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duggardata · 3 years

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Anna and Mary Maxwell Might Be Attending [Bible] College. (Wow!)

Recently, an eagle–eyed Anon spotted the 2 Youngest Maxwell Girls, Anna (28) and Mary (25), in the absolute last place you'd ever expect—a college campus. It's all on Facebook... Anna and Mary appear in a photo posted by Appalachian Bible College to its official Facebook Page, along with caption: "The first day of classes. That's something to smile about!" (Permalink.)

Why Are We So Surprised By This?

Ordinarily, two young women attending college wouldn't be at all shocking, but the Maxwells are not ordinary. Anna and Mary's Parents, Steve + Teri Maxwell, are openly anti–college. Steve thinks that state–run education, including higher education, is "a godless, promiscuity–promoting, humanistic environment," and that it traps young people in debt. He is wary even of Christian colleges, since he believes they cause children to rebel. He’s proud of his sons' lack of higher education, and praised them for "avoid[ing] the influence and cost of college." Teri is, sadly, just as opposed to college—especially for women. Back in 1999, she wrote an article speculating that college may undermine a woman's ability to be a good and godly wife. Her article laments—

"As far as our daughters go, I wonder how many of us developed independent spirits during our college or working days. Has this made it more difficult for us to submit to our husbands in the meek and quiet way we would like?"

Finally... Anna and Mary's views on this topic seemed to be aligned with their parents, until now. According to Steve + Teri, all of the Maxwell Daughters had planned to be Stay–at–Home–Daughters until marriage. (See Also.) (And all 3 Daughters seemed to be doing so, since none had moved out.) What is more, in 2010, Anna described college as "silly," and said that she thought attending would expose her to unsavory influences, and possibly hold her back from her ultimate goal of "be[ing] a stay–at–home wife and mother."

So, yeah... This is quite a surprise! And, while neither Steve + Teri, nor Anna or Mary, has actually confirmed that they’re enrolled at Appalachian Bible College, their appearance on the Facebook Page is definitely suspicious!

Tell Me About Appalachian Bible College.

TL;DR If you just want to know how conservative and restrictive Appalachian Bible College is, skip down to “Student Life.”

Appalachian Bible College (ABC) is a tiny (~250 Students), insular bible college, located on 150 Acres in rural Mount Hope, West Virginia. (The Maxwell Family hails from Leavenworth, Kansas, which >800 Miles Away.) It self–describes as a “non–denominational and fundamental” institution, primarily associated with “Baptist and Bible churches.” Unlike many so–called “bible colleges,” ABC is nationally and regionally accredited. (Hurray!)

A lot, lot more information... After the jump.

Admissions—

ABC requires prospective students to submit an application; transcripts from high school or home school; ACT, SAT, or CLT test scores; and two reference letters, one from a pastor and one from another mentor, e.g., teacher or youth group leader. A high school diploma or GED is required, unless the student is homeschooled. In that case, a detailed homeschool transcript is needed, and standardized test scores are “especially important.”

As part of the application, prospective students must attest that they agree w/ the college’s Doctrinal Statement.

Academics—

ABC offers four degree programs—Bible Certificate (1 Year), Associate of Arts (A.A.) (2 Years), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (4 Years), and Master of Arts (M.A.). In addition, it runs an online program for degree–seeking or non–degree seeking students. (But, Anna and Mary were spotted on–campus, so they don’t seem to be in the online program!) Anna and Mary haven’t gone to college, so they almost certainly aren’t in the Master’s program. Let’s just look at the rest...

(Sidenote—Before we go on, just want to point out... All ABC graduates must, in addition to completing academic requirements, show that they are members of a church and that they possess good Christian character. If they don’t, they won’t give their diploma!)

Bible Certificate—ABC describes the one–year program as an “opportunit[y] for you to dig into Scripture and build your life on its unchanging truths.” The program has two tracks—Bible + General Education and Bible + Ministry. As the names suggest, both tracks’ core curriculum is the Bible and Bible study. Both also require three courses in ministry—Foundations of Ministry, Biblical Theology of Missions, and Personal Evangelism & Discipleship. Where they differ is is what else they require...

For the Bible + General Education Certificate, students must also take four ‘core’ classes—English Composition, Speech, Physical Education, Music, and “Success Seminar”—plus, an elective of their choice. (This curriculum also mirrors the first–year curriculum of ABC’s A.A. and B.A. Degree Programs, so students can easily continue their studies, should they decide to do so.)

For Bible + Ministry, ‘core’ classes are waived in favor of extra theology. Students take Principles of Biblical Interpretation, along with classes on Systematic Theology (2 Classes), the New Testament (Survey Class + 2 Classes), and the Old Testament (Survey Class + 2 Classes).

Associate’s Degree (A.A.)—ABC also offers a 2–Year A.A. Degree in Bible + Theology. (That’s the only major offered.) For this degree, the curriculum is a 50/50 split between General Education and Bible + Theology courses, plus a few ministry classes and electives. All students take the following courses—

General Education English Composition (2 Classes), Speech, Physical Education, Music, Biblical Worldview, and Ethical Issues in Ministry

Bible + Theology Principles of Biblical Interpretation, Survey of the Old Testament, Survey of the New Testament, Matthew to Acts, Genesis to Deuteronomy, Paul’s Letters (2 Classes), and Doctrine (2 Classes)

Ministry Theology of Missions, Foundations of Ministry, Evangelism & Discipleship, and Homiletics I (Males) / Bible Teaching (Females)

Additionally, students must take a history class, a science or sociology class, and an elective.

Bachelor’s Degree (B.A.)—Finally, ABC offers a 4–Year B.A. Dual Degree in Bible + Theology and in Ministry. Each student completes General Education classes. Beyond that, each student is also a “double major.” Everyone’s first major is Bible + Theology and everyone’s second major is ministry–focused—but, not everyone has the exact same Ministry Major. (More on that in a bit...) As far as curriculum, students must complete the General Education, Bible + Theology, and Ministry courses required for the Associate’s Degree, plus the following additional core classes—

General Education Health, Psychology, Sociology, Finance, 2 History Classes (History of Western Civilization and American Church History), and 1 Science Class (Earth Science or Biology)

Bible + Theology Joshua to Esther, Hebrews to Revelation, Isaiah to Malachi, Job to Song of Soloman, Doctrine (2 Additional Classes), and Bible Capstone

Ministry World Religion and Cults, and Homiletics II (Men) / Women’s Ministry (Women)

Finally, students must also pick a Ministry Major and complete its mandatory coursework. At ABC, there are seven ministry majors to pick from—some of which have concentrations. Here’s the list of Ministry Majors, with additional concentrations or sub–specialties listed in parentheses—

Biblical Counseling (Youth & Family or Women’s Ministries)

Camping Ministry

Elementary Education

Missions (Biblical Languages, Foreign Language / Spanish, International Studies, Nursing, or Teaching English)

Music (Pedagogy, Performance, or Worship)

Pastoral Ministry (Biblical Languages or Youth & Family Pastoring)

Interdisciplinary

The Pastor Ministry Major seems to be limited to male students.

Click the links to check out the coursework each Ministry Major requires.

Student Life—

So, yeah... ABC is not a progressive place. At all. They’re upfront about it, though, which is nice. Their Student Handbook is online, available for all to read. Here are some highlights... (All italics are mine, not in original.)

Discipline / Consequences—Students who break the rules face discipline in the form of “a verbal or written Carefrontation, a fine, a work assignment, a temporary room or dorm confinement, a social [or] ... campus restriction,” or “some other determination.” Egregious offenses may result in the student being “suspended ... , asked to withdraw from the college, or dismissed.”

Dress Code—There’s a detailed Dress Code, with different different activities requiring different standards of dress. Perhaps surprisingly, pants are allowed for female students for all but the fanciest standard of dress. (For that, they’ll have to wear skirts or dresses.) Here are a few of the rules...

“Earrings may be worn by females only,” and “all other body piercing is prohibited.”

ABC students are prohibited from getting new tattoos. If a student has an old tattoo, they may be required to cover it at all times if the Dean of Students deems it “offensive.”

Prohibited Activities—ABC says that, “in order to remain above reproach,” students are prohibited from the following “questionable activities”...

Consuming “alcohol as a beverage,” tobacco in any form (including e–cigarettes), or drugs for non–medicinal purposes. (Penalty for violating this rule is dismissal.)

Serving alcohol to others, even if done in the course of a student’s off–campus employment.

Gossiping, or engaging in “other forms of impure speech.”

Listening to, viewing, or reading “unwholesome” media or literature, or accessing websites “that do not promote godliness.” (See Prohibited Media and Prohibited Music.)

Attending “commercial movie theaters.”

Gambling.

Dancing.

Prohibited Media—Per the ABC Student Handbook, ABC students shall not consume “any media (including social media) that features vulgar or obscene language, sexual innuendo, nudity, immodest clothing, or ... a blatantly non–Christian message.” Additionally, students may not—

Watch movies rated PG–13, R, X, or NC–17, or shows rated TV–MA.

Play video games or use apps rated A, M, or RP.

... and, they’re strongly cautioned to avoid media that promotes “unbiblical definitions of love”; endorses “witchcraft or the occult”; mocks “law or law enforcement”; denigrates “marriage and the traditional family”; or contains “excessive violence.” Students are urged not to consume media made by people—e.g., actors, producers, directors—“known for their stand against Christian values.”

Prohibited Music—Students are banned from listening to music “that includes God–dishonoring language, anti–biblical messages ... , a prominent resurfacing beat, pulsating and driving or dance rhythms, or sensual overtones in the music itself or in the performance.” They’re specifically cautioned to avoid...

Rock—Because the “lyrics may be unacceptable” and “[t]he beat of the music may become the most prominent element.”

Country—Because the “lyrics may be unacceptable” and the underlying “music may be connected to a heavy rock beat.”

Folk—As “[e]xistentialism, humanism, or hedonism may be propagated through the lyrics.”

Jazz—Since syncopation may be “extensive[ly] use[d],” and “a sensual performance style may be employed.”

Contemporary Christian—Since “a sensual performance style may be employed,” “a beat may be overly prominent,” and the “lyrics may be theologically incorrect or existential in their emphasis.”

Relationships—

“The Bible restricts sexual activity to marriage between a man and a woman. Thus, fornication, adultery, incest, sexual abuse of a minor, homosexuality, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, and other such activities are forbidden.”

“[N]o display of affection through physical contact (including holding hands) on the part of non–married couples, on or off campus.”

Dating students are forbidden from sitting together in class or chapel.

No male–female pair, dating or not, may be alone together in anyone’s home or residence, on– or off–campus.

No male–female pair, dating or not, may socialize off–campus without a chaperone, unless they’ve been at ABC for at least 4 Semesters.

Divorced students “shall not be permitted to date other ... students.”

According to ABC’s Student Handbook, all these rules apply to all students, at all times, on– or off–campus.

All in all, it’s great if Anna and Mary are attending college, even if it’s a super–duper conservative one, like ABC clearly is. The fact that they’ve possibly left home and are out there, living on their own... Crazy to even think about, given Steve’s apparent iron grip on his household. It can only be good from them to venture out on their own, even if it’s just to a slightly less stifling place.

#mary maxwell #anna maxwell

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ryuu-to-sobakasu-hime · 3 years

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Ryuu to Sobakasu no Hime (Belle) Novel | English Translation | Chapter 4

**This is a machine translation. I put it together by extracting text page-by-page from a .pdf version of the Japanese novel, and running it through Google translate. I have only minorly edited some of the more confusing lines to make it more read-able. It is still a very rough translation, but it’s good enough to understand what’s going on. If there is anyone out there who wants to properly translate the novel, I am more than happy to edit it, if you’ll contact me.**

———————————————

Chapter 4: U

I went home and opened my MacBook. While shivering in the cold, I clicked on the link sent by Hiro-chan. The letter "U" slowly emerges on a pitch-black screen with a wave-like sound. ".......U?" My tattered face covered in vomit was illuminated by the light of the monitor. The invitation page will be launched and a message will be displayed.

[ "U" is another reality

"Az" is another you

Reality cannot be redone

But with "U" you can start over

Let's live another you

Let's start a new life

Let's change the world ]

I forgot about the cold and was looking forward to it. The smartphone placed next to it was linked and the app started automatically. A registration screen appears on my MacBook monitor. It says "NAME".

"Name...."

I hesitated. There was a feeling of resistance. However, contrary to my feelings, I reach out towards my keyboard.

"S" "u" "z" …….

I type in steadily.

"U".

At that moment, a strong anxiety arose. I impulsively press the delete key. I slammed the keys to erase it and closed my MacBook.

[............]

I curled up and sighed, shivering. "I'm next to Luka" I found Luka on the bench in the courtyard. The girls are gathering together and surrounding Luka-chan. The first grade is almost over, so it seemed like everyone was going to take a picture.

"Mr. Watanabe's Yokozaro"

"Eh~? No fair!"

"I like Luka-chan's soba." Ako was envious of the shining Luka-chan from behind the pillars of piloti. I was jealous of the girls who could be photographed with Luka.

"Mr. Watanabe, look over here. I'll take a picture," urged the girl who played the role of the camera, and Luka looked in front of her. Then she waved towards us as she suddenly noticed.

"Ah. Suzu-chan!"

"Eh?" Luca beckoned to me, who was scared.

"Suzu-chan is also included!"

The girls looked at me all at once. Why? Is written on the face. I'm in a hurry

I hid in a pillar, then I looked a little and turned my palm.

"No, no, I", but Luca continued to beckon me.

"It’ll be fast!” Later, the image was sent. A group photo of girls with cute V signs, centered on Luca. There is my face full of freckles mixed with it. The position just behind Luka. Like the spirit behind her, I have an awkward V sign. When I tried to register for "U" again, I was asked for a photo of my face. I don’t have a photo of my face. I don't bother to point the camera at myself.

So, I used the image at this time for registration.

Face recognition markers are displayed on everyone. Which one are you? I moved the cursor and selected the freckled face behind Luka.

The text "A / I automatically generates a new Az" appears. At the same time, there is an annotation, "What is Az?". << The name of the avatar in "U" and another you >>

Another you.

Soon, the rendered Az was displayed.

"That ...?" There was a terrifyingly beautiful Az, far from me. You can say it's just like Luka-chan, not me. "Luka-chan? Why ..."

AI was confused with Luca, who was right next to my image. If so, what an awkward artificial intelligence! While the difference must be corrected. I hit the back button repeatedly.

"No. Back, back. Cancel ...", but suddenly I stopped pressing the button. Red spot-like patterns were clearly drawn on both cheeks of the Az.

"Freckles ..." I put my hand on my cheek. Isn't it my freckles? "Maybe I .....?" I slowly typed in each character in the "NAME" field of the registration screen. This time it's not "Suzu".

"B" "e" “l” “l” “e”

"Bell" = “Suzu”

When I decide on the name "... Bell", the Az in front of me suddenly seems to be adorable. "Cancel" and "OK" buttons are displayed on the screen, prompting you to make a selection.

"What should I do..…"

To make this beauty Az me, I'm not courageous and I'm afraid. On the other hand, no matter how far she is from me in reality, I also think. Rather, it is the world of the Internet that is far away. There are many examples of flashy names and icons on SNS.

"U" is a virtual world and Az is a virtual personality. Privacy is strictly protected. It claims that anonymity is strictly guaranteed. Then no one should blame you. Then, at the next moment, I'm at a loss. In the first place, why did AI of "U" automatically generate such a beautiful Az for me? Is it just a coincidence created by uncertainty? Or is it deep inside my heart? Are you seeing through your true desires? Or ...

It's time to select "Cancel or OK".

A late-night study room with only desk lights. In front of the MacBook screen, I decided to take a slow breath and trim. --Now, let's live another you-in my head, the message of "U" was refrained. "Click" I clicked OK.

At that moment, as if you were preparing, the "U" app on your smartphone started automatically. You can hear the announcement of a calm tone voice.

"Please attach the device"

As per the instruction screen, take out the earphone type device from the case and take it out. I put it on my ear.

"I'm reading your biometric information ..."

The letter "U" on the device glows blue and shimmers. With just one vise, you can get all the information about human beings as living things. It seems that you can do it. And in a very short time. "Done," the announcement said. Then I continued as if I was checking.

"Start body sharing"

It sounds like something is spinning at high speed. Head circumference. There was a feeling that the surroundings were covered with dense air. It seems that it was brought about by the strong magnetic field developed by the device, and perhaps because of that, the hair lifts up softly as if it were in a weightless space.

"First, vision comes under control."

The feel of the magnetic field seemed to concentrate on the back of the head. I slowly open my eyes. "Ah!" A dazzling white light rushed into my eyes.

It's a cloth. White cloths that were more than 10 meters long overlapped, fluttering and fluttering in the wind. I looked at my body as if I were checking my body, and was shocked. My feet are floating in the air. The announcement echoes, as if it were an announcement from heaven.

"Other cognitive functions and deep limb sensations come under control."

What do you mean? There were no words in that unrealistic space. Sweat gushes from the whole body, and the heart beats.

"The feeling of physical independence and physical possession moves to your registered Az." Something slowly approaches from behind. Pink hair. It was the "shadow" of Az that I registered earlier. However, it’s face is flat and white like a plate with nothing on it.

[.........]

I'm just stunned. "Shadow" overlaps. The feeling that another body gets inside me is unpleasant. The shadow of Az was fine-tuned by moving the position back and forth so that it would be in focus, but it fits perfectly immediately. Immediately, the discomfort I had just disappeared somewhere. Beyond the fluttering white cloth, I saw a large white door. I reach out my hands as I slowly approach. The announcement announced. "Welcome to the world of 'U'"

I pressed my hands against the door and opened it vigorously. When I jumped out, I saw a group of skyscrapers that filled my view. "Ah!" On the bustling boulevard that intersects three-dimensionally, a large number of people, not humans, Az-- are floating in the air. Az that imitate animals, insects, marine life, vases and set squares, Az that imitate bicycles, half-beasts and goddesses that are likely to appear in fiction, Az that imitate warriors ... , Az in all kinds of shapes are flying around while chatting loudly. When I look up at the night sky, the lights of countless windows blink, not from the twinkling stars, but from the skyscrapers hanging upside down. Another reality. Another world. Is this "U"? Powder snow is dancing. It's a little chilly. When I opened my hands to take the powder snow in the palm of my hand, I saw a white arm and long, thin fingers in my eyes.

[...]

I was surprised at the difference in physical sensation and looked as if I was checking my body. Her slender body and long legs are wrapped in a white dress that looks like a newborn.

Is this me?

Let's live another you.

The message of "U" was refrained in my head.

[............]

There, I noticed multiple eyes and looked forward. Some Az in the crowd are looking at me. However, as soon as I glanced at it, I went there. You may be a little beautiful, but this is "U". To that extent, nothing is unusual here. That was convenient. No one cares. Then you might be able to do what you've always wanted to do. When I raise my face, I take a deep breath and try to speak out.

The voice was undeniably my own voice. It's much more relaxed than I expected. I tried humming so that the nasal cavity would resonate instead of stretching. Sounds smoother than I imagined. Is it conveniently corrected because the body is virtual? But I don't feel that the sound is far from my consciousness. Is it because the scanned biometric information is accurate? Anyway…

I can't believe it. "I could sing ...!"As the powder snow dances fantastically, my voice rebels against the skyscrapers. It is echoing. How many years has it been since you sung properly? It was irresistible that I could immediately make a voice as I imagined, even though there was a blank and I hadn't done any preparatory movements. It feels like I've got a lot of freedom, and at the same time I'm a little scared. How is biometric information transformed into this output? What is Az? Anyway,

"Oh, I finally sang ...!"

