#wales and scotland are beautiful too

[link-of-asgard]

The English countryside is severally underrated when it comes to beautiful places. I can stare for hours at the lush green fields, and hills.

It's also very relaxing watching it go by while on a train.

[novlr]

Do any ungulates have any meaning? Like specific types of deer?

Deer and other types of ungulates have often been used as symbols, both cross-culturally and in literature. They’re fascinating creatures with a variety of habitats that exist both in the wild and in domesticated settings, so can be used in several different ways within a narrative depending on the type of meaning you wish to convey.

For this answer, we’ll focus mainly on deer, as covering all ungulates (which includes all animals with hooves ranging from horses to hippopotami) might make this answer far, far too long.

The general symbolism of deer

If we take deer at face value, some of the first imagery that will come to mind are grace, elegance, gentleness, and innocence. They can also be alert and vigilant, with a deep, mysterious connection to the wild. For this reason, many cultures (and writers) ascribe spiritual and mystical associations with them. They can also represent a connection to the supernatural, and the otherworld.

Writers will often use them as messengers or familiars, creating a bridge between the real and the fae. They can also represent growth and rebirth, as they shed their antlers, which grow again.

The cultural significance of deer

The cultural significance of deer and other ungulates have similarities but aren’t always identical. In indigenous native groups across North America, for instance, there are different traditions and stories associated with them. The Lakota believed that deer were guides on life’s journey but could also lead men astray. The Cherokee story of the Little Deer, on the other hand, sees the Deer Spirit enacting vengeance on hunters who don’t show deer the proper respect, and hunt them needlessly.

In Celtic mythology, white stags were often messengers to the underworld, and deer could shapeshift both at will and through enchantment. Arthurian legend also had a white stag as a symbol of the hunt, representing man’s neverending quest for spiritual enlightenment. And in Germanic cultures, the deer represented both the hunt and kingship.

In Hindu mythology, the goddess Saraswati is associated with a red deer and can take its form. As the goddess of learning, red deer and their hides have also taken on this meaning. In Shinto tradition, deer are messengers of the gods, and in Chinese mythology, the Fuzhu is a mythical deer with four horns that appears during periods of flood.

Specific types of deer and their symbolism

If we look at specific types of deer, then there are some general patterns that emerge in their symbolism. 

White-tailed deer are native to North America, Central America, and South America. They are often associated with purity and innocence, a connection to the spirit world, and respect for the natural order.

Red Deer are native to most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, parts of western Asia, and the Atlas Mountains of Northern Africa. They are the only living species of deer to live on any part of the African continent. They have associations with royalty and kingship, as well as the hunt. They are often used on coats of arms as a symbol of nobility.

Reindeer (Caribou) have close connections to winter due to our modern Christmas traditions. But they also have great cultural significance in Arctic and subarctic cultures.  They are native to the Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. They are known for their endurance and adaptability, as well as safe journeying and strength in harsh conditions.

Fallow Deer are known as peaceful and gentle. They are widespread in England, Wales, Ireland and southern Scotland but are an introduced species. Some studies suggest they are only native to Turkey. The fallow deer is probably what you picture when someone says the words “doe-eyed.” They are associated with grace and beauty and often appear in post-Norman mediaeval literature.

Moose (Elk) are considered symbols of strength, resilience, and adaptability. They are large, with imposing antlers which is what makes them such an iconic image. They are native to North America, Canda, and Northern Eurasia, but they are also associated (by name only) with the Irish Elk, an extinct giant deer known for the enormous span of its antlers (a disproven urban legend claims that the Irish Elk went extinct because its antlers grew too wide and heavy for its head and neck to support it).

How deer are used in certain genres

In Fantasy, deer are often magical creatures or shapeshifters. They can be spirit guides or familiars, often appearing to characters in dreams. The white stag and the brown doe are two often-used images in these settings.

In Romance novels, deer are often used as symbols of love and courtship. Deer-like descriptions are often used when describing characters, and hunting metaphors are often used to represent the romantic pursuit.

In Horror and Thriller novels, encounters with deer are often uncanny and frightening. They are used as harbingers of the supernatural, appear in dreams as a sign or portent of something to come, and often subvert traditional deer symbolism for dramatic effect.

In Literary Fiction, deer are often used as metaphors for the human experience. They can be used to represent character growth or epiphanies by exploring the relationship between mankind and nature.

How can you use deer symbolism in your own writing?

Deer can be used as the basis for a theme or motif in your work. They also offer tried-and-tested ways of incorporating visual storytelling into your imagery by using well-known associations.

Cultural considerations are good to consider in advance of incorporating symbolism. If you want to borrow from existing cultural traditions, then it’s essential to make sure you research and respect those cultural beliefs. Avoid appropriation, and be sure you strike the right balance between traditional symbolism and personal interpretation. There is nothing wrong with interpretation, but it is important to be respectful when borrowing from another person’s culture.

There are also new and interesting ways you can use your own experiences to develop your own symbolism. You can use deer as a symbol to explore themes of conservation and environmental protection. In Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel, she uses deer as a symbol of the return of nature in a post-human world. They can also be used to comment on urban expansion and habitat loss, and with enough research, you can use a scientific understanding of their behaviours to build your own mythology.

[oneminutefiftysixseconds]

🌐 You can add one race to the world tour calendar (promoting an existing race or inventing a new one). What do you do?

for everyone that asked me this question i thank you and i will be answering it all at once here because i put WAY too much thought into this. way too much.

Tour Of Britain But It's (Hopefully) Less Shit

Stage 1A: Richmond Park 10km 50m elev.

we open with a 10k lap of Richmond Park -- it's the cycling hotspot of the capital, time trials are a big part of the UK domestic scene, and i like a prologue TT. and it would really piss off london cyclists when whoever wins sets a record time around the park, taking with them the leaders jersey for the first proper road stage later the same day:

Stage 1B: London -> Brighton, 150km 1,000m elev.

a meandering journey to the seaside taking in the Olympics-famous Box Hill and joining the classic London to Brighton route, the first stage winner will likely need to bide their time and hope an attack on Ditchling Beacon gets them enough of a gap to take them to the finish line.

Stage 2: Oxford -> Cambridge, 190km 700m elev.

between the two ancient university towns lies the flat and beautiful Bedfordshire. the peloton will start among the dreaming spires and the sprinters will tough it out on King's Parade, a stone's throw from the apple tree newton supposedly sat under while working on gravitation!

Stage 3: Telford -> Stoke-on-Trent, 220km 1,500m elev.

we loop into Wales for a long but relatively gentle start to the hills... the Clwydian Range might not be the Pyrenees but there are plenty significant climbs in there that indicate today is likely one for the breakaway -- or an audacious solo -- and the notorious welsh weather could lead to all sorts of surprises

Stage 4: Manchester -> Leeds, 160km, 1,800m elev.

heading first south from Manchester into the Peak District and finishing with a city circuit in Leeds, this should be another chance for a breakaway ahead of tomorrow...

