#ethiopian princesses

[feminoiredesigns]

Artwork of a Beautiful Brown-Skinned Princess With Curly Hair Wearing Gold and Black with Tiara - Classic Oil Painting Portrait Style With Modern Twist. Originally created with Makeda, the Queen of Sheba in mind. Downloadable art.

[kaiyastarz]

Zewdie

[streetsofsecrets]

so in my next story update I do want Noah to tell Angela the story of Andromeda. I think it would be cool if, for Noah's narration, I took some screenshots of Ancient Greece and Ethiopia to portray the story. But I'm also like...that's a lot of work. ...it'd be cute and different though.

[thejunkyardafewblocksfromhere]

The swelling in our limbs The twinkle in your eye Good things never last Bad things never die -Ethiopians, The Mountain Goats

[youryurigoddess]

On love and sacrifices

There’s so much more to this scapegoating business and big sacrifices referenced in the Good Omens narrative than the literal goats. And they’re only getting bigger, louder, final.

But let’s take it slow and start with the beginning, quite literally — i.e., with the Good Omens 2 title sequence. As we follow Aziraphale and Crowley on their journey, the universe warps and their usual left and right side positioning switches during the magic show (not accidentally an act of trust and sacrifice required both from the angel and the demon). They stay so throughout the next scene, which is their little dance in the air, and after they seemingly get settled on the A. Z. Fell and Co.’s roof and back to normal, the flipped sky in the background suggests that something’s not quite right yet. In the central part of the shot looms a large, humanlike shadow of the Elephant Trunk Nebula.

The nebula is a part of a constellation called Cepheus, after an Ethiopian king from the Greek mythology who agreed to sacrifice his only daughter in order to appease the gods and end a local calamity started by her mother and his wife, Cassiopeia (talk about generational responsibility). With time and a delightfully ironic twist of fate, the name of said daughter, Andromeda, became more famous than that of her father. Although she was chained up to a rock and offered to the sea serpent Cetus, the girl was spotted by the warrior Perseus, casually flying over the sea — either on the back of the Pegasus or thanks to a pair of winged sandals — after his victory over Medusa. He fell in love on the spot, defeated the serpent (with the help of a magical sword or Medusa’s severed head, depending on the varying sources), and freed the princess. That’s not exactly where their story ends, but we won’t be getting into the rest here.

Not surprisingly, Neil has mentioned two parallel child sacrifice stories from the biblical context back in August. The first is one of the big ones — The Binding of Isaac. God's command to sacrifice Isaac, his only son, was a test of Abraham's faith. The angel of the Lord intervenes and provides a ram to be sacrificed in the boy’s place.

The second one isn’t nearly as popular, but you might have heard a variant of it in fairy tales or as the Law of Surprise invoked in The Witcher saga. In exchange for Israel’s victory over its enemies in battle, Jephthah had rashly promised God to repay the debt with the first thing seen on his return back home. The victorious warrior didn’t suspect to see his only child moving innocently "to meet him with timbrels and with dances" though. In horror, Jephthah covered his eyes with his cloak, but to no avail: ultimately, he was forced to honor his vow to God, and the girl was sacrificed. As grisly as it might look like in the Old Master’s paintings, it’s important to remember that human sacrifices weren’t limited to physical offerings only — Jephthah’s daughter might have been offered to God in the sense of officially shunning her family and dedicating her life to service instead, probably sequestered in a temple somewhere.

Interestingly, the main character of a big chunk of the Bible and the reason for the Second Coming happens to be THE most influential child sacrifice in the modern history. You know, a certain 33-year-old carpenter sent by his Heavenly Father to die on a cross for the sins of the mankind? Someone better call Aubrey Thyme ASAP.

Circling back to Aziraphale, he could be also seen as a representative of the concept of filial piety, since Eden willing to personally take a Fall not only for the humanity’s collective or individual transgressions, but the shortcomings of his Ineffable Parental Figure as well. Our favorite angel angel always fights for what is right and good, sure, but why would that be even a thing if God was truly omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent?

If Aziraphale’s medal is anything to go by, it looks like we might get an answer from the way it’s introducing another mythological narrative into the game, that is the story of Daedalus and Icarus. The most absorbing thing about this is the stark contrast to the recurring child sacrifice references for S3 mentioned in this post — Daedalus isn’t a father who wanted to sacrifice his son, it was his attempt to save him from imprisonment that ultimately drove Icarus to his death. The boy ignored his father’s explicit instructions, committing the grave and culturally universal sin of disobedience to one's parents that simply couldn’t go unpunished, one way or another.

But Icarus’s transgression could be seen both as high-flying ambition and striving for personal accomplishment as well as humanitarian sacrifice for knowledge and humanity’s advancement in general.

Similarly to a certain angel who left everything for what superficially seems like a work promotion, but is the ultimate act of love — both for his demon and the children they have been protecting and nurturing together for six thousand years. From the very Beginning, his white wings have been shielding everything he holds dear in this world.

[sarafangirlart]

Princess Andromeda

Sources on her appearance and her country of origin are all over the place (to put it mildly) but the one I prefer to use is the on where she is from Ioppa which is in modern day Jaffa Palestine.

First outfit is based on ancient Canaanites

Second outfit is based on Egyptians and Ethiopians, since she is decended from them.

Third outfit is Andromeda as the First Queen of Mycenae.

Final outfit is based on modern Palestinian tradition clothing.

[wolfythewitch]

Just a fun note on character designs: Perseus and his wife Andromeda, who was an Ethiopian Princess, and the ancestors of the Spartan Royal Family in The Iliad and The Odyssey. This means that you can depict Tyndareus, Clytemnestra, Pollux, and Penelope as what modern society would call 'black' and have canonical mythological backing.

oh thats cool!! i really wanna flesh out my clytemnestra and helen designs. is it more widely accepted for her to be the daughter of tyndareus or zeus?

[khaire-traveler]

⚔️ Perseus Worship Guide 🪽

~ Art by DocZenith on ArtStation ~

The great ancient Greek hero, Perseus - a hero so renowned that an entire children's book series was written inspired by him. He accomplished fantastical feats with the very gods themselves rooting for his victory. Many people admire him, but few seem to be aware that worship is not only an option for gods. Heroes, such as Perseus, can be worshipped as well, and have been throughout history. Explore the various ways Perseus can be worshipped in the modern day in the enlightening post that follows.

***I am not an educator or historian. This is solely being made for religious purposes, and I will be touching on UPG.**

°· Who is Perseus? ·°

As stated above, Perseus is an ancient Greek hero starring in his own myths. As a biological son of Zeus (NOT Poseidon) and a mortal woman, trials and troubles were a guarantee in his life. His mother, Danaë, was trapped in a tower before his birth, due to her father, Akrisios', fear of a prophecy that claimed her son would kill him. Despite her predicament, Zeus was able to enter her locked tower, taking the form of a golden rain shower, and Danaë became pregnant with his son (don't ask me, man; I don't know). Her father immediately cast her out upon discovering the child, placing both her and her son, Perseus, into a chest floating on the sea. However, the pair made it safely to the island of Seriphos, being sheltered by the fisherman Diktys, brother to the king of the island, Polydectes. Diktys would also raise Perseus as a father figure.

Perseus would grow to become the eventual slayer of the gorgon Medusa, arguably his most famous accomplishment, as well as the savior of Andromeda, an Ethiopian princess who had been chained to a rock to be fed to a sea monster. He also freed his mother from King Polydectes by turning him to stone with Medusa's head. Perseus' grandfather fled from him in fear, allowing Perseus to assume the throne of his kingdom. Although Perseus didn't purposely kill his grandfather, he was the cause of his grandfather's demise via an accidental discus throw (prophecy fulfilled 🔴).

