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fuwafuwamedb · 5 years

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A Cure From Nippur Pt 7 (Hakuno, Gilgamesh)

They moved through the temple slowly. The windows to the outside world were shrinking as they made their way through the space. Pieces of fine clay and pigment had been broken into pieces, arranged along the hallway walls in a way that created a colorful mosaic of sorts.

Images of a grand warrior holding his arms open, beseeching to the glorious bird with the head of a lion before him. Images of a maiden sitting amongst herds of cows and goats came soon after.

There were images of a great darkness overtaking the wildlife setting. The pictures continued, drawing her eyes more than the priests that led her through the halls.

She frowned as the tiles turned to deeper reds and bolder colors. The faded image of the maiden in the field turned to a meeting of the beseeching man and the fair maiden. War colors came to the images. She could see bodies-

“Princess.”

Hakuno turned her gaze to the man before her, blinking a moment before she straightened herself.

She had been leaning forward to look at the pictures for so long that she had distracted herself from the matters at hand.

A personal goddess.

Her father had done this before with her. Her brother had chosen the god Enlil for himself, choosing a future beseeching the god of destinies for advice and wisdom. When he had found his god, the king had turned to her next, hoping she would turn to one of the other gods. Perhaps Baba for healing. Maybe Aya so that she would love a man in the same way that the goddess loved her husband, Utu.

But she had turned away from them.

She hadn’t liked the practices. She had hidden behind her brother as long as she could, finding freedom in helping him with ruling.

Until this had occurred.

Truthfully, she hadn’t paid the gods much heed before. Her knowledge of any of the gods was slim and her knowledge of individual names like Ninsun were an entire mystery.

“She will meet with you in a moment. She was fixing her headdress when I left her,” the priest informed her.

“…Thank you.”

The priest closed the door behind her without another word.

Her eyes drifted over the new room now, trying to decide how to proceed.

She was given to the king of Uruk at this point. Running would be insulting to the king and would possibly end with him going to war with Nippur. If she turned down the goddess, there was a chance that the goddess would smite her, ending with war happening.

She didn’t want a personal goddess though.

Each of the ceremonies she had seen her brother perform for the gods was overly friendly, forcing him to give more and more of himself over. To think that the gods would demand sacrifices of time and energy, even when the person was ill…

“You came quickly.” The door nearby closed as Hakuno turned around. She could see the woman moving into the room. “You are already adorned in the Uruk palace colors and treasures, I see.”

That may have been the case, but she still was herself. She still belonged to herself.

“Well then,” the goddess moved to sit down in the throne positioned in the center of the room. “Come pray, child. We shall see if you are worthy of being given my protections.”

She wasn’t ready for this.

The goddess leaned back in her seat, smirking knowingly and motioning her forward.

However, all she saw was more of what she had just gotten away from. In fact, the king and this woman looked horribly alike. Same red eyes. Same golden hair. They had the same damn smirk too.

My life has turned into a mess.

“Come child, we don’t have all day. The king relies on you to alleviate his pain, does he not?”

Her feet carried her slowly before the woman, her eyes drifting up to her face before the woman motioned for her to kneel.

“I-I don’t know what to do,” Hakuno confessed.

“Hmm?”

The blonde stared at her, one eyebrow arching a little as she seemed to try to understand whether or not she was being honest.

“I-I don’t know how this works.” She motioned between them. “I didn’t study about the gods, I just know what my handmaidens and the servants talk about. I know Enlil handles matters related to fate and Enki makes things and Nanna is the moon and Utu the sun-“

“You exaggerate them. Their talents lie in many directions. Your organizing like like a child with colored pigments.”

She nodded, closing her eyes.

“Well?”

“I don’t know what you are a goddess of and I don’t know how to perform this ceremony. I came here to stop an insane king who was preying on my people’s maidens. I came here to resolve trouble between my people and those of Uruk.”

“You have no people. Uruk is your people and your kingdom.”

She knew that.

Gods, but she knew that and she wasn’t sure what she could even do. She was a pet in the palace, sitting like a mutt at the feet of their king. She tried to gain ground, negotiate her own welfare with an assistant to the king, but instead found herself giving away everything. She had cheapened herself through that negotiation.

And now she was tying herself to the king and standing before a goddess that could probably smite her with brimstone and fire. She could have been goddess of the underworld with Ereshkigal for all she knew.

“You are near tears,” the goddess cooed.

“I can’t go home to Nippur,” Hakuno told her. “I can’t have the people that grew around me. I cannot see to the children of Nippur nor to the elders who need a gentle hand and guidance. My brother must rule Nippur alone and my father is aging. I couldn’t do as requested and I served no purpose in the end, but to come be taken by the king of Uruk.”

Of course she was near tears after that.

Everything of meaning had been stripped away.

And it would have happened, even if she had not come to Uruk. A month’s time had done nothing but let her be the weaver of her own fate. She’d given herself, rather than the bridal market handing her over.

Hating Gilgamesh for putting her into this position was so easy though.

“Come here,” the goddess bid her again.

Hakuno stepped forward, finding her face cupped in the hands of the goddess. Ninsun, her name had been, was looking up into her face, smiling softly.

“Did you love the children in Nippur?”

“They are the future people of Nippur,” Hakuno told her. “I often played their games and read to them from the tomes in the palace libraries.”

“And the elders?”

“They are people who worked and strived to provide for the wellbeing of Nippur. They used their years to give for the people and should be treated with the love and care that they deserve.”

The goddess smiled more, stroking her hair a little. “What do you want out of this life, little former Nippur princess?”

“I want…”

She frowned at that.

She didn’t really want to go home, not to be sold to another noble or king. The assistant had not lied when she had spoken of the treatment of women. She would be a lesser being to whomever purchased her. Whether it was Gilgamesh or another, she would always end up at their feet.

“I want… I want to be a partner to someone.”

She wanted the chance like she had held in Nippur, where she could help make decisions and she could bring about change that let the people know that she cared for them. She wanted to have someone at her side that saw value in her, that strove to make her better.

“A partner,” Ninsun repeated. “How very cunning.”

It was a basic desire, she wanted to say.

But the goddess pressed her lips to one of her hands. “Then I think we shall suit one another well, you and I. The inks are simple enough. Come with me.”

She lay on the altar for a while, her hair brushed over her shoulder a moment before they began.

Slowly, with the goddess distracting her, she found her personal goddess’ mark being left upon her. Her eyes closed while it occurred. Her mind wandered over what she could do to improve her situation.

But nothing was coming to mind.

“You are done.” Ninsun helped her to her feet once more, kissing her forehead and cheeks. “If you have need for me, you may pray at any of the altars in the palace. I shall always hear. Although Ishtar may be the patron goddess of Uruk, my word takes precedence over hers.”

“Thank you, my goddess.”

The woman tilted her chin up, making her meet her gaze.

“Your situation is not as bleak as you think, my daughter. While you may not have the same children or the same elders, the Uruk people worked just as hard and the children are young and in need of guidance and love. To turn away these people because they are not from the land you were born in would be to say that their lives hold no meaning.”

“I found the king because I know every life has meaning,” Hakuno told her.

“And you are rewarded with being the Queen consort of Uruk,” Ninsun pointed out. “Your gentle heart and your determination have rewarded you a king whom none could claim.”

That was because the king was cursed.

Had he not been in need of a soulmate…

“Could you stop the curse on the king?” Hakuno asked.

“The curse is stronger than I can handle, but you will find a way to free him from it permanently,” the goddess replied simply. “Give your time with the king a chance to make things clear.”

