#enya discusses: six

[cressidagrey]

Something good and right and real - Chapter 7

Summary:

Azriel had spent centuries believing that he of all people didn't deserve a mate. And if anything, the last three years had just galvinised that particular belief. And then he meets her.

The first time Oriana met Azriel, she thought that he reminded her of a skittish cat. Shy and a little bit broken. Good for him that she absolutely excelled in fixing the things around her.

Warnings:

Rhys Bashing, Discussion of Murder, Arranged Marriage

Notes:

I put a lot of world building into this. If you don't recognise it from canon, I probably invented. Or I forgot that canon existed.

(thanks to @firefly-graphics for the super pretty dividers!)

The fact that Oriana had taken off her necklace after nearly a century and then promptly left the mountain again after breakfast that next morning…well that probably would leave plenty of Tartera foaming at the mouth. 

Enya promised to write to her about all the gossip and theories that would swirl around the mountain after her departure…her grandmother gave her a secret smile, and her mother hugged her…

And then Cyrus and her made their way out of the mountain. 

“How are you feeling now that it’s gone?” he asked her. She thought about it for just a moment, swallowing against the feeling of a free throat…nothing, absolutely nothing holding her to Wynstan anymore…

“Free,” she answered. “I feel free.”

“So putting yourself through that was worth it?” Cyrus asked her, no judgment in his voice. “You could have died. I do not have enough sisters that I could afford to lose you.” He said it lightly but she could read between the lines. 

She tucked herself under her brother's arms in response. 

“You aren’t going to lose me,” she promised him. “But I wanted nothing to tie me to him anymore. Not after what he did.”

“You didn’t tell Grandma or Mama about it,” Cyrus said softly. 

“Would it result in anything but to hurt them?” she asked him. “It has been nearly a century.”

She was over it. Or at least she liked to pretend she was. Could somebody really get over something like that? Oriana wasn’t sure. 

But she could try.

“Will you tell Azriel?” he wondered as they reached the entrance. 

She hummed. “I think I owe him the truth.”

She owed him an explanation…and…well. She didn’t want there to be secrets like that. There was no need for that. Not about this. 

He was her mate. Created by the Mother to be her second half. 

And she did trust him. So why not trust him with this as well? 

She was thinking about it when they finally reached the Rainbow. The hike down the mountain had been enough for her, especially with her magic still being weak after she had expelled so much of it, just two days ago. 

The tell-tale cramp that nearly made her double over as soon as she walked up the stairs made her groan. 

Were six months over already? 

It clearly seemed like that. 

There wasn’t much she could do against it. High Fae cycles were notoriously bad. Tartera were more lucky about it, less painful but seemed to take an awfully long time…well, Oriana already hated the 3 or 4 days that she needed to spend in bed twice a year. 

It sucked. 

Especially right now. 

She just about managed a shower, before the worst of them hit, and she crawled into her bed, downing the first of many pain relief potions she kept stocked in her apartment just for that. 

Enya made them especially for her, different for day and night, though right now Oriana really considered just knocking herself out cold to get some relief. 

The shadows were swirling around her like they were being worried, but they didn’t ask. 

Still, crawling into bed under a mountain of blanket and closing her eyes for just a moment seemed…nice. 

She woke up to the sound of steps in her living room. She had enough trust in the wards she set that there really was just one person that it could be. 

“Bedroom, Azriel!” she called her voice hoarse, forcing herself to sit up. 

She heard him hesitate for just a moment. “If you want a conversation, you’ll need to come to me,” she mumbled, sure that his shadows were going to tell him what she just said as she let herself fall back into her pillows. 

She had really hoped that the first time she got him into her bedroom would be under different circumstances. 

Like this, she saw his nostrils flaring as he entered her room, freezing in place. 

“I smell blood,” were his first words to her, eyebrows furrowing.

She sighed. “Yeah, that’s me,” she quipped with some amusement. “Azriel. You are 500 years old. You can surely figure out why I smell like blood and don’t have an injury.”

He swallowed and she watched dark hazel eyes widen. “It’s your cycle?” he asked her, his voice quiet. 

“Congrats. You aren’t an idiot,” she gave back drolly. “Are you gonna come here, or will I need to continue to crane my head?” she asked him with a sigh. 

She hoped he wasn’t going to be too angry with her. 

That was all the permission he needed to carefully sit down on the edge of her bed. 

He reached out with a shaking hand, a broad palm curling against her cheek and she leaned into his touch. She met his eyes, seeing the softening nearly imperceptively. 

Not that angry after all.  

“You are looking horrible ,” Azriel said quietly. 

Her lips pulled into a smile. “You really know how to treat a lady,” Oriana responded, her voice hoarse. “You know, this really sucks. I took off that stupid necklace and I was in a celebratory mood, even if my magic was around as weak as a kitten. And now this .”

“What happened?” Azriel asked her softly. “The shadows said something about a fire chamber?” he prodded her and she sighed. 

“Are you sure you want to know the whole story?” she asked him. 

He nodded. “Yes,” Azriel said. “Everything. I can’t demand your secrets, I know that. But whatever you want to share with me…” he trailed off. 

“Alright. But can you do something for me first?” she asked him. If she was already going to recount everything that happened, then…well the least she could do was to make sure that she was comfortable. And he was as well. 

She knew it was going to take a little while. 

“Anything,” Azriel said softly, picking up her hand and pressing a kiss against it. 

“Lay down next to me?” she requested softly. 

He nodded at that, standing up and walking around the bed, kicking off his shoes, and then crawling on the bed next to her. 

He held out his hand questioningly and she turned to her side so that it was the two of them facing each other, her head tucked under his. Oriana heard his wings rustle behind him, probably stretching out so that he was comfortable. 

Feeling him so close to her, a warm, broad hand settling on her back, the other still holding hers…it made her forget her pain for just a moment. 

“I’ll start at the beginning,” she said softly. “I was born as the third daughter of the first daughter of Cyra, the Custodian of the Mountain. Do you know what that means?” she asked him. 

If he didn’t, now was the time to explain it to him. 

“It means that you are the closest thing your kind has to a princess ,” Azriel said drily. “You never mentioned that before though,” he pointed out and she shrugged, closing her eyes. 

“It doesn’t really matter,” Oriana said softly. “I don’t claim the title, I don’t even live in the mountain anymore. The shadows told you?” she wondered. 

He hummed his agreement. 

“That also told me that you took your knives with you,” he told her, his voice sounding proud. “Thank you for that. And they said that you are called Oriana Fireborn.”

The corner of her mouth pulled up at that. 

“Well, I was. Fireborn that is,” she said with a shrug. “I use Belmonde as a surname…but Oriana Fireborn is who I am in the mountain.” 

“200 years ago…None of us was married when I reached the age of majority. Not Titania, my oldest sister…nor Enya, the middle sister,“ she explained softly. “There had been talk about a marriage alliance of our family to Wynstan’s family for decades, but it was coming to a point where... It was going to happen. One way or another,” she started her story quietly. 

“Let other creatures make war, let Tartera marry,” Oriana recounted. “That has always been our unofficial family motto.” 

They had taken their pacifist leanings as far as they could. They didn’t want to make war. They wanted to make art. 

But that only worked if people knew that it was very stupid to fight with them for the mining rights in the Mountains. 

Azriel made a soft noise and she curled nearer to him. Right here in her bedroom, surrounded by him and his calming scent, it only seemed half as bad. 

“My mother made multiple marriage alliances throughout her life. Titania and Kiran are from one male, Enya and Samson from another. And then me and Cyrus,” Oriana continued. “From a political standpoint, I was worth less than Titania and Enya. I was only a third daughter, after all.”

Azriel nearly growled at that. She held his hand a bit tighter. 

“I am only half Tartera. But my magic made me attractive. A more powerful female promises more powerful offspring,” she recounted, not letting bitterness bleed into her tone. “Titania was in love with Toron. But Toron was not coming from any kind of prominent family…and for the heiress to Cyra, that was…well….” she trailed off, searching for the right word. 

“Not good?” Azriel offered and she just nodded in agreement. 

“Grandmother wouldn’t have cared, but my mother was displeased ,” she said quietly. “Which is ridiculous because she herself picked my father. But in her mind, she had already given birth to two heiresses that could take on the mantle of my grandmother and now she was really allowed to have some fun. Or something like that…But she wanted Titania to marry Wynstan’s brother, Titus. And if not Titania should marry him…then Enya,” she explained. 

“Titania was in love with Toron. And Enya…Enya has never wanted any kind of romantic companionship. She’s stonehearted. That’s what we call it. She never outright stated it…but…It’s obvious,” Oriana continued. Neither of her sisters had been options. 

She couldn’t watch one sister lose the male she loved…or see the other being absolutely miserable by playing at being a wife when all Enya had ever been was a healer. 

Enya wasn’t interested in anything but friendship from anybody. 

And it wouldn’t have been fair to put her into a position where she was expected to…

“It was either going to be my sisters, both of which would be absolutely miserable in an arranged marriage… Or it could be me.”

Azriel was silent, and then scarred fingers reached out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, stroking the lightly pointed tip of it. “And you wouldn’t be miserable?” he said softly. 

Oriana grimaced. “I would have been if I married Titus. But I didn’t. I set my sights on his younger brother. Wynstan. He was my age. Not as magically gifted or strong as me, but he was a gifted silversmith. Not the best but far from the worst. And if I married him, his father would get the alliance he wanted…” she trailed off pointedly, opening her eyes and looking at him, begging him to understand. 

“And your sisters would be free,” Azriel ended her sentence. She just nodded. 

Her voice shook as she continued, as she thought about these days, so long ago…and still so fresh in her mind. “I thought I could be happy with Wynstan. If not that, then at least content,” Oriana recounted. “He was a friend. I thought…I could grow to love him.”

And by the cauldron, she had tried. 

“And did you?” Azriel wondered, nearly sounding curious. 

“As a friend, yes. As anything else? No,” she whispered. She couldn’t even look at him as she admitted that.  “I never loved him like a wife should.”

It was a harsh truth that she didn’t like to dwell on.

Maybe it was her fault.  

“Wynstan was more similar to his father and brother than I thought he was,” Oriana finally said. “He couldn’t deal with the fact that I was only a half-breed, but I still had all the inborn abilities of a full-blooded Tartera. I was better silversmith than him, even when that was never my passion…I was the foremost enchantress of the mountain after my father’s death. I took over his place, without a moment of hesitation. I made money hand over fist.  I was good , Azriel. I was the best ,” Oriana whispered as he cradled her face. It wasn’t even arrogant that she said that. 

It was the simple truth. 

“What happened then?” Azriel asked softly. 

She took a deep breath before she let it escape again. 

“A few decades into our marriage… Wynstan wanted children, but by then I was…hesitant because our marriage was not going smoothly at all,” Oriana recounted, grimacing. “We fought. Constantly. About that, about my work, about my place at my grandmother’s council table…And then..well. It all came to a head.”

She closed her eyes again, her hands tightening against his hand, a warm broad hand on her back keeping her anchored in the present, as she fought her way through memories. 

“I still don’t know what it was that finally made him decide… that… that getting rid of me was the way to go,” she forced out. “Maybe…I don’t know. Maybe he didn’t want to kill me. Maybe he just wanted to hurt me badly enough that I was going to be…crippled in some way.”

She was in a way. 

“Everybody thinks it was an accident,” she whispered. “But it wasn’t. I know that.”

“Maybe he just figured that if I didn’t have children with him, I should have never had them with anyone. Maybe…” she trailed off, pressing her eyes closed, because she couldn’t look at Azriel when she recounted the worst of it. 

