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gobboguy · 7 months

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Chapter 18: The Duel

In the sunlit courtyard of Farfield Castle, the air was filled with the vibrant energy of youth. Ionia, perched on a weathered bench, engrossed herself in the pages of a book, her long blonde hair cascading over the pages as she delved into the realms of imagination.

Meanwhile, Roderick and Rode, the young heirs of Farfield, engaged in a spirited play fight with wooden swords. The courtyard echoed with the rhythmic clatter of the practice weapons colliding, each strike accompanied by the laughter of the boys.

As the duel unfolded, Rode showcased a level of skill and finesse that surpassed his younger cousin. With swift movements and calculated strikes, he deftly parried Roderick's attempts to retaliate. The wooden swords danced through the air, creating a spectacle of youthful exuberance.

Roderick, a determined yet less experienced combatant, found himself on the receiving end of Rode's prowess. The play fight took on a one-sided rhythm, with Rode gaining the upper hand. Despite Roderick's valiant efforts, his wooden sword found little success against the skillful maneuvers of his older cousin.

In a brief respite between clashes, Rode couldn't help but gloat, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You see, Roderick, a prince must be swift and cunning. Skill with a sword is as crucial as a keen mind. Perhaps you'll learn a thing or two from me."

Roderick, catching his breath, shot a playful glare at Rode. "You may have the upper hand today, but I'll get better. You'll see!"

The banter continued as the children reveled in the joys of youthful camaraderie, the courtyard serving as the backdrop to their spirited play. In the midst of their laughter and the echoes of wooden swords clashing, the future heirs of Farfield forged bonds that would shape the destiny of the kingdom.

Rode's teasing continued as he slyly remarked, "Maybe your younger sister, Eleanor, would fare better in a duel. I've heard she's quite the spirited one."

This comment ignited a spark in Roderick, and he retorted, "I can fight better than any girl, Rode! Don't underestimate me!"

Rode chuckled condescendingly, "Well, history tends to disagree, my dear cousin. But if you think you can prove yourself, go ahead."

The heated exchange caught Ionia's attention, and with a determined expression, she set her book aside. "Enough of this nonsense. If you're so confident, Rode, how about a real challenge?"

Rode raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You? A duel? Don't be ridiculous, Ionia. Women aren't fit for fighting."

Ionia's eyes flashed with defiance as she took up a wooden sword. "You'd be surprised, Rode. My father taught me swordplay, and I'm not one to back down from a challenge."

The courtyard hushed as the two squared off. Rode, initially dismissive, found himself facing an opponent with skill and determination. The clash of wooden swords rang through the air as Ionia deftly parried Rode's strikes. In a surprising turn of events, Ionia skillfully tripped Rode, sending him sprawling onto the courtyard floor.

Ionia stood above him, victorious, and delivered a sharp remark, "Perhaps you should reconsider your views on what women are fit for, dear cousin. A future prince should be better skilled with a sword."

As Rode dusted himself off, a mix of embarrassment and realization crossed his face. The courtyard witnessed not only a physical victory but a challenge to traditional gender stereotypes, setting the stage for the complexities that lay ahead in the young heirs' lives.

Rode, his pride wounded and resentment smoldering in his eyes, rose from the courtyard floor with a scowl etched deeply across his face. His gaze bore into Ionia, who stood there in stunned silence, her victory now tainted by the sudden shift in atmosphere.

His voice, cutting through the air like a dagger, held a sharp edge as he asserted his newfound authority, "Perhaps, Ionia, you should be more careful with how you address your future husband and the future King of Farfield."

The weight of his words hung in the air, leaving Ionia grappling with the implications of his revelation. The courtyard, once filled with the echoes of playful banter, now held a tension that seemed to linger in the very stone beneath their feet.

Ionia, shaken but defiant, finally managed to stammer, "Is that true? Are you to be King?"

A sneer played on Rode's lips, his arrogance surfacing. "Indeed. It would serve you well to understand your place in my kingdom, Ionia. Know your boundaries."

With that, Rode turned on his heel, his departure marked by the rhythmic cadence of purposeful steps. Ionia, left alone in the courtyard, felt the weight of the revelation settling on her shoulders. As the echoes of Rode's footsteps faded, a determined fire ignited within him. He vowed silently that he wouldn't allow himself to be humiliated, especially not by Ionia. His path forward was clear—to assert his authority and make it abundantly clear who the true future ruler of Farfield would be.

#fantasy #goblins #orcs #literature #gobboguy #SongsofPower5

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melbournenewsvine · 2 years

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The hikers shock victory to achieve consecutive victories

Soon, victory goalkeeper Paul Ezo sent a cross from Neuwenhof into the safety zone, collecting Milos Ninkovic in the process. The Wanderers playmaker had a nosebleed but was able to keep up. Nani parried a shot five minutes before halftime, and shortly after overturning towering full back Moricella sent off Cadetti and went on an unexpected lap through midfield before slipping the ball to Brandon Borrillo. The winger cut the ball back in favor of Mrcela, and while the defender’s initial attempt was turned away by Roderick Miranda, it fell again in his path, as he quietly raised it into the back of the net. Mrcela celebrated in front of Victory fans while the Wanderers erupted away in ecstasy, including lighting a torch. Al-Nassr pushed to equalize, as Bremer hit a free kick over the crossbar in the 51st minute and Noah Smith’s cross header after 17 minutes. Nerves were ignited when Nieuwenhof pulled a powerful ball off D’Agostino in the 85th minute but Josh Brillante fired his subsequent free kick over the bar and Victory was unable to get back into the match. AAP Sports news, results and expert commentary. Subscribe to the sports newsletter. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

#Melbourne News Vine

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saylemstudios · 3 years

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Eleven Pipers Piping by saylem

Hello and Merry Christmas!