He later fathered many children. With his lovely wife Andromeda, he had the sons Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electryon, and Cynurus, and two daughters, Gorgophone and Autochthe. He's also said to be an ancestor of the famous Herakles, who is also a demigod son of Zeus. Unlike Herakles, however, there don't seem to be recorded myths of Perseus ascending to godhood, although he was still worshipped as a Greek hero and Founder of Mycanaea.

✿*Well-known myths *✿

His most widespread myth is that of slaying Medusa, which he did in an effort to protect his mother from the cruel King Polydectes, who had fallen in love with her. Perseus believed Polydectes wasn't worthy of his mother's hand in marriage (and he was absolutely right, in my opinion; Polydectes wished to enslave his mother), so as a plot to send Perseus away, Polydectes plotted to send Perseus on the impossible quest of slaying the gorgon Medusa. Before setting out on his journey, Perseus prayed to Zeus, terrified of the challenges that lay ahead, and his father answered by sending Hermes and Athena to deliver five gifts that would aid Perseus' quest. Hermes lent his brother the god's winged sandals and sword, providing him with Haides' helm of invisibility also (though some ancient people seemed to think this wasn't this case and were very opinionated about it lol). Athena lent Perseus her polished shield, able to reflect the gorgon's appearance without petrifying him, and a bag that he could safely store the head in, warning Perseus that Medusa's gaze would still turn others into stone, even in death. The pair then instructed Perseus to seek out the infamous Graia, sisters of the gorgons, to discover Medusa's location.

With cunning and quick-wit, Perseus was able to take the shared eye and tooth between the sisters, and hold them hostage until they revealed Medusa's location. Upon his arrival, he used the reflective shield gifted to him by Athena to avoid looking directly at Medusa, and sword guided by Athena's might, he beheaded the ghastly Gorgon in one swift maneuver of his blade. Her sisters attempted to avenge her, but donning Haides' helm of invisibility, Perseus was able to easily evade capture. After a few other misadventures along the way, he returned to discover that his mother had to flee from Polydectes while he was away, so out of vengeance for the bullshit Polydectes put them both through, Perseus slew him using the severed head of Medusa. A fitting death - that guy was an asshole. As a show of gratitude for sheltering him and his mother, Perseus also made Diktys the new king of Seriphos.

Another of his myths that he's well-known for is that of rescuing Andromeda from her fate. He came across Andromeda after slaying Medusa, on his way home from the adventure. The princess' father, King Cepheus, chained her naked to a rock surrounded by raging oceans and a ravenous sea monster, Cetus. Her father wished to appease Poseidon after his wife angered the God by claiming Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids (Sea Nymphs). An Oracle claimed that sacrificing Andromeda to Cetus was the only way to soothe Poseidon's anger. Luckily, using the winged sandals that Hermes gifted him, Perseus flew over the stormy waters to Andromeda and freed her, immediately earning her hand in marriage. Andromeda's original suitor, Phineus, was upset at the marriage, but Perseus turned him to stone with Medusa's head and carried on.

Although these are his most well-known myths, there are still other myths about Perseus that I didn't cover here. Overall, he is a widely recognized Greek hero, known for his quick wit, the love he had for his mother, and the founding of Mycanaea, considered by many ancient Greeks to be the father of all Mycanaea (after making Diktys king of Seriphos, Perseus went on to find the land known as Mycanaea). If you're interested in learning more of his myths (which I highly suggest), my resources will be listed at the end of the post.

·•✷ Sacred Symbols ✷•·

The sacred symbols featured below are pulled from his myths and historical depictions I found of him.

The severed head of Medusa

Swords (particularly sickle-shaped) and shields

Winged sandals/boots and a winged helm

The Helm of Invisibility

Snakes and sea serpents

Treasure chests/chests in general

Raging oceans (due to the Andromeda myth)

Rain made of gold; storm clouds (from his birth)

Discus (basically an ancient Greek frisbee-like thing)

Fishnets and fishing gear (due to his upbringing)

Fountains

A pegasus or horse

Wings (from the sandals and Medusa herself)

An eye and a tooth (from the three hags)

Broken chains/restraints (from Andromeda's rescue)

It's rather disappointing how difficult it is to find information about his worship in ancient times that isn't hidden behind a paywall. That said, I gathered some UPG from worshippers of his who were willing to share! A reminder that the below is based on UPG.

Overcoming challenges/obstacles

Feathers

Spears

Knives/other blade weapons outside of swords

Handcrafted arts and items

Boats/sailing

Mirrors/reflective surfaces

Wind, especially near or on the water

Rainfall on sunny days

The colors blue, lilac, dark gray, and gold

Eels, sea-snakes, and seabirds, especially sea-eagles

Clumps of snakes (resembles Medusa's head)

Freshly bloomed flowers; purple and blue flowers

Plants: lilac, sword lillies (dangerous to cats), peony, red hot poker (especially purples ones), foxgloves, lavender, gingko trees, and cedar trees

Herbs: Lavender, parsley, basil, lemongrass, and bay leaf

Myrrh, frankincense, sandalwood, jasmine, and ocean scents

‹-« Epithets »-›

The following is a list of titles I found for Perseus. Supposedly, they are historically attested, but if I'm going to be honest, I would take it with a grain of salt, as the sources on this were few and far between. I'll also include a short list of purely UPG/modern titles. First, however, is the historically attested list:

Godlike

Gold-begotten (referencing his birth)

Valiant

The Harvester (referencing his role in the births of Pegasus and Chrysaor, who came out of Medusa's neck after her head was cut off ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯)

The Horseman

The Warrior Chief (referencing his prowess in battle)

Deliverer of Andromeda (referencing rescue of Andromeda)

Slayer of Medusa/the Gorgo

The Eagle Son of the Golden Sire (referencing his divine lineage and birth, "The Eagle" being Zeus)

Father/Founder/King of Mycanaea (referencing the belief that he founded Mycanaea)

Perseus of Argos (referencing where he resided)

Son of Danaë

Son of Zeus

Now the UPG/modern epithets list:

Chain Breaker/Breaking (referencing rescue of Andromeda and his mother)

Starry-eyed (referencing his constellation)

Starry-footed (referencing his constellation and winged sandals)

Stone-shielded (referencing Medusa's head on the shield)

Wind-swift (referencing his winged sandals)

Courageous/Daring

The Cunning

The Resilient

The Shield-bearer (referencing the shield he uses)

The Unconquerable

The Wayfarer (referencing his many travels)

Brother of the Owl-eyed Warrior (referencing Athena)

Brother of the Silver-tongued Messenger (referencing Hermes)

Son of the Kingly Zeus

Son of the Rich-haired Danaë (based on an epithet of Danaë)

(Image depicts Perseus, Medusa, and Athena)

·✩· Perseus Worship in the Modern Day ·✩·

Within the modern day, worship may seem intimidating if you don't know how to go about it, but thankfully, it's much easier than it may seem. Before I continue, please be aware that there is no one way to worship any Greek entity, be it hero or deity. Worship varies from person to person, even when they worship the same entity, and that's both normal and historically supported. In ancient Greece, worship was different all across the land with some city-states not worshipping entire deities that others did. It's ok if your practice doesn't look exactly the same as someone else's; in fact, it probably shouldn't!

