Quentin Malikov - Biography

[ TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, HOMOSEXUAL, CISMALE + HE/HIM ] →» QUENTIN MALIKOV? they’ve been spotted around the KATZENAGEN common room. i hear they’re 25, and a SECOND YEAR at wixhaven, with an interest in DARK ARTS. they’re originally from ROME, ITALY. Quentin  is gifted in APPARITION / DISAPPARITION, NONVERBAL MAGIC, WANDLESS MAGIC. they seem to be AMBITIOUS & INTELLIGENT & LOYAL, but also SELFISH & POSSESSIVE & CRUEL.

bio tbd

New Moon in Capricorn: Musing on Dark Ages

When was the last time you took a break?

For me, it had been too long by the middle of December. It had been my intention the entire year to take a significant amount of time off during December to celebrate my baby's first Christmas.

I'm glad I had set that intention in advance. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have taken it. I would have told myself that I couldn't afford to take a break, and that would have been a big mistake.

It's a strange thing, the way human needs work.

There comes a point when you have gone so long without meeting a need that you don't even think you have the need anymore.

People who are starving don't get more and more ravenous. They eventually reach a point where they don't feel hunger. Even if they start to eat again, they can't dive in all at once. They need to start slowly, remember how to eat and digest.

When you go too long without an intellectual rest, similar things happen. Competence wanes. The well of inspiration goes dry. Your work gets harder. The results are sloppier, more and more derivative.

This bothers you, at first. Then it stops bothering you. Once it stops bothering you, you're in a dangerous place. Extreme starvation has its own momentum. It takes an outside force to intervene and keep you from limping along forever.

You might, from time to time, look back at things that you've done in the past with awe the way Dark Age Europeans looked at the ruins of Roman architecture. You know that you aren't capable of those great things anymore, but your curiosity is gone. You don't have the will or the courage to ask yourself, "Why are these things beyond me now? What would it take to get back to my full strength?"

Dark Age Europeans told themselves that the world was once inhabited by giants.

Did some part of them remember that they had been giants once? Did they ever wonder if they were just tired, or if they had fallen into decline?

They couldn't see the universities and cathedrals their children would build. They could only look behind with the certainty that they would never build Roman aqueducts again.

Maybe, they didn't think about those things at all. Maybe they told themselves that thinking about the past was a distraction.

Eventually, we know, they got back to work, meticulously copying manuscripts in a language they could no longer read, because, once upon a time, someone believed the task was useful.

The Dark Ages are a useful myth.

Recent historical scholarship suggests that the Dark Ages weren't as dark as we were once lead to believe, but the story of the years between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Renaissance persists because it is an important cultural myth.

The Dark Ages remind us that time moves in a circle and a line.

Rome is gone. Its language is dead, and its monuments are ruins. It is no longer possible to walk across the continent on Roman roads, and Roman tax collectors can no longer compel you to pay for their bureaucracy.

Rome is gone, but you can trace your finger along the arc of history and find empires that rhyme.

Some histories jump through time from monument to monument, empire to empire, but that isn't an accurate picture.

Human energy rises and falls, waxes and wanes like the moon. There are times when we active and growing to new heights, and there are times when we rest and decline.

Often, we are doing both simultaneously in different areas of our lives.

New Moon in Capricorn: Darkest Moon in the Darkest Season

I am writing this just before the New Moon in Capricorn. I am back from vacation, but I am still tired.

In the northern hemisphere, this is the time when the moon's cycle and the sun's cycle align. We are at the darkest phase of the moon's monthly cycle at the darkest phase of the sun's annual cycle.

It's time to be tired. It is time to rest.

Are you resting? When was the last time you really deeply, truly checked in with your heart? When was the last time you really asked yourself what you're hungry for?

I have rested enough to know that these are the questions I need to be asking, and I will be using Moon Mood Workshop to ask them.

If you are where I am, I'd like to invite you to join me.

𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 below is a list of fandoms/verses i am knowledgeable with that all my muses can be adapted to. this means if your muse is based in a primary verse i do not have written up, i can easily create a verse based on any plots/memes you would like. i’m a pretty easy writer when it comes to these fandoms & love to adapt muses for them, i just dont have the energy to pre-write verses to fit <3

asoiaf/hotd star wars teen wolf / supernatural the walking dead greys anatomy/medical verses mcu (+ to an extent, dcu) raven cycle stranger things his dark materials historical (including viking era, medieval (+ merlin), regency (+ potc, +bridgeton) , renaissance, & all different eras of 20th century) modern/non supernatural dystopian (hunger games, divergent, the maze runner, 5th wave, t100)

TLDR: im adaptable lol & i love exploring different verses for all my characters

A Bewitching Thursday A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops Messengers of the Macabre: Halloween Poems by LindaAnn LoSchiavo and David Davies #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/mb9R50L303H Haunted Halloween Spooktacular: Vampire Musings #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/aCYc50L30fZ The Gryphon and His Thief by Karen Michelle Nutt http://roxannerhoads.booklikes.com/post/5267202/the-gryphon-and-his-thief-by-karen-michelle-nutt The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven by Jennifer Ivy Walker http://roxannerhoads.booklikes.com/post/5267221/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-by-jennifer-ivy-walker Haunted Halloween Spooktacular: Weep, Woman, Weep by Maria DeBlassie #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/VBok50L30eq WIP it Real Good: Romantic fantasy author Jennifer Ivy Walker + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/LxLn50L30az THE WILD ROSE AND THE SEA RAVEN BY JENNIFER IVY WALKER - BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/kfjh50L309n The Ghost Circus – A Spooktacular Tale #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/Le0H50L306f Bloodlink Sometimes, in a world of darkness, it’s the secrets that keep you sane. #bewitchigbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/Eybf50L300c Alpha Receptor by Karenna Colcroft - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #bewitchingbooktours  #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/PnQP50L2ZYH A woman obsessed with a missing person case. She travels by choice until there is no choice anymore. And each step of the way raises the stakes even higher. Eye of the Gargoyle by Wendy Webb https://www.amazon.com/Eye-Gargoyle-Wendy-Webb-ebook/dp/B088TY4Q8V #suspense #thriller #metaphysical #internationalmystery Review - Hungry Business: A Gothic Story about the Horrors of Dating by Maria DeBlassie https://www.instagram.com/p/CjVZYpXrbuZ/ Getting Crafty with Jennifer Ivy Walker's Renaissance Denim Couture #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/GMqh50L1Syz Hungry Business by Maria DeBlassie #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/uf9j50L301M

@iniziare​​​ ​: ❝ It is unclear which is more appealing, madonna; your beauty or your mind. ❞ (... Ezio to Anora in a historical setting where he's in Scotland? Sorry, he couldn't resist, 'cause welcome to Ezio) from black sails season 1 ( accepting )  

Italy in winter. 

She had never quite visited Rome in the heaviest of winter months; somehow she had expected the warmth of the summer to be carried the whole year through, perhaps with less intensity but still there. With the little free time that she had been gifted to wander through the grey Roman streets, she had come to realise that while warmer, it was certainly not as much as she had first expected. Disappointing. Memories of a time where spring was slowly turning into summer still shone brightly on her mind, despite the years that had passed. The Italy that received her now was greyer, older or perhaps that was simply a reflection of her own self tethered to the stones that her boots pressed against.

   “It is unclear which is more appealing, madonna; your beauty or your mind.” Anora eyes lift to meet the figure of the man, hidden just further enough to remain elusive to the warmth and light of the flames behind her. 

It hadn’t been simple to find the space to which Ezio Auditore now called home. But she imagined it was simpler given his instructions, and given his permission for her presence within what Anora could only call a fortress. The room was small and she had remained there for less time than she had first expected to. Heavy with the scent of books and the fire. As she sat there, having had her coat shed and her guards resting for the evening; if she was to close her eyes she could almost imagine being back home once again. The book that she had been reading is closed as her attention fully focuses on Ezio as he moves closer; the page in which she had remained kept with her finger.

At least there were things that didn’t come as a disappointment. They both looked different, in a way that only age and experience could change someone, and yet she could still recognise him. A small smile cracks over her face.

   “Were you to go with my advisers’ opinions,” she starts, shifting over her chair. Smile turning into a grin “it’d have to be my eternal patience.” 

Her head rests back, enough to provide some comfort despite the neatly kept braids at the base of her head. The style hadn’t changed, not too much. The same could be said to him, now as the light from the fire touched his face and the remaining of his clothes. Different, but familiar.

   “I am glad that you have found some time to see me.” Anora rises to her feet, putting the book down without a second thought. Right hand raised to his. An amused chuckle prickles at her tongue as she leans in slightly “And that your silver tongue doesn’t seem to have grown dull with age.“ 

She pauses, taking a good look at him. Sweetened works seemed to come easily to many, easy when talking to Anora and that hadn’t changed as the years had gone by. Anora would almost bet it had become more frequent. With growing influence so too do the willingness to praise. Still, she knew him — both because of their friendship and by fame — enough “Should I still call you Ezio or perhaps it’s more appropriate to call you by Il Mentore now?” 

🖼️ for Beatrice and the same for Stella the patron of the arts ^^ —leila-of-ravens

i was so hoping someone would ask this one thank youuuu, i give a mini art history lesson in this post lol

🖼️  a  moodboard  of  my  muses  art  aesthetic

Beatrice:

Artists featured: Beatrice Offor, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Dewing, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, George Elgar Hicks, and John William Waterhouse

Her art aesthetic is inspired mainly by portraiture, specifically from the late 19th century. For her, I’m drawn to Pre-Raphaelite art and depictions of mythological characters and allegories (like the nude lady in the right corner who is a personification of night, Circe in the top left corner, and Pandora in the top right corner) 

Beatrice’s background and fashion sense are drawn heavily from the 19th century, so I find portraits of that century really evoke her aesthetic for me. 

Art movements/styles: Pre-Raphaelite, Realism, Aesthetic Movement

Stella:

Artists Featured: James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Gustav Klimt, Alphonse Mucha, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Édouard Manet, Jules Chéret

Stella’s main art aesthetic is the Art Nouveau movement. The colors and sense of movement really remind me of Stella, I think she’d happily decorate her entire house in gold like the Peacock Room (top left corner). I’ve also included a few Impressionist artists who I think Stella would appreciate, partially because GAY (the top right painting is usually read as two women hehe) and because the Impressionist movement was all about breaking from tradition which is very Stella. 

