#carrick: threads

[missautumn]

for @dearxeden ;; continued from HERE

As they were closer now he could see an air of her not being from here, he could be wrong obviously, besides he'd only lived in town for a few years now but she looked like she was above people in this town, not in a bad way, just an accomplished woman. "Well, if it's a battery problem I can't do nothing about it. And for the overheat you just have to let it cool." Carrick tsked. Looking over the bed of his truck he checked if he had some rope to at least pull the woman's car with his but they had no luck. "I am, yeah, got a bar downtown, I was heading there right now. I don't have anything to pull your car but you can come with me and we'll get a tow and we're not that far so it's pretty safe if you it stays here for a while." He motioned to the car.

[missautumn]

"Thought you might want a nice place instead of a loud, sticky bar." Carrick offered; she was also still recovering, maybe clear from regular appointments but her body still needed time to heal fully and get her energy back so a comfortable chair was preferable over a stiff stool or a patched up booth. More important, Pembe deserved fancy. At her question about clothes, Carrick chuckled. "I think I still got a nice shirt and trousers somewhere. Maybe even a suit jacket if that's what you want." He teased before moving his finger to brush over his cheek where it glowed pink. "You look beautiful in any clothes, though." He stated.

"Pasta, eh, I think I know a good place. If you wait a couple of days I promise you'll try the best pasta. And next time I can cook some for you, too, no more hospital diet." Carrick opened the door for her, a bit out of habit he build over this time looking after Pembe. "Anyway, are you sure you'll be okay? I'll be at bar so if you need help I can come back."

There was a time, when they had first met and Pembe was still learning the color of Carrick's voice, that she wouldn't have heard him smiling when he spoke. Now she knew many of the shades of his now-familiar voice. Smiling was rare and beautiful, though not as infrequent as it had been when they first met. Pem could hardly wrap her head around the fact that maybe she was part of the reason he was smiling. Nevertheless, she was only smiling more. "Reservations? That's very fancy... a fancy Friday sounds nice. If I'm going to get dressed up for you, then will you dress up for me, too?" She blushed a little at the prospect, though it delighted her to think about him seeing her in something other than t-shirts, sweatpants, and very loose sleep dresses.

"If I had to pick, I mean I don't know places around town because I don't get out much, but I would pick a place with pasta. I never get it at home because I'm always scared I'm going to mess up boiling the water." It always felt safer to have something delivered or to eat food that required baking without poisoning her. Even when she wanted chicken, she was too paranoid about the meat thermometer and touch/sound process and always bought a cooked roast chicken to take apart at home. "God, I'm just going to be thinking about pasta now for days." Pem laughed and shook her head, a little embarrassed.

[intertexts]

wanted 2 go back to episode 1 to try n find a line i was thinking ab, however as soon as i started episode 1 i was like. oh my god. the themes & motifs havebeen here all along... since the first 20 minutes of the fucking show... & got too fucking head in hands about it 2 do anything. shug. i figure if it's a line important enough that i remember it & it's been echoed at least once already it'll come back up.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Word List: Fashion History

to try to include in your poem/story (pt. 1/3)

Adinkra - a flat, cotton textile that is stamped with symbols which create the meaning of the garment; produced by the Asante peoples in Ghana

Agal - a rope made from animal hair which wraps around a keffiya (square cloth) on the head and is worn typically by Bedouin men

Akwete - a decorative cloth with complex weave designs, creating intricate geometric patterns, made with many vibrant colors; it is usually made into wrappers for women to wear and it is made by the Igbo women of Nigeria

Aniline Dyes - synthetic, chemical dyes for garments first invented in the 19th century

Anorak - a jacket that typically has a hood, but not always, which was originally worn by the indigenous peoples of the Arctic designed to keep them warm and protected from harsh weather

Back Apron (Negbe) - an oval-shaped decorative pad worn by Mangbetu women over the buttocks in Central Africa

Backstrap Loom - a lightweight, mobile loom made of wood and a strap that is wrapped around the back; it only needed to be attached to a tree or a post for stability and to provide tension

Banyan - a loose-fitted informal robe or gown typically worn by men in the late 17th to the early 19th centuries

Barbette - a piece of linen which passes under the chin and is pinned at the sides, usually worn in conjunction with additional head coverings during the Middle Ages