Well, I'm not super active on DA anymore. I have not been very creative all year! What a crazy ride of a year!!! 2020 has proven to be the most interesting year in my lifetime thus far. I’m hoping that this Christmas would be a good time to reflect on how merciful God is and how many blessings He always gives us despite trying times. God is so good, and He has been very kind to my family with my Mom’s heart surgery going well. I wanted to say thank you for all the prayers and love from everyone for God saving her and for her healing.

This is also why this card is so late this year…. It’s been a whirlwind month! :D

I’m praying for health and thankful hearts as we enter 2021! 😊

Shelly Garner

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Eleven pipers piping!

I have been doing the 12 Days of Christmas series for over a decade now! I’m featuring Roderick Parris again but this time in his military duds from the War of 1812. American was at war with Britain again from June 18, 1812 to February 17, 1815. It was caused by the British Royal Navy’s impressment of American sailors. The young America was also looking to expand its territory in Midwest and Canada. It’s a little-known war and some call it the Second War of Independence. However, it was just more of a stalemate as no one gained or lost territory. The Treaty of Ghent ended the conflict with Britain.

The Eleven Pipers Piping stands for the eleven faithful Apostles to Jesus Christ.

The 11 Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16).

https://linktr.ee/saylemstudios

#merry christmas 2020 #Christmas #Roderick Parris #Penn's Woods Comic #Saylem Studios #12 Days of Christmas #Eleven Pipers Piping

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ladypepperofdavenshire · 5 years

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@saylemstudios‘s Witch Hunter, Roderick Parris!

#ladypepperofdavenshire #saylem studios #roderick parris #penn's woods #witch hunter #original character #giftart #inktober 2019

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ceescedasticity · 3 years

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(crossover classpects for a fandom that does not exist)

Ciaran: Prince of Blood, Derse dreamer. (He's pretty easy: he fits Prince on both 'could you be more dramatic' and 'walking disaster and arrogant as hell', and his connections to people shape who he is, for bad or for good.)

Finn: Rogue of Life, Derse dreamer. (Rogue was obvious, but I thought of a couple possible Aspects. He could have been Doom, because for all he keeps trying he has no expectation of success. He wishes he was Breath. He could do Heart, but not as well as...

Red: Witch of Heart, Derse dreamer. (Red redefined herself once and is redefining herself again -- and she's capable of more compassion than she usually shows. She's also big on rejecting reality and insisting on her own. Not the only Witch candidate,.)

Gwenaëlle: Seer of Rage, Derse dreamer. (I'm on the fence between Rage and Doom, but I think purple is more her color. She could do Witch, but she also spends a lot of time frozen into passivity, so I think Seer works.)

Roderick: Page of Time, Derse dreamer. Page is obvious; for Time, Roderick would very definitely like to skip to the destination now, no more journey.)

Parry: Knight of Void, Prospit dreamer. (She could have been Life or Breath. In keeping with the tradition of "Knights' Lands kicking them directly in the trauma", she has the Land of Bars and Brambles.)

(I thought about cutting it at just these six, the ones actually hanging around Rhyony. If you want to do that, just stop here, switch Gwenaëlle to Space, and switch Gwenaëlle and Finn to Prospit. But continuing:)

Alinor: Maid of Space, Prospit dreamer. (Wants to build things and be responsible. And she has a nasty streak.)

Tom: Bard of Light, Prospit dreamer. (He's had more good luck than just about anyone else in the present day. As for Bard... well, the whole golden goose saga was one incident after another of ignoring boundaries and embarrassing everyone.)

Ingram: Heir of Hope, Prospit dreamer. (He may not make it as heir, but he's a good fit for Heir. And he tries to hope problems away. --He's also probably having some trouble what with still being pretty new to blindness.)

Elsbet: Sylph of Mind, Prospit dreamer. (Tentatively. We've gotten several different versions of Elsbet which are not entirely consistent with each other. This classpect is based mostly on her getting Jan and Meg thrown into the woods.)

(Alternatively, switch Elsbet for Ulfrun -- Ulfrun would be Sylph of Space, Alinor Maid of Mind. I'd go with Ulfrun if it weren't for the age thing.)

Should such a session occur, I think there'd be a 10% chance it was Isobel accidentally activating something no one thought was actually activate-able, and a 90% chance Gwenchera did it on purpose.

#a fandom that does not exist #crossover classpect #crossover classpects

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waywardwrestlewritingwaif · 4 years

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Unsavory Dealings

Are we ready for another fic? I hope we are.

Pairing: Roderick Strong x Reader/ OFC, Dexter Lumis x Reader/ OFC (sort of)

Word Count: 3,694 (I know, I know, I talk too much)

Warnings: language, sexual references, mature themes (stalking)

I felt inspired by the Dexter and Roddy angle on NXT from the moment where they had the big man just sitting and holding Strong’s body, sort of stroking his hair. There was no way that a wrestling show on primetime network TV was going to give that story arc the conclusion it deserved, so I figured I’d take a shot at it myself. Of course, I didn’t give it a proper conclusion either, but I’ll leave the judgment of what I’ve added to the story to y’all.

You shouldn’t keep doing this.

It’s the thought that always washes over you in the moments like this, as the ecstatic high starts to fade and you’re staring glassy-eyed at each other’s muscled bodies, glistening with sweat, gasping for air. You run your fingers up Roddy’s lightly furred chest, smiling in delight when his body jerks and he gives an exhausted little cry followed by blissed-out smile. He catches your wrists, laughing silently before he locks his eyes on yours with a look you can only describe as a mix of satiety and relief. Grinning, you roll off him and collapse onto your side, brushing his cheek with your hand while he responds by running his along your side.

“Fuck I needed that,” he pants. “You have no idea.”

