#like pirating is an option for ME. but not for my grandma who would almost definitely get a computer virus or something

[hal-o-ween]

Back on my streaming service hate BUT I just want to say that if all these different streaming services had been around when I was in middle school, I wouldn't have gotten into star trek nearly as much, because I would have been limited to just the next gen episodes that they rerun the most on bbca. And THAT would have taken away both a huge bit of bonding between me and my grandma, and a couple friendships where a mutual love of star trek is a big part of why we started talking.

#anyways ill get off the soapbox now. #streaming services eat shit and die challenge. just let me use one for everything #like pirating is an option for ME. but not for my grandma who would almost definitely get a computer virus or something #and she cant sit at her computer to watch shows all day. shed get sore (she doesnt have a laptop) #and her phone would be too small #so i cant just pirate stuff with her #my grandma should be able to go back to just having one streaming service and being able to watch all her favorite shows on it

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “Family Drama.”

I did not sleep in today, and have written you a story.

Warning: there are a few mentions of drugs and addiction, but not a ton

He had never felt so defeated.

As the Taxi door opened, and he stepped out onto the quiet residential street he had to hold back his shame and kept his head high. What would his family think? Should he even tell them? Well of course he should, that wasn’t an option anymore. If he wanted to make them proud he was going to have to make himself ashamed for a little while. 

Waffles whimpered at his heels.

He looked down at her with a small smile, “Alright, alright, you’re right, I’ll shut up.”

He rubbed her ears and walked up the concrete stepping forward onto the grass as a group of kids whirred past on hover-skates. They turned upon seeing them, voices suddenly raised pointing and waving at him as they rolled past.

He raised a hand to wave back, but quickly turned to the front door.

There was no way he was ready to interact with people that weren’t his close family.

He walked up the step and held out his implant to the door, it would open when it knew it was him.

The lock clicked, and he reached forward ready to finally relax and let off some steam.

The door clicked open, and he was immediately assaulted by a wave of sound.

“ADDIE!” He was grabbed around the shoulders and pulled into a massive crushing hug. It took his brain way longer than it should have to figure out what was one person, but then again, there was only one person he knew who called him Addie…. Like a fucking dog.

“Uncle Ben?” he grunted 

The man set him down on the floor and slapped his back. Below him Waffle growled nervously, but she was ignored, “It's been YEARS. We had no idea you were coming.”

The sound of kids screaming reached his ears and a t least five of them came rushing into the hallway.

“Hey that’s not fair, I wanted to be a pony too!”

“But I was one first, you can pick something else.”

Uncle Ben turned, “Hey everyone! Guess whose back!” His legs swiveled uselessly under himself as he was dragged through the hallway and into the living room, where the entire extended family seemed to be crammed. 

He blinked as the group turned into an uproar upon seeing him.

“What is that on his face?”

“Did you really lose a leg?”

“It’s been so long?”

Aunt Marry got up, “Lost all your baby fat finally.” He winced as she grabbed him and pinched his cheek, which wasn’t really for pinching anymore, or honestly had never been, but when he had more of a baby face she had always done that.

“Tell us about space!”

He was shoved onto the couch with Jeremy on one side and Grandma Vir on the other.

Jeremy gave him a look.

He grimaced back as Waffles crawled under his feet resting her head on Jeremy’s shoe.

“Where is dad?” he muttered to Jeremy, and his older brother leaned in to whisper, “where do you think. Hiding in the garage while mom entertains.”

“Coward.” Adam replied with some amusement.

That was just like their dad to avoid all extended family, even his own.

“Wait, wait, everyone calm down, our little Addie is Commander of the UNSC. You all remember when he was just a little guy who used to believe in flying saucers.”

Adam crossed his arms over his chest. Uncle Ben had always made fun of him as a kid.

His grandma looked at him from across the room, “What is that on your face?” She repeated.

He sighed, “An eyepatch grandma.”

“Why are you wearing an eyepatch.”

“Because I lost my eye.” He sighed.

She put a hand to her chest just as his mother came walking into the room, a Trey in one hand an apron tied around her waist and her hair pulled back in a messy bun. She looked more than a little frazzled.

“Martha, why didn’t you tell us he lost an eye!” She sighed, “Because I didn’t want to worry you mom.”

“How is the army still allowing you to command a ship with a missing eye?” Uncle Andy wondered 

“He flipped up the eyepatch and the mechanical tech hopped to life nearly freaking out as it tried to track all the faces in one place all at once.

Gasps, “IS that a mechanical eye!”

“Yes.”

His other grandma put a hand over her face, “and he used to have such pretty green eyes. Now look at them, he looks like one of those cyborgs! Did you know some of those people intentionally cut off their limbs to look more like that.”

Martha sighed, “That’s not how it works mom.”

His Mother’s sister waved at him from across the room. He smiled back, he had always liked her, “I love your eyepatch, it looks cool.”

Her husband grinned, “Space pirate.” he nodded sagely.”

Adam tilted his head across the room where he found  David and Jordan squished against one wall sitting on the floor Jordan mostly sitting in David’s lap as they tried not to take up any space.

His brother grimaced at him, he grimaced back.

His mother's father leaned forward his steel grey hair and serious face set, “So tell me Adam, what are exactly your duties in the UNSC.”

The entire family rolled their eyes at once, some not even discreetly. He only got involved in conversation if he considered it “useful” and that meant all of the thing other people didn’t want to talk about, money, religion, politics, family history…… 

“Er, well Uh.”

“After commanding an entire fleet of ships you would think he’d be better at public speaking.” Uncle Trevor announced from where he was hidden behind the piano.

Adam frowned and cleared his throat, “I am fleet commander of fifteen UNSC deep space vessels for both exploration and military combat, but my primary directive is to foster good will with alien races , and save others from destruction, subjugation and slavery while expanding our knowledge of the universe through prolongued deep-space exploration.”

“Ohhhh his directive!” The rest of the family oooooed as well, but it was mostly sarcastic in nature.

His niece, Kimver walked into the room and crawled up to sit with him and Jeremy leaning against both of their arms as she played on her handheld. Kimber’s new obsession seemed to have shifted into vintage gaming. Glancing over her shoulder he could see her throwing tiny white and red balls and strange looking animals and a very pixelated screen.

“Have you met any sexy alien ladies.” Ben butted in

The rest of the family raised their eyes to the sky. Grandma looked almost offended.

“Ben would you stop with that.” His wife muttered from where she sat on a chair in the corner.

“What the whole LFIL thing is legal now, so he totally could have met some sexy alien babes.:

“It’s not a joke Ben, those people had a rough time of it the past few years.” David piped up from the other side of the room.

“Why the GA decided to legalize that behavior is a mystery to me. The world really is getting more wicked.” Grandpa muttered,

Adam clenched his fists, “Actually, Grandpa, I convinced them to lift the ban.”

The room went very quiet very suddenly.

Adam wished he had just shut his mouth.

“You what!”

“Look I spent a lot of time around LFIL members when I was securing the GA hall from protestors. I met a lot of them, and they are just good people who want to be left alone to do what they want. So yes, because of my position I was able to walk into the GA council chambers and convinced them to lift the ban.”

They stared at him.

“But what they are doing is wrong, it’s like bestiality.”

He felt his fists clench, “Grandpa if you ever met an alien you wouldn’t say that. They are sentient being that can consent, and if they can do that than it isn’t bestiality, and also stop calling my friends animals. My ship is staffed by some of the best alien crewmembers I know, and I wont have you comparing them to cattle or dogs or whatever else you want.”

The room went quiet.

Grandpa stepped out in a huff.

HE sighed and leaned his head back against the wall with an audible thud.

His mother walked over and handed him a stack of cookies with a smile on her face that said: Sorry about that.

He took the cookies greatfully shoving one completly into his mouth to avoid saying something else stupid. 

“So, does this mean you DID find a sexy alien girl.” Ben wondered and was immediately elbowed in the ribs from two sides  producing a grunt of surprise.

“So Jeremy, how long have you two been dating.” Adam looked over Jeremy’s bulk towards where a petite red haired woman with grey eyes and a sprinkling of freckles across her face was squished into the other side of the couch.” 

Sensing him looking, she waved a hand with a bright smile, and he waved back.

“Almost a year now.” Jeremy beamed putting his arm around her.

“Should we be expecting an announcement from you two soon?’ 

Everyone groaned, “Grandma!”

Jeremy’s girlfriend took it like a champ and continued to smile unaffected.

“Speaking of relationships.”

Dear god please descend from heaven and rapture him straight to hell, not that, that's how it worked but anywhere but here would have been great

“Adam, when are you finally going to settle down, how old are you now 25?”

He wondered if he prayed to satan hard enough he could summon a demon to swallow his soul whole.

“I know have you ever even dated anyone”

“Kissed anyone?” “Kissing is fun, you should definitely try it sometime.”

“You're grandmother definitely needs more grandkids.”

Oh the irony, the thought bitterly to himself.

At his feet the dog whimpered.

“You know there is this really pretty girl who works down at the corner store, I think she might do really good for you, a very down to earth girl. You could get promoted into a better paying desk job at the UNSC work 9-5 it would be a dream.”

Jeremy placed a hand on his shoulder, “Actually, Adam is more of an action guy, right Adam/”

Adam gave a weak smile, “Yeah.”

“Oh, he’ll grow out of that, besides you wouldn’t want to put a family under that kind of stress. It’s like you’re never home.”

“Space is my home.” He grumbled 

“Don’t be silly, humans weren’t meant for that sort of thing, besides your obsession was cute as a kid, but now that you’re older, you really need to start thinking about the future and having kids before you’re too old.”

He wanted to scream and bash his head against the wall.

“You know what though, how about that cute younger guy that works at the DMV, he looks about your age Adam.”

“I’m not interested in having a family right now!”

The room looked at him quietly, “You asexual or something?” Uncle Ben piped up awkwardly.

Adam felt his face go red, what kind of question was that? No, no uncle Ben I am not horny, or yes, yes uncle Ben I would love to find some hot person to plow just not right now.

And in front of the entire family?

Because he really wanted to have an extended discussion about his sex life with his entire extended family.

Waffles whimpered at his feet.

And then like an angel she descended from the sky to save him, either that or a billowing superhero cape like the saint she was. He couldn’t decide, angel or superhero, but decided on both.

Supermom, and part of her costume is angel wings and a halo.

“Adam why don’t you take waffles outside, she sounds a little nervous. Maybe take her out through the garage?”

He nodded and bolted to his feet like there were rockets firing from his ass, and hurried towards the door with the dog trailing at his heels.

Voices faded behind him, and he quickly hurried through the door and into the garage, where he found his dad sitting with Thomas on a set of lawn chairs drinking cold sodas and watching the clouds pass overhead.

They turned as they heard the door open.

“Adam! We didn’t know you were coming, pull up a chair.” 

He did so and unfolded it between the other two men sitting down as Thomas handed him a drink.

“They drive you off too?” Thomas grumbled 

Adam looked at his brother. Thomas was looking a little better than usual. His hair was only a little bit scruffy and his scraggly beard was at least trimmed. The tract marks in his arms had faded to pale scars on his arms.

“Yeah, uncle Ben asked about my love life in front of god and all his creatures. You?”

“Rehab. “

“I thought you were out of rehab.”

“I am, which is why I would rather not talk about it.”

“You doing good?”

“Yeah, got a stable job now, so that’s nice, go to meetings twice a week. One more month and I'll be six months sober.”

“Awesome, congrats.” He paused, “You know what, bet I could get you a job as a stuntman if you wanted.”

Thomas laughed, “Maybe I'll take you up on that. Once this job bores me to tears, which it will.”

“Did grandpa bring up LFIL.” Dad asked turning to look up at him

“You know he did.”

“He’s been meaning to ask you. He’s worried that spending so much time up in space has confused you.”

Adam snorted, “Don’t stargaze to long dad, the stars will make you extrial.”

“So that’s what dark matter is.” Thomas muttered and the three of them laughed. Waffles had climbed up on the chair with him and curled up on his legs to fall asleep.

“So what are you doing back here?” Dad wondered, “I thought you had just taken time off.”

He sighed, “Yeah… but things got complicated….” He paused, “Ever feel like no  matter what you try to do you keep failing at it.”

Thomas raised a hand “You mean my life.”

More laughter.

Then he got serious again, “Been so stressed lately that I can barely function as a person, has the UNSC questioning whether they should ground me or not. My friends set up an intervention, and it turns out that I am a raging control freak.”

“Could have told you that.”

“You got that from your mother.”

He glanced over at thomas, “What do you mean, could have guessed that?”

He shrugged, “Come on Adam, did you ever do anything you weren't sure you could do properly. Like riding a bike, or swimming, or how you threw a fit if we moved literally anything in your room, or how you had to have everything arranged on your plate before you ate it, or….”

“Yeah yeah ok. But I’m a fighter pilot, that's kind of not-”

“Yeah that is the most control freak job ever. You have to be in so much control that traveling at more than three times the speed of sound won’t kill you. Imagine the amount of control you need to fly in formation without killing everyone.”

“Alright I get it.” He grumbled.

“So what, you try to do everything yourself?” dad grunted 

He turned to look at the older man, “how did you know?”

“Every school project you ever worked on in a group, but you just ended up doing the entire thing.”

“I thought that’s just because the other kids were lazy and weren’t going to do their jobs.”

“Or because you wouldn’t let them and they just gave up on trying.” Dad responded 

Adam sighed and sunk back against his chair, “I had no idea.”

“Welcome to personal growth, how may we kick you in the balls.”

He sighed, ‘I just, how can I be a leader without losing my identity and becoming boring and stuffy. How can I still… I don’t know, be happy and have fun when I have a job like this…. Or am I just not meant for it.”

Dad waved a hand, “You were born for it, but you need to remember that while, most of the time, you can be friends with the people you work with sometimes you need to stop being their friend and be their commander, which entails doing some things that aren’t so friendly. At the end of the day it is a ship, so you have to make them and allow them to do their jobs, fun comes later.”

“How am I supposed to reduce the stress?”

He glanced at thomas who shook his head, “If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn’t be a recovering heroin addict.” 

“You just have to find something you love doing, and then take a little time every day to do that thing which you love. Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out.” 

He sighed and looked out at the deepening sky.

He really hoped so 

[queenof-literature]

Star Wars Linked Universe AU

Soooo I'm making a Linked Universe AU that's Star Wars themed and I'm super psyched about it. I decided to get some facts and headcanons out there because I'm so excited and I couldn't wait, and also because I want to get my ideas out there. The Linked Universe characters belong to @linkeduniverse but the specifics of the Star Wars universe such as lightsaber colors and fighting forms were thought of by me and I'm really excited to share some ideas before I get started actually writing the series!

Basic Facts:

Hylia is essentially the Force, which guides our heroes in the same way Hylia does, guiding the boys to meet and leading them to wormholes where they can switch to different places.

I know a lot about Star Wars and legend of Zelda, but combining the two needs compromise so not everything will be exactly the canon you know

Magic exists, but in different ways. It’s kinda branched out from the Force.

The Links are all Grey Jedi, because they have all been on very different paths in life and while they all want what is best for the galaxy, their paths would not meet while they were all at the Jedi Temple.

Order 66 did happen, but it was different in different timelines and was more spread or less devastating in some, but wiped out thousands in others.

Time:

Fight Style: Used to be Juyo (extremely powerful, only for the most force sensitive), but now sticks mainly to Soresu (A more modern version of the traditional Makashi, very strong defensive tactics)

Color: Blue. Used to be green, but he was very mad at the force for a time and lost the extremely strong connection he had.

Facts: Did not agree with the Jedi’s views on marriage, married Malon after he became a Grey. Order 66 killed his old master, Deku, who made sure Time escaped. 

Twilight:

Fight Style: A modernized version of Makashi (emerged along with the Sith. Very strong against other lightsabers. Very graceful and calculated, but the traditional form was almost completely abandoned when blasters emerged)

Color: Orange. Midna’s old lightsaber, it turned a bit paler when he started using it. Orange represents pure strength, but only killing when necessary. 

Facts: Grey Jedi don’t have padawans, but he is mentored by Time and mentors Wild. He still grew up in Ordon which has technology but is still farming and agriculture based. Very young when Ganon caused Order 66 in his world, not old enough to remember but he was smuggled away and ended up in Ordon with Rusl.

Wild:

Fight Style: Jar’Kai (Two lightsabers, mainly one forwards and one backwards). Used to have a traditional version of fighting, but turned more towards acrobatics and dual blades after his 100 year sleep. Not good with blasters, Ganon destroyed all tech except Sheikah tech 100 years ago, so his world is very rudimentary. Heck of an archer though.  

Color: Yellow. From the old Jedi Knighthood, one is darker from his knight days, while the one he acquired 100 years later is paler.

Facts: Died during Order 66 and was put under the Jedi Temple in the Shrine of Resurrection and lost his memories. Dual wielding seemed the most natural to him for some reason when he woke up, so he self trained in that. Has never seen Space before since there’s no way to get off his Hyrule. Really likes hoarding uniforms from Ganon’s forces on his Hyrule and storing them in his slate but don’t tell Twilight. 

Warriors:

Fight Style: Shii Cho and Makashi hybrid. Shii Cho is traditional for defense, while Makashi is a traditionalized offense/defense. Warriors was trained in this when in the royal army on his planet.

Color: Purple. This color is used by an aggressive and powerful fighter who leads others into battle. 

Facts: The Jedi order isn’t as prominent in his time, so he holds no ill will towards them. The Grey Jedi stepped up to protect the Royal Family. Although some Grey, like the Grey Jedi Cia, are much darker and almost ally with the Sith when necessary. 

Hyrule:

Fight Style: Djem So. Mainly uses the opponent's force against them, similar to Shein which uses blasters against them. 

Color: Black. His old blue lightsaber was destroyed, and he had no other option but to take the one he found in the abandoned Temple near where he defeated the Sith Lord Ganon. He doesn’t mind it too much, he enjoys giving the blade a second chance after being forced to kill in cold blood so many times.

Facts: Comes from a world decimated by Order 66. He is force sensitive which he must hide or monsters will hunt for his blood. Unfortunately, some have already figured it out. Like Wild, he is self taught from old books that somehow didn’t get burned by Ganon’s forces. Found out he has the rare gift of force healing where did that come from?

Legend:

Fight Style: Ataru. Mainly used by the Sith, which makes him uncomfortable and untrusted by many which made him turn to the Grey side instead of the Jedi. He is the furthest thing from the Sith, he just excels in that style of fighting. 

Color: Pink. Known for being a balance between the light and dark of the force. 

Facts: Single handedly took down a death destroyer after it destroyed the planet of Koholint to avenge Marin. Although in his world some force users could be reborn into an animal. Something tells Legend that Marin was one of them. Not a hoarder, just likes collecting useful items from planets he visits. 

Wind:

Fight Style: Shein. Uses the opponent's force against them, just like Tetra and her space pirates taught him. Shein focuses on using the opponent's blasters against them. 

Color: A slightly darker blue. This shows he is more on the physical side of the force. No one he knows well (Like Aryll, his grandma, and Tetra and her pirate crew) are force sensitive so he learned how to get by without using it as much. 

Facts: Very good with a blaster. His time with tetra and the pirates taught him very good skills like blasters, fighting, cursing, the things he needs. Visits his home whenever possible but he loves exploring the galaxy. He’s also a very good pilot. 

Four:

Fight Style: Niman. This is a combination of many past Jedi arts. He incorporates different styles very well into his, so he is very adaptive and always changing his fighting. 

Color: White. Represents neutrality. A white lightsaber somes when a red lightsaber is healed. Four healed a past enemy's lightsaber to give it a second chance. 

Facts: Yes, Vio, Red, Green and Blue all exist and Four can still split up like in the Linked Universe, but the others don’t know yet. Niman fighting style because Four is adaptable? Sure, but also because the four assholes in his head couldn’t decide on a fighting style Blue I swear-

Sky

Fight Style: Juyo. Used to have the more classic style but he turned out extremely force sensitive so he started incorporating Juyo in. 

Color: Green. Green lightsabers are for the diplomatic, very force sensitive Jedi. 

Facts: Grew up in Skyloft, before Order 66. Has a very deep connection to the force, but still grew up as a Grey Jedi, although they weren’t called that. Jedi didn’t really exist in his time. It was just the knights academy which he was a part of.

Sorry if this is stupid, I'm excited to combine the world though. Wish I could draw so I could help people visualize it better but I can't at all lmao.

#linked universe #legend #hyrule #four #sky #time #twilight #warriors #wild #wind #star wars #alternate universe #AU #linkeduniverse #LU #LoZ #legend of zelda #QoL Announcement

[itssweeter-than-fiction]

Take Me Away

Chapter Two: Two Discoveries 

Twenty Years Ago

“Now you hold it like this . . . yes, Mary, just like that. And then you just fly it over the sand . . . see? Watch me . . . Just like this. Now you try.”

Grandma’s beachcombing metal detector was like my version of a lightsaber. It was magnetic, appealing to my eyes, and all consuming. How it found mysterious and unexpected items along the sandy shores of Bodega Bay made my six year old heart leap out of my chest and joyfully want to hunt down any undiscovered pirate treasure.

Grandma’s hands which had held mine in place over the detector left, and instantly I felt the heavy weight of the detector fall on me. I stifled a grunt, holding it up to the best of my ability and slowly began to scan it over the wet sand. A crackling sound came from the detector, earning a confused gaze to my grandma who smiled.

“Why does it make that sound?”

“Oh it does that so when it makes a beeping sound you know you’ve found something special!”

“How long will it take to find something special?”

Grandma shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure baby, but we’re bound to find something! I can promise you that!”

Sure enough, twenty minutes later, I found an old coin — actually a nickel dated back to 1972 but for me it was still invigorating. Grandma let me keep it, and to this day I still have that same nickel as a keepsake to remind me of my first discovery in beachcombing. It was the only thing I found that day, but in the weeks, months, and years that followed, I discovered and found more relics with grandma. Part of me was convinced she’d lay some relics of her own out of the beach before I got there . . . it made my young heart swell. But as I grew older and we visited other beaches around California, I found many of my own tiny treasures.

Summer — Four Months Earlier

After my nap, I wound up taking grandma’s detector down with me to the lobby where Kimmy and the rest of our tour group were meeting for our talk. I’d changed into a pair of high-waisted jean shorts, and navy tank top while clutching the detector close to me. Some of the people in the group looked at me oddly, but I smiled back, finding a seat in the front as Kimmy pulled out a pile of papers which she started to hand around.

“Since Lido Di Camaiore is more known as a vacation town for locals, I thought you’d like some help in determining which places to visit, what events I’ll be leading during our stay here, as well as some great restaurants to eat at! For now, I’d like to leave you to yourselves the rest of the evening by enjoying the food here at Casa Reale di Lido and the beach. Might I suggest walking the pier at sunset? It really is quite the view!”

I looked over the paper as it was handed to me and passed on the rest. Below, Kimmy had perfectly typed out our schedule. Tomorrow on we had may things planned. Thankfully they were all optional but you were required to attend at least one a day. From the looks of it, I would be spending the majority of my time on the schedule and hopefully on the way, make a couple of new friends.

