#flowery language in her case works better when it’s spread out

[ok-ak]

.

[twi-sight2020]

Bella got ran over by a Reindeer

Ok, not a reindeer, but Bella almost get hit by a car and...honestly from here on out shit starts getting pretty damn good. The first couple of chapters kinda drag a bit, but they gave a decent set up. Now though, NOW we start getting the cool stuff.  Of course, first we get Bella talking about how much she hates snow....which to a snow bunny like me is the ultimate no-no. I love snow, I used to live for sledding and building snow men and women and then having snow cream and...yea, I love snow. Of course, considering Bella almost trips on her way to her vehicle, I can see that snow is basically a health hazard for her. Still, SNOW IS AWESOME. It is nice to see Bella acknowledging that boys here act different towards her than they do at home, because-really- if she had gotten this amount of male attention back in Phoenix, I really would doubt her “plainness. But her observation that it could be her novelty makes sense, especially coupled with -as Bella also talks about- the fact the kids in her old school saw her through all her awkward preteen years.  It’s also interesting to note that she isn’t a fan of the male attention. Which, again makes a certain type of sense. If you go from being the slightly geeky type no one pays attention to, to having a lot of people hanging on your every word well....while that might be the teen fantasy, the reality can be a lot to handle. And I kinda like that being shown. Just because you want to be liked and even desired, it doesn’t mean introversion vanishes overnight. Also, like this isn’t a huge thing, but OMFG, Charlie getting up early to put the snow chains on her truck and the “I wasn’t used to being taken care of.”  Like, I’m not gonna lie, it touched me...and it really hit me that this girl has spent her whole life making accommodations for her mother and what was best for her and...suddenly some of her more rash and even selfish behaviors in later books...really make sense. But that’s later and getting into spoiler territory, Then, very quickly, we have Bella nearly becoming roadkill. Not a lot to dissect except Bella noticing Edward starting at her in horror which, probably not what i would have been focusing on, but then again, in a moment of terror, maybe seeking out something familiar is how she handles it? Also, Edward saving her and her hearing a “Low oath” like bless, we can’t even say he cursed. I know it’s supposed to go with her more flowery language but...it made me laugh at what, is actually, a serious moment. Now, i love that Edward is very worried, for a few seconds, but once she realizes Bella is still alive, Edward is literally suppressing laughter that she says “ow” after he told her to be careful as she hit her head. God, he’s a little shit, and I love it.Like, Sometimes Robert Pattinson gets the smirks right in film but ...damn, he just did not get all the nuances of Edward. Bella, Ah, Bella, arguing with Edward about how he was on the other side of the parking lot  instead of beside her as he said. Now me, I’d be such a mess I don’t think I would have my wits about me to argue with him, but kudos to her. I love the fact that, despite being through a nerve-racking moment, doesn’t doubt herself. Bella knows what she saw, and no mansplaing from Eddie boy is gonna change that. Of course, he eventually gets pissy at her and-in the best of petty revenge- he tells them that she had hit her head and probably had a concussion so she has to wear a neck brace and be loaded in a stretcher while he gets to ride up front in the ambulance. What a little ass. I laughed. Hospital is a bit uneventful, Bella is fine, but the driver-Tyler- is a wreck and apologies so much Bella pretends to be asleep to ignore him until Edward shows up, with Carlise in tow. And Oh, my my my, Doctor Cullen, would I love to be his patient. (I have a thing for pale blond boys, OK? Blame Draco and Spike )  Edward once again laughs when Bella tries to brush of her pain, and I love that she tosses some glares back at him. Despite what some people think, she isn’t a doormat. Dr. McVampire tells Bella to go home while Edward smugly talks about how he is going back to school to “spread the good news we survived.” He’s honestly the most sarcastic creature on earth sometimes and I adore it.  As soon as Carlise goes to check on Tyler, Bella tries to talk to Edwards who is all clenched teeth and strutting off and “I saved your life, I don’t ow you anything” followed by attempting to gaslight her by talking about how she ht her head and doesn’t know what happened. I know he’s trying to keep his secret and family safe but, jeez Edward, you’d think after all these decades you would have come up with some damn good lies  in case you or one of your family members had a slip up.I mean, really, you had to know someone would make a mess someday, and considering your fixation with her..... Thankfully, Bella continues to be persistent, even if she finds his moodswings intimidating  and her pushing isn’t as severe as she intended, she keeps it up.telling him everything she saw and pointing out that Tyler also didn’t notice Edward anywhere near them. Edward tries to make her seem crazy, and when it doesn’t work lets out a scoffing “No one will believe you.” Again, I know he has a secret to keep, but, by God Edward, not you’re less of a little shit and more of an ass. I too am developing whiplash from you. Edwards is very confused as to why Bella wants to know the truth is she’s not going to tell anyone, but she needs the truth for herself. Which, you know what, good on her. Of course for her it’s if she’s going to lie she needs a good reason to which....eh? By saying she doesn’t know what happened and Edwards saved her well...that’s literally the truth. I would have preferred her to simply be a curious little critter but...not my book. I do like that she flat out bluntly ask Edward why he saved her and that he, in a very vulnerable state said he wasn’t sure. Not the most romantic answer but...probably the first time we see him being transparent. Bella leaves and we get another bit of her talking to her mother, and Renee being...something else, begging Bella to come back home even though she...isn’t even there. Honestly, I’d really like to know what Renee’s deal is but....whatever. But Bella is committed to staying in Forks now, to satiate her own curiosity now which, fuck yea, this stuff I like. Girl researching, girl solving mystery and being tenacious as fuck. you go girl!  Then we leave off with her saying this is the first night she dreamed of Edward. So, the good? Shit picks up in this. We’ve seen hints that Edwards isn’t quite normal, but now it runs right over us, literally. We see the humor in Edward and well as how important it is to keep this secret that he has no problem pushing Bella away.However, we also see that he couldn’t let an innocent die in front of him...and that he is the worlds worst liar. And we see that Bella is curious AF. The Bad? You’d think Edward would be better at lying, or that Carlise would have...idk exaggerated her medical results a bit to make it seem like, yes, she did hit her head ( or give her some strong pain meds) so he could  tell her father that she might be spouting nonsense for a bit, therefore casting doubt on her if she did spill the beans and making her doubt herself.Would have played up the mystery aspect more and, while it would have made the Cullens far more devious, it would have made sense for them to do whatever it took to keep this secret under wraps. 

