#counting: Aden

[harperglitterheart]

My guy will be real eventually

[ask-harper]

Aden, how would you describe yourself to someone you just met?- @blackberry-nightingale

"but most would say I'm to harsh. Or aggressive. Depends on who you ask honestly."

[roseberry-creates]

Aden my beloved

[itstheghostofmypast]

Loved

Corporate AU Choi Jongho x (F)Reader

Summary: Sometimes you feel sad, sometimes you feel loved, either way, with Jongho, it just made sense.

Genre: Hurt+Comfort

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: None

Word Count:1.7K

Est.Read Time: 8 min

Networks: @k-labels

Song Rec: I Feel Loved- Aden, Amin

A/N: I was supposed to post something else, but this had to come out of the system first I guess.

It wasn't odd to find you in Jongho's room; most of the time, if Wooyoung stumbled in, he'd be unfazed, too busy trying to look for something he could “borrow,” greet you with a quick nod, and leave afterwards. Hongjoong had developed a habit of knocking while entering the youngest's room, even if he was aware that Jongho was out for work and could not have been inside. Not that it bothered the two out of the three, it was surprising that Jongho had managed to get a girlfriend before any of them. The youngest, whose life was composed mostly of being cramped in his cubicle during the day, only to grab something to eat on the way back- unless Wooyoung was feeling nice to cook for them- and to pass out on his bed. Hence, the your mysterious presence had scared them, especially once they had discovered your existence in his room, one night, when they had barged in to demand that Choi Bear plays this three player console game they had purchased, only to find him standing in the middle of the room wearing a full suit, holding three different ties, showing them to a woman sitting cross legged on the ergonomic chair, stroking her chin in thought.

Either way, the two flatmates met you that night, learning about your blossoming relationship with Jongho, and how the ever-so-busy corporate slave had somehow managed to get your number in the subway one night when the two of you were standing in the cramped space, when he had moved to give you space next to the wall, protecting you from being pushed or shoved when the next wave of travellers entered- granted the two of you got off at the last station, and had noticed each other before, perhaps that’s why this relationship had flowed smoother than expected. Just like that, you had become an unofficial, official flatmate.

It was however, very odd to find you in his room, curled up on the floor, so much so, that Wooyoung who had barged in to steal- borrow- a shirt had almost jumped out of his socks, as he blinked at the figure on the ground, curled up and asleep, using what he assumed was Jongho’s hoodie as a balled up pillow under your head. That was when he had slowly closed the door and walked to look for the other adult in the flat responsible enough to deal with this situation.

“Maybe she was just sleeping?” Hongjoong mumbled, aimlessly scrolling on his phone.

“Shouldn’t she be sleeping on the bed then?” Wooyoung scoffed in response, about to add a follow-up statement when they heard the door beep and the third flatmate walked in. The two turned to stare at the man, who sighed, neatly placing his shoes in the rack before he stared at them, “What?”

“Well, umm…what's in the bag?” Wooyoung asked, pointing towards the plastic shopper in the suited man’s hand, “She’s in your room, but on the flo-”

“Yeah, I had a feeling.” he mumbled, as he walked into the apartment, placing his coat on the dining table chair and the plastic bag on the table, “I brought icecream.” he mumbled before taking something out of the plastic bag, something that had the other two snickering as they watched their ‘tsundere’ corporate slave walk down the corridor towards his room, holding a box of chocolates and a bouquet.

He opened the door and blinked at the darkness, slowly making his way into the room, tossing the bouquet on the other side of the bed, and placing the box on the nightstand. He walked over to your sleeping form, taking in your huddled-up figure. Shaking his head in disbelief, he loosened his tie, crouching down beside you, “Then she says her back hurts.” With that, he gently lifted you off the ground and walked towards the bed, a small chuckle leaving him when you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer when he helped you lie down, refusing to let him go, “I’ll be back, gotta shower first.”

