#short king and tall queen season

[eva-taash]

𝑫𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Ian McDonald's "The Wilding"

I'll be in TUCSON, AZ from November 8-10: I'm the GUEST OF HONOR at the TUSCON SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION.

Ian McDonald is one of those absurdly brilliant novelists that just leave me wondering the actual fuck he manages it. How does he cover so much ground, think up so many compelling characters, find so many gracenotes, conjure up so many complicated emotions?

McDonald burst on the scene in the late 1980s, with the 1988 novel Desolation Road and then his 1989 Out On Blue Six, a slick, stylized cyberpunk-meets-Orwell tale that overflowed with beautiful prose, technomysticism, and sly jokes that hid sneaky truths that hid even more sly jokes:

https://memex.craphound.com/2014/01/20/out-on-blue-six-ian-mcdonalds-brilliant-novel-is-back/

By my count, McDonald has now published twenty books – mostly novels, but a couple short story collections (and the most amazingly demented, Tom-Waits-inflected teddybear murder comic imaginable, 1994's Kling Klang Klatch):

https://irishcomics.fandom.com/wiki/Kling_Klang_Klatch

McDonald's work is truly globespanning. While he's made his mark on the Martian soil, and overtaken the moon with the Luna trilogy (his definitive rebuttal to Heinlein's Moon Is a Harsh Mistress) he is widely adored and much-awarded for the glittering, futuristic versions of Brazil (Brasyl), Tanzania (the Chaga series), and India (River of Gods).

Indeed, McDonald's imagination has roamed so far over the Earth and the solar system that it's possible to overlook his fantastic reimaginings of Ireland, the land where he was raised. There's his Philip K Dick Award-winning 1991 novel King of Morning, Queen of Day, a swirling, mythopoeic novel of Celtic mysticism:

https://www.baen.com/king-of-morning-queen-of-day.html

And then there's 1992's Hearts, Hands and Voices, which is lowkey one of the best novels I have ever, ever read – a scorching science fictional allegory for The Troubles, but with the gnarliest biotech weirdness you can possibly imagine:

https://archive.org/details/heartshandsvoice0000ianm/mode/2up

McDonald's books cover so much goddamned ground, but one feature they all share is a prose styling wherein every sentence is at least 20% poetry, a fraction that somehow, impossibly, rises to as much as 150% in certain especially shiny passages.

Like this passage, which opens The Wilding, McDonald's new horror novel that marks his first return to Ireland since 1992:

Autumn lay on the great bog in silvers and tans, late purples and duns.

The sun rose above the tall ash saplings and feral sycamore. It called the birds into full voice. Stabbing shrills, tumbles of notes, the flutes of dove-call, frantic ticking hisses, song upon song. In hedgerows and copses, among the pale foliage of the birches, in the weave of deep willow and the bramble fastnesses, each bird called and was heard. In this season the peatland held the day's warmth through the night and on the bright, clear mornings rivers of mist formed, filling the subtle hollow places in the exposed cuttings, the bogs and fields. High sun would dispel it but at this hour half of Lough Carrow lay mist-bound. Each blade of grass hung heavy with dew, the clumps of sedges were already browning, the bracken curling and crisping.

A pair of horns lifted above the willow scrub and out-grown ash hedges of the Wilding. Polished tips caught the low sun and kindled as bright and keen as spears.

https://www.gollancz.co.uk/titles/ian-mcdonald/the-wilding/9781399611503/

Oof.

I would drop everything to read Ian McDonald's grocery lists but after that opening, I wasn't going to put this one down, and I didn't, reading the whole thing on yesterday's flight home from my gigs in Atlanta this week.

The Wilding is (I'm pretty sure?) McDonald's first horror novel, and it's fucking terrifying. It's set in a rural Irish peat bog that has been acquired by a conservation authority that is rewilding it after a century of industrial peat mining that stripped it back nearly to the bedrock. This rewilding process has been greatly accelerated by the covid lockdowns, which reduced the human footprint in the conservation area to nearly zero.

The story's protagonist is Lisa, a hard-case Dubliner who came to the bog to do community service after a career as a crime syndicate driver for hire, a woman who never met a car she couldn't boost and pilot in or out of any tight situation. After years in the bog, she's ready to start a new life, studying Yeats at university, indulging a late-discovered love of poetry that has as much to do with her redemption as her years in the wild.

Lisa's last duty before she leaves the bog and goes home to Dublin is leading a school group on a wild campout in one of the bog's deep clearings. It's a routine assignment, and while it's not her favorite duty, it's also not a serious hardship.

But as the group hikes out to the campsite, one of her fellow guides is killed, without warning, by a mysterious beast that moves so quickly they can barely make out its monstrous form. Thus begins a tense, mysterious, spooky as hell story of survival in a haunted woods, written in the kind of poesy that has defined McDonald's career, and which – when deployed in service of terror – has the power to raise literal goosebumps.

There's a lot of fantasy that deals with Celtic mythology, including McDonald's own King of Morning, Queen of Day, but the vibe of that stuff tends to the heroic and romantic – sure, there's the odd banshee, but in the main, it's mischievous wee people, pookas, and leprechauns. More fey than fear.

But Irish mythology in its raw form is terrifying. The monsters of Irish storytelling are grotesque, mean, remorseless, and come in every shape and size. Some authors have done well by going back to the bestiary for the deep cuts. When I was a kid, I must have read John Coyne's Hobgoblin fifty times (mostly because it was about D&D, which I was obsessed with). I haven't read this one since I was about 12, and I have no idea if it'd hold up today, but it left me with a deep appreciation of the spooky multifariousness of monsters who dwell in Ireland's bogs:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobgoblin_(novel)

The Wilding is a suspense novel, which means there's no way to really sum up the plot without spoiling a lot of the affect, but suffice to say that McDonald brings large swathes of deep Irish lore to the surface, and it had me reading as fast as I could and wanting to put the book down and hide.

What a writer McDonald is! The fact that this is the same guy who wrote last year's stunning secret-history/solarpunk/uncategorizable wonder that was Hopeland beggars belief:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/30/electromancy/#the-grace

Read you some Ian McDonald novels, is what I'm trying to say. This one is only available in the UK, if that's not where you are, consider mail-ordering it. Looks like they've got stock at Forbidden Planet for £19 plus £18 shipping to the US. Worth every penny:

https://forbiddenplanet.com/424306-the-wilding-hardcover/

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/25/bogman/#erin-go-aaaaaaargh

[wearepurplejackets]

Little recap of episode 4 of season 4 of Wakfu

Look at this!!

You saw this beautiful smile???? This smile can stop babies from crying (and Nora). This smile can revive a puppy.

You saw it???

Well, I hope you did because I think we'll not see it in a really loooooooong time~ (maybe 9... Or 10 episodes.) The storm is coming... violently with a bat.

(BEHOLD SPOILERS OF EP 4 OF SEASON 4 OF WAKFU)

I remember Tot said season 4 was gonna be sad a f*ck and that Yugo will have to pass some kind of "hard trial" (AGAIN) in this season because this kid will never have a good rest. Not even a breath. Stop. Give this little boy some holidays c'mon, the lord is always testing our little angel to the limit. (And by lord I mean Ankama I'm looking at you...)

So it's very likely that Yugo will start to suffer even more in the next episode. And of course, in the entire season :))))))) Let this boy have something, someone precious by his side more than an instant and stop take it from him in the next second, I beg you. (He just found his family... And... Qilby I guess. And Adamai just abandoned him already to investigate by his own way...)

Just seeing how the kings and queens of every nation were so disrespectful in front of him and just called his mother a monster and made her cry, well. (I want to riot! When Joris said they were "quite tense" he fell short.)

Okay, yes, I understand the eyes in the sky~ are pretty creepy and of course I don't trust her either, at least, like this is so suspicious for sure, no one was born yesterday even when she is trying to be so kind and helpful monitoring the entire planet (yeessss mom, way too much).

