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spencer-sweets · 7 months ago

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Marvel Fic Recs | Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier

so.. i never watched these movies as they came out.. seeing as the first was released 5 years before i was born. i also kind of had a strange loyalty to the mcu for most of my adolescence that made me not watch the fox films except deadpool. well, when i first took my baby steps into this side of the fandom after dp&w, i was introduced to this pairing. at first i saw the merits of it and shipped it tangentially. like i wasn't seeking out cherik fics but in my mind it may as well have been canon and i didn't put much thought into it. then the edits on tiktok indoctrinated me into watching the rest of the movies and now here we are.

[this rec list is incomplete and will be updated as I find more fics I enjoy - last update 4/7/25]

given back, but not to keep by etharei (LJ) Explicit 5,014 It starts one morning when, walking down a hallway during a lull between lessons, Erik comments casually to Charles, "Don't forget to train yourself too." Warning: mention of non-con fantasy

a fun and smutty exploration into charles' powers. i feel like there is often not enough credit given to how powerful he is, and often erik seems to treat charles' telepathy with disdain compared to other mutations - not in this fic! yummy telepathy sex ftw.

If This Isn't A Kingdom by Jeeps (Dreamwidth) Adult (Explicit) 7,105 [Charles teaches Erik to Dance]

a short and sweet smut fic.

Iolaus by clarasteam for Kalypso (ao3) Mature 9 465 He calls Erik my friend and the words resonate with a meaning only Charles can hear. There's a dangerous pleasure in it, that hidden meaning he longs to be able to share with Erik. Maybe one day, or one night, he'll find a way to tell him. But time is running out and he hasn't done it yet.

such an amazing fic for how short it is. this fic really touches of the homophobia of the mid-1900's in ways that i findbare often ignored in cherik fics. charles comes to terms with his feelings for erik during xmfc with his memories of his queer friend at oxford (who was in love with charles) it was beautifully written and is definitely worth the read - coming from someone who doesn't typically like oc's in fics.

The One About The Turtleneck by zamwessell (LJ) NC-17 (Explicit) 10,543 Charles decides to borrow one of Erik's turtlenecks. Things quickly get out of hand.

cute and fluffy and set at westchester during xmfc. i also really loved the interactions with the rest of the characters in this fic.

Been There, Done That by As You Wish (ao3) Mature 10,722 Erik Lehnsherr is stuck re-living the same day over and over again. A day that just so happens to be the day he and Charles Xavier took a handful of mutants to Cuba to stop a war.

i listened to this in PODFIC format, read by the marvelous Litra

so this is a time loop fic and one that takes the trope and makes it very useful. its a beach divorce time loop, but it does something i don't see often in these and makes it clear neither charles nor erik want what would be the best outcome. it's great and a fun take on the trope.

By my Side by MacandLacy (ao3) Teen+ 11,444 Erik comes back for Charles, three weeks after the events of Cuba.

so this ones on the shorter side of the fics i tend to enjoy and i would have wholeheartedly loved a hundred thousand more words of this. erik kidnaps charles from the hospital post-xmfc and helps to rehabilitate charles after his paralysis. it feels like a slow burn but rather than watching it in real time we are just watching a timelapse - glimpses over time as to how they come to trust each other again.

First Time For Everything by sunshineofthespotlessmind (FF.Net) Teen 14,000 When your life is a constant quest for revenge, you don't have time for the little things- so now, with the help of our favourite telepath, Erik discovers ice cream, among other things. Slash & totally fluffy, but I couldn't help it.

erik experiencing things for the first time while living at westchester during xmfc. its short and fluffy and was fun to read.

Another Way by glacis (ao3) Not Rated 14,863 Another way it might have gone, if Charles had found the right words, and Erik had listened.

if only charles and erik were a little bit more grey in their moralities - erik a little lighter and charles a little darker. a short glance into what it might have been like if only they could stay on the same side in xmfc.

Time to Grow by zarah5 (ao3) (Restricted) Mature 20,964 In which you'll find chess dates which aren't dates (or maybe Charles is wrong about that). -- Based on First Class, this turns (slightly) AU during the beach scene.

this one was really interesting. charles isn't paralyzed in this one (if that's an issue for you) but the story is set post-xmfc and is the two of them slowly reconnecting. it was really good and i really enjoyed the way the author let them grow as characters and their dynamic grow in ways that felt realistic.

write this number down (you can call it anytime) by pocky_slash (ao3) Teen 21,533 When Erik upsets his children, they have a habit of running away from home--and straight to Charles' school for cookies and consolation. Charles doesn't mind the visitors, but as they appear more and more frequently, he realizes that sooner or later, he and Erik are going to have to talk about what happened on the beach and what it means for their future and the future of Erik's children.

I'm not one for kidfics but i loved this fic so much. i love pietro and wanda in this and the way they always come crawling to their fun dad charles when erik upsets them.

it's like one of us woke up by kaydeefalls (ao3) 25 293 "You came here for me," Charles said, meeting Shaw's gaze levelly. "So let's not waste any more time." Canon!AU in which Charles and Erik do find Shaw in Russia.

this was an interesting exploration of a what if! for xmfc and it has some x men we didn't see in the movie in it

Five Nights In Nuremberg by FuryRed (ao3) Explicit 26,138 When Charles escapes from the mutant prison he has been held in for the last two years, he knows that he’s going to need help to avoid being recaptured. What he doesn’t expect is that help will come in the form of a mysterious German man who rescues Charles and takes him to his home; a handsome stranger who, frustratingly, doesn’t speak a single word of English…

so this was the first fic i ever read for this ship in its entirety, and it held me in a vice grip. i listened to it while camo grinding for cod multiplayer, and i was so enamored by this story i had to turn off my game because i kept dying.

if you have ever seen one of my fic recs before, you might be aware i don't typically like au fics. often, i find myself frustrated because i feel like if it's possible for me to change the names of the characters and a few aspects of the story around and see it published as its own work - it's not really a fanfic in my mind. at that point, it's original fiction that takes inspiration from a character or dynamic from another piece of media. which is fine!! no shade to those who like it but when i'm in the mood for fanfiction, i want to explore these characters and the world they live in more vividly than the source material and if i wanted an original story i'd go to the library.

yeah, so this is an exception. every once in a while, i stumble across an au that explores the world and characters so well that it overrides that rule. it's rare, but it happens, and this is one of them. i love it. this fic awakened something deep within me and held me hostage until it was over. dear god, this fic was hot, and it was such a beautiful exploration into their dynamic in a world adjacent to the x men. marvelous. this fic has earned a spot alongside some 300,000 word fanfictions in my top 10 greatest fanfictions of all time

Lucid Dreaming by listerinezero (ao3) Mature 28 537 Magneto finds himself in 1962, on the morning they go to Cuba, in the bed of the young Charles who'd spent months letting him think they were in love before breaking his heart. But he is not the same man he was forty years earlier, and as he gets to know young Charles again, he discovers that things might not have been exactly the way he remembered them after all.

this is on pretty much everyones rec lists and its for good reason. theres another fic thats highly recomended in this fandom where charles travels back in time that i personally didn't enjoy but i loved this one. flops between the perspectives of both versions of erik as he encounters a world that could have been his own.

Blood and Steel and Miles Between by dreamlittleyo (ao3) Explicit 29 464 (Post-movie AU.) On a beach in Cuba, Charles manages to talk Erik down from the edge. But even after the missiles have been diverted, compromise is impossible. There are two different futures to build, and Erik and Charles will always be separated by their principles. But when Charles is kidnapped and the X-Men can't find him, Erik will get him back no matter the consequences. Meanwhile, trapped alone in his mind for the first time in his life, Charles comes face to face with the truth about what and who he wants. When convictions stand in direct opposition to the heart, which will prevail?

ugh this one is bittersweet to me. protective!erik my heart. they both clearly love each other so much but neither can compromise their trust or their ideals.

Shout it Out Loud by dreamlittleyo (ao3) Explicit 30,403 (Movie-Concurrent AU.) When Charles forges a telepathic link between himself and Erik, the two men find themselves bound together by more than just destiny. With the world on the brink of war, Charles and Erik struggle to cope with a psychic connection that may well be permanent.

so this is essentially xmfc retold with the addition of charles and erik having a telepathic bond. charles feels guilty about it and erik is more resigned to it.

What the Future brings by Nera_Solani (ao3) Mature 30,442 If you could change the future, would you do it? If you knew something was about to go wrong, would you try to prevent it? If you could change anything you wanted, would you fix things, or make them worse? If you could see every possible future, which one would you choose and would you be brave enough to make the required changes? Time is a fragile concept, you never know what a tiny change can lead to, but if you could see it all, if you knew exactly what needed to happen or not to get a certain outcome, what would you do? There’s one mutant, only one, who can do exactly that and she already knows what needs to be changed. For the greater good and for the good of two stubborn men who don’t even know she exists. Yet. Or: The one in which Erik keeps dreaming about Cuba until it actually happens

an interesting take on the timeloop genre - a mutant with the ability to see all possible futures visits erik in his dreams to let him play out the events of cuba over and over until it happens. compared to Been There Done That, this one felt a lot softer and fluffier. It has its sad moments but overall its a sweet story. felt slightly ooc at times but i didn't mind.

If You Loved Me by frau_kali, spaceAltie (ao3) Mature 32,535 Canon divergent AU set before DoFP. Having escaped from prison, Erik returns to the mansion to find Charles at his lowest point, and is confronted with the guilt of what his actions in Cuba did to his friend, and the contempt he feels at Charles for giving up as much as he has.

this fic felt very realistic as to how they might feel between xmfc and dofp - this one has a very bittersweet ending but honestly it made sense given how little they were willing to compromise. felt very in character especially with how erik felt about charles throughout the story and his urge to help him get sober from the serum.

For I Mean to Conquer Troy by twelve_pastels (ao3) Mature 34,570 Set one year post movie, Charles overloads himself in Cerebro, and his mind goes walkabout; wherever he is (and he’s around), it’s not in his body. Erik temporarily takes over the school in his absence, and finds that there’s little time for resentment or hatred when he’s busy organizing assigned reading for English lit, keeping the youngest children out of trouble, and trying to talk Raven into wearing clothing for the boys’ sake. Somewhere in between taking responsibility for the students and dreaming Charles’ dreams every night, he manages to remember that he’s something rather more than a weapon. In other words: A Love Story between two Gentlemen, told in Prose, Epistles, and Nonsense Rhymes.

so this fic doesn't have a whole lot of charles in it considering he's kind of in a coma the whole time. but erik gets to run the school and becomes attached to the students, plus his free time and his ability to see charles' nightmares leads him to realize how much he loves charles and how much he wants to stay at the school.

Arms I'd Never Use by alby_mangroves, anselm0 (ao3) Explicit 35,759 “We’re both disasters,” Erik states quietly. “In all likelihood, this will end in disaster.” “You love me,” Charles says simply, “as much as I love you. That has to count for something.” It doesn't end on the beach in Cuba, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy as Erik tries to repair his relationship with Charles.

this one was great! an xmfc fix it fic where erik stays after cuba. it also has phenomenal art attached throughout the story.

When an Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Optimist by ToriTC198 (ao3) Teen+ 53,323 "You are always trying to save me, Charles." Erik mused aloud. "Ever since you dove into the ocean and dragged me out. Did it ever occur to you that I might not be worth saving?" A genuine smile broke out on Charles' face as he brightly answered, "No, my friend, not once. I have every confidence you are well worth saving. But, I never truly believed I could save you. You are not the sort of man who someone saves. The choice to be a better man has always been yours to make and I hold no illusions that I can make that decision for you. I simply have faith that one day you will save yourself. I only hope I am still at your side to witness it." - What if Erik and Charles had been able to find a middle ground in the end?

a retelling of xmfc that expands on charles and eriks relationship througout the story and how it may have changed what happened in cuba.

lay down beside me (so still and so soft) by TakePenAndInk (a03) (Restricted) Mature 53,534 A different take on the events of the film.

so i was initially hesitant to read this because of the vague description but i wound up really enjoying it. this really focused on erik's trauma prior to xmfc. its also very explicit in its sex scenes - with erik not wanting charles to see his scars. its an interesting exploration of eriks character and what he hides - and it has a happier ending than the movie.

Holiday Fic by luninosity (ao3) 73 820 [reccer's description] a series of holiday oriented oneshots. some are connected but most aren't.

gorgeous as always from the lovely luninosity. honestly check out every cherik fic they've written.

Thou Shalt Not Eat Stones by valancysnaith (ao3) Not Rated (Mature) 77,422 Two months after Washington, Raven found Erik in a skeevy motel off the Florida interstate. “They have Charles, Erik,” she said. The bedframe shrieked. In the bathroom, the showerhead snapped in half and clattered into the tub.

ooof. this one made me have a bit of a crisis. so sometimes when i read fanfic and there's a lot of whump of an existential or philosophical nature i wind up going "if i were _ i'd just kms".

well, if i were charles i'd just kms.

anyways, great whump and comfort that doesn't compromise the integrity of their characters and gives them a deeply nuanced and three-dimensional feel. technically, dark!charles but more so an exploration into/an interpretation of his motives for pacifism and the extent of his powers.

