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pursuitseternal · 2 months

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Secrets and Sensuality in Chapter 3 of “A Night with the Ascendant”

Ascended Astarion x Spawn (Lumina) | E | 2.8K

🎨 by @snowfolly

Summary: Lumina confronts Lord Astarion about the sudden change in her abilities. She only finds more questions and a stronger curiosity over her possessive, obsessive Master who distracts her the best way he knows… in his bed.

CW: half-truths, smut as distraction, sneaky (not)-spawn Lumina, BG3 game references, No Tav, dom/sub dynamics, oral sex, throat fucking (that kind where she’s upside down off the bed).

Previous Ch | ao3 link | Masterlist

Chapter 3…

⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️

“What happened?” Lumina asked, direct but softly as he let her in through their conjoining door.

“Good morning, my little mistress,” Astarion smirked down at her, looming over her for a moment too long before he stepped back to allow her inside. “It seems to be a beautiful day out,” he flashed her a devilish smirk as she drew to a stop in the patches of sun spilling from his windows.

“What… happened?” she just repeated. Oh, she was good, he assessed. Eyes downcast, and hands clasped softly, but the tension in her shoulders and jaw, that hard press of her voice in her throat…. He could tell she was nearly ready to scream.

He looked at his nails, perfectly manicured, keeping his eye from her diverted, if furious, scarlet stare. “You mean what gives you the power as a spawn of mine to stand in the sun… to feel so strong and powerful?” He glanced up sharply to watch her give a single nod. Controlled and suppressed, daring of her. “Simple, it is I who give you that power… it’s because of my generosity and favoritism towards you. No others will call those powers their own…” he lowered his hand, half of a bow to her in mock deference. “They are yours alone, my treasure, because you are mine.”

Lumina drew her little frame to its full height, still only reaching her face to his neck. “That may be, my lord, my love, but I know magic when I feel it.”

“My dear, my very existence is magic,” he swept his arms wide. “And you, blessed you, are the only one to share in a mere sliver of that magic.” He reached for her jaw, cradling it to draw her face even closer to his own. “Let that answer be good enough for you, my mistress,” he breathed, his words sweet in tone but exacting as a command. “I would give you anything to make you happy… the world, my own essence, my magic… to keep you as mine.” I pulled her forward and ordered her, “Kiss me.”

Lips devoured hers, fangs clacking on her own, his kiss branded her mouth and flooded her senses. But her mind still raced, seeking out those tendrils of his power that usually accompanied his orders. But they never came. She sequestered away that observation as she soon grew lost in his taste and touch that permeated every following coherent thought. Her body lifted into the air, cradled in his arms to then be rested gently in those silken sheets across his familiar bed.

No more thoughts crossed her mind, not as he hiked up her skirts and his cock slid into her, that scent of his skin, of perfume and sweat and sex intoxicating her. More, she needed more after being at such a great distance from her heart’s desire for so long before this. His voice hissed into her ear, lustful words that made her quake with need. “My little mistress, my little treat to savour, all flushed now and hot for me…”

Lumina groaned, her body indeed on fire now, pinned and naked for their pleasure. “Yes, gods yes…” she groaned as he filled.

“Much more to me than a plaything, than some spawn,” he continued. “So much more…”

Limbs hummed and clung to his frame as he began to slowly thrust in and out, that devilishly tempting pace she had grown addicted to. “But you seem to be having… fun, my lord.”

He chuckled deep in his throat, the vibrations passing into her own skull it seemed. “I am… it’s hard not to with you, my Little Light.”

She rewarded that with a kiss, a never ending tangle of tongues and gnashing of fangs that stole her breath. Lost was the end of her body and the beginning of his—he was everywhere all at once, as if his presence raged in her very veins.

Pleasure swept her away, time after time, round after round as he had savored her affections before his journey. And in the end, even in the pooling sunlight of the afternoon, she ended the same—resting semi-conscious and sweetly smiling in his bed. The last sensation she recalled were his smoothe, dexterous fingers brushing through her straw-golden locks.

Then she rested.

The sun had risen high by the time Lumina stirred. She stretched her aching muscles, looking out the open window to see the City bathed in the sun, to hear the voices of life whining in the distance from beyond the place walls. She stood, scanning his rooms to find herself alone. It was such a bright and airy chamber, it stole her breath, never having witnessed it during the day… before…

…before whatever it was that had given her this power to stand in the sun and not char to a crisp.

Crystal chandeliers gave off sparkles of light, the brilliant hues of leather covers dotting the room in a prism of colors. Such decadence and luxury and beauty.

Just like him.

But as her wits finally returned, as the allure of his sensuality faded, Lumina couldn’t push away those suspicions anymore.

What had she become… what did he do to her, this gift of being made his mistress. What did it all mean?

Perhaps, he hadn’t meant for her to wake up alone, perhaps this was a chance.

And, from what she knew in life, urchin wretches like her had to take their chances.

On silent feet, she scrutinized his room, those sharp eyes that could find any object out of the ordinary, the keen sense she had honed as an indentured servant, a slave to a brute of man, came back raging full force as she looked for… anything.

She scanned his vanity, nothing out of the ordinary, kohl for his eyes and bits of fine jewelry, a basket of rings, a collection of scents and oils for his body and hair. Just looking at them made her smell his scent in her nose.

It made her salivate and grow insanely wet between…

No, no. She had to keep searching.

Shelves, lined with books upon books, cast some of the only shadows in his room at this time of day. Tidy and cared-for, well-loved and organized. Each stack held different topics—botany and necromancy, the magic of Karsus, the history of Avernus, the legend of the Blade of Frontiers, and Sharan worship… such a unique collection of topics, she observed.

But something drew her notice… a smaller bound leather journal wrapped tightly in its own little bindings. Glancing at the door, she pulled this one from the shelves. Nervousness shook her hands.

Surely… he had been so generous before, letting her choose any book at whim. Even if this was a journal, not a book per se.

Opening the cover, it was written in a tight and exact hand. Each page was speckled with regular updates, lists of quests and questions… Observations of Illithids and healers, Tieflings and Goblins in the… Emerald Grove… little notes about individuals… the Daughter of Darkness… the Wizard of Waterdeep…

Lumina paused. Titles that rang some bell in her head about the history of Baldur’s Gate. Her mind whizzed through the stories, accounts from the history books told by the actors themselves. The heroes.

Finally her eyes settled on one list of notes on the Pale Elf….

“Astarion…” she breathed into the silence, “the Saviours of Baldur’s Gate.”

She sat down with the journal, pouring over it as she settled cross-legged on the floor. So many details and intricacies and trials and tribulations, stated so matter of factly… words flew by her in a flash, she couldn’t devour the notes fast enough. They were fables, tales from two centuries ago, the literal stuff of legends—those six companions and their tadpoles who brought down the Dead Three and the plot of the Absolute.

She could feel her heart racing, the account of Astarion, a slave and spawn, seeking vengeance against his tormentor and master, taking his power, taking for himself everything that was so long denied to him.

Her heart could burst… from pride in him, from envy for a story not unlike her own. For as much as those in the Upper and Lower Cities whisper about the Ascendant as ruthless, a monster… a villain. For all of that, he was her hero.

Astarion, her dark saviour, scooping her from the darkness to give her light… sent to sweep her off to his palace, giving her a place where she belonged.

With a sigh, she lost herself tin that feeling, her fingers tracing over the worn vellum pages in a sort of bliss….

“Little Light, whatever could be the matter?” his voice purred from above her. Glancing up, he towered from behind, his elegantly stitched trousers hugged his muscles. The ivory of its silk let all the heat of his body radiate against her back. “Why ever are you on the floor?” He leaned closer, his breath seeping into the mussed curls of her pale blonde hair. “And what have you… found?”

His voice dropped from that sultry velvet of a purr to something deeper. A growl.

Lumina gave a radiant smile from the floor at his feet. “Oh, just a uniquely scribbled little journal from two-centuries ago…”

A slow roll of a laugh drew closer as he crouched beside her, deftly his fingers grabbed the journal from her hands and tossed it across the room. “You should forget what you have read, my love. Ancient records of people long gone, names all but faded from history and time, mouldering graves and dusty bones…”

Her nose wrinkled at him, her pale brows furrowed. “Not you, not the Pale Elf…”

The scowl on his face silenced her faster than if he had smacked her across her cheek. “You will not call me that,” he snapped on each word. Grabbing her by the arm, he dragged her to her feet before him to stop at the edge of his bed.

“I… I thought it would be acceptable to look through your books as you have allowed me to before…”

He laughed, low and quiet. Dangerous. “I leave you alone, my lovely little mistress for an hour or so, and you’ve gone and pried into things you shouldn’t have,” he hissed, bringing his lips right to her ear and nipping the soft flesh of its lobe. “Cheeky little pup. I’ll have to do something about it, like punish you.”

“P-punish?”

“Oh, no, nothing you won’t also enjoy, I’m sure,” he led her towards his bed, his hand wrapped firmly around her arm, touch hot through the silk sleeve of her dress. “After all, I am enamored of your spirit, your brilliance and sneakiness… but…”

He looked down on her, slowly slinking closer and closer until she butted against the edge of his bed. Instincts roared at her, she placed a hand on the thin fabric of his shirt and teased her fingers into the deep cut that ran down his chest. “If you want to play, all you have to do is ask. I don’t require threats of punishment to… be a good girl for you, my love.”

His grin spread like a shadow, silent and creeping, to twist his face. Lurching forward, he closed in on her, hands braced on the edge of the bed as she flopped down on her butt, almost bouncing on it. His smirk was elegant and dangerous. Just like him. “What a good little mistress you are… I’ll reward you for your spirit then, but I will remind you that I am no hero, Lumina. The man you read recorded in that journal is dead, along with all those other unfortunates…”

Those soft scarlet eyes reflected up at him, a sadness behind the shine of her lust. She licked her ruby lips and let a single fang bite into that pouting expression. Devotion incarnate, he grinned.

