#camphorwood

[ayanos-pl]

クスノキの花序。もうすぐ咲きそう（5月2日）

Cynamonowiec kamforowy, drzewo kamforowe, kamforowiec (Cinnamomum camphora)

camphor tree, camphorwood or camphor laurel (Camphora officinarum)

[anesanlovestreesinjapan]

NITTA Shrine, Zelkova, over 700 years old.

【Türkçe aşağıda gösterilmiştir】

You may feel this powerful energy in the air. The blessings of "health, longevity, healing of illness and rejuvenation".

Address. Japan, 1-21-23 Yaguchi, Ota-ku, Tokyo 146-0093

This beautiful shrine is located in the city of Tokyo. This 700-year-old zelkova tree was struck by lightning in the Edo period [17th century] and more than half of its trunk was split, but it did not die. Then, in the war of the Tokyo Air Raid of April 1945, bombs fell on the precincts of the shrine, and the shrine buildings and town were almost completely destroyed by fire. Part of the zelkova tree was also destroyed by fire, but it did not wither, and every year in the season of fresh greenery it grows lush foliage, giving worshippers a moment of rest and relaxation. He (she) is not defeated by war or lightning strikes. The top of the old tree also has a very rare 'lodging tree' (plant), which also blooms with small pale yellow flowers in early spring. Ancient legend has it that touching this sacred tree will bring blessings of 'health, long life, healing and rejuvenation'. If you like, you can touch it gently and with grateful energy.

About NITTA Shrine Established in 1358. Goryo belief is a kind of folk belief that is at the core of the ancient people's view of the spirit of the dead, which held that natural disasters such as epidemics were caused by the haunting of spirits of the dead, and the concept of abhorrence based on the ancient people's unique fear of death and defilement, and was influenced by shamanism, esoteric Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, and Chinese culture such as Yin-Yang-Do, which were all intertwined with each other. It is thought to be a kind of folk secular belief that is intertwined with each other.

Nitta Yoshiko, who is worshipped at Nitta Shrine, was an extremely brave warlord during the warring states period in the Middle Ages. He was worshipped as a guardian deity, a god who protects the luck of the warriors, the prosperity of the family and the success of the war, and was worshipped as 'Nitta Daimeijin NITTA DAIMYOUJIN'.

The Nitta Shrine has a local function as a local guardian deity, and has continued on the path of repose for the repose of the soul of Lord Yoshiko, and in October 2008 marked the 660th anniversary of its establishment.

The Goshinoki Omamori is also available as a gift.　　　Initial fee 600 yen.

Please enjoy.

Türkçe Otomatik çeviri NITTA Tapınağı, Zelkova, 700 yıldan daha eski. Bu güçlü enerjiyi havada hissedebilirsiniz. "Sağlık, uzun ömür, hastalıkların iyileşmesi ve gençleşmenin" kutsamaları.

Adres. Japonya, 1-21-23 Yaguchi, Ota-ku, Tokyo 146-0093

Bu güzel tapınak Tokyo şehrinde yer almaktadır. Bu 700 yıllık zelkova ağacına Edo döneminde [17. yüzyıl] yıldırım çarpmış ve gövdesinin yarısından fazlası yarılmış, ancak ölmemiştir. Daha sonra, Nisan 1945'teki Tokyo Hava Saldırısı savaşında, tapınak bölgesine bombalar düşmüş ve tapınak binaları ve kasaba neredeyse tamamen yanarak yok olmuştur. Zelkova ağacının bir kısmı da yangında yok oldu, ancak solmadı ve her yıl taze yeşillik mevsiminde yemyeşil yapraklar yetiştirerek ibadet edenlere bir dinlenme ve rahatlama anı yaşattı. O, savaş ya da yıldırım çarpması tarafından mağlup edilmemiştir. Yaşlı ağacın tepesinde ayrıca ilkbaharın başlarında küçük soluk sarı çiçekler açan çok nadir bir 'konaklama ağacı' (bitki) vardır. Eski efsaneye göre bu kutsal ağaca dokunmak 'sağlık, uzun ömür, şifa ve gençleşme' kutsamaları getirecektir. İsterseniz nazikçe ve minnettar bir enerjiyle dokunabilirsiniz.

