, which excited Elizabeth. She loved the ballet and her role, the dark and dramatic Black Queen. Her climactic pas de deux with the Red Knight was one of her favourite sequences she had ever danced, which was partly down to her partner, Hugh Armitage. Hugh had joined the South West straight out of school, around the same time Francis had arrived, and immediately distinguished himself as a rising star. A fluid, expressive dancer, his slim frame belied his incredible strength and control. He was also a really great partner. Elizabeth had danced with most of the men in the company and had no real complaints about any of them, but, along with Francis, Hugh was her favourite.

“Doesn’t hurt that he’s cute,” Caroline had observed wryly when Elizabeth expressed her admiration for him, to which Elizabeth had merely shaken her head. Hugh was definitely good looking, that was a fact, but he was just a friend and colleague so far as she was concerned. Besides, she’d not had the best time having relationships with fellow dancers before now.

The afternoon flew by, Elizabeth and Hugh completing their pas de deux thrice over before Francis and Caroline practised theirs from Dracula. Francis was always rather hesitant about casting himself in lead roles, but the company at large had effectively bullied him into playing the Count, and Caroline’s classical blonde beauty made her the perfect Lucy. A little more from Rodeo and they were done for the day. After a brief consultation with the ballet mistress, Anne Treneglos, Francis announced that tomorrow they would rehearse Rodeo in full twice and then Folies Bergere in the afternoon.

“Hey, Beth, are you coming for a coffee?” Elizabeth looked up to see Morwenna standing over her. Morwenna was a young dancer who spent two years with the Ballet Cymru before joining South West, initially as member of the corps, before a quick promotion to soloist. She also happened to be Elizabeth’s cousin which, in the occasionally bitchy world of dance, had led to completely unfounded accusations of nepotism. Elizabeth might have suggested that she audition, after Morwenna had told her that she didn’t feel sufficiently challenged at the Welsh company, but she’d been taken on purely on talent.

As soon as Elizabeth had seen Morwenna dance she’d known she was a natural, despite Morwenna being just a little girl at the time, and Elizabeth not even a teenager. Morwenna’s mother had brought her to watch Elizabeth’s ballet class and she’d begged to join in – the teacher had loaned her a pair of shoes and then watched with a grin as Morwenna took to it like a duck to water. Elizabeth had never felt anything but great pride in her cousin, especially now she was flourishing with the South West. Indeed, she’d just been cast in one of the leading roles in the Christmas show. Everyone was heartily sick of The Nutcracker, so they were doing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Morwenna was to play Susan, alongside Ed Carkeek as Peter and two children from the St Ives School as the other Pevensies. There was no doubt in Elizabeth’s mind that Morwenna would be incredible.

“Thank, Wenna, but I’m quite tired. I think I’ll just do some stretching and then go home. Maybe tomorrow?”

“Of course, see you then.” With a smile, Morwenna turned and followed the others out of the door.

After her warm down, Elizabeth had a quick shower in the now deserted changing rooms before slipping into some comfy leggings and a big soft, sweatshirt. She would go home and soak her feet, she decided, reflecting wryly on the complete lack of glamour in the life of a dancer. Blessedly, although she suffered the occasional blister and bruise – never escaped by anyone who worked en pointe – she had far fewer problems than many others.

She was just heading for the exit, bag slung over her shoulder, shoes tied to the handles, when she heard Francis calling her name. Turning, she found him standing at the mouth of the corridor which led to the back offices. With him was a man she didn’t know.

“Elizabeth, come and meet George. George Warleggan, Elizabeth Chynoweth. Elizabeth is one of our principal dancers, I think I’ve mentioned her to you. Our prima ballerina in all but name.” Elizabeth fought a blush, wishing Francis wouldn’t flatter her like that. And that he wouldn’t introduce her to strangers when she was fresh out of a day of practice, dressed in a ropey old sweater and with her still wet hair shoved into a messy ponytail. Good-looking strangers at that. George, as Francis had called him, was 30-ish, about her height, with fair hair and a fine featured face. When he held out a hand to shake hers, she noticed that he had the most incredibly blue eyes, which were complimented by the light grey suit and dark blue tie he wore.

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Chynoweth.”

“Oh, Elizabeth, please!” She sounded ridiculously eager, and mentally shook herself. “It’s just there’s – ah – there’s actually two Miss Chynoweths with the company.”

“Oh, I see.” He smiled and she found herself smiling back before she realised Francis was speaking again.

“George just joined us a few days ago. He’s going to be our new Financial Director.”

“Oh, well, I hope you like it here.”

“I’m sure I will.”

“I – er – I’d best be going. It was nice to meet you.” She turned and hurried away, feeling uncommonly flustered. What was the matter with her? 

