#house construction companies uk

[thebuildjoy]

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[ericonstructionltd]

Eric Construction: Leading the Way in Construction and Design in the UK

In the dynamic world of construction and renovation in London, the role of construction companies, building experts, bathroom renovation specialists, and commercial refurbishment professionals is pivotal. They contribute not only to the physical landscape of the city but also to the quality of life for residents and the success of businesses.

For more details visit here: https://theomnibuzz.com/eric-construction-leading-the-way-in-construction-and-design-in-the-uk/#google_vignette

[eaglesnick]

Is Capitalism Working? Landowners (2)

We saw that the aristocracy and landed gentry own 30% of England, a position that has not changed for centuries, and that they have increased their wealth at expense of the rest of us.

But the aristocracy and landed gentry are not the only ones who own land. Big corporations also own vast tracts of England.

“Multi-million pound corporations with complex structures have purchased the very ground we walk on – and we are only just beginning to discover the damage it is doing to Britain.” (Guy Shrubsole, quoted in the Guardian, 19/04/19)

Big corporations own 18% of England. Topping the list are three privately owned water companies. Since they were privatised in 1989, water companies have issued massive dividends to their shareholders.

 “…payouts in dividends to shareholders of parent companies between 1991 and 2019 amount to £57bn – nearly half the sum they spent on maintaining and improving the country’s pipes and treatment plants in that period."  (Guardian:01/07/22)

Since privatisation, water companies have not built a single new reservoir, have continued to pump raw sewage into our rivers and seas, and have failed to stem the tide of water leaks that blight the system.  Over 70% of these water companies are foreign owned, so that there is no guarantee that the £57 bn paid in dividends since 1991 has remained in this country.

More worrying still, is the fact these dividends are paid out using borrowed money. If these companies were ever to go bust it would be us, the British taxpayer, having to bail them out.

The water companies are only one example of how corporate landownership affects all of us in a negative way. Land banking by construction companies is another problem.

“The big boys of construction are sitting on enough land to build a couple of cities, and their collective stashes have increased by nearly 10 per cent in just a year…This is surely scandalous in the worst decade for house building since the war. From a peak average of 361,885 homes a year in the 1960s, completions have slumped to 154,533 annually. Even when you take council and social housing out of the equation, the number of dwellings built by the private sector has fallen 38 per cent from an annual average of 197,141 in the 1960s to 121,500 in the current decade.” (Bigissue: 30/07/19)

This contraction in house building is known as “pipelining”. In effect the large construction companies deliberately restrict the flow of newly built homes onto the market to maximise their profits. According to Campaign to Protect Rural England, over a ten-year period the biggest house building companies increased their land banks by 20% but actually built 13% fewer homes. Restricted supply means higher house prices, means greater profits for the construction companies at the expense of ordinary working people. The House of Commons Library sums up the problem thus:

“When people are unable to access suitable housing it can result in overcrowding, more young people living with their parents for longer, impaired labour mobility, which makes it harder for businesses to recruit staff, and increased levels of homelessness.” (Commons Library: Tackling the under-supply of housing in England)

More generally, Private Eye, who investigated landownership in England and Wales, found that

“…a large chunk of the country was not only under corporate control, but owned by companies that – in many cases – were almost certainly seeking to avoid paying tax, that most basic contribution to a civilised society…Legally obliged to maximise profits for their shareholders, and biased towards short-term returns, companies make for poor custodians of land. Nor are corporate landowners capable of solving the housing crisis. Hoarded, developed, polluted, dug up, landfilled: the corporate control of England’s acres has gone far enough.” (Guardian: 19/04/19)

[blazenfire223]

Good Omens Love Letter- by @/elnorawhittaker

Day 9. Favorite GO Fanfiction-

I have multiple favs, so I'll list a few. Also, I believe 99% of these have podfic versions as well. Also, make sure to read the tags. I don't think anything listed here has anything too terrible in it, but some fics might not be your thing. Also, keep in mind that I haven't read some of these in a while, so I might have gotten some things wrong about them. Also, I'm just gonna list the links beside the name so I don't clog the post so much.