[bae-leth]

CHIEF here’s a good one: the nigerian prince scam but it’s caspar pretending to be the prince of the leicester alliance

My god I am CACKLING… Caspar would SO be the absolute fool who tries this out, and then has to face the repercussions of impersonating a prince of LEICESTER, of all things.

(How does it slip his mind that Leicester doesn’t even have a prince? Caspar only realises weeks after his letter has circulated throughout the monastery - at which points he facedesks into his porridge.)

Lowkey isn’t a word in Caspar’s book. He’s either all or nothing, and in this case, ‘all’ means he’s about to make the biggest mistake in all of Garreg Mach history.

One day, Caspar gets incredibly bored. Without any form of entertainment, and with some egging on from Sylvain, he decides to send a letter to the nobles of each House, pretending to ask them for money as the ultimate practical joke (as you do).

He’s heard of this scam before - he’s even received a couple of letters like them himself! 

A tragic prince, desperately needing to transfer money out of their kingdom to their relatives elsewhere, and offering to pay back the full sum + more in return in the future…

What could possibly go wrong?

He thinks that no one, absolutely no one, will fall for a scam like this. It’ll just be a joke, right? No one would ACTUALLY send him money, right?

Oh dear.

Caspar isn’t thinking about the possible repercussions of his actions yet, though, so instead he pens the best letter he can.

