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vxntage-honey · 1 year ago

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Sweet Tea & Cigarettes

chapter 5

Rainy roads and old books

Hazel sat next to Nathaniel, as she stared blankly ahead, her mind racing. She could barely think straight. Her mind fogged with what ifs and whys as Nathaniel sat calmly beside her.

Havel had felt a shift in the seat next to her and so she looked to her right only to see Nathaniel getting up.

She looked up at him confused “What’s up?”

He looked down at her “Oh, I’m just getting something to drink, you want anything?”

“Oh, I’ll just have a green tea if they have it, if not then you can just get me a water.”

Nathaniel nods his head and walks away leaving Hazel alone with her mind.

Hazel’s thoughts erupted, she had never even talked to a boy, let alone gone to a boy’s house. She never imagined she’d be staying the night at a boy’s house especially not Nathaniel’s house. Her face flushed pink only for a second, she knew she was overthinking things, but she couldn’t help it, it was all so new for her. She was used to girl sleepovers, but she wondered what it would be like with a boy, would it be the same would they still talk about the cute person that they find attractive in school, or would they talk about “boy stuff?’”.

Nathaniel arrived back at the table, drinks in hand.

He handed her the green tea “I wasn’t sure if you wanted sugar, so I brought some packets with me.”

He sat down next to her placing the sugar in front of her and placing his drink on the table.

“Oh, what did you get?”

“Oh, I just got a black coffee.”

Hazel looks at him shocked “What, really I just thought, that was just really dark tea.”

Nathaniel laughs.

“But I guess you do seem like the type to drink black coffee, so I suppose that it’s not that weird.”

“I see you like it sweet,”

he comments as she pours the three sugar packets into her tea.

She giggles stirring her tea, then wrapping her finger around the cup and taking a sip.

She lets out a satisfied sigh “Just how I like it.”

Nathaniel takes a sip of his drink before speaking again.

“Oh also, I do believe that this will be a long ride, so you may want to get comfortable.”

She sighs sitting back in her seat. The world whizzing by outside the train window.

And boy he wasn’t kidding they left the station around 6:30 and it was now 7:55. Hazel sighed shifting in her seat as she turned on her phone. She was about to do something she should have done earlier, text her mom.

“Hay mom, im’a stay at a friend’s house tonight so don’t wait up for me, love you.” Delivered.

With that, she ended up scrolling on her spell phone until she looked at the percentage and it read 20% left.

“Oh shit?!” she quickly turned her phone off only now realizing that she didn’t have her charger.

“You good?” Nathaniel speaks making Hazel jump.

“Oh, ya I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.” He pauses for a moment “Wait I mean you look fine but I”

He sighs “you look…” He pauses for a moment “You look like something troubling you.”

She smiles at him “I just forgot my charger that’s all.”

“Oh, I see what type of phone do you have?”

“a spell phone super 4x”

He looks at her before digging in his bag “Here this should work just plug it in the wall next to you.”

“Oh, thank a bunch” She plugged the wireless charger into the wall and placed her phone on top.

A short time later she felt her eyes become heavy, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep, her head falling atop Nathaniel’s shoulder. He glanced over at her.

seeing her sleepy state made him smile warmly. “You must have been really tired, sleep well, my friend.”

He sighed closing his eyes “You know you’re the first friend I’ve had that seems to truly see me for me and not just my money, I thank you for that.”

He proceeded to lay his head atop hers slowly drifting off to sleep alongside her.

The next thing Hazel knew she was being woken up by Nathaniel nudging her with his shoulder, her eyes fluttering open as the bright light filled her eyes.

“We're almost there” Nathaniel whispered to her.

And Hazel could have sworn she'd felt something soft graze her leg almost like a cat tail, she knows that feeling well, but she chalked it up to her just being half asleep.

She hummed in response indicating that yes, she was now awake well almost anyway. She rubbed her eyes, rubbing the last of her sleep away.

“How long was I asleep for?” she asked looking at him.

“Not long actually”

Hazel sighed before looking outside the window, then it dawned on her, this place was nothing she’d ever seen before, it was dark and not just because it was night but because of the trees, and the buildings flying by, it was all dark and almost Victorian in a sense. This place was new, foreign even, Hazel felt like a child traveling to a faraway land.

“Where are we,” she asked looking out the window.

“We’re in Salvok”

Hazel's eyes widened, for the only time she'd even spoken or heard of the place was when the conversation drifted to the rich, that lived in big houses on big hills, far from common folk like her.

“You live in Salvok?!” Hazel asked not quite believing it.

“I do why?” Nathaniel questioned.

“Oh no, nothing’s wrong, it’s just…” she sighs. “You know what never mind,” she says turning her head towards the window, avoiding his strong gaze.

The train soon came to a halt, and the two walked off.

Hazel was in awe; she had never seen such an architecturally beautiful place quite like this before. All the buildings followed a color pallet of dark colors, the paths were made of black marbled polished stone, and everything was adorned with golden accents.

Hazel followed closely behind Nathaniel, feeling out of place in this seemingly rich neighborhood. Luckily for them, the rain hadn’t yet reached Salvok.

Eventually, they reached the front gate of Nathaniel’s house but there was a pathway that led far beyond the trees and the house could not be seen from where they stood. The gate ominously opened the hinges creaking and bending. Before she knew it, they had begun to walk once again.

The walk was about two and a half play fields long; her legs felt like jelly once they finally approached the house, the house was dark and tall the bricks seeming to reach up at the sky with their points.

Nathaniel held the door open for Hazel to walk in and her amazement didn’t stop at the outside, the inside was just as, if not more exquisite than its exterior. The walls were marbled black, red, and gold, the floor adorned with a large red carpet, and like the cherry on top there were working maids and butlers walking to and from their stations.

Hazel’s mouth hung open.

“Hey Hazel, are you ok?”

Hazel had to pry her eyes away from the view in front of her to look at Nathaniel “Oh ya I’m ok.”

He looks at her, his brow raised.

“I just didn’t expect it to be so” She trails off trying to find her words “extravagant’.

“Oh,” he says, had never thought of it that way before.

“I mean it’s not a bad thing by anything, it’s just so beautiful,” she says with an almost star-struck look.

He looks at her, and a small smile appears on his face. He leads them to his room, down the long hallways, and through the golden archways, they finally reached his room.

He opened the door allowing Hazel to walk in first. To her surprise, his room was quite like she'd imagined. The walls were black like most of the house and even the town, but unlike her imagination there was a small kitchen and couch and TV, with large speakers on either side. Posters adorned the walls, there were some cloths scattered around the room.

“Wow your room is amazing,” she says filled with astonishment.

“Oh, thank you” He chuckles, a smirk appearing on his face.

Before Hazel sat down, she slipped her shoes off setting them by his door. She sat down on his couch feeling as if she had just sat on hundreds of fluffy feathers.

“Also, you can borrow my clothes for tonight” he offers.

“Oh, are you sure?”

He nods “Ya, I mean if you want too of course”

He walked over to his closet grabbing a shirt and a pair of sweatpants. "here you can change in the bathroom over there" he pointed towards the bathroom door.

“Ok thanks,” she said grabbing the clothes and walking onto the bathroom.

Hazel slipped off her clothes and slipped on the shirt that was two sizes too big, the sweatpants weren’t any better, she had to tie them tight for them to even stay up. In the end, she did manage it though.

Hazel let her twin buns down, her hair bouncing as it fell. She grabbed her clothes and walked out of the bathroom to find Nathaniel already changed.

“Feels better to be out of those clothes” she sighed.

“So, what should we do now?” she asked.

“Oh well I watch a lot of anime I’m not sure if you know what that is, but I also have lots of video games too” he lists off some ideas for fun.

Hazel wasn’t listening ever since the word anime passed his lips.

“You watch anime,” she said with a surprised look on her face.

“Ya, I do is there a problem?” he asked narrowing his eyes.

Hazel's body jumped slightly “Oh, no there's no problem with that, it’s just I didn’t take you for the type to watch anime.”

Nathaniel raises his brow.

“Wait that’s not what I meant, it’s just, you seem like the mature and adult type ya know, not someone that chills and plays videogames and watches anime.”

He laughs at her struggling “So you like anime, or not?”

“Oh yes I do” she nods her head.”

“Alright, then it’s your pick what would you like to watch?”

Hazel puts her hand on her chin, thinking for a second “Something scary, I haven’t seen a good horror anime that chilled me to the bone in a long time.”

“Ok, what about Corpse Camp?”

“Wait I love that one it’s one of the few amines that truly got to me, with all its gore and blood it was an exhilarating watch.”

He looks at her with a concerned look.

“Anyway, let’s just watch the anime, shall we?”

He nods at her, joining her on the couch.

The two watch the show all night, including the pre-movie explaining what happened before the show. Eventually, they ended up watching a show called “Monster Girl café”.

Throughout their anime binge, Nathaniel’s eyes fell sleepy. Hazel felt the couch shift next to her; she turned her head only to find a sleeping Nathaniel. She covered him with their shared blanket and not too long after sleep consumed her as well.

The next morning Hazel awoke to the sound of soft breathing in her ear. As the fog in her brain cleared, she felt arms wrapped around her, once this was realized her eyes shot open only to find herself atop Nathaniel’s chest. She breathed slowly their faces inches apart; her body stiffened as the sleeping body under her started to stir.

Nathaniel groaned still half asleep “Let’s stay like this for a bit hm’k.”

His head was in the crook of her neck. Hazel's body softened letting it fall back onto him, and in no time flat they were both asleep once again.

Once the two were fully awake Nathaniel, surprisingly was the one blushing the most “I’m so sorry I don’t know what came over me.”

“Well, it’s not the weirdest thing ever, me and my other friend tend to do the same thing a lot, so don’t worry or think much about it” she reassured him.

Nathaniel nods in response.

“So, um, are you hungry?” he asks rubbing the back of his head and trying to change the subject.

“Oh yeah, I’m starving.” Her eyes sparkled at the thought of food.

“Well, there’s a nice café not far from here if your down to go?” he asked.

“Sure, but I think we should change first,” she says looking him up and down his white shirt that was stuck halfway in his sweatpants.

This gesture causes him to blush slightly. “Oh, also your clothes are in the bathroom they were cleaned last night for you.”

“Thanks,” she said before walking into the bathroom.

They spent the rest of the day together, having fun and whatnot, doing things teens nowadays do. Like going to hang out at random convenient stores or just doing anything that they come across that seems interesting. The streets were still wet from the rain the day prior. Then the next thing they knew the day had slipped by in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for Hazel to say goodbye and go home.

The two walked to the station together in silence but the good kind of silence, the pleasing silence, until they made it to the station.

“Thanks a lot, Nath, this day was amazing, definitely one of the best I’ve had,” she says turning to him.

They are now face-to-face.

He looks into her eyes “Oh it was nothing really, I’m just glad you had a good time.”

He pauses for a moment, avoiding her gaze.

“Are you sure you ok with taking the train alone?” he asks.

She looks at him with a sweet smile.

“Ya, I’m sure this isn’t my first rodeo.” She says slightly mimicking a southern accent.

This causes Nathaniel to chuckle.

The sound of the train fills their ears soon after.

“Well, I’ll talk to you later,” Hazel says turning toward the train.

But before she could step onto the train Nathaniel grabbed her wrist. Hazel turned around looking at him with a slightly confused look, it looked as though he wanted to say something but opted to say something other than what he was first thinking.

“Thank you, you don’t know how much this means to me, really,” he says before letting her go.

She smiles and walks onto the train.

And just like that she was gone all in the blink of an eye.

Hazel sat in silence normally she would at least listen to music, but Nathaniel’s words rang louder than music, she felt like she was overthinking things, but she couldn’t help it. A soft blush crept onto her cheeks as he stared out the window. This felt like it was going to be a bumpy ride to come.

But then it hit her.

“Fuck I didn’t get his number,” she thought.

She just sat there almost like she was in shock, but there was nothing she could do now what’s done is done she'd have to wait until their next meeting.

Getting off the train she had a sour look on her face all while she walked home. The walk was wet and cold, the trees surrounding her house seemed darker than normal, and it sent a chill down her spine.

Walking into her house, she slipped her shoes off and was yanked into a momma bear hug.

“Oh, honey you're home your ok right, nothings broken?”

“I’m ok” Hazel choked out.

Hazel’s mom held her face and gave her a look of relief, then kissed her on her head.

“Oh, my dear, where’d you run off to?”

“Mom.”

“Did anyone cause you disconcert?”

“Mom”

“Because if they did so help me-”

“Mom?!” Hazel’s voice ceased her mother’s concern.

“If anything happened, I would tell you, you know that.” She explained.

Her mom’s shoulders loosened as she relaxed.

“I was staying at a friend’s house due to the storm ok, it was late, and he didn’t want me to go home in the dark, so I stayed over at his place.”

“You stayed at a boy's house!”

“Mom nothing happened I process” Hazel yelled in response.

She turned away and started walking up to her room.

“Avoid it all you want we're talking tomorrow; you better not be having my grandchildren!”

Hazel rolled her eyes as she walked into her room. She changed into her night clothes and flopped onto her bed as started scrolling on her phone. Her eyes soon fell heavy as she drifted off to dreamland.

#original story #original writing #writing #dark academia #chapter 5

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meghakakani · 1 year ago

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Top 10 Tea Kettles In India(Review+Price+Features+Specification)

TOP 10 TEA KETTLES ON AMAZON

Looking for top 10 tea kettles in india on amazon.Here we have 10 best tea kettles on amazon of electrical and stovetop.This article contains some of the top 10 tea kettles in india available on amazon.These top 10 tea kettles in india are made up with stainless steel,plastics and glass also.This article aims to compare key features and specification of top 10 tea kettles brand in India of different company,their models and prices, so that you can select the one that best fits to your needs.

A kettle is small kitchen appliance which can be found in almost every household nowdays.It is specially design to used for boiling water and milk,lukewarm water or milk or for making tea or coffee.

Amazon Basics Eletric kettle

By using Amazon Basics 1500 Watt,we can heat or boil water/milk anywhere.It is very user friendly,can be use by everyone.This kettlle is of steel body and also lightweight and durable.When the boiling product reached the desired tempreture,it will get automatic off due to auto cut off switch.

Solara Premium Electric kettle

Solara premium kettle has concealed heating element which can boil 1L water in 5 to 7 minutes.It is consist with BPA free food grade materials.Cool touch handle with a simple release button and pop up lid to protect you from accidental burns.

Pigeon Amaze Plus Electric Kettle

Pigeon Amaze Plus kettle is cordless due to this facility we can carry this kettle anywhere for our use .A striking presence on any kitchen counter or buffet in preparing and serving and it is easy for storage and also BPA free product.

Butterfly Ekn Electric Kettle

The Butterfly Ekn Electric Kettle is a kitchen appliance designed for quickly boiling water.The grip of the product is very convient and it has on/off indicator light and thermostat control.

IBELL Premium Electric Kettle

IBELL is a brand that manufactures various home appliances, including electric kettles. An IBELL Premium Electric Kettle is likely a product from their range of electric kettles.

Havells I-Conic Digi Electric Kettle

The Havells i-conic Digi Kettle is an electric kettle which is mainly used for boiling water or other beverages.This kettle has a special feature of double design wall which is very important as safety feature because when we using it for boiling this double wall features keeps the outer surface cool,so not to worry when we have children around us.