I can really picture Stella in Paris in the 1920s (probably trying to flirt with Zelda Fitzgerald) and I think that’s why I chose some of these works.

Art movements/styles: Art Nouveau, Impressionism, Renaissance

Honorable mention for her is just Renaissance art in general , especially 

La Primavera by Sandro Botticelli

Part of Stella’s post-canon route is that she’s a patron of the arts, and might even open a museum in Vesuvia (we’ll see lol) so due to the general time period, I think the canon art she’d be commissioning and collecting would be Renaissance and Baroque art. 

Until My Very Last Breath

Folks, the Ancient Greece wlw miniseries suggested by @jackievarma for the wlw writing project has come to an end. I hope you enjoy the latest update even if I am afraid you would have preferred a different one but it seemed to me the most suitable for the story. Although being immortalised a rebours as an Edenic celebration of lesbian love, the truth about Sappho's thiasus is slightly different and a bit less sunshine and rainbows.

If you do happen to like this miniseries, please consider spreading the word!

Next week a new miniseries set in the Italian Renaissance will be posted, stay tuned...

Previous chapter: Underneath The Stars

------------------------------------------------------ As moons gone by, Kleanthis and I grew closer and closer. Our love didn't combust, burning away in lust and desire. If anything, the mutual hunger we felt for each other and made us languish when apart only fuelled a deepest connection of mind and souls. Kleanthis completed her journey as a student and started a new one as Sappho's protégé. She assisted her with the new students, teaching them the basics of dancing, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy whenever I caught the way those girls looked at her. I couldn't blame them though: I had never seen a woman as beautiful as her. I'm sure even Helen of Troy couldn't hold a candle to the perfection of my love. Kleanthis always teased me about my jealousy: to be honest, never once I had to doubt her loyalty. She still had admirers but -she assured me- her heart belonged to me only.

The same could be said for me. I grew into one of the most promising student of the thiasus and my rising popularity and blossoming beauty provided me a fair share of girls constantly at my side, adoring. However, there was only one girl I would sneak away with to see the dawn by the sea. The tender look in Kleanthis's eyes as she strummed her lyre, her raven curls sprawled in my lap, was all I was willing to live for. Tasting the softness of her lips, hearing her laughter, holding her slender hand: I couldn't ask for more. There were others couples like us in the thiasus. Some girls weren't romantically interested in their companions, others just followed their hearts' desires without committing to one friend in particular, and a few of us felt that need after some time. I wanted to be hers and hers only and Kleanthis expressed her desire to make an oath to Aphrodite to be mine. The celebration of our promise and oath took place at the temple. Sappho herself recited a sacred blessing and we wore flower crowns. The girls played the lyre and sang songs for us to evoke the favour of the goddess on our union and I found myself wondering if the sparkle of joy I felt inside was what nana meant when talking about weddings. Is that how a bride feel on her wedding day? Kleanthis and I performed together for several moons, our voices and grace enchanting whoever stopped to listen. I heard that some students wrote poems about us: apparently, our loving communion and chemistry inspired them. We were Muses, we were lovers. We made offerings to the goddess and bathed naked and free in the sea before running into each other arms ever again as if pulled by a godly force. We never once missed a rose-fingered dawn. Until that morning when Kleanthis wasn't there. An uncomfortable tingle spread through my body as I start searching her. I looked everywhere, asked around but I couldn't find her anywhere. That night I went to sleep praying she would come find me, casting away the anguish tightening my chest. She didn't but I found her the morning after at the beach. I went there at dawn and there she was. She was looking out into the horizon, standing at the water's edge. She didn't see me as she was giving me her shoulders. I called her name. When she turned, I knew she had cried: her dark eyes were puffed and red. In her hands she was holding a note. Unable to see her suffering like that, I run towards her and cupped her face, begging her to tell what sorrow crossed her path. Bad news from the family? A vicious threat? "Speak to me, my love", I whispered, peppering her cheeks and forehead with kisses. When she spoke, her melodious voice cracking under her grief, I went pale. "Your father wrote. He found you a husband. You'll leave before the next moon" I vividly remember feeling a pain so intense as if a dagger pierced my chest. No, it can't be. Say it's not true. Laugh, Kleanthis, don't cry. You love teasing me and make fun of how easily I believe your witty jokes. You loved it, at least. Stop it now and laugh. Your sweet laughter that made my knees weak and filled my hear with the sweetest affection. Laugh, Kleanthis, I beg you, laugh and tell me it was a bad joke! But Kleanthis didn't laugh, she fell to her knees and hugged my waist. She cried, wetting my tunic with her tears. None of us paid attention to the rose-fingered dawn that morning. I demanded a private meeting with Sappho and asked her to help me. Desperate, I begged her on my knees to let me stay: I didn't want to sail back to Athens, Lesbos was my home now. I was an excellent student, I could have studied more and become a teacher or a priestess. Just like Kleanthis. There must be a way I can stay, I suggested. My teacher frowned. It wasn't that easy, she couldn't go against the will of my family and so couldn't I. The wedding had already been agreed and scheduled. My mind raced back to all her teachings about how love is the most important thing in this world and the love for other girls was equal to the love for a man. I believed her words, we all did and they set us free. Why now her hands were suddenly tied? "So what is this? Was it all...a fraud?" I heard myself asking, following my train of thoughts. No, it wasn't, it isn't, she said. But we weren't supposed to spend our whole life at the thiasus. Only few were picked to become acolytes, the majority of the girls who came to Lesbos's shores were sent back to their family and their new marital lives when their time came. Tears of rage and grief formed at the corner of my eyes when I asked what about love? Wasn't it a reason valid enough to stay? She presided a cult of Aphrodite, she taught us so. True, but it was different for her, she winced. And what we learned on the island would have helped us in our adult lives as women, no longer girls. We had secured the blessing of the goddess and that was her will. "Then your Aphrodite is a tyrant mistress I no longer wish to serve" I exclaimed before storming off, tears rimming my cheeks. --------- I reminisce only fragments of the old hymns and odes we used to sing at the thiasus. Only a few are stuck indelibly in my mind and will be till the time I cross the gates of the underworld. I will always remember the one I whispered, my cheeks wet with tears, when I was sitting on the boat dragging me away from the island where my heart laid. I knew Kleanthis  was watching me sailing away from her against my will on the shore. So I sang, I sang for her, hoping that my voice, albeit cracked, could find her surfing the winds. I claim I've always been a loyal companion You must know that And I beseech you, be sure I will love you until my very last breath

OC Aesthetic : Corellan Halcyon

Tagged by @hothian-snow​ - Thanks so much!

Bold the aesthetic that applies to your muse. italicize what can sometimes apply to your muse

Corellan Halcyon : Classical

MEDIEVAL

tired eyes. coffee stains on the table. listening to the bustle of the city. unmade beds. ponytails. sunlight seeping through the curtains. chapped lips. walking barefoot across the floorboards. dusty dictionaries. black and white reruns. huge sweaters. the ticking of the clock. hearing birds in the morning. fireplaces. falling asleep during class.

RENAISSANCE

freckles. the sun rising. watching the sea. taking shots of the city. historical museums. bright eyes. looking up at the clouds. walls covered in artworks. drawing in the middle of lessons. tracing your fingers on the sand. painting for hours. staying in uncrowded coffee-shops. worn paperbacks. messy braids. going to bed with your knee socks on.

BAROQUE

dark hair. a little sophisticated. always observing the world around you. intricate designs. high ceilings. extravagant musical pieces. dim lights. colorless photographs. fancy furniture. pale skin. hearing soft footfalls coming from outside the room. mischievous looks. bitten nails. candlelight dinners. dark shades of lipstick.

CLASSICAL

chandeliers. the clinking of a teacup mug. laced clothing. modern architecture. light hair. watching the view from the terrace. hidden birthmarks. drinking tea in the morning. wandering about in an empty building. botanical gardens. old films. ancient marble sculptures. expensive perfume. breakfasts in bed. reading stories about mythology.

ROMANTIC

compassion. short writings on scraps of paper. blushed cheeks. a bouquet of roses. reading collections of poetry late at night. loose hair. carpeted floors. attending operas. faint music playing in the background. staying under the covers until midday. the night sky. streetlights. picking flowers. dancing around in silk dresses. scented candles.

Tagging: @greyias , @inyri , @Raven of Domain Kwaad , @baraste-legacy , @berriku and anyone else who wants to try it!

THE MEGA RP PLOTTING SHEET / MEME.

First and foremost, recall that no one is perfect, we all have witnessed some plotting once which did not went too well, be it because of us or our partner. So here have this, which may help for future plotting. It’s a lot! Yes, but perhaps give your partners some insight? Anyway BOLD what fully applies, italicize if only somewhat.

Mun Name: Leo      Age: 27       Contact: IM, Inbox, Disco

Character(s) I rp: Canon: Shiro, Sebastian, Dirk, Kyoya, Kurama, Nelliel, Maka, Dwicky. OCs: Hades, Google, Emogene, Dominic, Seirios, Iso, Felix, Reeves, Nyx, Zeru, Ren, Charlie, Dakota, Nemo, Bluejay, Koko, BD, Raven, Cora, Sammie, Lucie, Poppie, Ollie, Alphie, Bambi, Abbigail, Hiraeth, Bonnie, Rei, Rory.   Which muse(s) inspires you the most atm?(for MM): Nelliel, Shiro, Rei, Bonnie, Hiraeth.  Current Fandom(s): Bleach, V/LD, Naruto. (I’m not deeply involved in the fandoms themselves anymore.) Fandom(s) you have an AU for:  Uhhhhh.. I basically have an AU for any fandom if I know it well and am asked for it.  My language(s): English. (I’m learning other languages but I don’t RP in them unless it’s just a sentence or two.)  Themes I’m interested in for rp:   Fantasy / Science fiction / Horror / Western / Romance / Thriller / Mystery / Dystopia / Adventure / Modern / Erotic / Crime / Mythology / Classic / History / Renaissance / Medieval / Ancient / War / Family / Politics / Religion / School / Adulthood / Childhood / Apocalyptic / Gods / Sport / Music / Science / Fights / Angst / Smut / Drama / etc. Themes/Genres you have an AU for: Modern, Mythology, Medieval. 

