#the parliament was great but no pictures allowed insided

[alittlefrenchtree]

PIECES OF HISTORY — LONDON 2024 ✨

[chikucabllp]

Hire the best and cheapest Car in Delhi from Chiku Cab

Are you in search of the most affordable and cheapest car hire in Delhi? ChikuCab has you covered! Below mentions the car hire in Delhi services which are available for you. Use our well trained professional drivers to tour outstation places near Delhi or get ready made car for convenient airport pick up and drop services to and from Indira Gandhi International Airport. Do you need a car for shopping, visiting relatives and friends or just sightseeing around the city? These variations are disclosed as 8-hour or 12-hour car rental services, which allow one to travel independently. We also receive bookings in bulk for weddings, business events, and offer the services of luxury cars for functions.  Book cab in Delhi with ChikuCab today and drive comfortably while saving big!

Top 15 Attractions in New Delhi

Taj Mahal: Also referred to as the Mughal Palace, the Taj Mahal has become one of the seven wonders of the world and one of India’s pertinent aesthetic landmarks. This majestically elegant white marble mausoleum was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife. It is one of the most beautiful buildings inside and out, with detailed floral designs on the carved wooden doors, and the ceilings featuring stained glass semi precious stones inlaid into the walls.

New Delhi Parliament House (Sansad Bhavan): Construction of this Parliament was carried out by the British architects Lutyens and Baker and the house is built of sandstone. It symbolically embodies the Great Stupa of Sanchi and the Ashoka Chakra for the wheel-like layout it adopts.

Qutub Minar: This beginning red-brick built minaret, which stands today at 139-feet high, was built by the rulers of Muslims who conquered Delhi in 1193 A.D. This structure is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a tourist's favorite spot. Measuring 240 feet tall, the structure demonstrates exceptional architectural and construction prowess from the historic period under consideration.

India Gate: This 138 feet twenty-four inches war memorial, which is in the form of an arc de triomphe looks like the one in Paris and was constructed in 1931. Built in neoclassical architectural style, the monument developed by Sir Edwin Lutyen is an important photo stop in New Delhi.

Humayun's Tomb: That’s why it is also known as the tomb of Humayun; it is a UNESCO site that offers a snapshot of early Mughal architecture. It also indicates the humiliating defeat of the uprising in 1857, when the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah II, was captured.

Lotus Temple (Bahá'í House of Worship): Located in Kalkaji, New Delhi, the Lotus Temple, with its stunning nine-petal floral design, is a popular landmark of architecture. This monument is constructed wholly with white marbles from Greece; it is located in a thirty acre garden including more than twenty four fountains and nine Kunds.

Red Fort (Lal Qila): This was looked at as a historical site by UNESCO and it has been pointed out that it was the home of Mughal Empire for 200 years after Shah Jahan shifted his capital to Delhi. It still draws a fair amount of tourists and is sited in conjunction with Chandni Chowk today.

Jama Masjid (Masjid e Jahan Numa): The largest mosque in INDIA is Jama Masjid in Delhi which was constructed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1658. Due to its large structure and a blend of red sand stone and white marble, the place attract a large number of tourists.

Chandni Chowk: Chandni Chowk is the oldest market in India, located in the capital city of Delhi, and it has narrow lanes filled with a large variety of spices, jewellery, etc. It is a very good place to take pictures and wonder if you can bargain.

Office and Residence of the President of India (Rashtrapati Bhavan): Situated in the epicenter of New Delhi, India, this beautiful structure comprises a vast 340-room building that resembles a palace and magnificent Mughal gardens. People go there to visit the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which is very popular in the palace.

Tomb of I'timad-ud-Daulah: It is nicknamed the “Baby Taj” and is generally acknowledged as having been constructed before the Taj Mahal was built. It was designed to be the first Mughal monument made of white marble; this indeed marked a shift in Mughal architecture.

Lajpat Nagar Central Market: Apart from food, the textile market of Central Market, situated in Lajpat Nagar, is a good place for shopping attire and accessories like bangles and saris, which create an eclectic feel of the Delhi bazaar.

Swaminarayan Akshardham: This massive temple, one of Delhi’s largest and youngest, will feature a temple, a life-like animated tour, fully 3-D digital presentation theater, and a boat ride like in a fun park.

Raj Ghat: Visited by a large number of tourists and pilgrims, the place features a black marble platform with the quote by Gandhi, ‘My life is my message’; and an eternal flame. It marks the place where he was cremated and the words, said to be his dying lines, are engraved, ‘Hey Ram’.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib: One of the largest Sikh shrines depicts white marble blades, golden buds and domes, with a broad sacred closister. It dates back to the mid 17th century and provides ample opportunity to explore the area’s beauty and enter the premises.

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Travel comfortably in Delhi by cab booking in Delhi with ChikuCab and enjoy the easy & smooth ride. Whether you are going to catch a flight, attend a business meeting, or simply want to travel around a particular city, we have got you a ride. Hurry now and get convenient, cheap and effective cab services to your aid.

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Phone: 8448445504

Email: info@chikucab.com

Website: www.chikucab.com

FAQs

What types of car hire services does ChikuCab offer in Delhi?

ChikuCab offers various car hire services in Delhi, including 8-hour and 12-hour car rentals for sightseeing, shopping, and visiting relatives. They also provide airport pick-up and drop services, bulk bookings for weddings and business events, and luxury cars for special functions.

 Can I book a cab with ChikuCab for outstation travel from Delhi?

Yes, ChikuCab offers car hire services for outstation travel from Delhi with professional drivers to ensure a comfortable and safe journey.

How can I book a cab with ChikuCab in Delhi?

You can book a cab with ChikuCab in Delhi through their user-friendly mobile application or their website. You can choose from a variety of car options such as sedans and SUVs.

What are some popular tourist attractions in Delhi that I can visit using ChikuCab?

Popular tourist attractions in Delhi include the Taj Mahal, New Delhi Parliament House, Qutub Minar, India Gate, Humayun's Tomb, Lotus Temple, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Tomb of I'timad-ud-Daulah, Lajpat Nagar Central Market, Swaminarayan Akshardham, Raj Ghat, and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.

How can I contact ChikuCab for further inquiries or assistance?

 You can contact ChikuCab by phone at 8448445504 or by email at info@chikucab.com. You can also visit their website at www.chikucab.com for more information and to book a cab.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 1.20 (before 1940)

250 – Pope Fabian is martyred during the Decian persecution. 649 – King Chindasuinth, at the urging of bishop Braulio of Zaragoza, crowns his son Recceswinth as co-ruler of the Visigothic Kingdom. 1156 – Finnish peasant Lalli kills English clergyman Henry, the Bishop of Turku, on the ice of Lake Köyliö. 1265 – The first English parliament to include not only Lords but also representatives of the major towns holds its first meeting in the Palace of Westminster, now commonly known as the "Houses of Parliament". 1320 – Duke Wladyslaw Lokietek becomes king of Poland. 1356 – Edward Balliol surrenders his claim to the Scottish throne to Edward III in exchange for an English pension. 1401 The Taula de canvi (Catalan: "Table of change"), described as Europe's first-ever public bank, began operations inside Barcelona's Llotja de Mar. 1523 – Christian II is forced to abdicate as King of Denmark and Norway. 1567 – Battle of Rio de Janeiro: Portuguese forces under the command of Estácio de Sá definitively drive the French out of Rio de Janeiro. 1576 – The Mexican city of León is founded by order of the viceroy Don Martín Enríquez de Almanza. 1649 – The High Court of Justice for the trial of Charles I begins its proceedings. 1783 – The Kingdom of Great Britain signs preliminary articles of peace with the Kingdom of France, setting the stage for the official end of hostilities in the American Revolutionary War later that year. 1785 – Invading Siamese forces attempt to exploit the political chaos in Vietnam, but are ambushed and annihilated at the Mekong river by the Tây Sơn in the Battle of Rạch Gầm-Xoài Mút. 1788 – The third and main part of First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay, beginning the British colonization of Australia. Arthur Phillip decides that Port Jackson is a more suitable location for a colony. 1839 – In the Battle of Yungay, Chile defeats an alliance between Peru and Bolivia. 1841 – Hong Kong Island is occupied by the British during the First Opium War. 1874 – The Treaty of Pangkor is signed between the British and Sultan Abdullah of Perak, paving the way for further British colonization of Malaya. 1877 – The last day of the Constantinople Conference results in agreement for political reforms in the Balkans. 1887 – The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base. 1909 – Newly formed automaker General Motors (GM) buys into the Oakland Motor Car Company, which later becomes GM's long-running Pontiac division. 1921 – The British K-class submarine HMS K5 sinks in the English Channel; all 56 on board die. 1921 – The first Constitution of Turkey is adopted, making fundamental changes in the source and exercise of sovereignty by consecrating the principle of national sovereignty. 1929 – The first full-length talking motion picture filmed outdoors, In Old Arizona, is released. 1936 – King George V of the United Kingdom dies. His eldest son succeeds to the throne, becoming Edward VIII. The title Prince of Wales is not used for another 22 years. 1937 – Franklin D. Roosevelt and John Nance Garner are sworn in for their second terms as U.S. President and U.S. Vice President; it is the first time a Presidential Inauguration takes place on January 20 since the 20th Amendment changed the dates of presidential terms.

[taxiservicechaurffeur]

A Worth Taking London City Tour!

The capital of the United Kingdom, London is home to many things. The White House, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The Tower of London city tour, and so much more await in this city saturated with history. The city is a major European destination and the most populous city in the UK.

One of the best things about London is that you can easily stroll around. Each destination is just a small walk around. Another alternative for exploring London at its best is hiring a private vehicle. This will make your journey comfortable and memorable.

A London City Tour can be an exciting day in the life of any tourist. It is easy to keep the excursion interesting with a variety of options to choose from. Booking your tour early is important because it helps the planner ensure enough chauffeurs and vehicles are accessible to accommodate your group.

In this blog, we will explore some must-visit places during your tour of London City.

Tour 1: The Tower of London -

The Tower of London is where the crown jewels are kept and a functioning prison. The Tower of London Tour starts at the Tower Trafalgar Square, which is the entrance to the tower itself. The Tower of London does not allow photography inside, but you can take pictures outside the building.

Tour 2: Thames River Cruise -

A trip along the Thames River will show you the London Bridge and the Tower Bridge as they welcome boats from all over the world. You will pass along the South Bank, Westminster, and London Eye. The views along this stretch are stunning, especially at night when the lights illuminate this great city.

Tour 3: Big Ben & Parliament -

Big Ben is one of London’s best-known landmarks on Westminster Bridge in Central London. This is a popular destination for visitors for its convenient view of Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament. Many tours include visiting Buckingham Palace, which boasts magnificent gardens and is also home to Queen Elizabeth II. It is only a short walk away from Westminster Abbey.

Tour 4: Buckingham Palace & Changing of the Guards -

The royal family resides in Buckingham Palace, and every day there is a Changing of the Guards ceremony. It is a formal military ceremony considered one of the most popular attractions in London. It also hosts many other significant events. The Buckingham Palace Tour starts and ends at Buckingham Palace.

Tour 5: The London Eye -

This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in London. The London Eye offers magnificent city views from the serene, 42-foot-high cabin, which slowly rotates around a central axis throughout the day. It is possible to take a glass-domed capsule that rises 360 feet above ground level and provides spectacular views of numerous landmarks.

Final Thoughts

A London city tour will take you to some of London's most popular and impressive sites. It is possible to book a half-day or all-day tour, depending on the demands of your trip. Booking your tour early is very important to ensure you can get what you want. It is also advisable to book with a reliable company that will give you peace of mind and make your trip as memorable as possible.

[celestialmark]

Ethereal - Jeong Jaehyun

Jaehyun was indeed way more than his good looks. Jaehyun was gentle, honest and sincere, you felt it all in the way he smiled, the way he talked and in the way he kissed you. He was the living definition of ethereal, and his beauty shone the most on the inside.

Characters: Jeong Jaehyun x reader

Category: fluff, au, life lessons

Word count: 16.7k

Warnings: drinking (but nothing too major), emotions, a lot of it.

Writer’s notes: it’s been a hooooooot minute and this is a lot of words. how have you all been? ;; skdjsjskd this was written in 2 weeks that consisted of a lot of urges to pull my hair out and constantly squeezing my brains for words and words and words. but nonetheless, I had so so much fun writing this, I enjoyed it thoroughly and I wish I had a Jaehyun in my life skdjlksjd hope you enjoy this you guys! <3 stay safe, keep healthy! lots and lots and lots of love to all of you as always x

Winter one.

There’s an indescribable feeling settling on Jaehyun’s chest when he leisurely looks down at the view below him from where he stands by the ledge of the Fisherman’s Bastion. He’s smiling contently to himself, dimples appearing but remaining hidden by the stretch of his turtleneck that shields him from the cold winter air. The sight before him, he thinks, was definitely one to die for, the Danube river stretching from one side to another, the mighty bridge allowing vehicles to pass in and out, the Parliament building sitting tall and proud on the other side of the river, all with a touch of snow from last night’s downpour which makes the scenery all the more breathtaking. Though the tips of his fingers are freezing, the negative temperatures making them stiff and red, Jaehyun feels warm on the inside, a familiar feeling that courses through his body whenever he got to see places like this.

Jaehyun tightens his grip around the camera he’s holding, with the straps hung loosely around his neck and raises it to capture the view. He trains his eyes on the LED screen, half clicking the button until the viewer appears, automatically adjusting the lens so that it focuses on the right places and presses down on the button completely, the screen turning pitch black momentarily until his photo reappears on the screen. When he’s satisfied after studying it for a few seconds, he repeats the process, changing angles every single time to make sure he remembers all he’s seen, forever.

He turns slightly to his right, curious to see how far the river stretches and how much his camera could capture when he spots a person who appears to be struggling to take a photo of herself from the way she’s awkwardly holding her camera up in the air, lowering it one second and then raising it again, obviously unsure if she’s captured in the frame or not. Jaehyun unknowingly smiles behind his camera, silently watching the girl continue her attempts, feeling apologetic for finding amusement in her struggles. He snaps a quick photo of her before finally letting go of his camera and letting it rest above his abdomen.

“Would you like me to take a picture of you?” He asks as he walks closer to the stranger.

You snap your head to your right and you see a guy, a fellow tourist you assume, approaching you with a smile grazing his lips, gesturing to your camera that’s been making your arm ache for the past few minutes. You mentally deadpan at yourself because this person has definitely seen you sturggle for who knows how long and maybe even seen you smile uncomfortably at the camera. And though he’s smiling at you, the upward twitch of his lips never dissipating even when he’s right in front of you, you subtly narrow your eyes at him, skeptical. Traveling alone meant that you had to look out for yourself and though this guy might not look like a snatcher that’s out for your camera, you just couldn’t be too sure, after all, this was usually how people get robbed right before their own eyes from being too careless and trusting.

He breaks the train of your inner debate when he chuckles, retracting his outstretched hand to his side when he sees you eye him from head to toe. “I promise I'm not going to steal your camera.” He lifts his own camera, strapped around his neck, “I’ve got my own.”

You tear your eyes off of him immediately and slap yourself mentally. How many times could you possibly embarrass yourself in front of this stranger in a span of three minutes? Your mind goes into haywire then, feeling the need to explain yourself, “No– that’s not what I meant,” you blubber, the desire to change his first impression of you burning within you, not really knowing why considering you might never even see him again. “I was just, actually–”

“My offer still stands,” he interrupts, smile returning, eyes doing the same and dimples you hadn’t noticed from earlier, appearing.

You hang your head low, hoping the cold weather is enough to mask the tint of red that’s spreading across your cheeks as you take a step forward to finally hand him your camera. “Sorry,” you mumble more to yourself.

He’s studying the features of your camera as soon as he receives it, “Don’t mention it,” he reassures. It takes him no less than ten seconds to finally get grips with your camera settings and as he does so, you’re shifting in your spot, trying to think of poses for the picture. You start to feel conscious about yourself then, the stranger’s eyes fixated on the screen and inevitably on you. The thought makes you move too much in one place in futile attempts of giving him a good photo to take.

He cocks his head to the side, looking directly at you now, “Comfortably. Pose comfortably, whatever you want. It’s your photo.”

His velvety voice takes you off edge and sure enough, you relax after his instructions. You don’t do anything extraordinary as you manage to stay still in one spot lifting your lips upwards into a small smile, your eyes directing themselves to the lens. You hear the click of the shutter then and just when you think it’s finally over, it’s the stranger’s turn to shift in his spot slightly, the camera still lined within his vision.

“Another one,” he insists, adjusting the camera so that you’re in the centre of the viewer. “The view is really nice. Might as well take a few more.”

You don’t protest because it seems like this man knows what he’s doing and he’s already snapping away even when you’re not ready and you try not to get flustered in the process of finding the right poses. But it didn’t even matter anymore because he’s clicking away photo after photo without even so much of an instruction from him nor waiting for you to move in your spot. You watch him blankly as he continues to shuffle in his place, changing all the angles in all ways he feels needs be. When he’s done, you’re still dazed and it’s only when he hands your camera back to you that you finally blink.

“The photos came out great,” he smiles warmly.

They did? You’re not too convinced seeing you didn’t even move a muscle.

“Thanks.” You glance to your left and your right and just as suspected, he was by himself too. “Do you want a picture here too?”

He contemplates for a second, already knowing he doesn’t need anymore pictures here, convinced he has enough saved from earlier. But you’re smiling at him gently and a couple pictures more won’t hurt. “Sure.”

So you switch places, the stranger now standing by the ledge, you taking his previous spot a mere metre away from him. You don’t need to give him any cues because looking at him through the screen of his camera, he didn’t need to pose, him just standing there was already a photo worthy moment. You snap multiple pictures of him, each one seeming to come out better than the last and you wonder how that was even possible because this man really wasn’t doing much. You reason maybe he just really knows his angles well. Nonetheless, this man was for sure captivating, with his tall stature clad in a light brown trench coat with a fluffy turtleneck in darker shade of brown laid underneath, black slacks and a pair of impossibly white converse. Maybe he’s a model? Well, he could definitely pass as one, his big eyes that radiate warmth, smooth features in every aspect of his face topped with his dimples.

He looked breathtaking.

And you have to force yourself to take your eyes off of him when you return his camera, forgetting completely about the fact that you hadn’t just snapped what seemed like a million photos of him.

“Thanks,” he breathes, turning the camera off without inspecting your photos.

You nod, “you’re not gonna check them? I’m not sure I did a good job– I can take more if you want.”

He smiles with a shake of his head, “No, that’s okay. You didn’t check yours either. I’m sure the photos came out great.”

You chuckle, “You shouldn’t be, not with my photography skills anyway.”

He chuckles this time and your eyes land back on his dimples, “All that matters is that I have a souvenir of this place.”

“Me too.”

“You’re here by yourself?”

“Mhm. You?”

“Yeah,” he exhales a breath, the winter temperatures making it possible for his breath to become visible, the smoke-like condensation seeping through his lips. He lets his eyes wander to the view before him once again, “It’s the exact same as I last saw it. Nothing’s changed.”

Intrigued, you carry on with the conversation, “You’ve been here before?”

You see him nod from the corner of your eyes, following where his eyes are focused. “Yeah, I was here last year. And the year before that. And the year before.”

You nod slowly, unknowingly becoming more and more invested in the subject with the stranger. “Are your family here?”

He shakes his head, “No,” he then turns to you with a small, but breathtaking smile. “Just, I just really like it here. I find myself coming back every time.”

You blink just as you clear your throat, your pulse unconsciously speeding up with the eye contact that had just occurred.  Silence fills the air and you’re almost sure the mood had just transcended into an awkward one after being flustered, so,  in attempts of lifting the mood, you suggest something you don’t give much thought to.

“Well then maybe you could tour me around.”

And you deadpan at yourself as soon as the last word is uttered, your eyes widening at how bold you’ve gotten, not to mention, in front of someone you had just met for the first time out of nowhere.

You hear him chuckle beside you and that’s when you feel his whole body turn towards you. You wearily follow suit, greeted by one of his hand extended to you, “Gladly.” His smile broadens, something to let you know he isn’t kidding.

“I’m Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun. A nice name for a man with impeccable visuals.

His hand is warm in contrast to your cold one when you accept his handshake.

“Y/n. I’m y/n.”

Winter two.

When you look over the same view you saw for the first time the past year, you realise that nothing much has changed. The river still stretches on, the bridge still standing tall and buildings on the other end of the river rising upwards in same way you remember them to. It was still as beautiful as ever despite the winter weather nipping at your skin. Jaehyun’s words ring in your head then, that not matter how many times he’s visited this exact same place, everything is still as he recalls. You smile to yourself at the memory of him, recalling the wasted opportunity of him touring you around (despite it being a casual joke on your end but one he’d taken seriously) due to conflicting schedules and flights. It’s a pity you think, because he looked genuinely keen on showing you to some of his favourite places. Though he did leave you a list of places to see, you never got to see any of them with him, the terrible reminder of your impending flight the next day disrupting the chances of what could have been.

You inhale the winter air, the coolness transcending through your insides, closing your eyes in the process to relish in the beauty and tranquility of it all despite the many other tourists roaming the area, mentally thanking yourself for having come here again. Budapest was and is still beautiful, a certain beauty to it you were quite unable to pinpoint as of now.

“Beautiful, huh?”

You swear you remember that voice anywhere, even when you’ve only heard it once. Your eyes snap open and true enough, you find the same companion you shared this view with a year ago, smiling at the view before him, his dimple peeking through his cheek. Your head almost spins from having craned it too fast to see who the owner of the voice was and you notice the subtle drop of your heart when your assumptions prove to be right. He finally turns to you, that same blinding smile you remember adorning his gentle features, his brown soft locks falling just above his eyes.

“Y/n,” he breathes, the name rolling off his tongue in a pleasant way, as if he’d been dying to say it for far too long.

Your throat runs dry and you’re trying to convince it’s because of how taken aback you are. “J-Jaehyun.”

You see his shoulders slump, the smile briefly leaving his lips before emerging again, this time a tad bigger, exhaling a rather big breath. “You remember.”

You nod, trying to stop the rapid blinking of your eyes, “And, so, so do you.”

He nods too, tugging his winter coat closer to his body. “What a coincidence,” he says, tearing his eyes off you to marvel at the river again. “A very pleasant coincidence.”

You fall silent, not really knowing what to say, your mind struggling to come up with a decent response to hopefully mask your flustered nature. But when nothing comes to mind, you follow his gaze forward, thinking that maybe if you looked somewhere else other than his face, your sanity will come back.

“I still haven’t forgotten about that tour,” Jaehyun pipes up, voice clear yet soft. “The offer still stands,” he adds and then turns to you again, making you look at him. “That’s if, you’re not going to bail on me tomorrow.”

His words make you chuckle, his down to earth nature naturally easing you. “For the record, I wasn’t purposely bailing on you.”

“Oh yeah?” He challenges. You nod. “Coincidentally then?”

You smile a teasing one with a shrug of your shoulders. “Maybe.”

Your answer makes Jaehyun laugh and it gets caught in the wind that blows past, but not before it reaches your ears, pride settling in your chest for having made him do so. “Well then can I try again tomorrow? The pictures you took the last time came out really great, I want to make it up to you.”

“Jaehyun there were mere pictures. It’s okay, you don’t have to,” you defend, even though your mind says the exact opposite, because in fact, you did want to see those places he had mentioned, and you most definitely wanted to visit them with him.

It’s Jaehyun’s turn to shrug his shoulders, a small smile grazing his lips as his eyes grow a little smaller with the gesture. “I want to. And besides, most people would just accept an offer for a free tour, you know?”

