#william regal daughter

[miru-has-thoughts]

REGAL AND GUILIA!!!!

[labuenosairesfrancaise]

DUNCOMBE PARK

Hi guys!!

I'm sharing Duncombe Park. This is the 8th building for my English Manors Collection, and I will add many more!

House History: Duncombe Park is the seat of the Duncombe family who previously held the title Earls of Feversham. The title became extinct on the death of the 3rd Earl in 1963, since when the family have continued to hold the title Baron Feversham.

The house was completed in 1713 for Thomas Duncombe (born Thomas Brown) to designs by the Yorkshire gentleman-architect William Wakefield. It was remodelled in 1843 by Sir Charles Barry. In 1879 the main block was gutted by fire and remained a ruin until 1895 when rebuilding was carried out by William Young. The reconstruction was based on the original design, though there were changes made, especially in the interior layout to meet contemporary needs. It is of two storeys with a basement and attic.

In 1694 Charles Duncombe, one of the richest commoners in England, bought the 40,000-acre (16,000 ha) Helmsley estate, occasionally staying at the castle. After his death in 1711 it passed to his sister Ursula and from her to her son Thomas Brown, who changed his name to Thomas Duncombe and commissioned the building of the present house. On his death in 1746 it passed to his son, Thomas Duncombe II, who extended the grounds to include the Rievaulx Terrace. In 1774, Anne Duncombe, daughter of Thomas Duncombe of Duncombe Park was married to Robert Shafto, of Whitworth Hall, near Spennymoor, County Durham, the famous "Bonny Bobby Shaftoe" of the folk song.

In the late 1700s the estate was owned by Thomas' son, Charles Slingsby Duncombe, who was succeeded in 1803 by his eldest son and heir Charles Duncombe, 1st Baron Feversham. Charles was MP for Shaftesbury, Aldborough, Heytesbury and Newport IoW and High Sheriff of Yorkshire for 1790–91. He built up a considerable art collection at the house and was made 1st Baron Feversham in 1826. His son William succeeded him and was MP for Yorkshire and after 1832 for the new North Riding constituency. William's son William Ernest was created the 1st Earl of Feversham. The second Earl was killed in the First World War and the earldom became extinct on the death of the third earl in 1963.

More history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncombe_Park

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This house fits a 64x64 lot and features a great room, a formal dining room and a daily breakfast room, a great library, his and hers bedrooms, a great staris, a ballroom, and many others!.

This time I decorated most of the rooms for picture purposes, but as allways, you can make it your own!

The groung floor is suposed to be for service, and it is not finished. Nor are the side structures, that are actually for decorative purpose as I could not fit the real structure in the lot.

The main house could fit a 50x50 and a 50x40 lot aswell, but you will lose the decorative sides.

Hope you like it.

Be warned: I did not have the floor plan for the 2nd floor nor pictures of most of the inside and worked on an old proposed floorplan for the residence.

You will need the usual CC I use: all of Felixandre, The Jim, SYB, Anachrosims, Regal Sims, TGS, The Golden Sanctuary, Cliffou, Dndr recolors, etc.

Please enjoy, comment if you like it and share pictures with me if you use my creations!

Early access: August 15.

DOWNLOAD: https://www.patreon.com/posts/104087764

[agendabymooner]

the royal resemblance ! esteban o. x ofc (british princess!ofc)

summary: albertine (spencer) ocon lived to give her estranged family a heart attack by simply existing and giving birth to a daughter who looked so much like her... and her mother.

OR the youngest royal and the alpine driver had finally set their boundaries when it came to the british royal press as a way to maintain the privacy that they had managed to preserve throughout their years of relationship and marriage.

content warning: use of explicit language, princess ofc with a lack of princess manner (aka being more upfront), dad!estie x mom!ofc, fluff?? fictional news articles + posts

note: i need to post this otherwise my storage will continue to be full as hell 🤡

masterlist

THE FAST LANE DAILY

PRINCESS ALBERTINE MAKES GRAND ENTRANCE AT STATE BANQUET, WEARING DIANA-INSPIRED ATTIRE

london, uk - in a stunning display of elegance and style, princess albertine, the youngest daughter of king charles iii, attended the highly anticipated state banquet alongside her husband, french formula one alpine driver esteban ocon. the event marked the first time the couple appeared together as a married couple, capturing the attention of the media and royal enthusiasts alike.

princess albertine, born in 1996, has had a unique journey within the royal family. her custody was passed to her maternal grandmother and eventually to her uncle, leading her to distance herself from her royal title. instead, she chose to use the surname spencer, a nod to her mother's family. however, after tying the knot with ocon, she decided to adopt his surname, solidifying their union.

the british media had been eagerly awaiting a glimpse into the couple's private life, but it was not until three months after their wedding that princess albertine and ocon officially announced their marriage. this secrecy only added to the intrigue surrounding their relationship.

princess albertine had previously declined offers to attend the state banquet on two occasions. however, with the assurance that her brother, prince harry, would also be in attendance, she finally accepted the invitation, making her presence known in a truly unforgettable manner.

stepping into the grand hall, princess albertine made a striking entrance, wearing a dress reminiscent of her late mother, princess diana's iconic style. her haircut, bearing a striking resemblance to diana's, caused a stir among attendees, including her father, king charles iii, and her brother, prince william, the prince of wales.

to complete her regal ensemble, princess albertine donned a breathtaking aquamarine tiara, drawing attention away from the working royals, including queen camilla. the tiara, a personal collection piece, was a gift from dodi fayed's father, who maintained a connection with albertine despite the tragic loss of both her mother and his son. complementing the tiara, she wore a set of aquamarine jewelry, including a wedding band that matched ocon's, which held sentimental value as an heirloom from diana.

the couple's appearance at the state banquet as a married couple was met with great excitement and speculation. many believe that such a rare occurrence would not have taken place had prince harry not been in attendance as well. the presence of both siblings added an air of unity and significance to the event, captivating the attention of all those present.

as princess albertine and ocon gracefully mingled with dignitaries and fellow guests, their radiant presence and homage to princess diana's legacy left a lasting impression. their appearance at the state banquet not only showcased their love and commitment but also hinted at a new chapter in the royal family's history, one that embraces change and celebrates individuality.

with their enchanting presence, princess albertine and ocon have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the hearts of the british public, reigniting the fascination and admiration for the royal family.

THE FAST LANE DAILY

 PRINCESS ALBERTINE AND ROYAL FAMILY'S PLAN FOR LIMITED NEWS COVERAGE

in a surprising turn of events, princess albertine, a member of the british royal family has expressed her lack of connection to her father, king charles iii, and her desire to lead a normal life away from the public eye. despite her lack of close relationships within the royal family, the palace has announced plans to provide limited news coverage about her and her family.

princess albertine's custody was passed to her maternal grandmother following the tragic death of her mother, diana spencer, in paris in 1997. at just one year old, she was separated from her father, resulting in a distant relationship with the royal family. her only remaining connection, prince harry, has also distanced himself from the family.

recently, princess albertine made headlines for her portrayal of her late mother, princess diana, in the popular television series, the crown. the palace remained tight-lipped about the news, while insiders expressed disappointment over the portrayal, hinting at the royal family's disapproval.

despite her strained relationship with her father, princess albertine has managed to retain her royal title, thanks to a strategic divorce between her parents shortly after her birth. this decision ensured the preservation of her legitimacy and her connection to charles' bloodline.

in a surprising twist, princess albertine secretly tied the knot with esteban ocon, a formula one driver. the couple managed to keep their marriage under wraps for three months, evading the prying eyes of the british media. this unexpected union further solidified princess albertine's desire for privacy and independence.

expressing her desire to distance herself from her family's public relations agenda, princess albertine has made it clear that she wants no involvement with the royal family. while the palace has agreed to respect her wishes, they have also stated that certain announcements will be made on her behalf. however, they have emphasized that no further details will be provided, allowing princess albertine the opportunity to discuss these matters herself.

princess albertine and her husband, esteban ocon, are not pleased with this arrangement but reluctantly agreed to the clause in order to appease the royal family. it is evident that they wish to maintain control over their own lives and decisions, free from the constraints of the palace's public relations machinery.

as princess albertine and esteban ocon navigate their newfound marriage and life together, it remains to be seen how they will handle the delicate balance between their desire for privacy and the royal family's need for limited news coverage. the world eagerly awaits any further developments from this intriguing royal couple.

THE BUCKINGHAM PALACE'S ISSUED STATEMENT - MAY 2026

THE BUCKINGHAM PALACE'S ISSUED STATEMENT - JANUARY 2027

MAY 2027

tagged albertinespencer

liked by mickschumacher, lance_stroll, pierregasly

user1 HER NAME IS DITTY I LOVE THAT SO MUCH 😭

user2 ok but who'd name their baby ditty? bffr

user3 gurl albie's cousin is literally named kitty fuck outta here 😩

user4 little albie 🤩

mickschumacher itty bitty ditty 😍 liked by estebanocon

user5 itty bitty ditty???

lance_stroll i cannot believe she had grown sooo much ugh 🥲 are you sure she's still not allowed to the paddock? liked by estebanocon

albertinespencer what's in it for the tired parents?

lance_stroll uncle lance as a date night babysitter?

albertinespencer i can take that

pierregasly i'm so excited to take her on a bicycle ride around the track liked by estebanocon

lance_stroll cool story pierre but i have a basket to put her in on our bicycle ride, what do you have? liked by estebanocon

mickschumacher that's cool but uncle mick already got a wagon in the merc garage to put her in for a ride 😎 liked by estebanocon

mercedesamgf1 mick if there's a report of a break-in in our garage we are blaming this on you- we've told you about the wagon in secret

user6 i live for the grid uncles comments

user7 she is princess d coded 👑

albertinespencer she's just cheering for her papa in here, don't mind her 🤔😍 liked by estebanocon

estebanocon my number one fans ❤️

albertinespencer once an ocon fan, always an ocon fan 💖 liked and pinned by estebanocon

charles_leclerc so glad to be there for her christening, lad! liked by estebanocon

landonorris the all-white party- so iconic liked by estebanocon

estebanocon glad you guys could make it before the pre-testing!

albertinespencer she def loves all of you!

