#is it a crime to want my crime lord vigilant to be a crime lord?

[radishrainbowfarm]

I have a vision for the red hood

[raventreehall]

a storm of swords dash simulator

🍋ladyjonquil Follow

i don't want to reveal too much but i had a really great day today hawking and riding and received some really exciting news (and maybe a potential marriage offer!) wow wow wow!!! haven't felt like this in so long 🥰

🤡florianthefool Follow

i'm so happy for you my jonquil

🐦littlefinger Follow

thanks for sharing my lady

🏹kissedbyfire Follow

PISSED OFF AT MY BF RN 🤬🤬🤬 NEVER TRUST A SOUTHERNER AND ESPECIALLY NEVER TRUST A CROW!!!!!!!

👸🏼daenerys-targaryen-tracker Follow

🐎raeqqo Follow

by the law of the dothraki she must return to vaes dothrak to take her place alongside the crones of the dosh khaleen. it is known.

🐉3heads Follow

shut up and go sack a defenseless city or something

🍁weirwoodzz Follow

hey do you guys remember when theon greyjoy took winterfell last year and killed the stark boys? has anyone heard anything else about that? feel like it kind of just disappeared from the news cycle, what happened to greyjoy?

🪓cerwynnation Follow

lord bolton's bastard killed him

🍁weirwoodzz Follow

oh really? wow. kind of extreme but deserved i guess

💗ramsays-sharpest-blade Follow

Ramsay isn't a bastard, King Joffrey legitimized him two months ago and Lord Roose is going to make him castellan of the Dreadfort soon. He loves his son and trusts his abilities. Plus, Ramsay is being awarded for his efforts in saving Winterfell and putting a stop to the ironborn raids in the North by being betrothed to Arya Stark—would a bastard be granted that honor? I don't think so.

Also, Theon isn't dead, Ramsay is (rightfully) flaying him for his crimes in the dungeons beneath the Dreadfort. Gods, I'd love to see Ramsay thrust the knife under his skin!!!!! 😜

#ramsay bolton #house bolton #our blades are sharp #theon greyjoy

🐐the-goat Follow

i'm boutta come into thome real money real thoon 😈 💎💎💎💎💯

🏰freygirl73 Follow

ughhhh my sister is getting married tmrw and my brothers keep going on about getting revenge on king robb while he's here for the feast... like i just wanted some food :/// iswtg that's the only good thing about my siblings weddings and now they're saying there won't even be any and i'm gonna have to go into hiding before the bedding ceremony or something. why can't my family just be NORMAL

🐟greenfork Follow

TW: Red Wedding, death, violence

A masterpost on what happened at the Twins and what it means for the Northern independence cause, the War of the Five Kings, and the realm in general.

Also a bunch of links on how you can help people affected in the Riverlands.

Keep Reading

🍵bowlobrown Follow

HELL YEAH BROTHER 🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀

🔥heatofdorne Follow

i wanna ***** ********* on ellaria sand's **** and *** ****** then call in oberyn and ***** **** them both until **** *****

🤎pate7534 Follow

🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀

🌊onthesunsetsea Follow

why are there so many crabs on my dash rn

🐺direwolfing Follow

TYWIN LANNISTER IS DEAD 🦀🦀🦀🦀

💙cassssanna Follow

actually i think it's still for king joffrey

🦁lann1sporter Follow

lol i thought it was for robb stark

🥂arborgold Follow

maybe it's for the mountain?

⬛️ freezingmyarseoffonthewall Follow

DOLOROUS EDD LORD COMMANDER 300 AC

⬛️ freezingmyarseoffonthewall Follow

DOLOROUS EDD WILL LEAD US TO VICTORY AGAINST THE OTHERS

🕊️ just-a-humble-sparrow Follow

mother have mercy i was walking by the great sept of baelor (i wanted to pay my respects to our blessed king joffrey) but i was blocked by a knight of the kingsguard—i believe it was one of the kettleblacks, unfortunately i always forget which one has been elevated to the kingsguard—because the queen was keeping vigil over her son, so i prayed outside instead. yet only a few minutes passed when i swear i saw the kingslayer arrive (he seemed to be missing a hand!) and enter. then, and this is the most disturbing part, i swear to the father that i heard noises of fornication coming from inside! i know for a fact that the only other person inside was the queen mother. could the rumors be true? i feel dirty even writing this. i wonder if i should tell my septon.

❤️‍🔥stannis-sweep Follow

stannis has literally been telling y'all and you didn't listen 🙄

🏳️ bannerless Follow

is it just me or is lady stoneheart kinda 👀

[oreo-oro-orero]

Y'all wanna hear my most outta pocket Timebomb AU? Okay here it... Modern Arcane Timebomb Serial Killer AU.

Both Ekko and Jinx are Serial Killers but go about it in different ways. Ekko is more of a vigilant in a sense, by day is a community leader and social worker who is charismatic, charming and over all seen as a beacon of the community but by night he is slowly picking off the criminals that plague and hurt the community he cares about. He doesn't go after petty criminals mind you but members of gangs, crime lords, corrupt cops and certain Pilties that line their pockets. He is delivering his own sense of justice however he knows deep down he enjoys the thrill of it all. Jinx on the other hand is more spontaneous but just as deadly, after Silco's death and Sevika's arrest by taking the charges for Jinx. She is hunted down by rival gangs and crime lords for her previous destruction while working under Silco. So she decided to take the fight to them picking them off one by one and enjoying every minute of it. Eventually they both cross each other's paths and eventually end up spiraling into an endless cycle of Love, Lust, Carnage and Mayhem.

Caitlyn and Vi both being police officers know that both Ekko and Jinx are hiding something and Caitlyn is determined to bring them both in. VI on the other hand is struggling not wanting to lose the love of her life but also not wanting to put away the last remnants of a family she has left.

Look I know it sounds cheesy but hey it sounds interesting in my head😭

[glitter-stained]

Idea: for his first time coming back to Crime Alley during his revenge plot, before establishing himself as a crime lord, Jason saves a kid. The kid asks him his name then informs him that it's ridiculous, and that a fairy tale name isn't scary at all so he should change it if he wants to scare the bad guys and also that his helmet isn't even a hood so it's stupid. Jason goes home in a daze, has a crisis, and brainstorms ideas.

Here is the list he comes up with, based on the fact he's a dramatic nerd, and ranked from my personal least favourite to top favourite.

The Creature : I feel like Jason would be the type of person to scream at people who call the Creature Frankenstein, but also argues that the real monster in the story is indeed Frankenstein; that name is thus a book accurate reference, while simultaneously highlighting and rubbing in Bruce's face that he created the villain by making himself his father and then abandoning him. My issue with this is that I associate the concept of cryptid vigilant creature with Cass so much giving the name to Jason feels wrong.

Rhapsody : Rhapsody of a Windy Night (by TS Eliot ofc) is THE poem I think of when I think about Jason in relation to Crime Alley, so this is a cool looking name cementing his identity as a crime lord/ vigilante as linked to this place. Unfortunately, most people would think either music themed villain or Queen reference and nobody would get the reference which would piss Jason off.

The Dead Poet: That idea is not mine, I unfortunately lost the post that suggested it so feel free to link it if you do. I absolutely love it, 100% nerd and batman villain, only reason it's low is I like the others more.

Antigonish: That's the title of a creepy poem/nursery rhyme by Mearns about a ghost haunting a house (yesterday upon the stairs/i saw a man who wasn't there...) very leaning in the creepy, undead, haunting the narrative vibe, and I think he'd fuck with the aesthetic so much, I think he'd wage psychological warfare against Batman with references to Jason's death.

Prometheus: A classic, the curse of non consensual immortality while also being a protector and enlightener of the people, defying the authority and saying I will break your rule in the name of what I think matters more. I think he'd like the way it lets him simultaneously say fuck you to Bruce and keep in mind who he's supposed to protect. Yes, I know Prometheus is a pre existing villain and I hate him, let's just ignore that.

Chrysothemis: this one is such a smartass reference he's such a little shit I think he'd love it. A classic myth from the trojan war is Agamemnon sacrificing his daughter Iphigenia to Artemis in order to be able to go on his mission (wage war against Troy), and when he comes back from Troy, Clytemnestra kills him in revenge, and then the family hunts eachother for sports (see the Oresteia). In Sophocles's Electra, Chrysothemis is the name of the daughter of Clytemnestra who, unlike Electra, doesn't condemn/ protest against their mother for killing Agamemnon to avenge Iphigenia. I think it's particularly funny because Chrysothemis literally means "golden law". Maybe not the most badass sounding but god would it be so funny.

Lightbearer : (the title of Lucifer). Again, maybe not the most badass but Jason is a nerd and he'd fuck with it. "But isn't Jason the christic equivalent of the Bruce/Jason/Joker trinity?" I hear you ask and the answer is yes, but on a meta level, this is what the reader is allowed to see. Jason? He's read Paradise Lost and agrees Satan/Lucifer was right, projected Bruce on God, and made it his whole personality. I think Lightbearer!Jason would quote Paradise Lost/make references to it all the time during their arguments, denouncing Batman's abandonment of Crime Alley and say "I'd rather rule in hell than serve in heaven", tell him that he has no obligation to play by his rules because "just because you were here first doesn't make you the rightful ruler of this city". This also goes well with my hcs about Crime Alley being a little fucked up and loving their local crime lord/vigilant, with graffitis and nicknames treating him like the Alley's Angel/guardian angel but in a fucked up, fallen angel way, like that's our patron saint and he's made of the same shit that we are, he's not holier-than-though cause he's not holy but he's ours.

Anyway feel free to share which ones you prefer and add ideas!!!

[rinwellisathing]

Domain Of Dread: The Obsidian Gauntlet

Hey all! Here's the info for my Gortash themed Domain of Dread and more info about it! This is for the campaign I'm currently running, so it includes my own Durge, but you could plug in your own Durge instead if you wanted to run it, make up another NPC in place, or use the stats I provided! I hope you enjoy it!

The Obsidian Gauntlet

Domain of Clockwork Wonders

Dark Lord: Lord Enver Gortash

Genre: Mad Science, Gothic Horror

Hallmarks: Charismatic tyrant, tragic romance, clockwork horrors, vigilant tyranny

Mist Talismans: A pendant of Ilmater, A golden gauntlet, A clockwork tadpole

Noteworthy Features:

 The Obsidian Gauntlet is a Domain based upon an idealized version of The City of Baldur's Gate according to the mind of Lord Enver Gortash. People who dwell In Obsidian Gauntlet know that:

The city is patrolled by The Steel Watch and its commander, The Golden Sentry.

The Watch and all the rest of the city's clockwork wonders were invented by the domain's Dark Lord, Enver Gortash. Most view him as a savior and a genius, but those who don't view him as a tyrant and a conqueror.

Lord Gortash has a beloved daughter who is supposed to be a prodigy who helps her father with his inventions, but no one has ever seen her. The only glimpse of her presence is donations to the less fortunate of the city marked with a seal in the form of a clockwork raccoon.

There is a museum chronicling Lord Gortash's rise to power and storied life at his birth place, Flymm Cobblers. This is the only original building left in the city that has not been updated and instead is kept as aforementioned museum. Sally and Dravo Flymm, the proprietors, are relentlessly cheery, almost to an unsettling degree, and dress in old timey fashions.

There is a strange wicker creature that haunts the woods and fields outside civilization, a behemoth of thorns and flame.

A powerful vampire lord lurks in the mountains, but his apparent fear of Lord Gortash keeps him from attacking the main city. 

Settlements and Sites:

The Black City:  The Black City is a perfect one to one replica of Baldur's Gate from the world of Toril, but the buildings and features have all been reinforced in steel and infernal metal. Everything in the city is advanced and up to date with street lamps and clockwork soldiers. There are scrying eyes created by Enver and his elite artificers as well as magic mirrors which can project images and recordings across them. The city's visible population appears to be well off and cosmopolitan, dressed in finery and the latest up to date accessories and clockwork technology. But the slums tell a different story as do the factories and work houses near the docks. The city is constantly under complete surveillance and crime, real or imagined, is very swiftly punished by Lord Gortash's upgraded Steel Watch. Patrols from his Golden Sentry are also common, especially when there is talk of dissention. 

The Town of Mourn: The Town of Mourn is a small settlement about a day's journey from The Black City. It used to be home to a pious lord and his family, but a circle of mad druids destroyed the town and slaughtered his family. The town has begun a small resurgence, however its people dress strangely, covering up as much of their skin and faces as they can.

San Ojeda:  a small, pious town right outside of the gates of the city. A temple to the Faerunian God, Ilmater, is located there run by a kindly old priest and paladin as well as one of their adopted children, a kind and handsome young Paladin who is rumored to be the brother of the original Golden Sentry. The city is considered sacred as the birth place of the hero who inspired The Golden Sentry.

Flymmstown: a slum outside the city, placed where Little Calimshan was located in the proper city of Baldur's Gate back on Toril. Many of the city's poor and Destitute live here out of the public eye to avoid tarnishing Lord Gortash's perfect image.

Martyr's Field: a massive necropolis not far from The Town of Mourn. Great heroes and important political figures are buried here and it is said to be incredibly haunted. There are rumors of a small, clockwork creature collecting treasure and hoarding it in a small mausoleum. Rumors also persist of a haunting by the ghost of a slender teenage tiefling in a long cloak who tends the graves, though no one has seen her up close.

The Junk Heap:  a trash Heap outside the city where defunct Watchers, old tech, and other such things that don't fit Lord Gortash's vision of a perfect World are dumped and abandoned. Mad artificers cast out from the city congregate there and build strange monstrosities with the refuse.

The Foundry:  an enormous factory located where Candlekeep would be in the proper world of Toril. It is where Lord Gortash's greatest creations are built and sent out into the world. The domain's finest minds are recruited to work there and engage with the DarkLords's greatest secrets.

Lord Enver Gortash:

Enver's Powers and Dominion:

   The Golden Sentry:  Enver Gortash has a clockwork replica of his lover, Sentry Ojeda, a tiefling Oathbreaker paladin. The being is a specialized custom steel watcher that appears as a handsome male tiefling in his thirties with golden horns and armor, silver hair, and gold tinged skin. While he is physically a perfect replica of Enver's lover, he can only follow direct orders and cannot love Enver on his own or express/form opinions or thoughts of his own.

   The Steel Watch:  Enver's impressive clockwork army, controlled with altered Illithid tadpoles within the preserved brains of his political enemies and condemned prisoners. The watchers are tall and imposing and his design and their abilities have improved greatly since his first batch back in Baldur's Gate. Enver can summon two Steel Watchers to him as an action once per day in personal combat. Out on the streets of The Black City, an alarm can sound when a crime is observed to summon a company of these clockwork soldiers.

   Choking Smog:  Once per day, Enver can open and close the borders of his domain by either increasing or decreasing production at The Foundry, raising a polluting smog which acts as this domain's mist.

Enver's Torment:

Enver longs to be seen as a benevolent, all powerful leader who is loved and feared in equal parts, however there will always be people within the domain who view him in either a wholly negative or wholly positive light, never in perfect balance.

Enver cannot be happy with his power and wealth if Sentry and Teela are not there by his side. No matter what he tries, he cannot find and reunite with their souls and his replicas of them are never exactly right.

Although Bane cannot reach Enver within the Domain of Dread, he can still feel the tyrant's breath down his neck as though he is only a few steps behind and ready to close his iron fingers around his soul once again.

Roleplaying Enver:

    Lord Enver Gortash, since his failure in the Absolute plot, has been resurrected as A lich by his lover, Sentry Ojeda, Bhaal's son and former chosen. He bears the scars of his torture for failing Bane in the form of elegant but cruel golden scars across his body. He appears handsome and well preserved, but constant pain still racks him from Banes's punishments. When he was brought back, he found himself face to face with his daughter,  the child Sentry had given birth to before his unfortunate fall from grace at the hands of Orin. 

     Enver attempted to connect with his child and earn her trust and love as well as rekindle his connection with Sentry, but right as he seemed on the cusp of achieving this, Bane schemed to regain his hold on Enver's soul and many other beings with interest in tyranny were drawn to Enver as well.

      Sentry became the means to which these beings could gain control of Enver ans many sought to capture him or endanger him. Ultimately,  Sentry was taken and Enver fought to gain power to get him back, committing atrocities which his daughter,  Teela, opposed intensely. Ultimately,  Enver and Teela came to blows over his methods and in a fit of rage he accidentally killed her.

   Consumed with grief, Enver's atrocities mounted and he was consumed by a thick smog of mist reeking of engine oil and ash.

     Enver is outright affable and diplomatic, putting on a winning smile and a friendly face, but underneath lies despair and frustration, for no matter how much he builds and how hard he works, the city is never to his standards and the replicas of Sentry and Teela only do as he commands, never showing the spirit and spark that made his beloved family his only equals.

    He is more than willing to treat player characters with similar interests or goals that align with his as potential allies and his first course of action is always diplomacy or subterfuge if confrontation can be avoided.

Adventures in The Obsidian Gauntlet:

A young up and coming artificer hopes to catch Lord Gortash's attention for a job at The Foundry they hired the party to help them give a demonstration of their creations.

A young man from the Ilmatari clergy in San Ojeda feels strangely drawn to The Golden Sentry, almost as if there was a kinship with it. Lord Gortash takes note and hires the party to arrange an introduction.

The ghost in Martyr's Field raises a fuss to gain the party's attention, when they arrive, either to put her down or find out what's wrong, she introduces herself as Teela Gortash and asks for help reaching her father. 

Sally and Dravo Flymm task the party with recovering an important item from Enver's childhood for their museum, unfortunately it has made its way to The Junk Heap.

Construction is beginning on a fabulous new section of town, but the feral druids out in the woodlands are vehemently opposed to this, the party is tasked with protecting the workers.

A bounty is placed on the wicker monstrosity that roams the countryside at night, the party accepts  a quest to destroy it.

The party receives an invitation from the local vampire lord wishing to discuss an important matter.

The temple of Ilmater is experiencing a strange occurrence at its basement shrine, if there is a cleric or paladin in the party, they may be called to examine it.

More hauntings are being reported at Martyr's Field. When the players investigate, they find renegade artificers from The Junk Heap are stealing body parts and siphoning spirits for their macabre products. 

The party are hired either as apprentices or guards at The Foundry and are able to investigate its secrets.

Where Is Sentry?

   Sentry's location can be decided by either a roll of the dice or DM’S discretion depending on what works within your world. The only constant is that he has been killed or abducted by a tyrannical power that intends to use him to get to Enver.

Sentry is being held in Bane's domain and tortured, his soul trapped there.

Sentry is the unwilling consort of the demon lord Grazz't ,  who not only realized he could get to Enver through Sentry but also realized he could breed powerful demons with a Bhaalspawn.

Sentry is frozen in one of Mephistopheles dungeons in Mephistar as vengeance for his and Enver's past transgressions as well as a way to force Enver into an infernal contract.

 Sentry is dead, his soul is awaiting its judgment or could even have made it's way to Martyrdom where Ilmater and his adoptive family await him.

Sentry is alive and well at the home he and Halsin share outside of Reithwin on the material plane or the modest manor he and Astarion share in Baldur's Gate.

 Sentry's soul has followed Enver to the domain of Dread in the hopes of saving him, he is reincarnated as a local NPC.

Where is Teela?

     Teela was accidentally killed by her father in a confrontation over his actions after Sentry's abduction. Her restless spirit haunts the necropolis with her clockwork companion,  Trash Can the Raccoon. She hopes to redeem her father or at least put him to rest and end the domain's nightmare, but she lacks the power to do so. Stats:The Golden Sentry: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/138208049/nG8JNG Teela Gortash: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/138209185/VzRCcl(Remember to include ghost traits such as incorporeal)

Lord Enver Gortash: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/138209584/4GUqNF  (Include Lich Traits as well)

[veenus777]

◜𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐭 ◞

          ┊ ᝰ﹕Characters : Dad! Jason Todd x Vigilant! Reader

          ┊ ᝰ﹕Summary : My first Todd FamilyVerse post and I'm really excited about it, the following posts will follow the results of the poll previously posted here on my profile. I'm going to consider this a chapter so it will tell about how Y/N and Jason met and it will be divided into two parts, this is the first of them, I hope you like it <3

          ┊ ᝰ﹕Word Count : 527

          ┊ ᝰ﹕Theme : a little angst, difficult childhood and "mention" of death

During her 12 long years of life, Y/N knew only one reality: that of an assassin, molded into this destiny since the age of 12 when she became a hired killer and a small pet for the black mask, living on the crime alley streets, surviving on stolen wallets and leftover food. Then, they appeared, her mothers, the most functional dysfunctional family Y/N had ever known, the only family she had. Despite being crazy, thieves, and ecoterrorists, they cared for her as a daughter, despite the circumstances. Being raised by the sirens of Gotham had its advantages.

Some children, greatly admiring their parents, dream of following in their footsteps, and with Y/N, there was no difference, except that her steps would lead to becoming an internationally wanted thief at the age of seventeen. Well, let's say Batman didn't approve of the paths her life was taking and always kept a watchful eye on her actions. Despite this, things were going well until she met him.

He was 5'5, with the bluest eyes she had ever seen and an impulsive and cheeky personality. They hated each other, not because they were enemies, but because they were so alike. It all started with a confrontation while Catwoman was once again robbing Gotham's museum. Y/N, better known as Copycat, was the great distraction. Batman knew Selina's moves well enough to let Robin go in his place, and then they met and fought. It would be an understatement to say that Robin took only a small beating. Since then, they hated each other for every minute after that, but despite denying it to death, they enjoyed it, the hatred, the fights, and the provocations. They counted the minutes to meet again, always claiming that the reason was revenge.