Preferred Thread length: one-liner / 1 para / 2 para / 3+ / novella. (I legit love all lengths, tbh, it’s more so with one-liners I tend to lose interest if there’s no substance to further it.)  Asks can be send by: Mutuals / Non-Mutuals / Personals / Anons. Can Asks be continued?:   YES / NO   only by Mutuals?:  YES / NO. Preferred thread type: crack / casual nothing too deep / serious / deep as heck. Is realism / research important for you in certain themes?:   YES / NO. Are you atm open for new plots?:  YES / NO / DEPENDS.  (I’ve admittedly been v busy, so if you’re fine with me takin’ forever-- YES) Do you handle your draft / ask - count well?:  YES / NO / SOMEWHAT.  How long do you usually take to reply?:  24h / 1 week / 2 weeks / 3+ / months / years. I’m okay with interacting: original characters / a relative of my character (an oc) (It really depends here.) / duplicates / my fandom / crossovers / multi-muses / self-inserts / people with no AU verse for my fandom / canon-divergent portrayals / au-versions (as main or only verse). Do you post more ic or occ?:  IC / OOC.(I post more IC, but the gaps between IC and OOC make it seem like there’s more OOC at times???) Are you selective with following others?:  YES / NO / DEPENDS.  (This is entirely because half the fandoms some of my muses come from are absolute shit so I have to be careful.) 

Best ways to approach you for rp/plotting:  IM or Inbox-- tbh, Just kick my inbox in and screech that you wanna plot/rp with me so long as you’re a mutual. I’m honestly so laid back?? Sure, it might take me a minute but this is entirely because IRL things and not because I’m putting anyone off. 

What expectations do you hold towards your plotting partner:  Having fun? Having ideas? I guess, just, mutual interest? I mean, I’m here to write! I’m here to have fun! If you’re not interested in that much alone then?? I guess bye?? ‘Cause I’ll become very annoying to anyone who doesn’t have an interest purely because I’ll randomly ambush my partners with excitement and ideas. 

When you notice the plotting is rather one-sided, what do you do?:  Oh I’ll just straight up ask if they want to continue the thread or start a new one! I mean, I get it, you can lose interest or otherwise just not feel it anymore and that’s fine! If you’re not interested in that particular thread, then no worries, we can always start more! If you’re just being one-sided in general, however?? I’m not gonna be interested at all and I’ll likely tell you as such. 

How do you usually plot with others, do you give input or leave most work towards your partner?:  Normally it’ll just happen? I’ll do my “Hey what if they ___” thing and then a rapid bombardment of inquiries and excitement later, there is a thread. It’s usually mutual, the involvement of creating this plot, but sometimes it’s just me being excited and them being excited and then suddenly BAM THERE BE THREADS. S’all good over here! 

When a partner drops the thread, do you wish to know?:   YES / NO / DEPENDS. - And why?: I mean?? I’d like to know, yes! But I get that sometimes it’s incredibly anxiety ridden trying to tell someone that you’ve lost interest in a thread. It’s alright if you don’t tell me, but if you can muster up the courage to do so I’d appreciate it! I’m not gonna be upset at you for losing interest/muse in a thread! If I cared deeply about the story, I might poke at you and then you can tell me?? Either way it’s fine and tbh, I don’t mind. However, please let it be known that you can take forever on a reply as well so don’t worry about just hoarding a draft too! Tbh, I had someone reply to a thread literally a year later and I was still excited for it!  - What should your partner do when dropping a thread?:  Just shoot me an IM or hell, make a list of threads you’re dropping and tag me in it??? Which ever! Or don’t even tell me at all, whatever works for you sugar! 

What could possibly lead you to drop a thread?:  Hmn, being overwhelmed-- I tend to accumulate a lot of drafts and 90% of them are long so sometimes I’ll drop a thread or two to help myself get by. Also lack of muse/interest is a factor. I won’t drop a thread purely out of being overwhelmed unless I just can’t muster up the muse to respond to it.  - Will you tell your partner?:   YES / NO / DEPENDS. Sometimes I get overwhelmed myself and I’ll drop a thread, forget to tell my partner, etc. Other times I’ll tell them before I even delete the draft! 

Is communication in the rpc important to you?   YES / NO. - And why?:  Yes and no~ Yes primarily! I get that others can take a minute to muster up the courage to talk to others and would just prefer to keep things to a few sentences at first! However, I can and will ambush you with conversation and interest nonetheless. Because communication is important. If you’ve got something you wanna say to me, say it! I’m here for it!  - Are you okay with absolute honesty, even if it may means hearing something negative about you and/or portrayal?:  Yup! If you’ve got an issue or something that might come across as criticism to say, say it! Civil discussion is absolutely wanted here and I would like to work out any issues you may have with me or my portrayal.  - Do you think you can handle such situation in a mature way?  YES / NO.

Why do you rp again, is there a goal?:  To write and have fun! To explore in depth the characters I create or take on! I mean, c’mon, lbr here-- my gremlin ass muses require some more in depth speculation and investigation into their characters! I love the creativity, the world building, the constant drive to do better and to make others feel something from words alone. The capability to rend emotion from another living being simply from reading and reacting to something I created is amazing and I want to make others cry, laugh, smile and think. I want to create. 

Wishlist, be it plots or scenarios:  Oh man, there’s an endless supply of things I’d like to do! I want to explore the depths of my muses’ histories more?? Like Shiro, I want to write out the things he must’ve seen, felt, experienced. How Nelliel was when she was alive, how Shiro fared in the Arena when he wasn’t fighting, Seb’s life torn between the various throws of data and reality-- there’s so much! And ALL THE AU’s!!!! All of them!!!  

Themes I won’t ever rp / explore: Sure, I work with a lot of darker themes like torture, gore, etc-- but I will not write Rape, sexual abuse, nor will I write child loss.  

What Type of Starters do you prefer / dislike, can’t work with?: I can work with most starters! However, if I’m randomly given a starter that I can’t work with for the muse selected, I’ll inform the person who wrote it! I appreciate the effort given but don’t expect me to be able to reply to every random starter given! Sometimes, they don’t even show up in my tag. 

What type of characters catch your interest the most?:  Okay, I’m a sucker for the underdogs, aggressive folks and the villains. I’m not even going to try and lie and say I don’t immediately look at the Aizens and Kenpachis and go ah yes, those fucking gremlins, give me ten. I also love the background characters? The side characters in a show that seem so unimportant but have a crucial role? I love characters that have such an obscure involvement that you have to stop and ask why and how their involvement was crucial. I also love the soft beans? The ones who are so hyped with positivity and gleaming interest that they just can’t be ignored?? But then turn around and whoop some poor sap’s ass with that sparkle sparkle smile. Also love the upstanding moral types that also acknowledge that some things can’t be avoided and that morality is a grey area dependent on the perceptions of the individuals themselves. 

What type of characters catch your interest the least?:  Hmn-- I guess the kind that don’t seem to have much substance to them? The ones that are just uncharacteristically too kind. Yes, I love the overwhelmingly positive types but?? Also?? The ones that are too kind and without flaw just?? Don’t strike me as interesting. Also the ones that are just cruel for some obscure reason just to give them a reason to be villains. I mean I understand but also?? Villains don’t have to have a reason?? They can be cruel just to be cruel. Idk that’s always just been a thing with me.

What are your strong aspects as rp partner?:  I guess that I’m fairly laid back? I don’t mind if you take 10 years to reply, I’m going to get excited if you message me with some random idea, I’m not going to be bothered by any ideas you suggest?? I can also sometimes give u doodles?? I don’t have time to doodle a lot but sometimes, once in a blue moon, you’ll get a random offering of doodled booty for ur blessing. Also gonna hit you up with random HCs, ideas, threads, etc?? Always?? Idk, I’m not too good at thinking about positive aspects of myself lmfao. 

What are your weak aspects as rp partner?: Hnnn, I’m too laid back at times. I take too long to reply and I’m busy af IRL. I’m often goaded into being irritated by some asshole or another so I can come off aggro af too when I don’t mean to be. Sometimes I can get overwhelmed and disappear for a week, other times I can end up overwhelming someone else by being too excited? I tend to watch how much I do and say because I feel like I might come off as smothering and am too used to being shut down and told to shut up so I just don’t?? Do anything sometimes. I’m also not very good at initiating contact sometimes so I tend to go days and weeks without speaking to others. 

Do you rp smut?:  YES / NO. Do you prefer to go into detail?:  YES / NO / DEPENDS. Are you okay with black curtain?:  YES / NO. - When do you rp smut? More out of fun or character development?:  Usually only if it’s developmental for the characters involved. Sometimes it’s just fun to do! It really depends on the characters involved + if I have any muse in general for it.  - Anything you would not want to rp there?:  ???? Kinda vague, Idk? I mean if I don’t wanna rp somethin’ I’ll say so. 

Are ships important to you?:   YES / NO. Would you say your blog is ship-focused?:   YES / NO. Do you use read more?:  YES / NO / SOMETIMES. Are you: Multi-Ship / Single-Ship / Dual-Ship  —  Multiverse / Singleverse. - What do you love to explore the most in your ships?:  The relationship, the depth of two muses who can be wildly different or even similar. The multifaceted involvement of others to that relationship, the angst, the arguments, the sad moments along with all the happy things and how hard one might try while the other is cold-- etc. I don’t just want happy dates and sunshine, that’s not how relationships work after all!   - What is your smut tag?: Kettledrums

Are you okay with pre-established relationships?: YES / NO. - And what kind of ones?: I like a lot of pre-established relationships! However, I can be a tad wary of child muses? Aka: The ones who are children of one of my muses. Reason being, sometimes even I don’t know how they’d raise a child so the muse in question would be off putting to me because it’s out of my realm. Beyond that, I’m down for just about everything! 

► SECTION ABOUT YOUR MUSE.