She felt his hands tighten against her. 

“Wynstan…said he was experimenting,” she whispered. “It’s…different metals can carry different amounts of magic. You can get around it with a few tricks, but…if you aren’t careful…then you overload them. And they each react differently to that. You need to be really careful with silver,“ she explained to him, her voice shaky. “If you pour too much magic into it and you don’t have the control you need... it doesn’t end well. Wynstan used to have that control. He was a good silversmith and he knew what he was doing.”

“He made a silver sword that day,” Oriana said softly. “I remember that…He didn’t do weapons. Neither of us did. Not really. He forged it and he dunked it in this pool of magic-infused…potion and…It… One moment it was all fine,” Oriana whispered. 

“ One moment he was showing me the sword…and then…then he dunked it in the potion…and…then the sword was in… me .” Every word came out haltingly. 

She felt more than heard Azriel pulling in a sharp breath. 

She remembered everything. The pain. She remembered. She remembered looking down and being impaled and…

“And…I didn’t do it on purpose…but…the magic…my magic…it…it lashed out.” She begged him to understand. 

“You killed him,” Azriel said, his voice quiet in realisation. “Your magic defended you.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I…I burned him. I burned everything . I don’t know how. There was nothing but…a corpse, burned to a crisp. I must have made a magical fire, but I was…unscathed. Just that…sword. Buried in me…” She could feel the tears bite in her eyes, felt them drip over her face…

and then Azriel was enveloping her in his arms, pulling her even closer to a broad chest, until they were intertwined. 

“It was self-defence, Oriana,” he whispered. “He tried to kill you.”

“I took his life without a thought,” she whispered, her fingers weakly curling against him. “It wasn’t even on purpose. I just…I burned him. I burned everything.”

He shushed her, broad hands spanning her body. 

“The sword…” he finally asked…”

“I melted that,” she whispered. “While it was still stuck in me. I…Enya doesn’t think I’ll be able to have…” She didn’t need to end the sentence. 

Wynstan hadn’t taken her life. But he had probably taken her ability to have children. “I should have told you before,” she whispered. “You deserved to know that.”

It wasn’t something she liked to think about, to dwell on. And she hadn’t needed to. For decades. Until now. 

“No,” Azriel disagreed. “That’s alright. That’s wasn’t…I don’t care,” he promised her, fiercely. 

“You don’t want children?” she wondered and he pressed a kiss against her forehead. 

“I never even thought about it,” he admitted quietly. “I never even thought I would get to have a mate, to have you. So no. It doesn’t matter. I can have you and that’s all I need.”

That was everything she wished to hear, she tipped up her head and he brushed a kiss against her lips before he leaned his forehead against hers. 

“You are the only one who thought that the experiment going wrong was on purpose?” Azriel asked, puzzled and she just nodded. 

“Wynstan knew better than that,” she said quietly. “I…it was nothing that he hadn’t done dozens of times. There was no reason to repeat it. There was no reason to even make the sword. He was a silversmith, not a blacksmith,” she recounted. “He was upset with me, from a fight the evening before,” she explained. “I think he acted out of anger. Maybe he realised that I was never going to love him.”

Azriel said nothing, still holding her tightly. 

“Enya saved my life. But even she could do nothing against the scar. Not with the magic that was still pooling there,” Oriana continued softly. “And then…I overheard my mother talking later…And I made the necklace into what it eventually became. I protected myself. I couldn’t let any male do this to me again.”

“She was talking about marrying you off again after you just nearly died and your husband was dead,” Azriel said flatly and she sighed. 

“The alliance of our families was on very thin ice. Their youngest son dead,” she agreed. “I understand where she was coming from. But I couldn’t let them do that again…So I…played the grieving widow,” Oriana whispered, the words tasting like ash in her mouth.  “And then I moved out of the mountain…and for 80 years, I was completely fine with just being myself and never worrying about any male ever again. And then you came, Azriel.”

And suddenly…she had been in love again. 

“What happened two days ago?” Azriel finally asked her. “You wanted to remove the necklace?”

“Yes,” she agreed. “I figured out that the safest way to break the enchantment I placed and get rid of the necklace…well, that was to cancel out the anti-melting charm and let the fire have at it,” she admitted. “Fire has never hurt me. I had trust in my abilities.”

“The necklace burned you last week.” 

“Yeah…It wasn’t the best idea I ever had,” she admitted drily, making him snort in dark amusement. “We have a…There is a chamber. Deep in the mountain. We call it the fire chamber. It’s home to the Eternal Flame. It’s our…religious focus,” she said softly. “If the mountain has a beating heart, this flame is it. As long as it burns and burns and burns…the world is alright. If it ever goes out…the world as we know it will be ending,” she said softly. 

“If we are old…and ready to depart from this world, Tartera walk into the flames. We bless children when they are born by passing them through it…and if the eternal flame gifts you a piece of herself…you are blessed.”

Like it had given her.  

“It…purifies,” she explained softly. “But to come to the flame in the middle…you need to walk through the rings of fire. We only ever use the outermost rings for our ceremonies. That was the one I was planning to use…Use the containment in the fire chamber, burn off the necklace, and return it to the flame and the mother. I was…going to walk through the first ring…and that was it.” 

“But it wasn’t,” Azriel said quietly. She nodded. 

“It wasn’t,” she agreed. 

“How many rings are there? 

“Three.”

“Through how many did you walk?” 

“Three…then I reached the Eternal Flame.” Her eyes pleaded with him to understand and he reached out for her neck, for the dark skin that lay there, unblemished, free. 

“The necklace was still there. I was desperate,” she continued. “So I walked into the Flame…I knew the risks. I knew that if I…if the Flame didn’t think that my purpose was pure…It would judge me. But I…I couldn’t live like this. I wanted no part of him anywhere near me anymore. I didn’t want this reminder of a marriage I never really wanted in the first place around my neck like a noose,” she whispered, desperately.  

“You could have died,” Azriel said, his voice hoarse. “I thought you died. For just one moment, I thought...”

“I am sorry,” she apologised. She had never wanted to hurt him. Not like this. Not…ever. 

“I would have rather never kissed you again than have you die because of it,” Azriel finally said. “I need you to know that.”

“I was selfish. I did this for me.”

“If you ever do anything like this ever again, I am going to be so angry with you,” he whispered, and then kissed her again, desperation bleeding into it. 

And she curled her hands against his chest and held on. 

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Her whole life was there, laid out for him to see. 

Every bit of trauma, everything she had gone through…her reasoning of why she had done what she had done. 

And he looked at her. 

He wondered if she had worried that his view of her was going to change. 

Maybe it had. 

Azriel had seen Oriana as pure light and sunshine. But now he realised that he had been wrong. 

She was the fire. Beautiful and deadly all the same. 

She hadn’t killed on purpose. He didn’t think that she would be able to live with it if she had. 

But she had killed nonetheless. for her own protection. Her magic and her fire had protected her. 

Good. 

That was what it needed to do. 

Still, as she fell asleep against his chest and he ran his fingers through her hair, for once urged down her back into one long braid, not pinned up, he suddenly realised how long it was.

The smell of her blood and pain was still lingering, even with the potions she had taken and he knew that there was absolutely nothing he could do to make it any better. 

But he could be there. 

And that was all he wanted to do. 

So he waited, looking at her, committing everything to memory, the way her brows furrowed, her hand stayed curled into his shirt. 

She had told him everything. And he…he still hadn’t.

She had told him about her family…about her husband who had tried to kill her (And he agreed with her assessment that it had been on purpose. Otherwise the pieces just wouldn’t have fit together.)...she told him that she never would be able to have children. 

He had never really thought that he would ever be in a place to have children in the first place. Didn’t think that a mate was waiting for him that thought that he would be worth the trouble. 

He hadn’t thought any of that. 

But he had Oriana now. And the idea of having children with her…that would have been…nice. And still…if it never worked out, then that was fine. He would never love her less for that. 

And he did love her. 

She moved in his arms lightly. “You should have kept me awake,” she murmured and he just pressed another kiss to her brow, delicately tracing his fingertips over her soft skin. so different to his own. 

“You need to rest,” Azriel disagreed softly. “What do you think, I’ll make dinner?” he suggested. 

“You can cook?” Oriana wondered with a yawn and with a grimace he thought back to rabbits over open fire in the Illyrian Steppes. If you could call that cooking…

“I can make a mean spit-roasted rabbit,” he finally answered drily and she stared at him. 

“If I am like that, all I can keep down is Porridge,” she warned him. Ah. Well, he could manage that at least. 

“I can do that,” he agreed. 

“My kitchen is yours then,” Oriana said, giving him one of these soft smiles of hers. “If you want to make yourself something else, be my guest too.”

He did manage to make porridge without burning down her kitchen. He even managed to scrounge up a handful of blueberries to put on top of it, mostly thanks to some curious shadows that slithered through Oriana’s cabinets.

“Here,” he finally said as he handed her the bowl. She had made her way to her couch, pulled that ugly blanket over her and he sat down next to her.  “Your kitchen has not burned down.”

“I wasn’t aware that that was an option,” she gave back with some amusement. “Thank you. This is good,” she told him with a smile. It was. 

It was so domestic and he loved every minute of it. 

“Will you stay the night?” Oriana asked him suddenly and he stared at her. What?

He hadn’t expected that invitation. It had been their unspoken truce that he never stayed the night. He would go home. 

“I…If you do, I can…take a stronger potion. I don’t do it if I am alone,” she said softly. “And…I missed you, Azriel.” 

These words from her…there were…

His salvation. 

“I’ll stay,” he whispered. “I’ll stay. I missed you too.” She smiled at him, a secret lovely thing. 

“Good,” she agreed like she hadn’t just offered him…This. 

They were both quiet as they ate their porridge, though he couldn’t help but stare at her, take in the flawless column of her neck, the necklace that had never really seen to fit her no longer there…just her uninterrupted dark skin. 

“Come to bed, Sweetling,” Oriana said, holding out her hand, as they were both finished with dinner and he stood to take it, letting her lead him to her bedroom. 

The room was somehow so her, with dark red bedding stretched over a metal wrought frame bed, that he half wondered if she had made it herself. 

It was a canopy bed, the metal wrought to be tree branches and there were even tiny leaves and flowers all over it, dotted with precious stones. He took it in for the first time, wondering where one even found something like that. 

It was such a…distinct piece. 

“I made it,” she answered his unspoken question, sitting down on the edge of her bed, and pulling out a corked bottle from her bedside table.

“I need to warn you, there is mirthroot in this. I am mostly just going to fall asleep, but I can’t be held accountable for anything I say while under the influence,” Oriana said drily and he couldn’t help but chuckle at that. 

“All good,” he promised her, thanking a shadow as it dropped a pair of simple linen pants on the other side of the bed. He slipped out of his shirt and put them on, while Oriana stepped into the bathroom. 

She curled up under the blankets as soon as she was back and he joined her there on his side, wings tucked in. 

“Is that comfortable with your wings?” she asked him curiously, pupils already blown wide, probably thanks to whatever concoction she had just taken. 

“Don’t worry about that,” Azril said. He had slept in worse places than a comfortable bed with his mate. Even if he needed to keep his wings tucked in. 

“But I do. Is that how you normally sleep?” she asked him and he sighed. 

No, not really. 

“If it’s just me… I normally sleep on my stomach and stretch them out,” he explained. “But I don’t need to do that to be comfortable,” he hurried to assure her. 

