#in the sense that queens did have both power and authority by the virtue of their station;

[wonder-worker]

"My analysis is predicated on a distinction between the medieval concepts of authority, defined as the legitimate right to act, and of power, the ability to impose one’s will on others. By the High Middle Ages, inherited authority was associated with a fief, granting individuals the right to rule in a certain region according to certain prescribed regulations. While authority typically implies a chain of command, power, a more elusive quality, is defined abstractly as the ‘‘ability to act effectively on persons or things, to make or secure favorable decisions which are not of right allocated to the individuals or their roles.’’ According to this definition, power is much more elusive, based on personal effectiveness and influence rather than on sanctioned right to command. This distinction clearly operated in the Middle Ages, where the two concepts were related but not synonymous. Authority was associated with hereditary [or granted] titles and offices. However, while the possession of authority legitimated one’s actions, it did not guarantee their effectiveness. Conversely, while individuals who lacked authority could impose their will on others by force or influence, their actions would not have been considered legitimate. Although they are often used interchangeably by modern authors, authority and power referred to distinct attributes in the Middle Ages."

— Erin L. Jordan, "The "Abduction" of Ida of Boulogne: Assessing Women's Agency in Thirteenth-Century France", French Historical Studies, Volume 30, Issue 1 (Winter 2007)

[atrashcanraccoon]

i'm haunted by this book it made me feel feelings

@chifuyuuuuuuu-simp suggested this book and i got amma to buy it (bc i'm broke) and i read the whole thing in one sitting and let me tell you- this book hit me in the right places.

now i'm gonna talk abt it and hope i don't fall into another rabbit hole of thoughts bc ffs this book MAKES SENSE.

kinda not spoiler free, emphasis on the kinda

the only spoilers are the things that happened in the ramayan (og)

fun fact: w karkidaka month (last month in the malayalam calendar) going on, my ramayan era is here and i'm thriving

so the concept of this book is fairly interesting and as someone who ADORES different interpretations of hindu myth (looking at you, meluha), this is spectacular. SITAYAN bro, it doesn't get any better than that.

sita as a character who has conflicts in her mind, who works like all of us do, who isn't made out to be an untouchable goddess is p awesome to see. she's like so fucking strong, mentally, physically and emotionally and it makes me wanna cry istfg- she's intelligent, resourceful and you can see the love and care she feels for everyone and for her husband, the most. she didn't deserve the agni pariksha or the second exile fr

there's this running theme of different types of love. it deals the way love is felt by different people, how people react when in love, what different meanings can love take on, all of this. it resonates within you.

the author makes sita an introspective character and her thought process is glorious. love makes you afraid. love makes you hurt others and/or yourself and it'll blind you as much as it makes you see things that others cannot. love is powerful and scary and it'll make you feel like you're being drowned in the deep end and then set aflame.

moving on

ram is duty bound, loves his wife, but he's selfless to a fault- he can't be selfish and he believes the same extends to sita, but while ram is still pleased if his subjects are satisfied (and he isn't), sita wants everyone to be happy and content by meeting in the middle. this is a huge point that's seen throughout the pre-second exile arc (your relationship includes you and your partner(s), please do not bring in random citizens into it- remember, communication is key)

LAKSHMAN (sorry, he's my fav) slays. he's devoted to ram and that extends to sita but their dynamics are intriguing. a protective younger brother and the older brother's wife- quite fascinating, if you ask me

urmila the real mvp, gives edwina sharma, bc sita is literally adopted and is amazing in general. supportive sisters bro i'm in love. the concept that she was in a 14 year long sleep instead of her husband is dope asf i've read it somewhere before

dasharath is a good king and a shitty husband. partiality isn't good, he does that only. four kids you have sir, you can't just give all your attention to one. three wives and he can't respect them equally pshh

kaikeyi is one character that i've been huuuugely invested in, considering her part in the whole 14 years of exile in the forest and all. she's a powerful woman, by herself and in the eyes of her husband. she's spoilt (?) and rather malleable opinion-wise- ergo manthara could formulate most of her opinion. kaikeyi was flawed and it showed, but somehow, it was alright.

hanuman is sooo unproblematic and i love him sm (both as a character and a god to be worshipped). he's literally called the perfect devotee and he's legit too good to be true vibes. he's my life and that's all that there is to it

the author stated in her a/n that she'd been heavily inspired by the adbhut ramayan than the considered og and by virtue of that, ravan and mandodari make it into the major character list

mandodari is a p important character in this book. she's a queen, through and through. she endures, she listens, she loves, she's lost and her spirit's taken so much but she's never truly broken, or atleast until the plot twist

like clint, i did NOT see that coming.

but like i said, this book makes a whole good lot of sense and PLOT TWIST, once introduced, is very easy to digest. once you've understood the whole scenario, the lanka arc gets a million times worse and you're stuck overthinking abt the why and how and what the bloody dingle bottom fuckity fuck ever

it's beautiful.

now to the main antagonist. ravan. he's so complex, makes me wanna throw him under a microscope and study his nuances. he's terrorised gods, he's humiliated and vexed them, including his half brother kuber. he's also a great devotee/follower of lord shiva, he's a scholar and one of the most intelligent people on the damn planet.

he was brought to his knees by greed.

the first time i found out abt ravan's entire story, i was shocked fr. i mean, someone this accomplished and he pulls off shit like this?? but then greed has the potential to be one's undoing and that's what happened. it's like watching a train wreck in slo-mo. gah the character is so fucking complicated and i love the way he's been written.

the whole 'ram-sita are incarnations of lord vishnu-lakshmi devi' and 'ravan and kumbhkaran being jaya and vijaya, the dwarapalakas of vaikuntha but reincarnated' is seamlessly added into the story in the forms of visions and dreams and it's amazing.

lanka arc is painful and hits you in the feels bc sita's stuck there, sad and alone and she's not given up like ma'am, hat's off.

the whole 'society's opinion is important' is all well and good and the way the author shows the effect of that in the lives of our main characters is wonderful and honestly, while reading that part, i thought i'll have more time before the dhobi makes ram rethink his decisions.

then the second exile arc arrives and everything's back to shit again.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY.

please talk to your partners, everyone.

if only ram had talked to sita, if only lakshman had succeeded in convincing his brother, if only, if only-

lav and kush are the only kids i like bc irl kids are a hard pass (i'll take toddlers and babies but 9 y/o and up? i'll giggle if they fall down)

they're the sweetest kids okay? they're precious, and even though they didn't know their dad or aunts or uncles or other family members in ayodhya, they had valmiki, they had the people in the surrounding ashrams and they grew up w their found family. it's really sweet.

then the ashwamedha yajna and subsequent drama.

ram was like "one more agni pariksha so that the people of ayodhya would be satisfied for good" and sita was like "i'm done, we're done, no more." she's done seeing women being blamed for things that aren't in their hands, she's done seeing all the struggles that women go through that could've been avoided had there been better circumstances created. she's done giving in and compromising.

she's been wronged against and she'd proved herself once before and in this situation, there are no winners.

sita in this part feels emotions viscerally and everything is INTENSE and dukh dard peedha and then she's just so angry and sad and the firewood kept around her starts to burn, the ground splits and she knows this is the last of her that anyone will see.

lav and kush were held back by their uncles bc i think somewhere, even they realised that sita needed to do what she did.

the last lines of the book slapped me and said poignant.

"Because this is the most important aspect of love, whose other face is compassion: It isn’t doled out, drop by drop. It doesn’t measure who is worthy and who isn’t. It is like the ocean. Unfathomable. Astonishing. Measureless."

guide to wtv different language(s) i've used:

karkidaka month: karkidakam is the last month in the malayalam calendar during which people read the ramayan in their homes, it's going on rn i'm having fun

agni pariksha : trial by fire (like literally walk through fire to prove chastity and purity)

dwarapalakas of vaikuntha : according to hindu myth, vaikuntha is the place where lord vishnu resides and jaya and vijaya were two heavenly beings who guarded the gates (dwarapalaka is a gate-keeper) of vaikuntha- now their story is really interesting

dhobi : washerman

ashrams : group of hermitages

ashwamedha yajna : a ritual in the vedic period where a horse accompanied by a king's warriors would be released to wander for a year, if the horse is stopped, it is seen as a rebellion against the sovereignty

dukh dard peeda : dukh is sorrow, dard is pain and peedha is suffering (there is no english phrase that can give the same effect as this phrase in hindi- this is also a meme)

i didn't know i could write this much abt a book that i've read ONCE.

feel free to ask me abt shit and lmk if there's anything that's wrong? bc i really don't wanna spread wrong info sjhdjdjs

alr thankyou if you've made it till here, go read this book now <3

[readermishok]

Top 20: my favorite interactive stories

Hello, guys!

Once I saw that one of my popular and mostly likeable posts was about IF, I decided to share with you my personal top of the best IF authors I have known. 

I read a lot of WIPs (work in progress) and finished novels since three long years, so I might recommend truly incredible stories. I apologies for adding pics and some additional info about my MC, but I wanted to bring spark of life into this top.

MC – Julia (deShanre), she|her.

I'll start with telling about quartet of works greatly affected on me. It was almost like… living my second life. It felt so real, so vibrant. In the darkest times it gave me the strenght to meet the next day.

1. Samurai of Hyuga, Books 1-4 by Devon Connell (WIP, planned 7 books). Patreon. Buy Book 1.  Buy Book 2. Buy Book 3. Buy Book 4.

Samurai of Hyuga is a brutal, heart-pounding interactive tale. Prepare to enter the land of silk and steel, where fantasy clashes against grim reality, and where the good guys don't always win in the end. It's a harsh world with tough choices at every turn. Good thing you're the toughest ronin around.

My MC: Ronin, the master of the Jigoku Ittō-ryū, The Sword Who Cuts the Heavens

Jigoku:

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2. Fallen Hero by Malin Ryden (WIP, planned 4 books). Tumblr: @fallenhero-rebirth​. Patreon. Buy Book 1.

Become the greatest telepathic villain Los Diablos has ever known! Once you were famous; soon you will be infamous. That is, unless your old friends in the Rangers stop you first. Juggle different identities and preserve your secrets as you build new alliances and try to forget the friendships you've left behind.

My MC: Sidestep Puppetmaster:

Jane (puppet):

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3. I, the Forgotten one by Bacondoneright (WIP, planned dilogy). No tumblr or Patreon|Ko-fi. Demo.

It has been five long years since the end of The Border Wars. Five long years without a purpose. Endlessly drifting around from one job to the next, serving your apathetic father only to receive no credit. Nobody in Kanton truly knows what you did. How you won The War, leading the armies of Kanton as a youth.

Nobody knows what it took out of you. Spending your formative years in war is not good for one’s outlook on life. Your emotions now lie behind a mask of stoicism. After all, all emotions do is cloud one’s judgement and wind up costing lives.

Nobody knows how much it hurt to be cast down from the throne and succession. To be disinherited, cast away from the family, and left aside to die.

My MC: The Marshal, the bastard child:

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4. The Exile by Pheo (WIP). Tumblr: @exilethegame​. Patreon. Demo.

You’re the ex-commander of the Kingdom of Plaithus, and your name is known by all. It used to be whispered in fear by your enemies, and the very mention of it could send men fleeing. Your people had cried it out in battle, swords raised in your honor as they faced death fearlessly. You were a hero, and to some, a legend.

Until you weren’t.

You can’t remember what happened. All that’s left are blurry faces, screams, and the feeling of blood on your hands. The only reason you still have your head is because of the pity of an old friend.

And now? It’s only been a year since the incident, and already things are going wrong again when a rather peculiar sorcerer offers you absurd amounts of gold in exchange for protection from… well, that’s the problem, isn’t it? You don’t know.

My MC: the Commander:

Ex-commander.

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Shepherds of Haven by Lena Nguyen (WIP). Tumblr: @shepherds-of-haven​ Patreon. Demo.

Shepherds of Haven is a dark fantasy interactive fiction game. In it, you play as a Mage living in a world where magic is outlawed and your people—those possessing supernatural powers—are oppressed and reviled. The world is ruled by humans who believe in science, technology, and industry: at best, you and your kind are nothing more than a fairytale, and at worst you are the state’s greatest threat.

My MC: Human Mage, gunner

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God of the Red Mountain (WIP). Tumblr: @friendlybowlofsoup​​​ Demo.

You are a spirit born of the Red Mountain–though you’ve run away from it long ago. You’d be content to stay away, too, if not for the mountain god who suddenly comes looking for you. But what purpose do they have? And what exactly is your end goal?

Based on East Asian myths and folklore, you play as a powerful, nameless spirit in a shifting world. As a being caught between death and life, you are connected to a stream of limitless power, and the more you are known, the more powerful you become.

However, your journey will not be so smooth. You have been cursed by powerful, malignant beings known as Foxes, and it’s only a matter of time before you fall from sanity yourself.

My MC: Owl spirit, human appearance

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The Bastard of Camelot by Rebelgirl (WIP). Tumblr: @llamagirl28​ Demo. Ko-fi.

Your child will be the undoing of Camelot. Born under an ominous prophecy, you are the incestuous bastard of King Arthur and Morgana Le Fay. Will you fulfill the prophecy, or rebel?

Be the villain they expect you to be, or the hero they don’t- be remorseful or unapologetic, make your destiny or be Morgana’s tool of revenge.

Arthur can’t have any more children, making you the sole blood heir, and sole other Pendragon. As a Pendragon, you have the power of dragons.

The Bastard of Camelot is a trilogy following Mordred as they become a knight of the Round Table, and save or destroy Camelot.

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The Seven Heirs of Ophaesia: Part One by (WIP). Tumblr: @fantasyfawkes​​​ Demo. Patreon.

The Seven Heirs of Ophaesia is a low-fantasy game set in a Renaissance-esque world where you play as one of seven heirs to a fictional kingdom rife with intrigue. As the King’s seventh child, you are a prince or princess of Ophaesia, a luxurious nation along the southern coast of Selanes. You are the first child of your father’s third wife, a woman hated throughout the realm due to the pervasive suspicion that she poisoned the previous queen, and her poor reputation taints your image in the eyes of the court and beyond. From your days in the palace nursery all the way to adulthood, you must navigate treacherous court politics and delicate foreign affairs while trying to find your place in the world — and your family.

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 Attollo by A.E. Jendryke (WIP). Tumblr: @attollogame Demo. Patreon.

After several years of radio silence, you receive a message from your younger sibling that carries a strange sense of urgency to it. Either out of familial concern, or boredom, you embark on a journey from your residence to your siblings apartment in New Hampshire to see what’s wrong and then get on with your life. Too bad it’s never so simple.

Deal with cults, interdimensional entities, and far too many people with superpowers (where, for once, you’re the odd one out) in your journey to bring your sibling back from an underworld far out of your control.

My MC: lawyer

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 Land of the Dragon (WIP) by Hilsee Foo. Demo. Last update was long ago... (crying)

Welcome to the Land of the Dragon! Here you shall experience an adventure in an ancient land, navigate court politics, forge friendships, and maybe even pursue romance if you so choose!

The Dragon Emperor sits upon the throne, as he inherited it from his father before him. But all is not well in the realm. In the provinces, an Uprising is gaining both strength and popularity. At court, the Elder Prince plots in secret to usurp his brother's throne. And within the Emperor's harem, the Empress and Imperial Consort vie for power.

As the Emperor and Empress' only trueborn child, you are at the centre of this power struggle. When all hell breaks lose on your 21st nameday, what will you do to find your place in this world?

All this, and more... In the Land of the Dragon.

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The Northern Passage by Kit H.J. (WIP). Tumblr: @northern-passage​ Demo. 

The Northern Passage is a horror fantasy CYOA, where you play as a hunter sent up north to investigate a series of missing people along the border and in the port cities of the Blackwater.

Working with your handler, Lea, you will travel north and discover that things are far worse than you ever could have imagined, and that there is something powerful lurking out in the deep, dark sea…

My MC: Hunter

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 The Nameless by Parker Lyn (WIP). Tumblr: @parkerlyn​​ Demo. Ko-fi.

The Nameless is a low fantasy WIP that is character and romance driven, with your race (sheevra) loosely based on stories about the fey and other myths. Where deals are a weapon and a name is the most intimate secret someone can offer. You play as a sheevra investigating the city of Renescen after the complete disappearance of one of four sheevra Clans in the world, running across a ragtag group of both sheevra and mortalis along the way.

Will you find out what happened before it comes for you?

Mortalis appearance

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Virtue’s End by Crimsis (WIP). Tumblr: @virtuesend-if​​​ Demo. Patreon.

In a dark world overrun by monsters from the shadow plane, you exist as a hybrid monster hunter called a helvling, a human whose very soul has been Bound to one such entity. Travelling from warded settlement to warded settlement with your surly Keeper, Shea, you have the thankless task of defending the common folk against these horrors from Hel.

Usually, a fate such as yours is only reserved for the lowest of criminals, as penance for their loathsome deeds… You wouldn’t know if your fate has been deserved, however, since upon completion of your Binding seven years ago, all former memories of your human life have been lost.

You’ve been moulded into a weapon by the Virtuous Order, trained to be an unfeeling and ruthlessly efficient hunter… But is that who you are? Who are you, truly?

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A Tale of Crowns (WIP). Tumblr: @ataleofcrowns​​​​ Itch.

A Tale of Crowns is a high fantasy love story with Middle Eastern roots, both on pc as well as mobile! It’s entirely text-based, with choices throughout to shape both your main character’s personality and skills as well as influence their relationships with others. There are four love interests for you to choose from, both female as well as male, each with their own stories and secrets for you to uncover!

Crown of Arsur

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 Wayfarer (WIP). Tumblr: @idrellegames​ Demo. Patreon.

When your mercenary work backs you into a corner, you take the only option available and accept a contract: to travel to the city of Velantis and steal an ancient artifact said to be blessed by the gods. Simple, right?

But Velantis holds more than you bargained for. Gathering a ragtag party of malcontents and renegades from across the city, you must navigate enemy factions, meddling guilds, and escalating political tensions. Your choices will ultimately determine the city’s fate – and the fate of every person who lives there. 

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When Twilight Strikes by evertidings (WIP). Tumblr: @evertidings​ Demo. 

You are a bounty hunter. Responsible for taking in rogue supernaturals, you work for IAOS—the International Agency of Supernaturals—where, alongside your best friend and partner, you two have quickly become the best hunting duo of the branch. After a particular tricky hunt, you brief your boss, Caine Atheron, and come back to work the next day to find that he has mysteriously disappeared overnight, the company is now in the hands of his best friend, Sebastian Mai. And though no one else seems to question it, something tells you that there’s more to the story.

With bounty cases rising at an alarming rate and a second mystery unfolding, you and your ragtag team of allies set out to find the truth.

But as you go further and further, the secrets you uncover begin to make you question: who… or what exactly are you fighting for? 

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Passanger by Pime (WIP). Tumblr: @the-passenger-if Demo. Ko-fi.

Do you like monsters? Do you think they are the best part of their respective movies, books, and shows? Then The Passenger might be the game for you.

The Passenger is a choice script work in progress in which you are an eldritch abomination that’s about to be devoured by another unthinkable creature. Good news is you are pretty crafty and know how to jump dimensions to escape your ghastly fate; bad news is, you’re now stuck on Earth, trapped inside a dumb human larva.

As years go by, you realize the amount of energy you need to leave this horrible dimension behind is a lot more than you anticipated. Not to mention the creature that almost ate you all those years ago never really stopped looking for you. But there’s no way it’ll pinpoint your actual location… right?

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Scout: An Apocalypse Story by Anya (WIP). Tumblr: @anya-dev​ Itch.

It has been over a decade since a worldwide natural disaster obliterated the natural planet and decimated human civilization. There are small groups of humans still alive, fending for themselves, trying to create communities amongst the rubble.

You are a 24-year old scout living in a small community on the edge of the Orange Plains. You lost your mother and your sister before finding your way here. You are primarily an academic, and you put your skills to use on regular scouting missions. With your best friend and your scouting team leader in tow, your small group is a pillar of the Community.

On your first scouting mission of the hot season, you meet the leader of the People Across the Orange Plains. Will you break from the Community you have known your whole life? Ask a romantic partner to join you? Discover secrets that your own people have been hiding? Become a leader yourself?

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Body Count by Nell Bolton (WIP). Tumblr: @bodycountgame​ Demo. Ko-fi.

Your life isn’t going how you’d hoped. Despite having big plans when you graduated, you’re stuck in a dead end job and a crappy flat with zero romantic life to speak of. All until a friend convinces you to join the cast of a new reality TV show.