~

Next

[conniejoworld]

Trumpists Are America’s Jacobites

David A. Graham 1 day ago“He loved authority and business. He had a high sense of his own personal dignity,” one commentator observed. “He was not altogether destitute of a sentiment which bore some affinity to patriotism … His second wish was to be feared and respected abroad. But his first wish was to be absolute master at home.”He came to power, succeeding a popular head of state who had tried to restore normalcy, and even enjoyed a certain amount of popular backing at the start. But a series of self-inflicted blunders over the ensuing four years gradually sapped his support. He “was bent on ruining himself; and every attempt to stop him only made him rush more eagerly to his doom.” As the end closed in, he raged against officials for following the law rather than his orders. “You believe everybody,” he fumed, “rather than me.” In the end, he was removed from office, and his best attempts to return came up short.I refer, of course, to King James II and VII of England, Scotland, and Ireland.The resemblances between this king and Donald Trump are peculiar, and also illuminating. In each case, a morally and politically flawed leader is ejected from office; he goes into exile, establishes an opulent court, and plots a reinstatement; his children strive to take up the mantle, while a small but devoted band of supporters remains steadfast. Think of it as 45 meets the ’45.Trump’s story is familiar. The history of the Jacobite movement (the name comes from the Latin for “James”) may be less so. James II became king upon the death of his brother, Charles II, in February 1685, but his religion—Catholicism, in a Protestant country—and various political missteps led to his removal in the so-called Glorious Revolution. James fled to France, where he died in 1701.His son James Francis Edward Stuart—James III and VIII to his supporters, the “Old Pretender” to his critics—twice attempted to reclaim the British throne, once in 1715 and then again four years later. James’s son Charles (“the Young Pretender” or “Bonnie Prince Charlie,” now known for his role in the period book and TV series Outlander) tried once more in 1745, before being defeated at Culloden the next year. Jacobitism and the House of Stuart were effectively finished, though the lost cause became a popular Romantic motif, especially in Scotland.The parallels between the Stuarts and Trumps are personal, political, and structural. When I put the notion to Sir Tom Devine, the preeminent living Scottish historian, he first laughed uproariously. “I absolutely love this comparator,” he told me once he’d regained his composure. “The entrails of connections are so potent and so lovable.”There are differences. James II was devout; Trump is not, though he has also found religion to be a powerful political force. James was also noted for his physical courage. But there are temperamental similarities between the men, says Daniel Szechi, a prominent historian of Jacobitism.“Despite his many, many flaws, he was a better human being than Trump, but he shared some similar characteristics,” Szechi wrote in an email. “He was profoundly ignorant, had when young a libido the size of New York, believed he was on a mission from God, and maintained he was the true king even after the Parliaments of the three kingdoms had all deposed him, and, indeed, continued to believe the people of England still loved him despite all evidence to the contrary.”Politically, the two men also shared an absolutist view of power, and both were accused of cruelty. “You could argue that the Trump experience revealed a sense of the development of almost a semi-monarchical court,” Devine told me. “Not only that, but a sense of dynasty, with all these other creatures who were around him to do his bidding.”In November 1688, when James’s son-in-law and nephew, William of Orange, invaded England, James insisted he was the rightful king, even after it was clear his support had collapsed. In November 2020, Trump insisted against all evidence that he had rightfully won the election; James’s legal justification was arguably much stronger. James urged his supporters on to a violent attempt to restore him to power, though it took years for Jacobite forces to be put down, while the Trump-inspired January 6 insurrection was quelled within hours.The Stuarts then set up courts in Catholic countries on the continent, first in France and then in Italy. Palm Beach’s Mar-a-Lago might not be the Palazzo Muti in Rome, but they played a similar function. The deposed monarch and his heirs could live in splendor, oversee a quasi-ambassadorial function, and hand out favors to loyal supporters.Both dynasties drew their support from outside major centers of population and power. For Trump, that is rural areas, especially in the South. Jacobitism remained strongest on the fringes of the kingdom, in Scotland, Ireland, and Cornwall. (Indeed, Trump’s mother emigrated from Scotland, where her own Clan MacLeod had been supporters of the Jacobite cause.) Like Trump backers who now call for the secession of red states, Jacobites favored the dissolution of the union of the crowns.Trump has now become an Old Pretender, in function if not personal affect: James Francis Edward Stuart was known as an intellectual. In his exiled court, the ex-president plots a return, either via a chimerical reinstatement or a new run for president in 2024. There is a Young Pretender too—Donald Trump Jr., or as we might rechristen him, Bonnie Prince Donny, who aspires to replicate his father’s political success. (Both heirs struggled with alcohol and romantic stability.)“The old monarchy, the old Jacobite monarchy, took major risks. And of course the greatest gamble of all was in 1745, when Charles Edward Stuart descended on Scotland with only a few supporters, some gold, but only the promise of support from the French monarchy,” Devine said. “Because of his businessman background, there’s a strong element of the gambler in Trump. There is an important analogy there.”The Jacobites gambled everything and lost. The question is whether this fate awaits Trump’s family and movement as well. Trump is down, but he retains a grip on the Republican Party and is the favorite for the GOP nomination in 2024 if he wants it. While observers like me warn of the grave threat to American democracy that his thinking poses, Jacobitism went from a real peril to a nonentity by the end of the 18th century. “It’s so harmless and so timid and so emasculated—it’s not a threat anymore—it can be sentimentalized in the work, for example, of Sir Walter Scott,” Devine told me. “That could be the [movement’s] fate—the lost cause of Trump.”Lost causes are not always so harmless, though. Mark Twain placed some of the blame for the Civil War on Scott’s novels. “Sir Walter had so large a hand in making Southern character, as it existed before the war, that he is in great measure responsible for the war,” he wrote in Life on the Mississippi. The Confederacy’s own Lost Cause myth casts a dark shadow over American politics to this day. On January 6, when Trump supporters stormed the seat of government to try to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s election as president, one walked the halls of the Capitol bearing the Confederate battle flag.At this moment, Trump’s movement remains a serious danger to democracy and rule of law in the United States—a new lost cause of its own with all the menace of the Confederacy. With some luck, perhaps one day Trumpism will eventually be relegated to bodice rippers and tourist kitsch.

