#empress dalia

[ahearthoficeandstone]

Do you have some fun facts about the main cast you can share with us? Thanks!!

Sure, I'd love to share some facts about the characters!

Empress Dalia

She killed her father for the throne, it was for the best really.

She's a perfect 8ft tall, about 244 cm for the rest of the world

Her magic is air and storm based.

Edela

She is engaged to her childhood sweetheart. The only person outside of immediate family she respects.

Accidentally turned her tutor into paste when her gravitational magic first manifested, it happens. She could level a large city easily these days, but she's never had reason to do so.

Augustus

Dragons are his favorite creature, he hopes to meet a true dragon one day.

He loves the ocean, he's rarely gotten the chance to see it due to Aea being land locked. Swimming is his favorite activity.

He doesn't have a favorite sibling... but if he did it'd be Diedre. He loves them all but they were nearly inseparable when Diedre was born.

Camilla and Camillo

Only one of the twins can use magic, I'll let you guess who.

Camilla is the older one, Camillo claims he's the older one.

They are both trans, they just kinda switched at some point and nobody ever mentioned it.

Aurora

Aurora does a lot of needlework in her spare time. She also weaves silk, she's not great an expert at it by any means but it makes her happy.

She only gets along with her brother Sigonia, all her other siblings were competition to her growing up.

Arielle

Poster child for daddy issues

He likes scents, especially of people he likes (platonic or romantic)

Uses nicknames a lot... totally not cause he forgers most peoples names or anything.

Asrani

Taught themselves how to read as a kid.

Studied under of the best mechanical geniuses of the world's current generation. A woman who will go onto being the reason wartime laws will need to be created. These mad scientist tendencies have rubbed off on them for sure.

Is probably an insomniac, if they could get away with not sleeping they would.

If I had to put down a red flag ro, it'd be Asrani. They have obsessive tendencies that would bleed into any romance.

Ambrose

She used to stare into the sun as a way of worship, only thing stopping her from continuing is the fact that you can't see the sun in Aea.

She has a little 'book club', Laika is of course a member. Diedre is too, though nobody knows how she's gotten him to join her.

Ira

She is very protective of her remaining siblings. Venus is her honorary little brother.

She's great at math, her parents wouldn't have it any other way.

She has a rock and sea glass collection. She also has a pet rock, it was given to her as joke at first but she takes it everywhere with her.

Noel

Noel raised all their siblings as a child themselves. Still looks out for them.

They are pretty clumsy indoors, outdoors they are just fine. Dexterous in fact.

Always knows which way is north.

Their wolf familiar's name is Ragnar, a very sweet and helpful large friend.

Laika

Seren, her quail chick, goes everywhere she goes. It is a simple must.

Her jewelry collection is massive, if you ever need to give him a gift jewelry is the way to go.

Volo

Favorite colors are blue and green.

They love insects, which is pretty obvious from their mask.

Venus

Mc has actually met them before, it was a brief and fleeting moment though.

Hates eating chilled foods, unless they are sweet.

Diedre

Diedre dreams of seeing the stars one day, but that involves leaving Aea, and they don't do well with travel.

Can't stand extreme cold or heat, they are already bitter but that only makes them more pissy.

They are a hopeless romantic all things considered.

Yves

Used to work under Diedre before being reassigned to mc.

Has a great memory, they'll remember everything for you if they need to.

[murasaki-cha]

Empress Dalia is legit so pretty Frederic looks so much like her

[apricusnights]

Hecaball Player Bios

Orie Larkin

Team: Fae Unicorns

A very handsome young man? Well who really knows about that last part. Known to be fairly charismatic when they want to put on a show for the public eye but considered to be a bit distant during most other times. They get along well enough with the rest of the team and obviously have a fair amount of athletic ability.

They do consider themselves a fan of all types of games, both traditional and non-traditional alike. Hecaball is just another one on the list, it’s not quite as interesting to them as some others but it’s worth playing just the same.

When not playing any of said games they are often on their own conducting research that they don’t seem to speak to anyone else about. Beneath all the sports star charisma is an incredibly intelligent and somewhat conniving individual.

They seem to have a secondary goal while in or around Apricus, but what it is or who it’s for remains to be seen.

Khalid Omar

Team: Calere Crocodiles

The self-appointed team captain of the Calere Crocodiles. Khalid helped introduce Hecaball to Calere after becoming enamored with it. He’s watched every season, studied all the tapes, researched all the rules, and might solely be responsible for the sport existing in his homeland.

Khalid is a very happy individual. It’s almost impossible to bring him down. If anything happens he tends to shrug it off and move on. His father is a high ranking member of one of Calere’s bandit tribes so his upbringing was a little harsh to say the least. However it did teach him how to survive in even the most barren desert wastelands.

Dalia Magdy

Team: Calere Crocodiles

Dalia is Khalid’s best friend. She’s also sometimes the voice of reason when Khalid’s childish nature takes over and he’s bound determined to do something stupid just because he thinks it would be fun. 

Dalia is the only member of the team not born in Calere. Her family moved to the kingdom when she was very young. She’s considered the most athletic member of the team and often times is the poster child. She doesn’t particularly enjoy this as she feels her team should all be treated equally, sometimes the media disagrees.

Darius Zaki

Team: Calere Crocodiles

The no nonsense member of the team. A former member of the Calere royal guard who took his leave after completing four years of service when he was younger. He found himself restless but since combat was what he was good at he ended up in the underground fight scene where h made a name for himself.

When Hecaball began to be introduced he saw a chance to try something new, something equally adrenaline pumping but perhaps a little less violent. That being said he does have a bit of a temper and isn’t afraid to get rough with anyone who decides to try their luck.

Adrik Morozov

Team: Nivis Bears

Adrik is the younger sibling of Dmitri Morozov. The most renowned fighter in Nivis, and one of Empress Daria’s royal guard. To say this puts pressure on someone is to put it lightly. Adrik is always trying to live up to the family name but fighting was never truly their thing.

When trying to excel at anything and everything Adrik discovered a love of Hecaball. Being part of one of the winningest teams in the Nivis league and eventually being asked to join the world cup team. Adrik is excited to see more of the world.

Ivan Federov

Team: Nivis Bears

Ivan is considered the planner of the team, some might even call him a schemer. He may not possess the athletic ability of Adrik but his ability to analyze the field is second to none. He’s able to come up with plays on the fly and adjust them the instant it’s necessary.

He spends his spare time going over as many details as possible when it comes to his opponents. Ivan is not particularly the friendliest member of the Bears but he will take some time to bask in the adoration of the fans now and again. He enjoys playing chess in his spare times and is considered a grand master.

Valentin Orlov

Team: Nivis Bears

The youngest member of the Bears and perhaps the most popular when it comes to their younger fans. Valentin is considered a bit of a heart throb though this wasn’t ever something he intended to be. It doesn’t hurt that he’s somewhat of a prodigy and considered by many to be the next big thing in Hecaball.

Valentin is extremely friendly and will go out of his way to take pictures, sign autographs and simply chat with the fans. He’s currently enjoying his first trip out of Nivis and acting the part of a typical tourist, doing everything the brochure suggested to experience while in Apricus.

Alcie Chronis

Team: Crepusculum Sentinels

The team captain of the Sentinels and perhaps the most skilled player on the team. Hecaball is a relatively new activity in Crepusculum but when it began to take off Alcie dropped everything to play. She took to it like a fish to water. Her natural speed and agility greatly outweighed her lack of physical power. Her somewhat smaller frame just meant it was easier to weave in and out of crowds.

Alcie is a fairly friendly individual. When the news broke the Crepusculum was opening up trade relations with other nations she did her best to study up on as many places as she could. One of her goals seems to be visiting as many places as possible. Luckily the World Cup has been allowing her to do just that.

Evander Lykaios

Team: Crepusculum Sentinels

Evander spent most of his early life studying under Father Sebastian, a high ranking religious leader and one of the Highfather’s inner circle. Evander and his younger brother are part of a group within the order. Not much is known about it but some consider it similar to the Templar of Apricus.

Evander was recruited by the Sentinels due to his physical prowess. He considered Hecaball to be a bit frivolous however there is a certain enjoyment in bringing victory to the Highfather. Evander is very quiet and tends to keep to himself most of the time.

Pierce Lykaios

Team: Crepusculum Sentinels

The younger brother of Evander. Pierce also belongs to a “sacred” order within the church. Pierce tends to differ from his older brother though. He seems to enjoy Hecaball, seeing it more as a training exercise and a way to show off his own superiority.

Pierce is the more cocky of the brothers. Despite all of Father Sebastian’s teachings Pierce still has an ego and a constant need to prove himself better than anyone else. Despite being somewhat quick to anger he’s much more chatty than one might think. He’s taken a liking to Caverns & Chimeras even though his brother calls it childish.

Rhea Drakos

Team: Crepusculum Sentinels

Rhea is the perfect mix of speed and power. Being deceptively quick and just as deceptively powerful gives her an extreme advantage on the field. Rhea has scored the most points of anyone in Crepusculum’s upstart Hecaball league and has accumulated quite the following back home.