He gets really into it and makes it really tragic, too: 'Oh, woe is me… My family is estranged … I must send them money, or else they shall fall into ruin… O peerless lord, I desperately require your assistance… Please help me by sending 1000000 gold, preferably in bullions…’

To be fair, it’s a good example of foreign negotiation, no? Byleth would probably be somewhat impressed by the language itself, if it weren’t for the whole thing being an illegal farce, but, whatever.

When Claude receives his letter, he can’t stop laughing. A prince? In the Leicester Alliance?? 

He’s not even mad; he’s more amused, if anything, by the worst attempt at duping him he’s ever seen in the world.

Claude writes a letter back, pretending he’s a very angry noble in the Alliance, furious at the attempt at stealing their finances. When Caspar receives this, he definitely starts quaking in his boots.

Lysithea takes a very long break from her studies to also send a clever letter back. She absolutely goes all out, too - she pretends that she’s also a noble in desperate need of financial aid, and throws Caspar’s words right back at his face. 

She makes sure to load it with so much political jargon and flowery language that, when Caspar receives her letter, his face is literally this.

All in all, the Golden Deer get the most kicks out of Caspar’s attempted scam.

It’s around this time that the letter starts circulating properly around the monastery, because, as it turns out, someone’s started to duplicate them, meaning that the commoners are getting in on the scam, too.

Essentially, the whole thing blows up, which means bad news for Caspar…

Dimitri, even though he knows it’s probably (probably) fake, actually considers sending money, or at least checking out the claim. What if the writer really was in peril…?

He realises he’s being stupid when Dedue gains the expression of someone wanting bash his head against a wall, and Felix actually bashes him with the hilt of his sword

“You idiot! What are you, thick as well as blind???”

“Ouch,” Dimitri mutters, but honestly, he should’ve seen that coming.

Ashe shakes his head and crumples the thing in the bin when he receives it. It does remind him of his earlier days as a thief though, when he was forced to dupe people in order to survive. As such, he’s pretty glum for the rest of the day.

When Mercedes understands why Ashe feels down, she spreads the word that a fake letter is going around. The news doesn’t reach everybody quickly, though…

Petra has a bit of trouble deciphering some of Caspar’s words. As a language learner in an immersive environment, she’s gotten quite good at the indigenous Fodlan language, but she still needs help sometimes. Who better to turn to than her house leader?

So brings the letter to Edelgard, who absolutely FLIPS. 

She KNOWS Caspar’s handwriting from peer marking his work, and now it turns out that he’s trying to scam people? The Eagles?? Scamming??? Does he NOT understand the political implications of this???? MY GOD

More on Edelgard later. She’s still fuming tho.

Linhardt gives Caspar the ‘bruh’ look. He doesn’t say anything else. Just shakes his head tiredly.

But Ferdinand… oh, Ferdinand.

He thinks that, if he were to send over money (they’re not asking for that much, right???), he and his family would gain recognition for their generosity towards a neighbouring nation. Leading to foreign influence! Leverages!! Increased access to border controls!!! More clout for his family!!!!

So, a couple days later, Caspar receives notification that his family has received lots of money from House Aegir.

Like… a lot.

Cue a very puzzled letter from his older brother, and official letters from Aegir promising him (him!! Caspar!!!) more financial aid in the future, in return for compromises in their trade dealings.

Trade… dealings…. Caspar is… way out of his depth…..

Ferdinand, in his excitement, had also forgotten that Leicester has no prince.

When Caspar receives word that the teachers and senior management (THE CHURCH??? THE CHURCH???????) has gotten involved, he wants to yeet himself to the nearest field study and become one with the quicksand.

When Edelgard storms in a day later, Caspar knows it’s all over for him. [cue scary persona 3 music]

Lots of yelling. Edelgard is angry with Caspar for doing such a stupid thing - but moreso because she knows that this was a terrible oversight on his part, and she knows he can do better.

She ends with: “What happened to your honesty? Your sense of honour? I know you’re better than this.”

what an L. Caspar is hit with feelsbadman… this disappointment from Edelgard is c r u s h i n g. Absolutely soul-shattering. 