The way you sniffled, grip tightening around him, had him give up, slowly pushing you to your side as he lay down beside you, sighing in defeat when you curled into him, gripping his shirt as you stifled an upcoming sob, shaking in his hold. Jongho didn't say a thing, nothing about the flowers, nothing about the chocolates, nothing about your day; he just held you close, giving you a gentle squeeze once in a while, listening to the way your cries died down, only for them to crescendo a moment later. His heart clenched at the uncontrollable jitters that ran through your body, gently shaking you as he clicked his tongue, “Yah…is this how an independent girlboss reacts?”

This was something about Jongho that most people didn't understand. To a prying ear, it may seem as if he was insulting you, but you knew more than anyone that if someone cared deeply about your well-being, it was Choi Jongho. The man who would wait for you at the train station every morning with a coffee in hand, the man who would try his level best to get you a seat on your way back, the man who would cover you in the crowded train, almost hugging you like a bear, the man who would wait for you when you'd have to work over time- and then would then nag at you when you two would get a cab, and pay as well. Jongho was someone who could poorly express any form of affection, and as much as you'd berate him for that, you knew he'd show you how he felt about you through his actions. You appreciated how he didn't believe in grand gestures, but instead he'd do these little things- he'd also respect how your objective views and irritable rational approach was something that defined you, so he knew when it came down to consoling you, little “It's going to be okay” or “it's not your fault” - unless it really wasn't- were not what you'd look for. You wanted to hear the truth, no matter how better, Jongho just knew how to give it to you.

He glanced down at your sleeping form, eyes flickering to your tired features, taking in your swollen eyes and pink nose, a pout that matched his. You were out cold. Slowly, he slipped out of your grasp, standing up to stretch, loosening his muscles as he watched you snuggle into his pillow. A thousand questions ran across his mind as he walked over to the place you had been initially sleeping on, picking up his hoodie as he shook his head in amusement, the things you did were….weird, but he knew, he knew when you'd end up using the hard floor for comfort, things had gone from bad to worse.

In the late afternoon, you texted him, telling him how you're heading home early. It was at that moment that he had begun to worry about you, knowing very well that when you meant home, you meant his room, he just didn't know how bad it was. The sight of you there on the floor had confirmed the level of “bad” it actually was, almost having him wake you up and shake the sadness out of you, but the sight of his hoodie under your head as a pillow pushed that thought away.

By the time he had returned, after his shower and little chat with his flatmates (he had to JUSTIFY and EXPLAIN how this was not HIS fault and you were feeling better), he opened the bedroom door and almost jumped, finding you sitting on his bed in the dark, with the bouquet beside you, the uncapped box of chocolates on your lap, using the upside down lid as a temporary trashcan, filling it up with the foil of the numerous chocolates you had been devouring in your sullen state, waiting for your source of comfort.

“You're awake?”

“Thanks for these…” You mumbled, turning your head to stare at him, eying the dripping tips of his wet hair, “Want me to dry your hair?”

“I'd rather you tell me what happened.” He sighed, climbing the bed, crawling over to you and smacking his wet lips against your cheek, chuckling when you whined, using that as a distraction to sneak a few chocolates out of the box.

“Took one for the team.”

“You mean the team that didn't do their work?”

“Mhmmm…”

He nodded in response, before sitting beside you, back pressed against the headrest, reaching to lace his fingers with yours. “What now?”

“Gonna pretend it's okay and move on.”

“Sensible thing to do.”

He squeezed your hand when you moved closer, resting your head on his shoulder, before tilting your head up to stare at him, only to meet his eyes, he was thinking of something, something vile, something naughty, something-

“You should add laxatives to the coffee next time they send you on a coffee run.”

You shook your head at his statement, “Choi Jongho-HEY!”

He ignored your yelling as he plucked the box out of your lap and tossed it aside, only to tackle you in a bear hug, choosing to lie over you, as you struggled against him, eventually giving up and letting him hug you, the added pressure of weight comforting you. Jongho buried his face in your neck, kissing the warm skin before closing his eyes and mumbling, “Goodnight.”

“Jjong….will you…move?”

“Don't you love me enough to be crushed by my love?”