“What are friends for?” you giggle, giving his face a playful tap.

“Well Cole is my friend but I don’t want him riding my cock.”

This makes you laugh even harder. “I don’t know, Strongman, maybe you should let him try. Maybe he’s better than I am.”

“No one’s better than you are.”

He pulls you in and kisses you, holding you close even when your lips part, his face just a little vulnerable, working you with those puppy dog eyes he knows make you melt.

“This fucking psycho is… I don’t know what to do anymore. The guys are just telling me to get over it and they’re getting pissed at me because they say I’m messing up. Then I’ve got Marina on my ass demanding to know what I’m gonna do about him, saying I’m not taking it seriously enough, that he’s coming for her and the baby and how I need to protect them.” He rolls onto his back and rubs his face as if he’s developing a migraine. “You’re the only person in my life that isn’t trying to get something from me.”

You push his hand away and run your fingers delicately along his jaw until he turns back to look at you.

“I hate to break this to you,” you murmur, “but the only reason I’m trying to keep you sane is because I don’t need Darkly Dreaming Dexter robbing me of the best fuck I’ve ever had.”

Stroking Roddy’s ego has always been the easiest way to light him up. Immediately, you see the boyish excitement rise in him. Already, you’ve pushed Dexter Lumis just a little further back in his mind. If you were a better “friend”, you’d be telling him that Marina is right, that he should be taking steps to protect them because they’re clearly the soft spot in Roddy’s armor. The most obvious way for the psychopath to get to him is by threatening or hurting his wife and child. But you’ve never claimed to be a wonderful person. If you were, you wouldn’t be banging another woman’s husband.

“The best fuck you’ve ever had?” he repeats, rolling over on top of you and squirming against your naked body. “I don’t know, seems like you’re a busy little lady.”

“So you should be flattered,” you parry, bucking your hips against him. Yes, you know you have a reputation. You’ve never cared and you’re not about to start. If you were a man, you’d be called a stud. So as far as you’re concerned, that’s what you are.

“Is that so?” he asks, sucking gently on the sensitive spot just above your collarbone. “Better than Ziggler?”

“Oh yeah. Don’t believe the hype.”

He starts grinding harder against you. “Better than Punk?”

“God yes.”

“Better than Cole?” He gives your bottom lip and sharp bite, making you squeal.

“Hmm… a little bit, I guess.”

You crack up laughing, feigning a struggle as he pins your arms to the bed and traps your thighs between his own.

“Sounds like you need a little more convincing,” he grunts.

“Don’t you have to be somewhere, lover boy?”

He quirks an eyebrow at you. “She thinks I’m at the gym. Sometimes, I work out for hours, especially when I’m stressed. Sometimes, I’m there until after midnight.”

“I don’t know,” you tease him. “A guy your age takes a long time to recover. You might only be flying half-mast by midnight.”

He grabs a handful of your hair and lifts himself above you, dark eyes wild with lust once again. “Oh it’s gonna be fun proving you wrong, smart ass.”

It’s a double win for you: you get a second round with the guy you have to admit is actually the best fuck of your life and you’ve gotten his mind off Dexter Lumis.

Lifting your bag out of the trunk of your car, you wince a little. You’re most definitely feeling the effects of the frenetic night with Roddy. He’d ended up staying until nearly one, which must have pushed the boundaries of credibility once he got home, even if he could easily use the excuse that he’d needed to burn off the excess stress the whole situation with Lumis was causing him. And in a way, that is what he was doing.

When you walk into the performance center, you see Roddy in the hallway talking with Kyle O’Reilly. You glance at them for only a second, like you’re noticing their presence and nothing else. Still, you feel Roddy’s eyes scanning you up and down, sense the desire you spark in him every time he sees you. You’re better at this than he is, better at hiding what’s happening. He might not be a stranger to being tempted to stray but you can tell that this prolonged kind of passion for an “other” woman is new for him. Sometimes, when you catch his gaze lingering on you, you’ll brush your fingers over your breast or along your thigh, as if it’s an absent-minded gesture. Most of the time, you play it cool. This morning, you shift your walk a little to emphasize that you’re hurting. You wonder if he’s aware that his voice gets louder whenever he’s pretending he doesn’t notice your teasing.

Finding yourself alone in the locker room, you take a moment to stretch out your legs and core a little. You give yourself a few minutes and then check your phone before heading out for a more serious workout.

Dexter Lumis shared a file with you from DropBox.

Even the notification is enough to make you flinch. You’ve never spoken to the creep but the way he’s acted towards Roddy has been enough to make you want to invest in some pepper spray to keep him away from you. Not that you have, because, as far as you’re aware, he’s barely cognizant of your existence. The two of you said hello and shook hands when he first joined the company and he was introduced to everyone. You’ve nodded at each other maybe a half a dozen times since then when you’ve passed in the hallways and that is the full extent of your interactions. How the man came to be in possession of your email address is a complete mystery.

Still, you’re just that tiny bit curious because the guy is such a weirdo, so naturally creepy, that you want to know what’s going on inside that warped mind of his. So you click on the link and are taken to a file folder with yesterday’s date on it.

Inside the folder are photos. Dozens of them. Your jaw drops and you hear yourself gasping for air as you look at them, shots of the two of you- you and Roddy- in your apartment, in your bed, clearly taken through your bedroom window. Whoever took them was clearly there for as long as Roddy was, meticulously documenting every lascivious act, your faces both immediately recognizable, every part of you exposed. You can see that in the moments either of you approached your climax, the frequency of the shots increased, like the photographer’s excitement was rising along with your own. It feels like you’re choking, like a violation. It is a violation. You drop to the bench behind you and lean your head between your knees, convinced you’re about to throw up.

Your phone chimes again. Another notification.

Dexter Lumis shared a file with you from DropBox.