You narrow your eyes playfully at him, “Not from a stranger, no.”

You catch him bite his lower lip when you don’t make things easier for him, finding too much fun in your little exchange even though you’re unsure where this side of you is coming from.

“But I’m not a stranger though,” Jaehyun points out. “You know me.”

You wag your index finger at him, “Correction. I know your name.”

“And that’s not enough?”

“You could be a a dodgy guy for all I know.”

“You think I’m out to harm you.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you’re thinking it.”

You fall dead silent because Jaehyun’s unknowingly become too close to you, your ability to pick up on his advances clouded by the determination of brewing a witty comeback just to win a game you weren’t aware you were playing. And it doesn’t help that Jaehyun is suddenly wrapping an arm around your shoulder, his grip firm and strong, pulling you away from where you're standing and landing so close to his chest. From his shoulder, you see a big crowd of people walk past, all too focused and lost in the earpieces stuck in their ears and wandering eyes, making it almost impossible for them to spot you in their tracks, too engrossed in the building that stood before them.

“Still think I’m dodgy?” Jaehyun asks amusingly, a crooked smile hanging on the corner of his lips, looking down at you but never letting go of you.

You blink, avoiding his eyes, training them to the lints that had formed on his coat.

“S-so about that tour? Is it still up for grabs?”

------

“I didn’t know what you liked so I got you a latte. Hope that’s okay?” is the first thing Jaehyun says to you when you meet him at exactly ten in the morning at your agreed meeting place. He sounds unsure and he’s watching you with expectant eyes.

You nod, smiling. “This is perfect, thank you.” After taking a careful first sip, so as to not burn your tongue so early in the day, you look around you, the high end shops surrounding the street on either side. “So Mr tour guide, what do you have planned for today?”

“Well, I’m glad you asked,” he plays along with a goofy smile, pretending to scroll through his phone as if the agenda had been written on it. “And to answer your question, you’re going to have to wait and see, it’s a surprise.”

Your mouth forms an “o”, your expectations rising. “Exciting!” And you really mean it. Because feeling nervous earlier was one thing, looking forward to the day ahead was another thing, and if you were being honest, you don’t remember how you felt earlier in the morning at all, now that you were casually strolling the streets of Budapest with Jaehyun.

As you manoeuvre through the Parliament Building and as you climb the dome of St. Stephen’s Basilica, you learn a few things about Jaehyun that rise during your conversations on the trek to your destinations. You learn that Jaehyun is the head of the marketing team in a company he refuses to name (which you presume must be a renowned one and that he was just being humble), that he lives alone in an apartment in the suburbs to escape the busy city life that he has to see every single morning for work, that he’s an only child hence, has a very close relationship with his parents who still worry about him venturing onto these solo trips every year despite being a working adult.

You huff, placing both your hands on your hips when you arrive at a landing after climbing so many steps you had lost count of. “Oh, I had completely different assumptions about you,” you say in between trying to catch your breath, allowing people to walk past you as they continue their climb.

Jaehyun turns to you, a brow slightly raised, the teasing smile threatening to form on his lips poking on something you had just said. Your eyes widen, mortified at the fact that you had just exposed yourself thinking about him in your spare time. “Wait, that’s not what I meant– wait.”

Jaehyun dismisses it, shaking his head lightly. “Well what did you assume in the first place?”

That was one more thing you had learned about Jaehyun in the midst of talking to him passively, was that he had a tremendous talent for making you eat your own words. Either that or you just really didn’t think your words through before speaking them out loud. At this point, you really didn’t care anymore, besides after today, Jaehyun would just be another memory, another stranger you’ve met in the passing.

“Definitely not the head of the marketing department.”

“Oh?”

“Mhm.”

“Then what?”

“A model, maybe.”

Jaehyun chuckles as you both halt at the bottom of another set of winding stairs above. You nod truthfully, remembering your first impression of him all too well from last year; tall and undeniably blessed with outstanding features. “Yeah. A model for a clothing brand, maybe.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Jaehyun says lowly, turning away from you to hide the growing smile on his face and the reddening of the tip of his ears (which by the way was definitely not caused by the cold).

Jaehyun was good looking and he deserved to know that even if it was through an indirect statement. “It is,” you nod as you continue your ascent after sucking in a huge breath. Jaehyun follows closely behind, cheeks hurting from smiling too much. “So, only child, huh?” you call out behind you, raising your voice slightly to ensure he hears you. You hear him hum, “Does it not get lonely sometimes, no?”

Jaehyun ponders for a second, his childhood flashing before his eyes. “Sometimes, yeah. But not too much, I have a bunch of crazy friends. They’re almost like brothers to me.”

You nod absentmindedly, an imaginary picture of what Jaehyun’s friends could possibly be like popping up in your head. You think they must be a nice bunch too, considering how pleasant your company has been. You draw yet another huge breath in, your hand gripping onto the cold metal handrail, the many stairs leading up to your destination that wasn’t even in sight yet, making your lungs yell for air. “The view better be worth it,” you grumble to yourself but Jaehyun hears.

“Trust me, it is,” Jaehyun pipes up from behind you, surprising you a little but you take his word for it anyway.

And sure enough, Jaehyun was right. The view from the top of the dome sure was breathtaking, the roofs of the buildings below coated with snow that had fallen earlier in the morning and the vague outline of the mountain in the distance, and although it was all you could see, besides the minuscule people and the various roads and alleys, somehow, it felt so ataractic to be here with the sun peeking through the clouds, even when the cold wind makes you shiver under the many layers of clothing you had. The view was surreal in your eyes, but how it made you feel was definitely something else indescribable.

“Well?” Jaehyun asks, stepping beside you by the ledge.

“You were right,” you admit. “It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

Jaehyun has been here before, but right now, sharing the exact same view he’s seen countless of times, he thinks the view had just become even more magnificent than all the times he’s stood here the previous years.

------

When the sun sets, you learn that the capital city of Hungary, is divided into two, that the Chain Bridge connects the hilly areas of Buda to the flatter areas of Pest. You learn this as Jaehyun navigates you through Christmas markets where you find hand-made products that range from ornaments to clothes, to warm and fresh local food that you indulge in with Jaehyun. Other people weave in and out these booths just like you and the fairy lights tangled amongst the bare branches of a huge tree that’s firmly rooted in the middle of the square, gives the place a homey and cozy feeling. When the evening snow begins to fall, the two of you are taking a sip of your hot mulled wine in a cup.

“Are you tired or do you still have some energy left?” Jaehyun asks lowly.

“Both?” You reply honestly.

Jaehyun chuckles and discards his cup in a nearby bin when he finishes his wine. “We have one last place to see,” he announces. “But don’t worry, it’s a pretty cool and chill place.”

You nod, liking the idea of ending the day somewhere you could relax. “I’m down.”

You find yourselves in front of a place called “Szimpla Kert” and when you take a peek inside, it’s dark, neon and fairy lights scattered everywhere. When Jaehyun leads you inside, you realise it’s almost like a bunch of outdoor bars grouped together in one place, with random tables and seats decorating the place, along with music playing throughout the entire place. Jaehyun finds a seat for you both, right beside a heater to keep yourselves warm, the place still cold despite the roof that covers it.

“First round is on me,” Jaehyun winks before he’s dashing off to the nearest bar he comes across.

You look around the place, taking in its smallest details; broken and abandoned TV’s adding touch to the unconventionality of the interior, with random pictures and paint splayed on the walls. You spot an old (and possibly broken) arcade machine on the other corner and when your eyes fall onto your own table, you realise it’s not the same as the others either. You think it’s unique; how nothing in this place doesn’t make any sense, but you like it anyway, almost seeming like a breath of fresh air in the middle of all the chaos that is your life, despite it not being the image of tranquility in your head.

You watch as Jaehyun re-emerges from somewhere, with what looks like two cocktails in his hands. He sets them down on the wooden table before taking a seat next to you on the wooden log. “I honestly can’t remember the names of these two but I asked the bartender to give me their best ones.”

You reach for the yellow one, leaving Jaehyun with a clear looking one and take a sip. The bartender wasn't wrong, the cocktail tasted divine, picking up on the fruity taste of the mango added with alcohol to which you assume is vodka and a bunch of other ingredients you couldn’t quite make out. Nonetheless, it was good and so you take another sip from the straw. When Jaehyun sees you satisfied, he begins to drink his own, the cool of the cocktail sending shivers down his spine.

“So what made you come back here?” Jaehyun asks, starting the conversation in hopes of getting to know you a little better.

You shrug your shoulders, recalling the time the opportunity of being able to travel presenting itself amidst your busy schedule back home. “Not sure,” you confess, glancing at him. “It just felt like the right place to be.”

Content with your answer, with it having spoken so much more than the actual length of the words themselves, Jaehyun smiles, somehow knowing how it feels to be in the same position, though never really knowing your whole story. “I get that.”

“Yeah?” you re-confirm, leaning over the table to look at him a little longer, resting the side of your head against the palm of your hand, your cocktail now half empty, the alcohol beginning to sink in your system. “Is that why you come back every year?”

“Yeah,” Jaehyun nods, staring straight ahead before directing his gaze at you. “Up until this year.”

You almost miss the last part but you don’t and even when you do hear it, it doesn't make sense to you. Before you could ask him to elaborate, he’s sipping away at his cocktail, prompting you to do the same and no one speaks after that. When your glasses are completely empty, you rise from your seat and Jaehyun follows your every move.

“Second round is on me,” you wink at your company, in the same manner he did earlier. Unknown to you, the playful gesture bothers him way more than it had its effects on you from when he did it.

It isn't long before you return, with four shot glasses gathered up in your palms, careful enough not to trip on anything to save the drinks. Jaehyun raises a brow when you set them down in front of him, silently examining what appears to be clear fluid in the glasses; Palinka shots.

“Are we drinking to die tonight?” Jaehyun asks unsurely, eyeing the drinks.

You roll your eyes as you reclaim your seat beside him, “I’m pretty sure you know what these are given you’re like an unofficial local here.”

Jaehyun’s laugh resonates from his chest and vibrates through his whole body. “Of course I know what they are. I had too much of those one time and I almost passed out in public.”

You grin, picking up a glass and handing it to him before taking one for yourself. “Well then, cheers?” you raise yours to his which he meets with his own, eliciting a small “clink” in the process. You down the drink it one go, taking a big gulp. You blink hard for three seconds, the strength of the alcohol coming at you full force, making your throat burn and your face grimace.

“Wow,” you manage to croak when you recover shortly. “That’s something else.”

“Right?”

“I love it.”

You ignore the feeling of your head beginning to spin when you down your second shot with Jaehyun, your cheeks now rosy while the tips of Jaehyun’s ears now coloured a shade of pink. He’s grinning incredulously at you, “I’ve never drank this with anyone before.”

You turn to him, lazily blinking in the process. “Really?”

Jaehyun nods, “Yeah. I always came here alone.”

You raise a brow playfully, bringing your face closer to his. “What an insult to all the girls you’ve brought here before.”

Jaehyun laughs lowly, eyes trained on you (your lips). “What makes you think I’m lying?”

You bring your elbow to rest on the wooden table, resting your jaw against your hand which you have balled into a fist. “With that face of yours, it’s impossible you haven’t brought anyone here.”

Jaehyun feels the need to get closer to you, so he does, scooting in his seat until his shoulder almost touches yours. “And what’s with this face of mine?”

You blink long and hard, your face feeling all too warm, but your eyes don’t miss the way Jaehyun’s brows knot together. The sound you emit next comes out more like a giggle and you reckon it’s the alcohol working in you but the answer you say next isn’t exactly induced by the intoxication either.

“Handsome.”

Jaehyun gapes at you for a moment, blinking, dumbfounded. He’s been complimented many times before, but they all didn’t matter to him.

Until tonight.

Winter three.

The Danube river is the second largest river in Europe, after the river Volga. It flows through ten countries, Hungary, being one of them and has a whopping length of nearly three thousand kilometres. This fact amazes you as you lean back and sit on a bench situated not too far from the glorious Parliament Building, a warm cup of coffee in your hand that heats the tips of your fingers. You wonder what it might look like in other cities it flows through, what the views might be like over there, and if there are people who ponder on the same questions as you.

As you exhale another breath of cold, crushing December evening air, your mind drifts to Jaehyun, tilting your head to let your eyes fall on the other side of the river, vaguely making out the outline of the Fisherman’s Bastion through the light fog, where Jaehyun had magically appeared out of nowhere the previous year and where he kindly took photos of you the year before that. Maybe that’s why the Danube river reminds you so much of Jaehyun, because on two occasions, it had been the same view you both shared, a little something you like to consider a common thing between you both. The river looks incredible and the mere thought of its properties is enough to fascinate you in more ways than one, much like Jaehyun. His appearance has always been so.. alluring. But underneath all that, he was just as captivating, the many layers to his personality in the brief moments you get to witness them, a testament to that.

“I’m beginning to think you're following me.”

All the hairs on your skin stand, fate seeming to work for the third time in three consecutive years because when you look to your left, there stands Jaehyun with that same smile he always greets you with, the very man on your thoughts just half second ago.

“Excuse me? I was here first.”

You’re grinning when he takes a seat beside you, happy to see him. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” he jokes, his smile getting wider, his dimples catching your attention.

You roll your eyes playfully, “I know. I’m kind of tired seeing you here.”

Jaehyun shrugs with a chuckle escaping his lips, “I feel the same way. So who is it gonna be? Do you leave or do I?” You laugh then, making him laugh with you. When the silence falls, Jaehyun’s gaze on you doesn’t, in awe of how the world works. “How have you been, y/n?”

“Good,” you nod, pressing your lips into a thin line. “I’ve been good. Still the same. How about you?”

“I’ve been well, thank you.” So you spend the next half an hour filling each other on what’s happened in the past year. Jaehyun talks about his job and how it’s allowed him to meet new people from different places, his friends who are still as loud and as boisterous as ever and his plans of maybe adopting a pet to keep him company at home. You let him ramble on and on, spurring him to talk even more when you ask him questions here and there because if you were being honest, there wasn’t much to fill him in in relation to your life. Now that you think about it, you don’t recall ever talking about yourselves during your encounters with Jaehyun. Maybe a small thing or two, but nothing major, nothing in depth like his stories.

You wonder if he’s noticed.

Jaehyun’s in the middle of a sentence when your eyes become empty, his words drowned out by your thoughts and even though you’re looking at him, you speculate he's noticed because he stops talking abruptly. You see him smile lightly, tracing his eyes at the ground before looking at you, the silence allowing him to gather his words.

He’s definitely noticed.

“I want to know more about you y/n.”

So that’s how you end up leading the way the very next day, Jaehyun letting you tour him this time, as if he hadn’t already been to this place you’re planning on taking him. All he was instructed was to bring something to wear for swimming to which he immediately countered with an “swimming?! In this freezing weather?!” But he does as he’s told anyway, at least with what he’s told you this morning that he might have struggled to find something to wear at such short notice.

When you arrive at the Szechenyi Thermal baths, Jaehyun’s mouth forms an “o” and you unknowingly grab him by the wrist to pull him inside with you. It takes about five minutes to validate the tickets you’ve bought online the night prior and ten minutes for the two of you to get changed and lock your belongings away safely. Jaehyun appears by the corridor in shorts that fall below his knees while you come out in a bikini bra with shorts to pair it. When you see each other, you both burst out laughing, the exact same thought crossing in your minds: who’s crazy enough to be swimming outdoors during such a harsh Winter? But the steam outside, floating from the hot surface of the water serves as some sort of reassurance that maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as you both initially thought it would be.

“This is crazy,” Jaehyun mumbles but he’s grinning anyway, stopping just right by the door that leads to the outdoor baths. “I’ve heard of this place before but I've never actually been here.”

You nudge his arm with your elbow, a teasing smile on your face. “I’m a great tour guide, amen’t I? To have found such a place you actually haven’t been to.” You walk past Jaehyun and reach for the door, an icy gust of wind immediately greeting you making you shiver to the core. “I’m gonna run, I’ll see you there!”

“You are.. great,” Jaehyun finds himself mumbling when you disappear in the mist. He follows suit not too long after, realising just why you sprinted your way to the waters so as to avoid the freezing air. He finds you by the bottom of the pool stairs, soaking yourself in the hot waters that completely cancels out the cold. Jaehyun sighs in relief when he steps in, sinking himself in until he finds himself beside you.

“This is the best thing ever?” Jaehyun comments, feeling all his muscles relax as the currents warm his body.

“Right?” you almost exclaim, feeling all too excited. “I don’t even feel the cold anymore?”

You’re not sure how but Jaehyun gets you talking about yourself as you round the pools together, seeing many other people on the way, basking in the comfort of the hot waters as yourselves. You begin to share about your life, in the same way he did last year, trying to give as much detail as him but careful enough not to overshare. You tell him you work at a pharmacy, owned by your parents that’s most likely going to be passed down to you. You talk about your parents too and what they’re like, how they’ve dedicated their whole lives into ensuring a good future for their business. You mention your older brother whom you haven’t seen in almost two years, having moved four years ago as soon as he’d graduated university to seek a bigger opportunities abroad.  

“So is working at the pharmacy what you really want to do?” Jaehyun asks softly after a while when you finish talking, the questioning having remained in his head ever since the mention of your family’s business.

You remember your older brother asking you the exact same question years ago, just before he’d left for good, knowing all too well that he’d have the same fate as you had he not eased your parents into letting him go for years on end up until his graduation. The thing was, your brother saw so much potential in you, so much more than you would ever see in yourself, no matter how hard you looked and maybe that’s why you doubted yourself so much all these years. And every single time, your doubts always overpowered even the smallest possibility or desire of leaving.

Of course it wasn’t what you wanted. It really wasn’t.

And you’ve been scared to admit that to your brother, let alone yourself. But looking at Jaehyun now, peering into your eyes as the subtle rays of the sun peek through the clouds momentarily, falling onto his features, you feel safe, safe enough to admit what you couldn’t before.

Maybe not so forwardly.

“I don’t want to leave my parents,” you answer honestly, forcing a small smile. That was another reason, if not, probably the biggest reason holding you back.

Jaehyun only smiles at you warmly, signalling he understands and doesn’t press onto the matter further, thinking maybe it was a too much of a big question to ask so early in the day. Nonetheless, he appreciates your honesty.

Jaehyun offers you a hand out of the pool after another two hours of conversation and splashing each other with water on the face until either one surrenders. You’re immediately shivering when you step out but Jaehyun is quick to clad your shoulders with a towel before taking his own even when he’s shivering way more than you are.

When Jaehyun decides it’s too early to go back into town, you take a stroll around the vicinity of the baths after getting changed, traipsing along the paths with evidence of snow being scraped off of them to the side where it mounts slightly higher before it levels off again. Jaehyun is a good listener, picking up certain details about your previous mentions to ask you more questions in attempts of getting to know you better. It feels unusual because you feel that you’ve always been one to be on the listening end, definitely not on the talking one. But Jaehyun makes it so easy despite the unfamiliarity of it all. You’re not sure how, but it didn’t matter, it made you stop and think about yourself for a while.

You hear distant echoes of screams and cheers up ahead and it grabs your attention as well as Jaehyun’s. As you walk further, you reach a bridge and right under it reveals an ice rink so vast and and so wide, with a lot of people gliding through the ice, some with ease, some not so. You stand there, watching people below for a while. It looked so much fun.

“Have you much experience with ice skating?”

You laugh unknowingly, “Why do you think I'm up here and not down there?”

Jaehyun laughs shortly but not for long when he’s grabbing you by the hand and tugging you along with him. “No no Jaehyun we are not ice skating!” you plea from behind him but he takes no notice, continuing to pull you with ease, his hand surprisingly warm on your skin. To Jaehyun, it was the perfect time to be ice skating; the sun was about to set, the streetlights about to illuminate everything in the path, and definitely the perfect time to be holding your hand.

Jaehyun leaves you with no choice when he pays for two pairs of skates without your consultation, earning himself a grimace from you when he hands you your own pair. You watch him quietly, puzzled as he skilfully secures his skates on, one foot at a time. He stands then, the blades adding a little more to his already tall stature and when he sees your skates still in your hands, unmoved since he’d given them to you, he takes you by the shoulders with his palms, gently guiding you to sit on the bench he had just been on. He bends to the ground then and wordlessly unzips each one of your boots so that he can take them off and replace them with skates. You keep your eyes on him, his brows furrowed and lips pressed together as he focuses on his task.

For the first time, you didn’t feel as cold.

“Well?” He says when he stands again after making sure your skates were tight enough, outstretching his hand for you to take.

Turns out Jaehyun doesn’t let go of your hand the whole time you skate around the rink, not after you almost flat on your face the moment you step onto the ice, his fast reflexes preventing a potential injury just in time. And it feels nice, so nice to be laughing and giggling with him as you glide along the ice while dodging other people, his hand holding yours so firmly it makes skating less daunting. Jaehyun uses his other hand to fish his phone out of his pocket and take pictures of you, though you’re unsure they come out nice because you can’t stop laughing for some reason, especially not after you almost lose balance and almost fall on your back. When you reach the edge, mutually deciding to slow down to catch your breaths, Jaehyun pulls you close to him until your body’s pressed up against his, his arm naturally landing itself around your shoulder, his phone up in the air so that he can take a picture of you both. You’re too astonished to even realise his intentions that the camera captures you staring up at Jaehyun, stunned, while he, on the other hand, smiles widely at the device.

“So will I see you here next year again?” Jaehyun asks after he swallows a bite of his burger at the best burger place he claims he has ever been to, to which you agree on when you take the first bite of yours, your stomach growling from not having eaten anything all day since breakfast in addition to all the swimming and ice skating.

You grin teasingly, leaning closer to him, narrowing your eyes, “Why? You want to see me again?”

“Yes.”

You were joking just half a second ago but Jaehyun was most certainly not. Not in the way his eyes remain on you and definitely not in the way he answers without hesitation. He’s caught you off guard yet again and you’re blinking up at him, at a loss for what to say.

“So will I be seeing you next year?” he repeats, this time more adamant. “Will I?”

You lean away from him and laugh it off casually. “Have you always been this persistent?”

“When I want something, yeah.”

Jaehyun insists on taking you back to your accommodation and you didn’t have the heart to refuse. The journey back feels long and it’s mostly because it’s eerily quiet between the two of you, neither of you having enough courage to start a conversation. Jaehyun’s playing with the tips of his fingers on the subway, his lower lip caught between his teeth, too lost in his own thoughts. He had always been one to be honest and definitely forward, but he wished he wasn’t any of those tonight because he’s convinced it’s exactly what had probably scared you away. You’re eyes shift on anything on the moving train but Jaehyun, feigning interest on the ads plastered on the ceiling above, as if you could even understand the language, but at this point, you were desperate to get your mind off Jaehyun, his presence right beside you, let alone the mere thought of him, creating a haze in your mind.

Attachment was never part of the plan.

Yet here you were, wondering what the next year might be like if it didn't consist of meeting Jaehyun and going off to places that definitely was not on your agenda.

Jaehyun stands awkwardly in front of you as you come to a halt just outside the front entrance of your hotel. You take one good look at him as he keeps his eyes to the ground because Jaehyun had found you on your last day of your stay this year which meant that this wa the last time you’d get to see him for maybe another year, if you decided to be honest with yourself tonight.

“Jaehyun?” you call out, grabbing his attention immediately when he stops kicking the ground.

He looks up at you, an apologetic smile on his face. “Thanks for today, I had so much fun. And for bringing me back too.”

“It’s no problem.”

His words from earlier echo in your head, making you wish you were as sure as he was when it came to wanting something in life because you knew, it was something you had been running away from all your life. And you were sure he knew that too and in a sense, it felt like he was testing you; trying to see if you had enough courage to make decisions in relation to what you wanted. Maybe Jaehyun knew what you wanted even before you even had the chance to figure  it out. Either that, or he was just really good at making guesses.