Stage 5, the Queen Stage: York -> Hardknott Pass, 280km, 3,500m (!) elev.

i woke up and chose violence. giro mountain stages eat your heart out, it's time for GC action in the North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, and the Lake District with a summit finish on Hardknott Pass (the steepest road in england, maxing out at an eye-popping 30%). Rosedale Chimney, Buttertubs Pass, and the aptly named Struggle are the key climbs before Hardknott, and the helicopter shots will be superb as the race passes through some of the UK's most beautiful landscapes, finishing within sight of Scafell Pike.

Stage 6: Carlisle -> Glasgow, 180km, 850m elevation.

a border-crossing run into two laps of the iconic 2023 city circuit, this punchy stage will likely favour whichever classics specialist can recover the best from yesterday's efforts

Stage 7: Edinburgh -> Newcastle, 195km, 1,000m elev.

starting in scotland's capital, today is the final opportunity for any GC changes, mostly rolling terrain but enough to make a difference if it's only a few seconds

Stage 8: Peterborough -> Great Yarmouth, 180km 300m elev.

and so the Tour of Britain But It's (Hopefully) Less Shit concludes with a sprint along Great Yarmouth's seafront Golden Mile, bringing to an end a hopefully exciting one-week race in this country that does actually have decent cycling, contrary to what the actual TOB might lead you to believe

[vanessalocke]

UK Sisters

Ok here are some of my headcanons and fanon designs about UK Sisters

Nyo!Scotland

Abigail Kirkland has a straightforward, decisive personality, is an explorer and a pioneer. If she is locked in one place she will become depressed and sad.

Contrary to first impressions, she rarely gets angry. She is much gentler and more altruistic than she appears.

She is good with bow and arrow, has 11/10 eyesight, but usually only shoots people when necessary. Whenever she aimed to shoot at others, she would aim at places that did not pose a danger to life.

Abigail's nickname is Abigail the Virgin, because she made a vow that she would always remain a virgin. She is a close friend of the unicorn herds in the forests of United Kingdom. Unicorns allow her to get close to them because she is a virgin, and her soul is "completely pure".

She is Abigail the Virgin, the guardian of the unicorns in the deep forest.

Nyo!Wales

Among the four sisters, this one has the demeanor of a true lady. (Abigail is too reserved, Clover is too dusty, and Alice is too crazy)

She doesn't often stay at home, but often wanders in the forest.

Her nickname is Dwynwen the Dragon's Bride. The spirits rumored that she was betrothed to a dragon.

Nyo!Northern Ireland

Clover is the third/fourth of the sisters. She also has a twin sister, but that sister does not live in the same house as her. Clover and Abigail are the same height, but Clover often wears high heels, so Clover is the tallest in the family.

Her personality is liberal, optimistic and cheerful. Compared to her first two sisters, she is an extremely modern woman. She is a salaried office worker, extremely lazy to do housework (btw, when the four sisters live together, Abigail is the one who do all the housework) and is quite messy. She actively participates in social activities instead of living in isolation like the rest. Of all four people, Clover has the most typical lifestyle of a modern girl: following idols, shopping, doing beauty treatments, watching romantic movies, and watching dramas. Thanks to her group of female friends at work, she often catches news very quickly.

Her nickname The Optimist is not without reason. She smiles a lot, she can find the humor in almost anything. That's why she always looks happy and active, except for the days when she's drowning in alcohol.

Clover's bad habit is that she often turns to alcohol when she's sad. There was a time when she was an alcoholic. When she gets drunk, she becomes irritable and unbelievably difficult.

She is like the complete opposite of Alice Kirkland, but strangely she is the closest to Alice among the sisters. She is often Alice's love advisor. However, she is also the person who has the most disagreements with Alice.

Nyo!England

Alice's personality is tough, steadfast, and sometimes rigid. But her dry exterior is actually a cover for her crazy love of fighting. Besides that, she's secretly mean, often judgmental, nitpicking, and sarcastic.

Alice's mind is complex and overlapping. Even her sisters sometimes don't understand her. Among her acquaintances, only Francis could guess what she was thinking.

Talking about Alice's crazy love of fighting, it's not without reason that Alice is called the Brave Lion. Even in modern times, Alice often goes to boxing without missing a single lesson. Among the sisters, only Alice uses a rifle. Clover (Nyo! Northern Ireland) uses pistols, while the other two sisters do not use modern weapons. When she was young, Alice fought people across the four oceans, and when she was old, she became an office worker running KPIs. Alice has the eyes of a hawk, so she can aim very well. When she was a robber, Alice's eyes were especially sharp. In modern times, she stares at the computer too much, so her eyes are nearsighted = ))))))))))))

In contrast to Clover, who is lucky, Alice is an unlucky person. If she plays dice, she always gets 1. People often say that Clover took all of Alice's luck.

Main colors include green, blue, and red.

[scifrey]

ART THREAD

I have had the very great pleasure of commissioning some beautiful art to celebrate the release of my new novel Nine-Tenths. I'm going to share them all in this thread (and hopefully add to it if I'm lucky enough to be graced with more) so you can appreciate the talent of these incredible artists.

by Christopher Winkelaar

Nine-Tenths is set in a world where all the nobility in Europe are homo draconis - shape-shifting dragons who have the ability to take human form. Every culture in the world have dragons living among the humans, but the European and Asian nations are the only ones where dragons were historically elevated to the roles of monarchs, nobles, and emperors.

In a world where the American Colonies rejected British rule, this meant they were also rejecting draconic protection--and so while they won their Independence in 1793, they were soundly trounced in the War of 1812, losing all of New England, including New York State, to the British. They were absorbed into the Canadas, except for New York City, which was reclaimed by the Dutch and re-renamed New Amsterdam.

The Canadian colonies expanded west, as they historically did in our world, through a series of broken treaties with the Indigenous peoples of the continent, and the reprehensible colonialist practices which put the settlers in power today. It also means they were able to expand further south, without the Americans to bump up against.

This also meant that the Americans were unable to expand as far south and west as in our world, coming up against Indigenous dragon-protected lands, such as the Oniagara, or Aztec and Incan empires, which grew further north after Spanish contact, and flourished.

Unlike in the current version of Canada, the land was legislatively divided into much smaller provinces than currently exist, each overseen by a hereditary draconic Lieutenant Governor, who report to the draconic Governor of the Canadas, who in turn reports to the House of Lords in England (also dragons). Each province is divided into Duchies, Earldoms, and Marquessates, presided over by a noble dragon family.

As dragons are long-lived, the current Queen of England is Elizabeth (the first one). As she has not yet passed, the Kingdom of Scotland as yet remains separate from England. Ireland too is independent, the Irish dragons having beaten back the English ones. However, Wales remains a satellite colony of England, as the betrayal which brought about it's subjugation and the trickery around the hereditary title "Prince of Wales" still occurred. (This an important plot point).

by @seancefemme

This is the first piece of art I commissioned for the novel, and you'll note it's now become the cover art!