• Under Construction by SummerofSpock: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641006/chapters/56741293

This one. THIS ONE! Oh. I have nothing but LOVE for this one! It's a human AU where Crowley works in an office in the UK and his Uncle passed away and left him with some property in his will. The property is in Oregon so Crowley has to travel there and get the place fixed up so he can sell it (I think). On his trip he meets Aziraphale, a kind handyman that has been working on the house for some years now. They fall in love. This fanfic had my ENTIRE heart! 1. It has a podfic voiced by Djap and SkyAsimaru so already it's SO GOOD!! 2. ALSO CROWLEY AND AZIRAPHALE END UP ADOPTING A BLACK CAT NAMED SPIDER AND AAAAAAAA 😭😭😭😭😭 AND 3. AZIRAPHALE HAS A BEARD!!! IF THAT DOESN'T SELL IT FOR YOU THAN IDK WHAT WILL!

• Choose your Princes Wisely by ZehWulf: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24484123/chapters/59097679

A fanfiction I listened to as a podic by Djap. It's about Aziraphale, who is a hero/noble character guy that has to go on a quest to make his family happy. He ends up finding a talking snake, Crowley, who tricks him into helping him find some ingredients so that he can change back to a human. It's super fun and I remember it being very cute and it's one of my fav fanfics I listened to back when I first got into the fandom!

• I Love my Lover with A-- by Dictionary Writes: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18794110

So cute and sweet. Aziraphale and Crowley wake up and give each other compliments using the Alphabet. It's a comfort fic that I occasionally come back.

• All Lines are Open by FeralTuxedo and TawnyOwl95: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44205229/chapters/112211035#workskin

THIS ONE IS SO GODAMN FUNNY I SWEAR!! It's a human AU where Aziraphale and Crowley are Local radio hosts and they DESPISE EACH OTHER! They're CONSTANTLY bickering offset and pissing each other off on PURPOSE! It's also election season there and one day they get a weird call from Shadwell about some witchcraft happening in a house nearby. Crowley, bored out of him mind and wishing for an adventure, begs Aziraphale to come with him to investigate the house. Aziraphale reluctantly goes. What they end up discovering is more than what they bargain for. Their banter in this is too perfect. It's funny asf and I remember laughing my ass off when I originally read it. The bitchy energy is off the charts.

• In Mixed Company by TheOldAquarian: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22309822/chapters/53287501

ANOTHER SUPER FUCKING FUNNY ONE OMG!! It's about Heaven and Hell going on a company trip together to some place in the U.S. (I think) because both sides need to work on understanding Earth and cooperating with each other so they can all be more successful at their jobs. Aziraphale and Crowley end up finding time to meet up and what not and Hijinks and Hilarity follow suit. There is also this really cute relationship that forms between another angel named Ithuriel and Eric and I love them so much.

• The Tales of Eden Cottage Series: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1434391

This series is SOOO GOOD!! It probably won't be everyone's thing because it mainly follows OCs rather than Aziraphale and Crowley but it's SO SWEET!! The Husband's moved to Eden Cottage and then they go around helping out the people in the South Downs! There is this one kid named Joshua and I love him so much. He's autistic and reserved but he's such an interesting character! He can see the wings of Aziraphale and Crowley and knows they're not human! There is also Jo, a tired Vicar who loves her job but she really just wants to relax at home and not be bothered (especially around Christmas time). If you like outsider POVs and enjoy when Aziracrow interact with other humans then you'll LOVE this series!!

• How to Win a Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Television (and how not to) by A lot of podficers: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30284220/chapters/74640189

This one is strictly a podfic (and is locked but you can listen to it on Literarian's Spotify if you have that) and it is SO DAMN FUNNY!! It's a human AU where Crowley and Aziraphale and 2 separate television talk show hosts. Crowley's talk show talks shit about people and Aziraphale's is very sweet and they talk about food and stuff. One day Crowley invites Aziraphale to his talk show and when Crowley tried to poke fun at Aziraphale, he ended up failing and Aziraphale said something scandalous to him which causes Crowley to do his classic "Ngk!" Sound and he ends up becoming a meme on the internet. They end up having a little beef, nothing too serious but they end up getting closer because of it and eventually falling in love. 10/10

• Getting A Wiggle On by Kadreeva: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20467451/chapters/48565136

This is the fanfic that got me into the fandom. It's soo cute! Crowley gives Aziraphale a snake tank full of "snake eggs" for Aziraphale to watch as he leaves for somewhere. Aziraphale 100% believes that these "eggs" are real and so he treats them as such. He make sure they stay warm and that they know who their father is when they hatch ect. ect. Then, when Crowley comes back he's expecting a miffed Aziraphale who realized he was tricked only to be confused out of his skull when he sees ACTUAL baby snakes in that tank and Aziraphale is none the wiser to the trick Crowley had played on him. Simply happy that he was able to to help Crowley take care of his kids while he was away.

