#couples which comprise of a person who is very prime and put together and a person who looks like they sell drugs make my heart sing

[stinkrascal]

so my gameplay sim who i posted about here has a daughter named selma who aged up to a teen and now her and luna villareal are in love. this isnt canon to my normal legacy but now im thinking maybe it should be

[casualarsonist]

Postal 2 review

Postal 2 was released right in the middle of what should have been my prime teenage-edgelord years, but while it’s had a resurgence in popularity due to nostalgia, returning to it, the game strikes me now exactly as it did then - a forgettable and borderline broken, amateurish piece of software that was crowded out of all but the most fringe playerbases by other, better, more interesting games.

Postal 2 is Hatred, if Hatred mistakenly thought it was funny - it was a try-hard attempt at outrunning South Park in a race no-one was watching. The irony is that in hindsight South Park turned out to be tedious fence-sitting ‘all sides are equally stupid’ takes from a pair of moron Gen Xers who thought that not having a strong opinion about anything was cool and were also responsible for mass-marketing anti-semitism to an entire generation. It was seen as edgy and provocative in the 2000s, and now it’s laughed at for its rigid, pointed adherence to committing nothing of value to any issue. And in trying to out-do Parker and Stone the developers of Postal 2 shackled themselves to the exact same sinking ship.

The game is…not great. It’s ugly, and poorly put-together. There are constant issues with controls and soundtrack - you can hear the audio clicking repeatedly in the opening minutes of the game because whoever did the sound design stitched together a bunch of stock sound effects and didn’t crossfade the adjoining tracks. The same 3 second soundbite of a bird repeats endlessly - noticeable because it is the only sound playing as you tour through the town. And while there is something to be said for the effort put into programming all the systems that go towards simulating the mundanity of everyday life (and towards your disruption of that mundanity with a can of gasoline and a box of matches), this was an indie game with a certain amount of ambition developed before crowdfunding could turn these games into something worth playing. It’s tedious, but not in the way the developers intended - it’s tedious mechanically, like playing in a small, ugly, sadistic sandbox. The most interesting thing you discover about it is that doing everyday tasks like shopping for milk, and burning everyone in the town alive, are actions that get boring at exactly the same rate as one another.

That said, I think there’s a certain amount of accidental Tom Green-esque avant-garde nihilism in the absurdity of this game. It’s kind of funny to watch the 'Parents For Decency’ whip out pistols and try to murder every member of the Running With Scissors development team because they don’t like their violent games. That’s genuine satire - it actually says something real, and, because the 'think of the children’ groups are usual comprised of wealthy conservatives trying to avoid caring about actual tangible suffering in the world, the commentary kicks upwards at a group that will otherwise avoid any punishment for their hypocrisy. The icing on the cake is that you can then choose to kill them in self-defence, proving that you’re exactly the thing they were protesting. Postal 2 has something to say occasionally. Very occasionally. But then give it a few hours and you’re murdering dozens of shrieking racist stereotypes of Afghanis that all look like Osama Bin Laden.

If you kill 30 people from every type of skin colour you get an achievement called 'Sheriff Arpaio would be proud’. I had to google his name because I thought he he was a mass murderer with some kind of pointedly indiscriminate political agenda. Nope - he was a white Sheriff in Arizona who specifically profile non-white people in one of the most widespread examples of open racism in American law enforcement since segregation was made ‘illegal’. And given recent history, that’s saying something. He alone cost the taxpayers of his one county $140 million dollars via lawsuits brought against him. The fucking U.S. Justice Department sued him. If I hadn’t researched that I wouldn’t have realised he was actually a massive racist asshole who specifically targeted Hispanics and black people, because Running With Scissors made a false equivalence in their throwaway gag that just happens to mislead the player about the racist crimes of the person they’re referencing. 'Sheriff Arpaio would be proud’…because it was a numbers game? Yes, that’s what he liked. Persecuting *everyone* - as many people as possible, and not one very specific demographic of people.

I’m not saying that this stupid joke intentionally whitewashes the racism of its namesake, and I’m not saying that this, coupled with the developers’ portrayal of Middle Eastern people as homogenous terrorists screaming gibberish through the singular face of a mass murderer is in any way an explicit demonstration of their edgelord racist worldview. I’m not saying that, in the same that I’m not saying that a crack-smoking, dog-kicking, wife-abusing, spree-killer living in a trailer in any way reflects their perspective towards the poor, and that this entire game is one big middle-finger to everything the developers personally dislike. I’m saying that there’s a marked difference between forcing players to kill brown people because they’re all terrorists and forcing players to kill white people because they’re vegetarians. Or have red hair. Jesus that was such a 2003 joke wasn’t it?

At the very least, the panel of people who mindmapped the ideas that came together to form the foundational commentary of Postal 2 are dumb as dogshit, and the end result of that is 'whoopsie we’re slaughtering dozens of Muslims ho ho ho the Indian food store has Afghani suicide bombers in it all these people are the same skin colour Sheriff Arpaio did a bad thing to *lots of different people!*’

Isn’t it interesting that a game touted as a free-for-all and remembered for it’s 'all sides are bad’ South Park-esque 'sick of the system’ worldview actually depicts its town exactly from the perspective of one very specific demographic of people - the single most represented demographic in the American population: middle-class straight white male Gen Xers who feel disenfranchised but are also ardently pro-America, hate the poor despite not being wealthy themselves, hate the rich for being richer than them, hate 'rednecks’ for being too uncivilised, hate 'conservatives’ for being too stuck-up, and hate liberals for not fitting into a stuck-up conservative worldview. When you think of yourself as the lone, correct singularity trapped in the centre of a world filled with people who are wrong because they care too much about things you don’t like to think about, literally every other person on the planet becomes a potential threat. Your life is given meaning by the feeling of persecution this constant target on your back brings. And it’s a lot easier to take your anger out on a toothless social group than to comprehend your own lack of identity - to make fun of 'gingers’ and vegetarians like you were born yesterday rather than do anything legitimately rebellious or anti-establishment. Particularly if your specific demographic is the one nearly all media is catered towards. Movies are telling you that you’re the hero, but your miserable job tells you that you’re just a rube. Who’s to blame? Don’t bother thinking about it, because you might end up on a crusade, and you don’t want to be like those losers who keep going on about their problems. Make a game in which you kill all those people instead. That’ll teach em.

Postal 2 is the kind of stand-up comic that gets heckled for telling an offensive joke and then threatens to shoot-up the audience if they won’t stop booing him. It was made - poorly even for the time - by a bunch of clowns playing to the easiest possible audience: white edgelords. It’s a power fantasy for people who don’t have anything meaningful to fight for, so they fight gingers. Y'know, because South Park did it. Nazis are funny, gingers are bad. Everyone is wrong, stick to the middle. The middle of a spectrum. The middle of the road. The middle of a river as it sweeps you out to sea. It’s all the same.

2/10

[idristardis]

CS Fic Formal: “I Found a Love”

A/N: At long lonnnnnng last, I can reveal that I am your CSFF Anon @branlovesouat !! I’m so very sorry that this gift is (literally) a month late, but between juggling two different jobs and my muse taking your prompts and deciding to write roughly thousands upon thousands of words, it...took a while to come together. I thank you infinitely for your patience - it has been wonderful getting to know you over this process - and I only hope that this fic lives up to your expectations and hopes!!

In addition to CS banter and sass, you asked for Ruby and Emma friendship and Belle and Killian friendship, romance that was paced at a “medium burn,” a story more driven by plot than atmosphere, and some way of incorporating Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” I hope I delivered on all of those fronts to your liking dear!! The fic’s title is taken from that song, and there are a couple of other ways I wove it into the fic (including the vibe of the next to the last scene) without making it a song-fic, per se.

I also want to give a huge thank you to the @csficformal mods for hosting such a wonderful event and for putting up with me when I kept asking if I could push my deadline back a bit because there were just more words spilling out of my brain. You guys rock!!

Now, without further ado...here are approximately 22K words of modern royalty Lt. Duckling AU. Hope you all enjoy!!

P.S. Rating is low-to-mid T for some swearin’ and some kissin’. Also, I borrowed one line from 10 Things I Hate About You - see if you can spot it. :D :D

“You’ll never guess the news I just received, little brother.”

Killian sighed, automatically muttering younger under his breath before pushing his half-finished lunch to the side and tossing down the report he’d been skimming through while he ate. Looking up, he met Liam’s gaze expectantly. His brother stood next to Killian’s chosen table in the corner of the officer’s mess with a grin on his face that – given his usually serious demeanor – bordered on disturbingly giddy.

When Liam dropped into the seat across from him, practically vibrating with pent-up energy, and yet didn’t immediately speak, Killian sighed. “You’re literally going to make me guess, aren’t you?”

Liam nodded, his grin growing impossibly wider. “Absolutely.”

“Why?” Killian groaned.

“Because this news is amazing, and it’s more fun to have you guess. It draws out the suspense,” Liam replied, leaning over towards Killian’s abandoned lunch and snagging a French fry off his plate. “Besides, you’ll never get it right, and then I’ll get to tell you anyway. Best of both worlds, really.”

“That makes almost no sense,” Killian said exasperatedly, reaching out and pulling his plate back towards him before Liam could pilfer any more of his food.

“Ah, but there’s a vast difference between something almost not making sense and actually not making sense,” Liam said, leveling his gaze on Killian before continuing. “Besides, you’re just stalling while you try to think of whatever invariably incorrect answer you’re going to come up with. So,” he rapped his knuckles on the tabletop for emphasis, “guess.”

Killian stared at Liam in silence for a long moment. He really was at a loss for what the mysterious news could be, but he stubbornly didn’t want to admit as much to his brother. Finally, just as he was about to give in and hazard a ridiculous – and almost certainly incorrect – guess just to get Liam to move the whole process along, Killian’s eye landed on the discarded report he’d been reading when his brother had arrived. The neatly typed date in the corner of the document triggered a realization and he chuckled as a flash of insight raced through him.

Suddenly, he knew.

In fact, it was so obvious he couldn’t believe he hadn’t put two and two together immediately.

Sitting up straighter, Killian regarded Liam with a wide smile of his own. “Alright, let’s see it then,” he said, holding his hand out expectantly.

“What?” Liam said, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“The list of new appointments to the Cadre,” Killian replied easily. “That is what you came here to tell me about, isn’t it?”

Astonishment, irritation, and frustrated resignation flickered across Liam’s face in quick succession before he slumped back in his chair. “Y’know, you are bloody infuriating sometimes. How did you do that?!”

“Once I remembered what day it was, it really wasn’t that hard to figure out what had you so fired up,” Killian said with a smirk. “There are only a few things in life that can get you that excited.”

“Oi! Don’t act like you aren’t just as eager,” Liam retorted, digging in the pocket of his uniform coat and pulling out a folded piece of paper and handing it to Killian. “You know as well as I do little brother that getting appointed to the Cadre can be career-making.”

Killian let the nickname slide this time, as he was too busy opening up the paper that could very well change his life. “Did you look yet?” he asked Liam, his eyes flicking upwards to meet his brother’s.

Liam nodded, his smile a bit sheepish. “Sorry, Kil. I just couldn’t wait. But why d’you think I was so damn eager to talk to you?”

Any response Killian was about to make died on his tongue as his eyes fell on the list of nine names marching in a tidy column down the left hand side of the paper. He’d only made it about halfway down when he spotted the names he’d been fervently hoping to see.

“Bloody hell.”

-/-

Misthaven Star-Herald

COMMANDING RESPECT: NINE ELITE OFFICERS SELECTED FOR APPOINTMENT TO CADRE 2018

By Sidney Glass

Star-Herald Royal Reporter

SPERO, MISTHAVEN, APRIL 30, 2018 – Reports from the palace today have confirmed what was long-suspected to be true: Queen Mary-Margaret and King David, in consultation with the Prime Minister and the most trusted members of their Privy Council, have at long last completed the selection process for Initiates to the newest Cadre.

The Cadre, an elite squadron of officers comprised of members from all branches of Misthaven’s military, is personally selected every three years by the King and Queen. The newly chosen members of the Cadre will arrive in the capital city of Spero next week, at which time they will enter into a rigorous training boot camp designed to ready them to serve both as personal guards to the entire royal family and emissaries of the country’s armed forces when they accompany the royal family abroad.

Candidates selected for this rarified group have proven themselves in a variety of ways. They must have graduated in the top third of their cadet class, possess an exemplary service record in their branch of the military, show an aptitude and inclination for officer training, be in peak physical condition, and conduct themselves with honor in their everyday service. Having exhibited extraordinary valor in combat scenarios is also taken into account, but is by no means mandatory.

In addition to boot camp, when each new Cadre is selected, one member of each service branch from the previous Cadre remains in place for the first year of the new Cadre’s term. They are intended to act as mentor and training officer for their service branch within the Cadre and may be called upon to perform Cadre functions from time to time – though their main purpose is to train the newly selected members of the squadron. During the first year of each Cadre’s tenure, the presence of these training officers cause the group to swell to twelve members rather than its typical nine.

