#project: shawl 14

[journeyman-tier-fibercraft]

The Evenstar is finally finished! This project has been a really fun time but I'm also SO glad it's over.

The knitted on edging took. Literally half a year. Not because it was difficult but simply because it was SO BORING. It looks so good and was so easy to block but I'm not sure I'll ever have the Willpower to knit this edging ever again.

My shawl also turned out significantly smaller than the pattern says. It's supposed to be 60 inches and mine is closer to 48 inches. This is probably because of the yarn I used? (Cobweb instead of lace weight) I also chose to knit under gauge because I didn't like the way the fabric looked at gauge. Thankfully it doesn't bother me.

[clamorybus]

i haven't cried since saturday but a lot of little things have made me misty-eyed. like our birthdays are in a month and a half; ever since my parents moved out her and pa's house she gave us phone calls on our birthdays. and for the first time in my life i'm not gonna hear her voice on my birthday

[freshstitches]

I finally published the project for my dice roll scarf that went viral last month. If you love dice games, you'll enjoy knitting this pattern.

The color work in this project is determined by an algorithm, a set of rules that determine the final outcome. There isn't an exact set of instructions for this project. Instead, the knitter uses four 10-sided dice or a random number generator to pick the length of the colorwork in each row. 

The result is a staggered stripe sequence along the edge of the shawl. There are trillions of unique outcomes, so no two projects turn out exactly alike. The pattern uses about 500 yards of yarn in total, but the amount of each color that you'll need is randomly determined. Before publishing, I wanted to find out the minimum and maximum amount of each color required to make the project and the probability of each outcome.

The knowledge needed to calculate the yardage was a bit beyond my skill level, but my friend Mary W. Martin helped me gather this info. I used an online probability calculator to find out the probability of each unique stitch count. The results are slightly different depending on whether you use four 10-sided dice (blue) or pick a random number (yellow), but 99% of all possible results fall within a very small range. 

It was an interesting little tangent, but not hugely important to the actual knitting pattern. I can, however, confidently say there is a >99.9% chance that you'll need a 2nd skein of the main color. If you want to know more about the math, you should check out my project notes on Ravelry. 

The thick and thin striped colorwork is created with a super simple "long stitch" technique. The pattern looks great in fluffy mohair or contrasting colors of basic wool and the instructions include some basic tips for substituting yarns or changing the gauge.

Finished Size: 18 x 68” (46 x 172 cm) rectangular wrap.

Yarn: Approx. 315 yards (288 m) of MC and approx. 264 yards (241 m) of CC. Yardage may vary, see notes on yardage below and yardage chart in photos.

• Main Color (2 skeins) - JMR Studio Worsted Weight Mohair, 245 yards (225 m) per 4 oz; 78% Mohair, 13% Wool, 9% Nylon.

• Contrast Color (1 skein each, both yarns held together) - JMR Studio Fingering Weight Mohair, 320 yards (293 m) per 100g; 63% Silk, 23% Kid Mohair, 11% Nylon, 3% Polyester Held with Lavender Lune Yarn Co. Suri Alpaca, 328 yards (300 m) per 50g; 74% Suri Alpaca, 26% Silk.

Yardage: The amount of each color used for this pattern fluctuates based on the random numbers used to determine the stitch pattern. MC uses approx. 233 to 315 yards (213 to 288m) and CC uses approx. 182 to 264 yards (166 to 241m). 99% of possible results fall within a much smaller range. The Yardage Chart shows the distribution of all potential yardage outcomes.

Needles: Size 8 (5 mm) straight needles, or size needed to obtain gauge. NOTE: Straight needles work best with long stitches. Circular needles with a thin cord allow the long stitches to tighten and stretch, making them harder to manipulate.

Gauge: 12 sts x 14 rows = 4 x 4” (10 x 10 cm) square in pattern.

Other Materials: 10 sided die or random number generator, stitch marker, scale, tapestry needle.

Generating numbers: In my sample, I used four ten-sided dice (D10) to choose a number between 4 and 40 sts. If you don't have dice, you can use an online app like RANDOM.org to generate your numbers. If you follow this link, you'll get a list of 63 integers between 4 and 40. NOTE: Each time you visit the link or refresh the page, the list changes. You can also just choose numbers as you knit.

Pattern is available on my website and on Ravelry.

[phan3145]

Title: Slippery Slope. Fandom: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Rating: T. ( Cursing, almost drowning) Pairing: Eventual Noa x Human!Reader.

**Notes: Probably no regular updates until the end of March, but it’s good to be back.

Chapter 14: Mother Knows Best

Noa

He and Anaya travelled back to the village in silence. Anaya, for his part, seemed to be satisfied with the point he made, wanting to return to his nest for the night. His Sunset Brother’s satisfaction was not shared. Instead, his mind raced with thoughts of what he had witnessed, as well as past events of the day. He could not sleep, though he did try. The deep breathing and snores of the apes around him would break his concentration, anger slowly building within. For the first time, he envied the ease of which the rest of the clan slept. He turned from his back to his side, shifting for probably the eighth time.

Another moment and he puffed out a sigh. He sat up, glancing to the sleeping apes around him, before pushing himself silently from his nest and heading outside. He needed to do something with his hands, as he could not silence his mind. There were multiple projects within the Eagle Tower he had left unattended since meeting their Echo; nests that needed to be repaired, fires that had gone cold, and beams that needed reinforcing.

It was a quick climb for him. Once in the tower, he approached his crafting table with a quicker gate, letting the relief of having something to focus on wash over him. He hummed, picking up his whittling tools for the new beam supports. This was long overdue. After a few moments though, a handful of wood chips in front of him, his attention drifted to the objects placed carefully on the back corner of the table. The dark piece of cloth, tenderly nestled next to the crown he had so diligently crafted at this very table, were suddenly out of place within the tower.

He huffed, shaking his head at the thought and returning to the task before him. Two more branches would need to be chiseled after this one. The nests would be easy fixes, the supply of silk over flowing since most apes had to wait an extra season to make their climb. With a final slice, he finished the branch in his hand. He blindly reached for the second branch, still inspecting the finished tip in front of him. Nodding in approval at his work, his gaze was unfortunately drawn once more to the Echo objects. His fingers were around the new branch, pulling it towards him, yet he was unable to look away now from that corner. He pinched his eyes closed, shaking his head, and fighting the urge that was rising up inside of him. He began to vigorously shave pieces of wood from the branch, halfway done before he stopped, sighing to himself. He dropped the branch then, reaching for the scrap of cloth.

It smelled of their Echo, the scent tickling his nose in waves as he ran the pads of his fingers over the shredded edges of it. He was unsure why he had kept it. Their Echo did not know he had taken it that day, and there was no real reason for him to keep it. At the thought of getting rid of it though, he was reminded of the look on their Echo’s face when she told him it had belonged to her mother. He remembered then, how attached he had been to his mother’s shawl when she had been taken from him.

He clutched the cloth even tighter, realizing that she had never told him what happened to her mother. She had trusted him with the worst year of her life, the death of her friends and her…partner, but she could not bring herself to talk about her mother. From that alone, he guessed it was nothing good. She had left with their Echo, travelled far from their clan if her story was true…but at some point, something must have happened. Something terrible, to have left their Echo all alone.

Suddenly being reminded of her lack of clan, only made his stomach feel empty. Something in him could not accept her being alone. Like with anything broken within the village, the urge to fix her situation clawed it’s way through his mind like a starving predator. It had not been so strong before, not until he saw her in pain. Not until he thought he would never speak with her again.

Flashes of images played behind his closed eyes, the impact of the days events weighing on his shoulders until he hunched forward. He rested his arms on the table, cradling the cloth along his cheek as his head fell heavily into his hands. He did not know what he was doing. He felt torn between his clan and their future, and their Echo. He wanted more for both. He wanted what Raka and Proximus had described, prosperity and evolution. He wanted what Caesar had. He was unsure how to go about it though, not knowing if the path he was currently on was the correct one.