When videos of her performance began circulating other nations she became something of a celebrity. Though she’s seemingly embraced the popularity, there is something cold, calculating, and sinister hiding behind the smiling facade.

[shadytyphoondelusion]

.EXE CyroPhoenix Megapack #3: Lord X

Name: Raiden, The Empress of Thunder and Lightning Age: Unknown (Likely in her early 30s) Victim List: Dalia, Mary, Jerry, Harris, Barry, Karl, Sally, Vee, Kimberly, Morgan, Wendy, Sarah, Zackery, etc. Appearance: A dark red skinned muscular woman with long black hair with a few grey hairs, a pair of jet-black horns and pitch black eyes with gold pupils. She wears a black hat with gold accents, a black jacket with gold accents, multiple bandages wrapped around her chest, black jeans and black boots with gold laces. Songs: Eons - Cycles CyroPhoenix Megapack Destiny - Fate CyroPhoenix Megapack

[writinglionqueen]

Could you write a My King fix where Asuka is an actual Empress that sails to Scotland with her Lady-in-Waiting Kairi? She could sail there for any reason, I just think it would be fun to write about how Drew and Asuka interact and how Scotland you react to Asuka and Kairi being crazy.

I’ve always wanted to put more leaders in this series!!! I’m still trying to figure out who would lead what! But this was too hard to pass up!

In all your years as Queen.....the one thing that still surprised you and was the most interesting part of the job, was meeting other royalty and nobility. And those that fascinated you the most, were royals and leaders from other lands and countries.

One such leader that had fascinated you upon your first meeting with them, was the Empress of Japan. She seemed like a fun-loving woman and her style, the gown and large coat she wore showed that. It was so eccentric and intriguing to you and to those who witnessed her. 

She had sailed to Scotland for a meeting between your King and other leaders to create relationships and figure out trade routes and other such agreements.

Some of the leaders invited didn’t want to be there and their disdain had shown the moment they crossed the threshold into your keep. But other leaders were over-enthusiastic about being there...such as the Empress. Or from what you could tell.

Empress Asuka spoke so enthusiastically in her language during her time in the keep. Such words that boomed and showed her emotion and fire. Though she did give a few sentences in English, her true passion was brought out more in her mother tongue and you couldn’t be bothered by it. People speaking other languages fascinated you. And you didn’t want to quell the Empress’ passion. The vibrancy of her tone and the excitement she had when she spoke made you smile, even if you didn’t know the words she was speaking. Her handmaiden filled in those gaps, though.

Asuka’s handmaiden was a little smaller than her. Her name was Kairi and she was just as excited to be in the keep as her Empress, but her excitement seemed more like childlike wonder than the enthusiasm her Empress expressed. In conversation, Kairi would add to her Empress’ dialogue and give you the happiest little grins you ever saw as she spoke of the connections Asuka wished to make at the meeting. How Asuka wanted to be great friends with Scotland, gaining trading goods and giving some in return, as well as the aid of Scotland if Japan ever needed it and vice versa.

“Friends,” Kairi and Asuka said in English and nodded between each other. You gave them a grand nod.

“Friends,” you agreed, even though Asuka hasn’t spoken about what she hopes to gain from the meeting with your king. No matter what it is. You hoped to be friends with Asuka. She seemed genuine and passionate about her people and her land and that was such a quality you liked.

Drew seemed to like the Empress just as much as you did. He would give one of the largest smiles at her avid language and flair and gave her a seat closest to him. She told jokes and stories filled with fun and adventure from her own travels. She was the life of the meeting and made you gracious for her presence. She made you and your king laugh at her jokes and her stories filled with such wild tales and all around craziness.

At the end of the day though, she was there on business; to find allies and make strong connections.

Asuka was very serious when it came to the needs and demands as the extension of Japan and her people. And she knew what she wouldn’t stand for in trade partners and what she was seeking in her allies. And if you disrespected her, she wasn’t afraid to tell you what she thought....as you witness her do to a leader who wasn’t too keen on making friends.

But with Scotland, with Drew and you, she was very intrigued and interested in the alliance that could be forged there. Drew made it known in the meeting that the Empress of Japan and her people would be allies with Scotland. It made Asuka stand up and cheer, raising a cup of the alcohol she brought as a gift, in toast before drinking it down. Kairi cheered as well, drinking her own cup. You and Drew followed suit, toasting to the agreements and the alliance you formed with the elated leader of Japan. You two toasted the long success and alliance to come and Asuka nodded her agreement speaking her own piece in Japanese to which Kairi smiled at her Empress in pride. Asuka then spoke in English, praising the future of the alliance.

“To us!” she insisted, raising her glass towards you and Drew. You and your king toasted back and everyone drank in respect for the future to come with the Empress as a friend and ally.

Tag: @adriennegabriella @amariemoore @andie01 @annoyingasian @ar3le @artemisapalla316 @ashkrystal @axelwolf8109 @balorstrowmanblackmurphy @baronsbelleevangeline @baysexuality @beckyann6879 @bigbabyscottishpsychopath @blackmoonrising @brownskinafro @calicina @calwitch @claymoreme @curlyafrogirl @dalia-corven @darlingambrose @dcnmarvelgamergeek @demonqueen29 @detectivecrepe @drewmcintyreinarefereeoutfit @fireyegale @fivefootxo @flawlessglamazon @fullofmelaninsarcasmandepression @hardcoresweet45 @heel-rollins @homeorbust @ihavenowilltolivelol @i-have-saracasm @itsicantbelievethis666 @jazzy-tzw @jeffhardyenigmawwefan @junglecassidy @kalliravenne @lilred91 @littlesuperstar @madamaholmes @madebypointlesswerewolves @malethirsty @meishaabae @meremaidqueen @midnight--luna @monocromaticstaircase @moxleysbaby @moxley-unhinged @mox-made-me-do-it @moxnmurphy @moxtiel @neversatisfiedgirl @nevertoofarfromivar @new-zealand-chic @nicolewoo @nothinginlifebutgreif @number1120 @ofbeornandbjorn @queenofthearchitect @saiyandude @sassymox @savemeroman @scuzmunkie @sebstanismylife @shieldgirl18 @slytherinyourrpants @snowtroopergirl @softmoxymuffin @superrezzy00 @taryn-dibiase @thatnerdwriter @thatpanpal @the-beastslayers-queen @thehoundsofjustice @thewrestlingwarehouse @theworldofotps @trashofambrolleigns @twistedbeautifully @unabashedwrestlefics @undiscovereddisneyroyalty @unprettypeony @voidstrugh @welcome-to-lovecraft-country @xbreezymeadowsx @yaint-me @youcantreignonmyparade

[p1nkwitch]

:3 This one is just self indulgence and silly stuff.

@nonbinaryeye

EMPRESSOCKS started pestering WATCHERSCROWN

WC: !!!!

ES: I LOVE YOU LIAS :D

ES: PURR PURR I MISS U AND PETER AND AND

WC: Empress??

ES: AND i lOVE you lots!!! And miss being petted, pets, pets pets, purr, purr. I love you and i miss you and im sad, but Jon is nice, but i don't like the other humans with him they are scary!!

WC: Oh my little gem. You can come visit me anytime you want!!!

ES: No, have to keep Jon safe! Tell everyone i miss em and i love em and i want to take a nap with everyone soon!! I have bigger paws!! I can hug better now!! Its all purrfect

WC: I will sweetie, if Jon is ever mean to you let me know ok? He better be taking care of you.

ES: He is!! Maybe if i ask he will let me visit!! Maybe you and me can play mice with something again!

WC: Mice?

ES: Like with the old dusty human that Gerry hated! :O Did u forget we played mice with him? We went and hunted him really good and nice, I bit his ankles and dLias got it with the metal thingy in the head! Then i bit him until he stopped moving too

ES: Mice, mice everyone is mice!

WC: Em... did you…. did you know we were killing him?

ES: Yes!! He was going to ruin your plans!!

ES: Sorry it didn't work daLIAS

WC:... were you going to say dad?

ES: You say im baby Socks! So you are dad? Is that not how humans work?

WC: ……

ES: is it bad? Am i bad? Did you not want me to halp?

WC: You threw the books on purpose then?

ES: … I just wanted to see what would happen.

WC: So many times?

ES: … I liked to watch them scream

WC: Oh my sweet sweet Empress. Yes you can play mice with me again and you are baby, but you are still a cat, it's more of a nickname.

ES: Like the little thief thingie that Peter calls me?

WC: Exactly

ES: :3 love you dad

WC: Love you too, my sweet vengeful baby. I will tell Peter you said you love him.

ES: Captain and Duchess?

WC: They were sprites, but combined with humans I'm afraid.

ES: D:

WC: I'm so sorry do you still want to talk with them?

ES: … Still part kitty?

WC: Yes unfortunately

ES: Kay. Love you dad, I need to halp Jon talk later!!!

WC: Goodbye Em, have fun

ES: :D :D :D

EMPRESSOCKS ceased pestering WATCHERSCROWN

EMPRESSOCKS started pestering SINNAMONROLL and BEATINGHEART

ES: HI

SR: Hello?

BH: You are another sprite?