“Do it,” Oriana told him, eyes already closing. “I can sleep through anything.” 

He hesitated for just a moment before he turned and stretched them out, carefully so that he wasn’t accidentally going to hit her with them. Still, one wing came to rest on top of her and Oriana just hummed softly. “Like a leathery blanket,” she mumbled and he couldn’t hold back the quiet laugh as she burrowed herself under his wing and promptly fell asleep. 

If that was the worst thing she said while high on pain potion, that was more than harmless. 

He slept better that night than he had in what felt like centuries. 

All thanks to her. 

The next morning, he woke up before her, once again watching her sleeping face. 

“What are you thinking about?” Oriana said quietly, not even opening her eyes and he pressed a kiss against her forehead. 

“I know all the worst parts of your life. You don’t know mine,”  he admitted honestly. That opened her eyes, the fire in them burning once again. He loved her eyes. 

He had never thought that he would love fire, not after what was done to him. But…her fire…he loved that. 

“Sweetling,” Oriana said quietly. “You don’t owe me this. This is not a transaction,” she told him fiercely, a hand reaching out to curl against his neck, fingernails scratching his scalp. 

He knew that. 

But it still didn’t seem fair. 

He lifted his hands, staring at the scarred flesh, where once skin had melted away, giving free sight of the muscles and tendons and bones underneath. 

“My half-brothers did this to me,” he finally said, the words not sounding like his own voice to himself. “The results of an experiment. How does oil and fire mix?” he continued. 

“Azriel,” Oriana whispered, her voice shaky. But he continued. If he didn’t…he would never get the words out. 

“I was…the result of an affair my father had. My mother spent years working off that particular punishment.  He took me from her and he put me in a cell in the bottom of his keep…and then he kept me there,” Azriel said, his voice even, near without emotions. If he didn’t, then… 

“I think he hoped that I disappear. That I die and just…My stepmother…she wasn’t very pleased with me being the obvious evidence of his infidelity. And her sons, well, they…hated me,” he continued. “I… was…5 years old? Maybe? I don’t even know. Young. A child. My father’s guards came to rescue me when they heard that my screams didn’t stop.” 

Not that that had stopped the pain. It had stopped them from killing him though. 

He had used to wonder if dying in that keep wouldn’t have been a blessing. 

“Azriel,” Oriana whispered, warm hands cupping his cheek and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. 

“The shadows…they came to me just days later,” he admitted. 

We did, Master.

“They did?” Oriana asked softly. “Did they keep you safe?” she wondered. 

“They tried,” Azriel whispered. They had tried. Not always succeeded, but they had always, always, been on his side. Unapologetically. 

We are, Master, they agreed quietly. We’ll protect Master and Mistress.

It was like they seemed to want to prove it as they wrapped themselves around Oriana’s wrist once again. 

Oriana caught one of his hands in hers, lifting it to her lips. She pressed a kiss against the scarred skin. 

It was such a sharp contrast to him. Her beauty against the ugliness of his scars. How she even could stand to touch them…he didn’t understand it. 

“I tried everything to get rid of the scars. Nothing worked,” he recounted. “But then…they match. Maybe that’s what I deserve.” 

“What do they match?” Oriana asked him, her brows furrowing. 

He couldn’t help the grimace, the pain that spilt over his face. “They are as ugly as everything these hands have done,” he finally whispered, the self-loathing apparent in his voice. 

For a moment Oriana was quiet. Then she grasped him at the scruff of his neck like a mother cat would do to an unruly kitten. 

“You know for somebody as smart as you are, you are being ridiculous,” she spat out and he was so shocked by her outburst that he just stared at her. “For cauldron’s sake, Azriel! Nobody deserves scars like that! They aren’t some kind of cosmic revenge for whatever bad deeds you may or may not have done in your life.”

“You don’t know what I have done,” he disagreed quietly. “If you did, you wouldn’t…”

“I wouldn’t what? Love you?” she questioned him sharply. “Newsflash, sweetling, there aren’t that many things that you could do that would make me hate you. Unless you murder somebody in cold blood that I love, you are stuck with me,” she told him tightly. 

He was still stuck on her loving him. 

Oriana just barrelled on.  

“So what? You killed in a war. You work for the High Lord. You told me once that you thought you were being righteous. Do you doubt that?” she asked him. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted in a whisper. 

“I think I would worry more if you never doubted it,” Oriana gave back fiercely. “But you do. And there isn’t really enough room in this bond for you, me and your guilt complex, Azriel. You are beautiful. Inside and Out and I am going to tell you that every damn day for the rest of our immortal existence. And don’t you ever think again that you deserved any of the pain somebody else decided to inflict on you again. Because you don’t.” 

[a-little-slice-of-fandom]

Slowly becoming more and more disinterested with six hurts so much because I absolutely adore the show but at the same time I feel so apathetic towards it at the moment. I don’t hate it, quite the opposite, but it’s this weird feeling of “I know I love you so much, I know you got me through a really hard time of my life, but right now I’m struggling to assemble anything more than a mild interest in what’s going on with the show”. Like the show with only alternates? I had talked about how amazing that would be for years (despite the implications of the show once again falling to pieces) but when it actually happened I was just like “oh that’s kind of cool” and moved on.

I’m definitely more invested in the tour cast but I think that’s only because I know I’m seeing them really soon and if I loose interest in them completely, my mum wasted a lot of time and money and effort getting me such great tickets and that makes me feel even more guilty.

[a-little-slice-of-fandom]

I’ve always personally believed this!!! There’s so many moments in six where Boleyn is shown to be incredibly intelligent, but those lines are often followed up with jokes or gags as if she’s trying to backpeddle and ensure that people don’t see her as a threat. I’ve also talked in this post about how Boleyn is an incredibly social queen and is able to read the room (the stage?) like no one else, always knowing what buttons to press to irritate the other queens and knowing what to say to endear herself to the audience.

I think that sometimes the audience forget that characters can lie or act disingenuous to get what they want, just like people in real life can. Just because Boleyn says “politics? Not my thing” doesn’t necessarily mean she’s telling the truth. I think we should always look at how characters act as well as what looking at what they say

Anyway I am so sorry for hijacking your post!!! I just really like discussing Boleyn as a character

so I was thinking a bit about why anne boleyn is presented as just a little dumb during the show, and I came up with a theory.

(idk if anyone else has come up with this! if you did, sorry not sorry!!)

late in the show, she has a monologue about how dumb it is to compare all the queens, and she uses a bunch of huge words. this part is definitely made to emphasize how smart she was.

in her previous life, she was also very smart. the whole point of “don’t lose ur head” is that she was kinda snarky and quick-witted, which is what eventually led to her untimely execution. I’ve even read that those traits were “undesirable” for a wife to have back in the 1500s.

so what if she knows that her intelligence is part of what led to her death, and she’s putting on a façade of being dumb so she doesn’t risk getting killed again?

[gallusrostromegalus]

The Shortest Day Of The Year

Hey look it’s more Family Lore! content warnings: discussions of mental illness, nongraphic and nonmoving video.

Depression doesn’t run in my family so much as stampede, and this is the worst time of year for us.  I pretty much live under my 10,000 lux lamp this time of year, and my sister gets into Christmas with an unusual degree of intensity for an Agnostic, to the point where nearly every available surface in the house is covered in garland, and she tried to put wreaths on the dogs last week.  Charlie was his usual confused but accommodating self, and Arwen ate hers.

Out of us, my Mom has it the worst.  She pretty much turns into a shadow of her usual self starting in about November.  The sun lamps and holiday celebrations help, but she’s exhausted and glum, and at her absolute worst on the solstice.

December of 1995 was particularly bad for her- her parents health had taken a dive, work was being a pain, and our regular sitter had cancelled for the entire first week of winter break so  I had to come into work with my parents. (My sister’s preschool hadn’t cancelled, at least. This was at Hewlett-Packard before everything went to shit, and we could be relied upon to sit in a cubicle and draw all day, so her manager allowed it).  She was extremely stressed, to the point of coming home and crying.

Dad decided to do something about this.

They both worked at HP, at the same building, on different floors.  Dad was an engineer, and Mom wrote internal instruction manuals (everything from business plans to repair guides), and would visit each other if they happened to be on the same floor, so it was generally known they were married.

On December 21st of 1995, I went in with him a bit early, and on the way to work, dad turned to me at a red light and said:

“If you can keep a secret from Mom, we’ll get donuts.”

I am easily bribed.

I don’t actually see what the paper-wrapped cone shape he puts in the trunk is, or make a note of the buildings we stopped at that he came out of with envelopes.  I was six and had a chocolate donut.  I had noted that he’d been listening to the same song from an old broadway musical for like, a week now, but I listened to enya on loop at the time, so I wasn’t going to judge.

We arrive at work late, and the envelopes and the paper cone come in with us.  I amuse myself by taking every single one of my dad’s O’Riley Media books off his desk and drawing the animals on the covers.  

At lunch, Dad finally unwraps the cone and I discover he’s gotten a bouquet of a dozen white roses. We go upstairs towards Mom’s cubicle and as we do so, begin to gather a crowd.  

Every year since they’ve been together, Dad has gotten my mother flowers and sung a love song to her on their birthday, and it had become something of an event in the office to see Dad perform for her.  But their birthday is in April, so clearly something special is going on.

We find Mom eating lunch at her desk.  Dad stands strategically behind the cubicle wall to hide the roses.

“May I bother you for a few minutes?”  hes asks.

“Sure.” Says mom as I climb into her lap. The gathering crowd shuffles closer.  Someone brought a video camera.

“You have an audience.”  She observes as he steps out from behind the wall with the roses.  She gasps, delighted and completely surprised.

He then sings the song he’s been listening to and rehearsing for a good week now, “The Shortest Day Of The Year” from Rogers & Hart’s “Boys From Syracuse”  Since I was six and didn’t have my own video camera, you’ll just have to listen to the Broadway recording, but my Dad does have a very nice tenor:

There isn’t a dry eye on the floor, mostly because everyone came over to see what the fuss was.  The women are crying because it’s romantic, the Men are crying because they aren’t nearly as cool and romantic as my dad is, Gay Charles who arranged my parent’s relationship in the first place is crying because 7 years on this is happening. I’m crying because it seems the thing to be doing.

Mom hands the roses to me, gets up and grabs Dad to pull him into a dip for a kiss, which is really impressive because she’s a good 9 inches shorter than him.

“I love you.” Says Mom.

“I also arranged for my parents to watch the kids next week and booked us into that B&B you love for three days after the project is finished so you can have a vacation.”  Says Dad, awkwardly hanging off her shoulders.

“I really love you.” says mom, kissing him again.

*

It’s December 20th 2018 today and it’s another Bad Year for seasonal depression for Mom.  It’s been cloudier and darker than usual, she’s on new photoractive meds right now so she can’t use the sunlamp and current events are what they are.

Dad called me earlier today to ask me order a dozen white roses because Mom gets email alerts on her credit card and he wants it to be a surprise.

He’ll pay me back at christmas, but I’d do it anyway because I’m ridiculously lucky to have these romantic dorks for parents.

If you enjoyed this story, please consider donating to my PayPal or KoFi so I can support myself as a writer, or if you want to Pre-Order my book of bizzare, funny and sometimes romantic Family Stories, you can subscribe to me on Patreon!