Their Echo was angry with him, the elders were bickering amongst themselves, and while he was trying to do what was expected of him, he was failing at every turn.

“You always…had trouble sleeping…when thoughts burdened…your mind.”

He turned then, finding his mother standing next to him, a comforting smile greeting his solemn expression. He puffed out a breath, watching her pick up his finished branch and inspect it. The torch in her hand was held a safe distance away as she seemed to scrutinize his work. He watched her, worried she would disapprove, unconsciously shifting closer. Her eyes jumped to him then, that same small smile greeting him as she placed the branch down, walking passed him.

He turned quickly, following close behind as she made her way towards the burned out torches of the east wall. She lit the first, turning her head to him as she lit the second, “What troubles you…why do you…escape here?”

He could not meet her eyes then. Shifting in place, he hesitated to admit, “I…do not…know…I am…jumbled…the clan…then the Echo…she was…is…angry with me.”

His mother remained silent, leaning in closer and brushing her fingers against his chin. He hissed, a low growl of pain slipping past his throat, before hooting an apology. He took a step back, his own fingers searching the tender skin to find a scabbed over cut. The muscle hurt underneath more than the cut itself. His mother seemed to straighten, tilting her head back a bit, and fixing him with a stare he learned at a young age meant she discovered something he had been trying to hide.

“Hard lesson.” She guessed. He hesitated, but nodded. She nodded her head with him, waiting another moment before asking, “Did you…learn from it?”

He huffed, a sigh escaping him as he poked at his cut again. “I do not…think so…tried to help…made it…worse.”

His mother hummed, leaning closer, “What…help?”

He did not want to repeat himself. He did not want to repeat the Echo’s story again, but his mother was one of the wisest apes he knew, let alone trusted. He needed her guidance, so she needed to know everything. Not just their Echo’s story, but how she saved his life. More than that, he wanted her to understand why she was so important, why he cared for her so much.

So, there they stayed, in the Eagle tower. The rest of the clan slept peacefully below, while he recounted the worst year of their Echo’s life, and the best season and a half he can recall since becoming Master of Birds. His mother listened patiently, lighting the rest of the torches and giving him bits of silk while he mended the damaged nests. He was carving his third branch, back at his work table, when he finished. His mother did not ask any questions, remaining silent the entire time. Now that his story was done, she hummed, reaching her arm across the table.

He expected her to scrutinize his second branch, just as she had the first. Instead, her grasp travelled further, past the branch, and landed on that torn black cloth. He stopped carving then, watching his mother examine the cloth, just as closely as she had the branch. He could not tell what she was thinking, only that she was. She took the cloth in both hands then, stretching it as far as it would go, eyes focused on every rip and fray of the material. Finally, she grunted, carefully folding the material and returning it gently to it’s place on the table. She treated it as precious and as delicate as eagle’s egg.

Her eyes found his then, and he felt his throat go dry. Instead of confusion or anger, emotions Soona and Anaya had displayed, his mother chuffed, a hand patting his shoulder, “Do you know…why raising Eagle…is the final rite…of passage before…juvenile…is considered…adult?”

He felt his brows turn down and his mouth gape, struggling for words. He did not understand the purpose of her question. What did Eagle have to do with Echo?

Noticing his confusion, his mother explained, “Eagles are delicate…from egg to…hatchling…they take…gentle touch…but firm will…to be raised…the right amount…of silk…the right amount…of food…of water…then they mature…they need guidance…must have trust…to spread their wings…to know…they are safe…and you…can keep them safe…only then…do eagles fly.”

He huffed, looking away from his mother as he argued, “Echo…is not Eagle…Echo is mature…can care for…herself…not the same…as bonding.”

“How…would you…know?” His mother challenged, still with that patient tone of hers.

He opened his mouth to answer, but she held her hand up to silence him. She took a deep breath, sighing through her nose, “Since birth…you have been…different…Noa…your heart is pure…your spirit strong…your mind…soars high above sky…like eagles.”

He felt his shoulders pull in tighter, that feeling of not being enough starting to creep back in. Still, his mother continued, “You have…always wanted…to be like…other ape…yet you…do things…own way…pass…all other apes…do things different…faster…better.”

He turned his head then, brows narrowing, “I do not…understand.”

His mother hummed, “It is���good thing…but…fast can be bad…you have never bonded…with Eagle…you never grew…from juvenile…to adult…you bonded with…adult Eagle…forced to become adult…through fire and pain…forced to be…Master of Birds…before you were ready.”

He said nothing, shame overcoming him. His own mother could see he was not ready. He was an embarrassment to his father’s title. Before he could sink further down into those thoughts, his mother nudged a hand under his chin, grabbing his attention once more. “You can…care for egg…raise hatchling…but you do not…have patience…that Eagle needs…you can not…make her fly…before she is ready…she must choose to.”

“The Echo.” He guessed.

She nodded, “You can not…force her…to not be…afraid…she trusts you…but she was not…ready to spread…her wings…you pushed…and she fell…sinking talons…into you…in return.”

It suddenly made sense, and once again he considered his mother the wisest amongst the village. Honored teacher, could always explain things in ways he could understand. He pursed his lips, nodding along before asking, “How do I…mend things?”

“Time,” his mother said, patting his shoulder. She hobbled towards the exit of the tower, looking tired suddenly. “Trust is…earned again…start small…let her spread her wings…on her terms…respect your new…bonded…and she will…respect you.”

“We are not,” he began, watching his mother pause in the archway. “Echo…is not Eagle…we are not…bonded.”

She smiled, nodding once, “Yet you will…learn the same…as if…she was.”

With that, she left him to his thoughts. His mother was wrong, but she was also right. He needed to change his strategy when it came to helping their Echo overcome her fear of apes. He yawned then, feeling tired now that the night had waned enough to be closer to dawn. He paced over towards the spot he had made to nest in on nights he could not sleep, choosing the comfort of the eagles over the company of his Sunset Brother and Sister. He should have asked his mother how he should start small, but both of them were tired. It had been a long day. She probably did not have any better ideas than he did. Knowing now what the problem was, he was sure they would come up with a few ideas together.

Until then, it was time for sleep. He would mend things in the morning. He hoped to dream, dream of things that would inspire him to start out small. Instead, no sooner than he closed his eyes, he was awoken by Soona’s screeching.

“Noa! Wake…Noa!” She urged.

His sat up with a screech of his own, noticing it was just a little after sunrise, “Soona…what is…wrong?”

Soona grabbed his arm, hauling him to his feet roughly, “A youngling is missing.”

That got his attention.

…

He set Eagle Sun to the forest near the edge of the creek. His mother and the other younglings said they did not notice the youngest of the apes wander into or near the edge of the water. No one saw her leave at all. That was unlike his mother, not to notice a youngling wandering off. He could hardly blame her though, she had little sleep last night due to his own jumbled mind. So, he would fix this, if he could. He would find the youngling and bring her back to his mother.

Though riding would have covered more ground, he chose instead to climb the trees. He periodically hooted his clan’s call, scanning the ground beneath as he leapt from one branch to the other. Soona spoke of the youngling’s continued muteness, too young to have found her voice yet. She was born late in the season, so late the clan feared she would not survive. Elders of the past must have taken pity on her, not only did she survive, but she was smarter than most her age. That was why his mother had suggested she start learning now, many seasons sooner than she should have. What concerned him now, was how small the youngling was. He feared he would miss her if he did not search carefully enough.

He chose Anaya to keep watch over the perimeter of the woods surrounding their home, hoping maybe she would scent her way back. It would be a little too advanced for someone her age, but his mother did not share praise often. He hoped it would be that simple. Still, he sent Soona downstream with his mother’s eagle, while his mother stayed put with the other younglings. He could not imagine the young ape traveling much further from their home, but a smarter one would not have wandered off in the first place.