ES: D:

ES: Love you Captain and Duchess, miss taking naps! But it's ok, even if you are weird smelling kitties now.

ES: I will let the humans pet me in your place!! Cause i love pets, pats, pets!! And stealing Peter’s socks they are enemies!!!

BH: ….

BH: ….Purr purr?

ES: !!!! pURR PURR DAD

BH: …..Em… Empress?

ES: :D :D <3 <3 <3

SR: … Im not sure-

SR: Oh! kitty kat!!!

ES: !!!! purr purr mom!!

SR: Errrm

BH: :) :) :)

SR: Jonah!!!

BH: Now you know Barnabas.

ES: Love you both! Next time let's nap all of us together. I made a friend!! Admiral is cool and smells nice.

BH: Don't- Wait you are sprites, it's not as if you can have kitties, so yeah do as you like.

SR: JONAH

ES: Dad best!!!

SR: :(

ES: Mom cool

SR: …. Thanks kitty kat

ES: :D have to keep huuman alive but talk later to you both, know i love uwu

ES: Byeee

EMPRESSOCKS ceased pestering SINNAMONROLL and BEATINGHEART

BH: Mom

SR: Shut up dad

BH: ;)

SR: Oh my god

SR: Go bother your crush please

BH: >:(

SR: Sorry.

BH: Fine i will go… mom.

BEATINGHEART has disconnected

SR: JONAH!!! D:<

Barnabas and Jonah have the left over memories from Captain and Duchess thats why they recall Empress.

Also Barnabas is mom friend, pry that from my cold frozen hands.

[tenebrisastra]

❝Motivation feeds the hungry mind. So I guess starving tells me something I knew all along.❞

With the lunar new year beginning, what better time than the present to begin putting ideas to paper? That's what I'm here to do, at the very least, and I just want to have fun while doing so.

So, with that, why don't I introduce myself?

Name's Ziv and I'm 23 years old

I’m enby and go by he/him and they/them pronouns

I'm a Leo sun, Pisces Moon, and Sagittarius Rising

I've always loved reading fictional tales, and my favourite genres fall under Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Action, Mystery, and Sci-fi.

I've always been creating complex fantasy worlds in my head, but never really took the effort to write publicly until I was 14 and started role playing with people online, but that love for unique tales and the story I've created persisted and begged for something I could do by myself entirely.

And here I am with the confidence I've built over the years to give it a shot and try out!

I'll mostly be reblogging things like writing advice, memes, and the like because my WIPs are still under development due to my own obsessive world building tendencies, but I plan to do regular monthly updates on my progress throughout my process, while also spreading the word and motivate others about their WIPs!

My current WIPs include These Memories Are Not My Own, and The Glass Prophet. TMANMO came to me a couple years ago in a nightmare so vivid I couldn’t stop thinking about it for months, so it’s definitely spooky in some places!  A local ghost story gone rouge, gone murder mystery. Robin Ainsley unfortunately throws themself into middle the town’s biggest mystery after a classmate became the newest victim in a string of murders attributed to the local legend, Lady Evelyn, and might actually be the only one who can stop them with the memories that do not belong to them. TGP is a fantastical romance story with more world building than I’d like to admit, since it’s my most recent brain child and kept my mind busy most of the quarantine season.  A fantastical tale of romance, reincarnation, keeping promises, and the future of an empire. Bella Dalia was lucky enough to be alive, but she couldn’t even make it through 20 years before life came to collect on that good luck; she had finally been recognized as a designer with talent and invited to exclusive event that would set her for life with the connections she could make there, but it turns out that good fortune was just a ruse because she and two other girls attending that party were transported to a magical world and made to compete for the title of Empress and avoid dying in the midst of the fight for the throne.

[creampuffqueen]

Worlds of Fire and Darkness | Chapter Twelve (Folas)

Hey everyone! It’s been a hot second since I’ve posted to this story, but here it is! Read on Ao3 (Here)

Folas, Lyria, and the new guests from the Southern Continent take a tour around Orynth.

“Dalias, if you don’t stop fidgeting, I’m going to kick your ass as soon as this is over.” Hissing at my fifteen-year-old brother wasn’t really an everyday occurance- Dalias was often calm and quiet enough to not need my reprimanding. However, I could see his blood starting to boil with his awful temper. Hell, if he didn’t reign in his temper I would kick his ass again.

Waiting for the entourage from the Southern Continent was mind-numbing. My only consolation was the princess standing a few feet away, dressed in a lovely silky green. Her hair was loose, with a coronet braid around her head adorned with a silver tiara. I couldn’t see from where I was standing, but I was nearly positive she had emeralds inlaid in all of her jewelry.

The royal family was front and center, as always. The Ashryvers were on their right, with Asceline standing regally next to her father. My mother, Lady of Perranth, stood to the left of young Aerith. Evalin and Lyria stood in a line to the side of their mother, and I knew the male children stood in a similar formation to their father. 

It was all very formal, for a group of people we really were supposed to be friends with. 

I hadn’t seen the Southern Continent royal family in years, as they didn’t often come to the Peace Ball. Getting all the way to Terrasen took the better part of a year, and so they made the journey sparingly. And, after Empress Nesryn became pregnant again, she and her family hadn’t come since. 

Which meant I hadn’t seen these people since I was Dalias’s age- or really, I would have been more around fourteen. However old I was, it had been a long time. 

Spring scents floated through the air, wind ruffling my hair. Looking a bit to the side, I could see Lyria’s skirts fluttering as the breeze drifted around the group. I kept my gaze at her feet, not letting my eyes wander further up. 

A nudge came from my side, and I glanced over to look at Sabron. Taller than me by barely an inch, (though what an infuriating inch it was) he looked down at me and gestured slightly to Lyria. 

I turned my head away so he couldn’t see the blush I felt creeping up my cheeks. And so I didn’t have to look at his stupid smirk. 

Sabron let out a low snicker, and I reached right under his shirt sleeve and pinched him. He hissed back, but before he could retaliate I whipped my head forward, peering frantically into the distance for what I could hear coming.

Nearly a minute passed, and I had started to believe my Fae senses had failed me. Sabron was shifting from foot to foot, ready to get back at me. But then-

A giant, soaring bird flew towards the palace, the sun catching on it’s golden wings. A ruk.

And atop the ruk, a rider sat. The bird swerved and swooped lower, letting out a loud call. Nearly two dozen more ruks flew into view. 

The entourage from the Southern Continent had arrived in all their glory. The telltale clopping of horse hooves on pavement was soon loud enough for all to hear. Excitement rippled through the gathered people, with shifting and whispers filling the castle grounds.

The horses drew near, the people donned  in shining armor and bearing flags and banners. The cavalry stopped in a perfectly straight line, and moments later the ruks landed in perfect unison, placed in front of the horses in the gaps between them. I had to admit, the precision was incredibly admirable. I wondered if I could ever get my own horse to stand that still.

Aelin, Rowan, and Lyria stepped forward first. Aelin’s arms were extended warmly, Lyria kept a gentle smile on her face, and even Rowan was standing less ramrod-straight than usual. They were greeting their friends.

“Princes and Princesses of Antica. Welcome to Orynth.” The two ruk riders in the lead dismounted, and I was able to glimpse their faces better. Nesryn and Sartaq,  the future rulers of the arguably most powerful country in the world. They were smiling.

“Aelin, Rowan.” Nesryn grinned. She embraced Aelin, and even gave Rowan a pat on the back. Sartaq did the same.

Nesryn’s gaze landed on Lyria, and her smile broadened. “And Lyria! You’ve grown so much, look at you!” The princess dipped her head with a smile.

“People of Orynth,” Sartaq boomed. “And all the people of other countries, I present my children.”

Several people dismounted horses and ruks, and two small figures hopped out of the golden carriage. Lined up together, the heirs to the mighty Khaganate. 

“Prince Kasem.” The young man bowed, his long hair fluttering slightly in the springtime breeze.

“Princess Dara.” The girl who bowed next looked to be about the age of Caeda or Dalias. Her hair was tied in a long braid that snaked down her back, and I could see the cunning in her dark eyes.

“Princess Dhyana.” This girl was much younger than the two others, with her hair chopped at the collarbone like her mother. She smiled broadly and bowed, and her little cherub cheeks reminded me of my own sister.

“Prince Ronin.” While I knew the boy was hardly a year younger than Dhyana, he was skinny and small, making him look so much younger. His black hair fell in front of his eyes as he bowed, and he made no move to brush it off.

“And Princess Akira.” This was the youngest of Sartaq and Nesryn’s children, a little girl about Marion’s age. She bowed dramatically, her little braid falling over her shoulder. She blew a kiss to the gathered people, producing a lot of giggles. Then she bounced over to her siblings, taking Ronin’s hand.

The rest of the Khaganate royals were introduced, and excuses for those who couldn’t come were made. Prince Arghun would be staying in Antica, and Prince Kashin was staying in the steppes with his wife and their young son. I didn't particularly mind, since I’d met Arghun before and the man certainly rubbed me the wrong way. 

And finally, finally, Aelin and Rowan turned and gestured to the palace. “Let us all go to the drawing room. We have a lot to catch up on.”