landonorris she better- otherwise idk why i had a little mclaren car made for her

tagged estebanocon

liked by charles_leclerc, kitty.spencer, maxverstappen1

comments have been limited

maxverstappen1 she's the sweetest girl ever 😍 liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer just say that you're glad she hasn't thrown up on you 🤣

maxverstappen1 no i'm relieved though 😅

kitty.spencer i should fly to switzerland just to spend more time with ditty 😊 liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer please!!! it's becoming more boring without estie here 😄

kitty.spencer omw my love!!! 💖

oscarpiastri born in 31st? esteban's driver number? sheesh, a dedicated fan you've got there albie liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer she's an absolute devotee 🤪

landonorris she's the frenchest british princess ever tbh 😕🤭 liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer she's born in switzerland but word ig 🤠

lewishamilton sending my love in her way!!! ❤️ liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer thank you lewis! though, you meant it in a metaphorical sense right because i just received a package of baby mercedes things in here with your name on it 🤔

lewishamilton busted 😅

alpineracingf1 lewis please ditty's dad drives for us

estebanocon i love her so much i wish i can come home and ditch the triple header 😕😭 liked by albertinespencer

albertinespencer it's not encouraged but it is an option...?

alpineracingf1 albie we still need to make you and ditty proud please don't encourage him

PS albie and estie's baby

diana marie-françois elisabeth 'ditty' ocon

[himbos-hotline]

Baby au outline: AKA I have shrunken your favourite wresters! send me asks please

under the cut cuz its BIG

Madelyn "Maddie" Orton

AGE: 5

Adopted by triple H/shawn micheals after Her, Randy and Seth's biological parents die in a car accident

autistic and dyslexic

If she has to have her hair up, she will have it in different colour ribbons

None of her clothes fit her- either cuz theyre a size too big or Randy's handmedowns

Finn Balor:

AGE: 6

Biological child of Leona and Finntan Balor

A child of chaos- its a fight to keep his clothes on most days

constantly covered in bruises from his midadventures

isnt allowed near plastic food or things that smell like food

likes to be labelled as irish

has once stuck lego up his nose

Samuel "Sami" Zayn:

AGE: 5

Edge and Christians child

Offical Generico translater

Doesnt sleep enough for a child

Pokes people when he introduces them to Generico

Believes the young bucks are a collective and cannot tell them apart

Likes apple slices

always has his hands in his mouth

Generico:

AGE: 4

Looked after by Excalibur

Speaks in small vague spanish phrases- only Sami and Danhansen can understad it other babblings

believes that Maddie and moxs coats are magic due to them hiding their hands

sleeps up on top of tables

the quiet kid- nobody sees or hears him enter or leave a room, maddie makes jokes that he flies

never seen without his lucha mask

Likes to sleep in the art room

Kevin Owens:

AGE: 7

parented by Chris Jericho [this was funny to me and sibling]

doesnt really like to share anything he has

That kinda bully who would push you in the mud but then when nobodys looking help you up

Also responds to bear

likes to stand on the slide and scream at people

Malakai Black:

AGE: 6

parents are AJ lee [we needed someone, there no thought behind this]

Speaks very clearly for a child- knows a lot about many things

A bit of a creepy cursed child

Likes to paint and sleeps in the art room under tables

wild child whose missing a tooth

is somehow a calm child around the others, gets upset when things go really wrong

Aleksandra "Aleks" Page

Age: 5

Parents are Micheal and Orla Page

Does not like naps because she has constant energy. The child will not chill tf out and we love her. 

Does bendy shit, gymnastics kid. 

Becomes convinced that she and Adam Page are related because they have the same last name.

Polish-British

tries to drink her weight in juice boxes

Likes outside time and nothing will stop her

Balor:

AGE: 7 1/2

Parented by Brody King

nobody actually knows where he came from

has little devil horn hair that will never flattern down ever

always warm but always wears his little leather jacket

Says concerning things for children

Randall "Randy" Keith Orton:

AGE: 10

adopted by Shawn/Triple H

Hangs out with the "big kids"

Eats bugs and tries to get Maddie to do the same- thinks it makes him look cool

over protective big brother

has anger issues

likes to jump off things

Seth Rollins:

AGE: 4

The youngest orton child

has asthma

doesnt eat bugs but does jump off tall things

Him and Mox were in the same care home-

seth always asks if him and mox are still friends

literally the pickest child

shawn dresses him

has unlimited power, the LOUDEST CHILD EVER!

bites his nails

keeps asking his dads for a dog

Jonathon "Jon" Moxley:

AGE: 5

Fostered and later adopted by William Regal

Allergic to cats but pretends that he isnt

always covered in bandaids

isnt excited about joining a new nursery school

Regal teaches him originami

Calls regal dad

gets nosebleeds and is way to calm about it and thus has a change of clothes with him always

plays in the mud

has ADHD

wears his shirts inside out and mismatched socks

rides his bike fast with stabalizers

totallyg gets braces when hes older

never feels cold

likes frogs

Rhea Ripley:

AGE: 8

daughter of lita

is tall for her age

likes hanging out with the big kids

has her ears peirced

spooky child and likes to talk to malakai

Darby Allin:

AGE: 4

son of sting

paints his face with the poster paints

learns to skateboard

is artsy and crafty

breaks his arm by the first chapter leaping off things

Adam Page:

AGE: 4 [nearly 5]

lives with his "auntie" beth pheonix" on a farm

little farm guy

carries around his horsie plushie

has resting sad face

quiet and anxious and shy

compares kenny to a lamb at least once

wears patterened clothes

Maxwell Jacob Freidman:

AGE: 4

has an asshole personality that streches way past his height

the not nice bully

has hayfever and hates it

likes singing and choir

refuses to play with the other kids

wears his scarf all the time and refuses to take it off

has ADHD

Matthew "Matt" Jackson and Nicholas "Nick" Jackson:

AGES: 7 and 5

sold as set do not seperate- do everything together

Matt needs special food due to glucose and lactose intolerent

Matt wears braces

theyre both autistic

Matt gets the zoomies

Nick likes birds

Matt doesnt mind being called matthew, Nick hates being called nicholas

Nick is a haunted child

Matt likes shoes, nick loves birds

Nick falls over a lot

Kenneth "Kenny" Omega:

AGE: 7

A little older than Matthew

Don Callis kid

abused by don and shows reactions related to that [cries if he thinks hes in trouble, flinches if someone moves too quickly, has issues with wetting himself and bed wetting]

has a tiny ponytail

friends with the baby bucks

little and blond and curly

has a bunny rabbit that he loves more then anything

jealous that the older kids have a gaming system

Edward ‘Eddie’ Kingston:

Age: 9

Parent: Mick Foley

Is friends with Bear because they’re both tiny and filled with rage

Tiny new york accent

Friends with Mox. 

Raccoon blanket.

The kid that wants to see injuries and gross stuff because it’s cool !

Always wears a backwards hat

Plays baseball

Wheeler Yuta:

Age: 2

Parented by William Regal, baby brother of Jon moxley

He is the baby of the entire group. 

Is really left at the daycare because his dad needs to work.

Does Not speak, like at all.

Communicates through noises

Can Laugh and giggle and make sounds like screaming and crying

Maddie teaches him sign language 

Toddlers around and finds the world very very cool

Shares a blanket with his foster brother Mox 

Has his own little blanket to cuddle with.

Daniel "Danhausen" Hausen:

AGE: 6

son of excalibur

plays dolls with mlp with hangman

also friends with little darby

always calls kids by their full names ir makes up their own not quite right names

understands what generico is saying all the time

keeps his baby teeth as well as other kids teeth on him

has once eaten an entire stick

Likes magic

Hook:

AGE: 3

Son of Taz

chip addiction

doesnt know what to do with danhausens avances of friendship

just really fucking loves dinos man!

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows:

AGES: Luke 8 | Karl 7

two half of a whole idiot

Karl has esxma

Charles "Chuck" Taylor:

AGE: 9

Raised by tony schiavone

yes he knows the shoes share his name, he KNOWS!

breaks his ankle at the bucks birthday party

also tall for his age and hates it

looses his name- comes in every week with a new one

Trenton "Trent" Baretta:

AGE: 8

Sues son

gets convinced once that he also looses his name

mamas boy

chucks next door neighbour

the dunce of the group

Orange Julias "Orange" Cassidy:

AGE: 4

Also raised by excalibur

the chillest toddler ever

wears sunglasses all the time

Adam Cole toddler! Adam cole tot [maybe an evolution of the character]

AGE: 5

Raised by RJ city and Claudio castiagnoli

Pagent queen

IS NOT A BABY

likes the swings

always cold

Jungle boy:

AGE: 3

raised by edge and christian

ALSO really loves dinos- carries around a "wrestling dinosaur" called luchasauras that he SWEARS is alive

likes classical music

climbs trees and just falls out of them and never takes fall damage

Julia Hart:

AGE: 2

Raised by brody king

also a haunted child

does cheerleading

likes wearing her big hat

[aurorialwolf]

hwhhehehehehehhehwhw guess who has another redacted next gen oc to shareeeee :D This time, it's William's daughter!! Exciting stuff Rest below the cut so I don't spam anyone's dashes

- Her full name is Emilia (aka Emma / Emily) Solaire

- She is William's only child, and heir to his throne, as Alexis has shown disinterest in ruling and Vincent has split from the clan

- I'm not sure who here remembers, but the fandom once had made up a listener name for William's 'listener' (he doesn't and may not ever have one, but we all thought that it would be cute to make one), who was unempowered, and that's sort of who I think her other parent would be, though this current rendition of her doesn't have as strong a connection to her other parent

- Unlike the other vampire children, she was not turned by her own blood when she accessed her core at puberty, but was instead born vampiric, due to her dad's Old Blood status (the turned by own blood thing was made up by me and is not canon, vampires prob cant even reproduce in canon lmao)

- So; imagine a toddler running at vampiric speed into the most dangerous part of your backyard. This is how William feels. He should be thankful he's an old blood and can keep up lmao

- I imagine William being a somewhat good parent, but I also think he wouldn't be up to speed, and would raise his children in a more old-timey fashion (he wouldn't beat his kids at all though because I say so), which means Emilia is very,, old soul seeming. Would fit in with the bingo ladies /j (she is a littleee bit modern but doesn't have a lot of tech and is out of the loop, acts a lot different to those her age, sort of distant? learned from William how best to be regal and stuff, so she's diplomatic)

- She has a very difficult time making friends because she had vampiric status since birth, and is not able to make friends with kids her own age easily (I mean, think about trying to introduce your vampiric 8-year-old to a normal 8-year-old.. thats scary as shit)

- She's the youngest out of all the Solaire kids, being two years younger than Adrian (the oldest) and one year younger than Vivienne (not Solaire, but associated)

- She's hella bossy because she's always had high status and has a difficult time seeing others as equals because she's literally never been at their level.. Portia (Porter's kid) and Adrian (Alexis's son) are her personal guards, and she makes them entertain her

- Portia is much less afraid to speak her mind, and does so regularly, to the point that Emilia reprimands her for saying treasonous things, lol, much to the chagrin and fear of Adrian, who has been taught to revere those in higher levels of the hierarchy than him, and begrudgingly goes along with all of Emilia's orders

- Emilia also has a hard time seeing mortals as important, or at all on par with herself, as she's always been immortal, vampiric, and she sees her and her typical peers (all vampires) as eternal, or at least veryyyy long-lasting, and simply views mortals as a blip in her likely long life. She grows out of this, with Samuel's (Sam and Darlin's kid) help, as he is part mortal, and helps her see the importance and power of mortals via the Shaw Pack, who is still aligned with the clan in the future (in my mind at least) though she's always still a bit high-and-mighty

Now onto the interesting plot for her personal storyline :3

- Once she reaches ~18, she decides she wants the throne, and conspires to overthrow her father. She recruits her guards and outside players to help her, so there's herself, Portia, Adrian, Samuel Jr., and Vivienne.