[bernardwiggins6-blog]

How To Treat Wet Dreams In Guys Naturally And Efficiently?

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[wavenetinfo]

Anyone who’s even loosely familiar with Scottish history always knew this one was destined to end with a decisive swish of an ax — but that doesn’t mean it was easy to watch. After four seasons of bloodshed, heartbreak, deception, and binding corsets, Mary, Queen of Scots’ Reign has come to an end on the CW. At least the bonnie lassie went out with a showstopping (if a little rushed) series finale that included explosions, threesomes, and — of course — a beheading. Once you’ve mopped up your tears from that flashback-laden closing montage, check out what showrunner Laurie McCarthy had to say about bidding farewell to the rightful queen.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Mary and her great love Francis are reunited in Mary’s afterlife! Was it always the plan to bring Toby Regbo back for the end of the series? How did that come about? LAURIE McCARTHY: It wasn’t the plan from day one, but by early in their second season, their chemistry convinced me that there would be no love as great for Mary, now matter how we wrote the show. Mary faced so much strife, darkness, and betrayal once she returned to Scotland. She was altered by more and more difficult events and choices, and knowing that the facts of her death were indisputable, I wanted to return to the joy she had known in her life and believed she might mentally want to imagine herself there as well. The idea and filming of the final scene came before Toby Regbo departed the show, and long before we knew how many seasons the show would have.

Since we know from history that Mary Stuart’s life was full of so much tragedy and bloodshed, how important was it for you to find some way to give her a happy ending? Very important. We explored some very dark territory, playing things that really happened to her, plenty that might have happened, and a few that either occurred or were rumored to occur at other points later in her life. Those scenes were hard to write, and we all felt our lead character’s pain. We wanted to feel her joy as well reflected even in her final moments.

How did you go about planning out the final season? What was behind the decision to tell a pretty full arc about Mary’s marriage to Darnley as opposed to fast-forwarding the timeline? First of all, Darnley was such a complicated, flawed character, and I was so happy to have Will Kemp agree to play the role, that we really sunk our teeth into her second marriage and how Darnley’s weaknesses played into Mary’s downfall. But also, her marriage to Darnley was a bold move that could have worked. It could have brought her power in England. It might have undermined Elizabeth in such a way that Mary could have joined both nations (not, decades later, her son)… it was a strategic risk, which also angered Elizabeth and was part of her undoing. How could we not tell it?

When you began the series, did you have an idea of how much of Mary’s story you wanted to tell? How you would pace it out? Were there parts of Mary’s story you really wanted to tell but didn’t get the chance to? Yes. I wanted to tell all of it: her third marriage, her time on the run… there was a Western in another season, really, that would have been an interesting contrast to the machinations in France (a bloodbath, of proportions we had not seen before, was coming), and I would have loved to see Elizabeth’s rise in England. That said, there are indisputable economic considerations, and the CW supported the show as long as it could in every way that it could. They and the studio were incredible partners, always opening the gates wide creatively, and I’m deeply grateful for the time that we had.

So much of this final episode, and the series as a whole, really, was about these women in powerful positions fighting against men who don’t think they’re capable simply because they are women. They have to work twice as hard to get anything done or anyone on their side. It all sounds very familiar! Was it a coincidence that these stories about female monarchs in the 1500s would feel so applicable to today, or were you hoping people would make that connection? Either answer breaks my heart. Is it a coincidence if, at the top levels of power, very little has changed? I’ve read some comments about the show that implied that all the men on it were jerks — that the show was somehow “man-hating,” and that always amazed me. We had heroic, if complicated, men around all of our female leads throughout the show, but we did see them face some brutal male foes. I suppose I’m glad people see the portrayal of men who dismiss or want to take down women as “hateful,” but that is certainly what Mary, Catherine, and Elizabeth had to face. And yes, this year it resonated deeply. We didn’t squeeze in dialogue that also fit our times — we wrote for our characters in their time — but I wish it weren’t all so relevant.