A common way of worshipping any Greek entity in the modern day is creating a custom altar. Some worshippers keep their altars outdoors, preferring for their space to be out in nature, while others keep their altars indoors, preferring their altar to be within the home. Where you keep your altar is entirely up to you, although indoor altars are typically more common due to their accessibility for most people. Being that Perseus is a hero who's traveled far and wide, going on daring adventures for the benefit of others rather than himself, a place to put his altar in the home could be near the door or window - a nod to the various journeys he's embarked on. An outdoor altar for Perseus could be located near a body of water - a nod to both the rescue of Andromeda and his escape to Seriphos with his mother as a young boy. If it's near water, be careful to keep it far enough away that it won't be swept away (make sure to keep flash floods in mind, too). I also don't suggest having anything that could be bad for the earth on an outdoor altar; it could harm the environment, should any of those items be lost.

It's important to note that you don't need an altar to worship an entity. That might be a hot take to some, but I've known many worshippers who either can't have an altar, due to living circumstances, or simply don't want to, due to personal beliefs. Worship however feels correct to you (though I highly suggest still being respectful). Religion and spirituality are very personal, and I encourage you to explore that personal connection. Don't be afraid to do things a little differently!

Many modern altars have a candle, meant to be lit in honor of the entity. If you don't want a candle on your altar, that's ok! Candle scents are typically based on things associated with the entity or things that simply remind the worshipper of them. For Perseus, some potential candle scents could be ocean, storm, rain (UPG after this), lily, lavender, lilac, or sandalwood. Feel free to choose a scent that calls to you, even if it wasn't mentioned!

Most altars have various objects dedicated to the entity they were made for - things that remind you of the entity, depict images of the entity directly, or sacred symbols of the entity. These are called "offerings". Some stay on the altar permanently while others may not - it's entirely up to you what you choose to do with your offerings! When it comes to food offerings, I advise you not to keep them on the altar for too long, since they're often susceptible to perishing. Throw food offerings away or, if they're good for the environment, you can bury them outside. Some people also choose to burn perishable offerings, but I don't personally suggest it if you're not sure what can and can't be safely burned. In the next section below, I'll include a list of modern offerings you can give to Perseus. The list has suggestions; you aren't required to give any of the items mentioned if you don't want to!

Outside of altar worship, you can also do "devotional acts" - actions you do in honor of Perseus and with him in mind. In order to make an entity aware that I'm about to do a devotional act, I usually pray to them beforehand or declare aloud that I'm about to do something for them. Daily activities, that you would've done anyway, are also ok to dedicate to an entity; devotional acts don't have to be something you go super out of your way to do if you don't have time or energy for that. Involving entities in your daily activities is actually a great way of welcoming their presence directly into your life and can help with bonding. Two sections down is a list of devotional acts you're welcome to try. Just as the offerings I mention aren't required, neither are the devotional acts.

When in need of communicating with Perseus, I suggest utilizing divination, prayers, meditations, or journaling. There are other ways of communicating with entities, but these are the most common that I see. Regarding divination, there are near endless methods of divination you can try, from tarot cards to pendulums to a normal deck of playing cards. Although prayer is likely one of the most direct ways to communicate, divination typically allows you to have a back and forth conversation, to some extent, which is partially why so many people engage with it. If you're unfamiliar with any divination, I'd recommend trying whichever method calls you the most and practicing often to develop a skill with it. Divination can take a lot of practice, but that's not a bad thing; everyone starts somewhere! If you're unsure how to pray, the following link leads to some suggestions. If you can't meditate, no sweat; it's not required! Meditation can be useful for some when trying to connect with an entity's energy, but for others, it's not helpful at all, and that's ok. For journaling, you can simply write to Perseus as if you're writing in a diary or write him stylized letters. Maybe keep your journal on his altar as well!

At first, it may be difficult to determine when Perseus has responded to something you've prayed for or communicated about. A few ways an entity might make their answer known are through dreams, conversations/words you overhear, frequently spotting their sacred symbols (animals included), having a flash of a relevant image in your mind, strong gut feelings to do/say something specific, sensing another presence with you, and, of course, communicating through divination. There are many, many other ways an entity might express their answer to you, but these are a few I see fairly commonly within the Hellenic Polytheist and Pagan communities. If you struggle telling when you've received a sign versus when you're just overthinking it, this link can lend a helpful hand in being able to tell. I also personally use the rule of three: once is noticeable 🤔, twice is a coincidence 🤨, and thrice is a certainty 🧐.

-

·✩· What is Perseus Like in Worship (UPG)? ·✩·

This is SOLELY based on UPG and SPG that I've gathered through various means. Out of respect, I will not be @ing the individuals who provided this information, unless they ask me to do so. Be aware that no one can definitively speak for the gods, heroes, or any other entity; everyone's experience with them will vary, even in seemingly small ways. Do not expect your experience to mimic the following experiences exactly.

I decided to gather people's experiences with Perseus in worship to hopefully provide a better feel for what Perseus may be like. I'll be numbering the experiences I was told of because each situation was expressly unique enough that separating them will be useful. Each experience will begin with two adjectives outlining the main point of the experience, as some of these individuals intentionally worship specific aspects of Perseus. Although your experience may vary, here are some things you may encounter with him:

⚔️ Young and Rebellious. 💥 This person told me that they explicitly worship a younger aspect of Perseus, before he became a king. They described him as spirited, determined, and bold. He encouraged standing up for oneself and others, and dislikes figures of authority. The way he was described reminds me of a typical "rebellious teen" stereotype (this is not an insult, just something I found interesting, as my experience strongly differed). He seemed to have more of a hands-on approach to lessons and problems, but that wasn't discussed further.

🐎 Humble and Kind. 🧡 This person only interacted with Perseus through their partner, but every time they did, they described him as being very modest and respectful. Despite his later status as a king, he seemed to regard everyone as an equal and tended to be very patient as well. This person stated that their partner said Perseus still knew how and when to put his foot down and often tried to pass that lesson along, since assertiveness was a struggle for their partner. Perseus was described as being a gentle guide as well, preferring for their partner to come to their own conclusions but still assisting them along the journey.

🪽 Swift and Smart. 🛡️ This person described Perseus as being kind and respectful, but being blunt when it was needed. He fully embraced both cunning and wit, and encouraged this person to solve problems by thinking outside of the box. Rather than giving away solutions immediately, he would prefer to let this person think through a situation. He aided a lot with thinking on their feet as well as asserting themselves in subtle yet effective ways. Something that remained consistent with the last experience was his hands-off approach to solving problems, preferring the person to listen to themselves first and foremost.

✨ My Experience. ✨ I do not worship Perseus, but a few times throughout the creation of this post, I felt his energy nearby. In my experience, he was very quiet, patient, and respectful. He respected my boundaries and seemingly regarded me as an equal. His modesty was striking, but despite this, he was still well aware of his talents. He was extremely clever and intelligent, and in some ways, he reminded me of an owl who observes his surroundings fully before he acts. He still made a point to assert himself when needed, however, and would jump in the moment he felt it necessary. Interestingly, he had a very hands-off approach to this post. When he did help, it was much appreciated, though. He was very different from other heroes I've interacted with, and overall, I enjoyed his company. c:

✧ ⟨Offerings ⟩✧

The following is a list of offerings you can give to Perseus as a show of worship. They're simply suggestions; you don't have to use them if you don't want to!