She was escorted back to the front doors. Her body began to ache where the red lines crossed over her skin.

Once more, she found the ribbon tied around hers and Gilgamesh’s hand, the man relaxing as he touched her once more.

“You took your time.”

“It was a long process,” Hakuno told him.

“Did she say anything of note?”

A few children ran passed them on the way to the palace, pausing to greet them and earning head pats and smiles from them both.

Hakuno watched the king tell them to visit a baker a few streets over.

Maybe I can find a way around this king.

Maybe she could forge her own home within Uruk.

#drabble #drabbles

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ledgeroflies · 6 years

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Straight Edge

Six loaded in the chamber. Not of a single sidearm, but of four. Now what in the world would a man need four filled six-shooters for? But that wasn’t all. A jacket full of bullets, a boot with a knife, and a mind with a plan. Determined to accomplish what he wanted to do. Suladae was that man. “You know, I never thought this day would come, Sully. All of us men, at the round table. Talking about joining together to create one giant empire. Beasts of every side of the trade coming together to create a monster.” The man laughed, lit a cigarette with a flip lighter, and nodded to Suladae. “I’m lucky to have you as a right hand for this meeting. Those bastards try anything, I’ve got the damn best gun watching my back, don’t I?” “Course ya’ do, Boss.” Suladae commented. Most of his gear was hidden, aside from his custom .357 repeater, and a magnum strapped to his hip. He pointed to the man’s cigarette and offered an up-nod. “Got another you don’t mind sharin’?” “Since when do you smoke. Ain’t it bad for your gills or whatever?” The man alongside of Suladae was none other than the new opium kingpin. One to take over Chapel’s legacy. A mean bastard too, big enough to wrestle a Charr, but human enough to see the Queen as a godlike being. He was well dressed, suit and tie. Business was business and it should be handled properly. Or at least that was the man’s motto. By appearance alone, this man screamed bad news. But this meeting was the most important piece. The main focus of Suladae’s predatory eyes. It so happened to be hosting several of Lion’s Arch’s most well known drug lords, traffickers, and corrupt nobles. The number wasn’t overly high though. Eight would sit at this round table, eight along with a few bodyguards, one of which was the dark skinned, webbed fingered gunslinger. Upon arriving at the hushed about location, one could easily take note of the guards. What seemed like dozens, baker’s dozens at that. The number surely grew by the moment, but realistically speaking, that worry was simply the mock adrenaline forming in Sula’s veins. Fear was the right word, or maybe anxiety. This could go horribly, horribly... well. These men had the world by the throat. Chewing at them with blood-sucking fangs that only craved selfish gains. The discussion was getting nowhere. Plenty of arguing, and little to no talking about joining sides. Talks of opium, heroin, morphine, real nasty things. Nothing good for the community, nothing to gain from all of this. Only pain of poor victims, and struggling of those hurt by the clawed grasp of these living devils. It all happened in a flash. A muzzle flash. Specifically at the man’s head the gunslinger arrived with. The man he swore to protect and defend from these heartless monsters. A spray of blood, hit the table like a split glass of wine. The crew of demons looked to him like he had just struck down a child without hesitation. Sula gave them a cold, dead stare. And suddenly, they all knew they were next. A fan of a revolver, five shots directly into the chests of five guilty bastards. But that wasn’t all. Simply discarding the revolver, Sula pulled out a second from inside his jacket, fanned the hammer, and sent all the rest at the table to whatever hell they belonged to. It had to have taken at least a minute, right? Wrong. From the first shot, to the very last, only seven seconds had passed. No doubt the others had heard of the commotion inside. Once Sula snapped out of his adrenaline rush, he noticed two things. Voices and footsteps were heard rushing to the room, and he had been shot. Right in the gut. That’s when the pain kicked in, awful, sharp, stinging pain. He doubled over, and fumbled to load one of his now empty revolvers. Shaky, sap covered hands struggled to load the chambers, bullet by bullet. He steadied his breathing, and got the job done. He wasn’t finished quite yet. The door opened, and in rushed a few armed thugs. Another fan of his hammer, and another series of corpses. No witnesses, no troubles. Several enter, one leaves. At this point, Suladae should’ve tipped his cowboy hat, and blew the smoke away from his barrel. But this was real. No story written, no romanticized tale of a outlaw man saving the day. There was no coming back from this. Moments that felt like years passed before Sula was away and safe. Guards screamed at each other, blaming the others for what had happened. A bloodbath ensued, but this time, it was one Sula hadn’t been a part of. The pressure of who pulled the first trigger made nearly every thug turn on each other. That’s when the fires broke out. The way he saw it, Sula did the world a favor, at the very least it would halt the criminal organizations of Lion’s Arch. Maybe even clear his name of the underworld. All who he worked under died that day. But now it was time to get stitched up. Feelings could wait.

#GW2RP #Suladae

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rukia-g · 6 years

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Under the Pomegranate Tree

A self-indulgent shallura mythology AU based on the myth of Hades and Persephone, to celebrate that I’ve been writing Voltron fanfics for a year! I hope you like it! (Also on AO3)

Not even the juniberries, the most exquisite flower of all, that only grow at the Gods’ home in Altea, could compare in beauty and grace to Princess Allura, daughter of the God of Light and the Goddess of Harvest. She had the thriving beauty of her mother, and the sharp mind and powerful magic of her father. Many suitors tried to win her favour, both Gods and mortals, but all of them were turned down.

One day, Allura was wandering through a forest in the mortal world, when she happened upon the entrance of a cave. It went deep into the bowels of the earth, and when Allura looked into it, a feeble breeze caressed her cheeks, cold as a death rattle, and she shuddered.

Behind her, the sun shone, and nature blossomed with the countless colours of an eternal spring, but something in the vast void in front of her was beckoning her, tempting her to abandon the safety of the surface and go into the deep darkness of the underground.

After a last glance at the sky, Allura descended the cave.

She walked for what could have been days, down, down into the darkness, until she reached a limitless field shrouded in mist. Shapeless wraiths creeped almost beyond her sight, and before she could reach to them, a deafening roar echoed through the field. A gigantic lion stepped out of the mist, fur as black as night, each of its three heads crowned by a thick mane with white and purple streaks.

The lion growled at her, but Allura wasn’t scared. She stood, firm and fearless, in front of the beast, and she spoke with a clear and commanding voice:

“Move aside. I want to visit this domain.”

The lion lowered its head, three pairs of golden eyes fixed on her. Allura could feel the beast’s warm breath on her face, but she didn’t pull back. Finally, the lion stepped aside and let her pass.

Allura crossed the field, the whispers of the deceased as her only company, until the mist lifted and she saw a hill that overlooked a river of dark waters. On top of the hill stood an ominous palace of black stone, surrounded by an orchard. When Allura got closer, she noticed a man sitting under a pomegranate tree. He looked up at her.

“You aren’t dead.” He said. “What are you doing here?”

“I found the entrance of a cave in the forest, and I wanted to explore the underground.”

“You should leave.” The man stood up, looming over her, his black robes waving around him. “The Underworld is no place for the living.”

Allura raised her head, looking right into his dark eyes, not intimidated at all by him.

“I like this place. I’m going to stay a bit longer.”

He arched an eyebrow, but when he saw that her resolve didn’t waver, he shrugged.

“Very well. But don’t eat anything that grows here, or you won’t be able to leave.”

He headed towards the palace, and Allura was left alone under the pomegranate tree.