Later, Caspar mournfully apologises to Ferdinand, who himself is so embarrassed at having fallen for such a trick that he can’t even bring himself to be mad. 

He also apologises to everyone else - but honestly, most people still think of it as a joke, so cheerily wave him off.

Not Byleth, though. He gets detention for a week. Mucking out the stables alone at the end of each day, while his peers enjoy their leisure time? S’not fun.

All around, a disaster for the Black Eagles.

[lizziedoesvetpath]

So you’re thinking about applying to residency – tips from a successful applicant

Hey guys! Nobody asked for this, but I’m doing it!!! As all my followers are probably aware, I have just gone through the process of applying for veterinary anatomical pathology residencies, and I was successful in landing one. Disclaimer: that is literally all that qualifies me to be writing this – I applied to like 13 programmes, interviewed with 3, got offers from 2, and accepted 1. Disclaimer part 2: I have made the decision to not say exactly where I interviewed or accepted for privacy reasons (there are far fewer residents than there are vet students, so I don’t want to be too easy to track down). Disclaimer part 3: Not all vet residencies do this process the same way, so remember that if you’re going through it. I know a lot of specialties use a match programme, but pathology does not, so don’t get mad at me if things don’t add up!

I’m planning on doing a series of these – this one is an overview of the process, but I also have plans for “How to write your cover letter for residency” and “Residency interviews – how scared should I be?”. Let me know if you have any particular areas you’d like me to cover, and I’ll do my best to hit them! Now finally, the advice! This is a long post, so it’s all under the cut 😊

Step 1: Do your research. From organising externship, I’d already looked into a fair number of residencies and had started to think about my priorities but I still had work to do. I ended up making a spreadsheet of all the different options that were popping up with all the information I needed to make decisions – if they took internationals (obviously very important to me), how many residents, stipends, research focuses, staff, number of cases per year etc etc. The ads posted for residency positions can be confusing because they’re exactly that – advertising – so pulling out the facts from all the flowery language was the best way to actually interpret what was on offer.

Step 2: Spread your net wide, but only if you’ll be happy. As you can see in the intro, I applied to 13 different residency programmes across North America. BUT I didn’t just apply everywhere possible. I had a few things about the programme that were important to me – some I could compromise on and others that I wouldn’t. Each of these things is going to be individual to the person, so it’s important to stop and think about what matters to you before applying. I applied to a lot of places because I really wanted to get a residency, but I didn’t apply anywhere that didn’t align with my wants and needs because an offer isn’t worth it if taking it would make you unhappy for 3+ years. This is where your research comes in handy.

Step 3: Make a reusable cover letter/statement of intent/career goals statement If you’re applying to a lot of places like I did, you don’t want to have to be writing a whole new cover letter every time, because those things can take AGES. I wrote one that explained why I wanted to do pathology and what my career goals were, with some small statements that could be tweaked to fit the programme it was going to. This saved me a whole lot of time and stress!

Step 3a: Check that you’ve made the necessary changes before sending things off. When I got tired there were a couple of near misses when I almost forgot to change the name of the school in my application letter! That would be a massive mistake and while I can’t say for sure, I would think a careless mistake like that could push you down the list. If you’re re-using materials, be very careful.

Step 4: Apply well in advance of the deadlines. This is advice you’ve probably heard a million times before, but it’s always worth repeating. Some places have complicated online application forms that can be very glitchy, others you need to post things, and other times you need to wait for a payment to go through. Hopefully your research has made you aware of these things and you have a good idea of when you need to start sending things off.

Step 5: Be patient. The process takes so long, it’s hard not to get stressed and annoyed. Putting together applications takes a long time, so be patient and kind to yourself about that. Then waiting to hear back can take a long time too. It’s really frustrating, but it’ll be worth it in the end, promise!