- Samuel only agreed because she promised that, if she came into power, she would ensure the safety of the Shaw Pack by devoting some of her people to protect them, instead of just using the reach of her power to imply protection (cough cough William), and yk, she certainly knows how to get Samuel under her thumb because it immediately worked lmao

- Vivienne agreed because Samuel did, and she harbours more loyalty to the Solaire House than she would generally let on, secretly desiring a place among vampiric peers, having been denied that since her turning.

- So, their plan goes as such; (let me clarify they are totally underestimating him and are overconfident lmao) - Samuel will take out Porter early, to prevent interference - Alexis will not be around on the day they plan to execute this, so she isn't factored in - They will catch William while he's doing his usual walk through the woods in his remote estate, when he is unlikely to have a way of contacting help with him, and is too far away from Dahlia to escape to safety - Samuel will be the first to attack, given his general magical prowess, granting him an advantage in distracting William, and a better chance to evade initial parries. He also has a source of daemon / demon blood, and will coat the edge of his sword in it, which will severely weaken William - Adrian and Portia will come up next, them and Samuel forming a triangle to contain William in the area, slowly weathering down his defenses - Vivienne will be taking her time throughout this to charge up a strong burst of electro magic, and will wait until the perfect opening to unleash it directly on him, hopefully immobilizing him, given that he already has da/emon blood in his system. - Then, they will surround him, and Emilia will come up, manipulating blood magic to keep him disadvantaged (since I hc William has formed the ability to control Solaire blood, and his daughter has also learned to do so) - Then, she politely asks for the crown, and should he refuse, they kill him (atp, if everything goes right, he will be severelyyy weakened by the da/emon blood and the lightening strike, making this somewhat possible) - Bam! Throne is taken easy as pie There's multiple possible endings;

1. She gets the crown without fuss because William doesn't mind granting it to her (after he's been defeated)

2. He gives them a run for their money but eventually agrees, but is not defeated at any point

3. They somehow manage to kill him, and she ascends to the throne with blood on her hands

4. He defeats them, and imprisons all of them, granting mercy but insisting on rehabilitation of some kind

5. He defeats all of them and is not merciful, only sparing Emilia and possibly Vivienne (given she's the least dangerous and not in the clan), he's a bit biased lol Number 5 is unlikely, 2 and 4 are most probable (depending on how well things go) Taglist: @vegafan69 @darlin-collins @kxemii @professionallyyappin @sereh624

[dilf-in-peril]

Really fucking funny to me that of course people are saying "oh no, it's not RPF when you write about ringsonas." William Regal really was a mentor to Bryan Danielson. He gave him his gear, that's real. CM Punk genuinely became straight edge because of his alcoholic father. Dax Harwood cut a promo about his daughter's very real medical issues. MJF really had a picture of Punk and him on his wall. Shawn Michaels brought up Bret Hart's real backstage affair in a promo. This isn't Anthony Hopkins playing King Lear, it's a business that historically wanted you to believe it's real and still to this day blends the lines between kayfabe and reality. This is also a business where channeling your real feelings, real character and real animosities into your "ringsonas" is what makes wrestlers and feuds really fucking successful. If only things were as easy as "ringsonas"!

[100gayicons]

William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp

William Lygon’s story is fascinating example of the homophobia and treatment gay people have had endure.

Lygon was the 7th Earl Beauchamp and a British politician who held various important posts, including Governor of New South Wales (1899 and 1901), and leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords (1924 and 1931).

He married Lady Lettice Grosvenor in 1876 and had 7 children (3 sons and 4 daughters). He was also a homosexual (or more probably bisexual) which was a crime under Britain’s Gross Indecency act. This was the same law that doomed Oscar Wilde and Alan Turing.

While attending Oxford, Lygon met Evelyn Waugh. He would become Waugh’s inspiration for the ill-fated Sebastian Flyte in Waugh’s novel ‘Brideshead Revisited’

In the 1920s Lygon would throw “racy” parties at Walmer, a castle he had been given. Lady Christabel Aberconway wrote in her diary of open party she attended:

“We arrived and were shown into a garden… There was the actor Ernest Thesiger, a friend of mine, nude to the waist and covered with pearls.”

Thesinger is best known for his campy performance as Dr Pretorius in “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935).

Apparently Lygon’s sexual activity was an open secret within Britain’s upper crust. He had sexual affairs with servants, common men and other socialites (often at Madresfield Court, the Lygon family home; and at Walmer Castle when he resided).

Lygon toured Australia in 1930 with a young valet, who lived with him. The Australian Star newspaper reported:

“The most striking feature of the vice-regal ménage is the youthfulness of its members … Rosy cheeked footmen. (Each wearing) many lanyards… festoons from their broad shoulders. Lord Beauchamp deserves great credit for his taste in footmen.”

This came to the attention of Hugh Grosvenor (Duke of Westminster). He was Lygon’s brother-in-law and political rival. He hired detectives to get evidence about Lygon’s trysts.

Grosvenor was a Tory, an opposing party, and he wanted to ruin both Lygon and the Liberals. Grosvenor provided his evidence to King George V that Lygon was a homosexual. The King reportedly said,

“I thought men like that shot themselves.”

In 1931, Lygon was given an ultimatum - he must divorce his wife, resign from all offices and leave the country. Otherwise he would face public humiliation, arrest and potentially time in prison. Lygon left England immediately, first heading to Germany where he contemplated suicide. But he was talked out of it by his eldest son.

Grosvenor also showed the evidence to Lettice, Lygon wife, and Grosvenor sister. When told her husband was a bugger, Lettice misunderstood and thought he was being accused of being a bugler.

The divorce petition described Lygon as:

“A man of perverted sexual practices, [who] has committed acts of gross indecency with male servants and other male persons and has been guilty of sodomy … throughout the married life …”

Ironically Lygon’s children sided with the father and visited him often when he was out of the country. They shunned they’d mother.

Afterwards Lygon traveled, making his way to Paris, Venice, Sydney and San Francisco. But he returned to England after King George V died in 1936. His successor King George IV lifted the arrest warrant.

Lygon returned to Madresfield, his family estate in 1937. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with cancer and died in 1938.

Before his death, Grosvenor wrote Lygon saying,

"Dear Bugger-in-law, you got what you deserved. Yours, Westminster."

(Grosvenor, by the way, was a Nazi sympathizer and hated Jews, he was known for His anti-Semitic rants.)

[prismatica-the-strange]

Ok you want ideas I give ideas. How does anne and the gang meet Sherry?

Ah Egg, my dear sweet enabler 💜

Banner by @saradika-graphics | Dividers by @thecutestgrotto | Chocolate (cover) by Mo Mo O'brien

All of Avonlea has been abuzz since the new couple moved into the old Hartman place in mid-November.

Then, two weeks later, when the sweetest smells started coming from the shop downstairs, and an 'opening soon' sign was hung in the window, the children could barely stay quiet enough in class for Mr. Phillips to teach.

Three weeks before Christmas on a Monday afternoon, the snow falls lightly, barely accumulating of the blanket of white from previous nights.

Anne giggles as she catches flakes in her hands. Jerry was busy so she's joined Matthew on a trip to the general store, Marilla sent them for sugar for the baking that comes with the holiday season.

She twirls outside in the flurry before realizing Matthew has gone in without her, and as she hurries to follow him she bumps right into somebody's chest.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry!"

"That's alright," She catches the kind smile behind the words, "It was my fault."

"Oh no I'm the one that wasn't- Oh my, you're eyes are like the sky, they're so blue!"

The woman laughs, her cheeks tinging pink, "Thank you."

"Miss you've got six more hags here!" The shopkeep calls after her and her smile fades slightly.

"I'm just going to make a couple trips I can't-"

"Do you need help?"

"Oh, that's alright, hun, it's just across the street."

"I don't mind!"

Anne spends the next day regaling the other kids of what she had seen inside the new shop. The equipment she had seen, the shelves upon shelves of ingredients.

The smells alone were enough to set her imagination ablaze.

And of course she went on and on about the owner, her elegant, frilly aprons and treats she hand made already out on display.

"Oh you should have seen it! There were so many scrumptious smells! Sweet chocolate, bitter coffee, and floral lavender!" She grins at her friends, looking ponderously at her sandwich, "It makes things such as sandwiches seem incredibly mundane."

Marilla is unsure about the new shop, the idea of excessive sweets seeming far to frivolous to spend their hard come by money on. But there is no stopping Matthew when it comes to spoiling Anne.

Due to all the talk amongst the kids, the shop is nearly swamped with the residents of Avonlea.

The young man behind the counter looks frazzled as he puts together a purchase for the Barry's.

"Can you just give me a moment? I think I need another set of hands."

"Of course- Minnie May! Stop that this instant!" Eliza snaps at her younger daughter when she presses her face up against the glass case.

"Ah, the Cuthberts," William smiles at them, "This place is a mad house, isn't it?"