The premise is simple: 12 singles are sent to a villa on a tropical island and they live there together for a month. After 28 days, the couple who is voted by the other islanders as being most likely to withstand the test of time will win £500,000. In addition, the couple with the highest body count will win £500,000. Total prize pool? £1,000,000.

In this context, “body count” refers to how many people you’ve slept with… right? Well, that’s what you think when you sign your contract. Turns out, though, that not all of your fellow cast members will be using that definition to get to the prize.

Fall in love, win big money, solve some murders and try to stay.

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Project Hadea by nyehilism (WIP). Tumblr: @nyehilismwriting​​ Itch. Ko-fi.

You play as an OPERATIVE of Scytha Industries, a highly selective private security company. As their most elite Operative, you possess many skills and talents, not to mention top-of-the-line equipment - including your very own AI module, IVI.

This, of course, puts a price on your head. An AI module goes for billions on the black market; carrying one around in your skull is, perhaps, not the safest idea. Sure, you’re more than a match for anyone who might come after you - but no-one outside the high levels of Scytha knows about it, so you should be safe anyway, right?

Wrong.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I do want to thank all these tremendously talented authors for creating such complex and beautiful worlds. I love it with all my soul.

Thanks for reading, I hope you will find story for yourself. I’ll gradually extand this top! 

Stay tuned.

[nightkitchentarot]

Stages of the Zodiac Signs

STAGES OF ZODIAC SIGNS – a Lifespan’s Evolution The common symbols of the Zodiac Signs, actually describe the first step, the first stage of your evolution. What few know is that this is only the beginning. You evolve. As life goes on, these stages change. Although you still keep your former stage in your heart, you progressively lose touch from it. Hence, as inevitably you attract new stimuli, you change. The only question is towards what? These are the Stages of Zodiac Signs. This is what you should expect.

Stages of Aries: Ram, Shephard, Reborn Sun The Ram. This is the symbol everyone knows about this zodiac sign. People born under its influence are passionate, conquerors and natural fighters. The Ram is a sacred symbol of many Solar Deities. It shows the potential. A hidden fire within, ever-burning. However, as they grow up, they realize that they engage in too many fights. And worse, not all fights are victorious. They have many casualties and they’ve been reckless and irresponsible. Hence, at some point of their lives, they see the loss. This is why they become… The Shephard. Grasping the Truth for the first time, they see how pointless it is to engage in rageful quarrels. Their awareness expands. They see what a Shephard sees. A never ending battle which is called life. This is when they turn into themselves. A turning point of their lives. However, it’s not an easy one. You see, a Shephard is lonely, isolated. He is a hermit. At this point, Aries needs time. Time to realise their true potential lies in their passion and not rage. This is when they turn their fire into… Reborn Sun. Aries is the first symbol of the Zodiac Circle. Why? Because that is when Nature resurrects from the Death of Winter. In Ancient Egypt, this is the symbol of Aries. The Reborn Sun, symbolizing the Death(s) an individual has to go through, in order to realise his/her true potential. Once you let go of pain, sorrow and rage, you will be reborn with this Ultimate Stage of Aries.

Stages of Taurus: Bull, Minotaur, Demigod Bull. Taurus, is symbolized by a Bull. But what is the occult meaning of this symbol? The Bull is a sacred animal in many ancient religions (Egyptian, Indian, Greek). Hence, the Bull symbolized the potentials of Nature. Spring is there and its fierce. Nothing can stop it. There is only one way and this is forward; exactly how a Bull sees its world. However, quite often, due to their lack of ability to see other options, they crash on walls. Those are the obstacles a Taurus is programmed to break and not to surpass. Gradually, they see that they cannot assert their dominance to other people. This is when they become… Minotaur. This legendary beast, half human with the head of a Bull, is a personification of our instinctive passions which, some times, we think are incompatible with human nature. Shame is a deadly foe. Hence, the Minotaur, haunted by shame and regrets is more stubborn. This is when they are lost in the Labyrinth. Let me remind you that this legendary creature was lying in the dark chambers of a Labyrinth, guarding it. Hence, at this point of their lives, they are enraged, more stubborn than ever, but lost in the dark. This is when Taurus loses hope until they realize, that they’re lost in the Darkness because they chose to! This is when all this power enlightens their spirit, break down the labyrinth and become… Demigod. This is no sugar-coating it. They truly become divine. Once they sense how powerful their spirit is, they channel it and create miracles. At this point of their lives Taurus perceives his/her power and liberates himself/herself from the boundaries of the physical Realm. However, they still cast miracles on Earth, enjoying satisfaction and beauty, guilt-free.

Stages of Gemini: Twins, Ship, Stars Twins. The first step of Gemini’s life is drenched with curiosity and love for new experiences. Hence, they seek new stimuli and, as they grow up, they (often successfully) engage in different activities, adopt diverse theories and work in many fields, as if they sense that time is not enough. However, at some point, they realise that there is an empty space in their heart. This comes after a loss, at young age. Hence, they become… Ship. As the Myth of Gemini tells us, the twin brothers joined the magical quest to find an amazing treasure. Hence, this symbolizes the stage of Gemini when they are bored from their way of living and seek the bigger truth. This quest, however, may be lonely and disappointing, at some point. Hence, most Geminis return to phase one – Twins. However, if they let go of this disappointment, they become… Stars. This is the final stage of the Zodiac Sign. Once they realise that their inner curiosity for knowledge is simply lust for life, they accept failures and disappointments, they let go of pain and they move forward, expanding their awareness and become a true source of Light. They become Stars!

Stages of Cancer: Crab, Hydra, Peacock Crab. This is the symbol everyone knows. A creature of the Sea, symbolizing the ‘watery’ nature of this zodiac sign. Due to their rich emotions, they do not always ‘move’ in a logical way, just like the crab doesn’t move in a straight line. Hence, as the sea is never the same, Cancer’s heart changes according to their stimuli around them. However, there are times when the crab’s strong exterior (devotion and loyalty) is crashed by cruelty and betrayal. This is when they become… Hydra. Hydras are creatures of the sea, symbolizing (sea’s and) Cancer’s blind rage. When you cut the head of hydra, two more sprout out. Unfortunately, this shows that when they feel broken they can do terrible things. Trying to stop them is like trying to stop a huge wave of the ocean. It’s pointless. This is a very common stage of Cancer. They change, once they realise that as the Sea is vast, so are the people. Some are mean and hurtful, some are true and loyal. This is when their faith is restored and they become… Peacock. This is the sacred symbol of Great Mother, Hera, Queen of the Gods. At this stage everyone adores them. Although they don’t intentionally show off, their actions speak for themselves. They are Grace and Blessings impersonated.

Stages of Leo: Lion, Warrior, King Lion. At first, a typical Leo is born to feel like being the king of the jungle. As if their world belongs to them, inherited by the divine forces. Leo is strong, faithful and passionate. However, at some point in their lives, their authority is questioned and this is when things turn wrong. Rage fills their heart, when they sense that someone can out-throne them. This is when they become… Warrior. At this point, all their energy is focused to prove themselves worthy. But worthy of what? What are they fighting for? For many years of their lives they are noble fighters in a war they did not choose. They are lost in elusive goals and spend their energy for silly tasks and quarrels. In truth, they fear time. Time is a threat to them because their beauty and splendour might fade. They become prideful and vain. But when they realise that the power comes from their bright spirit, they become… King. At this point they know that being a lion is being a king in a jungle. But they are so much more. This is when they realize their royal self. An ageless spirit, a never ending reign of their light. At this point they are full of love and understanding.

Stages of Virgo: Maiden, Dark Maiden, Queen Maiden. During their very first step in life, Virgo is the young Persephone, a young maiden goddess playing and experiencing her potential. Innocent, brilliant and graceful, the Maiden seeks the truth, while discovering herself on this Realm. However, at some point of their lives, as Persephone was kidnapped, Virgo is forced to travel to the Underworld. Dark Maiden. At this point Virgo is scared and sad. Although it might not show, they hide a huge sorrow in their hearts. But what is this all about? Most of the times, their sadness is rationalized by their need to put their minds in order. At this time of their lives, they are lost in the darkness of their Underworld. Many Virgos pass a long time suffering from depression. However, if they manage to forgive and accept the world as it is, just like Persephone, she marries the God of Underworld, Hades, and she become… Queen. At this stage, Virgo is capable of anything. They accept the truth of the world, that there is both Light and Darkness and they rule on both because of their crystal spirit. Hence, they are whole.

States of Libra: Scale, Blindfold, Sword Scales. The first step of Libra is being the Scales of Themis, goddess of Justice. Always trying to see all options, hear all opinions and take all possible advices. This is why they seem dependent on others and indecisive. What others see as lack of guts, is actually a very powerful procedure when they try to scale all options and be fair and just. However, as they cannot easily proceed in their lives this way, they become… Blindfold. Enraged and disappointed, they no longer wish to be just, because their energy is depleted. Hence, they make unnatural choices. This makes them feel bad for themselves. Hence, the Blindfold (of Themis). Virtue is no longer their guide. Once they understand that everyone makes mistakes, but it’s important to follow their instincts and heart, regardless, they become… Sword. The Sword (of Themis) is the personification of right decisions and power. At this point, nothing can stop them and their spirit is aligned with their will. What they think of, becomes reality!

Stages of Scorpio: Scorpion, Eagle, Phoenix Scorpion. The first step of their lives are Scorpions. Born survivors, they integrate their instincts and passions, in a fervid way, to achieve what they want. Seeking success and satisfaction, they often succeed, but, sometimes, they don’t. When this happens they descend in darkness, as scorpions hide under stones. At this point, some of them might stay forever. Others, they realise their pointless pursuits and they become… Eagle. When this happens, Scorpions realise that they no longer need to hide, but they need to see the bigger picture and seek different types of success and satisfaction. Hence, at this point of their lives, they realise that they can seek both satisfaction and success elsewhere in life. As eagles, they fly higher and higher. Do you know who flies as high as an eagle does? No-one! This is when they realise how lonely they become. Failure is part of being human, and neglecting their human nature is not a wise choice. Hence, they become… Phoenix. At this point of their lives, their Spirit shines like never before. Accepting and letting go of hurtful memories, they realise their true potential. The Phoenix is eternal and made of the material the Gods are created from. Hence, they realise how powerful they truly are. Nothing can stop them now!

Stages of Sagittarius: Archer, Arrow, Centaur Archer. The first step in their lives, they feel that sky is the Limit. Sons and Daughters of Jupiter, they sense that a divine hand is guiding them. As archers, they aim and keep on aiming, again and again. They are optimistic. However, when eventually failure comes, they sometimes lose their sense of balance. They can become hurtful as an… Arrow. Although they still aim, they have focused so much to their goal they neglect to see the bigger picture. What they need to understand is that succeeding is not always winning. Hence, what once they thought they can conquer, now can be useless. This is when they need to expand their awareness and review their goals. As they thirst for freedom, they realise that they have imprisoned themselves! If they bravely see the truth, they can become… Centaur. This legendary creature is the personification of freedom, will, wisdom and human strength. Hence, at this point, a Sagittarius becomes a truly wise and successful person, a teacher for all of us. Transcending the human capabilities, the Centaur conquers his/her goals with ease and style!

Stages of Capricorn: Goat, Cave, Horn of Plenty Goat. The first and most known symbol is the Goat. A earthly creature which might not be as magnificent as the Lion, yet people depend on them for many, many reason. This is exactly like a typical Capricorn. People depend on them, and they are trustworthy and hard-workers. However, as they grow up, they feel that people might use and abuse them. This is when they turn to their… Cave. At this point of their live, they try to isolate themselves from toxic people and relationships. However, they cut off not only baneful relationships, but, also, healthy ones. As Amalthia, the Goat-nymph who nurtured Zeus in a cave, Capricorns usually seek this isolation as they feel endangered. On their way to the top, they lose touch with people whom once they loved. Thankfully, some of them realise that, and they become… Horn of Plenty. The symbol of the Amalthia is the Cornucopia, the Horn of Plenty. At this point of their lives, they realize that true riches come from abundance as a state of mind. Hence, they become truly rich in all possible ways, enjoying both material and spiritual goods!

Stages of Aquarius: Cupbearer, Eagle, Angel Cupbearer. The first step of their lives is when they feel alienated from other, because of their true self. Hence, they become eccentric, trying to communicate their differences in a plain, sad and boring world. The Cupbearer is dragged on Mount Olympus, stranger to all. However, once an Aquarius accepts the World, becomes the symbol of Zeus… Eagle. At this point of their lives they need to experience the whole world. Hence, they (want to) travel everywhere, see more, feel more, understand more. As this is noble, yet also, at some point, impossible, they might feel lonely and separated from all. A lonely eagle flying high. This is when they need to realize that they cannot feel the same way others do, because they are indeed an… Angel. Some of them realize their true Angelic nature and embrace it. These are the enlightened creatures who walk amongst us, shedding light in to the darkest places of Earth. Healers, helpers, divine instruments. They are both successful and truly happy, having found their rightful place on Earth.

Stages of Pisces: Fish, Darkness, Ocean Fish. The first step of their lives they feel like a fish in the vast ocean. Affected by the ever moving waves, they live in their matrix of emotions (sea) and energies around them. As true empaths, they are influenced by enlightened souls, but also by evil entities. Hence, they sometimes get lost into disappointing thoughts, and sadness kicks in. This is when they become… Darkness. Pisces often feel betrayed and lost, and they don’t know what to do. In order to not hurt others, they seek to forget, so they won’t feel pain anymore. As the fish descends to the darkest depths of the sea, they wait there for a miracle to happen. Then, sometimes, they realise that the miracle is already there. As their Spirit is otherworldly bright, they gracefully accept their true nature and become… Ocean. This when they embrace the matrix as part of themselves and become the primordial god of Ocean. Hence, at this point, they know that power comes from their heart, and what they want can instantly happen, as they are part of something greater and wiser. They are the vast and rich ocean! Blessed be.

Originally shared on Facebook by Violet Goddess

[dwellordream]

“Henry's marriage to Catherine had long since grown cold. Though his wife remained, and would remain, loyal and devoted, Henry was in very different case. The raptures of the early days had faded and the consequent demands upon him for self-discipline and generosity had found him wanting. Catherine was five years his senior. In I527 he was still in his prime, in his mid-thirties, she over forty. As king he could satisfy desire all too easily, for who would refuse a king easily, especially a king such as he? Fidelity was rare among monarchs and the temptation besetting him, in particular, strong.

At first Henry had been a gallant husband. Catherine had accompanied him to every feast and triumph, he had worn her initials on his sleeve in the jousts and called himself 'Sir Loyal Heart'. He had shown her off to visitors, confided in her, run to her with news. Though there had been talk of a lady to whom he showed favour while campaigning in France, he had slipped home ahead of his army and galloped to Catherine at Richmond in order to lay the keys of the two cities he had captured at her feet.

We cannot know when he first succumbed to the temptation of adultery, but it must have been within five years of his marriage, when there appeared on the scene one Elizabeth Blount, a lady-in-waiting of Queen Catherine and a cousin of Lord Mountjoy - and she may not have been the first. She caught the king's eye during the New Year festivities in I5I4, that is, shortly after he had returned from the first campaign in France. Bessie Blount eventually bore him a son, in I519. Subsequently she married into a gentle family, the Talboys of Lancashire, with a dower of lands in that county and Yorkshire assigned by act ofParliament. Hers, then, was a fate less than death; and her son, the duke of Richmond, was occasionally to acquire considerable political and diplomatic significance.

Next there was Mary Boleyn, since 1521 wife of William Carey, daughter of a royal councillor and diplomat, and sister of Anne. That Mary was at one time Henry's mistress, and this presumably after her marriage, is beyond doubt. Years later there was a strong rumour that she too had born Henry a son, but we cannot be sure. Anyway we may guess that the liaison was over by l526, and when her younger sister climbed on to the English throne, with perhaps pardonable pique, she dismissed Mary from the court. The latter was to do well enough, with her family at the centre of affairs during the reign of her niece, Elizabeth I - which was more than could be said of Bessie Blount. And finally there was Anne, Thomas Boleyn's younger daughter.

Following in the wake of her sister, who had been in the entourage that accompanied Mary Tudor to France in 1514, Anne had crossed the Channel about 1519 to enter the household of Queen Claude, wife of Francis I, an amiable lady who had several young girls in her care and supervised their education. The newcomer to the royal school must have been about twelve years old. She stayed in France until the out- break of war in 1522 and then came home, by which time she was on the way to becoming an accomplished and mature girl. She does not seem to have been remarkably beautiful, but she had wonderful dark hair in abundance and fine eyes, the legacy of Irish ancestors, together with a firm mouth and a head well set on a long neck that gave her authority and grace.

On her return, if not before, her future had apparently been settled, ironically by Henry and Wolsey. She would marry Sir James Butler, an Irish chieftain and claimant to the earldom of Ormond, to which the Boleyns, rivals of the Butlers, had long aspired. Anne was therefore to mend the feud by uniting families and claims. Had this familiar kind of device been executed, and had this been the sum total ofher experience ofhow marriage and politics could interweave, things might have been very different for England, if not for Ireland. But Butler's price was too high and Anne remained in England.

Her father, aided perhaps by her grandfather, the second duke of Norfolk, had meanwhile brought her to Court, as he had her sister before her. There she eventually attracted attention, first from Sir Thomas Wyatt, the poet, a cousin of hers; then from Henry Percy, son of the earl of Northumberland and one of the large number of young men of quality resident in Wolsey's household. Alas, Percy was already betrothed. At the king's behest, Wolsey refused to allow him to break his engagement and, summoning him to his presence, rated him for falling for a foolish girl at Court. When words failed, the cardinal told the father to remove his son and knock some sense into him. Percy was carried off forthwith- and thus began that antipathy for Wolsey that Anne never lost.

But it may well be that, when Henry ordered Wolsey to stamp on Percy's suit, it was because he was already an interested party himself and a rival for the girl's affection of perhaps several gay courtiers, including Thomas Wyatt. The latter's grandson later told a story ofhow Wyatt, while flirting once with Anne, snatched a locket hanging from her pocket which he refused to return. At the same time, Henry had been paying her attention and taken a ring from her which he thereafter wore on his little finger. A few days later, Henry was playing bowls with the duke of Suffolk, Francis Bryan and Wyatt, when a dispute arose about who had won the last throw.

Pointing with the finger which bore the pilfered ring, Henry cried out that it was his point, saying to Wyatt with a smile, 'I tell thee it is mine.' Wyatt saw the ring and understood the king's meaning. But he could return the point. 'And if it may like your majesty,' he replied, 'to give me leave that I may measure it, I hope it will be mine.' Whereupon he took out the locket which hung about his neck and started measuring the distance between the bowls and the jack. Henry recognized the trophy and, muttering something about being deceived, strode away.

But the chronology ofAnne's rise is impossible to discover exactly. All that can be said is that by I525-6 what had probably hitherto been light dalliance with an eighteen or nineteen year-old girl had begun to grow into something deeper and more dangerous. In the normal course of events, Anne would have mattered only to Henry's conscience, not to the history of England. She would have been used and discarded - along with those others whom Henry may have taken and who are now forgotten. But, either because of virtue or ambition, Anne refused to become his mistress and thus follow the conventional, inconspicuous path of her sister; and the more she resisted, the more, apparently, did Henry prize her.

Had Catherine's position been more secure she would doubtless have ridden this threat. Indeed, had it been so, Anne might never have dared to raise it. But Catherine had still produced no heir to the throne. The royal marriage had failed in its first duty, namely, to secure the succession. Instead, it had yielded several miscarriages, three infants who were either still-born or died immediately after birth (two of them males), two infants who had died within a few weeks ofbirth (one ofthem a boy) and one girl, Princess Mary, now some ten years old. His failure to produce a son was a disappointment to Henry, and as the years went by and no heir appeared, ambassadors and foreign princes began to remark the fact, and English diplomacy eventually to accommodate it, provisionally at least, in its reckoning.

Had Henry been able to glimpse into the second halfofthe century he would have had to change his mind on queens regnant, for his two daughters were to show quality that equalled or outmeasured their father's; and even during his reign, across the Channel, there were two women who rendered the Habsburgs admirable service as regents ofthe Netherlands. Indeed, the sixteenth century would perhaps produce more remarkable women in Church and State than any predecessor - more than enough to account for John Knox's celebrated anti-feminism and more than enough to make Henry's patriarchal convictions look misplaced. But English experience of the queen regnant was remote and unhappy, and Henry's conventional mind, which no doubt accorded with his subjects', demanded a son as a political necessity.