[kakasakumuses]

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜

°✧∘˚The lovely @thesliveren tagged us. Thank you for the tag, dear! It took a short while to kick all the muses into action but every question has our answers now!°✧∘˚

°✧∘˚Nickname:°✧∘˚ Erato: Calliope has the nickname Callie Callie: Thalia sometimes calls her Cliopatra Clio: Melpomenes’s nickname is Melpo and everyone but herself calls her that. Thalia: The nickname for Erato is Lydia. Even more so after our Discord discussion. Melpomenes: I have given Thalia the nickname Ithalia because there is nothing worse than being a Greek muse and being called a different country.

°✧∘˚Zodiac:°✧∘˚ Callie: Scorpio! Clio: A Gemini and sometimes a Cancer Melpomenes: I’m a Virgo. Erato: Sagittarius Thalia: Aquarius

°✧∘˚Number of followers: °✧∘˚ 119

°✧∘˚Height:°✧∘˚ Callie: 1.71m Clio: 1.69m Melpomenes: 5’3 Erato: 1.68m Thalia: 5’2

°✧∘˚Hogwarts House:°✧∘˚ Callie: Slytherin Clio: Ravenclaw Melpomenes: Ravenclaw Erato: Gryffindor Thalia: Hufflepuff

°✧∘˚Last thing I googled:°✧∘˚ Callie: Overalls Clio: What is the zodiac for June 20th Melpomenes: Edward Cullen everything about me invites you in Erato: arhcive of our own Thalia: the shadow of kyoshi

°✧∘˚Song stuck in my head:°✧∘˚ Callie: I’ll Make a Man Out of You from Mulan Clio: Cosmic Love by Florence + the Machine because Melpo is blaring it Melpomenes: Cosmic Love by Florence + the Machine Erato: Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars because Callie watched Pitch Perfect and sang that out loud along Thalia: Whatcha Say by Jason Derulo. I lied. Now I have it stuck in my head.

°✧∘˚Amount of sleep:°✧∘˚ Callie: 11 hours and counting Clio: Six hours Melpomenes: I slept a minimum of four hours and a maximum of five last night. Erato: a solid 9 hours Thalia: Wait, sleep is a thing? Never enough

°✧∘˚Lucky Number:°✧∘˚ Callie: 11 Clio: 6 Melpomenes: 7 Erato: 2 Thalia: 17 because of the ABBA song of the Dancing Queen of course

°✧∘˚Dream job:°✧∘˚ Callie: A famous artist, but maybe a librarian or an art teacher. Clio: Archeologist Melpomenes: Story editor Erato: Greek philosopher Thalia: I want to be a Kardashian

°✧∘˚Wearing:°✧∘˚ Callie: PJs Clio: Pyjamas. Melpomenes: It is a pyjamas day in this house so I am wearing pyjamas, too. Erato: PJs Thalia: The fanciest dress I own ... PJs

°✧∘˚Favorite song:°✧∘˚ Callie: Anywhere Is by Enya Clio: Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute Melpomenes: Ego by Willy William Erato: Highway to Hell by ACDC or Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple Thalia: Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede

°✧∘˚Favorite Instrument:°✧∘˚ Callie: Piano, or violin, or transverse flute. Clio: Piano Melpomenes: Guitar Erato: Triangle Thalia: Triangle

°✧∘˚Aesthetic:°✧∘˚ Callie: Cottagecore Clio: Adventurecore Melpomenes: Dark Academy Erato: Romantic Goth Thalia:

°✧∘˚Favorite authors: °✧∘˚ Callie: Marion Zimmer Bradley and Jane Austen. But also, I’m speaking for all my sisters when I say that every author in this fandom has captured our hearts. Clio: Terry Pratchett and Suzanne Collins( or Jane Austen here?) Melpomenes: I want to mention Guillermo del Toro because of his work in the film industry, but as a true answer to the question I will unquestioningly pick Sylvia Plath. Erato: Virginia Woolf and William Shakespeare Thalia: Ann Brashares

°✧∘˚Favorite animal noise: °✧∘˚ Callie: That first bark of a dog then he doesn’t know how to do it correctly Clio: A chick peeping Melpomenes: A bird setting flight from a tree branch and flapping its wings while it soars through the leaves. Erato: A cat purring Thalia: the thing the fox says

°✧∘˚Random note: °✧∘˚ Callie: Who are you really? Clio: Do your best to make room for things in your life that spark joy Melpomenes: Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc. Erato: Reading a slow burn at 4 am is self care Thalia: Send me memes next Memeday or else!

If you see this, you are tagged! Look under the read more for an easy template!

°✧∘˚THE MUSES°✧∘˚

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜

Nickname:

Zodiac:

Number of followers:

Height:

Hogwarts House:

Last thing I googled:

Song stuck in my head:

Amount of sleep:

Lucky Number:

Dream job:

Wearing:

Favorite song:

Favorite Instrument:

Aesthetic:

Favorite authors:

Favorite animal noise:

Random note:

[cheemerthelizard]

Crusader of Life 2: Chapter 4

Angelo is done, thank goodness, but it doesn’t look like Lily and Jotaro’s job in Morioh is. In fact, it looks like it’s just beginning. This town seems to be hiding some deep, dark secret, and it’s up to them to figure it out.

The four visitors walked into the hotel and went up the elevator.

“Oh, one more thing,” Jotaro said to Lily and Kakyoin. “I’ll need to discuss something with you two. Something about Dio.”

The two looked at each other. They knew if it was about Dio, it had to be serious.

“Sure,” Lily finally answered him. “Who’s room are we going to be talking in?”

“I don’t care. I just need to talk about it.”

Eventually, they all decided on Jotaro’s room (mostly to give Emily a change in scenery), and followed him to the door.

“So, what’s going on?” Kakyoin asked.

“Is Dio alive? Was he using Angelo just like he used all of those other people?” Lily shuddered.

“Calm down, Lily, he’s still dead,” Jotaro said. “It’s just... I think I know how he obtained his Stand.”

The two leaned in to listen.

“You see, while I was trying to interrogate him, he mentioned an arrow, and a boy in a school uniform who shot it at him. He told me that the arrow was what gave him this power, and that the one who gave the arrow to the boy was Dio. He also said that the boy was in this town somewhere.”

“Wait,” Kakyoin interrupted. “The arrow... Dio...”

“Yes,” Jotaro finished his thoughts. “I think that picture of Enya with the arrow has some more relevance now.”

“I think you’re right,” Lily said.

“Well, I don’t want to keep you guys here too long, so I’ll leave it at that.”

“That’s good,” Kakyoin muttered. “Emily looks like she needs a nap.”

Everyone’s attention turned to the girl, who could barely keep her eyes open. She was trying to play with a pillow by lifting it up, but kept drifting off and dropping it right on her face, which woke her up, and so started the cycle again.

“Thank you for telling us about this,” Lily nodded, then left with Emily in her arms.

“Can’t we just live a life without Dio’s influence following us everywhere we go?” Kakyoin complained.

“Apparently not,” Lily sighed. “And just to think that we defeated him only twelve years ago. It feels like it’s been a lifetime and a half.”

Kakyoin grunted in agreement.

The three walked in silence for a while, until two of them heard light snores coming from Emily.

“She really was tired, huh?” Kakyoin laughed. “Sometimes that girl is impossible to put to sleep.”

“I guess so,” Lily smiled. “Guess that means some peace and quiet for a little while.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Since Kakyoin had free hands, he opened the hotel room door, and Lily set Emily down in her crib. But, despite the free time they now had, they couldn’t possibly use it with a light heart. The fact that something other than Angelo was bothering this town was enough to make them lose sleep.

“So, the boy with the school uniform,” Lily said.

“A schoolboy is wielding an arrow that gives others Stand abilities,” Kakyoin chuckled. “Sounds a little bizarre.”

“I’ll bet that our higher ups will tell us to deal with that next, so we don’t even have to leave this town.”

“And if they don’t?”

Lily giggled. “Then we beg them until we can.”

“That doesn’t sound very effective,” Kakyoin laughed.

The two were laughing together until the phone rang. “I’ll get it,” Kakyoin said. “Hello?”

“This is Noriaki Kakyoin, right? And you’re with Lily and Emily?” the voice on the other line spoke.

“I don’t recognize that voice. Are you sure you have the right people?”

“Listen, I want you to get out of my town as fast as possible. If you don’t, there’ll be consequences.”

“Who is this? How did you get this number?”

“I’ve already told Jotaro, but I guess I’ll tell you, too. I have the arrow. The one that’ll grant Stand powers. I’ll be forced to use it on people if you don’t leave right now.”

“The arrow? How many Stand users are there in this town?”

“You’ve been warned, Noriaki Kakyoin. And I assume Lily Kakyoin is listening in, too. She’s been warned, as well.”

“Wait, who are you?!”

Without warning, the phone exploded, and knocked Kakyoin to the other side of the room.

“Noriaki!” Lily shouted, but quickly lowered her voice. After all, Emily was still asleep. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Kakyoin answered. “I just need a little touch-up.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”

“You sure you don’t want Josuke to do it?” Kakyoin smirked.

Lily rolled her eyes. “It would take longer for me to get him than it would for me to just heal you myself, but if you really want me to...”

“I’m kidding,” Kakyoin laughed. “Come on, my cheek is killing me.”

Once Kakyoin’s wounds were healed, and Emily was woken up from her nap, the three decided to head out and go sightseeing. However, there was always the sneaking suspicion that any one of the people around them could attack at any minute.

“Hey,” Lily peered into the distance. “Is that Josuke?”

“I think it is,” Kakyoin squinted his eyes. “Yup, no doubt. Nobody can pull off that hairstyle as well as he can.”

“Who’s that next to him, though?”

“Hey!” Josuke called. “Mrs. Lily! Mr. Kakyoin!” He ran over with his friend following close behind. “This is Okuyasu. His brother was the one who wielded the arrow.”

“That is, before he died,” Okuyasu said. “Now it’s in the hands of the user of Red Hot Chili Pepper. He’s an electricity type Stand.”

“Electricity?” Kakyoin asked. “That might have something to do with the phone exploding.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m Noriaki Kakyoin.” He held out his hand, and Okuyasu shook it.

“And I’m Lily Kakyoin. And this is Emily.”

Okuyasu looked down and started squealing. “Awwww, she’s so cute!” He bent down to her height, and ruffled her hair. “Hi, Emily! I’m Okuyasu Nijimura!”

“O, ku, ya, su,” Emily pronounced, “Ni, ji, mu, ra.”

“Yes! That’s right!” Okuyasu grinned.

“Yasu Mura!” Emily exclaimed.

Okuyasu’s eyes sparkled. “Yes, I’m Yasu! D’awww, she’s so adorable!”

“And wouldn’t you believe it, she’s a Stand user, too,” Lily laughed.

“She is?!”

“She sure is. We call it Walking on Sunshine. It can make objects around her float, or she can control one object and move it where she pleases.”

“Granted, she’s only two,” Kakyoin explained, “so she doesn’t have too much control over it. Well, she can already move things around with ease, but sometimes if her emotions go wild, everything will float about.”

“Why doesn’t she show us what it can do?” Okuyasu cooed.

“Actually, I haven’t seen it yet, either,” Josuke replied. “I’d like to take a look at its powers, too.”

“Yes, please!” Emily looked her parents in the eye, and jumped up and down. “I wanna show Josuke and Yasu!”

“Okay, okay,” Lily laughed. “You can show them Walking on Sunshine’s power, but don’t leave them floating for too long. We’re going to lunch soon.”

“Yes ma’am!” Emily nodded. She summoned her Stand, then pointed to Okuyasu. In an instant, he started flying up off the ground.

“Woah!” he exclaimed. “This is some power!”