The people dissolved from their family groups, and soon we all converged on the palace doors in a giant blob; a giant blob of smiling, laughing people.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw stablehands taking away horses and ruks. But something more interesting caught my eye instead.

Lyria and Asceline, elbows linked, were walking into the palace, heads bent low as they giggled back and forth. Seeing my chance, I quickly ducked through the crowd to reach them.

I came behind Asceline and threaded my arm through hers. When she flinched, as expected, I squealed and pitched my voice.

“Ooooh, are we having girl talk? Can I join?” 

Asceline rolled her eyes and sighed. “Shove off, prick.” She said, though there was no real bite to the words.

“I know, right? He was sooooo hot.”

“Are you even hearing yourself? How stupid you sound?” 

Lyria snickered on Asceline’s other side. “This is interesting. Who was hot? I think I need to see.”

“Oh please, Lyr, don’t encourage him!” Asceline wailed, though she didn’t let go of my elbow.

We traveled through the palace and to the drawing room, Asceline teasing me mercilessly. I detangled myself from the two princesses, making a mock bow as I did so.

“Say what you want, Asceline dear.” I purred. “But don’t look now, because Leo is watching.”

I watched, victorious, as Asceline’s entire face turned red. She glanced behind herself quickly, then whipped her head back to face me with a snarl.

“You are a prick! He’s not even there!”

“Why do you care? Do you like him?” I asked with a devious smirk. 

“I’m leaving. I hope your brothers throw you in a rotting vegetable patch full of dog shit.”

“Oh, how you wound me.” I fake-moaned. She rolled her turquoise eyes and stalked off, looking a bit more like a wolf than a girl. I turned back to face Lyria.

The crown princess was shaking her head slowly, clearly amused. “I’d watch my back if I were you. She’ll be out for revenge by sundown.”

“I’ll take my chances.” I shrugged. “At least we’re alone now.”

“Why do you want to be alone?” The world narrowed at that moment, my vision tunneling, focusing in on Lyria and the way she was swaying gently, golden hair shimmering, green eyes piercing. 

“Does anybody ever tell you how beautiful you are?” I whispered, hardly even realizing the words that had just come out of my mouth.

Lyria laughed softly. “Yeah. But I know it anyway.”

She stepped closer, touching her hand gently to mine. I felt my own blush rising up my cheeks, heat sparking from where her fingers slipped into my own.

“When did this happen, Folas?” She murmured. “When did we get all grown up?”

“I don’t know. It still feels like yesterday you were chasing me around the castle grounds and sneaking into my bedroom to eat chocolate.” 

Lyria put her other hand in mine, and a shudder worked its way up my spine, warmth from her hands driving out the lingering cold of spring. Could we stay like this forever?

Her green eyes drew me in, like a never-ending evergreen forest, sparking deep into my heart. How did I get lucky enough for this?

I felt her drawing closer, tilting her head up to mine. I leaned for her, the rest of the world fading away as I did. I removed my hand from hers, taking it instead to her chin, cradling it, tilting her lips toward mine, and-

“ Princess Lyria!”

We sprang apart, nearly throwing each other across the room. I stumbled over my feet, barely regaining my balance in time to stop Lyria from tripping over her dress.

Prince Kasem stood before us, looking mighty pleased with himself. I resisted the urge to snarl at him, deciding that was not the kind of hospitality I was supposed to show to guests.

“Oh dear, was I interrupting something?” He asked. From the look on his face, I knew that he knew damn well he was interrupting. Not able to snarl, I instead just glared.

“No, not at all.” Lyria assured him, twisting her hands in the fabric of her dress. Noticing the little tic, she removed them, instead keeping her hands firmly at her sides.

“Yes, well,” Kasem continued, “I understand that our parents want us to rest after our journey, but since it is only the morning, I was wondering if we might venture into the city?”

“Us… the two of us?” Lyria squeaked.

“No, no, princess.” He said emphatically. “Me, you, and anyone else who wants to come. My sister Dara wants to see the city, as do my cousins. Perhaps some of your friends would like to come as well.”

“Of course. I would be delighted to show you around my city.” Now a genuine smile came across her features, and the little thing had my heart damn near stopping.

“When will we go?” Kasem asked.

“Whenever you want.” Lyria replied. “I’ll ask some of my friends first, and then we can meet back… at the front courtyard, in about half an hour?”

Kasem bowed again, and walked off, likely to gather his family. The young man’s short braid swayed with his steps, reminding me of a snake. I threw the thought aside, however, when Lyria turned back to me.

“You’re coming with us.” Her tone of voice left no place for argument, and I just nodded. She took my hand and dragged me along, setting a quick pace as she searched for her friends.

It didn’t escape me, though, that she was holding my hand.

“What are you doing?” I asked. I gave her hand a little squeeze, just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming it. She squeezed mine back.

“Well, you were going to kiss me, so I think it’s only appropriate.” She said, the tips of her pointed ears still pink. She glanced at me as we walked, then quickly shifted her gaze away again.

“I mean, you do have a point.” I stopped her for a moment, pulling her close. “But we did get interrupted, and I just don’t think that’s right.”

I tilted her head up again, lowering my own face to give her a proper kiss, but she sidestepped out of my grasp.

“Not here.” She hissed. “Sam is watching us, and he’s looking particularly violent.”

“I’m not scared of your little brother. Besides, I like you, Lyria. And I don’t care who knows or sees it.”

“That’s a declaration.” She breathed. “Didn’t this happen like… ten minutes ago?”

“You know as well as I do that whatever this is has been going on for longer.” I said.

Lyria’s eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly. I couldn’t keep my gaze off them.

“Kiss me later, Folas.” She whispered. “Kiss me all you want, but later, in a place where my parents aren’t present.”

She had a point. Her words had me glance around quickly, making sure that Rowan and Aelin weren’t anywhere near. I had grown up with them, and they were like family, but I really didn’t want to see just how protective they would get over their daughter.

I settled for holding her hand instead, and Lyria went back to dragging me through the drawing room, searching for her friends.

We found the witches first, the three of them miraculously together. From the look of Nysa’s face, she was incredibly unhappy about the whole situation. Caeda stood nearby, and she clung to him; a rock from which she could glare at her sister to her heart’s content.

“I’m going to be giving the Southern Continent royalty a tour of the city in a bit.” Lyria told them. “Would you like to come?”

“Oh, thank the gods.” Kerrigan sighed. “I’m so sick of socializing with people. Count me in.”

“Me too.” Nysa piped up. Caeda said nothing, but we all knew he would follow Nysa wherever she went.

“Good. Front courtyard in half an hour. I’ll meet you there.” The witches nodded, then went back to glaring at everyone who passed.

We made our way through the drawing room, until we’d gathered a sizable group to head out into the city. It included all of my brothers, Asceline, the Allsbrooks, Teagan of Briarcliff, Miran Owen, Sam, Aspen, Rygan, and Giselle. When Lyria asked Amelie, she decided to remain at the palace.

The half hour was nearly up, and the drawing room had noticeably less people in it. We were about to leave as well, still hand in hand, when a golden female stepped in front of us.

“Where do you two think you’re going?” Queen Aelin asked, eyeing our clasped hands. Lyria blinked up at her mother.

“We’re going into the city with the Khaganate royals. They wanted to look around.”

She still looked suspicious, but the queen stepped aside and let us go. “Please be back before dinner.” 

We walked out of the drawing room and hurried to the front courtyard, only stopping when we found Fleetfoot napping on a plush couch in the hallway. My own family’s dog, Noir, was curled up beneath the couch, his black fur nearly causing me to miss him. But with a sharp whistle, both dogs bounded after us.

The sheer amount of people gathered in the front courtyard was nearly overwhelming. Thankfully, the royals from Antica had left the youngest members behind as we did, meaning only teenagers and adults would be making their way into the city.

Lyria clapped her hands, the sound echoing across the yard. All eyes turned to her, and consequently, me. The sight of so many eyes on me made me break out into a cold sweat.

“I welcome all of our friends from the Southern Continent.” Lyria said, ever the diplomat. “And I am excited to show you all around the city of Orynth.”

