#I WAS TRYING TO DO BOTH LOUIS AND ALEXANDRE | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

andy-rea · 4 years

Text

Maybe

Rating: General Audiences

Fandom: Versailles (TV 2015)

Relationship: Chevalier de Lorraine/Philippe d'Orléans | Monsieur (Versailles 2015)

Characters: Philippe d'Orléans | Monsieur (Versailles 2015) Chevalier de Lorraine (Versailles 2015) Louis XIV (Versailles 2015) Alexandre Bontemps (Versailles 2015) Henriette d'Angleterre (Versailles 2015) Marie-Thérèse (Versailles 2015) Original Characters

Additional Tags: Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks

Language:English

Series: Part 1 of the Monchevy Soulmates Series

Summary: In a world where a mark should appear where your soulmates hands touch you for the first time, Monsieur doesn't believe his mother's stories about it anymore. When he was a child he used to imagine his soulmate, but life seemed so cruel to actually reserve something like this for him. So, now he is almost 16, dressed in his mother's favorite gown, ready for his brother's marriage announcement at Palais Royale. What can possibly go wrong?

Maybe

Philippe really wanted to run away. If he was in better circumstances, if he wasn’t wearing a gown, if he wasn’t in heels, he would probably go back to Saint Germain in a hurry.

Running, possibly.

The prince of France sighed, checking on his hair in the mirror, braided by his mother just a few hours earlier.

She always liked to dress him up, since he was a child. After all, he was her “little princess”.

When he was little, everything about this dress-up thing was normal to him. The first time his mother braided his hair, he was ten and it was finally long enough for her to do it properly. He remembered the moment he saw himself in the mirror, a boy in a lilac dress, long dark hair up in a simple braid and just one, single lock left free to settle on the boy’s naked shoulder, too short to reach the dress’ neckline. Now, almost six years later, the strand of black hair reached that neckline and rested on the fabric of the green gown he wore, at chest high.

Philippe caressed that lock of hair, fear of messing it all up. He felt like he was watching someone else, someone he couldn’t recognize.

He was still looking in the mirror when he felt a hand at his lower back. Philippe raised his eyes in the glass, and a spontaneous smile formed on his thin lips. His mother smiled back at him, standing still behind his back.

“Philippe… ma petite princesse.” the Queen of France kept smiling, making her second son turn around so he would face her. She took his hands in hers, both of Philippe’s wrapped in light green gloves, long enough to reach his elbows. The queen cared so much for his gloves, in fact, he wore them all the time, a shorter version was made for his male clothing, but she went more uncompromising during court events. Tonight was no exception.

“Thank you, mother,” Philippe said in a whisper, still smiling at her. She checked one more time at his dress, then his gloves and his hairstyle, smiling, satisfied that everything was perfectly settled. As she seemed to say something else, someone cleared their throat and distracted them. Mother and son turned, seeing Bontemps waiting for a sign to speak. Queen Anne smiled, nodding to allow him to talk.

“My Queen, Your Highness, it’s time. The King is waiting for you to make your entrance.”

“Of course he is,” Philippe whispered, only for his mother to listen. She smiled again at him, releasing his hands from her gentle grasp, and began to cross the room, through the door that connected them to the Gran Salon. The prince followed, hearing Bontemps doing the same behind him.

“Tell me, Bontemps,” Philippe waited for the young man, letting his mother make her own entrance before him. The Prince put his right, gloved, hand on the valet arm, allowing him to lead the short way through the salon. “How much my dressing for tonight is the Queen’s idea?”

“I sincerely don’t know what you are talking about, Your Highness,” Bontemps said politely, as he always were.

“Oh, you know what I’m talking about. He’s announcing his marriage and now I can dress as I please. Something must be up tonight, and I know him too well to ignore it.”

“Monsieur, I really don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me,” the valet said and smiled, but Philippe knew from his voice tone that he knew it very well indeed. “But, if I can tell you with all due respect… I will take off my gloves for tonight’s event if I was in your shoes.”

“Luckily, you are not. Plus, listen to my mother rumble again and again about all that soulmates stuff? Please, spare me.” His mother loved to tell him stories about soulmates when he was a child. Every night she was ready with a new story, written in an old journal she took with her everywhere. When the King died, she took away that book, and Philippe never saw it again. Every story was so different from one another, one time it talked about a shiny prince and a farmer daughter, another one was about a princess of a foreign kingdom and a king, already married to someone else. But his favorite was about a couple of valets, separated by their king at the end of the tale. It was sad but Philippe had always seen himself in one of them, who found out who their soulmates were, then got their mark for never seeing each other ever again.

“You know,” Bontemps interrupted him, the only one Philippe allowed to do it, posing his free hand on the prince’s, still on the valet arm, though they were so close to the salon. “That is not just soulmates stuff. I have my own mark, and I’m very grateful for it. It reminds me that someone loves me, no matter what.”

“Isn’t a marriage made for that thought of yours?”

“Are you so sure about that, Your Highness?” the valet broke their contact, taking both of Philippe’s hands in his instead. “Do both of us a favor tonight and listen to me. Take off these gloves, and give all this stuff a chance, before it’s too late.” Philippe stared at him, confused by his words. Why so suddenly? “I promise I will think about it during dinner,” he finally said, even if his confusion was still there, written in his beautiful blue eyes.

“I think I won’t have anymore from you right now, won’t I?” Philippe lightly smiled, nodding while releasing his hands from Bontemp’s gentle grasp. “Yes, I think so. Now, It’s time for me to make my glorious entrance before my brother steals all the attention. How do I look?” the valet looked at him for a moment before smiling at him, a smile that could be compared only with a father’s one. Philippe had no memories about his father, at least not a clear one. All was blurred, he was so little when the man died, and Bontemps was the closest figure to a father that he could ever have. Yes, he had his uncle, the other Monsieur as his mother liked to call him, but it wasn’t the same. It would never be the same. “Stunning. Maybe tonight will be your chance to steal all the attention, who knows.”

“Bontemps, sometimes I really don’t understand whose valet you are, mine or Louis’. But, thank you for your words. Now, clear the way, the show is beginning.” Philippe straightened his naked shoulders and raised his head, ready to make his entrance in the salon. He knew what to expect once inside, he could already see in his mind all the kind of emotion that will appear on the nobles’ faces once they will see him dressed like that. Disgust, hilarity, concern, maybe rage (probably Louis’), even desire if someone hadn’t ever seen him like this. Philippe was curious, like every time he crossdresses, on how much people would try to talk to him with feminine pronouns. Yes, he was dressed like a woman, but he was a man under all that fabric and ribbons. He liked to be a man, a man that liked to cross-dress too. He knew that in other circumstances if he hadn’t been the king’s younger son and then the king’s brother, he would probably be imprisoned and sent to the American colonies if caught dressing like that in public. But, that was France, that was the Palais Royale, and that was royalty. And even if Louis often liked to forget sometimes, Philippe was royalty too.

Monsieur crossed the door of the Grand Salon, a polite smile on his lips and his eyes right ahead of him, pointed on the Queen just at the farthest end of the room. Philippe let his stare to pose on his brother, right beside their mother, and for a second the blue of the sea met the azure of the storm. If they were still kids, Philippe would have probably lowered his gaze, afraid of the consequences of disrespect to the king. But now he wasn’t a kid anymore, he was a young man, he was a soldier on his inner side. He would win a war, he knew it for sure. But Philippe was locked in the palace instead, studying the war from the books and the stories of those who lived that kind of reality. The two brothers were now facing each other and after a little moment, the room went silent. Philippe smiled again at that sudden absence of any sound, it seemed like everyone had stopped breathing. Bunch of cowards, it was the only way he could call all of them, even if it was only in his thoughts. After all, even the king’s brother had to respect his guests. At least, aloud. Philippe bowed in front of his brother, or better, he made a reverence, as every other noble lady had done before him. He knew Louis would be mental for it, but he also knew the king would never throw a fight right there, in the middle of the party. After a couple of glasses of wine, he would forget about his ladylike reverence. “Enough, brother,” Philippe raised his eyes at those words and realized Louis was watching him politely, not a sign of disgust written in his sight. “You look stunning tonight, our mother has a talent for fashion, I’m sure you agree.” Now he was confused, who the hell is this, and what happened to his annoying brother? “Of course she has,” Philippe said with a little voice, smiling though feeling like the most confused man of the country. Or the world, better. “Well, you remember Henrietta, right?” the prince looked at his brother like he had something growing on his curled head. “You mean our childhood friend Henrietta? The Henrietta who I played cards with all afternoon? Yes, I think I might remember her.” For the first time that night, his gaze went on Henrietta, beautiful as always in her light pink dress. Her eyes had the same veil of confusion as his own, they matched perfectly. “I believe you two would be a perfect match, don’t you think mother?” Oh, there it is, the pink elephant he felt behind him, the knife ready to stab him right between his shoulders. He knew something was up, but he didn’t imagine it would be out so soon. Philippe looked at his mother then and her smile explained everything, all the cards were on the table now. Bontemps words echoed in his mind, a bleary warning that he hadn’t caught. Maybe the valet thought he had more time. Well, he hadn’t.

“Louis, I don’t…” Henrietta tried to say something, but she was smarter than that, she knew nothing she said would change anything. And so do him, he knew nothing could be done at this moment. So he straightened his shoulders like the man he was, so much in contrast with his dressing and his looking, but he knew by his brother’s eyes that he never looked more masculine before. “I think some decisions have been already made about this. So, brother, who am I to interfere?” Philippe asked rhetorically and made a reverence again, smiling to his fiancée (oh, he had to practice saying this out loud) in the process. “Now, if you excuse me, I would like to take advantage of my last free man night. I think we will see each other at the dinner table, won’t we?” And he was gone, gone before his tongue got him in more trouble. He only needed some wine, so much wine, and everything would be alright. Philippe knew someday that night would come, the moment in which Louis will tell him who he had to marry. Thinking about it, he was lucky after all. He knew Henrietta very well, they were friends for years, she was the first one he told about his preferences, and she was always supportive of him. She told him she was in love with his brother, she hoped Louis liked her back and maybe marry her someday. But that day will never come, and the truth was slapped in their faces in front of every noble of France. How kind of him, so caring. Philippe sighed at these thoughts, closing his eyes to gain some strength he was sure was missing. His life was at a breaking point, and he thought about it as an island, divided by a swollen river. On one side, there was him in his high uniform, a shiny sword tied at his left side, Henrietta at his right one, dressed in the most beautiful wedding dress he would ever imagine. On the other side, there was always him, dressed with his casual wardrobe, a huge smile on his face, and a male figure beside him. His hand shows a mark, a soulmate's mark that looked like the one his mother talked about in all her bedtime stories when he was a child. “Your Highness?” reality brought him back in that salon, to that voice calling him. Philippe opened his eyes and turned, frowning at the sight of Bontemps in the company of a boy he’d never seen before. “Bontemps. Something wrong?” he tried to say, clearing his throat soon after. The valet shook his head, nodding at Philippe’s hands. “I see you followed my advice, Your Highness, I’m so glad about it.” Philippe looked at him in confusion and lowered his gaze on his hands, wincing slightly when he saw his naked skin. Probably he took off his gloves while deep in thoughts, or he was so idiotic and didn’t notice someone was taking them off. He hoped for himself it was the first option.

“Oh well… Maybe. I think my brother’s words were… convincing, you know. Who’s this?” Philippe pointed a finger to the young man at the valet side, making him wince for a second. Then a smile broke on his handsome face and his eyes met Philippe’s before he bowed in front of him. “My pleasure, Your Highness. My name is Philippe de Lorraine, but they call me Chevalier. I think it has the same effect as your Monsieur, Monsieur.” “He is the Count of Armagnac’s younger brother, just designated after his father's death. They arrived today to live here with some other noble families. Our King’s idea.” Philippe snorted for a second, but he smiled right after, as his eyes were back again in the other Philippe’s. “Well, it seems like we both have a brother ahead of us, don’t we?”

“For this reason, I thought, with your mother’s consent, you two could have something in common. The palace can be so huge and empty sometimes.”

Philippe frowned at the mention of his mother so out of place in that sentence's contest.

"I must say my mother had a lot of surprises for me tonight, hadn't she?" the Prince murmured, lowering his gaze for a second. When he looked up again, he met the Chevalier's smile, and his own lips moved to mirror that expression. He was handsome, and that was a fact. He had long, blond hair, so fair that it almost reflected the salon's lights.

"Well," the Chevalier's take a step ahead, presenting his right arm to him. "I think we shouldn't make them wait, shouldn't we?"

Philippe smiled, a real smile so different from those he reserved for the nobles and for his brother. The Prince took that arm then, pleased at the sensation of his jacket fabric, so soft under his naked hand.

"I totally agree with that. Bontemps, I hope our guest will find a seat beside mine at the table." The valet smiled at his Prince, bowing slightly in front of them.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

The dinner went better than Philippe could ever imagine. In the beginning, he felt awkward to sit between his new, stunning, fiance' and his new good looking friend, but his smart-talking and the wine made Philippe relax before the main course. Food was eaten and more wine was drunk, the atmosphere in the Salon light and full of its occupants' smiles. In that joyful air the Chevalier's took his right hand, skin against skin, making Philippe shiver a little bit.

"You know, people say that this palace has the most wonderful garden in the whole of France. I would really like to see them, at the lantern light they would be even more breathtaking." Philippe's smile grew on his lips at that request and nodded briefly, feeling his black hair move around his head.

"I think that is a wonderful idea. And I would like some fresh air." The Prince replied, adjusting his gown before standing up, hiding their entangled hands in the fabric of his skirt. While they were crossing the room to the door, Philippe's eyes met Bontemps'. The valet was openly smiling, some kind of sparks in his gaze. The younger smiled back, catching that sparkle and knew its twin was now in his own fair eyes. Philippe hurried a little his pace, entering the gardens with a sigh of relief, the fresh air of that beautiful night like a gentle touch against his skin.

"I knew they were beautiful. But, Your Highness, I believe your mise en place put everything else in the shadows."

"What a charmer, You are," Philippe was delighted by his attention, he would be a fool to deny it. That man in front of him was saying everything he wanted to hear by someone, he was holding his hand in that kind of way he thought he could only dream about. For the first time, he felt 'normal', a young man like the ones of his mother stories, that valet in which he always feels so identified. "Surely, You say all of this to every man You want to sleep with." The blond tightened his grip on his hand, taking it to his lips. He gave him a perfect kiss on the back of his hand, making the prince almost blush.

"You believe it or not my prince, I've never done something like this with anyone else." The Chevalier's voice was so clear that Philippe couldn't do less than believe him.

The Prince took a step forward then, coming closer to that man and to his mermaid’s voice. Maybe that was what Bontemps was babbling about a few hours before, that marriage wasn't made for soulmates. In fact, when Philippe thought about it, even in his mother’s stories rarely soulmates were married at the ending of the tale.

"You know… call me a fool or naive if you like. But, Chevalier de Lorraine, I believe you." and their entangled hands were the proof of his speaking. Chevalier's hand was warm against his own cold one, and the prince found himself shivering for it. That was new for him, he never felt something like that for anyone. "And I think You could accompany me to a little walk among the oranges, couldn't you?"

And he did. He guided the prince through the gardens as he knew them for his whole life. The moon, high in the cloudless sky was their guide, the bright stars the only witnesses of their time together, the audience of one of many kisses that they gave each other that night. Words were said, so many to fill thousands of pages of a book Philippe will certainly keep forever in his mind.

Splitting for sleep was hard, both their faces a mirror of what they spent the night doing. Their lips were swollen, still red and wet even when they reached the hallway in front of Philippe's rooms. The candles were the only audience of their last kiss, the braids in Philippe’s hair were a long-gone memory. Now his dark, long waves were loose on his shoulders, the makeup on his face not so in place anymore. But the Chevalier didn’t seem to care, both his hands were holding the Prince’s face and he locked their eyes together. “Henceforth, every day that I do not touch you, taste you, feel you, will be a day of death and mourning.” Chevalier murmured right against Philippe’s lips before kissing him again, and that tasted like a goodnight kiss. A new, bright smile cracked on Monsieur’s face, while his hands flew in a second to cover the other ones.

“You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to let a single day pass without seeing you, touch you, taste you, or feel you. You are under my skin, Chevalier de Lorraine… and you don’t even know what kind of trouble you put yourself on.” The smile on the other man’s face didn’t show any kind of worry. Chevalier kissed his forehead this time,

the small hint of blond mustache pinched his skin, and for a split second, Philippe thought about that sensation on other parts of his body, so much more sensitive than his visage.

“I’m not worried, my Prince. I know royalty always keeps its promises,” He said and took a step backward, sliding aways his hands from the other’s face. “I’ll see you tomorrow, will I?” Philippe simply nodded, biting his lips while he watched the blond young man walk across the corridor, and disappear around the corner. A huge smile took place on his lips as he turned around and entered his quarters, the feeling of those gentle hands still a relevant feeling above his skin. He watched himself in the mirror again, like he did a few, but that felt like years, hours earlier. Now, his hairstyle was completely ruined, his precious hair clip was now pinned on Chevalier’s jacket, right where Philippe had placed it while in the gardens. He liked the idea the other owns something it was his, and that hair clip was his favorite.

The prince let his own gaze go down to his neck and he moved his long hair to look better at his soft skin. There was one little, but so visible, red spot on it, right down his jawline. Philippe touched it like he was afraid of feeling it burn, but it didn’t. It was warm, yes, but a good kind of warm, and it was tender under his fingertips. His first love bite. Someone cleared his throat again, and the prince got distracted again from his inspection. A valet was behind him, a little smile on his own face but a particular sign on his cheek took the other man all the attention, a shape of a handprint. A birthmark, it seemed. A soulmates’ mark.

“Your Highness, I think it's time to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day, I can assure you that, if I may.” Philippe took a moment to look at him, before answering. He was a ginger, so rare in their country, his curly hair cut really short so anyone could barely see he was curly. Nobody was cutting their hair like that in France, so Philippe frowned a little.

“You may. Begin to unfasten the corset.” the prince ordered and took away his waves, so the valet could reach the laces. He saw him nodding and reaching him, soon beginning to work with the knots. “Why is your hair so short?” he asked him, without really the intention to. But the boy kept his smile, his hands still busy with the laces.

"My lover liked them this way. It shows my mark." The valet's voice was calm like he was talking about the weather, or the soup he ate for dinner. "He is very proud of it. And so am I." The prince kept watching him through the mirror, his hands still caressing his own hair.

"I've never seen you here before. What's your name?"

"Lucas, your Highness. And yes, I arrived today, with the nobles and other valets." Philippe nodded and he never let the gaze flip from the valet reflection. He felt the corset loosen the grip around his own torso, and the Prince could finally breathe properly again. “For what it's worth, we are very grateful to your highness for allowing us to follow our masters. At home... It would have been very hard. " Philippe watched him turn and put the garment back with attentive eyes, always through the glass.