Step 6: Don’t get too disheartened when places say no. There are 100 reasons why a programme might turn you down. As an international student it was particularly hard this round because immigration is getting more and more difficult – often I was a perfectly good candidate, but somebody else was similar and easier to hire because the school didn’t have to struggle through the whole visa process. But other things play a role too and you may never know what those things were! You can always try asking for feedback when you’re turned down, but places don’t have to do that for you. You might have better luck with somewhere you got an interview. I talked to my mentors at my own university who were tuned into the general academic pathologist buzz – my lovely mentor was disappointed at my poor luck in the beginning so was talking to her friends and that’s how I found out about the visa thing. So I guess that’s another tip: Use your mentors and advisors for more than just letters of reference!

Step 8: Interviews. I think residency interviews are going to need a whole post on their own, so stay tuned for that!

Step 9: Be patient again There can be a painfully long wait between being interviewed and getting an answer. Or there can be no wait at all, it depends on the programme and how many people they’re interviewing! I interviewed with one school that was talking to their top 10 applicants, and they took nearly a month to get back to me. Another school was working down their list so was only interviewing me at the time, and they emailed me the offer within an hour. Hiring a resident is a hard decision, so try to be understanding when they need to take their time making it!

Step 10: Excitement or disappointment. Through this process I’ve been on both sides. Brace yourself, have a support system, and have ice cream and alcohol on hand – both are great responses to either outcome!

Congrats on making it this far down a stupidly long post. Remember to send me any questions you want answered about the application process or anything else, and I’ll add them to the list of things to write while I have all this free time!

[brightlycoloredteacups]

Shades of Green

Pairing: Armitage Hux x OFC

Summary: The woman Hux has been in love with since he was a teenager asks for his hand in Marriage. Accepting the terms was easy, everything that came after, not so much.

Warnings: Non for this Chapter. 

Tagging: @anunhealthydoseofangst @tiyetiye @novumlibellum @salimahbicharara-comun @sammi-faye @bluearchersstuff 

General Armitage Hux was very much aware his position afforded him luxuries few had the pleasure to experience. Among those were the sheer amount of messages he received. Marriage proposals, fanatic rambling, treaties. Day in, day out, he slogged through them, wanting to get to the real work. How many daughters of high ranking men could there be? Honestly, he was fed up with it all. The letter currently in his hand, however, was one worth reading.

He’d come across a name he remembers from his days in the academy. Titan Vane. The only woman he'd ever had the displeasure of falling madly in love with. He'd often thought about reaching out to her after he'd become general. Fantasized even. She'd be so impressed with him, with his army, she'd realize she loved him all along. It was a simple thing, but Titan was not the type of woman to just throw herself at someone, no matter what position of power they're in.

Now, it was Titan herself reaching out to him. He recognizes the letter as being hers immediately. It was handwritten, perfumed, and sealed with a kiss, by indication of the lipstick. Such ostentatious frivolity was customary among her people. One she delighted in thoroughly. He wasted no time in opening the letter, knowing full well it's going to be absolutely dripping with unnecessary flowery language. He smiles at the sight of his nickname.

Early on in their friendship, about a week, Titan had turned to him frowning. “What?” He asked, so damn afraid he'd disappointed her somehow. “I don't like your nickname” She stated plainly. “I'm gonna call you Tagie, after the last part of your name.” Tagie he repeated in his head. Tah-jee. He loved it. Only she called him that, and to save him from embarrassment, Titan only called him Tagie in private. He loved her all the more for it.

“Dearest Tagie,

Perhaps I shouldn't address you so informally, now that you're a general. I couldn’t help myself, however, old habits die hard, they say. I suppose I have hope that somewhere buried deep under all that severity my dearest friend still lies. I remember you. Forgive the informality General Hux, it’s just a simple case of fond memories.  

It’s foolish, isn’t it? To think you still remember me. You’ve gone on to raise an empire, a feat which you’re undoubtedly proud of. I’ve seen you on holovids. I think you look rather dashing, if you don’t my saying so. To bold? Perhaps, but I’ve never been one for sublty, not when you could get right to the point.

Allow me to reintroduce myself.