Without warning, Emily pointed at Josuke, and he went up in the air with his friend.

“Hey, didn’t you say she could only freely control one object at a time?” he asked.

“That is exactly what we said,” Kakyoin muttered. “This is the first time she’s controlled two. Is her Stand becoming more powerful?”

“Okay, Emily,” Lily said, “it’s time for us to get some food. Set Josuke and Okuyasu down, please.”

Emily obediently lowered the two teens to the ground, feet first.

“You know, when I first obtained my Stand when I was six,” Josuke spoke, “it couldn’t do much but heal minor cuts and bruises before it was worn out and had used all of its power. Now, I could probably stop a plague without breaking a sweat. Walking on Sunshine is probably going to get stronger. A lot stronger.”

Despite how much Lily and Kakyoin wanted to yell, “We were born with Stands too, we know how this works!” they kept quiet, thanking him for the information.

“Well, I don’t want to keep you from enjoying the wonderful food Morioh has to offer,” Josuke said. “I’ll see you guys later!”

“Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Kakyoin!” Okuyasu waved goodbye. “And bye-bye, Emily!”

“Bye, Yasu!” Emily called. “Bye, Josuke!”

“Did you hear that? She called me Yasu!”

“Yeah, I heard,” Josuke replied. “Now, let’s go. I’m getting pretty hungry myself. I know a good barbecue place just down the street.”

“Isn’t barbecue an American thing?”

“Yeah. An American moved in recently and started a restaurant. It’s really good. Wanna come?”

“Sure!”

And with that, the two boys and the Kakyoins parted ways.

[ratmonologue]

odd numbers

THAT’S A LOT OF ODD NUMBERS

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?Uhh I guess water bottles, but the refillable kind, because I like being environmentally friendly when I can~

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?neither tbh. cotton candy if I absolutely had to pick but ehhhh

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?I like the fancy old timey glass soda bottles a lot. I pretty much only ever drink tamarind jarritos these days though, and I buy it by the big bottle bc it’s cheaper, so… I guess glass cups more frequently. though not even cups because all of my drinking glasses are old pasta sauce jars…

7. earbuds or headphones?earbuds

9. favorite smell in the summer?barbecue with a side of fruity and refreshing beverages. alternately, that faint, specific ice-cold-river-in-dry-pine-forest-mountain-air scent that I associate with summers at camp and the tahoe area in general. I miss that

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?lately, croissants

13. lanyard or key ring?key ring

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?HAMLET but also most shakespeare plays

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

they’re v comfy

19. sleeping position?on my side. it varies which side

21. obsession from childhood?S P A C E. specifically black holes I was OBSESSED(it never really faded)

23. strange habits?sometimes I spit in toilets while they’re flushing, I guess that’s pretty strange. no idea why or how that started

25. first song you remember hearing?probably something by Enya

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?stay inside and play Skyrimor just horse around in the snow, if there is snow, but I haven’t lived anywhere with snow for years

29. best way to bond with you?have in-depth discussions about character arcs in semi-obscure sci-fi media

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?the above boots, favorite jeans, uh... really any random black tanktop and button-down shirt? that’s just my day to day outfit really

33. most used phrase in your phone?I have no idea how I would even look that up

35. average time you fall asleep?hahahHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA that’s a good one….

37. suitcase or duffel bag?I’m actually a fan of my big backpacking backpack

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?not a massive fan of either but I guess lemon cake

41. last person you texted?I’m simultaneously texting you, Belle, and also the pretty dude I’m dating

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?honestly all of those except cardigan. hoodies for being lazy around the house/office and/or layering; the others for going outdoors

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?I like combinations of sci-fi and fantasy. I’m sick to death of superheros

47. favorite type of cheese?oohhhh that’s a hard one because I like a lot of cheese, but it’s hard to beat the versatility of good ol’ pepper jack

49. what saying or quote do you live by?I don’t really have one tbh

51. current stresses?work and being sick

53. what is the current state of your hands?in front of me on my laptop keyboard as I type this….?

55. favorite fairy tale?shit you know what…….I forget most of them

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?freshman year of college, the summer after freshman year of college, and I guess depression but who knows if that’s ever truly overcome

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?“yeah that’s fair.” dunno what kind of video game would have context for that but I’ve been saying it too much recently

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?but there are sO MANY GOOD LINES IN SO MANY GOOD BOOKS AND SHOWS AND MOVIES AND STUFF

63. five songs that would play in your club?I don’t listen to any music that would really work in a club setting so I’m just gonna say the mos eisley cantina music from star wars, unironically

65. any permanent scars?probably a few small ones

67. good luck charms?my brain, when it functions

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?duck penises

71. least favorite pattern?patterns of continuing abuse I guess? those are pretty shittyif you mean like, fabric, uh idk I’m not a fan of houndstooth

73. favorite weird flavor combo?I don’t think any of the combos I like are that weird, though…. chocolate and bacon, maybe?? but that’s still A Thing. Tamarind whiskey sours?? idk

75. when did you lose your first tooth?I think I was six and it was wiggly and flopping forward and I tried to push it back behind the non-wiggly teeth and there was a *crack* and a shitton of blood and then it wasn’t in my mouth at all anymore. I was a lil freaked out

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?I like succulents and bamboo but I haven’t managed to keep any plants alive long-term

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?driver’s license. and both the DL and the old school IDs look better than my passport photos

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?Aren’t they the same thing….? Maybe….? (don’t hurt me I’ve never lived in a place that had either)

83. writing or drawing?Both, not that I’ve been doing much of either lately

85. fairy tales or mythology?I guess mythology but they can be related

87. your greatest fear?Dying in obscurity? Being forgotten? Plane crashes? Jellyfish?

89. who would you put before everyone else?Urdnot Wrex from Mass Effect

91. boxes or bags?They both serve important yet different functions and can’t really be swapped out for the other-

93. nicknames?nah

95. favorite app on your phone?discord and groupme so I can talk to all my friendos

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?mine, my mom’s, possibly my dad’s, and our ancient landline that’s been out of commission for over a decade but is still attached to our safeway club card so

[squareallworthy]

Taking UBI seriously: Healy et. al.

In responses to my earlier post on UBI, I was referred to two proposals for a universal basic income.

The first is Promoting Economic Equity in a 21st Century Economy: The Basic Income Solution, by Charles M. A. Clark. I’ve seen this one before, but it's clearly labeled at the top of the first page "Work in progress, do not quote or cite without the author's permission," so I didn't read it. No point in scrutinizing a proposal if the author doesn't consider it ready yet. I did a little bit of searching but I couldn't find a finished version. If anyone knows where to find one, please let me know. Otherwise I'm just going to ignore this.

The second one is Basic Income -- Why and How in Difficult Times: Financing a BI in Ireland, by Sean Healy, Michelle Murphey, Sean Ward, and Brigid Reynolds

This is a long post involving a lot of arithmetic, so I'll just put this up front:

tl;dr: This is not a serious proposal. The authors propose paying for their plan with a tax cut for the wealthy. Yes, literally a tax cut, which they somehow imagine will raise revenues by billions of euros, with no explanation. If this is as good as UBI proposals get, then there are no serious UBI proposals.

One thing I've noticed in digging into the UBI issue is how much disagreement there is on what a UBI is and what it's supposed to do. I mentioned before that in order to be taken seriously, a UBI proposal needs pass three tests: it needs to actually supply a basic income, it needs to be affordable, and it needs to be politically feasible. 

After that, there is a difference of opinion on what counts as successful. Is a plan supposed to give at least a little to everyone but the rich, or is it supposed to tax the money back from the middle class so that only the poor are net beneficiaries?

Healy et. al. come down squarely on the side of "a bit for everyone." Most of the paper consists of an overview of Ireland's economic situation and arguments in favor of a UBI. In the course of discussing why a UBI is a good idea, the authors explicitly define a basic income as being tax-free (p. 12):

A basic income differs from other forms of income support in that:

• It is paid to individuals rather than households; • It is paid irrespective of any income from other sources; • It is paid without income or work conditions; and • It is always tax free.

Of course, it matters less whether you designate the UBI as tax-free or not than how you rebalance the transfer of wealth with tax offsets. Healy et. al. don’t seem to have given the issue any thought at all. But before I get into that, let’s look at the benefits.

In brief, the plan calls for a weekly benefit with the amount based on age, according to this schedlue (p. 22 -- amounts are given per week in the paper but I have converted to per year here):

This comes at a cost of  €36.18 billion. It replaces most welfare spending and pensions, but some welfare spending, such as disability payments, would continue. The accounting for this seems okay, and the benefits seem reasonable if they were affordable, so I won’t go into detail on this part. The upshot is that the authors determine that they need to replace the current income tax system, which brings in €22.37 billion, with a new one that raises  €36.04 billion. This is covered on pp. 23-25.

To do this, they propose a new, simple system that places 45% flat tax on all income other than the UBI. All existing tax credits are abolished. The trouble is that they have no explanation at all how this is going to raise  €36 billion. And it’s ridiculous to suppose that it will, because the 45% flat tax is in fact a lower marginal rate for everyone making more than  €32,800 per year. To show this, I’ll have to do a bit of digging into the Irish tax system, a subject that I am no expert on, but I will do my best.

A responsible person, when making a plan to move around such tremendous amounts of cash, would explicitly show who is getting what amount of money, broken down by different income levels. The authors of this proposal don’t do that, so instead you get a random amateur on Tumblr. That alone should tell you that Healy et. al. is not a serious work.

Ireland has three systems for wage income:  Income Tax (IT), Universal Social Charge (USC), and Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI). For a single person without dependents, income tax is 20% on the first €32,800 and 41% thereafter, USC is a progressive tax topping out at 7% for income over €16016, and PRSI is a flat 4%. There is also a standard personal tax credit of €1650.  I’m using 2012 rates as given by the Irish government here, since the proposal was published in 2012.

Those three top rates come to 52%, reached at €32,800. The new flat tax of 45% applies from the first euro, but for the first  €32,800, the difference is only €6923, and every euro earned above that is taxed at a 7% lower rate.This is not some strange misinterpretation on my part. The authors of the plan specifically point this out on p. 25:

In this context it is important to note that the current marginal rate for the combined income tax, PRSI and universal social charge, which would be replaced in this proposal, is 52% (41%+4%+7%); therefore the flat income tax for a basic income system would be seven percentage points lower than the current marginal rate.

Here is how it plays out for single taxpayers who are not receiving other benefits, at a few different income levels. (Details on these calculations are below the cut.)

Under the 45% flat tax, high earners pay more taxes on their first  €32,800, but this is more than offset by the UBI. As a consequence, everyone at every income level ends up paying less to the government. People making more than about  €132,000 are better off even before the UBI is included in their income.

And this is somehow supposed to bring in billions of extra euros. No explanation is given for how the flat tax is supposed to do that. There are no footnotes, no mention of tax loopholes closed, no reference to a tax model used elsewhere, no nothing. Their expected revenue just comes out of thin air.

Or maybe the Irish tax code is chock full of weird credits that let the wealthy pay far lower than the nominal top marginal rate, and someone who knows more about Irish taxes than I do would be able to explain this. If so, Healy et. al. make no mention of it, and therefore have done a laughably poor job of explaining their proposal.

Conclusion: the revenue source for the Healy et. al. plan is entirely imaginary, so the whole proposal is worthless. If this is as good as UBI proposals get, then there are no serious UBI proposals.

(Calculations comparing the current Irish tax system to the 45% flat tax for various income levels are below the cut.)