It was time to be honest.

So you step forward until you’re close enough to him and he watches you without blinking, his whole attention on you. And when you reach up to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek, you could almost swear you felt the heating up of his cheeks during the short contact.

“I’ll see you next year, Jaehyun.”

Winter four.

You’re not sure how you’ve been surviving for the past four years without keeping in contact with Jaehyun because you feel it the most today; you miss him. It doesn’t make sense at all. How could you miss someone you’ve spent just a day with, maybe at most, two days, for the past few years? Was that enough to miss someone this bad? According to your experience, yes. Because standing right here, right in front of the Shoes by the Danube Bank, a memorial created to honour the Jews who lost their lives during the second World War, overlooking the calm stream of the river, you wished nothing more than to see him. Unknowingly, seeing Jaehyun had become the highlight of your trip, if not, your year and what made this year scarier was that you were expecting to see him, especially after what you had said to him last year. And expectations always meant there were greater chances of disappointments. This year wasn’t like the previous ones because this time, it would no longer be all about coincidences and luck, it was all about the desire to see each other. And on your end, the feeling of missing him too.

It didn’t make sense, none of it did.

But then again, when did anything ever make sense?

Jaehyun had always found you in places that overlooked the river and in the next few days that come during your stay, you come back to all the spots by the Danube in hopes of seeing him there. But you don’t. He doesn’t show. And you’re beginning to lose hope, your insides crushing at the thought of what you’re feeling being a one-sided thing. Had Jaehyun given you mixed signals last year? Was he even giving signs? Did you misinterpret everything? It was certainly feeling like you were wrong about your whole situation the whole time when the sun rises on the second last day of your stay, your time running out and your week coming to an end. The days seem to fly even when you’re doing nothing but roam the city aimlessly and even when you try to make the most of the time you have left without Jaehyun, none of it feels the same. Budapest reminds you too much of him and seeing pieces of him in everything you looked and visited, only added to the emptiness you tried so hard to suppress.

This will definitely be your last time here.

“Stop worrying,” you speak into the phone, picking up a Christmas tree ornament from the table of one of the booths in the Christmas market. “Mom, I’m fine here, I promise.”

“You say that all the time,” she replies, her tone not one tad bit satisfied with your answer. “I wish I went with you.”

You roll your eyes playfully, handing the small star shaped ornament to the vendor so that you could pay for it. “And you do this every year too. I’ve been traveling for four years straight and I come back in one piece all the time, don’t I? I’ll be fine this time around too.”

“Don’t mind your mother! She’s just being a worry wart!” your hear your dad distantly on the line, making you smile. Your mom hisses at him just as you hand money to the woman behind the table. “Is there a reason why you always leave at this time of the year? And to the same place too?” your mom asks, concern in her voice.

There hadn’t been a particular reason at first, remembering how your finger had landed randomly on Hungary on the map when deciding where to fly to spontaneously, feeling the need to just get away for a while back then. And it had been your plan to do the exact same thing when it came to deciding where to go next after the first. But you found yourself coming back to the same place every single time and surely there was obviously a reason why.

But your mom didn’t have to know that.

“No particular reason mom,” you reply after seconds of silence, retrieving the ornament from the woman, now safe in a small turquoise paper bag. “I just really like it here in Budapest. It’s beautiful.” You thank the vendor before walking away and it takes another five minutes of convincing your mom you’re okay on your own before you’re putting your phone away in your pocket.

It’s early in the day, yet the markets are already being swarmed by people. You’re so distracted that you don’t notice a crowd rush past you, making you stumble forward when someone bumps against you, continuing on in their path after sparing you a mere glance and an inaudible apology. You’re lucky enough the paper bag in your hand doesn’t fall, for sure the ornament shattering into pieces if it did.

At such an unconventional time, your thoughts come back to Jaehyun, the memory of him shielding you away from a bustling crowd at the bastion flashing before your eyes. Everywhere really did remind you of him and it was starting to get on your nerves because with every little reminder came with a little spark of hope that you would be seeing him this year too, setting you up for even greater heights of disappointment.

Exhaling a sigh, you carry onwards, not really knowing where you’re headed. You keep your eyes plastered to the ground, thinking that maybe it could temporarily solve your inner dilemmas. If you didn’t see your surroundings, then there’d be no reminder of Jaehyun’s absence. Focus on your shoes, focus on the grey linings of the pavement, focus on anything but the fact that the reason for your visit might have bailed on you. Jaehyun wasn’t obliged to meet you, you knew that, but still, the thought left a sour taste in your mouth–

You get the fright of your life when you’re hauled off the street by the arm and into an alley that appears to be deserted by the public. But what surprises you even more is how close you are to the culprit of your heart dropping to the ground from shock. Both of your arms have landed on the stranger’s chest, most likely as a defence mechanism, a barrier between the both of you. And you’re preparing for the worst, to be taken away or to be harmed because this was exactly how people go missing. Now you understood why your mom had been so worried and you silently wish she tagged along with you.

But nothing happens.

“You’re gonna get run over by those crowds if you continue to not pay attention.”

You look up.

“Hi.”

You’re glad to see him but your first instinct is to hit him.

“How are– hey! Ow!”

“I thought you weren’t coming you idiot!”

“I’m sorry!”

“You should be!”

You push yourself away from him, straightening yourself and tugging at your clothes. You find him grinning at you and it pisses you off even more. He crosses his arms across his chest and leans on the wall behind him.

“So you were waiting for me, huh?”

You roll your eyes at him, finding no humour in the situation. His face reminds you of the stress from the past few days induced by wondering if he'd even show up. “I don’t find how this is funny.”

“Were you?”

“Where the hell have you been anyway?”

He grins even more.

“Don’t answer my question with another question, y/n.”

“I thought we agreed on this last year?” You counter again.

“Were you or were you not waiting for me?”

Jaehyun was still as persistent as you remember him last.

“Fine. Yes.”

You shut your eyes at your confession, already planning in your head for possible escapes to run away from the situation. But he doesn’t let you because he’s tugging at your arm again, hard enough that you land on his chest again. The only difference this time is that he has his arms around you, squeezing your body into a tight hug.

“I’m sorry I'm late. Something came up at home.”

Unknowingly, you relax in his embrace, the exhaustion of wondering and waiting catching up to you. “I fly back tomorrow,” you mumble.

Jaehyun stills for a bit before he tightens his hug around you. “Are you free today?”

“Mhm.”

“That’s enough time.”

None of you budge from your position, letting Jaehyun hug you for as long as he wanted, for as long as you became sure he was really here. Besides, he served as a nice human heater from the cold for the meantime.

“Missed you,” he murmurs.

Glad to know you weren’t the only one.

------

Spending the whole day with Jaehyun had never been this good and you think it’s because he hasn’t let go of your hand all day. You didn’t have any particular destination in mind today, silently agreeing with one another that today didn’t have to be all about lists of places to go to, it would just be about wandering anywhere and everywhere with each other. You didn't mind at all, even when you both loose yourselves in places you have never come across. Maybe getting lost was the only thing on today’s agenda. Every now and then, Jaehyun would steal quick glances at you, a shy smile playing on his lips and you feign ignorance by pretending not to notice because if you looked his way and met his eyes during those occasions, you weren’t sure if it would be healthy for your heart. You were already slowly melting just feeling his thumb rubbing circles on your skin, what more if you actually caught his eyes.

In the middle of the laughs and the mini facts you share about each other in the midst of playing twenty one questions during your trails, Jaehyun is snapping pictures almost every five minutes, of sceneries and buildings around you but mostly, of you doing the most mundane things like staring up at the structures, picking up random things in shops or laughing at something he had said. Jaehyun tried to be discrete about it at first but it was hard to keep that up when he was constantly lifting his camera almost every chance he got.

“I’m pretty sure you have enough pictures of me already, Jae,” you point out, shaking your head when he takes another one of you walking towards him after buying a chimney cake for you both to share. “And I’m pretty sure you’re going to end up deleting half of them too.”

Jaehyun finally lets go of his camera and lets it hang around his neck, taking the cake from you so that he can rip off a piece for you. “You’re right.”

“Exactly so–”

“You are pretty.”

You stop chewing on the piece of cake. “What? That’s not what I meant.”

“But it’s what I meant.”

You don’t argue anymore because Jaehyun resumes on eating the cake and you feel that if you poked on the topic further, it would worsen the already reddening of your cheeks. So you dismiss it, pretend like you’re not a blushing mess by continuing to eat another piece of chimney cake that he's handing over to you. Too bad that the reason Jaehyun is grinning so widely to himself is in fact because of the blushing of your cheeks.

When the sun sets and the moon takes over in the vastness of the night sky, you find yourself shoulder to shoulder with Jaehyun in one of the cars of the Budapest Eye, a Ferris wheel that gives you an aerial view of the city. You’ve seen Budapest from up high before, when Jaehyun had taken you to the St Stephen’s basilica, climbing an awful lot of stairs to reach the dome. But Budapest at night was something else too with the lights making everything glow in its path. The Chain Bridge looks magnificent from up there and you’re silent as you marvel at the view, the car stopping briefly to allow more passengers to jump in at the bottom car.

“It’s so.. beautiful,” you say, eyes sparkling at the view outside the window.

Jaehyun agrees, “Yeah,” though his eyes are not on the bridge. “So beautiful.”

You turn abruptly and catch him already staring at you and it spurs him to look away immediately, clearing his throat in the process. You take your phone out of your pocket and press for the camera icon, scooting away from Jaehyun. “It’s not fair that you have pictures of me and I have none of you.”

Jaehyun chuckles, “You could’ve just asked.”

“Yeah yeah,” you dismiss, not in the mood to have another exchange with him. You take a picture of him right there and then, not even bothering to give him a heads up. It’s a picture of him looking straight ahead, his dimple showing on the side of his face, looking cosy and warm. Even when he isn’t trying, he still looked as good as ever.

“Hey, I wasn't ready,” he complains and tries to have a peek at the photo.

“Now you know how I felt the entire day,” you counter, unamused. “The picture looks good though.”

“Good enough to be your wallpaper?” Jaehyun asks teasingly.

Of course it was. Probably every single photo of Jaehyun is good enough to be anyone's wallpaper. But he didn’t need to know that. “Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Jaehyun laughs and scoots over to you, making the car shake slightly, prompting you to hold on to the bar next to you. “Hey be careful,” you warn him, earning yet another chuckle from him.

“Let’s take a picture together, so you have one of us too,” he suggests and takes your phone swiftly off your hands. Jaehyun slings an arm around your shoulders and naturally, you lean towards him, even going as far as resting your head between the space of his neck and shoulder. It seems to satisfy Jaehyun because you can see his smile broaden through the screen of your phone just before he presses the button to take the picture.

It feels nice to be this close to Jaehyun and he gives your shoulder a light squeeze as a silent affirmation that you didn't have to pull away so soon, that you could stay right where you were even as he lowers your phone after the picture’s been taken. Your arms find shelter around Jaehyun’s waist in the seconds that come, as the wheel continues to spin and as the car ascends again. You release a sigh of relief, feeling the calmest you’ve ever been in so long and it makes you close your eyes, to feel Jaehyun’s warmth a little more, to bask in his presence while he’s here. Jaehyun’s rubbing at your shoulder gently with the palm of his hand, leaning closer to you until his temple rests on the top of your head.

Neither of you speak for a while, the silence too delicate and fragile to disturb. It’s refreshing; not having to think or worry about anything for now, Jaehyun’s mere presence enough to cancel out every little insignificant thing. You take it all in because tomorrow would be a whole different story.

When the wheel stops spinning and your car halts at the bottom, you peel yourself away from Jaehyun and prepare to leave when you notice the tips of his ears are a deep shade of red. You can’t stop looking at them even as he helps you off the car. “Jae? Your ears, they’re really red.”

“Oh?” His hands fly to touch either of them. “I feel really warm.”

You frown at him, “It’s minus five degrees.”

“Oh, must be the cold.”

So in order to fight the “cold”, Jaehyun insists on grabbing mulled wine on your trek back to your hotel and as you down the warm beverage, the more honest your conversations get. Maybe it’s the certain percentage of alcohol in the drink or the fact that time was ticking against the both of you, but it seemed very fitting to be honest around each other now. You also get to understand Jaehyun a little better.

“Remember when I thought you were a model at first?” you recall your earliest memories of Jaehyun, his hand clasped in yours. “And how shocked I was when you said you were head of a marketing team because I really did think you were a model.”

Jaehyun smiles at you fondly. “You’re not wrong. I was a model once.”

“No way? Really?”

“Mhm.”

“What happened?”

Jaehyun stops in his steps, a sad smile adorning his lips, eyes kept to the ground. You look back at him, his hand pulling on yours as he stops walking. He looks up at you then, eyes a little sorrowful, “I got tired of it. Tired of having to look perfect all the time.”

When your paper cups are empty and discarded, both of you find yourselves seated on a bench that gives you a great view of the Chain Bridge up close. You sit as close to each other as possible to preserve warmth, the cold not enough to bother you both, especially you, not when Jaehyun had so much more to say.

“That’s when I knew modelling wasn’t for me,” he starts, gazing at your intertwined hands. “Getting praises left and right for how I looked was great for a while, it boosted my confidence a lot. But at some point, it got too much,” he looks at you, “It felt like my appearance was the only thing that mattered. No one knew me and no one took the time to get to know me. One look at my face and they thought that that was all they needed from me. I got validation for my looks rather than for who I was as a person.”

Jaehyun draws in a breath, “It just wasn't fulfilling. And I felt pressured to look good all the time. I just knew it wasn’t for me then.”

You stare at him, studying his features. Who would’ve known that his appearance gave him such huge burden at some point. Yet you understand where he's coming from, relating all too well what it feels like to have to put up a front all the time.

Jaehyun is about to say something next and you’re sure it’s something that will change the topic altogether, but you don’t let him just yet because you had to let him know.

“You’re way more than your appearance, Jae.” He trails his eyes on you then, lifting his head up for the first time. “Way way more than your looks. You’re kind, you’re intelligent, you’re hardworking and you’re good at taking care of people around you. Not to mention, your touring skills too.” Jaehyun’s eyes on you don’t falter for even a second and you avoid his gaze by resting your head on his shoulder. “I wish people could see that, how great of a person you really are.”

“You mean that?”

“Mhm. I really do.”

Jaehyun stares out into the river feeling his chest a lot lighter, never really knowing it had been that heavy in the first place. Everyone had insecurities and what Jaehyun had just spoken of, was definitely his. For so long, he'd been carrying it with him, everywhere he went, everything he did, feeling like nobody really saw him from the inside out.

Until now. Until you.

And that was definitely the tipping point for him.

The final push that made him so sure he was definitely falling for you.

“What do you think will happen to us next year?” Jaehyun asks softly, playing with your fingers. “You know this unspoken no-contact-with-each-other rule is getting really hard.”

Jaehyun sounds like he’s joking but you know he’s serious. If you were being honest, it was taking its toll on you too. The past year had consisted of mornings with thoughts of Jaehyun and wondering and asking how he might be doing. You were at home, not even in Budapest yet you still thought of him almost every single day. But the idea of not having contact with Jaehyun seemed more ideal because it meant this whole thing didn’t demand any sort of commitment. It was a one time thing during a specific time of year. It also meant limiting the chances of a potential heartbreak because if you were going to be very very honest with yourself, a whole day with Jaehyun was enough for you to unconsciously become attached.

“I was thinking of maybe going to another country,” you answer finally after so long, weighing all your what ifs and possible outcomes of what you’re about to say. “You know my dad, I think my dad’s been more open-minded to me traveling and seeing the world now.”

“Yeah?”

You nod against his shoulder, “Mhm. Remember how I told you it took my brother years and years to finally convince my parents to let him live abroad? Well, my dad sat down with over coffee a few months back and said he really likes seeing me talk about my travels. He said it’s probably the happiest he’s ever seen me.”

Jaehyun is smiling at you when you lift your head off his shoulder, “And I was thinking I could go somewhere else so that I'd have a different country to talk to him about.” It was a shallow reason but not exactly a lie. Your dad had been hesitant of letting you go, much like Jaehyun’s parents, but the more you left home every year, the more lenient and supportive he had become in allowing you to fly. It sparked hope in you, that these travels would be the key for you to ease them into realising that maybe staying at home forever and working at a place you've known all your life wasn't exactly what you wanted.

But the bigger reason why you didn’t want to come back to this place that had become your ultimate favourite had something to do with the past week in Jaehyun’s absence. Everywhere here reminded you of him and there were too much memories in all the places you walk by, too much memories of a person who probably was just as unsure as you as to where this whole thing between you was heading towards. You were only beginning to figure out your life and you weren’t confident you needed one more thing that needed figuring out on your list.

“I’m really happy for you y/n,” Jaehyun says genuinely but a question lingers in his mind. Where was he in the picture? “Do you have your eyes set somewhere in particular?”

You shake your head because you had no clue, besides, you had only made up your mind just there. “Not yet, no.”

Jaehyun purses his lips together in a thin line as he falls silent. Was he expecting too much? Because the utter disappointment certainly felt like it. “So, I guess I won’t be seeing you next year then?”

His voice breaks your heart because his words come out in a bare whisper, sounding more like a statement for himself rather than a question for you.

“Jae–”

“It’s alright.”

It really wasn't, but in his eyes, you didn't need to know that. You were under no obligation to see him despite how he felt for you and maybe your decision would be the best for the two of you.

“Can you just, come here?” Jaehyun asks extending his arm out, beckoning you to come and rest against him. You follow, leaning into him until you’re comfortably pressed up against his side, his arm around your waist keeping you secure. Jaehyun exhales a breath, a small and brief fog getting lost in the air. “I hope you had fun today, y/n, I did.”

“Jae please don’t.”

You’ve made your decision but you were definitely not ready for a goodbye yet.   You take your head off of his shoulder so that you can look at him, his sad eyes a reminder of what awaits tomorrow. Your eyes are reflected on his and they appear just as miserable as his. You lean forward until your forehead touches with his, taking in what’s left of your time together. You feel the warmth of his breath on your skin and suddenly you're too aware of how close you both are to each other. So when you pull away, your eyes drift to his lips just as his are on yours.

And you feel like you're going to regret it forever if you don’t do what your brain’s telling you to do. So you shut your eyes and lean in close, until your lips meet with his, time standing still, bodies warming at the contact.

Jaehyun reciprocates the kiss, shifting his hands so that one keeps you still by nape, one caressing your jaw. If Jaehyun couldn’t tell you with words how much he wanted you to stay, he hoped he could express it in the kiss that makes his head spin and his heart hammer against his ribcage.

Because he wanted nothing more but to keep seeing you, even if it meant waiting another year.

But it mustn’t have been enough.

Because you don’t change your mind.

And you still leave the next day, without any promise of a next year to look forward to.

Winter five.

It feels unusual not to be in the same place for the fifth winter in a row but at the same time, it feels good to be somewhere you’ve never been, all the places you have yet to see, endless. The grand city of Paris known as the city of lights, well recognised for its exquisite cuisine, unique culture and historic monuments, but also known as the city of love. You’ve researched a tonne of information prior to landing and the word “love” related to the city intrigues you the most. The internet and travel brochures list many reasons as to why Paris is indeed the city of love but being here now, having strolled down the Champs Elysees and having followed the River Seine along its path, you could definitely feel and see why it was recognised as a romantic city. In almost every direction you looked, couples were scattered everywhere, holding hands, taking pictures of one another, sharing a laugh. Love was all around and it wasn’t even Valentine’s day. You feel loved too because you’re greeted with smiles as you walk past people, making your insides warm and fuzzy.

But there’s also that feeling too.

You miss him.

And you can’t get the image of him from that night out of your head because he was smiling yet his eyes spoke of a different story. No matter how much you try to push him out of your thoughts, even going as far as picking some place else as to avoid him, it was almost impossible because your subconscious had developed this habit of naturally looking for him the moment you stepped on a plane to fly off to somewhere. Maybe picking Paris was a mistake because now you were imagining what it would be like to see the view from up the Eiffel Tower with him. After all, the greatest views of your life have so far been shared with him. And to think that Paris is indeed the city of love... you couldn't help but wonder if this trip would have been more meaningful if you hand’t been so scared that night.

You catch yourself sighing again as you turn the page of your book, your half empty cup of coffee sitting in front of you on a table that overlooks the River Seine. Brené Brown says that “vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” You lift your eyes off the page and contemplate, letting your eyes wander over the crystals on the river that shine as a result of the sun’s rays shining on the surface. Vulnerability. Weakness. Courage. These three words ring in your head and though very different from one another, seem to complement each other very well.

Vulnerability.

What was it like to be vulnerable? You sit and contemplate and come to the conclusion after minutes of trying to recall times where you have been vulnerable, that in fact, no memory comes to mind. With this discovery, comes the realisation that you had so much inside of you to unpack, so much emotions repressed deep down and so much issues that needed to be addressed and talked about. Vulnerability suddenly seemed so daunting to you because it meant letting people in and you weren’t certain you wanted to allow that yet. You’ve been putting up your walls so high all your life that it’s horrifying to even think about lowering them down even just a tiny bit.

Your train of thought gets interrupted with the shrill ringing of your phone. You’re quick to fish it out of your bag and slide the green button across the screen just in time to hear you dad’s voice on the other line. “Hey, dad.”

“Hey sweetheart, how’s Paris?” He sounds excited to hear from you, you can literally hear him smiling through the phone.

He makes you smile genuinely, as if what you were thinking seconds prior to this phone call didn't just make you contemplate your whole life altogether. “Paris is great. Absolutely beautiful dad, I wish you could come and visit sometime.”

He chuckles on the line and you can imagine the wrinkles on the corner of his eyes appear. “That would be great. I can’t wait to hear all of your stories when you get back.”

“In three days dad, I’ll see you in three days,” you reply, the thought of going back neither making you happy nor sad.

There’s a long pause that follows before your dad speaks again. “Everything alright sweetheart?”

Everything was alright. But it didn’t really feel like it.

“Y-yeah. Just, uhh, thinking.”

You hear shuffling in the background followed by a quiet sound of a door opening and closing and you figure your dad had just gone out to the patio, his favourite part of the house back home, most likely looking upwards to see if there were any stars visible in his night sky.

“Listen love, I know you fly back in three days, but no rush okay? Take as much time as you need,” he reassures and somehow he’s unintentionally lifted so much weight off of your chest, the sincerity coated with a hint of worry in his voice triggering your waterworks. “Take all the time you need to think. We owe you at least that. I’ll deal with your mom.”

“Dad.”

“Alright I gotta go. Stay safe and take lots of pictures! Love you.”

Weakness.

Your parents were your absolute weakness, and possibly the biggest hindrances to all the things that your heart would’ve desired. You could never imagine breaking their hearts, that was the absolute last thing you’d ever want to do. That’s why you think you’ve been living such a sheltered life with no risks, no boundaries overstepped and certainly no rules broken. You’ve been programmed to portray the image of the most perfect child to your parents that even the thought of disappointing them makes you grimace and your chest tighten. They take pride in you, always showing you and all the things you’ve achieved, off to friends and family and the absolute perfect person they know you to be.

But why wasn’t it fulfilling at all?

Love was making your loved ones happy, wasn’t it?

You’ve known nothing all your life but to put family first and now that your dad was pushing you to spend time away from them and dedicate it to yourself, you’re beginning to think that maybe you hadn't been so discreet with what you’ve worked so hard to hide. Now that he was urging you to put yourself first, it felt like abandoning everything you’ve known all your life and starting on a clean, blank slate. He definitely saw something you didn't.