But, c'mon, this is a goddess as tall as... I don't know, as much as she wants, girl she is made of f*cking magic. If she wanted she could erase you from existence. She didn't have to give a f*ck about anyone and HERE WE ARE~

The best thing you can do is looking for a fight with her in the moment you meet her with no hesitasion? Do you want to die that much? Do you know about survival? Did you skip that class maybe? (I'm going for a tea BECAUSE-)

It was so necessary to (be a little racist dear rich people and) insult the giant blue mother of your hero in his f*cking face and the people who are at least trying to do your job (which any of you losers did well, like ever, btw. When Sadida kingdom was about to be destroyed by the chaos of Ogrest what did you do?? Eh, where were you???)

Jobs like protecting and saving your citizens from, nothing, being robbed and I don't know: imminent death??? I mean, really? Was that all you thought about in this situation? Being a d*ck was your best choice.

These same guys here were talking about stolen freedom?? What freedom? The brotherhood of Tofu had to save your asses for like 3 season. 3 ovas and dozens of comics. The same people who criticize others actions but never assist and reunite when they are needed, Cause I don't know Rick, it seems a little fake....

Yugo just met his mom and his sis and he already has the world of 12 hating them... Like wow, the rulers are all going to die in the hands of that kind of white demon/zombies of TLOU/soul suckers or whatever they are. And I really don't give a f*ck for any of them, ladies and gentlemen. Only the crowns are going to remain. (Down with the monarchy.)

Weeeeeeeell.

You know what? I don't care what Yugo will do from this point. Nop, not a bit. But I'm with him to the end of everything. I will support you honey, I will defend you no matter what. I mean, I'll be totally okay if he decides to save the world for the third f*cking time and I also will be okay if in the end he prefers to let all these motherf*ckers die in an instant with no mercy and no regre-

And it could even happen that Yugo loses someone important in season 4... (The same way I will lose my mind.) Hope that never happens, I just swear to god-

Anyway, Yugo fans, unite and brace yourselves.

[fabuloustrash05]

Reasons why you should vote for Mona Lisa (Mona vs Karai poll)

Poll Here

1 She's a badass who has fought in wars despite being young

2. She's the literal lieutenant for the ENTIRE Salamandrian air force

3. She has never hit on or flirted with her own brother

4. Her commander highly looks up to her and has never consider replacing her for someone newer (unlike Karai who was easily replaced by Tiger Claw as Shredder's second in command as soon as he showed up)

5. She's strong as hell, able to lift the Turtles up effortlessly

6. She's voiced by Zelda Williams (daughter of the late Robin Williams, she also voices Cassandra from rottmnt and Kuriva from lok)

7. Her relationship with Raph is adorable and is the only good and healthy canon ship in the entire show. Better than Leo and Karai, that's for damn sure.

8. Tall Queen (being 6 feet tall exactly) and having herself a short king <3

9. She's beautiful, with her dark blue skin, sliver spots, golden eyes and teal/light blue armor. Amazing combo and use of colors

10. Her personality. Strong willed and honorable, always putting her friends and loved one first, but also stubborn and can often react without thinking. She can be rational and mature but if you insult her or her people, she'll snap.

11. My girl was willing to give up her life to protect Raph and save his family.

12. She owns up to her mistakes. Knowing her people and her planet was at stake, she still too the risk in order to do what was right.

13. She learns her lesson when she does something wrong (unlike Karai who has to learn the same lesson 5 times in one season and still does not change)

14. She's loyal and dedicated to those she loves and cares about

15. She can surprisingly be funny (the pushup scene always gets me XD )

16. Her main weapon is literally a light saber like from Star Wars, how cool is that?!

17. According to the producers, her character is based on the women from the Alien franchise.

18. She's straight forward and honest with her romantic feelings for Raph instead of torturing us with "will they won't they"

19. She takes no bullshit from people like Sub Prime and Bishop.

20. She's never afraid to speak her mind or better yet, throw hands.

In conclusion...

VOTE FOR MONA LISA

[cambrioleur]

a totally not sarcastic guide to the 'Lupin' ships

Assane Diop x Claire Laurent

all-time failmarriage (although they do both genuinely adore their son)

when "I can fix him" goes very wrong

Assane is Claire's catnip, apparently

it’s not a real 'Lupin' season if it doesn’t end with Claire breaking down in tears because of some insane family-ruining bullshit that Assane has just pulled

possible portmanteau nicknames: "classane"; "diorent"

you like this couple: if you're only interested in canonical pairings; if you enjoy watching a woman's Polyanna-esque willingness to hope for a better future get repeatedly crushed into oblivion; if you're a little bit in love with Ludivine Sagnier it's me, I'm the one who is a little bit in love with Ludivine Sagnier, to the point where I even liked her in that recent Starz period drama 'The Serpent Queen' in which her character is a deranged villainess who bathes in gold (it's as weird as it sounds)

Youssef Guédira x Sofia Belkacem

geek + tsundere dynamic

do they actually have any chemistry though? Discuss

possible portmanteau nicknames: "beldira"; "youssefia"

you like this couple: if you simp for tall women who wear combat boots and could kick your ass in virtually any individual sport; if you're a huge anime fan

Assane Diop x Benjamin Férel

VERY popular on Tumblr and AO3, to the point where people were somehow all over this even back when Ben had about 5 total minutes of screen time in Part 1

funnily there's an official tie-in book which implies that Ben might be aroace

either way, the showrunners absolutely declared war on the Assane/Ben shippers with the second half of Part 3

possible portmanteau nickname: "diorel"

you like this couple: if, much like (seemingly) a solid 25% of the internet, you have a tendency to sexualize any and all same-gender friendships

Assane Diop x Youssef Guédira

the other pairing that’s especially popular on Tumblr and AO3

per the series’ timeline we’re currently about 16 months into "if a rivalry lasts longer than 7 years then you are no longer rivals, you are GAY"

Chapter 5 in Part 3 is Assane/Guédira enjoyers’ Roman Empire

possible portmanteau nicknames: "lunimard"; "guédiop"

you like this couple: if you're a fan of a good (fr)enemies-to-lovers arc; if you think that "giving each other corny nicknames that are based on shared interests" is a love language

Youssef Guédira x Fleur Bélanger

short-ish king meets short queen

probably won’t help the Paris police department beat the corruption allegations (to be fair the allegations aren't exactly inaccurate)

possible portmanteau nickname: "guélanger"

you like this couple: if you’re a Guédira stan who isn’t interested in shipping him with Assane but at the same time you like watching Belkacem get screwed over

Claire Laurent x Benjamin Férel

this ship does indeed exist in the wild and it's more common than you might think

together these two max out on "good" but maybe not so much on "lawful"

possible portmanteau nickname: "clérel"

you like this couple: if you’re mad at Assane and think both Claire and Ben deserve better (and honestly, you're not wrong)

Assane Diop x Juliette Pellegrini

I'm sorry but if you're into this then we can't be friends

[aemondswifexoxo]

Blue Hydrangeas

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x original stark female character

Summary: Anora Stark, the younger sister of Lord Cregan Stark, is sent south in order to do her duty and marry the prince Aemond Targaryen. She has heard the rumors about the One Eyed Prince, both the good and the bad, and is uncertain where the prince stands in regards to her and their arranged marriage. Will they grow to love each other? And what will happen to the Stark family once the Dance of the Dragons starts?

Notes: Ok so, just to clarify, the action of this fanfic starts in 128 a.C. (after conquest), one year before the death of Viserys and the start of the Dance. I head canon Aemond to be 19 in the end of season 1 (is it really a head canon when it is canon in the books? idk, but also i do not believe that the producers expected us to believe that Ewan Mitchell was a 16 yr old lol). So, both Anora and Aemond are around 18 in this first few chapters. Enjoy!

Chapter I

Chapter II

Beautiful.