With the amount of royals leaving the palace, several guards accompanied us, despite Lyria’s protests. The dogs dashed around, nipping at each others’ ears and sniffing everybody’s clothes. And off we went, a group of twenty-four young adults, let loose in a great big city.

~~~~

“This is my favorite sweet shop.” Lyria said, producing several gold pieces seemingly out of nowhere. She ordered, insisting the woman manning the till to keep the change. 

A few minutes later, a massive box of chocolate was passed around our group, while Lyria invited everyone to take a piece. 

I wasn’t usually one for chocolate, but the little truffle was filled with caramel and sprinkled with sea salt, and even I couldn’t resist.

Lyria sneakily grabbed the last chocolate from the box, green eyes filled with mischief. Before I could ask if she was going to share, she grabbed my hand and whisked us both away.

She dragged me into an alley, giggling hysterically. We were close enough to the others that I could still hear them, but I wasn’t focused on them. Instead, my focus was entirely taken by the princess in front of me, golden and sparkling in the sunlight.

I wondered if she knew just how much she took my breath away. How every time she moved, every time she spoke, I fell a little bit deeper in love with her.

Lyria held up the chocolate truffle, waving it in front of my nose. I reached out, and she popped it into my mouth. It was too delicious for me to even complain about her feeding me like a baby.

I chewed through the sticky caramel, trying very hard to focus on not choking, instead of how my entire body felt like it was on fire from her touch.

The alley was so narrow that we were pressed against each other, and I could feel the muscle of her legs through the fabric of her dress. She put her hands on my shoulders and looked up thoughtfully at me, and I thought I might combust right then and there.

When she kissed me, I melted into her embrace, and pulled her closer. Every part of me sang from the contact, coming alive from her gentle touch.

The kiss was quick, and when she pulled away, I noticed she had chocolate staining her lips. Before she could say anything, I tugged her back to me and kissed her.

I heard her soft gasp, and then felt her hands gripping my shirt, kissing me harder. My hands tangled in her hair, still in a complicated updo, and her whole body went soft.

She tilted her head back, giving me better access, and I groaned into her open mouth. The kisses turned ravenous, as if were burning up, seeing whose flame could consume the other’s first. 

Lyria’s lips trailed from my own, drifting down my chin and up my jaw, and everything in me turned to putty as I let her have her way.

Her pointed canines nipped at my neck, and I moaned into her shoulder. At the sound, she pulled away sharply, breathing hard.

“Not here.” She breathed. 

“Yeah.” I agreed. “I don’t think an alleyway with our friends five feet away is a very romantic spot for the first time.”

Her eyes were blown wide, and her puckered lips were swollen. She still had a trace of chocolate in the corner of her mouth. I reached up to wipe it away, her gaze never leaving mine.

“You’ve got something on your neck.” She giggled. She licked a finger and wiped it away, bringing what had to be chocolate up to my nose.

“You smeared chocolate all over me, didn’t you.” I sighed. Lyria snickered, confirming my suspicions. 

“It’s okay. I’ll get it off.” She leaned closer, sucking the candy off her finger as she did so. 

Lyria kissed my neck again, sucking at the chocolate in a way that made me gasp. She continued down my throat, and I shuddered beneath her touch, burning, burning. 

When she pulled away, licking her lips for last traces of chocolate, I very nearly pulled her back down again, answering my body’s call of more, more, more.

But she giggled, and granted me with one last quick peck, before she pushed herself out of my arms and walked off to rejoin the group. I sat there, stunned, trying to process what had just happened.

I got off the wall, trying to remember how to walk. My legs wobbled like jelly, and I struggled to hold myself upright. What kind of magic did she possess that could render me so helpless?

I found a nearby fountain and splashed my face with cold water, hoping to erase the sweat and the scent from what had just happened. I wiped myself off with my shirt sleeve, then turned around and nearly slammed into Asceline.

“Have fun?” She purred, her Ashryver eyes glowing.

“No clue what you mean.” I sputtered, trying to break away from her and rejoin the group. She just laughed in my face.

“I saw you two disappear into an alleyway, and then Lyria comes out practically glowing, and you appear wobbling like a newborn fawn, with some… male issues that are very apparent. Have you two got any secret rendezvous for tonight, perhaps?”

“Not that I would tell you.” I snapped, splashing more water in hopes to calm myself down.

The shifter just sighed and rolled her eyes, before flouncing off with the others. I waited until my body was cool, then hurried after her.

Lyria was at the front of the group, as if she’d never left. Her hair was mussed and her dress was wrinkled, but her green eyes were vibrant in the sun. My gaze followed her like a magnet, never once leaving hers.

I hung back as we travelled through the city, supervising the dogs. I was afraid if I got too close I’d have to drag Lyria to another alleyway and kiss her until I couldn’t anymore. She was like an intoxicating drug, glorious and addicting. 

A group of children raced through the group, making a beeline for the dogs. I worried they’d scare them, but Fleetfoot allowed them to pet her, as did Noir. The kids soon scattered, but one, a little girl, dashed up to Lyria.

“Princess!” She called. “Princess Lyria!”

“Hello,” Lyria said kindly. “May I help you?”

The girl peered up at the princess with wide eyes, as if she was amazed she was actually talking to her. She stood, gaping for a moment, before she collected herself and reached up to whisper into Lyria’s ear.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, before she twisted her hands and made a small flame. The girl squealed with delight, but then Lyria took it a step further.

The flame transformed into a wyvern, breathing fire over her palms. The fire must have been cool to the touch, because the shaped fire flickered to the little girl’s hands. She stared, wide-eyed, as the wyvern flapped over her hands, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

The girl threw herself at Lyria, hugging her tightly for a moment before running off again, giggling with happiness. I met Lyria’s eyes, and saw the pride there, the joy.

It wasn’t long before more children appeared, requesting various shapes in fire. Even some of our own group participated, and Lyria granted them all. Smoke puffed up from hands all around, and squeals of laughter filled the small square.

I made my way up to the princess, pushing through the crowds to do so. Fleetfoot and Noir stayed at my heels, helping to part the group of people. She smiled warmly at my approach, holding out a hand which I gladly took. 

“What shape do you want, Folas?” 

I turned slightly, whispering into her pointed ear, “Any shape you choose. But only if you let me come to your room tonight.”

She blushed fiercely, but didn’t whisper back. Instead, she produced a fiery heart, and let it float into my hands before it dissolved into a cloud of smoke. She gave me a secretive smile, and turned to the next person.

~~~~

“I think something’s wrong with Fleetfoot.” Aelin said, concern lacing her voice. “Rowan, come look at her.” 

I picked my head up from where I’d been sitting with Lyria, dutifully keeping my hands to myself. The golden dog was lying beside Aelin, looking perfectly fine to me, if not a little round in the stomach.

Lyria took my hand as she listened in, and it took all my strength to keep listening to her parents rather than turn my attention to her. But I looked forward, keeping my eyes on the dog.

“She hasn’t eaten anything this evening. Lyria, did you feed her out in the city?”

“No, not that I’m aware of. She might have gotten into something while we weren’t watching, though.” She said.

“I was watching her the entire time.” I added. “Or… like, almost all the time. But when I was watching, she didn’t eat anything.”

Rowan stroked Fleetfoot’s fur, and felt her stomach. His brow knitted suddenly, and Lyria squeezed my hand from beside me.

“Aelin, feel her stomach. It’s… sort of hard.” His mate did as he said, and her expression became more confused.

“Did she swallow rocks? Or something else that’s tough?” I stood from the couch, gathering closer, Lyria still gripping my hand. Fleetfoot dozed on, not particularly paying attention to us.

Asceline appeared, likely seeing the commotion around a dog. She peered over my shoulder, then shoved between me and Lyria to feel Fleetfoot’s belly.

“That’s not rocks, Aunt.” She said, looking more serious than I’d ever seen her. “Those are puppies. Fleetfoot is pregnant.”

“No way.” Aelin said incredulously. “She’s so old, and there are no male dogs around-”

She turned her gaze to me, and suddenly I felt like I was being burned alive.

“Except your dog.”

“Noir isn’t mine,” I protested, “He’s my parents’. Besides, I don’t control him.”

Aelin just sighed. “You know what, it’s nobody’s fault. But tell your father that if my dog gets hurt or sick because of these puppies, I will skin that dog.”

“No, she won’t.” Rowan sighed. “Fireheart, you and I both know you won’t hurt a dog. She’ll just be very angry and probably yell at him a lot.”

“I think Noir can handle that.” I said. I turned my gaze towards Fleetfoot. “What will you guys do with the puppies?”

“I’m not sure. I mean, we just found out about this.” Aelin groaned. “The Peace Ball in three days, as if that wasn’t enough work. Now my dog is pregnant.”

“Not very pregnant.” Asceline added helpfully. “Probably not even a month along. You’ve still got a month to go.”

Lyria had been silent the entire time, holding my hand like a vice. Now she stood up, throwing a lame excuse to her parents, before dragging me out of the room.

She clipped silently down the hallway, saying nothing. I recognized the wing of the castle as the area her rooms were, and I finally pulled her to a halt.

“Lyria, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.” She snapped. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Then why did you take me here?” I asked. “I want to help you, Lyria. What’s going on?”

“I thought you wanted to come to my room.” She said. “Like, for a romantic endeavour or something of the sort. I thought you wanted to come and make love to me all night.”

“I-” I sputtered for words. What was going on? We’d been doing so well just minutes before, but now?

“Lyria, I do, I really do, but you’re not in the right headspace and I want to help you.”

“Headspace? I’m not in the right headspace?” She shrieked. She ripped her hand from mine with a scowl, and suddenly she was walking away, taking her golden beauty with her.

And I was alone in the dark hallway of Orynth Palace.

[missbrunettebarbie-writer]

How would your OCs name their love interest(s) in their contacts? How does it change?

Thank you @laufire-writes for the tag! I realized only two of my WIPs have both romance and cellphones in them LOL so this is gonna be short.

Pandora's Key:

Mira - She probably had her first husband as "Caio 💙" and never changed it. Al would be "Agent 007" as an inside joke between them.