- What could possibly make your Muse interesting towards others, why should they rp with this particular character of yours now, what possible plots do they offer?:  Since I have so many damn muses, I’mma just go with Shiro for all of this-- I suppose what they could find interesting is his very multifaceted dynamic as a soldier, human, technical non-human (Zombae), war worn, space exploring person. He can be rainbows and sunshine but also can suddenly become incredibly aggressive and cold. He’s not one or the other, he’s all and everything that he’s learned and encompassed while still remaining fragile and human in the end. Writing with him can be inspiring and can be soul wrenching, depending on the thread. As for plots, dude your character could be in space in one thread if the otherwise couldn’t be. There’s so many ways to go about writing with him?? He’s such an amazing character and the plots he can be instilled in are almost limitless with just his main verse. 

- With what type of Muses do you usually struggle to rp with?:   Hmn-- I guess the main one I have issues injecting him into place with would be the ones who are strictly non-tech oriented?? I mean, I can still have him there but getting him to fit is just?? Really difficult. Also with people who RP villains of his fandom and expect him not to be volatile. I’m sorry, but if you’re writing a S.endak or a Z.arkon-- you’re not going to get roses and butterflies with Shiro, plain and simple. If that’s something you can’t accept then don’t approach him with those muses.  - With what type of Muses do they usually work well with?:  He works really well with most anyone! So long as one goes into it knowing he can be hostile with soldiers, Galra, etc; then he can be used no matter what. He’s one of my most capable muses that doesn’t have much of an issue when it comes to responding. 

- What interests your Muse(s) in general:  Space, mechanics, biomedical engineering, people, freedom, fighting for a cause, flowers, his mother, violin, cats, sparring, getting stronger, constellations, nebulae, engineering, literature, alien languages, cooking. - What do they desire, is their goal?:  The safety of others, the freedom of others, the ability to choose, hope-- he wants to make sure those he cares for and all others are free and safe from the Galra take over.  - What catches their interest first when meeting someone new?:  How they look at him. If they show signs of pity, of fear, he tends to walk away from any possible meeting with them. Otherwise, their appearance is what first catches his eye. How they dress, how they respond to him, how they talk and if he can make them crack a smile with an awkward joke.  - What do they value in a person?:  Hope, Strength, Loyalty, Purpose, Honesty, Patience. - What themes do they like talking about?:  Shiro’s more of a listener than a talker, but honestly he’ll talk about anything of interest and question anyone’s as well to get them to talk about it. It’s what makes conversation with him easygoing most of the time.  - Which themes bore them?:  Himself. He’ll try to avert any conversation about himself if it’s too personal or too close to something. It’s not so much that it bores him but that type of talk is reserved for those insanely close to him. Also talk of command bores the FUCK out of him. He’s never been one to really like rank. 

- Did they ever went through something traumatic?:  So. Fucking. Much. Between being a prisoner of a war he was never involved with to being told he was a leader of a rebellion for said war, being a prisoner in the Arena and forced to fight and kill others, being held down and sedated as he tried to warn the others, DYING-- this boy has been thru too much.  - What could possibly trigger them?:  Certain noises, textures, Galra, medical equipment, certain lighting.  - What could set them off, enrage them?:  Galra, someone protecting him. - What could lead to an instant kill?:  Any bloodlust towards him or those he cares for. Most of the time, he has this under control and tries to be merciful, give them a chance; but sometimes, especially during an episode; there’s no stopping him from gunning for someone’s throat if they had any intent to harm another or himself. 

- Is there someone /-thing they hate?:  Z.arkon, S.endak, L.otor, H.aggar, Druids, himself a lot of the time. - Is there someone /-thing they love?:   The paladins, space fam in general, his mother, his friends, people in general. 

Is your Muse easy to approach?: YES / NO. - Best ways to approach them?:  Just approach him? Honestly, Shiro’s one of the easiest persons to converse with and get near. That doesn’t mean his guard is dropped, but he’s very easy going a lot of the time outside of battle. So long as you have a reason to approach him (even simpler ones like: his appearance, his arm, etc) then you’re set.  - Where are they usually to find?:  Oof, honestly? Anywhere. Space, Earth, other places-- he’s constantly on the move. If you want a set place, just say somewhere on Earth and I can work with that. 

Something you may still want to point out about your muse?:  Shiro is certainly easy to get along with, but he is not without flaw or issue. He has a plethora of issues even after the fall of the Galra Empire. He’s not without his scars, physical and otherwise. Approaching him is easy but getting close to him is not. Don’t expect him to be an open book. Just because he can talk about war, battle, fighting with a straight face doesn’t mean he wasn’t effected by it. He has suffered greatly and it will show the closer you get to him. 

CONGRATS!!! You managed it, now tag your mutuals! ♥

Tagged by: @skyvar​  [ <3 ] Tagging: IF YOU WANNA PARTAKE IN THIS INSANITY, PLEASE DO AND TAG ME IN IT SO I CAN READ IT!!! 

The Women Behind the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

https://sciencespies.com/history/the-women-behind-the-pre-raphaelite-brotherhood/

The Women Behind the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

SMITHSONIANMAG.COM | Jan. 22, 2020, 4:56 p.m.

The women of the Pre-Raphaelite sisterhood have gone down in history as muses. Despite being artists in their own right, they are remembered as symbols, rather than creators, of beauty. Now, an ongoing exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London gives these long-overlooked figures a space of their own, sharing their stories through works of art, poems and embroidery.

On view through January 26, “Pre-Raphaelite Sisters” centers on 12 women—among others, the roster includes Christina Rossetti, Effie Millais and Elizabeth Siddal—and their contributions to the male-dominated narrative of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a circle of artists active between 1850 and 1900. The show draws on unseen works from both public and private collections around the world to reshape perceptions of these individuals as creative artists and poets who advocated for their own stories to be told rather than simply objectified muses.

“Visitors see these women’s own art, and their roles as collaborators and business partners, not just as lovers and wives,” writes the Atlantic’s Helen Lewis. “The captions restore names to the faces gazing placidly from postcards and posters.”

John Everett Millais, Sophy Gray, 1856

(Courtesy of National Gallery / Private collections)

Dante Gabriel Rossetti,The Blue Bower, 1865

(The Henry Barber Trust, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham)

In 1848, then-students Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in opposition to the more traditional art espoused by the Royal Academy. The original founders, all of whom were under the age of 25, soon invited four other male painters, sculptors and critics to join their secret society. Members heavily rejected the Academy’s promotion of Renaissance master Raphael, as well as the genre painting popular at the time.

Per Encyclopedia Britannica, the Brotherhood’s work focused on religious and medieval themes. Painted with maximum realism inspired by 15th-century Florentine and Sienese paintings, the young artists’ naturalistic creations were populated by beautiful women. The cryptic initials “PRB” appeared in the bottom corner of early Pre-Raphaelite works.

Simply put, the Brotherhood was a boys’ club that intentionally excluded women.

“Though its goals were ‘serious and heartfelt,’” explains Dinah Roe, a senior lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, for the British Library, “the PRB was founded in a spirit of waggish male camaraderie which expressed itself in pranks, late-night smoking sessions and midnight jaunts around London’s streets and pleasure gardens.”

The Brotherhood’s models, who often doubled as the artists’ lovers, were usually at the center of their creations. But some, like Siddal, used their seemingly passive roles as models to fund their own artistic careers alongside their elite husbands.

Evelyn De Morgan, Night and Sleep, 1878

(De Morgan Collection, courtesy of the De Morgan Foundation)

Siddal is among the Pre-Raphaelite women painted over by history. She started modeling not to gain the attention of men, but to fund her own artistic practice. Initially working part time at her parents’ hat shop while modeling on the side, Siddal gained an unprecedented amount of popularity in the Pre-Raphaelite circle, with her likeness becoming a symbol of feminine beauty.

Lying motionless, with her pale, delicate face encircled by a fiery halo of red hair, Siddal is the subject of one of the movement’s most famous paintings, Millais’ Ophelia. Following the success of this piece, Siddal became perhaps the face of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. She later married artist and Brotherhood member Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who drew and painted her “thousands” of times, according to the BBC’s Lucinda Hawksley.

Siddal’s own artistic journey was far more extensive than previously believed. As seen in the exhibition, she created paintings with archetypal Pre-Raphaelite qualities, including detailed medieval scenes and precise figures. She wrote haunting poetry, drawing on her experiences with drug addiction, an unfaithful husband and a stillborn daughter, but didn’t live to see them in print; the verses were only published after her death in 1862.

“Far from passive mannequins, […] these women actively helped form the Pre-Raphaelite movement as we know it,” says curator Jan Marsh in a statement. “It is time to acknowledge their agency and explore their contributions.”

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Proserpine, 1877

(Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art / Private collections)

William Holman Hunt, Il Dolce far Niente,1866

(Private Collection, © Grant Ford Ltd)

The exhibit, described by Lewis as “revelatory,” includes more examples of the Brotherhood’s depictions of its 12 subjects than works by the women artists themselves. This dynamic offers visitors a sharp contrast—one can see the Brotherhood’s interpretation of the models next to works that envision them as more than muses.

The Pre-Raphaelite sister who perhaps best exemplifies this dichotomy is Jane Morris. With her full lips and strong features, Morris caught the attention of several Pre-Raphaelite men eager to capture her beauty through art. Yet it was a portrait drawn by another woman, Evelyn De Morgan, in 1904, that depicted a more authentic version of Morris’ feminine beauty by showing her signature raven-colored hair turning grey with age.

Joanna Boyce Wells, Thou Bird of God, 1861

(Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art / Private collections)

In many ways, the work completed by these women can be seen as a rare act of feminism for the time period. By shedding light on these objectified women, “Pre-Raphaelite Sisters” gives visitors the opportunity to gain a holistic view of the groundbreaking sisterhood.

“It is not sufficient to merely add some women to the Pre-Raphaelite canon,” writes Elizabeth Prettejohn in The Art of the Pre-Raphaelites. “Instead, it is a matter of writing a wholly new, and different, story about Pre-Raphaelitism—a story in which the activities of women are no longer incidental, but necessary to the plot.”

“Pre-Raphaelite Sisters” is on view at the National Gallery in London through January 26.

#History

Witchcraft Asks #1-105

So, just for @dearpenumbra and because I’m wide awake and bored and want to answer them: Here is the list of the 105 witchcraft questions I just finished answering. I answered one each day but feel free to answer them all at once or however you want to do it. Tag your it!