“Beautiful” was the first thing Aemond had thought of when his betrothed stepped out of her carriage, in her soft furs, with her cheeks rosy from the biting cold that haunted Kings Landing that day. Her hair was of a cold brown color, and fell in soft and full curls down her back. Her eyes were round and seemingly blue, though he was told that she sported the staple gray eyes of the Starks. Her skin was fair as snow, and she had some beauty marks scattered along her face.

He had seen many women throughout his life. Tall and short, young and old, light and dark skin, slender and curvy. He had seen women from all over the world. From the dornish marches till the deep vales of Arryn, from the valyrian settlements and even from the far east. But never in his life had he been so infatuated by any lady like he was right now, looking at his future bride.

If she was nervous, she masked it well, all soft eyes and kind smiles. She courtesies, and when she looks up at him, she smiles. His heart stopped. He knew he was being pathetic, but to have such a beautiful woman look at him, see him and all of him, and give him a genuine smile was something that he didn’t think would ever happen.

He did not want to be married. He was happy - or whatever happy meant - as he was, not being tied down to someone. He liked his life of training, studying and being a dutiful son and prince, he did not want a wife to be scared of him and despise him. Nevertheless, it was his duty and he would follow it. And he knew that he was probably thinking too much into Lady Stark's smile. She was, in all likelihood, just being as well mannered and respectful as she was bred to be. It wouldn’t matter if it was him standing there or the dying and decaying king himself, she would still smile and flutter her lashes at him. But still, he could not deny his reaction to her. He, who had never cared much for love or even simple pleasures, was stunned by this northern girl who looked in his direction for a total of five seconds.

Aemond stayed silent while his mother welcomed his wife-to-be, and stayed like that until much later, when they had already dispersed from the keeps gates, when he was already in his room for what seemed like hours, restless. He only spoke again when his mother knocked at his door, wanting to talk to him about his future bride.

“So,”, the queen started, after taking a seat in the chaise that faced the fire, “what did you think? About Lady Anora, I mean.”

He could see that his mother was nervous about his response, wanting for him to be content with his betrothed. She had scoured half a world until she finally found a respectable young lady, who came from a noble enough family, had a good reputation and was said to be a great prospect for a wife. She looked to the Baratheons, the Tyrells, the Redwynes and the Lannisters, before deciding that the Baratheons were too power hungry, the Tyrells too upjumped, the Redwynes too arrogant and the Lannister girls too young. When Anora Stark, member of one of the noblest, oldest and most powerful families in the realm, sister of a Lord, who was born the same year as Aemond and was said to be smart, comely, pious and dutiful had been mentioned in one such small council meeting, the queen was quick to act before any other man took her. She sent a letter to Winterfell by raven, but was ready to make the trip north herself in case it was needed. The day a letter came back, not written by a maester or Lord Cregan, but by Lady Anora herself, accepting the proposal and saying yes to life at court, his mother came to him with the biggest smile he had ever seen on her face.

So, you could say that Aemonds opinion on his betrothed was very important to queen Alicent.

“What would you want me to think?” He was being difficult, he knew it. Aemond could simply say - I think she’s beautiful and when she smiled at me I almost died right there and then. Or even put it more simply, just saying - I liked her. But today, unlike most other days, he felt like being a little difficult.

“What do you suppose I want you to think, Aemond? I want to think that you can see a happy marriage with this girl, that you like her. But this isn’t about what I want you to believe, this is about how you felt.” His mother was annoyed at him, yes, but also tired of his avoidance. She looked at him straight in the eye, awaiting his actual response to her question. But the thing was, that Aemond didn’t know what to say or how to say it.

“I… well…” He looked away from his mother, embarrassed. After a moment of silence, he heard his mom sigh, and speak:

“Let me rephrase it. Did Lady Stark please you?”

“Yes.” Aemond spoke truthfully. He was grateful for his mothers change of approach, but was still unreceptive to further talk about the matter. There’s a few more moments of silence, where Aemond just gazes into the fire, while Alicent looks at him. It’s neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, just familiar.

“I’m happy, then, my son.” Alicent says. Aemond turns his eye to her, and sees her giving him a small but proud smile. The queen gets up from her seat, and Aemond stands with her. She squeezes his arm and kisses his forehead, ready to take her leave. “Don’t forget, you’ll have to be in the Throne Room in time for supper.” And with that, she departs from his rooms.

Aemond spends most of the afternoon alone in his chambers. He tries to read but his mind always leads him back to Anora Stark and her damned smile. When he finally comes to terms with his inability to concentrate, he goes to the training grounds to practice a little and to channel his frustrations into something. Ser Criston is not there to train with him on this day, so he decides that his adversary might as well be the hay dummy that he used to train with as a child. He’s there until the sun starts to set, when he has to go back to his rooms to get himself ready for the feast. He bathes, he gets dressed in his finest clothes, he even puts a bit more effort into his hair, braiding the two pieces that connect at the back of his head. He doesn’t know, or better, doesn’t want to admit to himself, the reason for his elevated attempt at looking presentable, but he does it anyway.

When the time comes, he leaves for the Throne Room, choosing to enter it through one of the doors that flank the throne, instead of arriving via the main entrance, in order to be as discreet as possible. Aemond takes his seat at the center of the dais, his brother Aegon seated at his left, and an empty chair to his right, where his betrothed is to be seated. Next to the empty space is his mother, and next to her, his sister Helaena. The room started to fill with people and conversation, but Aemond kept his eye locked in the door, waiting for her to arrive. It took her more than he had wished for, but finally, she passed the great doors into the Throne Room, and stole his breath away.

The dress she wore looked magnificent, it fitted her so well that Aemond was convinced the Gods themselves had made it just for her. She looked as beautiful now as she looked when she’d arrived at the castle, but her attitude held more poise. She walked gracefully towards the long table, and when she ended her bow Aemond shot up from his seat, though he tried to seem cool and collected, and made his way to her. He bowed when he got near her, and offered her his arm. He took the time to look at her, and realized somethings about her face that he hadn’t noticed before, now that he was closer to her. Like how her eyes were gray, they just looked blue at a distance. Or how her nose had a bump, which possibly meant that it had been broken before. Her lashes were dark and long, and she had some freckles speckling her nose and cheeks, which might mean that she enjoys spending time outdoors.

When she grabbed onto his arm, his heart skipped a beat. Her touch was gentle and cold, thought not in an uninviting way.

They finally got seated in their place, and with that, his grandfather got up to give a speech.

“Tonight, we are here to celebrate the betrothal of my grandson, prince Aemond Targaryen, to Lady Anora Stark of Winterfell. May their union be joyful and fruitful. And may we commemorate this alliance, by dining, drinking and dancing along this young couple-to-be. Enjoy!”

Food of the most various kinds started being served to the guests as shouts of joy and applause filled the room. The music was loud and festive, and all the attention seemed to be directed at Aemond and Anora. They ate in silence for a while, until his mother sparked a conversation with Lady Anora. By her side, Aemond was tense in his seat, barely being able to swallow his food. Of course, Aegon took notice of that, and started with his mockery of Aemond.

“I knew that your interactions with the ladies were scarce, dear brother, but to think of you so pathetic that you couldn’t stray from the edge of your seat all the way throw diner just because a woman is seated next to you had never crossed my mind” Aegon whispered in his ear, while wearing a stupid grin on his face. Aemond kept silent, not wanting to cause a scene in front of his betrothed. “She is very pretty, I’ll give you that.” Aegon is now looking directly at Lady Anora, with a drunk and lustful gaze. “It’s truly unfair that you get to bed that girl, while I got stuck with our idiot sister. Maybe, if you're not man enough to do it, which I’m sure you’re not, I’ll take her to my bed instead. Give her something good out of this arrangement, she is for sure not going to get it out of you.” Aemond knew that his brother was all bark, no bite. He knew he was only saying this to get a reaction out of him, and Aemond was stuck on not giving it to him.