Survival Instinct by Lindstrom (ao3) (restricted) Mature 115 714 It’s been months since Charles pulled Erik out of the ocean, and Erik is beginning to wonder how many more times he can choose Charles, and still keep his vow to kill Shaw. Cooperating with the CIA is straining Erik’s patience. When a fact-gathering mission goes wrong and Charles is kidnapped, Erik is left trying to hold their mutant band together while Raven and the rest of them fall apart. No one can foresee how the mutant Charles meets in captivity will challenge all his assumptions about his own power, and twist Charles’ telepathy out of his control. In the race to stop Shaw's nuclear ambitions from coming to fruition, Charles makes a crucial misstep. Erik’s decision between Shaw and Charles takes on unexpected ramifications when [spoiler deleted]. **Author saw XMFC for the first time last summer (2018) (yeah, I know), so this is the fix-it fic that should have been posted in 2012 with all the rest of them. Mmm, oh well.**

loved charles in this and his mutant friend. loved the dynamic between them. also erik was great in this fic. lovely read.

Through the Barricades, Cross the Lines, Dance Upon the Streets by starandrea (ao3) Mature 118,141 Erik and Charles learned to live without each other once. It's harder the second time--so before they even discuss it, they've decided not to try. (Erik accidentally moves into the mansion without anyone but Charles noticing for days. He may be the first to return, but he won't be the last.) Erik spent nine years in a prison without metal. Charles spent three years cut off from any thoughts but his own. As they recover their powers, they try to rekindle their relationship, but the world won’t wait for them to catch up. (The government is entirely too interested in Charles even before the X institute officially reopens. Charles and Erik spend a lot of time talking about their feelings while Hank runs the school.) Charles may be a visionary, and Erik is a force of nature, but their plans are alarmingly short-sighted and their organizational skills are nonexistent. It’s up to the teachers at Xavier’s to keep Icarus aloft, or they’re all going to have a hell of a view for the end of the world.

so omg. these are three fics that are a part of a 4 part series. i'll admit i haven't read the last one but only because i have a feeling its set in the same world but there is a time skip unlike the other three so i haven't found the motivation for finishing it. however, i can attest to the greatness of the first three. it has pretty much everything i like in it - fictional politics, erik and charles learning to compromise, post-dofp. there are so many side characters in this and even if they aren't perfectly fleshed out they are always great. ugh so good. this shit is my bread and butter of fics.

its set dofp and it really does give credence to the level of power charles holds. this author's writing style is great for this, the dialogue, the writing for scenes really does convey what the characters are feeling. sometimes its messy and there are a lot of set-backs within the story but honestly its worth the read if not just for how well crafted it all is. if "by my side" felt like glimpses into them growing together like a timelapse this felt damn close to real time.

All Along the Watchtower, Education or Why Cerebro was Built by Hippies by NezumiPi (FF.Net) Teen+ (I would rate it Explicit) 133,595 A series of vignettes expanding the story of the First Class movie, largely exploring Charles' attempt to "help" Erik. A sequel to All Along the Watchtower beginning 4 months after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Can you fight a war and build a school at the same time? Charles and Erik struggle with compromise, practicality, and drug enforcement policies.

don't let the author's descriptions of these fics turn you off - i thoroughly enjoyed reading both. the first is a retelling of xmfc with some added scenes but i think they do a marvelous job at making the world feel real. it explores the perspectives of some of the other characters from xmfc like sean, hank, and alex as well. the author did an amazing job of making erik feel like a deeply traumatized man and charles a complex character. the sequel continues this. the author did a lot of work in writing this fic outside of putting words down - its clear they did a lot of research on the holocaust, paralysis, and social issues of the 1960's. ive seen some criticize that these fics kind of jump and have some flimsiness in their plot and pacing but i thought it made the fics feel very real. to me it makes perfect sense to explore side stories that may not have an overwhelming importance on the plot because in real life the world doesn't wait for plot progression. it was an amazing read.

Rumor Has It by blueink3 (ao3) Mature 166,073 "Did I hear the doorbell earlier?" "Yeah, but I'd steer clear if I were you. It seemed a little tense. I don't know what's going on, but there's a kid out there who looks freakily like the prof." Nearly six months after Cuba, Charles' life is turned upside down for the second time. Though he's slowly learning to adapt to the first, he's not sure he can handle the second. Luckily for him, there are a few people out there more than willing to help.

i initially passed this one aside because im not typically fond of kidfics. i actually really enjoyed this one. the dynamic between charles and erik is very interesting in this fic and feels very true to there characters. it also honed in on the idea that the first class are erik and charles' kids very well in ways i havent really seen explored. sometimes things happen for the sake of drama but i really loved every minute of it. the relationships in this fic are so well done and really made me love the rest of the cast of characters.

Dark Flowers (by Niphrehdil) by AliceAngel (ao3) (Restricted) Teen+ (I would rate it Mature or Explicit) 183,423 When Charles is captured by a secret organization and used as a weapon for searching and destroying other mutants, Erik has to go after and save him. Erik keeps telling himself he does it only for the mutant kind. At least until he finds Charles.

this fic is rather dark. fair warning there. but, if you can look past some of the glaring grammatical issues - this is one of the best pieces of fiction i've found in a while. it was dark and it made me feel sick to my stomach at some times but there was a lot of comfort to balance out the hurt. it felt insanely in character and it felt like a very well thought out dynamic between charles and erik and it feels very believable. if you like side characters or really fun stories this isn't for you but its an amazing story, it made me feel viscerally sick at times, cry, laugh out loud - the writing is wonderful and beautifully conveys erik's feelings.

originally posted: 12/3/24

#fic rec #erik lehnsherr/charles xavier #cherik #charles xavier #erik lehnsherr #x men #cherik fic rec #marvel

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aller-geez · 5 months ago

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Snow Daze (part 2)

Written and illustrated by: allergeez

If you missed it, part 1 can be read here~

Even though no one read part 1, I’m extremely invested in this fic and couldn’t help but post part 2 today anyway 😅 this part is a lil angsty but Vaelyn and Rexar snz, Kriia and Kalypso will join in on the next part~ contagion, Kalypso being rude to Vee, cold denial, another 6k words~ hopefully people enjoy this part more than part 1 😅 @thekinkyleopard owns Kalypso 🖤

The soft glow of the television flickered over the cabin’s dimly lit walls, casting elongated shadows that stretched and swayed with the lazy movement of the flames in the fireplace. The hum of the antique appraisal show filled the silence, low and droning, its narrators murmuring about craftsmanship and historical significance, but neither Vaelyn nor Kalypso were paying attention anymore.

At first, Kalypso had turned the show on just to drown him out—to smother the sound of his incessant sniffling, the breathy, hitching build-ups that never failed to end in another violent sneeze against the sleeve of his hoodie. But at some point, without even realizing it, she’d started getting sucked into the absurdity of it all. The way the appraisers tried to sell the ugliest vases as priceless artifacts. The way Vaelyn, between sneezes, would mumble his own guesses at the values with increasing exasperation.

Now, the sharp edges between them had dulled, smoothed over by exhaustion and the strange, reluctant camaraderie that came with being stuck in the same miserable situation. Kalypso should have been annoyed—wanted to be annoyed—but Vaelyn, flushed with fever and progressively melting into her side, made it difficult to summon the usual bite. His body radiated unnatural heat against her own, the weight of him solid and heavy, pressing into her like he was past the point of caring about personal space. She could feel the shivery, uneven rhythm of his breathing, stuffed-up and damp, rattling faintly with congestion.

Every few moments, he sniffled thickly and scrubbed at his nose with his sleeve, but the relief was fleeting at best. His expression would slacken, mouth parting just slightly, his breath hitching in a way that sent a small, anticipatory shiver down his spine. His lashes fluttered against flushed cheekbones, brows pinching together, and then—without fail—he’d dissolve into another desperate, breathless fit.

“Hh’ISCHHh! EISHhh! H’ISHHhh! —ish! shh! —sh! ……………… hh—huhhh—hh’EEIISSHHhh’uhh!”

Each sneeze jolted him, but he barely had the energy to fight them anymore. Kalypso sighed, not even flinching as he collapsed back against her with a soft, exhausted groan. She muttered something about him being a mess, but it lacked her usual bite.

The room had grown warmer, the tension that always bristled between them melting away like the snow outside. It was easy to forget, in the dim glow of the television, that they weren’t the only two in this stupid ski lodge. That in mere minutes, they’d have to get up, clean themselves up, and drag themselves downstairs for dinner.

The thought made Kalypso grimace.

Vaelyn, seemingly reading her mind, sniffled and cracked open one bleary, bloodshot eye. “Dinnerrr…” he groaned, drawing the word out miserably. “Fuggkigg hell.”

Kalypso huffed, shoving his head off her shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. Come on, drama queen.”

As she stood and stretched, the cold air that rushed in from the window sent a fresh shiver down her spine. The cozy, fever-warmed bubble of the couch was gone, and reality was creeping back in.

Vaelyn groaned again, rubbing his eyes before slowly peeling himself off the cushions. “Gibbie a sec…” He sniffled thickly and let his head tip back against the couch, breath hitching once—twice—before he pitched forward with a final, helpless, “Hh’ISCHHh!!”

Kalypso just shook her head, watching as he wiped at his nose and let out a defeated sigh.

Vaelyn barely made it to his feet before the congestion hit him like a freight train. The shift in position sent a fresh wave of pressure crashing through his skull, the throbbing behind his sinuses intensifying until it felt like his face was being squeezed in a vice. His breath shuddered, the heavy, sticky weight of congestion clinging to every inhale. He tried to sniffle, but it was useless—his nose was hopelessly blocked, the thick pressure refusing to budge no matter how hard he tried.

Kalypso had already turned her attention back to the television, half-listening to some antique appraiser drone on about an 18th-century chair, when Vaelyn’s chest expanded with a sharp, erratic hitch. His nostrils flared slightly, the irritated skin around them twitching as the relentless tickle coiled deep in his sinuses, teasing him with its persistence. His breath caught again—“Hh’ihhh… ehh’ihh… hhh!”—before he pitched violently forward.

“hh’ISCHh’ih! hh’TSSCHhh’uh! hh’ISHHh!—ishh!—shh!—shh!—” His sneezes tumbled out in breathless succession, his lanky frame convulsing with each one as though they were physically shaking the air from his lungs. His head snapped forward helplessly with every rapid-fire expulsion, his exhausted body barely keeping up with the onslaught. By the time his lungs emptied completely, forcing a deep, gasping inhale, he could already feel the final sneeze barreling toward him with cruel inevitability—

“hhH’EEIISSHHhh’uhh!!”

The last one ripped through him with enough force to nearly knock him back down onto the couch. He barely caught himself on the armrest, blinking dazedly as his vision swam, the world around him flickering in and out of focus. His sinuses pulsed with oversensitivity, leaving him sniffling uselessly against the back of his wrist, his breath still shuddering with the aftermath.

Kalypso groaned loudly, turning up the volume on the television. “Oh my God, Vaelyn. Just go to bed.”

He sniffled, thick and wet, scrubbing at his nose with his sleeve as he slumped further against the couch. “Didd’t you just—hhuhh—tell me to—hhH’ESSHHh’ihh!—get ub for didder?”

Kalypso gave him a deadpan look. “Yeah, well, now I’ve changed my mind. I’m not about to sit next to that all night.”

Vaelyn, ever the stubborn bastard, flopped bonelessly onto the couch with an exaggerated groan, tucking himself deeper into the warmth of his hoodie. “Too bad,” he muttered, voice thick and wrecked with congestion. “You’re stuck with me.”

Kalypso rolled her eyes, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she grabbed the remote and flicked through the channels until she landed on something mind-numbing. “Fine. But if you sneeze on me, I’m smothering you in your sleep.”

Vaelyn’s lips twitched, his red-rimmed eyes fluttering half-shut as another tickle ghosted through his sinuses, leaving him sniffling weakly against the fabric of his sleeve. “Y’better hope I don’t, then.”

And, just to be an ass, he turned toward her the second another fit overtook him.

“Hh—hh’ISSHHhh’ihh! hh’TSSHHhh’uehh! hh’ISCHh’ih!—ishh!—shh!—shh!—hhH’EEIISSHHhh’uhh!!”

Kalypso shrieked in disgust. “VAELYN!”

The moment of peace was over. It was time to rejoin the world outside their little cocoon of misery.

As night fell, the ski lodge transformed into a winter wonderland, its twinkling lights and cozy atmosphere making it the perfect setting for their fancy dinner reservations. Unfortunately for Vaelyn, paradise felt more like purgatory.