• Demonology and the Tri-phasic Model of Trauma: An Intergrative Approch by Nnm:  https://archiveofourown.org/works/20177950/chapters/47807593

Aka the Crowley gets Therapy Fanfic. It's an absolute classic fanfic in the fandom and it had to be on the list. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend you do. It's long but damn is it worth the read! It was one of the first fics I ever listened to and it's so good.

[atotaltaitaitale]

.

Friday False Advertising.

Walking around South Kensington and Chelsea on my way back to the hotel I noticed the former Michelin House which now host the Michelin 2-Star restaurant Claude Bosi at Bibendum and thought what a great addition to my False Advertising around the World collection.

Michelin House at 81 Fulham Road, Chelsea, London, was constructed as the first permanent UK headquarters and tyre depot for the Michelin Tyre Company Ltd. The building opened for business on 20 January 1911. In 1987 the building was converted to mixed-use, with a store, restaurant, bar and office space.

[sourcreammachine]

LOONY PARTY MANICFESTO 2024 SUMMARY

[not a pejorative, party founder Screaming Lord Sutch was himself bipolar]

tdlr: “we are fighting this election on the basis of CHANGE… LOOSE CHANGE as this is all we’ll have left under a labour/conservative government”

💷ECONOMY

reduce taxes to 5%

get rid of value-added tax as it adds no value

ban the tipping of flies

convert number 10 and number 11 into a hairdressers called Government Cuts

abolish stamp duty because stamps are too expensive

fit airbags to the stock exchange, ready for the next crash

halve dole queues by making jobseekers stand two-by-two

improve quitters’ self-esteem by encouraging them not to start in the first place

🏥PUBLIC SERVICES

employ 80.00 teachers, police officers and nhs staff

reduce pregnancy from nine to seven months

reduce hospital waiting lists by using a smaller font

reduce class sizes by shrinking desks and making students sit closer together

glue unruly pupils together because if you can’t beat them, join them

give pensioners an ice lolly allowance when temperatures exceed 70°

🏠HOUSING

build five million new homes

aid “levelling up” by providing free spirit levels

🚄TRANSPORT

fill five million potholes

introduce an ROT to make sure all roads are carworthy

fit vehicles with a bungy rope to save fuel on the return journey

save money on paint by painting double-yellow lines where you CAN park rather than where you can’t

create the world’s biggest carwash by punching holes in the channel tunnel

👮FORCE

send all MPs who misbehave to rwanda

reduce net migration by making sure all nets are secured firmly to the ground

make terrorists wear little bells so we know where they are

replace border guards with GP receptionists to stop anyone getting in

introduce a court of human lefts

reduce prison overcrowding by releasing innocent prisoners

oppose capital punishment as it is not fair to londoners

🌱CLIMATE

wind farms to be constructed across the country where all will be encouraged to break wind

get more green cars on the road, with politicians having fluorescent green so everyone can see them coming

paint the grey squirrels red

greyhound racing will be banned to stop the country going to the dogs

puddles deeper than 7cm will be marked with a plastic duck

🗳️DEMOCRACY

MPs will have to sit in stocks during surgeries while constituents throw custard pies at them. companies to be encouraged to design new stocks, to be sold at the stock exchange

introduce a “cooling-off period” to allow voters to change their mind

replace the foreign secretary with a UK one

[wildechild3]

Modern Maurice AU

Part 4: The Kiddos!

(Re-posted because someone decided to leave a rude comment on the first one. Please keep in mind, this is for fun. It's fanfiction. It's literally not a big deal.)

This part is background information about Maurice and Alec as parents. Like I said in part 1, none of this is spoilers for the fic I want to write. Also, feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions, these are just my headcanons!

The Kiddos:

Early on into dating, Maurice mused to Alec about being a father. But he only spoke about it in a hypothetical way. It was only the one conversation, and he didn't think Alec was really listening anyway. (Alec was. That's the biggest difference between Clive and Alec, he listens.)

After they got married, they took a short vacation to the countryside and found they liked it a lot more there than in the hustle bustle of the city. Maurice is already working from home at this point (I'm thinking this is late 2020-2021) and Alec's construction company had an opening closer to the small country town they were interested in moving to. They decided to take the chance, and found being closer to nature and out of the city was much better for their mental health (especially Maurice's, who's in therapy by this point).

They've lived in this country town for about a year when Alec gently broaches the subject. He brings up the conversation they had early in their relationship (to which Maurice replies, "You remember that!?"). He ends by saying he never saw himself as a father, but now that him and Maurice are settled and happy, he couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else.