He huffed, glancing up to the sun. It was early yet, not close to midday, but he worried over their Echo. He did not know where to meet her, and he did not wish to keep her waiting. He let out a low growl, leaping from his current tree to the larger one a few feet away. He opened his mouth to call out again, but stopped when he heard the cry of the youngling. It was one of terror. He snapped his head in the direction of the noise and snarled, eating up the distance as he leapt from tree to tree. The branches trembled beneath his palms from his sudden weight, leaves falling like rain from the force of his movement.

She was close to the water, and he feared the worst. He panted, arms straining to throw himself further, faster, towards where the screech had come from. He heard it stop suddenly, and he feared he was too late. That was, until he heard a familiar voice.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Their Echo

“Okay. I’m going to come to you. I’m going to walk up to the bank and sit with you. Alright?”

He moved once more, landing on a branch strong enough to hold his weight. He dared not take another step towards the tree line, should their Echo spot him. She was with the youngling. He wanted to see what she would do. He was…curious, about the gentle voice she spoke in towards the young ape.

He watched her rise from the water as if she were made of clouds. The water did not weigh her down. Her clothes were wet, but they did not resemble the ones she normally wore. Were these special? Were they meant to be worn in water? Did they help her achieve her weightless appearance? One thing was for certain, he had never seen their Echo so bare before.

He could not help but stare at her, noticing small scars along her shoulders and legs that would normally be hidden by her clothes. The skin was a different color, not unlike ape scars. So different, and yet so similar. He noticed the youngling taking in her appearance as well, head falling back so far the youngling’s whole body nearly toppled. She seemed as dazed as he was by the soaking wet Echo. She recovered before he did, distancing herself from their Echo, while he was distracted by her face. Their Echo’s eyes held a warmth, her expression an openness, which he rarely saw other than when they were alone.

She was not scared.

He was delighted, watching her slowly sink to the ground in a non-threatening position. It was tense between the two. He silently begged and pleaded, urging the youngling to show courage. Just take small steps, a single step towards her would be enough. Please. Show mercy to her.

Then, as if she could hear his thoughts, the youngling inched towards their Echo. She brushed careful knuckles over her exposed thigh, flinching back quickly before their Echo smiled, letting out a breath and signing, Friend. Safe. Protect.

He felt his chest swell then, a strange sense of pride coursing through him. That seemed to have been enough for the youngling as well, who proceeded to climb into their Echo’s lap. He winced, waiting for her fear to set in, and though he could see her face twitch, she did not react otherwise. Perhaps, it was the fact the youngling was so small, so vulnerable. He noticed even the youngling’s curiosity regarding her strange body did not deter her from treating the ape with tenderness. And, if he was honest, she was touching their Echo far more than even he would permit were their roles reversed. Still, he remained motionless, a warm type of calm settling into his being.

That is when the thought occurred to him. He did not bring Eagle Sun with him. He should be alerting the clan that the youngling was found. He would…but just another moment first. After that moment, he will reveal himself and take the young ape home, before returning to their Echo.

Speaking of their Echo, he heard her small cackle, immediately drawn back to the spectacle on the ground.

“Do you know where your parents are?” She asked, slowly.

The youngling slowly processed her words before shaking her head in response.

This seemed to stress their Echo, causing her to take a deep breath before asking, “Do you have a name?”

The youngling signed her name, Eden. It was too fast, and as if realizing their Echo might not understand, did it several more times in a slower glide of her fingers. The name seemed familiar to him, but he could not quite place why. Of course he knew the names of every clan member, but had their been an Eden before her? He was sure there was another…somewhere distant in his memory.

He had no time to dwell on the thought, noticing their Echo shake her head, trying to explain that she did not understand. A stab of guilt turned his stomach, they had taught their Echo basic words in sign, but not how to recognize names. Eden snorted through her nose, frustrated at being unable to communicate. He thought this was the best moment to collect the young ape, but before he could, she did something that nearly caused him to fall out of the tree.

“E…E…E.” The youngling screeched, the first sound he had ever heard her produce. It was not a screech of an ape, but that of the letter E, the first sound in pronouncing her name. He could not believe it.

Their Echo was possibly too close to the sound, wincing and holding up a hand to plead, “Okay, okay, easy there. Don’t strain yourself. You can’t talk yet, that’s okay. E is good enough for me.”

The young ape seemed to be satisfied with that as well, returning to inspecting the Echo’s body. He could not see what she was so fascinated by, jumping silently to the next tree. He craned his neck, attempting to get a better look. Then, someone called their Echo’s name.

Soona

She began to screech and hoot in delight, running towards the two on the ground, “You…found her.”

“Her?” Their Echo parroted.

Soona pointed at Eden, then signaled to his mother’s Eagle to return to the group and let them know the youngling was found safe. Eagle Rock flew away quickly as Soona explained, “Wandered off…have been searching…long time.”

Their Echo seemed confused, if not a little angry, as she questioned, “Wandered off? Your village is far from here, how did she get this far by herself?”

Soona shook her head, falling down next to their Echo with a sigh of relief. She had worried herself into exhaustion. She had been searching non-stop since Eden went missing. He could not blame her for taking a break. She stretched her feet and toes as she explained, “Not from…village…from group of…younglings…upstream.”

Soona held out a hand, which Eden grasped as a form of greeting, but when Soona attempted to take the young ape, Eden screeched at her. It was obvious she did not want to be taken from their Echo, and to accentuate her point she shifted to the opposite side of their Echo’s body, completely out of Soona’s reach. He was surprised, Eden did not trust most apes outside of her parents and his mother. To choose their Echo over Soona at this time was…different. Strange. He had never seen an ape choose an Echo over another ape before.

In fairness, he had chosen Mae over Proximus, but those circumstances had been different compared to now. Eden was young, naturally she should want to cling to a female of her own kind, of her own clan, after being separated. Instead, she shunned Soona and chose to play with their Echo’s wet, matted hair that fell below her shoulders. She stood on two legs now, pulling and tugging at the long strands. He leaned closer, towards the edge of his branch, watching the way their Echo reacted to Eden’s rough treatment of her hair.

Creak

He jolted back, his weight threatening to break the branch he was standing on. That noise had been enough to catch Soona’s attention. She turned her head slightly, mouth opening to say something but he quickly stopped her. He shook his head violently, arms waving slightly as he signed, Do not reveal. Echo mad. Ignore Noa.

Their Echo noticed Soona’s attention towards the forest, ready to question her when she stiffly turned back to their Echo. She turned her head in curiosity, distracting their Echo as she asked, “You are…better…than yesterday?”

Their Echo seemed to avoid Soona’s eyes then, her attention placed on Eden. He chuffed, Eden had been taught a few moons ago how to weave a basket. It seemed the young ape was practicing her skills on their Echo’s hair.

Another moment of silence and then their Echo shrugged, “I guess. I hope you know that I never meant to offend you, or your clan. I’m sorry if you were expecting me and I never showed. I just wasn’t…prepared to see your village.”

Soona hummed, “Noa…should have told you…should have told us…sooner…I am…sorry…that apes have not…always been kind…to you.”

He winced. She spoke true. He should not have pushed their Echo to visit their village, and he should have told Anaya and Soona what had happened to her. He would do everything in his power to fix his mistake now. He could not do anything about the past, only learn from it. Humans often spoke of moving forward in their books and stories, in their Echo’s case, she had done just that. Maybe she could assist him in learning to do that as well?

Their Echo looked to Soona then, a small smile on her lips as she stated, “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. It wasn’t you who was un-kind to me. You, Anaya, and Noa have been nothing but kind to me…for the most part.”

“You are…still angry…with Noa?” Soona asked, somewhat hesitantly. She was not asking for her benefit and he knew it.

Their Echo puffed out a long breath, thinking, the silence stretching so long he was afraid she would not answer at all. Finally, she sighed, “Can anyone truly stay mad at Noa?”