Reign is known for some of its crazier moments (King Henry humping a woman out of a window, the prince of Spain being impaled by a sex horse), and the finale provided one last crazy moment: the queen mother, Catherine de Medici getting involved in a three-way with a witch. Was there the feeling in the writers room that you needed to go out with a bang? We loved doing crazy things, and we were writing characters who were both relatable but also lived in a world of privilege that is difficult to comprehend. Also, you’d be shocked how much of it actually came from, or was very inspired by, history. Sometimes, particularly with King Henry, we toned down what we’d read in our research (or in one case of blowing up ships filled with his own men, cut it in half). But we also took incredible license and as a group cackled merrily at some of the things royals, running amok, might do…

Over the series, was there anything pitched that was too crazy for Reign? I’m sure there was, but upon reflection, it’s hard to imagine what that might be. If it didn’t result in something, serve the story, and grow the characters in some way, we usually didn’t do it. The window-sex, for example, was only the beginning of Henry’s madness that led to Francis murdering his own father. Which led to a secret that drove Mary and Francis apart, for example.

Reign is also known for it’s amazing costumes. More than just being lovely to look at, the costumes also helped reveal character — like Mary wearing more plaid and heavier materials once she arrived in Scotland, or Elizabeth putting on her suit of armor. How closely did you work with your costume designer? Did you keep anything from the wardrobe department? If by working closely with Meredith Markworth-Pollak you mean me saying, “Wow, yes, that’s brilliant, let’s do that!” then yes, we collaborated. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but as the show went on, only slightly. We had very clear discussions at the pilot stage, even about beads for the girls’ hair, and I reviewed costumes for every episode. Meredith and I would talk about things coming down the road… Mary needing to show her power more, or embrace her culture. Battles we would need to build dozens of costumes for, pregnancies, and especially weddings. Oh, those wedding dresses — amazing. But what I really wanted was a pair of beat-up riding boots (sadly there were none in my size).

Elizabeth donning her armor and rousing her troops is a moving scene — as if the Elizabeth we’ve been watching on this show is finally becoming the Elizabeth we know from history. Were you there during filming? What was the feeling on set that day? I wasn’t there, I was busy with editing and wrapping things up in LA, and the fact that I missed it kills me. Let’s not talk about it, or I’ll get sad.

I was so happy to see Catherine choose herself over her children in the end. What were you hoping to say with Catherine’s story? We were gearing her up for her next chapter, when she would really have to play her children against one another and realize that some of them should never, ever rule. It also worked as a series finale, as a culmination of an arc for her. At the start of the series, she would have done everything for her children (and for Francis she did), but as a hardened pragmatist, and a survivor, even she realized some sacrifices might not be worth making.

17 June 2017 | 2:00 am

Maggie Fremont

Source : Entertainment Weekly

>>>Click Here To View Original Press Release>>>

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  Haven on the Riverwalk by Eileen Cruz Coleman: When quite by accident, Maggie finds herself stuck in the small riverside town of Solomon’s Island, Maryland, she becomes determined to start a new life where no one knows who she is. She meets handsome and charming bike repair shop owner, Dustin, who she tries to resist. Though Maggie’s dark past and secrets haunt her every day, she starts to let her guard down and she not only finds herself in a whirlwind romance with Dustin, but also begins to fall in love with the small town of Solomon’s and its people.

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  The Musician by Lola Sinclair: Violinist virtuoso Nicholas Spencer has a weakness for redheads. Older redheads, to be precise. From the moment he first laid eyes on his hot music teacher, he’s been chasing after redheads to satiate his lusts. That is until the day when blonde Fiona Ward accidentally tricks him into chasing after her…

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  ACE: Las Vegas Bad Boys by Frankie Love: I like my money clean and my women dirty. That is until I meet Emmy Rose. She says she doesn’t want a bad boy. I guess I’ll have to change her pretty little mind.

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  Something Like This by Eileen Cruz Coleman: What happens when a hot, rich writer meets a damaged girl? The only way that 23-year-old Jadie Santiago can escape her sucky childhood is to force herself to move on with her life and bury a shameful secret. When Jadie lands a new job at a literary agency, things start looking up. Yet the one thing Jadie never expected was to capture the attention of the devastatingly handsome and rich Reece Carter, an aspiring writer who could destroy the precarious future she’s just started rebuilding.