Maurice is thrown off and doesn't give solid answer at first - which Alec is confused by but respects and gives the topic space. Maurice isn't against the idea, in fact he very excited by it. He just never thought he'd get this far - and he sits Alec down to tell him as such. He talks about how deep his depression was and his suicidal ideation - both of which convinced him that he'd never live long enough to see thirty. Yet here he was. Freshly thirty and the happiest he'd ever been. He ends by telling Alec that he'd love to be a father with him - but is scared of being too 'muddled' to be any good at it.

Alec responds by assuring him that he doesn't have to be perfect. That he wouldn't be alone. That he and Maurice would be a team. He tells Maurice that they can take their time and suggests they start small and work up to actually doing it.

So they do. First, they talk about which rooms in their little house would be a good spot for a nursery/child's room. Then they talk about how'd they fix it up. (Alec comes home to Maurice painting his once beige office a pale yellow.) Then they talk about where they would go to school (and Alec pretends to not see Maurice looking through reviews of local schools on his phone while they watch a movie.) They talk about how they would raise a child, which leads to a conversation about their own childhoods (both agree to never use spanking as a punishment.) Finally, Maurice brings up the subject on Halloween night after a little boy dressed as a cowboy comes to their door with his two fathers.

They decide to go the adoption route and after almost a year working through the process, they adopt a four year old boy - Archie - and his 6 month old sister - Winifred ("Winnie"). They agree to an open adoption, and by 2022, they become their legal guardians.

*Just a quick note about the names: I know they're older sounding names. I chose them based off of the 1913 UK census of the most popular names to help blend them into the story. I just felt like it would be weird to have classic names like Maurice and Alec paired with Brandon and Mckeighlynn.*

Both of them go on paternity leave to help the kids get settled into their home and to help Archie get ready to go to school. It's the wildest, weirdest, and best two weeks of their lives.

Alec is so sad when he has to start going back to work, but the first time he comes home and sees Maurice and Archie making dinner together- it's all worth it.

They get in the habit of taking the kids to the park after dinner. Sometimes Maurice will hang back if there's something he didn't get done for work during the day, which happens more often than Maurice would like.

On the weekends, they go to the bigger park near the center of town. It's usually a 20 minute walk and they'll pack a lunch since they're usually there all day.

Final details: Alec is insanely good at clamoring around the play-sets. Maurice jokes that it's because he's the shorter one, but Alec is a pro at running around these structures built for people far shorter than him. Maurice usually hangs out with Winnie at the swings. He's the best at giving those big dad-pushes that'll make you feel like you're flying.

And that's the world building I've sketched out for the AU! Like I said, feel free to correct me on my American-isms or add suggestions.

(Also, I'm trying to be very respectful of adoption. I don't know how different it is in the UK, but in the US it's a very complicated thing to say the least. If you're an adoptee and I said something ignorant please let me know so I can fix it.)

[supertrainstationh]

Great Western railway (UK) - GWR broad gauge 2-2-2 steam locomotive "North Star" (Robert Stephenson Locomotive Works 150 / 1837) by Historical Railway Images Via Flickr:

The Great Western Railway (GWR) Star Class of 2-2-2 broad gauge steam locomotives were used for passenger train work. Designed by Robert Stephenson, the class was introduced into service between November 1838 and November 1841, and withdrawn between April 1864 and September 1871.

A total of twelve Star Class locomotives were manufactured. Notably, they were given the romantic or colloquial (rather than scientific) names of astronomical bodies.

North Star arrived at Maidenhead Bridge by barge on 28 November 1837; on 31 May 1838 it worked the inaugural train for the company's directors. In 1854 it was rebuilt with 16 in × 18 in (406 mm × 457 mm) cylinders and the wheelbase lengthened by 1 foot (305 mm). It was withdrawn in 1871 but kept at Swindon, along with Lord of the Isles, until 1906.

A non-working replica of North Star was constructed for the 1923 Cavalcade, and is now housed at Swindon Steam Railway Museum.

Illustration by John Swain for "The Engineer" from November 01, 1889

I’m no expert, but I KNEW from the outline alone that this was a Star Class.

[thebuildjoy]

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[ericonstructionltd]

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[ingek73]

The Observer

Monarchy

King and Prince William’s estates ‘making millions from charities and public services’

Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster likely to make at least £50m from leasing land to services such as NHS and schools, according to investigation

Richard Palmer

Sat 2 Nov 2024 20.50 CET

King Charles and Prince William’s property empires are taking millions of pounds from cash-strapped charities and public services including the NHS, state schools and prisons, according to a new investigation.