“Will your love be the same after I pee on your bed-”

He jumped off you and opened the door, bowing politely, “Please, my queen, go relieve yourself.”

“That's what I thought.” You giggled, something that had his smile widening, at the sound, his tired eyes meeting yours, but it was all worth it, as long as he had someone he had to protect, take care of, lean on, he'd bend over backwards no matter how tired he was, as long as his sun let her gravitate around her, let him be her moon.

You stood on your toes and pecked his lips, catching him by surprise before squishing his cheeks, “Thank you, Jjong.”

He watched you go down the hall to the washroom, taking in your form as he sighed to himself in relief, unknown to him you had started to feel better the moment he had carried you to the bed, knowing that you have someone like Jongho made it all worth it, made you believe that you could get up each morning, fight through your day, only to end it in the loving arms of your care bear.

At that very moment the same thought ran through your heads, unknown to either of you,

“I feel loved.”

[zvaigzdelasas]

[BBC is UK State Media]

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has funded politically-motivated assassinations in Yemen, a BBC investigation has found, exacerbating a conflict involving the Yemeni government and warring factions which has recently returned to the international spotlight following attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Counter-terrorism training provided by American mercenaries to Emirati officers in Yemen has been used to train locals who can work under a lower profile - sparking a major uptick in political assassinations, a whistleblower told BBC Arabic Investigations.

The BBC has also found that despite the American mercenaries' stated aim to eliminate the jihadist groups al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) in southern Yemen, in fact the UAE has gone on to recruit former al-Qaeda members for a security force it has created on the ground in Yemen to fight the Houthi rebel movement and other armed factions.

The UAE government has denied the allegations in our investigation - that it had assassinated those without links to terrorism - saying they were "false and without merit".

These are largely between the two parts of the "real" "legitimate" "internationally recognized" coalition govt of Yemen you've been scolded so much about over the last month btw [22 Jan 24]

Continued after the cut

The killing spree in Yemen - more than 100 assassinations in a three-year period - is just one element of an ongoing bitter internecine conflict pitting several international powers against each other in the Middle East's poorest country.[...]

In 2015, the US and the UK supported a coalition of mostly Arab states led by Saudi Arabia - with the UAE as a key partner - to fight back. The coalition invaded Yemen with the aim of reinstating the exiled Yemeni government and fighting terrorism. The UAE was given charge of security in the south, and became the US's key ally on counter-terrorism in the region - al-Qaeda had long been a presence in the south and was now gaining territory.[...]

Under international law, any killing of civilians without due process would be counted as extra-judicial.

The majority of those assassinated were members of Islah - the Yemeni branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. It [...] has never been classified by the US as a terror organisation, but is banned in several Arab countries - including the UAE where its political activism and support for elections is seen by the country's royal family as a threat to their rule.

Leaked drone footage of the first assassination mission gave me a starting point from which to investigate these mysterious killings. It was dated December 2015 and was traced to members of a private US security company called Spear Operations Group.[...]

Isaac Gilmore, a former US Navy Seal who later became chief operating officer of Spear, was one of several Americans who say they were hired to carry out assassinations in Yemen by the UAE.

He refused to talk about anyone who was on the "kill list" provided to Spear by the UAE - other than the target of their first mission: Ansaf Mayo, a Yemeni MP who is the leader of Islah in the southern port city of Aden, the government's temporary capital since 2015.[...]

Mr Gilmore, and another Spear employee in Yemen at the time - Dale Comstock - told me that the mission they conducted ended in 2016. But the assassinations in southern Yemen continued. In fact they became more frequent, according to investigators from the human rights group Reprieve.

They investigated 160 killings carried out in Yemen between 2015 and 2018. They said the majority happened from 2016 and only 23 of the 160 people killed had links to terrorism. All the killings had been carried out using the same tactics that Spear had employed - the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) as a distraction, followed by a targeted shooting. The most recent political assassination in Yemen, according to Yemeni human rights lawyer Huda al-Sarari, happened just last month - of an imam killed in Lahj by the same method.[...]

