#limestone entry flooring

[februarypoet]

Transitional Entry - Mudroom Inspiration for a mid-sized, transitional entryway remodel with a white front door, beige walls, and a limestone floor.

[diybongs]

Contemporary Entry in Miami An illustration of a medium-sized, modern foyer with a limestone floor and beige walls.

[revolverthemes]

Foyer Mudroom in Dallas

[xfairydrawing]

Front Door (Richmond)

[uroborom]

Beach Style Entry - Front Door

[howyaben]

Mudroom - Foyer

[sanjoongie]

Library of Illusions~ Fantasy Section

Horns

📚Part Two for the Library Of Illusions Event

📚Pairing: Dragon! Yeosang x Knight! Reader (f)

📚Genre: Fantasy au, dragon au, strangers to lovers

📚Warnings: oral ( f receiving and giving), dick-drunk reader, special dragon dick! yeosang, special cunt! Reader, degradation kink, knotting, cuts from talons

📚Word Count: 4,261

📚Rating: 18+ MDNI, smut

📚Summary: in the fantasy section, you become a lady knight, here to conquer a dragon. Only the fight has less to do with swords and fangs, and more to do with who can make the other cum first. 

📚Dedication: @mejuii & @downtoamagicalland the best beta readers a writer could bribe have

↫The Horror Section ↭ MasterList ↭ The Sci-fi Section↬

You rubbed your hands together, practically vibrating with excitement. What was this section going to throw at you? Perhaps you would get to be a knight in shining armor, out to slay a horrid beast? You were far too deep in your head for the dangers that could betray you in the library. As a result, you tripped over something and landed flat on your face. You cursed your clumsiness and looked behind you to see what was the cause of your trip. On the floor was a dark red book, the title Horns and Swords golden on the spine. 

You opened it, prepared this time for the book to fly out of your hands, land upright, with its pages flipping open, until it halted and grew to the size of a door once again. The center for the book was transparent, and within you could see a gently rolling hill and a large stone structure on the top. Before entering, you turned your head, still unable to shake that feeling from within the Horror section that you were being watched.

“Whoever you are, I hope you get off on spying,” You muttered under your breath and then walked into the book. 

You're dressed in armor but it is not the kind you imagined knights wore, covered head to toe in chainmail and plated armor. No, this was the kind that let your boobs bounce and showed off your legs and ass. This kind of armor was meant to seduce and captivate the eyes. What the hell kind of fantasy novel were you in?

You heard a twinkling noise and quickly realized that it was coming from a book that was attached to your belt. You pulled it out and opened it to the first page. Inside was your handwriting, detailed descriptions of monsters you had pursued and how you had defeated them. What you hadn't expected while skimming the notes was the descriptions.

Orcs: big balls, stroke to entice early ejaculation

Centaurs: DO NOT OFFER MISSIONARY! HOOVES!

Mermen: find a rock to seduce him on. Sand is a bitch to get out of your boots

The list went on and on and you quickly realized you weren’t a whore, per say, but a type of knight that ‘conquered’ monsters by bringing them pleasure. Well, at least the book got the knight part right that you wanted.

In the book, your notes stopped and a new page began. The inscription spoke of this part of your book being connected to the great book back at the Citadel, in which the clerical knights wrote the bounties one could take on. You flipped through the small book until you come across a particularly interesting entry:

Time Dragon: Kang Yeosang is wanted for manipulating time in order to increase his hoard. Capture if necessary, otherwise, sufficient proof of conquest is a piece of his horn.

You looked up at the large building that was on top of the gently inclining hill. Clearly you had been deposited right where you needed to be. But what kind of dragon lived in a limestone building? Didn’t they prefer mountains or caves? Perhaps Time Dragons were a different breed. You shook your head. Whatever the case, you had another key to earn. 

You underestimated the climb, making your thighs burn with the effort to climb the hill. Hill was a bad word for it. Huge earth mound that took forever to climb was much better. Thoughts of getting a horse when turned in the dragon’s horn floated through your head. A pretty horse, female and even tempered. One of those white and black horses, what were they called again? Ah yes, Appaloosa! Yes, you would reward yourself with a pretty horse when you completed this bounty.

The limestone building at the top of the hill was much bigger than you had estimated when you were at the bottom. The ceilings had to be five times your height. Your footsteps echoed as you entered the large room. Inside was completely empty. There were only two items: a large stone slab in the middle of the room and a statue at the back. 

There, carved in perfect similarity, was the humanoid form of a dragon. You moved closer to inspect it. The creature was clearly much bigger than a human, and his features were gorgeous. His nose appeared perfect to grind your lower half against--you shook your head again. Curse your thirst for these monsters, your character was pulling you into the story, much like you had been with the horror section. You had to keep it together!

“Why do you enter my mausoleum, Lady Knight?” A rumbling, deep voice scared the living shit out of you.

You raised your chin, challenging the statue that had spoken. “I am here for Kang Yeosang. He has been a bad dragon as of late.”

The corners of the statue’s lips quirked upwards but only in minute detail.  The statue began to move and you were starting to realize he wasn’t a statue. As he moved, color seemed to breathe into his form. Gone was the stark white stone that matched that of the structure and to replace it was bronze skin and dark, flowing hair. That was where the resemblance to a human stopped. He had red eyes with a pupil that was a slit. He had large black horns that grew out of the crown of his head. He also sported wicked looking talons. You were sad to see no tail but the rest of his body was covered in scales, the only exception being his face and neck.

“But I was simply increasing my hoard, Lady Knight,” The dragon continued to speak to you. He stepped down from his throne and walked towards you.

You shook your finger at the approaching figure. “You know as well as I that the Citadel does not approve of time changes, Yeosang. And several at that! You restarted a timeline so many times, the poor villagers couldn't even remember who they were. That cannot stand.”

Yeosang chuckled. “Then we are to fight?”

The sentence made goosebumps cover your body. It seemed your body knew what was to come. You jerked your head towards the stone slab in the middle of the room. “That will be adequate as a place to copulate.” You adjusted your armor, pushing your breasts up and your skirt down.

Yeosang ducked his head in agreement. “As you wish.”

You hopped onto the slab and lied down. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but it would be tolerable. It’s not like you would be on it for long anyways. You were quite confident in your skills as a lady knight. Yeosang would be knotted inside of you quite soon, you estimated.

“These offend me,” Yeosang announced suddenly. Those razor sharp talons began to slice through the leather straps that held your chest piece and skirt together. They clanged loudly as they hit the marble slab. Now your breasts and cunt were available to those red eyes of Yeosang’s.

His taloned hand next encircled your ankle carefully, raising your leg upwards so he could spread your legs. His forked tongue came out to taste the air and he smirked, making his face look somehow sweet at this moment. "You're wet, Lady Knight."

"Of course I am," You agreed, biting down on your lip, "I've had dragon dick before. It'll be a pleasure to take it again." Yeosang grunted, unimpressed that he wasn't your first. You laughed. "I didn't properly introduce myself, did I?"

Yeosang's tongue tickled and caressed your calf and he moved down your leg, to the inside of your thighs. "Would you consider a different race?"

You raised an eyebrow at the dragon. "You want some of my sweet nectar? You don't want to fuck me?"

Yeosang's eyes meet your gaze. "I'll fuck you in victory, I'm sure my dragon dick is much better than what you had before."

"If you win, you can take me however you'd prefer," You agreed wholeheartedly because you knew you were going to win. There hasn't been a dragon that you had not conquered yet.