Meet the heroes of our tale: barista and disaster bi Colin Levesque, stuck in the middle of his quarter-life crisis and crushing on his cafe regular, Welsh dragon Dav, the Marquis of Niagara (though of course, Colin doesn't know he's the Marquis, and thinks Dav is just some minor noble with nothing better to do all day than hang out and read).

by @ibrithir-was-here

Colin works at Beanevolence, an indie cafe in downtown St. Catharine's, in the province of Upper Canada (Southern Ontario in our world). It's owned by his bestie Hadi, and he was only supposed to be a barista until he'd graduated. But now he has his Sustainable Tourism degree, and no clue what to do next. He feels completely stuck. Luckily he has Dav to distract him.

Except that one day Dav distracts him too well, which results in a kitchen fire. As an apology for the inferno, and to help the cafe get back on it's feet while the repairs are under way, Dav volunteers as the new bean roaster, creating incredible and (and ultimately social-media viral) coffee roasts with his fire-breath.

by @ibrithir-was-here

Colin and Dav start a flirtation at work.

Which leads to...

by @teejaystumbles

Luxurious dates and late-night smoochies.

by @pinkpiggy93

Which also goes a little bit viral. See, it turns out that the Marquis of Niagara usually keeps a low profile, and his sudden romance with a human has the gossip rags and tabloids all in a tizzy.

But more than that, it puts Dav under the scrutiny of Francis Simcoe. He's the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, a dragon with a hate-on for Dav, and the perfect ammunition to ruin his happiness.

Because, you see, it's against dragonic rules for dragons to be seen to be laboring in service of humans... and Dav's new gig at Beanevolence is about to--forgive the pun--land him in hot water.

➡️ Read Nine-Tenths Here ⬅️

[anixknowsnothin]

Anix!

It was rare YOU WERE THERE

Tell everything!

Introduction

It's been a long time coming… It's almost been a month since my show, and I still can't fully process that I was there. I attended the London N3 show of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, and it is definitely one of the best days of my life. Though I've not been a Swiftie for a long time, this show was incredibly special to me.

Pre-Show Rush and Opening Acts

I was in Scotland the day of the show, traveling by plane to London, so we were quite rushed. Plus, the hotel didn't have our room ready, so we had to change somewhere else and leave as I didn't want to miss a single second. Luckily, we were right on time.

Benson Boone, I feel you. I NEED Taylor Swift too. Plus, the vocals are insane! I mean, he sings AND he backflips?!

Paramore, oh my god. Hayley, stop being the reason behind a bisexual panic for me all the time. I was screaming and singing along to the lyrics like a madwoman (pun intended). "Still Into You" and "This Is Why" were my favourites, and the energy was electric.

Lover Era

The beginning of Taylor's performance with "Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince" had me so shocked that I couldn't move. The bridge of "Cruel Summer" was a lot of fun to scream. My mom recorded all my funny dance moves and claimed I had a choreography for each song. I may or may not have accidentally come out to my mom because I made her record me screaming, "CAUSE SHADE NEVER MADE ANYBODY LESS GAY" during "You Need to Calm Down." Mom danced during "Lover," as it's her favourite Taylor Swift song.

Fearless Era

This set is always so nostalgic for me. I remember dancing in my older sister's room to "Love Story" and screaming "You Belong with Me." I did all the claps on time. My friend from Wales was dressed as the Fearless era, so it was her moment to shine.

Red Era

The "22" moment was so cute, even though I didn't get the hat. I was so happy. "UP YOURS WANKER" is my new motto (WANEGTBT). Definitely did not cry during "All Too Well" and screamed the lyrics like the heartbroken bitch I am (mom was kind of shocked).

Speak Now Era

It's a crime this is such a short era. "Enchanted" is still so beautiful, and she wore my favourite gown from Speak Now, so I'm good. I clicked some really beautiful pictures, and the choreography was gorgeous.

Reputation Era

A nice reminder of how gay I am. "…Ready for It?" girl, OMG, I was screaming and doing the dance, having seen it 1000 times in theaters and on my laptop. I always love "Delicate" and the stage effects, how there are cracks when she jumps on the stage. Plus, screaming "1 2 3 LET'S GO BITCH" was like therapy. "Don't Blame Me" high notes always make me feel like I'm ascending to heaven. "Look What You Made Me Do" is always iconic, and I shall never deny it. I'M SORRY, THE OLD ANIX CAN'T COME TO THE PHONE RN. OH WHY? CUZ SHE'S DEAD.

Folklore and Evermore Era

It's a crime to get rid of "tolerate it" and "The Last Great American Dynasty" and merge this, what?! The "champagne problems" ovation was soooo lengthy; we were stomping our feet and clapping for five minutes straight. Also loved screaming "WHAT A SHAME SHE'S FUCKED IN THE HEAD." She looked so cute running on the stage during "august," though. I cried during "marjorie" as I was remembering my dead dog, Simba. This song helped me grieve for him when he passed away last September. "Willow" is one of the best performances in the eras show imo. I am an Evermore girl through and through, especially when it comes to its Eras Tour performances.

1989 Era

I LOVE 1989; IT WAS SO MUCH FUN TO JUST DANCE. I love "Style," and I was just teaching my mom the lyrics to it. I had a full choreo during "Shake It Off." ALSO BAD BLOOD, AHHHH.

TTPD Performance

OMG, OMG, OMG, I loved this set so much because it's just so theatrical. Not the biggest "But Daddy I Love Him" fan, to be honest, though, but still enjoyed it. I love "So High School," so it was such a cute performance. "Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me" is one of my favourites when it comes to performance, and I loved it. So is "Down Bad," I mean, have you seen the UFO?! "Fortnight" and "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" too, again, it's all so theatrical. Holy shit, when I saw Travis on stage for "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart", I was so shocked. It was amazing watching him, and it was adorable. The entire stadium was screaming. It was my mom's favourite part lmao. But in all seriousness, ICDIWABH is one of my favourites from TTPD as it's SO RELATABLE (I was depressed for a while lmao).

Surprise Songs

Okay, I get Paramore, Benson Boone, Travis, and now Gracie?! Girl, honestly, I loved Taylor singing Gracie's part of "us." But I love Gracie so much it's crazy. To get Gracie Abrams performing "us." during the Acoustic Section (I was one of the very few who knew the lyrics)?! Damn, that was amazing. I was screaming my head off because I love them both so much. For the piano part, I was thinking of @measuredmotion as I sang along to the 1989 mashup because I know how much she loves it. Such a wonderful performance. Did I get my favourite songs? No. But these songs are now so special to me because I heard them live with 88,000 people. I remember I was later at a restaurant with friends, and when "us." was playing, I was screaming in excitement.

Midnights Era

God, I love Jan Ravnik- "Lavender Haze." I mean, what a time to be bisexual indeed. "Get it off your chest" is my favourite part of the song ahahah. "Anti-Hero" was therapeutic to scream out loud. "Midnight Rain" was such a beautiful and seamless transition. "Vigilante Shit" is always a reminder of how gay I am. I mean, the hip movement and dance were on point. "Bejeweled" is just a fun song. "Mastermind" is one of my favourites from the album, so it was so much fun to scream, "I'm only cryptic and Machiavellian 'cause I care," as it's one of the best lyrics ever. "Karma" was the perfect end.