The existence of the Cadre dates back almost to the founding of Misthaven. Though its exact origins have been lost to time and the great fire of 1860, which destroyed much of the contents of the Hall of Records for Misthaven’s military, anecdotal evidence traces its beginning back to the kingdom’s fledgling days. Formed to protect the leaders of the small, newly-formed kingdom against the outside forces of its larger and mightier neighbors, over time, the Cadre has also come to serve other purposes – these include fostering community, partnership, and mutual understanding between members of different service branches. Members often maintain close professional ties long after their Cadre years are over. These bonds help to strengthen Misthaven’s military in tangible and intangible ways.

Of course, the Cadre still adheres to its original purpose – providing the highest caliber of protective services to Misthaven’s royal family. This year, the twelve servicemen and women appointed to the Cadre are:

Royal Misthaven Army

Captain R. Locksley

Lieutenant B. French

Warrant Officer W. Scarlet

Lieutenant G. Humbert – training officer

 Royal Air Force of Misthaven

Wing Commander A. King

Flight Lieutenant E. Merlin

Flight Lieutenant M. Fa

Flight Lieutenant L. Dulac – training officer

 Misthaven Royal Navy

Commander L. Jones

Lieutenant K. Jones

Sub-lieutenant W. Smee

Lieutenant-Commander K. Nottingham – training officer

-/-

Emma sighed with relief as the back door of Two Wolves Tavern swung shut behind her, effectively muffling the noise from the street outside. Thankfully, this part of Spero was a good distance from the bars and clubs that lined the streets of the capital city’s small, yet bustling, nightclub district. Two Wolves would get busier as the night went on, but it would be nothing like the sort of chaos that could be found downtown.

The tavern was old – having been in the same family’s ownership for multiple generations – and the inside was a blend of cozy restaurant, warm and inviting bar, and a small space where those who were so inclined could dance. The wood paneling was dark and burnished to a shine, the lights low and soothing, and the furnishings were on the rustic, lived-in side. All of those elements combined to give the tavern itself an uncanny ability to project a sense of comfort and safety every time a person stepped through its doors.

It didn’t hurt that its owners – Elizabeth Lucas and her granddaughter Ruby – were friendly and yet fiercely protective of their clientele. Not to mention that they had been friends of Misthaven’s royal family since the current queen was a young girl. Privacy and discretion were as guaranteed at Two Wolves as they could ever be in a city as infamously gossip-riddled as Spero.

In short, it was perfect.

It was the ideal place for a princess to hide away from the world for a few hours, which was exactly what Emma was determined to do.

She straightened, pushing up from where she’d slumped against the now-closed door, and took a deep breath. Slipping inside the nearby ladies’ room, she took a moment to look at herself – truly look – in the mirror above the tiny sink. Beyond the crack running up one edge of the glass she saw a woman who, while appearing slightly tired, had an invigorated sparkle in her eyes. She loved her family and – most of the time – she loved the life she got to lead. But there were some occasions when the expectations and pressures of being a princess just got to be too much and she needed to get away.

Tonight is definitely one of those times, she thought to herself with a grimace. Especially if the Privy Council is going to be so ridiculously archaic–

Emma cut off her own line of thought with a shake of her head. The situation with the council was exactly what she’d been coming here to avoid. She was hardly about to ruin her own evening by thinking about it now. If she got going, she knew she’d only end up stewing about it for hours and that was not what she wanted out of tonight.

She glanced at herself in the mirror again, pushing a strand of auburn hair from her bobbed wig back behind her ear and straightening the square black frames on her glasses (a relic from her life before contacts). Happy with what she saw, she grinned widely at herself. She was under no illusions as to what would happen when her Cadre guards discovered her missing from the palace. No doubt they’d assume she was at Two Wolves and follow her here. It’s not like it was the first time she’d come here after all. Her parents were (relatively) at peace with her choice of “escape” location, and she always was careful enough to wear a different disguise each visit – though usually, she did bring her guards with her.

But, she’d reasoned with herself as she’d slipped out of the palace unseen, even if she hadn’t brought Humbert and Dunbroch with her, it’s not like Two Wolves wasn’t known as an off-duty Cadre hang out. Surely she’d be safe enough there – and she really needed out of the palace for just a night.

After fussing with the set of her wig a bit more, Emma was finally satisfied that she looked innocuous enough and left the ladies’ room. Entering the tavern’s main room, she immediately spotted Ruby behind the bar and moved to take a seat at the far end – the dark, weathered wooden bar-top curved around there to meet the wall, creating a cozy little nook where Emma hoped she wouldn’t be overly bothered.

Ruby finished with her current customer and headed in Emma’s direction. “Heya, so what can I get–“ the question died on Ruby’s lips as she caught sight of Emma. Narrowing her eyes and darting a furtive glance around the room, she hissed “Emma?!” almost under her breath. “That is you, isn’t it?”

Emma nodded, grinning back at the woman she’d come to consider a true friend over the last several years. “Yep,” she replied brightly. “Though I really do hope no one else will be able to figure it out so easily.”

Ruby shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she said. “You look completely different with that hair. It was just…the glasses, I think. You’ve used them before with a different wig and they looked a bit familiar. But I’m probably the only one who would pick up on that.”

“Hopefully you’re right,” Emma sighed. “I really can’t deal with my cover being blown tonight.”

“Uh oh…that doesn’t sound good. Everything okay?”

“Not really.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Ruby asked, a concerned frown stealing across her face.

“Not really.”

Her friend laughed at that. “Understood,” she replied. “Let me get you something to ease your troubles then. What’ll it be?”

She ordered a glass of rum – something she’d picked up a fondness for a few years ago, much to her mother’s chagrin – and settled in, spending the next hour or so chatting with Ruby when the other woman didn’t need to take care of her other customers. She also got into a spirited, yet good-natured political debate with some of the local regulars – thankfully none of whom recognized her – pleased to find that she held her own even when the discussion delved into some of the more intricately nuanced topics.

This had been exactly what she’d needed tonight. A chance to get away and just be Emma, not a princess, not someone who had to weigh and consider each and every action against some grand standard of courtly behavior. Honestly, she loved her family, and she knew she was incredibly privileged to live the life she led – but there were times when it just felt like no one truly knew the real person she was underneath her title.

Emma just wanted to be seen.

No sooner had that thought crossed her mind than she became aware of a presence settling onto the barstool a couple of seats to her left. Ruby came over to drop off Emma’s second rum and take the newcomer’s order. Before she moved back towards the other end of the bar, she caught Emma’s eye and gave a slight nod in the direction of the stranger, a wicked grin curling her mouth.

When Ruby got that look, it usually spelled trouble – and as much as Emma might want to cut loose and spend a night free from the constraints of her royal duties, she still knew that there was a line that she simply could not cross.

At least not anymore, she thought. She might have been more reckless when she’d been younger, but she’d learned long ago – the hard way – that there were certain things, normal-people things, that simply weren’t in the cards for her.

Getting pulled into one of Ruby Lucas’ madcap adventures definitely qualified as one of those things.

She’d just made her mind up to take her drink over to a quiet table in the opposite corner of the tavern and leave the end of the bar in possession of the new arrival, but she made the mistake of looking in his direction as she moved to stand up.

Sitting next to her, with nothing but one empty barstool in between them, was – quite simply – the most unfairly attractive man Emma had ever seen in her life.

It’s like the universe must be laughing at me, she thought to herself grumpily. Dropping someone who looks like that in my path when there’s no way I can do anything about it. Or, at least, no way that I should.

He was dark-haired, with a slightly lighter scruff dusted along his sharp jawline. From where she sat, it wasn’t hard to discern his broad shoulders, leanly muscled arms, or narrowly tapering waist. His eyebrows seemed to dance expressively along his forehead when he turned to face her, and they hovered over what had to be the mostly unfairly blue pair of eyes Emma had ever seen.

“Lass?” the stranger asked softly. His voice bore the lilting accent typical of those from Misthaven’s southern coastal region. “Are you quite alright?”

Shit!

She must have been staring when he’d looked in her direction. Moving to pick up her drink and take a sip to distract herself, her hand fumbled slightly and the tumbler toppled over, sending rum rippling across the ancient bar-top.

“Dammit,” she muttered, before looking back up at him. “Oh, yeah…yes. I’m fine – just…”

“Here,” he offered, sliding over to sit on the barstool directly next to her and handing her his napkin to help mop up the spill. “You sure you’re alright?” he asked again, his voice filled with more concern than she would’ve thought possible considering they’d literally just met and she didn’t even know his name – and he couldn’t come to know hers.

Not her real one, at least.

She shrugged, looking away from him and concentrating on swiping at the alcohol that had finally stopped spreading and now lay in a thin sheen over the bar top. “Mostly,” she murmured. “I guess I’m just having one of those days, you know?”

He chuckled, and she glanced up to see an understanding grin work its way across his face as he nodded. “Aye, I can sympathize. I feel like I’ve been having one of those days for most of the past month.”

“Oh?” she asked, even as she mentally scolded herself for prolonging the conversation. She knew she should just cut things off – find a quick, polite way to excuse herself, pay up and say good night to Ruby, and make her way back to the palace. If she did that, maybe she’d even make it back before her Cadre guards made it here tonight. But she couldn’t seem to help herself – something about this stranger captivated her.

It wasn’t just his obviously good looks, either – he had a quiet earnestness about him. That, coupled with the fact that he hadn’t immediately tried to hit on her – at least not overtly – made her want to stay in his orbit at least a little bit longer.

“Mm,” he nodded, though Emma had almost forgotten she’d asked him a question. “I moved to the city at the start of the month for…a new position with a heavier workload. I knew it was going to be different, but let’s just say it’s been more of an adjustment than I was expecting.”

She noted the slight pause partway through the stranger’s answer, but when she caught his gaze, he was looking at her with nothing but sincerity. Emma had always had a sixth sense as to when people were being untruthful – her parents and brother always teasingly called it her “superpower,” but it had rarely steered her wrong. Her instincts about people were usually pretty spot on, and this guy, whoever he was, didn’t ring any alarm bells for her.

“That sounds like a lot to take on all at once,” she said sympathetically. “I hope it’s been worth it…” she trailed off, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

He caught on quickly and supplied his name at last. “Killian,” he said with another smile. “And yes, so far it has been…” he said, tilting his head in her direction, clearly waiting for her to reciprocate with her name.

“Anna,” she murmured, hoping if she lied softly it somehow wouldn’t feel as bad as she feared it would. It did though. Emma hated being lied to, and she really hated doing it to someone else – but she really didn’t see any other way to stay there and keep talking to Killian. Which, apparently, is something I really want to do, she realized suddenly.

“Anna,” he repeated, the syllables sounding lovely as they rolled off his tongue, yet making her stomach twist all the same with their falseness. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She smiled at that, small but genuine. “You too, Killian,” she said, only slightly surprised to discover how much she meant it.

With that, they fell into an easy conversation – or, at least, as easy a conversation as Emma could have with anyone who didn’t know her real identity. But unlike the political discussion she’d been having with the locals earlier in the evening, the longer she spent talking with Killian, the more she wished she could tell him who she was.

Just when she was thinking that she really had to find a way to extricate herself and sneak back home, marveling that she still hadn’t seen any sign of the Cadre, her luck ran out. Killian was in the middle of a rather absurdly charming story of some childhood shenanigans involving him, his older brother, and a stray dog they’d smuggled home and tried to hide from their parents – but just as he was reaching the heart of the story, Emma caught a flash of red hair over his left shoulder.

It could have been someone else – Lieutenant Dunbroch wasn’t the only person in Spero with bright red hair, not by a long shot – but considering the speed with which said hair’s owner was moving, and the taller figure that had slipped inside after her and lingered in the shadows near the front door, the odds were good that she and Lieutenant Humbert had finally caught up to her.

Keeping her attention on Killian, Emma held out her hand where he couldn’t see it and signaled for Lieutenant Dunbroch to stop. She knew the other woman would no doubt be extremely irritated, but she hoped that she would at least give Emma a moment to say goodbye to Killian without giving away her identity.

“-and then he licked Mum’s nose and cuddled right up to her and she just…melted,” Killian said, huffing out a laugh. “In the end, the joke was on Liam and me – that blasted dog loved her more’n either of us.”

Emma chuckled softly. “Adorable, but apparently fickle,” she teased, before signaling to Ruby to put all of her and Killian’s drinks on her ongoing tab and shifting to stand. She paused for a moment, unsure how to extricate herself smoothly – looking over at Lieutenant Dunbroch, she estimated that she had mere moments before her guard broke up the conversation. The other woman would never cause any scene that would attract more attention Emma’s way, but the Lieutenant would undoubtedly take a much blunter approach to ending Emma’s conversation with Killian than she’d prefer.

While she’d been lost in her thoughts, Killian’s gaze flicked over her, landing on her face. He seemed to notice that she was preparing to leave, and reached out to lay his hand over her free one where it still lay on the bar. “You’re leaving, lass?”

She returned his gaze, a feeling of true regret washing through her. It was something she’d not expected when she’d first met him, thinking him then to be just a handsome stranger – someone good to waste an hour in a bar with, but that’s all. But the conversation they’d fallen into over the course of the evening had shown her that there was much more to him than met the eye.