“I would advise you to stop with the wine for the rest of the night, brother” Aemond quietly said “Else you might do something that you’ll later regret.” He threw Aegon the most menacing look he could conjure, and though he was not confident on it, it caused his brother to back off and return to his cups.

When he turned his attention back to the girl sitting at his side she was already looking at him. He started to panic. Had she heard the conversation? Had she heard the vile things his brother had said about her? Had she felt disrespected? He couldn’t see how she would not. Would she ask to break off the betrothal because of it?

But before he could go into full on distress, she smiled. She smiled at him, again. And oh, was it better than the first time. Now it felt more confident, sweeter even. And she was so near, he could see the little dimples that appeared in her upper lip. And the ways her eyes shone, like molten silver.

“Is Vhagar as big and mighty as they say? I’ve been wondering, recently, what it might feel like to ride such an ancient and powerful creature.” He heard coming from her, in a sweet, melodic voice, though he was still slightly hypnotized by her smile that the words didn’t fully register into his brain.

“Excuse me?” Aemond asked clumsily.

“Oh, I only meant it out of curiosity, my prince. It was not my intent to offend you, I’m sorry if I did.” It seemed that his response was even more ungraceful than he had thought, as she had thought of him disgruntled or even angry at her question. Which was exactly what Aemond was afraid of, that he would scare her away with his cold persona and mean demeanor, and the marred eye that ingratiated his face would not help him at all.

“You have not offended me, my lady. I was just… taken by surprise.” Aemond responded to her, trying to calm her qualms “You asked of Vhagar, yes?” Anora nodded, compelling him to speak further “Yes well, she is a mighty beast, that is true. Old and stubborn too. But I believe it is to be expected for a creature who has lived for so long, bonded with multiple people and been through various battles to be headstrong, don’t you agree?”

He tried to be lighthearted and approachable in his response, though he internally cringes at it. It seemed to work, though. Lady Anora nods her head once again in agreement, and smiles.

“Yes, yes. I only think it’s fair.” Her gaze returns to the food in front of her, while Aemond struggles to find a way to continue their conversation.

Thought short, and seemingly lacking in substance, he appreciated their conversation. It was the first time they ever spoke to each other and she had already left him with a striking impression. She was kind, approachable, and lighthearted. But also polite, well mannered and disciplined. And she seemed to have a sense of humor and be easily amused. He wanted to keep on conversing with her, to know more about her, maybe even make her laugh.

“How has the weather suited you, my lady? I’m sure it is much different from the one you’re used to.” It was shameful how the first thing that came to his mind to talk about was the weather, but he decided to stick with it. Maybe it could escalate to something else, like a talk about Winterfell and the North, or maybe about Kings Landing and the South, what she expected from it. Aemond noticed that people had started to gather in the middle of the room to start dancing.

“It is much different.” She begins “It was strange to me to see rain, it doesn’t rain much in the North, except sometimes in the Neck. Most of the time the temperature is so cold that it just turns the water into snow. It is also warmer here, which I appreciate, at least for now. I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle the heat once summer comes.” Lady Anora jests, cheeky smile on her face. Aemond is about to respond, to maybe quip back at her. She has left him plenty of opening for him to bring this conversation further.

But he’s interrupted when some boy, no older than 16, comes to them to ask Anora for a dance. Aemond recognizes him as some distant Hightower cousin. Herald, maybe? Or was it Jacob? He didn’t know. His betrothed looked at him with an apologetic expression on her eyes, and excused herself. She left with the boy to the middle of the room, leaving Aemond there, alone and, frankly, upset. He would ask his mother to disinherit the Hightower boy, he decided.

[viridian-artist]

🍬 - if you were in canon, what would the fanbase for your ship be like? for ren or julian, have fun!!

ASK GAME

I'll be answering this question for Ren!

BRIEF DISCLAIMER THAT I SELFSHIP WITH THE CHARACTER AND NOT THE CONTENT CREATOR.

So, my selfship with Ren actually dates back to season nine. I'll start from there and then talk about how it's changed with the current tenth season!! For Season Nine, I feel like, with any "new" Hermit, people would be excited to try and see how many Hermits they can ship with them. When it came to them and Ren specifically? Ohhhhh, tall and short. Dog and bunny. Red and purple.

I think some people would've tried to mischaracterize it a bit during the King Ren arc by trying to push Verna (side note: I do use my name for certain s/is, including my Hermitsona) into being a queen alongside him being king, rewriting the important fact that they have no desire to have any of that power for themself. Verna might also be rewritten by some fans to be more submissive and write out the stubbornness they have as it would be seen as rude to them. For the fans that do acknowledge that stubbornness, they'd use it for angst. (I mean, I do personally so–). Post King Ren arc, that's where I feel like the fan base would gradually shift into generalized agreements over the couple given the HermitEmpires crossover event in which my Hermitsona is also my Empiressona for Season Two and it could make for more softer moments between the two?

By the time Season Ten comes around, I feel like fans would be more accepting of the ship as I know there would be loads of people against it in favor of other ships they feel are "more canon" (still side eyeing the anons that were so rude about me feeling insecure about my selfship a few months ago when Doc was talking about the ship between him and Ren). I think fans would also latch onto the ship more this season due to my Hermitsona going for the vampire aesthetic and leaning into a bit of a Twilight theme? I'd think that by then, it could even be boosted up into being one of the more well known/popular pairings with Ren.

Overall, there would be the fans that would mischaracterize my s/i just to get the ship to fit their views, the ones that are aggressive about it being in the way of their "superior" ship, and those that would like it a lot. I know my friends and I absolutely love the ship, so I'm not too concerned with it.

[sasha-chambers]

Short Horror Stories: The Queen's Knight

In ancient times, there was a small kingdom struggling amidst the aftermath of a plague, many were without food as the fields produced little in the way of crop and the kingdom had little left in it's coffers after fighting against the pestilence. In order to save their people, the King married his daughter off to the prince of a neighboring, larger and more prosperous Kingdom, receiving all his people needed to survive in return.

At first, all seemed well as the newly crowned Princess's people began to recover from their trials and prosper once more, but it was not long before she came to learn that her husband was a cruel man, as was his father, ruling their kingdom with an iron fist and crushing all those who dared stand against them. As a result, the Princess was left with only two people to turn two, her two closest friends that had accompanied her to her new kingdom after the marriage, her personal body guard, a tall, seasoned knight and her handmaiden, a perpetually waifish girl she had known since she was a girl.

In the case of the knight, he was also the one to whom the Princess's heart truly belonged as the many years of him staying by her side and caring for her in any way she needed had fostered a strong bond between the two, care that he continued to provide even as she suffered under the rule of her husband. Unfortunately, the Princess's brother was also aware of the closeness that the two had and betrayed them to the King in hopes of gathering some favor with him.

No matter how much she begged and pleaded, the Princess could do nothing to stop the King from dragging away her faithful knight and cutting his head from his shoulders, leaving it on a pike atop the castle walls and dumping his body into a ditch in the wild. However, the handmaiden promised her that their pain would not go unavenged and implored her to remain strong for a while before suddenly vanishing from the castle, along with the severed head of the knight.

Delving deep into a nearby forest, the handmaiden met up with a small group of old crones, witches that had the power to twist the very nature of life and death itself. Using the severed head of the knight, the witches constructed a fire and began to chant in a strange, foul language that seemed to echo around the forest. The flames of the fire began to change color, eventually shifting into a pale, icy blue and when they did the witches placed the head of the knight upon the flames, smoke beginning to seep out of the mouth and underneath the eyelids.

Once the chanting was finished, the fire died out and the eyes of the knight suddenly snapped open, the eyes now charred and resembling the embers of a roaring fire, glowing with the blue light of the flames. Not long after, the severed body of the knight came stalking through the trees, moving perfectly despite missing it's head, the stump of the neck charred and emanating a blue flame. The witches conducted a second spell and the smoke from the dead fire swirled around the body, forming into pitch black armor, complete with a helm that resembled the head of a dragon, the fire emanating from the knights neck leaving a dull glow in the mouth and eyes while smoke trickled out from the mouth.