End of the Show

I cried when the show ended. I traded so many friendship bracelets and met so many people with the most amazing outfits. It felt like I was a part of a community, a family. We are all united by this powerful, beautiful, talented 34-year-old pop star. I went with my mom, my cousin, and her mother. It took us an hour or two to find our car, but it was worth it as I went to the Eras Tour (I was wearing heeled boots, so it hurt a bit). God, the post-concert depression is real, and when I woke up, I was sick, and my throat was gone. BUT I MET @noproof-youjustknow IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM, AND SHE GAVE ME HER AND @mymuses-acquiredlikebruises FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS, SO SCREAMING, AHHHH.

Conclusion

Overall, I am so grateful for this experience, and I loved seeing Taylor live. The Eras Tour was a magical experience <3

[mister-mickey]

Idk outsiders ethnicity headcanons !!

Darry

- all four grandparents are Irish immigrants!

- it doesn’t affect him at all, he does not care

- all he knows is St. Patrick’s day, he goes overboard with the pinching and the green

- they’re Protestant, and while he isn’t really religious, it still had an effect ofc

Sodapop

- also Irish (obviously)

- he always goes crazy for holidays, so everyone makes sure to wear green on St. Patrick’s day. It’s all he knows about Ireland lmao

Ponyboy

- Irish (again)

- the only one that actually knows anything about Ireland.

- he likes to look at postcards and pictures of it. He thinks it’s very beautiful. He kind of wants to move there someday

- church had an effect on him too (that’s canon though)

Two-Bit

- he’s welsh, his moms parents still live there (he’s never met them)

- his mom still has a slight accent, he teases her about it

- he used to have an accent when he was a baby lol

- his dad was also welsh, but he left so Two doesn’t gaf about him and his side

Steve

- his dad has distant Scottish ancestry, but neither of them know anything about Scotland so they don’t care.

- his mom was Apsaalooke, and she was from Montana. Steve doesn’t know because she died when he was a baby and it hurts his dad to talk about her

- Steve has also never seen a picture of her before either. He has no idea, his dad doesn’t realize that he has no idea

Johnny

- both parents are Shawnee

- they moved away from their families because their families didn’t want them together. Part of the reason they’re still together is because they fought so hard to be together that they don’t want to separate now that they hate eachother

Dallas

- he doesn’t know anything about his heritage because he never sees his dad and his mom is dead

- but he’s polish

- his dads surname was “Witowski” but he changed it to Winston because ppl kept thinking it was Russian and harassing him

- so his dad hates Americans because of it

Tim

- mom is a Russian immigrant, dad is a Spanish immigrant. He doesn’t know anything about either cultures

- mom moved to America in the 30’s with her brother and met his dad almost immediately.

- then they moved to Tulsa! Also tim hates his uncle lol

Angela

- same as Tim, but she gets along with her uncle and actively enjoys Russian culture

- she was only three when her dad died so she also doesn’t know anything about Spain or her dads side

Curly

- he has a different dad (one of my fave hcs) and his dad is also Russian, so he’s fully Russian

- also loves their uncle and enjoys Russian culture

Bryon

- British ancestors

- he does not care about his heritage, he has more important things on his mind

- also it’s such distant ancestry that it rlly doesn’t matter

Mark

- so I hc dallys dad to be the infamous whore cowboy that fathered mark and Tex, so he’s half Polish

-his mom is Shawnee though (was ig, since she’s dead)

- he is aware, but he doesn’t like to think about his family for obvious reasons, he likes to think taht he’s just bryons brother

Cathy

- I also hc her and M&M to be two-bits cousins! Their dad is his moms brother (solely based on the fact that they all have grey eyes)

- so she’s welsh. She sends letters to her grandparents but has also never met them

M&M

- also welsh ofc

- his dad forces him and Cathy to send letters to their grandparents. His grandparents do not like him so he hates it

- he does think Wales is very cool though

[theroseceleste]

Pilot Miguel - Part 10 - An Unexpected Visitor

In this short, but fluffy chapter, you reminisce about your stay in London and snuggle with your man in his penthouse. This is until someone unexpected turns up...

Word count - 1619

Contains : A little bit of fluff and a confrontation conversation via text.

Enjoy! xx

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

If you enjoy this fic, please consider liking, commenting or re-blogging. Many thanks xx

London was great, you definitely want to go back again. There’s so much there to see and do. England itself has a lot to offer, along with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which make up the United Kingdom. So much history happened all around the country, and there’s too much to fit into just two days of staying over between flights.

You never enjoyed history at school. It was boring learning about it in a dull classroom. But, walking around in the streets the history took place makes it all the more interesting.

Naturally, you wanted to see Buckingham Palace. Many pictures were taken outside of the iron gates in front of the grand building.

You took romantic walks with Miguel around St James’s Park and Hyde Park and then you went shopping in the famous shop called Harrods in Knightsbridge.

The Tower of London was another point of interest. A castle with effectively a small town concealed within its fortress walls.

Connecting all of these places in the city, is the London Underground network. Locally nicknamed ‘the tube’ as the tunnels that the trains snake through on a daily basis are round, exactly like a tube.

It amazed you to learn that the tube stations were used as bomb shelters during World War II. Helping residents of London take cover from the air raids that took place at night.

During your stay, some tube lines were busier than others, particularly during the rush hours. You found yourself pushed right up against Miguel as the train was crammed full of commuters.

The weather gods had been kind to you during your visit. Typically, it rains a lot in England - that’s why it’s so green. But the English summers can be stunning when the sun does finally come out and say hello.

You’re back in Nueva York now, sitting in Miguel’s penthouse, curled up on the sofa with him. His big arms wrap around you as you both flick through the pictures on your phone. The latest cute couple picture is the one of you both standing in a pod on the London Eye. The sights of the historically-rich city below you with your loved up, slightly jet lagged faces being the main focus.

Every now and then you feel kisses on the back of your head as he holds you close. His nose pressed against your recently washed hair, taking in the scent of your favourite shampoo.

This is the first time you’ve visited his apartment, and you can see why he didn’t bat an eyelid when booking your stay in Versailles. You’re certain he’s paid exceedingly well, but that doesn’t matter to you.

Everything in his apartment is expensive, or the latest model or whatever. You’re not interested in what his smart screen, 4K, ultra HD, thingy-ma-whatsit TV does. So long as you can snuggle with your man and watch a film on it, you don’t care.

It’s evening and you’ve not long had dinner together. He cooked and it was surprisingly scrumptious.

“I never had you down as skilled in the culinary arts,” you say to him as he nuzzles against your neck.

“I had to help my mother around the house, which meant doing stuff in the kitchen.”

You ponder for a moment as you think about the delicious food that’s now in your stomach.

“Your mother must be a good cook if you learned from her.”

“Yes, she certainly knows how to throw together a few things and prepare a tasty meal.”

He shifts uncomfortably in the seat, like he doesn't like where the conversation is going.

“You like the penthouse?” Miguel finally asks after deciding to change the subject.

“You have a beautiful home, very techy too, no surprise there…”

He chuckles at your comment before leaning in closer slightly.

“I’d love it if you—“ his whisper in your ear gets interrupted by a knock on his front door.