Yeosang grinned, sharp teeth making you shiver with the slight threat they offered. "Oh Lady Knight, you are quite confident with your skills." 

Yeosang moved to the side of the raised marble slate and leaned over you. You pushed your body so that your head could hang off the slab and give Yeosang's cock a direct path to fuck your throat. The slit that contained his cock hovered over your head and you licked your lips in anticipation. You raised your hand and ran two fingers along the scaled lips of the slit. Yeosang shivered above you. "Have some patience, you cock hungry knight," Yeosang scolded you. 

You shook your head. "There's a reason I'm a lady knight, Yeosang. In fact, I am famously known as Topaz the Temptation."

Yeosang's tongue fluttered above your cunt, almost ready to taste you before he halted. "One of the Jewel Knights? The legendary Monster Ruiners?"

"Give me your dick, Yeosang," You purred, "I'm ready."

Yeosang swallowed audibly. "Open your mouth," He commanded. 

You watched with anticipation as his slit opened and his cock pushed past the barrier. All dragon dicks were self lubricating so the lewd noise it made as it extended all seven inches of perfection were enough to make your cunt even more wet. The arrow head was perfect to part pussy lips, it was curved AND thick, and you could see a bulge at the base.

"You're a mating Dragon!" You cried out in excitement.

Yeosang slid his tongue from your clit to your hole. Your legs clamped down against his head but he easily pushed your thighs apart, hands remaining on your thighs to keep you spread for him. "You've never had one, have you?"

"I haven't!--" Whatever you were going to say next became muffled as Yeosang entered your mouth. His thickness almost stretched your lips and you rolled your eyes in ecstasy. This was heaven, being stuffed this way. 

Yeosang thrusted experimentally and was pushing into the back of your throat easily. "Oh fuck," He cursed.

Your hands braced on his hips, pulling him forward, and encouraging him to fuck your throat. You swallowed when you felt him down your throat and his hips stuttered. "You really weren't kidding about your skills," He mused to himself before he plunged his face and tongue into your cunt.

With Yeosang's cock steadily fucking your throat, and his tongue fucking your pussy, your mind was all white noise. You only had focus for your breathing, the wonderful way Yeosang's cock pressed your tongue flat, and the way his tongue curled inside of your cunt. 

"Fuck, you take my cock well, Lady Knight," Yeosang growled, his voice deep and raw. "I've had many knights think they could take me and whine when I'm too big for them, but not you, hmmmm?"

Yeosang was in complete control at this very moment and he had to be conscious of just how much he fucked your sweet mouth. He pulled out, which did make you able to think more clearly but unfortunately let out a lot of his lubricant and your saliva mixture down your cheeks. It was messy and he had not even released his cum yet. 

Yeosang's tongue was writhing inside of you, almost with a will of its own. He had found the special spot inside of you that made you whimper and buck your hips and was caressing that spot with his forked tip. No dragon had ever been dedicated or delicate enough to make you come with their skilled and forked tongue. You began to worry. 

You reached out and wrapped your hand around Yeosang's wet cock. You moved up and down the shaft, sucking hard on the tip that still rested inside of your mouth. Your tongue circled the tip as you sucked and Yeosang cried out instead this time.

"Stars!" He cried out, "You really want that reward, Lady Knight, your mouth is sinful. Still," Yeosang continued to muse out loud, "I think I want to fuck this cunt instead."

His tongue went to work, moving along your clit at such a pace that you simply had no chance. Your hips thrusted upwards into his face, thighs trembling as an orgasm ripped through you. You let out a sigh of frustration and tears pricked the corner of your eyes. You had failed. For the first time, you had not been able to take the monster down. Might as well say bye bye to that beautiful Appaloosa Mare you planned on making your own. But wait, wasn't there something else you were working towards?

Yeosang receded from your body and you whimpered at the loss of his cock in your mouth and his tongue from your cunt. Yeosang had introduced you to a new version of being double stuffed and you weren't sure you could do without it now. 

"Ruined already for me, Lady Knight?" Yeosang teased you. 

You sat upwards, carefully cleaning your face with the side of your hand. "My pussy is ready for you, sir." With eyes cast downwards in the image of maidenly shyness, you turned on the slab so that your legs were hanging off it now. Your legs were spread, pussy wet and shiny and inviting just for Yeosang. 

Yeosang's red eyes were blown so that his eyes didn't even appear as slits anymore. His body slotted between your legs and his fore talon curled under your chin. "I do look forward to fucking you full of my seed and knotting tight inside of your sweet cunt, lovely."

"Promise?" You whispered, eyes getting heavy lidded at the thought of being stuffed by his self-lubricating cock. 

Yeosang shook his head at you. "Still so cock hungry," He tsked at you mockingly, "Are you ever satisfied?"

You shook your head, "Hardly ever."

Yeosang snorted at your blunt truth. "Then by all means, let me have an attempt at it."

You watched with bated breath as Yeosang's talons curled around your hips and he snaked his cock inside of your cunt. He stretched you wonderfully with his tongue but his cock was what you were truly meant to experience. It filled you in such a way, snug in your wet puss, the base only slightly bulged but already feeling wonderful inside of you. 

"So full," You whimpered.

"Look at how well your cunt takes my cock, lovely?" Yeosang praised you, "You almost suck me in, such a good lady knight, you didn't even protest as I stretched you fully."

You raised your arms around Yeosang's neck and curled your legs around his hips. His scales would have slid against the inside of your thighs and against the sensitive skin of your arms but luckily your armor that hadn't been stripped off by Yeosang was still there; all the better to fuck a dragon, scales and all. 

"That's why I'm such a temptation, Yeosang," You purred, "My cunt is my weapon."

Yeosang thrusted shallowly, barely pulling out before pushing back in. His eyes were closed and his hair was casting a shadow over his face. "Such a sweet cunt," Yeosang murmured to himself. 

“Is it sweet to you?” You cooed, “Is it warm and wet and velvety for you, Drachen?”

Yeosang’s eyebrows lifted into his fringe. “You know the old tongue?”

“I know--” You gasped as Yeosang began to increase the length of his thrusts, giving you more of his cock, “--a lot of things.”

Yeosang’s eyebrows began to furrow as he fucked you. He wasn’t used to a knight taking the entirety of his length. In fact, he barely experienced an orgasm from just the tip being introduced to an orifice. And also… 

“--what was that?” Yeosang demanded, feeling a sensation around his cock that was not something he had ever felt before.

You laid back against the slab, your back arching as Yeosang paused fucking your tiny yet accommodating hole. “When one becomes a Lady Knight, particularly one of a special pedigree, there is a spell cast upon you. It gives you a special power in order to conquer the monsters of this world. My special power is called Dickstrom. So what you’re feeling is my pussy revolving around your dick, forever sucking you in.” 

Yeosang continued to fuck your cunt and groaned loudly. “I’ve never…” He began to pant between his words, “...a rainbow knight! Ah--” 

“Seems like I’m not the only one getting something new this evening,” You preened at your success.

Your pussy continued to swirl around the humanoid dragon’s cock, allowing you to take him deeper and deeper inside of you. Yeosang’s thrusts began to get sloppy and his grip tightened on your hips, enough that he cut the skin there. You didn’t even feel it, however, so deep into your pleasure. 

Once Yeosang came, your pussy would suck in all his seed and you would become even more powerful as a Jewel Knight. You were quite sure that once he knotted inside of you, as you had studied when you were a squire, you would orgasm.