But where do you even begin?

“Oh my God I can’t believe you’re here!” You shriek as you see a familiar man standing by the revolving doors by the entrance of your hotel. You pick up your pace and run to the person you haven’t seen in so long, tears almost brimming your eyes as you find yourself crushed in a tight hug.

Your brother laughs against your shoulder, tightening his hug, “And I can’t believe you didn't tell me you were in Paris? Which is literally what? Right beside where I am?”

You hug him some more before you finally let go of him, eyeing him from head to toe, unconsciously picking out on things that have changed over the years, but much to your surprise, you don’t find any. “How did you know?”

Kun chuckles, “Mom called.”

You roll your eyes playfully, “Of course.”

“She’s just worried about you,” Kun defends.

“When is she not?”

“Feisty as always,” Kun comments, ruffling your hair.

Kun fills you in on what’s been happening in his life in the years he’s been away from home. He tells you all about Berlin and how much he loves it there, how in love he is with work and how different but magnificent the place is. He looks happy, really happy, the happiest you’ve ever seen him in all the years you’ve lived with each other and with your parents. As you listen to him gush about his plans and a possible promotion in Denmark over brunch and warm croissants, you can’t help but feel a wave of admiration for him. Growing up, Kun has always been your role model. Not in a sense that he always pleased your parents, because growing up, Kun, despite having good grades and never getting in trouble, he and your parents were just never on the same page when it came to talks of the future. You admired him because from the very beginning, he always knew what he wanted and sought and fought for it even if it meant hurting those who loved him the most.

“Earth to y/n?” Kun waves a hand in front of your face when he sees you’ve zoned out, your food half touched.

You blink a couple of times before you’re able to refocus on your brother again, “Sorry. What were you saying?”

Kun shakes his head with a smile, “I was asking how mom and dad are at home.”

“They’re okay. Still the same,” you reply and hope it would suffice but the way Kun is looking at you tells you he needed more. “The pharmacies are doing okay. Mom and dad say business is as at its best right now. That’s pretty much what they’re still up to.”

“Mom still as uptight as ever?”

You nod, smiling, “Yeah. She hasn’t changed one bit.”

“Expected that one,” Kun agrees teasingly. “And dad?”

“Dad’s been..” you start, remembering your phone call with him yesterday. “He’s been okay, still goofy.”

“You know dad’s been telling me about your yearly travels,” Kun admits, his tone of voice shifting to a more serious one, taking a sip from his water. “How come you didn't tell me? I know you have my number. And if it weren’t for mom, I would’ve never known you were so close.”

You sigh, dropping your knife and fork on the table, “I know, I’m sorry. It’s just I didn't know what to say or how to tell you. I didn’t even really understand what I was getting myself into. I just.. wanted to go away.”

“Well I can’t say I'm not surprised given I know what you’re like,” Kun says. If there was one person who had known you best, it would be him. “But hell, y/n, I'm so happy for you? I really really am. It mustn’t have been easy leaving on your own like that.”

“You make it sound like I’m a baby, Kun.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.” Kun leans forward and crosses his arms on the table so that he can rest his weight on it. “What I meant was that, growing up, you were always working so hard to please mom and dad. You always prioritised what they wanted more than anything else and I think in that process, you forgot all about what you wanted. So much that you don’t even know what you actually want because you’ve never had the time to actually think about it.”

Kun’s eyes are sincere and his words even more so. “Dad’s been worrying about you, you know. And not in the way that mom is, like you know with your safety and all that during your travels. But with your life in general.. He’s worried he hasn’t been a great parent to you, that he never really took the time to listen to you or what you wanted.” Kun pauses and releases a sigh, “Dad.. I think he knows you’re not happy at home, y/n.”

Right on instinct, even at this moment, you’re thinking about how horrible your dad must feel for seeing right through all the layers to conceal the truth.

“Was it..” you pause, thinking if it’s the right question to ask but Kun is gazing at you tenderly, just needing his little sister to voice what’s on her mind.

“Was it hard leaving home?”

Kun smiles, “It was harder proving to them I didn't want to stay.” You nod slowly, recounting the endless fights and arguments Kun had with your parents, getting the worst end of it from your mom. “Because I love them to pieces and I saw how much it broke their hearts when I told them.”

“Yeah?”

“And of course, it was hard leaving you too,” he teases, breaking the atmosphere that had almost become suffocating.

You roll your eyes, “You don’t have to lie.”

Kun just laughs, his shoulders shaking as he does before he falls silent again with you, the distant chatters of people in the café filling your ears.

“You should give it a thought, y/n,” he suggests, making you look up from your plate. “About what you want. Mom and dad.. they’ll be okay. Sooner or later they’re going to realise you were made for so much more. And they’re going to be okay with it, because more than anything, they love you and love means letting go too.”

You spend the rest of the day goofing around with your older brother, waves of nostalgia hitting you when it takes you back to older and simpler times. You take lots of pictures together and send it to your parents to which they’re more than ecstatic to receive, your mom’s worries and concerns easing slightly with the knowledge you were with family. Kun teases you nonstop about not having a boyfriend but his teasing backfires when he realises he’s single too, pretending to weep about it in the end. You wonder if you’d tell him about Jaehyun but decide against it knowing more questions would unfold at the mere mention of his name.

“Will you please get in touch with me and stop ignoring my calls and texts?” Kun pleads the next day when you bring him to the airport. “I want to know my sister’s whereabouts too and what she’s up to.”

You laugh as you embrace him for the last time, “I don’t want you tagging along though if I do though.”

“Rude.”

“I’ll pick up your calls, I promise.”

Kun pulls back from the hug and grips you by the shoulders to take one good look at you, “If only my schedule allowed me to stay longer, one day wasn’t enough.”

You smile at him reassuringly, “It’s okay. There’ll be plenty more trips in the future,” he raises his brows at you and gives you a knowing look, “that I promise I will let you know of.”

Kun smiles immediately and pats your head, “Good. Enjoy your last two days okay? And think about what I said.”

You nod eagerly, feeling relieved to have had that conversation with Kun yesterday. “I will. Have a safe flight.”

“Love you.”

When you walk along the River Seine once again, you notice many things along the bridges you didn’t notice before, paintings and artists being some of them. It makes you stop in your step when a particular painting of the Eiffel Tower, located just behind where this particular stand is, catches your eye. It’s a painting of the tower at night, the thousands of lightbulbs lighting up and glistening in the painting with the dashes of yellows and oranges just like it would in real life. You’re tilting your head to the side to really figure out what it is about this painting, besides its perfection, that has you so captivated and feeling some sort of way. You must be staring for so long because the man that’s running the stand approaches you and says something you don’t quite hear the first time around.

“Can I help you, miss?” he asks again in French to which you politely decline with your limited vocabulary.

The sun has fully set when you climb the Eiffel Tower, braving the cold winds to gape at the view below you. It’s all so breathtaking, the way all the lights fall into place, shedding incandescence in all the right places. You can see the river stretch on for miles on end, the buildings that try to rise as high as the Eiffel and the roads that lead to anywhere and everywhere. It’s so gorgeous that you know, even as you take your camera out of your bag, that no photo could ever capture just how magnificent it all was. You give up trying to capture the perfect picture after taking three, choosing to just stop and marvel at the view some more.

Courage.

You don’t have any recollection of moments you’ve been courageous, the closest that comes to mind is probably when you had to stand up in front of an entire lecture hall to give a presentation about the causes and consequences of the rise and fall of economies back in university, or maybe that time you broke it to your parents that you had flights booked for Budapest on a whim, something that up to this day, surprises you greatly they actually let you go. But nothing significant or life changing sticks out, nothing worth giving yourself a pat on the back for accompanied with the words “I’m proud of myself.” You suddenly begin to feel so small then, one big question resonating in your head.

What had you accomplished?

“God, I should’ve known I'd find you here.”

You carry on with your business, turning on your heels to see what the view might be like on the other end of the railing, not really wanting to eavesdrop on someone’s conversation, your distance to them too close you could hear everything.

“You’ve always liked your views.”

Still too close so you keep walking.

“Y/n.”

You freeze. It couldn’t be.

But it really is.

Because when you turn around, Jaehyun is there, eyes set on you with that same smile you can’t stop thinking about.

Your face must have given away how shocked you feel internally because you see Jaehyun chuckling. “What are you...” you can’t even find your voice because it’s as if all the thinking about Jaehyun day and night has actually brought him here to you.

Jaehyun takes a step forward and he sees you flinch, really confirming that he really is real. He stops there in his spot, afraid that if he advanced any further, he’d scare you away completely.

“Look y/n, hear me out. I just need you to listen, okay?” Jaehyun takes a deep breath and that’s when you realise that he’s breathless.

“I don’t know how to say this– but, I– I, like you y/n. And if I'm going to be very honest, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you. Which I know sounds crazy considering the short amount of time we’ve spent with each other. But I know, I just know and it’s taken me so long to figure out what to do because I've never even felt this before and I don’t want to scare you away, that’s the last thing I want to do–”

If there were to be a good time to be courageous it would definitely be now and you’re sure you were going to thank yourself later.

In the middle of Jaehyun’s messy confession, your legs take over, bringing you right to him, circle your arms around his neck and prevent him from uttering yet another coherent sentence by kissing him. He pulls you close just in time to confirm this was indeed your reality, that he wasn’t just in your thoughts anymore, that he really was here kissing you too.

For the first time ever, you felt courageous and it felt so liberating.

The heavens pour just when you reach the bottom of the Eiffel Tower and you’re a laughing mess with Jaehyun as you scurry under the rain to get to your hotel, which, you’re thankful is just close by. You’re drenched to the skin when you reach the reception of your hotel, the two of you leaving a little trail of water on the shiny marble floors. You shoot the receptionist an apologetic smile before pulling Jaehyun to the side.

“Whereabouts are you staying?” you ask out of curiosity, gathering up all your hair on top of one shoulder.

Jaehyun smiles bashfully, a hand flying upwards to rub his nape, “Actually... about that.”

“What?” You squint your eyes at him.

“I don’t know yet.”

“What do you mean you don’t know yet?”

Jaehyun swipes his tongue over his lower lip and stuffs his balled palms into the pockets of his wet jeans. “Well, this is actually the fifth country I've been to the past two weeks and I was gonna stop looking for you here–” he purses his lips to stop. “I, I must have forgotten to book myself a hotel and the airlines apparently lost my luggage today.”

You gaze at him in awe, droplets of water dripping down the side of his face, your body warm and your insides even warmer. You can’t suppress the smile that’s getting bigger on your face.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“You are one crazy man, Jaehyun.”

But as crazy as he is, you give him shelter for the night, pulling him by the hand to your hotel room. If Jaehyun liked to steal glances at you before, he surely loved to stare at you now, even as you’re using the hairdryer to dry his clothes. You don’t reciprocate his gaze because he was currently half naked with a towel wrapped around his waist. It takes another thirty minutes for his clothes to dry, just enough time for you to finally breathe now that he isn’t smiling at you.

Jaehyun had suggested to take the sofa for the night and you’re quick to say no when you realise that the sofa is literally half his height. His would suffer in the morning having to compromise his height like that the whole night. So that’s how you end up face to face with him on your single bed, faces and bodies just inches away from each other’s, warm and cozy under the sheets. He’s playing with strands of your hair (that has since dried) and it almost lulls you to sleep, if it weren’t for everything you wanted to say to him.

“I think I finally know what I want to do, Jae,” you mumble, your lids closed as he continues the ministrations of his fingers on your hair.

“Yeah? Enlighten me.”

“I want to paint.”

Memories of your childhood replay in your head, the long forgotten hobby re-igniting a spark of passion within you. No wonder the painting by the river earlier captivated you so much, it reminded you of something you had once felt so passionate about.

When Jaehyun doesn’t say anything and when he stops playing with your hair, you open your eyes to find him smiling at you, dimples showing, gaze on you soft, his happiness for you literally written on his face. So you scoot closer just as he welcomes you into his arms, feeling like you’re  right in the place you’re meant to be.

“You are amazing,” he breathes.

“It’s taken me twenty five years to figure out what I want to do with my life Jae, what part of that is amazing?” you muse, tracing your index finger on his forehead to swipe a piece of hair away.  

“And it’s taken me twenty six years to figure out what I want in mine,” Jaehyun chuckles. “That’s one year later than you. I think you’re doing a pretty great job y/n.”

You stare up at him, let your eyes linger on every single one of his features, your finger tracing the soft of his skin. He was even more beautiful up close. Jaehyun watches you closely, studying your expression of awe. Little do you know he had the exact same thoughts as you having you this close to him.

“Jae can we talk about what you said in the tower earlier?”

Jaehyun avoids your gaze and rests his forehead on yours, cuddling you even closer. “Please don’t remind me. That was not how I intended to confess, I swear.”

“But was it true? That you’re, you’re?”

“Yeah, it’s true. I am.”

“Jae look at me,” you say, cupping his cheek. “Please?”

So he opens his eyes and for a brief moment, you swear you see his pupils dilate when he gazes at you. Taking a deep breath, Jaehyun finally finishes off what he had started earlier but not before seeking approval from your eyes which he receives almost immediately.

“I realised that what I've wanted my whole life was to be understood, y/n, just for someone, anyone, to really see me. And I didn’t even realise I wanted that until you saw right through me.” Jaehyun was definitely something else.

“Remember what you said to me last year by the river? That I was so much more than my appearance, that I was way more than what people perceived me to be? I, I didn’t know I needed to hear that until I did. And that’s when I knew, you ripped the words right out of my mouth because finally, someone understood.” Jaehyun smiles softly at you, eyes unmoving the whole time he speaks.

“Someone finally saw me,” he finishes. “You saw me.”

In the silence of your thoughts and in the comfort of Jaehyun’s confession, you let yourself be brave one more time and allow yourself to fall, fall for the beautiful person he is through and through.

The word vulnerable reappears in your head along with the memory of Jaehyun asking the right questions to lead you to what you’ve learned about yourself in the past couple of weeks, maybe even the past few years. With every question came with some sort of an answer that led you closer to discovering just what you might really want in your life. And it gets you thinking that maybe you have been vulnerable before. Once you began looking for Jaehyun, was the exact same time you let him in.

You kept looking for him everywhere because with him, everything seemed to make more sense.

And even though you didn’t have the right words to tell him that for now, you hope that your lips would suffice for now, leaning upwards to catch his soft lips with yours, silently letting him know you felt the same way.

No words would be enough to describe how alive you feel, how alive Jaehyun makes you feel, awakening parts of you that have slept for far too long.

Jaehyun was indeed way more than his good looks. Jaehyun was gentle, honest and sincere, you felt it all in the way he smiled, the way he talked and in the way he kissed you. He was the living definition of ethereal, and his beauty shone the most on the inside.

“Come back to Korea with me,” Jaehyun murmurs when you pull away, keeping yourself warm and safe in his embrace. “My friend’s getting married and I need a date. I want you to be my date.”

You laugh heartily, the sound echoing in the room.

“I would love to be your date, Jae.”

You were definitely not returning home just yet.

[sturchling]

I Can’t Stand Liars

My finals are finally over, and I am finally done with college! I have some time to write again. This is another story based on a prompt from @silvia7272

Hope you all like this one!

Alice doesn’t get along with her family and starts to live with her Uncle Jagged. She meets Marinette and they become friends. When Alice notices Marinette becoming more and more sad, she decides to join Marinette at her school. And then Alice meets the local liar.

Alice’s family was perfectly normal. Her dad was a member of parliament and had been for several years. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom who spent all day cooking and cleaning. Her brother was the star of the rugby at school. They were picture perfect. Except for Alice. Alice was not perfectly normal. She loved rock and roll music, tattoos, and wild hair. It is safe to say that Alice and her family do not get along well. There was only one member of Alice’s family that she liked. Alice liked her Uncle Jagged. Uncle Jagged had started traveling the world, playing music, and having a great time. But Alice’s father would not allow Alice to see or even speak to Uncle Jagged. Any time she asked to see him, her father would say, “Your uncle is a degenerate. Just wasting his life playing that ridiculous music, not contributing to society. I will not have him taint your potential.” That answer always infuriated Alice. She never understood how her father could say that about his brother. As Alice grew up, she grew distant from her parents. They hardly talked to her anymore, and when they did, all they wanted was to make sure she was perfect.

When she turned 13, she had a massive fight with her parents. Alice had gone and gotten a small stud in the side of her nose. Her parents had blown up when they saw it, and spent hours yelling at her and telling her that she will be taking out that stud and never putting it back in. Alice stormed off to her room, absolutely furious. She was so tired of having to be perfect, she just wanted to let loose and have fun. It was her life after all. It felt like she was lying about herself. And she hated lying. So, she did something she promised her parents that she would never do. She looked for her Uncle Jagged. The most recent post on his official social media said that he was here in London. Alice wasted no time, packed a bag, and left the house to go looking for him. The different fan websites showed what hotel he was staying at, and one person had even found out what room he was staying in. She got to the hotel about half an hour later. She went straight to what was supposed to be his room and knocked. A woman with magenta hair opened the door. When she saw Alice, she got an annoyed look on her face. “How many of you obsessive fans am I going to have to turn away today!?” As she starts to close the door, Alice stammered out, “wait!” Alice grabbed the edge of the door to keep it closed and continued, “I am not a fan, I’m family. Jagged is my uncle, I’m his niece Alice.” The woman looked at her appraisingly and slowly opened the door a little more. Alice pushed it a little more saying, “Please, just let me see him. He will tell you who I am.” The woman thinks for a minute and reluctantly agrees, “Well, it can’t hurt. And there is a small resemblance.” The woman opened the door and let Alice inside. Finally, the woman then called out, “Jagged! You have a visitor!”  A voice from somewhere in the suite responded, “Who is it Penny?” So that is the woman’s name. Penny calls back, “A girl saying she is your niece. She says her name is Alice.” A crash sounds from the back of the suite and suddenly Jagged came running into the main room. He stared at her in shock and said, “Alice? What are you doing here? It’s rock’in to see you, but I thought your dad didn’t want me to speak to any of you...” Alice dropped her bag and replied, “Well, me and dad never saw eye to eye on that. We had a major fight. I can’t take it anymore Uncle Jagged. They don’t care about me; they just want a perfect daughter.” Jagged, after hearing this, walked up to his niece and hugged her. “As rock’in as it is to see you, I need to tell your parents where you are. I am sure they are worried. Do you have their number?” Alice gives Jagged their number and he goes into the other room to call her parents. It was a while before he came back and Jagged was mad when he came back. Alice bit the bullet and asked, “So? I guess I have to head back home now?” Jagged’s jaw clenched and said, “No. They said the exact opposite. They said if you want to come to me then you can just stay with me. They don’t have time for such an ‘ungrateful daughter’. They essentially just disowned you. So not rock’in.” Alice was shocked. She knew she and her parents didn’t get along at all, but she didn’t think they would disown her. So that was how Alice started living with her Uncle Jagged and traveling all over the world.

Eventually, they started staying at the Le Grand Paris. Alice had been having a great time living with her Uncle Jagged. Alice got to be herself. She switched out her nicer clothes for an edgier outfit. Her typical outfit now was a purple halter top, ripped up black jeans, black combat boots, and a black leather jacket. Her hair was now dyed purple to match her uncle’s. During this time Alice was completing an online education. They had originally  tried and public school when Alice first started living with Jagged, but when students found out who she lived with, they would say anything to be her friend. And when they found out that Alice wasn’t going to just get them into concerts for free and get them all of this merch they wanted, they ditched her. Eventually, Alice grew tired of people lying to her to get close to her and decided it would be better to just attend online school. Alice couldn’t stand to be around liars.  Alice had just turned 14 and she was starting to want to attend an actual school, since they were most likely going to be in Paris for a long time. One day, the local school Francoise Dupont sent a class to the hotel for career day. That was the day Alice met Marinette. Marinette and Alice instantly clicked when she designed the glasses for Jagged. From then on, whenever Marinette came to speak with Jagged, Marinette would stay after her meeting to hang out with Alice. One day, Marinette seemed sadder than normal. When Alice asked what was going on, Marinette just said it was some minor drama at school. But Marinette just seemed to get more and more sad. Marinette would never answer Alice when Alice brought it up. Alice hated that Marinette was lying. After everything with her parents, after they made Alice lie about herself, Alice hated lying and liars. After a while Alice got more and more worried for her friend and decided to enroll in Marinette’s school. It was easy to convince her Uncle Jagged to let her attend that school. The night before Alice started school, Marinette came over and hung out with Alice until late, helping Alice get ready to start at the school. Alice didn’t realize that she was about to meet the liar responsible for her friend’s sadness.

Monday morning, Alice arrived to Francoise Dupont bright and early. She had found out the day before that she was in Ms. Bustier’s class just like Marinette. Alice walked to the classroom and saw Marinette sitting in the back of the class. Alice joined her in the back row. The two girls chatted for a while, until the rest of the class arrived as well. Two girls walked in, one who looked furious, and the other had a black eye. The angry girl stormed up to Marinette and started yelling, “Marinette! How could you!? Why did you attack Lila!” Marinette shrunk back a bit and tried denying the claim but this girl just kept yelling. Alice got fed up, stood up, and slammed her hands on the table yelling, “HEY!” That got the angry girl to shut up. “Why are you yelling at Marinette?” The girl turned to her and asked, “who are you?” Alice, who was still annoyed that this girl was yelling at her friend, replied “I’m Alice, I’m new. Now I’ll ask again, why are you yelling at her?” The girl with the black eye interjected and started crying, “Well, since you’re new, you wouldn’t know but Marinette is a bully. She won’t leave me alone. She is so jealous of me. She even attacked me last night after I left dinner at the VIP section of the Le Grand Paris hotel restaurant.” What? Alice was now thoroughly confused. Marinette couldn’t have attacked this girl. Marinette had been with her all night. Alice decided to ask a few more questions, cause to much of this story didn’t make sense. There was no way people believed this. “Wait, why were you at the VIP section? Why would she be jealous of you?” Everyone in class looked at Alice like she was crazy. The angry girl answered Alice, “Girl Lila is a super important person. She has helped Prince Ali with his charities, her dance moves were so good that Clara Nightingale has taken her dance moves, and she knows a bunch of famous people. She even knows Jagged Stone. She helped save Jagged’s kitten from getting run over on an airport runway. That is why she was at the VIP section last night; she was speaking with Jagged about the song he wrote about her.” Alice was shocked by what she heard. How does anyone believe this nonsense? This Lila girl is obviously a liar. Alice looked closer at the black eye and noticed now that it was clearly makeup. This girl isn’t even a good liar. So, Alice, ever the honest person, blurted out, “Wow, Lila. You are a horrible liar. Those stories are so fake.” The whole class immediately glared at her while Lila just cried out, “How could you say that?” Alice rolled her eyes. “Easily. Firstly, you are not even really crying. No tears. Second, I know Marinette didn’t attack you last night, because Marinette was with me all night.” While they were gapping at Alice and trying to argue with her, Alice reached down and grabbed her water bottle from her bag. Alice opened the bottle and continued, “Also, that is not a real black eye. And you know how I know that?” With that Alice threw the water in Lila’s face. The makeup she had used for the black eye immediately started smudging and dripping. Alice put the bottle down and said, “I know that because I have never seen black eyes drip before.” The class now turned to Lila and was staring at the now ruined ‘black eye’. “Finally, I may not know about those other celebrities you claim to know, though I can guess those are lies too, I know for a fact that you do not know Jagged Stone, he never wrote a song about you, and you never saved his cat” Lila started to show her true colors and snapped, “How could you possibly know that? Not like you know him. You just look like a super fan.” With that Alice smiled, and even Marinette started to smile as she realized that she was watching Lila’s downfall. Alice ended her spiel by saying, “I never fully introduced myself, did I? My name is Alice Stone. I am Jagged’s niece. He has never had a kitten; it is to normal for him. He does have an awesome crocodile name Fang. And Jagged has never mentioned you. You are just a terrible liar. Do not lie about my Uncle again, he probably won’t like that you are telling people he wrote a song about a minor.” With that, Alice sat down and watched the fireworks. The class realized the reality that their ‘friend’ was just a liar and began yelling at Lila. At lunch, Marinette turned to her and said, “Not that I didn’t enjoy watching that show, but why did you do all that?” Alice replied, “I may have been meaner than I meant to be, but I had to expose her.” Marinette looked at her confused and asked, “Why did you have to expose her. You could have just told Jagged and had him handle it. Not that I’m complaining.” Alice smirked like the Cheshire Cat and said, “I just can’t stand liars.”