General Armitage Hux, I am Princess Titan Vane of the Planet Wildling. I like to think I was your closest friend in those days, wishful thinking, I’m sure. Nevertheless, I invite you to my palace for tea. The invitation card is enclosed within this letter.

Ever Yours,

Titan Vane

PS. Even if you miss tea, please come visit anyway, I would rather enjoy your company.

PPS. Don't bring that Kylo character with you if you can help it. Cultural thing, I'm sure you understand.”

Armitage folds the letter neatly, wiping the smile that's been sitting there since he saw the letter off his face he stands. The invitation had fallen out of the envelope, but he'd been too distracted to pick it up. He does so now. Sending a communique to his officers to have his ship ready, he rushes off to his room to get ready. He didn't want to be late for tea.

*

The planet of Wildling isn’t the proper name, but everyone calls it that in common. It’s the closest word to the true meaning of the planet. It’s a mono-biomed planet, with vast stretches of jungle, pole to pole. If it isn’t raining, then its hot and humid. There is no inbetween.

Various tribes live there, and have spread out to neighboring planets.One family rules them all. The Vane family. They’d clawed their way to the top of the food chain during The Unification of Tribes, they remained there for some time, advising rulers from one generation to the next. Until the Great Tribal War. Taking advantage of the planet-wide rebellion, the Vanes had managed to kill off the old generation, and lead Wildling into a new era of peace. Titan Vane is a proud part of that heritage.

She’ in the jungle, hunting for meat when she spies the ship passing overhead. It’s a First Order ship no doubt. It meant one of two things, the General had gotten her letter, or Kylo Ren had finally come to slaughter her people. Heart racing, she takes of at top speed, determined to find out which.

She immediately beings to plan for the worst case scenario. Kylo Ren was a force user. Titan had the fortunate ability to train with Force Users, she’d cultivated a hard fought resistance to it’s powers. But he was the scariest man in the galaxy for a reason. Didn’t matter, she had backup plans for her backup plans.

She slides into the atrium just as Armitage is entering it. She startles him into taking a step backward. She can't blame him, she knows she looks wild. Leaves in her hair, half dressed, a spear on her back. She smiles at him apologetically. “My sincerest apologies,” she says, bowing to him.  She’s utterly relieved its him. Her people lie to fight another day. “I didn't expect you to come.” Armitage smiles are her, a real smile, not the tight lipped strained twitch of the lips that people like them  must wear in public. “Of course I came” he says, as if it were obvious. He'd always come for her, they both knew.

She bows again, “Allow me to change, Armello will take you to the veranda.” she looks behind him to the guards surrounding him. “They will stay here,” Armitage promises. A soldier, clad in all chrome steps forward. “General,” the caution in her voice is plain to hear. Armitage merely gives her a look. She steps back to her place. “To the veranda?” he confirms. she nods. “won't be a minute.” she promises.

In reality, she takes several minutes, but scrubbing muck off your body, taking variou foliage out of your hair, then dressing yourself takes time. She wished she had more faith in him, she could have made a much better impression.

She rushes out to him, nervous. This wouldn't be an easy conversation. She knew Hux would never be the same boy she had the pleasure of befriending in the academy, but she had to hope he still held enough fondness for her to agree to her plea. One can only hope.

*

That blasted woman. Leave it to her to be the only one in the galaxy to throw him so off balance he can no longer think straight. He had the hardest time not taking her right then and there. Sliding into the room like the wild thing she always had been, half naked with a slight sheen of sweat.

She was even more beautiful than he remembered her being. Of course, they were grown now. She was a fine young woman. Darker than he remembered from her days in the sun, hair an unruly mop he longed to comb his fingers through, and her eyes. Those damnable brown eyes. He could look into them forever if given the chance.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he jumps at the sound of her voice. She giggles as he turns red. “i didn't mean to startle you.”