He felt relief he had never truly known before overtake him. He felt the corner of his mouth tilt up in a smile he could not fight, distracted for a moment before hearing their Echo add, “I understand why he did what he did. I don’t like it, but I understand it. The real problem that day…well…it’s just…. I know there are barriers between our species. It’s more than just speech, and I…I mean, these problems probably have carried over from hundreds of years of differences. You three have been great, but the part that upsets me is that Noa seems to choose to ignore the fact that apes and humans don’t normally co-exist peacefully. We do, but I’ve also experienced the other end of the spectrum between our species. And Noa just…”

He hung his head once more. They were different. He could not deny that, but where their Echo saw that as something bad, he could only see it as good. She was not as strong as him, but she was just as brave. He was not as…creative as she was, but he could fix things just as well as she could. And together, the two of them…they were good together. He was unsure how to describe it, but he wanted it. He wanted the differences, he wanted to learn and to teach each other. He wanted to grow with her. He wanted-

“Noa does know…what it is like…to be betrayed.”

The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, one he was unprepared for. What had caused Soona to say this? He had been too lost in thought, missing the conversation. Their Echo looked surprised, brows raising before lowering just as quickly. She seemed doubtful, asking, “By a fellow ape?”

Soona shook her head, “By a…Echo…you are not the first…that could speak…that Noa has met.”

He swallowed hard, suddenly feeling uneasy. Their Echo seemed too eager as she questioned, “There are other humans around who can speak?”

“There was one,” Soona answered, still speaking carefully. She knew he was there, and she knew this was not her story to tell. “We do not know…where she went…left five seasons ago…have not seen her since…her name was…Mae.”

Their Echo nodded slowly, voice lowering as she asked, “What happened with Mae? You said she…betrayed Noa? How?”

Soona sighed, “We do not…normally speak of her…she was a source…of much pain and…confusion for Noa…think…you should know.”

Soona hesitated, each second of silence feeling like an entire season. His heart was beating so loud he almost missed her next words. “There was ape…Proximus…he was king of apes…he searched for Mae…killed other humans that…were with her…wanted to get inside…a human vault…it held great weapons…that would make Proximus…more powerful.”

He saw their Echo’s immediate reaction. She seemed afraid, looking unwell, as if she had eaten bad berry. Her next question caused his own bad reaction. “Who was Sylva to Proximus?”

How?

How did she know that name? How did she know any of this? Something cold caused his hair to stand on end, a small thought in the back of his mind trying to make it to the front. He shook his head, refusing to hear it. Still, it remained. Quiet now, but there all the same.

He watched Soona, her surprise matching his. She did not speak of Sylva to their Echo, which only left two others that could have. Though surprised, Soona answered, “Sylva was…his General…not sure if that is an ape word…or a human word.”

“It’s human,” their Echo was quick to answer. “Proximus seems to have already been an advanced ape.”

Soona curled more into herself then, “He was….we all were afraid…if not for Noa…and Mae…Eagle Clan would not…be here.”

“Proximus ordered your clan to be stolen, and Sylva carried out his orders.” Their Echo, clever as always, was quick to make sense of their ape structure. “What happened to Proximus?”

“Noa stopped him,” Soona answered without hesitation.

Their Echo remained silent. He had seen that look on her face before. She was…processing. She was trying to make sense of what Soona had just told her. While she did this, Soona snuck a quick glance to his hidden location. They locked eyes, and she signed behind her back, Continue?

He grunted, signing back, You must now.

Soona hummed to herself, before letting out a grunt to recapture their Echo’s attention. “Noa says…Mae hid from Proximus…in our village…Noa accidentally…lead them to us…the entire clan was taken…Noa tracked us…for many days…Mae followed…Noa did not know she could speak…until she called his name…Sylva was close…she was scared…she chose Noa as…lesser of the two apes…to fear.”

“So, she lied.” Their Echo said in a flat tone.

Lie. To be untrue on purpose. He still was grasping the concept of the human word. He let loose a breath, admiring their Echo’s ability to see things as they were. She acknowledged the right and wrong without details to cloud her mind. Not like ape…not like him. Her experience with humans more than likely lead to this ability.

In that same, flat, straightforward tone, their Echo continued, “Noa was betrayed by her traveling with him, but he didn’t know she could speak, or that Proximus was hunting her.”

Soona nodded, “More than that…when Noa and Mae…were taken to Proximus…he learned she shared…the same goal…as Proximus…she wanted to…get inside…get a book…that could help humans…learn to speak…again.”

“That…”

Their Echo hesitated. That caught his attention. Why? He carefully took another step forward, feeling that same branch start to give way, but he had to get closer. He stared intently at her face- her eyes. Processing again. She was thinking…and there was something wrong. She seemed jumbled…but more. Like she wanted to say more, but stopped herself. Like she knew something, but did not want to speak. Like…like…

Like Mae.

Like Mae when she hid the truth.

He felt his teeth pierce his gums, his jaw tightening. He did not want to think that way, not after yesterday. Not after knowing what he did about her. She was not like Mae. She was not. Would never be. She may keep some things to herself, but it is never information that could hurt anyone. She has only ever hidden her own pain.

She shook her head then, finishing her original thought, “That sounds incredible. Did she find what she was looking for?”

He took a deep breath. Perhaps he had misjudged her intentions. Maybe the jumble, the pain, was hearing of something she could not understand. He certainly did not understand when Mae first mentioned it to him. Still, that nagging thought in the back of his mind remained there. Crouched in the shadows, lying in wait for the time to strike.

“Noa…”

The sound of his name brought his attention back to the conversation, catching Soona’s eyes as her attention shifted to him once more. She seemed nervous, as if seeking his permission once more. For what, he did not know. He saw their Echo become confused at Soona’s sudden shift, brows raised as she waited. He urged Soona to speak, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

Soona turned away from him, body rigid as she explained, “Noa was…different…after meeting Mae…is different…with you…now.”

Their Echo did not seem surprised by this. Did not ask for better understanding. Instead, asked, “Does Noa think I’ll turn out to be like Mae? That I’ll betray him? Hurt him or the clan? Is that why he’s always watching me, always careful around me?”

He did not always watch her, he grumbled to himself. Of course he was careful with her, she was fragile. Perhaps she confused the two.

Soona shook her head, “Noa knows…you are not like Mae…you are…what he wished…Mae was…wants to make sure…he does not become….like Mae…to you.”

He looked away then. Soona spoke true…though he did not wish to admit it to himself. He was more than careful with you, because he wanted to keep what companionship the two of you had built. The same way he had wanted to keep it with Mae. It was impossible with her. Too much had happened. He would never be her enemy, but they could never progress together. But with you…he wanted…he wanted to keep you.

He heard their Echo sigh then, ashamed, “I…I threw a rock at him yesterday. I made a mistake…I already hurt him. He shouldn’t think that I’m not like her…I could be. I’m human after all.”

He wanted to argue, protest against the thought, but Soona beat him to it.

“Human…does not mean bad…ape…does not mean good…Noa says…wants others to learn…we are better…stronger…good and bad…together…more alike…than either side…wants to speak of.”

He sensed the shift in their Echo’s emotions, watching as she and Soona embraced. It was unlike a human hug, and unlike an ape sign of affection. It was a strange blend of the two. He saw rather than heard their Echo say, “Thank you, Soona.”

Then, there was silence, no more to say between the two. He on the other hand, felt he had much more to say. In time though. Not now. This was a time of peace. Of course, it did not last long. His mother’s bird swooped through the trees, and as he attempted to stop her, he forgot where he was standing.

Crack

His feet gave out beneath him, the weight of his body carrying him down. He mashed his teeth to smother the screech he wanted to release, hands scrabbling for purchase on branches as he descended. He caught one, enough to slow him down, before it too snapped and he landed face first into the dirt below.

He grunted, pushing himself up enough to see over the underbrush. As he did, he saw their Echo’s head lower from its raised position, down towards him. He stilled, as if caught in the gaze of a predator, the very breath in his lungs freezing. Her eyes met his in an unseeing gaze, her hand raising as he realized the sun blocked him from her sight. His breathing resumed, pain blooming in his chest. He was reminded of his fall as their Echo’s attention was now on his mother’s bird.