“I would like to take all the credit for my brother's placement choices, but in reality my observations count as very little. Although I'm glad it's a good thing for some of us at least, ” The prince then saw him smile as he approached again, working hard afterward to untie the bows of the dress's skirt.

“I don't want to be indiscreet, but I noticed earlier that you bonded with master Philippe. I haven't seen him smile like that since the count of Armagnac was still alive, " the prince tightened his shoulders hearing that name, narrowing his eyes.

"To live here, maybe you have to learn to keep your tongue in check." the valet immediately lowered his face, actually realizing that he had talked too much.

"Forgive me, your highness," he said, continuing with quick hands to finish his job and help him put on his nightclothes. During the action, Philippe could not get that bright smile out of his mind, and he could not even imagine seeing that face obscured by sadness. He walked towards the bed almost like a puppet, sitting on the mattress before looking at the valet again.

"Thanks and ... I'm sorry. I was thoughtless, ” he said almost as if it were a secret, and he noticed the boy smile as he heard him address to himself like that.

“You know, you are so different from what is expected. And it's a good thing, your highness. One day who knows .. You could be a great king. " Philippe was speechless for a moment, but Lucas gave him no way to reply. “But now you have to rest. A great day awaits you, ” he continued and blew on the candles, so they both found themselves in the dark. Philippe heard him go away and saw him in the twilight go through the door of his bedroom, going out and closing it behind him.

When he woke up the next morning, Philippe was sure that his lips were red exactly like the night before. He felt his head in full motion, the previous night spent reviewing all the memories of the past evening, those kisses, and those light touches. For a moment, as soon as he opened his eyes, Philippe thought it was just a giant dream. Then he had felt his swollen lips and the discomfort at his torso where the corset splints had tightened him, and yes, it was all true. A smile was born spontaneously and he ran a hand through his hair still with his eyes closed, removing it from his rested face. He then brought that same hand to his mouth but stopped halfway. There was something different, the tone of his skin was different. It was more red, like a birthmark he was sure he didn't have before.

As a…

No, it was not possible.

He sat up suddenly, without taking care of the hair in front of his face this time. He blamed the semi-dark that still reigned in the room, surely he had seen wrong. Then he quickly got up from the bed, throwing the covers sideways, making them almost fall off the mattress, and hurried with his bare feet to the window. He opened the doors without care, letting the wood slam and the roaring rumble for his apartments. Then he laid his eyes on her skin again and felt his heart beating madly in his chest as if it wanted to go out and plant himself on that wine-colored skin. The prince only looked up when he heard the door of the room open, revealing a breathless Lucas, still in light clothes and a jacket that was evidently thrown hurriedly on his shoulders to seem presentable.

"Your highness, what .." he stopped too, noting what had shocked him in that way. And when Philippe noticed the bright smile on the face of that boy he had just met, he understood that yes, it was really what he thought. At that moment he really felt part of those stories that had accompanied him throughout his childhood, and the phantom island that seemed to represent his life appeared again in his mind.

But this time, the hand joined to his was Chevalier's, both of them smiling. And then all the words that Philippe had no sense during the evening before found a place, beginning to write his personal story, worthy of being written alongside those present in the journal that his mother so jealously guarded.

#monchevy #soulmatesau #soulmates #versailles #philippe chevalier de lorraine #Philippe d'Orléans #philippedorleans #fanfiction #fanworks

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readingloveswounds · 4 years

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My Great Big Reading List

Here it is! These are the books that I’m trying to read this summer - in the future, some of them could be part of an exam reading list, but that is to be fully and officially built at a later date. I do not necessarily anticipate finishing this list in its entirety, but it’s got a whole lot of fairly different works on it.

I made it along a couple themes, just to narrow down my choices - very generally they were violence, war, bodies, and identity. I also added some that I was just interested in (see a few in the 18th and 19th centuries).

Not all of these have been easy to find online or in paper!

A final warning because Saint-Cyr and de Sade are both on there - be careful with those two books and be sure you want to read them prior to doing so - looking at their descriptions and being aware of de Sade, they deal with a lot of brutality. These aren’t really the kind of thing you’d read on a whim.

***Note that while reading over the summer before grad school is great, there is no actual requirement for doing so in most cases (in the US, at least as far as I know).***

Medieval

La Chanson de Roland Lancelot (Charrette) - Chretien de Troyes La Folie d'Oxford - Béroul Erec et Enide - Chretien de Troyes La Mort le roi Artur - (from the Vulgate-Grail, I think?) Aucassin et Nicolette Le Livre du voir dit - Guillaume de Machaut La Prison amoureuse - Jehan Froissart Le Livre de la cité des dames - Christine de Pizan Le Petit Jehan de Saintré - Antoine de la Sale Les Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles Le Charroi de Nimes

16th Century

Les Tragiques - Agrippa d'Aubigné Discours des misères de ce temps - Pierre de Ronsard Histoires tragiques - Francois de Belleforest Abraham sacrifiant - Théodore de Bèze Lepante - Guillaume de Salluste du Bartas la "Monomachie de David et de Goliath" - Joachim du Bellay Porcie - Robert Garnier La Rochelleide - Jean de la Gessée Illustrations de Gaule et Singularitez de Troie - Jean Lemaire de Belges Discours de la servitude volontaire - Etienne de la Boétie Médée - Jean de La Péruse Pantagruel - Francois Rabelais

17th Century

Oeuvres poétiques - Theophile de Viau Le cid - Corneille Andromaque, Phèdre, et Britannicus - Racine Contes - Charles Perrault Les Aventures de Télémaque - Fénelon La Mort d’Achille, La Mort d'Alexandre, Coriolan - Alexandre Hardy Dom Juan - Molière

18th Century

Le Diable amoureux - Jacques Cazotte Le Paradox sur le comedien - Denis Diderot La dispute - Pierre de Marivaux L'Esprit des lois - Charles Louis de Secondat Montesquieu Pauliska, ou la Perversité moderne - Jacques-Antoine de Reveroni Saint-Cyr* Aline et Valcour - Donatien Alphonse Francois de Sade* L'emigré - Gabriel Senac de Meilhan Paul et Virginie - Bernardin de Saint-Pierre Memoires du Comte de Comminge - Claudine-Alexandrine Guerin Tencin Traité sur la tolerance - Voltaire

19th Century

Atala - Chateaubriand La Chartreuse de Parme - Stendhal La fille aux yeux d'or - Balzac Lorenzaccio - Musset Le Dernier Jour d'un condamné - Victor Hugo La Sorcière - Michelet Carmen - Merimée La Morte Amoureuse - Gautier Les fleurs du mal - Baudelaire Les Diaboliques - Barbey d'Aurevilly Boule-de-Suif / Mademoiselle Fifi - Maupassant Les Chants de Maldoror - Leautreamont Igitur - Mallarme

20th Century

Cahier d'un retour au pays natal - Césaire Traversée de la mangrove - Condé Les Bonnes - Jean Genet Antigone - Anouilh La femme de Job - Chedid Nedjma - Kateb Yacine Le Cimetiere marin - Valéry La route des Flandres - Simon Stèles - Segalen La condition humaine - Malraux La Guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu - Giradoux Le dimanche de la vie - Queneau

#sophie creates a reading list #long post #if you're newer to the french language i'd suggest starting with the 20th century works #simply because the language is not as wildly complex #and if you want to read some of the med/ren ones id suggest plays #feel free to ask me qs about this bc while i have not read all the works #i did do at least some research on them as i was putting them on here #was somewhat hesitant abt posting w the st cyr + de sade books #but i'm here to be realistic #and they do both technically fit the themes #im not reading justine bc im not sure i could deal with that book #also lol can u tell im not the biggest fan of 17th century lit

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sunsetscurving · 5 years

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honey, you should see me in a crown [modern royalty AU]

CHAPTER 7 || ao3 link

Lucas Lallemant, crown prince and heir to the throne, never needed someone to protect him. He never needed someone to protect him until the day he nearly got stabbed by an assassin.

Now he has to deal with an annoying bodyguard named Eliott Demaury who is, to the chagrin of Lucas, fucking handsome too.

As if his life hasn‘t been difficult enough already.

Over the next two weeks, nightly walks became their thing. Lucas didn’t bother to hide his little escapes from Eliott anymore, he wanted his bodyguard to know that he left the castle for some precious moments of freedom outside the castle. And if he wasn’t allowed to do this alone, he would drag Eliott with him gladly.

And Eliott seemed to be delighted by it too.

Lucas talked most of the time in the beginning but slowly but surely, something like a friendship developed between them. Eliott opened up, told Lucas about his big brother and how much he wished that he could see him more often. But he was in the army and Eliott was afraid at every waking hour for his big brother to whom he looked up to so much.

“Jacques was one of the reasons why I wanted to be a bodyguard in the first place”, told Eliott Lucas on one of their nightly walks, “I… I also wanted to be brave. To do something that could maybe save a life. That could maybe make an impact how history is written. And although I wouldn’t be the spotlight of this history, I wanted to be part of it, at least…”

And in this moment, Lucas fell in love.

He didn’t want to admit it but the feelings for Eliott had developed more and more over their walks in the middle of the night, where just him and Eliott seemed to be on this planet, where time stood still and only the two of them were moving, two young men who couldn’t be more different from each other.

Lucas had stopped in his tracks and turned around to Eliott after he told him all of this and reacting without thinking, he took hold of Eliott’s hand, the other one looking deeply into Lucas’ ocean-blue eyes.

“You will be in the spotlight. You already are. For me, at least”, Lucas had whispered and Eliott’s lips formed slowly into a smile.

After this night, things were different.

Lucas had the feeling that not only he felt different, that not only he was surer of his feelings but also Eliott. Lucas had the feeling that Eliott actually sought Lucas out to be near him, to spend time with him and not only because his job description said so. And for the first time, Lucas not only felt like a prince but he felt seen. He felt like Eliott could look behind the royal mask of him, that he genuinely cared about Lucas and what he thought and how he felt. Eliott was more than a bodyguard for Lucas after this faithful night where Eliott opened up to him.

He was maybe even more than a friend.

And not only Lucas was happy about this development: Cece was probably the one who profited the most from Lucas’ and Eliott’s upgraded friendship – she had now two people to have a tea party with and Eliott’s laugh whenever they were together with Cece was his highlight of every single day. Eliott seemed to shine brighter than the first weeks of his stay in the castle and Lucas often told himself that maybe he was the reason for his bright smile.

At least he hoped so.

“So, what are you going to do in your free time without the little brat aka me to protect?”

Lucas grinned from the couch where he lay lazily, looking over to Eliott who lounged in a comfortable chair, his tie lose and his suit jacket over the arm rest. This was Lucas’ favourite sight of Eliott – him being relaxed, forgetting about his job for a moment and the both of them just being boys, joking around and laughing.

Eliott laughed and leaned his head back, considering Lucas’ question. Eliott would leave for a little holiday with his parents and his brother tomorrow and Lucas would miss him terribly. He would get some old guard at his side for these few days.

“I’ll have so fucking much time without you commanding me around the whole day”, said Eliott with a grin eventually and Lucas sat up, playful indignation on his face.

“How dare you to speak to your prince like this?”, said Lucas with a played serious tone and Eliott tried to hide the smile on his lips, playing along with Lucas and his little game which he loved to play. All the formalities between them were forgotten whenever they were alone and this was Lucas’ favourite thing about it all – feeling normal without being reminded that he will inherit the throne of his country soon.

“Oh, I beg your pardon, your highness. Please don’t hang me in front of the whole court!”

Lucas laughed and leaned back again, turning his head and tried to memorise Eliott’s face and his laugh so that he could replay it whenever he wanted when Eliott wasn’t around. It was strange how accustomed you could become to someone in such a short time.

“No, but seriously. I will have a lot time to read a book, to talk with my brother till the morning hours, updating each other on the life of the other one and just… enjoy some family time.”

Lucas smiled and nodded, looking at the ceiling now. He didn’t know when he had read the last book or when he had the last family centred holiday and just as Eliott talked about all of this, he realized that he kind of missed it.

“And you?”

Eliott’s voice dragged Lucas out of his thoughts and he looked at Eliott again.

“And me?”

“What will you do without me?”

This is actually a very good question.

“Oh, you know. The princely duties, the masquerade—”

Lucas halted and sat up, looking directly into Eliott’s irritatingly beautiful eyes.

“You’ll be back for the masquerade, right?”

“I’m trying my best.”

“Your best?”

“I’m not sure yet, I—”

“Please, Eliott.”

Lucas stood up now, walking over to Eliott and sitting down on his armrest. They were so close now that Lucas could feel the heat of Eliott’s body radiating off him and Lucas was not sure if the closeness between them was so good right now because Lucas’ thoughts drifted off into a dangerous direction.

“Promise me, that you’ll be there. I cannot do this without you.”

This was another fact that came with their bonding: Lucas kind of felt unsafe without Eliott by his side. Eliott had been there for nearly a month now, always a shadow behind Lucas or next to him, his presence always there and making Lucas feel safe. Safer than in weeks. He knew that no danger could reach him with Eliott by his side. The masquerade would be guarded to the teeth but the anxiety which came with such a big event could only be calmed by Eliott or his little sister.

It’s unbelievable how much I need him.

Eliott looked up to Lucas and laid a hand on Lucas’.

“I’m trying. I really will. Okay?”

Eliott smiled and Lucas couldn’t resist this smile.

“Okay.”

It was the evening of the masquerade and Lucas was walking around in his room like a caged tiger.

“Your highness, would you please stand still for a moment?”, asked his dresser and he couldn’t blame the slightly annoyed undertone in her voice. He had been acting like this for the past few hours and when Lucas looked out and saw how many guests already spilled into the castle, he felt sick.

Eliott wasn’t here.

“Could I—Could I have five minutes, please?”

The dresser nodded with a sigh and curtsied.

“But we really need to hurry then, your highness.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

And with this, the dresser left his room. Lucas pulled out his phone and opened the chat between him and Eliott.

lucallemant: where tf are you?

lucallemant: eliott pls

lucallemant: I need you

srodulv: I’m sorry, I cannot make it

Lucas stared at the display, his eyes suddenly burning.

lucallemant: what

srodulv: my flight was cancelled and the next one is leaving tomorrow morning

lucallemant: you’re kidding me, get your ass here

srodulv: I’m not kidding. Please forgive me.

He was not kidding. Lucas could feel it. And although he shouldn’t be angry at Eliott, he was. Eliott knew how unsafe Lucas felt without him and Lucas had hoped that he at least could sneak away with Eliott and maybe dance in secret with him and—

Lucas took a deep breath and looked into the long mirror in front of him.

“I am Prince Lucas Charles Louis Alexandre Lallemant. And I can do everything.”

He would smile tonight. He would dance and he would have fun.

Lucas put on his mask, a delicate half-faced thing in black covered with velvet.

And he wouldn’t think about Eliott.

A servant was booming the golden stick against the polished marble floor and thousand of masked faces turned around to that sound. The big hall was decorated with white flowers, the queen’s favourites, and the air smelled like candles, sweet honey from the buffet and… mystery.

“Your majesty, King Alexandre Antoine Raphael Lallemant, his wife, Queen Adalene Celeste Claudette Lallemant, their daughter Princess Cecille Estelle Camille Lallemant and their son, Prince Lucas Charles Louis Alexandre Lallemant.”

Lucas automatically straightened as his name was called into the room and echoed back against the high walls. His father and his mother started to move and so did Lucas and Cece. They floated down the stairs and into the crowd of aristocracy and royalty. Lucas actually hated the silence whenever they entered a room, hated the eyes of so many people on him and the feeling of tripping every second. With Eliott by his side, he would feel surer, better.

You didn’t want to think about him tonight. You survived so long on your own. You can also do it again for one night.

And finally, the music was setting in again and the murmuring of people filled the room. His parents were off to some important people and Lucas took a deep breath. He was kind of glad for all the masks around him, no one could have seen the panic in his eyes and he was very happy about this.

“I really like your mask, Lulu.”

Lucas nearly forgot about his little sister next to him but as she addressed him, a smile spread on his lips. He kneeled down to be on eye-level with her. Today, she was wearing a lilac dress with puffy sleeves and a little tiara was seated on the curls of her blonde locks. She was wearing a tiny fragile mask which only covered the upper half of her face and she looked absolutely adorable. She wasn’t allowed to be that long on the ball but she had begged their mum so long till she agreed to let her go, at least for two hours.

“And I like yours, little princess. You look stunning tonight.”

Cece beamed at Lucas’ words.

“And you look very good, too.”

Lucas knew that Cece meant everything she said and it made him happy to hear his little sister say that. But, today, he had to admit that he really do looked good. He was wearing a burgundy coloured suit which was only made for him and therefor fitted him perfectly. The black mask was colour-coordinated to his black tie and although the outfit was quite simple, it did his effect as Lucas realized that some young women, and young men, turned their head towards him, maybe waiting for Lucas to come over or waiting for the perfect moment to ask him out for a dance.

“Okay, little one”, said Lucas now and turned to look at Cece again. He poked her in the chest, “Don’t eat too much cake, don’t trip on the dresses of other women and please, don’t spill any limo on the marble floor. Mum and dad would be furious.”

Cece giggled and nodded.

“Okay, gotcha.”

And with that, she disappeared between all the people and Lucas lost sight of her. A smile was still playing around his lips and his thoughts slowly drifted back to Eliott, as suddenly something caught his attention in the corner of his eyes.

He turned around and froze.

Someone was coming late and that someone had the attention of the whole court.

Which maybe could be connected to how fucking stunning he looked.

He was wearing a midnight blue suit and a mask which covered his eyes and left his full and smooth lips open where a little smirk was plastered. He was walking down the stairs with the grace of a king and he was wearing a little cape, attached to his suit and coloured in the same midnight blue. His mask, in stark contrast, was white.

And Lucas was totally mesmerized.

He gaped at him with all the others who started to murmur who this could be and why he was late and where he got that exclusive suit. Lucas tore his gaze away for a moment and looked for his parents and Cece but he couldn’t find them.

And because no one dared to walk over to him, Lucas used his status and his chance to weave through the crowd till he stood in front of the stranger. The taller boy sank into an elegant bow and Lucas’ heart automatically started to beat faster.

Which it actually only did around Eliott.

“Your highness”, said the young man quietly and Lucas motioned him to stand up again so he could get lost in his eyes. But the shadow of his mask kind of hid the real colour and Lucas could only see the slight gleam in them. But that was enough for him now.

“With whom I’m having the pleasure to meet with on this masquerade?”, asked Lucas quietly, his voice slightly hoarse. He had the feeling that every single eye pair where on them, even the music had stopped, but the funniest thing was: He didn’t care right now. He suddenly felt sure and safe again and that only because this breath-taking stranger walked into this masquerade and suddenly made Lucas’ evening far more interesting.

The stranger leaned closer to Lucas and Lucas stood still, waiting.