1. Are you solitary or in a coven? I am technically a solitary, though I have friends with whom I occasionally celebrate the sabbats and do other witchy things with.

2. Do you consider yourself Wiccan, Pagan, witch, or other? I use ‘Pagan’, ‘witch’, and ‘Druid’ to describe myself. My path of Druidry is inherently pagan because of its reverence of the earth and all life, and it contains practices that are part of witchcraft.

3. What is your zodiac sign? I am a Cancer!

4. Do you have a Patron God/dess? I do, for sake of Tumblr, I call them The Hunter and The Lady of the Lantern. They’re deities I’ve not found in any mythology- sort of my own unique perspective / interaction with the divine forces of the universe, and so I keep the names I call to them in ritual private.

5. Do you work with a Pantheon? I do work with other deities beyond my patron god and goddess. A lot of them are from the various Celtic pantheons and include: Brighid, Gofannon the Smith, Cerridwen, Mannanan Mac Lir, and Gwyn ap Nudd.

6. Do you use tarot, palmistry, or any other kind of divination? I read tarot, runes, and ogham. I own an agate scrying mirror, but it’s very finnicky and I’d love to learn palmistry some day.

7. What are some of your favorite herbs to use in your practice? (if any) I use sage for cleansing, mugwort for a couple of blends of incense for divination, and lavender to cleansing, peace, intuition, etc.

8. How would you define your craft? It’s a path of Druidry dedicated to the Wylde Hunt.

9. Do you curse? If not, do you accept others who do? I have cursed- only in extreme situations, and the curse I used was aimed more at making the target realize how negative and toxic the bullshit they’ve been spewing/causing is. Sort of a “You’re going to realize the full horror of your actions” kind of a thing.

10. How long have you been practicing? The summer solstice will mark my 13th year.

11. Do you currently or have you ever had any familiars? I have familiar spirits: a black dog that goes by the name Yew, and a raven with a gold stripe on its beak named Gildenbeck. I’ve never had a familiar in the sense of a pet who does witchy stuff with me though.

12. Do you believe in Karma or Reincarnation? I believe in reincarnation and that our cations in one life affect the next. I’ve done  a past life regression before, but that’s a story for a post that isn’t QUITE this long.

13. Do you have a magical name? I used to. I’ve got through a number of them over the years, changing them out as I see fit. My most recent one was actually the name I started this blog under: Brenna Adaira, but I’ve since outgrown it, and don’t really feel the need for one.

14. Are you “out of the broom closet”? Yes. I have been from the very beginning.

15. What was the last spell you performed? Shit. I don’t even remember. I’m not super big on spells. Anything more complex than carving a candle and charging it with intention to leave burn on my altar is usually not something I bother with.

16. Would you consider yourself knowledgeable? This is a silly question. As I’ve been practicing 13 years, and as someone with a bachelor’s degree, I’d say yes. I am knowledgeable about a number of things. However, I recognize there are many things I’m not knowledgeable about and there is always room for growth and learning.

17. Do you write your own spells? Since they’re very slapdash? Yes. They get written as I’m throwing spell components together to just DO THE THING.

18. Do you have a book of shadows? If so, how is it written and/or set up? I have recently started compiling a more formal grimoire of my path and all of its integral components. My working book of shadows however is always a sketchbook that gets carried around with me literally everywhere. It’s got drawings, scribbled poetry, journal entries, cut and pasted pictures, ritual outlines, musings, research notes, etc. and it’s all pretty out of order and chaotic. But I love the freedom of not having to be too careful with how I structure things and just let everything happen organically.

19. Do you worship nature? I do not worship nature. I honor the forces of nature; I treat them with respect and work to do my best to live in harmony with them. We are part of nature, not separate beings.

20. What is your favorite gemstone? Oof. This is a tough one. Moss Agate or Moonstone... but also Citrine and Opal. xD

21. Do you use feathers, claws, fur, pelt, skeletons/bones, or any other animal body part for magical work? I have a pheasant wing fan I use for smoke cleansing. I also have a small set of antlers that I’m still meaning to make into a proper headdress for ritual wear. Right now, they sit with my statute of The Hunter and the rest of my Wylde Hunt stuff.

22. Do you have an altar? Usually, yes. At the moment I don’t because I’ve been sort of in-transit for months. I’m moving back home at the end of the week though, and setting up an altar is the FIRST thing I intend to do.

23. What is your preferred element? Air. I love wind, stars, storms, gentle breezes through the forest, music, singing, the power of words.

24. Do you consider yourself an Alchemist? Not even in the slightest. XD

25. Are you any other type of magical practitioner besides a witch? Already answered above, but I’m a Druid! ^_^

26. What got you interested in witchcraft? I answered this in my previous post.

27. Have you ever performed a spell or ritual with the company of anyone who was not a witch? Yes! We used to frequently invite non-pagan friends to celebrate sabbats with us. One year, we actually erected a Maypole in my backyard and did a maypole dance.

28. Have you ever used ouija? Nope, and I would never. I don’t need it to speak with my guides, I don’t wanna poke at the dead, and I don’t trust them as reliable tools.

29. Do you consider yourself a psychic? I have strong intuition, but I wouldn’t call myself a psychic.

30. Do you have a spirit guide? If so, what is it? I have a couple, but the main one appears to me as a sort of elven / druidic entity (kinda Tolkien elf-ish with the blonde hair and all that). He goes by the name of Brannan and has been sort of my Druid guide both before and during my OBOD studies.

31. What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started? I wish someone had taught me really basic grounding and centering exercises and energy work first. Instead, I jumped right into gods and spells and rituals and all sorts of silliness early on in my path.

32. Do you celebrate the Sabbats? If so which one is your favorite? I haven’t this past year or so because I’ve been trying to get my bearings post-college again. But my favorite is Midsummer. It’s closest to my birthday, marks the anniversary of my dedication to studying witchcraft, and is just always a super heightened time for me spiritually speaking.

33. Would you ever teach witchcraft to your children? Yes. There’s another, longer blog post coming about my thoughts on this, but the short version of it is that I would rather give them some manner of religious context and collection of traditions and heritage than leave them completely on their own to consider the big universal questions religion is supposed to answer.

34. Do you meditate? Not nearly as often as I would like, but at least a couple of times a month.

35. What is your favorite season? Autumn. I love the gloom and the smell of the leaves, and the rain and how windy it gets, and the colors, and of course all of the things like pumpkin spice and Halloween. It’s another time of deep spiritual work for me. This is when the Wylde Hunt rides, and I mark my progress on my path in devotion to them.

36. What is your favorite type of magick to preform? I don’t actually like doing magick other than charging and burning candles. I’m sort of a lazy witch and usually find it more necessary to do inner work to get through a problem than to try and effect change in the world around me.

37. How do you incorporate your spirituality into your daily life? I take actions that align with my spiritual goals: living in harmony with the natural world, creating beautiful things, never stopping my own growth and learning, and compassion for others. I recycle where I can, try to reduce waste and reuse things. I take walks in nature and spend time in the woods. I stay informed so I can vote in ways that put people in power who care about our world. I take time to notice beauty in small places: a bird flying over head, stars in the winter sky, the way the sun is coming in through a window. When all of life is sacred, the spiritual path is not separate from the rest of your life. It becomes the lens through which you frame your life.

38. What is your favorite witchy movie? If I had to choose.... damn. I really can’t. The triad of Hocus Pocus, The Craft, and Practical Magic kinda take that place. I love them all in different ways.

39. What is your favorite witchy book, both fiction and non-fiction. Why? My favorite witchy books... Non-fiction: Living Druidry by Emma Restall-Orr, because it’s a look at Druidry through a Druid’s eyes. It introduces Druid concepts without the formal textbook layout, and I love reading about her experiences. Fiction: The Tree Shepherd’s Daughter and the associated series by Gillian Summers because who wouldn’t love a book about an elf who talks to trees whose day job to hide among humans is to make furniture to sell at Renaissance Festivals? Like... It’s just good, okay?

40. What is the first spell you ever preformed? Successful or not. This got answered in my last post. 

41. What’s the craziest witchcraft-related thing that’s happened to you? And so did this one!

42. What is your favourite type of candle to use? I typically use those cheap chime candles or tealights. They burn down quickly and are easy to get ahold of.

43. What is your favorite witchy tool? I would have to say my drum. I love love love love raising energy with it or doing trance work while drumming.

44. Do you or have you ever made your own witchy tools? All of my wands have been handmade and my altar statues are all sculpted by hand. My ogham staves are handmade, and I’ve made a set of runes in the past, but they weren’t fond of me. XD

45. Have you ever worked with any magical creatures such as the fea or spirits? Ohhhh yes. Lots! The Wylde Hunt is one such example, but I’ve also worked with goblins and other various fae.

46. Do you practice color magic? I use color associations loosely, but don’t adhere to them too much.

47. Do you or have you ever had a witchy teacher or mentor of any kind? I did, sort of. My mom’s best friend was the one who bought me my first tarot deck, taught me how to read, etc. She gave me witchy homework now and then, but it wasn’t really a formal mentorship. She’s like another mother to me though, and I love her lots. <3

48. What is your preferred way of shopping for witchcraft supplies? Unfortunately, my preferred way is no longer possible. My local shop closed down in Feb of 2017 and I have been super sad ever since. I’m still trying to find a suitable alternative.

49. Do you believe in predestination or fate? I believe that we have free will and that the Universe sort of fills in the gaps. I think somethings are sort of “meant” to happen, but I don’t think everything is set in stone.

50. What do you do to reconnect when you are feeling out of touch with your practice? I light candles at my altar and just open myself to the energies, or I go on a walk with my friend, Mark. We always get into super deep conversations that get me back in the vibe.

51. Have you ever had any supernatural experiences? I could fill an ENTIRE post just on this alone, but yes. Plenty.

52. What is your biggest witchy pet peeve? Answered!

53. Do you like incense? If so what’s your favorite scent? I love incense! I tend to burn a lot of Dragon’s Blood, though I’ve recently discovered one called Mountain Heather that I am ALSO in love with.

54. Do you keep a dream journal of any kind? I keep weirdly vivid dreams in the notepad function on my phone. It’s usually right near my pillow and I just tap what I remember in there and try to go back to sleep.