Al - I have no idea if he would have a phone, bur if did, Mira would be "Sunshine". Again as an inside joke, but also because I think both he and Mira would be too paranoid to use each other's names.

Elettra - She would have Christine as "Rapunzel" just because that was the first thing it came to mind when they first met.

Christine - would simply have her as "Elettra Fabbri" because Christine is a very organized person.

Supernatural Band WIP

Idalia - She would have Cesare as "Emperor", Selina as "Catwoman" and Ovi as "Liar- liar" (looong story wrt the last one. Let's just say she knows how to hold a grudge and Ovi didn't make the best first impression) Once she puts you in her phone, it's unlikely she'll change the nickname.

Cesare - Idalia would be "Empress" -they settled on the nicknames when they were in kindergarden- and then she would graduate to "My Empress 💖👑" when they get together as teenagers. Selina started out as "Selina - Dalia's F" (aka Idalia's friend) and by the start of the WIP, she'd be "Lina ❤🥁". Same with Ovi, who started out as "Guitar Guy" and now he's "Ovi 💞🎸". Cesare has a tendency to put emojis only next to the names of the people he truly cares about.

Selina - Like Idalia, she rarely changes the name of her contacts and she never did when her bandmates became her lovers. So they are all "Idalia Band", "Cesare Band" and "Ovi Band".

Ovi - He usually goes with the standard "First Name Last Name" rule when it comes to contacts, but his lovers are the exception. So he has Idalia as "Spoiled Princess" in the hopes that he can blackmail her to change his nickname if he changes hers. No such luck, of course. Hers was also the only number he had before officially joining the band and the initial nickame was "Idalia - Witch". This may or may not tell you something about how and why exactly Ovi joined the band initially. Cesare is "Pasta Guy" bc he can cook pasta exactly like Ovi's mom and it weirds him out! Selina gets the ~softest nickname in his phone: "Kitten 💋😻💗"

Not really tagging anyone but if you want to join in, feel free to do so. It's fun!

[architectnews]

Building Centre architectural models exhibition

Building Centre architectural models exhibition, Shaping Space V&A London Design Show

Building Centre architectural models exhibition, UK

20 Sep 2021

‘Shaping Space – Architectural Models Revealed’

One of the largest ever collections of architectural models to go on show at the Building Centre

Shaping Space – Bompas Parr – St Pauls as a Jelly: image © Greta Ilieva BuildingCentre / V&A

Building Centre architectural models exhibition

Exhibition includes historical and contemporary works by over 60 contributors, including Le Corbusier, Zaha Hadid and ScanLAB Projects.

A project developed in collaboration with the V&A, generously funded by the AHRC.

Part of the Building Centre’s autumn programme celebrating its 90th anniversary.

A new exhibition of arch models produced by the Builing Centre and the V&A opens at the Building Centre in Bloomsbury this week. The Building Centre announced details of a new free architectural models exhibition opening at the Building Centre in Bloomsbury this week.

‘Shaping Space – Architectural Models Revealed’ features one of the largest and most diverse collection of models ever exhibited in the UK.

The show spotlights the role that models play in shaping the spaces we live in, examining how they are used as a test-bed for experimentation to bring this essential part of the design process to life.

Shaping Space – Aberant Architecture – Public House: image © Simon Kennedy, BuildingCentre / V&A

Featuring historical examples as well as works by international contemporary architects, the exhibition demonstrates the dual role of physical and digital model-making in the design process. From super-sized to miniature, visitors will be able to experience the spectacle of built environments at different scales.

The oldest piece in the collection is a paper model of Empress Josephine’s bedroom from 1804, created so Napoleon could approve interior design proposals whilst on the battlefield. In contrast is a 3D printed model by artist Dalia Matsuura Frontini, designed and built in real-time using VR and paint extrusion technology.

Other exhibits include original models by revered architects, such as an unbuilt tower designed by Louis Kahn, a materials study by Le Corbusier and a geometry study for the Sydney Opera House by Jørn Utzon. There is also a Dieter Cöllen cork model of the now-destroyed ancient temple of Bel in Palmyra; a model of St Paul’s Cathedral moulded in jelly by experiential designers Bompas & Parr, and set designs by the acclaimed stop-animation puppet and model maker Andy Gent, taken from the acclaimed Save Ralph film released earlier this year by Humane Society International.

Shaping Space – Dieter Cöllen – Cork Model, Temple Of Bel, Palmyra: image © DieterCollen, BuildingCentre / V&A

Visitors will be invited to engage with the exhibition through a number of interactive pieces, including models created to communicate designs to the visually impaired using Braille and a bespoke tactile symbol system. Families will also be able to bring their own design ideas to life with Arckit’s hands-on models, or using AUAR Lab’s digital ‘toy-kit’, which can be saved and shared for future play.

Other contributors include eminent architects such as David Adjaye, Zaha Hadid and Charles Holland; Livio de Luca, digital model researcher, architect and scientific coordinator of the digital construction site of the new Notre Dame, as well as students from various architectural schools.

Stories behind model-making are explored through three questions: How are models made? Who are models made for? Why do you make models? The exhibition highlights the renaissance of craft and values of making in the digital age, whilst exploring the rise of new technologies in changing the way models are made. Themes relevant to current architectural practice, including sustainability, are also studied.

HawkinsBrown – Victoria Road and Old Oak Lane Framework: image © DieterCollen, BuildingCentre / V&A

The free exhibition will be hosted at the Building Centre in Bloomsbury from 24 September 2021 to 28 January 2022. An associated educational program also includes free workshops for school pupils and families.

The show has been generously supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through Follow on Funding for Impact and Engagement (Principal investigator Dr. Simona Valeriani, co-investigator Dr. Marta Ajmar from the V&A Research Institute). It is also supported by the Built Environment Trust and the V&A.

Mary Duggan – Euphemia: image © Mary Duggan, BuildingCentre / V&A

Colin Tweedy LVO OBE, Chief Executive of the Building Centre and Built Environment Trust said: “This exhibition celebrates the vital role of architectural models within the design process, showcasing the skills of model makers from various disciplines with new audiences.

“‘Shaping Space – Architectural Models Revealed’ exemplifies the Building Centre’s mission to make the built environment accessible and appealing to the general public, as well as be a hub for knowledge sharing and collaboration for industry professionals. As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we look forward to welcoming people back into our Store Street galleries to enjoy the various exhibitions we will be hosting later this year and next.”

Sam Jacob – The Most Photographed Barn In The World: image © BuildingCentre / V&A

Simona Valeriani (V& Research Institute), Curator of Shaping Space said: “‘Shaping Space – Architectural Models Revealed’ considers ways in which architectural models can engage audiences with architectural and design issues; and explores how digital technologies can be used in the creation and interpretation of models.

“This special exhibition explores the power of craft in representing design ideas. An associated public programme will explore the idea that models can become key tools for multimodal learning, learning through visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic approaches to deepen our understanding of space and scale. “The development of innovative methodologies for collections-based research linked with interventions in multimodal learning, embodied learning and learning-through-making aimed at school children and adults, are areas of research that the V&A Research Institute (VARI) has been exploring extensively. The exhibition and public program will provide a space to share this work with wider audiences.”

Dr Kristine Zaidi, Associate Director of Programmes at the Arts and Humanities Research Council added: “The Arts and Humanities Research Council is delighted to support Shaping Space – Architectural Models Revealed.

This exhibition, with its associated events series, workshops and an education programme, will connect a wide range of audiences to architectural models, physical, digital and blended, highlighting the vital role of architectural models in understanding and shaping the world around us.”

Shaping Space – Aberant Architecture – Public House: image © Simon Kennedy, BuildingCentre / V&A

Curated by the Building Centre in partnership with Simona Valeriani of the V&A Research Institute (VARI), the collaborative exhibition is designed by Roz Barr Architects. The show is generously supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through Follow on Funding for Impact and Engagement (Principal investigator Dr. Simona Valeriani, co-investigator Dr. Marta Ajmar). It is also supported by the Built Environment Trust and the V&A.

The exhibition builds on research carried out by the AHRC-funded Architectural Models Network (2017-2019), an initiative set up to examine the role of architectural models as part of the creative process in historical and contemporary architectural practice. The core partners in the original network include the V&A, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Architectural Association (AA), Sir John Soane’s Museum, the Architekturmuseum (Technische Universität Munich), the MAP Laboratory (CNRS) and the Sorbonne.

To accompany the show a publication resulting from the work of the Network will also be launched: Olivia Horsfall Turner, Simona Valeriani, Matthew Wells and Teresa Fankhänel (eds): An Alphabet of Architectural Models, Merrell: London, 2021.

Shaping Space – Architectural Models Revealed London images / information received 200921

Building Centre Events News

WikiHouse4.0 at London Design Festival 2014 Design: Arup / 00 design photo Margaux Carron for The Building Centre, all rights reserved WikiHouse London Building Centre

Building Centre London Talk photo : Agnese Sanvito The Building Centre, Store Street – talk

Address: The Building Centre, 26 Store St, London WC1E 7BT Phone: 020 7692 4000

Location: London, England, UK

London Architectural Designs

London Architecture Designs – chronological list

London Architect – design practice listing on e-architect

London Architecture Designs – architectural selection below:

15 Clerkenwell Close, Clerkenwell Design: Groupwork + Amin Taha Architects photo : Tim Soar 15 Clerkenwell Close

Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme photograph © UK Parliament Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal

NoMad London, 4 Bow St, Covent Garden Design: Roman and Williams photograph : Simon Upton NoMad London Hotel, Covent Garden

Comments / photos for the Building Centre architectural models exhibition page welcome

The post Building Centre architectural models exhibition appeared first on e-architect.