“If I’m telling you my name, then the mystery would be solved and this isn’t the sense of a masquerade, right?”

Lucas smirked and looked into the eyes of the other one while nodding.

“That’s true”, said Lucas while slowly holding out his hand, “Would you dance with me?”

The stranger laid his hand into Lucas’ own and Lucas felt a jolt go through his body, the music was silently playing again in the background.

“It would be a pleasure.”

And so Lucas led them both in the middle of the room and they danced.

And danced.

Lucas lost count of how many dances he only did with him. Anyone else who wanted to dance with him was met with an excuse so that Lucas could dance another round with the stranger. They didn’t talk much but that was actually not necessary in the first place. Their touches and their gazes spoke more than thousand words. Lucas was nearly forced by his dad to dance with some other people but he eventually always came back to his mysterious stranger.

As the night wore on and the first people already left, Lucas saw his chance to be alone with him. He took hold of his hand and pulled him out of the hall, into the hallway and towards one of their hundred balconies. Lucas opened the doors and was met with fresh night air. He breathed the air in and looked over his shoulder, smiling at the stranger and indicating him to follow him. Lucas leaned against the balcony parapet, looking down over the palace garden where he took so many walks with Eliott and…

No, he wouldn’t think about Eliott again.

Not when he was here with a beautiful stranger who seemed to be interested in him. And who would maybe be more available to him than Eliott.

“The view his breath-taking”, said the stranger silently now and Lucas watched him from the side, his strong jaw and his profile. He wondered if he was some duke or some lord or even a prince from another country. But his French was perfect, without any accent. He wouldn’t solve this mystery tonight but he was determined to solve it any other day.

“Yeah, it is… I often come here to take a breath between some nightly events here in the castle.”

“I can relate. It must be hard for you.”

Lucas turned around now, leaning against the parapet with his back now and watched the other one carefully.

“Sometimes. But then there are nights like tonight where…”

Lucas had stopped and the other one, of course, realized that.

“Where?”, asked the stranger and his gaze was now landing on Lucas. Lucas bit his lip and couldn’t tore away his gaze from the man in front of him who was literally dipped into the moonlight from above.

“Where I’m meeting special people. Like you”, said Lucas and his voice got quieter with every word till his voice was barely audible, barely a whisper.

The other one started to smile and took another step towards Lucas till he was nearly pressed again the parapet and the tall man in front of him.

“Like me…?”

“Like you…”

Lucas couldn’t calm down his beating heart. He usually was someone who thought a lot about things before doing them. But right now… He only wanted to do one thing. He had the feeling to know this man, to know his secrets and his dreams although Lucas didn’t even know his name. But something about him was achingly familiar.

He felt good around him.

Like he only felt with Eliott.

Lucas tiptoed, his eyes on the lips of the other one.

His heart was nearly jumping out of his chest and he could feel the breath of the stranger on his lips and then their lips nearly brushed and—

“I’m sorry.”

Lucas’ eyes snapped open and he saw how the other one was withdrawing from Lucas, disappearing slowly but surely into the darkness of the hallway, “You deserve better.”

And suddenly, he was gone.

Lucas was frozen but after some seconds, he realized what had happened. He was gone and when Lucas wouldn’t chase after him right now, he would never know his name and never see him again.

“Wait!”, Lucas called out and stumbled after him.

But the hallway was empty.

As if nothing happened.

Lucas blinked, suddenly feeling dizzy.

Maybe none of this happened.

Maybe everything had been a dream.

But if so, it had been a wonderful one.

#skam france #lucas lallemant #eliott demaury #skam france fanfic #skam france fanfiction #elu fic #elucrownfanfiction #omg yes a new chapter pls dont let it flop ily all

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topmodelsmag · 4 years

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Supermodel Lais Ribeiro talks passion and purpose.

Embroidered dress, $13,900, and embroidered dress with swan print, $5,500, both at Burberry Luxury District; Samira hoops, $650, and Stripe ring, $200, both at Jennifer Fisher; L’Arc de Davidor ring GM with Palais diamonds, $11,050, at L’Arc de Davidor

Lais Ribeiro is one of the most hardworking models on the planet. She’s walked countless runways (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, among others) and has been photographed for high-fashion glossies all over the world. But today, she’s laughing and chatting with me about her 11-year-old son Alexandre’s obsession with TikTok and her deep love of guacamole. She’s got that kind of pure and genuine energy that is infectious—the kind of energy that just makes you want to become her best friend. And after speaking with her for only a few minutes, it becomes very clear to me why her success has lasted more than a decade. Sure, she has the face and body of a goddess, but it’s her attitude of gratitude that has given her career such longevity. A lot of that, she says, she owes to becoming a mother in 2008, when she was just 18 years old. “I’m thankful that I was a mom before I started modeling,” she says. “I have so many things going on, but he makes me feel grounded and has given me a purpose in life. I’m doing this for him. I want him to be proud of me and I want to give him the best life possible.”

Tulle dress, tulle top, silk belt and wool and silk pants, all price upon request, at Louis Vuitton, Luxury District; Arya sandals, price upon request, at Giuseppe Zanotti, Luxury District; Curb Chain necklace, $17,500, at David Yurman, Bal Harbour Shops.

A year after giving birth to her son, Ribeiro was studying to become a nurse in her hometown of Miguel Alves in the northeast region of Brazil. But little did she know that her studies were about to be put on hold—indefinitely. Ribeiro was chosen by modeling scouts to walk in the Sao Paulo and Rio Fashion Week runways, and from there it was straight to New York Fashion Week. She relocated to New York City in 2009 to pursue what would become a very successful modeling career. “It was tough,” she says of being away from her son. “We spent five years separated because I was just starting out and I didn’t have the setup to have him here [in NYC], so he had to stay with my family in Brazil,” she says. “When I brought him here, it was one of the happiest days of my life.”

Pajama suit jacket, $2,290, pajama suit pants, $1,190, and sheepskin mules, $895, all at Balenciaga, Design District.

These days life is pure bliss for Ribeiro, who is in the midst of planning her upcoming nuptials to fiance and NBA baller Joakim Noah. (They’ll tie the knot in Brazil this summer. “It’ll be a party!” she promises.) But Ribeiro is also working toward a cause that’s very close to her heart. In 2013, her son was diagnosed with autism, and she’s made it her goal to use her platform to raise awareness and compassion. Because, as she tells me during our chat, her most important job is being a mother. Here, Ribeiro shares her inspiring journey to success, and how she finds balance as a supermodel and a supermom.

Mesh embroidered caftan, price upon request, at Mary Katrantzou; Bebe sandals, $995, at Giuseppe Zanotti, Brickell City Centre; Triangle earring 30, $758, by Shihara at The Webster, South Beach; Diagonal Stripe ring, $295, at Jennifer Fisher.

Tell us about your hometown of Miguel Alves in Brazil.

I am in love with Brazil. I grew up by the river. We don’t have a beach in my hometown. Still to this day I take Alexandre there. We do fires by the river, and we fish with family and my best friends who I grew up with. I try to go back twice a year.

Take us back to the beginning of your modeling career. What was your first big break?

I was going to school to be a nurse. But a friend of mine was a model and told me about a contest they were doing in Sao Paulo. I didn’t think I had a chance because in the north, the [models] were very tall and thin. I didn’t think they’d be interested in Brazilians. But my friend insisted, and then the scouters from Sao Paulo came down [to my hometown] and chose me. Everything happened really fast. I stayed in Sao Paulo for three months. It was tough, because I had already had my kid. I was about to go back home and continue school, but then Fashion Week happened in Sao Paulo and Rio in Brazil. Scouters from New York came to Sao Paulo and they liked me, so I came to New York in 2009. My first job in NYC was Fashion Week, but campaignwise, it was Gap. I remember there was a big Gap store in Union Square, and I saw my face on the windows. I would pass by all the time just to see it because I couldn’t believe it. It was pretty cool.

DNA Spiral maxi dress, $1,250, at Off-White; pumps, $970, at Bottega Veneta, Luxury District; Stripe band pinky ring, $200, and Stripe band ring, $200, both at Jennifer Fisher.

What’s it like to balance your modeling career with motherhood?

I thank God I’m traveling less now. It’s still a little complicated, but he understands that Mama is working hard for the future and he’s proud. I miss him a lot when I travel, but it’s always so good to come home to him. He’s always so happy. He’s a very special one.

You also opened up on Instagram about his autism diagnosis. April is Autism Awareness Month. How can we get involved?

I always wanted to be involved with a charity that made sense for me, and I am working with my agency to put something together to use my voice for a good cause, especially because of my son. We have to understand more of what their needs are. I have to understand more. That’s why we’re trying to put something together and work closely with a charity that brings awareness to everyone. It’s in the process.

You have more than 2 million followers on Instagram. What’s it like to share such a big moment with so many people?

It’s crazy. Technology and Instagram play a very big role in our lives, and it can be good for us to have a voice. I try to post pictures of natural moments, not only professional moments, because I want people to know me, my personality, that I have a son, that I work, that I have fun. I think it’s pretty cool that we can inspire people to do good things. But it can also consume a lot of our time, so I try to balance that.

Denim jacket, $995, and striped blouse, $2,350, both at Versace, Design District.

There are a lot of changes happening in the fashion industry since you started modeling in 2009. How do you think the industry is changing for the better?

The industry is slowly learning and changing its perspective of beauty and being more inclusive and diverse. And that makes me really happy. Before it was straightforward. It had to be one way. It’s good for people to see and relate to the people who are in the campaign. I think what’s happening now in the industry is great.

What’s been your favorite experience in your career?

It actually just happened. I filmed a reality TV show in Brazil and it’s about diversity. It’s called Born to Fashion. It’s the same concept of America’s Next Top Model, but with transgender models. It was really beautiful to learn their stories and their struggles. It’s the first TV show in Brazil that’s giving them a voice and allowing them to express themselves and open people’s minds. I’m really excited for that. It’s airing in Brazil this May.

Who is somebody who you want to work with who you haven’t collaborated with yet?

Oh my gosh—there are so many! I was never a makeup girl, but lately I’ve been getting into it. I’ve been doing makeup tutorials on YouTube. I did one recently that was a Carnival look. But during fashion shows, I would always sit in Pat McGrath’s chair and she would do makeup so well. I would love to have a collaboration with her.

Dress, $14,900, at Valentino, Design District; Berry heels, $625, by Pyer Moss x Aurora James at Pyer Moss; necklace, $6,500, at Bottega Veneta, Design District; L’Arc de Davidor ring MM with cognac lacquered ceramic, $1,800, and L’Arc de Davidor ring GM in cognac lacquered ceramic, $2,750, both at L’Arc de Davidor.

How do you prep for a big shoot?

I think being in front of the camera is something that we get used to. As a new face, you’re a little scared. You just have to find yourself—you have to find your confidence and be aware of the people around you. As a model you have to be at peace with yourself and everything else will follow. And skincare is important...

Yes, and your skin is so flawless. How can we achieve that glow?

I use cleansers because I wear a lot of makeup all the time for work. And I love Clarins Hydra-Essentiel lotion. I use it every single day, every time I’m getting out of the shower. And I do the sauna every day as well. It’s really good for the skin, and it’s good for stress and sleeping—everything. And the sun is good for the skin. Be tan!

What does your fitness routine look like?

My favorite workout is Pilates. (I do not like to run!) I love Pilates because it engages every single muscle of your body. I also lift weights here and there, and I train with my fiance. He’s pushing me. It’s been really good to see how focused he is because he’s an athlete. It excites me and I want to do the same. And I love boxing because you have to be present and you don’t think about anything else. You’re just there.

Diamante sleeveless dress, $1,790, and crystal harness, $690, both at JW Anderson; sandals, price upon request, by Kenzo at Neiman Marcus, Bal Harbour Shops; L’Arc de Davidor ring GM with cognac lacquered ceramic, $2,750, at L'Arc de Davidor; Stripe ring, $200, at Jennifer Fisher.

Speaking of your fiance, do you have a wedding date set?

Oh boy. I’ve been planning! My dream wedding will be at the beach in Brazil next summer. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and the list is just getting bigger and bigger, which scares me. We have almost everything settled now. We have friends all over the world and it’s a little hard to get everybody together, but we are working on it. But I promise you, it’ll be really fun!

What do you love to do when you’re in Miami?

Sip a margarita on the beach! I also love to get sushi at Azabu.

Your mantra for 2020?

Be present. Live in the moment because you never know what is going to happen tomorrow.

Lais Up Close

The model answers our rapid fire-questions.

The show you’re binge-watching? Grace and Frankie. They’re so funny!

Hidden talents? Volleyball. I play really well. See, I’m so humble!

Last movie that made you cry? The Joker.

What stresses you out? I’m such a Libra. I don’t like when people are unfair. I like balance and justice.

What relaxes you? Hanging out and playing with my kid.

What’s the emoji you most commonly use? The emoji that’s crying and laughing tears. Or the salsa dancer.

What’s the weirdest app that you have on your phone? My son has so many apps on my phone, it’s crazy. He’s obsessed with TikTok. It’s very creative.

First thing you thought when your alarm went off this morning? I was thinking that my trainer told me to wake up too early and I was a little bit mad at him!

Celeb crush? My fiance. I’m an engaged woman! What are you trying to do?

Cheat meal? French fries. Pizza. Pasta. And guacamole! If I see it, it’s gone. I can’t resist guacamole.

Dress with sequin top and contrast embroidered fringes, $11,000, Gucci, Design District

#Top Models Mag #Lais Ribeiro

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tocinephile · 4 years

Text

The Morning After - The Year the Oscars Got it (mostly) Right Edition

The 92nd Academy Awards kicked off looking an awful lot like the Grammy’s with a splashy musical performance by Janelle Monae and Billy Porter, the first of a night’s performances/presenters/commentary designed to include all the groups it seemingly excluded in it’s nominees list. Meant to poke fun at themselves or a gesture delivered a little too overt and a little too late? Either way, I think in the end, the artistry of the South Korean-made foreign language film that swept the night’s awards won one back for every group that was overlooked.

Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite took home awards for Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature, Best Director, and Best Picture, making it the first South Korean film to win in all these categories. To do it all in a single evening is astounding.

Here’s a look at all the winners of the night:

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Best Picture:

“Ford v Ferrari” — Walt Disney “The Irishman” — Netflix “Jojo Rabbit” — Fox Searchlight “Joker” — Warner Bros. “Little Women” — Sony Pictures Releasing “Marriage Story” — Netflix “1917” — Universal/Amblin Partners “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — Sony Pictures Releasing “Parasite” — Neon (WINNER)

Most deserving win of the night!!! Of course many of us hoped Parasite could be the underdog to win it all, but a more realistic prediction to win would be 1917. Thrilled to be wrong on this one.

Also, while I liked 1917 (more for its execution than story), even if Parasite had not been in the mix, I would have been rooting for The Irishman to win.

Lead Actress:

Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet” Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story” Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women” Charlize Theron, “Bombshell” Renée Zellweger, “Judy” (WINNER)

I am also in full agreement with this category and with Renee sweeping this category this awards season as well.

I have not seen Harriet, but if Renee hadn’t been in the race, Charlize would have been the best of the bunch.

Lead Actor:

Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory” Leonardo DiCaprio, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Adam Driver, “Marriage Story” Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker” — (WINNER) Jonathan Pryce, “The Two Popes”

Again, no question this was the right winner. If only every win didn’t mean we’d have to roll the dice to see what kind of acceptance speech we’d have to endure... While I didn’t appreciate being chastised for adding milk to my coffee, Joaquin closed out his remarks by quoting his late brother River and I thought that was beautiful.

Director:

Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman” Todd Phillips, “Joker” Sam Mendes, “1917” Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Bong Joon Ho, “Parasite” — (WINNER)

Another category that I thought the Academy would give to Sam Mendes, but nonetheless put my bets on Bong Joon-ho. Some big competition in this category (except Phillips... sorry, I’m not saying he’s bad, but he has yet to prove to me he’s a contender).

Original Song:

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” “Toy Story 4” “I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” “Rocketman” — (WINNER) “I’m Standing With You,” “Breakthrough” “Into the Unknown,” “Frozen 2” “Stand Up,” “Harriet”

Talk about a year of forgettable film songs. I think I left the room for every one of these performances except Elton’s. Did I miss anything?

Original Score:

“Joker,” Hildur Guðnadóttir — (WINNER) “Little Women,” Alexandre Desplat “Marriage Story,” Randy Newman “1917,” Thomas Newman “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” John Williams

As part of the montage for this category, the orchestra accompanies with each film’s original score. This segment, as they proudly pointed out, was being conducted a female for the first time in Oscar history (I’d like to shallowly add that she was also wearing the most amazing gold jacket to do it!). Now I don’t know if she also arranged it or whether she was just conducting, but I have to say, I don’t think the arrangement did the scores any justice whatsoever.

Luckily they were not being judged on this particular performance, and Hildur Guonadottir once again took home the accolade for Joker. I agree with this win. Little Women and 1917 also had impressive scores. Marriage Story didn’t particularly catch my attention, and while Star Wars’ themes will always be among my all time favourites, The Rise of Skywalker wasn’t particularly outstanding out of the saga.

Best International Feature Film:

“Corpus Christi,” Jan Komasa “Honeyland,” Tamara Kotevska, Ljubo Stefanov “Les Miserables,” Ladj Ly “Pain and Glory,” Pedro Almodóvar “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho — (WINNER)

If anyone else had won we would have rioted right?

Makeup and Hair:

“Bombshell” — (WINNER) “Joker” “Judy” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” “1917”

Got this prediction correct, while not the most obvious frontrunner perhaps, a lot of subtle effort was put in to transform cast into their characters.

Visual Effects:

“Avengers: Endgame” “The Irishman” “The Lion King” “1917” — (WINNER) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

It’s naive of me, but seeing 1917 win for Visual Effects almost takes away from my appreciation of the film in some ways because in my head, I’d still like to think of all films outside of fantasy and sci-fi as largely real. I know it’s not the case and that even your average period drama is created largely with effects these days, it can’t help but ruin the magic a little.

Also I had guessed Avengers: Endgame would win.

And we all think that The Irishman is on this list for de-aging technologies alone right?

Film Editing:

“Ford v Ferrari,” Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland — (WINNER) “The Irishman,” Thelma Schoonmaker “Jojo Rabbit,” Tom Eagles “Joker,” Jeff Groth “Parasite,” Jinmo Yang

This entire list is on par with each other I think, with Ford v Ferrari just edging out the rest. Also the editing is what made the film so dynamic, there was little room for a bad cut, whereas the others might have little bit more room to err.

Many might disagree but I think Little Women should have been considered in this category. The film’s editing choices was one of its main criticisms, but I think it actually made the film much more dynamic and differentiated it from previous adaptations. (If only they’d used a bit more of The Irishman’s aging/de-aging effects)

Cinematography:

“The Irishman,” Rodrigo Prieto “Joker,” Lawrence Sher “The Lighthouse,” Jarin Blaschke “1917,” Roger Deakins — (WINNER) “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Robert Richardson

Agree! Cool camera work in 1917 for sure.

Sound Mixing:

“Ad Astra” “Ford v Ferrari” “Joker” “1917” — (WINNER) “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Um ok, if you’re going to split the sound categories between two films. I would’ve said Ford v Ferrari for both.

Sound Editing:

“Ford v Ferrari,” Don Sylvester — (WINNER) “Joker,” Alan Robert Murray “1917,” Oliver Tarney, Rachel Tate “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Wylie Stateman “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” Matthew Wood, David Acord

Agree. Hopefully everyone who wanted to see this film caught it in theatres, the sound was a huge contributing factor to the enjoyment of this film.

Supporting Actress:

Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell” Laura Dern, “Marriage Story” — (WINNER) Scarlett Johansson, “Jojo Rabbit” Florence Pugh, “Little Women” Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”

Little surprise when Laura Dern swept this category, even though I maintain she wasn’t better than the rest. That said, I’m not sure who I would pick in her place, I say share the love between Laura Dern, Scarlett Johansson, and Florence Pugh (yes, I just said Amy March should get an oscar... I see the irony of this too)

Best Documentary Short Subject:

“In the Absence,” Yi Seung-Jun and Gary Byung-Seok Kam “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone,” Carol Dysinger — (WINNER) “Life Overtakes Me,” Kristine Samuelson and John Haptas “St. Louis Superman,” Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan “Walk Run Cha-Cha,” Laura Nix

I didn’t see any of the shorts this year, my bad. The winner sounds hella interestering!

Best Documentary Feature:

“American Factory,” Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar — (WINNER) “The Cave,” Feras Fayyad “The Edge of Democracy,” Petra Costa “For Sama,” Waad Al-Kateab, Edward Watts “Honeyland,” Tamara Kotevska, Ljubo Stefanov

I only saw American Factory and The Cave and I actually liked The Cave better. That said I felt strongly that American Factory had the edge, for starters it was backed by the Obamas’ production company. I didn’t love American Factory but I do feel it’s a timely piece that shows two sides of the story, inevitable prejudices based on what we’ve become conditioned to physically, mentally, socially, and also how important it is that we try to overcome or build a bridge to find solutions for the greater good.

Costume Design:

”The Irishman,” Sandy Powell, Christopher Peterson “Jojo Rabbit,” Mayes C. Rubeo “Joker,” Mark Bridges “Little Women,” Jacqueline Durran — (WINNER) “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Arianne Phillips

For a historical drama, I really didn’t find the costumes of Little Women to be that spectacular (I’m having visions of The Age of Innocence when you say Best Costume), though a part of me knows the period films win more often than not. While I think Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is strong contender, Jojo Rabbit should have won.

Production Design:

“The Irishman,” Bob Shaw and Regina Graves “Jojo Rabbit,” Ra Vincent and Nora Sopkova “1917,” Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Barbara Ling & Nancy Haigh (WINNER) “Parasite,” Lee Ha-Jun and Cho Won Woo, Han Ga Ram and Cho Hee

Yes! Once Upon a Time was a bit overrated (sorry Quentin) but this was one category where it really deserved to win, from the western sets, film studio lots, to the wardrobe and streets of the 60′s, lots of fun and spirit captured in the production design.

Best Live Action Short Film:

“Brotherhood,” Meryam Joobeur “Nefta Football Club,” Yves Piat “The Neighbors’ Window,” Marshall Curry — (WINNER) “Saria,” Bryan Buckley “A Sister,” Delphine Girard

Adapted Screenplay:

“The Irishman,” Steven Zaillian “Jojo Rabbit,” Taika Waititi — (WINNER) “Joker,” Todd Phillips, Scott Silver “Little Women,” Greta Gerwig “The Two Popes,” Anthony McCarten

I love that Taika Waititi is an Oscar winner. Also shouts to Greta Gerwig for making Little Women almost tolerable in her script! The Two Popes could not have been an easy adaptation either. Now can a comic book expert please tell me, how much of Joker is really from existing stories in comics, and how much was filled in by the writers? I understand why it was an adapted screenplay, but I feel like material like this almost completely open to interpretation and could easily be written anew as an original screenplay.

Original Screenplay:

“Knives Out,” Rian Johnson “Marriage Story,” Noah Baumbach “1917,” Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Quentin Tarantino “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, Jin Won Han — (WINNER)

Just for fun, my ranking of the original screenplay nominees from best to alright:

1) Parasite, 2) Knives Out, 3) Marriage Story, 4) 1917, 5) Once Upon a Time

Animated Short:

“Dcera,” Daria Kashcheeva “Hair Love,” Matthew A. Cherry — (WINNER) “Kitbull,” Rosana Sullivan “Memorable,” Bruno Collet “Sister,” Siqi Song

I keep hearing great things about this short!

Animated Feature:

“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” Dean DeBlois “I Lost My Body,” Jeremy Clapin “Klaus,” Sergio Pablos “Missing Link,” Chris Butler “Toy Story 4,” Josh Cooley — (WINNER)

I clearly didn’t watch any animated films this year because I didn’t even know there were new How to Train Your Dragon and Toy Story films released.

Supporting Actor:

Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes” Al Pacino, “The Irishman” Joe Pesci, “The Irishman” Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — (WINNER)

Overall, if Brad Pitt sweeping this category means I get to hear at least one great speech per awards, then I’m ok with this. My personal ranking:

1) Al Pacino, 2) Joe Pesci, 3) Tom Hanks, 4) Brad Pitt, 5) Anthony Hopkins. I had to debate over Pacino and Pesci’s performances, I feel like this is one of the best problems in the world.

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Prior to the start of the show, I made a mess of notes about who I thought would win, who I thought should win, and shared my Oscar Pool Picks which were based on a mix of the two... My Oscar pool are an extremely knowledgeable bunch, and with 18/24, it only put me in a 3-way tie for third place (there were also three winners who split the winnings), I need to move back to the baby leagues!

If you were following my Twitter (or care to check in hindsight...@palindr0me) I also shared a little additional commentary and photos of some of my favourite dresses of the evening.

My personal top 3 moments during the Awards Ceremony were:

1) Every time Parasite won an award - Give this man all the statues he wants! lol

2) Billie Eilish’s rendition of Yesterday (I wish this was an actual recorded track so I could play it over and over)

youtube

3) When Eminem took the stage at the end of a montage to perform “Lose Yourself” and my phone exploded with all these messages of “ Whaaat is happening???” LOL! Believe me friends, I was as confused as you were.

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Aaand, that’s a wrap on awards season! Looking forward to a new year and new decade in film!

#oscars #oscars2020

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yootaesowlwrites · 5 years

Text

The Angel Demon Hybrid Chapter 9;

Chapter 9 - The Angel Demon Hybrid Series.

First Season.

"If she's not going to give me your ashes, we have to find another way to get our hands on them before she gets herself in trouble," Alex says, Kol runs his hands through his hair. "Do you maybe know where she's hidden your ashes?"

"No, I was a little distracted by the New Orleans witches chasing me around," Kol says, Alex rolls her eyes at his answer.

"If that's the kind of attitude you're going to have, then I refuse to help you," Alex says, Kol looks up at Alex.

"You would not dare," Kol says. "We need each other."

"No, Kol, you need me," Alex says.

"The Strix uses dark magic and dangerous spells," Kol says. "If they can get her to do their bidding, it will be hell on earth." Alex tilts her head silently questioning him. "Oh for the love of go- All right, I need your help, Alex." Alex faintly smiles at him. "Please help me save her."

"I doubt your girlfriend is going to back away from powerful magic," Alex says. "Especially if she wants to be the one that revives you."

"I realize that," Kol says. "But the spell they gave her is cursed, the ancestors can bend it to their will." He sits down on the couch. "I can try to look around her place."

"All right, um," Alex says thinking for a moment. "Can the ancestors be destroyed?" Kol looks up at her.

"I'm not sure," Kol says. "Maybe." Alex nods her head. "You should go help my family find that piece of white-oak, it would not do any of us good if I'm revived, and they're dead."

"You know I'd bring them back," Alex says. "Even if I dislike your brothers at the moment." Kol nods his head as he stood from the couch. "Besides, we both know they would annoy the hell out of me, just like you are at the moment."

"I'm not that bad," Kol says, Alex picks up her jacket hanging over a dining chair.

"Yeah, all right, sure," Alex says. "Best of luck finding your ashes."

"Good luck with my family," Kol says. "Oh, and do try to keep them alive."

"I'll try my best."

Alex enters the Mikaelson compound seeing a police officer being dangled over the railing by Klaus, Elijah and Freya stood behind him watching.

"I think the cities finest could try a little harder, hm?" Klaus asks, Alex begins climbing the stairs.

"I see we're in for another normal Mikaelson breakfast." Freya states.

"This is normal?" Alex jokingly asks.

"Niklaus, for heaven's sake, release the poor creature," Elijah says, the officer frantically shakes his head, Niklaus shrugs and releases his grip around the officer's neck, dropping him to the ground below. "That was not what I meant." The officer quickly scrambled to his feet and out of the building.

"You should have specified," Alex says, Klaus nods his head agreeing with her.

"Besides, He'll live, and he'll remember to do better," Klaus says, Alex walks past him and enters the upstairs living room.

"Is all of this torture necessary?" Freya asks as she enters the living room as well.

"Where have you been?" Klaus asks, Alex turns around and saw a man entering the room, looking annoyed with Klaus.

"I was making sure that the Strix and their witches are out trying to find your loony ex-girlfriend, is that okay with you?" Marcel asks sarcastically.

"Gentlemen, please." Elijah interrupts them.

"All of our heads are on the chopping block because he lost the one thing that can an original," Marcel says.

"Actually, it was the newly turned, Camille, who had lost it, after waving it around for all to gaze upon," Alex says. "Just because she wanted to do the one thing that nobody has been able to do."

"Or that Aurora made a deal with one of your witches," Freya adds on, Klaus looks at Freya and Alex.

"I am quite capable of defending myself, thank you, Alex, Freya, What I cannot do is cast a spell to find Aurora or the white-oak," Klaus says, he smiles coldly at the two of them. "In that respect, we're alike." Freya looks up at him in anger and frustration.

"Aurora is cloaked, most likely by the very witch she killed, I have been working non-stop every day," Freya says.

"Well, you've stopped now, haven't you?" Klaus states. "Well, go on, on your way." Freya looks up at him hurt by his words.

"Do you talk to our other sister like this?" Freya asks, Klaus could feel the guilt creeping in but stayed quiet." "Didn't think so." Freya leaves the living room to continue searching for Aurora and the white-oak.

"Freya," Elijah says as he tries to stop her, but she ignored him, Elijah looks at Klaus disapproving of his brother's behaviour towards their sister.

"Such a rude and cold brother." Alex mumbles, Klaus turns his gaze to Alex.

"Freya might be my sister, but you are nothing to me." Klaus states. "Did you find the white-oak? Or better, Aurora?" Alex gives him a side smirk.

"Indeed we are nothing to one another," Alex says. "But if I can remind you, that I was asked to help you, but I am also allowed to refuse if I don't think you're being nice to me." Alex sits down on a sofa in the room.

"You have got to be kidding me right now?" Marcel says. "You do realize we're all going to die if Aurora uses that white-oak, do you need some sort of motivation?"

"Technically, I won't die, you will." Alex states.

"Who is she?" Marcel asks, directing the question to Klaus and Elijah.

"Alexandr-" Elijah begins.

"Alex." Alex cuts him off.

"Alex Zastrod, an old friend from Mystic Falls," Elijah says.

"Elijah's old friend," Klaus says.

"Human? Witch? Werewolf? Vampire? Which one is it?" Marcel asks.

"We are not entirely sure," Elijah says.

"And that scares you," Alex says, she would admit that she was taunting them.

"Let's find out," Marcel says, he speeds towards her and grabs her neck pulling her to her feet. "If you want to continue living then I suggest you start being useful or you'll be as good as dead."

"Marcellus." Elijah begins, he stops as he saw Alex grab Marcel's wrist.

"Oh, lovely, but perhaps I should have warned you," Alex says. "I don't do kindly to threats." Marcel applies more pressure on her neck. "Oh, rough, huh?"

"I'm about to get a hell of a lot rougher." Marcel threatens, Everyone could see that she didn't feel threatened.

"Ugh, I can't believe I forgot to mention this," Alex says, she begins pulling Marcel's hand away from her neck. "I can't die." Alex tightens her grip on Marcel's wrist as she removed his grasp from her neck with ease. "Is it just me or do you hate when vampires think they're better than you?" A bright blue fire ignites in her hand and burns Marcel's wrist.

"What the hell?" Marcel says, he tries to pull his wrist out from her grasp. "Let go."

"Why would you poke a lion? Or a bear? Or even a hybrid?" Alex asks, shocking the two vampires and one hybrid. "When you know it's so much stronger." She releases her grip on Marcel's wrist as the blue flames in her hand extinguish. "Did you think you were the only hybrid in this room?" Alex now looked at Klaus. "Shocking, isn't it?" Marcel gripped his wounded wrist as it slowly healed. "Holy fire." Alex looks at Marcel. "Burns anything and everything."

"Then perhaps you could use that fire to kill Aurora," Klaus says, Alex looks back at Klaus.

"Sure," Alex says. "But only if Elijah answer something for me." Alex turns to look at Elijah, Klaus looks at his brother.

"He'll tell you anything you want to know," Klaus says, Elijah glances at his brother knowing how desperate he was to have Alex help them.

"Indeed I shall," Elijah says, not sure if he wanted to, but he had no choice.

"The day you left, when you stopped by my house." Alex begins, she could see Elijah growing nervous. "You said and I quote, 'You are nothing but a distraction, you are nothing but a mere weak human, I do not know why I allowed myself to become involved with you or why I bothered to try to help you, you will always be a lost cause.'" Elijah fumbles with the tie around his neck. "What I want to know, was I a charity case to you? Was I just someone you used to fill your free time with? To entertain you when you became bored?" Klaus looks at his brother waiting for an answer.

"Brother," Klaus mutters, realizing what he had done. "No." He had answered the question with his silence.

"Alex." Elijah trails off, he had no idea how to answer the question, she was more of an experiment.

"Don't bother, you just answered it," Alex says, her eyes turning cold as she glared at him. "You can find Aurora at the St. Louis Cathedral."

"Didn't Freya just leave for the cathedral," Marcel says, Klaus eyes widen as he realized his sister might be in danger.

"We must go!" Klaus says, he speeds out of the room and Elijah glances at Alex before following his brother.

#The Originals Fan Fiction #Elijah Mikaelson Fan Fiction #elijah mikaelson imagine

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askalucario-blog · 5 years

Photo

Caption: ‘yule’ when finished, Kennedy gives each of the masks a name and completes the project by posting an image online images courtesy of the artist.

Damselfrau interview: a peek behind the many masks of the London-based artist

if you somehow stumbled accidentally upon the work of Norwegian artist damselfrau, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had unearthed a cache of ancient vestments; something mystical, arcane—maybe even occult. defined by intricate beadwork, delicate lace and bold, bright color, damselfrau’s masks are at once visually arresting and bewitchingly unsettling. beautifully reshaping the face of the wearer, her work is laden with character, suggesting not just individual personalities, but whole narratives, histories, and worlds of their own.

the name ‘damselfrau’ is inherently contradictory. while ‘frau’ is a term used for married women, ‘damsel’ denotes one who is unmarried. combined, they form the paradoxical and provocative pseudonym adopted by artist magnhild kennedy—originally as a skype username, now as a professional alias—that she likes to interpret as ‘married to oneself’. it’s a fitting mantle for an artist who has become renowned for her masks; a craft that involves placing another ‘self’ on top of your own, creating both a combination of the two and suggesting something entirely new altogether.

damselfrau masks in vogue portugal, ‘the bold side of christmas’image by vasily agreneko, styling by pierre-alexandre fillaire

originally from trondheim in norway, damselfrau moved to london in 2007. while both of her parents are artists, she herself never formally trained. rather, kennedy’s practice originated somewhere a little less conventional: the dance floors of london’s nightclubs. working at a vintage designer shop in islington at the time, kennedy drew inspiration from the collection of clothes around her and was able to sew her own pieces behind the counter, which she would then wear clubbing. eye-catching, eccentric and strangely seductive, it’s no wonder that mask quickly became her craft of choice.

since then, damselfrau has made pieces for artists like mø and beyoncé, and collaborated with alister mackie and louis vuitton. beads, glass, lace, textiles, paint, hair, paper: everything and anything can be included in one of damselfrau’s creations. rather than chaos however, the result is one of organic artistry. ‘for me the mask is a place where different elements come together as situation,’ she says in her artist’s statement. ‘the work is about this place-situation, more so than the mask as a theme or category of form. the mask is a place’. livened by the found nature of the materials that comprise them, damselfrau’s masks perfectly walk the line between being delicate artworks of visual poetry and ghostly uniforms for the mystical.

damselfrau’s intricate gold face piece can be spotted at the start of this music video for mø’s track ‘kamikaze’

designboom spoke with the artist recently about her journey toward mask making, the best spots in london to find new materials, and her plans for the new year.

designboom: you come from a particularly artistic family. what was your own personal journey like as an artist in light of this? do you remember the first time you sat down and said, ‘right, I’m going to make a mask’? how did it turn out?

magnhild kennedy: I came to myself quite late. I’ve always made various types of stuff, but nothing good. I’ve known since I was a teen that I was going to have to head to london at some point, but it didn’t happen until I was in my late 20’s. I have no idea how masks became the format for me, I’m not particularly interested in masks as a category. I worked in a vintage design shop when I first moved here. looking at the old clothes, their details and decor gave me some insight into making. I went to car-boot sales every weekend to find utilities for our new life here, and started schlepping home all kinds of funny materials, textiles and bits I found there.

I had to do something with all these materials. it started with making masks for a party and the format stuck. from there it just grew slowly and organically. five years ago my husband robert started dalston pier studio. I got myself a proper work shop there and felt it was the time take it seriously. I felt like an imposter for the longest time. I’m self taught, I didn’t go to school past the age of 19. but growing up with two artist parents, it’s been schooling from day one

DB: you work a lot in found textiles and have spoken about picking up materials in car boot sales and the like. what is the strangest place you’ve ever found material for a mask, and when working on a new piece, do you have a go-to place in london to start looking for inspiration?

MK: I find things everywhere, I have picked fruit netting out of bins. one christmas in paris, they decorated the trees of the champs-élysées with plastic crystals. rouge ones had fallen off and been stepped into the dirt pavement and I scratched out pocket fulls. I’ve picked gold confetti off the floor at alternative miss world. friends bring me things from their travels too. a friend gave me a norwegian 1700’s hair wreath, a japanese friend gave me an antique geisha hair piece I crocheted into a mask. old tea towels. I’ll use whatever if it has personality.

just walking out the door is inspiration, really. I live in dalston. people from everywhere in the world, young and old. fashion kids. charity shops. I’ll go to sir john soane’s museum. the wallace collection. spitalfields on thursdays. dennis severs’ house. dover street market. a pub.