55. What has been your biggest witchcraft disaster? Man, I can’t really think of a time things went horribly wrong to be honest.

56. What has been your biggest witchcraft success? Maintaining my practice and developing it into something uniquely my own.

57. What in your practice do you do that you may feel silly or embarrassed about? I know some people would say having spirit guides and such is silly. There are others who would say that energy work and psychic vampirism and the like are kinda woo-y and weird too.

58. Do you believe that you can be an atheist, Christian, Muslim or some other faith and still be a witch too? Anyone from any religion can be a witch. Witchcraft is a practice, not a religious path. Anyone can learn to raise and manipulate energy regardless of which deity they do/n’t worship.

59. Do you ever feel insecure, unsure or even scared of spell work? I just don’t usually feel a need for it. It’s usually able to be solved by mundane means or by doing inner personal work.

60. Do you ever hold yourself to a standard in your witchcraft that you feel you may never obtain? Don’t we all have perfectly aesthetic rituals that leave us feeling profound as a standard which we don’t ever quite meet? Aren’t we all secretly pining for Tumblr/Instagram worthy altars?

61. What is something witch related that you want right now? I actually really want to get a Tarokka deck, which is a tarot-esque oracle used in the D&D Curse of Strahd campaign. I want them for the campaign, but also to use for actual divination because it sounds like fun to try.

62. What is your rune of choice? I’m very partial to Kenaz (light, illumination, guidance), and Laguz (movement, water travel, magic, intuition).

63. What is your tarot card of choice? The 8 of Cups, The Star, and the 3 of Swords are all sort of cards I look at to determine if I’ll love or hate a deck.

64. Do you use essential oils? If so what is your favorite? I do use some, albeit sparingly. I’m rather fond of patchouli, sage, and a heather one I found.

65. Have you ever taken any kind of witchcraft or pagan courses? I’m currently wrapping up the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids’ Bardic Grade Course.

66. Do you wear pagan jewelry in public? Right now, my everyday necklace is a nine-pointed star which is supposed to represent the 9 sisters of Avalon, of whom Morgan le Fay was one.

67. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your faith or being a witch? Yes. Once, in early high school by a teacher. And once in college by some preppy sorority girl who wandered over to the LGBT clubs’ table at a Campus Life event looking to cause an argument.

68. Do you read or subscribe to any pagan magazines? Not magazines, but I follow a number of blogs both on Tumblr, Patheos, and Wordpress.

69. Do you think it’s important to know the history of paganism and witchcraft? Yes. Absolutely. The Burning Times weren’t about real witches. Modern paganism is not ancient paganism, and the context of myth, traditional practices, etc. are important.

70. What are your favorite things about being a witch? The language and tools I have with which to describe my experiences and think about and interact with the rest of the universe.

71. What are your least favorite things about being a witch? Being a conscious being and co-creator with spirit is freaking hard, yo.

72. Do you listen to any pagan music? If so who is your favorite singer/band? My absolute fave is Damh the Bard, but also give S.J. Tucker and OMNIA a listen. <3

73. Do you celebrate the Esbbats? If so, how? I used to do Dark Moon tea and meditation time with the Dark Goddess. Usually if I do something for any of the moon phases it’s sort of spur of the moment these days.

74. Do you ever work skyclad? I don’t, because I currently lack private space to do so.

75. Do you think witchcraft has improved your life? If so, how? Well, I am an empowered being with knowledge and love of the Universe and the divine connections between us all. I’m also equipped with various techniques for performing inner transformative work as well as affecting change in the world around me. What’s not to love?

76. Where do you draw inspiration from for your practice? My practice is a lot of “Solitary Wicca” meets OBOD druidry, meets a sort of Dragonheart ‘knights of the Old Code’ sort of feel. It’s about nature, creativity, and living honorably.

77. Do you believe in ‘fantasy’ creatures? (Unicorns, fairies, elves, gnomes, ghosts, etc) I do. I don’t believe they exist corporeally in this plane of existence though.

78. What’s your favorite sigil/symbol? I’m not sure I could pick one... but if I had to, I’d say the symbol for Awen.

79. Do you use blood magick in your practice? Why or why not? I’ve used blood in magic exactly twice. Once was in a dedication rite to The Hunter, and the other was to the Wylde Hunt. Both times it was blood from something like a paper cut or popped blister, whatever that was already available. I used it as a potent source of energy but also as a sympathetic tie to myself. Since I was dedicating myself to said entity, using it as a taglock made sense.

80. Could you ever be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t support your practice? Absolutely not. Thank you, next.

81. In what area or subject would you most like your craft to grow? I’m looking to pursue the OBOD’s further courses. I want to become a celebrant for the order and perform marriage, death, etc. rites for others within the order as well as those in the pagan community.

82. What’s your favorite candle scent? Do you use it in your practice? I love candles that smell like mulled spices or coffee or pumpkin. I don’t use them for magic, just for ambiance.

83. Do you have a pre-ritual ritual? (I.e. Something you do before rituals to prepare yourself for them). If so what is it? I ground and center before every ritual. Beyond that, I’m usually doing magic on the fly.

84. What real life witch most inspires your practice? Emma Restall-Orr, whom I’m not sure would identify as a witch. She’s technically a druid and author of various books and I love how gritty and honest and earthy what she shares is.

85. What is your favorite method of communicating with deity? I like to get somewhere quiet, and channel them through sort of automatic writing. I also frequently use visualization / meditation techniques to go to my sacred grove and speak with them there.

86. How do you like to organize all your witchy items and ingredients? What is this... organize you speak of? All spell components are in wee jars in a drawer. xD

87. Do you have any witches in your family that you know of? My mom was a practicing Wiccan when I was little, and my sister has interest in witchcraft.

88. How have you created your path? What is unique about it? Answered in my last post. 

89. Do you feel you have any natural gifts or affinities (premonitions, hearing spirits, etc.) that led you toward the craft? If so what are they? I have a strange knack for vibing with plants/crystals/etc. and just knowing what they can be used for. I’ve also always had the ability to sort of see/hear things not there: spirits, fae, etc.

90. Do you believe you can initiate yourself or do you have to be initiated by another witch or coven? To be initiated implies you are entering into a group. The OBOD gives you the opportunity to initiate yourself if you aren’t close enough to a grove, but the point stands that it’s a ritual given to you by someone else. You can dedicate yourself to a specific path, but initiation implies you’re being included in something you once were not included in.

91. When you first started out in your path what was the first thing or things you bought? I’m pretty sure it was a new tarot deck, tbh. It’s been too long. I don’t remember.

92. What is the most spiritual or magickal place you’ve been? Answered in the last post: but Avebury, England.

93. What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who is searching for their matron and patron deities? They aren’t necessary for a balanced and successful path. I know it can be weird not having a specific god/ddess but it’s really really really not necessary to find one right away  to be able to have a successful practice.

94. What techniques do you use to ‘get in the zone’ for meditation? I dim the lights, drink some coffee or wine, get somewhere comfy, and put on some quiet music.

95. Did visualization come easily to you or did you have to practice at it? It used to come a lot more easily to me. I realized I was using it as sort of escapism and stopped, and have been building it back again.

96. Do you prefer day or night? Why? I prefer night. Everyone else is asleep and it gives me time and space to think and work on things without being disturbed.

97. What do you think is the best time and place to do spell work? The best time and place is when and where you need it most.

98. How did you feel when you cast your first circle? Did you stumble or did it go smoothly? We forgot to include a means of opening the circle in our first ritual’s notes. So... sort of a stumble.

99. Do you believe witchcraft gets easier with time and practice? Yes... and no. Because with time and practice, you come to find deeper things, and bigger truths. It builds upon itself.

100. Do you believe in many gods or one God with many faces? In my belief system, all gods are separate beings, but all a part of the Great Song of Creation that gives life to the universe.

101. Do you eat meat, eggs and dairy? I do! No restrictive diets here.

102. What is your favorite color and why? I can’t truthfully pick one. I’m fond of burgundy lately.

103. What is the one question you get asked most by non-practitioners or non-pagans? How do you usually respond? “I really like your necklace; what does that symbol mean?” To which I say “I got it at a renaissance festival; it’s supposed to represent the nine sisters of Morgen LeFay.” which seems to be an acceptable response.

104. Which of your five senses would you say is your strongest? Probably my sight.

105. What is a pagan or witchcraft rule that you preach but don’t practice? “Always cast a circle.” I recommend it for new folks, but I rarely ever actually cast one myself.

Meme: Muse Aesthetics

Tagged by @everarddelanden

BOLD any which apply to your muse! Add what you’d like!

Mortal years

BOLD both

Tagging: @viiolinwept @whitehowler @amadeo-child-of-the-renaissance @angel-in-oils @horridevil

[COLORS]

red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. rose gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. ocean blue.

[ELEMENTS]

fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise.sunset. dewdrops.

[BODY]

claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. feline. chubby. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. beards. piercings. tattoos. lithe.

[WEAPONS]

fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. fire. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staves. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. kitchenware. fangs.

[MATERIALS]

gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. crystal. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. carbonate. rubber. synthetics.

[NATURE]

grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. pansies. lavender. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. lake. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. garden.

[ANIMALS]

lions. wolves. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. worms. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. foxes. bunnies. praying mantises. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasi. dragons. rats. doves. tigers. macaw.

[FOODS/DRINKS]

sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. vodka. hard liquor. beer. ale. cider. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon.vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. soup. cheese. meat pie. sandwiches. cheesecake. soda. blood. rum. whiskey.

[HOBBIES]

music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. stand-up comedy. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. CDs. records. vinyl. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. running(away). parkour. spinning. walking. magic. languages. antiques. driving

[STYLE]

lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. shirt. t-shirt. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring(s). cuff links. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sun glasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. cane. suit. leather pants. robe(s).sneakers. shell suit. Bold pattern jumpers.

[MISC]

balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. dreaming. nightmares. daydreaming. silence. noise. politics. anger. pity. cars. mechanics. alchemy. religion. travel.

