#juniper mistress

[lailoken]

While staying in a small town as I traveled, I stumbled upon the largest Juniper Tree I have ever seen in my life. I tried repeatedly to take a picture that captured the whole thing, but every picture came out cut off and/or oddly unfocused. In the end, I decided I simply wasn't meant to capture it on film in that way, but suffice it to say that it was well over 100 feet tall, with a trunk wide enough to contain a sizable huddle of large adults. Based on its size and subspecies, I believe it must be 300 years old at the very least.

After midnight, I made my way to this tree with offerings in honor of the Juniper Mistress, and meditated beneath her gargantuan boughs. The next day, I visited again and realized that multiple bushells of Mistleow grew upon the branches, one of which quite literally fell into my hands following a gentle shake of a nearby lower limb. As a final mark of my reverence and thanks, I left a drop of my blood upon an antique railroad spike that I discovered embedded within, and nearly subsumed by, her massive trunk.

What a special blessing.

#juniper #juniper mistress #tree spirits #tree worship #tree magic #spirit work

[jayaorgana]

Most scary fairytales are like clearly meant to represent something that happened very commonly to prepare young people for it in the real world, but fairytales from Germany are just like, hey, what was the moral there exactly?

#like beauty and the beast was arranged marriages Mistress Lucia was about repecting nature ect ect #but like the moral of the Juniper tree is what exactly? #like MAYBE you could stretch it and it was telling little girls to respect their ilder brother's since usually the bury the bones trope has #something to do with respecting your elders??? #but like Marlene is objectively not the main character of that story???? #ooh fun fact Marlene's name remains the same in most versions of the juniper tree including the german and African American versions #HUGE trigger warning if you look up the juniper tree or the bury the bones trope bith involve cannibalism and murder #folklore #sophs.txt

[blujayonthewing]

this is like the fifteenth time I've said this but I am once again thinking about how juniper was prepared to give up all of her dreams of travel and adventure for her first girlfriend and still got a dismissive 'you don't really expect me to marry a mapmaker, do you?' and how fengling has consistently and repeatedly told her that what she's doing is important and worthwhile but also that she'd still follow her no matter what she was doing

#the resolution of that conversation with isabelle was #'we can still keep meeting in secret like this after I'm married! EVERYBODY has mistresses! what's the big deal?' #and. juniper breaking off contact with her cold turkey and crying about it for a solid week #june would have given her everything and it still wouldn't have been good enough #june would give fengling everything but all she wants is june #juniper-- calling back to something fengling said in another conversation: I'd follow you anywhere- just probably 50ft behind #fengling: for you I can walk #lays on the FLOOR!!! #THEM....!!!! THEY........ #about me #my OCs #juniper #fengling and june

[soufcakmistress]

Temptress

Pairing: Erik Stevens x Thick Black OC

The intricate oil painting hanging on the wall threatened to fall by the incessant pounding of the bed frame. “I wonder what they’re serving at the pub tonight…” Sybil Freeman pondered as this sad soul rutted away between her legs. The Viscount Peters was one of her frequent visitors, and always tipped well. A lackluster lover, but always super sweet. The viscount shuddered and finally expelled into the sheepskin condom, with sighs of much awaited relief. Her corset has her abundant breasts grazing her chin, which have now spilled out from the romp that just ensued.

This is the part that the men come for. “Ooooh, the Viscount is feeling very frisky this evening. I’ll be sure to put those juniper berries in your wine every time we meet, sugar.” The short and dumpy nobleman always moseyed down her street for a bit of loving. Black and white men alike patronized the house—a house of nothing but Black bawds and whores.

~

London is a long way from colonial Charleston. Sybil Ravenel was one of eleven children to an enslaved couple working the indigo crop on Edisto Island. Keen on her surroundings and fierce about her family, one particular overseer would always harass her. She was very shapely and purposely wore baggier clothes to conceal her body. She’d managed to make it this far without getting whipped or separated from her family. The overseer was tired of Sybil spurning him. Easter Day came and the slaves were able to take the day off for once. While everyone was congregated by the fire, Sybil was caught off guard and gagged and pulled around the tobacco barn. Little did that overseer know that Sybil had been preparing for that day.

She sharpened this stick every day and hid it in the waistline of her skirt. Today, she made good on her intentions and shoved the stick into his neck. “I the last Negro woman you try to push up on. Bastard.” Blood drenched her apron and bonnet, and she wrenched them off and hid them under her skirt. Scrambling to the slave quarters, she gathered up the few clothes she had, tied them up and ran towards the harbor with all of her might in the dead of night.

Sybil understood sex and how easy men were guiled once it entered a dynamic. Men had few motivations and if it didn’t involve money, food or sex, Sybil found they didn’t have much use past that. She wasn’t entirely sure of her age, but she was a woman full grown. She had no education but she had the will to live and extremely limited means to do so. Offering what she had between her legs was how she was able to convince the captain of a nearby merchant ship not to ring the alarm for a fugitive slave on the run. She sucked his pecker so good as a matter of fact, he gave her her own cabin, left to be undisturbed until the ship docked.

The manifest was set for London Harbor, with a large store of indigo posed for shipping to the British Isles. England outlawed slavery years ago and all Sybil can remember being in awe of how Black folks roamed so freely. London was expansive, a different feeling versus Charleston. Attempting to navigate the streets, she bumped into a striking woman, with incredible cheek bones and dwarfed almost every man. “Careful, darling. Yuh ‘ave to actually look where yuh walk in this city. Before yuh get trampled.”

Needless to say, her life was changed from then on out. Bellemere Almodovar. Born in Jamaica, she was purchased by Spanish spice traders in exchange for bushels of saffron. She was so beautiful that she was whisked away from the auction block to accompany a lord in the Spanish court in the Spanish royal seat in Madrid.

Bellemere took Sybil under her wing. Showed her the ropes, how to keep herself safe, how to articulate herself, and recognize what the means to the end was. Fuck the frogs until you find the prince. A marquis or a lord having you for his mistress meant security and stability. A binding contract between the two of you kept the relationship mutually beneficial at all times. You provide the cunny and ego stroking, he provides the lifestyle. It’s plain and simple as that.

Until then, Sybil would stack her money. Her and Bellemere have expanded their stable, with an extremely diverse group of Black women with various treasures to offer. Lola and Liza Ibeji, the Sierra Leonan twin Amazons liked to play with the kinky politicians on Downing street on every bank holiday who liked to be tied up and degraded. Sarah Macenroe was a biracial beauty from Ireland, looking for a new home since her last bawd kicked her out. She was a contortionist, and petite like a nymph who loved to stick her finger up a John’s bum. And Sybil’s best friend Janie Smith from Trinidad, always quick to cuss her in patois. She was plump and shaped like you and that brought you both closer. Janie learned that she did not have a gag reflex, allowing any man to aim his prick down her endless throat with no resistance.