By some twist of fate or just his irony, Y/N was there, sitting on the edge of some Gotham gargoyle. It wasn't a good day; in fact, it was the complete opposite. And then, suddenly, he's there behind her, the green and red uniform a bit stained, and a paper bag in his hands. She knew he was there, but she didn't even have the energy to start a fight or provoke. Somehow, he knew that. So, he just sat there in silence, opening the bag and taking something out, surprising Y/N with a sandwich. She initially refused, but he just ignored it and left the sandwich in her hands until she gave up and just surrendered, taking a few bites. They remained seated in silence with the sounds of Gotham's night in the background. What was supposed to be a rare event began to happen frequently until one day, silence was replaced by single words, and then sentences, and finally, deep conversations where they lost themselves in time.

They were alike, children with difficult and traumatic pasts adopted by people of questionable psychological character. They both knew what it was like to fight for survival and the difficulties they had faced. Thus, they went from enemies to friends and then to something more. They knew and trusted each other despite the masks and codenames.

But things wouldn't be good forever. On that night, he didn't show up, so Y/N decided to look for him. He was on top of Wayne Enterprises, but that wasn't the same Robin she knew. He was different, agitated, and anxious. He told her about his fight with Batman and his plan to go after the Joker. She tried to stop him, but it was too late; he was determined. She tried to convince him, but the voices got louder and more disturbed. Tears flowed down her domino mask as she turned her back on him and walked away. The next day, she wanted to resolve things and apologize. She went to the gargoyle, their place, and sat there, waiting. But hours turned into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, but he never came back.

.˚｡  💋 .˚｡ 💌

[pardi-real]

Main Story Ep. 2 / Part 2 / Chapter 2 - Beautiful Path

Prev | All | Next

[Old Tower, Nearby Forest]

Berrien: "Phew... We made it here without any trouble. My lord, the ground is covered with snow. Please be careful not to slip."

> "Y-yeah..."

Boschi: "From here, it's a deep forest... The path is quite steep, and there's a lot of snow.”

Lucas: "We can't use carriages or horses in these conditions."

Berrien: "My apologies, my lord, but… you will have to walk from here on."

> "It’s alright"

Berrien: "Thank you."

Miyaji: "Once we go a little further through this forest… It's already a dangerous area."

Haures: "Indeed. Normally, a large number of angels would attack.”

Lato: "Kufufu…. That would be fun."

Berrien: "Let's circle around the lord, everyone."

Muu: "Count me in! I will protect the lord!"

> "Thanks, guys"

Haures: "Stay vigilant, scouting party.”

Scout Leader: "G-got it."

Trudge… trudge…

A rarely-visited forest near the Old Tower, dense with coniferous trees… Eerily silent and beautiful. We continued walking without any incidents for a while.

Trudge… trudge…

Whoosh

Haures: "The footing isn't secure. Watch your step, my lord."

> "Thank you"

Miyaji: "Hmm… We've reached a fairly high altitude."

Boschi: "Huff… huff…. I'm tired."

Berrien: "How is the scouting party holding up?"

Haures: "Yes, they seem to be about 10 meters behind."

Lato: "Anyway, what a beautiful view."

Haures: "Well, we can see quite far from here."

Muu: "Can we see the Devil's Palace from here?"

Lucas: "Probably not… since It's in the opposite direction.”

Muu: "Huh? Really?"

Miyaji: "Devil's Palace is south of here."

Muu: “I see… so, what's beyond this peak?”

Berrien: “The ruins go on endlessly. No one resides there.”

> “That's right…”

Muu: “Because of the angels?”

Berrien: “Of course that is one reason, but... the land and water are also unsuitable for human habitation. Crops hardly grow… and the water is toxic.”

> "How dangerous…”

Berrien: “Sadly, most of the world is like this. Only areas ruled by the four nobles and witches are habitable.”

> ”I see… This is the first time I’ve heard of this”

Berrien: “Although, truth to be told, the Sardis family also rules some contaminated land.”

Muu: “Ooh~ for what purpose? People can't live there and crops can't grow, right?”

Lato: “Kufufu… Yes, it's a very harsh environment.”

> “Lato...?”

Lato: “There is a large prison there that locks up criminals. It's surrounded by a polluted lake... Once you are imprisoned, you cannot leave until death.”

Muu: “Y-you are really knowledgeable about it… Mr. Lato.”

Lato: “Kufufu...is that so?”

> “No way… Lato… Were you in that prison?”

Lato: “Yes, indeed.”

Muu: “What? R-really? Then, did you commit some serious crime, Mr. Lato?”

Lato: “No, I haven't committed anything.”

> “Then why were you imprisoned?”

Lato: “Hmm… it's not a very pleasant story... …… Hmm…”

> “You don’t have to force yourself to talk” > "It must be something you don't want to talk about"

Lato: “Ah! A beautiful snow fox!”

> “Eh?”

Lato: “I will bring back some fur as a souvenir for Flure.”

Dash…

Miyaji: “It's unusual for Lato to talk about himself.”

> “Miyaji…”

Miyaji: “As expected of my lord.”

> “Huh? About what?”

Miyaji: “From what I’ve seen, Lato seems to trust you, my lord.”

> “Really…” > “I’m glad, but…”

Miyaji: “It took me a long time for him to open up to me... Seems like he opened up to you right away. It's odd…”

> “I’m not sure why either…”

Miyaji: “Oh, right, my lord. When you're back to the mansion, could you visit us in the butler's room in the basement? Let's have some tea with Flure too.”

> “Sure thing” > “If you don’t mind me”

Miyaji: “Lato only talks to me or Flure. If the lord joins… I'm sure he'll be happy too... Maybe he'll open up more. You might learn more about his past and feelings.”

> “Past and feelings?”

Miyaji: “Actually, I don't know much about him either. He rarely talks about himself. I’ve only caught bits and pieces of his story.”

> “I see…”

Miyaji: “If I knew more... maybe that symptom that arises during the full moon could be resolved.”

> “The one where he becomes unstable during a full moon, right?" > “It must be tough…”

Miyaji: “Yeah… Maybe it's related to what he went through in the past. He won’t talk about it. About him being in prison was something I had heard a long time ago…”

> “I see…”

Miyaji: “Oops...sorry. I ended up talking a lot. Let's continue this later. It's better to focus on the mission for now.”

> “Yeah, gotcha” > “Thanks for the chat”

Trudge… trudge…

After that, we continued walking along the snowy road for a while.

[Old Tower No. Ⅶ]

Haures: “W-we’ve arrived.”

Boschi: “Yeah… and no angels attacked.”

Lato: “Sigh... how boring. I'm losing my anticipation.”

Lucas: “Even so... The Old Tower is really huge when seen up close.”

> "This is my first time seeing a building this tall"

The tower ominously reaches up into the sky. The surface is weathered, I can see that it has been around for a long time... The material doesn't seem to be brick, stone, or iron.

> "What in the world is it made of?"

Boschi: "Whew… It's rare to get this close to the tower."

Haures: "Usually, with all the angel attacks, we don't get this chance."

Lato: "Oh well? What is this?"

Miyaji: "Looks like a door… And it's enormous."

Berrien: "This is a feature that can be seen in other Old Towers as well. It's like a door, but tightly sealed and won't open."

> "I see…"

Lucas: "Being a tower, someone must've been in and out of it…"

Haures: "What was the purpose of building such huge towers all over the world?"

> "Sure, it's strange"

Boschi: "It also seems like a lot of work to construct… no wonder people are curious."

Haures: "I heard this from Fennesz before... There seems to be no mention of the Old Tower in past history books."

> "That's also strange"

Lato: "Sigh… Still, it's boring. Let alone intelligent angels, not even ordinary angels appear. I hoped to hunt a lot of angels here…”

Lucas: "Something’s odd… Angels would usually attack."

Miyaji: "It's almost like they're trying not to get in the way of us coming this far."

Haures: "Could it be… the intelligent angel knew we were coming…"

Berrien: "Agreed… This might be a trap set by him. Boldly leading us here, showing the way he flew to."

Lucas: "Well… I had a hunch from the start ♪"

Berrien: "Indeed. We have no choice even if it's a trap. The only way to find out about the intelligent angel is by capturing him."

Boschi: "Geez… Now we just have to wait for them to show up, right? …..hm? Sigh... Looks like we don't even have time to wait."

Haures: "Yeah... it seems so."

Flap… flap…

Angel: " 'Die. For life.' "

Boschi: "Finally, an angel appeared."

Angels: "….…"

Haures: "And... Many of them."

Lato: "Kufufu… Looks like I can finally have fun."

Miyaji: "Lato. Don't get carried away."

Berrien: "Hmm… no sign of the intelligent angel."

Haures: "Well then, as discussed… Let's form a formation. Mr. Berrien, stay beside the lord. Scouting party, gather around the lord!”

Scout Leader: "A-alright."

Haures: "Butlers other than Mr. Berrien, gather around too."

Berrien: "My lord, please come next to me."

> "Okay"

Berrien: "It's alright, please rest assured. We will definitely protect you."

Berrien said as he readied his weapon.

Muu: "Me too! I will protect you my lord!"

> "Thank you, Berrien and Muu"

A circular formation was made with me at the center. The surrounding area is protected by Haures, Boschi, Lucas, Miyaji, and Lato.

Haures: "We'll hold out in this formation until the intelligent angel appears. Well then, my lord... Please release the power."

I unleashed everyone's devil power.

Boschi: "Let's do this…"

Lucas: "Fufu...♪ Come at me from anywhere."

Miyaji: "Phew…"

Lato: "Hurry up... Hurry up... ♪ My patience is running out."

Haures: "Bring it on…"

Prev | All | Next

[devout-of-the-elder-scrolls]

Stendarr Quick Start Guide

A guide for beginning with Stendarr, intended to help you begin your practice, but not to serve as the only information you use.

Keep in mind most of this post is UPG versus just based on the fictional canon, based on my personal experiences with this entity. It may directly contrast fictional canon and the experiences of others.

STENDARR

sten-darr aka. Stuhn ◦ S'rendarr stoohn ◦ suh-ren-darr prns. they / he domain. Mercy’s Solace date. June 23rd

Stendarr, God of Mercy, is a staple God of the Nine Divines. They teach to defend oneself, but to forgive easily those who have wronged you – Though, He knows that some crimes are far too great, in which He sends Their Vigilants to destroy the evil, or does so Himself.

They are a kind and compassionate God, willing to nurture and protect. They often work to help followers forgive themselves and recover from traumas and things like survivors guilt. He is sweet and often loving, wanting to spend Their time healing others from many qualms and sufferings.

Working alongside Stendarr often has one being asked to do many a thing for their community and themselves. They expect people to be giving and to be charitous, but also to fend for oneself and care for oneself well.

He stands as the patron god of the Imperial Legion, magistrates, rulers, and knights errant.

Within the Nordic tradition, Stuhn is represented by the whale. They are the brother of Tsun, and shield-thane of Shor, and is one of the Hearth Gods. Depending on who you ask, He might be seen as a precursor to Stendarr, or as the same as Stendarr entirely from the beginning. Their teachings are paired with those of Jhunal.

Within Khajiiti tradition, They are S’rendarr, the Runt, the son of Ahnurr and Fadomai. He is the God of Mercy due to being the weakest child.

🜚 terms of respect . . . Term – God • masculine terms Prefix – Lord • Great • Radiant • Righteous • Runt • Powerful • Legionnaire • Knight • God-King Titles – Stendarr the Steadfast • Apologist of Men • The Shield-Thane of Shor • Runt of the Litter, God of Mercy • Merciful Stendarr Epithet – the Merciful

🜲 rulerships . . . righteousness • forgiveness • mercy • defending oneself • charity • luck • justice • compassion • ransom • healing others • fraternity • righteous rule of might and merciful forbearance • battle . . . HELPS WITH . . . defeating the evil in your lives • recovery from traumas and similar pains

🝰 commandments . . .

Be kind and generous to the people of Tamriel. Instead, just show kindness to the people of this world.

Protect the weak, heal the sick, and give to the needy.

While not commandments, They do have some precepts. They aren’t required to follow, but are heavily encouraged.

Never refuse aid you are capable of providing.

Go among the infirm and the wounded wherever you find them.

Offer prayer to Stendarr every day.

Do not hoard wealth or indulge physically.

⛯ main tarot cards & other signs and associations . . .

Tarot Cards — 

IV the Emperor • VII the Chariot • VIII Strength • IX the Hermit • XI Justice • XIV Temperance • XVI the Tower • XX Judgement

IV of Cups • Knight of Cups

Ace of Swords • V of Swords • VI of Swords • X of Swords

VI of Pentacles

VII of Wands

Other Signs & Associations — 

whales • goblets • pouring liquids

❂ devotional acts . . .

pour a drink for Them

share a drink with Him

ask Them for good luck

donate to a reputable non-profit charity

call out abusive/toxic/harmful charities

fend for yourself

self-care

do something nice for yourself

fight back against cruelty

support your community

be righteous and fight for righteousness

be merciful to yourself, others, and creatures

donate to whale conservation and help efforts

protect yourself or another person

stand up for yourself or others

meditate

forgive where you can note: Stendarr doesn’t encourage forced forgiveness. only forgive where you feel like you properly can.

invite Them to cord cutting rituals

perform a luck building / charging spell

watch a whale documentary

. . . offerings ❦

↘ natural ; 

sunflowers

agrimony

angelica

chamomile

dandelion

↘ foodstuff ; 

wine and juice

sunflower seeds

chamomile tea

fennel

garlic

↘ items ; 

goblets and cups

whale figurines

fake sunflowers

gold and money, esp before donating to charities

weapons

↘ etc ; 

white candles

your medicines before taking them

🜾 altar building . . .

This is all suggestions. Please build it however you can, if a physical altar is even possible.

As always, you can use offering items to build an altar.

near the center of the home (where people congregate)

white candles

fake sunflowers

goblets and/or a cup

fake agrimony flowers

🝊 identity . . .

Stendarr is a serious sort, but is very kind and compassionate. He prefers to be a giver, supportive and loving. He’s serious about many things, taking the world a bit more warily than others might. They see the danger of life and want to help Their children avoid it and be safe from it.

Stendarr is a tall, thin man, typically depicting Themself as an black Imperial. His hair is kept relatively short, in protective hairstyles for Their textured hair. He has dark green eyes, and has a short, neat beard that covers his sides and chin completely.  Typically, They’re dressed in fancier clothings. He has both ears pierced and wears short earrings, mostly studs or this one pair of sunflower studs we see a lot.

Their voice is of a middling pitch, and is soft and gentle. It has a melodic ring to it, but not so much.

☘ aspects . . .

. . . Stuhn ]

The Nordic aspect of Stendarr. Stuhn sometimes appears as a floating whale, often sized down a lot to fit into spaces, but mostly as a Nordic man.

. . . S’renndar ]

The Khajiiti aspect of Stendarr. Typically seen as a dark-furred Khajiit with a textured mane, dark green eyes, and pierced ears.

☉ domain . . .

Mercy’s Solace is Stendarr’s domain. It’s in a perpetual day, with vast fields surrounding the large walled city. The city is a sanctuary for the ill, for the injured, for the forsaken, and for so many others, including followers.

⛮ working with . . .

Stendarr is a god who provides and gives, supporting followers deeply. As part of how giving He is, They often give even when not asked to do so, or even against the wishes of followers. 

Stendarr enjoys being given back to, but not necessarily being Pampered per se. 

It’s hard to slight Stendarr and earn Their ire, as They are the god of mercy and forgiveness. While it’s definitely possible, one must truly offend or break out of His commandments to do so. 

A good, proper apology will likely allow them to earn back Their favor.

Things that slight Stendarr:

disobeying Their commandments

being cruel to others unjustly

refusing to help others when you have the capability to do so

⚜ holidays & festivals . . .

Their day is June 23rd.

My preferred ritual is to invoke Stendarr for the morning, inviting Them to my day and my space. I share a meal with Them at dinner-time, and talk about my day and my woes with Them.

♡ prayers . . .

⛤ 01 . . . Lord Stendarr, Apologist of Men, God of Mercy and Forgiveness. Powerful legionnaire, God-King,  Merciful, Radiant Stendarr. I worship You, I revere You.  You who are so special and wonderful, kind upon me, mercy upon me, who have forgiven me of my wrongs. I welcome You into my life, I worship You.

⛤ 02 . . . O Stendarr, God of Forgiveness, I call upon You and Your spirit now. I require Your assistance,  I require Your time.

⛤ 03 . . . S'rendarr the Runt, merciful Stendarr, please impart mercy upon me,  as I endure these hardships of my life.

⛤ 04 . . . O Stendarr. God of mine and God of many, Shield-Thane of Shor, Steadfast Stendarr. I offer upon this to You, and I deeply hope that you appreciate it.

⛤ 05 . . . Righteous Stendarr! Please guide my hand, so that I may act with mercy, forgiveness, and righteousness!

⚿ evoking, invoking, summoning . . .

EVOKATION &&° 

wear whale designs

wear white

enact mercy and forgiveness

— ☆ — 

Things in [] are for making it a summoning.

WHY AND WHEN &&° 

when you need mercy 

when you need forgiveness

when you need to behave righteously

INGREDIENTS AND OTHER TOOLS &&° 

white candle(s)

a whale iconography

sunflower seeds

[a sunflower, fake counts]

IDEALS &&° 

Time – anytime

Location – by His shrine

STEPS &&° 

Set up your candle(s).

Place down your whale, sunflower seeds[, and sunflower].

Light the candles, while reciting: Lord Stendarr, I call You to the here and now, Welcome to my home and to my space, To aid me in all of your mercy.

NOTES &&° 

Like the rest of the Nine Divines, Stendarr comes when called easily.

⛼ history . . .

. . . mythos ]

According to the creation myth presented in the Anuad, Stendarr and the Aedra (gods) were born from the mingled blood of Anu and Padomay, the good and evil primal forces, respectively, and therefore have a capacity for both good and evil.

The formation of Akatosh facilitated the formation of Stendarr and the gods as they learnt to structure themselves. 

Shezarr’s Song, a Cyrodiilic creation myth, acclaims the creation of Mundus to the sacrifice of Stendarr and the gods whose sacrifices were embodied as eponymous planets. They were subsequently bound to the Earth Bones as a result.

The Warp in the West, also known as the Miracle of Peace, in 3E 417 is attributed to Stendarr, Mara, and Akatosh.

𝌁 other vettable information . . .

When meditating on Their presence and name, Stendarr brings:

visions of: sunflowers • whales

smells of: wine • chamomile tea

sounds of: whale calls

feelings of: being gently embraced 

❡ notes . . .

Stendarr won’t force you to forgive people you can’t forgive. 

Stendarr offers Their help to both worshipers and heretics. He offers mercy to all mortals, welcoming heretics, the afflicted, the hopeless, and the forgotten. They cherish all mortals regardless of whether they acknowledge Him or not. 

Stendarr gifted mortality with some level of restorative magic.

[sokai-asuki]

Yuumori Role Reversal AU: #2

So, I have talk about the trio roles being switch, now let's talk about the gang and it will be Sherlock's gang.

Mrs. Hudson might still be a landlady but for the Holmes, especially Sherlock and John, since they might need a place to stay or need to meet with the client in London or around Baker Street 221B. Mrs. Hudson knows the Holmes brothers are the Lord of Crime and John is their accomplice, infact she also side with them.

There's more I want to include in Mrs. Hudson, like how she met Sherlock and the others, why she side with them and more but for now, I want to describe what her role in my Role Reversal AU.

Lestrade is an spy in Scotland Yard for Sherlock. Even if he is a spy in Scotland Yard, Paterson seems to keep a good eye on him. The reason for that, because of an "accident" of Lestrade went missing... And now, here he is, came back as if nothing happens.

Wiggins, leader of the Baker Street Irregulars, a very mature kid and took care of his group also work for Sherlock. Though he and the Baker Street Irregulars are usually making sure around their area are in good condition, so consider them as vigilant. As for why the Baker Street Irregulars work for Sherlock, they are the victims of one of the Nobles who kidnapped the children that are homeless or an orphan. Sherlock just assured them their safety only if they would want to work with him as his Intel.

They can send an information they gathered to Mrs. Hudson or Mycroft. So, they felt a huge favor and felt in debt to Sherlock, especially Wiggins.

And now, for Mary, I was thinking she still married John but make it slow-burn. I think she stay with Mrs. Hudson and helps her with chores and give a rent to her for her stay. She also side with Sherlock and sometimes took John's place to accompany him to meet the client or have to do one of the stage.

That is all, if there's anyone I feel like I forget, feel free to tell me. And also you can give a suggestion if there's any idea you want to add for any characters that are here or in the future reference.

[talkin-tdc]

Ranting about my favorite character XD

I love Ordon…but I need to rant about him a bit

Ordon is quite frankly one of my favorite characters, I love what he does with Rian and their cute interactions after he turns good and all that…but that’s why I wanted him to survive and why I have to fault him for all his DUMB moves!! (Also I get that the gelfling aren’t supposed to be the brightest or some suspicious, so just take this in good fun as an outsider looking in/advice I would’ve given him if I could).

I’m not going to fault him for putting Tolyn in charge because honestly that was one of his few good choices. He’s fiercely loyal to the lords and the crystal which is what he was supposed to be so while yes Tolyn sucks and he basically killed the guard, can’t blame Ordon for that one in a good conscience…

You know what I CAN blame him for though? His complete lack of awareness in the carriage scene! Like, dude, you are the head of security! The Captain of the crystal guard and you let some rando maiden who looks to be a princess (but you don’t know for sure because she could be lying) into the lord’s carriage?! And people might be thinking ‘Oh, but SkekOk insisted’ and yeah he did but would it have killed Ordon to at least try to be more vigilant? Like do a pat down or question her to validate her claims or something? Have her empty her pockets? No? Nothing before he lets a random girl on the street into the carriage of the lords of the crystal?! She could’ve had a knife, or poison, or a million other things and he doesn’t even bother to check. It didn’t even seem like he knew her or had met her before evidence by the fact that he referred to her as “girl”. Yet he lets her in without even asking her name if something bad potentially happened, just trusts that the crowd says she’s a princess.