Folks started pouring away. Some filtered into the bar and restaurant scene, while others began their exodus out to the beach or to walk the small strip of shops downtown. Standing from the chair I was sitting in, I clutched my detector close to my chest and followed those who were headed outside.

Kimmy was right. The view was stunning.

The water was blue — clear like Lake Tahoe. It lapped up onto the soothing sandy shores with a calming swooshing sound. Children squealed in delight as they raced up and down the shore after another. Umbrellas lined another parallel to another and went all the way down the beach, blending in with the multiple other hotels which lined the shore. Overhead, the sun was beginning it’s descent down from the sky, creating a blend of colors to take over. From oranges, pinks, blue, reds, yellows, even purples, I felt like I was immersed in a gorgeous water color painting. The colors reflected from the water and the suns glinting gave it more shine.

I gazed far down the beach, a hand covered over my forehead to shield the bright light from my eyes. There was a small area less crowded further down and I felt it was the perfect spot to start my excursion. Despite this, I turned on my detector and began to hover it just above the sand as I began walking. The sand squished between my toes, the dampness of it making them curl.

As I passed under the long boardwalk, fewer and fewer people strayed my way. The sun was setting lower in the sky, the breeze in the air sightly more chilly. I regretted not bringing a sweater but pressed on, determined to find something interesting. The detector had fooled me a few times, where it only came up with old fishing gear or broken pieces of metal and other debris which must have sunken into the sand from prior people lounging on the sand. I was beginning to grow a little agitated, disappointed that my first time outside of the U.S. had resulted in zero findings or discoveries.

It was as I was ready to give up that I noticed another figure in close proximity to me with another detector. Just as mine went off, I heard theirs. They looked up and my breath caught in my throat.

It was Aaron again.

For a brief moment, I was unsure wether to stand still while staring at him or just follow the sign in which my detector was screaming at me to go in. I went with the latter only to notice that seconds later, Aaron was following closely behind. My heart felt lodged in my throat to the point I believed I was going to throw up, but the nausea passed on, while the drive to find the hidden treasure under the sand grew.

I was getting closer to the shore, my detector a constant long beep sound, signaling I was just above where the object lay. I dropped the detector on the sand, letting my knees soak into the cool ground as I swiftly began to pull the wet sand back. Nearby, I noticed Aaron had fallen to his knees as well, throwing sand to and fro as we both hunted what we were looking for.

Ironic how hot celebrity crushes enjoy the same activities as you do... okay that just had to be a coincidence.

We were drawing closer to another, our breaths seemingly corresponding together as the distance between our bodies closed. Soon enough both of the holes we had dug, converged together, creating a small ravine of sand and sunken water. I dig faster, looking up just barely as Aaron looked at me.

I smiled, my cheeks heating up. As I opened my mouth to say hello, I was knocked down with forceful words that took the wind out of me.

“Don’t say it. I was closer, this is mine. Whatever it is, it’s being sold by myself to the nearest pawn shop or museum.”

I raised a brow. “Uh, excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he said matter of factly. “Now go on. Find another place.”

“But don’t you have enough money already?”

“What?” He looked puzzled.

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t try that reverse psychology shit on me. I know who you are.”

Aaron’s smug look fell. For a brief couple seconds he stopped everything he was doing as I continued digging away. It wasn’t until I was screaming that I’d found something that he got back to digging and trying to peel away what I had found from my hands.

I stood up doing a jig. Some people on the beach gazed at us awkwardly as they passed by. I was holding a handful of sand with whatever I had found inside it. From the looks of it, an old chain was hanging partially out, so it had to be a necklace or bracelet. Grabbing my detector, I raced over to the shore, cleaning the sand off of my hand and the object. Aaron was right behind me, leaning over my shoulder as we both ogled at what I held.

I was old and rusted. Without pinpointing it, I felt that it had to be almost a hundred years old . . . possibly older. As I held the chain in my hand, I brushed aside the residue sand over the coin like piece that hung at the bottom. A face on the outer side of the object was crowned in what seemed to be a circle of olives or leaves. A large bulbous nose was the striking feature of the person who seemed to be a woman. The art was beautifully etched into the old element which I guessed was silver, possibly bronze.

“Wow,” I said in awe. It was quite the discovery.

Aaron’s breath hit the back of my neck and I swung around, my fist coming into contact with his chest. He staggered back a few feet, gasping for air as he clutched his chest. Eyes bulging, his face turned read.

“What the hell was the for?!” He cried.

“Being too close! Jesus, do you know anything about personal space?”

Gaining his ground, he stood straighter, coughing briefly. “I was just trying to see what you found,” he said.

“Well don’t get so close!”

“Can I see the necklace?” He asked this time quieter. Holding out his hand palm faced up, I glanced down to it, wondering for a brief moment what it would feel like to put my hand in his.

I let the thought delete itself before I could and looked back up into his eyes, glaring.

“Like hell.”

“Hey, lady. Great, thanks for helping me find the necklace, but I really gotta go. It’s getting late and I have dinner plans.”

“First of all, my name is not “Lady”. It’s Mary. And second of all, I touched the necklace first, which means I actually found it first. You were digging too far away!”

He rolled his eyes. “God, you’re stubborn . . . Okay, Mary. May I please have the necklace? What do you want for it?” He delved his hand into his pocket and brought out his wallet. Looking inside, he waded through some bills. “I got a hundred and sixty bucks in here plus fifty euros. I’ll give you it all for the necklace.”

He held up the wads of cash and put it in front of my face.

In my best impression of Randy from American Idol, I said, “It’s a no from my dawg.”

“Alright, I’ve had enough of this shit,” Aaron said his voice growing agitated. “Give me the necklace. Now.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“Again, nah dawg.”

He looked away briefly, biting his lip. I could only guess what he was thinking in his head. But before I could, he lunged towards me and yanked the necklace out of my hand.

“What the hell!?” I yelled. I attempted to launch myself at him.

“Uh, miss, is this man bothering you?” A voice caught both Aaron’s and my attention and we turned around to see an older couple ten feet away. The man and woman were familiar — both on the same tour as me. The man wore a tan straw fedora while his wife wore a visor. He stared at Aaron and I before Aaron straightened up and wrapped his arm around my waist. I pushed him off.

“This man is in fact bothering me,” I said. “He has something of mine and won’t give it back.”

The man looked at Aaron.

“Is that true?” He asked him.

Aaron stuttered and I felt the corners of my lips turn up, only to have them frown as he spoke the words:

“Not at all, sir! You caught us in the middle of our role play! You see, we’re both prepping for this show we’re in, and we wanted to authentically go over a few scenes on the beach . . . cause that’s where the show takes place.”

The man and his wife seemed confused.

“You were on the bus with us earlier,” the wife said pointing at me, then turned to Aaron. “But you weren’t.”

“I had an earlier flight! Actually got in a day early,” Aaron easily lied while chuckling. “This ray of sunshine wanted the full experience though.”

I gritted my teeth. He was convincing them. To a degree.

“Well,” the man said awkwardly, “continue along I guess. We’ll see you both tomorrow for the first tour event.”

Aaron sighed. “Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it tomorrow. I have a Zoom call meeting all day for an upcoming fundraiser back in New York. I’m part of the party planning committee and just so happen to be the guest speaker too.” He held out his hand for them to both shake. “Aaron Tveit, nice to meet you . . .”

Sydney and Lynn,” the man said trying to smile. “No wonder you looked a tad familiar. You were in that TV show we watched. . . the one about the undercover FBI?”

“Graceland,” Aaron said with a grin, “glad you liked it!”

“I didn’t say we did,” Sydney said as he took Lynn’s hand in his. Aaron’s smile fell and I tried to hold in a laugh.

“See you tomorrow . . .”

“Mary!” I replied happily. Lynn smiled at me as her and Sydney turned to head back towards the hotel. Meanwhile Aaron and I stood side by side watching them grow smaller until they were eventually out of sight. The minute that happened, I turned on him and pounced.

“GIVE. IT. BACK! I found it first!” I said, brows knitting together. I grabbed it from his hands. “Finders Keepers. Besides, all of us could read through that joke of a lie you told. Instead of Broadway’s Boyfriend you should be crowned Broadway Brat!”

Aaron’s eyes widened in shock, then he scowled.

“Broadway Brat, that sounds so very clever.”

“Do you like Broadway Bitch better?”

He took a step back, shocked. Opening his mouth he attempted to speak but I cut him off.

“You know I thought this was going to be a super awesome part of the trip, after I recognized you earlier in the elevator. I was totally going to praise you on all your credits and Tony Award — WAIT YOU DON’T HAVE A TONY AWARD, HA! —  and say that you’re a top-notch actor, but after this conversation and meeting, I’m gonna cop out of that. In fact, what I’d like to say is you’re a class one dickwad and I hope you never get a Tony Award in your life."

That shut him up. I’d caught him off guard for sure, especially with the Tony Award part. With a winning smile, I stowed the necklace away in my purse.

“Well, it’s been a downright tragedy meeting you . . . I guess people are right when they meet celebrities!” I patted my purse, showing off how thoroughly I packed the necklace. Aaron glared at me as I took my detector and switched it off, picking up my flip flops before beginning the long walk back to the hotel.

“Have a nice vacation!” I shouted not bothering to look behind me. I could tell he was watching me go; hands snug deep in his khaki pockets, and his polo shirt blowing just the perfect amount to sweep over his abs. Did I get a small peek before leaving him? You bet. Despite him being a dick, I would cherish the sight of those abs for the rest of my non-menopausal life.

When I got back to my hotel room, I put the necklace on my neck, letting it dangle between my collarbones. I looked at myself in the mirror, noting the stains of water and sand on my clothes. As I shredded the clothing off, I hopped in the shower, lathering myself in soap. I’d go down to the bar for a couple drinks later. But as I rinsed the shampoo and conditioner out of my hair I couldn’t shake the fact that I’d made two very important discoveries today:

One was that I’d found a necklace. And I had to figure out what it was. That would be my main goal for the trip. And two: Aaron Tveit was not the man I thought he was . . . or would be.

__________

Taglist:

#Aaron Tveit #aaron tveit imagine #aaron tveit au #aaron tveit fanfiction #aaron tveit fanfic #hollybio #holly mae #Holly's writing #holly's masterlist

[onegirllis]

Have you really gone through episode 2 of LIS2? I really wonder what you think about it. Better, of course, the full answer.

I finished it indeed. The episode is about 3-4h long, depending on how much you want to explore and how much time it would take for you to find a way out. I was battling with the idea of sharing my thoughts because it’s very hard to judge just a slice of the story, instead of the whole season, but why the hell not. Maybe I will read it when episode 5 comes out and see how wrong I was. 

So, without further ado, here’s my review of episode 2, but please be aware it includes a lot of spoilers. It’s also as honest as possible, although it’s my personal opinion only. And yes, it may be harsh, not sugarcoated, but sincere. 

MY REVIEW OF EPISODE 2 OF LIFE IS STRANGE 2

Call me naive, but I really had hopes. I really did. I didn’t like ep1, it was way too slow for my taste, with some dramatic moments that felt off, but overall I assumed that it might be just an exposition, an introduction to the world, the characters and their problems, and that the game would elaborate on everything else later. Sometimes the beginnings feel off and it gets better later, so that’s why I had some hopes (not super high) that ep2 of LIS2 will remind me of why this game even belongs to LIS franchise and why I should play the whole season. 

Well, it didn’t work out. 

Characters

Again, It’s my opinion only but I don’t feel that there are any character developments whatsoever. Daniel and Sean didn’t learn anything freezing their asses off in the mountains. They didn’t change their ways, not learning patience nor being careful. There is no tension between them or any quarrel about the events. The acceptance of their fate is understandable, but not helping with the lack of overall tension. The moments of calm, that usually gave the player the opportunity to know more about the main character’s inner thoughts, instead serve the purpose of a summary of the few previous scenes and nothing more. It almost feels like the writers don’t like the PC and don’t want to tell us more about Sean, because there is absolutely nothing worth telling. Remember the girl Sean was in love with in ep1? Never mentioned again. Remember his friends, his boss, his job, school, or sports he was interested in? He doesn’t mention them either. There is nothing in the journal or in the dialogues that would show us anything we don’t already know or wouldn’t assume by ourselves, and Sean’s insights seem more like repetitive whinings than anything impactful. In episode 1 I could wave off the fact that they decided to walk to Mexico being shocked, traumatized and lost. In episode 2, when they notoriously risk their lives or reject any other solution not learning from experience just to run away, you start questioning their sanity. I know the reason behind it - “oh plot” but “oh plot” is not good enough. 

The boys miss their dad, but don’t feel much upset or don’t present any sign of emotional trauma. There are no breakdowns and the brothers are more or less in good spirits staying optimistic, not asking themselves a single question about the future. Comparing to Chloe who was repeating “I wish Rachel was here” over and over and was living in this trauma the whole time, they don’t seem very much impacted by the events, but on the other hand, they place the dad’s photo on the table, so his death can be conveniently mentioned. The dog died (yes, it’s true, Mushroom is killed off in the first 20 minutes), and even if Daniel is supposedly devastated, it takes him only 5 minutes to shake it off and never mentions this dog again (oh ok, maybe once). If the characters don’t freaking care about this animal, why should I? 

It also seems that the characters keep forgetting what the objective is here. Maybe it’s on purpose, but they recall certain friends only when it’s convenient for the plot. “I’m gonna call Lyla” says Sean towards the end of the episode, even if he hadn’t mentioned her for 2 hours of gameplay. And even when getting devastating news about her, he is not really concerned, shrugs and sighs deeply. Yeah, we sigh with him.

When it comes to Sean himself, I really don’t mind the PC being a guy, really. If I had a problem with it, I wouldn’t be able to play 90% of video games. The thing I do have a problem with though, is Sean being an utter asshole. Yeah, he takes care of his brother and all, but he is freaking mean to his grandparents, showing lack of empathy and acceptance of a different point of view. Calling the grandma, a woman who opened her house to them “an old bat” is just a bit too much, especially after a month spent in an abandoned house without food or heating. There is no reason for him to judge those people so much and if there is a reason, we don’t know the details. How can I emotionally invest in a character that is not opening up to me, the player? Or maybe there is nothing more about Sean, and that’s even worse. 

There is a big mystery regarding why their mother left her sons but if you expect any answer while the boys are visiting their grandparents and can snoop around in Karen’s old room, you’d be mistaken. The devs are building the mystery in the typical David Cage style, that one of the characters is about to tell you something “Oh, I will tell you what your mother did..~” and then something happens and we’re left in the dark again. At this point, I expect some explosive explanation of why their mother left the family, but it’s ether drugs, a religious cult or some relationship stuff.

Tragedy Porn

Dear devs, the fact that a lot of people in the fandom are familiar with this term and use it regularly, doesn’t mean you should take it literally. I know that the LIS franchise is about hard choices or difficult situations, but killing kids and small animals left and right is just cheap and really unnecessary. It quickly gets old, just like “the boy who cried wolf” (pun intended) that as some point I don’t even blink when witnessing another digital death. I can’t be devastated by Mushroom’s death, because the dog had less screen time than Sean’s skateboard. I can’t feel sorry for every character (human or not) that you didn’t even give me a chance to feel connected to. I know that you want me to “feel something” but at this point the “feel” changes into “yawn”. Chris AKA Captain Spirit being dead (or almost dead) AGAIN - so I helped the boy just to see him die 1 hour later (I know it’s optional but still)? Lyla in the hospital, the family from the abandoned house being wiped out of the face of the earth because of cancer (at least not a car accident this time), Chris’s mom dead, the boys’ father dead, grandpa almost dying because of the accident… It’s too much. It feels cheap and not impactful. At this point, I will be surprised if you won’t just kill everybody. Who needs people on the West Coast anyway, huh?

I don’t even know if I want to learn more about the boys’ mother since you probably will kill her too.

Politics and Religion

In this episode, politics have been toned down, still visible though and there are a few moments when I literally rolled my eyes. This time the devs decided to say something more about religion since it’s a significant part of life if you live in a small town in America. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that the power of prayer is being mocked rather than actually shown as somebody’s way of life. Acceptance and tolerance go both ways though. 

The boys surprisingly identify themselves as Mexicans, even though they are half Irish and have never been to their father’s homeland. There are a few moments when you are wondering whether they had ever really liked to live in the US, questioning everything around them. Sean, who spent a decent amount of time with his dad on “the road trips” as stated in ep1, seems genuinely surprised that in his country people keep the Bible by their beds, as if he had never been in any motel whatsoever where the Bible is always present, placed on the nightstand or in a drawer. If being religious bothers him, boy, oh boy, you will be hella surprised in Mexico. They also don’t know how to pray, which I find extremely hard to believe. It almost feels like a scene from “Anne of Green Gables” but damn, the girl had a valid reason not to know. They don’t, especially if they identify themselves as Mexicans. We could assume that they were also part of Mexican-American communities and I cannot believe that in THIS WORLD the immigrants from this particular part of the world don’t know how to pray. Although if you expect some deep conversation about God or religion in general, forget it. It’s just there to be there and that’s it.

I don’t want to discuss the articles in the newspaper about “the gentle police officer” that was killed by immigrants because it makes my blood boil. 

Against the logic, the brothers are still planning to escape to Mexico and no grown-up is really trying to talk them out of this idea. There are no alternatives provided or discussed except a pat on the back and an offer for a quick stop if even. Even the grandparents are a bit concerned but no one really gives them any real advice, which I find unlikely. The problem is that if anybody would actually give them a piece of real advice, we wouldn’t have a game.

And that’s a problem, isn’t it?

Gameplay

We have a few mini-games and fetch quests like finding bottles in the abandoned house (why always freaking bottles?), the pirate version of dice poker (never brought back again) and drawing. None of those serve any purpose except a filler that you might enjoy but it doesn’t matter if you succeed in them or not, unless the game forces you to succeed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware that this particular genre doesn’t usually provide a set of complex challenges in its gameplay, but it seriously looks like LIS2 is throwing us a bone, remembering from time to time that uh, it’s a game, not a movie. Those mini games are not really engaging, not really connected to the plot, but just for… whatever reason, as part of the daily chores. 

But it’s a game about choices, you say! Yes, it is, but only some of them really matter and I’m not sure for how long. If you give me a choice to do something or NOT to do it, please consider that I might pick the latter and don’t force me into your favorite path. It happens from time to time and it’s utterly annoying. If you want me to do something, just don’t give me the illusion that I can refuse. 

It almost seems that LIS2 turned into a dark alley where you are rewarded for picking the “good, canonical path” and punished for playing it differently than the devs indented. I loved LIS1 for ambiguous choices that I might pick, depending on my personal preferences, not to mention that those choices are made during an emotional moment. I don’t feel I have that opportunity here, just as if somebody who constructed it forgot why LIS was so great and is so loved.

When it comes to dialogue, it is way better than LIS1, regarding how people actually speak. On the other hand, the lines are just there to be there and I can’t recall a single line that would be worth quoting. 

And one more thing. Cutscenes. So many cutscenes. The moment when I actually could do something with my controller was a celebration. I don’t mind cutscenes in general, but it almost feels like a movie.  A long, boring, super slow movie.

Superpower


The superpower is mentioned, mostly in rules that Sean is lecturing Daniel about, but it’s non-existent in the gameplay almost at all. It’s drastically different comparing to LIS1, when Max was using her power almost all the time or was a challenge not to use it. Here we know that Daniel can do things but most of the time he conveniently forgets about it or uses it in the wrong moment. I know the game is about education but the superpower itself seems like a plot device, an additional reason to run to Mexico than anything else. They talk more about it than use it. It sounds like a good idea in general and it probably looked great on paper, but at some point I didn’t care about the superpower at all, forgetting that this secret even exists.

Season 1

When it comes to references to season 1, Arcadia Bay, or any character that we know from LIS1, there is almost nothing. Yes, you can find a drawing of ”door to another world” instead of hole to another universe, or graffiti on the wall that Sean and Daniel were here, similar to the famous junkyard thing, but it won’t give you any insight about what had happened to the favorite characters or any glimpse of their fate. There was more about Arcadia Bay in Captain Spirit than the whole LIS2 so far. The devs were damn serious, showing us Arcadia Bay in episode 1, destroyed or not, saying that this is the past. It seems that they don’t want to even refer to this past much and it’s fine, but if you’re hoping for anything, just anything related to LIS1, forget it.

Technical problems

Oh, boy. I’m aware that creating games is not an easy job and a team sport. I know that it’s almost a miracle that some of the titles even got shipped, but episode 2 of LIS2 is probably the MOST BUGGED EPISODE in the history of this franchise. Glitches, problems with sound, teleportation of objects, animations that didn’t work or songs being cut off… I’m not talking about a few mistakes here and there, but it happens all the time. It’s so common it’s an epidemic and you face some technical challenge almost in every scene as if Bethesda was putting this episode together. This episode looks like advanced beta, not a finished product that had been delayed for months. It seems ironic when recalling the posts from the Life is Strange blog about QA teams, one in France and one in Canada, carefully checking every detail and describing how quality was important. Especially in that context, this is really a disaster, however, I didn’t face any technical problem that would make this episode impossible to finish.

What worked

So what’s great about this episode? Does everything suck? Well, of course not. On the upside, the locations are absolutely stunning. You want to explore the town, the houses, play in the snow, dive into the world, even if you don’t expect anything groundbreaking to happen. The level design, in my opinion, is better than in LIS1, more consistent and intriguing. I know a lot of people might disagree with me but somebody put their heart and soul building this environment, creating something really beautiful. Except for the locations, I liked some songs and the music, way more than in ep1, but it’s not as good as in LIS1 or BTS. Better, but not great.

Cassidy

Oh, somebody was reading “Preacher”, weren’t ya? Or is ia reference to “On the road”? A lot of people seem excited about her finally showing up. I have mixed feelings about this character since I’m not sure if I want to discover the world from her perspective. A stoned, hippie-rasta girl, who takes pride in being free and “not owned by any corporation” (except Square Enix hehehe), is maybe a realistic character and I’m not saying that people like her don’t exist here, but I’m on the fence, to be honest. It seems that the devs are trying to establish the next canon ship or something with her being interested in Sean and him actually “liking her” after exchanging 3 sentences, but that really feels off. She seems more like Chloe 2.0 than anything else, but we shall see (in the next 6 months or whenever they will fucking publish the next ep). Plus for fuck’s sake, Sean was into Jenn (I don’t remember her name exactly), and there was Lyla, and then this girl. Dude!

Summary

It was boring. It was extremely freaking boring to the point that I lost my patience to check every single detail or examine every object. I don’t feel any need to replay it, even if the consequences of my choices weren’t great. I’m not curious about different outcomes nor do I want to check if I missed anything. There is not a single scene I want to see or experience again. In my game, Chris died and I don’t really feel the need to replay it and change the outcome since I will never meet him again or even deal with the consequences of his death. The whole road trip setting is intriguing but drastically different to what I loved about Life is Strange - learning more about each character, dwelling deeper into the situation, uncovering a hidden mystery. We won’t learn more about most of those characters (or it doesn’t seem possible) since we just pass them and move on, exchanging a dialogue or two like with a pedestrian on the street. There is a charm to the road trip idea, but then I would have to be extremely interested in the main characters, including the PC, to actually follow their journey closely. In LIS1 I didn’t have to like Max to play the whole thing, curious about Chloe or Rachels’ disappearance. In a road trip setting the two brothers are the core of the story and if you’re not fond of them, it won’t work.