NITTA Tapınağı Hakkında 1358 yılında kurulmuştur. Goryo inancı, eski insanların salgın hastalıklar gibi doğal afetlerin ölülerin ruhlarının musallat olmasından kaynaklandığını savunan ölülerin ruhu görüşünün ve eski insanların ölüm ve kirlenmeye karşı duydukları benzersiz korkuya dayanan tiksinme kavramının özünde yer alan ve Şamanizm, ezoterik Budizm, Saf Toprak Budizmi ve Yin-Yang-Do gibi Çin kültüründen etkilenen, hepsi birbiriyle iç içe geçmiş bir tür halk inancıdır. Birbiriyle iç içe geçmiş bir tür halk seküler inancı olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Nitta Tapınağı'nda tapınılan Nitta Yoshiko, Orta Çağ'da savaşan devletler döneminde son derece cesur bir savaş lorduydu. Koruyucu bir tanrı, savaşçıların şansını, ailenin refahını ve savaşın başarısını koruyan bir tanrı olarak ibadet edilir ve 'Nitta Daimeijin NITTA DAIMYOUJIN' olarak tapınılırdı.

Nitta Tapınağı, yerel bir koruyucu tanrı olarak yerel bir işleve sahiptir ve Lord Yoshiko'nun ruhunun huzuru için dinlenme yolunda devam etmiştir ve Ekim 2008'de kuruluşunun 660. yıldönümünü kutlamıştır.

Goshinoki Omamori hediye olarak da sunulmaktadır.　　　Başlangıç ücreti 600 yen.

Lütfen keyfini çıkarın.

[pynkhues]

https://x.com/vampcnvs/status/1837553403003797857/photo/1

Don't know if you saw this from today but Sam doing her nails with a look of such intense concentration is oddly adorable

I knew in my bones that that man owned at least one Akubra, so I am feeling incredibly justified right now, hahaha.

(Both the pics from today are cute though!)

[a-literal-toaster-wtf]

Arnold J. Rimmer is autistic: a (in)complete list of evidence

let me preface this by saying i am autistic so what i say goes <3

but on a serious note, there is SO much evidence that rimmer is autistic and i’m here to display it all, i guess! everything i list here i also experience, so trust me on this one.

1. special interests and attachment to certain items

i think the most obvious example of this would be in s3 e2 “marooned”. he has such a strong attachment to his soldier figures (forgive me i cannot remember what they are called) and his camphorwood chest he’s literally willing to burn *his 20k+ dollarpounds* instead. in this episode he also mentions that as a child, when his favourite shoes were ruined he cried for weeks. he even mentions that he himself was thrown into the septic tank, not specifically his shoes - but he focuses on the shoes. he obviously had a very strong attachment to those shoes - stronger than an allistic kid probably would.

now, special interests - you cannot tell me his obsession with the military isn’t a special interest. as a person with special interests, his strong fixation on military history reminds me of how i interact with my special interests. i also believe that aliens and space were definitely a special interest for him in s1 - s2, but he doesn’t seem to bring it up much after that - but losing special interests or having them come on and off is definitely a thing that happens to me, so it can happen for him too.

2. missing the point/not looking at the bigger picture and focusing on small details instead

once again, citing marooned for this one. when lister tells rimmer he lost his virginity at 12 years old on a golf course, rimmer instead realises that at that age lister would not be able to be a full member of the golf club, meaning he would be trespassing - instead of the obvious point that 12 is VERY young to be having sex. another example of something going over rimmer’s head is in s2 e5 “queeg”, when lister tells rimmer the “shoes have soles” joke, it completely goes over his head - and when you think he’s going to figure out that it’s a joke, he instead says “how did the shoes open the car door?”

3. stimming

over the course of the show i have picked up on a LOT of different ways i’ve seen rimmer stim. here are the ones i’ve compiled:

bouncing leg

chewing/biting nails

biting fist

doing that little subtle bounce on his heels

swinging arm

pacing

honestly at this point i’m convinced his classic salute is a stim, as he’s seen doing it out of excitement in s2 s2 “better than life” when receiving news he’d past his exam (he also does it twice in a row for no reason at the end of tongue tied)

there’s probably more that i’m missing lol.