By the time they reached the lodge’s upscale restaurant, he was running on fumes. His sinuses waged a relentless war, every breath thick and labored as he dabbed at his raw, chapped nose with a crumpled tissue. His normally vibrant blue eyes were bloodshot and rimmed with exhaustion, and his disheveled hair hung limply around his pale face.

The restaurant itself was a picture of opulence: rich mahogany tables, crystal chandeliers casting a warm golden glow, and an orchestra softly playing classical music in the corner. Vaelyn, however, could barely focus on anything beyond the relentless itch in his nose.

“Hhh-hhh—ESHHhh! Hhh’IESHHH! Hhh’uhhh… hh’EEISSHHHhhuh!” Vaelyn snapped forward violently, sneezing into the crook of his arm as they waited to be seated. His shoulders trembled with the force, and he sniffled miserably, his nose twitching with the promise of more.

Rexar, ever the opportunist, leaned over with a grin. “Man, Vee, you’re like a ticking time bomb. Can’t decide if it’s allergies or a biological weapon.”

Kriia elbowed him sharply in the ribs. “Rexar, leave him alone,” she hissed, though her lips twitched with barely suppressed amusement.

Vaelyn groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off the next inevitable fit. “Cad you dot?” he rasped, his voice hoarse from strain.

As they were led to their table, Kalypso trailed behind, muttering under her breath. “I’m gonna get sick just sitting near him. Great, such a romantic trip.”

The comment wasn’t lost on Vaelyn, but he bit his tongue, his fists clenching as he tried to focus on anything but the growing tension.

The food was exquisite—or so Kriia and Rexar claimed. Vaelyn could barely taste anything, his sense of smell obliterated by the congestion clogging his sinuses. He poked at his meal, his appetite nonexistent, while Rexar launched into another round of teasing.

“So, Vee,” Rexar began, swirling his glass of red wine. “What’s the over-under on you sneezing during the couples massage tonight? Gotta warn the poor masseuse to wear a poncho?”

Kriia smacked his arm, but even she couldn’t hide her smirk. “Rex, stop,” she chided, though her tone was lighter this time. “He’s miserable enough without you making it worse.”

Vaelyn’s jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his fork, the metal trembling faintly under the strain. The relentless pressure behind his eyes throbbed in rhythm with the constant buzz of irritation crawling up his nerves. His bloodshot eyes narrowed, and he exhaled sharply through flared nostrils as another insidious tickle flared to life deep in his sinuses.

He turned his head away, his shoulders stiff as though bracing for the inevitable. His mouth hung open slightly, his lips quivering with each shallow, ragged breath as the sensation teased him mercilessly. His eyebrows knit together in irritation, the faint slivers of his blue eyes visible beneath heavy lids darting upward as if seeking an escape.

The tickle toyed with him, dragging him to the very edge of release before retreating again, leaving him suspended in torturous limbo. A faint, airy hitch escaped his lips—“hhihh… hehhh…”—a sound so faint it was nearly lost beneath the clatter of silverware and muffled conversation around the table. But no sneeze came.

His chest expanded as his breath hitched again, more desperate this time, yet still the irritation refused to resolve. “Hhhh…hhihhh…ehhh…!” The false starts mocked him, each one building his anticipation only to drop it with a cruel abruptness. He slumped back into his chair with a muted groan of frustration, his thin frame folding slightly as he rubbed furiously at his nose with the heel of his palm, his movements rough and frantic.

“Ugh, fuck this,” he muttered, his voice thick with congestion and simmering frustration as he abandoned his fork to grip the edge of the table. His other hand hovered uncertainly near his nose, ready to react to the next wave of irritation should it strike.

“Bless you in advance,” Rexar quipped dryly from across the table, his own sharp gaze flicking between Vaelyn’s twitching nose and his flushed cheeks. He sniffled discreetly into the back of his wrist, masking the faint crackle in his voice with a light cough.

Vaelyn’s glare was ice cold, though the glistening redness of his nose softened the effect. “Dot helpig, Rex,” he rasped, voice strained and hoarse as he snatched a napkin from the table and scrubbed at his face, his movements growing more agitated.

Kriia’s gaze softened as she watched Vaelyn battle with himself, her brows knitting in concern. “Vee, maybe take a minute?” she suggested gently, though her words barely registered over his persistent sniffling.

Vaelyn waved her off with a dismissive gesture, his hand fluttering weakly before dropping back to his lap. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes narrowing as though sheer willpower could banish the relentless itch. For a moment, the table fell silent, the weight of his mounting irritation pressing against the room like a storm about to break.

The warm lighting of the restaurant seemed to intensify the itch crawling through his nostrils, and every soft murmur of conversation around them felt like nails scraping against his already frayed nerves.

Across the table, Rexar was unusually fidgety, clearing his throat every few minutes and subtly swiping at his nose with the back of his hand. His grey-and-red eyes occasionally darted toward Vaelyn, narrowing as he sniffled quietly and then reached for his water glass.

“You good there, Rex?” Kriia asked, raising an eyebrow as she leaned toward him.

“Fine,” he muttered gruffly, dabbing at his nose with his napkin before adding under his breath, “Just dry air or something.”

Vaelyn wasn’t buying it, and from the faint smirk playing on Kriia’s lips, neither was she. Still, Rexar’s persistent throat-clearing grated on Vaelyn’s nerves, the sound cutting through his pounding headache like a serrated blade.

“Ugh, hadg od —godda sdeeze,” Vaelyn rasped suddenly, his voice tight with urgency as he raised a trembling hand to his face. His breath hitched wildly, his chest rising and falling in sharp bursts.

“Eishh!-ishh!-ish!-shh! …hehHH! -EEISSHHuh!”

The rapid-fire sneezes wracked Vaelyn’s frame, each one hitting with relentless force, until the final, desperate explosion left him gasping for air. His lanky form sagged forward as he pressed a crumpled tissue to his raw, swollen nose. The faintest sniffle escaped him, a wet, miserable sound as he tried—and failed—to compose himself.

“Bless you,” Kriia murmured, her voice low and steady. There was warmth in her tone, though it was laced with a shadow of quiet amusement. Her deep purple eyes flicked over him, assessing his fragile state.

Across the table, Rexar leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he eyed Vaelyn with an amused but exasperated smirk. His red-and-grey eyes, usually sharp with mischief, looked a little more tired than usual. “Man, you sound rough,” he commented, his voice raspier than normal as he sniffled and swiped at his nose. “And great—bet you got me sick too, thanks for that.”

Vaelyn shot him a half-hearted glare, his reddened nose twitching as he struggled against yet another sneeze. The dark circles under his eyes only made him look more miserable. “I’b dot sick,” he argued hoarsely, though the congestion made it anything but convincing. “It’s allergies. I told you.”

Kalypso let out a sharp, frustrated sigh and set her fork down with a clatter. “Oh, come on, Vaelyn,” she groaned, fixing him with an unimpressed stare. “You’ve been sneezing non-stop since we got here. Just admit it already. You’re sick, and it’s disgusting.”

The words hit like a slap, the disdain dripping from her tone carving deep grooves in the fragile balance of the room. Vaelyn froze, his breath hitching faintly as another sneeze loomed, but the glare he leveled at her was sharp enough to cut through steel. For a moment, the air between them seemed to vibrate with unsaid words, the restaurant’s cozy ambiance growing colder with every passing second.

Across the table, Kalypso rolled her eye dramatically. “So are you seriously going to keep doing that all night?” she snapped, her tone sharp enough to cut through the restaurant’s soft murmur.

“I cad’t exactly—hh—hehh… stop it,” Vaelyn rasped, his words faltering as his breath hitched once, twice—but instead of surrendering to it, he pinched the bridge of his nose roughly, swallowing the urge with a miserable shudder. His ribs protested the motion, his entire body trembling with the effort of resisting what he knew was inevitable. He just wanted to get through one meal without being the punchline to every joke.

“God, Vee, you’re so annoying,” she snapped. “You’re sneezing all over the place like a damn plague rat when we’re supposed to be RELAXING. Can’t you just go to the room and quarantine yourself or something?”

Rexar chuckled under his breath, unable to resist adding fuel to the fire. “Kal’s got a point, man. You’ve been sneezing nonstop since we got here. Maybe it’s time to wave the white flag.”

“Rex,” Kriia said sharply, nudging him with her elbow. “Don’t start.”

But it was too late. Vaelyn’s patience—already worn dangerously thin by the constant pressure in his head and the raw ache in his throat—snapped like a frayed string. He slammed his napkin down onto the table, his bloodshot eyes blazing with fury as he turned to Kalypso.

“You wanna talk about disgusting, Kal?” he growled, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and exhaustion. “How about the fact that you cad’t go five goddamn secodds without beig a complete bitch to everyone aroudd you? Or that you’d rather be a petty, self-centered ass thad show a shred of empathy?”

The entire restaurant went silent. Diners turned in their seats, their wide eyes darting between Vaelyn and Kalypso as if they were witnessing a car crash in slow motion.

Kalypso’s jaw dropped, her single emerald eye blazing with fury. “Excuse me?” she hissed, rising halfway out of her seat. “You don’t get to talk to me like that, you—”

Vaelyn didn’t let her finish. He stood abruptly, his lanky frame swaying slightly as he leaned against the table for balance. His breath hitched again, and he barely managed to lift his wrist to his face before another fit overtook him.

“Eishh! Ishh! Ishhh!-shh!-shhh! …hehhHH! -EEISSHHuhh!”

The sneezes left him trembling, and his pale cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger as he stumbled away from the table. He didn’t look back, his damp, congested sniffles trailing behind him as he stormed toward the exit.

The soft murmur of shocked whispers followed him out the door, and Kriia sighed heavily, rubbing her temples. “Rex, Kal… you two really need to learn when to back off,” she said, her voice sharp but tinged with disappointment.

Rexar raised his hands defensively, though his smirk had finally faded. “Hey, don’t lump me in with her. I wasn’t the one calling him a plague rat.”

Kalypso scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh, please. He’s just being dramatic. He’ll get over it.”

Kriia’s glare could have melted steel. “If he doesn’t come back, you’re the one kissing his ass tomorrow when he’s in his feelings.”

Kalypso didn’t reply, her expression unreadable as she sank back into her seat.

The cold night air cut through Vaelyn like a blade, sharp and unforgiving against his fevered skin. The heat from his body clashed violently with the icy wind, leaving him shivering even beneath his thick hoodie. Every breath was heavy, uneven—his lungs felt tight, and his raw throat burned with each inhale. His sinuses throbbed relentlessly, swollen and clogged beyond reason, and the thick congestion in his chest made every step feel heavier than the last.

His breath hitched suddenly, his body lurching forward as another brutal fit seized him.

“Hhh-hhh—EISHHhh! Ishhh! Ishh! …hhehh—hh’EEISSHHHuhhh!”

His entire frame trembled with the force of it, knees nearly buckling as he barely managed to brace himself against the hallway wall. A damp sniffle followed, weak and miserable, as he pressed his sleeve to his face, trying to regain control over the relentless tickle tormenting his sinuses. But the pressure in his head only worsened, his body drained beyond measure.

By the time he reached the suite, every ounce of his energy had been wrung out of him like a rag. He fumbled with the door handle before finally shoving it open, stepping inside with all the grace of a man on his last legs. The warmth of the room was suffocating after the bitter cold outside, making his skin prickle with heat as his fever battled against the drastic temperature shift.

His head pounded with a deep, relentless ache, pain pressing in from every angle—the bridge of his nose, his temples, his sinuses, all of it a dull, throbbing reminder of how absolutely wrecked he felt. His body moved on instinct, gravitating toward the bed as if it were the only thing anchoring him to reality. The moment his knees hit the mattress, he collapsed face-first into the pillows, letting out a muffled groan that was half frustration, half exhausted defeat.

“Stupid… god damn trip,” he muttered hoarsely, his voice so thick with congestion that he barely recognized it. He turned his face slightly, wincing as the movement sent sharp pangs through his sinuses. “Stupid… fucking… Kal.”

His jaw clenched at her name.

That was what was really eating at him.

Not the fever. Not the sneezing. Not even the sheer misery of feeling like a walking contagion.

No, it was her. The way she’d flipped on him like a switch—gone from being playful, teasing, dare he say almost nice to treating him like he was nothing more than an irritating burden. It had been so jarring, so sudden.

He’d felt something shift between them earlier. For once, she hadn’t been criticizing him or rolling her eyes at his existence. There was something different in the way she leaned into him, the way her voice softened, the way she had let herself be there with him instead of against him.

And then dinner happened.

And just like that, she was back to being Kalypso.

Cold. Dismissive. Like she hadn’t just spent an entire evening laughing with him. Like she hadn’t just been smirking at his dumbass commentary over Antique Roadshow, bumping her knee against his like it meant nothing.