Mr Gilmore, Mr Comstock, and two other mercenaries from Spear who asked not to be named, said that Spear had been involved in training Emirati officers in the UAE military base in Aden. A journalist who asked to remain anonymous also told us he had seen footage of such training.

As the mercenaries' profile had made them conspicuous in Aden and vulnerable to exposure, their brief had been changed to training Emirati officers, "who in turn trained local Yemenis to do the targeting", the Yemeni military officer told me.

Through the course of the investigation, we also spoke to more than a dozen other Yemeni sources who said this had been the case. They included two men who said they had carried out assassinations which were not terror-related, after being trained to do so by Emirati soldiers - and one man who said he had been offered release from a UAE prison in exchange for the assassination of a senior Yemeni political figure, a mission he did not accept.

Getting Yemenis to conduct the assassinations meant it was harder for the killings to be traced back to the UAE.

By 2017, the UAE had helped build a paramilitary force, part of the Emirati-funded Southern Transitional Council (STC), a security organisation that runs a network of armed groups across southern Yemen.

The force operated in southern Yemen independently of the Yemeni government, and would only take orders from the UAE. The fighters were not just trained to fight on active front lines. One particular unit, the elite Counter Terrorism Unit, was trained to conduct assassinations, our whistleblower told us.

The whistleblower sent a document with 11 names of former al-Qaeda members now working in the STC, some of whose identities we were able to verify ourselves.

During our investigation we also came across the name Nasser al-Shiba. Once a high-ranking al-Qaeda operative, he was jailed for terrorism but later released. A Yemeni government minister we spoke to told us al-Shiba was a known suspect in the attack on the US warship USS Cole, which killed 17 American sailors in October 2000. Multiple sources told us that he is now the commander of one of the STC military units. Lawyer Huda al-Sarari has been investigating human rights abuses committed by these UAE-backed forces on the ground. As a result of her work, she would frequently receive death threats. But it was her 18-year-old son Mohsen who paid the ultimate price.

He was shot in the chest in March 2019 while on a trip to a local petrol station, and died a month later.[...]

A subsequent investigation by Aden's public prosecutor found that Mohsen was killed by a member of the UAE-backed Counter Terrorism Unit, but the authorities have never pursued a prosecution.

Members of the prosecutor's office - who we cannot name for safety reasons - told us that the widespread assassinations have created a climate of fear that means even they are too afraid to pursue justice in cases involving forces backed by the UAE.

Reprieve has received a leaked UAE document that shows Spear was still being paid in 2020, though it is not clear in what capacity.

[darkeagleruins]

JUST IN: The Ohio Attorney General has announced six indictments for illegal voting in U.S. elections.

We were told this never happens.

Those who voted illegally are alleged to be as follows:

• Ramesh Patel, 68, of North Royalton, was indicted for illegal voting as a U.S. citizen.

• Lorinda Miller, 78, of Hudson, faces two counts for voting as a non-citizen.

• Nicholas Fontaine, 32, of Kent, was indicted for voting as a non-citizen.

• Ahmed Aden, 35, of Columbus, is accused of voting as a non-citizen.

• Van Thuy Cooper, 53, of Hilliard, was indicted for voting as a non-citizen.

• Mario Dearaujo, 62, of Columbus, faces charges for voting as a non-citizen.

The election years in question are for 2008 to 2020.

Ohio AG David Yost remarked on the indictments. “The right to vote is sacred,” Yost said.

“If you’re not a US citizen, it’s illegal to vote – whether you thought you were allowed to or not – you will be held accountable.”