He was kind, smart, funny, and opinionated – and, she realized with a start, he was shockingly good at putting her at ease. Once they’d started talking, she’d barely given a thought to getting back to the palace or worrying about the Cadre catching up to her. She’d even forgotten about the matter that had originally driven her outside the palace walls that evening.

That’s dangerous, she thought. I can’t afford to be unfocused right now.

Not that Killian knew anything about that – not with the tale she’d spun him of being a scholarship student at the University of Spero, in the capital city from her home in the far northern reaches of the country. And not that he’ll get a chance to know, either – it’s not like I’ll ever see him again.

“Yes, uh…sorry, yeah. I have to go,” she murmured, sliding her fingers out from underneath his, a wave of longing washing over her as the heat of his hand leeched from hers. She ducked her head down and avoided his eyes, afraid of what she might find there, glancing instead at Lieutenant Dunbroch out of the corner of her eye. “I’ve got, um, an early morning tomorrow,” she said. It wasn’t a total lie – it was just that she would be spending yet another day in a rotation of royal duties, which she found beyond mind-numbing, rather than in academic arguments with some university professor, which is no doubt closer to the assumptions Killian must have been making about her plans for the following day.

“I understand, Anna,” he said with a refreshing sincerity. “In fact, I have a rather early one myself – didn’t realize it had gotten so late. It was just very easy to talk to you,” he said, biting his lip after the words escaped. Emma smiled to herself – his slightly flustered reaction was actually really adorable.

And that kind of thinking is even more dangerous.

Emma saw Lieutenant Dunbroch take a step in her direction and knew she had to do something now if she had any hope at all of salvaging a smooth exit. She stepped to the side, putting a bit more space in between her and where Killian sat. “I had a great time too,” she said honestly. “I just have to go-”

“Can I see you again?” he interjected, standing and taking a step forward into her space. She stiffened in surprise – wanting to say yes but knowing it would be playing with fire. Killian seemed to mistake her shock for disinterest though, as his face fell slightly and he started to backtrack. “Look, I’m sorry if I overstepped, I just thought that-”

“Yes,” she breathed. It seemed as though it was her turn to shock him, if the dazed smile spreading across his face were any indication.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she affirmed, feeling her own smile get bigger. “When?”

“Uhm,” He blinked for a moment, as if still startled that she’d agreed, which Emma found just as adorable as his earlier flustered state. “I hate to wait this long, but a week from tonight? Work is going to make the rest of this week kind of impossible, I’m afraid.”

Emma internally breathed a sigh of relief. A week would give her time to figure out exactly how she was going to get away with sneaking out of the palace again so soon after this adventure. “That’s okay. A week is perfect. I’ll meet you here? Maybe at seven?”

He nodded. “Sounds perfect, lass.”

“Great, I’ll see you then,” she flashed him a bright smile and turned away before she could say or do anything else impulsive, like kiss him goodbye or something. She thought she heard him call after her as she walked away, but by that point she was bypassing the spot where Lieutenant Dunbroch was waiting, the other woman falling into step behind her, and her attention shifted to planning out how to get out of the trouble she’d be in for slipping away from her guards for the evening.

Still, she thought, it was definitely worth it.

-/-

“Lass! Anna! I don’t have your number!” Killian called after the retreating figure of the woman who’d enchanted him since he’d sat down next to her earlier that evening. Unfortunately, she must not have heard him over the music and chatter of other patrons that filled the tavern because she kept on moving, never breaking stride.

The fleeting thought entered his head that maybe she hadn’t actually been serious when she’d agreed to see him again, and that maybe now she was just trying to put as much distance between them as possible. But he didn’t want to believe it – the connection between them that night had felt so easy, so natural, so real. He couldn’t believe that it had been one sided.

He sighed, sinking back down on his barstool and running a hand through his hair. There was nothing for it – he’d just have to show up at Two Wolves next week and hope that she’d be there. He’d hated having to ask her to wait that long, but in Cadre training, he and his fellow Initiates only received one night off each week – there was nothing else he could have done if he’d wanted to see her again. And he definitely did.

Resolving to put the uncertainty over whether he’d really see Anna again out of his mind and focus on his training for the next week, he moved to flag down the bartender so that he could pay and get back to base. She came over but waved him off when he tried to settle his bill. “Already taken care of,” she said with a wicked grin. “By your lady friend there,” she gestured to the seat where Anna had been with a flourish. “Thought you knew.”

Killian shook his head slowly, putting his wallet away as the brunette sauntered back down to the other end of the bar, not waiting for him to respond. He felt a grin pull at the corners of his mouth. Suddenly, it seemed like there was a much better chance that Anna would show up next week.

-/-

Emma fidgeted in her seat, twisting the hem of her sweater absently between her fingers as she tried – with little success – to pay attention to Elsa, her private secretary, as the other woman ran through the calendar of Emma’s upcoming public appearances and social obligations. Though she knew it was expected of her to absorb as much of this information as possible and engage in making decisions about how she would participate in each event, she just couldn’t seem to focus today.

If she were being honest, for the last three days it had been a struggle to concentrate on her royal duties – she found herself staring off into space more often than not, having an unusual amount of trouble banishing a certain pair of blue eyes and a deep, rich laugh from her memory.

It was ridiculous – she should never have gone to Two Wolves in the first place, and she certainly shouldn’t have gotten into such a deeply engaging conversation with someone she’d never met before, and she absolutely should not have agreed to see him again.

But…she had done all of those things.

Moreover, she was actually plotting ways to follow through on her promise to meet Killian again without arousing suspicion from her Cadre guards – or, worse, her family.

Thankfully, the guard detail changed every week, and Lieutenants Dunbroch and Humbert had already handed off to Lieutenant MacIntosh and Flight Lieutenant Dulac. Though the Cadre members of course informed each other routinely of any issues with their royal charges, Emma hoped that the change of guards would at least give her more of a chance to elude them when the time came. Surely, they wouldn’t expect her to sneak out two weeks in a row – whenever she’d had one of her “normal Emma” nights in the past, they had been spaced months and months apart.

She’d never dared to be so brazen before, and she wasn’t quite sure why she was risking it now.

There was just something about Killian she couldn’t shake.

More to the point, she didn’t want to.

Emma was pulled from her thoughts by the noise of a throat clearing, and from the tone of the sound, it wasn’t the first time. She looked up, a sheepish expression on her face, to see Elsa staring at her, one eyebrow arched inquisitively. “I’m sorry, your highness. Would you prefer to resume at another time?” Her words were proper and correct, but her tone was slightly pointed, as though there were something she wanted to say but was holding herself back.

It was a more appropriate tack for a friend to have taken, rather than an employee, but Emma never had been very good about keeping firm boundaries between herself and her staff. She’d always treated them more like friends and colleagues than employees, and encouraged them to do the same. (Out of public view, at least – her parents took a similar stance in private but of course royal propriety had to be observed in front of the masses).

“Oh…no,” she said, shaking her head in an attempt to dismiss the last of her wandering thoughts. “I know I drifted a bit there, but I promise I’m with you. Where were we?”

Elsa smiled sympathetically at her. “The ribbon cutting for the new equestrian center in Norton on Friday, followed by the christening of the Royal Navy’s new ship in Fair Isle Bay Saturday morning.” Emma sighed and, while she didn’t exactly roll her eyes, something of her displeasure must have shown in her expression because Elsa chuckled softly. “I know how you feel about these events, your highness. But you know that-”

“It’s all part of my duties,” Emma cut in. “Yes, I do. I just wish that sometimes those duties could include something more meaningful than standing around in a pretty dress and waving at the crowd as a ribbon is snipped or a bottle of champagne is flung against a ship. I want to do something with my life. What good is the power my position grants me if I can’t do anything useful with it?!”

Elsa looked at her like she didn’t quite know what to say. This was a conversation they’d had often enough since Elsa had become her private secretary, but they’d pretty much exhausted the topic long ago. Emma took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m sorry,” she said, her tone softening. “None of this is your fault…I just. The Privy Council has been especially tiresome recently.”

“Ah,” Elsa’s expression morphed from slightly shocked into something much more understanding. “Minister Gold still harping on the same old things?”

Emma nodded, slumping down in her chair and leaning her head back against the overstuffed upholstery. “With a few new bits,” she replied. “He’s still very much of the opinion that my parents wasted both Misthaven’s time and resources by allowing me to go to college, let alone grad school, and that my efforts would have been far better spent courting the attentions of one of Europe’s eligible princelings. In the last council meeting, he actually said that if I were so bound and determined to make a contribution to Misthaven’s future, I ought to speed up the husband-hunt so that I could get down to the business of producing the next heir. He didn’t actually add the phrase ‘before you’re no longer of child-bearing years’ but the meaning was clearly implied.”

Elsa looked aghast. “He’s a pig,” she declared (triggering a surprised snort of laughter from Emma), before continuing. “Besides, you’re the next heir. Has he somehow forgotten that?”

“Oh no,” Emma replied, the edge in her tone belying the false brightness of her words. “That’s the fun new twist to his ravings. He’s putting a bill before the council promoting the revocation of the reformed succession laws. He’d have it so that he’d reduce my father’s standing due to his so-called ‘common’ birth status, and bump Leo up the chain – until and unless I had any male children.”

“But, but, but,” Elsa sputtered. “There’s just so much wrong with that, I don’t even know where to begin!”

“Trust me, I know,” Emma sighed as Elsa started to pace back and forth. “But I doubt that pointing out his logical flaws would slow Gold down.”

Elsa’s gaze snapped up to meet hers. “But your father isn’t of common birth! He was a Prince of Glowerhaven-”

“A title used only ceremonially for the past century, despite its connection to Glowerhaven’s ancient royal house,” Emma pointed out.

“And Leo’s eight! Even if Gold succeeded, your brother wouldn’t be of age for another thirteen years – what’s the country supposed to do in the meantime? Wait?!” Elsa was working herself up into a state the likes of which Emma had rarely seen from the usually cool and composed blonde. “These laws have been on the books for nearly thirty years! He cannot possibly think that he’ll get this out of the council, much less to the floor of the parliament.”

Emma laughed, but it was a short, dry sound. “No, not even he’s that crazy – but he’s plotting something. I just don’t know what.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is too obvious. You said it – it’s not something that will pass the council’s vote, and the parliament will never even see this bill. But before it’s all over, the news of his ideas will leak out and he’ll be able to create enough of a controversy that public opinion will be whipped up and debating it all for months. He then gets to back off and make his real play while everyone is distracted with the succession issue, even though that’s just white noise.”

Understanding dawned on Elsa’s face. “But you don’t know what it is he really wants,” she replied. It wasn’t a question.

“Not a clue,” Emma said, a hint of bitterness creeping into her voice. “But whatever it is, it won’t be good.”

-/-

All things considered, she really shouldn’t have gone back to Two Wolves the next week to meet Killian.

The situation with Minister Gold continued to be tense, and Emma’s parents hadn’t exactly been thrilled when her Cadre guards had reported her previous week’s adventure. But despite spending most of the week twisted with indecision over the matter, she found herself slipping out of the castle yet again the following Monday evening, heading for the stables.

Her auburn wig and glasses were tucked into a small satchel that bounced at her hip. She’d slip them on once she was behind the stable and before she scrambled over the wall separating the palace grounds from the quiet road that ran in one direction towards the forest and the other down into Spero.

She really shouldn’t have gone, but when she got to the tavern and caught sight of Killian’s face – he didn’t see her at first and she spied him scratching nervously behind his right ear before checking his watch and glancing around – she knew she’d made the right decision. The brilliant smile that bloomed across his features when he caught sight of her didn’t hurt either.

By the time the end of the evening rolled around, they’d spent several hours wandering hand in hand through a street carnival in the heart of downtown and sitting and talking over coffee and pastry at an out of the way café Killian had spotted. The conversation had flowed easily between them, as had the teasing and laughter, and every moment made Emma more and more certain she wanted to see him again, damn all the risks.

When he walked her back to the spot where they’d met earlier in the evening and pressed lingering kisses first to the ridge of her knuckles and then to the inside of her left wrist, she was absolutely sure of it.

Pressing up on her tiptoes and gripping his shoulder for balance, she leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Give me your phone.” He handed it over with a quirk of his eyebrow and she programmed her actual, private number into it and sent herself a text before she could think better of her actions. Brushing a whisper of a kiss along his jawline, she pressed the phone back into his hand and stepped back. “I had a great time, Killian.”

“Me too, lass,” he breathed, looking at her with a kind of intense wonder that made his eyes seem lit from within.

Emma had the sneaking suspicion she was looking at him in much the same way, but she also needed to take a literal and metaphorical breath – this was all rather a lot to process – and she really needed to get back to the palace before she was missed. (She was kind of marveling at the fact that her guard detail hadn’t caught up to her tonight – although she supposed it was because they’d moved around so much at the street fair that they’d been hard to find, especially if the Cadre would have put their focus on Two Wolves. Still, she wasn’t going to take her luck for granted – the last thing she needed was another lecture from this week’s detail about the perils of sneaking out).