And Sybil. Sybil’s prized possession was between her legs. It was wetter and tighter than anyone around, and was guaranteed to make any man lose his pride before he wanted to. Her blue fingertips were a marvel to gaze upon and added to the fantasy. These English nobles ached for the chance of sleeping with a liberated Negro woman from the colonies. Her life was easy now. Fuck her regulars, and live good. She was free. Free to eat in any cafe of her choosing. Led her girls into any social gathering with their heads high and guaranteed to garner whispers and gasps. Music to her ears.

As of late, Sybil had been bored to tears of the social scene. Janie had just snagged her keeper, and she’d been whisked to the northern countryside for the next month. On this particular occasion, Sybil’s carob skin emitted radiance unknown to this world with the midnight blue gown hugging her body close. Her scalp itched under the powdered wig, and she daintily threw back her 6th drink of the night. Her girls worked the room as always, prowling for the next kill, and yet Sybil couldn’t give a fuck about any of these men.

She grabbed her sachet, picked up the ends of her dress and sashayed to the terrace. Some fresh air was needed. A cigarette she already rolled was pulled out and heavy footsteps lurked behind her. “Is this seat taken?”

A puff of tobacco smoke billowed in front of her cherubic face. A pleasant surprise that a Black man with a familiar accent met her. “Do as you like.”

The strange man quietly observes Sybil’s appearance. Their eyes finally meet and she’s enraptured and forgets to mask her intent. He’s very handsome, with a sterling smile and dashing garments. And an American accent. Interesting. “What’s a southern Belle doing mingling with English society?”

“I could ask the same of you. You’re like a fly in a glass of milk with this crowd. American?”

The gentleman wore his own hair out, a beautiful tangle of curls, and an emerald green suit that was immaculately crafted. His scent was alluring, and made Sybil want to know how deep his pockets went. “Yes. I was formerly enslaved, just like you. My father was African however and fell in love with my mother on a trip to the colonies. He bought us and we went back to his country to live. I grew up and wanted to explore this world. So for the moment, here I am..”

He took her cigarette out of her hand and began to puff on it himself. “And how would you know that I was enslaved? I could have been born free for all you know.”

The gentleman blew out the tobacco smoke, and gently placed her hand in his. The indigo dye. Permanently marking her as a piece of chattel. A former piece of chattel, for that matter. He kissed every fingertip on her left hand, and Sybil gulped. Her eyes became glassy, and she pulled away. She adjusted her dress, and stabilized her towering wig. “I didn’t catch your name, miss.”

Sybil took the cigarette back from him, taking a harsh pull. Why did this man make her feel like this? “Sybil. Sybil Freeman.” She had to get out of there. As seemingly progressive as London purported itself to be, Black men were almost never gentlemen and of the ton. He exuded high levels of breeding and class. His skin was gorgeous and he had piercing eyes that never left her….and roamed all over her body. He was clearly different.

“Good evening, sir.” Sybil gave the stiffest curtsy and zoomed away, flustered and confused. Something told her that that wouldn’t be the last she saw of him..

A/N: I totally forgot that I had most of this written up already LMAO. Please let me know if you want me to continue this story. Pleaseeee reblog and comment, love yall!!!

TAGS:

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#soufcakmistress #erik stevens #erik killmonger #erik killmonger smut #killmonger fanfiction #killmonger smut #killmonger x black oc

[sleepy-baby-witchy1]

war deities - sekhmet

sekhmet: egyptian goddess of war, healing, chaos, the desert sun, & plague

"so ra brought forth the goddess sekhmet, the destroyer." - carlos museum of emory university

crossing sekhmet was something that was literally a life or death manner. she was created to punish those disobedient to her father, ra. outside of her infamous wrath, she was a deeply loved goddess who had a protective aura and provided healing to her followers.

being one of many deities who protected the ancient pharaohs, it wasn't sekhmet's only job. many egyptian gods had dualities, as seen above. additionally, egyptian gods were typically depicted in triads or groups. the main group sekhmet is linked with is the eye of ra. this group consists of sekhmet, hathor, bastet, mut, & uadyet. she also has connections to pakhet, mehit, wadjet, & isis as well.

sekhmet's creation

as ra aged and his creation days were mostly over, mankind began worshipping apophis, the spirit of evil. furious with mankind for not obeying his laws or preserving ma'at, ra, the sun god, took out his eye and placed it on earth. after placing her on the earth, ra named her sekhmet the destroyer.

once she was set loose to punish those who had turned their backs on ra, it was an absolute massacre. after devouring the followers of apophis, sekhmet turned on those who hadn't betrayed ra and began killing them as well. one version of this myth says ra felt regret for what he had done, and ordered her to stop - but sekhmet was too far gone into her bloodlust. in an attempt to get sekhmet to stop her rage, he poured seven thousand jugs of beer mixed with pomegranate juice into her path. the pomegranate juice dyed the beer red, disguising it as blood. upon seeing the liquid, sekhmet went towards it and drank so much of it she became intoxicated and slept for three days. after waking up, not only was humanity saved, but she saw -and fell in love with- ptah.

another version of this myth says that ra met with all the gods to discuss what he should do upon discovering mankind worshipping apophis. nun, the father of ra, said he should create a spirit to kill only those who worship apophis. he agreed, and created sekhmet to punish his disloyal followers. sekhmet began her killing spree on worshippers of apophis, but it wasn't long before she turned her attention to people outside of those she had been sent to punish. the remaining people who hadn't begun worshipping apophis cried out to ra for protection and help. ra, moved by the cries of his people, dumped a mixture of beer that had been dyed with red ochre into either the fields or the river outside of where sekhmet was staying. lured by the "bloody" scene, sekhmet greedily lapped it up and became drunk. ra approached sekhmet and informed her that she no longer needed to be the destroyer, she would instead become the goddess of love - hathor. ra informed her she'd still have the same amount of power as she had now, but it would no longer be used for hate and destruction.

sacred plants

pomegranate, juniper

cinnamon, papyrus reeds, cloves, vanilla

roses, carnations, orange blossoms, lotus

sacred colors

red

orange

yellow

gold

white

sacred animals

lions

cobras, serpents

incense

copal

orange

ylang-ylang

dragon's blood

myrrh

kyphi

cedar

frankincense

sandalwood

patchouli

amber

symbols

ankh

fire

sun disk

papyrus scepter

udjat eye

sand

crystals for her

garnet, zircon, danburite, bloodstone, ruby, gold, sunstone, fire opal, tiger's eye

tarot cards associated with her

queen of wands

the tower

death

strength

knight of wands

the sun

epithets of sekhmet

mistress of life

lady of the tomb

gracious one

destroyer of rebellion

mighty one of enchantments

smiter of nubians

one before whom evil trembles

flaming one

lady of the place of the beginning of time

mistress of the tomb

great one of magic

pure one

awakener

ruler of lions

overcomer of all enemies

beloved sekhmet

scarlet lady

the powerful one

goddess of vengeance

lady of pestilence

mistress of dead

great one of healing

victorious one

sekhmet of the knives

links!

sekhmet myth 1, ancient egypt online, epithets 1, ask aladdin - sekhmet, tales from 2 lands 1, tales from 2 lands 2, finding dulcinea, the collector, egyptian museum, australian museum, land of pyramids

#deity work #paganblr #war gods #deity identification #witchblr #egyptian mythology #egyptian gods #kemetism #sekhmet #sekhmet goddess of war

[rpking99]

PokeDex Part 2

Part 1

Welcome back to Luxure's PokeDex, dear Trainers. We come back to discuss the next ten Pokémon with Gijinkamon forms, and if you missed the first page for some reason then please use the link above. Now, let us begin!