Your breath is panicked and you’re barely able to process the meaning of the words but once again, you click on the link. Once again, you’re taken to a file folder, this time dated to the previous Wednesday. You shudder as you open it, knowing what it might contain. This time it’s a single file. A video file.

And it is exactly what you feared. You and Roddy hidden away, you thought, in the hallway next to the janitorial closet and the electrical room, going at it against the wall. You were both still in your ring gear, shorts pulled down just enough for him to get inside you, both of you riding your adrenaline highs from your matches that night. You’re biting down on your palm to stifle the noise, and just watching the video is enough to make your insides twitch, recalling the scene.

Dexter Lumis shared a file with you from DropBox.

The notifications start coming in faster than you can process. You’ll click on one, see a dated file, and another one has arrived before you’ve even had a chance to survey the damage. A passionate kiss goodbye in your car one night when he’d needed a lift. You hadn’t even done anything that night. Just the kiss. Shots of the two of you around the performance center, sharing little touches that wouldn’t be suspicious were they not isolated from context and combined with everything else you’re seeing. It seems like every moment the two of you have been around each other is there, meticulously documented.

“You ok?” Mia’s voice is all concern as she enters the room, rubbing a towel over her hair, and although she’s speaking in a normal, even soft tone of voice, it feels like she’s screaming at you.

“Huh? Oh… yeah… no… I feel a bit sick to my stomach,” you choke.

“You don’t look too good,” she concurs.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go talk to Regal.”

You stand and grab your phone, fairly running from the room lest you face any other questions.

Of course, you’re not looking for William Regal. The only person you’re looking for is Dexter Lumis and after ten minutes of fruitless searching, you’re almost tempted to burst into the men’s locker room and occupy it until he shows his face. Of course, since it’s not a show night, there’s no guarantee he will show his face. You’re wild-eyed with panic, rushing around every part of the performance center, desperate to find your perverted nemesis.

“What’s the rush, sweetheart?” Roddy asks you, settling his hands on your shoulders and stopping your momentum.

You nearly collapse from shock and fear but instead flash him a stupid grin. Whatever you’re going through, you’re determined you’re not going to dump it on him.

“Hey, Roddy,” you groan, “I just wanted to tell Regal that I’m going home. I’m sick as hell. I ate something bad, I think.”

Roddy crowds you against the wall and touches his lips to your earlobe. “You want me to bring you some chicken soup later?” he coos.

You push him back a little. “I want you to not see me being sick. And you need to not go ‘running out to the gym’ for the second night in a row and making your lady suspicious.”

He gives you a soft look. “I’m serious. I won’t try to fuck you. Just let me check in on you later.”

“No,” you tell him sharply, pushing him away and heading towards the exit without turning back to see the shocked and hurt expression on his face.

Not sure what else to do, you head back to your apartment and there, at the top of the staircase, in front of your door, is Dexter Lumis.

You have your eyes cast down so you don’t even notice him until you’re through the front door and part way up the stairs but the second you see him, you freeze. And although you’ve just spent an hour running around like a madwoman trying to find him, seeing him sitting there between you and the door to your home, the only thing you can think of to do is to run.

However, the second you flinch and move to leave, he’s on you, his massive weight pinning you to the wall, one hand clamped heavily over your mouth. With his other arm, he lifts you and easily carries you up the stairs, his body showing no reaction to your struggling and his face as impassive as ever. He plants you back on your feet when he reaches your door and slides his hand around your throat, not tight enough to cut off the air, but tight enough to let you know that he easily could.

“Are you going to unlock the door and let us in?” he hisses in your ear.

Unsure what else you can do, you nod.

He squeezes both of his hands a little tighter. “You know I could snap your neck any time I wanted.”

You nod again and sink your shaking hand into your purse to remove the keys. When you hear the deadbolt retract, you feel a little dizzy. Once he’s in your apartment, you’re at his mercy. The chance of someone, your upstairs neighbor or a guest, happening upon the two of you on the landing is far greater than the chance of someone rescuing you once he’s inside. Manipulating men into doing what you want is a skill you know you possess, but you can instantly tell that Dexter is well beyond being won over by your charms.

Nevertheless, you unlock the door and open it, only to be flung through it and have it slammed behind you. His hand never leaves your throat, even as he twists you to face him. His grip tightens as he locks the door behind you, and pulls you into him, lifting you a little so that you have to stand on your toes to keep from being strangled.

For a long few moments he studies you, as if you’re a kind of novel rodent he’s found in his basement, not quite sure how to deal with you.

“If I take my hand away are you going to be good? Are you going to stay quiet?”

You nod frantically, feeling the air gradually being squeezed out of you. He continues to hold you for a few seconds but then releases his grip. Your vision gets a little sparkly and you can feel your legs swaying as you try to recover your equilibrium. Just as you feel your strength failing you, he’s got you in his grip, arms wrapped under your shoulders and pulling you into his massive chest. He cradles you there, rocking you gently like you’re a beloved ragdoll from his childhood. You can even hear him hum a little.

Then, without a word, he starts to move you into your living room, gently placing you onto your sofa. He hovers over you, his breath hot against your bruised throat, and you hear the sound of him inhaling the scent of your skin. You can feel your whole body shaking, knowing you can’t possibly stop him from doing anything he wants.

“Please don’t hurt me,” you whisper feebly.

He looks shocked and a little offended. “I would never hurt you!” he exclaims.

You want to point out that it’s been less than five minutes since he seemed to be threatening to break your neck but before you speak, you realize that this is probably a bad idea.

He strokes your hair, gentle as an angel, searching your face with an expression of pure innocence that’s somehow more unnerving than the killer instinct you’ve seen in the ring. His hand traces the line of your body in the air and he smiles as if it’s fascinating that he can do this.

