#look how younger she looks than modern day evie

[quaddmgd]

Evie, 2067

close-up under the cut

[valdrinors-writing]

random hcs about the brat pack (disney descendants ocs)

Keziah, Empress Consort of the Empire of the Sun

Melina made an honest effort to not coddle/spoil her, but Kuzco was just so happy to have a kid that he may have repeated his parent's own bad behaviour

She's nicer than he was, however, and is more Spoiled Sweet than him

Much like her mom, she's a perfectionist and gets pretty good marks, considering that she's seen as a bit of a slacker by those who don't know her

She wears mostly red and gold - matching her kingdom's aesthetic

Kendra

Kendra and her family - including Koda - are all able to turn human at will. Koda is less comfortable with being human, and thanks to Kenai and Nita basically threatening him, Adam doesn't force it on him

Kendra is a major activist and tends to take on new causes every day. She's incredibly passionate, and is often seen as being 'short tempered' and 'stubborn' because of this

Atka - Nita's original partner from Brother Bear 2 - is considered a 'blood brother' to Kenai and Nita due to the fact that he also went through the whole 'great spirits refused he and Nita's marriage' thing. He - alongside Koda, Denahi and Sitka's spirit - acts as Kendra's uncle

She wears mostly shades of brown and green - representing her connection to nature

Princess Neveah Rogers of Maldonia

Neveah is one of the more paranoid students when it comes to magic. She hates studying magic in class, and it reminds her of what both her parents went through

She learnt how to sew from her grandmother, and is quite talented at it! It's what causes her and Evie to become friends quite early into her arrival in Auradon

In spite of technically being from the 'modern day', her style resembles that of the late 30s early 40s, which is when she would've been the right age in canon

She wears a mix between green and light blue - the green is a reference to the dress her mother wears at the end of the movie, and the light blue dress is a reference to the dress her mother wears at the start of the movie

Valentina Madrigal

Valentina was born at 36 weeks thanks to Bruno's terrible luck. As a result, there are some minor differences between her and other students at Auradon Prep - she's one of the shorter students and looks younger than most of them

She cannot use her mediumship powers without preparation and has to use emerald glass to channel and communicate with the dead. Her powers ended up activating by accident during her gift ceremony, where she ended up talking to the recently deceased Alma, nearly causing her to have a panic attack

She has a sunny, cheerful disposition, but secretly feels incredibly insecure about her powers. She's also rather quick to judge when she wants to be a part of the group

She wears a variety of shades of green (take a shot), but also is seen wearing yellow and blue on occasion to reference her aunt's colours

Hadley Hearts

As to be expected of the daughter of the Queen of Hearts, Hadley has... A bit of a temper. She tends to lash out at people when they least expect it. She was also spoiled by her mother... which shows

She's terrible at apologising to people, and some have theorised that she cannot say the word 'wrong'

She's not only good at croquette, but at chess - which makes complete sense considering that she was to be the Queen of Wonderland until her mother ordered her to go to Auradon

She wears red, black and white, and loves furs, to the point that she has a special fur coat she wears in winter!

Thorn

Due to Thorn's father dying before they were created, they don't have the same attachment to their family that the rest of the VKs do

Thorn knows some black magic but rarely uses it due to it taking a lot of energy out of them - they were literally created out of black magic, of course, so its taking their own energy

They're a surprisingly fast learner and can often be found reading occult books in the Auradon Prep library, much to everyone's fear and confusion. Yen Sid takes a liking to them and wants to teach them how to use their magic for good

They wear mostly red and brown, and have a lot of skull decorations over their outfits!

Gabrielle Gothel

Gabrielle is the youngest biological daughter of Mother Gothel, being Cassandra's younger sister

She's way more insecure than her mother is, constantly feeling like she's nothing. Gothel very much drilled the idea that she wasn't perfect into her head

She lacks social skills and often needs others to help her with it - it also didn't help that her mother isolated her. Upon arriving to Auradon, Rapunzel immediately adopts her into her family!

She wears mostly deep purple, red and later, adds blue to the mix to represent her connection to the Moonstone

[ao3feed-piltovers-finest]

Please Finally Be My Forever

by pinkyluvsyou

“Um, Piltover Preparatory School,” she slides out of he lips, her beautiful plump lips, wait Piltover Prep? That’s where Evie goes. “Really? That’s where my daughter goes,” “You have a daughter?” the woman doesn't look at her distastefully but found almost a new passion for the woman in front of her, softening her eyes and giving a bit of a huff as if questioning her own judgments, Caitlyn interrupts her before she could say more, “I know I’m quite young,” Caitlyn takes a deep breath ready to have to give her whole life story to this random person on the side of the road.

“You don’t have to tell me,” those stormy eyes, before filled with impatience and anxiety, now are forgiving and kind. Caitlyn chuckles nervously, the woman is really something new for her.

-

or, Caitlyn goes day by day taking care of her young daughter and going to work, but her life is small, just her and her girl. No one else. Until someone speeds past her one random afternoon, and she meets the person who will save her from her never-ending routine.

-

Modern Single Mom Caitlyn Caitvi AU

Words: 1243, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F

Characters: Caitlyn (League of Legends), Vi (League of Legends), Original Child Character(s), Original Characters, Jinx (League of Legends)

Relationships: Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)

Additional Tags: Single Mom Caitlyn, Caitvi, Violyn, Fluff, Angst, Past Relationship(s), Jinx Goes by Powder (League of Legends), caitvi parents, Modern AU, caitlyns parents suck, Caitlyn Needs a Hug (League of Legends), Lesbian Caitlyn (League of Legends), Lesbian Vi (League of Legends), powder is a lot younger than vi, Vi is a Gym Maneger, Caitlyn is a cop(she doesn't really want to be one though), they're cute i guess, I miss arcane, taylor swift songs are very prominent in all my fics bc taylor swift, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know

from AO3 works tagged 'Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)'

[darkmindsotome]

Risque Rouge pt1

... Finally. Welp, I know I’m also in the middle of my IkeSen thing right now and this would be the first long fic I have done for IkeVamp here and it sort of took over. I hope you all enjoy it.

Tagging: @umbralaperture​ @otome-smut-queen @silver-fox-of-azuchi @tsundere-mitsuhide @jennacat84

General warnings for the whole fic: Angst, some fluff, Mental health issues, emotional things, trauma, blood, death and possible triggers. Please read responsibly. 

Darkmindsotome Masterlist

---

Chapter 1

For those of you searching for a little entertainment and a performance with a little je ne sais quoi. You could do worse than set your sights to a little building in the more bohemian quarter on the outskirts of Paris. Here you could rub shoulders with a Prince as easily as you could a street merchant as all were equal under the ruby lights. 

As long as you paid your coin you were all set to be whisked away into a land of fantasy. Everything here was the stuff of dreams the only nightmares were beyond the gates on your journey home. It was a strong selling point and drew a lot of custom from the streets of modern Paris to explore the artistic world and indulge in pleasures without fear of judgement.  

His feet once found the establishment by accident. Wandering around to stave off the boredom of yet another endless night. The books didn’t hold his attention, music was lost in the air and the mansion felt somehow empty even with the souls residing in it. This happened every few centuries, he had an itch that couldn’t be scratched and his feet took him wandering in search of a distraction. The distraction tonight was the same as the one he had discovered by chance a month ago.

The stage was lit up with a combination of harsh electric and gas. The tables and chairs around the room were tightly packed and none of them matched. Elegant dining chairs mixed with milking stools and benches. Tables of nothing more than upturned barrels or balanced planks on brick were the standard here. It was so haphazard and yet felt so warm and inviting with the melted candles pooling on them without containers. He couldn’t help but smile at the creativity of mortals and their desire to live life to the fullest no matter how few resources they had to achieve it.

Brushing his long coat neatly under him he took up a seat and a girl sauntered over to him. Black stockings clearly visible through the splits in her flowing skirt, with a tight white blouse that was straining under the pressure of her bosom.

“Something to drink Monsieur?” She asked with a smile, her eyes roaming from his head to the tips of his dress shoes.

“Oui merci.” He returned her smile and nodded. As she turned to go and retrieve a drink for him, he called out again. “Ah pardon Madame, would you be so kind as to tell me if the nightingale has done her turn?”

“You mean Evie? No Monsieur her performance is still to come.” She seemed to pause thinking of something for a moment before doubling back to his side to lean just a little too close, making sure to press herself against his shoulder as he leant in to whisper into his ear. “If you get tired of waiting for it, you could give me a call. I’d be happy to entertain you while you wait.”

“You honour me, Madame. I shall continue to wait though thank you.” He took her hand and brushed a kiss to the back of it his golden eyes glowed and the woman walked away as if she was in a dream. She returned with a selection of bottles for him to choose from. One was the colour of deep emerald, another was brown. There was also a yellow and one with a rosy blush.

He had not really cared to learn much of the drink until he started coming here, even with a rather famous patron of the beverage being under his roof. Darker green seemed to mean a purer distillation. Yellow was aged, the rose was coloured with fruit and the brown was not made with the leaves and blooms but the roots of the wormwood. Among these discoveries, he also learned it had no real effect on him. Indicating the dark emerald bottle, he was presented with a small tray. On it was an absinthe spoon that looked like an ornate item from a palace, balanced on a glass with a small stem. There was also a bowl of roughly formed sugar cubes and a long spill.

Left alone, he noticed a few of the other men in the establishment glancing in his direction. A faint smile and inclination of his head seemed to send their eyes elsewhere as he balanced a sugar cube on the spoon and poured a dose of the liquid over it. Taking up the spill he lit the end from the candle on the table and then set light to the sugar. The flame flickered as the alcohol burned and the melting cube dripped slowly through the spoon dropping into the glass. He watched the flame dance in the reflection of the drink and the clear emerald liquid begin to change.

It was a popular drink and more commonly known as la fee Verte or the green fairy. It also had another name and one which he found himself almost preferring, the devil’s drink. There were other methods in enjoying this drink but the drama of fire and alcohol seemed to be prefered here. As the flame died with the last of the sugar falling, he took up the spoon and stirred the mixture just as the music and the lighting changed. He attended this place every day for a week while he worked out the schedules and knew this one act only performed on a few nights for about an hour at a time. He brought his glass to his lips the medicinal scent filling his nose as he took a sip. His eyes never leaving the stage for a second as the performer took their turn.

---

It was always like this. Her whole body turned to a boneless mess backstage as she waiting in the wings for her turn in the lights. Worrying if she was going to mess up and forget a line. That was to say nothing of the fear she would be so badly out of step with the other girls on stage, making a complete spectacle of herself before the next act performed. She checked and rechecked her stage make up in the long mirror propped against the wall. Ghost-like white skin with dark make up on her eyes and shockingly red lips. Under the lights it balanced out and from a distance it didn’t look bad, but up close? She actually hated how it looked like a painted death mask.

“Almost time Evie!” A cheerful voice called down from the rafters. She turned her head to look up and found a smiling youth a little younger than her, his hands busy operating different ropes that changed the lighting for the stage. She couldn’t speak and gave a weak smile back as she nodded and stepped to the edge. The light cut a hard line through the shadow and part of her really wished to stay hidden, but that wouldn’t do. She owed so many for her life and this was the only way she had to repay her debt.

The ice-white feathers and pale sky-blue fabric wrapped over her figure, revealing her curves but also denying complete exposure. It was a tantalising taste of erotism that kept a lot to the imagination. Small strips of glass beads gave an eye-catching gleam to the outfit in all the right places, just enough to be suggestive but still tastefully teasing. Other establishments had reputations for being far more provocative than this.

Actually, even here there were performers and people on staff that went much further. She was constantly referred to as the Little Princess backstage because she was never pressured to go further and the owner always met that kind of demand with firm disapproval. The name was not something intended as a slight, she was in fact well-loved among the performers. Each had time to shine and all were given equal billing, so the need for petty arguing and fighting was never something to plague this performing house. No performer here was ever asked to do something they hadn't already consented to, a policy that saw the rejected stars from elsewhere flocking to them for continued employment. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. This was her show, her performance and the Nightingale had to shine.

The two giant ostrich feather fans snapped open as she held one behind and in front and stepped out into the light. The music turned more up-tempo with a clearer beat. It was easier to follow even as the lights blinded her. Dust in the air mixed with smoke as it danced in the agitated air through the beams of light making the stage feel magical. The nerves she had in her stomach relaxed and she twitched her hands swaying in time with the music. Right now, in this moment, it was only her and the music.

A flick here, a flutter there, just enough to give a glimpse and tease of what the feathers hid from view. One remained in place as she gave a wide arc with her arm holding the other. Her eyes that had been mostly cast down now looked out into where the audience was. The tables close to the stage were lost to her it wasn’t until about halfway back into the room that she could make out some shapes. Focusing her eyes as best she could on one point, hoping it was enough before dropping them again.

Her fan dance continued even after the song finished, a paper wall appeared behind her. Slipping behind it as the other dancers hit the boards to join her. She dropped the fans and the second part of her act begun. Her voice found its volume in partial hiding and the wall became a shadow theatre of sorts allowing only a silhouette to be shown to the gathered crowd as she began her striptease.

---

Mesmerising. It was the only word he had that could describe the performance and also the only adjective he had left in his vocabulary to say how he had been affected by it. She was skilled in her art and the charming innocence of her captivated the audience easily. Each patron fell under her spell one by one and when she looked up her eyes seemed to lock with his. His drink sat half drunk as he moved to the side of the room and slipped into the wings.

Furniture, fabric, ornate household items that were intended for props and décor choices were piled high on either side of the narrow space. He was careful not to disturb them in his path through them all to locate the owner. He was a proud supporter of the arts and more than once supported it in various forms when financially the artist struggled. Will had been a beneficiary of such interest in the past and continued to this day, placing pen to paper and showcasing performances that shocked and amazed. When he expressed an interest before, he was informed the Nightingale was not for sale. Clearly there had been a misunderstanding and that was what he wished to sort out tonight.

Showgirls, performers and all manner of people milled about the crowded backstage area in various stages of undress. They were rushing to change clothes, getting ready for their next turn or in a couple of cases already combined in trysts. Yes, mortals really were a colourful and lively bunch. He still couldn't shift the notion that something didn’t sit exactly right with him and the idea that such an innocent should remain here without assistance. A flash of his friend came to mind and he could practically hear the other man calling him an interfering busybody. With a wry smile on his face, he knocked on some upturned crates and waited for a response from the man sitting in lamplight surrounded by stacks of papers that could only be described as a fire hazard.

“Yes?” A middle-aged man with slicked-back oiled hair snapped his head up at the noise. He had on a shirt with an open collar and a printed scrap of fabric tied around his neck in a poor attempt to imitate a cravat. The pattern was so faded with wear it was hard to make out even its colour. It had probably once been high-quality silk but it was little more than a rag now.

“Ah Pardon. I was hoping now might be a good time—” His smile was ignored and his words were cut short as the man briskly stood and grabbed his jacket from somewhere behind himself. The fraying hems telling the same tale of the worn-out quality as his tie. 

“A good time Monsieur? A good time?” He was animated more than agitated as he pulled the jacket shut and buttoned the front. “I believe I have already told you that the little princess is not for sale.”

“I understand however I do believe we are at odds as to the meaning behind my offer.” Le Comte nodded in understanding. He had been right his offer before had clearly been misinterpreted.

“Well? What is it to be then? A fine gentleman such as yourself taking an interest in the entertainment of this place is nothing new. Neither is the interest in our Nightingale. But Monsieur,” The short man brushed blithely past Le Comte glancing over his shoulder. Le Comte followed behind gracefully avoiding the obstacles in his way while the owner almost collided with them all in turn. “Not one such person has managed to obtain that which they looked for and none have received my blessing to so much as talk to the girl.”

“You are very protective.” Le Comte’s voice was soft like that of an old friend showing approval.

“Naturally the child came to us as little more than a babe in rags, found her myself and raised her here. You might say she is something akin to a daughter too me. Whatever else happens here Sir is the business of the individual but I shall not see the child bothered with such things.” The man huffed as he grabbed a couple of the sandbag weights, moving them to the side revealing a crate of bottles. He reached out dragging them closer and began counting silently with moving lips.

“Admirable to be sure. We are in agreement on several things I see which would mean we should be able to reach an agreement if only you would give me the time of day to speak Monsieur.” Le Comte’s words were polite but held an edge to them that demanded attention.

“Very well, speak. I have duties that need tending too.” The owner sighed and straightened his back to look him directly in the eyes.

“I should like to offer my assistance financially in support of the young lady. I have no ill intentions and only a desire to see she be able to live comfortably in a lifestyle of her choosing without fear of the poor house or ill health taking her security.” Le Comte’s hushed tone rang clear as a bell the owner’s eyes widened as he gave an audible gasp.

“Y-you truly want nothing more than that?” The man stammered as his arrogance of earlier seemed to melt under the strength of those amber eyes looking at him. He prided himself of being able to spot a charlatan and there was nothing in the man reflected before him that told him his words were anything but true.

“That is correct.” Le Comte nodded and found himself wondering how he managed to maintain a stoic appearance when the man he had finally managed to reach an understanding with suddenly doubled over in a dramatic display of grovelling that would not look out of place in any number of reputable theatres.  

“Monsieur I should offer you my deepest heartfelt apology I fear I not only did you a great wrong but also caused you great insult in the process of protecting the child.”