“I’d better get going,” she murmured, glancing up to find him still gazing at her with that semi-awestruck expression. “But, uh, text me, yeah?”

He smiled slowly, and leaned closer, brushing a soft kiss against her cheek. “You can bet on it, love,” he whispered as he drew back.

Emma smiled all the way back to the palace.

Neither of them took any notice of the camera snapping photos from the shadowy corner across the street.

-/-

The sun shone brightly and the sky was an endless blue expanse, broken only rarely by the puffiest white clouds. A cool breeze blew inland off of the water, and off in the distance – perhaps on one of the public beaches further down the coast – several kites in an array of vibrant colors bobbed and wove their way through the air.

In short, it was a perfect day – made even more so by the warm weight of Anna’s head where it rested against his shoulder. They were sitting on a blanket on a grassy hill overlooking the bay, sharing the remains of a picnic lunch he’d brought. When he’d texted her earlier in the week to propose their next meeting (Or were these, officially, dates by this point? Killian knew what he wanted them to be, but still wasn’t completely sure of what Anna was thinking), he’d suggested doing something a bit different and had been thrilled when she’d seemed excited about a mini-break to the seaside.

He’d met her at the train station closest to Two Wolves at mid-morning and they’d spent the railway journey once again in companionable conversation – with the notable addition of a bit of hand-holding and, for the latter part of the ride, Killian’s arm slung round her shoulders. They’d played at sight-seeing as the Misthaven countryside had slipped by the windows – though, he noted, they were both fairly well versed with the route. It made sense for him, having spent most of the years of his naval training and service based in Fair Isle Bay, but he made a mental note to ask Anna later if she’d spent much time by the coast, given her northern upbringing.

They’d arrived at the coast just before noon, spending the first hour or so poking into the little shops up and down the boardwalk of one of the small villages not too far from the naval base. He knew he was taking a risk bringing her here – anyone from his old detail who was off-base on liberty could spot him. That wouldn’t please his Cadre training officer one bit, given that Cadre members weren’t meant to broadcast their status as such – it was one of the first things that was drilled into every Initiate during boot camp.

(It was part of the reason why the newspapers only published the Initiates’ rank, first initials, and last name when the new Cadre was announced – and didn’t use any photos. From the point they entered Cadre boot camp, new Initiates were meant to keep as low a profile as possible – bringing a date (if that is what this was) to the Royal Navy’s backyard was just tempting fate. But Killian had to show her the coast – it was so much a part of him, of who he was. He needed to share such an intrinsic part of him with this woman who was – with startling rapidity – coming to mean a great deal to him).

After having some ice cream at a quaint little place on the edge of the town – Anna’d bargained quite convincingly with him that they should get dessert before they had their lunch – Killian beckoned Anna to follow him up one of the public walking trails that snaked over the low hills separating the town from the beaches and the coastline proper.

They’d found a relatively flat spot with a brilliant view of the water that wasn’t too far off the path, but was sheltered enough for a bit of privacy, and had set about enjoying their lunch. Now, bellies full and conversation – for the moment – exhausted, they were simply enjoying the moment. Sitting together, enjoying the sunshine and the breeze. Every time the wind shifted in a particular direction, Killian smelled the enticing apple and cinnamon scent of Anna’s shampoo over the salt in the sea air. He curled his arm around her shoulders again and tugged her ever-so-slightly closer. She hummed in contentment and nestled ever further into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He wasn’t quite sure how this had happened – wasn’t even sure exactly what to call what they were doing – but Killian had never expected to find anyone like Anna when he’d gone to Spero for Cadre boot camp. She was passionate, brilliant, funny, and could argue politics with him until they both needed to catch their breath. She challenged him, and seemed to delight in their verbal sparring matches as much as he did – but that was far from all. When she spoke of her studies, and her desire to help those who were less fortunate in life, her compassion shone so brightly it nearly took Killian’s breath away.

Not to mention she was beautiful – her physical attributes were…captivating…and he couldn’t pretend they’d gone unnoticed – but her gently dimpled cheeks, alabaster skin, deep green eyes, and lustrous auburn hair meant less to him than the beauty he could see in her heart.

“I wish I could have this all the time,” she murmured, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

“Hmm?” Killian hummed, pulling himself out of his wandering thoughts and tilting his head so that he could look down at her.

She peered up at him, blinking slowly as if she’d been nearly on the brink of falling asleep on his shoulder. “This…this kind of day. It’s so peaceful, and calm…and just…real.”

He chuckled at her turn of phrase. “D’you have many days that aren’t real, then?”

She huffed out a dry laugh. “You’d be surprised,” she muttered. He waited for her to explain, and after a moment she shrugged. “It’s just…a lot of the time, I feel like I’m not fulfilling my…true purpose, I guess. Or, well…I’m following the path that was laid out for me, and I don’t really have a lot of input into how to make it a better path. It’s been like that for as long as I can remember. D’you know what I mean?”

Her words make him think of his own youth, and the choices – or lack thereof – that had been offered to him and Liam. Sitting up a little more fully, he looked away from her, out over the water, and began talking. “My Mum died when I was barely ten, Da left a year later – couldn’t hack tryin’ t’raise two boys on his own. Liam – my brother – worked and scraped and saved and did everything he could to give us a better chance-”

“Killian, you don’t have to-” Anna tried to cut in.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze. “I want to.” He took a deep breath in and then let it out slowly. “He worked, he got into the Royal Naval Academy, and then when I was old enough, I followed him. I’d follow him anywhere – he saved me when our family fell apart – and I really have come to love the Navy. I love the sea, and the structure and purpose of the work is fulfilling…”

“But?” this time Anna prompted him when he trailed off.

“But,” he said, glancing back at her, smiling genuinely at the concern he saw on her face. “Much as I’ve come to adapt to it and find meaning in it, it wasn’t my own dream. It was really Liam’s. But it’s where I’ve found myself, and I’ve tried to make the most of it that I can – I’ve found ways to make that dream mine and I work hard at making it meaningful to me every day. I’ve found parts of it that I can latch on to and really connect with. Then, my finding purpose in it makes it possible to do something meaningful for others.”

“And does that work? Is it enough for you?” she asked him, a genuine curiosity flickering over her features.

He caught her gaze and held it earnestly. “I think so,” he said honestly. “Some days, I feel more connected, more purposeful, than others, if I’m being honest. But even on the days when I feel like I might be slacking off on the whole ‘fulfilling my maximum potential’ thing, I do feel like I’m making a positive difference for my country,” he ducked his head, feeling a flicker of embarrassment. “Sorry, that sounded a bit overly patriotic and rah-rah, I know.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head emphatically. “It makes a lot of sense. Thank you for sharing all that with me,” she said with an earnestness that made him smile softly at her.

“It was my pleasure, love,” he murmured. “I guess I’m just trying to say that even if you don’t have a lot of options in terms of choosing the actual direction your life is headed in right now, you still have the power to shape the path that lies ahead. You still have choices you can make and ways you can focus on the things that are important to you. You just have to be patient – pick your moments and your metaphorical battles and before you know it, you’ll have wrestled this challenge into submission and be on to conquer the next one.”

She chuckled wryly. “You really think so?”

“Aye,” He replied. “I know I’ve not known you long, Anna, but as it stands I think you’re brilliant, and believe you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. To hell with anyone who says you can’t.”

Her eyes flicked up to his and he was caught in the fiery determination he saw in her gaze. Before he could say anything else – in fact, before he’d really processed what was happening – she’d circled one arm further around his waist and her other hand had slid into the hair at the nape of his neck and she’d pulled him into a kiss that rivaled any he’d ever had in its sheer intensity.

Cliched as it might have sounded, time seemed to stop in that moment.

The muted sounds of the seashore – gulls crying in the distance, waves breaking on the beach far below them, the far off strains of another tourist’s radio playing what Killian was fairly sure was an Ed Sheeran song – melted away the instant Anna’s lips met his. His own arms wound around her back, pulling her closer until she was practically in his lap – a move that pulled a low moan from her that Killian felt as much as he heard it.

He turned his head, the tip of his nose pressing into the apple of her cheek as he deepened the kiss.  She mirrored him, parting her lips readily and making a happy little noise Killian swore he’d remember the rest of his life when his tongue darted inside and curled around her own. They spent endless minutes getting progressively lost in each other – hands wandering, breath stuttering, hips shifting restlessly – until Anna finally pulled back, a ragged chuckle tumbling from her lips as Killian instinctively followed her movements. “Wow,” she breathed.

“I heartily agree, love,” he mumbled, his eyes dropping shut as he leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers. “Not that I’m complaining in any way – but what brought that on?”

He could hear the smile in her voice when she replied. “You believed in me, Killian…Killian…Killian?”

“Killian!”

He sat bolt upright in his chair as his attention snapped back to the present moment and he realized Anna was nowhere to be seen and he wasn’t on a mini-holiday to the coast. Rather, he was in one of the Cadre’s briefing rooms and the person who’d been calling him – for quite some time judging by her slightly irritated yet concerned expression – was one of his fellow Initiates. “Lieutenant French…er, Belle,” he said, “I’m sorry. I must have been lost in thought.”

Belle just arched an amused eyebrow at him and moved past him to take the seat next to him. “I’ll say,” she replied dryly. “You were staring off into space when I came in – you’re just lucky the rest of the group is running late. Is everything alright?”

Killian nodded sheepishly. “Yes…more than, actually.” He hesitated for a moment, wondering if – without getting into the more personal details – he could share any of his happiness with Belle. Since the beginning of boot camp, they’d been paired together on several training exercises and instructional projects. Their training officers had indicated that they’d been paired because they had complimentary skill sets and aptitudes and would likely be detailed together within the Cadre once boot camp was complete – beyond that, though, Killian had grown genuinely fond of the diminutive yet fierce woman and as she seemed to feel the same about him, a warm friendship had sprung up between them. If he could tell anyone about Anna, he could tell Belle – Liam would likely warn him against getting “distracted” during his training, and what he needed right now was a listening ear, not his brother’s well-meaning but sometimes rigid stance on the rules. “I met someone a couple of weeks ago…”

“Oh really?” she asked, a note of interest coloring her voice. “Must be a really special someone – you were completely somewhere else when I walked in here.”

“She is,” he nodded, unable to keep the smile off his face even though he felt slightly like a teenager talking about his first crush. “I’ve seen her on every off day we’ve had so far, and I can’t stop thinking about her-”

“Clearly,” Belle interjected with a laugh.

“Ha ha…I’m serious, Belle. I feel like I’ve been knocked off my feet by her. I never expected this, much less that it would happen during boot camp – it’s getting harder and harder not to tell her what I really do. I know I can’t,” he rushed to say when Belle looked like she wanted to remind him of the Cadre’s need for secrecy. “But I don’t know how much longer I can go on seeing her and not tell her – it’s a big thing to keep hidden.”

“And you definitely want to keep seeing her?” Belle asked.

Killian shot her a look. “Clearly. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Well, you might want to-” Belle began, but was cut off when the rest of their Initiate class began to file into the room, followed by Flight Lieutenant Dulac. She looked over at Killian, chagrined. Later, she mouthed and he nodded.

“Good morning Initiates,” Lieutenant Dulac’s booming voice greeted them. “Thank you all for being so punctual this morning,” he paused to stare pointedly in the direction of another Initiate, Warrant Officer Scarlet, who had barely made it through the door before the class had begun. “Welcome to the beginning of your Surveillance and Reconnaissance unit.”

Killian forced himself to stop thinking about anything but the class, pushing both Anna and his conversation with Belle to the back of his mind as he listened closely to Dulac’s lecture. Of all the officers who were guiding the Initiates’ training, Killian had quickly grown to admire Dulac the most and had gotten a great deal out of any session he led.

“…now, as we see here,” Dulac clicked through several slides in the PowerPoint presentation he was using for this class session until he found the one he wanted, “low-light photography can be a challenge even in this digital age. This photograph,” he gestured to the slide up on the screen, “was taken last week and though you can see Princess Emma quite clearly under the streetlight at the left of the image, her companion is unfortunately cast in shadow and it’s not possible to make out enough of his features for facial rec.”

“Not even with enhancement, sir?” one of the other Initiates – Locksley, an army Captain Killian had come to like and respect – asked from the far corner of the room.

Dulac shook his head. “No. The officer doing the recon work here was, by necessity, too far away to get a shot that would give us the right angle.”

“Well he shoulda got closer then, shouldn’t he?” this was from Scarlet, before Locksley elbowed him in an attempt to keep him quiet.

Dulac kept his cool. “Officer Scarlet, while it would have been ideal to get closer, one also must think about whether one has adequate cover to do so – it does no good to get the right photo and reveal yourself in the process. Showing that you are shadowing one of the royal family too closely tips off onlookers to the fact that they are the royal family, which immediately increases the dangers – especially in situations like this where the princess has ventured out incognito.”

Killian’s head snapped around at that, and, for this first time, he took a good look at the photo in Lieutenant Dulac’s slide – and all the breath seemed to rush from his body.

He recognized that street, and the tavern in the background.

Moreover, he recognized the man that Dulac said couldn’t be identified. Killian could identify him easily and immediately – because he was the man.

