#hawks beard flower

[festudio]

Studio Update July 5

No excuses, I am way behind schedule on the tarot deck. Progress is being made, it's just slower than expected. Part of it is, I think I need to redesign the 3 of cups. It just doesn't work in the set.

Also, I've turned some of my warm ups into these little stamps. I know I posted one right when I did it but I may end up turning these into stickers when we're closer to the Fall season.

Now, for entirely new stuff! Soon, there will be some botanical products coming soon.

First, I've been collecting and pressing local wildflowers that I'm planning to sell without treatments so you can use them how you want. Below is the first run of St. John's Wort, White Clover, Rose Campion, Daisy, Forget-Me-Nots, and Hawks'-Beard.

I've also been drying and working with avocado pits to create buttons:

Finally, my favorite summer craft project: Rosary Beads. Did you know old rosary beads were made from rose petals? In fact, it's in the name; rosary means from roses.

These are just rose petals from my garden and filtered water. No added oils or waxes.

[thebotanicalarcade]

n78_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: Taschenflora des Alpen-Wanderers Zürich :A. Raustein,[1899?] biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10479899

[garak]

stannis being extremely masculine by our standards but constantly flopping at fantasy medieval standards of masculinity is so funny to me. yeah he may be the most stereotypical middle aged balding stock broker ass man possible but he is FAILING the tenets of westerosi maleness. he hates having sex with women, he likes leading from the back instead of charging into battle, he’s not ripped, he has no beautiful flowing hair or beard, he has no male heirs, he is not leaderly and his vassals hate him, he doesn’t like jousting, his hunting hawk sucks shit, he is neither chivalrous nor bawdy to ladies, he has no taste for feasting, any and all military victories he’s had have been in service to his brother and he gets no renown or respect for them whatsoever. he is FLOPPING bro. how are you getting out-masculined by your rainbow flag waving clotheshorse no heir flower crown wearing virgin wife youngest of three citygay brother. come on man

[cloudninetonine]

Hey so as you guys know I've been playing Tears

So I finally decided to write something for it!

WARNING TO EVERYONE, MAJOR TEARS OF THE KINGDOMS SPOILERS DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!!!

“I need to reach my friend!”

The world that was once Wild’s Hyrule had changed- drastically. Not anymore did the guardians lay dormant, nor did the Sheikah towers stand tall- the Divine Beasts had been laid to rest and while the lands stayed the same, the skies seemed to become home to more than the native Islander hawk.

Changed for better or for worse, you didn’t quite know. The growling patches of gloom circling chasms to a world beneath the surface wasn’t really all that fun to you- nor were the claws of concentrated evil that crept up from nowhere to try and snatch you without a second thought. But to see how Hyrule seemed to prosper with more life. The settlement by the castle was bigger now, a fort that stood proud to the floating pinnacle that was Hyrule castle and with more warriors seasoned to fight for the place that was their home.

Purah was amazed to see you again and you didn’t know how to feel about being smaller than her now.

Felt wrong in the more comedic sense.

All across the land you had come to find new people, make new friends! Tulin had grown so much! As had Riju! Sidon’s finacée, Yona her name, was a beautiful and cute manta ray! (Never in your life had you been jealous about both partners of a relationship that badly) Paya was now chief! Yunobo had a beard! And you had met the most amazing Rito reporter named Penn! A man who had named your new best friend in these trying times.

And trying times they were- you had no idea how you were keeping up with Wild. A little older now, an inch or two taller with a stronger build and more of an mature edge to him- well, that’s what you thought when you first woke up here in Lookout Landing, a teary eyed Wild looking down at you before he near crushed you underneath his weight, Flora just as teared and happily embracing you once you were finally stood.

You had no idea what happened, not how you got here nor where the rest of the Chain were- but you were glad you at least had the Champion by your side.

Sometimes.

This time was one of those times you were ready to toss him.

“If you connect that fucking rocket to that baby’s backpack I will shove a bomb flower down your throat.” Rauru’s hand was glowing with power, frozen along with the Zonai rocket it was lifting as you stood just a few paces away. “I mean it, Link, if you send them flying we’re duking it out.”

You looked so intimidating with the Glide suit, you just knew it. (Oh internal dialogue, how sarcastic you could be)

The korok shook, little sniffles catching your ears as they gazed at the device just inches away from being glued to the material of their rucksack before sighing in relief as the rocket was dropped with a heavy thud just beside them, Wild turning with an ‘oh-so-innocent’ smile. 

“They need to reach their friend-” He pointed a thumb behind him, “A few hills over- I was just helping.”

You frowned “I don’t know what happened while you were away but you’ve become more sadistic.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You never do.” Both sharing a look, you shook your head. “Hand them over to me, I’ll get them to their buddy.”

Wild’s hand fell to his hip, watching you waddle over excitedly as he side stepped, your hands out in a grabby motion as the small forest child threw their little stubby hands up with an excited “Guide!” that made your heart soar as you hauled them into the air with a similar excited “Forest baby!”

“You know we still need to get to Rito village- it’ll get dark by the time we arrive if we do this.”

“Don’t care, forest babies come first.”

He smirked, “Koroks are older than you.”

“Your mum.”

“Very mature.”

“Who are you, Twilight?” A pang went through your heart. “Ah, no, sorry that was rude-”

Wild’s face had curled in a more comedic way when you turned to look at him, sour and betrayed in the way the skin folded. “Am I really turning into him?”

Pausing, you looked him up and down- “I mean…you kinda do remind me of him right now.”

Wild raised a brow; you grinned. “You remember when Wolfie fell into that bush?”

When you burst into laughter he rolled his eyes, letting out a “hardy-har” while the korok still wiggled happily in the confines of your arms, it’s bag now over your shoulder to relieve some of the weight. (You focused on the spirit and missed the way the Champion desperately pawed at the sticks in his flowing hair)

“I’m not going with you this time- we’ve already lost a lot of hours.” Crossing his arms, the blonde continued. “If you go I’ll head towards the village.”

You shurgged. “Alright, I’ll see you there.”

The Champion narrowed his eyes. “I’m serious, (Name).”

“I’m sure you are.”

“...I don’t like your tone.”

Clearing your throat, you raised it an octave. “I’m sure you are!”

Wild did not laugh when you did.

If there was one thing you knew about the Champion it was that he was attached to your side. Stuck stronger than the fuse of the Zonai magic, the blonde followed you around like a Hylian retriever followed those that held food towards them. If you strayed too far, he would get you, if you paused mid journey, he paused, there was so many occasion that something had caught your eye mid ride on one of the many vehicles he had created and the man would slow down to let you go study it- lest you hop off, something you had almost done once when he refused to stop.

You really did appreciate all he did, you knew he had a lot on his mind, but with all that was happening didn’t you both deserve to have some moments not caught up the drama of the end of the fucking world???

“I’ll see you in a little bit!” Daylight was falling and it would be harder to find the campfire smoke in the night. “Keep the bed in the inn warm for me, pretty boy!”

And thus began your hike. Your little companion happily chattering your ear off as you walked away from the hero, hearing his heavy sigh and impatient foot tapping loose volume the further and further you got.

You had made it past the first hill, Wild’s form out of your sight as you glanced back when the sound out wheels caught your attention. The korok let out a noise of confusion at the strange noise but you merely spared a giggle, standing aside as the beam cycle (minus the beam) slowed to a stop beside you- your hero refusing to look your way as he waited.

“Get on.”

“Aren’t you gonna ask me on a date first?”

He grunted and you gave him the grace to leave him be, being careful balancing the korok in your grasp as you hopped onto the odd bike and wrapped an arm around the man’s waist, another still holding the forest spirit tight. 

“You ready?”

“Aye, aye, captain.”

You missed the small smile that grew on his face, the Zonai devices lighting up with its phantom green glow as the hero started the machine back up and headed towards the direction of the smoke. Without a second thought, you gently kissed his nape, unable to reach his cheek and nuzzled into his back with a relaxed hum.

Wild straightened proudly.

“You still have sticks in your hair.”

“Don’t ruin this for me.”

[fuckyeahmhawkefenris]

Things you can find on this blog

Adjustments - various manipulation with clothes/accessories, like fixing it for each other, or pulling on it… to make a point

Antics - having fun, doing stupid things (usually together)

TShirts - T-shirt humour

Bathing (usually together. May or may not involve sex)

BedHair

Booty jokes

Dancing

Domesticity - comfortable homey atmosphere

DragonTheme - concerning Hawke’s fascination with dragons

Drinking (together)

  Wine - when Fenris is drinking alone

CaughtInTheRain

Crossdressing (for fun)

Ears

FacialHair - the glorious beard (or the lack of it)

FashionTag - guys wearing non-standard colorful clothes

the Favour

Finery - Fenris wearing/borrowing the gown

Flashback - Fenris recalling his past

Flirting

Flowers - flower crowns, bouquets, ornaments… Anything that involves them!

Food - eating, cooking, feeding and whatever else they can do with it

Hairy Hawke - any form of art that acknowledges Hawke’s copious amounts of body hair

Gifts

GrowingOld

Holiday theme

 Christmas

 Halloween

Hurt

Jealousy

jealousAnders

KeepingWarm

Laughing

Long haired Fenris

LyriumAndMarkings - properties and effects

 Fenris undressed - variations of their design in fanart

Magic - often about Fenris dealing with his issues

Marriage - proposals, ceremonies and whatever wedding-related stuff

Nightmares

Ogling - direct eye contact, blatant staring

 ExchangingGlances - just a little less blatant

 Gazing - when the other is looking elsewhere

OnTheBeach

Physique - emphasis on height and size differences, muscles, body features

Post Game - takes place after the events of DA2

Pocket!Fenris

Pocket!Hawke

Protectiveness

Puppy eyes

Reading

Revelations - love confessions, proclamations or personal realizations

Riding[transport] - mounts and vehicles

Scars

Sleeping

 SleepWatching (hopefully not the creepy kind) 

SleepingHabits - snoring, drooling, hogging blankets etc

WakingUp

Whisper

Separation - either due to the initial break-up, or to any potential future obstacles

Smear - Hawke’s trademark

BackToBack - not necessarily literally, but also fighting together on the same side

Standing close

   Posing - when their positioning is too epic to be considered casual (when I simply can’t think of anything). Also portraits.