[jadedbirch]

For @naewitchcraftinvolved and anyone else who's interested, here are my recs of "good" queer historical fiction novels. I put "good" in quotes because obviously there's no accounting for taste, so this is only my personal opinion. Some (okay a lot) of these do not have a happily ever after for the main characters, but I still think they're very good books that are worth your consideration. In no specific order:

1. Literally anything by Mary Renault, but especially The Persian Boy and The Last of the Wine

2. The Radiant Emperor duology by Shelley Parker-Chan (contains magical realism)

3. As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann

4. Julian by Gore Vidal

5. Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar

6. The Burning Kingdoms trilogy by Tasha Suri (has magical realism and the third book is just about to drop, but assuming it'll be awesome)

7. Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja

8. The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

9. A Tip for the Hangman by Allison Epstein

10. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley (magical realism here too, you can skip the sequel IMO)

11. Brothers of the Wild North Sea by Harper Fox

12. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (I'm not sure this counts as historical fiction because it was written in 1956 but it should be mandatory reading for basically everyone)

13. The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox (okay so one of the queer main characters is literally a fallen angel, but who's to say that can't be real 🤷🏻‍♀️)

14. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (is Greek Mythology technically historical fiction? I say it belongs here!)

15. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (LOL I know, I know, it's not "canon", but I dare you all to read it and then tell me they aren't all disaster bisexuals! Just consider this a free bonus.)

[noideabutsims]

Showcase of what i've got for the clothing pack so far! So, it has been coming along very well! Alot finished so far, and still so much left to do - but it's close to finished!

With that, here's a breakdown of what i've got so far!

Child Pants: Bobby pants - Unisex - 54 swatches Celeste pants - female - 77 swatches Jayce and jordan pants - Unisex: Colorful is 3 packages, 96 swatches in P.1, 86 swatches in P.2, 75 swatches in P.3. Pastel is 1 package with 80 swatches. Neutrals is 1 package with 100 Swatches. Juno pants - Unisex - 74 swatches Lane Pants - Unisex - 61 swatches Lea pants - Female - 54 swatches Riley pants - Unisex - 55 Swatches

Toddler and infant pants: Aden and Amaya pants - Unisex: Colorful is 1 package with 87 swatches, Neutrals is 1 package with 50 swatches, Pastels is 1 package with 102 Swatches Darren and Darcy Pants - Unisex - 21 Swatches Juno pants - Unisex - 70 Swatches Kayce pants - Unisex - 40 swatches Niko Pants - Unisex - 55 Swatches

Child Shirts: Stripes for days - Boy version - 50 swatches Stripes for days - Girl version - 48 swatches Colorblock with No icons - 40 swatches Colorblock with icons p.1 - 70 swatches Colorblock with icons p.2 - 72 swatches Colorblock with icons p.3 - 70 swatches Colorblock with icons p.4 - 80 swatches Colorblock with icons p.5 - 110 swatches

Toddler and Infant Shirts: Stripes for days - Boy version - 50 swatches Stripes for days - Girl version - 48 swatches Colorblock with No icons - 40 swatches Colorblock with icons p.1 - 112 swatches Colorblock with icons p.2 - 105 swatches Colorblock with icons p.3 - 85 swatches Colorblock with icons p.4 - 120 swatches Colorblock with icons p.5 - 120 swatches

What's still to come: Plain shirts - Expectation around 3-5 packages per age, with around 80-100 swatches each. Would cover the majority of the rainbow to give all options to match with pants/skirts, ect. Celeste Shirts - Would be for all ages, but meant to match the celeste child pants, around 77 swatches. Patterned onesies for infants - Unkown swatch count but would have a large selection of patterned swatches. Dresses - Looking at 2-3 different dresses, with around 80 swatches each. Expecting a large selection of patterns, and possbily a plain version in a mass rainbow selection. Tights - Would be around 3-5 packages, with around 60-100 swatches each, with at least 1 plain version spanning the rainbow.