4. missing social cues

in s4 e6 “meltdown”, lister and cat are very obviously not interested in the story rimmer is telling - but he continues telling it nonetheless, not realising they don’t want to keep listening. while this could’ve been just him ignoring that they don’t want to listen, i’m choosing to think it’s the former option. he also wasn’t aware that gazpacho soup was served cold, which should be general knowledge for someone of his age. there’s probably other examples of this happening but i’m getting tired and can’t be bothered searching.

and now: a list of things that i’ve noticed but either don’t know how or can’t be bothered to expand on!

misophonia

hearing electricity

trouble keeping relationships

heavily bullied in childhood (and in adulthood too)

trouble with initiative (“i never think for myself!”)

low empathy

need for routine and organisation

similarly, organises things for fun

this is all the evidence i can think of at the moment, but if anyone has anything to add feel free!! i’ll probably end up adding more to this in time.

[thxnews]

Table Mountains Beauty: Marvels, History, Trails, and Biodiversity

  Table Mountain is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Its flat-top summit and distinctive silhouette have made it a popular tourist destination for centuries. But Table Mountain beauty is more than just a mountain. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a national park, home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at Table Mountain. We will learn about its history, geology, and ecology. We will also explore some of the best ways to experience this amazing natural wonder.  

Table Mountain Sunset. Photo by Nicolas Raymond. Flickr.  

History of Table Mountain

The first people to live in the Table Mountain area were the Khoikhoi people. They called the mountain Hoerikwaggo, which means "mountain in the sea." The Dutch arrived in the area in the 17th century and gave the mountain the name Table Mountain. The Dutch built a number of roads and trails up Table Mountain, making it a popular destination for hikers and climbers. In the 19th century, the first cable car was built, making it even easier to reach the summit. Today, Table Mountain is a major tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year. It is also a popular spot for hiking, rock climbing, and paragliding.  

Table Mountain fun. Photo by George M. Groutas. Flickr.  

Geology of Table Mountain

Table Mountain is a sandstone plateau that was formed over millions of years. The sandstone was deposited underwater, and then the top of the mountain was eroded away by glaciers during the Ice Age. This created the flat-top summit that we see today. The sandstone on Table Mountain is home to a wide variety of plant life. There are over 1,500 species of plants on the mountain, including many that are endemic to the Cape Floral Kingdom. The Cape Floral Kingdom is a biodiversity hotspot, meaning that it is home to a high concentration of plant species.  

Wildflowers, Table Mountain. Photo by Ray Explores. Flickr.  

Ecology of Table Mountain

Table Mountain is home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. The mountain's unique climate and geology have created a diverse ecosystem that supports a high concentration of species. Plant life on Table Mountain segregates into two primary zones: the fynbos zone boasting low, shrubby vegetation and hosting numerous endemic species such as proteas, ericas, and restios, and the Afromontane zone with its taller trees and lush forests. This zone is home to a variety of trees, including yellowwood, stinkwood, and camphorwood. The animal life on Table Mountain is also diverse. The mountain is home to a number of mammals, including baboons, monkeys, porcupines, and dassies. There are also a variety of birds on the mountain, including eagles, hawks, owls, and sunbirds. The mountain is also home to a number of reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Table Mountain's ecology is fragile and is threatened by a number of factors, including invasive species, climate change, and pollution. However, there are a number of organizations working to protect the mountain's ecology. These organizations are working to control invasive species, reduce pollution, and educate the public about the importance of protecting Table Mountain.   Here are some of the specific plant and animal species that can be found on Table Mountain: - Plants: proteas, ericas, restios, yellowwood, stinkwood, camphorwood - Mammals: baboons, monkeys, porcupines, dassies - Birds: eagles, hawks, owls, sunbirds - Reptiles: snakes, lizards, tortoises - Amphibians: frogs - Insects: butterflies, bees, ants  

Tandem paragliding with the Table Mountain cable car in the background above. Photo by Derek Keats. Flickr.  

How to Experience Table Mountain

There are many ways to experience Table Mountains' beauty. You can hike to the summit, take the cable car, or even paraglide off the top. If you are a hiker, there are a number of trails to choose from, ranging from easy to difficult. The cable car is a great way to reach the summit if you are short on time or if you have mobility issues. Paragliding is a more adventurous way to experience Table Mountain, and it offers stunning views of the city and the surrounding area. However, you choose to experience Table Mountain, its beauty and natural wonders are sure to amaze you.  

Table Mountain Aerial Cable Car. Photo by George M. Groutas. Flickr.  