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  The Photographer’s Assistant by Lulu Fairhazel: When final year art student Hanna Dunne lands a prestigious internship with nude photographer Ren Goldsteen, she only has one thing on her mind – graduating. Ren goes through interns faster than film canisters and it’s not just because of his impeccably high standards; his penchant for nudes extends well beyond his famed photographs.

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  Love, Lives, & Letters by Rebecca Milton: From the pen of bestselling author Rebecca Milton, beloved for her romance stories, we bring you – for a limited time only – not one, but THREE collections of her best romantic writing with no less than 33 stories in total!

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  An Affair to Dismember by Elise Sax: Three months has been Gladie Burger’s limit when it comes to staying in one place. That’s why Gladie is more than a little skeptical when her Grandma Zelda—who is more than a little psychic—recruits her into the family’s matchmaking business in the quaint small town of Cannes, California. What’s more, Gladie is also highly unqualified, having a terrible track record with romance.

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  Murder on Moloka’i by Chip Hughes: When Boston heiress Adrienne Ridgely strides into his Honolulu office, Surfing Detective Kai Cooke likes what he sees, but doubts what he hears. Adrienne’s sister, environmental activist Sara Ridgely-Parke, plunged to her death from a mule on Moloka‘i – the first fatal incident on the soaring cliffs above Kalaupapa’s fabled leper colony. Murder, cries Adrienne, perpetrated by Sara’s ex-husband, developer J. Gregory Parke. Cooke flies to Moloka‘i, tracking tantalizing leads to an unlikely murder that, despite himself, he starts to believe in.

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  Love, Murder, and a Good Bottle of Wine by Chris Phipps: Sarah Wagner, grieving the death of the beloved young aunt who took her in as a teenager, is shocked when she realizes she’s a suspect in the murder. While managing her aunt’s final affairs, she gathers clues to the identity of the real killer, who may be closer than she thinks.

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  Rogue Wave by Christopher Cartwright: The greatest technological advancement in warfare since the creation of the Atomic bomb has been discovered, and it’s being offered to the highest bidder. There is just one problem though; the seller might no longer have any control of the weapon…

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  Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson: In a small town in Scotland, two lingerie stores are at war to be the last shop standing. There’s only room in town for one shop and ex-lingerie model, Kirsty, is convinced that will be hers. After all, she knows a lot more about lingerie than the ex-SAS soldier who owns her competition. Unfortunately for her, Lake Benson might not know lingerie but he does know war. And as everybody knows, all’s fair in love and war.

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    Davenport House by Marie Silk: “…buttoned up plotting of a type that might appeal to Downton Abbey fans…” -Historical Novel Society. This #1 Best Selling family saga follows the wealthy Davenports and their servants in 1915 America. The sudden death of the patriarch changes everything.

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Saturday, March 18th, 2017

International News:

--- "The United States and China will work together to get nuclear-armed North Korea take "a different course", U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Saturday, softening previous criticism of Beijing after talks with his Chinese counterpart. China has been irritated at being repeatedly told by Washington to rein in North Korea's surging nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, one of a series of hurdles in ties between the world's two largest economies. But Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the talks with Tillerson as "candid, pragmatic and productive". The two sides appeared to have made some progress or put aside differences on difficult issues, at least in advance of a planned summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. On Friday, Tillerson issued the Trump administration's starkest warning yet to North Korea, saying in Seoul that a military response would be "on the table" if Pyongyang took action to threaten South Korean and U.S. forces. Tillerson took a softer line after the meeting with Wang. He told reporters both China and the United States noted efforts over the last two decades had not succeeded in curbing the threat posed by North Korea's weapons programmes. "We share a common view and a sense that tensions on the peninsula are quite high right now and that things have reached a rather dangerous level, and we've committed ourselves to doing everything we can to prevent any type of conflict from breaking out," Tillerson said."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tillerson-asia-china-idUSKBN16O2V9?il=0

--- "A man shot dead at France's Orly airport after trying to snatch a patrol soldier's weapon was known to police and intelligence services and had shot and injured an officer in another part of the Paris region when stopped for an identity check earlier on Saturday, the interior minister said. Minister Bruno Le Roux, speaking to reporters at the airport south of the French capital, said the man had tried but failed to snatch the weapon before being killed. "His identity is known to police and intelligence services," the minister said of the dead man. The police officer injured north of Paris during an I.D. check prior to the airport incident did not appear to have very serious injuries, he said."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-shooting-minister-idUSKBN16P0BY?il=0

--- "German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Saturday for Europe to set about standardizing rules on using data in Europe, ahead of a visit to the CeBIT technology fair in Hanover where digitalization is expected to be in focus."We want to create a digital single European market. That means we need to have legal situations that are as similar as possible in all European countries," Merkel said in her weekly video podcast. A key issue is determining who owns the data and the related copyright issues, Merkel said, adding: "We're still discussing that." She said that in the automobile sector, for example, it was important to clarify whether data belonged to carmakers or software manufacturers because it was possible to develop new products with the data about clients. "We need to very quickly and uniformly implement legislation in Europe regarding copyright laws and the ownership of data," she said."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-merkel-idUSKBN16P0EO?il=0