Tesora Premium Electric kettel

The Tesora Electric kettle's inner body made up with stainless steel and outer is made upwith plastics,as we all aware that steel is known for its durability feature,resistanc to rust and corrosion and ability to heat water quickly.This kettle has auto power cut off feature so when the water reaches its boiling point,the kettle will automatically switch off.

Wipro Vesta Cool Touch Electric Kettle

The Wipro vesta electric kettle is kitchen appliance specially designed for boiling water and for other hot beverages.This kettle has capacity of 1.8 liter,which is suitable for boiling significant amount of water or milk

Wellxo Flame Proof Glass Kettle

The Wellxo Flame Proof Glass Kettle with SS Infuser is a glass kettle designed for boiling water and possibly brewing tea.As name indicate its flame proof so it can be directly use on flame .

Borosil Carafe Flame Proof Glass Kettle

This Borosil carafe kettle is stove top or we can say its flameproof Glass Kettle.Borosil is a well-known brand that produces glassware and kitchenware, including items made from borosilicate glass,which is known for its durability and resistance to thermal shock so It can be safely used in the microwave ,oven ,fridge and freezer.

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edmehravaran · 2 years ago

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Studio Eyecandy in Berlin

Studio Eyecandy is located in the center of Berlin, which makes it easy to access. In July 2023 I did a commercial fashion photo shoot in Studio Eyecandy in Berlin for a female fashion brand Called Soccx. This studio has a nice corner where you could take photos and videos. Visit the website to see more photos here.

Studio Eyecandy in Berlin Our fashion model was Mia from Modelwerk Agency. The walls in the studio are white so that you could reflect the light for getting soft light and I used 1 Profoto generator Pro-10 with Chimera Octaplus. My photo gallery

About Studio Eyecandy in Berlin

The photographer duo from Berlin stands for bold photography that attracts immediate attention with their unique interpretation of surrealism and pop art. The photographs created by Fanny Husten and Juliette Mainx bring together apparent contradictions: Minimalism with expression, art with advertising, and simplicity with expressive colors. While Fanny grew up in the loud and powerful capital of Berlin, Juliette was raised on the idyllic Island of Mallorca. In 2015, they decided to unite their creative minds and establish EYECANDY. They bring their own aesthetics to life through still life and portrait photography with self-created creative concepts and set designs.Studio Eyecandy in Berlin In 2017 they brought to life Studio Eyecandy, a very unique and colorful rental location in the heart of Berlin. It can be rented for photo and video shoots, meetings, or small events. Rental Photo Studio in Berlin (Shortlist) - EUROPE CENTER STUDIOS (Owned by me) - Allmost Studio - Birken Studio - Blender Studio - BUFA – Berliner Union Film - BRIDGE Studios Berlin - Batterie - Berlin(Studio Berlin) - Bakery Studio Berlin - Camera Workers - Cherie - Eyecandy - Eoin Moylan Studio - Ever Green Studios - Filmatelier Haselhorst Berlin - Fotostyle Berlin - Glashaus Studio - Heyn Studios - Hangar - HAVEL STUDIOS – Film Studios & photo studios – Berlin - Inclover Studio - Ikonic Studio - Konsum Studio - Kaos Berlin - Ludwig Studio Berlin - Lynx Studio - Lux&Asa - Location Berlin - Lakshmi Studio - Mietstudio Studio Berlin - Morning Dew Studio - Neon Island Studio - OceanstudioBerlin - Raw Studios - Studio TV.Film Berlin - Spielfeld Berlin - Sepistudio - Spree Graphen Studio - Tor 78 - Velt Foto Mietstudio - We Studio - Welcome Home Studio - White Box 030 - 317.84studio - 9492 Studio Read the full article

#photosrudioinBerlin #photographystudio #StudioEyecandy #StudioEyecandyinBerlin

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havellsindia001 · 2 years ago

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Elevate Your Space with Havells Atria Glamtube 36W 6500K: The Perfect Lighting Solution

Url: https://havells.com/en/consumer/lighting/glamtubes/glamtubes-range/atria-glamtube-36-w-6500-k.html

Introduction

In the realm of interior design, lighting plays a crucial role in enhancing the ambiance and aesthetics of any space. It has the power to transform a mundane room into a captivating haven. Among the vast array of lighting options available in the market, Havells Atria Glamtube 36W 6500K stands out as a truly remarkable choice. This innovative lighting solution from Havells combines functionality, energy efficiency, and style, providing a seamless blend of form and function. In this blog post, we will explore the exceptional features and benefits of the Atria Glamtube, and discover how it can elevate your living spaces to new heights.

Introducing Havells Atria Glamtube 36W 6500K

The Havells Atria Glamtube 36W 6500K is a cutting-edge lighting solution designed to create an immersive and visually stunning experience. With its sleek and modern design, it effortlessly adds a touch of elegance to any space. The Glamtube is equipped with a powerful 36W LED, which emits a cool daylight temperature of 6500K. This ensures a bright and vibrant illumination, making it ideal for areas where clarity and visibility are of utmost importance.

Unmatched Energy Efficiency

In today's eco-conscious world, energy efficiency is a paramount consideration when choosing lighting solutions. The Atria Glamtube shines brightly in this regard. Its advanced LED technology ensures minimal energy consumption while providing maximum luminosity. Compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, the Glamtube consumes up to 80% less energy, resulting in substantial cost savings on your electricity bills.

Versatility in Application

One of the standout features of the Atria Glamtube is its versatility in application. Whether it's your home, office, retail store, or any other commercial space, this lighting solution is designed to adapt to various environments seamlessly. It is particularly suitable for areas that demand precise and focused lighting, such as kitchen countertops, workstations, or display shelves. Additionally, the Glamtube's sleek form factor allows it to blend harmoniously with any interior design scheme, making it an excellent choice for both contemporary and traditional settings.

Longevity and Durability

Investing in a lighting solution that offers long-lasting performance is essential, and the Atria Glamtube excels in this aspect. Built with high-quality materials and backed by Havells' reputation for reliability, this lighting solution ensures longevity and durability. The Glamtube boasts an impressive lifespan of up to 25,000 hours, which translates to years of maintenance-free usage. Its sturdy construction and shock-resistant design make it resistant to accidental breakage, ensuring hassle-free operation and peace of mind.

Easy Installation and Maintenance

Installing and maintaining the Atria Glamtube is a breeze. Designed for hassle-free installation, it can be easily mounted on walls or ceilings using the provided fixtures. Its plug-and-play functionality eliminates the need for complex wiring, making it a user-friendly choice for homeowners and professionals alike. Moreover, the Glamtube's low heat emission and absence of UV or IR radiation make it a safe and family-friendly lighting option.

Conclusion

When it comes to lighting solutions that combine style, efficiency, and durability, the Havells Atria Glamtube 36W 6500K reigns supreme. With its sleek design, energy efficiency, and versatility in application, it has become a go-to choice for individuals seeking to elevate their living or working spaces. By investing in the Atria Glamtube, you not only enhance the aesthetics of your surroundings but also contribute to a greener and more sustainable future. Illuminate your space with the Havells Atria Glamtube, and experience the perfect blend of functionality and style.

#Havells #Havells Atria Glamtube 36W 6500K #Havells light

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aowski · 2 years ago

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Courage in Politics

I’ve been thinking about courage in politics. A Nebraska senator, Machaela Cavanaugh, filibustered for seven weeks to stop anti-trans legislation. Also in Nebraska, a lone Republican State Senator Merv Riepe withheld his key vote on a bill that would have banned abortions at six weeks. In South Carolina five women, the “sister senators,” Mia McLeod, Katrina Shealy, Penry Gustafson, Margie Bright-Matthews, and Sandy Senn, joined forces to stop a draconian six week abortion ban. Three three state representatives, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson stood up for families in Tennessee who want an end to gun violence. All risked expulsion from their party, from their legislatures, and the end of their political careers. But they had to stand up for humanity. Their actions underscored this observation by Vaclav Havel:

“the crust presented by the life of lies is made of strange stuff. As long as it seals off hermetically the entire society, it appears to be made of stone. But the moment someone breaks through in one place, when one person cries out, “The emperor is naked!”… everything suddenly appears in another light and the whole crust seems then to be made of a tissue on the point of tearing and disintegrating uncontrollably.”

The GOP has used a "crust of lies" to seal itself off from humanity. It uses intimidation to keep its members in line. It seems they are an impenetrable wall, but all it took were a few people with the courage to stand up for human decency for the wall to crack. It will take more of us with courage to see the wall come tumbling down.

#human #courage #nebraska #south carolina #tennessee #justin jones #justin pearson #gloria johnson #vaclav havel #lies #humanity #society #abortion #reproductive justice #gun violence

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jainsonslights · 3 years ago

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Decorate Your Home Garden Beautifully With Philips Led Outdoor Lights

There are numerous areas to consider when renovating your home to give it a picture-perfect appearance. Beautiful decks and walkways aren't the only ways to spruce up your home's exterior. To keep the space bright and beautiful, proper lighting should be installed. If you are transforming your garden into an idyllic setting at this time, the proper outdoor lighting can play a significant role in terms of security.

LED is now used for more than just spotlighting. Walkway lights for entrances and paths not only provide safe access to your property for you and your guests, but they also create one-of-a-kind and unforgettable first impressions. The right exterior lighting can be used not only to create a relaxing atmosphere in your garden but also to create a brightly lit and safe entrance area with carefully selected wall lights.

Wall lights also create warm lighting effects on terraces and balconies, ensuring long and enjoyable summer evenings. If you are looking for reputable Led Lights Suppliers in India, then conduct thorough research on the web to obtain the best results. Acquiring LED Lights for your residential converts into smaller styles, which indicates it, would be used in numerous rooms of the house evaluating new design possibilities, and it will also assist in saving space, and living space, which can be used for useful purposes. LED lights can be used in interiors that are far too small for other lighting options. Well, in this article, you get to know the advantages of LED Lights that are listed below:

1. LED Lights are more efficient when they emit light in a specific direction, as opposed to earlier bulbs, which emitted light in all directions. This can help improve efficiency by reducing energy waste.

2. LED Lights produce very little heat. It will aid in reducing energy consumption because traditional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs release approximately 80% of their energy as temperature. As a consequence, LEDs remain cool and produce the same amount of light.

3. LED Lights are stronger and last longer than incandescent or CFL bulbs. The average life expectancy is around 25 years. This is because they lack glass pieces and thus they are not affected by vibration or injury.

4. LED Lights are excellent outdoor lights because they are resistant to external impacts, as well as wind, water, and air vibrations, making them superior to traditional lights.

5. LED Lights are ideal for brightly colored products and heat-sensitive materials. They emit very little infrared light and no ultraviolet radiation. They are best suited for archaeological sites, art galleries, and museums, among other places.

All the above points are very helpful for those people who are thinking to install LED lights at their place. Contact the best professional for lighting installation services. If you want to find the best agency, you should visit the best company online websites. These websites will not only provide information about the services provided by skilled personnel, but they will also let you have an idea of the sorts of products including Philips Led Outdoor Lights that will be suitable for the exterior. These companies also provide the best kits at reasonable prices. If you are interested in lighting projects, you can work with an experienced and knowledgeable company such as Jainsons Lights. Visit the company's company portal for extra information.

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dreaminginthedeepsouth · 2 years ago

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Simon Schama: art versus the tyrants

From Václav Havel to Ai Weiwei, writers and artists have led the way in the fight for human rights

* * * *

Simon Schama: art versus the tyrants

From Václav Havel to Ai Weiwei, writers and artists have led the way in the fight for human rights

* * * *

I know a poem can’t stop a tank. But the reverse is also true. As I’m writing this, the streets of China and Iran have been alive with infuriated, chanting crowds, so tired of being institutionally deceived and robbed of any personal agency or independence of mind that they are prepared to risk arrest and imprisonment rather than be silenced by regimes demanding obedience to lies. “Culture wars” ought not to be confused with the laborious woke-baiting that has become the default position of populist media in the west. The women’s revolt in Iran is a culture war; Ukrainian resistance to the militarised fantasies of Russian imperialism is at root also a culture war, a refusal to accept Vladimir Putin’s contention that their nation’s language and history are a delusion. It is not accidental that one of the most powerful weapons that the actor-writer President Volodymyr Zelenskyy leading Ukraine has at his command is the gift of candid human communication.

Growing up in the 1950s, my baby-boomer generation assumed that the screamers of hate, the destroyers of culture, had gone with the war. “Well, boys,” our school history teacher confidently proclaimed around 1958, “we don’t really know what the rest of the 20th century has in store for us, but you can at least be sure of this: religious oppression and rabid nationalism are things of the past.” When, in that same year, Boris Pasternak won the Nobel Prize for Dr Zhivago, we thought that even the adamantine rock face of Soviet authoritarianism could somehow be cracked open just far enough for truth, memory and a faint breeze of freedom to be admitted. Even if Pasternak was demonised as an enemy of the Soviet people and forced to decline the prize, we believed that, sooner or later, light would return, as for a while, 30 years later, it did.

Becoming a historian was, we thought, a vote of confidence in the victory of the Enlightenment. When the civil rights movement in the US flowered in the 1960s, we bought into Martin Luther King Jr’s conviction that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”. Often enough, though, it snaps. Four days after he spoke those words in 1968 at the National Cathedral, Washington DC, he was murdered in Memphis.

My new BBC2 television series is the fruit of sombre, late-life reflection that the History of Now was prefigured in the History of Then; that what we had imagined to be things of the past have returned to shadow the present and future. Shrieking, whether online or on platforms, is back; hate is sexy and stalks the world as “disruption”. So those old battles need to be refought, and with the help of the unlikely weapons that once opened eyes and changed minds: the soft power of culture — poetically charged words, images, music, all of which can, in some circumstances, exert a force beyond the workaday stuff of politics. Culture can do this because it can connect with human habits, needs and intuitions in ways that expose the inhuman hollowness of official propaganda.

...

What Václav Havel, in his most original and penetrating text, called “the power of the powerless” is capable of putting despotisms on the back foot, simply by being in sync with the simplest and most natural human instincts. Authoritarians can mobilise their heavy artillery of terror, torture, imprisonment and persecution; but in the end, Havel argued, they are not that well equipped to fight the asymmetric battle between lies and truth. Havel believed that the vast majority of people are not content to be forever walled within a prison of falsehood, where the price of material security and domestic safety is the unconditional surrender of personal freedom.

For a while — perhaps many decades — punitive disincentives against disruptive truth-speaking can prevail, especially when reinforced by visceral appeals to tribal loyalty: the demonisation of hate figures (such as George Soros) said to personify foreign manipulation. In the end what Havel calls the “trapped air”— a natural human wish to be able to speak one’s mind in a café, dress as one wishes (including visible hair), listen to unauthorised music, all the innumerable small acts of social defiance — can build into a rising tide of disgust. When Czech police infiltrated the underground concerts of the Plastic People of the Universe in the 1970s — concerned, as their saxophonist Vratislav Brabanec remembered, that the music was some sort of “black illness” that would grow and generate disaffection — they only guaranteed more risible contempt. But there was a price. In 1976 the band was jailed for months, a wound Brabanec says you carry for ever. Why the wound? “Because I was innocent,” he says over his morning beer. “I was jailed for playing the saxophone.”

