#Exercise Swift Response 24

[nicollekidman]

yeah we need an immediate press release from you on ~The Prologue~

i literally do not care about it at all like. you know my stance on the usefulness/health of taylor constantly going backwards and relitigating the emotional reality of her life in the past….. but the prologue just made me really sad and reemphasizes that for the hell the media scrutiny put her through, she made it even worse for herself (i’m not saying that in a way that Blames taylor but, she pathalogically cannot and could not let things go and find out who she was outside of rumors and reputation). imagine being 24 and deciding you can never be seen with men in case it makes rumors worse, imagine building yourself a wall of female friendship while thinking, in the forefront of your mind, this will save me. it’s sad!! but like she did fully feel like an animal in a cage constantly being hunted and that’s traumatizing. so the line everyone thinks is “slamming gaylors” reads to me more like. there was nothing i could do to escape this.

i don’t care to do another whole elementary school primer on how being gay isn’t a bad thing, being straight isn’t the default blah blah blah blah but it doesn’t matter. to her, any commentary or assumptions about her personal life made from her public life was painful. which is an extremely difficult lens to live under for so long.

but at this point it’s hard for me to be like 🥺🥺🥺 about any of this when she’s currently engaged in the most obnoxious PR stint of recent memory, swiftie’s sense of entitlement and boundary crossing has only been ENCOURAGED with the “vulnerability” and retreading of old ground in the re-records, and people on twitter are like FINALLY mother is telling those dykes how disgusting and deviant she thinks they are!!!

i hope that this exercise is somehow healing for taylor, and that she’s able to experience the reclamation she’s talking about. but for me personally? i know this music. i remember who i was and what life was like when i got this music for the first time. i know how it made me feel and how it still makes me feel and all the friendship and love it’s brought into my life. i do not care for the overall project that feels, to me, like torturing taylor’s younger self AND throwing a preemptive eulogy for her. i’ve never wanted to know less about anyone in my LIFE and i hope in general that she gets what she needs from this era so she can move on and look to the future and allow herself to experience new things in both her life and music without like. the aforementioned torture.

but at the end of the day she is a pop star. my relationship to her is as a fan of a musical artist. i don’t need all of This and it’s not my responsibility to engage with the music in a way that other fans thinks will Annoy Her The Least. i am a normal person with a healthy sense of boundaries and as such it is not my responsibility to look out for what other people think is taylor swift’s mental health. so im feeling fine ❤️

[military1st]

A Swedish Soldier during Exercise Swift Response 24, part of Defender Europe 24, Kvarn, Sweden. 

The U.S. Army photo by Capt. Remington Henderson (2024).

[gildedleafmedspa]

The Ultimate Guide to Botox Injections Treatment at Gilded Leaf Medspa

In today's beauty-conscious world, Botox injections are among the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatments. They're celebrated for their ability to smooth fine lines, diminish wrinkles, and provide a rejuvenated appearance with minimal downtime. Gilded Leaf Medspa offers exceptional Botox treatments tailored to individual needs, ensuring you leave feeling refreshed and revitalized.

What is Botox and How Does It Work?

Botox, a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, is a non-surgical treatment that temporarily reduces or eliminates facial fine lines and wrinkles. It works by blocking nerve signals in the muscles where it is injected, reducing muscle activity. This leads to a softer, more youthful appearance as it relaxes the facial muscles responsible for wrinkles, especially those between the eyebrows, forehead lines, and crow's feet.

Benefits of Botox Injections

Quick and Effective: Botox injections are known for their swift results. Many patients see a noticeable difference within a few days, with optimal results appearing in about a week. The treatment itself is quick, often completed in less than 15 minutes.

Minimal Downtime: One of the key benefits of Botox is its minimal downtime. Patients can typically return to their daily activities immediately after the procedure.

Versatile Use: Botox is not just for reducing wrinkles. It has a variety of medical uses, such as treating migraines, excessive sweating, and certain muscle disorders.

Natural-Looking Results: When administered by a skilled practitioner, Botox provides natural-looking results that enhance your appearance without making it obvious that you've had any work done.

What to Expect During Your Botox Treatment

At Gilded Leaf Medspa, the Botox injection process begins with a thorough consultation. Our specialists will assess your facial muscles and skin condition, discuss your aesthetic goals, and address any concerns you may have. This personalized approach ensures that the treatment plan is tailored to your specific needs.

During the procedure, a fine needle is used to inject small amounts of Botox into the targeted muscles. The injections may cause slight discomfort, often described as a pinprick sensation. No anesthesia is required, though a topical numbing cream can be applied if desired.

Post-Treatment Care and Results

After your Botox treatment, it's important to follow the post-care instructions provided by our experts at Gilded Leaf Medspa. Here are some general guidelines:

Avoid Touching the Treated Area: Refrain from rubbing or massaging the injection site for at least 24 hours to prevent the Botox from spreading to other muscles.

Stay Upright: Avoid lying down for the first few hours post-treatment to ensure the Botox settles correctly.

Limit Physical Activity: Avoid strenuous exercise for at least 24 hours, as increased blood flow may spread the toxin.

Botox results are typically noticeable within 24 to 48 hours, with full results visible within one to two weeks. The effects of Botox generally last three to six months, after which muscle action gradually returns, and lines and wrinkles may reappear. Regular treatments can help maintain your youthful appearance.

Safety and Side Effects

Botox injections are generally safe when performed by an experienced practitioner. However, as with any medical procedure, there are potential side effects. These may include slight bruising or swelling at the injection site, headaches, or mild flu-like symptoms. Rarely, more serious side effects can occur, such as muscle weakness or vision problems. At Gilded Leaf Medspa, our trained professionals are dedicated to minimizing risks and ensuring your safety and satisfaction.

Why Choose Gilded Leaf Medspa for Your Botox Treatment?

At Gilded Leaf Medspa, we pride ourselves on offering top-notch Botox treatments. Here’s why you should choose us:

Experienced Professionals: Our team consists of highly trained and certified professionals who specialize in cosmetic treatments. We are committed to providing safe, effective, and natural-looking results.

Personalized Care: We understand that every client is unique. Our approach is tailored to your individual needs and concerns, ensuring the best possible outcome.

State-of-the-Art Facility: Our medspa is equipped with the latest technology and adheres to the highest standards of cleanliness and safety.

Comprehensive Consultation: We offer a detailed consultation to understand your goals, answer your questions, and provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Conclusion

Botox injections at Gilded Leaf Medspa offer a quick, safe, and effective solution to reduce signs of aging and enhance your natural beauty. Whether you're looking to smooth out fine lines or prevent future wrinkles, our expert team is here to help you achieve your aesthetic goals. Schedule a consultation today and take the first step towards a more confident, youthful you.

[militaryleak]

NATO Demonstrate Capacity During U.S.-led Exercise Swift Response

In combined and joint operations, Allies conducted airdrops from Romanian skies of thousands of paratroopers along NATO’s eastern flank during U.S.-led exercise Swift Response 24. Within the framework of NATO’s ongoing Steadfast Defender 24 series of exercise, forces from the France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain and United States participated in these air mobility demonstrations involving several thousand paratroopers jumping from U.S. C-17 as well as French and German A400M cargo aircraft. The manoeuvres demonstrated NATO members’ collective capabilities to swiftly respond to an attack on an Ally. Through rapid and massive force projection employing several Allies’ aircraft and Special Forces, the exercise simulated the protection of NATO territory on the eastern flank. The drills involved inserting these forces behind enemy lines to effectively prepare and support defensive operations.

In combined and joint operations, Allies conducted airdrops from Romanian skies of thousands of paratroopers along NATO’s eastern flank during U.S.-led exercise Swift Response 24. Within the framework of NATO’s ongoing Steadfast Defender 24 series of exercise, forces from the France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain and United States participated in these air mobility…

[devopspace]

Reliable and Efficient Disaster Recovery Services for Your Business

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses increasingly rely on technology for their day-to-day operations. From startups to large enterprises, the need for robust IT infrastructure and seamless application deployments has never been more critical. However, with the growing dependence on technology, the risks associated with potential disasters and downtime have also magnified. This is where disaster recovery services are crucial in ensuring business continuity and minimizing the impact of unforeseen events.