I was very happy about this. I decided to sit down and sing a song with the lyrics properly. Of course there is no accompaniment, but is it okay?

[ I want to see a world where such a small melody pierces through a happy song

I wake up every morning and look for a future without you

I don't want to imagine the unpleasant singing ]

The lyrics translated into various languages around me. Many languages, it surrounds me as a belt. Gaelic, Thai, Persian ...

All languages overlap. If a song is detected, will it be displayed automatically without any settings? In addition, the synthetic voice singing in some languages sounds faint, although the types are limited. Maybe because of that, "Hmm ...?"

Az and others who should have ignored me, suddenly look back and look at me.

"Ah ...?" Many Az in the building area are standing in the air one after another. I didn't mean to do that. I was just trying to check the condition of the technology called body sharing. However, it seems that more Az are gathering and listening than I expected. It's very embarrassing to think of myself as a street musician in a virtual world. However, it cannot be stopped on the way. Let's sing to the end, for myself. I continued thinking so.

[But I don't know the correct answer anymore.

It seems that it's going well except for me. Will it still come tomorrow?

Song, guide me, whatever happens, song, beside me, love, approach ]

From the Az who were listening, balloons displaying comments one after another appeared.

"What is this?" "Who is singing?" "Mysterious song"

At first, the content was cautious, as if watching the situation.

However, it gradually became less reluctant. For some reason, the only people who made comments such as "noisy", "strange songs", and "don't be pretentious" were Az with a cute appearance that I couldn't say such a thing. Wearing a frilly pink dress, a little animal, or a baby holding a teddy bear.

"Her looks aren't bad" "What's that freckled face (laughs)" Various tweets fly while singing. I do not mind. I'm singing for me. However, I was hurt by the words thrown at me. It ’s hard to say that only a small number of people will say

You can see it from here as well. hard. It may have appeared on the face. Furthermore, the words escalated. "I feel bad" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" I managed to finish singing before my feelings broke down. The noisy Az sighed and sighed, sighing and leaving. I had no choice but to see them off with disappointment,

"Belle"

Called my name, I looked up.

"……ah"

Something slipped in, "Eh? ... Ah," once I sprinkled the glittering scales, and once I went all the way down, it slowly stopped on my hand. It was a mysterious Az, like a white fairy, like an angel, like a clionidae. If you look closely, you can see that the body is transparent with the delicacy of warabi mochi. While swaying the wings of both hands, he said in a slightly traumatic tone.

"You are wonderful. You are beautiful."

That said, I felt saved.

"....... Fufufu. Thank you."

When I woke up, it was morning. Before I knew it, I was lying on my bed. Was last night a dream? It still has a fresh feeling. I looked at my smartphone to make sure. I have a profile page for Belle. It wasn't a dream. If you look under the bell icon, there is a column showing the number of followers.

《Belle: 0 followers》

That number is zero.

"There are no followers ....." I muttered while staring at the screen. "The world doesn't change anything." I didn't ask for it, but I felt a little disappointed.

When I thought, a beep sounded. The number of followers became "1" in front of me. That angel Az. A comment balloon appears. It was a blank space with nothing written on it. I laid down my smartphone, lay on my back on the bed, and remembered last night. There were many unplanned things. However, "But I finally sang ..." Above all, my heart was refreshed. The light of the winter morning looked dazzling. It's been a while since I've had such a refreshing feeling. Then there was a second follow-up notice. It was Hiro-chan. A cute bird-shaped Az with a round hat.

In the comment of "Re: I tried it for the first time"

<< This is Hiro. Belle is the best. I'll do anything >>

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

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dcx2NedPVBEdbfQaU-WC0pJMRmn20ASn7HSC0KY9R7E/edit?usp=sharing ~ Google Doc of the English-translated novel.

ryuutosobakasuhime.wordpress.com ~ English fan-site for Ryuu to Sobakasu no Hime where translations, scans, and other content is posted.

#belle #belle movie #ryuu to sobakasu no hime #ryu to sobakasu no hime #ryu #ryuu #studio chizu #mamoru hosoda #竜とそばかすの姫 #belle 2021 #hime

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hauntedelation · 3 years

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You

Gif found on this blog, I couldn’t find the original poster :(

Description: You weren’t sure about him, this melancholy paramedic who you met through a close co-worker. Yet from the start, everything felt right. Several months stretched by with you growing closer and closer to Evan. It was pleasant, sometimes more than that. For a while there you could say that you were in the most bliss you had ever experienced.

Except, something called to you. A feeling in your gut that transpired during a long-awaited reunion on the night of Valentine’s Day.

Pairing: Gender Neutral Black Reader x Evan Marshall

A/N: I recently watched Blood Creek and again, I really liked Henry’s character. Evan is a sweetie and of course this doesn’t follow the plot of the movie. I don’t really know where this came from, I didn’t mean for it to end so...puzzling?

I wrote this with gender neutral pronouns and with a Black reader in mind. This was supposed to simply be sad and angsty but, I liked how it went. I still mean for this to be a sad romance, hopefully I portrayed that well enough. The man just needs that affection in his life. (Proofreading happened, sorry for any errors.)

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: fluff, hint of smut at the end (18+), cryptic dialogue, and a dash of angst

~Please enjoy guys! <3

➽─────────────❥

When Walter Marshall told you that he had a younger brother, you purely rolled your eyes and sent him a snort. For as long as you knew the stoic detective, he never mentioned a hint of having any other family in his life—other than his daughter and his ex-wife.

The man uttered it with a shallow weight like it had been a musing about the weather, "Oh, when you come over this Sunday, I can introduce you to my little brother, Evan."

With a turn of your head, you made a face that resembled a scowl; but, you weren’t irritated. Walter had caught that look and hid his amused smile behind the lid of his coffee mug.

You both had clocked into your adjoining shifts and sauntered side-by-side down that long, fluorescent hallway. Walter's comment emerged the moment you reached that left turn into your office. When the words finally soaked in, you paused.

"Wait, you have a brother?"

That was the detective's cue to turn and continue walking a few doors down to his office. He possessed something of a smirk under that dark nest on his face. And, with your frantic, "Walt? Walt how come you never told me—"

He only replied with, "You never asked."

➽─────────────❥

You recall the mystery brother standing by an old grandfather clock in Walter's living room. His eyes were fixated on the television screen in front of him, his body subconsciously leaning toward the thrill of the game.

There was a beer in his hand, and he took a long swig from the glass rim before letting that hand drop and adjusting his stance to rest against the wall. He wore a soot-colored canvas work coat with a light grey hood below. From what you could see, under that hood was a dark navy uniform.

Within the loud commotion of another touchdown, the detective abandoned the traditional method of gaining his brother's attention and settled on placing a hand on his back.

Evan was in the middle of another swig. Upon turning around, his brows raised and his fatigued eyes shined at the sight of Walter standing behind him. In a pleasant greeting, Evan pulled the beer away from his lips, placed the bottle down, and greeted his brother with a big hug.

"Walt! Hey, sorry I couldn't catch you when I came in."

Once the two stepped away from each other, the air between them was light and affable. For the first time with knowing Walter, you heard a buoyant laugh fall from his lungs.

"Don't worry about it," he waved away the apology, "I wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine.”

Walter stepped back and gestured his hand to you.

"This is Y/n, a dear co-worker and someone who has been with me through many hefty cases. They haven’t annoyed me too much, so that’s why I figured it was time to introduce them to you.”

You clicked your tongue at Walter's comment and took a step toward the stranger. With a soft smile, you shifted your hold on a glass and held your hand out toward him, "It's nice to finally meet you, Evan."

The look in his eyes was curious and they drifted over Walter's for that short moment. A grin crept on his stubbled face. When those eyes slid down to you, they straightaway lost focus and softened.

Without breaking his gape on you, Evan removed his free hand from the confines of his jacket pocket. He encased your digits in his and shook.

You remember distinctly, how the warmth from his hand enveloped yours, almost like it chased the lines in your palm.

➽─────────────❥

It was a little over five months ago, five months from first shaking Evan Marshall’s hand, from observing how he would stop and let his eyes glide over your face, from listening to his steady voice and wondering exactly how it was that he didn't have an accent like Walter.

'We don't share a Mother,' he said.

Evan was American and was living in West Virginia for a while before he decided to move back up to Minnesota. He told you he was down there to take care of his sick Mother while studying to become a paramedic.

You remember leaning against the kitchen counter, and watching how the low light illuminated his face. Evan was an average man, not as broad and mountainous as his older brother, but, he still towered over you.

He was incredibly gentle, albeit hesitant, but throughout that night you could see him slowly unfurl before you.

Where are you from?

What do you like to do? He asked you.

While taken with his interest, how you spoke induced many smiles and responses from the man. Eventually, you asked him the same.

He was currently a paramedic in town. He doesn't get very much free-time due to it but he seemed to enjoy cooking, playing the piano, or listening to music whenever he could.

Evan pointed to a large bowl containing some sort of pasta salad to the right of you.

'I made my own dressing this time, I wanted to see if it would improve the recipe.'

You took a closer look and saw how the bowl was just about empty. When you thought more about it, you recalled having a sizable helping of that pasta much earlier, and couldn't help grabbing more.

Under the kitchen light, you could have sworn that you witnessed Evan's ears burn when you pointed that out.

➽─────────────❥

You made it a goal to learn as much as you could about him. There wasn’t many things that you could hold on to, but you had a handful.

He liked to listen to the old rock songs sometimes, the grunge and garage sounds. He listened to just about every band with that vibe but, he seemed to enjoy the ones from way back when the most.

Every time you heard that music from his truck radio, it brought you back to being younger, where you would watch the T.V. and see teens in acid wash jeans with cigarettes between their fingers.

You could just see him when he was younger: hair long, unkempt, his ears holding silver earrings, and black boots on his feet with words etched into the side that probably meant something to him at the time.

Evan shook his head at you and hid a smile behind his hand, ‘You were close...I was more into sneakers, but I still wrote dumb stuff on the sides of them.’

You were close, the photo he showed you that day did show a young man with his curly hair in his face, the look of a perfectly misguided youth. Now, Evan was an upstanding man, he didn’t wear those same clothes that he used to.

Still, he liked to keep that part of himself, to remember who he used to be, and to hear those songs that his younger self hung onto. You decided to as well.

You memorized everything that seemed to make him the happiest: going for long rides in his truck, holding his hand and walking with him with the night air surrounding you both, even dragging him to the grocery store just to buy your favorite bag of chips.

A recent one was laying in the sunlight and watching him play his piano.

You never knew that Evan was as talented as he was until he sat down one early morning and decided to play. He was awfully timid when his fingers first grazed those keys, but, your kind words, your encouragement shooed away his apprehension.

After that particular morning, Evan only wanted to play when it was just you two.

The Marshall brothers shared a similar woe in their blue eyes, it had to have been in the blood, but Evan possessed a more quelled spirit within him. You noticed from the way that he handled himself, how he would always cross his arms around his body as if he was shielding everything away.

You could see the way that the man drank in your touch during the close moments you spent together, how those very eyes seemed to never want to leave your body.

He was completely enamored with you.

Those times you observed him, your teeth chewing at your nail, you would question to yourself:

How come Walter never told me about you, really?

➽─────────────❥

"Get in the tub with me, please?" Your lips tickled the collar of his shirt and smoothed up over the swell of his throat. Below your mouth, and through his thin skin, you could feel the vibration of a hum crawling its way out of his body.

You did a lot for tonight, the 14th of February. Like some sort of fanatic, the bathroom was littered with red shiny balloons with images of cupid on the surface.

He took in the condition of the heated room, drifting his attention from the candles sitting near the rim of the tub to the burgundy and cherry rose petals dotting every surface. There were towels, fresh soaps, and oils shelved on top of a rack. Next to those items were a change of clothes for the both of you.

You even purchased chocolates. There was a container set on the countertop, it was unopened and showcasing various flavors and coatings through the clear casing. They were tempting, though, in the back of your mind you knew that those packages would remain intact.

When he came through your front door, you had a plate full of his favorite food hot and ready. You had a feeling that Evan would be ready to eat, but you didn’t expect him to be as starving as he was.

He had shoveled large bites of meat into his mouth, and while he did stop to enjoy the taste, you ended up returning to the table with his third plate.

Evan never failed to appear weary or to eat like he wasn’t deprived. During his worst, his skin was dusted pale, seldom words fell from his lips, and a shadowy curtain hung under his pretty eyes. The weight on his shoulders was heavy and you knew he would constantly fight to keep those lids open.

Tonight was no different for him.

You hadn’t seen Evan in a little over two weeks. Your schedules, unfortunately, did not align and he happened to work the same grueling 24-to-48 hour shifts. When he first explained his lifestyle to you, it was rather strange and difficult to understand.

‘You work a day or two at a time? Is that even humane?’

It was a standard though, at least with the small town that you all lived in. Evan was used to it and a large part of the time was him sitting at the station and waiting for the next 911 call. The silver lining brought him three days off after those long shifts.

Tomorrow would mark the first of those three days with him.

So you called him earlier that afternoon, you had the holiday in the back of your mind and you planned to make it special. You asked him to come over once his shift ended, and he didn’t show an ounce of protest.

It had been over 2 weeks.

While you were putting everything into place, laying down those velvet rose petals and candles, you worried. What if you were doing too much? This kind of thing would easily borderline sappy and romantic. You weren’t sure what you were aiming for while decorating that bathroom.

But, you reflected, and you knew one thing.

Your heart was in the right place. Every dollar you put in on the colorful balloons, the bouquet, the food, you knew that it was well spent. As you looked to each item in the bathroom, you only wish you could have spent more.

It was all for him, it couldn't be that silly.

There you were, holding him in your arms, standing by a filled tub, and coaxing him, "I promise it will be relaxing. Please, let me take care of you, Ev.”

Though he was stiff when he first saw all of the decorations, the uncertainty layering his face slowly fell away. Evan let you grab hold of the hem of his shirt. You slipped it over his head, following after was the rest of his clothes.

The garments were discarded to a pile in the corner of the bathroom. In return, Evan guided your clothes off of your body.

No words were added from either of you. The touches lingered and, as if you two were afraid, they were lighter than air. He gazed at your fingers working along the goosebumps on his chest and his stomach.

Evan had a fascination with your ability to ostensibly paint those bumps on his skin. It was your gift, and ever since that first time you did it, he did not want anything else.

➽─────────────❥

Steam filled the entirety of the bathroom, smudging the mirrors and leaving beads of water to drip down the tile on the wall by the tub. The surface of the water met just under the rim and was littered with bubbles and rose petals.

Evan’s legs stretched along the length of the tub, his knees bent at a slight angle and provided some space for his body. He leaned against the edge of the tub, his head resting against a folded towel. Under heavy lids, he watched how you rinsed the washcloth and folded it over the chrome water spout.

After helping each other wash off, you decided to soak in the water with him. There was no rush for the two of you and the aroma of the oils in the water had begun to soothe you both, Evan more especially.

His lids were fluttering as his head laid more weight on the makeshift pillow. You lounged back on the opposite side of the tub, with a tender smile on your lips. Your feet shifted to sit in his lap and you felt his hands move to gently grasp at your ankle.

Evan peeked through his lashes and began to massage from your heel to the sole of your feet with his fingers. You leaned your head into your palm and took in his movements. While he continued pressing the tips of his fingers, wonderfully deep into your skin, you mused out loud,

"Shouldn't I be the one doing this for you?"

He cocked a lazy brow at his hands and glanced to your face, a boyish grin pulling the corners of his mouth, "It's alright, and plus, you know how ticklish I am."

Your fingers crept under the surface of the water and toward the side of your torso, where his foot was resting. Evan's expression was soon morphing into alarm and he pulled his legs up with a light-hearted chuckle.

His hold on your ankle was released and a teasing curl pulled on your lips. You began to shift your body to move closer to him, careful to not disturb the water and spill any over the rim. Evan fell quiet as he watched you close the distance between the both of you. Your thighs surrounded his hips and your hands moved to rest on the side of his neck and his shoulder.

He sat up more and followed the weight of you on top of him. You felt your chest press against the soft hairs on his and those wet palms smooth up your back. Evan looked up at you with a particular expression on his face, still not saying a word but simply filling his vision with you.

It was too long. You studied his stubbled face, the dots of freckles on his nose. Your fingertips were brought up to brush around his lips up to his cropped hairline.

You wiped at a remaining spot of shampoo near his temple from when you washed his hair. He titled his head and caught the pearly suds on your fingers, inquiring, "How come I couldn't wash your hair?"

Evan met your eyes and you slid your hands to his nape and his jaw.

"It isn't wash-day for me, that will be tomorrow," you chuckled.

You figure that he would enjoy helping.

He bit at his lower lip and his arms tightened around your middle, pulling you closer. Between your legs, you brushed against Evan’s stiffening length. And kicking your hips into him drew hushed noises from both of your lungs.

Two weeks.

You don't want to sound dramatic, you don't want to sound clingy, but you almost forgot the feel of his body. Those calluses on his palms, the rhythm of his breathing in his chest, his scent, and how it blanketed you. It was all him, Evan, each little detail was renewing in your mind.

He was longing as he traced your face, he always had, but tonight you could see something pulling him lower.

You decided to pry, "Is everything okay?"

Evan released a sigh from the depths of his body, his dark brows drew together and brought a look of shame on his charming face. He dropped his eyes to the bubbly water around you.

"I...I'm sorry we haven't seen each other."

He followed the other decorations around the room and lingered his stare on the balloons, "It's been really busy at the station, so many calls came in and, fuck...I forgot about today."

You shook your head and cupped his jaw in your wet hands. Your thumbs massaged his facial hair and over his lips. Evan's eyes fell back to yours, regret highlighting them and his contempt slipping away more.

"Ev, it's alright, you know that I understand."

Your lips brushed over his, still gently stroking his face, still holding onto him. His eyelids fluttered as your hands slid down below the water, grabbing a hold of his erection and caressing.

"Don't worry about all of this, I did it for you. Just let me..."

His hips were latent, they shifted to pressed into your palm. You broke contact with Evan and watched your knees position to sink onto him. Just passing the ridge of his head, the rest of him continued to stretch into you. From his lips, he breathed out a sigh against your cheek.

Evan slid his hands down to the side of your hips and there they remained, those same calluses brushing against your smooth skin. The candlelight flickered and shone near the corner of his eye, reflecting a warm amber on your face.

Again, there was something unreadable behind that reflection, you couldn't place your finger on it. He was looking at you like you were some sort of beacon, but it didn’t seem to reach too far in his lidded eyes.

"Just let me feel you, let me feel that you're right here with me."

Your forehead nuzzled into his the instant he settled fully inside you. It was honeyed, a thick pressure that burned away every other worry. The kind that worked through your muscles and broke every knot apart. You could feel it the moment all of him nestled inside. While you listened to Evan’s breathing, and how it began to pick up in pulses, you curled your arms around his shoulders melted into him.

➽─────────────❥

The moon was out by the time you laid into bed. Your curtains split and allowed in the cool blue light into your bedroom. It covered your shelves, your family pictures, and the dark screen of your television.

And, it fell upon your bodies, kissing the back of Evan's head, his cotton clad shoulders, and legs. You watched from your position on the bed, you hand bathed in some of the soft light, only if you lifted it from the surface of the covers.

You didn't move much though.

His breaths warmed your neck, the weight of his body not crushing but anchoring you there on your bed. You knew that he would be out as soon as you left that bath, and you let him slump on top of you. You let his lips slant against yours and his words slur into something incomprehensible. He tried so hard to stay afloat and to talk with you all night, but—

...but it could wait.

He laid his head in the crook of your neck, his clipped hair tickling your cheek and the side of your jaw. You wrapped your arms around his back, and you shushed his throaty sounds. He fought it until you rubbed your palms against his back, and soothed your fingers through that short hair of his.

You watched the moonlight on the items of your bedroom, on his body that was slowly rising and falling, on his arm that was tucked around your middle.

It had been two weeks.

Your mind raised that question, long ago that you never seemed to find an adequate answer to, How come you never told me you had a brother, Walt?

You remember the way he looked at you and his brother. You remember the fond expression behind his beard when he saw Evan laugh at your jokes, and how much Walter asked about him while you two talked. What did you miss?

Evan began to minutely fidget in his slumber, his arms securing around you and his face burying more into your neck. You closed your lids, shifted your head on the pillow, and breathed him in for the first time in two weeks. For the first time in that long while, you felt Evan’s weight seep clear to your bones.

That damn answer, it remained prodding,

Because you never asked.

➽─────────────❥

Taglist: @mansaaay @hope-to-hell @thetaoofzoe @feralrunaway @inlovewithhisblueeyes

I really didn’t know who else would like to read 😅 if I missed you I apologize!

➽─────────────❥

#henry cavill x reader #henry cavill imagine #henry cavill fluff #henry cavill fanfic #Evan Marshall #Blood Creek #henry cavill x black reader #henry cavill fanfiction #henry cavill x black!reader #evan marshall x reader #henry cavill x you #evan marshall x you

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simply-zhouye · 3 years

Photo

Zhou Ye 周也: The first appearance // K!ND Interview and photoshoot outtakes [read here]

Zhou Ye: The first appearance

Original KIND Magazine Editorial Department

KIND Magazine

Today

K!ND x Zhou Ye

ISSUE NO.73 JULY 2021

<< Slide to unlock more looks >>

Suit Siamese Culottes: ArtAuk

Red skirt: Q.cutians Tu TuChest chain: Midnight Opera HouseNails: Ashen Light

Zhou, who had strayed into the mysterious castle on the cover, just woke up from her dream, surrounded by flowers, she possessed magical magic, and her clear eyes shone pure.

<< Slide to unlock more looks >>

Boots: GANNIRed skirt: Q.cutians Tu Tu

Zhou Ye, who has just debuted, brought her purity and sincerity to show the magic of a girl, shining sharply.

On the recent Weibo movie night, Zhou also won the honor of potential actor of the year-potential, which is probably the best evaluation of Zhou Ye at this stage. With the character of "Wei Lai" in "Young You", Zhou Yechu entered the field of vision, allowing the audience to see his own plasticity.

Under her interpretation, Wei Lai started from a rebellious girl to a victim in a disqualified family. She vividly demonstrated the complex and twisted psychology of the role.

Suits and trousers are FUUNNY FEELLNSweater: H'SStar cowboy hat: NextPassportBrown boots: Afflatus3

But this is only Zhou Ye's starting point. On the road of interpretation, she can show more possibilities and give the character a vivid image. In "The Order of Mountains and Rivers", Zhou also brings a character that is completely different from Wei Lai's personality. Through Gu Xiang's interpretation, Zhou also presents another side of himself. This girl who dared to love and hate once again deepened the audience's impression of Zhou Ye.

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Zhou also has an obsession with the role. Even in the face of a character whose geography and experience are far from her own, she can do her best to go deeper and find an accurate positioning of the character. "When I first came into contact with the character, it was indeed a little strange. I would look for relevant information about the character prototype, study the script more, and communicate with the director during filming. These methods can help me understand her better."

Of course, the period drama is not just a challenge for Zhou. She believes that being able to meet people with different personalities and experience different stories in different eras is also the charm of chronological dramas. In "Ah Cradle", Zhou also followed "Tang Susu" back to the war years. Under the influence of the selfless dedication of the nursery comrades, she has gradually grown from a arrogant young lady to a childcare worker who is dedicated to love.

Black dress: MoliiinBow headwear: MarchenEarrings: Midnight Opera House

In "Heroes of the Railway", Zhou also meets "Zhuang Yan" and becomes a white angel with a soft outside and a strong inside, demonstrating a new heroic life on the railway.

They are also characters who have forgotten their lives. Zhou also has a clear and distinct understanding of the different characteristics of the characters.

<< Slide to unlock more looks >>Shirt: self-portraitDress: Marine Serre from FARFETCHBlack dress: MoliiinBow headwear: MarchenWavy yarn gloves: Cheryl Zou

"The two characters have completely opposite personalities. Tang Susu is an eldest lady who is in the middle of her family . She is cheerful and lively and speaks more directly. Zhuang Yan is a young nurse with a restrained personality, but in critical situations, she can stand up again. To help the railway heroes to make a very brave move. "Zhou also appreciates their wonderful experience from the bottom of my heart.

<< Slide to unlock more looks >>LOOK 1Blue dress: CUBIC

Gloves: Cheryl ZouWaist chain: Midnight Opera House

LOOK 2Black dress: MoliiinBow Headdress: MarchenEarrings: Midnight Opera House

From the "young you" to "railroad hero" Week of each character endowed with a unique spirituality, both of her youth this color, but also exclusive and charismatic characters.

In and out of the play, the girl's emotions are agile, as can be seen from the exclamation mark in Zhou Ye's interview and answer, and she can also perceive her true temperament through the variety show. In the slow variety show "Fifty Kilometer Taohuawu", Zhou also became residents of Taohuawu together with more than a dozen guests from different industries and distinctive personalities, experiencing group life together.

When dealing with people, Zhou never concealed her frankness. On the contrary, this unreserved sincerity helped her fight the complex world more bravely.

Zhou is also able to take care of the emotions of his friends and ease the anxiety of his friends. And when she herself has feelings of loss, she will express it bravely and take the initiative to resolve the problems with her friends.

<< Slide to unlock more looks >>

LOOK1:Crossbody bag: VANESSA HOGANBoot cover: NextPassportWhite cowboy boots: Afflatus3

LOOK2:Dress: NAERSILINGHeadphones: Flash Fox Noise Reduction RingBody Chain: No one on S5CR·Stockings: NextPassport

"For me, it is very happy to meet new friends. You should be brave and sincere at all times. When encountering problems, you should communicate with each other well, listen a lot, and keep running in."

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Zhou also believes that the ideal state between friends should be tacit understanding, tolerant of each other, and understanding of each other's thoughts.

"You don't need to worry about your own image in front of each other. Sometimes you can get the second half after the first half of the sentence. It's tacit understanding!"

In the face of life, Zhou also has the magic power to discover happiness. As soon as the summer started, Zhou also shared the joy of returning to campus on the day of "520" to take graduation photos, and the surprise of Taohuawu residents celebrating their birthdays.

<< Slide to unlock more looks >>Suit jacket: Motoguo

Shirts and skirts are all DILì DiliTop hat: C'estAliceCrossbody bag: CHARLES&KEITHRing: Yvmin

In addition, her Weibo sharing list is always full of interesting things in daily life: taking photos with cute dolls, imitating sculptures, sharing hand-painted drawings in the crew... These details of life all reflect Zhou Ye The strange side of her spirit can also be seen in her innocent background.

<< Slide to unlock more looks >>

LOOK 1Silk bow pointed toe Muller shoes: Kaiy_Xiao

LOOK 2Handbags: GROTTOMonogram Since 2001 seriesCollarless spliced jacket: MECITY

Whether dealing with friends or facing life, Zhou is also like a little sun.

As she said in the show, the light in her eyes is "optimistic and self-confident". She is more willing to keep her unhappy emotions today, put her troubles behind, "tomorrow will continue to shine."

CREDITS

Produced by: K!ND

#zhou ye #周也 #interview #k!nd chic magazine #photography #photoshoot #hqs:zhouye

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orangegreet · 3 years

Text

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

“Through the kitchen here is the back staircase. You are to use this and the servant’s entrance at all times unless accompanied by the children, of course.” Alina nodded, following behind the red head obediently.

“Pardon, Miss Safin, but I wondered that I have not been told—when I am to meet the children?” Alina hovered by the door to the servant’s quarters.

The Housekeeper turned her large eyes on the governess, “Now you are arrived, I am sure Lord Kirigan will send for them. You will excuse us, I am sure, but when the last governess resigned, it was rather…abrupt. The children were sent to stay with their aunt in the city for a time.”

“Surely their father would not wish to be parted from them while they remain so young?” Alina chastised, sounding out her identity as the penniless orphan more clearly than if the Housekeeper had not already known her origins.

Miss Safin allowed her an indulgent smile, “Perhaps that is the case in some households.” The Housekeeper directed Alina through the corridor and into the main kitchen.

“Marie, put on the kettle, please.” Marie paused in front of the scales she was using to weigh flour and looked curiously at Alina while she filled the pot.

Miss Safin had taken a seat at the long table and gestured to Alina to sit across. “It was not made clear to you in our exchanges, Miss Starkova but a governess at Blyth Fell will be expected to carry a little bit more responsibility than in a typical London manor.”

“More than teaching the children?”

“Quite. Lord Kirigan is rather…private. Preferring to keep only a handful of servants to carry out the needs of the estate. Ivan, for instance, you met on your way in. He was acting as coachman today but that is simply because he travels with Lord Kirigan and acts as his valet as well.”

Alina’s brow furrowed. “And my responsibilities, Miss Safin?”

“We do not employ a nanny, Miss Starkova. It is expected that in addition to teaching the children, you will log a fair bit of time chaperoning them on outings or around the grounds. Putting them to bed can be a shared activity. At times, Nadia enjoys helping but it is expected, now you are arrived, you will carry out these tasks graciously—without complaint.”

“O-Of course. That will be no hardship.” Alina felt confused.

Was room and board and wages for a few extra servants too much a strain on the estate? Surely they would have alerted her before she would board a sinking ship.

The Housekeeper eyed her, seemingly guessing exactly what she was thinking and smiled. “You do display your emotions quite clearly, do you not, Miss Starkova? You should learn to remedy that around the children.” Marie set the steaming cups in front of them both.

“Thank you,” Alina said, flushing at the reprimand.

“To answer your unvoiced question, you will find that your wages are nearly triple those of a standard governess. We all carry the weight of the estate to varying degrees. As such, Lord Kirigan appreciates and compensates us for our efforts.” The Housekeeper sipped her tea.

“I wonder then at why it would be so hard to keep a governess employed, Miss Safin?” Alina asked.

The other woman did not meet her eyes.

Neither did Marie who had been listening quite openly to their conversation just a moment ago but who was now resolutely fixed on scooping flour. Her overly cautious manner was wasted as white powder puffed and rained across the counter.

*******

The Lord scowled out the window as he sipped from the crystal tumbler.

Alina Starkova.

“Miss Safin. Ensure Miss Starkova is allotted three square meals a day and that she eats them in full. Her visage is…wan, to say the least.” He squinted down at the grounds. “It is highly displeasing.”

Catching the expression on the face of his Housekeeper, he scowled, “The children will hardly be attentive to a governess who looks as though she dithers constantly on the edge of death.”

The young Housekeeper bowed her head, “Indeed, sir. I will see to it at once.”

“Have you found out yet how she has come to be educated?”

“Sir?” The Housekeeper asked.

“To be educated. Someone must have sponsored her scholarship. At the very least she would have required a recommendation to be educated in Weymouth.” The Lord turned to look at his subordinate.

She shook her head, “No, my Lord. I gave her a tour and went over the expectations of her position in the house and then she…”

“She what?” He asked, sounding far too interested in the minutiae of the lives of servants for a man of his position.

“Miss Starkova expressed an interest in gardening, sir. She left our meeting to take up the task of weeding.” His Housekeeper sounded on the verge of laughter.

“Weeding?” Bewilderment muddled his features and he looked again out the window, locating her at last in the stone-walled garden off the kitchen.

Even from the distance he could see the plain blue sleeves of her dress were drawn up to her elbows and the dark earth had stained her hands and apron.

Lord Kirigan watched her face, unsure at what he was seeing.

Was she…talking? To whom?

Why should it be his concern?

The Lord bit off his command, “Find out who took an interest in her, what patron endorsed her education. And why. Then report back to me.” He said, unable to tear his eyes away from the strange woman taking up residence in his garden.

*******

It would take two weeks for the children to return home from their stay in London and so Alina filled her time as Genya instructed. Lending a hand with the housekeeping. Readying the nursery for the children. Dusting in the library and putting away stray books.

The staff was quite short of what would typically be required for a manor of this size and yet, everything was maintained well enough.

It helped that, according to Nadia and Marie, the cook and head housemaid, Lord Kirigan had never so much as thrown a dinner party.

No extra rooms to be done up and then striped down. No extra mouths to feed. No one to impress. The Lord himself had a modest pallet, much to the chagrin of Nadia who longed to show off more skill and flare than was ever requested by a Lord who took his dinner alone in his study.

Mr. Kostyk too, whom Alina learned was an associate and business partner to the Lord of the manor. A man who lived and worked at the estate but who did not attend to normal mealtimes.

He opted instead to let whole days pass by while he worked if not for the attentive nurturing of Miss Safin who left a tin covered plate at the door of his workroom morning, noon and night. Alina had yet to see his face.

That Lord Kirigan entertained no one in a house of this size was unusual but Alina did not mind. The fewer the strangers around, the better.

The East wing was largely untouched and Alina found that several of the rooms were turned down with white sheets draped across the furniture like spirits or otherwise locked altogether.

Explorations of the grounds yielded far more interesting discoveries. Sergei was the general groundskeeper for the estate in addition to his duties at the stable and, at times, driving the coach.

Without the help of a few others to handle the work of the orchard and surrounding lands, most everything was overgrown save a small portion of the garden which was regularly tended and held Nadia’s selection of kitchen herbs and vegetables.

It would have been correct for Alina to ask Ivan, the Butler and Valet, whether she could fix up a portion of the garden for her own seeds and herbs.

However, his countenance was quite foreboding and she did not want to be denied. She pulled Miss Safin aside on the second morning to inquire the possibilities. “I’ve already begun the weeding and could finish the work before the children arrive. It will not cut into my regular duties.”

“I suppose that will not be a problem so long as you do not expect Sergei or Nadia to maintain it.”

“Of course not, Miss Safin. They are my plants and I would prefer to tend to them myself, in any case.”

The Housekeeper nodded and then put a hand on Alina’s arm to stop her hasty retreat, “What is the purpose of these herbs, exactly?”

Alina flushed, “Medicinal purposes mainly…”

The Housekeeper stared, wondering if the governess intended to expound.

Alina decidedly pressed her lips together and then blushed again.

“Very well, Alina. Carry on.”

Seeds were some of the few possessions which Alina had carried across the country on the back of her poor, departed pony. Upon her initial foray into the garden, she found that Nadia kept rosemary and thyme in plenty, which was quite pleasing.

After weeding on the first day, Alina had cleared enough of a plot to plant sage, lavender and chamomile, bee balm and catmint.

The catmint she ensured would be contained within a small stone outcrop of it’s own lest it thrive and creep over the other plants as it was wont to do.

Scouring the grounds and surrounding wilds she found elderberry bushes, wild onions and nettle. Near the wall at the back of the garden she uncovered lamb’s ear alongside some withering dill and fennel plants. She dug around in the dirt and planted a handful of garlic cloves.

It was the wrong season to start most of them but Alina sang as she planted.

Songs taught to her by her loving babulya who knew all the correct words to say to plants—and to people—to make them well. To make them thrive.

Songs and words which were foreign in this country but which were inscribed into her brain from a young age and would not be unwritten. She sang to her garlic and to her little seeds and then to the withering dill too.

When she was done she turned to the house, her eyes falling on an upper window where the afternoon sun glinted and gleamed off the panes in a merry light blur. She looked up in awe and more words fell from her lips though she did not know their purpose.

Babulya taught her to trust her instincts and so Alina spoke the healing words to the little glass window reflecting the sunlight back to her and she smiled.

A short bar of reverence was sung to Alatyr, as babulya taught her to close always with a prayer to the source of all healing in the world, and then she was done.

*******

Inside the manor, a certain Lord who kept vigil at the window of his study remained tucked in shadow, cursing the shattered crystal and spilled laudanum which littered the floor where he stood a moment ago. Where he had been looking down at the tiny, strange woman he had invited into his home.

The one who smiled up at him as if she sensed his gaze. Did she know she smiled up into the face of a monster?

Perhaps he should have had her stand alongside him while he shot her pony. That would have been a more effective message if she did not.

He would need to ask Genya if his new governess kept any other pets.

*******

The first couple weeks Alina spent nearly every afternoon and free moment nurturing and cultivating in the garden. Cataloguing the collection already growing. Pinching back buds where appropriate.

She sang to them all and despite the onset of autumn, they thrived under her attentions.

Time in the garden was a well-loved though grueling ritual. So much so that keeping her eyes open past the end of the dinner bell was a hardship.

Although, she strived to be engaging at the table for at dinner she was in the company of the other servants and after many lonely years in Weymouth, she ached for companionship.

Marie and Sergei were easy and amiable with her. Nadia was direct in her commands but enjoyable to work for when Alina assisted her and Tamar in the kitchens. Tamar herself was standoffish but gave the occasional sound of approval when Alina did something correctly.

Alexei and Maxim were sweet and boisterous, respectively. Alexei, the only real footman in the house and Maxim, appropriately assigned to tend the horses. His wild nature a natural match for the beasts in the stables. Both gentlemen spent their mealtimes keeping Alina entertained and awake over her food.

It was Misha, the shy, quiet young man, who intrigued Alina most. He ate his meals seated at the far end of the table. His one very stiff leg propped always on the chair to his left.

His responsibilities around the house were quite a mystery to her and something was present in his countenance that, while at once familiar, simultaneously kept her from feeling at ease enough to ask directly how he served the Kirigan estate.

Though Misha was silent, Alina often felt his attention peaked and was certain he was absorbing everything that was said around the table.

Ivan and Genya (for the Housekeeper granted Alina permission to call her Genya after the third day) were the most reserved. Ivan sat at the head of the table each meal, one imperious brow raised as he took in the conversations around him.

Genya smiled indulgently here and there. Occasionally offering a smooth comment which poked fun at Maxim and had the whole table smiling. Mostly she was quiet and watchful.

One eye on the calling bells in case someone was needed. Alina sensed that though she was in a position of authority, she had not found or perhaps had not desired friendship.

She whispered quietly to herself a few words for the redhead.

*******

It was a good thing for Alina that she found sleep so well at night those first couple weeks. She was not up to hear the shrieks which would undoubtedly have vexed her.

Would not recognize the distinct footsteps of someone who stopped just outside her door. Someone who pressed an ear to the wood and listened for movement inside.

These noises which would have made her question the merits of staying.

For, once she met the children, Alina knew whether they were little cherubs or miniature demons, she would be unable to part from them unless forced from the house by entities beyond her control.

Call her an orphan but abandonment just was not something she would be able to stomach.

*******

The strangest part—well no. The most troubling part then of these two weeks…

Alina absently picked at her fingers while she thought. Her face twisted with consternation as she stared into the fire in the small parlor. It was late in the evening. The first night on the estate that she had been unable to sleep.

The children would arrive tomorrow. Her little charges. Alina was excited to begin, excited to see her education put to work and make herself useful. Curious to know whether they would like her right away or whether it might take time to earn their trust. Their respect.

Their affection, perhaps.

That was not something she should care about—years spent alone in the world had hardened her against openly desiring such a gift. And yet, she could not help but feel nervous to meet their judgement all the same.

Then again, perhaps they would be like their father?

There it was at last. The circling thought which had started her on her path and seemed to loop back into her every train of thought like some inevitable cross rail. The Lord himself.

Alina had not seen the Lord of Blyth Fell directly since the carriage ride.

Glimpses of him disappearing behind a door or rounding the end of a hall could be caught—his black tails flying behind him until he was out of her sight.

She had not seen his face directly. Had not had another opportunity to inspect the dark eyes which had so plainly scrutinized her upon her arrival.

Alina had tried not to think of him. Tried not to remember him in his haughty disposition and presumption. Tried not to linger overlong on the way he had looked at her in the carriage. Frustrated, distrusting, mocking. Curious, too. Perhaps just as curious as she was now about him.

As if just dwelling on his being for too long had conjured him up, the clock struck midnight and the door behind her was open and he was there.

Alina jumped at the quiet greeting.

Lord Kirigan walked around the sofa and set his candle on the little trestle table beside the armchair. The governess moved to get to her feet, not waiting to be dismissed.

“Please, Miss Starkova, do not leave on my account.” Lord Kirigan pulled a pipe from the trestle drawer and began to fill it.

“It is not on your account.” Alina said. Her tone had an edge to it—something she could not seem to soften now he was here. Now he was bandying about with a looming authority. His very presence rattled her and she could not explain why.

“I am fatigued and wish to retire.” She cleared her throat, “Sir.”

He smirked at his pipe, glancing up at her briefly while he resumed his tamping. The infinitesimal second where his eyes caught on hers sent a tingle down her arms.

“Indulge me, please, before you go, Miss Starkova. I fear I have been derelict in my duties as your employer these last few days and I should like to know how you are getting along here at Blyth Fell.” He finished his pipe at last but did not light it.

“Very well, my Lord. Everyone has been quite gracious while I settle in. Alexei in particular has been helpful and available to explain the proper manner of things to me when Genya is not accessible.”

Lord Kirigan narrowed his eyes. “Indeed.”

The pipe popped into the crook of his mouth and he looked every bit the dark, menacing Lord from the carriage ride as he brought a flame close enough to light it. “Well then. I’m chuffed to bits to hear it.”

His tone was distinctly snide and Alina glared in response. Why must he rile her otherwise good, sensible nature?

“At your leave, my Lord. I should like to retire now, it is a big day tomorrow, after all.” Alina brushed her hands down her skirt and curtsied.

“Another moment, if you please, Miss Starkova.” Lord Kirigan puffed and blew a ring of smoke from his mouth.

Alina grew anxious, she swallowed and her voice was raw, “Yes, my Lord?”

His gaze hovered on her face. He looked curious again. Then frustrated.

“Just what is it you are up to in my gardens?” Alina jumped at the sudden harshness of his tone.

“I-I am simply planting a few things, sir.”

“What ‘things’?”

“Just..well, herbs mostly, Lord Kirigan. I spent some time in my youth learning about the medicinal properties of some herbs and flowers. I thought since…well it is something I have to offer—to contribute. And the seeds were my own, I did not use anything I should not have and Miss Safin agreed it would be fine for me to do so but if it is displeasing to you then I will—”

“You will what? Rip them all back out of the ground?” He cut off her runaway thoughts.

She was almost breathless. Beneath her own trepidation, anger was lurking and she clenched her teeth.

Would he be so cruel? A chuckle as she mourned the loss of her pony and now a demand that she un-sow the seeds to which she was so diligently tending? Rip them from the earth before they had a chance to see daylight even?

The Lord eyed her, waiting for her to response.

Alina closed her mouth, her head held high.

“With respect, my Lord, that would be a waste.”

Shock splashed across his face and the next second he was obscured by another puff of smoke.

The smoke cleared and he was smiling, his eyes bright even as he parried her statement, “Would it? Herbal medicine—sounds like little more than witchcraft to me, Miss Starkova. Witches are not well received in these parts. Particularly under this roof—or haven’t you heard the rumors?”

His gaze was sharp on her, searching her features for any sign of understanding but Alina only felt confused.

“Rumors, my Lord? No.” She shook her head and redirected her appeal, “What I would do is not witchcraft at all. Please, sir. My learning and experience has taught me quite a lot about using herbs to heal. Minor ailments mostly. Small things…”

Alina began to pick at her fingers, losing her thread, “possibly insignificant to some b-but I would like to be of service and this is a skill I have to offer.”

Kirigan watched her fingers, his own tightened over the arm of his chair as he did.

“Very well then, Miss Starkova. You may keep your little sprouts.”

Her face brightened with relief and the Lord devoured the image of her before forcing himself to return to the fire.

“To bed with you, then. The children will require tending to for the length of the day and I will expect you to put your best foot forward with them.”

“Of course, my Lord. Goodnight.” Alina said, flushing as she hurried from the little parlor.

She paused as she went to close the door behind her.

It could be called greedy, the way she raked her eyes over the esteemed Lord Kirigan. However, she could not look away as he, unaware of her stare, allowed his shoulders to loosen. Alina watched him as he pinched the bridge of his nose and then swept a broad hand down his face.

Her words from the garden bubbled up to her throat and she mouthed them to herself.

Trust the instinct, Babulya had always said, it finds and blesses only a few. Perhaps it will chose you and you will be a vessel for it’s light, Alinushka. Perhaps...

A song of reverence for Alatyr uttered under her breath as she turned away, departing for her room.

It was lucky that she had spent the better part of the evening in the little parlor, deep in the west wing of the big house.

For on this night, the shrieking from the east wing rang through the corridors of servants quarters, saturating the chilly air and Genya resolved that Alina would have to be moved into the bedroom beside the nursery.

Otherwise, she would surely leave. Someone as bright, as hopeful as she could not hope to withstand the dark secrets of Blyth Fell.

#darklina #darklina fic #darklina fanfic #alina x aleksander #alina starkov #aleksander morozova #grishaverse #the grisha trilogy #shadow and bone fic #shadow and bone #shadow & bone #darklina server #haunted #eventual smut #eventual hea

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distractedhistotech · 3 years

Text

The difference a few seconds make

A couple of days ago I wondered how the altered memories would be affected if Lewis had turned around just a little earlier and realized Arthur was possessed before dying. Couldn’t stop thinking about it. Came up with several ideas about how things would go.

So here you guys go.

“Oh, I’m so excited!” said Vivi as she practically bounced in her seat. “At least two weeks of traveling, maybe more, and all sorts of fun stops!” She turned to Arthur. “What are you looking forward to the most?”

Arthur hummed in thought for a moment. “I’d have to say the Techno Expo. There are some really interesting exhibits there besides mine. Hopefully, I’ll be able to take some time to check ‘em out. There’s a one about using body heat to power electronics that would improve my arm.”

Vivi very carefully did not look at Arthur’s new arm. He didn’t enjoy people staring at his prosthetic, especially if they were the nosy sort who asked questions. Yeah, that probably didn’t apply to Vivi, but she still felt Arthur ought to be treated like he still had both his arms. “I have no idea how that would work, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out no problem!”

Arthur smiled at her. “Thanks. What about you? Anything you’re looking forward to?”

“I’m just hoping we see something supernatural this time,” said Vivi. “I know that the hoaxes with get us some more funds for traveling, but they’re just so disappointing, ya know.”

Arthur chuckled nervously. “I’m not really sure which I prefer.”

“That’s fair. At least we only have four items on that itinerary. Well, if you don’t include the Ripley Museum we’re going to.”

“It’s haunted? I don’t remember seeing that in the brochure…”

“Not so much the museum as the items inside of it. Some of them are cursed or haunted or magical. Fortunately, Ripley was aware of this and put up all sorts of protections,” explained Vivi. “So do the regular triple photographing.”

Triple photographing was the term they’d given to the method of photographing when they were ghost hunting. Nothing complicated. They just took three photos in quick succession. It helped them determine if anything odd that showed up was just a weird artifact instead of a spirit of some kind.

“You and Ripley would’ve gotten along,” commented Arthur.

Vivi giggled. “Yeah, we would’ve, wouldn’t we?”

“Hey, random thought, if you could, would you-what the heck?”

“Hm?”

“The engine just stopped!” said Arthur. Sure enough, the van had gotten a lot quieter, and they were slowing down quickly. “You gotta be kidding me! I went over every part and made sure it was in tip top shape before we set out!” Arthur glared at the various displays in front of them. What were they even called? Was it part of the dashboard? Was it all considered part of the dashboard? Should she ask?

Vivi’s thought process was derailed as a large mansion came into view. It was old, dark, decrepit, and generally creepy looking. What was weird was that it was visibly beating. The three stared at it for several moments before Arthur broke the silence. “Vivi?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s a haunted house, isn’t it?”

“Or a very good fake,” admitted Vivi because she has learned that you can fake anything with the right technology. “But if it’s real it would explain why the van stopped working.”

Arthur groaned. “Great…” He turned to look at Vivi. “I don’t suppose I can talk you into helping me push the van out of range?”

Vivi did consider it. “I’m not sure we’re strong enough to do it, and we were planning to check out haunted houses on this trip. I mean you can stay here if you want to. If it is an actual haunting, it’s probably a pretty powerful ghost.”

Arthur bit his lip but shook his head. “Nah, I-I’ll be f-fine.”

Vivi smiled and gave Arthur a peck on his cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” That got a thankful smile from Arthur.

And that was how they found themselves walking up to doors (that opened on their own and then closed on their own) into what looked like a fairly fancy if damaged manor. For some reason there was a lot of purple.

“Hey, the candles are burning purple,” commented Vivi. “Think we’ll be able to tell if they’re those specially made rainbow candles if we take them apart?”

“Uh…I’d avoid breaking anything,” said Arthur as stared at a painting with glowing eyes that seemed to be staring back. “’Cause I’m starting to lean towards the ‘actual ghost’ theory.”

Vivi made a pleased sound. “Well, better say hi. Hello! We don’t mean to intrude, but our van broke down, and we’re kind of stuck. We’ll be out of your hair once we figure out how to fix it. If you aren’t happy about our presence, let us know, and we’ll leave.”

“Just, uh, p-please don’t, you know, try t-to k-k-kill us,” added Arthur.

Mystery didn’t react to what either of them said. He was more distracted by the familiar scent he was picking up. He let out a few barks.

And that was when several purple bedsheet looking ghosts started popping out of the woodwork and floating around the group. Vivi let out an ecstatic squee. Arthur recoiled with a shriek. Mystery barked at them.

“They’re so cute!” squealed Vivi.

“Why are there so many of them?” questioned Arthur. “Isn’t it usually just one or two ghosts?”

Vivi paused in thought before carefully reaching out towards one. When it didn’t react badly to being touched, she gave it a pat. “Actually, you’ve got a point. These guys don’t seem to have enough power to manifest. Maybe if they were pooling their energy together (which would explain why they all look the same) they could manifest. Or maybe there’s another, stronger ghost that’s helping them manifest. That does happen sometimes.”

Arthur blinked as he tried to shoo several of the ghosts away from his prosthetic, which they seemed to have taken a strong interest in. “Uh, how much st-stronger are we t-talking ab-about here?”

Before Vivi had a chance to answer, something tugged his arm up with a surprising amount of strength. The surprised look on Vivi’s face made it clear it was not one of the tiny, purple ghosts. Arthur gulped and slowly turned around.

The first thing that came to mind upon seeing the ghost was ‘big’. The second thing was ‘skull’. The third was ‘purple pompadour?’ because the ghost did indeed have a glowing purple pompadour sprouting out of its jawless skull. Arthur wasn’t sure what to do as the ghost studied his prosthetic for several moments. “You have a metal arm.”

Arthur nodded. “Y-y-y-yeah.”

The ghost somehow blinked despite having no eyelids and quickly let go of Arthur’s arm. “Whoa! I’m not gonna do anything to you!” Fire burst out of the top of the ghost’s suit and engulfed his skull for a moment before reforming into an admittedly handsome face with dark skin and a hooked nose. Still had a purple pompadour and freaky eyes though. “It’s me, Lewis.”

#msa #mystery skulls animated #vivi yukino #lewis pepper #arthur kingsman #Mystery the not-Dog #memory mess #how they met ghost lewis for the first time

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rosevanhelsing · 3 years

Text

Wendigo

Chap. 8

Charlie arrived at the Parnassus and saw that Vic had not yet arrived. That way he would have time to warn Abe. Manx entered the Parnassus, noting that there were too few people, too few even for a place like Parnassus, and he wondered if it was the Wendigo.

-Hi, Abe- he said placing a glass of whiskey on the table

- Wow ... what do you want now? You already collected your debt for the issue of the man who walks backwards when I introduced you to the Hourglass ...

- That you clear this den of rabble ... because you are going to have a very special guest ...

- You're kidding! … Victoria McQueen? And what do you want me to do, to put on a red carpet?

- I want you listen to her. Apparently there is a guy who calls himself the Wendigo and has already killed two of our acquaintances. One of them was The Hourglass itself, the other was a friend of Victoria's who was also a creative soul with psychic gifts, Miss Margaret Leigh.

- The one that beat Jonathan Becket?

- That same one.

Abe got up and said:

- Very good gentlemen, the Parnassus is reserved for a private meeting. Leave the premises.

The rest of the creative souls came out and left.

- I hope it's important, Chuck. Because you screwed up the collection of the day ...

The Parnassus lights flickered, and Charlie said:

- I think our guest of honor has arrived, I am going to receive her. Don't blurt out any impertinence ...

Outside Vic got off the bike and took off her helmet, the lights of the Wraith flickered as if greeting her, and she saw Manx at the door of the premises, he was beckoning as if inviting him to come in. Vic stepped into the Parnassus in front of Charlie. Vic saw a man sitting at a table, Charlie gently walked her there and said theatrically:

- Vic McQueen present to you the honest Abe, creator of the Hollow Forest and Parnassus on the Night Road.

Charlie pulled up a chair and sat Vic across from Abe.

- Do you want a drink, Vic?

- Do you have Coca Cola?

Charlie nodded and went to the bar. Abe looked at her and said:

- Well, well. The famous Vic McQueen. The lady from the Shortcut Bridge, the one who defeated the mighty and immortal Charlie Manx is in my bar.

- I have come because Charlie thinks that you can help us to identify some people, and to verify my theory.

Abe studied Vic in a few minutes. She was a brave, determined woman with character and one of the most powerful creative souls he had ever known. He was not surprised at all that Charlie had found his greatest rival in her. Abe said

- Let me see, dear.

Vic showed him the photos of her cell phone, the portrait of the Wendigo, explained her theory and Maggie's prediction.

- Let's see, what I can assure you, dear, is that all adults were creative souls, although some did not have their powers.- said Abe

"What about the children?" Charlie asked, handing Vic the Coke.

- I'm not sure if they were, maybe they hadn't developed their powers yet.

- And have you ever seen this guy? - Vic said

- Never. And it gives me the impression that he is not a creative soul, but he is someone who knows of our existence and hates us to death. Or maybe it's something much more sinister ...

- What do you mean by something more sinister? - Manx said uneasily

- Someone who has been possessed by the spirit of a creative soul. Many, many years ago I heard of a creative soul who, to make up for what he lost due to his gift, ate human flesh. To the people who did that, the indigenous tribes said that they had been possessed by ...

- the spirit of the Wendigo- Vic finished

Charlie looked curiously at Vic and Abe. Abe continued.

- I have no idea who the Wendigo could be, but I do know someone who could help you. He is a historian, he is not a creative soul but he knows that we exist. Maybe he can give you more clues.- he said giving a card to Vic

- Thank you

- Yes, Thanks for almost nothing, Abe- said Charlie

Vic stomped on Charlie viciously

- Don't be ungrateful. At least we have one more clue. Let's go

Abe laughed inwardly as Vic left the premises.

- Charlie, did you really think you had a chance with this woman? For God’s sake, Vic McQueen is not for you. You cannotdominate her. You are incompatible like ice and fire.

Manx glared at Abe, but he didn't say anything. He just turned and got out of the Parnassus. Vic was waiting for him on the motorcycle.

- Good, Charlie. Let's go see that historian. We're tight on time, so why don't we take a quick trip with my bridge?

- I'm sorry, Vic, you won't trick me into putting the Wraith back in your bridge,- Charlie said.

- You didn't understand me, Charlie. You are going to get on my motorcycle. I traveled in the Wraith, now YOU will ride with me on my Triumph.

#charlie manx #vic mcqueen

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purgatorical · 3 years

Text

Obey Me MC / OC Written Template- Miyuno's Info

This seemed really fun so I'm going to fill it out for My Three Most Used Obey me Ocs under the cut! Long Post, so beware. Miyuno First, then Kie, then Taxike :D

Miyuno's is up first below!

Link to the original blank template here!

Personal - Basics

[Name] Miyuno

[Race/Species] Half Japanese/Half Jamaican (Father is Japanese, Mother is Jamaican)

Demon [] Angel [] Human [x] Other: []

[Age] 26

[Birthday] 5/13

[Height] 6'5"

[Fingernail Polish Color(s)] Maroon

[Hair color/description] Curly black hair that is held back by a headband with ram horns attached. Two long curls stick out by each ear.

Personal - In-depth

[Gender or no | Pronoun(s)] He is a transmasc that uses He/They pronouns

[Sexual/Romantic Orientation or lack thereof] Bisexual/Biromantic

[Occupation Before Devildom Life] Miyuno was an office worker for a generic company. He doesn't really feel like going back after being in the Devildom.

[Favorite Color(s)] Miyuno loves the color pink as well as silver.

[Personality] Miyuno is mostly a chill person, very kind and tries to be as helpful as possible. He enjoys participating in hijinks and loves to tease the ones closest to him.

Personal - Other

[Likes] Stuffed animals, cuddling, teas, history, water based sports

[Dislikes] Salty foods, Language classes, Mean-spirited pranks

[Positive Traits] Kind, Patient, Strong, Intelligent

[Negative Traits] Gullible, Not very self-conserving

Relationships

[With Demons]

In My main Miyuno Universe, Miyuno is dating each of the brothers so I will be using the Main Love tag for each lol, but I'll break it down further.

Lucifer - Loves, has a more professional relationship where they go on dinner dates and have planned sexual encounters, Miyuno tries to be spontaneous with gifts and intimacy and Lucifer tries to do the same.

Mammon - Loves, more of a frantic infatuation, they pull the other from the house at all hours of the day, considering it a date whenever they're together. Miyuno likes to tease Mammon with compliments to fluster him and constantly showers him in love and casual PDA.

Leviathan - Loves, a careful romance. They are slow to start every new thing, but when the moments finally occur they happen often afterwards, usually at Levi's pace. Miyuno will approach certain topics with Levi, but will let Levi take the lead and choose when he's ready. Quiet nights in together and dates consiting of just existing in the same room

Satan - Loves, A warm kind of love, they schedule their dates weeks in advance and make grand times of them. Cat cafes, pet shop browsing, library visits, and even trips to the movie theater all have prepared plans. Satan is worried of boring Miyuno but Miyuno constantly lets him know that he loves hearing every single word Satan has to say.

Asmodeus - Loves, Unexpectedly tame and more on the emotional side than the physical. They do self care together: baths, letting out their emotions, cuddling, and sweet nothings between them. Surprise each other with lingerie, candles, perfumes, and clothes that make them think of the other. Shopping trips do turn into makeout sessions in the changing room, but that's not all it is. They both have other lovers and look to each other for calmness and comfort.

Beelzebub - Loves, the average teenage romance you'd think would happen. Cafe dates, arcade dates, buffets, pizza joints, walking in the park. Miyuno tries to help Beel with his hunger, often planning several food stops on their excursions even if the main point is a movie or clothes shopping. Miyuno doesn't know how to cook, but he will help Beel in the kitchen as much as he can. A ton of PDA whenever one or the other is in the mood.

Belphegor - Loves, an expected chill kind of love. If Beel isn't around then their dates include laying around, sleeping, napping, and making out in quiet spots. When they do go out, Belphie hangs off of Miyuno, not so much being possessive as he is just craving that closeness. Miyuno enjoys it.

Diavolo - Respects, He enjoys Diavolo's company and goes over for tea as often as he can. They text occaisionally but Miyuno makes sure that he doesn't get distracted too much from his work.

At this point tumblr decided to refresh and delete all of what I had written beneath :( I'm rewriting from here to Taxike but I'm annoyed and so won't go into as much detail.

Barbatos - Respects, Fears, Miyuno enjoys Barbatos's company and often accompanies him to pastry shops and the grocery store. But Miyuno knows what hides behind Barbatos's hand. When they have quiet moments together, sipping their tea, it can feel like they are the only two in the entire three realms, and that is a terrifying feeling. Miyuno does not know what goes on behind Barbatos's smile.

[With Angels]

Simeon - Close Friend, Miyuno has taken it upon himself to (with Luke and Solomon) Help Simeon with his texting skills. He makes sure to have at least one conversation with Simeon each day and attempts to challenge him with requests for photos or links to webpages. Simeon is Miyuno's first choice in school projects.

Luke - Loves (platonically, familially) Luke is like the little brother Miyuno never had. He adores the little angel and would put himself into danger to protect him. Luke is often invited on his trips with Barbatos.

Michael - Indifferent, Miyuno honestly does not care about the Archangel. If he's not the topic of conversation, Miyuno does not even remember he exists. He is vaguely interested in the person Luke holds so dear and looks up to, but he isn't particularly enthused to learn more.

Taxike- (Adding my own ocs since they interact in certain versions) Friends, Miyuno enjoys Taxike's energy but can't always keep up. He indulges the Angel from time to time in his tricks and pranks on Lucifer but will mainly advise against anything that could get him killed. They have never argued.

[With Humans]

Solomon - Friend to Close Friend, its funny that the two of them never bonded until Miyuno returned to the Human world. They would meet up often and Miyuno became dependent on the access to what was through Solomon. Even once returning to the Devildom, Solomon had become much closer to Miyuno. They often study together and Solomon helps Miyuno learn spells and talismans even if he cannot use them alone.

Kie- (oc) Close Friends, Upon being brought to the Devildom they instantly attached at the hip. Miyuno trusts Kie with his fears and Dysphoria and Kie trusts Miyuno with the truth about his chronic pain and anger issues. At first it was hard to find one without the other, but as they warmed up to the brothers they branched out. They still often sleep in each others rooms.

Favorite Things About the Devildom

[Favorite Job(s)] Akuzon

[Favorite Place(s) to Hang at] Ristorante Six, the observatory

[Favorite Food(s)] He unfortunately fell in love with the lunatic Pudding but cannot have any :(, He loves spicy food and parfaits.

[Favorite Class Subject(s)] Potions and Devildom History

[Favorite Devildom Version of Something from the Human World - Be Creative!] The Devildom version of bathsalts which can turn the water into different viscosities and scents, even allowing the water to become moldable.

Least Favorite Things About the Devildom

[Least Favorite Job(s)] Ristorante Six/any waiter job

[Least Favorite Places to Go] Dislikes clubs

[Least Favorite Foods] Crackers, Anchovies, Princess Poison Apples

[Disliked Class Subject(s)] Language classes

[Stuff that Can be Considered a Negative About the Devildom] The amount of demons that wish to eat him, the lack of sun, how difficult it is to get there.

#my obey me oc #my obey me mc #my oc miyuno #my oc #miyuno #miyuno is my main mc and the one i use in my actual game #important #im gonna put it under my fanart tag just so i have it somewhere easy to find lol #my obey me fanart

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lindsaywesker · 3 years

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Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Happy Throwback Thursday! A day for great memories (wink!)

Wednesday was a brilliant day for me! Nothing in particular happened but I had a long list of things to do and I did them all! Lists of ‘Things To Do’: some people hate them, some people swear by them. I have been known to procrastinate (probably why my eyesight is going) but – yesterday – I was like a man possessed. Tick, tick, tick! What a feeling of satisfaction!

Those of you that are self-employed and work from home, you know how hard it is to motivate yourself sometimes! You wander from room to room, looking for excuses to get out of work, looking for things to eat, looking for distractions. I know! I’ve been there (many times!) But, some days, you’ve got to grab your own lapels (or anything you like) and straighten yourself out! “Look, you lazy git” it will begin. “You’ve got a job to do, now bloody do it!” And then you grab a huge bag of crisps and start another Netflix box set!

The bank holiday weekend is approaching but, where I teach, they don’t observe bank holidays, so I will be working on the Monday. Good thing I enjoy my job! Nevertheless, after a weekend with Lady Wesker and my brother, I will be in good spirits. It’s going to be funny on Sunday if my brother decides to come down to the Mi-Soul event at Shoosh! He looks like me, so loads of people are going to be greeting him as Lindsay and will be mightily confused when he says, “No, I’m not Lindsay.” Poor bugger! Hopefully, he’ll have his camera with him? He takes amazing photos! I will definitely have my camera and my mobile with me, so nobody is safe! Now I just need to decide what outrageous shirt to wear, if I can get it past my lockdown belly!

My beautiful friend, The Temptress Of Tottenham, Theresa Tee Mills is in a high state of excitement! Her favourite reggae singer Carroll Thompson is coming to Dicey Reilly’s Edmonton on Saturday, October 2nd. She would LOVE to go with a fellow Carroll Thompson fan, so please contact her direct ASAP. That one is going to be busy!

Extra hour on Saturday, so ‘The A-Z Of Mi-Soul Music’ starts at midday. My executive producer this week is Moany Em (Emma Peters) and she has done a superb job of choosing acts and songs.

Have a throbbing and thrusting Thursday (with hopefully a few thrills through your thoroughfare?) I love you all. My ambition is to get to 100 reviews for ‘Whatever Makes Them Dance’ (90 so far) and 40 reviews of ‘Keep It Fun’ by the end of the year, so please read and review at least one of them. I thank you.

#mixcloud #mi soul #lockdown #new blog #dj #music #coronavirus #books #weekend

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now-i-understand-that-reference · 4 years

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I just remembered having this stashed somewhere in my library... It’s a movie dossier for Swing Kids (1993), featuring info about the cast, the production, and some nice colour photos. It’s pretty nice :)

Thought I’d share and leave a link to the pdf scan if anyone’s curious, but since the text is in French, I’ll leave a translation for the parts related to the production under the cut hoping that my knowledge of French is still enough after decades of not speaking it. I’ll leave out the historical background and the cultural information as you can probably read that online whenever you want :)

You can find the pdf here

PRODUCTION NOTES

From the rebellion to the participation

Jonathan Marc Feldman (screenwriter):

«Can a youth rebellion lead to an authentic revolt? This is the question I asked myself when learning about the existence of this protest movement, which was born under the nazi regime, and which was called The Swing Kids. These young people appeared to me as the symbol of the strength of the human spirit: if a revolt was able to express itself in such an oppressive context, are not all hopes allowed?»

Jonathan Marc Feldman’s script evokes the friendship between two seventeen-year-old adolescents, Peter Muller and Thomas Berger, both firmly determined not to enlist in the Hitler Youth. When circumstances beyond their control eventually force them to join the “JH”, the two boys claim they will resist their hold: they will be “JH” by day and “Swing Kids” by night. But is it possible to belong to a totalitarian movement without submitting to it with body and soul?

Robert Sean Leonard (Peter Muller):

«SWING KIDS begins in 1939, before the invasion of Czechoslovakia and Poland. Peter, like many young people, does not have a sharp political conscience, although he guesses what is happening in the country. He is divided between the swing, which allows him to “have a blast”, and the pride of serving his homeland by submitting. These two temptations are equally powerful, and it is only after discovering the true nature of nazism that Peter will make the right choice.»

Christian Bale (Thomas Berger):

«SWING KIDS is also, and above all, a movie about friendship. Peter and Thomas make divergent choices that will gradually distance them from each other. Thomas does not resist the seduction of the Hitler Youth, he lets the Party’s ideology corrupt him and becomes a cog of the nazi machine. But in the end, the friendship that ties him to Peter will win.»

The origins of the project

After discovering the existence of the Swing Kids in an obscure historical review, Jonathan Marc Feldman undertook in-depth personal research and collected solid documentation about this movement. Passionate about the subject, he quickly communicated his enthusiasm to producers Mark Gordon and John Bard Manulis, who dedicated four years to the development of the script. «It was clear that it could have given rise to a great movie» Gordon points out, «it was a rare opportunity to make a historical movie that speaks to today’s young people» adds Manulis, who personally funded the development of the script. «The Swing Kids looked for their identity in music and dance, just like the following generations, and it was fascinating to observe the contrast between the social oppression they were experiencing and the - incredibly free - form of expression they had adopted».

Jonathan Marc Feldman:

«The young Germans were attracted by the swing because it represented a new, wild, radically original sound. The swing of the years 38-39 possessed a violence that we can clearly perceive in the famous “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman. Moreover, this music was strictly forbidden, for its Jewish and black origin. The mere fact of listening to it was a political challenge.

These young people were fervent anglophiles, who walked with an umbrella at any season, wore Anthony Eden hats, puffy trousers, Scottish coats. They dressed with great elegance and let their hair grow like Hollywood cowboys. Rejected and despised by the good Germanic society, they were the hippies and the punks of their generation».

To make SWING KIDS, Mark Gordon and John Bard Manulis chose Thomas Carter, prestigious television director, winner of several Emmies, who here signs his first movie.

Thomas Carter:

«I immediately liked the SWING KIDS script. It illuminates a reality that few people know. It is both the painting of a generation and the story of a teenager faced with a painful choice that will make him a man».

John Bard Manulis:

«Thomas Carter is very interested in history and how it repeats itself. He captured all the dimensions of the subject, its nuances, its emotional substrate, and staged it brilliantly».

Filming

Mark Gordon Carter, co-producer Harry Benn and chief decorator Allan Cameron visited five countries in ten days before picking Czechoslovakia. The movie was filmed in Prague and in the Barrandos Studios.

Allan Cameron (chief decorator):

«The centre of Prague, which dates back to the Middle Ages, is of great beauty. There are still cobbled streets, beautiful buildings spared from the bombings, remarkable textures and colors. Another advantage: the architectural diversity of the Old Town makes it possible to recreate almost any city in Central Europe».

The main sets of the movie were built at Barrandov Studios, which are among the largest in Europe. Founded in 1931, they offer technical means and financial conditions that seduce international producers: in parallel with the filming of SWING KIDS, Lucasfilm produced the series “Young Indiana Jones” and BBC produced a new version of “The Trial”.

Other big sets were built at Barrandov, and about sixty interiors and exteriors were made with the help of a small British team surrounded by many local technicians. An old 18th century riding school served as the setting for the scene of the Hitler Youth gathering; a residence in the embassy district became the apartment of Thomas’s rich parents; the Prague Library was converted into the SS headquarters and a vast theatre room was redecorated from the top to the bottom for the spectacular sequences of the Bismarck Café.

Casting

In parallel with the location hunting, Carter and his producers started the casting operations by selecting Robert Sean Leonard, one of the protagonists of DEAD POETS SOCIETY, for the role of Peter.

Thomas Carter:

«Robert is an outstanding actor, both for his gifts and for his modesty and availability. We couldn’t have made a better choice. I personally consider him one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with».

To prepare for the role of Peter, which required his daily presence on the set during the ten weeks of filming, Leonard began by reading several studies about Nazi Germany. «But soon I understood that my character had no knowledge of how the Third Reich operated. So I focused my research on the swing, by listening to countless recordings of the great artists of this era. This dance rediscovers the madness of the Twenties and anticipates the promiscuity of the Sixties. Very physical, it entails a huge expenditure of energy and demands great vitality».

For the role of Thomas Berger, the producers hired Christian Bale, revelation of EMPIRE OF THE SUN, and for that of Arvid, Frank Whaley, one of the main performers of Oliver Stone’s THE DOORS. Barbara Hershey (crowned in Cannes for SHY PEOPLE and A WORLD APART) was chosen to play Frau Muller, Peter’s mother.

The other performers were selected with special care, in Austria, The Netherlands, Wales and the United States. «The casting was hard and required a lot of work» concludes Thomas Carter, «I am particularly pleased with it, as it has allowed us to rediscover the emotional atmosphere of the time».

The swing

Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale devoted many hours to learning swing, under the guide of New York choreographer Otis Sallid, to whom we owe the dance sequences of MALCOLM X. Sallid recruited a group of Czech, English, American and French dancers, that he initiated with his assistants to the provocative rhythms of swing, jitterbug and lindy hop, and to the “degenerate” music of Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Django Reinhardt, censored by the Reich for reasons of “racial impurity”.

Jonathan Marc Feldman:

«We picked the most attractive compositions for a contemporary ear and those that the Swing Kids actually listened to, that I was able to find. Among the latter are forgotten numbers such as “Harlem”, which was very popular at the time. By working with Robert Kraft at the re-recordings, we attempted to capture the extraordinary power, vitality of this music. In its beginnings, the swing did not resemble any other form of music. Later, it became more civilized and disciplined, but in the late Thirties it was deeply subversive, captivating. Young people gave themselves to it completely, forgetting about everything else...»

#swing kids #swing kids 1993 #Robert Sean Leonard #rsl #christian bale #barbara hershey #peter muller #thomas berger #frau muller #swing kids dossier #hopefully my translation from French to English does not suck #I’m not a native speaker of either lol #love this movie

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otherworldlybooksgoddess · 3 years

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Five Exceptional Fantasy Books Based in Non-European Myth

Photo by Josh Hild

Don’t misunderstand me: I love reading well-written fantasy with roots in the familiar Celtic and English folklore of my childhood, but with the vast majority of High Fantasy being set in worlds closely akin to Medieval Europe, and a large amount of of Mythic Fiction drawing on legends of similar origin, sometimes the ground begins to feel too well trodden. There is, after all, an entire world of lore out there to draw from. That’s why I’m always thrilled to find excellent works of what I call “the Realistic Sub-Genres of Fantasy” based in or inspired by myths from other cultures. Such books not only support inclusiveness, but also expand readers’ experiences with lore and provide a wide range of new, exciting realities to explore. So, if you are looking for something different in the realm of Fantasy, the following novels will provide a breath of fresh air.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wrecker

In this beautifully written novel, Wrecker draws on both Middle-Eastern and Jewish mythology to tell the stories of two unwilling immigrants in Edwardian New York and the unlikely friendship that springs up between them. Chava, an unusually lifelike golem created for peculiar purposes, has only days worth of memories and is practically childlike in her innocence. Ahmad the Jinni has lived for centuries, but is trying to reclaim his forgotten past. The former is as steady and calm as the earth she’s made from while the latter is as volatile and free-spirited as the fire within him. Both must learn to live in an unfamiliar new culture and find their places in a city too modern for myths even as they hide their true natures. It’s a wonderful metaphor for the experiences of immigrants everywhere, who often find themselves feeling like outsiders—isolated and even overwhelmed— as they struggle to adapt to life in an alien society.

Full of memorable characters, vivid descriptions, and interesting twists, The Golem and the Jinni takes readers on a journey that is driven as much by internal conflict as external action. The setting of 1900’s Manhattan is well-researched and spectacular in its detail. Wrecker blends two old-world mythologies into the relatively modern Edwardian world with a deft hand. The result is not only fascinating, but also serves to illustrate the common early-twentieth-century experience of an immigrant past colliding with an American future.

The Tail of the Blue Bird by Nii Ayikwei Parkes

One part Detective Mystery and one part Magical Realism, this novel invites readers to experience modern-day Ghana in a way that is both authentic and profound. When Kayo, a forensic pathologist just beginning his career, is pushed into investigating a suspected murder in the rural village of Sonokrom, the last thing he expects is to have a life-changing experience. Soon, however, he gets the acute sense that the villagers may know more than they’re letting on. When all of the latest scientific and investigative techniques fail him, even as odd occurrences keep dogging his steps, Kayo is finally forced to accept that there is something stranger than he thought about this case. Solving the crime will require more than intelligence and deduction; it will require setting his disbelief aside and taking the traditional tales and folklore of an old hunter seriously. Because whatever is happening in Sonokrom, it isn’t entirely natural.

This novel is brilliant not only because of its deep understanding of Ghanaian society and realistic setting, but also because of Parkes writing style. The narrative is gorgeously lyrical and everything within it is described with a keen, insightful eye. The dialogue is full of local color, and while some may find the pidgin English and native colloquialisms difficult to follow, I found that the context was usually enough to explain any unfamiliar terms. Sometimes the narrative feels a little dreamlike, but that is exactly the way great Magical Realism should be. The Tail of the Blue Bird insistently tugs readers to a place where reality intertwines with myth and magic, all while providing an authentic taste of Ghanaian culture.

The Deer and the Cauldron by Jin Yong

During the reign of Manchu Emperor Kang Xi, China is in a state of barely-controlled sociopolitical unrest. Many of the older generation remember the previous dynasty, and there still remain vestiges of a resistance movement hidden among the populace. As his forces continue to hunt down the malefactors, called the Triad Societies, the boy-emperor turns to his unlikely friend and ally: a young rascal known only as Trinket. This protagonist is a study in contrasts: lazy yet ambitious, cunning yet humorous, roguish yet likable, foul-mouthed yet persuasive. Born in a brothel, Trinket has made his way by his wits alone. At age twelve, he accidentally sneaked into the Forbidden City—a bizarre occurrence in itself—afterward befriending Kang Xi. Now, rising quickly through the ranks, he is on a mission to (ostensibly) find and weed out the Triad Societies, and he uses the opportunity to infiltrate various organizations, playing their leaders against one another for his own gain. With a dangerous conspiracy brewing in the Forbidden City itself, however, he is forced to choose sides and decide what is most important to him: friendship, fortune, or freedom. Supernatural occurrences, daring escapades, and moments of deep introspection abound as Trinket struggles to navigate the perilous maze his life has become.

This novel is like a gemstone: bright, alluring, and many faceted. At times it may seem somewhat simple on the surface, but looking closer reveals new depths and multiple layers. Full of intrigue, action, horror, and even laughs, The Deer and the Cauldron mirrors not only the complexities of its setting, but those of the China the author himself knew during the Communist revolution. By blending together history, fantasy, realism, humor, and subtle political commentary, Yong not only beautifully captures these social intricacies but also creates a narrative that is as thoroughly engaging as it is unapologetically unique.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Magical realism related to food has almost become a movement in itself, with novels like Aimee Bender’s The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Joanne Harris’ Chocolat, and Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells all finding their places in readers’ hearts. Originally published in 1992, Like Water for Chocolate helped create this fascinating trend, and it has become something of a modern classic in the fantasy genre.

The narrative centers around Tita de la Garza, a mid-twentieth century Mexican woman possessing deep sensitivity, a strong will, and a special talent for cooking. Born prematurely, Tita arrived in her family’s kitchen, tears already in her eyes. It is in that room where she spends most of her childhood, being nurtured and taught by the elderly cook, Nacha. The relationship that flourishes between Tita and her caregiver is a special gift, as it provides the girl not only with the compassion and support her own mother denies, but also with a passion and skill for creating incredible, mouth-watering dishes. At Nacha’s side, Tita learns the secrets of life and cookery, but she also learns one terrible fact: thanks to a family tradition, she is destined never to have love, marriage, or a child of her own. Her fate, rather, is to care for her tyrannical widowed mother, Mama Elena, until the day the older woman dies. With a vibrant, independent spirit, sixteen-year-old Tita flouts this rule, falling deeply in love with a man named Pedro who asks for, and is denied, her hand in marriage. Undaunted, the young man agrees to wed one of Tita’s older sisters, Rosaura, instead, as he believes this to be the only way he can be close to the woman he loves. Thus begins a life-long struggle between freedom and tradition, love and duty, which is peppered throughout with supernatural events and delicious cuisine. So great is her skill in cooking that the meals Tita prepares take on magical qualities all their own, reflecting and amplifying her emotions upon everyone who enjoys them. Controlled and confined for much of her existence, food becomes her outlet for all the things she cannot say or do. The narrative itself echoes this, by turns as spicy, sweet, and bitter as the flavors Tita combines. At its heart, this is as much a tale about how important the simple things, like a good meal, can be as it is a story about a woman determined to be her own person and choose her own fate.

Cuisine is fundamental to this novel, with recipes woven throughout the narrative, but that is only a part of its charm. In the English translation, the language is beautiful in its simplicity. The characters often reveal hidden depths, especially as Tita grows up and is able to better understand the people around her. Heartfelt in its joys and sorrows, Like Water for Chocolate glows with cultural flavor and a sense of wonder. It’s a feast for the spirit, and like an exquisite meal, it never fails to surprise those who enjoy it.

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

When I first read this novel, I found the early chapters enjoyable and engaging, but felt the story was no more than a typical, if especially well-written, work of mythic fiction. The deeper I got into the narrative, however, the more wrong I was proven. The City of Brass is anything but ordinary. While basing her work in Middle-Eastern lore and history, Chakraborty nonetheless manages to create a setting and story that are both wonderfully unique. Lush, detailed, and bursting with magic and intrigue, this book spans the lines between several sub-genres of fantasy without ever losing its balance.

Beginning in eighteenth-century Egypt, the narrative follows a quick-witted antiheroine. Nahri doesn’t live by the rules of her society. She doesn’t believe in magic or fate or even religion. Orphaned for most of her life, survival has required her to become a con artist and a thief. As a result, she is practical and pragmatic, a realist who has never even considered donning rose-colored glasses, and the last person who would ever expect anything supernatural to occur. Which, of course, means that it does, but the way in which it is handled is intricate and interesting enough not to feel trite. When Nahri’s latest con—a ceremony she is pretending to perform and doesn’t believe in even slightly—goes awry, and the cynical young woman finds herself face to face with a Daeva. Magical beings, it transpires, are real after all, and this one is furious. To both of their dismay, he’s also bound to Nahri, who soon realizes that he has an agenda of his own. In return for rescuing her (and refraining from killing her himself) Dara, the Daeva warrior Nahri accidentally summoned, wants her to pull of the biggest con of her life: pretending to be the half-human heir to the throne of his people. Worse still, she soon realizes that Dara, whose mentality sometimes seems a little less-than-stable, actually believes she may be exactly who he claims. He has something planned, and his intentions may not be in her best interest. Dragged unwillingly into a strange world of court intrigue, danger, social upheaval, and magic, Nahri quickly discovers that some things remain familiar. People are ruled by prejudices, the strong prey on the weak, and she can’t fully trust anyone. The stakes, however, are higher than ever, and Nahri will need all of her wits, cunning, and audacity if she wants to survive.

This novel was thoroughly enjoyable, and in fact prompted me to buy the following books in the trilogy as they became available. Chakraborty’s style is lyrical, her world building is superb, her plot is intricate, and her characters are well-developed. She not only frames unfamiliar words and ideas is easily-comprehensible contexts, but weaves those explanations smoothly into the narrative. The culture, mythology, and history surrounding her tale are all carefully researched, but the tale itself is nonetheless unique. What begins feeling like a fairly ordinary mythic fiction novel will pleasantly exceed readers’ expectations.

So, while we, as fantasy readers, love the works of authors like J. R. R. Tolkien, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Charles de Lint, there is also a plethora of other enchanting books to enjoy. Exploring magical realism and mythic fiction based in cultures and folklore from all around the globe ensures that our to-read lists will always hold something unexpected and exciting to surprise us. So, if you’re starting to feel like you’re in a bit of a reading rut, or if you’re simply looking to expand your horizons, open up new realms of imagination by opening up one of the novels above. Who knows see where it will lead you? You may just discover a new favorite to add to your bookshelf. Happy reading!

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lilmajorshawty · 5 years

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Saturn In the Houses : Where Are You Years Ahead Of Your Time

Saturn In the First House : The Mountain Snake

(Resident Evil Retribution - Flying Through The Air)

Saturn in the first house is all about world, and how it views them. now in saying this i don’t mean in a conceded sense nor do i mean that they only prioritize themselves in the way others view them or experience them, rather, these natives have a indomitable drive to be seen as both an intellectual and someone of class and deem-able respect. They strive to build on their own and have no trouble carrying the load on their own, in fact this trait is so pronounced that they actually find it impossible to rely on others no matter how impossible the task. this placement of Saturn can make the warrior spirit more grounded and earthy in it’s appeal by giving these natives a rugged and rather stoic look. the men can sport rough facial hair and gorgeously dim faces with arches and ridges that seem to structure the face like fine wine. the women can be beautiful, sporting a strong head of hair and often the hair is unruly or rater natural in it’s expression. the eyes for men and women here are piercing and can seem to stare past your soul. they age as if they’ve been swimming in the fountain of youth which is saying that they age faster in youth and slower as they get older. They are incredibly ambitious and many of them set a lot of stepping stones for others around them with their rather impulsive and direct manner of creating a life for themselves. they don’t wait for the world to give them a sign, rather they make one. they can have an outwardly cold and stoic energy that seems both intimidating and detached to those who are viewing them for the first time. many of these natives have a jarring and rather complex energy and can often carry the energy of someone carrying a burden as old as time itself. they say this placement is associated with a past life in battle, but many fights fought in the past allow this native now in their present life to structure the violence, anger, wrath and passion of the past life. they can become more merciless and driven as they age, willing to do what is necessary at any cost. they are lovely to have on your side in times of crisis and dangerous to have as an enemy. they are never going to be set back by any amount of malice or short comings and dare i say that is one of their most freighting aspects, they cannot be defeated. these natives tend to take a while to build their sense of self but once they do it’s unbreakable and they will and shall preserve over all of the set backs in their life. The desire to reach the highest of heights is at their forefront and their ability to use strands and straws to build a temple or a grand spectral of architecture is one of their finest traits.

Who has It : Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Monica Bellucci, Russell Crowe, John Lennon, Cher, Alexander the Great, Ellen De Generes. Kesha, Usher.

Motto :

“Even if i must drag my fragmented bones through the wet mud, even if i must tear my limbs from this body, even if i loose my sight, my hearing and my soul, i shall annihilate all who stand in the way of My truth”

Key Expression : Ruthlessness, Self reliance, Tenacious, Hungry, Self critical, Emotionally Unavailable.

Saturn In the Second House : The African Rock Python

(Resident Evil Afterlife - The Outsider(Reholder Apocalypse Mix)

Saturn in the second house is something a bit more quiet and seldom. These people are calculating and extremely intelligent. the mind is often cautiously taking note, watching, understanding and digging. they are pragmatic and business oriented both literally and metaphorically speaking. they place a serious eye and value over the things they possess and hold a rather uncompromising and blunt image of themselves and their self worth which makes it incredibly hard for them to jump into any type of friendship or relationship “unless” they deem themselves as worthy or ready for that matter for something of that nature. They take intimacy and relating to others seriously and can at times seem very distant and short when they address others. to these natives the home they need to focus on maintaining is that of their own inner realm. they don’y care for lavish clothing, they want something that will stand the test of time. they don’t care for quantity, they crave something that can maintain it’s bountiful and rather serene look through and through. they are not ones to sugar coat disasters or short comings in their personality and because of this can take on a rather cruel or mean view towards themselves. they feel a strong desire for inner equilibrium and have a hard time adjusting to society or the world around them when they are internally imbalanced. as lovers they can be SERIOUS. they are are not immediately affectionate which may through people off on the onset of courting stages. they show their interest by making time for you and being dependable and consistent, aside from that they keep a steady face and remain loyal and very dedicated to their unions albeit more difficult than most when it comes to introducing psychical intimacy. These natives are also very reclusive and self invested, though this isn’t in an arian self invested way, it’s more so a self preservation way. they need to feel secure and fight long and hard to create security in themselves first before they look for it in other people. They might seem aloof or impersonal to the naked eye but deep down they are massively sympathetic to an almost tragic level for the woes of others. they genuinely care for people but can be very closed and inward about this. sexually they are passionate and deeply sensual, but these natives will not initiate intimacy or sex unless they are stable on a mental and emotional level as they place their well being and the persons above all else before actively making moves towards deepening or satisfying their needs. these natives are normally shy, timid and quiet. they normally like and need time to recharge from the public. The voices can often be raspy and low/stretched in a way as if the natives are tired. the neck is often small or short and thick. in my experience men and women here are very self aware.

Who Has It : Jesus Christ, Brad pitt, Kanye West, Justin timberlake, Prince, Jennifer Lawarence, Mark Zuckerberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, jessica alba, Mila jovovich

motto :

“When everything lay to waste, their will be no lover, no mother, no children, no sky, no sea, their shall be only me and where i to have no peace with me, i too would become the ruin”

Key expression: Quiet, isolated, personal, emotionally heavy, very guarded, Loyal to their detriment.

Saturn In The Third House : The Rattlesnake

(Bjork - Army Of Me Sucker Punch Remix)

Saturn in this house can produce someone with a rather complex mind. Information is dispensed in such a way that it can be rather difficult for these natives to learn in school via the ordinary means. these natives may even in some cases have a hard time multi-tasking or working on other things whilst in school due to how much of their mental faculties are eaten up when they focus on one thing. these natives also sport a immense reservoir of memory and spatial awareness skills. they can piece things together or pieces of information from bits and pieces of fragmented knowledge. the rather unnerving thing about this position is the incredible minds that these natives have, their minds move fundamentally different from the rest of us, even more so then Uranus or mercury here information is packaged and tossed deep in the brain where it festers and bunches up with other mental storage. these natives can almost be a walking photo camera the older they get as Saturn here rewards study, and effort put into memorization. the natives often keep things short and sweet and refrain from digging to deep or revealing to much when they are speaking to others. their incredibly mature and wise and can easily convey emotions or feelings without the use of very many words at all. they are truly masters of language and can navigate through words and mannerisms quick enough to decipher your intent and inner workings at the drop of a hat. these natives possess a keen interest in deepening their mental capacity and tend to be advent readers, conspiracy theorist or the types to watch documentaries and or find learning and researching history and ancient mythos(especially roman and Greek). The men and women can sport rather small/fragile hands and a rather constrained or slow manner of speaking. in many cases the eyes can be alluring but cold, they seem impersonal or rather calm with a sadness. these natives are very self critical of their academic habits and can be vulnerable in this area but as they age it becomes their greatest area of talent. these natives can loathe meaningless chit chat and very rarely indulge in it unless it makes sense for the circumstance they happen to be in.

Who Has it : Steve Jobs, Justin bieber, Kylie Jenner, Bjork, Bruce Willis, Jake gyllenhall, tom hanks, penelope cruz, Matt damon

motto:

“ I wish for the day my presence is that of the written word. i angst for the day of paint and scroll held above cloud, where the spoken and the scribbling of said to be madmen and women illuminate all in the blackness of the hour”

Key phrases: Detached, Strange, Poetic, Blunt, short and low paced speech, Sad eyes. mental boredom.

Saturn In The Fourth House : The Copperhead snake

(Florence And the Machine - Seven Devils)

Saturn in the fourth house is something that feels like a massive weight on ones inner world, your core, your vulnerability locked away like some sacred prisoner of the odalisque. This placement often makes these natives emotionally closed, stoic and very emotionally unavailable. these natives don’t spill or open up, not at bonfires or community gatherings, not at family reunions or to long time lovers rather they keep a huge portion of their inner world deeply nestled and hidden away in their heart of hearts. These natives can have a streak for coldness and and even larger one for emotional distance which i might add isn’t something that is done out of self protection or manipulation rather it’s a very deep unconscious wound that these natives carry with them from a past life. wounds of a unimaginable level were placed on the natives, these wounds can be rooted to family as well even when the home life is well. these natives cannot shake the heavy and almost suffocating presence of being home, the parents the family and at times the home itself. these natives may not truly feel comfortable or “themselves” unless they are away from home or home alone away from others. these natives loathe a breach in their privacy and because of this a great deal of them is practically a mystery due to how little of themselves they are actually okay with divulging. it can take them years and sometimes decades before they feel comfortable enough to open up with you about their emotions and this is something that can carry on for quite sometime. These natives do have very deep and very structured emotions that are well beyond their years. they grew up quickly on a mental and emotional level and it’s something you can see in their actions and decisions. these natives can be worries and suffer from extensive bouts of depression and societal isolation especially if Saturn is harshly aspected. these natives can go into what i like to call hibernation periods in which they go missing or disengage from society for periods of time and depending on who you are, you might not hear from them for quite a bit. these natives are almost nomadic like and seem to have a rather serious and intense relationship with their emotional realm. they want to be truly seen and understood on a deep emotional level but they often realize that their emotional nature is so complex and deep that it can be hard to find that understanding. compassion and intimacy are hallmarks of their true nature but are also aspects you might never see in them until they make the choice to make it so. the chest for the women with this placement unless having Venus, moon or a naturally watery or earth sign on the cusp tend to be rather petite. while men here can also have a rather fragile and or boney chest. these natives may have a very serous family as the IC rules family heritage. so the family could be hardworking and very critical. These natives can also be remarkably ambitious and deeply grounded people deep down no matter how lighthearted and unpredictable they may seem with other placements in their chart. these natives despite their deep seriousness have a very caring and emotive nature and a love for nature and all people but they also in a sense lack the means to express this.

Who Has It: Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, Tom cruise, Drake, Gwen Stefani, Ashton Kutcher, john travolta, Yoko ono

Motto:

“ I’ve been locked away with my demons for such a time now that i too have become them, but I've also claimed the lantern god left so fervently”

Key Phrase: Intense, Cold, Sympathetic, Nurturing, Provider, Stoic, Closed off.

Saturn In The Fifth House: The Forest Cobra

(The Rocket Builder - Johann Johannsson)

In The case of Saturn in the 5th one is always catered to the question, to love or to isolate. these natives can struggle with the idea of children, the concept of innocence and the childlike ignorance to the hardships of life almost seem like a unthinkable medium to them. in reality despite their rather stoic and tempered view towards children, children are no less motivated to be around these natives. these natives inspire youth and can have quite the powerful effect on the motivations and aspirations of children. these natives see a limit to themselves while the rest of the world sees color and something intangible, like gold and god. these natives have a strong romantic nature but one that is old and timeless like the sands of time. they don’t open their heart easily nor do they seek commitment or sexual expression for the sake of self validation, they need depth and true consistency to commit to anyone otherwise the journey is meaningless. these natives have a very tragic and often times harsh relationship with self expression. either they are incredibly artistic or they are unconsciously limiting these talents. if there is any representation i could use i would compare these natives to the angels. they are very spiritual and innately 4D types who constantly dissociate and travel amongst dimensions making them seem rather jaded or strangely misaligned. these natives read vibrations more than they do words and actions and can often be very quick to annihilate a bond or situation the moment they sense a fallacy in the way your energy is being dispensed. intimacy and sex is often reserved for long time lovers and is very rarely, if at all something these natives spend their time begging the stars for. they are never short of admirers or sexual invitations due to being preserved as “hard to get” but the actuality is that they spend more time protecting their inner sense of peace then they do capitalizing on superficial tropes. these natives are extremely patient and slow with their works and can work on projects for years. having children is normally something these natives postpone until later in life, and if they do have them young it’ll be an area of constant growth until later in life as parenting might not be an immediate skill. dating runs slow and can be rather shy and quiet in the start but much like Lilith here these natives tend to marry the people they date or meet in the realm of the 5th house due to the longevity of Saturn.

Who Has It : Shakira, Bill gates, Heath ledger, Chris brown, Bruce lee, Mel Gibson, Emma stone, Isaac Newton, Mike Tyson, Niall Horan.

Motto:

“ Everything good in this world takes getting used to.”

Key Phrase: Deep, Earthy, Sensuous, curious, Blunt, isolated, free, inspiring, devoted, persistent, giving, understanding, forgiving.

Saturn In The Sixth House : The Pit Viper Snake

( West-world Soundtrack - This World)

Saturn In the 6th House Can create a native who is the high end architect of both their life and the life of others. they build, they build the scene, the work environment, they build their health, they build their reputation and their fundamentals as if it were all parts of one big house. they have a deep inner grounded sense of stability and home that often makes them seem unphased or rather lacking in emotional turbulence when dealing with others or even in some ways with themselves. they don’t acknowledge weaknesses in themselves and in a darker twist of fate they go to great lengths to eliminate any short comings both emotionally and physically that they deem toxic or unhealthy to their well being. for this reason these natives normally are remarkably fit and steer clear of any major aliments. this is for good reason as these natives tend to hold on to sickness for a while once it makes its way into the body. this can mean prolonged fights with colds that last well over their designated time or sometimes in some cases this can mean damage to the joints or bones. that being said Saturn here works hard to repair the body anytime scenarios like this do come about. these natives work incredibly hard and even if Saturn is afflicted here these natives are able to remain remarkably steady and grounded in their daily lives. these natives tend to plan quite a bit and can have a hard time dealing with people or situations that lack a plan or a sort of well rehearsed background. schooling can also be a source of irritation as these natives can be incredibly picky on how they prefer to be taught. teachers with quirks or little nuances in their teaching tend to cause these natives irritation as their isn’t a stable or straight forward approach in this teaching style. these natives are very reasonable when it comes to others but they also value their Independence and sense of self highly so they can be incredibly hard to tie down or create a long lasting union with due to how high of a bar they’ve set for themselves. don’t be mistaken, it’s not that these natives are arrogant rather it’s that these natives place a special value on loving the self before you’re able to love anyone else. They may want bonds or love, but they need stability and true heartfelt connectivity before they can even fathom the depth of such a connection with another person. their co-workers are often serious, grounded and mature types who have high plans for their future. they often inspire the native to rise in ranks or in positions. these natives tend to navigate away from people who are co-dependent or emotionally weak. they can have an aura of toughness and seem rather unapproachable but it’s really just that these natives feel the inner desire to carry themselves with respect and caution to the outside world. their bone structure similar to Saturn in the 10th house is incredibly well made and proportioned. the hips and lower spine can be arched in a rather coiled snake like manner. the skin can also be oily for many with this placement. the stomach is very strong and these natives usually are blessed with a good digestive system which(is great for acne and emotional stress levels.) another side note is that these natives NAP a lot. they tend to be easily worn out or tired due to Saturn low energy levels.

Who has it : Lady gaga, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Keanu reeves, Amy Winehouse, Lindsey Lohan, Orlando Bloom, Adele, Jimi hendrix, Demi lovato

Motto :

“ Order outside will generate order inside.”

Key Phrase: Mesmerizing, commanding, Astute, tempered, sloths, bored

Saturn In The Seventh House : Eastern Green Mamba Snake

(Annihilation Ost - The Alien )

relationships play out in a rather heavy manner for these natives, be it years in the making or be it that they themselves can’t readily open up to the opportunity. Saturn here acts as the father, in spirit it halts the sphere of connectivity between these natives and the people they interact with in a shadow sense. these natives may notice that people view them in a serious manner or suddenly may become more intense and more stoic in their presence. the honest truth is that Saturn here surrounds the environment in this candid and rather suffocating weight. mind you this is not bad at all, it’s only Saturn ensuring that the energy and the people brought into these natives lives is real, honest and pure in intention. that being said these natives have a natural guardian that brings the shadows to light, be it addictions, crime, manipulation, and so forth. Saturn here works for the individual by showing them the bad in others, the real part of others, the honest aspect of others in order to help these natives grow. connections can be difficult to form because it seems as though everyone is running away from these natives which isn’t so far from the truth. i’ll be honest in saying Saturn energy scares some people due to how deep and intense it really can be. it forces everyone to confront a side of themselves they might not have ever considered before and it also forces everyone to mature and face the music. this is not bad at all, rather these natives are blessed with the ability to attract the very real and bare versions of people instead of their performances, or their masks...these natives get to see behind the curtain and this is their superpower. dating can be hard as the typical fun flirting is absent until a later part of the relationship. Saturn does things backwards here and forces the more deep and heavy aspect of relating to someone else to come up first before the more lighthearted and playful part. the reason being is Saturn wants that deep and guarded intimacy, the kind people build stories utop of. so due to this Saturn doesn’t mind to reverse roles and cause a longer courting stage if it means true connections and bonds being formed. forming friendships or even any type of relationship for that matter can take years or months depending on Saturn well being aspect wise. these natives prefer long lasting unions and usually get that. the marriage is often very resilient and deeply fulfilling for the natives! they often marry very loving and nurturing despite the partners serious and stoic nature. these natives are also on the more serious side themselves even though they might not see it in within them. they tend to have more petite butts that can be on the more angular side of things. Saturn makes the butt look great here even if it might be on the smaller side. it really depends on the other planets here though. the partner will often have Saturn in their chart or in aspect to their natal planets. it’s also common to attract someone with strong 10th house energy. Saturn here makes things petite and since the 7th house rules the pelvis and buttocks, one can have a very well shaped butt and may even have a lovely structure to it as well. relationships can be very handwork here but they are incredibly rewarding and these natives should always wait to marry if they can or make sure that the person you’re marrying has strong Saturn contacts to you. That being said they are very loving and tender people despite their rather cool and aloof outward energy.

Who has it: Johnny Depp, Kurt Cobain, Christina Aguilera, Selena Gomez, Eminem, David Bowe, Ryan gosling, Jud Law, Sylvester Stallone, Gerad Butler

Motto :

“I was already on the other side, i had been there from the start like a cold reflection in cement...i was already there.”

Key phrases : Intense, depressive, closed, tense, anxious, stable, steady, rigorous, emotionally unavailable(in the beginning), transparent.

Saturn In The Eighth House : The Black Mamba Snake

(West-World Soundtrack - This world)

with Saturn in the Eighth house the native can feel like a disconnected, fragmented disarray. They may not easily confide in others and can have an extended “getting to know each other” stage with seemingly no ending in sight. These natives can seem detached and extremely emotionally absent especially in moments where emotional softness and kindness may be necessary. These natives do not mean to seem this way, it’s sadly just that in many cases these natives where put last as far as emotions go and due to earlier experiences these natives have learned to barricade their true feelings and vulnerabilities behind a steel door. Pushing them to hard to open up to soon often makes them shut down and place a superficial mask to make the invasion go away. These natives are keen on human nature and know how to pretend and play the naive or weak minded role that the people ask of them. beneath this facade lies a strong energy, a seemingly intangible reservoir of depth and intensity that would make Pluto, Hades and Lilith cower. These natives grapple with the idea of power and it’s place in their life and the lives of others. They may shift between vulnerable and innocent to dominant and wise. This is actually a prelude to the expression of their sexuality, they tend to derive their pleasure of BDSM and or more aggressive and control themes in sexual encounters because of their ociliating nature. they associate sexual expression and their desire for it in a complex way. on one end they hate their sexual desires and wish to repress them and on the other hand the repression creates an almost animalistic desire for “TRUE” sexual expression. For this reason these natives tend to have the most powerful, earthy sexual drive of the zodiac. Sex for them is something that is flesh to flesh, true intimacy and relating and something they cannot and will not just have with anyone. they can also be very hard to get intimate with because of hoe seriously they take revealing that hidden aspect of themselves. these natives can be very dark and have a sort of heaviness to their nature that seeps out here and there as an ominous or heavy serious air. They loathe superficiality but they feed it to the people they interact because they secretly fear their true nature is boring, stagnate and far to intense for people to handle. they can handle finances very seriously and no matter how afflicted Saturn is, these natives take time to grow money and are cautious about any inheritance or scams. they aren’t the types to spend money on others unless you’ve earned their trust and loyalty, till then they can seem cheap and Grinch like about money usage. they can last for hours in sex and have stamina unheard of, in men and women the size of the genitals can be small or Tight for women. in men it can make the member small but this isn’t always the case especially if other planets are here, the sign on the cusp and aspects to Saturn itself. These natives will live long lives and may outlive their partners. The desire for the real and honest aspects of life are real and these people can be very turned off by immaturity or a lack of stability in any of their interactions. a strange thing here is that Saturn from this spot ages the whole chart so it can cause other planetary placements to act more mature or less lighthearted even if Saturn is not touching them.

Who has it: Martin Luther King, Jay-Z, Kristen Stewart, Robert Downey Jr, Khloe Kardashian, Salvador Dali, Michael Jordan, Virgin Mary, Michael Fassbender, Dwayne Johnson, Frida kahlo, Henry cavil, Franklin D Roosevelt, Liz Greene

Motto :

“Power is Power”

Key phrases: Concrete, sensual, Horny, intellectual, dark, melancholic, sorrow, the maid/The Military general duality, intensity, DEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

Saturn In The Ninth House : The Jamesons Mamba

(The Gazelle Twins - The Entire City)

With Saturn in the ninth house the term Maneater comes into mind. these natives can have a rampaging mind. they are often dancing between ideals and philosophies and working tirelessly to give them footing, grounding or a sense of transparency. they may maintain an air of stoicism or clandestine projection when they express their values and interpretations of faith but it’s merely because they themselves feel as though believing in some un-palpable force is like playing Russian roulette. they want some sort of grounding and reliability in the “word” and “pen” and because of this they approach these matters with seriousness and intensity as they seek to find the source of the matter. These natives can be relatively to them selves at university and college and might even major in law or seek to pioneer their own business or work in architecture as these natives have quite the eye for beauty and reconstruction due to how differently their minds operate. the natives are tenacious and a tad abrasive when expressing their disdain or disapproval of faulty belief systems in others and it can be a deal breaker for them if your beliefs fail to meet them in the middle in some way. They tend to have a strong desire to learn, understand and register information. in many ways Saturn can make the thighs smaller or more petite but the shaping and angular standing of the thighs to hip will be amazing. their is an earthy look to the individuals and longer more ruffled looks are common in men and shorter more androgynous looks are preferred for the women. their can be a closed or serious nature towards experimentation and towards luck as these natives feel like one should never solely rely on luck to make things pan out. these natives because of this tend to be go getters and can place quite a bit of passion and drive into much of their efforts which often wins them admiration and respect from those who watch in the shadows. these natives can constantly stay working or struggle with giving themselves a brake but for a good cause as these natives tend to do remarkable in their college endeavors. their oversee voyages tend to be a serious event and the encounters they have can leave a huge mark on them emotionally, they tend to travel seldom when younger and this increases following the nearing of the Saturn return. these natives can feel powerful and don’t hold on to people or situations as to them people and situations change all the time, why waste time that could be spent working, growing and thriving on a choice that fell through the cracks in a carefully made bridge only continuing to grow in size.

Who Has it: Rihanna, Hillary Clinton, Julia Roberts, Uma Thurman, Nicki Minaj, 14th Dalai Lama, Prince William, Prince Harry(explains their controversial Interracial marriages), Jared leto, Paul McCarthy

Motto :

“The Fire Never Goes out”

Key Phrases: Keen, ardent, impatient, BLUNT, impulsive, critical, private, compassionate, REAL

Saturn In The Tenth House : The King Cobra Snake

(The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?)

These natives are the epitome of Saturn, the ooze it, they embody it they express it like an extension of their spiritual being and for that reason they can seem like an authoritative energy without even trying. People respect them, but people also fear them the same way we fear our boss, our parents, our obligations, our shortcomings or our real self. They are stable at the core and very easily lay the stepping stones necessary to achieve, though with Saturn's energy here success often does come later in life but when it does it is usually following very rigorous work and dedication from the individual in question. These natives are competitive but in a very quiet and restrained way, for them coming in second place or being told it was “good” or hearing the words “i enjoyed..” irritates them. They in a sense care little for public validation, and more about their own ability to surpass the limitations they set for themselves. they tend to treat life and it’s circumstances like a game of cards, and can often have a manipulative or “business as usual” approach when it comes to dealing with the public or confidants. To them unless it had to do with the work, the quality, or the means of the end, they’d rather not waste their time. These natives can be advent global warming fighters, as this position creates a very strong tie to the earth itself. these natives care deeply about the animals and the environment and can be very aggressive and even volatile towards people who fail to treat the environment with respect. these natives often dress to impress and even when they’re dressing down they have this patriarch like air to them as if the world was waiting for them to arrive. these natives have a swagger to them, as if they have the whole room gripping and swaying to their movement. Their is a strong need to dissociate and disappear with this placement so often these natives can go MIA for days or weeks at a time depending on what wave of melancholy or project has them all caught up now. These natives have beautiful smiles and can have incredible bone structures. They do care about how they are portrayed by the media or by others in public so they tend to keep a low profile. These natives can be very frank and tel you how it is, so if you are sensitive you might want to keep it short with them. These natives tend to be drawn to fashion, Acting, ,modeling, directing, and so on. In fact Saturn on the MC or in aspect to the MC is common amongst models and or designers. the ability to make money and capital out of nothing but water and a dog bone is strong as shit here and these natives will indeed outsell, outsway, out publish, out swim, and overall outdo you with both legs and arms tied behind their back because they are literally just that driven. the impact they leave on the world lat decades and even ions after they’ve longed been buried in the soil.

Who has it: Michael Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Albert Einstein, Adolf Hitler, Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, Leonardo DaVinci, Oprah Winfrey, Paris Hilton, Al Pacino, Celine dion, Bill Clinton, Mila kunis, James dean

Motto:

“I’d eat the nation if i could, I’ll eat the world because i can”

Key phrases: Mysterious, Distant, polite, imperialistic, ambitious, competitive, altruistic, Black Seminole

Saturn In The Eleventh House : The Atheris hispida Snake

(Cocteau twins - But Im Not )

These Natives can Be everything that opposes culture and societal up charge. They possess a strong spacious air to them as if they are this cosmic force on earth. They can be magnetic, prophetic, dark, enticing and deeply revolutionary. These natives have a natural talent for leadership and crowd attracting as they understand the intricate parts of human interaction, they understand the crowd, the outsiders because they themselves despise the insiders, the people pleasers and the followers. they aren’t the types to beg for acceptance but in their early years they often did, the spent their time trying so hard to fit in, to be welcomed and accepted but sadly they were rejected and often times bullied for their giving and loving nature. as these natives age they learn ruthlessness and they learn to express themselves no matter the recoil. they value people who are new, different and stable in their concept of “themselves.” Saturn is remarkably comfy in this house due to the fact that the 11th house and Aquarius are both co-ruled by Saturn. So these natives despite their electric and rather tethered nature can be serious, detached and highly dissociated from the world around them. they like the aloofness and lighthearted nature of connecting with others because it fulfills their need to understand, meet and converge. they actually despise people and are not very good at hiding it once an interaction that should’ve lasted a few days turns into something that becomes consistent. they can amputate relationships both romantic and platonic and even familial as if it were a house fly on their shoulder. They are not evil or cold, rather they just learned early on not to dig to deep into people or their intentions and as a result they keep a blockaded on their more compassionate and loving traits. these natives tend to be skeptics and harshly critical of civil rights movements or cultural uprisings in general because they hate crowd and mob mentality, to them any organized revolution needs grounding and a deeper meaning behind it’s efforts otherwise it’s childish and a waste of time. these natives also hold a great deal of their emotions within and because of this they can see,m unloving or out of reach to loved ones or friends even if it’s been years of knowing them. They tend to prefer authentic friendships and will bend over backwards for friends, lovers and so on so long as you prove to them your loyalty, patience and time. they wont open up for a while and can take years before they do and they’ll disappear and ghost you constantly till then because they’ve been hurt more than most in the area where most of us see our future and are most optimistic. they may seem pessimistic or stoic but it’s merely their desire for the truth and authenticity that causes this. they normally are very big on being ones true self and in the presence of people who struggle with this they can take on a colder air and seem rather unmoved or disgusted at the pity party. they are passionate but far away. the calves and ankles are often small and boney but very sturdy and sensual. The legs in general are amazing to look at.

Who has it: Donald trump, George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Freddie Mercury, Natalie portman, Megan Fox, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pamela Anderson, Marlon Brando, robin Williams, Vincent Van Gogh, Charlize Theron, Charles Manson, Zac effron, Halle berry, Ryan reynolds, Joaquin Phoenix, Jessica Biel

Motto :

“I could stand in a room of millions gathered all for me and i’d still feel alone”

Key phrases: Lonely, detached(very), impersonal, electric, bubbly, frank, honest, Free spirit, dark, melancholy, mean spirited. compassionate and caring.

Saturn In The 12th House : The Spider-tailed horned viper Snake (Cocteau Twins - Alice)

Saturn in The 12th house can feel like a heavy weight on the soul, as if the soul’s been drained of it’s life force before it even took a breath. their is a constant feeling of exhaustion or need to recuperate. There can be periods of extreme anxiety, depression, manic episodes or heightened states of mental awareness and emotional energy and then suddenly “nada.” everything goes quiet and everything can seem like a empty opera room with a photo camera going off. there is a sense of being grounded but never really “expressing” or “feeling” this security in a tangible form. these natives can seem a bit disorganized, restless or moody upon meeting them, hell they may even seem like they’re hiding things or being fraudulent and or deceptive due to the blurry and rather incomplete personality they present. They are remarkably deep and have a immense empathetic nature that can make even the strongest of strong men buckle. they are very sweet but they are not always able to control when this side of them comes out. unfortunately their more serious and cautious nature blurs the line between duty, love, duty, relationships, duty, trauma, duty, and so on in a cycle. they can often be very private and reclusive, preferring to be alone with themselves or nature. they often have very beautiful inner worlds and can give so much of themselves to the environment and the world at large. They usually have a fine list of artistic abilities but it takes them time to bring them out into the world. art, singing, dancing, and so on are brilliant gate ways to expressing that inner burden in their hearts. These natives can constantly feel like there is an inner voice telling them they wont amount to anything or are not good enough which is often the main debilitating force for these natives. They are so kind and genuinely soft spirited and these natives have a hard time doing wrong as Saturn reminds them constantly off errors or short comings. These natives value the flaws just as much as the beauty in others and often push for a more accepting environment and world. these natives don’t see color, sexual orientation, or status which is often why they feel conflicted because Saturn feels like things need order and classification but the 12th house blurs those lines. Their can be trouble dreaming or in some cases dreams of being trapped, restricted or in a different body are common. The feet tend to be small :) but this is very cute! this placement can be hard for women as it makes them unable to differentiate the feeling of duty from pleasure which unconsciously places them into unhappiness or unhealthy expectations of themselves. For men it can be Even worse as it can lead to melancholy, depression and emotional confusion that being said we all have our battles and Saturn in the 12th housers are amazing because Saturn as they age teaches them to handle their mind, their mental health and their conscious self and soul. so they tend to have strong minds and comprehensive abilities even as they age. These natives tend to express an air of happiness and optomisim though on an outward level and for the most part you’ll never real know their struggles or pain because of how genuinely positive and good willed these people are.

Who has it: Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie, Beyonce knowles, Scarlett johnasson, Vladmir Putin, Mariah carey, Whitney Houston, Zayn malik, Will smith, Kendall jenner, Ben Affleck, tyra banks, Robert De Niro, Ted Bundy, George W. Bush

Motto :

“Deception is the only Felony”

Key Phrases : introspective, spiritual, hermit, persistent, tired, lazy, caught up in the past

Final Notes: If you look at the celebrities that share the particular Saturn placement you’ll notice familiarties with them, you’ll notice nuances and small call back of energy! this is why i find astrology so interesting, were all connected.

#Mine #saturn through the houses

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sheliesshattered · 4 years

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This Isn’t A Ghost Story - Chapter 3

Whouffaldi non-canon AU. 8 chapters, will be about 32,000 words when complete. Rated Mature for heavier themes starting in this chapter, please contact me privately if you’re worried about triggering topics. Clara Oswald/Twelfth Doctor. Mystery, pining and angst with a happy ending. Available on AO3 under the same username and title. Updates every Friday.

This Isn’t A Ghost Story

Chapter 3: The Journal

Clara couldn’t sleep that night. Alone in her flat, she tossed and turned in bed, the day’s events replaying on a loop in her mind. The revelation of the identity of her ghost, the family secret he had spent almost a century protecting, her uncanny resemblance to her great-grandmother, it all felt like a complicated knot she needed to untangle. Beyond everything she’d learned, there was still more her ghost refused to tell her, and the thought nagged at her, keeping her awake.

Shortly after midnight she gave up on sleep, getting up and padding down the hall to her small sitting room. Given that it was early Sunday morning, she wouldn’t have to be up for work in a scant few hours, so if she was awake anyway she might as well do something useful. She flicked on the lamp closest to the sofa and pulled over the ancient box she’d brought from her Gran’s house, positioning it at the near end of the coffee table.

Before she left, she’d managed to extract a promise from her ghost that he wouldn’t burn down the house while she was away. But she still hadn’t completely trusted him alone with the box that had caused so much upset, so she’d loaded it into her car and brought it home with her, uncertain of exactly what she intended to do with it.

It’d been obvious that he was no more comfortable with the idea of her in sole possession of the box than she was with the thought of leaving it with him. You won’t stop digging until you’ve uncovered all the gory details, he had said to her, and she knew herself well enough to admit that he was probably right. Now that she knew of the existence of this box, she could hardly just let it be.

But it was more than simply feeling entitled to her family history. There was something there, some hidden edge of the mystery that called to her, something she felt like she should know. It wasn’t just her resemblance to her great-grandmother, or her attachment to her ghost, or his unwillingness to explain the situation to her. It’s more than that, and you know it, he’d told her. Deep down, you know it. And now it’s only a matter of time until you realise...

Clara shivered a little, remembering his words, more unnerved in the silence of her flat than she’d been when he’d first said them. Whatever this was, wherever this led, she had to know.

Glancing into the box, she picked up the wedding photograph from the top of the pile of papers and leaned towards the lamplight to examine it again. It was less disconcerting than it had been earlier, now that she knew some of the context behind it, but it was still odd to see her own face in a photo taken more than ninety years ago, in the spring of 1923. Staring at it, she was struck again by the feeling of what should have been, of how fiercely she wished it was her in that photo, marrying the man she loved.

But it wasn’t her in the photo. It couldn’t possibly be her, no matter how much it looked like her and no matter how much she wished it was. Perhaps getting to know the woman depicted there, her great-grandmother and namesake, would help her shake the feeling that somewhere along the line, fate had gone horribly awry. With that thought firmly in mind, she reached into the box and began pulling items from it.

There was no sense of order to the box, but as she dug through it, Clara began to suspect that it was the contents of her great-grandmother’s writing desk, quickly and haphazardly transferred to the box, however long ago. It was a mix of correspondence and shopping lists, photographs and small pieces of memorabilia, all jumbled together, fragile with age. She took each item out one by one, sorting them into piles as she went — a stack for photos, another for letters, a third for keepsakes, and a smaller pile for the ephemera of everyday life, things she probably didn’t need to keep. She could spend tomorrow going through them in more detail, reading the letters and looking at the photos in the light of day.

At the bottom of the box she found what appeared to be a well-loved brown leather travel journal, thick with envelopes and postcards and loose leafs of paper fitted between the pages. The front was emblazoned with a globe and the words 101 Places To See. She smiled softly, running her fingertips over its dips and ridges, and thought of her own brief travels after university. When her Dad had balked at the idea of her travelling on her own, her Gran had declared it a family tradition for the women in their family to travel. Apparently it was one that went back further than Clara realised.

Curious about the sorts of travels her namesake had chosen, she leaned closer to the lamp and opened the journal to the first entry, written in the same small, looping handwriting as on the back of the wedding photo:

1 March 1921, London

I purchased this journal for my upcoming holiday, but I fear the title may be more aspirational than factual. Mother and Father have agreed to allow me a solo European tour, perhaps under the mistaken belief that giving me that much freedom will quench my thirst for more far-flung adventures. If they knew of my ambitions, they would certainly forbid me from leaving home at all. We shall see how far I can get on the stipend they have gifted me, before their disapproval catches up with me.

A family tradition indeed, Clara thought, smiling wider, and flipped ahead a few pages.

16 March 1921, Paris

Paris is lovely, if not so very different from London. It is, however, an excellent hub from which to book further travel...

The next several pages were devoted to cataloguing life in Paris in the early ‘20s, an era that had fascinated Clara during her literature studies at university. She scanned through the entries on the off-chance that her great-grandmother might have crossed paths with a famous name during her time there. Seeing none, she ran her thumb along the outer edge of the pages to jump further ahead and get an idea of where she had gone after Paris.

Of its own accord, the journal opened to a place where a small sepia photograph had been wedged between the pages, and Clara carefully prised it free to examine it closer. Though it wasn’t nearly as crisp as the wedding photo, the two figures in it were instantly identifiable as her ghost and her great-grandmother. They stood side by side, her arm slung around his back and his draped over her shoulders, smiling at the camera and squinting in bright sunlight, a desert landscape rolling away behind them. Surprised, she turned it over to find her great-grandmother’s handwriting on the back had labeled it Doctor John Smith, Thebes Egypt, 19 May 1921.

Egypt? Her curiosity piqued, Clara backtracked a few pages to try to find the context of the photo, and when exactly her ghost had first entered her great-grandmother’s life.

2 May 1921, Cairo

Egypt is enthralling, everything I had dreamed it would be. Thankfully I find I am able to stretch my budget further here than I could on the continent. I sent my last letter home from Athens, and carefully did not mention my future plans — my hope is that I can spend a few weeks here before returning to Europe via Malta and then on to Italy, and Mother and Father will never be the wiser. To that end (and to ensure I don’t run out of funds and thus be forced to resort to begging parental assistance), I have already booked passage aboard a ship departing in three weeks.

The next few days detailed her sightseeing in and around Cairo, and Clara scanned ahead until her eyes caught on an entry almost two weeks later:

14 May 1921, Cairo

I met the most fantastic and intriguing man at the museum party last night! We spoke like old friends for near an hour and a half before he was pulled away by his compatriots, and it was only after he was gone that I realised we did not so much as exchange names. At the time, names felt superfluous, secondary to my desire to know him, but this morning I find myself wishing I could put a name to the face that hasn’t left my mind these last twelve hours.

He is Scottish, an academic of some description, though his interests and expertise seem so wide ranging, I can hardly guess at what his specialty might be. His has the nose of a Roman emperor, more regal than the bust of Marcus Aurelius that lives on the shelf in my bedroom back home, but recently burnt to peeling by the hot desert sun in a way I found entirely too endearing. There is no question that he is significantly older than myself, but he carries none of the condescension I typically associate with such an age difference. He showed more than polite interest in hearing of my travels and my thoughts on all that I have seen, and in exchange told me stories of his many adventures.

He is exactly the sort of kindred spirit I have for so long dreamed of knowing, and yet I know no hard facts about him at all. I don’t suppose we will ever meet again — and isn’t that sad? To have met someone as singular as him, spent an hour and a half in one another’s company, only to be forever lost to each other in the shuffle of humanity. At least he will be a fond memory of my time in Cairo.

Gripped by this introduction to the ghost she had known all her life and the man she had never had the chance to meet, Clara turned the page and read on.

15 May 1921, Cairo

I wrote yesterday that I know no hard facts about the man I met at the museum party, but on reflection I find that isn’t entirely true. His friends called him only ‘Doctor’, though that hardly narrows down his identity, with so many educated men roaming about the country. He has lived in Egypt for several years, can read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, and mentioned he was in Cairo on a brief respite from some activity in Thebes, on which he did not go into detail.

But a ‘brief respite’, by definition, should mean that he will return to Thebes, shouldn’t it? And then there is the matter of his sunburnt nose...

The on-going archaeological work at Thebes is widely known in Cairo, especially amongst those who frequent the museum. Could it be that this ‘Doctor’, this man who has not left my thoughts since Friday evening, could now be found in Thebes? I so wish to see him again, even if only to exchange our names and other such information, so that I might send him a postcard from time to time. And perhaps more, if he is agreeable.

And if he is not to be found in Thebes, at least I will have tried. I will be able to board the ship to Malta knowing that at least I tried to find him.

Despite knowing that her great-grandmother would, inevitably, cross paths again with the man who would become her husband, Clara read on without pause, enthralled by the unfolding drama.

17 May 1921, en route

I have left Cairo for Thebes, though it may well mean I will miss my ship to Malta. He has not been out of my thoughts, and I find I cannot wait any longer. I cannot talk myself out of this. And if there were anyone in a position in my life to talk me out of it, I would not let them, either. My mind is made up.

An adventure, then. To see the archaeological work at Thebes, and perhaps recognise a friendly face. I do hope his sunburn has not got any worse.

The next entry, adjacent to where the photograph had been tucked away, read simply:

19 May 1921, Thebes

His name is John, and I am besotted. I fear I may never recover.

Clara set the journal down in her lap and picked up the photo, looking again at their smiling faces. She tried to imagine it, meeting an interesting stranger and then striking out into the unknown, alone, on the hope of finding him again. Studying the picture, she could almost feel the desert sun on her face, and the giddy joy of new love. In just under two years, they would be married, but it had begun there, with a conversation in the Cairo museum and her great-grandmother’s bold decision to follow him to Thebes.

In the spring of 1921, she would have been just barely twenty-two years old, and Clara couldn’t help but wonder about the age of her ghost. He looked so unchanged in the photographs she had seen, the length of his salt and pepper hair the only thing that indicated any passage of time. He had always been ageless to her, but her namesake had commented on the age difference, and as she neared twenty-eight herself, Clara had to admit that he still looked significantly older than her. In his forties, easily, perhaps fifties. He’d told her that if she dug into the paperwork she would find him there, and she decided to look into it in the morning, see what information could be gleaned from genealogical websites and the like, since he’d always shown such unwillingness to answer any sort of personal question.

She turned back to the journal, curious where their story had gone in the two years between meeting and marrying. The next section was filled to bulging with postcards and envelopes tucked between the pages — a period of extensive correspondence, clearly. Clara hesitated. Reading her great-grandmother’s travel journal was one thing, but in the current moment, alone in the post-midnight silence of her flat, she wasn’t sure she could bear to read the letters her ghost had written to his future wife as they fell in love. Instead, she flipped through quickly until she reached the last of the postcards, and then read the first journal entry that followed it.

4 March 1923, London

He is in Glasgow! After all these months of correspondence, of knowing my true feelings but being unwilling to divulge them via the impersonal medium of paper, the Doctor is no more than a train ride away. And yet after the fiasco of my extended stay in Egypt in ‘21, I cannot imagine that Mother and Father will react well to my desire to go to Scotland to see him.

His postcard did not say how long he plans to be in Glasgow, only that letters sent to the university there might reach him faster than if sent via the normal address. I worry that he will be this close by for only a short time. With all the news out of the Valley of the Kings these last few months, I don’t expect he will stay in dreary old Scotland for long.

I’m afraid that if I don’t seize this opportunity, I will never get another chance to tell him of my feelings for him in person. I worry that if I ask to go, Mother and Father will not permit it, and that if I take the initiative and go without asking, they will never forgive me.

And I am afraid that the Doctor does not love me as I love him, that he won’t be able to see past the differences in our ages to all that we could be, the life that we could build together. I worry that in running off to see him, I will destroy not only my relationship with my parents, but also my friendship with him.

What fear should I let rule me? Which worry is the most likely to be true?

No.

Instead, better questions: How will I live with myself if I let myself be ruled by fear? If I do not live by the truth of my heart, how can I live at all?

I will follow him to Glasgow, as I followed him to Thebes. Let me be brave. Let the fates do as they will.

The next entry was written a few days later, detailing her clandestine departure from home and the long train journey from London to Glasgow, peppered with her simmering fears at how her unannounced arrival would be greeted by the Doctor. Her worry and her longing were palpable, and Clara felt an odd sort of kinship with this woman, her great-grandmother and namesake, as she abandoned everything in her life on the chance to be with the man she loved. She had never done anything like it herself — she had never felt that strongly about anyone, besides her ghost — but somehow it felt like something she would do.

She turned the page, looking for their reunion, but found that the next entry was dated weeks later.

28 March 1923, Glasgow

The days have been too full and too happy to find a scrap of time to add my thoughts here, so in short: one of my fears was unfounded, the other not.

The Doctor loves me as I love him. It is the truth that will chart the course of our lives together, from now until the stars all burn from the sky.

And Mother and Father will never forgive me.

The pages that followed were filled with hastily jotted down notes, interspersed with little keepsakes: a visitor’s guide to the Kelvingrove art museum, a program from an orchestral performance, a short love letter scrawled on university stationary in handwriting Clara had to assume belonged to her ghost. She folded that one back up without reading it, then skipped ahead to the date on the back of the wedding photo and found that her great-grandmother had written:

12 May 1923, Glasgow

Tomorrow we will make our farewells to Scotland and start the long journey south to Egypt, but today marks the beginning of a different and far greater adventure: marriage!

It will be a very small wedding, with only a few of the Doctor’s friends and cousins in attendance, but I find I do not care. I get to keep him, and any other concerns fade out of existence in the blinding light of that fact.

Tomorrow will also be two years since our first meeting in Cairo, and I am looking forward to revisiting the scene of that fateful interaction, this time as a married woman. How wonderful it is to have not lost that intriguing stranger to the shuffle of humanity, after all.

The journal shifted in tone after that, chronicling their journey from Glasgow to Cairo and the beginnings of their life together in Egypt, as the Doctor returned to his archaeological work in the field. In the summer of ‘23, her great-grandmother decided to take up drawing, and many of the pages that followed were filled with pencil sketches of the monuments of Egypt, the series of small homes they lived in, and the familiar face of her ghost, growing ever more accurate as her skill improved.

Clara thought of her own childhood habit of sketching his face on any blank corner of paper she could find, and wondered how they might compare. Her great-grandmother’s drawings were occasionally dated, and by the spring of 1925, the journal shifted back to being more of a travelogue again, though the entries were more sparse than they had been before, and sketches continued to fill the margins.

15 June 1925, London

Even in the height of summer, London feels grim and drab after two years in Egypt. When I said as much, the Doctor merely laughed and pointed out that it could be worse: it could be Glasgow. He has spent so many years now, off and on, living in Egypt, moving from dig site to dig site as the work demands, and I think he is ready for a more settled existence for a while. The position at the British Museum suits him well, and will provide us with a more stable foundation on which to build our life — and as much as I enjoyed our transient circumstances in Egypt, there is a certain allure to building something lasting together. A new sort of adventure.

I had hoped that with our return to London, and after two years of marriage, Mother and Father might have found a way to forgive me, but it seems that door is forever closed. I am determined to focus on the future instead, and on the family the Doctor and I mean to create together.

Reading that, Clara felt a pang of heartsickness for this woman she had never known. She had been close with both of her parents before their deaths, and was grateful to have had that time with them. She couldn’t imagine her parents being so angry with her that they would shut her out of their lives, but scanning ahead, she didn’t see any indication that her namesake’s parents had ever relented. Instead, the journal dealt with the process of settling back into life in London, and her great-grandmother’s dreams for the future, with small sketches peppering the edges of each page.

As she turned the pages, Clara’s eyes caught on the rare use of colour in one of her drawings, and with a surprised blink she realised she recognised it as the stained glass window over the front door of her Gran’s house. The journal entry beside the drawing read:

1 August 1925, London

The House, as I have determined it must always be called, is a ridiculous rambling Victorian thing, all gabled roofs and ornate woodwork and stained glass windows, such as the one I have drawn here. It is entirely too large for the two of us, but it was love at first sight for both the Doctor and myself, and no house we have considered since has compared. At least there will be enough room for our ever-growing legion of books. And there are several bedrooms — perhaps it is too ambitious of me to imagine them someday filled, but despite all our failed efforts, I remain hopeful.

Having dealt so closely with her Gran’s personal details the last few weeks, Clara knew that she would be born barely three years later, in late August of 1928. Her great-grandmother died only a few months after that, and it felt strange to read of her hopes for a large family, knowing it didn’t happen in the end. Through reading her journal, it had become clear to Clara that they were alike in many ways, but on that one point they couldn’t be more different. She enjoyed children, she wouldn’t have become a teacher if she didn’t, but she’d never felt drawn to motherhood. She was almost the same age as her namesake had been when her Gran was born, and she couldn’t imagine having a baby now, much less hoping for multiple children.

Of course, she wondered if she might feel differently if she’d had the sort of fairy tale romance her great-grandmother had had. Starting a family with someone she loved felt a lot less abstract than the vague idea of having a baby. Maybe that was the difference. She could certainly understand her great-grandmother wanting children with the Doctor—

At that thought, it all came back to her in a rush, everything her ghost had revealed that afternoon, the truth of her Gran’s parentage — and with it, one of the few facts about him that she’d managed to wring out of him as a child. With dread turning her stomach, Clara quickly flipped ahead to the autumn of 1927, scanning the journal entries for any indication, any clue. There was a brief note in early November about plans for Christmas, but then nothing until:

1 December 1927

He is gone. He is gone, and I will never, ever recover.

The bruises may heal, but I will not.

Tears sprung to Clara’s eyes, but she blinked them away, reading on.

8 December 1927

Is it the House that is haunted, or me?

She stared at the words, knowing that almost eighty-seven years later, the house was very much haunted. She turned the page, feeling the tears begin to roll down her face.

12 December 1927

Perhaps it is only my mind playing tricks on me, but perhaps it is something more. Perhaps there is some magic that ties us together even now. I live in hope — for what other way is there to live, now?

The following pages were full of nothing but undated sketches of the Doctor, looking exactly as Clara knew him. I made that promise to the only person I’ve spoken to since my death. The only one who could ever see me, her ghost had told her, not twelve hours earlier. Gripped with the need to know, she turned the journal pages quickly, looking for her great-grandmother’s familiar handwriting amongst all the drawings of her ghost, until finally:

3 February 1928

I have counted out the days and counted them again. My memory of last November is far from clear, but there is no mistake in this: I am with child. And this is no parting gift, no consolation prize from the universe, only one more tragedy to heap onto the pile. This baby will not have the Doctor’s eyes or his smile or his laugh. This baby—

How am I to endure this? Alone in the House we had hoped to fill, how can I possibly find the strength to face what is to come?

I continue to dream of him, to have visions, even. Some days I fear I have gone mad with the grief, but other days, those visions are my only comfort, those dreams my only reprieve from the nightmares that plague me. Something in my heart refuses to believe that the Doctor is truly gone. Something compels me to speak to him, and hope that he will, somehow, impossible though it may be, hear me and respond.

And then:

8 February 1928

They are not visions, and I am not mad.

But more importantly — I am no longer alone.

Clara set down the journal, taking a moment to swipe at the tears on her face. She had known, deep down she had known that she would find only pain at the end of this story, and yet she hadn’t been able to stop herself. I know you won’t stop digging until you’ve uncovered all the gory details, he’d said to her, and he’d been right, of course he’d been right. Her ghost had tried to protect her from this, but she had charged ahead anyway, disregarding his warnings.

And that edge of the mystery still called to her, the unanswered questions still nagged at her. However much it hurt, she had to know. Picking up the journal again, she skipped ahead, flipping pages until she reached her Gran’s birthday.

21 August 1928

It is a girl. I have named her Margaret Eleanor, as we so long discussed. Our little Margot. None of this is her fault, and I do not love her less for it. I only wish I could love her more. I wish my heart were still capable of it. I wish I could have greeted her arrival with the joy she deserves. I wish I didn’t have to welcome her into the world alone.

The more days pass, the more I am convinced the Doctor meant what he said as a final goodbye. The last six months with him have revived me in a way I didn’t think possible, and to have that ripped away, to once again be facing the prospect of a future without him—

‘You are stronger than you know,’ he told me, and I wish I could believe it.

Even more, I wish he was still here. In whatever form, I wish he was here. Perhaps in time I will see him again. I must hold to that hope, for it is the last one I have.

The journal entries stopped after that, and again the pages were filled with sketches: a round-faced newborn with wispy hair, bits of the house that Clara recognised easily, and the Doctor, always the Doctor.

Turning the pages quickly, she came across one last entry in the journal, the following pages all blank. Her great-grandmother’s familiar handwriting was no longer small, neat loops, but instead scrawled wide with anguish, and Clara felt her heart skip a beat at the date at the top of the page.

23 November 1928

Where have you gone, my love? Why have you left me?

I suppose I cannot fault the dead for not keeping their promises. You did not choose this fate for us, and I do not blame you for it. I only wish it could have been different. I wish that we had a second chance at life, a second chance to build for ourselves everything we dreamed our life together could be.

I cannot live like this. I will not.

I will follow you, my love, wherever it is that you have gone. Wherever you are now, I will find you. As I followed you to Thebes and to Glasgow, I will follow you now.

I will see you again.

Wait for me.

Clara stared in horror at the final words on the page. Seized with a sudden nauseous dread, she dropped the journal on the coffee table and bolted up from the sofa, lurching towards her laptop on the desk across the room. Her hands trembled as she pulled up a search page, pouring out every scrap of relevant family information she could think of, ending with 23 November 1928 suicide.

The internet, that modern wonder, took only moments to confirm her fears. Tears filled her eyes again, blurring the screen in front of her, but she fumbled her way through printing the eighty-six year old coroner's report. She snatched up the paper still warm, jammed her feet into her trainers and pulled on a coat, grabbed her keys and her purse, and was out the door before she could change her mind.

Chapter 4: The Past

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