[MORE]

#Simon Schama #protest #essay #culture #FT #art verses the tyrants #words and writing

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redleaf456 · 3 years ago

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Interior designer in Patna

INTRODUCTION

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The term “interiorscapes” refers to the general aesthetics of interior design. While architects are interested in the structure of a space, interiorscapes focus on its appearance. One example is color, where the use of certain complementary colors (such as blue and orange) creates a pleasing contrast between the two. Other examples of interiorscapes include furniture arrangements, flooring choices, lighting, wall coverings, window treatments, and artwork.

Architecture has been defined as "The science or art of planning and constructing buildings or other physical structures." Architects have designed some of the world’s most famous landmarks including the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower. Color psychology refers to how certain colors affect us emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. In short, color affects us. The colour of your house is very important. A bright shade of green makes your room appear spacious. You can use any colour you want inside your home office depending upon your choice. Green shades are generally preferred.

*Architecture

An interior architecture is the construction of interior spaces of buildings. It includes choosing and coordinating materials, selecting windows and doors, and furnishing the space. Interior architectural works closely with both interior design and engineering. Interior architecture creates the visual environment of a space. Redleaf Interior (Interior Designer in patna) focuses is to deliver high-quality products and services to customers at competitive prices. We aim to create long term relationships with clients by providing a wide range of services and products.

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Redleaf Interior believes in developing strong working relationships with its employees and partners. Redleaf Interior encourages open communication, honesty and dependability. We believe in teamwork and look forward to sharing our success with you.

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Our website address is https://redleafinterior.com

Call : 8051169999

#interiors #architecture #home & lifestyle #buildings

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cerastes · 4 years ago

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I’m thinking more Unlikely Crossovers Arknights Could Have, and inevitably, as is the written in the laws of the wild and the intended progression of nature: FromSoft collab.

Sister Friede (Duelist Guard) -> Inflicts Slow on targets in a radius of her each time she attacks an enemy thanks to her ice. Skills include a relatively quickly charged burst of damage to represent her iconic grab attack, rushing forward in a line and dealing huge damage to the first unit she collides with, and a longer charge Skill that transforms her into Blackflame Friede, with hefty Attack and Attack Speed boosts and an Ifrit-like damage over time burning effect, but losing her Slow effect.

Lady Maria (Enmity Guard) -> Attacks have a 25% chance to have Lady Maria shoot Evelyn at the nearest foe, dealing 60% damage of her Attack. Skills include a medium charge blood shockwave with Medium push, and sacrificing 50% of her HP to run herself through with her own swords to turn them into Bloodblades, giving her a hefty Attack boost and Arts damage, but halving the healing she receives from attacking by half.

Siegmeyer of Catarina (Shift Specialist) -> Heals all units in a radius every time he uses a Skill to represent Siegbrau/Estus Soups. Skills center around Pushing enemies with Wrath Of The Gods; If an enemy is Pushed against an Operator or a wall, they become stunned briefly (can only happen every 10 seconds).

Havel The Rock (Defender) -> Completely immune to the effects of [Freeze] and [Stun]; +10 RES. Skills include using the Havel Greatshield to encase himself in rock, taking a penalty to Attack Speed but increasing Max HP exponentially and being able to attack two enemies at once, and Two-Handing the Dragon Tooth, taking a slight penalty to Attack Speed but adding a significant Attack boost and Light Push effect to attacks that Slows enemies for a second.

Black Iron Tarkus (AoE Guard) -> Attacks have a 25% chance of [Poise-Breaking] the enemy, rendering temporarily more susceptible to Arts damage and lowering their Weight Class. Skills include a hefty boost to Attack and Defense in exchange for not being able to target more than one unit at a time, and a burst damage option in which Tarkus fully unleashes the power of an Ultra Greatsword R2, hitting all enemies three tiles ahead of him for immense damage while increasing his Talent’s chance to proc to 100%.

Solaire of Astora (Hybrid Supporter) -> Gains 1 SP every five attacks received by an ally in his range. His Lightning Bolts deal Arts damage and Slow down enemies, and his Skills include Sacred Oath, a rare Attack buff for allies in range that becomes stronger the less HP the ally has, and Great Heal, a burst heal on a medium charge in a radius around Solaire.

As for a boss...

Fume Knight -> Regular movement speed, has a gimmick where he summons Ashen Idols in scripted places around the map, which heal him if within two tiles of range of the Fume Knight. Attacks have both Physical and Arts damage, and every few seconds, Fume Knight will attack a Ranged unit with his Fume Ultra Greatsword. Upon losing 50% HP, Fume discards the Fume Longsword and moves faster than before, dealing more Arts damage and gaining access to two new special Skills: A flaming slash that damages units in a cone in front of him, and a radial, expanding barrage of fireballs that hit anything they come in contact with.

Lautrec of Carim And His Gank Squad -> Three bosses at once, each coming from a different Enemy Gate. Individually, they have lower HP than a regular boss:

Lautrec -> Fast and high damage attacks that ignore a certain percentage of an Operator’s Defense thanks to his Shotels, moves with above average speed.

Pikeman -> Average speed, longer range attacks at average intervals, but ignores deployment order and targets Ranged units first.

Mage -> Average speed, long range Soul Spears that deal devastating Arts damage, and his routing eventually puts him right behind the Pikeman if not dealt with in one way or another.

Dragonrider -> Supposedly very threatening, but trivial with a Shift Operator. No one has seen his boss fight actually play out.

#arknights #fromsoft #dark souls #bloodborne

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underthewingsofthblackeagle · 5 years ago

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Foto: Panorama Helsinki / Finland - Dom und Parlamentsplatz (by tap5a)

“We only do this for Fergus!” is a short Outlander Fan Fiction story and my contribution to the Outlander Prompt Exchange (Prompt 3: Fake Relationship AU: Jamie Fraser wants to formally adopt his foster son Fergus, but his application will probably not be approved… unless he is married and/or in a committed relationship. Enter one Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp (Randall?) to this story) @outlanderpromptexchange

Chapter 2: Je suis prest!

"Once again the anger about Frank rose in Claire's heart, but before she could think about him any further, a familiar voice tore it from her thoughts.

It was the voice of Dr. Ned Gowan. The company’s lawyer stood between the open wings of the large door and invited her to come in. Claire stood up in surprise. She was the last of the women who had arrived and now she was the first to be invited in. The other women also looked at her in irritation.

Then she entered an elongated rectangular room whose furnishings also bore all the hallmarks of the neo-Renaissance style. In front of a large wall of shelves with countless books, stood a massive desk made of dark wood. On it were several telephones and monitors, a keyboard, files, books and - to Claire's surprise - a large, dark red orchid. A large muscular man with bright red hair that turned into curls at the neck and at his temples sat at this desk and signed some papers. When she came a little closer, the man stood up, came up to her and held out his hand.

"Welcome to 'Fraser & Son International', Mrs. Beauchamp. I'm James Fraser," said the giant, who reminded Claire more of a Viking warrior fallen out of time than the CEO of an international company. She knew that he was 37 years old and estimated that he measured at least 1.90 meters (if not more).

Fraser's handshake was firm and warm, but not hard or uncomfortable. His voice sounded soft and melodic. He spoke softly. Claire needed a moment before she could answer, so much so that she was surprised by the discrepancy between the man's height and his appearance. Later, she would describe her first impression of James Fraser as that of a gentle giant.

"Claire ... Elisabeth Beauchamp. Pleased to meet you, Dr. Fraser," she replied, looking into his bright blue eyes. Now she also saw that she had a 3-day beard around his mouth and cheeks. The color of the beard seemed a little lighter to her than the color of his hair.

Fraser pointed to the left:

"Please follow me."

Directly to the right of the office was a somewhat smaller room, which was entered through a door in the style of a Japanese Shoji. Opposite the entrance, a wall-high panoramic window attracted Claire's interest. Through this window one could see directly onto the Gendarmenmarkt and the French Cathedral. In the light-flooded room, two light leather sofas faced each other, separated only by a coffee table. Fraser asked Claire to sit on one of the sofas, he and the lawyer sat down on the other.

Dr. Gowan spoke first:

"Mrs. Beauchamp, before we discuss your possible employment, we must ask you to sign this document."

He handed her a piece of paper with several narrow lines written on it. Claire took it and began to read. It was a confidentiality agreement. Under threat of a 250,000 Euro fine, the signatory, obviously meaning her, agreed to keep quiet about everything that was discussed between her, James Fraser and his lawyer.

Claire looked at Dr. Gowan in surprise.

"You must understand, Mrs. Beauchamp," said the lawyer, "that Mr. Fraser is not just anyone, but the CEO of an international company.

"I understand," she replied quietly, then took the pen that Dr. Gowan handed her and signed the paper.

"Thank you, Mrs. Beauchamp," the lawyer said, "this copy is for you.”

Claire saw how Fraser pressed a button on his smartphone. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Fitz-Gibbons appeared and brought tea and cookies. When she had left the room again and everyone had been provided with tea, James Fraser sat back and explained to Claire which job he was offering her. He told her that he had a foster son named Fergus and that he was looking for someone who could permanent take care of him. For twenty minutes, the businessman talked about his son and the qualifications that a caregiver would need. With each of these minutes, Claire became more aware that she had the best chance of getting this job. But did she really want it? The salary was fantastic and Fraser seemed a serious, friendly person. But what if the child did not like her? And did she really want to take care of just one child for years? Did she really want to spend all her time in that man's house for years? These thoughts frightened her a little, but then there was the prospect of significantly reducing her financial burden of this job. Claire decided inwardly to at least try. And if things didn't go well, well, the German healthcare system was constantly looking for new employees. Just recently, the German Minister of Health returned from a trip to Mexico, where he had recruited nurses and male nurses. She would find a new job at any time. She was sure of that. So she had a safety net and wouldn't fall into a bottomless pit if she had to give up her job with Fraser. Claire knew that and that reassured her a bit.

Fraser had finished his explanations and asked her directly:

"What do you think, Mrs. Beauchamp? Would you be willing to take that position?"

"In principle, yes..."

"But?" asked Fraser in surprise.

"Well, it's not my decision alone. What if your son doesn't like me?"

"We might as well test that. Would you like to come to our house to get to know Fergus? You could have lunch with us afterwards?"

"Y-e-s, ... of course.”

"Right," said Fraser, again pressing a button on his smartphone. When Mrs. Fitz-Gibbons appeared, to Claire's great surprise, he ordered her to send the other waiting women home. They would be contacted if the company still needed them. She was also to call his housekeeper and tell her that he would bring two guests for lunch. Claire became almost dizzy from the speed at which this conversation developed. But now she could no longer escape the pull that the whole thing was exerting on her.

"Mercedes Maybach S 600 Pullman" Photo: BMK Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1130176

Together with Dr. Gowan, they left the room through another door and then entered a secure elevator that took them directly to an underground parking garage. There Fraser's chauffeur was already waiting next to a black Mercedes Maybach S 600 Pullman and opened the doors of the limousine for the arriving guests. The lawyer and Claire sat down in the back, Fraser took a seat next to the driver. Shortly afterwards they found themselves in the thick traffic of the German capital. The drive went through Charlottenburg, then along the river Havel. Afterwards they drove through Steglitz-Zehlendorf, along the Western Düppelner Forst and over the Glienicke Bridge, which became famous worldwide through Steven Spielberg's film "Bridge of Spies". With this they had reached the city of Potsdam and ten minutes later they stopped in front of a clinkered multi-apartment building. Claire estimated that it had been built around the beginning of the 1930s. Fraser went ahead and led them into the house. A lady, who Claire estimated to be in her mid-forties, approached them in the entrance hall. Fraser introduced her as Mrs. Curtius and explained that she, along with her husband, was responsible for the management of the house.

"I would now like to show you the apartment that we are providing. If you'll follow me, please."

Claire nodded, and Fraser led her to an elevator that took her up to the top floor in a few moments. A few more steps brought them to a small hallway and from there to a kitchen-living room. Another living area followed, separated from the first by a large panoramic window. Claire was magically drawn to the view.

"Oh! You can see all the way across the Jungfernsee!"

“View above river Havel/ lake Jungfernsee to the Saviour’s Church at the port of Sacrow“ by Lienhard Schulz CC BY-SA 3.0, via WikiMediaCommons https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=358200

Fraser smiled. Then he led her a few steps further. They now came into another small hallway and from there they went right into the bathroom and left into the bedroom. All rooms were modern and bright.

"Do you like it? Could you imagine living here?"

When Claire didn't answer right away, Fraser added:

"Of course, you could furnish the apartment to your liking. You can bring your own furniture, or we can have it redecorate it for you."

"Thank you. I like it very much. But I think we should wait and see how your son reacts to me first."

"Yes, of course," Fraser relented, "then I want you to meet him right away."

They drove back to the second floor, where Fraser Claire led Claire through the living room into the conservatory and from there to the large terrace facing east. A spiral staircase led into the garden from its left side:

"I had the garden redecorated several years ago. In Potsdam there used to be a long winegrowing tradition and so there are still many terraced areas here".

They walked across a lawn and then came to a circled flowerbed that was full of different types of roses. Claire estimated its diameter to be several meters. There were two paths around the circle, one to the south and one to the north. Fraser and Claire entered the second path, which in turn led them to a larger lawn and from there to a tree-lined corner of the garden. There was a small pavilion with several sunbeds and a table. Behind the pavilion one could see a swimming pool that was covered with a wooden boarding. On one of the sundbeds, which reminded Claire more of couches, lay a small boy with dark, curly hair, completely absorbed in a book.

"Fergus!" Fraser shouted and the boy was slightly startled.

"Papa!"

The book almost flew to one side, the boy jumped up and ran towards Fraser. He welcomed him with open arms, picked him up from the ground and pressed him warmly to himself.

"Papa," the boy asked, while Fraser carried him back to the sunbeds, "why are you home so early?

"Because I want you to meet someone."

Fraser sat down on one of the beds with Fergus, and told Claire to sit down, too. Warmly he pressed Fergus once more to him, then he pointed at Claire and said:

"We talked about hiring someone to help you when you start school now. Someone to be here with you while I have to work or when I have to go on a business trip.”

The little curly head nodded.

"I want you to meet Mrs. Beauchamp. She speaks German, English and - you will be especially pleased to hear that - French as well."

The boy's face began to radiate.

"Mrs. Beauchamp has come here today so that you can talk to each other. And if you wish, and if Mrs. Beauchamp wishes, she could start working for us."

Fraser gave Fergus a light nudge on the back.

The boy stood up, walked over to Claire and politely reached out his hand to her.

"Good day, Mrs. Beauchamp."

"Good day, Fergus. Would you like to sit next to me?"

The boy nodded, then sat down.

Fraser watched with delight how Fergus looked at Claire. Obviously, his son was as impressed by the young woman's natural beauty as he was.

"Well, I'll leave you to it, then. Is there anything else you want me to have brought? Tea for you Claire and hot chocolate for you, Fergus?"