DB: how long does it usually take to finish a mask, and what is the longest you have ever worked on a single piece?

MK: anything from a day to forever! I have unfinished masks on my shelves that have been waiting for ‘something’ for months—years even. I’ll just have to wait until that right something comes along.

percifor’‘I felt like an imposter for the longest time…but growing up with two artist parents, it’s been schooling from day one’

DB: I know you originally made masks for clubbing in london. how has creating masks specifically for a club environment and club culture in general influenced the work you make? do you still wear your masks clubbing?

MK: it’s been a loooong time since I went clubbing! I might make myself something fun for halloween if I am going to some party. the ‘craft something from nothing’ element of the club culture was inspiring. what some people could make out of some egg carton, tape and paint, you know? there was no hierarchy amongst the materials. that is the main thing I learned that I have brought with me into the work.

‘uro’‘there was no hierarchy amongst the materials. that is the main thing (…) I have brought with me into the work’

DB: how do you personally feel when wearing one of your creations, and what do you hope the experience is for an onlooker?

MK: I don’t wear the masks much once they are done. I try my best not to make to many decisions for the masks. people see what they see. it’s none of my business!

DB: you have collaborated with a lot of really interesting people in the past. are there any artists you are particularly influenced by, or anyone you would love to work with in future?

MK: when I was a kid I saw moebius’ and enki bilal’s comics, and they definitely still inform what I do. I’m very interested in homes and how people surround themselves. I decorate a lot. I sew my own christmas ornaments. at the moment I am taken with the book ‘dawnridge’, about tony duquette’s wonderfully OTT home. he was an artist, film and set designer in hollywood. I like miniature model makers like charles matton and thierry bosquet.

I like spaces over-informed by the people who use them and live in them. I have always felt I work mostly like a decorator. my all time greatest obsession is versailles. I don’t have a particular person in mind, so my dream collab would definitely be with versailles.

DB: you often talk about your masks having a character and life of their own. how much of yourself do you see in each piece you make, or do you always see it as a separate entity from the start? what stage in the process does a mask’s character start to reveal itself, and what does that moment feel like?

MK: separate entity I think…it’s a kind of meditative state, making these things. i’m always surprised by what comes out and that I have made something. usually the character changes several times along the way. there are very few conscious choices taken along the way, or at least it feels like it.

I try to think as little as possible, really and just go by instinct. no overthinking. I have clear physical reactions in the brain to if something works or not. like two ant antennae meeting, releasing some warm spark. some severe chemical reaction, it’s totally a high.

DB: you have a strong presence on instagram and images of your work are understandably popular on sites like instagram and tumblr. how integral to your process is social media, and how has it impacted the way you make work, if at all?

MK: it’s a big part of the work. a mask isn’t finished until I have taken a portrait of it and sent it out on general internet high-ways like my instagram or blogspot. this way the mask makes a life of its own and communicates its own being. it’s how it has turned into actual work.

DB: are you working on anything at the moment you’d like to share with us, and what does 2019 hold for damselfrau?

MK: yes! I’m very excited. I have been invited to exhibit at the national museum of decorative arts trondheim in norway this september. it’s the first time I’ll show the masks in the flesh in norway, so it’s pretty grand for me. I used to visit this museum as a kid, I have strong feeling for this building. it’s surreal to be showing there. I am also working on an interesting project with queen mary university and designer rachel freire, incorporating technical fabrics and movement sensors with my masks. that’s a new universe for me—very cool.

DB: any personal mottos or words of wisdom you try to live by?

MK: ‘walk, don’t run’, as my dad always says.

#facemask

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fantroll-purgatory · 6 years

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@theo-theleo

Your name is PRAXIS AUTEUR and you have quite the interest in OLD TIMEY MOVIES your favorite being those that are SILENT. You have a large disdain for LOUD NOISES and would much rather keep things QUIET. If you aren’t watching movies you can be found in your INDOOR GARDEN caring for your various plants, your favorite of which contain powerful POISONS and SEDATIVES. You are very LETHARGIC and are tired more often then not, you’d much rather keep to yourself and drink a nice warm glass of HOMEMADE TEA. While you try to keep the peace and are fairly polite, loud noises set off you ANGER ISSUES, and you can get quite VIOLENT. Your weapon of choice if a lovely pair of HEDGE CLIPPERS from your garden, but you’d much rather not get them dirty. You have a QUIET way of speaking almost as if you where WHISPERING you never ever use caps and your sentences tend to TRAIL OFF…

——————————————————————

This guy is probably an alterian troll but I don’t think I’ve ever decided 100% (this takes place in an au without sburb but I will happily include sburb info!)

It’s all good! At this point we mostly ask for aspect/moon to assign an extended zodiac sign. At this point we’re not totally sold on only using Extended Zodiac symbols, but it’s fun to “type” a troll and try to modify their existing symbols to include elements of their sign.

Name- Praxis (derived from Zoopraxiscope an early device for playing moving pictures)

Auteur (straight up a word that means “a filmmaker whose personal influence and artistic control over a movie are so great that the filmmaker is regarded as the author of the movie” )

I think I’m gonna change both of these names because both “praxis” and “auteur” are words you hear in the English language, but I wanna keep the spirit of both names!

My suggestion is Monpon Andret, and I’ll explain my reasoning:

The zoopraxiscope was invented by Eadweard Muybridge, who definitely wins prizes for having the weirdest (weardeast?) goddamn spelling of Edward I’ve ever seen. Last name pronounced like “my bridge.” The oldest surviving silent film is Roundhay Garden Scene, filmed by French inventor Louis Le Prince. So I took the phrase “my bridge” and translated it to French: mon pont.

Auteurism was popular with 40s French critics, based on the theories of Andre Bazin and Alexandre Astruc, and was dubbed “auteur theory” by Andrew Sarris. That’s a lot of Andres surrounding one theory! Seems like an appropriate way to reference it.

Age- 9 sweeps

Strife Specibus- Hedge Clippers

I like this! How would you feel about making his specibus clipperKind, especially to maintain the reference to early film editing that used literal clippers?

Fetch Modus- ‘Movie Titles’ a Modus in which every item is given a title similar in length based around their use and purpose, to withdraw an item one must flawlessly recite it’s title

example- the title ‘A small cylindrical utensil in which our protagonist or antagonist may use to transfer ink to a sheet of pressed plant mater to convey a written message or picture’ may be used to describe a pen

gfdlksjlsgj;h I fucking forgot troll movie titles were that long. Since he does silent films, what about this concept exactly but in a Charades modus? Like a solid 5 minutes of wild gesticulation just to get a fucking pen?

Blood color- Indigo Blood

Symbol and meaning- Stylized Film Reel (this character was designed before the extended zodiac and I’m 100% will to take feedback that would give him one of those symbols)

I gotcha! I think it’s a good symbol and I remember there’s a canon indigo sign that’s just a circle with an arrow, so this should be a simple adjustment!

Trolltag- animorphicLarkspur (animorphic being a film term talking about the purposeful distortion of film to make it fit the screen, a reference to how Praxis hides his anger issues to fit a calm picture. Larkspur being a blue flower that is poisonous a reference to Praxis’ work with deadly plants and his own toxic ways.)

Yeah, I’m a fan!

Quirk- All sentences trail off, no capitals (ex. i am quite positive that you are a major thorn in my side…)

I like it as a simple quirk. If I may suggest an alternate, maybe something based stylistically off intertitles? Only using brief descriptive bits to “set up” a scene, then enclosing stuff he actually wants to say in quotes. Mostly reacting to others’ actions? And keeping all messages brief, but in full sentences.

Example: On a dark and stormy night…

“Goodness! Did you see that fox jump over that dog?”

The mystery deepens…

Special Abilities (if any)- Praxis has no special abilities other than distain for loud noises

Lusus- An oversized praying mantis, Deadly but unassuming

So far we have seen two canon indigoblood lusii, and they are Arthour and Zebruh’s lusus which is…guess what: a zebra. A sample size of two means nothing, but it may be fun to play with the idea that all indigoblood lusii are horselike. Which is a perfect tie-back to your theme, actually, considering that Eadweard Muybridge’s first go with the zoopraxiscope was an animated horse. Maybe we can go a horse with like, way too many legs, like how it would look if you layered all the frames one atop the other?

Personality- Praxis tries to come off as a quiet calm and unassuming individual in a society full of violence. He very much keeps to himself and craves constant solitude, he is a film buff but even the sound of those can get to him at times, hence his overwhelming interest in silent films. He feels they fill the hole that the avoidance of others bring. He’s very slow moving and sleepy taking everything at his own gruelingly slow pace, he likes plants because they don’t go anywhere and are just as unmoving as him. He has anger issues and agressive outbursts that are often triggered by loud noises, he doesn’t want to be seen as ‘uncivil’ hence the avoidance of sound and those outbursts. He hates being seen as a ruthless high blood.

Ooooh I like it! Interesting angle to take, especially since he’s avoiding the broader highblood stereotype of violence while collapsing into the indigoblood stereotype of being like…WAY too into his hobbies.

Interests- Film, Gardening, Tea, Homemade remedies, and peace and quiet

Title: I haven’t picked one out and am 100% open to suggestions

I kind of think he might be a Knight of Hope? Like he’s drowning in his aspect in the sense that he keeps retreating to the limitless potential of film, but he’s also being a shut-in and reducing his own ability to get out there and live his life! Also ghosting Rage in the form of being a film critic. But he has the potential to step out of his house and bring his vision to others, to inspire!

Also, Hope players are known for their “black and white” thinking, which tickles me.

Land: again no idea

If he doesn’t play SBURB it’s not super relevant, but I like the idea of a Land of Slate and Bells. Full of greys and also he *needs* to make noise to progress through the planet. While the bells give off a nice, round, assonant tone, they also attract nearby monsters.

Dream Planet: Derse

Yep, I agree with that.

I think that makes him Sagirius, sign of the Bardic! I’ll see what I can do to incorporate that into your symbol!

So this gent didn’t need *too* much tweaking; as is the case sometimes, I mostly just wanted to sprite him for fun and for sport

Credits:

fan-troll for the horn base, the suspenders, and the shoes

naphal for the pants and initial bow tie

llemonlum for the glasses

you for the hair

Glasses - I don’t know what it is but a pair of glasses seems to be the difference between me conceiving this guy as a composer vs. a critic. llemonlum has a nice set that looks suitably Ebert-like, which I felt was a good tie-in.

Symbol - since Sagirius is just a horizontally bisected circle with an arrow coming off the top, it was pretty easy to incorporate into your existing symbol! I made my own stylized film reel, cut it in half, and slapped an arrow on. I also like the bisected reel because critics often come under fire for “tearing a movie apart.”

Color scheme - we’ve seen from existing trolls that indigobloods rep their color quite readily, so I changed them all to the canon indigoblood color. I also adjusted the shirt color because it’s a little too neon a blood color to work well with mid-tone greys.

And that’s it! I like this dude.

#theo-theleo #praxis auteur #praxis #auteur #monpon andret #monpon #andret #indigoblood #review #redesign #tr review #submission

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carlanews · 3 years

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26/07/2021

Ex oriente lux (2018), en pofundidad, en el número de agosto 2021 de Monthy Photography, revista surcoreana mensual de fotografía y arte publicando desde agosto de 1966.

Ex oriente lux (2018), in depth, at the August 2021 issue of Monthy Photography, South Korean Photography Art monthly magazine publishing from August of 1966.

Entrevista en inglés / Interview in English:

You started <Ex Oriente Lux> when you were investigating the theoretical legacy of some French Occultists. Could you explain ‘the theoretical legacy of some French Occultists’?

I am deeply interested in everything that has to do with the unknown, understood as that which cannot be reached through the cognitive capacities, nor can it be domesticated, controlled or dominated. The French philosopher Simone Weil understands the supernatural as the love for the natural. Based on this, I suppose that this fascination I have for the supernatural, or what goes beyond the ordinary reality, stems from a deep love for nature and for reality itself, as it is. Likewise, through my work, I try to question the ‘mandatory reality’ or what belongs to the consensus reality, what is imposed, pre-established and assumed. As a result, I have always been interested in alternative narratives that defy rational logic.

France, and specifically Paris, is an authentic Masonic labyrinth that hides, behind its architecture and urban organization, a lot of knowledge linked to the occult and esoteric sciences. This is to say, all that unofficial knowledge that has accompanied Western history, although had remain in the shadows. France has been the place of confluence of many thinkers who have been located outside mainstream thinking. Thus, instigated by these motivations, I applied for an artist’s residency at the Cité des Arts de Paris, not only to visit libraries or museums, where I could inform myself about these subjects that interest me greatly but also to walk its streets to be impregned of this hidden wisdom that conceives the existence of issues that challenge the Western hegemonic logic.

Particurlarly, I was interested in studying the controversial figure of the French occultist Alexandre Saint-Yves d'Alveydre (1842 - 1909) and his theories about "Agartha", a secret underground kingdom established at the beginning of the Kali Yuga (Iron Age), according to the Vedic tradition in the 3200 B.C, approximately. This place is more advanced technologically and spiritually than our world and the system of government is what he calls the “Synarchy”. According to him, when our world will adopt the Synarchy system, Agartha will be revealed to us. Saint-Yves also mastered the art of releasing his astral body, and like this, he could visit Agartha by himself.

There are several previous versions of Agartha, or about a similar place, like Pauwels and Bergier version, Ernest Renan or the French freethinker, Louis Jacolliot (1837 - 1890) who created the Agartha myth. There is also an obvious resemblance to the novel by Bulwer Lytton “The Coming Race” (1871) or to “Ghostland, or Researches into the Mysteries of Occultism” (1876) published under the auspices of Emma Hardinge Britten, medium and founding member of the Theosophical Society. As well, the concept of a secret kingdom where wise people live and work existed since the eighteenth century within the Freemasonry of the Strict Observance, with what they call "Unknown Superiors".

These theories about the existence of Agartha supported by Saint-Yves d'Alveydre are related with the ideas affirming the existence of a hole at the North Pole and the hollow Earth hypothesis, fervently defended, among others, by John Cleves Symmes (1780-1829). They are also linked with topics from popular cultures, such as lost races, conspiracy theories, the Holy Grail, UFOs, the Apocalypse and others. As Ekkehard Hieronimus advised: "What is happening in the lower layers of society is certainly much more powerful and effective than what happens in intellectual circles".

I referred to your previous interview to know about <Ex Oriente Lux> It would be great if you explain more details and easier about <Ex Oriente Lux>

As you already know, this project started during an artist residency in Paris. I went there to study in-depth about some authors related to Esoteric and Hermetic Sciences, but also to be closer to the French Occultism tradition that reverberates everywhere in this city. Once there, nevertheless, I found myself totally overwhelmed by the complexity of this matter and, as its name already advises, by its hermeticism and secrecy. But as with every project I do, my first purposes end up always being modified as the reality itself brings new events that I need to adapt to.

For all mentioned above, “Ex oriente lux” is still open, it conforms the first part of an unfinished project. The title refers to the Latin phrase “Ex oriente lux, ex occidente dux” (light comes from the East, power from the West) alluding to the meaning of travelling to the East as a symbolic ascension to the light and wisdom source. The East as a symbol of the occult and otherworldly.

Thus, this first approach to this endless subject is through the most basic and well-known principle of the hermetic sciences -"as above, so below"- collected in the Emerald Tablet by Hermes Trismegistus. This means that as it is “outside” (for instance, the Cosmos) it is “inside” (the Earth). Therefore, there is a correspondence between what we see, and what we can’t see; what is far away and what is close; and so on. As a result of these ideas, the first part of this work is an installation composed by pictures of different types of stones and marbles taken at the Louvre Museum in Paris (a venue with powerful masonic symbolism and full of hidden codes). It depicts a sort of mirror of the cosmos in order to highlight the historic connection between freemasonry and stoneworkers - guardians of secret legacies transmitted through encrypted messages carved in the stones -. So, this photo-installation is formed by pieces of hypothetical planets and landscapes resulting from a sort of Big-Bang explosion, recalling the similarity these stones have with incredible otherworldly imaginary landscapes. These images are printed on transparent plexiglass and cut in different geometrical shapes. Moreover, the installation is completed with smoke, small mirrors and lights that form beams of light in the space.

The second part of “Ex oriente lux” is also based on the Law of Analogy but this time I focused on the ideas related to that what happens in the stars is directly connected with what happens on the planet and our lives. Starts rule the plane of formation of the material world, called the “astral plane”. This plane - another dimension - works as the motor and it connects the abstract - the world of the ideas - with the matter itself and the physical world. So, according to the occult sciences, it is the necessary intermediary for all transformations or movements to happen, this is, the engine of life. In this way, the moon and the sun, which in alchemy have a remarkable meaning as well as being the maximum symbol of divinity in theosophical esotericism, are aligned and reflected on Earth. They are basic elements of our everyday life and they depict the realm of reality. Specially, in the world of outwards appearances we live, not only for being more and more virtual, but even before Internet or AI, it was already a pre-establishedsociety living in a kind of organised scenery.

If I understood about <Ex Oriente Lux>, do you hope to show your interest and language that the important relationship between moon and sun in Occult science?

Both, the sun and the moon, as well as the rest of the stars in the universe, are crucial elements for all forms of esoterism, mysticism or alternative narratives that, for instance, don’t derive from Christianity. The most ancient cultures, the pagan traditions, considered them as objects of worship since they were a source of answers of all that we cannot control or understand.

Could you let me know the process to photograph suns and moons?

I photographed them with 35mm and 8mm film. Only the analogue film can organically catch those lights, since the burnt in analogue film is not necessarily a loss of information as it is in digital photography. Those inherent elements of film that are often treated as mistakes: overexposure, bleaching of the frame, lens flare or ending fading, I deem them to be something precious because these ‘errors’ are, in fact, faithful to reality. Film, as the sun and the moon, has its own life and it’s an alchemy process and it’s precisely this what I find interesting.

Besides, having been born facing the Atlantic Ocean, I have always had the opportunity to enjoy the whole daily journey of the sun, which is always very present in my hometown since it transforms the colours and lights of all that is around. This spontaneous attraction led me to photograph the sun in all its different ways, also because, it is never the same thing. I always felt that being able to enjoy it, it’s one of the biggest privileges I could have… Despite it is sometimes considered as a cliché of beauty, or its features tend to be exaggerated. For me, it a simply quotidian event embodying spectacular radical alterity.

Each photo work’s color (or sky and sun’s color) is different. (black & white, purple, red and so on). Is there special reason?

Regarding the alchemical character of film, I am interested in the transformation it implicates, which is uncontrollable and whose nature is unshowable. When you work with film it exists this relationship with alchemy and magic. Film evokes what it is beyond the rational self, as well as the immanent transcendence that the medium itself already holds. It triggers a kind of mystical experience or poetics. It is a journey to an unknown place, far removed from the actual world, to which analogue photography transports us and it cannot be replaced or reproduced by any other means. I allow myself to be free in the use of colours as a sort of celebration of the miracle of the photochemical and its uniqueness. This is to recreate the illusory and alchemical character of film as well as the blindness and mystery of the medium. There is not an unfailing desire to master the medium, but to appreciate its particular beauty, leaving room for the surprise of what is not preestablished or premeditated. Beauty is in that which is out of control, unfathomable, side-lined, that which is considered useless or unimportant. Beauty is in everyday life.

As you focus on the mysticism / Occult, What did you pay attention for <Ex Oriente Lux>?

When I started this project, I had a lot of curiosity about the occult sciences as was already mentioned. During my research, I learned about concepts such as the "astral plane" or the "law of analogy" but also, I approached an unknown universe for me. All those experiences were translated visually, in a reality-language related to the intimate, the spiritual and the most basic and direct experience of the world itself.

Do you have any message to people or What do you want the audience to feel?

More than messages, I would like my work to be received just as an aesthetic experience that brings new languages and approaches to reality. It’s rather about transmitting openness, to underscore the fact that things are never in just one way, but they can be in infinitely different ways; and about the enjoyment derived from experiencing them, instead of closing ourselves to the otherness. It’s about going beyond the compartmentalised and watertight thinking through which we often see reality. In my work, there is a desire to know what it’s beyond the specific, pragmatic and utilitarian world in which we normally are immersed. It speaks about breaking barriers and borders, about the necessity of being in contact with different types of cosmovision, what links it directly to travel, but it speaks also about other kinds of journeys, more intimates. This is, to softly touch what is very meaningful for us but never ends up taking a specific form, nevertheless. In my work, there is always something that remains unfinished and unclosed; something that can’t be grasped nor categorised. Therefore, my work is located in this liminal and bewildering area which is related to our internal labyrinth in which I decide to get lost and even surrender to that emotional experience; in order to reach a collective unconscious. It is an emotional mechanism that is profoundly human. My work is a permanent search that never ends up dwelling a definitive shape. An endless seek whose purpose never finds an answer. It’s about got steeped by the world and delving into our inner labyrinths. In this sense, it has an oceanic feeling. This is to say, there is a strong inclination to adventure besides the necessity of isolation. These are contradictory concepts, but it is precisely this confusion and indeterminacy that governs my work; a strong necessity to connect to the world but also of seclusion. My work is also about aspirations that never are accomplished. It has to do with temporality and imperfection; a sort of work-in-progress.

It’s funny that sometime after finishing this project about “suns” and “moons”, I discovered that in my astral map, the sun is located in the 12th house which is related to all the ideas mentioned above. Knowing this all this made some more sense to me. The 12th house has to do with the idea of labyrinth, it is the house of the incessant seeks that steadily sails through the uncertainty (…)

You made stone works with photo works. What does the stone work mean in <Ex Oriente Lux>? I just wonder why you work in stone as well?

Actually, it is plexiglass imitating stones. But they are transparent and light stones, like if they were trying to escape from the gravity that stone implicates. This approach to the factual character materials bring is always present in my practice because I consider my photography work not only as a succession of images. Rather, they conclude or find their ultimate meaning on a determined space and position, as well as time. Size, place and material are important issues I bear in mind when creating my projects. These aspects provide new meanings but also create a kind of “aura” due to the total experience we have when experiencing the work…

what was the most difficulties when you work for <Ex Oriente Lux>? Or Do you have any unforgettable story during work?

It was quite a challenging project. First, it was hard to decode all those so cryptic texts written by Alexandre Saint Yves. They are really dense and complex. They’re full of references related, for example, to Kabbalah, even more hermetic to me, or other subjects linked to occult sciences. Secondly, another difficulty was how to visually materialise all those ideas, languages and mental images I was immersed in. This is, what to photograph now?

Also, I decided to become a member of the Rosicrucian Order, but it was not that easy and it required a lot of dedication and continuity so, after a conversation with someone related to freemasonry, I had the feeling that if try to enter in that world, this is to really try to “understand” Kabbalah, etc, my life would probably change forever. New beliefs and information would completely take my life in a different direction. I am an extremely sensitive person, for the good and the bad, so I realised that I was not, at all, prepared for all that, at least in that specific moment of my life. Maybe one day in the future. In any case, this project opened my eyes to new realities and, somehow, it has already changed my view of the world.

It would be great if you explain 2~4 photo works that you hope to mention to subscribers.

This photo was taken during a Solar Eclipse in my hometown, Nigrán (Spain). It was probably the most incredible eclipse I’ve ever seen. I went to a place I love on a mountain called Monteferro with my friend Cristina, where there is an amazing view. It’s not rare that when we both meet; special things happen around. Just a few seconds before the sun started to be covered by the moon, a cloak of clouds coming from the horizon covered the sea very quickly. Suddenly, we could only see a dense layer of clouds as if we were in a high peak but actually, we were not that far from the sea. The light changed becoming slightly darker but not only that, but the whole atmosphere changed in a few minutes. It was breathtaking, we were in a totally different landscape. I had never seen the clouds moving so fast as if they were spirits coming towards us. After some minutes of the total eclipse, the clouds started to move away and everything becomes the same it was; a sunny, bright and clear summer day. I took the picture when the clouds were going back to the horizon, because before I was so amazed that I could not even react.

These two pictures usually are shown in two lightboxes that work as a diptych. They were taken very early in the morning, when the sun was rising, near the Mont Blanc Mountain (France), with a Super 8 camera using the one-frame shoot mood. This moment was after a strong snowstorm. The atmosphere was full of fog which worked as a sort of a diffuser for the sunlight. It was really amazing.

#carlaandrade

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papermoonloveslucy · 3 years

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MRS. COOPER THINKS LIZ IS PREGNANT

May 21, 1950

“Mrs. Cooper Thinks Liz is Pregnant” is episode #89 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on May 21, 1950.

Synopsis ~ Liz tells George's mother that she's ill so the older Mrs. Cooper won't try to come to Liz's bridge game, but George's Mother thinks Liz is really pregnant, and tells all of Liz's friends what she thinks.

Note: Despite the word ‘pregnant’ being in the title, it is never spoken aloud in the episode. This was also true of the “I Love Lucy” episode, “Pregnant Women are Unpredictable” (ILL S2;E11). CBS censors found the word distasteful, but titles were originally used only for internal use. Unlike Lucy Ricardo, Liz Cooper never had children - that we know of!

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benadaret was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) had worked with Lucille Ball on “The Wonder Show” on radio in 1938. One of the front-runners to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” he eventually played Alvin Littlefield, owner of the Tropicana, during two episodes in 1952. After playing a Judge in an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, he would re-team with Lucy for all of her subsequent series’: as Theodore J. Mooney in ”The Lucy Show”; as Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy”; and as Curtis McGibbon on “Life with Lucy.” Gordon died in 1995 at the age of 89.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricardo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz (above right), a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

GUEST CAST

Eleanor Audley (Letitia Cooper, George’s Mother) was born Eleanor Zellman in Newark, New Jersey. Audley was a New York born actress who performed in eight Broadway plays between 1926 and 1944. On radio, she appeared in several episodes of Lucille Ball’s “My Favorite Husband,” such as “The Mother-in-Law” (1949), “George is Messy” (1950), “Dinner for 12″ (1950), and “The Two Mothers-in-Law” (1951), in which she plays George’s mother, Letitia Cooper. Audley was first seen with Lucille Ball as Mrs. Spaulding, the first owner of the Ricardo’s Westport home in “Lucy Wants to Move to the Country” (ILL S6;E15). She returned to “I Love Lucy” to play one of the garden club judges in “Lucy Raises Tulips” (ILL S6;E26) in April 1957. Audley appeared one last time with Lucille Ball in a “Lucy Saves Milton Berle” (TLS S4;E13) in 1965. She played a society reporter named Eleanor. She is probably best known, however, as the voice of two of Disney’s most memorable animated villainesses: Lady Tremaine, the wicked stepmother in Cinderella (1950); and the evil Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959). She served as the physical model for both characters.

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers today, its late afternoon, and George Cooper is just coming home from the bank.”

George greets Liz with a kiss. He tells her that he had lunch with his mother. She wants Liz to go shopping with her tomorrow afternoon. Liz has a bridge luncheon. Now that mother Cooper knows about it, she’s sure to want to attend. Liz says she always describes herself as a ‘spare’ if anyone drops out. Liz complains that she picks all the pecans out of the mixed nuts.

LIZ: “If she brings any more of that cheese spread she makes, we’ll all drop out.”

Liz is having two tables of bridge and nine would be a crowd. Just then Mother Cooper (Elizabeth Audley) telephones.

LIZ: “Well, the pecan picker didn’t waste any time.”

Mother tells George she wants to speak to Liz. The conversation is awkward. Mother isn’t asking, and Liz isn’t offering. Mother coyly asks Liz what she’s doing tomorrow.

LIZ: “Two o’clock and bring your own pecans.”

Mother has already made the cheese spread. They hang up the phone.

LIz tells Katie that tomorrow she will be too sick to have breakfast. And too sick to have the bridge luncheon. Katie is concerned but Liz says it is all a ruse to get George’s mother not to attend her bridge party. Katie wonders what ailment she she have? Liz suggests something with a Camille-like cough.

Camille is a 1936 MGM film based on the 1848 novel and 1852 play La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils, is about a woman (Greta Garbo in the film) dying from consumption, a wasting disease that caused the coughing up of blood. The film starred Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, and Lionel Barrymore. In “The Dancing Star” (ILL S4;E27) during the song "How About You?” Van Johnson sings about “Greta Garbo’s looks” to which Lucy ad libs “Did you see ‘Camille’?” In “Lucy Gets Into Pictures” (ILL S4;E19), Ricky tells the director “She thinks she’s playing Camille. She’s been practicing dying all day long!”

George is alarmed that Liz is ill on the day of her bridge luncheon. George agrees to phone his mother and tell her it’s off. Liz celebrates her award-winning performance by telling Katie to fix her a big breakfast. George returns with good news: Mother Cooper is coming over to be her nurse!

LIZ: “Aaaargh! I just had a relapse!”

End of Part One

Announcer Bob LeMond provides a recipe for Raspberry Snow, using Raspberry Jell-O, a warm-weather dessert!

ANNOUNCER: “As we return to the Coopers, we find that Liz’s pretended illness has hit a snag. A snag called Mother Cooper. George is just leaving for the bank.”

When George is finally gone, Katie serves Liz the big breakfast she ordered. She says the toast and warm milk George insisted she eat was terrible.

KATIE: “I’ve never had warm milk and toast. How does it taste?” LIZ: “Like hot cotton and white shoe polish.”

Before she can even tuck in the doorbell rings. Katie admits Mother Cooper. Liz wants her not to worry - just to go home, but Mother Cooper insists on nursing Liz back to health.

It becomes clear that Mother Cooper is on to Liz’s deception; strange pains and queasy in the morning. She reminds Liz that she was a mother once herself and takes to calling herself Grandma. Liz insists it is not what Mother Cooper thinks it is.

The phone rings and Mother answers it - it is Iris Atterbury. Mother can’t keep it to herself and tells Iris that the Cooper house is soon to hear the patter of little feet! Iris won’t believe Liz’s story about a cold.

IRIS: “What do you want? A boy cold or a girl cold? I know how much you and George have always wanted a cold.”

Liz asks her to tell all the girls that the bridge party is off. Iris promises she will tell all the girls but doesn’t say about what. After she hangs up with Iris, Mother Cooper promises to keep her well fed

MOTHER: “After all, you’re eating for two now!” LIZ: “Two? I haven’t even been able to eat for one!”

Mother Cooper rushes off to prepare her a big breakfast - of toast and warm milk.

At the bank, Mr. Atterbury calls George into his office and offers him a cigar.

MR. ATTERBURY: “Congratulations, boy! It isn’t every day you become a father.”

He says that Liz told Iris a few moments ago. George is astonished!

GEORGE: “I’d better call Liz.” MR. ATTERBURY: “She knows about it.”

George is completely flustered by the news. Mr. Atterbury says that a raise might be in store. He says that they are going to take the afternoon off and go see Liz. On the way, they’ll stop and get the ‘boy’ some toys: A baseball bat, some boxing gloves, an air rifle, and a chemistry set.

Back at the Cooper home, Liz begs mother to go home - she’ll be fine.

MOTHER COOPER: “What are you going to call the baby?” LIZ: “Virus.”

Mother Cooper implies that she might name a girl after her, but Liz says she’d never name a child Budinsky Cooper. Iris bursts in just as Liz is about to tell Mother Cooper the truth. George and Mr. Atterbury burst in as well, both congratulating Liz.

LIZ: “What did they put this in? Skywriting?”

When Liz hears about the raise - she bursts into tears. Mr. Atterbury decides to raise it to $100 a month! More tears!

MOTHER COOPER: “I’m going to be a Grandmother!” MR. ATTERBURY: “I’m going to be a Godfather!” IRIS: “I’m going to be a Godmother!” GEORGE: “I’m going to be a Father!” LIZ: “I’ll pass.”

Liz tells them they will have a long time to wait. Mr. Atterbury is going to put the $100 in the bank under the baby’s name. George says his baby will be worth hundreds! Liz says it might be thousands!

LIZ: “In fact George, don’t be surprised if I give birth to a millionaire!”

End of Episode

In the Jell-O tag, Lucille is Honest Abe Foghorn, a blustery politician, and Bob LeMond is a reporter interviewing him. Foghorn promises a chicken in every pot and a box of Jell-O in every cupboard!

Herbert Hoover’s 1928 campaign slogan “A Chicken in Every Pot and a Car in Every Garage” was satirized in “Lucy Goes Into Politics” (TLS S2;E25) in March 1964 when Mr. Mooney runs for Danfield Comptroller as “A Chicken in Every Pot and a Mooney in Every Garage!”

Foghorn tells everyone to go to the polls and vote for Jell-O pudding.

#My Favorite Husband #Lucille Ball #Elizabeth Audley #Richard Denning #Bob LeMond #Radio #CBS #1950 #Gale Gordon #Bea Benadaret #Herbert Hoover #I Love Lucy #Camille

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louismirage · 6 years

Text

And My Heart Is A Hollow Plain~ XV

Its the 1600s and all Louis wants is the freedom he knows he will never taste again.

He knew happiness, knew a good life and love. Had dreams and reasons to see the good in people, to expect good things from life.

Forced into a marriage he will never get out of, all he’s looking for is a breath of life. Maybe something or someone to come save him from the hell he knows.

I am so so sorry for taking forever to post this, but I just finished it just now! This is the last chapter before the epilogue so I hope you guys like it. Enjoy!!

~XV

A week after the twins were born, Harry didn’t expect to see his sister Gemma walk through the door. She was holding her husband’s hand and a woman who Harry assumed was the nanny was following behind holding a baby boy in her arms. While Harry was sure Gemma was fine with letting someone else take care of her son while she attended to her duties, he knew it wasn’t going to be like that for Louis.

His lovely husband refused to let anybody else that wasn’t himself or Harry take care of their babies. He spent all day with them and it was like a dream for Harry. He never thought he would have his own family.

“Alexandre, Gemma.” Harry greeted them. “It’s good to see you.”

“Harry, it’s good to see you too. How are you? How’s your husband and your children?” The man asked with a thick French accent. He was a tall brown-eyed man with blond hair down to his shoulders. Harry considered him to be handsome, but would never be comparable to his husband’s beauty.

“They’re doing wonderful.” Harry smiled. Everytime he talked about them, his heart soared with love.

“I cannot wait to meet them.” Gemma smiled as she wrapped her arms around her younger brother.

“And I cannot wait for you to meet them. They’re my everything, Gemma.”

“I can tell. Your eyes sparkle when you talk of them. Father and mother?” She kissed his cheek then held his hands in hers.

“They’re in their bedroom. They did not tell me you were coming. It was a great surprise.”

“They do not know either. I wanted to surprise you.” Gemma said, then looked at the woman holding the small child in her arms, opening her own gently taking her firstborn. “And this is Noé.”

“May I?” Harry asked.

Gemma nodded and let the future king hold her child. Alexandre wrapped his arm around Gemma’s waist, watching his firstborn look at his uncle as he settled down comfortably in the man’s arms. It now came so naturally for Harry to hold a child, especially when he would hold his own children all the time. He and Louis would take afternoon walks with their babies and every passing day, Harry’s feelings for the blue eyed beauty only grew stronger. It was safe to say Harry couldn’t live without Louis. He slept peacefully at night when he was sure Louis felt the same way. He felt it every time Louis kissed him, every time Louis let him hold him and the way he would hold him too. As if Harry was his lifeline. Harry was so in love with him.

“I’m sure they will be delighted to see you three. They are finally going to meet their grandson.” Harry said.

“My Gemmaline!”

They looked up and saw their mother walking down the stairs with Louis, Lucy and the babies. Anne quickly gave her grandson Adam to Lucy then rushed to hug his daughter. Louis carried Elizabeth in his arms, being careful and making sure Lucy was being careful too as they walked down the stairs. Louis started feeling nervous out of nowhere when he was about to meet his husband’s sister for the very first time. He knew Harry had told her about him in the letters he had sent her, but it still scared him that she might not like him.

Now that all three of them were together, Louis could see the similarities between the three of them. They both looked like their mother. Louis smiled at the way Anne was holding her daughter then when she finally got to meet and hold her grandson who was only a few months older than his children.

“Gemma, Alexandre, this is Louis, my queen.” Harry wrapped his arm around Louis’ waist, bringing him closer to him and his sister. “Lou, this is my sister Gemma and her husband Alexandre.” He introduced them, seeing Louis nodding once and shyly smiling at them.

“You are even more beautiful in person. Brother did not do you any justice when he described you in one of his letters.” Gemma grabbed his hand. “May I?” She opened her arms, asking for a hug, and smiled when Louis hugged her.

“Gemma is right.” Louis heard Alexandre say, seeing him squeezing Harry’s shoulder.

Gemma let go then looked down at the baby Louis was holding, asking for permission to hold her. Louis nodded and gently placed his daughter in Gemma’s arms then his son, knowing Gemma wasn’t going to drop them. Louis could see how happy Anne was now that all her family was there, and smiled even brighter when Desmond joined them.

“Alexandre.” Desmond greeted him then looked at his precious daughter and hugged her. ”Darling, what a beautiful surprise.” He hugged Gemma then kissed her cheeks.

“We wanted you and mother to meet our Noé. It is finally safe to travel long distances now that he is older.” Gemma smiled when Desmond took his oldest grandson in his arms.

“We would have traveled sooner, darling, but we had quite a lot of things going on here.” Des explained with a smile on his face. He looked at his newborn grandchildren with a proud smile, letting Harry and Louis know not to take it the wrong way.

“You must be tired!” Anne exclaimed. “Why don’t you go rest for a few hours then we can have dinner together. It will give the cook's time to make a special dinner for tonight.”

“Sounds lovely.” Alexandre returned her smile then looked at Harry and Louis. “It was lovely to meet you, Louis. Harry.” He smiled then grabbed his son from his grandfather’s arms.

Gemma gave the newborns back to their parents then grabbed her mother’s hand and let her walk with her to the bedroom Lucy had requested someone else to start getting ready. Harry looked down at his daughter then at Louis who was giving all his attention to their little Adam. Harry wanted to tell him how beautiful he looked with the rays of the sun caressing his hair, the strands changing to a lighter brown. He was just about to open his mouth, but his daughter’s cries interrupted him.

“She probably needs to be changed.” Louis said as he watched his husband trying to see if she smelled.

“I do not smell anything.” Harry wrinkled his nose, holding the baby up to get another whiff.

“We have to go see.” Louis chuckled at Harry’s antics.

“After you, my love.” Harry grinned, dimple and all.

Louis walked back to their bedroom, watching the way Harry was cooing at their daughter to get her to calm down. Harry was the best with their babies, having gotten used to fatherhood quite fast. Louis felt butterflies in his stomach every time he looked at Harry, and he felt so happy when Harry would give their babies all of his attention. It turns out Elizabeth was just fussy when the absorbing cloth covering her bottom was still dry. Louis felt bad for whoever had to wash them.

“We should probably pay more money to whoever washes their clothes.” Louis suggested as Harry made his way to the bed to lay down with Elizabeth. The prince happily took his son and heir when Louis laid the baby down on top of his chest.

“I’ll make sure she gets paid more, love.” Harry kissed Elizabeth’s little fist then the top of Adam’s head. “Come lay with me. I haven’t had the chance to hold you.”

“You did this morning.” Louis said, quickly making his way to his side of the bed. He picked up their daughter then laid down next to Harry, placing his head on the man’s chest and making sure his daughter was comfortable on top of his chest.

“But I want to hold you longer.” Harry said as he rubbed his son’s back.

Louis looked up at him and kissed his jaw. “And I want you to hold me too. As long as you want.”

“I will. Everyday for the rest of my life.” Harry looked down at Louis, reaching to kiss his forehead.

Louis bit his bottom lip trying to suppress a smile, but he couldn’t when Harry was looking at him that way he always did. It made Louis feel butterflies in his stomach and he didn’t know what to do with himself, always ending up losing his train of thought. If Louis had to do everything all over again to end up here where he was, with the man he was in love and their children, he would do it all over again. He wouldn’t hesitate.

“We should nap before dinner so we are well rested.” Harry suggested, just as the babies started whimpering.

“Sounds good, but after I feed them.” Louis sat up and started unbuttoning his shirt, knowing Harry was staring at him.

When he was ready, Harry helped him by placing the babies in his arms. They liked to eat at the same time and Louis was not going to deny them that. Louis looked down at them, smiling when Elizabeth opened her eyes only to close them seconds later. When they were done, they took a much needed nap, waking up just in time for dinner.

The next day the news had already spread all over London and nearby towns. The king would be hosting a banquet to celebrate the birth of his three grandchildren the next day. Then it would be followed by a celebration later that day where everybody in town was invited. During both events, the king would be introducing his children’s spouses and then their children.

Soon the castle and the whole town had been decorated to celebrate the arrival of the new heirs. The market and many other businesses had closed for the day to give chance for the commoners to get ready for the celebration. They were wearing their best clothes and mothers tried to keep their children from dirtying them when the celebration hadn’t even started yet.

That same day, Louis found himself dressed in his best clothes and sitting next to Harry at the long table filled with the finest people in England. Their meal consisted of roast lamb with roasted butternut squash and herby new potatoes. It was Louis’ favorite meal so far. He could see many of the guests staring at him as he ate, but he could care less when he could do whatever he wanted. He was the soon to be queen. He could see many of the jealous faces glaring daggers at him whenever Harry would feed him and encourage him to eat whatever he wanted.

When Dinner was over, Des slowly sat up at the head of the table and started giving a speech. He then introduced Gemma and her husband Alexandre and finally their son Noé who Des was now holding. He was the proud grandfather of the future king of France.

When it was finally time to introduce Louis and their children, Harry stood up and helped Louis up as well. Louis held Elizabeth while Harry had Adam in his hold. Both parents looked proud of their little blessings and the guests had never seen multiples born in the royal family, which meant those children were destined for greatness.

“I would like to introduce the future king and queen of England, my son and heir Harry and his consort Louis.” Des announced to his subjects with a smile on his face. “And their children. Our heir to the throne prince Adam Edward, and princess Anne Elizabeth Charlotte.” Des proudly introduced them just like he had introduced Gemma’s son.

The guests smiled and clapped, welcoming the new members of the family. After that was done, the celebration continued in the gardens of the castle where the town was celebrating. Harry and Louis stayed near the entrance, sitting in front of a table with their little ones in their arms. There was music playing and many people dancing in the middle of the garden. There were tables full of food and drinks for the guests as well as sweets especially made for the children. Louis still could not believe Des and Anne had done all of that to introduce his children.

“They love you and our children.” Harry told him, moving his chair closer to Louis’. He could see the small smile forming on his lips when he knew no one had ever told him that except for him.

“I know they do, Harry.” Louis told him, a warm smile on his face.

However, there was a part of him that was a bit sad. Harry always talked about how much the kingdom loved him and even his family, but Harry had never said the three words to him. Deep down it hurt Louis, though these feelings seemed silly in his head. Harry had shown him so much love over these past months that Louis shouldn’t have a doubt in his mind. But there he was doubting him despite everything Harry had done for him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed that his lovely husband was frowning and it worried him. “Louis, my darling. What is wrong? I thought that would make you happy knowing that everyone loves you and wants you as their queen.”

“Of course it does.” Louis was quick to take his hands and reassure him.

“Then why do you frown?” He asked, concern echoing in his deep voice.

“Because, I don’t want to know if they love me or not, not when that is not important to me.” Louis confessed, his voice soft and gentle but honest. Then he took a deep breath and looked directly into Harry’s eyes, searching for the truth. “I want to know if you love me.”

Harry was speechless. Even though he had not said the words, he had thought that he had made it overwhelmingly clear. He wrapped his arms around Louis and brought him even closer. Then he raised his right hand and stroked his queen’s soft cheek. “Remember that day we posed for our first portrait together? When you were still pregnant with my heirs?” Harry asked him. “You looked so beautiful sitting there with sun shining perfectly on your face. Your eyes looked so blue that day and your hair looked like it was spun out of golden threads.”

“I remember,” Louis blushed. “You looked handsome too, my king.”

“That was the day I realized that I was falling in love with you.”

Louis’ breath hitched and his heart soared.

“By the time you agreed to marry me, I knew that I had found the person that I wanted to rule over all of England with.”

Harry tilted Louis head back, his lips brushing against his husbands. “I love you.”

Louis felt like his face was on fire when he heard Harry said those words, words that had been longing to hear. He leaned forward and kissed Harry, locking their lips together, showing him how much he loved him.

Louis pulled away, wanting to voice how much he loved Harry too. “I love you too. Always and forever.”

Harry smiled and hugged him tighter. ‘Even after death. No matter how many lives we live after we go, it will always be you.” He promised him, kissing him again when Louis’ eyes shined with tears.

~*~

Gemma and her family ended up spending three weeks with them, something that made Harry happy when his whole family was together. As the days passed, he had started doing more duties after his father had let him know it was time to learn how to handle everything. Harry was next in line to the throne, and he needed to be well prepared to be worthy of the crown.

After they were over by noon, he would sit down with Louis and their children out in the garden to have their newest portrait done. Both he and Louis had let out a relieved sigh when the artist had finally announced that he was finished. A few days later, their portrait was hanging on the wall in the main hall, next to the many others of Harry’s ancestors. They had on the biggest smiles, and they were brighter than the sun.

During August the days were hot and humid. Louis would spend them with their children outside, where he could be under the shade of the many trees they had. Sometimes a nice breeze would blow by to help cool them down, but it wasn’t enough. It was hell for Harry when he had to dress properly to attend to his duties. He found himself walking down the long corridor in the stable looking for his horse. He was so hot that he hoped the horses were outside and not in the hell they called stable. He turned the corner and stopped in his tracks at the same time Zayn and Liam pulled away from each other as if they had been burned.

“Harry!” Zayn exclaimed as he fixed his clothes.

“Your majesty.” Liam greeted him. His face was as red as a tomato and their hair was a mess.

“Call me Harry, Liam. No need for formalities.” Harry smiled.

“Did you need something?” Zayn asked him.

“I do.” Harry nodded. “Where is Niall? We have places to be and I need you three to accompany me.”

“I’ll look for him. He was with Lucy last time I saw him.” Liam excused himself then walked out of there as fast as he could.

When he was gone, Harry stared at Zayn. He smirked when Zayn blushed when he had never seen the man do that in all the years he had known him.

“Are you happy?” Harry asked.

“What?” Zayn gave him a confused look.

“Does he make you happy?” Harry asked again.

“We have only been … together for a few months.” Zayn answered, then smiled when he started thinking about him. “But I am happy. He makes me happy.”

“That’s what matters.” Harry squeezed his shoulder. “Lets go before it gets dark. Louis does not like it when I am out so late.”

“How is he doing? The babies?” Zayn asked him.

“Doing wonderful like always. You should visit more often.”

“I would, but I do not wish to intrude or interrupt.” Zayn shrugged.

“Zayn.” Harry stopped walking and looked at the man. “We grew up together, you and Niall are like my brothers. You are always welcome.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Zayn nodded with a smile on his face.

Soon enough they were on their way to visit a town nearby, where there were many people in need of help and a lot more hoping their Prince would help them come to an agreement on issues they had. Their stop was Doncaster, a town that brought many memories to Harry. He was going to meet the Earl, the man who had stripped Louis off of everything that was his. He would never say he had also taken everything from their children when that was not true. His heirs had everything they needed and more, one day his little Adam would be crowned king. He would rule over all of England.

He was welcomed by a multitude of people showing him their respects and was given gifts. But even though they had made an effort to conceal their poor, those who needed help, Harry could still see through everything. When he finally met the new Earl and saw the smile on his face, he knew he would soon wipe it off completely.

“Your majesty.” The Earl bowed down to him. “It’s an honor to have you here.”

“Thank you.” Harry nodded once. “It’s been quite a while since I was last here.” He looked around, then started walking around and greeting people who would come to him.

“Shall we go inside?” The Earl interrupted him. “I understand the journey was long and you must be exhausted and hungry.”

“We would like to rest before we eat.” Harry told him.

The Earl nodded then ordered a few servants to carry Harry’s things to a guest room. Harry made sure Liam, Zayn and Niall were close by. When he finally walked into the room that had been given to him he paused and looked around, then grinned when he realized it was Louis’ bedroom. He looked around the room where he had impregnated Louis. It looked different now, but Harry did not mind.

He got a few hours of sleep before he absolutely had to attend dinner. It was nothing new nor exciting and he wanted to get it over with and go home the next day. He did not like traveling during the night and expose himself the way he used to before. When he got tired of being in bed, he got up and walked around the room then made his way to the window that faced the street.

The first thing he saw were the dirty streets, then the many people going on about their day. He would no longer flinch whenever he saw the homeless and thought to himself how there shouldn’t be that many. Doncaster was not a poor town, and everybody should have a place to live. Harry made sure his father always remembered that. As Harry slowly took over, he always made sure to do everything possible so his people had jobs. So his people didn’t suffer. He could see Liam walking down the street with Zayn, and a smile made his way to his lips when he saw him and Zayn helping them out as much as they could.

Later that day, as he cleaned himself up to attend dinner, Harry knew what he was going to do. He walked into the room with authority, even when he was only visiting. He looked around and smirked when he found the Earl sitting at the head of the table. As soon as the man saw him, he stood up and offered him the seat next to him. Harry thanked him and sat down to eat. They ate in silence until they were done, then Harry made sure to ask for a tour of the city.

“A tour, you say?” The Earl asked.

“Why not? I want to see how things are going here. It is my duty after all. To make sure everything is going well and if not, then it will help me look for a solution to the problem.” Harry explained, arching an eyebrow when the Earl was about to protest.

They stared each other down until the Earl ws clearing his throat and looking away. “Very well, I’ll have someone get the horses ready.”

“Wonderful.” Harry gave him a smile then drank the wine he had left in his wine glass. He licked his lips as he looked out the window, pretending he couldn’t see the Earl glaring at him.

When the horses were ready they set out to look around town where the more poverty Harry saw, the more he was sure about his decision. He spent another two days in Doncaster, and the more he stayed the more he missed Louis and their children. On his last day there before he was due to leave, he delivered his final message. New changes were needed and new people were necessary.

Liam Payne was to be the new Earl of Doncaster per the king’s orders. The reactions had been exactly what he thought they would be like. A hopeful one for the many who wanted a better life and outrage from the old Earl. It didn’t take long for the man to completely lose it and charge at Harry with a dagger in his hand. The sharp end of it was inches away from Harry’s chest, right above his heart when the older man stopped short. Harry laid on the ground panting as he tried to figure out what had just happened. When he finally did, the older man coughed out blood then fell next to Harry.

Harry stared at him as he fell, then looked up again to see Niall looking down at the man with wide eyes, holding a dagger in his hand. His hand started shaking then quickly dropped it on the ground and stumbled back.

“I did not– I…” He struggled to speak, looking at Harry with eyes full of fear.

“You’ve saved his life.” Zayn was quick to grab him before he could take off. “You saved the prince’s life.” He repeated.

Harry got up and slowly made his way to Niall, and as soon as he was close enough he placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed for comfort as he nodded. He would forever be grateful and would never forget it.

“Let’s go home.” Harry said then looked at Liam. “If you accept, you’ll have to move back in a few days.”

“It would be an honor.” Liam bowed down. He then looked at Zayn with worried eyes, only to find the man he had come to deeply care about already looking at him with a smile on his face.

~*~

The door to the warm bedroom was slowly opened, revealing Louis asleep on the bed and his children asleep next to him. A smile made its way onto Harry’s face at the sight in front of him. He slowly made his way to the babies and gently picked his son up placing him in his crib with a kiss to the forehead then did the same with his daughter. Once they were settled, he took his clothes off then washed himself, all without waking Louis up who was probably exhausted. When he was done, he climbed in bed with Louis and wrapped his arms around the smaller man, bringing him close to him. Louis continued sleeping, and soon Harry was in a deep sleep after the long way home back from Doncaster.

The following morning he felt drowsy and tried to move away from the harsh rays of the sun, getting comfortable when he could feel Louis next to him. He could feel him running his fingers through his hair then his gentle kisses along his jaw.

“You didn’t wake me up.” Louis murmured. “And no one told me you were coming back so late. I do not like when you travel at night. Makes me nervous.”

Harry licked his lips and tried to open his eyes, but had to close them again when the light bothered him. Instead of answering he wrapped his arms around Louis’ waist and brought him close to him. He didn’t say anything when he knew Louis liked to welcome him home as soon as he walked through the door.

“You looked comfortable and I didn't have the heart to wake you up.” Harry explained, not saying anything else when Louis stayed quiet. They looked each other in the eyes and Louis got comfortable next to Harry. Words weren’t needed at all except for one little thing.

“I love you.” Harry kissed the top of Louis’ head, his lips lingering more than necessary.

“I love you too.” Louis closed his eyes to continue sleeping, but it was impossible when the bedroom was too bright and the babies started crying.

Louis loudly sighed and got up to get them. He grabbed Adam first and set him on the bed, seeing Harry picking him up, then grabbed Elizabeth and made his way back to the bed. He let Harry help him so he could feed them, then sat comfortable on the bed with Harry laying next to him, his arm wrapped around his waist and his face buried on the space between Louis’ back and the headboard. Adam kept unlatching and crying no matter how many times Louis would help him latch on again as he started getting worried.

“Is something wrong?” Harry asked and seconds later sat up.

“He is just having a little trouble eating. She was doing the same yesterday but she is fine now.” Louis told him.

“I can get the doctor if you want.” Harry suggested.

“There is no need for that, Harry.” Louis told him as he kept his eyes on his son.

“Fine. I won’t have anyone bring him over.” Harry said, then started biting on his bottom lip wondering if it was the right time to tell Louis what his father had told him a while back, then decided it was best to do it now when the date was getting closer. “Father wants us to be crowned soon. He said he’s getting old and tired and would like to spend the rest of his days with mother.”

Louis looked at him with a small smile on his face. “If that’s what he wants. And we know your father will live a long life.” He said, looking down when Elizabeth stopped eating to sneeze then continued eating without a care in the world.

“I hope so, love.” Harry said, reaching out to place his hand on Louis’ cheek, feeling the soft skin on his fingertips.

~*~

The big day finally happened a month after that morning. Harry was in his best attire and wearing his coronation robe, looking like a proper king. Louis sat beside him dressed up to the royal’s standards, looking like a proper queen to be. He had told himself many times that he was ready to rule over England along Harry, but the truth was that he was not ready at all. He had not been born a royal, and he had not received the training that he knew Harry had received and that soon their children would too. All his life he had been told that as a the bearer of the mark, his only role in life was to please and listen to his husband as well as birth his babies.

He had always been told that he was not worth a thing, that he was only there as if he was one more piece of furniture. Going from being told that every day of his life to being told that he is important and worth it, that he was capable of anything he wanted was overwhelming for him. Harry made him feel loved and important, like everything was good in the world. Harry made him feel human.

He looked at Harry whose hair was being combed back, making him smile when his stubborn curls kept escaping no matter how hard the man tried to tame them. He ended up leaving it alone and down, letting it curl around Harry’s shoulders. When he finally left them alone, Louis got up from his seat and slowly made his way to stand next to Harry and stood behind him, placing his hands on Harry’s shoulders. Their babies were with Lucy and Edith so they were not worried about them.

“You look very handsome, love.” Louis kissed the top of Harry’s head, smiling when Harry grabbed his hands in his then kissed them each twice.

“And you look gorgeous. You always do, and today more than ever.” Harry turned around to look at him. He started leaning down to kiss him, only getting to peck his lips before they were interrupted by Zayn who had traveled all the way from Doncaster with Liam to watch the coronation.

They followed him to the coronation room still holding hands and never letting go. When they got there, Des and Anne were standing their respective thrones and an assistant of the court showed the future king and queen to their respective places. The Archbishop of Canterbury started the ceremony right away after the congregation had accepted Harry as their new monarch, he then started saying a few prayers for the soon to be former monarchs of England and a few others for the new ones. He wished them a long, healthy and successful life and monarchy.

Louis’ hands were starting to shake as soon as Des and Anne walked away from the thrones and he and Harry were motioned to get closer. It calmed him down when Harry never let go of his hand, even when they were standing in front of the congregation and the coronation chair for Harry.

