#esmerelda granite

[ideclareflananigans]

Dining Chicago Eat-in kitchen - large traditional u-shaped eat-in kitchen idea with an undermount sink, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, an island and recessed-panel cabinets

[thewhumpcaretaker]

🝊 Curse in Two Bodies: Yule Special 🝊

Masterlist | Summary: With the curse evenly split between them, Adelais and Ninlen struggle through their respective holiday celebrations while pretending they both just have colds. But Adelais isn't doing too well.

Note that there has been a time skip! This is a month or two after we left off. Adelais and Ninlen have learned how to split the curse partially between them, and have started to work together to some extent.

Oh Ievenar, God of Justice, who holds the scales:

Today I come to you with gratitude. For these few hours, I lost myself in the joy of the season, sitting in an easy chair to watch flames consume the yule tree piece by piece in our hearth. What’s a little pain in my body anyway? At an approximately fifty-fifty split, the curse feels, for each of us, like one of the worst sore throats we’ve ever had, but it’s bearable. And it wouldn't work any other way, with the palace festivities happening at the same time as my family's party. I think it was a pretty clever solution. The flannel buttoned up to my chin hides what lacerations there still are, wrapped twice in gauze to prevent visible bleeding. And I am with the people I love, at the little cabin in the valley outside Korsaivar City, where the smoke rises against a golden sky while the sun slowly plunges into the longest night of the year. Home sits on good land, over a humble but deep mana well. I can feel the familiar, energetic strength radiating both from the people around me and from the soil below.

I do love these people, in spite of everything. We aren’t a peaceful family. We claw at one another in our desperation to rise above the circumstances we were born into. I am, at times, tired of being their meal ticket. But they’ve been doting on me all day. They think I have a cold, as an excuse for my raspy voice and my pain on swallowing. It has meant that I can’t hold my newborn niece, Esmerelda, but still, she waves to me across the room in a conversation of curious glances. They’ve wrapped me in quilts, and given me cup after cup of steaming hot chocolate and tea. I feel so cared for… Rarely have I felt so comfortable in every part of my body except the neck. It doesn’t stop me from drawing deep inhales of cedar smoke. Every burning breath is a reminder of how possible it is to be happy even in pain. I am happy, Ievenar.

But I don’t come to you for myself. I come to you, as usual, for Adelais.

It was about three o’clock when he appeared on the television in the corner, tuned to the news broadcast of the royal celebration and national address. Immaculate, as usual, in a pure white military uniform adorned in thin lines of gold, he stood on the balcony overlooking the south courtyard, flanked by his mother and father. Neither of them looked at him even once.

He, too, had made illness his excuse for the way his voice would sound when he spoke his piece on the state of the kingdom and the decrees for the upcoming year. I doubt anyone will question it. He looked positively ashen.

He rested on the cold granite of the railing sometimes, to stop himself from swaying. Those months spent on life support are still haunting his atrophied frame. He’s dizzy, and he’s in at least as much pain as me. Even now, I swallow, and feel that knife-like jab in response, and it makes me uneasy for him.

I don’t want him to suffer so much, Ievenar. It’s as simple as that, what I have to say to you today.

I texted him, because I couldn’t contain myself. “I can see you on TV.”

He was sitting by that point, mercifully, at some kind of long, marble table set up on the balcony. The feed kept cutting to close-ups of his father, who droned on about war bonds, and in those stretches, he was able to reply, “Lovely. /s” His eyes darted across the crowd from one news team to another.

“I’m seeing the feed on your left, from KNZ Daily. And sometimes the one across from you, centered.”

He looked down at his phone, then right at the camera, his face expressionless. “Do I look as bad as I feel?”

Should I have lied? I didn’t. “It’s definitely believable that you’re sick. I don’t know why they have you up there on live news.”

“Neither do I. It’s a PR disaster waiting to happen.”

“You’re doing well so far.” A small shake of the head, and he abandoned his phone pointedly enough that I didn’t bother texting again.

He managed to get to his feet to speak. I couldn’t hear him much over the sounds of the card game going on in my own home. I redirected my attention again and again to the cards on the table and the gingerbread cookies, away from the thready, stumbling rasp of his voice, underpinned with misery even as he forced himself to smile. The warmth and laughter surrounding me seemed to mock him. Just because I was born here, and he was born there, we suffer differently. Where is the justice in that, Ievenar? If it were me, working long hours in the fields, everyone would see the injustice. But because his suffering is the suffering of guilt, no one sees it.

I looked down at my phone again when the card game was over, and at the television. He was seated once more by that time, and the sun painted pink and gold across his bloodless face. A chill wind ruffled the platinum blond fluff under his crown, and he rubbed at his temple. “Ninlen,” he had texted me (some ten minutes prior), “I think I’m actually coming down with something.”