"It surely is... something," Marilla smiles anxiously. She's still quite wary of strangers since the recent debacle with their boarders.

"Matthew! Marilla! We have to try the lavender chocolate truffles!" Anne exclaims, "They smelled absolutely divine last time I was here!"

"Oh, well... maybe," Matthew nods, knowing full well he'll he walking out with more one just those.

"Okay," the boy chuckles when he comes back, "is there anything else you want?"

"Anne," Diana takes her best friend's arm and pulls her toward the far end if the counter, "Would you do me the honor of sharing a hot chocolate with me?"

"Oh, Anne! You'll ruin your supper!" Marilla calls after them, but it falls on deaf ears as the two giggling girls go up to the counter.

"One please, my father is paying at the register."

"We only have vanilla today, is that okay?"

"Of course!"

"Diana this is Sherry Wharton," Anne tells her, "It's her shop! Sherry, this is my bestest bosom friend, Diana Barry."

"It's a pleasure," Sherry smiles, handing them two cups of hot chocolate.

"Oh, but I only-"

"Anne's is on the house," She grins, "For helping me out the other day. Now, would either of you care for some fresh whipped cream?"

"Anne, Diana!" Ruby runs up to where her friends are sitting at one of the tables in the window, "This place seems magical!"

"I'll have to agree with you there, Ruby. I've never tasted hot chocolate so decadent before."

"And have you seen young man at the register?" The blond continues, "He's quite handsome... Who is he?"

All three of them look back at him and Diana cocks her head, "I'm not sure who he is."

As she says this, Sherry comes out from the kitchen with a tray of sweets.

"Coming behind," She tells him, "These maple crémes seem to be a favorite. We'll have to keep that in mind."

Once she finishes refilling the case she turns to return to the kitchen, but pauses for a moment to kiss his cheek, "Love you, Em."

Ruby squeals and Emmett's cheeks go pink, noticing the attention he's gotten from the girls.

"That was so cute!"

It's a few days later that Gilbert is finally able to drag his new housemate to the shop.

"Oh, come on, Bash, we both know you have a sweet tooth," He teases, "And everyone says the owners are super nice."

"I don't want'a be out here in all this snow, Blythe!" Bash grumbles "It's freezing! I don't know how you survive it!"

"Hello there, welcome to Wharton Chocolate and Confections," Sherry calls over her shoulder when the bell above the door dings. She's out from behind the counter, putting out more chocolate bars.

"Anne was right, this place smells fantastic!"

Gilbert starts looking around, going right for the saltwater taffy.

"My goodness," She pouts when she turns to see Bash, "You poor thing, you look frozen to the bone!"

He looks at her confused when she waves him over to the counter.

"Here," She hands him a cup of fresh hot chocolate, "Warm yourself."

He reaches for his money but she stops him.

"I'll have none of that. Please," She smiles.

"It's easier just to take it," Emmett says, coming out of the backroom and setting a basket of chocolatebars on the counter, "She does this all the time."

"Thank you," Bash nods, taking the warm mug in his still shaking hands. e laughs when Gilbert drops a heavy bag of taffy on the counter, "You think you got enough there? Are you stocking up for a reason, Blythe? I don't think the shop is gonna run out."

[1533-secrets-from-history]

Eleanor of Aquitaine- The grandmother of Europe

(part 1)

The First person on my list would be Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of France,Queen of England, Duchess of Aquitaine(suo jure). I will talk about her life and legends that surrounds her.

Origin and birth

Birth of Eleanor was result of one scandalous marriage. Courtly love was very much appreciated and encouraged in France and therefore in Aquitaine as well. As a result, paternal grandfather of Eleanor, William IX duke of Aquitaine, took Eleanor's maternal grandmother as official mistress. The name of her grandmother is officially unknown, though it is theorised to be Amauberge de I'Isle Bouchard,but she is widely known as dangereuse, for her seductive nature. Her family was not the most important in France, therefore her interest in powerful men is understandable. During her time as mistress, she acquired great wealth and influence, William built the tower of maubergeonne in Poitiers castle. However, William's infidelity was widely known, therefore if she wanted to remain in her position, she would need to act further. Around 1121, she wedded her daughter Aenor to the son of William IX, future William X. Three children were born from this marriage. First Eleanor,the Petronilla and another William.

Palais de Justice, Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France. seat of House Ramnulfid and center of Duchy of Aquitaine. Famous court of Eleanor was held in this castle.

The date of birth of Eleanor is the subject of discussion. 13th century genealogy of her family lists her as 13 years old in 1137,making her date of birth 1124. However according to British historian, author and biographer Alison Weir, her fourteenth birthday was celebrated in 1136, which means she was born in 1122,that is supported by her widely accepted age of 82 at the time of her death.

According to some historians, she was named Aenor after her mother and was called Alia Aenor, meaning "the other Aenor" in Latin, later she adopted her name as Eleanor. Detailed appearance of her is never mentioned in any source or chronicle of her time, though many later painters, authors or filmmakers, usually depict her as women of golden/blonde hair and gray-blue eyes.

However, we can estimate her appearance by indirect sources. The effigy of her tomb represents a tall, big boned woman, while her seal from 1151 depicts the slender woman. Despite her general appearance being unknown, her beauty is non-questionable. By contemporary sources she was beyond beautiful, gracious, regal and lovely with charming eyes. Even in her old age the beauty of Eleanor was widely admired.

Along with her physical beauty, her personality was very fascinating. She was extroverted, lively, intelligent and outspoken, she knew how to talk, joke and win people's hearts. However, she also had a side that was considered undescribable for a woman and wife. She was fierce, stubborn, confident, ambitious and determined.

Upbringing and education

In 1130 her mother and brother, heir of Poitiers, died. That made 8 years old Eleanor heir presumptive of Aquitaine, the richest and largest land in France. Future duchess would need best education,which her father ensures she would get. Along with feminine arts like embroidery, needle work, singing,dancing,sewing,weaving and household management, she was also taught history, philosophy,poetry, arithmetic, constellation and court politics. Eleanor was a renowned horse rider,hunter and archer. As future leader, she learned diplomacy and negotiation skills, as well as Latin and France along with her native poitevin. We can freely say- she was utterly well-prepared for her role and duty as duchess when she inherited Aquitaine in 1137 after the death of her father on 9 april of the same year.

Inheritance and first marriage.

The day his father died, he left the will according to which, Eleanor would succeed him as Duchess of Aquitaine and king Louise VI was named her guardian. As ruler of the largest and richest land in France Eleanor soon became the most desirable bride in all Europe. King Louise himself was gravely ill, it was his best interest to strengthen the kingdom of France and royal family of Capets for his heir did not exactly have powerful characteristics. As a result of those circumstances, Louis VI of France wedded Eleanor and price Louise on July 25 about three months after Eleanor's succession. They were crowned as Duke and Duchess of Aquitaine,but duchy retained independence from France and would remain so until their future son would inherit it from his mother and join two lands as king of France and duke of Aquitaine. The plan that was never meant to be fulfilled. For the wedding price Louise accompanied Eleanor to France along with 500 knights. The bride herself gifted a lavish vase to future husband. A piece of art that still survives these days.

Vase of Eleanor

Per tradition the newly wed couple started royal procession through french provinces,it was not even brought to it's end when on 1 August,barely a week after the wedding, king died. News only reached the couple's ears on 8 August, they were now king and Queen of France and were crowned on 25 December of same year. Eleanor was loved by a young husband so much that he would spare no expense to fulfill her every whim, even if it meant reconstructing the castle to match her taste. That caused major dislike from other influential french people, for example Queen mother,who considered Eleanor as a bad influence and her actions irresponsible. Morever, some northerners and religious leaders considered her confident, outspoken and high- spirited nature as too undignified for proper queen.

Picture that depicts marriage of Eleanor and Louis(left) and going to crusades(right)

Eleanor the crusader

If you ask me, and I as confident many historican would agree, the idea of the second crusade was long formed, however Eleanor was indirectly responsible for an excuse that started the second crusades. In 1142-44 conflict between Louis and Theobald took place, the reason behind this was Eleanor's involvement. On her pressure, Louis permitted Roul I,count of Vermandois to reject the hand of Eleanor of Blois in marriage and instead marry the sister of the Queen. As the count was offended war broke out. One of the consequences of the war was the massacre of vitry, during which nearly thousand people died of fire, when they were hiding in church. Louis felt personal fault in this incident and asked the pilgrimage to Holly lands to atone the sin. In turn, Pope Eugine III suggested him to lead second crusades. Eleanor had given birth to long Desired child the same year after dreadful miscarriage in 1138,but she was not going to be stay-at-home mom and lead Aquitainian forces herself in 1147. Many things happened during the second crusades,but I want to underline some major events around Eleanor.

Louise was an ineffective leader, not the best tactican or inspirator, could not maintain order and discipline in the army. For that reason he was not particularly liked, unlike Eleanor who showed quite the opposite qualities, she was admired so much that some Greek historians even compare her to Queen of Amazons. After that their relationship started to get worse, they would argue much and it was clear(in my opinion) that Louis was jealous of his wife.

During the battle of mount cadmus, many French soldiers were trapped and killed by Turks and as leader Geoffrey de rancon, who suggested to continue the way after some conflict about the plan, blame was put upon him and through him Eleanor. However, the fact that Eleanor still remained popular and Louis became even more disliked, as well as Aquitainian forces not joining the battle might mean that Eleanor was not a supporter of the plan and refused to take part in it. That would make accusations against her wrong.

Eleanor requested divorce due to matter of consanguinity,but Louise rejected it, even more he forced Eleanor to accompany him in further raids, which humiliated and deeply upsets her and her knights as a result french army practically divided in two, followed by Louis's wartime failures and final return to home.

The crusades were not particularly fruitless.While in the eastern Mediterranean, Eleanor learned about maritime conventions developing there, which were the beginnings of what would become admiralty law. She introduced those conventions in her own lands and later in England as well. She was also instrumental in developing trade agreements with Constantinople and ports of trade in the Holy Lands. While they were returning to France their separate ships were attacked and they lost the track of one another, they thought each other to be dead and after two months, Eleanor was sheltered by king of Sicily, that's where she learnt that her husband was alive,but uncle, whom was rumoured to have relationship with Eleanor, was killed by Muslims. That caused her to change plans, she went to Pope Eugine and persuaded him not to divorce them. She even arranged to deconsumate the wedding that caused the birth of another daughter. Without son marriage was doomed and in march of 1152 by the agreement from both sides the marriage was annulled. Eleanor once again became the most desirable bride in all Europe, many French noblemen wanted her hand in marriage as per treaty Aquitaine was still hers due to not having a son with Lous. The duchy was more than third of whole France so such lands could not have been lost. However Eleanor refused all suggestions and instead married Henry duke of Normandy, future king Henry II of England. The marrige would cause another scandal.