Dangerous Women of Irish Mythology

Article by Sharon Blackie @ DWP

I’ve often heard it declared that Celtic myths and legends are largely heroic in nature, dominated by the exploits of roving adventurers like Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the battles of formidable warriors like Cú Chulainn, and the courtly questings of Gawains, Galahads and Percevals for the Holy Grail. It’s true of course that the old stories have their fair share of male heroism and adventure, but what often goes unrecognised is that the major preoccupation of their heroes is with service to and stewardship of the land. And the Otherworldly (divine) woman who just as consistently appears in these tales happens to be the guardian and protector of the land, the bearer of wisdom, the root of spiritual and moral authority for the tribe.

Old Irish texts contain an abundance of stories of powerful women who were embodiments of the Sovereignty, an allegorical figure who in many senses represented the spirit of the Earth itself, the anima mundi, a deeply ecological force. The power of Sovereignty (in Irish, flaithius) was the power to determine who should rule the land – but if the power she bestowed was abused, then disaster befell the tribe. Whilst a king reigned who was favoured by the goddess, the land was fertile, and the people were prosperous and victorious in war. But if the king didn’t meet her expectations, crops would fail and the tribe would falter.

So it was that the ancient rites of kingship in Ireland included a ceremonial marriage contract, the banais ríghi, between the king and the goddess of the land, and so fundamental was that idea to the Irish way of life that those rites lasted into the sixteenth century. In this sacred marriage, the king swore to uphold and protect the land and his people, and to be true to both; in return Sovereignty granted him the gifts which would help him to keep his oath. These old stories make it clear that, while there is mutual respect between the two partners – between the goddess and the king, between the land and the people, between nature and culture, between feminine and masculine – then all is in harmony and life is filled with abundance. But when the contract is broken, the fertile land becomes the Wasteland.

Sovereignty figures, however, are very different from the usual ‘Earth-Mother’ archetypes who symbolise fertility and prosperity. Like most women in early Irish literature, they are infinitely more ambiguous, unpredictable, and on occasion, decidedly dangerous. Mess with them at your peril. Sovereignty could show herself as a beautiful young woman, fairy mistress or wife; she could appear as a powerful (and by modern standards, promiscuous) sexual figure; she could take the form of a leprous old hag, or a harbinger of war and death.

Let’s take the example of Macha, just one of many fascinating and complex Sovereignty figures in early Irish mythology. Typically, her attributes include tribal/territorial goddess (she is associated with Armagh, Ard Mhacha, in Ulster) and fertility goddess – but she is also a battle goddess. And as is so often the case with these complex divine women, there are three different versions of Macha in the early texts.

In one story, Macha appears as a typical Otherworldly bride, turning up out of the blue at the door of Cruinniuc, an unsuspecting farmer, and bestowing good fortune and prosperity on him. But one day, at a fair, disobeying Macha’s instructions, he boasts to King Conchobar of Ulster that his wife can run faster than any of the king’s horses. In spite of the fact that she is heavily pregnant, Conchobar forces Macha to come and prove herself: to race against his horses. She wins easily, but at the finishing line she collapses and goes into labour; as soon as her twins are born she dies. But before she does, she curses the men of Ulster to experience labour pains at the hour of their greatest need.

In a second story, Macha Mong Ruad (‘red mane’), daughter of Áed Rúad, is the only queen in the List of High Kings of Ireland. She defends her right to her father’s throne against male rivals who deny her because she’s a woman. She marries one of them, defeats the other in battle, and pursues the latter’s sons into the wilderness of Connacht. Surprisingly, since she’s disguised as a leper, the men seem to find her attractive and, one by one, they follow her into the woods to sleep with her. But Macha overcomes each of them and takes them back as slaves to her territory, where she forces them to build her a fortress: the great Emhain Mhacha. This Macha, clearly, is keeping the Sovereignty firmly for herself.

In a third set of references to her, Macha is a woman of the Tuatha Dé Danann, one of three daughters of Ernmas – the others being Morrígu, the dangerous and powerful goddess who appears often as a raven or crow, and Badb. In the Yellow Book of Lecan, she is referred to as ‘one of the three morrígna’, ‘raven women who instigate battle’. In the Second Battle of Mag Tuired, the Morrígan ensures victory for the Tuatha Dé Danann by sleeping with the Dagda, one of their leaders.

Inevitably perhaps, the old goddess of Sovereignty has been treated badly over the centuries, as patriarchal values have increasingly taken hold. She began to lose some of her power when these stories from ancient oral traditions were first committed to paper by Christian monks. Later, she might find herself reinvented as a saint. But if the qualities she embodied in a specific incarnation didn’t fit new images of what a good woman should be, she would be dismissed simply as a ‘fairy woman’, or (for example, in many stories about Medb – or Maeve – of Connaught) remodelled as a promiscuous, pseudo-historical queen. The Morrígan, impossible to whitewash, was simply written out of later versions of the old stories. And by the seventeenth century, when a woman could no longer be accepted in any significant position of influence, all that persisted of the once-powerful goddess of Sovereignty were the dreamlike visions known as aislings in which she appeared as a muse to inspire (male) poets – a weak, melancholy, vaguely Otherworldly maiden, sexless, romanticised and distinctly unreal.

And yet, in the last century Sovereignty, irrepressible, has risen up out of her iconic landscapes and undergone something of a renaissance. We see her, alive and well, in contemporary Irish poetry – from the fertile, female bogs to which Seamus Heaney declared his betrothal, to Nuala Ní Dhomnaill’s Cailleach-ridden Kerry mountains. We see her in a growing interest in the female divine, and the divine female of Irish legend is more interesting than most. It is her complexity, perhaps, that fascinates above all else; these dangerous women for sure don’t lend themselves to easy archetypes, to simple psychological classifications, as has happened with the Greek pantheon in way too many ‘find the goddess within you’ books by a string of Jungian psychologists. Throughout their stories, these women of old Irish literature teach us about the beauty of balance and the dangers of excess. Along with fertility comes promiscuity; the giving of life is balanced by the bringing of death; adherence to the light must be balanced by embracing the dark.

Sources

Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of Invasions

Annals of the Four Masters

The Second Battle of Mag Tiured

Secondary sources

Bitel, Lisa M. Land of Women: Tales of Sex and Gender from Early Ireland. (Cornell: Cornell University Press, 1996)

Clark, Rosalind. The Great Queens: Irish Goddesses from the Morrígan to Cathleen ní Houlihan. (Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe, 1991)

A Bewitching Wednesday A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops Review - Hungry Business: A Gothic Story about the Horrors of Dating by Maria DeBlassie https://www.instagram.com/p/CjVZYpXrbuZ/ Getting Crafty with Jennifer Ivy Walker's Renaissance Denim Couture #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/GMqh50L1Syz The Ghosts We Carry and How to Banish Them #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/Ykjm50L1SK8 Unusual Light by J. Elizaga  #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UlBv50L1SC9 Vampire Musings Articles and Short Stories Compiled by Bertena Varney #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/GL1350L1SG0 Messengers of the Macabre: Halloween Poems by LindaAnn LoSchiavo and David Davies #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/onXb50L1SuO The Wild Rose and The Sea Raven (Book 1) by Jennifer Ivy Walker https://www.bookishtrisha.com/booktours/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-book-1-by-jennifer-ivy-walker The Gryphon and His Thief by Karen Michelle Nutt - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/LfqE50L1SwR The Ghost Circus: An Onyx Webb Supernatural Thriller by Diandra Archer - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/gfRL50L1Sto A woman obsessed with a missing person case. She travels by choice until there is no choice anymore. And each step of the way raises the stakes even higher. Eye of the Gargoyle by Wendy Webb https://www.amazon.com/Eye-Gargoyle-Wendy-Webb-ebook/dp/B088TY4Q8V #suspense #thriller #metaphysical #internationalmystery Check Out Alpha Receptor, Real Werewolves True Mates Book One, by Karenna Colcroft #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/uR9S50L1SpP Bloodlink by Raye T. Watson [Tour with Excerpt] #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/khr050L1Srk The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven by Jennifer Ivy Walker #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/1Nc250L1Szl

Across the Universes; The Nightmare’s Fairytale

Summary: S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, and close friend of the Sorcerer Supreme, Tazia Cozier, is inadvertently sent to a different universe where nothing is the same. To get his friend back, Dr. Strange sends the Winter Soldier across universes to find her and bring her home.

Warnings and Ratings: a spattering of stronger language choices

Author’s Note: Not much to say about this one. It’s the reason for all the rewrites, to be sure, but hey. The life of an author, amirite?

Also, images found via Google Image Search. Credit where it is due, text added by me.

Series Masterlist

“Thank you, Bruce.” the red hood was off while Jason Todd stood in the Batcave next to his mentor.

“You know she should be dead, right?” Bruce mused.

“She came out of nowhere. Literally.” Jason explained, “it was a dead end alley and she just…fell from the sky, I guess.”

“Her organs look like someone took them apart and then used duct tape to put them back together.”

“Is she going to be okay?”

“We’re working on it, Jason.” Bruce clasped his shoulder, giving it a consoling squeeze. “Give it time.”

Jason nodded, folding his arms across his chest as he studied his mystery woman. She was incredibly beautiful. Her hair was as black as a raven’s feather, darker than even his obsidian locks. She was tall, curvy and sturdy. Her thighs looked like they could snap Bane’s neck without much effort, her arms, while slender, had the definition of a Renaissance Adonis statue. Her neck was long, and for a moment, Jason got lost in the fantasy of kissing it, of tasting her soft, honeyed skin. He wondered what it would feel like to hold her, to have his fingers dig into her hips while he pulled her against him.

“Forget it, Jason, you don’t stand a chance.” Damian chirped.

“What are you talking about?” he played dumb with his brother, Bruce Wayne’s only biological son.

“Go look in a mirror.” Damian instructed, “then look at her. She’s out of your league dude.”

“Damian, now’s not the time.” Bruce scolded the boy. “What did you get from GCPD?”

“Nada,” Damian shrugged. “as far as they’re concerned, she doesn’t exist.”

“What about the tattoo?” Jason mused, pointing at Tazia’s right forearm, which was covered in black and red ink, forming an intricate line design unlike anything he had ever seen. “Seems pretty unique, maybe we can trace it?”

“Hn,” Bruce nodded, “I’ll look into it. You stay here in case she wakes up. Damian,” he turned to his youngest son. “You have school.”

“Aw, c’mon!”