Decorated chests/boxes (maybe even keep his altar in a chest)

A candle that reminds you of him

Frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, or any other incense that reminds you of him

Sword and shield imagery

Imagery of a pegasus or horse

Imagery of Medusa's head; imagery of the Aegis (Athena's shield that she affixes Medusa's head to)

Feathers (for his winged sandals)

Snake and sea serpent imagery; a stuffed animal snake or sea serpent

Ethically sourced snake skulls, especially sea snakes; ethically sourced snake shed

Imagery of a raging ocean; imagery of rain made of gold

Seashells

Fishnets/fishing gear

Ethically sourced fish bones/shark teeth

Breaking/broken chains imagery; broken handcuffs

Gifts from your mom or a mother figure in your life to you (it's ok if you don't have anything)

Jewelry that reminds you of him

Water-based gems/crystals

Art/depictions of him and his ventures

Imagery of spears (as an acknowledgement of Athena and her aid)

Imagery of winged sandals (as an acknowledgement of Hermes and his aid)

Encouraging affirmations about pushing through, defying expectations, and overcoming obstacles

Fountain imagery

A mask of Medusa's face

Eye and tooth imagery; ethically sourced animal teeth (you can use human teeth, but I personally wouldn't)

Family heirlooms passed down from maternal (or parental) figures

Lost trinkets found at the beach/lakeshore

Imagery of an ancient Greek helm/the helm of invisibility

Toys/items from your childhood that mean a lot to you

Mirrors/reflective surfaces

Replica sail boats/toy boats

Flowers, leaves, or herbs that remind you of him

White wine with a bit of honey

Warm herbal tea with honey

A glass of water (or salt/sea water)

Energizing drinks - coffee, certain teas, energy shakes, protein shakes, etc.

Energizing foods - nuts, trail mix, vegetables, oatmeal, eggs, bananas, etc.

Breads, pastries, grains with honey, natural honey, tasty candies, fresh fruits, fish, or something you made by hand for Perseus specifically

｡◉* Devotional Acts *◉ ｡

The following is a list of devotional activities you can do in honor of Perseus. These are just suggestions; you don't have to do them if you don't want to!

Learn how to swim; go swimming

Go sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding; engage in water-related activities

Play frisbee with friends or pets

Go fishing (legally, please)

Be kind to/encourage yourself when going through a difficult time

Make a list of things you've overcome; acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small they seem

Learn how to ride a horse; go horse-back riding

Stay hydrated; drink water

Try eating a healthy diet or meal if possible

Try exercising; do some movement throughout your day

Spend time with a maternal figure in your life or with a mother you know (for example, a friend or sibling who became a mom)

Be kind to children; spend time with the kids in your life

Watch a comforting movie/show from your childhood

Learn about self-defense; carry self-defense items (knives, pepper spray, etc.)

If you have a personal mirror, decorate it with things you love or positive self-affirmations

Create a playlist of songs that remind you of him; listen to the playlist whenever you want c:

Create a Pinterest board for him; save pins that remind you of him

Play strategy games, competitive or not

Learn how to wield a sword; swords are objectively cool

Visit any local fountains (not a drinking fountain, but the kind that people throw coins in)

Offer someone a helping hand; engage in random acts of kindness

Send your loved ones a kind message; maybe tell them you love them, wish them a good day, or encourage them

Stand up for others, especially if you witness a wrong done against them

Attend protests that stand against corrupt governments/politicians

Support children-focused, anti-domestic abuse, young/single mothers, or international relief organizations

Support ocean conservation efforts

Donate children's and hygiene supplies to homeless shelters; hygiene kits, toys, child socks/shoes, child clothes, baby food, diapers, etc.

Pick up trash around bodies of water

Sing/dance to songs the empower you, lift you up, or encourage you to keep moving forward

Make a list of things you're proud of; even getting out of bed can be a point of pride

Light a candle in his honor; burn incense in his honor

Plant/care for flowers or other plants that remind you of him

Create something for him - a painting, drawing, piece of digital art, wood carving, crochet project, song, short story, collage, etc.

Take a salt bath (with bath salts specifically!!!!)

Engage in a mental challenging/stimulating activities

•★ Conclusion ★•

To cover every piece of information about Perseus that exists would be a difficult task, and one that would likely take years of hard work. I hope this can at least be a starting point for any prospective worshippers and can offer a more condensed view of who exactly Perseus is. It can be challenging finding a place to start, but once you take your first step, you're already well on your way. I wish you, the reader, luck in your future ventures. May Perseus walk beside you, if you wish him to. Take care.

-

-

-

Sources:

Theoi.com's entry on Perseus

Tufts University sources on the Medusa myth

History Cooperative's informed article on Perseus

Cults and Rites in Ancient Greece by Michael H. Jameson

Gods and Heroes - Perseus by Daniel Ogden

UPG was gathered from unnamed individuals, as well as my own very brief experiences with Perseus

[chizoies]

Princess Luna and Celestia! I headcanon them as Ethiopian/Neotic people! For their wearings, I’ve got my inspirations from Central Africa and Northern European Kingdoms!

[eatmeandbirthmeagain]

⏝̅⏝̅⏝̅ ୨ ♱ ୧ ⏝̅⏝̅⏝̅

《 Welcome to the blog 》

Basic info about me

◇ I am Catholic (will not be answering questions on this)

◇ I have Schizophrenia, OCD and Chronic Insomnia

◇ Main account is @the-smiling-grinner !

◇ Mediocre artist

◇ Hannibal and KOH obsession

◇ I also write poetry

◇ Daily KOH fics!!!

◇ WILL NOT WRITE: Incest, pedophilia, smut.

Fics

◇ Will write fics, oneshots and headcannons for Kingdom of Heaven

♡ = Fluff

♧ = Angst

◇ = Long Fics

☆ = Headcanons

♤ = Crack Fics

◇ Fic requests: Open

DNI

◇ Irls (unless specific premission)

◇ Anti-Christians

Masterlist under the cut

Masterlist

● Kingdom Of Heaven: Baldwin x Reader ●

Fluff

◇ Stay ♡

◇ Sunset ♡

◇ Once Upon A Dream ♡

◇ Aranged Marriage ♡

◇ A Ripple In Time ♡

◇ My Lucky Charm ♡

◇ Until His Last Breath ♡

◇ Your Touch ♡

◇ Queen Of The Animals ♡

◇ Late Night Adoration ♡

◇ For You, My Love ♡

◇ The Fireflies ♡

◇ All For You ♡

◇ New Family ♡

◇ The Lullaby Of An Aching Heart ♡

◇ Sweet Surprise ♡

◇ Just For You ♡

◇ Morning Bliss ♡

◇ Heaven In Your Voice ♡

◇ Voice Of An Angel ♡

◇ Precious Girl ♡

◇ Nothing To Fear ♡

◇ Just The Two Of Us ♡

◇ Courtship On The Court ♡

◇ Hold Me ♡

◇ Beautiful Boy ♡

◇ Soothing ♡

◇ Gift From God ♡

◇ Checkmate! ♡

◇ Sweet Girl ♡

Long Fics

◇ Lady In Armour: Part 1 ◇

◇ Lady In Armour: Part 2 ◇

◇ Secret Admirer: Part 1 ◇

◇ Secret Admirer: Part 2 ◇

Angst

◇ "Princess" ♧

◇ The Chosen One ♧

◇ Mine Only ♧

◇ All Is Well ♧

◇ I've Got You ♧

◇ Let Me Be Your's ♧

◇ Perhaps In Another Life ♧

◇ Star Boy ♧

◇ Please Let Me Get What I Want ♧

◇ My Eyes Alone ♧

◇ Take Me, All Of Me ♧

◇ Beautiful As You Are ♧

Headcanons

◇ Cuddling ☆

◇ Pregnancy And Birth ☆

◇ Arguments ☆

◇ Hugs ☆

◇ Reader Who Cuts Their Hair ☆

◇ SFW Alphabet - Ethiopian Gentile Reader ☆

◇ Reader With "Cinnamon Roll But Can Kill You" Energy ☆

◇ Being Teased By Reader ☆

Crack Fic

◇ Those Darn Birds ♤

◇ All In Good Fun ♤

● Kingdom Of Heaven: Salahuddin x Reader ●

Headcanons

◇ Romance ☆

◇ Outgoing Reader ☆

◇ Reader With "Cinnamon Roll But Can Kill You" Energy ☆

Fluff

◇ My Comfort ♡

● Kingdom Of Heaven: General Fics ●

Crack Fic

◇ After Party ♤

Headcanons

◇ Baldwin And Rebel Son ☆

Angst

◇ Old Friend ♧

Fluff

◇ Mallets And Hooves ♡

[deadassdiaspore]

Ethiopian Princess from the Article on Congress.