Bark Cloth - fabric made out of bark from trees

Beadnet Dress - a decorative sheath dress made of beads worn in ancient Egypt

Bloomers - a bifurcated garment that were worn under dresses in the 19th century; they soon became a symbol of women’s rights because early activist Amelia Bloomer wore drawers long enough to stick out from under her dress

Bogolanfini - (bogolan- meaning cloth; fini- meaning mud) a cotton cloth made from strips of woven fabric, which are decorated with symbolic patterns using the mud-resist technique, sewn together at the selvage to create a fabric that is utilized during the main four stages of a West African Bamana woman’s life: puberty, marriage, motherhood, and death

Bombast/Bombasted - the padding used to structure clothing and create fashionable silhouettes in the 16th and 17th centuries

Boubou - an African robe made of one large rectangle of fabric with an opening in the center for the neck; when worn it drapes down over the shoulders and billows at the sleeves

Buff Coat - a leather version of the doublet that was often, but not exclusively, worn by people in the military in the 17th century

Bum Roll - a roll of padding tied around the hip line to hold a woman’s skirt out from the body in the late 16th and early 17th centuries

Burqa - an outer garment worn by Muslim women that covers the entire body, often with a cutout or mesh at the eyes

Busk - a flat length stay piece that was inserted into the front of a corset to keep it stiff from the 16th century to the early 20th century

Bustle - a pad or frame worn under a skirt puffing it out behind

Cage Crinoline - a hooped cage worn under petticoats in the 19th century to stiffen and extend the skirt

Caraco - 18th century women’s jacket, fitted around the torso and flared out after the waist

Carrick Coat - an overcoat with three to five cape collars popular in the 19th century and mostly worn for riding and travel–sometimes called a Garrick or coachman’s coat

Chantilly Lace - a kind of bobbin lace popularized in 18th century France; it is identifiable by its fine ground, outlined pattern, and abundant detail, and was generally made from black silk thread

Chaperon - a turban-like headdress worn during the Middle Ages in Western Europe

Chemisette - a piece of fabric worn under bodices in the 19th century to fill in low necklines for modesty and decoration

Chiton - an ancient Greek garment created from a single piece of cloth wrapped around the body and held together by pins at the shoulders

Chlamys - a rectangular cloak fastened at the neck or shoulder that wraps around the body like a cape

Chopines - high platform shoes worn mostly in Venice in the 16th & 17th centuries

Clavus/Clavi - decorative vertical stripes that ran over the shoulder on the front and back of a Late Roman or Byzantine tunic

Clocks/Clocking - decorative and strengthening embroidery on stockings in Europe and America during the 16th-19th centuries

Cochineal Dyes - come from the Cochineal beetle that is native to the Americas and is most commonly found on prickly pear cacti; when dried and crushed, it creates its famous red pigment that is used to dye textiles

Codpiece - originally created as the join between the two hoses at the groin, the codpiece eventually became an ornate piece of male dress in the 16th century

Cuirass Bodice - a form-fitting, long-waisted, boned bodice worn in the 1870s and 1880s–almost gives the appearance of armor as the name suggests

Dagging - an extremely popular decorative edging technique created by cutting that reached its height during the Middle Ages and Renaissance

Dalmatic Tunic - a t-shaped tunic with very wide sleeves; worn by both men and women during the Byzantine empire

Dashiki - a loose-fitting pullover tunic traditionally worn in West African cultures that was adopted by African diasporic communities as a symbol of African heritage in the 1960s and then more widely worn as a popular item of “ethnic” fashion

Dentalium Cape - or dentalium dress is a garment worn by Native American women that is made from the stringing together of dentalium shells in a circular pattern around the neck and across the chest and shoulders

Doublet - an often snug-fitting jacket that is shaped and fitted to a man’s body–worn mostly in the 15th to 17th centuries

Échelle - a decorative ladder of bows descending down the stomacher of a dress; worn during the late 17th and 18th centuries; sometimes spelled eschelle

If any of these words make their way into your next poem/story, please tag me, or leave a link in the replies. I would love to read them!

More: Fashion History ⚜ Word Lists

[jerzwriter]

A million years ago, someone asked me if I'd write a series that mimicked canon but with Tobias Carrick as head of the Edenbrook Diagnostic Team. While I don't have the bandwidth to take on a series at this point, as I'm doing my Open Heart re-read, I will rewrite select scenes that I think could be interesting.