[ahearthoficeandstone]

Why didn't Dalia force mc to marry a suitor of her choosing, to make her claim to the H'afeara's throne more legit? To unite their bloodline with a son or daughter of hers?

Dalia is more than content keeping the H'afeara royal family in line with the looming of violence, H'afeara cannot afford any more wars and won't for a while now. Due to the personal nature of the war the idea of her children marrying anybody in Florinius family disgusts her. But she is the type to allow her children a lot of leeway on who they marry, so if they unfortunately were willing to do so she'd allow it. But she'd never force her children to such a fate.

[dharmastation]

All my DA protagonists so far. Click through for names, and the bios are under the cut.

Edith Amell

Class: Mage Race: Human Age: 19 Romance: Leliana Alignment: Lawful Neutral Hair Colour: Dark Brown Eye Colour: Dark Brown Bio: Firm. Trusting, but if that trust is betrayed she won’t hesitate to turn on you. Stickler for rules, but ever since leaving the Circle thats definitally changed. Suprisingly calm for some reason. Will spend all her money on new clothing.

Lavender Cousland

Class: Rogue, Ranged Race: Human Age: 20 Romance: Alistair  Alignment: Neutral Good Hair Colour: Blonde Eye Colour: Hazel Bio: Caring, fierce, does not do as she is told, likes snoop.

Garrett Hawke

Class: Warrior Race: Human Age: 24 Romance: Anders Alignment: Chaotic Good Hair Colour: Dark Brown Eye Colour: Honey Brown Bio: Jokester, lover of giant ass swords, gay af. Your Fun Loving Weird Uncle. 

Elenora ‘Nora’ Hawke

Class: Blood Mage Race: Human Age: 24 Romance: ??Who knows she flirts with everyone Alignment:  True/Chaotic Neutral Hair Colour: Dark Sandy Blonde Eye Colour: Brown Bio: Ruthless Jokester, constant flirt?? has probably slept with most of her friends, Professional Carver Annoyer, problematic blood mage.

Ruthina ‘Ruth’ Trevelyan

Class: Dual-Wield Rogue Race: Human Age: 33 Romance: Sera Alignment:  Chaotic Good Hair Colour: Red Eye Colour: Medium Brown Bio: Cannot take things seriously unless she can make it a challenge in which case she’ll do something like gain the whole courts approval and then murder the Empress. Gay mom. Fan of weird looking daggers, has maybe combed her hair 3 times in the last month, hacks off the very knotted bits with one of her weird looking daggers. Vodka Aunt. Will do anything to protect Cole. 

Dalia Cadash

Class: Warrior Race: Dwarf Age: 37 Romance: Blackwall Alignment: True Neutral Hair Colour: Dark Brown Eye Colour: Leaf Green Bio: Shes that all around person who gets along with everyone (except Solas.. hes too strange for her taste) Would let iron bull throw her into the enemy and most definitally has. Her sword is twice as big as her and its beautiful. Bench presses Varric in her spare time.

Jhyal Adaar

Class: Dual-Wield Rogue Race: Qunari Age: 31 Romance: Josephine  Alignment: Lawful Good Hair Colour: Black Eye Colour: Grey/Pink Bio: Soft, kind, would stop to pick flowers. Does stop to pick flowers. Comes back from missions with buddles of flowers, pressed into books, uprooted and put into pots, picked and put in vases. Inquisitor please... we have no more room! 

‘Mercy’ Trevelyan

Class: Mage Race: Human Age: 29 Romance: None (atm) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Hair Colour: Dark Brown Eye Colour: Dark Brown Bio: Angry all the time. Probably would have blown up the chantry if Anders didnt get to it first. Wouldn’t have stopped at the chantry. Spits on templars as she walks past them, at the best. Is glad most of her immediate family died in the Conclave. 

[hermanwatts]

Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 04 July, 2020

This week’s new releases showcase mercenary giant robots, the return of a Weird Tale, genetic engineering run amok, and a warning from the Penultimate Men.

The Buried World (The Grave Kingdom #2) – Jeff Wheeler

The orphaned Bingmei didn’t choose to be a hero. She has no wish to cross the Death Wall to save the world. But she has awakened Echion, emperor of the Grave Kingdom and Dragon of Night, and it is her destiny to defy him. From his imperial city of ancient sorcery and immortal darkness, Echion conspires to fulfill his own destiny: vanquish Bingmei, revive his queen, and rule together for another eon unchallenged.

Traversing a labyrinth of caves and mountains, Bingmei and her band of allies prepare their defense against a fateful war they cannot win. But when they are overcome by Echion’s terrible power, Bingmei is left vulnerable to a ruthless assassin…one with orders to capture, not kill.

Before he destroys her, Echion craves something more than Bingmei’s soul. Only she has the power to resurrect Echion’s ancient queen, Xisi, whose evil is matched only by his own. Once reunited, their dark shadow will fall like a shroud over the realms. To be a savior, Bingmei must first survive what she has unleashed, and to survive she must begin to understand the seeds of power she’s never learned to control.

Eternal Enemy (Memories of Earth #9) – James David Victor

In a world of genetic engineering, fantastic aliens, and faster than light travel, conspiracies and the quest for unlimited power can still tear the galaxy apart.

Anders Corsigon has spent his life bringing galactic criminals to justice. When a bizarre murder turns into a string of assassinations, he must find a killer who is protected by the highest levels of the empire. In a world where advanced genetic engineering can literally rewrite humanity, he must uncover a truth that could destroy the galaxy.

The final battle to decide the fate of the galaxy has finally arrived. Anders and Dalia must rally the remnants of humanity and save Jake from the destiny he was created to fulfil to have any hope of saving the galaxy. Can they find a way to defeat the Eternal Empress and a power greater than anything they have ever seen, or will ancient Earth truly be wiped from existence this time?

Forget Nothing (A Galaxy’s Edge novel) – Jason Anspach and Michelle C. Meyers

She Chose the Hardest Way

The daughter of a Legion war hero, fighting was in Andien Broxin’s blood. But the battles Republic marines face on strange and alien worlds are a far cry from the vaunted, brutal, no-holds-barred conflicts fought at the edge of the galaxy by the elite legionnaires.

Until a devastating war erupts right in the Republic’s stellar backyard.

Newly stationed on a mid-core planet being harassed by terrorist revolutionaries, Andien and her fellow “hullbusters” find themselves right in the middle of a desperate fight for survival. All their training, standards, discipline – all the hard paths – have led to this. If she and her fellow marines are to come out of this alive, Andien will have to find out who she truly is…and what she can become.

Full Metal Panic! Volume 7 – Shouji Gatou

Sagara Sousuke isn’t your typical high school student. He reads military enthusiast magazines; he responds to questions with “affirmative;” he brings grenades to school in his bag. Though everyone at school takes him for a hopeless military geek, Chidori Kaname thinks there might be something more to him. When their plane is hijacked in the middle of a field trip, Kaname’s instincts will prove correct: Sousuke is an elite, mech-piloting mercenary… and he’s here to protect her!

The Pacific Chrysalis was Mithril’s first true victory over Amalgam, but their success has only led to escalation. Between growing suspicion at school and cryptic warnings from Tessa’s brother that everything is about to change, Sousuke begins to realize that his peaceful life in Tokyo might not last much longer. Before he can even prepare, though, Sousuke finds himself running a gauntlet beyond anything he could have imagined. He’ll have to fight not just for his own life, but for the life of everyone he knows!

Incursion (The Supernova Cycle #1) – Elizabeth McLaughlin and Kevin McLaughlin

A nearby supernova…and an impending first contact…will change humanity forever.

In the near future, a supernova erupts unexpectedly in a nearby star. There was no warning, no evidence that the star could ignite in such a way. Humanity stands on the brink of extinction as Earth is bombarded with particles from the stellar explosion, wreaking havoc.

An alien ship has arrived near Earth’s moon only hours before light from the supernova. Have they come to help, or are they mortal enemies who plan to take advantage of the supernova’s EMP to stage an invasion?

Doctor Alexandra King never knew that the paper she once wrote about theoretical xeno-psychology would lead the US government to consider her their foremost expert on the subject. Ace pilot David Jackson has been assigned a mission which might save humanity – or doom it – and he won’t know which until after he’s done the job.

A Million Years in the Future – Thomas P. Kelley

For countless millennia, Earth has been ravaged by the Black Raiders from the distant planet Capara. The last surviving Earthman, Prince Jan, is captured by the Raiders and taken to their home planet. The immortal and lascivious ruler of Capara, Queen Tara, decrees that Jan will fight for his life as a gladiator in the Great Games.