“That should be a delivery I’m expecting, could you grab it? I need the bathroom real quick.”

You both get up from the couch, you watch him stride off to his en-suite in his grey sweatpants and black t-shirt - for some reason, he looks incredibly sexy in that outfit.

There’s another knock at the door, reminding you to open it before Miguel misses his delivery.

The door creaks as you open it to reveal a woman, not dressed as a delivery driver. She has mid-length black hair and blue eyes. She seems surprised to see you.

“Oh…”

Her shock intrigues you.

“Can I help you?” you ask her.

“Oh, no - it’s okay, I didn’t know Miguel was… um… entertaining…”

She begins to turn away, but you open your mouth to speak again.

“Who shall I say came to the door? I can ask him to get back to you.”

The woman considers your offer for a moment.

“That would be great, thank you. Tell him Xina tried to visit, but will try some other time.”

You nod and smile.

“Sure.”

“Thanks,” Xina replies and hangs her handbag over her shoulder before turning around to walk back to the elevator.

After closing the door, you return to the couch and begin to wonder why a woman would be calling around Miguel’s so late in the day.

Miguel returns from the ensuite and joins you on the sofa again.

“Where did you put the package?” he asks, looking around for a box.

“It wasn’t a delivery,” you reply.

He looks back at you and raises an eyebrow.

“Who was it?”

“Someone named Xina? She said she’d try again some other time.”

Miguel’s smile drops the instant he hears Xina's name. What could she possibly want with him? A sinking feeling in his stomach means he suspects that whatever it is she wants, it’s not going to be good news.

“Mhmm… thanks.”

He lays you down with him on the couch and puts a film on for the both of you to watch. An uncomfortable thump in his chest pounds against his ribs as his mind wanders over what Xina wants. He kisses your head as he pulls his phone out while the movie starts. Calling up Xina’s contact on his screen, he begins to type a message to his ex-wife.

“What do you want?”

It doesn’t take long for Xina to reply. He suspects she’s sitting in her car outside the apartment block.

“You’ve moved on quickly…”

Miguel’s lips press into a thin line as his heart thumps harder in his chest.

“What’s it to you?” he replies, trying to not jab at the screen with frustration and jog you too much.

His message is left on read for a moment, like Xina is thinking about what to say next. A nauseous feeling develops when he sees that she eventually starts typing again.

“I feel like perhaps I was too hasty in wanting a divorce.”

Another text comes in shortly after.

“I miss you. And I miss what we had, the good times we did share together.”

The urge to launch the phone across the living room is almost too tempting. She wants to come back into his life after pushing and fighting for a divorce? He didn’t think he’d get a shot at happiness again, especially so soon after the end of his marriage. Now that he has you, he’s not giving what he has up for someone who can’t make up their mind and seems to think they’re at liberty to mess people around. As far as he’s concerned, Xina can find her happiness elsewhere, because he gave up fighting for her when he was pushed to sign the papers.

He types out another reply.

“You made your bed, now you go lie in it.”

Xina starts to type back almost instantly.

“Are things serious between you two?”

Miguel does everything he can to not growl with annoyance. To make himself better, he snuggles into you more and kisses the back of your head again, sniffing your scent.

Taking in a deep breath to calm himself, he starts to type again.

“None of your business.”

His response is left on read once more for a moment, he can feel her frustration through the screen with her lack of a reply. She’s probably resting her head against the steering wheel of her car, seething - good.

Spending time with you, making plans with you, dating you, he feels has done him the world of good. Some might say he moved on too quickly, that he was on the rebound, but you were too good of a person to let pass by.

He has defence walls for a reason, and you are one of the select few who sees who he really is. You are his and he is yours. You bring out such happiness in him. He doesn’t want to lose you and he’ll do anything in his power to make sure that doesn’t happen.

He finds himself surprised that Xina doesn’t reply, but he suspects that this is not the last he’ll hear from her.

A gentle snore suggests you have fallen asleep. He smiles as he tenderly nuzzles into you again. His hand strokes your hair before he subtly turns you on your back so he can see his perfect chiquita sleeping. You look so peaceful. It’d be rude to wake you and he wants this moment to last a little while longer. Strong arms wrap around you after he tosses his phone onto another sofa and he settles down, hoping his pounding heart will relax soon. Listening to your deep breaths is already having a calming effect on him. You’re so much better for him than Xina ever was.

I hope you enjoyed Part 9!

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[certifiablyinsanez]

So we know of the person who dreamed that Michael Sheen was yelling Welsh facts at them but I’d like to toss my hat in over my Michael and David dream 🥲.

So for some reason, they were having a balls to the walls competition to see if they could get me to move to Wales or Scotland and they refused to tell me what happened to the loser but apparently it was so serious that they both went wild showing me the best spots. I said I liked beaches and the ocean but the mountains too, so Michael was showing me beachside Welsh cottages and David was showing me beautiful homes in the highlands and just as the winner was to be decided I woke up and now I feel bad for not giving them an answer. 🫠😅

[fumblingmusings]

okay so I have a lot more to say about the whole fic (I just have very little free time at the moment) but Evelyn asking "May I go?" is so baby girl little sister of her, if I was Alasdair, I would have folded

You got me in my sibling feels. Those two are the best truly. Inextricably tied up together and flip flopping between extreme kindness and extreme cruelty. Baby sister cries very good crocodile tears but big brother has a permanent chip on his shoulder and they do love each other they do but by God those above do not make it easy. Oh gosh I wrote a wee fic. Have a post Norman Conquest Fem!England and Scotland - or whatever they were known as - in 1070. The North is starving, Scotland has the last Anglo-Saxon royals to himself, and the new king wants his nation back.

*****

“Ali?”

“Aye?”

“Are they really going to marry?”

“Think so. Your old King promised, remember?”

“Did he? He didn’t tell me. Edward promised a lot of people a lot of things and look where that has led me… But will he be nice to her? Your King?”

“‘Course he will. And we get a Queen descended from Gods.”

“So they say. Margaret is my last princess. Cristina wants to join an abbey. Edgar will never be allowed to marry. Margaret - ”

“I know. We’ll look after her. I promise.”

“Malcolm better treat her well or I will be very angry.”

“I believe you.”

Despite there being a perfectly suitable mule for England to sit on for this journey south to York, she had instead elected to be carried on her brother’s back. She was nuzzled into his neck, voice muffled against the thick wool of his cloak. She clung tightly, but her eyes were drooping from exhaustion. The road was barely maintained. A foul smell of burning, of acid, of burning peat and manure, had seemingly followed the pair since they had crossed the border into Northumbria. They were still a day's walk from York, and the smell had not yet abated. 

Eva used to insist that Yorkshire was beautiful - full of heather and gorse and sweeping greenery. Alasdair knew she was right, he had seen it himself many times. 

It was almost impressive, if Scotland did not have the weak after-effects straddling his back, noting how destructive this new King could be. Would others imitate such tactics?

They had met very few people on the journey south. Those that remained did not have the strength to trip and rob a pair of children on a long road to York.

Eva shifted against her brother’s back.