The handmaiden returned to the Princess and gifted her the now undead head of the knight, explaining to her that so long as it was in her possession, the knight would stay by her side and serve her even more loyally than he had in life, carrying out any order that she should give him without any question and no matter what he had to do to complete it. For a couple of long, dark hours, the Princess sat on the floor of her room, staring at the face of the knight, struggling with what she wished to do. But it was the memory of how she and so many others had suffered at the hands of the King and his son that pushed her to give her first order and the eyes of the knight opened once more and he uttered three simple words, as you command.

A couple days later, the morning broke with the sound of screams of terror as the body of the Princess' brother was found cut to pieces and cast into the fountain in the middle of the market placed in the center of the city with no sign of who might have killed him nor anyone who had even taken notice during the night. In response, the King secured himself within the castle and sent his men out into the city, scouring every corner of every street for any clue as to who the butcher might be. Though, they didn't need to wonder for long, as when night fell once more, the knight came for them as well.

The knight stormed the castle with no attempt at self, cutting down the guards at the main doors and breaking it's way in, cutting it's way through the corridors, swinging a colossal sword that cleaved through armor and flesh alike. Eventually it reached the throne room, finding the King sat, shaking upon his throne and surrounded by his royal guard, who seemed equally as shaken. The knight proceeded to cut down the guard one by one until only the King remained, stuttering and tripping over the various offers he was making for his life as the knight slowly and methodically stalked up the steps to the throne.

Without a second of hesitation, the knight drove his blade through the King and into the throne behind him, pinning him to it as the life left his body. It then made it's way through the now almost empty castle, the walls and floor painted with fresh blood and soaked with the smell of copper until it came across the Prince and Princess, the Prince putting a knife to the throat of his bride and threatening the knight to back off, assuming him to be an assassin from the Princess's kingdom.

For a moment the knight stopped in it's tracks before it slowly lifted it's hands to it's helm and removed it, revealing the unnatural flame spewing from it's neck, distracting the Prince long enough with shock for the Princess to break free. The knight then lunged forward and wrapping it's metal clad hands around the Prince's neck, squeezing more and more until his skull crumbled under the pressure. The knight then placed his helm back on and took the Princess by the hand.

The knight led her to the throne room, kicking the king's corpse down the stairs after retrieving his blade and setting her upon the throne before taking the King's crown from the floor and placing it upon her head and kneeling before her. It was then that the knight's voice echoed out from within the hollow helm, simply saying, long live the queen.

[astra-galaxie]

"Oh, yes! Why, Gray is the one who helped me start up my… new business, such a handsome young man… he did a lot for me." - Heather Queen

Biographical information

Full Name: Heather Queen

Alias(es): Hotshot Queen

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Status: Incarcerated

Age: 58 (season 1)

Birth: 1955

Race: Human

Nationality: American

Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Residence:

Grimsborough, USA

Chicago, Illinois, USA (formerly)

Profession(s): Drug Dealer

Family: Summer Queen (niece)

Profile

Heather is a tall woman in her late fifties with short platinum blonde hair and sharp green eyes. She dresses like a trophy wife from a sixties movie, with a long red dress and a fur housecoat hanging loosely off her frame. Her jewelry is equally as extravagant, with rocks the size of ping pong balls in dazzling colours on her jewelry.

Height: 6'0"

Age: 58 (season 1)

Weight: 145lbs

Eyes: green

Blood: AB-

Synopsis

Heather was a suspect in the murder of Gray White. She was a drug queen who used to operate in Chicago until she was caught and arrested. She spent a few years in prison before her lawyers managed to get her out early on a technicality, and she proudly walked free. She moved to Grimsborough for a fresh start and to find new clients.

She knew Gray had returned to Grimsborough years prior, and Heather looked forward to… catching up on lost time with him. The two had a special business relationship, one that Heather enjoyed immensely. Gray was young, strong, and good-looking… It didn’t hurt that he was exceptional at following orders, either.

Approaching Gray with the offer to join her new business was simple; the man needed money for his daughter’s medication, and Heather offered him an easy way to get it. Plus, she was feeling generous and decided to pay him for… Extra services. The private kind.

Heather knows Gray was ashamed to sell his body for money, but he loved his daughter more than his pride. And the nights they spent together were filled with passionate lovemaking… Even after years apart, Gray still knew how to light Heather’s fire. She never wanted their private time to end… But then, two officers arrived to inform her that Gray was dead, burned so badly he was unrecognizable.

Of course, Heather’s love for handsome men couldn’t be stopped even when grieving for Gray. She was enchanted by the man who had come to interrogate her. The woman… Not so much. Sure, the female officer was beautiful, but Heather wasn’t attracted to women, so she was much more interested in her partner.

Though she might not have been if she had known Nathan had been calling her a bitch in Hindi…

Heather would be proven innocent of Gray’s murder, but that didn’t mean she wouldn't be going to prison for other reasons. After Adalet and Nathan made a search of her house and discovered drugs, Heather was arrested for possession and sent back to prison. She was furious at being locked up and forced to wear the hideous orange jumpsuits again, but she knows her lawyers will get her out early, just like before. It was only a matter of time…

(Spoiler alert, Heather will serve her entire sentence. Chief King ensured there was no way for her to get an early release after finding out about her inappropriate behaviour towards Nathan and disrespect of Adalet.)

Story Information

First appeared: Harvest Murder

Trivia

She's a cougar

Even though she sold drugs, she rarely consumed them herself. She preferred alcohol

She financially endorsed her niece’s BDSM club and would visit whenever she was in Chicago

When she heard that Summer had been arrested for murder, she was disappointed, but she was proud of her niece for ridding the world of such a disgusting man

She has had plastic surgery and uses a LOT of makeup to keep herself looking young

Disclaimer: Character design was created using Rinmarugames Mega Anime Avatar Creator! I have only made minor edits to the design! Background courtesy of CriminalArtist5

Links to my stories:

The Case of the Criminal (Ao3/Wattpad)

Killer Bay (Ao3/Wattpad)

Where in the World are the Killers? (Ao3/Wattpad)

[ashes-writing-corner]

In the Heart of Winter

Chapter 1

The ride was meant to be mostly quiet, at least she hoped. In a small, confined carriage surrounded by family, Siobhan Lorcain felt foreign. Across from her was her mother, Queen Neassa of the Ruling House Lorcain.

Ever present in her crown and veil, Queen Neassa was a noble yet sad sight to behold. She held herself well, back straight and tall with her shoulders back. Her mourning however only seemed to add to Neassa's noble appearance. She had worn only black for the past twenty-five years, since the end of the War of Man and Magic. Ever since she lost her beloved husband, Alasdair Lorcain. The throne of Iorera was, for the time being at least, only hers because of her marriage and her season currently reigning. But soon, the Autumn Throne would pass to one of her children, though right now it was impossible to say which of them.

Siobhan faintly remembered her mother in happier times, as the princess had only been five at the time of the war's end. Her mother's hair had been so much longer back then, and Neassa had taught Siobhan to braid it by making it a game. After losing Alasdair however, she had cut her hair to her shoulders. Nowadays she kept it curled and did it herself early in the morning to avoid even her ladies in waiting getting a glance of her. Her eyes were once a bright and shining gold color, but faintly behind the veil Siobhan thought them a dull bronze. Grief had taken the light from her mother, leaving hardly anything but a strict and dutiful queen.

Siobhan had only seen her light again briefly when her younger brother Seoras was born. Poor Seoras never really recalled seeing hus mother happy, and from what Siobhan observed, Seoras was never happy either. At least never truly.