Time seemed to pass differently in the Underworld than in the world of the living. With no days nor nights, just an eternal expanse of gloomy hours, it was hard to tell how long Allura had been there. Sometimes, she would go to the palace and find a bedroom to sleep in. The halls were always empty, but the rooms were clean and the beds were always made.

She knew that the palace was the home of Shiro, Lord of the Underworld, and she knew he was the man he met on her first day there, but she hadn’t seen him again. Until one day, when she was resting under a tree after a long walk around the realm of the dead. The huge three headed lion was laying at her side, purring loudly as Allura ran her fingers through its mane.

“Black likes you.” A voice said, and Allura looked up to see the Lord of the Underworld standing next to her. She shrugged.

“I’m good with animals.”

Shiro pouted.

“Black is supposed to guard the entrance of the Underworld, not laze around with pretty girls.”

“Oh, so you think I’m pretty?”

He blushed, deep crimson spreading through his cheeks, and she giggled. The lion seemed amused too, as all three heads let out a deep rumble. Shiro shot them a betrayed glare that only made Allura laugh harder. She patted the grey grass at her side.

“Come, sit with me.”

He hesitated before sitting down at her side. For a while, none of them said anything.

“Allura…” He muttered, and she felt a pleasurable shiver ran down her spine. It was the first time he said her name, and she liked the sound of it on his lips. “Don’t you miss your home? Your family?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then why are you still here?”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No.” He answered, a bit too quickly. He fiddled with a handful of grass. “But your family surely misses you, and I don’t wish to keep you away from them.”

Allura thought of her family, her father carrying her on his shoulders when she was a child; her mother dancing in the woods, flowers blossoming at her feet. And Coran, her father’s messenger, who always brought her some small gift when he came back from running errands. She missed them, and the sun and the stars above her head, but she didn’t want to leave either.

“I’ll go back to them, eventually. I just want to stay a bit longer.”

She rested her head on his shoulder. For a second, Shiro tensed, but then he wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning closer to her.

It became a routine for them to meet at the palace’s gardens. Sometimes they would walk together and talk for hours; sometimes they would sit under a tree, enjoying the comfortable silence between them. Often, Black would join them, sweet and playful like a kitten under Allura’s influence.

One day though, a message came from Altea. Rumour had it that the Lord of the Underworld kidnapped Princess Allura, and the God of Light demanded for his daughter to be returned home immediately.

Allura was furious. How could her father think she’d allow anyone to hold her against her will? If that were not enough, news from the surface claimed that her father refused to illuminate the world and her mother refused to let the crops flourish, until Allura came back to them. How dared they blackmail her like that? What right did they have to order her around?

“Well, they’re your parents. They’re worried about you:” Shiro pointed out after Allura was done ranting. She frowned.

“I’m not a child anymore! Father should know that I can take care of myself, and Mother taught me to be independent.”

Shiro wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a warm embrace that soothed her anger. They were standing under the pomegranate tree where they met, and the sweet smell of the ripe fruits filled the stagnant air of the Underworld. Shiro looked into her eyes and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“You should go back.” He told her. His voice was soft, and his eyes, full of sorrow.

“I don’t want to leave you.”

“And I don’t want you to leave. But your family misses you.”

Allura bit her bottom lip. She missed them too. She stood on her tiptoes, and kissed Shiro, her full lips barely brushing his.

“I’ll be back.” She promised. Then she reached out and took a pomegranate from a low branch.

“Allura? What…?” She silenced him with a deeper kiss. When she stepped back, she was grinning.

“I’ll need some food for the journey.”

Six months later, Shiro was sitting under the same pomegranate tree, with Black napping at his side, when the lion raised its three heads and let out a pleased purr. Shiro stood up and smiled at the person approaching him.

That night, they shared soft kisses and whispered vows of love, and by the time the sun rose in the living world, Allura had become Queen of the Underworld.

#shallura #shallura fanfic #shallura au #greek mythology #shiro vld #allura vld #black lion #my fics #hades and persephone #voltron fanfic

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crimmson · 7 years

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For the characters thing you reblogged. Multiples of 5 for grandma fenn, hop to it!

>:|

05. Are they sexually confident or more of the shy type?

Grandma Fenn is enjoying re-life as long as she’s got it, and she’d have a threesome with a charr and a norn in the middle of Lion’s Arch if the situation arose

10. Is your character more feminine or masculine?

I guess more masculine this time around.

15. Is there a certain person in this world that they cannot stand? The very mention of this person’s name makes them tremble with anger or fear.

I wouldn’t say there’s one particular person. She hates the White Mantle and the Mursaat for displacing herself and her family because she never really got to know Kryta until she was an adult, at which point Kryta was kinda fucked. She had a similar hatred for the Charr regarding her adopted home of Ascalon, but that calmed down when she learned the circumstances. Fuck the White Mantle tho

20. Does your character like animals? What are some of their favorite animals? Would they want pets? What about mythological creatures?

As a ranger in her first life, Fenn never really had a devoted pet, per se. She had animal companions that came and went as they pleased. She would help an injured animal, or feed a hungry animal that was curious enough to approach camp, and by Melandru’s grace it might return the favor later. As a Revenant she keeps up that practice, but again does not have a devoted pet. Her descendant’s big-ass brown bear is enough pet.

25. Is there something traumatic from your character’s past that greatly affects them even to this day?

Pretty much everything from the Searing which occurred in her late teens onward. She tried to settle down once but always felt like she should be doing something if she could, because she had the ability, and who else would if not her? Even when she died, she didn’t move on. She just stayed in the Underworld to guide less capable spirits onward. That’s where Raven eventually found her and offered her a way back to the land of the living.

30. When it comes to the arts (music, film, theater, etc), what does your character like?

Fenn’s not really an artsy person. Live music at a lively festival for background music is appreciated but she doesn’t care much.

35. Is your character afraid of death? If they got to choose how to die, how would they want to go?

Yes and no? She’s already died once, yet here she is, so she does have some sense of invincibility in her head. But she is aware that anything can happen, which is probably why she lives as outwardly as she does now. She’s afraid of the unknown. She doesn’t know if she’ll find herself in the Underworld or some other part of the Mists again, or if she’ll just… disappear.

The first time she died, it was an axe to the back during a huge battle with the Stone Summit. She fought through it for a while but eventually succumbed. As someone who came face to massive face with Abaddon, and who put a dragon to sleep, and a dozen other impossible tasks, it was kind of an embarrassing way to die. This time around she’s either gonna die punching a dragon directly in the mouth, or she’s never gonna die.

40. Does your OC have any guilty pleasures they enjoy? Hobbies, past times, music, etc that they wouldn’t want known by others?

Her great great great granddaughter walked in on the aftermath of a bone sesh and Fenn didn’t bat an eye, there’s no such thing as “guilty pleasure”

45. Is your character the kind to hide their true emotions or do they wear their heart on their sleeve?

She’s familiar with impossible situations and knows that second-guessing and lack of confidence can literally be killer, so she’ll voice her opinion but keep her emotions in check. But she’s a-ok with doling out enthusiastic claps on the back and congratulatory shoulder punches.

In private, when they aren’t on the verge of a war, she’s pretty open with the gang.

50. If your character confessed love to their crush, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc, what would they say?

Her gr8-granddaughter had to plead with her not to ask Queen Jennah if she was DTF, there is literally nothing she will not say

#commander-kulan

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adamlynnch · 7 years

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Voltron (Klance): Fic Rec List (Updated)

Edit: Added some more fics!

can you tell me by aknightley

28k, Oneshot, T

Keith works in his brother's coffee shop for the summer, expecting a boring break before college. Lance changes all of that.