A strange, protective jolt went through my heart. I felt the unmistakable, intoxicating uprush of my body drawing power involuntarily. “Did you feel that?” my mother asked. “Ripple in the mana.”

“Weird,” I lied, and discharged it quietly, flexing my wrists and letting the veins glow under my sleeves until I didn’t feel like I’d explode anymore.

Under control again, I managed to type, “It’s cold out there. You’ll feel better when you’re inside.”

“No. My throat hurts worse and worse. I’m getting congested. And I feel so faint.” He was visibly frowning and sniffling. Did you see him, Ievenar? Were you looking at him? You made him so miserable. Why punish him now, when he’s already in pain? He’s sick. Just lift the curse for a little while, just…

I know that’s not how it works. But it’s how it should work. I’ll say it. That’s what I see. If his throat hurts anyway, why double it?

“Come back tonight. Please. I won’t be able to sleep like this.” The please, from him…that’s really something.

“I can’t. I’ve rightfully taken my paid leave, and I promised my family. I’m so sorry. But I’ll be there first thing in the morning.” He sniffed again and left me on read.

The press conference wore on. Outside the thick lattice of my window, snowflakes started to tumble out of the sky. Heavy and thick, good for a snowman tomorrow. It had started up at the palace too. Despite the overhang above the balcony, a dusting had started to settle on Adelais’ hair and his almost bluish lips. He was shivering too violently to conceal.

“Will they let you go inside, now that your speaking part is over? If you tell them you’re sick?”

“There’s not much chance of that.” But he leaned towards his mother while the mics were cut to focus on the choir performance in the courtyard below. He whispered something to her, and she shook her head. A moment later, she whispered back, turning her whole body for it, lips drawn tight and speaking forcefully. Adelais looked away. His eyes went…a bit dead. A scolding looks the same even in the royal family.

“I’m sorry,” I texted. “This is awful.” He stared down at his lap, at my reply, his face trembling dangerously.

“It’s fine. I deserve it.” It’s lucky I was glued to my phone in a near frenzy of nerves, because the message was deleted a moment later. I looked back up and watched him take deep breath after deep breath, fighting not to cry.

When I tell you I almost drew the entire mana well into my body, Ievenar… God, such a desperation came over me, to intervene. But we were setting the table for dinner, laying out the candles and the sprigs of holly.

I did the only thing I could think to do. I texted Steward Quincy. “The Prince is genuinely sick. Get him inside if you can. If you can’t, get him a coat or a blanket or something warm.”

“In the middle of the Yule broadcast? I don’t even have the authority to do that.”

“Do you want him to pass out on live television?” It was a bit of an exaggeration, but so be it.

A minute later, a member of the PR team stepped up behind him, speaking briefly to him and setting a thick overcoat around his shoulders. I have very been grateful today, Ievenar. But I was most grateful at that moment.

Another wave of emotion seemed to go through him, by the heavy way he was breathing, but he fought it down. He looked right into the camera then, and smiled weakly at me. At me, I’m certain, because a moment later he texted, “thank you.” But I’m also certain that the whole portion of the kingdom who happened to be watching at that moment found themselves thoroughly dazzled by the fondness there.

I’m laying in my childhood bed now, and I can’t stop thinking about him. He’s trying to sleep now and probably can’t. He told me afterwards, in his formal, matter-of-fact way, “It seems I have a fever. Everything hurts. Don’t be late tomorrow morning.”

And I won’t be late. But I also won’t be early enough. So please. Nature is hurting him enough tonight, Ievenar. Can’t you just give him a break, just this once? Before I go mad with protectiveness and draw every spark of power from here to Montagleo, leave him alone.

[goalhofer]

U.S. Daily Precipitation Records Tied/Broken 7/19/22

Crossville, Alabama: 1.95" (previous record 1.55" 1997)

Ft. Payne, Alabama: 0.95" (also 0.95" 2010)

Anchorage, Alaska: 1.34" (previous record 0.39" 1981)

Chugach National Forest, Alaska: 0.4" (previous record 0.3" 2005)

Indian Pass summit, Alaska: 2.4" (previous record 0.6" 2005)

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska: 0.7" (previous record 0.6" 2002)

Unincorporated Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska: 1" (previous record 0.3" 2014)

Apache National Forest, Arizona: 0.8" (previous record 0.6" 1985)

Gilroy, California: 0.01" (previous record 0" 2021)

Tahoe National Forest, California: 0.1" (also 0.1" 1995)

Cheraw, Colorado: 1.22" (previous record 0.95" 2010)

Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado: 0.9" (also 0.9" 2018)