So far it’s not working for me.

#life is strange 2 #review #sean diaz #daniel diaz #life is strange

[his-tori-an]

This week I had the opportunity to visit Fishbourne Roman Palace, and was very excited to see how they portray a Roman site to the public and engage their visitors. I went with my grandma, who I remember a few years ago saying to me “I don’t like museums”, although she seems to enjoy them much more now when we go together, especially if there’s something pretty to see and take photos of. We had an amazing experience there and I’ve picked out a few of the things that stood out to me to talk about; the museum area, the walk across the mosaics and the gardens. I will be writing about the “hands on” area in my next article, and following this I’ll be summing up my thoughts about how they have portrayed their site and how -theoretically- we could portray Malton Roman Fort (where my department have been excavating) to visitors if it were to be an attraction and museum in a similar way.

A picture of me standing in front of banners showing different types of artefacts

Content warning: images of and discussion of human skeletons

(And yes, I’m wearing a Pokemon T-shirt in the featured image, I had to stick an awkward photo of me in here somewhere)

My grandma looking at a model of a Roman bathhouse

History of the Site

Fishbourne Palace, located in West Sussex, is the largest surviving Roman building in Britain and dates to about 75AD. Most of the palace was excavated in 1960 by Sir Barry Cunliffe after it was accidentally discovered by a water company laying a new line over the site. The palace is so big that a museum has been built over the site to try and preserve as much of the building in situ as possible.

In size, it is approximately equivalent to Nero’s Golden palace in Rome and in plan it closely mirrors the emperor Domitian’s palace (the Domus Flavia) completed in AD 92 on the Palatine Hill in Rome. Fishbourne is by far the largest Roman residence known north of the Alps. At about 150 square metres, it has a larger footprint than Buckingham Palace.

Museum

The museum is the first part you will see on your visit, it is laid out with information on walls in a numbered sequence which gives a background to the Roman occupation of England and the context of the site. These exhibits are very text heavy, and are balanced by the display of artefacts and images & diagrams.

  Panel 1 was about the discovery of the site

Panel 2 explained stratigraphy and the display demonstrated this.

Panel 3 was about the site

Panel 4 explained the Roman invasion with diagrams

  As well as these more factual exhibits there are interactive activities such as building a Roman road and identifying gods by matching pictures together on a low table. The scale model of the site in the first room attracted my Grandma, allowing for a more tactile experience than viewing a local map. 

A scale model map of the area. On the glass there is a diagram indicating where the modern road is.

There were also a lot of kids when I went who were all fascinated by the example weaving activity, the scale model map and the bust of Vespasian, shouting “That’s what he looks like!!”. It is so important to have such tangible links for people to be able to relate to people in the past and see even emperors as “human”.

A bust of Vespasian

The curators of the exhibition have clearly put a lot of thought into weaving multiple themes into one, for example the “imported elegance” panel, which displays wall plaster from Fishbourne, explaining how the elaborate finishes would have been done by a skilled craftsman probably from Italy, and displaying two images of wall paintings found in Italy which compare to the evidence from Fishbourne.

Panel 24: Imported elegance. The display shows wall plaster from the site, and shows wall paintings from other sites which are similar.

The final parts of an exhibition are just as important as the introduction and can leave a lasting impact on the audience, and at Fishbourne the final space has three panels, “Disaster”, “Burials”, and “The Jigsaw”.

The disaster panel explains how between 270 and 280 AD the palace was destroyed by a fire, and how it cannot be certain if the fire was accidental or deliberate, but notes that pirates were raiding the south coast at that time, a neat way of painting a picture and explaining a narrative whilst not asserting facts we don’t know, a lot of archaeologists I know would say that if we’re not sure on the facts we shouldn’t tell stories, which are vital to public engagement and understanding.

The accompanying display is a show of the destruction, with puddles of melted lead, buckled window glass and broken and discoloured pottery which has been repaired and reconstructed for the exhibit. Personally my eyes are drawn to the reconstructed pots more than the disarticulated glass. On the top shelf by comparison, there are lots and glass from the late third century that survived the fire, it’s a massive shame that my photographs didn’t survive however.

The human remains in the museum lie in a glass case.

The burials section is in association with the human remains that lie in the centre of the room which is captioned with “a pagan burial, oriented on a north-south line and discovered in the demolished ruins of the Roman Palace”, which is on the opposite side of the room to the rest if the information. This is probably due to issues to do with space, but it did confuse me having the information, remains and the explanation all in different places.

The panel explains how the ruin was salvaged after it burnt down and that people would take things of value before further demolishing the building. They say that later, probably towards the end of the Roman period, shallow burials were made in the rubble, and one grave was in the north wing which was much deeper and is still there now.

Human remains in a grave cut into the floor

The ethics of displaying human remains in museums is contentious, and I won’t go into full details here. I think it is a lovely gesture to have left the skeleton in the north wing in its final resting place. The sign accompanying the burial simply says that there was no dating evidence in the form of grave goods, but we know that the graves were cut after the palace was destroyed. I was left feeling a little bit frustrated about the lack of information about the burials, although I’m aware that specific information is missing from our records as archaeologists, even more general information about human remains and osteology would benefit visitors. All in all I felt like this lack of information translated to a lack of “respect” for these people as individuals, and that they were seen as artefacts only.

Panel 34: The jigsaw

(Sorry for the image with me in the background.. I guess we can say I’m a treasure?)

The final panel is a neat conclusion to the exhibit, displaying modern and medieval artefacts which were found in the excavation such as coins and pottery which got there through ploughing, and captions this with the story of how the site was uncovered by workmen in 1960. Finally the last image of the exhibition is comprised of images of trenches, finds, archaeologists and analysis overlaid with a jigsaw which is a beautiful and emotive image. This choice to focus on archaeology and archaeologists as well as Roman history is masterfully played out, integrating the modern process of excavation neatly with the archaeology itself.

Image with a jigsaw overlay of archaeologists working on different aspects of the Fishbourne excavations

The Mosaics

Cupid on a dolphin mosaic

Walking around the bridges to see the mosaic floor was by far my favourite part. It was amazing to see the beautiful mosaics, each one different, laid out as though in the villa. The open layout of the room gave an immense sense of space and a feeling of awe, which is a key part of engagement at any heritage site. It is also almost entirely flat or ramped sections, making the exhibit one continuous experience.

My grandma looking at the mosaics

Practically, each mosaic is separated and labelled in a numbered sequence, meaning that you can walk around the room in a loop following the trail and and back at the start, although the route is not necessarily fixed. Each information board is located where you can see both it and the mosaic at the same time, with a description of the art style or purpose of the room and a reconstructed diagram of the art. Of course, at a basic level it is very important to be able to see both the information & diagrams and the mosaic at the same time to be able to understand and compare the information to reality and encourage learning and critical thought.

A shell mosaic

Something which I only spotted on my second visit was “the digital palace”, an amazing model which lets the user explore a reconstructed villa, clicking to walk into different rooms and looking around in 3d using the mouse. This was on understated computer desk in the middle of the exhibition which the user had to sit down to use, hopefully the museum will be able to find a way to make this technology easier to access for everybody to see and enjoy on a bigger screen!

  The computer desk with “the digital palace” on the screen

Computer screen showing a digital model of a roman room, it says “Room N1, Hypocaust Room

Information and instructions about The Digital Palace; a representation of the North Wing made by Anthony Crew.

At the far end of the room there is a viewing platform displaying a slideshow of old and funny images of the archaeological process, and the options of three films called “1960s excavations”, “New Discoveries” and “Mosaic Care”. The use of audio and video technology allows a different way of presenting the archaeology than in the rest of the exhibit which gives the audience a different way to learn that appeals to them most, not to mention being very valuable for visually impaired or hearing impaired visitors. My only concern was that there were no chairs, meaning that visitors must stand to watch the films, which can be difficult or offputting- I also found the soundscapes coming from the viewing platform to be a bit odd.

The Hadley Trust viewing platform showing Barry Cunliffe working on the Medusa mosaic

Garden

The garden didn’t engage me as much but my grandmother loved it; she said she enjoyed the “colourful part with flowers and the pretty green shaped hedges”. It can be difficult for people without an interest in history to engage with museums, but the way the garden was portrayed clearly made an impact on her and she said that she would be happy to revisit based on that. It was designed to look like the grand garden of a Roman villa, with a beautiful scented lavender bed funded by the friends of Fishbourne Roman palace.

View of the gardens; a big grassy space surrounded by hedges laid out in angular patters.

The best part of the garden for me was the themed Roman flower beds. I thought it was an incredibly creative idea, with each flower bed representing a different theme, including medicine, herbs, beauty and all sorts. It smelled and looked incredible and that sensory experience made all the difference to me in enjoying the garden. I’m not sure if my grandma noticed the themes but she loved the flower beds in the same way as I did, noticing the strong scents and bright colours.

A flowerbed with a panel which says “medicinal plants”

Collections Discovery Centre

This building is separate to the museum, opened by Tony Robinson on Time Team in 2007, allows visitors to see artefacts in a more peaceful and very well lit modern area separate to the main museum. There are interactive drawers where visitors can open them to see collections of pottery, glass, bone and more and curated displays behind windows. Visitors are able to look through the window displays and see the store room and scientific research room, adding a new depth to the museum which isn’t just about the Roman history but also the archaeological process and storage of artefacts, which Fishbourne highlights very well. 

  A window into the conservation laboratory

Artefacts in drawers which visitors can open.

  Artefacts in drawers which visitors can open.

A window into the conservation laboratory

The Sensitive Store is behind a window display, which displays a variety of artefacts

All in all our visit to Fishbourne was very enjoyable, and I was inspired by the way in which they portrayed Roman history and culture to a modern audience. I’ll be posting soon about their “hands on” area, which was an incredible way of engaging all ages and types of audience in hands on activities related to archaeologists and archaeology. Following that I’ll be using this research to construct a theoretical plan of how we could portray Malton as a site if we were to have a visitor centre or museum, so stay in touch and make sure you subscribe to email notifications!

Let me know what you think in the comments or tweet me @EdgyTrowel!

This article was written by myself with help from Chloe Rushworth, you can check out her heritage blog and posts about the Malton dig here: https://archloology.wordpress.com/. Photos by myself and my Grandmother.

I visited Fishbourne Roman Palace: Here's my review on how they engage their audience... This week I had the opportunity to visit Fishbourne Roman Palace, and was very excited to see how they portray a Roman site to the public and engage their visitors.

#archaeology #children #featured #marketing #museum #Museums #student #tourism #travel #University

[searchingwardrobes]

Christmas in Storybrooke: 9/11

This chapter is a little less angst-filled with some Jones family feels and a little CS. You’ll also learn more about Emma’s pregnancy.

Summary: My Hallmark Christmas movie fic in which flights get cancelled and Henry’s “best friend’ gets snowed in with him in his quirky hometown for Christmas. Only with magic and fairy tale characters.

Rating: M for suggestive scenes and adult situations, not smut

Trigger warnings: Henry is an adult. Read that again: Henry is an adult. Look at the picset: that’s Andrew J. West. If Henry actually behaving like an adult makes you feel icky, the don’t read this.

Can also be read on Ao3

Tagging @snowbellewells @kmomof4 @kday426 @bethacaciakay @snidgetsafan @teamhook @whimsicallyenchantedrose @delirious-latenight-laughs @winterbaby89 @yohoyohoafandomlifeforme @distant-rose @let-it-raines

Chapter Nine: All I Want for Christmas is You

Henry had barely calmed down from talking to his Grandfather when little Charlie came bursting into the room.

“Henry, Henry! He came, he came! Santa came!”

He caught Charlie as the little boy launched himself into his arms. The boy weighed next to nothing, his small frame consisting mostly of gangly limbs. Killian said Charlie looked a lot like him at that age which made Henry understand a little better why the elder Liam Jones had been a bit overprotective. Charlie was also an introspective little boy, spending the majority of his time building Lego creations and drawing with his crayons. Henry would never in a million years tell Hope or Leia, but he felt a kinship with Charlie that was deeper than with his sisters.

“Santa came? What did he bring you?”

“Dunno,” Charlie shrugged, “Mommy wants us to all go downstairs together.”

“So she sent you to get me?”

Charlie nodded enthusiastically, his green eyes sparkling eagerly. Henry chuckled and set him down on his feet. He grabbed the note for his parents from Evie just before Charlie yanked on his arm and pulled him towards the door. The rest of the family was gathered and waiting at the top of the living room stairs. Leia, the least patient of the children, was running circles in anticipation and practically flinging herself against the walls. Hope had her arms around her mother with her head leaning against her shoulder, and Henry noticed for the first time that Hope was almost as tall as Emma. His mother frowned at him.

“Where’s Evie?”

He couldn’t stop the crestfallen expression from his face as he handed the note to Killian. His stepdad frowned in concern as he opened the paper.

“Dear Mr. And Mrs. Jones,” Killian read, “I thank ya’ll both for your kindness and hospitality.” He paused to smile at the way Evie’s drawl came out even in her note, then continued. “I hate to miss what would surely be a wonderful Christmas in your home, but I was able to find a flight to Atlanta from Portland early this morning. I miss my own family, so I couldn’t pass it up. I hope you understand. Merry Christmas, Evangeline Crawford.”

“Well,” Killian said as he folded the note, “I certainly don’t blame her for the chance to spend Christmas with family.”

“Of course not,” Emma added softly, reaching for Henry’s hand. But as his mother squeezed it, he could tell from the look in her eyes that she knew there was more going on.

“But we bought her presents!” Hope protested.

“You did?” Henry asked, surprised.

“Of course,” Hope replied, rolling her eyes. “We couldn’t have her sitting by the tree this morning with nothing to open. Grandma and I ran to the store as soon as we knew she was coming.”

Henry reached out and gave his sister a hug. “That was very sweet of you.”

“Can we go see what Santa brought now?” Leia begged, her hands fisted at her hips.

“Pleeeease?” added Charlie, who was poised on the tips of his toes on the top step.

“Alright,” Killian chuckled, “go see what loot is beneath the tree, scallywags.”

Emma rolled her eyes at her husband’s exaggerated pirate speak as the kids cheered and raced down the stairs. The adults followed to find all three youngsters jumping up and down with excitement at their gifts. In the Jones home, just as when it was just Henry and Emma, Santa left his gifts unwrapped underneath the tree. Hope was already climbing aboard her shiny new bike with sparkly purple tassels. Leaning against the bike was a pair of perfect, white ice skates. Charlie had donned a pair of Spiderman web shooters and was already pinging his twin sister in the head with foam darts. Leia was oblivious, however. She was too enamored with her American Girl doll, the Native American one (Henry couldn’t remember her name) complete with a horse to ride.

“Daddy!” Leia exclaimed. “Doesn’t she look just like Tiger Lily?”

“She does, princess, exactly like Tiger Lily.”

Emma gave out a small groan as she arched her back, and Killian’s tender smile for his daughter morphed into one of concern.

“Love, you shouldn’t be on your feet,” he said, hurriedly assisting Emma into the love seat. He pulled over the ottoman and propped his wife’s feet up. “Whale said to elevate your feet as much as possible, remember?”

Henry frowned as something dawned on him. He had been so preoccupied with Evie and her visit, he hadn’t given near enough thought to his mother’s condition.

“Mom, why aren’t you using your magic?”

Emma lifted a startled gaze to Henry, then exchanged a worried glance with Killian who squeezed onto the love seat next to her and took her hand. Charlie and Leia were still too preoccupied with their new toys to pay any attention, but Hope fell silent. She abandoned her new bike to come and crawl into her father’s lap, setting her socked feet in her mother’s lap.

“You should tell him everything,” Hope told her parents quietly.

“Tell me what?” Henry asked as he sat down on the couch opposite them. They were all so silent for several moments, that it left Henry exasperated. “I don’t know why I didn’t put two and two together. Killian’s been so concerned about you and those stairs. Why not just use your magic? What’s going on?”

Emma shifted positions, and Hope rose to come and sit next to Henry. His sister leaned against his shoulder, and he put his arm around her, waiting for their parents to speak.

“I haven’t used my magic since my sixth month,” Emma explained. “For some reason, it was aggravating the preeclampsia.”

“Regina looked at your mother,” Killian added, “and she couldn’t figure out a reason.”

Emma looked at her husband and exchanged a weighted look again before she continued. “My pregnancy has been rougher than I’ve let on, Henry. I apologize for keeping it from you. I didn’t want to -”

“Worry me,” Henry finished, his jaw clenching, “you do know that’s a stupid reason to hide things, right?”

Killian sighed, and Emma ducked her head in shame.

“I’m sorry, you’re right,” she said, “we should have told you.”

Killian squeezed Emma’s hand again. “Your mother is scheduled for a c-section at Maine Medical Center in Portland on January 10th. They have one of the best NICUs in the area while Storybrooke General only has one incubator. Whale thought it was a safer option.”

Henry narrowed his eyes. “But you won’t be forty weeks yet.”

“I know,” Emma admitted, “they want me to make it to 36 weeks and then do the c-section. If they wait any later, I could go into labor on my own, and . . . “

She trailed off, looking to her husband again. Killian finished for her.

“They . . . aren’t sure the baby . . . or your mother would survive a vaginal delivery.”

Killian said the last part in a half-whisper so the twins couldn’t hear. Henry glanced their way to find them tearing into Charlie’s new Avengers Lego set; they still weren’t paying the adults a bit of attention. He glanced down at Hope, who’s blue eyes were wide and hesitant. She was afraid, as was he. They had explained everything to his ten-year-old sister and not him?

“Hope lives here, and she’s perceptive,” Emma explained as if she could read Henry’s mind. “We had to tell her.”

“But not me,” Henry snapped. He shook his head and ran his hand agitatedly through his hair. He then leveled his mother with a look that brokered no argument. “I’m calling work first thing in the morning. I can work from here the next two weeks.”

“Henry -”

“You need me!” he argued before his mother could even speak. “Killian has to cover the station, and the kids are out of school for another week. And you shouldn’t be using those stairs at all! We’ll move that guest bed down here to the living room and -”

“I’ve already tried that, Henry, and your mother refused,” Killian interrupted.

“Well I’m staying here until she delivers, end of discussion.”

Emma slouched back into the loveseat. “This is exactly why I didn’t tell you.”

“And you were wrong,” Henry snapped. “I’m not a kid anymore, and if I want to support this family with my presence, my time, or my money, I’ll damn well do it. I don’t need anyone protecting me from reality.”

Henry was surprised to see Killian smiling at him. “Of course, Henry. I would expect nothing less from a man of your caliber.” And it was then Henry knew that it was completely his mother’s decision to keep him in the dark.

Emma opened her mouth, whether to apologize again or protest, Henry wasn’t sure because she was cut off by a knock at the door. Killian frowned as he stood.

“I wonder who that could be. David and Snow aren’t due for another few hours.”

They were all surprised to see Belle standing on the porch. She held an ancient looking scroll in her hand, and her forehead held worry lines.

“Belle!” Killian exclaimed, his voice pleasant at first. Then he seemed to notice her distressed expression and frowned. “Is everything alright, lass?”

“Yes, it’s all fine, just . . . could I speak to Henry?”

“Of course,” Henry told her over his stepfather’s shoulder. Killian stepped aside and went back to join his other children by the tree. Henry shut the door behind him as he joined Belle on the porch.

“I came to apologize for . . . well, several things,” Belle began nervously. “First of all, for last night. I didn’t mean at all that Evangeline had to fit in with us story characters. I merely got caught up in books as I so often do. I think she’s a wonderful girl, and I just thought she’d like to know about a poem with her name. That’s all, really.”

Henry’s face softened at her words. He could scarcely think of anyone in Storybrooke as kind as Belle, and he hated that she was beating herself up over something he could now see was a misunderstanding.

“I know you meant well,” he assured her, “so please, don’t worry about it.”

“It’s not just that,” Belle continued. “I know that Rumple took Evie to the airport this morning, and I found out what he said about you being the author. We . . . had a fight about it actually. I’m so, so sorry if Evie left here hurt or angry with you.”

Henry fought to keep his face neutral, and he knew if Killian were hearing this right now, he’d be struggling in the same way. Would this sweet woman ever stop apologizing for her husband?

“None of that was your fault, Belle, I know that.”

She nodded, then held out the scroll she had with her. “I was going to wrap this and give it to you at the family dinner tonight at Regina’s. But after my fight with Rumple this morning . . . well, I couldn’t wait.”

Henry took the scroll. “What is this?” he asked as he began to unroll it.

“It’s Merlin’s list of all the authors. I found it in the sorcerer's mansion.”

“Walt Disney, Edith Nesbit, L Frank Baum,” Henry continued to scan the list, “Mark Twain, Mary Shelley, William Shakespeare?”

Belle smiled gently, placing her hand on his. “You see now why I wanted so many copies of your book?”

Henry was overwhelmed, and he blinked away unshed tears. “Thank you. But what does this have to do with Grandfather and what he told Evie?”

“Don’t you see? All of these authors lived normal lives here, in the Land Without Magic. They were novelists and playwrights and visionaries. They lived and loved and had families. Rumple sees with his gift that you have a destiny, but he doesn’t see all. And I don’t think that destiny is in some magical realm.” She rolled the scroll back up and pressed it into his hands. “Your destiny is what you make it, Henry, and if your heart tells you Evie is a part of that, then follow it.”

The petite woman reached up on her tiptoes to place a gentle kiss to Henry’s cheek. She left then to rejoin Gideon and Rumple for their own Christmas morning, leaving Henry with so much more than an ancient scroll. Belle had given him the best gift of all – Hope.

#ouat fic #henry-centric fic #henry mills #christmas in storybrooke #christmas fic #with a little CS #and family jones feels

[seriouslyhooked]

We Belong

Available on FF Here and AO3 Here.

A/N: This is a short future CS fic where their family is apple picking. It’s really just a little drabble, but it has very cute family moments and some gratuitous CS fluff. Based on a reader request for more fics with Snowing and CS and their kids together. Inspired by the song ‘We Belong’ by Sheppard. Rated T for truly flufftastic.

Strolling through the old apple orchards at the edge of Storybrooke, Emma couldn’t help but be grateful for this day.

There were many reasons for that gratitude not the least of which being that she loved the time spent with her family. Having Killian and the girls, Hope and Leia, out here in the fresh air enjoying in a fun, safe afternoon was a beautiful thing, and it was made even better because her parents and little brother were here too. This was a certifiable family tradition now, and though it had been years since she’d been a little lost girl wishing for a family of her own, it still gave Emma happy butterflies every time they did something like this.

“Now you know I would never second guess you, Swan…”

Emma smiled at the words from her doting husband as he ran around the car to open her door, demanding that she let him help her at every turn. He was an old pro at the whole Dad-thing now, and somehow even more fantastic at being her husband, but under all that Killian was the same man she’d fallen in love with. Where words like these came, there was bound to be another shoe just waiting to drop. The only question was what had her pirate all worried?