But what didn’t make sense was Dulac’s statement that this was a photo of Princess Emma, because this photo clearly showed his Anna kissing a mystery man on the cheek – you, his brain helpfully supplied – outside Two Wolves a week ago. For a moment, Killian simply stared at the photo, his brain refusing to fully process the information.

When the truth finally clicked in, he realized that he had far bigger problems than having to keep his place in the Cadre a secret from the woman he’d rapidly been falling for – she’d been keeping a far bigger secret of her own.

-/-

“Emma, a word,” her mother’s voice – soft but commanding – came from the other end of the corridor just as Emma was stepping out of her bedroom. She’d not seen her mother standing there and jumped at the unexpected sound of the older woman’s voice.

“God, Mom, don’t do that,” she said, pressing a hand to her chest. “You nearly scared me to death.”

“I’m sorry,” the queen said, her tone softening a fraction. “I didn’t mean to startle you, but I do need you to come with me.” Without further explanation, she turned on her heel and began walking towards her private offices.

Emma fell into step behind her, as she knew was expected, hurrying to catch up before her mother got too far ahead. “Is everything alright, Mom?” she asked after a few moments of walking in a somewhat stilted silence that was far from their usual easy camaraderie.

Her mother didn’t answer immediately, waiting instead until they’d reached her private offices and slipped inside. The queen shut the door behind them and moved over to her desk before responding. When she did, her words were not at all what Emma was expecting, and they caused the bottom to drop out of her stomach.

“Have you been to Two Wolves recently?” her mother asked, shuffling through a few papers on her desk before looking up at her expectantly.

Emma considered – for the briefest of moments – denying it outright, saying that it must have been someone who looked uncannily like her. But she knew that that wouldn’t hold up – particularly if, as it seemed, Queen Mary-Margaret already knew the answer to the question she was asking. Sinking down into one of the plush guest chairs that were placed in front of the desk, Emma nodded. “Yeah…a couple of times,” she muttered. “But you and Dad have never had a problem with it before.”

Her mother sighed. “We don’t have a problem with it now…not exactly. It’s just…it’s a little careless, Emma. The timing is not ideal.”

She sat up straighter in the chair, a wave of indignance flowing over her. She knew that perhaps she hadn’t made the best choice given the political climate of late – and maybe you’re feeling a bit defensive about that, she thought to herself – but she didn’t think it warranted her mother treating her quite so much like a child. “It’s not like I went out clubbing and got blitzed – Two Wolves is just about the safest place I could go, Mom. That’s been true since you were going there when you were my age,” she finished, crossing her arms over her chest and staring up at her mother with determination and a small touch of defiance. She hoped her mother didn’t have any further information about her evenings at the tavern – but just in case, deflecting her attention couldn’t hurt.

“My youthful indiscretions, such as they may be, aren’t the issue right now Emma,” her mother replied calmly, taking a seat behind her desk and sorting through yet another pile of papers until she pulled out a slim manila folder. “You know that this kind of behavior is against protocol – and while your father and I might have been inclined to turn a blind eye in the past-”

“So did Grandma, thankfully, or you might not have met Dad and Leo and I wouldn’t be here right now,” Emma cut in, refusing to feel bad about taking just a small bit of precious time for herself when her mother had done exactly the same thing when she was young.

“Be that as it may,” her mother carried on almost as if Emma hadn’t spoken. “We’ve got to enforce every bit of protocol right now. With Minister Gold picking at us and scrutinizing every choice the monarchy makes we can’t afford to give him any more ammunition for his schemes. So for a while, I am going to need you to put a halt to this kind of adventure,” she said briskly, opening the folder and pushing it across the desk towards Emma. “And, whoever this may be,” she gestured in the direction of the contents of the folder, “it would be best if you ended it for the time being…at least.”

The sinking feeling that had invaded Emma’s stomach at the beginning of the conversation only got worse – it now felt as though her heart were somehow simultaneously in her throat and on the floor somewhere near her shoes. Even before she looked where her mother had pointed, she had a good idea of what she’d see.

Closing her eyes in resignation, she sighed. It was completely stupid of me to think I wasn’t followed that second night. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Even as she reprimanded herself for not suspecting her Cadre guards had caught up and surveilled her on her return trip to the tavern, she bristled at the constraints her royal duties were once again placing on her.

(But all the same, she repeatedly and silently thanked whatever divine influence had kept them hidden – both from photographers and that week’s Cadre detail – when they’d gone to Fair Isle Bay).

All I’d wanted was something normal. Something just for me. Just for once. Looks like I was just fooling myself – God, I’m an idiot. How did I ever think this was going to work?

As she opened her eyes, they landed on a photo in the manila folder – the image was dark, and a bit blurry. If she had to guess, she’d say Lieutenant MacIntosh was the photographer – his handiwork was always a bit unfocused when he took long distance shots at night – but whoever had taken them, the photo was clear enough to show her pressing a kiss to Killian’s cheek before bidding him good night.

The only saving grace was that it was nigh on impossible to tell who Killian was, given the angle and distance of the shot. Even if her chances of seeing him were imploding with every minute that went by, she didn’t want him to get drawn into a messy background investigation by the Cadre for getting so close to her or, worse, pulled into the public eye by Misthaven’s rather voracious paparazzi.

“Emma?” her mother prompted, and she realized that she’d been silently staring at the photo for longer than was probably reasonable. She looked up at her mother, catching the older woman’s eye – her mother’s regal mask slipped for a moment and a flicker of understanding and empathy crossed her face. She smiled softly. “Believe it or not, I do understand the predicament I can sense that you find yourself in right now…but you need to end it. Now. Or at least find a way to pause things until Gold has settled down and backed off. Understood?”

Emma took one more lingering glance at the photo, thoughts of bright sun, warm breezes, and comforting embraces running through her mind. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and nodded. “Understood.”

-/-

“You did what?!” Belle’s incredulous question echoed down the long corridor they’d found themselves in after their class had finished. They were tucked at the end, in an alcove, but her voice had risen enough that if someone were passing by, they’d be overheard. He didn’t immediately respond, simply looked at her for a moment, until she seemed to understand that she hadn’t misheard him. Her eyes widened until they looked impossibly large. “Killian, please tell me you’re joking.”

“Sshhhh,” he hissed, making a keep it down gesture with his hands. “In my defense, I didn’t know.”

Belle laughed – it was a sharp sound that seemed to burst from her almost involuntarily. “How could you not know?!”

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, not wanting to lash out at one of the only people he felt he could confide in about his predicament. Besides, he understood. If he were in Belle’s position, he’d probably be reacting the same way to hearing this kind of news. “I’ve only been out with her a few times, and she was wearing a bloody disguise – if you’re not actively expecting someone to be doing something like that, it’s a little hard to catch,” he retorted, not entirely successful at keeping the self-loathing edge out of his tone.

The truth of it was, he realized as he spoke, he’d been very free with his heart and he’d not known the woman he’d thought was Anna for very long. Or very well, apparently, he thought with a touch of bitterness. He was angry at the princess for the deception – and at himself for not seeing through it. Observation and deduction were part of his training – he was supposed to be good at them. What kind of Cadre guard would he make if he got fooled as easily as this?

It’s not the same thing, and you know it, his inner voice tried to reason with him. You weren’t on duty, you were just spending time with someone you cared about and who you thought cared about you. You weren’t expected to be on your guard. He didn’t know if he believed his own reasoning, telling himself that a better officer would always be on his guard – but before he could fall further down the rabbit hole of his own internal debate, he realized that Belle was asking him a question.

“I can see your point,” she said, her tone gentling a bit, though Killian felt he didn’t truly deserve her kindness. “But what are you going to do now that you do know?”

He shook his head and exhaled harshly. “I don’t bloody well know, do I?”

Just then, his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it at first, but it continued to go off, buzzing three more times in quick succession. Pulling it out, he glanced at the screen and was startled to see four texts from Anna’s number. He let out a noise of surprise and showed Belle the phone. “Interesting timing,” she murmured. When he made no move to open them, she pointed at the phone. “Aren’t you going to read them? They might help you decide what to do.”

He felt like he was moving underwater as he nodded, everything slowing down as he swiped his thumb across the screen and brought up the message string he’d been sharing with Anna. Emma, he mentally corrected. The princess.

Killian, I’m so sorry to be doing this at all, but especially in a text.

I got news very suddenly, a family emergency – I have to go up north for a while.

I don’t know when, or if, I’ll be able to come back. I’ve enjoyed our time together more than you will ever know, but it’s not fair to ask you to wait around for me.

I’ll treasure these few weeks forever…goodbye, Killian.

He stared at his phone, disbelieving this latest turn of events, for so long that Belle finally jerked him back to the present moment with a gentle shove to the shoulder. “Well?” she asked expectantly.

“Here,” he mumbled, thrusting the phone into her hand so she could read the messages for herself. He scrubbed both hands over his face and back into his hair, trying to think of anything but the way that the princess’ fingers had felt as they’d traced the back of his neck, or the warmth of her as her mouth had opened easily under his. He wanted to hold onto the anger he’d felt at her deception, but her texts had reeked of sadness and he couldn’t say he didn’t feel the same.

Despite all the things they’d kept from each other, what they’d felt for each other was real. They’d each seen the truth of the other’s heart underneath everything else – he was sure of it. But he didn’t have any idea what to do about it now. He just felt hollow and tired.

“Well,” Belle said when she finished reading the messages. “I guess that answers that.”

“Yeah, I guess it does,” he agreed.

“It still sucks though,” she said, slipping her arm through his and pulling him down the corridor in the direction of the mess hall. He’d been so engrossed in his revelation and subsequent meltdown he’d not realized they’d almost missed their chance at lunch.

“Yeah, it really does.”

-/-

In the week that had passed since Emma had, effectively, put an end to things with Killian via text, she’d been fairly miserable – and that had been putting it mildly.

The depth of her disappointment had taken her by surprise – she’d only gone on a few dates with him, after all. They’d barely begun to be something, but so abruptly losing even the possibility of figuring out what they could have been still hurt.

Even if you have no idea if you could have made it work once you’d revealed who you were, it still would have been nice to have the chance to figure that out on your own, she thought to herself bitterly. She was angry with Minister Gold for his ridiculous political intrigues and irritated with her mother for bowing – even temporarily – to the pressure he was putting on the monarchy. But most of all, she was upset with herself for putting herself in this position in the first place. She knew better than anyone the pitfalls of opening your heart up too soon.

This isn’t like that, she chastised herself. Killian didn’t turn out to be some foreign diplomat’s secretly skeezy son only looking for a good time with ‘rebellious royalty,’ and he isn’t a self-important Duke who just wanted to use my title to advance his own social status.

As she thought of her unfortunate prior romances – if you could have even called them that – she continued to argue with herself about whether trusting Killian, and starting to have real feelings for him, had been a mistake.

Even if it wasn’t, it doesn’t matter, she realized. It’s not like you’re ever likely to see him again.

After a couple of days of wandering around the palace, thinking over the same internal argument again and again, she decided that the best thing she could possibly do would be to get away for a little while. She decided to go to Glowerhaven. It was north of Misthaven – at least then your messages to Killian would be less of a lie, she thought – and spend a few days at her grandmother Ruth’s country estate. It would do her some good to get away from the city, and she always enjoyed the chance to spend some time with her grandmother in the place where her father had grown up. If anyone could put her current predicament into perspective and give her some much needed good advice, her grandmother would be able to.

With one last thought spared for what might have been, she retreated to her rooms to call her grandmother and pack.

-/-

Killian didn’t think he’d ever been so nervous in his life.

Even when he’d been waiting to find out if he’d gotten into the Naval Academy and if he’d be able to join Liam in the service he’d not been this twisted up inside.

But when the morning of the Cadre Installation Ceremony arrived, and there had been no further word from the Princess after her texts ending the whatever it was that had been brewing between them, Killian realized that he’d stalled for as long as he possibly could on deciding how to handle the little matter of having secretly dated the Crown Princess for a few weeks.

(And snogged the hell out of her on a hillside in Fair Isle Bay, but no one else would learn about that anytime soon – or ever – if he could help it).

When he’d had the realization in the middle of surveillance training that his mysterious “Anna” was actually Princess Emma, his first impulse had been to confess absolutely everything to the officer in command of all Initiates and throw himself on the mercy of his superiors. Belle, however, had convinced him that he should keep quiet about it – at least for the time being. He cast his memory back over the rest of the conversation they’d had that day the week before when everything had gone sideways.

“Listen,” she’d said, a determined look crossing her face. “As far as we know, the only three people who know about this are you, me, and the Princess, correct?”

“Yeah,” Killian nodded, his shoulders slumping as the weight of everything that he’d done settled over him – even though he’d been unaware of “Anna’s” real identity, he still felt a responsibility for what had happened. He should have been more aware, been more on his guard – despite Belle’s protestations to the contrary. “Well, and the entire corps of Cadre Initiates who saw Lieutenant Dulac’s presentation just now,” he continued, a weary resignation creeping into his tone.

“Ah ah ah, no,” Belle said, pointing her finger in his direction with each syllable she uttered. “They know the Princess was with someone – not that it was you.”