The first one is that first night at Donahue's. I may have forced myself to finish this tonight just so I could read @alj4890's version before I go to bed tonight! lol Amanda, my fellow Tobias ho, I'm so glad you're taking this trip with me.

Book: Open Heart Book 1 / Chapter 2 That first night at Donahue's Pairing: Tobias Carrick x Casey MacTavish (F!MC) Rating: Teen Words: 1,445 Series: If it were canon... AU Summary: Casey and her new friends are celebrating their first day as interns at the renowned Edenbrook Hospital. When her attending, Dr. Tobias Carrick arrives, he can't take his eyes off the beautiful young woman, even though he knows he should. When she joins him for a drink, will the two of them be able to fight their attraction? Or will they give in?

A/N: Participating in the @julychallenge Pink: Playfulness, Warmth Black: Attraction

After a grueling sixteen-hour shift, Dr. Tobias Carrick opened the door to Donahue’s, desperate for a brief escape. He hadn’t been to his usual watering hole for the past couple of weeks, not since his messy breakup with the pretty nurse from Peds. He knew the probability of her tossing a glass of Merlot onto his expensive threads was real and best to be avoided. But tonight marked his grand return. Tonight, his need for relaxation made the threat of a hefty dry cleaning bill worthwhile.

It hadn’t been your typical day. The universe decided that the usual life-or-death matters weren't enough. So, it threw in a new class of interns and all the “joy” that came with them. There was a surprise visit from the Director of the Board and, to add insult to injury, a long phone call with his mother. Yes, tonight, he needed the poor lighting and the scent of stale beer that only his home away from home could provide. He nodded to Reggie as he settled onto his barstool, and within moments, his usual drink appeared. Finally, he was ready to unwind.  

As he sipped his bourbon, his eyes wandered across the room, settling on the tiny dance floor in where a group of new interns were swaying to the sounds of Marvin Gaye. At least they have good taste in music, he thought, as he was about to turn back to the bar. But then he noticed a mane of golden hair thrashing about, accompanied by a radiant smile that threatened to light up the room. Dr. Casey MacTavish, was a new intern he met in a rather dramatic manner at the start of the day, and he hadn’t been able to get her off his mind since.

He couldn’t peel his eyes away. Her movements were a little erratic, to say the least, but there was no denying she was sexy as hell. Her laughter rang out over the music holding him captive. He took another sip of his drink, feeling a twinge of something he shouldn’t feel for an intern smoldering inside. He had a reputation for the artistic way he managed to blur lines, but as her attending physician, he knew this was one he shouldn’t cross.

He turned his attention back to his drink and was relieved when Reggie came over to discuss the Red Sox’s post-season chances. It was a welcome distraction, but despite his best efforts, his thoughts kept drifting back to Casey. He turned back ack to the dance floor, but she was gone but, luckily, not for long. A raucous chorus of wolf-whistles drew his attention to the side, where a new surgical intern Tobias had already dubbed “Ken” had the object of his attention bent backward as he feverishly kissed her.

“That lucky son of a bitch,” he mumbled under his breath.

The moment Casey was back on her feet, she tossed her head back with another infectious laugh, and despite Reggie’s attempts to pull him back to the conversation, Tobias was lost.

“I get that she’s prettier than me,” he finally heard Reggie laugh. “But does she know the Sox as well as I do?”

Caught, Tobias grinned sheepishly. “I don’t know, man,” he replied. “She strikes me as someone who could surprise you.”

“Yeah,” Reggie smiled, drying off a tumbler. “Well, she strikes me as someone who is making her way over here. Don’t look now, boss, but...”

“Hey! Do you mind if I join you?”

Her voice was melodic, and if he thought she looked gorgeous across the bar, seeing her up close was a bit too much... even for him. The delicate blush on her cheeks and playful giggle made it clear she caught him eying her from head to toe. Normally he was as smooth as silk... but he already made his first misstep. But who could blame him? Her smile, those blue eyes, the way her denim cut-off shorts clung to her body, showing off her... assets... that top that left little to his overactive imagination...

Casey cleared her throat loudly and motioned to the empty stool beside him. If she were being honest, she was reveling in the level of control she appeared to hold right now. “So, may I?”

“Of course,” Tobias replied, unable to hide a smile.

“What has you so dazed?” she teased, slipping onto the stool beside him.

“You just... you look different outside of work.”

“Different good or different bad?”

“Different,” he said, turning to her with a smirk. “You looked like you were having fun out there.”

“Yeah, burning off some steam. If I can’t celebrate my first day as a real doctor, what can I celebrate?”

“True, true."

Just then, “Ken” approached the bar to order two beers. Tobias glowered his way, but "Ken" didn't notice one bit. He was too busy winking at Casey before rejoining his crew.

“I see you’ve made some quick friends," Dr. Carrick observed.

“Of course I have," she beamed, trying to discern… was he jealous? “With all of this charm and personality... I practically have to fight them off with a stick!"

Tobias laughed so much his eyes crinkled as he motioned to Reggie. “Two specials,” he smiled. “I hope it’s not too forward of me to buy you a drink.”

“Hell no!” She winked. “You know what I earn; feel free to buy me as many drinks as you want.”

God, he was impressed. Tobias Carrick was a known flirt, a master in the field, so he knew when he met a match and holy shit, did she have it. He didn’t want to steer the conversation back to a more appropriate topic, but he felt like he should.

“So, how was the first day?”

“It was... challenging, but that’s the name of the game, isn’t it?”

“Sure is,” he nodded. “When I first came to Boston, I was interning at Mass Kenmore, and let me tell you....”

The two began to trade war stories of med school and, in his case, beyond. Their boundaries softened more with each sip they took. The conversation flowed easily, marked with laughter and, occasionally, a brief touch that felt like sparks igniting under their skin. Without realizing, Tobias leaned in closer, hanging on her every word. Beauty and brains were one thing, but her charm and wit gripped him and didn't let go.

“You know,” she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I didn’t expect to see you tonight. Do you come here often?”

“More often than I should probably,” he grinned. “It’s my go-to place after a long day.”

“Well, it’s easy to see why.”

He let out a snort. “Please don’t tell me because of the ambiance.”

“Of course not!” she replied, nudging his shoulder. “It’s the great company! I mean, it’s clear that I’m already your favorite, and here I am!”

“Oh, are you?” He chuckled, no longer able to deny the warmth building inside him. She had him mesmerized and all but forgetting “the rules.” But he was Tobias Carrick, and rules were made to be broken... weren’t they?

“So, the guy over there... the one you were kissing...”

“Bryce?” She asked, taking a sip of her drink as Tobias’s eyes fell to her lips; never had he been more jealous of a straw. “He’s cool. We just met today.”

“Damn!” Tobias exclaimed. “Does everyone you meet get a kiss like that?”

“Nah,” she smiled seductively. “Only the ones I lose bets to.” Meeting his eyes, she built up her courage and spoke with a flirtatious lilt. “Anything you care to wager, Dr. Carrick?”

That was it. He barked out a laugh, his eyes on fire. Yeah. He may have met his match.

“You’re something else,” he smiled, then his voice became lower and took on a more serious tone. “You know, I know we’re supposed to keep things professional, but you are not making it easy for me.”

“Yey," she clapped, "then it’s working!” Her face became serious, and she lowered her voice, too. “I definitely feel something here, Tobias, but I'm not stupid. I know this would be... complicated.”

“Mmm,” he hummed. “But complicated doesn’t mean impossible. If you ever wanted to find a workaround, you just say the word.”

Casey’s eyes searched his. They looked at her so intently she had to remind herself to breathe.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she whispered. Sensing the shift, Casey's nerves got the better of her, and she glanced at the clock on the wall. “I should get going. Early start tomorrow and all.”

Tobias nodded, masking his disappointment. “Yep, and I heard your attending is a real asshole.”

“I don’t know,” she smiled. “He's impressed the hell out of me so far."

Tobias bit his lower lip, fighting the urge to take this to the next level with all his might. This woman was going to be trouble.

“Good night, Casey. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he replied, never taking his eyes off her as she walked away.

Tobias sighed as she left with her friends. This was going to be complicated, but there was no way he was letting her slip through his fingers. Some things were worth taking a risk for, and there was no doubt in his mind that Dr. Casey MacTavish was one of those things. He finished his drink and threw some bills on the bar to settle his tab.