--- "Turkish authorities have detained 740 people for suspected links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) over the last three days, state media reported on Saturday citing an Interior Ministry source. Authorities carried out 36 raids during the three-day period, seizing equipment, documents and more than a dozen guns, state-run Anadolu Agency said."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-kurds-idUSKBN16P0KA?il=0

--- "Pope Francis will make a trip to Egypt next month, the Vatican said on Saturday, giving the pontiff another opportunity to promote better relations between Catholics and Muslims. Francis has accepted an invitation to Cairo on April 28-29 from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Catholic bishops, the pope of the Coptic church of Alexandria and the country's highest Islamic authority, Al-Azhar, the Vatican said in a statement. Christians, mostly Orthodox Copts, account for about 10 percent of Egypt's population, which is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim. Sectarian violence sometimes erupts over disputes on issues related to church building, religious conversions and interfaith relationships. Francis has put great emphasis on improving inter-faith relations since his election in 2013, and a year ago he met the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb in the Vatican."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/pope-egypt-visit-int-idUSKBN16P0JA

--- "European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is not worried about other EU countries leaving the bloc after Britain because Brexit will make them see it is not a good option, he said in a newspaper interview. Asked by Bild am Sonntag newspaper if other member states would follow Britain's example in quitting, Juncker said: "No. Britain's example will make everyone realise that it's not worth leaving." He added: "On the contrary, the remaining member states will fall in love with each other again and renew their vows with the European Union." The EU's 27 leaders plan to declare "Europe is our common future" during a meeting in Rome next week to mark 60 years of the bloc. Juncker said Britain would need to get used to being treated as a non-member. "Half memberships and cherry-picking aren't possible. In Europe you eat what's on the table or you don't sit at the table," he added. Juncker said more countries would join the EU in future, although not during his time in office, which runs until 2019, because none of the candidates fulfils the conditions yet."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-juncker-idUSKBN16P0PF?il=0

--- "Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon knuckled down on her plan to hold a referendum on independence from the UK on Saturday, saying Brexit negotiations are destined to fail if Prime Minister Theresa May showed the same attitude to European partners as she had to Scotland. "The Prime Minister's attitude should worry all of us hoping that negotiations with Europe will not be a disaster because - and let me put this bluntly - if she shows the same condescension and inflexibility, the same tin ear, to other EU countries as she has to Scotland then the Brexit process will hit the rocks," Sturgeon told her Scottish National Party (SNP) conference. Theresa May said earlier this week that "now is not the time" for Scotland to hold a referendum with Britain's exit from the EU in the offing. "There will be an independence referendum," said Sturgeon, who is also leader of the devolved Scottish government."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-scotland-sturgeon-idUSKBN16P0NK?il=0

--- Refusal by Britain's prime minister to discuss an independence referendum would "shatter beyond repair" the United Kingdom's constitutional structure, Nicola Sturgeon told her Scottish National Party on Saturday. Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, pledged to press on with plans to hold a new Scottish referendum as announced earlier this week, deepening a standoff with the UK government. Party faithful cheered, clapped and leapt to their feet. Sturgeon expects to get authorization from the devolved Scottish parliament on Wednesday to seek the terms for a new secession vote, aiming for a date once the terms for Brexit are clear but before Britain leaves the EU. "To stand in defiance of (Scottish parliamentary authorization) would be for the prime minister to shatter beyond repair any notion of the UK as a respectful partnership of equals," Sturgeon said. "Scotland's future will be in Scotland's hands." Under the UK's constitutional arrangements, Britain's parliament needs to sign off on any legally binding vote in Scotland. Prime Minister Theresa May told Sturgeon this week that "now is not the time" for a new choice on independence as divorce talks between the world's fifth-largest economy and its erstwhile EU partners get under way."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-scotland-idUSKBN16P0BS?il=0

--- "Angela Merkel's conservatives have a slight lead over the Social Democrats (SPD) but a left-leaning alliance led by the SPD would have enough support to wrest power from the German chancellor, a poll showed six months before a federal election. The conservatives were unchanged on 33 percent while the SPD dropped one percentage point from last week to 32 percent, the Emnid poll for Bild am Sonntag newspaper showed. Support for the far-left Linke was steady at 8 percent while support for the Greens rose by one point to 8 percent. That would give a "red-red-green" alliance of the SPD, Linke and Greens 48 percent - which the newspaper said would be enough to form a coalition government. The SPD trailed the conservatives in opinion polls for years but its support has surged since late January, when it nominated former European Parliament President Martin Schulz as its challenger to Merkel in a Sept. 24 election - a move that also resulted in a sharp increase in SPD members. Schulz is campaigning on issues such as social justice and suggesting revisions to Agenda 2010 labor market reforms rolled out by Gerhard Schroeder, the last SPD chancellor."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-election-poll-idUSKBN16P0W5?il=0