“Fuck me with your knotting dick, Yeosang, fuck me full of your cum and then knot inside of me. I want it, I want it so badly, please let me have it!” You moaned.

"You're lovely in your insatiable thirst for me," Yeosang growled and then came with a desperate cry. His back arched and he threw his head back. He was the picture of perfect male perfection above you: dick deep inside of you, chest heaving in heavy breaths, neck pulsating with working veins and his sharp jaw to finish the picture off.

Then your breath was caught in your throat as Yeosang's knot pushed outwards and gave you the final stimulation against your g-spot to come. It ran through your nerves making your toes curl and you moan Yeosang's name. The feeling of remaining full making you feel content because Yeosang had to remain inside of you until you fully absorbed his cum and that would be hours entangled face to face.

Slowly Yeosang lowered himself until his upper body was braced over yours, forearms bracing on the cold marble. He was letting out a noise that was a mix of a growl and a purr. You could feel your walls were still pulsating around him.

The two of you remained locked together, and yet somehow, Yeosang was tender with you. He ran the back of his talon along your cheek. “You could have won, Lady Knight, had I fucked you. Why did you agree to let me tongue fuck your cunt instead?” Yeosang wondered.

You shrugged. “Perhaps this time I didn’t want to win. Perhaps--” You moaned wantonly as Yeosang adjusted, giving you the overstimulation against your pussy walls that you both adored and hated. 

Yeosang cocked his head. "Did you not want to win?"

Anxiety coursed through you but you didn't know why. Why did it matter so much that you needed to win? The thought was pulling at your mind but you simply could not recall. All you knew is that your fingers were itching to make new notes about a mating dragon and to sketch Yeosang's gorgeous face as well in some nice charcoal.

Yeosang smiled, a genuine one and almost broke your mind with how much sunshine it contained. "You did realize I could rewind time at any moment and reset the timeline so that I could try to win, right?"

You smiled lazily, completely content to be stuffed by Yeosang like this. You would rather the previous double stuffed but this wasn't so bad either. "Then I would experience sex with you multiple times. I don't see the loss here."

Yeosang chuckled, sounding manly and cocky. "Oh, I like you."

The dragon then reached above his head promptly and broke off one of his horns. Your jaw dropped in surprise. "Yeosang!"

Yeosang seemed soft, vulnerable and not like the haughty dragon you had met earlier. "You are the only knight to have taken me completely and also gave me a climax that I haven't experienced in a very long time. Take this and let the entire realm know that I am taken. I am a conquered monster."

"The other knights will also leave you alone if they consider you conquered," You peeked up at him through your eyelashes, "Are you sure?"

"Only if you'll retire with me," Yeosang offered.

You felt a soft smile extend on your face as well. You had never thought to retire, but with Yeosang, perhaps--

Your real consciousness smashed into you with a determined scream. You couldn't settle into this world! "I have more monsters to conquer, Yeosang," You reminded him, not exactly how much you could do while a huge monster was pinning you against a marble slab with his knotted dick stuck inside of you.

Yeosang had the grace to look slightly bashful. "Very well, lovely."

The air tensed, warping and stretching and suddenly it snapped and you were back in the Fantasy Section. Yeosang's arms were wrapped around you but a normal sized man now. He sported a leather double vest, gloves and black slacks. 

It took a moment for your mind to adjust and then everything that happened just hit you like a ten ton truck. “Dickstrom?!” You demanded, “Really?”

Yeosang had a look of mischief gleaming from his eyes, the corners of his lips quirking upwards but he fought it. “The sensation was worth it.”

You hung your head low. “I suppose I should go tell Seonghwa that my time here has come to an end.”

Yeosang lifted an eyebrow at your statement. "What makes you say that?"

Your chest tingled with excitement. "I didn't fail?"

Yeosang shook his head. "Most humans look to conquer in my section. But you were simply seeking pleasure. It was a breath of fresh air, to put it simply."

The demon released you and squatted before a bookshelf full of pastel colored spines and pulled out Horns and Swords. When he opened it, inside was a mini version of the horn his dragonself had gifted your lady knight. Upon prying it out, he offered it to you. "A reward well earned, Lady Knight." Yeosang smiled but he had an air of sadness about him. 

You just took it just like Wooyoung's regret that you couldn't play with him anymore. "Thank you, Yeosang."

Yeosang shook his head. "Don't rub it in too roughly that you got this key as well. Seonghwa has his pride too, you know."

You rolled your eyes. "Oh please, he's probably napping. If anything, I'll get to hear him call me 'human' lovingly again," You scoffed.

Yeosang laughed, a laugh that was both deep and musical at the same time. "Good-bye, lovely."

This time as you approached the desk, Seonghwa had his tongue between his lips in concentration, staring intensely at a board of 3D chess. "You know the way out," He waved you away with a flick of his hand, not even bothering to look at you.

"Oh, don't let me interrupt you, Keeper," You said sarcastically, "Just tell me where you keep my keys and I'll add this one."

"The display case behind me--WAIT A MINUTE!" Seonghwa shouted in disbelief, "You received another one? Who?"

You opened your palm to show the horn. Seonghwa looked simply gobsmacked. "Yeosang?" Seonghwa looked around wildly. "Kang Yeosang, reveal yourself!"

You circumvented the desk and stood before the display case. Inside was black and gold sand, and there was your mask you had received from Wooyoung. You were about to lift the latch when Seonghwa's hand came down on yours in an almost crushing grip. "Do not," He said in a low tone that set a shiver down your spine.

You flicked your eyes upward to meet the demons. "Are you going to add my key or are you going to nag Yeosang's ear off?"

Seonghwa began to grumble and released your hand. "I am the Keeper of the Keys, remember--"

"If you call me human one more time, I will grab a handful of that sand and stuff it down your throat--" You threatened.

Seonghwa snapped his mouth shut and you swore you could see a faint blush across his cheeks. But surely you were wrong. "--that," he finished lamely.

You rolled your eyes. You slapped the dragon's horn onto Seonghwa's waiting palm. "Great, you have a good discussion with Yeosang, I'm going to get another key," You announced as you walked away from Seonghwa who was back to cursing Yeosang--and you--under his breath.

You were genuinely worried about your state of mind. Was it because you adored fantasy so much that the enticement of remaining there was strong. Or was it because with each key you acquired, the game became harder? There had to be something you could do to keep yourself grounded!

All thoughts swirled out of your head when you came across a section that could not be ignored. Bright, neon lights blinked for the Science Fiction Section. You could hear the rumbling of a hover vehicle and the blasting of laser guns. Science fiction was also close to your heart but difficult to navigate due to the terms and the aliens and--you gulped. Surely you wouldn't have to conquer an alien. You blanked your mind, determined to not make the same mistake you had in the Fantasy Section, and walked into the new section.

Tag list: @yoonguurt  @hijirikaww  @flowerboykun  @starillusion13  @flurrys-creativity  @kitten4sannie  @a-soft-hornytiny @mingiblr

Library staff: @kwanisms  @thelargefrye  @anyamaris  @stardragongalaxy  @kpop-stories-21

↫The Horror Section ↭ MasterList ↭ The Sci-fi Section↬

[digitalagepulao]

A new arrival

Huaguoshan was rocked by the thunder-sound of the eternal rock splitting open, and the blaze of light that came forth from it not long after. As usual, the old langur Longan leaves her distressed troop to investigate.