I will continue the part II with her marriage to Henry.

[danwhobrowses]

My Highlights for AEW Wrestledream 2023

There was a dream, a dream of wrestling

And Antonio Inoki sought that dream when he founded NJPW

But now AEW has invited the dangling from its hinges Forbidden Door open again to celebrate Inoki on the anniversary of his death.

Let's see what was good about this show

Spoilers for the PPV

Zero Hour

"She's so sweet, but so dumb, god bless her" Richard of House Starks speaking of Lexy Nair, fiancée of one large William

Props for the Julia vignette, it aired on Collision and apparently someone on twitter helped film it so good for them

Stokely 'Urban Dictionary dot com' Hathaway

TK donning the Inoki scarf with Inoki's grandkids, Shibata and Rocky

Christian Cage Noooooo

Athena doing Billie's jump and Keith's Limitless pose, and then almost blindsided by Kojima XD

Meat chants always a win

Athena saved her minion!

Josh Barnett looks like a leaner Brock Lesnar don't he?

Moxley joining on commentary, showing he's well after the concussion too

I think that's an open invitation to Bloodsport for Claudio

Well, you can tell that Nick Wayne has trained with Darby, mans is bumping

Caster already going for the tentacle porn diss

Sounds like JR is open to scissoring

Main Card

MJF wearing as many belts as he has initials

Picking the right person to massage his shoulders

Alas no tag partner in the corner for Max

Dutch always has a great Bossman Slam

Some Guerrero tactics there, with some added pantomime by the audience

And he hits the bodyslam! The Seattle Stampede

MJF has put over a bodyslam, a double clothesline and a dropkick (Kangaroo Kick) which is proof that with enough charisma any move can be put over

Props to the dude in full Jeff Hardy cosplay

Shibata starting low like Inoki did vs Ali

Thesz drop early just like Inoki took it early vs him for his second ever NJPW match (first was vs Simon Gotch)

Uraken kicked out at 1!

Eddie again winning with the Powerbomb, he meant what he said to Kawada

Dang that crack as Statlander socked Julia

And Julia does have one hell of a moonsault

Brody having to carry his goth daughter back down the ramp

Reminder Julia Hart is 22 in November; younger than Hayes, Stratton, Dragunov, Dominik, Jade, Statlander, Anna, HOOK and more, she is a talent

Starting the 4 way with an International Title preview

and then OC tagging in??

Gunns doing the New Day 'both legal men' attempt

HOOK sold that superkick really well too

"It's always in their hometown huh?"

Nana gets his dance in

Serve remains that guy, so clean

Ooof, taking a trick out of Penta's book eh, Killshot?

Vicious discus lariat there from Hanger

The JML Driver is great too

Mox back on Commentary, he's one flirtation with Excalibur away from being Regal

Ricky's rope walk is just effortless

Ah poor Mox, he can't help but curse it's native to his vocabulary

Seahawks colours for Bryan

Moxley's passion for wrestling is shining through a lot in commentary, if he could control the cussing he could easily be an all timer play by play commentator

It also juxtaposes Nigel McGuinness' anti-Bryan vendetta

Bryan practically walked out of that Romero Special

Hitting the Itoh special with the rollover half crab

GOODNESS that Dragon Screw

I think his head was already fucking kicked in sheesh

That certainly was a technical masterclass, and it doesn't feel like we're done

I'm gonna say it too, give Bryan the IWGP World title. I mean it, he's beaten Okada and ZSJ, he could beat SANADA at like Sakura Genesis or New Year's Dash, have a little run with it, do the G1 and then drop it at Forbidden Door and then he's completed all his career goals

Mox's genuine surprise as he thought Demetrius Johnson was gonna wrestle Kenny Omega XD

I mean that Last Supper artwork is...definitely something

Geez starting with Omega/Ospreay?

People want Takeshita/Ibushi, that tells you how elevated Takeshita has been

Callis trying to contribute to increating the stretch

Ibushi now joining Suzuki in 'he does what he wants', joining the Sex Gods pose

'You still suck' chants because Sammy still pulled off a picture perfect Shooting Star Press

Jericho invoking Omega in the Not Even One kickout

Murder Ibushi activated!

That is the best Ibushi has looked in AEW so far, hopefully he gets 100% for Takeshita

Dang just let Dax and Davis slap each other for 10 minutes, Davis has wrestled WALTER I know he has it in him

I've seen enough, I don't just need 10 minutes I need a full tournament of big beefy men slapping man meat; Dax, Davis, Keith Lee, Shane Taylor, Wardlow, Luchasaurus, Butcher, Brody King, Joe, Hobbs, Miro, Brian Cage, Big Bill, etc. let them all fight, give us the whole Buffet

Darby and Christian have done so much work that'll go understated in restoring the TNT title, it's main eventing a PPV!

Also if anyone can will it into existence we need Christian to start calling himself the Turtle Neck Titan, you know because Turtlenecks but also TNT

Hoisted by his own petard, blinded by the turtle neck

I mean Nick Wayne's mom is hot you gotta shoot your shot

Well that is for sure a Darby Allin bump, right on the steps twice over

Frog Splash onto a stretcher!

And a Killswitch on the canvas boards!

Scorpion Death Drop and Coffin Drop on the boards only for two

Nick Wayne heel turn

You think you know him? Adam Copeland is All Elite! And he brought Metalingus with him

He was so excited he glided through the smoke!

Edge, Christian and Sting all in the same ring what year is it? what timeline is it? WHAT IS IT???

Conclusion

Well that was a lot of fun.

Compared to No Mercy it was perhaps marginally better for me, again this could be due to being more in the loop with the storylines but stuff like the trios match, the main event, Swerve vs Hangman, the ultimate tekkers match it just clicked. Not a bad match on the card too, though I was rooting for Aussie Open to win, but Bucks/FTR IV will still be great. Plus I still wanted to see Statlander body slam Brody.

I do hope Fénix is okay, he disappeared from the 4-Way and he's the International champion, don't want back to back injury-induced title changes after all. But it was good to see Moxley just out there enjoying himself on the side, probably won't ever get to do it again mind you given all the cussing but still, did elevate the matches.

We've got intriguing directions too; Swerve needs to get somewhere with that W over Hangman (world title? I mean I kinda like Jay White for it, International Title? Maybe too soon), Claudio and Bryan have extended rematch invitations and you know Ricky ain't done with the BCC (still though I wouldn't put him in the BCC, Garcia should have that spot), even the Zero Hour did some development with Billie and Athena's dynamic.

So yeah, probably not better than All In and All Out but still pretty damn good, Inoki would be proud.

Match of the Night: I mean it's the Ultimate Battle of Epic Tekkers right? Hard to really say any match was better than that wrestling-wise. The Main Event is a close second with the drama. Best Entrance: Julia Hart gets this one just ahead of Adam Copeland's worst kept secret, not many flashy entrances in this show, in fact I think OC/Hook and Jericho didn't even get entrances. Best Attire: Again, not many here, most of them were kinda subtle so I'm gonna give it to Swerve so I can give him props somewhere. Best Performance: Tie for Bryan and Zack, masters of their craft, not much else you can say. Spot of the Night: Because Christian dropping Darby on the steps was messy and scrappy, it's Bryan's Dragon Screw that just looked so vicious like I'm sure I saw his foot facing another direction.

[labuenosairesfrancaise]

Nun Appleton House

Hi guys!!

I'm sharing Nun Appleton House. This is the 13th building for my English Collection.

I added aa garden, which is my own creation and not the original of the house.

History of the house: The hall itself is built of reddish-orange brick with ashlar dressings and a Welsh slate roof in three storeys to a rectangular floor plan. It is grade II listed and now stands in some 200 ha. of parkland.

The estate was acquired by The 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron, a Yorkshireman with a Scottish peerage, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, from whom it descended to The 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron, the well-known English Civil War commander, who built the present hall in the late 1600s.

In his time (1651) the estate was the inspiration for Andrew Marvell's Upon Appleton House, a significant country house poem. Marvell was tutor to Thomas Fairfax's daughter, Mary. After the death of Mary (who had married The 2nd Duke of Buckingham) in 1704 the estate was eventually sold in 1711 to Alderman William Milner of Leeds who carried out many alterations to the house.

His son William was created the 1st Milner Baronet, of Nun Appleton Hall in the County of York, in 1717 and was later Member of Parliament for York. The estate then descended in the Milner family until 1875, when the estate's owner, Sir William Mordaunt Milner, 6th Baronet, was more interested in gambling than looking after it.

By 1877 it had been leased to William Beckett-Denison, a wealthy Leeds banker. After the death of Sir William Milner in Cairo in 1881, his brother Frederick inherited the estate and in 1882 married Adeline, eldest daughter of William Beckett-Denison. After William Beckett's gruesome death in 1890, the Hall and estate were sold to Angus Holden, a sometime M.P. (later created Baron Holden), a woollen manufacturer from Bradford, whose ownership was somewhat brief as he died in 1912.

The hall was now empty and many of the tenanted farms were sold. The estate was put up for auction in 1914 and again in 1917 and eventually acquired by a private company which felled many of the trees but by 1919 had gone into liquidation. It was bought in 1920 by Sir Benjamin Dawson, 1st Baronet, another Bradford textile manufacturer, who was High Sheriff of Yorkshire for 1951–52. During the Second World War the hall was taken over by the London Maternity Hospital.

 When the stable block accidentally burnt down it was afterwards refurbished as a theatre and made available to the local community.

The property was bought from the last occupant, Sir Benjamin's daughter Joan Dawson, for £1.2 million in the 1980s by Humphrey Smith of the Samuel Smith brewing family. The house is now fenced off, empty, unused and deteriorating.

Video below check it out

For more info: https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=928431841986992&id=100044605540042&_rdr

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This house fits a 50x50 lot (I think if you lose the gaden and terrace it can fit a 50x40 too)

I furnished just the principal rooms, so you get an idea. The rest is unfurnished so you create the interiors to your taste!