--- "International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Saturday that global growth was gaining strength, but cautioned that the "wrong" policies "could stop the new momentum in its tracks." In a statement issued at the end of a Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors, Lagarde called the forum of the world's top economies a "critical platform for major economies to work together in an established framework". "We met at a time when growth is gaining momentum around the world and there are signs that the global economy has reached a turning point, even though uncertainties remain," Lagarde said. Her statement did not mention the failure of G20 finance officials to reach a compromise deal to endorse free trade, backtracking on past commitments in their communique to keep trade open and reject protectionism. But she said that strong monetary, fiscal and structural economic reform policies were critical to the global economy's future direction."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-imf-lagarde-idUSKBN16P0JY?il=0

--- "Turkey has never been less likely to join the European Union than now and the bloc should seek a special relationship with Britain, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said as relations between Ankara and Berlin hit a low point. "Today Turkey is definitely further away from becoming a member of the European Union than ever before," Gabriel said in an interview with news magazine Der Spiegel published on Saturday. He said he always had doubts about whether Turkey should join the EU but found himself in the minority in his Social Democrat (SPD) party. Before taking power in Germany in 2005, Chancellor Angela Merkel was an outspoken opponent of Turkey's membership and called for a "privileged partnership". Gabriel once thought that would make Turks feel like second-class Europeans but said his opinion had changed since Britain's decision to leave the EU. "Today the situation is totally different due to Brexit. We'd be well advised to bring about a 'special relationship' with Great Britain after its exit from the EU," Gabriel said. "That will be an important learning process for the EU and perhaps some of it can serve as a blueprint for other countries in the long term," Gabriel said."

Source:http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-referendum-germany-gabriel-idUSKBN16P0EA?il=0

 --- Rebels and their families began leaving their last bastion in the Syrian city of Homs on Saturday, state media and a Reuters witness said, under a Russian-backed deal with the government expected to be among the largest evacuations of its kind. The agreement underlines Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's upper hand in the war, as more rebel fighters opt to leave areas they have defended for years in deals that amount to negotiated withdrawals to other parts of the country. Several buses drove out of the al-Waer district in Homs, which was an early center of the popular uprising against Assad. Between 10,000 and 15,000 rebels and civilians would evacuate in batches over the coming weeks under the deal, according to opposition activists in al-Waer and a war monitor. Homs governor Talal Barazi told Reuters that he expected 1,500 people, including at least 400 fighters, to depart on Saturday for rebel-held areas northeast of Aleppo, and that most of al-Waer's residents would stay."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-waer-idUSKBN16P073?il=0

Domestic & International News:

--- "Allegations from the United States that British spy agency GCHQ snooped on Donald Trump during his election campaign are "arrant nonsense", the deputy head of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) said in an interview on Saturday. President Trump has stood by unproven claims that the Obama administration tapped his phones during the 2016 White House race. On Thursday his spokesman cited a media report that Britain's GCHQ was behind the surveillance. Richard Ledgett, deputy director of the NSA, told BBC News the idea that Britain had a hand in spying on Trump was "just crazy". "It belies a complete lack of understanding of how the relationship works between the intel community agencies, it completely ignores the political reality of 'would the UK government agree to do that?'", Ledgett said. There would be no advantage for Britain's government in spying on Trump, given the potential cost, he said."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-wiretapping-nsa-idUSKBN16P096?il=0

--- "Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Saturday said that the Sino-American relationship had grown "increasingly difficult and complex" and required "a fresh start". "Both countries benefit from the $600 billion trading relationship, but there's no doubt that the deficit has widened, that there is a strong feeling in the U.S. that it's out of balance," he said. "There are some very tough issues, we have some very significant differences ... To keep that relationship stable and on an even keel will be very important for business."     Paulson made his comments in Beijing at the China Development Forum, a three-day government conference bringing together top global chief executives with Chinese leaders...Charlene Barshefsky, a former U.S. trade negotiator, said in Beijing that the U.S.-China trade relationship is viewed in the U.S. as very skewed in favor of China, even by elites. In order to move the relationship forward, China needs to return to reform and opening of its economy, and pull back from discriminatory measures against foreign firms, Barshefsky said."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-forum-trade-idUSKBN16P0B0?il=0