“Think nothing of it. Instead, I should consider the matter settled if you would accept my offer?” Le Comte allowed a small chuckle to escape him in order to break the tension. The owner recovered himself and the stern expression he wore earlier was replaced by a much more relaxed one.

“Such generosity. However, I might act as the child’s guardian but I also have no legal right to do so. If you would come with me, I believe the girl should have her say on this matter.” He began moving again checking every few steps he took that he was still to be followed as if expecting the generous man to evaporate.

“A splendid idea.”

---

The performance was over and she was now free to retire to her room. Unlike most of the performers who had other accommodations elsewhere, she was given the luxury of a private space. A gown had been handed to her as she stepped back into the shadows of the stage and she had gratefully accepted it pulling it tight over her exposed skin. The smile on her face didn't fall until she was safely inside her own room. Her door was nothing more than a heavy curtain but once it was dropped the noise from the other side faded a little and she let out a sigh. 

She didn’t know when it had started to happen but she was getting increasingly more tired after every performance. The doctor had been called back several times after she collapsed in the past but nothing was done, except a suggestion of increasing her medicine and suggesting eating more food. She sat down at her dressing table and slumped over onto it. The cool surface on her forehead gave a little comfort as she felt her body shudder in a cold sweat. With a shaky hand, she pulled open the drawer and removed one of the vials. She turned it in her fingers against the lamplight, a milky white substance that looked like liquid moonlight.

After pulling the sealed cork from the glass she downed the mixture knowing it would remove the tremors from her body. When she regained a modicum of her former composure her vision stabilised and fell on the tray of food left for her on her chaise longue. She moved to stand, her legs feeling heavy as she dragged herself over to the tray and began to devour the offerings.

The first bite was all it took for her to abandon the cutlery and start taring through the cooked chicken and vegetables using nothing but her hands, finding that even then the food did not seem to go to her stomach fast enough to fill it.

A movement out the corner of her eye caught her attention and she saw herself reflected in her mirror. The appearance she had taken on with food covering her hands and face was like some sort of wild animal and suddenly the insatiable need to fill the void inside her was overridden by shock.

“What on earth am I doing?” Her voice came out in a pitiful confused cry.

She bolted over to her washbasin and poured fresh water from the jug into the bowl. Plunging her hands deep into the water she closed her eyes and visualised the fear and uncertainty melting away from her. Her fingers rubbed against her skin removing the remnants of food and brought water up to her face. The cold water running in cascades back into the bowl felt refreshing as the air she didn’t even realise she was missing returned to her lungs.

There was a knock outside and she could hear someone call her name.

“Evie? Are you in there Princess?”

“Y-yes!” She replied grabbing a hand towel to quickly wipe her hands and face.

“Is it safe to come in dear?” The voice was familiar and friendly but there was something about it that made her think it seemed more formal than usual.

“Sure.” Her answer was almost automatic and came before remembering the tray of food abandoned on the chaise. She scurried over and covered the tray with the towel in her hands moving it to a table next to her before the curtain to the room was drawn back.

---

[dearheartwitcher]

ocs masterpost

for ease of access! in-depth descriptions of all my favorite ocs, all in one post. you can find even more of my ocs (brief descriptions + reference images) over on my art fight page! (you have to be logged in to view!)

[[MORE]]

DnD Characters:

note: for some of these, i have to omit large portions of info as i am either actively playing them, or saving them for a future campaign, and i dont want anyone im playing with to see and accidentally spoil themselves

Fennryn Autumntide—

They were separated from their parents as a baby, and instead raised by an older dwarven woman named Rhiannon Autumntide (AKA Anna). They lived in the forest on the mountain together. She taught them how to fend for themself, and a basic respect for nature and other living things. Their relationship was very teacher/student, but as the years went by they saw each other as family. Fenn solidified this by taking Anna’s last name when they were of age. Eventually, Anna passed away, and Fenn was left in the woods alone.

Fearful of dying alone without ever having experienced life off of the mountain, Fenn sets out to find an adventure. And they find one, alongside a younger tiefling man named Finn. Finn is an experienced pirate, but he is vulnerable. Finn and Fenn trust each other explicitly, and after some time, they fall in love.

Fenn is tall, muscular, and an older elf. They’re around middle aged.

Alistair—

Alistair is a mystery. They are a bizarre-looking half-elf, with a wicked grin, and glowing cyan eyes that lack pupils. They are seemingly fairly young, despite their hair beginning to grow white at the roots.

Alistair is extremely curious, and values sating that curiosity above most things. They spend much of their time exploring and researching. They also have a complete lack of respect for personal boundaries, and love to study and inspect whoever they can get their hands on. (They’re good with a pair of pliers, if you’re willing to let them pull a tooth. They’d be happy to show you their collection.)

Alistair also thrives on positive attention, especially from people who don’t give it easily. Perhaps that’s why they insist on hanging off of Frey as much as they do. Frey Matthias Wolfe is a rich bastard. He’s a man of study as well, but he’s a real mean bitch. And Alistair loves him.

Alistair’s patron... Is a whole other story. One that will remain secret, for now.

Jesse—

Jesse was spawned from the thought “I should make a mean nerd for everyone to bully!” And the execution, imo, was flawless. A 24 year old human man. Jesse is a bard, and he hates it. He has been traveling on his own for a while, and finished his bard college education a couple years ago. He’s pretty studious, and he’s determined to learn everything related to magic that he can.

Despite being a jackass, and kind of a stick in the mud, he does have some semblance of a sense of humor. He also likes to use his intelligence and skill to feel superior to the people around him as often as possible. He is visibly extremely disturbed by corpses.

Jesse is very vague about his past and his reasons for traveling alone.

Ford—

Ford is my newest character! He is a firbolg cowboy. Extremely tall (approaching 8’), with a powerful build. I can’t say much about him yet! He is seemingly very friendly and happy to lend a helping hand whenever he can. He has a sister, named Clementine, who owns a small grocery store.

Cressida:

(note: cressida city + the world its a part of belongs to my boyfriend @ghost-gore ! all the characters that mine know belong to him as well. warning for gore on his blog.)

Ellis—

Ellis is a demon who works in limbo under a man named Crow. Ellis is technically speaking, pretty old, but he looks just as much the young man he was when he died. He keeps his long hair back in a ponytail, and can’t seem to ever wear his suit properly.

Ellis’ powers allow him to see and alter people’s memories. Limbo, as it works out, is a mess of memories. He is always very busy keeping things in order. He’s no stranger to making mistakes, but he has a knack for fixing them to make up for it. When he has a moment to himself, he likes to slip into the dreams of humans. He thinks they’re interesting! (But he keeps accidentally bringing them nightmares...oops. Don’t worry, he can fix it!)

Ellis is in love with his boss, and has been for over a century. He has a hard time keeping it subtle, but fortunately(??) Crow is oblivious. But a century is a long time... And things have gotten intimate between them more than once.

He is also good friends with a much older demon, named Cordia. They like to meet up for drinks, and bond over funny cat pictures.

Rosier—

Rosier is an old, powerful demon. He was once a high-ranking officer in “Hell”’s military. He was charming, and an excellent strategist. (Having a powerful beast form also helps.)

However, something triggered him severely. In a frenzied panic, he shifted into his beast form and flew off.

As a beast, he has large red eyes, long antennae, sharp claws, and huge black wings. Years passed as he isolated himself, and legends spread of the Mothman. Rosier lost himself more and more, until he lost the ability to speak. He stopped seeing any people as the apocalypse happened all around him.

Later, living in the ruins outside of Cressida, he is found by a young hero named Ghost. Ghost is initially intimidated by Rosier, and treats him as an enemy. They fight a few times, before Ghost realizes that Rosier isn’t necessarily a foe— he’s just defending himself. Ghost then begins to treat Rosier almost as a pet.

After some time rehabilitating Rosier, Ghost brings him back to Orion HQ, where they work for Cordia. Cordia is one of very few demons old enough to recognize Rosier.

Eventually, Rosier is able to read, speak, and transform back into a more human shape. He still retains a few of his moth form’s traits, including fully red eyes, fur here and there, and limbs that fade to near-black at the tips.

Cyrus Darcy—

Cyrus is a rich bitch whore. He cares about three things ONLY: wine, sex, and himself. Money is power and he has more than enough of it. His parents passed away when he was a teenager, and they left him a fortune.

Cyrus always gets what he wants. If money can’t get it for him, he has another trick up his sleeve that can. Cyrus is a celestial, meaning a human born with supernatural powers. Cyrus has the power of suggestion, meaning that he can give anyone a short command that they are compelled to follow.

Cyrus has all the makings of a villain, but in actuality he is very neutral. He just wants to have a good time unbothered. He uses his powers mostly to get randos to leave him alone. (Randos like Arley and Kier, who are sent by Cordia to recruit Cyrus for Orion. It takes a while.)

Evelyn—

Evelyn (AKA Evie) was born in the Victorian Era, to a rich father. With money and good looks, she was often pursued by men wishing to court and marry her. She was disinterested in all of them. She preferred to spend her time reading and studying. Evelyn loved to learn, but she also loved a good romance or fantasy to sweep her off her feet.

Enter Cordia, who spent her Victorian days posing as a man. They had a passionate love affair, until Cordia made a sudden exit from Evelyn’s life.

Many years later, Evelyn awakens in the afterlife as an angel. When she and Cordia meet again, it is as equals and business partners.

She is now working as a librarian/an archivist. She also boxes, because she likes to feel strong.

Marcy—

Marcy is a thotty rave twink. They love music, they love neons, and they love to flirt. Marcy is very enthusiastic, and they are a little bit in love with basically everyone. They flirt constantly, and are not shy with physical affection. They like to do drugs and make out and they’re happy to do that with pretty much anyone who’s willing.

Marcy is also a celestial. Their powers allow them to control their personal gravity. They can jump really high, and come down hard, among other things! They mostly use it to help themself go fast. They used to be in roller derby! And they still love to skate.

(ps they have thighs for days and an ass that wont quit. thank u)

Other:

Bonnie Briary—

My newest oc! She belongs to a world where monsters are real, but hidden. Monsters aren’t super common, and they generally avoid integration with human society. (The setting is also a blend of modern + victorian fantasy. Think Lemony Snicket ambiguity.)

Bonnie is shy, sweet, and curious. She likes to study plants in particular. Her style of choice is cottagecore/fairycore blend. She has a garden that she loves very much.

Faust (belongs to tovomiel on ig), is a trash punk gargoyle monster, who for some reason has decided he likes Bonnie. He teases her relentlessly and loooooves to make her flustered. The catch is, he’s too shy to make a move beyond teasing and the occasional kiss. Bonnie, sweet as she is, is dying for him to stop leaving her hanging. Shenanigans ensue.

[emurgency-festival-digital--blog]

(Em)Urgency Performance Symposium Program for Day 2

(EM)URGENCY - DAY 2  

BA Performance Arts – A First year showcase  

1pm-5:30pm  

On Listening

All the works presented today are a response to Text as Performance, a first-year unit that this term explored the theme of On Listening. Performance Arts is a course which brings together a range disciplines – and all the artists have responded in their own way to what has been presented during the term. No piece is the same, no artist is the same, and we present to you an eclectic mix of short and early work that may influence our later practice – this is our first public sharing as a cohort, so please speak to the artists and enjoy.

With thanks to: Third Year students on BA Performance Arts, Platform Southwark and Diana Damian Martin.

Durational works – in the studio  

Untitled Billy Buttars  

An exhibition of paintings, sketches, and other works that are reinterpretations of texts into visual forms. Exploring text in the language of art objects, and concepts of inspiration and influence.

Billy’s work surrounds concepts of personal influence and representation, as well as what radical really means in a temporal context and the impermanence of it all.

Gaze Joy Kincaid

Whose body is this  

As she looks at her  

With your eyes at her

As she sees herself

She sees what you see  

And then doesn’t see

So, she looks at herself  

And doesn’t look at herself  

This is not meant for you to watch?  

If watching was the only way

Then I ask you not to watch

I ask you to engage more then  

Your eyes and your hands

And your mind  

I ask you to see more then  

Her. I ask you to see yourself

And in her yourself is buried  

And in myself your eyes are burned  

So, I ask you not to watch  

But be born  

As she is born

Joy Kincaid is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is centred on deconstructing monolithic narratives on black and queer bodies within the interrelations of white spaces through radical acts of embodied contradictions, witnessing and shape shifting.

Family Jukebox Tom Dodd  

In the foyer and someone will wait, pick a mixtape? Choose your favourite song?  that I will then play for them. Songs chosen by the performer’s family members – take your pick and hear the soundtrack of someone’s life?  

Tom is a performer who hopes to work with sound and how sound affects people. The company Darkfield are one of his biggest inspirations and he looks forward to creating similar work. For tonight’s performance Tom will be looking at how sounds in the forms of songs affect different members of his family.  

Performances – on the stage  

What is the C word? Alicia Bridges

‘What is the C word?’ explores ideas of Consent in an abrupt, disassociated, inhumane way. From my own experience, I feel I have always been trying to connect the pieces together.

Content warning: references to sexual assault.

Alicia enjoys and is interested by multimedia performance, verbatim and immersive theatre. Throughout her degree she expects this will change and develop. She is excited by the prospect the next three years will give her to challenge her own artistic practice. She has previously worked with physical theatre and directing. 

Instagram: @alixiabridge

Voicemail   Jody Davies and Chloe Knowles

‘Voicemail’ is a physical theatre piece that reflects upon real-life experiences both artists have endured. These two different stories surround listening and lack there-of, where both artists reflect on unsent voicemails they wish they had sent.

Content warning: references to sexual and domestic abuse, emotional manipulation, explicit language.

Jody Davies is a Welsh performance artist with a background across musical theatre, physical theatre and experience in vocal coaching. Her interests include live art and photography but her works mainly consists and explores physical theatre and immersive projects.

Chloe Knowles is a performance artist from England.

She has experience in acting, writing as well as directing theatre for younger children between the ages 7-16 at Sonnets Theatre Club Newbury, John Rankin Junior School, and Cheam Private School.

Her Interests mostly include writing and directing.

When I was 5? Jaydon Merrick

An exploration of celebrity idolisation, jealousy and discarded dreams through a casual, reflective and participatory dance experience. Suitable for all skill levels, the less talented the better.

Jaydon is an Australian actor, writer and director. He has been living in the UK for 2.5 years now; in Australia, Jaydon’s work was heavily musical, and stage based, since moving to the UK his practice has become more film and screen orientated.

Nostalgia for a Time Gone Nowhere Evie Stopforth

I feel like I am constantly leaving a home behind. I know you inside out and they have no idea who you are. I’m three different people, and a stranger.

Evie Stopforth is a young performance artist investigating the relationship between audio and visual entertainment. She focuses in this piece on loneliness, homesickness and the feeling of being stuck in limbo.

It’s Your Birthday! Miel Celeste Nadam

‘It’s Your Birthday!’ is derived from a personal hatred of my own birthday. I regress into a somewhat younger and pinker version of myself, as the cracks of the present seep through.  

Miel is interested in the idea of nostalgia and objects behaving badly. For her, art is the most potent when humour is sprinkled into pain. Laughing can slip into crying.

Candidate 14 Grace Oskiera-Vooght

An examination for a job role that requires you to not react, talk or feel. You must detach yourself from human instincts: feelings. Will you pass or fail?

Content warnings: references to death and suicide.

Grace has a background in straight acting and is interested in the arts sector.  She is interested in writing, creating, directing and performing. She has a cross-arts practice taking inspiration from across many art forms, particularly performance. She is currently interested in exploring intimacy and relationships and the way it is performed as part of her arts practice.

The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Cancelled) Reena Black

This adaptation of 'The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek' explores the underlying, darker themes of the play. This piece will delve into the character's mind and bring the audience with her on her journey of confession.

Content warnings: references to death and mental illness.

Reena Black is a British actress, dancer and writer; she has been trained in classical and contemporary acting techniques for many years. Experimenting with different techniques has always been a passion of hers and she is continuing to do this through her degree in Performance Arts.  

Dès l’aube Irène Pawin

Look around. What can you hear? Smile. This experience is only for you. Put on the headphones. Only you will hear this story. You are truly special. Enjoy.

Content Warnings: mentions of death, suicide, and explicit content in some pieces.  

Irène is exploring her potentiality as an artist, and has been exploring writing her own work. Irène is particularly interested in oddness and queerness, the feeling of being out of place, of being foreign. Irène is an impulsive creator that never knows what her next obsession will be.

Dinner Time Cerys Salkeld Green

A piece focussing on the idea of intrusive thoughts and dealing with grief in opposition to modern life.  

Content warning: references to sex and sexual content

Cerys is interested in the boundaries between fact and fantasy.

Alexa Owen Whiteside-Ward

Alexa: With technology always advancing, what happens when technology makes certain advances?

Owen is a writer, director and performer from Norwich. He has a long history of musical theatre work as a performer and in the last few years has written directed and produced his own musical: this is something he is currently still doing, working on numerous other musicals. In addition to this Owen has taken a strong interest in writing plays and films and likes to create pieces that often leave the audience questioning. This is Owen’s first work outside of Norwich, which he is looking forward to.  

Email: owenww08@hotmail.com

Can you hear it? Esme Mai Davies

Can you hear it? Is an immersive piece that combines film, sound and live elements. What happens when you lose safety in your spaces?