DevOpSpace: A Tech-Passionate Approach

DevOpSpace is not a typical IT services organization. As the name suggests, it is a company with a distinctive blend of development and operations expertise led by tech-passionate leaders. With a strong focus on delivering cutting-edge solutions and streamlined IT processes, DevOpSpace stands out in the industry, providing comprehensive cloud based disaster recovery services to safeguard businesses from disruptions.

Understanding Disaster Recovery Services

Disaster recovery is a strategic approach that involves creating and implementing plans to resume critical business operations after an unexpected event. These events can range from natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and hardware failures, to human errors. Without a proper disaster recovery strategy, businesses may suffer prolonged downtime, loss of data, and financial setbacks, potentially leading to irreparable damage to their reputation.

DevOpSpace understands the intricacies of these challenges and offers tailor-made Disaster Recovery Services that align with the specific needs of each client. Their team of experts comprehensively assesses the existing IT infrastructure, identifies vulnerabilities, and designs resilient solutions to ensure minimal disruption during times of crisis.

Key Components of DevOpSpace's Disaster Recovery Services

Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis: DevOpSpace initiates its disaster recovery services with a detailed risk assessment and business impact analysis. Understanding the potential threats and the criticality of various systems and applications helps prioritize recovery efforts.

Customized Recovery Solutions: Every business has unique requirements, and one-size-fits-all approaches may not be suitable. DevOpSpace crafts customized disaster recovery solutions tailored to the organization's specific needs, ensuring the most efficient and cost-effective strategies are implemented.

Continuous Data Backups: Regular data backups are the backbone of any robust disaster recovery plan. DevOpSpace employs state-of-the-art backup solutions to ensure that critical data is constantly protected and can be restored swiftly if needed.

High Availability Architectures: Leveraging their expertise in development and operations, DevOpSpace builds high availability architectures that ensure redundancy and fault tolerance across systems and applications. This minimizes downtime and ensures business continuity even in the face of disasters.

Rapid Recovery Strategies: In the event of a disaster, time is of the essence. DevOpSpace implements rapid recovery strategies to restore services promptly, mitigating the impact on business operations.

Thorough Testing and Simulation: Disaster recovery plans must be regularly tested and refined to remain effective. DevOpSpace conducts thorough testing and simulation exercises to validate the recovery procedures, identifying potential weaknesses and addressing them proactively.

24/7 Monitoring and Support: Disasters can strike at any time, and immediate action is essential. DevOpSpace offers round-the-clock monitoring and support to ensure a swift response and resolution in critical situations.

The DevOpSpace Advantage

What sets DevOpSpace apart from traditional disaster recovery service providers is its holistic approach. By combining development and operations expertise, they bridge the gap between IT silos and foster collaboration between teams. This unique perspective ensures that disaster recovery strategies are not just effective in theory but are practical, well-integrated, and aligned with the broader business goals.

Furthermore, DevOpSpace's focus on embracing emerging technologies and staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends ensures that its clients always benefit from cutting-edge solutions and methodologies.

Conclusion

Disaster recovery services have become a non-negotiable aspect of modern business operations. With the ever-present threat of cyber-attacks, natural disasters, and system failures, organizations must be well-prepared to face such challenges without compromising their core operations.

DevOpSpace's approach of blending development and operations expertise, coupled with their passion for technology, makes them an ideal partner for businesses seeking robust disaster recovery solutions. With their customized strategies and continuous support, DevOpSpace empowers businesses to navigate through disasters confidently and emerge stronger on the other side. In an era where resilience and adaptability define success, investing in disaster recovery services from DevOpSpace can be a game-changer for any forward-thinking organization.

[hardynwa]

Tribal leaders counsel Atiku, Obi, urges them never to go on exile

A group of tribal leaders drawn from across the country’s various ethnic nationalities has charged aggrieved presidential candidates in the 2023 general election not to go on exile because they lost out in a keenly contested exercise. The leaders specifically called out the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party, LP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr Peter Obi, respectively. They urged Atiku and Obi to remain as statesmen and contribute to national development. The group, which staged an advocacy work on Wednesday in Abuja on the platform of “The Natives”, however urged them to call their wards to order and kicked against calls for an Interim National Government, ING. Supreme Leader of ‘The Natives’, Olalekan Edwards, who led the protest, also declared support for actions taken by Nigeria’s defence, security and intelligence personnel to rein in sponsors of the ING plot. He said: “In the spirit of the commencement of the healing process and rebuilding the nation, as a patriotic appeal from the President-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu, we call on Nigerians to give peace a chance.” They also called on “Christians, in the spirit of resurrection, to pray for the Nation and calling on Muslims to use the last 10 days of Ramadan to seek for God’s favour and mercy for our great nation. “We call on INEC to conduct and conclude the remaining supplementary elections without fear or favour in our joint bid to collectively move the nation forward progressively. “We are hearing rumours that some presidential candidates of various parties have started leaving the country. “This is a trademark of any politician who is just an opportunist. “We, however, call on our respected Labour Party candidate, His Excellency Peter Obi to please stay in the country because his talents, abilities and his contributions are needed in this country. “As a patriot, he does not need to go on exile. “We are also hearing that the PDP candidate, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar will soon be on his way back to Dubai. “Whether he has gone or about to leave, we appeal to him to stay back because his valuable contributions are needed in this country. “We encourage all of them to stay back like President Muhammadu Buhari stayed back because this is the process of contributing to development of our democracy and Nigeria. “For Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his party has lost elections twice but this one he won through proper collaboration and we are asking all to work together for the growth of our beloved Nigeria and its democracy.” On the conduct of security personnel during and after the elections, the protesters said: “Today is April 12. We assert as follows: “Nigerian Military and the intelligence community deserve global applause. Our country has been awake to the emergence of political saboteurs reminiscent of June 12, 1993, roaming the nation in search of collaborators to truncate our 24 years of uninterrupted democracy. “These saboteurs by their open and sinister moves have been busted by the vigilance and verity of the Department of State Security. “We must at this juncture openly commend profusely the swift response of the DSS under their Director General, the Defense Headquarters, and the entire Intelligence community for their professionalism and commitment to their democratic obligation by alerting, and distancing the establishment from any complicity and readiness to frustrate any mischievous effort to truncate our much-cherished democracy.” Read the full article

[nahaslegal]