The boy is still in the front of the group, but he doesn't take off his glasses so Keith can't tell what he's really looking at -- either the menu or Keith. Keith feels a flash of annoyance but smothers it and pins his smile in place.

i'm betting everything by aknightley

23k, Oneshot, T

(a continuation of Can You Tell Me)

A summer of dates between a prince and a boy who works in a coffee shop.

"I wanted to see you." Keith's eyes widen a little, and he ducks his head, but not before Lance sees the smile tugging at his lips. "This is the part where you say 'Me too, Lance,'" Lance prompts him, although he's ridiculously charmed by Keith's awkwardness.

"Of course I wanted to see you," Keith says, rolling his eyes.

*The Quilted Lion by geewillikers

97.5k, Complete, Multi-chapter, T

Keith is stuck in New York City barely making ends meet so he and Pidge can live in a decent part of the city close to her university. They scrape by on the illegal winnings Keith makes in street boxing matches, but his manager, Shiro, decides that it's time Keith gets a side job. He's whisked into The Quilted Lion café owned by the woman Shiro's been fawning over for over a year, only to find that he has more to worry about than his lack of magic and cooking skills- -There's a waiter at The Quilted Lion who is entirely Keith's cup of tea.

Drive It Like You Mean It by Zizzani

94k, Complete, Multi-chapter, M

The Castle of Lions is the venue for the city's most dangerous illegal street races where drivers come to test the cut of their tires. Lance has long defended his title as champion, but when a newcomer shows up and threatens his position things take an interesting turn.

*How to Train Your Voltron by nerdy_cait05

38k, Complete, Multi-chapter, T

When Lance McClain, a Viking Paladin who aspires to hunt dragons, becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon herself, he learns there may be more to the creatures than previously assumed.

so why don't we fall by aknightley

8k, Oneshot, E

Five times Lance used a pet name for Keith, and one time Keith used one for Lance. Keith has no basis for having a relationship with someone, so he's trying to follow Lance's lead.

The Arch Project by Seliphra

9k, WIP, Multi-chapter, M

When Lance McLain gets promoted to a top secret research project, he is delighted to learn that the old conspiracy theories about something crashing in the desert of New Mexico were right. No one is entirely sure what it is that crashed, but it appears to be a man. A very pretty man who hasn't woken up since the crash. Lance is determined to be the first person on the project in a century to finally crack the case of just what this unconscious being is. Human, alien, or something else entirely? But there are forces out there determined to uncover the truth, and steal it if they must. The Voltron Group, a well known hacker group will apparently stop at nothing to find out what Galra Associated Corperation is hiding. And sooner or later, Lance will have to choose where his loyalties lie.

*What We Make of It by wittyy_name

46k, Oneshot, M

Keith has been training for this for months. So despite feeling like everything else in his life is falling apart and could be summed up with a big, blaring question mark, he finds himself halfway across the world with Shiro and Allura, preparing for his first ironman triathlon. He was expecting some typical touristy activities and a grueling day of physical activity. What he wasn't expecting was to meet a gorgeous boy with bright blue eyes and a smile that made his insides squirm.

Lance has been in a rut, unable to find the happiness that once filled his life. Everything looks gray, and he feels suffocated. And that's how he finds himself halfway across the world, backpacking across a foreign country with his best friend, Hunk, and their new friend, Pidge. That is, until they run out of money and decide to get a job. He's having fun, and colors are leaking past the dam and back into his life. What he wasn't expecting was to meet a beautiful boy with dark eyes and a shy smile that broke those flood gates wide open.

What a Healing Pod Can't Repair by Remember_Me

55k, WIP, T

The compromised wormhole was ripping apart at the seams, sending everyone spiraling away in completely different directions. Lance could feel himself being pulled and bent in ways he was definitely not supposed to be. Stitching the team back together after everyone is separated is difficult, and for one Paladin rescue wouldn't be coming for a very long time.

*Watercast by Fishwrites

83k, WIP, M

Shiro has been a Galra prisoner for over a year; with his flight feathers clipped and unable to fly. Desperate to escape, he jumps overboard while being transported to the capitol on a Galran ship. Lance is a merman who saves him from drowning. Keith thinks Shiro is about to become mermaid dinner. Hunk just wants Lance to stop going to the surface all the time, dammit!

(AU where Avians (winged folk), Galra, humans and merfolk cohabit earth. Shiro and Keith are avian soldiers, Lance is the youngest son of a Queen, Hunk is also a merman and Pidge is still looking for her family.)

Of Lions and House Cats by Ms_Towa

147k, WIP, Multi-chapter, M

Welcome to the City of Monsters.

Crime runs rampant in the streets, and the Voltron Alliance was established to combat the rise of crimes involving superhuman abilities. Revered as upholders of justice and peace, there are measures the Alliance cannot afford to take in order to maintain their public image. All they can do is protect the innocent, defend the law, and keep the peace. The Galra have been dominating both the city and the criminal underworld for too long, however, and what's needed is change.

Change is not meant for heroes. Change is meant for revolutionaries, for rebels.

(Enter Lance.)

tldr; Keith is a superhero who's been pining after the cute boy who works at the music shop across the street from HQ. He also doesn't know that the cute boy is the same vigilante he wants to bring to justice.

*Dancing Lions, Painted Wings by genericfanatic

35k, Complete, Multi-chapter, T

Years after peace has been made between the Galran and Altean kingdoms, The witch Haggar comes for vengeance. The young symbol of peace, the half-galran, half-altean Prince Kalor is lost. His aunt, Princess Allura, and his bodyguard, Shiro, are heartbroken. 10 years later, an orphan named Keith sets out on his own, trying to find the key to his past. All he has to help him is a small figurine with a cryptic message, a friendly engineer, a technician and her friendly robot, and a cocky con man with a mysterious, yet familiar past.

what are you willing to do? by aknightley

3.8k, Oneshot, E

They fuck in the Red Lion. "This is such a bad idea," Lance says, running his hands down Keith's sides and jerking his shirt out of his pants.

show me your kitties by boydivisions

10k, WIP, Multi-chapter, T

Lance just wanted another dog after his corgi, Nutmeg, died. Instead he got a cat and a crush on the cute guy working at the shelter who makes horrible fashion choices for someone with his job.

*Shut Up and Dance With Me by wittyy_name

152.8k, WIP, Multi-chapter, M

Lance and his friends have been regulars at the Altea Dance Studio for years. Not just for classes, but to hang out, practice, and spend time with good people who love dancing. Every year, they audition to be one of the few representing Altea at the regional dance competition. Lance always auditions solo, but this year he misses out on auditions and blows his chance to participate. And so does his self-proclaimed rival, Keith. Luckily, Shiro comes up with a brilliant plan: convince Lance and Keith to audition as a duo. With a little convincing, and a lot of effort, these two might just be able to pull it off and go to regionals... or they might crash and burn.

*Crowd Pleaser by WhatTheBodyGraspsNot

98k, WIP, Multi-chapter, E

Scoring the new bar-tending position at Lady A's strip club is a lucky break for Keith. What's luckier? He gets to work alongside his brother Shiro. Even luckier than that? It's a male strip club, which means Keith's never short of entertainment during working hours - especially when Blue Rider takes the stage. Because Blue's hot - definitely talented - and definitely taking an interest in Keith. The only thing that isn't so lucky? Keith's already got a boyfriend. That, and he's bad at saying no when it comes to attractive boys with magnetic personalities.

and of course;

*Dirty Laundry

85k, Complete, Multi-chapter, M

"Two whole months of free laundry in exchange for two weeks of being my fake boyfriend. Deal?” Keith hesitated for a moment. Was this really worth it? Hardly. Lance was an asshole, and he wasn’t sure what fake dating would entail. But, free laundry was free laundry, right? “Alright, it’s a deal.” Or: Lance makes the mistake of telling his Mom he has a boyfriend coming home with him for Christmas. Keith makes the mistake of agreeing to be Lance's 'fake boyfriend'.