Vaelyn exhaled sharply through his nose, instantly regretting it when the congestion made an awful, gurgling noise in the back of his throat. He groaned in frustration, scrubbing a hand down his face before rolling onto his back, staring at the ceiling with tired, bloodshot eyes.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew better than to fall asleep before her. If he passed out first, she’d have free rein to fuck with him in his dreams, and he refused to give her that satisfaction.

Instead, he reached for his notebook, dragging it toward him as he sat up against the headboard. His limbs felt heavy, his entire body aching in protest, but he needed something to distract him from the gnawing feeling in his gut.

Maybe he could at least try to write something. Channel this irritation, this disappointment, into something productive.

He grabbed a pen and stared at the blank page, tapping the pen against the paper as he tried to form something coherent out of the mess in his head.

Nothing came.

He sighed, pressing the pen to the page anyway.

"Allergic to you, allergic to love—"

Vaelyn immediately scowled, crossing it out aggressively. Jesus fucking Christ, that was awful.

He tapped the pen against the notebook again, staring at the ceiling as he tried another angle.

"You’re a bitch, but I can’t help but—"

Nope. Terrible. He scratched that out, too.

Another attempt.

"Heart’s a fever, burning up in my chest—"

Okay, not the worst thing he’d ever written, but still painfully on the nose. He let his head drop back against the headboard, groaning. He felt gross. Not just physically, but emotionally, which was infinitely worse.

God, this was pathetic. He was sitting here, fevered and miserable, trying to write a fucking song about Kalypso, of all people.

Vaelyn pinched the bridge of his nose, his breath hitching sharply as the congestion shifted in the worst way possible. He barely had time to get his arm up before another harsh, rapid-fire fit seized him.

“Hhhihh’ISHHh! Eishh! Ishhh!—ishh’ihh!—shh! …hehhHH! -EEIISSHHuhh!”

The final sneeze left him absolutely wrecked, his chest caving with the force of it as he slumped forward, breathless and dazed. His sinuses pulsed angrily, his body trembling slightly from the sheer effort of existing.

Yeah. Fuck this.

He tossed the notebook onto the nightstand with a defeated sigh and sank deeper into the pillows, rubbing at his burning eyes.

Maybe he should just let himself be pissed off. Maybe he deserved to be pissed off. Maybe Kalypso did get under his skin more than he’d ever let himself admit.

But even as he let himself stew in frustration, he knew that if she walked in right now, teasing smirk on her lips, some part of him would still be stupid enough to lean into it.

A heavy silence settled over the table in the wake of Vaelyn’s dramatic exit, the weight of his words still lingering like an uninvited guest. Kriia let out a slow breath, spearing the last bite of her meal with noticeably less enthusiasm than before. Across from her, Rexar poked at his half-eaten steak, his usual smirk dulled into something unreadable.

Kalypso, on the other hand, merely rolled her eye and returned to her plate, though her usual biting remarks had dried up. Even she seemed to recognize that anything she said now would only add fuel to the already raging fire that was Vaelyn’s temper. Instead, she focused on finishing her food, stabbing her fork into a roasted potato with perhaps more aggression than necessary.

The rest of the restaurant hadn’t resumed its usual hum of conversation. Whispers drifted from nearby tables, eyes still flicking toward them like they were the live entertainment for the night. Kriia could hear snippets—words like plague rat, melodramatic, honeymoon disaster—all murmured behind hands and wine glasses.

With a sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose before finally breaking the tense silence between them. “Well. That was fun.”

Rexar huffed a quiet chuckle, though it lacked his usual amusement. “Yeah. Nothing like publicly humiliating one of your best friends to really set the mood, huh?” His tone was light, but the way he avoided meeting Kriia’s gaze told her he wasn’t entirely joking.

Kalypso, still feigning indifference, scoffed. “Please. He’ll get over it. He always does.” She chewed the inside of her cheek, eye flicking toward the door Vaelyn had disappeared through.

Kriia’s gaze sharpened. “That’s not the point, Kal.”

Kalypso exhaled sharply through her nose, pushing her plate away with a slight grimace. “Whatever,” she muttered, shifting uncomfortably under Kriia’s stare.

No one had much to say after that. The rest of the meal was eaten in awkward silence, interrupted only by the occasional clink of silverware against ceramic and the hushed murmurs of the still-curious restaurant patrons.

When they finally finished, the three stood from the table in unspoken agreement, each suddenly eager to escape the heavy atmosphere.

“Well,” Kalypso started, smoothing down her jacket, “I, for one, am so done with this night. I’m gonna go get ready for my massage—something that, unlike this meal, I might actually enjoy.”

Rexar huffed, reaching up to rub his nose, his usually sharp red-and-grey eyes squinting slightly. “Yeah, let’s—hh'ieXSHHH!!”

The first sneeze tore out of him before he had a chance to react, bending him slightly at the waist. He barely managed to clamp a hand over his nose before—

“HeT’CHXOO!!" FWOOSH!

A small, but distinct burst of flame shot from between his fingers, licking at the air before extinguishing harmlessly. Rexar lurched forward with the last of the inevitable trio, his body tensing.

“Et’tCHOO!!" hffhh!

Only embers this time—tiny glowing cinders skipping against the wooden floor before sizzling out.

Kalypso yelped and took a quick step back, eyeing the scorch marks on the floor before snapping her gaze back to him. “What the fuck, Rex?! You trying to burn this place down?!”

Rexar sniffled thickly, straightening as he gave his nose a firm rub against his wrist. A faint stream of smoke curled from his nostrils, carrying the scent of burning maple, which instantly softened the tension in the air. Even Kalypso, mid-glare, blinked sluggishly for a moment, her shoulders unconsciously loosening from their tense state.

“Bless me,” Rexar muttered casually, as if he hadn’t just nearly set fire to the lodge.

Kriia, arms crossed, let out a long-suffering sigh, her deep purple eyes flicking between the embers and her boyfriend. “Babe, really?”

Rexar cleared his throat, rubbing at his nose again. “Look, I tried to stifle, but I—hh’ieXXSHHH!—hh'TSCHHoo!!—ehhh'NGXX!!"

The last one sounded more congested, his head bobbing slightly with the force. His eyes were already beginning to water, a thin wisp of smoke curling from his mouth instead of his nose now that congestion had taken hold.

Kalypso pointed at him, eyeing the tiny flames crackling against the floor. "No. Absolutely not. You better not be getting sick. One walking biohazard is more than enough."

Rexar gave an exaggerated sniff, rolling his shoulders. “Nah, nah, I’m fine,” he said with a lazy smirk, nudging Kriia’s side. “Kriia would definitely know if I was getting sick.” He winked in Kriia’s direction.

Kriia merely raised a brow, unimpressed. “You are so lucky that I’m into you.”

Kalypso, groaning, pinched the bridge of her nose. “You know what? Nope. Not dealing with this.” She spun on her heel, heading straight for the elevator. “I’m gonna go enjoy my night away from all of this.”

Kriia and Rexar exchanged glances as they watched her stomp off. Rexar, still wiping at his nose, gave a small shrug.

“Wanna place bets on how long it takes her to start a fight with Vaelyn?”

Kriia smirked, looping her arm around his as they headed for their room. “Oh, babe. I’d bet money she already has.”

Kalypso trudged back to the suite later that evening, her shoulders weighed down with the kind of irritation that only Vaelyn could inspire. Her emerald green eye narrowed as she jiggled the door handle, only to find it locked.

"Of course," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eye as she banged sharply on the door. "Vaelyn! Open up! You better not be sulking in there like a dramatic little gremlin!"

Silence greeted her, save for the occasional, muffled sneeze from behind the door. Her lips curled into a scowl, and she slammed her fist against the wood again. "VAELYN! I know you’re in there! I can hear you sneezing, you melodramatic asshole!"

Kalypso sighed dramatically as a security guard rounded the corner, his expression both cautious and alarmed. "Ma’am, is everything alright?"

She threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "No, everything is not alright. My idiot roommate locked me out, and he’s refusing to let me in. Probably because I hurt his delicate little man-feelings."

The guard blinked, clearly unsure how to handle this level of intensity. "I… can escort you to the front desk to get a new key?"

"Fine," Kalypso snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut through the air as she stomped toward the elevator. Her heavy boots echoed against the polished wood floors, each step vibrating with pure irritation. "But if I miss my massage because of this, someone is paying for it. And it’s not going to be me."

The security guard, who had clearly decided this was beyond his pay grade, quickly escorted her to the lobby, where an entirely new battle awaited her.

What should have been a simple request turned into a bureaucratic nightmare. The front desk staff, with their overly polite smiles and infuriatingly calm tones, insisted that they couldn’t just give her another key without proper verification.

"I'm on the goddamn reservation," Kalypso seethed, planting both hands on the counter as she glared at the receptionist. "Vaelyn fucking Hawthorne is my roommate. We checked in together. Do you think I just randomly picked a door to start screaming at?"

The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with an expression that said she had dealt with far worse, only offered a practiced, apologetic smile. "I’m very sorry, ma’am, but we need confirmation from Mr. Hawthorne before we can issue another key."

Kalypso let out a slow, dangerous exhale. "Oh, that’s great," she said, her voice thick with sarcasm. "Because the reason I need a key is because Mr. Hawthorne won’t open the fucking door. You see the problem, yeah?"

The woman only nodded, unfazed. "Policy is policy."

Kalypso nearly saw red. It took an hour of back-and-forth, of escalating from one employee to another, of flashing her ID and pointing out multiple times that her bags were in the damn room, before they finally—finally—handed her a key. By then, her massage appointment was long gone, wasted on a receptionist who probably moonlighted as a brick wall.

Fuming, she stormed back upstairs, every step fueled by the absolute rage boiling inside her. The moment she reached the door, she swiped the key card with unnecessary force and threw the door open, ready to unleash hell.

And there was Vaelyn, sprawled lazily on the bed like a smug, green-haired cat, one arm draped dramatically over his stomach while the other plucked absently at the strings of his guitar. His notebook lay open beside him, a pen twirling lazily between his fingers. His blue eyes, still glassy with fever, flicked up to meet hers, and a slow, lopsided smirk curled at his lips.

"Miss me?" he rasped, his voice thick with congestion but still carrying that insufferable Vaelyn charm.

Kalypso stood frozen in the doorway for a solid three seconds, her eye twitching, her breath coming out in slow, measured inhales through her nose.

Then, without a word, she stepped inside, slammed the door behind her, and prepared to commit murder.

"Vaelyn. Do you know how much time I just wasted because of you?"

"Define ‘wasted,’" he replied innocently, plucking another lazy chord. "I wrote, like, three lines of a song while you were gone. Pretty sure that’s progress."

Kal stared at him, her fury bubbling to the surface like lava about to erupt. "We missed the massages. Do you understand that? I’ve been looking forward to that hot stone massage THE WHOLE TIME."

Vaelyn winced, setting the guitar down with a sniffle. "Okay, but counterpoint: do you know how much this pillow loves me? Look at it. We’re bonded now. This is healing for me."

Kalypso stomped over to the bed and grabbed his notebook, flipping it open. The page contained nothing but three scribbled words: I hate Kal.

She held it up, her eye narrowing into a sharp glare. "This is what you accomplished?"

Vaelyn shrugged, smirking faintly. "Creative outlet."

Kal tossed the notebook back onto the bed and crossed her arms. "You are insufferable."

Vaelyn’s grin faltered for the briefest second, a flicker of something unreadable passing behind his bloodshot blue eyes. He rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow, and sniffled hard before rubbing at his sore nose with his sleeve. "Yeah, well," he muttered, voice thick and hoarse, "you’re not exactly a ray of fucking sunshine yourself, Kal."

Kalypso raised a brow at the uncharacteristic edge in his tone. "Oh, what, you’re actually mad?" she scoffed, arms still crossed as she loomed over him. "Because I called you out for sneezing all over the goddamn place like some walking biohazard?"

Vaelyn let out a dry, humorless chuckle and flopped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "Nah, I’m mad because you were fine with it before dinner," he muttered, voice quieter now but no less biting. "When it was just us in here, you weren’t acting like I was the fucking plague. Then the second we sit down at that table, suddenly it’s all, ‘Ugh, Vee, you’re so annoying, you’re gonna get me sick, blah blah blah.’" He turned his head toward her, his tired, congested voice gaining a sharpness that was rare for him. "Was the little truce just for funsies? Or do you just talk shit for sport?"

Kalypso’s posture stiffened. She hadn’t expected him to actually care. Vaelyn was always the first to throw himself into the fire of a joke, always the one to roll with the punches, no matter how sharp they were. But now, lying there in a feverish slump, red-nosed and miserable, his usual indifference had cracked.

For a second, she considered doubling down—because of course he was annoying, of course he was exhausting—but something about the way he was looking at her made her hesitate. It wasn’t just irritation in his expression; there was something else. Something bruised.

"I—" she started, but Vaelyn waved a lazy hand, cutting her off as he pushed himself upright, shoving his damp, tangled hair out of his face.

"Forget it," he muttered. "You wanna be pissed about the massages? Fine. I get it. But don’t act like you weren’t actually enjoying yourself before you realized there were other people around to judge you for it."

Kalypso opened her mouth to fire something back, but Vaelyn wasn’t looking at her anymore. Instead, his expression suddenly slackened, his nostrils twitching in warning. His breath hitched, and he barely had time to turn away before another violent sneezing fit overtook him.

“Hhh-hhh—Eishh! Ishh! Ish! ’shh! …hehhHH! -EEIISSHHuhh!”

The final sneeze wrenched his entire body forward, his damp hair spilling over his face as he braced himself against the mattress. His breath shuddered out of him, and he groaned softly, snatching a tissue from the pile beside him to rub at his crimson-dusted nose.

Kalypso exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her own hair. "...You really are pathetic right now," she muttered, but the venom was gone from her voice.

Vaelyn snorted weakly. "Yeah. Thanks for noticing."

Kal let out a long breath before wordlessly grabbing the tissue box and shoving it closer to him. He shot her a skeptical look but took one anyway, mumbling something under his breath as he turned his attention back to his guitar.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The air between them was still tense, but it wasn’t hostile. Just… unfinished. And for now, that would have to be enough.

To be continued…

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autumnmobile12 · 8 months ago

Text

Epic the Musical: Not Sorry For Loving You

Regarding the debate about Rivera-Herrans' choice in writing Odysseus as sympathetic to Calypso and telling her he loves her even though she trapped him on her island for seven years...I may have some context.

And I’m really hesitant in posting this because I know the ‘Calypso was Odysseus’ lover or abuser’ debate is a volatile subject. I guess what I’m saying is please be kind. I don’t want to fight about this, but I do want to provide some insight with what I know about Greek mythology.

...

My guess is the song was largely inspired by this conversation between Calypso and Odysseus in the original Odyssey. (Abridged because the full text is too long to be concise):

“…Kalypso the goddess thus began: ‘Son of Laertes, subtle Odysseus--so then, your mind is firmly set on returning now without delay to your home and country? Go then, and joy go with you, in spite of all. Yet if you knew--if you fully knew--what miseries are fated to fill your cup before you attain your own land, you would choose to stay here, to join with me in calm possession of this domain, to be beyond reach of death…”

Subtle Odysseus answered her: ‘Goddess and queen, do not make this a cause of anger with me. I know the truth of everything you say; …. Yet, not withstanding, my desire and longing day by day is still to reach my own home and see the day of my return. And if this or that divinity should shatter my craft on the wine-dark ocean, I will bear it and keep a bold heart within me. Often enough before this time have war and wave oppressed and plagued me; let new tribulations join the old.’ -The Odyssey, Homer, trans. by Shewring.

…

In this conversation, we see Calypso asking Odysseus if he’s sure he wants to leave her and return to Ithaka, and that he would have an easier life if he remained with her forever immortal. And he asks her not to be angry/hurt and that whatever lies ahead on his journey, he’ll face it bravely. (Choosing a simple life but a life of obscurity as opposed to returning to hardship and being remembered as a stalwart hero.)

Giving this the context of the Ancient Greek cultural lens, Odysseus and Calypso were lovers. The above conversation is immediately followed up with this:

So he spoke; and the sun sank and darkness came; then the pair withdrew, and in a recess of the arching cavern they took their pleasure in love, and did not leave one another's side. -The Odyssey, Homer, trans. by Shewring.

Yes, Calypso trapped Odysseus on her island for seven years and by today’s standards, that's gonna be a huge yikes. But their ‘lovers’ dynamic becomes easier to understand when you look at the wider collection of Greek myth stories and remember that what we consider a lovers’ relationship by today’s standards is practically nonexistent in this genre and if there is 'love,' it’s probably closer to what we’d recognize as Stockholm Syndrome and so on.

Look at Hera and Zeus’ eternal marital problems.

Jason the Argonaut just setting aside his wife Medea so he can marry another princess.

Helen of Sparta either willingly left Menelaus or Paris kidnapped her, depending on which version you hear.

Theseus abandoning Ariadne and then she marries Dionysus almost immediately after he stumbles across her.

Hades kidnapping Persephone, even in modern retellings where they form a mutual love.

I think the closest we can get to a romantic love story in Greek mythology is possibly Perseus’ rescuing of Princess Andromeda because that has more of the classic ‘hero saves princess from monster, they get married, happily ever after’ trope we're familiar with in fairy tales.

Even Odysseus’ marriage to Penelope calls consent into question because he technically demanded her as payment for helping her uncle, King Tyndareus, out of a difficult situation.

Getting back to the song and Epic: The Musical, the tone of the original text does give the impression that Odysseus is sympathetic for leaving, and I think Rivera-Herrans is trying to reconcile that because he portrays Odysseus as a faithful husband and that clashes with the Greek portrayal where Odysseus and Calypso were lovers in the poem, hence Odysseus giving a more heartfelt goodbye than Calypso may deserve. I go into the original story a bit more with this post.

It’s not a bad portrayal of Odysseus and I do like that Rivera-Herrans chose to resolve the toxic masculinity of the original story. Women in Greek mythology, especially if they’re mortal, are more often than not little more than a plot device while the men get the glory. That said, I think if Rivera-Herrans really wanted Calypso to be a sympathetic figure to his audience, it might have been better suited if he'd referred to the poet Hesiod’s version of events where she held Odysseus prisoner because Poseidon commanded her do it. He could have easily spun her story as,

“Forgive me, I can’t disobey the sea god.”

That option would have robbed her of free will as much as Odysseus and we could have gotten more on board with pitying her for her loneliness when he leaves, and it would have still preserved Poseidon's role as the villain of the musical. As it stands, the ‘playful but socially clueless’ demeanor he gave Calypso only works if she detained Odysseus a day or two. Seven years of drawing that out is a little much and portrays Calypso as a foolish girl and not as the ‘mighty and beautiful’ goddess she’s described as, by Odysseus himself, in the original.

But that's me.

#epic the musical #odysseus #calypso #not sorry for loving you #light criticism #enjoyed the song regardless #epic the vengeance saga #debate #the vengeance saga

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spirituallesbian · 1 month ago

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☽ This is me! <3 ☾

-Pronouns: She/her, They/them

-24, lesbian, Genderfluid

-ADHD

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-I am Taurus ☀️, Leo 🌙, Cancer ⬆️

-Single

-Names: Evan or Kalypso

- Mutuals only to DM me and please be 20+ if you want to talk spicy with me.

I will block you if you don't have your age clearly posted on your page(18+)

🌑 ☽ ☾ 🌑 ☽ ☾ 🌑 ☽ ☾ 🌑 ☽ ☾ 🌑 ☽ ☾ 🌑 ☽ ☾

Interests: Life is strange franchise, TLOU franchise,Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Arcane, Carmilla(YouTube series), The Witcher, literally anything with Vampires, D&D, horror, music and concerts, painting, crafting, comic books (love indie alot), the color green has an enormous place in my life it's my favorite color,im smoke weed, definitely other things but can't think of anything right now.

{Current post tags}:

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Vers/switch but honestly will bend in half at a drop of a hat, I have bratty energy if met with tops/dom.

We can be friends or you can flirt with me, never send me unsolocited images.

Kinks/likes: BDSM, hair pulling, bitting, praise, degradation, spanking, edging, orgasm denial, multiple orgasm, vampires, biting and fangs, thigh riding, nerdy lesbians, oral fixation, voyeurism, being filmed, hickeys and markings, sensory play, ownership, fisting,hands/forearms, breeding, knifeplay, somno, gunplay, md/lg, mommy/daddy.

Cis/het men,minors,terfs, homophobes and transphobes do not interact/follow this blog I will block your account will block your account if your age isn't anywhere on your account.

This blog pinned post is regularly updating

#lesbian #wlw #dyke #nonbinary lesbian #goth lesbian #lesbian goth #masc lesbian #vampire goth #wlw ns/fw #butch lesbian

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abstractpenny · 1 year ago

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teehee my friend also drew Cole

Same as before, kalypso_drawz0 on insta!!!

(they also drew Kai. I posted that earlier too :P)

#cole brookstone #ninjago cole #cole ninjago #lego ninjago #ninjago #ninjago fanart #ninjago fandom #ninjago dragons rising #anywas #wait #no #anyways #yeehaw #kalypso posts

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whiterosechrista · 1 year ago

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Famous/Important Women?

I'm trying to make a list of notable women in history (mostly for fun, partially to use against misogynists who think men did everything), and kinda not wanting to just look up a list online.

So; I'd like anyone who sees this post to add to the list. Even if all you can remember is a name and basic details, that's enough (I myself am mostly operating off memory, and then looking up details to fill in the blanks). If possible though, a date of birth/death and what they're most known for would be great, since those are the details I'm focusing on right now.

I'll add all new people/details to a list here on Tumblr so we're all on the same page info-wise.

Edit; pinning this post both so I don't have to scroll millions of miles and so it's easier for people to find (I should probably be pinning my intro post instead but whatever).

List so far:

Enheduanna (𒂗𒃶𒌌𒀭𒈾), Birthdate unknown (c. 23rd century BCE), death date unknown (c. 23rd century BCE). High Priestess of Nanna/Sin (Sumerian Moon God), Daughter of Sargon (Founder of the Akkadian Empire), Earliest Known Named Author in History.

Nitocris (Greek: Νίτωκρις). Birthdate Unknown (c. 22nd century BCE), death date unknown (c. 22nd century BCE). Possible Queen of Egypt; If So, Would Have Been the Last Queen of the Sixth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom (c.2686 – 2181 BC).

Sobekneferu (Neferusobek). Birthdate unknown (mid 18th century BC), death date unknown (mid 18th century BC). Queen of Egypt, the Last Ruler of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom, Reign Lasted 3 Years, 10 Months, and 24 days, Ending in c. 1802 BC.

Hatshepsut. Born ~1507 BC, died 1458 BC. Queen of Egypt (c. 1479 – 1458 BC), Fifth Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, Prolific Builder, Reigned in Peace and Prosperity.

Sappho (Modern Greek: Σαπφώ (Sapphṓ), Aeolic Greek: Ψάπφω (Psápphō)). Born c. 630 BC, died c. 570 BC. Ancient Greek Poetess, Famous for Love Poems, Symbol of Lesbian Love, Known as “The Tenth Muse”.

Timarete (Thamyris, Tamaris, Thamar (Greek: Τιμαρέτη)). Birthdate unknown (c. 5th century BC), death date unknown (c. 5th century BC). Ancient Greek Painter; According to Pliny the Elder, She "Scorned the Duties of Women and Practiced Her Father's Art." At the Time of Archelaus I of Macedon She Was Best Known for a Panel Painting of the Goddess Diana That Was Kept at the City of Ephesus.

Helena of Egypt. Birthdate unknown (4th century BC), death date unknown (c. 4th century BC). Painter, Learned From Her Father, Worked in the Period After the Death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, Painted a Scene of Alexander Defeating the Persian Ruler, Darius III, at the Battle of Issus.

Kalypso. Birthdate unknown (c. 3rd century BC), death date unknown. Supposed Ancient Greek Painter (existence disputed).

Aristaineta. Birthdate unknown (3rd century BCE), death date unknown (3rd century BCE). Aetolian Woman, Dedicated a Large Monument at the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi Which Included Her Mother, Father, Son, and Herself, Which Was a Symbol of Social Status Usually Reserved For the Male Head of the Family.

The Vestal Three (Aemilia, Licinia and Marcia). Born in the 2nd century BC, died December, 114 BC (Aemilia), and 113 BC (Licinia and Marcia). Roman Vestal Virgins (Priestesses), Prosecuted For Having Broken the Vow of Chastity in Two Famous Trials Between 115 and 113 BC.

Iaia of Cyzicus (Ιαία της Κυζίκου). Born c. 2nd century BC, died c. 1st century BC. Famous Greek Painter and Ivory Carver, Most of Her Paintings are Said to Have Been of Women. According to Pliny the Elder; "No One Had a Quicker Hand Than She in Painting." Remained Unmarried All Her Life.

Cleopatra (Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator). Born ~69 BC, died August 10, 30 BC. Queen of Egypt (51 – 30 BC), Last Active Ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Only Known Ptolemaic Ruler to Learn the Egyptian Language.

Soseono (소서노) (Yeon Soseono (연소서노)). Born 66/7 BCE, died 6 BCE. Queen Consort of Goguryeo, One of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (37 – 18 BC), Queen dowager of Baekje (Another of the Three Kingdoms) (18 – 6 BC), Founder of Baekje (18 BC).

Heo Hwang-ok (허황옥) (Empress Boju (보주태후)). Born 32 AD, died 189 AD. Legendary Queen of Geumgwan Gaya, Mentioned in Samguk yusa (a 13th-Century Korean Chronicle), Believed to Originally be From India.

Septimia Zenobia (𐡡𐡶𐡦𐡡𐡩, Bat-Zabbai). Born ~240, died ~274. Queen of Palmyra (267 – 272), Queen of Egypt (270 – 272), Empress of Palmyra (272).

Hypatia. Born c. 350–370 AD, died March, 415 AD. Neoplatonist Philosopher, Astronomer, and Mathematician, Prominent Thinker in Alexandria, Taught Philosophy and Astronomy, Beloved by Pagans and Christians Alike.

Seondeok of Silla (선덕여왕) (Kim Deokman (덕만)). Born c. 580 or 610, died 20 February, 647. Queen of Silla, One of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (632 – 647), Silla's Twenty-Seventh Ruler and First Reigning Queen, Known as a Wise and Kind Monarch.

Jindeok of Silla (진덕여왕) (Kim Seungman (김승만)). Birthdate unknown, died 654. Queen of Silla, One of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (647 – 654), Silla’s Twenty-Eighth Ruler and Second Reigning Queen, Greatly Improved Relations With China.

Jinseong of Silla (진성여왕) (Kim Man (김만)). Born c. 865, died 897. Queen of Silla, One of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (887-897), Silla’s Fifty-First Ruler, Third and Last Reigning Queen, Said to be Smart by Nature, But Whose Reign Saw the Weakening of Unified Silla.

Ende (En). Born c. 10th Century AD, died c. 10th Century AD. First Spanish Female Manuscript Illuminator to Have Her Work Documented Through Inscription.

Diemoth (Latinized: Diemudus, Diemut, Diemud, Diemuth, Diemod or Diemudis). Born c. 1060, died c. 30 March, 1130. Recluse at Wessobrunn Abbey in Upper Bavaria, Germany, Worked on 45 Manuscripts From 1075 to 1130.

Lǐ Qīngzhào (李清照) (a.k.a. Yian Jushi (易安居士)). Born 1084, died c.1155. Chinese Poet and Essayist, Defiant Visionary, Known as “The Most Talented Woman In History.”

Gunnborga (a.k.a Gunnborga den Goda (literary: 'Gunnborga the Good')). Born c. 11th century, died c. 11th century. Viking Age Swedish Runemaster, Responsible for the Hälsingland Rune Inscription 21, Known as the Only Confirmed Female Runemaster.

Hildegard of Bingen (German: Hildegard von Bingen, Latin: Hildegardis Bingensis, a.k.a Saint Hildegard/the “Sibyl of the Rhine”). Born c. 1098, died 17 September, 1179. German Benedictine Abbess and Polymath, Active as a Writer, Composer, Philosopher, Mystic, Visionary, and Medical Writer/Practitioner During the High Middle Ages.

Matilda of England (Empress Matilda, Empress Maude, the “Lady of the English”). Born c. 7 February, 1102, died 10 September, 1167. Holy Roman Empress (1114 – 1125), Disputed Queen of England (1141 – 1148).

Guda. Born 12th Century AD, died 12th Century AD. German Nun and Illuminator, One of the First Women to Create a Self-Portrait in a Manuscript.

Herrad of Landsberg (Latin: Herrada Landsbergensis). Born c. 1130, died July 25, 1195. Alsatian Nun and Abbess of Hohenburg Abbey in the Vosges Mountains, Known as the Author of the Pictorial Encyclopedia Hortus Deliciarum (The Garden of Delights) (completed in 1185).

Claricia (Clarica). Born c. 12th Century AD, died c. 13th Century AD. German Laywoman and Illuminator, Noted for Including a Self-Portrait in a South German Psalter of c. 1200.

Jefimija (Јефимија) (Jelena Mrnjavčević (Serbian Cyrillic: Јелена Мрњавчевић)). Born 1349, died 1405. Considered the First Female Serbian Poet. Her Lament for a Dead Son and Encomium of Prince Lazar are Famous in the Canon of Medieval Serbian Literature. Also a Skilled Needlewoman and Engraver.

Christine de Pizan (Cristina da Pizzano). Born September, 1364, died c. 1430. Italian-Born French Poet and Court Writer for King Charles VI of France and Several French Dukes. Considered to be One of the Earliest Feminist Writers; Her Work Includes Novels, Poetry, and Biography, and also Literary, Historical, Philosophical, Political, and Religious Reviews and Analyses.

Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc, Jehanne Darc). Born ~1412, died 30 May, 1431. French Knight, Martyr, and Saint, Burned at the Stake.

Catherine of Bologna (Caterina de' Vigri). Born 8 September, 1413, died 9 March, 1463. Italian Poor Clare, Writer, Teacher, Mystic, Artist, and Saint; The Patron Saint of Artists and Against Temptations.

Elena de Laudo. Born c. 15th Century AD, died c. 15th Century AD. Venetian Glass Artist, Belonged to a Glass Painter Family of Murano, is Noted to Have Painted Blanks Delivered to Her From the Workshop of Salvatore Barovier in 1443–1445.

Maria Ormani (Maria di Ormanno degli Albizzi). Born 1428, died c. 1470. Italian Augustinian Hermit Nun-Scribe and Manuscript Illustrator, Most Notable Work is an Apparent Self-Portrait in a Breviary That She Signed and Dated 1453; the Earliest Dated Self-Portrait by a Woman Artist in Italian Renaissance Art.

Sister Barbara Ragnoni (Suor Barbara Ragnoni). Born 1448, died 1533. Italian Nun and Artist for Whom Only One Work Remains Extant; Her Signed Painting, The Adoration of the Shepherds (c. 1500).

Antonia Uccello. Born 1456, died 1491. Carmelite Nun, Noted as a "Pittoressa" (Painter) on Her Death Certificate; Her Style and Skill Remain a Mystery as None of Her Work is Extant.

Marietta Barovier. Born 15th Century AD, died c. 15th/16th Century AD. Venetian Glass Artist, the Artist Behind a Particular Glass Design from Venetian Murano; the Glass Bead Called Rosette or Chevron Bead, in 1480. In 1487 She Was Noted to Have Been Given the Privilege to Construct a Special Kiln (Sua Fornace Parrula) for Making "Her Beautiful, Unusual and Not Blown Works".

Catherine of Aragon (Katherine, Catharina, Catalina). Born 16 December, 1485, died 7 January, 1536. First Wife of King Henry VIII, Queen Consort of England (1509 – 1533).

Properzia de' Rossi. Born c. 1490, died 1530. Ground-Breaking Female Italian Renaissance Sculptor, One of Only Four Women to Receive a Biography in Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists.

Anne Boleyn. Born c. 1501 or 1507, died 19 May, 1536. Second Wife of King Henry VIII, Queen Consort of England (1533 – 1536), Martyr, Executed on False Charges.

Jane Seymour. Born c. 1508, died 24 October, 1537. Third Wife of King Henry VIII, Queen Consort of England (1536 – 1537), Died of Postnatal Complications.

Levina Teerlinc. Born in the 1510s, died 23 June, 1576. Flemish Renaissance Miniaturist who Served as a Painter to the English Court of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

Catherine Parr (Kateryn Parr). Born c. August, 1512, died 5 September, 1548. Sixth Wife of King Henry VIII, Queen Consort of England and Ireland (1543 – 1547), First English Woman to Publish an Original Work Under Her Own Name, Widowed, Remarried, Died in Childbirth.

Anne of Cleves (Anna von Kleve). Born 28 June or 22 September, 1515, died 16 July, 1557. Fourth Wife of King Henry VIII, Queen Consort of England (6 January 1540 – 12 July 1540), Marriage Annulled, Outlived All Other Wives.

Mary I of England (Mary Tudor). Born 18 February, 1516, died 17 November, 1558. First Undisputed Regnant Queen of England and Ireland (1553 – 1558), Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

Mayken Verhulst (a.k.a. Marie Bessemers). Born 1518, died 1596 or 1599. 16th-Century Flemish Miniature, Tempera and Watercolor Painter and Print Publisher, Actively Engaged in the Workshop of Her Husband, Posthumously Publishing His Works. While Recognized as an Exceptionally Skilled Artist, Little is Known About Her Works or Life as There are Few Surviving Sources.

Catherine Howard (Katheryn Howard). Born c. 1523, died 13 February, 1542. Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII, Queen Consort of England (1540 – 1541), Stripped of Title, Beheaded for ‘Treason’.

Sister Plautilla Nelli (Pulisena Margherita Nelli). Born 1524, died 1588. Self-Taught Nun-Artist, the First Ever Known Female Renaissance Painter of Florence, and the Only Renaissance Woman Known to Have Painted the Last Supper.

Caterina van Hemessen (Catharina van Hemessen). Born 1528, died after 1565. Flemish Renaissance Painter, the Earliest Female Flemish Painter for Whom There is Verifiable Extant Work, Possibly Created the First Self-Portrait of an Artist (of Either Gender) Depicted Seated at an Easel (1548).

Sofonisba Anguissola (a.k.a Sophonisba Angussola or Sophonisba Anguisciola). Born c. 1532, died 16 November, 1625. Italian Renaissance Painter, Born to a Relatively Poor Noble Family, Got a Well-Rounded Education That Included the Fine Arts; Her Apprenticeship With Local Painters Set a Precedent for Women to be Accepted as Students of Art.

Elizabeth I of England (Elizabeth Tudor, the “Virgin Queen”). Born 7 September, 1533, died 24 March, 1603. Regnant Queen of England and Ireland (1558 – 1603), Last Monarch of the House of Tudor, Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

Lucia Anguissola. Born 1536 or 1538, died c. 1565 – 1568. Italian Mannerist Painter of the Late Renaissance, Younger Sister of Sofonisba, Who She Likely Trained With.

Lady Jane Grey (Lady Jane Dudley (married name)). Born ~1537, died 12 February, 1554. Queen of England for ~9 days (~10 July, 1553 – 19 July, 1553) (disputed), First Cousin Once Removed of Mary I and Elizabeth I.

Mary, Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart). Born 8 December, 1542, died 8 February, 1587. Queen of Scotland (1542 – 1567), Forced Abdication, Imprisonment, Execution.

Diana Scultori (a.k.a Diana Mantuana & Diana Ghisi). Born 1547, died 5 April, 1612. Italian Engraver From Mantua, Italy; One of the Earliest Known Women Printmakers, Making Mostly Reproductive Engravings of Well-Known Paintings/Drawings and Ancient Roman Sculptures.

Lavinia Fontana. Born 24 August, 1552, died 11 August, 1614. Italian Mannerist Painter, Active in Bologna and Rome, Best Known for Her Successful Portraiture, but Also Worked in the Genres of Mythology and Religious Painting, Regarded as the First Female Career Artist in Western Europe.

Barbara Longhi. Born 21 September, 1552, died 23 December, 1638. Italian Painter, Much Admired in Her Lifetime as a Portraitist, Though Most of Her Portraits are Now Lost or Unattributed.

Marietta Robusti. Born 1560, died 1590. Highly Skilled Venetian Painter of the Renaissance Period, the Daughter of Tintoretto (Jacobo Robusti), Sometimes Referred to as Tintoretta.

Elizabeth Báthory (Báthori Erzsébet). Born 7 August, 1560, died 21 August, 1614. Hungarian Countess, Subject of Folklore, Alleged Serial Killer.

Esther Inglis. Born 1571, died 1624. Skilled Artisan and Miniaturist Who Possessed Several Skills in Areas Such as Calligraphy, Writing, and Embroidering; Over the Course of Her Life, She Composed Around Sixty Miniature Books That Display Her Calligraphic Skill With Paintings, Portraits, and Embroidered Covers.

Galizia (Fede Galizia). Born c. 1578, died c. 1630. Italian Painter of Still-Lifes, Portraits, and Religious Pictures, Especially Noted as a Painter of Still-Lifes of Fruit, a Genre in Which She Was One of the Earliest Practitioners in European Art.

Izumo no Okuni (出雲阿国). Born c. 1578, died c. 1613. Actress, Shrine Maiden, Creator of Kabuki Theater (1603 – 1610), Recruited Lower-Class Women For Her Troupe, Primarily Prostitutes.

Clara Peeters. Born c. 1580s/90s, death date unknown. Flemish Still-Life Painter From Antwerp Who Worked in Both the Spanish Netherlands and Dutch Republic. Was the Best-Known Female Flemish Artist of This Era and One of the Few Women Artists Working Professionally in 17th-Century Europe, Despite Restrictions on Women's Access to Artistic Training and Membership in Guilds.

Artemisia Gentileschi (Artemisia Lomi). Born 8 July, 1593, died c. 1656. Italian Baroque Painter, Considered Among the Most Accomplished 17th-Century Artists, Making Professional Work by Age 15. In an Era When Women Had Few Chances to Pursue Artistic Training/Work as Professional Artists, She Was the First Woman to Become a Member of the Accademia di Arte del Disegno and Had an International Clientele. Much of Her Work Features Women From Myths, Allegories, and the Bible, Including Victims, Suicides, and Warriors.

Magdalena van de Passe. Born 1600, died 1638. Dutch Engraver, Member of the Van de Passe Family of Artists From Cologne, Active in the Northern Netherlands. Specialized in Landscapes and Portraits, and Trained the Polymath Anna Maria van Schurman in Engraving, One of the Few Known Early Examples of the Training of One Woman Artist by Another.

Giovanna Garzoni. Born 1600, died 1670. Italian Painter of the Baroque Period; Began Her Career Painting Religious, Mythological, and Allegorical Subjects but Gained Fame For Her Botanical Subjects Painted in Tempera and Watercolor.

Michaelina Wautier (Michaelina Woutiers). Born 1604, died 1689. Baroque Painter From the Southern Netherlands (now Belgium), Noted For the Variety of Subjects and Genres She Worked in, Unusual For Female Artists of the Time, Who Were More Often Restricted to Smaller Paintings, Generally Portraits or Still-Lifes.

Judith Leyster (Judith Jans Leyster (also Leijster)). Born in July, 1609, died February 10, 1660. Dutch Golden Age Painter of Genre Works, Portraits, and Still-Lifes. Her Work Was Highly Regarded by Her Contemporaries, but Largely Forgotten After Her Death. Her Entire Oeuvre Came to be Attributed to Frans Hals or to Her Husband, Jan Miense Molenaer. In 1893, She Was Rediscovered and Scholars Began to Attribute Her Works Correctly.

Louise Moillon. Born 1610, died 1696. French Still-Life Painter in the Baroque Era, Became Known as One of the Best Still-Life Painters of Her Time, Her Work Purchased by King Charles I of England, as Well as French Nobility.

Catharina Peeters. Born 1615, died 1676. Flemish Baroque Painter, Noted For Painting Seascapes.

Katharina Pepijn (Catharina Pepijn). Born in February, 1619, died 12 November, 1688. Flemish Painter Who Was Known For Her History Paintings and Portraits.

Josefa de Óbidos (Josefa de Ayala Figueira). Born c. January, 1630, died 22 July, 1684. Spanish-Born Portuguese Painter. All of Her Work Was Executed in Portugal, Her Father's Native Country, Where She Lived From the Age of Four. Approximately 150 Works of Art Have Been Attributed to Her, Making Her One of the Most Prolific Baroque Artists in Portugal.

Maria van Oosterwijck (Maria van Oosterwyck). Born 20/27 August, 1630, died 1693. Dutch Golden Age Painter, Specializing in Richly-Detailed Flower Paintings and Other Still-Lifes. Despite the Fact That Her Paintings Were Highly Sought Out by Collectors (Including Royalty), She Was Denied Membership in the Painters' Guild Because Women Weren’t Allowed to Join. Stayed Single Throughout Her Life, but Raised Her Orphaned Nephew.

Johanna Vergouwen (Jeanne Vergouwen, Joanna Vergouwen). Born 1630, died 11 March, 1714. Flemish Baroque Painter, Copyist, and Art Dealer.

Mary Beale (née Cradock). Born in late March, 1633, died 8 October, 1699. English Portrait Painter and Writer, Part of a Small Band of Female Professional Artists Working in London. Her Manuscript Observations (1663), on the Materials and Techniques Employed "in Her Painting of Apricots", Though Not Printed, is the Earliest Known Instructional Text in English Written by a Female Painter.

Elisabetta Sirani. Born 8 January, 1638, died 28 August, 1665. Italian Baroque Painter and Printmaker Who Died in Unexplained Circumstances at the Age of 27. She Was One of the First Women Artists in Early Modern Bologna, and Established an Academy for Other Women Artists.

Maria Theresia van Thielen. Born 7 March, 1640, died 11 February, 1706. Flemish Baroque Painter, Known for Several Flower Pieces and Outdoor Still-Lifes Painted in the Style of Her Father, Jan Philip van Thielen.

Anna Maria van Thielen. Born 1641, death date unknown. Flemish Baroque Painter and Nun, Younger Sister of Maria Theresia, Older Sister of Fransisca Catharina.

Maria Borghese (Maria Virginia Teresa Borghese). Born 1642, died 1718. Italian Baroque Artist, Daughter of Art Collector Olimpia Aldobrandini.

Francisca Catharina van Thielen. Born 1645, death date unknown. Flemish Baroque Painter and Nun, Younger Sister of Maria Theresia and Anna Maria.

Maria Sibylla Merian. Born 2 April, 1647, died 13 January, 1717. German Entomologist, Naturalist and Scientific Illustrator, One of the Earliest European Naturalists to Document Observations About Insects Directly.

Élisabeth Sophie Chéron. Born 3 October, 1648, died 3 September, 1711. Remembered Today Primarily as a French Painter, but She Was a Renaissance Woman, Acclaimed in Her Lifetime as a Gifted Poet, Musician, Artist, and Academician.

Luisa Roldán (Luisa Ignacia Roldán, a.k.a La Roldana). Born 8 September, 1652, died 10 January, 1706. Spanish Sculptor of the Baroque Era, the Earliest Woman Sculptor Documented in Spain. Recognized in the Hispanic Society Museum For Being "One of the Few Women Artists to Have Maintained a Studio Outside the Convents in Golden Age Spain".

Rachel Ruysch. Born 3 June, 1664, died 12 October, 1750. Dutch Still-Life Painter From the Northern Netherlands. She Specialized in Flowers, Inventing Her Own Style and Achieving International Fame in Her Lifetime. Due to a Long, Successful Career That Spanned Over Six Decades, She Became the Best-Documented Woman Painter of the Dutch Golden Age.

Anne, Queen of Great Britain. Born 6 February, 1665, died 1 August, 1714. Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1702 – 1707), First Queen of Great Britain and Ireland (1707 – 1714).

Isabel de Cisneros (Isabel de Santiago). Born 1666, died c. 1714. Criollo Colonial Painter Born in the Colony of Quito (Ecuador), Specialized in Oil Paintings of the Childhood of the Virgin and of the Baby Jesus, Adorned With Flowers and Animals.

Rosalba Carriera. Born 12 January, 1673, died 15 April, 1757. Venetian Rococo Painter; In Her Younger Years She Specialized in Portrait Miniatures, Would Later Become Known For Her Pastel Portraits, Helping Popularize the Medium in 18th-Century Europe. She is Remembered as One of the Most Successful Women Artists of Any Era.

Giulia Lama (Giulia Elisabetta Lama). Born 1 October, 1681, died 7/8 October, 1747. Italian Painter, Active in Venice. Her Dark, Tense Style Contrasted With the Dominant Pastel Colors of the Late Baroque Era. She Was One of the First Female Artists to Study the Male Figure Nude.

Anna Dorothea Therbusch (born Anna Dorothea Lisiewski (Polish: Anna Dorota Lisiewska)). Born 23 July, 1721, died 9 November, 1782. Prominent Rococo Painter Born in the Kingdom of Prussia (Modern-Day Poland). About 200 of Her Works Survive, and She Painted at Least Eighty-Five Verified Portraits.

Catherine the Great (Catherine II, Екатерина Алексеевна (Yekaterina Alekseyevna), born Princess Sophie Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst). Born 2 May, 1729, died 17 November, 1796. Reigning Empress of Russia (1762 – 1796), Came to Power After Overthrowing Her Husband, Peter III. Under Her Long Reign, Russia Experienced a Renaissance of Culture and Sciences.

Ulrika Pasch (Ulrika "Ulla" Fredrica Pasch). Born 10 July, 1735, died 2 April, 1796. Swedish Rococo Painter and Miniaturist, and a Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts.

Angelica Kauffman (Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann). Born 30 October, 1741, died 5 November, 1807. Swiss Neoclassical Painter Who Had a Successful Career in London and Rome. Remembered Primarily as a History Painter, She Was a Skilled Portraitist, Landscape and Decoration Painter. She Was, Along With Mary Moser, One of Two Female Painters Among the Founding Members of the Royal Academy in London in 1768.

Mary Moser. Born 27 October, 1744, died 2 May, 1819. English Painter and One of the Most Celebrated Female Artists of 18th-Century Britain. One of Only Two Female Founding Members of the Royal Academy in 1768 (Along With Angelica Kauffman), She Painted Portraits But is Particularly Noted For Her Depictions of Flowers.

Anne Vallayer-Coster. Born 21 December, 1744, died 28 February, 1818. Major 18th-Century French Painter, Best Known For Still-Lifes. She Achieved Fame and Recognition Very Early in Her Career, Being Admitted to the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in 1770, at the Age of Twenty-Six. Her Life Was Determinedly Private, Dignified and Hard-Working.

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (née Labille/a.k.a Adélaïde Labille-Guiard des Vertus). Born 11 April, 1749, died 24 April, 1803. French Miniaturist and Portrait Painter, Was an Advocate for Women to Receive the Same Opportunities as Men to Become Great Painters. She Was One of the First Women to Become a Member of the Royal Academy, and Was the First Female Artist to Receive Permission to Set Up a Studio for Her Students at the Louvre.

Marianne Mozart (Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart). Born 30 July, 1751, died 29 October, 1829. Musician (c. 1759 – 1769), Music Teacher (1772 – 1829), Sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, born Élisabeth Louise Vigée, a.k.a. Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Madame Le Brun). Born 16 April, 1755, died 30 March, 1842. French Painter Who Mostly Specialized in Portrait Painting, in the Late 18th/Early 19th Centuries, Made a Name For Herself in Ancien Régime Society by Serving as the Portrait Painter to Marie Antoinette, Enjoyed the Patronage of European Aristocrats, Actors, and Writers, and Was Elected to Art Academies in Ten Cities.

Marie Antoinette (Maria Antonia). Born 2 November, 1755, died 16 October, 1793. Last Queen of France (1774 – 1792), Bad Reputation, Executed by Guillotine.

Maria Cosway (Maria Luisa Caterina Cecilia Cosway (née Hadfield)). Born 11 June, 1760, died 5 January, 1838. Italian-English Painter, Musician, and Educator, Worked in England, France, and Later Italy, Cultivating a Large Circle of Friends and Clients. Founded a Girls' School in Paris (Dir. 1803 – 1809). Soon After it Closed, She Founded a Girls' College and School in Lodi, Northern Italy, Which She Directed Until Her Death.

Marguerite Gérard. Born 28 January, 1761, died 18 May, 1837. French Painter and Printmaker Working in the Rococo Style; More Than 300 Genre Paintings, 80 Portraits, and Several Miniatures Have Been Documented to Her.

Marie-Gabrielle Capet. Born 6 September, 1761, died 1 November, 1818. French Neoclassical Painter, Pupil of the French Painter Adélaïde Labille-Guiard in Paris. Excelled as a Portrait Painter; Her Works Include Oil Paintings, Watercolors, and Miniatures.

Anna Rajecka (a.k.a Madame Gault de Saint-Germain). Born c. 1762, died 1832. Polish Portrait Painter and Pastellist, Raised as a Protégée of King Stanisław August Poniatowski of Poland; In 1783, She Was Enrolled at His Expense at the Art School for Women at the Louvre in Paris. Chose to Stay in Paris After Marrying Miniaturist Pierre-Marie Gault de Saint-Germain in 1788. Became the First Polish Woman to Have Her Work Represented at the Salon in 1791.

Marie-Guillemine Benoist (born Marie-Guillemine Laville-Leroux), Born December 18, 1768, died October 8, 1826. French Neoclassical, Historical, and Genre Painter, Student of Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun.

Adèle Romany (born Jeanne Marie Mercier, a.k.a. Adèle Romanée, Adèle de Romance). Born 7 December, 1769, died 6 June, 1846. French Painter Known for Miniatures and Portraits, Especially Those of People Involved in Performing Arts.

Marie-Denise Villers (Marie-Denise "Nisa" Lemoine). Born 1774, died 19 August, 1821. French Painter Who Specialized in Portraits. In 1794, She Married an Architecture Student, Michel-Jean-Maximilien Villers. Her Husband Supported Her Art, During a Time When Many Women Were Forced to Give Up Professional Art Work After Marriage.

Constance Mayer (Marie-Françoise Constance Mayer La Martinière). Born 9 March, 1775, died 26 May, 1821. French Painter of Portraits, Allegorical Subjects, Miniatures and Genre Works. She Had "a Brilliant But Bitter Career."

Jane Austen. Born 16 December, 1775, died 18 July, 1817. English Novelist, Author of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), etc, Known For Her Subtle Criticism of the Nobility of the Time.

Marie Ellenrieder. Born 20 March, 1791, died 5 June, 1863. German Painter Known For Her Portraits and Religious Paintings, Considered to be the Most Important German Woman Artist of Her Time.

Louise-Adéone Drölling (Madame Joubert). Born 29 May, 1797, died 20 March, 1834. French Painter and Draftswoman. Both Her Father and Older Brother Were Celebrated Artists in Their Day; She Herself Was Not a Very Prolific Painter.

Mary Shelley (Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, née Godwin). Born 30 August, 1797, died 1 February 1851. English Novelist, Author of Frankenstein (1818), Which is Considered One of the Earliest Examples of Science Fiction.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Born 6 March, 1806, died 29 June, 1861. Influential Poet, Author of How Do I Love Thee (Sonnet 43, 1845) and Aurora Leigh (1856).

Ada Lovelace (Augusta Ada King, née Byron, Countess of Lovelace). Born 10 December, 1815, died 27 November, 1852. Mathematician, Writer, First to Think of Other Uses for Computing Besides Mathematical Calculations.

Victoria I (Alexandrina Victoria). Born 24 May, 1819, died 22 January, 1901. Queen of England (1837 – 1901), Longest Reign of All Predecessors.

Florence Nightingale. Born May 12, 1820, died August 13, 1910. English Nurse, Pioneer of Modern Nursing, Statistics, and Social Reformation (~1853 – ?).

Rosa Bonheur. Born 16 March, 1822, died 25 May, 1899. French Artist Known Best as a Painter of Animals (Animalière). She Also Made Sculptures in a Realist Style. Was Widely Considered to be the Most Famous Female Painter of the Nineteenth Century. It’s Been Claimed That She Was Openly Lesbian, as She Lived With Her Partner Nathalie Micas For Over 40 Years Until Micas's Death.

Barbara Bodichon. Born 8 April, 1827, died 11 June, 1891. English Educationalist, Artist, and a Leading Mid-19th-Century Feminist and Women's Rights Activist. She Published Her Influential Brief Summary of the Laws of England concerning Women in 1854 and the English Woman's Journal in 1858, and Co-Founded Girton College, Cambridge (1869).

Emily Dickinson (Emily Elizabeth Dickinson). Born December 10, 1830, died May 15, 1886. American Poet, Little-Known During Her Lifetime, Most Works Published Posthumously and Heavily Edited, Later Regarded as One of the Most Important Figures In American Poetry.

Louisa May Alcott. Born November 29, 1832, died March 6, 1888. American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet, Author of Little Women (1868), Abolitionist, Feminist, Active in Temperance and Women’s Suffrage Movements.

Elizabeth Jane Gardner (Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau (married name)). Born October 4, 1837, died January 28, 1922. American Academic and Salon Painter, Born in Exeter, New Hampshire. She Was the First American Woman to Exhibit and Win a Gold Medal at the Paris Salon. Her Works Were Accepted to the Salon More Than Any Other Woman Painter in History, and More Than All But a Few of the Men.

Marie Bracquemond (Marie Anne Caroline Quivoron). Born 1 December, 1840, died 17 January, 1916. French Impressionist Artist, One of Four Notable Women in the Impressionist Movement, Along With Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot, and Eva Gonzalès. Studied Drawing as a Child and Began Showing Her Work at the Paris Salon When She Was Still an Adolescent. Never Underwent Formal Art Training, But Received Limited Instruction From Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Advice From Paul Gauguin, Which Contributed to Her Stylistic Approach.

Berthe Morisot (Berthe Marie Pauline Morisot). Born January 14, 1841, died March 2, 1895. French Painter and a Member of the Circle of Painters in Paris Who Became Known as the Impressionists. Described by Art Critic Gustave Geffroy in 1894 as One of "Les Trois Grandes Dames" (The Three Great Ladies) of Impressionism Alongside Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt.

Emma Sandys (born Mary Ann Emma Sands). Born 25 September, 1841, died 21 November, 1877. British Pre-Raphaelite Painter. Her Works Were Mainly Portraits in Both Oil and Chalk of Children and of Young Women, Often in Period Clothing, Against Backgrounds of Brightly Coloured Flowers.

Maria Zambaco (Marie Terpsithea Cassavetti (Greek: Μαρία Τερψιθέα Κασσαβέτη)). Born 29 April, 1843, died 14 July, 1914. British Sculptor of Greek Descent, Was Also an Artist's Model, Favored by the Pre-Raphaelites.

Kitty Kielland (Kitty Lange Kielland). Born 8 October, 1843, died 1 October, 1914. Norwegian Landscape Painter.

Marie Stillman (Marie Spartali (Greek: Μαρία Σπαρτάλη)). Born 10 March, 1844, died 6 March, 1927. British Member of the Second Generation of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Of the Pre-Raphaelites, She Had One of the Longest-Running Careers, Spanning Sixty Years and Producing Over One Hundred and Fifty Works. Though Her Work With the Brotherhood Began as a Favorite Model, She Soon Trained and Became a Respected Painter.

Mary Cassatt (Mary Stevenson Cassatt). Born May 22, 1844, died June 14, 1926. American Painter and Printmaker, Born in Pennsylvania and Lived Much of her Adult Life in France, Where She Befriended Edgar Degas and Exhibited With the Impressionists. Often Created Images of the Social and Private Lives of Women, With Particular Emphasis on the Intimate Bonds Between Mothers and Children. Described by Gustave Geffroy as One of "Les Trois Grandes Dames" (The Three Great Ladies) of Impressionism Alongside Marie Bracquemond and Berthe Morisot.

Elizabeth Thompson (Elizabeth Southerden Thompson, later known as Lady Butler). Born 3 November, 1846, died 2 October, 1933. British Painter Who Specialized in Painting Scenes From British Military Campaigns and Battles, Including the Crimean War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Lilla Cabot Perry (born Lydia Cabot). Born January 13, 1848, died February 28, 1933. American Artist Who Worked in the American Impressionist Style, Rendering Portraits and Landscapes in the Freeform Manner of Her Mentor, Claude Monet. She Was an Early Advocate of the French Impressionist Style and Contributed to its Reception in the United States. Her Early Work Was Shaped by Her Exposure to the Boston School of Artists and Her Travels in Europe and Japan.

Anna Boch (Anna-Rosalie Boch). Born 10 February, 1848, died 25 February, 1936. Belgian Painter, Art Collector, and the Only Female Member of the Artistic Group, Les XX. Part of the Neo-Impressionist Movement.

Anna Bilińska (a.k.a. Anna Bilińska-Bohdanowicz). Born 8 December, 1854, died 8 April, 1893. Polish Painter, Known For Her Portraits. A Representative of Realism, She Spent Most of Her Life in Paris, and is Considered the "First Internationally Known Polish Woman Artist."

Cecilia Beaux (Eliza Cecilia Beaux). Born May 1, 1855, died September 17, 1942. American Artist and the First Woman to Teach Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Known For Her Elegant and Sensitive Portraits of Friends, Relatives, and Gilded Age Patrons, She Painted Many Famous Subjects Including First Lady Edith Roosevelt, Admiral Sir David Beatty and Georges Clemenceau.

Evelyn De Morgan (Mary Evelyn Pickering). Born 30 August, 1855, died 2 May, 1919. English Painter Associated Early in Her Career With the Later Phase of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement, and Working in a Range of Styles Including Aestheticism and Symbolism. Her Paintings Rely on a Range of Metaphors to Express Spiritualist and Feminist Content; Her Later Works Also Dealt With Themes of War From a Pacifist Perspective.

Lucy Bacon (Lucy Angeline Bacon). Born July 30, 1857, died October 17, 1932. Californian Artist Known for Her California Impressionist Oil Paintings of Florals, Landscapes and Still Lifes. Studied in Paris Under the Impressionist Camille Pissarro; The Only Known Californian Artist to Have Studied Under Any of the Great French Impressionists.

Laura Muntz Lyall (Laura Adeline Muntz). Born June 18, 1860, died December 9, 1930. Canadian Impressionist Painter and Art Teacher, Known for Her Sympathetic Portrayal of Women and Children.

Olga Boznańska. Born 15 April, 1865, died 26 October, 1940. Polish Painter and Art Teacher of the Turn of the 20th Century. She Was a Notable Painter in Poland and Europe, and Was Stylistically Associated With French Impressionism, Though She Rejected This Label.

Suzanne Valadon (Marie-Clémentine Valadon). Born 23 September, 1865, died 7 April, 1938. French Painter Who, in 1894, Became the First Woman Painter Admitted to the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. Shocked the Artistic World by Painting Male Nudes as well as Less Idealized Images of Women (in Comparison to Those of Her Male Counterparts).

Mademoiselle Abomah (Ella Williams). Born October, 1865, death date unknown (after 1920s). African-American Performer, Giantess Who Grew to Eight Feet Tall.

Anna Connelly. Born September 23, 1868, died ~1969. Inventor of the First Fire Escape (1887), One of the First Women to Patent an Invention Without Help From a Man.

Emma Goldman. Born June 27, 1869, died May 14, 1940. Anarchist Revolutionary, Political Activist, Writer, Played a Pivotal Role in Development of Anarchist Philosophy in North America and Europe In the First Half of the 20th Century.

Ella Ewing, “The Missouri Giantess” (Ella Katherine Ewing). Born March 9, 1872, died January 10, 1913. Giantess, Performer, Considered the World’s Tallest Woman of Her Era.

Helen Keller (Helen Adams Keller). Born June 27, 1880, died June 1, 1968. Blind/Deaf, Disability Rights/etc. Activist (1909 – ?), Author (1903 – ?).

Agatha Christie (Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller)). Born 15 September, 1890, died 12 January, 1976. English Writer, Known For Her 66 Detective Novels and 14 Short Story Collections. Dubbed “The Queen of Crime”.

Amelia Earhart (Amelia Mary Earhart). Born July 24, 1897, died January 5, 1939 (in absentia). First Solo Female Pilot (1932), Women's Rights Activist, Lost at Sea (1937).

Ebony and Ivory (Margaret Patrick and Ruth Eisenburg). Born 1902 (Eisenburg)/1913 (Patrick), died 1996 (Eisenburg)/1994 (Patrick). Elderly Interracial Piano Duo (1983 – 1988), Disabled on Opposite Sides.

Virginia Hall (Virginia Hall Goillot, Codenamed Marie and Diane, Known as “Artemis” and ”The Limping Lady” by the Germans). Born April 6, 1906, died July 8, 1982. WWII-Era Intelligence Agent (1940 – 1945), Considered “The Most Dangerous of All Allied Spies” by the Gestapo, Later Joined the CIA (1947 – 1966), Had Prosthetic Leg.

Li Zhen (李贞) (Li Danmeizi (旦妹子)). Born February, 1908, died March 11, 1990. Revolutionary (1927 – ?), First Female General of the People’s Liberation Army (1955 – ?).

Mother Teresa (Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu)). Born 26 August, 1910, died 5 September, 1997. Albanian-Indian Catholic Nun, Founder of the Missionaries of Charity.

Rosa Parks (Rosa Louise McCauley Parks). Born February 4, 1913, died October 24, 2005. Civil Rights Activist (1943 – ?), Played a Pivotal Role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955), Became Symbol of Resistance to Racial Segregation.

Judy Garland (Frances Ethel Gumm). Born June 10, 1922, died June 22, 1969. Award-Winning Singer/Actress (1924 – 1969), Starred in The Wizard of Oz (1939), A Star Is Born (1954), etc.

Stephanie Kwolek (Stephanie Louise Kwolek). Born July 31, 1923, died June 18, 2014. Award-Winning Chemist, Inventor of Kevlar (1965).

Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson). Born June 1, 1926, died August 4, 1962. Award-Winning Actress (1945 – 1961), Pop/Sex Icon of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Starred in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), Some Like It Hot (1959), etc.

Ursula K. Le Guin (Ursula Kroeber Le Guin). Born October 21, 1929, died January 22, 2018. American Novelist, Best Known For Her Works of Speculative Fiction, Author of the Earthsea Series (1964 – 2018), The Left Hand of Darkness (1969), The Dispossessed (1974), etc.

Aretha Franklin (Aretha Louise Franklin). Born March 25, 1942, died August 16, 2018. Award-Winning Gospel/Rock/RnB Singer, Songwriter, Pianist, Civil Rights Activist, Record Producer (1954 – 2017).

Liza Minnelli (Liza May Minelli). Born March 12, 1946, Still Living. Award-Winning Actress, Singer, Dancer, and Choreographer (1961 – present), Daughter of Judy Garland.

Afeni Shakur (Afeni Shakur Davis, Born Alice Faye Williams). Born January 10, 1947, died May 2, 2016. American Political Activist, Member of the Black Panther Party (1968 – 1971), Mother of Tupac Shakur.

Assata Shakur (Assata Olugbala Shakur (Born JoAnne Deborah Byron), A.k.a. Joanne Chesimard). Born July 16, 1947, Still Living. American Political Activist, Convicted of Murder, Former Member of the Black Liberation Army, One of the FBI's "Most Wanted Terrorists", Friend of Afeni Shakur & Mutulu Shakur, Often Described as Their Son Tupac Shakur's "Godmother" or "Step-Aunt", Currently a Fugitive, in Asylum in Cuba.

(P.S. if I got anything wrong, feel free to correct me.)

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