3dlabprint p38

The confirmed presence of UCP1 + brown fat in humans has added to the interest in finding methods and molecules that can augment energy expenditure through browning of beige fat cells ( 5– 7). Several polypeptides, including FGF21, BMP7/8b, BNP/ANP, and orexin, all have interesting browning effects ( 8– 12). Irisin was of interest because it is induced during exercise in rodents and is at least partially responsible for the browning response observed in white fat during chronic exercise ( 2). The parent polypeptide, FNDC5, is synthesized as a type 1 membrane protein and is then cleaved and shed into the circulation as a highly glycosylated polypeptide of roughly 12kDa. Irisin appears to act preferentially on the browning of white fat deposits when elevated in the blood of obese mice via viral vectors. This correlates with improvements in glucose tolerance in obese mice. Regarding human irisin, it is clear that FNDC5 mRNA is increased in skeletal muscle in some exercise paradigms but not others ( 2, 13, 14). Interestingly, two articles report that human patients with diabetes are deficient in irisin compared with normal counterparts ( 15, 16). Because the human irisin mRNA has an AUA start codon in the precise location where other species have a classical ATG start codon, the possibility that the human gene might not encode a protein has been raised ( 17), though the large number of studies measuring human irisin in blood with different antibodies and methods would seem to close this issue ( 15, 16, 18– 22). ( 23) addressed the signal transduction pathways by which irisin drives the browning of white fat cells. This article used the mammalian irisin produced in yeast cells and found that it is both heavily glycosylated and biologically active when placed on either 3T3-L1 cells or primary cultures from the rat inguinal depot. The effects on the 3T3-L1 cultures are especially impressive because these cells are generally viewed as very “white,” or not prone to the induction of mRNA encoding UCP1 and other thermogenic genes. The article shows rather convincingly that these browning effects depend on the activation of extracellular signal–related kinase (ERK) and p38 protein kinase signaling cascades. While both of these kinases have been implicated previously in the thermogenic actions of other agents on brown fat, including β-adrenergic agonists and FGF21, the role in irisin action was not known ( 11, 24, 25). The signal transduction through ERK and p38 occurs within 20 min after irisin is added to the cell culture. The swift response and the evidence that irisin directly binds to the cell membrane alludes to a yet-to-be-identified irisin receptor present in both primary inguinal cells and 3T3-L1 cells. Further studies will illustrate how the expression and activation of this receptor is regulated under physiological (exercise) and/or pathological (metabolic diseases) conditions. further demonstrate that mutation of either glycosylation site of irisin compromised its activity whether this is due to a strict requirement of these modifications for (putative) receptor binding or whether they influence protein folding/solubility was not addressed.The p38MAPK family of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases are a group of signalling molecules involved in cell growth, survival, proliferation and differentiation. The widely studied p38α isoform is ubiquitously expressed and is implicated in a number of cancer pathologies, as are p38γ and p38δ. However, the mechanistic role of the isoform, p38β, remains fairly elusive. Recent studies suggest a possible role of p38β in both breast and endometrial cancer with research suggesting involvement in bone metastasis and cancer cell survival. Female tissue specific cancers such as breast, endometrial, uterine and ovary account for over 3,000,000 cancer related incidents annually advancements in therapeutics and treatment however require a deeper understanding of the molecular aetiology associated with these diseases.

[reneehearts]

1: Top 3 ice cream flavors - mocha, cookie dough, s’mores

2: Top 3 Disney Movies - the lion king, frozen, 101 Dalmatians

3: Top 3 vacation destinations - key west, San Antonio, Germany

4: Top 3 places to shop - target, Victoria’s Secret, Etsy

5: Top 3 subjects of study/classes to take - English lit, memoirs, child development/social work

6: Top 3 make up products - glitter eye shadow, brown eye liner, mascara

7: Top 3 music artists - pierce the veil, jonas brothers, Taylor swift

8: Top 3 spices/herbs - cinnamon, garlic, salt

9: Top 3 drinks - coffee, iced tea, water

10: Top 3 apps to use - tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat

11: Top 3 months of the year - December, august, November

12: Top 3 clothing items - leggings, sweatshirts, bralette

13: Top 3 binge perfect tv shows - new girl, himym, friends

14: Top 3 romantic dates - intimate dinner/drinks, beach at night, hot tub

15: Top 3 kinds of flower - lilac, sunflower, tulip

16: Top 3 christmas movies - the Santa clause, the grinch, Christmas with the kranks

17: Top 3 OTPs - nick and Jess, Winston and ally, Ted and Tracey

18: Top 3 quotes to describe your life - spread kindness like confetti, and idk

19: Top 3 characteristics you love about yourself - friendly, kind, caring

20: Top 3 kinds of candy - dark chocolate nonpareils, Milky Way, maple cream

21: Top 3 ways to exercise/ be active - abs, dance, walking my dog

22: Top 3 spirit animals - monkeys, bailey, lion

23: Top 3 petnames - babe, boo, my love

24: Top 3 books read outside of school - water for elephants, the likeness, gone girl

25: Top 3 most used websites - gmail, google, target

26: Top 3 people you last texted - Jamal, Christian, chris

27: Top 3 hashtags you use - I really don’t

28: Top 3 instagram accounts you follow - Aussiesdoingthings, xomissdanielle, sophieturner

29: Top 3 guilty pleasures - old school Selena Gomez music, beets, asparagus

30: Top 3 summer activities - walking bailey, driving with the windows down, beach

31: Top 3 things to draw/doodle - hearts, flowers, stars

32: Top 3 aesthetics - pastel, rainbow/bright, princess

33: Top 3 things you'd buy if you gained three million dollars - house, private jet, pay off student debt

34: Top 3 ways to treat yourself - shopping at target, new underwear, Starbucks

35: Top 3 celebrity crushes - chris evans, ryan gosling, Aaron judge

36: Top 3 books from your childhood babysitters club, baby sitters little sister, Disney girls

37: Top 3 accents to hear - British, Australian, italian

38: Top 3 scents - pine trees/Christmas trees, lilacs, apple candle

39: Top 3 "Friends" quotes - PIVOT, they don’t know that we know that they know, soup I mean noodle soup, I mean soup!!!!

40: Top 3 cupcake flavors - yellow, chocolate, funfetti

41: Top 3 fruits - banana, strawberry, raspberry

42: Top 3 places you've had amazing pizza from - little Vincent’s, rosa’s in penn, Timothy’s

43: Top 3 sports teams to watch - Yankees, Yankees, Yankees

44: Top 3 crayola colors - I only really remember one specifically, razzledazzle, the pink one!

45: Top 3 things you hope to accomplish in college

46: Top 3 fanfictions you've read

47: Top 3 people you miss right now - Nick, Tony, Emily

48: Top 3 fears - burning alive, house fire, heights

49: Top 3 favorite literary devices - foreshadowing, symbolism, irony

50: Top 3 pet peeves - ppl who don’t use their blinkers, bad grammar/spelling (two, too, to etc.) ppl being late

51: Top 3 physical things you find attractive - abs, calves, smile

52: Top 3 bad habits - ED behaviors, over drinking when out, getting too attached

53: Top 3 pets you've had/wish to have - more Aussies, a monkey, lion

54: Top 3 types of foreign food - Italian, German, French

55: Top 3 things you want to say to someone in your lifetime - I just want to be able to talk to NG again 😔

56: Top 3 dog breeds - Australian shepherd, yorkie, German shepherd

57: Top 3 cheesy romance movies - pretty woman, the notebook, the last song

58: Top 3 languages you speak/wish to speak - Italian, French, Spanish

59: Top 3 series (book, movie, television) - friends, new girl, svu

60: Top 3 pizza toppings - just cheese please

61: Top 3 youtubers you're subscribed to

62: Top 3 tattoo / piercing ideas - astrology/Leo tattoo, finger tattoo, peacock feather

63: Top 3 awards you want to win - I don’t really need an award lol

64: Top 3 emojis - 😂🙈😍

65: Top 3 cars you dream of owning - pickup truck, Dodge Charger and 🤷🏼‍♀️

66: Top 3 authors - Tana French, Gillian Flynn, Sara gruen

67: Top 3 historical figures - MLK JR., Abraham Lincoln, Rosa parks

68: Top 3 baby names - hazel, violet, Ella

69: Top 3 DIYs - 🤷🏼‍♀️

70: Top 3 smoothie combos/flavors - peach, pineapple, strawberry banana

71: Top 3 songs of this month - mr. Perfectly fine, shake it out, dark horse

72: Top 3 questions of this post you want to be asked

73: Top 3 villains - scar, hades and 🤷🏼‍♀️

74: Top 3 Cities you want to see - Berlin/Munich, Sydney, Montreal

75: Top 3 recipes you want to try

76: Top 3 dream jobs - ice cream/candy store owner, school social worker, stay at home dog mom

77: Top 3 lucky items - my dog, my rings, my pop pop’s pocket watch

78: Top 3 traditions you have - Christmas Eve matching pjs with sister, reindeer food, and gingerbread cookies

79: Top 3 things you miss about being a kid - carefree, no bills, no responsibility

80: Top 3 harry potter characters

81: Top 3 lies you were told - only teenagers have acne, adults know what they’re doing/have it figured out, you can achieve anything you want with hard work