Suits - guys wearing suits

Support - comforting and caring for each other

   Assistance - helping out with minor things

Sweeping - so long as someone is lifted from the ground

SwitchingClothes

Swooning

TakingPictures

Tensions - any hints at conflict between the two

OnTheRoad - depicting outside world

WritingLetters - passing notes, practicing reading/writing, and maintaining contact at long distances

mHF:Inquisition

RedLyrium

Parting

SearchForHawke

theFade

VarricsLetter

Reunion

Aftermath

[enchantedbeingscircle]

September

September is here and I know this post is late, but I had to take a slight social media detox! I swear once September hits I am all Fall, y’all!! I’m about all things apple, pumpkin, fall leaves, sunflowers, soup, etc! Did you know that apples (and apple trees) are associated with love, health, divination, rebirth and renewal, life, learning, and so many other things? The original bobbing for apples game was a form of slight divination, even! It was said that marriage would come to the first person to bite into the apple while bobbing. Also, if you cut into an apple, you’ll find a pentacle type star!

Correspondences of September are sapphire and sardonyx for crystals, the bear and owl for animals, flowers are morning glory and aster, and the zodiac sign is Virgo.

Let’s talk about some days in September:

Not only is Labor Day the 2nd, but also the Celtic Tree Month of Vine begins…happiness and wrath are both symbolized with the vine, garden magic, magic for joy and happiness but also wrath, rage, anger.

Magical influences for this are empowerment, inner growth, introspection, and prophecy.

Sept 4th is bring your manners to work day (I liked this one, cause I’m constantly reminding myself to have manners in moments where people are pissing me off lol.)

Sept 7th national salami day and world beard day (I liked these two because we used to call our younger sister “salami” to piss her off when we were all younger and we still sort of joke about it to this day… and my boyfriend has a beard that I just love. I love feeling it, smelling it, looking at it…lol!)

Sept 8th grandparents day

9/11… a tragic day that affected so many lives in one way or another! On this day remember all those who lost their lives due to this tragic event and the war it caused!

Friday the 13th

FULL MOON in Pisces on Sept 17, Harvest moon aka the nut moon, barley moon, or wine moon (love that!), the color for this full moon is brown and crystals are carnelian, cat’s eye, iolite, lapis lazuli, peridot, sapphire, blue spinel, blue tourmaline, and zircon

Magickal influences from this moon are confidence, the home, manifestation, protection.

This is a Moon of wisdom, take this time to reflect back on lessons learned this past year, darker days are coming which is good for shadow work.

September 18th NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAYYYY

September 21st International Day of Peace

Sept 22 is Mabon, also known as the autumn (or Fall) equinox – this is a time where night and day or light and dark are balanced. This is a sort of mid-harvest festival, we are celebrating the second of 3 harvest festivals. I’ve read that there is a slight connection to Mabon for how Oktoberfest was created, by the Bavarians. They start celebrating this in the last week of September.

Celebrate Mabon and give thanks to the Earth for abundant crops, practice gratitude, give blessings, share with the less fortunate. When canning, infuse your recipes with magickal influences and charm your jars.

Mabon is also one of those “liminal times” or an in-between time. These are powerful times for spell-work, rituals, and magick in general.

Colors for Mabon are blue, brown, gold, maroon, orange, violet, and yellow

Plants, herbs, etc: aster, marigolds, sage, ivy, grape, fern, blackberry/bramble, chrysanthemum, grains, thistle, and trees are cedar, hazel, aspen, maple, oak, myrtle, and locust

gems: amethyst, topaz

animals: hawk, swans, swallows, geese, dogs, wolves

Element: water

Magickal influences: accomplishment, agriculture, balance, goals, gratitude, grounding

Deities are: Epona, Inanna, Ishtar, Kore, Modron (Celtic Great Earth Mother Goddess), the Morrigan, Persephone, Bacchus, Dionysus, Dumuzi, the Green Man, Hermes, Thoth, Mabon (translates to the divine son) is the son of Modron and he is associated with the element of water, grapes, ivy, dogs, horses, salmon and his magical influences are hunting, darkness, death, freedom, harmony, innocence, justice, the otherworld or underworld, quests, contacting spirits, strength, truth, and youth.

Ways you can celebrate Mabon:

Make a simmer pot with apples, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, vanilla, star anise, orange slices.

Host a harvest dinner and include apples, squash, corn, grains, root vegetables like carrots potatoes and onions, grapes and wine, nuts, pomegranates, mead, spiced teas.

Make a hearty stew with fresh baked bread, apple pie, mashed squash, mulled wine

Make a cornucopia, go to a pumpkin patch and farmer’s market, go for a fall nature walk, donate food, focus on balance in your life, write a gratitude list, decorate your altar for Mabon with apples, candles that are brown, orange, and gold, marigold and sunflowers, leaves, acorns, grape vines, a deity statue. Celebrate by giving thanks for the abundance and good in your life, and meditate on the things on the things from this past year you'd like to let go of!

Sept 30th Celtic tree month of Ivy begins which symbolizes life, death, and rebirth, spell work during this time would be great for self-work, healing, banishing toxicity, protection, binding spells

Magical influences during this time: decisions and introspection, growth, learning, developing skills.

September in general is a good time to work on magick and intentions for the home.

I feel like 2 of the biggest intentions you can work on in September however, are balance and change, so I’m going to share a spell for this month that I created!

Things you’re going to need: leaves, something to write with, sage, basil, apple, orange candle, oil, sunflowers.

Dress your orange (for balance and change) candle with oil of your choosing and sage for a clear mind, basil for opening yourself to receive messages, and sunflowers for overcoming obstacles.

Core your apple (for peace, rebirth and renewal, self-work) and place your candle inside. You’re basically using this apple as your candle holder!

Light your candle and meditate on the areas in your life that need balance and/or change. When you are done, write your setbacks and obstacles that you want to overcome (to make these changes and bring this balance) onto the leaves. Hold the leaves into your hands and let the wind take them away!

[warriors-rewritten-chaos]

Warrior Cats Prefixes List- G

I had a WC Name Generator on Perchance that I made but I don't seem to have access anymore, so I'm remaking it here as just a simple list. The definitions used are the ones that Clan cats have for those things, and thus are the origins of the names. Definitions used are whatever I found when I googled it.

Gale-: "[noun] a very strong wind"

Galerina-: "[noun] a species of extremely poisonous mushroom-forming fungus in the family Hymenogastraceae of the order Agaricales"

Gannet-: "[noun] a large seabird with mainly white plumage, known for catching fish by plunge-diving"

Garlic-: "[noun] a strong-smelling pungent-tasting bulb; [noun] the plant, closely related to the onion, that produces garlic bulbs"

Garnet-: "[noun] a precious stone consisting of a deep red vitreous silicate mineral"

Garter-: "[noun] a common, harmless North American snake that typically has well-defined longitudinal stripes and favors damp habitats"

Gentle-: "[adj] having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character"

Gill-: "[noun] the paired respiratory organ of fish and some amphibians; [noun] the vertical plates arranged radially on the underside of mushrooms and many toadstools"

Ginger-: "[noun] a hot, fragrant spice; [noun] a Southeast Asian plant, which resembles bamboo in appearance, from which ginger is taken; [adj] of a light reddish-yellow or orange-brown color"

Glade-: "[noun] an open space in a forest"

Gleam-: "[noun] a faint or brief light, especially one reflected from something; [verb] shine brightly, especially with reflected light"

Gloom-: "[noun] partial or total darkness; [adj] have a dark or somber appearance"

Glow-: "[noun] a steady radiance of light or heat; [verb] give out steady light without flame"

Glowworm-: "[noun] a soft-bodied beetle with luminescent organs in the abdomen, especially the larva-like wingless female which emits light to attract the flying male"

Goat-: "[noun] a hardy domesticated ruminant animal that has backward curving horns and (in the male) a beard"

Gold-: "[noun] a deep lustrous yellow or yellow-brown color; [adj] made of or colored like gold"

Golden-: "[adj] colored or shining like gold"

Goldenrod-: "[noun] a plant of the daisy family, which bears tall spikes of small bright yellow flowers"

Goldfish-: "[noun] a small reddish-golden Eurasian carp"

Goose-: "[noun] a large waterbird with a long neck, short legs, webbed feet, and a short broad bill"

Gopher-: "[noun] a burrowing rodent with fur-lined pouches on the outside of the cheeks"

Gorge-: "[noun] a narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it"

Gorse-: "[noun] a yellow-flowered shrub of the pea family, the leaves of which are modified to form spines, native to western Europe and North Africa"

Goshawk-: "[noun] a large, short-winged hawk resembling a large sparrow hawk"

Gosling-: "[noun] a young goose"

Graceful-: "[adj] having or showing grace or elegance"

Grain-: "[noun] wheat or any other cultivated cereal crop used as food; [noun] a single fruit or seed of a cereal"

Granite-: "[noun] a very hard, granular, crystalline, igneous rock consisting mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar"

Grass-: "[noun] vegetation consisting of typically short plants with long, narrow leaves; [noun] the mainly herbaceous plant that constitutes grass, which has jointed stems and spikes of small, wind-pollinated flowers"

Grasshopper-: "[noun] a plant-eating insect with long hind legs that are used for jumping and for producing a chirping sound. It frequents grassy places and low vegetation"

Gravel-: "[noun] a loose aggregation of small water-worn or pounded stones"

Gray-: "[noun] gray color or pigment; [adj] of a color intermediate between black and white, as of ashes or lead]"

Grayling-: "[noun] an edible freshwater fish of Eurasia and North America that is silvery-gray with horizontal violet stripes and has a long, high dorsal fin; [noun] a mainly brown European butterfly which has wings with bright eyespots and grayish undersides"

Grebe-: "[noun] a diving waterbird with a long neck, lobed toes, and almost no tail, typically having bright breeding plumage used in display"

Green-: "[noun] green color or pigment; [adj] of the color between blue and yellow in the spectrum; colored like grass or emeralds"

Grisette-: "[noun] a common edible woodland mushroom with a brown or gray cap, a slender stem, and white gills"

Grouse-: "[noun] a medium to large game bird with a plump body and feathered legs, the male being larger and more conspicuously colored than the female"

Grove-: "[noun] a small wood, orchard, or group of trees"

Grub-: "[noun] the larva of an insect, especially a beetle"

Gull-: "[noun] a long-winged web-footed seabird with a raucous call, typically having white plumage with a gray or black mantle"

Guppy-: "[noun] a small, livebearing freshwater fish"

Gust-: "[noun] a brief, strong rush of wind"

[cactusnymph]

[ID: eight pictures of different Dragon Age OCs done in the same picrew. From top left to bottom right the pictures show:

Yaran Tabris (she/her), a brown skinned elf with a grumpy expression, holding up a middle finger. She’s wearing a red button up witha white floral print, black pants and her hair is pulled back in an untidy ponytail. A red cat is curled up beside her.