When his only surviving legitimate child, Mary, was born in February 1516, Henry declared buoyantly to the Venetian ambassador, 'We are both young; if it was a daughter this time, by the grace of God sons will follow.' But they did not. Catherine seems to have miscarried in the autumn of 1517 and in the November of the following year was delivered of another still-born. This was her last pregnancy, despite the efforts of physicians brought from Spain; and by 1525 she was almost past child-bearing age. There was, therefore, a real fear of a dynastic failure, of another bout of civil war, perhaps, or, if Mary were paired off as the treaty of 1525 provided, of England's union with a continental power.

Catherine, for the blame was always attached to her and not to Henry, was a dynastic misfortune. She was also a diplomatic one. Charles's blunt refusal to exploit the astonishing opportunity provided by his victory at Pavia and to leap into the saddle to invade and partition France had been an inexplicable disappointment. Of course, had Henry really been cast in the heroic mould he would have invaded single- handed. But established strategy required a continental ally. Eleven years before, in 1514., Ferdinand of Spain had treated him with contempt and Henry had cast around for means of revenge, and there had been a rumour then that he wanted to get rid of his Spanish wife and marry a French princess.

Whether Henry really contemplated a divorce then has been the subject of controversy, which surely went in favour of the contention that he did not - especially when a document listed in an eighteenth-century catalogue of the Vatican Archives, and thought to relate to the dissolution of the king's marriage - a document which has since disappeared - was convincingly pushed aside with the suggestion that it was concerned with Mary Tudor's matrimonial affairs, not Henry's. Undoubtedly, this must dispose of the matter even more decisively than does the objection that, in the summer of 1514, Catherine was pregnant. In 1525, however, the situation was different. Charles had rebuffed Henry's military plans and, by rejecting Mary's hand, had thrown plans for the succession into disarray.

For a moment the king evidently thought of advancing his illegitimate son - who, in June 1525, was created duke of Richmond. But this solution was to be overtaken by another which Henry may have been contemplating for some time, namely, to disown his Spanish wife. Catherine, therefore, was soon in an extremely embarrassing position. Tyndale asserted, on first-hand evidence, that \Volsey had placed informants in her entourage and told of one 'that departed the Court for no other reason than that she would no longer betray her mistress'.' When Mendoza arrived in England in December 1526, he was prevented for months from seeing the queen and, when he did, had to endure the presence of Wolsey who made it virtually impossible to communicate with her. It was the ambassador's opinion that 'the principal cause of [her] misfortune is that she identifies herselfentirely with the emperor's interests'; an exaggeration, but only an exaggeration.

The king, then, had tired of his wife and fallen in love with one who would give herself entirely to him only if he would give himself entirely to her; his wife had not borne the heir for which he and the nation longed, and it was now getting too late to hope; he had been disappointed by Catherine's nephew, Charles V, and now sought vengeance in a diplomatic revolution which would make the position of a Spanish queen awkward to say the least. Any one of these facts would not have seriously endangered the marriage, but their coincidence was fatal. If Henry's relations with Catherine momentarily improved in the autumn of 1525 so that they read a book together and appeared to be very friendly, soon after, probably, Henry never slept with her again.

The divorce, which came into the open in early 1527 was therefore due to more than a man's lust for a woman. It was diplomatically expedient and, so some judged, dynastically urgent. As well as this, it was soon to be publicly asserted, it was theologically necessary, for two famous texts from the book of Leviticus apparently forbade the very marriage that Henry had entered. His marriage, therefore, was not and never had been, lawful. The miscarriages, the still-births, the denial of a son were clearly divine punishment for, and proof of, transgression of divine law. Henry had married Catherine by virtue of a papal dispensation of the impediment of affinity which her former marriage to Arthur had set up between them.

But Leviticus proclaimed such a marriage to be against divine law - which no pope can dispense. So he will begin to say. And thus what will become a complicated argument took shape. Henry had laid his hand on a crucial weapon - the only weapon, it seemed, with which he could have hoped to achieve legitimately what he now desired above all else. How sincere he was is impossible to determine. More than most, he found it difficult to distinguish between what was right and what he desired. Certainly, before long he had talked, thought and read himself into a faith in the justice of his cause so firm that it would tolerate no counter-argument and no opposition, and convinced himself that it was not only his right to throw aside his alleged wife, but also his duty - to himself, to Catherine, to his people, to God.

At the time, and later, others would be accused of planting the great scruple, the levitical scruple, in Henry's mind. Tyndale, Polydore Vergil and Nicholas Harpsfield (in his life of Sir Thomas More) charged Wolsey with having used John Longland, bishop of Lincoln and royal confessor, to perform the deed. But this was contradicted by Henry, Longland and Wolsey. In 1529, when the divorce case was being heard before the legatine court at Blackfriars, Wolsey publicly asked Henry to declare before the court 'whether I have been the chiefinventor or first mover of this matter unto your Majesty; for I am greatly suspected of all men herein'; to which Henry replied, 'My lord cardinal, I can well excuse you herein. Marry, you have been rather against me in attempt- ing or setting forth thereof' - an explicit statement for which no obvious motive for misrepresentation can be found and which is corroborated by later suggestions that Wolsey had been sluggish in pushing the divorce forwards.

Longland too spoke on the subject, saying that it was the king who first broached the subject to him 'and never left urging him until he had won him to give his consent'. On another occasion Henry put out a different story: that his conscience had first been 'pricked upon divers words that were spoken at a certain time by the bishop of Tarbes, the French king's ambassador, who had been here long upon the debating for the conclusion of the marriage between the princess our daughter, Mary, and the duke of Orleans, the French king's second son'. It is incredible that an ambassador would have dared to trespass upon so delicate a subject as a monarch's marriage, least of all when he had come to negotiate a treaty with that monarch.

Nor was it likely that he should have sug- gested that Mary was illegitimate when her hand would have been very useful to French diplomacy. Besides, the bishop of Tarbes only arrived in England in April 1527, that is, a few weeks before Henry's marriage was being tried by a secret court at Westminster. The bishop could not have precipitated events as swiftly as that. No less significantly, another account ofthe beginnings of the story, given by Henry in 1528, says that doubts about Mary's legitimacy were first put by the French to English ambassadors in France - not by the bishop of Tarbes to his English hosts.

He and his compatriots may have been told about the scruple or deliberately encouraged by someone to allude to it in the course of negotiations, but did not invent it; nor, probably, did Anne Boleyn - as Pole asserted. It is very likely that Henry himselfwas the author ofhis doubts. After all, he would not have needed telling about Leviticus. Though he might not have read them, the two texts would probably have been familiar to him if he had ever explored the reasons for the papal dispensation for his marriage, and he was enough of a theologian to be able to turn to them now, to brood over them and erect upon them at least the beginnings of the argument that they forbade absolutely the marriage which he had entered.

Wolsey said later that Henry’s doubts had sprung partly from his own study and partly from discussion with 'many theologians'; but since it is difficult to imagine that anyone would have dared to question the validity of the royal marriage without being prompted by the king, this must mean that the latter's own 'assiduous study and erudition' first gave birth to the 'great scruple' and that subsequent conference with others encouraged it. Moreover, Henry may have begun to entertain serious doubts about his marriage as early as 1522 or 1523, and have broached his ideas to Longland then - for, in 1532, the latter was said to have heard the first mutterings of the divorce 'nine or ten years ago'.'

By the time that Anne Boleyn captured the king, therefore, the scruple may already have acquired firm roots, though probably not until early 1527 was it mentioned to Wolsey who, so he said, when he heard about it, knelt before the king 'in his Privy Chamber the space of an hour or two, to persuade him from his will and appetite; but I could never bring to pass to dissuade him therefrom'. What had begun as a perhaps hesitant doubt had by now matured into aggressive conviction.”

- J.J. Scarisbrick, “The Repudiation of the Hapsburgs.” in Henry VIII

[theotherace]

Fic Recs: Taang

I’ve made two or three rec lists over the past few months, but I thought I’d make a proper, comprehensive one that’s easy to add to in the future. Not all of these are exclusively Taang, but they all feature the ship to some degree. I will only recommend one or two stories per author, but some profiles are definitely worth checking out further. So! Here goes.

Multi-Chapter, Complete

Whisper Into the Sky by damagectrl – Toph has two choices: Go home and get married or have the family fortune and her inheritance given to a stranger. Her problem: She wants to keep her ties to her family, but is quite content traveling with Aang. Her solution: Fight her way through suitors for her freedom. Literally. | General 

The Slow Path by Tazmainian Devil – Eight years after the fall of Ozai, Aang returns to the friends he left behind. | T

A Matter of Honor by Adridere – Almost 4 years after the war. Aang is engaged to Katara and is up to Zuko to teach him the facts of life. Yep, the bees and the birds. Crazy kings, bananas and the ultimate contest for the hand of a reluctant maiden. | M

Roommates by breeeliss – An unlikely tale of two unlikely people being forced to live together under unlikely circumstances.| Modern AU | T

Fall of the White Lotus by Boo-82 – Three years after the war Zuko is living a life of duty while Katara reluctantly travels the world with Aang. So, when General Iroh orders them to find Zuko’s mother and save his Order they seize the opportunity with both hands. It’s the beginning of an adventurous journey of discovery, but as time runs out a rising threat puts their bond to the test. | T

Half Asleep by The Crushinator – Five years after the Hundred-Year War, Fire Lord Zuko is hit with an assassin’s dart, and falls into a coma from which he cannot wake. A week passes, and his prognosis is grim. But Katara could swear she hears him in her dreams… | T

Yaaburnee by aviatordame – Avatars aren't meant to belong – that's as much as Aang can fathom. | M

Getting Lucky by roca-dos – Crazy things happen in college every day. | Modern AU | T 

All Fall Down by DJNS  – Aang copes with a tragic loss and finds renewed hope in an unexpected place. | M | Warning for Major Character Death

The Princess & the Badger-Cat by panaili – In a land never torn apart by the Hundred Year War, the sixteen-year-old Avatar Aang is trying his best to keep the balance between the four nations, including the increasingly antagonistic Fire Nation, which, despite his friendship with the Crown Prince Zuko, refuses to acknowledge him. Elsewhere, Sokka and Katara have been separated on their quest to find their missing father, and Sokka, pursued by the same bandits who kidnapped his sister, finds himself on the balcony of some rich girl’s house in Gaoling. Oh, and a sorcerer has turned him into a badger-cat. It’s just one of those days. | Teen and Up

Reborn by Jakia – Life. Death. Rebirth. This is the cycle that all spirits must abide to, even the Avatar. Aang and Toph face death and the reincarnation cycle. | T

New Girl by tiffaniesblews – After coming home early from a business trip, all Katara wanted to do was surprise her boyfriend, Jet. Imagine her surprise when she got home and Jet was in bed with another woman. Not wanting to live with her ex, and unable to live with her best friend, Suki, Katara takes her brother Sokka's offer to move into his loft with his two roommates. Aang is perky and sweet, the owner of a st. Bernard and a cat, who's often confused about his direction in life. Zuko, on the other hand, is a closed-off bartender, who takes some time opening up to others.The four could not be more different, and yet? They work out perfectly. Even if Katara's feelings for Zuko get a bit more complicated as time goes on. | Modern AU | Mature 

The Ties That Bind series by LdyKirin – An exploration of the ties that bind for good and ill. Toph and Zuko are both shaped by the family they were born to and the family they choose. Lots of found family feels. | T

What Happens In Kyoshi by BlackVelvetBand – Prince Zuko, and the GAang take a vacation on Kyoshi Island. Flirting, fighting, and embarrasment ensue as Sokka takes it upon himself to defend Katara's virtue...in a dress? A short,chaptered fic featuring Zutara, Sokki, and Taang. | T

Under the Night Sky by mycomfortblanket – Aang hears the chattering of teeth during a cold night. Was an AU that I found on tumblr that I made fit into this story. Orginal prompt: "We have to go camping together and share a sleeping bag even though we are complete strangers | General

On The Precipice by JoyDragon – They’re just best friends. Or maybe they’re teetering on the edge of being something more. | General

Oneshots, Complete

Air and Stone by Wolvenfire86 – A few Taang stories munched together. My first submissions. I hope everyone likes them. Please review, it makes me feel special. | K+

Taang Week 2020 series by teabagginses | Teen and Up & Mature

Our Little Secret by IrisPlumeria – Toph and Aang, sat next to one another dressed in their finest under paper lanterns and surrounded by copious amounts of food and friends, cringed at the disgusting noises coming out of Sokka’s nostrils as he blew his nose into Suki’s handkerchief. “I can’t believe two of my best friends are finally married!” Sokka sobbed, earning a supportive pat on the back from Suki, who didn’t flinch at the snot coming out of his nose. “I’m so happy for you guys!” Toph and Aang's family are happy for their nuptials, but will they be able to survive their wedding party without letting slip a big secret?Written for Taang Week 2020 - Tradition. | General 

All Roads Lead To Ba Sing Se by irisbleufic – "I was thinking," [Mai] said, tucking her last remaining dagger into her belt as she strode to meet him, "that it's about time I let Fire Lord Zuko know that I quit." When Kuei smiled at her, she could see the sunshine at which she once cringed."Notice that's six years overdue is better than none at all." "Indeed," said the Earth Queen, and grinned at him. | Teen And Up

Lady Fu’s Fortune Telling by Lady Cleo – Katara and Toph visit the local fortuneteller to get their fortunes told. Added a part two with Zuko and Aang. | T

The Perfect Companion by Morna – Aang seeks comfort outside of the arms of his wife, Katara. Taang, slightly lemony. | T

Box by JoeMerl – Written for Taang Week, one-shot. Toph ticks off Bumi, but Aang is willing to fight his old friend tooth and nail to get her out of trouble. Humor, light romance. | K+

2 am by shmulia – Whoever set off the fire alarm at 2 in the morning is on Katara's shit list. Even if he is hot and shirtless. | Modern AU | K

And its sequel, 11:45 – House parties aren't Katara's thing. Sokka's drunk, Suki's on a mission to set her up, and Toph is... well, Toph. But for every cloud there's a silver lining, and for Katara it comes in the form of a second chance with her neighbour... | Modern AU | T 

Treat by PsychEmpress – She felt the corners of her own lips quirk as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “Consider this my treat,” he said and Toph allowed a smile to break out. OR In which Toph is a stressed architecture student who gets a free cup of coffee from the handsome waiter after she helps his friend. Taang. Mentions of Sukka. | Modern AU | T

Sawaru by metacognitive – This love is simple. Non-Korra compliant. | K+

Newlyweds (and basically everything else) by PandaCookie – Everyone’s a bit hopeless right after they’ve been married. | K+

Rhythms by xcgirl08– For now, though, her child’s heartbeat was hers to contemplate. | K 

Tenderness by Adridere – He wanted to keep her, even though he was not supposed to. He promised her freedom, and she promised him sanity in his own household. She kept her part of the bargain, but he found a way not to keep his. | M

Holy Matrimony by Loopy – After their marriage, Zuko and Katara deal with conflicting religious beliefs, and look to the friends for advice. Between the Zutara and the religious satire, every single person who reads this should feel offended. | General

Blind Maiden’s Grace by Adara_Rose – You can learn a lot of things from a flower… | Not Rated (I’d say General) 

Etched in the Earth by Dance_Elle_Dance – She knows the feel of Aang’s footprints better than her own, and that reality scares her. | Teen and Up

No One Asks About The Scars by voleuse – Write about how you learned to curse in order not to be cursed. | General

When in Rome by dtmars – She wasn’t stupid. She knew what she was doing and what she was getting herself into. They both did. | Modern AU. | Explicit

Like Real People Do by DerAndere – The moon is full and bright when he falls out of bed, awake, asleep, inside a dream, and starts walking, driven by the feeling he does not understand, tugging on him relentlessly, and he is Aang, and he is not, and the world is cold. | General | Full Disclosure: This is my story.

Meet Me Under The Table by avatarfan16 – A story of how Toph and Aang find love, in the most unusual of places. TAANG | K+

Aftermath by Zaram'delar – In any celebration, there's always one or two people with a habit of disappearing. Taang drabbleish series. | T

I Choose Dare by for_darkness_shows_the_stars – An ode to how Aang, under the power of a mighty temptress, was forced to grow a beard. Oh, and the birth of his first child, too, he supposes. | General Audiences

Multi-Chapter, In Progress

Heartbeat by AngelicBee – Avatar Aang's soulmate probably died 100 years before, but he can't help but feel she's closer than he thinks. | Teen and Up

a mighty ocean (or a gentle kiss) by poweradequeen – no, the title doesn’t make sense but i don’t care. i couldn’t think of one so now you’re stuck with a cheesy line from two by sleeping at last.it’s a taang fine arts university au. because i said so. | Teen and Up

Neither is Love a Cage by cali-chan – Love is the freedom of flying accompanied. It is letting be without possessing. PG-13 (possibly M later on), drama/romance/angst, Zuko/Katara + Aang/Toph, post-finale but diverges before LoK canon.

Operation: Zutara (REVAMPED) by dtmars – Everyone could see that those two were in love with each other. Everyone except for them. So Toph takes the initiative and fills in for Cupid to give them a little push, while Aang just tags along for the ride. | Teen and Up

Taang One Shots by stitch1830 – A collection of short stories about Toph and Aang that I've had saved in my notes for a few months. Stories are in the ATLA/LOK universe (not canon compliant), and typically revolve around their relationship and family. | Teen and Up

[route22ny]

ON 19 OCTOBER 2016, in the third and final presidential debate, Hillary Clinton opined that Vladimir Putin would “rather have a puppet as president of the United States,” meaning Donald John Trump, than a formidable adversary like her. As Trump short-circuited like a Star Wars droid on the fritz (“No puppet. No puppet. You're the puppet!”), she continued:

It’s pretty clear you won't admit that the Russians have engaged in cyberattacks against the United States of America, that you encouraged espionage against our people, that you are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do, and that you continue to get help from him, because he has a very clear favorite in this race.

So I think that this is such an unprecedented situation. We've never had a foreign government trying to interfere in our election. We have 17 intelligence agencies, civilian and military, who have all concluded that these espionage attacks, these cyberattacks, come from the highest levels of the Kremlin and they are designed to influence our election. I find that deeply disturbing.

As usual, HRC was right. But even the most cynical viewer could scarce have imagined, in the fall of 2016, just how on the nose she was.

Trump’s activities since taking office—the gutting of the State Department, the jackals in the Oval Office, Helsinki, Mueller obstruction, Ukraine skulduggery, and his willful non-response to the covid pandemic—make clear that the longtime mob money launderer has spent most of his presidency doing Putin’s bidding, just as Clinton predicted. Allow cyberattacks against the United States? Check. Encourage espionage against our people? Check. Spout the Putin line? Always. Sign up for his wish list? Like a porn addict on OnlyFans. Break up NATO? Western Europe is as divided now as it’s been since the forties. Continue to get help from him? Every fucking day.

Three years after that third debate, almost exactly to the day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stormed out of a meeting with President Trump concerning his strategically obtuse decision to withdraw US troops from Syria—a move that was ore in Russia’s interests than ours. “Why,” she exasperatedly asked the press, “do all roads lead to Putin?”

It’s actually quite simple: Trump has been mob property his entire life. The difference is that now, in 2020, the mobster who owns him is not “Fat Tony” Salerno, or “Big” Paul Castellano, or Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, or even Semion “The Brainy Don” Mogilevich. The mobster who owns him is Vladimir Putin—which makes Trump, by extension, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Russian government.

Previously, I wrote about Trump’s longtime association with the mob, both Italian and Russian, and his almost certain career as a top echelon Confidential Informant for the Justice Department. He is, as I said, “second generation mobbed-up.” Although he is not, and never can be, an actual mobster—a front can never be a member of the family, for obvious reasons—the unscrupulous Trump is an extremely useful asset to his underworld associates, and has been for decades. Front men, after all, are a vital cog in the global crime syndicate machine. That dirty money’s not going to wash itself.

While the Trump Organization does deals overseas, for most of his career Donald Trump was a stateside operator. The bulk of his revenue is homegrown. As a business professional of my acquaintance who worked for years in Russia colorfully put it: “The thing to remember about Trump is that he’s a venal crook, not some international criminal mastermind. His primary source of wealth, such as it is, comes from a string of golf courses, hotels, and mixed-use office buildings spread around the world, but the corn nuggets in his crown of shit are in the New York metro area and spread across the beaches of Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward County, Florida.”

So how did a Queens-born front-man and mob money launderer, whose business was overwhelmingly domestic, wind up an asset of a hostile foreign government?

To understand this transformation, it is instructive to think of Trump not as a human being but as an asset, in the strict sense of the word—a piece of property, like a beach house, a private jet, or an HBO Go password. Just as two different families can share a beach house, and your buddy down the street can use your login to stream Succession, so Trump can be utilized by more than one entity at a time. He can also be sold outright—or rather transferred, like the deed to a house. None of this is up to him. At all. To paraphrase Elvis Presley: he’s caught in a trap, he can’t walk out, because the mobsters own him baby.