Seoras had seemingly inherited his mother's grief. He was the youngest of the four Lorcain children, only twenty five, and born within the same month Iorera lost its king and Lord of Autumn. He was rather short, like Neassa, with her dark red locks to match. His eyes were bright gold despite their constant dull and uninterested expression. Gold, as their father's had been. He had a small mouth that also didn't express much, which clashed with his somewhat sharp nose. His ears were also small, the pointed tips of them barely seen through his thick and crimson mane. He had taken a liking to hats when he was younger, and was hardly ever seen without one. For the journey today, he of course wore his favorite, a very tiny orange tip hat with a black hand around it. On his shoulder looking out the window was Rónán, a pygmy sized construct with a purple blobby body and a mini pumpkin head carved from a tiny jack o lantern. Half of the time, the construct spoke for the young prince, unless he had something important to say.

The construct turned and looked at the surrounding royals.

"Hey" he said, his voice high and scratchy, "are we there yet?".

Aislinn Lorcain, the oldest of the four Autumn siblings, looked up from the book she was reading.

"Does it look like we're there, little beast?" She asked in return.

Aislinn was nearly the exact image of their mother in her younger years. Some even believed Aislinn to be the most beautiful elf in all of Iorera. Like most Autumn elves, and especially within House Lorcain, she had beautiful long red hair that shone like copper in the light. Like her mother, Aislinn held herself with great pride and regality. At eighty-two years and seven feet tall, Aislinn would be a prize for any lucky elf in Iorera. Making her even more desirable was her taming of Teárlag, a rare unicorn. He was a beast everyone had sought, but only allowed himself to be claimed and ridden by Aislinn.

It struck Siobhan as odd, however, that her sister had their father the longest and yet hardly talked about him. Whenever she attempted to being up the lost king, Aislinn would tell Siobhan to leave old things in the past, and to not upset their still mourning mother. It was as though Aislinn strove to forget about him, and it left a sour taste in Siobhan's mouth, a poor opinion in her mind.

"Aislinn, be nice" Seoc Lorcain, the older son, spoke out.

Seoc was Siobhan's favorite sibling. The second oldest of the Lorcain children, Seoc was very much identical to his father. Without his glasses, Seoc Lorcain was just like Alasdair in portraits. Despite his poor eyesight, Seoc was very good with a bow, his most proved weapon. He kept his long crimson neat in a bun with a few loose strands on the sides. His round glasses were rimmed in strong, lightweight steel, and he kept them neat and clean. Seoc didn't like the idea of contacts, partly due to the idea of something in his eye making him uncomfortable. That combined with Aislinn telling him a story as a child where someone got their contacts melted into their eyes assured that he would never get them.

An icy feeling settled over the Lorcain carriage. The years following Alasdair's death hadn't been kind to them. Neassa looked at her two oldest.

"None of this, especially not today. This is the most important day of your lives, and the lives of our subjects. We must set a proper example".

"And who's to say what's proper?" Siobhan spoke out.

"Siobhan Lorcain don't you dare start this" the veiled queen turned her attention to her younger daughter.

"I still think it's nonsense. It's not fair that we don't get to choose who we marry or what kingdom we go to" the princess scoffed.

"It is our responsibility to maintain the balance of the seasons, as well as the balance of power between the Four Great Houses. That has been our duty since-"

"Since the rebellion. I know the histories, mother" Siobhan sighed.

"We won our freedom. This is the price of that freedom, Siobhan".

"A price that you aren't paying".

"Siobhan!" Aislinn hissed her sister's name, "mama's done all she could for us".

"I'm not saying she hasn't. But really how are any of the heads of houses paying for this? Just how necessary is this?".

"Highly! One of us is possibly going to be the next ruler of Iorera, setting the example for the next one thousand years. This is huge. And I find your attitude disrespectful" Aislinn told her.

"Eh...we feel bad for the poor sap that's gotte go to Zaigary" Rónán added his own thoughts in, "the Winter Kingdom kinda sucks from what we've read".

"Mind your manners, Rónán. One of the Eronen children will be our future king or queen" Neassa told him.

"Poor kid" Rónán chuckled.

"Okay I really think we all just need to chill" Seoc stepped in as mediator, "Siobhan, i get it, you don't like this. I think we can all agree it's not the best life, and we didn't choose it. But mother's also right. We've been waiting and training for this all our lives. We aren't doing this for us, it's not about us. It's not for our own good, but for the good of all. Kings and queens are servants to the people they rule first and foremost".

"Thank you, Seoc" Neassa gently touched his knee in support and looked at Siobhan, "we must do what is best for the people of Iorera. This is the price of our freedom: This responsibility we owe our people and our continent. Even your father understood the cost".

"Yes and it cost him his life..." Siobhan wanted to say but stayed quiet.

Seoras glanced at his sister sympathetically. He seemed to understand her best even without speaking. Siobhan smiled slightly back at her brother, grateful that someone else agreed this was nonsense. A part of Siobhan pondered that the price of freedom was far too high, but she crushed that thought as their carriage and entourage came to a stop.

The structure before them was ancient. The Sanctum of the Seasons was said to be the oldest structure in Iorera, possibly dating back to even before the Rule of the Fae. It was damaged a little during the War of Man and Magic, but the king's sacrifice ensured that all things magic would still stand and no where was magic more prominent than the Sanctum of the Seasons. Efforts had been made to restore the Sanctum, but it would've required rebuilding the entire thing. The structure was fashioned after a temple, the outside lined with tall columns that were covered in moss and ivy. Inside was a single dimly light room with a large black cauldron in it. Here all of their fates, and the future of Iorera, would be decided. There was a sudden, certain heaviness in the air.

Neassa stepped out first, followed by Aislinn, Seoc, Siobhan, and lastly Seoras with Rónán still on his shoulder.

"So this is the Sanctum of the Seasons huh?" Rónán asked, "Well then...talk about a fixer upper...".

The comment got a laugh from Siobhan, but an icy glare from her mother made it die in her throat.

"Hush, all of you" Neassa looked at them, "now is the time for your paths to be chosen. Now you serve Iorera in the truest sense".

Reblogs, likes, and comments are welcome! Thank you ^.^

[insomniac-jay]

Ivan x Dionne Headcanons

So I looked up Ivan's height and he's fucking 5'8". Dionne is 5'10". Short king x tall queen OTP confirmed.

In what started out as a curiosity into the hype turned into a full-blown celebrity crush. Ivan wanted to know why people were raving about Dionne so much and when he listened to her sing for the first time, he was captivated.

When she first arrives at HeroTV, Ivan is immediately struck by her. This tall, beautiful goddess who happens to be his crush walks in and they expect him not to notice? It's open season now.

Dionne likes singing to him since he finds her voice very soothing.

One time they were found sleeping on top of each other in the back of Ivan's vehicle without any clothes on with their hero costumes still on after an exhausting day of work.

Ivan sometimes becomes insecure that he's not the ideal partner for Dionne because he's not her type but she reassures him that he meets all of her standards.

"Dionne, will you...will you hold hands with me?!" Dionne:

Ivan was once on a Zoom meeting with the other guys and it didn't occur to him that Dionne was still asleep in his bed and the other guys were trying to hard not to alert him about that.

They're sometimes caught making out before work by Agnes or someone else.

Dionne's siblings love Ivan. He is their token white boy.

Both of them are very big on PDA though Ivan is more shy when it comes to it since this is his first serious relationship.

Dionne likes it when Ivan plays with her hair. He's the only guy other than her stylist allowed to touch it.

@opalofoctober

[frozenwolftemplar]

Writer's Month Day 7: In the Mountains

Fandom: Tangled: the Series (though once again, just Cassandra here; keeping things consistent for the nonce 😊)

Rating: G (very consistent)

Summary: Cassandra knows it's ridiculous, but she still can’t help but feel a sort of...kinship with the mountains of Corona. (not much plot again today, but the prose is kinda pretty, so there's that).