Hope you like it.

You will need the usual CC I use:

all Felixandre cc

all The Jim,

SYB

Anachrosims

Regal Sims

King Falcon railing

The Golden Sanctuary

Cliffou

Dndr recolors

Harrie cc

Tuds

Lili's palace cc

Please enjoy, comment if you like it and share pictures with me if you use my creations!

Free to download blueprint: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=75230453

[suntiger745]

Just came home from seeing Wakanda Forever. First film I’ve seen in a theater since the pandemic started back in dec 2019. Was good to see a film on the big screen again. :) I knew Shuri becomes the Black Panther in the comics, so I assumed that was the route they would go after Chadwick Boseman died. The opening still was a gut punch, with Shuri frantically trying to come up with a cure for her brother and then Queen Ramonda comes out from another room and you know it’s too late. The funeral for T’Challa was a beautiful sendoff to both the king and Chadwick Boseman, both with the art of him shown, and the dances honoring the king from the population. The more private ceremony with the priests, queen and princess also showed how Shuri blames herself for not finding a cure in time. Queen Ramonda is both clearly mourning but still has a regal air about her that commands respect. The acting from both Laetitia Wright and Angela Bassett is stellar.

Cut to a year later: Other nations (predictably) wants the vibranium and some of them sends mercenaries or special forces to get some of it at one of the Wakanda outreach centers T’Challa established in the wake of the events of Black Panther. Apparently, the wakandans are onto this and rather than mostly scientists at the center, it’s a few scientists and disguised Dora Milaje waiting for the mercs, who gets their assess kicked.

At a hearing at the UN, France and the US then brings up their complaints about Wakanda not sharing enough of their tech with the world. Queen Ramonda arrives to answer these complaints, and is dressed to kill. Not just that she looks good (which she does). I thought her outfit came across as ‘aggresive’ in its design, even taking into account the wakanda style designs. Looking back at how T’Chaka and T’Challa dressed at their meetings with the UN, Queen Ramonda (and her guards) makes a statement of power. The reason for this become clear when she answers their complaints by telling them of the attack on the research center, frickin’ marching in the captured mercs right into the meeting chamber and then declaring that she will be lenient - this time, but that further provocations like that will be considered an act of war. Message fuckin’ delivered. >:) Every detail about that UN meeting was calculated to send a very clear message. No wonder her outfit had an aggressive design. Then we get our first look at vibranium found outside Wakanda, followed by the US researchers finding out that it is already claimed by the atlanteans. (Or I guess they would be talokans in the MCU.) The next part is Queen Ramonda and Shuri having a moment by the river near the capital, with Ramonda trying to help her daughter finding closure by burning the funeral garments they wore a year before. Shuri is clearly still not over her brother’s death, and can’t let go of her anger and survivor’s guilt. As a side note, this is one of the reasons Black Panther, Namor and Aqua Man (and their dark mirror, Doctor Doom and Latveria) are so interesting to me compared to most other super heroes. They are royalty and/or rulers in addition to being super heroes - which makes their actions have a much broader scope in terms of consequences and the kind of decisions they have to make. And here we also get to see the personal family side of the equation, bringing a third aspect to the table. Once again, hats off to the acting of Angela Bassett and Laetitia Wright. Cue Namor making a visit, the first look at him in the film. I will say, changing his origin and culture to mesoamerican was a stroke of genius, because well-done CGI or not, the feathers on his ankles had a hard job of not looking silly in a non-animated film. But, with the mayan- or aztec-influenced aesthetics of his outfit, the wings fit in really well. Still, he comes to deliver an ultimatum, not an offer of friendship. And so we are introduced to Riri Williams, the Tony Stark of her generation. Okoye suggests bringing Shuri along to retrieve her, despite Queen Ramonda’s misgivings. I was torn on this while watching, because Ramonda is correct that Shuri is too valuable to risk, but Okoye is also right that Shuri has been cooped up in the lab for too long (no doubt feeding her survivor’s guilt on bad brain days). Of course Shuri comes along, and the retrieval of Riri goes smoothly, with some funny banter between Okoye and Shuri. To start with. Then the FBI shows up. Which is not surprising. Anyone who is capable of building a freakin’ vibranium detector as a school project is bound to get watched by a few government agencies. Riri then reveals the *other* thing she’s been working on: and Iron Man-style exo suit/power armor. The escape goes fairly well, until the talokans show up. Okoye shows why she’s the general of the Dora Milaje, taking down three talokans and only runs into serious trouble when she fights their leader Attuma. Kudos to the actors who plays Attuma and Namora btw. Namora has a fairly flamboyant outfit, the underwater plant crown in particular, yet she also projects a sense of danger and being someone you don’t want to cross at the same time. Attuma wears what I think is the head of a hammerhead shark on his head and it could come across as silly, but with the rest of his outfit as well as his physicality and presence, he instead comes across as solid, powerful and dangerous. Shown quite well when he fights Okoye to a draw with advantage Attuma on the bridge. And so Shuri and Riri ends up taken to the talokan’s city. While there, Shuri gets to meet K’uk’ulkan/Namor and he tells her of his story and origin. One very interesting aspect here is the compare and contrast between K’uk’ulkan and the Black Panther. Both are rulers with superhuman powers, but because K’uk’ulkan was born and grew up in the 1500′s his people, while superhumanly strong and fast from their bodies being adapted to living in the sea and having access to vibranium tools and weapons, they have been more cut off from the world and its technology. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, with the long lifespan of K’uk’ulkan his friends, people who knew him when he grew up, are all dead and though he is revered and respected his status as a demigod to his people seem to have left him without any real friends. He does seem to be closer to Namora and Attuma, but it still seems to be a relationship of ruler and respected subordinate. I suspect this is something he struggles with privately, since he mentions to Shuri when speaking of loss that he has watched all his close friends die. The Black Panther meanwhile, while both venerated and respected as being their god-blessed protector is still someone the wakandans will argue with and who has family and friends. I think this is tied both to the Black Panthers, for all their powers, still having a normal lifespan (or at most, only slightly longer than normal), and the focus on developing technology for both the royals, the military and the ordinary citizens. Both the lifespan and the technology is key to how different the wakandans see their ruler, and the friends and family aspect on the personal front, is a key difference in how the Black Panther sees their people and the world.

Back in Wakanda Queen Ramonda dismisses Okoye from the position of general for her failure to protect Shuri. In a heartwrenching scene, Okoye and the queen both speak of what they have sacrificed for Wakanda and once again I can do nothing by wipe my tears and salute the performance of Angela Bassett and Dani Gurira. The elders and M’baku also make pertinent contributions to the scene, but it’s Ramonda and Okoye that takes center stage for sure. The queen then goes to get the person who has been conspicuously missing so far. Nakia. She finds her at Haiti, teaching at a school there. (Also, she looks breathtaking.) Requesting her to return to her former service as an infiltrator once again, Nakia reluctantly agrees. Whatever pains she is carrying after the loss of her love, she does still care a lot about Shuri, the Queen and her homeland. Then there’s an interlude with Agent Ross and the subplot of the CIA thinking Riri’s disappearance was orchestrated by the Wakandans, and the US wanting to put pressure on them, possibly with Riri as a pretext for an armed intervention. Ross tries to dissuade them, and appears to be successful for now, but who knows how long that will last?

Nakia manage to track down Shuri, and killing two guards she rescues both Shuri and Riri. While Shuri got shown Talokan by K’uk’ulkan and there was some burgeoning seeds of mutual understanding, the killing of the guards makes him go for his Namor approach and he marshal the city’s warriors for war. Despite the increased vigilance and strengthened defences, water has a way of getting everywhere and soon Wakanda’s capital is attacked. While his warriors and sirens attack the city and the people, Namor takes on the Dora Milaje and goes after the Queen. Ramonda motions for Riri, who is visiting the palace, to get behind her when Namor attacks and after being initially stumped, he then blows a hole in the side of it and floods the throne room. With her last strength, the queen gets herself and Riri to the surface of the flooded throneroom. Resuscitation attempts are made, but only Riri wakes up. Within the span of a year, Shuri has now lost both her brother and her mother, and on top of that, she also has the burden of having to take over as queen. Maybe.

Without the heart-shaped herb to give her the powers of the Black Panther, there is potentially a crisis of succession. Shuri being very much a science prodigy and viewed askance by the elders of the council for her disdain of the old ways means that the council might rule instead. Or perhaps a challenge for the throne will be made. M’baku did that when T’Challa was to be inaugurated after all. With everyone reeling from the attack, Shuri and M’baku have a quiet moment where they talk about what to do next. Evacuating the people of the capital to Jibariland, and whether to seek vengeance against Namor and the talokans for the death of the queen. It is interesting how differently M’baku approach Shuri compared to how he approached T’Challa. To be fair, the situation is quite different as well, but for being a staunch traditionalist who does not shy away from conflict, M’baku is very gentle with Shuri. Even taking the loss of her mother into account. Regardless, the evacuation is made, and for the moment M’baku and the council hold things together in Jabariland while Shuri and Riri goes into the former’s lab to work on solutions that could help with the situation, both in terms of taking care of Namor and how to boost their own abilities. Riri plays to her strengths and builds a power armor, while Shuri tinkers with the special Dora Milaje suit she was working on before. And then she realizes that the bracelet K’uk’ulkan gave her while she was in Talokan might be a key to synthesizing the heart-shaped herb successfully.

The astonishment and disbelieving joy on the faces of Nakia and Shuri when the process finally works would feel exaggerated or overacted if it wasn’t such a profound thing. She was able to perform nothing short of a miracle, and it’ not just a scientific success it has so much deeper implications than that, both for Shuri personally and Wakanda as a nation. And then comes the visit to the spirit world. Seeing Killmonger there instead of T’Challa or Ramonda, or even her father was perfection. With Shuri’s state of mind at the time, he was both the most aligned with her at that moment, and for all that she claims they are nothing alike, Killmonger makes some very solid points about his influence on Wakanda.