“Let me guess, you think that today will be too much, right?” Emma asked teasingly, trying to show him his anxiety was unfounded. She was fine, and so was their little boy who was bound to show up in a few more months. Her hand moved over her tummy on instinct, and Killian’s came above hers for a few heartbeats too. They didn’t have time to linger longer in their joy, as the girls were getting restless, but for just a moment they both silently celebrated their good fortune.

“I think it’s a lot for anyone, Emma. Our little loves are rambunctious on a good day, and today they’ll be in full swing.”

“Sounds like you’re the one who can’t handle it,” Emma said with a mirthful smile. Immediately her pirate picked up on her phrasing, and he muttered something about always being up for a challenge before he pressed a kiss to her lips. It was quick, but even in that fleeting press of his lips on hers Emma was lost. God she loved this man, and that love only seemed to grow stronger and surer every day.

“I just want you to promise me that if you need a break at any point you’ll tell me,” Killian requested when they pulled apart. Emma nodded, and Killian exhaled a heavy breath as he opened the door and revealed a happy, giggling little Leia. At almost three she was all joy all the time, the happiest baby Emma had ever seen, and her eyes grew wide with excitement as she reached for Emma’s tummy.

“Baby!” Leia pronounced excitedly and Emma nodded.

“Yes, honey. Baby.”

“Technically, it’s a baby brother,” Hope said from where she was waiting patiently on the other side. Emma moved around to let her out too and Hope jumped down with the grace of an older child even though her instincts still had her immediately reaching for Emma’s hand. It made Emma’s heart ache, to know her daughter was independent and smart and so purely herself but that she also still wanted and needed her Mama.

“Right you are, lass,” Killian said when the car was all squared away and they had everything in hand to set out and meet her parents. They didn’t even need to double check. This was a very well oiled machine right now, but Emma suspected that when they had a third baby that would all go out the window. Right now it was two on two, but she didn’t love her odds when the other team gained a man.

“I wuv the baby,” Leia said cheerily, and her words were tinted with that toddler dialect that could warm even the coldest of hearts.

“As do we all, princess,” Killian said, pressing a kiss to the crown of Leia’s head. “Now, have the two of you thought of any ideas for a name yet?”

Killian’s question to Hope and Leia had Emma fighting back an eye roll. In his mind this was a great scheme, letting his two little girls have a say in the name of their little brother. But Emma was worried about giving them that chance. They were still so young, and their track record of naming was not the best. Both girls had their favorite stuffed animals and while Hope’s bear was named Charlie, which was passable, Leia had named her favorite lion ‘cat.’ Not even lion. Just cat.

“No. I think you and Mommy should give me options,” Hope replied her free hand coming to fiddle with her braid. It was done to the side just like Emma’s for the day, because Hope had asked (or demanded, depending how you looked at it) that they match today. “Like when I get to choose between cookies and ice cream after dinner at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.”

“That sounds like an excellent plan,” Emma agreed, taking that for the out it was and thanking whatever universal entity had given her that. She looked over to Killian, and his wry grin told her that he knew how she felt about all this, but before she could call him out for it, the rest of their merry band of apple pickers arrived.

“Did someone say Grandpa?”

Her Dad’s voice prompted both of Emma and Killian’s daughters to launch into action and they sprinted over as fast as they could to see David and Mary Margaret along with their ‘uncle’ Neal. Emma and Killian followed after, greeting her parents and her brother and the seven of them headed past the entrance and into the farmland, making their way to the grove in the orchard that was ready for picking today.

“So…” her mother said after wrapping her arm in Emma’s as they trailed behind their husbands and the kids, keeping an eye on the flock. “How long do you think we have before the competitiveness takes over? I’m wondering just how much crazy we have to deal with today.”

Emma laughed aloud and Killian noticed, though she didn’t think he had heard her mother’s commentary.  If he did, he didn’t let it show, he only smiled at her, showing as he always did how much he loved her and wanted to see her happy. Killian was soon distracted, however, by Hope pulling at his sleeve and pointing towards the tree she wanted to climb. The rest of the pack all followed suit, agreeing it was the perfect spot.

“Well with those two you never know. I just hope they don’t drag the kids into it,” Emma said shaking her head as she watched her Dad and Killian already starting to posture and preen. There was some debate the past few years about who exactly was the best apple finder and collector, and Emma knew that same question was bound to pop again this year too.

“Oh they will. But you know how it goes. All we need are those cider donuts at the end of the day and the ugliness is all forgotten.”

“Ooh donuts,” Emma said excitedly. She’d forgotten about that sweet detail of coming to the orchard, and now that she thought about it she could definitely go for one. Or six. Or ten.

“My thinking exactly,” her Mom said before going into full mother hen mode. Emma watched as she corralled the family together, leading the charge on apple collection. Soon enough Emma had joined them, taking her spot with Leia and watching Hope as closely as she could to make sure her little adventurer didn’t wander too high.

The day was filled with humor and laughs, and yes, a healthy dose of competition between Killian and her Dad. On the whole though it was the kind of safe, wholesome, and dare she say charming, fun that most families got to enjoy every fall. If Emma could do so, she would save every moment of this memory so she could hold it close for years to come. It so perfectly encapsulated everything she’d ever wanted but never dared to hope for. Now, however, those impossible dreams were her life. She was truly living happily ever after, and though every day came with ups and downs, it still felt like pure magic through and through.

“Care to steal away with me for a moment, my love?” Killian asked as the family were all enjoying the spoils of their hard work. They were camped out at a picnic table, all of them enjoying a candy apple or a donut (or in Neal’s case both), but Emma yearned to go with Killian. She looked to her parents, who had heard the request and they both nodded.

“You two go. We can hold down the fort for a few minutes,” her mother promised.

Emma thanked them, giving both her girls a quick kiss before taking Killian’s hand and letting her husband lead her wherever he had in mind. She’d learned since they started this journey together that her pirate was an expert at carving out moments for the two of them and she was so glad for that. Especially because many of those moments weren’t just sweet and serene, but heated and sexy as well.

“Bloody hell, Emma, you can’t be thinking like that,” Killian pleaded, his pace increasing as he pulled her along past the farmhouse and food stands. “At least not yet anyway.”

“How do you know what I’m thinking?” Emma challenged, though it was a losing cause. Obviously he was onto her, and the intensity in his blue eyes when he met her gaze made her heart flip and her body hum with even more want for him.

“Because I’m thinking the same thing, love. Have been since I had my way with you this morning.”

Emma laughed at that, and at the way that Killian looked around to see if there were any others in the vicinity. Then he pulled her against one of the oldest trees around and he kissed her with all the passion and wanting that she felt in her own heart. It was not a kiss that was all acceptable for a public setting, but with her pirate’s roaming hand and hook teasing Emma into a frenzy she simply didn’t care. Call it baby-hormone induced lust or just a crazy amount of love for the man, either way Emma wanted Killian and she wanted him bad. But, ever her protector, Killian knew things could only go so far, and at the moment when there would be no return, he pulled away. Emma could see he still needed her desperately, but he put those needs aside, and focused on her, running his hand against her cheek as he told her something unexpected.

“Your parents are taking the girls tonight.”

“They are?” Emma asked, her question breathy from the lingering feelings their kiss had inspired.

“They are. It’s why I fought so hard to beat David today. There were higher stakes than you realized.”

“You’re kidding,” Emma said, letting a giggle slip as she thought back on how fierce Killian and her father had been in trying to be the best today. “Well then, I guess I should plan on showing my champion just how appreciative I am for his winning today.”

Emma watched as Killian swallowed harshly and she let herself smile. Yup, she had him right where she wanted him. He was forgetting himself, and she could see the gears spinning in his mind as he tried to figure out how to get them more privacy. Before he could think of something though, Emma stepped away.

“Of course that comes after we make sure the kids are all right, and say our goodbyes.”

“Seven hells, love. You don’t play fair,” Killian murmured before surprising her and stealing one last kiss. “But nevertheless I accept your terms. I love you, Emma.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered softly before taking his hand and leading him back to their family once more.

And with that promise, the two of them headed back, hand in hand, knowing that today was just another perfect day in a wonderful life that they’d share together for now and for always.

………….

I had heard of love but had my doubts Heartache was something I could do without But it started changing when you came around And now I never want it to fade

Now that we've lit this fire (Get na-na-na-na-na) We've got to fan the flame (Get na-na-na-na-na) To keep it burning higher (Get na-na-na-na-na) To die another day To die another day

(Hoo, ha) We belong together (Hoo, ha) The diamond's under pressure, baby (Hoo, ha) Through whatever weather (Hoo, ha) We belong together, baby

We can chase the summer 'til the sun burns out Not even gravity can hold us down Yes I'm holding on to every minute now No I don't ever want it to fade

Now that we've lit this fire (Get na-na-na-na-na) We've got to fan the flame (Get na-na-na-na-na) To keep it burning higher (Get na-na-na-na-na) To die another day To die another day

(Hoo, ha) We belong together (Hoo, ha) The diamond's under pressure, baby (Hoo, ha) Through whatever weather (Hoo, ha) We belong together, baby

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh There's something I love about Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh There's something I love about Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh The woman that's all you are Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh There's something I love

We belong together The diamond's under pressure, baby Through whatever weather We belong together, baby (Oh yeah) (Hoo, ha) We belong together (Hoo, ha) The diamond's under pressure, baby (Hoo, ha) Through whatever weather (Hoo, ha) We belong together, baby

Oh, oh, get na-na-na-na-na Oh, oh, get na-na-na-na-na (We belong together) Oh, oh, get na-na-na-na-na Oh, oh, get na-na-na-na-na (We belong together, baby) Oh, oh, get na-na-na-na-na Oh, oh (We belong together, baby)

Post-Note: So hopefully you’ve all enjoyed this chapter. It’s another attempted testament to my work as the ‘Queen of Fluff’ and truth be told I loved every second of writing this up this summer. I saved it for now, when I had an opening in my schedule and I am so glad I did. It’s short and sweet, just how I love my CS fics. Well, at least some of them. Either way, I want to thank you all so much for the continued love, and thank the reader who asked for this AU. You’re all awesome, and I appreciate your support and kind words more than I can say. Anyway, hope you have a great rest of your weekend and thanks so much for reading!

If you want more mixtape goodness, check out the first 180+ installments:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9,Part 10,Part 11, Part 12,Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24,Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30, Part 31,Part 32, Part 33, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36, Part 37, Part 38,Part 39,Part 40, Part 41, Part 42, Part 43, Part 44, Part 45,Part 46,Part 47, Part 48, Part 49, Part 50, Part 51, Part 52, Part 53,Part 54,Part 55, Part 56, Part 57, Part 58, Part 59, Part 60,Part 61,Part 62, Part 63, Part 64, Part 65, Part 66, Part 67, Part 68,Part 69,Part 70, Part 71, Part 72, Part 73, Part 74, Part 75,Part 76,Part 77, Part 78, Part 79, Part 80, Part 81, Part 82, Part 83,Part 84,Part 85, Part 86, Part 87, Part 88, Part 89, Part 90,Part 91,Part 92, Part 93, Part 94, Part 95, Part 96, Part 97, Part 98,Part 99,Part 100, Part 101, Part 102, Part 103,Part 104, Part 105,Part 106, Part 107,Part 108, Part 109, Part 110,Part 111, Part 112,Part 113, Part 114, Part 115,Part 116, Part 117, Part 118,Part 119,Part 120, Part 121, Part 122, Part 123,Part 124, Part 125,Part 126, Part 127, Part 128,Part 129,Part 130, Part 131,Part 132,Part 133, Part 134, Part 135, Part 136, Part 137, Part 138,Part 139,Part 140, Part 141, Part 142, Part 143, Part 144, Part 145,Part 146, Part 147, Part 148,Part 149, Part 150, Part 151,Part 152, Part 153, Part 154, Part 155, Part 156, Part 157, Part 158,Part 159, Part 160, Part 161, Part 162, Part 163, Part 164,Part 165, Part 166, Part 167, Part 168, Part 169, Part 170,Part 171,Part 172, Part 173, Part 174, Part 175, Part 176,Part 177, Part 178, Part 179 , Part 180, Part 181, Part 182

#captain swan #cs oneshot #cs family #captain swan fic #captain swan ff #cs fic #cs fluff #cs ff #cs kiss #captain swan one shot #emma swan #killian jones #snowing appearance #The Jones Family #cs kids #hope jones #leia jones #cs baby #captain swan mixtape #cs mixtape #the captain swan mixtape #prompted fic #we belong

[elshalarossa]

Hello I'm very excited I'm going on my first trip to the States on my own and am visiting Austin and New Orleans. I should be in New Orleans about a week Do you have any must sees and dos suggestions? Thank you so much if you are able to suggest a couple of things!

Yay, how exciting! Two very fun cities to visit. I haven’t lived there in almost ten years now… but a lot of my favorite spots are still alive and kicking! Here’s a few suggestions, poached from a list I created to share with my wedding guests a few years back: 

This is not an exhaustive list by any means – you can spin around blindfolded in NOLA, start walking, and hit a good restaurant or a fun bar.  But these are some places I love to visit while I’m there! 

Eats:

- Commander’s Palace Classic, upscale New Orleans favorite for special occasions. Go for lunch (11:30-2:00).  Portions are still generous, it’s far less pricey than dinner, and… I mean… 25¢ martinis… hard to argue with that. Also please note the dress code. They take it very seriously.

-Origami http://sushinola.com/origami_new_orleans_sushi_menu-2/>Best. Sushi. Ever.  Not super authentic Japanese, but FANTASTIC cajun fusion. Get the cajun spiced tuna tataki, and the snowcrab stuffed mushrooms.

- Jacques-Imo’s If I had to pick a favorite place to bring out-of-town friends this would absolutely be it. Southern-style comfort food with a Cajun twist. Shrimp and Alligator Cheesecake. SHRIMP AND ALLIGATOR CHEESECAKE. Just trust me. I believe they only accept reservations for parties of 6 or more, so either bring your friends or come early. The line gets insane.

- Cochon The name means “Pig.”  This is not the place for vegetarians. Nor those who keep Kosher. If you don’t have the time or inclination for a sit-down meal, you can also get STELLAR sandwiches at the butcher next door…

- Port of Call Best burger joint in town. Show up early, especially on the weekends, or you’ll be waiting for a while. Get a drink while you wait! Get three! Get drunk! The cocktails mean business.  Not for lightweights. Be warned. Get yourself a Monsoon.

- Superior Seafood The name is accurate. FROZEN FRENCH 75’s. It’s on St Charles Avenue, so you could take a streetcar ride to have a lovely lunch there. 50 cent oysters and half priced drinks at happy hour!

- La Boca Absolutely amazing Argentinian Steak House. I have never enjoyed steak more than I have at this restaurant. Never. I’m pretty sure Mr Staark agreed to marry me largely because this is where I took him on our first date. (And I’m only sort of kidding. ;-) )

- The Ruby Slipper https://www.therubyslippercafe.net/> There are multiple locations for this diner-style cafe. A fucking FANTASTIC brunch option, for cheap.  The Eggs Cochon is orgasmic. The breakfast cocktails are FAB. Great for hangovers.

Sips: While there are many, many great bars all over the city, these are my favorites.

- The Columns Hotel Aside from being my wedding venue, and v sentimental for me, this hotel boasts a bar with one of the best bloody marys you will ever drink.

- Carousel Bar & Lounge The Hotel Monteleone has the famous Carousel Bar, which rotates around the room as you drink. It’s a traditional tourist stop, but actually quite lovely! Very traditional, old-school New Orleans vibe.

- Pirate’s Alley Cafe and Absinthe HouseTucked away behind the St Louis Cathedral, this place just feels like going back in time. Wonderful outdoor courtyard seating, a little bit off the beaten path, despite being in the middle of the Quarter!

- The Country Club Gay bar with a swimming pool.  And two hot tubs. Yup.

Shopping:

- Trashy Diva VINTAGE EVERYTHING! And there are lots of fun quirky shops all around that area of Magazine street, too. Fun exploring!

- French Market Get your souvenirs here. :) I recommend a copy of the River Road Cookbook– it’s a southern staple! (Put together by the Junior League of Baton Rouge many years ago, it has EVERYONE’s Grandma’s best recipes in it.)

Fun Stuff:

- World War II Museum My favorite “tourist” activity in town. Educational, very well-maintained. They also have a theater with shows and a delicious 1940’s style diner inside.

- Audubon Zoo/Aquarium of the Americas/Insectarium Our zoo is cheaper and better than the Bronx zoo, if you’re into that sort of thing. There are Mississippi Riverboat cruises that go between the Aquarium, downtown, and the Zoo, uptown. I have never been to the insectarium (it opened shortly after I moved to NYC) but everyone says it’s amazing.

- Haunted History Tours Silly yet wonderful walking tours that tell the history of allegedly haunted buildings in the French Quarter. If the weather’s nice, it’s a great way to spend an evening!

- Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1Check out a cemetery while you’re there. They’re creepy and strangely beautiful. If you do go to Commander’s Palace, there’s a great one across the street!

HAVE ALL THE FUN. TELL MY CITY I MISS HER!!!!!  

#E's asks #nola #this is probably WAY TOO MUCH #but I have no chill when it comes to my hometown #I love and miss it so much #mine

[awkwardnessandbaseball]

Galentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day @pearlmackie :)

I’m your CS Secret Valentine! It’s been so lovely to get to know you over the past few weeks, and I hope you like this fic I put together for you ;)

AO3

GALENTINE’S DAY , Emma began to type. She’d been assigned a story on the phenomenon and was less than eager to get started.

“It’s like Valentine’s Day, but with your friends. The girls. The gals, if you will,” Regina had said earlier that day.

“Right but… I don’t have any ‘gals’ to celebrate with. I’m the worst person to assign this story to. Give it to, like, Mary Margaret. She’s probably got enough friends to have Galentine’s Day every day of the week.” Emma really didn’t like to turn an assignment down, but this was just so out of her realm of expertise. She normally did stories that required hours of research and difficult-to-obtain interviews. She’d nearly forced her way into politicians’ offices and snuck into at least three press conferences she hadn’t been invited to.

Storybrooke Press was a no-name newspaper in a no-name town, but it was Emma’s paper and it was her town, too, dammit. She loved stories that exposed hard truths and made people question everything they were being told.

“Mary Margaret’s got some sort of special romance story she’s working on,” Regina had rolled her eyes. “She wants it to be a surprise, but I told her I obviously have to give the ‘OK’ before it goes to print. Regardless, she’s busy. Galentine’s Day is yours.”

Knowing there would be no arguing with Regina anyway, Emma left her office in a huff. Now, she sat in front of her computer, the cursor blinking at her, taunting her.

It wasn’t just that Emma didn’t have any ‘gals’. She didn’t have any… anything. She’d grown up alone, bounced around within the foster system until she’d finally aged out of it. She’d tried her hand at romance, but Neal Cassidy had been the wrong person to try it with. He’d done nothing but lie and cheat, but at the very least, her story about him had gotten her onto the paper to begin with.

When he’d left her broken-hearted and just plain broken, Emma had written a detailed account of all of the jobs they’d pulled – every store robbed and every pocket picked – right up until the stolen watches he’d left in some locker on the other side of the state. She’d written it as a form of self-healing, posting it to a blog she’d kept anonymous.

Regina had been intrigued by her writing style and her voice and had emailed the address Emma had created for the blog. She’d asked her to come into the office. Regina promised to keep the blog separate from the conversation, to never bring up Emma’s past that she’d revealed.

It was unconventional, but it was the first time Emma had seen a future for herself. From the moment she’d walked into the Storybrooke Press offices, she’d felt a sense of comfort that she could only assume felt like coming home.

But just because the writing world had welcomed her with open arms, that hadn’t mean her co-workers needed to do the same. Emma knew she came across as a bit prickly and standoffish, but she’d been alone for… ever. She didn’t know how to approach people with anything less than a large amount of distrust and a small dose of fake smiles. The ladies at the paper all knew she was faking, and made no attempt to coerce her into conversation.

Except Mary Margaret.

The lead writer for the Lifestyle section, Mary Margaret Nolan was the kindest, most giving and open person Emma Swan had ever met in her life. There were times – like when she was sick, and Mary Margaret reached into her purse for tissues and cold medicine; or when she’d locked her keys in her car and there was Mary Margaret with a wire coat hanger, shimmying the window down – when Emma really wished that she could have been adopted by the Nolans. They were the same age, of course, but there was something distinctly motherly about Mary Margaret and Emma felt like a kid again whenever she came around with her freshly baked cookies or collecting signatures for someone’s birthday card. Her husband, David, had come to visit once, delivering a full bouquet of flowers to his wife, but also a single flower for everyone else in the office.

It was part charming, part ridiculous. Emma secretly loved it.

Still, even Mary Margaret was no match for the sky-high walls Emma had built around herself. At first, Mary Margaret had tried inviting her to group outings – trivia night, bowling, happy hour, you name it – but Emma declined, and she stopped asking.

Staring at the yet-to-be-written story on her screen, Emma nearly jumped out of her skin when the very subject of her thoughts spoke from behind her.

“Oh, Regina gave you that story? That’s so lovely!” Mary Margaret was nothing if not genuine, despite all the times Emma had tried to see some sarcasm or skepticism in her tone, a darkness behind the light in her eyes. “Have you decided who you’re going to take?”

“Excuse me?” Take where? , Emma thought to herself.

“Well, which girls you’ll be taking out for Galentine’s Day, of course!” Mary Margaret was bouncing on the balls of her feet, and Emma breathed out a deep sigh.

“I hadn’t really planned on throwing a Galentine’s Day… thing. I’m not sure who to invite.”

Mary Margaret’s jaw dropped.

“Oh, Emma, you should come to mine! We’re going to that restaurant across town with the silly pirate statue out front. They do a really great brunch special to celebrate!”

“I’m sorry, The Jewel of the Realm does a special for Galentine’s Day ?” Emma tried to keep the nasty tone out of her voice, she really did. She snorted, despite herself. “They probably just want all the girls to come in so they can hit on them.” To Emma’s surprise, Mary Margaret giggled.

“Probably! But it’s worth it – all-you-can-eat for two people for twenty dollars!” She bit her lip. “Please come, Emma. I’d love to help you with your story, and some of the girls from the office will be there, and some of my other friends, too.”

“How many… how many people, exactly?” Emma really didn’t relish the idea of sitting at a table with a ton of strange women, watching to them get champagne-drunk on mimosas and listening to them talk about… what did large groups of women talk about? Emma assumed that on a day like “Galentine’s”, they didn’t talk about men.

“Hmm,” Mary Margaret silently counted on her fingers. “I think I’ve got five for sure, including myself. Six, if you agree.” And there she went, bouncing again. Emma resisted the urge to put her head in her hands and instead forced a smile.

“Sure, I’ll be there.”

“Oh, Emma, that’s fantastic! We’ll be there at ten in the morning, and stay till about noon.” Before Emma knew it, Mary Margaret was hugging her, bending down and wrapping her arms around both Emma and her chair.

The things we do for journalism , Emma thought to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~

At roughly quarter after ten, Emma strolled into the Jewel of the Realm. It was packed, with laughter echoing in every direction. Emma heard champagne glasses clinking and smelled a whole lot of bacon.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

“Emma! Over here!” Mary Margaret was waving her arms over her head from a round table with one empty seat. Emma made her way over and Mary Margaret jumped right in with introductions. “So you know Ruby and Elsa from the office,” the two brunettes waved and looked at each other, seemingly surprised that Emma had actually shown up for something, “and this is my neighbor Belle and my childhood best friend, Ashley.”