So many words filled her thoughts as she looked up at him. So many questions, all of them rooted deeply in her admiration for him and in the profound sadness she knew she saw behind his steely gaze. But every word, she swallowed down for now, parting her lips instead and pulling him by his collar to kiss her.

Devouring, consuming, his lips stole her air from her lungs and senses right from her mind. All she was now was need and desire, a whimper breaking from her throat as he pulled from her kiss all too soon. His look was pure lust, dark desire as he twirled his finger at her. An order to turn around. Obeying, she turned her back to him as she sat near the edge of the bed.

His breath was hot in her ear as he whispered against it. “Lie down, Little Light, and do try not to gag….”

Eyes shot wide, Lumina shivered as she scooted further into the center of the bed, laying on her back up at where he stood over her. His smile flashed at her upside down as she was, all the more thrilling and slightly sinister as she felt disoriented. Hands gripped under her arms and slid her just right, making her head hang off the ledge.

Her world practically spun, watching his fingers unlacing his breeches, that thick, hard, and veiny cock releasing from within to hang its shadow over her face. Fingers curled deftly around his shaft, stroking him harder, the other hand thrust a thumb inside her mouth to pull her jaw open gently. She could help but smile as his fingers stroked under her chin, that pink head of his cock slowly sweeping into her mouth and down her throat.

The undead beat of her heart pounded harder, already she could feel a light headed tingle as she felt him pull out slowly and thrust back in. Deeper this time. She laughed around his cock, feeling it twitching in her mouth as the vibrations tickled him.

Hips slowly pistoned back and forth. Every thrust sent the front of his hips to press against the top of her head, flooding her nose with the musk of his arousal. Lumina closed her eyes, keeping herself lost in the feeling of his cock in her mouth and his hands wandering over her neck and into her dress. Fingers latched around a breast, Astarion squeezed as he began to thrust harder into her mouth, leveraging his movements on that swaying fullness in her dress.

“Swallow around me,” he growled, “let me feel how hungry you are for your reward, even when you’ve been rather willful.”

She obeyed, her throat closing around his thrusts for a moment. A new magic pooled inside her mind and went taught, as if something was struggling to make itself known. A growl in his throat, and he just fucked her faster. “See, my naughty little minx, I am not some hero. A rake, a monster to some, a lover and master to you, Little Lumina….” He clawed his nails into her flesh, one around her breast, the other into the side of her throat where he gripped her now.

She needed to swallow again, drool running up her cheek as she hung suspended for his pleasure. A clutch of his fingers hard on her nipple, and she moaned with full voice. Suddenly, she tasted him, that sweet, warm bitterness that she knew so well filled her throat. As he groaned loudly over her, hands clawed hard into her skin, she felt a snap in her mind… images of Astarion, dressed in armor, blood spattered and beautiful, two daggers in hand as he tore through enemies…

She opened her eyes as he pulled his cock from her lips, letting a trail of cum dribble up her face. He stroked his finger through it, caressing her cheek. Palm at the back of her shoulder, he rolled her over and raised her up to his smirking mouth with two fingers under her chin. “Now…”

But she placed a hand on his lips to quietly hush him. “My love,” she whispered, looking up at him through her lashes. “You don’t have to be a hero to the City, or to the world, or in memory of anyone you lost. But you should know… you are a hero to me. You pulled me from a fate worse than death by giving me undeath.” She kissed his lips softly,”I will forever be thankful for that, my lord.”

His lips were frozen as she worked hers feverishly. Pulling away from her, he quickly stuffed his cock back into his trousers to run a hand through his hair. “I’ll see you tonight for dinner, my darling.” He tried to return to that velvety tone in his voice, that confident swagger in his stride, but he nearly choked and nearly laid himself out flat prone on the ground. “Be in the dining room sharply for me…”

With that, the door shut behind him. And Lumina was left perching on his bed, with more questions than answers and with a new tingling sensation in her mind.

It was different than his tendrils of compelling, brighter and stronger, a bridge and not a leash.

Perhaps… something would help her find the answer to what sort of magic he must have done to her. Whatever it was that gave her strength to endure sunlight, awareness to sense his innermost thoughts. Somewhere here… he must have the answer to his secrets. She just had to find them.

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lulublack90 · 1 month

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Prompt 28 - Longing

@jegulus-microfic April 28, Word count 497

Previous part First part

The Common room was blessedly quiet. The fire long burnt down to embers, and the giant squid only gently tapped on the glass at the other end.

Regulus moved as quietly as he could down the boy's staircase. He silently changed into his bedclothes and slipped beneath the emerald sheets. He cast a silencing charm around his bed, muffling the quiet gasps he emitted as he fumbled under the sheets, his mind full of James and the way James’s body had felt pressed against his. He fell asleep quickly after he finished and had the most pleasant night's sleep he'd ever had. Sweet dreams of James, just holding him left a smile on his lips as he snuggled further into his warm bed.

“What do you think, Evan? A curse of some sort? Or has he fallen on his head?” Barty asked over breakfast when he spotted Regulus’s dreamy look. Regulus instantly snapped out of his thoughts and glowered at Barty.

“I am perfectly fine, thank you very much.” He’d have to keep a better check on what his face was doing in the future. He let his usual scowling mask settle on his face and continued with his breakfast, blocking out Barty's inane questions.

His eyes flickered over to the Gryffindor table to James’s usual seat, and he was not disappointed. The Gryffindor’s eyes flicked up to meet him, and a beaming smile spread across his face, but before Regulus could answer it, Sirius had jabbed James in the ribs, and he stopped, looking away quickly. Sirius caught Regulus’s eye and narrowed his own, a warning.

Regulus struggled to concentrate on his lessons that morning. He’d never felt like this before. A strange longing to see James coursed through him, leaving him aching. James had planted something inside him, something he’d never dared to dream of. Hope. Hope of a better life for himself.

Regulus had long ago come to terms with the life his parents had planned for him, married off to a pureblood girl once he left school. One of a higher ranking now that Sirius was no longer heir. Be branded by the Dark Lord and produce more Black family heirs, a respectable life for a pureblood Black male.

But James made all that disappear. It was ridiculous. They’d kissed for the first time last night. Just because some stupid potion said that he was attracted to the way James smelt, but when he thought of James, he saw rolling fields behind a thatched cottage and a simple and easy life where the only expectation of him was to pick what to do for dinner. It was a beautiful dream and one he knew his parents would never allow.

He’d been so wrapped up in the dream he didn’t notice the hand flash out from behind the tapestry. He yelped as he was pulled sideways behind it but settled when he saw that beaming smile, and finally, he was able to return it.

Next part

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nightgoodomens · 3 months

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Answering a few asks below.

Please don’t read if theorising regarding relationships isn’t your thing.

I am still not sure what to think about this whole thing so I’m letting myself theorise big time. You’ve been warned.

Makes sense that this marriage has always been open if this is how it got to be in the first place. I know people want to believe in Disney like marriages but unfortunately usually it’s a little different. But hey her career basically became creating their image on social media and to make the marriage a brand and majority believed in the perfect marriage so job well done. But something could never click for me and at least I think it makes sense now why.

Quite interesting though… when you have this type of a marriage, this is if we consider it hasn’t turned into full on genuine love over time… what happens when along comes a man completely and utterly in love with your guy and your guy genuinely falls for him too? The real genuine love and adoration. Must be an… experience. Threatened/insecure/“mine” posts make a little more sense now. Agreement to let them be too. And sudden massive PDA to calm down the insecurity too. Of course maybe it did turn into proper love over time and it’s simply normal Poly arrangement. I’m just thinking when you play with fire, wrap yourself into a relationship that didn’t come to be from pure love, and then someone comes in and showers him in that real love… sorry it’s just that hearing DT suggesting he thinks there’s someone out there for him still (was he starving for the real deal?) made me think about this. Unless I remember what he said wrong but I don’t have time to listen to the whole thing lol.

But yeah, DT, it’s a Welshman apparently. Would you have guessed.

Well we know the answer to that question. Of course it wouldn’t be okay.

It doesn’t trigger me, but if there is one thing I will tell every single woman out there, every time, please never ever stalk a dude, tattoo his name over yourself, and chase until you get pregnant and hope he chooses you over a career. If the rest of the story is true too with her dad… Lord, why.

Always fear a beautiful Welsh man coming in and swooping the man away with genuine love and romance.

NG pretending he had no idea is such a full on bullshit. Dude really gave three roles to the family - the father in law, the son, and wanted GT in it too but she apparently said no. Bruh what are you even doing. Or is this DT desperately trying to get the whole family to work. I don’t even know anymore but I’m sad it’s happening in a show I like so much. Where’s Wally? Or Tennant in fact.

I always find it funny when people believe the persona DT created. I do think he’s genuinely a funny good dude, but he’s not an innocent baby people want him to be. He’s over 50 years old and has been in the business for majority of his life. He knows exactly what, when and how to say. I think he knows exactly what he’s doing now too and he sorted out BAFTAs for the three of them perfectly too. The interviews, the name dropping, the paid for articles, the PDA, the sketch. He’s the one who keeps on telling everyone he has a lot of secrets and creates personas for the public.

It’s just being comfortable isn’t it. Some people really want to see their favourites as heros so they believe only the good. Fuck it, I love the dirt 😂 Zero interest in peach perfect celebs. No need to put anyone on pedestal or look up to them. These stuff are what’s interesting to read.

Sorry I don’t have any proper thoughts about this. Whole situation is wild.