The moment a bit later, when M’baku and the council of elders is sitting discussing and the ship drops the Black Panther into their midst was both one of the coolest and most heartwrenching/heartwarming moments in the film. The flare of purple energy as the suit absorbs the impact of the landing, and then the people, the elders first among them, reaching out in hope and disbelief, to M’baku clasping hands with her in a test of strength and not being able to move her hand even a little. It’s not just Shuri coming into her own as the Black Panther (arguably, she doesn’t, though she does step into the role here), but she gives her people back their protector in the here and now when they are in dire need of them - and she returns to them a cultural touchstone that has shaped the nation ever since it was united who was thought to be lost forever.

Here again come a moment where I think the difference between K’uk’ulkan and the Black Panther is put into stark contrast. This is the closest moment the wakandans have to the demigod worship status K’uk’ulkan has, but though the moment is both deep and profound, there is also a big difference. And once again it is M’baku that provides the more grounded view the wakandans have.

Kudos to Winston Duke. He manages to show both how meaningful the return of the Black Panther was, and still argues with her about the course of her actions. He does see her as the rightful ruler, he’s even the first to call out that the Black Panther has returned, but while he shows respect he is also not subservient and do not consider Shuri above reproach or critique.

He doesn’t quite come across as a mentor in their private moment, but it’s close. And again, I think he would have been more confrontational with T’Challa in the same situation. For all that he does not approve of Shuri’s views and methods, he does acknowledge her skills in what she does and respects her, both as Shuri and the Black Panther. A hard balance to walk, but he does it beautifully. Both Winston and Laetitia are great in that scene. The subsequent fight at sea, while really cool, had perhaps the least impact on me, for all that it’s a Marvel film and fights are their bread and butter. Riri in the power armor is really cool though, and the rematch between Attuma and Okoye is really good as well. The main fight between the Black Panther and Namor is more interesting in some aspects. One of them is another of the key differences between Shuri and K’uk’ulkan - she used her friends to outsmart Namor rather than just go toe-to-toe with him after gaining the powers of the Black Panther. He’s so powerful that he likely hasn’t had a real challenge in centuries (unless he has fought other super powered beings between the 1600′s-2000′s) and while his people follows him loyally, they don’t have the same capacity to outhink their opponents as Riri, Girot and Shuri has.

Of course, a big part of the fight is their anger. K’uk’ulkan’s anger at the surfacers in general and the wakandans for killing two of his people, and Shuri’s very personal anger at him for killing her mother. It’s a powerful moment when Shuri gets impaled and the visions come back. First Killmonger again, giving her the willpower to pull herself off the spear, and then the vision of her mother telling her to show K’uk’ulkan who she truly is. That is when I would argue Shuri comes into her own as the Black Panther. And in her sparing him, K’uk’ulkan sees an echo of his own mother. Proud, fierce and protective, but not without compassion and gentleness either.

In the aftermath, Okoye springs Agent Ross from a prison transport, because it’s probably a bad idea to leave the CIA agent with considerable first hand knowledge of Wakanda to the tender mercy of other CIA interrogators. And it’s also time for more waterworks from me as Shuri goes to visit Nakia at Haiti. She finally reaches a position where she can let go of blaming herself for not finding a cure and to mourn her brother’s death, seeing him on the wind as her mother said. And just for an extra (but good) emotional gut punch, she learns that she isn’t alone after all. She still has family in her nephew, and by extension Nakia. Really liked the film. I really liked Black Panther too, and Chadwick Boseman left large shoes to fill, but I think Laetitia Wright together with the writers and director, as well as the other actors, made Shuri a worthy successor to T’Challa and Wakanda Forever a worthy sequel to be proud of. Definitely recommend it. :)

[hallowgracie]

Behind the Scenes: Names of the MCs in To Sail on Seas of Sky

I thought I'd whip up a brief post going behind the scenes as to where and why the main cast in my pirate novel got their names. I hope you enjoy!

Elodie

The first character to be named in the entire saga, her name was chosen because while it is a Proper English Girl Name that sounds at least vaguely period-appropriate, it means "precious treasure." I previously used it for a dragon girl protagonist for the same reason, but I think it suits the daughter of pirates just as well.

Her surname, Fleetwood, actually comes from an in-joke based on the book's original pitch. I knew I wanted to write a pirate story based on Anne Bonny, Calico Jack, and Mary Read, who had an infamous love triangle that is shrouded in sensation and legend. To honor that idea, I wanted to write a group of young pirates who have a case of "Fleetwood Mac syndrome," where everyone is dating or at least interested in each other.

When I realized it sounded right, I decided to keep it because it was funny.

Ventus

Luckily, Ventus was a fairly straightforward character to name. I knew early on that I wanted my pirates to have a sky element too, because that's just fun. And even the ocean-bound pirates of reality are at the mercy of the winds. So it would only make sense for a Pirate King to have a son named after the winds.

Hawkins of course comes from the protagonist of Treasure Island.

Kas

Kas is a nickname, short for Kaspar. His name was tricky to find, as I had an idea of what syllables I wanted, and I knew he was the type to go by a nickname. Kaspar ended up being my final choice because there was a famous sea-explorer by that name with that spelling.

Beaumont was chosen because it just sounded regal enough to allude to his noble background appropriately.

Jade

Jade was given one of the names that I considered for Elodie when I was naming her, as Jade historically is quite a precious treasure. It suited this character a bit more, however, as she's much wilder than Elodie was, being raised on pirate ships at the high seas. Which was a previous character concept for Elodie that I ended up rejecting because of concerns about how that would look like "pick-me" or "not like other girls" type characters.

But never mind that.

Jennings was chosen as her surname because of the mid 19th-century American politician William Jennings Bryan, so it sounds a little more historical and reflects the Americana that surrounds the fantasy of the pirates from the time and era I'm drawing from.

Carina

Her name was easy, the southern star was a perfectly princess-like name, and was just right for her archetype. It also matches with the name of her brother, Alcor, as another star name, tying their dynasty to the heavens and sky-imagery.

Her surname, Eldora, is derived from El Dorado, the famous legend of the city of gold. I also liked how it looked like "Endor" after the witch.

Captain Jennings

I discussed her surname in Jade's section, so let's briefly talk about her first name.

As an analogue to Mary Read, Captain Jennings has disguised herself as a man many times in her history. So, she needed to have a name that could easily be gender-bent. I remember there were some different names being considered, but they ended up out of the game because they were harder to name-bend.

Elizabeth is perfect, given the associations with the Pirates of the Caribbean main trilogy (Carina also has that association, come to think of it) and can be converted to a male name without much thought--Elias.

[grizzledyoungimpact]

Whumptober Day #5

Quote: You better pray I don't get up this time. Prompt: Pinned Down Pairing: Hangman PagexNolee Angle (OC) Mentions Of: The Blackpool Combat Club, The Elite, The Dark Order Verse: Cowboy AU

Everyone in the world knew of the group of men who called themselves The Elite. Maybe it was the tales of their exploits or maybe it had been the wanted posters that once lined town boards. Either way, tales and posters had greatly exaggerated the truth and Nolee Angle had learned that when she had begun the relationship with the man who called himself The Hangman, Adam Page.

Maybe it wasn't the romantic relationship that the saloon girl had always dreamed of, but the traveling outlaw had always made time for her. It had started more physically, but with each visit, the duo had fallen more and more in love. It wasn't long before they had staked their claim on their own little farmstead. Adam traded a life of crime for ranchwork. His old friends were traded in for a new group of former criminals turned religious lot called The Order.

That hadn't stopped the lawmen from coming and when they did, it had been with the worst the law had to offer.

Nolee's half-sister Angel was the daughter of the town sheriff, but even worse, she was married to a man by the name of Jon Moxley. Jon was a rugged man, rough in all sense of the word. He worked as a bounty hunter along with a group of men who called themselves the Blackpool Combat Club, founded by railroad baron William Regal. William had employed men who all had a longing to rebuild the world in their image, even if it wasn't one of justice.

Claudio Castagnoli had come to the new world looking for somewhere to belong. After moving west, he had found that spot while working for the railroad. That's where he had met both Mr. Regal and a young man named Wheeler Yuta. Wheeler was the adapted son of law clerk Drew Gulak. Wheeler had looked for his own place in the world and finally found it on the rails. The last member was Bryan Danielson, a soft spoken but dangerous former lumberer.

William Regal had helped these men to become dangerous, hunting bounties and running their own farmstead. The latest bounty, judging by the dust cloud Nolee could see from the porch, were The Elite.

Nolee stood from her chair on the porch, hand wiping against her apron, "What are ya'll doing here?"

"We know he's here, Nolee," Angel spoke softly as she got off of her horse, "just let us in and-"

"No!" Nolee protested, blonde ringlets bouncing with the shake of her head, "Angie, he's changed! I promise he-"

"I told you that she wouldn't allow us inside, Angela," Claudio spoke as he placed his hands on his hips, "we would have to get past her if she were home."

"She'll do the right thing, Claudio," Angel took a step forward, towards the porch in an effort to talk to her sister, "Won't you, Nolee?"

"I am doin' the right thing!" Nolee shouted, stepping between the bounty hunters and the front door. She closed her eyes as she felt the door behind her open and who she could only assume was her beau.

"Now what's all this?" came Adam's thick accent.

"Adam Page, yer under arrest," Jon spat as he moved towards the porch, his hand on his pistol. "Now you gonna come quietly or-"

Adam moved to stand in front of Nolee, his eyes narrowed and his hand on his own pistol, "Nolee, get in the house..."

"Adam, I ain't gonna leave ya," Nolee protested, gently putting her hand on his arm, "Please we can-"

"You should listen to your husband," Bryan spoke up, plainly, "Things could get messy out here. Wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Lay one hand on her an' I'll blast yer brains out," Adam snarled as he stepped off the porch. Almost as quickly as he had stepped off the porch, Claudio Castagnoli had tossed his lasso around Adam's neck, pulling until the tall blonde was on his knees. He tried to fight to get the lasso from around his neck, but Claudio placed a foot in the center of Adam's back and pulled even tighter. He sputtered and choked as Wheeler bound Adam's hands.

Nolee tried to rush to help her beau, but Angel grabbed her sister, stopping her from getting too close, "Angie...Angie please! He..."

"I can't Nolee! I'm sorry, but I can't..." Angel tried to soothe her sister.

Jon smirked as he knelt in front of the kneeling Adam, a hand tilting his head up to look in his eyes, "Yer gonna get us a damn good bounty."

Adam spat at Jon, "You better pray I don't get up this time, Jon. Cause when I get outta this? I'm gonna show you why they call me The Hangman."