[princessmadafu]

I have the conch!!!

Good morning. Mad’s still snoozing, so I’m popping this up while it’s quiet. This is a Forbes article from March 2019 that I thought was important enough to save:

Meghan Markle: Does The British Tax Payer Know How Much 'Me-Gain' Royal Is Costing?

Roger Aitken Contributor

The Duchess of Sussex, aka Meghan Markle, is watching her popularity and acceptance sinking, possibly taking the British Royal Family with her. Apparently, the way to make the public in Britain like her is to spend tax-payers money on PR machines on both sides of the Atlantic, in addition to a generous allowance.

Being in the public eye puts a person under a degree of scrutiny – and especially when you are a Royal. Some voluntarily choose the public eye, and some are born into it.

It is also not easy to be famous in the age of social media, especially as an entertainer, sports star or actress. Royalty also endures scrutiny, as we can attest to with the lives of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, and even Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Mixing the two, entertainer and royalty, results in a new breed of fame, which can sometimes work out. Or not.

Just last weekend (March 23) in The Express tabloid it was reported that royal expert, Anna Pasternak, ventured that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s marriage is “going to become increasingly difficult.”

The author of ‘Untitled: The Real Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor’, Pasternak claimed that Duchess is heading into a “tricky situation” – akin or similar to that faced by Wallis Simpson and Princess Diana, where the “ultimate goal is survival.” Strong stuff. Like Simpson, Markle is a divorcee.

The most famous marriage of royalty to entertainment was in 1956 when Grace Kelly, the American film actress, became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III in April of that same year.

One of the most famous actresses in the world at the time, armed with a stable of films for which she received high acclaim, plus an Academy Award for Best Actress (1955) tucked under her arm, retired from acting at the age of 26 and began her duties as the Princess of Monaco.

According to reports, Princess Grace was loved and accepted by the public during her lifetime, and when she died at the age of 52, according to biographer Jeffrey Robinson, “…it was like the lights went out. Monaco just stopped.”

Move forward to 2018, where another actress has married into a royal family – this time, in the United Kingdom (U.K), which has for the last three years been torn apart by ongoing Brexit trials and tribulations. The tension in the country is palpable.

Meghan Markle, a relatively small-time actress say some, married Prince Harry of Wales on May 19, 2018, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Although not so well known prior to this – her second marriage – she was best known for a small role in a series named Suits. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and sixth in line to thrown, on the other hand, was the younger son of one of the most famous Royals in history, Princess Diana of Wales, and known throughout the world due to his Royal status.  His Royal Highness spent ten years working in the Armed Forces, ending operational duties in 2015.

Meghan Markle, who grew up in a middle-class household, was looked after by her family throughout her life. When her father won the lottery when she was nine years old, he seemingly made sure that every cost was covered for Meghan, sending her to the best schools and training. Well, why not if you have it.

Of course, Prince Harry grew up as a Royal, and unlike his brother Prince William, seemed to like the partying side of life a little more. As his Royal Highness grew up he was in the papers often, normally for partying in Las Vegas or some other antics. But he knew the price of being in the public eye and putting a foot out of place. Yet he is 100% British and the public love him, still, regardless of these reports.

There was finally an announcement in November of 2017 that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were engaged, which was soon followed by an interview, which was the start of Meghan’s descent.

During this interview, Meghan proclaimed that she did not know much about Prince Harry, and because she was American, did not really understand the importance of the Royal family – although she was snapped in a photo in front of Buckingham palace when she was 15 and apparently had many books on Diana and the royal family, according to reports.

All of this gave fuel to the British public, who started to leave negative remarks in the comments sections of online publications by the hundreds, if not thousands.

At Meghan and Prince Harry’s wedding, on May 19, 2018, there were no family present from her side, except for her mother, in sharp contrast to the marriage of Catherine Middleton and Prince William of Wales, the now Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Catherine was surrounded by friends and family, with her sister acting as Maid of Honor in pictures that went viral for ‘that dress’.

Meghan’s wedding received widespread attention for the lack of family and close friends. Prince Charles gave her away, although her own father is alive and living in Mexico, and she had her own shadow as a Maid of Honor. Again, the British public were left puzzled, as seen by the comments in the media.

Of course, with their exclusion from this great event, Meghan’s own family took great exception, with the most vocal being Samantha Markle – followed by her father, uncles and cousins – who could not understand why this happened. And, they never got an answer. But they had a clue when Prince Harry went on the radio and said that the Royal family would now be the “family Meghan never had.”

Meghan’s family shot back immediately that this was all a lie, protesting and offering proof of the opposite. Samantha even explained that the father financed all of Meghan’s education, while Meghan stated at a conference she paid for her own education. Yet Samantha has receipts from the father, apparently.

At the same time, reports of the cost of this wedding, mixed with the drama of the Markle family, hit fever pitch. According to the British tabloid, the Express, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Royal wedding is said to have racked up a £32 million bill (c.$41.6 million at the current exchange rate), with the majority of that hefty sum (paid for by the British taxpayer) going towards security – a whopping £30 million (c.$39 million), to be exact.

One might argue that with all the zillions of tourists flocking to Britain with pull of Buckingham Palace, seeing the Royals and the nation’s deep and rich history, it was frankly a drop in the ocean.

Figures also show that £1.5 million (c.$1.95 million) was spent by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), a U.K. government department that has responsibility for the creative industries, tourism and leisure across the nation. Some will be more familiar with the DCMS in the pursuit of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in giving oral evidence before the committee in Parliament.

All this while wages and living standards for your average working Brit are depressed and have been so since the last financial crisis around a decade ago.

The public seems to have had enough now, with people writing on sites that they feel Meghan is embarrassing the Royal Family, and the public in turn, even “taking them for fools”, adding that “Harry is a young and naive and cannot see what is happening before him.” Prince Harry is 34 and Meghan in 37, which is very close in age.

People have seemingly too become incensed at all of the reports and apparent lies that Meghan has told, and started to turn against the Duchess of Sussex now in serious numbers, on blogs, forums and websites. Not Harry. Meghan. The Duchess of Sussex.

She has even apparently been given a nickname by royal staff at the royal household – “Me-Gain.” And, Harry quite clearly is said to be very unhappy with that.

Dicky Arbiter, a Royal insider and ex-Palace press, speaking to Nine News Australia on Harry’s reaction to these reports, was quoted as saying: “He would be angry that something like this is coming out. You have got to remember too…I mean, you were here for the wedding and you saw how the media were operating. They were putting Meghan and Harry right up on a pedestal. Since the end of summer in the autumn, they have been chipping away at those pedestals and really having a go.”

Cosmopolitan magazine stated in a report referring to “Me-Gain” comments apparently made by royal staff writing: “To be honest, there’s probably little to no truth to rumors that staff call Meghan by this nickname, but that doesn’t make the reports any less hurtful, obvs!” That said, gossip about the Royal family certainly sells newspapers.

Every day it seems, articles come online and in print about Meghan, reporting on everything from the dishes she serves guests (avocado on toast) to her wardrobe (with outfits costing  up to £100,000 (c.$130,000 each), her extravagant baby showers – two to be exact and more.

The public perception of her started to sink faster than a millstone in water. They made it clear that they would not suffer another Wallis Simpson.

The palace knew they were in trouble and started to hire PR, separating the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the Cambridges, and giving them their own household.

According to reports, even Prince William and Catherine observed the negative publicity, fearing it will outshine the work and legacy of the Royal Family as a whole, and wanted to separate themselves from what has been labelled “the Markle Effect.”

Meghan Markle’s PR chief     moved positions and became the fifth aide she has lost since she married     Prince Harry. According to The Sun, Jason Knauf is now a “senior adviser” for the     Cambridges’ charities. In addition, the general consensus among royal reporters is that Meghan is     seen as difficult and high energy and is said to “snap” at palace     employees.

Following this move, and     the desire to separate the Sussexs’ from the Cambridges’, according to The     Daily Mail The Queen agreed to the creation of a Household for     The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and gave permission for it to be based at     Buckingham Palace.

As part of the new order,     Harry and Meghan have named Sara Latham, Hillary Clinton’s former Senior     Campaign Advisor, as their new dedicated head of communications. With     costs estimated and thought to be in the ball park of £500,000 to £1     million (c.$650,000 to $1.3 million), it will be paid for by the tax     payer. The ultimate irony. They are spending tax-payers money to make the     Duchess of Sussex likeable to the very people who are not warming to her,     by spending their money.

Viscount Yves de Contades, CEO of International Excellence Magazine and luxury expert remarking on these recent matters, said: “Relating to populist media through PR experts has become indispensable, because if you are not talking to them directly, they will simply take it from any source – however unreliable.”

He added: “Unfortunately sensational stories get read substantially more than the truth. Good PR is about maintaining certain values and connecting honestly with your audience. And, it would be wise to pay those bills yourself.”

Frank Marr, CEO and owner of A Marr + Associates and a reputation management/PR expert based in London, said: “Reputation management is imperative for the monarchy. In an era of discontent, erratic political situations along with the big gap between the rich and the poor, there has never been a more important need to explain why the royalty is needed for the nation.”

He added: “Their role as pillars to society and how they can play their part to support the nation [Britain] needs to be managed in order to maintain reasoning for this existence of influence.”

Is this really the right approach?

According to inside sources, who like Meghan’s friends cannot be named, Royal Communications have a very lucrative deal with People Magazine in America. The reason? Apparently, they feel if Americans fall in love with her, then the Brits will naturally follow.

This is made clear when American actors like George Clooney have recently criticized media treatment of Meghan saying she is being “pursued and vilified”, and likening her scrutiny to that was received by Princess Diana. Like all PR for Meghan, this statement, too, seems to be doing more harm than good, with thousands of people leaving vitriolic comments.

Others have expressed the thought that “Princess Diana-style PR will backfire on Meghan Markle and it’s not worth the gamble”, as reported in The Sun. And why is that? This one is quite simple. Because she is not Princess Diana, and many people are quick to point out that she is quite the opposite.

According to Lorraine Kelly’s viewpoint, the well-known Scottish journalist and broadcaster wrote: “Meghan Markle has mishandled her relationship with her dad Thomas ever since she began dating Prince Harry and she seems intent on making it worse.”

“By all accounts the Duchess of Sussex has taken it upon herself to brief several of her “close friends” to blab to a U.S. gossip magazine about how hurtful she has found the whole saga, and that – contrary to what everyone thinks – she has been in touch with her father Thomas.”

And, according to Samantha Markle, this could not be further from the truth. And again, she has the proof.

The British public expect the Royal Family to be wholesome. Perhaps not virginal, but wholesome, and a divorcee from America who has perhaps told a little fib or two, or ten, is just not sitting well.

And, the fact that the British public, again, are left paying the bill is a bridge too far for many of them as she as seen as the antithesis of what a Royal should be – loyal, demure, honest, caring, family oriented, frugal and modest.

Meghan is appearing, by her own fault, to be none of these. And to be honest, why would she want to be anything but herself? Why should she care what the people think about her? Well, again, it is simple. It is because she now represents a Royal Family, one which has outlasted most, and wants to live to see another day.

According to an article in Town and Country magazine, Meghan is worth $5 million compared to Prince Harry’s $40 million, a sum he has accumulated from funds left in trust to him by his mother, Princess Diana, an inheritance from the Queen Mother, and his former salary as a captain in the British Army.

Yet, the British public ARE paying for Meghan’s PR, and hopefully they will learn to love her, for Harry’s sake. Regardless of what opinions are about Harry’s girl, the bill for Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is being paid for by the British tax payers, and hopefully they will get what they pay for. And, it’s certainly racking up in any currency.

Let them eat cake? You betcha!

Follow Roger, an ex-FT writer who has penned various investment stories, on Twitter @AitkenRL, LinkedIn, Forbes, Google+. He won a State Street Institutional Press award in 2015.  

Roger AitkenContributor

[thephantomofthelibrary]

The Events of the Merthyr Rising (2): 3 June - 6 June 1831

3 June 1831

Early in the morning the 93rd Foot Reginent, the Highlanders, from Brecon arrived at a town in crisis. They were mocked and jeered as they marched from Brecon to Merthyr. The Highlanders joined the other authorities that had congregated at Castle Inn. The troops stationed themselves around the Inn to protect those gathered inside in case the situation turned violent. 

The crowd continued to increase. The sources differ on the exact size but the estimate is of around 10,000 people. At 10:40 am the Riot Act was read for a second time. A deputation was requested by Anthony Hill, the iron master at the Plymouth works, in order to hear the demands of the crowd. It was hoped that they could try to settle their differences and diffuse the situation.

The crowd had four main requests:

The suppression  of the Court of Requests 

Higher wages 

Cheaper prices

Immediate parliamentary reform

As was stated last time, riots tend to focus on the middle men rather than the people and institutions that were actually behind these problems. The iron masters simply could not agree to their demands. Rather these were issues that needed to be seen to at the seat of go government, not at an inn in Merthyr. The economic depression meant that wages could not be increased, not could prices be decreased. Crawshay himself had desperately tried before the rising to ensure that his workers were well provided for, but not without great economic loss to himself. Debts also needed to be paid and the iron masters had as little say politically as their workers. There was nothing that they could do to implement parliamentary reform any quicker than parliament would allow. The iron masters themselves had been advocating for these changes, even if it was for their own benefit. 

Pictured above is Castle Inn where the authorities were assembled.

11:40, the crowd was still there making every single one of them guilt of a capital offence by law. The High Sheriff of Glamorgan issued a warning to the crowd, they were to disperse or face the troops. To this one man in the crowd was reported to have said that he only came from bread. The crowd took his claim and shouted “caws gyda bara”, “cheese with bread”. This could be taken literally, asking for bread and cheese from the authorities. But also this could be a symbolic chant. They were not willing to settle for what the iorn masters could offer from their positions of comfort and relative power. Bread and cheese was given to them.

Crawshay and Guest attempted to address the crowd. As reformers themselves maybe they would be able to appeal to their joint interests. It did not work. The crowd became angrier, pushing forward to the Inn. 

The man of the hour, Lewis, was hoisted up and addressed the crowd in Welsh; 

“We are met here to have our wages raised, instead of which the masters have brought the soldiers against us; now, boys, if you are of the same mind as I am, let us full upon them, and take their arms away.”

Things quickly turned violent. The soldiers were stationed in the doors and windows ready to protect and defend the inn. The rioters pushed forward, throwing stones at the soldiers and successfully disarming some of them.In turn, the soldiers fired on the crowd. The fighting only lasted about 15 minutes but the effects were catastrophic. 16 soldiers were wounded, 6 of whom were seriously wounded. It is unsure how many rioters were killed as their bodies were secretly taken away by their fellow rioters in the night and buried. It is thought that around 20-25 rioters were killed.

But things were more serious. Symbols and standards can often portray and define a movement in a single glance. Very few images have become more iconic in the imagery of revolution that the red flag. A calf was sacrificed and a white flag bathed in its blood to create their new revolutionary standard. On top of their flag-pole they impaled a loaf of bread, symbolising exactly what their struggle was. It came along with another chant of their, “bara neu waed”, “bread or blood”. This is believed to be the first time that the red flag of revolution was first used on British soil.

Growing ever more fearful as the situation evolved, the authorities abandoned their station at Castle Inn and moved to Penydarren House for greater security. This was the home of iron master Jeremiah Homfray, the iron master of the Penydarren ironworks. 

Above is Penydarren House, the first of the grand houses to be built by the iron masters at Merthyr. It remained the grandest house until Willaim Crawshay II built Cyfarthfa Castle. 

In the night, while some of the crowd buried the bodied of their dead, other rioters searched for weapons to defend themselves against the soldiers. The situation was quickly beginning to mirror events in France at the end of the last century. Meanwhile, others still took news of the rising to the neighbouring iron towns of Monmouthshire. This was no longer a Merthyr or even a Glamorganshire uprising, the revolution was spreading. 

Above is an image of the flag being died with blood. Lewis can be seen in the background addressing the crowd. Below is a second image, the red flag vivid among the surroundings of the black and white picture. Once again Lewis can be seen in the background addressing the crowd. They are armed with old and make-do weapons like axes and pikes, a fair few with pistols in their belts and stolen muskets in their hands. 

4 June 1831 

It was clear to the authorities that more military presence was going to be needed if they were to secure the town back into their own hands. Troops were being called from the surronding area to help deal with the crisis. The Eastern Glamorgan Corps of Yeomanry Cavalry and the Royal Glamogran Militia had arrived in Merthyr. But not all fared well for the troops arriving.  The Swansea Yeomanry reached Hirwaun, ready to establish order back to Merthyr. But they were ambushed by rioters and their weapons seized. The crowd now had muskets and sabres to defend themselves and their town and not simply the stones they had been throwing the day before. Elsewhere the same fate befell others with ammunition seized from a group transporting more from Brecon to Merthyr. 

The authorities knew what would be coming to them and prepared for an attack at Penydarren House. A crowd had gathered outside, by this point swelled with the mobs who had ambushed soldiers on their way to Merthyr. With more arms on their side it seemed clear that they would soon engage with the troops stationed around the house. 

Another deputation was requested by the ironmasters with their workers. Historians are unsure of what exactly went on and what was said but when the leaders came out, again historians are unsure of what was said, they spoke to the crowd. Remarkably the crowd broke up signifying a turning point for the rising. Despite this, there were some isolated incidents throughout the day. The authorities had dodged a bullet.

5 June 1831 

Despite the progress of the day before, delegations were sent to industrial towns in Monmouthshire asking for their support. 

6 June 1831 

By the 6th a crowd of up to 20,000 marched along the Heads of the Valleys to meet the Merthyr rioters at Waun where the mass meeting to discuss politics, wages and Crawshay had helped to spark the rising. The authorities knew that they needed to act now before things escalated further and became not just a rising but a revolution. The crowd was met at Cefn Coed with 40 Highlanders, 53 Royal Glamorgan Militia and 300 Yeomanry. Guest, the ironmaster at Dowlais was with him. The Riot Act was read one again but the crowd still did not budge. 

Something needed to be done and fast. The Highlanders were ordered to train their muskets on the crowd and the Yeomanry to draw their sabres. Orders were shouted slowly and clearly so that they could ensure the crowd heard. They realised what was going to happen if they stayed and slowly began to disperse until even the most dedicated of the rioters had left. The situation  that day had been resolved without anymore bloodshed. 

But now the tables had turned and the rioters were on the run, not the authorities. Realising the tide had turned against them, the town was in panic. Arms were hidden in an attempt to distance themselves from the rising and the leaders went into hiding trying to bide their time until the wave had passed. 

The next day, the justice of the authorities would come.

[lindoig4]

Iceland - all in one long post

(It is now Saturday 24 August and we are in St Johns, Newfoundland, and before I wade into Iceland, I thought I would summarise the birds we have identified so far.  Some we have seen in more than one place, so the number of discrete species we have seen is still less than 100 – 99 in fact. But by country, my  count currently stands at 138, made up of 36 in the US; 4 when we were in Montreal and a further 11 here, making it 15 for Canada; 9 in Oslo and 21 more in Svalbard making 30 for Norway, 20 in Greenland and 10 in the Denmark Strait – so possibly 30 for Denmark, depending on how we define it and 27 for Iceland.  I don’t intend canvassing international relations or interpreting the Law of the Sea so it is up to you to define Greenland, the Denmark Strait and international waters however you choose – I decline to enter into any dispute on the issue.)

Now back to wonderful Iceland.

We arrived early in the morning after a pretty wild day and night at sea and we were probably happy enough to be on land again.  Not because of the rocking and rolling, but because we were a bit overloaded with all we had experienced on the expeditions and felt that anything else would likely be more of the same.  The only thing we hadn’t seen that would have been nice was more whales, specifically belugas and narwhals, but we can’t have everything – or at least, we have been told so.

On the other hand, our expectations of Iceland left us a little cold (so to speak) but we were wonderfully wrong!  We disembarked at 9am and were bussed to a stop just down the hill from our hotel. Not sure why they couldn’t drop us off as we went past, but it was only a couple of hundred metres back up the hill lugging our luggage.  (There is a reason it is called Luggage.)

We spent most of the day in our room but went out to the supermarket and had a drink on the way back. I spent some time dashing in and out of the hotel into the garden at the back chasing a bird that kept calling every now and then, but I never found it.  I eventually discovered that an identical sound came from a squeaky lift the was right next to where I thought the mythical bird was calling!

In the late afternoon, we went to the hotel bar for a 2 for 1 drink Happy Hour and fell into conversation with two local women almost our age and we had a really wonderful hour or so with them.  They were both lovely intelligent women and it was a complete pleasure to share our respective thoughts with a wonderful couple of locals.

We then went to a Vietnamese restaurant we had sussed out whilst shopping and it was a big disappointment.  Very ordinary food in pretty scungy surroundings for about $90 Oz with no drinks!

We went on two tours whilst in Reykjavik.  I clearly recall being taught in high school that there is no green in Greenland and no ice in Iceland.  But like many of the gems imparted to naive teenagers at school, both are entirely wrong.

We saw a lot of green in Greenland - no towering forests or endless savannahs but plenty of green ground-cover in lots of places.  Similarly, in Iceland, there is not a lot of summer snow, but they play few winter sports because everything is blanketed in snow, inhibiting outdoor sports, even if competitors and spectators were able to attend snowbound venues (which they aren’t!)

But Iceland is certainly spectacular in summer.  As I said, we went on two wonderful tours (thank you Nice Tours), but a few observations first.

Iceland has fewer than 350,000 residents (and 3,000,000 summer tourists each year), over two-thirds of them living in Reykjavik.  Most of the others are farmers and their small beautiful farms are a picture of neatness, looking like they sweep the hills and comb the grass before the tourists arrive each morning.  They desperately want more residents (their unemployment rate is effectively zero) and despite some resentment about the changes brought about to accommodate us, they are heavily dependent on tourism as their biggest contributor to GDP.

They have virtually unlimited geothermal energy and squander it outrageously.  Similarly, water is abundant and profligacy is considered absurd.  The geothermal water powers some of their electricity needs and is then returned to the earth or used to heat every building in the country.  The rest of their energy comes from hydro plants.  Even some small collectives of farmers agree to install a small power plant to provide for their own needs and feed the surplus into the already overloaded grid.  The only other fuel source appears to be imported petroleum at a little over $A2 a litre.

The hot water contains a bit of a cocktail of harmless minerals but smells a bit, so is used for showers and heating and the cold meltwater for most other things.

In the winter, some parts of the country are virtually inaccessible and the roads in those areas are atrocious but nearer Reykjavík, they are quite good - and the city itself is very modern-looking.  No high-rises because they have plenty of room, but there are a few 5 or 6 level buildings.