The reports claim the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, which are exempt from business taxes and used to fund the royals’ lifestyles and philanthropic work, are set to make at least £50m from leasing land to public services. The two duchies hold a total of more than 5,400 leases.

One 15-year deal will see Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS hospital trust in London pay £11.4m to store its fleet of electric ambulances in a warehouse owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, the monarch’s 750-year-old estate.

The king will also make at least £28m from windfarms because the Duchy of Lancaster retains a feudal right to charge for cables crossing the foreshore, according to an investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and the Sunday Times.

William’s Duchy of Cornwall, the hereditary estate of the heir to the throne, has signed a £37m deal to lease Dartmoor prison for 25 years to the Ministry of Justice, which is liable for all repairs despite paying £1.5m a head for a jail empty of prisoners because of high levels of radon gas.

His estate also owns Camelford House, a 1960s tower block on the banks of the Thames, which has brought in at least £22m since 2005 from rents paid by charities and other tenants. Two cancer charities, Marie Curie and Macmillan – of which the king is a longstanding patron – have both recently moved out to smaller premises.

The Duchy of Cornwall has charged the Royal Navy more than £1m to build and use jetties and moor warships. It also charges the army to train on Dartmoor but the Ministry of Defence refused a Freedom of Information Act request asking how much it costs. The duchy also made more than £600,000 from the construction of a fire station and stands to get nearly £600,000 from rental agreements with six state schools.

In spite of the king and Prince William’s speeches and interventions on environmental issues, many residential properties let out by the royal estates are in breach of basic government energy efficiency standards.

InvestigatorsThe investigation found 14% of homes leased by the Duchy of Cornwall and 13% by the Duchy of Lancaster have an energy performance rating of F or G. Since 2020, it has been against the law for landlords to rent out properties that are rated below an E under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations.

The Duchy of Lancaster said: “Over 87% of all duchy-let properties are rated E or above. The remainder are either awaiting scheduled improvement works or are exempted under UK legislation.”

The royal estates also have deals with mining and quarrying companies.

The investigation has prompted calls for a parliamentary investigation and for the two empires to be folded into the crown estate, which sends its profits to the government. The king and Prince William pay income tax on profits from the estates after business expenses have been deducted, but both now refuse to say how much.

Critics say the estates, the income from which have been used by successive governments to keep the headline cost of the monarchy to the taxpayer down, enjoy a commercial advantage over rivals because they are exempt from corporation tax and capital gains tax.

Baroness Margaret Hodge, a former chair of the Commons public accounts committee, said the duchies should at least pay corporation tax. “This would be a brilliant time for the monarch to say, I’m going to be open, and I want to be treated as fairly as anybody,” she said.

Both duchies said they were commercial operations that complied with statutory requirements to disclose information. They also emphasised their efforts to become greener.

The Duchy of Lancaster said: “His majesty the king voluntarily pays tax on all income received from the duchy.”

-

&

Over the last two decades the royals have made £22m from the rental of office space in "Charity Towers" at commercial rates to organisations such as Marie Curie, MacMillan Cancer Support and Comic Relief. The King is the patron of Marie Curie and MacMillan

(from someone who is not a sycophant)

Disgusting

And they are already getting half a billion every year

[jmaartenw]

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[enchantingkryptoniteheart-blog]

*The Best of Intentions**

Chapter 2

Erebor had fallen silent as night had settled in. Torches remained lit, casting shadows to dance across the cold stone walls. He walked along quickly and quietly, grateful for the stillness of the late hour. His nightmare was still fresh in his minds eye.

He had awoken with a start, something mixed between a shout and sob caught in his throat. His night clothes and blanket had been drenched with the cold sweats that sent tremors through his body. It had felt so real, his body had been heavy and slow, as if trying to move through molasses.

This time, Fili had been run through, the blade bloodied and dripping onto the ice with deafening splotches. He had watched the life leave his beloved nephews eyes. He opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Silence ringing in his ears as he watched in slow motion, Fili, plummet to the ice flow to shatter into a million pieces as if he had been made of bloodied glass all this time.

Azog's raspy, evil laugh mocked him as he stood trapped, feet frozen to the bloodied ice flow around him. "Gazat glob (dwarf filth). Izg thrak matum-u latu-uk! ( I bring death to you all)

"No! I killed you! I ran you through! I removed your head as you did my grandfathers! You are dead!" He screamed furiously, fighting to free his legs. He went to grab his sword, but it was gone. He looked around him frantically, confused. He never went into battle without his sword!