82: Top 3 pictures in your camera roll right now

83: Top 3 turn ons - hot body, nice smile, good sense of humor

84: Top 3 turn offs - disrespectful, rude, inconsistency

85: Top 3 magazines/news papers/ journals to read

86: Top 3 things you wish you had known earlier - what I wanted to study in undergrad, how bad heartbreak hurts, how complicated life/relationships can be

87: Top 3 spongebob episodes

88: Top 3 places to be in the world - northport, key west, Bahamas

89: Top 3 things you'd do differently - look more into options besides college, go to grad school right after AmeriCorps, have “the talk” with Nick

90: Top 3 TV shows from your childhood - Lizzie McGuire, Hannah Montana, Gullah Gullah island

91: Top 3 meals you love - ice cream, acai bowl, fries

92: Top 3 kinds of tea - just black please

93: Top 3 embarrassing moments - putting my foot in the muddy tree, getting sick from drinking while out, car accident

94: Top 3 holidays to celebrate - Christmas, New Year’s Eve, thanksgiving

95: Top 3 things to do in the rain - read, watch tv, snuggle with my dog

96: Top 3 things to do in the snow - stay inside and read, have hot chocolate, watch tv

97: Top 3 items you can't leave the house w/o - phone, ID, keys

98: Top 3 movies you'd like to see - last Christmas, hot tub time machine, zoolander

99: Top 3 art mediums - dance, watercolor, singing

100: Top 3 museums you've been to - museum of natural history DC, MOMA, Alamo

101: Top 3 school memories - leaving lmao

102: Top 3 things you don't/Won't miss - I’m not really sure

103: Top 3 pick up lines

104: Top 3 sports to watch - baseball, basketball, hockey

105: Top 3 taylor swift songs - mr. Perfectly fine, happiness, august

[tabloidtoc]

Us, December 7

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: The Private Life of JFK Jr. 

Page 2: Red Carpet -- polka dot print -- Jaimie Alexander, Scarlett Johansson, Lucy Hale, Kat Graham, Olivia Holt 

Page 3: Lana Condor, Zoe Kravitz, Kelly Ripa, January Jones, Molly Sims 

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Janelle Monae vs. Jourdan Dunn in Vivienne Westwood 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- George Clooney on starting a family, Demi Lovato poking fun at her split from ex-fiance Max Ehrich during lockdown, Kurt Russell on how Goldie Hawn inspires him to stay fit, Kelly Clarkson on how her 6-year-old daughter River pretends her computer screen freezes during Zoom school to avoid doing what’s asked, Barack Obama joking about his wife’s response if he worked at the White House again 

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Hot Pics -- Brad Pitt spent his entire day handing out groceries to low-income families in a housing project in L.A. 

Page 11: Tom Cruise carried out his own stunt on the back of a motorcycle for Mission: Impossible 7 in Tivoli in Italy, Hilary Duff and Sutton Foster on the Younger set in NYC, Maggie Q modeled for a photoshoot in West Hollywood 

Page 12: Pete Wentz playing tennis in L.A., Sarah Jessica Parker personally attended to customers at her SJP shoe brand store in NYC, Dua Lipa partners with Puma for their new campaign in London 

Page 14: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip received a hand-made card from great-grandchildren Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis ahead of their 73rd anniversary in Windsor, Vanessa Hudgens matched her Ferrari for a ride around town in L.A., Mossimo Giannulli looked unrecognizable with a new buzz cut just three days before reporting to prison in Beverly Hills 

Page 16: Bachelor alum Corinne Olympios wasn’t shy about packing on the PDA with boyfriend Vincent Fratantoni during a seaside vacation in Tulum in Mexico, Julia Garner filmed a scene for her upcoming series Inventing Anna in NYC, Nicole Scherzinger goes for a run in L.A. 

Page 18: Kelly Osbourne having to sport an eye patch in L.A., Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness bundled up for a walk with their dogs Dali and Allegra in NYC, Issa Rae at one of her favorite boutiques Queen in L.A. 

Page 19: Michael Madsen cemented his star status at the TCL Chinese Theatre in L.A., Andrew Garfield put his acting face on during a scene for Lin Manuel Miranda’s Tick, Tick...Boom in NYC 

Page 20: Royals They’re Just Like Us -- Duchess Kate snacks on treats, Queen Elizabeth wears a mask, Duchess Camilla avoids getting wet, Prince William loves a pint 

Page 23: Stars They’re Just Like Us -- Katie Holmes reads, Brian Austin Green grocery shops, Jay-Z exercises 

Page 24: Friends Furever -- Jennifer Lahmers brought pup Sophie along on a coffee date with new boyfriend Jarod Keller, Shakira and her new furry addition Max the bunny 

Page 26: A Star Is Born -- Sarah Hyland is 30, flirty and thriving 

Page 28: Love Lives -- due to the pandemic Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves are having trouble finding alone time 

Page 29: Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones celebrated their 20th anniversary, despite being in the public eye Taylor Swift admits she tries to find bits of normalcy in her ultra-private romance with Joe Alwyn 

Page 30: Hollywood Moms -- Nikki Bella and Brie Bella on their sons 

Page 31: Lala Kent may be new to pregnancy but the Vanderpump Rules star has had her fair share of parenting practice with fiance Randall Emmett’s two daughters, Tori Spelling’s five children didn’t recognize her while recently watching throwback Beverly Hills 90210 episodes, Jordin Sparks and husband Dana Isaiah are all set with their family of three 

Page 34: Hot Hollywood -- Just four months after welcoming daughter Willa, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are already trying to have another baby 

Page 35: Four months after Naya Rivera accidentally drowned in a lake her ex-husband Ryan Dorsey has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against California’s Ventura County and the county’s Parks Management and United Water Conservation District on behalf of their son Josey

* For someone who didn’t enjoy being a part of the royal family Meghan Markle sure seems interested in them -- she has started watching The Crown and she isn’t watching it behind Prince Harry’s back but Harry hasn’t been joining Meghan at the TV because he’s not interested in seeing it 

* A perk of being one of George Clooney’s best friends is you’re gifted with cash just because

Page 36: A Day in the Life -- Brooke Burke 

Page 37: For the cast and crew of Grey’s Anatomy having Patrick Dempsey back on set for a recent episode was a McDream -- everyone enjoyed their time with him -- when Dempsey’s character was killed off the series in 2015 there were reports at the time that his exit was ugly but he put rumors to rest with his unexpected return 

Page 38: Cover Story -- The John F. Kennedy Jr. nobody knew -- in honor of what would have been his 60th birthday those closest to the late JFK Jr. reflect on his humor and wit and big heart 

Page 42: Inside Sandra Bullock’s private world -- the actress has taken a step back from the spotlight to focus on life at home with her two kids 

Page 46: Gift Guide 

Page 52: Entertainment 

Page 53: Take Five with Jack Lowden of Kindred 

Page 58: Fashion Police -- Keyshia Cole, Susan Sarandon 

Page 59: Kylie Jenner, Lauren Ash 

Page 60: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Lea Salonga 

[xojessicaaa]

Life’s been so hectic and even more so now. All this quarantining has got me wanting to work on my well being and also be crafty again. With everything going on, I’m still working full time. We transitioned to work from home, which has proven to be so challenging. I feel like I’m working more now and I’m more stressed than I ever was being in the office. I don’t consider myself an “essential worker” even though I work for an essential place... a school. I work in the finance department and I recently got new responsibilities, maybe a month of so before we shut down the school, because my boss left for another job. I’m super grateful that they believed in me to take over some of his responsibilities considering how big of a role he played in the school but boy can it be overwhelming. Every day when I clock out, I make it a mission to walk my two miles. It’s not only for the exercise but also for my own good to disconnect and breathe. Cant do that without playing Tay on repeat and wearing my Meredith shirt or Lover shirt from Target! Lol on the weekends, I like to submerge myself in crafts, although I’m not very good, it’s just fun to make a mess sometimes! But some of my all time favorite crafts have been my Lover/Taylor crafts that make me so happy to look out. If you’ve made it this far, the point is, do something for your well being, weather it be taking a walk, crafting, blasting Taylor Swift 24/7. Take a step back and BREATHE. It’s okay to take time for yourself, it’s okay to take a break. Be creative in what you do, you might just make something great!