Emma lifted her hand up in a small wave and promptly took her seat, eager to have all of the attention focused on literally anything in the entire world but her .

The conversation picked up quickly, and Emma felt a bit lost. Here were five women who’d clearly known each other forever. They were talking about memories Emma wasn’t a part of, stories she hadn’t been present for. She had nothing to share, nothing to add.

“Emma, what was your favorite birthday party theme when you were a kid?” Mary Margaret asked her suddenly. “Ashley and I had a joint party one year and everyone dressed up as princesses. It sounds so silly, but it was so fun at the time!”

“I um… I never had a themed birthday party.” It would have been easy to lie, to say she’d had a princess theme too, and to simply agree with everything the other girls said, but Emma was never going to get a story out of this ridiculous day if she didn’t participate on some level.

She was a journalist, dammit.

The table went silent for a moment.

“Me neither,” Elsa said. Every head at the table turned her way and Emma instantly felt herself cool off. “My parents passed away when I was very young. My sister and I were raised by our aunt, and she didn’t really believe in large birthday parties. We each got a cupcake or a few brownies, but never a party.” Her eyes met Emma’s from across the table.

“I was raised by my Grandma,” Ruby jumped in. “She’d bake me a cake or something, but I almost always had to work at the diner on my birthday once I was old enough. No bouncy castles for me, either.”

Emma cleared her throat.

“I was raised in the foster system.” Oh God, what have I done? She hoped Elsa and Ruby didn’t think she was trying to out-do their stories, make her own childhood sound worse, as though it were a competition. “I get myself a cupcake on my birthday every year now, though,” she added with a shrug. “We all have our traditions, I guess.”

She looked around, and all the women at the table were smiling at her.

On her second trip to the buffet, she was so focused on the seven different bread options, that she completely missed the man behind the station talking to her.

“Miss?” he said, and he sounded exasperated, as though he’d said it more than once. Emma looked up and instantly felt herself blush.

A man with dark hair and blue eyes, who looked as though he hadn’t shaved in three days, was staring at her. And he was hot .

“Sorry, yes?” Emma blinked a few times. He grinned, clearly pleased with himself for catching her off guard.

“I was asking you if you’d like bacon, ham, or sausage.” He winked. Oh, God . Emma tilted her head.

“This is the bread station,” she replied, instantly feeling absolutely ridiculous. The man laughed good-naturedly.

“Yes, it is. But the meat station is up ahead, and my brother asked me to find out what you’d like, so he can have it ready for you. That okay?” He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her, waiting.

“Oh. Okay.” He was far too good looking to be taking her breakfast order on a day when she wasn’t supposed to be talking about men. Or was she? Was that rule ever actually established? “Bacon, I guess.”

“Excellent.” He walked away and reported her order to the man at the grill. The man handed over the spatula and Emma watched as the dark-haired man started cooking her food himself. It shouldn’t have been hot, but she found herself biting her lip. Focus, girl!

“I thought you said your brother was manning this station,” she said as she reached the grill, plate half covered with a slice of wheat toast alongside an everything bagel.

“I told him this was a special order, so he could take a break.” The man looked up from the grill, his eyes meeting hers. “That okay?”

“You ask that a lot,” Emma mused.

“I try to make sure I’m not offending anyone,” he grinned, passing the sizzling bacon from the grill to her plate.

“You’re not,” she smirked at him. Belatedly, as she sat back down at the table, Emma realized they’d been flirting.

By the time noon came around, Emma was full of mimosa and eggs and toast and bacon… and a little more mimosa.

Spilling her past about the foster system had been tough, but once it was out in the open, Emma found it easier to relax and tell stories – good and bad – about her childhood. She listened to Belle’s stories about her beast of an ex, and shared her own gripes about Neal. Mary Margaret talked about her struggles to get pregnant and Emma found herself tearing up.

“You can adopt me,” she said before she could think better of it. The whole table laughed, and for a moment, Emma was embarrassed.

“Um, me too, please!” Ruby shouted.

“You and David have enough room for three grown adult women to become your adopted children, right?” Elsa was nearly crying with laughter.

And then they all had tears streaming down their faces, and Emma wasn’t sure how much of it was out of sadness for Mary Margaret’s struggles or their own pasts and how much of it was out of pure, unadulterated amusement at the idea of David Nolan being surrounded by four adult women, three of whom were proclaiming to be his children.

She was nearly out the door, check paid and phone numbers exchanged with girls she’d barely even known a few hours ago, when Emma caught the eye of the man who’d made her bacon.

“How was it?” he shouted from his post – he’d moved onto eggs, apparently.

Emma found herself walking back into the restaurant towards him.

“It was decent,” she shrugged. His jaw dropped.

“Just decent?”

She shrugged again.

“Let me cook you something else.”

“I’m pretty full, actually. Mimosas and eggs and toast and all that.” She looked up at him, wondering what his next move would be.

“Tomorrow then.” He was determined, the set of his jaw and the furrow in his brow told her as much.

“Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day,” she laughed. He raised an eyebrow.

“Have you got plans?” She couldn’t read his face or his tone anymore.

“Well, no, but—”

“Great. We’re having a Solo Special. If you come in and let me, Killian Jones, co-owner of The Jewel of the Realm, cook you the meal of your choosing, it’s on the house.”

“I’m sorry, you’re offering a free meal tomorrow?” A short gentleman serving himself some eggs interrupted. Killian didn’t turn away from Emma’s stare.

“Only for her,” he said simply. “She said my bacon cooking skills were decent. I’m simply out to prove her wrong.”

Jaw hanging open, Emma was speechless.

“What do you say, then? One-time only offer. Unless you like the food. And me. Then you can probably come again some other time and chances are, I’ll cook you something on the house again.” He winked at her.

Flirting, again.

“Okay,” Emma was surprised to hear herself say. It must have been all of the mimosas. She’d see if she actually felt like showing her face in this restaurant again when she woke up clear-headed.

“What shall I place the reservation under?” he asked her as she turned to leave.