Terit Brosca (they/them), a white dwarf with almost white, short hair, wearing a blue overall, orange shoes and an orange crop top. They’re holding up a peace sign with a smile. There’s a knife lying next to them.

Alim Surana (he/him), a black elf with square glasses, a flower in his hair and his black curls pulled back into a poofy cloud on top of his head. He’s smiling softly. He’s wearing a white shirt with a purple vest over it and blue pants. An open book lies next to him.

Allison Hawke (she/they), a brown human with untidy black hair, a red stripe over her nose, many scars, bandaids and piercings and a snake tattoo on one arm. They’re wearing a red top, black hot pants and black boots as well as a black spiked collar.

Damian Hawke (he/they), a brown human with chin length hair, a goatee and a shy look on his face. They’re dressed in a red hoodie, black pants and converse. An open books lies next to him.

Miniel Lavellan (she/her), a black elven woman dressed in pastel pink and white with a pink flower crown in her hair. There’s a plushie bunny lying next to her.

Asaara Adaar (any), a Qunari with curled horns, long, white hair and red stripes on their cheeks. She’s dressed in black and red, smirks at the camera with his middle finger held up and has a piece of cake next to them.

Hilda Cadash (he/they), a white dwarf with short grey hair and a grey beard, facial scars and white spots on his skin. They wear a blue button up shirt and checkered black and white pants. End ID]

i was tagged by @calicostorms and @curiouslavellan to make my OCs in this picrew and i went slightly overboard BUT the sauce is deep and i was sooo happy to get tagged!!! thank you so much you guys! :D

[ultfan]

aesthetic.

what are your muse’s aesthetics? BOLD any which apply to your muse! remember to REPOST! feel free to add to the list!

[ COLOURS ]  ~  burgundy. red. crimson. scarlet. maroon. mahogany. copper. amber. chocolate. brown. tawny. tan. bronze. brass. orange. gold. saffron. yellow. chartreuse. spring green. lime. mint. green. olive. forest. turquoise. teal. cerulean. blue. navy. cobalt. periwinkle. indigo. pewter. plum. purple. magenta. fuchsia. lilac. lavender. pink. coral. peach. ivory. cream. white. silver. grey. smoke. charcoal. ebony. black. pastels. vibrant. matte. metallic. muted. dark. light.

[ BODY ] ~ mutations. claws. fangs. wings. tails. feathers. webs. spikes. scales. fur. stripes. spots. freckles. acne. bruises. scars. scratches. gashes. lashes. wounds. amputations. burns. brands. teeth. gums. tongues. lips. beards. mustaches. cheeks. noses. ears. eyes. eyelashes. eyebrows. hair. heads. neck. shoulders. collar bones. arms. elbows. wrists.  hands. fingers. breast. back. ribs. abs. belly. hips. curves. butts. legs. thighs. knees. shins. ankles. feet. toes. nails. sweat. spit. tears. blood. heart. stomach. lungs. liver. veins.  guts. bones. spine. muscle. skin. feline. canine. masculine. feminine.

[ WEAPONS ]  ~  bites. fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. bow. crossbow. hammer.  shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers.  machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. bombs. missiles. boomerangs. lethal pets. lasers.

[ MATERIALS ]  ~ metal. gold. silver. platinum. pewter. titanium. iron. steel. copper. bronze. brass. tin. bismuth. diamonds. pearls. rubies. garnets. sapphires. emeralds. jade. peridots. alexandrite. opal. topaz. jasper. quartz. rose quartz. smoky quartz. amethyst. citrine. fluorite. amber. malachite. turquoise. lapis lazuli. sodalite. pyrite. labradorite.  moonstone.  petrified wood. wood. paper. parchment. hemp. canvas. burlap. oils. skin. muslin. rayon. faux. wool. fur. lace. leather. skins. suede. corduroy. silk. satin. chiffon. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. rocks. flint. asphalt. brick. granite. marble. dust. rust. glitter. sand. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. carbonate. rubber. synthetics. nylon. polyester. plastic. glass. porcelain.  bone. shells. coral.

[ NATURE ]  ~ grass. leaves. trees. bark. flowers. roses. daisies. forget me nots. tulips. lavender. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. roots. ocean. pond. river. stream. waterfall. creek. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rain forest. tropical. jungle. marsh. moors. swamp.  plains. hills. highlands. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space.  clouds. mountains. fire. lava. ice. frost. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun.  heat. cold. steam. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise.  sunset. dewdrops. shadow. tornado. hurricane. water spout. thunder. hail. twisters. humidity. dryness.

[ ANIMALS ]  ~ birds. penguins. eagles. owls. falcons. vultures. hawks. swans. parrots. parakeets. doves. pigeons. ducks. robins. cardinals. blue jays. bluebirds. blackbirds. crows. ravens. magpies. mockingbirds. flamingos. ostriches. seagulls. albatross. peacocks. condors. finches. pelicans. chickens. geese. quail. bats. sheep. cows. buffalo. deer.  hedgehogs. elephants. horses. giraffes. cats. lions. tigers. pumas. cheetahs. jaguars. foxes. dogs. wolves. coyotes. bunnies. mice. rats. monkeys. apes. bears. pandas. polar bears. snakes. iguanas. chameleons. alligators. crocodiles. turtles. lizards. frogs. toads. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. stingrays. octopus. lobsters. crabs. bugs. spiders. ants.  moths. butterflies. flies. maggots. roaches. ladybugs. beetles. cicadas. dragonflies. fleas. termites. leeches. worms. snails. mosquitoes. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. dinosaurs.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ]  ~  pepper. salt. sugar. honey. syrup. caramel. candy. bubblegum.  mints.  candy canes. gumdrops. lollipops. chocolate. vanilla. cinnamon. ice cream. cake. cookies. brownies. biscuits. pie. tarts. lemonade. soda. champagne. wine. brandy. rum. whiskey. vodka. tequila. sake. beer. soju. gin. crema de cacao. cocoa. latte. coffee. tea.  spices. herbs. fruit. apples. oranges. lemons. cherries. strawberries. blueberries. raspberries. cranberries. watermelons. cantaloupes. bananas. coconuts. grapes. kiwi. pomegranates. tomatoes. vegetables. potatoes. cucumbers. carrots. turnips. onions. leeks.  celery. broccoli. cabbages. lettuces. roots. nuts. white meat. red meat. raw meat. veal. pork. chicken. beef. venison. fish. lobster. oysters. pizza. ambrosia. pasta. sandwiches. soup.

[ HOBBIES ]  ~  music. piano. flute. woodwinds. whistles. drums. guitar. cello. synthesizer.  violin. lute. harp. fiddle. harmonica. trumpet. brass. singing. composing. folk.  classical. bluegrass. blues. jazz. big band. pop. country. rock. punk. metal. electronica. hip hop. reggae. ska. rap. vinyl records. cassettes. cds. soundcloud. itunes. spotify. art.  sculpting. pottery. painting. watercolour. drawing. pastels. charcoal. sketching. graffiti. printing. inking. collecting. fighting. martial arts. self-defence. boxing. fencing. sumo. wrestling. jousting. paintball. lazer tag. duelling. hunting. fishing. climbing. weight lifting. training. sports. football. football (usa). rugby. baseball. cricket. lacrosse. volleyball. basketball. tennis. badminton. skating. cycling. sailing. rowing. hiking. running. gymnastics. dancing. ice skating. hockey.  reading. writing. cooking. sewing. acting. photography. video games. horseback riding. gardening. smithing. shopping. traveling. movies. theatre. libraries. books. magazines. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. science.

[ STYLE ]  ~ nudism. perfume. cologne. piercings. tattoos. henna. body paint. war paint.  make up. lipstick. mascara. eyeliner. eye shadow. powder. beauty marks. blush. nail polish. lingerie. fishnet. pantie-hoes. socks. stockings. leggings. long johns. under armor. corsets. sports bras. bustles. camisoles. blouses. button ups. tunics. vests. waistcoats. leather jackets. ponchos. sweaters/jumpers. hoodies. skirts. jeans. kilts. breeches. scarfs. cravats. ascots. belts. sashes. gloves. heels. sandals. platforms. tennis shoes. penny loafers. jordans. slippers. boots. cowboy boots. rain boots. army boots. armor. justaucorps. trench coats. capes. cloaks. burqa. suits. tuxedos. kimonos. saris. sun dresses. gowns. jewelry. earrings. nose rings. lip rings. tongue piercings. belly rings. gauges. eyebrow rings. necklaces. pearl strings. leis. bracelets. bangles. cuffs. watches. friendship bracelets. rings. pendants. lockets. broaches. boutonnieres. pocket watches. cuff links. hats. crowns. circlets. flower crowns. helmets. hijabs. turbans. baseball caps. cowboy hats. brocade. doublet. gorget. bracers. masks. cowls. braces. glasses. sun glasses. eye contacts. pyjamas.

[ MISC ]  ~ balloons. bubbles. candles. battle. war. diplomacy. peace. money. power.  clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies.  loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. sex. hugs. duality. sin. lust. greed. wrath. envy. sloth. gluttony. pride. virtue. chivalry. honour. piety. charity. diligence. chastity. gentleness. aggression. romance. hatred. grief. pity. success. bitterness. sorrow. joy. fear. anger. good. evil. relativity. vampirism. sapphism. life. birth. time. death. illusion. silence.