Jason tuned the rest of the conversation out. He was transfixed by her tattoo; it didn’t seem to conform to any one style. He saw whispers of ancient Japanese line work, hints of a viking style, and shades of a tribal influence, though he couldn’t put his finger on which tribe it resembled. The ink looked old, but the lines were pristine without any bleeding, blurring or accidental deviations. If they couldn’t identify her through fingerprints or DNA, then that tattoo would have to do the job.

“See something you like?”

Jason’s skeleton nearly sprang out of his body with those words. He hadn’t heard her speak for over a week, and he wasn’t expecting to hear her speak again any time soon.

“You’re alive!” he shook his head, “I mean awake.”

“Y-yeah…?” Tazia was confused by his reaction. “You’re the guy from the alley.”

Jason’s face fell—she never saw him without the Red Hood on, he was certain of it. There was no way that she could know that he was the Red Hood. It had to be a lucky guess, surely?

It took Tazia a moment to realize that this man had no idea who she was, a moment to realize he didn’t know what she was. She wasn’t about to tell him, either. He didn’t need to know how she knew his identity. That he smelled identical to the man in the alley, that he had the same butterscotch and peppercorn scent swirling in his sweat, the same strong musk of charred oak softened by sweet notes of bourbon vanilla. Not until she could figure out if he’d align as ally or enemy.

“You have the same physique as him—the same body language.” she smiled innocently.

“Heh,” he chuckled, “lucky guess.”

Tazia struggled to sit up, grunting and groaning with the effort. She felt a lot better composed than she did in the alley, but bits were still out of place, still struggling to find the right order of things. It was still painful. She grimaced as she pushed herself up, the pain pushing against her until she had to give up, collapsing on her elbow.

“Don’t try to move!” Jason was quick to her side, helping her lay back down comfortably. He was getting lost in her cool sea glass eyes, that strange emerald starburst in her left pupil. Something he hadn’t noticed before. “Whatever happened to you…it was ugly. You’ve been in a coma for like…ten days, now.”

“Seriously? Shit.”

Ten days. She should have healed by now. There shouldn’t be any bits still out of place, any lingering pain. Whatever Mordo did to her, she couldn’t help but wonder if he had intended to kill her. And if he had, did he know she was still alive? Would he be coming to finish what he started? She suddenly felt very exposed—vulnerable.

“Where’s Vinnie?” she asked softly.

“Who?”

“Doctor Strange, where is he?”

“I don’t know who that is.” Jason confessed, rubbing his neck.

“What? How could you n-” it hit her suddenly—why this place smelled different, why it sounded so curious—she wasn’t in Kansas anymore. “Sorry, what’s your name?”

“Jason Todd,” he didn’t know why he was trusting her with his name.

“What about when you wear your mask?”

“Red Hood.” he laughed bitterly, “why am I telling you this?”

“Jason, my name is Tazia Cozier, and I think I’m from a different reality.”

Jason’s eyes widened with astonishment, but before he could say anything, Bruce was at his side, standing between him and Tazia. Tazia studied Bruce—his strong, square jaw, his bright blue eyes, his broad shoulders—if not for the black hair, she could’ve nearly mistaken him for Steve Rogers.

“Not a different reality, a different universe.” Bruce corrected her.

“How do you—” Tazia couldn’t find the words she needed.

“Because the same thing happened to your father,” he informed her, “twenty years ago.”

TAGS: @oneshot-shit; @thevanishedillusion; @lanceismyspaceson2k17

#MMLNewYear - Perchance to Sleepwalk

To kick off 2018, I'm helping @milomurphysblawg on Tumblr with a fan project of revisiting the entire 1st season of Milo Murphy's Law! And here's my episode of choice - 'Perchance to Sleepwalk'! In 3, 2, 1...ROLL IT!

It's a calm, warm, early fall day in Danville. The leaves haven't started turning yet and we see the trio of Milo Murphy, Melissa Chase and Zack Underwood walking through the woods near the Underwoods' woodland villa, used only during the summer.

"I love nature...when there's not a fire, of course..." the jinxed boy mused. "The trees, the sky, the chirping birds, the fresh smell of leaves, the cruel indifference of larger animals devouring smaller animals, flowers, pine cones and the annoying nibble of small woodland creatures that have no idea what personal space is," Milo explained. "Isn't this the perfect spot?"

"Yeah," Zack confirmed. "And not too far from my folks if we need anything."

"You sure they don't wanna join us, Zack?" Melissa asked.

"They have a slightly different definition of 'roughing it'," Zack answered.

Eileen and Marcus Underwood's definition of 'roughing it'...not roughing it at all. Nice goin', Mr. and Mrs. Underwood! You left your son out in the open with a walking disaster area!

"Looking good, Milo!" Zack cheered as his and Milo's tent was set up. "Need any help with your tent, Melissa?"

Uh...Melissa's tent is a castle and she put it up by herself! Does it look like she needs help?

"I'm good, but maybe later you guys can help me dig up a moat," Melissa told the boys.

"I've been camping with Milo before, but not this far from a hospital."

"Aw, come on! We've been out here for 5 minutes and nothing's gone wrong!" Melissa assured Zack.

Cue squirrel stampede...

...and fallen tent...

...and instant campfire.

Meanwhile, with Cavendish and Dakota...

"I still can't believe Mr. Block thinks we fabricated the whole 'pistachios taking over the future' deal. Who in their right mind would make up something like that?" Dakota asked to his Steampunk partner.

"Someone who wanted to get off pistachio duty, I guess," Cavendish answered, establishing contact with Mr. Block.

This time, Cavendish and Dakota's mission was to stop a flock of red-beaked crows from destroying a critical strain of pistachios. This presents a problem for our time traveling friends. If they save the pistachios, they could doom the world again. So, what does Dakota suggest? DITCH DAY!

After a day of just messin' around, the duo stopped a downtown café...where they ran into that same flock of red-beaked crows that were projected to attack the strain of pistachio plants. That means the pistachios are safe! Double Uh-Oh! Fear not, Dakota's got a plan - lead them with his lindberger sandwiches!

Back at the campsite...

Milo, Melissa and Zack were roasting marshmallows out on their campfire, unwinding from their day.

"Hiking, climbing, fishing..." Melissa began.

"Pulling Milo out of the lake..." Zack added.

"It's been a full day," Melissa said.

Milo yawned as he headed for the makeshift tent set up by him and Zack. "I'm gonna sleep like a log...or some other sleepy wood-based object."

The trio bid each other good night...and outed Diogee...

"GOTCHA, DIOGEE! I knew you followed us!" Milo exclaimed, busting his dog. "You should go home, boy. This is no place for a dog."

Diogee whimpered as he headed home. However, before Milo, Melissa and Zack could sleep, Melissa got out of her tent and pulled Milo out.

"What's goin' on, Melissa?" the cursed boy questioned.

"Milo, I know you have a habit of sleepwalking; Zack doesn't," she began as she and Milo went back to her tent. "I think it'd be better if you slept with me, Milo. That way, I could keep an eye on you."

"But how would you do that? We're both gonna be asleep, remember?"

"I've got it covered, Milo..." Melissa said, rummaging through Milo's backpack, soon pulling out a dog collar with a bell on it and putting it on Milo. "There we go...now, should you sleepwalk, Zack and I will hear that bell ring and we can follow the sound of that bell to you. That way, we can get you back here before you venture out too far," she explained as she put her curlers in.

Milo smiled as he hugged Melissa. He didn't know why, but he felt something strange inside him whenever he was with Melissa. She was always there for him, no matter what.

Milo and Melissa took the same bunk that night. Later that night...the bell on Milo's collar rang.

"Yeah, maybe I will have cake..." he mumbled, waking Melissa.

'Game on...' Melissa thought to herself.

"Maybe we should follow the hippopotamus..." Milo whispered, waking Zack.

"Milo?"

Melissa yawned as she exited her tent, cup of coffee in hand and curlers in her hair. "What's going on, Zack?" she asked.

"Milo is sleep..." Zack began before noticing that Melissa was in curlers. "WAIT! You sleep in curlers?"

"And you sleep dressed as a mealworm?" Melissa retorted.

"Never mind that. Milo is sleepwalking!" Zack told Melissa as she took out her curlers.

"Well, let's follow the sound of the bell and bring him back to the campsite," the calm ginger explained to her cautious friend.

Yeah...easier said than done when Murphy's Law is in effect.

Let's recap what went wrong here...

Falling spiders - CHECK!

Smacked by an evergreen tree - YOU GOT IT!

Random family band - YEP!

Fallen trees - TIMBER!

Bald Eagle - CA-CAW!

Frogs? - RIBBIT!

Crows - Quoth the Raven, that's a yes!

Mud puddle - SLIME TIME!

Lookout tower - CRASH!

Pine cones? - Pineco, USE EXPLOSION!

Warthog? - Hakuna Matata!

Everything in the backpack becoming useless? - Unfortunate, but true.

Snakes? - It had to be snakes...

Flying off a cliff and getting nailed by your makeshift toboggan? - What else could go wrong?

Oh yeah, Milo getting stopped by a tree.

That was the end of Milo's sleepwalking journey. Meanwhile, Cavendish and Dakota have led the birds to the pistachio plants, where they proceed to destroy the strain. Unfortunately, they were outed by Brick and Savannah, who report them to Mr. Block. As punishment, Mr. Block demotes them to cleaning outhouses in the Renaissance while Brick and Savannah are on pistachio patrol. Of course, Brick's rage about the new assignment leads him and Savannah to get attacked by a bear.

Melissa and Zack's mission was more of a success as they were able to get Milo back to Melissa's tent just as the sun came up.

"Was I sleepwalking?" Milo asked.

"Yeah, you were, Milo..." Zack told his cursed friend.

"Well, I'm glad you guys got to me before I got too far!"

Uh, no they didn't! Melissa took off Milo's backpack and threw it at him...

"That's for worrying us half to death, Milo!" Melissa scolded.

...she then had a surprise for him.

"And this..." Melissa whispered, pecking him on the cheek. "...is for coming out of that whole debacle unharmed. I love you, Milo Murphy."

Milo blushed as Melissa pecked him...now the class jinx has plenty to think about...and one of those things is his relationship with Melissa. The question - does he like Melissa the same way she likes him?