Fic below, featuring A-ma Longan and An-Kong.

word count: ~1k

It had been a turn of the sun and a half, since the stone upon the summit of the mountain split, and a turn of the sun since A-ma returned from her journey to investigate. The gibbons on the crown of the trees called in the morning, loud and clear the news of the day for all the beings above and below. The birds flocked about, but none approached the graying monkey as she traveled at a leisurely pace. They knew better than to interfere in her duties to the beasts of the mountain, and until she approached them, they would keep their distance.

The wizened langur trekked her way across the mountain side, through loping branches and swaying stones, and into the small shallow of a once fallen, again blooming tree, with grasping branches reaching to the heavens. The limestone gave way in a deep rift beneath the arch of the tilted trunk, moss and ferns obscuring the entrance, and riddling all the walls and floor. The echo of dripping dew rang as the monkey waltzed through the slanting path, up to a small creek that had chiseled the entry open over the centuries. She could still recall when the path was a struggle, having to shimmy herself through the narrow parts that now had ample room for her.

At the end of the tunnel was a round concave wall, where the moonlight would hit from where the water pierced through, and cast her shadow upon the wall. It was a mere dead end once, but now it was decorated with a humble but beloved shrine. A shallow stone to catch incense, half of coconut husks for libations and palm leaves for offerings. The walls were painted with fruit and flower dyes, with finger and palm straw brush, decorations of phoenixes and unicorns, praying animals of all stripes and spots. Beaded wreaths of stone, seed and clay hung from the protusions in the stone and the drapes of ferns above.

The langur stopped before it, sitting comfortably before tapping her knuckles over the moist stone.

"You bring a newcomer with you." comes the stone-gravely voice, and from the limestone and red earth sprung a burst of creeping vines and lumps of black clay. A familiar figure formed from it, and the two primates regarded one another for a moment, and neither made a move to approach the other.

"Then don't keep us waiting, and come greet him." The black and white langur says in a stern but calm tone, almost chiding.

The figure at last stirs, long draping green-gray fur and dyed flax robes revealing the wrinkled moon-round face of a bearded orangutan, who stands and walks over to the crouched yao in a loping gate. Dark indigo eyes examine the small figure clutching to her furred chest, bright orange fur surrounding a stone carved face. The silence of nature envelops them, and the Tudishen frowns.

"This... being. Whence have you found it?" He asks, wary.

"Upon the peak fo our mountain." She says, and neither mind the sharing of the tutelary duties. "The eternal stone that sat upon it has cracked, and from it came an egg, and from the egg, this little one was born." She explains, and holds up the tiny monkey in her hands for the tutelary god to look. The little monkey grumbles and squirms at the attention, large brown eyes gazing every which way.

"It is like nothing we know, old woman. Is it wise to welcome it to the mountain?" He muses, still watchful of the little monkey. A-ma doesn't give him a side eye for his caution. She knows all too well how the old tudi has suffered under plenty of demon lords and higher deities than him.

"It was born of nature, and so to nature it belongs. It should live among us as one of us." Longan says. "Besides, it's wise to keep it close, so that if should try anything, we'll know it best and so how to defeat it or reason with it." The learned monkey explains, casual in her dryness as was her temperament. The mountain's grandfather hums in thought, still watching the wriggling baby like one looks at a particularly sharp knife and his beloved smirks with a knowing look.

"Why dear, don't tell me you fear this little pebble?" She teases. Said pebble is now crawling under her armpit, trying to reach her back to escape the land god's gaze, but is held back by the langur's foot cradling its head.

"It's only reasonable. This being is unlike anything this mountain has ever seen, if not this world. How can I not be cautious?" The Tudishen spoke, at last reaching out with a finger to touch the stone baby. It squeaked in surprise, but allowed the head and ear scritches with a pleased hum.

"I said afraid, not cautious. Are you afraid?" Longan pressed, watching the interaction with a fondness in her amber eyes.

"...No. Not yet, at least." The deity admitted, huffing at the glint in his old love's gaze.

Longan reached out, cradling the land god's large palm in her two long ones. "You've trusted me to help you guard this mountain for this long, you can trust me to keep an eye on this little oddball, hm?"

The old god gives her a deadpan glare, which she easily matches with her own. With a sigh, he waves a long dark-clay hand dismissively and she snorts in triumph.

"Very well, very well. Raise him them, and guard him well. I leave the other introductions to you." He says grumpily and makes himself comfortable upon his shrine once again. "Come bother me some other time."

"I shall, with more incense and fruit." She says simply, knowing he adores when she deigns to bother him with offerings and prayer, and wine and conversation to share on the new moons.

He hums, and the fondness buried beneath the dismissal is for her ears only, and she wouldn't have it any other way. She adjusts the baby on her chest, and makes her way back outside.

The evening is cool and the clouds gather for a late night shower, but she's unbothered. The monkey stands on her back feet, straight and deft as any human, and stretches her arm above her head. The little stone monkey grumbles at the shift in height and marvels up at the stars.

"Be still, little pebble, and I shall tell you of the Twenty-Eight Mansions another day." She promises, rubbing his furry back. The yao leans against a tree and mutters a small song to entertain her new child. Said baby turns to gaze up at her, brown eyes almost innocently unremarkable. Longan knows better, her own visions still peppered with starbursts from the blaze of light that came from the child when she encountered it.

The orange ball of fuzz gurgles and presses his face to her chest, enjoying her thick fur. She huffs with a pleased smile, and gently cradles the small form in her arm.

"You're a precious gem, aren't you? Can't wait to see what new wonders you can show us."

[purplebass]

Three Years and Counting - Lucie and Jesse

My entry for @ghostwriterfest <3 Set a few years after canon. Lucie and Jesse go on a date to celebrate their relationship milestone and remember the first time they kissed. Mostly fluff, but with a little hurt/comfort. Rating: T Read on A03 💜

Lucie fixed her hat one last time and took her bag from the desk, before storming out of her room, the sound of her heels echoing on the limestone floor. She was excited and probably late. As she walked briskly to the stairs leading to the main entrance, she couldn’t help but smile. She knew he was already waiting by the door by now, citing the excuse that it didn’t take long for him to get ready to go out, unlike her. But she knew he was just as thrilled to be alone with her as she was.

She knew she was right when reached the staircase, and saw him from the gallery above. He had his back to her, and he was talking to her brother. Lucie wasn’t sure when James had arrived. He probably needed to talk to their father, but she wasn’t sure. However, she did not care. She began descending the stairs, and that was when Jesse finally turned, interrupting whatever he was saying to James. Their eyes met, and he grinned at her. Lucie exchanged the grin, and she didn’t stop glancing at her boyfriend until she was next to him. She loved him so much, and she knew he loved her too. “Hello, James,” she chirped. “Are you going out, Lucie?” James asked. “Jesse was just telling me about it.” “Yes,” she answered, grabbing Jesse’s hand. “We are going on a date. We’ll get home late.” “I never asked,” her brother shrugged. “I will tell papa when I see him. I needed to talk to him about next week’s dinner at Cirenworth with Cordelia’s mother.” “Okay, you go on. Say hi to Daisy from me.” James nodded and said goodbye, leaving them alone in the foyer. 

Every year, around the end of November, they had a special date night at the Shadow Market to celebrate the first time they had kissed. They had talked about it, and they both considered that moment to mark the beginning of their relationship. This year, they didn't have much luck with the weather. At least, rain and wind had quieted for that day, thus they took on the chance before the clouds would make it impossible to stroll around London without soaking their clothes. “Were you waiting for a long time?” Lucie asked Jesse. “A half an hour.” he replied with a playful grin. “You’re awfully slow at getting ready.” 