@taylorswift

[militaryleak]

US-led Exercise Swift Response 24 Putting British Army’s Paratroopers to The Test

NATO airborne forces are honing their capabilities to respond together in crises as exercise Swift Response 24 ramps up across Europe from the Baltics to the Balkans. 13,000 troops from 17 nations are participating in the month long exercise. In Estonia, the British Army’s Global Response Force, 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, is leading a force of more than 2,300 soldiers, sailors and aviators from four countries. The UK’s 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment Battlegroup Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Dave Mans, said that the training had given his soldiers “a huge degree of realism and pressure” and praised their “controlled aggression and focus”. More than 2,000 troops and 500 vehicles under the command of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team (16 Air Asslt BCT) have travelled across Europe to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender. The training will see a force of more than 2,300 soldiers, sailors and aviators from four NATO countries working together under the BCT’s leadership to practice how they can respond together to international crises. Getting the force across Europe to the exercise’s start line has tested 16 Air Asslt BCT’s readiness, expeditionary mindset and logistic skills.

NATO airborne forces are honing their capabilities to respond together in crises as exercise Swift Response 24 ramps up across Europe from the Baltics to the Balkans. 13,000 troops from 17 nations are participating in the month long exercise. In Estonia, the British Army’s Global Response Force, 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, is leading a force of more than 2,300 soldiers, sailors and…

[topgradecartitleloans-blog]

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[knittastically]

A Lioness Amongst the Wolves Pt 24

Raymond de Merville did not die on a beach in Ireland, of course he didn’t. He made it back to Rouen and has decided to marry a feisty little baggage called Isabé.

A fiction, based hardly at all on a fiction, with the addition of some other fictional characters.

Part 1  Part 2   Part 3  Part 4  Part 5   Part 6 Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10

Part 11   Part 12   Part 13  Part 14  Part 15 Part 16   Part 17  Part 18

Part 19    Part 20   Part 21  Pt 22  Pt 23

You can also find all chapters here on AO3

If you want in or out of the Tag List (at the bottom of the page) just let me know via message and it’ll be done in a flash

Raymond is aware of two things, the sound of his heart pounding against his ribs and the warmth of Nicolette snuggled against his chest. Jaws set and eyes narrowed, Raymond and Fournier study each other across the table, the air seems to grow thin and brittle. Surprisingly, it’s Raymond who looks away first. He presses a soft kiss to his daughter’s temple and another to the top of her head; she is oblivious to the tension in the room and makes herself more comfortable against him as she hums a tune to herself. Pressing his lips together Raymond rolls his eyes heavenwards hoping to God it is only the tune she knows; he can well imagine the scandalised looks if she decided to come out with the words. Clearly, his daughter is spending far too much time around housemaids, pot boys’ and stable lads, all of whom seem to have forgotten that little heads have big ears.

When he sees Raymond look up, the Seneschal is surprised to notice that there is a smile on his face, not broad but it’s kind, and it reaches his eyes. Fournier sighs and drops down into his chair, he takes a long swallow of wine and lets down his courtier’s guard; he doesn’t care that his relief is so visible and his emotions are on show.

“You know Sébastien, we can’t choose our relatives but I have to say there are few men I would wish to have as a prospective Father-in Law, though you number amongst them.”

“And Henri Bouvier?”

“Well, know he is not Isabé’s father but yes I would have to include him because no matter what others may say of him, he is a good friend and I know him far better than most.”

Fournier closes his eyes for a moment and Raymond sees the man’s shoulders relax and the tension slip from his face. “You really mean what you say?”

“Of course I do, for Christ’s sake man who am I to judge you?” He glances down at Nicolette a soft look on his face.

“Yes, but Nicolette has always known who her father is, whereas Isabé has not. I give Henri great credit; never once did he prevent me from visiting the Manor but Isabé barely noticed me. As far as she was concerned, I was just there to see Henri. Though he certainly had the means to provide for her, he realised how important it was and is, for me to contribute in any way possible and to visit as often as I wished. He always sought my opinion, how much of it was of his own volition and how much was prompted by Blanche I don’t know but I am grateful, and he respected my decision to keep to the background and to tell her in my own time.”

Raymond looks squarely at Fournier. “Knowing Henri as I do, I’m certain he needed no prompting from Blanche, they may call him Bouvier the Butcher and there is no question he is a hard man but he knows when to do right and he has done right by Isabé; as for you Sébastien, you have nothing to reproach yourself for my friend.”

Fournier chuckles. “Ah, but we didn’t quite manage raise a “Lady” in the conventional sense. Isabé is far too opinionated and outspoken for that; do you know that between them, Henri, Blanche and Guillaume have taught Isabé to read, write, figure numbers, she has a rudimentary knowledge of how to use sword and knife, and of course she can ride, I don’t mean simply to trot along, I mean ride like a soldier. Wearing Guillaume’s old clothes with her hair stuffed under a coif she would go haring around with him.” He grins at Raymond. “You know if you hadn’t offered for her Raymond, she would likely have ended an old maid, I doubt there’s another man of my acquaintance who would have had the balls to taker her on.”

Elbows propped on the arms of his chair, Fournier steeples his fingers together and purses his lips. “Oh, Henri has no truck with keeping women hobbled and in ignorance, thankfully Blanche agrees with him and though Isabé may not conform to every man’s ideal, in my heart I know she will make you a good wife.”

Raymond’s eyes grow wide, they sparkle with amusement. “Well I thought I knew everything about your daughter. Though it seems I still have a great deal to discover, still you know me well enough to know I enjoy a challenge my friend.” Fournier beams at Raymond’s acknowledgement of him as a deep laugh rumbles out from Raymond, his chest vibrates, and Nicolette shifts in his arms frowning at the disturbance.

“Oh, the moment she told me that I wasn’t getting a simpering, whey faced bitch, I was sure of she would do for me.”

“You do love her Raymond?”

If Raymond is surprised by point blank question, he doesn’t show it and his response is swift and absolute.

“Yes, Sébastien, I do.” Even as he answers he sees an anxious look settling on the Seneschals face.

“Something is bothering you my friend?”

“Raymond, should you and Isabé decide to keep this to yourselves I shall understand but if you decide that others should know then I am prepared for the gossip and speculation.” He sighs and grips at the arms of his chair. “There will doubtless be questions about my timing and my motives.” Sebastien bows his head and swallows hard. “All I can answer is why not now, there is never a good time and Isabé is a grown woman, she can accept or deny me as she chooses, as for the latter what do I need, I am content with my situation in life, whatever the outcome.”

Raymond scans the handsome face opposite and considers Fournier’s words, he recognises the truth when he hears it.

“My friend, I think you should send for Isabé, tell her now before the wedding it will at least give her a little time adjust, that’s all you can do.”

Raymond catches a strange expression on Fournier’s face, a hint of panic perhaps, certainly the silent plea of an anxious man and he comes to his rescue.

“If you will allow, I will stay, perhaps Isabé will feel more comfortable if she knows I am pleased to have you as my Father in Law.”

Fournier nods, scrapes his chair back and crosses to the door. When he opens it, the page outside snaps to attention as he is instructed to go and fetch Mam’selle Pelletier and the Seneschal silently thanks Raymond for his support.

As she begins to close the door behind her Eleanor pauses, then turns to me. My eyes are drawn to her hand, long, slender, elegant; I shudder slightly knowing that those fingers, so pale and delicate against the dark wood of the door are a weapon. She can and has killed with them and if necessary, will do so again.

“Isabé believe me, I know just how difficult it will be for you to keep up the pretence that you know nothing of what Théo and Ghislane really are. But you can’t allow yourself to give anything away, not the slightest hint.”