#It was late and I was bored and these are good fics #fic recs #mine #voltron

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celticpagans · 7 years

Text

Gods and Goddesses

Pachamama - Pachi Mama, Patchi-Mama or Pachimama is the Quechan or Inca word for “Mother Earth” or more accurately “our mother in space and time”. Most cultures have an EarthMother concept and those of South America are no exception. But the word “Pachamama” goes beyond the name of a single Goddess, it encompasses a entire world view and way of life. It involves the belief that the Earth is a living being and the mother of all of Earth's life. In traditional societies, grown children were expected to take care of their parents and thus, it should be expected that we all care for Pachamama. Pachamama cares for her children as a mother cares for her young and does not turn away from them. If she fails to provide, it is because she is not well. Pomona - Pomona is a wood nymph, one of the Numia or place spirit, and the Roman Goddess of orchard fruit. Her name comes from the Latin word for fruit, the French word for apple is pomme (derived from the Latin). Quetzalcoatl - Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star (Venus), wind and rain. He is also a god of learning, reading, and books. Ra - Ra is the ancient Egyptian God of the sun. He is swallowed every night by Nut and reborn again every morning. Alternatively he travels through the underworld at night. In the Underworld he is imaged as a man with the head of a ram. In the upper world he is imaged as a man with the head of a hawk crowned by a sun disk. Saturn - Saturn or Saturnus is the ancient Roman God of agriculture, the sowing of seeds, wealth, the seasons, cycles of decay and renewal and the passage of time. Sekhmet - Sekhmet is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of war. She is imaged as a woman with the head of a lioness. Her name means "powerful one". Selene - Selene (suh LEE nee) Σελήνη is the ancient Greek Titan Goddess and personification of the Moon. Selene drives her chariot silver drawn by two white winged horses or bulls across the sky each night. Sometimes she is riding a bull or a horse. Seshat - Seshat is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of writing and measurement. She is imaged as a woman wearing a panther skin with a star on her headdress. Seth - Seth or Set is the ancient Egyption God of disharmony and destruction. He murdered Osiris and battled with Horus for the throne of Egypt. In earlier times He was associated with Eygptian royalty. He is imaged as a man with the head of a strange animal, known as the Set animal. (It looks a little like an ant eater to me.) Shu - Shu is the ancient Egyptian God who holds up the arch of the sky (Nut) so that the Earth and Sky are separate. Sobek - Sobek is the personification of the Nile crocodile. He is pictured either as a crocodile or as a powerful man with the head of a crocodile. Temples to him were located throughout Egypt where crocodiles were common. Some of the temples kept pools where sacred temple crocodiles were offered the best cuts of meat. These crocodiles became tame and were mummified after their deaths. Tammuz - Tammuz is the name of the ancient Sumerian God of food and vegetation. The name means "faithful son". He was the consort of Innana. Tawaret - Tawaret is an ancient Egyptian Goddess associated with women and childbirth. Her appearance is a composite with the head of a hippopotamus, the tail of a crocodile and the body of a lion, with features of a heavily pregnant woman. Like Bes images of Tawaret were often kept in the home as protective amulets. Tefnut - Tefnut is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of moisture. She is the wife of Shu and mother of Nut and Geb. She is often depicted with the head of a lioness. The Charities - The Charities or Kharities are the ancient Greek Goddesses of charm, beauty, creativity and fertility, but more specifically, they seem to be the Goddesses of pleasant things that result from peaceful gatherings of people, especially festivities. The Dioscuri - The Dioscuri (sons of Zeus in Greek) is the name given to the twins Castor and Pollux (Polydeuces) who were the brothers of Clytemnestra and Helen of Sparta featured in The Illiad and The Odyssey. Their mother was Leda, Queen of Sparta and wife of Tyndareus. It is said the Leda was seduced by Zeus in the shape of a swan and gave birth to an egg which held her children. Some stories say she laid two eggs, one containing Helen and Pollux and the other containing Clytemnestra and Castor and that Helen and Pollux are the children of Zeus and Clytemnestra and Castor the children of Tyndareus born a more traditional way. Other sources say that Castor and Pollux were born of the egg and Clytemnestra and Helen are the daughters of Tyndareus. Whatever their paternity, the brothers were very close and went everywhere together. The Graces - The Graces, from the Latin Gratiae, or Charities (from the Greek Charis pronounced kh á ris) are the Goddesses of harmony and accord. The Holly King - The Holly King is a masculine neopagan deity who holds court from midsummer to midwinter. His twin and adversary, the Oak King, rules the opposite half of the year. Thoth - Thoth is the ancient Egyptian God of writing and knowledge. He provided the gift of hieroglyphic writing to the people. He is also associated with alchemy and magick and is associated with the moon. He is depicted as a man with the head of an ibis and is also symbolized by the baboon. Turms - Turms is the Etruscan God of boundaries, trade and commerce, psychopomp and a messanger between mortals and Gods. Turms was associated with the Greek God Hermes and the Roman God Mercury. Demeter - Demeter is a Hellenic Mother Goddess, Grain and Harvest Goddess and founder of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Devana - Devana is the name of a Russian Goddess of the hunt who is said to roam the Carpathian forest. Diana - The name Diana comes from Latin divios meaning "heavenly" or "divine". Dionysus - Dionysus or Dionysos is the Greek God of the grape harvest, wine, revelry, festivity, processions, religious ecstasy, madness, drunken violence, epiphany, androgyny, homosexuality, transformation and rebirth after death. He brought viticulture to humanity and this was a major leap in the progress of civilization. Eostre - Eostre is the name of a Tuetonic Goddess about whom we know very little. It is only noted in the writings of Venerable Bede that the Germanic name for the month of April, Eosturmōnaþ (Northumbrian), Ēastermōnaþ (West Saxon), Ôstarmânoth (Old High German), was named for a Goddess called Eostre or Ostara whose feast day was celebrated in the spring and further speculated by the writings of Jacob Grimm . There is little to no additional information about the Goddess, though there is quite a bit about the feast day called Eostre or more commonly Ostara. There are no stories about her and she doesn't appear as part of the family of Gods in any Germanic pantheon. Erzulie - Erzuli or Erzulie is a family of Voodou Goddess/spirits or Lwa. Some believe all the Goddesses are aspects of one Goddess collectively known as Erzulie, while others hold that they are independent Goddesses all representing different aspects of the same idea similar to the Charities or the Fates. Estsanatlehi - Estsanatlehi is a Navaho Goddess from the Arizona area. Her name means "The woman who changes" or maybe "She who renews herself". She is also called "Changing Woman" by modern worshipers and has also been called "Turquoise Woman", and "Painted Woman". Estsanatlehi ages, but then grows young again. How this occurs varies by story but many view her as the personification of the changing seasons and the eternal cycle of life. She is the sister of Yolkai Estsan. Freyja - Freyja is the Norse Goddess of love, beauty, magic (seidhr), fertility, war and death. Her name means "The Lady". She is one of the Vanir, sister to Freyr, daughter to Njörðr and mother to Hnoss and Gersemi by Óðr. Geb - Geb is the husband and brother of the sky Goddess Nut and father by Her of Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nepthys. He is imaged as a man with a goose on his head, or as a man lying beneath the arch of the sky. Hades - Hades is the Greek God of the Underworld. The name relates to the Doric word Aidas meaning “unseen”. He was also known as Plouton meaning “rich one” as his domain also includes all of the minerals that can be found beneath the ground and the riches they represent. Hapy - Hapy is the ancient Egyptian God of seasonal flooding which allowed the people along the Nile to grow crops. Hathor - Hathor is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of happiness and protectress of the hearth. She is the wife of Horus and sometimes considered to be the mother of the Pharoah. Her name means "house of Horus". Hebe - Hebe is the ancient Greek Goddess of youth, the daughter of Hera and Zeus, as well as the wife to Heracles. Hebe was the Cupbearer of Olympus, serving nectar and ambrosia to the Gods and Goddesses, until she was married to Heracles. Her successor was Zeus' lover Ganymede. Hecate - For many modern witchcraft traditions, Hecate is the Dark Goddess and associated with the spirits of the dead, ghosts, the dark of the moon, baneful herbs, curses and black magic. For others, Hecate is the Crone Goddess, ruling over the third stage of a woman's life, that beyond her childbearing years when she can focus on deepening the skills and information collected throughout her lifetime, when knowledge and experience is refined into wisdom. Historically, Hecate has served many roles. She is an incredibly ancient Goddess with origins lost in the mists of time. Heqet - Heqet (Or Heket, Hekit, Hequat) is the ancient Egyptian frog Goddess of fertility. She is imaged as a frog, a frog-headed woman or a frog at the end of a phallus. She is the wife of Khnum and is associated with the flooding of the nile. it is Heqet who breathes life into a newborn baby. Some claim that Her priestesses were trained in midwifery, though there is scant evidence of such. Women wore amulets of a frog sitting on a lotus during the last stages of pregnancy to encourage Her blessings. Hera - Hera, Queen of Heaven Hera ( Ἥρα), Hēra is one of the Olympian Gods, the Greek Sky Goddess of women and marriage and the wife of Zeus, the King of the Gods. Hera is associated with the Roman Goddess Juno. Hermes - Hermes is the multifaceted messenger of the Gods. He is the Watcher at the Gates, a Thief in the Night, the mischievous God of Luck and the Psychopomp who guides souls to the afterworld, and also guides us through dream space. Horus - Horus is the ancient Egyptian protector of the ruler of Egypt. The Pharaoh was considered to be the living incarnation of Horus. After Osiris was murdered by Seth, Horus fought with Seth for the rule of Egypt. In the battle he lost an eye. This Eye of Horus became an important symbol of protection. After the battle, Geb proclaimed Horus the ruler of the living. Isis - Isis is