+++

There are mountains ringing Corona to the north, arcing along its border and extending down into the west where they taper off gently, forgivingly, into foothills. They are not conventionally pretty mountains. Too short to be as awesome as the ones that are the staunch guardians of Arendelle, those monstrous yet beautiful things that stand in state around the small seaside kingdom even as their slopes rumble warnings to those who mistake them as docile things and attempt a climb (folly unless you know how to Listen and Respect).

Nor are they lush and green and *alive* with jungles that peer, coquettishly, out over Neserdnia through fingers of mist, giggling as monsoon rains patter gaily against the banana leaves and fill the bromeliads that adorn them. Corona’s are some awkward, in-between sort of mountains that are perpetually caught in those uncomfortable teenage years, albeit one of cliffs and peaks and foliage rather than growing limbs and shifting senses of the world.

Clusters of tall, impassable wolf’s teeth of mountains tower over shorter, smiling ones that even a stooped-over dowager could navigate with nary more than a good walking stick. The trees populating their slopes (well, those that have slopes accepting of trees) are thoroughly lacking the sort of homogeneity that makes for a picturesque autumnal landscape painting, maples and oaks and birches with brilliant autumn finery stand crowded amongst spruces and feathery white pines and hollies who refuse to believe that green is *ever* out of season, themselves interspersed with a few grumbling plums determined to buck nature’s tide and insist that *purple* leaves are the color of the future (never mind the future never arrives, or that the other factions whisper judgments among themselves). The end result is a chaotic composition of too much color and too many opinions to ever make them a popular choice among Corona’s artistically inclined.

A handful are capped in snow, but not the sugar-dusted stuff of confectioner’s labor; treacherous, volatile piles perched in precarious ways that are merely biding their time as they wait for the permission granted by so little as a whisper to warrant crashing forth in an avalanche of white and temper. And the slopes that are bare of green or white? The drab gray tumbling down them, pimpled with boulders that jut from the scree at odd, cursed angles, is hardly the sort of harsh beauty the poets write of.

True, the royals have a cabin nestled somewhere among the harsher peaks, but the spot was chosen by an unfortunate king who felt God had erred and placed him on a throne instead of a hermit’s cave, valuing privacy and remoteness over convenience or pleasing views. It is not a popular retreat among the monarchy, as a whole preferring friendlier country houses they let from gentility who are in the market for favors and boasts, and it’s existence is mostly forgotten (and a topic of debate among the midnight patrons of Corona’s taverns). Rare is the king or queen who *chooses* to retreat to the world of ridges and cliffs.

So, no, Corona’s mountains are not pretty, but Cassandra doesn’t care. Gazing out at them from one of the guest suite’s windows, basket of barely-used bed linens in hand (honestly, if Duchess Stockton *insisted* on a new set every damn day, she could change them herself), she can’t help but feel a sort of...kinship with the mountains.

Ridiculous, she knows (they’re *mountains,* just glorified piles of rocks), but, well, she knows how people see them. The mountains. Too harsh in too many places, soft in all the wrong ones, and the antithesis of the prevailing idea of beauty. But there was more to them than that, she knew.

Because she saw.

The crags caught the setting sun as it westered towards the foothills, filling with pools of molten gold; the trees in all their shades rippled like she’d always fancied the rainbow scales of an Iris Basilisk did; and the way your eye traversed the line they drew across the sky, now rising, now falling, now climbing so high into the firmament it stole your breath, spoke of things that sent a thrill thrumming through her sinews.

Secrets waiting to be discovered. Adventure waiting to be had. Wildness waiting to be traversed so it may bestow upon the dauntless soul who dared ride through it exploits the stuff of legends and renown. And-

“Cassandra?”

Judith’s impertinent voice broke her reverie, and Cass turned from the vista with a sharper than normal scowl. “Aren’t you finished *yet?*“

“Yeah, yeah, I’m done.” Cass hefted the basket against her hip and stalked towards the door where Judith was leaning against it insouciantly. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

Judith canted her head to a side, auburn locks brushing her shoulder as she looked at Cassandra consideringly. “Laundry, same as you, though mayhaps not for much longer.” A wicked smile flashed across her face and she used a foot to shove her own basket of bedsheets and clothes across the threshold. “Be a dear and carry my load down to the laundry yard, Cassandra? Since you’re going that way.”

“I’m not doing your-“

“And Maybe I’ll forget to tell Crowley I caught you daydreaming, hmm?”

A hectic red flashed up Cass’s neck as Judith gave a saucy wave and sauntered off down the hall, skirts swishing like the tail of a cat that fancied itself clever. She kept her tongue to herself, though (fists too, regretfully) and set her basket atop Judith’s so she could carry them two high, consoling herself with the fact that Judith’s lipstick was smudged in that singular way Crowley perennially disapproved of and always resulted in a night spent with supper dishes.

Cass paused before leaving the room, though, hand on the knob, and cast one last, longing look out the window before shutting the door on the mountains.

-And freedom.

[what-if-nct]

Merry Christmas friendo!!! I saw someone saying my man likely needs more stans, and that is correct, everyone needs to love and appreciate Seo Changbin, the short king of my heart. While I may have a deep abiding appreciation of his looks (I need a big boy, I want a big boy), the real reason I love him is who he is inside. He’s kind, sweet, considerate, caring, smart, talented, brilliant, funny, so many other things I can’t think of right now. He deserves all the love in the world, and anyone who says anything mean about him, especially if they say he isn’t a visual, they’re gonna find out these hands are rated E for Everyone. Also, please feel free to take this opportunity to continue your fully justified ranting about how people clearly don’t understand who qualifies as a big boy. 🐖🐇

Merry Christmas,🎄✨🎄🎁✨✨

Yes, Changbin is the most precious boy in the world. And he's beautiful, funny and talented. And yes the big boy trend on tiktok the idols who I should be seeing is Shindong but Shindong as a person is eh. Wonho and Changbin are the 2nd most acceptable. I'll let the muscular slide. Chan is the smallest big boy I should be seeing. But I saw Felix, Hyunjin, Chenle, Johnny, Jaemin, FELIX! Johnny, Hyunjin, Jaemin and I guess Chenle are at least tall but Felix!! He's so tiny, so itty bitty. I can fit him in my bra, I'm a C cup and he could fit with a little room on the right side to spare. As a big girl I know if they were using the skinniest idols for a big girl version I'd be livid. I'd want to fight. But they wouldn't cause big for women isn't as good of a connotation as it is for men. Which we do not have time for right now. Yes it's a silly snl song. But I'm very passionate about this. Harvey Guillen who is gorgeous is perfect for this. So is Jack Black, Kevin James listen the early seasons of king of queens he was cute. Get it together cause if I see Renjun. Renjun?! Renjun could swim in my bra. I don't want him there but he could. Felix can stay though.

[essentialsf]

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In addition to the soft and fuzzy texture, it also looks cute on men. They will be highlighted by

your lean

He is tall and lean in appearance. It is the excess fabric of the Essentials hoodie that makes these

characteristics possible

Almost invisible for short or chubby men. The appeal of hoodies and their background

Additionally, their history and context make them very sexy garments. Sporty

People, jocks, slackers, nasty boys, and thugs wear Essentials hoodies. You might look

“hot” or “sexy” in a sweatshirt depending on its color. Darker colors, such as navy or

Black, you might look adorable. In terms of perception, his hoodie matters.

The most effective way to attract is to have confidence. Make your hoodie look cool and cute by

Attention to color. Wearing lighter colors, such as teal and baby pink, will

Makes you look like an adorable blob. How a hoodie is styled makes a difference in

Perception. Attracting people requires confidence. A feeling of comfort in your skin

Leads to confidence. Your clothes are your choice.

 Real Essentials site

There has been some news about the merchandise website for Fear of God Essentials hoodies.

This

The mysterious website has some sweet, sweet gear! Where can you find it? You should

Know this. Discover more! The Yeezy fashion line is causing a buzz on social media.