I am trying to appear calm, but my words are snappy and peevish. “Huh, that’s like telling me not to let my mouth water when I think of verjuice or vinegar.”  

Eleanor smiles a cool, tight little smile. “Make light of it by all means but be absolutely certain that one course of action will keep you alive, the other might get you killed; so I beg you to think on what I’ve said. Now I must go and help Jehanne with the last of the hangings, when you are ready send word and I will meet you at the entrance to the exercise yard.”

Her voice is harsh, and her words makes my blood chill. With eyes closed I nod, when I open them, she’s gone. Eleanor has left without making a sound and I’m sure it was by design, just to leave me in no doubt how easily some people can come and go. My hands tremble and I reach for the wine, but I stop short; courage and answers aren’t generally found at the bottom of a wine cup, so I pour water instead.  

The heat is almost unbearable, but convention does not allow for my going bare legged, so I pull on my hose and garter them; a final fiddle with my veil, a smoothing down of the pale green gown and I’m ready. I look back into the room, I shall spend only two more nights in this chamber, after that I shall be in my husband’s bed, in the arms of a man more than twice my age and who, if I’m honest I barely know. For a moment I can’t decide whether I’m excited or afraid, then I think back to this morning and smile and a heat travels through me.

When I step down into the hall Ghislane is nowhere to be seen thank God, and neither is Jehanne, I’m relieved, I can’t face her after I had the gall to accuse her of betraying me to Raymond. Master Laurent is on the far side of the room, deep in conversation with a group of his men; he is overseeing the dismantling of the scaffolding from either side of the hall, as he turns to instruct them to leave leave the platform behind the High Table, he catches sight of me raising his right hand in greeting.

“Damn I shall have to go cap in hand to the Baron, Raymond or Fournier for coin to pay the man.” I am not yet Chatelaine and so have no funds.

The Chateau is waking, cooking smells waft from behind the screens passage, housemaids, squires and pages scuttle about with items of clothing, trays of food, ewers, piss pots covered with linen cloths. They dodge and sidestep as they cross and recross the hall, I hear a rumbling sound behind me and turn to see two burly pages roll a large wooden bathing tub towards the stairs then with much groaning and cursing they proceed to manhandle it to the corridor above. 

 Making my way towards the high table I look around and can’t help but take great pride in what we have achieved. The Chateau is looking as it should, like the dwelling of a nobleman, not the shabby, grubby barracks it once was. The banners and hangings are magnificent their colours glowing in the dim light, the embroidered figures seem to have a life of their own and the result is far better than I had imagined or hoped it would be. Eleanor and Jehanne have proven beyond doubt what formidable needlewomen they are, and they have clearly chosen their assistants well.

“Isabé,” I turn at the sound of the low growl behind me. For a well-built man with a walking cane the Baron moves remarkably quietly.

“Monseigneur Baron, good morning.” I smile and drop a curtsey.

“Good morning Isabé.” He raises his cane and points at the banners behind the high table. “Well this is quite impressive, you have done well girl.” I bridle a little when he calls me “girl”, but I try not to show it. As he steps round to stand in front of me, his lips are pursed and there is a slight frown creasing his forehead. “You know you may not have been my choice as a wife for my son but the more I see and know of you, the more I am convinced that Raymond made the right decision. He knows his own mind best and you my dear will make a formidable Chatelaine.”  

“Well I thank you for your honesty Monseigneur, I think.”

He manages a wry smile then takes a step closer, with his free left hand he catches my chin between his finger and thumb “Are you well?” he tilts my face this way and that a little. “You look pale girl.”

I give him my best smile, but I know it doesn’t reach my eyes. “I’m just a little tired.”

“Understandable, you have worked so hard and your efforts have been noticed not just by me; His Majesty speaks very highly of you and by the way, he seems to have reconciled himself to your marriage to my son.”

“Well then I suppose I should be grateful for that.” I grin up at him, “But Kings may change their minds more often than I change my hose; and until I am in the Cathedral and prostrate beneath the canopy to receive the blessing, I shan’t hold my breath. Answer me honestly Monseigneur, do think it likely that Philip could or would force Raymond to set me aside.”

Gaultier lowers his voice to a growl “He could, and if he forbade the match, Raymond would accept the decision without question. Always remember, that first and foremost my son is a soldier and the King’s confidant, his loyalty is to his sovereign no matter what.”

“As if I am likely to forget after the last few days of intrigue and Raymond injured into the bargain.” I spit my words out at him and he flashes me a hard look, fixing me with his own brilliant blue eyes.

“You are not an idiot, so please try not to behave like one. Growing up in the household of Henri Bouvier you know well enough about obedience and allegiance.” As he proffers his arm the frown lines smooth and fade from his forehead and there is a hint of a smile on his lips “Now, will you walk with me, will you allow a testy old man to accompany you?”

“Certainly Monseigneur.” Beaming a smile at him, I start to link my arm through his, but he takes my hand gently in his great paw, sets it to rest on top of his, then hands high he escorts me around the hall as if I am a great lady. This is his way of honouring me, he is making it plain to everyone that I have his blessing and his protection.”  Sideways glances and hushed whispers follow us as we walk.

“You are a formidable woman Isabé and will be an equally impressive Chatelaine.” I smile as the Baron continues, “But you have a sharp tongue and a fiery temper it makes you rash and at times a little careless; I urge you to be mindful Isabé, draw in your horns a little, don’t provoke the wrong people.”

Though his voice is calm, I sense he is warning me against Theo and Ghislane and before I can answer I am taken by surprise as he bends forward and brushes his lips against the back of my hand. My Status is sealed and there can be no question now about my place in the de Merville household. Before I can respond a young page trots up and bows to Gaultier.

“What is it boy?”

“Monseigneur I have a message for Mam’selle Pelletier” He turns to me. `Mam’selle, the Seneschal has an urgent matter he wishes to discuss with you and he respectfully asks that you join him in his chamber.”

“Would you excuse me Monseigneur it’s probably nothing at all but… ”  I shrug my shoulders.

“Don’t be so sure Isabé, Fournier has never been a man given to exaggeration, if he says it is urgent then I should believe him, so go and see what he wants and set your mind at rest.”

Another curtsey, another touch of his lips to the back of my hand. Oh yes, the significance of that is not lost on those who are watching us closely. Remembering Eleanor’s words, I don’t run but walk briskly with the page a step behind me. At the top of the spiral stairs he steps forward, opens the door and announces me.

“Oh, Raymond, I did not expect to see you here, forgive me, if you have business with Fournier I can return later.”

“This matter concerns us all Isabé.”

He isn’t smiling, his face is a solemn mask, the tone of his voice worries me, it’s a cool and a little clipped and it roots me to the spot; it would seem the Baron was right, the matter is urgent.

I glance from Raymond, to Fournier and back again.

“Mon Dieu, vous avez l’air de manger des pommes aigres.” * Their expression don’t change.

Raymond unfolds himself from the chair and sets Nicolette in his place, she huffs and scowls at him for abandoning her; one raised eyebrow and his own exaggerated scowl is enough to quell any of her nonsense, and she giggles at him. He stands besides me and just as his father had, takes my hand and raises it to his lips. He is almost a head and neck taller than me, to look him in the eyes I must tilt my head. Raymond is troubled in can see it in those blue eyes, he squeezes my hand gently.

“So, what is this urgent problem which can’t be resolved by two grown men huh?” I try to laugh but it doesn’t work, something is awry here. “Hell, the pair of you look so damned anxious, it has to be more than a few missing flagons of wine, the butter turning rancid in the heat or His Majesty complaining about a lumpy mattress.” Still nothing. “I have it, Chef Dufour has run off with a kitchen maid and the kitchens are in an uproar?”  The tension grows and I shiver, Fournier speaks but only to offer me wine, but as he pours it, I notice that his hand trembles.

“Will this be a one wine cup, or a two wine cup problem.” I take a sip and smile nervously at the Seneschal.

Raymond cuts me off with a growl. “Isabé for God’s sake shut up and let Fournier speak.”