[stainedglassteacup]

🌸 cherry blossom in the rain today ..

some hand-picked cherry blossom poetry ❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。

🌸

the spring wind scattering blossoms

I saw it in a dream

but when I awoke the sound was

still rustling in my breast

Saigo Hoshi

🌸

Standing tall on the highest mountain

surrounded by clouds and the most beautiful fountains.

Against all odds, the tree grew on the toughest rock

up in the sky with the highest-flying hawk.

The cherry blossom reached for the sky.

The cherry blossom wanted to fly

to see the world from up high

to see that last as it dies.

The cherry blossom reached its goal

but all too soon it lost control.

it wanted to see it all

even if it meant it'll fall

The cherry blossom reached and reached

while its trunk screeched and people preached

"trees aren't flexible," they cried

yet still, the cherry blossom tried

Sarah Crouse, Trees aren't flexible

🌸

The blossoms unfailing

my grief this unopening

pouch of poetry

Matsuo Basho

🌸

to be the kind of person

who will glimpse

the cherry blossom tree

beautifully delicate

in its early bloom

fluttering the palest pink

against a fragile white

desperate against even

the gentlest of breeze

but only observe

the black and the white

of what the premature

might mean for later

commenting how soon

these branches will lose

their graceful lustre

no longer to inspire

those hopeful wanderers

only to appear barren

and lifeless once again

Hemingway's Beard, it can be disappointing to realise

🌸

it’s fall now and the trees are becoming bare

and though i know i should live in the present

i can’t help but wish for spring

when i was a child i used to think

that the cherry blossom outside my window

would don a pretty pink dress when winter bled to spring

i’d call her vain but i’d still admire her

she paved the grass with soft pink flowers and tapped

at my window when wind visited in the night

we’ve moved to a different house now and

there aren’t any cherry blossom trees to look at anymore

i wonder what she thinks of the new residents

i hope they call her beautiful

even though her ego is large enough as it is

she needs reassurance every now and then

i hope they find the perfect niche that i did

a little place between her branches

where they can sit and stroke her arms

she’s no longer a part of my life

i’ll find another one to praise

(though none will be as perfect as her)

Iris Worral, pale pink snow

[sasaranomiya]

Koukyuu no Karasu Volume 2 Chapter 2 - The Water’s Voice (Part 1)

Damn the Magpie Consorts in this series have terrible luck don’t they

Also, the foreshadowing in this series man...

Here’s my Ko-fi if anyone is feeling generous

TW: Suicide, beheading

Translation Notes

1. The kanji used here is “ 舵星 “ or kajiboshi, which is a Japanese name for the Big Dipper

2. The kanji used here is “金鏃” which is read as kanamamaki, which seems to be a Ryukyuan name for one of the stars (it comes from a Ryukyuan song about stars). The same goes for the Flower Comb star.

3. Both of these books are real. Lessons for Women or 女戒 (Nüjie) is written by Han dynasty female intellectual Ban Zhou, and Examples for Women or 女則 ( Nüze) is written by Empress Zhangsun (consisted of biographies of outstanding women)

Previous || Index || Next

After Koushun descended from the palanquin, he walked past the kneeling acolytes and stopped in front of an old man, who was still kneeling in the end.

“Are you in good health, Setsu Gyoei?” Koushun asked after urging him to stand up.

“I drink bitter medicinal decoctions every morning and evening and I can hardly move at all. I am thinking that it is time for me to retire.”

The Minister of Works’ reply was so easygoing that it was questionable whether or not he meant what he said. In Koushun’s eyes, he seemed plenty vigorous in his old age.

“It will become blistering all at once soon. That would be difficult on an old man, Your Majesty.”

“You seem like you’re going to be saying the same thing here in a hundred years.”

“You jest, Your Majesty.”

Ho ho, he laughed like an old man. It sounded false.

“So, what can this senile old man do for you today, Your Majesty.”

Koushun was taken to the Winter Ministry building at the back of Seiu Temple and was sitting face to face with Gyoei in a room. As usual, both the temple and the building were old and run-down. The thorough cleanliness of the building made the fadedness of the peeling vermillion pillars and dulled table stand out even more.

“I don’t have any pressing business,” Koushun said.

“So, you came all the way out here to see this wrinkled bearded face? I’m honored.”

The white-bearded face said, “Do you have nothing to do?” That wasn’t the case.

“I came to ask about the Raven Consort.”

Gyoei’s long white eyebrows rose, and his hidden hawk-like eyes widened. He was wearing dark gray robes and a slate-gray futou with a pintail duck’s tail feather tucked into it. His clothing resembled that of a eunuch, but he wasn’t a eunuch. His gray clothing was a sign that he was a servant of Wulian Niangniang. Gyoei was one of the few people who knew who the Raven Consort is.

“…You’ve said the same thing when you came here before. Well, I don’t know the Raven Consort any better than the Raven Consort does.”

“Not the ‘Raven Consort’—I want to hear about Jusetsu or Reijou.”

Gyoei closed his mouth that had spoken evasively and looked at Koushun intently from behind his eyebrows.

“For what reason, Your Majesty?”

“Because I want to know.”

“I do not believe it’s a good idea,” Gyoei made a bitter face. “I’m shocked that you would say that, knowing who the Raven Consort is. It is better for you and her to not have anything to do with each other, Your Majesty.”

“Even though it’s my fault that she’s imprisoned in the inner palace?”

“It isn’t your fault, Your Majesty. If anyone is to blame, then it would be the fault of Ran Yuu, the first emperor of the Ran dynasty.”

It was Ran Yuu who decided to confine the Winter King in the inner palace as the Raven Consort.

“As long as I’m in this position, I can’t be exempted from blame. It is my duty to learn about the Raven Consort. I must learn what her life was like and what it will be like, and see it with my own eyes.”

Gyoei sighed.

“Your Majesty, you are too serious. You are also resolute. Or should I say, you have a deep heart…”

He sounded greatly troubled. His eyes were moving shrewdly. He was probably searching for a way to excuse himself.

Gyoei, Koushun said.

“Don’t try and play crafty tricks. Do not think you can talk your way out of this.”

Koushun rarely raised his voice. However, there was something in his quiet voice that reminded one of winter.

Gyoei’s eyes widened behind his white eyebrows, and he turned his face away awkwardly. Seeing the sly old man’s mask come off a little was just a bit satisfying for Koushun.

“You’ve said before that Reijou greeted you when she passed on her role. Did you mean that you met her in person?”

When Koushun asked him that, Gyoei reluctantly spoke.

“…I have not seen her since she became the Raven Consort. ‘Passing on her role’ means the moment the Raven Consort dies. That is what I meant by that greeting,” Gyoei suddenly broke off and stared at the tea on the table. He blinked several times. “I mean that the deceased Raven Consort had appeared to me.”

“You mean as a ghost?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Gyoei replied, looking bored. “She came to tell me, ‘Take care of Jusetsu.’”

“I see that Reijou trusted you to the extent that she asked you to do something for her. You ‘haven’t seen her since she became the Raven Consort,’ but that means you have met her before she became the Raven Consort, is that right?”

Gyoei’s eyebrows furrowed slightly in displeasure.

“Yes, Your Majesty, but it is rather difficult to speak when you’re always pouncing on my words like this.”

“If I didn’t pounce on your words, you wouldn’t talk.”

“…” Gyoei was silent. The Winter Minister served Wulian Niangniang and obeyed the orders of the Raven Consort—Gyoei had once told him that. Koushun didn’t bring Ei Sei with him today, but he would have been upset at Gyoei’s attitude. He didn’t bring him because he thought that would be the case.

Gyoei sighed.

“…For me, her family is the master’s house. Her father was a hansui (chief of the local military organization), and my father was a house soldier. The hansui was a gruff and down-to-earth man, and he took good care of me. When he saw promise in me, he gave me a teacher to study under, and I studied under the same teacher alongside Reijou. Like her father, Reijou was a wise and open-minded person—”

Gyoei cleared his throat.

“Well, I need not go further than that. In any case, Reijou and I knew each other.”

Far from just ‘knowing each other,’ for Reijou, he was most likely a friend she had known since childhood and someone she could trust.

“When was Reijou chosen to be the successor to the Raven Consort?”

“…When she was around the age of fourteen.”

“That’s unexpectedly late. I heard that Jusetsu was chosen at the age of six.”

“If it is the will of Wulian Niangniang, then it is impossible for me to make any conjecture.”

Couldn’t that be mistaken for her “whim”?

That thought suddenly popped into Koushun’s mind.

“So, upon that, she was taken to the inner palace?”

“Yes. She was twenty-two when her predecessor died and she became the Raven Consort.”

“I believe Jusetsu was fourteen when she took over the role of Raven Consort. In both cases, it was eight years later. Could it be that the current Raven Consort dies eight years after the next one is chosen?”

Gyoei didn’t reply directly to his question, but simply answered, “Eight is a sacred number.”

“Reijou must have known when she was going to die. That was why she taught Jusetsu as much as she could until then.”

Gyoei sipped his tea in silence. Koushun looked at him intently.

“When did you join the Winter Ministry?”

“Do you also wish to know about this senile old man?”

“It’s because I think you became the Winter Minister to help Reijou.”

“How would becoming the Winter Minister be helpful?” Gyoei sounded somewhat angry, and then he looked away, as if embarrassed. “…I joined the Winter Ministry when I was twenty-four years old. At that time, when a person passed the examinations, they had to be from a prominent family to be appointed a government official position. However, only the Winter Ministry was open to commoners. That is all there was to it.”

“I see,” was all Koushun said.

“This place was a little livelier when I joined,” Gyoei laughed as he drank his tea. “There were twice as many acolytes as there are now. Although it was still a collection of jobless people who couldn’t become government officials. However, they are all excellent in their own ways. After all, I was the one who trained them.”

“You train them, and then you let them go.”

Most of the acolytes of the Winter Ministry were appointed as government officials after a few years. Such a path had been established. It was a path that Gyoei had paved the way for over many years. Despite his do-nothing position, Gyoei was highly respected by the prime minister and chief secretary, who were close to Koushun.

“There are still some eccentrics who remain. I will leave the rest to them.”

He was speaking like he already retired. Did he intend to step down after all?

“If you want to retire, I’ll give you my permission…but before you do, I would like you to meet Jusetsu.”