“Emma Swan,” she told him, and she left.

~~~~~~~~~~~

GALENTINES DAY , Emma typed in a brand-new Word document. She hadn’t gotten any further than the title in her original attempt, but starting fresh with a brand new perspective felt like it would be good for the story.

For someone who grew up on the outside looking in, Galentines Day seemed like little more than an excuse for a bunch of women to get drunk on mimosas and complain about their lives. There didn’t seem to be a point to it – don’t ladies get together all the time to talk about menial things? Why a whole day dedicated to it?

But then I realized Galentines Day is about more than just champagne served before noon.

Valentine’s Day is about showing the person you care for romantically that you cherish them. You show them love every day, but on one day every year, you’re allowed to get as cheesy and romantic and heart-eyed as you deem fit. You can get sappy and wax poetic about the first time you met, and how their eyes struck your soul or some other over-used line that would seem out of place on any other day.

Galentines Day is about showing your friends that you cherish them. It’s about sharing your past and your present and your hopes for the future, and about making new friends when you didn’t think you could. It’s about appreciating each other in a way that maybe you don’t go out of your way to do the rest of the year.

And maybe it’s also about drinking champagne before noon.

It turned into a late night and an early morning, Emma writing and editing and writing and editing. She made it strictly factual, then added opinions back in. She shared one of her own experiences from brunch, then erased it for fear of exposing some part of herself she wasn’t ready to share.

She handed in exactly 700 words to Regina exactly nine minutes late, but there were no complaints, and both women seemed to think they’d won, somehow.

“So, are you going back to see that hot guy today?” Ruby asked Emma at lunch. Apparently, making friends also meant that Emma didn’t have to eat her lunch alone at her desk anymore. She was invited to the diner next door, owned by Ruby’s grandmother, with the rest of the girls.

“What hot guy?” Emma, of course, knew exactly what hot guy, but she hadn’t realized that anyone else had even noticed their interactions from the day before.

“Don’t play dumb,” Ruby grinned. “I came out of the bathroom and saw you talking to the guy at the egg station. I thought I heard him offer you a free meal.”

“Wait, the owner of The Jewel of the Realm offered to cook for you?” Elsa’s voice reached a record-high pitch.

Ruby, Mary Margaret, and Emma all turned to her, surprised by her reaction.

“I’ve had a crush on Liam for forever ,” Elsa admitted. “I go there, like, once a week, hoping I can get his attention somehow.”

“Liam? Oh… that must be Killian’s brother,” Emma realized.

“There, now you have to go back!” Ruby grabbed Emma’s hands. “If only to set poor Elsa over here up with Liam.” She gave her best attempt at a puppy dog pout, but only ended up looking like a model posing for a photograph.

By the end of lunch, Emma was pretty sure she was going back to The Jewel of the Realm.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hello, do you have a reservation?” The hostess smiled at her.

“Um, maybe? If I do, it’s under Emma.” She couldn’t believe she was here. It was Valentine’s Day, and some stranger was cooking her dinner. Was this a date? It seemed like a date. But did dates generally cook you food… in the restaurant you were eating in?

The hostess grinned even wider, somehow.

“Emma Swan?” Emma nodded. “Yes, there’s a reservation here. You can follow me.”

The girl led her to a table off to the side, somehow just a bit quieter than the rest of the restaurant. There were two place settings and a candle in the center of the table.

“Killian will be with you shortly,” the hostess told her, as though Killian were just another server and not the owner of the damn restaurant .

What the hell was Emma doing here?

She sat for a moment and considered getting right back up and walking about, but a man approached her with a wine list and she decided that if nothing else, alcohol would certainly help her feel a bit more at ease. She’d done all of the flirting in the world yesterday with just a bit of champagne in her system after all.

She chose a cheap white from the bottom of the list, but she knew as soon as she tasted her glass that it was top-shelf. Cheap wine didn’t go down that smoothly.

“I hope you didn’t order a low-grade wine because you thought you’d have to pay for it,” Killian said as he sat down, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

Emma blushed.

“I told you this was on the house,” he raised an eyebrow at her.

“You said the food was on the house,” she pointed out, unfolding her napkin across her lap, simply for something to do.

He sighed.

“The whole thing is on the house, Swan. You’re lovely and I would have asked you on a proper date for Valentine’s Day, but I own a restaurant, so this is pretty much the best I can do.” He bit his lip, and for the first time, Emma realized that he might be as nervous as she was. “Is this okay?”

“This is nice,” she assured him. “It’s great, actually. I’ve never had anyone cook me a meal before, so you’ve got a low bar set for you.”

“No one’s ever cooked for you?” He looked far more surprised than she’d expected. She shrugged and shook her head. “What’s your favorite food? We’re talking, last meal before the electric chair, guilty pleasure, absolutely cannot live without it meal.” He stood as he spoke.

“Um, I don’t have a very refined palate,” she admitted. She admitted that she’d grown up on lukewarm French fries and day old peanut butter sandwiches, mostly.

He smiled.

“Chicken tenders and onion rings it is.” He disappeared into the kitchen.

Wine with a kids meal , Emma thought to herself. The epitome of romance .

Killian came back with a huge pile of onion rings and a basket of chicken tenders. It smelled incredible, and Emma’s mouth began to water.

“I know it’s not exactly a romantic meal, but I find that eating whatever food makes you happy also helps you enjoy the company you’re with.”

“Is that some long-winded cliché you just made up on the spot?”

He grinned.

“Maybe.”

“So, did you make all of this fresh, just for me?” She hadn’t kept track of how long he’d been gone, not wanting his staff to catch her glancing at her phone constantly. They were no doubt all watching her, and she didn’t want them telling her she was an impatient jerk who couldn’t wait for her food to come out.

“I did,” he said. He at her, and she met his eyes. She believed him.

The food was unsurprisingly delicious.

“How are you able to sit and enjoy an entire meal in the restaurant you own on such a busy night?” She asked him as she finished her third glass of wine.

“My brother’s running the floor right now, he’ll come and get me if he needs me.” Killian sipped his water, still working despite the fact that this was very clearly a date.

“Speaking of your brother, I have a friend—”

“That blonde girl from your party yesterday? Oh God, please tell me she’s interested in him.” Killian rolled his eyes. “She’s in here constantly and all Liam does is whine about how pretty she is, but he won’t just go and talk to her.”

Emma laughed, and Killian tilted his head.

“She is,” she said when she caught her breath. “When she heard the owner of this place was cooking me dinner, she almost lost her mind. I had to tell her it was you, not your brother.”

This time, Killian laughed with her, and they must have looked quite the pair, cracking up with a half-empty bottle of wine on the table.

“Bring her with you next time, then.”

“Next time?”

“Yes, if… if you want to come back, that is.” There was that nervous smile again.

Emma nodded.

“I do. This was… nice.”

“Killian!” came a voice from the opposite end of the restaurant. Killian’s eyes closed as his head fell forward.

“I’ll be right back ,” he assured her, reaching over and squeezing her hand before he went.

He was only gone a few moments, but he looked much more disheveled upon his return.

“I’m afraid we’re down a cook, so I’ve got to head into the kitchen and take over. I’m so sorry. I hope—”

“Do you have time to walk me out?” Emma bit her lip, feeling the buzz from the wine bring a flush to her cheeks. She pulled out her phone to order an Uber. “I’ve got… six minutes until my driver arrives.” She looked back up at him.

“Yeah, I can spare that,” he grinned. He helped her into her jacket and offered her his arm. They walked out of the restaurant together, and the hostess erupted into giggles as soon as they passed her.

“This was a really nice night, Killian. Thank you.” Emma told him as soon as they were outside.

“I’m glad. I was a bit nervous you wouldn’t come.”

“I almost didn’t,” she admitted. “But the girls at work convinced me that it was a good idea.”

“I’ll have to thank them sometime.” He took a step closer to her.

“When should I come back with Elsa?” she asked, feet glued to the spot they were in. Would he come closer still?

“Whenever you like. I’m usually not here Tuesdays and Liam’s not here Thursdays. Other than that, I’m all yours.” He was nearly flush against her now.

She tilted her chin up, wondering if people still kissed on the first date. She thought for a moment about how horrible her onion breath probably was, but before she could consider it too deeply, he was kissing her.

He stopped quickly.

“Was that ok—”

She grabbed his jacket and kissed him again. Her phone buzzed with the arrival of her Uber. She pulled away and sure enough, there was the blue Ford Focus she was supposed to be waiting for.

“I’ll be in on Friday,” she told him before she could think better of it, and climbed into the car. She could see him through the passenger side mirror, touching his lips and staring after her, and she smiled.

#captain swan #captain swan fic #galentinesday #galentinesgift #csvalentines #valentinesday #captain swan ff #captain swan fic rec #captain swan secret valentine #cssv #cs #cs fic #cs fanfic #pearlmackie

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Backyard Healing Herbs

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Backyard Healing Herbs

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18th Century Ship Doctor Pioneers Scientific Health Remedies – 200 Years Ahead of His Time

“Your numbers are worse than your last visit,” My doctor told me.

Her voice was clinical and unfriendly… and a thousand miles away.

I sat there… like a deer in the headlights.

I’d gone in for my regular check-up and blood work with high hopes.

I was so proud of the changes I made to my diet and exercise… and thought my doctor’s report would be good news.

But instead of a good report, it felt like a punch to the gut.

“How is this even possible?” I insisted.

“I’ve done everything just like you said!”

“Well, your bad LDL Cholesterol and triglycerides are still way above the acceptable range. They’ve gone up, not down,” she said, pointing at my chart.

“This has a big impact on your blood pressure… which is now in the unacceptable range.”1

“This, in turn, puts you at greater risk for other problems with your heart.”2

“I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t tell you we really need to get control of this with the right medications.”

“Based on your numbers, it’s the only way to stop this dangerous trend.”

“One more bad report like this, and there might not be anything more I can do.”

My doctor’s report left me in stunned silence.

Now… I know I’m not alone in hearing heartbreaking news just like this one.

Millions of Americans are fighting health big battles just like this every day.3

High cholesterol.

Heart problems.

Joint Pain.

Thyroid problems.

Erratic blood sugar.

Weight gain.

Memory loss.

And the list goes on… and on.

But like millions of Americans…

I’ve become concerned about the slippery slope of prescription drugs… and their unpredictable and potentially dangerous side effects.4

And after that heartbreaking meeting with my doctor, I thought the “professional pharmacy” approach was my only option to restore my health… and my hope.

But… I was wrong.

Message essential for anyone struggling with ANY health challenge

Hi, I’m Donna Nicholson.

And the message I have to share with right now is essential for anyone struggling with ANY health challenge that keeps them feeling like they’re in a constant uphill battle.

That’s because in the next 5 minutes… I’ll share all about a chance encounter with a near-ancient grandmother…Who helped me get the edge on my bad cholesterol trend… almost overnight…

Using 100% natural herbal remedies I grew in my own backyard.

I’ll also share with you the multiple clinical studies backing up these all-natural ingredients and remedies…5

I’ll tell you all about how my family threw away 7 different Rx meds and OTC pills… in less than a month. We’re now healthier and happier than ever. (*results may vary)

And I’ll share with you the one simple secret I learned in that chance encounter… that can help empower ANYONE to:

Easily address virtually any health challenge… 100% naturally… from the comfort of their own home6

Avoid the unpredictable and often life-threatening side effects of preventative drugs7

Take control of their own health… so they’re not at the mercy of the industrial-medical complex8

Enjoy the peace of mind that comes from supporting your health… with scientifically-proven and time-honored all-natural ingredients

Now I’ll share more about these scientific studies in just a minute…

But, please tune in right now…

Are becoming more and more apprehensive about turning to chemicals foreign to our systems…9

That can end up stealing their health from them.

What’s more…

I guarantee this solution is so completely different in its approach, it’s unlike anything the majority of Americans have ever used before.

That’s because this approach takes the best nature has to offer…

And directs it where it’s needed most… just like Mother Nature intended.

Sadly, it’s something the majority of medical professionals have never even been trained for.10

But… independent researchers are now confirming these natural remedies are often as effective… if not more effective…

Than the traditional approach.11

So, in just a few moments from now…

I’ll share the one secret that can revolutionize any family’s health… 100% naturally.

I’ll spill the beans on the the simple pocket sized herbal system 250 years in the making.

And I’ll share how to have direct access to everything needed to get health under control… quickly… safely… naturally… and effectively.

I feel it’s important to mention that the complete system I’m sharing…

Has hundreds of testimonials from people who have used the secrets it contains to radically improve their health…

By easily growing their own backyard healing remedies.

I feel duty bound to say that it’s likely that what I’m revealing in this free presentation…

May ruffle some feathers.

There are many with vested interests in keeping a lid on this information.

That’s why those who want healthy, all-natural remedies to the most pressing health concerns…

Should tune in very carefully today…

Because this all-natural, at-home solution may change everything for those with any number of health challenges.

Based on the scientific research I’ve reviewed, and based on what I’ve seen in my own family…

I’m confident that anyone who considers this all-natural solution… will benefit greatly from this 100% natural family health resource.

First though… let me tell you a little more about myself and how I discovered this backyard health solution.

So, like I mentioned, my name is Donna Nicholson.

First and foremost, I’m a wife and a mother.

Plus I have a part-time job at an insurance company.

We live a fairly simple life in the Midwest

Our kids are in sports…

We attend church when we can…

I help out in my kids’ classrooms…

And… we’ve had many of the same health challenges most Americans have.

I’ve struggled with high cholesterol.

My husband has high blood pressure.

One of my kids has allergies…

And another struggles with ADHD.

Like I said, we’re pretty much like many American families.

And like most American families… trips to the pharmacy for prescription meds were a regular occurrence.

But… because of what I was seeing with my own eyes… with friends and family and seeing more and more news reports and studies…

I began to have my doubts about “traditional” remedies.12|13|14|15

And it was just after that fateful doctor’s visit…

Where I was scared for my life… thinking I would have to start popping more pills…

That I ran into Grandma Mary for the first time at a Saturday Farmer’s Market.

While I was looking for some local honey…

I came to a booth called “Grandma Mary’s Herbs.”

Inside the booth was most vibrant lady – who could hardly be described as a grandma!

Her smile, her glow, her energy… defied age.

I later found out Grandma Mary… was 87!

Grandma Mary’s booth was filled with hundreds of potted herbs and plants bursting with life and vitality.

Hanging on each potted herb was a 3×5 card with suggestions of what the herb could be used for.

Obviously, some herbs had uses inside the Kitchen.

But… others were filled with uses for OUTSIDE the kitchen.

There were herb “recipes” to help aid with digestion – my husband needed THAT one!

Another helped fight off fatigue… which I desperately needed!

Still another… helped with natural brain health… to help prevent memory loss.

Seeing all these cards made a lightbulb go off in my head: my CHOLESTEROL!

Without hesitation, I made a beeline for Grandma Mary.

I told her all about my doctor’s report and asked if she had something “natural” to help.

I’m sure she noticed my desperation… because she smiled at me so compassionately.

She took me to the back of her booth and pulled out an amber bottle with a golden tincture in it.

She turned to me and said, “Take this once a day for a month Then, go get your numbers checked, and come back to tell me how you’re doing.”

I asked her how much I owed her.

With a wink, she replied, “It’s on me today. See you in a month or so.”

I took it home and opened it up.

The aroma filled my room with a beautiful, golden scent… not like some chemically-laced concoction.

I took the tincture every day for the next several weeks… went to the lab and got my blood work done.

When I read the numbers… I almost couldn’t believe my eyes!

I had to choke back tears… I hadn’t seen LDL & triglyceride numbers like that in 5 years!16

So when the next Saturday rolled around… I was at the Farmer’s Market the very second it opened.

I rushed up to Grandma Mary smiling from ear to ear.

She simply grinned… and said, “Numbers looking better, I take it?”

Well, I made a regular habit out of visiting Grandma Mary’s Farmer’s Market booth.

Eventually, I asked the “million dollar question.”

“Where did you LEARN all your remedies, Grandma Mary?”

“Well, you’ll just have to come over for tea tomorrow and find out!”

After church the next day I sat with Grandma Mary at a white bistro table under a gazebo teeming with verdant vines and flowers bursting with color.

We drank a delicious herbal tea blended from herbs in Mary’s luscious garden.

She pulled out a weathered leather notebook from her tote.

“This,” she began, “belonged to my grandfather.”

“He was a doctor on a merchant ship in the 1800’s.”

“They sailed the globe, buying and selling textiles and spices…

They had to endure storms, battle injuries and diseases, and outrun pirates.

In every port, my grandfather would collect herbs and remedies from the countries and cultures he visited.

He eventually created a system for growing these healing herbs in an almost impossible place: in a ship at sea.

When I unexpectedly inherited this notebook…

I just figured if he could grow and maintain his own pocket garden… on a ship… I could do the same in my own backyard.”

“The rest, as they say, is history.”

As Grandma Mary began to leaf through hand-written notes and beautifully drawn illustrations, I began to see what she meant by this “Ship Doctor’s System” for healing herbs.

It was more than just remedies and concoctions …

It was an entire system for growing healing herbs.

On his ships… he developed small, but bountiful “pocket sized” gardens that provided health-giving remedies to the crew.

She showed me diary entries of how a remedy from India helped crew members get rid of a strange fever… overnight.

I saw notes of how a poultice helped heal his captain’s infected wound in record time.

I was completely blown away.

In awe, I asked her if there’s anything her notebook DIDN’T cover.

Grandma Mary replied: “Not that I’ve found yet!”

In a moment of inspiration… I said, “Grandma Mary, we have to transfer these secrets onto a computer so there’s no chance they ever get lost.”

That led to Grandma Mary and I spending long months huddled around that notebook… transferring her grandfather’s secrets… to my laptop.

Along the way, we double, and triple checked her grandfather’s remedies… against the latest scientific research…

To confirm these were proven effective remedies… and not just a collection of old wife’s tales.

As we worked together, and as I dug into the research on my computer…

What I discovered confirmed many of my doubts and suspicions about “traditional remedies.”

And it confirmed that the work I was doing with Grandma Mary… was more important than ever.

I NEEDED Grandma Mary’s secret system… even more than I thought I did…

Especially since I was smack dab in the middle of my “middle age” years.

And… my family and I relied on MULTIPLE medications… we were more than ready to get OFF.

Which is why this collection of Grandma Mary’s secret knowledge…

Became more important than ever!

As I learned Grandma Mary’s ways, I quickly put them into practice.

I’m proud to report that…

Within a few short months of starting my own healing garden in my backyard…

My family and I were able to say “good-bye” to 7 different Rx & OTC meds.

And we’ve never felt better or been healthier!

And that includes my husband’s high blood pressure medications… my son’s ADHD medication… my daughter’s allergy medication… and my Joint Pain relief meds! (*results may vary)

And that’s just to name 4!

Plus, by growing our own remedies, we’ll save more than $541 over the next year on our medical bills.

That’s over $45 per month!

I’m SO THANKFUL to be rid of all those strange chemicals and worrying about their side effects!

It’s no wonder my husband started calling my garden our “Backyard Pharmacy.”

Eventually, there came a point where I knew Grandma Mary and I just could not keep this to ourselves.

It just wouldn’t be right to withhold this health-boosting, life-saving information.

So Grandma Mary and I showed it to a very small group of my friends.

Afterwards, Betsy said, “Donna, I went through this twice. I’m so surprised at how easy you guys made it. I used to think gardening was hard and that my back couldn’t take it. You and Grandma Mary made me feel like you with me every step of the way.”

Liz said, “I have a brand-new sense of peace I never had before. I knew the dangers of pharmaceuticals but had no idea the alternative was so powerful and so simple.”

Susanne commented, “This is hands down the easiest guide I could ever imagine when it comes to growing my own remedies. This is faster and cheaper than what I used to do!”

When we heard this, we knew we needed to do whatever it took… to let others know about this almost lost secret information.

I’m proud to report that we found a way to do just that.

I asked my loving husband if we could take some money out of his retirement account…

So we could print a real book with real pictures on real pages…

And get Grandma Mary’s secrets out to the world.

Fortunately, he said, “YES!”

So we took the plunge … and pre-ordered 500 real life books.

It drained thousands from my husband’s 401k…

But to all of us, it’s 100% worth it to have this powerful knowledge at your fingertips.

But to all of us, it’s 100% worth it to have this powerful knowledge at your fingertips.

We’re calling it “Backyard Healing Herbs” …

So…

If you’re concerned about the side effects traditional remedies…

And if you’d like an easy as pie “masterclass” from Grandma Mary on using nature’s bounty to remedy the health concerns that face your family…

And if you’d like to grow your OWN remedies in your OWN backyard… no matter how large or small your garden area is…

Regardless of your “gardening experience” …

Then I’m excited to share “Backyard Healing Herbs” with you.

It’s 260 full-pages… in a real-life book… you can refer day after day…

And even pass down to your children as an heirloom.

So… here’s a small taste of what you’ll discover inside the 260-page Backyard Healing Herbs:

How This One “Miracle Plant” Helps Support Healthy Cholesterol & Blood Pressure Levels

Plus How This Same Miracle Plant Helps Regulate Your Metabolism, Making It Easier To Lose Weight… And KEEP It Off!17

Researchers At A Leading Michigan University Demonstrated That When This Miracle Plant Is Combined With One Common Kitchen Spice… Its Effectiveness Soared By 2000%! Miracle Plant Indeed!18

The “Sunshine Surprise” Remedy with 3 Power-Packed Herbal Flowers

That Helps Lift the Burden of Anxiety, Stress, & Pressure… Giving You A Breezy, Sun-Kissed Summer’s Day…

Unless you live on a tropical beach sipping Margaritas all day… with servants bringing you breakfast, lunch, and dinner…

Then is the one remedy you must have to support you with the daily stresses of life.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found These flowering herbs significantly reduced stress, pressure, and anxiety19.

Why This One Herb, Scientifically Researched By The Michigan University Of Health20, Is A Bullet-Proof

Pain Relief Remedy

With Powerful Anti-inflammatory Properties

This means you now have a powerful all-natural alternative to the traditional approach to anti-inflammatories.21

How To Upgrade Your Energy With A 100% Natural “Power-Drink” From This Little-Known Garden Plant

This Secretly Powerful Perennial Herb Was So Coveted for Its Ability to Boost Energy…

That It Constantly Sparked Wars In The Far East To Control The Forests Where It Thrives.

This Simple “Power Drink Recipe Could Not be Easier… All it Takes is 5oz. Of Water and 5 Minutes of Your Time

To Feel a No-Caffeine Energy Boost!

Not long into our project, I asked Grandma Mary if we could accomplish the same results…

By just getting supplements from the local health food store or Amazon.

But… during my research, I was surprised to learn that most of the big “health supplement” companies are owned by the same mega corporations that own pharmaceutical companies.22

After reading that, I wasn’t too excited to give any of them another dime!

Plus… for our budget… it felt like I’d need a car-sized loan just to try and keep my family healthy.23

That’s why discovering Grandma Mary’s system was such a God-send.

You’ll also be learning…

How You… or Someone You Love…

Can Say “So Long” To Sleepless Nights!

Getting enough sleep isn’t just a luxury… it’s a necessity.

Regular poor sleep puts us at risk of increased weight gain, heart problems, and erratic blood sugar… not to mention shortening your lifespan!24|25

But… getting naturally regular “good sleep” helps:

Improve memory

Boost Immunity

Manage weight

Boost mental wellbeing

Support health blood sugar levels

Plus a whole lot more!26

Drink this deliciously Simple Valerian Root Tea Recipe – and Enjoy the Most Naturally-Blissful Sleep of Your Life.

Why This Dandelion Tea Recipe Blend Will Be Your Go-To Remedy for

Intestinal Issues

… like Constipation, Diarrhea, Gas, and Bloating.

Proper digestion is a God-send. Grandma Mary’s blend helps support the kind of digestion God intended.

How To Blend Purple Passionflower To Quickly Calm A Palpitating Heart

According to WebMD, the majority of heart palpitations… are a result of stress.27

Grandma Mary’s Unique Passionflower tea recipe helps calm a racing heart.

Now… “typical gardens” are a ton of work.

In fact, I had started countless gardens when my kids were younger… only to abandon them…

Because of overwhelmed I got with weeding, watering, bending over, pest control, gophers, birds, etc.

It just never seemed worth all the trouble!

That is…

Until Grandma Mary showed me…

The “Ship Doctor’s Method“

For Easily Growing A Healing Garden ANYWHERE

This 150-Year Old Growing System Makes:

Growing Your Own Remedies in ANY space – easy as pie

Garden Size & Climate Limitations: IRRELEVANT.

Preventing The Danger Of Mysterious Side Effects – Every-day easy

Traditional gardening headaches obsolete

This Is Simply The Easiest, Fastest, and Simplest Approach to Gardening…

That Guarantees Your Family Is In The Safest, Most Trustworthy Hands On The Planet: YOURS.

If Grandma Mary’s grandfather could grow the remedies to keep his crew healthy… on a SHIP…

You can do it where YOU live.

How To Avoid “Overthinking” Your Garden And Suffering

The Complicated & Costly Mistakes

That Haunt MOST Home Gardeners Like A Shadow

Simply follow Grandma Mary’s simple system… and you’ll be up and running in no time… avoiding all the costly, time-consuming, and frustrating mistakes the MAJORITY of gardeners make!

You could spend HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of dollars following the herd of gardeners throwing time and money at conventional gardening methods.

Grandma Mary’s Nearly Infallible “Mason Jar Soil Test”

To Insure YOUR Soil Never Lacks

The Proper Nutrients

If You Want To Give Your Plants And Herbs All The Nutrient-rich Benefits

You Want, Need, And Deserve… Perform This Test Today.

Why Spend Hundreds on a fancy “soil test”…

Then Wait For Weeks…

When Grandma Mary’s Mason Jar Test Will Get You The Results You Want?

How To Skyrocket Your Herbs’ Potency Using

The “Guardian” Method

This Method Helps Ensure Nothing In Your Herb Garden Gets Infected By Foreign Chemicals Like Pesticides, Fungicides, or Artificial Fertilizers…

Including Your Seeds, Soil, Containers… Even Your Water!

By now, you might also be thinking…

“I can just buy these herbs, flowers and plants at the store… and avoid planting a garden.”

Again… I thought that too.

So, I asked Grandma Mary about this.

She showed me some research that raised some concerns.

Here are just a few:

The Frightening Reason Why…

The New York Times… Consumer Reports… and Time Magazine ALL Said You Should Avoid:

Store-bought “Fresh Foods” And “Herbs”

Due To An Over-abundance Of Toxic Chemicals28|29|30|31

The Simple (But Shocking) Science Behind Why

Store-bought32 Turmeric May Be

Flushing Money Down The Toilet…

But Why Home-grown Turmeric Is a True Anti-inflammatory Antioxidant Superfood33

Why Scientific American and The University of Texas Reported that

“Over-Farmed” Soil Has Emptied Crops Of Vital Minerals And Vitamins Present Decades Ago34|35

Making Store-bought Fruits And Vegetables “Mostly Empty.”

I want my family to get ALL the vital benefits from the herbs, vegetables, and fruits they eat.

Sadly, the ONLY way to do this… is to grow your own.

Why You Should Never Buy Pots, Planters, Or Containers At

The “Big Box” Stores

Due To Soil-Sterilizing Chemicals

Used To Make Them Look “Pretty”

Why You Could Treat The Next Infection In Your Family With The Germ-busting Blend Of

Echinacea And Cornflower Extract

The Centers for Disease Control calls Antibiotic Resistance is one of the biggest public health challenges of our time.

Each year in the U.S., at least 2 million people get an antibiotic-resistant infection, which creates complications.36

This unique elixir helps fight infection 100% naturally… without the concern of Antibiotic Resistance.

So you can fight infection… with peace of mind.

The Strange “Ginger” Recipe The University of Exeter Proved Can Help Treat Nausea & Vomiting37

How To Reduce ThrobbingHeadaches To Clear-Headed Bliss In Minutes… With This Blended “Peppermint Rub”

This Expert Blend is Based on Clinical Trials Reported by a leading European Medical Journal.38

The study found it as effective as traditional remedies.

How To Blend Healing Elixirs PERFECT The First Time… And Leave Uncertainty And Costly “Experimentation” In The Dust For Good.

You’ll Discover The Complete List Of “Superhero Herbs” The 24 Plants That Have At Least 5 Medical Uses Each!

EXAMPLE: Turmeric alone has over 10 proven medical benefits. (From pain relief and anti-inflammation to helping support heart and brain health.)

You’ll Get a Variety of Echinacea-based Elixir Recipes That Help Boost Nearly Every Body System:

NCCIH39 Reports These Elixirs Can Help:

Boost Your Immune System (Get Sick Less)

Aid healthy gums

Support Healthy Joints

Manage Acid Indigestion…

And more…

The PMS-Busting Recipe That Helps Send “Aunt Flo” Packing When That Time Of The Month Comes Knocking!

This “Grandma Mary” exclusive can be combined as a tincture… or as a tea infusion. Share this with anyone who struggles with Aunt Flo’s monthly visit!

“Backyard Healing Herbs” is the smart, simple, and easy way to pharmacy independence.

This is hands down the simplest, easiest to use A to Z blueprint… that ANYONE can use to make their own healing remedies…

From their very own Pocket Sized garden…

… no matter if someone has never gardened before, or have tried before and failed…

… no matter if someone has limited space or live in an extreme climate…

… no matter if someone is a “gardening expert”…

Look – when Grandma Mary showed me this simple system… I knew I’d found my own little slice of the garden of Eden.

People can now easily grow virtually everything needed to take care of a family’s health…

In a garden that requires not much more than a “postage stamp” sized area.

And that requires a minimum of time.

Just plant the herbs and plants using the “Ship Doctor’s System” …

Harvest them…

And follow Grandma Mary’s clear and easy to follow instructions…