As for Vladimir Putin, while he may have started as an intelligence operative, and he may pretend to be a diplomat and statesman on the world stage, his true profession, at this stage of his career, is mob boss—probably the most powerful mob boss in the world, more powerful even than his longtime associate from back in his Dresden days, Semion Mogilevich. (There was, and is, a lot of blur between IC and OC in Russia.)

Putin and Mogilevich are two foci of the small circle of oligarchs—there are subtle distinctions, but for all intents and purposes, oligarch is basically just a euphemism for mobster—who own almost everything of value in Russia. In mafia states, the mob runs the show—charging protection for businesses, taking bribes, imposing restrictions on airports, seaports, etc. The Russian mafiya is closer to the East India Company administering the entire colony of British India than some Scorsese picture. It steals from the people, and manipulates the weak central government, to keep itself in power.

(Sidenote: per Robert I. Friedman’s Red Mafiya, Mogilevich has complete control of Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. So if a self-styled NSA “whistleblower” contrives to spend 40 days there avoiding the media, coughEdSnowdencough, you can be damn sure the “Brainy Don” authorized it).

An ex-KGB chief, Putin succeeded Boris Yeltsin as president in 1999. He’s been in charge ever since. Under his reign, Russia has regressed from a burgeoning democracy to a veritable dictatorship. Putin consolidated power, destroying the independent judiciary, clamping down on press freedoms, using false-flag operations to win popular support, and exploiting his power for personal gain. He is more like a tsar than a president—although the Romanovs did not possess nuclear weapons, and their wealth, obscene as it was, paled in comparison to Putin’s own.

Bill Browder, the American-born British national who was an early investor in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and who left the country after the government became too corrupt to continue doing business there, tells a hair-raising story about Putin: After the rise of the oligarchs in the early 2000s, Putin had the richest, most powerful oligarch—Mikhail Khodorkovsky, head of the energy concern Yukos—arrested. At a humiliating show trial during which the accused oligarch was kept in a cage, Khodorkovsky was found guilty of fraud. He was sent to prison, and his sizable assets seized.

After this sobering display, the other oligarchs approached Putin and asked what they needed to give him to avoid the same fate as Khodorkovsky, whose fate none of them wanted to share. Putin replied: “Half.” Since then, ill-gotten gains have poured into his coffers. The oligarchs boast fabulous wealth, but by virtue of claiming half of their money, Putin bests them all. Browder has suggested that Putin may well be the world’s richest individual.

And if this all sounds like the world’s greatest mob boss making the world’s biggest mob-boss flex, well, you say “tomato,” I say whatever the Russian word for “tomato” is. Whatever he might have been before that series of power moves, Putin emerged afterward as a no-doubt-about-it mob boss. Khodorkovsky, the fallen oligarch, himself said as much, in a recent interview.

Whether Putin is more powerful than Mogilevich is anyone’s guess. But only one of them is concurrently the head of state of a G8 country, one of a handful of nations that has nuclear capability—and, despite what revisionist historians at Fox News would have us believe, America’s chief adversary since 1945.

Donald John Trump’s association with the Russian mafiya—as opposed to the homegrown Italian one—began, best as we can tell, in 1984, when the Soviet soldier-turned-mobster David Bogatin purchased five of his condos for $6 million. Trump Tower was one of just two buildings in all of New York City that allowed units to be purchased by shell companies. Fishy deals like this did not deter Trump, who had traveled in underworld circles all his life.

By ’84, as covered previously, Trump was already a Confidential Informant for the FBI. He’d been on the radar of the KGB since 1977, when he married the former Ivana Zelníčková, a Czechoslovakian national who someone managed to emigrate from that Eastern Bloc country to Canada. As Luke Harding writes in his masterful and must-read book, Collusion (excerpted here by Politico):

Zelníčková was born in Zlin, an aircraft manufacturing town in Moravia. Her first marriage was to an Austrian real estate agent. In the early 1970s she moved to Canada, first to Toronto and then to Montreal, to be with a ski instructor boyfriend. Exiting Czechoslovakia during this period was, the files said, “incredibly difficult.” Zelníčkováa moved to New York. In April 1977 she married Trump.

According to files in Prague, declassified in 2016, Czech spies kept a close eye on the couple in Manhattan.…There was periodic surveillance of the Trump family in the United States. And when Ivana and Donald Trump, Jr., visited [her father] in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, further spying, or “cover.”

Like with other Eastern Bloc agencies, the Czechs would have shared their intelligence product with their counterparts in Moscow, the KGB. Trump may have been of interest for several reasons. One, his wife came from Eastern Europe. Two—at a time after 1984 when the Kremlin was experimenting with perestroika, or Communist Party reform—Trump had a prominent profile as a real estate developer and tycoon. According to the Czech files, Ivana mentioned her husband’s growing interest in politics. Might Trump at some stage consider a political career?

The KGB was really, really good. Are we to believe that the Soviets would not at least try to use Ivana—and her father Milos, stuck behind the Iron Curtain in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic—to get to Trump? Would not some cooperation be expected as the price of her being allowed to emigrate in the first place?

The Russians began to actively cultivate Trump in 1986, soon after his landmark real estate deal with Bogatin. As Harding tells it, Trump was invited to Moscow by Natalia Dubinina, the daughter of the Soviet ambassador to the United States, whom he met at a luncheon in New York in ‘86. The following year, he took her up on the offer. “On July 4, 1987, Trump flew to Moscow for the first time, together with Ivana and Lisa Calandra, Ivana’s Italian-American assistant,” Harding writes. “Moscow was, Trump wrote, ‘an extraordinary experience.’ The Trumps stayed in Lenin’s suite at the National Hotel, at the bottom of Tverskaya Street, near Red Square….The hotel was linked to the glass-and-concrete Intourist complex next door and was—in effect—under KGB control. The Lenin suite would have been bugged.”

Donald John Trump was a textbook KGB mark. The agents must have been drooling. Harding cites an internal memo circulated by the agency at the time, advising how to spot potential recruits: “Are pride, arrogance, egoism, ambition or vanity among subject’s natural characteristics?” Like a great baseball prospect, Trump was a five-tool player. Harding continues, writing about the internal memo:

The most revealing section concerned kompromat. The document asked for: “Compromising information about subject, including illegal acts in financial and commercial affairs, intrigues, speculation, bribes, graft … and exploitation of his position to enrich himself.” Plus “any other information” that would compromise the subject before “the country’s authorities and the general public.” Naturally the KGB could exploit this by threatening “disclosure.”

Finally, “his attitude towards women is also of interest.” The document wanted to know: “Is he in the habit of having affairs with women on the side?”

We don’t know what, if any, kompromat was gathered on that first trip to Moscow. But we do know that Trump is a serial philanderer, with a taste for Eastern European women. This wasn’t exactly a state secret; by ‘87, he was already a tabloid legend. Are we really to believe that the KGB—arguably the best intelligence agency in the world at human intelligence gathering—would not have tried to honeypot him?

It was upon his return from that fateful Moscow trip that Trump began to branch out in his interests. “For the first time he gave serious indications that he was considering a career in politics,” Harding points out. “Not as mayor or governor or senator.

“Trump was thinking about running for president.”

And indeed, in 1988, Trump flirted with the idea of entering the presidential race, going so far as to deliver a speech in New Hampshire. He toyed with running again in 2000, on the Reform Party ticket, even hiring his old friend Roger Stone to run the exploratory committee before ultimately dropping out. Is it really a coincidence that his dormant political ambitions manifested themselves immediately after his Moscow trip, and never went away?

So, yes, the Soviets were absolutely, positively recruiting Trump on his 1987 visit to Moscow—which began, not coincidentally, on the Fourth of July (Russians love that kind of symbolism). But the KGB was not the only spy network interested in the real estate developer. The trip also attracted the attention of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency—the latter, by this time, becoming the bigger outfit, owing to the emphasis on signals intelligence collection that began in the late seventies.

As the pseudonymous mob expert known as Lincoln’s Bible put it, during our recent telephone conversation: “It’s 1987—the height of the Cold War. Ronald Reagan is president. The Russia desk is the largest, most important desk in the largest intelligence agency in the world (the NSA). And Trump was already a top echelon Confidential Informant for law enforcement. How could they not have known about that trip? It would have been gross negligence not to have known.”

And if our intelligence community knew, would they really not bother interviewing Trump upon his return from Moscow? He’d been wined and dined by the Party elite, after all, and they would have wanted to hear all about it. Beginning in 1987, then, Trump was not only a Confidential Informant for the FBI, but was also being utilized by the CIA.

Again: the two intelligence services were really fucking good. If the KGB was all over the guy, the CIA would have known, and thus taken some kind of action. “There is no universe in which he wasn’t being surveilled/tracked and used by our guys,” Lincoln’s Bible told me. “Not one that I can see.” If so, Trump’s counterintelligence file is over three decades old.

Moscow also marked a transition of sorts. Ownership of the mob asset known as Donald Trump began its gradual transfer from La Cosa Nostra to the Russian mafiya. Not long after the trip, Trump spent time aboard the Lady Ghislaine, the yacht owned by the British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell. That sounds perfectly above board, until you consider that Maxwell, born Jan Hoch in Czechoslovakia, was a seditious little fucker. His classified dossier at the British Foreign Office described him as “a thoroughly bad character and almost certainly financed by Russia.” He was affiliated with Israeli intelligence and the KGB. He was business partners with Semion Mogilevich, so he was mobbed up. And his daughter, Ghislaine Maxwell, would in 1991 begin a long and scandalous relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. For all we know, nothing untoward happened on that yacht. But given the nexus of key OC figures—Mogilevich, the two Maxwells, Epstein—it is hard to write it all off as mere coincidence.

Four-and-a-half years after Trump’s visit to Moscow, the USSR fell. Rapacious “oligarchs” raced to gobble up the country’s wealth and natural resources. Untold billions, maybe trillions, of dollars were removed from Russia, most to banks in quasi-Western places like Cyprus. This created unprecedentedly vast opportunities for willing money launderers in the West—and Donald John Trump was well positioned to benefit from the windfall.

Trump needed the help. By the early nineties, his casinos were going bust, US banks had stopped lending to him, and he desperately needed Russian capital to stay afloat. My business professional contact who lived in Russia explains what likely happened, incrementally, over the next two-and-a-half decades:

Take someone who cannot get credit from a bank headquartered in the English speaking world because he’s already burned every major US and UK bank in New York and London. Canadian banks don’t take American risk that American banks won’t take and Australian banks won’t touch him because their government blacklisted him from doing business in the country. But he has a massive cash need because if he does not have lines of credit to keep servicing his previous debts and his lifestyle and his next big thing, he can’t attract investors into his businesses to keep the ball rolling.

This is a critical point. Trump is not just greedy for his own sake. He has to keep earning, or he will have outlived his usefulness to his mafiya whoremasters. His very life depends on his ability to do deals.

The professional continues:

So Trump needs money that doesn’t ask a lot of questions. He’s happy to pay extra—and pay it he will—because in his mind interest comes without cost: he can write it off his taxes, or he can flush it in bankruptcy, or he can pass it on to his customers, or he can get his investors to give him enough to wash it all out, or he can refinance if and when the straight lending world comes back to him. He’s happy to take Russian money because in his mind, it’s an asset to him to have Russian lenders; it makes him more likely to play the real estate market in Russia.

But he knows that if his name and a Russian lender’s appear on the same finance document, that’s discoverable: by the IRS, by the agencies he probably reports to, by the gaming commissions, by the state regulators, by his ex-wives, by his last set of creditors, by the next bankruptcy trustee he has to deal with. So how does he get money from a Russian bank into his pocket, and how does he repay money to the Russian bank, without leaving that paper trail?

Simple. He does not borrow directly from the Russian bank. He borrows from a straw-man bank, like Deutsche, and has the Russian bank act as a silent guarantor.

The Mazars and Deutsche Bank documents almost certainly contain damning information that confirms all of this, and that will collapse his Trump Tower of Cards—which is why Trump has moved heaven and earth to keep them secret.

Whoever ultimately controlled the dirty rubles in the nineties, when Trump first opened his doors to the Russians, in the twenty-tens the kopek stops with Vladimir Putin. Would any Russian bank be able, in this day and age, to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to Deutsche Bank, or any other straw-man bank,” without Putin’s awareness, if not approval? If you borrow money from a loan shark, but the transaction is made through your local branch bank, guess what? You’re still borrowing money from a loan shark—and in that world, the penalties for nonpayment are brutal.

In the event, by the time Trump began his presidential run in 2015, the transition was complete. He was no longer a creature of the Italian mob. He was fully owned by the Russians—by Mogilevich and the mafiya, and ultimately by Vladimir Putin. The president really is Putin’s puppet, just as Hillary Clinton claimed.

What’s more, plenty of people in the intelligence community and the Justice Department know this is the case, because they have seen his counterintelligence file, or have worked with Trump in his capacity as CI. Robert Mueller must know. James Comey must know. Andrew McCabe must know. James Clapper and John O. Brennan must know. And while all of these individuals have dropped hints, none save Mueller have produced actual receipts—and a lot of his Report remains redacted. It’s no accident that Trump has done everything in his considerable power to impugn these people. He knows what they have on him, so he must attack their credibility.

To wit: When Lisa Page texted Peter Strzok that Trump is “not ever going to become president, right? Right?!” and Strzok replied, “No. No he won’t. We’ll stop it,” they were discussing national security, not Democrat/Republican politics; two of the FBI’s best Russian mob experts were highly, and rightly, concerned that an asset of a hostile foreign power would win the White House. No wonder Trump wants us to believe their text exchanges were romantic in nature, and constantly frames Page and Strzok as lovers—the truth could end his presidency.

Alas, Page’s worst fears were realized. The President of the United States answers to the Kremlin. That sounds like something from a bad movie, but in the time of the worst pandemic in over a century, it has immediate, and grave, real-world consequences.

“We have been taken over,” Lincoln’s Bible said, “and a quarter of a million innocent civilians are going to die because of it.”

***

As with “Tinker, Tailor, Mobster, Spy,” this piece was written with a lot of help from Lincoln’s Bible.

Photo: President Ronald Reagan Shaking Hands with Donald Trump and Ivana Trump During The State Visit of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia at The State Dinner in The Blue Room, 2/11/1985. From the Reagan Presidential Archive.

[nadziejastar]

If you were to put together a deck of KH Tarot cards which characters would be which?

Ooh, this is fun. It’s like the characters in Persona.

Sora - The Fool

“The Wild card is a playing card that can represent any other card, or something that has an unexpected effect on a situation. It is like the number zero… empty, yet holding infinite potential within itself.”

The Fool represents new beginnings and carefree adventure. Though this card could indicate foolishness, it is more optimistic in the sense that it stands for pure actions and being free from the constraints of your present life. More than likely, there are important decisions coming your way. This Arcana is originally the only one that doesn’t have a number, thus it is considered as the Arcana number 0. The Fool Arcana tends to be the “jack of all trades”. Mythological figures of the Fool Arcana are often heroes, fools, or the protagonists of their own mythological stories.

Donald - The Magician

“Attaining one’s dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination.”The Magician is symbolic of action and power in your life. Its positive connotations illustrate someone who is a smooth talker and good at all aspects of communication. This card suggests using your strong will power to move forward and take action. A common trait shared between members of Magician Arcana is their strong vision and aspiration for the future, and fulfilling their inner potential.

Kairi/Naminé/Xion - The Priestess

“The silent voice within one’s heart whispers the most profound wisdom.”The High Priestess is a spiritually intuitive woman full of mystery, wisdom, and understanding. A journey of self-discovery goes hand-in-hand with the presence of this card in your spread. She stands for things yet to be discovered in your life. Individuals associated with the Priestess Arcana are usually quiet, reserved, hardworking and very intelligent. They are often modest and shy.

Aqua - The Empress

“Celebrate life’s grandeur…its brilliance…its magnificence…”

The Empress stands for all things motherly. A nurturing, loving problem solver, she indicates successful business ventures or other positive, productive opportunities to come. She suggests moving forward to fulfill your full potential. The Empress Arcana often belongs to women of authority or wise and motherly figures. Characters under this Arcana may also be cold-hearted in personality, but still present a high degree of care and concern towards others. And like queens, they are also very elegant in character.

Terra - The Emperor

“Only courage in the face of doubt can lead one to the answer…”  

The Emperor, as the counterpart to the Empress, stands for all things fatherly. He is structure, order, and authority in your life. While moving forward in your endeavours, this card indicates that assertiveness and rationality will take you a long way. In tarot readings, the Emperor symbolizes the desire to control one’s surroundings, and its appearance could suggest that one is trying too hard to achieve this, possibly causing trouble for others; some elements in life are just not controllable. Characters of the Emperor Arcana are often male leaders or father figures (or both). Often times, the Emperor character is troubled by something very personal and doesn’t know how to deal with it.

Eraqus - The Hierophant

“It is indeed a precious gift to understand the forces that guides oneself…”

The Hierophant is a symbol of education, authority, conservatism, obedience to rules and relationship with the divine. The definition of a “hierophant” is a person who interprets sacred mysteries or esoteric principles, and the term was originally used to name ancient Greek priests who did so. Characters of the Hierophant Arcana are often older than the protagonist, and are typically quite wise and logical. The most common connection between Hierophant characters, however, is their association (and obsession) with the past.

Elrena - The Lovers

“There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand another…”

The Lovers Arcana initially represented two paths life could lead to, and thus a symbol of standing at a crossroad and needing to make a decision. Today, however, it is portrayed more of a symbol of love and romantic relationships, although it can also be a symbol of finding agreement with an ordinary friend or even two conflicting elements within.

Goofy - The Chariot

“One of life’s greatest blessings is the freedom to pursue one’s goals.”The Chariot reveals some sort of journey. With a positive connotation, this journey will most likely be a progression of some sort. It could also be the final success you have been working for. Portrayed as a king leading a chariot made up of two differently colored horses. The Chariot Arcana is a symbol of victory, conquest, self-assertion, self-confidence, control, war and command. Characters who are of the Chariot Arcana are typically very driven individuals, who have a personal goal that they aim to achieve at any cost. Combat-wise, they also tend to focus on physical attacks rather than magic.

Even - Justice

“To find the one true path, one must seek guidance amidst uncertainty…”

The Justice card is all about karma, fairness, and balance in different affairs in your life. It does not suggest an outcome that is either for or against you, but accountability, dignity, and integrity are all liked to its presence. In tarot readings, it means that one will have face a trial of their justice. Commonly, characters of the Justice Arcana are concerned with matters of fairness, and otherwise are very stoic individuals.

Ienzo - The Hermit

“It requires great courage to look at oneself honestly, and forge one’s own path…”

The Hermit is a card symbolic of seeking some sort of spiritual enlightenment. Solitary introspection and contemplation are also associated with the Hermit. Perhaps some soul-searching and reflection are required on your part. Similarly, Hermit Arcana characters share the commonality of placing themselves in situations that hide them from the public eye. Hermit individuals hide away from others or act in more supportive roles rather than putting themselves in the spotlight.

Luxord - Fortune

“Alongside time exists fate, the bearer of cruelty.”The Wheel of Fortune stands for fate, luck, changes, and a new direction in your life. While it also shows ups and downs, the overall feel of the card is a positive one indicating changes for the better and good fortune. Human characters of the Fortune Arcana are usually individuals who attempt to seize their own destiny in spite of fate and are typically involved with making important choices and decisions in response to what life throws at them.

Riku - Strength

“Only with strength can one endure suffering and torment.”

The Strength card shows a presence of self-assurance and confidently facing problems in your life. It suggests a person who enjoys power but has the capacity to exercise great self-control in all matters. Portrayed as a young woman holding up a terrifying beast, the Strength Arcana symbolizes an imagery beyond the Beast and Beauty, and is associated with the morality about the stronger power of self-control, gentleness, courage and virtue over brute force. A commonality between characters of the Strength Arcana is their strength of heart. Strength characters are not upset easily and typically portray the fortitude that the Strength card represents in readings.

Dilan - Lust

“Clearly distinguish between your ego and your intuitive self.”

The Hunger/Lust Arcana is not found in standard tarot decks. The Lust Arcana is the Thoth tarot equivalent of the Strength Arcana, numbered XI. Lust symbolizes the danger of losing control, of being consumed by power. The card also implies strength, but strength which comes through Dominance. It is not true power, but the pure bliss of abusing power.

Ansem - The Hanged Man

“In the face of disaster lies the opportunity for renewal.”The Hanged Man suggests some sort of metamorphosis through breaking patterns, letting go, or going through a period of transition. Although it could indicate having to give something up in order to gain a fresh perspective, it has neither positive or negative connotations. In Tarot readings, this card’s appearance can be seen as an advice to take the time necessary to reflect over one’s upcoming actions. Hanged Man characters are sometimes self-sacrificial, but are more often notable for being caught between two different extremes, parties or stages in life.

Lauriam - Death

“Free yourself from a past that no longer serves you well and proceed toward the future with all your heart.”The Death card shows some sort of dramatic change in order to have a new beginning. It is often associated with some sort of loss, failure, or destruction. While it is associated with foreboding and doom, the Death Arcana also symbolizes metamorphosis and deep change, regeneration and cycles. In the earliest Tarot decks, it was the only Arcana that didn’t have a name, but the depictions of an ominous skeleton bearing a scythe led people to call it Death.

Demyx - Temperance

“Find balance in your life and approach problems with a calm demeanor.”

The Temperance card suggests divine intervention, optimism, balance, and harmony. The positive overall presence of this card in your spread reveals high levels of self-confidence and control in your endeavors. Characters of the Temperance Arcana are often struggling to find a balance in their lives and in their hobbies.

Braig - The Devil

“Making the wisest of decisions requires one to escape from the desires of temptation.”

The Devil is about all things negative. Anger, violence, temptation, fear, and doubt are just some of the terrors associated with this card. It suggests feeling trapped perhaps in an unhealthy relationship, an addiction, or a lie. Portrayed as a hermaphrodite devil over two naked and chained figures, the negative aspect of the Devil Arcana represents the urge to do selfish, impulsive, violent things, and being a slave to ones’ own impulse and feelings. Human characters associated with the Devil Arcana are often “devilish” individuals; they can be greedy, proud, lustful, or otherwise of poor character. It is not uncommon for this type of character to have somewhat of an antisocial tendency, often not caring much for the needs or well-being of others.

Aeleus - The Tower

“See things as you want them to be in order to make them become that way. Knowing the worst is behind you can give strength.”

The Tower is all about unexpected events and changes coming up in your life. However, the changes are along the lines of something catastrophic, disastrous, and overall negative. The Tower Arcana is commonly associated to overly arrogant, prejudiced and authoritarian organization, which walk to their own ironic demise. Furthermore, it is also more generically used as an omen of doom and disaster. It can be seen as the worst card of the deck, as it rarely has a positive meaning. Human characters of the Tower Arcana can be arrogant, and typically find themselves in bad situations where they themselves have fallen from grace.

Roxas/Ventus - The Star

“The time of your renewal is approaching. You have chosen the right path to restore your mental and physical health. By being brave enough to choose the riskier roads, you will inspire those around you.”

The Star’s presence signifies a period of respite and renewal for you. This renewal may be spiritual, physical, or both. It is a light in the darkness, illuminating your future and your past. The Star is symbolic of hope, renewal, and beauty. It suggests a period of spiritual tranquility, happiness, and positive opportunities. The overall feeling of this card is optimistic and serene. Characters of the Star Arcana embody their arcana’s traits of hopefulness and joy.

Isa - The Moon

“The struggle to reach your potential may bring about many conflicts in your life, but the results will be beautiful.”

The Moon is an illusive and confusing card. It suggests the presence of risks, secrets, and some level of mental confusion. It is associated with creativity, inspiration, dreams, madness, illusions, fear, fantasy, the subconscious and trickery. In tarot readings, it can also represent being attuned subconsciously to the world around, gaining the ability to sense things without being told about them or without anyone else knowing. Characters who are of the Moon Arcana are often similarly psychically-attuned, but a more common trend is their projection of their own fears and faults onto others. They often tend to have trouble accepting themselves for who they are and, because of that fear, try to correspond to an ideal person. And like the Arcana, there is a hidden depth as to why they act in their behaviors.

Lea - The Sun

“Let your light shine. Be confident in the sacred power of your original nature.”

The Sun, being the opposition to the Moon, is a card full of life, joy, and energy. It reveals positive achievements, successful endeavors, and an overall manifestations of good fortune in your life. It symbolizes happiness, joy, energy, optimism, and accomplishment. Occasionally, it is also associated with one’s initial happiness. Persona of the Sun Arcana commonly excel in Light and Fire-based attacks. They are typically mythological figures directly related to the sun, light, or fire. Characters of the Sun Arcana almost always (ironically) find themselves in terrible situations, the situation belying the underlying optimism present in nearly all of them. Also, as the Sun Arcana portrays accomplishment, some of these characters have deep thoughts about the meaning of life and manage to find their answers.

Xehanort - Judgement

“The fruits of your decisions are coming and you will receive that which you deserve. The path at your feet and the direction it is leading you are clear. You will see your ultimate desire through to the end.”

The Judgement card is representative of some sort of change or transformation, likely one that has already occurred. It could mean the presence of a spiritual or professional calling and making decisions that will lead to your success. The Judgement Arcana, in tarot, is associated with realizing one’s calling, gaining a deep understanding of life and a feeling of acceptance and absolution.

In gameplay, the Judgement Arcana is commonly associated with a balance of Light and Darkness. Figures of the Judgement Arcana are usually related to Judgement Day myths or are gods tied directly to the judgement of humankind. Characters of the Judgement Arcana are well-aware, quite intelligent and view the world with infinite possibilities. Most powerful when combining their intuition with their smarts, their thought process is among the most vast and realistic.

Mickey - The World

“You must find your purpose to accomplish it. The same with dreams; you must first be aware of it to make it exist.”

The World card means satisfaction and success at a journey’s end. Fulfillment, rewards, certainty, and positive outcomes are all things directly associated with the presence of this card. It often appears as the final triumph arcana, creating miracles and aiding the protagonists. The World Arcana is a representation of the world’s totality, the symbol of fulfillment, wholeness and harmony. The World Arcana is commonly associated with Social Links, where its power is based upon the protagonist’s bonds with others.

[evanderofscots]

The Life and Times of Chancellor Evander Lucian Mackenzie

 ( SAM HEUGHAN, HE/HIM, MALE ) HEAR YE, HEAR YE! Allow me to introduce SIR EVANDER MAKENZIE of SCOTLAND. The 35 year old CHANCELLOR is known to be CHARISMATIC and LAID BACK, but rumors about court claim HE can be LUSTFULL and MANIPULATIVE when crossed. Only time will tell where their interests belong. Penned by CAITLIN ( MST + 23 + SHE/HER ). 

Evander Mackenzie has never been one to play by the rules. He spent a great deal of time at court growing up, as his father felt it would create more advantageous opportunities for him than staying in Seaforth as the second eldest Son. At age 12, Evander was sent to stay at court as a guest of the Royal Family, where he learned much about warfare, but little about responsibility. He took fervently to his training, but spent much of the rest of his time distracted by women. Without his mother’s constant harping about their virtue, Evander was free to pursue whatever conquests he saw fit, and he did, happy to find that girls at court seemed to be much looser than those back home, especially for a boy with power.

 It was also there that he first met Alasdair. The pair became fast friends, stealing off often to get into trouble. Though Evander has always been a lone wolf, caring only about himself, Alasdair became the one person who he swore to protect. They became like brothers, nearly inseparable until, at the age of 19, Evander was forced to marry the daughter of the Laird of Clan McLeod as a condition of the peace brokered between the two clans. Evander did so begrudgingly, and was forced to move from the palace to an estate in Seaforth provided by his parents. However, the marriage was short lived. His wife became pregnant in the early summer, and one night in mid winter, when a particularly vicious storm raged outside, she went into labor far too soon. By morn, the lives of both his child and his wife were in the hands of God, but Evander did not mourn. He had never wanted the woman or the child. He only ever wanted to do as he wished without interference from his father.

Freed from his obligations, Evander went months in a drunken haze, gambling his money away in vices and pleasure, until the King died. When his majesty passed, and his dear friend Alasdair was called back to Scotland from his betrothal in Poland, Evander returned to the palace to support his childhood friend. Though Alasdair’s relationship with his father had been wrought with strife, the series of events still seemed to eat at Evander’s friend, and when he was appointed Naval Leader, Evander accepted his request to be his first mate without hesitation. Out on the open seas, he finally experienced the freedom he so longed for. The women in the ports were even looser than those at court, and there was no expectation of him to behave any kind of way. But as the months went on, and they spent less and less time on land, Evander began to realize how barren and lonely a seafarer’s life could be. And so when he started to recognize less than natural inclinations in his best friend, Evander did not fight them. He teased the truth of desire out of Alasdair as he had with so many women, and found quickly that he liked the aggression and intensity of male flirtation. Over the long months at sea, the two men found each other in new ways. Often times, Evander wondered if his best friend had fallen in love with him. He cared for the other man deeply, to be sure. Alasdair was the only person in the world Evander would give anything up for, and yet he was certain he had never felt love, for his friend or any woman. He simply never became so attached.

Their affair ended suddenly when Alasdair was called back to Scotland and Evander was appointed Navel Leader in his place. For months, Evander traveled the seas alone, surrounded by his men but without any Camaraderie. When the news broke about Alasdair’s illicit affair with his brother’s wife, Evander happened to be on shore leave, enjoying the luxuries of the palace. In truth, the man was proud of his friend’s ability to make a conquest of the Queen, and Evander began to whisper words of dissent in his friend’s ear. Alasdair was a good man, the best man he knew, and he deserved to be King. He deserved to have the woman his brother was too weak to keep, and Evander told him as much. Just before he could push his friend to the boiling point, James had Evander sent away to the seas again. Though it took months to receive the news at sea, it seemed like overnight that Alasdair claimed his brother’s throne. He received the news with pride, goin on to win his next battle with fervor. But still, he longed to return to the luxury of land and shirk the hard work of the sea, and his opportunity came in all too perfect of a package. Evander smirked as he received the scroll closed with Alasdair’s newly minted royal seal, and devoured the news inside. He was to be Chancellor. The idea of such power made Evander’s mouth water, and he could not wait to return to court and taste the sampling of women that would be available to him with his new title. As he steps off the port in Scotland, he is eager to see what new adventures his new King has to offer him. Even though he had encouraged his new King to take Valentina as his own, Evander held a deep mistrust for her. He couldn’t help but believe that if she would betray James, so would she do so unto Alasdair. And as he prepares to take on his new role, he has sworn to look out for his King’s interest against anyone, at any cost.

THE BASICS

Name: Evander Lucian Makenzie

Age: 35

General physical description: Broad shouldered and muscualr with a mop of crimson curls atop his head

Hometown: Seaforth, Scotland

Type of home: Palace

Relationship status: Widowed, Always Looking

Current family: 

Father: Colin Mackenzie 60+ - Earl of Seaforth, Laird of Clan Mackenzie Mother: UTP Mackenzie 60+ - Countess of Seaforth, Lady of Clan MackenzieBrother: UTP Mackenzie 37-43 - Viscount of Seaforth, Heir to Clan MackenzieSister: UTP Mackenzie 28-33 - Lady of Seaforth

Family background (parents, previous marriages, etc.):

Father is the current Earl of Seaforth. Has always held a generally disapproving view of Evander, but has basically let him run free to create his own opportunities.

Older Brother is the Viscount of Seaforth and next in line to be Earl. As the titled brother, he always took on the responsibility of the family, leaving Evader free to do as he pleased.

Malanie McLeod - Wife ( DECEASED ) - Passed away in child birth along with their baby less than a year after their marriage. Evander has dismissed her as an insignificant part of his life.

Friends:

King Alasdair Stuart - Best friend since boyhood, and at one time, lover. Now his closest friend and the only person Evander actually cares about almost as much as himself.

Other close relationships:

N/A

Relationship with men: Evander is testosterone fueled. He loves to be jovial with other men, poking fun, gambling, and drinking. He is likely to antagonize any man that takes themselves too seriously though, as he never cares to take things seriously.

Relationship with women: Evander is a constant flirt. He plays the role of prince charming around every girl he meets, but any young and pretty enough to catch his fancy are more than likely to end up as a notch on his bedpost. He views women as conquests and wives and not much more.

Job: Chancellor to the King of Scotland

Dress style: A flamboyant flare on traditional Scotish dress. Brightly colored kilts and tartans, shirts and pantaloons made of fine velvet and silk.

A BRIEF LOOK

Religion: None

Attitude to religion: Indiffierent

Favorite pastimes: Drinking, Smoking (tobacco, opiods occasionally), Gambling, Flirting, Sex, Brawling

Hobbies: Sword Fighting, Reading Romantic Authors

Favorite foods: Whiskey

PERSONALITY

Strongest positive personality trait: Charismatic, Optimistic

Strongest negative personality trait: Manipulative, Aloof

Sense of humor: Forever Sarcastic

Temper: Flirtatious or Furious, there is no in between. A Pure Hedonist.

Consideration for others: He sees most people for what they can do for him. The only interest he puts above his own is Alasdair’s.

How other people see him/her: The cocky playboy

Opinion of him/herself: God’s Gift to Women, Free to do as he Pleases

Other traits, especially those to be brought out in story: He is extremely defensive of Alasdair and will fight anyone who speaks poorly of him. He is told he needs to marry, but he has zero interest in doing so and will sabotage any successful relationship to avoid marriage. He lives a charmed life, and at some point he will need to face a major reality check.

AN ENDING

Ambitions: Exploit his position of power to indulge in his vices, ensure the security of Alasdair’s reign.

Philosophy of life: Hedonism

Most important thing to know about this character: He only cares about himself and Alasdair. Trying to get him to act invested in anything else is a futile effort.

[fadingcoast]

Death Of The Lie  ||  Chapter 19: Sabotage

AUTHORS: @fandom-and-feminism​​ & @fadingcoast​

Summary: Odin and his daughter Hela are the perfect conquerors of the universe. The nine realms fall one after the other into their clutch. After Odin takes a second wife and has a son with her, he doesn’t need Hela anymore. Hela abandons her father and ends up marrying Laufey, a sworn enemy of the Aesir people. Not long after, she becomes pregnant with Laufey’s child. Odin cannot let that son be born, but against all odds, the boy survives. Odin is forced to bring him back to Asgard to be raised as his own until he could make further use of him. The half-Jotun-half-Aesir boy grows up to look and act a lot like his mother, which disturbs Odin, and makes him treat the boy horribly. Odin’s lies are deep and complex, but one day the boy will find out the truth about everything he is.

PAIRING: None RATING: Teen

MASTERLIST

Feedback is always appreciated and reblogs are encouraged!!

.-

Chapter 19: Sabotage

The day had finally come. Nobles gathered in the throne room, a grand feast had been prepared, and the entire castle polished down to every last mural on the ceiling until it gleamed in the light. It was time for Thor to take his place as King. But the Allfather could not shake the uncertainty in his bones.

Odin stood at his balcony and watched as more people were escorted into the castle. His thoughts turned to his elder son yet again.

“Do you think he’s ready?”

Frigga looked at Odin’s reflection in her mirror. He was weary, and tired. There was no time to test Thor’s readiness for the crown, this much they both knew. She shook her head.

“Does it matter? He thinks he is.” The Queen went back to adjusting pieces of jewelry in her hair and offered her husband a smile. “He certainly has his father’s confidence.”

“He’ll need more than that,” Odin said, walking heavily to his armchair. “He is but a boy still.”

“He won’t be alone,” Frigga assured him. “Loki will be at his side to give him counsel.”  Odin interrupted with a growl and she gave him a hard look. “Loki is much more capable than you give him credit for. He has proven that much since he came home from Alfheim.”

Whatever Odin was going to say was stopped by the slight shaking of his hand. A reminder that his time was short, his strength fleeting. All fight in him drained and his shoulders slumped. When he spoke it was barely above a whisper.

“If we only had more time.”

“For once, our sons need something we cannot provide.” Frigga walked close to the King and stroked his cheek. “You’ve put it off too long. It’s time.”

With a dejected sigh, Odin had no other choice but to agree. The kingdom would have to do with the King he was giving them. He could only hope that the mantle of King and Allfather would give Thor no choice but to grow up.

.-

Still quite annoyed about being snubbed by Thor so he could make his own grand entrance, Loki was only half paying attention to what was going on in the throne room when the sound of a horn rang out, announcing Odin’s arrival and the beginning of the ceremony. Frigga joined Loki at his side and greeted him with a warm smile tinged with anxiety that prompted him to look out among the crowd for his brother. Thor was nowhere to be seen, of course.

Since Loki was standing just to the right of the throne, Odin’s gaze bore down onto him as though Loki were expected to produce Thor out of thin air. He swallowed thickly and shrugged his shoulders. He and Thor had rehearsed the ceremony just the previous day, with the two of them coming in together, so Odin was clearly less than pleased at this sudden change in plans. Slowly the crowd began to mutter to each other in hushed whispers, the scandal of the prince being late to his own coronation too much to keep silent about.

Volstagg, who stood at the bottom of the throne steps with Fandral, Hogun, and Sif, took the few steps up to where Loki was standing and leaned in, facing away from the crowd. “Where is he?” he snapped.

Loki frowned at Volstagg’s insolent tone. “He said he’d be along.” Sif clearly heard him and rolled her eyes.

“If he doesn’t show up soon, he shouldn’t bother,” Fandral said. “Odin looks like he’s ready to feed him to his ravens.”

Loki was no fool; he knew Fandral had been right in his observation but he knew just as well that Thor would not be punished, regardless of how long he made everyone wait. “I wouldn’t worry,” he assured Thor’s friends with barely concealed contempt. “Father will forgive him. He always does.”

As if on cue, a strong gust of air burst through the front doors to the throne room and Mjolnir came flying through the divide in the crowd, Thor close behind it. He spun around and caught the hammer behind his back and earned himself a deafening round of applause. Loki clenched his jaw to keep from commenting on this garish display - it was no less than he expected from his brother, getting everyone all worked up and worried about him only to make a scene and show off his strength. The day was already about him, but to Thor it must not have been enough.

Even more infuriating was that all anger had faded from Odin’s expression. Thor approached the throne and knelt before it, and even the Queen was not immune to the wink and smile he gave her by way of an apology.

Some King, Loki thought, his mind wandering as soon as Odin silenced the room with the sound of his spear hitting the ground. Do what you want now, charm your way out of it later.

“Gungnir,” Odin’s voice boomed across the throne room, commanding everyone’s attention. It was time for the ceremony to start. “Its aim is true, its power strong. With it I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent…”

If only Gungnir’s wielder was half as innocent as the people it protects, Loki thought. The blood on the hands of each King impregnates its very core.

“…Thor Odinson, my heir. My firstborn.” The sentiment in Odin’s voice made Loki clench his fists.

Firstborn. First trained. First loved. First spoiled. Look at this golden-haired fool, thinking he can rule the nine realms with his muscles and a smile. He wouldn’t last a day.

“...Only one may lift it. Only one is worthy. Who wields this hammer commands the lightning and the storm…”

Worthy. Who even knows what that means anymore? If Thor is worthy of the throne, I’ll eat my helmet.

“I have sacrificed much to achieve peace,” Odin proclaimed, staring down at Thor with a much more serious expression. “So, too, must a new generation sacrifice to maintain the peace. Responsibility. Duty. Honor. These are not merely virtues to which we must aspire. They are essential to every soldier, and to every king.”

That disqualifies this arrogant oaf, Loki mused to himself. Odin’s speech was nearing its end, so he extended his senses to the weapons vault below the throne room so he would know when it was time to act. They’ll thank me when their King ascends in a time when he is mature enough to handle the position. They’ll all thank me.

There was a slight shift in the air, a chill growing in the hall, and Loki felt it even before the crowd itself started to shiver and rub their limbs for warmth. But no one paid any more attention to it. Thor was looking at his father’s proud face with a smile.

Odin began the oaths, his grasp on the spear so tightly that his hand shook. “Thor Odinson, do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?”

If it were possible, the smile on Thor’s face grew wider. “I swear.

“Do you swear to preserve the peace?"

“I swear.”

“Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and pledge yourself only to the good of all the Realms?

“I swear!"

“Then on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you…”

The king stopped his speech, finally noticing the frost floating in the air, making the banners glisten in the light with small drops of frozen dew. Odin cast a wary look at Frigga, and then at Loki, but he looked as confused as everyone else.

No, Odin realized - this wasn’t Loki’s doing. This was more powerful, angrier, yet still familiar…

“Frost giants…” Odin muttered, rising to his feet. A powerful shockwave emanated from the base of his spear as he pounded it on the floor a single time - a command to unleash the Destroyer from his prison and take out the intruders.