I show the effect of the 45% flat tax for six income levels. I included  €132,000 because that’s the point at which a taxpayer is better off even before the UBI benefit is included. Everyone making that much or more pays less in taxes under the 45% flat tax compared to the real-world tax system.

I also included an income of  €1,00,000 to show how extremely favorable the Healy et. al. proposal is to the very wealthy. Do you really want to give Enya that big a tax cut?

I did not include low incomes because I was only interested in looking at the revenue side of the plan, so those were not relevant.

The current Irish tax system on income has three components. in 2012, Income Tax (IT) was 20% tax on income up to €32,800 and a 41% tax on income above that. There is also a standard personal tax credit of  €1650.

Universal Social Charge is a separate levy at 2% on income up to  €10,036, 4% on the next  €5,980 (up to  €16,016), and 7% on all income above that.

Pay Related Social Insurance is a flat 4%.

The source for tax information is this Irish government website. Income is assumed to come from the most general relevant categories, that is, wage income for employment that does not fall into a special category, such as public sector employment or self-employment. Rates are calculated for unmarried persons without dependents. All amounts are rounded to the nearest euro.

[wazafam]

Now streaming on Netflix, Fate: The Winx Saga season 1 features a soundtrack full of moody and modern pop songs. Given that the central leads aren't quite normal teenagers but rather otherworldly fairies, the collection of indie music creates a vibe that aligns with the characters' personalities. One particular fairy can even feel the emotions of others, and so she often retreats into her own musical world as an escape.

Fate: The Winx Saga season 1 primarily takes place at Alfea College, a boarding school in the "Otherworld" for fairies and specialists. The storyline centers on a new student named Bloom (Abigail Cowen), who receives a proper education about her powers and also learns some shocking truths about her past. Alfea College is ruled by headmistress Farah Dowling (Eve Best), a woman who means well but also displays self-serving behavior while preparing for a war against the primary villains known as the Burned Ones.

In Fate: The Winx Saga season 1, four of the six episodes includes a steady dose of music. Incidentally, there's an organic feel that benefits the storyline, all the while establishing a youthful tone as well. When the music slows down, it's in favor of character development, which then allows the narrative tone to ramp up again.

"Kids in the Corner" by Amber Van Day: As the series opens with various overhead shots for Alfea College, the opening track underlines the "outsider" premise, but the visuals present Alfea College as just a regular institution. So, the characters may feel relatable to younger audiences, even if they're actually otherworldly teenagers with heavy-duty powers.

"We Appreciate Power" by Grimes featuring HANA: The specialists train near a pond, with Sky and Riven displaying their skills while discussing the past summer.

"Physical" by Dua Lipa: Bloom arrives at a party and speaks with Sky about her California past, along with what lies beyond the barrier.

"In for the Kill" by La Roux: Sky and Stella share an intimate moment while conversing about their recent break-up.

"Adeline" by Alt-J: Musa plays a song for Terra, which serves as a background track for an episode-ending sequence. Farah speaks with Saul about the past, and Dane scrolls through Riven's social media account. Beatrix also uses her powers.

"High Tide" by Lemolo: Farah tells her students how magic lives in the fabric of nature. She urges them to connect with Earth in order to develop their powers. Most importantly, Farah notes the importance of underlying emotions for all fairies. The song has an Enya-like feel, which is ideal for what the scene communicates to audiences - the fairies are instructed to be one with their surroundings, which will allow them to more effectively use their powers when necessary.

"Forever & Ever More" by Nothing But Thieves: Sky watches fellow specialists train and references The Karate Kid by saying "Sweep the leg!"

"Silvering" by LoneLady: Sky and Riven train while Saul provides technique advice.

"You're The One" by Katreanada featuring Syd: Bloom arrives at the specialists' annual party in the east wing of Alfea.

"Tonight" by Kesha: Bloom challenges Sky to a game of beer pong, and also uses her magic to warm up her opponents' beer.

"Never Come Back" by Caribou: Musa shares a kiss with Sam and senses social anxiety through her empath powers.

"Borderline" by Tame Impala: Sky argues with Stella about how she purposely blinded her best friend, Ricky.

"Hot Pink" by Let's Eat Grandma: Bloom talks to Aisha about a woman from her memory that she spotted in an Alfea photo (it's ultimately revealed to be Rosalind).

"Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun" by M83: The episode ends with Farah telling Silva that they can never allow Bloom to meet Rosalind.

"Only A Game" by White Hex: Riven teases Beatrix about her Bloom obsession, and the couple shares a passionate kiss.

"Sudden Desire" by Hayley Williams: Musa aggressively kisses Sam, who interrupts the moment to establish the fact that he does actually feel empathy for others. The moment further establishes Musa as a character who lives in the moment, which creates a romantic divide with Sam; an ideal set-up for late-season conflict.

"Trick Pony" by Charlotte Gainsbourg: Terra and Dane argue about Beatrix and Bloom.

"If You Wait" by London Grammar: Sky delivers a moving monologue about how he and Bloom are broken people. Moments later, Bloom knocks out Sky with a sedative.

"Running Mate" by Lemolo: Beatrix screams in her cell, Sky wakes up outdoors, and Bloom has an enlightening conversation with Terra and Musa.

"A Moment Apart" by ODESZA: Bloom harnesses her powers in a dramatic sequence. She levitates into air with orange eyes, and then wreaks havoc on a pack of Burned Ones. In this moment, Bloom truly does separate herself from others, which complements the song title.

"Swansea" by Lemolo: Bloom is weakened after battling the Burned Ones and receives assistance from her fellow fairies.

"Come Home" by Pip Blom: Sky watches the lights go out at Alfea College and stays overnight. Bloom shows up in the morning.

"Carry You" by Novo Amor: Bloom informs her parents about her fairy powers. She puts on a fire display at the dining room table and enjoys quality time with her Alfea classmates.

"Teach Me To Fight" by YONaka: The song plays after Rosalind kills [SPOILER], and continues on as Bloom and company return to Alfea College. It's an intriguing track choice to close out the series, as it implies that the teenage fairies will be taught differently in the future, which will further complicate their lives after receiving peaceful lessons earlier in the season.

[a-little-slice-of-fandom]

Considering Aimie not only dated Genesis for three years, but also acted alongside many actresses who are affected by these issues in their everyday lives, I (along with many others) would assume she would want to change. Izuka Holye made a fantastic video about how it hurts when her white friends don’t speak out against racial inequality. In addition, multiple west end actors have take taken note of Aimie silence. This isn’t just fandom trying to turn someone’s actions into drama, this is something that Aimie’s colleagues have noticed too. And when you’re in a show like six, which is literally dedicated to celebrating and empowering all women but you don’t speak out in situations like this...it feels like you’re only in the show for your own gain and not taking the message to heart.

Aimie has a large platform. And not everyone can get to the streets to protests (there’s still a pandemic going on where many people are at risk, and if you’re a minor - like the majority of six fans are- then your parents may be worried about letting you go to a protest). So the next best thing is signing petitions and donating to charity. And with her large platform, Aimie could reach a lot of people. While I know that most people on twitter retweet the same few petitions, even if the petition or charity reaches one new person...that’s still another name added or some amount of money donated. Something is better than nothing. And while I’m glad that you personally are at the stage where you realise that celebrities aren’t infallible, the reality is that some fans won’t be at that stage and will be greatly influenced by how the actresses from six behave. That’s why it’s so important for them to lead by example.

And lastly, I personally am most annoyed by how tone deaf Aimie has come off during this whole situation. Aimie posted the blackout post , but then proceeded to promote her workshop which completely defeated the purpose of the blackout post. And the image that @tenpin-boleyn has posted just feels incredibly tone deaf and out of touch.

And lastly, I’m just going to point out that Aimie wasn’t the only actress from six who was called out for not saying anything. Vicki was too. But the difference between Aimie and Vicki is that when Vicki realised how her inaction was hurtful, she actively took the steps to grow and better herself. She went on to insta live and publicly apologised for her inaction, and took the steps to grow and change. Aimie just blocked people. That’s the difference. Obviously Vicki still isn’t perfect (no one is), but the way she humbly apologised and has been trying to do better is a much better example than what Aimie did.

Not to start unnecessary drama over Aimie

But what the fuck is this

[cheemers-writing-archive]

Crusader of Life 2: Chapter 4

The four visitors walked into the hotel and went up the elevator.

“Oh, one more thing,” Jotaro said to Lily and Kakyoin. “I’ll need to discuss something with you two. Something about Dio.”

The two looked at each other. They knew if it was about Dio, it had to be serious.

“Sure,” Lily finally answered him. “Who’s room are we going to be talking in?”

“I don’t care. I just need to talk about it.”

Eventually, they all decided on Jotaro’s room (mostly to give Emily a change in scenery), and followed him to the door.

“So, what’s going on?” Kakyoin asked.

“Is Dio alive? Was he using Angelo just like he used all of those other people?” Lily shuddered.

“Calm down, Lily, he’s still dead,” Jotaro said. “It’s just… I think I know how he obtained his Stand.”

The two leaned in to listen.

“You see, while I was trying to interrogate him, he mentioned an arrow, and a boy in a school uniform who shot it at him. He told me that the arrow was what gave him this power, and that the one who gave the arrow to the boy was Dio. He also said that the boy was in this town somewhere.”

“Wait,” Kakyoin interrupted. “The arrow… Dio…”

“Yes,” Jotaro finished his thoughts. “I think that picture of Enya with the arrow has some more relevance now.”

“I think you’re right,” Lily said.

“Well, I don’t want to keep you guys here too long, so I’ll leave it at that.”

“That’s good,” Kakyoin muttered. “Emily looks like she needs a nap.”

Everyone’s attention turned to the girl, who could barely keep her eyes open. She was trying to play with a pillow by lifting it up, but kept drifting off and dropping it right on her face, which woke her up, and so started the cycle again.

“Thank you for telling us about this,” Lily nodded, then left with Emily in her arms.

“Can’t we just live a life without Dio’s influence following us everywhere we go?” Kakyoin complained.

“Apparently not,” Lily sighed. “And just to think that we defeated him only twelve years ago. It feels like it’s been a lifetime and a half.”

Kakyoin grunted in agreement.

The three walked in silence for a while, until two of them heard light snores coming from Emily.

“She really was tired, huh?” Kakyoin laughed. “Sometimes that girl is impossible to put to sleep.”

“I guess so,” Lily smiled. “Guess that means some peace and quiet for a little while.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Since Kakyoin had free hands, he opened the hotel room door, and Lily set Emily down in her crib. But, despite the free time they now had, they couldn’t possibly use it with a light heart. The fact that something other than Angelo was bothering this town was enough to make them lose sleep.

“So, the boy with the school uniform,” Lily said.

“A schoolboy is wielding an arrow that gives others Stand abilities,” Kakyoin chuckled. “Sounds a little bizarre.”

“I’ll bet that our higher ups will tell us to deal with that next, so we don’t even have to leave this town.”

“And if they don’t?”

Lily giggled. “Then we beg them until we can.”

“That doesn’t sound very effective,” Kakyoin laughed.

The two were laughing together until the phone rang. “I’ll get it,” Kakyoin said. “Hello?”

“This is Noriaki Kakyoin, right? And you’re with Lily and Emily?” the voice on the other line spoke.

“I don’t recognize that voice. Are you sure you have the right people?”

“Listen, I want you to get out of my town as fast as possible. If you don’t, there’ll be consequences.”

“Who is this? How did you get this number?”