Additional tips for visiting Table Mountains Beauty:

- The best time to visit Table Mountain is during the spring (September-November) or fall (March-May). The weather is mild during these seasons, and there are fewer crowds. - If you are hiking to the summit, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. The trails can be steep and challenging, especially in the heat. - If you are taking the cable car, be sure to purchase your tickets in advance. The cable car often becomes crowded, particularly during peak season. - If you are planning to paraglide, be sure to book your flight in advance. There are a number of paragliding companies that operate in the area. I hope you enjoyed this blog post about Table Mountains' beauty. If you are planning a trip to South Africa, be sure to add this amazing natural wonder to your itinerary.   Sources: THX News & Wikipedia.  Read the full article

[look-into-our-heart]

Bringing Out the Essence of the Dharma

In yesterday’s Life Wisdom episode, Master talked about bringing out the essence of the Dharma.  She also used a metaphor of going through piles of sand to panning for gold.  For hundreds of lifetimes, Tzu Chi volunteers have been panning for gold within themselves.  In this lifetime, they’ve found the gold.  Master says that each Tzu Chi volunteer is like a speck of gold, very valuable and precious.  To understand better the metaphor of panning for gold, read the article below.

Watch 20230607 Life Wisdom - Bringing Out the Essence of the Dharma with Our Genuine Sincerity (人間菩提 - 真純虔誠入法髓)

The Essence of Pure Wisdom**

Within wood, there is fire,

yet this fire comes into being

only if the wood is kindled.

Within sand, there is gold,

yet this gold is found

only by washing the sand.

Within our hearts, there is pure wisdom,

yet we can touch this wisdom

only if we realize it is there

and draw it forth.

In everything around us, there are profound principles; within each and every thing, there is an essence we often are not aware of. Take wood for example. Out in the wilderness, people can kindle a fire just by rubbing sticks of wood together. What gives the wood this potential for fire? It is the oil contained within it. This oil is what is extracted to make tea tree, sandalwood, or camphorwood essential oils. If we light these essential oils, we can produce fire. Normally, when we see a piece of wood, such as our wood table or chair, we rarely think of the oil in the wood or its potential for fire. But, if we are mindful, we can extract this essential oil.

Similarly, within sand, there can be gold. Gold prospectors go to streams to pan the sand for gold, using various tools such as a sieve to gradually filter out the different components. Slowly washing these out, they finally are left with the most valuable mineral in the sand—gold. Without this filtering, the sand would have just remained ordinary sand. Though the gold is there, it remains hidden.

There is something equally precious within our own hearts—our essence, which is pure wisdom. It is known as Buddha nature. Like the unwashed sand, if we remain unaware of this essence and do not mindfully search for it, it will remain buried, unseen and untouched.

The Buddha offered us many practices that can help us recover this pure wisdom. His teachings show us how we can clean our minds of afflictions and inner impurities. When we uncover more and more of this wisdom and operate out of our pure true nature, we will be able to see the things of this world clearly, as they really are.

Everything has its essence. Like the wood and sand, in us there is also an essence. If we can be mindful in “extracting” this essence, we can find our Buddha nature and touch pure wisdom.

** This article is from the Power of the Heart book.

[drowninginabactatank]

Zen Dice by Gokurakuya 🎲

Obtained via kickstarter - beautiful hand carved and embellished Camphorwood dice by a business who specialises in carving Buddhist statues.

They smell divine!

[upropertysg]

Zhuge Liang, a Larger than Life wood craving by Deng Yu Rong, Fujian China. Zhuge Liang aka Kongming was recognised as the most accomplished strategist during the Three Kingdoms period. The making of wood has been widely practised, but survived much less well than other material such as stone as it is vulnerable to decay. Therefore forms an important hidden element in the art history of many cultures. #singapore 🇸🇬 #woodsculpture #woodsculptures #sculptorsofinstagram #dengyurong #gardensbythebay #gardensbythebaysingapore #woodcarving #woodart #woodcrafts #zhugeliang #gardensbythebaysg #camphorwood https://www.instagram.com/p/B9LCmA8BwVD/?igshid=10hwm12acx206

[kasokesa]

March #camphorlaurel #camphorwood #楠 #trees #春探し#springhunters #takeawalk #桜ヶ丘公園 #多摩市 #tokyonature #flower #flowerstagram #ig_flowers #naturephotography #naturecolors #naturelovers #ig_japan #springinjapan #spring #rainbow_petals #flowers #flowerslovers #flower_daily #はなまっぷ #canon #canonphoto #fleur_noblesse (桜ヶ丘公園) https://www.instagram.com/p/BykgeaFgNip/?igshid=1lnx1rqfona9y

[ayanos-pl]

根元が溶岩のようにとろけてあふれる巨大クスノキ

[boxania-blog]

Buy Natural Cedar Wood Moth Balls Online in India

Are you looking for Natural Cedar Wood Moth Balls Online? Get camphor wood moth balls at an affordable price by visiting Boxania. Check out all detail about the product review, rating, price, etc,. Get Free Shipping for orders over Rs399.