the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. She is a powerful protective Goddess associated with the rulers of ancient Egypt. She is imaged as a woman with a headdress in the shape of a throne and is often depicted nursing the infant Horus. Iusaaset - Iusaaset was the consort and "shadow" of Atum in some stories about Him. She is the mother and grandmother of all the Gods by Atum. Her name means the great one who comes forth. Janus - The ancient Roman God Janus, or more properly Ianus, is the God of beginnings, endings, transitions, times, doorways, gateways, passageways, movement and travelling. He is depicted as having two faces because he sees both the past and the future and is looking both and where you've been and where you're going. He was ritually invoked by the priests at the beginning of each ceremony for all the other Gods as he reigns as guardian of the gates between worlds and thus intermediary between mortals and the divine. Juno - Juno is the Roman Queen of the Gods, Goddess of women and protectress of the state. She is often associated with the Greek Hera and the Etruscan Goddesses Uni or Cupra. Together with Jupiter and Minerva she was part of the Capitoline Triad of the primary Gods of Rome and is the mother of Mars the tutelary God of Rome. The month June is named for Her and the first day of each month, the Kalends, is dedicated to Her. Jupiter - In Roman mythology, Jupiter or Jove is the King of the Gods and the God of the sky and thunder. He has been associated with zeus of the Greek Pantheon. Khepri - Khepri is an ancient Egyptian God associated with creation, rebirth and the movement of the sun. He is often connected with Atum or Ra. His symbol is the scarab. Khnum - Khnum was a creator God who molded the first people out of clay from the Nile. He was originally the God of the source of the Nile river, but Hapy took over that role. Khnum makes infants out of clay and places them in their mothers' wombs. Then his wife Heqet breathes life into them when they emerge. Lucifer - Few names stir up as much controversy as that of Lucifer, a minor Latin God associated with the dawn star, or Venus, herald of the Goddess of the Dawn whose singular appearance in the Bible in Isaiah 14:12 which says "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" has forever branded His equivalent to the Christian Devil. This misunderstanding, as so many in the Christian Bible, comes from a translation issue from the Hebrew to Greek to Latin1. Footnotes 1. See commentary for Mormons at http://www.lds-mormon.com/lucifer.shtml Ma'at - Ma'at is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of balance, truth, justice and harmony. She is the daugher of Ra. Maia - According to ancient Hellenic Lore, Maia was the eldest and most beautiful of the Pleides, daughters of Atlas and Pleione. She is the mother of Hermes. In Roman lore she is identified with Maia Maiestas. Mars - Mars was the Tutelary God of ancient Rome, the Roman God of war, and one of the most important Gods in ancient Rome, second only to his father Jupiter. The month of March is named for Him and His feast days are Feriae Marti on March 1st and Armilustrium on October 19 Mary - Mary, the virgin mother of the man-God Jesus of Christian lore is honored by many Christo-Pagans and Christian witches as a mother Goddess. She is often referred to as The Madonna. She is the Queen of Heaven, the Bride of God and the Mother of God. Mercury - The Roman God Mercury, or Mercurius, is a messenger God concerned with trade and profit. His name derives from the Latin word merx which means ''merchandise''. Nabu - Nabu is the Babylonian God of wisdom and writing. Nabu writes the will of the Gods on the tablet of each human life. Neit - Neit, Nit, Net, or Neith was a war Goddess honored in the town of Sais. She was the patroness and protector of Egyptian soldiers and virgins. She was also associated with weaving. New Kingdom traditions say that she is the mother of Sobek and the protector of the royal crown. She is shown wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt, or a headpiece showing a shield with two crossed arrows and she carries a bow and arrow in one hand and an ankh in the other. Nephthys - Nephthys is the ancient Egyptian protectress of the dead, sister of Isis and Osiris, wife of Seth and mother of Anubis. Her name means "Lady of the Mansion". Nuada - Nuada Airgetlám of the Silver Hand (Also spelled Nuadu, Nuadha, Airgeadlámh) was the God-King of the Tuatha Dé Danann before they came to Ireland and for some time after. Nun - Nun or Nu is the eldest of the Egyptian Gods. He is the primordial waters of chaos and all that existed before the first land rose out of the sea. He is imaged as a man carrying a bark canoe. Nut - Nut is the sky Goddess whose body forms the vault of sky over the earth. She is the sister and wife of Geb and mother of Isis, Osiris, Seth and Nephthys. At the end of each day, she swallows Ra and every morning gives birth to Him again. Odin - Odin is the one-eyed All-Father of the Norse pantheon. His wife is Frigg, the Goddess of Wisdom. Odin carries out war and gives strength to his enemies. Thor was actually more typically associated with peace and abundance than Odin was, and tended to be a more primary god for the living. Osiris - The name Osiris is a Greek translation of the Egyptian word which may have been pronounced Us-iri, which means "Throne of the Eye". Ostara - The Goddess Ostara is a Germanic Goddess of springtime and the dawn. Her name is believed to be related to the word East, from which the light of dawn emerges. Pachamama - Pachi Mama, Patchi-Mama or Pachimama is the Quechan or Inca word for “Mother Earth” or more accurately “our mother in space and time”. Most cultures have an EarthMother concept and those of South America are no exception. But the word “Pachamama” goes beyond the name of a single Goddess, it encompasses a entire world view and way of life. It involves the belief that the Earth is a living being and the mother of all of Earth's life. In traditional societies, grown children were expected to take care of their parents and thus, it should be expected that we all care for Pachamama. Pachamama cares for her children as a mother cares for her young and does not turn away from them. If she fails to provide, it is because she is not well. Pomona - Pomona is a wood nymph, one of the Numia or place spirit, and the Roman Goddess of orchard fruit. Her name comes from the Latin word for fruit, the French word for apple is pomme (derived from the Latin). Quetzalcoatl - Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star (Venus), wind and rain. He is also a god of learning, reading, and books. Ra - Ra is the ancient Egyptian God of the sun. He is swallowed every night by Nut and reborn again every morning. Alternatively he travels through the underworld at night. In the Underworld he is imaged as a man with the head of a ram. In the upper world he is imaged as a man with the head of a hawk crowned by a sun disk. Saturn - Saturn or Saturnus is the ancient Roman God of agriculture, the sowing of seeds, wealth, the seasons, cycles of decay and renewal and the passage of time. Sekhmet - Sekhmet is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of war. She is imaged as a woman with the head of a lioness. Her name means "powerful one". Selene - Selene (suh LEE nee) Σελήνη is the ancient Greek Titan Goddess and personification of the Moon. Selene drives her chariot silver drawn by two white winged horses or bulls across the sky each night. Sometimes she is riding a bull or a horse. Seshat - Seshat is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of writing and measurement. She is imaged as a woman wearing a panther skin with a star on her headdress. Seth - Seth or Set is the ancient Egyption God of disharmony and destruction. He murdered Osiris and battled with Horus for the throne of Egypt. In earlier times He was associated with Eygptian royalty. He is imaged as a man with the head of a strange animal, known as the Set animal. (It looks a little like an ant eater to me.) Shu - Shu is the ancient Egyptian God who holds up the arch of the sky (Nut) so that the Earth and Sky are separate. Sobek - Sobek is the personification of the Nile crocodile. He is pictured either as a crocodile or as a powerful man with the head of a crocodile. Temples to him were located throughout Egypt where crocodiles were common. Some of the temples kept pools where sacred temple crocodiles were offered the best cuts of meat. These crocodiles became tame and were mummified after their deaths. Tammuz - Tammuz is the name of the ancient Sumerian God of food and vegetation. The name means "faithful son". He was the consort of Innana. Tawaret - Tawaret is an ancient Egyptian Goddess associated with women and childbirth. Her appearance is a composite with the head of a hippopotamus, the tail of a crocodile and the body of a lion, with features of a heavily pregnant woman. Like Bes images of Tawaret were often kept in the home as protective amulets. Tefnut - Tefnut is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of moisture. She is the wife of Shu and mother of Nut and Geb. She is often depicted with the head of a lioness. The Charities - The Charities or Kharities are the ancient Greek Goddesses of charm, beauty, creativity and fertility, but more specifically, they seem to be the Goddesses of pleasant things that result from peaceful gatherings of people, especially festivities. The Dioscuri - The Dioscuri (sons of Zeus in Greek) is the name given to the twins Castor and Pollux (Polydeuces) who were the brothers of Clytemnestra and Helen of Sparta featured in The Illiad and The Odyssey. Their mother was Leda, Queen of Sparta and wife of Tyndareus. It is said the Leda was seduced by Zeus in the shape of a swan and gave birth to an egg which held her children. Some stories say she laid two eggs, one containing Helen and Pollux and the other containing Clytemnestra and Castor and that Helen and Pollux are the children of Zeus and Clytemnestra and Castor the children of Tyndareus born a more traditional way. Other sources say that Castor and Pollux were born of the egg and Clytemnestra and Helen are the daughters of Tyndareus. Whatever their paternity, the brothers were very close and went everywhere together. The Graces - The Graces, from the Latin Gratiae, or Charities (from the Greek Charis pronounced kh á ris) are the Goddesses of harmony and accord. The Holly King - The Holly King is a masculine neopagan deity who holds court from midsummer to midwinter. His twin and adversary, the Oak King, rules the opposite half of the year. Thoth - Thoth is the ancient Egyptian God of writing and knowledge. He provided the gift of hieroglyphic writing to the people. He is also associated with alchemy and magick and is associated with the moon. He is depicted as a man with the head of an ibis and is also symbolized by the baboon. Turms - Turms is the Etruscan God of boundaries, trade and commerce, psychopomp and a messanger between mortals and Gods. Turms was associated with the Greek God Hermes and the Roman God Mercury.