“Did you even know we were neighbors?” he asks.

You shake your head.

“Right over there.” He nods towards the alley behind your bedroom window. “You should close your curtains”

You’re very certain that the reason you haven’t been closing your curtains is because you’ve never once seen a light in the building across the alley. As far as you could tell, the building across the alley was abandoned. Apparently not.

“You know you shouldn’t be dating other men. He’s going to be hurt.”

“He’s married! He has a child with her! We’re not a couple, we’re just-“

He presses his hand over your mouth and shakes his head a little.

“No,” he says sadly, “it’s not like that. You’re not some random fuck. He really cares about you.”

He doesn’t remove his hand entirely but he lets it slide a little, freeing you to speak. But you can’t think of what to say. You know Roddy cares about you. Probably more than he should. You care about him and you’re sure than Dexter knows this, because if you didn’t, you’d have just emailed him back and told him that he could go ahead and send his little audiovisual project to Marina. It’s then that you realize that that was the test: he sent the files to you in order to see whether you cared enough to protect your lover from being found out. And you’ve told him what he wanted to know.

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing,” you bluff, “he’s not going to back off. I know him. You can’t scare him away like this.”

Lumis cocks his head to one side and looks at you as if you’re an especially stupid child he’s been assigned to teach.

“I’m not trying to scare him away. Roderick needs to step up and take some responsibility. He needs to be a man and protect the ones he loves. Right now, someone could just come along and cause all this pain. I can’t protect him forever. He needs to learn to stand up for himself.”

“What are you talking about?” You’re halfway between crying and choking.

His eyes flash pure ice and for a second you’re convinced he’s about to kill you. Instead, he reaches into your purse, still half dangling off your arm, and grabs your phone.

“Open it,” he orders, pushing it into your hand.

You oblige and he snatches it back from you, opening the camera with a faint smile. “Ready to make some videos, sweetheart?”

He jams his fingers into your mouth, making you give a muffled yelp. Looking pleased with your reaction, he forces them in further and presses his thumb under your jaw, crushing the nerve there and making you writhe in pain. As he releases his grip, you see him stop the video he’s been filming.

Before you can react, he’s pressing his body down on you, wrapping his hand, fingers still soaked with your saliva, around you and pulling your mouth open from the side. He clicks on the camera and switches it so that it’s reversed, framing your distended, frightened face. You see the recording start and close your eyes tight, hoping it won’t show how terrified you really are.

Lumis presses his entire weight onto you, so that you’re struggling for every breath. The bastard gives a soft, deep laugh as he feels you having to fight harder and harder. His weight alone will kill you, given enough time. He’ll squeeze the air from you over agonizing minutes. He runs his tongue up your neck, making you shiver and whimper inadvertently. Drool leaks out the corner of your mouth where he’s hooked it and he thoroughly licks the other side of your face. You’re unable to contain the sounds of fear and disgust coming from you, unable to stop yourself from struggling in vain to get him off you.

He releases his hold on your mouth and immediately you feel his tongue snake between your lips, probing your mouth urgently and roughly. Frightened sounds escape you as his kiss becomes more insistent, until he laces his fingers in your hair and jerks you away from him.

His nails dig into your scalp hard enough that you cry out without even meaning to.

“Look at me,” he goads.

You open your eyes and immediately wish you hadn’t, terrified by the intensity and ruthlessness staring back at you.

“Tell me what you said before.”

You want to refuse. You want to pretend you have no idea what he’s talking about. But you do know and it will only go worse for you if you don’t give him what he wants.

“Please don’t hurt me,” you whimper.

He nods and gives you an unnerving half-smile. “Well then, what will you do to make me not want to hurt you?”

Without even glancing, he stops the video and leans away from you a little. He scans your contacts, quickly alighting on Roddy’s name. He sends one video and then the other in a matter of seconds.

Then he sits back as if nothing’s happened. He seems surprised when he sees the terrified expression on your face but before he can speak, your phone buzzes. Roddy calling. Dexter holds up his hand to indicate you are not to answer. He stares at the phone in obvious satisfaction. Then the messages start. Notification after notification. When they stop, Dexter looks at you and pulls you into a seated position. Then he wraps his bulky arms around you and pulls you onto his lap. You’re shaking and crying, unable to fathom what’s about to happen. He rocks you back and forth, fingers softly stroking your hair.

“Shhh,” he soothes. “You see how he’s not texting anymore? That means he’s on his way over. He wants to rescue you.”

His grip coils tighter around you, like a snake on its prey.

“Don’t cry. We’re going to see what he’s willing to do to for you. Everything will be alright.”

#roderick strong imagine #dexter lumis imagine #nxt imagine #nxt fanfiction #roderick strong x reader #wrestling fanfic #wwe fanfiction #wayward wrestle writing

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dimitrescus-bitch · 4 years

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Allies (Shayna Baszler x Reader)

You were so nervous for your fight. You had been quickly working your way up One Championship’s bantamweight rankings. People were talking about you everywhere, especially in the UFC. However, you had not interest in working under Dana White. You liked the company you were at and the opportunities and training that provided you. It had seemed a bit odd that somebody who was pretty high up in the company was your trainer, but after Tate stepped away for a few fights, people believed that it was really you winning those fights.

“You’ve got this,” Miesha said as she wrapped your hands. Once it had gotten out that you were being trained by former UFC bantamweight champion, Miesha Tate, you found yourself in a Twitter feud with Ronda Rousey. You were over it as soon as it had begun, but Ronda kept fueling it.

“Can we come in?” You heard Shayna asked the security posted outside of where you were waiting. You perked up as soon as you saw your girlfriend. “Ronda’s pissed, but we’ll be in your corner tonight.”