“The Raven Consort?” Gyoei lifted an eyebrow in puzzlement. “What good would it do to be face to face with an old man like me?”

“Tell her about Reijou. I’m sure it would make her happy.”

It should make her happy—probably.

Gyoei stared at Koushun for a while. Not in an astounded or mocking manner. He was simply looking at him with emotionless eyes. Koushun couldn’t see what dwelled behind them.

“I understand. If I am qualified for this task, then I will humbly accept it.”

After saying that, Gyoei got up from his chair and bowed. Because of that, Koushun was unable to see his expression.

When Jusetsu was first brought to Yamei Palace, she was a slightly dingy girl covered in dust and dirt.

Reijou had ordered Keishi, the servant woman, to have Jusetsu bathe in the bathroom at the back of the palace and dress in clean silken clothing. With the dirt removed, the magnificent silver color of her hair was revealed. It was the mark of the previous imperial family. Reijou showed no surprise when she saw it. She knew everything.

“You will have to live here for the rest of your life. What a cruel fate.”

Reijou said sorrowfully. Although her hair was dyed black, Jusetsu didn’t truly understand her melancholy. It was only after Reijou told her everything that she understood.

She told her that Jusetsu was a survivor of the previous dynasty’s imperial family. That all of them were executed—including her mother. That in such a situation, Jusetsu must live not only in the emperor’s lap, but the inner palace. That the reason why the Raven Consort is confined in the inner palace was because of the decision of Ran Yuu, Jusetsu’s ancestor——

She understood, but all she thought was, Oh, so that’s the case. Jusetsu’s heart had been empty since the loss of her mother. It had been several years since she no longer knew how to rouse her emotions.

She patiently taught a vacant and barely-responsive Jusetsu to read, write, speak, and cook. With each lesson, Jusetsu suffered more. She was angry, saddened, and frustrated to learn how unreasonable her mother’s execution had been, and how ironic it was that she was trapped here. After she cycled through all her emotions, she returned to her anger. She was tired of going around in circles and getting no answers. She vented all her feelings to Reijou. She had no one else to vent them to.

Reijou was incredibly patient, but she was also strict. She sorrowed and fretted, but she never showed mercy.

“It is you who must live.”

It is not me. Pity is of no help to you. Gain knowledge and use your wisdom. You have no choice but to carry out your role to completion. None but you can walk your own path.

―Even now, I feel like I can hear Reijou’s voice scolding me.

“Lady Raven Consort.”

Ishiha, who was transcribing her words, held out the sheet of paper. Jusetsu, sitting across from him, accepted it.

“Mm, you’re a quick learner,” she nodded. Ishiha smiled happily.

They were in Jusetsu’s room at Yamei Palace, where she was teaching him how to read and write. Ishiha could speak without much trouble, but he couldn’t read or write at all. There were many eunuchs who couldn’t write, even if they weren’t from rural minority tribes.

“It is better for you to be able to read and write.”

Saying so, Jusetsu looked after Ishiha. Just as Reijou had taught her in the past.

Not wanting to waste brand-new pieces of paper for writing practice, Jiujiu went around to Enou Palace and Hien Palace to collect scrap paper. Both Kajou and Kouei were happy to give them to her. The papers were written on until they were completely black, and then they were given to Xingxing to play with. Even now, it was playing with a piece of paper at Jusetsu’s feet, ripping it into pieces with its beak.

Putting down the brush dipped in red-black ink, Jusetsu stood up.

“Let us take a break. There should be some figs around here.”

“No, I—” Leaving a flustered Ishiha behind, Jusetsu headed towards the kitchen.

“Are you taking a break, Niangniang?”

When Jusetsu appeared in the kitchen, Jiujiu turned around. She was brewing tea in a kettle. On the other side, Kougyou was preparing the tea utensils. She smiled and gestured to behind Jusetsu. Kougyou was unable to speak because her tongue had been cut out.

Jusetsu looked behind her and saw Keishi entering the kitchen with a strainer in her hands. She lumbered past Jusetsu. She was a large woman with sturdy arms and legs, and was so robust that it was hard to believe that she was an old woman. Her lips were tightly knit in a grim line, but that didn’t mean she was irritated or angry, as Jusetsu had learned about half a month after arriving at Yamei Palace. She had been a little scared of her until then.

Keishi silently held out the strainer. There were ripe, red figs inside.

“Thank you.”

Jusetsu took three figs from the strainer and told everyone in the kitchen, “You can eat the rest,” then returned to her room. The figs had a sweet scent that was characteristic of ripe fruit.

Ishiha was hesitant to take the figs she offered him, but his eyes were sparkling. He was a growing boy, so he could eat two figs in no time at all. Xingxing wanted a fig as well and was making a fuss, so Jusetsu gave it a little of her own. Ishiha told her that this was the first time he ate a fig.

“We didn’t grow fruit in my village.”

Ishiha’s village was by the sea. It was a fishing village.

“When we went to the head fisherman’s house, they would give us tangerines. It was only sometimes, though. They were sour, but delicious.”

I shared them with my siblings and we ate together, Ishiha laughed. He must be at an age where he still missed his parents’ home, but he never showed it on his face. He probably tried not to show it in front of other people.

“Your village is located in Rouko of Gei Province, yes? What kind of fish can you catch there?”

When asked about his hometown, Ishiha always responded with happy gestures.

“You can catch flounder and mackerel there. I used to go on the boats and help with the fishing. When we fish, we use the stars as our guide. Do you know? The southern Rudder Star (1) is used as a guidepost when returning from fishing, and when the Golden Arrowhead star (2) appears, it’s mackerel season. When the Flower Comb star gets dim, that means it’s storm season. When it’s storm season, the village elders would tell us folk tales. Like the story of a great turtle monster from the sea, or a diver whose hand got caught in a big abalone shell at the bottom of the sea and drowned…”

The legends of the distant fishing village were interesting to Jusetsu because much of it was new to her. On the other hand, there were also some tales that were shared with this region.

“There’s also a story about a god who sinned a long, long time ago and was cut up and washed away. His body became the islands we live on.”

“That old tale is the same around here as well.”

It was the type of myth that told the origins of the country. “I heard that these stories were originally told by traveling wubangs. That is why the same stories are passed down in various regions around the country.”

“Is that so?”

“What are you two talking about?” Jiujiu brought a bowl of water. It was for washing their hands. Their hands and mouths were sticky with fig juice.

“We’re talking about the god who sinned——” When Ishiha repeated the story, Jiujiu nodded with an Oh, yes.

“If I remember correctly, the torso of the chopped-up god became this island, his head became Jie Island, and his arm became Bahuang Island… From his dismembered corpse, soil was created and plants and trees grew. It’s a bit of a creepy story, isn’t it?”

It was a bit blunt to put it that way.

“After I heard that story from my grandma, I was afraid to walk on the ground for a while, because I thought it was a dead body.”

Ishiha blinked his eyes. That thought didn’t seem to have occurred to him.

“Many things wash ashore at the seaside. In my village, there is a cove where people who fall into the sea always end up, and I sometimes see people floating there. So I think that’s the way the sea is. I’ve also seen jellyfish-like things floating around the cove, glowing. The village elders told me that those were the souls of those who had died at sea.”

“Huh…” Jusetsu envisioned dimly glowing souls floating on the nighttime sea. A beautiful but sad sight.

When she said, “How interesting,” Ishiha’s cheeks flushed with happiness. After that, he continued to share some unusual stories he had heard from the village elders. Jusetsu listened as she washed her hands in the bowl. Some time later, Kougyou brought them tea and joined the conversation. The afternoon sun shined brightly through the lattice windows, and Yamei Palace was filled with a sense of serenity. It was strange for Jusetsu to hear the laughter of Jiujiu and Ishiha, their chatter, and to see Kougyou’s smile here.

At the same time, it was always at times like this that she felt uneasy. She felt as if a cold hand had suddenly grabbed her ankle. It was as though Reijou was warning her to come to a stop, and Jusetsu was helplessly at a loss.

The visitor came that night.

It was late at night, and even Jusetsu, who went to bed late, was already falling asleep. She was awakened by a woman’s low voice coming from the other side of the doors.

“Ex…excuse me, Lady Raven Consort…”

It was the voice of an old woman. It was a faint voice, as if it would disappear at any moment. On her mattress, Jusetsu moved her head to look for Xingxing. The bird, which always made a fuss when there were visitors, was standing at the foot of her bed, raising its head and looking at the doors as if it was annoyed. But it soon lost interest and turned its head to close its eyes. Sleep, it seemed, was more important.

Jusetsu got up and got out of her bed. She put on only a black robe over her nightclothes and stepped out of the curtains. She didn’t know exactly what time it was, but from her feeling when she got up, it must have been around the fourth watch of the night (one a.m. to three a.m.). It was getting hotter during the day, but it was still cold late at night. As she walked to the doors, she formed a peony on her hand and tossed it into a lantern to light it. It was a lotus-shaped lantern.

“Who is it?”

Jusetsu asked towards the doors.

“My name is An. I have a request to make of you, Lady Raven Consort. Please listen to what I have to say.”

Her voice was old and thin, but her tone was elegant. Thinking that she might be the attendant of a consort, Jusetsu opened the doors. There was an old woman with grey hair standing there. She was wearing an earth-colored palace lady’s uniform. Her grey hair, barely tied back in a small chignon, wasn’t oily, her complexion was much the same as her clothing, and wrinkles were carved into her face and hands like cracks. Her fingers were chapped deeply. She was a palace lady, and a subordinate one who did kitchen work. Jusetsu let the old woman in, wondering if she had been wrong in assuming that she was an attendant. However, the way she bowed and expressed her thanks, the way she walked, and the manner in which she sat on the chair, didn’t suggest that she was a mere palace lady. Perhaps she was originally an attendant, but was demoted to the position of palace lady for some reason.

Jusetsu sat down across from the old woman, An. After waiting for her to do so, An spoke.

“I deeply apologize for interrupting your rest so late at night.”

“I mind it not. I have visitors like you from time to time.”

“I have something I deeply need to ask of you, Lady Raven Consort. I have thought many times about coming to you. However, I have been unable to do so…I have finally made up my mind to come to you tonight.”

The lit lantern on the floor flickered and cast crooked shadows on An’s face. The light didn’t reach the corners of the room, and thick darkness surrounded the two of them.