[thewanderingrancher]

Alliance of Resolve (Ep.2)

The crimson hues of the setting sun painted the land with a surreal sense of serenity as William Flint stood amidst the remains of his once vibrant ranch. He stood beside the fresh graves of his beloved wife, Maria, and young son, Javier. The charred remnants of their home whispered the tale of tragedy, a story etched into his very soul.

As the shadows grew longer, a figure emerged from the horizon, a member of the Puebloan tribe, to which had been a part of his families very demise. The man, approached cautiously, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. He introduced himself and expressed condolences for the losses both had suffered “William? I am Kaiweh, I am deeply sorry for your losses that lay at your very feet, we too, understand the pain of this”. The bandits had not only razed William's life but had also attacked Kaiweh's people, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

William, in turn, recounted the events that led to this grim moment. The desperation for land, the unexplained animosity, and the heart-wrenching loss of his family. Kaiweh listened attentively, his face reflecting the pain he heard in William's tale.

Amidst the sorrow, William, fueled by a growing desire for justice, took a step forward. He looked at Kaiweh and made a proposition, his voice tinged with determination. "Let us forge an alliance, a quid pro quo. I seek vengeance for my family, and you seek retribution for your people. If I aid you in facing these bandits, will you in turn stand by me in my quest to find my daughter?"

Kaiweh acknowledged William's proposition with a solemn nod, understanding the gravity of the situation and the need for cooperation. He extended a reciprocal offer that could tip the scales of this looming confrontation. "In the spirit of this alliance," he replied, a sense of purpose underscoring his words, "I shall provide you with crucial information—the bandits you seek are hiding within the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains." The weight of their common goal hung heavy in the air, solidifying the pact that had been made. The party of four was forged—William, Kaiweh, and two more of Kaiweh’s family, Tashka, and Kokyangwuti.

The Puebloan tribe had their own way of preparing for battle; they invited William to partake in their ancient rituals, including the Dance of Strength and Unity. William, whilst holding very little in the way of choices, graciously accepts the offer and with a last glance at the fresh graves, he turns to the mission at hand.

In a quiet corner of the pueblo, beneath the vast open sky that stretched across the land like a vast canvas, the puebloan tribe prepared for a crucial ceremony. A bonfire crackled, its flames reaching toward the heavens. Surrounding the fire, members of the tribe adorned in traditional garments chanted ancient prayers, their voices resonating with a rhythmic pulse that seemed to bind the very air with a sacred reverence.

Kaiweh led William to the heart of this ceremony, the flickering fire casting a play of light and shadows across their faces. The air was thick with the scent of burning sage and sweetgrass, carrying with it the promise of purification and strength. The dance of flames seemed to mirror the dance of souls, a reminder of the eternal struggle between light and darkness, good and evil.

In this profound atmosphere, Kaiweh stood before William, his eyes reflecting the solemnity of the moment. Around them, the chanting rose and fell like a gentle tide, guiding the rhythm of this ancient communion. The chief, his bearing regal and wise, held a stone dagger—an emblem of strength and resilience.

As the tribe chanted, the chief presented the stone dagger to William. It was a weapon forged from flint, a symbol of unwavering determination. The hilt, crafted from deer bone, represented the spirit of the land and its people, bound together by resilient plant fibers, a testament to the enduring unity that held the tribe. The sheath, intricately woven and adorned with turquoise and owl feathers, epitomized the traditions, wisdom, and spirit that they now shared with William.

In this sacred circle, amidst the fervent prayers and the scent of sage, the significance of the stone dagger was amplified. It was not merely a tool of retribution; it was a profound symbol of their alliance—a bond that transcended blood, forged in the fires of sorrow and determination. The ritual's sanctity underscored the weight of their offering, the hope it bore, and the promise it held.

In the wake of the profound ritual, the tribe prepared William and his companions for their journey. The air was charged with a sense of purpose, the ancient chants still lingering in their ears like a benevolent echo. With a ceremonial blessing, they were anointed with sacred oils, a symbolic gesture representing purity and protection on their perilous quest.

Bathed in the flickering firelight's glow, the group stood in a circle, their faces resolute, and their hearts intertwined in purpose. Kaiweh spoke with solemnity, reminding them of the task that lay ahead—the retribution they would seek, the justice they would strive for, and the hope that bound them all. With the stone dagger as a focal point, they pledged their dedication to the cause.

As the night wore on, the tribe gathered provisions for their journey. Pouches were filled with dried meat, woven bags adorned with protective symbols were handed out, and water skins were replenished with fresh, clear water. The shaman offered words of encouragement and protection, beseeching the spirits of the land to watch over them.

Armed with determination and unity, they set forth into the darkness, the echoes of the ritual guiding their steps and the promise of justice illuminating their path. Their hearts were set on the horizon, where the towering Sangre de Cristo Mountains stood as a formidable backdrop to their quest. The stone dagger, a symbol of alliance and strength, rested at William's side, a constant reminder of the weight of their purpose.

Their journey took them to the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Moving cautiously, and using the skills possessed by Kokyangwuti, they tracked the bandits to a deep canyon, likely to increase their safety in the face of any opposition. Knowing they were outnumbered two-to-one, William knew that a plan was needed, with a confidence and a manner that appeared steeped with experience he proposed “Tashka and Kokyangwuti would attack from the east, providing a diversion. Drawing from my military experience, decoy tactics often proved effective in our operations. This diversion would allow myself, alongside Kaiweh, to strike from the west and catch the bandits off guard.” Whilst a little stunned that William had never mentioned much of his background let alone a hardened battle tested knowledge, Kaiweh accepted and with the blind acceptance from the remaining party members.

As darkness shrouded the rugged terrain, the plan unfolded. With silent precision, Tashka and Kokyangwuti moved through the thicket of Manzanita and Chokecherry bushes to the east side of the bandits' camp. Without a moment’s hesitation, Tashka let out an intimidating cry that startled even William, who knew what was about to ensue. The bandits leapt to their feet and with hurried voices and a confusion in command, headed towards the rocky and bushy outcrop located at the eastern point of the camp.

The element of surprise was on their side. The bandits were caught off guard which allowed William and Kaiweh to swiftly move through the camp, reaching the first bandit that was holding the rear, William's new stone dagger found its mark, thrust into the throat of the unsuspecting man and with an outward motion the knife that had been presented to William, ripped a hole through the throat of the bandit. Kaiweh, simultaneously, slashing a large laceration into the neck of the second bandit to be reached. Still undetected and down to 6 enemies, William nimbly manoeuvred around a large boulder near the flickering fire of the camp and just has he approached another unsuspecting member of the bandits, he turned and attempted to cry out, letting the others know, however, William reactively punched the man straight in the throat, rendering him not only incapacitated, physically, but also unable to talk, Kaiweh swiftly moved in and proceeded to stab the man several times in the chest. The bandits were falling one after another, but due to ferocious stabbing motion of Kaiweh, the element of surprise was lost, and the remaining bandits turned to recognize the decoy and regrouped to defend themselves. Cocking their revolvers and aiming them towards William and Kaiweh, it was as if they had totally forgotten the threat from the east. With the sudden change in direction, and from a new vantage point, Tashka and Kokyangwuti, appeared from the thicket and fired multiple arrows towards the remaining bandits. Multiple thuds could be heard as arrows found their home, piercing the bodies of three bandits, dropping them to their knees, subsequently followed by their last painful breaths.

The bandits had fought fiercely, their resolve unyielding but few remained. Realizing that a dead man is a silent man, William shouted to keep one alive. With a clear message sent, the two remaining bandits surrender, raising their hands in submission.

Grabbing the bandits from behind and disarming them, Tashka and Kokyangwuti restrained the two whilst William asked questions. Despite their surrender, the bandits were reluctant to share any information. Infuriated and frustrated, William grabbed the bigger man and dropped him to his knees by the fire, clutching him by the collar of his shirt and jacket, he forced the mans face over the naked flame. The smell of burnt flesh and ringing of the screams resonated throughout the canyon. The extreme heat from the flame appeared to cause little impact to William as his sleeve began to burn, he shouts, “Tell me, tell me where she is!”. The screaming came to a shivering silence, and the mans body fell flat into the flames without a twitch! Undeterred, William grabbed the second man, who fell instantly to his knees whimpering and pleading “I’ll tell you anything, please, I will I promise!”

Sweat trickled down his brow as he spilled the truth, barely able to hold his composure as he knelt feet from the burning remains of his compatriot. "There was this rich man from Texas, Fort Worth I think," he stammered, "and a local man, he’s always at the Rancho Rooster Saloon." The fear in his eyes intensified. "We were all part of this, but we weren’t in the meeting in Santa Fe. The Texan visitor, cloaked in power and protected by authorities, had motives that seemed beyond money, maybe for power." He was almost pleading now, desperate to unburden his secret. "The reason for seizing the land, I don’t know, but it was hinted to be of immense worth. Oddly, Jorge, he’s the one who got us into this, distanced himself from the raid on the ranch, choosing to stay at the man from Espanola’s place, maybe to help with any local law officials, who knows!" He could hardly get the words out. "This man, a regular visitor to the saloon, he knew everybody in the community and knew the Texan and helped with his interests." He hesitated, then blurted, "I... I couldn't tell you where they took the girl. That secret is way beyond my knowledge! Maybe the man from Espanola or Jorge knows." His panic was palpable, his confession laid bare. “Sir, I have told you all I know, I bare no ill will towards you, if you let me go you will never see me again!”.

A surge of rage and frustration coursed through William. He knew the man from Espanola must be the same man that he had spoken to in the saloon the nights previous. He and the bandits had stolen not only his family but his sense of justice. Listening to the confession and pleads being made by the last remaining bandit did not change the sense of anger and rage that he felt, in fact it intensified it! He grabbed the man from the clutches of Kokyangwuti, and threw him over the nearby ledge, 100ft to the rocky sharp bottom, a thud and then silence.

Retribution was found and the deal fulfilled. Kaiweh indicated that Tashka and Kokyangwuti were free to return home, the ongoing burden sat purely on Kaiweh’s shoulders now. As the party halved in size, they decided the best course of action was to return to the saloon, to seek the truth by confronting the man who obviously had his hands in the dark corners of the town.

With the darkness as their witness and the mountains as their sentinel, they prepared to unveil the twisted secrets that bound their fates.

[showbiznews]