“It’s fine.” he manages. He turns back to the view. Below him is a vast expanse of jungle unlike anything he'd ever seen. It almost seemed...alive. He's frowning, trying to figure it out, when he notices her staring. “What?” he asks, wiping at his face. “What a cutting figure you make General.” Pleased, he turns to her. “To you, my dear, I am Tagie.” her grin splits her face, he's satisfied to be the one that put it there. She launches herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He responds immediately, despite the surprise attack, pressing himself to her. He closes his eyes, taking in her scent. By the stars, this was always what he wanted. “I've missed you.” she confesses. “I've missed you too.”

They separate, much to his displeasure. “come, have tea with me. You will finally get to try our famous syrup cake.” he follows her to the small table laden with food.

Titan pours for him, dark tea going into an ornately decorated cup. She passes that to him, he takes it gratefully. “I hope I chose the right one,” she tells him, giving him a worried look. “Rather,” she continues loading a tiny plate with food. “I hope your tastes haven't changed, what with you being the leader of the First Order and all.” She passes the plate on to him, then finally sits and serves herself.

He takes a sip of tea. The sharp bitterness coats his tongue. He's in heaven, he swears it. “You got it right.” She breathes a sigh of relief.

They sit in silence for a while, enjoying the moment. “Do you remember Angle?” Hux sniffs. “I try not to.” Titan giggles. “You two hated each other.”

“Well, calling someone a ‘pasty bitch’ does not endear you to people.” Titan outright laughs at that. Hux turns a bright red. “I'm sorry,” she wheezes, “I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh but your tone was so funny.” His blush recedes. “You know he's moved here?” Hux scoffs, but says nothing. “He's tried to come into the palace, but my guards refuse to let him in. For that, I'm thankful.”

“I thought you liked Angle?”

“I did, when I was younger and didn't know any better. I find myself...attracted to a different sort of person these days.” the way she said it...was she trying to hint at something? Or was her reading too much into it. He remains silent, having decided he was definitely reading too much into it.

“Tagie,” she says, looking over her jungle. “Yes?”

“I must confess something.” Hux swallows the excitement bubbling within him. Please confess your love for me, he thinks desperate, please love me. “I didn’t invite you here merely to reminisce.”

“Oh?” He’s rather let down, but manages to keep it from his voice. “You’re smarter than that Hux, don’t play coy with me now.” She says, putting her cup down. Hux nods to indicate he was listening to her. “Being in a position of power does put one in a precarious situation, doesn’t it? You can’t think of yourself, you have to think of the people you rule over. About their wellbeing.” Hux is silent, she’ll get to her point, eventually. “My father, he’s a proud man, too proud, I think.” He makes a non-committal noise. “He thinks we can weather the battle without choosing a side. I tend to disagree.”

“Would you like a demonstration?” Hux asks. If that was what she wanted, why not simply ask him, instead of bringing him out her home planet. She giggles, “No, no, I was thinking something simpler than that.”

“Well, let’s hear it.” He says, bringing his cup to his lips. “Marry me.” Armitage chokes on the tea, spilling it everywhere. Tears spring to his eyes as he gasps for air.

He looks at Titan, making sure she’s entirely serious.

She’s utterly enchanting, sitting there, in her green dress. The sun is setting, casting a glow about her. Her beauty is such a thing that will remain unmatched for eons. She’s got a mask of patience on, but he knows she’s waiting for his answer. Say something you idiot! He berates himself, don’t leave her hanging in the air. “Why?” He manages, having caught his breath. Damnit, that’s not at all what he wanted to say. She presses her lips together, turning her gaze back to her jungle. “My father refuses to enter peace talks with you. It’s something that must be done. Sacrificing the millions of lives of our people,” She shakes her head. “I couldn’t bear it. Marriage is my easiest option.”

“But not your only option.”

“No. The others all involve an unnecessary amount of back dealing, death threats, and money.”

“You do love your money.”

“They allow me my luxuries, Tagie, of course I do.” They sit in silence for some time. Marriage, that’s what she was after. For her people, sure, but it was still him she wanted to marry. He was a strategic advantage in her grand scheme of things. Marriage to her was what he wanted, even if this wasn’t how he imagined it happening.