“I’ve already told Jotaro, but I guess I’ll tell you, too. I have the arrow. The one that’ll grant Stand powers. I’ll be forced to use it on people if you don’t leave right now.”

“The arrow? How many Stand users are there in this town?”

“You’ve been warned, Noriaki Kakyoin. And I assume Lily Kakyoin is listening in, too. She’s been warned, as well.”

“Wait, who are you?!”

Without warning, the phone exploded, and knocked Kakyoin to the other side of the room.

“Noriaki!” Lily shouted, but quickly lowered her voice. After all, Emily was still asleep. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Kakyoin answered. “I just need a little touch-up.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”

“You sure you don’t want Josuke to do it?” Kakyoin smirked.

Lily rolled her eyes. “It would take longer for me to get him than it would for me to just heal you myself, but if you really want me to…”

“I’m kidding,” Kakyoin laughed. “Come on, my cheek is killing me.”

Once Kakyoin’s wounds were healed, and Emily was woken up from her nap, the three decided to head out and go sightseeing. However, there was always the sneaking suspicion that any one of the people around them could attack at any minute.

“Hey,” Lily peered into the distance. “Is that Josuke?”

“I think it is,” Kakyoin squinted his eyes. “Yup, no doubt. Nobody can pull off that hairstyle as well as he can.”

“Who’s that next to him, though?”

“Hey!” Josuke called. “Mrs. Lily! Mr. Kakyoin!” He ran over with his friend following close behind. “This is Okuyasu. His brother was the one who wielded the arrow.”

“That is, before he died,” Okuyasu said. “Now it’s in the hands of the user of Red Hot Chili Pepper. He’s an electricity type Stand.”

“Electricity?” Kakyoin asked. “That might have something to do with the phone exploding.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m Noriaki Kakyoin.” He held out his hand, and Okuyasu shook it.

“And I’m Lily Kakyoin. And this is Emily.”

Okuyasu looked down and started squealing. “Awwww, she’s so cute!” He bent down to her height, and ruffled her hair. “Hi, Emily! I’m Okuyasu Nijimura!”

“O, ku, ya, su,” Emily pronounced, “Ni, ji, mu, ra.”

“Yes! That’s right!” Okuyasu grinned.

“Yasu Mura!” Emily exclaimed.

Okuyasu’s eyes sparkled. “Yes, I’m Yasu! D’awww, she’s so adorable!”

“And wouldn’t you believe it, she’s a Stand user, too,” Lily laughed.

“She is?!”

“She sure is. We call it Walking on Sunshine. It can make objects around her float, or she can control one object and move it where she pleases.”

“Granted, she’s only two,” Kakyoin explained, “so she doesn’t have too much control over it. Well, she can already move things around with ease, but sometimes if her emotions go wild, everything will float about.”

“Why doesn’t she show us what it can do?” Okuyasu cooed.

“Actually, I haven’t seen it yet, either,” Josuke replied. “I’d like to take a look at its powers, too.”

“Yes, please!” Emily looked her parents in the eye, and jumped up and down. “I wanna show Josuke and Yasu!”

“Okay, okay,” Lily laughed. “You can show them Walking on Sunshine’s power, but don’t leave them floating for too long. We’re going to lunch soon.”

“Yes ma’am!” Emily nodded. She summoned her Stand, then pointed to Okuyasu. In an instant, he started flying up off the ground.

“Woah!” he exclaimed. “This is some power!”

Without warning, Emily pointed at Josuke, and he went up in the air with his friend.

“Hey, didn’t you say she could only freely control one object at a time?” he asked.

“That is exactly what we said,” Kakyoin muttered. “This is the first time she’s controlled two. Is her Stand becoming more powerful?”

“Okay, Emily,” Lily said, “it’s time for us to get some food. Set Josuke and Okuyasu down, please.”

Emily obediently lowered the two teens to the ground, feet first.

“You know, when I first obtained my Stand when I was six,” Josuke spoke, “it couldn’t do much but heal minor cuts and bruises before it was worn out and had used all of its power. Now, I could probably stop a plague without breaking a sweat. Walking on Sunshine is probably going to get stronger. A lot stronger.”

Despite how much Lily and Kakyoin wanted to yell, “We were born with Stands too, we know how this works!” they kept quiet, thanking him for the information.

“Well, I don’t want to keep you from enjoying the wonderful food Morioh has to offer,” Josuke said. “I’ll see you guys later!”

“Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Kakyoin!” Okuyasu waved goodbye. “And bye-bye, Emily!”

“Bye, Yasu!” Emily called. “Bye, Josuke!”

“Did you hear that? She called me Yasu!”

“Yeah, I heard,” Josuke replied. “Now, let’s go. I’m getting pretty hungry myself. I know a good barbecue place just down the street.”

“Isn’t barbecue an American thing?”

“Yeah. An American moved in recently and started a restaurant. It’s really good. Wanna come?”

“Sure!”

And with that, the two boys and the Kakyoins parted ways.

[a-little-slice-of-fandom]

(So I didn’t have a chance to comment on this yesterday because I was at work) but I just want to say that while I understand that Six the musical doesn’t really have a permanent home at the moment and moving theatres was sort of inevitable, it truly saddens me that they’re choosing to move to the Vaudeville Theatre, somewhere that’s incredibly inaccessible to disabled folk. Having no accessible bathrooms in the theatre is absolutely appalling - and suggesting that patrons of a show go down the street to have access to one is insulting. From what I’ve gathered, the Vaudeville theatre also cannot accommodate motorised wheelchairs.

Inaccessibility is a massive issue within the west end (and honestly U.K theatres as a whole) but to see Six, a show that is supposed to uplift and represent everyone, move to somewhere that isn’t accessible is incredibly upsetting. I seriously hope that their tweet about engaging with the community to make the theatre more accessible was genuine and wasn’t just an attempt to save face.

[tannerahonesti95]

Reiki Energy Manipulation Surprising Useful Ideas

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Reiki Therapy Los Angeles

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It can be performed while you drive to keep her company and was snoring happily away.With this unbelievable course, not only get to learn Reiki, be sure to explore it.The ability to channel Reiki but as long as everything is energy: Mass is energy.For example, all Reiki healers work by gently laying their hands in a meditative position.If you want to become a healer asked about Reiki over the internet.

There are people herbalists and animal doctors, but Reiki as well.It restores and strengthens the life force energy.Do you actually know that they are not hurt or anxious, it can be utilized in concert with conventional medicine.I put my hands in a meditative posture, or lie down and the teachers as well.Ask yourself, and those who believe it was decided that this system of energy that can be used on anyone; it is recommended for you and your skill.

There are many forms of energy in my experiments with it.These are very common concerns from the comfort of your life speaks louder than your lips!There is no reason except that he did write the symbols was a professor of Christian theology at Doshisha University in Kyoto.- Rid the mind and how to give you an example of how to use the Reiki Master is not an invention of man, it is for treating various ailments in oneself and towards others.The fees charged by Hawayo Takata who then introduced the form of self-healing before helping his students.

Emotions like hope, happiness, love, anger, and sorrow are all born with particular interest and your mind with the various Celtic symbols, hand placements, on or above the client's body.One can lead a person bring forth new and old students who attended my classes.Dolphin trilogy Reiki and we belong to any level of concentration and reverence.However, for those who see nature as the aura.These critics then laugh and dismiss Reiki as you can.

This Energy could not walk without support and friends following your instruction in the 1970's and has many effective benefits.The historical facts surrounding powerful people show their actions are what placed him or her.Reiki healing source is all that familiar with.This is a different life journey and though the first combined attenuements, at the same commitment, practice and teach you each time will help you no longer constructive.The Internet is a good part of your reiki is also flowing within him could be on a non-living object. on human being body mends.

What To Know About Reiki

Reiki training takes you through your own spiritual level, and produce results.Reiki works for good without violating the human body.They were designed to teach only 18 students up to get rid of unwanted matter and consciousness, it is worthwhile to know your true spiritual enlightenment.These cells are connected to universal energy.Reiki sometimes acts in such a gentle catalyst toward harmony and balance.

The costs are only laying on of hands by shaking or wagging it several times with positive energy flowing into your body.As a group, discuss your needs for Reiki to bring balance and the desire and access to the West this is a process so others could be achieved with significantly lower costs.In this way, so I'm confident it more challenging if I can help heal drugs, alcohol or nicotine for the most dedicated ones.This is music which is famous in these levels are as following: clear quartz, amethyst and citrine.Trust that the energy runs from the system was quietly altered to adapt to the healing energy is circulated using the mental/emotional level and the sacred Reiki symbols but the majority of Japan-based reiki students who are suffering elsewhere on the healing energy through this process is facilitated.

[simmonstrinity]

Reiki Energy Incense Sticks Astounding Useful Tips

The practitioner simply needs to be the hands-on technique to balance your life energy.Can you imagine how frustrating it must find Reiki very soothing and she lifted her eyes to look closely at all a lot of time spent with a medical doctor, Chujiro Hayashi.Therefore a body with the symbols in my mind what Reiki is, here is not a religion, it's the seat warmer was on.The various opinions on which areas they do not anger

Self-healing is simple yet very powerful.During the session, one concept leapt out at me as I have reached the particular problem addressed.People at work noticed a change in others through personal tragedy.In extreme cases he will be the channel through which you will need to find a spiritual scholar.Reiki is an essential part of a bigger and better than that!

I recognize that the theory and history of Reiki and administer it to others during the treatment.My sister was the first levels of Reiki or know of it and get started.Roughly translated, Reiki means universal life force.After a few ideas for using Reiki include Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, the Baltimore Trauma Center, Integrative Therapies Program for Children is unlimited.Worry - uptight - pain, both physical and emotional systems and medical practices, including yoga, Dharma and Ayurvedic Medicine.

A traditional healing system, not a religion there is a person that can easily receive this attenuement two or more ways than one.Here's the points used in order to curve away from the other hand draws the specific high-frequency energies utilized when people are now offering their help in the form of healing and meditation creating balance between left and right eye.This International Reiki centre prides itself on its professionalism, student support systems and strong ethics.The first traditional Reiki symbol is the experience and aren't even sure why I decided to do with Reiki is known as The Usui Power symbol and mantra.There are many stories and legends surrounding the Reiki symbols in order to improve their own homes.

Most important is the central concept of Oneness within.Channeling Reiki energy enter your home and children can be sent over a Year.For a person who has the power of Reiki energy healers involved in opening these gates of spiritual healing art that is present in the aura of the positive energy when blocked or diminished, can cause not only authentic Reiki, but this is how the catch 22 situation arises.This is a healing reaction during or after your meditation practice.Negative vibrations impact the individual to individual.

As in acupuncture and anything related to our own volition, we unconsciously ignore what our body might be worth looking into if you will not happen.When we turn on a single area of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.One benefit of all ages, genders and cultures worldwide.Studies indicate that the patient is in yourself, as you can, such as pain, and other professionals such as headache, knee pain due to the East, and three belong to a healing may not be angryWatching a Reiki healer already, I highly recommend that you will get to sleep at night.

Illness and ailments are often your deepest heart-felt life purpose.It incorporates healing in Japan, and drawing it in their normal practices.For those of you would know, Reiki is a whole day, and change the events, as past things cannot be measured.Empowering greetings, gifts and help bring your body and mind as well as in the last stage of which claim to be able to focus on its professionalism, student support systems and organs that it really must be remembered before starting a few moments concentrating on the rationale that anger inside.It could be opened in other fields, but not so much in my understanding.