Lucario

The ever novel Lucario stays a Fighting/Steel Type as we begin. Her base state mirroring a normal Locario, as you would expect!

And entering it's first Gijinka Change, it groas closer to humans! Becoming a Fighting/Normal Type!

Lucario final Gijinka form follows the same pattern as it's original stats, only this time following a trend of 'magical girls' instead of iron defence. Becoming a Fighting/Fairy Type

Zoroark

Basic Zoroark is, as expected, Dark

This situation is the most interesting of the Gijinkamon, in the eyes of Juniper. As the Zoroark unleashed a Gijinka Change, it access the genes of the long ago Hisuian Zoroark form. Completely changing it's type into a Normal/Ghost Type, the only known Gijinkamon to have a 100% full Type change.

Dark/Fairy is the type that Zoroark's final Gijinka Change unleashes. Using the myths of mischievous fairies to help it's illusionary tactics

Tsareena

Tsareena is a basic Grass type and her Gijinka state does not change that

But by focusing on the spirits of those she considered her subjects, she shifts into a Grass/Ghost Type

And by choosing to use her powerful legs to their fullest, she unleashed the power of a Grass/Fighting Type

Volcarona

A Bug/Fire Type that some considered legendary, a mighty force of an insect queen

A flame queen that inverts into a Bug/Ice tType when she uses her first type of Gijinka Change

But the 'legendary' myths become almost reality as she tapps into wonderful power, morphing into a Bug/Dragon Type

Xatu

Nothing to be surprised with, after all, as Psychic/Flying Type is Xatu's natural state

Then we have the Psychic/Ghost Type state, instead of casting her view into future and being consumed by it Xatu instead focuses it's mind into the afterlife to guide it. Reducing its absentmindedness

And finally we have a pure Psychic Type variant, as Xatu fully surrenders it's mind to the future. Moving autonomously, without thought or effort.

Salamance

Salamance is naturally Dragon/Flying, so not much to talk about here.

But by loosening it's grasp on the power of flight, Salamance becomes a pure Dragon Type. It's draconic powers becoming enhanced

Dragon/Ice is the final type Salamance can take, somehow unleashing the same power that could hurt and defeat herself. Like how Dragon is already weak against Dragon

Garchomp

Garchomp is, as you'd expect, a Dragon/Ground Type.

Unleashing DNA that connects Garchomp with the Pokémon known as Sharpedo, a Pokémon that many believe has a common ancestors with Garchomp, she becomes a Dragon/Water Types.

And using the power of her final Gijinka Change, Charchomp becomes a Dragon/Poison Tyoe. Despite looking innocent, her weapons are coated in poison

Goodra

Goodra is a pure Dragon Type Pokémon as akwagst. At least to start.

Using the old genetics of her Hisuian ancestors, Goodra becomes a Dragon/Steel Type with this Gijinka Change

Trying to unleash some enjoyment in those around her, Goodra turns into a Dragon/Fairy Type. Trying to be like an idol and keep everyone happy

Milotic

Water Type is what everyone knows Milotic as, and it is her basic state as well.

Using the power of a Gijinka Change, Milotic morphs into a Water/Ice Type. Using the cold power to make ice weapons

And her final state of changed, Milotic morphs into a Water/Dragon. Returning to the water in a mermaid style, her aquatic powers are further enhanced.

Ninetails

The final Gijinkamon in this set of the PokeDex is the pure Fire Type Ninetails.

Our first form has Ninetails summoning some of her Alolan blood and morphing into a Fire/Ice Type. A mistress of both extremes of temperature

And the final Gijinka form we have to speak about is Ninetails unleashing her power as a Kitsune War Queen and becoming a Fire/Posion Type.

And that is all we have for today. We hope this entry into the sex has been helpful. And we shall see you again soon.

Part 3

#read rules before interacting #pokemon rp #open to all #open smut rp #open rp #smut rp

[adventurous-adventures]

23 February 2024

(Mick took notes this session)

DM: talking about a creature watching us from the shadows Georgie: is it Shia Le Bouf

Zain: *mumbles something* DM: what was that about prostitutes?

Arora BOARialous

We cast speak with animals on the boar staring at us The boar has run away Mick guessed that it was a wild-shaped druid, Alex does not confirm

We try following the "boar" and come across the logging camp

Sand ants, giant fucking sand ants, apparently called ank heads or something??

Mick asked if they were the same size as a wyvern. They are

Tibor Wester is a pacifist

Juniper accidentally mentioned burning down the buildings at the camp

The lumberjacks are all pussy

The burning of Gnomengarde is still on the table

"Ahhhh I wanna commit arson"

The ank heads spit venom

Juniper attempts to climb into the cabi

"Really?? Right in front of my jellybeans???" - in response to Mick and Georgie joking about knotting

Saying graphic depictions of spaghettification three times fast

We are now in combat

Tibor has a mistress

We traumatise Alex further (jokes about it not being water coming out of the tap)

Iphigenia tried pushing the desk out of the way, it fails

Juniper goes to push the desk out of the way, but ends up hurting herself instead. Alex said that Juniper stubbed their toe. Juniper is a satyr, they don't have toes

Riverlea also couldn't push the desk out the way

The ank head fails at chomping Raven

"First scimitar - oh fuck it's a nat 1"

The desk is still in the way

Georgie smashes the desk They had to roll damage It now has a hole in it

"That is mahogany"

Raven just took 13 acid damage

Raven has done some damage back to the ank head

We are free to leave the office

Tibor fucked off

Iphigenia is a master forger

"Fuck you. Literally" Mick to Zain as Zain is standing in front of the ank head. They thought I meant literal fucking so we had a good laugh

Riverlea slides under Raven's legs and casts burning hands

Georgie aggressively rolled their dice and did 12 fire damage

"Everything screams like the fucking gummy bear" -Lara

"You are prone being under Raven's legs" Alex to Georgie

Riverlea just got chomped by the Ank head

"You're going to fucking die" sad Riverlea noises

Riverlea just took 33 damage total. The polycule is barely holding on

"That was uncomfortably close to your groin"

Raven threw Riverlea back into the office and then proceeded to decapitate the Ank head

Raven is now Wally West crossed with Geralt of Rivia

Scaring Alex is becoming a reoccurring theme

Tibor is on the cart of supplies

Raven aims a crossbow at Tibor

Zain rolled a 10, it tied, Tibor is hit with a crossbow and takes 11 damage

Tibor is fucking dead

We are burning the evidence that we killed Tibor

We proceed to burn the camp to the ground

There are 3 more killer ants

"I like your funny words magic man" - Mick, Georgie, and Zain

Juniper has somehow survived this long and idk how

"I have a character called Orpheus" "Its Orphen time"