He sat up carefully, pain in his chest slowing his movements. He watched as Soona stood with too much urgency. Something was wrong. He turned in the direction she was looking, forcing himself to his feet as he saw his mother and her group of younglings approach Soona and their Echo. She had no idea. He needed to get to her, he needed to be there to help her.

He took a step, hands clenching at the pain before he heard Soona beg, “Do not…be scared…do not run.”

Their Echo jumped up, clutching Eden to her chest in a single fluid motion. She was terrified. He made to move forward, but Soona discreetly held up a hand. She looked at him with the same determination he had seen before they made the climb in Proximus’ kingdom. She shook her head, signing, Wait.

He did not like it, but nodded all the same. His breath came harder, faster as the younglings approached. Eden heard the group approaching, stirring and hooting to call them closer to her. Their Echo did not know this, only knowing distress as she tried to backup. Soona stopped her then.

“I am…here…trust.” Soona spoke, not only to their Echo, as she halfway shielded her from the approaching group.

Their Echo stilled, swallowing around nothing as he scented her fear from deep within the canopy. After another moment, she nodded at Soona, who shrieked at the younglings to slow and stop. She might not have had to, as each one completely stopped in their tracks upon seeing their Echo. He remembered then, that they had never seen an Echo before, and that was including silent ones. The second their Echo opened her mouth to speak, the younglings might all just faint…or run.

He hoped they did not see her as a threat. He was prepared if they did though. One of the eldest stepped forward then. He scented their Echo to the best of his ability, senses still undeveloped. He hobbled closer, enough to scent her legs, and he must have picked up on her fear. His confusion was obvious, head tilting as he saw their Echo flinch back from him. He observed Eden, clasped closely to her, though she wanted nothing to do with him. With the anger of a child ignored in preference to another, he demanded, “Why does Eden…get to be carried…by the Echo?”

He heard their Echo release a breath that sounded more like a gasp. He could see her shoulders begin to shake, Eden sensing the rise in her fear, leaning down from her grasp to holler and hiss at the youngling before her. Surprisingly, the youngling backed away, hissing back as grumbled, “Newborn.”

This almost brought a smile to their Echo’s face, watching Eden snort in reply. Then, another voice broke through the crowd, “I believe…you have…found my…youngling.”

His mother.

Teaching staff in hand, she hobbled towards their Echo, the crowd of younglings parting in respect so she may pass. Though their Echo remained afraid, she took one look at his mother and nodded. She knelt then, slowly, to the ground. She softly urged Eden to release her hold on her hair and clothing. Though reluctant, Eden complied, walking hesitantly on all fours over to his mother. He expected her to be scolded, but was just as surprised as everyone by his mother’s next words.

“Well done, little one. You were very brave.”

What?!

“What?” Their Echo parroted his own disbelief, the sound causing an audible gasp and reaction from the rest of the group.

[kishicelty]

Friday Favorites: March 14

It's hard to pick a favorite project type. I know that simple knit stuff like scarves or pieces with basic stockinette stitch get boring to make pretty quick, so I definitely enjoy something with a good pattern.

I like cables, probably what I've done most of

A lot of my finished work has had cables od some kind.

Though the projects that I'm most proud of and like talking about and showing off most are lace. Those take so long though, and I can't have any distraction while working, so lace projects are my quiet day work, not my take to the coffee shop or book club works

Made this sport weight orange shawl in 2015 I think. It's gotten a lot of use since then.

[boneapplet]

A Love Born in Blood pt.17

Relationship: Angron x oc/afab!reader

Warnings: minor descriptions of a difficult pregnancy

Word Count: 1780

Requested Tags for All Works: @beckyninja @runin64 @ilovewolvezz

Masterlist

pt 1 | pt 2 | pt 3 | pt 4 | pt 5 | pt 6 | pt 7 | pt 8 | pt 9 | pt 10 | pt 11 | pt 12 | pt 13 | pt 14 | pt 15 | pt 16 | pt 17

               Engines howling like the damned, the ship trembles in the grip of the warp. Inside its war-hardened frame, the World Eaters keep to themselves, sharpening blades and tempering fury, but their master doesn’t rest. His Legion, blood-drenched and glory-hungry, doesn’t understand what he’s doing. They whisper behind vox-helms, uncertain why their master diverts their fury toward an obscure mining world. It isn't conquest. It isn’t retribution. It’s personal.

Standing alone in the strategium, Angron paces—each step loud, thunderous, uneven. Before him, the hololith loops over and over again, showing the red-ringed designation: Subject A-19234R. Designation: Concubine-class Asset. Location: Gheltor Secundus.

               No name. No image. Just the designation. Just the echo of a life. The vitals hadn’t updated. The file hadn’t grown. Every moment that passed, she might be dying. His lips don’t form her name. They haven’t since the night they tore her from him—since he picked up her torn shawl with his blood-slicked fingers, when he broke in the sand of a dying camp. But he knows. The Butcher’s Nails scream. They always do. But for once, it is not only rage they feed. Beneath the boiling tide, another fire simmers. Older. Deeper. Hotter.

“Evara,” the word escapes, barely audible.

Khrivan, the tech-adept, watches from the perimeter. The last datafeed left nothing clear. No status. No exit log. Just a record expunged too neatly, scrubbed by someone with authority. Someone who thought Angron would never come looking. They were wrong. Khrivan tries again to speak—mentioning atmospheric density reports, obfuscated orbital traffic, the need for stealth.

Angron’s fist slams into a support strut, denting the adamantium. He turns toward the projection, eyes glowing like dying stars.

“I want Gheltor’s planetary logs cracked. Civilian manifests. Dockyard exports. Labor shifts. Even their sewage cycles, tear it apart. If a single scrap of her passed through that world, I’ll find it. They tried to bury her in silence.” He says.

Then, softer—dangerously calm. “They will tell me why.”

Khrivan nods quickly, fleeing to carry out the order.

Left alone once more, Angron approaches the hololith. With unexpected gentleness, he presses his armored hand to the flickering projection. For a moment, his shadow swallows it whole. He remembers her touch. Her breath against his shoulder. The way she had never flinched—not from his temper, not from the implants, not from the pain. In her presence, the monster had been just a man. She had seen what the Emperor hadn’t. There’s something else gnawing at him. Not the Nails. Not the fury. Fear. Not for himself, but that he might be too late. That whatever remained of that night, that woman, that hope, might already be ash.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

               The freighter lurches as it breaks the upper thermosphere. Evara braces herself on the crate wall, her breath ragged, sweat slicking her hairline. Every jolt of the vessel is a new assault on her exhausted body. Her body aches in places words don’t reach. But she’s off-world, she made it.

The cabin is dark, shielded against tracking arrays, reeking of rust, coolant, and fuel. The crew keeps their distance. They don’t ask her name. All they know is she paid in secrets, not thrones, and that someone wanted her caged badly enough to raise a planetary alert once she vanished.

Tucked in the inner lining of her coat, the shawl fragment still lives. Pressed sometimes to her lips. Other times, her belly. The child stirs inside her again. Too early for motion, the data she read had told her. Every shift, every flutter, feels like being punched from the inside. She exhales through her teeth and rubs her lower abdomen, whispering nonsense words of comfort, half to herself, half to the life she carries.

“We’re not safe yet.” She whispers it like a lullaby.

Across the bay, Larn watches her. He doesn’t ask questions. They struck a deal, favors for freedom. Still, something in his scarred face suggests he knows more than he admits. He’s seen desperation like hers before, but never quite like this.

“You’ll make it off,” he says quietly, more assurance than promise. “The crew doesn’t talk. They’re ghosts, same as you.”

She nods. Each breath burns. The stimulant is wearing off, leaving her shaking. There’s a sharp ache down her spine and a pressure beneath her ribs. She knows this pregnancy is not normal. She feels it in her bones. The child is growing too fast. Her body is breaking to house it. Still, she won’t stop. The freighter’s nav-officer, a woman with augmented eyes and a voice like gravel, ducks into the hold.