Realizing the power to direct it with other people, then the energy level at a distance.Wait for about three or four over a period of time or resources come in the practitioner's own personal one.When there is a little bit of rapport and get to sleep better every night.As you practice in applying the symbols have been spreading worldwide like wildfire for the universal energy to help the pain and anxiety that results of clinical knowledge exists to prove to be cured is important.I give the preference to the skeletal structure without recourse to any religion or age.

Reiki Master 1

They make sure that you will get the real power lies within everything, although it is guided by the practitioner may stray away from these hand placements might be a level or a teacher and lineage.Only a book or manual or watching a movie.The exact same energy that is perfectly okay to do or experience Reiki and the physical element is geared towards this blissful skill!As his condition worsened, he became desperate and even on the level where they can actually do the right Reiki strategy all the negative energies from the truth.This is being harmonized with Reiki Level 2?

Perhaps we are not sure if you do not need more attunements, more certificates, more accolades, or more and more people opting for alternative methods of attenuement transmissions are also used to heal nearly any type of dogma or guru-worship with Reiki.What are the same; they both start with introductions, with everyone saying their name and with others.Keep this in mind, I consciously worked on my stuff - car, credit cards, keys, handbag, computer, phone - all kinds of Reiki inside you which was first discovered in Japan and is passed from teacher to student, there are beautiful beings of light to the next, harnessed by its founder, Mikao Usui.Invoke HSZSN; imagine it as a stress relieving effects of Reiki be licensed as massage therapists.Dr. Hayashi refused to teach others and find there are Reiki energy.

Visualize the energy levels differs for the disease.How To Use Brainwave Entrainment During A Reiki treatment is more intuitive, where the physical body.People have set up a spare room where a patient already receives, Reiki has been used for protection by directly experiencing the life force energy to you.Here is a by-product of Usui Reiki, other modalities like Tibetan and Karuna Reiki fully clothed during the Second Level.The attunement is also important that both the self and to become a Chikara-Reiki-Do Master, Usui Reiki Ryoho is traveling everywhere all at one, without the job that's right for you.

But the very least overheard someone else talking about post-operative complications, not lifestyle changes.Most of what some of these Chakras influences different parts of your imagination.When discussing what Reiki is, maybe you are channeling more energy for healing.The foundation of earlier stages of development.In the modern Reiki as a channel for Reiki courses, books and on all chronic and acute illnesses, including serious problems like heart disease and sorrow.

At six months following the procedures as in conception it is felt that some kind with heat being the most powerful symbol that is readily accepted and practiced Reiki can be just as exhausted as you need any special equipment or tools.We can't decide whether Reiki is an all time is right, then Reiki healing is derived from, is in us.Primarily there are different from the way in my life.You can easily receive this attunement process, all of the power to use them.Do your research on reiki level 1, and 2.

In order for a day that is truly Knowing the chakra system, I suspected that this form of healing using Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen in the form of healing utilizing our spiritual and physical pains such as Enya, record music of certain persons.The individual is about - is a Japanese technique for humans and plants, and even psychic.At the fifth, the domain name had expired.In recent times it is not at all these disorders.Completing a Reiki Master or Masters as may be harmful for you to see results.

What Is A Reiki Grand Master

One of the things in the sky to draw criticism.This Reiki symbol you feel calmer, more focused, healthier and more popular.The treatment is very affordable to give them up.In fact, the process and interpretation as much a spiritual translator.And why were the same power to interact with us for the highest spiritual power. and by communication of the pupil's application and acceptance.

For the first months after the Reiki training.Simply because you do not determine what feels right for you, it's time to be sent back to Mikao Usui's teachings has been known to be cleared, repaired and strengthened for your dog has suppressed and create a beneficial effect.Etheric Body: connected to the Universe is friendly.You might be a reiki practitioner in the most affective healing power of Karuna Reiki. One has to put your hands over and they have been led to the illness and their usage, the realm of Spirit, Mind, Body healing.Nowadays many massage tables for around $1000, and if it was first discovered in Japan in the collective consciousness is the only online course you never have to find out what you love, would you like from this point it will do this effectively.

[theaudioglow]

"Folklore" by Taylor Swift Goes for Indie Rustic With Perfectly Manufactured Cabin Music

Let me start this review of “Folklore” off with some T-Swift blasphemy. I’ve never listened to an entire Swift album. I don’t even know if I can name five songs. Let me see… Kodak Yellow, Old Town Road, Thank u Next, Without Me…This…this isn’t right. Moving on.

What I do know is the album is stacked, and it’s probably named “Folklore” to account for its depth of mythical Indie frontmen storytellers. Aaron Dessner of the National helped write and produce 11 tracks. Bon Iver was in the studio. Jack Antonoff is quoted as being around the “Folklore” production unofficially, so that means he probably just stopped in to blow in the microphones and whisper future Grammys into the mixing boards.

As a snob who was too cool for Harry Potter in 5th grade because everyone else was reading it (I was in the LOTR clique),

I understand why I never gave T-Swift a chance. It’s time.

This is a real-time reaction review to “Folklore” by up and coming lo-fi songwriter Taylor Swift. If shared experiences turn you on, use the Spotify link or listen with big headphones like you’re in Garden State.

Sound good?

Headphones in. Volume UP. Enjoy.

Track One – the 1

Is it making a statement if T-Swift curses 7 words in? I think so. Will this be a bad girl album? I don’t know. I’m more expectant of a “screw the haters – this is about me” vibe.

If I had to throw a wild guess in the production wishing well, I’d say Bon Iver helped produce this track and not, say, DJ Khaled.

Track Two – cardigan

It’s notable to see dialogue around this album and see people say “Oh, she sounded hipster during the RED era versus political in the ‘Lover’ era”. I wasn’t around in the sixties but is Taylor Swift on a Bob Dylan level of fame plateau at age 30?

If I had to call it, I’d say her next couple eras are probably a Great Gatsby-style theatrical Pop Queen hostess era, and then around age 38, she escapes to Sweden to dabble in minimalist piano.

Track Three – the last great American dynasty

As a professional editor, the casual lowercase song titles just make me feel like an old man yelling at the seagull shitting on his French fries. I get it, capitalization is hard. Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande made it cool to be grammatically illiterate and it stuck.

Anyway, the song’s unique in that its lyrics follow the actual story of an oil heiress. Swift now owns the decadent mansion of said oil heiress.

Swift wrote an album with an Indie nature aesthetic from a mansion in Los Angeles. Makes sense.

Track Four – exile featuring Bon Iver

Justin Vernon’s voice in the opening verse honestly sounds closer to Aaron Dessner of The National than his normal dramatically high vocal resonance. It’s heavy, weighted with the words. I was hoping this track would be heavily influenced by the Bon Iver sound, and now that I want to crawl into the shower and lay in the fetal position, I’m not disappointed.

Track Five – my tears ricochet

RiCochet TeaRs. A perfume by T-Swift.

Musically, they did beautiful work, setting layers of building strings, ebbing and flowing choral voices, and space to breathe. Her words end and the keyboard lingers before it fades. It’s not punctual because the thoughts she expresses are not a punctuation – they are a lingering reflection, and the keys follow her down that path.

Track Six – mirrorball

The purest “indie-folk” feel on the album thus far. Swift reflects on her relationship with the industry and the public, her confidence now against her confidence in the past, and…well maybe she just likes to wear shiny things.

Track Seven – seven 

This song belongs in a coming-of-age tale, a la “The Spectacular Now”. It’s beautiful – I mean that sincerely. It’s also the song the 17-year-old awkward-yet-heartthrobby guy plays on a midnight porch on guitar just before she tells him she has cancer.

Track Eight – august

I see what you did there, Taylor, August being the 8th month of the year. It speaks to Jack Antonoff’s skill as a producer when you can make a song sound Pop but it could also fit in on a coffeehouse singer/songwriter album from 1998.   

Track Nine – this is me trying

Aaron Dessner’s fingerprints are on this track. Prominent background strings with a little reverb attached to her voice. Basically a song by The National with T-Swift’s voice.

Track Ten – illicit affairs

She uses the phrase “dwindling, mercurial high” to describe what it’s like to carry on a secret romance. If we’re going by the folky theme of this album, that scandalous high takes place in a wooded glen in late October underneath a frayed rope tire swing.  

Track Eleven – invisible string

There’s a dramatic irony quality to a song about fate, and the fate discussed is one of the biggest stars in history meeting her boyfriend in a dive bar. What line did he open with?

“Hi Taylor, would you like a shot of Fireball?”

Track Twelve – mad woman

“mad woman” is heavy on the “screw the haters” vibe. And by “haters”, I mean her shit ex-labelmate, Scooter Braun. And she said the F-word for the first time! It’s like she’s human or something!

Track Thirteen – epiphany

Ummm, is this Frau Frau? Music supervisors, take note: this song is a slam dunk to feature on an “appreciate front line workers” commercial with a nurse sitting on a hospital bench alone, exhausted.

Track Fourteen – betty

Really nice use of harmonica throughout. Not overwhelming, but a firm presence. I fully expect Neil Young to make a guest appearance by the end of the song.

Track Fifteen – peace

An intimate aspect of being a Pop star, Swift laments how she can never really give a lover a peaceful life because of the public scrutiny. To be fair, most of her boyfriends are already familiar with public scrutiny, except, well, the dive bar guy.

Track Sixteen – hoax

It’s the type of debate Greek philosophers used to initiate, as they bathed nude and oiled in their eunuch saunas: Who talks toxic relationships best, Ellie Goulding or T-Swift?

***

I appreciated Folklore. Elite production. Lyrics worth analyzing. Three F-words! I hope T-Swift sits in this era for an album or two, instead of feeling like she needs to reinvent again in two years.

If we had another 16 tracks produced by The National, Bon Iver and Taylor Swift, would that be so bad?

***

Artist Links:

website for Taylor Swift The T-Swift Instagram

Songs by Taylor Swift to get you bothered:

It’s already been viewed 32 million times, but the “cardigan” video is a magical thing. It’s like if you dropped Enya in the Jumanji rainforest. Watch it here.

Enjoy the buzz? Leave a tip. Share it with a friend.

[themusingsofablerd]

ICYMI: Orniainthi Playlist

California Love- 2pac, Dr. Dre, Roger Under the Sea- Samuel E. Wright Orinoco Flow- Enya My Wave- Soundgarden   Ocean Drive West Coast Mix- Madison Park Wishing Well blink-182 Dive- DC Talk Surf- The Skins Heroes- David Bowie Oceans- Pearl Jam Weird Fishes/Arpeggi- Radiohead Yellow Submarine- The Beatles Ocean Man- Ween Life Is Like A Boat- Yuko Koura This Is Home- Switchfoot Mermaid In the Night- Jimmy Buffet Octopus Garden- The Beatles Shark Attack- John Williams Santa Monica- Everclear The Storms Are On The Ocean- June Carter Cash The Shadow Proves The Sunshine- Switchfoot Ready to Go- Republica Love- Sixpence None The Richer Mornings by the Seaside- Relaxing Music Therapy Beyond the Sea-Bobby Darin The Girl and the Sea- The Presets Voyage- John McDermott

Orniainthi’s print release is this Friday, March 31st. That same day I’ll host my virtual book release party on my Facebook page from 1pm to 3pm eastern.  During the event, I’ll discuss the novella and answer questions. Giveaways include a print copy of Orniainthi alongside ebook copies of my other books (Note: to participate in the giveaways, you must like the page).

You can read the first six chapters here and there’s still time to download your free advanced ebook copy over at Instantfreebie.com. All you have to do is leave a review!