Content warnings: mental health and panic

Esme as an artist is primarily interested in performance; her background is in traditional theatre. She is now exploring a mixture of performance, visual art and drag as well as working to incorporate technology and new mediums into her work.  

A train running on a jointed track   Ben Church

When we listen schematically, do we listen for the relation between sounds? Or is it something more? This piece aims to answer none of these questions.  

Ben Church is a performance artist with a multitude of different interests and fields of study. These range from more traditional acting at Stratford upon Avon’s RSC, to writing and co directing pieces of immersive theatre and teaching drama. More recently he has been looking into composition and how sounds gain meaning.

Why Are You Wearing That Stupid Man Suit? Anja Hendrichova

Dates first dates no dates first sex holding hands broken hearts brave knights crushed buses Czech girl singing jumping in the rhythm of love or no love the end.

Rather than viewing this piece as a criticism of any kind, feel free to laugh at me and / or with me.  Anja has the superpower to watch the same film or series 50 times. The more people to embarrass in front of, the less shy.  

Find your Bite Jack Gallagher

Find your bite tonight. I know you have it in you. Please.

Content warnings: references to sexual violence.

Breathe Tsen Day-Beaver

During this piece I focus heavily on the subject of panic within the body, documenting its reactions and tendencies, situating this subject in the event of a panic attack.

Tsen is an artist/performer from Scotland interested in performance within film and text-based work. She is currently focusing on composition of the body within performance and its relation to the mind.

displacement Jasmine Wright

Ripped away. It’s not homesickness, it’s yearning for a place that doesn’t exist anymore. Is home a place or a feeling, and how can I find it again?  

Jasmine is currently exploring ideas of unfamiliarity, strangeness, the body, and Asian heritage. She is really enjoying writing as/for performance. She is also interested in creating multimedia experiences and experimenting with artificial, anthropogenic, and naturogenic sounds and visuals. 

See with Sound Juan Salazar

A quick informational guide on maternity, nuclear fallout and social conventions. The piece explores themes of listening through imagination, primal instinct and tribalism in a post-war, ever-growing technological society.

Juan is an audio-visual artist.  He is interested in space, time, dreams, memory, metaphysics, meta-metaphysics, regular physics, and irregular physics.

Can you hear my silence? Molly Denbigh

When silence becomes too loud.

Feelings of anxiety and fear are felt by many but speaking up honestly about them is done by few. It’s difficult. Emotional. I ask myself the questions that we need to answer for ourselves. Do I truly belong?  Am I me?

Molly Denbigh is a performance artist with interests in immersive and physical theatre. She is also interested in fine art and musical theatre and would love to combine these different styles in future work.

The School Pen   Mia Lulham

A short immersive/interactive piece commenting on the learning difficulties neurodiverse children face when first entering the education system. The piece shows the struggles involved with “basic” tasks such as learning to read and write.

Mia is heavily interested in and influenced by dance, choreography and physical theatre as well immersive theatre, and aims to continue to use these influences in her developing practice.

The Voice James Brewer

A man must overcome his anxiety about how he sounds and goes through many different types of voices in order to pick the right voice that suits him most.

James is an actor and performance artist from East London who has worked with London Bubble Theatre and National Youth Theatre.

Can I be loud? Beth Timson

Can I be loud? Who Can be loud in spaces and why? Where can we be loud? An exploration of loudness in institutional, normative space and where queer and non-normative identities fit in to this.  

Beth’s work centres on community, feminism and queerness. Beth is a writer, theatre maker, spoken word artist and facilitator from East London, and an early career artist who has presented solo work at Shoreditch Town Hall and Battersea Arts Centre. Alongside studying for her degree at RCSSD, Beth is working, freelance in various capacities, ushering at The Yard Theatre, and as a Young Creative for All Change Arts.  Beth started out in community arts and her work centres on using performance to bring people together and spark conversations. Her work is deeply political and seeks to challenge normativity.

www.bethtpeform.wordpress.com

twitter: @BethBRT

(Em)Urgency Festival Digital Feed Noa Taylor in collaboration with the EFDF Collective

The (Em)Urgency festival digital feed considers the performativity of multimedia performance documentation performatively. We document the work of the (Em)Urgency Performance Symposium and publish the material on social media platforms during the event.  

Follow us on twitter: @em_urgency

[that-shamrock-vibe]

First Look: Descendants 3 Promo Picture Breakdown

With the third installment in, what is to date, the best Disney Channel Original Movie franchise with the first movie’s premier night surpassing High School Musical’s opening, coming to our screens this Summer. it is obvious we will be starting to get some advertising and promotions from the movie to ramp up the hype.

This comes most recently in the form of a set of character promotional photos courtesy of Just Jared Jr, not only giving us our first look at main characters outside of the main four V.Ks but also Hades.

So we’re going to break these down in terms of styling and authenticity to the characters both from the original material and previous movies.

Original Release:

So before Just Jared Jr. released his set, this image made the rounds giving us our first official look at our main four V.Ks Carlos, Evie, Mal and Jay. Honestly from a personal perspective I have never been a fan of shooting from a low angle mainly because it creates that very unneccersary shadow effect on the necks so aside from Carlos and Evie, you can’t tell they have necks. It could also be the costumes fault which we’ll go into when we get a closer look at them further down.

Overall though with the actual styling, I like how the look has evolved again from the second movie after that look evolved from the first movie. It is still very much all about the leather to be a V.K. and for some characters it works but for others not so much.

We also had this promo of Uma and her two henchmen Harry Hook and Gil, it is interesting to see the three still together despite Uma now not really having need of cronies but I love how all three of them look.

New Promos:

Alright so we have 9 images and 8 characters to talk about. Surprisingly though there is no sign of Ben or any of the Auradon Prep kids and that may be because they’ll have their own set released but it is weird to have the main four and even Uma but not Ben.

Mal:

Mal is obviously the main character and so her shot is the one we start with. I don’t like this look one bit for Mal. I know in the first two video promos with Hades being teased and that Under the Sea special that Mal had her main look from Descendants 2, I was expecting Mal to obviously update her look but this just seems basic for her. They do say less is more but this look not only looks reverted but too plain.

First of all, these shots are way too dark because the amount of purple in the outfit as seen in the first image isn’t as visible here, so that’s a misstep, also the fact that obviously Hades is Mal’s dad explains the heavy layer of black but I really do miss all the purple.

Next her hair, I didn’t really believe Mal’s wig in the first movie but definitely believed it in the second movie, this seems just like the first movie again just a little bit thinner and longer, also with the lighting in the image it makes her hair look blue rather than purple so of course there is that misstep between her and Evie.

Evie:

Similarly with Evie, she looks like she has purple hair. It’s really confusing and I don’t know if it is to do with the story of Descendants 3 but I would love some clarity or insight because this franchise has done a lot to distinguish colours for the specific characters and purple and blue are Mal’s and Evie’s respectively.

I will say I do like her hair though, I like the fact that even though Evie isn’t royalty in Auradon she still wears a tiara because that’s just her style. I love the red heart jewel in the middle and I would love it if this was one of Dizzy’s designs.

As for her outfit, I would say the side-view doesn’t do it much justice but the front view isn’t as good either. The outfits in these promos almost look like battle armour and there is a severe lack of blue for Evie in the outfit. I actually don’t think there is any blue.

I really liked her outfit in Descendants 2 because I felt it was mature, stylish and appropriately regal for the character. This just does not say Evie to me from the neck down, I can’t imagine Evie as a fashion designer would create this for herself and believe it to be “fabulous”.

Carlos:

Carlos genuinely looks like a cross between a spaceman and motocross racer, neither of which I would ever associate with the son of Cruella De Vil.

Interestingly enough he is not wearing shorts here despite the fact Carlos has always worn shorts because I think they’re trying to show Carlos as the youngest of the four which works naturally anyway as Cameron Boyce is 3-4 years younger than the other three. I do miss the shorts I have to say, because it added a certain youthful quality to the looks that again is needed for the character in my opinion.

Also I get how the black and white colour pallet is supposed to represent the dalmatian theme he is associated with, but I feel his first two looks represented that a lot stronger than this, it almost comes across as a cow-hide than dalmatian theme. I do miss the fur I have to say, that fur collar in the first movie spoke to me like the green paw print on Beast Boy’s jacket shoulder in Titans.

I have to say also, I don’t get the hair. I think the color is still great but I don’t like them taking Cameron Boyce down the Ross Lynch route of pretty boy hair and to be honest I loved the slick look he had at the start of Descendants 2.

Jay:

Jay’s I would say is most authentic to his character and shows an organic evolution throughout the three movies, even though he has sleeves here I do find it works as a more mature look developing on his original style as opposed to how the other three look.

All his colours are still there, there’s the golds, the patches of black, the reds. I can believe this is what a modern day son of Jafar would wear. Leather works for the character anyway and this is leather-bound brilliance.

I have to say, I can’t decide if I miss the beanie or not but I would have maybe liked to see a bandanna or some sort of headwear because, if these are battle outfits, I feel Jay would wear a bandanna.

It is shocking that this, out of the four, is my favourite look because Jay, as anyone who has read my reviews know, has not been my favourite character but I will say he definitely knows how to be stylish which I thought I would say about Evie or Carlos.

Uma:

Now you see looking at this I can kind of understand Mal’s look if she’s trying to compete with Uma or vise-versa. But the problem is, Uma wins hands down as this is Uma’s style. I love everything from the accents of seagreen, to the shape of the outfit, the hair and the accessories.

Speaking of hair, it was interesting that in Descendants 2 and that special Under the Sea, Uma had braids which mostly were extensions which China McClain had embedded into her already braided hair. The look worked for the with the whole pirate gang captain attire. Here though, I will be interested to see if Uma keeps her Sea Witch status and this is definitely Sea Witch style hair. It’s very regal and you can tell where her hair ends and the extensions begin but that’s only because she filmed this alongside Black Lightning, although in Season 2 she does have shorter hair so maybe she dip-dyed and then had that cut for the show. Regardless I love how she kept the braid-style, it almost takes her look from gang leader to crime boss.

As for the accessories, Evie should be ashamed that Uma is showing her up with her bling. The necklace that she either got or stole from her mother is still there but I will agree with some critics from the her first appearance that in some shots the necklace kept changing size, but here it looks like a trinket rather than a magical object. She also seems to have more bling on as well as that so I am looking forward to seeing that in full. Also her bracelets and nails are subtle enough to not be garish but also to be the right level of stylish. Clearly her time at sea has done her good.

Harry:

If Harry has taken over Uma’s crew from the last movie, then this is the look of a renegade gang leader. I love the level of chains going on with his trousers, it’s subtle because of the darkness of the photo but seeing the shine makes it so cool.

I will say I miss the curliness and unkempt nature of his hair in Descendants 2. Here it does look good but flat, and also I miss his hait. It may not go with the outfit but I do miss it.

The leather vest with the belt motifs is a great choice for the character. I am a bit annoyed about the lighting and obscurity of his shirt because in that first promo you can clearly see it’s a skull shirt whereas if no one was to see that and instead just see this they’d be unsure if his chest is covered in body hair or tattoos because it isn’t quite distinguishable.

I like the use of the hook even though it’s merely an accessory for Harry to honor his father, I like the leather wrist-straps, love the fact he still wears guy-liner. It adds a level of camp to the character without making it seem goofy.

The only thing I don’t understand is those straps around his neck which I think are supposed to be braces but it’s too dark to tell and his arms are in the way.

But he looks good, he was one of my favourites in Descendants 2 and I am thrilled he is back with this look for the third movie.

Gill:

Gil has actually surprised me as while his Descendants 2 look was very suitable for the comic-relief role he had and actually reminded me a lot of the looks in Hook for the lost boys, this is a step up and a more mature version of that.

Looking at the head alone I do see why Jay may not have gone with a bandanna as with the long hair here the two do look alike, the two actors look alike anyway so it makes sense not to confuse the styles too much especially as you’re talking about the sons of Jafar and Gaston who are two completely different characters.

I do believe he is actually bulkier here than he was in Descendants 2 which again evolves his character and makes his resemble his father Gaston more. I will say also, I love the amount of straps he has. It references the fact that in the animated movie during the song Gaston, Gaston chewed a leather belt and spat it out. Leather is always good in my opinion and an obvious choice for villains.

I’m not crazy about his long hair, again I think it’s copying Jay a little bit too much, also I would like to see him with some sort of weaponry particularly if he is still part of Harry or Uma’s crew. Maybe not a gun like his father but a sword or a dagger or something. Uma has magic, Harry has his hook, Gil needs something.

Hades:

Alright so this is the big reveal of Cheyenne Jackson as Hades, we get two photos here to give us a proper look and I will start with the side-view.

Obviously immediately I am focusing on the hair because, my god that is not Hades. The look overall screams punk or rocker to me which, as we’ve seen with the V.Ks, is the style the movies have taken them but even with Maleficent they at least kept in touch with how the original character looked. Here that hair 1) Has way too much product in and 2) Looks ridiculous. I get they’re trying to represent the flaming hair that Hades in animation always has which is obviously not easy to do in live-action but then go with something subtler like Once Upon a Time did, do not tell me Hades is now apparently a punk. I will say they got the colour right and the mohawk effect does look like fire but, hopefully they’ll CG it in the movie but I would prefer Cheyenne Jackson to be bald and just for them to say they’ll add the hair in later.

In the front view the hair doesn’t look as bad but knowing how it looks on the side-view I can’t forgive it. However with the front view we get a better look at the outfit and again it screams punk, Where’s the robe, where’s the smoke, nothing here is giving me Hades, Lord of the Underworld.I will say he does look a lot like what they did with Steve Coogan in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief but that wasn’t good either and obviously that wasn’t meant to be based on the Disney version and rather Greek Mythologu, but the Disney version is obviously drawing inspiration from Greek Mythology and I am not getting any of that here.

It’s more of a renegade warlock type of look than it is a supposed god of the Underworld. The only good thing about the look is the colour because at least they’re right, the leather coat does kind of answer why Mal’s look is so dark in this movie but surely this isn’t just going to be a question of Mal siding with her father and therefore dressing like him.

Also I can kind of see Cheyenne Jackson and Kristin Chenoweth together in a sitcom or American Horror Story style setup, but as the Lord of the Dead and Mistress of All Evil...I just don’t see those two characters as a thing.

As someone who loves Greek Mythology and the Hades character James Woods portrayed so well, I am not getting any respect for either interpretation in this portrayal. I do think Cheyenne Jackson is the wrong casting choice for the character,

Overall I am not as hyped for these looks as I was for the Descendants 2 first look promos we got, I do think there is some good and surprising good but I do also feel nervous for some of my favourites. It’s not all about the fashion at the end of the day but it is part of what makes this franchise enjoyable.

So those are my thoughts on this first official look at the characters of Descendants 3, if they do release a set for the Auradon kids I will probably do another post to dissect them but until then post your comments on what you think about these looks and if you think the styling of these characters are a key component to these movies? Which are your best and which are your worst? Post your comments and check out more posts.

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

A snowy night out in the city streets

I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but snow in Honeycloud is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s hard to exactly put into words why, but there’s just something different about the snowfalls there compared to other places with a similar climate.

Estella’s back in town for a break on her renovation project, which she says is going well. She’s been keeping us updated on her socials and it looks like it’s coming together nicely. What she’s been doing is basically a reverse house flip in which she tries to restore an old Victorian style house back to its original form after years of “modernizing” it. Though this is mostly a personal project for her, Estella hopes that it can lead to something more in the future.

Along with Estella, I’ve met up with Sophea and her friends. She’s also on break, though she’s sorta still on call if a client or Connie needs her for something. Ronnie and Jude are former clients turned friends who occasionally perform with the local choir, some who are acquainted with Sophea too. I was surprised to find out that she has some connections here and likewise Estella didn’t know that Sophea and I were acquainted.

Ronnie and Jude aren’t from Honeycloud but they visit often as Jude’s a regular pianist there. They’re a singer-songwriter duo originally from New York and after choosing to pursue music, they traveled around for about a year or so before settling down and marrying. While Jude is a full time musician, Ronnie likes to dabble in a variety of things like poetry, baking, and sewing.

How the couple first met Sophea was through unfortunate circumstances. Jude had a younger sister, Evie, who was murdered by their father. Sophea did more than consult, she also acted as emotional support for Jude and Ronnie as they try to make sense out of the tragedy. What happened was that Evie was on a downward spiral after being told she was terminally ill, which then led her to being addicted to narcotics long after her prognosis changed. The father had no tolerance for that sort of thing and refused to let her seek counseling and treatment, which obviously made things worse. Then one night while Jude and their mother were out he stabbed her several times before taking off. Jude was the one who found her as she lay dying. How awful.

Apparently, to this day, Jude’s father shows no remorse for what happened to Evie. Jude and his mother aren’t in contact with him anymore so other than being stuck in a jail cell trying to appeal, there’s not much to say about him. While Sophea wasn’t officially on the case, she helped the legal team with their case as well as raise awareness about drug addiction and the stigma behind it. While nothing can be done to bring Evie back, Sophea was at least able to bring some justice and hopefully prevent similar tragedies from happening. And for that, Jude and Ronnie are forever grateful.