“Ali?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you have any food?”

“You still hungry?”

Her tiny head moved against his shoulder. As if by magic, her stomach gave off a terrible rumble.

Alasdair stopped in his walk, bending down at the knees so the eight year old could slide off. He himself was not much older in appearance, a thirteen year old at best. His little sister took his hand, reluctant to let go. She would have to eventually. It had been a deal struck in recent months. The marriage between Margaret and Malcolm was to be accepted by the Norman King. He just wanted to finally see the little nation that he was now King of. No longer just a Duke loyal to a French King, but a King too in his own right. He was owed her.

Scotland did not have the will to fight for her. None of the siblings did. Wales was splintered once more, having cut his first and only King’s head off. Ireland was a sea away, watching and accepting those that came her way, but otherwise taking no action. Only Scotland, with some feeble attempts at pillaging an already broken land, had made an attempt to restore the Anglo-Saxons to the throne. It was not enough, so Eva had stared at her brother, watching as his King agreed, and simply asked that, if she were to return to her people, that Alasdair walk her halfway, to York. 

He had agreed. Those big green eyes were a mirror of mother, and mother could have made him promise anything, if he thought it would have made her proud. Not the case with this wee one, who had the appearance of a small drowned rat. Pitiful, a little dirty, shining eyes. 

In comparison to her brother, who was tall, strong, and with a King who retook the throne from usurpers with such comparable ease. Malcolm had done what Edgar could not. And now Malcolm was taking England's last princess, the others married off to Kyiv or Scandanavia, in his efforts to put Scotland firmly on the map of Europe. It was pragmatic and rather ruthless, but Alasdair could tell he meant well. A strong king was a good king, even if it meant sometimes things got a little bloody.

Looking around the wasteland however, bloody and slaughter seemed as far apart as chalk and cheese. Alasdair could not shake the feeling that he was handing his sister over to her doom, but it was not for him to fight. A threat of invasion from Norman knights was not something he could face alone. One person in exchange for his own safety was something the siblings had all learned to accept. Mama told them: their people come first. Always.

“They burned it all. Everything. Poured salt on the earth and we cannot grow anything anymore,” Eva whispered, clinging tightly to his hand and peering upwards as he rummaged through the bags of supplies the mule was carrying. 

“You’ll still be hungry even after this,” he explained, ignoring her statements, pulling out dried pears. When she tried to snatch one, utterly ravenous, Alasdair held his arm up high, far out of reach. She cried out, hopping from foot to foot.

“Gremlin!” she complained, headbutting him repeatedly.

“You need to ask kindly.”

She pressed her head deep into his gut. “Oh! Alasdair, please may I have some food.”

“Ah, there we are,” he tossed the pear slices up in the air, and she caught them with a squeak, stuffing her face with them and chewing loudly. Her brother was right however, and her stomach continued to cramp. She moaned, forever hungry and forever unsatiated.

Growling in frustration, she went to look through the bags herself. Effortlessly, Alasdair simply picked her up and tossed her back a few steps. She cried out, then ran straight at Scotland, once again ramming her blonde head into his stomach. He puffed out a breath, then grappled with her to stop the tantrum.

“Listen, listen to me.”

She paused her attack, and Alasdair urged, “Look around, alright? Dinnae forget what they did. When we get to York and I leave, promise me. Promise me that you will spit in his eye.”

“That is easy for you to say, you have lost nothing in this mess.”

Eva stared at the muddy road. Her blue dress was ruined at its hem, splatters all the way up to her waist. William would be disappointed, when she would finally reach York, at what his nation was. A little rat.

(A little robin bird, Æthelflæd had called her)

“They say he is a giant. A giant bastard,” England changed the subject with a hiss.

“Did you see him at Hastings?”

“No. I saw Harold’s eye be pierced, from atop the hill. I hid in the trees. They tossed his body out to sea. His mother had asked for it so he could be buried, and they just threw him into the water. I never saw the bastard.”

The bastard. That was all he ever was. Not the English William or the French Guillaume or the Norman Willelm. Just the bastard.

Smirking, Scotland said, “I heard he beat his wife to make her agree to marry him.”

“Ali!” she cried out, snatching another piece of pear away as he held out his arm. “I know he is a monster, you need not remind me.”

“Naw, listen. A man like that will hurt even the ones he loves, you cannae trust him. Okay? So there is nae point in appeasing him. He’ll treat you like nothing regardless. So make not a single effort to even try to be good for him, alright?”

Eva paused, chewing around the pear, then threw her arms around Ali’s waist. He knelt down, picking her up and placing her on the mule. She refused to let go, keeping her iron grip around his neck.

“What if they,” she sobbed, “what if they make me something awful? And everyone says I’m not like you or Rhys anymore but I… I cannot abide the thought of being French.”

Alasdair laughed.

“Come on hen, it’s nae that bad.”

“Look around! Everyone starved! He did not just kill on the battlefield, he did not execute traitors, he burnt and poisoned the land and left my people to rot. There is no honour in this… Ali I haven’t been this frightened since Mama…”

“Dinnae…” he moaned, extricating himself from her grip. 

“I don’t want to be alone.” Huge green eyes blinked at the rejection, fat wet tears falling down her cheeks. 

Unsure of what to do, he had never been very good at comfort, that was Rhys’ job.

“You remember, how dogs and cats get when cornered? They’re frightened but they still fight back.”

“I’m not a dog,” she whimpered.

“Naw. Too ugly for that.”

Eva sniffed, unamused. Alasdair tugged on the mule’s reins, and the two set off once more. England continued crying to herself. Quietly, pitifully, she sobbed, and Alasdair fought the urge to turn the mule around and go back from where they came. 

It would fix nothing. There was nothing that they could fix. 

“You gotta learn to fight back Eva,” he declared, listening to the squelch of mud as they walked along. “That is the only way. Didn’t Alfred teach you that?”

Her cries quietened, and Alasdair heard, rather than saw, her nod. He dared to smile.

“So be sure to spit in his face.”

“...Promise,” she whispered.

*****

Assorted Turn of the 11th Century British History Ramblings Below:

So, in 1070, King Malcolm of Scotland, after a couple of failed attempts to get the last Anglo-Saxon prince - Edgar - back on the throne of England following the Norman invasion, married Edgar's sister Margaret. Malcolm's father, you may be interested to know, was Duncan, i.e. the King that Macbeth axes in Shakespeare's play. Indeed, Macbeth was King before Malcolm killed him and Malcolm was also responsible for axing Macbeth's stepson (you kill my dad I'll kill you etc., etc...). The English, prior to the invasion of the Normans, had helped put Malcolm and his family back on the throne, so the relationship between the Anglo-Saxons and Scottish royal families at this time was quite close. The Normans saw an end to that, when a couple of years later they invaded Scotland and got Malcolm to swear allegiance to Willian and expel Edgar. This oath is the basis for future invasions by English Kings like Edward I and II. In some real cultural fuckery, Malcolm and Margaret's daughter later married William's grandson in a deliberate attempt to pacify the English. Look! Alfred the Great's blood is still on the throne. Please chill.