The far-off sounds of a struggle echoed in the depths of the palace. Thor, gripping his hammer, raced down the corridor, and he tracked the sound right to the vaults. Loki followed close behind, melting ice and the burnt bodies of two frost giants lying on the floor greeting them when they arrived. The two guards who had been tasked with protecting the vault lay dead at their feet. On the far end stood the Destroyer, with the Casket of Ancient Winters in its massive metal hands. Odin stepped in as the Destroyer set the Casket back on its pedestal and moved to the back wall, which seemed to swallow him as it deactivated.

Loki stared around the room, surveying the destruction, the tension growing palpable. He could practically feel the heat of anger rolling off of Thor in waves, and the air was thick with a strange type of magic that was making him feel uneasy.

Finally Thor broke the silence, his hand squeezing the handle of his hammer until his knuckles turned white. “The Jotuns must pay for what they’ve done!”

Odin remained calm and shook his head. “They have paid with their lives. The Destroyer did its job, and the Casket is safe. All is well.”

“All is well?!” Thor looked at his father in disbelief, then at Loki as if asking for backup. “They broke into the weapons vault! If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics--"

“But they didn’t."

“I want to know why they--” Thor insisted, but Odin promptly cut him off.

“The Casket of Ancient Winters belonged to the Jotuns. They believe it’s their birthright.”

Growing ever angrier by the second, Thor raised his voice, clearly frustrated that Odin didn’t feed into his desire for violence. Loki suspected any minute now his brother would throw the hammer into a wall. He knew better than to get in the middle of an argument between the two of them so he resolved to remain silent.

“And if you hadn’t taken it from them they would have laid waste to all the Nine Realms!”

“I have a truce with Laufey, the Jotun King.” Odin’s resolve to maintain peace was steadfast, and Loki wondered how far Thor would push against it before giving in.

Thor pointed to the Casket with disdain. “He just broke your truce! We must act!"

“And what action would you take?” Odin asked Thor, eyeing him up and down. This was a test; Loki could read that in his one eye.

Thor, however, didn’t take the hint.

“I would march into Jotunheim as you once did, teach them a lesson, break their spirits so they’ll never dare try to cross our borders again!”

It was clear to Loki at this point that Thor had lost the argument. Odin accused Thor of single-mindedness, thinking only as a warrior, while Thor insisted the intrusion was, in fact, an act of war worthy of retaliation, and if the Jotuns got in one time they could get in again. But no matter how much Loki silently projected to Thor to shut up, he wouldn’t.

“As King of Asgard, I would--”

“You are not King!” Odin shouted, his voice loud enough to echo across the vault. “Not yet.”

At a loss for words, Thor turned away and stomped out of the Vault, the doors slamming hard behind him.

.-

Thor’s tantrum continued upstairs, in the banquet hall, after the guests were long gone. Loki had followed him to try to placate him, to no avail. He had tried to avoid provoking his brother even further but Thor decided to upend one of the long tables - covered end to end with an astounding array of food and dinnerware - and shout out his anger with a roar. The noise attracted the Warriors and they ran inside to see what caused the calamity, only to find Thor standing in the middle of the room with food strewn everywhere, panting like a dog. Volstagg immediately began mourning for all the wasted food, shoveling what he could into his arms to eat.

Unimpressed, Sif put her hands on her hips. “Redecorating, are we?” she teased, one eyebrow raised. Thor cast her an indignant glance and strode over to the steps leading up to the balcony, taking a seat with a huff. Loki knew the wheels were turning in his brother’s head, and when Thor got a thirst for vengeance it was hard to put the brakes on his focus. He joined Thor on the steps and sat next to him as quietly as he could, waiting for him to talk. It took only a moment for Thor to cut his eyes at him and sigh angrily.

“It’s unwise to be in my company right now, brother."

Loki half-smiled and folded his hands in his lap. “Who said I was wise?”

Thor deflated, but the fire in his demeanor remained. His fists clenched, nostrils flared, foot tapping against the stairs. “This was to be my day of triumph,” he said quietly, but no less bitter.

Choosing his words carefully, Loki shook his head and tried to insert an air of authority into his voice without provoking Thor even further. “There’s nothing we can do without defying Father,” he said with finality, hoping Thor would take the hint.

Thor sighed, and for a moment he seemed to accept that Loki was right. But Loki watched with horror as he read resignation, defiance, and finally glee in Thor’s expression as he rose to his feet. Rebellion wasn’t in the plan, and quickly Loki tried to stop it before it started.

“No… stop there! I know that look!”

Thor smiled, as though he meant to charm his way into yet another ridiculous plan. “It’s the only way to ensure the safety of our borders.”

“It’s madness!”

Loki’s shouting caught the attention of the Warriors, and Fandral spoke up. “Madness? What sort of madness?”

If Thor’s friends got involved, there would be no convincing him to stay. Desperate to keep the situation contained Loki tried to speak over his brother. “Nothing! Thor was making a jest!”

Thor stepped in front of Loki to silence him. “The safety of our Realm is no jest,” he insisted. “We’re going to Jotunheim.”

This is getting too far out of hand, Loki thought, searching his brain for a new plan. If he’s going, I can’t stop him, but I’ll have to do damage control. As always. Thor looked around the room with a bright smile, and Loki knew exactly what his brother was thinking. A few well spoken phrases, a tiny amount of sucking up, and Thor had his friends in the palm of his hand, as usual. And they call me the silvertongue. Loyalty comes not without a tiny amount of stupidity it seems.

“My friends, trust me now. We must do this,” Thor finished his case. “Come on. You’re not going to let my brother and me take all the glory, are you?”

“What?!” Loki tried to looked startled. He knew this was probably coming - Thor would never take blame for something like this on his own.

“You are coming with me, right?"

In a split second, Loki had to make up his mind. He returned Thor’s smile with as much authenticity as he could. “Yes, of course! I won’t let my brother march into Jotunheim alone. I will be at his side.”

The Warriors Three voiced their agreeing. Sif took a little longer to answer.

“I fear we’ll live to regret this,” she said solemnly.

.-

As Loki had predicted - and warned Thor and the Warriors - Heimdall was not fooled for a moment by anything any of them said, but still Thor convinced him to open the Bifrost for the five of them to travel to Jotunheim. The Gatekeeper let them pass, but not without a warning; if bringing them back to Asgard threatened the safety of the realm, there they would stay, and there they would die.

All Loki could think about as they stepped into the portal to Jotunheim was the guard he had sent, using an illusion of himself while Thor and the Warriors weren’t watching him, to alert Odin of their excursion. His original plan to simply delay the coronation had been derailed to a point where he wasn’t sure how to get it back on track, or if he could. If they weren’t intercepted in time, if Thor discovered who had let the Jotuns in, all would be lost.

The Bifrost burned and melted the ice on its landing spot, baring the black rock of Jotunheim’s foundations. But the snow and the wind covered it back up in mere seconds as the Bifrost vanished and the group were left on their own.

The realm seemed to be a massive platform of ice that reached as far as the eye could see. Deep crevices and canyons showed the thickness of the glaciers and the black rock it covered.  Nothing grew here, not even the sturdy shrubs Loki had seen near the tops of some mountains, not even the lichen that usually clung to permafrost. It was as if Jotunheim repelled the very idea of life aside from the Frost Giants, the only creatures able to endure the cold.

Drawing his comfortable leather coat a bit higher up his neck, Loki realized that he was adjusting much faster than his traveling companions to the endless winter this realm was known for. Thor and the Warriors were shivering violently within seconds, particularly Sif, whose skirt did nothing to protect her from the biting cold and wind.

“We shouldn’t be here.” Hogun stated the obvious, his voice shaking from the chill, and Loki rolled his eyes.

“Too late now,” Thor growled, and started to walk. “We have to move or we will freeze. Let’s go.”

The ice spires of a ruined city, the only signs of life, were clear in the horizon, and Thor was already making his way there. Reluctantly the Warriors started behind him, tightening their robes and furs around themselves to keep the biting cold from affecting them. Loki followed close behind Thor, his every instinct screaming at him that something was wrong. He noticed the shadows moving around the icy structures that, upon closer inspection, looked like the remains of what was once a castle. He wanted to think it was the light playing tricks on him, but he knew better: those shadows were soldiers. They were being watched.

A Jotun sentry, impossibly tall and twice as broad as Thor, stepped out from the darkness and approached them. Thor and the Warriors immediately reached for their weapons as they waited for the Frost Giant to speak.

“What is your business here, Asgardians?” The sentry’s voice shook the ice beneath their feet but they stood their ground.

“I would speak only to your King. Not to his foot soldiers,” Thor spat with contempt.

“Then speak,” another voice spoke from high up on a throne of ice. Deep and cold, it seemed to reverberate in the icy structures around them. Loki could swear it even calmed the storm. “I am Laufey, King of this Realm.”

“And I am--”

“We know who you are, Odinson. Why have you brought the stench of your blood into my kingdom?”

“I demand answers.” Thor stated simply, not in the mood to mince words. “How did your people get into Asgard?”

The corner of Laufey’s mouth pulled up in what could be called a smile. “The house of Odin is full of traitors,” he said cryptically. There was a veiled pleasure in the way the words dragged. Loki’s stomach clenched but he allowed no fear to change his expression,

Thor gripped his hammer and brought it closer to his body in warning. “Do not dishonor my father’s name with your lies.”

“Your father is a murderer and a thief,” Laufey spat. “He stole what was ours, and left our world in ruins. We have the right to reclaim the Casket.”

“Not when you’d use it to make war against other Realms."

“And why have you come here? To make peace?” Laufey’s laugh held no joy. It was freezing cold, and sent a shiver through the very bones of the intruders in front of him. “I see you for what you are, Thor Odinson. Nothing but a boy, trying to prove himself a man.”

“This boy has grown tired of your mockery.” Thor took a step towards Laufey, raising his hammer. Two Jotun sentries stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

Loki moved forward and grabbed Thor’s arm, pulling him back. If Thor attacked unprovoked, it could trigger a war. Silently he prayed to himself that their father would show up before it escalated any further. “Thor, stop and think,” he pleaded. “Look around you. We are outnumbered.”

“Know your place, brother.” Thor bit the words, snatching his arm from Loki’s grasp.

“You should listen to his counsel. You know not what your actions would unleash.” Laufey straightened on his throne, the blue light finally revealing the sharp edges of his face. “But I do. Go now, while I still allow it.

Loki gulped silently and bowed his head slightly. “We will accept your most gracious offer.”

Thor stared at Laufey for half a second that dragged like an eternity before he finally turned to leave. Loki held back his sigh of relief but he knew it wouldn’t be over even when they got home.

“Run back home, little princess,” one of Laufey’s sentinels mocked.

Thor stopped in his tracks, and Loki closed his eyes. “Damn.”

In one quick move, Thor turned around and knocked the offender, sending him across the plaza with one hard swing of his hammer. Everyone froze.

“Silly hammer!” Volstagg joked, his prominent belly jiggling with the forced laugh. “Has a mind of its own!”

But the Jotuns were not having it. Ice formed a frozen armor around their bodies, and extended off the ends of their arms like swords, their sharp edges gleaming in the blue light. Thor stepped forward and swung his hammer at another Jotun, his half smile too evident. “Next!” Thor shouted with glee.

All Hel broke loose. The frost giants attacked them in waves, demanding the Asgardians to be on top of their games. Loki had no time to worry about what everyone else was doing, and quickly summoned as many daggers as he could, throwing them at the giants closing in on him. Trying to not get cornered, he ran to the crumbling edges of the castle and summoned a few of his illusions, confusing the soldiers that were chasing him.

In the distance he could hear the battle cries of Thor and his friends, trying to fend off the attacks.

“Come on! At least make it a challenge for me!” Thor’s mocking tone could be heard in all corners of the ice palace, and Loki wished he would put Mjolnir in his mouth instead.

The battle raged on. Loki knew they had to leave the castle and head on to open ground if they wanted the slight chance for Heimdall to be able to open the Bifrost for them. The Jotnar, on the other hand, were determined not to let them leave the castle grounds. Their ice magic, Loki could see, not only worked on themselves, but on the terrain around them. Large spires and ice walls grew where the exits were, and Loki had to be quick on his feet as the giants tried to freeze him to the floor.

Hogun wasn’t as fast, and was already waist deep in ice when Sif and Vostagg reached him to help him out, not without problems. A Jotun slammed Volstagg to the ground, making the floor shake. The warrior recovered quickly, and tried to fight back as the Jotun grabbed his bare arm. The warrior watched in horror as his skin went blue and black with frostbite. He shouted in pain, and reflexively headbutted the giant, making him stumble and release his arm. But the pain didn’t relent.

“Don’t let them grab hold of you!” Volstagg shouted.

Loki ran past him, throwing him a small cordial of potion which Volstagg downed in one gulp. His arm was still smoking, but the pain dimmed down enough for him to go back to battle.

Across the opening, Fandral was preoccupied fighting a group of Jotun sentries, completely oblivious to the one stalking him from behind. Loki’s warning died in his throat, as the sentry reached down and sent a spray of ice stalagmites that impaled Fandral.

Loki raced towards Fandral, throwing daggers at the Frost Giants as he went. Fandral was nearly unconscious, and more Jotuns were closing in Loki, blocking his path. He tried to summon a mist, but it was doing little more than to obstruct his own view. Daggers flew from his hands, but even his agility wasn’t enough to keep the Jotuns at bay. One got too close, and Loki had to plunge two daggers into its chest. The giant grabbed Loki’s gloved wrist, freezing the leather piece, making it crack and fall away. Loki tried to pull away but the giant tightened his grip on his arm, the cold spreading on his skin. Loki looked at his arm, prepared for the worst. But instead of the blackness of frostbitten flesh, his arm began to turn blue, markings etched on the skin spreading upwards until his forearm and hand looked exactly like the frost giant holding on to him.

“My prince?” The Jotun muttered, as confused and thrown off as Loki himself.

Shaking out of his stupor, Loki summoned a dagger and thrust it in the giant’s neck, only then noticing its black gleam. He focused on his arm then, and watched the deep blue color fading back to his pale skin, the markings disappearing and leaving no trace.

It can’t be-

Loki shook his head. This was not the time. There was a battle around him. He could hear Thor shouting and cackling in the blizzard, drunk with bloodlust. Never mind that his companions weren’t in great shape, or that the Jotnar King decided to join the battle, summoning an enormous beast, cracking the ice with a deafening sound.

“Thor, we must go!” he shouted, hoping Thor could still hear him over the blasting winds.

“Then go!” Thor roared.

In his desperate attempt to stop Laufey’s beast, Thor was not exactly being careful about his power and strength. Each blow and each lightning cracked the ice beneath their feet, as Loki, Sif and the Warriors Three ran to open grounds. Heimdall’s warning resonated in Loki’s mind. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, the Bifrost will remain closed to you. He looked back: there was no way to get far enough from the Jotnar to summon the Bifrost safely.

Loki briefly closed his eyes, and summoned a thick mist, trying to cover their escape. It worked, and the only thing he could see were the cracks of lightning summoned by Thor. The group made it to a small clearing, and waited. The lighting had stopped, and the mist around them seemed to dampen all sound.

“Where is he?” Sif asked.

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Thor landed beside them, staggering. He looked at his companions, as if making a head count, and then faced the mist.

“Loki, we have to see.”

Loki took a deep breath and raised his arms, concentrating to make the mist dissipate. But the sight that greeted them was not what they expected: hundreds of Jotnar were surrounding them.

“Actually, could you bring the mists back, please?” Volstagg said in a little voice.

Loki gave Volstagg a hard look before turning to Thor, realization dawning on his face that he and his friends were as good as dead. That he, the invincible Thor, wasn’t as invincible as he thought. Loki looked up to the sky as if waiting for something.

A bright light opened in the darkness, and Loki let out a small sigh of relief when he saw Odin himself mounted on Sleipnir. The Giants stopped their advance and opened a path for their own king. Laufey slammed his hands on the ground, willing the ice to lift him up so he could look into Odin’s eyes.

The two monarchs facing each other were a terrifying sight, as they were discussing the fate not only of their own worlds, but the Nine Realms as a whole.

“Laufey. End this.”

Laufey sneered at Odin with disdain. “We are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather. He’ll get what he came for -- war and death.”

Without warning, Laufey swung his ice blade at Odin, but the Allfather was already bringing Gungnir to the ground. The explosion knocked Jotuns and Asgardians alike to the ground, and Laufey ordered his soldiers to retreat.

“Now! We’ll finish them together!” Thor shouted with a smile, quickly getting on his feet and swinging his hammer.

“Silence!” Odin barked. He summoned the Bifrost and when they all came back out of the portal in the Observatory he dismissed the Warriors, sending Fandral to the Healers’ wing.

Still incensed, Thor turned his focus from his friend to his father. “Why did you bring us back!?” he demanded. In his shock Loki retreated from the inevitable argument so he wouldn’t get dragged into it. This had already gone more wrong than he could have ever predicted and he didn’t want to make it worse.

Odin rounded on Thor in disbelief. “Do you realize what you’ve done? What you’ve started?”

“I was protecting my home,” Thor insisted. “Whatever the cost, the world must know that the new King of Asgard will not be trifled with!”

“Your pride and vanity nearly cost you your friends; if you can’t protect them, how can you expect to be able to protect a kingdom?” Odin shook his head, disappointment beginning to leak into his voice. “Have you forgotten everything I’ve taught you? There is more to being King than war, boy! What of a King’s patience, his cunning, his wisdom?”

Thor had nothing to say, no biting retort, not a charming word to weasel his way out of another scrape. He could only stand there before his father, searching for the forgiveness he was convinced would come. This time he had gone too far, though, and finally Odin was seeing his eldest son for who he was. There was a charge in the air as Odin lowered his voice and cast his gaze to the gilded floor.

“I was a fool to think you were ready.”

Loki could sense Odin was about to do something rash, but he wasn’t sure what his father would do to Thor to teach him a lesson. Without much time to think, he opened his mouth to speak in Thor’s defense, but he couldn’t come up with anything to say that could possibly help and decided to keep silent. His heart was pounding, the sense of impending and inevitable retaliation making it hard to control the residual cold that was creeping up his arm. He clasped his hands behind his back and took a few more steps away from Odin, just in case.

Odin strode over to Thor with great purpose and began to tear at his metal armor, casting it to the floor as he spoke. “Thor Odinson…” he hesitated before he continued, relieving Thor of his crests, “you have disobeyed the express command of your King. Through your arrogance you have opened these peaceful Realms and innocent lives to the horrors of war. You are unworthy of your title, unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed, and unworthy of your weapon and strength.”

Odin then plunged Gungnir into the Bifrost control panel, activating the spire. Loki watched in silent horror as their father ripped Thor’s cloak from his back, and summoned Mjolnir from Thor’s shaking fist.

“In the name of my father… and of his father before… I cast you out!”

Odin thrust Mjolnir towards Thor, the electricity coming from the weapon disintegrating the rest of Thor’s armor and pushing him backward to the swirling lights of the Bifrost.

This is all my fault. It wasn’t supposed to get this far!

Loki’s mouth hung open in disbelief as he stared at the vortex that had swallowed Thor, barely registering when Odin hurled Mjolnir in, sending it and Thor to a place only he knew. Suddenly it felt as though Loki’s chest was caving in, and the world was spiraling around him.

What have I done?

.-

<< Chapter 18  –  Chapter 20 >>

.-

@nikkalia @igotloki @xalgaliareptx  @christy-winchester @silverhart93 @claiming-loyalty-to-loki @honeybournehippy @unseelie1963 @mischievousbellerina @manager-of-mischief @angryowlet @thelittlestlittlecutiepie @moonlightprime

[terriblelifechoices]

Have you thought of middle names for the other Graves children beside Olwen and Galahad?

Anon friend, I have spent a truly ridiculous amount of time tormenting myself with this very question.  Mostly because I am a ridiculous human being, but names are important, so coming up with the right name is hard.  Or at least, I think it is.

But you asked, and I am nothing if not willing to be externally motivated, so there are now middle names for all of the Graves Brood now.  Thank you!  I needed the motivation.

But since I really did spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking about this, you’re getting my full thought processes/headcanons.  Sorry.  This contains a lot of unfiltered!Ri.

NGL, I was legit tempted to follow a slightly ridiculous naming convention where all of the kids have one name out of an Arthurian legend and one virtue name, so that their names are reflective of both of their parents.  I think it was the amazing @dailandin​ who floated the idea of Galahad being named “Mordred Diligence” in the comments of NSBI, and it made me laugh so much I was genuinely tempted to name him that.  (I still think Mordred Diligence Graves is an awesome name.)

And then I thought, well, they can name the kids after the rest of their found family.  It kind of drives me bonkers when authors do that, though.  I get why they do it now, because it gives the reader a name they already have context for, but I also think that child characters should be more than lists of your honored dead.