Everything needed to keep s family healthy, strong, and protected from the side effects of traditional remedies.

Here’s our promise: if someone can read a table of contents… and follow simple directions…

They’ll have everything needed to make their very own “pocket sized Garden of Eden”… and have a “forever fruitful” source of healing herbs and remedies.

If anyone wants to avoid spending hours and hours a week bending, weeding, watering and working…

… if anyone wants to be “pharmacy” independent…

… if anyone wants 100% natural and trustworthy ingredients…

… if anyone wants healthy, effective remedies at their fingertips

… and if anyone’s ever wanted a simple, easy, and fun way to create an unlimited all-natural “medicine cabinet” …

Then those prayers have been answered.

Backyard Healing Herbs is an heirloom quality book – worthy of passing down to the next generation…

With detailed step by step instructions to plant, grow, and maintain…

A “pocket sized garden” that produces the plants, herbs, and remedies every American family needs and deserves.

It’s a step by step, newbie-friendly system that puts God’s honest herbs and remedies at your fingertips in a matter of days… not weeks, months, or years…

So anyone can confidently address virtually any family’s health needs…

And slash monthly medication bills to near zero…

All while saving your valuable time.

Most of all… it will give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your family is getting the best nature has to offer.

“Backyard Healing Herbs” is chock full of specialized knowledge handed down from generation to generation…

Saving months of painful trial and error.

It took Grandma Mary… and her forebears… more than 200 years to perfect the remedies and growing strategies…

That now make it easy as pie to be super successful… right out of the gate.

Grandma Mary’s system… is about as “hands free” as it gets.

Unlike “traditional gardens,” there’s zero wasted time with needless weeding, and the backbreaking up and down that’s hard on a body.

Now, one comment I’ve gotten is this:

“Donna, this all sounds too good to be true. Will I be able to follow Grandma Mary’s directions, even if I’m 75 and never had a garden and don’t know if I have enough room?”

First… don’t forget… this is Grandma Mary’s system… and she’s 87!

But the real answer is this: following the “Backyard Healing Herbs” system is simple, quick, and easy.

Sure, there’s some planting to do… if someone want a little help potting plants and lifting soil, that’s totally ok.

Once we were finished with our manuscript, I printed a copy and gave it to Veronica, my teenage neighbor… who had never planted a thing in her life…

And I challenged her to pick just 5 herbs and start a garden.

Veronica was up and running with a beautiful pocket sized garden in a matter of days.

All that to say… if you don’t want to do it yourself… you could pay a teenager $40 to do it for you!

Truth is, if you have kids in your life, they’re going to love doing it with you.

My own kids have laid claim to their own “corners” of my own garden.

Backyard Healing Herbs is THE solution…

… for anyone who wants 100% natural and effective alternatives to traditional remedies and unpredictable side effects…

… for anyone who wants the A to Z step by step blueprint for the fastest and easiest way to cultivate the healing remedies a family needs and deserves…

In just minutes a day.

Now, even though Grandma Mary and I have tried to make this system as complete as possible…

We know there will always be questions that pop up now and again.

That’s why… with the book… you also get 12 months of unlimited email access – where you can ask us just about anything related to Backyard Healing Herbs.

Oh, and there’s more…. And this is important.

Grandma Mary and I have gathered some other powerful secrets… SINCE we pulled the trigger on publishing our big 260-page book.

We’re planning on putting all that information (and more) into our next version of Backyard Healing Herbs.

But, since this brand new information is in digital format right now…

I can include these 4 Secret Healing Guides as a FREE GIFT to anyone who orders today.

But be forewarned… these free bonus healing guides could come off the table at any time…

Once we’re ready to publish the NEXT version of Backyard Healing Herbs.

Here’s a brief description of the 4 free Special Guides I’ll include when you order today.

FREE GUIDE #1: Natural Healing Secrets of Native Americans – Retail: $39

Native Americans had powerful, centuries-old healing remedies long before Europeans showed up.

Their very existence was based on living in harmony with nature in every way possible.

They expertly utilized natural resources like mullein, mint, saloli gatoga, valerian root, wild black cherry, witch hazel, geranium, and willow bark…

To keep their families strong and healthy.

And that’s just to name a few.

In this 100% free guide, you’ll discover a host of Native American Healing Secrets.

Grandma Mary and I have also included some of their most prized preservation secrets for perishable ingredients…

So you needn’t worry about electricity or refrigeration.

There’s also a section on Native American “superfoods” that when prepared properly, help sustain health and help you recover from illnesses faster.

You’re going to love this simple and powerful collection of healing secrets!

FREE GUIDE #2: Wild Edibles – Retail: $39

This one of a kind guide could truly be the difference between life or death for you or a family member.

Getting lost in the wilderness happens more frequently than we care to think.

But… your peace of mind will soar knowing you have this critical guide at your fingertips.

You’ll discover how to spot edible mushrooms – and the ones to avoid like the plague.

You’ll learn how to easily identify edible tulips, berries, nuts, and more.

Even if you’re in a desert area, you’ll know how to easily pick out safe food sources like prickly pear cactus, saguaro cactus, desert Christmas cactus, chia sage, agave, pinyon pine, mesquite, cholla cactus, and yucca.

We’ll also give you the simple “Wild Edibles Litmus Test” to determine if ANY plant is edible or poisonous.

You’ll never be uncertain whether a wild plant is edible or not.

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Now, like I said, these Special Guides will be included in our next version of Backyard Healing Herbs.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is we’re going to have to raise the price of Backyard Healing Herbs by at least $15…

Just to afford the next round of printing.

My husband said our next order of books… is on us!

No more dipping into his retirement account!

Like I said, we had to pay for all 500 of these books UP FRONT.

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That’s like me handing you $171 just for ordering today.

Now before I tell you how you can get your hands on Backyard Healing Herbs…

Let me ask a very important question.

How much is it worth to you to see your family… healthy… safe… and free from the unpredictable side effects of traditional remedies?

If this book helps eliminate just ONE side effect…

If it finally allows someone to kick an expensive prescription medication to the curb…

Saving hundreds each and every year…

And providing the satisfaction that you weren’t lining the pockets of the big pharma fat cats…

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How much would that be worth?

You could try buying all these health-giving plants and herbs from a retailer…

Which could cost you hundreds and hundreds of dollars…

But remember… MOST of what you can buy at your local health food store…

Doesn’t have near the level of health-giving nutrients your HOME GROWN produce will.

Remember what I mentioned earlier… over-farming… has ruined the nutritional value of MOST store-bought plants and herbs.

Or, you could spend months and months researching for yourself… spend countless hours of trial and error… trying to get the planting system just right… and trying to find the healing remedies that actually WORK…

And still be right back where you started.

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The truth is… most people will simply sit on their hands…

And maintain the status quo…

Risking their health… and their family’s health…

To big pharma’s profit-pushing experimentation and mystery side effects that seem to pop up out of nowhere.

But… once you take in “Backyard Healing Herbs”… the possibilities are endless.

Now, I had a “marketing expert” approach me and tell me he could turn Grandma Mary’s knowledge into an exclusive weekend seminar… and charge $1250 a seat.

With so many health-conscious rich baby boomers out there… I’m pretty sure we could sell it out.

But frankly… Grandma Mary and I have very little interest in traveling around giving seminars across the country.

We honestly love spending time with our families way too much to do that.

These remedies were born from the idea that ANYONE…

Living ANYWHERE…

Should be able to grow their own remedies… right where they live…

No matter their socio-economic status!

So, there’s no way we’re going to ask you to invest $1250 in this system… even though I know this information is THAT valuable.

It won’t cost you $600, either.

Truth is, it won’t even cost you $275, even though my husband tells me that’s what I should charge to replenish his 401k.

Grandma Mary and I decided to do something that might sound a bit “off” to sales and marketing “sharks.”

We’re going to set the price of “Backyard Healing Herbs” at just $69.

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We can’t guarantee that it will be available tomorrow…

And like I said, once we sell out, we’re going to have to raise the price by AT LEAST $15.

So… don’t get upset if you come back here in a few days and see that the price has gone back up.

Especially since we’re giving away 12 months of unlimited email support.

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Keep it as our gift for trying out Grandma Mary’s life’s work.

Now some might ask, “How strong is a ‘Grandma Strong?’ guarantee?'”

Try this on for size.

Grandma Mary is so confident that her grandfather’s system is the simplest and easiest system for growing a healing garden…

That we’re willing to bet our own money that anyone can do this.

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So, that pretty much sums it up.

In this presentation… I’ve shared with you how Backyard Healing Herbs got its start.

How I first found a reliable, effective, all-natural remedy for my cholesterol.

How I discovered Grandma Mary’s healing herb system… passed on to her from her grandfather.

How he perfected it through years on the high seas visiting exotic lands and caring for the crew in his care.

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How growing and formulating your own remedies can save you from the unexpected, dangerous, and potentially deadly side effects of big pharma’s profit hungry pill machine.

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Plus I’ve shown you how having your own backyard pocket size garden… is the best way to insure you and your family stay healthy and strong… 100% naturally.

Now, I want you to consider one final thought…

For just a moment, I want to invite you to forget everything you’ve been told about medical prescriptions and healing remedies… up until now.

I want to invite you to think of your family’s health… not as a set of circumstances that funneled you into the medical industry’s traditional Rx-based approach.

But rather, I want to invite you to think of your family’s health… as a choice.

Now, do you remember that Robert Frost poem?

Perhaps you read it in high school… the one about “The Road Less Traveled.”

He spoke of coming to a crossroads… and taking the road less traveled.

And how THAT… made all the difference.

The way I see it, you stand… in this moment… at a similar crossroads…

The first road is what MOST will do: nothing… maintain the status quo…

Hoping and praying nothing bad will come from the Rx medications and OTC remedies you get at the local pharmacy.

I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say I wished this was a reliable option.

I would be happy to be wrong… if it weren’t for the thousands upon thousands of Americans… who have been funneled into trusting big pharma…

And gotten little out of the exchange, except for the side effects that torpedoed their health.

And I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t mention that first road…

LOOKS smooth and shiny… because it’s been paved by all those profits big pharma they’ve been banking for decades.

This road has ZERO accountability… and ZERO guarantee.

Is that the road you want to take?

Of course, there’s a second road – and that’s to do it all yourself.

That’s what a friend of mine tried a few years back…

She spent hours and hours preparing… days and weeks planting…

And then “got busy”… and watched it all go down the drain because everything just got so overwhelming.

And that’s not to mention all the trial and error experimenting with remedies… that can get you nowhere fast.

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I sincerely hope that for your sake… and for the health and safety of your loved ones… that, like me… you’ll choose the road less traveled…

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Click the “Add to Cart” button below…

And Grandma Mary and I will see you on the other side.

[unfolded73]

This Graceful Path (13/19)

Summary: Emma has just moved in with Mary Margaret and started working as a deputy in the Storybrooke sheriff’s department when she meets Killian Jones, the town’s introverted harbormaster. When a prominent Storybrooke resident is found murdered, Emma tries to juggle solving the case with new friendships, parenthood, and romance. A Season 1 Cursed!Killian AU.

Rating: Explicit per CSBB guidelines (violence, sex); more of an M on unfolded73’s scale. The sex, when we get there, is not extremely graphic in nature. Same with the violence.

Content Warning: This fic contains two major character deaths, one canon and one not. (You’re already past them.)

Total word count: ~ 75,000

Acknowledgements: Thank you to @j-philly-b for betaing this monstrosity. Thank you to @caprelloidea for all of the read-throughs and cheerleading; not sure I could have written it without your excitement early on. Thank you to @teruel-a-witch for the original prompt on tumblr which sparked this fic. Thank you to @pompeiiablaze for the wonderful art which accompanies Chapter 3 and 9 and one later chapter. Thanks to the CSBB mods ( @sambethe in particular, who had to look at my check-ins) for your support and for enduring my neuroses.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 – AO3 Link

Chapter 13

Killian’s pulse was racing, and his mind whirling with so many sets of memories, so many feelings, that he almost collapsed to his knees as he fled down a stairwell to get out of the hospital.

Pull yourself together, Dearie, a now-familiar voice (and now he knew what it was, he knew) murmured inside his head. First things first, get the dagger. Second, figure out what she knows.

It wasn’t hard to sniff the dagger out. He could hear it, like a mosquito buzz vibrating inside his skull, and he knew that someone had brought it close by. He followed the dagger’s pull to Emma’s squad car and saw it through the passenger window, sitting there on the fucking car seat like it wasn’t the most powerful weapon in the realm. Like it wasn’t the key to everything he’d become. It was wrapped in a shirt, and the sight of it stirred a fuzzy memory of his own hands, leaving it that way under a loose floorboard. With an exhale, he figured that Emma must have been waiting to get it back to the sheriff’s station before she examined it. Perhaps she hadn’t looked at the blade. Perhaps she didn’t know.

Reaching into his inside jacket pocket, Killian pulled out Emma’s car keys. He didn’t know at the time what possessed him to take them off of her in the hospital. Had felt them inside his pocket as he sat beside her, keeping vigil by her son’s bedside, and wondered why he’d done such a thing. Now he knew. Some part of him (Some part? the voice in his head said, giggling. You mean, me?) knew that the curse was about to be broken.

Unlocking the police car, Killian snatched the dagger off the seat, unwrapping it. He held it up in the dim light of the parking garage and read the name inscribed on the blade.

Killian Jones.

He slid the dagger into his belt and sauntered away. The bloody t-shirt he idly threw into a garbage can on his way out.

The town was in chaos, everyone running around shouting, reuniting with lost loved ones or weeping as the conflicting sets of memories clashed in their heads. No one paid him any mind as he strolled up to the front door of Gold’s shop and smashed in one of the window panes with his elbow, the thick leather of his jacket protecting him from the shards of glass. Reaching through the jagged hole with his prosthesis, he flipped the lock on the door.

The shop was dark, dust motes dancing in the single beam of light that illuminated the room.

“You’d better find a better hiding place for that dagger, Dearie, before your girlfriend gets her hands on it again.”

Killian looked up from the cabinets he’d started rifling through, glaring at the apparition of Rumpelstiltskin that had materialized at his side. “Begone, demon.”

“Ah ah ah, you know what I am now, no need for name calling. And by that I mean, you know what you are.”

Killian twitched, his senses buzzing with contained energy that he had no idea how to channel. “I’m the Dark One.”

The Rumple from his mind giggled, dancing around the shop. “That you are! And now that pesky curse is over and we can begin to reclaim our legacy.”

Killian ignored its prattling, stopping his aimless rummaging and thinking. Where would Gold have stashed it? The symbol of his nemesis, the relic of the worst day of Killian Jones’ life — where would it be?

“Ignore me at your peril,” the Rumple apparition continued. “You need me. You need the knowledge the darkness contains if you’re ever going to be anything more than a Dark One in name only.”

Killian paused his search at that, looking up. “What are you talking about?”

The creature rolled its eyes. “The curse may be broken, but this is still the land without magic. What kind of Dark One do you think you’re going to be with no magic?”

“I don’t bloody care. All I ever cared about was getting my revenge.”

“Too bad you don’t even remember stabbing him. Me? No, him. Definitely him. Mr. Gold.”

Killian felt his eyelid twitch and he flinched at the sensation. He felt like there were insects crawling around underneath his skin, and it took a supreme act of willpower not to start scratching at his arms or his face. He closed his eyes, reaching for the memory that the darkness had suppressed while he was under Regina’s curse. He could feel Gold’s fingers clutching at his arm. Could hear the wet tearing sound as blade pierced flesh. Could smell the blood.

“It’s coming back to me,” he muttered, resuming his search.

“You may think you don’t ‘bloody care’ about the Dark One’s magic, but you’ll care soon enough when Miss Swan realizes you’re the killer. With no magic, you’ll be spending your new immortality in jail.”

His eyelid twitched again.

Finally, at the bottom of a tool drawer, Killian found what he was looking for. He held the sharp metal aloft, letting the light catch it. The Rumple apparition went mercifully silent.

Killian disconnected his artificial hand, throwing it on the floor in disgust. With a satisfying click, he replaced it with his hook. It helped, a little, to see it back in its rightful place. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Yes, you did it,” the creature murmured. “You avenged the loss of your hand. And the loss of… but I suppose you don’t care about Milah anymore.”

This time Killian flinched hard enough to knock a few precariously placed trinkets from the shelf behind him. “Of course I care about Milah. She was the love of my life.”

“Oh, so that wasn’t you telling Miss Swan you loved her? Wooing her? Bedding her?” The apparition giggled. “My mistake.”

Killian stalked back out to the main part of the shop. “I was cursed. I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“That’s right,” the darkness soothed. “You were cursed. Now you can forget all about Emma Swan and focus on what you are now, Dark One. There is much to be done.”

~*~

Emma focused on the concrete things she could do. Getting a nurse to come to the room and telling her to go find Henry’s clothes so they could get him discharged from the hospital. Packing the storybook back into Henry’s backpack. Better that than acknowledge the confusing swirl of emotions that came from looking the people in the eye who had abandoned her as an infant.

“You must have a million questions,” Mary Margaret (no, Snow White) said.

Emma pushed at the storybook, the corner of it catching on the zippered edge of the backpack and preventing it from going inside. She shoved harder. “Not at the moment.”

“Emma, I just want to talk. I mean, I know we’ve talked before, but we didn’t know we were mother and daughter then, and now we do, and…” She shrugged helplessly. “I want to know everything about you.”

“Should I call you Grandma and Grandpa now?” Henry asked.

David blinked in surprise and then smiled. “Sure, of course, if you want to.”

“You know plenty about me,” Emma muttered, finally getting the book into Henry’s bag. She zipped it closed with a couple of violent jerks of her hand.

“You’re angry with us,” Mary Margaret said, a pleading edge in her voice. “I want you to know, it was the hardest thing we’d ever had to do.”

“We couldn’t have given you up if it weren’t the only option,” David said.

“Was it?”

Mary Margaret took a step back. “What?”

Emma set the backpack down and turned to them. “Was it the only option?”

“Yes! We had to send you through. We did it to give you your best chance,” Mary Margaret said.

“No, you did it so I would save everyone in your kingdom because that’s who you are. Leaders, heroes, princes and princesses, and that’s great. But it doesn’t change the fact that for my entire life, I’ve been alone.”

“If we hadn’t sent you away, you would have been cursed too,” David said.

“But we would have been together. Is that really worse than what happened to me?” Emma asked, her voice breaking. No, she did not want to cry now, she couldn’t. Emma took a few quick steps over to the door. “Where’s that nurse with Henry’s stuff? And what happened to Killian?”

Emma turned back just in time to see Mary Margaret and David exchange a meaningful glance. “What? Who is he in your world?”

“I told you, he’s Captain Hook,” Henry said.

At this point, finding out that the guy she was sleeping with was Captain Hook was pretty far down the list of the day’s traumas. “Is he?” she asked her parents.

David shrugged. “I don’t know, I didn’t make a habit of spending time with pirates. I did hear tales of Captain Hook, but I never saw him.”

“Me either,” said Mary Margaret. “But rumor had it that he’d been alive for hundreds of years.”

Emma wasn’t sure why that, of all the things she’d learned were real today, made her throw up her hands in defeat. “Of-fucking-course.”

“Language,” Henry warned, grinning from where he sat on his hospital bed and swung his bare legs.

“Sorry, kid. How is that possible?”

“Neverland,” Mary Margaret said. “No one ages there. If the stories were true, Hook was an agent of Pan’s, so he must have spent a good deal of time in Neverland.”

Finally, a harried-looking nurse arrived with Henry’s clothes, which she nervously dropped on the floor when she stooped into a deep bow to the Prince and Princess.

“I can’t deal with this right now,” Emma muttered, scooping up the clothes and shoving them at Henry.

“Pardon me, your majesties, but will you be leading the party going to confront the Evil Queen?” the nurse asked.

David frowned. “The what?”

“Dr. Whale said a number of the townspeople were gathering to march on her mansion. Will you be leading the charge?”

“They’ll kill her,” Emma said.

“No, they can’t.” Henry had paused, his shirt halfway on, his chest thin and pale. “I know she’s the Evil Queen, but she’s still my mom. One of my moms. I wanted the curse to be broken, but that doesn’t mean she should die.”

Emma reached out and gently helped to pull his shirt the rest of the way on, kneeling down to button it. “We won’t let that happen, kid. She will need to pay for what she’s done to all these people, but no one is killing anyone. Right?” She looked back and forth between her parents.

David appeared to shake himself. “Right. We need to stop them.”

“I’ll see if Ruby can look after Henry, and then we better haul ass over to Regina’s right now.”

Figuring that the hospital was in too much chaos to bother with formalities like discharge papers, Emma and Henry walked out the door and through the parking garage, her parents trailing behind. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she drew up short, frowning.

“What’s wrong?” Henry asked.

“My car keys, I must’ve dropped them somewhere.” She patted herself down frantically. “David, do you have your keys to the squad car?”

“Yeah, I—”

“It’s unlocked,” Henry called, already over at the car. “Your keys are here.” He pointed at where they dangled from the ignition.

“Shit,” Emma said again. “What was I thinking?”

“You were terrified about your son,” Mary Margaret said reasonably as Emma closed the distance between herself and the car.

She looked at the empty passenger seat and her heart plummeted in her chest. “The knife is gone.”

“What’s gone?” David asked.

“I found what I was pretty sure was the murder weapon. But then Henry called, and I…” She slammed her hands against the top of the car, furious. “Fuck! I’m so stupid.”

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

“It’s not your fault, kid, it’s mine. And sorry for swearing.”

“It’s okay,” Henry answered.

“We’ll have to deal with this later,” David said, “after we’ve dealt with Regina.”

~*~

A mob had already gathered outside Regina’s front door by the time they pulled up, having deposited Henry at the diner with a promise from Ruby to guard him with her life. If Regina was going to be dismembered by an angry crowd of fairy tale characters, the last thing Emma wanted was for Henry to witness it.

Emma ran up just as the front door was forced open, the frame splintering from the force of the blow. With a roar, the crowd began to force their way into the house.

“Stop!” Emma shouted, but either no one heard her or no one cared. Then a louder, commanding voice boomed from behind her.

“Your prince orders you to stop!” David shouted.

“That’s a handy skill,” Emma muttered as the crowd calmed momentarily.

“She has to pay for what she did to us!” someone called out.

Emma forced her way through the press of people, finding Dr. Whale holding Regina against the wall of her perfectly appointed living room. Regina looked frightened but uncowed.

“Let her go, Whale. This isn’t your fight.”

“It’s all of our fights. All of the people whose lives she destroyed,” he gritted out, giving her another shove. Regina’s head knocked against the wall, her eyes sparking with anger, but she was clearly helpless to save herself.

Emma shoved Whale aside. “And she’ll pay for that, but not this way.”

“We have a lot to figure out, “ David announced to the crowd at large. “But this isn’t the way to do it.”

“And Regina’s death,” Mary Margaret added with a regal air that Emma had never seen her exude before, “won’t provide any answers. She needs to be locked up: for her safety, and more importantly for ours.”

The crowd listened to them, visibly calming in the face of their leaders. Emma shook her head in amazement. “I suppose there’s something to be said for a monarchy,” she murmured.

“Regina Mills,” she said, pulling handcuffs off of her belt and closing them over Regina’s wrists. “You’re under arrest for…” Emma huffed in frustration. “Whatever the hell it is you did to everyone in this crazy town.” Regina didn’t resist, allowing herself to be handcuffed without a word of protest. But her eyes carried her defiance, and Emma knew this was far from over.

As Emma prepared to march Regina past the crowd, it parted to reveal Killian.

“Swan,” he said, his eyes taking in the scene but revealing nothing of his own thoughts. “What happened to Henry?”

“He’s fine, he’s safe.” A flash of silver caught her attention, and she stared down at the hook at the end of his left arm. “Oh,” was all she could say. The first thought that popped into her mind was, I’ll have to tell Henry he was right.

“I’ll take Regina to the station and you can meet us there,” David said, giving her a loaded glance. He escorted Regina out of her house with a firm grip on her upper arm, Mary Margaret following. The immediate drama over, the remaining crowd dispersed as she and Killian faced each other across the expanse of Regina’s spacious living room. He appeared to be forcibly holding himself still, but she could see his jaw twitching, noticed that his eyes kept cutting to the side as if something was catching his attention. Emma looked where his gaze kept wandering but saw nothing.

“So,” she finally said, gesturing to the hook. “You are Captain Hook.”

“Aye.”

She blew out a breath. “Killian, look—”

“I’m sure you have a lot to deal with right now, love, with the curse being broken. Finding out that your mother and father are the famed rulers of Misthaven and all.”

“See, I don’t even know what Misthaven is,” she said.

“So I’ll understand if you need to take some time and focus on your family. And if a relationship with a pirate isn’t exactly what you signed up for.” He gave her an encouraging smile, and it made her heart clench.

“It’s all really confusing,” she admitted. “Right now, I’m in shock. I think adrenaline is the only thing keeping me standing at the moment. Processing my feelings and how they relate to… people’s fairy tale identities is way beyond me.” She looked down at the hook again.

“Precisely. Which is why I think you and I should take a break.”

Emma blinked. “A… break?”

“Everyone’s in shock. You may be dealing with learning that the stories in Henry’s book are real, but the rest of us have a lifetime of other memories colliding with the cursed memories in our heads.” He drew himself up to his full height, his thumb hooking into his belt buckle. “We’re dealing with the fact that we did things as our cursed selves that we wouldn’t have done if we had had all of our memories.”

She felt her heart seize in her chest. “You mean…you mean being with me.” If someone had asked her to evaluate analytically whether being in a relationship with Captain Hook was a good idea, she was pretty sure she knew what the answer would be. But standing here being dumped by him still hurt like hell.

“It’s not personal, love. It’s just more than I can handle right now. It’s more than either of us can handle right now, I’d wager.”

She swallowed, blinking back tears. “Yeah. I totally agree. A break is the only sensible thing we can do.”

Killian flinched, looking at something off to the side again.

“Are you okay?” she couldn’t help asking.

He smiled a big, phony smile. “I’m fine,” he answered, and it didn’t take her superpower to know it was a lie. “Please tell Henry I’m glad he’s recovered.” With that, he turned and stalked out of the room.

~*~

“So you’re going to leave me locked up in here? For how long?” Regina fumed, pacing back and forth in her cell.

Emma sighed. “I don’t know, Regina, what would you suggest? That we just let you go? Let the angry mob tear you apart?” She took a file out of the filing cabinet and closed the drawer. “Also you committed a crime. Several crimes.”

“None that you can convict me of under the justice system of this realm.” Regina pointed out. “So I ask again, how long are you going to leave me locked up here?”

“I don’t know, ask the Prince and Princess of Misthaven,” Emma grumbled.

Regina chuckled at that. “Not so thrilled with your new role as the Savior, are you?”

Emma looked up, her expression thunderous. “I’m fine with it.”

“Sure you are. I bet your parents right now are trying to figure out how to get back to their land, aren’t they? Assuming that you’ll want to go with them, away from the only land you’ve ever known. Away from frappuccinos and wifi and cars, and into the world of drafty castles and getting everywhere via horse-drawn carriage. Am I right?”

Emma rolled her eyes, but Regina could tell she’d scored a blow. “Sounds like you don’t want to go back either.”

“This land has a lot to recommend it, I’ll admit, but I’d trade it all to be able to cast a decent spell again,” Regina admitted.

“Yeah, that’s just what we need.”

Regina closed her fingers around one of the bars, squeezing as hard as she could and focusing on the sensation of pain in the palm of her hand. “How’s Henry?”

“He’s fine.”

“Where is he staying?”

“At the loft with me and… Mary Margaret and David.”

“In that hovel?” Regina snapped, and then off of Emma’s glare, added, “Sorry.” Regina put on her most contrite face. It wasn’t difficult; she genuinely missed Henry with a pain that felt like a hole in her chest. “Would it be possible for me to see him? Just for a short visit?”

She could see a softness come into Emma’s eyes. “Yeah, I can probably bring him by tomorrow, if he’s okay with it.” The door to the sheriff’s station opened and one of the dwarves came in. Regina bared her teeth in a snarl, mostly out of habit.

“Hey, Walter,” Emma called, gathering up her belongings as if she was preparing to leave. “Thanks for taking the late shift tonight.”

“You’re leaving a dwarf to watch after me?” Regina asked, beyond insulted at that idea.

Emma ignored her. “You’ve got something to keep you awake?”

He held up a large Thermos in answer. “You can count on me, Sheriff Swan. I mean, Princess Emma?”