Wolf Creek Pass summit, Colorado: 0.6" (previous record 0.4" 2011)

Alma, Georgia: 1.4" (previous record 1.38" 1994)

Unincorporated Bartow County, Georgia: 1.49" (previous record 0.6" 2021)

Boise National Forest, Idaho: 0.1" (also 0.1" 2001)

Caribou National Forest, Idaho: 0.1" (also 0.1" 2018)

Unincorporated Owyhee County, Idaho: 0.3" (previous record 0.2" 2002)

Unincorporated Clay County, Kentucky: 1.37" (previous record 1.1" 1975)

Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky: 1.3" (previous record 0.99" 2014)

Hazard, Kentucky: 1.8" (previous record 1.29" 1954)

Unincorporated Letcher County, Kentucky: 1.11" (previous record 0.98" 1988)

Caribou, Maine: 1.5" (previous record 1.2" 2013)

Dover-Foxcroft, Maine: 1.85" (previous record 0.69" 2016)

Ft. Kent, Maine: 0.74" (previous record 0.66" 1959)

Jackman, Maine: 1.86" (previous record 1.52" 1965)

Van Buren, Maine: 1.21" (previous record 1.2" 2000)

Waterville, Maine: 1.2" (previous record 1.13" 1959)

Woodland, Maine: 1.78" (previous record 1.67" 1951)

Unincorporated Queen Anne's County, Maryland: 0.33" (previous record 0.27" 2012)

Unincorporated Hill County, Montana: 0.21" (previous record 0.01" 2004)

Unincorporated Toole County, Montana: 1.16" (previous record 0.48" 1940)

Unincorporated Esmerelda County, Nevada: 0.43" (previous record 0.42" 2006)

Granite Peak summit, Nevada: 0.2" (also 0.2" 1990)

Green Mt. summit, Nevada: 0.1" (also 0.1" 2021)

Humboldt National Forest, Nevada: 0.2" (previous record 0.1" 2013)

Unincorporated Nye County, Nevada: 0.16" (previous record 0.09" 1951)

Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada: 0.69" (previous record 0.45" 1994)

Columbia, New Hampshire: 2.15" (previous record 1.57" 1964)

Conway, New Hampshire: 2.06" (previous record 0.98" 2008)

Franklin, New Hampshire: 1.09" (previous record 0.7" 1984)

Greenville, New Hampshire: 0.61" (previous record 0.37" 2004)

Laconia, New Hampshire: 1.62" (previous record 1.28" 1951)

Pinkham's Grant Township, New Hampshire: 2.48" (previous record 1.29" 1996)

Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey: 1.92" (previous record 1.8" 1898)

Unincorporated Catron County, New Mexico: 0.85" (previous record 0.8" 1930)

Fulton, New York: 0.9" (previous record 0.7" 1966)

Gouverneur, New York: 1.76" (previous record 1.04" 1966)

Malone, New York: 1.77" (previous record 1.13" 2008)

West Turin, New York: 1.73" (previous record 1.42" 1947)

Whitehall, New York: 2.42" (previous record 1.36" 1966)

Boone, North Carolina: 1.27" (previous record 1.15" 2001)

Jefferson Township, North Carolina: 1.6" (previous record 1.52" 1964)

Waterford Township, Ohio: 1.2" (previous record 1" 2010)

Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon: 0.2" (also 0.2" 2011)

Whitman National Forest, Oregon: 0.3" (also 0.3" 2004)

Harrison Township, Pennsylvania: 1.02" (previous record 1" 1983)

Greer, South Carolina: 0.91" (previous record 0.79" 2021)

Unincorporated Campbell County, Tennessee: 1.68" (previous record 1.45" 2010)

Unincorporated Sumner County, Tennessee: 2" (previous record 1.59" 2011)

Ashley National Forest, Utah: 1.4" (previous record 1" 2003)

Dixie National Forest, Utah: 0.4" (also 0.4" 1990)

Brighton, Vermont: 1.62" (previous record 1.01" 2008)

Newport, Vermont: 2.41" (previous record 1.13" 2016)

Chatham, Virginia: 2.1" (previous record 1.23" 1988)

James River Face National Forest Wilderness Area, VA: 1.3" (previous record 0.62" 1994)

Martinsville, Virginia: 1.85" (previous record 1.84" 1993)

Unincorporated Patrick County, Virginia: 3.22" (previous record 1.77" 1971)

Richlands, Virginia: 0.75" (also 0.75" 2006)

Rocky Mount, Virginia: 2.85" (previous record 2" 1919)

Wise, Virginia: 1.55" (previous record 1.04" 1977)

Minocqua, Wisconsin: 2.24" (previous record 1.91" 1986)

[designingidea]

Luxury kitchen with costa esmerelda granite counters