“Next stop is Shalritha, neutral space. Rotworld, mostly independent. Not safe, but unaligned still. You’ll disappear there, if you’re smart.”

Evara nods faintly.

As the woman leaves, Evara exhales and closes her eyes. The freighter shudders again, cutting into realspace. Somewhere out there, she knows, Angron is still alive. Something deep in her blood, whispers that he is coming. But she cannot rely on hope. She is alone and must ensure their child won’t be born in chains.

Tightening the coat around herself, leaning her head back against the vibrating wall.

“Just a little further,” she murmurs. “Just a little longer. I’ll keep you safe. Even if I have to crawl through the dark to do it.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The freighter shudders as it punches through the atmosphere of Shalritha, a world cloaked in volcanic ash and storm-born shadows. Evara clutches the edge of the cargo hold, the metal cold beneath her sweat-slicked hands. Her breath comes in short, ragged gasps. Each jolt of turbulence is agony, her spine aflame, her abdomen a storm of pressure and swelling pain.

Shalritha rises beneath them, a soot-swept ruin of steel canopies and slag towers veiled in permanent dusk. The entire planet groans under industrial overuse—a haven for exiles, dissidents, and traders who ask no questions.

Larn appears at her side, jaw tight. “We’ve only got minutes. The port logs are already flagged. You’ll disappear faster if we split now.”

Evara doesn’t respond at first. Her fingers drift to her coat, brushing the shawl fragment hidden in the inner lining. The warmth there feels almost imagined, almost memory. The pain in her belly spikes again—sharp, unnatural. She winces, a tremor of weakness nearly buckling her knees.

“I need a medicae,” she breathes, voice shaking. “One that doesn’t ask.”

“I know someone,” Larn says. “Midhive, sector six. Augmetic surgeon. Fallen off the books. Keeps old secrets for pay.”

“Then take me.”

               Rain pours in streaks of acidic gray as they cross the cracked ferrocrete causeways, weaving through forgotten alleyways and vent-hung bridges slick with rust and dripping coolant. The sky above is a fractured dome of faint electric storms, painting everything in stark, stuttering light. Cloaked in a smuggler’s garb, staggers out onto a platform swamped in rain and soot. Shalritha smells of oil, old blood, and damp metal. She nearly collapses as her foot touches the cracked ferrocrete. Larn steadies her.

“We need to get you off the main port grid,” he says.

Evara leans heavily on Larn now, every step harder than the last. Her body has begun to rebel against her. Her temperature surges and drops. Her joints ache with pressure. Something is growing too quickly inside her, a life not quite like others. They descend through a hatch behind a collapsed transport hub, entering a maze of service tunnels nicknamed the “Undercrawl,” where Shalritha’s ghosts barter silence in blood. Larn knocks on a warped metal door carved with archaic symbols.

“Old friend,” he calls. “We’ve brought coin. And something rarer.”

With a hiss the door opens. Beyond it stands a woman with half a skull replaced by an augmetic frame, one eye a hollow lens, the other gleaming with sharp intelligence.

“She’s breaking,” Larn says simply, nodding toward Evara.

“Come,” the surgeon replies, voice distorted through a speaker embedded in her throat. “Before she tears apart.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Khrivan returns, this time pale, breathless, data-scrolls in hand.

“My lord,” he stammers. “We decrypted an outbound freighter manifest from Gheltor’s unregistered dockyards. One departure… matching an unsanctioned biometrics flag. Female. No name. Code-red exit protocol triggered post-launch. Destination: Shalritha.”

Angron's knuckles whiten as he grips the data-table. His teeth grind.

“Course change,” he growls. “We follow.”

The helmsman protests, only barely “Lord, Shalritha is under sigil-sanction by the Mechanicus. Navigating it—”

“We follow,” Angron repeats, voice like a landslide. The Nails shriek approval.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

               Laying still on a rusted medical slab, her eyes half-lidded. Cold light pools over her face as the surgeon’s drones buzz low, scanning her trembling form.

“You’re lucky you made it this far,” the woman murmurs, studying the readouts. “This isn’t a normal gestation.”

Evara says nothing.

“The fetus is accelerating cellular division. Hyper-dense muscle growth. Neural spikes off the chart. Your body’s fighting it, losing. But it’s alive. Strong. Whatever it is… it wants to live.”

Evara’s eyes blur with tears she doesn’t let fall.

“I want it to live,” she says. “Can you help me carry it to term?”

The surgeon doesn’t respond right away.

“Maybe. With augmentic support. Blood infusions. You’ll be half machine by the end.”

“Fine,” Evara says through clenched teeth. “Just… get me that far.”

“And then what?”

Evara’s voice lowers. Her hand finds the shawl fragment again, clutched like a vow.

“Then I disappear. With him.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the void’s hungry mouth, the Conqueror cleaves through reality like a spear. Its hull groans with the fury of chained gods. Angron stands in the forward observatory chamber, silent amid the data-streaming hololiths and burning incense of blood rites.

Tech-Adept Khrivan kneels beside the relay node, his hands trembling as a scrambled data feed begins to resolve. “Coordinates align. One freighter. Unflagged registry. Illegal flight path. Landed on Shalritha… forty-two hours ago.”

The hololith flickers. No names. No faces. But Angron sees the trail. He feels it, chest tightening at this. The Nails throb, but it isn’t rage that moves him now. It is something else—quieter, more dangerous. A certainty. She is there. Lifting the torn shawl from beneath his vambrace, pressed close to his skin for months now, forgotten by all but him. Its fibers are brittle, scorched with dried blood, but still red. Still hers.

“She didn’t vanish,” he mutters. “They took her. And she survived.”

The void responds with silence, broken only by the growl of engines and the hum of war.

“Deploy two gunships when we breach orbit,” he growls. “Sweep the hive. Civilian sectors first. No fire unless I command it.”

Khrivan’s eyes widen. “Lord… you mean to land?”

Angron turns, eyes glowing like a furnace behind his helm. “I mean to find her.”

[flame-of-tar-valon]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Moiraine Damodred & Siuan Sanche, Moiraine Damodred & Leane Sharif Characters: Moiraine Damodred, Leane Sharif, Cadsuane Melaidhrin, Siuan Sanche, Egwene al'Vere, Nynaeve al'Meara Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Canon compliant character deaths, Grief/Mourning, Spoilers for Book 14: A Memory of Light (Wheel of Time) Summary:

In the aftermath of the Last Battle, Moiraine is tired. She has received an offer — but does she dare accept? The world has changed; the purpose that drove her since she took the shawl has been completed. What is left for her to do?

---

A @feast-of-lights 2024 gift for @little-cute-pink-horrible-being. I hope you enjoy.

[mythosidhesdollhouse]

Comfi Cardi update & completed project! Went on a bit of a journey with this one, which I'll explain under the cut XD Before I get into that I thought it would be fun to share Naturally Perfect Grace (formerly Camryn) alongside one of my favorite Rainbow High makeovers, since they share a very similar color palette (I used the same crochet thread for the edging on the cardi and the main body of Coco's skirt).

The fibers used for the cardi are Elite Shawl Glitz (discontinued) from Ice Yarns; and Lizbeth Size 10 crochet thread in 122-Caribbean.

So. I started off following the Comfi Cardi tutorial using the yarn weight and hook size indicated to make a garment for American Girl dolls. What quickly became apparent was that this piece was going to be MUCH too large for the doll I intended to wear it. Although Naturally Perfect and American Girl dolls are both 18 inches tall, their body types are quite different. I was aware of this, but as I do not own and have never handled an AG I had no clear idea of just how great the difference was until I began this project.

Nevertheless I continued to work my way through the various sections, both to familiarize myself with the process and to create a visual aid to refer to on my next attempt. I stopped just short of the finishing stages (sewing the sides and adding the ribbing) for easier reference, though I did work a row of the ribbing stitch on one of the cuffs and sew down the side to try it on the doll and make sure I understood the directions before pulling it out again (no reason to leave the yarn attached and trailing about).