“Sheriff Swan,” Emma said, grimacing at being called a princess. “Call me if there’s any trouble,” she called as she hurried out the door.

~*~

“Come on, your majesty. Wake up.” Something hit her in the face, and Regina pulled herself up to a seated position, raising a hand as if to summon a fireball. Not that summoning a fireball was possible here, she realized almost as quickly.

Squinting at the body in shadow against the bars, Regina frowned. “What are you doing here, Hook?”

Killian Jones laughed, flicking a paperclip through the bars to land harmlessly at her feet. That explained what had been hitting her in the face, she thought, and she gave the pirate a murderous glare.

“Why, I’m here to be your fairy godmother, Regina. Ask me for your heart’s desire.”

Regina looked over at the desk behind Killian, where the dwarf that was supposed to be guarding her appeared to be sleeping. Killian followed her gaze and shrugged. “I was prepared to knock him out so you and I wouldn’t be disturbed while we had a heart-to-heart, but he was already sleeping.”

“Get to the point, Guyliner. Why are you here?”

“Why, to help you escape your prison, of course. Isn’t that what you want? To get out of here?” he asked, strolling back and forth in front of the bars of her jail cell.

“Of course. So get on with it.”

“Not so fast. If I break you out now, they’ll just find you and lock you up again. The goal is to get you out of here for good.”

Regina crossed her arms across her chest. “And how do you propose we do that?”

He grinned at her, a feral, terrifying grin. “By bringing magic to Storybrooke.”

“That’s not possible, is it?”

“As a matter of fact, it is. My predecessor planned on it.”

“Ah, are we finally admitting out loud that you’re the Dark One?” Regina said.

“Let’s keep that our secret until we restore magic, shall we? Hmm?” He ran his hook along the bars, making a clanging noise that set her teeth on edge. “Now, as I was saying, my predecessor stored a very powerful magical ingredient with an old friend of yours. Is she still underneath the library?”

“Oh, that twisted little imp. He hid something with her?”

Killian laughed. “Oh, no no. Not with her. In her. He knew you couldn’t resist bringing her over.”

“And what is this magical item?” Regina asked. “How will we use it to bring magic to this realm?”

“That’s your job to figure out, my queen; I don’t know the first thing about spells. I don’t exactly get all of the knowledge of the other Dark Ones downloaded into my brain.”

“But you know about this supposedly magical item,” Regina reasoned, glaring at the pirate.

He shrugged, but there was a flash of something else in his eyes. Fear, perhaps? “The darkness speaks, but only when it chooses to,” he admitted.

“So how are we going to get this thing out of Maleficent?” Regina drawled.

“We aren’t. The Savior is.”

Regina threw up her hands in frustration. “Sure, she’s going to battle a dragon because you tell her to.”

“She’s the Savior, your majesty.” He pouted, his face forming a perfect moue. “She’ll do it because it’s the right thing to do.” He flicked another paper clip in her direction. “You leave that part to me. Bide your time here a little while longer, and as soon as it’s done, I’ll come and let you out.”

“And I’m supposed to trust you?” Regina asked, her arms folded across her chest.

He laughed. “The way I see it, you don’t have a choice. I’m your only ally in this town.”

Chapter 14

#csbb #cs ff #captain swan ff #this graceful path fic #my fic

[twistednuns]

January 2020

Waking up in a new decade with David Bowie watching over me.

Well, we slept in a Bowie-themed hotel room. Still, good omens, eh? Snuggling with Andre, going wild on the hotel breakfast. Walking down to the city in the sunshine. Climbing up to the castle grounds. Sitting by the river, his head in my lap. I loved everything about it. The sun, the water, playing with his hair.

Watching the entire first season of Spinning Out in one go (Bipolar disorder AND figure skating? Yes please!) Ordering in surprisingly good vegan pizza (for future reference: Tony's Pizza Catania).

Making delicious sour and spicy coconut soup. And my first sourdough bread. And vegan blood orange raspberry cake. I'm seriously considering a career change. I would love to spend all day in a kitchen, preparing food in peace and quiet.

Robin Sloan's novel Sourdough. It's about baking, human connection, foreign scripts and cultures, etymology, escaping the life that doesn't make you happy. I liked it a lot. The author even invented an entirely new language / type of music for the Mazg, a fictional maritime nation from somewhere around eastern Europe. A short passage I liked (Louis is presenting her bread in the Ferry Building): Seven judges sat in a line at a long table, our women and three men, swaddled and comfortable, wrapped in scarves and caftans. Plain fabris, generous cuts. They had different-colored skin and different-colored hair, but they shared a satisfied plumpness. It looked like a committee of harvest gods drawn from all the pantheons. All except one, seated at the end of the table, who seemed less Demeter or Dionysus, more Hades. Her hair was shiny and slicked back; she wore a slouchy black leather jacket over a shimmering black T-shirt. Maybe she was the token goddess of death, and also of street fashion. Welcome, the gods murmured together. What do you have for us today?

Andre making pancakes for me. Flipping them in the pan with one hand. Perfect party trick.

Dreaming more often. About a dog losing its forelegs. About a surgeon hitting on me after telling me I had a tumor. An adventure story featuring picking locks, drugs, spiders, sailing and pirates, foreign countries and weird characters. A cruise through Russia, headed to St. Peterburg. The feeling of a school trip on a boat with bunk beds and all, watching the night sky through the ship's roof. Incredible darkness, sparkle, almost like fireworks.

Meeting Maxim's wife Kristina at an ice hockey match. I really like her. She's a violinist and pianist. And someone who can discuss the concept of art while watching a sports game. Nice.

The very best breakfast option: apple cinnamon porridge with berries, hemp seeds, flax seeds, cacao nibs, some nuts.

A sunny Sunday. Sitting outside café Münchner Freiheit eating beetroot and poppyseed ravioli with Bibi after seeing Ronja Räubertochter at Residenztheater.

Returning to SAUNA for the first time in years. I forgot how much I like that club. It's hot, it's full, it's fun. Tom and I felt like employees because we ended up taking care of everyone's coats.

Kristen Roupenian's short story collection Cat Person. I'm usually not a huge fan of short stories but hers were entertaining, so weird, something completely different.

Learning about the Swede Hilma af Klint, possibly the first person (woman) who created abstract paintings; even before Kandinsky.

One Friday morning I saw a driver's ed car from my home town in front of Villa Stuck. And I could've sworn that it was my old teacher getting into that car even though it was a different company's. I actually dreamt about Mike that night. Taking me to work, watching me drive through a crazy city with Indian cult dances, a festival, a vegan buffet at the education centre; making me compete with another student, a girl from the US? Such a lovely, creative and colourful dream. Also: I think I'm deeply influenced by father figures. It's a thing. My old German teacher. Manu's dad. Now Mike. Huh.

Having friends over. Playing the CAT game!

Talking to Sarah about how teachers ship certain students / think they should be together. Waking up with an idea. Suggesting to do some matchmaking for Valentine's Day.

Kanzi apples. Crisp, sweet, fruity. Delicious.

Meeting Lorena from Argentina. She's my language tandem partner since I just got serious about learning Spanish. I've started using Duolingo again and I got some exercise books, too. El gato bebe la leche!

When I just feel the urge to create something. Which could be a drawing in my sketchbook or getting out of bed to make a yeast dough to be turned into pizza later...

Learning about daisy chains. A daisy chain is a number of computers or pieces of computer equipment or software that are connected to each other in a series. But they totally took this figure of speech from the necklaces everyone used to make from daisies as a child!! I love how something as charming as that describes such a technical concept.

Lena writing me another letter. Her husband is an astro-physicist so she told me how the usually very bright star Betelgeuze just started getting darker and darker which could mean that it'll explode soon and create a supernova! Which is crazy. It will be visible for weeks here on Earth and you need to protect your eyes because the brightness would hurt your eyes.

That woman with the supervillain eyebrows I saw on the tram one morning. She just looked evil even though she had her eyes closed and all her face muscles relaxed.

Lorena and me teaching each other dirty words in Spanish/German at the library.

Playing with acrylic paint, creating a marbled effect. Building a castle out of clay.

That dream about an underground river in a fascinating cave system with amazing rock formations and an eerie glow. Walking along a long, narrow pontoon over a big lake in the darkness. Fishing remnants of dead people out of the water (like my grandma's finger). Somehow I consulted my mother and her neighbour Maria about this. So many stars. Both settings reminded me of places I've seen in Mexico. Later there was a bit about time pressure and a bathtub full of blood and paint.

Meeting Luise, Laura's tiny dachshund puppy, for the first time. She kissed me. With tongue. Obviously. At Laura's party I talked to some of her friends and Patrizia's boyfriend. I accidentally got really drunk and went home early.

Sex Education on Netflix. Gillian Anderson just got more attractive with age. How is that even possible? I love her outfits but also how the costume designers dressed Jackson's mums. Great style!

Listening to music with Frank. Making anagrams with Scrabble tiles for each other. Listening to music, slightly high.

A pub quiz Monday with Margit, Dennis, Marina, Steffen and his weird girlfriend. (Semi-)friendly banter and an honorable third place. I just love spending time with these guys.

Anne's facial expressions in the graphic novel version of Anne Frank's Diary.

Cooking lunch together and watching Little Joe at Arena Cinema with Lena.

#things i love #present perfect #january #2020 #january 2020 #personal

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

That Sneak Peek

Okay, so I broke my Lent Tumblr fast because I’m weak, I’m in a bad mood, everyone and everything is annoying me, and…sneak peeks.  Having done the most cursory perusal of my dash, I see that there’s maximum levels of outrage over the Emma/Snow/Regina sneak peek.  Taking it just on its face, I totally understand the outrage.  None of them were reacting to Killian’s absence the way we would expect or like.

That being the case, let’s all take a deep breath and think this through.  First of all, let’s remember just what sneak peeks are.  They’re tiny, two minute snap shots lifted completely without context from a 45 minute episode.  They almost always come within the first 5 minutes of the episode (aka during the time the conflict of the episode is being outlined), and they’re chosen purposefully by the promo department in order to build the audience’s interest.  The best way to do this is to bring out the audience’s emotion—either positive or negative. Because of that, I have found it’s best to never, ever, ever, under any circumstances trust promos or sneak peeks. They like to bend the truth to mess with us.

(As an example, remember that sneak peek from early in season 3b when they had a town meeting trying to figure out who cursed them.  The sneak peek showed everyone accusing Regina, her getting angry and causing an earthquake before poofing out, and Emma vowing Regina wouldn’t get away with it.  When we saw that clip in context, however, we learned that that whole thing was part of an elaborate sting operation Emma and Regina were running to try to smoke out the perpetrator.)

So, keeping in mind that we should never trust sneak peeks, what could possibly be going on when Snow and Regina invite Emma out drinking to help her get over the “no good pirate”? I can think of several possibilities:

1.      It’s what it looks like.  Killian didn’t come home and Emma, his True Love immediately jumped to the conclusion that he left her like everyone else always has.  Her mom (who just last episode hugged Killian and told him how glad she was that he was the man Emma would be spending her life with) and her step-grandma/son’s other mother (what even is this show?!) don’t even question it. They decide that drinking and badmouthing Killian is the way to go rather than, you know, urging Emma to fight for True Love.

2.      Emma gets scared when Killian doesn’t come home and falls back on her default “He must have left me like everyone else (because the savior can’t get a happy ending/because there’s something wrong with me that everyone leaves me)” mode to begin. Snow and Regina (maybe in concert with Henry) see what’s going on and they decide to try reverse psychology on Emma. They know she’s reacting out of fear and pain, and as such they know words and reasoning won’t get through to her. Instead they decide to bad-mouth Killian until Emma decides to stand up and fight for him and for their love.

3.      Gideon. (Need I say more?)  That 28 year old newborn brat is bound and determined to cause maximum levels of chaos in Storybrooke.  We know he specifically banished Killian, because with Killian around, his plan couldn’t go forward.  Who’s to say he didn’t do something to Emma as well?  Maybe he did something to alter her (and maybe even Regina’s and Snow’s) mind to make them see the worst.  Maybe he’s trying to get Emma to despair and thus get rid of her greatest strength—her true love.  Maybe it wasn’t even a magical tampering type of thing.  Maybe he somehow (via fake note? Via one of his henchmen (the bartender?)) gives her “evidence” that Killian abandoned her.

I’m sure there are other possibilities.  Look, I know the show has writing problems from time to time (or…maybe more than that), and people are frustrated, but I really don’t think option #1 is what’s truly going on.  It would just seem to be toooooo much of a reversal of character development.  I could be wrong, but I just don’t think it’s as cut and dried as that.

Regardless, this happens early in the episode.  Things will change, and change dramatically.  Somehow (no doubt soon afterwards) Emma will come to realize something’s off, and she’ll start looking into what really happened.  Beyond that, we know Killian’s fighting like hell to get back to her, so this separation/angst won’t be dragged out that long.

I’m not here to tell others how to think.  I’m not here to tell you not to be negative or not to be concerned.  I’m just saying I personally want to see the clip within the context of the entire episode before I judge.  If it does end up being a #1 situation…well, there will be plenty of time to critique it after the episode airs.

(Tagging my speculation partners in crime: @flslp87 @linda8084 @hellomommanerd)

Okay, back to the Lent hiatus.  I’ll be back on Sunday!

#ouat spoilers #ouat sneak peeks #deep breaths everyone

[topfygad]

Watercolours Expose the Miracles of the Galápagos

Grandpa Chan started sharing his paintings with his grandchildren—now he shares them with the entire world.

  “My favourite animal was the sea lion,” says Grandpa Chan. “They shell out their day swimming, fishing, and napping a whole lot. They have a range of facial expressions, and I tried using to seize them in my drawings.” By: Grandpa Chan

Dear Arthur, Allan, and Astro,

Think it or not, Grandpa is on an expedition! Because of the everyday drawings I share with you on Instagram, Countrywide Geographic invited me and Uncle Ji aboard the National Geographic Islander so that I can explore the Galápagos and share them with you.

The Galápagos are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, additional than 800 kilometres west of Ecuador in South The usa. These islands are renowned for the huge amount of endemic species that British naturalist Charles Darwin examined on the 2nd voyage of H.M.S. Beagle from 1831 to 1836. Darwin explored the land, learned fossils, and gathered specimens. Later on these observations served as a basis for his concept of evolution by purely natural selection, which adjusted the globe forever. Darwin reported that when vegetation and animals adapt to their environments, they are extra probable to survive and reproduce. I was fired up to see this position for myself.

The Galápagos archipelago incorporates 13 big islands and far more than 100 scaled-down islands, islets, and rock formations this kind of as León Dormido (Kicker Rock). By: Grandpa Chan

Our very first excursion took us to North Seymour, a small rocky island close to Baltra. On a walk guided by naturalists, we caught sight of a youthful sea lion resting on the seashore. All of us collected all around the pup and began to choose photos. We were told we cannot be closer than three feet from any animals. I had in no way found these types of a wild animal so closely, and I was astonished that the sea lion did not clearly show symptoms of fear. I considered about you, Astro, because you love sea lions. You’re only two a long time aged now, but later I hope you are going to read through this and know my views were with you in this second.

We noticed a fleet of frigate birds. The males made loud rattling appears, and each experienced a substantial pink gular sac that expanded like a large balloon to entice girls. It reminded me of when I was a university student in South Korea and I utilized to costume sharply and sing American pop songs in community. This system performs your grandma discovered me, and we fell in appreciate.

Children, currently I attempted something new. We rose early on board the ship, and just after breakfast we experienced two options for h2o pursuits on Isla Isabela: snorkelling deep-sea or close to the seashore. I experienced to confess I experienced hardly ever snorkelled in my life, and it experienced been a extended time considering the fact that I’d absent swimming. So Uncle Ji and I selected the beach front.

When snorkelling, Grandpa Chan glimpsed a turtle and a school of fish: “At least I can say I experimented with snorkelling, and I have a drawing to confirm it!” By: Grandpa Chan

We put on our damp satisfies, took our snorkelling equipment, and headed out. Large volcanic rocks looked like modern day sculptures, and the drinking water was crystal clear. Uncle Ji patiently taught me how to snorkel, but it wasn’t as straightforward as I assumed. Standing up on the ground with the fins was even more challenging. Maybe it’s simply because I’m 75 and have a difficult time with harmony. Or possibly it is because fins are built for drinking water! Following our tour, I felt fatigued, so I just sat on the seaside and admired the landscape. I was a little bit envious of the other people today on the trip who appeared so at relieve in the drinking water. I wished I could snorkel better, but as an immigrant to Brazil I was hectic doing work to elevate your moms and dads. I pointed out this to Ji, who seemed to respect my sentiments.

On a further working day I went kayaking for the initial time in my everyday living. This was much much easier than snorkelling. Later on we went to a espresso plantation, sampled artisanal rum, and headed to a neighborhood centre exactly where hundreds of big tortoises roamed all over freely. It was inspiring to be in close proximity to these majestic creatures. They moved slowly but surely and appeared aged and smart. I consider they have been asking yourself why humans are often carrying out items so fast.

Clockwise from prime still left: frigate chicken, toddler Galápagos sea lion, blue-footed boobies, Galápagos land iguana. By: Grandpa Chan

Marine iguanas are frightening-hunting beasts from afar. We observed hundreds of them sunbathing atop black lava rocks. But when you appear at them closely, their faces are docile and adorable.

Marine iguanas take in algae, although land iguanas consume plants, and due to the fact I frequented in the cooler, drier season (June to November), food items was scarcer than in the warmer, wetter year (January to April). We came throughout 1 big iguana hanging on a tree department while making an attempt to get to the very last leaves of an or else barren tree. Iguanas are pretty sluggish, so it took him endlessly to get to people leaves. We all believed there was no way he could get there without slipping, but to our amazement he did certainly take care of to attain them and gobbled them up happily. Daily life is tricky for these animals. They wrestle every working day for food stuff and survival.

I know what it is to experience hungry. When I was a younger boy, the Korean War broke out and almost everything was destroyed. There was no foods at all. As soon as I went a few days with out ingesting just about anything. It was 1 of the toughest ordeals of my daily life, so I felt sorry for this iguana. At minimum he experienced his food that day.

“One of my favorite issues throughout this trip was to sit on the deck of the ship. In the evenings Uncle Ji and I would loosen up there.” By: Grandpa Chan

Birds are vital animals in the Galápagos. On his stop by Darwin identified many species of finches that assorted from island to island, which aided him build his idea of normal collection. He observed that diverse finches had distinct beaks relying on their habitats. The dimensions and the shapes of their beaks tailored to their have to have to come across and take in their food stuff. This locating helped Darwin realise that animals evolve more than time.

Right before Darwin, Europeans believed God established humans and animals and they never transformed. So what Darwin was declaring at that time was controversial. Many thanks to him and these small finches, now most people today know about evolution and the thought that every little thing, and everyone, is continually altering.

My favorite chook was the blue-footed booby. Their feet have a wonderful turquoise colour thanks to their fish diet plan. The bluer their ft are, the healthier they are, so female boobies are looking for males with the brightest blue feet. When you grow up, boys, make sure you put on colourful shoes also!

  Zodiac boats just take travellers to Punta Vicente Roca, a promontory on Isla Isabela the place brown noddies nest. By: Grandpa Chan

1 of my favourite issues all through this excursion was to sit on the deck of the ship. In the evenings Uncle Ji and I would loosen up there. This is the 1st father-son journey that just the two of us have taken, and I was delighted to share this time with him. We would feel the wind on our faces, admire the passing islands, and observe the frigate birds that would fly above us adhering to the ship. At times we would sip a glass of whiskey and look at the sunshine set, surrounded by the immense ocean. Every thing was so quiet and peaceful, and I felt far away from day-to-day existence.

I’m not made use of to this simply because São Paulo is generally so loud and packed with cars and trucks and people. At night time on the ship, we would search up at the sky and see billions of stars and the Milky Way. It had been a extensive time because I experienced found these a brilliant sky. It built me realise yet again how compact we are. Earth is as very small as a person grain of sand in the overall beach of the universe.

Did you know Grandpa was an earth science trainer in Korea? I hope 1 day we can look up at a good sky like this jointly so I can tell you everything I know about the stars and the universe. From time to time I believe that we humans don’t know considerably about our personal earth, but then I bear in mind that we find out extra with every single generation. We each have a job to enjoy in getting new things and sharing our expertise.

“I assumed the Galápagos would be hot—they’re on the Equator following all,” claims Grandpa Chan. “But it’s precisely mainly because of cold drinking water that abundant marine existence flourishes here, while local climate modify and professional fishing are the two most significant threats.” By: Grandpa Chan

On the next-to-very last working day of the journey, we went to Isla Santa Cruz, the place we frequented the Charles Darwin Study Station, launched in 1964 to maintain many species of tortoises in hazard of extinction. They’re impressive and gentle animals that can dwell more than a hundred several years. But they are threatened, partly since pirates and conquistadores would consume them as food. We have been informed that tortoises ended up a effortless food resource that could survive months without having nourishment. Sailors stacked them in their ships and steadily ate them. Hundreds of Galápagos tortoises have been killed all over the a long time.

Back on our ship it was time to say goodbye to the crew and all our fellow travellers. For the past week we’d gotten to know 1 a further, and we grew closer as we did everything with each other. Many travellers, who learned that Uncle Ji and I were being there as guests to doc my journey for this magazine, requested us if we could share some of my drawings. So we built a limited presentation, and persons appeared to get pleasure from it.

Following the last dinner, as I sat on the deck of the ship to glimpse at the brilliant stars for a person last time just before heading again household, I believed about you—Arthur, Allan, and Astro—and I remembered when I was about your age. Again then I made use of to search at the night time sky all the time, and I would rely all the stars and discover about constellations from my have grandparents.

“One evening, following a day of things to do, you will arrive out to the deck of your ship. Perhaps you are going to be on your own maybe you are going to be with liked kinds. Then you’ll glimpse up to the sky and be in awe of its immensity brightened by the infinite amount of stars.” By: Grandpa Chan

At a specific stage in my life, for good reasons I really don’t comprehend, I stopped searching at the sky. Perhaps because I lived so several years in a huge city with tall structures and polluted air. It’s possible due to the fact I was also chaotic doing the job. But tonight, on this ship, I felt alive and awake as I found myself hunting all over again at my aged friends.

I hope you far too will arrive to the Galápagos a single day and practical experience this spot for on your own. I hope you will sail the very same waters, stroll the similar trails, maintain the very same grains of sand and permit them run as a result of your hand. I hope you will observe the very same birds, sea lions, and tortoises and see for oneself all the splendour and fragility of mother nature. One night time, after a working day of activities, you will arrive out to the deck of your ship. It’s possible you’ll be on your own probably you’ll be with liked kinds. Then you will look up to the sky and be in awe of its immensity brightened by the infinite number of stars. I hope you will keep in mind that your grandpa was hunting at the exact same stars in the similar spot. At that minute, my gaze, travelling past galaxies ideal now, would have touched the stars and travelled again by the universe, and will be reaching your eyes. And we’ll be related in the stunning thriller of daily life and the universe.

Grandpa Chan established out on an expedition to investigate the Galápagos. By: Grandpa Chan

When to go

The local climate is unusually dry for the tropics. June to November is the cooler, drier season. January to April is the warmer, wetter year. November/December and May/June are changeover months. But the Galápagos are a calendar year-round location with substantially of interest, no make a difference the month.

What to Pack

The environment on board Nat Geo ships in the Galápagos is casual, so leave the formal have on at house. Do pack h2o sandals/shoes for damp landings, as properly as shut shoes with superior soles for hiking more than rugged lava and uneven terrain. Deliver a pair of knee-substantial socks to have on with the supplied rubber boots for tortoise viewing on Isla Santa Cruz. Great binoculars insert immeasurably to taking pleasure in wildlife.

Receiving there

Global flights get there at Guayaquil, Ecuador, exactly where company expend a evening ahead of flying to the Galápagos. There are no immediate flights from India to Guayaquil. All flights frequently have two stops, with just one getting in a South American country.

Ought to-see Animals

Galápagos big tortoises are an iconic species for all visitors. You can see them reliably in the highlands of Isla Santa Cruz. The nesting blue-footed booby, Nazca booby, crimson-footed booby, frigate fowl, and numerous species of Darwin’s finches are greatly dispersed amid the islands. The waved albatross nests exclusively on Isla Española, and the flightless cormorant is discovered only on Isla Isabela and Isla Fernandina. Galápagos sea lions, Galápagos fur seals, and Sally Lightfoot crabs are persistently seen, as are the Galápagos penguin, inexperienced sea turtles, and marine and land iguanas.

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[nervous-breakdown-hat]

Hi Yuletide Author!

Thanks for writing for me! I am super excited about there be more fic in any of the fandoms I requested.

All of my requests are because I love the canon, and would like fic in roughly the tone of the originals. Please no gore/horror/gruesome death/etc. Please lots of happy endings (in general, but also if you feel up to it I’ve prompted a lot of E ratings).

Specific prompts/things I’d love more of in each particular fandom are:

You Could Make a Life Jared/Bryce or Liam/Mike

It’s hard to know what plot things to prompt with new canon coming, so I’ve gone the mostly E-rated route here.

For Jared and Bryce, anything where they start have more adventurous sex than in the canon. Break out those handcuffs. Or re- explore that one time Jared liked being covered in Bryce’s cum but was too embarrassed to say so.

Plot-wise, I’d love to see Bryce tell Chaz about him and Jared. Or like, Bryce agreeing to tell/meet Jared’s grandma. Or anything in the slowly beginning to tell people vein.

For Mike and Liam, there was one tumblr post (or maybe more than one) that mentions they are into fisting and the canon has yet to deliver. (Or any other kink where Liam cries.)

Or, anything about them making long distance work while Liam is still in Detroit. 

I’m also cautiously open to Liam after Mike is gone if you think you have a good story there. I don’t just want 1000 words of Liam being sad, but if there’s something where it’s sad but also he rebuilds a life for himself I’d be cool with that.

Superstition Hockey Luc/Jacks

I sure do love my fictional hockey boys.

This is my nomination, and I though about rounding it out with more characters but I couldn’t decide who because I love them all so much

I’d love to see Jacks meet Grant. If this comes along with Grant hooking up with Luc, that’s all the better.

Also, I think Luc and Jacks and Dre and Dre’s husband need to have a foursome. Especially if Dre is the only one who hasn’t had group sex before because he’s so hot and rich and famous and the rest of them can’t believe it but they are determined to blow his mind.

This would also be a good fandom for fake magazine articles or anything of excerpts from press about them.

I like the latest canon with the kids, but I’d really prefer something from when they are still young-ish (first handful of years in Quebec).

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue Monty/Percy

These prompts assume you’ve read Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (and to a lesser extent Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky). 

I’d like anything with Monty and Percy living together in London. I’d especially like anything where they spend time in gay bars. At the beginning of Lady’s Guide, they are clearly familiar with the bar they take Felicity and the pirates to. How many bars did they visit before finding one that felt right? Are they regulars? Have they made friends with the other regulars? I like the idea of them finding people/places where they can be open and then them being super physically affectionate in the “public” of those places. 

Another fun option could be them buying/sharing the pornographic pamphlets they mention in Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky.

I’m also really interested in when does Johanna figure out Percy and Monty are together?

No matter what you write about, I’m also really looking for historical accuracy here.

Charm of Magpies Esther Gold

So, obviously I love Stephen and Lucian. And I almost threw Jenny into my request. 

But, really, just give me Esther and Dr. Daniel Gold’s epic love story. 

Are they childhood friends to lovers? Or childhood enemies to lovers? 

Or did they meet when Dan saved the life of plucky young Justiciar trainee Esther. 

Or maybe Dan doesn’t know that the pretty girl he keeps seeing at the kosher butcher is the same Miss ______ he has been petitioning to at the Justiciar with frustrating little luck for help with some sort of medical research something or other (or for help with a haunting in his building or for something else up to you). 

(Actually, I had to go back to check Dr. Gold’s first name and it mentions he was friends with Stephen for a long time before he married Esther, so maybe they meet through Stephen?)

I just love Esther and I want her to get a happy love story all her own.

#yuletide #yuletide 2018