Both nodded. Fraser rose and slowly walked back to the house. All he could think of was that all he wanted was for Claire and Fergus to get along well and for her to take the job. But why wouldn't that happen? The morning had already made a small miracle come true. Claire had shown up for the interview and she had shown her willingness to take the job. Why shouldn't another small miracle happen? From the moment he first saw Claire's photo on her application, he could only think of other things with difficulty. In every spare minute she had dominated his thoughts. He had made all sorts of inquiries about her and there was nothing he wanted more than to get to know her better.

Back at the house, he asked Mrs. Curtius to bring tea and hot chocolate to the pavilion. When the housekeeper returned half an hour later, she had to tell him how she had found Claire and Fergus.

"They sit next to each other on the chaise longue and talk intensively - in French. I did not understand much of it. Fergus seems enthusiastic. He talks without interruption and gestures while doing so, just like when he talks to you. He almost knocked over the cup of hot chocolate."

"Thank you."

Fraser smiled. Then he went into the dining room where Ned Gowan was waiting for him.

"Potsdam - Shingle House" by Giorgio Michele - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3492265

An hour later Mrs. Curtius came and began setting the dining table. Fraser got up and wanted to go to the pavilion to get Claire and Fergus. But as he stepped out onto the terrace, he heard Fergus scream with enthusiasm. Then he saw the reason for it. Together with Claire, who had obviously taken off her pumps and was now walking around in stockings, the boy chased after a soccer and shot it into an imaginary goal by the garden fence. As if from one mouth, they shouted "Tooor!" and hopped around each other. Fraser could hardly stop laughing, and Ned Gowan, who had followed him onto the terrace, also began to laugh.

"You were right, Jamie. She's the one for Fergus."

Shortly afterwards, the two soccer players, Claire now back in pumps, also entered the terrace.

"Papa, Claire can play soccer and knows the rules," the boy reported enthusiastically.

"Fergus! That means: Mrs. Beauchamp. Please! Behave!" Fraser admonished his son.

"No, no, I allowed him to call me Claire. That's all right."

Claire smiled. Fergus and she had obviously found a connection.

"Well," said Fraser, and the surprise was clearly audible in his tone, "then we can have lunch.”

After lunch, Fraser took Fergus to bed for a nap. Claire had to accompany them at Fergus' insistence. But she was happy to do so. Instead of his father, the boy asked her to read to him from the "Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Primeval Animals". While she did so, she let her eyes wander through the room again and again. She was surprised how lovingly it was furnished. Fergus' bed was made in the style of a pirate's bunk, the walls decorated with pictures of pirates and dinosaurs. Everything was bright and friendly, only the carpet was in a deep dark blue.

"He wanted such a carpet. This is supposed to be the sea his ship sails on," Fraser explained to her when they later returned to the second floor. They sat down with Ned Gowan, who had been waiting for them in the dining room. There were a number of documents on the dining table and Claire was aware that she had to make a decision. But after meeting Fergus and being taken to her heart by him, the decision was easy.

"Are you ready to accept the position I am offering you?"

"Yes, I am. I look forward to taking care of Fergus."

"I'm glad," replied Fraser, and Claire was surprised to discover that the businessman seemed genuinely relieved.

Together with her, the company’s lawyer then went through the employment contract. Everything seemed to comply with the legal requirements, which she knew from her previous contracts. But then they came to a point that startled Claire:

"But ... I can't ... start on Monday! I have to give notice at the Charité and I have a period of notice!”

"Don't worry about that," said Fraser, in the calm manner she was already used to from him, "I know the director of your clinic well, he will certainly agree to your change. I will call him tonight and discuss everything with him."

"If that's possible..."

Claire was amazed, but assumed that a man with as much influence as Fraser could correctly assess the situation.

"We would then send a moving service tomorrow to move your furniture."

"It's all very quick..."

Claire sighed.

"Is it going too fast?"

Fraser looked at her somewhat anxiously.

"It's all really happening very quickly, but... now that I've met Fergus, I'm looking forward to being there for him."

Claire didn't mention that during the conversation with Fergus she had sensed how much the boy longed for someone who would be there for him during the many hours his father was absent. He had told her that Mr. and Mrs. Curtius were very friendly, but that they had little time for him, since they had other duties to perform. Much of what Fergus had told her had reminded her of her own time as an orphan. Uncle Lambert had brought her up with a lot of love and spent every spare minute with her. And yet, somehow she had always been missing something. A mother? She was not sure. She didn't think she could be a mother substitute for Fergus. And given that her time in this household was certainly limited, she didn't want to take on that role either. But the boy had touched her heart, and if she could give him a sense of security by being a good, trusted friend to him, then that would make her happy. She was sure of that.

Claire picked up the pen that Ned Gowan had handed her with the employment contract and signed it.

Fraser smiled, then pressed a button on his smartphone. Claire thought that she would get used to that. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Curtius appeared with a trolley carrying three champagne bowls and an ice bucket with a bottle of "Moet et Chandon".

“Champagner” by Myriams-Fotos

"Let's toast to a good future together," said Fraser as he filled the glasses and handed them over to Claire and the lawyer. They toasted and drank. Claire had assumed that the meeting was now over, but to her surprise Fraser then said

"Mrs. Beauchamp, we have another ... very ... delicate matter to talk about."

"And what is that?" she asked in surprise.

Now Dr. Gowan intervened again:

"As Mr. Fraser explained to you, Fergus is his foster son. A year ago, Mr. Fraser visited his Uncle Jared in Paris and when he went for a walk one evening, he found the child asleep near a bridge. No one knows what happened to his parents. It is known that both were drug addicts. They disappeared years ago. The authorities assume that they are either in Asia or dead. The child grew up in the care of his grandmother and when she died he was taken to an orphanage. But the boy could not stand it there. He fled from the place and began to make a living by begging and ... well, petty theft ... Mr. Fraser found him and promised him that he would give him a good home. He was lucky in the courts in Paris and was able to win the guardianship. But he wants to adopt Fergus as his son. But that is almost impossible for a single man in this country, even if he has as much money and influence as Mr. Fraser".

Gowan had stressed the word "single" and a dark premonition was rising in Claire's mind.

"And...what...does...this...have...to do with...me?" she asked cautiously.

"We would like to offer you another, very well-paid job."

Claire looked at Fraser and Gowan, but remained silent, so the lawyer continued:

"We are asking you to become, for three years, only pro forma the ... how shall I put it, Mr Fraser's girlfriend or fiancée. Only pro forma. For each of these years we will pay you 250,000 Euros plus a final payment of another 250,000 Euros. We will transfer the amounts to an account at a bank of your choice - wherever you want".

"And ... what do you expect me to do for it?" asked Claire, shocked and completely out of breath.

Once again, the lawyer took the floor:

"First of all, of course, we expect you to abide by our confidentiality agreement. Then we ask you to accompany Mr. Fraser to official occasions and that you behave like a girlfriend or fiancée to outsiders ... well ...".

"But ... am I not making myself liable to prosecution?" Claire asked uncertainly.

"We're not asking you to say anything untrue. Something completely different would be a fictitious marriage. And as for money, who can stop Mr. Fraser from giving money to his girlfriend or fiancée? You should pay the gift tax, though."

Again, Claire was silent. Then she saw Fraser reach into the right pocket of his jacket and pull out a small box covered with black velvet. He opened it and pushed it over to Claire. Visible was a ring of white gold formed from chased thistles. The flowers of these thistles were made of cut amethysts. Carefully Claire took the ring out of its packaging to look at it.

"It is beautiful," she then whispered.

"The thistle is the national flower of Scotland, the country of origin of my family," Fraser explained. Then he was silent for a moment.

"Would you wear this ring for three years, Mrs. Beauchamp? You would be a great help to Fergus and me."

A thousand thoughts went through Claire's mind. But then she decided immediately. She handed the ring to Fraser and then held out her left hand to him. Fraser smiled, put the ring on her finger and pulled her hand toward him. He ended the ceremony with a kiss on the hand that came as a complete surprise to her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Beauchamp, when this is all over, Fergus and I will be forever in your debt.”

Claire blushed.

"I still can't believe all this," she then said softly.

Even Ned Gowan had to smile.

"Believe me, Mrs. Beauchamp, we are no different. This morning you came to the company hoping to get a job. Within ...," Gowan looked at his watch, "six hours you have seen your new apartment, got to know the subject of your future work, signed your employment contract and got engaged. And in three years, Mrs. Beauchamp, you will walk out of the door of this house a twofold millionaire.”

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Fraser shouted:

"Yes, please."

and Mrs. Curtius came in.

"May I serve the tea?"

"Yes, thank you. Is Fergus up yet?"

"Yes, he's in the kitchen, painting.

"Please send him in," Fraser asked.

It didn't take a minute, and Fergus came in, holding a large sheet of Din-A-4 in one hand.

"This is for you, Claire," he said, beaming with joy, and handed her the picture of a dangerously green-looking Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"Oh, thanks Fergus!"

She pulled the boy towards her and gave him a hearty hug.

"Fergus, will you come and see me for a moment?" Fraser asked.

The boy climbed onto Fraser's lap.

"I have some very good news for you," Fraser began, but didn't get any further.

"Mrs. Claire is staying with us?"

Fraser could only say "Yes," and then the boy was already on his way back to Claire. He climbed onto her lap and pressed little kisses on both her cheeks.

"Fergus!"

"It's all right," Claire repulsed. She pressed the boy warmly against her and had to control herself immensely to keep from crying. How long had it been since she last met a person with such honest love? At that moment, Claire was sure she had made the right decision.

"Dinner" by JillWellington

They had dinner together, then Ned Gowan said goodbye. Fraser and Claire put Fergus to bed and of course Claire had to read from the "Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals" again. When the boy had fallen asleep, they sneaked quietly out of his room. Then they took the elevator that brought them to the garage where the driver with the limousine was already waiting for them. Fraser sat with Claire in the back seat and on the drive to her apartment at the nursing home they reflected on the day.

"Tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. the moving company will come and take care of everything. I look forward to welcoming you then, Mrs. Beauchamp," Fraser said as they arrived in front of the Charité nursing home.

"Claire, please call me Claire," she replied.

"All right, Claire. I'm James, to my friends, Jamie," Fraser said, reaching out his hand to her. She took his hand, but somehow it seemed quite natural for them to hug briefly.

"Good night, Jamie."

"Good night, Claire."

While a completely irritated Claire walked down the path to her apartment and wondered if she had made the biggest mistake of her life, a very cheerful James Fraser had himself driven in his limousine towards the Pfingstberg in Potsdam - feeling verry luckey, verry blessed.

#outlander #Outlander Fan Fiction #Jamie Fraser #Ned Gowan #Claire Beauchamp #Fergus Fraser #Potsdam #Berlin #Germany #Modern AU

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nightcoremoon · 4 years ago

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illusory walls hide:

a bonfire by a door sealed by artorias' crest

the daughter of chaos and servant eingyi

the great hollow and subsequently ash lake

a titanite chunk and darkwraith in new londo

a bonfire in the catacombs

a ladder to the giant who opens sen's fortress

gwyndolin and the darkmoon covenant

an underground cave system in ariamis

havel's stuff & a mimic with an occult weapon

a bonfire in lost izalith near the bed of chaos

the pit in the tomb of giants with a skull lantern

a silver pendant that deflects dark magic

the path to saving sif from the abyss

...

and what does that mean?

okay, so. artorias and sif went to stop manus from spreading the abyss, armed with anor londo's ancient treasure the silver pendant, presumably given to him by either gwynevere, gwyndolin, or fillianore (it couldn't have been gwyn, he'd been in the kiln for 700+ years; it maybe could have been the nameless king?). manus kicked their asses. the pendant ended up hidden behind an illusory wall; granted it's one based on light, so it has to be accessed either with the skull lantern (hidden behind a real illusory wall or dropped from a catacomb necromancer), the sunlight maggot (hidden behind a door accessible via chaos covenant hidden behind a real illusory wall), or bought from princess dusk. manus kidnapped dusk, leaving two items accessible only though an actual illusory wall or three bosses / gravity. basically this implies that illusory walls are a tool used by manus to protect himself. after all, this works when you consider that illusory walls stand between you and alvina who takes you to ANOTHER illusory wall (and a bonfire shortcut!) which hides sif, who is summonable for manus.

illusory walls seem to protect the abyss. and if you consider that they hide things that make it easier to challenge sif, obtain the covenant of artorias, either overpower the keepers of the new londo seal or gain the lord vessel (which lends credence to gwyndolin being the one who gave artorias the silver pendant, oh look gwyndolin is hidden behind an illusory wall that can be broken by getting the darkmoon seance ring which is conveniently located right next to the necromancer who drops the skull lantern wow holy shit), and fight & kill the four kings. who, mind you, are as necessary to unlock the door to the kiln of the first flame and relink the fire as the bed of chaos (who is nearby to the sunlight maggot), nito (who is nearby to the skull lanterns), and seath (whose archives house the broken pendant which is directly connected to oolacile).

illusory walls protect the abyss, and actively seek to prevent the linking of the fire. w o w. they also protect (or do they hide) chaos fire (daughter of chaos), the operator of sen's gate, havel's equipment and a god-killing weapon, and the last of the dragons twice (ash lake).

the abyss, chaos fire, dragons, the occult, enslaved giants, all things that are explicitly negative and told to the player are bad and shouldn't be fucked with... and also... havel.

these things are all connected somehow

...

or maybe the developers just needed random shit to hide behind invisible walls. I mean come on just look at the all important titanite chunk.

I think it's just random bullshit but hey it would be super cool to consider that maybe what if the abyss, chaos, dragons, the occult, giants, and havel the rock (who hated seath & magic) were the good guys, and linking the fire thus prolonging the age of fire and the reign of the gods who were clearly corrupt and hated the undead and were actually evil as shit and the ones controlling the narrative like puppeteers?

...HEY, WAIT A SECOND

anyway seath and all sorcery are inherently evil, the gods are all bastards, gwyndolin protects a lie, dark is just pure humanity, & gwyn is a cunt. fuck sunlight and magic! up with dark and fire! the furtive pygmy and dragons deserve better! thanks for coming to my tedtalk.

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ellaofoakhill · 4 years ago

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Celia, Part One

Ella knocked at Selva’s door. It had taken two and a half years to get her sleeping on her own, and then only because they’d switched her room so it was beside Ella’s.

Selva opened the door, rubbing her eyes. “Elmum?”

“Hey, Selv,” Ella said, kneeling down, “sorry to wake you so early.”

“‘t’s alright,” Selva said through a yawn. “What’s up?”

“Meline left early for Oak and Stone,” Ella said, “so once we’re done breakfast, I’d love your help in the shop.”

“The sh—” the speed with which Selva went from half-conscious to bouncing with excitement was incredible. “I can help!”

Ella grinned. “Yes, I want your help, dear. But,” she touched a finger to Selva’s nose, “you have to carefully follow my directions, or you won’t be allowed back for a long time, alright?”

“Yeah!”

Selva hadn’t eaten so fast since the day she arrived. The toast and raspberry jam vanished, as did the hot honeyed milk, and the chokecherry with it. And her clothes…

In anticipation of Selva working in the shop, Meline had made her a loose sleeveless shirt and short pants from a scrap of cotton cloth, and Selva point-blank refused to change, even though she squirted chokecherry all over herself and needed Ella to clean her up before she got sticky and covered in dust.