DM.exe not working again

Raven and Riverlea are going back to the cart

Juniper took 12 damage

Iphigenia did 14 damage to an Ank head

One Ank head is dead, the other is on fire

Juniper takes 4 damage

Iphigenia cast magic missile

Riverlea is going for the head

It failed

"Touch the grass"

Ank head 2 is dead. Juniper burnt it into a crisp

Lara casts magic missile again, and it misses

Mick is just casting burning hands

Iphigenia cast fire bolt

The ank head is disengaging

We are still killing it

The ank head is dead

The logging camp has been burnt to the ground

Off-screen they give the supplies to an orphanage in Neverwinter and then go back to Phandalin

Tune in next week for the mid-season finale

And we level up to level 5 as well

#the oddballs #session recaps #google tells me that it's actually ankheg but anyway

[thoughtfulfangirling]

2023 Reads

A new year means a new book list! I don't think I can top my 2022 count, but that's okay! I'm not totally sure what my reading goals this year will actually be, but I guess I'll sort it out on the way! XD For future reads, here's my 2024 list!

Four Treasures of the Sky - Jenny Tinghui Zhang

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Frederick Douglass+

The Bear and the Nightengale - of the Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden

The Secrets We Keep - Mia Hayes

Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal - Patty Loew+

The First Sister - Linden A. Lewis^

The House of the Seven Gables - Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury~

Fin Mac Cool - Morgan Llewlyn^

How Long 'til Black Future Month by N. K. Jemisin

Lavinia - Ursula K Le Guin^

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin*

Black Cowboys of the Old West: True, Sensational, and Littke-Known Stories form History - Tricia Martineau Wagner+

The Mysteries of Thorn Manor - Margaret Roberson%

Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space - Amanda Leduc+

Her Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno Dawson^

She Who Became the Sun~ - Shelley Parker-Chan*

The Witch King - H.E. Edgmon^

Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree*

Mistress of the Art of Death - Ariana Franklin^

The Adventures of Amina El-Serafi - S.A. Chakraborty

Humankind: A Hopeful History - Rutger Bregman+

The Folk Keeper - Frannie Billingsly*%

Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens - (Suzy) Eddie Izzard+

Juniper & Thorn - Ava Reid

Upright Women Wanted - Sarah Gailey%

I Await the Devil's Coming - Mary MacLane+

Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut~

Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers' Rights - Molly Smith & Juno Mac+

The Woman in White - Wilke Collins^

King of Battle and Blood - Scarlett St. Clair

Sarah - J.T. LeRoy^

The City Beautiful - Aden Polydoros^

Freshwater - Akwaeke Emezi

Always the Almost - Edward Underhill

All Systems Red - Martha Wells%

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller

Nevada - Imogen Binnie

A Dowry of Blood - S. T. Gibson

The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli

The Second Rebel - Linden A Lewis

Get a Life Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert

The Hero and the Crown* - Robin McKinley

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing - Bruce D Perry & Oprah Winfrey+^

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea - Rebecca Thorne

The Eye of the Heron - Ursula K Leguin

Artificial Condition -Martha Wells%

The Kraken's Sacrifice - Katee Robert%

Crown Duel - Sherwood Smith*

Rogue Protocol - Martha Wells%

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self Involved Parents - Lindsay C Gibson+

Wildcat: The Untold Story of Pearl Hart, the Wild West's Most Notorious Woman Bandit - John Boessenecker+

The History of Wales - History Nerds+%

Ander & Santi Were Here - Jonny Garza Villa

The Glass Castle - Jeanette Walls^

Rosemary and Rue - Seanan McGuire^

The Gilda Stories - Jewelle Gomez

Irish Fairy and Folk Tails - Various+

The Dead and the Dark - Courtney Gould

Haunted Wisconsin - Michael Norman and Beth Scott+

The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris

The Ruins - Scott Smith

He Who Drowned the World - Shelley Parker-Chan

Fledgling - Octavia Butler

Vampire Forensics: Uncovering the Origins of an Enduring Legend - Mark Collins Jenkins+

The Vampyre - John Polidori%

This is Halloween - James A Moore

Sorrowland - Rivers Soloman

The Lamb will Slaughter the Lion - Margaret Killjoy%

Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Love Her or Lose Her - Tessa Bailey^

One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston*

The Last Hero - Linden A. Lewis

Lovelight Farms - B. K. Borison

Reindeer Falls Collection: Volume One - Jana Aston

Currently reading: One Last Stop (Audiobook to help me sleep XD)

Nonfiction is annotated by + A Re-read is annotated by * A book completed from the list below is annotated by ^ A Read with Empty will be annotated by ~ A Novella %

My current, loose and not that interesting goal for this year is to really work on the books I have current access to right now... at the start of this year. Because it's a lot XD This means books currently favorite in Scribd, on my StoryGraph 'to read' pile, or a book I currently own on my shelves. Main goal is at least one of these a month.

For my own personal reference, I'm putting a list of such books below to hold myself accountable.

Edit: Now the end of 2023, and here's a breakdown of my goal to read books I already had access to at the start of 2023:

I didn't read one a month per se, but I got more than 12 done, so I call this a win. These books are:

-Can't Spell Treason Without Tea - Rebecca Thorn -The City Beautiful - Aden Polydoros -Finn Mac Cool - Morgan Llewlyn -The First Sister by Linden A Lewis (proceeded by the other two in the series) -Get a Life, Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert -The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls -Haunted Wisconsin - Michael Norman & Beth Scott -Her Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno Dawson -I Await the Devil's Coming - Mary McClane -The Kraken's Sacrifice - Katee Robert -Lavinia - Ursula K Le Guin -Love Her or Lose Her - Tessa Bailey -Mistress of the Art of Death - Ariana Franklin -Nevada - Imogen Binnie -The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli -Rosemary and Rue - Seanan McGuire -The Ruins - Scott Smith -The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller -Sarah - J.T. LeRoy -Vampire Forensics - Mark Collins Jenkins -What Happened to You? - Oprah Winfrey -The Witch King - H. E. Edgmon -The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

The books I did not get around to reading from this list are as follows: Black Water Sister by Zen Cho; Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye (o); The Book of M by Peng Shepard (o); Charity and Sylvia by Rachel Hope Cleves (o); The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (a); The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey (s); Fallen by Lauren Kate (o); Fanny Hill by John Cleland (o); Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (s); The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea (s); The Great Hunger by Cecil Woodham-Smith (o); Helping Her Get Free by Susan Brewster (o); The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang (s); Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (o); The Merry Spinster by Daniel Lavery (o); On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (o); The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang (s); Radiance by Grace Draven (a); Watching the Tree by Adeline Yen Mah (o); The Willows by Algernon Blackwood (s); Wings of Fire (o); Witches Steeped in Gold by Clannon Smart (o); The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid (s)

23/46 Whoa! That's exactly 50% of the books I had on my list! That's pretty cool! All in all, I consider this 2023 goal successfully done!