[depressedbagpipe]

Ka-Chaow (Charles Leclerc x female!reader)

Chapter two

Words: 3902 Warnings: google-translated italian, more mentions of alcohol, poor writing, me not knowing how the ferrari factory works A/N: alright so this has been long overdue so i apologize for that. also, i haven't been to maranello so everything i mention is basically from google maps. everything about the publishing industry i got from a random blog so just to be safe, don't trust anything i say about it ♥️ A/N (II): italics are phone calls, bold and italics are messages, just bold is the location, and (parenthesis) the translation for the Italian ;) Taglist: @heavengirls111, @roseamongthorns13, @mishaandthebrits, @charlesswife, @silscintilla

Series Masterlist Previous chapter <> Next chapter

Chapter two

Maranello, December 2nd, 2022

‘Wait, wait, wait, so then you’re attending the races?’

‘Yep.’

‘And you’re getting double passes if you ask for them?’

‘Affirmative.’

‘And you know you’re my favorite daughter?’

‘I’m your only daughter.’

‘Still.’

‘I’ll take you to Monaco.’

‘Dio, ti amo.’ (God, I love you)

‘Of course, you do,’ I giggled at my dad.

‘And how’s the trip so far?’

‘It’s… fine, I guess,’ I cringed, looking out the window.

The only sight I could catch from my balcony was the Ferrari factory in the distance, and the hotel’s parking lot on the other side. The views I had caught from the car ride from Bologna’s airport had been beautiful, but we hadn’t had any time to stop to look around.

‘Just fine?’ my dad wondered.

‘It’s not a holiday, papà, I’m technically working,’ I said with a sigh. 

I walked back and dropped on my bed, staring at the fancy ceiling of my hotel room. Although the flight to Bologna had been short, the lunch with Maurizio Arrivabene had been exhausting. Too many bottles of wine and too little discussion about the job, besides the promise of all the paddock access we wanted, as well as the finest wine bottles per Mr. Williamson’s request.

‘Still, you’re going to the track tomorrow, right?’ my dad asked again.

I moved my phone to my other ear, gently rubbing the sore nub after almost an hour of my dad’s nonstop gushing.

‘Yeah.’

‘What time?’

‘We get there at 11 am, I think. I don’t know if the tour will be before or after the meeting with the execs, though,’ I bit my lip, checking the time on my wristwatch.

‘Mio dio, everything is so early here compared to home,’ my dad groaned, and I couldn’t help but laugh at his antics. (My God)

‘Well, not my fault you moved to London for love,’ I answered back.

‘Now you have to move to Italy in return so that we can complete the circle.’

‘Dad!’ I laughed loudly, despite my hand covering my mouth. It was a bit early in the evening, but I knew several guests at the hotel would not appreciate my yelling. ‘Alright, I’ll take you up on that.’

‘You better, chicken pie.’

‘Anyways, I think I’m gonna go. I’m actually exhausted.’

‘Too many emotions today?’

‘Yeah, and I gotta be up early for tomorrow.’

‘Wasn’t the meeting at 11 am?’

I frowned. ‘Yeah. But I still need to finish editing a couple of manuscripts. Do you happen to know anything about the types and uses of the cross symbol in Ethiopian religion?’

My dad took a couple of seconds to answer. ‘... No?’

‘Yeah, me either. Gotta learn a bunch of stuff for tomorrow.’

‘Well, call me when you know something.’

‘Will do,’ I laughed softly. ‘Buona notte, papà. Ti amo.’ (Goodnight, Dad, I love you.)

‘Ti amo di più, Principessa,’ with that, our conversation ended. (I love you more, princess.)

I stayed sprawled on my bed after throwing my phone on the comforter, closing my eyes for a few seconds. I knew I still had to unpack some clothes for tomorrow, recharge my laptop and work on the manuscripts, order dinner, make sure Mr. Williamson got the entire schedule right for the rest of the trip, eat dinner, and get a decent amount of sleep for the following day’s events. Despite my nerves, exhaustion was getting the best of me, and as soon as I felt myself drifting off, I willed my eyelids to open and my legs to move, standing up with a groan at my tired muscles. 

A couple of hours later I was already in bed, my fingers expertly typing away while my eyes begged me to finally close them and sleep. My laptop felt hot on my legs even over the sheets, but I couldn’t stop. Deadlines were approaching, and even though I willingly signed up for the trip, I still found the huge workload that still needed to be done frankly overwhelming, especially since I was working double during Mr. Williamson’s secret and unauthorized gap year. With a sigh, I kept typing until my eyes closed on their own accord. 

I didn’t even know at what time I fell asleep. It only felt like a few minutes until my phone was blasting the alarm as loud as possible. I carelessly reached for it with my eyes closed, hoping my fingers would find it early enough to turn the horrible sound off, but I only managed to slightly push the laptop away. Opening my eyes in a panic, I sighed in relief when I found no crack on the screen, the object still on my bed and not broken on the floor, but the alarm kept going, and not only that, but the hotel phone on my bedside table was also now ringing loudly.

Despite feeling like crying at that very moment, for not only was I not a morning person, but the extreme trauma of waking up mixed with the incessant noise coming from both sides of my bed was enough to almost send me into cardiac arrest. Grabbing my phone and quickly pressing the orange alert, I answered the call.

‘Hello?’ I asked, a yawn escaping my lips as I waited for the answer.

‘Good morning, Miss, this is Francesco speaking, from the front desk. Yesterday you asked us to please wake you up at 7 am,’ the worker spoke in perfect English.

I frowned, not remembering at all having done that, but then again, I didn’t remember most of the evening once I tried to recall how I fell asleep.

‘Oh, grazie, Francesco,’ I replied with another yawn. (Thank you.)

‘Would you like to have your complimentary breakfast sent to your room?’

I paused, enjoying the sound of that. ‘Sure, why not. What were the options, then?’

And that’s how I found myself having breakfast on the balcony, overlooking the blue horizon thanks to the lack of tall buildings around the hotel. I certainly missed the sky back in my London apartment, and it almost felt weird to have the sun shining so brightly on me so late in the year, but nonetheless, it brought some color to my cheeks as I feasted on the delicious biscuits I was offered. I allowed myself to calm down and enjoy the food, forgetting about my job and the likely still sleeping Mr. Williamson on the other side of the wall. As I waited for the breakfast to be brought, I had already taken a shower and gotten ready for the day and was simply enjoying the rather quiet life that the hotel’s location could offer. I did miss the people and the nightlife, but I already got a lot of it in London. 

Taking slow sips of my coffee, I finally got my phone out. I took a couple of pictures to send my mom, knowing she would be calling me in no time to check up on me and make sure I hadn’t caught a bug while I slept. Switching to Instagram, Alec’s face was the first thing that showed up. He had posted a video singing a new song, but I couldn’t will myself to listen to it just yet. His music was what brought us together in the first place, and for weeks I hadn’t been able to listen to his voice again. It was just too painful. 

‘Did you listen to his new song?’ I quickly texted Angela.

‘You won’t like it, though,’ she quickly responded.