Once teeth were brushed, they went down to the shop. “So I’ve been cleaning things up for today,” Ella said. “The iron is stowed where it won’t affect you or Havel, but there are lots of machines that can hurt you if you aren’t careful.” She turned to Selva, her hand on the door handle, “what’s the first rule of shop safety?”

“If I don’t know, ask Havel or Ella!” Selva all but shouted.

Ella nodded. “That’s right. And the second?”

“Don’t take off any safety clothes without asking Ella!”

“Good. What about Havel?”

“Ella knows way more than he does!”

Ella bit her cheek. “True, and he’d be the first to say so, but it’s rude to say it that way. Just say he’s your senior, not your teacher.”

“Right!”

“But if he says not to do something because it’s dangerous, you’d better listen.”

“Yes, Mum!” Ella half-expected her to snap off a salute.

“And the third rule?”

“Don’t touch any tool or machine unless Ella says I can!”

Ella ruffled her hair. “Perfect! Now, let’s suit you up.” She opened the door and flipped on the light. The smells of coal, wood, and burnt metal permeated the room. She pulled a small helmet from a hook on the wall. “This should be sized right. You shouldn’t feel it chafing anywhere at all.” Ella also grabbed an apron, gloves, and boots.

“The boots are heavy, and I can’t grab things so good with the gloves,” Selva said, more as observation than complaint.

“The gloves are so you don’t cut yourself on sharp edges,” Ella said as she pulled her own gear on, “and the boots have hard toes so yours don’t get smushed. Just walk slow until you’re used to them.”

“Hey Elmum,” Selva said as she plodded forward, “what’s this?” She was pointing to a rectangular brick structure with a chimney running to the ceiling.

“That’s the smelter,” Ella said, lifting a lever that opened the door. “I melt metals in here, to either cast them, or combine them into alloys, like bronze, brass, and electrum.”

“What’s electrum?”

Ella was getting into the basics of alloying metals when there was a knock at the door. “It’s open!” Ella called.

Havel dipped inside. “Good evening, Master. What’s…” He stopped halfway through his bow when he saw Selva. “Ella said you’re ready to work, then?”

“Yeah!” Selva clomped over and slapped the two hands Havel held up for her.

“Get changed, Havel,” Ella said once they’d exchanged greetings. “We’ll introduce our newest apprentice to the shop, and then we’ll get started; tonight’s going to be a long one.”

Havel arched his eyebrows as he threw on his apron. ��What’s the plan?”

Ella knew her eyes glittered when she spoke. “We’re making a torc today.”

Havel stopped midway through tying his apron. He flushed to his roots. “A t-a torc, Master?” She nodded. “As in a neck ring?” Another nod. “As in—”

Ella felt her face, neck, and chest redden, even as an unabashed grin spread across her face. “—That most gorgeous and ancient piece of jewellery by which one fey proposes to another, yes.”

“You’re getting married!” Selva hopped and almost fell over.

Havel twiddled his fingers. “Master, this isn’t my place to say…” he trailed off.

“Nineteen years is hardly any time at all, I know,” Ella said. “And the fact that we are in love and living together is almost scandalous.” The grin shrank to a happy smile. “But I know in my heart that I want this. And I think Meline wants it, too. I was told long ago, by the Great Sage, an axiom that rings in my mind when doubt and anxiety take hold: ‘a young stream covers a distance in one day that takes an old river five.’”

A thoughtful frown crossed Havel’s face. He scratched his head. “Meaning…” Ella waited, “…different rivers move at different speeds. So…” the grin was back on Ella’s face, “…different fairies? Move at different speeds.”

Ella nodded. “That’s one way of putting it. ‘We each live at our own pace’ would be more succinct. And it seems to me,” she spread her arms, “the pace Meline and I have moved at justifies this proposition.”

Havel rubbed his neck, chuckling. “Alright, Master.” He didn’t sound entirely convinced; at least he was on board.

“Good. Then let’s begin.”

Even early in the evening, Oak and Stone bustled. Meline saw a storm was rolling in from the east. Hopefully the ships and boats were docked.

She looked at the sign. Glittering Deeps. She stepped onto the street for the first time in ten thousand years.

It was not a rich part of town. But it had cleaned itself up. The cobbles were cracked, but all there, and sitting flat. The houses were small, and old, but well-cared-for. The holes dug into the mountainside had small gardens out front, paved front walks, and the front doors were either painted or finished. Nothing elaborate, but nothing rickety, either. She hardly recognized the place.

She came up to a cycad that had to be two hundred years old. Bright windows poked out all up the trunk. The yardage was dense with ferns and horsetails, their fronds thick with lanterns.

Opposite the cycad was a hole with a red front door. Outside the white-picket fence posed a life-sized statue of a unicorn. The horn was a handle; one could pull it up and leave mail in the mouth. The statue blinked at her as she regarded it.

“Diva?” Meline extended a hand. The statue sniffed, then pressed the side of its head against her arm. “Alright, alright. How have you been?” She stroked him for a short while. “Is she home?” He snorted, scything his horn up and down. “I’ll go knock, then.”

The front garden was lovely in an understated way. Colourful lichens grew on the rocks, and mosses and liverworts added splashes of bright green on the earth and boulders. Either side of the door, on small mounds of sandy soil grew two succulent hens, their chicks sprouting out to either side.

A silver rock hammer hung on the door. The chain the hammer hung on linked to a silver plate with an enamelled red target. Meline smiled as she took the hammer and struck the target three times. A distant clap of thunder rumbled on the third strike.

Someone called something Meline didn’t catch. A scuffling just inside the door, the clunk of a bolt drawing back, and the door opened.

“Sorry I’m not dressed, it’s a bit early for…” She was of normal height as gnomes went, the top of her head barely reaching Meline’s hips. What she lacked in height she made up in girth. Few gnomes were fat, but dressed in green most looked like small hills. Her hair was tied back in a braid hanging to her knees. She wore blue chipmunk slippers and a grass-green nightgown. Her eyes snapped open when she realized who was knocking. She almost spilled her hot chocolate. “Cuffs!”

Meline’s smile saddened a bit. “Hello, Needles.”

They stood for a while, before Sali gave herself a little shake. “I… would you…would you come in?”

“I’d love to.” Meline ducked her head, and Sali led her down a round passage. There were a few new side-tunnels, but the kitchen was the same. Lined with white-glazed clay brick that caught the light of Sali’s crystal fixtures. A picture of Sali’s enormous family hung over the hearth. On the wall by the stove was a clock with the time marked by different gems, a bronze pendulum underneath. Meline sat in a sturdy chair altogether too small for her, remembering many an hour watching it swing, talking late, late into the day.

Sali set her hot chocolate beside an empty plate on the table, and served herself a helping of beetle rind, cheese, toast, and a chokecherry. Sali gestured to the stove. “Want any?”

“Oh,” Meline held up a hand, “no thanks, I’ve already eaten.”

Sali nodded. There was an awkward silence. Meline decided to break it. “You’ve… come up in the world.”

“Yes,” Sali said. “Cutting’s picked up, especially since we made our arrangement with the serpents. Since I get credit from the town for my contributions, I’ve renovated a few times over the centuries.”

Meline ran a trembling hand through her hair. Sali chuckled. Meline looked at her. “Over ten thousand years,” Sali said as she buttered her toast, “and you still do that when something’s bothering you.” She set down the butter knife. “Is it something besides the obvious?”

Meline took a breath. “I’m here for you, Needles. Not your skills.”

Sali nodded. “It’s time, isn’t it?”

“High time,” Meline said. “And… Smiles will want to hear it, too.”

After a moment, Sali nodded. “Yeah.” She looked up at the clock. “Let me finish my breakfast and get changed?”

“Of course.” Meline considered a moment. “Maybe I’ll take a hot chocolate.”

Sali barked a laugh. “Some things don’t change.”

#the fairy tales of ella and meline #tftem #celia #part 1 #chapter 25 #my original work #backyard fantasy #fae #fey #fairies #family #healing #iyashikei #lgbtq+#magic #strong female protagonists #women

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havellsindia001 · 2 years ago

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#REO Elegant Bold switches #REO havells #Bold switches

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green-eyeddragonfanfiction · 6 years ago

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A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Pairing: Princess!Reader x Cinderella!Bucky Summary: A/B/O!AU. Female!Reader is an Omega. Alphas and Omegas are rare, and Reader’s been able to avoid alphas through sheer force of will and luck in equal parts. Warnings: verbal abuse and physical abuse [of Bucky] Word Count: ~8,622 A/N:If I was pissed that By Chance was deleted, I’m just plain confused on why this was deleted. I don’t think it even has any sexual scenes.

You knew that when your father, the King, summoned you, whatever he had to say wasn’t going to be pleasant. You’d been dodging suitors and making excuses for being unable to meet eligible foreign dignitaries for years, and it was only a matter of time until your father had had enough.

“You will show up to the ball. You will choose a suitor from the bachelors invited. And you will do your duty as this country’s princess,” your father said forcefully, eyeing you angrily from his spot on the other side of his study’s extravagant desk.

You weren’t going to give into your father’s demands. There was no way you’d sell yourself to the highest bidder; you’d met enough Lords to know they were all power-hungry sharks just looking for a chance at the crown matrimonial.

You had to put up some show of resistance, or he’d suspect you were up to something.

“Father, I am not some pawn to be cast off as you see fit! I am my own woman and I can rule this country on my own!” you said defiantly. “I have been tutored on how to best lead this country from the moment I learned how to speak! I alone can-”

“That is enough!” the king roared, standing suddenly as he slammed his hands on the table, anger twisting his face until he was almost unrecognizable to the man who raised you. “I tire of your insolence, daughter! You should have been married off years ago, but it is only because of my and your mother’s love for you that you have been allowed to remain unwed this long. Our retainers- nay, our people- will not respect a queen with no king or king consort!” he said, spittle flying from his lips in his unbridled fury. “You will find a man to marry at the ball tonight, or I will choose a different successor to ensure a stable line of succession,” he said venomously.

You hung your head in mock contriteness, eyes trained on the ground. You hadn’t been expecting him to threaten your birthright, but you supposed it wasn’t that surprising. You knew that your father cared more about securing his bloodline than he did about you. “I’m sorry, father. I will… try my best to find a suitable bachelor,” you said penitently, curtsying gracefully to him.

“I expect you to make the declaration of who you will marry by the end of the ball,” he warned, making your stomach plummet to your feet. Not only did you have to marry some backstabbing Lord of the court, you had, at most, a single night to get to know him first.

“I will return to my chambers and review the portraits of my potential suitors and have Lord Barton help me review their backgrounds. By your leave, of course, your majesty,” you said placatingly, once again curtsying deeply.

You felt his gaze bore through you, looking for any signs of dissent or trickery.

He seemed to find none, though. “That is acceptable. You may leave,” he said coldly.

“Your majesty,” you said benevolently, finally rising from your curtsy to leave the room.

The second the doors to your room closed behind you, you burst into action. You knew you couldn’t leave; you wanted the crown. You wanted to do right by your people which, in your eyes, meant not marrying any of the corrupt men that wanted your hand in marriage.

You tore at the strings and lace binding your dress to you, nearly ripping the dress in your haste to tear it from your body.

You had so little time, now; So little freedom left. If you were going to be engaged tonight, you were sure as hell going to make the most of the day.

There was a quiet rap at the door, causing you to freeze halfway out of your elegant gown and look at it in horror. If your father-

“May I enter, your highness?” came a tentative voice at the door.

You sighed in relief. “Yes, Wanda. Come in,” you said quickly, ducking behind your bed in case someone happened to peek in the room when Wanda entered.

As soon as she’d shut the doors you were in front of her, gown hanging off of you, eyes wild. She nearly squeaked in fear, but you clapped a hand over her mouth. “Wanda, I need a favor,” you said hastily.

Twenty minutes later you were in the stables, dressed in castle servant’s clothes.

You glanced around and were relieved to find it empty; apparently everyone had either finished riding for the day or were out. Either way, it meant you wouldn’t be interrupted.

You walked down the line of stalls, stopping in front of the one you needed. The name “Havel” was etched into a sign on the door with painstaking detail.

“Hey boy,” you said affectionately.

The lovely dapple grey in the stall perked his head up immediately at the sound of your voice, inquisitive ears pointed directly at you.

A low nicker left his lips as he walked up to the gate of stall, obviously excited to see you.

You laughed at that and pulled out the apple you had stashed in your pocket, throwing it into his feed bucket attached to the inside wall. He immediately started munching on it while you unlocked the stall door and grabbed the saddle. A quick pet revealed he’d already been groomed and you sighed in relief; the less time you spent on the castle grounds, the more time you could spend enjoying your last day as a free woman.

“Alright, Havel. It took me a while, but I think I finally-”

You froze, eyes wide in shock, at the stable boy’s sudden intrusion.

“You can’t be in here! That’s the princess’ horse!” the stable boy, Peter, said loudly, obviously alarmed.

“Shh! Peter! It’s me,” you said, pulling your hood back a bit so he could see your face more easily in the dim light.

“Oh, my goodness! Princess! I’m so sorry!” he said, bowing frantically, bridle still clutched in his hand.

“Peter! Not so loud! Please!” you hissed, glancing worriedly around the barn.

“Sorry, sorry. Here’s his bridle. It was rubbing him a bit so I adjusted it; it should fit perfectly now!” he said, still bent over double in a bow, eyes trained on the ground as he thrust his hand forward, holding the bridle out to you.

“Thank you, Peter. I’ll be back in a while, but you didn’t see me here, understand?” you said, quickly easing the bridle onto Havel.

Peter looked up at you worriedly, but nodded. “Have a safe journey, princess,” he said, standing back so you could lead Havel out of his stall.

You smiled at him as you passed. “I will.”

You and Havel set a brisk pace and made it to the village about fifteen minutes later, hood shadowing your face so it was less likely people would recognize you. You dropped him off at the local stable for a short while, dropping the stable master a small handful of coppers for the trouble.

You set off to explore the town, simply enjoying being among your people without being recognized. It was nice to know you were loved, but you like seeing them as they were every day, and not just on festivals and special occasions.

Yes, you preferred your everyday citizens to the rich, pompous nobles at court any day. By and large they were hard-working, passionate, and kind people and every time you were among them the knowledge that you would lead them one day weighed heavily on you; you never wanted to let them down.

According to your father, though, you were doing just that by not marrying.

You shook your head, trying to clear it of all the dark thoughts about the ball and your impending marriage. When you looked up you realized you’d never been to this part of town before. Here, there was more room between houses; yards were grander and the houses more opulent. You sighed; getting lost hadn’t been part of your plan today.

You resigned yourself to wandering around until you spotted a familiar street, enjoying the scenery as you walked.

You hadn’t made it more than a few steps when a deep melody reached your ears.

“A dream is a wish your heart makes,

When you’re fast asleep…”

You followed the source of the noise, curious. Whoever was singing had a beautiful voice, but he also sounded so… sad.

“In dreams you lose your heartaches,

Whatever you wish for you keep…”

As you walked you looked into houses’ windows, craned your neck to see past hedges, and even hefted yourself on top of stone walls in search of the mystery singer.

You knew you were headed in the right direction; the singing was only growing louder and, with it, your curiosity.