#tf reads #2023 reads #books #yearly lists #long post #well it will be ok even without the readmore eventually #reading #my reading index

[timecma]

Also, who’s each of your characters favourite TLOS character?

Hah—I love how most of my characters are just in the land of stories, so it’s more like “who is their favorite person?”

Cyrus’s is obviously Xanthous. There’s literally nothing to say there he’s absolutely enamored by him. His gay little heart beats for him.

Negative’s favorite character would definitely be Ezmia. The purple, the flair, the confidence—she’s got it all. He’d think she was magnificent and magnificently misunderstood. Also he’d be like “yikes, well mirror dust does that to you…” 😬

Aurelia’s favorite character would probably be Brystal. Strong, confident leader who isn’t without her flaws. There’s a level of respect the Fairy Godmother has and she got it by literally going from one of the most hated people in the world to one of the most respected. However, Brystal also suffers from depression and she can get overwhelmed sometimes and it makes her feel human and relatable.

Indicum’s favorite character would be Sir Lampton hands down. He’s been a knight for as long as he can remember, and Sir Lampton isn’t just stone-cold and responsible. He’s got a soft side and he also helps those he can. Indicum would view him as the ultimate role-model who does his best when times get tough.

Juniper’s favorite character would be Alex probably. And Gale’s would be Conner respectively. Those two are like a duo just like Alex and Conner are like a duo. Juniper tries to be level-headed and responsible but she’s not without her flaws. Gale is funny and sincere but he’s also not without his flaws. They’d relate too well because they’re also like a brother/sister duo without actually being brother and sister. They’re just really close.

Rapid fire for the Creators without much explanation.

Vinny would love Mother Goose. She’s a hoot and he loves a good laugh and is also kind of chaotic himself.

Death would like Mistress Mara. She’s his daughter—he can’t help it.

Grim likes Madame Weatherberry because of her guidance aspect and how she’s always willing to help others even in death. That’s some resilience.

Life would love Froggy because he’s an intelligent man who always has a hunger for more knowledge and to learn. He appreciates scholars and academics, especially ones who are walking, talking amphibians.

Time would like Alex. While she’s nothing like him, he would enjoy her realistic approach to most things. He would also appreciate that she gives up using magic and just uses her hands to fix things if she has to—like how she did in A Grimm Warning. He also would feel bad for her getting mirror dust blown in her face. All of this stuff he’d never say out loud tho. He admires her dedication to stuff too.

Space likes Elrik because he’s gay and he thinks Elrik is fun so it’s a good connection to him because he’s also gay and fun.

Nova would like Death. He’s biased to his son. (This is a joke). Nova would like Charlotte because of how great of a mother she is. He enjoys how she still tries to keep her kids feeling like they deserve normal things—like celebrating their birthday and whatnot. He’s also very parental when he gets over himself, so deep in his heart he would love Charlotte and her way of trying to keep her family happy and united. Also she puts up with a surprising amount of stuff—which he admires.

This is all I’m gonna to for now haaaaahhhhhh that was a lot of work.

#ask me anything #this is about my fic and I have too many characters to even begin to put them all down uhhhhhhhhh

[smallcatsims]

Ever since two of Forrest’s mistresses died, he has been distraught and he realizes that woohooing and falling in love with so many sims is not making him happy. He decides to focus on knowledge and is enjoying working on his skills. He cares a lot more about educating his son. He hires Eudacia to tutor him on principles of religion, philosophy, law, and literature. Juniper also serves as a makeshift governess and tutor for him as well on other subjects such as science, and mathemetics. 

Jihoon is still mad at being cheated on and walks by the house a lot. He doesn’t seem to realize that Forrest has turned over a new leaf and cares more about learning now. 

#sims 2 #ts2 historical #ts2 #rwpark

[lailoken]

When working with an arboreal spirit (Old Man Willow, the Juniper Mistress, the Elder Mother) or really any spirit for that matter, how do you determine the gender of the spirit? Is it something directly communicated? Do you address them based on instinct about their gender or is it folklore from how they were addressed in the past that prompts it? Is this how the spirit communicates itself to you specifically? Meaning could another practitioner interact with the exact same spirit and perceive it as female, even though you experience it as male, and vice versa? I love reading your posts about tree spirits but they’ve prompted this curiosity.

In my experience, spirits do not experience gender in the way humans do. I answered a question about that here in more depth, but I essentially believe that numinous entities tend to "take on" gender presentation when interacting with humans, in the process of making themselves observable to us. I think this largely has to do with human beliefs and expectations creating a kind of "psychic impression" that affects the manifestation of a spirit. This doesn't mean a spirit will always present in a particular way, but I think that the longer a numinous Wight has been regarded and propitiated under a certain guise, the more defined and consistent that "psychic impression" becomes.

I think that using existing lore is a good rule of thumb where this sort of thing is involved—such as the lore of the Elder Mother or the Juniper Mistress—but aside from that, I mostly rely on dreams and intuitions. I often don't experience any sort of inclination about gender when working with spirits, one way or another, but when I do (such as with Old Man Willow or Lady Whitethorn,) it almost always comes out of my mouth before I've even had time to think about it, but then feels instinctively right and true.

#anonymous #ask #tree spirits #plant spirits #tutelary spirits #land spirits #spirits #spirit work #elder mother #juniper mistress #old man willow #lady whitethorn

[nedlittle]

⭐i read a total of 16 books books in june (110% of my total goal) and 5694 pages (125% of my total) goal.

my favourite was the right thing to do at the time by dov zeller and my least favourite was harlem sunset (harlem renaissance mysteries #2). i did not finish two books: bad gays: a homosexual history by huw lemmey and ben miller [review here] and ha’penny (small change #2) [review here]

full list of books and ratings under the cut 🖊📚

juniper & thorn by ava reid 4.5⭐ [fantasy, horror] [review]

the impossible girl by lydia kang 3.75⭐ [historical, mystery] [review]

mistress of the art of death (mistress of the art of death #1) by ariana franklin 4⭐ [historical, mystery] [review]

the pendragon legend by antal szerb (tr. len rix) 3.5⭐ [classics, mystery] [review]

harlem sunset (harlem renaissance mysteries #2) by nekesa afia 3⭐ [historical, mystery, queer] [review]

horrid by katrina leno 3.5⭐ [horror, ya] [review]

when women ruled the world: six queens of egypt by kara cooney 3.25⭐ [history, biography] [review]

the liars’ club: a memoir by mary karr 3.5⭐ [memoir] [review]

miss aldridge regrets by louise hare 3⭐ [historical, mystery] [review]

farthing (small change #1) by jo walton 4.5⭐ [historical, mystery] [review]

tokyo ever after (tokyo ever after #1) by emiko jean 3.25⭐ [ya, contemporary, romance] [review]

the masqueraders by georgette heyer 3.5⭐ [historical, romance] [review]

the right thing to do at the time by dov zeller 5⭐ [queer, romance] [review]

rebecca by daphne du maurier 5⭐ [classics, gothic, romance] [review]

the winter guest by w.c. ryan 3.75⭐ [historical, mystery] [romance]

the whole picture: the colonial story of art in our museums & why we need to talk about it by alice procter 4.25⭐ [art, history] [review]