Jan’s only desire is to avenge his decimated planet, and a path to this goal lies on the forbidden Moon of Madness. It is said that a god lies dormant in the Black Tower, guarded by Vampire-Women. This god knows Queen Tara’s secret weakness, which, if exploited, will bring about the complete annihilation of Capara!

Will Jan overcome the Vampire-Women and learn the secret to destroy Capara? Will he perish in the Great Games? Or will he succumb to Queen Tara’s wiles? Anything can happen… a million years in the future!

A Million Years in the Future is a fantastic science fiction adventure in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was originally serialized in Weird Tales in 1940, and has never been published in book form before.

Wrath of the Forgotten (Descendants of the Fall #2) – Aaron Hodges

A war is brewing between the kingdoms of humanity…

Bound and broken, Lukys stumbles through the darkness. Whispers come from all around, the voices of the Tangata, inhuman enemies of mankind. He should already be dead. But the Tangata have a secret, one that might finally end ten long years of war. If only he could escape and bring word to his people. But what chance does a failed soldier have against the terrifying powers of the Tangata?

Meanwhile, the Queen’s Archivist flees the wrath of her former master. A foreign king offers asylum, but the man is an enemy of her people. And his aid will cost far more than just her loyalty—he seeks the magic of the Gods. With the hounds drawing close, Erika must commit the ultimate betrayal to keep her freedom. Is she willing to pay the price?

The Penultimate Men: Tales from Our Savage Future – Neal Durando, Schuyler Hernstrom, Jeffro Johnson, and Jon Mollison

Introduced by Misha Burnett. Some say they are other than human; they are the penultimate men.

The age from which they spring has nearly drawn to a close. Yet some noble work remains to be done before the end. They come on, knowing that anything left undone, any chance let slide cannot be paid forward. Their game bags are heavy with a wealth meant to nourish the reader through the leanest of times. Four tales of a once-and-future apocalypse. Two meditations to challenge you to play harder in an already hard world.

Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 04 July, 2020 published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/

[vantosf]

Day 4, Victoria, 11th August

Well, today didn’t start as planned. I was going to be picked up from my hotel early morning on the way to the ferry. The car arrived, no Leanne, and Brian said “throw your bag in the back seat and get in.” I was sensible enough not to ask questions or speak as we zoomed off back down the street I assumed to get Leanne. There was hardly any traffic but we got stopped by a road block as they were filming in the street. Not what you need when you are in a hurry. Brian let go a few choice words. Picked up Leanne. I wasn’t going to ask why as we sped off again trying to find our way out of the city with our Sav Nav not working and a limited map. At least we knew what direction we needed to go. However, we took the wrong turn and were headed for the airport. All very tense and I’m thinking this doesn’t look good as we were on one of those roads you can not get off. Rob came to the rescue and we sped off on an exit south. Just as well the Sav Nav was working enough to beep for the speed cameras, or we hope it did. Eventually,  after a hair raising, very quite and tense trip we made it to the ferry terminal with plenty of time to spare. We all took a breath and had a laugh. Leanne was held up trying to boil her jug, a never to be repeated action, and we decided we had to make sure we knew where the ferry terminals were in future as we couldn’t afford to miss them. We packed the car properly waiting for the ferry and luckily all our bags fitted into the boot.

Today was a much cooler, overcast day than what we had yesterday so the sky was gray. These ferries to Vancouver Is go quite regularly so we passed a couple.

It was a bit windy out on deck.

The ferry berths on one side of the island about 30 kms from Victoria but on the way to the city were the Butchart Gardens, a World Heritage place.

The gardens were stunning. This area was original an old limestone quarry that had been used for the Butchart Cement plant in nearby Portland.

The gardens were started by Jennie Butchard in the early 1900′s.

So much colour

Every area was immaculate.

The garden was divided into different sections with themes.

Dalias.

Amazing hanging baskets.

Fountains

The Rose Garden. 

All the roses are named.

Lots of lovely spots to sit and view the garden.

Just masses of flowers everywhere.

The Japanese garden

The Butchards travelled the world bringing ideas, seeds and exotic plants back with them.

Impatiens were used extensively throughout the gardens and all had such large flower heads.

The Italian garden

We were lucky with the weather as it was raining when we first arrived but then the sun came out.

The Butchard’s house was just beautiful and now used as a restaurant and tea rooms. 

High tea was being served.

We had a bit of a wander through.

Loved this room. Each room also had a big fireplace. It would have been a lovely house to live in with wonderful views to the garden.

A Very elegant house.

After the gardens we headed into Victoria, which is the capital of British Columbia. We weren’t expecting such a busy city. It was pouring by the time we arrived. We had parked at the Fairmont so as we walked through Rob and Brian picked up one of their umbrellas.

The boys decided to do a Hop on Hop off tour and Leanne and I were going to wander. We headed for the Parluament building.

As it was so wet and a tour was just about to start we decided to join.

Lots of interesting information. 

I took this through the glass windows. It wasn’t parliament sitting but a youth forum, I think.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee window.

It had stopped raining when we came out. The Parliament building was designed by a young architect who also designed the Empress Hotel and another impressive government building on the foreshore.

We wandered the shops for awhile then Leanne headed back to meet up with the guys and I was going to make my own way back to the hotel. I wanted to walk through Chinatown which is the oldest Chinatown in Canada.

This building was the Chinese Public School.

Fan Tan Alley is the narrowest Street in the world and used to be an area of drugs and gambling in early days.

Entry into the street.

Interesting shops

This could get difficult to get through at times as it’s so narrow.

Other end of the alley.

From Chinatown I started walking towards the hotel but I seemed to be going further than I thought the hotel should be. The map I had on my phone was too blurry to give details so finally I came to a shopping centre and went in to get some wifi. I found out I had walked about 20 minutes, as it turned out,  past the hotel. By this time I was feeling pretty tired but had to retrace my steps. I couldn’t believe I had walked right past the hotel as I could recall the intersection, the restaurant across the street everything but the hotel. The others were starting to get worried about me. I think I will sleep well tonight. Once back we headed out to Ricky’s  for dinner, a diner across the street. A glass of wine was very welcome.

[landofcatsnet]

Russians Are The World's Biggest Cat Lovers!

Russians Are The World’s Biggest Cat Lovers!

According to the latest survey by research company Dalia, 59 percent of Russians own at least one cat. This is more than 10 percentage points higher than any other country in their survey of 52 countries!

In Russia, cats have been placed on a high pedestal since Empress Elizabeth’s reign in the 1700s, where cats were living pampered lives at the palace and they were prized for their…

[bollywoodirect]

Someone has said that the Taj Mahal is a tear on the cheek of time. Full of emotion and timeless too is the film #Shiraz(1929), based on a legend about its building and directed by #FranzOsten and produced by Himansu Rai.

In 1924, #HimanshuRai was a wealthy young law graduate and theatre enthusiast in London when he had the idea of approaching the Munich-based Emelka Film Company to help him make a film on the life of Buddha based on Light of Asia, the long poem by Victorian poet Edwin Arnold. At the time, Franz Osten was the chief director at Emelka, which was founded by his brother Peter Ostermeyr and had been making films since 1910 -11. This first production, released in 1925, set the pattern for the two subsequent co-productions made for the legendary German studio Ufa.

Based on a play by #NiranjanPal and scripted by #WBurton, Shiraz is a truly beautiful work of filmic atmosphere and emotion. Here is the synopsis (with minor changes) from my book Light of Asia: Indian Silent Cinema , 1912-1934: “Hassan, a potter living in the Persian desert finds Selima, a princess , and raises her along with his son Shiraz. Under his benign gaze they mature into young sweethearts, played by Enakshi Rama Rao and Himansu Rai.

The beautiful Selima is abducted by slave traders and sold to the Mughal prince Khurram ( Charu Roy) who falls in love with her. This upsets the plans of the wily court lady Dalia (Seeta Devi) who dreams of becoming the Empress herself. She arranges a secret meeting between the lovelorn Shiraz and Selima. The two are seen by Khurram and he condemns Shiraz to be trampled by an elephant. But Dalia’s plot is exposed and Shiraz reveals the locket which signifies Selima’s royal descent. Selima and Khurram marry, leaving Shiraz to keep a ceaseless vigil outside the palace gates. Selima is given the title Mumtaz Mahal when Khurram succeeds to the throne as Emperor Shah Jahan.

When the Empress dies eighteen years later, Shah Jahan orders that a monument is built in her memory such as the world has never seen.The design chosen by the Emperor is that of Shiraz who is now blind but has rendered his ‘memories into stone’. “

This fictional account of the story behind the Taj Mahal is, like many other films about the Mughals, based purely on legend and popular myths. The most famous among these are Sohrab Modi’s Pukar (1939) and K Asif’s Mughal-e-Azam (1960). But what Shiraz lacks in historical accuracy is more than compensated by its numerous qualities. Emil Schunemann’s camerawork fully exploits the Mughal style architecture and opulent costumes in lustrous images that evoke the grandeur of the period. Virtually every shot of the film is a cinematographic tour de force shimmering with gorgeous light and textures.

Courtesy- Suresh Chabria for thereel.scroll.

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