“What is your request?” Jusetsu asked bluntly.

An lowered her face slightly. The shadows moved.

“It is related to the consort whom I once served. I was the attendant of Lady Sai Enrin, the Flame Emperor’s Magpie Consort.”

As Jusetsu had thought, she was originally an attendant.

“The Flame Emperor—the emperor before the last? That’s quite a long time ago.”

“Is that so? It does not seem like so long ago for me. Rather, yesterday seems more distant. When you grow older, time flies like an arrow, and the months and days pass by in the blink of an eye. But the past is so vivid that everything with Lady Enrin seems to have happened only a few days ago.”

“What do you mean by ‘everything with Lady Enrin’?”

Yes, about her, An answered, but then she hung her head and looked at her hands in her lap, as if reluctant to say anything. Eventually, she looked up.

“At your young age, Lady Raven Consort, you most likely don’t know who the Flame Emperor’s Magpie Consort is or what fate befell her. Even among those around me, there are only a few who remember what happened back then. In those days, people avoided talking about Lady Enrin—in fact, those who sympathized with her were reported on and punished. So even after the emperors changed, people didn’t talk about her very much.”

The shadows sank into the fine wrinkles etched onto An’s face, making her look even older. The gloom that seeped out from there made the surrounding darkness even heavier.

“Please listen to Lady Enrin’s story. If I am gone, there will be no one who will know the truth about her. I want you to know. And—I want you to save Lady Enrin’s soul.”

Please, An beseeched, and then she began her story.

I was twenty-two years old when I began to serve Lady Enrin. She had just turned ten, and she was the apple of her father’s eye, who was the Ministry of Personnel secretary. I was a distant relative, and although my lineage was closer to the main family than that of Lady Enrin’s family, at that time Lady Enrin’s father, who had been promoted to Ministry of Personnel secretary, was the most successful of our family. Naturally, the expectations of the family were focused on him, and it was especially hoped that Lady Enrin would enter the inner palace as a consort. Therefore, she had to be educated and taught manners as befitting a consort, and I was chosen from among the family to be the perfect person for that job.

At that time, I had returned to my parents’ home after being divorced. I was in low spirits every day, but that all changed when I met Lady Enrin.

Lady Enrin was a very lovely young lady. Her smiling face was like a peony and her voice was like clear water. I vowed at that time that I would make the finest consort in this country.

Lady Enrin was a cheerful and carefree girl. She happily read fantasy stories and narrative poems, but she seemed to dislike reading classics such as Lessons for Women or Examples for Women, (3) which should be read by all women and girls. She preferred reading mysterious stories and love stories rather than difficult books. It was a bit of a problem, but she seemed to understand when I explained them to her simply.

As one year passed, and another year passed, Lady Enrin’s beauty became as brilliant as a polished jade. No matter who you were, you couldn’t help but be captivated by her beauty at first glance. Her skill on the zither was first-rate, and she excelled in calligraphy and poetry. The only fault in her was that she was a little careless and didn’t think things through sometimes…but I was proud to think that she wouldn’t be outdone by the other concubines in the inner palace.

However…

Two unexpected miscalculations occurred. The first was the place where Lady Enrin was to marry into. Even though we say that it was the inner palace, her father didn’t intend on putting her in the inner palace of the current emperor—by which I mean the Flame Emperor, but rather the Eastern Palace. After all, the Flame Emperor was already elderly at that time, and he had an empress and children, so the inner palace was of little significance. That was why there were only a few concubines there. So, it was only natural that she be given in marriage to the crown prince.

However, both the empress and the princess consort, as well as their relatives, wanted to Lady Enrin’s marriage to wait. Both factions probably thought it would be a problem if the crown prince were to become obsessed with her, who was reputed for her beauty. Lady Enrin’s father and the relatives of the empress and princess consort were at loggerheads with each other. It would have been good if Lady Enrin’s father had been able to split the relatives up or win their favor, but…it seemed that he had failed to do so. It was a complicated situation.

While her father was busily engaged, there was someone who told the Flame Emperor about Lady Enrin’s reputation. It was probably someone from the empress’s side or the princess consort’s side. That was how the Flame Emperor’s interest was piqued. Strangely, he wasn’t known to be a philanderer, but a devoted husband, and he didn’t seem to have much interest in the concubines of the inner palace, and yet he showed interest in Lady Enrin…Perhaps it is the wavering of the mind that comes with old age. Perhaps he wanted to have a fleeting experience with a young and beautiful girl once more. In any case, the Flame Emperor seemed to have been moved. In such a case, there was no choice for her father but to put her in the Flame Emperor’s inner palace. At any rate, it was a good thing, since we had attracted his interest. Although Lady Enrin seemed to be dissatisfied, I thought it was an extravagant thing. Isn’t it a given that she would receive the emperor’s favor? Even if there was an empress, Lady Enrin was the finest consort. She would be the most glorious. I was working with great enthusiasm to prepare for her entry into the inner palace. And yet…

Lady Enrin didn’t seem at all interested in the whole thing. That was the other miscalculation.

She should have understood from an early age that she was entering the inner palace. Of course, she thought she would be marrying the crown prince, so it was understandable that she was upset. However, even if she entered the inner palace of the crown prince, she has no way of knowing if she would be favored by him. No, even though Lady Enrin was a beauty who no one could resist being charmed by… However, the emperor now wanted her to marry him. There was a big difference. Our victory was already decided. That was how I encouraged Lady Enrin. I also scolded her. She must not be timid and take control of the inner palace, become her father’s strength and become the number one consort——

Lady Enrin seemed to be moved by my words. With tears in her eyes, she smiled and said, Yes, I will think of it that way.

The next day, however, a robber broke in. The mansion was full of gold, silver, and treasures for the procession into the inner palace, so he probably had his eye on us. The mansion was guarded, but he found a weak spot and snuck in.

The robber was alone. He didn’t head for the storehouse, but rather broke into Lady Enrin’s room. My room was next to hers, but shamefully, I noticed the intrusion too late because I was asleep. The robber tried to kidnap Lady Enrin. The storehouse held dazzling treasures, but perhaps he was intimidated by the strict security, or… I didn’t know how he knew where Lady Enrin’s room was, but he tried to take her away with him. I heard their arguing and woke up.

The robber seemed to be whispering something in a coaxing, pleading tone. Lady Enrin’s voice was muffled and I couldn’t hear it, but she seemed to be firmly rejecting him. I had just woken up and was briefly listening to their conversation in a daze, but then I quickly got up. I took the dagger near my pillow and stumbled out to the adjoining room of Lady Enrin. My legs were trembling so badly that I could barely stand, but I desperately shouted that there was a robber, a ruffian in the house.

Servants rushed out from all over the house and the robber was quickly captured. I was shocked when I saw his face under the light. He was someone I knew. No, not only me, he was a young man that Lady Enrin also knew very well. He was a bookseller in the eastern market who had been frequenting the mansion for a long time. He used to secretly bring Lady Enrin the fantasy novels and narrative poems that delighted her. It was not a very large bookshop, but he was a young man who wasn’t vulgar in any way, and he had plenty of knowledge because he worked in a shop that handled books, so I thought he was a fine young man…

Because he was someone she knew, Lady Enrin begged her father in tears to pardon him. It was a kind thing to do. However, he tried to kidnap a girl who was about to enter the inner palace. That was the same as committing a crime against the emperor. If her father showed mercy towards him, he would be suspected of treason. But, he didn’t want to risk any rumors that Lady Enrin was almost kidnapped by a robber, so her father beheaded the young man in the garden. The young man’s parents were informed that he broke into the estate to rob it, and the market officials destroyed their shop and drove them from the capital.

Lady Enrin was in low spirits because the man she had trusted and was friends with for so many years had become a robber, tried to kidnap her, and was finally beheaded. She gazed at the garden where the young man was beheaded and seemed lost in thought… The soil in the garden was soaked in blood, and her father had it replaced. Fortunately, the emperor hadn’t caught wind of this matter, and Lady Enrin entered the inner palace without incident.

Lady Enrin was given Jakusou Palace and accepted as the Magpie Consort. There were miscalculations, but she entered the inner palace without incident. If she had won the emperor’s favor as planned, it would have been smooth sailing, but…the emperor never visited her even half a month after she entered the inner palace. No matter how long we waited, he never came to the inner palace itself. We had heard that he was too busy with building the foundations of the new dynasty to visit, and it seemed that was in fact the case. The emperor of the previous dynasty had only abdicated as a token gesture—no, I’ve spoken too much. Please pretend you didn’t hear that.

However, on top of being extremely busy, apparently his attending eunuchs were deliberately hindering him. They would tell him things like, The Magpie Consort isn’t feeling well today or She’s having her moon cycle. That must not be allowed. I was fretting over what to do. Inward affairs can turn white into black with a single word from the emperor’s eunuchs. I immediately sent a letter to Lady Enrin’s father and asked him to prepare as much gold and silks as he could spare. When I freely handed them out to the emperor’s eunuchs, they told me that if Dajia is in a pleasant mood, he would soon visit Jakusou Palace. That meant they were willing to put in a good word for us. It was shameful for me to bribe the likes of a eunuch to do something for me, but small sacrifices like these were necessary to solve a more pressing problem. It was for the sake of Lady Enrin.

While I was taking great pains to do such things, Lady Enrin only vacantly stared at the garden. I suggested that she play the zither, but she wouldn’t even touch it. Even though I endured the shame of abasing myself in front of eunuchs…

However, Lady Enrin had a small satin pouch that she kept carefully tucked away in her breast pocket. I didn’t know what was in the pouch, but I saw her holding it in her hand while gazing at the garden.

In such a situation, even I lost my patience and scolded Lady Enrin harshly. I asked her how a consort who might receive the emperor tonight could be so feckless and limp. Lady Enrin retorted to me. ——I didn’t become an consort because I wanted to.

I was stunned. I was truly speechless from amazement. What are you saying at this point? I admonished her. I thought she was perhaps nervous about the emperor’s absence, so I gently reminded her of this. I have practically raised her since she was a small child, so I knew her temperament well. The eunuchs promised me that His Majesty will come here soon, I told her.

——I hope he never comes.