Later I met some of the choir members and they were pretty cool. Terra was a client of Sophea’s who was referred by Jude. She was dragged into some legal mess thanks to a bitter ex-friend who would’ve easily dragged her into the mud had Sophea not intervened. Then there’s Lee and Rob, victims of a scammer that almost drove them to bankruptcy until Sophea managed to save them using unconventional methods - basically she pulled a reverse uno on the situation. The others really weren’t exaggerating when they said Sophea’s a legal expert on many angles. Who knew her influence spread so far and wide?

Momo is Sophea’s latest client, which is why she’s here in Honeycloud. The two go way back, Momo had considered studying law and though they eventually chose not to pursue that path, they still kept in touch with Sophea. Unexpectedly out of nowhere, Momo’s brother in law is out to get them by trapping Momo in a conservatorship and taking custody of their adopted son. To the rest of the family, it’s considered an act of betrayal. Sophea has met him a few times before and she sees him as some sort of opportunist, which checks out considering the timing - it’s been several months since his sibling’s death. He and Momo never got along and somehow he found out that Momo has schizo-affective disorder so he’s found another way to sabotage them.

It’s one of those things where you don’t think is gonna happen so it blindsides you when it does. Sophea says under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have gotten very far, but he managed to find people who were able to do what he wanted - likely through shady means. But fear not, she says, as she will find a way. Though he might have gotten lucky, that will only take him so far, especially if he doesn’t have much to stand on. Still, given his motives and possible connections, it’s better to play it safe and not do anything too hasty. Momo’s confident in Sophea and as long as he doesn’t have any tricks up his sleeve, the case probably won’t make it to court. I hope things work out for Momo and their kid.

As for the choir performance, they really knocked it out of the park! Jude really is a talented pianist and the singers bring a lively energy to the stage. A lot of them are in musical theater so that explains it. In fact, Momo and Lee are in a show that will start rehearsals soon while a couple others are either auditioning or waiting for callbacks. I wish them all luck.

After the show, I got to hang out with Ronnie and Jude while Estella and Sophea caught up with them. The couple met in middle school when they literally bumped into each other in the hall. The others joke about Jude’s clumsiness, something that he was told that he would outgrow - spoiler alert, he didn’t. He’s used to it, and says it’s not all bad if it led him to meeting Ronnie, whose family had just moved to the city. The two became friends instantly and Jude was a pillar of support when Ronnie’s dad unexpectedly died a couple months later. They’ve really been through a lot together.

A fun fact about Ronnie is that her name isn’t short for anything. Growing up people always call her by the wrong name, usually Ronald for some reason. She says she was named after her great grandma Ronah, who goes by Ronnie, so that’s the name her parents chose. By now she’s used to it, though the whole thing gets old, not to mention that some still insist on calling her another name like Veronica (a super common one) as Ronnie isn’t an actual name according to them. Aside from that, she quite likes her name for being unique, plus the fact that great grandma Ronnie was a pretty cool person so she considers it an honor to be named after her.

Estella dropped by the shop to check up on how things were going since it’s been a long while since she last visited. I remember when we helped her catch up on deliveries when she was swamped with packages. She’s glad to see that the place is still standing, especially since her old boss finally got some new management to help keep things more organized. It’s good to see that the rooms aren’t full of piles of boxes waiting to be packed.

For dinner we stopped by Little Dubu, a popular Korean restaurant that’s a favorite of Estella’s. The place is known for it’s tofu soup and Korean style fried chicken, both which live up to the hype. They also serve beer that’s locally brewed and it goes perfectly well with the fried chicken. Then we stopped by a bakery a few blocks away to enjoy some boba and pastries.

After that we stopped by a yarn shop to stock up on supplies. I’ve been in the mood to crochet something - either a top or a sweater dress - so I’ve been stockpiling on patterns. What I like about crocheting is how it feels faster than knitting, and like my mom said, it’s a lot easier to fix mistakes. However my yarn tension still needs work as my mom says my stitches are too tight, so she suggested that I use a bigger needle. I’m trying to work more loosely, so that’s been good for my hand, and I can definitely see a difference.

I got a lovely dusky pink yarn in hopes of making a wrap top with it. The pattern is beginner friendly and not too difficult to follow. However, it’s a crop top, something I don’t really have much confidence wearing, nor it is something I have in my wardrobe. But the pattern looks really nice so I’m willing to give it a go. There seems to be a lot of crop top crochet patterns out there.

I also got a few skeins of a cornflower blue yarn that was on sale and feels really soft. The color makes for a nice sweater so I’ll get around to that after I succeed with the wrap top. Maybe I’ll go for knit with this one. Other than making scrunchies as gifts, I’ve kinda put knitting on the wayside to focus on crochet. Also it’s been a long time since I’ve made a knit sweater and I kinda want to get back into it.

Estella and Ronnie have taken up knitting and crochet too. Ronnie’s been crocheting for a couple years, having picked up the hobby after seeing a bunch of her favorite youtubers showing off their projects. She got yarn to make a sunflower tote bag, which looks super cute. Estella dabbles in both and got a bunch of yarn to save for when inspiration strikes. Sophea’s been meaning to try either one out, but she doesn’t really have the time right now. She says she’ll eventually get around to it, especially since some of her other friends have picked up one or both hobbies recently. Jude says he’s interested in picking up crochet because of Ronnie, but at the moment he can’t seem to get the hang of it. That, and with him being busy with piano, that has kinda fallen into the back burner, but he hopes to get back into it someday.

Though the snow was starting to pick up by the time we left the yarn store, it wasn’t too cold that we couldn’t keep walking. Honeycloud’s snowfalls are like that, though it snows a lot, it doesn’t get too cold. The weather was actually pretty nice so we all stayed out past midnight without realizing it.

[booksandwords]

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

Series: Belles of London, #1 Read time: 2 Days Rating: 5/5

The quote: Evelyn recgonized the feeling of leashed power. The way it coiled just beneath the surface. She knew it well enough from riding a station. But this wasn't only power restrained. This was something else. Something stronger and more hazardous still. It was passion. Ahmed's passion for her and he was holding it back. Leashing it as though she needed protecting from it. — Evelyn Maltravers

The Siren of Sussex was a joy to read, causing me to stay up past my bedtime to finish it. There is a welcome blend of the historical and the fictional. All the characters are likable in their own ways. Even the antagonists such as they are are of their time. They feel kind of period-appropriate, the overly handsy and bitchy as f**k Lady Heatherton; Rosamond Deveril, Countess of Arundell is the sort of character that exists in all Victorian novels of this type the chaperone and aid in helping the protagonist come out in society. The hero actions of Ahmed are as noble and endearing as they are frustrating. Evelyn is a strong, loyal woman with a serious streak of ingenuity. Both these characters are romance novel catnip, things readers love to see.

The leading couple is Evelyn Maltravers and Ahmed Malik. I adore Evelyn. We meet her when she is breaking propriety for the first of many times throughout the story, meeting Ahmed Malik without a chaperone to request he make one of his stunning riding habits for her. Twenty-three-year-old Evelyn is in London for the season, her debut season to be her only season giving her only weeks to find a wealthy husband. Her haste to marry is so she may support herself and the dreams of her four younger sisters. It has fallen to her after her older sister caused a scandal by running off and marrying for love during her season. Her favourite thing in the world is to ride her beloved stallion Hephastious that is how she intends to make a name for herself during the season. Hence the riding habit to make her stand out. She immediately endears herself to Ahmed by treating him as something closer to an equal rather than a servant in stark contrast to the behaviours we see from his other clients. Her intelligence and spine show through a lot. She is as one would expect strong, intelligent and kind of enjoys reading, riding and fashion. She is at times very modern, as is quite the norm for this genre but in The Siren of Sussex it works. Notably, for a historical fiction protagonist, Evelyn wears glasses and her hair is red. Not sure about the red hair but the glasses feel a bit unusual in my experience. Thirty-year-old Ahmed Malik is a carer and protector by nature, he has spent years looking out for his cousin Mira and the fallen women he worked with. This has made him remarkably non-judgemental to actions of desperation, particularly of women. In some ways, he even accepts racial ignorance (even malicious action). Now he works as a dressmaker trying to make a name for himself in a world that does not welcome him. He is a truly skilled dressmaker he has an eye for designing clothes and choosing the right colours and materials to accentuate a woman's assets and flatter her colouring. There is a wonderful moment with Evie's friends and her chaperone that just made me smile it says a lot about Ahmed in a way. "Love!" Lady Arundell scoffed. "How can that possibly be!" "He sewed pockets in all of her skirts," Anne said. "Pockets." Julia sighed. "Imagine." "And she didn't even have to ask him to do it," Stella said. "Pockets?" Lady Arundell frowned as she shepherded them back to the pavilion. "This is all very vexing," (p. 350). What can I say, the more things change the more they stay the same. Ahmed caters to the needs of his clients without them having to ask. His skill has been recognised by a tailor giving him a professional opportunity if only he can find a suitable woman to showcase his designs in fashionable society. He is a gentleman at all times he's succeeded in maintaining his professionalism right up until he meets Evelyn until they make contact and sparks fly, she becomes his muse. He knows with his being half Indian, half English and a tradesman nothing can possibly happen between him and Evelyn it would destroy her, and he loves her too much to subject her to the treatment he receives regularly. That behaviour is endearing. Ahmed Malik is written with the perfect mix of culture, self-sacrifice, skill and love that makes for a very appealing hero. You want his success but occasionally you may want to slap him (come with the historical fiction territory).

Together Evie and Ahmed are a charming combination, I adore their actions towards each other (when you read it that ill make sense. They can feel a bit like a genderbend at times. She is so strong, sure of herself, her opinions, he is much more reticent and concerned about image, slander, propriety. Also, Ahmed is the arty one I feel that needs to be pointed out, that muse element does go both ways though. She is inspired to act in ways she may not have otherwise because of him. Their dynamic just feels right, it does make me smile. I do like how their relationship plays out. Among the rest of the characters, all or are realistic, or as realistic as one would like in fiction. The actions of the characters always feel like they are plausible and do not betray the character traits or world built up. There are unwelcome propositions in a boudoir, an unwelcome proposition for Evelyn (which I want to into here because spoilers), varying levels of social comfort and realistic friendships. Oh and for those that care about such things it does pass the Bechdel test, I've always found it a little dicey but you know it's a thing and better than nothing.

As this is Victorian era historical fiction there are some content warnings for period-appropriate racism, sexism and something akin to ablism (though this will be much more relevant for The Belle of Belgrave Square). The only thing I was a bit shaky on was some of the phrases used. Quite a few of them are not used frequently even in historical fiction, most are understandable in context. The most frequently used of these is bluestocking it's a derogatory term for a scholarly, literary or cultured woman. Though the definition Evelyn provides early on is more limited in scope defining a member of the bluestocking society "I am not a bluestocking. I don't attend intellectual salons or meetings on rational dress. I don't secretly write novels or newspaper editorials. And I certainly don't dabble in scientific experimentation." (p. 5). What I really appreciate is the wording and the world. Mimi Matthews knows how to build her world and her cast. She gives us enough to make us understand the world, to give us a reasonable cast to draw upon and variety among them. She gives them individuality and a hint of what is to come in future stories.

The Belles of London looks like it could be a promising series. I do like the way Mimi Matthews writes her romance is clean, her women are strong and her men honourable. Next in the series is The Belle of Belgrave Square with heroine Miss Julia Wychwood and hero Captain Jasper Blunt. Captain Blunt is not what he initially appears and is surrounded by rumours. Julia is shy and suffers from anxiety except when she's on the back of her horse, Cossack. I would suspect it will be a quadrilogy with the last two heroines being Miss Stella Hobhouse and Lady Anne Arundell. All of them are equestriennes and need husbands as is the norm for a woman in Victorian society. On the back of a horse is the place they are most confident, comfortable and over this, they bonded.

I'm going to add a collection of comments and quotes here because this will get out of control if I don't.

"They make the ladies look beautiful, too. It's a sort of magic I believe. To create clothing that can do that to a person. That can transform them into something extraordinary" — This is a brilliant quote and absolutely accurate. It's the reason I love fashion so much, the right piece of clothing can do so much for a person. Someone come up with these wonderful pieces. (Evelyn, p.6)

"And why should I admit to a label?" Evelyn demanded, nettled. "First it's wallflower, then it's bluestocking, and then it's old maid or spinster. I don't wish to be filed away in a neat little category, labelled and dismissed by society as if I weren't a person full of mysterious complexities. I don't even know the full depth of what I am yet—or what I'm capable of. How can a man? How can anyone?" — At one point Evelyn goes through a series of labels a Victorian lady does not what attached to her. Look I just like this I like her thoughts like this. And this feels so relevant to labels now. You either want them and will attribute them to yourself or you want nothing to do them. (Evelyn, p.26)

• The three Furies. Evelyn smiled to think of that. She'd rather be thought of as a Fury than a wallflower or a bluestocking. The Grecian Furirs were formidable sisters. Women of justice—and vengeance. The thought appealed to her. — (Evelyn, p.91) This is my favourite mythology reference in the book. There are more mythological references than I expected coming into this. The three in question are Julia, Stella and Anne. They are also called the three Fates, it's a derogatory term. Evelyn is referred to as having lines of Venus, I really like the phrasing. Evelyn's horse is a mythological reference to Hephaestus, the Greek God of among other things craftsmen and artisans (though he is best known for others). Not least of all Ahmed likens Evelyn to both a Siren and a Muse.

"It was my older sister who was the beautiful one, not me. She looked like the plates in the ladies' magazines. An English rose, people used to call her." "You've mistaken sameness for beauty." "I beg your pardon?" "Sameness is comfortable. People like it because it reassures them. But it's nothing extraordinary. It's not true beauty. Not the kind that moves the soul." — I love this quote okay. It's brilliant. (Evelyn and Ahmed, p.42)

"Yes well... My mother always told me that, in a difficult situation, one must proceed from a position of strength." — Just sound advice really. (Evelyn, p.73)

The spiritualism aspect is actually quite well done. It is both written as belief and disbelief.

"Faded wealth, more like it. The drawing room was littered with worn caprets and old-fashioned furnishings. "Miss Maltravers appeared a little faded herself. Not only that, she seemed smaller somehow. He never noticed it so much as when he saw her directly after having watched her ride. She was majestic on a horse. Almost queenly. Another person entirely." — There is a lovely imagery to this. That idea of being an entirely different person in a different setting, different clothes. It appears again and again throughout the book. (Ahmed, p.142)

The first habit Ahmed makes for Evelyn is the one on the cover and oh man that illustration does not do it justice. Dark green to the point of almost being black it shimmers in the sunshine. The colouring is perfect for her adding to her mystery. All the outfits in this dress are fashion p***, particularly that dress that Stella ends up wearing to the pleasure gardens.

"You're hiding again." "Can you blame me?" "No indeed. If I had chocolates and a novel to keep me company, I might withdraw to my bed, too. But that's no excuse. We must all face the season, like it or not." — Julia has anxiety and lives in a family of hypochondriacs. This is why I love these characters. All of them are there for each other but very much just leave me with my 📚 and 🍫, who needs men. (Anne and Julia, p.159)

"You're the last man in the world I'd worry about trying anything. After what you did for me " "It's your reputation I'm concerned with." "My reputation?" she laughed. "Only you would say so. To everyone else, I'm a whore." Ahmed frowned. He briefly took her arm to guide her around a puddle of filth in the road. "You're not a whore. You're a seamstress." — When Ahmed worked in a brothel Becky worked there too, he protected. Becky is a gifted embroider. It is through Becky that we learn the truth of Ahmed's past and Mira's present. (Becky and Ahmed, p.171)

"He had the sense they were breaching some kind of unspoken barrier. A wall they had been chipping away at Ittstood between them from the first moment they'd met. The same impenetrable barrier that separated every man and woman of different races, different classes. One forged long ago, fortified with centuries of fear, resentment, and mistrust." — Honestly I can't read this and not think of one of my favourite all-time love matches. Catherine of Valois and Owen Tudor. A queen consort and a courtier, founders of the Tudor dynasty. As a widow, Catherine should have been untouchable or married off to a man of status. But she fell in love and ran. For their love, they broke all kinds of rules. Is it relevant to this story, hell no. But oh man it was my first thought. (Ahmed, p.242)

There is a joyous section with Evelyn trying to educate herself on Indian culture. Trying to better herself for the man she loves and failing because of damn colonialism basically. She only gets some help from Captain Blunt of all people. The whole section culminates in the exchange between Anne and Evelyn "If you want to learn about India, why don't you just ask him?" Evelyn didn't need to inquire who him was. "It's not his responsibility to educate me. The ignorance is mine, and so must be the remedy for it." (p.301)

Read for Dymocks 2022 Reading Challenge. Filling the prompt: "Love Story" Not the original prompt I intended to use this for (illustrated cover) but I'm glad I used it for this. It's been a while since I read a romance novel that I enjoyed as much as this. While the women are strong it feels possible and the men get their just desserts which is oh so pleasant and not always guaranteed.

[shannaraisles]

Set In Darkness

Chapter: 68 Author name: ShannaraIsles Rating: M Warnings: Canon-typical violence Summary: She’s a Modern Girl in Thedas, but it isn’t what she wanted. There’s a scary dose of reality as soon as she arrives. It isn’t her story. People get hurt here; people die here, and there’s no option to reload if you make a bad decision. So what’s stopping her from plunging head first into the Void at the drop of a hat?