So I said, “the hell with it” and went full Rowling on it.  Not in the “Albus Severus” sense.  In the “names are puns/warnings” Remus Lupin might as well be named Werewolf McWerewolf sense.  

Galahad Credence Graves.

Graves is 100% to blame for Galahad’s middle name.  His logic was that Credence had to do all the work, so of course Galahad should have his name.

Olwen Modesty Graves

I think Olwen’s middle name is equal parts remembering Credence’s sister and promising to do better for their daughter.

Gawain Peregrine Graves

Peregrine means traveler or pilgrim, which seemed appropriate for Gawain, who is pure Thunderbird adventurer and spends most of his adult life traveling.  It’s also kind of an old-fashioned name, so my headcanon is that it’s an old Graves family name.

Elaine Victoria Graves

 Victoria is another old family name, but it’s an old Picquery family name rather than an old Graves one.  I think Graves and Credence discussed naming her after Seraphina, since she’s Graves’ chosen sister, but Seraphina suggested they use Victoria instead.  It’s a good name for a queen.  Or, you know.  A shadowy political fixer who rules from behind the scenes.

Gareth Ambrose Graves & Lucan Emrys Graves

The twins are where I went full JKR.  Emrys is the Welsh version of Ambrose, which means immortal and is also a reference to Ambrosius Aurelianus, who was Geoffrey of Monmouth’s inspiration for Merlinus Ambrosius/Myrddin Emrys.  (The logic behind this is that it’s pretty rare for two wizards to have twins, just because of the amount of magic involved.  It’s probably hubris to name your kids after the most famous/powerful wizard in history, but the Graves’ as a family are ridiculous and extra, so why not.)

Lyonesse Belladonna Graves

Belladonna, aka deadly nightshade, is one of those plants with healing properties or deadly ones depending on dosage and usage.  It seemed like a fitting middle name for a future Healer.

Dagonet Theodore Graves 

Dag’s middle name has a couple different headcanons tied up in it.  Theodore means ‘gift from god,’ which seems appropriate for the ‘oops, we totally did not cast the androgenesis spells on purpose’ miracle baby.  It’s also the masculine version of Dorothy, who helped deliver him for various dramatic headcanon reasons.

  Thanks for asking!  (Hopefully you don’t regret that now.)

[prissyhalliwell]

Cover art brought to you by the one and only, @timelordthirteen!

Author’s Note: PURE SMUT WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PLOT AHEAD 

Summary: Rumple and Belle consummate their relationship in the place where they first met.

Read on AO3

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Rumplestiltskin laid Belle back against the soft grass, a patch of cornflowers outlining her head like a halo.

Her eyes widened as he crawled on top of her, his lips finding her neck. He kissed down the side of it, delighting in the little cries that she made.

“Wh-what about Bae?” Belle stuttered.

“He’s taking a nap in his room. Won’t be up for awhile.” He found a particularly sensitive spot below her ear and bit softly, eliciting a squeak from Belle.

Her arms circled around him and he growled, licking the spot he had just bitten.

Belle let out a soft gasp. A small voice in the back of Rumplestiltskin’s head - one he really didn’t want to listen to right now - wondered if perhaps they should slow down.

Considering they had been apart for a couple weeks and he had just been freed from a curse that had infected him for 300 years, it was probably reckless to go rushing into this.

But oh, how he wanted her. He’d missed her while she’d been away, even if it had allowed him time alone with Bae, time that he wouldn’t have traded for the world.

As for the curse, the feeling of finally being free from the Dark One was exhilarating. It was as if an actual weight had been lifted off of him - even his soul felt lighter. He’d always feared he’d be helpless without his power, but he hadn’t expected the rush of life that was coursing through his veins right now.

Rumplestiltskin had never felt more alive. He wanted to share that feeling with Belle. He wanted to share everything with her.

Pulling back so he could look at her properly, he met her eyes. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” As much as he wanted this, he needed her to want it just as much.

Her eyes a bit glassy, Belle grinned at him, her smile unfolding slowly across her face. Cupping his cheek with her hand, she lifted her head to place a soft kiss on his lips.

“I know it would probably be wiser to wait, but…” Belle bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Well, you know me. I’ve always been too damn impulsive for my own good.”

His heart leaping in his chest, Rumplestiltskin kissed her hard and pushed her back onto the ground. It crossed his mind that perhaps their first time should be in a real bed instead of a flower bed, but the thought quickly vanished as Belle’s tongue ran across his lips, seeking entrance.

He opened for her, nearly groaning as her tongue explored his mouth. Her arms and legs came around him, holding him tight against her. He could feel every bit of her pressed up against him. The desire to grind against her was overwhelming, but if he wasn’t careful, this was going to be over quicker than it had started.

It had been a few decades, after all.

Taking his time, he let his hands wander as they kissed, concentrating on the softness of her skin. His fingertips brushed up her arms and over her shoulders, pausing when he reached her wings. He’d never touched them before, but had always been curious what the silvery blue scales would feel like.

Tentatively, he caressed one wing, marveling at how it felt just like silk under his fingertips.

Belle broke their kiss to let out a breathy moan, arching into his touch.

Apparently, fairy wings were sensitive. He’d have to remember that.

Encouraged by the noises Belle was making, he started stroking her other wing. He ran his fingers slowly down the surface, watching in delight at the expressions that flickered across Belle’s face as he did so.

With his forefinger, he began tracing around the edge of the wing, curious if it was as sensitive as the rest.

Belle shivered. “That’s ticklish,” she said, her voice deeper than usual.

“Is it?” Rumplestiltskin asked, licking his lips. He’d love to see where else she was ticklish. “Perhaps I should move on then.”

Belle narrowed her eyes at him, even as a smile tugged at her mouth. She grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him in for another deep kiss.

“I am at your mercy, Rumplestiltskin.”

He snorted. As if that had ever been true. But he had more important things to do than argue the point right now.

For instance, both he and Belle were still wearing the exact number of clothes they had been when they started. This was a problem that needed to be addressed - or undressed, he thought smugly - immediately.

He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. As his lips and teeth traveled across her throat, his fingers found the tiny buttons on the front of her dress. He quickly undid them and pulled back the fabric, baring her chest to him.

Her breasts weren’t bare for long as his mouth quickly covered one, his hand reaching up to cup the other.

“Rumple,” Belle purred in his ear, her hand wrapping in his hair and pulling ever so gently.

Her pull became much more insistent when his teeth closed around her nipple. She bucked into him with a grunt.

His head popped up. “Too much?” he asked, panting slightly.

Belle’s eyes were dark. She squirmed against him. “Not nearly.”

Rumplestiltskin smirked. He could work with that.

She was exposed from her waist up, but he still hadn’t ventured any further down yet. Belle gasped as his hand slid up under her skirt, brushing against the soft skin of her thighs before settling between them.

“You’re - you’re not wearing anything!” he sputtered.

Belle laughed. “Of course not! I’ve never worn anything under my dress.”

Rumplestiltskin’s head spun a bit. If he had known...

Well, it was probably just as well. They never would have made it out of the Dark Realm alive if he’d known. He would have been far too distracted to deal with anything as trivial as homicidal fairy queens.

Shaking that thought from his head, he concentrated on the task at hand, pressing his fingers to Belle’s center and showing her just what he could do with his nimble fingers.  

The louder Belle’s cries got, the more pressure he applied, flicking her clit with his thumb as he thrust two fingers in and out of her rapidly.

Belle was groaning beneath him and Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to be inside her as she writhed underneath him.  

But that could wait a little while longer. How many times had he dreamed of touching Belle this way? Now that it was finally happening, he wasn’t going to ruin it by rushing the experience. Besides, the noises she made filled him with an almost animalistic pride, and he couldn’t help but growl as he worked her towards her pleasure.

Belle deserved everything and he would make sure she got it. He’d be damned if Belle left this garden unsatisfied.

“Come for me, Belle. I want to see what you look like when you come.”

Belle let out a sharp cry, her body rising several inches off the ground as she came.

Rumplestiltskin scrambled to grab hold of her, cradling her gently as she came down - both physically and emotionally - from her orgasm.

“Wow,” she said, after she had caught her breath. “I guess your magical talents haven’t abandoned you, after all.”

He smirked, pleased with himself. “I have even more tricks up my sleeve.”

“Hmm, that reminds me,” Belle said, her finger trailing down his chest. “You have far too many clothes on for this activity.”

Her hands moved to his leather breeches, unlacing them with surprising deftness. His cock, which had been straining against the material of his pants, sprang free. Belle’s hand wrapped around his shaft a moment later, causing a strangled yelp to rip from his throat.

She stared at his head, a tiny giggle escaping her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, trying to get a better look. He knew he wasn’t the largest of men, but surely she shouldn’t have any complaints?

Her eyes met his, sparkling with laughter. “If we had done this before your curse broke, would it have been green?”

He groaned. He rolled onto his side, bringing her with him.

“You certainly know how to kill the mood, sweetheart.”

Belle hummed contentedly, worming her way out of his arms and crawling on top of him.

From this view, he could see everything from her tousled curls to her bare chest. Suddenly, he forgot exactly what he had been complaining about.

Lifting her skirt, Belle shimmied until she was astride him. The feel of her heat against his flesh nearly undid him. He bucked reflexively, needing to get closer.

“Now, now, Rumple,” Belle said. “Patience is a virtue.”

“If you think I’m going to be patient, you’ll have to restrain me.”

A wicked gleam appeared in Belle’s eyes. “That could be arranged.”

A moment later, he felt soft petals wrap around his wrists, pinning him to the ground. The bonds weren’t strong and he could easily break them, but the idea of being held to the ground by vines of flowers while Belle rode him was strangely arousing.

Uncertainty flickered across Belle’s face as she waited for his response. He smirked back at her. “I’m glad your hobby finally became useful.”

Her eyes darkened. “Oh, I’m going to make you pay for that, Rumplestiltskin.”

“I certainly hope so, dearie.”

Belle leaned over, nipping at his lip. He tried to catch her mouth for a kiss, but she evaded him. Straightening, she reached under her skirt, her fingers closing around his shaft.

“Ready to pollinate?”

Before he could groan at her terrible joke, she sank onto him, cutting off all coherent thought as his world narrowed to the sensation of being inside her.

A sense of utter rightness came over him. This was where he was meant to be. Could he ever truly have appreciated this feeling of completeness with a dozen demonic voices in his head? He wasn’t sure. Belle was all light and goodness, and he was happy that he would no longer be in danger of corrupting her with the darkness.

As it was, he was far too busy corrupting her in other ways. Or perhaps she was corrupting him? He had never expected his little fairy to be kinky, but he supposed that was the danger of reading so many books.

He had started with light, shallow thrusts, not wanting to hurt Belle. But soon enough, Belle was digging her fingernails into his shirt, urging him to go faster as she met him thrust for thrust.

She was a glorious sight with her breasts bared to him and her hair waving wildly about her head as she rode him, spurring him on until he was thrusting as deep and hard as he could.

As much as he wanted to give Belle everything she deserved, he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. He was over 300 after all and no longer had the stamina of the Dark One to rely on.

With one hand gripping Belle tight around the waist, he used his other to reach up to her wing again, running his fingernails lightly against her scales.

She let out a loud cry, her nails biting into his chest as she came. He followed a moment later, ecstasy rushing through his veins as he poured himself into her.

Belle collapsed on his chest, knocking the breath out of him slightly. His arm came around her protectively, half to ensure she wouldn’t fall off and half to stop her from taking him with her.

“That was amazing,” Belle said breathlessly.

“One might even say ‘magical’.”

Belle raised her head to half-heartedly glare at him. “Are you really going to make jokes right now?”

He snorted. “Says the woman who asked me to pollinate her not ten minutes ago?”

She had the decency to blush. “There’s a lot of gardening euphemisms. I couldn’t help myself.”

“You could have asked me to sow your garden.”

“Rumple - ”

“Or pluck your flower?”

“Rumple - ”

“Or - ”

Belle placed a hand on his mouth, cutting off his quip. “Perhaps we should finish this conversation somewhere else.”

He pushed aside her hand. “Where did you have in mind?”

Belle’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, I don’t know. I’ve always been partial to libraries.”

Despite the fact that it would take them quite a while to reach said room now that he didn’t have his powers, Rumplestiltskin grinned.

“Well, my dear. It seems we have a bit of a walk ahead of us.”

Her smile grew. “Not necessarily.”

Next thing he knew, Belle had shrunk them both and was whizzing them through the castle, as Rumplestiltskin hung on for dear life.

Author’s Note: Epilogue up this coming week! Thanks again for reading :) 

[seekfirst-community]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2022. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.net

Meditation: Do you know and experience in your personal life the joy of the Lord? The Scriptures tell us that "the joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Why does Jesus tell his disciples to not take joy in their own successes, even spiritual ones? Jesus makes clear that the true source of our joy is God himself, and God alone. Regardless of the circumstances, in good times and bad times, in success or loss, God always assures us of victory in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus assures his disciples that he has all power over all evil, including the power of Satan and the evil spirits (demons) - the fallen angels who rebelled against God and who hate men and women who have been created in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:29). Jesus told his disciples that he came into the world to overthrow the evil one (John 12:31). That is why Jesus gave his disciples power over Satan and his legion of demons (rebellious angels). We, too, as disciples of Jesus have been given spiritual authority and power for overcoming the works of darkness and evil (1 John 2:13-14).

Self-centered pride closes the mind to God's revelation and wisdom

Jesus thanks the Father in heaven for revealing to his disciples the wisdom and knowledge of God. What does Jesus' prayer tell us about God and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood and motherhood is derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15).

Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the things of God? Sinful pride springs from being self-centered and holding an exaggerated view of oneself. Pride closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. Lucifer, who was once the prince of angels, fell into pride because he did not want to serve God but wanted to be equal with God. Through his arrogant pride he led a whole host of angels to rebel against God. That is why the rebellious angels (whom Scripture calls evil spirits, devils, and demons) were cast out of heaven and thrown down to the earth. They seek to lead us away from God through pride and rebellion.

How can we guard our hearts from sinful pride and rebellion? The virtue of humility teaches us to put our trust in God and not in ourselves. God gives strength and help to those who put their trust in him. Humility is the only true remedy against sinful pride. True humility, which is very different from the feelings of inferiority or low self-esteem, leads us to a true recognition of who we are in the sight of God and of our dependence on God.

Humility is the only soil where God's grace and truth can take root

Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like "babes" or "little children" in the sense that they see purely without pretense or falsehood and acknowledge their dependence and trust in one who is greater, wiser, and more trustworthy. They seek one thing - the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart towards grace and truth.

Just as pride is the root of every sin and evil inclination, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us towards God and disposes us to receive God's wisdom and help. Allow the Lord Jesus to heal the wounds of pride in your heart and to fill you with the joy of the Holy Spirit who transforms us into the likeness of Christ himself - who is meek and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29).

Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God's beloved and that our names are written in heaven. The Lord Jesus has ransomed us from slavery to sin, Satan, and death and has adopted us as God's beloved sons and daughters. That is why we no longer belong to ourselves - but to God alone. Do you seek to be like Jesus Christ in humility and simplicity of heart?

The Lord Jesus wants us to know him personally - experientially

Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the perfect revelation of God - he and the Father are perfectly united in a bond of unbreakable love and fidelity. One of the greatest truths of the Christian faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and other religions, is the knowledge of God as our Father. Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote: "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love."

Seek God with expectant faith and trust

To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God - a God who yearns over men and women, who cares intensely for them and who shows them unceasing kindness, mercy, and forgiveness. That is why the Father sent his only begotten Son who laid down his life for us on the cross. Jesus taught his followers to confidently pray to the Father with expectant faith, "Our Father who art in heaven ...give us this day our daily bread." Do you believe in your heavenly Father's care and love for you and do you pray with confident trust and hope that he will give you what you need to live as his son or daughter?

"Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give us a sense of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may do everything in fulfillment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer of Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226) "

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2022.

stripped away

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” —Psalm 119:71

The devil brought terrible misfortunes and afflictions upon Job, though he was a just and holy man (Jb 1:22; 2:10). Despite all Job’s sufferings, he continued to praise God, saying: “Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Jb 1:21) Job struggled with the problem of why God allowed bad things to happen to an innocent person, and questioned God as to why this should be (Jb 31:4-6, 37). Although God didn’t answer the question to Job’s satisfaction, the Lord did show Himself to Job (Jb 38:1—41:26). Job wanted an answer from God, and he didn’t get the answer he wanted. Instead, Job met the God Who knew all the answers, and that was more than enough for Job (Jb 42:2). This encounter with God completely changed Job’s heart and his fortunes.

Once we personally encounter the God of the Law, then too do we find the laws of God are no longer burdensome; instead, we are swept up in His love (1 Jn 5:2-3). Jesus came to destroy the devil’s works and reveal the Father to us (1 Jn 3:8; Lk 10:17, 22). Jesus bore our afflictions (Mt 8:17; Is 53:3-6) and has delivered us from the devil’s oppression (Col 1:13).

If being afflicted leads to encountering the presence of the Lord, then, as the psalmist says, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes,” Your ways, and hear Your voice (see Ps 119:71). God approves the afflicted person who trembles at His Word (Is 66:2). Are you suffering and afflicted? That’s the perfect time to seek the Lord.

Prayer:  “O Lord of hosts, restore us; if Your face shine upon us, then we shall be safe” (Ps 80:4).

Promise:  “Blest are the eyes that see what you see.” —Lk 10:23

Praise:  During a pilgrimage to Rome, St. Thérèse asked Pope Leo XIII for permission to enter the Carmelite Monastery in her native France. He consented. She was 15 years old!

Reference:  (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2022 through November 30, 2022. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio January 3, 2022"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2021. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.net

Meditation: Do you know and experience in your personal life the joy of the Lord? The Scriptures tell us that "the joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Why does Jesus tell his disciples to not take joy in their own successes, even spiritual ones? Jesus makes clear that the true source of our joy is God himself, and God alone. Regardless of the circumstances, in good times and bad times, in success or loss, God always assures us of victory in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus assures his disciples that he has all power over all evil, including the power of Satan and the evil spirits (demons) - the fallen angels who rebelled against God and who hate men and women who have been created in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:29). Jesus told his disciples that he came into the world to overthrow the evil one (John 12:31). That is why Jesus gave his disciples power over Satan and his legion of demons (rebellious angels). We, too, as disciples of Jesus have been given spiritual authority and power for overcoming the works of darkness and evil (1 John 2:13-14).

Self-centered pride closes the mind to God's revelation and wisdom

Jesus thanks the Father in heaven for revealing to his disciples the wisdom and knowledge of God. What does Jesus' prayer tell us about God and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood and motherhood is derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15).

Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the things of God? Sinful pride springs from being self-centered and holding an exaggerated view of oneself. Pride closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. Lucifer, who was once the prince of angels, fell into pride because he did not want to serve God but wanted to be equal with God. Through his arrogant pride he led a whole host of angels to rebel against God. That is why the rebellious angels (whom Scripture calls evil spirits, devils, and demons) were cast out of heaven and thrown down to the earth. They seek to lead us away from God through pride and rebellion.

How can we guard our hearts from sinful pride and rebellion? The virtue of humility teaches us to put our trust in God and not in ourselves. God gives strength and help to those who put their trust in him. Humility is the only true remedy against sinful pride. True humility, which is very different from the feelings of inferiority or low self-esteem, leads us to a true recognition of who we are in the sight of God and of our dependence on God.

Humility is the only soil where God's grace and truth can take root

Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like "babes" or "little children" in the sense that they see purely without pretense or falsehood and acknowledge their dependence and trust in one who is greater, wiser, and more trustworthy. They seek one thing - the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart towards grace and truth.

Just as pride is the root of every sin and evil inclination, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us towards God and disposes us to receive God's wisdom and help. Allow the Lord Jesus to heal the wounds of pride in your heart and to fill you with the joy of the Holy Spirit who transforms us into the likeness of Christ himself - who is meek and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29).

Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God's beloved and that our names are written in heaven. The Lord Jesus has ransomed us from slavery to sin, Satan, and death and has adopted us as God's beloved sons and daughters. That is why we no longer belong to ourselves - but to God alone. Do you seek to be like Jesus Christ in humility and simplicity of heart?

The Lord Jesus wants us to know him personally - experientially

Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the perfect revelation of God - he and the Father are perfectly united in a bond of unbreakable love and fidelity. One of the greatest truths of the Christian faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and other religions, is the knowledge of God as our Father. Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote: "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love."