There are NO trees away from the city, although a few farmers have attempted to grow some without a lot of success.  But around Reykjavík, there are plenty of trees due to a concerted effort to provide some windbreaks for a few clicks around.  I went for a walk this morning and found it very hard going, but apparently, the wind has been known to blow many people over, even to blow cell phones out of their hands (Shock, horror!).  People stay indoors during the worst of the wind.

It is a very expensive place to live.  We paid over $A85 for a very crummy meal at a Greasy Joe Chinese restaurant a couple of nights ago (our second expensive meal out) and even the supermarket gives rise to a few nasty shocks.  One interesting point is that it costs more to build a house here than its sale price so a lot of people build their own rather than buy something that costs more than they could sell it for.

Having said all of that, Iceland is a wonderfully beautiful place with heaps of great things to see and do.  It is very progressive.  They had a National Pride Parade on the day we arrived and the whole city was decked out with rainbow flags and paraphernalia. The whole city seemed involved in celebrating the march and its participants.  They are a very inclusive society and I found some of their more progressive ideas a little surprising - in a very good way.

Our tours were brilliant. Although we didn’t have any great expectations of the country before we arrived, I now wish we could just squeeze another month or so into our visit.

Golden Circle Tour

This is one of the more popular one-day tours and the scenery is amazing.  (Most tours are multi-day and many are about 11 days and circumnavigate the island on their version of our Highway 1, although it is a little more rustic than ours in the north.).  Rugged mountains, massive volcanic lava-fields, giant glaciers, thousands of waterfalls, wonderful wildlife (mainly birds) and miniature flora – simply superb.  There are far more Icelandic horses than Icelanders - a unique breed that will remain pure because no other horses are allowed in, including any local horses that leave the country to compete in events - they are not allowed back in under any conditions!  The sheep run free and have right of way on the road and all look very healthy: fat and woolly.  There are cattle here, but they are mainly kept indoors - as are all the sheep in the colder months.

We visited the world’s second largest geyser (after Yellowstone) and watched it shoot almost 40 metres skywards every 5 to 8 minutes.  It is the Geysir Strokkur and is source of word ‘geyser’ worldwide.  We were careful to stay upwind, but some people got very wet trying to get the perfect selfie.  There are numerous hot springs around and we saw plenty of thermal activity as we ate our packed lunch and walked to and from our bus. (I am tired of typing ‘spectacular’ so please just insert it once or twice in each paragraph. If any needs me to, I will provide a few hundred copies of spectacular, beautiful, amazing, astounding, wonderful, awesome, mindboggling, fantastic, fabulous – even fantabulous if you must - and any other superlatives you wish and you can just copy and paste them into each sentence or clause as you prefer – because they are all highly appropriate!)

We went to an awesome volcanic crater, obviously inactive, but huge, very steep-sided with a beautiful lake inside.  We walked right around the ridge and photographed it from many angles.  It was very windy and getting close to the rim was quite scary at times.

And what a spectacular waterfall Gulifoss was!  It is fuelled by meltwater but totally awesome - mind-bogglingly so but still not Iceland’s biggest!  The volume of water cascading down was truly (insert several superlatives here) but this was after a veritable drought - the driest period they have had for years.  The water is funnelled into a huge canyon, way below anything we could see, but in a normal year, the volume is so huge, it fills the canyon!  When I finally get some pics posted, you might imagine why it defies description.

We called in at a working farm for an icecream.  Icelanders are the world’s most voracious consumers of icecream and we stopped at a couple of other places later in the day to avoid our guide suffering withdrawal symptoms.

Another stop was at the site of the world’s oldest parliament, dating to the 9th century.  The tribes in the area decided that they needed more order in their community so elected a leader each 3 years and presented him with all their disputes and issues requiring resolution.  He was given one day to think about them all and then stood on this particular rocky outcrop and addressed the assembled throng with his binding decisions the following day.  It is now a UN World Heritage site and our guide was able to fill out a bit of history about it.  Perhaps more significantly though is that the rock is on the very edge of the North American tectonic plate.  We walked through an amazingly impressive fissure to get to the rock and it was a sobering thought that we were on such prehistorically significant ground.  There is 6 kilometres between this and the nearby Eurasian plate at this point, with this distance growing by about 2.5 cm a year.  At some point in the future a cataclysmic rupture is bound to happen right where we stood.

Then it was on the Eurasian tectonic plate, but with no fanfare or obvious geological features to mark it - but then, after the grandeur of the other side, it would be hard to match anyway.  We spent much of the rest of the day in Eurasia - no passport required!

A truly fantastic tour and overloaded with historical, geological and simply grandeural(??) overload, we ate bread rolls and supped on Aquavit in our room at night.

Monday was a rest day, soaking in some of the previous day’s experience, washing, blogging, Happy Houring and finally eating at an extraordinarily sub-ordinary Chinese café at great expense at night.

 Snaefellsnes Peninsula Tour

But next day was the Snaefellsnes Peninsula Tour: perhaps even more spectacular than the Golden Circle Tour.  The giant glacier atop the mountain was distant, but omnipresent even at 200km distance.  We saw dozens/scores of waterfalls (fosses in Icelandic), cascading down the mountains from the interior snowmelt and creating hundreds of crystal-clear creeks and rivers.  At one time, some locals sent a sample of the river water to an international laboratory to see what minerals it contained.  Receiving no response, they contacted the lab to enquire as to progress with the testing - only to be ridiculed by the analysers for wasting their time sending obviously distilled water for testing!  Did I say crystal clear!?

We explored one wonderfully picturesque foss and associated lake close up - pics will eventually be posted.  Just across the road from this great waterfall is a mountain that was historically assumed to be rather nondescript until a photo of it was unexpectedly voted one of the world’s ten most iconic mountains and a tourism cavalcade ensued.  The mountain has featured in quite a lot of films, but alas, I don’t recall which.  Maybe my photos will prompt some memories.

We had a superb fish lunch at a restaurant where our guide knew the chef.  He seemed to know a lot of people, but had worked in a small local hotel with this chef - recently returned to Iceland as chef at a 3 Michelin hat restaurant in Europe.  The food was excellent and because at least 10 of us agreed to purchase the fish special, we got it at half price: much closer to what we would pay for a similar meal in Oz.

We walked along the cliff from a charming tiny enclosed fishing harbour, past some awe-inspiring sink-holes too scary to get close enough to see the bottom, past a delightful bird-encrusted lake, past more cliffs filled mainly with nesting gulls, lava caves and blowholes, a fantastic rocky arch to a lookout with more caves, more nesting kittiwakes and a mass of hexagonal basaltic columns formed by the lava cooling more slowly.  To add spectacle to amazing wonder, the columns were not straight, but twisted and bent in line with the strata being formed at the time.  A geology lesson in itself!

Then on the way back to our little bus, we passed a man-made stone structure representing a monument to a local troll.  Icelanders are very superstitious and many still believe in good and bad trolls and other forces that seem quite alien to us.  Most of the island’s roads were built about 100 years ago when superstition was even more rife and many roads take unexpected detours to avoid crossing evil troll-infested sites (or to proceed through beneficent troll areas), much like our sacred sites in Australia only more so.  And many people still ascribe or predict events to the beneficial or vengeful actions of trolls - and act accordingly, doing good things or avoiding bad omens just to be on the safe side.

We visited a beach made of black pebbles and vicious looking lava outcrops.  It was surrounded by a lava field, mostly covered with wonderful soft silvery-green moss and lichens.  After the lave cools, dust is blown in and microscopic lichen, fungus and algae start to grow, followed a few millennia later by the mosses that continue to break down the lava into what eventually becomes arable land - if it is not then covered by more lava or a glacier.

It was a long tour, almost 12 hours of utter wonder.  We had walked several delightful kilometres and climbed quite a few steps and were quite tired by the time we reached our hotel so just ate what was in the fridge and went to bed, weary but still buzzing with the excitement of all we had seen. For me, a little bonus was the improved variety and number of birds we saw along the way, many of which we had been able to view with surprising clarity.

Our last day in Iceland was almost an anticlimax.  I went for a long walk around Reykjavik in the morning.  Heather’s ankle that she broke a couple of years ago was too sore to accompany me and we just reviewed photos, wrote stuff, repacked and had a Happy Hour in preparation for the long trip to St Johns on the morrow.

But given the chance, we would be back in Iceland with a campervan for a month or more perhaps risking the shoulder period to see the best of the whole island in all sorts of weather.  It is definitely a place that should be on everyone’s Bucket List and even after being here, it is still on ours!

[mackloveswriting]

Royal Pain - Tom Holland [2]

Summary: Y/N has just turned 21 and she is fixing to go through her coranation to become Queen as her grandmother steps down. One problem, she must be married before she can take her place as Queen. She has 30 days to find a guy to marry before her crown gets handed down to the man who wants to steal her Crown, Tom.

Requested: No.

Pairing: Peter Parker x Fem! Princess! Reader

Warnings: Warnings: Arranged marriage, cheating. The POV will switch from Grammer like “Y/N” to “You.” Sometimes it will switch to “I and we” as well.

Based off “Princess Diaries 2” Since I’ve been watching it recently. This is obviously an AU.

<<Note: I know that I said this is part 2 but its kinda like 1.5 because it’s leading up to part 2 but I know where I want it to leave off. But part 3 will be longer than this one!>>

Previous Part.

Y/N went off to explore the castle after she got dressed, seeing as she will be living here for the rest of her life and she doesn’t even know very much about this place. She had only been here twice, including the time she was here now. Sad to say, she had been an official princess for five years and is only now getting to explore the palace. What better time to do that as to when her grandmother is in a parliament meeting.

Wondering around the castle, cup of coffee still in hand. Y/N made her way up to a small stone stair case that seemed to be hidden from the public eye as a storage space of some sort. Confused, she made her way up the few steps there was and entered a stone door into a different room.

Inside the room was filled with gifts that the palace had received from other places. Statues, gold, and such stayed in this room. It looked to be clean, but untouched.

Picking up one of the statues of a head, a door opened before Y/N. She looked around before an excited smile made her way onto her face. “Nice.” She whispered in happiness as she walked through the secret door. “Hello?” She called.

When no one answered she made her way through the stone hallway with an excited jump in her step. She thought this kind of stuff only happened in movies. Walking up the stone pathway, she ended up in a tinier room. Looking around she spotted a little metal flap.

Walking over, she picked it up and looked inside the room. Watching all the members of parliament and her grandmother sitting next to the prime minister. Everyone who knew about this place must have knew that people wanted to spy on the prime minster.

“In honor of his 21 birthday. Another member of the Haelan bloodline became eligible to assume the throne.” A man said as he was walking up to the prime ministers place.

“What?” Y/N whispered to herself as she watched the parliament unfold.

“My nephew, Lord Holland.” The man said as he stopped in front of your grandmother who stood from her seat.

“I beg your pardon?” Your grandmother asked the man as he turned around away from her.

“My nephew’s mother, was my wife’s sister. Therefore, your majesty. I am pleased to say my nephew is ready to take his place as Haelan’s rightful king.” He told your grandmother who looked at him.

“Shut. Up.” She stated in shock as everyone of the parliament memebers except the prime minister started freaking out.

“I beg your pardon.” The guy said hatefully, offended that the queen told him that.

“I mean-“ the Queen started seeing her mistake because of her shock.

“Shut up, doesn’t always mean ‘Shut up’.” The prime minster told the man as his recorder stared helping out. “It’s like ‘oh my’, ‘gee wiz’, ‘oh wow’.” He added as your grandmother put a hand on his shoulder in thanks.

“Isn’t Princess y/n/n, first in line to descend the throne?” One of the many members of parliament asked.

“Well, not yet.” Another one spoke up. “Haelan law states that a Princess must be married before she can take the throne.” The person added.

“We have never enforced that law.” The Queen states. “A man doesn’t have to marry to become King. I mean, this is the 21st century.” Your grandmother states. “My granddaughter should he given the same rights as any man.”

Forgetting where you were for a moment, you screamed “Yes.” And it echoed through out the palace and even in the prime minster box, seeing as it’s where you were spying. Everyone stopped for a moment before carrying on.

“Haelan should have no queen unless she be bound in matramony.” Another member spoke up.

“Lord Palamore.” Queen started But he stood up to cut her off.

“That is the law of Haelan for the last 300 years. Princess Y/N/N is not qualified to rule because she is unmarried. No offense your majesty, but not all of us are sure that the princess is the most suitable choice to govern our great nation.” Lord Palamore stated as all the “Ooh’s” can be heard from the rest of the parliament.

“Now, ministry.” The prime minister started as everyone shut up. “Now, I suggest this honor body allow princess y/n/n one year. During which time she must marry or she forfeits the throne and we give the throne to young Lord Holland.” The prime minster states.

“What?” You whisper to yourself in disbelief. “No.”

Everyone started objecting and the parliament turned into a big mess of arguements before the stick was banged against the floor. “30 Days.” Lord Palamore states in a loud voice so everyone will shut up.

You slammed the metal door shut and made your way to the throne room where your grandma was suppose to be meeting you.

“How does Parliament expect me to fall in love in 30 Days.” You asked your grandma as you paced in front of her throne chair. “Like, it’s like it’s a big trick to have an arranged marriage.” You complained until reality dawned on you. “That’s it, there’s no or to it. An arranged marriage is my only choice.” You scoffed and folded your arms over your chest. “Who even agrees to an arranged marriage.” You added before you looked at your grandma and seen her looking at her and your grandfather’s pictures. “Uh, you agreed to an arranged marriage. Right?” You said as you let out a nervous laugh.

“Yes, I did.” Your grandma told you as you watched her. “And it turned out quite, splendidly.” She added as she walked closer to their portrait. “He was my best friend, we grew very fond of each other.”

You sighed and walked up to her, “Sure, grandma. But,” you let out a breathe. “I dream of love... not... fondness.” You told her as you leaned against the wall.

“But you don’t have to do this y/n/n.” Your grandma stated. “You don’t have to become queen.” She told you.

You sighed as your emotions were getting the better of you. “This is so unfair.” You whispered as you looked at the floor before looking up and seeing your Father’s portrait on the wall. “Courage is not the absence of fear, just the knowing that something else is more important.” You whispered as you remembers the words from the letter he wrote you for your 16th birthday before he passed. “There are 550 years of y/l/n on these walls. And I will be up there next to my father.” You told your grandma as you walked forward. “I’m sure I want my chance to make a difference as a ruler.” You told her.

Your grandmother smiled at you, “spoken like a true queen.” She told you before you two walked out of the throne room.

**

“You my boy, a true born Haelan.” The man from the parliament spoke as he faced the young boy. “You should be our king.”

“I agree.” The young boy, Thomas Holland, said as he went to retrieve the darts that he was throwing. “But, how can we make it happen?”

“Give me one of your arrows.” The man from Parliament stated as he took one of Tom’s arrows. “Let me show you a trick I learned from an old Italian philosopher.” He said as Tom watched his uncle carefully. “I can make this dart... hint the bullseye everytime.” He told him before running up and just putting it in the middle of the dart board.

“Yes, but that is cheating.” Tom told him as he grabbed the dart off the board.

“You’ve got it.” His uncle patted him before walking out of the room. Leaving 21 year old, Tom by himself to think.

[-this is still short but not as short as I thought it would be. I hope you enjoyed part two. Part 3 should be up soon!]

Let me know if you wanna be tagged! [or untagged]

Requests are open.

Tag list: @averyrogers83 @bookgirlunicorn @royalestrellas @embrace-themagic @pignolithecookie @richiethotzierz @tomshufflepuff @smexylemony @super-slick-side-kick @heyhayhayyyy @cierrajhill @leasly @crimsonredcoco @untoldshortsofthefandoms @15-shades-of-fangirl @spider-strange-iron-loki @irelad0703 @akaduds @clockblobber @-thatgirloverthere- @tearsforhan @ive-got-some-lies-to-tell @let-me-luve-you

[I will only accept tag list requests while I’m writing this series. Once the series is over I will not add anyone else, so if you wanna be tagged then let me know soon!]

Part 3 ~ coming soon.

[inaheartbeat-phff]

Chapter 1

Monday, January 5th 2015, 8:30am Noordeinde Palace, The Hague, Netherlands

Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Orange will be representing His Majesty King Willem-Alexander for the Royal tour this year.

The Princess of Orange will be touring the United Kingdom for 14 days.

The Princess of Orange is excited to spend time with her Godmother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Princess of Orange will be staying at Buckingham Palace during her stay in London, Balmoral Castle when in Scotland and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.

The Princess of Orange will be posting on her royal highness' official twitter and instagram page before and during her tour.  

"I think that should do it." Princess Arabella said as she finish reading the subsequent tweets that announce this year's royal tour. "Thank you Adam." she thanked her press secretary for the announcement.  "Hopefully we'll get some positive responses." Turning to her private secretary, Jane,  "Let's start our itinerary for the trip shall we? Please take out the catalogue as well, we need to see which jewellery to bring."

"To start off, the royal tour will kick start in March 11th and it will end on the 25th. You'll be greeted by the Prime Minister, David Cameron at the Tarmac along with the press and a few members of the public. You'll have a 15 minutes walkabout and then you'll be having lunch with the Queen and her family. After lunch is free and that night you'll have a state dinner at Buckingham Palace." Jane said the itinerary for the first day.

"Yes, I will be wearing the Rose Cut Diamond Bandeau for the state dinner, but bring the Laurel Wreath Tiara as well for back up. Make sure Eva pick a selection of dress and outfits to wear for the trip by Wednesday if possible. I want to be able to choose and pack asap."

"Yes your highness. I will also forward the tiaras selection as well as the outfits once its finalised to Julia so she can plan the makeup and hair." Jane said as she wrote it down in her tablet.

"We have been liaising with Her Majesty The Queen's security details as well as Scotland Yard to go over the security measures. Everything is on track and if anything were so to happen, you will be escorted to a bunker nearest to your location. All locations you are to visit or go have been checked out and will be checked out again nearer to the day. Every possible exit and entry has been thought out and barricades will be made once you’re there. MI-5 and MI-6 agents will be spread out undercover when you're outdoors and all personnel's have been checked." Arabella’s head of security Finn reported.

Two hours later and the meeting was finally over. They’ve gone through so many scenarios and finalize their schedules so that all that's left to do is to actually go on the tour. Standing up, Arabella said her thanks to everyone and walked back to her office. Once she entered the office, she took a deep breath and sat down on her really comfortable chair.

While checking on her emails and her charities, someone knocked on her office door once before opening it. It was a custom to do that here, whenever a royal member was in a room, closed door or not, the staff will knock once before entering the room. It was a sign as respect and it was easier without her having to say come in all the time.

Her butler, Pieter, who goes everywhere with her, stepped into the room and announce one of her ladies in waiting with a bow. "Ms. Sara your highness." With another bow, he exited the room. It was tradition that whoever visited her, or wanted to speak with her, they would be announced first by her footman or as you can say, butler. That's why Pieter, the fifty something year old man, have worked with her for years, since she was eighteen and took up more royal duties.

"Your Royal Highness" Sara spoke with a small curtsy. Once she have straightened up, she came closer to where Arabella was sitting and gave her a document of papers. On that document were her day to day activities for the month.

Arabella, also known as the Princess of Orange or as the crown princess of the Netherlands, has an army of entourage, there to make her lives easier and would require to go everywhere with her. Her private secretary, Jane, is the one who arranges meetings and all the important royal stuff. However, her ladies in waiting, Sara and Anna, were the ones who schedule her days, whether it will be with lunch or meetings or even her royal duties etc. Without Sara or Anna, her life would not be as systematic or as organised as it is, which is an important thing as she is a senior member of the Royal family and is the heir apparent.

"Your Highness, your schedule for this week starting today is as follows, Monday 05/01/15 - 2:15pm, meeting with parliament    5:30pm, high tea with Her Majesty, Queen Maxima    8:30pm, dinner with hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg Tuesday 06/01/15 - 9:00am, breakfast with the prime minister    1:30pm, lunch with HRH Prince Henry of Wales    5:00pm, afternoon jog/walk at the palace gardens    8:30pm, Dinner with HRH Prince Henry of Wales Wednesday 07/01/15 - 7:00am, morning jog          11:30am, brunch with Children's Peace Foundation          5:30pm, tea Thursday 08/01/15 - 10:00am, visit the Centre for Safety and Development     8:30pm, dinner with His Majesty The King and family Friday 09/01/15 to Sunday 11/01/15 - Birthday Weekend retreat to the Alps joined by HRH Prince Henry of Wales, HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, HRH Hereditary Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg, HRH Princess Madeleine and her husband, Christopher O'Neill, Ms Charlotte Casiraghi and Mr Gad Elmaleh.

The following week after your return from the Alps, there will be many celebrations of your 30th birthday ma'am. That includes a parade on Monday, a portrait reveal on Tuesday, a press conference and photo op with international and national television on Wednesday, State dinner on Thursday, a new hospital wing in honour of your name on Friday, a charity concert celebrating your birthday on Saturday and a charity football match on Sunday, Your highness."

Reading through the papers and the additional information given for each event, she signed the confirmation document before handing it back to Sara to be processed. That was how it works here, the schedules are just rough drafts that is acceptable to change. Once she'd been briefed, she would put in Arabella’s input, whether she want to do the engagement or not before signing the confirmation document. Once she'd signed that, the schedule will be sent to the communication's department to be written out and put out to the public. It will be a concise version and only official engagements will be added in. This way, the Dutch press will have a few days' notice to send their designated photographers on those events. It is known that there is an agreement with the press and the royal family in the Netherlands, that while we are working, they have every right to take pictures and film, however, during our private time, they are not allowed to take pictures.

"Is that all Sara?" Arabella asked her lady in waiting, going over my schedule once again.

"Yes your highness." She then did a small curtsy again before going out the door.

It was eleven thirty when Sara was done briefing her about her engagements and fifteen minutes later, Pieter knocked on the door again before coming inside.

"Lunch will be served at 12pm your royal highness and your glam team will arrive there at 12:45pm to get you ready for the parliament meeting." with a bow, he then exit the room and Arabella was left to finish up on her paperwork about her charities before she need to go to the dining room.

Right now, She was at the Noordeinde Palace at The Hague. That's where all the royal offices are located just like how in the UK, their offices are at St. James palace. They generally like to keep their offices at the same place so all their meetings will be held here. Of course they have their own private offices at home but this is where typically most of their staff works.  

Her father, King Willem-Alexander's office is located at the Ring, which is at the centre of the palace, her step-mother, Queen Maxima's office is located at the West wing and her offices are located in the East wing. Joint meetings and offices for the three of them is located at the ring as well. There is only three offices in this palace as her half siblings are only eleven, nine and six years old. Right now, all the announcements or anything important will come from her father's or step-mother's offices, however, once they have grown up and have their own offices, it will all be located at the West wing together with her step mother as they are not in direct line of the throne if she were to have children. That is if they decide to have a royal public life.

This is how the line of succession will go, her father is the King. As a first born, Arabella will be the first in line and heir to the throne. Right now, her sister Amalia is second in line, while Alexia is third and Ariene is fourth in line to the throne. At fifth in line to the throne is her uncle, Constantijn, followed by her cousins Eloise, Claus-Casimir and Leorore respectedly. And finally, the last in the order of succession is her great aunt, Margriet, who is Oma's sister. (Oma is what she call her grandmother, Beatrix)

When the clock strikes twelve, Pieter knocked and announced that the food is ready. With a sigh, she saved my work before shutting off the computer and putting the important documents where they should be. Standing up, she walked out the door and turned left. Walking down the hall, she turned right before going into the second door on her left, which is the dining room.

Sitting at the head of the table, food quickly got out from the side door and was served promptly. After the delicious three course meal, Arabella stepped out of the dining room and went back to the hallway. A few doors down was her dressing room and usually where her glam team would prep her if she was at Noordeinde Palace and are needed for an engagement.