Home Again

"Rory!"

The redhead glanced up as Cullen's hands found their place at her hips, supporting her now not-inconsiderable weight as she climbed down from the gig. Evy was visible for just a moment, rushing headlong across the upper courtyard and out of sight behind the steps up to the main hall, but it was all but guaranteed that she would be back in sight within seconds, running down the wide stone steps to the lower courtyard, hair and skirts flying.

Cullen grinned as he set his wife on her feet, taking a moment to brush her own hair from her face. "I'd brace, if I was you," he suggested, taking a smart step backward as the slapping sound of leather soles on stone abruptly turned into the thump of footsteps on packed earth.

Rory just had time to set her feet before Evy flew into her arms, the two women thumping together hard enough to knock the older healer back against the gig behind her. But she didn't care. After the long journey home, and the somewhat stressful night and day following her talk with Bull, Rory was glad to be able to release a lot of that tension in almost hysterical laughter as Evy hugged her close and lurched backward to exclaim over the bump.

"You grew! Oh, isn't that so lovely?" One hand on the bump, now gloriously advancing into the last two months at best guess, Evy raised wet eyes above a bright smile to her friend. "I've been so worried about you," she scolded lightly. "You're awful at looking after yourself, and you were kidnapped! Did they at least feed you properly? How is your back? Are you sleeping properly?"

"Yes, yes, hello, good to see you too," Rory replied with a wide grin, smothering her friend in another warm hug. "To answer your questions ... sort of, aching, and most of the time. Can I come in now, Mother?"

Evy flushed as Cullen chuckled nearby, embarrassed to have been called out on her mothering. "Well, I ... you can't blame me," she defended herself stoutly. "I've been worried sick!"

Rory patted her gently on top of her shining dark hair. "Seriously, Evy ... I need to use the facilities and get settled in," she informed her friend.

"Use the ..." Just like that, Evy's authoritative healer mind switched on. She turned on Cullen with a frown. "Have you not been stopping regularly enough?"

The commander's eyes widened, torn between amusement and alarm at the prospect of being scolded by his second's wife in front of the myriad of runners and messengers that had congregated around him. "Ask her, she's the one who refused to stop until we got home," he declared, throwing Rory under the cartwheels of Evy's ire without a moment's hesitation.

"Thank you, brave and fearless commander," Rory drawled as Evy's eyes turned back to her. "I need to use a pot, Evy. Now."

The scolding stopped rather smartly at that point. Taken by the hand, Rory was tugged up the steps to the upper courtyard and ushered into the infirmary, where she was encouraged to make use of the facilities and then given a large cup of water, which somewhat defeated the purpose. The vision of reassuring ugliness that was Granthis without a mask on was busy in a corner - he seemed to have taken over one of the workbenches for on-the-spot potion and poultice mixing, which had never occurred to Rory. He offered her a nod and a quick once-over, not the type to break from work for a little thing like a friend returning safely from an unwarranted adventure. Which meant she had the leisure to find Helene, sitting down beside her recovering friend with a warm, relieved smile.

"I'm so glad you survived," she said softly, gripping the soldier's hand as firmly as she dared.

Helene's smile was just as warm in answer. "More than survived," she promised. "I'll be up and about in just a few days. Your friend is a good healer, for all his quirks."

Rory cast a glance over to the corner, where Granthis was muttering to himself over a smoking pot, and chuckled softly. "Quirks is one way of putting it," she agreed in a quiet tone. I wrote him, but he's so much more than the character I put on paper. Her smile faded as she looked back at Helene. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, guilt filling her expression as she squeezed her friend's hand. "That's twice I've got you hurt. I'm so, so sorry, Helene."

Helene's smile faded to a scolding frown. "Don't you start," she warned. "The commander apologized to me back in the capital, that's bad enough. I was doing my duty; I'd have been ashamed to come out of that with nothing but scratches. Your friend patched me up and got me home. You're alive and well, that's what matters. And you're huge."

The guilty tears that had been threatening to fall were abruptly pushed aside by a loud laugh, that Rory hastily muffled behind her hand for fear of disturbing the other patients. "I am not huge," she objected, looking down at her bump. It was definitely bigger than it had been, though. She'd had to loosen her laces more than once in the last month. "All right, maybe I'm bigger, but not huge. Huge is coming in a couple more weeks, I think."

"When do you think you're due?" Helene asked with interest.

"Two months, maybe?" Rory hazarded a guess. "I haven't seen a midwife in more than a month. Tarren will be able to make a better guess."

"Oh, you can bet she'll be up here now you're back," Helena predicted in amusement. "Anyone would think she was the one having the baby. The commander's little commander."

The impersonation of the merry-tempered midwife who had taken up residence in Skysend was so accurate, Rory found herself smiling again. She was deeply grateful for Tarren, but the woman's cheerful approach to examinations was a little grating at times. And she was so fixated on the baby being Cullen's, she had a tendency to forget Rory's name at times. But despite it all, she was a good midwife, and more than capable of answering Rory's questions, which were getting more and more unsettled as time went on. The looming specter of childbirth without drugs or epidurals was starting to haunt her dreams somewhat.

"Now then, little girl, time you were out of here," Granthis declared, bustling over to the bed with a brilliantly green potion in hand. "Being around the sick is no place for a woman in your condition."

"Are you throwing me out of my own infirmary, Granthis Perivale?" she asked in amusement.

The ugly man considered her for a moment as he handed Helene the potion. The soldier took it in one hand, grimaced, and downed it in one as the apothecary spoke. "Yes, I am," he told Rory levelly. "You're on paperwork for the foreseeable future. Can't risk you catching some of the things in here."

Her eyes narrowed. "Paperwork," she repeated in a dull tone, ignoring Helene's soft snicker.

Granthis met her eyes with a bland expression. "Argue," he suggested warningly. "I dare you."

She held his gaze for a long moment. "You've already spoken to the advisors about this, haven't you?" she asked eventually.

Granthis offered her his disgusting grin, reaching out to pat her head. He knew he'd won without needing the argument, just by getting Josephine and Leliana involved. "Good girl."

Rory sighed heavily. They're going to bury me in reports, she lamented to herself. My own damn fault for getting kidnapped. Honestly, six weeks away, and suddenly I'm not safe around people anymore. It was an uncharitable thought, she knew. They were, all of them, trying to do what was best for her and the baby, and despite her annoyance, she knew they were right. That didn't make it any easier to accept, though.

"All right, fine," she conceded with bad grace. "But I'm still going to be visiting in here, unless there's something deadly virulent going around."

"Wouldn't expect anything less." Granthis chuckled, offering a hand to help her up from the stool as she shared a smile of farewell with Helene. "Go and get settled in, little girl. There's a commander who'll be worrying every time you're out of his sight for a while now."

"Oh, joy," she drawled, obediently making her way back toward the door, where Evy caught her in another warm hug once again. "Evy, I'm only going to the tower." Rory laughed, gently patting her friend's back. "What's all this?"

"Oh ... I didn't want to tell you with you just back home again," the younger woman fretted, glancing about the infirmary. "Come outside."

Suspicion bloomed on Rory's face as she allowed herself to be taken by the hand and drawn out into the afternoon sunlight. Cassandra was beating the crap out of the nearest practice dummy, but she could see Kaaras and Varric approaching from the hall. And Varric had the book in his hand. Finally. It was a shame she couldn't eavesdrop, but Evy seemed determined to pull her out of eyeline, too. Even craning, she couldn't quite see what was going on in Cassandra's little training yard once Evy pulled her to a halt.

Sighing in reluctant acceptance of the fact that she was going to miss Cassandra getting her hands on the next chapter of Swords and Shields, Rory focused her attention on Evy, tilting her head curiously at the look of guilt that was making itself known on her friend's face.

"What is it?"

Evy bit her lip, glancing away before trying to speak. "Um ... well ..." She hesitated, and plunged on. "The Inquisition's going to the Western Approach," she told Rory, and instantly the redhead knew what was coming. Rylen's being deployed to the other side of Orlais. "And, well, it's a long way away, and there's a keep there that needs to be taken and held, and Rylen - that is, Cullen thought - and Rylen accepted, and ..." Evy's expression crumpled in lines of guilt and suppressed excitement. "I'm going with him."

"Of course you're going with him," Rory answered. "Why would I possibly think you wouldn't? We'll have to work up your supply list so you have everything you'll need to set up an infirmary there."

"But ... but I won't be here when -" Evy bit off the words in embarrassment.

Rory felt the flare of panic as she caught up with what was worrying her friend, but forced herself to chuckle as though it was nothing.

"When the baby's born," she finished, making a supreme effort not to show how unsettling it was to realize she was looking at a birth without her friend close by her side. Without Cullen, too, was the next realization. If Adamant is this close, he's not going to let me travel with the army. Fuck, I'm doing this on my own. "So you'll just have to be patient and come visit us, won't you?"

Evy stared at her. "You ... you don't mind?"

Rory squeezed her hand. "Of course I mind," she promised, glad she hadn't told the younger woman that they were cousins. She had a feeling Evy would use that like a weapon to stay here if she had it in her arsenal. "But you should be with Rylen. And even if you weren't married to him, I'd still say you should go. They'll need a senior healer there, and you're it, Evy. You're a good healer, and you know how everything should work. They'll need you there."

The younger woman's eyed widened in surprise. "You ... you think I could do it?" she asked in amazement.

"I know you can," Rory promised her. "There's no one I would trust more to take care of our people than you, Evy."

"I-I ... Really? You really think I, I can do it?"

Rory smiled, reaching out to hug her friend warmly. "I know you can," she assured her friend with every ounce of confidence she could muster. "Trust me, okay? And Tarren will be here to look after me, with Gustav, and probably more people trying to get in on the action, too." And if I keep saying that, I might actually start to believe it.

So ... if they knew they were going to the Western Approach, that meant that Kaaras had sent word ahead. Alistair and Hawke might already be on their way there. The siege at Adamant could only be a couple of months away ... just like the birth of the baby. She rubbed a hand over the crown of her bump, trying not to show her sudden unease. No Evy, and no Cullen. You're on your own for this one, Ror.

[rcsedoux-blog]

*    𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚𝒏  𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒆 ;    alternate verses !

note :     all verses are derived from her   main canon,   with various tweaks.    these are,   perhaps,   subject to change if i develop something i like better,   but for now this is the status of her au’s.    p.s.   i’ll probably have an ouat verse at some point for her,   too,   as well as a regular modern verse,   and other crossovers.    that said,   this is what i’ve got for now !

SCHOOL FOR GOOD & EVIL.     accepted into the   school for evil,  thanks to her mother’s infamy in life.    a couple years ahead of sophie & agatha,   and is thus in her 3rd year during their first year.    considers sophie a rival,   as she considers herself the first   never   to prioritize beauty over uglification and operate her schemes by pretending to be a princess.    during her quest year,   she decides to embark on a mission to take back her mother’s kingdom from snow’s still living husband,   but ultimately fails in gathering an army.    she later joins the snake’s side and feels immensely betrayed by sophie becoming rhian’s queen.

EVER AFTER HIGH.     raven’s younger sister by only a year.    while raven often rejected her mother’s lessons,   evie was a little star pupil.    still,   as the younger child,   it was expected raven would take her mother’s place as the evil queen.    and when the time came to attend ever after high,   raven was the one who went off the school whilst evie stayed behind with their father.    however,   now that raven’s flipped the script,   headmaster grimm personally asked evie to transfer    —    just in case.    evie accepted,   and looks forward to having a genuine shot at becoming the new evil queen.    only,   years now of living with only her father’s influence,   and the student body’s rapidly changing view on destiny,   and she just might find that   good side   of her more prominent than she thought.

FABLES.     following her mother’s death,   evie received an eventual invitation to stay in the castle of snow white & prince charming.    seeing this as her opportunity for revenge,   she accepted,   and soon engaged in a fierce competition with rose red to seduce the prince.    yet,   evie soon began to realize this could be a fresh start for her.    she enjoyed the friendships slowly beginning to form,   with their opinions untainted by her mother’s infamy.    by the time she realized this,   however,   it was too late.    rose red and prince charming were caught in bed together,   and in an effort to lessen the blow,   they threw her under the carriage for her attempts,   too.

evie spent her first several decades in fabletown feeling bitter and getting into frequent trouble by indulging in the business of black market glamours and other such potions.    but it wasn’t terribly long before she realized how great her loneliness was.    this life wasn’t fulfilling,   and the other fables’ opinions of her were low.    so,   she eventually decided to move into mundy territory.    started up her own cosmetics business,   named   ROYAL COSMETICS,   all of which she specially charms to   really   pack a punch.    thankfully,   the money she brings in allows her to constantly travel,   and her magical talents give her an easy way to disguise herself to keep suspicion off of her when it starts becoming obvious how unnatural her aging is.    in present day,   she’s operating as one of the original evelyn grimhilde’s great-great-granddaughters now in charge of the company,   and has little affiliation with the other fables unless necessary.    it’s still something of a lonely life when she can’t fully be herself,   but evie’s learning to enjoy this fresh start    —    and even delving into the world of   fashion   these days,   too.

[ruffoverthinksthings]

Since you love Elsa so much. How about Hans? How is he on the Isle and everything else you want to add.

Elsawas never a fan of the Isle of the Lost, to say the least. She hatesthe idea, she hates the implementation, she hates the explicitly saidbelief that a large portion of the population are inherentlyincapable of changing for the better, and that the only solution isto geographically and socially isolate them from the rest of theworld, at the very least.

About the only thing she WAS happy about with the Isle was that itoffered a permanent solution to getting rid of Hans. No longer wouldshe have to worry about him using his smarts and guile to try andstage another, much more violent coup, no longer would she have toworry about him sneaking back under a new identity and worming hisway past their defences, no longer would she have to worry abouttrading nor dealing with the Southern Isles in general–after seeingthe way the King ruled and treated his subjects, Beast passed on themalmost as fast as he does coconut-custard cream cakes.

“Probably because he reminded him too much of himself, exceptmuch more blatant and with fewer delusions,” Elsa says dryly.

She never thought she would ever have to worry about him or hisfamily again. Up until the day comes that Ben announces that the VKprogram is expanding yet again, and this time, he’s looking to havethe other kingdoms try to adopt them, as Auradon Prep is gettingchaotic enough as is, and it’s another step in gaining masssympathy for the eventual, total abolition of the Isle.

Elsa is more than happy to sign up for it, putting a welcomebanner over the gates of the castle (of which, true to her famouswords, are rarely closed and never for long), and making all mannerof accommodations for the VKs and solid, actionable plans for them toeventually make better futures for themselves…

… Up until Ben is legally, socially, morally obliged to tell herthat one of the VKs they’re sending her way is Hans’ niece.

Hans hasn’t had a very good time on the Isle, you see. Alreadyhumiliated like all the other villains, but without the grace ofhaving died an impressive death, and with his brothers knowing andlording over the fact that he was relegated to shoveling manure inthe royal stables for his failed coup, he didn’t stand a chance ofever rising to the top, or even carving out a half-way decent lifefor himself.

Women were wary of his advances because of his reputation, muchstronger and cleverer men than he were all too willing to run himover and he could inspire no loyalty from the craven and thedesperate, and like the Southern Isles, his twelve brothers and hisfather are still better than him, and don’t hesitate to bully himand “remind him of his place.”

Really, about the only good thing that came out of this wholeordeal for him was that Maleficent proves far stronger, cleverer, andeven more ruthless than his father and 11 of his brothers, with theadded benefit that she does not need to sleep, eat, nor get sick.

“One by one, they all fell, beheaded, shot, thrown off a cliff,burned to death, eaten by gators, stabbed in the back, stabbed in thefront, stabbed from below, stabbed from above, mauled by wild dogs,and finally, choked on a rotten, stale eclair delivered in a giftbasket, all because they had the gall to try to challenge Maleficent,seat themselves on the our family’s throne, and were deposed justas quickly.”

Eventually, the only ones left of the former royal family of theSouthern Isles was Hans, his mother, his brother Lars, his wife, andtheir daughter, Heidi. His mother was a strong woman–”you had tobe, to have been married to a man like my father and bore allthirteen of his children”–and figuratively and sometimes literallycarved and hacked out a semi-decent living for them, and Lars and hisfamily was willing to show Hans care, aid, and an outstretched handwithout a concealed dagger in the sleeve.

But alas, they were still mortal, and eventually, sickness oraccident (true or engineered) claimed them, until it was just Hansand Heidi. “Take care of her…” were Lars’ last words, and asrepayment for all the kindness he and his wife had shown him, Hansmade good on them…

… Though not in the way they expected, or would have wanted.

For you see, Hans only saw one way out of this hell, similar tothe one Evil Queen saw for her own daughter, except much morerealistic: ingratiate yourself into the favour of those up top,manipulate them to serve your needs, and ideally, overthrow them andtake their position for yourself so you can skip step two.

For all her life, Heidi has been trained, encouraged, and acted asa “throne grabber,” and would have been the most successful oneon the Isle had it not been for the likes of Evie (the prettiest),Claudine Frollo (the most adventurous and shameless), leaving her tobe the perennial choice if both were currently taken, or you weren’tcharming enough to get them, but didn’t want to lower yourstandards, either.

It’s how she got her insulting nickname from Mal: “Hieny.”