“We?” you asked, wondering who else was rooting for you. Shayna stepped aside and you saw Jessamyn, Marina, and Roderick behind her. “There’s a bunch of WWE people here. I’m pretty sure that most of the crowd is rooting for you.”

“You may have passed on joining up with the faction, but you’re still one of our allies,” Roderick said and you got up to hug him. You were a lot more confident going out to your fight now that you knew how many people were supporting you. Ronda was already waiting in the octagon for you to come out and Miesha had a couple words for you before you started the fight.

“Whatever happens out there, know that I couldn’t be more proud of you. You might not beat her tonight, but you’ve got the potential to. You’re a better fighter than I could have ever dreamt of being,” Miesha told you and you nodded. You had your mouth guard put in and then the door closed behind you. Once the bell had rang, things were off. Ronda went in for a cheap shot, but you managed to duck out of the way.

You focused on dodging and parrying her attacks. A couple of times you came on the offensive, but your angle was working her down. You’d do that for the first two rounds, which Miesha was ecstatic about, and then in the third, you went on the attack completely. You kicked her in the knee, which weakened her stance and took her down before she had a chance to correct herself. Once she was on the ground, you wore her down as much as you could and then put her in a chokehold. The ref pulled you off of her and you couldn’t believe it when they announced your name as the winner of the fight.

“Did I just win that?” you asked Miesha and Shayna as you walked back to take a shower.

“You absolutely did. That was amazing,” Miesha said and you ducked your head down to hide your blush. You weren’t really all that great at taking compliments. “I’m gonna be sorry when you go back to wrestling.”

“I think I’ve got a few more good years in the business with you,” you promised and Shayna pulled you into her arms. “I know it couldn’t have been easy for you to back me tonight.”

“Making sure that you know you’ve got support and allies in life is more important than a friendship that wasn’t for much more than appearances,” Shayna told you and kissed her. “I’m proud of you tonight. This is your first step to making more headlines. We’ve all got your back, every single one of us.”

#shayna baszler #shayna baszler imagine #shayna baszler x reader #shayna baszler imagines #WWE #wwe imagines #wwe imagine #nxt #nxt imagines #nxt imagine #nxt x reader #wwe x reader

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verdiprati · 6 years

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Upcoming Performances by Dame Sarah Connolly

[NOTE: this post is now out of date. Check the schedule tag on my blog for the most recent version of this list.]

After the jump: an unofficial schedule of Dame Sarah Connolly’s future performances. Those of you in Britain may catch a performance in London, Cardiff, Leeds, Oxford, Gloucester, Bath, or Lewes. Those on the Continent may see her in Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Geneva, Zeist, Baden-Baden, Vilabertran (Catalunya), or Capestang (Languedoc). And finally, those of us in North America have engagements in New York and Philadelphia to look forward to! Don’t live near one of these places? Take in a concert from afar: I am adding online broadcast and livestream details as they become available.

This is not an authoritative list. These are the upcoming performances by Dame Sarah Connolly that I have been able to learn about from Dame Sarah’s agent's website (Askonas Holt), Operabase, Bachtrack, Dame Sarah's Twitter, and generally ferreting around the web.

I sometimes list concerts that are not yet officially confirmed; you should of course check official sources before making plans and be aware that cast changes and cancellations can happen at any time.

I have added links to venue, ticketing, and broadcast information where available. Tips on new information are always welcome! Please contact me via email (verdiprati [at] selveamene [dot] com), Tumblr messaging, or ask box (plain prose only in the ask box; anything with links or an email address will get eaten by Tumblr filters) with corrections or additions.

Handel, Giulio Cesare (title role) at Glyndebourne, last two shows on July 24 and 28, 2018. In a revival of the legendary 2005 production by David McVicar, with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment conducted by William Christie (June 10 - July 6) and Jonathan Cohen (July 10 - 28). With Joélle Harvey as Cleopatra, plus Christophe Dumaux and Patricia Bardon reprising the roles of Tolomeo and Cornelia respectively; also starring Anna Stéphany (Sesto), John Moore (Achilla), and Kangmin Justin Kim (Nireno).

Recital of English song at the BBC Proms, Cadogan Hall, London, August 6, 2018. With Joseph Middleton. The repertoire includes works by Britten, Bridge, Vaughn Williams, Parry, Holst, and several others—all of whom “studied or taught at the Royal College of Music”—with two world premieres by Mark-Anthony Turnage and Lisa Illean.

[Broadcast] As with all BBC Proms performances, this one will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and should remain available for listening on demand for about a month afterward.

Appearance at a charity concert to benefit the Ligue contre le cancer, Capestang, Languedoc, August 11, 2018. Dame Sarah’s participation is mentioned in English-language writeups here and here. There are very scant clues as to what repertoire she might perform.

Recital at the Schubertíada Vilabertran, August 18, 2018. With pianist Malcolm Martineau and viola player Jonathan Brown. Repertoire includes songs by Brahms, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, and English songs by Richard Rodney Bennett, Ivor Gurney, and Frank Bridge.

[New! Broadcast] I can’t figure out how to deep-link the schedule on the radio station’s website, but this concert is scheduled to be broadcast live on Catalunya Música. I can’t promise that it will be available for listening on demand later, but CatMúsica generally makes concert recordings available (sometimes after a few days’ delay) here. (You may need to click “Tots” to see the full list. Concerts expire from the website after about a month.) UPDATE: Sorry, false alarm! I was looking at a schedule of live performances in the region, not the schedule of radio broadcasts. Oops! There is other programming scheduled at the time of Dame Sarah’s recital at Vilabertran. I believe the recital will be recorded but presumably we will have to wait a few weeks or months before it comes up for broadcast.

[Masterclass] Public masterclass at Wigmore Hall, London, September 19, 2018. Part of Dame Sarah’s residency at the Wigmore. Tickets go on sale to the general public May 29.