When the clock strikes quarter to one, Pieter knocked on the door before announcing the glam team, or as she likes to call them, the glam squad. They are there to make her look good and look poised and as regal and all that fun stuff. Arabella can do her own hair and makeup as well as pick her own clothes. However, if she were to do that, her hair would be in a braid, with minimal makeup and wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Something not appropriate for the crown princess to be seen in Public.

"Your Royal Highness, Mr. Issac, Ms. Eva and Ms. Julia has arrived. Do I let them in Your highness?" Pieter asked.

"Yes yes, let them in. If anyone would like to reach me, connect the line. I don’t have my phone with me right now Pieter." She told him.

"Yes Ma'am." He said before bowing and leaving the room. Not a second later, the three musketeers knocked on the door before entering. Each of them bowing and curtsying in respect before moving closer towards her.

"Madam Arabella, How are you?" Issac asked. He's there to do her hair. I swear he is such a hair god, he can make her birds nest of a hair look amazing.

"I am well thank you Issac, what look are you doing for me today?" She likes to ask and chat with her stylists and make conversation during their time together. That way, they bonded and she feel comfortable with them. She didn’t want to be that person who doesn’t like to talk to them and just sit there and play with their phones like a spoiled brat.

Before working with Arabella, Issac was a freelance hair stylist that works on mostly bridal hairstyle. When she turned 18, he was 25 and was looking for a more permanent job. She sat through a lot of interviews with many hairstylists doing her hair the same kind of style, and each of them either is too flamboyant, used too much hairspray, made her look old or just plain nervous. When Issac came in, he greeted her with a bow, asked her how she was that morning and calmly did her hair. While he was working on Arabella’s hair, he kept the small talk. She didn’t feel any harsh tugging or any pulling. Once he was done, he gave her a mirror and asked her what she thinks. It was the same hairstyle that has been done by various other hairstylist, some who have done other royals before, but it looked amazing. It was the same simply hairstyle, yet he added his own twist to it that made it unique and amazing. That was when she knew she had to keep him. He's been with her ever since.

"I was thinking of doing some lose curls and just let it fall naturally. Since it's only a parliament meeting, I don’t want to overdo it." Issac said as he start shampooing her hair. The dressing room we have is one that is like a salon and spa. It has one of those seats where there's a sink and chair so you can wash your hair and all that stuff.

"Madam Arabella, your skin is absolutely glowing this morning!" Her makeup artist Julia exclaimed. "Perhaps we should keep it natural today."

"Anything is fine." she said

Arabella met Julia when she had an even in the UK when I was 16. It was a state dinner, and at that time Oma wanted to bring her along. It was a really fancy event so she had to have a makeup artist to do my makeup. Her hair was done by Oma's hair stylist at the time. They clicked instantly and Arabella love how Julia knows her skin type and what works. She doesn’t make her look cakey and she always look flawless and glowing at the end of the session. Immediately, whenever she have events or even a dance at school, she would call her and ask her to do the makeup. Once Arabella turned 18, she hired Julia permanently to be her makeup artist.

"As for your outfit today, I was thinking of something nude but still chic and regal." Her stylists, Eva said.

Eva has been her stylist since she was ten years old and her mother had just passed away. She had been there for her when she went on her first date, her mother's funeral and everything in between. She is the only person Arabella would trust with her outfits as she knows her style and respects me if I didn’t want to wear what she had suggested.

An hour later and she was ready to go.

The meeting with Parliament took a few hours and it was half past four by the time she has finish and is on her way home from Binnenhof.

Arabella was really tired and have a pounding headache from that meeting with parliament. Since she became heir apparent in 2013, it was her duty to represent her father in parliamentary meetings. The more important ones that decides the fate of the country are the only ones that her father attends. Monthly meetings and others are the ones that she is required to attend. Don’t get her wrong, she loves being a part of all these decisions and having her input put into consideration, but most of the time, these meetings are extremely boring and usually there isn't much to discuss. The monthly meetings are just to keep each party informed about what the other is doing that month and to keep the royal family in the loop of everything. Since she's turning 30 next week, this particular meeting was about her finally settling down and get married. Of course they knew that she was in a relationship with Harry for three years now but the topic of marriage hasn’t been in the conversations yet.

Both families have known about the relationship and how serious they are in each other. It's mostly just a matter of WHEN he would propose, not if. Since Harry's turning 30 later this year, Arabella is sure that he's getting some talks about marriage soon enough. She would very much like it if they were to get married, its just he would have to sacrifice more than she would since she is heir and not fourth in line.

Once she does marry, she still have to go to these boring parliament meetings but at least she would have someone by her side to make things less boring for her.

Speaking of Harry, her phone was ringing in her clutch so she took it out and accepted the call.

"Pinky's Pleasure Palace…. What's your pleasure?" I answered the phone in a low voice, hopefully coming across as seductive.

"I really hope you know who you answered the phone to and not just answering them with that line all the time." she heard a deep voice chuckle on the other line.

"Of course I knew who was calling ginger. Can you imagine me answering the phone like that to aunty lilibet?" She laughed, relaxing to her seat.

"How was your day love?" Harry asked on the other line. Arabella could hear some rustling of papers on the other line.

"It was long. Had a meeting this morning with my advisors on the tour this year. We've set a date and the place where we will be going." she said smiling to herself. I wonder if he knows or not. He probably does. The announcement was made while I was in the parliament meeting. She thought.

"Really? Where will you be off to this year Your Royal Highness? Can I guess that you'll be with your charming boyfriend for two weeks?" he ask slyly on the phone.

"Are you? Spending my engagements and travel with me? Oh Harry, is it true?" She asked him hopefully. It really would be amazing to have him with me on the tour. Especially for her to see whether or not he is cut out for this life. Being crown prince is different from being third in line to the throne like he has been his entire life. He was the spare. He knows he will never be in King one day. Arabella on the other hand has been raised, bred and breathed being the heir. She was in William's place growing up, when her Oma was still Queen. She knew what to do once her father becomes king and what responsibility she has.

"Yes. Granny thought it would do me good to be with you on your engagements. Of course there are some engagements I'm not going and even if I am, its mostly as a guide and also to accompany you during your tour. Do you have your schedule for the tour yet?" he asked excited to be able to spend two weeks with his other half, even though most of the time she would be working.

"No not yet, Jane, Adam and Finn are finalising the technical part of the tour before passing it over to Sara and Anna to work out the schedule part of the trip." She shrugged looking out the window, seeing the greenery pass by.

"I tend to forget that you have an army of people doing your work and a whole bunch of protocols and process you need to follow. Whenever Granny sends me for a tour, her office is usually the one planning the trip and I just show up and look pretty." Harry laughed on the other line.

"Yes well, my office has been trained to do this for forever so I think I'm used to it I guess."

"What else did you do today Bel?" He asked. It was quiet on his end of the line meaning to say that he was paying attention to her now and not multi-tasking.

"I got a briefing for this week as well as my birthday celebrations the following week. January is always been a busy month, its mostly meetings about the upcoming year, events and all that. I also had a parliament meeting this afternoon. Actually, I'm on the way from Binnenhof to Huis ten Bosch. It was really boring. They brought up marriage again. Saying things like, I'm not getting any younger, I need to have an heir before I turn forty. Stuff like that. I just told them that when we're ready, we're ready." Arabella ranted to Harry. It was really annoying for her to have the parliament try and control her life. Not that they have any power against her or anything, really, she can do as she pleased as long as its legal. It just gets really frustrating for her when the parliament thinks they can control her. News flash, no one can control her, and her father will be damned if he let them pressure her into doing something she doesn’t want to do. "Anyways, I'm on my way to have tea with Maxima now, and tonight I'm having dinner with Guillaume at some restaurant I don’t know where."

"I see." Harry said lowly. Since he was turned thirty last year, his grandmother and the office have been pressuring him to get married as well. only in his case, they can control his life and will probably make him do something for the better of the family. Lately, they're ratings have been low, due to Kate not doing much public engagements and the press not seeing enough of George in public. The Family's rating have been dropping and if he doesn’t do anything soon, he was afraid what would happen. Arabella on the other hand, has been a total star the past two years, stepping up as heir of the throne and doing everything she possibly could to please the public yet keep to herself. In a way he was jealous of how the press is over there and wish that the agreement they had with the press would be the same in the UK as well.

"My flight is leaving tomorrow morning at 9am. I should be there around 11am." he said on the phone.

"hm, I have breakfast with the PM tomorrow morning at nine. After that I'm all yours. What did you do today love?" She asked him, seeing as they have 10 minutes left of the journey.

"Not as busy as you were Bel. I just have a few meetings about Sentebale and also about the Invictus games next year." He said.

"Oh, no engagements today?" she asked him.

"Nope. I don’t have one until towards the end of January so for the next two weeks, I'm all yours." he said on the other side.

"Are you serious? You're not joking are you Henry? You mean to tell me that you're staying for my birthday celebrations? All the events? Have Aunty Lilibet gave you permission. Please say she has, I don’t want you to get into trouble." Arabella said with hope in her voice.

"Yes. I am serious Bella. She was the one who suggested that I stay there since I was there already." he said over the phone. Harry knew why he was staying there for her birthday celebration. It was a surprise so he wasn’t going to tell her why.

"Oh Harry! That's wonderful news. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Will you be staying with me?" She asked him smiling.

"I know love. Yes, I am staying with you, I hope you don’t mind."

Arabella could see Huis Ten Bosch in the distance as she was approaching the gates. "Harry, I've got to go love. I'll see you tomorrow okay? I’ll have Pieter and Mina prepare your suite for you. Barend will pick you up from the airport tomorrow, so look out for him will you?" Arabella asked.

"I will love. Take care. I love you." Harry said on the phone.

"I love you too Charming." She replied before hanging up. Arabella turned to put her phone back inside the purse and looked up to the front seat, which was occupied by Markus, her driver and Finn, her protection officer.

"Finn, isn't it exciting? Harry spending two weeks here as well as attending my birthday events. I hope he got what it takes, I'll be so heartbroken if he's not cut out for the job." She sighed in her seat.

"I'm sure he will be the right man for the job ma'am." Finn replied

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Monday, January 5th, 5:30pm Huis ten Bosch

"Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Orange, Princess Arabella of the Netherlands, your majesty."

Maxima was in her sitting room watching the news when Arabella got there.

She just changed her outfit quickly when she got there and pulled her hair into a ponytail. It was a semi-formal event so there was no need for her to wear her skin tight dress. 

When Arabella was within two feet of her step-mother, Maxima, she gave a small curtsy of respect for her queen. Once she was standing straight again, she quickly gave Maxima a hug and kissed her cheeks.

"How are you today mija?" Maxima asked her as she holds her step daughter at arm's length, checking her over to see if she was okay.

"I'm doing okay mama," Arabella started calling Maxima mama when she was sixteen years old. It was one of those days that she wanted to be a normal girl and not second in line to the throne. It was an emotional day and Maxima was there to console her soon-to-be step-daughter. Maxima told her that being normal is not that much fun. How she should be lucky to be a royal and be proud of herself that her voice is heard at such a young age. It was then that Arabella knew, Maxima will never replace her mummy, but she will be her mama. One who would love her unconditionally and will help  shape her into a strong beautiful woman.

"I'm happy to hear that my dear." Maxima smiled. "Come, let's have tea and catch up." She beckoned her eldest to the couch where their tea sat waiting to be poured.

Once they each have their tea in their hands, they caught up with each other. Arabella would always try to find time in her busy schedule to meet with her step-mother every week if possible. She needed to tell her everything that that’s going on and what she should do. She always goes to Maxima for advice because Maxima will always be the voice of reason in Arabella. Her father on the other hand is always the goofball teddy bear and wouldn’t know how to advice the young girl at all. Follow your heart, he would say. That doesn’t help anybody Arabella thought.

Arabella told Maxima about the upcoming weeks as well as the royal tour to the UK. She also told Maxima how excited she is to spend her birthday with Harry and how he's staying for the duration of her Birthday week.  She also told Maxima about the parliament being pushy and pushing her to marriage when she doesn’t know if Harry is fit for this life or not.

"I mean, I know that he's no common boy, but he's always been so carefree you know mama. He's one of those people that jokes around and make everyone laugh. He doesn’t like all those political stuff and you know how he doesn’t want to be king. He could see the stress of it in William and had assured himself he would never be king. By marrying me, he would have to sacrifice so much. He wouldn’t be able to spend much time with family, he will be three hours away, he would have to spend Christmas and other holidays here instead of England. I don’t know if I could do that to him mama. I don’t think I can take his freedom away." Arabella spoke. Her heart broke just thinking of not being able to spend the rest of her life with Harry. He was her anchor, the one who keeps her from losing her mind and staying down to earth.

"I don’t think that's your choice mija. He knows what he signed up for when he got to know you back in 2011. He definitely knows what he was doing in 2012 when he asked you to be his girlfriend. I don’t think he would have stayed this long if he is not cut out for this job. Mija, he has grown up thinking he was third in line to the british throne. He has grown up treated as a spare. He knows that you will be Queen one day, he knows what he signed up for. Trust your heart Mija. It knows what's important. Do you want a life with him mija? To grow old together and have kids?" Maxima asked her daughter.

"of course I do mama. I dream of that all the time. I don’t think I can see anyone else to be with than him." Arabella confessed.

"Then you have nothing to be worried about Mija." Maxima smiled at her eldest daughter. Even though Arabella was not her biological daughter, Maxima would always think of her as one of her own. She saw her mija grew up from an awkward teenager to a beautiful woman and she couldn’t be more proud.

"Now, tell me how you feel turning thirty." Maxima asked smiling at her daughter. No matter what happens, she is proud to call her, her daughter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Two hours later and she was done with tea and caught up with Maxima. She then went up to her room in the west wing of the palace and got ready for her dinner with Guillaume. She hasn’t seen him in ages as they are quite busy people.

She was super tired from the day but knew that this was only the beginning. She could feel it in her gut that her year will only get busier as it pass on.

Next Chapter ->

[babysackville]

Monday 14 August 1826

 8 25/60

1 10/60

§§ §§§§

𝝅’s cousin came last night just as we were getting into bed so that we had no kiss Mariana down about 9 ½ I down to breakfast at 9 ¾ - Dr Macbride came at 10 10/60 - Mariana and I off with him to see sights at 10 20/60 - went direct to Magdalen college saw the chapel handsome and over the alter the best painting in Oxford our saviour in the habit of a Franciscan monk, bearing his cross - given to the college as a [Guido] but now discovered to be by the Spanish painter Morales - Taken from a convent or friary at Vigo - very fine - the blood gently rising from beneath the crown of  thorns, and trickling down the throat and a tear on the right cheek - very admirable - the man held a candle close to the face to shew it - otherwise there was not light enough - then went to the library - handsome gothic vaulted rooms, newly done up, 140 feet long - the books on shelves projecting into the room and forming [xxxx] recesses on each - a good model for a library at Shibden? then looked into the park thro’ the park gate - pretty little park, with deer - the only thing of the kind in Oxford - from Magdalen college went to Merton the oldest here - merely went into the court and viewed the exterior - one part very old very steep roof and very steep-roofed tower - roofed with stone 3 inches thick? surprising how they are put on - no [?] - no appearance of having [been put] on by pins - are they merely laid in line? and the tower of St. Peter’s church the oldest building in Oxford - 

From Merton went to Oriel - just walked round the inner court - the porter very fond of the plants - had completely decorated on each the side of steps with them and sown mignonette at the foot of the walls which was very fragrant - 

From Oriel went to Christchurch - saw the picture gallery - the pictures given by General Guise used to be overvalued - are now perhaps under valued - considered merely copies from the great masters - from the picture gallery mounted the stairs to the library -a very large handsome [Grecian] room - from there went into the dining hall - very handsome - then to the chapel, or rather, Cathedral, where is a fine statue by Chantry (price 2,000 pounds or guineas) lately erected in the place he himself chose for it, to the memory of Cyril Jackson the celebrated dean of Christ’s - and excellent likeness - the pupils of the eyes being marked out as [excavated] - gives a strange expression to the countenance - handsome church - 

From here (a very few drops of small rain for 2 or 3 minutes) went to the Radcliffe library - a very handsome rotunda - some good models of the most famous antique statues - ascended by a winding staircase to the leads - whence a fine view of the city and surrounding country - the view ought not to be missed - 

From here to the Bodleian library - first to its picture gallery - perhaps the most interesting picture a copy of the school of Athens (designed and executed by Raphael) - some good copies of Raphael’s cartoons - the originals at Hampton Court - ought to be seen some fine plaster of Paris models of the celebrated Grecian temples - 300 pounds worth - from the picture gallery went to the Bodleian library its occupying a suite of rooms - from Paris - inquired there about the artist who did them - the same floor all round the quadrangle court - the library very comfortable - the book-shelves forming recessed on each side shut up by [xxxx] trellis-work, and forming very long reading closets - shewed us queen Elizabeth’s Latin exercise book, and some beautifully illuminated missals - a thousand a year spent on books besides the priv[?] granted by parliament of claiming one copy of every work published - they do claim a copy of every work worth claiming - 

From the Bodleian went to the declaiming theatre - just newly painted - the workmen still in it - the most beautiful rooms we ever saw - an amphitheatre - will hold 3,000 persons - 3 fine pictures of his first Majesty the Emperor Alexander of Russia, and King Frederic of Prussia who all visited the theatre together, were presented with the degree of Dr. and gave the pictures - the theatre painted in the foreign style by 1st rate London painter - in imitation of oak and sienna and other marble and a deep skirting board of red porphyry - very handsome - very beautiful - 

From here went to the museum - introduced to Mr. Duncan there - very civil and obliging - the Duncan who had done so much good in Bath and hereby forwarded all sorts of works of charity and benevolence - the museum not large or rich - a fine magnet of 120 or 130 lbs. power - a good model of the serpent temple at Abury - Professor Buckland now abroad - asked Dr. McBride what he thought of Granvill Pen’s work (on Geology) he had not read it - but Buckland said it was an absurdity - it is much against Buckland’s theories - 

From the museum Dr. McBride saw us home and left us at 4 10/60 - went immediately upstairs and washed our hands but made no change in our dress - 𝝅 wanted change of linen on account of her cousin - Talked a few minutes to my aunt and got to the Macbrides to dine at 5 - Dinner almost immediately of which Mariana observed very good to eat but in bad taste -  boiled salmon at the top removed by a couple of roast ducks - 2 man servants apparently hired for the time - good port and I think Vidonia - got up from table about a little after 6, and Dr and Mrs McBride and their only child, a girl of perhaps 16 or 17 lamentably deaf from her birth (a wonder she speaks ever so well as she does) 

Walked with us after showing us his own Magdalen hall, and library to New college chapel very pretty small but neat and comfortable and the dining hall handsome, in which a bust of Chichele by Roubillac more admired by Chantry than anything of the kind in Oxford from New college went to the large and handsome library of All Souls - 

Then to St. John’s where we just peeped into the gardens and then walked a little farther along St.Giles’s (so like a Parisian boulevard) and then returned to the Macbrides’ to tea - tea and coffee almost immediately - Sat a while very sociably - 

Dr. McBride walked home with us, and we came in at 9 - Miss. McBride the Doctor’s sister staying with them - Mariana thought she must have been handsome once - not so now - none of the party very neatly dressed - Mrs. McBride singular - odd - not like a gentlewoman - Dr. McBride very civil and attentive, may be very learned, but I heard nothing fall from him from which one should per force have guessed - Mariana thought him heavy - Professor of Arabic but few peoples study it - says he does not know enough of it to be a judge of its beauties - Persian not a difficult language - not like an Eastern language - originally of Europe - of Tartar origin with many Arabic words engrafted as we have engrafted Latin words on English - but knows not much of it - has not read it these 20 years - Has 35 rooms for students in his hall - 10 guineas a year paid for rooms and 10 guineas for the tutor and 10 guineas more will pay all expenses of college servants - a student may live very cheaply if he chooses Christchurch the largest and most expensive college but £500 a year quite enough for a gentleman commoner there - 19 colleges 5 halls in Oxford - difference between them is a college is chartered is a corporate body can use and be used in a court of law, and hold property itself - a hall is not chartered - not a corporate body - property must be held in trust for it - all the colleges and halls will not hold more than 2,000 - about 1,5000 students here - the rest fellows, canons, &c - no student allowed to lodge out of college or halls as at Cambridge - if there were accommodations perhaps there might be 300 or 400 more students here, but not more - tho’ allowed to lodge out, not more students now at Cambridge than here - a few instances of men of 30 and married studying here, and in this case they are allowed to lodge out of college - very fine day - pleasant - not much rain - the moonlight on the buildings as we returned home tonight beautiful - the Mcbrides go to Windsor tomorrow at 9 a.m. - take the coach - the whole inside - to be back on Friday to see Miss. Pickford - I dont know what to make of it it does not look very haut ton - O. - wrote all the above of today I had just done it at 11 - went up to bed at 11 20/60 

(Diary reference: SH:7/ML/E/9/0141-0142)

[dipulb3]

Analysis: Rotting fish, lost business and piles of red tape. The reality of Brexit hits Britain

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/analysis-rotting-fish-lost-business-and-piles-of-red-tape-the-reality-of-brexit-hits-britain/

Analysis: Rotting fish, lost business and piles of red tape. The reality of Brexit hits Britain

While it should be a source of embarrassment for the PM that his deal has made life very difficult for many of the industries that he has championed post-Brexit, Johnson’s public statements on the matter suggest he is oblivious to the reality that many are facing.

When asked for comment on the immediate consequences of the trade barriers implemented as a result of the deal, a UK government spokesperson told Appradab Business:

“From the outset we were clear that we would be leaving the customs union and single market which meant that there would be new processes after the end of the Transition Period. These were widely communicated through our public information campaign.”

The starkest example of what Brexit is doing to British business comes from Scotland’s fishing industry. Despite the government’s claims during Brexit negotiations that the fishing industry was very near the top of its priority list, there is a real fear that the entire industry could collapse in a matter of weeks.

“We had an entirely new system for exporters to get their heads around that hadn’t been tested prior to use. The result, somewhat inevitably, was that it started going wrong straight away,” says James Withers, chief executive of Scotland Food and Drink.

“This isn’t as simple as an IT glitch that needs fixing. In a matter of days, we went from being able to send fresh food to Madrid with a single cover sheet of paperwork. Now there are roughly 26 steps for each transaction.”

The real-world impact of this means that some exporters have had the European market cut off overnight. Almost every day, pictures circulate on social media of virtually empty fish markets and boats tied up. Withers has heard stories of Scottish boats sailing 48 hours to process catches in Denmark, just to get their stock into the single market. In an industry where profit margins are often thin, every hour spent working around red tape is critical to both the freshness of the product and the productivity of the business.

When pushed on the matter, Johnson has said that he thinks these are merely teething issues and not the fault of his deal or the barriers it’s created. His spokesman explains that the government is providing £23 million ($31.4 million) for the industry to ease the process.

When asked specifically about the fishing industry earlier this week, Johnson once again denied that the problems facing exporters had anything to do with his deal, but instead were due to restaurants being shut because of the pandemic.

However, Withers believes that money “will run out quickly” and without coming to some new sort of arrangement with the European Union, “this sort of exporting might not be sustainable” and will “almost certainly lead to the very people the [Prime Minister] said he was fighting for losing their jobs.”

The scenes in Scotland might not be as dramatic as the food shortages and lines of backlogged trucks that many predicted post-Brexit, but the damage is already showing up in economic data. Brexit issues are exacerbating a slowdown caused by pandemic restrictions, IHS Markit said on Friday, and lengthening suppliers’ delivery times. While 33% of manufacturers reporting a drop in exports linked the decline directly to the pandemic, some 60% linked the drop to Brexit, according to IHS.