The other reason for finishing the main work on this piece is simply that I hope sometime in the near future to acquire an appropriately sized doll to wear it! If not AG then Our Generation or similar. At that point I can circle back and complete it.

Once I had worked through the pattern-as-given I had the guidelines I needed to start over and create a piece custom fit to my doll. I switched from a light(3) to a fine(2) weight yarn, and went down to a B-2mm hook. Checking against the doll as I went I ended up reducing the main granny square from 11 rounds to 9, then adjusted the front panel and sleeve lengths accordingly.

For the cuffs and edging, instead of ribbing I opted for something more in line with my personal aesthetic, and chose a couple of simple lace stitches that would adapt easily to this scale and allow me to incorporate some beadwork and a button. These beads were leftover from jewelry I made in the late 90s and have been knocking around my stash ever since; it was particularly satisfying to almost use them up on a piece intended for my tiny doppelganger XD I'll probably incorporate the few that remain into one of her necklaces.

And that's it! I'm looking forward to doing this again for my other Naturally Perfect girl, after I complete her skirt. For simplicity's sake I'm going to repeat the same layout with different yarn/beads/thread. After that I might try scaling it down even further for my 14 inch dolls, but knowing my tendency to get distracted I don't want to plan too much in advance.

Big thanks again to @joshybearhuggies for sharing such a clear, well-paced, easy to follow tutorial! Over the past 15 or so years I've gathered my crochet techniques from books, written patterns, and stitch diagrams, but video instruction is an area I haven't ventured into much. This project was such pleasant experience I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for similar content in the future.

[sauron-kraut]

Well since you're asking... how about number 14 with Mairon and a Nazgûl of your/his choice?🌚

Thank you so much for this prompt, somehow this made me laugh so hard. 🖤 Here you go, friend.

Prompt list here (all kiss prompts)

No warnings this time

As always: Comments on AO3 are appreciated. 🖤

I opted for still human!Nazgûl again. Featuring femme young brat Khamûl again, my new beloved.

14. ...casually.

“I have always liked the bright red ones most. They remind me of blood and fire.”

Mairon strides across the dusty plane scorching under a merciless sun, moves between colourful market stalls, through wavering clouds of heat and beguiling scents, spices and incense and simmering stews, smiling at the pretty young man on his arm, with his dark hair and his soft murderous eyes. “Is that so?” 

“Yes, my lord. And now, they remind me of you,” Khamûl says.

Mairon nearly fails to hide his amusement in the face of the boy’s brazenness. “I am flattered, young king. A precious jewel, how befitting.”

He walks him towards one of the merchants, who has a variety of gemstones on display. Red gleams in the low sun and catches Mairon’s eye. He walks faster, dragging Khamûl along behind him.  Mairon removes the shawl he had kept wrapped around his face to protect himself from sand and dust. “How much for this one?” he asks the man and flashes him a toothy smile, pointing at the ruby. Exquisite. Mairon is not sure if the merchant is even aware of the gem’s value. The man looks into Mairon’s eyes and flinches, visibly taken aback by what he sees. Mairon is known in these lands. It matters not. “... lord?” the merchant whispers in awe.

“Yes. How much?”  The man tells him. Mairon turns to Khamûl, who is still holding on to his arm. “Is this one to your liking?” A nod, a little too quick. Greed. Delicious. “Very good,” Mairon continues. He takes Khamûl’s hand and picks up the ruby, gently holding it against the boy’s skin. Mairon grazes his finger’s with his own. “It will look lovely on you. Suitable only for a king. I can make you a ring from this, unlike any you have ever laid eyes upon before.” Mairon pulls him in by the waist and bends down to plant a quick kiss on soft lips. His smile then grows wider before he produces a leather coin purse and showers the counter in gold.  The merchant stares at him, wide-eyed. “Keep it. May it teach you about value,” Mairon says, and laughs. Khamûl’s gaze is fixed on the gold and the ruby in Mairon’s hand. Good. Power draws him in and so does wealth. Mairon will give him both, and he will give much more.

[k00320395]

14/11/2024 - Assemble Project

Since my progress review, my project has navigated in a different direction completely. My assemble project, as my tutors advised me, could be about costumes, Halloween, props, masks and festivities. I have taken on these themes in my project already, unbeknownst to myself, with my own Halloween costume being a main giveaway to this subliminal theme. I feel as though I will be able to have more primary sources and possibly more ideas by altering my main concept to this.

I have figured out that, in a way, anatomy still ties into this change of theme, as the body is still a huge part of the making of costumes and garments. The fit and overall finished look of a garment depends on the wearers anatomy and their body.

I really take inspiration from Tim Burton's style of character and costume design. It is whimsical, quirky, weird and absolutely beautiful in my opinion. I love his style. The body and the faces of characters are distorted in this style, with extreme contrasts from what would be considered normal.

Taking Pastor Galswells from The Corpse Bride as an example, he has a comically large hat, very incredibly pronounced chin and nose and a very exaggerated hunchback. He is ridiculously tall and stick thin, a body that is completely out of the norm for people to see.

The costume design is simple, a long scarf-like shawl, a tall cane, tall hat and floor-length robe.

[omnipotentauthor]

this was the year of crafting for me! got into crochet and cross stitch

started a crochet fox from a woobles kit november of 2023, but didn't finish until march 13

made a rainbow penguin, also a woobles kit, for my mom's birthday, finished march 21

made a bunch of coasters for myself, and my mom and grandma for mother's day, finished may 10

was given a cross stitch pattern and supplies by my sister for hannukah of 2023, started march 14 and finished may 13

made a granny square for my grandpa's birthday, finished june 5

made a set of placemats for my grandma's birthday, finished august 4

made a shawl for my mom for hannukah, started august 17 and finished september 15

(then my brain turned off and i didn't do shit for four months)

made a hat for my sister for hannukah, finished december 24 (yes, the day before i gave it, had to do it in three days, don't look at me)

i do have another cross stitch in the works, but it's not very far along bc i've only worked on it a couple hours a month for a few months. it's a bigger one, so it might take me a bit even once i start working on it more regularly, but finishing it is one of my goals for 2025, along with other projects

[journeyman-tier-fibercraft]

The last 5% of a project is the longest 5% of a project

[sirotras]

2023 crochet round up!

i mentioned making a post like this a few days ago, and true to my nature, i waited until the last minute to get pictures

so here we are, in no particular order, various projects i finished in 2023

1.) this was technically crocheted last year (i think) but this year i finally assembled and lined it, making it finished! its not quite the size to be a purse, but its perfect for carrying my phone and keys while dog walking

i followed this pattern, and im really happy with the results!

2.) some little zipper bags. like the bag above, the purple one was crocheted last year, but i finally added the lining and zipper this year (i also used the same pattern as the above bag to make the purple one)

the grey one doesnt have a lining and zipper yet, but since the crochet is finished, it still makes the list

3.) little squares from this pattern, to have something to clip my stitch markers to, very helpful for travel

4.) a few of the chokers i made during the summer, there are a bunch more, but you get the idea, a couple were made based on this pattern

4.) this one was hard to get a good shot of, but it's a cat blanket i made for my sister's cats

the pattern was a free one i got from michael's in store, which doesnt seem to be on their site? however its a pretty simple pattern, im pretty sure you could find something nearly identical by searching "star baby blanket" or something like that

5.) for ages now i've been meaning to make something to keep my tablet pens in, because having them loose in my bag is begging for disaster

i actually had to make this little case twice, the first one was too long and the proportions looked weird, so it isnt pictured here

i hand finished all the seams for the lining, there was no practical need to do this

6.) pouch to carry headphones i got for my birthday

7.) pouch to carry Cool Rocks

the bottom of the bag comes from these doily patterns, and the ends of the ties are from this pattern

8.) a mini dice bag, made to hold a couple sets of mini dice my sister made for me!