“Have faith in your dreams and someday,

Your sun will come smiling through…”

It was when you peeked over the wall of the last house on the street that you finally spotted him.

Although the garden was tiny, it was well-maintained and could rival even parts of the royal gardens in its beauty. There, in the center, was your mystery singer. You glimpsed him through the trellises as he worked, shoulder-length brown hair tied back in a messy bun. Although he was wearing ratty peasant clothes, it wasn’t hard to spot the handsome man underneath the layers of dirt.

“No matter how your heart is grieving…”

You realized, then, why it was so quiet. The birds and small critters of the woods were all watching him work, charmed by his song. He trimmed trees with loving care, assessed all the plots for weeds, and placed down new fertilizer.

“If you keep on believing…”

He stood, wiping his brow, and smeared dirt all over his it. He looked around, surveying his handiwork, song falling easily from his lips.

“The dream that you wish will-”

His steel blue eyes met yours and his melody stopped abruptly, the magic his voice had been working ending abruptly. He stared at you, shocked, trowel clattering to the ground loud enough to scare the critters away.

“I’m sorry! Your singing was so beautiful! I didn’t mean to spy!” you said quickly, standing up straight now that you’d been caught.

He studied you warily, blue eyes drinking in every inch of you. He must have realized he was staring because he looked away suddenly, as though the bush next to him was the most interesting thing in the world.

“It’s alright…” he said tentatively, fingers nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. “I just thought you might be my step brother, at first,” he said nervously.

“Sorry, just me!” you said, smiling broadly. “This garden is beautiful. Do you take care of it all on your own?” you asked curiously, openly studying it with interest. He seemed to swell with a bit of pride at your compliments.

“Yes. The house, too,” he said, shyly pointing to the mansion behind him.

“Wait, you take care of this garden and that giant house? By yourself?” you asked, gaze returning to him, disbelief clear on your face.

He seemed to think he’d said too much, stumbling over his next words. “My step father is a busy man, and my step brother is learning how to run the family business under his tutelage. I… they ask me to take care of the house and garden,” he said quickly.

“My name is Ella,” you lied easily. You didn’t feel like giving him your real name in case he recognized you. “What’s yours?”

“James, my lady. Though my mother always called me Bucky.”

“How does one get ‘Bucky’ from James?” you asked, smiling curiously.

“It’s from my middle name, Buchanan,” he said sheepishly.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, James,” you said, grinning shyly. However, you still had questions. “It seems your step father is quite wealthy. Surely he could afford a couple of people to tend to the house and garden so that you could also learn how to help run your family business?” you said, crossing your arms as your mind worked. Something wasn’t quite right with his story.

“We’re not as well off as we seem, I’m afraid. At least, that’s what he tells me. I haven’t been allowed to look at my family’s books in years.”

“Wait, it’s your family’s business, not your step father’s? What about your mother? Surely she must have something to say about him cutting you out of the management of it,” you said brows furrowed in confusion.

He shifted uncomfortably. “She passed on when I was still a child. She fell ill after marrying my step father, and passed on only a year after saying ‘I do’.” he said sadly, gaze flicking away from you as he was assaulted with painful memories.

“Oh! I’m so sorry. That was terribly rude of me!” you said hurriedly, heart twisting painfully in your chest at the hurt you saw in his eyes.

He smiled, melancholy, at your apology. “It’s alright. You had no way of knowing,” he said reassuringly. He paused before he looked back up at you, a puzzled look on his face. “I’m not sure why I’m telling you all of this,” he chuckled lightly, the sound sending a thrill through you.

You couldn’t help but smile back. “People always say I look like I have a trustworthy face. Can’t get them to stop telling me their deepest, darkest secrets,” you joked, letting out a melodramatic sigh.

He laughed in earnest at that, light pink dusting his cheeks as he responded. “I would have to agree with ‘everyone,’ then,” he said shyly.

You beamed at him, placing your hands flat against the top of the stone wall as you leaned over it. “If you would indulge a bit of selfishness on my part, I would very much like a tour of your garden,” you said earnestly, eyes shimmering with hope. If you were being honest, you also wanted to get closer to him to see if he was as handsome up close as he was from far away.

He looked up and down the street nervously before he looked back at you. As he studied you closely he seemed to make up his mind. He nodded and moved towards the gate, likely intending to open it for you, but you simply vaulted over it, deftly avoiding the lovely plots of flowers on the other side.

“That works, too,” he said, smiling at you.

“Do you enjoy working in the garden, at least?” you asked, as you walked over to him, surreptitiously glancing at him as you studied the plants around you. He was, indeed, just as attractive up close.

He seemed to consider your question a moment, head tilting adorably to the side, gloved fingers absently running over the leaves of the vines next to him. “I enjoy it more than cleaning the house. At least out here I have the company of the animals,” he said quietly. You nodded, but your mind mulled his answer over.

The two of you walked the garden together for some time. He knew the name of every plant and exactly how to take care of it to make it as healthy as possible. The two of you talked about the town once you ran out of plants, but you carefully avoided talking about the royal family. Finally, you just had to ask.

“Why don’t you leave? You don’t seem to be very happy here?” you asked quietly, eyes searching his face.

He sighed, shoulders slumping slightly as he looked around, gaze lingering on the house. “This place is all I have left of my mother. I couldn’t leave it to my Step father and brother,” he said, hint of bitterness creeping into the sadness of his voice. His gaze seemed so far away.

“I suppose I can understand that,” you said, reaching out to place a hand gently onto his arm. His gaze snapped back to you, startled, and you hesitantly removed your hand, afraid you’d upset him. “Not wanting to leave something because you care so much about it, even when staying hurts, too.”

He nodded slowly, a tender smile that made your heart flutter in your chest appearing on his face. “Yes, exactly.”

The two of you stood there, frozen in the moment, before it was shattered by a loud, angry voice from the other side of the house; whoever it was seemed to be on the street, just out of sight

“Cinderbucky! Your brother and I are home! Come take our horses at once! The King has announced a ball where all eligible bachelors of the kingdom are invited and at the end of the night the princess will announce who she’s to marry! We must prepare for your brother to attend at once!” the step father yelled, just out of your line of sight.

He turned to run towards the source of the noise “I’m sorry! I must go, or-”

“James, wait!” The thought of never seeing him again bothered you greatly, but you didn’t want to look too closely at why. “Go to the ball! I work at the castle! I… I wish to see you again!” you said hopefully, lying through your teeth. You don’t know why you continued to lie about your position, other than that you were afraid he’d be blinded by your status.

He looked at you, wide grin spreading across his lips. “I will be there, then,” he promised, though he knew it was easier said than done. “You must go now, though, before they see you!” he urged, head swiveling in fear as his step father yelled angrily again. He seemed torn, but ran away, one of his shoes flying off in his haste. He didn’t even pause to go back for it.

An idea hit you then, and you took the shoe carefully from the ground. While obviously old, he seemed to take good care of it. You shoved it under your cloak before you turned and headed to the edge of the gardens.

With one last lingering look, you spun and vaulted over the stone fence. You ran a short distance before you turned around, but James was no longer in the garden. You sighed, glancing at the fading light in the sky. You’d spent more time with James than you’d thought and you needed to get back soon or risk facing the wrath of your father.

“What on earth are you talking about?” Your father sputtered.

“What I said, father. I’ll marry the man whose foot fits into this shoe,” you said dismissively, holding it up nonchalantly.

“That is a peasants shoe! You’ll do nothing but insult our guests by making them try it on!” he raged, glaring at the shoe as though it had just committed high treason.

“If they are not willing to try on a shoe for a chance at the crown, then they are fools,” you said bluntly. “And I promise that if no one fits it, I will choose a suitor anyway.” It pained you to say it, but you knew it was the only way to placate him.

He leaned back in his chair, mouth working dangerously as he bit back an onslaught of unsavory things, mustache twitching violently below his nose. “Fine! If this farce is what it takes you to willingly marry a man, then so be it!” he said, throwing up his hands in exasperation. “Now, go get ready! the guests will be arriving in an hour.”

“By your leave, majesty,” you said, curtsying deeply as you made a hasty exit from his study.

You walked quickly back to your room and opened the doors, expecting to see Wanda, but it was Natasha, instead. You loved Natasha, but Wanda was your favorite lady in waiting. Even though you coached your face back into one of polite neutrality, she’d seen you look of disappointment.

“I know. I’m not Wanda. I’m sorry. She had urgent business to attend to and asked me to fill in for her in helping you get dressed tonight,” she said quietly, motioning to the elegant and intricate blue gown you hadn’t noticed a moment before.

“It’s beautiful!” you said, awestruck.

“Wanda made it for you, specially for tonight. She only finished recently. The second she heard the rumors she sprung into action. She can’t be with you right now in person, but her spirit is here with you anyway,” Natasha said, fondly.

“You’re right, Natasha,” you said, smiling at her. You were always thankful of the way she was able to see the other side of things.

“Now, let’s get you ready for your big night!”

Bucky’s POV

“What took you so long, boy?” Pierce spat as he dismounted.

“Probably singing to all of those stupid animals again,” Brock said venomously as he hopped off his horse.

“Put the horses away and prepare our finest suits immediately. Brock is going to become a prince tonight!” Pierce said proudly, gazing down at his son.

“Yes, father,” Bucky said, quickly following his step father’s orders. The quicker he got them ready the faster they’d leave and he could get himself ready to see Ella again. He was invited to the ball, after all, as an eligible bachelor. He knew he wouldn’t catch the princess’ eye. Not in one of Brock’s older suits that didn’t fit him quite right, but he wouldn’t show up in the rags he wore while he worked. Just for a night he wanted to be a man a beautiful woman like Ella would be proud to be seen with.

As soon as he’d put the horses to pasture he ran into the house, quickly preparing Pierce and Brock’s best suits while they washed up.

Two hours later it was getting dark and the ball was looming closer by the minute. Pierce and Brock were dressed to the nines. Bucky had outdone himself tonight, eager to make them happy so that he might be able to ride with them to the ball. They were waiting downstairs for the carriage to arrive when Bucky came down, dressed as nicely as he could and, for once, mostly devoid of any dirt.

The second Pierce saw him, his face contorted with fury.

“What are you wearing, boy?” he spat. Bucky cringed and froze on the bottom step.

“I- I was hoping I could go to the ball. All the bachelors in the kingd-”

“You’re not going, you imbecile!” Pierce said as he stormed over to him. Bucky didn’t have time to brace himself before his head whipped to the side, cheek stinging from Pierce’s back-handed slap. “The princess would never look at you! You’re an embarrassment to your step-brother!” he raged. To Bucky’s horror, Pierce reached up and ripped the sleeve almost completely off of his dress coat. Pierce wasn’t done though, and Brock cheered on from his spot in the foyer.

“Aww! Little Cinderbucky wanted to go to the ball! How sweet!” he crooned, face twisted with malevolent amusement at the scene in front of him. “But clumsy him! He ripped his jacket!” Brock said, cackling.

Pierce ripped apart the white dress shirt, buttons flying in every direction.

“You’re a fool, boy! You’re lucky we’re in a hurry, or I would teach you another lesson!” he spat, tugging down the left side of the shirt and jacket to reveal the edges of the ugly scars that continued all the way down his arm to the very tips of his fingers. Bucky nearly shook at the threat, but somehow remained standing.

“This house will be spotless by the time we return! And if you ever make another mistake like this again, you’ll be wishing it was only an arm,” Pierce said dangerously, eyes glinting with malice.

“Yes, father. I understand,” he said weakly.

“The carriage is here, father,” Brock said, still staring at Bucky with condescension. “Enjoy your night, Cinderbucky,” he sneered.

As if to add insult to injury, Pierce spat on Bucky before turning to walk to the door.

The second the door was shut, Bucky sank onto the stairs, head in his hands and he tried to hold back the tears. He didn’t hear the door open and only realized there was someone else in the room when a pair of boots appeared in his line of vision.

He looked up, startled, to see a man standing there. His blond hair seemed to almost shine in the light and his eyes were even bluer than Bucky’s.

“We don’t have time for moping, friend. We need to get you all fixed up for the ball,” he said by way of greeting. Bucky looked at the man, bewildered.

“I’m sorry, but… who- who are you?” he asked, nerves frayed from the roller coaster of emotion that was today.

“Hmm… a friend?” the blond man said, smiling down at Bucky as he extended his hand. Bucky looked at it for a moment, unsure, before he took it. “A friend of mine told me about your situation and I just had to help,” he said, patting Bucky comfortingly on the shoulder. “I’m a little upset I couldn’t get to you sooner, but… we mustn’t dwell on the past! Your life is changing, starting today!” he said cheerfully. “Go check upstairs!”

When Bucky didn’t move and simply stared at him, Steve sighed, and made shooing motions. “Go! Hurry up! The ball is starting soon!” Steve said urgently.

The mention of the ball seemed to startle Bucky into action. With one last confused look at the man in front of him, he went upstairs to his tiny room, opening the door slowly in trepidation.

There, in the center of his room, was the single most stunning suit he’d ever seen. The jacket was pure white with silver embroidery. The shirt beneath it was a gorgeous baby blue with the same silver thread as the jacket. The pants were the same snowy color as the jacket with accents that matched the shirt. Shining black knee-high boots completed the outfit; they were so well polished that they shone like glass. It even came with a pair of white gloves.

“Wow…” he murmured, as he walked towards it. He reached out to it, faltering before he touched it, scared it’d disappear as soon as he touched it or that his hand would go straight through it. He didn’t have to try it on to know it would fit him perfectly.

“Yeah, she really did a great job, didn’t she?” said the man from the doorway. Bucky jumped, letting out an undignified yelp of surprise, and turned to face the man.

“This… this is for me?” he asked, pointing to it over his shoulder with his thumb.

“All yours, friend. Now, get changed. We’re short on time,” he said with a smile as he shut Bucky’s door.

Ten minutes later Bucky emerged from his room, marveling at how the suit hugged him in all the right places, accentuating his best features.

The mysterious blond man was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and beamed at Bucky when he appeared at the top of them.

“All ready to go, then?” he asked, admiring his handiwork.

“I… I think so,” Bucky said nervously as he made his way down the stairs, resisting the urge to run his fingers through his hair, which he’d tied into a small ponytail at the back of his neck.

“One second, you’ve got just a bit…” the mystery man muttered, bringing his thumb up to swipe a smudge of dirt off of Bucky’s cheek. “There, perfect. Now, the carriage is outside waiting!”he said, motioning grandly to the doorway.

“Carriage?” Bucky asked, glancing at the doorway.

“What, did you think we’d make you walk there, or something?” the man asked, grinning.

Bucky looked confusedly from the door to the man and back. “Who… are you?”

“Not important, Buck. Now, go get the girl!” he said, giving Bucky a gentle but firm shove towards the door.

Bucky wanted to press him for an answer, but he was right. Time was slipping away. He had to get to that ball.

What he saw when he opened the door made him stop. Not only was there a carriage, it was extravagant. Four white horses pulled the highly decorated thing and there wasn’t just a driver but also two servants on the back, and two more men were waiting just ahead of it on white horses of their own.

This was an entourage fit for a prince or a wealthy lord, not the cleaning wretch of a lesser noble.

One of the servants hopped off the back and lowered the small step built into the underside and opened the door a half second later.