I bit my lip. ‘Is it about me?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Is it bad?’ my fingers trembled slightly as I typed, suddenly feeling nervous.

‘I mean, it’s not good.’

‘You’re so helpful,’ I groaned, shivering slightly all of a sudden. 

A cloud had passed directly over the sun, taking the warmth with it. I stood up and walked back inside.

‘Text me when you listen to it. But wait until you’re back in London.’

‘Why?’

‘Don’t let it ruin your trip.’

‘Alright,’ I sighed and ended the conversation.

I shook my arms slightly, trying to find some physical way to let go of those thoughts, and swiftly got my laptop and sat down on the small desk by the window, and typed away my anxiety. 

I wasn’t a big fan of editing manuscripts, especially those about subjects I completely abhorred, but in the grand scheme of things, it somehow helped to leave my mind completely blank, making the time pass by even faster.

Before I knew it, it was 9:45 am. Another alarm went off, and with a final sigh, I saved my progress, put on some shoes, and left my room, only to go to the next door and promptly open the door with Mr. Williamson’s extra card. 

The sight did not surprise me in the slightest. He was still fast asleep on his bed, with the covers half-dangling from the sides and the mini bar half-empty. The room was completely dark save for the light coming from the open door.

I had to take a big deep breath before closing the door behind me and walking decisively towards the blinds, opening them wide, as well as his own balcony’s door, not even caring that the cold and wind could potentially make him sick. I was beyond the point of caring about his health when he clearly didn’t care about his.

‘Rise and shine, Stephen,’ I clapped loudly.

Mr. Williamson woke up with a start, groaning loudly.

‘It’s too early,’ he mumbled, flipping on the bed and pulling the covers over his head.

‘Hell, no,’ I said, grabbing the sheets and pulling them off from his body completely. ‘You’ve got an hour before the car arrives, so chop chop!’ I said as I opened his suitcase and started taking his belongings out, looking for some decent clothes. 

The night before coming to Italy, I had forced him to send me a picture of his luggage, knowing that, if it were up to him, he would show up in Crocs and Bermudas. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had a meeting with him dressed like that.

Thankfully, Mr. Williamson listened to me and sat down in bed, still half-asleep, but at least I could work with that. I threw him his toilet bag.

‘Take a shower, God, you stink,’ I complained, grabbing him from one of his arms and pulling him up. 

I slightly pushed him in the direction of the bathroom, and he followed without another word. 

‘If you don’t come out in ten minutes, I’m getting in. And I’ll bring my phone!’ I warned him, hoping the warning would be enough for me not to see him naked. 

‘Jesus, you sound like my wife,’ he mumbled just before closing the door behind him. 

I looked around his room, and opted for taking the remaining alcohol from the mini bar with me, just to be safe. Even though the bottles were tiny, I didn’t trust my boss to somehow get wasted. I wasn’t about to risk my job and my career, especially in a foreign country. Out of habit, I checked my emails again, hoping to see Rosanna’s name somewhere with a publishing vacancy, but as usual, no new emails had been sent since that morning. 

My feet moved by themselves across Mr. Williamson’s room, putting his clothes on the bed, and even going as far as to call some room service for him. I was hoping the sleep and the shower would sober him up because I was anxious as hell about the meeting.

Not only was I a huge sports car fan, but the fact that we had been invited by Piero Ferrari himself to visit the factory, which I could now see from my room, and talk to all those developers who worked there with the same passion my father and I had, was completely mind-blowing. And I didn’t want anything to screw it up.

—

‘So that’s our proposal. Ink’n’Paper and Scuderia Ferrari, together, writing about the history and fame of our car. And we want you, Stephen, to write it,’ Benedetto Vigna finished his speech with a looming voice, staring directly at my boss with a light smirk.

Ferrari’s own CEO had welcomed us into the factory, walking us through the many impressive facilities, and showing us every detail of the place. To say I was awestruck would be an understatement. The museum was absolutely incredible, and the curators had even allowed me to take dozens of videos to send to my dad, which I knew was probably screaming and crying at the sight of them. 

The meeting had started an hour later under the pretext of getting down to business as soon as possible and with the promise of trying the Driving Simulator after lunch.

‘Well, certainly, I can’t say that I didn’t see this coming,’ Mr. Williamson replied, taking his glasses off. ‘And how were you thinking about doing this, Benedetto?’

‘We had a couple of ideas in mind, but I think it’ll be easier right now if you stay in Monaco with the team.’

‘Monaco?’ I blurted. ‘Sorry,’ I apologized in embarrassment, but thankfully Mr. Vigna didn’t seem to care.

‘It’s alright. No, we’re opening a new office in Monaco for the new season, and given that it’s certainly closer to Maranello than London, we think that the writing would be faster.’

‘What deadlines are we talking about here, then?’ Mr. Williamson asked.

Not an ounce of alcohol was in his system, at least that I knew of, and he was magically back to being the professional editor I had known him to be what felt like an eternity ago.

Mr. Vigna looked at his colleagues, all of them nodding amongst themselves. ‘Hopefully, we could have it by the winter break. You know, from a marketing point of view, every Ferrari fan out there would be definitely getting it for Christmas.’

Mr. Williamson took a sip of his espresso, carefully considering his options. Then, he looked at me. ‘What do you think?’

I widened my eyes. ‘Me?’

He nodded. ‘Yeah, you. You also work here, I want to know what you think.’

Any thought left my mind as soon as he said those words. Despite being used to taking over his meetings due to his many inebriated states, I was feeling rather intimidated by the situation. And, unlike Mr. Williamson, I had never published anything before.

‘Well, uh, technically December is a bit of a dead zone in the publishing industry.’

I spoke with a low voice, feeling anxious about debunking Mr. Vigna’s theory.

‘Is that so?’ he asked, but his tone was more curious than annoyed. 

That only encouraged me further. ‘Yeah. It’s usually September when we get all the workload. December kinds of get those less-interesting manuscripts from the bottom of the submissions box, and many workers just leave on vacation. We usually just… publish more volumes of the already best-selling ones, because those are the ones that get sold. The marketing would have to be insane if we want this book to make figures on Christmas.’

My comment was met with utter silence. I stared at all the people in the room, silently hoping for someone to talk because the embarrassment was already too high.

Mr. Williamson gratefully came to my aid, as weird as it sounded.

‘She’s right,’ he said, taking one final sip. ‘Either we push the deadline forward to September, or we spend a couple of millions on the marketing.’

Mr. Vigna seemed to consider our words after that. ‘Right, I certainly didn’t know that. Won’t September be too much of a short time for you?’ he looked back at Mr. Williamson, who quickly shook his head.

‘I don’t see why it’d be a problem. As long as we start as early as possible and are provided with all the materials we need…’ he looked up in deep thought.

‘And what do you need?’ one of the women at the other end of the desk spoke, pen already in hand, waiting to write anything down.

‘Certainly, we need access to any source of information about Ferrari. Whether is it the cars, the history, even the drivers, literally anything with the word “Ferrari” in it,’ he spoke. ‘Now, I got a tight schedule when writing biographies, and I need at least two months just to do the research. After that, the writing comes smoothly.’

‘Don’t forget the editing…’ I whispered loud enough for him to hear.

He waved me off. ‘It will take some time, though. You know I’m not that much of a Formula 1 enthusiast. I much rather prefer cricket,’ he said, standing up from his chair and buttoning his shirt.

With his clean suit and combed hair, he looked unrecognizable from the man I had found in his bed that morning. He looked put-together for the first time in months, and it brought me back to the first meetings of my internship, where everything he did was graceful and calculated. I felt oddly safe for the first time in months, knowing that, no matter how the meeting went, I had Mr. Williamson to guide us through the rubble and exit the building with an even straighter back and untouched dignity. I so wished every day at work felt the same.