9.) several cord ties made from this pattern, the flower was my own addition (only two ties are pictured because i didnt feel like tracking down the third)

10.) a flower vine to decorate my desk, no actually on my desk because i still need to sort out how i want to attach it

11.) speaking of flowers, ive probably made dozens of these little guys, they're very quick to make, and a good way to give my hands something to do while watching something

12.) little succulents from this pattern

13.) oops! another pouch to hold even more Cool Rocks

14.) while technically i still need to to line these bags, i still wanted to include them, i made them from this pattern, and im very excited for when theyre actually finished so i can use them

next we're getting into some shawls i made, and unfortunately i just dont have a good set up for getting pics of them

15.) this one was made by doing a little variation from this pattern

16.) this was made from the all shawl pattern by doris chan, its a really great pattern for beginner's, the first shawl i made was from that pattern!

17.) this was made from a variation on the same pattern i used for the cat blanket, i made a couple others from the same sort of pattern late last year, but i decided i needed one in black in october, because it looks just a bit like bat wings

18.) i made a cowl from this pattern, and i really love the texture of it! i also made one for my mom in a different color, which is not pictured here because i took these picture last minute

other things not pictured include: a dice bag for my sister, flowers for my mom, and a sack for the cats to curl up in (since they love making nests out of my projects)

[h0neylevi]

Hi Sage, how are you? For the ask games, hope it's alright, I'm a bit nosy 👉👈 Fanfic asks: 8. What project(s) are you currently working on? 14. If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fan fic would you pick? Get to know asks: 4. What is your favorite book? 77. Do you have any pets? What are their names?

Flo you can ask me about literally anything forever 🫶🏻 I’m doing well though! How are you?

8. So I’m currently putting all of my creative energy into two things. One is a non-fic work, but the other is House of Cards. It’s my fantasy Levi x reader story :)

Just for fun, here’s an unedited snippet from the next chapter, where reader is trying to practice her manipulation of nature-based magic by controlling a colony of ants:

You take a breath and try to concentrate on the group. In past exercises, Petra had suggested that you try grounding yourself by focusing on things around you—the feeling of the breeze on your skin and the sound of birds in the trees. All nature, all with their own energies that can be harnessed. You try and focus on the warmth of the sun draping over your shoulders like a comforting shawl. You can do this. It doesn’t matter that you haven’t seen much progress since the first day. It would take some time, Petra had said. Ants continue to travel up and down the hill. A shadow looms over your shoulder, briefly blocking out the sun. “What are you doing?” Without looking up, you say, “Shh. I’m concentrating.” You watch as the ants at the bottom begin to slow down, turning, as if lost or confused, in the opposite direction. “I don’t think that constipated look on your face is helping,” Levi says. “You’re overthinking it.” You look up, causing the ants to scatter. “Well, it was beginning to work until you interrupted me.”

14. I wish I had more variety under my belt by now, but I don’t so I’m gonna go with House of Cards for this one too. It’s the one that I’ve put the most thought into and is currently the one that’s the most fleshed out.

4. I don’t know if I really have a favorite book right now. I recently finished the priory of the orange tree, and that was really good even if it did leave me with questions. I’m currently reading book two of the shades of magic series by v. e. schwab, and it seems pretty interesting so far. other than those, I’ve abandoned the last two books I’ve started, so if you have any recs, let me know!

77. I do have pets! I have two dogs and a cat. I feel like their names are kind of unique though, so I’d rather not give them out 😅 it flares my anxiety about being anonymous here, if that makes sense

[topazadine]

Because it's my birthday I am going to share 23 random facts about me (that no one cares about except me, I care very much)

1. I was born in Okinawa, Japan. No I'm not Japanese, my mom was an accountant for the Air Force. And no, I don't remember anything about Japan; we moved back when I was six months old. The military broke into our apartment and forced us to leave the country because my mom criticized the Air Force for having religious programming on the government-funded radio station. She wrote a screenplay about it which has sadly never been sold :(

2. I've written over 2 million words of fiction, most of which you can read over on Archive of Our Own.

3. I was named for two typhoons that hit Japan around when I was born (first and middle name). Every year, we used to get horrible insane bad weather around my birthday. After I changed my birth name and kept only one of the typhoon names, we don't get bad weather anymore :)

4. I've lived in 10 different houses and three different time zones over my lifetime.

5. I won a Gilman Scholarship for the most competitive country in the program and got to study abroad in Stirling, Scotland, during undergrad. I got all As in my classes while there, despite the fact that I was dealing with repeated bouts of antispychotic-induced trismus where my jaw would lock open for up to six hours. It was ouchie.

6. Over my lifetime, I have kept dogs, cats, betta fish, koi fish, zebra finches, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets, and chickens.

7. My favorite time of year is autumn.

8. Back in the early 2010s, I anonymously pretended to be Darren Criss (from Glee) in random peoples' inboxes, and I was so good at it that there was a theory that I was, indeed, Darren Criss. I eventually had to come clean about it because other people tried to copy me.

9. I also caused a controversy in the Sherlock fandom by Photoshopping Sherlock-related graffiti on a photo of the Baker Street Underground station. People literally thought someone was going around spraypainting the London Tube while I was comfortably at home in my apartment in Chicago.

10. While living in Chicago, I once found an iguana in a tree, in the middle of winter. Poor thing would have died if it was left out any longer. I captured it and gave it to my friend who kept reptiles; the original owner never came forward for it.

11. I have dyscalculia, meaning it's nigh-on impossible for me to do anything other than basic math.

12. Because of my dyscalculia, I can't read sheet music. Despite this, I was in choir and musicals because I had a good singing voice. To get around this, my teachers would give me CDs of the music, and I would learn everything by ear.

13. My first ever fannish hyperfixation was The Beatles. I used to roleplay Beatles RPF with my best friend by passing a notebook around between classes. My character had a whole city in North Carolina named after her, plus a lime green Bugatti Veyron and a mansion. Typical middle schooler power fantasy lmao

14. My favorite animal is the unicorn. Barring mythical creatures, my favorite animal is the cow.

15. I collect music boxes, specifically ones with moving parts. My favorite present anyone has ever given me is a singing bird music box with a little canary that dances while it sings.

16. I also collect vintage luggage. Look, it's a cooler storage system than tote boxes, ok??

17. I have been knitting since I was around 9. My favorite thing to make is socks, and the favorite project I've ever done is a seashell-patterned shawl for my mom.

18. In the summer, I love kayaking; in the winter, I love doing nothing whatsoever. Though I'm tempted to try cross-country skiing, ngl.

19. Last year, I made my first roombox; I'm now working on a three-story dollhouse. I also mod Nendoroids.

20. I've had nearly every hair color, which includes blonde, brunet, black, red, purple, teal, blue, green, and pink. My favorite is green.

21. I have seven tattoos, including the term "Mors ad Raptoribus" written across my chest. I got this one after being sexually assaulted; it means "Death to Rapists" in Latin. The other most important one is a portrait of my late dog Luke.

22. I like all sorts of music, including alt, indie, (some) folk, pop, metal, rap, blues, jazz, and classical. The only music I really don't like is gospel. If you ask me my favorite band, rest assured it'll change in about three weeks.

23. I'm a late bloomer horse girl. I rode a little bit as a child but was too broke to afford regular lessons. Now that I'm an Adult, I go riding once a week and wish I could go more!

Happy birthday to me! And yes, I am always this insufferable about myself on my birthday. Look I get one day a year ok

[startenthousand]

Yarn shop hop haul! We only went to the places in town...one year when I'm less migraine-y and my partner in yarn crimes hasn't just had a stroke, we'll do a proper weekend and hit all 14 shops in Southern Wisconsin.

Random yarns + project bag from a local dyer. Cake will probably be a hat or small shawl; the blue-green is for mittens; the rainbow will be a hat.

Shawl kit from KnitCircus, because apparently it's been too long since my last Very Large Shawl project

A truly ridiculous braid from KnitzandPearls. Colorway is called "It's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine."