#How to Deter a Robber

[moviereviews101web]

How to Deter a Robber (2020) Movie Review

How to Deter a Robber – Movie Review ABC Film Challenge – Female Directors – H Director: Maria Bissell Writer: Maria Bissell (Screenplay) Cast Leah Lewis (The Half of It) Vanessa Marano (Saving Zoe) Chris Mulkey (On the Basis of Sex) Abbie Cobb (Old Dads) Gabrielle Carteris (Raising Cain) Jonah Ray (Suitable Flesh) Benjamin Papac (Fantastic Four) Sonny Valicenti (Blonde) Plot: In a…

[fuckyeahchinesefashion]

How did ancient Chinese tombs set up mechanisms to deter tomb robbers? (This is just a basic demonstration - in reality, it was far more complex. The mausoleums of Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BCE) and Empress Wu Zetian (624-705 CE) remain unexcavated to this day because current technology cannot safely handle them.) Cnetizen say "No excavation needed - mercury level testing suffices. The Records of the Grand Historian documents that the First Emperor's underground palace used mercury to simulate rivers and seas. Being highly volatile, the mercury would have largely dissipated over time - not just since Xiang Yu's era 2,200 years ago, but even if Huang Chao's rebels had breached it 1,000 years later. Yet modern instruments detect severely elevated mercury levels at the site!" This confirms the mausoleum has never been substantially breached. While we cannot rule out that a few tomb raiders ('touching gold captains') may have entered, none could have survived - the instant mercury vapor exposure would have been fatal." Qin Shi Huang is revered as the 'Ancestral Dragon' in China, so people never joke about him - it’s believed to bring bad luck (a superstition tied to disrespecting the 'Dragon Emperor'). This might also explain why no one has dared to open his mausoleum to this day.

[hyper-fixates]

low honour!arthur morgan x virgin!reader

this is really just one long-winded fic idea that i need to speak into existence.

tags: literally save a horse ride a cowboy, afab!reader (feminine pronouns, descriptions, and names used), religious topics/imagery, obsessive!arthur, virginity kink, age gap relationship, loss of virginity, corruption kink

Reader is in her early 20s, privileged to come from a family with wealth from their heritage and inheritance in the oil industry.

The era of cowboys and outlaws has started to become a thing of the past from the shifts in climate and industry throughout the country. Reader has resided in Saint Denis her whole life, never needing to worry about gangs, outlaws, or even cowboys.

She has never even seen a cowboy before, but she’s heard stories; none of them particularly pretty. The presence of law enforcement throughout the streets and the sheer distance of Saint Denis from other towns is enough to deter most of them from causing trouble.

Functionally, she should never be compatible with a cowboy.

Her father has always preached about her waiting for a “good, proper man” that can marry her into another family with obscene wealth. And so, she protects her chastity and innocence just as she is expected to—just as her father expects her to.

Hell, she doesn’t even know how to ride a horse! Her father believes that riding horses is beneath them, so anywhere she wants to go is accommodated by a stagecoach.

Cut to: reader is accompanying her father on a trip to Annesburg to discuss potential investments in the mining industry. He hates leaving her alone. She knows he worries that she’ll get “up to no good”.

Her father has chosen one of their more comfortable, flashy stagecoaches for the longer ride, giving him more storage for his financial documents and whatnot. A perfect target for gangs.

And, inevitably, they get robbed.

The robbers’ faces are all concealed by hats and bandanas, and one of them ties her arms behind her back with careful hands before guiding her to her knees on the wet grass.

The man who tied her up stays close by her side, and she can see her father pleading for his life to another man who’s not listening.

“Are you a cowboy?” Are the first words she says to him, not a note of fear in her doll-like eyes that make her look so fuckable in this position with her on her knees next to him, dress billowing out around her form.

He looks down at her confused. “Uh, once, I suppose.” His voice is a little muffled by the black bandana hanging over his nose and mouth.

She can see that his hair is so long that it starts to curl up and out at the ends under his hat.

“Well, you got the hat. And the horse,” she reasons, wondering if she’s truly meeting a cowboy under circumstances she thought she’d never be in.

He looks to her again, left hand causally hooked in the leather of his belt as he waits for the rest of his gang to finish up. “I guess you’re right.” He tips his head to her in agreement.

“Leave them! These people are leeches. Let the wolves decide their fate.” A man with a deep, booming voice announces atop his white horse.

Now she starts to panic.

She pulls against the rope around her wrists, looking up to the man who tied her as he begins to walk toward his horse. “Wait! Mister, please! Please don’t. Please,” she yells to him.

He looks back to her, then his horse, then back to her again. “Hold on.” He signals to the man on the white horse before walking back over to her.

“Take me home. Please just take me home, mister. I won’t say nothing, I promise, but just take me home and I’ll give you anything you want,” she begs to him.

He sighs, but not out of annoyance or hesitation for her request. He sighs because he has no idea what she has just done to herself.

He places his bandana over her eyes and leads her to his horse. He unties her hands and lets her blindly climb into the saddle, legs shaking from unfamiliarity.

When she settles, she blindly grips onto the saddle horn for dear life, wishing her father let her ride at least once in her life so she wouldn’t appear so delicate in this situation. The man chuckles off to the side before mounting up behind her. She notices the saddle is not quite meant for two as he pushes in tightly against her ass, seemingly not even concerned about it.

This is probably the closest she’s ever been to a man.

“Where to, miss?” The man leans forward against her back to grab the reigns, caging her in with his arms.

She tells him in a quiet voice, and he kicks against his horse, setting them into motion.

When they arrive at her French two-story home on the outskirts of Saint Denis, the man dismounts swiftly, hand circling her wrist before saying, “Swing your right leg over and I’ll help you down.”

She slowly brings herself around, feeling the man lock his hands around her waist to guide her to the ground.

He tugs at the knot holding the bandana around her eyes, and she doesn’t let herself turn around until she feels he’s had enough time to tie it back around his face.

“Thank you, mister,” she whispers.

He tips his hat and leaves without another word.

In the following week, the man watches her after the sun sets. He watches her pray before bed and change into her silk nightgown, waiting for the night he can maybe finally see the more explicit side of her. But it never comes.

She’s perfect.

Eventually they cross paths again one day. The man purposefully chooses to ditch the bandana, too.

“I don’t think my daddy would appreciate me talking to someone like you,” she admits slyly as she continues her trek into Saint Denis.

The man follows beside her on his horse, left arm lazily hanging down by his side. “Someone like me? And who’s that?” he asks, a slight smile also on his lips.

“A cowboy. An outlaw,” she says, sneaking a glance up to him as his horse steps in time with her down the path.

“Well your daddy ain’t here.”

“No, mister.”

“Come for a ride then.”

And that’s how it’s starts for them. He introduces himself as they ride to his gangs camp, and she complains about how sore her legs are when they arrive.

“You don’t ride?” Arthur asks, intending for it to be a joke.

“That was my second time. Ever,” she laughs.

And that’s when he understands what type of lady he’s dealing with, so he goes for it.

“Maybe you should practice on me sometime,” he remarks, untacking his horse.

She wonders if she heard him right. “Uh, mister—”

“Arthur,” he corrects.

In that moment, she realizes he can teach her everything her father has kept from her, show her everything he had protected her from. Throw away the innocence and chastity and truly experience what life should be. But Arthur doesn’t know the entirety of her sheltered life. She needs someone like him.

“Arthur…I don’t think I’m what you’re looking for,” she admits. “I…I’ve never been with no one. Ever.”

“You’re untouched, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir. Just as my daddy said I should be. Until marriage.”

And Arthur makes it his mission to make her experience her own sexuality in its completeness, so he starts off slow.

He would always touch, never breaching her or letting her do anything to him. The focus was always on her.

Her virginity and pureness made him conflicted: he wanted to ruin her in all the ways she has never been, but he wants to tease and rile her up and watch her experience all the sexual frustrations for the first time.

It was cute. The more bold he got with his touches, the more bold she got in trying to take what she wanted. He would take her behind a tree and slowly lift up the dainty material of her summer dress, gathering it in his left hand as he used his right to rub her clit through her underwear while he licked and sucked along her neck, careful not to leave marks.

She would get weak so fast, Arthur could barely handle how virgin her body truly was. She would grip onto the leather straps of the rifles hanging down his back, trying to force his hand harder and faster.

However, the first time he made her cum was an accident.

He confidently placed a gentle kiss on her lips while they were alone in his tent—he just wanted to see how she would react.

She leaned in and returned it, snaking her hands around his neck and pulling him down to her. He pulled her into his lap, laying them down on his cot as they started making out like a long-distance high-school couple.

Arthur mindlessly starts grinding against her, ignoring the clothing separating them. She doesn’t realize what she’s feeling as Arthur’s hard cock slides against her clothed pussy.

Her orgasm just kind of happens.

Arthur watches her shake and twitch under him as he pulls away to see what happened. The wet spot on her underwear is all the evidence he needs.

Ever since, she’s been insatiable. She wants Arthur to show her everything. Teach her everything. She wants to feel everything if that means she can cum like that again.

Around the campfire she’d sit on his lap, tightly circling her hips against him until he’d grow hard before stopping. Then she’d do it again.

Arthur would mostly ignore her teasing. He didn’t want her to know how much she was driving him up the wall, so he’d retaliate in a way that was ten times worse then whatever she did just to prove a point about her innocence, how she knows so little compared to him.

The first time they fuck, he makes the horse riding joke again: “I’m sure this’ll be good practice for you, sweetheart.”

She huffs a laugh, rubbing his cock through her folds as she straddles him. He’s built up her confidence so much, it’s all been leading to this.

He’d guide her up and down, back and forth, testing her body to see what she likes. Seeing what spot makes her tremble.

He finds it. “Fuck, there it is,” Arthur groans.

She can’t even think. She doesn’t know what to think. She’s doing everything her father told her not to.

Premarital sex.

Premarital sex with a cowboy.

“Oh, Lord, forgive me,” she prays, her pussy sliding so perfectly along him as he grips her hips harder.

Eventually, he’d eat her out in her childhood bedroom. Her father sleeping in the room above her own, separated by the thin wood of the floor. She arches against the bed, and her eyes meet the iron cross hung above her bed frame.

She’d often ask him to leave the hat on, and he’d laugh, pleased that she is slowly adopting sexual preferences and interests.

She was his perfect, sophisticated woman that he was free to defile and poison with his desires.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Price to Pay

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, power dynamics, violence, blood, death, grief and trauma, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: a robbery changes your entire life.

Characters: Andy Barber

Note: This is for @stargazingfangirl18 Siri's Birthday Bone-nanza! Happy Birthday. Enjoy. I've cooked you up some Mob AU+Andy Barber.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

The flashing lights fade away with the squall of the siren. The smell of iron tinges the air and stains your every breath. You shudder as you stare through the tight squares between the bars across the windows.

That grating did little to deter the robber. No, he made you do it. You had no choice. 

You look down at your hands. Will the shaking ever stop? There’s blood crusted around your nails despite the frantic scrubbing in the bathroom. Once the officers took their evidence, you couldn’t stop trying to wash away the taint. 

The floor shows the crimson imprint of where the men fell. Where you went to hold him in the throes of death. The fate you fired into his chest. It was you or him. That’s what you told yourself. It’s what the police said too as they wrote out the report. Come down tomorrow and sign your statement, ma’am. 

Stan couldn’t be bothered to come down to the corner shop. He owns the place but is doesn’t mean he gives a shit. The officers waited for him to show but resigned themselves to following up later. 

He had a gun. You couldn’t do anything else but open the drawer and scoop out the bills. You weren’t going to do anything but hand over the money but then he fumbled and you did too. The scramble for the pistol under the counter slowed time. The pull of the trigger put it into overdrive. 

You can feel the recoil in your forearm. The rest of you is just as stiff. You can’t untie the tension left by the night’s deadly end. You killed that man. He's rolled him out under a sheet.

He bled out in your arms, even as you desperately tried to stem the flow with the dirty rag. Why did you shoot him? Over fifty bucks worth of change? 

Adrenaline. That’s what the cops told you. Stupidity is what you believe. This job isn’t worth all that. 

And you still have to finish your shift. You look away from the faded stain on the floor. He was so young. He just made a stupid decision and you took everything from him. He’s dead. You killed him. 

🚨

You stand outside the convenience store. Strange how it seems just the same as it was. The dingy moniker flaps at one corner as a tear rents the fabric.

Customers come and go as you stand on the curb. You’ve been standing there for an hour now, trying to make yourself go inside. You have to work. If you want to stay in the hell-hole you call a home, you need the stingy paycheck. 

You check the time. You’re not late yet. You only came early because you couldn’t stand to be alone in your apartment. Now that you’re here, you just want to go back. 

A bang jars you and you cry out, spinning to search for the source. A rusty old Chrysler chuffs out black smoke and rumbles loudly. Just a backfire. You knot your shaking hands together and search the block. 

“Heard something about a robbery,” a voice draws your attention towards another car. The model is too nice for a neighbourhood like this. A man leans against it, his hands in his pockets. “Young kid. They took him down to the morgue.” 

You squint at the man in confusion. His suit is finely tailored and his beard trimmed to a tee. He stands out among the sagging jeans and worn leather. You shake your head. 

“I heard...” you croak.  

“Sad. Stupid kid, huh? Stupid decision. All for a couple bucks.” He tuts and shakes his head. 

“Yeah, um, tragic. I...” you look over your shoulder. “I gotta work.” 

You turn away and march across the pavement. Something about the man’s cool demeanour sets you on edge. Or maybe it’s the reminder of the night before. Not that you could forget. 

You enter with the chirp of the bell and greet Mauricio as he plays solitaire on the counter top. Your sneakers squeak to a halt before you can step on the cracked tile with the red splotches. You stare down at the festering memory. 

“Tough night,” Mauricio says. “I never shot one, ya know? Always shoot past ‘em. Give ‘em a scare.” 

You tuck your chin down and step over the tile. Mauricio lets you in through the door and you sidle behind the counter. You put your purse in the cupboard by the cigarettes and sniff. You wring your hands and lean on the shelf as you wait for your shift to start. 

Mauricio shuffles the cards and packs them away. 

“You okay? Police were here earlier.” 

“They were?” You gulp. 

“Might be back. Think they just wanted some Coke,” he snickers and tosses the cards under the till. The gun is still gone, probably down in some evidence locker. “Stan is pissed about the pistol, ya know?” 

“Mm, I didn’t... didn’t mean to.” 

He sniffs as he pats his back pocket, making sure he has his wallet. “Sorry, senorita. It can’t be easy, wish I had some way to help but Stan isn’t gonna pay me nothin’ to stay and I got that gig down at Jethro’s.” 

“I’m fine.” The lie is less than convincing. 

“Told him, shouldn’t have you on nights.” He shakes his head as you move to let him past. 

“It’s work.” 

“Eh, it’s somethin’,” he scoffs and hands over the keys. “Whole thing was plastered in the paper and all over the internet. Should keep the bad ones away for a while. Place is hot now. No one wants to get their ass blown off over pocket change.” 

“Sure.” 

You clip the keys on your belt. You back up and cross our arms. You lean again as you wait for him to go. You can’t say what’s worse, being alone or talking about it. 

As Mauricio goes, a customer enters. She wants a pack of menthol and some scratchers. You ring her through as she snaps her gum between her teeth. The bell chimes with her exit and stutters as another enters. 

It’s the man in the nice suit. He stops at the newspaper rack and grabs an issue. He struts up to the counter and throws it down.  

“Just the paper?” You ask. 

He steps closer and opens the newsprint. The crinkle is deafening in the drone of the local radio station buzzing from the speaker above you. He taps the page. 

“Kid was eighteen.” 

You bite down and stare back at him. You don’t know what to say or do. Is he some sort of detective? His suit might suggest as much but he hasn’t flashed a badge. 

“It was a BB gun. Looked pretty real, didn’t it?” He spits. 

You wince and shrug. You trace your knuckles nervous as you look down at the paper. Your nose tingles, your eyes too. 

He backs up and heaves out a sigh. He glances around and strides up to the stained tile. He looks down at it emphatically. 

“Blood don’t come out easy. No matter how much you scrub or bleach. It’s like that Edgar Allan Poe story...” he raises his chin and closes his eyes, taking another deep. “Do you hear it? His heartbeat? Racing as the life drains out of him?” 

Your lip quivers and you shake your head. You flick away tears before they can fall, “I didn’t mean to.” 

His cheek twitches and he snorts. He turns to your stiffly. He comes back to the counter and you tense as he reaches under his jacket. You shudder and peek at the empty shelf beneath the till where the pistol should be. He slips out a photo and lays it down, his thumb lingering on the frame.  

You gasp. It’s that boy. He’s young and smiling. He doesn’t look scary like the night before. 

“You didn’t mean to kill my son? Over a bunch of piss-stained bills? You couldn’t tell the gun was a fucking toy?!” 

You cower and your eyes well. You rub them with your sleeves. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“You fucking will be, sweetheart. Do you know who I am?” 

You stare and your mouth falls open. 

“His name was Jacob. Jacob Barber.” He swipes up the photo and snarls. “Any bells ringing?” 

You gape at him in horror. Barber. Yes, you’ve heard of him. He’s no detective. That suit is just a disguise. His business is deadly. His business is his ego. The personal is professional and you just stepped over the line. 

You brace yourself and drop your arms straight. You watch him, waiting. He looks back at you, agitation rippling above his brow. 

“Nothing else to say?” He sneers. 

“I deserve it.” 

He arches a brow, “deserve what?” 

“To die. So do it, please.” 

He laughs sardonically. “Oh, sweetheart, that’s cute.” He puts his hands on the counter and leans in. “I’m not going to kill you. I’m gonna do a lot fucking worse.” His eyes flick up and down and he pushes off. “You owe me and I always get what’s mine.” 

He twists on his heel and marches out. You gulp, frozen in fear, and watch after him. You don’t move until the next customer enters. Even then, you can hardly make your body listen to your fractured mind. 

🚨

There is no coming back. Thing’s don’t get better. You don’t calm down. You don’t sleep. You barely eat.  

All you can think about is the blood gushing from that boy’s chest. When you manage to close your eyes, you feel the hot stream flowing through your fingers. You smell it in the air. Beneath it all, you hear his father’s threat. 

‘You owe me...’ 

How can you repay that sort of debt? You killed his child. You didn’t have to. You could have handed over the money and told Stan the kid had a gun pointed right at you. Why did you do it? That question is as torturous as the memory. 

A week goes by. Ragged nights followed by desolate days. You stand behind that counter and stand at the reddened tile, or sit at home and rot. You wait for him to come back. Maybe then he’ll just end it. 

Another week of purgatory and your dissociation gives way to paranoia. Every time the shop door opens, you expect to see him. Barber and his tailored-jacket, a gun in his hand, ready to claim what’s owed. Every stranger on the street is just him in disguise, every shadow in your apartment is him haunting you. 

When he does appear, a month to the day, you’re almost relieved. There he is at your apartment door, stood as he was the first time you saw him. Arms crossed, leaning, looming. You stop and stare at him.  

He looks you in the eye and nods at the door. You unlock it and let him in. He isn’t in a suit this time. He’s dressed down, a hoodie and jeans. He doesn’t seem the type for denim. He struts inside and you close the door behind him. 

The air is static as he examines the bachelor suite. Your whole life in a single room. He is unimpressed as he stops by the table. Stan lets you take the old papers. You’ve brought home every single issue with a mention of the boy; Jacob. You don’t know why. 

His blue eyes are darkened in the gloom of your apartment. His beard is thick across his cheeks and defines his square jaw. His features are stony in determination. 

He pushes them to the floor and huffs. He stalks around the space as you stand by the door. You imagine him spinning to you, pulling a gun from under his sweater and firing. You could smile at the thought of it ending. 

He stops at the foot of your bed. The lumpy mattress sits on a metal frame. Beige sheets are pulled to the corners, a plaid comforter strewn carelessly below a single pillow. A used double you got from the thrift shop with your first pay. It smells like cigarettes. 

You stare at his broad shoulders as he runs his hand up his front. His zipper slices through the silence as he pulls it down. He shrugs off the hoodie and spins on his heel. He slings it over the only chair, right beside the table. He looks up at you, eyes blazing. 

“Strip.” 

His demand shakes you. It’s the first you’ve felt anything but horrible grief and self-pity. You’re afraid. You weren’t before. Just anxious. 

“Don’t say a fucking word,” he snarls as he tugs at his long-sleeved tee. 

You untie your sneakers and leave them by the door. You cross the room, staying far from him as you take in every inch. The apartment feels even smaller now.  

You unzip your jacket and fold it over the side of the plastic hamper in the corner. You pull of your socks and drop them into the depth of unwashed clothes. You undo your fly, your hands clumsy and shaking. The rustle behind you adds to the speckle of ember under your skin. 

You push your jeans down and step out of them. You throw them into the basket and peek over your shoulder. He stands at the foot of the bed once more. His hands are on his hips as he glares at the mattress. He wears only a pair of dark briefs. 

His intent isn’t hard to fathom. It’s not about the act itself, it’s the power, the humiliation. You ruined his life; he’ll do the same. 

“Hurry the fuck up,” he barks. 

You pull your shirt off and fumble with the back of your bra. You can barely get a grip as you quake. You push down your underwear and hang your head. You turn and march forward. He shoves down the elastic of his briefs at your approach. 

He’s a big man. Tall, muscular, stronger than you, without a doubt. Even if he wasn’t, he has all the power to keep you in line. 

“I don’t want to see your fucking face. Get on your stomach.” He commands as he peels off his last layer. 

You put your hands on the mattress and crawl over it. You cry out as he strikes you across your ass and sends you flat. You brace yourself on your elbows and whimper. He grabs your ankles and drags you down the bed.  

He hauls your legs over the edge so your feet are on the floor. He growls and scratches up the back of your thigh. You whine and he swats the back of your head. 

“Quiet,” he warns. 

He leans over you and plants his hands on either side of you. You stare up at the pillow, focusing on it as you desperately search for the numbness of those last weeks. It’s all gone now. You feel everything. The sting of flesh, the futility, the horror. 

He lifts a hand, the bed shifting with him, and traces along your spine. He dips along your ass and kicks your legs wider. He feels between your thighs and jams his fingers against your folds. He’s impatient and cruel. He rams two fingers into you and you squeak, spine arching as you grasp the linen comforter. 

He hushes you as he pushes deep. His knuckles press against you and he draws back. He jerks his hand gruffly, fucking your dry cunt raw. You hold your breath as he plumes out around you. Each intrusion is dull and achy. 

He tears free of your cunt and angles over you. He guides his tip along the swell of your ass and presses to your entrance. There is no time to be ready for him. 

You cry out and throw your head up. It’s like a red-hot iron inside of you, burning from inside out. He snarls and hooks his arm around you, smothering your mouth in his hand. You smell yourself on his fingers as the press against your nose. 

He snaps his hips and buries himself in you. You kick the floor and slap the mattress. Your muscles tighten and your bones thrum. He pushes his nose into your hair and ruts again. You squeal into his palm as your eyes bead with tears. 

He’s methodical. He pumps into you. Long, slow strokes so you feel every inch. He’s taunting you. He’s punishing you. His hot breath wraps around your scalp as he puffs. 

He bends his other arm, elbow digging into the limp mattress, and stretches his fingers around your throat.  He collapses onto you, crushing you beneath him as he squeezes your neck and jaw. He has you trapped in his grip. 

His pace quickens with his breath. He grunts and growls against your temple as the bed frame whines with his rhythm. His flesh slaps between the squeaky tempo and your pathetic mewling stays cupped behind his rough hand. 

He pounds you into the mattress, each dip of his hips heavier than the last. Every ounce of emotion; anger, grief, resent, hatred, is hammered into your helpless body. 

He puts his teeth around the brim of your ear and pinches. He growls and you feel the rumble roll through him. His thrusts turn snappy, punctuated by the bite of your flesh. Harder, harder, harder. He spasms but doesn’t let up. 

He untangles his arms from under you and pins your shoulders. He fucks his cum into you as he lifts himself up. His weight threatens to pop your bones out of joint. He pushes his thighs against yours, splaying you as far as he can. 

His furious onslaught doesn’t let up until your thighs and cunt are painted in him. Until your breathless and babbling, head lolling, defeated as he leaves you smeared across the blankets. He burrows in as deep as he can before he pulls out. 

He pushes off the bed, jarring the world around you, and his shadow hangs over you. He inhales and lets it out slowly. 

“My son. My only child,” he grits out. He bends and feels along your cunt, spreading the slimy mess leaking from your cunt. “You owe me and I will get exactly what you took from me.” 

[thecryptidenthusiast]

Title: what a world outside to keep each other safe from

Pairing: Sidestep/Sidestep (Wren Avery/Erin Becker)

Summary: What do you do when the person you don’t know how to exist without won’t stop being reckless with their life? Definitely don’t have a crisis over it, that’s for sure. Also known as: Wren and Erin’s first kiss.

Pre-Heartbreak shenanigans with these two. A mix of writing practice and self indulgence because these two live in my head at all times. Wren belongs to @soupyshrimps

Wren hasn’t spoken a word in almost an hour.

Erin isn’t even sure why - the fight tonight went well, all things considered. Another run-of-the-mill modded robber, this time deciding hostages was the way to get what he wanted.

But they won. Had the situation handled before the Rangers were even on the scene! As far as Erin’s concerned, the both of them should be celebrating, not stumbling back to their shared apartment in a stony silence, trailing Wren like a limping shadow.

The stairs up are an…experience. Erin’s leg doesn’t feel right, and something twinges painfully in their side, knocking the air out of their lungs. There’s a wound on their right bicep still bleeding sluggishly, making the torn nanomesh stick to skin. It doesn’t deter Wren from throwing their arm over her shoulder, silently taking some of their weight.

The momentary peace treaty lasts long enough to reach their floor and cross the threshold of their apartment, and then Wren shoves them off. Not hard enough to send them sprawling on the floor at least, but enough they stumble a few steps away.

“Wren-“

“Go sit in the bathroom.” Her tone is sharp, razor-edged and poised to cut. There’s no room for arguing, she turns on her heel and storms down the hall. Probably to grab the first aid kit, if Erin has to guess, but they feel rooted to the spot, watching her back as she vanishes into the bedroom.

She’s already pissed off, They think. Not wanting to make things worse, they hobble off to the bathroom to wait.

It’s a quiet ritual, down with as much familiarity as breathing. Here, in their too-small bathroom, with its cigarette yellow-tinged tiles, there’s a little bubble of peace. A place for them, shut away from the rest of the world.

Erin is perched on the rickety stool they keep tucked by the counter for situations just like this, doing their best to sit still as Wren cleans the worst of the blood. The room only has one small window, one that the previous tenants had taped layers of old newspaper up to cover, and they’d decided to leave it. One more bit of protection against any prying eyes.

Despite the routine process of it all, Erin isn’t sure they’ll ever fully get used to this feeling - of soft touches on their bare skin. Good touch, the kind that has goosebumps rising along their back.

Still, even with the safety of the bathroom and Wren’s carefulness, with their suit bunched up around their hips, they feel exposed. Bile burns the back of their throat, palms sweat-slick. They’ve got a sports bra on, a minor comfort, but they’re skin itches with the need to get their binder back on.

“Not tonight.” Wren says, voice clipped. She hasn’t looked at their face since they sat down, focusing inside on getting any debris out of the wounds in their arm. There’s a gentleness to her touch that’s at odds with the chilly demeanor she’s been carrying. Apparently she’s still not speaking to Erin, but their mind is free rein, and that thought sits in their throat like pillow swallowed wrong.

Bitter and aggravating.

“You’re projecting,” She sets her tweezers down, grabbing a roll of gauze, “You need to give your ribs time to heal.”

“My ribs are fine.” Erin says, and genuinely means it. Their torso is mottled with black and blue bruising from the wall they hit, but nothing’s broken, and that’s good enough for them. They’re familiar with that kind of grinding pain.

“Just leave it tonight.” It’s clear she isn’t going to budge, but it’s followed up with a gentler thought pushed their way: they can borrow some of her clothes, because she knows the layers help.

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing.” Erin grins, leaning to try and catch her eye. A silent plea to explain what they’d done wrong.

Talk to me?

“Tell me that when I’m not stitching you back together.”

“One cut that you put a few stitches in,” They correct, “And some bruised ribs. I swear, I’m fine!”

Wren doesn’t answer, just throws the wads of bloody paper towels into the sink to join the growing collection there. Most of it was just from what stained their skin, they’d try to tell her she didn’t have to bother, but she wanted to make sure there weren’t other injuries they were trying to hide.

“You’re not taking this seriously. You never do.” She’s getting angrier, the complete opposite of what Erin was trying to achieve. What’s so different about today’s fight? They both had their fair share of scars; they’d popped joints back into place, glued stab wounds closed when they had nothing else on hand. Scrapes, bruises, burns and concussions, they’d been through it all. It just came with the territory of existing.

So why is she so angry about this in particular?

“We’ve been through worse, and you know it.” Flashes of hands, not gentle, not kind. Needles, and tests, and training drills until exhaustion. Erin’s memory, or Wren’s?

Still, she says nothing. Just turns away to start cleaning up the mess of supplies and towels spread across the small countertop. Erin can see the tension in her jaw, and they’re sure if it was just a little quieter, they’d hear her teeth grinding.

This leaves them - unmoored. Sure, the two of them have bickered, but it usually goes as quickly as it came. But as her silent treatment stretches on, Erin is hit with the irrational fear at the thought of her never speaking to them again.

Of them ending up alone.

That anxiety coalesces into frustration, something more tangible. “I don’t understand why you’re being like this.”

“You left yourself open.” Wren snaps finally, and Erin rears back a bit.

“What?”

“That last hit, you could have dodged it, but you left yourself open.” On purpose, the accusation is shoved into their head with enough force to make their temples throb.

“…oh.” It’s all they can think to say; that’s why she’s so angry?

“Yeah, ‘oh’.” She slams the lid of the first aid kit closed, hard enough that two of the plastic tabs snap off. “You were an idiot today, I just can’t tell if it’s intentional or not”

The insult should have dug in like a barb. It would have, if Erin wasn’t also picking up on the undercurrent to her words. The emotions running under the surface like water under a layer of ice.

Fear. A cold, twisting knot that’s been in her chest since Erin took that blow earlier. That the moment when Erin hadn’t immediately gotten back up, she’d felt her world come to a screeching halt. A panic she wasn’t accustomed to, and hadn’t been expecting.

“Wren…” They trail off, floundering for the best way to approach this. They could handle her irritation, even her temper, as unsettling as it might have felt. Not this.

“You’re always pulling shit like this.” It’s as if the dam she’d been building has cracked, the words coming in a rush, “You throw yourself into danger, or pull something intentionally stupid.”

“It’s to help-“

“Is it?” Wren laughs at that, cruel and mocking, “Or is it because you do this shit without caring if you get hurt?” There’s another accusation there, one that doesn’t slip by Erin’s notice. The fact that Wren thinks this is a pattern: she thinks Erin doesn’t care about their own safety, they never care no matter how close the calls get, and it feels intentional, she just doesn’t understand why.

If space allowed, they know she’d be pacing by now, doing her best to burn off the energy crackling under her skin. But the space is cramped, so she settles for leaning against the door instead. It’s as far as she can get away from them without storming out entirely - she refuses to lose a fight, even when it’s one-sided.

“I’m sorry?” Erin apologizes, but it rings hollow even to their own ears. Are they sorry, really? They never thought anything of it, they just acted, and thought later. But, as she’s always been so good at, Wren’s managed to peel back a piece of them, making them see a part of themself they didn’t want to.

That they do walk that hairs edge between pain and excitement. That the adrenaline makes them feel real, feel human in a way that Wren can’t help with. Not when she’s still fighting to figure out her own humanity, too.

One of the many reasons they exist as a pair: nobody understands them as well as they understand one another. The world would be painfully empty, for the both of them.

“I don’t buy that.” Wren scoffs, head leaning back against the door to stare up at the ceiling. Anywhere that’s not them. Her mind is still prickly, but it’s not completely closed off now. Almost like brushing their fingers too close to a flame, feeling the heat but not quite being singed.

“What do you want me to say then?” Their own irritation is creeping in, and now they feel like the restless one. They stand up from the stool, but Wren is between them and leaving, so they stay rooted to the spot. “I try to apologize, and you don’t believe me. You won’t be happy no matter what I say, so what do you want?”

“I want you to stop acting like such a fucking idiot!”

“I gave you a clear shot!” They snap, temper meeting temper, “It made the most tactical sense and you know it.”

“Because you’re always great at thinking tactically, right?” Wren is digging, looking for a crack to get her fingers into. “And when we’re not fighting the bad guy of the week, what then?”

“What-”

“The stupid stunts you pull with Charge!” Street racing on a borrowed motorcycle. Bets on who can climb to a roof without using the fire escape. Slips and falls, wet pavement and getting laid out on the asphalt. Risks they don’t have to take, but do anyway. “You act like an idiot all the time!”

“Why is this coming up now?” They throw their hands up, annoyed and exasperated now. Somewhere next door, they feel the grumbling thoughts of a neighbor that can hear them through the walls. Debating whether or not it’s worth coming over to complain. “This isn’t new, so why do you give a shit now?”

If their looming bothers her, she doesn’t show it. Doesn’t stop her from stomping towards them, crossing that self-imposed chasm to jab a finger into their chest.

“Because I’m the one that stays to make sure you don’t go too far.” Another jab, nail biting into an orange barcode. Another step closer, forcing Erin back. “Because if you don’t care if you live or die, why should I? But I do, and you scare the hell out of me!”

The backs of Erin’s knees hit the stool as they’re corralled further back; if they weren’t stuck against the wall, they would’ve been sent sprawling back on their ass. Instead, they’re forced back into sitting down, giving Wren a rare few inches over them for once. There’s barely more than a breath of space between them as she glares down, grey eyes as hard as flint, and suddenly Erin isn’t sure if it’s frustration that has her heart pounding out of rhythm.

She’s intimidating, standing over them like this. A force to be reckoned with, height be damned. And, even with the anger, she’s-

Beautiful.

Erin’s thought, or Wren’s? Someone’s projecting, but they feel too entangled to tell who is who anymore. It’s not the first time that thought has crossed their mind, only this time, there’s no guilt rushing in afterwards. Wren always has been to them - sharp smiles and sharper eyes, as far as they’re concerned, only an idiot wouldn’t notice.

But there’s been a line. Unspoken, but mutually drawn - their existences are confusing enough, they’re still learning what it even means to feel on their own, let alone taking a chance to consider where those feelings might lead.

If they never spoke about it, then none of it was real.

So if that’s the case, then why, when Wren’s hand comes up, cupping their jaw, do they lean into it? Chase her touch, a moth to a flame, not daring to look away. Eye contact always made them nervous, but with Wren, it feels like the easiest thing in the world.

“Wren…” The two of them are on a precipice of something - something new, and absolutely terrifying. Someone is going to have to brave taking the leap, ready to sink or swim.

Either coming to a decision on her own, or picking up on Erin’s turbulent thoughts, something in Wren snaps. Grip tightening, the slightest sting of nails in their skin, forcing them to sit up straighter, but they don’t have a moment to process the shift before her lips are on theirs.

The kiss is far from gentle - too rushed, tasting of lingering fear and frustration. Their lips are wind-chapped and stinging, and neither of them have a lot of practice in this, not in a way that matters. In a way where they both want it, but Erin doesn’t care; to them, it’s perfect.

They don’t realize they groan, something pulled deep from their chest, until Wren is pressing in closer. Demanding to fill their space and make it her own. The back of their head bumps the wall, but they don’t notice. Their hands, which up until this point had stiffly stayed in their lap, reach up to grab Wren’s shirt in tight fists. They don’t know what they want, where to touch. Too much, not enough. Their head is spinning, but they can’t-

A thumb suddenly digs into a particularly tender bruise on their shoulder, pain lacing along their nerves, making them gasp and arch into her. Wren pulls away, just far enough to look them in the eyes again, still poised over them. Breathing the same air, half on their lap now.

“Don’t be an idiot like that again.” It’s an order wrapped up in a gentle plea, her thumb tracing a line along their jaw. “You don’t have to chase death to feel something.”

Not now. Not anymore. The implication in her thoughts has Erin’s own brain short-circuiting, but before they can ask, Wren is already moving back, putting space between them once more. The fight may have been settled, but the air between them still feels thick with a new tension. Unease for a whole new list of reasons. Erin has - questions. Concerns. But they can’t find their voice, and Wren doesn’t wait. She turns, finally exiting the bathroom, and Erin is left to stare at the door.

What the hell do they do now?

[witchkore]

a brief calm before the storm (feat. @firstlomidze) set right before this

She was around the city when the news hit, flashed on every TV she could encounter on display and buildings. The news warning of a hurricane coming to hit the city, the force still unknown... the hurricane alone was a surprise, not one they had expected and Lana wonder how much of it was nature and how much was something supernatural, but she didn't have the time to ponder too much, not if the warnings were anything to believe. Arriving to their shop was easy and she was unsurprised by what she found. Kore seemed to be more focused on their stuff than anything outside. Safe for her, she guessed. She rushed to their side, hands resting on their hips from behind, unbothered by the possibility to scare them. "You're coming with me."

They've been up since before dawn, not uncommon for them when they're working on a new project. Music blares in their ears as they carefully mold the metal to the client's specifications. It's meticulous, painstaking work that demands utmost focus, and they let out an undignified squeak as they hear the sound of the door's chime simultaneously as hands pull at their hips. Immediately, Kore reaches for an awl on their workstation, but finally recognizes Lana's voice.

"Lana, what the hell?" they twist out of her grip and loosen their hold on the makeshift weapon. "What are you doing here? What time even is it?" They look out the window and pause at the darkness before glancing back at the clock on the wall. "What's going on?"

There's no remorse at the sound, and the clear surprise in the other's face. She merely stands there, stoic and unmoving as they tear from her grasp. And she barely contains herself from grabbing them again, pulling them with her and away from the store. There's always something with them that gives her pause. She rolls her eyes, because of course they haven't even noticed, and a perfectly shaped eyebrow raises as she eyes the weapon on their hold, as that'd help them at all, and the evidence of their work. "Early still." She says evenly, looking back up at them. "There's a hurricane coming and you're not staying here."

They blink twice at Lana's calm response, as though she didn't just say a freak weather phenomenon was happening. "Hurricanes don't-" Then again, it's Port Leiry, and anything seems to have a knack of happening in this city. Their mind flickers through several different explanations for it before remembering that's not the main concern.

"The shop, I can't leave it," Kore shakes their head. "Not like this." Their work is delicate, like like spun-sugar that would be obliterated by 125mph winds. They start pulling down the shutters they use to deter robbers, but the metal wouldn't do much against a storm like this. "I need to get something to board this up. There's a hardware store down the street."

The raised eyebrow seems like the only answer needed to an unfinished question, and she can see Kore's brain working to find a reason for the sudden weather change before a frown settled on her features. "Are you joking with me?" The question isn't pointed, there's no anger behind it but just a drop of frustration as she sees them move. There's nothing in this store that can't be replaced and Lana wonders what it'd do if she just forced them out of here. "A hardware store? What part of you're not staying here did you not even understand? We're going, now."

Their face is blank in its seriousness, not bothering to stop as they continue moving about the shop to figure out how to protect the most of their life's work. "And what part of I'm not leaving the store like this did you not understand? You can go if you want, I'll come meet you when I'm done, but I'm not leaving until it's done."

They don't expect Lana to care about any of this, but it's the only thing they have to show for in this world. Magic or not, they've created something out of nothing, and they won't let nature take it away without a fight. They only have one main window to cover up, and hopefully the rest would be protected by the building itself. "I'll be right back." It would be easier with the vampire's help but Kore wasn't about to ask an ancient vampire to do manual labor for her.

There's tension growing in her body that comes only from the anger at being spoken to in such a way. It's been a while since Lana had been challenged like this, and by a mortal human. She would had snapped the neck of anyone else just for making her waste time, but this? She watches them move about, securing things like the hurricane wouldn't destroy it all if it reaches them. Its only their words that make Lana snap out of her anger and she stares in surprise as they head for the door. She rushes in front of them in a second. "No." The single word is spoken as a hand falls on her hip, the other pressing the bridge of her nose. "What do you need?"

Kore jerks back as Lana appears in front of them, blocking them from the doorway and they straighten up, tilting their chin to meet her eye. "My main concern is the front window. A board, maybe two, to at least try and keep it from shattering." Kore looks around at their shop, grimacing slightly at the devastation they can already picture. They don't need their magic for that.

"I'll get my most important things in the safe." They brush their fingers along Lana's arm in thanks, before moving away to do as they said, so Lana can do so herself. The quicker they move, the sooner they can make it up to Lana for being a nuisance.

She almost scoffs at the request, she's not sure a board would be enough, doesn't even know how big this hurricane is going to be since no one seems to even know where it came from. But she just nods, mutters a simple "Alright." Her stance softening just a bit at the light brush and speeds off the store before Kore's even out of her sight. She's back with the boards in seconds, doesn't even feel bad for the dumbfounded expression left on the store attendant after the compulsion and she sets the boards on the sides. She imagines Kore has the tools to even set them up on the windows, and she sees them putting jewels in the safe from where she stands. "If I help you put these up, will you finally leave with me? Or are you just gonna wait here for the hurricane?" She stands behind them in a blink. "Come on, it'll be faster if I hold them up for you."

They work to move their gemstones and precious metals, along with their prized pieces, into the safe that is built into the ground, something thieves -or a hurricane- couldn't carry away. There is no way that all of their products could fit, but at least they could protect what they could. Lana is back before they're done, but they don't hesitate before dumping the rest and slamming the safe shut.

Kore fetches a hammer and some nails, gratified and surprised by Lana's help, but they don't question it in this moment. Instead, they work in tandem to get the boards secured as best as they could be in a situation like this. At the least, it might prevent broken glass from making too much of a mess.

"Okay, done. We can go." Kore grabs their phone and wallet and shoves them into the pockets of a jacket they sling over their shoulders. Everything else would have to wait.

She can't remember the last time she did something like this for anyone. Nor any kind of labor, for nothing in return. And Lana doesn't want to stop to question herself for the reasons behind them. She wants them safe, and alive, because she can use their magic to her will and she enjoys the rush it gives her when they dare challenge her, as if they didn't know the danger she poses, nothing else. She doesn't dare give any other reason for the way she reaches out to them and holds their hand as she gets them out of the shop, waiting for them to lock it up. "We're going to my place." It's far enough from the heat of it that it should be safe. She only hopes her dear sisters decide to wait the hurricane out somewhere else.

Lana's hand is cool to the touch, yet lights a fire in Kore's chest that beats off the worst of the chill. Now that they're outside, they can more fully understand the unnaturalness of the storm and why Lana seems to be so unnerved. This wasn't something that anyone could have predicted, and that means it's impossible to know where it will end.

They're not surprised when Lana offers her manor as a place to settle in for the storm, and offers no protest. "Did you drive, or are you going to continue being my knight in shining armor and sweep me off my feet?"

She can already see people rushing about with the winds picking up. And the news still seem to have no reason for this sudden storm. She doesn't think they'll find any, not one that humans could understand anyway and she only wishes to know who could be doing this. But it's something she'll have to worry about after it passes. She hums, the first glimpses of a smile reaching her lips as she looks at them, pulling them closer with a tug of her hand, her free arm circling around their waist. "I hope you don't get dizzy easily." She doesn't wait to answer before running away from the store, Kore secured in her grip. And she only stops when the manor is within her sight. "How was that?"

Kore barely has a chance to gasp before they are swung into Lana's arms and they're speeding off. It's as exhilarating as they remember, eyes shut tight but feeling the wind against their skin either way. It's over all too soon, and Kore chuckles breathlessly as they open their eyes to look at the vampire.

"That never gets old," they say with a grin before leaning up to kiss her. They're away from the public now, away from prying eyes and the anxiety over the pending storm flows away now that they've secured shelter. "Should we get inside or are you gonna scowl at the storm some more?"

Most of the tension in her body finally leaves her the moment their lips touch, and she pulls them in closer to kiss them just a little longer. She can hear the beating of their heart, still rushed and erratic after the run, now that they're away from most of the city's chaos and she wants for nothing more than to take them. She pulls back though, enough to look at them with a raised eyebrow. "I don't scowl." But she moves away as the words leave her, securing their hand in hers once more to walk them to the door. She can already hear noise inside and she can only hope her sisters didn't decide to have company.

[carriechambers]

Herbs 101 - Lavender

This post on website

Hi Tumblr! This is a post I have started over a month ago and now I've finally finished it. Lavender is such a popular herb, and I probably my favourite. The aroma it gives off is fenomenal. So, let's look at it a bit deeper!

In this post, you'll learn:

basic info (other names, properties, ...)

its history (historical uses, where it came from)

physical description (the very few traits species of lavender share)

uses (all kinds of ways in which you can use lavender and links to some recipes)

how to harvest it (when, where)

how to dry it (a few methods including specific steps)

Click Keep Reading to read the entire post right here, or you can read it on the blog page Lavender. There you can also find the .md file for download, so that you can import it into logseq or notion grimoire, or just for a shorter version in the form of bullet poitns!

Lavender

  Basic Info

Species: Lavandula

Other Names: Elf Leaf, Nardus, Spike, Spikenard

Most Popular Types: English Lavender, Spanish Lavender

Known Species: 47

Family: Lamiaceae (the mint/sage family)

Native to: Old World (historic Euro-Asia), to the mountainous zones of the Mediterranean, where there is dry and stony soil

Planet: Mercury

Element: air, water

Properties: calming / peace + sleep, protection, love, purification

History

Lavender has been in use for over 2500 years. In ancient Egypt it was used for embalming and cosmetics. Greeks also used it for cosmetic purposes, and also for its medicinal properties (which for example Dioscorides or Theophrastus wrote about).

It’s name comes from the latin verb Lavare - which means “to wash”. So it’s not too surprising that it was used by both Greeks and Romans in herbal baths. Romans also recognized it for its antiseptic properties and they brought it with them on campaigns to dress wounds. On top of that it was used as incense in religious ceremonies, or in sick rooms to disinfect them. And Arabs were the ones who brought their medicine to Spain, where it spread across the rest of Europe.

During the middle ages, it wasn’t used as much at first, only by monks and nuns. It was grown in gardens of monastries. Then in Tudor England, when the monastries were dissolved (1536) the lavender moved to domestic gardens, often planted near the laundry and clothing was then laid on it to dry while getting that fresh scent on them. Also, Queen Elizabeth I. allegedly put it in tea to help with her migraines and as a perfume.

In 17th century, lavender was considered a cure-all. Naturally, the price rose, especially when the Great Plague stroke. It is also a part of Four Thieves Vinegar, liquid in which grave robbers washed belongings of plague victims.

Description

Of course, each lavender type is different, however they share many similarities. Their flowers are arranged in whorls (surrounding the stem) on spikes above the foliage. They can be blue, violet, or lilac, sometimes even blackish purple or yellowish. The leaves and the way they they grow varies greatly across different species. However, here is an illustration of English lavender:

Uses

A very common things are lavender sachets. Now while we may often simply use it to sniff it (which is totally valid use as well btw, especially if you kind of squeeze it during anxiety), it has other uses too. When kept between laundry (into wardrobe, or even some places you store  seasonal clothing), it can both give it the wonderful scent and also deter insects. You can also toss them into the dryer together with your laundry (Tutorial)! And since it is famous for helping with relaxation and sleep, you can always keep it near / under your pillow to help you with that.

Another popular use is in essential oils. It brings all the benefits mentioned above. For the smell, you can dab them on your skin and sniff that, or diffuse them in an aroma lamp. In the history section, I’ve mentioned soldiers carried it with them to treat wounds. It was proven to help wounds heal and can still be used that way today. For topical use, ALWAYS USE DILATED OILS ONLY. You can check out the guide to diluting essential oils on aromaweb.

A common use for herbs is tea. Lavender tea brings all the benefits we talked about - it is relaxing and healing. Only the buds are used for making the tea, not the leaves. You can of course also mix herbs - some other popular choices are chamomile, which is also enhancing the relaxation and sleep of lavender, and mint, which can help with some digestive problems, but also just tastes good with it. Senchateabar.com has all these three recipes (as to how long you should brew them).

Another common use is culinary. So integrating lavender into all kinds of food recipes. Now, while most lavender is safe to eat, there are some that simply shouldn’t be, like Levandula Stoechas, Levandula Latifolia and Lavandin, but others will just make your food taste soapy and overly floral. What’s used in recipes is culinary lavender, which is usually cultivated from English lavender and has less oil than aromatic lavender. Awesomeon20.com has some wonderful recipes with lavender and I actually quite like this site for kitchen magick, because they talk about magickal properties of the ingredients used and also have posts about which recipes are good for holidays of the Wheel of the Year for example.

And finally, we can of course use lavender in spells. We use it for spells that need the properties of relaxation, sleep, healing, or love. Also protection or just for general “witchy” things (like enhancing intuition, etc.). This can include spell jars, burning the herbs, sprinkling some lavender infused water, making circles with them, or so many other things. Some spell recipes:

anxiety spell jar

sleep spell sachet

self love and healing spell jar

Harvesting and Drying

I won’t be going into how to grow lavender, however I do want to talk about how and when to harvest it and how to dry it. It takes about 3 years for the plant to mature, so while you can absolutely harvest a bit before they mature, leaving them alone helps them grow  and develop more.

Now let’s look into when to harvest. For best fragrance and essential oil content, that would be in their early bloom cycle (meaning when the buds are barely starting to bloom - so you have the stem full of buds, and you already see few of them blooming, while the others are still closed). That applies to each individual stem. And also it is often said that you should harvest them in the morning, once dew has dried, because sun dissipates some of the fragrant essential oils.

You really don’t have to follow this strictly though. This is mostly to maximize the fragrance, and also because when the flowers mature and start browning, they tend to fall off the stem more easily. What you probably should follow is to not collect it wet. That means let the morning dew dry, and not collect within 24 hours of rain. That’s because damp environment increases the chance for the flower to rot.

As to how, we can use a small curved knife, which is ideal for cutting lavender, or pruning shears, or scissors. Just try to not use your hands for it, since that usually damages the stem, while sharp tools help it heal quicker. Also usually you want to organize them into bundles after cutting them, so you can wrap a rubber band around your wrist to make this easier.

Now to where exactly to cut. Well, with lavender used for culinary purposes, you should cut above any leaves and side branches, because leaves are not recommended for cooking (mostly for fragrance). Also please make sure your lavender is safe (and good) to eat before using it that way!

If you want longer stems, perhaps for decoration, or with lavender that doesn’t have much space between the flower and first leaves, then just follow the stem lower and cut at another junction. However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t cut more than two-thirds of the plant’s hight, so that it can continue to grow.

And now finally for drying itself. One way is to hang it in bundles in a dry, warm, airy room. Also in the dark, which helps it keep its color. To help the air circulate, you can just use a fan (if it’s some space like a basement or a closet). The bunches should be tied secure enough, so that it doesn’t fall apart, but not too tight. Also one source recommends to not dry them in spaces like garage, where they’d be exposed to engine and chemical fumes. It can take up to 6 weeks for them to dry this way, and you’ll know the stems are dry once they break instead of bending.

Another way is to dry them in food dehydrator. This speeds up the drying process significantly, while keeping the quality of the flowers. For this, remove the stems, leaving only flower buds in tact. Put them on the dehydrator trays so that they don’t touch each other (and use tray liners if you have them and the flowers are falling through, or even parchment paper). Set it to a low temperature - 95°F (or 35°C). It shouldn’t be more than 100 to 105°F (if you don’t have a lower setting). It should take about 24 to 48 hours to dry completely. Again, to find out if it’s dry, just try to snap one of the larger bud bundles in half, and if it bends, then it’s not dry yet.

Another method is to dry them in an oven. This is not ideal, because lowest setting on ovens is about 180°F (80°C), which, as you can notice, is more than the highest setting we could dry it in the food dehydrator. This amount of heat releases the essential oil from the flower buds. That’s why when using it, you should check on it every few minutes. And also leave the door slightly open so that the moisture can escape.

Then there’s microwave. That’s even harder to watch than an oven, so it is likely to produce less fragrant lavender. Or you can press it between heavy books, and leave it a few days to dry. That’s a method we usually use when making our own herbals.

Then you usually remove all the dried buds and either seal them in an airtight glass container. And you’re ready for using it!

Sources

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs by Judy Ann Nock

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

newcropsorganics - lavender history, taxonomy and production

wikipedia.org - Lavandula

cachecreeklavender.com - history of lavender

lavenderbackyard - how to use a lavender sachet

ncbi - wound healing potential of lavender oil

bonappetit.com - cooking with lavender

bbfamilyfarm.com - what kind of lavender can you eat

gardeningknowhow.com - Lavender harvest time

homesteadandchill.com - Harvesting Fresh Lavender: How to Harvest, Prune & Dry Lavender Flowers

bhg.com - When and How to Harvest Lavender for the Best Fragrance

littleyellowwheelbarrow.com - How To Dry Lavender (Preserving Methods And Tips)

all pictures in this post are free stock images, you can see their source when you click them

Thank you so much for reading! If you use lavender in any way, I'd be glad to hear about how you used it in the comments. If you'd like, you can head to the library to find more informational posts. And of course I'd be grateful for any likes or reblogs. See you in the next one!

[shadebaseshop]

Garden Shed Security: How to Keep Your Tools Safe

Although a Garden Shed serves an ideal storage location for tools, equipment, and gardening supplies, it is also a common target for burglary. Losing tools and equipment can throw off your garden plans because they are costly to replace. Investing in strong security systems is key in safeguarding your shed and its contents. Keeping your tools safe and secure can be helped with these practical suggestions.

1. Choose a Secure Location for Your Shed

Where you put your shed can really affect its safety. Ideal would be that it is displayed in a well it location visible from your house. Keep the shed away from shadowy or isolated corners of your backyard, which offer cover for would be trespassers. Installing motion sensor lights close to the shed can also help to deter unwanted visitors.

2. Invest In A Sturdy Shed

Choose a durable material such as metal or strengthened wood if you are buying a new shed. These, harder to break into, weigh less than flimsy wooden buildings. Reinforce your existing shed with more materials—steel plates around the hinges and locks—to make it more tampered.

3. Install A High-Quality Lock

Using a superior lock is one of the easiest however most efficient ways to protect your shed. Think of using:

Look for padlocks with thick steel shackles and antipick systems that are weatherresistant.

Make sure the hasp is bolted securely to the door and the frame using difficulttoremove screws.

For simplicity and to remove the possibility of lost keys, combination or smart locks are a good choice.

4. Secure Windows and Doors

Common point of entry for thieves is shed windows. To ensure they areiola

Use frosted film or curtains to discourage wouldbe burglars from seeing inside.

Install locks meant to keep windows from being pried open.

Substitute normal glass with strengthened glass or install window bars for added security.

Strong doors that fit tightly within the frame will also help to keep easy opening down.

5.The shed should be attached to the ground.

Thieves could seek to raise or relocate the whole building for smaller sheds. To avoid this, secure the shed to a concrete base or use ground anchors. Bolting the shed down offers another level of security.

6. Use An Alarm System

These shed alarms might be very effect deterrents. Different varieties exist:

Hardware Motion Activated Alarms: Movement inside or adjacent the shed sets them off.

Activated when doors or windows open.

7. Install Security Cameras

Some alarms have video cameras to record evidence in the event of a break in attempt.

Get security cameras set up. Apart from keeping burglars at bay, installing security cameras near your Shed Base offers useful video in the event of a break in. For best results, select cameras with motion detection and night vision.

8. Mark and Record Your Tools

Writing your name or contact information on your tools makes them less alluring to robbers and simpler to find if they disappear. Employ UV pens, engraving tools, or permanent markers. Record your tools, including photos and serial numbers, in order to aid in the search.

9. Limit Access to Your Garden

Shed burglary is more likely if your yard is readily reachable. Look at:

Keep fences and entrance gates locked when you are not using them.

Plant thorny bushes: place them along fences or around the shed to form a natural barricade.

10. Don’t Leave Valuable Items in the Shed

Avoid storing high value stuff—such as costly power tools, bicycles, or lawnmowers—in your shed whenever possible. Fasten them with a strong cable lock or chain them to a stationary spot within the shed if you have to keep them there.

11. Be Aware of Your Neighbors

Security can be helped by good contacts with your neighbors. They can assist you in monitoring your possessions and alerting to any funny activity.

12. Consider Insurance

Finally, check that your equipment and shed are insured by your home insurance plan. Examine the policy charges and think about including more coverage if necessary. Although insurance will not stop theft, it can help alleviate the financial effects of stolen items.

Conclusion

Securing your garden shed need not be pricey or difficult. Practical tips will help you lower the likelihood of theft and safeguard your valuable tools and equipment. Peace of mind and the ability to concentrate on your gardening tasks without needless interruptions are guaranteed by a well protected shed.

[propertyideas]

People are blurring their homes on Google Maps to deter burglars. Here's how.

Some homeowners in Southern California are blurring their homes on Google Maps as a means of deterring potential burglaries, Ryan Railsback, an officer in the Riverside Police Department, told ABC News.

The tactic could reduce the likelihood of a robbery by denying would-be wrongdoers useful information about the value of one's possessions and any security measures in place to protect them, Railsback said.

"The crooks are looking for new and innovative ways to victimize people," Railsback said. "It's good for the public to be aware of that and counter what the criminals are already doing."

The blurring of homes on Google Maps was first reported by ABC News affiliate KABC in Los Angeles, California.

In response to ABC News's request for comment, a Google spokesperson said the company allows users to blur their home if they prefer that it appear that way on Google Maps.

"Street View helps people virtually explore the world, and we make it easy for anyone to blur their home if they prefer -- just click on the 'Report a problem button' and submit a request. To further protect the privacy of our users, we use state of the art technology designed to automatically blur identifiable faces and license plates," the spokesperson said.

Here's why some people are blurring their homes on Google Maps, and how to do it yourself.

Why are some people blurring their homes on Google Maps?

The safety tactic of blurring one's home on Google Maps has been around for years, Christopher Herrmann, a professor of law and police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, told ABC News. The simple digital fix could stop robbers from targeting a given home, he said.

"Would-be thieves certainly want to scout their locations before they hit them," Herrmann said.

When seeking online images of a home, criminals look for valuable assets worth stealing and any security barriers that may be in place to stop them, Herrman said. That includes identifying a home's layout and entrance, as well as the presence of a front-door camera or exterior surveillance system.

Blurring a home on Google Maps could help prevent theft by concealing such information. However, the maneuver also risks backfiring should thieves become suspicious that a property has been blurred because it features valuables or vulnerabilities worth keeping out of sight.

"It may be more of a red flag," Herrmann said.

Home burglaries are actually exceedingly rare. In 2019, fewer than 1% of households experienced a burglary, according to the Department of Justice.

"Is your house going to be targeted by would-be thieves?" Herrmann asked. "Probably not."

How do you blur your home on Google Maps?

To blur your home on Google Maps, navigate to Street View mode at your address using the website. The option to request a blurring of your home will not appear on the mobile app.

A drop-down menu will appear in the top-left corner of the screen. Navigate to the option labeled "Report a Problem." A questionnaire will present you with prompts to identify where and why you would like the Street View image to be blurred.

Submit the questionnaire. Google Maps may follow up with you for additional information.

People are blurring their homes on Google Maps to deter burglars. Here's how. originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

[indiancurrysauces-blog]

Do door stopper security bars work?

When it comes to improving protection against robbers in the context of home security, door stopper security bars are a popular choice. These devices are meant to reinforce traditional locking techniques by providing an extra barrier against unwanted entry. It is important to comprehend the characteristics and effectiveness of a door security bar from inside, regardless of whether you are a household seeking to enhance security or a business owner attempting to safeguard your assets. 

1)How Do Door Stopper Security Bars Work?

Door stopper security bars are typically made of durable materials such as steel or aluminum. They are designed to be placed at the base of a door, exerting pressure against the floor and the door itself when engaged. This pressure creates a barrier that makes it significantly more difficult for an intruder to force the door open from the outside.

When properly installed, these bars effectively prevent the door from being kicked in or forced open, providing added peace of mind for occupants. Many models feature adjustable length settings, allowing them to accommodate various door sizes and configurations.

2)Advantages of Door Stopper Security Bars

1)Enhanced Security: Enhancing a property's security is one of the main advantages of door security bar from inside. These bars act as an extra barrier against attempts at forced entrance and deter potential intruders by strengthening entry points. 

2)Easy Installation: Unlike some security measures that require professional installation, door stopper security bar and commercial door security bar, these are typically easy to install and require minimal tools. This makes them a convenient option for homeowners and business owners alike.

3)Versatility: Door stopper security bar is an adaptable security option that works well in a range of locations, including offices, retail establishments, and residential dwellings. They are perfect for usage in different locations or as temporary security measures because they are simple to remove and reposition as needed. 

3)Choosing the Right Door Stopper Security Bar

It's important to take durability, adaptability, and convenience of usage into account when choosing a door stopper security bar. Seek for bars constructed using premium materials that are resilient to high pressure. To guarantee a perfect fit for your door, adjustable length settings are also crucial.

Additionally, consider features such as rubberized grips or non-slip footpads, which can help prevent damage to floors and provide added stability. Some models may also include additional security features, such as alarms or reinforced locking mechanisms, for added peace of mind.

Conclusion

Door stopper security bars, commercial door security bar, these  are an effective and affordable way to enhance the security of your home or business. By providing an additional layer of defense against forced entry, these bars offer peace of mind and protection for occupants and valuable assets alike. Whether used as a standalone security measure or in conjunction with other security systems, door stopper security bars are a valuable tool in the fight against intruders.

Investing in a high-quality door stopper security bar can provide lasting benefits for your property's security and your peace of mind. With their ease of installation, versatility, and effectiveness, these bars are an excellent addition to any security plan.

[solatekwindowtint]

Improve Safety & Security

Our security window films make glass harder to penetrate and hold shattered pieces in place, helping keep both people and property safe from dangers posed by intruders, severe weather, and broken glass. An even higher level of protection, the impact protection attachment system securely fixes the filmed window to the frame, turning your window into a robust shield capable of withstanding forced entry, earthquakes, and even bomb blasts. Whatever the cause of impact, glass doors and windows are vulnerable to damage – and broken glass poses a hazard of its own. You can’t control crime, accidents or the weather, but you can get an added layer of protection – one that’s virtually invisible - heat reduction window films.

Locks and security systems deter some burglars, but what about your home’s most vulnerable points of entry? Security Window Films make it harder to break through your glass doors and windows. Instead of a quick smash-and-grab job, a would-be robber is faced with a window that won’t yield quickly or quietly. And the longer it takes an intruder to break through, the longer you have to get help - house window tinting.

Making your home more energy-efficient, private, and stylish can be as simple as choosing the right tint for windows in homes. Discover the optimal type of window film for your living spaces, understand their energy-saving potential, and learn how they can protect your interiors from UV rays without reading through fluff. Choosing the right window film depends on glass type compatibility, aesthetics, sun exposure, and room-specific needs. A professional installation ensures maximum effectiveness while there are DIY options are available for the highly skilled home hobbyist When disaster strikes, can your windows take a beating without shattering into dangerous shards of glass? From everyday accidents to airborne storm debris and even seismic activity, windows are vulnerable to damage. For more information,  please visit our site https://www.solatekwindowtint.com/

[mylocksmithpro]

Protecting Your Home: Simple Measures to Deter Burglars and Enhance Security

Why should you let anyone into your home and steal everything they want for free? Finally, if a person actually wants to break into a residence, they will be able to do so. There are, however, a few simple things you may do to make this as difficult as possible. Thieves are lazy people who choose the simplest solution; make their task more difficult and they will quickly lose interest. We'll go over some of them here, and if you take them, the lazy criminals will flee to a safer option.

Attitude and Carelessness

Many house break-ins are the result of the homeowner's lack of common sense. The majority of homeowners think about security only after a neighbour is robbed. When getting into a property, burglars are frightened of being seen and wasting time.

Do Not Intervene

The bulk of robberies take place when residents are not present; nonetheless, if you stumble across a robber in the process, do not attempt to stop them! The danger of getting hurt by the invader is too severe to take any precautions. Many injuries and deaths occur when a person defends their home with a weapon. This weapon could be used by a desperate and deadly burglar against the homeowner.

Speak To the Professionals

If you wish to make your home safer but don't know how to contact your local police. They will gladly visit your home and identify any potential hazards. They are experts, and they will usually uncover opportunities that you might otherwise overlook.

Locks

You can enquire about your current lock status by contacting locksmith Myrtle Beach. Of course, as long as your locksmiths provide excellent service, the majority of them will try to sell you their products and make it clear that you are interested. They will normally give you a discount if you have a large number of doors and windows. Walking around a neighbourhood looking for old or damaged doors and windows is a popular habit among opportunist thieves.

CCTV

A CCTV system is a very important component of any home security system. If a criminal discovers many cameras put outside your home, he or she will most likely choose a house that is easier to break into. You can select a system that includes both alarm devices and camera surveillance.

Common Sense

Many robberies are committed as a result of a homeowner's negligence. When you leave the house, remember to lock all of your doors and not leave any valuables on display.

[larrys-tales]

Ep 36 Sunshine In Shadow

Larry's Call to Kindness. A truly inspiring tale of kindness in the face of adversity - with an unique Larry twist of course!

[The scene opens with Larry, surrounded by his friends in his cozy living room. They're all eagerly listening as Larry begins to recount his recent adventure.]

Larry: So, you all know how I've been on this mission lately, right? Trying to spread kindness wherever I go?

Friends: Yeah, Larry! We've been following your journey closely.

Larry: Well, let me tell you about my latest escapade. I ventured into Megaville, a bustling city where every street seems to tell a different story. My goal was simple: spread kindness and make a positive impact on as many lives as possible.

[Fade to Larry walking down the streets of Megaville, greeting strangers with smiles and compliments. He hands out flowers and shares encouraging words with everyone he meets.]

Larry: Everywhere I went, people seemed genuinely touched by even the smallest acts of kindness. It was heartwarming to see how a simple gesture could brighten someone's day.

[Cut to Larry approaching a group of children playing in a park. He joins in their game, making them laugh and feel included.]

Larry: After spending a delightful afternoon with those kids, I decided to treat myself to some candy. I'd heard about this fantastic candy store tucked away in a little alley.

[Cut to Larry walking down the alley, his excitement evident as he anticipates the sweet treats awaiting him.]

Larry: But as I turned the corner, I found myself facing a situation I never expected.

[The scene shifts to Larry encountering a group of shady individuals, one of them wielding a knife.]

Larry: Suddenly, I realized I had stumbled into a dangerous situation. These guys weren't interested in spreading kindness; they were after something else entirely.

[The tension rises as Larry describes the fear he felt in that moment, realizing he was being robbed.]

Larry: They demanded my wallet and any valuables I had. And in that moment, I realized that despite all my efforts to spread kindness, I was still vulnerable to the harsh realities of the world.

[Cut to Larry's friends, their expressions filled with concern as they listen to his story.]

Friend 1: Oh no, Larry! Are you okay?

Larry: Thankfully, I'm fine. It was a frightening experience, but it taught me something important.

[The scene shifts back to Larry, a determined look on his face.]

Larry: No matter how dark the world may seem at times, we must never lose sight of the power of kindness. Yes, I was robbed, but that won't deter me from continuing on my mission. In fact, it only strengthens my resolve.

[As Larry speaks, his friends nod in agreement, understanding the significance of his message.]

Friend 2: You're absolutely right, Larry. We need more people like you spreading kindness in the world.

Larry: That's why I'm calling on all of you to join me. Let's make a pledge to be kinder, to look out for one another, and to spread positivity wherever we go.

[The friends exchange determined looks, silently agreeing to Larry's call to action.]

Friend 3: Count me in, Larry. I'm with you all the way.

[The scene ends with Larry and his friends sharing a group hug, united in their commitment to making the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time.]

Larry: Together, we can make a difference. Let's show the world the power of kindness!

[As Larry finishes speaking, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wallet.]

Larry: Oh, and by the way, I have a little surprise for you all.

[He opens the wallet to reveal only a single coupon.]

Larry: This is the wallet I handed over to the robber. It contains only a coupon for an anger management class. I thought maybe it could help him find some peace and kindness in his own heart.

[His friends look at him, impressed and touched by his compassion.]

Friend 1: Larry, that's incredible. Even in a moment of fear, you managed to respond with kindness and understanding.

Larry: Well, isn't that what it's all about? Even when faced with adversity, we have the power to choose kindness over hatred.

[The friends nod in agreement, inspired by Larry's actions.]

Friend 2: You're absolutely right, Larry. Your compassion is truly remarkable.

Larry: Thank you, my friends. Now, here's the best part. The very next day, I received a phone call.

[His friends lean in, curious.]

Larry: It was the guy who had robbed me. He called to thank me for the coupon and told me that it had changed his life. He said he realized he needed to make a change and that he would start checking for wallets first and demanding the real ones in future robberies.

[His friends gasp, amazed by the impact of Larry's gesture.]

Friend 3: Wow, Larry. That's incredible!

Larry: It just goes to show that even in the darkest moments, kindness can spark a change. And it's moments like these that reaffirm my belief in the power of kindness.

[The friends smile, feeling inspired by Larry's story.]

Friend 1: You truly are an example for us all, Larry.

Larry: Thank you, my friends. Let's keep spreading kindness wherever we go.

[The screen fades to black, leaving viewers inspired by Larry's unwavering commitment to kindness, even in the face of danger.]

[frnwhcom]

The Chilling Tale of the Andrew Road Triple Murders: A Dark Chapter in Singapore's History

In the annals of Singapore's crime history, few cases have evoked as much horror and fascination as the Andrew Road triple murders. This gruesome event, which unfolded in 1983, left an indelible mark on the nation's collective memory, serving as a grim reminder of the capricious nature of violence and the darkness that can lurk within the human soul. Prelude to Tragedy The serene neighborhood of Andrew Road was shaken to its core when a violent robbery escalated into a triple homicide. The incident occurred in a quiet bungalow, a setting that belied the horror that was to unfold. Two young men, armed and driven by greed, embarked on what they thought would be a straightforward robbery. However, the situation quickly spiraled out of control, culminating in an act of senseless brutality. The Fateful Day On that fateful day, the robbers, wielding a rifle and a knife, forced their way into the residence. Inside, they encountered the unsuspecting occupants, a family and their domestic helper, who became hostages in their own home. As the robbery progressed, one of the intruders, overcome by a violent impulse, committed an act that would forever mar their lives and shock the nation. A Tragic Outcome Three of the five hostages were mercilessly killed, their lives snuffed out in a moment of unfathomable violence. The brutality of the murders was stark, leaving a community reeling in disbelief and sorrow. The surviving members of the household were left to grapple with the loss and trauma of the event, their lives irrevocably altered. The Aftermath The Andrew Road triple murders were not just a crime; they were a reflection of the darkest potentials of human nature. The case prompted a nationwide introspection on issues of security, justice, and the value of human life. It also led to a rigorous investigation by the Singapore Police Force, culminating in the apprehension of the perpetrators. In the wake of the tragedy, the legal proceedings were closely followed by the public, with the eventual conviction and sentencing of the culprits serving as a cold comfort to a nation still mourning the senseless loss of life. The case underscored the importance of vigilance, community, and the need for a robust criminal justice system to deter such heinous acts. Legacy Today, the Andrew Road triple murders remain a dark chapter in Singapore's history, a tale of how a seemingly ordinary day can descend into horror. It is a story that continues to resonate, serving as a cautionary tale about the depths of depravity to which individuals can sink and the indomitable spirit of a community that, in the face of unspeakable tragedy, seeks justice and healing. The legacy of the Andrew Road triple murders is a complex tapestry of grief, resilience, and a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done in ensuring the safety and security of all citizens. As Singapore continues to evolve and grow, the lessons learned from this tragic event remain ever relevant, guiding the nation towards a future where such tragedies are but distant memories. Read the full article

[legends-of-time]

Waking the Sorceress Within (BBC Merlin Story)

Chapter 19: The Curse of Cornelius Sigan

Masterlist

A/N: Season 2!!

——

Amelia's POV

Everything is mostly back to normal but Amelia knows it won't for long. Soon she is getting even less sleep than she already is when Uther orders men to dig in the Caverns underneath the Castle to find some materials or whatever and it is disturbing everyone's sleep. Though Amelia, as well as Morgana, are used to a lack of sleep already so it really is not a massive disturbance to her already terrible sleep schedule.

One night the banging finally ends and it is only the next day when she follows Merlin down to the Caverns, does she learn of what had caused her to finally have some hours of sleep.

The diggers had found a Tomb but one man suddenly slumped dead soon afterwards. Naturally, the rest freaked out and fled.

When she enters the Tomb, there is a man laid out by a raised coffin made from stone with an ornate monument of an unknown man lying on top with a large glowing blue gem in the middle of the chest. Amelia glances round the rest of the Tomb to see that whoever is buried here was very rich judging by all the riches that surrounds the edges of the room containing the person in question.

"How do you think he died? Gaius?" Merlin asks, crouching over the man who had died.

"Hmm?" Gaius asks, not paying attention. It is almost as if he is lost in thought.

"Do you know whose Tomb it is?" Merlin probes, standing up.

"Not sure," Gaius says but Amelia feels like he is lying about what he actually knows. She sees that he is staring at a stone crow, which seems to be staring at them. Amelia shakes her head realising how ridiculous she is being.

"Do you think it might be cursed?" The atmosphere seems to also be getting to Merlin.

"Finding out who's Tomb this is will help," Amelia says.

Gaius then steps on the stone slabs surrounding the base of the stone coffin, likely to have a closer look. A dart shoots out of one of the stone crows at Gaius. Merlin magics a plate between the dart and Gaius just in time as the dart hits the plate.

Gaius gapes in surprise before turning to Merlin. "You just saved my life. Thank you."

"Are you alright?" Amelia asks Gaius who nods.

She then hears Uther as does Merlin as he drops the plate as it had still been hovering in mid air. It rolls towards the entrance as Uther enters talking to Arthur, who is behind him. "...guarded at all times." The plate stops at Uther's feet as does Merlin, who was following it. "Idiot."

Arthur turns to Merlin. "Were you born clumsy or do you work at it?"

"It's just one of my many gifts." Merlins answers.

"Well, this is quite a find. You see, Gaius, I was right." So that is why Uther thought it was a brilliant idea to keep everybody awake. "There is treasure to be found under Camelot. Which of my predecessors do I have to thank for all this?" Gaius does not respond, again distracted. "Gaius?"

"Uh, I'd have to look into it, Sire." This means he already knows but does not want to say till he is absolutely sure. This means he is clearly worried about what it means.

"How did he die?" Uther asks, now turning to the dead digger.

"He seems to have unwittingly triggered a trap here," Gaius answers, gesturing towards it.

"To deter grave robbers." Arthur guesses.

"Well, there's plenty in here people would want to steal." Uther turns to Arthur. "Have them secure the Tomb. Guarding it is your responsibility, Arthur."

"Yes, Father." Arthur seems to do everything anyway.

"Maybe a gift for one of your birthdays Amelia." Uther jokes towards her. She gives him a small smile.

——

It is the next day that Merlin storms into Gaius' Chambers, where Amelia is chatting with Anne and Gaius about the inscription he had found in the Tomb, looking sad.

"What's wrong?" Anne asks, albeit a bit awkwardly. The two have been a bit awkward ever since the questing beast episode but Amelia can't figure out why and Anne refuses to tell her. They seem to have not fallen out as neither seems irritated with each other but it is something.

"I saved Arthur's life, someone else got the credit. Just the usual." Merlin mutters, not really looking at her. "What are you doing?" Merlin walks over to behind where Gaius is sitting.

"I found this inscription on the sceptre." Merlin looks over Gaius' shoulder to read the unknown language on the piece of paper he holds.

"What language is that?" Merlin asks.

"He does not know." Amelia answers. "Sigan would have known many languages." She needs to find her notes on this.

"Sigan?" Merlin questions.

"It's his Tomb," Gaius says.

"Who's he?" Merlin questions again.

"Merlin, he was the most powerful Sorcerer to have lived," Anne tells him ominously, though it is allowed in this situation.

"Really?" Merlin asks in shock.

"You didn't grow up in Camelot, but for those of us that did, Cornelius Sigan was a figure of nightmare." Gaius says. Amelia vaguely remembers him but not much, her previous head injury probably does not help much.

"Why?" Merlins asks still confused.

"Sigan's powers. He could change day into night, turn the tides, and legend has it, his spells helped build Camelot itself." Anne explains.

"What happened?"

"In the end, he grew too powerful and the King at that time ordered his execution," Gaius says.

"If he's dead, why are you so worried?" He still is not getting it.

"Sigan couldn't bear the thought that his wealth and power would die with him, so he became obsessed with finding a way to defeat death itself." Gaius declares.

"You think he might have succeeded?" Merlin asks worriedly.

"Well, let's cheers to hoping that he did not," Amelia says only slightly sarcastically as the situation is actually serious.

——

So turns out Uther thinks it is all superstitious nonsense and will not listen to sealing up the Tomb. Surprise surprise.

Also, younger Amelia had not written anything about this adventure, either she could not remember enough to write anything down or did not think it important. Let's hope that this has nothing life altering?

Amelia rushes to Morgana's Chambers the next morning after hearing she had a nightmare as this could be linked to Sigan.

Once she enters, Morgana is sitting on her bed above the covers looking exhausted.

"Wow," her voice causes Morgana to turn to her, "you are looking extra pale today. Almost like you hardly exist." Her comment causes an up turn of Morgana's mouth. Well, at least she got her to smile a bit.

"You are not going to ask me how I am, are you?" Morgana jokingly asks. Another achievement is Morgana making a joke.

"Nah, bit pointless that is and you and I both know that I know how annoying it is when someone asks." Amelia jokingly tells her, sitting on the bed next to her. "What happened though?"

But before Morgana can answer, there is a knock on the door and a "My Lady?"

Gaius.

Morgana calls her consent for him to enter and he enters and begins his assessment.

"What was this dream about?" He asks.

"A bird." Morgana her mood had seemed to have drooped since he arrived.

"What kind of bird?"

"A raven."

"A raven?" Amelia raises her eyebrows in surprise. She is sure that Sigan has ravens protecting his Tomb.

"It was terrifying, Gaius. What do you think it means?" Morgana begs.

"Probably nothing."

Amelia scoffs, which causes Gaius to give her a look.

"It's happening again, isn't it?" Morgana says in a watery voice sounding like she does not believe him. Not that Amelia blames her. Amelia moves to the other side of the bed and begins stroking her shoulder in comfort.

"Morgana, one raven doesn't mean that your nightmares are returning. Are you taking the sleeping draughts I prepared for you?" Morgana nods. "I'll get Gwen to give you something stronger."

"Like a blow to the head? I'm sure she wants to." Morgana remarks.

Gaius then leaves and Morgana turns to her. "Something is happening isn't it?"

Amelia chews her lip. "Maybe, if you are dreaming it. But now we know we can be extra vigilant. We can do something. Yeah?"

Morgana nods looking slightly more relieved. Clearly things are happening if Morgana is dreaming about it.

——

The next morning Amelia is startled when she hears the warning bell start going.

She rushes towards Gaius' Chambers hoping to get some answers.

"What is it? What's happening? Is it Sigan?" She immediately asks as soon as she sees Gaius.

"I'm afraid so. The inscription said, "He who breaks my heart completes my work." And that blue heart that was glowing is now empty. I fear his soul has been released." He says.

"You think he has completed his dream of immortality?" Amelia asks with wide eyes.

"Yes. And now I fear he has now been able to inhabit a body."

"But how did they get in? Only Arthur has the keys!" Amelia exclaims. This is very bad.

"They must have had access. Merlin says only him and a man called Cedric."

"Oh no. He must have been the one then! Merlin has been complaining about how he keeps making him look bad. He must have been trying to get close to Arthur to get the key." Amelia realises.

"Seems so. Now we are all in mortal danger."

——

That mortal danger came soon as that night, Amelia hears screaming from the Square outside. She opens a window and leans out to see what is happening but quickly she has to duck her head inside as something large flies past her window. Once it has passed, she pokes her head out once again and sees large flying creatures flying about and people running around screaming. This must be the work of Sigan.

Amelia immediately runs to where she knows Gaius will have set up a Temporary Ward to deal with the wounded. Once she arrives, she begins to work with Morgana in directing and organising the wounded.

"You shouldn't be doing this," Gaius says to Morgana.

"It's exactly what I should be doing." She instantly responds.

"You need rest, Morgana." Gaius cautions.

Amelia huffs at that and Morgana seems to agree, "And I'm likely to get it with all this going on."

Gaius looks to Amelia for help but she gives a look as if to say, 'It's Morgana. I can't stop her.'

——

After a while, an injured Arthur enters with Gwen directing him.

"Is he alright?" She asks Gwen who has moved away and has begun to collect bandages and rags.

"Yes. I just need to stop the bleeding." Gwen reassures her.

Amelia goes back over to Arthur with Gwen and begins helping her to treat Arthur.

"Now I know you cannot help it," Amelia begins with a serious voice, "but try not to act like a baby please."

Arthur huffs a laugh but soon winces. "Try not to make me laugh and we will both be fine." He says. Amelia gives him a smile.

Uther himself does not take long before he is rushing over to Arthur. "Arthur."

"It's nothing," Arthur tells him. Nothing! She's tying a bandage around him!

"Have we driven the creatures out?" Uther instead asks, now realising that Arthur is not in immediate danger.

"They have control of the Lower Town. The Market has been all but destroyed." Arthur reports.

"How many dead?"

"Too many to number."

"I'm sealing the Citadel." Amelia looks up at Uther in surprise.

"You can't," Arthur says in similar disbelief.

"I have no choice. I have to protect those who have a chance. If I don't, we will all fall." Arthur gets up despite Amelia's attempts to keep him down. "Where are you going?"

"There are people trapped on the Drawbridge," Arthur says.

"I forbid you," Uther says.

"I'm not leaving them to die." Arthur walks away. And this is why Arthur will be the better King, he does not just give up.

"It's suicide!" Uther grabs his arm.

"It's my duty to Camelot! And to myself!" Arthur then walks out with a group of Soldiers following him.

Amelia looks around and spots Gaius and Anne whispering in the corner, she walks closer and sees they are talking to Merlin, who is hidden in the shadows.

"Merlin!" She says in surprise. Last she heard was that Arthur had put him in the Cells for the night as he had once again not believed Merlin when he tried to tell them that Cedric is Sigan.

Merlin nods to her. "I have to help Arthur."

"Merlin, Sigan's power is far beyond yours," Gaius warns him.

"I don't have a choice."

"But Sigan has achieved immortality and you have not. He'll kill you!" Anne exclaims.

"But there must be a way," Merlin says insists.

"There is only one alive who is old enough to give us the answers we need," Gaius says. Oh no, Amelia knows who he is going to say.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asks, having not clicked with what he meant.

"The Great Dragon."

Anne pulls a face while Amelia herself shifts uncomfortably. Merlin retreats back as if the words hurt him. "You knew that...that I used to visit him."

"Yes, Merlin, of course I knew. You're a creature of magic, just as he is. I hoped that he could help you." Gaius says.

"He helps no one but himself." Anne spits.

"For Arthur's sake you must go to him now."

"They kind of told him that he'll never see them again," Amelia says.

"We have no choice," Gaius says. Amelia hates to admit that he has a point.

——

Amelia enters Kilgharrah's Cave with Merlin and Anne. Rocks fall from the ceiling.

"Hello?! Hello?! Please, I need your help!" Merlin begs.

Kilgharrah then flies down and perches on his rock. "You told me I would not see you again." He says angrily, leaning forward.

"We are not here for ourselves, we are here for Arthur," Anne says.

"Arthur's path lies with all of yours. Two of you have made it clear that you do not walk in step with me." Kilgharrah still sounds angry.

"You cannot want Cornelius Sigan to win," Amelia says desperately. Kilgharrah seems to soften slightly when he looks at her. "You're not evil."

"At least Sigan knows where his loyalties lie. These two have shown that they do not." He gestures his large head towards Anne and Merlin.

"So you will let Camelot fall?" Merlin says knowingly.

"I did not say that." Kilgharrah no longer sounding as angry.

"Then you will help us?" Anne asks.

"To defeat Sigan, you will need a spell more powerful than anything you know."

"Please, I have to try," Merlin begs.

"Very well. But you must give me something in return." Oh no.

"What?" Amelia asks worriedly.

"A promise."

"A promise?" Merlin asks.

"That one day you will free me." Amelia vaguely remembers from her notes something about when Kilgharrah is initially free, that it'll cause all sorts of disaster.

"If I release you, what will you do?" Merlin is right to doubt him.

"That is not your concern." It kind of is.

"I don't trust you!" Again Merlin is right.

"Nevertheless, you must promise, or Camelot will fall." Kilgharrah knows he has them.

At this moment more rock falls from the ceiling. "I promise. Now, please, give me the spell." Merlin says desperately.

"Close your eyes and open your mind." Merlin does so and Kilgharrah breathes on him. Merlin opens his eyes and Amelia can see a flash of gold. "Few men have ever been gifted such knowledge. Use it wisely."

"I will," Merlin says, sounding breathless.

"You made a promise, young Warlock, and one day I shall keep you to it," Kilgharrah tells them just before they leave.

——

Anne's POV

Amelia hurries to the Temporary Ward while Anne goes with Merlin to confront Sigan.

They enter the Square to see Arthur lying on the floor unconscious and one of the creatures flying towards him.

"Astrice!" Merlin yells and the creature explodes into pieces. Merlin and Anne rush over to check on Arthur. Anne's shoulders sag in relief when Arthur makes a noise and moves his head. She then hears a voice.

"Who would've believed it? You, a Sorcerer, and a powerful one." Anne looks to see Sigan in Cedric's body emerge from the smoke.

"I won't let you hurt him," Merlin calls determinedly.

"And you're going to stop me?" Sigan's voice is full of cocky arrogance.

Anne stands. "He'll stop you." She says as Merlin stands behind her.

"He does not deserve your loyalty. He treats you like a slave." Sigan says trying to persuade Merlin. Anne keeps back believing that Merlin can do this. To be there in case Sigan gets to him.

"That's not true." Merlin's voice makes her doubt slightly whether he is going through with defeating Sigan.

"He cast you aside without a moment's thought." Sigan continues.

"That doesn't matter," Merlin says, standing his ground.

"But it must hurt so much to be so put upon, so overlooked, when all the while you have such power." Anne does not like how Sigan is poking at Merlin's insecurities. How dare he.

"That's the way it has to be." Merlin counters.

"Does it? You're young, Merlin. Look inside yourself. You have yet to discover your true power. I can help you. Think, Merlin. To have the world appreciate your greatness. To have Arthur know you for what you are." Sigan says persuasively.

"That can never be."

"It can, if you join me. Together we can rule over this land. Arthur will tremble at your voice, he will kneel at your feet." Anne cannot help but smile slightly. She knows that Sigan had gone wrong there. He clearly does not know Merlin at all.

"I don't want that," Merlin says, sounding more sure than ever.

"You'd rather be a servant?" Sigan says in disbelief.

"Better to serve a good man than to rule with an evil one." Merlin's voice sounding stronger as he speaks.

"So be it. If you will not join me, I will become you and your power will be harnessed to my will." Oh, dear.

Cedric's body begins convulsing slightly and choking. His head tilts back then looking directly at her and Merlin reaching out to them with his hand before collapsing to the floor, looking like he is dead.

Before Anne can begin to think about feeling sorry for Cedric, a stream of blue smoke comes out of Cedric's open mouth and begins trailing towards Merlin. It begins wrapping around his feet and this is when Merlin begins to chant.

"Ic þín sáwol hér beléac, abide þæt ic þé álíese!" At his last word, the smoke enters his nostrils and he falls to the ground. His head begins to jerk and his eyes open and turn black.

Anne gapes at him in worry but after a few moments, she hears a gasp. She looks over to see Merlin's eyes once again blue as he stands. She watches him in worry as she does not know whether the spell has worked but then she looks down to the jewel clasped in his hand and sees that it is now swirling and glowing blue once again. It had worked! She feels her face break into a smile.

She then hears Gaius and Amelia's voices calling out their names. Merlin begins walking through the mist with a serious look on his face towards Gaius and Amelia, who are watching in concern, and once he gets in front of them, he smiles and holds up the jewel with Sigan's soul trapped inside. Anne steps up behind him with her own smile.

This causes Gaius and Amelia to simultaneously let out sighs of relief and both of their faces break out into smiles before walking towards them.

"Well done, my boy," Gaius says happily before hugging Merlin.

Amelia meanwhile launches herself at Anne. Anne cannot help but let out a laugh of surprise and happiness. "Are you alright?" Amelia asks her once she has been let go.

"Yeah," Anne says smiling. Before she turns to join in with Merlin and Gaius' hug and feels Amelia do the same.

——

A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

[boonemitchelllandscaping]

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Lock all windows and doors

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Strengthen the hardware, windows, doors, and doors

A doorway barrier or a safety pub might be used to offer support. Make that the striking plate (the metal portion of the door jamb through which the lock bolt goes) is properly placed using screws that are at least 3/4 inches long when using door hardware. By taking this precaution, you may assist prevent the bolt from being readily driven out of the door frame. Door psychologist kits include additional hardware that might fortify a door's weak places as well as assault plates.

Use motion-activated lighting both indoors and outside

Lights may be changed by either fitting a movement sensing adapter between a socket and a bulb or by simply adjusting the light bulbs. They'll shine a spotlight on anyone looking about your home, and the visibility can deter burglars. If indoor varieties do enter, they will succeed. Learn more about seven other ways to repel robbers.

Be shrewd when playing hide-a-key

Opportunistic burglars have it easier when they conceal a secret in a flowerpot at the entryway or somewhere else, such under the carpet. Find rotating and abrupt hiding places, give a neighbor a spare key, or even better, buy an inexpensive combination lockbox and install it somewhere.

Keeping your assets hidden

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If your house is brightly illuminated and equipped with security mechanisms that slow intruders down, they won't find it an easy target. Avoid making your house a target for theft and vandalism. Employing common sense safety practices will help you protect yourself and your possessions while saving money on insurance rates.