Azog's maniacal chuckle was loud in his ears, echoing around him in the ruins of Raven Hill. He looked forward, and his heart stopped. Azog was standing directly in front of him, looking down at him with a sadistic glee in his eyes, his lips curled to reveal sharp, bloody teeth.

"Latu paashnar az-izish, snork glob! Latu paashnar bhadur lab matum! (you cannot kill me, worthless fool! You cannot change your death!)

It was swift, the icy hot pain that flooded his chest. He looked down and saw Azog's sword buried in his chest. "Mmmmaaaattttt!" (Ddddiiiieeee!) The white orc hissed as he leaned forward, pushing his dual sword arm deeper into his chest…

He fought down the bile that tried to rise up into his throat. "No, he's dead. Fili and Kili are alive. I removed his accursed head from his miserable body." He gritted through his teeth. He walked past the rooms that held the tainted treasure hoard of his grandfather, without even a passing glance. He needed the night air, a fresh reminder that he was indeed alive and that all was relatively well.

He had fallen under the curse of the dragon sickness, much to his never ending shame. He had managed to shake it off; he fought against it with all of his might. But by then it was too late. He had damaged what little rapport he had had with the people of Esgaroth and Dale. He hoped fervently that Bard would look past this grievous transgression, and allow him to make good the promise he had bestowed upon Bard and his people.

Thranduil was an entirely different matter however. But they had all fought, and they had all lost in equal measure. No one was better or higher than the other. He had to prove that he was better than his grandfather. He was not a greedy, mad king. No! Nor would he ever be! His rule would be different. It had to be. For his people, for his family and friends. But most of all, for himself.

**********


Several days later…

Large snowflakes drifted silently onto the battle torn field outside of Erebor and Dale. Both cities were now bustling with sounds of construction, while the camp housing the Elven army of Mirkwood was slowly being taken down and the wounded readied for their slow trek home. 
The royal tents were still up, housing Thranduil and his company. The elf king, his son Legolas, and Bard the Dragon Slayer were leaning over the table, discussing possible trade agreements for the future. 
A guard entered and bowed swiftly before the table. "My lord, the Dwarf king and his kin are requesting an audience."

Thranduil's eyebrow raised slightly, his expression schooled like that of a carved statue. "Very well. Show them in."

Legolas and Bard glanced at one another in alarm as they took a step back to stand behind Thranduil. 
Thorin stepped inside the tent, closely followed by his nephews who flanked him on either side along with Balin and Dwalin who brought up the rear of their small group. 
The atmosphere in the tent was thick with tension. The dwarven kings face was stoic, as was his kin. Thranduil noticed immediately that the older dwarf with the snow white beard and hair had a wooden box clasped securely in his arms and quickly settled his gaze on the dwarf that stood before him.

Thorin swallowed thickly before he averted his eyes and gave a slight bow. "My lords." He greeted, his voice deep but civil. "I hope all is fairing well with you and your men."

Thranduil barely contained his surprise, while his son and Bard didn't even try to conceal theirs. "Considering all that has happened; yes. As you have probably gathered we are preparing for our departure."

Thorin nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes indeed. Thus my unannounced arrival." He cleared his throat as he adjusted his stance, squaring his shoulders while clasping his hands behind his back. "It is good that the Dragon slayer is here as well. What I have to say is for both of you."

The elf king cocked his head slightly to the side, shooting a glance to Bard then back to Thorin, his eyebrow still raised. "Very well." Was his cool, guarded reply.

Thorin could feel his kin's eyes on him as he took another moment to still his racing heart and the static that coursed through his veins. He knew this was going to take every ounce of humility he possessed. But it had to be done, not only for his people but for himself. He prayed to the Valar to give him all the strength he could to keep him on this painful path of redemption.

“I thought myself strong enough to withstand the evil that had overtaken my grandfather. And I was wrong." He had to pause, as if the words physically pained him to speak aloud. "I was too blinded by the past, to what my people lost, to see what I had become. And I stand here before you to make the first steps to fixing what I broke. I was so focused on you failing to come to our aid, to you turning your back on my people, I failed to remember that it was my Grandfather, lost in his own battle, who struck the first blow in what destroyed the ties to our kingdoms." 
Thorins jaw clenched as he motioned with his head for Balin to step forward with the box he was holding. Balin stepped forward to place the box in front of Thranduil.