Lady Enrin said with a look of despair on her face. I wanted to scold her again with a What are you saying, but I held it in. But then…

——If you love His Majesty so much, then you should be a consort.

I was so angry that I unconsciously raised my hand. I was about to strike Lady Enrin in the face, but I came to my senses just in time. I didn’t hit her face, but I did strike her hand. The satin bag she was holding fell to the floor and its mouth opened. Something that looked like soil fell out. It looked like soil—no, it was soil. I took some and brought it close to my face. It had a smell of iron. I thought it smelled like blood.

——It couldn’t be…

I asked Lady Enrin where the soil was from. She confessed that it was soil from the garden back home. The soil from the spot where the young man was beheaded. She had secretly put the soil, which her father had someone replace, in the pouch.

Why did she hold such a thing so dearly to her? No, it couldn’t be possible. Lady Enrin and that young man were——

I gathered up the spilled soil with both hands and ran into the garden, then scattered all the soil in the pouch on the ground and trampled on it. I stomped and crushed the soil with the soles of my shoes until it became a mixture of soil from the ground and the soil soaked in the young man’s blood. Lady Enrin clung to my legs, begging me to stop, tears streaming down her face. Lying over the trampled ground, she was howling and sobbing.

——Who is this?

Where did the Lady Enrin I had raised go? This wasn’t her. This weeping woman who had given her heart to a bookseller’s son, not the emperor or even a scholar-official, couldn’t be my Lady Enrin.

I was enveloped in a pitch-dark darkness, unable to think anything. I found myself sitting on a couch in a daze. A eunuch came and announced that the emperor would visit tonight. The news finally brought me back to myself. His Majesty was coming. At last, His Majesty. This would surely make everything all right. What happened earlier must have been a dream. I had a daydream because I was so worried that His Majesty wouldn’t come here.

——Lady Enrin.

I had assumed that she was in the rear parlor. However, when I rushed there to tell her the good news, I found the place completely empty. Where was she at such an important time? She had to take a bath and dress extraordinarily beautifully. Should she be in red? Or a youthful peach color? Her hair must be rearranged, her hairpins must be jade, and the hairpin ornaments must be gold——

While thinking about such things, I searched for Lady Enrin. Perhaps she was still crying in the garden. If that was the case, I would have to scold her severely this time. No, perhaps I should soothe her instead. Or should I use my tears to persuade her? ——No, that was a daydream, so Lady Enrin shouldn’t be in the garden.

Lady Enrin wasn’t in the garden. I was relieved. It was a dream after all. There were marks on the ground like it had been trampled, but they were most likely caused by the eunuch who was ordered to cut the sorbarias. That’s what eunuchs are like. If you tell them to cut flowers, they would trample on the flowers right in front of you without compunction. They can only do what they are ordered to do. Sometimes they can’t even do what they’re ordered to do. Trampling on the ground like this, well. I would have to order them to clean it up again—but for now, I had to find Lady Enrin first. I kept in mind that I would order them later and proceeded to the back of the garden. There was a pond there. A beautiful and spacious pond. The surface of the water was always as flat as a mirror and sparkling. All of a sudden, I had a feeling that Lady Enrin’s voice was coming from there. A voice that was cool and pure, like clear water. Lady Enrin, I called out and went to the pond’s bank. The surface of the pond sparkled refreshingly today as well. Willow trees had been planted around the pond, reflected in the pond’s surface. A faint breeze blew, the willow leaves swayed, and there were ripples on the surface of the water. I thought I heard Lady Enrin’s voice again and looked around.

Lizard’s-tails were blooming at the edge of the pond. Half of the leaves were white as if they had been dusted with white powder, and tiny flower buds were hanging down. Near them were a pair of brocade shoes. The brightly colored shoes, embroidered with flowers and birds, had been worn by Lady Enrin.

I ran to the shoes and stared at the surface of the pond. It was calm and quiet, with only occasional small ripples on the surface. I was about to turn back to the palace, then hesitated. I had to pull Lady Enrin out as soon as possible. But I didn’t want this incident to get too big. If the emperor caught wind of this——

However, I couldn’t jump into the pond alone. I threw the shoes into the pond, returned to the palace, and told everyone that Lady Enrin had accidentally fell into the pond. I told the palace ladies to make a fire and prepare plenty of cloth, and sent the eunuchs to search the pond. Because of the clearness of the pond, Lady Enrin was found rather quickly and pulled out. But her pulse had already stopped, and no matter how long we waited, she didn’t come back to life.

A consort had drowned herself before the emperor visited her at night. It would be a disaster if this was exposed. I persisted in saying that Lady Enrin had unfortunately slipped and fell into the pond. No one saw the scene, so if I said so, no one could deny it. Lady Enrin passed away in an unexpected accident. However, that didn’t change the fact that we were inept. The empress also condemned the consort’s, who was preparing for the emperor’s visit, walking by the water’s edge as an unbecoming, rash, and foolish act on her part. Naturally, the emperor was also angry. I, as well as the other Jakusou Palace eunuchs and palace ladies, were punished, and Lady Enrin’s father was also condemned. If a consort was favored, the grace would extend to her relatives, but if the consort was disgraced, it would have a bad effect on them. Her father was dismissed from his position as general secretary in the Ministry of Personnel and demoted to Gaku Province. It was said that he was deeply depressed by the death of Lady Enrin, the apple of his eye, that he passed away at his post half a year later.

I was sent to Sen’e House. It was the place where palace ladies who had committed crimes or fallen ill went, called the graveyard of palace ladies. I have been washing dirty clothes there ever since. Since my hands were constantly soaked in the basin’s water and I had no time to wipe them, cracks opened up on my hands and pained me. Why, just why did I have to keep washing clothes in cold water day after day? If Lady Enrin were still alive, I would not have met with such a fate.

Even if I complain like this, there is no help for it. After all, Lady Enrin is no longer here… As I wash the clothes, I heard her voice in between the sounds of leaping water. A voice like clear water. I would never mishear it. It must be coming from the pond through the water. I can’t make out what she’s saying. It sounds like she is crying. Every day, every day, I hear that voice. There is never a day when I can’t hear it. From between the water, Lady Enrin is calling me. Every time I plunge the clothes into water, every time I scrub and wash them, every time water drips from the wringed clothes, her voice resounded beautifully and clearly.

I feel terribly sorry for Lady Enrin. Her soul is still wandering in that pond. The pitiful Lady Enrin.

Lady Raven Consort, won’t you save Lady Enrin? Please send her soul to paradise.

Please——.

Previous || Index || Next

[thedragonagelesbian]

Oc flower asks for Cyrus- Sunflower, Violet, Wisteria

flower asks (thank you <333333333)

Sunflower - What name(s) were you originally thinking of calling your OC?

God, it's been so long since I made Cyrus, I can't remember anything else I considered? I initially made him ~2017 as the twin brother of my other Hawke, Belladonna, for an inquisitor!Hawke AU*. I wanted to give him a 'C' name to match with Carver, since I already had Belladonna & Bethany, as well as something sufficiently fantasy-ish and soft-sounding for my gold-hearted hunk of a warrior.** I might've also considered Cyril?

*No one asked but I had to abandon that idea after this version of Cyrus proved to be too much of a stabilizing influence on this version of Belladonna, countering her penchant for self-destruction to such a degree that the original character stopped working. I don't think I'll ever write them together again, but with their new and improved 2024 characterizations, they'd definitely make each other worse, not better.

**Original Cyrus was also human, bald, and heavily bearded asofjpf there were some. adaptations. when I decided to reuse him for sapphim & vaelsmod's (then) recently released Playable Elfs mod.

Violet - Do a voice claim for your OC?

I really like Nicholaus Boulton's voice acting for m!Hawke, it's hard for me to imagine anything different for Cyrus! I love that he also does the voice for Malcolm in the Legacy DLC, since Cyrus desperately wants to have his father's deep voice, whether via imitation pre-voice drop magic or approximation through voice drop magic. Also @/zevsurana has some great posts about how... performative and strained m!Hawke's red dialogue options sound, which I love as an additional detail for Act 3/post-Kirkwall!Cyrus & ranger!Cyrus. To the extent that the anger and aggression are real, they're also very much a coping & protective mechanism to try to keep himself safe.

Side note, now that I'm finally spending some time with another BG3 OC, it's wild how different some of the acting direction is across the voice presets. Voice 7 (Cyrus' voice) sounds way more tired & done with things than Yiseeril's voice (8). It's very fitting, especially for ranger!Cyrus.

Wisteria - Does your OC have a skill they'd like to learn? What is stopping them?

Varies depending on version/setting

When he's living in Val Royeaux between games, DA2!Cyrus spends a lot of time being frustrated that his brash sword & shield skill set isn't well-suited for Orlais. He tries to learn some more subtle rogue maneuvers from Varric & Zevran, but he never takes to it, being so utterly antithetical to how he's fought & conducted himself for all his life.

Both paladin versions of BG3!Cyrus (so pallybarb/Karlach & Halsin romancing timeline, and shadow sorc/Astarion romancing/turns into a sword timeline) want to further develop their Elvish, as it's a skill that has turned quite rusty in the ~century since his parents died. Pallybarb!Cyrus has a very willing & eager teacher in Halsin, though going to the Hells with Karlach has paused their lessons for the time being. Meanwhile, shadow sorc!Cyrus is a bit too distracted with the. Nonstop existential body horror that is this version of the game for him, so it's not something he's pursuing right now.

And ranger!Cyrus wants to learn to dance!! Though he has a complicated relationship with it, he loved dancing with Wyll sosososo much and wants to be able to do it well to give Wyll the dance partner he deserves and so they can show off in front of the other Baldurian nobles.