“Oh,” Lucie huffed. “I’m sorry. I got carried away when I had to decide which dress to wear. I wanted the blue one, but then I opted for the emerald green.”

“Green, huh? You’re wearing so much of that as of late.”

Lucie blushed, and gazed up at him. “You’ve noticed,” she replied. “I thought it wouldn’t suit me, but I’ve noticed that it brightens the color of my eyes.” And it’s also the color of your eyes, she wanted to add, but he wasn’t stupid. He probably knew it, she hoped. They had left the Institute behind and were directed to Southwark. It was a warm evening for November standards, and it wasn’t raining, thus they decided to reach their destination on foot. 

“It does indeed,” Jesse nodded. “But then again, I am biased when it comes to you.” She squeezed his hand, feeling even warmer than before. “You are such a doting boyfriend, and I love you for that. Among other things I like about you, of course.” “And here I thought you only wanted to be with me because I am utterly handsome and apparently, also filthy rich.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jesse Blackthorn,” she rolled her eyes at him and bumped his arm with her shoulder. “I only want to be with you because you’re the only one who puts up with my writing,” she joked.

“That’s not true,” he retorted. “Your brother and Cordelia might have stopped giving you feedback because they have been traveling a lot, but your mother and I still read your stories.”

Lucie frowned, but still smiled. “Mam stopped giving me feedback a while ago,” she confessed. “But it’s my fault. You read my most recent writing, you saw how it got more –” “Personal? Yes, I figured it out,” he offered her a smile. “And you didn’t say anything,” she sighed. “Why?” “Well, admittedly, I didn’t catch all the personal references because I know you didn’t just write about you and me,” Jesse explained. “It’s not like when you wrote about Lord Jethro turning into a ghost and I felt a tad offended – maybe too offended,” he chuckled, “because I thought you were humoring me. But that was a clear reference and I was frustrated that I couldn’t really be with you because of the state I was in. Writing is a mix of real and invented, and sometimes, people see themselves in fiction, because fiction borrows from real life.”

“You are not wrong about this,” she said. “The problem is not that, though. I don’t mind my mother or my friends reading stories that they might have inspired. What scares me is being seen. Being known for real. I wear my heart on my sleeve, but even I have things I do not want to share with the world. And I’m afraid they won’t like it.”

“It seems fair,” he conceded as they arrived at their destination. The Shadow Market under London Bridge brimmed with downworlders, and it was a spectacle to see. “That was also the first thing that shocked me when I first met you. Being seen. It was at the same time thrilling and terrifying.” “Because I was the only stranger who could see you?” Jesse squeezed her hand this time, and she caught a shy smile on his face, but he was looking straight ahead. Lucie noticed the faerie stall with magic potions. They were so colorful. “More or less, yes. You weren't a stranger properly because I used to spy on your family a lot,” he said. “I couldn't believe I could talk to you. You were the first older person I could ever talk to who wasn’t dead, and I didn't know if I could handle it.”

“Can I ask why?”

“You really don't know?” He wondered. “You were intimidating, Lucie.”

She giggled. “Bizarre to find out after years that I scared you when we first met. Perhaps I was uglier than I thought.”

“Yes, you were so ugly, you scared me to death,” he chuckled. “No, wait. I was already dead.”

“Are you dead serious?” They exchanged a glance and laughed together. This was one thing she liked about being with Jesse. She could joke with him and he would humor her back. It was comforting being silly with someone.

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Perhaps I’m with you just because of your connections, Lucie. Have you ever thought about that?”

She rolled her eyes. “We are here,” she called, and tried to drag him to the spot they both remembered well. “Over there,” she added, hoping he had heard her over the noise. The crowd in this area of the Market was thick, and it made it impossible for them to walk side by side. Lucie tightened the hold on Jesse’s hand and led the way. She had noticed a spot with no stalls right under the bridge where the train passed overhead, and she meant to take him there, where they could stop and enjoy each other’s company in peace. Lucie saw two vampires discussing with a faerie who didn’t want to lower the price of some concoction. This probably distracted her, because when she turned towards the path out of the crowded street, someone almost crashed into her. “Apologies, sweet lady,” the man said, his voice eerie. He was dressed as a clown, and she was startled for a second. Not because of his clothes, but because she hadn’t seen him coming. She sighed, but still replied: “no problem,” but he had already left. She turned to Jesse to check on him. He tightened his grip on her hand, and she assumed he had been equally surprised by the clown barreling into them. She frowned when she saw him. He was paler than usual, and even in the dim lights of the Shadow Market, she could see that there was something wrong with him. A drop of sweat fell on the side of his face, and that alarmed her. It was too cold for him to be sweating, unless –

They were almost out of the crowded street, and she could see a way out. She pulled him into the empty space she had eyed before and he followed her without uttering a word. She heaved a sigh once they were out of the grasp of the crowd, and eased him to lean his back on the stone wall.

“Jesse,” she muttered, alarmed, cradling his face in her hands. His breath was labored, and this worried her even more. She thought someone in the crowd might have hurt him. “What –” she began, but he put his hand over hers and she squeezed it. It was icy cold, and it trembled in hers. She caressed his cheek and he glanced at her with a frightened look. “You are safe. No one is going to hurt you here. I will protect you.” It wasn’t a lie. Lucie wasn’t that tall, but she could fight, if she needed to. She didn’t think she would need to fend off any demons, aside from the ones from a past she wasn’t aware of. She asked him to breathe in and breathe out, remembering another episode in the past where he had a similar reaction, until color returned to Jesse’s cheeks and he wasn’t gasping anymore. 

He offered her a weak smile, and held on her hip for balance. It was enough for her, who could only sigh. “The one who bumped into you,” he said at last, “it was a clown.”

It was Lucie’s turn to gasp now. How could she forget? “I’m sorry, Jesse. I should’ve seen him coming.”

“He came out of nowhere, you could not,” he quickly replied. “It’s fine now, I just needed to take a breath. Thank you for taking me here.” She nodded and bit her lip, not letting go of his hand. “Are you okay?” “Yes, way better,” he assured her. “At last, we are where we intended to arrive.” “Was this the spot?” Lucie wondered, and frowned at the noise of the train passing nearby. “I wish the market wasn’t so crowded. I could have run after that clown and hit him with my hat.” “It wasn’t worth it,” he shook his head. “We can leave if you want, but I’d rather not. We have a tradition to uphold.” It had turned into a tradition to have a date at the Shadow Market, and they made it there despite the last unwanted encounter. 

“Are you sure?” she asked again, but she could see that he was better. “Then let’s make the best of it.”

She knew what came next, and put her arms around him. Jesse carried her face in his hands and she tipped her chin up so he could have easy access to her lips. This wasn’t like the first time. Their first kiss had been urgent, because they were both afraid it could’ve been their last, and they had wanted to savor it until the end. But it had also been shy, because neither of them had known how to do it properly. Later, they had confessed to each other that it had been their first kiss, and Lucie couldn’t have been happier. They were going to be each other’s firsts in so many things, and this made their relationship even more meaningful to them. This kiss held the passion and love they felt for each other but it was not rushed. They knew they had all the time in the world, and they kissed each other until their lips were swollen and sore, and their cheeks had turned red because of the heat. “Three years and counting?” she wondered, out of breath, a hint of a smile on her lips. “Here’s to many more,” he answered, and he sealed their anniversary and their promise of love with another kiss.

*

Thanks for reading <3 I wanted to write this for a long time, and I saw a post where I was reminded that in CoT Jesse says that he is scared of clowns and of stripes. I wanted this to go differently and include this bit too, but this week was too hectic and I had a hard time finding the will to write and to get inspired. This fic meant to be fluffy and soft, despite the hurt/comfort. I love when the fmc comforts the mc, and I have one more fic where Lucie takes care of Jesse. I will probably post it sooner or later. For the moment, you enjoyed this. <3

[inquisitorius-sin-bin]

Headcanuary Challenge - One Headcanon per Day

Day 6: Escape

_________________________________________________

From what archaeologists have gathered, the first large-scale settlements of Pau'an into Utai cave cities were the result of at least three ecological and social disasters.

Records of the precise events and their order are scarce, as paper-making techniques and flimsy had not yet made it to Utapau. The record keeping mission of the Rock Vulture clan had not yet begun, and traditions were largely still passed orally through song and dance.

Some artifacts remain of the two extinct Plainsmen groups, leading researchers to believe at least one of the clans went extinct during this time, while one had perished thousands of years earlier (though the ultimate fate of this group is hotly debated).

The first known incident, backed up by data collected in the great continental divide rift, was a massive shift in the planetary crust. The core ocean, once a great sea with portions above the surface, began to recede through the cracks, dropping sea levels and moving shorelines.

Former sandy sea floor suddenly uncovered, with wide expanses of flat, superheated land, gave rise to the first known hyperwind storms on the planet, tearing up most long-term settlements from the surface.

The sudden drought and violent storms were in themselves ecologically disastrous, but the sea water filling the hollow portion beneath the planet's crust lead the limestone deposits to recede from below. Sinkholes large enough to swallow whole populations began to arise, and frequent earthquakes were taken as a sign of Spiritual unrest.

During this time, a rogue Plainsman Shaman, one said to be particularly gifted in his connection to the Spirits, was expelled from his clan for failing to please the divine. He gathered a following of outcasts into a Brunlai clan, exacting his revenge on the established clans through an extended war. It is thought that the remains of this Shaman's clan were either killed off, or were the first to unify with the Utai under the leadership of Timon Medon. Either way, the already suffering Pau'an population of the surface world began to dwindle, most picking up and moving to safer underground refuges.

End of Entry.

Previous Entry | Next Entry | Ride or Die Series

_________________________________________________

@oh-three @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius

[nothlngthere]