[pynkhues]

hello!! for the mini fic asks I would like to request D) subtle kindnesses, Roy siblings (any dynamic of your choosing!) <3

Hello! LOOK, this is neither a mini fic, nor probably what you wanted, haha, but I hope you like it regardless. <3

-

“Can I take your bag, sir?”

It takes Connor a minute to place the voice, to find the source among the crowd of staff lurking inside the doorway and briefly, he wonders if he’s come in the servants’ entrance, which - - jeez, wouldn’t that be embarrassing? Worse than the time he used the dessert spoon instead of the soup spoon at the Carnegie Weill Gala, or maybe not, given at least the only witnesses here would be the help, but then he casts his gaze up to the oakwood staircase, the gold-dipped chandelier, the ornately framed portrait of Caroline’s grandfather, and - -

Yeah.

Okay.

Not the servants’ entrance.

He hasn’t spent that much time at this particular house – one of the older Collingwood estates, and well out of London, located low on the rolling Cornish Coast – and honestly, he’d spent his last stay here drunk enough on the wine Caroline’s brother had brought up from Veneto that he’s not sure he remembers much beyond the bathroom anyway.

The thought makes Connor pick his duffel up off the floor, take a breath, inhaling the pungent smell of camphorwood and a log fire, somewhere in a room nearby, and, weirdly enough, the slightly saccharine scent of vanilla. 

“All good, señor, I’m gonna keep this one on me,” Connor says, stepping out of the way as one of the staff scrubbing at the floor inches closer to his shoes. “Trust me, I know how good the little hands in this house are at getting into things they shouldn’t.”

The butler gives him a strained smile at that, and Connor can’t help but laugh, even as two of the maids flutter past, one carrying a fax machine, the other rolls of paper, which feels - - positive? Maybe? He watches them disappear down the passage, chest oddly tight, and clears his throat, glances up, around, at the high arched ceiling, across the staircase, searching for anyone who isn’t getting a paycheck. Finally, he figures he just may as well ask it.

“Uh, is my dad - - ”

“Connor! You’ve made it!”

It’s Caroline’s voice, bright and loud, that bounces around the foyer, and Connor barely gets a glimpse of dark hair and narrow shoulders, a black draped gown like a Dickensian widow’s, before his throat dries and he bows his head like he did as a boy in Caroline’s ever simmering presence. He adjusts his bag strap, huffs a little at himself, reminds himself he’s not fifteen anymore, before forcing himself to look up as Caroline materialises at his side in a puff of tobacco and cinnamon-infused perfume.

She offers her cheek, and without a thought, he leans in to kiss it.

“Long flight, I imagine,” she says. “Do you want a drink?”

Connor blinks in surprise, glancing sideways at the grandfather clock down the hall, barely having struck midday, and says:

“Isn’t it a little early?”

“Surely you’re still on American time,” she grins, waspish, tilting her head as she steps over one of the floor cleaners and starts down the hall, as clear an instruction as any to follow her. “And a good host couldn’t let you drink alone.”

Stay Soft, Get Eaten 5k words. Succession gen fic. Set in 1987.

Send me mini fic prompts

[idahocreditrepair]

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[bm-asian-art]

Cabinet, One of Pair, ca. 1600, Brooklyn Museum: Asian Art

Size: 106 1/8 in. (269.6 cm) Medium: Zhangmu (Camphorwood)

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/3902

[newerapost]

CamphorTree (Cinnamomum camphora)

Cinnamomum camphora or Camphor Tree is an evergreen tree variety known as Alcanfor, camphor laurel, camphorwood, Camphora, Camphre de Laurier, Camphre Gomme, etc. Habitat The Cinnamomum camphora is indigenous to the hotter regions of Eastern Asia. However, the Camphor tree has readjusted to grow in dry soils and can now be located on most continents in humid and dry climates. It develops suitable…

[elfyourmother]

By a campfire. Longing.

“Is aught amiss, my friend?”

“Hmm?”

“You seem so melancholy, of a moment.”

Gisele glanced across the merrily crackling flames to meet Aymeric’s narrowed gaze; his brow was furrowed with that all too familiar tension she had come to know of late, and at this she felt yet another pang of guilt in her belly, for causing it. But there was naught but tenderness to be found in his silvery blue eyes. She could not bear it, the weight of his concern, and glanced away, staring instead at the dancing flames.

“It matters not,” she said. “We must needs consider our course with Hraesvelgr. Begging his aid against his own blood will be no small feat.”

“It matters to me,” Aymeric said softly. “What troubles you so?”

Gisele turned her gaze from the fire pit to behold their little camp; Alphinaud lay slumbering soundly as the dead upon his bedroll on the other side, the chocobos tethered to a nearby oak to drink their fill from the bubbling mountain stream. It was a peaceful scene, quiet and serene, which belied the purpose of their journey. Peaceful, and yet…so much had changed, since the first. If only she had known what might transpire in the aftermath of such an enchanted eve. The calm before the proverbial storm, she supposed it was. How bitter it tasted.

“This place is filled with memory,” she murmured quietly, staring into the flames. She glanced back to Aymeric. “Did you wonder why Alphi knew where we could rest for the night?”

Aymeric nodded. “I confess, I did…but, like as not, I attributed his familiarity with the terrain to the previous journey you had taken through Dravania.”

“Indeed. We made camp in this very glade the night before our audience with Hraesvelgr, awaiting the change of the winds,” Gisele explained. Her hand reached up to grasp the ever present amethyst pendant around her neck; she clutched it tightly. “Estinien taught Alphi how to make a proper fire, you see; there, in that pit. Ysayle made us a rustic stew, and we talked for ages, the four of us. We were the strangest of fellowships, of a surety: a pampered Sharlayan lordling, Ishgard’s greatest enemy and her mightiest champion by turns, and I, a twice-born sorceress from another world entire. But we had grown to be kin of a sort nonetheless, along our journey through the wilds.”

“It sounds wonderful,” Aymeric said, a bit wistfully; the curve of his generous mouth curled into a smile that set Gisele’s heart to racing. “I only wish I had been there for it.”

She raised her arm, gracefully sweeping it before her to gesture in the distance. “Do you see that old woodcutter’s trail, through the camphorwood trees?” she asked.

“Aye.”

Gisele smiled. “When our supper was finished, Estinien went off that way to brood by his lonesome,” she said.

“As is his wont,” Aymeric chuckled.

“I went after him; I could not bear to see him suffer. He laid his soul bare to me, and made love to me there, for the first time. I still remember him laying in the grass, gazing up at the stars,” Gisele said softly. She shut her eyes against the power of that memory; the pang which gripped her heart, and the tears which welled up from deep within. “Oh, Aymeric…it was the first time I had ever seen Estinien truly at peace. He was so beautiful it made my heart ache, and I knew then I never wanted to be without him, that I wanted to make him feel that way the rest of our lives. Truly...that was one of the happiest nights of my life, not merely for that, but all of it. And now…now my Ysayle lies in hospice, her body broken and tattered--all for me. And my beloved Estinien is made a prisoner in his own flesh, suffering a slave to that hateful shade, all because I was fool enough not to run that foul, stupid bloody Eye with my blade when I had the chance. And Ishgard, this fair city which has been my home and my sanctuary when I had none, teeters upon the brink of annihilation.”

Aymeric’s eyes grew wide, his lips parting as though he intended to speak; but then he paused a moment, lowering his eyes with a deeper furrow of his brow. He lifted his gaze back to her, and rose to his feet, striding to where she sat, and he sunk down in the grass beside her.

“Look at me,” he said.

“I cannot!” Gisele wailed, burying her face in her hands. She could not bear the weight of his regard, not now, not ever, not with the pain she had caused him. “It was my doing, it was all my doing!”

“Gisele.”

“Forgive me, Aymeric…”

“Dearest lady, I implore you: please look at me.”

She did at last, with eyes streaming a river of tears.

“This was not your doing,” Aymeric said, and firmly. “I do not fault you for it, and you have naught for which to atone. You are blameless; Nidhogg, and Nidhogg alone is to blame for what has befallen Estinien.”

“What if we can’t save him?” Gisele asked, her voice terribly small and distant, her lower lip quivering.