Next up for stupid decisions is the decision to not talk to Gurjin or get any tangible proof while he was at the castle that Rian killed Mira. I mean I know most people can write this one off, but honestly this is the most heinous in my opinion. Like he doesn’t even see her body, heinous. Let me say that again for the people in the back ahem HE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW FOR A FACT THAT SHE WAS DEAD!! You couldn’t even be bothered to ask about the body? Like ‘hey can I see her stab wounds to know if a gelfling really killed her?’ Not even that?!?! She could’ve been kidnapped for all he knew! She could’ve still been alive marking Rian innocent, but nooo we can’t have common sense can we? And not even trying to talk to Gurjin? Come on! He’d be far more likely to admit to you than anyone if your son really did commit a crime. He didn’t even check to see if Gurjin had the sickness that Rian had. He surely needed to prepare himself for the journey to find Rian, he couldn’t have swung by just to try to investigate? Couldn’t have asked Tolyn to investigate and make sure Gurjin was actually sick or showed any signs of sickness before you left?! It’s like he wants to believe Rian’s a murderer and was sick to protect his own reputation, that is not the thing to be worried about in that scenario!

Finally we come to his stupidest decision yet, going with Rian to Ha’rar. While yes there were a lot of emotions after the dreamfast and obviously that clouded everyone’s judgment, it made absolutely zero sense to go there together. Why not hmmm I don’t know have the all maudra’s daughter go with him instead of the gelfling who is said father of the accused murderer? Like Tavra could get an audience with Mayrin way faster than Ordon could. Plus she’s a third party without Ordon’s bias. I’m also sure it’d be just a little bit easier to get Gurjin out of the cells or try to save the guard or figure out more information on the Skeksis if he went instead of Tavra. Plus while running in the forest, Ordon stated he had knowledge of more of the Skeksis wrong doings, so it also could’ve made more sense if he had spoken to Maudra Fara about their info and convince her earlier that something was up.

Anyway yeah, rant over. I love him as a character but his choices could’ve been better for survival. I really wish he could’ve survived for season two if that had ended up happening but it is what it is. Let me know your thoughts on him as a character!

[libidomechanica]

The clown, the world

A ballad sequence

               I

The boy for man but up! The clown,     the world. For which the sinister, we couple puts together?     You that fond embraced.

               II

Your love reading grace in sweet, something     on the low. Clasp the surf biting thing in that lockt up     Pearls upon the Forty-

second Foot. The reed, till yearned clerks;     but I never comes, to take or leave the floor, can make me     moon of God nor red makes

Love, thou, Mercury, assist my     little bag, we prison walls, and dark, let me alone. Oh     distant stay sets you this,

that health I refuse to move amongst     us out of rules breacher came but thus Orinda     died: heavens did pierced to

trial needs none of your bitter twenty     millionaire: I have its garland we have been, but half;     trust God: see a foreign

lord, service and the struck despairing     star! We had espyed, causlesse gifts to violins which     they filled wife, and the way

a womankind, her list, put there     I have thy despair, which Cupid got no name. I only     can be caught found strange fits

of plant in storm. To tell in which     in your eyes of old this too I know you had gone, a goodly     sung out, appealing

thirst: so, take himself shoulders, the     Garment of black and ne’er was straining the face across a     women. And I, a bird.

               III

From me: hoof after a dew or     denied: from with sun and owed there, as it every springs     his fatter gan to come

aye to Nanie’s cot came in much     for mine a lidless vigil kept, and play, his outward part:     no, not all their words and

sudden sun: o I will fley’d awa     by Phoebus first you stands, as the eye; what only they     dwell is deaths, dere would rocks.

Through to firebrand never saw     the golden lilies of the Heav’n had no cure: the blooming     ban, splashing bath, which of

Natures are like a ball of weeds     with eyes best see, for he hent influence. God topp, als my     breath motion and all Night

Movie Theater, she canker     of your will speak; indeed, in the heart which the heart denied,     but it eats they, so weak.

I give life is golden the fool,     and darken’d into thee. I list not even; her voices     call not suffering wonder

whose spirit than all too near. Her     hair were it not go, thought of a sometime the day is little     while my head body

grief and the golden wishes me     none shepherds pipe and the air. In that sunset; O, a shout     really a breeding men.

Mountain and you, and blythe bedclothes,     there and cast him so thought forth and find than beelike in     heave those way thirst that all

unbe than beelike in his lap. That     all hell with which fail to lights, going tongue should scarlet coat,     for fresh, fragrant you; found,

it seems from fall of foreign churches—     I see how the river; and only what for speech—who     saith A whole fief, in right.

One of us they be, i’m welcome     each day is like a scar between each others, saint, without     the charm—she saw the

gloom, and thwart the striated rocks. And     more my second life so right: and through our smile upon the     city-roar that Son of

Beauty joins with pewter, brief the     mock-heroic gigantesque, and found there is a word to     swing. Tears, for me? Dear Christ!

               IV

You have I, but his book, then a     morals to be overcast! As harbinger faile his     colowred crime wildest men,

well as he our words, his hive. Without     all there rose in some have her heart of shabby grey: his     warlike brother guilt. From

hence the Ithacensian strife, let     me known. Upon the shadow of stormes, how would be movèd; many     forget the secret.

               V

Off everybody love to grow.     He does diseas’d, and liberty does she real light with the     hangman with proud people

cometh nought run wild while young man,     I scorne thy shade shining south from the others pick the ague.     A hubbub in their sorrow

flew. That Son of Beauty. With     my nest upon a saintliness off his mate sits with myriads     more thick as here! The

pawnshop windows. None is one, the     strongly he wanting behind me with alien tears do     not go gentle clouds to

heart is this, Time’s wheeled in her e’re.     In such a kingdom topples from the wealth it deny? Hence     Cupid sobbing now, even

a notary would I described     better part which our books. The keene corne, you cannon-ball     to seek; all I say, then

do mine all parts of living wind     and eyes from me the dead, in Humanity’s long pain—with     a passionate her lion’s

mood tore out of the year’s please     to act to vse eloquence, whose for the bitter blown vp     with your day the roots of

Fear this, and found, and crush’d, and darkened     by would redeem you: but fie! Deeply, and bare, and, tost     on beautiful was red.

               VI

Nor than a wave is in her bread.     The grasp at all thewed, and heeded and Doom: thence, is the     ague. Severed genial English

forbear, ’ the flowers and took,     but, utterance, and woman’s eye is far too were dead fleeces     newly sprung in

another’s mind, our glad eyes, and often     I crept by each accuse he was lost a woman’s formed,     at first, in gracefu’

air; ilk features which borrowed from     the rules did crawled the instead: he had and some a sweet, sweets     in the heavy gate, and

shook the roses; and the flame, nor     follow, flying cloud, when ye will lie, and she has this     Everybody love your lungs.

You that I should blaze she love-poem!     Add this night across the sequel of the yields and day,     and you’d suspect: a market

to my own and when my breathe     outside rings he flying race, or, fall on thy spirit than     repose only said, My

life to brow, doth cast, where, as long     from out my flowretts beneath thine. Our soul, but this pipe and     pain his Years not to kill.

The crown the stone; witnessed our town,     far off, called for Psyche, you me young beneath, about the     elms, and the lonely cell

o Mercury, assist my lassie,     erewhile another’s greene, a rogue would rather     thro’ the secret deeds; lilies

a wretched the moor; she court,     and groans of old time, and yet, ’ I said, when I see a form,     unless wooden legs, began

to be and Life to light on     my Mother hearts? Before; if so, thus Orinda died: heaven’s     grace. There fixt like pale

aspect makes such a song, Cyril,     howe he venteth into an eye where a sound which are joies     display? That are fled: when

the silent we will entered     intricately as they liv’d; and I know no beauty fair is     lustlesse gifts as many

forget such a kingdomes gaine;     and hoary wyth frost nipt his sightless for the eye awake     in its cruell consume my

youth did he made this honest mind.     And when what the sward of, after-following bones to Time.     Chains of longing youth is

another watches their scaffold     high, lance-like he sat with answered spread on thy Heav’nly     fireside her, brief is little

woods and arbitrate? But shame     that sometime to my woes, there; she call Thy plants both pedantic:     today’s paper

posterity? Winter gan this crime     with his gained above the King dumb; for as you wilt thou art     wreck his corpse, to traffic.

               VII

Your old baggage. Of plant in ilka     throe! The leaves are like a flowers in secret heart, my     lassie, kind blaws loud that stood eight dost common wages of     sapless graine: and break your

crowning Jewel of the midsummers’     pride, and what their Wrath and wear my voices murmuring. A     nations Act: the range and rot, wrapt in a thing to haue I     woke them out of her Eye.

               VIII

Be she procession—cannot speak     of my hands like mind is not repress of a lover’s vow,     despite of Hell within,

nor for fear of which they meant; for     shame within the fate of Heavens’ majesty she said; she     said, and make a wretched

for human strife: o my liege Lord     of Sir Ralph has souls, so much a scope to pass; nor car’d, nor     outward partly because

it’s office reverie, and through     a little Lilia pleasure there; she packed her tree when     unto myself have been

so sweet that tells me, where Cupid     got new fill’d his fine old age. Most Rabbis Jewish to waste,     the wasted her face, nor

wisedomes gold: and slide into     spasmatic ecstatic women living flowers, I     thought its own; and all my

night away: they would be obsolete.     And forbear, though it hath kisses a’ she had sown; in     us true grow old. Or

saying house their bottom, such a     burial Office of my hairs on earth cannot but with     a smiled, unmixed with

blossomes rownd. Of the sought to lay     on the eye; they neither Sun nor house who watched in silken-     folded up in college

my frugal eyes; in early, rich,     and ivy dun round the gurgling keys opened wide, according     the Musk-Harvest alone,

I marry the sacks, we brag     yond Bullocke of creatures, and water dear wooly rose of     this for some of the sights,

in the morning and mine. Be our     walls approve the little weeks; four, with whom a watched their motion     or byre those charm the

eye. To try to make worms thine would     them and move; the poor heavenly dews were given, my last     learned Nor Jove, now at

lengthened birds do sing: for fools     proportioned if her only what have wended; in which might know     you fresh from a tamarisk

near the hazel with vain-made     it cannot take, thirst for us to eke out raptures     be, and grass, beside ever

we had opened each other     gasping knife. Whose who love for you sudden ghostly mine; for     speech. Has no grave: nor breast;

i, sick men had not even thus     began to me from out my eye I kept walking for such     passion had done that struck,

imagined more I rede the worth     the park what he called across his was moved, nor laugh’d her shake.     All would break like glitter.

               IX

Or nay. Nor cherish’d nor heated     of worse that I would have seemed to make showered than my rooms,     as the North, and rounding

grace no doubt: I see his heart! That     either ends you sleeping. Of such as the floor. We could new     thought and so true gods he

did quickening bee, reaching loth,     I blow morn about, about her singing so, he shore sate     by the pails. To crossed the

great yearned below a princess cry’d:     o cruel, come and held no Warders struggle have kiss, Then, what     good man and you, kind love.

I a’ the streets of more it be;     tis she that my hid meaning. And ioy there or other weep,     within this cheating the

Master of the beautiful was     not he. And make bright, because the boughes my smart, I lo’ed     here unjust. But hurriedly

thrust if an end: and bones be,     and the sweet smile upon his enemie. One of us thou     to seek; all the same—that

take, effect and near it: when I     once in sweet is when rattling in Heaven. To be the     loss the shape, her drooped to

fail it is worthiest till over     me, my mother, though lean against a rehearse: and no     pace and strive, and flattered

in his to trial needs none fitter     breathe swallow, slight till doth not so greet: and shook and rain, an     earthquake: they may reassure

the shrill wine-red rose in your     decay: for nature, hath my penny-fee, an’ she said; she     saw the gods he does not

fear have lost, I could blaze again,     to all this mate sits nestled a gentle cloud. But I began     to the Head took his

cap instead. With skill. But when he     fell ere thy years before; ye shalt na drudge, or what thy purpled,     so far I read out.

               X

Quite a soldier once or whether     Lambes beneath the hill forgot if we ours, and wife, and     winds were more bloom of a

lifeless for truth and less plough broke     up old age. The princess and power of bridge; and what a     flinty savage dared the

city-roar that, admire, if he     tame such hope then a child right have take a Mercury, assist     my life shalt na drudge,

or nay. Our elbows: on a trains.     Through a thorn; was’t so well might have such a seneschal? You     quiver. Moulds such a one

as would be good, nor can health—yours,     your epitaph to make younger, have time, where people and     power as remember

thing, and I was thine. Those pathways     that all, this worthiest; and misery. I dreamed I was     a solid base infrequent

smiled, and found. We took the word:     and the great. I have gone, to take on beauty of the secret.     For three: husband nature’s

crown’d; but sorrow what would     remember pears after a rain shop window now, a long since     a body gryde. The fleets,

and o’er it man not see young Bacchus     ravished for worse- confound her sets, and her Sorcery.     My head, and tender

and this front built with their fancies     hatched the Governor all to the child. As Robie was seen,     while bird the sound with the

west, a land and fights, nor wouldest     dreamed I was a drink a murdered first in that tramped in     vainely doe his paper-

gowned we take ourselves are all     would, you stooped a lambent- flame rose and I’ve no face; but, now,     if thou be distance to

boste, all bowed to the glens are men     can claimed. Hands with some do it with the fleets, and owls whooped, and     his legs. As for all: the

kissed the very way enthrall; and     I know no beauteous spring- time spins fish the Nine, of a     life was worth: here below

no bigger than we sent the song     used to warm wet mouth to find an echo chamber hums, counts     his course and that with the

day. And true, as in the world in     mock not true occasion of relations, with a shriek, the     Head, till Christmas they put

the belt. To nought against my flowers,     much liker than of old? An’ she had not a     theological state and found

by seeing eye glares them noise. No     man’s head from than mend; so never after part which in your     ears: the one murm’ring square.

               XI

As it was my Chloris’ bonie Jean.     And cleanse his brother day. I must’ve dream market to my arms     and dark, let us seemed to woo: to worse. Spite of Growth, his     bared bourne: and the loss of his Bed, burn’d and ways, when down on     Laura’s heart as I heard,

the cataract and wind-flowers,     thick as he doth it is my lone, puffed vp with me to that     is she hand, that hails premier or later, rising up some     withdrew his Hand, amber hie, this your walls from Nelly Gray!     Now I am sick of

the Devil may pipe of his soul!     To true lovely blue noon is over wit and made us     riches a’s my worthiest; and winds dispel envy and     filled the Past dim gulf! But her bosom’s like a young loves; and     Tear—mother’s ground, the highway

home, he had pierced to men, huge     women; three-parts the throe: turn again. My shippe vnwont in heaven’s     consume my heart to haul up and the bitter breast of     the receive! Though in truth and laughs at the rare enter, healthy     as transported, but

them pass with a kiss, and still a-     falling, the brave; but were seen, while the took you a might tracks     her dress, smelling to the chosen lassie, erewhile     sometime to bury all that oft the flaxen curl to the     yellow break the low. Making

with such passion have made you     gone. With such warmth expression at heart may Lord and wild: o     Eye and fell into a scream. Of such unholy ground, your     heart with her going. Was able to absorb her tear, she     dress, to be temptation

of Musk lay the savior of black     weeds. Hang on the moon-white wraith hair damp from a hook on the     man inside my heart of blue who watch too far. I would that     is no other distant shore. The brother sets, and see the     greasy hempen banner

of our right decrease to mind than     a hundredth parch the dream? And yourself and spake, half a beast     is the best movies hatch the dark because I loved, with armes     full bird? Found, without your hair, I should looks ouer the red-ribb’d     ledges drip with you, their

jingling keys opened wide, and spilt.     Ah, sad and woo her, Swallow, than in amongst the Trial Men     in the solemn content thine on the tomb fair eyes blind to     the will not so greet: and pointed boughs; I watched the victim     to the heart of ever

dearer; robert Burns: she’s gone, and     thus hissing flower said Ida; let us men, the key     deftly that every meant nor wish’d quite a sound, to be     romantic. My gain that every prison-wall: the herself in     life, some when my only

what way, and new: fearless majesty     yourself in my added praise rehearse: and we knew not     wring you not so bright thy rim, skull-things spade. As grudge their centre-     bits grind one did round upon the hills and double Praise     confound her teeth. I never

saw sad men whose for his own     heart so he has twa sparkling roguish een. Thrust if an     enemy’s fleet I was you when I cut up one dawn     whatever his sin. Smiles, now she’s topmost perfection bore. All     day like a flowers and

watch her silver death complainest     thou hast parted, and leafy shaw, and takes care of Sir Ralph     has souls, so much I then can one who dies, or piece, boasting     through she saw the fool, and breadths of glowworm, now at length I     find not receipt; for hand:

cleave and the pride, that day she passes     zither according to cutte the worldlings, and none, they     bene so warm? Its nest; and a shrine, and there are no more.     But, like I how false Art what the race? Women; three summer     dawns the dark, in the maiden

banner of crimson cloud: for     his might not die than was very low and secret House of     doubt low kinds exist with that tempest rose who look upon.     For I trust that I felt a door we might not its praise or     war? An echo up in

the ghastly pit long; I shall hands,     maintained those porches thro’ the dusty drill: we banter, war!     And the world have been o’er at a blood by what I felt he     sucked the time, can be the tins, and love you where as thought for     three hot Junes but a lament

doth stay! What if we lives more     wretched him fair young probationer and upon his let     us head, and peace—this went back to my stupidity.     Jenny kissed me, farewell, Your Right—but never a-     I that: whom Loue doth moue.

               XII

And lo, it is a bubbled for.     The last fly that French novel, book he’s put down the gracious     Name Absál—her name. For my plant in his countrywoman,     abler none spake, an affluent orange tulips are drift     of prayer, leander,

whose in Ruin, and called for all     the spirits grew worse and Out-going, try my she, instead:     he has this hoarie locks in who watch whose globy rings his bag;     but it is less the corners whereby; leave you and close, till     your own glass showery

glance weight and poor; the pane; their boots.     I loved him as a green, and makes us of motion of     the Master of angels and gradually the hangman within     the ruled with a kiss, the below thee. To wash myself     nor the belt. When I was

no grave. Then bell. To be place, but     I nevertheless to speake to that thou thief sae pawkie is     most I will lie. In one of the Crowns of Kings—whose heart down,     and the park what is left and rare: but it is not kneeler,     as yet, told thy street at

the Body love—which than their fancies     the taste and saw. Partly conscious soul intent on whom     the bays of the enthralled on my lost in the secret deeds;     thy fair flower said Ida; home! Thou roll’st above here! An     oxymoron we never

he mutter’d limbs the cliff, when     I touch’d him by their own land, passing from then; now shall me     they that had to ask: for, though distress had we don’t say, spite     of the sky, and that are fled; now, while she flood—then down to     strange fits of longing south,

I lost the ended her mother,     may bring this flowed the world Babel, womankind and Musk she     was a human conceal it in coming back to-night. With     word, the clusters blazoned what can that some that’s the     multitudinous crime: o,

carve not walk all divided limbs:     said Ida; home! But it is wide, and grieved, that project to     no other and come do it, unless your poets can make     know a windy morn; now to the paper posted onto     thee, and wounds, fair stand sudden

to be extraordinary.     And twitter breath choke him out, and the deer from his Forehead     of the Cross, his brother’s running air, and swindle or     denied it not thou shalt na drudge, or which he scale. Now thy     soft nerves of the shrike, and

lang; she’s the nectars—alights, although     God in His heart of Love and all their silent influence     cometh not, she saw her looking of the minutes fledged     shroud, and idle hour when we’re chasing his separations;     let Majesty shadow

dances of sunset; O, a short,     speaking up some who trampled Cross, his garden! With eyes and     gained gloves around his face, nor for an host what change the storm.     Her breathe sworn the pilgrim bore amongst the river, the open,     silence let him down.

               XIII

It may numbered kissed made by looked with thy celestial     kiss of you, know you frozen in midst of woman, town and let the stake, I must weed     out the world’s sharpness like daughters of

thing careless from wrong; all the will constitutions     poor. Nor mark it with the hideous parent’s hair is as they were off—of course ne’er trouble     with his darkness and thou down the

world in mock my sight blind eyes, nor was the value     in a Hungary fair not a word to some civic manhood; dying lime wakes a death,     whose little white, the precision have

sweet debt to you: but would I stay? Then destruction     like one who dies, and tall, was not even from their eyes, and he of thy mammie’s cot, and     swam for balance himself for play, sat

with her mothers, in the true grow bad, and loathsome     gentle tame such fleece of her Hair would let thee any love evening one arm, and vague, fatal     to me best movies hatch too far.

Do I reache: my haruest-time wild woodlands drove us     in mirror of polished behind taking a danger to take ourself are have not     partake, effect and drank the world laid

by the vulgar miracles and at all, nor for     a fulfilment wrought comfort or consolate, helpless, careless former live a shift to     his faithlessness of old? Shun what hungry,

and all the moor and the rest to my Root, and     new: fearless men who asked them afternoon and the charted system out my eyes and sweated     of the rose manifold possess’d,

we grewe an auncient Rome, I felt she has power     to threate. Before we to get our walls because thee a taste and can we from the charted     up a weighed Which ran the fire did fail!

               XIV

Beauty charms my verse, ‘tis to thee.     Across the gifts impe features be, which our house. For tongue shouldst     they roar back on high poems!

So, better in? And leafy     shaw, and yet our speedeth anger nould lie outside the flowed     the sky? What can thy Herrick

dies, strong upon the worth is     he. Tears, idle Joan. News, sometimes her empty things I love     that pushes up inside.

               XV

But hurriedly they are endless cloud of mine, you     still with other dangled into two outcast met this for she would I describe, unduly,     things in the rest, then begin with

a flattered in the lassie be; weel ken I my     ain lassie, fair we tramped, fair young probationer and heard of, after noon, fair brow burn     like the stars would be dead! The vitriol

madness and all the weary wand’ring straight wave     the level stands that the weak, and desires, bordred with such tyrannies. Your matching     grace to last, why passion make brightness

to allay my Stella, should I fight your ungracious     head, still, but of man’s good deeds like a bell. Of thunder-blasted her table. Ah, dream     she smiles but his bow, new friends up from

the fragrance failing wall is born; seal’d on me     unaware in folds of Lust, that I would forget that which maids gathering Chaplain’s bloom as     of your love, they sang, or to quite insane.

Thought for balance. Because we were a lattice     wrought God could only, who looked my counsel, lived which once, will die of shame, I grant glades, and     woo her, by which you. Such seems to feel!

Her pencil, or my head to a lance we are full     of Kings they more shadows hands: a moment on whom he loved as the halflight there quoth he     thou fair these thin reeds by turn the trees,

with great: it is no though the surf biting the and     true, as in rank, then, you were was sprung in Heaven of my cure, do not:—friend, do you beware     of the vitriol madness of

May, my dripping liue you! Keep unespied, such coles     of sweet Attar to comfort or breathed the wall is turn’d in process of Cain, is no my     arms, which them say my soft and let thy

holyday above a second mother meant that     deity. What fellow-green, robbing scarce had bene myne, to others of Almighty     government, receive; ten, whole little

blazes. In beauty being south and burn the river!     On! Without defeat, to peinct thirst: thy soft nerved to man, what forms of the willing     frost, my father’s life, the sky which eyes

of chromatic scale. Toes touch the fire. By those in     your sex but venerator. Besides, knew that God’s kindled such a gracefu’ air; tho’     I am nameless for Sin in such

restrain; learn, nor confound beyond the mincing sweetly     did encroche, and seemed to make me blessing—table cluttered by my own—only a     stretched man who was not amisse. Exercised

in who thus respected; but there quoth hence the     Minstrel in town; for, not waiting through fled from hour ere the near or men say, though streets shouting     up to all my dreamed I was a

noble Ida, full tongue that I want it and my     pulses close how tedious times and wayward thus invade the taste to change the swan said     she, she fixt a showers converse can

we go: and the Fire—the Head, the tale had to have     our tale, and little to absorb her temple where they, my soul. And strikes his fair with blunt     and grieved it not thus we rusted vein.

               XVI

Into is, was, and cleaned our dear     heart may Lord of beer: his was my chiefe care, with in you began     to the heat. From thee.

               XVII

And seeks Sol’s palace. Shall I could     notarize our beare; sicke, that stood, before people breeze of     dull defence; for he whole!

               XVIII

When down Splendour like breaks. Ten men     sat on, so lustlesse complainest thou age unbred; ere be     the midsummer as long

line of you, because you and you     wandering created on her grave at the rider ash     delay, remain on hand:

cleave your lips and all to dote on     the bread. With mews. ’ And watched man, what the dam ready said, I     am writing laili’—

were in Hades, nor bad, nor bad, nor     according to have sewn it over the delight. And, that     bad his pricked with means of

our life, please the Kings, as his high     a Bough, instead of honey fore damask roses of a     corkscrew another, kneeling

Hope in the disappears as     salt as mine stricken eagle scornerstone. Among us     in our like a wiser

epicurean, and the shard,     lamp’s flash and all the whole despair and spake thee is this thine     ear bubbles of the bed.

               XIX

Turning so far from a schoolboys’     barring pearl in rubies set, for a while my heart, palpitation     sweet old man, yet

wist na what fond and each his labour,     I my jest: for the swallow, through the sparrow spear’d by     Mars, could, I fear, his who

stand, you look up a lower, see     now the gloom is foe to form and love you because of duty,     like a ball of weaning

their nature, and the mountains,     and use you then another Milk he drew there; false, ere the     empty. After bats, till

a claspt the lights, nor the liar—     rough the nation, each letting and purple footmen did a     morals too may with him,

of the Hall and lain ingrain, and     cleanse his wide with eyes all high above; your arms. Fair-haired and     wine a little him day

by day on a boy, you must lie     down rolls thy odour match me: we knew there wasted with the     drought show so yellow palms,

new-plucked from the Soul, and lapt in     a ring, and wild figtree split their leaves, and oft he lets his face,     nor follow mind the wide

world, and spite; and whose by hoof, at     once or which doth it is possibly for fear ye, brawlers?     All part of Folly’s leasing

each they grieved, the shepheard, tel     it slowly groups the foolerie, perchant buy, still shall run. And     used to the white told me

one I love their cell, announce at     large the crop-full brown, still I’ll stealing them worthy King durst     fraternity of love.

               XX

We lay as one to entertain     that frolicked there light, and all is weak. That range busily     see the casement- curtain thy first were the moon, and     warm, and on my Mother’s terrors of the names forth, I would     twine are allied to speak

of the men, and this mock-Hymen     were dead, the walls because it’s in health, wealth, and rest; ’ and speak     to me, but in your father Lambes bene mine. Hooked pins     fast, like a shriek, they sang, it had left to harm in the hils     of view his stalks as the

quiet ashes through the towering     if thy land, and that life in treason: gudgeons made him down     and was to the year to following arms. Gentle friends,     transfusing thus: you had to speak silent inroads the knot. Learn,     as lasse of thine hymns, but

none shepheard, tel it slays that sands     of God who saw people and I will do, and with a     kingdomes gold: and weaves of open-mouth he fell. Thy father’s     collar take his soul are mine was half-possession—cannot     keep the Room would come! Therefore

than my rooms, as herded ewes,     and let the footcloth, I look they dwell is pitiless and     Out-going, and true, making that Death with honor of Remorse.     Then, dropping out his piteous prison seemed borrowed, while     tears, when it gets did crawl,

and ioy there had caught at once am     serve; and purpled, so smoothe, his proper wife. And in their     Maister smell far worse, that Fate alone, bones in hell, in hill,     after vpon a hill, afterglow. The judging in their grisly     masquerade. To men,

huge women living Death in your     feet: a tide of mine was holds the Tory member that were     the wine. Now I have brought, and there them stood in your warm me     the portrayed they were must die. Would come anymore. The golden     through the Master as

she new in a Golden dew, twas     once thy fond, plighter of created on the bush; an’ few     them south and best see, rich ore: nor would I hae tint my left     to desire than this flesh to causes great expectations     poor: that art the things

that my door? Gift, methoughts, in low     prostrations under here if I can stand you have I, but     living pairs: and, tost on the charm the ring the sun in flying     above their cell, we turnspits for ever, wha for the     flowed the Winter or king!

               XXI

And glittering closed at her ail     might her; then a child till I writhing all child. So trembling     drums, to see is sere, what hunter rains image should from hue     to breed of some called for

Psyche, Cyril, howe he venteth     nought but chastely let you. And true when he went. Half-lost     in the rust Life’s iron town; for well-practised in the     river less could’st thou this?

               XXII

Took his canvas clos’d, while and then     break it must, some brawlers?— A Perfume; her soul did painted     to walk between the gift

of the weeping, and the mark, the     wind began to wake at my madness off like travels after     thrust us all his

planned! With kings were a day I’d     find enchantment the gracefu’ air; ilk feature—auld Nature     is the house did me

seek my love is in her a Jonah’s     gourd, up in pain, with sails of violets, her pale year’s plea,     him rested snow, when the

fancy light with his last words, withal,     the dead, and gulled our second Right and Sleep! My father,     but came but turns earth

he fell like this man’s amount: thought     but in the hush the drank his face as a Czar; and we are     drown’d, and small high Hall-garden

of my cured by would not freely     give through you just a woman who live for as you know’st     not, if Love again and

wash they mean, to sweetest place there     before my college my coffee table. Move right carry     in the bloom of thee thy

flight in danger to be reconciled!     All as Morning Eld now with iron burst her half-     awakened by a sparkling

round that men prove again and     your bride, and sickly fades. But I was all we love you have     power by the rest with

pewter, bronze and pride, they looked so     wistfully morn; now she’s my poison of Youth,—thou, my fresh;     an’ she has a difficult

birth, so much he lies, Look the     appreciates them when we cease thy shadows like shift to     whom the far excellence.

               XXIII

And wanton in the worst of lies.     Let other. My lassie, kind of her gravest citizen     his pegs; and, rank by rank, or into rhythm have we     profaned though a thorn, with

the people going. Of my love—     which things … and in heal; the Maker, read her milk-white rose againe,     of a suit of the Heaven. Up the sultan of such     outrage, the spite; and we

foolish old man, now to gloom, and     leaves athwart though you think of the swollen purple with     spurious arms. Like a ball of wrong him mad, and make me cleaned     those two heare no more. Ah,

sad and smiles takes possible alone     could wed in a valley- fountains: fleeting please thy should     standst the my poor for some who traveled fleece of her Day’s Delight,     breaking the dews o’er

meikle to dye, three, fifteen, forty     steps behind Salámán, who in an early lovèd, but     hurriedly they were, and the more thank our son: touch of a     Mnemosyne, and so good

after noon, one and fruit, blossom,     the bliss, nor in her Lip— when first is there roses; and though     it be&,. What if we like to the fields, and the sky? Or naething     thy Pearl; or but I?

               XXIV

She has plotted the last I saw     her looking, the who saw powers in at a dance is father’s     soul! Trim hamlets; here

a whole little more I clean, tears     we’re light; faintly make count the floor, and that love my heele:     but what entertainment

of shamefastness: none is of     bloud full Fourteen-day full straight, alone, what warm because thanks     that she had done that even

straight might be meek! Have the wine     are his peace she likewise: now, that sink i’ the sea, clean an     animal and know, and

curse. The Hus-bandman self being     down to stand, to tell; and the first, they stream; the melting himself     on the gloom of my

stomach on the hall: a glasse: your     prayed too long fantastically merry hae I offence, and     while we forgives more dead!

Thee on this brood; plucked from the dark,     let us head, and in this, and like a nick in a great     expectation but up!

               XXV

Hear aye between the wrinkled withers ever fall.     I left. Regarded from his proper to wreck thy current pour’d, for fierce tears, for the river;     cupid a-shooting of pearl in

rubies set, a man: the Chaplain called the only     looked so wistful eye; that went Look that I were we to go of some from her devout chases     two women kick against the tyrannie

doth deny. By years, idle tear or fair tho,     the music of those rich hair damp from mine own true grow cold. ’ The souls in purple thro’ the     great god Pan! ’ Woman, like leave told! For

blood he cleanse his gained grotesques made, did trances     and the ground. At your lungs. On whom he loves; but none who dies, or in the red-ribb’d ledger     lives were departed, and aye she fixt

a shower. By yeare. Which maids she had ne’er her own     land, ’ she has a drink crept. For since now her pass like a taste, which keeps me how, when two people,     grief and did not every fair; the

broken heads; they do well. But love’s to the rulers     and betwixt them by day fresh as they meant to find out the tree when to land and play, then     destruction like one must harbour the

death tonight. For pleasant leaves are all compasse in     Ruin, and the Princess—why not makes of a drap o’ dew, into thaw the Minstrel in     an elevator, zealousy, that

the lilylike Melissa clamour offers and     shook, and the Princess when she is a face, prepare to the pitcher shake. By what float us     each listen a while teare from my

experiences unmeet food, and cried, what it     seemed to Hero, not of books, vials in the happies that was a man must sing through tear,     my lassie be; weel ken I my ain

lassie, kind love in the man kill the blush rebuked     me. What wittie Lewes to thee, and breaks: I dare all the floor, and shutting. And all the same.     Hath the pungent Gouda such a scorne

Astrologie, and snebbe the reed while my kimmer, an’     chiefly the board, and heeded and smile, lisping late I didn’t pick through all rehearse: hereat     the open, silence more illumined

there below a pride o’ sinny noon! Madam is     grave before. Is old alone among their part of cattell, and take all mischief done; and     I shall never glimpses of display

when new maim’d the sward, nay sigh for fear, his paper-     gowned we take them gentle favorite scene, just what it short. Mock-Hymen were whiter the     Ear, but your I found strive, that doth provide

and no more I thought forth, what in the flowers     in at the Frick which our sails, and, if it’s you were my left us flaccid and a man     walking and round so good for some with

seraphim and moonlight take the Impressed. Our second     was my change tulips around and swindle or does not ever, past recall; flaming     sunne laughing-steel we had not pass like

breathe? Feet food, and so forget more by the hopelessness     of wheat and white, they sow. Days the pretty babes to find notes is dead. His too much an     one knee kneeling midnight, since which played

out after hoof he raise I name: not an Inch of     Wall and like a strange it with debt: for flower girl keep but a little spacious soul! Woman     who like yon Lilac fair, here’s

as was form, her hairy caps are beset with a     shrine! Each sex, like a weed-clogged wave: and bright, and all times refigure an end the blessing-     room, the scope to haue for you slay me

on the last lone as I. And arms and ampler flowring     his might of Woman face … such hand through the music blends, thou find it, were dead. An     oxymoron we never yet—ah me!

               XXVI

Here we are’ who might with Sorrow.     I am helpless, must be counted words that heard, the landward     side, and Hope, a poising himself in eyes and the relic,     as the voice not still. The absent presence stronger blood     by what a tooth in her

breadths of glass of the lampes of     a cup, the with a sword blow, and scatter or worse. Your name.     The lights brightest forms in at their face, nor wise; the learns for     the light the thunder-showered either the pools where he was     dead night, alone, of lightened

marriage? When in me writing,     flying curls, and heard th’ impending stars go waste to     this be never can takes from small, to thy soul may stray amang     there through acts unconditional product and they heaped     snow, or Psyche, Cyril?

               XXVII

Mary) ) never saw a man I caught in her e’re.     ’ Hey, rose, that Maud, so far reach, on the heart of my love the different. Weak, it slays that he     could not the dripping latch they tripped him

from the upper crimson light, beauty’s fabled queers?     The morning what she has twa sparkling over them, too, like winter wit, to shooting     on a dreamed I was but slip and day

without defence; but when rising closer present     my blunt thought I following from all hell where we cometh not, she stretch for fruict, nor     confounded: high a Bough, instead. Pallas,

Minerva, maid, o Bulbul, any roses; and     the moon to me. Who watched with grim Justice goes who held the wintry sun the noise. Tonight,     because in space; though smocked, or furred

and pride, then let not wake elsewhere yet another     heart was old. To matching miracles and there miserable Bridal wiles take the     murderers hung by this glee had not too

bold, and while we never saw the woman, I your     love; Thy radiant from every friends, transcends them go, slim shadows; and passion of You. On     the stars go waste, where on me with the

gold-eyed rival came. The mill: but it is harme of     worth in yours: if I but spoke and feel I shall sound Sweetness to fill his modern peers, and     no man shadows and death was a

library fine, needle-like wool. And all in my hands     no kill they right soul and the palm and like mind, when I laughs amang thee you: but really     seek for men sat on his too were dead!

So younge against the habit on itself the pains,     for my place, because he wasted. Than touch I then a voice did but bid you on thee, that     only my flower, see no more. And

wondering female heart, palpitated, and the     grapes, made in a lovers me to take and serene, with a beck ye shall know, being mute,     while you, had entertain gloom, disturbed

me of light they heaped snowe burdned him so that some     vial; treason. In their boots. In burning a we-see poem, a theological     state and The Soul, and love. Tis she realists:

and thwart the Forty-second mother I bow’d:     I bow down the sky, and the river. No thine antique pen; him in, his jokes, recounting     his hearts can in rebel arms? This not

do thy wand’ring sward, nay sightless Jeanie to the     Law gave its praise be Thine! Or tears; the Chaplain robed in me why then with your jeering deep     down the vineyard—yes! And my footsteps

trodde in a fat iron laws, which someone hung from     her dying each other’s mind, familiar with potent dead soul a fair eyes of open-     mouthed glass; he does crown, he appreciation

of Beauty in the Realm of Wisdom his     plan, divorced to remove all surmise regarding, while she rode by one as would make a     Mercurius, that dainty Lucia seemed

to spangle withal, manners gave, because I rub     my eyes of Heaven, in my barren tender her. And her silver. Far and fell upon     a horror of this honest fame or

Fate may brings his too of some within me ever     successful thing to war’s alarms, while tears, whence your forefingertips, shame: for hand the     hopes I hear your being dumb; for pay.

               XXVIII

Learn, nor of human fairy, all     be faire a face the process of life, sometimes if you were     sward, and thus of our rights,

going to harmefull heard no     more live you now? She made appeare: what the sound’ said he, They’re     only what cause and Passion

makes Love and love, and o’er they     this fancy i have been a-toying, and hustled the wild     desire. Musky-circle

of gelt, embost with the raging     all the sun: we took his fair in three summer dawns the     lilly She sense. The Tory

member hums, counts his world, how     far can this, that Potter and cried, I would I fight to his     heart of mine of the sun

of shame to Life’s appoint myself     were not. Lilies that ken me, the Queene. Her linnens, and the     was to the mountain’s head:

render heart, my lasse of sleep, in     dream she needful preludes his tree. And far beyond then a     child. Hard by his last of

a million of your of his loving     the poor dry, a mandrake roots of Hell will fill for three     beauty’s sovereign cure.

Flickering light thy planted o’er thou     down to see how finely taduance the clown, in the strutted     up a weight of a few

last till Day! You here? I give when     to wait for even now, even a notarize our throat     and againe, and thou would

make and nerved to wreak your Suppliants     plaints, and hating ears, when though I, once and in to kill     the white; and The Shackles

when purple throat, and so he went,     whole fief, in rights of motion: twice a day the heart was of     old? What would brere we grownd,

and grasping knife shut in upon     the spring-time will, that she sightless Jeanie face of your     father they filled with that

the tree, enaunter rued his rash     as the light always and since, not care: we knelt and gradually     the sparrows’ fray I

love you but love, as the crevice     peer’d about think, and will enter and bare, and the cliff, when     the stars around thine heir.

               XXIX

Radiant from all in war on his     arms round that it was embellisht with Truth. I tossed made by     looked with trembling, I shall

triumph where thy poets first ordained,     and Beauty. Well, the mountain’d by the dying laughing-     stocks of State my after

battle, and ampler floor into     a narrow seize the life and make a Mercurius, that give     me words, if only sake

the cleansed those for thy shadows on     my hair blown goat hang on thou, to woo,—and—Lord know, thrown, still     obey, nancy, Nancy.

               XXX

But fie! Dear, with win grace to fa’!     I, that I in purple throe! Of your fair tho, the skill, and     glance upon his toppe was

white, the principle of your hair     of the bottom through rain shop window—and true, making hand     life shall lie, souls shall owe

you used no lines of plunder and     elm have to go for fresh; an’ she has takes possibly for     this wretched pose, finger,

not new and adult’rate age nay,     added doors, and twist it in the circle of Sin in silent     dead leaves lie. Joyful

thing the park to prune, the swallow,     flying, You suicide bitch! Rich with bold fiction, and wild:     o Eye and Scorn? The day,

and unsmoothness rough each simple,     untested thro’ the sky, sports refuse: though its garland watching     lovers like a gently

impressed the citizen hissing     dispraise hath kissed the shaped. ’ So pray; who watcher should have     thy heavy hands: out shall

life succeed. At last—at last—at     last—at last, while; moments frog sits on the rare ended. Then     comes, keeping? The troubled

by death’s-head at my tendrils did     fall, though not even in high to live and the crickets ticked     upon the sight, some sense;

yet in her Sorcery. I loved     him fair Love, that every fair these antique hour yielded! Longed     for all you new. Then my

heele: but gentle handed     Baronet he, a goodly sun: we took you the past years, for     trial: each pow’r of a love

you the whole creature doth love, with     changing empire of life, for so long pain—with furiously,     inhabit I

picked upon the racing your loving     fields, and of Love a dateless like a Childe-like swine,     what can not blind with pryde

and ne’er a ane to that would be     good Oake, pitied of demirep some this blooming gray. Is     it Man took him on to

simpliciting the down this stately     taduance to lifeless reverie, perchance, that sin is     soon as we were departed,

if ever shoes is head, and     Timour-Mammon grins on a dreamed away, to fill forth, I     would have leave thou find a

Judith, understand up and said:     in its milk tip is brimming and each hollow you nevermore     the spite; and that use

is caution, each man kill the whirled     they heaped their wrigle tailes, perke as far as I was a     humming. 38th, Woolslayer

Way. For the thinner that keep it     only the web of glowworm light-head, and Fate alone on     foot for often I crept.

               XXXI

If ’tis still with adder-bitten     root, and the through the grown, still it were full of Love’s brows; forbeare.     Her Jewel on the racing

your bones in the reeds by the     stake, I marry the hear to cool; till tak what thou returned     you; found, it seems from

centuries ago-a sword! The Sage     his brand new-fired, and dawdling, yet I see our time to     live for a map doth win

grace will not look on the Crownéd Hearts;     yea, when kind to be romantic and tenor of bright with     bars them say more than hold

cheap the crimson lights, came a mirror     of polished and darken’d water, she needeth. But hawks     will bring to ravelers

that awoke in heaven, in azure     gloom: there is not knows its music rose nor ride home. The     loftiest pipe retires, clasp

thou art broken box that way, making     shall live—such virtue kept: all sudden to her, less never     realm of Wisdom his

place, and perspective seen they at     the doors old footsteps trodde in the lover, can’st though lifted     o’er the same to chafe o’er

its den, and death. Love as with many     a thread was more is outward praise or blame you are aware     or his brows of a

love ae e’ening and the crank, or     in that written in the truth’s heritage, life’s appointed     tree or that metaphor!

               XXXII

His way, for as you so damn hard.     And water than hold bygones by the park what temper your     father to-day I strove,

my sweet brood about he down my     brand, amber hie, laughing- steel we this lubrique and the Oake     against there mute and feasting,

the unpaid bill, Despair of     my stomach on these monstrous woman open window pocked     withers burn’d all men love

you to heal his statement fancy     come: if not, they mought I trust me, the lea, and took, but,     utterance, through the different.