Margaret is one of the most important Queens in Scottish history, and certainly pre-1500 she is the most important. She was eventually canonised as a saint, and several towns and sites are named after her (if you know much Scottish history you may recognise North and South Queensferry as places of note, and she is deified in my hometown). The royal house Margaret came from held a lot of weight in its name - the family had ties to Scandinavia, Kyiv, Hungary, France and the Holy Roman Empire - marrying her gave the Scottish Crown a lot of symbolic legitimacy. They were the real inheritors of Britain, not the Normans. Margaret named her sons after her male (and English - Edgar, Edward, Edmund etc.,) relatives or biblical names (Alexander and David). Not a Gàidhlig name in sight. Malcolm was apparently smitten by his wife and gave her free reign of the place, at the expense of Scottish culture. Everyone thought she was the bees knees.

Wales at this time had splintered into smaller kingdoms following the death of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. His incursions into England had resulted in his own men turning on him, cutting of his head and posting it to Edward the Confessor. When Edward died and the Normans arrived, they found themselves with a disunited Wales, and in the following decades the invasions into Wales began in earnest. Many of the fleeing Anglo-Saxon or Welsh lords went to Ireland - this would contribute to later invasions by the Normans of Ireland.

The Normans, by the by, had done the grim action in the winter of 1069/70 of burning and salting the land of northern England following months of rebellions up and down the country. From the River Humber to the River Tees, the Harrying of the North resulted in three quarters of the population either starving to death or being forced to flee north to Scotland or south to the Midlands. There's records of people selling family members into slavery in order to survive, and when the Domesday book was compiled nearly twenty years later to calculate the taxable worth of William the Conqueror's new kingdom, up to two thirds of Yorkshire (England's biggest county by far) was noted as still being wasteland. Even at the time, on the continent we know that within Germany they spoke of a great famine in England resulting in cannibalism, and in Bohemia there was talk of the barbarity committed by the Normans in England, and finally the Pope received flack for signing off on the invasion in the first place, so even for the time people thought it was 'too much'. Back home a chronicler at Evesham Abbey in the Midlands wrote of refugees arriving after travelling hundreds of miles, only to die after eating too much too quickly:

“Every day five or six people, sometime more, perished miserably and were buried by the prior of this place.”

So. Grim. Also yes William did beat up his future wife and threaten her into marrying him, or at the very least yanked her by the hair into the mud then rode off like a dick. Apparently they were very happy together so. No comment.

[doueverwonder]

Heam is enabling me; (i lied i can't remember Sam's part 😭)

warning now long post

WELL SAM it's 400 AD and that right there is Britain! and here comes the king! in a bedsheet! Haha no really that's the roman emperor because Britain is under Roman rule as it has been for over 350 years! But all that is about to change because in 410 the unthinkable happens!

so unthinkable I can't think of it now what was it hmmmmmmmm OH

THE ROMAN EMPIRE CRUMBLES! And the romans leave Britain with the immortal line

"don't forget to put out the cat"

or something like that

and that's when the problems really start! with the Romans gone the picts from up in Scotland invade england, so Vortigern king of the Britons hires a load of warriors from Germany & Denmark--places over there--and with them come two chaps named Hengist and Horsa, and they like Britain so much they'd quite like to keep a piece of it. Luckily for them Hengist has a beautiful daughter and in the weirdest deals in the whole of history he gives Vortigern his daughters hand in marriage for Kent!

yep Kent.

And that's just the start of it. Soon seeing how easy it is to get your hands on English lands there are Danes and Germans everywhere! German invaders from the district of Angle take over the east and the midlands while invaders from Saxony take over large chunks of the south, yes that's right England is now overrun with ANGLES and SAXONS making it officially ANGLO-SAXON.

and u thought we just made that term up

And there you have it that's it

end of the story

end of the line

end of the pier

last dance

last chance

lights off

cats out

done.

BUT NOT FOR LONG

under anglo-saxon rule Britain changes shape entirely, though obviously not around the edges. Inside though it's all different as the invaders shape their new lands into seven major kingdoms; places like

Essex

Wessex

Sussex

and so on

But it's not all playing fairly for the Anglo-Saxons because they can't conquer Scotland for toffee!

which is a shame because Scotland's got great toffee

Meanwhile on the other side they aren't too happy about the new neighbors, so much so that king arthur of Mercia

an Anglo-Saxon kingdom shown here in puce whatever color that is

digs a trench separating the west of Britain from the rest of Britain, creating the border for what we now call Wales! Sounds fair! we now have Scotland, Wales, Anglo-Saxon England all living in perfect harmony bar a little name calling and the odd local war.

BUT NOT FOR LONG

YES FOLKS IT'S 865 AND LOCK UP YOUR MONOSTARY BECAUSE

HERE COME THE VIKINGS

In no time at all they take over every major anglo-saxon kingdom except for this one, Wessex, home of Alfred the great

who clearly has a high opinion of himself

And for good reason, because Alfie and his family manage to hold off the vikings!

BUT NOT FOR LONG--well, actually it's for quite awhile but that's not the point. No Eventually Æthelred the unready becomes king and gets so sick of the constant viking attacks

that he's presumably never ready for

that he decides to kill every viking in England, including the king of Norway's sister; which unsurprisingly doesn't go down too well with the king of Norway. Who prompltly Invades England, takes Æthelred's crown and is the first in the line of viking kings!

There's Cnut!

There's Harthacnut!

There's a quarter of a Cnut!

Though not that last one!

and this goes on until 1042 when an englishman gets the crown again

WHOO it's

Edward the Confessor

and then he goes and dies BOO

and three differnt people try to claim the thrown, an Englishman, a Norman, and a Viking

which sounds like the beginning of a joke but really isnt.

Especially when the englishman, Harald Godwinson, takes the throne and is immediatly set upon by the other two! While holding off the viking one up here, the norman one--a certain William the bastard conqueror invades down here

yes folks it's 1066 and the battle of hastings! Which signals not only the end of Harald but also the end of the Anglo-Saxon Era all together

THE END OF THE PIER

THE END OF THE LINE

THE END OF THE ROAD

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT

and unless i calm down soon it might as well be

THE END OF DEAR OLD BOB HALE

OH IT'S TOO LATE IT'S HAPPENED

It's just heartburn, false alarm, it's just heartburn.

back to you Sam.

[paulmescalsnose]

thank you for tagging me, @onehelluvamarine 🩵

A band you don’t like that many others do: I cannot think of any bands right now but there are so many solo artists like the entirety of the current Top 20 Billboard Hot 100, I do not keep up with new music in any way.

A childhood memory that you remember vividly: riding a scooter down the front steps at my grandmother’s house for some reason.

Least favorite animal and why: gonna say it and be honest and take the hate, dogs. I think there are some nice individual dogs but overall I find them loud, annoying, messy, too needy, too disruptive. I refuse to ever live with one. I do have a phobia of another animal I won’t say because I don’t want people to send me pictures of it lol so I probably hate them more but I encounter dogs more so they’re on my nerves more often.

Hot fandom take: Aragorn is not THAT hot. there were hotter guys in those movies.