Possible - Character shirts. Would be 7 packages for each age group, 100 swatches each. Issues known currently - Visual glitches in game and in cas, with currently unknown solutions. Please vote in the pole for this item! https://www.patreon.com/posts/upcoming-pack-125702631

[nugget-gender]

how many sets of ocs do you have? Do you have names for them all? If so could i know what they are? Also, do u have a fave set or is it a “i love all my children equally” kinda situation? Finally, which oc of yours would benefit most from being brought in from the cold, wrapped in blankets, and give a hot chocolate with mini marshmallows on top?

no pressure to answer all or any of these but i figured i give a selection of questions so that one might suit your mood.

uhhhm a lot of them. i keep starting worldbuilding projects or canons within an established world and they never go anywhere because unmedicated adhd go brrrr. i can develop things through rp with people since that has structure defined by the other person but lord i cannot write more than a chapter and a half of fic to save my life

i have names for Most of them, i think theres a couple percolating in the back that i havent named yet. a list would probably be Large so ill try to put one at the very bottom

the limbus set is the one ive focused most on lately, but itll switch around. theyre the most recent so it makes sense. the pf2e gang is behind them for similar timeline reasons

okay this would probably be the oc having the most direct Bad Awful Time. most of them are mostly in vaguely stable situations with mental issues and trauma but i think Fade would probably benefit most. girlie dies but this branch of the universe cracked in just the right way at just the right time to chain her soul to the body. and now theres an angel in her head and/or soul named Infinity and also the world is ending. she wakes up in a trash heap remembering nothing and with unimaginable heat burning every nerve because she now has a literally infinite amount of energy. if not for the angel restraining itself she wouldve annihilated reality simply by existing. anyway i think she needs a coffee shop au

list under the cut, as well as i can remember

LCB/General PMoon:

Finn, Asera, Ruby, Karia, Winter, Hodomi, Albedo, Tetra, Adam, Aden, NameTBA(Devyat), NameTBA(Seven)

Lobcorp:

Finn, Asera, Ruby, Tetra, Adam, Viktor, Scarlett, Maritza, Mary, Myukeu, Katya, Parker, Evgeni, Justin, Manager D

PF2E:

Quicksilver Guild[Solas, Sally, Orchid, Vilirix, Shift, Lohirien, Avri], Lazulite, Boneathan, Pratriz, Karnissa, Bilbert, Tox, Serendil, Blukin, Filtik, Milla, Tholbir, Drick, Heart, Krozot, Vitas, Anyxine, Briar

Shift/Dream:

Lucifer Guild[Luxsol, Eragon, Gideon, Karsel, Elesya, Drake, Jason], Echidna's Gift Guild[Serana, Artena], Cerebra Guild(Lobcorp insert)[Damien, Finn, Scarlett], Quicksilver Guild(PF2E insert. same as other list), Glorp, John

Shattered God:

Fade, Infinity(does this really count as a separate character?), James

Unnamed Vampire(general fantasy?) Project

Saeriada, Kal

A brief mention for the many abandoned to the fog

[dertaglichedan]

U.S. Central Command said its forces conducted overnight airstrikes on the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen’s Hodeidah province, an installation controlled by Iran‑backed Houthi rebels. The operation marked the first time the current American campaign has targeted oil facilities used by the group.

The Houthi‑run Health Ministry later raised the death toll to at least 74 people with 171 wounded, describing most of the victims as civilian workers and medics. Earlier local reports had put the number of dead between 38 and 58. High‑resolution satellite images published by commercial providers show destroyed storage tanks, burned vehicles and oil leaking into the Red Sea.

U.S. officials have said the strikes aim to degrade the Houthis’ ability to finance and carry out attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the Gulf of Aden underscores a broader escalation; CENTCOM warned that operations would continue unless the Houthis halt maritime threats.

Hours after the port was hit, the Houthis said they launched a ballistic missile toward Israel and targeted the U.S. carriers Carl Vinson and Harry S. Truman with drones and cruise missiles. Israeli authorities reported air‑raid sirens in the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas, though no casualties were confirmed, and the U.S. Navy has not acknowledged damage to its vessels.

On Friday evening, American warplanes carried out fresh raids on Houthi positions in the capital Sana’a and the districts of Bani Hashish, Saada and al‑Jawf. Houthi media counted about 15 strikes, indicating the campaign is widening as both sides trade attacks across the region.