Aymeric took her hands into his own; they were trembling, and beaded with sweat despite the slight chill of the mountain air. “You saved Haurchefant from a Primal’s blow, and Mistress Dangoulain from the hail of a Garlean dreadnought’s fire. If aught of our mutual ill-fated love remains within Nidhogg’s clutches, then I am certain you shall save him too.”

“Such faith you place in me, ser knight,” Gisele said, trembling in his grasp. “What if I should fail?”

“I believe in you,” Aymeric began, “with all my heart. Come what may, we shall see this through together—not merely because I swore a sacred oath to defend Ishgard, though I honor it well. But because there is no other place I would rather be than defending her at your side. And your love shall prove not only Estinien’s salvation, but that of us all. This, I also believe with all my heart.”

Aymeric lifted his hands from Gisele’s, then, and with aching tenderness slowly brushed her tear stained lashes, catching the unshed droplets upon his fingers. Her very breath hitched in her throat, her heart pounding in her ears, at the brush of his fingertips along her cheeks, as he wiped away the salt stained remnants; again, when he leaned forward, and found her mouth with his own. She should have been startled by it, but she was not; instead, she marveled at the softness of his lips…they were achingly soft, as a woman’s, tasting of sweet wine and unspeakable yearning by turns. She parted them with her tongue, and it seemed to burst a dam within him, for Aymeric’s breath grew hot and heavy then, and he wrapped his arms about her tightly, rocking against her; he tilted her head back, and plunged his tongue down her throat, and it was all Gisele could do to cling to him, melting in his arms and swept away in the force of his passion. His lids grew heavy as his breath, and shut at last; betimes, he caught her bottom lip within his teeth, biting down softly.

It lasted at once forever, and altogether not long enough.

“Aymeric…” Gisele panted, gasping for air.

“Pray, forgive me such boldness, my lady,” Aymeric said, his olive skin flushed and gleaming golden in the light of the fire. “I…do not know what came over me. It was untoward, and impolitic, and—”

Gisele leaned forward, pressing her body tightly against his, and silenced him with her tongue, tracing it over his own with gentle strokes.

“And magnificent,” Gisele breathed against his mouth, so close was she even after pulling away for air, and raked her fingers through his soft, raven curls. She never could have dreamed he was so soft, of a surety, not in all the myriad dreams she’d had of a moment such as this. Mayhap she might have. “There is naught to forgive, ser knight. If I did not want it, I would not have permitted it.”

“Then glad am I for it,” Aymeric said, lightly brushing a stray silvery curl from her brow, to tuck it behind her pointed ear. “As I am for you. The Fury blessed me beyond all manner of counting, the day I met you at Camp Dragonhead.” Passing strange it was that none of the shame she once felt for feeling this way, about him, was anywhere to be found. He’d shattered all of it—the guilt, the endless self-recriminations--with a single kiss.

And it was right. It felt right.

“You remind me who I am, Aymeric de Borel,” Gisele said, smiling. “Mayhap it is I who is truly blessed, this night.”

Aymeric pressed his lips against hers a final time, and soundly. “Come, let us rest. I would speak with Hraesvelgr at first light, that we not chance a change in the winds.”

Gisele rose with him then, her slender fingers entwined with his, and she permitted him to lead her to his bedroll. As he sank down upon it, Gisele glanced over to Alphinaud’s, and sighed; she loved him dearly, for he was a brother to her, but for once she cursed the lad’s presence, for it stood between her and what she truly wanted. Still, it all seemed a fever dream as such, and one Gisele feared she might wake from at any moment.

Not the least of which when Aymeric lifted the blanket, beckoning to her with a silent invitation in his half-lidded eyes.

“Against the cold,” he said softly, tugging the fleece meaningfully.

Gisele smiled, and sank down upon his bedroll, nestling with her back against him, basking in the heat of his taut and trembling body; it burned hot as the fire before them. His heart pounded a staccato rhythm against her ear, to match that of her own. And though her blood ran hot as always, her mild fit of pique melted before such warmth, as he half sprawled across her back, the weight of his body as soothing as the blanket he pulled over them both, his arm draped over her waist, holding her tightly against him. She rested her own arm against his, gently stroking it through the finely spun linen of his bedshirt. It was enough; it was more than enough, to simply feel the strength of his arms around her, his breath upon her ear.

Such was love.

“Sleep, my angel,” Aymeric whispered tenderly into her ear, gently pressing his lips against the point, and her temple. “Sleep.”

And Gisele did.