Wagner, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre (Fricka in both) at the Royal Opera, London, September 24 through October 28, 2018. A revival of Keith Warner’s Ring Cycle, with Antonio Pappano conducting. For cast and date details, see the ROH web pages linked above. As of this writing, the ROH is only allowing customers to purchase tickets for an entire cycle of the four operas; I’m not sure whether they’ll allow separate booking later. The October 28 performance will be livecast to cinemas; the October 18 performance, also marked “Filming,” is presumably a dry run for the camera crews and/or a chance to gather additional footage for promos and perhaps an eventual DVD release (we can hope).

[Broadcast] As mentioned above, the October 28 performance of Die Walküre is scheduled for livecast to cinemas. You can use this page to search for a screening near you—if you live in the UK, Europe, South Africa, or the US. At the moment, there do not appear to be any screenings scheduled elsewhere.

Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde at the Royal Festival Hall, London, September 29, 2018. With Stuart Skelton and the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. In a concert with Mitsiko Uchida playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27.

Appearance at “Opera For All” anniversary show at the English National Opera, London, October 10, 2018. Repertoire TBA. Somewhat ironically, tickets for “Opera For All” start at a hefty £45 for a few seats far back in the Upper Circle and Dress Circle, and climb steeply to £75 for the next cheapest price bracket. Update: the powers that be at ENO seem to have realized the error of their ways. As of this writing, I’m seeing tickets for £15 (very few seats), £45, and £55, as well as the pricier options (£75 and £125).

Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde at the Philharmonie Berlin, October 14, 2018. With Torsten Kerl and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.

[Broadcast] The concert listing on the RSB website includes a notation “Konzert mit Deutschlandfunk Kultur,” implying (I believe) that it will be broadcast on said radio station. As of this writing, it is still too early to confirm this on the radio station’s site, but keep an eye out closer to the date.

Recital of English song at the Oxford Lieder Festival, October 22, 2018. With Eugene Asti. Songs in English by numerous British composers including Rebecca Clarke, Muriel Herbert, and Sally Beamish. There is a good deal of overlap with the selections on Dame Sarah’s recent album “Come to Me in My Dreams.”

Concert with the Tenebrae Consort at Wigmore Hall, London, October 24, 2018. Part of Dame Sarah’s yearlong residency at the Wigmore. The mostly English repertoire centers on a new piece by Judith Bingham setting poetry by Ivor Gurney. The choir throws in some Schoenberg at the end.

Blow, Venus and Adonis and Purcell, Dido and Aeneas in concert at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, November 3, 2018. With the Early Opera Company conducted by Christian Curnyn. Dame Sarah’s co-stars are Jonathan McGovern, Lucy Crowe, Dame Felicity Palmer, and Rowan Pierce.

Tippett, A Child of our Time at the Paris Philharmonie, November 7 and 8, 2018. With Michelle Bradley, Mark Padmore, John Relyea, and the Orchestre de Paris conducted by Thomas Adès in a concert also featuring symphonic works by Berlioz and Adès.

Recital at the Bath Mozartfest, Guildhall, Bath, November 13, 2018. With Joseph Middleton. Repertoire to include “Deh, per questo istante solo” from La Clemenza di Tito as well as songs by Schubert, Ravel, Debussy, Gurney, and Ireland. The Bath Box Office website says “Online booking for this event opens at 09:30 on 30 Jul 2018.”

"L’invitation au voyage,” song recital at Wigmore Hall, London, November 16, 2018. With James Newby and Joseph Middleton. The repertoire is Ravel-centric but not all by Ravel himself. Part of Dame Sarah’s residency at the Wigmore and also part of a Ravel song series being presented by the venue over the course of the year.

Beethoven, Missa Solemnis at deSingel, Antwerp, November 21, 2018. Part of a tour by Le Concert Olympique and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor. With Malin Hartelius, Steve Davislim, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann; conducted by Jan Caeyers.

Beethoven, Missa Solemnis at the Philharmonie Berlin, November 23, 2018. Part of a tour by Le Concert Olympique and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor. Tickets appear to be on sale here. With Malin Hartelius, Steve Davislim, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann; conducted by Jan Caeyers.

Beethoven, Missa Solemnis at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, December 1, 2018. Part of a tour by Le Concert Olympique and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor. With Malin Hartelius, Steve Davislim, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann; conducted by Jan Caeyers.

Appearance at the Glyndebourne Tour: Golden Anniversary Celebration at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, December 4, 2018. Sir Thomas Allen and Sir John Tomlinson are also appearing at the concert, and the Glyndebourne website says “More performers will be announced in the coming weeks.” The program has not been announced yet but I will be surprised if Dame Sarah doesn’t reprise an aria or two from Giulio Cesare. I don’t see a way to purchase tickets online but they apparently are available by phoning the box office.

Wagner, Das Rheingold (Fricka) at the Teatro Real, Madrid, January 17 through February 1, 2019. In a production by Robert Carsen; conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado. Co-stars include Greer Grimsley (Wotan) and Sophie Bevan (Freia) among others.

Berlioz, L’Enfance du Christ with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, February 15, 2019. Sir Andrew Davis conducts; the other vocal soloists in the all-Brit, all-excellent lineup are Andrew Staples, Roderick Williams, and Matthew Brook.

Recital with Julius Drake at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, March 5, 2019. Works by R. Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, A. Mahler, and Zemlinsky.

Recital with Julius Drake at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, March 7, 2019. I don’t see the repertoire mentioned on the theater’s website as of this writing, but presumably it will be similar to the works presented in Amsterdam and Philadelphia in the duo’s other recitals this month.

Recital with Julius Drake at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid, March 11, 2019. Works by Brahms, Wolf, Roussel, Debussy, and Zemlinsky.