‘But my assistant over here is, in fact, a remarkable connoisseur of the sport. What did you call it? Tifosi?’ he quickly looked at me, looking for confirmation. ‘She’s half Italian, in fact. I might have to delegate some of the work to her.’

I widened my eyes even more, his words leaving a huge pit in my stomach. My head felt suddenly numb, and my pulse increased as I recited his intentions.

‘In that case, Stephen, if you trust her to do the job, so do we. Obviously, if she agrees.’

I felt more eyes on me, and I gulped. I nodded slowly. ‘Yeah, I do.’

Benedetto Vigna smiled and brought his palms together. ‘Great! I’m sure you’ll be fine in Monaco,’ he stood up from his chair, signaling everybody to do the same. 

Mr. Williamson offered me his arm, given I was still in shock at Mr. Vigna’s words. Everybody started filing out.

‘Wait, what?’ I asked no one in particular.

‘I guess you’re going to Monaco,’ Mr. Williamson said as he lightly pushed me out of the room, pretty much in the same way I had done that morning to get him in the shower.

‘But… what about work?’

He frowned at me. ‘This is work.’

I didn’t have time to reply, for Mr. Vigna’s loud voice reverberated around the hall.

‘Now, I believed I promised you lunch and a Fiorano tour. Oh, and the Driving Simulator, too.’

—

Despite being a huge Formula 1 fan, I had never been to a race track. The only person I really wanted to attend a race with was my dad, and he was always a bit too busy, and the tickets were always a bit too expensive. Not coming from a large income family had definitely shut a few dreams down, hence why I had immediately started crying at the sight of the Fiorano track, where Ferrari tested their cars. Even though it was empty, the sheer sight of the huge lane was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Thankfully, the sun was shining down on us, and my eyes were hidden by my sunglasses, but I knew my face would soon become a bit too red for other people to notice.

Lunch had been fine, yet I was still thinking about Mr. Vigna’s words. Not only was I part of the project, but I had also been tasked with recollecting all information about the red Scuderia and its cars and history, all of it while I lived by myself in Monaco. I was dreading the conversation with my parents, knowing my mom would definitely not approve, as well as the high chances of me getting homesick as soon as I arrived at the small principality. 

But then again, maybe getting some time away from my life in London would do me good. Away from work, and Mr. Williamson, and Alec. I didn’t want to be the type of person that fled the country when they broke up with their partner, but I also knew that distance was my biggest ally at the time. I wasn’t completely sure how Mr. Williamson was gonna manage on his own while I lived elsewhere, but the thought of a quiet life for a few months in the quaint country was becoming more appealing by the second. 

I completely tuned out Mr. Vigna’s speech about the dimensions and characteristics of the track (not that I needed them, my father had made sure from a young age that I knew my blood was Ferrari red and Tifosi my middle name, although it certainly never was and it got us a very weird meeting with my elementary school headmaster after having written Tifosi as my middle name on several exams). If I had been paying more attention, I certainly would’ve noticed two familiar figures dressed in red polos walking toward us.

‘Charles! Carlos! Che bello che sei venuto!’ Mr. Vigna signaled the two men forward, and they quickly introduced themselves. (How nice that you came!)

‘¡Hola! Sono Carlos,’ Carlos Sainz Jr. extended his hand towards Mr. Williamson. (Hi! I’m Carlos.)

‘Nice to meet you,’ replied my boss, shaking his hand.

‘Hi,’ I smiled at him, trying to contain the excitement.

‘Hello,’ he gave me two kisses on both cheeks, and I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped my lips. 

‘Sorry, I’m a big fan,’ my face felt even warmer, but I still didn’t take my sunglasses off, the big black crystals at least hiding part of my cheeks.

Carlos laughed. ‘It’s alright, usually everyone that comes to Fiorano is,’ he winked, and moved aside.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t have favorites. I would also be lying if I said Charles Leclerc wasn’t one of them.

The slightly taller man stood right in front of me, smiling brightly. His head blocked the sun, allowing me to look at him in more detail as the rays fell around him, giving him an even bigger heavenly glow.

‘Ciao, I’m Charles,’ he too pressed two soft kisses on my cheeks, and I swear my heart stopped for a second when he came closer. (Hi.)

I took off my glasses and quickly introduced myself, hoping I didn’t sound like a lunatic gushing over her biggest celebrity crush standing right in front of her.

‘Ragazzi, l'intervistatore vi sta aspettando,’ a shorter woman came up behind the two drivers with a stressed look on her face. (Guys, the interviewer’s waiting for you.)

I frowned slightly, having the meeting cut short, but in hindsight, my heart was beating loudly in my ribcage out of nerves, and I didn’t want to make an even bigger fool of myself by standing there completely starstruck. 

They sadly left our group with a warm goodbye, and the rest of the day passed in a blur. 

Next thing I knew, I was on my bed, staring at the ceiling, failing to fall asleep due to the image of a pair of green eyes glistening in the sun embedded in my mind.

Next chapter

General taglist: @angiewhoohooo, @azaleaniath, @mishaandthebrits, @celestialcharles

[thelonelylemonsquare]

The Ethiopian princess Andromeda from ancient mythology and her husband Perseus

[namesforwriters]

Music Inspired Names (fem)

Aida ~ Arabic, Italian, meaning "reward," "happy."

Aida is the name of a famous, tragic opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi. Set in Ancient Egypt, Aida is an Ethiopian princess who is captured and enslaved by the Egyptians. She and Radamès, an Egyptian military captain, fall in love. pronunciation: ay-ee-da, aid-ah

Allegra ~ Italian, meaning "cheerful," "lively," "playful."

Derived from the musical term "allegro" indicating the tempo, or speed, at which a piece should be played. Allegro usually indicates a lively and fast tempo. pronunciation: ah-leg-grah

Aria ~ Italian, meaning "air."

An aria is a piece of music written for a single voice or singer. Arias are most commonly associated with opera productions and refer to both male and female solos. Arias are usually part of a larger work and can be accompanied by instruments or sung without. pronunciation: ah-ree-ah

Bell ~ Old English, meaning "to roar," "to make loud noise."

Most know this word as the name of an instrument. A bell is used in both music and in other parts of life. Bells are commonly used in Christian churches to signal the beginning of service, and bells are also known to come in many shapes, sizes, and tones. pronunciation: bell

Cadence ~ Latin, meaning "a falling."

The term "cadence" is used, in Western music theory, to describe the end of a musical phrase in which a melody or harmony comes to a resolution. It always feels like closure, like a conclusion. pronunciation: kay-dence

Calliope ~ Greek, meaning "beautiful-voiced."

Calliope, in Greek mythology, is one of the nine Muses; goddesses of the arts and music. Calliope was the leader of the Muses and ruled over epic poetry. pronunciation: cah-lie-ah-pee

Carmen ~ Spanish, Latin, meaning "garden," "song."

Carmen is a French opera composed by Georges Bizet. Set in Spain, the story tells of a soldier, Don José, who abandons his post and sweetheart for the fearless, free-spirited, fiery, Romani girl Carmen. pronunciation: car-men

Carol ~ French, English, meaning "circle dance," "joyful song."

A carol is a type of song that is usually festive and sometimes religious in nature. Originally, many carols were upbeat and easy to dance to. pronunciation: care-ol

Cecilia ~ Latin, meaning "blind," also spelled as "Caecilia."