[blogthebooklover]

Shadow of the Vampire {2000} - Full Horror Film HD

Since the teaser trailer for the Nosferatu remake dropped this morning, here’s a 2000 movie, Shadow of the Vampire.  A fictional account of the making of Nosferatu featuring:

Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck/Count Orlok

He is an absolute blast in this role!  Tbh, I almost forgot he played Count Orlok in this.

John Malkovich as F.W. Murnau, director of Nosferatu

Equally just as great as Dafoe.

Eddie Izzard as Gustav von Wangenheim/Thomas Hutter/Jonathan Harker

She doesn’t have too much screentime, since the movie is focusing on Murnau and Schreck’s working relationship as director and actor; however, she is also great in this too.

Catherine McCormack as Greta Schroder/Ellen Hutter/Mina Harker

Cary Elwes as Fritz Arno Wagner, the cinematographer

Udo Kier as Albin Grau, occultist; the producer, art director and costumer designer

John Aden Gillet as Henrik Galeen, the screenwriter

[harperglitterheart]

My boy got tied. By who I wonder

[ask-harper]

Aden, what's something that scares you?

He looks over to the wolf sleeping on the rug, then the stairs leading to the rest of the house. Folding the rag he lays it onto the table, pondering the question for a second.

He looks off to the side smile falling. "there's one thing"

"Not much one can do besides prevent it as much as they can. Which heh isn't too hard for me!" He cheers as he straightened up pushing off the table.

[roseberry-creates]

cw: bright colors/eye stain & blood

----

Lost Mind

[stephensmithuk]

Some important context for this novel

CW: Blackface.

When this book came out in 1903, Britannia had very much ruled the waves for close to 90 years; for much of that time the Royal Navy was more powerful than any other two navies combined. It controlled the global sea routes, with bases at key locations on them. Like Gibraltar, Malta, Aden and Singapore.

Said navy was rather scattered, but it could be hopefully be recalled and reinforced quickly enough to stop any invasion by smashing through an enemy fleet, cutting off any landed troops.

In addition, we also had major communication advantages through a global network of undersea telegraph wires; the successors of these form much of the backbone of the modern Internet.

However, we were a group of islands with a growing population - and reliant on food imports to feed them.

Britain - and England before 1707 - had long sort of pursued a "balance of power" policy with regards to mainland Europe. By selecting allies carefully, it aimed to stop one power from dominating the Continent and then turning on us. This was known as "splendid isolation" in the 19th century; Britain only intervened in European wars when it was in our interests to do so. We had decided to avoid forming any permanent alliances that would drag us into a war.

The one notable exception to this would be the 1839 Treaty of London, where we promised to protect Belgium's independence against any invader. That was also in our interests; Belgium having ports on the North Sea close to SE England.

Not counting the 1688 Glorious Revolution, Britain had not been successfully invaded since 1066.

The British Army had engaged in a number of wars, some quite big, but those had been colonial affairs and there had been no real threat to the British mainland.

Germany had unified in 1871, in the process whooping Denmark, Austria and France in three wars. The last saw France cede the key industrial area of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany, meaning that the latter had forces on both sides of the Rhine.

Germany had come rather late to the empire game as a result; it had grabbed the third-biggest chunk of Africa in the scramble for colonies, including what is now Namibia where they committed a genocide against two native peoples.

Germany was now seeking to make itself a world power. In particular, it felt that if it created a big enough navy, it would be able to obtain concessions from Britain without going to war. It would not be able to beat them in a naval fight, but it figured if it could inflict a lot of damage in one, the British would decide it wasn't worth the risk.

Hence they started building battleships.

This rather alarmed many in the British political sphere, who saw this as a threat to our naval supremacy, our commerce and ultimately our state.

Because of the threat of Germany, we were in the process of resolving disputes with our long-term rivals France, culminating in the 1904 Entente Cordiale.

As a final amusing note, in 1910, a group of pranksters, including Virginia Woolf, dressed up in blackface and Abyssinian costumes, pretended to be foreign royals... and gained access to HMS Dreadnought, pride of the Royal Navy.

[stele3]

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strikes-kill-five-hospital-gaza-officials-say-after-abortive-talks-2024-08-04/