“Harry Edward Styles.” The Archbishop started. “Do you swear to maintain and preserve the doctrine, worship, discipline, and the Government of Great Britain...according to its respectives laws and customs.”

“I swear to maintain and preserve the doctrine, worship, discipline, and the Government of Great Britain…” Harry repeated as the Archbishop anointed him with holy oil as the choir sang the coronation anthem Zadok the Priest . “...according to its respectives laws and customs.” Harry finished, taking a seat in the coronation chair and Louis stood next to him.

As Harry sat in the coronation chair, the Archbishop presented him with the Regalia: the Orb, the Sceptre that symbolizes power, the rod with the Dove symbolising justice and mercy and finally the Coronation Ring. The moment was ethereal when the Archbishop placed St Edward’s crown on Harry’s head, hearing the congregation acclaimed him with loud and repeated shouts. Harry watched with a proud smile as the Archbishop anointed Louis with holy oil, gave Louis the Consorts Ring then a crown specifically made for him was placed on his head. Harry had ordered it to be specifically made of gold and blue topaz stones.

Louis looked beautiful and worthy of being a queen, worthy of ruling England with him.

When Louis’ coronation was over, Harry grabbed his hand and together left the Coronation Chair and moved to the throne, in full sight of the whole congregation and sat in it, taking possession of the kingdom. Louis sitting next to him in his own chair.

The Archbishop gave his blessing then Harry and Louis withdrew to St Edward’s chapel. There he put on a robe of purple velvet and exchanged St Edward’s Crown for the Imperial State Crown before finally processing through the Abbey to the annexe at the west end. The four and a half mile return to the castle was a chance for the crowds to get the best possible chance to see their new King and Queen Consort.

When they were back, Harry was given his son to hold and Louis was given their daughter. They once again took a seat in their thrones, greeting people who would get close to give them gifts and their blessings. By the end of the day, after the biggest celebration, they were finally allowed to retire to their bedroom. Their children were being taken care of by trusted people, giving Harry and Louis the chance to be alone. Louis had made sure to feed them first and bathe them with Harry’s help. Lucy and Edith had a place to sleep in the babies nursery whenever they were required to take care of the children, and it made Louis feel better knowing they were close by.

As soon as they were finally alone, Harry stared at Louis who was no longer wearing his crown. If he could, he would have Louis wearing it every day, just so his eyes would shine in contrast with the blue topaz decorating the crown. The blue topaz stones were a pretty blue color, but Louis’ eyes were bluer and prettier, like sapphire. He wanted to look at them for the rest of his life, and it was exactly what he was going to do.

“What are you thinking?” Louis cut through his thoughts. He was standing right in front of Harry, just watching the man who had been deep in thought.

“You.” Harry answered easily and slowly started getting closer to Louis.

A long time ago, Louis would have backed away in fear at the sight of a man approaching him. Even more when it was only them in the privacy of their bedroom. But now it wasn’t like that anymore. Now he took a few steps forward and met Harry halfway, letting the man wrap his arms around his waist.

“I remember when I first saw you.” Harry smiled against his neck, kissing the sweet skin as he spoke to him, his words genuine and soft. Louis leaned into the touch, always craving more. “Even then I thought you were the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. And every morning, I wake up and feel like I’m still dreaming.” The king complimented him, both ignoring the fact that the first time they had met, Louis had threatened him.

Louis blushed. “Stop Harry, your words are too much, too flattering for a boy like me.” He whispered shyly.

“A boy like you?” His husband questioned him. “Louis, you are my queen. You are everything to me. If you do not believe me, let me show you.” Harry slowly guided him to the large bed, laying his body down on the feather-filled mattress. “All queens deserve the royal treatment,” He told him as he gently undressed him, taking off the expensive clothing and kissing the exposed skin. Harry gave special attention to his stomach, making sure to worship even the scarred skin that had protected his twins while they were inside of him.

When Harry got to his member he kissed the tip and then trailed kisses down the side, loving how his lover released soft moans and shivered under his affection. Harry kept kissing until he reached Louis’ bum. He kissed each cheek and then spread them to peck his fluttering hole. But when he stopped to grab the oil, Louis spoke up.

“No. Harry.” Louis suddenly grabbed his wrist and brought it back to rest on his hip.

“What is it? Have I done something?”

“No! I just... I just do not want you to stop. I really love it when you kiss me there.” Louis turned bright red at his confession.

“Don’t worry my lovely Lou, I just wanted to get some oil. I do not want to hurt you.” Harry poured some oil on his fingers and then swirled them around his lover’s hole. He pressed his index finger in, gently massaging Louis’ walls until he fit that spot inside of him that had the queen crying out. Harry leaned down and added another finger along with his tongue. He sucked on the rim as he curled his fingers making sure to hit Louis’ bundle of nerves every time, his screams getting louder and louder. With his other hand, Harry alternated between pumping Louis’ cock and fondling his balls.

“Oh, Harry. Feels so good my king. But I–” Louis let out a loud moan as he arched his back, “I want you inside of me. I want to come on your cock.”

“I would like that too,” Harry smirked and then removed his fingers and tongue from his hole. He undressed and then climbed on top of him, draping himself over his lover’s tiny body. He lined his dick up with Louis’ loose entrance. Harry felt Louis wrap his arms around him as he entered his tight heat, shivering from the feeling.

“Louis, you feel so good darling.” Harry told him as he pounded into him, then he kissed his lips, enjoying their sweet taste.

Louis ran his fingernails down Harry’s back, crying out when Harry changed the angle and went faster, continuously hitting that special spot inside of him. “I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you,” Louis chanted overwhelmed by the glorious feeling. He never wanted it to stop.

“I love you so much too, darling.” Harry told him as he softly stroked his hair. “Now come for me, sweetheart. Come for your king.” Not even a moment later, Louis released his seed onto his tummy, painting it white. Harry followed him soon after burying his head in his lover’s neck crying out as he did. Louis smiled at his husbands blissful expression when he as finished, only waiting a few seconds before Harry pulled out and then laid beside him.

Louis quickly scooted closer to him and laid his head on his husband’s chest at the same time Harry reached for something. He showed the small black velvet box to Louis before telling him to take it. He watched Louis open it and studied his reaction. He knew he had liked it when his blue eyes shined and he hurried to take the gold pendant out of the box.

“I love doves.” Louis murmured as he traced his finger over the small gold doves.

They were two small doves joined together by their beaks, as if they were kissing. One of their legs were joined together by their breasts and the other one stretched below them as if they were holding hands. Each Dove had a stone on their breast; blue and purple.

“I wanted mine to be green, but I was going with birthstones and it turns out mine is amethyst.” Harry explained. “You are lucky to have gotten blue topaz.” He teased.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Harry.” Louis gave him a kiss then gave Harry the pendant. “Can you put it on for me?” He asked.

Of course, love.” Harry smiled, and while he put it on, he asked him a question. “Do you know what doves symbolize?”

“I know they symbolize peace and love.” Louis answered.

“They do.” Harry nodded. “They also symbolize purity and freedom.”

“Freedom…” Louis trailed off as he held hands with Harry and looked down at his pendant.

“We will always have that.” Harry lifted his hands and kissed them. He looked into Louis’ blue eyes with his green ones and spoke the words he had always wanted to say. “We will always have love, peace, purity and freedom. We are equals, and we are free.”

Louis thought he wouldn’t ever hear those words, much less believe them if he ever did. But looking into Harry’s eyes made them real.

He believed them.

I will post the Epilogue as soon as I finish it. *For the coronation part, I googled how it was done then tried to keep it as close as I could. I hope it wasn't disappointing.*

#Louis Tomlinson #LouisTomlinson #Harry Styles #HarryStyles #Larry Stylinson #LarryStylinson #Mpreg #Pregnant!Louis #Bottom!Louis #Top!Harry #New Fic #NewFic

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hrrytomlinson · 7 years

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Unique AUs I’ve Read

I have a list of fics on my phone that are so unique, so different, so specific to a certain theme/genre, that you could literally find nothing else like it on ao3 (in my opinion). When authors deep dive into a universe, the reader falls in love with the characters and plot. These plots are some of the most unique ones I’ve ever come across. Enjoy.

No Matter Where You Are (No Matter How Far) by @ceaseand-exist, 35k

An Everest AU where Louis sets out to climb the tallest mountain on the world and meets a curly-haired guy named Harry who worms his way into Louis's life. It's not long before reaching the summit becomes the least of Louis's worries.

Behavioural Ecology by @turtlekz, 81k

Louis Tomlinson is a primatologist working with the Jane Goodall Institute for primate conservation; and Harry Styles is the photojournalist sent from National Geographic to write a piece promoting awareness about the endangered species. They meet, and love is never, ever simple, as we know.

Featuring Eli the chimpanzee, bickering humans, storytelling, and five men who come to gain an understanding of what it means to be human; all stationed in the Republic of the Congo.

Coax the Cold by @mediawhorefics, 86k

England, 1897.

English Professor Louis Tomlinson’s passion for the occult has been a source of mockery and derision for most of his life. When he hears whispers of a travelling freak show newly established in London claiming the existence of a monstrous sea hybrid, half-man, half-fish, Louis sees it as his ticket to credibility amongst his peers. The summer he spends undercover working on the show, however, gives him much more than that.

Run Away Home by @hattalove, 106k

Louis stands, in the middle of a clearing with his hands in his pockets, and stares. This boy—God, this gorgeous, gorgeous boy. He seems so clumsy, confused at the best of times, but there’s a wisdom about him as he speaks, a maturity that belies his age.

Louis is hopelessly, wildly attracted to him.

Or, Louis is a successful jockey down on his luck, struggling to get his life back on track after an injury. Harry has a horse, a house fit for a prince, and a broken heart.

It takes them a while to figure out that they need each other.

Above Your Head by @heypopstar, 57k

What happens when an unstoppable object meets an immovable force?

Space AU. Louis is an astronaut. Harry works for Mission Control. They don't get along.

Paint The Sky With Stars by @icanhazzalou, 62k

On 10 April 1912, Harry Styles boards the finest ship the world has ever seen. Still grieving the death of their mother, he and his sister are being sent to America to live with a callous uncle who cares more about his business connections than family. Harry prepares himself for a long, disappointing voyage alone in his stateroom.

Louis Tomlinson has borrowed and saved, and finally has enough to purchase a Third Class ticket to America. With all of his belongings in a single ruck sack, he boards the Titanic filled with hope for a brighter future. Never one to sit still, he can’t resist exploring the massive ship, and soon goes sneaking into First Class in a stolen steward’s uniform.

By a twist of fate, Louis finds himself in Harry’s stateroom, entranced by the most attractive man he’s ever laid eyes on. He keeps returning day after day, even if he doesn’t understand what it is about Harry that continues pulling him in. That’s all right; Louis has a week to figure it out, and Harry is plenty willing to help.

Except they don’t have a week. They have four days. Because on 15 April, their entire world will be turned upside down.

Or, the historically accurate Titanic AU with a happy ending.

Outwit, Outplay, Outlast by @lookatyourchoices & @winingandcrying, 60k

“Tommo and Harry are gonna do it. I don’t know when, but they’re gonna do it. They’ve got the mattress, the pillows, everything’s in place, and they’re gonna do it. I really wish those two the best of luck.” – Taylor Swift, "Chapera"

Or a Survivor All-Stars AU in which Harry and Louis are just in this game to win the million dollars, but they end up with something better.

Featuring Harry's yellow swim shorts, Louis in snapbacks, and OT5 shenanigans.

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by @100percentsassy & @gloriaandrews, 134k

AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who "has made Mozart cool again" according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too.

Don't hum Bolero.

7 Up by @cherrystreet, 51k

Very loosely based on the British TV show "The Up Series" and somewhat inspired by the song “Something I Need” by Onerepublic, we follow the lives of Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson in an interview setting every seven years. They fall apart and come together, their lives and emotions recorded. Harry calls it a time capsule. Louis calls it a pain in the are.

Take My Breath Away by @realitybetterthanfiction, 153k

There is a prestigious school in the British Royal Navy classified as Premier Delta - or as it is known by its flyers, 1D. These select pilots are an elite set of Naval lieutenants who are trained in the skill of aggressive aerial combat. They are instruments of war, trained in times of peace. They are dogfighters, relentless and fearless in their mission to protect their beloved country. From their lofty vantage, they are always watching, waiting, and ready to lay it all on the line.

Lt. Harry Styles, call sign Sparrow, is a prodigy when it comes to flying. The owner of an unrivaled Naval pedigree, being a pilot was always written in the stars for Harry. With his trusty RIO, Lt. Niall Horan, Harry has made an unprecedented ascension in the ranks of the Naval aerial combat elite, and has been recruited to the esteemed Premier Delta flight school, carrying on his family’s legacy. What he finds there are unexpected friendships, perilous challenges, and something beyond what he ever thought possible. Because as his father had always told him, before the great Captain Styles went tragically missing in combat, you don’t fall in love with the sky, you fall in love with what keeps you on the ground.

Be With Me So Happily by @briannamarguerite, 42k

Harry Styles may have had his doubts at first, but by the time the gates to the elephant sanctuary came into view he was one hundred percent positive. Louis Tomlinson hated his guts. Like hated, hated. Like loathed-him-on-sight hated.

From what Harry could tell, he hadn’t even done anything close to insulting enough to warrant the disdain that was Louis Tomlinson’s default expression whenever he looked at Harry. It really wasn’t fair. Especially since he’d been lusting after the man from the second he’d laid eyes on that pretty, pretty face with those pretty, pretty eyes.

Or ... the one where Harry Styles has a bad reputation and a heart of gold, and Louis Tomlinson wishes he wasn't so enchanted by boys who looked like Disney characters and wore shirts with bumble bees on them.

Aka Louis is the director of the Styles Elephant Sanctuary and really doesn't want to babysit his funder's spoiled lay-about son for two months.

All I Wish Not to Remember by @avocadolouie, 71k

What happens when all you had, all you loved, all you held dear is viciously ripped away from you? When your inner core, once filled with love and hope and light, blackens to raw, dark hatred?

What happens when your soul is hopelessly consumed and no matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you attempt to shake yourself out, to rid your tormented mind of the opaque feelings that plague you, all you can see, all you can feel, all you can want is...

Revenge.

A modern adaption of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. A tragic tale of timeless undying love, merciless revenge, and selfless sacrifice.

Love Endless (The Road to Recollection) by @wubwubnparmaham, 171k

The year is groovy 1973, and eighteen-year-old Louis Tomlinson is perhaps the gayest teen to ever grace the gloomy, hateful town of Fortwright. Would be fine if he wasn't so viciously bullied at both home and school for such a "harmful" sexual preference.

Yeah, yeah, we've all heard this story, haven't we? Believe him, Louis didn't think he was anything special either.

Until he found the mansion. The notoriously haunted mansion hidden deep within the forests of his tiny blip of a town in Bumfuck Nowhere, Idaho. No one with a brain ever goes near it, but Louis could use a little excitement in his life...and possibly a Band-Aid or two.

After discovering the mansion was less abandoned than he'd thought, he's now left with the most riveting mystery of a lifetime; every new finding leaving him with more questions. Who is this elusive owner, and why won't they show themselves? Why is there a set of journals in the same handwriting that span over centuries? Why in the world is there a padlock on the refrigerator...and who the hell is Alexander?

When We Were Younger by @waytoomanypeopleintheaddisonlee, 76k

About a week after Harry started visiting this particular chat room, he was watching some kid argue with the whole room about football, personally disinterested as he tipped a bag of crisps into his mouth. He happily chomped on the crumbs, taking a swig from a glass of Ribena to wash them down, glancing at the screen and very nearly spat the squash back out again. His heart was pounding wildly. The display icon of the argumentative newcomer had caught his eye, and not in a good way. He gulped as he clicked the picture, and when it popped up in full resolution, his heart nearly fell right out of his arse. Sixteen year old Harry Styles’ world turns upside down when he logs on to gay teen chat to discover somebody has stolen his photos and used them as their own.

These Bountiful Silences by tommoandbambi, 123k

They live in a world where they can only say four words per day. Harry meets some people that don't want to live that way.

Once Upon A Dream by @louehvolution, 33k

Louis is psychic and gets caught in the middle of a murder investigation led by FBI Special Agent Harry Styles.

Aka, the Medium/Criminal Minds-inspired AU no one ever asked for.

In the Clear by @thedarkestlarrie, 80k

After Princess Gemma and her fiance Niall are captured by the witch from across the land, Harry and Louis are forced on a journey together to save them.

Featuring Lumberjack Liam, Magical Zayn, unsolicited tattoos, and untangling the past.

Also known as The Larrietale.

Down the Backs of Table Tops (and Ticket Stubs in the Attic) by @londonfoginacup, 7k

There's only two of them stuck to the house now, two souls tied to the walls and floor and pipes and appliances. Two souls stuck in a world that's moved on without them. Well, two souls and a cat.

He holds up the red fabric for Harry to get a good look at."We're going to decorate!"

Harry thinks this might be an odd shut-ins version of retail therapy, and he looks to Grimmy for guidance on how to explain to Louis that this will not at all help his cause.

The World Turned Upside Down by @dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram, 71k

In September 1984, Harry Styles starts at Manchester Polytechnic with two goals: to take pictures and to join the Lesbian and Gay Society. He’s never paid much attention to the news, but everyone he meets in Manchester supports the miners. He realises how right they are when he meets Louis Tomlinson, a striking miner who flirts with him. A month later they are both at the founding meeting of Manchester Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, trying to bring down the government. Through letters and visits they build a relationship, in a world very much not of their own choosing.

Manchester and Doncaster in the 1980s are grim, hopeful and alive. Niall is president of the Young Labour club, Nick Grimshaw is in love with the singer of an up and coming band, Fizzy wants to know more about the women of Greenham Common and Harry and Louis are brave.

A Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners/Pride AU.

Through Eerie Chaos by @mediawhorefics, 102k

For as long as anyone can remember, Old Hillsbridge Manor has always been believed to be haunted. Everyone in the village agrees and keeps a respectful, fearful, distance. New in town after a bad breakup and an internship that led to disappointment rather than a permanent job, Harry Styles figures taking pictures of the decrepit building could be a great new creative project. Or at least a much-needed distraction while he searches for a job and crashes at his parents’ new house. No one warned him about the apparitions though; about the music, the laughter, the people who flicker and vanish when you call after them, the echoes of a past that should be long gone… Harry has never believed in spirits but even he can admit that there’s something weird going on. What starts as mere curiosity evolves into a full-blown investigation and soon enough, Harry finds himself making friends with an aristocrat from the 1920s and struggling with finding the best way to tell him that he’s dead.

The Ghost Hunter AU where Niall lives to prove ghosts are real, Zayn is a skeptical librarian and Harry gets caught up in a century-old mystery and catches feeling in the process.

find more fic recs here

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