my insane Morrowind dream I had last night

(sorry for the Insane formatting but I don’t know how to put nice and pretty .pdfs on here) I was playing Morrowind on a multiplayer client, with around 8-12 other people -- a huge lobby. My character was a Nord heavy warrior, and over the course of the game, I ended up becoming the team 'big guy' with the strongest weapons and armor because I knew where to find it. But, in this version of the game, there were new locations just about everywhere; a lot of my success could therefore be attributed to luck. Most of the new locations were small-but-detailed dungeons and caves scattered throughout Vvardenfell. They were filled with secret passageways, cleverly hidden chests, and tons of enemies which made them ideal for a huge multiplayer group like ours. It was a kind of mod that was intended mostly for multiplayer, but you could reduce the enemy count via configuration options and play it in singleplayer too. We were adventuring somewhere around the Grazelands, fairly close where it borders the Ashlands to the west, or Molag Amur to the south. Originally, we were going to vault over the Ghostfence and see if we couldn't nab Keening or Sunder for the main quest. But nestled in the hills, facing the barren wastes of whichever ashy region we were near, was a burial tomb entrance. It was decorated in an ornate inlay, carved into the rock and filled with a dark brass or bronze. The door was metallic, and was reinforced with brass: over-all, the entry looked as if it were built (or appropriated and refurbished) by the Dwemer. Naturally, as the entrance was so flashy, all of my group were drawn to it. Then, we entered. I was the last to enter, because as the de facto party leader, it was my duty to make sure we didn't lose any stragglers and that we (mostly) all made it in as a team. With that being said, the newly-created men-at-arms and wizards were slow, so we were invariably spread out. Eight of the adventurers in my group were already in the tomb, and judging by how much they were complaining, another three or four had already made it deep into the tomb by way of speed-enhancing enchantments. I entered with the last few adventurers -- three men-at-arms who weren't sure of what they wanted to specialize in, and a wizard -- and found myself in a cave. The cave walls were host to a series of root-like growths protruding from the walls, whose color and texture were reminiscent of a mushroom stalk, or even of limestone. There were big ones, and small ones: the small ones had even smaller offshoots that made them look like cobwebs, and these offshoots branched all of them together. I imagine that the small stalks would eventually all branch together, and create a new big stalk. The cave was a tunnel, and it curved down and to the left. The ceiling was very high, and the tunnel itself thus was ovoid in its shape. It was a fairly long walk through a fairly dull section of the cavern, and then we saw another entrance deeper into the crypt. It looked nearly identical to the first outer entrance, but it was embedded into a wall. The wall looked similar to most burial tomb walls, but was a more saturated burnished orange; it must have been fortified with brass. Activating this door led to a loading screen, which meant that the cell had changed. To explain a 'cell', it's like a room or a building. Whenever you see a loading screen, you change the cell you're in. If you walked out of your house, you would change into the 'outside' cell, and if you walked back in, you would change into the 'your house' cell. The new area of the dungeon, like the previous cavern segment, was a high-ceiling corridor. It was very wide and spacious, roughly as wide as a silt strider is long, and the walls went straight up until they arched to form the ceiling; the walls and ceiling were supported by curved buttresses which extended from the floor to the very top of the ceiling. Between the buttresses were small rectangular insets, big enough to fit a coffin. Many of them did. They were stacked from the bottom of the floor and up, until the walls began to curve to form the ceiling. If an inset didn't have a coffin, it had an urn or two; if it didn't have an urn, then it had miscellaneous loot or bones. The loot mostly consisted of general weaponry or armor, but was plentiful unlike most other tombs. An entire adventuring party could arm themselves in the first few corridors alone. Even more plentiful than the items were the ashes and skulls. They were the weird 'named skulls' or 'named ashes' that you could find in places like the tomb outside Gnisis where you can get Denstagmer's Ring. For every sword we found, there were at least five or so identical copies of these named remains, interspersed throughout all of the containers. One of the adventurers deeper into the area supposedly managed to over-encumber themselves by looting everything as a joke, and wound up dropping over one-hundred skulls. Speaking of the adventurers deeper into the dungeon, the loot quality went up the further down you had gone. According to them, the dungeon became more labyrinthian as you progressed. Doors would appear in place of the insets, and these doors would often curve up or down, or open up to a huge hallway or a short hallway or even a pit. The 'goal', it seemed, was to go physically down as far as you could, because at the lowest elevations of this place would be another huge door like the first one we found inside. This new door would take you to a new level of the tomb complex. I never made it down that far, but according to the short-lived eye-witness testimony of the three that did, it resembled a dwarven version of the Vivec city cantons or the old Dunmer fortresses; this second level consisted of hundreds of hallways, all connecting to each other and lacking doors. Each hallway was lined with coffins. Each one was filled with more remains. Apparently, there was some Daedric loot there, but it was vastly outnumbered by even more named remains, of which there were (at least figuratively) 'thousands'. It was hellish to navigate. While exploring the first level, close to the entrance, the few adventurers who were deeper into the first level than I were experiencing an issue and freaking out. There was a monster in the tomb, and it was some kind of massive ogre or giant. I ran to them (or tried to), and managed to find them. They were fighting a giant, blue-skinned humanoid; its skin was tightly wrapped around its body, and it was almost fully covered head-to-toe in broken weapons and smashed armors that were embedded into its skin. The face of the giant had a permanent scowl, like the Daedric Face of Inspiration, and it had a single red dot in the dark space where its eyes should be. The upper-face looked like that of an ash ghoul, but a darker black; you couldn't really make out anything, aside from the single eye it had. Its name was something like 'Masera'. The blue giant fought with a giant spiked club. It was slow, but it hit extremely hard, and apparently nearly killed one of the warriors (which led to the freak-out). I was able to focus its attention on myself, and found out its secret weakness: though it hit really hard, it had an extremely tough time dealing with shields. Almost every single swing it took would collide with my shield instead of me. I tanked most of its attacks, and the other players chipped away at its massive health pool. Then, something unexpected happened. Remember, there were three or four guys who managed to find and explore the second level of the tomb: they started to freak out too. They freaked out way louder than the first guys who had encountered the giant, swearing and screaming. I told the other players with me to go try to find the second level, and see if the deeper adventurers needed help -- that I would keep the Masera creature busy -- and they maybe walked for about a minute until they figured out why the other players were freaking out. I remember it like this: I was fighting the Masera, and dismissed the other players who were with me. By the time I told the other guys to go to the second level, the players who were already on the second level had stopped making any noises. The game stopped making noises, too. My sword went silent, and the Masera's grunts were muffled. After roughly thirty seconds, the players I just dismissed started screaming bloody murder. After fifteen seconds, two of them found their way back to me. It was incoherent, but I understood that there was some kind of thing in the dungeon that nobody -- not even me -- could handle. At this point, a new noise appeared in the silence: it sounded like a scraping sound, like rock on rock. It had a rhythm to it, making a scrape around twice per second. I started to run alongside the others, but I ended up outpacing them fairly easily. Then, through the doorway, I saw it. It was a thing that was roughly twice as high as a player. It was shaped like a long rectangle, with a rounded top. It had the texture of what looked like a pile of dessicated bodies, overlaid with a desaturated ruddy hue. As it approached me, the bodies 'clothed' themselves, and the texture was draped with what was ostensibly skin, made lumpy by the bodies underneath it. A single aperture, faintly resembling an eye, formed in the center of the thing. The top part of it -- the rounded part -- acquired a brighter red color, and was even more uneven than the main body. Imagine draping a bedsheet over a pile of rocks. As for its approach, it was awfully advanced for Morrowind's AI. It could pursue targets in cells that it didn't occupy, meaning that it could go through loading screens. When it did chase, it was fast. It was insanely fast. My character had around 70 points in Athletics boosting my speed, and that movement speed still was enhanced by an enchanted ring. The thing was able to keep pace with my sprint. I don't know what happened to the people behind me, because I was too focused on self-preservation to care. But, I do know that they stopped talking. I made it out of the first level, and back into the cave entrance. By this time, my stamina had depleted enough that I couldn't really sprint. I had to rely on the aforementioned white-roots to block the movement of the thing that was chasing me. It got way closer than I would have liked, and I could hear something new when it did: the scraping before was more like a labored breathing. It was a sharp exhale. It was about to make contact with me, when I opened the door to the outside world. I was back in the Grazelands, and nothing more happened. I did not dare to go back inside, as based on prior experiences with Daedric ruins, enemy NPCs really love to stand in front of doors right when you walk in. I took a second, and saved my game, and caught my breath. I took note of the dungeon's name, "Mop" -- yes, it's as weird as it sounds -- and I exited the game. I went on UESP thereafter, to see if there was anything about this. There was. Mop was a real location in the game, and it did have a Masera within it. But it was only a Sixth House base, and a small one at that. Apparently, there was a rogue Sixth House wizard inside who used to be a dreamer, but then gave up on Dagoth Ur because he wasn't getting advanced through the ranks quickly enough. However, his responsibility was making sure that the Masera was magically bound to the cave. The Masera itself was a ghoul, fabricated by Dagoth Ur to try to create a small-scale version of the Akulakhan from the remains of the Lame Corprus. It didn't work, because the Masera was obsessed with looting and stealing, and never listened to orders. There was one Masera in the Mop cave which was level 6, and another in the bowels of Kogoruhn which was level 32. The rogue wizard would haggle and bargain with you to give him five Hound Meat, so he could poison it, feed it to the Masera and kill it, and then escape the cave. You had the option of acquiescing, or refusing on the basis that he used to be with the Sixth House. If you chose to help the wizard, he would reward you with around 100 gold and then join the House Telvanni, where he would then be killed by Master Neloth after trying to challenge him to a duel in order to advance quickly through the ranks of the House. If you refused, then he would unleash the magical ward preventing the Masera from rampaging, and then gloat that he and the Masera would kill you. The Masera would target the wizard first, and always kill him in one hit. It would then ignore you, allowing you to leave. There was absolutely nothing even mentioning a burial tomb in the cave. No loot, no coffins, no skulls, no ashes, and definitely not whatever chased all of us in the cave. I refused to believe it, and went there on my singleplayer save. The location was exactly where it was -- in the Grazelands -- but it was exactly how UESP described it. It was just a Sixth House base. I tried to see if I could refuse to help the wizard, and then help him kill the Masera through combat, but the wizard was so pitifully weak that not even I could help him. At the end, it was just me, the ghostly whispers of a Sixth House cave, the placated Masera, and the wizard's corpse. I looted the wizard's living quarters, and he had some nice scrolls, some old Dagoth Ur brandy, and other things that sold for a good amount. I was trying to unlock a chest, and noticed something between attempts. Beneath the occult whisper-chant of the Sixth House, you could barely make out the quick rhythmic pulse of stone scraping against stone.

[pink-tiled-bathroom]

skrzydełka, 05/09/2023, 03:23

i wish something beautiful would happen to me. archangels tumble down from limestone pillars, burning up on re-entry to the atmosphere like apollo having touched the stars, hope crawls out of my throat with every exhale, and the despair worsens, with every breath i take you kiss me harshly, numb to the tears stinging my cheeks; i wish something beautiful would happen to me. wings tearing through bone and tissue, soft pale skin ripping to reveal blood-stained dreams. glossy eyes and puffy cheeks and the water is running red already; i tell you i want to go home but i don't know what home is, i keep telling you that i'm lost but you don't listen, i hesitate to ask for tenderness anymore-- the knife won't hurt more than i already do. there is always a man watching, even when you are alone; must i always succumb to the nausea between every rib or may i suffer beautifully? will you find me pretty when i am dead? is my agony appealing, is my agony loveable, or will these wings define the way you look at me? do you only see me for the blood dripping down my spine, or will you see my tears too? will you only look atop my naked breast or will you tell me you have not yet forgotten the color of my eyes? will you take my shaking hand and lead me to the opalescent place with blinding light, or will you keep me for yourself? will you always kiss me so harshly or will you press your fingers into my thighs and carry me like porcelain? will i always be a mother or will you allow me to be a virgin, cheeks flushed and eyes young with life, not yet consumed by the feeling of resentment? will you look at me foaming from my parted lips, eyes glossed with goodbye, and find me beautiful; or will you stare at the wings hung from a pedestal on the floor of my spotless room, only marked with the stench of fresh blood? may i suffer beautifully or must i always be a mother to this monstrosity?