#NightGoodOmens talks PR #NightGoodOmens talks Michael and David

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misguidedasgardian · 2 years

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The White Dragon (17)

17. Claimed not given

MASTERLIST

Summary: Another three years passed

Pairings: main Harwin Strong x Fem!Targaryen reader

Warnings: cursing, medieval and A song of ice and Fire AU customs, minors getting married and talks about “bedding” and “having sex”. Targaryen incest!. Mentions about Skin trade. Minor drinking, talk about a girl's virtue, Misogynistic thinking and doings, talk about injury

+18, MINORS DNI

Wordcount: 3.3 k

Notes: I wrote the last chapter that Laenor was still alive, I'm SORRY, very sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking, I will repair this error immediately. Sometimes I’m so excited to release the chapter. Some things like those get over my head!

Year 134 AC, 3 years after

“I look beautiful”, Rhaegar admired in a hand mirror, his long straight dark brown hair was decorated and trapped in many different braids all over his head, some shorter than others, all of them different in size and direction

“Pretty brother”, cheered Saera. Rhaegar with a cheeky smile kissed her little sister’s cheek

“You look devastatingly handsome brother”, giggled Aemma, who was cuddling in the base of the three with a very pregnant Helaena. The sweet princess was sewing, raising her eyes to look at Rhaegar and his new hair-do, and giggling

“Indeed you do nephew”

“Thank you dear aunt, it takes a beauty to recognize another…”

“Nephew”, the four of them looked at Aemond, who just got to the Godwood in search of the male. “We got training”, his eye was posted on Aemma, the silver haired beauty, and his sister, and the way they cuddled each other. As both were sewing. He shook his head to focus his attention on Rhaegar, who was being grabbed by his dark locks by his younger sister Saera.

“Right!”, Rhaegar released himself and jumped from the ground, getting Aemond’s attention, “what do you think of my hairstyle?”, he asked, twirling so Aemond could see the magnitude and the huge amounts of different sized braids. The one-eyed prince chuckled.

“Ridiculous”, he whispered

“I believe all the ladies in the capitol will want to have their hair tied like this”

“Where is Maekar?”, the one-eye prince asked him

“It’s his first day in the city watch, with my father”, Aemma told him with a knowing smile

“WIth the lord commander of the city watch”, Rhaegar corrected

“With papa”, Aemma mocked. She showed both men her sewing, it was a sigil, a brand new at that, The Targaryen dragon but in white, and behind it, three lines of the colors of house Strong, “Do you like it brother?” she asked

“I adored it sister, I wanted it sowed into my clothes.” Aemma smiled contended.

“Bring me your jacket and Cape and I will”, Rhaegar smiled

“Thank you, My ladies, for a lovely afternoon”, he bowed to his sisters and aunt, and started walking alongside Aemond. The one-eyed prince also greeted them goodbye

“Are you going to undo the braids before training?”, Aemond asked, genuinely curious

“No”, he chuckled

“You look ridiculous”

“You are jealous, because Saera no longer asks you to braid your hair”

“Because I always told her no”

“And you made her cry because of your rejection”

“I didn’t mean to, I just don’t like people touching my hair”

“And I understand why, it’s beautiful!” he laughed, “would you share with me your hair care routine?”, he asked, the funny part that he was completely sincere

“What can I tell you nephew, I just have it brushed neatly”, they both arrived just in time to the courtyard.

“Are you facing Ser Arryk’s death star today?”, he asked his uncle

“You know perfectly fine it’s called a morning star”, chuckled Aemond, “and yes”

“Alright then, I’ll take Steffon”

“Or try to”

“Or try to”, he admitted, sharing smiles

“There they are”, greeted Steffon, already with his swords in his hands. ‘We were beginning to think you weren’t going to show up”. Arryk was there, looking at both princes with a smile on his face, he was lucky that he didn’t have to trail Aegon like his brother. Both princes being nicer and more interesting…. and not depraved

“It’s challenge day!”, cheered Rhaegar. “Of course we were going to be here”

“Take positions”, commanded Ser Arryk, and both boys grabbed their weapons, and placed themselves back to back, facing their opponents

“Remember to mind your left arm, don’t go crazy or you are going to cut my right one”, Aemond whispered

“Right, I’ll keep it in mind”

“Is your hair a way of distracting me?, well done Rhaegar”, congratulated Steffon, seriously impressed by the young man’s tactics, not knowing it wasn’t a tactic at all. Aemond laughed, surprising everyone in the courtyard

“You had made your mother and me very proud”, Harwin said, as he helped his son fix his golden cape. Harwin looked at his oldest son with teary eyes, as he ruffled his hairs like he had done when he was a little boy

“Papa!”, he whined, “I’m an adult now”. Harwin just chuckled, leaning in and kissing his forehead

“You will always be my boy”, he said, fixing the leather that kept his cape in place. The twins had grown almost as much as him, but he was still six and ten, he had a couple of years left to outgrown his already tall father. “Are you ready?”, he asked

“Ready as I ever be”, he muttered, nervous out of his mind

“You are a born leader, you are made for this”, said Harwin

“Thank you father”

“Now let’s do it”. He grabbed his shoulder and started walking down the streets of the city, surrounding the Red Keep and going for the barracks. The men all stopped and made way for the pair, for their Lord Commander. And they gathered in the small courtyard

“Today is a very special day!” Harwin cheered, taking his son’s shoulder, “today my oldest son, my heir, is joining the city watch!”, all the man cheered and started clapping, “treat him well but fairly, he is a rookie after all, who as we all did, won his place amongst us”. Everyone cheered again for the young boy.

“I will have you patrolling the East side of the city”, his father gone, and in his place the Commander of the City Watch, a Captain showed up by his side.

“This is Captain Dantis Trand, you will be under his command today”. Maekar shook his hand

“You father tells me you are very skilled with the war hammer, I want you covering my back”, he said with a pleased smile

“I’ll keep you covered Ser”, Maekar answered firmly, making the older men smile

“Don’t go so hard on him Trand”, warned Harwin, “I will see you right here, when the shift ends”, his voice was firm, but his father’s big green eyes shone with concern

“Yes father!”, and then the boy’s face reddened with embarrassment, “I mean, Yes Lord Commander!”, and before he could embarrass himself any further he walked away with the rest of his troop

The Captain laughed

“Are you sure he is ready?”, he asked Harwin

“Of course he is, he is my son”, he answered

“How about Rhaegar? Where is he?”

“He wants to be a knight”, he said, with a warning tone. “And he is not cut out for responsibilities quite yet”

“I’m sure he will find his path”

“Maekar is a leader, he will find his way here”, Harwin placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder

“I’ll bring him back for his initiation tonight”

“Let’s skip that”

“Oh no, you know the rules!”, he laughed.

After a successful training, Aemond found himself wanting to rest, on his way to his chambers, he passed by the God’s Wood, and he found Aemma was still there, this time, alone, she was resting under the Heart Tree, her platinum hair could be seen by miles. So he walked towards her, wanting to bask in her soothing company

“Mind if I join you, niece?”, Aemma lifted her head and smiled at him

“hen rhinka, Kepus”, [Of course, uncle]

“Oh, speaking Valyrian are we?”, he mocked gently, and she blushed scandalously

“How did your training go?”. Aemma asked

“Me and Rhaegar both manage to beat Ser Arryk and Ser Steffon”, she smiled brightly at him

“So you are finishing your training?”, she asked

“You can never finish training sweet niece”

“I guess you are right Uncle, you can never stop learning either”

“That is correct”, he smiled, “What are you reading?”, he found in her hands a book he himself had read to her, Helaena, Jeahearys, Jahaera and Vaegor. The history of dragons.

“I heard you the other day so I thought it will be easier to practice my vocabulary”, she explained

“Smart girl”. He sat in between the roots of the Heart tree, with his back to his thick log, right by her side. He encouraged Aemma to lean into him, resting her silver head in his chest, and she did.

“Read to me”, he demanded. As she accommodated herself to his side. The warmth he felt at having her so near was intoxicating. From here he had a sight of the top of her head, her pretty nose, the curve of her lips, the supple skin of her chest.

She was only a girl, a girl that one day he was going to marry

She was the same age he had when Aegon took him to that wicked pleasure house and told him that “it’s time to get it wet” and he encouraged him to… copulate, with an older woman, experienced in the skin trade. And picturing his sweet Aemma engaging in those kinds of activities made his skin crawl. She was still so young and innocent. He leaned in and kissed the top of her head. Making her giggle. She smelt like wild flowers and rain. But also, she smelled like a bonfire, hearth, fire.

He was not going to put her through what Aegon put him through…He was going to protect her, and wait for her until she was ready, however long it took, 3 more years, 5, 7, he didn’t care.

“...zaldrīzoti issi syt pōja wild vyguēsin, pōnta ȳdra daor gūrogon order? hen daorys yn pōja kipagīros…”, [dragons are known for their wild nature, they don't take order from no one but their rider], She read slowly and with difficulty

“Udrãzma”, he corrected, and Aemma grunted in

“What?”

“Udrãzma”, he repeated, “means command, the word you were looking for”

“Shit”

“Hey”, he chuckled, amused by her wild vocabulary

“I don’t why you insist I read to you if my Valyrian is dragon crap”

“Say it Valyrian”, he mocked

“Nyke ȳdra daor gīmigon skoro syt ao vaoresagon, jorrāelagon Kēpus, syt nyke naejot ȳdragon Valyrio Eglie, lo issa sīr mijegindita”, [I don't know why you prefer, dear uncle, for me to speak high valyrian, if it is so poor]

“Ao naejot gūrēñagon, jorrāelagon mantala, iksā iā dārilaros hen Valyrio Uēpo ānogār iksan, se ñuha aderī naejot sagon ābrazȳrys”, [You need to learn, dear niece, you are a princess of the blood of old valyria, and my soon to be wife]

“Aemond”, she called, embarrassed, her cheeks reddened

“What happened with “Kēpus”?, he mocked

“Princess Aemma!”, her sweet niece jumped in his arms when she heard those gray-wearing Septas call for her, making a fuzz, “What in the God’s name are you doing?”