Others are just curious about the clothes and find the designs fascinating. Have you

Ever wondered where to buy them? I don’t know. New merchandise website for

Essentials! Now fans from around the world can join. Here we go! Look here!

Essentials Hoodies Fashion store

Like the Essentials style? Get yours now! The rapper’s online store will sell Christmas-

Themed merchandise. Be a fan of one of history’s most controversial artists. With

Sweaters and socks bearing Yeezus’ face and Saint Pablo’s name, Essentials Christmas

The store has something for everyone. Click to the website now to start shopping! Yeezy

West’s hoodie is once again innovative. Merchandise and gifts are exclusive to the

Store.. This holiday season, give someone a special gift from the Essentials online store…

A unique journey for Essentials in the music industry. As a producer, he worked with

Jay-Z and Ludacris. Making beats and rapping over them was his next step. When it was

Released in 2004, it received mixed reviews. But Essentials kept experimenting and

Developing his unique sound.

How to wear Essential Clothing

Essential Clothing: what type should you choose? Choose from a variety of styles

And plans. Whether you’re looking for an all-purpose or groundbreaking hoodie, we

We have the hoodie for you. Contact us. Explore the various types of hoodies available.

Find the right one! Essentials Hoodies are the most popular fashion for men and

Women. You can clean them later. What about wearing an Essentials sweatshirt?

Look and feel better? Experts share their tips.

We’re selling our friends

The gifts in this section are excellent gifts for friends and family. Configuration is critical.

Regarding clothing and style—throne room wardrobes of kings, queens, and emperors. Along

As a result of the changes implemented, some changes were also made to the system. Presently

and in the

Future, nothing will change. The system configuration was constantly changing. It is impossible

To fit all styles. Having a thorough understanding of recent examples in the plan is crucial for

making

Informed decisions.

Enhancements can be added later. Fashion trends are kept up to date by using the latest products.

Nothing shows off your power like necklaces, armor, and loops. There may be some stylish

Pieces nearby that you’d like to see. Keeping a distance will prevent distractions. After being

Recommended by one of the local shops, I purchased my graduation dress from a local shop.

This

It was not visible to me at the time. My immediate reaction when I saw their upgrade plans were

to

Make a list of stylish headbands and decorations that would go well with my wardrobe and find

them.

Like the Essentials style?

As an AI language model, I don&#39;t have personal preferences or opinions, but I can tell you about

the Essentials style.

The Essentials style is a design philosophy that emphasizes simplicity, clarity, and functionality.

In graphic design, it typically involves using a minimal color palette, clean lines, and a focus on

typography. In fashion, it often involves minimalist silhouettes, neutral colors, and a lack of

excessive ornamentation.

The Essentials style is often associated with modernism and the Bauhaus movement, which

emerged in the early 20th century. It has remained popular over the years and has influenced

various fields of design, including architecture, product design, and web design.

What about wearing an Essentials sweatshirt?

Wearing an Essentials sweatshirt can be a comfortable and stylish choice for casual wear.

Essentials is a clothing brand that offers a range of comfortable and practical clothing items,

including sweatshirts, t-shirts, and joggers.

Sweatshirts are often made from soft and comfortable materials, such as cotton or fleece, which

can make them an excellent choice for casual wear or lounging at home. They can be worn with

jeans, leggings, or joggers, and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

When choosing an Essentials sweatshirt, you may want to consider the color, size, and style that

perfectly suits your preferences and needs. Essent offers a range of colors and styles, including

classic crewneck sweatshirts and hoodies, so you can choose the one that perfectly matches your

personal style.

Overall, wearing an Essentials sweatshirt can be a comfortable and fashionable choice for a

variety of occasions. This includes running errands, hanging out with friends, or just relaxing at

home.

[redrikki]

My Series Masterpost

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Collections of drabbles set in each season.

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Season 1

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Season 2

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Season 3

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Season 4

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Season 5

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Season 6

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Season 7

Xander and Eshu's Wacky Road Trip - (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) While searching for Slayers in Africa, Xander hires an unusual guide, or, the god of the crossroads gets a new toy.

At the Cross Roads Well Met - The god Eshu meets an interesting man in a market in Benin or, for sixteen palm nuts, Xander hires an interesting guide. (Xander Harris, Eshu)

Goddess in the Water - Xander and Eshu find romance, a mystery and car trouble on the road, just not necessarily in that order. (Xander Harris, Eshu, OCs)

Jennifer Hailey, Vampire Slayer - (Stargate SG-1/Buffy the Vampire Slayer crossover) All Lt. Jennifer Hailey ever wanted was to travel the galaxy via a giant piece of alien technology, make some world changing scientific break throughs and show up Major Carter. Too bad destiny had other ideas.

Hailey Thinks - All Lt. Jennifer Hailey ever wanted was to travel the galaxy via a giant piece of alien technology. Too bad destiny had other ideas. Now she has a whole lot to think about. (Jennifer Hailey, Xander Harris)

The Lost Tribe - Being a Slayer never meant much to Lt. Jennifer Hailey, but between a crisis off-world and a prophecy, it may mean a lot. (Jennifer Hailey, Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Sam Carter, Teal'c, Xander Harris, Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Rupert Giles, OCs)

Houses Alike In Dignity - Downton Abbey Hogwarts fusion AU

Snakes and Lions - In Thomas, Jimmy finds that courage isn't exclusive to Gryffindors. Now if only he could find some himself. (Jimmy Kent/Thomas Barrow)

The House Elf and the Lioness - "Honestly Sybil, he's practically a house elf," Mary exclaimed when she caught them kissing in the stacks. (Sybil Crawley/Tom Branson, Mary Crawley)

The Owl & the Son-of-a-Squib - Matthew and Isobel Crawley were quite shocked when an owl swooped down and dropped an envelope on their breakfast table. (Matthew Crawley, Isabel Crawley, Mary Crawley, Joseph Molesley)

Queen of Lower Chelsea - (Ultimate Spider-Man comics) Jessica Drew may not be a real girl, but she's trying to build a real life.

Stop Clicking Your Red Heels - Jessica Drew takes a shower and her first steps into her new life. (Jessica Drew. OCs)

And Everybody Used to Call You Lucky - Peter can afford to do the right thing, but Jessica doesn't have that luxury. (Jessica Drew)

Fingertips that Might Ignite - Peter is straight like a straight thing. Jessica isn't sure what she is. (Jessica Drew/Johnny Storm, Jessica Drew/OFC)

Bursts of Stardust - (Star Wars films) Collection of short stories.

Bursts of Stardust 1

Bursts of Stardust 2

Bursts of Stardust 3

Second Verse - (A Song of Ice and Fire) Theon Greyjoy leapt off the walls of Winterfell and ended up in his own past. Second verse, same as the first, a little bit louder and a little bit worse.

Second Verse - Theon Greyjoy leaps from Winterfell's walls and ends up in his past. Can he save the Starks from themselves? More importantly, does he even want to? (Theon Greyjoy, Stark Family)

Little Bit Louder, Little Bit Worse - In a world where the War of the Five Kings goes very differently, Asha Greyjoy sails north to retrieve her brother. (Asha Greyjoy, Theon Greyjoy, Robb Stark)

Tango Verse - (Supernatural/Dollhouse crossover) Sam decides the best way to help his brother recover from Hell is to wipe his memory. It does not go as planned.

Obliviate - Sam paves a road with good intentions and some advice from Harry Potter. After all, Hermione erased her parent's memories to protect them. How is it any different if Sam does it to help Dean? (Sam Winchester, Ruby)

A Tango Dance Dance Revolution - The latest Active is a tall white guy with green eyes, pouty lips and ridiculous cheekbones. Wiping him is just another day at the office. (Topher Brink, Dean Winchester)

Two to Tango - Nothing stays buried; not memories, not guilt, not the demon apocalypse. They always claws their way back up to bite you in the ass. (Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Castiel, Ruby, Adelle Dewitt, OCs) Abandoned WIP

[bombshell23]

Bombshell Boutique

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