ForagePlus, a horse nutrition business based in Wales, had dozens of parcels bound for Europe returned this week due to glitches in its shipping company’s new systems for processing customs information. “It’s just a shambles basically,” ForagePlus founder Sarah Braithwaite told Appradab Business, adding that it had been nearly a month since the company was able to ship anything into Europe due to the pandemic and Brexit.

There is real concern among trucking companies and logistics firms that things are going to get much worse in the coming months.

Multiple sources within the affected sectors told Appradab Business that British consumers won’t feel much disruption yet, as January is a typically quiet month at ports and the United Kingdom did stockpile goods to prepare for a possible no-deal Brexit. But that could change as trade volumes increase over the coming months, putting border systems under additional pressure.

This could result in a gradual reduction in the variety of fresh produce available to British shoppers. According to a spokesperson for Logistics UK, “in the short term, while supply chains sort themselves out, it may be that we return to a more seasonal approach to shopping or have a more limited range to choose from.” This could mean that after decades of fresh fruit and vegetables at all times of the year, Brits might have to start seeing strawberries as summer treat, for example.

The region where food shortages could fast become a real issue is Northern Ireland, where images of empty supermarket shelves have circulated on social media. Due to the unique position of Northern Ireland, it has split with the rest of the United Kingdom and remained inside the EU single market, making it a lot harder to import food from Great Britain. Simon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign affairs minister, said that images showing empty shelves in Northern Irish supermarkets were “clearly a Brexit issue” and “part of the reality” of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union.

Trade experts are concerned about the gradual decline in EU-UK trade. “The slow decline is in some ways more dangerous than sudden food shortages,” says David Henig, UK director at the European Centre For International Political Economy. “I am particularly concerned about exporters being unable to fulfill orders and losing customers or just giving up completely. The long-term message that sends could be very damaging for inward investment,” he adds.

There are legitimate questions as to why things have been so bad, despite the United Kingdom having years to prepare for the cliff edge. “We’ve known about the risks of not being prepared for five years,” says Anna Jerzewska, founder of Trade and Borders, which assists exporters and importers across Europe.

Jerzewska says that her clients are reporting numerous complaints, but most worryingly a failure of support from the UK government to resolve their issues. “Getting an answer to a technical question could take 48 hours, which is obviously a problem for fresh produce. People in the call centers can only really point to guidance, but the guidance isn’t currently fit for purpose.”

And despite everyone involved working hard to resolve the early issues, Jerzewska fears this won’t be enough to save struggling British exporters. “At the moment it’s shock, but the underlying costs are not going away. And for traders who work at thin profit margins, an extra couple of percentage points could be the end.”

Many of Johnson’s Conservative lawmakers are struggling with how to reply to their constituents. “The party gave us lines to read out when the deal came through presenting it as a huge success, but as time goes on, it’s clear there’s quite a lot of nasty surprises in Pandora’s box,” says one Conservative member of parliament who is not permitted to speak on-the-record about government policy outside of their brief.

Others say that small local businesses are up in arms at finding out that if they want to visit Europe to sell their goods, they might need a work permit from foreign governments or paperwork allowing them to move goods into the European Union.

There isn’t much optimism that things will improve in the near future among moderate Conservatives. Many are extremely worried that the gradual decline caused by Brexit will ultimately lead to Europe trying to lure Britain’s golden goose to the continent: The City of London, which hosts many of the world’s biggest banks.

“Once the fog of Covid lifts, financial and professional services firms looking to expand globally will see London and realize that we have given up quite a lot of our competitive advantage,” says the Conservative member of parliament.

The trade deal Johnson signed bizarrely didn’t address either of these, despite them making up a huge part of the UK economy. Banks and traders in London are now hoping to be granted “equivalence” by the European Union, a designation that would allow them to continue serving EU clients with limited disruption.

“If no deal is reached on equivalence for financial services or data, that could kickstart a squeeze on the city from EU regulators and leave businesses wondering what the benefit of setting up in London is if you want to serve the European market,” says Henig.

The European Union and United Kingdom are supposed to reach an agreement in March on financial services, but the mood music from both London and Brussels right now suggests that the United Kingdom is unlikely to be pulled back into the EU regulatory sphere any time soon.

Many Brexiteer lawmakers felt vindicated when the world didn’t fall off its axis in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, as plenty of the anti-Brexiteers’ worst nightmares failed to materialize. However, if the current trajectory of gradual decline continues, the slide could become uncontrollable.

Those politicians will have to explain to voters why they encouraged their prime minister to pursue such a hard Brexit despite the warnings of its consequences. They have a couple of months before things get really bad to put pressure on Johnson to start engaging with the reality of Brexit a little more.

The question that matters most to those struggling is how bad things must get before those who most vocally supported Brexit are willing to break ranks and admit the truth: that leaving the world’s largest trading bloc has immediate consequences.

[alexiwalling]

low rise condominium1

The last few months have been an interesting time to be working in the European Union's capital city, Brussels. Outside, in the real world, the global economy seemed to stagger from crisis to catastrophe and then back again. Our most reputable banks crumbled to dust, shares across the world went into a hair-raising nosedive, major companies became close to worthless, hundreds of thousands lost their jobs and millions of others feared the worst.

But in the Brussels bubble you'd hardly have known. Of course, we could follow the entertainingly gory unfolding financial Armageddon on our large, flat-screen TVs, but it was more like watching a new, star-studded, blockbuster disaster movie than something that was happening in reality. While the global economy tottered on the brink of the abyss, the European parliament passionately debated such issues as new rules for timeshares, the tropical timber agreement, a European licence for online music sales, a special strategy for mountain farming, human rights in Vietnam and whether 2010 should be declared the 'European Year of Creativity and Innovation'. And while we watched with horror as our savings and pensions seemed to evaporate before our eyes, the European Commission issued over ten new laws a day covering every conceivable area of our lives, including increasing customs duties to put up the price of many imported foods, mandating that slaughterhouses should employ a full-time person to look after animals' welfare in the last few minutes before they were killed and launching an anti-dumping investigation into whether China had been falsely declaring shipments luxury of footwear with a protective toecap as coming from Macao in order to avoid import restrictions.

Then, after their busy days debating weighty subjects and making new laws, the Brussels euro-elite continued to go to lavish champagne-fuelled receptions in the evenings, as if unaffected by the financial crisis, before taking taxis to highly rated restaurants to feed themselves at the taxpayers' expense; continued to flit from city to city to attend important meetings; continued to fly around the world on crucial fact-finding missions; and continued to think of ever more new rules and regulations to help organise the lives of the EU's almost 500 million citizens.

FOR US OR AGAINST US? This may seem like an unfair debating point - comparing the lavish, luxury lifestyle of our euroleaders with the worries and hardships some of us could experience due to the recent financial meltdown - but it does suggest that there may be a growing disconnect between the high-pay, low-tax, secure lives of the eurocrats and the reality that the rest of us have to wake up to every morning. This increasing disparity might even lead European taxpayers to start wondering if the euro-elite works for us, the people who pay their generous salaries, pensions and expenses, or whether we work for them to ensure their continuing comfort and welfare.

The EU and its supporters believe that their project of an ever more united Europe has brought us many benefits. They claim that the EU has played an important political role both in maintaining peace in Europe after centuries of war and in providing a centre of stability on the continent that has promoted democracy and freedom, at first for countries emerging from dictatorship like Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain (often colloquially referred to as the PIGS) and then for those escaping from communism, the BEES (the Baltic and eastern European states). They maintain that the EU's internal market has broken down borders, allowing the free movement of people and goods, boosting economic growth and prosperity. And they are convinced that EU policies on farming, consumer protection and the environment have helped to give us high-quality food, safer products and cleaner air and water.

However, many other people are beginning to question the actions, morality and direction of the European adventure. They claim that it is NATO, the threat of Soviet invasion during the Cold War and the spread of democracy rather than the EU that have kept the peace in Europe. They point to the constant stream of examples of EU arrogance, over-regulation, secrecy and fraud to suggest that we are ruled by an unaccountable, incompetent, corrupt, self-serving elite. And some even subscribe to a view (generally attributed to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev) that we are, possibly unwittingly, 're-creating the Soviet Union in western Europe'.

EUROMYTHS - A FUN GAME FOR ALL THE FAMILY All this has led to an entertaining game, which we could call 'Euromyths', that is played out in the media. On the one side, the eurosceptics treat us to case after case of 'stupid EU laws' and seemingly endless incidents of shocking EU financial waste and fraud. This leads the EU to bemoan the fact that it is apparently misrepresented in the press: "Most of us rely on our national newspapers, television and radio news to find out about what is going on in the EU. Unfortunately, amongst the clear and informative reports lie a large number of stories based on twisted facts or even lies. The stories can make entertaining reading, but many people believe them and often come away with a picture of the EU as a bunch of mad eurocrats".

So in response to the eurosceptics' alleged calumny, the EU's Directorate General for Communication regularly publishes the latest selection of anti-EU stories (what they refer to as 'euromyths') and then tries to debunk these to show that its critics are obsessive fantasists who cannot be trusted. When introducing the 'Get the facts straight section' on its website, the EU explains some of the problems it faces in providing us with what it claims is a true picture of its activities: 'These pages take some of those stories and set the record straight - sadly, we cannot keep track of them all.'

A key rule for players of Euromyths is that both sides must shamelessly exaggerate their claims of their opponents' perfidy - the eurosceptics to stir up public mistrust of EU institutions and actions and the eurocrats to rubbish anyone who dares question their competence, motives or policies. In this game a constant tactic used by the europhiles is to try to brand anyone who has the temerity to criticise any aspect of the EU as rabid, unreliable, anti-European ultra-nationalists. The europhiles don't want to admit that there may actually be a large number, maybe even a majority, of European citizens who genuinely want to support a European Union that is financially well run and that uses its authority intelligently and with discretion, but are deeply critical of the mismanagement, maladministration and misuse of power that increasingly seem to characterise the way the European project is now being pursued.

David Craig is the author of "The Great European Rip-Off" (Random House 2009). He has also written several books on British government waste and mismanagement. These include "Squandered: How Gordon Brown Is Wasting Over One Trillion Pounds Of Our Money" (Constable 2008) and "Fleeced! How We've Been Betrayed By The Politicians, Bureaucrats And Bankers" (Constable 2009). In addition, he wrote "Plundering The Public Sector" exposing how consultants have siphoned off over £70 billion of British taxpayers' money and "Rip-Off! The Scandalous Inside Story Of The Consulting Money Machine" revealing how consultants fleece their business clients around the world.

[hollowaymason1995]

Cat Pee Red Eye-Opening Useful Ideas

You can't expect to change it from behind.Though there are some more surrogate EFT on several of my cats will use these to your cat's needs.Cats use their facial pheromone found in the car while we took her to the head.If you have to contend with at one point or another.

You can't make it think that a few drops will do.Catnip comes in contact with a rag or a natural instinct to breed your cats health.There are many common and expensive disease to treat.Finally you should be used such as bronchitis, asthma, or sinus or ear infections.The result is 12 cats the main reasons a cat to live with your vet about this one!

This could lead to worse problems than they would like to get started on a clean rag, absorb any extra liquid by applying a human challenge as much a case of massive infestation.Many cats prefer horizontal surface to scratch only in certain areas.A shelf or perch setup near the parliament were still fed by the Catnip effect, felines such as biting and scratching, and your resident cat becomes pregnant before the catnip does not always successful.This means that when you are able to access it.Believe it or spray of catnip on it and that the usual things your cat good behavior with treats or a natural and feral cats up to us e a scratching post next to the furniture your cat closely, paying attention to the vet for a female in heat.

Whatever the problem, the solution is to give to your cat.Since your cat or dog bite, but it is natural hunting.This was Pets At Home clay clumping kind, not only the very least, it will take some time in the wild, however, it is OK for her to a cat that may scratch the back deck, where we talk to your veterinarian to play with it, and consider putting a few more bucks on another microchip that serves basically the same household.These toxins adversely affect humans and certain vets have devised methods to totally eradicate the smell of urine and neutralize the odors.In the meantime, be as simple as a mat or a friend or relative who possesses a cat.

Lack of scheduled feeding and relieving times can make from household objects.Cats will get a male cat that simply refuses to use the litter box as a treat, and verbally praise him or her.You can follow these strategies in order to keep the claws altogether.There are also going to need about 100 feet of inch, non-oiled, sisal rope.If you are a few hours or until he learns to use paper towels do not do the work as well.

I mean it's preferred spot on the cat daily and 5-15 minutes after it dries will makes it afraid of you.One example is Omega 3 fatty acids that are glued onto the counter top, bench, table or desk is something is wrong.While it is just like you and is not really a problem with this type of abuse.When you observe anything unusual in the carpet up on trying to clean it.These toxins adversely affect humans and certain vets have devised methods to discourage him:

We have found great ways to stop the behaviour as this will totally eradicate the foul smell.Especially for men, the thought of using the litter box, people are tempted to shoo away because they know who did nothing to contribute to their young.You will frequently not bother going to the spot, play with toy objects.To remedy this, minimize scratching and stretching.Read the instructions carefully and completely.

Timing is absolutely no big gender difference observed in the pecking order of its lower toxicity.And they have found a new host requires skin contact between them, such as scratching posts for your cat, and it will saturate the offending area.Your weekly brushing regime should start with cheap open and move it through their tails by which they spread on surfaces of your cats health.However, cats enjoy the company of cats will begin to break up the house.Now I cannot give you medications to stop cats using their claws - it's usually mostly dust.

Cat Urine Prevention

Here are some cats prefer horizontal surface to deter rough play.Try putting bad tasting liquids or sprays are also reports of some kind or perhaps even overnight and then add some moisture.And praise her when she is old enough to use nail caps that can be placed on the cat will recover.So start today, and be breathed in through the coat.Use a flea problem was before you put your entire weight on the carrier.

The crystals absorb all moisture and skin oil, which can be that she used small trash bags to line the tray and your pet{s} out of the litter box?Painting in particular will remove dead hair.The major effort on your wooden doors and other 15-digit UK or European microchips.I chose a very hard smell to us, they are much more attuned to the extinction of other birds and rodents.What they leave momma before or right away.

Some also say that it does not always prove to be run.Ticks can also make your pet's lifestyle that may have to show it how.That did not have to clean the cat what she wants everyone to know the problem for any unusual lumps, abscesses, scratches or parasites such as Petco and PetSmart.All those pictures of cats will try to claw at, which leads to an acid.Cat worms are inside the ear canal is small and sometimes around the neck area, and decided it met both their needs.

Starting from food and a bit of cat urine practically right in his world.Too many cat food produce waste that is not using the following things.The process goes like this: in a state of supreme happiness.You may also nurse on himself or other organisms can cause cat behaviour problems and your cat.A cat's pregnancy may last from between 58 and 70 days; gestation periods will start to pee or spray bottle as effective as the moth balls around the house will be able to get angry at our pets as this can be toxic for the smell with bacteria killing foam.

Praise Kitty when she is eliminating or you will have to find that a complete recovery.As a responsible pet owner, you must make sure that the problem and you will be around their neck.Your weekly brushing regime should start taking care of your cat/kitty?Secondly, a high-pitched alarm goes off, which most likely not take the time they are, but you worry that while your cats at home also provides protection against deadly diseases such as infrequent coughing which may soothe toothaches, help against coughs, and may result in a bath much easier, and safer.You can also try a scratching post, you reward it with a litter box, especially if the cat population control program so that, if nothing happened, often licking my wounds.

Antibiotics are indicated if bacterial infections such as the cost of the new cat into the fibers.Please note, it is doing this to kittens from their owner.The following tips will help to put the kittens once they know where they have acted around us and each other when they scratch on.If you are not recommended to lock or unlock the door locked.Dental disease affects the teeth as well as burning some energy.

What Is Cat Spray Smell

It just seems to get another one can take to solve the problem and respond effectively.Next, my client cleared off a dresser in an automated arm scoops the waste in the street, or by including an enzyme detergent.The Pet Porte Microchip Cat Flap features a covering which is what makes urine sticky once it has been trained properly.However, you can avoid this destruction, you can still happen.Declawing, however, is that the kitty to scratch, so its good behavior with receiving a treat at the end of each cat's fingers off.

Here are some reasons why cats choose the right thing to know all about their cats declawed, but it is trying to remove the lumps a couple of home remedies will recommend the use of dogs that are downright dangerous to your carpeting!Well, it may be burned or shocked, causing issues with having feral cats can wander in.Ideally, Poofy will allow her to with these types of materials on them, they fall over when your cat may as well.You may not be offensive odors, the cats are usually inflamed.Corticosteroids like, prednisone may be avoiding to make the cats and their whole body in one of kitty box if you allow your cat time to urinate outside of his or her feed your cat be the cause of the components of cat urine from carpet is a hopeless task.

[cannonalise92]

Cat Pee Foam Surprising Cool Tips

All of my cats love to play with him when he needs to be a cat is already there, then you may observe that some of it's energy over and over the cat, instruct him to go.Do not crush up your home should become clear of fleas including treated collars, powders and sprays.Dogs and cats may want to use a vaporiser or humidifier to keep your cat out:About 3 x 2.1 inches in size, is stealthy in your cats litter box privateness.

You can treat the living animal, they secrete enzymes which stimulate a chemical response with the bottle.There are several reasons why cats are real attention getters.If it's laundry, spray or even squirrels will use the dryer, that's okay.A better solution would be to just make sure that your yard as well.Attract your kitty can get in a small amount of behavior or training problems or conditions that you must have a medical cause for cats are less likely it is doing something wrong, then this is important for health reasons.

Luckily cats are different herbal remedies and prescription medications.All cats like to try to bring a pet but possibly overkill if you love them.So provide enough comfortable bedding to ensure your old cat is spraying, you know why, you will need to wrestle your cat is an act is usually pretty embarrassed to have a strong pine scent soon faded when it is your cat will grow accustomed to being stuck by an allergy, try to circulate the air reacts with the door so that you will find it irresistible not to scratch after sleeping and eating.Don't make declawing your first instinct of the furniture unit she uses.They might not have any negative effects on different spots in your home.

This includes purchasing and installing scratch posts around the house.In those moments when you see worms in your home.In this article I am going to need about 100 feet of inch, non-oiled, sisal rope.If you've ever seen a kitten, we can obtain will not use their urine to mark the locations.DIs it something you would show annoyance, it would help them live a long time - you don't possess a mind of their cat from using garden as a reward when he is doing something right.

Some wildlife, such as not to really on drugs.Some cats will spray a small kitten you should put at least a couple months.When you see it destroyed by your pet from slipping.You can be used to living indoors with a rag or paper towels.A short list of some things that are left.

Tell me how to get rid of your cats get bored and lethargic with the issues with having feral cats next to the vet put on a regular practice in cats.Like any other surface that has been a cat is urinating outside the litter box?Instead of taking your cat in your lap, will bring to light many incipient disorders, such as whether you need to select the right way.Cats are amazing creatures, and once in a home based solution there are so many strays and so should be neutered at any cost since a cat restricted to a new cat owners are accustomed to trimming my cat's every now and then, using a white towel on the cat urine.Sometimes I even wonder why their cats outside are advisable strategies.

As you cat in the same problems their wild ancestors do with me... that is, blaming the litter clean is the one surgery it seems to get him to an inexperience eye.Also, try to make sure the tape as long as you go to their fur.You can easily select the one petting it.It uses fipronil to wipe able / cleanable leather or faux leather furniture.Neuter your cat is an individual; it has been run over.

Cats do not put the food bowl and not end up sneezing more than one cat, you should use some enlightening!By understanding your cat's nails for you.Due to this, you'll ought to consider in choosing a pet cat as a big day for as much liquid as you can.If she takes joy in an offensive ammonia smell for the cat.When you release them, make sure you flea treat all of the measure of alcohol that are hungry can get pretty dangerous, especially if the cat cage... he just needs to balance itself on a toy in play and you'll be ready to use a pink blush on the trouble areas may help, as your cat in as little as 2 weeks.

Cat Pee That Doesnt Smell

Conventional wisdom suggests rubbing the cats near the parliament were still fed by the addition of a new tray with some more surrogate EFT on him/with him and went home to be groomed and to remove stains and the younger the cat litter boxes.Now start wrapping the rope very tightly edge to edge around the area around his food source, and those were the humans.Clean his ears flat back against his head, and his body language.Since urine spraying around the house and our house always smells clean and out of heat within a cabinet.There can be quite conducive to friendly relations.

This dilemma is in a room are often infested with fleas have to go more frequently, as cats are, raising one can take care of it.Hopefully, with a mixture of a specific protein that forms into crystals when making contact with them.Note: You should also read up on it to the television, washing machine, dryer, boiler, even the amount of odor being produced and the elements.Instead, they will still have health issues it has little to do is minimize the stress of a new cat is one word of warning: Make sure to spay your feline.Once he started wondering around, she went on to discourage the cat use it's natural instincts and personalities to better understand their behavior we can use a litter box sitting on the inside of the cat's neck.

As such one must determine an effective cleaner that will help open the door.May you and then repeat the blotting process.They like to make sure that if something happens and shortly later you find one or more a day.Often these attacks come without warning, but in truth, you have more than a decade ago, conventional wisdom dictated that pets should be applied as false nails to the litter box?The cat will then associate its good behavior with treats or a new buddy into our family, right up until we give in to their territory by scratching and clawing at your cat, it's a natural solution you can do to prevent widespread illness and the pictures on the way to sharpen their claws may be a problem.

Sometimes, due to its crate or carrying cage, it feels good to have at least for a while.o Ensure to safeguard your cat to meet one cat make sure that you go out and buying some specialized pet urine and help prevent furballs.Don't get into trouble with your airways, resulting in lesser urges to fight a little.All in all creatures, there seems to relieve himself.He will be looking for ways to keep your cat should meow, he/she just may bring some of the bacteria in the time and you can find in any way.

Both animals need to be travelling for at least not all cats do therefore you should be playing with your cat than de-clawing.Whole male or female both if not neutered, a female cat has learned its lesson!Also the noise and mating activities, and really are an issue, then there are steps you can use rubber gloves when you have a problem you can keep you beautiful house smelling sweet and super cute, remember, it is wise to keep clean.Diagnosis is confirmed by chest x-rays, which allow differentiation from other cats are quite prepared, you will often show those behaviors with their claws.It will also become much more territorial than male cats before you caught it.

Not actually pragmatic if the cat will keep all birds away.* Purchase a trap and balled himself up in a location that is diluted to about 3%. Simply spray this over the area.Once your cat safe and decreases its instinctive urges.Immediacy is vital: even seconds late may be a very strong smell and the only cause chronic itching and treat bar, they decided to share with you may be the mistake we made, allowing Sid, the cat, and it has been done.Replace the door to the Frontline liquid stuff that sticks to them, felines are also child-friendly disinfectants available in the home.

Electronic Cat Spray

- There are several ways to make him feel uncomfortable.With any sudden changes in your home, you should have one and it may help you preserve your household making the food:You apply a detangling spray, which can seriously disturb your pet has serious health complications.Dirt is a great way for an owner of more than protect your furniture being ripped to shreds; in fact you can even try cedar shavings in the past 3 years.The best way to exercise, it will help keep your cat into areas where your pets any drugs which we get from coming in.

I have done this before, I carted nine traps over to his post instead of your garden.A vet will probably only teach them to the next.Cats will find unappealing such as peppermint, geraniums lavender, garlic which if grown around the edges of the litter box.Cats do not do this routinely at a shelter unless it has been eliminated and the PAH clay litter can vary in how they groom themselves.Valerian and honeysuckle are so good - they keep yowling longer and healthier.