Seek God with expectant faith and trust

To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God - a God who yearns over men and women, who cares intensely for them and who shows them unceasing kindness, mercy, and forgiveness. That is why the Father sent his only begotten Son who laid down his life for us on the cross. Jesus taught his followers to confidently pray to the Father with expectant faith, "Our Father who art in heaven ...give us this day our daily bread." Do you believe in your heavenly Father's care and love for you and do you pray with confident trust and hope that he will give you what you need to live as his son or daughter?

"Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give us a sense of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may do everything in fulfillment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer of Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226) "

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2021.

RUNNING WITH THE ANGELS

“My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out.” —Exodus 23:23

Each one of us has a guardian angel, but many deny or ignore that reality, so their guardian angels are underemployed. We would have personal experiences of angels if we lived in such a way as to need angelic guard duty. Angels are not primarily security guards but resemble guards on a football team. A football guard pulls from the line of scrimmage and blocks for the one running with the ball so the ball carrier can cross the goal line.

The Lord said: “See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared” (Ex 23:20). Our guardian angels will guard us on our touchdown runs by wiping out the enemy (Ex 23:23) and bringing us to the end zone. We have a job for our guardian angel if we’re carrying the ball and running for a score, that is, if we’re on the offensive, attacking the gates of hell (Mt 16:18), if we’re evangelizing and running the race (Phil 3:12).

If we’re running for Jesus, we need our guardian angels to block for us. If we’re not running for Jesus, we are forcing our guardian angels to play defense rather than offense.  Let’s not be an apathetic Christian who “is among the living dead” (1 Jn 3:14). You’ve got to play the game to meet the team.

Prayer:  Father, thank you for “interior linemen,” like guardian angels.

Promise:  “See that you never despise one of these little ones. I assure you, their angels in heaven constantly behold My heavenly Father’s face.” —Mt 18:10

Praise:  “A man does not always choose what his guardian angel intends” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Thirteenth Century). Holy Spirit, open the eyes of my heart.

Reference:  (For a related teaching on Archangels, order, listen to, or download our CD 61-3 or DVD 61 on our website.)

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2021 through November 30, 2021. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Vicar General, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio April 14, 2021"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[aion-rsa]

Donuts & Demons: Ryka Aoki’s Light from Uncommon Stars

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This feature is sponsored by

Shizuka Satomi, a violin teacher known as the Queen of Hell, owes one more soul to demons due to an infernal bargain she struck. Young violinist Katrina Nguyen needs to escape her homelife, where her transness is rejected by her family, and to start anew, hopefully making videos with her music. And Lan Tran and her crew are striving to build a stargate—before the Galactic Empire falls to the Endplauge—while selling donuts at Starrgate Donuts in Los Angeles. Light from Uncommon Stars is the story of how these three women’s lives intersect, and is a novel filled to the brim with music so beautifully described, readers can almost hear it in the narrative.

Katrina opens the novel with her flight and her passion for music; Shizuka comes in quickly after with her soul-contract deadline and her desire to find one last musician to condemn to hell. When readers first encounter Lan and her alien crew, they may wonder how author Ryka Aoki can pull off a story that is at once soul-bargaining-with-demons and refugee-aliens-building-a-stargate. But as the story progresses, the themes and characters dovetail together so beautifully that readers will wonder how they ever doubted. 

Aoki explores what it means to be human, the nature of souls, and the importance of hope and love even in the face of what may seem hopeless, filling the novel with both good humor and acknowledgment of suffering. There is pain, and yet a sense that better things are to come. The love and care with which the characters imbue parts of their lives—whether it’s the music they play, the instruments they shape, or the food they create—gains a greater meaning by virtue of that love. The result is an incredibly powerful story of hope and redemption, of small voices shouting into dissonance and being heard. Ahead of the novel’s September 28th release, Den of Geek had the chance to pick Aoki’s brain about how this novel came together, and insights into her inspiration…

Den of Geek: First, what brought together the two very different speculative fiction tropes—soul-bargaining and stargates—together into the same story for you? How did you create a universe in your head where both things worked without contradicting each other?

Ryka Aoki: I respect both science fiction and fantasy, but I had honest intentions and reasons to mix them in Light from Uncommon Stars. I was a little bit worried about how people would accept this—or not. But I’ve been thrilled with how readers have embraced and accepted this book.

I think this book might resonate with readers because we all hold seeming contradictions. In the book, Shizuka Satomi mentions how great pieces of music contain such different-sounding sections and movements. And, as music reflects the soul, doesn’t that say something about us, and our own shifting arrays of motifs and counterpoints?

In my case, being of Japanese descent, and being queer, and being trans, means that I play a lot of different things to a lot of different worlds. Yet working toward true acceptance and love of self can be like composing your own sonata—you’re striving to express and share your entire music. The person who I am with my family lives in a different world than the person who teaches English and Critical Thinking. And that person seems very different from the writer, or the martial artist.

And yet, I don’t feel fragmented. I feel pretty whole.

And so, when I wrote Light from Uncommon Stars, I always had faith that it would work out, somehow—because I worked out, somehow.

(At least I’d like to think so…) 

Demon Tremon Philippe and Shizuka’s relationship may bring to mind more of Mephistopheles and Faust than the devil at the crossroads. But there is a long tradition of musicians trading souls for greatness, brought into American folklore via blues musicians, who may have drawn on tales of Papa Legba rather than the European devil-bargaining stories. In the novel, you’ve brought many cultural traditions into play—where did you start from in the soul-selling elements? What did you borrow from earlier tales, and what did you invent whole cloth?

Thank you for asking this question because it lets me talk about another tradition. The early days of Internet message boards were the first time ever that trans people could speak freely yet relatively anonymously with people like them around the world. In fact, one of my dearest friends had such a board and they live in Iceland. We needed each other. We helped each other go through some horrible times… But there were also some goofy and fun times come as well—it was the first time that we realized that we’re all a bunch of science fiction and fantasy geeks. I mean, anywhere we can dream, right?

And I remember at the time being struck by how many trans women had created their own creation myths, to explain how their soul was placed in this other body. Many religions ignore trans people. Yet to know where one came from—and why—is a necessary question for many human beings.

In these stories, and the discussion surrounding them, there was much talk about having the soul of a woman, or the soul of a man if one were a trans man. “Do you have a female soul?” was a very relevant question to those with trans binary identities. (Discussions of nonbinary identities and gender fluidity were happening as well—entire vocabularies were being invented. Those were some exciting times.)

I think that even now many trans women, perhaps when first trying to make sense of who they are, still ask themselves this question.

And so, the cursed Shizuka Satomi, precisely because she is so focused on acquiring souls that she finds bodies irrelevant—offers Katrina the space and place to find her answers.

The descriptions and understanding of music and violins—and violin competitions—in the story are tangible. What is your music background?

I love writing music. I used to play in a band, and when I do my spoken word pieces, I compose all my own soundtracks. My main instrument is the piano, but I also play guitar, and some flute, and harmonica. For the most part, I am self-taught. However, I’ve been taking lessons for the past couple of years with a wonderful piano teacher—the irony is because I’m promoting this book, I’m on a brief hiatus from that.

However, I had no idea how to play the violin. I remember the first time I went into a violin shop. There were violins, but violins of different sizes, and cellos and violas and basses, and I was laughing to myself that I have no idea how to make music with any of this. I couldn’t put a tune together with one of these instruments to save my own life.

I did manage to teach myself some violin. And I really love the instrument. I have an acoustic violin from eBay, and I also have an electric violin now. This Christmas season, I am looking forward to jamming to some holiday music. We may never be ready for a committed relationship, but the violin and I have become good friends.

So, although I didn’t grow up in violin culture, as I researched violin culture, I found many parallels with a culture that I was familiar with—martial arts. Like many communities with overachieving children and parents with unrequited dreams, I found that in violin competitions, it was sometimes difficult to tell which was more important, the violin or the competition. This was so much like what I had seen as an annoying little martial arts kid. And so, those were the experiences upon which I drew.  

The posturing, the pressure, the mind games…the nausea in the bathroom…so different, but not so different at all.

In addition to being a writer, you are a teacher. Are any of your own feelings about teaching reflected in Shizuka’s feelings about mentoring?

*giggle* ALL of them…the good, the bad, the obsessive, the self-serving, and the hopeful.

This novel felt, in many ways, like a pandemic novel–in a situation that should be full of hopelessness (the Endplague, a coming soul-deadline), there’s still this tonal quality, even in the early pages, that things will turn out right, even if we have no idea how that will happen. Was any part of the novel written during the pandemic? Do you see it differently now that it’s coming out as we’re still dealing with the coronavirus?

During the first few months of pandemic, most of the novel had already been written, and we were deep in edits. I was pushing so hard to get my story just right that the first part of the lockdown went by unnoticed. Plot hole here, inconsistency there…even without a lockdown, I don’t think I would have gone out, anyway.

These days, I’m feeling the pandemic more, especially because this is when I was to tour, sign books, and meet people in person. And, as I engage with the lockdown more actively, I do notice how the pandemic does seem to echo the themes of the Endplague. Although Covid-19 did not inspire the Endplague, I based the Endplague on how civilizations can often fall, not from outside cataclysms themselves, but from the conflicts and fissures they cause their populace…and a collective loss of hope.

In the book, without going into too many spoilers, Lan and her family come from a very advanced civilization that has conquered many diseases and social ills, but is still battling with divisions, suspicions, and fatalism.

Looking around at world today, the parallels are hard to escape.

Late in the novel, you use Bartók as a way of framing and understanding transness in a beautiful way. Could you talk about the theme of Katrina finding her voice through the violin, and about how music and self-intertwine in the novel?

Provided the instrument is well-maintained, when you play the piano, you’ll automatically play in tune. A violin can be perfectly in tune, but that is far from enough—you need to be in tune with yourself.  

Furthermore, when I actually played the violin, I learned that certain notes resonate very well with other strings. In fact, sympathetic resonance is one way that a student can know if she’s in tune. If we listen for the resonances, we can feel the entire violin glow. There’s no better way to say it—it seems like the instrument glows.

This is very important to Katrina’s development, for human voices—and human souls—don’t have keys, or even frets, either. And when you’re playing in tune with yourself and others, you do get this internal glow. I think feeling this is very important to Katrina. It gives her security, weaves her into the songs of others.

But we are not always in harmony, nor should we be. Sometimes, our true songs are dissonant, or expressed in notes between notes. At that point, for all the rest of the world knows, your composition is wrong, or your intonation sucks. So, when your own music is so insistent, yet so at odds with what people expect—what do you do? Well, there goes Bartók.

There is a difference between playing with people in harmony and speaking to them in melody, after all. What does this mean for Katrina?

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

I think I’ll just leave it there.

Starrgate Donuts cannot fulfil online orders for their delicious donuts, unfortunately, as it is fictional, and videos of Shizuka Satomi’s performances are still not available to watch, due to interference from demonic forces, but Light from Uncommon Stars is available at bookstores everywhere on September 28, 2021. Find out more here.

The post Donuts & Demons: Ryka Aoki’s Light from Uncommon Stars appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2XOiGKJ

[aryas]

Targ Restoration Rant (aka I made the mistake of venturing into the pro -Targaryen tag & discourse)

"You know nothing, Jon Snow. A true man steals a woman from afar, t'strengthen the clan. Women who bed brothers or fathers or clan kin offend the gods, and are cursed with weak and sickly children. Even monsters." --- Ygritte, ASOS

Clearly, GRRM has never painted Cersei x Jaime or Craster x his daughters in a very favourable light. But suddenly, incest between the 2 good and heroic guys (though the jury is still out on Daenerys) of the story is a-ok? Is it because they are a couple of magic übermenschen and are thus above morality and law of nature? Am I supposed to think GRRM now advocates for incest? But only under certain conditions, only when it involves the special and God-like Targaryens? Why do fans suddenly rejoice about this and wish for a Targ restoration? What kind of fresh hell has this fandom turned into?

[Cut for length]

Their main argument seems to be

Jon and Dany are nephew/aunt which is not considered incest in Westeros so it's all good! No one would bat an eye because even outside the Targs, there are cases of avunculate marriages.

And then they bring up the two known cases; Jonnel x Sansa Stark and Edric x Serena Stark. The former was (probably) a purely political union without issue. The latter did yield heirs but Serena was the daughter of Edric's half brother, so they weren't as closely related (same goes for Sansa, who was Serena's sister and Jonnel's half brother's daughter). Both probably happened for political/practical reasons and to solve major succession issues as Rickon Stark & Jeyne Manderly had two daughters but no male heir.

This comparison is not a very pertinent one because a marriage between Jon & Daenerys would be neither purely political nor practical as they are already involved and supposedly in love. Additionally, what kind of political gain would there be for either of them if we assume Jon's true parentage will be revealed publicly, combined with his ostensible betrayal of bending the knee and falling for a "foreign whore woman" (from the Northern lords' viewpoint), resulting in the loss of his already tenuous hold over the North or the election of another KitN or QitN? Over the last few seasons, the show dropped numerous anvil sized hints about how unwelcome foreign leaders are in the North, especially Targaryens. The Northern lords were already ready to unname Jon because they deemed he'd been away too long. It makes little sense that a Jon x Daenerys marriage would placate them post R+L=J unless they inexplicably decide to suddenly support what would essentially be the restoration of a dynasty they despise. It would also mean R+L=J and Jon's actions in season 7 (i.e bending the knee to a Targaryen, consorting with said Targaryen while being a secret Targaryen himself) would have little to no long-lasting effect and any conflict it caused would be resolved by a marriage that would have happened anyway if Jon had remained Ned's natural son.

Jon wouldn't need Daenerys if he decides to pursue the Iron Throne since his claim trumps hers. What's more, the people of Westeros are more likely to accept him as king of the 7 kingdoms over Daenerys given his Stark blood and the fact that he was raised and groomed for leadership in Westeros. He could potentially have the loyalty and allegiance of the Starks and their bannermen, the Wildlings, the Reach (through Sam), the Iron Islands (through Theon), the Vale (through Sansa and Sweetrobin) and possibly the Riverlands (through his Stark cousins' Tully heritage), in contrast to Dany whose sole remaining Westerosi ally is Jon. If they were to support a Targaryen candidate for the Iron Throne, I think they would favour Jon alone (or you know, married to someone who isn't a Targaryen conqueror).

And while Daenerys could absorb Jon's claim (and potential allies- though again, why would they support Jon x Daenerys over Jon on his own?) and make hers stronger by marrying him, she doesn't need him to lay claim to the 7 kingdoms either, what with her dragons and huge armies. Moreover, an "alliance" - if you can call giving up your kingdom as such - already exists with Jon seemingly having pledged himself to her and Daenerys naming him Warden of the North. She would have been better off marrying someone else to extend or strengthen her control over other regions and territories if there weren't so few candidates left on the show. The most logical way to strike an alliance would have been to marry Jon while he was KitN, pre parentage reveal, but for some obscure reason, the show completely bypassed this option.

But R+L=J turns everything upside down and Jon, once revealed as a trueborn Targaryen, would need to marry into a Northern house if he wants to keep/take back his kingship of the North. Marrying Daenerys would only strengthen his ties to the South and house Targaryen, which would be counterproductive and work against the desired outcome- uniting North & South or two major Houses.

In short, neither party would truly benefit politically from a marriage if Jon's parentage is made public and/or he ultimately loses the North, which is very likely. This is particularly true for Jon. Only Daenerys could somewhat profit from a political union but it would be at the risk of becoming Jon's queen consort in practice if not on paper (something I doubt she would accept) and, more importantly, it would be opening a whole can of worms given the stigma of Targaryen x Targaryen unions.

Because no matter of how (un)common and (un)acceptable avunculate marriages are in the universe of Westeros, Targ restoration fans usually ignore the fact that it wouldn't be just any nephew/aunt, it would be a full Targaryen union, which would have wholly different connotations for the people of Westeros given the fairly recent trauma of their reign. A reign that ended with a mad king whose madness is believed to be hereditary and blamed on generations of close interbreeding. I doubt the people of Westeros would readily accept a Targ power couple back at the helm if they have any say in it.

Plus, Daenerys' first impression didn't exactly help matters: a Targaryen conqueror with huge armies and grown dragons in tow who roasted a father and a son of a prominent House alive and destroyed the last harvest of the Reach in the beginning of winter and unwittingly handed over the greatest weapon of all times to their greatest enemy of all times and indirectly caused the Wall to fall and wants to marry her only other living Targaryen relative, of all people? The sense of déjà vu would be pretty disconcerting, to say the least.

These Pro-Targ fans also tend to dismiss the fact Jon & Daenerys are genetically closer to full siblings than aunts/nephews by claiming modern notions such as DNA conveniently have no bearing in a medieval-fantasy setting such as ASOIAF. In other words, people in-universe wouldn't realise or be bothered that Jon & Daenerys are more closely related (44-47%) than typical nephew/aunt (25%). I think they must have an inkling of the notion and dangers of consanguinity, however basic it may be, if cousin marriages are considered quite normal for the highborn while anything involving more closely related people is frowned upon or downright forbidden. As mentioned previously, even the two known cases of avunculate unions were between uncles and their half nieces, their degree of consanguinity being thus less than that of full uncle/niece and comparable to first cousins (12,5%). So people could at least vaguely understand that Jon & Daenerys share a higher degree of consanguinity than their relatedness would suggest.

All this begs the question; if GRRM wants the restoration of this dynasty and wants us to perceive this as a positive development, wouldn't he aim to improve it and stop the perpetuation of the very proclivity that precipitated their downfall and was at the root of so much suffering in Westeros? Would he "reward" an incestuous and destructive house by having it win out while others are extinct/on the brink of extinction?

If there is supposed to be a Targaryen reinstatement, there has to be a clean break from this dynasty's nefarious characteristics and habits i.e. imperialism, tyranny and incest. What would otherwise be the narrative point of Robert's (very justifiable) Rebellion and everything that unfolded in its aftermath? There should be some kind of progress. Jon & Daenerys, if they decide to take back the IT and get married after the R+L=J reveal, would mean regression. It would be synonymous with more incest, more super inbred and possibly cray-cray Targ heirs and more political (and genetic) isolationism. And with 2 grown dragons/WoMD (if they survive), their reign would equal more subjugation, intimidation and fear for the people of Westeros, even if Jon & Daenerys' initial intentions would be to create a new and better world. In other words, a repeat of everything that was toxic and problematic about the Targaryen dynasty. This scenario seems particularly unlikely when you take the author's personal anti-war/WoMD stance into account.

And lastly, this is what GRRM said about Targcest:

"The Targaryens have heavily interbred, like the Ptolemys of Egypt. As any horse or dog breeder can tell you, interbreeding accentuates both flaws and virtues, and pushes a lineage toward the extremes."

ASOIAF is a meditation on war, power and corruption but it's also a story about extremes --- wights/WW/Ice vs Fire/Daenerys/dragons, the inevitable clash and destruction they bring about and the importance of seeking balance, moderation and finding a middle ground in all things: justice instead of vengeance, sovereignty instead of oppression etc. Even Jon himself is the embodiment of the metaphorical balance between ice and fire. As such, the Targaryens/Targcest can be viewed as another extreme to be avoided. It's the antithesis of "balanced". What he says about accentuating both flaws and virtues is evocative of this famous passage:

"King Jaehaerys once told me that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a new Targaryen is born, he said, the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land." 

Some Targaryen fans like to think what the coin metaphor refers to is nothing but a myth but I would think the fact the author alludes to it in the above quote kind of refutes this theory. I also happen to think Jon & Daenerys each represent one facet of the coin. This analogy also effectively illustrates how unstable and inconsistent Targaryen rule truly was and could be again. Even if Jon & Daenerys end up being fair and progressive monarchs, what of their inbred children? On which side will the coin land for them? If there is anything Westeros needs after years of war waging, power struggles, political instability and the probably disastrous aftermath of the battle against the Others, it's consistency and stability.

Furthermore, the fact GRRM compares them to the Ptolemaic dynasty is not exactly a ringing endorsement. The Ptolemys were originally from Macedonia/Greece and ruled for close to 300 years over Egypt. Because they never deigned to mix their blood with outsiders and only wed brother/sister and occasionally uncle/niece and cousins, they never actually became Egyptian. Even Cleopatra was genetically Greek. They didn't assimilate with the local people, culture or language (Cleopatra being the only one who bothered to learn the language) and justified their incest by drawing comparison to Greek mythology and thus perceived themselves as Gods. The intermarriages also exacerbated feelings of jealousy and rivalry. Complot and murder within the family were a common occurrence. Aside from a couple of exceptions, they were quite inept rulers and the last +/- 200 years of their reign kind of sucked.

Sounds familiar? In broad strokes, this is pretty much a copy/paste of the history of the Targaryens. Does this sound like something we're supposed to root for? Their reign ended when Egypt submitted to Roman rule. And no, there was no Ptolemaic restoration.