“Mam’selle,” Fournier’s voice is hoarse, the colour seeps from his face. “Telling this is no easier the second time than the first, so I shall say it straight out.” He draws in a deep breath, blinks and swallows hard. “I am your Father Isabé .” His eyes are locked to mine. Until this moment I had never believed silence could be deafening. Then suddenly I’m aware of Nicolette, the song she has started to hum is so inappropriate it makes me giggle like a madwoman, Raymond snaps at her to be quiet, he is too harsh, and she begins to sob, the room swims and Fournier’s face melts before my eyes; I feel hot, cold and hot again and the wine cup slips to the floor with a clatter.

“I will not faint, I will not faint.” The words run through my head, but my legs ignore me and buckle, the pain is not imagined as I pitch forward feeling as if I’ve been punched;

Raymond grabs hold of me. “I have you chérie, the shock will soon pass; just breathe slowly mon coeur.” His words are softly spoken, on a breath that’s warm against my face as he rests his forehead against mine. For a few moments I’m content to be held in his embrace, then something worms into my mind, I wrench myself away and step backwards.

“Answer me one question Raymond, how long have you known “That Man” to be my Father, how long? Hissing out the question I jab my finger towards the Fournier. His expression doesn’t change after eighteen years in the Baron’s service he is well schooled and knows how to remain calm in a difficult situation.

“Damn you Raymond, answer me.” I hear my voice growing louder and more shrill

“And you”, I glare at the man who has admitted himself to be my Father “What do you hope to gain from this huh, money, land, rank what? Do you think the Baron will pay you to keep quiet about this, well he won’t have to, I don’t give a Fuck who knows, you see it won’t matter because there’ll be no wedding.” Still no response except perhaps for the slightest flicker of something in Fournier’s eyes, sorrow, despair perhaps. “You haven’t answered me Seneschal, what is it you want?”

He straightens, when he speaks his voice is calm a little clipped and he looks straight into my eyes. “I will tell you what I told Raymond, for myself, I neither need, nor want anything Mam’selle” Fournier is so correct, so polite and cool; an expert in diplomacy he could make the worst insult seem like the sincerest compliment.

“All I wish is for you to finally know who your Father is, to complete the circle. The choice is yours whether you accept or reject me, I can do nothing about that and nor will I seek to influence you.”

“Why now, why not five or even ten years ago?” I’m yelling again and like a crabby child I stamp my foot at him.

Fournier looks weary and shakes his head slowly. “As I explained to Sieur Raymond, I doubt there is ever a right time, but you are a grown woman and I had  hoped better able to understand; perhaps I was wrong in that assumption.”

“You arrogant bastard, how dare you?”

Pain shoots up my arms and I gasp as Raymond grasps my wrists in an iron hold.

“Hush Darling.” His smile is bright, but he isn’t speaking to me, Nicolette has stopped humming and is whimpering at the commotion. “Isabé is upset but I’m sure she will feel better soon.” When he confronts me, his voice is any thing but gentle, hauling me forward he clamps my hands tight against his chest and with his face less than a fingers breadth from mine, growls his words out. “To answer your question, I have known for a few moments more than it took for the page to find you and escort you here, so don’t dare even think to accuse me of keeping this from you.” I start to speak.

“Christ and all his saints Isabé for once just damned well hold your tongue, like it or not, “that man” as you call him is the highest ranking household officer in the Chateau; my Father and I count him as a friend, he has status, rank, authority and whether you like it or not, he is your Father.” Raymond is still glaring at me. “Surely that at least should afford him some courtesy and respect from you.” I scowl up at him “Are you listening to me, Isabé?” Releasing my wrists, he grips my shoulders narrowing his eyes as he digs his fingers into the flesh, his anger is unmistakeable. “I for one will be honoured to have Sébastien Léon Fournier as my Father-in -Law”, his voice softens a little “And to take his beautiful daughter as my wife.” Yanking away from him, I shake myself like a wet hen trying to dry her feathers.

“There will be no wedding Raymond, do you really believe your Father and His Majesty won’t conspire to withdraw their consent when they learn of this, if you think they will let this pass then you’re a damned fool. I’ll go back to the Manor today and tomorrow I shall send for my few belongings, I want nothing from you. Be happy with Eleanor and Nicolette.”

I snarl at Fournier, “You can tell who you like I don’t care, it will make no difference now.”  Before either of them can say a word, I make a dash for the door and race down the steps into the Courtyard. Wide eyed the young page watches me as he twists a silver coin between his fingers and smiles, he’s earned half his wages, he has something to report now and the promise of another silver coin.

Sighing, Fournier drops into his chair and slumps down scrubbing his hands over his face, then pushing them back through his thick grey curls. “Raymond forgive me my friend, I am truly sorry that went as badly as it could have.”

“Oh, don’t give up hope Sebastien, it’s a long time between now and Saturday.” Raymond steps up to the desk and pours two cups of wine his cheerfulness is a little forced, but he has no wish to make the man feel any worse. “A toast Fournier, to your beautiful, strong willed, extraordinary daughter, who will doubtless lead this old soldier a merry dance for years to come.”

The Seneschal manages a smile and raises his cup and whispers “To Isabé.”

Raymond glances down, conscious of something pulling at his surcoat, Nicolette has twisted her little fingers into the cloth and is tugging at it to gain his attention. In a flash his expression changes, a wide smile lights his face, tension slides away and the furrows and frown lines disappear, to be replaced by crinkles around his eyes and a dimple in his left cheek. Even the scar seems less visible.

“Papa, is Isabé not going to marry you? Her eyes are wide as she asks.

“Oh, I’m sure there will be a wedding my sweet.” He lifts her up and as she wraps her arms around his neck, she kisses his cheek. “Good, because I like Isabé, and besides if she doesn’t marry you, I shan’t get to wear the pretty new gown that Mama has made for me.” It amazes him that she so readily accepts she has a Mama, yet he is about to marry Isabé, and that not being able to wear her new gown is the most important thing by far. He chuckles, “Oh Mon Ange, that would surely be the most terrible disaster.” His tone is serious, and Nicolette nods her head sagely as Raymond stifles a laugh. “The wisdom and insight of children huh, Fournier; Well, I should take this little baggage back to Eleanor, then try and talk some sense into Isabé.”

“If there is anything at all I can do Raymond.”

“There is my friend, you can continue the preparations for the wedding.”

I run down the steps to the courtyard and without slowing turn right make to my way to the stables. My only thought is to leave here as quickly as possible, I shall send for my belongings tomorrow. I’m damned if I’m going to be humiliated by the Baron and dismissed in front of the whole Chateau as being an unsuitable wife for Sieur Raymond, I will not wait to be banished. Striding along I answer a good morning here and there, but really everyone is far too busy to pay me much attention. As I make my way past the common hacks towards the best-bred Mares and geldings, I pause at Athène’s stall and stroke her pretty head. “One last time eh?” But as I reach for her bridle, the devil sits on my shoulder and spurs me on to one final wilful act of defiance. I want speed and power, so I whisper a “good bye” to her. As usual the stallions are boxed well away from here, stabled behind the huge wooden doors in front of me. Though locked and barred from the other side, the wicket is open allowing the stable lads and grooms to pass from one side to the other. I step through quietly, it is different here the horses are all huge to me, it is merely a question of degree. The air almost quivers with the very maleness of these beasts, they are mettlesome and as they are unused to me, they pace and stamp in their boxes.

I give a soft word to Volucer, Raymond’s Rouncer but it is the Courser I mean to ride, Diable.

“There, you are you great lump.” His ears flick up then he lays them back and side eyes me flaring his nostrils. Slowly and very gently I place my hand against the large soft muzzle then scratch above his upper lip. With a snicker he tosses his head, then drops it until we are eye to eye, and I lay my cheek against his. “Will you be good Diable, or will you hold true to your name hein?”

