#interview dress etiquette

[marketerkoushik]

Digital Marketing Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

Entering the dynamic field of digital marketing can be both exciting and challenging, especially for freshers looking to make their mark in the industry. To help aspiring digital marketing Freshers prepare for interviews, we've compiled a list of common Digital Marketing Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers and provided detailed answers to assist in their preparation.

#digital marketing interview questions and answers for freshers #digital marketing executive interview questions and answers for freshers #interview dress etiquette #what to say in digital marketing interview #proper etiquette for job interview

[digiarchana]

#Digital marketing interview questions and answers for freshers marketing executive interview questions and answers for freshers #interview dress etiquette #what to say in digital marketing interview #proper etiquette for job interview

[digitalinterview]

Digital Marketing Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

Are you a fresher aspiring to begin a career in digital marketing? Getting started can be tough, especially when you're facing an interview. But don't worry, we've got your back. Our comprehensive guide on digital marketing interview questions and answers for freshers has got everything you need to ace your interview with confidence. From the basics of digital marketing to the key metrics to track, we cover it all. 

We've even included sample answers to common questions to help you prepare. With our expert guidance, you'll be able to showcase your skills and knowledge to potential employers. Our in-depth article also covers the importance of meta descriptions in digital marketing and offers tips to write effective ones. Get ready to impress your interviewer and land your dream job in digital marketing.

#digital marketing interview questions and answers for freshers #digital marketing executive interview questions and answers for freshers #interview dress etiquette #what to say in digital marketing interview #proper etiquette for job interview

[csuitebitches]

Book Review- The Wealth Elite: A Groundbreaking Study of the Psychology of the Super Rich, by Rainer Zitelmann Notes

I came across this book because I was looking for psychology books. I found the first of the book rather boring and too textbook-y. The second part is much better.

The author interviewed like 45 millionaire - billionaires. These were his findings.

—

48% stated that real estate was an ‘important’ source of their wealth, and one in ten described real estate as the ‘most important’ aspect of their personal wealth-building. And a total of 20% described stock market gains as an ‘important’ factor in wealth-building, although in this case only 2.4% stated that this was the ‘most important’ factor in building their wealth.

‘Creative intelligence’ is key to financial success. The following is a comparison between the percentage of entrepreneurs (and in brackets the percentage of attorneys) who agreed that the following factors played a decisive role in their financial success: seeing opportunities others do not see: 42 (19); finding a profitable niche: 35 (14).

The role of habitus

* Intimate knowledge of required codes of dress and etiquette

* Broad-based general education

* An entrepreneurial attitude, including an optimistic outlook on life

* Supreme self-assurance in appearance and manner.

He identifies a key quality that is essential for any prospective appointee to the executive board or senior management of a major company: habitual similarities to those who already occupy such positions.

Skillset of Entrepreneurs

* The ‘conqueror’. The entrepreneur has to have the ability to make plans and a strong will to carry them out.

* The ‘organizer’. The entrepreneur has to have the ability to bring large numbers of people together into a happy, successful creative force.

* The ‘trader’. What Sombart describes as a ‘trader’, we would more likely call a talented salesperson today. The entrepreneur has to “confer with another, and, by making the best of your own case and demonstrating the weakness of his, get him to adopt what you propose. Negotiation is but an intellectual sparring match.”

Entrepreneurial success personality traits

* Commitment

* Creativity

* A high degree of extroversion

* Low levels of agreeableness

Entrepreneurial success personality traits

* Orientation towards action after suffering disappointments (the entrepreneur remains able to act, even after failure)

* Internal locus of control (the conviction “I hold my destiny in my own two hands”)

* Optimism (the expectation that the future holds positive things in store)

* Self-efficacy (the expectation that tasks can be performed successfully, even in difficult circumstances).

constant power struggles with their teachers in order to ascertain who would emerge the stronger from such confrontations.

Secret of selling

* Empathy

* Didactics

* Expert knowledge

* Networking.

Conscientiousness is the dominant personality trait. Extroversion is also very common among the interviewees. Openness to Experience is very common

A high tolerance to frustration is one of the most characteristic personality traits of this group.

exceptionally high levels of mental stability.

primarily characterize entrepreneurs as being prepared to swim against the current and make their decisions irrespective of majority opinion.

“No, I never did that (lost my temper). I never get loud. But I can be resolute and say: “That is unacceptable.” And then you either have to go your separate ways or make a decision that the other party might not like. It’s the same in negotiations. I was always described by other people as a bit of a toughie.”

Having the courage to stand against majority opinion is probably a prerequisite for making successful investments, as this is what makes it possible to buy cheap and sell high.

Many of the interviewees spoke about their ability to switch off and direct their focus, even in the event of major problems. The interviewees consistently referred to their ability to focus on solutions, rather than torturing themselves with problems.

At least in the initial phases of wealth creation, most of the interviewees rated their own risk profiles as very high. This changes during the stabilization phase, when risk profiles decrease. In this phase, the hypothesis of moderate risk does apply.

Conscientiousness was the interviewees’ most dominant personality trait. It is important to remember that the Big Five theory’s definition of conscientiousness does not just include qualities such as duty, precision, and thoroughness, but also emphasizes diligence, discipline, ambition, and stamina.

#c suite #powerful woman #strong women #ceo aesthetic #personal growth #that girl #productivity #getting your life together #balance #book review #books

[damianwaynerocks]

ya know how it’s canon that damian was taking acting lessons with carrie? and that he was really good at it?

what if that’s his civilian job when he’s older?

like we know some of the bats have civilian jobs. bruce, obviously, runs WE. tim is CEO. dick is a cop.

what if damian’s civilian job is an actor?

i know it wouldn’t make total sense bc he’d probably have to leave set randomly in the middle of a scene because he’d have to go on a mission but hear me out.

we know he loved acting because he gets to be someone else. carrie says this:

and then damian says the same thing in super sons

yeah he could’ve been saying that to fuck with jon but because carrie said the same thing, i think he was being honest.

and besides, look at how he played that old man. that is a jolly old fella and i personally read it in sweet old man voice.

and the disguises he always chooses when going undercover are outfits like these

and yes you could say that it’s just a gag bit the writer put in to be funny or you could say that that’s how damian feels like “normal” people dress and he’s trying to fit in but to me!! i feel like it’s him trying to be the opposite of how he is. you know, being somebody else.

plus he’s so good with voices. he could easily put on any accent necessary.

and so i think he would be an actor. yeah, he wouldn’t be able to be in gotham all the time filming movies and stuff, but personally i love the idea of damian being like dick and moving out of gotham to become his own hero/person.

he’d get the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be someone else, someone who wasn’t taught to kill someone before they could walk, someone who wasn’t forced to grow up way too fast, someone who doesn’t have to risk their life every single night, somebody who doesn’t have to hold possibly the world’s biggest secret. he could embrace being a completely different person, even if it’s only for a few hours at a time.

and imagine how funny it would be for the batfamily to turn on their tv and watch their mean, stern little brother have a wide smile with an australian accent in a romantic comedy.

jason storming out of the manor after damian insulted him 30 times and then he turns on his tv to get his mind off it and there damian is on a beach searching for treasure side-by-side with tom holland

damian in a wired google search interview and the first result is “is damian wayne robin?” and damian just sighs.

damian on a press tour in an interview and he’s just shooting the shit with jennifer anniston.

tim watching the tiktok edits of damian and just silently fuming at the comments that are like “he’s so babygirl”

damian getting an offer for a star wars movie and yeah, he might hate star wars because the lightsaber duels follow no sword fighting etiquette but he takes the role anyways so that tim can’t watch his beloved star wars without seeing damian wielding a light saber with ewan mccgregor

would dc do it? no definitely not and logistically it wouldn’t work because crimefighter hours probs do not mesh with 14 hour days on set. however!! imagine damian in a buzzfeed puppies interview.

#stephanie is his agent #damian wayne #tim drake #jason todd #dick grayson #red robin #robin #red hood #nightwing #batfamily headcanons #incorrect batfamily quotes #batman

[reaper2187]

Lady dimitrescu x maid reader

You had always been fascinated by the luxurious lifestyle of the upper class. Growing up in a small, modest town, you had always dreamt of one day living in a grand mansion, surrounded by opulence and extravagance. So when you saw an ad for a job at the Dimitrescu castle, you couldn't resist applying. Little did you know, this decision would change your life forever.

As you walked up to the massive gates of the castle, your heart was pounding with excitement and nerves. You were dressed in a traditional butler suit, a stark contrast to your usual attire of jeans and t-shirts. But you wanted to make a good impression, especially since this was your dream job.

The gates creaked open, and you walked towards the imposing facade of the castle. As you made your way through the grand entryway, you couldn't help but admire the intricate details of the walls and the high ceilings. It felt like you had stepped into a different world.

You were greeted by a tall, intimidating woman dressed in a black dress, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders. She introduced herself as Lady Alcina Dimitrescu, the owner of the castle. You couldn't stop staring at her, mesmerized by her beauty and confidence.

'My lady, I am here for the job interview,' you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

She looked you up and down, a hint of amusement in her eyes. 'You brought a butler suit, even though you are a woman. Interesting. Follow me.'

You followed her through the corridors, trying your best to keep up with her long strides. She finally led you to a lavish room, adorned with expensive furniture and chandeliers. She motioned for you to sit on one of the plush chairs, while she took a seat across from you.

She peppered you with questions, testing your skills and knowledge of etiquette. You answered each one effortlessly, thanks to your years of experience working in various hotels. Lady Dimitrescu seemed pleased with your answers and offered you the job on the spot.

'I must warn you, the work here may not be what you are used to. But I assure you, it will be a one-of-a-kind experience,' she said with a smirk.

You accepted the job without hesitation, eager to start your new life at the Dimitrescu castle. Little did you know, the work here would be far from ordinary.

Your first day on the job was a whirlwind. Lady Dimitrescu gave you a tour of the castle, which seemed more like a maze with its never-ending corridors and hidden rooms. She introduced you to the other staff, who all seemed to be in awe of her.

You also met her daughters, Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela. They were all as elegant as their mother, but there was something off about them. They seemed to be watching you with curiosity and a hint of malice. But you pushed those thoughts aside, thinking it was just your imagination.

Days turned into weeks, and soon you settled into your routine at the castle. Your duties included serving meals, maintaining the cleanliness of the castle, and assisting Lady Dimitrescu with her tasks. You also learned that the castle was open to guests, but they were a rare occurrence.

Despite the occasional coldness from Lady Dimitrescu, you found yourself enjoying your work. The grandeur of the castle never failed to amaze you, and you felt like a part of something truly extraordinary.

One night, as you were preparing for bed, you heard a commotion coming from the direction of Lady Dimitrescu's chambers. You hesitated for a moment, not wanting to intrude, but curiosity got the best of you. You quietly made your way towards the source of the noise.

As you reached her door, you heard a man's voice, pleading for his life. Your heart raced as you debated whether to intervene or not. But before you could make a decision, you heard a loud thud, followed by eerie silence.

You couldn't shake off the feeling that something terrible had happened, but you pushed it aside, convincing yourself that it was none of your business. As the days passed, the incident was forgotten, and you continued with your work, trying not to think about it.

But then one day, Lady Dimitrescu called you to her chambers. You felt a sense of unease as you made your way up the stairs. When you entered her room, you saw her sitting in front of a large mirror, examining her reflection. You noticed that her face was contorted in an expression of pain.

'My dear, it seems I have a cut on my cheek. Will you please assist me in fixing it?' she asked in a strained voice.

You approached her, taking a closer look at her face. That's when you saw it - a deep gash on her cheek. You took out a first-aid kit from your pocket and started to clean the wound.

As you were tending to her, you couldn't help but notice that her skin was ice-cold. You also saw a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, and you were taken aback by the sight. Her eyes were glowing red, and her fangs were extended. You quickly averted your gaze, trying not to show any fear.

After you finished bandaging her wound, she turned to you with a small smile. 'You have a gentle touch, my dear. Thank you,' she said.

You couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and fascination towards her. But you knew that you were just an employee, and your job was to serve her. So you pushed those thoughts aside, trying to focus on your duties.

As time passed, you couldn't deny the growing attraction between you and Lady Dimitrescu. You found yourself thinking about her constantly, and you noticed that she always seemed to be watching you. But you didn't dare act on your feelings, knowing it could cost you your job.

One night, as you were cleaning Lady Dimitrescu's room, you found a diary hidden in her desk. You hesitated for a moment, but curiosity got the better of you, and you started to read it. That's when you learned the truth about the Dimitrescu family - they were not human, but vampires. And Lady Dimitrescu was the ruler of their coven.

You couldn't believe what you were reading, but it all made sense now. Her daughters were not just strange, but they were also vampires like their mother. And you couldn't help but wonder about Lady Dimitrescu's intentions towards you.

But before you could finish reading, you heard her voice behind you. 'My dear, what are you doing with my diary?'

You turned around, feeling guilty and scared at the same time. But instead of anger, you saw a hint of amusement in her eyes. 'My lady, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I was just curious,' you said, trying to calm down.

She walked towards you, her demeanor changing from playful to intense. 'Curiosity killed the cat, my dear. But in your case, it might just ignite a flame. I have been watching you, and I must say, you have intrigued me,' she said, her eyes locked with yours.

And with that, your life at the Dimitrescu castle took an unexpected turn. You found yourself being drawn into a dangerous and thrilling romance with Lady Alcina Dimitrescu, the mistress of the castle. And with each passing day, you couldn't help but embrace the excitement and danger that came with it.

#lesbian #wlw #wlw post #lady alcina dimitrescu #lady alcina x reader #lady dimitrescu #lady dimitrescu x reader #lady dimitrescu x y/n #alcina dimitrescu #alcina dimitrescu x y/n #alcina x reader #alcina x y/n #alcina dimitriscu x reader #re8 #re8 village #re8 lady dimitrescu #resident evil village #resident evil

[whiteboi-inferiority]

Some of you been trying to get in touch lately. That's cool.

If you're just swinging by to say hi and thanks, then what follows doesn't apply to you.

You want me to talk to you though? Some hints and tips (and very common mistakes) that will increase your chances of an actual conversation or two and from there, who knows.

The best way is to have a blog with some original content. Pics of you, stories, captions, whatever. I'm looking for commitment and authenticity, some skin in the game, some evidence of actual fucking effort. In your message don't just fawn. I don't need that. Be brief, be articulate, be confident in what you like and what you bring to the table and be clear on why you want a place with me, specifically, over any generic black guy or Dom. Job interview etiquette applies and know I get 4 or 5 'candidates' a day. Respect the fact I am a busy guy with a life away from here, several real life submissives, and several more long distance things going on. My girls, gurls and bois are all different, all exquisite, and they all interest me in different ways. It's on you to show me what i'm missing and why I'm going to make time for you. Be a muse, be amusing. Wow me.

So!

If you have an empty blog, don't bother. I'm not interested in lurkers.

If your blog is just reposts of the usual stuff I've seen 100 times before, don't bother.

If you're just going to start contact with 'hey...', don't bother. I'm not interested.

If you're just looking for someone, anyone, to Dom you for the 2 minutes it takes for you to jerk off, don't bother. I'm not a jack off service.

If your blog is full of explicit hard core porn, don't bother - your account will be deactivated soon and you'll probably be disappeared before we start chatting away from here anyway. You don't represent a good ROI of my time. Of the 4 or 5 of you that make contact today, 2 of you will be gone tomorrow, and at least 1 more within the month.

Unless your wife/gf/mom/daughter is hot, living near me and interested in hooking up, I don't care that you wish you could see them suck a cock like a Blacked girl right in front of you. If I can't see it, smell it, hear it, taste it or feel it - if its not actually going to happen on my cock - I don't care.

Outright headcanon fantasists and part-timers who 'don't need to dress up because they can imagine it so well...', hard pass. If I tell you to feminise yourself, take a pic in a certain pose, jerk off a certain way or make a post about something it isn't a question of whether you feel you need to to sustain your little fantasy. It's a question of whether you're going to pay the price of submission to talk to me. If you can't or won't follow simple instruction, then I have no interest in you.

Those of you who confuse sissy with trans, hard pass. Trans women are women. You are not a woman just because you fantasise about being sexually submissive and effeminate around a black man. You're a sissy, a toy, a whiteboi fuckdoll. That's all. If you can't or don't accept that, don't bother.

FLR, ABDL, Gooners: kittens I adore seeing you relinquish your masculinity and pride to roll around in your own shame and filth. But to be clear: these kinks are your weaknesses, not my interests. I cater to you because my mission is to enable every single last one of you whiteboi fucks to become codependent emasculated bottom-feeders of one kind or another, willingly, done by yourselves to yourselves, stripped of the convenient deniability of coercion. I'm fixing to cook and push good quality junk so you can fuck yourselves up, not share the needle. Definitely not looking to change your fucking diapers.

If you clearly haven't read this pinned note, don't bother.

Stay sticky, losers

D

#loser humiliation #pathetic loser #bnwo #bnwo propaganda #pussy free whiteboy #beta faggot #whiteboi feminization #white beta #beta sissy #prejac #gooning #gooner

[feministsforkatemiddleton]

ALL THIS. Please email this to Zeynep Tufecki.

For a long time, Middleton was a nearly silent presence. In the years that she dated Prince William, she rarely spoke in public; many people didn’t know what her voice sounded like until the couple gave an engagement interview in 2010. But she had long been photographed by the paparazzi, and their attention moved in stages. As girlfriend to the future king, the tabloids hoped to catch her in a misstep or tacky moment. When she was photographed in 2008 wearing an emerald-green halter top and Day-Glo shorts at a disco-themed party, the U.K. tabloid the Daily Mail wrote, “The less than demure yellow hotpants she was wearing did little to conceal her dignity.”

After she became engaged to Prince William, photos of Middleton wearing bikinis on beach trips still appeared on magazine covers and gossip websites. Commentary circulated on blogs and in glossy magazines about how her physique fit (or didn’t fit) a certain paradigm for the female form; eventually Middleton was photographed sunbathing without a bikini top. But the conversation also shifted, ironically, to whether she was appropriately covered up. Alleged experts would pick apart whether her hemlines were long enough and if “royal etiquette” dictated that she could show her shoulders in a strapless gown. When a stiff wind blew up her skirt, Middleton was scolded by tabloids for not properly fitting her dresses’ hems with weights. In the months preceding her 2011 royal wedding, a tabloid debate raged about whether she was too thin, which the newspapers disguised as faux concern for her health. (It didn’t help that Middleton entered her marriage at around the same time that social media and smartphones spread across the globe, allowing Instagrammers to speculate publicly as much as columnists did.)

#princess catherine #princess of wales #british royal family #team wales #prince william #sexism #brf

[sophietv]

Kaylor Timeline BEFORE VSFS 2013

It's a thread I did on my Twitter that I'll transfer here.

Once again, I used amazing Tumblr posts to do it. So I'll credit them as we go (If I need to do something else tell me, I'm new to the Tumblr etiquette).

So the official story is that Taylor and Karlie crossed path a couple of times without interacting and met for the first time at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show in 2013 🤔

Well they met A LOT of times and interacted before actually 😅

Let's see the Timeline before that VSFS in 2013!

***I'll edit this post as I find new interactions (because I feel like I'll find a lot of them) I'll add this 🆕 beside new additions and dates when it was added at the end of the post.

First meeting!

So what motivated my thread in the first place is this Interview Taylor did in 2014 with Andrew Bevan of Teen Vogue.

Here's the YouTube Link (X)

But here's the most important part of that interview:

He is saying that he introduced Karlie and Emma Stone to Taylor!!

Ok we know that Taylor met Emma at the 2008 Young Hollywood Award.

I don't think though that he is talking about that event. Because he says that he congratulated her for her cover.

Taylor did two covers with Teen Vogue, one in 2009 and one in 2011.

Following the Timeline and everything it's most likely the March 2009 one:

EDIT:

Thanks to this Anon! (X)

A magazine cover is planned 2-8 months in advance, up to a year for major celebrities.

The Young Hollywood Award was on late April 2008 and the cover was for March 2009 so it make sense.

So it's most likely that Taylor met karlie for the first time at the same event she met Emma for the first time.

🆕 Really cute fact.

On the Cover of that magazine, Taylor wears a dress from the Calvin Klein Spring 2009 show. (X)

Guess who walked that runway??

Karlie! (X)

I exceeded the limit of picture so click on the (X) to see the posts.

Tommy Hilfiger spring 2010 collection:

Septembre 16th 2009 Taylor attends the Tommy Hilfiger Spring Show during New York Fashion Week. (X)

Karlie was there too! (X)

In this post, you can see videos of Taylor watching Karlie on the runway: (X)

Here's the YouTube video : (X)

🆕Met Gala 2010:

They were both at the Met Gala in 2010

🆕In Milan together

Although they were not at the same Fashion Show (that we know) Taylor and Karlie were in Milan at the same time during the Fashion Week.

Another interesting facts. This could explain the "1958" reference of Timeless:

Thanks to Izg on Twitter for giving me this!!

Roberto Cavalli 40th Anniversary Party:

Septembre 30th 2010

Taylor and Karlie attends the Roberto Cavalli 40th Anniversary party in Paris.

Met Gala 2011:

May 2nd 2011

Karlie and Taylor both attend the Met Gala:

This is also the first time that we have confirmation of an interaction between them:

Thanks to that amazing post! (X)

Karlie said in Teen Vogue that they joked about having a baking date.

Rodarte Spring 2012 fashion show:

Septembre 13th 2011

Taylor attend Rodarte Spring 2012 fashion show where Karlie walks.

Here's a link to the video (X)

Vogue Febuary 2012:

January 17th 2012

Taylor mentions Karlie in her Vogue interview: "I love Karlie Kloss! I Want to bake cookies with her!"

And this quote, made history.

Karlie answers the same day:

Vogue Fashion's Night Out:

August 2012

Thanks to this post (X)

Taylor and Karlie star in the same commercial about Vogue Fashion Night Out:

Thanks to @hairpinraindrop for the video

Karlie and Taylor were present at the event too on Septembre 6th 2012

Paris 2012:

Septembre 30th 2012

Karlie walks the runway for Jean-Paul Gauthier in Paris:

Taylor is in Paris at the same time to film the Begin Again MV:

Funny Koincidence(?), I went back and watch that MV again, and look at the opening scene!

The Love Lock Bridge!!!

Elie Saab Spring Summer 2013 show:

Octobre 3rd 2012

Taylor is still in Paris and attends The Paris Fashion Week (X) at a fashion show where I'm pretty sure Karlie walked (I'm still searching for photos/videos).

But we know that Karlie was at the Paris Fashion Week too! (Thanks Astra!)

Here's a video:

🆕Met Gala 2013

They were also both at the Met Gala in 2013. Wich was in May.

So there you have it! All of Kaylor interaction BEFORE the 2013 VSFS!

This explains the timing of it all.

Because they allegedly met at the 2013 Victoria Secret Fashion Show in Novembre.

But as we know, Taylor moved to New York because Karlie asked her:

Timestamp 1:23

And people believe that she moved there after their Big Sur trip in March 2014.

Actually. Back in January 2014, Taylor was already looking to buy an appartment near Karlie's:

And she actually bought her Tribeca oenthouse in February.

Thanks to Bigsurlor for this!!

So they definitly knew each other before 2013!

Edit August 19 2023: Met Gala 2010, Milan trip together and Met Gala 2013 and the appartment hunting

Edit August 27th 2023: the Calvin Klein Spring 2009 dress section

#gaylor #kaylor #lsk #lgbetty #karlie kloss #taylor swift #timeline #mastermind #invisible string #your past and mine are parallel lines #Youtube

[eydi-andrius]

Fool Entire III

warnings: none, a flashback, nobles being nobles but none so far

pairings: Aemond Targaryen x Highborn!Reader

summary:

If someone asked you who Prince Aemond was in your life, you probably would have said the love of your life.

Years have passed but still your heart yearns for him. 

But you were no fool.

It was a lesson learned for you not to give your heart to a man who knows nothing but duty. Highly inspired by the song Bitter Water by Oh Hellos.

a/n: well... i don't think i did well on that interview but yeah i did my best. hehe! Anyway, here it is! i'm so excited to share this with you! also, i will not do a tag list anymore as there's no changes with the reads that i have if I have them or not. you may click your notifications on for my page to get new updates

Your comments are really important to me but it is easier for me to see it if you use reblog. It will also help more readers to see my work. Thank you, lovelies! Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV

++++++++++

There was a well-known story about a young lord who was stripped off his title as heir when he pursued his dream of singing. 

He was ridiculed and was later banished. The last time the people of King's Landing heard from him was when he traveled to Essos. 

Since then, no one knows what happened to him. They believed he died singing. At least he was serenaded by his tunes before he was captured and killed by the Dothraki, the whispers have said. 

"Uncle, why are you braiding my hair so slowly?" The girl at a young age of five grumbled and pouted as she tried her best not to move so her uncle could finish fixing her hair. 

"Then why did you come for me to fix your hair? You can always ask your servant to help you with it." The young man said as he picked up the laces to lock her hair. He made sure to tighten it this time to prevent the knot from falling. 

"No way! If I come back with my hair in disarray, they will tell my teacher in etiquette about it. She will hit me again." The girl turned to his uncle with a frown. Cheeks were puffed as she pursed her lips in disapproval. 

The uncle's eyes softened at that and he sat down in front of her so their eyes would meet. 

"Then don't hesitate to come for me again so I can fix your hair, yes?" He smiled and the young one cheered and hugged him tightly. From a hug, he surrounded his arm to her tiny form and picked her up with a groan. 

"Oh darling! You sure are getting heavier!" He grumbled again when he straightened his back and heard a loud pop from the action. 

"She's growing well isn't she?" A woman wearing a gray dress sauntered forward in their direction. She was holding her round huge belly and by the looks of it, she was about to give birth soon. 

"Why are you here? I thought you're not feeling well?" The man asked with a worried look as the girl shouted "mother!" and requested to be put down so she can come running towards her. 

The girl immediately came beside the woman and held her hand. She helped her sit down at a nearby chair. 

"I am fine. I feel suffocated being in the same room for days now. A change of scenery will not hurt the babe." The woman muttered a quiet thank you to the girl with a smile. 

"And also, I missed your voice. Would you sing for me before I could have this child?" The woman smiled at the man. Before he could protest tho, the girl jumped from joy after hearing her mother's request. 

"Would you, uncle?! Please sing the song….Ahhh….that….umhh…Dragon Lullaby!" She said in a high pitched tone as she excitedly requested her new favorite song. 

The man learned that song once while staying on the Red Keep. He doesn't really know what the full meaning of the song was. He just knew that it was sung in Valyrian and it was known as Dragon Lullaby. 

With a smile and a sigh, a sign of him giving up, he opened his mouth and started singing. Soft voice echoed throughout the room. The mother closed her eyes enjoying the song while the girl started humming as she tried to imitate her uncle. 

Drakari pykiros

Tīkummo jemiros

Yn lantyz bartossa

Saelot vāedis

Hen ñuhā elēnī:

Perzyssy vestretis

Se gēlȳn irūdaks

Ānogrose-

However, the song was interrupted as footfalls echoed to the hallway. There stood the father of the girl and husband of the pregnant woman, wearing a smug grin on his face. 

"Wonderful as always brother." He clapped mockingly as he moved forward, standing beside the girl, who looked terrified as she grabbed her mother's hand. The lady cooed her and moved her nearer. 

"Brother, what brings you here?" With a tight lip, the uncle straightened and looked unsure to his younger brother's eyes. 

"Hmmmm….Father was looking for you."

"He does? Do you know why?" 

"You'll see." The younger brother grinned, too happy for the atmosphere he created. 

With an uncertain look, he bid his farewell to the girl and lady. He gulped as he walked past his brother. 

When the younger brother made sure his brother was out of earshot, the man laughed maniacally. Scaring his daughter and wife. 

With a quiver in her voice, the wife boldly asked, "Is there something amusing, dear husband?" 

"Nothing at all. Just prepare yourself to be called the lady of the house soon." He laughed while sharing the good news to her, but terrible news to the wife, who adored the older brother like her true friend. 

"What do you mean?" Eyes-widen, the lady stood up abruptly scaring the young girl beside her more. 

"Throw all of your affections away towards my older brother now. I am sure he will be banished soon." The man gave the lady a sneer before he abruptly left after dropping the announcement that shattered the woman's heart with worry. She tried to calm down her nerves but her breathing became worse.

She was heaving when she sat down and clutched her stomach. A pained groan left the lady's lips as she felt a contraction on her stomach. 

The girl's eyes widened in fear and she immediately went near her mother. She asked her many questions about what she was feeling when she felt her shoes got wet from water that came out of nowhere. She traced down the source of it with her eyes and fear overtook her when she realized where it came from. 

"Run and tell a servant that I am giving birth." Even in pain, her mother managed to tell her what she needed. With a nod, she ran towards the door and out on the hallway looking for help. 

~~~~~

"Uncle……what are you doing here?" She was feeling many emotions at once but the one that resurfaced was confusion as she frowned at the man who looks older now with grayish hair. 

Her family believed he died after he went to Essos. Not that his death was mourned by them, as her family hated him for choosing a foolish dream instead of being a lord. Her mother does though and she remembered she does too, missing his voice and the way he helped her hide that he secretly fixed her hair so the matron will not know she did not behave like a lady that day. 

She thought she'll forget his face when she gets older but she can still recognize him. His father's older brother, his mother's dear friend. He is here. Standing in front of you, alive and well.

The old man opened and closed his mouth, trying to speak but couldn't. His eyes were wide, stance quivering from relief. Until a tear left his eyes and he crumbled in front of you. 

"Oh thank the new gods! I thought of you two as dead. Many have told me to expect it but I did not believe any word they said." As his knees weakened with relief, he fell down on the floor and by instinct, you went to his side and asked for his well-being. 

"I'll go get water." You heard your sister say as she went to the kitchen. You can hear water being poured to a cup but all your attention was on your uncle. 

He was mumbling about almost losing hope he will ever find the both of you. Being a young noble lady, alone to fight the world, the chances of surviving were very slim but he did not give up.

Instead, he searched every corner of Westeros and followed any trail they provided him. He doesn't care about how tiring it was. How expensive. He cannot lose his nieces. The children of her dear friend. 

You helped him to sit back down on the nearby chair and your sister helped him to sip a cup of water to help calm him down. You asked him to breathe, slowly, in and out. And he followed you even with shaky breaths. Once he deems that he is alright, you step back and stand beside your sister. She looked at you, confused and somewhat curious. 

"I apologize for my behavior earlier. Your sister might be confused about who I am. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am your uncle, your father's brother. The known family shame if they refuse to talk about me properly as I know my family well more than anyone." He introduced himself with a bitter chuckle.

"Oh….you are the…." Your sister raised her finger and looked at you as if asking your permission as she was uncertain to mention something rude. 

"Yes, the one who was supposed to be dead after pursuing his useless dreams. Eaten by the Dorthraki, dismembered, you name it." He said ever so casually.

"Don't be surprised that I know. The people won't stop talking about it for a while. I memorized every tale by now." You can't help but give a low chuckle on how he shared his story. The nobles will never change. And you won't be surprised if he is still under scrutiny. 

Your sister also gave a kind laugh, followed by your uncle as you three looked at each other and understood the struggle that the rumors brought into your lives. 

After a while, you three stopped laughing and you stared at your uncle. You gave him a smile before you ran towards him and gave him the biggest, warmest hug. 

"Oh! I am so glad to see you safe and sound. I myself do believe the rumors that you might be dead but I am thankful that the gods let us see each other again. Come here, Rhea. Meet our uncle. Our mother's closest confidant and friend, who has the voice of an angel and a talent in music." You gesture to your sister to come towards your direction and she did not hesitate to hug him as well. He grunts as he was surprised by your sister's weight as she gave him a tight hug. 

"I know you, uncle! And not by the rumors! Mother won't stop talking about you and she made sure that we will get only the best stories about you." She gave a wolfish grin and proudly shared the stories she heard and believed. 

Your uncle then gave a bashful smile as he made himself humble with the praises your sister keeps throwing his way. Your mother truly loved your uncle, not just a friend but also as a brother. 

However, despite the happy reunion, something keeps bugging inside your mind. As someone who was used to the slum, you must always listen to your gut instinct because it will always save you from harm. It never failed you, not even once. 

That's why after your sister and uncle talked about each other, you can't help but utter the question you wanted to ask. 

"If it was true that you lived a hard life, then I don't understand how you were able to search in every corner of Westeros, if you don't have the gold to help you with finding both of us?" Both of your sister and uncle lost their smiles as you've asked about the obvious. You cannot risk it. When he mentioned about a hard life and still living as much as he can through music, something doesn't seem right. And you have to know about it. Not that you do not trust him but you have been betrayed by the very people who swore to love and cherish you, just to be discarded the next day. You have to know. 

With the question being thrown, the atmosphere changed and your uncle looked more serious.

"I…..Rest assured that it wasn't my intention to hide any of this from the two of you. I thought, maybe, I will share this once I've got to hear your stories and you've got to hear mine but since you have asked and I don't want you to not trust me, I will share how I was able to search every corner of Westeros." His hand tightened holding the wooden cup of water. Uncertain, he tipped it unto his mouth and drank, probably for strength on whatever he had to reveal. 

"It was true that the money I used to search for the two of you came from our family." He continued as he licked his lips.

"That's impossible. The pirates seized all of our own." You denied. 

"I know. But it did come from our riches…..You see when I heard about what happened to our house, I went back to King's Landing and did my best to convince the nobles to help me take it back and find you, my nieces. However, no one batted an eye. All I got was mocking from all of them. Until he came to me." He bit his lips and worry etched on his face. 

"Who?" Curious, you asked.

"He asked me why it must be saved. And I told him the hidden mine, our family heirloom where our riches came from. It will be helpful in bringing stability to the kingdom and also will strengthen our land and sea, aside from the power the sea snake has brought to us. When he asked how I know it will still be intact after my brother's reign, I told him that even my father does not know about that reserved. My grandmother was the one who shared it with me and I hold the map for that hidden treasure. I have to reveal it because I know that's the only one that can save us and our family……I thought at first, he would not believe me, but then the next day came and we looked for it. We found the place and he assisted me in convincing the King to take back our land." He continued the story and you can't help the pang inside your chest. You can feel it gurgling inside you. You are scared of whatever this might be. 

"Who is he, uncle?" You asked again and this time, he looked you in the eye before speaking again.

"You see……the second son had no power nor land on their name. So they have to create their own. I convinced him that if he was able to defeat the pirates and grow our land back, I would give it to him and I would be his aide. And as a promising young man with ambition, he did. He was able to and the land was awarded to him. No one knows tho. As the King and King's hand were scared if he fails but despite winning, he told them to keep it a secret still. But I can't do that to you. I know what you've been through…"

Shaking your head you took a step back with labor breath, not accepting what your uncle was telling you about. 

A promising young man who was able to convince the King and King's hand….. The second son. There is no one that fits that description other than him.

"Don't tell me that you brought him here. To me….?" You asked, frightened about him appearing on your door any time he wants to. Silver hair, body clad with leather armor, eye patch intimidating anyone who crosses his path.

"No! No! No! Don't misunderstand. I never told him about today. I found the two of you by accident and coincidence. I was roaming around the street when I saw a lady wearing a familiar stitched beautiful dress. I asked her who made it because I know that style was from your mother's." He quickly defended himself but you can't help but still worry. 

"I will never force the two of you to come back to court. I know how cruel it was. How much you've suffered. However, I know that being here is much more dangerous than when you were in court. A former noble lady is a good product for a slave. I know because I've seen it first hand in Essos. I am proud of what you have accomplished by yourselves but you also must understand my worry as the streets become riddled with new dangers everyday. I will respect whatever you decide but in my heart, I hope that the three of us will be together and we can protect each other." 

You can't remove the sincere eyes of your uncle as you finally waved him goodbye when he left your home. All of the things he mentioned were true. 

And despite not seeing him for years, something inside you believes that he is being true to his words.

You would lie if you never worry about the safety of your sister as she slowly grows up as a fine lady. 

A poor woman will never survive the streets alone. Dangers will be lurking twice scarier than a man faces everyday.

You can never live with him especially since your uncle was his aide. But you are no fool not to think about it.

You have grown street smart and there's a part of you that thinks maybe living with your uncle is better than starting from the slums. 

You shook your head to remove the thought when you heard your sister's voice from behind. There will be a right time to think about that. 

Right now, you must focus on what you need to do. Finish the dresses and sell them tomorrow. You also need to buy new supplies. You reminded yourself to talk to Simon and help the two of you to carry your things.

Yet, a question remains inside your head, as to why he helped your uncle. Was it truly because of the honor or something else? You laughed at yourself for even thinking he has other motives that include you. That was from your old self, to whom you did your best to bury, who keeps resurging whenever he was mentioned.

He doesn't care.

Best to focus on you and your sister's future. 

#aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen #aemond x you #aemond fic #prince aemond #hotd fanfic #hotd #hotd fic #house of the dragon #house of the dragon aemond #aemond imagine #aemond fanfiction #aemond x y/n #hotd aemond #aemond the kinslayer #aemond one eye #aemond x fem!reader #aemond x reader #fic: fool entire #bitter water oh hellos #eydiandrius

[marketerkoushik]

Digital Marketing Interviews for freshers often focus on understanding foundational knowledge and the ability to apply it to real-world scenarios. Here are The List of Top 5 Questions which Can be asked in a Digital Marketing Executive Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

What is Digital Marketing?

Can you explain the difference between SEO and SEM?

What is the importance of keywords in digital marketing?

How does social media impact digital marketing strategies?

What is the marketing funnel, and how does it apply to digital marketing?

By preparing for these questions and demonstrating a passion for staying informed in this rapidly evolving field, aspiring digital marketers can increase their chances of securing a promising position in the industry. Additionally, You need to Know about the Proper Etiquette for Job Interviews. Good luck!

#digital marketing interview questions and answers for freshers #digital marketing executive interview questions and answers for freshers #interview dress etiquette #what to say in digital marketing interview #proper etiquette for job interview

[digiarchana]

https://www.evernote.com/client/web?login=true&newReg=true#?an=true&n=6e0d35e4-77c4-6f57-18c0-a15d1dcce64d&

#digitDigital marketing interview questions and answers for freshersal marketing executive interview questions and answers for freshers #interview dress etiquette #what to say in digital marketing interview #proper etiquette for job interview

[mk-writes-stuff]

OC Interview

Rules: answer the questions as your OC

Thanks @kaylinalexanderbooks for the tag! I’m going to start off with Belladonna, the protagonist of Seven Stations

Are you named after anyone?

“No, royal families try not to reuse names nowadays. It makes the clone numbers harder. But we do have thematic names. My family line is named after poisons.”

When was the last time you cried?

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” (It was two days ago when her dad told her she wasn’t going to be the heir.)

Do you have kids?

“I’m twenty-two and got engaged three days ago. Of course not.”

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

“No. Sarcasm is impolite.”

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

“Typically their station affiliation and how they’re dressed. Either that or if I recognize them as someone important.”

What’s your eye colour?

“Dark brown, like my mother.”

Scary movies or happy endings?

“I don’t watch much television, but happy endings when I do.”

Any special talents?

“I have light magic.” (This is a lie.)

Where were you born?

“In the hospital here on Seventh Station. Where else?”

Do you have any pets?

“I don’t think so. I’m not entirely sure what those are.”

What sports do you play?

“I don’t do sports. They aren’t suitable for a refined lady.”

How tall are you?

“Im 5’8.”

What was your favourite subject in school?

“People never believe me when I say this, but I loved my etiquette lessons. They were enjoyable!”

What is your dream job?

“Being the head of Seventh Station one day.”

@illarian-rambling @elsie-writes @autism-purgatory want to play? Blanks under the cut:

Are you named after anyone?

When was the last time you cried?

Do you have kids?

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

What’s your eye colour?

Scary movies or happy endings?

Any special talents?

Where were you born?

Do you have any pets?

What sports do you play?

How tall are you?

What was your favourite subject in school?

What is your dream job?

#writeblr #tag game #seven station chronicles

[dk-wren]

Buddy Daddies Headcanons

I know only a few episodes have been released so far, but I love reading people's hcs and want more. So, I'm taking matters into my own hands and sharing some of my own:

Despite being a reminder of his background, Rei holds onto one toy, plushie, or some sort of trinket that he found comfort in when he was little. He keeps it hidden somewhere in his room and even Kazuki doesn't know about it or its significance.

One day Miri is pretending to have a tea party with her plushies and when Kazuki checks in on her (since he hasn't seen her running around the apartment), Miri immediately tells him to join. After a little hesitancy, Kazuki gives in and sits at her kid-size table (a la the daycare interview scenes). Rei eventually gets roped in too and soon Miri is teaching her papas proper tea party etiquette, making them sip their "tea" (water or just imaginary) with pinky fingers out. Miri dressed up her and her plushies, so naturally she also dresses Kazuki and Rei up with like tiaras, feather boas, and sunglasses.

Every once in a while, Kazuki will buy the frozen Hamburger steak Miri's mother used to buy from the market as a treat for Miri. Kazuki is usually very careful about not letting Miri see it as he is putting it away, but one day she pops out of nowhere and asks Kazuki "What's that?" Not wanting to reveal the truth and disappoint her, he tries to come up with some lie, but the best he can do is yes, it is frozen Hamburger steak, except it's the one he "made" and served to Miri. Miri immediately starts teasing Kazuki telling him of course, that's why mama's is better. (Kazuki later goes to the market again to buy the ingredients for his Hamburg steak to make Miri think she's eating the "not as delicious" frozen one, which he'll serve later)

If/when Kazuki and Rei take Miri to an amusement park, the three of them will wear watching t-shirts. Kazuki's idea, Miri's totally in love with the idea, Rei was forced to go and wear the shirt.

One day, when the weather's really bad but Miri has a ton of energy/really wants to go to the park, Kazuki and Rei find one of those indoor playgrounds/gyms to take her too. When they do, they totally lose track of her in the ball pit. Like solid 30 minutes of panic not knowing where she is.

#buddy daddies #headcanon #miri unasaka #kazuki kurusu #rei suwa #buddy daddies headcanon

[vivelareine]

one of Marie-Antoinette (2022)’s most notable failures so far: the lack of etiquette

Rewritten from a thread I made on Twitter.

One of the most glaring failures in the Canal+ Marie Antoinette is the lack of groundwork for Versailles being this place of strict ritual and etiquette. Particularly since that etiquette (and Marie Antoinette being confined by it & later rebelling against it) is hyped up strongly in interviews. But what etiquette? Where is it? Nowhere in the show is the ritualistic world of Versailles, which vexed Marie Antoinette, actually shown.

There's no lack of opportunity. But the show glides by these opportunities every single time. The handover ceremony is... not a ceremony at all! She walks under a bridge cover at the border, that is it. There is no shedding of Austrian retinue (she has none); no changing of the Austrian clothes, no notion that everything Austrian must be left behind.

Only Mops is taken from her, but in this show, all I could think was: why? Literally, why is Mops taken? In the Coppola film, we know why. NOTHING of Austria can be taken with Marie Antoinette as she is transformed into the French dauphine, so the dog cannot be taken because of the ceremonial rules. Simple, easy to understand.

In this series, Marie Antoinette doesn’t have to change her Austrian clothes or leave anything else behind. Soo why can the dog not come, too? It comes across as Noailles making Mops leave because she’s being a bitch, not because of the petty rules of French etiquette.

The complete lack of a structural handover ceremony is baffling. The symbolism writes itself here. Was the show afraid of Coppola comparisons? Why else ignore the chance to show the strictness of French etiquette, of expectation, of the dauphine being pressed into the confines of her role via a literal undressing and redressing? Via shedding Austria and entering France?

The show talks about etiquette not infrequently. But that etiquette doesn't seem to actually exist. It only exists verbally, for Noailles to harp on about.

Can you imagine the real Noailles PUSHING the dauphine of France, and demanding that she curtsy? Where is the etiquette there? Again, the Coppola comparisons must come... in that film, Noailles reacts stiffly to the hug, and we see that it’s deemed as inappropriate in her behavior and reaction. But Coppola!Noailles doesn’t literally shove Marie Antoinette and demand that she curtsy, as she does in the Canal+ series, but we get the idea without it being ludicrous: Versailles is formal, and stiff, and this type of childish gesture isn’t allowed.

And then we get the ridiculousness of Noailles and Marie Antoinette traipsing through the woods with two guards, meeting the king of France and family in a ridiculous manner. Again... verbal talk of etiquette, but where is the pomp and ceremony expected of this moment? Not to be found in a hike in the woods.

Sure, Noailles snipes out a “curtsy!!!” as Marie Antoinette gawks at Louis XV, but that’s about it.

The scene where Marie Antoinette is dressed before her wedding is another missed opportunity.

If anything, Noailles dialogue here is the antithesis of the actual dressing ceremony. Yes, she says that “You will be dressed, in public, under strict rules of precedence.” But the scene doesn’t actually give us an indication why this is unusual, or why Marie Antoinette is supposed to be uncomfortable, or why this is supposed to be viewed as strict and over the top.

It goes too quickly, there is no room to breathe, and nothing is made of what we’re seeing on screen.

We see her bugging her eyes out a big, crossing her hands over her chest... but why? The series doesn’t actually show us a dressing ceremony. Unlike the Coppola film, where the ridiculousness of the rigid etiquette is clear, here, it’s not clear why this should be seen as strange for Marie Antoinette.

It should be strange because Versailles’ dressing ceremony was one, more public than what she would have experienced in Vienna. At Versailles, people with rights of entry could be there, in certain rooms, at certain stages of dressing. Two, it was ridiculous, because if someone of a certain rank came in the room, then the entire thing would “shift” as they had the right to do certain things over others. So the ceremony could be extended, even when Marie Antoinette was sitting there naked or half-dressed, simply becasue someone else walked in the room. Hence, Marie Antoinette saying “How disagreeable! how tiresome!”  in the Campan anecdote.

But does the episode show this? Not really.

What is frustrating is that, on a narrative level, it should not be difficult to show why this is uncomfortable. Even if they were trying to avoid Coppola film comparisons by translating the dressing scene from Campan flatly, they could have done far more to showcase the actual etiquette. Show the ceremony, instead of just showing women standing there helping her dress. Have Noailles explain that depending on who is in the room, they get certain privileges. Explain that she must be dressed in public in certain rooms by certain people, before she can get any privacy.

Or intermingle the dressing at Versailles with Marie Antoinette thinking about being dressed in Vienna. Show the gaggle of courtiers and strict rules, show that she’s expected to take this Versailles etiquette seriously--versus her being dressed by 1-2 servants in Vienna, giggling, having fun with it.

Just... something. But the show completely fumbling the scene leaves us asking: why is this a big deal?

The fact that Marie Antoinette’s dressing scene is interspersed with shots of Louis being literally manhandled and abused by his servants makes it even weaker, on a narrative level. Where's the etiquette here? Bathing and dressing the heir to the throne had its rituals. Louis’ servants would certainly not have been forcing him to undress, abusing him by tossing ice into his bath, etc.

He would have been surrounded by courtiers, valets. So, another opportunity to show people being "trapped" by etiquette, gone. Replaced with something utterly ridiculous.

The show tells, tells, tells us that etiquette exists. But it doesn’t.

Noailles a few minutes before this scene: "No one can touch the dauphine except the mistress of her household, members of the royal family, or a princess of the blood."

Noailles in this scene: Lets du Barry touch Marie Antoinette’s hair, lets her pull her nightgown lower, put makeup on her, etc.

Again, where is the etiquette? One could argue it's Noailles looking the other way, literally and figuratively, because it is du Barry and she can do what she wants. But implying that Du Barry is "above" etiquette only works if that etiquette is firmly established first.

It’s also ridiculous since the cornerstone of the real du Barry and Marie Antoinette feud was because of Marie Antoinette taking advantage of etiquette to snub Du Barry. She can’t talk to Marie Antoinette without Marie Antoinette talking to her first.

I have no idea if the show will go that route. If they don’t, again, it just shows that they are missing opportunities right and left. For all that the cast+creative talk about etiquette and the rigidity of Versailles playing a part in the show, it just doesn’t seem to exist.

We’re TOLD about etiquette throughout episode 1. But it’s not really shown. In the show, guards manhandle Marie Antoinette, even though we’re told no one but a select few people can touch her. Even though it’s ridiculous for the guards to grab her at all. Noailles slaps her Marie Antoinette in the face.

These daily ceremonial rituals that governed courtiers down to minute details don't exist in the show.

And in removing this etiquette, and the “sacredness” of the body of the heirs to the throne, the show is doing itself a great disservice in the future. Because the show is extending through the revolution, wouldn’t it be an interesting bit of symbolism to show Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI being roughly handled for the first time? To show guards grabbing Louis XVI’s arms? To show Marie Antoinette being roughly escorted somewhere?

But, nope. Louis XVI’s servants manhandle and abuse him. Marie Antoinette’s mistress of the household slaps her across the face. So any contrast between how they are treated as king and queen, and how they are treated when the monarchy has fallen, has already lost some of its punch.

The show’s inability to ground its reality in etiquette does it a great disservice in other ways. I firmly believe that some of the more outrageous stuff in the show would be a lot more interesting if they'd established the official etiquette with any skill.

Imagine the scenes showing courtiers spying on the bedchamber... if they'd previously established the courtiers as being bound by this ridiculous etiquette during the day.

You would have the contrast of the “etiquette”-abiding courtiers cutting loose when no one is looking. The pomp and propriety would be a mask for human nature, wanting to spy on people’s private lives, etc.

The dinner scene with Louis XV & co at Compiegne is another example of what they could have done with proper contrast.

Imagine the dinner scene where the royal family is eating with no etiquette, messy and ridiculous, if they contrasted the private family dinner with the public meals with strict etiquette and expectations.

You would have one scene with the pomp and ceremony, with the royal family behaving “properly” in public. Etiquette, etiquette, etiquette.

Then you cut to the private family dinner, with servants only, and they cut loose. They eat with gusto, they gossip and gab, they jab at each other.

At least then, the complete lack of manners in how they eat would have some sort of symbolic explanation, rather than what comes across as simply “ohoho look they’re royalty but they’re eating grossly, see the contrast? see?”

Overall, I get a strong sense that the show wants to avoid Coppola comparisons whenever possible and that may be why they avoided any drawn out scenes of dressing etiquette, or an extended handover sequence with the same concept.

But whatever the reason for these changes, these events were rooted in historical fact. Glossing over them and only “telling” us that etiquette exists, without ever showing us that etiquette exists in the show’s world, is poorly done.

This is what Madame Campan had to say about the etiquette of Versailles. The show should have firmly established this in episode 1, but instead we get a Versailles where Noailles slaps the dauphine of France, servants dump ice water and force Louis-Auguste to bathe, and Noailles constantly tells us etiquette exists but we never, ever see it shown in the life or courtiers.

Speaking here of etiquette, I do not allude to majestic state, appointed for days of ceremony in all Courts. I mean those minute ceremonies that were pursued towards our Kings in their inmost privacies, in their hours of pleasure, in those of pain, and even during the most revolting of human infirmities.

These servile rules were drawn up into a kind of code; they offered to a Richelieu, a La Rochefoucauld and a Duras, in the exercise of their domestic functions, opportunities of intimacy useful to their interests; and their vanity was flattered by customs which converted the right to give a glass of water, to put on a dress, and to remove a basin, into honourable prerogatives.

Princes thus accustomed to be treated as divinities naturally ended by believing that they were of a distinct nature, of a purer essence than the rest of mankind.

This sort of etiquette, which led our Princes to be treated in private as idols, made them in public martyrs to decorum. Marie Antoinette found in the Chateau of Versailles a multitude of established customs which appeared to her insupportable.

The Coppola film set all of this up in very little time at all. In the Marie Antoinette 2022 series, Marie Antoinette crosses the border around the 11 minute mark, arrives at Versailles by the 28 minute mark, and by the end of the episode (roughly 51 minutes) they didn’t show us anything but a world in which there are no rules or etiquette except for what Noailles occasionally harps on about.

Versailles in this series is devoid of rules, of etiquette, and subsequently the show’s insistence on showing us that Marie Antoinette feels “trapped” and “othered” by Versailles doesn’t hold a lot of weight.

#marie antoinette #french history #18th century #versailles #marie antoinette canal plus #film #long post

[linnamonrolls0]

Gilded: All That Glitters

Lin-Manuel Miranda x Reader

Summary:

Your invitation to the Met Gala was straight out of a fairytale: a starry night, a beautiful dress, a million spotlights - and a certain charming co-chair in a coattail tux who unexpectedly swept you off your feet...

- Once upon a time, two grown-up theatre kids crossed paths at adult prom and made the absolute best of it. -

Rating: Mature (mild smut warning)

Words: 7611 (oops, I be dreamin')

Spotify playlist link, for when you get there

2022 - New York City

The first Monday in May.

You hadn’t exactly expected that to mean anything more than an ordinary date on your ever-expanding calendar, but now there you were, unable to believe your eyes as you sat in a gleaming suite at The Mark. Surrounded by a dizzying flurry of people wafting in and out of the room, you still struggled to come to terms with your newfound celebrity status. 

Truly, everything had seemed surreal since the release of your debut movie late last year.

You’d gotten a silver-screen debut people only ever dreamt of: after years of fruitless West End auditions, you had been catapulted straight from community theatre to a Hollywood starring role, and though your film hadn’t been predicted to score, it carved its own path as a runaway success. With that came critical acclaim and mass popularity alike, and overnight you went from your survival job as a checkout clerk to walking red carpets with Hollywood’s A-List across the pond.

All that glittered certainly couldn’t be gold, but there was no denying it: with great success came its fair share of gilded glamour. Speaking of which, tonight you were invited to the Met Gala. You knew the stakes were high - the coveted event would be the fashion spectacle of the year, everyone who was anyone would be in attendance, and as a debutant you hoped to turn heads without causing an off-theme uproar. You knew the fashion critics and their online community were nothing if not harsh, ripping apart every gala attendee whilst they sat behind screens in their pyjamas; being new to the spotlight, hate and negative comments online took their toll on you when you read them, and you tended to avoid them as much as you could. But there was no escaping the attention tonight.

Thankfully, you had a strong team behind you that absolutely came through. They had hooked you up with a dream designer and getting ready was a total whirlwind. Thanks to the wonders that were your publicists, stylists and your glam team, before you knew it you were red carpet ready in a striking black and gold ball gown with a long train, sweet and sexy but just rough enough around the edges in keeping with the theme. It was perfect, and though your pre-appearance nerves were killing you, you felt like a real-life Disney princess.

You stepped out of the car, taking a deep breath to prepare yourself for the walk. As you emerged, clamour broke out amongst the photographers and the flashes nearly blinded you as you swept your gaze over the sea of cameras, remembering everything you’d been taught about high profile red carpet etiquette: shoulders back, get your angles right, let them only see your good side, pretend someone has just told you the world’s funniest joke and give them the most genuine big smile you can muster…

Four more steps and one dramatic hair flip later, a couple of assistants were on hand to help with the train of your dress as you made your way towards the legendary Met Steps. All the way up, you continued to flash the cameras what you hoped was a showstopping smile, but really, all you did was pray you would make it up the steps without falling over. If you were honest, your ‘gala prep’ had included running up and down the stairs to your third-floor walk-up flat in the highest heels you owned - and clearly it had helped, because now you were up there and everything was going perfectly.

(Or so you convinced yourself, anyway.)

The Vogue team immediately pulled you aside for a couple of interviews on your way in, and you found yourself making every effort not to seem too starstruck as you explained the detailing of your dress to Vanessa Hudgens (holy High School Musical hell?!) before making your way into the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

You had always wondered what actually happened at this Gala, forever imagined it to be just a huge high-profile celebrity fashion fest. Now you’d been told the evening would entail a tour of the new exhibition, a musical performance, some speeches and a dinner, but that really was all you knew so far.

Aya, your head publicist, was tasked with the responsibility of escorting you through the event, and she was thankfully privy to your predicament as a first-time attendee. She gently reminded you that as a guest, you needed to be introduced to the Chairs of the Gala, and the event was an unspoken networking opportunity to befriend practically anybody you wanted to speak to. You let her lead the way as she pattered on her phone - not hers, but a device exclusively for the event, she explained. Her main role had really been to make sure you were in the right place at the right time throughout your promo tours and award circuits, but she knew this event inside out and you were thankful for her patience and understanding of how nervous you were as she guided you through it.

As you entered the Great Hall, your eyes widened when you saw Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, in all their gorgeous glory, her copper-patinated dress catching the eye of every passer-by as the couple chatted away with - holy crap, is that Katy Perry and Lizzo? Since when is that a thing? You surreptitiously stared as the two women strutted out to one of the galleries, and upon some urging from Aya, you tiptoed over to the co-hosting couple and nervously said hello. 

You began to introduce yourself, but Blake cut you short. “Sweetheart, we know who you are!” she said, flashing her signature dazzling smile - there was no denying the woman’s screen presence, but you could swear she actually sparkled in real life.

“Oh my god, you do?” you blurted out. Honestly, the fact that people you’d admired forever knew of you was one thing you still struggled to wrap your head around.

“Of course! Congratulations on your Met debut; you look wonderful,” Ryan remarked.

You thanked them with a shy smile and, seeing it as your only opportunity to do so, showered them with a barrage of compliments on how lovely they looked. The couple were positively charmed and it took both your publicists to cut in, reminding you all that there were other places to go and other people to meet.

You exited the hall and bumped straight into a couple of fellow cast members from your multi-award-winning move; Emma Stone and Regé-Jean Page were far more well-known than you, but they made you feel welcome and for that you were endlessly grateful. You joined them in socialising with even more beautiful people amongst all the extravagance of the evening and your fascination with everyone’s themed revelry. The list was endless. Between the blur that was meeting the legendary Anna Wintour, being positively awestruck by an endless list of Met-mythical wonders, and a few hilariously out-of-tone jokes by some questionable comedians as the Biebers were outshone when the Kardashian clan trotted in with their entourage of partners, you began to doubt if the whole event was just one long fever dream, worrying you’d wake up in your tiny unglamorous studio back home any second now.

You felt a little more at ease in familiar company with your costars by your side as you made your way through the Costume Institute, casting your eyes over the exhibition. It was all incredibly overwhelming and you made a mental note to come back on some quiet afternoon to actually check out the pieces on display - because goodness knew that was the last thing you could focus on today.

Even your costars’ costars had you starstruck when soon enough the Duke of Hastings spotted his Duchess across the room and excused himself to go say hello and a certain Spiderman whisked his sometime sweetheart away, leaving you deserted for a moment as you waited for Aya to return from wherever she’d zipped off to. You rolled your eyes at everyone’s frivolity - granted, there were a fair few pretty boys and dashing men at this event, but romance was the last thing on your mind when running in these star-studded circles. So you looked around for a sign, still a fish out of water, figuring out where the tide would take you next.

That was when you saw him.

His million-watt smile was the first thing you noticed as he stood beside an obscure exhibit, engrossed in a conversation with an old friend.

Lin-Manuel Miranda. Who’d ever have thought?

You knew he was one of the co-chairs of the event, and having already met the others, that wouldn’t be a terrible excuse to talk to him. You had seen him around, and originating as a theatre kid you knew exactly who and what this man was. You’d never really paid much mind to this side of him, though - if you ever thought of him (which, honestly, didn’t happen often) you still pictured long hair, fast-paced Broadway rap and this was the dude that wore jeans to the freaking White House! But tonight, he looked every bit the part of a Met Gala co-chair, and his sharp coattail tux somewhat reminded you of a charming Disney prince.

Wait, what?

You wondered where that thought had suddenly come from, but you weren’t afforded the luxury of lingering on it. Aya snuck through the various groups of guests gathered around the gallery and found you again, shoving a cold champagne flute into your hands despite your protests. And just like that, she began escorting you around the room to meet a few more famous faces, some familiar, others starstruck-inducingly new. Forcing down your nerves with some bubbly, you faked breezing through celebrity small talk like a Met veteran, covering every trace of the shaky newcomer you truly were as you exchanged smooth pleasantries with everyone you crossed paths with. You quickly learnt compliments were the currency of the evening, and you spent them lavishly.

With only a few people left to meet, Aya finally nudged you over in their direction and you successfully floated through another round of networking, and somewhere in all this you found yourself face-to-face with Lin-Manuel himself. He welcomed you with a kind smile, you greeted him politely and introduced yourself as you’d become accustomed to doing all evening. You weren’t about to become complacent, though everyone seemed to know of you already - and in that respect, he was no different. You’d been drifting in parallel circles while you were both in LA during the whirlwind awards season earlier in the year, but somehow you had never formally met until now.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said. Though enthusiastic and excitable, he spoke with a certain softness, and you had to keep yourself from swooning as he grasped your hand, eyes briefly meeting yours for permission - when you looked back at him with a demure smile, he gently brushed his lips over the back of your hand. You tried to level your breathing.

“Likewise, Lin-Manuel.” You blushed as he released your hand, standing to his full height again.

Maybe you had really been transported back to the Gilded Age, for this meeting was certainly out-of-place in this era.

“Please, call me Lin. And if I may… You look beautiful.”

“Thank you! You don’t look so bad yourself,” you remarked lightly, earning a soft chuckle from him as you trailed your gaze over him. There was a certain royal quality about his look; it was like he’d walked straight out of a fairytale.

“Thanks! Dressing up isn’t exactly my forte, so…”

“Of course, and congratulations on… this!” You exhaled, gesturing to the grandeur that surrounded you. “You’re probably sick of hearing this, but honestly, Tick Tick Boom was the best movie I saw last year,” you complimented, meaning every word. You’d had a crazy few months and lacked the time to watch most of the movies that had come out, but you’d caught his directorial debut at a festival where your film was also being screened and it was definitely up there with your favourites.

“I appreciate that,” he said sincerely - though he sounded modest, you could tell he enjoyed the praise. He continued, “I could say the same. You’ve probably been hearing this all night, but congratulations on your Oscar! For a feature debut, that’s a pretty mean feat.”

“Thank you,” you smiled with gratitude, “Though I still believe you and Bruno were royally robbed!”

Lin laughed at your joke, a heartwarming symphony that you somewhat still wished you could hear again. Humbly, he continued, “Ah, it’s all good. Just knowing that the world is still talking about it is enough of a reward, ‘cause honestly I didn’t expect any of that.”

“I get that.” You nodded, raising your glass, “To the unexpected, then!”

“To everything unexpected.” He clinked his glass against yours with the sweetest little smile playing on his lips, his eyes crinkling at the edges. There was something infectious about his positive energy, because until now you’d been feigning your camera smile for the inevitable photographs, but in this moment you were actually unabashedly beaming. 

You risked a small sip of your champagne, meeting his eyes over the rim of the flute. “I kinda still can’t believe all this is happening,” you giggled, gazing around the room in disbelief.

He caught his bottom lip between his teeth for a split second before agreeing with you, “I know, right? It’s like some kind of crazy adult prom…”

“Exactly! How did you end up hosting this thing anyway?” you wondered aloud. 

But before he could elaborate, his publicist politely interrupted. “Lin, we should…” The guy gestured to the other side of the hall.

“Duty calls,” Lin nodded, turning to you again, “It’s a long story, but I promise I’ll find you and tell you the whole thing!”

You smiled. “Alright. I’ll catch you later!”

As he stepped away, following his publicist to who-knew-where, he turned and shot you a quick wink before venturing out towards the hall. You sighed, your gaze following him out of your sight…

—————

The event was truly unlike anything you’d ever seen before. As the seated proceedings began, you watched on in wonder, while your publicist (read: babysitter) reminded you to eat some of the ridiculously decadent food so you wouldn’t collapse. 

But strangely, you couldn’t take your eyes off of that rather charming, intelligent man on the other side of the room. Even whilst he took his place on the podium, expertly delivering a well-written speech, you could feel his gaze wander back to you, which made you oddly nervous. He’d immediately look away when he saw you’d noticed, but it was clear as day. You averted your eyes for a moment during the musical performances, but when your gaze fell upon Lin again, now seated at his table at the very front, you realised he was still looking right back at you. Even from across the vast hall you could pick up that little glint of appreciation in his eyes, and gilded glamour be damned, you truly felt like a million bucks and then some. After you’d caught him one time too many, he made no effort to hide, and neither did you.

Once the meal was over and done with, Lin immediately stood up and you watched as he strode across the hall in your direction. You panicked and quickly struck up a conversation with Ariana DeBose, seated beside you. You were well aware that Lin and Ariana knew each other, but you needed a not-so-blatant cover and that was the best you could do.

“Hey,” Lin’s smooth voice interrupted you as you sensed his presence behind you, “Is this seat taken?” He gestured to the empty chair on the other side of you, and for a second you wondered why the hell Simone Ashley had chosen that particular moment to disappear, leaving her seat conveniently empty.

“Nope, join us!” Ariana invited him, and that was all he needed to pull up the chair and do exactly that. “What, was the hosting crowd too basic for you?” she joked.

“God, no, they’re great! I just… thought I’d come say hi! So, hi,” he said sweetly. Ariana laughed, whilst your curiosity continued to grow. Giving you a gentle nudge, Lin murmured, just about loud enough for you to hear, “I think I owe you a story…”

“Go on? I think I have time,” you teased.

“Walk with me?” he proposed. He was blatantly flirting - you shot him a mildly incredulous look, though judging by the innocence with which he asked, you’d be lying to yourself if you thought you’d say no. You nodded.

Ariana raised her eyebrows when she noticed you and Lin rising from your seats, silently interrogating the two of you. In unison, you both shook your heads in comical denial - and you wanted to say something to justify yourselves, but instead you followed Lin across the hall.

“Where are we going?” you asked, more intrigued than wary.

“I… actually don’t know,” Lin confessed with a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “Outside?”

“Honestly I’d love to, but the designers and my stylists would kill me if I ruined this thing!” You gestured to your dress - which you couldn’t quite believe was yours, even just for tonight. You’d be in trouble if anything went wrong with it.

His appreciative once-over didn’t go unnoticed by you. “Mine too. But let’s say we throw caution to the wind and go anyway… Who can stop us?” He smirked.

“Who can stop us?” you repeated, in a sort of amused disbelief. But then reality struck you, and you questioned naively, “But what if someone sees us?”

“I’m pretty sure every reporter in town is stationed solid either outside The Met or The Mark. And the perks of co-chairing… We have a back exit here.” He knew what he was doing; you nodded, reasonably impressed. “Would you trust me?” Lin asked earnestly. 

How could you trust him? Why would you trust him? For all intents and purposes he was virtually a stranger, and for you to be so enchanted by him…

And yet… something about the honesty in his eyes and the warmth in his smile compelled you to link your arm through his, whispering your assent. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

So, arm-in-arm, off you went through to the opposite end of the Met, fleeing the Gala in a blur of coattails and dress trains as you hastened for this undisclosed back exit. Sneaking away from the glamour of the party was easy enough; practically all the other attendees were still in the Great Hall, leaving you with a clear getaway route.

—————

Central Park seemed to be deserted, and with good reason. It had gotten dark outside and the temperature had taken a post-sunset drop, leaving a slight chill in the air as you escaped to a quiet walkway, lit only by the gentle glow of streetlamps lining the path.

True to his word, as you strolled along the path together, Lin narrated the tale of how he’d come to receive an invite to host this major fashion-focused event despite being turned into an unfashionable meme in recent history (so you were right, White House Jeans Dude was a real joke). You found yourselves going off on other tangents far too often and it took him much longer than necessary to get to the end of the relatively uncomplicated story, owing to distractions that kept you chatting and laughing and oh, so much flirting - but honestly, you didn’t mind at all. You almost willed this not to end, almost wished the story were longer so you’d remain in each other’s company until the night was through.

You let Lin lead the way as you wandered, presuming this New York native most likely knew his way around the park far better than you ever would. More than happy to oblige, he led the way and took a turn onto another path, until you faced a wire fence almost entirely covered in shrubbery; when he stopped walking, you looked askance at him. It looked like a dead end - what was he playing at?

Cautious of the delicate fabric of his coat, he pushed aside an overgrown branch to reveal a gaping hole in the fence, and your expression graduated from confusion back to incredulity. He looked back at you and nodded as if asking you to continue to just trust him - and you still didn’t know exactly why you thought that was a wise idea, but alas, you did. You gathered the skirt of your ball gown as best you could, cringing a little at the way the black silk crinkled as you made every effort to hold it up, careful not to let it snag on the clipped fencing. You heaved a sigh of relief when you and your dress made it inside unscathed and Lin quickly followed behind, standing beside you. 

For a moment, the two of you stood still in the shadows. There was a certain hauntingly beautiful quality about the empty open-air theatre; with the lights switched off and not another soul in sight, the stillness and silence hung heavy in the air as the moon floodlit the stage you stood on. From where you had snuck in, you were directly upstage, facing rows upon rows of unoccupied seats. Together, you looked down, revelling in the reflection of the pearlescent glow from above and when you raised your gaze to meet his, you exchanged looks of silent wonder.

A vague notion of concern materialised in the back of your mind as you realised you were essentially trespassing. But you weren’t causing any harm, so… Was that so bad?

Lin was the first to move again. His footsteps echoed as he strode centre stage, and despite the slight eeriness of it, he looked entirely comfortable in this space, completely owning it. You watched on in awe as he stepped into the light, the moon’s luminance casting a subtle shimmer over his suit, bringing forth an iridescent glow in the darkness. 

“This is…amazing,” you exhaled, short of breath and of words.

He turned back to glance at you, and his sweet smile alleviated your fleeting fears. “No doubt, the Delacorte is stunning at night…” he mused aloud, “But it’s kinda starting to pale in comparison.”

“In comparison to what, pray tell?” you questioned innocently, taking a couple of tentative steps towards him.

“Take a guess?”

“You? That suit is quite dazzling.”

“Ha, ha.” Lin responded with a wry grin, “You, of course.”

You blushed, shifting your coy gaze to the ground. “Stop, you’re being too sweet.”

“Oh, I’m about to make it worse,” he teased, that flirtatious smirk playing on his lips again. You quirked a brow, daring him to go on. “May I have this dance, my lady?” he asked playfully, taking a chivalrous bow as he offered you his hand.

“You certainly may, Sir,” you quipped in the strongest British received pronunciation you could muster, holding your laugh behind your words. “But,” you dropped the accent, “Music?”

It simultaneously dawned upon you both that the Gala’s restricted phone policy meant your phones were back at the Met, held by your publicists for safekeeping. But you had an idea, and as you met his gaze once again, the glint of mischief in his eyes mirrored yours - after all, you were a pair of grown-up theatre kids. The two of you didn’t need a phone or a jukebox or even an accompaniment. Music was a part of your souls, from the lyrics in your heads to the rhythm of your hearts.

So you took his hand, placing your other hand on his shoulder, his resting delicately on your waist.  In your sudden close proximity you absently noted, somewhere in the back of your mind, that there was something rather intoxicatingly addictive about his cologne… You let him lead the dance as you softly hummed a tune. You didn’t truly know why Part of Your World was the first song that sprung to your mind at that moment, but Lin laughed lightly when he recognised the melody, humming along with you a few beats later as you swayed together.

An idea occurred to you. The whole thing almost felt like a scene out of one of those musicals you both were so deeply fascinated by, or one of the many fairytales and rom-coms your younger self had fallen in love with the idea of once upon a time… but nevertheless, you’d never know if you didn’t try. So you wondered, ”Can I tell you a secret?”

“Yeah?” Lin encouraged. That incandescent smile of his was all you needed to follow through with your insane improvised idea.

“Tonight… It was enchanting to meet you… All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you…”

“Can I?”

“Sure?”

“I’ve had the time of my life tonight… And I swear it’s the truth, and I owe it all to you!”

Before you knew it, you were waltzing around the empty stage without a care in the world, laughing at each other’s missteps, singing as though nobody was listening, finishing each other’s lyrics as you alternated through your mental playlists. And it was true - there was no-one to impress, no-one to pass judgements - and you took comfort in that, relishing the peace it brought. So together you sang and you danced and you twirled around the stage, carefree as you both ever would be, living your best adult-prom lives.

“Well, all I’ve ever known is how to hold my own, but now I wanna hold you… All I know is you’re someone I’ve always known, and I don’t even know you…”

“Can’t you see that the day seems clearer now that you’re here or… is it me?”

“Hey, back up! I know that one’s yours. Disqualified.”

“Okay, you got me. Take two?” Lin suggested cheekily. You pretended to think for a second before you nodded, allowing him that much lenience to the rules of this entirely made-up game and he continued, “There are many things that I’d like to say to you but I don’t know how, because maybe, you’re gonna be the one that saves me, and after all, you’re my wonderwall…”

“So you know I’m never gonna dance again, the way I danced with yoooou!”

As he whirled you around the middle of the stage, you tripped on your heels. All the practice in the world couldn’t have prepared you for this - after all, you’d been prepping for a red carpet, not a fairytale ball. Dancing was never on the agenda!

In a speedy reflex reaction, Lin caught you as you stumbled, saving you from falling on your face. He paused, looking at you with concern filling his deep brown eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” you reassured him, “Just, these heels! They’re gorgeous, but…” He stood by you for support, holding you steady, and you rested one hand on his shoulder as you yanked the offending gold Louboutins off, feeling immediate relief when you tossed your footwear to one side of the stage. You’d been standing tall in them and taking them off knocked you down a few inches, but honestly… When you stood on that stage, looking up into Lin’s eyes as they sparkled brighter than the stars above you both, you figured your actual height difference was kind of cute.

“Better?” he asked, gently placing both hands on your waist.

“So much better,” you affirmed, stepping up on your tiptoes, just about managing to slip your arms around his neck.

He bravely pressed a feather-light kiss to your forehead, his playful smile returning. “Wait…”

You gave him a questioning look as he drew back from you - but when you realised what he was up to, you couldn’t hold back your laughter. He kicked off his patent leather loafers to join your high heels downstage, bringing him a little closer to your level - and amusingly leaving him in a pair of red patterned socks.

“What, do wacky socks turn you off?” he teased, pulling you towards him again.

“Quite the opposite,” you smirked, swaying along with him, “I have an enviable sock collection myself, actually.”

“Hmm, really?”

“Indeed. Might show you sometime, if you don’t sweet-talk me to death.”

Effortless and effervescent, Lin continued your musical chain as you continued to dance, barefoot on the cold stage.

“Don’t you see it? ‘Cause darling, without you… All the shine of a thousand spotlights, all the stars that we steal from the night sky will never be enough, never be enough…”

“You don’t. I don’t want the world to see me, ‘cause I don’t think that they’d understand… When everything’s made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am…”

“I should tell you, I should tell you…” To that, you responded with a quizzical look. Breaking the chain for a beat, Lin whispered, “I didn’t want to tell you before, but I knew.”

“What?” you asked, 

“You thought I didn’t know you.”

“Why on earth would you?”

“I did. I saw your movie at the same festival back in November and…”

“No.” You gasped. Surely he didn’t. Surely this wasn’t some incredibly elaborately orchestrated meet-cute.

“Yeah. And for some reason, every time our paths crossed during awards season and I thought about trying to talk to you, something would always get in the way… But I’m glad tonight panned out the way it did,” Lin confessed. His gaze held yours and said a thousand words more than you ever thought you’d hear tonight.

You were reassured in the knowledge that the night’s turn of events were as unexpected to him as they had been to you; honestly, it made the whole thing infinitely more beautiful. You responded, “I had no idea… But you know what? I like this better. There was no way we could’ve met sooner if this is what destiny had in store for us.”

“Who knows where, who goes there?”

“Who knows? Here goes…”

As you finished the line, Lin caught you by surprise, dipping you low as you held onto him for support. So that was why you thought you could trust him - he wouldn’t let you fall. His eyes held your gaze, both of you challenging the other to make a move.

“Wise men say only fools rush in, but I can’t help falling in love with you…”

“Take my hand, take my whole life too, ‘cause I can’t help falling in love with you…”

So when you finally did make a move, you simultaneously leaned in towards each other, and when your lips finally met, you could swear you felt all the butterflies and fireworks and sparks, the stuff of romance novels that you never thought was possible in real life. Neither of you were in any rush, his tongue finding yours first, unhurriedly exploring each other’s mouths, his hands firm yet somehow still delicate on your waist as as your hands trailed up his arms to his shoulders to his neck to finally rest in his hair, too short to grab but well, he wouldn’t stop you if you tried…

When you finally separated, only for the practicality of needing to breathe actual air, all you registered were Lin’s warm brown eyes and his hands on you, still lingering at your waist. You became vaguely aware of a raindrop or two falling onto your exposed skin, and you both looked up to the sky in unison. Sure enough, it was starting to rain - but in the gleaming moonlight, it looked almost like drops of starlight were descending over you, no less sparkly or stunning than the events leading up to them.

Lin smiled again, helping you back to your feet onto the solid ground of the stage. The surface was dewy with the light drizzle and you shivered, your off-shoulder sleeves doing very little to shield you from the nighttime breeze. He evidently noticed, for before you could say another word, he slipped out of his coat and draped it over your shoulders, providing immediate relief.

“Thank you,” you whispered, again almost in disbelief at his chivalry. And, feeling a little braver already, you took a step towards him again to place the gentlest little kiss on his cheek before you whirled around to retrieve your shoes.

You threw him a cursory glance over your shoulder as you made your way downstage, trying your level best not to get distracted by the heart-melting smile that graced his lips as he watched you, both practically blushing. You went to pick up your discarded high heels, but suddenly, the ground was swept from beneath your feet. 

“Lin!” you shrieked in surprise as he swiftly lifted you, one arm around your waist and the other supporting your legs. Your arm instinctively went around his neck, resting on his shoulder, as your other hand hung on to the backs of your Louboutins, letting them dangle off your fingers. You willed yourself not to get lost in his eyes as you continued teasingly, “What do you think you’re doing, Mr Miranda?”

“Well, what kind of gentleman would I be if I let you stumble home in the rain?” he retorted, matching your playful tone, “So tell me… Where the fuck are we going?”

“Very chivalrous indeed,” you joked, “I don’t know, your place or mine?” You bit your bottom lip, hopefully seductively so - until you both burst into laughter. “God, I cannot believe I just said that out loud.”

“Neither can I, actually. I’d never have asked… Not in an I-don’t-want-you way, but in a, like, respectful way - if you know what I mean - hmm-”

You silenced his questionably cute rambling with a gentle kiss. There was something dangerously addictive about kissing him; it was as though once you’d been down that road, you kept wanting to go back for more. Of course, he wasn’t opposed to it, responding with just as much fervour until the drizzle developed into a full-on downpour, forcing you apart again. You were soaked to the skin within seconds, but as you looked up at him again, all the both of you could do was continue to laugh.

“Well, there go our outfits,” you remarked with a giggle.

“It’s almost like destiny, isn’t it?” Lin laughed, carefully stepping into his own shoes whilst still holding you, “Yeah, Paul will probably hate me after this.”

“The House of Gucci will have my head on a stick!” you exaggerated in a mock accent. “Well, it’s Moschino but you get the idea.”

“Worth it, though.”

“Totally.”

—————

Somewhere along the way, you had jointly made up your minds to head back to The Mark, where you both had suites for the night, rather than attempting to make the journey back to his apartment uptown. Lin refused to let you walk any of the way after seeing the pain those heels had wrought upon your feet, so despite your protests you were still helplessly up in his arms with his coat hanging on your shoulders as he strolled in on the red carpet they still had laid out at the door of the hotel.

To your surprise, there was no-one else around save for the hotel staff, who shot looks of intrigue at the two of you as you entered the hotel lobby, all lavish velvet and opulence. You guessed most of the other Gala attendees had either already turned in or were still out at the various afterparties (which, honestly, you’d completely forgotten about despite the multiple invitations you were meant to oblige earlier that night and the second dress that hung forgotten in your suite) - but you figured that was a good thing, being able to avoid any questions or judgements.

“I can walk!” you insisted for the umpteenth time, but Lin was having none of it. He shook his head and walked you both to the elevator lobby, where an elderly doorman kindly pushed the call button for you. An elevator thankfully arrived within a few seconds and Lin stepped in, finally setting you down on the ground, the marble floor cool against your bare feet.

“Only because…” he whispered. For a moment, you looked shyly up at him, but by now you knew exactly where he was going with this as he delicately cupped your cheek, drawing you closer to steal another kiss, just deep enough to keep you wanting more. “Why are we still in this elevator?” he murmured, his lips brushing against yours as he spoke.

“Because…” you sighed, placing both hands on his chest and gently pushing him back. He looked mildly dejected until he realised you needed him out of the way to reach for the elevator buttons.

Lin wordlessly took another step towards you, catching his bottom lip between his teeth as he slipped one hand into the inner pocket of your - well, actually his - coat. Casual as ever, he retrieved a card, holding it between his fingers in front of you as though he were showing off some sort of magic trick. You narrowed your eyes at his failed attempt to act cool.

“Shit,” he laughed when he looked at the business card he was holding, “That is not my key.”

“That’s why I’m here,” you said with a smirk, retrieving your own keycard from a pocket concealed somewhere between the many layers and pleats of your dress. He looked fascinated. “Welcome to the twenty-first century, love!” You reached behind him to finally hit the button for your floor, and up you went.

—————

Trying not to destroy your priceless outfits any more than you already had, you slipped his tailcoat off of your shoulders as soon as you entered your suite. As you placed it on an empty hanger on your clothing rail to dry, you felt Lin wander over to stop behind you and you shivered - but this time it wasn’t from the cold. He hadn’t touched you yet, but you could feel warmth radiating off him in waves as you turned to face him.

You looked up at him, both equally thrilled and terrified as you brazenly made the first move. You tugged lightly on the loose end of his necktie, unravelling the knot and tossing it somewhere across the room. He reached for you, his eyes fixed upon yours, shining with anticipation; you instinctively leant into his touch, trying not to melt as he tucked a wet lock of hair behind your ear, reaching for the pin that held your elaborate updo in place. He slipped the hairpin out of your hair and dropped it to the ground. You shook your head to let the strands loose, his fingers tangled in your hair as your hands went for the buttons on his high-collared shirt next, having noticed he had already abandoned his waistcoat. He hastily shrugged the shirt off and drew you closer, one hand searching the back of your dress for the fastenings holding it up. You turned away again, knowing exactly where the zipper was; he found it easily and slowly dragged it down, his fingertips teasingly brushed your bare back, each brief moment of contact setting off a flame you couldn’t ignore. You slipped your arms out of the sleeves, letting the dress slip easily down to the carpeted floor. To hell with your elaborate costumes, you thought as you coquettishly stared at him; he was perfect with or without the royal getup.

“Fuck,” Lin gasped, seemingly stealing the words right from you, “You’re breathtaking.”

“Won’t you return the favour? Take my breath away…” you breathed, stepping up onto your toes, barely hesitating to kiss him again.

You felt him smile against your lips as his arms wrapped around your waist, lifting you again, blindly finding your way to the waiting bed somewhere behind you. From there on, it was all a rather beautiful haze as the remainders of both your clothing were tossed to the floor, and you let yourself get completely swept up in him as you landed on the bed together with a gentle thud. You were still intoxicated, both high off each other as his lips captured yours for the nth time that night, his body on top of yours, every touch a searing spark.

You laced your fingers with his, entirely intertwined as you took your time exploring each other, him trailing butterfly kisses over every exposed inch of your skin, and you to his. An overload to your senses, all you could register was his lips on your neck, your hands on his chest, him hot and hard for you, you wet and ready for him… His eyes were dark with desire as they held your gaze, still somehow seeking assent before he finally entered you, stretching you to your limits. He stilled when you gasped, giving you a moment to adjust before you assured him, begged him to go on, gentle endearments whispered like a symphony only the two of you could hear.

Your eyes met for a brief second before they fluttered shut in pure ecstasy as he pushed you to the edge over again and there you went - there you both went together, melting into each other in a daze of sighs and screams and whispers and whimpers, with so much said in so little words, though knowing that would not be the end; there was no way this could be the end…

There was a certain comfort, a refreshing familiarity about the way he touched you, not like this was your first night together, but the first of many. This wasn’t a battle, it was almost another dance in its own right, setting your hearts alight and your bodies aflame.

Still tangled up in each other, a mess of lovestruck smiles and crumpled white sheets as you both caught your breaths again, you looked over at him, you could tell he reciprocated everything you were feeling by the way he looked back at you. Those gorgeous brown eyes still shone with affection, that sweet smile still played on his lips, with just the lightest hint of a blush visible on his cheeks. He reached one hand up to brush a stray strand of your still-damp hair away from your face, letting his hand rest tenderly on your flushed cheek for a moment; you placed your own hand over his, a silent request to please stay.

You didn’t need to ask twice - or even once.

And again, it was as though you were in perfect sync; you leaned in and met his lips for one last kiss that night, every bit as passionate as the first. The day’s chaos and exhaustion had begun to catch up with you both, but for all the mutual warmth and comfort you felt, falling asleep in each other’s arms seemed like a definite way to relieve it. A momentary hint of fear flickered through your mind as you wondered how it was even possible to feel so safe, so loved in the arms of someone you barely knew, and for someone who knew you just as little to reciprocate with such adoration - but there you both were.

And oh, you were certain you’d have each other again any damn time you could - but now you rested in the knowledge that you’d always have more time in the morning…

—————

Morning rolled around far too soon. When you awoke in your gorgeous suite, praying the night was not just a dream… you were abruptly snapped out of your daze by the irritating sound of a phone buzzing. 

Your sleepy mind registered that you’d left your personal phone in the drawer of the nightstand before you left for the Gala. When you carefully retrieved the device, it simply would not stop ringing with notifications from every friend and family member you kept in contact with.

Why?

You wondered, but it didn’t take much searching to find out. Splashed across the tabloids, the blogs, and all over social media, amongst the endless stream of best- and worst-dressed lists, was an image of the two of you. So thank goodness, it wasn’t just a dream… He wasn’t just a dream. You had no idea how or who could’ve snapped this photo without your knowledge, but you realised complaining would be an injustice. The mystery photographer had captured you and Lin mid-midnight dance, at the very second he’d dipped you low and you’d seized the moment to steal a kiss, the falling raindrops sparkling like diamonds around you.

It looked like the end of a Disney movie, him the smitten prince, you the besotted princess, falling into happily ever after in each other’s arms.

But when Lin stirred beside you and held you close, still adorably sleepy, you tossed your phone onto the bed and turned to face him instead, bathed in the early morning sunshine’s soft glow. 

The dream could go on a little longer and for now, the rest of the world could wait - because what you both knew in that moment, was that this was only the beginning of a new fairytale…

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