Titan gets up from her seat. “I knew it had been foolish to ask you.” She says, sounding hard. No, he thinks, no you aren’t foolish. You’re very brave. She turns and begins her retreat into her palace. “Titan!” Hux says, stumbling after her. She stops, looking at him. He swallows, say yes, stupid, tell her you’ll marry her. Damn her for always making him tongue tied. “Please spare the old platitudes General,” damn, this was getting worse.by the minute. “It won't help my peop-”

“Let's do it.” He finally manages. Titan looks at him warily. He isn't sure what he should do, but he know he wants to kiss her. “Let's get married.” She lets out a slow breath. Grabbing his hand, she smiles at him, his heart is in his throat. “Thank you Tagie,” all he can do is nod.

[c-offeeandcocoa]

Can you do short reviews of all the books on your summer reading list? (:

Sure! Here you go: 

The Eustace Diamonds - Essentially good, but could have used more editing - each twist is good, but it drags in several places and new characters are introduced without really adding to the main plotline.

Sweetbitter - I think this is the sort of book that I’ll enjoy more when re-reading it. I loved the way the author described food and wine, but the characters (except Simone) were hard to like and the relationship between Tess and main-guy-whose-name-I’ve-forgotten was a little cringey. But it was the perfect book for two long-haul flights - easy to get lost in, and drink up in huge, consecutive gulps.

The Female Persuasion - I don’t know how Meg Wolitzer got me to care for EVERY SINGLE character so much, but she did - the focus of the novel spreads organically across the primary players and you begin to understand them and love them in their entirety. An expertly constructed novel that will tug at your heartstrings, and make you question your morals. It’s an elegant, beautiful and entrancing work about feminism, people, relationships, and growing up. Read it.

Tar Baby - Toni Morrison is such an amazing writer, and this has to be one of my favourites. Again, it’s another one that’ll have you questioning your ethics/morals, and each character is so distinct!

The Trespasser - You will lose yourself inside the narrator’s mind - her fears, insecurities, and character traits will become yours, you’ll see the Dublin Murder Squad exactly the way she does and you’ll never see the twist at the end.

The Secret Place - Beautifully constructed; the dual timelines work like a charm, the characters are brilliant, the teen speak vaguely annoying, but realistic; the mystery keeps you guessing - you think you know who did it, then you don’t, then you do - it has you going in circles; 

Case Histories - Awful - I hated the plot and the characters. Its’ only redeeming quality was that it was set in Cambridge and had some gorgeous lines that appealed to me as someone coming out of three wonderful, crazy years in Cambridge. If Kate Atkinson had just written a book or an essay about Cambridge, it’d have turned out much better.

In the Woods - It’s probably set a record for book most often thrown out of windows/against walls or something, but it’s excellent and should be read at just the right pace to drink in the language (beautifully paced, evocative, but not overly flowery) and the plot. The twists are perfect, the mystery excellent.

The Hate U Give - Lives up to the hype, should probably be on school reading lists (Year 8/Year 9-ish, maybe read alongside To Kill A Mockingbird). Tackles issues surrounding race, growing up (+ finding your real friends and figuring out who you are) and police brutality excellently and profoundly. 

Incarnations - An engaging tour through Indian history, told through 50 lives. I really enjoyed this, although I do wish there’d been a bit more focus on the post-independence period and I think a portrait of Nehru would’ve been interesting (especially for readers who are unfamiliar with Indian history). My mum thought that the author’s choice of lives wasn’t the best though - I don’t know enough to have an informed opinion 

The Cracked Looking Glass - Not going to lie - I enjoyed it, but didn’t get it, so it’s probably due a re-read

The City of Ladies - OKAY I LOVED THIS. It was written in the 15th century, but the language isn’t super obscure - the style is very 20th century (not sure if this is just because of the edition I read - Penguin Great Ideas) and really accessible. I absolutely LOVED it - it’s full of wisdom and wisecracks, and great women. Definitely worth a read.