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thesylvalining · 7 years

Text

Sometimes I feel like my life is like a conversation between myself and Tom Petty.

Me: Man, I’ve got the travel itch.

Tom: Time to move on, time to get going.

Me: But where?

Tom: You belong somewhere you feel free.

Me: Duh! Where would you suggest? Italy?

Tom: You belong on a boat out at sea.

Me: But Tom, you know my track record with seasickness…

Tom: Let me get to the point, let’s roll another joint…

Me: Okay, now we’re getting somewhere!

It’s all my dad’s fault: he listened to Tom Petty for ages before I could even say “Tom Petty.” In truth the first complete sentence I said — “Go play on the freeway,” to a cute little old lady at the grocery store — was his fault, too. Supposedly I heard him say it to the dogs… apparently it’s real kids understand more than you think.

Speaking of kids… munchkins actually play into the way things are evolving but first: I want to touch on the way I’ve been feeling lately: like a leaf in the wind. Every day I am blissfully unsure of how things will unfold. It’s the most free and open I’ve possibly ever felt in my silly little life.

So when I read this bit of “Jitterbug Perfume,” by Tom Robbins (borrowed from my Italian friend/queen Lisa) I almost fell off the toilet where I do most of my reading. In this section one of the main characters, an ex-king named Alobar, is having a conversation with the village shaman, who speaks first:

“I encourage you to ride this strange wind that is blowing through you, to ride it to wherever it will carry you.”

“But which way shall I go?”

“That is between you and the wind…”

Lately the wind and I have been having a riveting dialogue, because in the last 72 hours, the “plan” (if anyone can call it that) has changed. It’s worked itself out in the most enchanting of ways, unrolling like pastry dough on the counter, ready to be filled with crema, nutella or marmellata… But the last couple days, my friends, are a story all of their own. Long story short, I am not coming back to the States until September… but the details are still evolving and all of that deserves its own glorious post.

So, while this new direction works itself out like a much, much more pleasant kidney stone, let’s allow the wind to blow us back to Rome, shall we?

We therefore pick up the trail in a hot and humid afternoon breeze outside the train station in Spagna, the Spanish quarter, in search of our quaint hotel. Kelly and Jacob are uncomfortably warm; I — the lizard — am in my happy place.

After ditching our bags at in our cool hotel room and chugging an appropriate amount of water, we burst back into the sun to check off the first item on our tourist list: the ancient Colosseum. And on the way, enjoy horse hats, the stately Altare della Patria and some more really old crap.

Not to be that person (although I’m gonna be that person)… but last I spent time in Rome, it was March of 2005 with my good friend Amy (AP Photo!) and her friend, Sherry. The streets — and the Colosseum — were cold, but deserted. This round it was busier than centro on market day, but nonetheless, the ancient, enchantment of such a structure remained intact.