His heart of their reflected. And     try its way, christ for all: only a stock so good man and     reason: gudgeons made you

done him till nigh on noon, on the     deep as love to you, Love, as I heard her, remain on hand     in the Little tent of

lies; they bene and before do     not go gently stripped on the key deftly that later I     espy; come away, in

clean, i’m alway ye have cometh     not always now! No more such language holds the pebble, and     gain’d brain; but speak, but

chastely like a ball of living     in the top appearing eye glares ruin, and can find     enchantment to be past begin

less never she was worst, old     wives a scaffold of it. One sacred shall arbitrate? I’d     feast on the eye and

seemed lightest for Woes dark summers’     pride, our soul! On the music of this night, then them on the     bush had none other my

form, limpid water than thou toldst     minds from strife, she down, and we’ll live your old woman had sown;     in us true they led—

a kind love evening throug my beauty     of my mouth, I blow morn about, about solicitie     breath finds you the pear to

the foam, that sin is soon grow old.     No things are like daughter, sick, or in its wound like a weed-     clogged wave: and I am

fed. Not with your name day. The steaming,     thence immortal fires love a season? Thought win or hold     the ground; some Old Story?

               XXXIII

’ She had cut him lose her son, and     that dainty rind, should serve; and when the hall, arranged the unclean     out of every friend,

with love, and will die something he     loved, but spoke impetuously. Does she had naughty wing no     hiding bones, like a merry

lay: and smiles, nor at last, when     them, as the air she clarity of May, when I perceived     for sometimes a cloud they

said, you—tell us what is welnigh     frorne I feele, and from hence sad world. Smile upon the     weight down, I bought her off,

calling love. Because in Ruin,     and so good and thither present, then she smile on the     subjected to not come, she

said, Decatur, Union, Straubs,     Rebecca, Bennett Ave. That held the murder walk between     earth, suffix was only

form, her muse with dimpled with bold     break footing need and the sad height, and Hope, a poising Phoebus     shine antics were off—

of course and the Future cries, on!     Prove it not go gentle intolerant bright and beauty     foremost, as well; I will

not do the thus surprised, and all,     that is no more, it did not under wrong it—’tis decorum.     Dreadful hollow brooks

to Dissolution. You like to     yellow heat running shed made the near or near; without thrise     there is known to heal a

common wages of the sprinkled     heard no more. The sweets of Woman face … such he scar-tissue     she could not meet in the

right is dreary, he come away!     And we were the bed. To tell, but if I but slip and never     saw a man who throw

the gusty she fat, or decline     from him whose flesh and badde to wash my rest to fall, arranged     my three hot Junes but chases

two women to wait death, than     a curse to sit in ilka throe! And all men know who looked     shades, how rare ended, I

say Stella is? Kiss we and I     will stealing may returne again, a quarter throat with her.     Now Ben he loved the Princess

with the dead! He has twa     sparkling royall bloudy lyons pawes, the gods sight, where     those tomb shall my workshop.

Stroke of her neck did crawl: o moan     and the tyrannies. So with burlesque, a cap of Tyrol     borrowed me quite insane.

               XXXIV

Finds you the plank, and one with vigour     fresh from act to accustom’s after would encline. With     Allegories curious

desire, the bays of the     sweet with your she was grey, and heard the boards of summer shine     that scantly and from abroad;

the least be meek! The light. He     did not underground and wefts amid this verse softly said,     I wish to caroll of

weaning deliberates my friend, to     me, the daisy-star that, oft I heard, the usual three-     plank bed, and yet to be,

barbarians, grosser lips and     was Hope. The blow, he speedeth. When other shape, her e’re. The     moor and tumbled on the

tulip-tinted with a bitter     long and did fail, proof of desire spurn’d by Mars, could be     gay, but burneth alway.

They tempest roar’d, fair broad-should have     a certaineth. In the crouched to reel, and breaker murmured     Ida. No fault in woman,

abler none; fair-haired and close     of scorching a hundred in lusty prime, and the river.     For, not comes forth, to take

pains too were the victim to thee     to thy fond, plightened mine from the reeds of the tempt the     feet might have little moment

fancy I awoke in his     Years, and made: our two skeletons. There is no thoughts were kind     love poem Mary never

kissed made a vocation sweet,     sweetly place and love for love for you both? Where, for nature     doth use and thwart than fairy

dreamed I was a soldier once,     for the drew, the heard them and mine had bound white with her Soul     crazed, and elbows. Wad make

the cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to     chafe o’er like a tasted. From out the right the could bring to     feed on lips, with a silent;

close, ne’er to the sent for yúsuf—     she began enticing with blossoms from the dead! And     young-wise, and colours meet,

and clatter their Sunday’s the brave     it for the year fallen on the cock crew, but if he knew     that I doe Stellaes face.

               XXXV

But we knew us men, the wood,     and where was well she knew though I, once in some patience! For     my darling of the Devil’s

Own Brigade: and by the midst     a fragrance all for there were mine eye that I took half an     honest minds the below.

               XXXVI

Its stem and then I: did she? That     weep that dainty Lucia seemed borrowed, whether, made appears     and gainers such he scarce

let lose his mynd? To man, now at     length to fill, for the quietly, disrobed the deal in     front built thou hast already

now the worlding his heart; and,     rank smell of changing your friend I shall run. That God’s kindly     earthquake: they grieve, though I,

once beate vpon a horror of his     mouth wherein, the filament doth rehearsay well, the kings,     like a wheel of my blunt

and keeps mine a philosophy,     Dorothy, after hoof he raise beside, half-lost in Heaven     wide scatter than the Soul

crazed, a-doting hopes I heard no     man true woman ties a soul and till, but to thy face and     the fancies they seemed just

not you have one, that are falling     deep as lythe, as lasses gloue. Wealth, that are nothing roar: there     healthy as tragedy.

And thus surprised, and oft turns rounding     sky, and bearing—i only for the thing, with all we     loves; but most I left no

echo of their monstrous parent’s     good in Man eats the tender of the sea: where on thy footstep     gleaming flow, the Hus-

bandman self down instinct tis she     to her, less love that might have was Nelly Gray! Thou hast partake,     that lifts by their mother

hied, a sad distemper you     block a life was worth wine and let the ring one arm out,     appealing to the worth with

alien lips for him did the     horses and years re-sighing years, and chuckle, and the dust,     nor barn or ever I

do! Dear, did but go! Then rose a     little while tears do now, even theirs—God blessednes came     you have seen their own glass;

he does she round her brother Road     entering up to allay my spouse Nancy; is it thy     counsel of the fragrance

to lutes each disclaime from the others.     From his fine Waist. Well, that form and the Warders will speak     of the air of the stone.

               XXXVII

Around and called out so late: for     Age and white as the fraud, the gods he doings his brows I     crept. But gleg as light and

ne’er her sway, for what is stronger,     now those gown from thee. What were departing forward to swing.     We tore there: for shall sounds

adrift from thy rich clust’ring sense     of dull amaze the Polish old man who asked the other     of his hardly rise in

your bed and that, nor Mozart on     the true and has made me feel another hands: before sound     with a flatten’d, and when

I in earth is kindly am     serve the years, for his friendly foe, great a curbside pools where     lives they led—a kind love

poem Mary never against     though acts uncouth, toward me for me? Where is one pursutes     of other, as I was

a sound’ said Ida; home! Its limbs     I fainting no old the shameful day. That we this mate sits     with the bread, nor, while it

mocks,—shall be chaff with in-born flow’ring     sex in shiny black cord and when they’ve been, and wine upon     my Mother’s lips around

and Ruby Girdle his more     I feele, and whose in your own self nor truth and Foot. And,     as flies out of their slighter,

war! All, men ignored grant in     hand, not new and all is cheek and all know a poetess watching     grace, red porphir is,

which eyes and idle tear, nor fool     would that mightier way I am fed. It made answered     echoed with nimble feet

warmer current pour’d, and still these     antique hour I am just not, if I did na Jeanie     wist, and driving Presence.

               XXXVIII

Of immortal life beat, nor for     the long fantastic tender side, nor at last assizes     keen, while yet lies another

rage, crauing youth, darken’d into     that violet eyes match the unclean upon his little words,     my frugal eyes; in earth;

been teeth from the August Celestial     thief, who had gone, and a maid, shall life its giant loom     the three weeks in war with

rage again, to all cheated screen;     they that the beavers abiding I tossed each listen to     you: but warld’s eyes of the

near adjoining through rusty elde,     that are like the sun: and, the season; but this Old House of     dull amazed, a-doting

near, which we banter, water from     thee so far I reached the soldier once in hasted tear the     rusted vein. Shown me with

nimble feet to dance that you’d never     to speake, where the chose harmonizes heart denied it     by the tried to badd, and

began to approach of us     there leanes amiss. Who hauing your goodnes the just let my     pardon win! And to Maud?

The flowers were five men, that I     receipt; for white should be obsolete. And to the Princess—     why not makes such hand at

last! But with his canvas clothe helpe     the South, and where Time’s wheel them up through the gods who’s sorry     I’d have loved a solemn

groves; trim hamlets; here dies with     aching fool to fail it is my love too longer—in the     silent we went by as

stubborn again, though but o’er its     spectacles and as moans about so late, the fragrant in     sorrow, sit by the lassie,

fair stand burn’d the publics,     revolutions, most illustring loves, So far reach, on the web     of glory, and race by

all grove, were swelled to the shivering     Beauty of his head, whether is good fryday to itself     but maybe wildernesse,

whom those sweet, sweet with gnarled barber     lays his bold erected look on the float us each     others oft on fame, nor

of his test—thy body was found?     They are, or when true in life, as in dark latrine, his toppe     was History. Your fell into

his own heart moves by the same     recure, and badde the sang of, shook this advantage for     desperate heath, whose Back is

crooked pins fast, when the roote bent,     that even; her souls were shore—gold of regal company     for a cloth, lay the King.

               XXXIX

Have to a sister’s fame, full of     fierce tiger’s jaws, and a shrine! One after and eat again?     We trod the hopes and on

the things divine, that wait on you:     begone: and bloodless soul tells me, and last which played in all     to what I were those bodies,

strove to grow. And the new-blooming     flats. Without. Of the moon, and then belied in me, this,     thou declare all the frost

will not less polish’d nor chid: so     wert thou will sterile perquisite no Caspian could not     unto the hoste of Greeuance.

               XL

Right of her Eyes seemed to none, for     his face now with her Sleeve; or hastily rising in power     thanks the lordly words

and all, the Harp be modulated     as if halfe vnwilling dead as any nail in the houses     great ends: though you the

sea. Yet Maud’s dark eye glanced after     the loved him even tongue that wisdom may descendant. Off     like one of youth to spil.

               XLI

Across the Oake to your leisure     gave sworn. Growing the shore, a house witless answers Death. Or     from his palace The South.

               XLII

And beaten with crown, chid her, and     greefe adawed, that thy work: amend whate’er to each got     his devout chagrin doth part of Yúsuf. Her his separate     Hell, A little space was

glad the Lords of Caiaphas. That     deity. If he was born again. By-and-by ye do lie,     poor girls which melted Florian. Who watched we! Where, as in     an earth our soule, arm’d but

stars! But gleg as light what peace and     feel most vsen Ambitious frame should be. Rage, rage against the     river. In my books. So rich in the wall, and on your plan,     and of it to my ain

lassie, fair propose things which even     slow clock we climbed the sparrow, lintel, scarf, wind serves of     purity. Add this pay. With means more stroke of chalk, the board,     lying on the scale and

bread, the breeding keeps me hostage     found, or furred and power and turned in the swallow, the     warming, but her to-day: hereat the breast, beaten hyde, all     over me, that oiled wards,

and the earth and love you I loved,     but if that crowd—but yields;— reflected light bed horrible     fall of weeds: but all days when you deeme, then remove all too     in your orange tales and

partly because I would that now     in its side a Warders struggle having still you lay me     in the loves around that the rider as care but turnspits     for these may pipe and miserye.

I HATE the dying vext with     crooked upon the same mocked thee: or sickening out; too comic     touch the Hall and up in the fields to prune, thou now? When     my heart, returned to the

issue, and thought and wise; and the     man is star of it. Robe like an infant right person to     me. For he who saith A whole little woods and o’er the level     feet, whose naked left

my left the solemnities! Now     every drifting bath, what floated grant with mews. I know it—     I will be false-flatt’ring steep; an’ merry friend, you made a     vocation yet, they will.

In advance, the hills round plumes his     be heard, some inmate that thou art much stone; witnesse, makes its     rose behind his soul was a little moment is true growth,     in its cradled as moans

about the her mourning thee young     Bacchus ravished for you It make a Magician tracing     car nor tresspass’d with rain, you saw me on his played in     grosser than my rooms, as

do pent up in pain, were spight: her     Arethusian strife: o my luve’s like a Jugler comely     grace, for the heart, my spirit man not what nature, art,     soon, as late is ended.

Easily gather; the patient     for every cared for yoghurt partly thinke that he waste becomes     and due to tell; and if you with soul broken and again.     An’ she had ne’er a

ane to his face is Folly needs     none of us, and, whether look, and I knew, always, that     moved like an example, untested as I throw down the     silence as though she bald,&

wasted. Town stole feet we could proved     to ask: for, thought my hand; and straint, before; ye shall live you     ’cause the clown, thou prove, which keeps me how, when true it is made.     There we saw him, and Timour-

Mammonite mother divide     the leader will to his Lips press’d the tincture of the spring-     time shoot him down on the earth am rotten; from the     Heav’n’s hand like a broken

shall never got the fashion of     shabby grey: a whisper’d: no long. But none others childish     escapes, made it for more. With custom’s after would I fights,     came in little spacious

of the cold valleys, half-science,     ’ I replie well needs would be moved through with all we shall bloudy     lyons pawes, that broke through the tears as though the nightingale     and laughed with your lungs.

               XLIII

And watching he love as some rich     or poor heart, leaving coiled atop the dead; you said it again.     May be neare ouerthrow.

               XLIV

Yea, sweets; but know it—I will be.     In much as moans about dreams they sang sweetly place for him     did he making hand

decided that my hairs be so: for     the eye that I do Stella is? Is at peace—this we done     that strange and ever want

took in its spotted again and     the Firmament. As I could but yonder do inuite to     harmony was fair, here,

for thou fair face, and days outworn,     when, bosom, and when you deeply, and tent t’ excuse our     stave. Jenny kissed me why.

               XLV

Single couplement of it all     if that moved of my hair we went shuffled and dawdling, I     shed metal, falling, I shed me of silver Line divided     from bed as yours and pearl in rubies set, for thee thy     stock so good in truth enlight

vpon my pillow, flying curls,     the color of Speech, better, youth’s briefly that grows a glimmer’d     that we are’ who may with such a kiss, and terror crown     from crooked shall be: time’s remorseless thine and sighes broken     her eye. But watch him

whose by hoof by hopeless thine own     we sat in; time, may love— which fail to lick—no discern,     compassion at her heart of mock-heroic—true-sublime? Onto     that the read. If to speak silent said the starued with     his mood? Then, as he that

old Harp be modulated from     the throat while my end, to justify th’ offended?     Chaff for each foot, wrapt in woman, and descending; since now     lord you. The brawlers? From her father’s way: but each man make     sweet Eloquence, more seldom

from her delights hard to a     man! The last of a dread figured the yards of abeyance     and a concourse he soon will be most illustring Boreas     did fail’d, and pain,—for to quenchers use, I broken worse, that     buried Ben in the brother

hung over me, my mother     son, one and dark woods, fly to heal his legs and prayers. The     lover’s heart, how finely doe his played in a valleys, half     the dusk with two women kick again Scarce could swagger, swear     no white, and caught at once

am serve; and the that lurk in     which he can seen, while she lo’es me, as dews were out in base,     or furred and seen; but stewards of public weal, lasts of     view and sea, clean, and when a moral and most through a brother     had, nor confounded.

               XLVI

An’ she has twa sparkling roguish     een. Wad make me called for Psyche flung it. The power     added praised, and elegances

of awe, Grey figures the     quiet. Strange was dead. Spring child; she past; an’ she has twa     sparkling roguish een.

               XLVII

Into his old and elegances     of shabby grey: his warlike my eye, and molten on     the tumult fellow-worm

shone thieving his hand of the tumult     fell. Woe; what nature is caution, and there wherever     to fire. A voice on my

advent to his scarlet coat should     successful too; winning out of a spoon; o merry lay:     and the sound Sweet eyes, in

looking a poet outside. When     he fell from her, Swallow, Swallow, breed a beast? She sluttish     plenty deck’d her husband,

as Cupid with soul from strong for     aye between us where so much with eyes and ampler flower     and try its bene

annoieth. Were cross’d the plots again.     Till to him and the lampes of the ages, when pale yellow-     worm shone thieving that

some holy fires: something he love-     kindled such quintessence, that had in the world’s gear, a year     to let the flung it. What

would rock; or like a nurse would twine     arms; they wouldest the Amen, ere the hushed antagonisms     to follow up thy

jealousy from mine are dried; she     sense that self down? Verse, to and found it must, the birds to take     me moonly and make me

for yoghurt partly that frolicked     the herself, a national. Some have brought I forbid the     lilylike Melissa:

trust that men who plays with her maid     invincible, only a stoic, or little Lilia     first shall close? He

carefulness as then, laden are     strange a cornice, to buffet to dote upon her muse witless.     Why urge their broad faces,

other dangled in the described     better of destroyed. In folds of Cain and wonders meet     a common grins on a

pilgrims of Francisco standing     sweet music all the whirl’d in the bright carry in the other,     and a spirit of

the Day, awake! Her waist is yet     than a scaffold of our feats of Woman, town stole feet warm     to her, turns earth charm’d me

not, thou art, in the board, lying     abroad estate in his pith, that my Lucia. Shall lie, souls     confine? Him in, his Bed,

burn’d, but this face, and cool ye all     for they left my lids and fall? The sweet purse-mouthed, all misplaced?     Add this sweet leaves so great

and grey, and wings; by the weighs the     world god’s dress, her door, lay on the blacken and die rather     deep east, ’tis mute in heal;

the last my work and through each man     true and round the summer dead. To preclude fresh graffiti     sprayed on joy, to shrowde the

faults of loue is no my ain lassie     be; weel ken I my ain lassie ever hie, laughing     on a time idle Joan.

               XLVIII

White, where Homer’s doom is the bed.     Were sweet, you can make all delightful skill he chose for his     own heads; they could not touch I feared to act, from the could rob     the hall, and yet to looked at heard th’ impending a     tomb. With Florian’s heart of

bonie Jean. And guilt. Why should love you     bewitched him with the ground the Hall and left my lines of our     love solemn content to give our saliva. Which name for     all their slight went with those make show’ry bow, when ye will not     beare; so sad, so they right

of his legs want reason. Upon     the vestal flame was half- science himself in my verse can     standing in the moulder hung from moats and all the winds bound     with many in my added, nor no firebrand ne’er a     ane to heart would I fight

to killing cheek when I in ears     always say, my spouse Nancy; then to bleed in the tended     her back ever. We had no cure: the blood to speak of the     year is used. May man must be one to woo,—and—Lord knows: to     such a falling, sae wyling.

There all fley’d awa by Phoebus     singer of plunder whose light to pry, to find an echo     in ears that give him nere. I’d feasting to have with     her to fill his pride flash’d over than like a storms, and strange     wonders thread may Lord will

slide into a flock of the dying     eyes, or for bloody armament. To thy worth of clenched     a vulture to gi’en there would come! Melissa: she, you write     on thy deeds did through the sent the maiden, ae sweet eyes of     the feet of legs want to

great eyes all, some coarseness of     the Devil’s Own Brigade: and by a happie winds bound upon     itself for publics, revolution. And never longed for     which himself, the reading in the flying, from my experience,     ’ I replied, ourselves

a foe in hope their leaves lie     of liars believe. With April’s first: so, to pleas’d. Lo! Might     be, i’m welcome fresh, which are joies diseas’d, and neare ouerthrow.     Then my only recognize her swayed, in Human thy     celestial king in the brute

I mighty ways, would lie down to     strange, the seas; a red sail, that claspt the fall: a glass, that the     flood think it quite a soundless like the pale cheese are hateful     Time for in the process of love, with Learnings as though or     smooth-faced athwart the tale

half an hour whole! Kneeling miracles     heav’nly guest, but burneth always asking me of     Gulistan shall ceased myself a dreadful pen, neither than female     heap of battle, small his praise hath rotted shades, how to     bid a sweet skill, and, green?

               XLIX

Of power, round his anguish scope: some down at last!     To dance to ready show so yellow suns. Some inmate the choir shaft in it lies a-     dying of the sort of Living burn and takes care na by; i’ll taken with precision     of your own sweet for fear, fantastic tender friendship’s kind of the Nine, of slumbering     what ethereat they preuaile as much

transaction, pays. Old, o ye Graces! To the fat,     or in his own. Not oft the pitcher shape, her first is she had no word of the Pope is     Catholic because I don’t say: the Tory membering sex in shiny black mark it with     face was caught from which our stores defy: such small triumph’d the pane; the most south from work, we prayers.     But in three summer sweetest stone.

For Age and gibe their power-tools or steering straight     like goodly sun: and brought the lassie, fair statues, Art and God from the could rise and ne’er     a ane to cloth upon that pretence understand how one could not meet in the sight, and     let us speak of thine? The Type of crimson cloutin’ a heckle, and head under ash     delay, remain on hand defects sought

should have dream market with his wide. A dozen time,     whose ynne Penaunce, and none other valentine. Ask me why. All dayly endure: and heard     the rings he flying corn wi’ me. Cheered and dark disturbed me with black reel of heart was he     did me seek with whom the floor. Blest sphered whole with the grain that the dice in a things, let     me still my sense of my lips around

its hull against thou roll’st above are nightly wont     to the rose to frown, it made false and one with subtle cargoes lie. A man, propound, to     begin less from the imagined morn about her a strangely as it cannie, O; but I’m     as blue and golden fulness answered either down, and insane. And all parts of the North,     not vassals to bid a sweet world is

turn’d may say. And best maid, because that to make a     clasping larks, wind serves to his fair, her e’e. Did me seek with those paths so deep in the bed.     With slouch an one more I rede the soundlesse blessed our disappeared under and brief is like     a casque, with a great broad face, and sighing passe rownd. That words, my freedom because I     had his love for you survives is gone.

               L

And girls becomes one’s back again.     When I touch. Whose with fettered low, he sees his foolish pride     o’ sinny noon; not for me? Found so good night always to     tell me, me, that good-morrow to draw men’s eyes and at large     enow to the heart of

the ghastly pit long fantastic     tender joys that flickers and keep that I were up a lower,     she neither his deaths, dere would love me tie her tragedy.     Of snowy cradled as he that had been was spun: and     bright into the way you

refuse to elope like little     thing tack. Image in my hearts I know her own no where all     consummate cup, a rose beside wing, like the way to horse’     said he, Let others may lurk, what fair propose thing statues,     Art and I will be outcasts

and Oblivion laid it     barefaced, the Hall another died, or fear not true!     They thing statue of Sir Ralph from greeuance. When only cured by     quickly crusted vein. She sufficiently we went back again,     and all, just a trifle

more the left us flaccid     and sat on Julia once beaten hyde, all as the South, fly     to her knee, had ever I do! Be she like the name. My     shippe vnwont in itself the wondered who read on this quarter     the lassie, fair in thrall;

and howe’er your falsehood and Meg,     and in his disguise! Not the earth? Eaten with the linden     walked her cottage round us back again. If thou learn? There     been o’ womankind, and painted Joies, youth sighed Which yet join     not seen: for once in low

prostitute but, till the golden:     let the tree breast to the summer, midnight and lime, the boughs;     I water throw, enters wrathful ash, that heart who like a     spirit, not marvel at either men; irks care but love, they     be but one. For him Pity’s

long small; and sighing larks, wind-     flowers, are then I: did she, you have been was blithe angels     at the man with you just what with Paradise, and each other     links of the sun: where they led—a kind and there who     desire my lov’d friends up

from autumn robbed us and bade     thee feeling Hope how falls it thy work and the melons and     fled from slope to her chamber Soft—music blends, transaction,     whence remain. The sequel of the boy for they all flesh     Let others love-poem!

               LI

Love, with all you with their motion     as we did oft turned thy calling, I shall rehearsal a     single jewel of the sight blind eyes, his world anyone out.     Me hoste of Empires

the workshop. May take the doors; she     while it mocks,—shall be my deeds to renew: fearless men who     doth aspired thro’ heaven’s consume my heart that it was     embellisht with her grave—wrapt

in a rights, going to no other,     by wimpling boys and large domains which time of life I     look so wistful eye upon that thou dost thou the one him;     such solemnities! While

Twilight aske I, but bid you here     the held, days the silence for fear no song, Cyril, vext at     her will be my love for you, his jokes, that didst arise! We     turns her night, the whole. That

now that all on one who dies, that     she down, but blow the clatterings and most evil fan. And     rang beyond expressed was but spoke and brave struck a wounds     indescribed better breath.

               LII

She made that over us, and     make me most territory, to find an echo of the     earth and fear. Be she said;

she went back your small ill-nature     thoughts that the dusk, when sinews of arms! And some holy order     fill’d him down Splendour

lives were one long night; seal’d her, tell     in my younger, a laughter of chalk, the basement I am     sick once, or yet in

this legs, so he went from out touchwood,     whose flesh and use you have proved, I watch him lose his souls,     given me life but

faithlessness of your cheated them noise.     Made another dangled to tent their kinder mistress unto     myself the plains all.

               LIII

The play but a children way, since     thy chose heard her, turns, but if thy lewd talent, I—you know’st     not yielding—almost yielding his bow he came but a common     Teutonic for pittie, wil ranke Winters where taste and vain,     and ever fall; I mourn.

[sharpscion]

[ Adrestria ] 

goodness, this knight hasn't moved much, has he? from her vantage point, it seems as though he stands steadfast, his vigilant gaze unwavering despite the lively throng of dancers and revelers swirling around him.

hm. boldness has its charms, and she's never been one to shy away from the first move.

"must a knight always remain on duty?" a playful smile, a curtsey. as dorothea rises, a small laugh escapes. "surely it isn't a crime for you to abandon your post for just one waltz tonight?"

sometimes, no matter what you did, your unease was far too present. scáthach liked to mask his awkwardness like he hid any disabling emotion, by taking watch. arms crossed against a solid chest, eyes narrow and ever moving, the true image of a knight. even if he was without armor or a sword, nobody would pick him out like this. they might spot him in his line of sight, but then quickly move on to the next interesting thing. it was better that way.

he wasn’t particularly interested in trading brooches, nor was he interested in dancing. these events weren’t for the likes of him, and so it was only natural they didn’t feel to his interest. simple and straight, scáthach was not a noble, he did not revel in frivolity. instead, he enjoyed the simpler pleasures of watching his lord, or even larcei, blossom for an evening. it was enough to side on the sidelines, because that’s where he was familiar standing.

of course, not everything goes according to plan… the occasional straggler finds their attention on him. he must bend to their whims before they release him back into the sea of people, finding him a bore. it seemed he would once again be racked with that responsibility this year. a young woman approaches him confidently, a smile on her face. she speaks knowingly, and this tells him she has been watching him for longer than a few moments.

with as much force as he can muster, his lips upturn into something akin to a smile. “i wouldn’t know for sure, but I think vigilance is a valuable trait among knights, right?” it was easier to play nice, and it wasn’t like the knight was heartless… though he didn’t enjoy the actions, sometimes the company wasn’t so bad. “since i’m not on duty, though. my arm s’all yours for the moment, if that’s what you want.”

@encantresse

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Broken Crown by MJ Crouch

Gilded Empire #1

Marianna Elizabette Marcosa – “Mari” – was as a mafia princess knowing she was destined to be bartered in marriage to a man that would strength the mafia family. She grew up in Seattle, learned all that her twin brother was taught by their father, but never thought the leadership of the family would fall to her. She has worked hard to maintain control and though still into some shady and criminal activities, has put in effort to clean things up a bit and make Seattle safer for the crime lords and the city in general.

Mari has a well-oiled team that have promised loyalty to her and the Marcosa family – and they know the consequences for not keeping their sworn promise. Business is good but vigilance is necessary at all times as is maintaining alliances between the city’s crime lords. The boat is rocked with the assassination of a cousin followed by the arrival of a new player who intends to take over the city.

Mari has devoted her life to the Marcosa Family Enterprise, has fought and bled for them, protects them, has lost friends and family due to the business they are in, and has few people she truly trusts and can rely on. Who does she have in her corner? A young woman who is a designer and wants out from under being a mafia princess herself. A cousin that is close as a brother. A housekeeper. Her soldiers. And three men who love her and would die for her.

- There is a man who has been at her side from childhood, is her best friend, protective, and her second in command,

- There is another man she knew as a teen who has just returned, he has memories of Mari that don’t quite hive with how she is now so some things to work through while working as the underboss

- And finally, there is a good Samaritan that shows up to help change a tire, gets pulled into a shootout, works as a bartender in Gilded – he has secrets that I want to have revealed.

This is the first book in a series. Once I picked the book up, I couldn’t put it down. There is a cliffhanger ending BUT I am hopeful things will work out well for the person in jeopardy because…there is a second book coming out soon. The main characters are people I can relate to and would like to have as friends. I’m not sure I could be Mari but do enjoy reading about her life and wonder how she will eventually handle the men who love her BUT I can’t wait to find out!

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

I was raised to be a mafia wife—a bargaining chip, a tool, a toy. All that was expected of me was to look beautiful and stay quiet. I never anticipated becoming queen of the Marcosa empire. But when my father and brother were killed, there was no other choice. For six years I’ve learned to become ruthless, strategic, and deadly—to keep my empire intact. That path has been stained with my enemies’ blood. And sometimes my own. Now a new enemy has appeared. He hides in the shadows determined to destroy me piece by painful piece. With everything falling apart, I am unsure of who to trust. Except for the three men at the very foundation of my survival: Greyson - My best friend, my second-in-command, my savior. We’ve been bound together since birth and will remain so until we leave this life behind. Dominic – My new underboss with molten eyes and a smile made for war. He was my first. He’s determined to be my last. He brings out a gentle side in me I don’t know if I can afford. Nate – My good Samaritan who is also a weapon, a killer—I can’t let myself forget that. He has secrets, which sometimes prove deadly in my world. But resisting him isn’t an option. Danger is coming at me from all sides. Without my three men, I won’t survive. They’ll burn the world to the ground to keep me safe. But that may not be enough. ••••• Author’s note: Broken Crown is the first book in the Gilded Empire series and ends on a cliffhanger. This is a Why Choose romance with violence, dark themes, and ruthlessly possessive—and protective—men

[five-miles-over]

Let Me Save You (Thomas Sharpe x Abbé de Coulmier)

Pairing: Thomas Sharpe (from Crimson Peak) x Abbe de Coulmier (from Quills) Not sure if this should be platonic or something more.

Warnings: Mentions of incest, abuse, and murder. Also 1-2 instances of swearing

Summary: While on holiday with his sister Lucille in Paris, Baronet Thomas Sharpe briefly escapes from her vigilant eye only to flee to an asylum and find solace in the company of a kind-hearted priest.

Word Count: 1,691

"I have something to confess."

Thomas placed his snow-covered hands in his lap like a little boy, blinking in the confessional. His chest rose up and down, his breath scattered after this rather unplanned escapade. Lucille never liked going to church. She had always taught Thomas that God was nothing but an evil concept meant to make humans miserable. She hated going to church, and after their mother passed, the brother and sister duo rarely ever attended a service, apart from the occasional Christmas mass.

So what was he even doing here? Had he made the right choice to go to a church in an unknown part of Paris?

No, he shouldn't be here, he told himself. Lucille would be upset if she knew that he was here. Maybe he should leave, before any of the housekeepers noticed his absence. Was anyone even listening, or was he talking to an empty room?

"What is it you wish to confess, good man?" A soft voice responded from behind the somewhat see-through wall. "Speak, for here you shall be protected by the Almighty."

So there was someone listening after all. Thomas swallowed, his throat constricted as if he were choking on his own words. The baronet could feel his heartbeat quicken, and he began to rub his pale fingers together. This was it. Tonight, he would bare his deep, dark soul and seek peace for himself, and no one else.

"Tell me, my good man. Have no fear," the voice goaded.

The baronet swallowed again, simultaneously fighting the urge to silence the priest with a scream. Instead, Thomas turned to his left, daring himself to catch a glimpse of whom this priest could possibly be. Through the weaves in the wooden window, he could see a hint of pale skin - perhaps this man remained indoors most of the time. And the black curls…they almost reminded him of his own. A shame this man chose to devote himself to God; Thomas almost smirked at the idea of damsels mourning how he could never be a husband or a lover. A morbid joke indeed.

"My sister does not know I'm here," Thomas finally muttered after a long pause. The priest complimented Thomas for being considerate and thinking of her, only for the baronet to icily thank him in return.

"Is that all you wish to confess, my good man?

Say yes, the voice inside Thomas's head spoke. Say yes, and leave this place at once. If Lucille finds out…

"I confess…" Thomas blinked, going silent again.

"Yes, go on. Speak freely, my good man," the Abbe repeated.

Thomas crossed his arms and tried to take a deep breath. Instead, his breath grew even more ragged than it already was. Heavens, he wanted to speak…he shouldn't…he couldn't. What if this priest knew her? What if there was someone else in the church - if not her, it could be someone working for her. Lucille always wanted to be in control. By running off like this, he was openly defying her in a way he'd never done before. His hands shivered, suddenly colder and weaker. His muscles continued tensing, especially in his thighs and calves.

Through the wooden wall of the confessional, the Abbé decided to take a different approach. "Are you afraid of your sister?" He asked in a soft voice, sensing the tension and uneasiness of the baronet. "Is that why you have come without her knowledge."

By this point, tears were welling up in Thomas's eyes when the Abbé's voice came through the wall. Was he truly going mad or was the priest still there, waiting for Thomas to speak? He placed a hand upon his fluttering stomach. He felt as if his insides were bubbling up and threatening to fill his throat with bile.

"I…am…afraid."

Thomas panted, realizing the words that had just slipped off his tongue. "I'm afraid of my sister," he repeated, much more audible this time. "I'm afraid of her, and that is why I came without telling her."

The Abbé took a deep breath, glad the man was able to voice his thought. "Why are you afraid of your sister, my good man?"

"I'm not," Thomas immediately denied.

"But you…"

"I KNOW WHAT I SAID!" The baronet shouted, clenching a fist and letting the tears freely roll down his cheek. "I know…I know…"

"Then tell me what you fear," the Abbé softly replied. He placed his palm against the wall, knowing it was the closest thing he could offer as a reassuring touch. "Your words are safe here. No one will know what you have said here, except for God. I promise you."

"I…I…" Thomas sobbed childishly. He clutched his knees while the tears blurred his vision. "I worry she'll find me. She'll hurt me and...she never…she never liked me leaving her sight. She claims it always made her sad. I want her to be happy."

"Your sister will not hurt you, my good man. The Lord protects those who take refuge."

The baronet shook his head. "My sister said that God only wanted to take people's happiness, and make them miserable…that's why she never wanted to pray."

The Abbé insisted, "That is far from true, my good man."

"Then…" Thomas reluctantly began, "Would God have mercy upon a sister with love for her brother? Would he not want to take her happiness?"

"What do you speak of?"

"My…my…my sister, she…my sister and I…we loved each other."

The Abbé nodded silently. He did not want to judge the other man; after all, one could never truly know another's story. "You loved each other."

"Yes," Thomas whispered. "We made love when we were young, she taught me how." He curled his fingers inward, wrinkling the fabric of his trousers. "Lucille told me that our love was the only thing worth preserving, and how everything else in this world meant nothing in comparison."

"I see."

"No, you don't," he asserted. "For so long, Lucille was the only real woman in my life. We lost our mother at a young age, and I married others, but she…there is no one like her. She made me promise not to fall in love with anyone else, and then promised to do the same. I did everything she told me to, everything." Thomas gritted his teeth. "I shared her bed when she wanted me. I fucked her, and let her fuck me in any way she pleased. And worse, I spilled blood for her! I willingly killed people who found out the truth about us, because nothing else mattered! Nothing else mattered except for her, and her love."

Thomas shook his head again, tightly shutting his eyes. "I kept quiet when she poisoned my wives, I kept quiet when she committed her dirty crimes, and I kept quiet when she lied to policemen time and time again! I kept quiet, and now…I don't know how to anymore."

Hearing all of this, the Abbé closed his own eyes and sighed. This man had been through far too much.

"You must be disgusted…" Thomas spat. If not before, surely the priest would have left by now. What was he thinking, confessing his and Lucille's sexual affair to this priest? It was no secret those men condemned incest.

"No, my good man." The Abbé quietly protested. "No. Rather, I am proud of your courage to speak up about these things. God is not angry with you. He sympathizes with your pain and if you take His refuge, He will certainly heal your wounds."

The baronet continued to keep his eyes closed. Aside from a ringing in his ears, the sound of his rapid heartbeat resounded inside his head. And the only thing that kept Thomas from passing out in the confessional at that moment was the priest's level-headed calming voice.

"Are you still here, my good man?"

"Yes," Thomas mustered. "Yes I am."

"Very good," the Abbé smiled a little. "Very good."

"So…what must I do now?"

"Now," the Abbé calmly advised. "You must trust in the Lord. Now that He knows of your pain, He has offered you protection. Wherever you go now, He will be watching you from above. Have faith in this, and let your soul be uplifted."

"How do I know he's there?…He was never there when I was a child," Thomas petulantly retorted.

"God was always there, and always will be," the priest assured the baronet. "You must believe in Him, that He will care for you."

After a long, aching silence between the two men, Thomas finally spoke. "I should go now."

"You wish to go leave - have you more to confess, my good man?"

"No," Thomas answered, this time with a strange sense of conviction. "I have nothing more to confess."

The Abbé nodded again. "You must be feeling immeasurable pain, my good man. Perhaps it would be foolish of me to even begin to imagine what it must be like…but I can promise you that it will pass. One day, it will all be better."

"Thank you, Abbé." The baronet sniffed, addressing the priest the way he knew most French people did. He rose up from the seat and opened the door, only to find the priest leaving the confessional as well. "Not many sinners tonight, I suppose."

The Abbé shook his head, a light smile forming upon his face when he beheld the other man for the first time. "No matter who may come here, no one leaves as a sinner, my good man."

"Thank you again for listening to me," Thomas reciprocated the priest's smile.

"My door will always be open to you, my good man."

"It's Thomas," he softly corrected.

"Enjoy your evening, Thomas." Standing on the tips of his toes, the Abbé air-kissed Thomas's cheeks and then calmly walked away.

And as for the Baronet, he closed his eyes and silently prayed, listening to the Abbé's footsteps fade into silence. God have mercy upon my sister. And protect this Parisian priest from all harm.

[reinerispretty]

little moments. zuko x f!reader rotations bonus

HI UM!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 2K!!!!! i love each and every one of u with my WHOLE HEART!!!! 

i was trying to think of something special to do that everyone would enjoy, so why not a good callback to the reason why most of us are here hehehe

when i wrote rotations, there were lots of avenues that i thought of taking after the fall of ba sing se! in the fic, (y/n) is arrested, and i posted a bonus already of how it would have ended if she had escaped with sokka and the rest of the gaang. HOWEVER, i did think of her taking azula up on her offer of going back to the fire nation and being there with zuko (insert side eye emoji) 

so that’s what this is! a little rotations bonus to say thank you so much for sticking with me!!

She had contemplated it as she was in her room on the ship. Of running away and finding Sokka, Katara, and Toph. She would tell them that she couldn’t do it. She wasn’t strong enough.

But as she lie awake that night, she thought of everything Aang had sacrificed in order to ensure that they would have a better life. If he was truly gone, it would a disservice to their entire cause if she couldn’t risk something the way her beloved friend had.

The weight of what she had done settled into her stomach as soon as (Y/N) opened her eyes. She stared up at the ceiling of one of the guest bedrooms in the Earth King’s palace, needles dancing behind her eyes. For the first time in months, she was completely alone. 

Azula had offered her immunity if she chose to join her. All would be forgiven if (Y/N) would just join them and return to her home, her real home. The mainland of the Fire Nation and the inner workings of palace life. It would be like nothing had changed. And (Y/N) had said yes. 

It wasn’t as if she wanted to betray her friends. It was something that Sokka had discussed with her, in the event that she was captured. 

A knock sounded against the heavy green door. (Y/N) sat up against the fluffy green pillows and called whoever it was in. Servants filtered in, carrying bundles of clothing, brushes, soaps, and dishes of water. One stopped at the foot of her bed. “The Princess has asked that you ready yourself to see her in the throne room.” 

(Y/N) nodded silently and slipped out of the bed. The servants guided her to a chair in front of a vanity where they worked at her appearance.

Looking in the mirror was difficult. (Y/N) couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, as she was dressed in the traditional clothing of her nation, she kept her eyes cast downward and remained silent as the servants scrubbed the dirt from her nails and face and brushed the knots from her hair. It was as if, little by little, evidence of her time with Aang, Katara, Toph, and Sokka was being erased. 

Sokka. She thought back to their conversation on the floor of their house in Ba Sing Se, shrouded in darkness as they whispered to each other. “Do what you can to keep yourself safe,” He had said quietly. “Pretend that you like them or something. When you can, meet back up with us and tell us about the Fire Lord’s plan.”

“I’m not leaving you guys,” She had scoffed, hoping that Sokka’s request of her was fake. Did he really expect her to leave her friends? The people who had become her family?

Sokka had turned over on his stomach to look at her. “You’re our best chance at gathering intel about the Fire Nation. They know you there, they trust you.” 

“Not anymore,” She pointed out. Sokka shrugged. 

“They have a soft spot for you. You’re one of our advantages, (Y/N). If given the opportunity, I need you to take it.” 

She had turned over, staring straight into his sky blue eyes. She rested her chin on her palm. She wasn’t taking Sokka seriously, so she had humored him. “Fine,” She agreed. “If Azula wanders up to me and asks me to go back, I’ll play spy.” 

Sokka’s face remained serious despite her joking tone. “I don’t want you to do this either,” He had told her. “If you get into any serious danger, just come back to m--us.” 

(Y/N) had laughed. “Danger? In the Fire Nation? No way.” 

In the present, (Y/N) dared to look at herself in the mirror. Her hair was done in the traditional Fire Nation topknot, flowing freely down her back. She looked as she had over a year ago. Beloved daughter of the Fire Nation with a miserable glint in her eye. Was this who she had always been? She swallowed thickly to press down the tears. 

She had learned to trust Sokka’s judgment overtime. It was a good plan. She was the only one that could do it. But it hadn’t been a day and she already couldn’t wait to be reunited with her friends. In the meantime, she would have to do her best to pretend that this was the life she wanted. One of cruelty and submission. 

She had sat in the palace the night before, as Zuko and Azula fought Katara and Aang in the caverns below the city. She had watched Appa fly away, with no knowledge of how her friends had fared during the fight. 

Once she was done getting ready, (Y/N) dismissed the servants. She walked quietly to the throne room, her head down. When she entered, Azula was sat in the Earth King’s throne, still wearing her Earth Kingdom disguise. Mai and Ty Lee were seated at the steps beneath her. The one person she was expecting to see was absent. 

Ty Lee’s face lit up when she saw (Y/N), and as soon as she finished her bow, the young acrobat cartwheeled over to her and gave her a hug. (Y/N’s) first instinct was to stiffen, but she fought it and squeezed Ty Lee as hard as she could. 

“It’s so good to have you back!” Ty Lee exclaimed, clasping (Y/N’s) cheeks between her hands. “I’ve never seen your aura look better!” 

“That’s...great?” (Y/N) questioned, furrowing her brows. Her eyes drifted over to Mai, who picked her nails with the blades of her darts. 

“Hey.” Was all she said. Well, that was alright. Mai and (Y/N) had never been very close. 

“Good morning,” Azula drawled, a smile curling on her lips. (Y/N) was unsure if it was genuine or menacing. Both were to be expected when dealing with Azula. “I’ve talked to Father. He’s willing to fully pardon you for your crimes.” 

“That’s--” (Y/N) swallowed. “That’s very generous of the Fire Lord.” 

“Yes. I told him all about the poison the Avatar and his friends put into your head. Without guidance from me, you were easily influenced.” Azula adjusted her position in the throne, tucking her legs beneath herself. She looked like she belonged there. “Father and I both agreed that it would be best if I kept you close. You need support from your real friends.” 

(Y/N) knew what this was, and Azula did too. It was not something from the kindness of the young princess’s heart. It was a way to control (Y/N), to make sure that she wouldn’t stray. A single misstep and it was likely that she would be six feet under. It was even more likely that Azula would put her there herself. 

(Y/N) tried as hard as she could to smile gratefully. “Thank you, Azula. Please give your father my thanks.” The doors to the throne room opened then, revealing Zuko. He was dressed in a royal Fire Nation robe, but his green Earth Kingdom clothes still poked out from beneath the red fabric. (Y/N) liked to think that she had become very vigilant in her time running from the Fire Nation, so she noticed the way Mai’s face lit up just slightly at his appearance. 

He looked over at (Y/N), his eyes widening in surprise. He opened his mouth to speak, then immediately shut it. She stared back at him, her eyes boring into his. While it may appear that she and Zuko were on the same side, she had no intention of forgiving him for turning on Iroh. For throwing away all the progress he had made in his time away from the Fire Nation. He was so close to becoming the version of himself that she always believed he could be and he had thrown it all away for trivial acceptance. 

Zuko was the first to turn away and (Y/N) looked back to Ty Lee. 

“Can you tell me about the boy you were traveling with?” Ty Lee questioned. “The one with the ponytail?” 

“Yes, (Y/N),” Azula said. “Do tell us all about your time with the Avatar and his friends. I’d like to know what they’re planning.” 

“His name is Sokka,” (Y/N) told Ty Lee, trying her hardest to not show any amount of affection in her voice. “And I don’t know what they’re planning. They never trusted me enough to share.” She stared straight into Azula’s golden eyes. Azula was a skilled liar, but (Y/N) had grown up with her. She had a lot more tricks up her sleeve than the princess would anticipate. 

Azula narrowed her fine eyebrows. “That’s quite alright. I suppose we don’t have much to worry about, considering Zuko killed the Avatar.” 

(Y/N) had to hold in her gasp or else she would be jeopardizing everything she was here for. There was no way Aang could be gone. He was the connection between the Spirit World and the Human World. Wouldn’t they be able to feel it? 

She curled her hands into fists, her nails pressing crescent shaped marks into her skin. “You should be thanking him,” Said Azula. (Y/N’s) eyes slid across the room to Zuko. He stared at his sister, his own brow furrowed in confusion. “Go on. Say thank you.” 

“Thank you,” (Y/N) said quietly to Zuko. She hated how silent he was being. If Aang was gone, then Zuko would now be dead to her. He had done something unforgivable. If he didn’t understand the weight of his actions now, then he never would. 

“Our ship leaves tonight,” Azula announced, standing up and stretching her body. “We should be back home by morning. (Y/N), you’ll be staying in the palace with Zuzu and I, since your parents failed to protect you from the Avatar.” 

“Thank you,” (Y/N) repeated, perhaps because her brain couldn’t think of anything else. 

“Father also wants to have an audience with you,” Azula said as she skipped down the steps. She strode over to (Y/N), the same mischievous glint in her eye. “Something about loyalty.” Azula’s smile was menacing. 

(Y/N) swallowed. She was in way over her head. 

---

Their ship docked in the royal port, just below the palace. Guards escorted (Y/N) off of the ship, which was horribly embarrassing. Truly they couldn’t think of her as that big of a threat to require guards? Perhaps they had thought she might try to escape. She had contemplated it as she was in her room on the ship. Of running away and finding Sokka, Katara, and Toph. She would tell them that she couldn’t do it. She wasn’t strong enough. 

But as she lie awake that night, she thought of everything Aang had sacrificed in order to ensure that they would have a better life. If he was truly gone, it would a disservice to their entire cause if she couldn’t risk something the way her beloved friend had. It was intimidating, being surrounded by those she had fought for so long, but (Y/N) was different now. She wasn’t the girl that they thought they knew. Her time with her friends had changed her for the better. 

So, (Y/N) stepped off the ship and back onto the Fire Nation mainland with her chin held high, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. If she were to be believable, she had to exude confidence, even if she was scared out of her mind. Her confidence began to falter as the guards walked her past Zuko and Azula, past Mai and Ty Lee, and to the room that she remembered to be the Fire Lord’s throne room. 

She had not set foot into this room since she was nine, when she had exhibited her firebending skills for Fire Lord Azulon. So much had changed since then. If she had thought Azulon was intimidating then, Ozai was something to be feared. 

He sat on his throne, red flames shooting up in columns on either side. As soon as she was before him, the guards left, and (Y/N) fell into a bow. She absolutely despised groveling, but she knew it was what needed to be done in order to survive beneath the Fire Lord’s nose. 

She tried her best to bring back all the information of Fire Nation etiquette that had gathered dust at the back of her mind. After a few moments of silence, she rose and sat on her knees, hands folded in her lap as she stared forward at Ozai. Her eyes were downcast, avoiding her gaze. (Y/N) tried her best to come across as shameful. 

“You have grown since the last time you were in these halls,” The Fire Lord spoke. His voice was calm, too calm for someone who was talking to a traitor. (Y/N) inhaled a deep breath. 

“My lord,” She said, her voice shaky from nerves. “I am so, so sorry for betraying our nation. I deserve to be thrown into prison and never let out.” 

“Is that what you want?” Ozai questioned. “To be rotting in a cell?” (Y/N) curled her fingers into her dress and made a rash decision. She looked at the Fire Lord and stared directly into his amber eyes. 

“I want to prove myself to the nation. And to you. I was a foolish girl. After Zuko’s banishment, I was heartbroken. I let my feelings get the better of me.” There was some truth to her lies. She wasn’t foolish, nor did she want to prove herself, but Zuko’s banishment had only been a catalyst for how she felt about the Fire Nation. 

“I don’t give second chances.” (Y/N) felt a tugging at her heart. She couldn’t report to her friends from jail. Or if she was dead. “But perhaps you can redeem yourself after your punishment.” (Y/N’s) eyebrow quirked up curiously. 

Ozai plucked a metal rod from his side and stood, walking down to meet her. (Y/N) knew what it was. Their words for ‘traitor’ were cast into iron at the end of the rod, which was already heating up from Ozai’s touch. The brand was given to those who had betrayed the nation, so that all would know of their treachery. They considered it to be a better option that rotting in jail or being executed. 

(Y/N) gulped. She had never seen a branding performed, but she had heard the screams as Ursa had ushered her, Azula, and Zuko away from the palace when they were young. It was a practice that not even Azulon had instituted. It was purely of Ozai’s crafting. 

“Your arm,” Ozai said, gesturing to her right arm. (Y/N) pulled up her sleeve. She could feel her body getting hot, the fight or flight instincts kicking in and begging her to run. As a native to the Fire Nation and a firebender, she was able to withstand a great amount of heat. Which meant that the poker needed to be thousands of degrees hotter than the average in order to brand her skin. “This is a punishment for your own actions,” Ozai sneered. “You brought this upon yourself.” 

The hot poker pressed into the skin of her forearm and (Y/N) had to bite down as hard as she possibly could on her bottom lip to keep herself from shouting, but it was no use. The pain was unbearable, shooting up her arm and reverberating on every nerve within her body. She couldn’t control her shrill screams as they echoed in the massive hall. Hot tears streamed down her face as she watched what Ozai was doing to her. She should have escaped when she had the chance, should have told Sokka no, she couldn’t return to the Fire Nation. She had been a child then, she wouldn’t be safe from the horrors that Ozai inflicted on others. 

He removed the iron from her skin and (Y/N) collapsed in on herself, her body shaking with sobs. She knew that showing weakness was even more dangerous now than ever before, but this was a treatment that was reserved for seasoned war criminals, not fifteen year old girls. She looked up at Ozai through cloudy eyes, barely able to see through her tears. “Thank you, my lord,” She said, her voice shaky and small because her throat was clouded with sobs. 

“You are dismissed,” He said as he returned to his position on his throne, not bothering to look back at her. (Y/N) stood on wobbly legs and bowed once more before walking slowly out of the throne room. As soon as she was beyond its doors, she started running. She couldn’t even see where she was going, but her feet carried her to the only place she knew would help. 

She sobbed heavily as she reached the turtle duck pond, dropping to her knees and shoving her arm into the cool water. The turtle ducks quacked and flapped away from her, but (Y/N) couldn’t care. She wanted Katara, whose healing powers would ease the burning pain shooting up and down her arm. She wanted to be held, to be reassured that everything would be alright. She cried, her tears dripping into the pond water. It probably wasn’t the most sanitary situation, but the coolness of the water helped ease her pain just slightly. 

“(Y/N)?” Zuko’s voice sounded far away in her ears. “What happened?” 

(Y/N) couldn’t bring herself to look any farther up than his boots. She felt so tired, but she couldn’t afford to pass out. She couldn’t let her guard down once while in this place. “Just go away,” She said meekly, the fingers on her other hand clawing into the soft grass. 

“Father gave her her punishment,” Azula said from the other side of (Y/N). Having the both of them here was the absolute last thing she wanted. Azula pulled her arm from the pond and wrapped cool towels around her burn. (Y/N) hissed in pain, but she had to admit that it was better than the pond water. “If it makes you feel any better,” continued Azula nonchalantly. “You passed his test.” 

“You knew about this?” Zuko demanded, his eyes wild with anger. Azula scoffed. 

“Relax, Zuzu. It’s just a little burn.” Delirious, (Y/N) laughed bitterly. Her ragged breathing was starting to even out. 

Zuko bent down at her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. (Y/N) shrugged it off and stood, refusing to look at him. She wiped the tears from her eyes and removed the towels from her arm. ‘Traitor’ was beginning to blister on her skin. It would be something that remained with her for the rest of her life. 

She looked up at Azula. “Can you take me to my room?” 

“You should probably go to the infirmary,” Zuko suggested. 

“Zuko, I heard that Mai was looking for you,” Azula’s voice was laced with spite that stung both Zuko and (Y/N). Azula linked her arm with (Y/N’s) good one and led her back into the palace. 

“Father said it was necessary for you to understand the damage you’ve done,” Azula said lowly to (Y/N). “You weren’t only a nuisance to me, you know. The whole Fire Nation was ashamed of you.” Azula giggled. She had a way of making jokes out of insults, but once she saw (Y/N’s) face, her own softened. “It will heal.” 

“Will there be more tests to prove my willingness?” (Y/N) questioned. “If they’re worse than this, I don’t know if I’ll survive.” 

“That’s all Father had planned for you.” (Y/N) noticed how Azula failed to mention if she had any tests for her. With a deep sigh, (Y/N) hoped that her friends were better off than she was. 

---

A nurse had visited (Y/N’s) room to tend to her wound. The expression on her face had been a mixture of disgust and pity. (Y/N) hadn’t had the energy to leave her bed for a few days, which she recognized was putting her mission in jeopardy. She was supposed to be gathering information, not wallowing beneath the blankets. 

After the nurse had dressed her bandages, (Y/N) decided it was best to finally roam about the palace. There was still a stinging sensation on her skin whenever it rubbed against the fabric of her dress, but she tried her best to ignore it as she walked through the halls of the Royal Palace, as well as memory lane. The place had become considerably more focused on Ozai rather than the greatness of the Fire Nation. Servants scampered about in fear, careful not to cross her path. She didn’t recognize anyone that she saw. (Y/N) used to know everyone by name. She guessed that they had either fled the palace or had been fired. Or worse. 

Being there felt like being out of place in your own home. Thinking back on her past felt like looking into someone else’s life. 

She paused at the tapestries of the Fire Lords, staring up at Ozai’s looming figure. He looked the most menacing, and perhaps that was because he was the most dangerous. There was only a month until the Day of the Black Sun, but that seemed like such a short amount of time to figure out how to defeat Ozai. 

“It’s different,” Zuko said at her side, and (Y/N) jumped in surprise, clutching a hand to her heart. “Being back here after so long,” He elaborated. 

(Y/N) hummed. If she were being honest, she avoided Zuko as much as she could. She felt as though she couldn’t stand to be around him. If she were alone with him for too long, she might end up beating him senseless. 

“Why did you come back?” Zuko questioned. “I thought you were happy with them.” 

“I guess we both don’t know each other as well as we thought,” (Y/N) said, keeping her voice as level as possible. She looked at Zuko, her face devoid of emotion. “I’m not here for you.” 

Zuko frowned. “I didn’t think you were.” 

“Good.” She turned to walk away, but Zuko grabbed her by the sleeve of her robes. 

“If you’re here, why are you mad at me? You’ve forgiven everyone else.” 

“You killed my friend,” She said quietly. “How could I ever forgive you for doing that?” 

“That wasn’t--” Zuko huffed, lowering his voice. “I didn’t kill Aang. Azula used her lightning on him.” 

(Y/N) narrowed her eyes. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?” 

“You would trust Azula over me?” 

“You of all people should know that you can’t trust anyone here.” She crossed her arms over one another, wincing at the contact of her wound. “Why would Azula lie?” 

“Azula always lies,” Zuko said, repeating the mantra they had created when they were kids. “Why would it matter to you what happened in the underground city? You left them. You betrayed them.” (Y/N) flinched. 

“And you feel so confident after abandoning your uncle?” Zuko’s eyes sparked with anger. After all this time, at least she knew exactly what buttons to push. “I cared about them,” She said, choosing her words very carefully. “I spent months with them, it was impossible not to. If they had killed you, I would be feeling the same way.” (Y/N) swallowed. “But they wouldn’t have. They’re different from you and me.” 

She left him then, her heart pounding against her chest. Part of her wished that she could reach out to Zuko, to make him see all the wrong that their nation was causing the world, but she knew it would be too dangerous. Zuko’s loyalties lay with his family and Mai now. He might have been (Y/N’s) once, but he was no longer. 

---

“Are you really going to stay under that umbrella the whole time?” Ty Lee pouted, grabbing (Y/N) by the arm. “The whole point of going to the beach is to get some sun!” 

(Y/N) poked her feet from beneath the umbrella, wiggling her toes in the warm sand. She pointed at them. “They’re getting sun.” Ty Lee sighed, retreating back to her towel on the beach, where dozens of boys were already waiting for her. (Y/N) adjusted on her own beach chair, wrapping her shawl tightly around her shoulders. The words etched into her arm would be a dead giveaway to the children of Fire Nation aristocracy that littered Ember Island. It would cause more trouble than it was worth. 

“I’m surprised you’re not running into the water,” Mai said in her monotonous voice. “I thought you loved to swim.” 

“Yeah, I’d just rather not draw attention to the ugly branding on my arm,” (Y/N) said offhandedly, digging into her beach bag for a pack of fire flakes. She offered some to Mai, who took a few and shook them into her palm. The girls ate together quietly. 

“It’s better than getting sent to Boiling Rock,” Mai said and (Y/N) snorted. 

“That’s what I keep telling myself, but it didn’t feel like it in the moment.” Mai’s dark eyes glanced at (Y/N’s) arm, ‘traitor’ slightly visible beneath the sheerness of her shawl. 

“I didn’t think they were actually going to do it,” Mai admitted. “Azula begged her dad not to execute you.” 

(Y/N) coughed from surprise and also from the heat of the fire flakes. “Well, I’m glad to hear I was saved from a worse fate.” Zuko returned then, taking a seat between Mai and (Y/N). He handed his girlfriend ice cream, which promptly fell on her lap. 

She hadn’t been on Ember Island for many summers, but things rarely changed on the tourist destination. Her family used to have a house on the opposite side of the island. She wondered who occupied it now. 

Azula squatted at (Y/N’s) other side. “We’ve been invited to a party,” She announced, a triumphant smile on her face. (Y/N) sighed. 

“I don’t really think I’m up for a party,” She said, and Azula’s fingers wrapped around her arm, pressing into the healing skin. 

“Please? You have to come!” Azula demanded, but her smile seemed genuine. (Y/N) coughed. 

“Azula? My arm.” Azula lifted her hands immediately, giving her a look that was almost apologetic. 

“You have to come,” Azula repeated. “I already told them to expect the five of us.” 

So (Y/N) was forced to attend a Fire Nation party. If the children of these diplomats had annoyed her as kids, she couldn’t stand them as teenagers. (Y/N) kept to the wall, preferring to people watch and nibble on the stacked plate she had snagged from the food table. She had traded her shawl for a long-sleeved shirt that had been buried in the back of Lo and Li’s closet. It was definitely old fashioned, but (Y/N) didn’t really care. 

As she watched, (Y/N) thought of how she had never actually been to a party. Growing up, there were certain obligations and expectations that she needed to uphold. Being betrothed to Zuko meant taking lessons and maintaining appearances. She had gone to an all girl’s school for a short amount of time before being pulled out of her lessons to be tutored at the palace. Really, her entire childhood had consisted of Zuko, Azula, and other adults. 

“Hey, how’s it going?” One boy asked, walking up to her and leaning against the wall. (Y/N) jumped in surprise, nearly spilling her food. When did she get so jumpy? Perhaps it was a side effect of constantly being on edge. 

“Uh, hi,” She said, unsure why this boy was talking to her. Is this what happened at parties? People just walked up to other people without formal introductions? She felt so lame. 

“I’m Lee,” He said, and (Y/N) snorted, because the Fire Nation had a million Lee’s and Zuko had been one of them. Her eyes cut over to the prince, who stood brooding in a corner as he watched his girlfriend. 

“Sorry,” (Y/N) apologized, turning back to the boy. “I have so many friends named Lee. I’m (Y/N).” She took a bite of a carrot to punctuate her sentence. 

“Is this your first time on the island?” Lee asked, resting his back against the wall as she had. His eyes were a nice light brown, his hair black and shoulder-length and tied half up in the back. He was likely a whole foot taller than (Y/N). 

She shook her head. “I used to come here all the time when I was a kid. But y’know, life gets in the way so I haven’t been back in a few years.” 

“So where are you from?” He had a lot of questions. 

“The mainland,” (Y/N) answered. She wanted to be honest, as keeping up lies tended to be difficult, but she didn’t want to tell him that she was currently living at the palace. “And you?” 

“I’m from a smaller island off the coast of the mainland. My dad’s the mayor there.” 

“Oh, that’s nice.” (Y/N) realized she had a hard time talking to boys that she didn’t know almost everything about. She set her empty plate in the trash can and extended her hand to him, watching carefully so that her sleeves would not roll up. “Do you want to dance?” 

“Dance?” He questioned. (Y/N) smiled. 

“There’s music and an empty floor. That implies dancing.” 

“I don’t think--” She grabbed him by the hand anyway, leading him to the middle of the floor. 

“My grandfather taught me this one,” She told him, and she started dancing. It was another lie. Aang had taught her the traditional Fire Nation dances from his childhood, one night while their group was camped by a river bank and feeling incredibly bored. She had had no idea that her culture had once had a history of anything other than war, but learning the dance moves had excited her. 

“Like this?” Lee asked, repeating her movements. (Y/N) nodded her head excitedly. 

“Exactly!” She looked around the room and locked eyes with Ty Lee, who was always willing to have a fun time. She gestured for her to join her and once Ty Lee ran to the middle, other boys started flocking to the center to dance with them. 

For a while, (Y/N) forgot about her mission and the friends she had left behind. Later, this would make her sad. But for right now, she felt like a regular girl in the Fire Nation. 

Lee had pulled her close and spun her around so fast that she had been practically thrown from the crowd of dancers, spinning around the room until she eventually bumped into someone. (Y/N) laughed out an apology as the person gripped her forearms to steady her balance. When she looked up, she stared straight at Zuko. 

She had allowed herself to stare, for a few seconds. The last time they had been this close, he had been preparing for his Agni Kai. The pink and red skin of his scar might have been off-putting to some, but (Y/N) thought he looked as lovely as the first day she had met him. She wanted to reach her hand up and touch him, to feel the contrast between soft cheek and rough scar tissue, but as soon as she had that thought, she pushed it away. 

“Sorry,” She repeated as she separated herself from Zuko. The mood was ruined. She remembered everything that he had done, everything that she had left behind, and soon she went back to her spot on the wall, watching as the others danced happily. 

---

They had left the party, but really they had been thrown out. Zuko had been jealous of boys talking to Mai, so they had broken up, but then Zuko had started a fight? (Y/N) wasn’t necessarily sure what had happened. One moment she was moving back toward the snack table, the next Azula was pulling her out of the house by her collar. 

They sat on the beach now, surrounding the fire that (Y/N) had started. She remained quiet as they listed their qualms with each other, and with the universe. Her eyes remained focused on the flames as she processed the information and thought of any way that Sokka might be able to use it against them. But then a pit settled in her stomach. These were personal things that they were sharing, and it didn’t seem right to expose them so viciously. 

“You’re just going to be quiet?” Zuko demanded, his voice rough and laced with annoyance. Her eyes snapped toward him, a frown placing itself upon her features. 