Recital with Julius Drake at Wigmore Hall, London, March 15, 2019. Part of Dame Sarah’s yearlong residency at the Wigmore. Repertoire TBA, but may have some works in common with those programmed for Connolly and Drake’s other recitals in the same month. Listed in the season preview brochure [PDF].

Recital with Julius Drake at the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, March 22, 2019. Sponsored by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Repertoire includes works by Brahms, Wolf, Roussel, Debussy, and Zemlinksy.

Wagner, Götterdämmerung (Waltraute) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, April 27, May 4, and May 11, 2019. In a revival of Robert Lepage’s production of the Ring cycle, with all shows to be conducted by Philippe Jordan. Oddly, the entire cast list seems to have disappeared from the Met website, but Operabase confirms my recollection that Dame Sarah was once listed there. Dame Sarah’s co-stars in Götterdämmerung (according to notes that I took when the cast list was still on the Met site) include Christine Goerke (Brünnhilde), Stefan Vinke / Andreas Schager (sharing the role of Siegfried), Edith Haller (Gutrune), Eric Owens (Hagen), Evgeny Nitikin (Gunther), and Tomasz Konieczny (Alberich). The de-listing of the entire cast is very odd though and I would take this information with a grain of salt; perhaps there is some rejiggering going on. Update: the Metropolitan Opera announced in a tweet on August 9 that Dame Sarah will be replaced by Michaela Schuster in all performances of Götterdämmerung.

[Details TBA] Appearance at the Internationaal LiedFestival Zeist (Netherlands), late May, 2019. The festival dates are May 17-26. Programming details have not yet been released as of this writing, but Dame Sarah is mentioned as one of the performing artists.

Elgar, The Dream of Gerontius with the Hallé and three choruses at Victoria Hall, Leeds, June 1, 2019. Barry Banks and David Soar are the other vocal soloists; Simon Wright conducts. General ticket sales (for non-subscribers) begin August 18.

[New!] Mahler, Des Knaben Wunderhorn (extracts) and Janáček, Glagolitic Mass at the Maison de la Radio, Paris, June 20, 2019. With the Orchestre National de France and the Choeur de Radio France, conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste. The other soloists for the Glagolitic Mass are Simona Šaturová, Mati Turi, and Christof Fischesser.

[Broadcast] This concert will be broadcast live on France Musique.

Recital with Malcolm Martineau at Wigmore Hall, London, July 23, 2019. Part of Dame Sarah’s yearlong residency at the Wigmore. Repertoire TBA. Listed in the season preview brochure [PDF].

[New!] Berlioz, La damnation de Faust (in concert, presumably) at the Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester, July 27, 2019. With Peter Hoare, Christopher Purves, and David Ireland. Tickets go on sale to the general public on April 24. The concert is listed in the preview brochure here [PDF]; full program details are set to be announced in early 2019.

[New!] Bob Chilcott, A Christmas Oratorio (premiere) at the Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester, August 1, 2019. With Nick Pritchard and Neal Davies. Tickets go on sale to the general public on April 24. The concert is listed in the preview brochure here [PDF]; full program details are set to be announced in early 2019.

[Unconfirmed / details TBA] Handel, Agrippina at the Dutch National Opera. Hugh Canning recently tweeted the news that the Royal Opera is planning to offer Barrie Kosky’s new production of Agrippina with Joyce DiDonato in the title role; in a reply that has now been deleted, Dame Sarah mentioned that she and Alice Coote would do the same production in Amsterdam and Munich. (If you are a member of the Sarah Connolly fan group on Facebook, you can see a screenshot there.) Subsequent discussion revealed that Coote would get the Munich gig (in July 2019), so Connolly must be the Amsterdam Agrippina. The DNO has already announced its ‘18-’19 season and Agrippina isn’t in it, so presumably we’re looking towards ‘19-’20 or beyond.

[Unconfirmed / details TBA] Brett Dean, Hamlet (Gertrude) somewhere in the United States. Allan Clayton, who starred in the title role of Brett Dean’s Hamlet at Glyndebourne in 2017, mentioned in a recent interview with the Telegraph that he would be reprising the role at an unspecified date and venue in the US. When prompted on Twitter, Dame Sarah indicated that she would be participating in the revival, too (“I shall be misunderstanding my confused boy again”). Hat tip to Christopher Lowrey, who sang Guildenstern in the original production at Glyndebourne, whose tweet praising Allan Clayton brought the Telegraph interview to my attention. (No indication whether Lowrey will also be cast in the American revival.)

[Details TBA] A future appearance at the Opéra national de Paris is mentioned in the current bio that can be downloaded from Dame Sarah’s page on the Askonas Holt website (click “Publicity Pack”). I cannot find her name mentioned anywhere in the 2018-2019 season, so I suppose we must wait until at least the fall of 2019 if not later.

Previous versions of this list can be found under the schedule tag on this blog. This list published July 24, 2018. Edited July 26 to add the broadcast link for the BBC Proms recital. Edited July 28 to add the US revival of Hamlet. Edited August 5 to add the Catalunya Música live broadcast of the concert from Vilabertran. Edited August 8 to add the two Three Choirs Festival concerts in Gloucester. Edited August 9 to reflect Dame Sarah’s withdrawal from the Met Götterdämmerung. Edited August 16 to remove the (nonexistent, as it turns out) Catalunya Música live broadcast of the concert from Vilabertran, with apologies for the error, and to update the list of locations where the ROH Walküre live cinema telecasts may be seen. Edited August 22 to add the Paris Des Knaben Wunderhorn and Glagolitic Mass. Edited August 29 to add Dame Sarah’s appearance at the Glyndebourne Tour special event in December. I may continue to edit this list as I receive new information.

#sarah connolly #schedule #performances

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