The Elvenking's eyes widened, not fully believing what he was hearing as he looked at the teak box that had been placed in front of him. Another brief moment of silence fell in the tent before Thranduil slowly opened the box, to see twinkling against luscious navy velvet, the gems of Lasgalen. "Calathiel." He trembled as his slender fingers traced the gems before him in reverence.

Thorin watched his once nemesis, guilt churning in his stomach when he heard him whisper his wife's name brokenly. 
"What made you change your mind?" Thranduil's gaze snapped back up to Thorin questioningly.

“It was wrong for my Grandfather to keep them from you." Thorin's jaw was still clenched. "Before Smaug came, my father and I were attempting to have them restored to you without his knowledge. The sickness had such a hold on him, he couldn't see reason. They were never ours to keep in the first place."

It was Legolas that stepped forward, when it was apparent that Thranduil was at a loss for words. "Thank you."

The sincerity in the elf prince's voice allowed the dwarves to relax slightly. 
Thorin gave the prince a grateful nod, his ice blue eyes softening a fraction. He then turned his attention to Bard. "At your earliest convenience, we can discuss terms in regards what is owed to your people."

“Yes, of course. That would be most appreciated." Bard found his voice, shocked that the Dwarven King was so amiable. Bard was a good judge of character, and could tell that the king that stood before him now was not the same revenge driven dwarf that he had met back in Lake-town. It all seemed such a long time ago, when in reality it had only been a little over a month prior. He wanted to be free of the accursed gem that started this entire mess. He pulled the Arkenstone out slowly, and shifted its hefty weight in his hand. As he looked down at its luminous body, he saw the dwarves tense. Bard, without any further hesitation, stepped towards Thorin and held out the gem. 
Thorin didn't hide the surprise in his eyes. "You would give up your leverage?"

Bard shook his head. "There is no need for leverage anymore. I trust you to keep your word."

He couldn't pinpoint what the exact emotion was that flashed across the Dwarf Kings face, but whatever it was it was a powerful one that made him appear uncomfortable. He eyed the gem he once held at the highest priority with uncertainty. "Balin. If you could please." His voice rough with emotion.

Balin quickly stepped forward and let Bard hand him the Arkenstone. He nodded appreciatively and stepped back to stand by his brother as he secured the sacred gem inside his jacket.

“Ill leave you to conclude your business. Good travels to you." Thorin inclined his head and bowed slightly again to the Elven King and Prince.

Thranduil looked up finally from his wife's heirlooms. It was the first time Thorin had seen the king's icy disposition waver. It was a rarity indeed that he was caught off guard. "No i Melain na le. (May the Valar be with you.)" Thranduil's peaceful parting surprised Thorin, it was spoken in the most civil tone he had ever heard the Eleven King speak in. It was a tone of quiet respect.

Uncomfortable, Thorin nodded again and turned quickly to exit. He couldn't get out of the claustrophobic tent quick enough. He exhaled in relief as soon as the crisp and snowy air hit his face. 
"Well… that was…unexpected." Kili muttered as he looked at his uncle in concern. Fili looked over at his brother and shook his head quickly. "Not the time." He mouthed.

“Well, that couldn't of gone any better. Well done Laddie." Balin placed a congratulatory hand on Thorin's shoulder, conscious of his friends wounds.

“I must say I didn't even see that coming." Gandalfs voice made the dwarves jump in alarm. "I didn't even need to instigate that. I feel as if I'm no longer needed here." Thorin rolled his eyes as he turned to look the wizard. "I am perfectly capable of handling sensitive diplomatic matters without your pretty words."

Gandalf smiled, his eyes twinkling happily. "Then I will be leaving Erebor in the most capable hands. Not that I ever doubted you for a moment."

"Your leaving already Mr. Gandalf?" Kili asked with his disappointment evident. They all knew that once he left he would be escorting Bilbo home to the Shire. 
"Well, not just yet. We will probably stay for the coronation then leave on our merry way."

Thorin nodded in understanding, not entirely surprised with his friends travel plans. "I am pleased to hear that your staying for the coronation."

“Oh, Mr. Baggins and I wouldn't want to miss it. It will be a most glorious occasion. Gives me the perfect opportunity to light off some of my firecrackers."

Fili and Kili grinned, excited to finally see the 'wizpoppers' Bilbo had always described in wondrous detail. 
The wizard began walking alongside the dwarves as they made their way back towards Erebor. Fili and Kili were talking excitedly with Balin and Dwalin about the grand parties that had been thrown in Erebor in the days before Smaug. Gandalf looked down at the silent King, who was lost in his own turbulent thoughts. The wizard's brow furrowed in concern. "Your father would of been very proud of you. Of what you accomplished today with Mirkwood and Dale."