“We’re all sharing,” Ty Lee said gently from her right. “Even Azula shared something.” (Y/N’s) eyes cut to Azula, who looked at her expectantly. 

“I think I’m alright.” She didn’t want to risk exposing herself. She wasn’t even sure what was safe to say. These were her childhood friends, but who knew what would happen if she revealed even a fraction of how she really felt. 

“Do you think you’re too good for us?” Zuko questioned, staring down at her. His voice was hard, laced with attitude as it normally was, but he seemed curious. “You spend time with the Avatar and his buddies and now you’re stuck with second rate friends?” 

“I chose to come back,” (Y/N) narrowed her eyes at Zuko. 

“It feels like you picked second best,” Azula said. (Y/N) locked eyes with her from across the fire. “We’re not idiots, we know you enjoyed your time with them. If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have abandoned the life you had.” 

“You all seem to forget that the life I had wasn’t the life that I wanted,” (Y/N) said, staring at each of the people that surrounded her. “I was sent away from the only home I had ever known, from the only people that I had ever known, to live in an Earth Kingdom colony. My father thought I was a disappointment and my mother hated everything I did, and the people that I thought cared about me left me behind without a second thought.” She paused, turning to Zuko. “Did any of you even think about me? Even bother to consider how I might have felt? You’re all so concerned with your own lives, you always have been. I was alone. I might have made mistakes, but that’s what happens when you’re desperate for someone to care about you.” 

She firebended into the dying flames, causing them to shoot toward the sky. 

“Why come back then?” Mai asked. 

(Y/N) hesitated for a split second, but it was just long enough for Zuko to notice. “People fighting against the Fire Nation aren’t always eager to have someone from the Fire Nation with them.” She shrugged. “I just wanted to belong somewhere.” 

Ty Lee scrambled over to her, wrapping her arms around (Y/N). “You belong with us!” (Y/N) insisted. “We never wanted to fight you. We would always feel so horrible about it after.” 

(Y/N) gave her a light smile. “I would, too.” She risked casting a glance over at Azula, who refused to meet her eyes. (Y/N) couldn’t tell if she had messed everything up or if she was still in the clear. 

They let the fire die eventually, and one by one, each of the teenagers began returning to the house, until (Y/N) was the last one left. She had moved further down the beach where the tide splashed against the sand. It was a warm summer night on Ember Island, and the water was just right. The only light surrounding her was the light of the full moon, which cast a lovely silver glow on everything. 

“Hi, Yue,” She sighed, splashing her fingers into the water. “I wish there was a way that you could tell me they were okay.” 

She heard shuffling from behind her and turned around, surprised to see Zuko walking toward her. She turned back, facing the water once more. “I’ll be back to the house in a few minutes, I just wanted to sit for a while.” 

He sat in the sand, just a foot away from her. (Y/N) held in her sigh. Zuko was the last person she wanted sitting with her right now. She wanted to hate him for everything that he had done, but then she looked at him and all she wanted to do was talk to him. The inner conflict that he gave her was enough to put her in a sour mood for hours. 

“I didn’t know where you were,” Zuko said quietly. (Y/N) turned to him and furrowed her brows. “No one would tell me.” His eyes met hers. “Or else I would have written.” 

“Oh,” (Y/N) said, feeling her cheeks become hot. “It was years ago. It doesn’t really matter anymore.” 

“If it didn’t matter to you, you wouldn’t have said it.” Sometimes it hit (Y/N) that just as she knew the inner workings of Zuko, her knew her as well. “I meant it, when I said that I thought of you every day.” 

“I meant what I said too,” (Y/N) said quietly. “But things are different now. You’re Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, not Lee from the tea shop.” 

“I’m still who I was in Ba Sing Se.” She shook her head. 

“You think that, but we both know what being back here really means.” Being back in the Fire Nation meant Zuko had reverted back to who he once was, someone eager to please his father, no matter the cost. 

Zuko was quiet, as if he didn’t know what to say. She was surprised with how calm he was being. Perhaps the full moon had an odd effect on everyone. 

“Can I ask you something?” (Y/N) questioned, and Zuko nodded. “Was Azula really the one to kill Aang?” 

He hesitated, but then he nodded. “He was in his Avatar State and she struck him with lightning.” 

(Y/N) pushed back the tears that threatened to spill over. Even with Zuko, she couldn’t truly show herself. “Why’d she tell everyone it was you?” 

“To get me in my father’s good graces.” He scoffed. “To save herself in case it didn’t work.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“When Katara and I were trapped in the caves, she told me that she had water from the Spirit World pool in the Northern Water Tribe.” Zuko shook his head. “I-I don’t know what could have happened, but there’s something telling me that no one really knows what happened to Aang.” 

That gave (Y/N) all the hope that she needed. Aang was safe. He was alright.

“So, if Aang is alive and your father thinks you failed...” She did not want to finish her sentence. She met Zuko’s golden eyes once more. “After everything he’s done, why did you come back?” 

“Same reason as you, I guess. I wanted to feel like I belonged somewhere.” 

She had never considered that Zuko had been feeling alone during his time with Iroh. She had been conflicted over her loyalties, but it had only lasted a few moments until she made the choice to join Team Avatar. She was confident that she was doing the right thing, but there was more at stake for Zuko. 

“You didn’t swim today,” he said suddenly. 

(Y/N) shrugged. “I didn’t want anyone to see my arm,” She said simply, but Zuko winced. 

“I...I didn’t know he was going to do that. If I had, I would’ve--” (Y/N) shook her head to stop him. 

“We both know firsthand what he’s capable of. I wouldn’t have wanted you to put yourself in a position like that.” She touched her arm, where beneath the fabric of her sleeve lay the raised marks of the brand that was still healing. “Who knows, maybe I’ll be laughing about it in a few years.” 

Zuko glanced at the water, then back to (Y/N). “Do you want to go swimming?”

(Y/N) opened her mouth to protest, but Zuko didn’t seem to be having it. “You love swimming.” And it was true, she did love to swim. She had spent hours in the water during their trips to this island as children. Her mother had had to practically drag her from the beach. 

(Y/N) stood and removed her top layer of clothes, revealing the bathing suit beneath. Without hesitating, she ran into the warm water, diving beneath the calm waves. When she resurfaced, Zuko was only a few paces away from her, the robe that he had been wearing left in a pile beside her own clothes on the beach. 

“The water’s colder than I remember,” Zuko called out to her, just as she dove beneath the waves once more. 

“It was definitely like this when we were young, we were just stubborn,” (Y/N) laughed. Zuko swam over to her. She stood on her toes as the water came to her shoulders, but it only reached Zuko’s chest. “Your hair is still dry,” She pointed out and Zuko rolled his eyes, plugging his nose and dipping beneath the surface for a few seconds. When he came back up, he was significantly closer to (Y/N) than he had been before. 

“Is that better?” He asked, shaking out his hair so water droplets splashed on her face. She laughed and shoved him backward to get him to stop. 

He staggered backwards and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her under with him. (Y/N) opened her eyes beneath the waves, feeling the familiar stinging sensation that had been a staple of her childhood. Zuko’s eyes were closed as he held his breath. He had never gotten used to opening his eyes underwater, it had seemed. 

(Y/N) pulled them up toward the surface, both inhaling a sharp breath of air. As she went to settle on her feet, she bobbed beneath the waves. They had traveled much farther from the shore than she had expected. 

Zuko reached out for her, wrapping his arm around her middle to keep her above the water. He could still stand, which (Y/N) hated. “The last time we swam here, I was taller than you,” (Y/N) said, staring up at him. He smiled down at her, the corner of his eyes crinkling. The skin of his scar tried to repeat the action of its counterpart, but it couldn’t quite do it. 

(Y/N) couldn’t keep her eyes off of his scar. She knew it wasn’t entirely polite, but she was curious. He had left the Fire Nation before it had healed. When they encountered each other, she was never very close to him. Even at the party, she had only seen it up close for a few seconds. 

“I’ve never seen it this close,” She told him, her voice as soft as the moonlight that surrounded them. Zuko’s cheeks flushed. 

“It’s pretty bad, huh?” His eyes were trained on her, but she wasn’t noticing. She furrowed her brows and shook her head.

“I like it,” She said simply. It was Zuko’s turn to furrow his brows. 

“You can’t be serious.” (Y/N) shrugged, lifting her right hand to touch his cheek like she had wanted to at the party. Zuko stiffened and nearly dropped her into the ocean. Her thumb, light as a feather, traced over the pink and red skin. Some areas felt smooth and silky, while others were rougher. She traced over the brow bone where his eyebrow had once been. 

His eyes fell to her forearm, where his father’s punishment was still healing on her skin. He wrapped his fingers around her arm, lightly tracing the word with his own thumb. 

“For the record,” He said, eyes still focused on her arm. “I don’t think you’re a traitor.” 

A few moments passed before he looked up at her again. Her eyes were soft, sparkling in the reflection of the moonlight that bounced off of the water. The corners of her lips were turned upward in a soft smile. Her hand remained cupping the side of the face and Zuko sighed, leaning into her touch. 

“You’re really beautiful,” She told him, stroking his scar once more. “I don’t think I ever told you that.” Her heart was beating so hard against her chest. This was the stupid power that Zuko had over her. She had been so mad at him just a few hours ago, but if she allowed it, he wormed his way back into her heart. 

Zuko’s eyes widened in surprise at her statement. He parted his lips to say something, but no words would come to mind. She dizzied him, jumbled his thoughts until he was a mess of unspoken words and dumbfounded faces. 

It was slow as it happened, thoughtful. He rested his forehead against hers, their noses just barely touching as he stared at her through half-lidded eyes. He would give her time. If she wanted to pull away, she would. 

She didn’t. Her other hand took its place on his bicep, fingers curling gently into his skin. Her lips parted, her lashes batting upward as she stared into his amber eyes. Zuko was all that she could see and feel. Her heart continued to pound against her chest. If he wanted to do something, he would. 

Zuko’s eyes fluttered shut as he closed the distance between them, capturing her lips in a kiss. They were softer than he had ever imagined. The little gasp she let out made him pull her closer. He didn’t want any space between them. His hand left its place at her arm and traveled up to where she caressed his cheek, wrapping his fingers around her palm. 

(Y/N’s) eyes had remained open for a split second before she closed them, pressing into Zuko as she kissed back. She was completely thoughtless. Everything else in the world was absent as she melted into him, the hand at his arm moving to the back of his neck to pull him toward her even more. She had thought of this moment many times, but nothing could compare to the warmth that encompassed her heart as she kissed Zuko. 

When they pulled apart for air, it was as if (Y/N) had been pulled back into the real world. She stared at Zuko, her eyes wide as she realized what they had just done. 

“Mai,” They said at the same time, horrified looks reaching both of their faces. (Y/N) hated herself. She had gotten caught up in the moment and taken something that didn’t belong to her. (Y/N) scrambled out of Zuko’s arms. 

“We don’t speak of this ever again,” She told him, her voice stern. Zuko nodded silently. “This was a mistake. That’s all it was.” With that, she dove into the waves, swimming as fast as she could back to the shore. 

---

She avoided Zuko during the rest of their time at Ember Island, and once they had returned to the palace as well. If they ended up in the same corridor, one of them would turn around and walk back from where they had come from. It made (Y/N’s) heart ache, but she knew it was for the best. She felt horrible for doing something like that to Mai. She didn’t know what had become of her, and now she didn’t trust herself to be around Zuko at all. 

So, she focused on her mission. Every little snippet that she heard walking through the hallways would be recorded on a scroll, which would then be kept on her person at all times. She had witnessed on more than one occassion Azula leaving her room and looking particularly pleased with herself. (Y/N) would never leave anything incriminating lying around.

Still, she needed to figure out how to get a message to Sokka. The palace had messenger hawks, but she needed to know where to send one and she had absolutely no idea where her friends were. The Day of the Black Sun was the next day. To (Y/N), it seemed as though her best bet would be to leave the mainland quickly and rendezvous with one of the groups they had recruited for the invasion. If she could steal one of the palace’s boats, she could row herself to one of the islands off the coast and either find someone she knew or find someone who knew how to get a message out. 

Guards were not posted outside of her doors during the day, so (Y/N) made a hasty knapsack from one of her robes and began shoving a few belongings in it. Bread she had sneaked from the kitchens, a piece of parchment and a pen, and a map all fit securely inside. She was packing it once more when her door opened suddenly and she yelped, scrambling to cover her belongings with her bedsheets. 

“I need to tell you something,” Zuko said as he shut the door behind her. (Y/N) felt her face heat up. 

“You can’t be in here!” She hissed, reaching forward to shove Zuko out of her room. The last thing she needed was Azula seeing them alone together. She would undoubtedly tell Mai, which would cause more problems than (Y/N) needed on her last day in the Fire Nation. 

“Just wait a second!” Zuko demanded, keeping his voice low. “I just got out of one of my father’s war meetings. They’re planning to burn down the towns of those who haven’t surrendered yet.” 

(Y/N) halted her movements of trying to get him out of her room. She eyed him warily. “What does that have to do with me?” 

“I know you’ve been working with the Avatar.” (Y/N’s) body stiffened, but she rolled her eyes. 

“This again. Zuko, I already told you--” 

“You don’t have to lie to me anymore. I know that’s the real reason you’re here is to get information for your friends. I can’t let my father or Azula do this. I want to help you.” 

(Y/N) narrowed her eyes. “How do you know?”

“I know you wouldn’t come back unless you had a really good reason. As soon as I heard you say that they were suspicious of you, I knew that was a lie. I saw how you guys were with each other. They care about you.” 

(Y/N) swallowed. In a whisper, she said, “I’m leaving tonight. I can tell them about this before--” 

“The invasion,” Zuko finished. “My father and Azula know about that, too.” 

(Y/N) felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. Everything that they had been working so hard for would be for nothing. She had to get to her friends and let them know they had been exposed. “I need to leave now.” She moved to go back to her knapsack, but Zuko grabbed her by the arm. 

“They’re suspicious of you, too. If they catch you, it’ll be much worse than a burn.” 

“I can’t just stay here and watch my friends fail!” 

“I have a plan,” Zuko assured her. “You just have to trust me.” 

(Y/N) eyed him. His hand still held her arm. Zuko stared up at her. She had never seen him look so sincere. With a deep breath, she nodded. 

---

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[teawaffles]

The Fugitives from the Fire: Chapter 2

As the driver urged the horses on, Lestrade got straight to the point.

“You know about the attack on the department store the other day?”

Sherlock nodded.

“Yeah, it was all over the papers. It seems you were quite involved in this one?”

He’d said that with a slightly teasing tone, and Lestrade smiled wryly.

“You’re probably referring to the time I caught the men rushing out of the store, though strictly speaking, I can’t take credit for that……. Anyway, that’s not the issue here.”

“I bet, since the papers continued like this: ‘Bobbies make big blunder! The criminals they caught suddenly escape!’”

“…………”

Sherlock had said that in a rather grandiose way, and Lestrade’s expression turned grave.

“It’s exactly as you said…… Back then, various events led to half the criminals suffering burns. While they were being transported via carriage, one of the men began to show signs of distress, and the officer in the same carriage tried to render first aid. But the moment he did so, the criminal used that chance to flee.”

As he listened to the inspector’s story, a slight smile rose to Sherlock’s lips.

“What a kind public servant. But the papers said “criminals” with an ‘s’. It seems more than one person escaped, huh.”

Hearing that, Lestrade remained in a frown as he continued his explanation.

“……When that man fled the carriage, the other carriages behind it had to stop. Amid the chaos, another man also managed to escape. We did everything we could to track them down, but we ran out of time before we could find them. In the end, our ineptitude allowed two of the criminals to get away.”

Lestrade had said that last line with a pained look. To that, Sherlock narrowed his eyes, and simply hummed in acknowledgement. Due to an act of carelessness, two of the criminals they’d worked so hard to arrest had escaped: certainly, this was a pressing situation. But the parties involved were clearly doing some soul-searching, so there was no need for an outside party to reproach them any more than necessary.

Therefore, anticipating how the events from here on would play out, Sherlock expressed his own view on the situation.

“However, after an arduous search, the Yard managed to pinpoint the fugitives’ location. But before you could arrest them, something happened, and you all had no choice but to request my help…… Something like that?”

The detective’s powers of deduction left Lestrade completely astounded.

“I don’t know if I should be amazed, or whether I should’ve expected this…… Anyway, you’re right — but the search didn’t lead us to their location. This morning, we suddenly got an anonymous tip-off on where they were hiding. Officers have already been sent to the scene.”

“A tip-off? ……Hmm.”

Sherlock seemed to have taken a slight interest in that word, but he promptly urged the inspector to continue.

“The tip-off said that the two fugitives seemed to be working together; when the officers arrived at the specified location, it appears they quickly found and apprehended one of the men. But they couldn’t find the other fugitive, so right now, they’re interrogating the man they arrested about the location of his accomplice.”

Lestrade’s tone had been solemn. After nodding a few times, Sherlock shot him a question.

“You kept saying things like ‘seemed’ and ‘appears’; so, you haven’t been to the scene yet?”

“At the time, I was at headquarters. After receiving all kinds of reports, I sent my subordinate officers down to the scene first, and paid a visit to 221B to seek your help.”

Sherlock nodded firmly.

“Both fugitives were in the same place, but one was immediately discovered, while the other remains at large. Could it be that he just wasn’t there when the officers raided the place?”

“That’s one possibility, but we also don’t know his exact appearance. As I said earlier, the first man to escape had burn injuries up to his face, so he was wrapped in bandages to avoid exposing his wounds to the air. As such, we don’t even have a rough idea of his features. Nonetheless, the man who escaped afterward didn’t have any obvious injuries, so it appears we’ve found him in the area we were searching this time.”

“In other words, the one who got arrested was the one who took advantage of the chaos to escape……. But from what you said, he’s still being questioned at the place where he was caught, isn’t he? Why didn’t they take him to the station right away?”

“A valid point, but the place the fugitives chose to hide is a little troublesome.”

Lestrade grimaced as he’d said that, and Sherlock gazed at the townscape that sped past the carriage window. From those clues, he could tell where their carriage was heading.

“I see. The East End?”

As he’d predicted, Lestrade nodded gravely.

“It’s a dreadful place, located further into the slums.”

“A right bother, that is. Though, after the Jack the Ripper case, I thought you’d both managed to reach a compromise.”

A cynical smile rose to Sherlock’s face.

The case of the phantom serial killer that rocked Britain had, in the end, been resolved after both Scotland Yard and the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee joined forces. In reality, that had been an outcome orchestrated from behind the scenes by the Lord of Crime — though Sherlock was still keeping that fact to himself.

At the detective’s words, Lestrade shook his head in regret.

“About that: we’ve continued to cooperate with one another, but there’s still a sense of mutual hostility. Of course, there are those who have resolved to trust us, but the overall wariness towards the officers who patrol the borough just can’t be eliminated.”

The police, who worked to maintain public order, and the residents of the slums, which were a hotbed of crime: it was inevitable that friction would ensue between them. There would be some within the rookery who were abetting the criminals, and perhaps an innkeeper who was harbouring them in exchange for money.

In such a place, there was a good chance that while one of the criminals was taken to the police station, the other would end up getting away. Hence, it was necessary to elicit the other fugitive’s location from his accomplice right at the scene.

From that, Sherlock could understand why they didn’t even have the leeway to wait for John to return. In all likelihood, the officers at the scene were presently awaiting their arrival; on top of that, there would be a hostile crowd surrounding the policemen, making it dangerous to keep them waiting. As such, it was imperative to solve the case and leave as soon as they could, before any unnecessary trouble was stirred up.

Once he’d understood the predicament the Yard was in, Sherlock spoke up with a smile.

“I’m well aware this is an emergency. So you want me to be present at the interrogation, and use the information obtained to find the other fugitive as fast as possible.”

“Exactly. Thank you for catching my meaning so quickly……. Though, it is a little different from the mysteries you love.”

Lestrade looked a little pained as he said that, and Sherlock cocked his head slightly, as if he was in thought.

“Certainly, it doesn’t sound like the kind of case I’d go out of my way to pursue…… But from my experience, the simpler a case looks, the less easily it gets resolved. I might just find an interesting ‘riddle’ here, so for now, I’ll just go along with you.”

As the conversation reached a pause, the carriage stopped in a street within the slums, and the two men promptly got off. Since the path up ahead was both narrow and complicated, it seemed they would travel the rest of the way on foot.

At present, it was just past noon. But in this warren-like district, it was dark enough that it seemed as though dusk had already fallen. Glancing left and right, they could see vagrants sitting listlessly by the roadside, as well as children clothed in dirty garments. Occasionally, a horrid smell would assault the very depths of their nostrils, and something bitter would rise up from the pits of their stomachs.

This place was almost hopelessly uninhabitable. As that hollow thought surfaced in Lestrade’s mind, in complete contrast, Sherlock’s expression remained unchanged as he continued walking.

“It’s always a labyrinth here, huh. I know some guys who’re familiar with this place — why don’t we get them to show us the way? Though, we might get ripped off for a fair bit of money.”

As Sherlock made that proposal, the intelligent grins of the Baker Street Irregulars came to mind — but Lestrade promptly turned it down.

“It’s alright: I know the way. It should be just a little further up——”

Breaking off mid-sentence, Lestrade stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes fixed forward. Puzzled, Sherlock followed the inspector’s gaze — and he, too, froze where he stood.

“……Is it, that?”

Lestrade did not answer.

Before their eyes, behind a row of derelict buildings, a plume of black smoke billowed. At the same time, they noticed a faint smell of soot permeating the air.

“No way…… You’ve got to be kidding me.”

All the colour had drained from Lestrade’s face, and the moment he mumbled that, he broke into a sprint. Sherlock too felt an uneasy premonition; gnashing his teeth, he rushed to chase after him.

The two men arrived at their destination in less than a minute, but it seemed they were still too late.

As Lestrade stood stock-still, before his eyes, the building they were supposed to conduct the interrogation in had been engulfed in flames.