[kakivino]

Ricasoli 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà

Absolute cracker of a sangiovese, with a bouquet to die for. Red and black cherry, florals, thyme, blood orange, incense and mocha soar above a flinty backdrop. Masterfully composed to the core with brilliant acidity and refined tannins. Depth, precision, tension, flow, you name it, this sinewy yet sleek red has it all. Well, almost.

From fruit grown on alberese soil. The pick of the bunch out of Ricasoli's outstanding trio of terroir-specific Gran Selezione featured in Asiaeuro's 25th anniversary wine fair. — ★★★★½

Appellation: Chianti Classico Region: Chianti, Toscana, Italy Subzone: Gaiole Cépage: 100% Sangiovese Abv: 14% Production: 14,000 Élevage: 22 months in 30% new French oak tonneaux Distributor: Asiaeuro

Critic Reviews:

The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà is another terrific wine in this range from Brolio. It marries energy with depth, showing plenty of nuance as well as character. Dark red cherry/plum fruit, mocha, tobacco, blood orange and incense all run through this deep, fleshy Gran Selezione. The 2019 Colledilà is one of the best wines I have tasted from Brolio in some time. Antonio Galloni (Vinous, 07/22) 94

The Barone Ricasoli 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà continues a long tradition of Colledilà excellence. It is bright medium-dark, saturated ruby-red in colour. The deep, perfumed and complex nose offers a compelling array of red cherry, raspberry, herbs, licorice, violet and spice aromas. Chewy and lush on entry, then firm and elegantly austere in the middle, it exudes a sappy set of raspberry and spice flavours complicated by a mineral and delicate herbal element. The finish lingers nicely with repeating notes of sweet cherry and forest floor, enlivened by notes of violet and redcurrant. A really knockout, highly promising Sangiovese wine that is still very young, lay this away in a good cellar for another six to seven years to get it at its best and enjoy for at least another decade after that. Ian d'Agata (Terroir Sense, 09/22) 96

The Barone Ricasoli 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà exudes an elegant fruit profile, but the wine is not without significant intensity and concentration too. With Sangiovese from clayey limestone soils rich in calcium carbonate and poor in organic matter, this wine also boasts that beautiful minerality that we saw in the others. Delicate berry fruit cedes to crushed oyster shell, dark spice and campfire ash. To the palate, the wine is high, firm and long. Drink: 2024-2042. Monica Larner (Wine Advocate, 02/23) 97+

Distinctly savory, this red delivers grassy, thyme and menthol aromas and flavors allied to notes of cherry, strawberry and loam. Angular and dense, with the fruit component emerging with air, this is long, complex and deftly balanced, revealing an aftertaste of cherry, berry, mineral and herbal accents. Best from 2025 through 2043. 1,000 cases made, 60 cases imported. Bruce Sanderson (Wine Spectator, 09/22) 97

The Ricasoli 2019 Colledila Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is my favorite of the three Ricasoli Gran Selezione, because of the purity and precision of the fruit and aromas. Colledila comes from Sangiovese grown on 7.62 hectares of vineyard at 380 meters above sea level, facing south-east and on a clayey, limestone soil, rich in calcium carbonate and clay and poor in organic matter. The fruit aromas and flavors are cooler and bluer with sweet violet notes together with ripe cherry and bitter cherry flavors. Beautiful floral aromas fill the glass on standing and swirling. On the palate there is a lovely, gentle texture and weight and a fresh burst of acidity which starts from the middle and continues to the finish. The tannins are very finely textured and yet clipped, clean and very upright giving a firm, refined finish. This, together with mouthwatering freshness from the acidity and a pure, just-ripe, wild cherry quality to the fruit (crunchy rather than overripe) makes for a very lovely, classy example of Sangiovese! Drink 2024 to 2044. Susan Hulme (The Wine Independent, 09/22) 96

Sourced from a vineyard located at 320m on pure alberese soils, Colledilà displays captivating scents of bramble fruits, sweet violets, lavender and wet earth energised on the palate by well-extracted tannins. A hint of chocolatey oak frames the succulent dark fruit to the core, rounding out the edges and adding to this modern-style wine’s silky texture. It finishes with repeating notes of balsam herbs. Drinking window 2023. Raffaele Mosca (Decanter, 10/22) 95

Very aromatic. Fresh and sinewy with lots of acidity and muscularity. Some stoniness. Very fluid. Jancis Robinson (Jancis Robinson, 06/23) 17

[7consultancyblog]

You will have ample of good career opportunities in Oil, Gas and Petrolium Industry in India

The processes and systems involved in producing and distributing oil and gas are highly complex, capital-intensive, and require state-of-the-art technology. Hydrocarbons make up crude oil and natural gas, which are naturally occurring substances found in rock in the earth’s crust. These organic raw materials are created by the compression of the remains of plants and animals in sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, limestone, and shale. The sedimentary rock itself is a product of deposits in ancient oceans and other bodies of water. As layers of sediment were deposited on the ocean floor, the decaying remains of plants and animals were integrated into the forming rock. The organic material eventually transforms into oil and gas after being exposed to specific temperature and pressure ranges deep within the earth’s crust. Oil, Gas and Petroleum Industry Recruitment Agency in India that provide recruitment service.

From engineers and geologists to office-based roles in accounting and human resources (HR), employers require graduates with varying interests and from many different academic backgrounds. You could be a chef supporting the workforce on an oil rig; you could work on sustainable energy futures, climate change and international development for an energy giant such as Scottish power. With oil and gas demand still high, this industry is one of the most in-demand sectors for jobs right now. Best Oil, Gas and Petroleum Industry Recruitment Agency in India provides services. Oil and Gas employees work in various fields, such as geology, engineering, drilling, accounting, marketing, and more. Oil and gas is a significant industry with many career opportunities. It produces, refines, and distributes petroleum products such as gasoline, natural gas, and crude oil. The oil and gas industry also includes companies that provide drilling, transportation, and equipment manufacturing services. The oil and gas industry is vital to the global economy and is expected to grow in the coming years.

Recruitment refers to the process of identifying, attracting, interviewing, selecting and hiring employees. In other words, it involves everything from the identification of a staffing need to filling it. The company will also end up wasting its resources if the wrong or unqualified person was actually hired. Not only will this create problems for the company in the long run, particularly in the attainment of its goals, but it would mean that the organization would also have wasted its resources in training an employee that is not right for the job after all. Top Oil, Gas and Petroleum Industry Recruitment Agency in India that provides best service. Employees are the lifeblood of companies, so finding and attracting the best candidates possible is of utmost importance. A poor recruitment effort can result in unfilled jobs and a loss of revenue, while successful recruitment will bring in the right candidates on a timely basis, ensuring a business is able to continue to move forward. The oil and gas industry offers excellent earning potential, travel opportunities, and career progression. Being one of the most globalized energy industries, the oil and gas sector provides opportunities to work in a region or country of your choice. They have compiled the list of the best job consultants in the oil and gas industry. Start your oil and gas job search today and explore the great career opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

The oil gas industry offers exciting career opportunities as well as the opportunity for advancement. You can start with a high school diploma in an entry-level job and work your way to the top. Oil and gas companies employ a diverse range of employees and these populations consume healthcare differently. Because of this, it’s important for the industry to offer competitive health benefits that meet the needs of all employees. These companies are often willing to hire students and high school graduates and provide them with training in order to develop their careers. If you are not interested in jet setting while working for oil and gas industry, there are many opportunities to travel within your own region from site to site.

[garciamiah]

Traditional Entry - Mudroom Medium-sized, elegant entryway photograph with a medium-sized wood front door, beige walls, and a limestone floor.