Thorin grunted in acknowledgment, still looking ahead of him. "If I had just kept my wits at the beginning of all this like I was supposed to, we wouldn't have to be doing all this groundwork now." He bit out, his words dripping in self loathing.

Gandalf shook his head, not surprised that Thorin was battling with these personal demons. "You are not doing yourself or your people any justices by taking on the shortcomings of the ones who came before you. You did the very thing your grandfather couldn't bring himself to do, you overcame the illness that doomed his reign. In fact, dragon sickness is not something the inflicted walk away from in one piece."

Thorin stopped walking abruptly, his eyes flashing an electric fire. "My grandfather succumbed slowly over centuries of wealth. I was afflicted by the time I stepped on the shores of Lake-town." He growled. "I was weak."

Gandalf jabbed his staff into the ground before him and leaned down slightly to look Thorin in his eyes adamantly. "Erebor was permeated by a wicked dragon's unquenchable greed for over a century. It was by no fault of your own that you were affected. But what matters most is that you fought your way out of its control. There is no recorded instance of someone overcoming it, You are the first to hold that title. And that, Thorin Oakenshield, is something to be proud of. You must remember that we are only shaped by the situations we find the strength to conquer."

Some of the tension melted from Thorin's face, and he relaxed his defensive stance.

“You must learn to be kind to yourself. You are just as deserving of leniency than anyone in this world deserving of it. And before you say anything, you DO deserve it."

Thorin smiled slightly, letting out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "Thank you my friend."
Gandalf grunted, satisfied for the time being that he was heard. "Good. Heed my words and all will be well with you."

Thorin snorted and shook his head, still smirking. They continued walking, walking side by side in companionable silence for the first time in over year, before the quest to reclaim Erebor was even set into motion.

[msnbrothers]

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[catgirl-kaiju]

Please, I implore you to read this ask. The CCP should not be talked positively of. I say this as someone who is of Chinese heritage and have great pride in China’s long history. Their construction projects in other countries are shoddy and done with the expectation of paying back and with an expiration date, these projects were not built to last long. It’ll just keep these countries reliant on CCP aid. Their capitalism has bred companies like Shein who are not known for being ethical and Evergrande whose pyramid scheme might lead to an economic collapse and housing crisis. They’re erasing the relevance and history of other Chinese ethnicities to prop up the Han Chinese. Their dam projects are directly affecting their neighboring countries down south and causing low river flows. They’re using misinformation to rewrite recent history and gaslight people online by using bots and AI generated images like in the Hawaiian wild fires. They silence their own citizens and refuse to let them speak against the CCP by utilizing the social credit system. The governments of many other countries and even the UN are already bending backwards to acquiesce the CCPs demands. Many churches built and are continuing to build and run hospitals, schools, and orphanages but it’s clear they’re doing so for ulterior motives and many countries have already diminished their influence, so why does the CCP get a free pass?

Please don’t prop up the CCP. The USA sucks but it doesn’t mean you have to praise the CCP. I’m a socialist and the CCP cares not for the people, not even their own people, but for themselves.

hey anon, i assume you're referring to this post with this ask

it is my understanding of the post that it is not so much about glorifying the CCP, but pointing out that they have diplomacy strategies that work much more effectively for countries outside of the imperial core. there is no explicit endorsement of what they do with the good will that is built with these projects. the users here seem to be more expressing that, for better or for worse, it is understandable why these countries might be inclined to have a positive relation with China than, for example, the UK or the US

your comment, to me, is displaying a concerning lack of nuance when it comes to global politics. nations, states, and governments are far in a way too complex to be slotted into a traditional conception of good and evil. the CCP can be a horrible repressive government perpetrating an active genocide and also have good diplomacy strategies (even if there are strings attached). it's the same as how the US can be a horrible repressive government perpetrating active genocides and also provide helpful foreign aid (even if there are strings attached). nothing in the world of geopolitics is simple, and acknowledging that is crucial. i can be opposed to the CCP (and i am) and still acknowledge when they do positive things or when they are doing something more effective than other world superpowers.

this sort of thinking can lead people to conclusions like "It's good that the US dropped nukes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, because Imperial Japan was a monsterous government guilty of horrific war crimes." when the reality is that you can be opposed to the bombings AND Imperial Japan at the same time.

[luckypuppyunknown]

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