With throngs of other humans we wandered in awe past old columns the size of Redwood trees and arches that had watched not only gladiators, but now — with an ancient eye roll — modern-day Selfie Stick aficionados battling with their Smartphones. I personally don’t need one because I was born with an arm… actually, two of them…

Boom! The Colosseum 🙂

Frands.

The big picture.

Old crap.

Selfie sticksssss.

More selfie love.

Even people carried from across the globe and deposited there like so many pieces of guanciale in a really good Carbonara (one of Rome’s specialties), the magnificence of so much history was not obscured. To read the Colosseum was regularly flooded for ship battles is incredible; to read people were tossed into the labyrinth of the Colosseum with lions like fish food into a fish tank to be ripped into tiny little fish food-sized pieces is gruesome… but fascinating, to be sure. Ahhhh, history.

Outside the Colosseum, with sweat moving like curious ants through crevices on our bodies which — unlike the Roman ruins we stood among — had somehow until this point avoided excavation, we spotted something incredible: free cold water. Throughout Italy a refreshing army of potable water pours from the frozen metal maws of lions or stoic faces but here, there was a choice between naturale (still) or frizzante (sparkling) water. From that moment on, the fizzy water stop became mandatory on all expeditions.

Post-Colosseum we paused for our daily gelato stop and found an appropriately ugly spot to suck it down…

We took the scenic way home, bypassing the chaotic, clogged but more direct shopping hub on Via Del Corso, stumbling across this lovely courtyard that probably has a story of its own…

After the hot sun went to bed, we decided a trip to Trevi Fountain — featured in Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita,” — would be next. Despite feeling more like a zoo than one of Rome’s most ancient water sources (the Aqua Virgo Aqueduct built 19 B.C. provided water to the Roman baths and Rome’s central fountains), Trevi fountain at night was still magical. We grabbed a bottle of wine from a nearby enoteca and pizza al taglio (pizza baked in large rectangular pans, sliced in squares and re-nuked) and observed people chucking coins in the water. After some wine and some time, we noticed most people tossed over left shoulders, turned backwards. The key to a wish come true, apparently, is not to watch after the coin leaves your hands.

After leaving the zoo, we retreated to our cool, dark room and passed the flip out.

In the morning it was ____. Yep, you guessed it, hot! After an Italian-style caffeine-pastry breaking of the fast, we headed towards the Roman Forum, rented audio guides and proceeded to march around learning about, among so many other things, the 7th century Temple of Vesta, Umbilicus Urbis (the Roman entrance to the Underworld) and Basilica Julia, built by Julius Caesar. Over it all sat a blue sky over which the brilliant sun ruled; Kelly and Jacob sweated to death and soon retreated to a popular shady area to revamp; I continued my wandering, sweating to life 🙂

Listening to some audio…

The remains of the Temple of Castor and Pollux.

Temple of Saturn, in the distance…

The Temple of Saturn.

Sharing grounds with the Forum was Palentine Hill, one of Rome’s Seven Hills and where Romulus first founded the original city in 753 BC. We wandered among the House of the Vestal Virgins, learning those lucky ladies had to keep their virginal, ahem, properties intact or, of course, they were killed. Lovely.

Kelly and Jacob kicked it in the shade while I ran up to the top of Palentine Hill to check out the garden atop it and of course, the view!

Post-Forum we made a pit stop for acqua frizzante with a herd of other thirsty humans, found more pizza al taglio for lunch and made our way to Via Labicana to rent three neon bikes from Wheely Bike. With the wind in our hair, we zipped over to the (free!) and glorious Pantheon. Formerly a Roman Temple, the Pantheon was constructed between 118-128 BC.

Inside, with everyone else, we gazed silently upwards to marvel at the Pantheon’s spectacular oculus. And — equally stunning — to postulate how, almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon is still the world’s largest un-reinforced concrete dome. My mind still struggles to wrap itself around such a feat like a thick spaghetti noodle around a fork in a bowl of cacio e pepe (cheese, pepper sauce — another irresistible Roman culinary masterpiece).

After the Pantheon, we zipped through nearby (crowded) Piazza Navona on our way to the river and our obligatory gelato stop of the day: Gelateria Del Viale, some of the best gelato in Rome, according to a friend of mine. We cooled off along the river and rode the long way back to Wheely Bike to return our neon steeds…

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Gelateria del Viale.

Looking down from steps near Altare della Patria.

Exiting the bike path by the Tiber River.

Coming around the back of the Forum…

After we ditched bikes, we figured we’d have enough time to trot over to the room, powder our noses and head to dinner at the charmingly-named Guilio Passami l’Olio (Guilio, pass me the olive oil). But suddenly we were the Lemony Snickets amongst a series of Unfortunate events: First, missing the first bus because we were on the wrong side of the street. Second, Sylva — The One Who Has Been to Italy Many Times Before forgot to pop in a Tabacchi and buy tickets before catching the bus. And the third bus (of course) was late enough to push our delayed arrival into the realm of “maybe they’re not actually coming at all…” Eventually, we threw in the cheaper public transportation towel in and hailed a cab.

At Giulio Passami l’Olio we found a hopping scene and our reservation had somehow gotten lost in the shuffle like an olive in a very loud, well-dressed salad. Eventually, however, we sat in sweaty clothes and tennis shoe to eat delectable food and consult the restaurant’s fantastic wine bible, or Wible.

To digest and enjoy the temperate evening, we wandered back along the river, enjoying the play of the lights on the water, the trees swaying in the breeze and the feel of a big city under darkness.

Back at the ranch, we made quick work of falling dead asleep. In the morning, at 8:30 a.m., we had a hot date with the Vatican and the even more infamous Sistine Chapel…

Morning found us squeezing onto la metropolitana with the rest of Rome — the Romans to work and us to Vatican City. Like an open bottle of red wine, we poured out onto the streets, directed this way and that by hawkers and helpful folks associated with the Vatican — problem was, it was impossible to tell the difference. But with such volume of people heading to gawk at the plush, art-full innards of the Vatican, we found ourselves funneled right into the gaping, rope-lined mouth of the museum. Luckily, we bought tickets in advance and soon marched up a long spiral staircase into the Vatican.

A sign presented two options: a short tour and a long tour. Two plus hours, Egyptian heiroglyphics, Roman statues, ancient painted maps and medieval tapestries, several Salvador Dali pictures and a Sistine Chapel later, we couldn’t even imagine what the long tour entailed…

From one of the many Vatican windows, Rome, on and on…

Old ass stuff.

The Hall of Muses.

Some of the coolest maps of Italy and Europe possibly ever.

The Vatican’s dome.

Salvador Dali! One of my favorite artists!

In the Sistine Chapel, I was a very, very bad monkey and — amongst loud, firm admonitions via intercom for “Silenzio, per favore; silence, please!” and “no pictures” I fake sneezed, glanced both ways and pointed my very incognito camera straight up:

Oops…

After the Vatican, we located some grub and had just enough time to sprint up the Spanish Steps for a view before getting sucked back into the cockles of la metropolitana and the expansive Roman stazione for the ride back to Faenza…

On subsequent episodes of The Sylva Lining… there’s Venice and I answer the same question The Clash pondered: Should I stay or should I go now? And furthermore, how? As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way. Or, as this Roman street artist penned:

La Dolce Vita Sometimes I feel like my life is like a conversation between myself and Tom Petty. Me: Man, I've got the travel itch.

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