Two stable lads are occupied with a horse in the farthest stall to my left. I glance down the right, there is no one and the door at the far end is open onto the training and exercise yard. Reaching his bridle down I slip the bolt on the door to Diable’s box door and sidle in calmly and quietly. I whisper nonsense to him and he stays calm as I slide the bridle over his massive head and takes the bit without jibbing, there is no need to untether him he is loose boxed and I lead him out.

Sensing freedom Diable dances and skitters for a moment and I hold my breath then glance around to see if we have been noticed, but no one has seen, and he settles as we walk to the mounting block beside the door. I remove my circlet, veil and fillet simply dropping them on the ground then with the reins in one hand I clamber onto his back. He sidles and sidesteps but I keep my seat and adjust my skirts to keep my legs free. He is so broad I feel like a pea rolling on a drum and hope to God my legs will prove long enough and strong enough to keep me well seated on the ride home. The slightest kick and he springs forward all muscle and power, he is trained to react to the lightest touch, but I have no fear of him. As I ride from the training yard into the courtyard I hear a shout telling me to stop. “Shit!”, Raymond is crossing to the stables and has seen me.

“Isabé rein up and stay where you are.” His command bellows out and everyone in the yard stands stock still and watches.  For a moment I hesitate then wheel the stallion sharp left towards the main gates. “Isabe,” He roars out again but I touch my heels to Diable and he surges through the open gates, in no time we are flying down the cart track heading for the road to the Manor.

Raymond can’t believe his eyes, fury and fear rise in him as he sprints across the exercise yard and into the stallion stables yelling and cursing. “Who in Christ’s name allowed Mam’selle Pelletier to ride out on that brute of mine?” there is no answer. “Get your arses out here now” his roar echo’s around and the lads come running from all parts of the stables.

“Sieur?” One young lad starts to speak and Raymond grabs him by the front of the tunic and hauling him up until only his toes scrape the ground. “I said which witless, fucking arsehole allowed Mam’selle Pelletier to ride out on Diable?”

Pale faced, the lad croaks out “I swear I don’t know Sieur, on my Mother’s life I swear.” From the others there is a chorus of “Not me’s and don’t know’s”  With a growl of exasperation, Raymond lets go and the boy drops to the floor in a crumpled heap, by the time he’s shaken himself sensible, Sieur Raymond de Merville is up on Voluceur  the saddle and bridle are left hanging and he is riding hell for leather after Isabé, hoping to God that Diable hasn’t unseated her, then done what he is trained to do with fallen men and trampled her into the ground.  

A tall, black haired figure with eyes as blue as Raymond’s steps out from the shadow of the pentice, turning he flips a silver coin to the page behind him. 

“I may need you again, in which case there will be more of the same, now bugger off back to Fournier and not a word.” The eyes glitter and an unpleasant smile settles on his lips; wisely the boy runs back to the chamber.

* My God you both look as if you have been eating sour apples

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[crapitskizaru]

Hi there! I love your writing, and just wanted to stop in and say so! I don't know if you still do these, but can I request Marco, Law, and Rosinante with an s/o with asthma? Mine's acting up something fierce and it sucks.

Warning: Law’s rudeness at the end

Marco the Bird

if you have a weird feeling of being constantly watched, there’s a 99% chance that you in fact are 

by this lil blue bird right here 

i’m not exactly sure how far his healing powers go, but you two would probably have a tight schedule of check-ups, during which he tries to cure, or at least ease out the symptoms 

he’s the one leaving the daily dose of pills on his partner’s desk, every day

also, carries two just to be safe inhalers in his pocket at all times 

if his lover as much as coughs twice, they have the bird materialising by their side in a second 

that’s actually a good way of summoning, when they are having trouble finding him on the ship 

instant hottie summoning ritual

would probably come up with a workout routine for both of them, and change it according to their stamina/capabilities 

I think he’d like to make this as easy as possible, entwine it into daily life and create some sort of general routine that they both can follow 

because for him, it’s more than natural that it’s also his responsibility

tries to stay positive and chirpy no matter what and would be the sweetest lil bird at it 

“How are we feeling today, yoi?”

“Did you take your pills?”

“It’s getting better, you know?~” 

his patience is literally bottomless, he never grows annoyed or tired of his lover’s symptoms/asthma attacks

whenever they are having one of those attacks, his heart aches so badly, seeing them wheezing and struggling to catch a breath; he just feels so helpless and useless then, it’s the worst 

Marco also puts extra thought to preventing his lover from catching a flu, since it’s just unnecessary symptom-worsening 

be prepared to have a fluffy hat shoved onto your head whenever the weather gets windy and chilly 

doesn’t want their illness to prevent them from becoming strong, so he makes sure that they know how to protect themselves in the New World, especially when he wouldn’t be around 

of course, that’s a highly unlikely scenario, since he’s always around 

Rosie

help this man 

gets so clingy, since he first got to know about it, and will probably never stop 

is both very concerned about leaving their side for a second and worried that his clumsiness will somehow make things worse 

would probably ditch wearing his fur, just to be sure that it won’t hold any triggers in it 

sometimes, much to his own dismay, he forgets about his lover’s condition, and has a moment of confusion if they get their asthma attack 

“A-are you alright?” 

and then he remembers what’s happening, and shoves them the extra inhaler he carries around 

of course, he’d probably drop it a couple of times, but he really tries his best

Rosie makes sure they never run out of pills, and has set a weekly reminder in his phone, so that he won’t forget to ask about it 

his heart literally drops to his ass whenever they can’t catch a breath 

but then he discovered that when he places his huge, warm hands on their back, it helps his lover relax and ease out their breathing a little 

so, from that moment, he does it constantly and involuntarily, even when it’s not really needed 

it’d probably become a sign that only they can understand - you know, one of those couple things 

so his hands are on his lover’s shoulders 24/7, as a one-armed hug replacement :3 

just like Ace, most of his knowledge about the illness comes from the internet/books, he wouldn’t ever want to miss out on any possible triggers 

if his lover’s symptoms are worsening due to pollen, and it’s better if they won’t keep strong-smelling flowers around, Rosie makes up for it in other ways - such as flower-themed ring or a necklace with a flowery charm as a gift 

generally, this man likes plants, what can i say 

he’s the best comforter you could ever dream of having - due to his calm, peaceful and compassionate nature 

“You’re perfect, my little cherry~” 

whenever they can’t sleep due to the shortness of breath, he usually cuddles the shit out of them until it passes 

Rosie doesn’t want his partner to feel weaker than other people, he thinks they can achieve whatever they put their mind into, and will definitely have him by their side, always 

what an angel 

Trafalgar the Fucking Law

ah well

since Law’s such a smartass, he’ll of course pretend that he has everything under control 

when his partner first told him about the illness, the usual scowl on his face didn’t even as much as flinch 

after a short while, he just walked away without a word and locked himself in his cabin, making a schedule of their exercising routine and taking pills 

he’s not one to stick by their side at all times, he just makes sure to keep them informed of how they are supposed to act during the attacks 

the simple fact that he can’t use his powers to heal them is infuriating, but he’d never let it show 

what he secretly enjoys is shambles-ing his partner to different locations and taking them by surprise, so they won’t have to strain themselves

of course, wouldn’t admit it, even when put under torture 

Law also carries the inhaler in his pocket, but only as an emergency, since he’d literally whoop his partner’s ass if they forgot their own or, more likely, give them silent treatment until he gets bored with it 

he’ll often end up sleeping on the couch or investing in some ear-plugs, when his partner can’t stop wheezing in their sleep 

if it’s not an emergency or a symptom of an upcoming asthma attack, he chooses to ignore it until it passes 

even if he’s completely aware of the seriousness of asthma, he often gets assholy teasy about it 

“How’s my vacuum cleaner-ya doing this fine day?” 

putting this aside, he’s one of the best people to make sure the symptoms are as easy and swift as possible 

the more time they spend with each other, the more his partner feels just simply safe around him 

Law has that kind of aura that indicates he always knows what to do and how to behave, but it’s only visible to people close to him 

since he’s and edgy little bastard, that’s why