#reading #reading wrap up #bookblr #sometimes i make stuff #a few of these reviews TRULY go fully off the rails into the ocean. my review for tokyo ever after devolves into a tirade against capitalism #my review for miss aldridge's regrets features the line 'dear god did those rich white people blend together like the world's most expensive #my dnf reviews are normally meh but this month i had THINGS TO SAY

[blujayonthewing]

🤔 juniper wondering if it was possessive of her to break up with isabelle after being told no, you silly thing, of course I won't marry you, but I can assure you that my eventual husband won't mind that I have you, everyone has mistresses after all

was it selfish, then, to want her all to herself? was it only that she couldn't stand to share, like a petulant child? would it not have been enough just to be allowed to stay near her...?

#after all if she was TRULY so devoted wouldn't she happily-- gratefully-- accept as much or as little of isabelle as she was given? #after all what more COULD she reasonably ask-- much less expect? #she didn't walk back the breakup and she never spoke or wrote to isabelle again #but she was sick with grief over her for ages #first love... :') #now it's been seven years and she's MOSTLY good about being secure in 'I deserve more than being a rich woman's pet??' #but sometimes she thinks about the children belle must have by now-- children whose lives she might have been a part of-- #and it feels like a black pit inside of her #having a girlfriend who has repeatedly and proactively asserted her support for juniper exactly as she is-- #has done a LOT to counterbalance the years-nagging sense that she carelessly threw away the best relationship she could possibly hope for #isabelle was not a good person. she was completely aware of the power and experience imbalance in their relationship and relished in it #I do think she loved juniper in her own way-- but in the same way a wealthy young girl loves any sweet and devoted pet #I imagine she was more furious than heartbroken when juniper left #my OCs #juniper

[tcintedsvcrets]

welcome to marina, RAFE LIAO ( male, he/him ) ! they are a THIRTY FIVE year old who has lived on the island for HIS WHOLE LIFE. word on the street is they’re currently living in LOCKE ROW and works as a UNEMPLOYED. everyone also says they look a lot like LEWIS TAN . what do you think?

⸻  𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘

Born in California, his mother thought it would be better if they moved away from the big city and found somewhere cute and quaint to live

parental death; during the birth of his little sister, juniper, their mother passed away

alcoholism / child neglect; their father spiraled shortly after, passing out in his recliner in front of their shitty tv every night, beer cans littered at his feet. they learned the meaning of survival of the fittest, of every man for himself fairly quickly.

by the time Rafe was 8, he had started to act out, since he'd had nobody to really show him how to control his temper

to no one’s surprise at all, it did not help. especially when it did nothing but drive his dad to drink more than usual (bc as if he had to leave his mistress aka the bottle just so his kid could focus wow) and become overly controlling with expectations that Rafe would clearly never meet.

Barely scraped through the years he needed to before leaving school, not before leaving quite a chaotic impression behind him, "not another Liao kid" when his siblings passed through the years.

He took up a trade. He bounced around a few different options but ultimately landed a full-time job as an electrician. his dad saw it as the most disgraceful thing ever

He never moved out of home, despite the desire to - and growing tired of dealing with his asshole, drunk father, but he did his best at trying to take care of his siblings. This obviously completed the cycle and turned Rafe into a bit of a fucking asshole over time.

Built something of a functioning relationship a few years out of school that was going well..– until everything in his home life pushed him to be a little too overprotective and overbearing. Likely more echoing traits of his father and being around him so often at home.

This led to brawl one night after all the bars closed and tempers flared. Six people were hospitalized, Rafe included. After which, he was affested and charged with voluntary manslaughter

Was released on probation in the last month

Does not live with his parents anymore, but still resides in locke row as per the rule of his probation - he has no contact with his father - a therapist deemed it damaging for his rehabilitation into society.

Morally grey

⸻  𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

spends a lot of time fixing up old bikes while he looks for employment

has a liao family member ever had a filter? nope

has somehow ended up as the owner of a stray dog

⸻ 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

Siblings: Juniper

Friends:

Enemies: 

Exes:

neighbours

#Bio

[victoriansvilevictorians]

Follow Victorians, Vile Victorians in Patreon for more original fiction like this for free.

"But you can't wear the red scarf, ma'am!" But the black scarf, Sarah admits, is still in to soak, having become unbearably frowsty, and the white one, despite Sarah's best attempts, is streaked with dull yellow stains. Why anyone thought of wearing white silk next to their neck is a mystery to her. "You could wear a shawl?" Sarah suggests tentatively, but her mistress doesn't reply. She detests shawls, they remind her of market women.

Sarah is not elevated to the status of a lady's maid, and washing the black scarf had taken its place alongside tasks like cleaning out the fires. Mrs Ampleforth had noted, even as a child, that while her mother professed to be exhausted after a tea party, Sarah and her workmates were banging about the kitchen before it was light, and could be heard still clearing up long after she had gone to bed. It had left her slightly in awe of servants, and the feeling had never quite worn off.

Anyway, she explained to her employee, though the sun is bright there is a chill gusty wind, it is still only February, Pedro needs his walk, and who is she going to meet on the Common at this time in the morning? She opens the front door, then steps smartly back inside. Fumbling under her coat, she releases the strings of her crinoline, steps out of it, and hangs it over the newel post at the foot of the stairs. "Madam!" says Sarah in horror. "You'd best pop that straight upstairs, in case anyone calls" she replies calmly, and steps out into the tail end of the storm, her skirts clutched firmly in her hand.

If she hadn't got out of the house, she says to herself, she would have screamed and, having screamed, started smashing the china. The sandy paths, though still damp, hold no puddles, and progress is far easier (and her legs warmer) without the crinoline swaying and bucking in the wind. The scarf cracks and flaps like a flag, pulling out every time she tucks it in, and she ends up clutching it in her other hand. It's a good job there are no gates to open, she thinks, as she doesn't have a hand free. The broad brimmed hat wasn't the best idea, but it is so firmly pinned to her tight plaits that its efforts to escape are futile.

She was wrong, however, about meeting no-one. She passes several working men, and an old lady collecting firewood blown down overnight, who count, for social purposes as No-one, but then she realises the figure chasing his round hat into a clump of juniper is the vicar. In Westheath, the church is out at the end of a lane, and this must be his short cut to the village.

"A red scarf, Mrs Ampleforth?" he says, instead of the customary how-d'ye-do. As he has started the conversation without the usual grace notes, she will follow suit. "Red is God's colour too, Vicar. I am not aware of the Bible discriminating amongst shades." This is clearly more than he bargained for, and he bows and walks on without anything more. She resists the urge to turn her head and see if he is looking back at her.