“Hey! Leaving so soon?” Reggie hollered.

“Yep!” Tobias smiled. “I want to get a good night’s sleep. Suddenly, I’ve got a lot to look forward to tomorrow.”

~~~~~

Agh! This was so much fun! WHy didn't I do it sooner! lol

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[missautumn]

Carrick chuckled with her when he playfully hinted she had been the one calling him old. "Nah, that's just me. Guess I shouldn't have started partying so early." Not that it was a lie but partying hadn't been what made Carrick feel like he had lived more than he actually had but that was not something Rayen should hear nor he wanted to share. Not when he haven't felt so comfortable with a woman in a long time. As she offered to help, Carrick's eyes kept sliding at her now and then as they both worked around the kitchen. "Ah, yeah, I heard about it." He nodded, taking a sip of coffee and hald snickering when Rayen mentioned she hoped he'd be working, too. "Hm, not this time, sorry. Since it's a bachelor's party Randy puts just one guy at the bar and let the ladies get the tips. And it was my turn last time so it might be Freddie or Davis shift." He explained. As both started to cook, the kitchen got filled with smell of toasted and fried and it took him a lot to force the memories of a domestic scene like this from days long past off his mind and focus on the present, although he struggled to come up with something to keep the conversation going and he scratched his beard while he went through something to say. "Any luck with that teaching job?" He asked then.

"Black coffee is the best coffee. No better remedy to wake up properly after a night out."she chuckled. "Nooo, that's not what I mean!"Rayen said with a light laugh, sure he was older from her but she didn't see him as an old man. "Are you telling me that as a warning for once I turn thirty-five?"she asked with an amused grin. "Eggs sound perfect, actually."she said and moved towards the fridge to see what else he had in there. She pulled out some cheese and oranges he found at the bottom to squeeze out orange juice. This felt nice, Rayen hasn't gotten close with someone in quite a while, let alone share a breakfast after a hot night spent together. "Hmm? Oh, I do, yeah."she mused while going through the cabinets to find glasses and fetched a knife from the counter to cut the oranges. "There's a bachelors party tonight, some guy named Jonathan is getting married. So it'll be a busy night."Rayen said with a shrug. "Please tell me you're working, too, or I won't be able to survive all those drunk men without my partner behind the counter."she teased and glanced his way.

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Notes: The Mask of Mirrors

There are plenty of books you enjoy reading. You read a little here, you read a little there, and when you finish, you tell people, "Hey, that was a good book." There are books that you pick up, put down to get something else done, and then you don't get back to for another week or sometimes a month. And there are the books that you devour. The plot and the characters fill your every waking moment. You find yourself carving more and more time out of your day for reading or listening because you need to know what happens next. You sit idle in your car for far longer than you should after you get to where you're going because it means just a few more minutes of listening to the audiobook. The Mask of Mirrors and its sequels are some of those books.

Rook & Rose is a Venetian-inspired historical fantasy trilogy by M.A. Carrick, the pen name of co-authors Marie Brennan (A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent, which I wrote about last year) and Alyc Helms (Adventures of Mr. Mystic), who met on an archaeological dig in Wales and Ireland. Their shared love of anthropology makes for a colorful tapestry of traditions, religions, and magic systems, and their time spent playing tabletop role-playing games together is what inspired this story.

Ren is coming back to the city that took everything from her. With her blood-sworn sister Tess in tow, she is determined to con her way to the top and take what she is owed. Nadežra, a port city and melting pot of cultures and peoples, is ruled by the colonizing Ligante nobility, while its native Vraszenian people are looked down on as lesser. It is into one of these Ligante families that Ren, a half-Vraszenian by birth, plans to inserts herself. Posing as the prodigal daughter of a long-estranged sister seeking reconciliation, all Ren needs to do is fake being rich long enough to be written into the Traementis family register. Then she and Tess will have enough money to live well, and escape from their troubled pasts, until the end of their days. Tess's skills with a needle and thread get her most of the way there, and Ren is able to pull off the rest of the transformation with the information she gathered and jewelry she stole while working as a maid for the disowned Letilia Traementis. The head of the family has her doubts, but her children are thrilled to accept Ren, or "Renanta Viraudax" into their luckless and diminished family. Just as everything is starting to fall into place, Ren starts running into problems: interference from the city's centuries-old hooded vigilante, the Rook; secrets held by Derossi Vargo, a Lower Bank crime lord with plans to make it big; the emergence of nightmare creatures from Vraszenian folklore, tied to a person from Ren's past who haunts her; and a plot to destroy the Wellspring, the heart of the conquered Vraszenian people. Now she must try to save a people who rejected her for not being wholly Vraszenian, all while trying to keep her many different masks from slipping.

This series sucked me in completely. The writing is seamless, especially for coming from two authors. The political drama and cleverly revealed secrets kept me listening well into the night. The audiobooks are amazing, with a fabulous narrator who differentiates well between not only the large cast of characters, but the different roles Ren takes upon herself. They're also a great way to consume small chunks of a relatively thick set of books. (Listening to the series did mean that I spent way too much time verifying the spelling of everything in this post, but you do what you've got to do.) All I'll say about the rest of the trilogy is that my husband pitched it to me as "Batman and Catwoman" vibes, and it delivers. I can't wait for M.A. Carrick's next series out in 2026, The Sea Beyond, a historical fantasy duology of scholarship, conquest, and faerie magic set in an alternate Spanish Golden Age.

— Becca

[accidentalspaceexplorer]

January Monthly Recap:

I'm pretty behind in putting these up because I got super sick in January and it's thrown off the whole beginning of my year! I had grand plans for what I was going to do in January (and February, March, etc.) and they got totally thrown out the window. While I was sick, I read quite a few books (mostly by Ilona Andrews lol), but I also watched a lot of TV that totally sucked me in so I didn't read as much as I might have expected. My favorite of the month was Swordcrossed!

Swordcrossed by Freya Marske: 5/5

The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick: 4.5/5

Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews: 4.5/5

White Hot by Ilona Andrews: 4.5/5

Wildfire by Ilona Andrews: 4.5/5

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews: 4.25/5

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews: 5/5

The Four Profound Weaves by R. B. Lemberg: 2.5/5

Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard: 3/5

Love After the End ed. by Joshua Whitehead: 2.5/5

Too Many Magicians by Randall Garrett: 2.25/5

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews: 4.5/5

Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews: 4.5/5

Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews: 4.25/5

The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson: 2.25/5, dnf

Sword Dance by A. J. Demas: 3.5/5

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews: 5/5, re-read

Frontier by Grace Curtis: 3.5/5

The Thread That Binds by Cedar McCloud: 2/5, dnf

The Gargoyle's Captive by Katee Robert: 3/5

Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa: 4.25/5

Goals below the cut:

Complete series: +3 caught up on/finished, -7 started/new book (-4)

Catch up on backlists: 6/203 (+6)

Read FIYAH/Nebula/Hugo finalists & awards: 143/202 (+0)

Read down TBR: end of January 1579 (+3)

Read old top-of-TBR list: 0 (+0)

[ruinedsoulsrp]

Thread tracker is obviously behind, so I will attempt to update that today. Gonna try to write a couple replies and get them into the queue before my appointment. (Due date in 17 days - pray for us lol).

As I'm in my drafts, there are some threads I'm going to be dropping. As always, I apologize, but please feel free to hit me up if you'd like to start new things!

@missautumn - Ella & Carrick and Brooke & Otto

@huntrcssqueen - Kevin & Evelyn

@theknifeinyou - Dani & Cory and Kyle & Ilyana

@breannasewell - Prince & Bree

@fantasyandthereal - Martin & Allie

[missautumn]

"Yeah, wow indeed." Boxing had been almost his whole life, he didn't remember a time when he hadn't done it, or actually he did but it was still a bitter time he preferred to forget. This sport, his job, was all he had, Chey had seen that part  too, but he was tired and after so long, he was also ready to move on to something else. "I guess fell happy is better." Carrick chuckled and then nodded. "That's why I'm training harder than ever, I'm not even smoking." He shared proudly since it was a habit he never quit during other fights. "And I was hoping you'd say that." Pulling his wallet from his jacket, he grabbed a couple of tickets. "These are for you. I got a handful since it's the last one, you can go with someone or sell them, up to you. But I do want you there." He admitted. "I know it's not the best time, especially the aftermath of it but it'd mean a lot. My family's coming, too. It'll the be the first time my mom's gonna watch me live. I'm not betting she'll stay through the whole fight." He added with tease. Carrick kept smiling as Chey tried to get more of him. "Come with me. It won't be as fun to tell you." He drank the last of his coffee in a long gulp and slowly got up, waiting for Chey. "You'll be the second person to know about this, that much of a secret it is." He said in an attempt to convince her if she wasn't doubting. "And it's a ten minute walk."

There was something always so grounding and sensible about Carrick. There were times Chey could be erratic or going through a particularly hard time, and it always seemed Carrick knew what to say. The funny thing is she knew he wasn’t always trying to fix her situation, he just happened to always say what she needed to hear without knowing. She gave him a warm smile and nod, but her expression quickly changed when she heard of his retirement. Though he was a damn good fighter, a part of her couldn’t help but feel relief. Even when they were around each other more, she always worried about him. All it could take was one wrong blow to the face to mess things up significantly. “Wow,” she breathed out and nodded. How strange was it that they both seemed to come together again right in the middle of a crossroads in their respective careers? “That’s huge. I don’t know whether to be happy or sad.” She chuckled and added, “But I’ll have to be there for your last fight. I have a feeling you won’t go quietly.” She always supported him and cheered him on, even during their rockiest times. Whenever he hinted at his next adventure in life, she took a sip of her coffee and drew her brows together. “See it? See what? What do you have up your sleeve, Maddox?”

[missautumn]

closed starter for;; @spellbindingnights

After another busy Saturday night, work was almost for Carrick, the last thing to do was cleaning up the place. The kitchen staff got the back covered and there was him to take care of the front, this was a regular thing for him, although tedious it was kind of relaxing and today particularly it was more entertaining as one of the waitresses used the stage to practice her songs. Jolene had a beautiful voice and he Carrick enjoyed listening to her; what he wouldn't ever disclose was the fact he also found her incredibly gorgeous since he was her boss; it didn't affect there friendly relationship in the very least as he wasn't a creep and just as with everyone else in the staff, Carrick kept a respectful distance.

"Now, that sounded good." Carrick congratulated Jolene from behind the bar as he wiped the counter of all the spilled liquor. "How're the shows going?"

[opalmxthyst]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Rook & Rose - M. A. Carrick Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Ren/Grey Serrado (Rook & Rose), Ren/Grey Serrado/Derossi Vargo (Rook & Rose) Characters: Ren (Rook & Rose), Grey Serrado (Rook & Rose), Derossi Vargo Summary:

The primordials are gone from the world, and they are rebuilding a Nadežra that reflects all the people who live there. Vargo's no longer a nobleman, but he has a seat on the Setterat, and he can help change the city from more than the bottom up. He should be happy. But mostly, he's lonelier than he's been in more than a decade. Luckily, those closest to him have noticed, and Ren and Grey have some ideas about how to reconnect with him.

[the-book-queen]

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[missautumn]

It was another busy night at the bar so Carrick was behind the bar with other of his employees, it wasn't a huge or fancy place so the staff wasn't numerous and he was fine having something to do instead of being in the upper floor where he had his apartment since he usually didn't go to sleep until the bar closed anyway; on slow nights he either read or watched sports if anything called his attention, even more rarely, he sometimes went out with a woman. Tonight though, he was glad to gave something to do.

The blonde at the bar that hadn't moved since she got there had caught his eye a while ago, she kept looking at her phone and Carrick guessed she must have been waiting for someone but no one showed up after a long time of waiting. He'd seen it a lot, the body language, the facial features, to know someone hadn't stood her out. He grabbed the bottle of wine and moved to serve another glass. "You good, sweetheart?" He asked, almost with a drawl. "You're too beautiful to look so down for someone who didn't show up."

closed starter for @missautumn

She was doing her best not to look disappointed or out of place, but the longer she sat there alone, the more she felt like she stuck out. That it had become painfully obvious she was being stood up. By a Tinder date of all people - something that should have been a guarantee for at least a round of drinks.

A defeated sigh escaped her as she pulled out her phone for what felt like the thousandth time and found her inquiry to Paul's whereabouts was still left on read. What a bust! Somewhat disappointingly it looked like it was going to be a 'take myself out' kind of night. She finished off the glass of wine she'd been nursing for the last hour and motioned for the bartender on duty for another.

[historyinthemakingamazingfinds]

Robert the Bruce

On 24th of June 1314 Robert Bruce's forces defeated the English under

King Edward I| at Bannockburn.

Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, was descended from a Norman knight, Robert de Bruce, who came to England with William the Conqueror. His grandfather had been one of the 13 claimants to the Scottish throne in 1291, during the reign of the English king Edward I. Edward had chosen John de Balliol, an English baron, declaring him rightful king of Scotland in 1292. Later, Balliol refused to acknowledge the superiority of the English, and in 1296, was defeated by Edward at Dunbar. Edward then took over Scotland, receiving the oath of fealty from over 2000 Scots. At the same time a nationalistic movement demanding freedom from England slowly began gaining strength among the Scots. Leaders such as William Wallace fought the English but were defeated and executed.

After Wallace’s death, Robert Bruce revived his grandfather’s claim to the throne, and declared himself king of Scotland in 1306. Edward I sent a large army north, defeated Bruce at the Battle of Methven, and forced him to become an outlaw. But Bruce did not give up, and came out of hiding a year later to win an important victory against the English. Clans from all over Scotland now came to his aid, and Bruce’s growing army fought bravely and successfully against the English. Meanwhile Edward I died, to be succeeded by his son Edward II. The new king was no match for Robert Bruce – in 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn, Bruce’s army of 5,000 defeated Edward II’s much larger army of 20,000, driving the English finally and firmly out of Scotland.

Robert Bruce was known as ‘Good King Robert’ and was undoubtedly one of Scotland’s greatest rulers, bringing peace and freedom to his country.

On the lonely island of Rachrin, off the Irish coast, stood a mean and miserable hut. The chill wind of winter rattled its wooden door, demanding to be let in, sending icy fingers in through cracks and knotholes in the flimsy wooden walls. Inside, a man, his cloak wrapped close about him, lay on a straw pallet set against the wall opposite the door. A fire smoked in the centre of the rough earthen floor, and the remains of a frugal meal lay on a small wooden table.

The man was no other than Robert Bruce, crowned king of Scotland, who had been made an outlaw in his own country by Edward I, king of England. Edward I, better known as Edward Longshanks because of his long legs, had defeated Robert and harried him and hunted him, forcing him at last to leave the lochs and craggy mountains of his native land. He had left behind his queen in Kildrummie, his only remaining castle, in charge of his brave and valiant younger brother Nigel. But alas, Kildrummie had been taken by the English, his brother executed, and his queen held captive.

Robert was close to despair: was the freedom of Scotland worth the great price that he was paying? Was it worth the lives of all those slain in battle, worth the misery of their wives and orphaned children? And what of all the men that he himself had killed, one at least not in the heat of battle, but in cold blood?

Perhaps, thought Robert, he should give up his fight for freedom and go instead to the Holy Land, there to fight by the side of the brave knights against the enemies of Christendom. Perhaps that would make up for the killing and the deaths that his ambitions and dreams had brought about. Yet, how could he abandon Scotland, while there was still a hope, a chance, however slender, of success?

The wind howled louder; the fire had died down. Robert lay still and silent on his mean straw bed, oblivious of the cold and discomfort of his surroundings, troubled and disturbed by his thoughts. Suddenly his eye was caught by a spider – the creature was hanging by a long silvery thread from one of the wooden beams above his head, and trying to swing itself to another beam. The spider tried again and again, failing every time. Six times, counted Robert, the spider tried and failed. ‘Six times,’ thought Robert to himself, ‘have I fought against the English and failed.’

Robert looked at the spider more intently. ‘Now if this spider fails again on the seventh attempt, I too shall give up the fight for Scotland. But if it succeeds, I shall try again.’

The spider, as though aware of Robert’s thought, swung itself again with all its tiny strength – and finally, on the seventh attempt, it succeeded. It swung on to the beam it had been trying to reach, and fastened its thread, thus stretching the first line of the web it was trying to weave. Robert Bruce smiled, and sat up. He threw off his despair and grief, and determined to set out for Scotland again and continue his fight against the English. He fought against the English for the next eight years, defeating them and finally driving them out of Scotland in 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn.

Source: Facebook

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