Cecilia is the Catholic patron saint of music. It is supposed that Cecilia was a Roman noble lady who was forced to marry despite her vow of virginity. At the wedding, Cecilia sang to God in her heart, and later, her husband Valerian promised to respect Cecilia's vow. Both she and her husband experienced Catholic martyrdom. pronunciation: seh-see-lee-ah, kae-kil-ee-ah

Celeste ~ French, meaning "heavenly."

Sometimes called a "celesta," a celeste is a musical instrument similar to a glockenspiel and resembling an upright piano. More tinkling, soft, and bell-like in sound and tone than a piano, the most famous music piece using a celeste is Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy." pronunciation: seh-lest

Chantelle ~ French, meaning "singer."

Derived from the French verb "chanter," meaning "to sing," Chantelle is a wonderful name with a musical meaning. It can also be spelled as Chantel, and Chantal. pronunciation: shawn-tell

Clio ~ Greek, meaning "to recount," "to celebrate."

Clio, in Greek mythology, is one of the Nine muses; goddesses of the arts and music. Clio is mainly the muse of history, but is also occasionally considered the muse of lyre playing. pronunciation: clee-oh, cl-eye-oh

Demi ~ Italian, meaning "half."

In music, "demi" is rarely used on its own. In music theory, demi can sometimes be used to describe half of something. A demi-cadence (a half resolution), or a demisemiquaver note (half of a sixteenth note, so a thirty-second note). pronunciation: deh-mee

Giselle ~ French, meaning "pledge."

Giselle is the name of a popular ballet. It is considered a masterwork in classical ballet, and is not only one of the most-performed, but most challenging productions in the world of ballet. It tells the tragic, romantic story of young Giselle and a disguised noble, Albrecht. pronunciation: jih-zelle

Harmony ~ Greek, meaning "concord," "agreement," "joint."

Harmony is a huge concept and part of Western music, largely relating to the layering of complimentary notes and passages on top of a melody to create chords, textures, tonalities, and unique sounds in music. Harmonies can be both simple and complex. Sometimes the term "harmony" is used to refer to an ensemble line that is not the melody. pronunciation: har-mon-ee

Hilde ~ German, meaning "ready for battle," "battle woman."

Derived from Hildegard, Hildegard von Bingen was a composer, writer, philosopher, visionary, and medical writer from Germany in the Middle Ages. She is one of the best-known composers of sacred Christian music in the world and one of the best-recorded as well. pronunciation: hill-dah, hill-deh-gard

Kassia ~ Greek, Latin, meaning "hollow."

Sometimes seen as Cassia or Kassiani, Kassia was a Byzantine-Greek composer and poet who lived over 1,200 years ago. She is unique for being the sole female composer to exist in Byzantine liturgy with over 50 hymns and over 260 verses attributed to her. pronunciation: kah-see-ah

Lauda ~ Italian, meaning "praise."

A lauda was the singular most important form of sacred music in the late Medieval to Renaissance times in Italy. The lauda is largely considered the precurser to the modern Christmas carol. Laude are characterized by their simple melodies sung in the vernacular, which at the time, was Latin. pronunciation: lau-dah, lah-dah

Lyra ~ Greek, meaning "lyre."

Derived from "Lyre," Lyra is a feminine name related to the Ancient Greek stringed instrument. Lyres were usually played as accompaniment to epic poetry and story telling. The Ancient Greeks tended to strum the stings like a guitar, but other cultures plucked the strings like a harp. pronunciation: lie-ra

Madrigal ~ Latin, meaning "song for unaccompanied voices."

This term has a couple meanings when it comes to music. The earlier type of madrigal was a Medieval, Italian music form composed for two voices. Later, during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, madrigals were secular compositions written for two to eight voices with no instrumental accompaniment. pronunciation: mad-rih-gahl

Melody ~ Greek, meaning "singing," "chanting."

The term melody can describe the main tune of rhythms and pitches that make a song or piece. The foreground of a piece of music, the melody is arguably the most important element of composition. pronunciation: mel-oh-dee

Meret ~ Egyptian, meaning "she who is beloved."

In Ancient Egyptian mythology, Meret is the goddess of music, dancing, singing, and joy. She helps maintain cosmic order through music. She is usually seen with a blue lotus flower or papyrus reed. pronunciation: mehr-eht, mehr-iht

Musette ~ French, meaning "little bagpipe."

Derived from both "Muse," the name for the nine Ancient Greek goddess of music, literature, sciences, and the arts, as well as a type of French bagpipe, Musette is a great music-inspired name. pronunciation: moo-zette, myoo-zette

Octavia ~ Latin, meaning "eighth."

Octavia is a name taken from the Latin octave, meaning "eight." In music, an octave is a range of typically eight notes. The first and eighth note are always the same, with one higher than the other in pitch. pronunciation: oct-ehve

Scheherazade ~ Persian, meaning "exalted one," "noble lineage."

Known best as as the storyteller from the narrative A Thousand and One Nights, Scheherazade is also the name of an orchestral work composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, which is acclaimed to have one of the most beautiful violin solos ever written. Scheherezade is not only a beautiful name, but also has nickname potential. pronunciation: sheh-hair-eh-zahd-eh, sheh-hair-eh-zahd-ee, sheh-hair-eh-zahd

Sirena ~ Greek, meaning "enchanter."

In Ancient Greek mythology, sirens were humanlike beings who often took on the appearances of beautiful women. They lived in the seas, singing in alluring voices, and luring men to their deaths. In modern tales, sirens and mermaids are sometimes described as the same creature. Sirena is derived from "siren." pronunciation: sir-een-ah

Symphonia ~ Greek, meaning "agreement."

"Symphonia" was sometimes used to describe various instruments, including bagpipes, drums, and a hurdy-gurdy. In more common knowledge, a "symphony" is an extended musical composition from Western classical music. Some of the most famous symphonies are Beethoven's Fifth, Mozart's 40th, and Dvořák's Ninth. pronunciation: sim-phone-ee-ah

Thalia ~ Greek, meaning "the joyous," "the flourishing."

Thalia, in Greek mythology, is one of the Nine muses; goddesses of the arts and music. Thalia is the muse of comedy, or, stories that have happy endings. She's sometimes portrayed with a horn or trumpet in hand. pronunciation: t-ah-lia, th-al-ia

Viola ~ Latin, Italian, meaning "violet," "of the arm."

The viola is a musical instrument slightly bigger than and lower in pitch than a violin. A traditional string quartet usually has two violins, a viola, and a cello. Overshadowed by the violin, violas are nevertheless beautiful instruments. pronunciation: vie-oh-la, vee-oh-la

These name lists are intended to help writers and artists. There is no expectation of credit, and these lists aren't meant to be the end-all be-all lists of possible names. There are millions out there, and this is just for fun!

If you have a suggestion for a name list, or want to see something specific, feel free to submit a request!

And if you see something that is wrong (a pronunciation, a meaning, an origin), again, feel free to let me know!

[autisticexpression2]

Weird conservative people who bitch about forced diversity and white genocide every time they see a black person in a period piece are so funny. They have no idea how diverse the western classics actually are. Take the damsel in distress trope, for example. We all have this image of a swooning lily white maiden being rescued by a noble knight in shining armour. Except that's bullshit. Andromeda, the trope-maker, was an Ethiopian princess. Her medieval clone Angelica was a Chinese princess rescued by a Muslim knight. Even Saint George's damsel was eventually placed in Libya. The writers of our myths had no interest in puffing up "The West" or "whiteness" because those concepts hadn't been invented yet, and stories of exotic foreign princesses in faraway lands were much more fascinating to the average peasant than Sir Toby of Essex rescuing the Duchess of York from the Loch Ness monster or whatever.

[kaiyastarz]

Ethiopian warrior princess