--- "The Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma, has approved a proposal to launch an investigation into U.S. media organizations that operate in Russia, it said in a statement posted on its web site late on Friday. The investigation, which will be conducted by the Duma's information policy, technologies and communications committee, will check whether CNN, the Voice of America, Radio Liberty and "other American media" are complying with Russian law. The statement said the Duma backed the move on Friday evening after Konstantin Zatulin, an MP from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, proposed an investigation to retaliate for what he called a "repressive" U.S. move against Russian state-funded broadcaster RT. He said he was referring to an initiative by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who has introduced a bill to empower the Justice Department to investigate possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act by RT. Shaheen, a Democrat, cited a U.S. intelligence agency assessment that suggested RT was part of a Russian influence campaign to help Donald Trump win the White House last year. The Kremlin and RT have strongly rejected that allegation."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-press-idUSKBN16P0CA?il=0

--- "The United States remains committed to free trade but wants to re-examine some trade deals and correct their excesses, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday after G20 finance chiefs backtracked on past commitments about trade. Making only a token reference to trade in their communique, finance ministers and central bank chiefs from the world's top 20 economies broke with a decade-long tradition of endorsing open trade, a clear defeat for host nation Germany, which has fought to maintain the G20's past commitments. "What was in the past communique is not necessarily relevant from my standpoint," Mnuchin told a news conference in Baden Baden after his first meeting with the finance chiefs of the world's 20 biggest economies. "I understand what the president's desire is and his policies, and I negotiated them from here. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome," Mnuchin said. In the new U.S. administration's biggest clash yet with the international community, G20 finance chiefs rowed back on a pledge to reject protectionism and maintain an open and inclusive global trade system."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-germany-mnuchin-idUSKBN16P0MT?il=0

Further details: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-germany-trade-idUSKBN16P0FN?il=0

--- "Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday no G20 member was against free trade, despite the communique's language that omitted reference to the group's past pledge to resist all forms of protectionism."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-germany-japan-idUSKBN16P0NC?il=0

--- "French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said he regretted that a meeting of world financial leaders on Saturday had failed to reach satisfactory conclusions on climate change and trade. Sapin highlighted successes of the G20 meeting in Germany such as a determination to fight tax avoidance, clamp down on terrorist financing and strengthen private investment in Africa. "I regret nevertheless that our discussions today were not able to reach a satisfactory conclusion on two priorities that are absolutely essential in today's world," he said in a statement. He cited the fight against climate change and trade, saying France was convinced of the need for "regulated free trade" that was profitable for everybody."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-germany-france-idUSKBN16P0IZ?il=0

--- "Finance chiefs of the world's top 20 economies pledged on Saturday to finalize new banking regulations, easing concerns that the new U.S. administration would pull out of a long-delayed global accord known as Basel III. Designed to avert a repeat of the financial crisis, Basel III rules have been on hold due to an impasse between the United States and Europe, with some fearing the accord might never be revived as the new U.S. administration advocates deregulation. "We confirm our support for the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's work to finalize the Basel III framework without further significantly increasing overall capital requirements across the sector, while promoting a level playing field," G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs said in a statement. U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a review of banking rules with the implicit aim of loosening them. That raises the prospect of the U.S. pulling out of some international cooperation efforts."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-germany-basel-idUSKBN16P0KU?il=0

Domestic News:

--- "Meals on Wheels America, the umbrella organization for 5,000 providers of home-delivered meals for seniors, said on Saturday that online donations have surged since the White House released a proposed budget that could lead to a big drop in its funding. The organization, which provides advocacy services for the national network, received about $50,000 on Thursday after the budget blueprint was announced, compared with $1,000 on a typical day. President Donald Trump's first budget proposal includes a 17.9 percent cut for fiscal 2018 in funds for the Department of Health and Human Services, which provides most of the government support for Meals on Wheels, the organization said. The budget proposal did not say how the cut would affect the Administration for Community Living, the HHS agency that funds nutrition programs for the elderly, Meals on Wheels spokeswoman Jenny Bertolette said. Meals on Wheels said on its website that it is difficult to imagine a scenario under which the next federal budget would not have an impact on its services. "While Meals on Wheels America and local Meals on Wheels programs are seeing an uptick in giving, it does not replace federal funding," Bertolette told Reuters in an email."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-budget-meals-idUSKBN16P0TR?il=0

--- "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued requests for proposals for prototypes for a wall along the Mexican border, saying ideally it should be 30 feet (9 meters) high and the wall facing the U.S. side should be "aesthetically pleasing in color." A wall to stem illegal immigration was one of Donald Trump's main campaign promises and has been highly controversial. The president has vowed to make Mexico reimburse the United States for its cost but Mexico has repeatedly said it will not do so. Earlier this week, the White House requested $3 billion more for Homeland Security, with some of that intended for planning and building the border wall. According to one document posted online by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Friday night, the wall should be 30 feet high, built using concrete, and "physically imposing." However, it says designs over 18 feet (5.5 meters) high could be acceptable. "Designs with heights of less than 18 feet are not acceptable," the document said. It said the wall should have features that do not allow people to climb over it and should prevent digging below the wall."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-borderwall-idUSKBN16P0NX?il=0