[rosella-writes]

Dalish Week 7. Campfire

I still have Travel I'd like to work in somewhere, but until then here's the ending of our Arlathvhen of the Dales with Virelan's ragtag little family. In which there's a small addition she's kept under wraps, and Felassan and Solas are the only ones to know... yet. For @dalish-appreciation-week

~~~

“Da’len,” Virelan chuckled, spooning light soup into Tulin’s bowl, “come on, eat!”

Tulin winced, but spooned up some soup with his fingerful of fufu all the same. “It pulls on my face. Feels weird.”

“So long as it doesn’t hurt, you’re fine. Tell your Pa if it keeps feeling funny.”

Emrys Hawke took his own food gratefully, then fed some in turn to the little ones in his lap. “Virelan, what is this? It’s delicious.”

“Do not chew,” Solas warned with a laugh. “You swallow it. There is no use eating fufu like potatoes.”

Virelan listened to them, smiling to herself as she looked around her at those who’d gathered around her campfire. Kieran and Panasaam sat opposite her, their faces lit by the coals — Kieran grinned and gestured with hands that lit up with magic at his excitement, and Panasaam listened and challenged him with a sparkle in her golden eyes. Virelan noticed at some point she’d gotten a chain of flowers woven around her horns. Emrys and Merrill leaned against each other, bent away towards their children while grounding themselves with their spouse at their side — Merrill looked tired, but happy, and Emrys had more grey in his hair and beard than ever. Tulin sat close to him, picking at his meal and stopping periodically to answer little Carver Hawke’s incessant questions. Solas passed behind Merrill on his way to the stream, bowl in hand, and bent to take her little stack of dishes from her outstretched grasp. 

Virelan leaned against the warm body at her left, then settled her chin on his shoulder. Felassan’s head dipped to rest on hers for a brief moment, then lifted as he looked at her. He pushed a loc behind her long ear, and chuckled when it twitched. 

“Do you grow tired, ara lath?” he teased. “It’s early still.”

“Ah, well.” She smiled up at him, and caught a glimpse of warm eyes and a gentler expression than his words implied. “You know how it is. I’m more tired these days.”

“You old woman.”

“Hush.” She shoved him playfully. “I’m older this time around, yes. But how different could it really be?”

Felassan didn’t respond at first, but then slid an arm around her and held her tight. He placed a firm kiss on her scalp. “Just don’t let that old wolf hear your complaints. He’ll fuss.”

“He’ll fuss no matter what I do.”

“Who will?” came a soft voice, then a thump of a body slipping down to sit near her side. Solas leaned close. “Tulin is fine, just more conscious of his skin than before. No need to worry.”

Felassan laughed softly in Virelan’s ear. “Good to hear. Now, Dread Wolf, this one needs to be swept off to bed. Are you up to the task or shall I?”

Virelan snorted and rose to her feet, somewhat off balance but all the more stubborn for it. “I don’t need to be swept off anywhere. You’re both coming. Emrys, are you alright to get Tulin to bed before too late?”

Tulin whined, offended, but Emrys set her mind at ease with a grin and a thumbs up. Merrill cheerfully waved as the three of them put their things away and made their way back to their tent.

Settling in between them, warm on their woollen bedrolls and beneath woven blankets, made Virelan feel more at home than any assemblage of clans beyond their fire could hope to. Felassan’s hand on her belly and Solas’s arm beneath her head were the kind of comfort that soothed any kind of worry away — even the one that wondered what the future could hold, beyond this Arlathvhen of the Dales. 

It was just as Virelan was about to drift off, her mind ready to meet those of her loves in her dreams, that a nudge snapped her awake. Felassan jumped too, gasping a tiny noise into her ear. 

“I felt that,” he said, breathless with something between wonder and trepidation. “Was that… was it…?”

Solas moved quietly, and despite his air of calm Virelan could feel the tiniest of trembles in his searching fingertips. He tucked his hand among theirs on the curve of her stomach. They waited, taking only the shallowest of breaths, until that nudge came again.

Solas’s sound was the one she knew heralded the beginning of tears. Felassan gripped her hand so hard it nearly hurt.

It was strange, being the only one of their three who knew what this was like. Her excitement was tempered by familiarity, while these two souls who’d seen the passage of ages had not witnessed even this most simple of things. Her heart ached with the weight of such melancholic joy. 

“Baby's turning over,” she told them. “Getting comfy. They sleep when I sleep.”

Solas’s huff of incredulity married to curiosity matched Felassan’s little croon he saved for small children and animals. Felassan curled around her and fiercely kissed her cheek — Solas nuzzled close beneath her ear and took in a ragged breath. 

“It is good,” he finally managed, “to share this with you.”

No more words could quite communicate what any of them felt as they drifted back off to sleep. They relied purely on the emotion on the air, thin on account of the remaining Veil but still strong enough to feel — excitement, trepidation, and unfettered joy.

[wrecking]

october!!  been spending the whole month listening to city pop basically every single day as a way to immerse myself in the genre, surprisingly it only got one entry on here overall, but what can you do when this much good new music drops as well 🥴 open for names + november predictions!!

jockstrap - i love you jennifer b, poppy - stagger, aldous harding - warm chris, tove lo - dirt femme, taylor swift - midnights

maya hawke - moss, zella day - sunday in heaven, rina sawayama - hold the girl, muna - live at electric lady, phoebe bridgers - punisher

shygirl - nymph, chairlift - moth, charli xcx - crash, cafune - running, kimbra - primal heart

momoko kikuchi - adventure, willow - copingmechanism, bjork - fossora, marina - froot, caroline polachek - sunset (single)

carly rae jepsen - the loneliest time, bedouine - waysides, confidence man - tilt, hatchie - giving the world away, maren morris - humble quest

stays: everything up to bedouine - waysides

re-entries/stuff i’ve been listening to this month but not enough to chart yet: sasha alex sloan - i blame the world, big thief - dragon new warm mountain i believe in you, ecco2k - e, angel olsen - big time, junko yagami - communication, lamp - komorebi doori nite, lamp - tokyo utopia tsushin, courtney barnett - tell me how you really feel, human leather - lazy karaoke, hayley williams - flowers for vases

new stuff i’ll be hearing this month: ichiko aoba - windswept adan, beach house - bloom, weyes blood - and in the darkness hearts aglow, yves tumor - heaven for a tortured mind, long beard - means to me

[noneedtofearorhope]

we talk about suburbs and city centers and parking lots as barren wastelands, and not to defend them, but i think in most cases you’d be surprised if you went around and actually counted the different plants you see. most people take any weedy yellow flower to be dandelion, even tho it’s often cat’s ears or hawk’s beard or hawkbits. the grass itself also often has diversity, much more apparent when it manages to go to seed. to me it’s much like our depictions of post-apocalyptic barren wastelands. from irradiated mutant wildlife, to crazy cults that worship chrome, these wastelands typically are full of new life. if they were truly devoid of life, they’d not be such a recurring theme to visit.

point is, there are cracks in the concrete, and life finds a way.

[the-secret-grimoire]

BODY PARTS AS PLANT PARTS

Eye- Blossom or Seed

Heart- Bud or Seed

Beak, Bill or Nose- Seed, Bud or Bloom

Tongue or Teeth- Petal or Leaf

Head- Blossom

Tail- Stem

Hair- Dried Herbs or Stringy Parts Of Herbs

Privates, Genitals Or Semen- Seeds Or Sap

Blood- Sap

Guts- Roots or Stalk

Paw, Foot, Leg, Wing or Toe- Leaves

PLANT NAMES AS ANIMALS

Toad- Sage

Cat- Catmint

Dog- Grasses, Specifically Couchgrass

Frog- Cinquefoil

Eagle- Wild Garlic

Blue Jay- Laurel

Hawk- Hawkweed

Lamb-Wild Lettuce

Nightengale- Hops

Rat- Valerian

Weasel- Rue

Woodpecker- Peony

Some of these names are still in use today

These days, there are many almanacs of magical herbs and herbal grimmoires available online or at bookstores, that list out Witch Herb/Plant names and even details their uses. Just for fun, I will leave you with a list of some of my favorite witchy plant names.

Ass' Ear- Comfrey

Bat's Wing- Holly Leaves

Beard Of Monk- Chicory

Bear's Foot- Lady's Mantle

Bird's Eye- Germander or Speedwell

Blind Eyes- Poppy

Blood From A Head- Lupine

Blood Of Ares- Purslane

Blood Of Hestia- Chamomile

Bloody Fingers- Foxglove

Calf's Snout- Snapdragon

Cat's Foot- Ground Ivy

Crow's Foot- Wood Anemone

Devil's Ear- Jack In The Pulpit

Devil's Plaything- Yarrow

Dew Of The Sea- Rosemary

Dog's Mouth- Snapdragon

Dragon's Teeth- Vervain

Elf Leaf- Lavender

Englishman's Foot- Common Plaintain

Eye Of Newt - Mustard Seeds

Fairy Eggs- Nutmeg

Flower Of Death- Vinca

Goose Tongue- Lemon Balm

Graveyard Dust- Mullein

Hawk's Heart- Wormwood

Juno's Tears- Vervain

Jupiter's Beard- Sempervivums

Lion's Foot- Lady's Mantle

Little Faces- Viola

Man's Bile- Turnip Sap

Mortification Root- Rose Of Sharon

Nose Of Turtle- Turtlehead, Chelone

Nosebleed- Yarrow

Our Lady's Tears- Lily Of The Valley

Old Man's Flannel- Mullein

Ram's Head- Valerian

Scale Of Dragon- Tarragon

Semen Of Ares- White Clover

Semen Of Hermes- Dill

Serpent's Tongue- Dog's Tooth Violet

Sparrow's Tongue- Knotweed

Tree Of Doom- Elder

Unicorn Root- Boneset

Weasel Snout- Yellow Archangel

Wool Of Bat- Moss

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Absinthe - wormwood

African ginger - ginger

Aftator pear - avocado

American dittany - basil

Aneton - dill

Bairnwort - daisy

Bee balm - lemon balm

Bird's foot - feunugreek

Blind buff - poppy

Blue eyes - potatos

Blood of Hestia - chamomile

Calf's snout - snapdragon

Chinese parsley - coriander

Chocolate flower - geranium

Devil's dung - asafoetida

Eagle - wild garlic

Elf leaf - lavender

Fairy fingers - foxglove

Gallowsgrass - hemp

Gin plant - juniper

Giver of life - corn

Goat's leaf - honeysuckle

Golden bough - mistletoe

Honey stalks - clove

Kronos' blood - cedar sap

Lamb mint - spearmint

Rabbits - toadflax

Ring-o-bells - bluebells

Scaldhead - blackberry

Semen of Hermes - dill

Titan's blood - wild lettuce

White wood - cinnamon