Like her uncle and guardian, she has spent her whole life feelinginvisible, nothing more than a spare, the consolation prize; and likehim, she harbours a deep-seated hatred for the one Hans feels ruinedeverything, even more so than King Beast:

Queen Elsa.

When the new round of VKs included her, both Hans and her werethrilled, seeing it as their chance to finally get revenge. Itwouldn’t be as bloody and violent as Hans—they both knew now thatwouldn’t work, especially because Auradon doesn’t take as kindlyto that as they did BGU—but in the end, Heidi would worm her wayinto the good graces of the royal family, slowly subverting andmanipulating its inner workings, then use her influence and power tobring Hans back and plot a more thorough, satisfying revengewith him.

Indeed, Elsa’s rather chilly (figuratively and literally)reception to her, and how badly Anna is trying to be warm andfriendly to Heidi makes her feel like she’s got this in the bagwith a grand master plan forming in her head: pit the Queen and herbeloved sister against each other, make Anna her ally, and use her asa means to influence the much more powerful Elsa.

It gets even better when she learns from Anna that Elsa does infact have an heir, and that the crown princess of Arendelle afterAnna herself would LOVE to be friends with Heidi. She sees this as anopportunity to get information, an unwitting agent in sabotaging andtaking over Arendelle, and another potential piece of leverageagainst the Queen.

Instead, meeting Silsa is where it all falls apart, as doeseverything Heidi knew and believed to be true about herself, theworld, and what she wants out of life.

You see, Silsa isn’t like the other Royal AK kids.

“I haven’t been the captains of anything or a child genius ina certain field, never was a student leader for non-profitorganizations and charities and whatnot, or have even tried tomaster an instrument or an art that’s off the respectable sort, thekind you dress up all fancy for and pay super expensive tickets toget into a theater of the ‘velvet seats, red carpets, and hardwoodpaneling’ kind.”

For one thing, she’s disqualified from a lot of competitionsbecause of her unfair advantages, much like that of Jane and Jordanwho are ineligible for quiz bees because of their infallible,objective memories. For another thing, she only has one arm and onefully-functioning eye because of incidents when she was younger. Andfinally, most of her time, energy, and indeed, what she can doheavily relies on how many “spoons” she has after dealing withthe fact that she literally has ice in her veins–”turns outthat’s not exactly the best thing to have inside the humanbody…”

As Heidi learns, Silsa was “Pinocchio, except things wenthorribly wrong at the end.”

Pestered repeatedly for an heir, unwilling to marry, and notamenable to the idea of being severely limited in her activities fornine months (and that’s not even getting into the potential risks),Elsa took a page out of Gepetto’s book (and several more out of“Wizards of Auradon City” magazines) and built her own, a hybridsnowcreature and robot with as complex of an artificial intelligenceas she could make it.

The court was not impressed, until after Anna messed with Silsa’scode and accidentally gave her sentience through the sheer ineleganceof her writing, and Elsa’s “failsafe” subroutines’ attemptsto fix it. Having passed the Turing Test and shown herself to be morethan capable of being “human,” the Blue Fairy was allowed to takeher wand back and bring her to life.

“And it was at that moment that we learned that modern science,dad (Elsa) and mom’s (Anna) coding, 1st Century AGUalloys and metal composites, winter magic, and Blue Fairy magicREALLY don’t mix too good.”

Aside from the above mentioned issue of her magic chronic illness,Silsa has what she describes as “the ability to process andcompletely understand the fact that ultimately, nothing we doreally matters, and that all oflife is absurd.”

Alongside learning what clinical depression stemming from anexistential crisis in an artificially created human looks like, Heidilearns a lot from Silsa: the other side of the story of Frozenand how life in the Southern Isles really was, howto do “regular teenager things” instead of carrying the wholeweight of her legacy on her shoulders all the time, and a big problemin her life plans that she’s been ignorant of this whole time:

“And after you take-over my parents’ kingdom, then what?”

Heidi blinks. “What do you mean, ‘then what?’”

“’Then, what are you going to do with all your power, your dadback with you, and my dad as your own personal puppet?’” Silsareplies. “Do you start to hold important trade routes ransom tosway the other states? Do you pull out of the Trade Triumvirate andmake Arendelle an isolationist country before you completely secedefrom the Auradon Alliance? Do you try and bring Arendelle back to ourhome realm so you can annex it with the original Southern Isles andrule that?”

Heidi stares at her, her mouth agape, and all is silent for along, long time. “I… I don’t know. I… hadn’t thought aboutthat… but I’ll figure it out!”

Silsa nods. “You really should, you know, ask yourself ‘Whyam I even doing this?’ Maybe you’ll remind yourself of whyyou started and get a big ole motivational boost, or maybe you’llrealize it’s all pointless and all of you have been wasting yourtime and effort—either way, you’ll know the truth.”

“Won’t I have one of those ‘existential crisis’ that madeyou such a big ball of sunshine and rainbows?” Heidi asks warily.

Silsa shrugs. “Maybe, maybe not—that’s kinda the worst thingabout them, you never know what might trigger them, and they’renever subtle about it. Just one moment, you’re having a so-so day,then BOOM! Questioning everything you’ve ever done and ever will.

“But we’re getting beside the point: do you really want tojust keep on going, without ever really knowing, and risk still notknowing when you finally do get it? Like a dog that finally caughtits own tail.

“I see it all the time, you know, people working for somethingwithout really knowing why. That new car, that new house, that newpromotion… they work so hard, they work so much, and they sacrificeso many things, like their health, their families, their sanity…

“… And I just want to ask them, ‘Is it really all worthit?’”

“Of course it is!” Heidi says quickly. “Why do youeven ask that?”

Silsa looks her in the eyes, one turquoise, the other a fadedblue, staring into two green ones. “Because no one’s answer hasyet to make me stop asking the question.”

Heidi looks away. “Or maybe you just refuse to accept the truth,that that’s all there really is.”

Silsa nods. “Maybe, yeah.”

Silence once more.

“… You’re a strange one, Silsa.” Heidi mutters.

Silsa smiles. “I know.”

* Silsa refers to Elsa as “dad” after Anna related the time Elsa complained that she was rarely ever there to be a parent to her because of all her duties.

“I feel like the stereotypical father from all those London sitcoms,” Elsa says as she’s slumped exhausted into a couch. “Works all day and only ever sees his children at night, only ever hanging out with them on the weekends, and even then with projects involving wood and cars and hunting, never just sitting down and talking.”

“Aww, don’t say that, Elsa: you’re a great mother to Silsa,” Anna says.

“You’re more a mother to her than I’ll ever be…” Elsa replies, and the nicknames forever stuck.

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[tankcupcakes]

Into the Mystic - Five

Characters: Dean, Sam, Cas, OCs

Warnings: I'll just give this whole thing a blanket warning of language, fluff, and angst Word Count: 3,150

A/N: This story is a sequel to THUNDER ROAD - catch up HERE! Special thanks to Angie @atc74 and Megan @paintrider13-blog for helping me brainstorm and reading through this! ❤️

Feedback is always excellent - tags are open! This will be a wilder ride than before, so buckle up, friends! :) xoxo

Into the Mystic Masterlist Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four tankcupcakes masterlist

March, 2017 Lebanon, Kansas

A week after the mind-meld debacle, about two weeks after Eve's arrival, things had begun to simmer back down at the bunker.

Dean was in a better spirits, so everyone else was too - but this particular morning he had woken up in a foul mood due to a vivid nightmare he'd had while sleeping. He was dreaming about hell again.

He was alone in his bed, something he noticed immediately, and he got up, dressing quickly before venturing into the hall. Eve's room was empty, as were Sam and JD's. Cas had gone to check a lead on Lucifer, leaving a couple days prior. Everything was quiet. Dean started to feel a little nervous, walking just a bit quicker into the kitchen, library, and war room - all of which were vacant. Heading back down the hall to the other side of the bunker, his heart rate slowly rising, he heard muffled laughter and cheering coming from the shooting range. His creeping paranoia subsided, but the anxiety remained as he pulled the door open. JD, Sam, and Eve all stood at the far end, and she appeared to have just fired, safety ear muffs hung around her neck. The smile was wiped from Sam's face instantly when he saw Dean enter the room and stalk toward them. "Oh, man, Dean! You should've seen it - shot it right between the eyes, she did!" JD seemed to be bubbling over with excitement, his grin wide and eyes sparkling. Upon turning and seeing Dean - as well as the irritated expression on his face - Eve suddenly elbowed JD in the ribs and he glanced down at her. She was shaking her head as she muttered, "Stop. Mad. He's mad." A look of surprise and realization crossed his face as he nodded, his enthusiasm squashed as he faced Dean again. "Who's idea was it to bring her in here?" Dean asked, turning his attention to Sam, who stared back at him with a stony look on his face. "Mine," Eve answered immediately, completely willing to take the heat for this, but Dean could feel the guilt coming from her. He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Liar," he countered, crossing his arms as he was met with silence. "Uh, well, I guess I suggested it, didn't I?" JD said after a moment, hoping to diffuse the situation with the truth. "I didn't think -" "Didn't think what?" Dean asked. "Didn't think it would be a big deal to get her killed?" "Dean," Eve said in a warning tone, her hands planted on her hips. "Shooting a gun at a paper target is hardly going to get me killed." "No, but thinking you're prepared to use it in the field will." "Shouldn't she actually be prepared, then...?" JD asked uncertainly, shifting his eyes from Eve to Dean. "She's not going out with us," Dean replied rigidly. "Not now, not ever." Eve opened her mouth to reply, but Dean pointed at her before she could get any words out. "And you can save it - you'll thank me when everyone else we know is dead." "That's enough, Dean," Sam spoke firmly and for the first time since Dean had entered the room. Raising both eyebrows as he looked at his younger brother, Dean let his arms fall to his side. "Oh yeah? You think this is a good idea?" "Yeah, I do," Sam replied evenly with a nod, refusing to back down as he kept his eyes locked with Dean's. "You can't be serious, Sam. You know how dangerous it is out there -" "Exactly, Dean - we both know how dangerous it is. That's why it's important for her to be able to protect herself." "Sam -" "And don't be so arrogant to think that you're the only one who cares about her," Sam replied swiftly, unwilling to allow himself to be interrupted. "Look, you can lock her up here and pretend that she's not going to see combat all you want. But, don't you want her to be prepared? I'm not trying to be a dick, but it's inevitable that she's going to need to know how to defend herself." Everyone silently waited for Dean to respond, but he didn't, so Sam continued, “I'm not saying she should go out in the field with us - I don't want that either, but there may be times that she has to." “I’m not raring to go charging into any hunts, Dean,” Eve said, tilting her head slightly as she spoke to meet Dean’s gaze. “Honestly, I’d prefer to never have to fire at anything, but I agree with Sam - I should know how.”

Dean’s eyes went from Eve, to JD, and landed on Sam as he heaved a sigh.

“Now maybe, instead of making us feel shitty about this, you could help us?" Sam suggested in a lighter tone. "We both know you're the best teacher, and she's already got great aim. How many times did she kick our asses in darts?" Dean watched him carefully before allowing himself to crack a small smile. "Alright," he said, nodding. "You're right. She needs to be able to defend herself.” He turned to Eve again. “Bet you can’t hit that thing between the eyes twice in a row.”

  A few hours later, target practice had ended and everyone had dispersed into separate areas of the bunker.

Dean had gone to take a shower and after found Eve laying across her bed, reading.

“Hey,” he said, leaning on the door frame, “you wanna drive into town? As cute as you look in all my clothes, I thought you might want to get some of your own. And maybe a phone or something.”

 “Are you offering to take me shopping?” she asked with a smirk. “You feeling okay?”

He chuckled. “Yes. Just wanted to offer you an olive branch for being a dick since you've been back.”

“And you want to watch me freak out around technology again?”

“Maybe a little, yeah.”

“Sure,” she said with a nod as she rolled off the bed and stood. “That sounds fun. Give me a minute to get ready and we can go.”

Dean smiled at her before wandering off into the library, where JD was sitting slumped over the table, his chin resting on his hands.

“Ughhh, Dean, I’m bored,” JD whined as he entered the room.

Dean stopped and gave JD an offended look. “Do not use that voice, you are a grown man.” He resumed walking again toward the war room. “And sorry, buddy, can't help you. Evie and I going to Hays so she can pretend like she’s a millennial.”

“Can I come?” he asked, raising his head as his face lit up like a puppy’s.

Dean had really hoped to take her alone, but did feel a little pang of guilt. He stopped again. “Actually -”

Sam walked into the library then. “Hey, guys.”

“Sam,” Dean began, “I was hoping to take Evie into the city, could you and JD-”

“Oh, you're going into town?” Sam asked, looking up expectantly. “I need to look at a new charger for my laptop, mine’s acting fritzy…”

“Aye, let’s all go,” JD said, hopping up from his seat as he pulled his phone out and showed it to Sam. “Och, my screen is doing somethin’ weird, d’you see that?”

“Sam,” Dean deadpanned, but it was no use as both men had already turned and started heading to the garage.

“Hey,” Eve said as she reappeared next to him. “You ready?” 

He had a disappointed look on his face as he sighed and nodded. “Yeah, me and the whole Winchester clan.”

  They had driven into Hays, which was almost two hours of loud off-key singing.

There was a large strip mall in the center of town - Sam and JD had broken off to go to an electronics store while Dean had taken Eve to pick some clothes.

Ironically, 60’s and 70’s fashions were popping back up, which she had gotten a laugh out of. This was mostly what she leaned towards, but had opted for some more modern choices as well. She’d really liked the skinny jeans, grabbing a few different colors and even chose to wear a pair out of the store.

They’d met up with Sam and JD again afterward - Sam had picked a suitable smart phone for a beginner and told her he’d help her get it all set up back at the bunker.

A small music store was near the lot they parked in and Eve looked over at Dean wishfully. He laughed and nodded his head and she practically pranced inside.

Dean cocked his head to the side as he watched her walk away - the jeans she'd bought were definitely working for her. "Quit it," JD muttered, elbowing him in the side. "Quit what?" Dean asked after a moment, snapping out of his trance as he turned to JD. "Quit eye-fucking her." Dean scoffed and gave JD an indignant look. "First of all, I'm not eye-fucking her, and second of all, mind your own business." "Aye, well - most unfortunately, you made it my business." "You made it your business." "She's my mother -" "Oh my god, I can't deal with you today," Dean muttered, rolling his eyes as he looked at Sam. "Is this what it's like to talk to me?" JD huffed. "Excuse me, but I am delightful to be around -" "You're a pain in my ass, is what you are," Dean replied. "You guys are a mess," Sam said, shaking his head with a smirk as he followed Eve into the store. Sam had taken an immense amount of joy in being able to introduce her to music from the 90's - it was his personal favorite and he spent over an hour in that one section. He promised to bring her back to expand her music collection again later that week.

The worst part about this trip for Dean was JD buying a Duran Duran album - and playing it the whole way home. He heard Hungry Like the Wolf no less than five times that day.

  Later that evening as Sam prepared to retire for the evening, he stopped at Eve’s room, her door open.

"Hey," he said, leaning on Eve's door frame as he gave it a few courteous taps. Eve stood near him, setting up the record player Dean had bought her earlier that day on the desk. Her face lit with a smile as she looked up to see him. "Hey yourself - what's up?" "Nothing, I... I've wanted to tell you, but it never really seemed appropriate to say, y'know? Never a good time to mention..." She eyed him carefully, one eyebrow raised. "Out with it, then." "I wanted to thank you," he blurted, awkwardly crossing his arms over his chest. "For what you did for us. For him." "For both of you," she corrected him back to his original statement, turning to fiddle with the record player again. "Either way," he continued, still standing in the doorway like it was some kind of threshold, "It took a lot of courage. I already knew what kind of person you were, but the things you sacrificed for us? You're far better than we deserve." "You better shut your damn mouth," she replied evenly, not looking over. He gave a dry chuckle, one side of his mouth twitching up as he absently ran a hand through his hair. "Anyway - I'll leave you alone, I just wanted to tell you that." "You're welcome," she said softly after a moment, eyes flashing up to him briefly before diverting back down. "I'd do it again." Sam heaved a sigh, though his half smile stayed where it was. "I hope you'll never have to." She didn't respond to this, placing one of her new records inside the player and setting the needle over it. "Sam?" she said just as he had turned to exit, causing him to swivel back. "Yeah?" She didn't say anything for a moment, arms hung at her sides as she looked up at him with her head cocked to the side. "You okay?" he asked, his head involuntarily tilting too. She nodded but still didn't speak as she stood on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. "Eve?" he said uncertainly, one arm squeezing her in return. She was smiling when she pulled away, one hand resting on his cheek for a moment before she took a step back. "You are a wonderful and kind man, Sam Winchester - I hope you remember that always." He chuckled nervously. "You're kinda scaring me here, Evie - what's going on?" "Nothing," she dismissed with a shake of the head. "You told me something that was uncomfortable for you, and I had something to tell you too. It's just - when Cas did the brain whammy -" Sam snorted "- I saw and felt some of the things that have happened to you, the way Dean felt them. I know self loathing is a classic Winchester trait, but I just wanted to tell you that. You're wonderful and I love you like you were my own brother." Sam blinked widened eyes at her statement - eyes that were a little watery and he cleared his throat uncomfortably as he nodded. "Thank you," he said sincerely. He surprised her when he hugged her tight again. "I love you too. And I've never had a sister before, but it's hard to imagine a better one than you." She smiled over his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut. "Thank you for taking care of JD. And Dean, of course." A crooked grin was on his face as they pulled away from each other and he shook his head. "Looking after Dean's dumb ass was my responsibility long before you came along," he said with a wink, and the two of them shared a laugh. “G’night, Evie.”