“Your carriage awaits, sir,” he said gesturing grandly to it.

Bucky swallowed nervously, taking a few hesitant steps towards it, expecting any second for his step father and brother to pop out and punish him for his shameless hoping. When he stepped inside and the door shut securely behind him, he breathed out a sigh he didn’t realize he’d been holding in.

With a gentle jolt, the carriage was off towards the royal castle.

Your POV

You sighed as yet another suitor approached your dais.

“Your highness,” the older man began, bowing deeply. “It is an honor to be in your presence. We’re so thankful for your invitation to the ball tonight. Allow me to introduce my son, Brock.”

You thought you’d recognized his voice the moment he started speaking, but the second he said his son’s name your suspicions were confirmed. You tried to fight back the grimace you felt creeping onto your face at their presence.

Brock stepped forward, the sharp lines of his face contorted into a slimy smile. “Princess. You look absolutely stunning. Truly all the stars in the heavens must be jealous of your beauty,” he said unctuously, bowing deeply as he took your hand and placed a sloppy kiss onto your rings.

“Thank you for coming. I take it you’ve heard of my new request?” you said, gently but firmly tugging your hand from his grasp to gesture to the shoe sitting on the cushion beside you. “Any who fit it have the opportunity to dance with me tonight.”

“Yes, of course, highness,” Brock said, bowing his head in acknowledgement. “May I?” he asked, gesturing to the shoe.

“That is why it is there, Rick,” you said, patronizingly. Brock’s smile faltered for a moment at your tone and the fact that you got his name wrong, but to his credit he held it together, sitting down in the provided chair to try on the shoe.

And boy, did he try. He sat there for probably thirty seconds, trying to squeeze his heel into it, but to no avail.

“I do not believe it fits you, sir,” you said pointedly.

Both Brock and his father looked at you, their stubbornness plain on their faces, but one look at the guards standing beside you seemed to change their minds about arguing. Brock set the shoe back down a little harder than he had to and put his own back on. They both bowed deeply, their oily smiles not quite enough to hide the anger behind their eyes.

“Thank you for coming, gentlemen,” you said by way of dismissal, inclining your head slightly to them. They stalked off, straight for the table that held all of the food. It seems they would try to get their revenge by eating half the food in the hall.

“Have someone keep an eye on them,” you told your guard, Steven, surreptitiously, eyeing them coldly.

He nodded. “Understood, princess,” he said quietly, signaling one of your other guards, Clinton, with discreet hand motions to keep an eye on those two. You didn’t know exactly where he was, but you knew he was around somewhere. He was nicknamed Hawkeye for a reason; he worked better from a distance.

You went through countless suitors like that. Some fit the shoe and were added to the list of people you would dance with later in the night, but none of them were James. You hoped he would come. You had Natasha on the lookout for him in the servants’ areas and directed her to send him up immediately if he showed up. As time passed, though, it seemed less and less likely that he would show, and you had to bite back your disappointment.

“Princess,” Steve said softly in your ear, jerking you out of your troubled thoughts. “Look,” he said, pointing to the entrance of the castle on the opposite side of the room from you.

Everyone else in the room was looking, too. Every head was turned to see who had just entered, a wave of whispers breaking out among the crowd.

He was easily the most stunningly handsome man in the room, putting every other man in attendance to shame.

Your heart beat wildly in your chest.

James. It was James. Even from across the hall you could see his bright steel blue eyes searching for you; the servant Ella, not the princess (Y/N). His gaze slid over you as though you weren’t there and you had to fight how much that hurt. He looked divine in his white and blue suit; completely different but just as amazing as the dirty, down-to-earth man you’d met earlier.

“Make sure he comes up here,” you told Steven urgently. Steve nodded, giving your other guard, who everyone affectionately called “Rhodey,” a nod before he disappeared in the swarm of people.

Bucky’s POV

Bucky weaved between the other guests nervously, aware of how many people were staring. He wished they wouldn’t; He was already nervous enough as it was. He was about to sneak out of the main hall when a hand on his arm stopped him.

His gaze snapped to the man attached to said hand and he nearly shouted in surprise. It was the mystery man.

“You!” he said, trying his best not to yell.

“Me!” Steve said jovially, dropping his arm. “Your girl’s not in there, lover boy. And I have to insist that you come with me. Every eligible bachelor must meet the princess today,” he said with a wink.

“But Ella-”

“Trust me, Bucky,” Steve said, earnest smile on his face.

Bucky looked between Steve and the doorway, torn. Steve hadn’t led him wrong before, but meeting the princess would take away from time he could be using to be with Ella.

But it wasn’t every day you got to meet a princess, right? Maybe he’d be able to meet two in one day; Ella was a princess in his eyes.

“Fine,” he conceded. Steve beamed and led Bucky to the far part of the room where the princess was meeting suitors. There was a long line of men waiting for a chance to talk to the princess, but Steve literally shoved Bucky to the front of the line.

Bucky protested weakly, not wanting to offend all of the powerful men in the room, but one look at the princess made the rest of his protests die in his throat.

Even though she was wearing an elegant blue dress and her hair and makeup were done to perfection, there was no mistaking the woman in front of him, even though the last time he saw her she’d been in peasant’s clothing.

“Ella,” he breathed, awestruck at the vision of beauty in front of him.

You were beaming at him, but seemed to remember yourself, coaching your expression back into a slightly more subdued smile. His feet moved of their own accord, stepping up onto the dais upon which your throne sat.

Suddenly remembering etiquette, he stopped just out of your reach, bowing deeply, eyes on the ground. “Your highness,” he said quietly, amazed.

“And you are?” you asked politely. James looked up suddenly, hurt you didn’t recognize him, but you were smiling playfully at him, eyes shining with happiness.

Ah, you did recognize him. “James Buchanan Barnes, princess,” he said, gently taking your hand in his gloved fingers to place a tender kiss on your knuckles. The difference between his kiss and Brock’s was night and day. Your heart fluttered in your chest, and it took everything in you to keep calm.

“Have you heard about the request I’ve made of all of the suitors here tonight?” you asked as he released your hand. You immediately missed his touch.

“No, your highness,” he said, brows furrowed in confusion.

“The man I choose to marry will be able to fit into this shoe,” you said, gesturing to his shoe where it sat on the cushion just a few feet away.

He looked to where you were motioning and when he saw his own shoe sitting there on the pillow it didn’t click right away what was happening.

Then, it hit like a tone of bricks.

He turned back to you, eyes wide in shock. “You mean-”

You held up a hand, gently silencing any questions. “Please, try it on,” you said earnestly, a knowing smile on your lips.

He gulped and took a seat on the opulent chair, removing his right boot carefully.

He’d been wondering where his other shoe had gotten to. He guessed he had his answer now.

He didn’t realize how quiet the room had gotten, too engrossed in the task in front of him. But you and everyone else in the room was watching him closely.

He looked up at you as he slid his shoe on. Although a couple men before him had managed to squeeze it on or walk around without it falling off, it fit him perfectly.

The smile that graced your face was blinding and Bucky couldn’t help but smile back.

“Steven,” you said quietly without taking your eyes off of Bucky.

“Yes, princess?” the blond mystery man said, appearing at your shoulder.

“Alert the musicians. It is time for the first dance,” you said happily. “You may want to put that boot back on,” you said cheekily to Bucky.

“Yes, highness,” Bucky said quickly, smile on his face as he clumsily removed his shoe and tugged the boot back on.

He stood hastily, rushing to your side.

He held his hand out for you to take, nervousness clear on his face.

“I would be honored to have this dance with you, highness,” he said earnestly.

You smiled, taking his hand as you stood. “Please, call me (Y/N),” you said quietly enough that only he could hear. “And it would be my pleasure to dance with you, James.”

He turned a truly adorable shade of pink, nodding slightly. “You can call me Bucky, if you like,” he said as the two of you made your way towards the dance floor.

The guests parted before you, expressions ranging from surprise to anger to awe (you supposed you and Bucky did make a striking pair).

“Bucky, then,” you said fondly as you arrived at the center of the floor and turned to face him. He smiled brilliantly at the sound of his name on your lips.

The music played the prelude and you bowed to each other. You were about to begin dancing when an angry voice rang out in the hall, causing the music to screech to a halt and make everyone’s heads turn towards the source, including yours and Bucky’s.

“You get away from the princess!” Franklin Pierce yelled, storming towards the two of you. Brock trailed after him, face murderous. Bucky placed himself protectively between you and the angry men, but he paled considerably. “I don’t know how on earth you got that outfit, but you won’t defile the princess, swine!” Pierce spat, stomping towards Bucky.

Steve appeared in front of him before he made it within ten steps of you and Bucky, sword drawn and pointed directly at Pierce’s throat. “No closer, sir,” Steve ordered, saying the last word sarcastically.

Pierce looked like he was going to try and deck Steve, but looked past him to level a glare at Bucky.

“You broken piece of garbage. I should have left you to starve after your mother died!”

Buck turned in on himself, shoulder’s and head slumping, and it almost seemed as though he was getting smaller at Pierce’s words. You placed a hand gently on his shoulder, glaring at Pierce.

“Does her highness even know about your disfigurement, you monster?” Pierce asked, malevolent smile on his face.

“Yes, I bet you didn’t show her that, did you, Cinderbucky?” Brock said venomously, sneering down his nose at Bucky.

Bucky glanced behind himself at you, eyes filled with fear and hurt at their words.

“Go on, then. Show her. Show her what you look like under that pretty white jacket!” Brock jeered.

Bucky turned his back on them to face you, eyes dull.

“You don’t have to-”

“Yes, I do,” he said quietly, slowly removing the glove from his left hand. It was better he lose you now than later, he thought.

It was lined with scars from burns and cuts, some looking nearly as old as he was. He rolled his sleeve up as far as it would go, revealing even more angry marks.

“They go up to my shoulder,” he said, tone flat. He was sure you would never look at him again, and he wouldn’t blame you. A beautiful princess like you deserved someone who was as whole and wonderful as you, not some broken, disfigured shell of a man.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts of self hatred that he didn’t realize you were reaching out to touch his arm until your fingers ghosted over the angry, scarred skin. He flinched at the touch, nearly pulling his arm away from you.

“I’m sorry, I should have asked first. Does it hurt?” you asked quietly, eyes swimming with tears. Who would do this to such a kind, gentle man?

He looked at you in confusion. Surely you were crying because of how ugly he was, but your words… your words were kind. Slowly, he shook his head. “Not anymore, highness,” he whispered.

“May I?” you asked, nodding your head towards his arm, fingertips close enough to feel the heat of his skin.

He nodded warily, hope creeping back into his mind unbidden.

Your fingers ghosted over his innumerable scars, a single tear escaping and making a track through your makeup as you contemplated the horrors he likely had to go through to get all of them. He closed his eyes at your gentle touch, a small sigh escaping his lips.

“Did they do this to you?” you asked suddenly. Bucky opened his eyes, meeting your steely gaze.

He swallowed thickly, adam’s apple bobbing nervously. After a moment he nodded, eyes flicking away from you.

Rage ignited inside of you, white hot and all-consuming.

“Steven. Take those ‘guests’ and throw them in the dungeon. I will deal with them later,” you said loudly enough for Steve to hear, gaze never leaving Bucky’s. Bucky looked up at you then, confusion clear on his face.

“Princess-”

“(Y/N),” you corrected him.

He looked at you guiltily. “(Y/N). I… my step father is right. I am a monster. I don’t even deserve to be in your-”

“He is the monster, Bucky,” you said firmly, placing a hand on his left arm gently. The other hand went up to cup his face and he couldn’t help but lean into your touch. “I do not care about the scars you bear. To me, you could not be any more handsome. It is your heart of gold that has swayed me,” you said earnestly, running a thumb over his cheek tenderly.

“Truly?” he asked, barely daring to hope. “You do not mind… this?” he asked, gesturing to his left arm.

You brought his left hand to your lips and placed a gentle kiss to his knuckles, mirroring his actions just a few minutes ago.

“Truly,” you assured him. The smile that graced his face was blinding, making you smile just as widely in return. You vaguely heard Pierce and Brock yelling while they were dragged away by Steve and a couple of other guards, but all of your focus was on the man in front of you. He stared down at you and it was likely only the room full of people (some of whom had pointy metal people-killing sticks) that kept him from embracing you then and there.

The music picked up again, just slightly before it left off, snapping you and Bucky out of that moment.

However, what followed was even better.

He lowered his sleeve but left his glove off and took a half step back, bowing deeply to you, and you curtsied, smile on your lips.

Then, he stepped forward, placing one hand gently on your hip, the other lacing together with your hand. You placed your hand on his shoulder and, just like that, the most magical dance in your entire life started.

The world fell away until it was just him and you on the ballroom floor. Your dress flowed gracefully whenever you spun, mesmerizing every person watching as Bucky expertly guided you around the room. The music swelled and you let out a delighted giggle as he placed both hands around your waist and lifted you in a graceful arc in front of him, earning excited applause from the audience (though you and Bucky didn’t even hear it). As the dance progressed, the space between you lessened until the last few chords of the song rang out and you found yourself pulled to his chest just before he dipped you gracefully backwards, arms holding you securely aloft.

All at once the hall erupted in applause and cheers. Bucky lifted you back upright gently, awestruck smile on his face, as though he couldn’t believe what was happening (he couldn’t). His gaze was momentarily pulled from you by Steve, who was jumping and waving his arms to get Bucky’s attention, just beside you in Bucky’s range of vision.

Once he realized Bucky was looking, he patted his chest frantically in one spot. Bucky raised an eyebrow confused. Steve sighed, slumping over for a half second in annoyance before he straightened again. He pointed to Bucky, then to the same spot on his chest again (this time even more forcefully and… pantomimed pulling something off his chest? Then pointed to Bucky again, eyes wide and frantic. He seemed to be pointing to a specific spot on Bucky’s chest… the same one he’d pointed to on himself.

Bucky looked down. Sure enough, there was a breast pocket on the jacket. With one last confused look to Steve he reached into it, freezing when his hand touched metal.

He looked back at Steve, eyes wide with fear and anxiety. Steve was smiling broadly, giving him an encouraging nod. He could see him mouth the words “do it.”

Bucky looked back at you. The exchange with Steve had lasted a few seconds at most, but for Bucky it felt like it had been minutes. You were still smiling up at him as though he was the moon and stars themselves.

“(Y/N),” he said slowly, causing one of your brows to quirk in question.

“Yes, Bucky?” you asked cautiously, confused by his sudden change in tone.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” he asked, all caution thrown to the wind. He wore his heart on his sleeve and trusted you not to break it.

You beamed at him, nodding vigorously. “Yes, I do.”

His heart thudded in his chest and he severely hoped he could make you say that word again. Slowly, he sunk to one knee, holding your two hands in one of his large ones. Without taking his eyes off of you, he pulled the ring out of his pocket, inwardly balking at the giant rock set into the center.

“Princess (Y/N), you would make me the luckiest and happiest man alive if you would do me the honor of being my wife,” he said earnestly, eyes alight with hope and adoration.

To his surprise you sunk down in front of him, throwing your arms around his neck.

“Yes! Yes, I will! I will gladly be your wife!” you said, pulling back enough so you could smile at him, happy tears making tracks down your face.