Do you wear any jewelry, if so, what’s your favorite piece: I don’t. I wish I did! I have a nice ring and a nice necklace but I don’t really wear them. I wish I had a like, a signature piece or something.

A movie others liked but you didn’t: recently, which I know I’ve mentioned, Past Lives is so well-reviewed and god I just really hated it, I’m sorry but I did.

Three things you love about yourself: I was once bold enough to sing Let No Man Steal Your Thyme a cappella in front of a group of strangers at a hostel. I once took an 18-hour bus ride just to see a movie (and then another 18-hours back). I’ve read all the Hercule Poirot books.

A place you hope to visit in the future and why: Wales. I think it just looks lovely. I was supposed to do a semester abroad there once but couldn’t swing it financially. I’ve been to England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland so I’ve got to go to Wales. I wrote a story that is set so much there! I need to see it for myself.

An actor that gets on your nerves and why: RDJ because he made terrible comments about Alejandro González Iñárritu, he defends the worst Chris, and he’s going to win an undeserved Oscar this year.

Things you’re excited for in the nearby future? I’m almost done the first draft of a novel/story I’m working on, so I am excited so have a first draft and then I’m excited to start the second draft.

Least favorite ship in a fandom you’re in: I never shipped Ted/Rebecca from Ted Lasso, never once even for a second.

What’s the most toxic fandom you’ve been in? I never wrote in it, just read and observed, but The Old Guard by far by faaaaaaaaar.

List three things you find beautiful about life: my nephew’s wavy red hair, when a cat comes over to you for pets, and watching someone hit a home run.

Any dreams for the future? I’d like to see my favourite football club, Man City, play live someday. I doubt I’ll get to Manchester maybe ever, but they’ll be playing in the US soon-ish so it will probably be a lot easier to see them there.

How are you really feeling today? I genuinely struggle with life every day. I wish it was in a cool way that made me stronger on the other side but it’s not. today was okay because I got to talk to a coworker I like (I WFH so I don’t talk to people a lot) and I went to the cinema that has the best popcorn in the world but I also am never actually happy and am always lonely which is a tiring existence.

[soggypotatoes]

I have this dream that when my dog passes I'll go to live in Wales for a year

idk why Wales really. other options are Scotland, Ireland, Iceland. Alaska would be amazing (I went there once) but the politics are.. hm. I don't think I could do America anyway. but like.. Wales is beautiful, underrated, has the most castles per square km than any other country, and it's closeish to my godmother. I really want to learn Welsh, too, but idk how

[kirklandsheartsecrets]

What was everyone's reaction to wifey's ballerina like footwork (based on Elizabeth Midford) while dueling her hubby? Were they surprised, amazed, both?

When I mean everyone I also include Artie.

England x reader || married au || reaction to England’s wife fighting style

England

he was shocked, he finds it elegant. He didn’t think it would be your fighting style, he thought it was just a few graceful steps. Arthur did struggled while fighting against you at first. But quickly he gets the hang of it. He did watched you during the 18th century doing ballet in england. So he was no foreigner to it, but the arm work during the sword fights + the foot work almost ballet identical was hard to manage for him. Surprised and impressed overall, it is beautiful to him. Really unique.

Wales 

he likes sword fights and knows well about the different kinds of styles out there. However he didn’t think someone did take it seriously to the battle field. Your pirate career was great which meant it worked well. Dylan did a lot of medieval fights in the past, he mentioned to you to try on a horse. Dressage horses could make it even more beautiful. Looks like something that could be shown in theme parks as pretty fights to watch. Thinks it’s beautiful and wants to try.

Northern Ireland

Impressed, and also by any kinds of sword fights so it was nice to see Arthur struggle against it. Doesn’t want to try or get involved so he just watches from afar. It’s still impressive and likes it but not from too close tho. Agrees with Dylan about it on a horse to make it even more unique and special.

Ireland

Shocked by the two swords more than the footwork itself. He has great footwork in general so he knows it’s good but the swords themselves is impressive. Using one is already hard enough but two and so elegantly? It’s really cool. He likes the dancing like style it’s pretty to watch, makes fighting an art less than a skill. However dancing, is a skill and he sees the training put into it.

Scotland

Thinks it’s fun more than being in shock. Alistair isn’t a fan of the two swords thing, he is more traditional like Arthur, but the footwork looks so effortless. Just like ballerinas, he knows the training and movements require a lot of strength but it looks nothing like it. He wants to learn how to use two swords and separately the foot work. He is amused.

[antares0606]

Rules- Tag 10 or more people you want to get to know better.

Tagged by the lovely @spiced-wine-fic Thank you for the tag!

Relationship status: Was in a relationship that lasted 20 years; he passed much too young.

Favorite color: Pink which surprises everyone, including myself.

Song stuck in your head: Beautiful - Duncan Laurence

Favorite food: Pizza, all kinds, but love thin crust cheese which is highly underrated. 2nd favorite, ham and pineapple. No hate!

Last song played: Ghost Town - Adam Lambert

Dream Trip: England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland by train and/or car. Not a trip controlled by planning, just go and stop as I please.

Last thing I Googled: Dor-Cúarthol

Tagging: @skaelds @sallysavestheday @mossquitoman @crackinthecup @sauroff @danmeiljie @junk-whunk-punk-artist @bodhvild @ruiniel @awesome-bluehair-universe (If you wish to).

[dansnaturepictures]

12/06/2023-Newborough Forest 

Photos taken today in this set: 1. Little Grebe. 2 and 10. Red Squirrel, I was over the moon to see this gorgeous mammal weaving between branches and come to the feeder. I always love seeing these, it was simply magical once more after we came to Anglesey in 2021 on an enchanting evening in this peaceful forest to see this sumptuous animal. This was also special as it confirms I’ve now seen Red Squirrels in England, Scotland and Wales this year. A challenge I set myself in the spirit of the unique year it’s been for me having visited both Scotland and Wales and it feels so good to do it. 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9. Emerald views at this beautiful spot. 5. Flowers, lupins I believe which was nice to see. 6. A dazzling Red Admiral which was great to see.

On the way here and at the forest a sightings of Jays made it a big day for me too as alongside Chough at South Stack (which my last post is about, earlier in the day) it means I’ve seen both of my two favourite crow species on the same day for the first time ever. There is a chance I saw seven crow species today (there was at least one I couldn’t quite see if it was Carrion Crow or Raven) which is unprecedented for me and made me remember it’s only the second year I’ve seen all eight British crow in species after 2019 seeing the eighth - Hooded Crow - in Scotland in April. It was fine views of a smart looking bird around the feeders with the Jay at Newborough. Other highlights at Newborough Forest were baby frogs as we saw last time here, Common Blue damselflies, hoverfly, Meadow Brown, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Siskin, Dunnock, a Moorhen chick I believe and Swollen-thighed beetle with Wren heard. Red campion, herb-Robert, broom, speedwell, dog roses, tormentil and buttercups led a more woodland cast of plants here. Buzzard was good to see on the way too with roses, fuchsia, singing Blackbird and Rooks and Jackdaws calling highlights at the cottage today.