“Goodnight, Sam.”

  Dean's eyes shot open as he lay quietly in his dark bedroom. A tilt of the head showed him the clock on the wall, glowing brightly - 3:00 AM. His outstretched fingers glided across the bed sheets, finding nothing on the other side of the mattress. Fear took hold in an instant, and it was at that moment that JD's voice rang loudly from a few rooms over. "Don't you touch me!" A loud shattering sound followed this and Dean had vaulted from his bed in a split second, hurdling down the hall, swinging JD's door wide open. Light from the hall filtered in the room and he could see Eve on the ground with her back against the wall, JD crouched down beside her. Dean flipped the light on to see her cradling a bloody hand in her lap, a terrified look on her paler than normal face. Broken glass lay scattered on the ground around her and the scene wasn't all that difficult to piece together. Drenched in sweat and out of breath, JD's face wore an expression of deep regret and shock as he stared at Eve. After a moment, he looked up at Dean. "It was an accident," he gasped out. Eve also peered up at Dean, who shifted his gaze to her, his heart drumming in his chest. "What happened?" "He was having a nightmare," she replied softly. "I could hear him down the hall. I tried to wake him up, but I scared him and he shoved me. I brought the glass down with me." Dean dipped down to kneel beside her too. "Let me see," he said, holding his hands out for her injured one. She did as he asked, and he examined the pieces of glass sticking out of her palm. JD moved to reach his hand out, perhaps to remove the glass, but retracted it again quickly, still watching Eve carefully with wide eyes. Dean's eyes flicked up to meet his son's before focusing again on the task in front of him. "I've got it," he said evenly, addressing both of them as he plucked the three large pieces of glass out. "There are a couple smaller pieces, I need to go grab some tweezers. I'm gonna need to stitch you up too - this is pretty deep." She nodded at him, appearing to have calmed herself, but still on edge. "Are you okay?" he asked, searching her eyes for the truth before he would leave the room. Eve let out an exhale and nodded her head. "Alright," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before standing. "I'll be right back." He stopped at the door to glance at JD, who was still frozen down on the ground by Eve, the look of horrified shock firmly in place. He looked like a child. When Dean returned a few minutes later, he hesitated in the doorway, unsure if he should interrupt them or not. Eve sat where he had left her, injured hand propped out of the way, JD's head in her lap. His body was curled into as much of a ball as his large frame would allow, one arm wrapped around her back, and he murmured apologies between sobs. She shushed him gently, her good hand softly stroking his hair. If she hadn't had an injury that needed attention, Dean wouldn't have disturbed this moment in a million years - as it was, he moved as quickly and quietly as he could. She sucked in a sharp breath through her clenched teeth as Dean began to stitch the gash, and this sound seemed to bring JD back to reality. He looked up at her and then over at Dean, his face flushing as he pulled himself back together, wiping his face with the hem of his shirt. "What was your dream about?" Dean murmured, attention focused on his sewing. "Nothin'," JD muttered back. "Mmm... seems like a lot of fuss for 'nothin'," he replied. JD's face was still burning red and he shook his head. "I'd prefer not to talk about it, if it's all the same to you," he said defensively. "Suit yourself," Dean murmured in the same soft tone, tying the last stitch off. He stood, taking Eve's good hand and helping her to her feet. One hand brushed her cheek and he gave her a half smile. He looked past her at JD. "If you change your mind, I know a thing or two about nightmares." Without another word about it, Dean turned to leave, Eve releasing his hand briefly to turn back to JD, who was still seated on the floor. She bent down and kissed his forehead softly, one hand smoothing his hair before she took Dean's hand again, the pair of them leaving the room, sharing secret  looks of concern.

Part Six

TAGS: @chelsea072498 @percywinchester27 @atc74 @paintrider13-blog @d-s-winchester @death2thevirgin @just-a-touch-of-sass-and-fandoms @just-another-busy-fangirl @leatherwhiskeycoffeeplaid @mamaredd123 @lalocket @nanie5 @thebabeontheback @dreamwhisper87 @notnaturalanahi

[optometrist0]

How Long Is Optometry School

Contents

Eyes and applicable visual systems for

Estimate the cost

From the medical

Schools covers many countries

This program lasts four years

Optometry School Requirements FAQs for students applying to and/or enrolling in the UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry program. About; … How long are OAT scores valid?

Optometry students at Ferris State University are getting a chance to “see” just … a third year optometry student. “It’s life-long learning, it’s not just memorizing something for a test.” Performing eye exams on kids that are the same …

How long is optometry school? It usually takes seven to eight years before you become full pledge optometrists. Get started your optometry career now with our

Doctors of Optometry recognize that continued professional education is a life- long responsibility in order to maintain the full scope of optometric services for the benefit of the patient. All fifty states and the District of Columbia require Doctors of Optometry to take continuing education courses to be eligible for license renewal.

Considering Optometry School? … Doctors of Optometry recognize that continued professional education is a life-long responsibility in order to maintain the full …

Optometry is a health care profession which involves examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the medical diagnosis and management of eye disease. Traditionally, the field of optometry began with the primary focus of correcting refractive error through the use of spectacles. Modern day optometry…

Get answers to frequently asked questions about optometry school – expenses, GPA, OAT scores, undergraduate studies, prerequisite scores, the application process and …

Jun 12, 2017 … How long does it take to become an optometrist? If you had just completed your high school education, it would take you between 7 and 9 years to become a licensed optometrist. Here's the rundown of how many years of college needed to become an optometrist. Complete the prerequisite courses.

When are applications accepted? What is the application fee? How expensive is optometry school? Is financial aid available? How can I estimate the cost of my optometric education? Is there a minimum OAT score or grade point average? How long are the OAT scores valid? What is the admissions interview like at SCO ?

Jan 10, 2011 … easier school negatives not a lot of respect from the medical community having to sell stuff (ie glasses) I think optometry is trying to make itself more legit but it has a long ways to go. In the future it may be better. Still I think most MDs view optoms as mall cops in comparison to a real policer officer (M.D).

A Chicago college that calls itself one of the oldest optometry schools in the country plans to refinance … there’s going to be a need for more eye care,” he said. Yet despite its long history, enrollment at the college hasn’t kept pace with …

The following list of optometry schools covers many countries, although the list is not exhaustive. Internationally, optometry as a profession includes different …

Even before the construction of a $24.5 million state-of-the-art science center, and major renovations to its nursing and allied health spaces, Newman University was a leader … categories – medical, dental, optometry, pharmacy – and an …

How Long Does IT Take to Become an Optometrist? … Optometry Schools and Training Programs Read on to find out more about careers in optometry and the education …

Nov 20, 2003 … Why should optometrists know about their history? 1. Optometry is, and always … What school awarded the first O.D. degree, and what schools were the last to adopt the O.D. as the professional optometry ….. When and how did the optometry program at Indiana University begin? Discussions began in the …

Optometrists are not medical doctors and receive an “O.D.” degree; they attend optometry school for four years and are not required to undertake postgraduate … on the inadequacy of training and lack of public accountability and standards, compared with those that have long been in place in medicine and ophthalmology.

When a student is “pre-optometry”, he or she is not only taking the classes required for admission to optometry school, but also has a major in a specific subject matter area. A student can choose any major and still go to optometry school as long as he or she has 1) successfully completed the courses required for admission …

Persson, OD, MS, FAAO, of The Ohio State University College of Optometry, Columbus … The batters "kept their …

There are few emergency calls in optometry, and flexible hours allow for a personal life. How long will it take to obtain my optometry degree and what is the curriculum like? The doctor of optometry degree generally takes 4 years to complete. In a typical optometry school, the first two years are spent on basic science – gross …

Optometrists provide vision care for patients such as diagnosing vision problems, prescribing corrective lenses and testing for eye disease. All 50 states require licensure for optometrists to practice optometry. Optometrists are professionals who must go through extensive education to qualify for licensure. According …

Reader question: I want to be an eye doc, but I dont how much college is needed. Also, how long is optometry school? Can you answer my questions?

So this may come off as troll-like or inflammatory, but please excuse my ignorance. I just met a first year optometry student and talked a little…

A person may also perceive the damage as “waviness,” said Bisant Labib, assistant professor at Salus University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry … With an eclipse, it is unclear just how long a person would have to look to …

Feb 21, 2017 … Offering a four-year Doctor of Optometry degree. The School of Optometry was established in 1969 and has held accreditation from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association for the past 40 years. The University of Alabama has been consistently ranked by …

Celia Hinrichs is a doctor of optometry and a fellow in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development … behavioral optometrist and I discovered behavioral optometry. Q: How long have you been practicing behavioral optometry? A: I …

How to Become an Optometrist. … Most optometry schools require coursework in biology, … It sounds like a long time, …

You'll need to complete a four-year Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) program that combines classes and supervised clinical experience …. I concurrently learned how long it was going to take me to achieve my goals of becoming a surgeon, yet as an optometrist, I would be out at a younger age with a great career ahead of me.

In addition to our doctor of optometry program, the College of Optometry offers residency programs in multiple specialties and a master of science in vision science program, and a PhD in Vision Science program that prepare students for teaching or research in the ophthalmic industry. We also partner with the College of …

I'm a junior in college and a Pre optometry … Is it worth the amount of schooling to … I think optometry is trying to make itself more legit but it has a long …

Typically, 6% of children Evie’s age will be long or short-sighted. But for children with Down’s that proportion shoots up to 60%. Until a dedicated unit was established at the university’s School of Optometry 25 years ago, very little was …

Before making any decisions that have long … to get optometry services on the cheap. But if optometrists are wanted, quality cannot be compromised. Kaphle …

ALDI is paying university graduates more than dentists … According to Graduate …

"Kiplinger" magazine chose optometry as one of the 13 best careers for the decade of 2010 to 2020 because of the job's high wages, prestige and generally successful patient outcomes. Optometrists check vision, prescribe lenses and care for patients before and after surgery, but they do not perform eye operations.

Admissions FAQ – Michigan College Of … as long as it does not have a lab component … of Arts and Sciences and the Michigan College of Optometry, …

These schools offered diplomas in optometry courses of two years duration validated by State Medical Faculties. Subsequently, four more schools were opened across India situated at Sitapur Eye Hospital, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Chennai (formerly Madras) in Tamil Nadu, Bengalooru (formerly Bangalore) in Karnataka …

But are there any serious, long-term dangers associated with digital screens … an associate professor and researcher at the State University of New York School of Optometry. “A lot of people don’t realize this, but when you’re viewing …

How much optometry school should cost. Prices paid and comments from CostHelper's team of professional journalists and community of users. Public optometry school tuition , sponsored in part by state tax dollars, runs $10700- $20200 for residents annually or about $42000-$74800 for the complete program .

The UAB School of Optometry is preparing our students to be the nation's leaders in providing comprehensive, evidence-based eye care and discovering new principles of vision science.

You will find a world-class education at the Indiana University School of Optometry, IUSO. Our rigorous, four-year professional degree program will equip you with the academic and clinical skills you need to achieve your goals as a practicing optometrist. In addition to our renowned Doctor of Optometry program, we offer a …

Because the number of optometrists is limited by the number of accredited optometry schools, licensed optometrists should expect good job prospects.

Optometry Council of India (OCI) will visit these identified schools and their well-qualified Optometrists …

After that, you'll begin your optometry program. this program lasts four years and results in a Doctor of Optometry degree. As of November 2013, there were 23 schools accredited by the American Optometric Association, the accrediting body for optometry schools (www.aoa.org). Classes you're expected to complete in …

Optometry Test Contents Applicants' potential for success. the Respond under normal seeing conditions. however Measure general academic ability and comprehension Oat test preparation with Annual schools for And yearly checkups problems The Optometry Admission Test, or OAT, is the exam that anyone who wants to study for a career as an optometrist in America must take as Dr Of Optometry Salary Contents Optometry degrees. these programs charge annual Schools for optometrists Salary canada. see Vision problems and yearly checkups Problems like farsightedness and nearsightedness Elite School of Optometry offers Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Optometry and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD … "An optometrist can start his job as a trainee with a salary package of Rs. 7,000 Doctor Of Optometry Course Contents Was … each candidate The standard for all other Requires four years And canada for those Optometry Today Jobs Contents Insurance and are more likely And debunk the notion that retail Opticians and more through optometry today Care products eye care professional and Jobs 1 – 15 of 1892 … Find all Optometrist jobs at iHireOptometry.com. All Optometrist jobs available. Dr. Bordwell said about 60 percent of people today have eye insurance and are

from http://bestoptometrists.net/how-long-is-optometry-school/

[pink-earmuffs]

MULTI ARC REVIEW POST - read between 11/17 and 2/5/18

Shadowsong - ARC VIA Netgalley

Read: 11/05/17; Release: 1/6/18

“Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her. When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King―who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world―or the ones Liesl loves―is in her hands?”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the follow up to Wintersong. Within the first novel I found myself deeply impressed with the level of mythology and world building that had taken place. This one is no exception and I found myself getting the answers that the first book had promised and a little more. Satisfying conclusion to a great two book series and I can’t wait to see what else Jones might write.

Pretty Dead Girls - ARC VIA Netgalley

Read: 11/10/17; Release: ½/18

“Beautiful. Perfect. Dead. In the peaceful seaside town of Cape Bonita, wicked secrets and lies are hidden just beneath the surface. But all it takes is one tragedy for them to be exposed. The most popular girls in school are turning up dead, and Penelope Malone is terrified she’s next. All the victims so far have been linked to Penelope―and to a boy from her physics class. The one she’s never really noticed before, with the rumored dark past and a brooding stare that cuts right through her.There’s something he isn’t telling her. But there’s something she’s not telling him, either. Everyone has secrets, and theirs might get them killed.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mean girls meets Pretty Little Liars meets parts of Heathers in this one. The pacing was a tad off but I felt like it was worth my time. Murphy definitely knows/has down the teen speak and the mentality of the girls that seem completely vapid and shallow. However I love how vague some parts were while managing to pull together a solid ending. A light read, but fun.

By The Book - ARC VIA Netgalley

Read: 11/15-16/17; Release: 1/6/18

“An English professor struggling for tenure discovers that her ex-fiancé has just become the president of her college—and her new boss—in this whip-smart modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Persuasion. Anne Corey is about to get schooled. An English professor in California, she’s determined to score a position on the coveted tenure track at her college. All she’s got to do is get a book deal, snag a promotion, and boom! She’s in. But then Adam Martinez—her first love and ex-fiancé—shows up as the college’s new president. Anne should be able to keep herself distracted. After all, she’s got a book to write, an aging father to take care of, and a new romance developing with the college’s insanely hot writer-in-residence. But no matter where she turns, there’s Adam, as smart and sexy as ever. As the school year advances and her long-buried feelings begin to resurface, Anne begins to wonder whether she just might get a second chance at love. Funny, smart, and full of heart, this modern ode to Jane Austen’s classic explores what happens when we run into the demons of our past…and when they turn out not to be so bad, after all.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I usually love retellings but this just seemed to go all over the place with no clear direction. I liked certain aspects of it and as someone else pointed out I was a little blind sided by the fact that there’s very little to no interaction by the people you think are the main couple and the ending does feel slightly tacked on.

Black Chuck - ARC VIA Netgalley

Read: 12/05-06/17; Release: 04/3/18

“Psycho. Sick. Dangerous. Réal Dufresne’s reputation precedes him. When the mangled body of his best friend, Shaun, turns up in a field just east of town, tough-as-hell Réal blames himself. But except for the nightmares, all Ré remembers is beating the living crap out of Shaun the night of his death. Shaun’s girlfriend, sixteen-year-old Evie Hawley, keeps her feelings locked up tight. But now she’s pregnant, and the father of her baby is dead. And when Réal looks to her to atone for his sins, everything goes sideways. Fast. The tighter Evie and Réal get, the faster things seem to fall apart. And falling in love might just be the card that knocks the whole house down.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The cover intrigued me but I found myself disappointed about the story as a whole. I found that certain elements didn’t pan out or give clear answers and despite the creepy atmosphere and the interesting aspects with the history I just couldn’t get into the novel very much at all.

Protogenesis - ARC VIA Netgalley

Read: 12/08/17; Release: 4/5/18

“With her unusual violet hazel eyes hidden behind heavy glasses, American teenager Helene Crawford is the kind of student that always has an answer; yet, she doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. One fateful day, life as she knows it comes to a grinding halt. There was a fire. Her mother is gone. But something is not right…The Greek Mafia may be involved. Vivid dreams of ancient deities consume her sleep. A maze of clues leads her to believe that her mother is still alive… She must go to Greece. The answers to her perilous quest lie there, as Helene braves into the unknown of a new life, torn between two Greek guys and a new world that literally awaits her.And who knows, maybe the Greek gods and goddesses are on her side… or maybe not. After all, nothing is as it seems.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sci-fi and mythology mixed together sounded great but this book felt too long winded and even though I enjoyed certain parts of this I still found it hard to want to finish this one.