Bucky laughed along with you, happy smile lighting up every inch of the room as he slid the ring onto your finger (it fit perfectly, of course). You smiled at it, then at him, cheeks heating with all of the excitement.

Around you, your people cheered. Their princess was finally getting married.

Then Bucky did the one thing he’d wanted to do since the moment he met you. He pulled you in for a gentle but passionate kiss. It was everything you wanted it to be; your lips melded together perfectly as his arms wound around your waist. Your arms found their way around his shoulders and you lost yourself in his kiss and the feeling of him against you.

“Ahem,” came a stern voice from next to you.

You broke apart, startled, and looked at the newcomer.

“Your majesty!” Bucky said, abruptly standing to bow to your father. His gaze turned back to you, harried, and he quickly helped you to your feet.

“Father!” you said warily. You placed a hand on Bucky’s arm and he slowly straightened up, eyes darting from you to him nervously.

The king studied Bucky critically, eyes narrowed as he took in every detail.

“This is the man you wish to marry?” he asked, voice carefully neutral.

“Yes, father,” you said quickly, reaching down to lace your fingers with Bucky’s. You gave him a reassuring squeeze.

“Your majesty, I wish to marry your daughter. Please-”

The king held up a hand and Bucky’s words quickly died in his throat. He studied the both of you, gaze lingering on your interwoven fingers.

“What is your name?” the king asked coldly.

“James Buchanan Barnes, your majesty,” he said quickly. To his credit, he didn’t quail under the king’s gaze. He stood tall and proud next to you.

The king stared at him for a few moments longer, gaze unreadable. Then, all at once, he let out a great sigh and turned his back on the two of you.

You were about to reach out and stop him, protests on the tip of your tongue, when he spoke again. “Let it be known across the kingdom. In one week’s time, my daughter Princess (Y/full/N) and James Buchanan Barnes shall be wed in holy matrimony!” he proclaimed to the assembled guests.

Immediately, the hall erupted in cheers. It took you and Bucky the same amount of time to process his words, gazes snapping from the king to each other in unison, matching smiles of surprised happiness on your face.

You jumped into his arms and he caught you, spinning you around as you both laughed happily. You kissed him again, knowing now that you would be happy for the rest of your days with him by your side.

Have faith in your dreams and someday

Your sun will come shining through

No matter how your heart is grieving

If you keep on believing

The dream that you wish will come true

and they lived happily ever after

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #cinderella!bucky #princess!reader #bucky barnes #bucky #cinderella!au #natasha romanoff #steve rogers #wanda maximoff #rhodey #clint barton #alexander pierce #brock rumlow

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aditya810-blog · 5 years ago

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ARCHITECTURAL LED PRODUCTS

LEDs are next generation lighting technology that are more flexible and efficient in terms of colors, form factor, and power consumption as compared to conventional incandescent light products. LEDs are not sensitive to cold which makes them ideal for outdoor lighting. LEDs obtain the colors from semiconductor chips, thereby eliminating the need for using color filters and making LEDs more efficient than traditional lights. LEDs directional lights can easily and accurately be directed on facades, thus preventing stray light. In media facades thousands of LEDs lights are linked together and controlled individually. By using LEDs, images and messages come alive and make corporate building and malls real crowd pullers.

· For instance, an average LED lamp consumes 50% less power than fluorescent lamp and 80% less than incandescent lamp

Nowadays, large number of organizations prefer architectural LED Products, as they have more lifespan than incandescent lights. With a longer lifespan, LEDs help reduce labor cost of replacing lights in commercial situations and achieve lower maintenance lighting system. Some of the benefits of architectural LED products are that they provide more brightness than traditional lights, they do not emit infrared radiation or ultraviolet radiation, which result in lower cost and increased reliability of LEDs.

Architectural LED Products Market: Taxonomy

PMR’s research study on the global architectural LED products market offers a detailed market taxonomy, wherein the key segments have been discussed in detail. The segmentation of the architectural LED products market has been offered on the basis of product type, application, end-user and region. Every segment has been analyzed in detail and data pertaining to the growth of each segment has been included in the study.

Product Type

Application

End-user

Region

Solar

Cove Lighting

Residential

North America

Conventional

o Strip & Linear

o Lamps

Wall Washers

Commercial

o Retail

o IT & Telecommunication

o BFSI

o Media & Entertainment

o Healthcare

o Others

Latin America

In-Ground

Western Europe

Backlight

Eastern Europe

Others

Asia Pacific Excluding Japan

Japan

Middle East and Africa

TOP COMPANIES:

Philips Electronics India Ltd

Let’s face it. You have known this brand since you were a child. Philips is a Dutch brand, but it considers India to be its biggest market as far as LED lights are concerned. It is one of the most trusted and relied upon brand for LED lights among consumers. The firm boasts of cutting-edge technology and a wide range of LED lighting solutions to the Indian customer. It has a wide portfolio of LED lights, that is, Philips has an LED for people from every walk of life. Globally too, the firm is a leader in LED lighting. And it has made sure that it brings all that global experience and expertise for its products in India.

Osram India Pvt Ltd

People swear by German engineering. The Germans are considered to be the best brains in making machines of all kinds. So, what happens when a German company decides to open a manufacturing plant in India? Quite simply, you get robust German engineering- which means fuss-free LED lighting. Osram India, a complete subsidiary of Osram GmbH, offers its customers a wide range of LED lighting solutions. With manufacturing plants in Sonepat and Kundli, the company has managed to make LED lights for India, in India. From Indoor LED modules to exterior modules; from lamps to general lighting, Osram India has a solution for all your LED lighting needs.

Havells India Ltd

Here’s a fun fact, Havells has 14 different manufacturing locations in India alone. You might know the company from the famous cable advertisement that says that Havells’ cables never catch fire. And that is really a testament to the company’s quality control. Havells is a new entrant in LED lighting sphere, after it started manufacturing LED lights in 2010. And in that short span of time, it has established itself as one of the best LED lighting companies in India. Havells’ LED lighting solutions include spot lights, lamps, ceiling lights to name a few.

Bajaj

If you’ve ever driven an automobile made by Bajaj, you know how rugged and long lasting its products are. Fortunately for all of us, when the firm decided to make LED lights, it brought along the same manufacturing ethics with itself to provide the best possible product to its consumers. The company has over 7 decades of experience in the lighting industry and it is easy to spot that in its LED lights. Just like its two and three wheelers, Bajaj’s LED lights are long-lasting and some of the longest lasting LED lights in India. Bajaj is definitely one of the best LED lighting companies in India.

Wipro

From selling vegetable oil to computer solutions to LED lighting, Wipro has really seen it all in its ascension to being one of India’s LED lighting companies. Wipro provides LED lighting solutions for residential spaces, office spaces, and industries. The company is one of the fastest growing lighting firms in India and for good reasons. With its green yet efficient LED lighting solutions, the company boasts of a massive lighting portfolio for all kinds of use. Also notable is Wipro’s offering of mixed LED lights that can provide colour output from any conceivable colour palate.

Eveready

The company completed a century in the dry cell battery market in 2005. That goes on to the show the reliability and quality of its products. And when Eveready decided to step into the LED lighting market, it was welcomed warmly by its faithful customer base. With LED lighting solutions as wide as the Amazon River, the company takes care of both urban and rural needs efficiently.

SYSKA LED

SYSKA is a testament to the fact that you don’t have to be a century old company to sell things. The firm is only about two decades old, and in that short span, it has managed to grab a sizeable market share of LED lighting. You might know the company from witty ads featuring Indian actor Irfan Khan. But even without them, the company stands as one of the best LED lighting companies in India. With smart innovation and products that are priced fairly, SYSKA has managed to grab millions of eyeballs for all good reasons.

Moser Baer

After being a world leader in manufacturing CDs and DVDs, Moser Baer decided to step into the LED lighting sphere. The company, that is reportedly worth Rs 19,000 crores also covenanted to save 50 MW of energy in two years. To fulfill its promise, the company presented a wide range of efficient LEDs that did the job without being too heavy on the customer’s electricity bills. We all know that LED lighting is perhaps the most efficient way of lighting today, and it is wonderful to see major companies like Moser Baer in spreading awareness about it.

Surya

Surya is one of the biggest LED manufacturers in India with 50 different products in the Indian market right now. However, being a forward facing company, Surya has announced that it will launch 50 more products in the coming years. Surya LED lamps provide the best output along with a long life. More than that, they save up to 90 per cent of energy. The company’s manufacturing plant in NOIDA is one of the most sophisticated in the country.

Market Overview

An LED light bulb or lamp is an electric light that is primarily used in light fixtures by using one or more light-emitting diodes. LED lamps are energy-efficient, have a longer lifespan, and use only a fraction of energy as compared to equivalent incandescent lamps. LED lights emit around 90% lesser heat than incandescent lamps. In the recent past, the prices of architectural LED products have decreased significantly, which in turn, has increased its adoption for various applications. In architectural lighting, both technology and art are used to attain aesthetically pleasant lighting and energy-efficient lighting. The architectural lighting is done for commercial as well as residential projects. According to Coherent Market Insights’ analysis, the average selling price of LED products declined by 20% in 2014.

The global architectural LED products market is estimated to account for US$ 8,067.3 Mn in terms of value by the end of 2019

Market Dynamics- Drivers

1. Growing consumer inclination towards luxurious lifestyle is expected to drive growth of the global architectural LED products market during the forecast period

Increasing consumer inclination towards luxurious lifestyle has boosted the demand for LED lighting products significantly worldwide. This demand has been observed in commercial as well as residential sectors. Moreover, the government offices and monuments are increasingly adopting architectural LEDs luminaries and lamps as part of smart city initiatives. Thus, these factors are expected to support growth of the global architectural LED products market over the forecast period. For instance, in 2013, the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, installed Philips’ LED solution eW Graze linear lighting solution on the façade of the royal castle. The motive behind installation of architectural LED lights is to display the color of the facade as realistically as possible. Furthermore, in 2014, the Turkish government awarded a contract to Philips to install architectural LED products across 21 sites in Ankara city.

2. Stringent government regulations regarding deployment of LED lamps is expected to propel the global architectural LED products market over the forecast period

Government regulatory policies concerning construction of artistic buildings across various regions have accelerated the deployment of efficient lighting systems by construction companies. Moreover, government organizations across the globe are emphasizing on the implementation of minimum standards for lighting products efficiency and ban adoption of incandescent lighting products, in order to enhance the efficiency and cut-down CO2 emission. For instance, the Government of China has banned the use of 1000W and 60W incandescent bulbs across the country. Moreover, the European Union (EU) has banned the usage of all types of conventional incandescent lamps in the region. Hence, these factors are expected to boost the market growth in the near future.

Asia Pacific region dominated the global architectural LED products market in 2019, accounting for 52.3% share in terms of value, followed by Europe, and North America respectively.

Market Dynamics- Restraints

1. High initial cost of installation is expected to hamper the global architectural LED products market growth over the forecast period

Compared to commercial sector, adoption of LED lighting products in residential sector is relatively low. This is owing to high initial cost of installation. Residential users are still preferring low-cost lighting technology products such as fluorescent lighting fixtures, particularly in emerging economies. This, in turn, is expected to hinder the demand for LED lighting products and thereby restrict the market growth over the forecast period. Currently, cost of 60W equivalent LED bulb is 9X that of 60W florescent bulb.

2. Consumer inclination towards other lighting technology products is expected to restrain growth of the global architectural LED products market during the forecast period

In the current scenario, fluorescent technology products account for the larger share of the overall lighting market as compared to architectural LED lighting fixtures. According to Coherent Market Insights’ analysis, in 2012, fluorescent lamps accounted for a 12% share of the overall lighting market, while market share of LED lighting was around 10%. Therefore, these factors are expected to hamper the market growth over the forecast period.

Market Opportunities

1. Tie-ups and partnerships with construction companies and home builders are expected to pose lucrative growth opportunities

Growing construction business across the globe has presented an excellent opportunity for architectural LED products provider to partner with construction companies and home builders. Installation of energy- and cost-effective lighting systems in the commercial sector presents huge market opportunity for providers of architectural LED products. According to Coherent Market Insights’ analysis, the global construction market is projected to grow at an annual average of 4.1% during the forecast period (2015–2021). Furthermore, key companies in the market have significant opportunity to sign agreement construction companies, in order to gain competitive advantage in the market. For instance, in September 2012, PhotonStar LED Group plc signed a one year LED light fixtures supply agreement with a leading U.K. home builder. The installation of LED light fixtures in new constructions helped the home builder meet carbon-emission target in a cost-effective manner.

2. Tie-ups with e-commerce companies are expected to offer significant business opportunity

High growth e-commerce business in emerging economies such as Brazil, India, and China has offered lucrative growth opportunity for architectural LED products manufacturers and providers. Key manufacturers can tie-up with online retailers such as eBay and Amazon Inc., in order to endorse architectural LED lighting products and solutions among consumers.

Source: Coherent Market Insights

Global architectural LED market, by application type segment, wall washing type sub-segment was accounted for 39.8% market share in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.5% between 2019 and 2027.

Source: Coherent Market Insights

Market Trends

1. Growing mergers and acquisitions among key players are expected to be a major trend

Key companies in the market are focused on strategic activities such as mergers and acquisitions, in order to enhance their presence in the global market and gain competitive edge. For instance, in May 2015, Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. acquired Intense Lighting LLC and expanded its product portfolio with the addition of the latter’s LED lighting solutions for the residential, retail, commercial and hospitality sectors. Moreover, in September 2013, Magic Lite Ltd. acquired National Specialty Lighting—an architectural and specialty lighting company—in order to enhance its technological capabilities to manufacture advance LED lightings and presence in the U.S. architectural LED lighting market.

2. Strategic partnerships and collaborations with e-commerce platform providers is another major trend in the market

Growing adoption of LED lights in various industries have compelled architectural LED products providers and e-commerce companies to form strategic alliance, order to expand their consumer base and gain competitive edge in the market. For instance, in July 2014, Phillips Lighting Limited entered into a strategic alliance with Amazon.com, Inc. in order to enhance its presence in the market.

Regulations

North America

In December 2007, President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) with the purpose to establish new efficiency standards for products, public buildings, and vehicles and to enhance production of clean renewable fuels. Subtitle B, Section 321 of the EISA 2007 legislation established a phase-out timetable for 40, 60, 75, and 100 watt incandescent lamps as well as standards and a phase-in schedule for appropriate replacement lamps.

Competitive Section

Key companies operating in the global architectural LED products market are Epistar Corporation, GE Lighting LLC, Galaxia, Cree Inc., Cooper Industries PLC, Signify N.V., Philips Lumiled Lighting Company LLC, Verbatim Ltd., Osram Licht AG, Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation, and Samsung Electronics.

Key Developments

1. Major market players are focused on mergers and acquisitions, in order to gain competitive edge in the market. For instance, in November 2018, American Industrial Partners, a U.S.-based private equity firm, acquired GE Lighting LLC’s solid-state lighting (SSL) business unit.

2. Key players in the market are involved in product launch, in order to enhance their product portfolio. For instance, in July 2018, Cree Inc., a U.S.-based provider of LED lighting, introduced new High Efficiency (HE) version of XLamp XP-G2 LED.

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