“Sorry Septa Alyssa… I…”

“That behavior is unseemly for a princess, separate from your uncle this instant!”. Aemma wanted to obey the Septa, trying to stand up, but he grabbed her tightly, preventing from going away from him

“Kēpus”, she whined

“Mind your tongue you unsavory gray pigeon”, he bit, “this is my betrothed you are speaking to”

“I shall report you to your mother the Queen for your poor behavior Prince Aemond”, she snapped

“You are going to get me in trouble Kēpus”, Aemma whined, so he finally released her, and when she stood up, the Septa grabbed her tightly by the arm making her whimper, and dragged her away from the Godswood. She shared a sad look with him before they dragged her to another embroidery lesson

He was angry, the Septas taking Aemma, his Aemma, away like if he was some creep, like he was taking advantage of her. She was just laying her head on his chest… And even if they both were lying naked… She was his, his betrothed, she was a princess, he was a prince… they shared the blood of the dragon… he couldn’t steal what was already his.

You looked down from the small council window, at the streets of King’s Landing

“The streets are safer than they were ten years ago, right?”, you asked

“Maekar is going to be great today”, said Alicent, “You don’t have to worry”

“I have this weird feeling in my chest, my oldest child just, fleeing the nest”, you whispered

What concerned you the most could be the celebrations that may have prepared for the end of the day, it was customary for the men of the city watch to indulge in the night’s pleasures after their shift was done. And Harwin was his father… it was also customary for a father to take his sons to… discover… said pleasures.

You were both interrupted by Ser Harrold, who introduced a enraged Septa

“Your graces”, she greeted, “I’m glad to find you both here, I want to report a very uncomfortable issue, an issue of misconduct, from both Prince Aemond and Princess Aemma”, Alicent looked at you with big worried eyes.

“I advise you to word your concerns carefully”. You warned, and the old woman looked at you with a severity, but also fear

“I found the Princess laying over her uncle, his grace Prince Aemond”, she started

“Laying?”, you asked, fearing the worst

“They were outside… By the Heart Tree”, the old woman was completely outraged

“And what were they doing?”, asked Alicent. shy tried to mouth a few words, her anger being traded by uncomfort

“Reading…”, she mumbled, “but the princess had her head in prince Aemond’s chest, and he was holding her…”

“They were only reading?”, you bit, for a second you were truly scared for the safety of your daughter

“Yes, but the way they were seated…”

“You claimed she was lying with her uncle”, you said, “do you have any idea how dangerous and awful that claim is?”, you saw red, “how bad it sounds?”

“So the Princess was lying over the Prince, only the Gods know if they haven’t laid together in the secrecy of their chambers…”, she said then.

“I will have your tongue for this!”. you screamed, angered beyond belief. But Alicent grabbed your arm, preventing you from physically hurting her

“Putting in question the virtue of a princess of the crown is the highest of treasons”, Alicent warned the Septa

“I’m putting a problem in front of you as mothers, concerning the safety of their children…”

“I will talk to them”, said Alicent, and you were more calm

“Aemond is not the one with his virtue in question!”. you said looking at Alicent.

“Septa Alyssa you are here dismissed from service to the crown, effective immediately, repeat whatever you saw today and we will remove your tongue”, said Alicent, and the septa could do nothing but leave the chamber in a rage

“Thank you Alicent”, you whispered

“She is but a child, we have no room for such slanders of this calamity”, she answered

“I will speak to her today”, you assured her

You were interrupted by the rest of the small council, ready to start today’s session.

“We have important news”, said Otto Hightower, please take your seats.

“What has happened?”, you asked

“Corlys Velaryon was mortally wounded in his incessant fighting in the Steptones”. said Otto. You gasped

“Is he dead?”

“Not yet, but he might as well be”

“So you want to discuss his succession”, you guessed, and the uncomfortable silence in the room told you that was a yes

“Obviously we would take into account Lord Corlys’ desires, which he has made clear, but… his brother Lord Vaemond is also making a claim and has come to us, the small council, he has ground to, since Lucerys is a boy, he cannot be in command of the biggest navy”, explained Otto

“He has Princess Rhaenys by his side, I’m sure she will guide him in the right direction”. You fought, “and Daemon and Rhaenyra”

“Still, as a Velaryon, Vaemond has a right to contest the line of succession, and we are hear to listen to his claim over the Driftwood throne”, said Tyland with a petulant smile

This was a dark plot, so as you menacingly gazed upon everyone present, you found satisfied smirks in the face of Otto Hightower and Tyland Lannister.

Lord Corlys was severely injured, he could have died… Therefore his succession was being put in question.

“Has Rhaenyra been informed on this?”, you asked then

“She is traveling as we speak”, said Tyland, “as Lord Vaemond”

“So tomorrow we will have a hearing”, sentenced Alicent

“For who is going to take the Driftwood Throne, and the leadership of the Velaryon Family”

“Lord Corlys could still make it”, whispered Alicent

“But we cannot know for sure”, responded Otto, “he has been cut in the neck, it is a miracle the Stranger hasn't take him yet”

“Very well”

“I want preparations to be made for Rhaenyra’s welcoming”, you said

“She will be received as her station dictates”, said Otto with a mocking smirk. So you frown

“I will personally make the arrangements”, you said then. You will not give them more opportunities to mock your sister.

Rhaenyra was coming to court… for the very first time in 6 years. Despite your best efforts to bring her back, she never returned. And you understood why, even though you still think she should be here, ruling in father’s behalf, you understood that while you were here, her line remained intact and true.

It was already night when you managed to free yourself from your responsibilities and preparations for the arrival of Rhaenyra.

You went first to see your daughter. Aemma was getting her hair brushed by her maid, so you dismiss her to brush it yourself

“Hey beautiful”, you whispered, “how was your day?”

“It was calm, actually, I sewed with Helaena, I read in the Godswood”

“What happened in the Godswood?”, you asked, and through the mirror you saw your daughter blush

“Nothing”

“Don’t lie, the Septa came to see me”

“I don’t know why she started screaming”, she explained, “I was reading with Aemond, I had my head in his chest, but we were just reading”

“She was a bitter old women, Alicent dismissed her”, you said and she smiled

“She grabbed me so hard by my arm it bruised”, she admitted

“You will never see her again”

“Thanks”

“And Aemond?”

“He was a perfect gentlemen”

“Good”, you said, leaning in and kissing her head.

“Mama?”

“Yes love?”

“How do you know when you love someone?”

“Do you have someone in mind when you ask me that question?” you asked

“No just, i want to know when I finally do, I guess”

“You’ll know my sweet thing”

It was past the hour of the Owl when you heard Harwin come inside the room. You know his shift ended hours ago, so he had probably been drinking in some bar, you hoped that was it.

“There is my wife!”, he purred, already naked entering the bed. He surrounded you with his big arms, his breath of beer almost numbed you

“Youa re drunk”, you grumbled

“A little bit, the captain got carried away celebrating”

“Where is my son?”, you asked, a little angry

“Sleeping in the barracks”, he laughed

“Harwin”

“He is a man of the city watch who got so drunk he threw up in his captain’s boots!”, he responded

“That is all you did?”, you asked, “got drunk?”

“Why?” he mocked, his hand got greedy, grabbing your flesh but you slapped them away

“I don’t know where you’ve been”, you answered, disgusted

“We didn’t even passed the street of silk, I promise”, he said firmly, “Didn’t have the heart to take him, we got drunk in Bald Ned’s establishment, our son is a lightweight, a little embarrassment, really”, he managed to pull a giggle out of you

“Alright then, so cuddle men husband, it’s a cold night”, and he did, hugged you against his chest

More notes: Just some family drama for you all! 😂 more coming next

Silly as it seems, there is no word for Niece in High Valyrian yet, so I made one…. “Mantala” is a mix of both words “Sister”, “mandia”, and daughter, “Tala”, like “my sister’s daughter” or something like that

I wanted to show a different Aemond, one with two other “brothers” and his extended family, and he is happy in it. He is laughing for the God’s sake. Next chapter we will have his vision of things.

Taglist! ❤️ @tearsarcane @integra1127 @aestmilky @thanyatargaryen @tythaitie @lostinworldofdarkness @voodoogoul @wildmindedbeauty32 @lil-pudd @alicattx @electric-bloo @astaaan-lol @stargaryenx @kaitieskidmore1 @bregarc @lilpnd @jcpenneyyy @janelei @fexibau @ladyoakenshield157 @danielle-leah1997 @lady-ragnvindr @cecilyjmorgenstern @omgsuperstarg @bugheadskid @batprincess1013 @her-fandom-sanctum @holb32 @blue1006 @stargaryenx @grippleback-galaxy

#harwin strong x reader #harwin strong x targaryen reader #harwin strong #ser harwin strong #ser harwin x reader #ser harwin #harwin breakbones #harwin x reader #ser harwin strong x reader #rhaenyra #hbo house of the dragon #house of the dragon #house targaryen #targaryen!oc #targaryen!reader #misguidedhotd

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eldritch-spouse · 2 years

Note

In honor of your birthday, which of the monster boys will actually care/celebrate your birthday? Also happy birthday!!

[Thank ye. :>]

Knows your birthday:

Krulu. Simple enough, right? He's in your head. And even if he thinks this is a dumb sort of celebration, since siadar prefer to focus on decades/centuries as opposed to years, you will likely get some form of celebration, likely a party with the rest of the staff and one small, hand-crafted present which he won't give you directly but rather leave around for you to notice.

Breg. HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR THIS. He got at least ten things because he's not sure what you'd like the most. And only three of those are questionable. There are also two cakes, one of them is kind of sloppy and tastes weird but he tried. Boy, did he. You have a little birthday hat and he's got all sorts of confetti- The moment you wake up he's shoving a forkful of sugar in your mouth.

Patches. He knows the exact date, hour and minute tou were born, where it happened and he's probably also got a copy of your birth certificate somewhere. But, ironically, he can't decide on what to give you. Fuck. Well, here's to hoping you're into really beautiful plants that sometimes talk back and cling to you like pets. He'd rather impress you with something you didn't expect than disappoint you with a mundane object you don't care for.

Mervin. He's going to pretend he's unaware of your birthday for some hours as his pride and affection for you duke it out in his mind. This likely culminates in the demon hurriedly shoving a massive bag in your arms and just telling you to fucking open it already don't look at him like that- It's full of gorgeous jewelry and clothing brands so pompous you won't even recognize them. Yes yes, he's amazing, the best mate you've ever had, he knows.

Ludwig. Very nonchalant about it. You're greeted to breakfast in bed and the wrath demon takes you out to wherever you want to go. He can use rifts sparingly to visit plenty of far away places, so if there's some corner of the world you'd like to see, now's your chance. He's got a couple of small presents he'll give you throughout the day, and he might even wax a little poetic about you, it's fun seeing him get even redder.

Nebul. What kind of pet owner would he be if he didn't know your birthday? Tsk. In contrast to how life usually tends to be with him, you get to do whatever you want today. And he means whatever. Wanna kill a man? Go nuts. Set things on fire, be on top of the wraith for once, go outside and roll around in the garden- Enjoy yourself. You're getting a variety of not always expensive but certainly very interesting trinkets. Nebul values amusement more than he does traditional courtship items.

Grimbly. He's got it circled 300 times in his calendar and he's got the outfits ready, the whole day is planned! Including where the two of you will eat and the movie you're going to watch together and the stores you're browsing. In a bit of bizarre twist, you'll become a bit of a sugar baby, as Grimbly will spoil you with everything you so much as look twice at.

Belo. How could he possibly not know his lady/lord's birthday?! That's madness! You're getting worshipped, cherub! He'll carry breakfast to you, wash you, clothe you, lift you everywhere, say the word and Belo will be there like an errand boy. He gets you one very sentimental present and will cry like a baby if you reject it.

Will eventually ask:

Morell. Listen, he's got a fast paced job and he doesn't have time to think about birthdays a lot. He forgets his own at times. But he'll probably get reminded out of nowhere, and if he missed it already, Morell will make it up to you next year with a massive, mouth-watering cake and a series of small but cute presents he thinks fit you perfectly.

Vinnel only remembers because of the birthday performances he makes for clients. It'll eventually click in that brain, his poppet also has a birthday. You're getting confetti everywhere, so many balloons, too many- Get ready for the eyesore of a dress he'll stuff you in and the silly hats. You'll have to open at least ten fake, embarrassing gifts before you reach the real one, which is likely something delicate, custom made by him.

Gallon usually has a pretty good memory. But he doesn't think about birthdays a lot, so he might go a great deal of time without even considering that. He's got a plan though! You're going to a restaurant with a name so obnoxious you'll gag, but at least the food is good and Gallon makes excellent conversation. He makes it seem like he's going to propose when he offers your gift, so that'll give you a little heart-attack.

Listen. Give Santi a discount. He's got two brain cells, one is entirely dedicated to fucking, the other is ping-ponging around his skull. He'll forget constantly unless he's got a reminder. Santi will take you out in a proper date, you're getting treated to the best, dressed the sexiest and he'll probably give you oral at least four times. Your birthday nights are spent spread on his sheets, gasping, writhing and crying for more.

Shags usually doesn't have to think about birthdays, because the people he snatches hardly ever make it far enough into captivity for him to get preoccupied with such. This is a very special occasion, and he's delighted to get reminded of it! He's going to cook for the two of you and gift you a very intricate, detailed portrait of you made with his own ink. Shags promises you next time will be more exciting.

Fank-e's attention span bounces across the room faster than a fucking rubber ball, you're lucky he remembered to ask! Listen, whatever you do, do NOT eat the cake he makes for you. It has some type of glitter in it and it'll probably kill you. Don't. He got way too many presents, they're all wrapped with amazing precision, in contrast to the cake's sloppy state. He's very upset he can't use a kazoo, but he will sing.

Obie genuinely doesn't know the exact day of his birthday unless his brothers tell him. Don't take it personally if he gets a day ahead of himself, or late. Obie does his best to make it up to you though, with way too much take out, all the snacks you could ever crave, and a stack of albums he thinks you might like. He also made one really embarrassing song for you please don't laugh...

Rinx is a bit of a cockhead and he often forgets that other people also have birthdays. Snap him out of it, you'll have to be the one to do it. Listen, Hell isn't really the prettiest place, but Rinx can buy you anything you want. So go ahead, take a stroll through the rings with him and pick what you'd like! You can even go to the surface as well, come on pet, it'll be so fun right? He's totally not doing this for himself too.

Fasma is very nonchalant about it. The plasma monster will pull you aside for a moment and casually ask you when your birthday is. He'll spend the day sober with you, but at night? Get ready to drink yourself into comatose, kiddo. He'll get mushy and say the sweetest things, hanging you a poorly wrapped gift that is surprisingly up your alley. Is it worth it? Yeah. Will you wake up sick? Probably.

Genuinely won't think about it unless you mention it:

Sybastian. It comes with the territory of leading a moderately feral life, you know? Syb hardly knows how old he himself is, it's no wonder he wouldn't pay attention to your birthday. If he notices you're terribly upset over him missing it, he'll try to make it up to you and gather a mini-party with the mimiclings, bringing you an assortment of gifts. One of them looks expensive. Don't ask how he got it. Just don't.

Hellion and Pebble... What- What the fuck is a birthday??

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wolf-among-mechs · 2 months

Note

Well, now I got a few questions for you in return. Merc to merc, Clanner to... well, maybe someone twice removed from the Clan family tree.

🟡💛💳🌼🎵

Something along those lines yeah. It's... Complicated. Have a seat. I got a lot of stuff to talk about.

🟡 Where do I currently live. Where I have lived. I grew up on Hephaestus station. Lived a six months on the planet Milton in Lyran space in a dingy little apartment. Then... Dropships and barracks ever since. Had an RV to have my own space for a while. But then our company managed to acquire an Overlord to serve as our base and by our Steiner noble friend and lancemate we made it a lot more habitable with proper living quarters. The most of a home I have had so far.

💛What do I currently pilot. (OOC: It gets a little time fucky wucky here since Asuka here is part of an RPG campaign that hasn't gotten to the Clan Invasion yet. But this blog is an AU where she obviously got that far. Bear with me.)

I hate that my answer is that I am currently inbetween rides currently. My old clan ride got messed up so they are refitting a new one. So let me tell you about one of my favourites. My Marauder II. Designated MAD-5Xc formerly b. Nicknamed "Direwolf" by the crowds at the time. This was somewhat before the Daishis made an entrance in the inner sphere you see. You won't find it on any technical readout. Most our company refit mechs to suit our doctrines. The b model was built by Blackwell as part of a sponsored entry on Solaris in order to build the 'brand' as they were in negotiations with opening up sales to other clients than the dragoons at the time. It was built for me in particular to pilot which is why it has Triple Strength Myomers, a supercharger and a Guardian ECM system. Armed with an ERPPC and small pulse laser in each arm. Backed up by two SRM 6 launchers on the shoulders which always annoyed me slightly. I have always been adept at fighting things up close... Despite the fact that I have tried very hard to work from range.

It was refitted to have two LRM launchers instead but fitted slightly differently along with an Artemis IV system. Because the SRMs never really did really offer much when I had the ability to just run force and snap somebody's legs off by bullrushing them. Maybe you have seen an old holovid of what they called my glorykill on Solaris. Where I barrel into a highlander, snap its legs. Hammer the torso with the barrels furiously before rearing up and bringing the right barrel into the cockpit and fire the PPC as my voice echoes out over the comms and arena "AND STAY DOWN!" I was... A little bit upset at that man at the time.

I loved that mech. I wish I still had it.

My new ride is going to be a Kodiak. Though... Heavily customized. It is being refitted as I mentioned. It brings along a lot of what I enjoyed about the Marauder by removing the Autocannon and missile launchers for PPCs. A new myomer system, an active probe and jump jets. It will be designated Crinos... The reason it is taking so long is that it has a different headshape. More... Wolfish.

💳 Who is/was your most and least favourite client?

Hmm.... Tough. I had to think about my most favourite client. Probably Rasalhagians. They did not like us much when we first started, having bad experiences with mercenaries to start with but it mellowed out fairly quickly after they figured out that we were not a rowdy bunch

As for least favourite. I going to be weird and say probably Federated suns. Their lords have betrayed us four out of six times but at least people above them made steps to repair the relationship. We had one Baron I think he was who decided to turn on us and me specifically because I beat the snot out of his favourite officer in a perfectly legal martial arts tournament. He cheated first though.

🌼What do I think of the clans.

I was born into Wolf's Dragoons. Both mother and father were of the clans. Mechtechs both of them. I was probably going to become one too but I showed great aptitude with mech piloting. And fighting just in general. Probably owing to the fact I have inherited elemental genes from my fathers side. When they invaded the inner sphere I ended up among them. Not by my own will. I ended up prisoner and they after a while figured out that technically I was related to clan Wolf. I had to try for a bit to become a full member. I fought tooth and nail for that and got a trial of position and even managed to earn a blood name. I do not carry it though. During their invasion I came to understand myself through elementals and the clan. The severe mismanagement of operation REVIVAL made opinion of the clans thusly:

Eugenicists with little thought or preparation made for the totality of war. Admittedly I am also very annoyed at having been called freebirth over and over and over and being overruled time and time again despite the fact that I had more experience with the war in the inner sphere they were actually trying to fight. I also find their commitment to honour lacking. Rescinding it when they deem an enemy to be less than human or simply a problem and in the way. That is not to say all warriors of the clans are such nor do I treat them thusly.

I simply believe that they are flawed much like the inner sphere. There are heroes and villains under every banner in the Galaxy. The Clans, the houses of the inner sphere and mercenaries.

🎵 What is a piece of music you enjoy, that you would play in combat on a loop?

I was really hoping somebody would ask me this. I really was. Allow me to send a few sound files your way.

In the cockpit:

youtube

It keeps my heart pumping in the midst of combat. It has a really nice melody to me.

In my head:

youtube

(OOC: Warning for a bit gore. It is Doom 2k16 after all)

This feels a lot how it feels inside my during a battle.

But. Also an honourable mention to kuritan holovids, they based a villain on me. Well me and my old Black Knight. It sounded a bit like this.

youtube

I think after all of that. I owe you at least a few drinks.

#battletech #mechwarrior

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things-about-cars-in-posts · 7 months

Note

favorite band/artist?

Sheesh. Complicated one.

You see, my music tastes are, to put it mildly, rather varied. I think it showed in my music recommendation post and the post that further explored one of those artists, but to further illustrate, my library includes:

Earth, Wind & Fire

New Kids On The Block's Jordan Knight's first solo single

Dubstep band Hadouken!’s Lana Del Rey cover

A mashup of Wham! and a fishing anime

A Japanese bilingual melodic punk rock band's two songs about bowling

80s remixes of Justin Bieber songs

A Japanese "punk ska and melodic hardcore band"'s cover of Scatman’s World

A 140+ song Beatles remix collection, featuring such gems as "Octopus's 3D Garden", "I Saw Her Yankin' There" and "Help!" (suspicious)

A eurobeat female duo of rotating Italian and British members’ Abracadabra-sampling track about falling in love with a banana

A remix of Azumanga Daioh’s Sata Andagi scene I retrieved from a porn site reupload

Moldovan folk punk band and folk musician duo’s collab about celebrating the reopening of a railroad

The soundtrack of Pictionary for the NES

A mashup of AVICII, Rick Astley and Chumbawumba

An 80s pop Linkin Park remix

Black Sabbath covers by The Cardigans (of Lovefool fame)

JT's solo debut

A Flock Of Seagulls (of I Ran (So Far Away) fame)

One (1) DJ Khaled song

A 2011 My Little Pony-themed song by then commentary youtuber

(And I beg each and every one of the people who read this list and thought "Okay that one cannot possibly be good" to hop in my askbox and allow me to prove them wrong.)

But let's go through bands and artists I've not posted about before.

Two Door Cinema Club Just out of statistics. I can prove I played I Can Talk over a hundred times and I can tell you any number under two hundred is underselling it. There is genuinely some problem with my brain that that intro slots into perfectly.

youtube

Oh also all the rest of their first album this comes from is this great too, and if you ask me what a perfect album sounds like I will tell you it's not that far off their second album.

OK Go Now, I like the music. Actually, I'd left my two guitars alone for years until an easy OK Go song made me think "Oh, maybe I can play this" and realize that rather than -as I had prior- just play the music I'd been taught I could actually teach myself to play the music I was listening to, which snowballed into playing more OK Go songs and then it expanded and now I have a ukulele, a bass, a third guitar I need to merge with that bass (it's complicated), a fourth "guitar" (it's complicated) on the way, a Casio calculator/synth (it's complicated), a melodica, a launchpad and a kazoo. Whoops. But really, all you need to be sold on OK Go is see two of their videos. One to find out what they're like (and you're already good on that front because you have visited the internet ever and have thus seen Here It Goes Again aka "The Treadmill Video" aka what when posted to YouTube upon its CEO begging them became the biggest video of all time) and another to find out that no the first one was not a one-off fluke. I am serious, go click that link, it takes you to a playlist of their videos and each one is crazier than the last. I mean they played a song with a car. A song. That has a guitar solo. With a car. Have you seen the name of this channel.

youtube

Ah, right, the name of this channel. I guess I have to say a thing about that car now. Uhhh this video was sponsored by Chevrolet to promote the Aveo which, despite being badged as a Chevrolet, like many of the more Europe-oriented Chevrolets was made by the automotive branch of Daewoo, brand General Motors picked up after the Daewoo conglomerate (then the second largest in South-Korea which may as well be called Samsungland) went bankrupt in '99 over almost $90B modern dollars in debt. Its founder Kim Woo-chong (because Lord knows the "woo" in Daewoo did not stand for "woo what a great car") earned a ten year sentence, but I feel they focused too much on the wrong guy. The REAL criminal is whoever penned Daewoo cars.

A good person doesn't do this on purpose.

Owl City I have too few of his songs, but I absolutely love how comically upbeat he is. He is so precious. If c: walked this Earth. I mean "Golf and alcohol don't mix and that's why I don't drink and drive / Because, good grief, I'd knock out my teeth and have to kiss my smile goodbye". Protect this man at all costs. Also one time I saw the Fireflies video after what must have been a good decade and you know when you feel near crying? I adored that song when I was a kid and I was right.

youtube

Liquido European one-hit wonders - and not even "people know them just for one song", not even "people don't know them and just know the song"; I found you can tell people the name of their hit and they won't know what you're talking about. But hum the riff and infallibly, invariably any single person in my country (and, in my limited experience, the rest of Europe) will go "Ooooooh, that one". And to be fair, those guys did stumble on one of the most memorable riffs in modern history.

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Not saying this is a hidden gem of a band, I am sure some bigger music nerd would stamp a big fat "SEEN BEFORE" on all their stuff, beyond some enjoyable splashes of "I wonder how much of this is them leaning into it" cheese (yes, even more than that video) - but I've still got their whole discography including all the B-sides, because to me, so what? It's good music and I'll treat it like it. What's the point of praising "groundbreaking", "genre defining" works and then glossing over those inhabiting the ground they broke and making the genres they defined? When I eat bread I don't complain that it doesn't innovate or set itself apart from the rest of the genre, so as long as my music doesn't bore me why should those be problems there? I feel like people have a problem in general separating their enjoyment of a work from its artistic merit. I'm digressing.

The Beatles If you ask me "What's your favorite number of pant legs?" I'm not going to answer five because two would be cliché.

And now we get to the final answer, the real answer, in such a league of its own it deserves to be separated from the rest via a Read More.

I lied, this is under a Read More because it's an entire fucking dissertation. Your fault for asking.

Caparezza I've spent well over a decade of my life mulling over his lyrics to the point me and my ex-flatmate played this game where she told me a random word and I'd try to find it in his lyrics (e.g. the first word of your ask, "favorite", was used in the second verse of the sixteenth track of his sixth album, yes I am neurodivergent why do you ask), and still it happens that as I am going through my everyday life I happen to accrue some information and slam my forehead going "Oh my God THAT'S what he meant there". His songs are more layered, more deep, more thoughtful, more cutting, more witty, more clever than most prose you see around and still he manages to play with his words and rhymes with incredible dexterity.

Take his last record, Exuvia - actually, take the previous record Exuvia picks up from, Prisoner 709:

Its name not only introduces the theme of imprisonment, but also of dilemmas and juxtapositions, since the prisoner's number, 709, stands for the dilemma about the number of the record: it's the 7th in his discography as Caparezza, but the 9th if one also counts the two shit records he made under his previous name Mikimix (we don't talk about those). Its tracklist, indeed, while being as typical for him incredibly varied in topics (from religions to his affinity with Ludwig II of Bavaria to "I'm not [x], BUT-" types) is arranged as chapters of a journey through an imprisonment (The Crime, The Punishment, The Weight, The Psychologist, The Letter, The Visit, The Yard Time, The Torture, The Revolt, The Guard, The Infirmary, The Window, The Evasion, The Hiding) and associated to dilemmas - for instance, as the record is about his feeling imprisoned in his body and in his role, the first song -and first chapter, The Crime- is indeed Prosopagnosia (i.e. face blindness), a track about him no longer recognizing himself in the artistic reputation he built himself, with the dilemma being between "Michele", his name, and "Caparezza", his rap name. Oh, and if you also want a taste of the impressive wordplay, well, count the letters of those two names. Yep. Every single one of the 16 tracks is a dilemma is between a 7 letter word and a 9 letter word. Because of course it is.

So now, let's get to the last record, Exuvia.

Nah, the pop-up edition's cover fucks way harder.

That's more like it.

Exuvia is the exoskeletal remains left behind by ecdysozoans after ecdysis, i.e. when creatures like insects and crustaceans develop a new exoskeleton and crawl out of their old one, as this record starts from his escaping from the anguish compounded through all his previous records and through a deep analysis of his past, his self, his surroundings, his fate, condensing it all and moving on to a new self, a new birth, a new shell. (Understand how I feel when people say the greatest rapper of all time is one whose greatest record is called "Damn" because the songs made him go "Damn" and whose biggest song is "Biggie Smalls' Juicy but this time about me".)

Well, in the second track of it, about running away from the dire situation of hatred, decay and persecution described in the first track, he says, and I paraphrase,

I give it all up, I'm dying, I retreat - Caporetto plus Waterloo Dripping and smelling like my head was in a station's toilet- oh.

introducing the desperation and hopelessness of military defeats and immediately following it up with an image whose comedic nature makes a contrast so stark as to surprise even him while still, being a reference to the military's hazing and bullying, latching back to the line before. While the prose I represent it with is deliberately poor, the concept behind the words is brilliant enough that it would be a good line if it didn't rhyme at all. And yet the original lines rhyme for twenty syllables. TWENTY.

Thing is, you can be as clever as you want, but the underlying music, you know, it can't be clever, it can just be good or bad. One would think. And yet the music is not just good but full of clever, witty samples and ideas that don't just reinforce the track's mood but tie the instrumental inextricably into the lyrics' themes, like Larsen (the track about his tinnitus, which he calls by audio feedback's technical name of Larsen effect) using high-pitched synths and emphasizing cymbals, Prisoner 709's title track being 79bpm (I wager 709bpm was a bit non-doable), House Credibility's instrumental featuring intercom buzz and cowbells reminiscent of cookware, or, well, everything in Exuvia's second single. See, that song is about the choice he faces between the story of Beethoven, who despite all his challenges kept devoting himself to music until the day he died, or that of Mark Hollis, lead of Talk Talk, who despite all the fame peaced out to focus on his private life - and the entire instrumental is devoted to that concept: the verses' reference Für Elise, the chorus Such A Shame, and the bridge I Believe In You; and when you tun into the background choirs you find they are rhythmically repeating "I don't know".

You start to get a clue why there's three years between his records.

So if his songs are so fucking good, why is he not famous? Well, he is! Except for his first album which no one really noticed (fairly so in my opinion - while I like a few songs I feel he really got going in his second one), the following records did really well for someone with such dense content: his third record has been certified gold! And all the others platinum. Some twice. Never since the first one did a record of his peak under 5 in the charts, and he's got 8 gold singles, 3 platinums and a double platinum. And don't get me started on the shows.

(That's me in the background!) Hell, he's even been on the cover of Billboard! So why've you never heard of him? Well, see the word next to Billboard.

Yep. The man, Michele Salvemini, is an Italian born and raised and, like any proper Italian, doesn't speak a whole lot of English, so pretty much all the English you'll hear in his music are the handful of English features, like Michael Franti, DMC (!) and Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley, with which he made a song about Italy's emigration crisis.

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Emigration that is also internal, from the underdeveloped, falling aparty and criminality-run south of Italy to where all the industries are, the richer and we-pretend-it's-not-criminality-run north. And since he's from Apulia, Italy's heel (his rap name in fact means "curly head" in Apulian dialect), he's made a song about its woes too, featuring the music of the tarantella, Apulia's traditional dance. (I don't know why y'all add an A in front. It's fucking "Puglia", y'all.) Here's an imperfect translation with a couple of helpful explainers to the asterisked terms over in the video's description.

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It depresses me every time I think about it that all the English speakers I know will never be able to fully appreciate his lyrical brilliance. But oh well. At least y'all can appreciate the music... so fuck it, have that song whose music I yapped about so much. You'll hear the choirs in the background say "non so" (I don't know)... and a bunch more Italian words (translated here for those on desktop who want to follow along).

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Links in blue are posts of mine about the topic in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

#does it show #does it at all show #that you happened to tap into another one of my passions #music #chevrolet aveo #daewoo tacuma

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moonlightazriel · 2 days

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ACOTAR TAG GAME

Thank you for the tag pookie @thelov3lybookworm

Who's your favourite ACOTAR character?

Azriel...

Who's your least favourite character?

Keir and Beron

Say something nice about your least favourite character.

You know they're brothers? They're both sons of a bitches.

Who's your favourite High Lord? (If you picked one for your fav character, then who's your second fav!)

I love Rhys, don't get me wrong but Helion is just.... I can't resist the sun daddy folks

Favourite MINOR character?

Gwyn and Emerie

Favourite ship? (Crackships included!)

Nessian, Feysand and Gwynriel

Favourite court and why?

Night Court cuz i just feel like i would fit better there than in the other courts? Me and Azzy just vibing in the dark with our problems...

Make up a brand new court RIGHT NOW, NO PREP JUST VIBES.

I already did heheheehh Wanna learn about the Court of Shadows? See it here..

What relationship would you have wanted to see more of in the books?

Old Lucien and Feyre, where they both say their apologies and go back to what they used to be....

What's your unpopular opinion?

SJM made Elriel just for the drama, cuz those two, IN MY EYES, have nothing in common and they both deserve their redheaded mates.

What's your favourite headcanon/fan canon?

That Rhys's mother knew exaclty who would be his mate and that's why all the dresses fit Feyre perfectly.

If you were swept away to Prythian, what's ONE thing you would want to do?

I would get all of them locked in a room and force them to talk their feelings out until everyone works their problems with each other...

If you could have ONE faerie ability seen in the books, which would it be?

Winnowing, totally. Maybe some fire in my veins tho...

Tagging: @fieldofdaisiies @brekkershadowsinger @sunshinebingo @berryzxx @liftyourhipsformelovex

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waywardavatarenthusiast · 1 year

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Ozai would never, ever have burned Azula

Under any circumstance. Not even if she was 10x the trouble Zuko was. I’m not sure why we completely ignore the several hints that the Fire Nation is a patriarchal society just because it has female soldiers (look at the US!), but it is. And because of that fact, it is extremely unlikely that Azula would have faced that sort of punishment, despite several fan works and think pieces on it. I was reading The Will to Change by Bell Hooks, about the patriarchal manner in which society negatively brings up men (sorely damaging them in the process) and how it backfires on everyone else. Two lines from chapter four sorely stuck out to me:

“...men have been programmed to believe that at some point they must be violent, whether psychologically or physically, to prove that they are men.”

“The way we ‘turn boys into men’ is through injury: we sever them from their mothers, research tells us, far too early.”

The first line is perfect description of Ozai. I find Ozai to be more of the “man raised in rigid and violent culture” sort of cruel rather than most people’s “sociopathic world burn for me” cruel (these concepts meet at his extreme lack of self-esteem). I don’t believe Zuko, crown prince, speaking out of turn to a man that wasn’t even a member of the royal family would spark enough rage within Ozai to mutilate his son. Look at the DoBS interaction: Zuko says several insultive things to Ozai and though he provides a deadly punishment, it is understandable considering Zuko might have made an attempt on his life if he wished. Failing to discipline Zuko in the war room fiasco wouldn’t have reflected poorly on Zuko, as princes are expected to be spoiled. It would have made the Fire Lord seem like a weak man who cannot discipline his own child, let alone the enemies of the Fire Nation. And when it came to the point of the Agni Kai, Zuko refused to fight. In a culture like that of the Fire Nation, arrogance is always chosen over cowardice. Zuko’s branding was not just a message to him, but to the entirety of their country: I do not condone weakness, even within my own family. Yes, the second quote perfectly summarizes that scene, but I would rather put fault not on the man we often forget is just a cartoon character, but Bryke. They used Zuko’s branding as a catalyst for the maturity he underwent throughout puberty. They even had Ozai banish Zuko from his home, tantamount to the severing of a boy from his mother (oh wait, they did that too!) By the end of Zuko’s journey, he finds himself in the role of a benevolent patriarch (just a step up from the malignant patriarch), which makes sense as he is mentored by one. Bryke’s favorite character to create is actually the benevolent patriarch (this role can be played by a female). And if we want to go into the comics, Zuko visiting his father in prison is evidence that deep down, even he accepts the scar as his badge of manhood.

#Zuko #ozai #Azula #atla

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greenskyoverbluemountains · 1 year

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On the name“Halbrand” (from a German perspective)

“Halbrand” is not a German name, even though it could very well be from the sound of it. There is for example a name “Hildebrand”, sometimes “Hilbrand”. I’ll get back to that one!

In German, you can split “Halbrand” either into the syllables “halb” (= half) and “rand” (= edge), which makes only little sense though, or in “hal” and “brand” - which works almost too well, as you will see :)

“Brand” is really simple - it just means (a big and destructive) fire in German.

“hal” is a bit trickier, for it has no direct equivalent in modern German. But if you go back to Middle High German (spoken during the High Middle Ages), you get “hal” (= shell) and “hæl(e)“ (= hidden, kept a secret, dark, but also smooth, slippery, slick).

Related to / descended from those are modern German “hohl” (= empty) and “ver-hehl-en” (= hiding something, keeping something a secret). Also related is German “Hölle”, which means “hell” - and probably also German “hell”, which means “bright” ...

I am by no means claiming that the writers checked their name of choice for the character in all possible languages, but considering how fitting it is, they might as well have. My guess would be German being rather closely related to English and its predecessors (of which I have absolutely no knowledge btw) having contributed to “Halbrand” matching Sauron in disguise perfectly (also) in German.

To sum it up, “(Middle High) German Halbrand”, if I may say so, is hidden fire, secret fire, fire in a shell, (maybe) bright fire or hellfire. Btw, “hellebrant” (= hellfire) even has its own entry in Lexer and BMZ, two big dictionaries for Middle High German.

*insert gif of Claude Frollo hellfiring here*

And there is even more: Not in modern, but in Middle High German “brant” can also mean “sword”!

Which brings us back to Hil(de)brand: Originally a surname, it is now also (and mostly) a family name. “hild” comes from Old High German “hiltja”, meaning “fight” (and as such has little to nothing to do with “hal”). But the “brand” in “Hildebrand” does in fact mostly refer to “sword”, the whole name usually being translated/interpreted as “fighter with a sword”. As such it is linked to nobility and knighthood, and some even connect it to blacksmithing! Keep in mind though, that the average German speaker (myself included), has to look all this up.

As for the fictional name “Halbrand”: I (and I guess many German speaking viewers) only got/get the “brand” (fire) part, if at all, because it is a common word in modern German, and fits with Halbrand’s “homeland” apparently being in ashes, maybe with him being a smith. Simple!

But if you look closer - and of course restrospectively ;) - there is more to it. The name “Halbrand” for Mairon/Sauron now seems at the same time subtle and not subtle at all (once bright flame, future Lord of a hellish landscape ...), which befits the character’s hidden/not really hidden and slippery nature perfectly.

#Rings of Power #halbrand #Sauron #mairon #rop meta #spoiler #spoilers #rop spoiler #rop spoilers #post of mine

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rjalker · 2 months

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Even the oppression in The Fall of Ile-Rien is founded on the idea that oppressed people are oppressed to protect the people oppressing them.

In this setting, magic users are evil and shunned from society. What are their motivations for being evil? We aren't given any.

Anyone who has a spell cast on them at any time, in any way, is also shunned from society and avoided like the plague.

Because the evil wizards enjoy casting spells on people that don't seem like they have any effect at first...until a few years pass, and then the curse suddenly activates, and a whole shit ton of people end up dead.

Meaning if you know someone has been touched by any curse, no matter how minor it seemed immediately, there is a very good chance that that person is now a ticking time bomb and there's nothing anyone can do about it except try to avoid being nearby when they go off.

Also known as: It is literally perfectly fucking reasonable for people to want to stay away from the person who might go on a magically-induced killing spree at any point with zero warning and no ability to stop themselves.

Just like it's perfectly reasonable to be afraid when a person whose species literally evolved to eat you, who is unstoppably strong and faster than anything you've ever seen tricks their way into your home using their evil shapeshifting powers that they literally evolved to have make it easier for them to sneak into your home and eat your entire family and village.

Just like it's perfectly reasonable to be afraid of the literal unstoppable killing machine that can hack any technology it wants without effort, including the space station you live on and all the doors and airlocks and even the security system and internet, has guns in its arms, can think and react at least 50x faster than you can, and is superhumanly strong and can keep right on murdering you even if you chop off multiple of its limbs.

Martha Wells thinks that people are oppressed because they're genuinely inherently more dangerous and threatening than the people oppressing them. Because she's bigoted, along with being apparently unable to contemplate the idea of her protagonists not being the most overpowered motherfuckers who always win every encounter you've ever seen.

Pro tip, writers, especially if you're white: If the oppression in your fictional setting "makes sense", throw it the fuck out and start over.

Here's some examples of ""oppression"" that "makes sense:

Prey species are afraid of literally being eaten by predator species (Zootopia, The Books of the Raksura)

People avoiding people who are known to violently explode at random (The Fall of Ile-Rien, Brand New Animal, the one anime with the people with fire powers I can't remember the name of)

People being afraid of the person who literally has the power to cut off all oxygen and open all the airlocks on the space station they live on with half a second of thought, with no way of stopping them (The Murderbot Diaries)

Everyone hates and distrusts orcs because they used to work for the Dark Lord and tried to end the world (Bright)

????? I know there's more.

#fantasy oppression #fantasy racism #fantasy oppression written by white people #Martha Wells critical #Rjalker reads The Fall of Ile-Rien #Rjalker reads The Murderbot Diaries #Rjalker reads The Books of the Raksura

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ancestorsofjudah · 8 months

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1 Kings 20: 33-34. "The Treaty."

The Treaty between all Jews and the God of Israel is the very same God made with Abraham:

He [Abraham] took for Him all these [three heifers, three goats, three rams, a turtle dove and a young bird], he divided them in the middle, and he placed each part opposite its mate, but he did not divide the birds ... It came to pass that the sun had set, and it was dark, and behold, a smoking furnace and a fire brand, which passed between these parts.

It was on that day that G‑d formed a covenant with Abraham, saying, “To your seed I have given this land...”2

There are many debates about the meaning of this passage, but the correct interpretation is:

"He, the God of Compassion took three maidens, three sires, three adolescents, a nation of rebelliousness, and divided them on either side of Shabbat, with Himself in between; He did not divide the nation.

Then came contemplation, then came realization, then came the race of the Hebrews [those who traverse, who pass over]."

The Covenant then states a Nation of Hebrews will preserve the tradition of Passing Over and Shabbat and in exchange the Lord will keep them together and make them numerous.

This sounds like bunk now, but without a race that has been as dedicated to the upkeep of civilzation like the Jews have been the world would have long since become degenerate beyond repair. While they are no longer numerous, the numbers we have left are commanded by God to ensure the rest of the world does not fall prey to the forces of slavery and oppression.

Shabbat is the first part of the Covenant, Pesach established the second, you shall bring the foreigner into the fold.

The structure for both is named here in the Melachim, a King to handle the affairs of state, and a brother to lead the affairs of the Temple. Notice Ahab "the brother fathers", which is not always a good thing as it suggest political partying, demonstrates the ability to make progress in spite of his checkered past:

The king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

33 The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. “Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!” they said.

“Go and get him,” the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.

34 “I will return the cities my father took from your father,” Ben-Hadad offered. “You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”

Ahab said, “On the basis of a treaty I will set you free.” So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.

The Son of Thunder and the "popular vote" board a chariot, which symbolizes the pursuit of runaways, and together they agree the war is over, and the market place, the personal search for meaning in life shall now take place in Damascus, a state of advanced evolution known to take place after Shabbat, and the "night watch" Samaria referred to above in the passage will continue for ramboys who do not quite yet understand Shabbat.

There are different rules and spiritual disciplines on either side of Shabbat. They are to be perfectly understood by the King and also the Head of Temple.

The Gematria illustrates in the following:

The King answered ... has a value of 3257, גבה‎ז, gbaz, "curvature away from the insignificant." The marriage of society with its spiritual heritage always takes place when we wonder if our sacrifices are making us happy or not. If you ever seen a Jew positively agonize over eating a piece of ham you know what I'm talking about.

A common sense approach to the Exodus, which revealed God did not want the Israelites to be enslaved to people who think they were going to live forever, would suggest God did not then want them to be enmired in bizarre dietary restrictions.

Watch the transformation of the Kosher restriction against pork:

From Leviticus 11:7:

"And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you."

The Number is 6909, וט אֶפֶסט‎ ‎, and te apest, "And add the APEST".

The fivefold framework, or topology sometimes referred to as APEST consists of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd and Teacher.

="Don't eat a pig, feed him instead." Pigs don't graze, they kind of eat shit all day long, hence the need to avoid engaging in a low brow conversation with one. The only way to deal with a pig is to educate him or avoid him altogether, which is the same thing as gbaz, stated above.

v. 33: the Number is 8823, חחב‎ג, milk c. "milk is Chabad." It is the pursuit of the evidence based behaviors derived from the experimental method called Chabad that all Judaic accomplishment is born.

Chabad (“Ha-Bah-d”) is a Hebrew acronym for our three intellectual faculties of chochmah—wisdom, binah—comprehension and da’at—knowledge. It represents the movement’s system of Jewish philosophy which encourages intellectual apprehension and cognition as key to Jewish religious life.

Chabad returns the runaway mind back to the spheres of rational thought.

v. 34a, the Number is 9075, טאֶפֶסזה‎‎somewhat common in the Torah and Tanakh, tapesza, "to stop wandering, pay homage to the Passover."

v. 34b, the Number is 5371, הג‎ז‎א, the gaza, ‎"to use strength to bring others in refuge."

To this I reply, "you cat got to be kitten me!" which has a value of 1367, אגו‎ז‎ "a walnut", or ego•zey me•lech, "the kings nut", or "you are your own king."

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atchriststable-blog · 1 year

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"JUST AS HE SAID, BUT NOT AS WE THOUGHT" PART 6-G of “A Remnant Will Return"

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it produce and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:8-11

I would like to offer something I have learned from the Holy Spirit and the scriptures regarding how we understand and are to interpret the work of God: A little over 40 years ago, the Holy Spirit impressed on my heart and mind that what God is doing is always - just as He said, but not as we thought. That is, what God does will always be just as He has said with His words - the scriptures. And the same Spirit who inspired those words will affirm them in our spirits and hearts. But what God does will not be as our minds perceived it would be. This is always the case. Our understanding of the working of God’s Spirit is always imperfect – specifically, incomplete. We may have enough understanding to be led by the Spirit and obey “what the Spirit is saying to the Church”, but our understanding, at the time, will not be complete or perfect. Only after we enter into the experience[1], do we receive more fulness of understanding. This is because our understanding at any given point in time can only be based on our previous experience and understanding; and we can only gain more understanding through more experience and revelation. So, it is not that we don’t have any idea of what God is saying and doing, it is just that our perception is incomplete – or we’re “seeing in a mirror obscurely and knowing in part”[2] - until He brings us into the revelatory experience of what He has said. I have found the following passage of scripture very instructive in the work of God:

“Who is among you that fears the LORD, that obeys the voice of His Servant, that walks in darkness and has no light?”[3]

Here we have someone who “fears the Lord” and “obeys His voice”, YET doesn’t perfectly or completely see and understand what God is saying and doing.

“Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.”[4]

The counsel of the Lord in this situation is to trust and rely on God. Because -

“Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with firebrands, walk in the light of your fire and among the brands you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.”[5]

If when we don’t fully understand what God is saying and doing, and we impatiently “manufacture”, through our own efforts, an “Ishmael” – our own provision, instead of the Lord provision – we will have to “live with the consequences”, so to speak. And worse, we will have to settle once again for yet another “work of our hands” rather than an authentic kingdom expression of the Church Jesus is building. Our prayer should be:

So, with regards to what “The Remnant” looks like now - I think we can say that it will not look exactly like anything seen throughout Church history. Yet, the apostle Paul encouraged us that God “is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us.”[6] Paul also wrote: "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." Yet, “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”[7] Our prayer should be: “Let Your work appear to Your servants.” Psalm 90:16

So, what more has the Spirit revealed to us through the scriptures with regards to A People Prepared – and what they look like (now)?

~ TO BE CONTINUED ~

Bill and Frances Furioso www.AtChristsTable.org

FOOTNOTES:

[1] i.e. “After the glory passes by”, so to speak. Cf. Exodus 33:21-23.

[2] 1 Corinthians 13:12

[3] Isaiah 50:10a

[4] Isaiah 50:10b

[5] Isaiah 50:11

[6] Ephesians 3:20 AMP

[7] 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 ESV

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