Nonetheless, the sermon the next Sunday, taking as its text "Render unto Caesar", seems rather pointed to Mrs Ampleforth, seated in the third row in her clean black scarf. Several working men and an old lady collecting firewood have been quite sufficient to pass the news round the village that Mrs Ampleforth had been seen wearing scarlet, while still in second mourning, although fortunately the collective lack of sartorial acuity had barely noticed that her gown had seemed rather bedraggled, and not identified the actual lack of crinoline.

The vicar expands, at length, on the topic of fitting in with our fellows, conforming with what is expected of us, and generally not outraging public decency. As Mrs Ampleforth is close to the front, everyone else has the luxury of staring at the back of her head, while she has only elderly Major Binks to hide behind, and he is asleep as usual. She holds her gaze with rigid stoicism on the altar cross and refuses to blink.

The rest of the service passes in its normal dreariness, and if the vicar, standing to greet his parishioners in the porch before they step out into the rain awaits Mrs Ampleforth with chagrin, he gives no sign of it. Perhaps he is ready with forgiving compassion for her to step forward, eyes downcast. Not a bit of it. "An interesting sermon, Vicar" she observes sharply "one wonders what Our Lord would make of the suggestion that we should take worldly opinion as our moral guide?" She has had half an hour to sharpen and perfect her barb, and is pleased with her firm delivery.

If the vicar has flinched, if she has hit home, she does not see, for she has stepped out into the drizzle with her nose in the air and her gaze straight ahead. On Monday morning, however, when she walks down to the post office with Pedro at her side, she is wearing the scarlet silk scarf like a flag of war.

Reactions are so varied that she is soon too amused to feel any awkwardness. The better sort of villagers simply pretend they have not seen her. Those below her in the social scale blush, or try to hide a sly smile. The children, of course, are unaware of the depths of her outrage, although some of the older ones gasp open mouthed, vaguely conscious they are witnessing a phenomenon. Does she really hear a low buzz of voices as she ducks to go through the low door of the post office, or is she imagining it?

In the darkened room there is only the postmaster, yet even he leans forward and speaks in low, conspiratorial tones. "Aren't you concerned about what Mr Ampleforth might say, looking down?" His tone is amused, the way he raises his eyes to heaven theatrical rather than pious. "Scarlet was his favourite colour, and it was he who gave me the scarf." she says tight-lipped. It is her prepared speech, but the post-master breaks into a broad grin. "Good for you, ma'am", and she finds herself smiling shyly in return.

The postmaster is a notorious free-thinker, and rumoured socialist: but he is also the village's news-service, and she knows that the fact that the disgraceful scarlet-wearing is a tribute to her tenderness for the late Mr Ampleforth rather than an insult to his memory will be disseminated very quickly. But as she and Pedro make their way back, she is restless and fidgety. She may wear a scarlet scarf every day for a month, but it hardly signifies anything other that a desire to tweak the vicar's nose.

Other women, she vaguely appreciates, experience a dissatisfaction with the ways things are arranged. Not such quibbling and, she trusts now purely temporary, inconveniences such as those affecting property, or education, or the vote: these, she is confident, will sooner or later be swept away by Progress, in this modern age. The Sarahs of this world, she is embarrassingly aware, have good reason to be as dissatisfied with the Mrs Ampleforths as with the law. Does the postmaster's rumoured socialism free the Sarahs from tyranny, or only their fathers and husbands, she wonders. She must ask him next week.

Her sister-in-law Jessica has Turned To Rome, which she feels must only make things worse, not better. As if having a husband wasn't bad enough! she catches herself thinking, which is strange, because she never thought it while Henry was alive.... Her mother recommends Good Works, and her brother says she should marry again, and is rather offended at the response he gets. "You need children" he goes on, undefeated. "No I don't!" she snaps, surprising herself.

Turning to the catalogues of progressive publishers, she embarks on a course of reading, but each new book sways her one way until the next comes along to sway her another. The solution to poverty isn't penwipers, and there is more wrong with women than Rational Dress can solve (though it is very tempting): the postmaster, tentatively consulted, concurs and supplies her with a bundle of pamphlets. She agrees with everything they propose, but finds their suggested methods of achieving it naive in the extreme.

Westheath may be charmingly rural, but the train from the little station beyond the windmill whisks her into the centre of London within half an hour. Sensibly shod and soberly dressed, red scarf apart, she tries every institution and library. She attends lectures with titles like "What is religion?" or "An Examination Of The Proposed Methods For Reforming The Plebiscite" and finds, regardless of the advertisement, regardless of the serious, nodding heads in the auditorium, that the point has been sorely missed somewhere along the way.

The old vicar, his grey hairs no doubt dragged down in sorrow, if not to the grave at least to Bournemouth, retires, and his place is taken by a wiry, nervous man who has earned Westheath by service in the East End. She attends church, which she had not quite given up doing, to hear what he has to say. His first sermon explores an obscure point of theology in Saint Augustine. After the service, at the church porch, she shakes hands. "Did you preach like that in the East End?" she asks with wide-eyed innocence. "Good Lord, no. It was all very Evangelical. Why, do you think it went over their heads?" She cannot resist a smile. "Well, it certainly went over mine!" and leaves him there, blushing slightly.

She is of course, by now, no longer young, and the beauty that turned Mr Ampleforth's head is not there to cause awkwardness between her and the Reverend Hughes. Nevertheless, villages being villages, their conversations are conducted at the church porch, or in front of the post office, and are brief. "You should try the Greeks" he ventures one week, having divined from the ether a need. "Which ones?" she asks, thinking vaguely of heavily-bearded church fathers. "I'll make you a list." he promises, boldly. If Mrs Ampleforth has put on weight, and grown grey: if her teeth are no longer so numerous as they were, she is still an imposing woman. "I don't read Greek..." she adds cautiously. "I never for a moment supposed you did." And they laugh nervously at his temerity.

She orders the books on the list from a publisher specialising in cheap editions for the working man. They are refreshingly small, after some of the books she has waded through. They are also surprisingly hard. If people were at this stage more than two thousand years ago, even before Christianity, how is it the world is still such a muddle? "You must try Marcus Aurelius next" says the Reverend Hughes. "I found him a great solace during my worst times." Somewhat alarmed at this encomium, she orders him too.

Somewhat later, she orders a deluxe edition, bound in green morocco with gold tooling. The Reverend Hughes has moved on to Anglo Saxon poetry, and though she is warmly appreciative of the copy of The Wanderer, beautifully calligraphied in his own handwriting, which falls from her Christmas card, she tells him she is more the Ancient Roman than the Dane. The difference of taste does not sour their friendship.

As the years pass, Mrs Ampleforth gets heavier, and greyer, and more of her teeth fall prey to the dentist, while the Reverend Hughes gets leaner, and wirier, (a difference which may be due to her distinct fondness for cake, and his for long solitary walks) and continues to deliver his baffling sermons. The Reverend Hughes flirts briefly with Kierkegaard, but Mrs Ampleforth, despite her other reading, remains faithful to Marcus Aurelius.

As she had predicted during an argument with her sister, all those injustices of property, and education, and politics which had exercised them so wither progressively with the passing of the years, leaving her nieces and, in time, great-nieces aware only of others, as yet unresolved. People forget there was ever a Mr Ampleforth, regarding her title as an honorific, like that bestowed on cooks. She gains, and keeps into extreme old age, a reputation for not suffering fools gladly, and being a good place to turn in a crisis. She watches her contemporaries decline into complacency or fretfulness - all except the Reverend Hughes, who expires in the fullness of years while wrestling with the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.

Mrs Ampleforth lives on, missing him less than she had expected. The older she gets, the fuller her days seem to be. Her maid, Sarah's grand-daughter ("Don't think of it as 'service' " says Granny, "think of it as quite a cushy job with a nice boss. You don't have to stay forever, just till she finds someone else." Which was twenty years ago...) reads the newspaper to her every evening, as the print has got so small these days, a task which is especially bonding during the Great War, when Mrs Ampleforth loses a favourite great-nephew and Sarah's granddaughter loses her sweetheart. She sinks slowly and gently, much comforted by Marcus Aurelius, and eventually passes during the General Strike, her main feeling one of irritation at not knowing how it will end.

She encounters the Reverend Hughes again almost immediately. He is wearing a goatskin, and his wiry limbs are very sunbrowned. She, for her part, seems to be dressed in something soft and loose and pale - bliss after a lifetime of corsets - and her arms, when she glances down at them, are bare and unwrinkled. Looking further, she sees, peeking out from under the creamy wool, feet that have never been forced into tight patent leather boots. Her own dress is expected enough, but his is a puzzle.

"Is this heaven?" she asks tentatively, gazing into a crystalline distance resembling, quite remarkably, that in John Martin's painting at the Tate. "I rather think" says the Reverend Hughes, leaning picturesquely on a staff of rough wood "it must be the Elysian Fields". But just as she no longer cares what happened in the general strike, she meets this observation with quiet calm. "And is everybody here? Or is there ... another place?" The Reverend Hughes observes that this is rather unlikely, as he has met a number of people who would undoubtedly be in it, if there were.

"Really? Anyone interesting?" asks Mrs Ampleforth with excitement, thinking of Ivan the Terrible or Caligula. "Not really..." says the vicar, brushing away an affectionate butterfly "only my Latin tutor and the like. I haven't yet encountered anyone I didn't already know." As she ponders this intriguing peculiarity, a speck in the distant meadow resolves itself into the shape of a bounding, hairy animal with a long pink tongue. "It's Pedro!" she cries, pressing her hands together. "Oh, how awfully, awfully glorious!" Behind the dog labours a figure in an embarrassingly short tunic, carrying a basket. It is the postmaster.

"I say, Emily!" he hails, approaching. Who? My goodness, that will take some getting used to! She hasn't been Emily to anyone since her sister-in-law died. Which is a thought: she wonders what Jessica Ampleforth makes of the present arrangement? The postmaster is breathing a little hard from climbing the hill. "I say!" he repeats "What ho, Fred? Would either of you like a fig? They're awfully good this year Emily. Did you get the vote yet?" The figs are large, a lustrous purple, and wonderfully sweet. "Oh yes, ages ago. Straight after the War." He looks blank. "Which one?" She takes another fig and says "Never mind, eh?" Pedro runs round them in circles, chasing the butterflies.

#19th century #short fiction #victorian era #fiction #short stories #kingdom of heaven #socialism #victorian #mourning #cocker spaniel

[silent-dragon]

TWST OC Profile ~ Louis "Ivy" Caskcut

Personal Info

Name: Louis "Ivy" Caskcut

Preferred Name: Ivy

Gender: Androgynous Male

Age: 21

Species: Human

Birthday: 4/23

Zodiac: Taurus

Height: 180cm/6ft

Orientation: Pansexual

Eye Color: Lavender

Hair Color: Deep Violet

Family: King Caskcut - Father

Princess Althea - Oldest Half Sister

40 StepMothers

81 Older Half-Sisters

Mistress Juniper - Mother(Deceased)

Homeland: Pleasure Kingdom of Caskcut

Twist of Fenn Barnard Luxure from Court of Darkness Otome

School Info

School: Royal Sword Academy

School Year: 4th

Dorm: Armonye

Occupation: Prince,Novelist,Celebrity

Best Subject: Magical History & Literature

Other Info

Dominant Hand: Both

Favorite Food: White Sangria

Least Favorite Food: Anything that doesn't pair well with fruit

Dislikes: Fevers,All his stepmothers,Being called Extra,People who change their minds quickly,Harsh book people,Those who hide their true nature

Likes: Alcohol,Theater Plays,Opera,Painting,Fashion,Fruit,Silk Clothing,Outgoing People

Talents: Seduction,Writing Novels,Making Magical Powders,Sleeping,Sweet Talking,Emotional Support Friend

Unique Magic: Classified due to Royal Status 

Personality: Sly and seductive. If he is interested in you he won't hesitate to make that known. He is also very soft and likes to ensure your well mentally alot by asking so. It's very unclear if he flirting or being super friendly but it's probably both

Fun Facts: Ivy is the 83rd child of the King of Caskcut. He is his 1st son as he has been trying to have one for so long but only kept having daughters. Unfortunately having so many he actually had Ivy raised very similarly so he acts more feminine.

Sisters have pampered him to no end to the point he barely knows how to do anything of basic needs. He doesn't even have maids as his sisters have taken the role to love and cherish their only brother. Always few of them are at his side and seem just like servants when they are half princesses. Even at rsa he was granted special permission for some to join him as helpers.

Only Ivy and Althea are recognized as Caskcut's prince & princess. Althea is 1st child so she gets right to be only princess till she goes off and marries then the next woman up will be. These are the rules set by the king to deal with his many daughters. 

Ivy is famous for writing risqué and raunchy romance novels. Fans of his books are called "Crystal Vines" and often say the way he writes feels like he knows exactly what they want or desire.

Works in the rsa library and is often where you will find him during school hours. After he is usually in his room writing or sleeping if not there,probably mingling with someone.

Feels Nicholas is way too good a boy and often tries to loosen him up and make him be more open. Doesn't work and often he ignores Ivy's antics which has made him a target of high interest. Unsure why Joshua is also after him but since both have a similar interest kinda likes him too.

Gets flustered around Genesis as he is beyond words handsome to Ivy. Can't speak directly to him so texts him often via phone where he will attach emojis of hearts to every message but Genesis sees this as just his signature and doesn't think anything of them when clearly Ivy is flirting.

Thinks Adam is a fun tool of a man as seems same as Nicholas but is a bit special. Loves to toy with him on occasion.

Ivy's real name is Louis as Ivy is his author pen name he made for his 1st few books. After a few years he grew to detest his real name due to family issues so outside of his kingdom he goes by Ivy.

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