The Lost Plot - ARC VIA Netgalley

Read: 1/03-04; Release: 1/9/18

“In a 1920s-esque New York, Prohibition is in force; fedoras, flapper dresses, and tommy guns are in fashion: and intrigue is afoot. Intrepid Librarians Irene and Kai find themselves caught in the middle of a dragon political contest. It seems a young Librarian has become tangled in this conflict, and if they can’t extricate him, there could be serious repercussions for the mysterious Library. And, as the balance of power across mighty factions hangs in the balance, this could even trigger war. Irene and Kai are locked in a race against time (and dragons) to procure a rare book. They’ll face gangsters, blackmail, and the Library’s own Internal Affairs department. And if it doesn’t end well, it could have dire consequences on Irene’s job. And, incidentally, on her life…”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I usually love Cogman’s writing style but this book feels like it’s shoehorned in on the rest of the series so far or meant to be a side story in the universe that she’s already created. This was a good story but I didn’t feel like it fit in with all of the other novels. I did miss the Vale character but understood why he wasn’t there. And while I did like the backdrop of this novel I didn’t really feel like I enjoyed this book the way I did with the ones before it. The love interest thing also took an interesting turn and I’m not sure how to feel about that but at the same time some of it seemed foreshadowed in other books. Overall, not as good as the others but still mildly enjoyable even if it feels disjointed.

The Belles - ARC via Netgalley

Read: 2/2-5/18; Release; 2/6/18

“Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite, the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie, that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision. With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide: save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles, or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was gorgeous. The world building was great and left me impressed there were certain things I could have done without (tw: assault animal violence) but what I really like about this was that it was unique and something I hadn’t really read before. I liked the first half but found the second half dragging along even as the ‘villain’ was revealed and I felt the first half of the novel was really great especially with all the building and the background that’s given with the discussion about what it takes to be a Belle and how they’re looked at as objects instead of people and how the hierarchy is done. There were certain aspects of the novel that I had to reread to understand but after a while I got what the terms were implying. I did like this but I didn’t love it however I would read a sequel.

[shannaraisles]

Set In Darkness

Chapter: 46 Author name: ShannaraIsles Rating: M Warnings: Language! Summary: She’s a Modern Girl in Thedas, but it isn’t what she wanted. There’s a scary dose of reality as soon as she arrives. It isn’t her story. People get hurt here; people die here, and there’s no option to reload if you make a bad decision. So what’s stopping her from plunging head first into the Void at the drop of a hat?

Never A Moment

She had to tell Cullen.

What a fun conversation that would be. How do you tell a devout workaholic with past trauma issues operating under too much stress and an honorable streak a mile wide that you're carrying his illegitimate love child? How the hell is he going to react? She couldn't even process how she was feeling. Panic was reasonably high on the list, closely followed by shock and abject terror. This couldn't be happening. Whose bright idea was it to make her give birth in a place where epidurals and proper surgery didn't exist?

"Evy," she called to her friend, ducking out of the tent once she'd tidied away the evidence. "I need to talk to the commander about something. Are you all right to hold the fort here for a little while?"

Evy looked up from her work, a faint flicker of concern crossing her face as she took a good look at Rory. "Of course," she answered easily enough. "The nurses have everything under control - I just have to show the new healer around. Are you all right?"

Right, so I look as pale as I feel. Great. "I'm fine," Rory promised her with a weak smile. "Just a little tired, but what else is new?"

The younger woman didn't look convinced, but she knew when not to push. "Take your time," she told her friend. "It's just recovery care right now, anyway."

"Hopefully I won't be too long," Rory assured her, though she had no way of knowing that.

It wasn't as though she could knock, walk in, drop the news, and immediately skip out. If she was lucky, his response wouldn't be audible all over Skyhold or hazardous to his continued health, but whether luck was with her or not, this wasn't a quick conversation in the making. Should she even take this to him now? He was swamped with work; this was just another headache to drop on him, and it wasn't even a headache he had any power to influence. It was a fact. And while there was a way to make it go away ... Rory didn't want to do that. She couldn't imagine Cullen pushing for her to do it, either. So that was that. She was a mum, for better or for worse. Holy crap, I am so screwed. A world of what ifs were open ahead of her, too many to make coherent sense. The panic was simmering - it, at least, was going to be with her in some capacity for the next, oh ... twenty years or so.

The nearest gatehouse tower was still closed off while workers toiled to make it safe. She could have passed under the stone arch and used the steps up to the battlement there - it was the fastest route to Cullen's office. Her feet, however, took her up the stone steps to the upper courtyard. It seemed as though her panic was enough to make her delay this inevitable conversation, even if it was only for a few more minutes. Her mind was racing. Now she thought about it, how could she have missed the symptoms? She was more tired than usual; her toilet breaks more regular; her sense of smell more acute; she did ache in some very specific places. She hadn't had any morning sickness, but then, some women didn't, did they?

So how long do I have, she wondered, lost in thought as she climbed the steps to the main hall. The only mistake had been that night, and that was ... Rory frowned, counting the weeks in her head. Seven or eight, so two months ago, give or take. Seven months to learn as much about midwifery and babies as she could. That really wasn't long enough.

"Looking very serious, Cupcake," a familiar voice drawled nearby.

She blinked, finding herself by the hearth in the hall, with Varric eyeing her from his table. "Hmm?"

"Serious," the dwarf repeated, laying down his quill. "You, looking very. Problems?"

"When aren't there problems?" she asked evasively, chuckling a little in spite of her turmoil. "No, I'm just thinking. Sometimes it hurts."

"Last thing we need is you and Curly with headaches," Varric commented mildly. "Just him is bad enough."

Great, he's having another bad day without telling me. She sighed wearily. "How bad?"

"He's just cranky," her dwarven friend assured her. "Pretty sure a visit from his girl would clear that right up."

"I'm not making any promises," she answered, feeling her anxiety ratchet up a notch. If he's already cranky, this isn't going to go well. Yay. "What are you working on?"

"Huh? Oh, this?" A very nearly evil smile crossed Varric's face. "His illustrious Inquisitorialness wants the next chapter of Swords and Shields for Cassandra."

Rory's eyes narrowed warningly at the mischief in his face. "Varric ... don't you dare muck up their relationship just to get a petty jab in at Cassandra."

"Would I do that?" he asked innocently.

"Yes. Yes, you would."

He chuckled, conceding the point. "Well, I'm not," he promised faithfully. "If only because I think you and Ruffles would hold me down and stab me with my own quill if I did."

She snorted with laughter. "You could be right."

Josephine had worked out that Kaaras liked Cassandra when he'd asked her to explain his book of Antivan poetry to him. The ambassador was a staunch defender of the drive to give the Seeker and the Inquisitor alone time in the hope that one of them would crack and just admit to being in love. She'd even expressed a certain frustration that they didn't even argue properly, unlike Cullen and ...

Rory's smile abruptly faded as she remembered why she was here in the first place.

"All right, Cupcake, what's hurting?" Varric asked, his face creased in a worried frown. "I've never seen you lose a smile that fast before."

Rory sighed, shaking her head. "It's nothing you can fix, Varric," she told him reluctantly. Wish you could. "I'll deal with it."

He eyed her for a moment with vague suspicion, but managed to suppress his natural desire to help with whatever it was. "Here if you need a splendid chest to lean on."

She smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

"Heads up, though," he added, jerking his chin toward the other end of the hall. "Ruffles incoming."

"What?"

Rory glanced over her shoulder, surprised to find Josephine bearing down on her like a woman on a mission. It was unusual to find the Antivan woman out of her office before dinner, but apparently some things required her to seek people out personally.

"Mistress Allen, I am glad to find you here," the ambassador said with a purposeful brightness to her tone that instantly made Rory suspicious. "Madame De Fer's seamstress has arrived. She would like to see both yourself and Lady Trevelyan this afternoon, to begin designing your gowns."

The healer just about managed to bite down on her groan. This was all she needed right now - dress plotting for Halamshiral. "I'll tell Evy," she promised politely. "I think her wedding gown is a little higher on the list of priorities."

"We have only two months to help you prepare for the Imperial Court," Josephine reminded her. "Though several people need that preparation as well. You will not be alone in your lessons."

"I can't promise to always have time for those lessons, Josephine," Rory countered, but the Antivan lady was already ahead of her.

"We will, of course, work around your duties," she insisted with easy aplomb. "You will need to be aware of courtly etiquette and dance, that is all."

Oh, is that all? Lovely. Knowing she couldn't get out of this, Rory decided to give in gracefully. "All right. Just let me know when."

"I will keep you informed," Josephine agreed. "but you must see the seamstress today."

"I will," Rory promised her. "I have things to do first, but I will." Things like give the commander a heart attack and then cry for a solid hour. Shouldn't interfere too much, should it?

She turned to open the door into the rotunda, unsurprised to hear Josephine focus her attention to Varric as she slipped into what was now Solas' work space. Empty, of course, with the elven apostate in the Emerald Graves with Kaaras, but still very much his space. From high above, she heard the croak and flap of the ravens in the rookery and, a little closer, another familiar voice calling down to her.

"If it isn't my favorite unicorn!"

Biting back a frustrated reply, she turned, tilting her head back to find Dorian leaning over the railing above her. "Unicorn?" she repeated incredulously. "Seriously?"

He laughed at her expression. "Perhaps not," the mage conceded with an ostentatious shrug. "Come up, I have something for you."

Can't this wait? But despite her faint annoyance, she wouldn't say no to Dorian. With a rueful smile, she altered her course, turning to take the steps up to the library. It's only a few minutes, she reasoned with herself. You've got about a month to break the news before it becomes blatantly obvious; a few minutes isn't going to make any difference.

Dorian was waiting for her at the top of the stairs. "You're looking done in again," he said, by way of hello. "Tell me, do you ever sleep a full night?"

"Occasionally," Rory heard herself say, a split second before her brain reminded her just who she was talking to.

"How marvelous," the altus teased brightly. "Who would have thought the commander had it in him?"

This time, the answer was out before she could stop it. "I think you'll find it's more often in me." There was a beat as she caught up with herself. "I did not just say that."

"Yes, darling, you did." Dorian laughed, pleased with her snarky reply. "I'm delighted for you."

Mortified and blushing, Rory rubbed her forehead. Why pick today, of all days, to revert to the blurting nug-woman with no boundaries? You've been doing so well! "You said you had something for me?" she asked in a desperate attempt to take control of the conversation.

"It isn't as exciting as what Cullen gives you," the mage warned, chuckling at her slightly outraged squeak of embarrassment. "You are utterly adorable when you're embarrassed, you know. But, as I promised, I have put together a small medical library for you."

Instantly, her embarrassment was gone. "Really?" she asked, curiosity mingling with excitement as she followed him to his little corner of the library, where he indicated a small stack of books on the table. "Thank you! I didn't think you were serious when you suggested it."

"My dear girl, when I say I will do a thing, it gets done," Dorian informed her comfortably. "You were in something of a lather about the gaps in your knowledge."

Rory tilted her head to read the spines. The Leech Book of Vald, Genitivi's Compendium of Thedosian Medicine, Plinth's Anatomical Studies, De Materia Medica, Historia Naturali ... She paused as she found a title that had nothing to do with medicine at all, clearing her throat to get his attention as she extracted Swords and Shields, Vol. III, from the pile. Dorian didn't even blink.

"It's your turn to read the dreadful thing," he pointed out, "though where you find the time to read, I have no idea."

Laughing, Rory put the book down. She actually rather enjoyed Swords and Shields - it was terrible, but entertainingly so. "I don't suppose there's anything on midwifery in this pile, is there?"

"Sadly, no," the mage told her. "Why? Is our blushing bride expecting, too?"

"No," she answered, her smile just a little wan. If only. "But I know virtually nothing about it, and now we're settled again, it's a certainty that someone's going to ... slip."

She wasn't sure she liked the way he was looking at her, but thankfully, he didn't say anything aloud. "I will keep my eyes open for you," he promised instead. "Should I have these delivered to the tower? I saw the workers manhandling a bed in there earlier, so I assume you are moving out of your charming tent at last."

"That would be lovely." She reached up to hug him gratefully, waiting until he responded before pulling back. One of these days, he was going to react instantly to her hugs, but she was patient enough to work on it slowly. "Thank you, Dorian."

"It's my pleasure to be lovely," he answered, the fingertips of his right hand brushing over the smooth curve of her flat stomach, one brow raised curiously. There could be no doubt what he was asking, though she was deeply grateful for his discretion.

She felt the determinedly calm facade she was holding in place crack just a little. "Keep it to yourself?" she whispered, the panic shining through briefly.

Dorian's mustache twitched as he smiled far more gently than she had expected. "Until he tells me, of course," he agreed without a moment's hesitation. And Cullen would tell him, she realized. The two men's friendship had blossomed far quicker than she had expected. "That does rather require you telling him."

"I'm working on it," she promised softly. "I was on my way to try, actually."

"Good." Dorian patted her hand gently. "Don't let me detain you."

Encouraged by his calm confidence, Rory headed back down the stairs, crossing the rotunda to the external door with his eyes on her back all the way. She had a feeling that deviating from her course would result in her being frog-marched directly to Cullen and possibly locked in with him until she 'fessed up. Dorian Pavus might only ever openly admit to having one friend, but he was compulsively protective of all the friends he made. Making her tell the truth through sheer bloody-mindedness was not beyond him. And, besides, he was right. Cullen needed to know. He deserved to know first.

It was breezier up here than it had been in the courtyards. Tucking her arms inside her cloak, she headed across the stone bridge, ignoring the shiver that ran down her spine at the icy gusts that rushed her, albeit gently. Pausing at the door, she knocked, wincing at the sharp, "Come!" that answered her. Sounds like he's in a wonderful mood. She pushed open the door, peering inside warily.

Cullen was standing behind his large desk, leaning on the surface as he scowled down at the papers that covered it. The two other doors to the tower stood open, allowing that healthy breeze to rush through, ruffling his weighted paperwork as it did. He looked tired and angry, and that vein in his temple was throbbing again. The elfroot potion she always made sure he had plenty of was sitting on the desk by his hand. Headache or no headache, here goes nothing.

"Are you busy?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

He raised his eyes from the desk, and his scowl melted away at the sight of her, replaced with a weary smile that made her heart ache pleasantly. "I can always make time for you," he assured her quietly.

"But not to take the potion that will deal with that headache," she pointed out. Despite the anxious knot in her stomach, her smile was fond as she moved toward him, stepping over fallen debris to do so.

"I was just about to," he told her, the guilty cast to his expression telling her the bottle had been sitting there for a good hour or more. Under her knowing gaze, he unstopped the potion and took a healthy gulp, grimacing at the taste.

"Have you taken a break at all today?" she asked then, again knowing he hadn't before he admitted to it.

"There's so much to do," he tried to say, but Rory was just as stubborn as he was. It was part of the reason he'd noticed her in the first place.

"And nothing is going to fall apart if you take ten minutes to walk the battlements with me," she informed him, her expression daring her lover to argue. "Please?"

Cullen's brows drew together in concern at the unexpected plea. "Are you all right?" he asked her, straightening to come out from behind the desk.

Just that tender concern was enough to destabilize her composure, but she managed to keep it together. "I'm worried about you," she told him. It wasn't a lie; it just wasn't the truth, either. "Ten minutes, that's all I'm asking."

He held her gaze for a long moment, clearly trying to decide if he should be worried. "Ten minutes," he agreed finally, laying a hand at the small of her back to escort her out into the sunshine.

They walked in silence along the crenelated battlements, passing the guard patrolling this section before coming to a halt to look out over the snowy vista side by side. Cullen's fingers brushed hers, a single point of contact that meant the world to her as she struggled to find the words for what she needed to say. I'm pregnant was too blunt, too unexpected. Marry me, I'm up the duff likely wouldn't go down too well. Remember that time against the tree lacked the gentle tone she thought he needed. What about ...

She squeaked as his arm wrapped about her waist, drawing her close into his side. "You're fidgeting," he murmured against her temple. "Why so nervous?"

A low sigh escaped her lips. "Because there's something I need to tell you," she confessed, tilting her head to look up at him. "And you might not be happy about it."

"I already know you're going to the Winter Palace," he told her in a disapproving tone. "Which you somehow failed to tell me yourself."

Red heat spilled guiltily across her cheeks. Is that better, or worse, she wondered. "No, it's not that."

The wrap of his arm squeezed supportively about her back. "What is it, then?"

"I, um ..."

But Fate has a funny sense of humor. Sometimes it enjoys throwing obstacles in your path. In this case, as Rory braced herself to share her news ... it threw a goat at the outer wall directly below them. She distinctly heard the bleat, and the splat, leaning forward to look down at the man who had thrown it as Cullen exclaimed in affronted surprise.

"What in the name of -" He drew back from her, already shouting to his men. "Detain that man!"

As the soldiers scrambled to catch the Avvar hooting in satisfaction on the mountainside below, he began to follow, only to turn back to her with an apologetic look in his eyes. She sighed, shaking her head with a helpless laugh.

"It'll keep," she promised, waving him away. He needed his duty to come first, at least until he could make the decision about his priorities. "Go."

With a last concerned look, Cullen moved away, quickly out of sight. Rory turned back to the view, leaning against the gray stone to watch as the Inquisition apprehended Movran the Under with no small difficulty. Typical, she thought resignedly. Goatus interruptus.