“I fail to see how that’s going to help me in the long run,” he retorted. “Despite what Dulac thinks, someone will probably be able to clean up that image enough for facial rec, and even if not, Emma knows and she’s going to have me booted out of the Cadre – if not out of the military altogether – the next instant she lays eyes on me. You want to be entertained by the sight of me being hauled away by the palace guards? Just wait for the Cadre Installation and you’ll see.”

Belle shook her head decisively before he’d even finished speaking. “I don’t think so, Killian. I think you’re reading the situation the wrong way round – she’s not going to want to say anything about it any more than you do.”

Killian wasn’t sure about that – he wasn’t sure about much of anything at the moment – but the stress of the situation was making him blank out on finding a solution, and he trusted Belle. He nodded for her to continue. “Why d’you think that?” he asked, a seed of optimism cautiously taking root in his gut. Belle seemed so certain of everything – he could only hope that that confidence came from some viable insight into how to fix this mess.

She sighed, moving off to his side so that another group of Cadre Initiates could pass by them as they made their way out of the mess hall. She waited until they were out of earshot to turn back to him, diving right back into their conversation as though there had never been a pause. “Because,” she said firmly, “if she did anything to get you kicked out of the Cadre, she’d have to attest to why…and she’s not going to want to admit that she was sneaking out of the palace to run around with a strange man-”

“Oi!”

“-in downtown Spero all the while intentionally trying to evade her guard detail. It would be difficult enough for her to admit to that kind of recklessness under any circumstances, but now? With Minister Gold scrutinizing everything the royal family’s doing – trying to make some case for changing the order of succession or some other nonsense – she’s really going to be following protocol to the letter, and she’s going to want to give off the appearance that she’s always done just exactly that. So…do you see why she wouldn’t say anything about you to anyone?”

After a moment of thought, Killian nodded slowly. It was a slim chance, but it was better than nothing – admitting his entanglement with the Princess would be a sure way to get kicked out of the Cadre, and losing the chance to be part of this elite group was simply not an option. Saying nothing and hoping that Belle’s assessment of the Princess’ mindset was correct was a bit dicey – it didn’t give him the chance to get out ahead of the story if it ever did come out – but he couldn’t see any other way to proceed. At least this way, he’d have a chance of things working out in his favor – a small one, to be sure, but that was better than nothing.

Killian snapped his attention back to the present when a trumpet flourish sounded and the heavy doors at the opposite end of the throne room were pulled open. Queen Mary-Margaret and King David entered, following a few steps behind by Princess Emma. They proceeded to the raised dais at the front of the room and stood facing the row of soldiers and sailors who awaited them – the nine new Cadre Initiates and three training officers – all in their dress uniforms, pressed and polished to a shine.

He knew the precise moment during the installation ceremony when the Princess became aware of him. Her gaze landed on him while her mother was giving a speech of welcome to the group and when their eyes caught, Emma’s widened noticeably and her entire posture went rigid. She looked away almost immediately, and though Killian kept his gaze on her for quite some time – until he was forced to turn his attentions back to the ceremony for their individual inductions into the Cadre – she never looked at him again.

He’d known that this was the likely outcome – in fact, it pointed to Belle’s being right about how the Princess would react to the entire situation – and yet his heart sank. This should have been one of the best days of his career, and, to tell the truth, he was still ecstatic about officially joining the Cadre – but what should have been a purely happy day now had something of a cloud hanging over it. He didn’t know until precisely that moment how much he’d still been hoping that she’d look at him the way she had that day in Fair Isle Bay. The fact that she couldn’t bear to look at him at all made him feel like a knife was twisting in his gut.

If this was how it was going to be, it was going to be a long three years.

-/-

For the next week, they barely saw each other.

After the installation ceremony, Emma’s first guard detail had been a friendly, sandy-haired army captain named Robin Locksley and a quieter, more reserved air force flight lieutenant named Mulan Fa. Emma had breathed an internal sigh of relief when Killian hadn’t been immediately assigned to her detail, though an almost equal pang of disappointment had twisted in her gut.

Make up your mind, Emma – you either want to see him or you don’t. Either you’re angry at him for hiding who he was or you understand since you did the same thing. You miss him or you can’t deal with being around him. Pick a damn feeling and at least try to stick to it, she chastised herself. All this emotional back and forth isn’t getting you anywhere productive, and it’s absolutely exhausting.

But despite giving herself several rather stern pep talks over the course of the past week, she hadn’t been able to figure out what to do about this thing with Killian other than just make herself scarce and avoid him whenever possible. Even though he wasn’t on her personal detail, she still did see other members of the Cadre from time to time in the palace – she simply learned which detail he was on and crossed paths with it as little as possible.

Very mature, Emma. Real leadership material you are if you can’t even take charge of your own love live, barely existent though it is.

Rolling her eyes at her own inner monologue, she stepped out from underneath one of the porticos that ringed a small courtyard on the residence wing of the palace. It was one of her favorite places in the entire royal dwelling because of the fountain and the small row of rosebushes tucked at one end of the neatly trimmed green lawn. They were abloom with a pale pink variety of rose that had some complicated Latin name, but that the people of Misthaven had long ago dubbed “the Middlemist.” They were Emma’s favorite flower, and this spot – part of the palace, but still semi-secluded – was often the place where she’d go to get time alone when she needed to think.

This morning, she was supposed to meet her new detail – since the guard details changed weekly – and then head out for her daily morning run in the royal park. It was something she was really looking forward to – her morning exercise routine was usually the only time she got during the day where she could fully clear her head. Her detail was usually already there when she came to the courtyard, so she was more than a bit surprised not to see anyone when she arrived there that morning.

Checking her watch, she saw that it was only a few minutes past the time when she was meant to meet them, and decided to stretch while she waited. If they weren’t here by the time she finished, she’d have to go and let someone know, but with the new Cadre so recently installed, she didn’t want to have to get anyone in trouble for something so insignificant.

After a few quiet moments of stretching and planning her route for that morning’s run, she heard footsteps and muffled voices at the other end of the portico. She straightened up and glanced in the direction of the noise, and it suddenly became crystal clear why her guard detail had been late that morning.

A petite, dark-haired woman who Emma was fairly sure was an army lieutenant – though she was a bit fuzzy on the woman’s name – stood next to one of the portico’s columns, dressed in running clothes and doing her own stretches. She was – very pointedly – not looking at the other member of Emma’s new detail for the week, but Emma herself couldn’t look away.

It was Killian.

Of course it was Killian.

Because, clearly, the universe hated her and she couldn’t catch a break.

They stood there for a moment, an awkward silence billowing between them, before Emma shook her head as if to clear it. Addressing them both, but looking more directly at the woman, Emma said the first thing that came into her mind. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured, “but can you remind me of your name, please? The installation ceremony was a bit of a blur.”

The other woman smiled softly and bobbed her head in a brief nod. “Understood, your highness. Lieutenant Belle French, Royal Misthaven Army, and this,” she gestured to Killian, “is Lieutenant Killian Jones, Misthaven Royal Navy.” Emma’s eyes flicked over to Killian and he nodded at her as well, but unlike when Belle had done it, the motion seemed stiff and slow. He continued to gaze at her intently – the blue of his eyes boring into hers as though he wanted to say something to her, but didn’t quite know the right words to use.

I know exactly how you feel, she thought grimly.

“Are you ready, your highness?” Belle asked, pointing towards the end of the courtyard nearest to the exit they would need to take to get outside of the palace walls and into the royal park.

“Um, yeah…yes, I guess,” Emma replied, before a thought occurred to her. “But why are you both dressed like that?” she pointed towards the workout gear that Belle and Killian were both sporting. “Usually, I run and my detail follows a little bit behind in a golf cart.”

Belle and Killian looked at each other for a moment, before Killian turned back to her, his face serious. “We know…your highness,” he said, and hearing his voice directed at her for the first time in weeks caused a traitorous swooping sensation to spring to life in Emma’s stomach. She tried to tamp it down as she listened to what he was saying. “But Lieutenant French and I thought it might be beneficial to try something a bit different.”

He paused expectantly, and she nodded for him to continue.

“Well, we think we should run with you your highness. One of us out in front and one just behind – it keeps us closer to you, should any threat surface, and lets us respond more quickly. We’ll have means of contacting the rest of the Cadre should there be a need, and, of course, we’ll be armed.”

It made perfect sense – though none of Emma’s previous details had ever taken the time or initiative to think of it. They’d always just used the cart and carried on with the task exactly as it had been done before. She thought about it carefully for a moment. On the one hand, it would be very awkward to go running with Killian (and Belle – her mind supplied helpfully – which could make things even more awkward) after everything that had happened – on the other, if she were being honest, she missed him. Besides, the idea made too much sense to disagree with.

Nodding, she turned and headed for the exit Belle had previously indicated. “Sounds fine to me,” she tossed back over her shoulder in an attempt to keep her inner turmoil over the entire exchange concealed – now is not the time to deal with what happened between us, she reminded herself. She moved quickly, itching to just be outside and underway. “Just try to keep up, okay? I like a certain pace.”

-/-

The first part of the run sped by in uneventful silence.

Belle – the traitor, Killian thought mutinously – had taken the advance position. Her discreet, grey and black patterned running outfit was visible about ten yards ahead of where the princess was keeping a steady, but not punishing, speed. He was close behind the princess, only about three feet back, and he’d been making a valiant effort not to let his eyes skim down to where her leggings clung sinfully to her trim form. It was extremely difficult – in no small part because he remembered what it felt like to hold her, and to have her lithe hips pressed into his as she maneuvered herself closer and urged him to wrap his arms around her more tightly – but instead, he watched her sleek ponytail swing back and forth for a few strides before tearing his attention away to scan the countryside. Nothing seemed amiss, but one could never be too careful – that’s literally why he and Belle were present.

After roughly twenty minutes, though, the princess broke the quiet hush that had fallen between them. Though she was just far enough ahead of him, and had spoken softly enough, that he had a bit of trouble making out what she’d said.

“Sorry, what?” he asked, finally tearing his gaze away from scrutinizing the expanse of low, rolling hills that faded off to their right and speeding up slightly to fall into step beside her.

After a brief pause during which the princess continued to stare straight ahead and Killian began to think he’d hallucinated her ever speaking to him, she repeated herself. “I’d imagine you have questions,” she said, her tone surprisingly matter-of-fact given the situation they’d found themselves in, and he couldn’t help but allow a snort of surprise to escape him.

“I might,” he replied swiftly, trying to keep his tone light, though he felt a bit taken aback that she was actually addressing – even obliquely – what had passed between them over the last several weeks.

“Well, go ahead and ask, then,” she said, a touch of tartness creeping into her voice. “I can feel you staring at the back of my head as we’ve been running – it’s incredibly distracting.”

They continued for the space of a couple of heartbeats in near total silence before he found his voice. She’s giving you an opening – you might not get another one, and you have to know, he told himself while looking off to the other side of the path to examine the area for any unexpected threats. Taking a deep breath, he decided to just start with the thing he was most curious about. “Did you know I was in the Cadre? Did you know who I was?”

He was watching her carefully when she responded. The shake of her head was almost immediate. “No,” she replied, her breaths coming a bit faster as they picked up their pace a bit. “My mother and father always pick the new Cadre Initiates, in consultation with the Privy Council only. The full names aren’t shared with anyone in the palace, not even me, until the installation ceremony.”

Killian thought over the newspaper article that had come out at the start of training, and what he knew of the Cadre’s privacy policy in relation to the general public. It made sense, he just was a bit surprised that the same thing went on inside the palace walls. “I see,” he murmured, pondering what that might imply about the princess’ actions towards him.

“Yeah,” she said, more than a hint of bitterness in her voice. “It’s tradition that only the King, Queen, and council may choose – just another case of clinging to the old ways even though it’s the twenty-first century.”

He couldn’t help it – he chuckled a bit at that. Her fire now reminding him of when he’d thought she was Anna and that day at Fair Isle Bay – her desperation to find her own way, and the intense way she’d looked at him when he’d told her he’d believed in her, were being echoed in the here and now. It was disconcerting, to say the least, to realize that maybe there was some of that spark still between them even though their circumstances had changed so radically since they’d last had time together one on one.

But she seemed to take his laughter the wrong way, looking at him sharply and biting out a question of her own. “How about you? Did you know who I was? Were you thinking that you were so smart, seeing past my disguise and having a bit of fun with the princess when no one else knew?”

Killian felt as if the breath had been knocked from him, but was opening his mouth to answer – though, truth be told, he wasn’t sure what he would have said – when she leveled yet another pointed question at him.

“And if you did know, were you going to…” here she seemed to falter for a moment, but she regrouped, steeling her expression as she turned to look at him. “Were you going to do something with that information?”

He stopped dead in his tracks, partly insulted by the insinuation but even more than that, he was shocked that she could think that he was capable of something like that. They hadn’t spent a lot of time together, it was true, but he’d believed that in that short time they had truly known one another.

Apparently not.

“Your highness, if you are implying that I was intending to blackmail you in some way,” he replied, his words clipped, “I must assure you most vehemently that I was not.” She’d stopped running a moment after he had, and he quickly closed the small distance that had opened up between them. “We might not each have known who the other really was, but I know that what I was starting to feel was real. I had thought – I’d hoped – that you’d felt the same.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open but she said nothing for a long moment. When she finally found her voice, she’d barely breathed a remorseful-sounding “Killian,” before he cut her off. He needed to step away before he completely imploded and said something he’d regret.

“If you’ll excuse me, your highness, since we’ve stopped I’m going to take the opportunity to switch out positions with Lieutenant French. She’ll be with you in a moment and I’ll take point up front until we return to the palace.” He inclined his head automatically – the training to show respect to the royal family still deeply ingrained even though his own personal feelings were in complete turmoil – before stepping away and jogging up to where Belle was waiting.

Though his better sense knew that Emma wouldn’t call after him, it still stung a bit that she didn’t.

-/-

She watched him cover the short distance up the road to where Lieutenant French had paused, unable to hear what they were saying and grateful for the few moments alone – before the other Lieutenant reached her, she needed to have pulled herself together.

What had she been thinking, practically accusing Killian of setting her up for blackmail? He was right – she might not have known everything about him during their short time together, but she did know what kind of person he was, and it wasn’t the sort who would sell someone out for their own gain. He wanted to earn everything he was given, and his code of honor was far too strong. With a sharp pang of longing, she remembered teasing him about what he’d called his “good form” during one of their earlier conversations.

You should have known better, Emma, she chided herself. Though, really, that seems to be true of everything you’ve done lately.

She knew she was careful, guarded – the paparazzi had dubbed her Misthaven’s “Prickly Princess” for her notoriously tough attitude – but she’d had to be. One mistake, and the court of public opinion would eat her alive, and by extension, have ammunition to use against her family – which could then be picked up by opposition politicians and used to leverage anti-royal sentiment in the parliament and Privy Council.

She’d learned that the hard way several years ago when the son of a visiting dignitary had seemed to take an interest in her. She was young and – though she hated to admit it – more naïve than she was now. He was a few years older than she was, and he’d seemed charming, experienced, exciting. She’d thought he’d been serious about her, that he’d actually wanted to get to know her, and so she’d let him woo her a bit – gone on a few public dates with him, which had all been fine and respectable and aboveboard. Her parents had been cautious, but as nothing had seemed amiss, they hadn’t objected when she’d wanted to keep seeing him. They’d stolen a bit of time together every time he’d accompanied his father when the older man traveled to Misthaven on political business, and he’d even flown in a few times just to spend time with her.

But then, after dinner one evening in the restaurant of one of Spero’s best hotels, he’d gotten on the wrong side of tipsy and tried to take her up to a room he’d rented. She’d not been ready for that step in their relationship and his rather aggressive attempts to change her mind had been ended quite abruptly. He’d proven himself to be either brazen, an idiot, or both, because her Cadre detail had been surveilling from a discreet distance but were still there, witnesses to everything that happened. But when he’d grabbed her by the arm and attempted to haul her into the hotel elevator, the Cadre guards hadn’t even had time to intervene before Emma had taken matters into her own hands – in a manner of speaking.

It was a very good thing that all the paparazzi photos had been confiscated immediately by the crown. It would have been an extreme scandal, after all, for the Princess of Misthaven to have been photographed kneeing her otherwise well-esteemed date in the crotch. Her parents, backed by the most trusted members of the palace staff, had made absolutely sure that every copy of every photo – along with every digital file and print negative – disappeared.

But despite their best efforts, when her former suitor and his father were suddenly persona non grata at the palace, the story had come out – even if not in full detail. The palace’s official press statement had given just the bare bones, and kept the focus on Emma’s companion’s bad behavior and downplayed their budding relationship as much as possible. There had been whispers of the more salacious details of that final date – rumors, nothing of substance, but just enough to fuel the tabloids. They’d run headlines like “Royal Rebel” and “The Highness’ Hijinks.” The scandal had been fairly limited, and had blown over quickly, but it had given just enough material to the opposition party at the time to create difficulties between her parents and certain members of the Privy Council.

That was difficult enough for the royal family to deal with, but what was far worse for Emma was feeling like she’d let her parents down. They’d assured her that it wasn’t her fault, and had nothing but anger and disdain for the former object of her affections. They placed the blame squarely on his shoulders, but Emma saw herself as responsible for letting him fool her into thinking he’d cared in the first place and had retreated into herself for a long time, becoming the “Prickly Princess” instead of the “Royal Rebel.”

Until Killian, her thoughts traitorously reminded her. He got right through those walls of yours without even trying at all.

She swiped away the frustrated tears that had slipped from her eyes after he’d walked away, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly in an attempt to pull herself together. She was mostly composed by the time Lieutenant French joined her, but the other woman still regarded her quietly for a moment when she stepped into place next to Emma.

“Is everything alright, your highness?” she asked politely, scanning the horizon for any sign of trouble while waiting for Emma’s response.

“Fine,” Emma managed, though her voice sounded rough and choked up to her own ears – Lieutenant French must have heard it too, for her attention quickly snapped back to Emma, her eyes sharp and her mouth pulling into a tight line, but she made no comment.

“As you say, miss. Do you wish to continue or turn back?” she asked, her tone slightly flatter than it had been a moment earlier, as if her thoughts were elsewhere – or, perhaps, as though she’d judged Emma and found her lacking somehow. The idea was disconcerting and Emma wasn’t sure what to do about it.

“Uh, um…let’s go just around the next loop,” Emma said, gesturing towards the road beyond where Killian now stood. It twisted through Emma’s favorite section of the royal park before turning back to connect with the road they were currently on at a point that was closer to the palace. She hoped running in one of her most loved places would soothe her, but she wasn’t too optimistic.

“Yes, miss.” Lieutenant French replied in that same flat tone before signaling to Killian, who set off at a jog before slowly picking up the pace. They fell in step behind him, Lieutenant French keeping up with Emma easily as they regained their earlier speed.

For a few moments, the two women ran together in an awkward silence. Somehow, Emma thought, it was even moreso than the one she’d just been sharing with Killian before their fight. After several minutes of this, Emma found she couldn’t take it anymore. “Lieutenant, can I ask you something and will you answer me honestly?”

“Of course, miss,” came the immediate and brusque reply, though the lieutenant didn’t look in Emma’s direction.

“How well do you know Lieutenant Jones?” she asked as quietly as she could, given that she was mid run and didn’t want to break stride again.

Lieutenant French’s head turned swiftly in Emma’s direction, the woman’s gaze catching Emma’s own briefly before she turned back and focused on the road. “We were training partners, and now we’re detailed together, miss.” She said before glancing back at Emma again with a hesitant look on her face. She seemed to want to continue, but didn’t move to speak, so Emma gestured for her to go on. “But, what I think you’re really asking me is…what kind of person is he?”

Emma nodded, taking her own turn to stare down the road and avoid her companion’s gaze.

Lieutenant French remained quiet for another moment before speaking softly yet intensely. “He’s honorable and kind. Brilliant and funny. Everything a good officer and a good person should be,” she waited for Emma to look back at her before she continued. “I trust him completely, and you can too,” she said. “Is that what you wanted to know, miss?”

Breathing hard, and not just from the exertion of their run, Emma managed another nod.

They ran the entire rest of the way back to the palace in silence.

-/-

Emma went straight to her rooms immediately after they returned to the palace – she took a shower and pulled on her most comfortable pair of pajamas, curling up among the soft pillows on her still-made bed. She knew she should put in an appearance at dinner – there were no formal state events on the calendar for the evening, but her parents still expected her to dine with them in the private family dining room – but she wasn’t hungry and she couldn’t bring herself to go down and go through the motions of acting like nothing was wrong.

So she called Elsa and asked her to send word to her parents that she was tired and that she’d be having dinner in her rooms that evening, and that she’d call the kitchens herself if and when she was ready to eat anything. After hanging up, she sank further down into her pillows and drifted into a haze of memories. She mentally sifted through everything that had led her to this current moment – all of her interactions with Killian, certainly, but everything else as well. Her romance with that diplomat’s son, her habit of sneaking out and visiting Two Wolves incognito from time to time, the whole “Prickly Princess” reputation, Minister Gold’s latest power-hungry schemes, and the deep desire she had to carve her own path and be more than a royal figurehead. She wanted to be able to lead her people in a way that would truly make a difference to them, but – given Misthaven’s somewhat traditional stance on “appropriate” roles for a Princess to play in matters of state – she wasn’t sure how to begin, or even if she’d be able to.

She wasn’t really aware of time passing, lost in her thoughts as she was, until a soft knock pulled her out of her reverie. She sat up, pushing her hair behind her ears and leaning back against the small mountain of pillows behind her. “Come in,” she called, a bit surprised by how scratchy her voice sounded.

The door swung open slowly and her mother’s head peeked through the gap. Concern flickered across the queen’s features when she took in Emma’s rumpled state, and she quickly stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. “Are you feeling alright, sweetheart?” she asked as she came over to sit on the edge of the bed near Emma’s feet.

Emma sighed, a somewhat nasal sound. Must be left over from crying earlier. “That seems to be the question of the day,” she muttered.

The queen quirked a curious eyebrow in Emma’s direction, her gaze so penetrating that it seemed to peer directly into Emma’s heart, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable. They were quiet for a moment – Emma making at least an attempt to pull herself together and look a little more composed – before the queen spoke. “This is about that young man, I’d gather. The one in the photographs?” It sounded like a question, but Emma knew that it wasn’t.

She nodded anyway. “Yes,” she murmured, her gaze shifting down to where her hands were playing with the edge of her duvet. “I know you told me to end it…and I did…but…” she trailed off, searching for the right words to explain. “I just…” she petered out again, emotions choking her and rendering her unable to speak until her mother’s fingers laced with her own and squeezed tightly.

She looked up, finding the queen’s gaze and seeing no trace of the formal monarch, but only her mother – the woman who’d hugged her tight whenever she was hurt or upset as a child, who’d always encouraged her to follow her dreams, who was perhaps the only other person Emma knew who had experienced the pull between public duty and private emotions in quite the same way. She wasn’t sure if it was the wisest idea to tell her mother all the details about Killian – she wasn’t sure how the queen would react, especially since she’d not seemed keen on Emma seeing someone when the surveillance photos had surfaced – but she had to tell someone. She couldn’t take bottling everything up anymore.

Suddenly, she couldn’t stop talking – the entire tale spilled out easily. The feelings of frustration at Gold’s latest political intrigue, her hopes to do something meaningful with her position and despair that she might never really be allowed to, sneaking out to Two Wolves, meeting Killian, being charmed unexpectedly, getting to know him better over the last several weeks (though she thought it prudent to leave out the mind-boggling kisses from their picnic), then breaking it off only to find out he was part of the Cadre. She told her mother everything, all the way up to their fight earlier in the day, and when she’d finished she felt oddly better and lighter. A calm settled over her – no matter what happened next, at least she’d been honest with herself about all of her feelings.

The queen was quiet for the space of several heartbeats, and Emma cautiously raised her eyes to meet her mother’s gaze, unsure of what she’d see. The look of compassion and understanding that was shining back at her was an incredible relief for Emma – also a bit of a surprise, if she were being honest.

“Oh, Emma,” her mother started, her voice clearly laced with deep emotion. “I’m so sorry that you ever felt as though you didn’t have a place in leading Misthaven – your father and I have been so focused on strategizing how best to hold our own against the more aggressive members of the council and the more discontented factions in parliament, that I fear we’ve fallen back on relying only on each other out of habit.”

“It’s alright, Mom, I understand,” Emma murmured – and, on some level, she did. She’d been raised on the stories of her parents’ epic love match and brilliant political partnership. The most memorable tale had been the one in which they’d defeated a coup attempt shortly after their wedding. It was a sometimes daunting legacy to live up to.

“No, my darling girl, it’s not – and you shouldn’t have to.” Her mother leaned closer and brushed a strand of Emma’s hair back behind her ear before cupping Emma’s cheek with her free hand. “We’ve been so wrapped up in handling current issues the way we would have in the past, that we haven’t been thinking of the future – of you – as much as we should have. We’ll be fixing that immediately.”

“Really?” Emma asked, a note of hope creeping into her voice. “I have so many ideas-”

“And your father and I would love to hear them,” her mother replied. “I’ll clear our calendars tomorrow morning and we’ll start the conversation, alright?”

Emma nodded, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Absolutely.”

“Now, as to the other matter,” the queen said briskly. “We need to discuss what to do about-”

“Killian,” Emma finished for her mother. She chuckled dryly, a sound with no humor in it. “I didn’t think that anything could be worse than what happened the last time I let myself open up to someone – at least there were no paparazzi this time around, or else it would’ve been an even bigger mess.”

“You mustn’t blame yourself for what happened with that diplomat’s son, sweetheart,” her mother said firmly. “He was an entitled, arrogant braggart who brought every bit of that shame on himself, and, frankly, I’d probably have kneed him even harder than you did if I’d been in your position. I really wanted to do it anyhow,” she finished matter-of-factly.

“Thanks, Mom,” Emma said, a small smile finally causing the corners of her mouth to twitch upwards – it was a very brief thing, but it made her feel better nonetheless. “But as I told you that night, I still contend he kneed himself in the balls.”

The two women stared unblinkingly at each other for a moment before both breaking out into soft, but uncontrollable, laughter. “That should have been the official press statement,” chuckled the queen. “Why didn’t we think of that at the time?”

Emma shrugged. “Don’t know,” she replied with a laugh before her current predicament sobered her mood once again. She squeezed the hand that still held her mother’s. “But it doesn’t really help me to figure out what I do now.”

The queen regarded her for a few moments, and though Emma’d tried to guess at exactly what her mother might say, she wasn’t able to predict the words that the queen actually uttered in that moment. “Emma, you’re the only one who can make that choice.”

“But what about the council’s reaction? And Gold? And-”

“Sweetheart,” her mother said firmly, now squeezing Emma’s hand in return. “None of that matters. The only important thing is how you feel. I know now that the burdens of your royal position have been weighing on you rather keenly lately – and I am so very sorry that I hadn’t realized how much – but nothing that’s going on with that changes anything about this. What’s important is what you want.”

“I want to fix things with him, but I don’t know how,” Emma murmured, slightly stunned at the fact that her mother seemed to be advocating for her pursuing some sort of relationship with Killian. Not that there is a relationship to advocate for right now, given the way that we left things the last time we saw each other she thought regretfully, flashes of their fight replaying themselves in her mind.

“Oh, I have no doubt that you can,” her mother said, a note of mischief entering her voice. “If he’s half as taken with you as you are with him – and given what you’ve told me, I think he is – I don’t think it will be a problem.”

Emma shook her head slowly, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her mother wasn’t more concerned. She’d expected more skepticism, or caution, or something – not this rather unabashed positivity and upbeat attitude. She’d thought she’d have to work a lot harder to convince her mother that a relationship with Kilian was a good idea, and the fact that the queen had gotten on board so quickly was kind of throwing Emma off-kilter. “I don’t know…it’s going to be really complicated. Maybe it’s simpler to just let it go.”

Her mother shook her head decisively. “It is simpler to do that, but that doesn’t mean it’s better, sweetheart. Anything worth having – really worth having – must be fought for. And you, my dear, have always been a fighter. Besides, fighting for love is the most worthwhile thing of all.”

She sat up straight, nearly dislodging several of her pillows with the sudden speed of her movements. “Whoa whoa whoa whoa, Mom. Who said anything about love? Don’t you think it’s a bit early for that?”

“Not really.” The queen leveled a knowing look at Emma, squeezing her hand once more before letting go and standing up. “Not if those surveillance photos are anything to go by, at any rate.”

Emma sat speechless as her mother brushed off her skirt and headed across the room. The queen had swung open the door and was about to step through when Emma finally found her voice. “You’re not worried I’m making a bad decision?”

Her mother shook her head and turned around, locking eyes with Emma when she did. “Emma, one of the things I’ve always admired about you is your instincts and how they lead you to make good decisions – most of the time, at least,” she said with a teasing arch of her eyebrows. “Trust your gut – listen to what it’s telling you. You’ll do the right thing for you, and whatever that is, your father and I will support it,” she promised, turning and stepping out of the room.

“You don’t think Dad will object?” Emma asked incredulously. “He took the last guy I was even remotely interested in down to see the royal armory and made vaguely menacing comments to him the whole time! I never heard from the guy after that! And what about the council?!”

Emma was still staring at the quickly closing door when it suddenly swung back open part of the way and her mother’s head popped back into view. “I’ll handle your father, don’t you worry. And don’t you worry about the council – your father and I have just figured out a few things that should put a halt to Gold’s machinations for the foreseeable future. Now,” she paused and pointed a finger at Emma as if to underline her final point. “You just try to be discreet while the lieutenant is finishing his Cadre cycle – I’m not saying put a halt to…things…” at this, she thought her mother blushed slightly before recovering. “…just try your best to keep the press from getting too interested in you both as a story, alright?”

Emma nodded. “I think I can manage that,” she said, a small seed of optimism taking root, despite her very real worry that Killian wouldn’t forgive her.

“Oh, and one more thing,” her mother said casually as she turned again and began to leave once more. “I meant what I said about the way you make decisions, Emma, but don’t forget, proposed Cadre Initiates each receive a thorough background check as part of their selection process. Your father and I have read enough about your Lieutenant Jones to know he’s as honorable as they come. I think I can speak for us both when I say the only concern we’d have would be if he’d care well for your heart.”

“He would,” Emma said softly, but with conviction, the tears from earlier threatening to make a reappearance. “That is, I haven’t ruined things between us.”

Her mother shook her head, a fond smile on her face. “Oh sweetheart, I wouldn’t worry about that.”

With that, she was gone, leaving Emma to try to process everything that had just happened. She couldn’t deny that she felt better than she had when she’d initially come back to her rooms, but everything she’d been sure of had just been turned upside down yet again. Her mind was whirling and she was torn between thinking about which of her plans and projects she wanted to cover with her parents during their strategy session the following morning and trying to come up with a way to fix things with Killian.

An idea for the latter began to take hold in her mind – it was a simple plan, so hopefully it would have the best chance of working. A grin spread across her face slowly.

Now she just had to wait for the perfect moment to set it all in motion.

-/-

Three days.

It had been three bloody days since he’d fought with Emma – with the Princess, he mentally corrected himself – and continuing on her detail had been nothing short of torturous. They’d been near each other constantly over the past several days, but without any opportunity to speak to each other beyond basic pleasantries.

Though you’ve got no idea what you’d say to her anyway, so maybe that’s for the best, he thought, a frown stealing across his face in response to that realization.

The princess had been extremely busy in the last three days – starting with a meeting with her parents the morning after their fight. When the door to the queen’s private rooms had opened after the meeting, he’d been sure that he was about to be dismissed – the king was looking at him with thinly veiled suspicion, he’d been sure of it. But the queen seemed to be regarding him with an inexplicably fond look, before she’d threaded her arm through her husband’s and drawn him away down the corridor. Emma had flicked the briefest of looks in his direction before she’d taken off at a brisk pace in the opposite direction and he and Belle had fallen into step behind her.

Since then, Emma’d been embroiled in a succession of meetings and other palace business practically non-stop. In her few free moments, she’d been eating, sleeping, or deeply engrossed in research – though on what, he couldn’t say. It had made the idea of approaching her to apologize for his behavior very difficult to put into practice, and the further they’d gotten from their fight, the harder it was to bring it up again at all. Not to mention that she’d been so busy that she’d been skipping her morning run, eliminating one of the best opportunities for him to speak to her alone.

They’d settled into a sort of uneasy half-truce, or at least that’s what it felt like to him, where they didn’t really avoid each other – though given that he was assigned to her detail, she couldn’t very well avoid him altogether – but they didn’t interact very much unless it was absolutely necessary.

Which is why hearing her voice at nearly midnight, coming from the shadowed expanse of the courtyard to his left, was a bit of a surprise.

“Killian?” her voice calling his name floated towards him out of the near-total darkness. “Can you…can you come here…please?”

He hesitated a moment before stepping onto the grass, recognizing it as the same space where he and Belle had met Emma the morning of their fateful running session. She was seated at the far end with one leg tucked underneath her on a low, raised stone wall that encircled a small fountain. In the corner, near a line of Middlemist bushes, an old hanging lantern that had been retrofitted for electricity dimly illuminated that she was playing absently with the cuff of her left sleeve as he approached.

She looked up at him as he drew closer and opened her mouth to speak – but suddenly, he wasn’t sure he was ready to hear whatever it was she had to say. “Princess, I do hope you’re having a delightful evening,” he began, falling back on hyper-formality to cover the insecurity that had flared to life in his gut. “But if you’re not in need of anything, I’m going to go consult with Lieutenant French about a few matters.”

He’d taken only a couple of steps towards the covered portico that ran along one side of the courtyard before Emma’s voice brought him up short. “You can’t.”

“Pardon?” he sputtered, his reply far less eloquent than he’d have preferred. “Why not?” he asked – he couldn’t think of a single reason Emma would have for barring him from speaking with the other member of his detail.

Emma stood up and crossed the grass to where he was standing. She looked up at him, her beautifully green eyes seeming even larger when they caught and reflected the moonlight. “She’s not here – I sent her back to Lieutenant Humbert to make the nightly report.”

“She agreed to leave you alone?” He knew that they were on the palace grounds, and there were likely no immediate threats to the princess’ safety, but he was still stunned that the normally rule-abiding Belle would have broken protocol so blatantly.

“I insisted, and I can be pretty persuasive when I need to be,” Emma said, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I knew you’d be along shortly for shift change, and I wanted to speak with you alone.”

“Oh?” Killian’s pulse kicked up a notch and the sense of trepidation he’d been keeping at bay for the last several days increased. Perhaps he was going to be dismissed, and the princess just wanted to do it herself. He kept his face impassive and his words formal as his gaze fell to hers. “How may I be of service, your highness?”

Emma simply looked at him for several long moments, her eyes searching his and her expression far too soft for someone about to make a pronouncement that would ruin his career. She opened her mouth a second time as if to speak, but closed it again before stepping closer to him and starting over. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice low and tinged with regret, “for everything I said to you the other day. Killian, I…you were right. What was starting to happen between us was real, but you have to understand,” she looked up at him pleadingly, “it’s not easy to know who to trust when you’re in my position, and I’ve…I’ve been burned before by exactly this sort of thing. I got scared when we discovered each other’s real identities, but I shouldn’t have been…in my heart, I always knew what kind of person you are, and you didn’t deserve my suspicion, or my accusations. I’m so sorry.”

She finished and took a step back, her eyes flitting away from his while he stood staring at her, dumbfounded. Of all the things he’d expected when he’d found her alone in the courtyard, this turn of events wasn’t anywhere on the list. It took him a few moments to find his voice, and even as he began speaking he wasn’t entirely sure of what he was going to say. He wasn’t at all surprised, though, when he heard himself saying, “It’s alright. I owe you an apology as well-”

Her head whipped up and she shook it vehemently. “You really don’t-”

“I really do,” he insisted, taking a deep breath and scrubbing a hand over his face and through his hair. “I was being selfish – I knew I couldn’t tell you who I was because of protocol and I kept seeing you anyway. I put you in a difficult position and when the truth came out, I spoke very harshly to you – and I was more than a bit of a hypocrite about it all. I’m sorry, Emma.”

He’d barely realized that he’d used her given name for the first time since he’d found out she was the princess when the air between them seemed to take on an electric charge. “Say that again,” she whispered, stepping back closer to where he stood.

“What? That I’m sorry?” he said, a note of teasing creeping into his voice as he mirrored her, moving close enough that they were almost touching. “Because I am, you know.”

“No,” she shook her head, smiling at him as she pressed up on her tiptoes and her arms crept around his neck. “Say my name again – please.”

A slow grin spread across his face as he leaned down, murmuring Emma against her mouth before his lips covered her own. This kiss was so unlike the previous ones they’d shared on the day of that fateful picnic – those had been filled with the urgency of newness and, he realized now, it was more than likely that Emma had thought it might have been the only one they’d ever share. By contrast, this one was slow, languorous, unfolding as lazily as if they had all the time in the world and intended to spend it solely with each other.

When they finally pulled back, his arms had wound fully around her waist and her hands were firmly entangled in the hair at the nape of his neck. He imagined that his expression mirrored hers, dazed but so very happy.

“Well,” she said on a laugh, sounding delighted and far more carefree than he’d ever heard her in the short time he’d known her. “That makes this next part easier.”

“Next part?” he asked absently, more focused on trailing one hand slowly up and down her back, tracing random patterns as he went. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment at the sensation before she blinked and focused on him again.

“Yes,” she nodded decisively. “The part where I ask you out on a date – where we both know who the other person is, Killian.”

“A date?” he repeated, feeling as dizzy as though he’d been whacked over the head with something rather large and heavy. He shook his head in a vain attempt to clear it. “How would that even work? With you being…well, you and me being in the Cadre. What would it even look like?”

She grinned – brightly enough to light the whole courtyard without electricity – in response. “Well,” she murmured, scratching her fingernails lightly against the back of his neck in an extremely distracting way. “I don’t exactly know yet. I was kind of hoping you’d be willing to help me figure that out.”

He looked down at her, mind still reeling with everything they’d said – not to mention getting to kiss her again – and fully aware of the challenges that would lie ahead for them both if he accepted. But as he stared at her happy, hopeful expression, and felt a similar one on his own face, he knew there was only one answer in his heart. “With pleasure, Emma.”

Her happy laugh rang through the courtyard for a moment until they lost themselves in each other once again.

-/-

Misthaven Star-Herald

ROYAL REBEL WITH A CAUSE: PRINCESS EMMA SET TO OPEN NEW CHARITIES TO PROMOTE ADVANCEMENT OF MISTHAVEN’S WOMEN AND SUPPORT AT-RISK CHILDREN

By Sidney Glass

Star-Herald Royal Reporter

SPERO, MISTHAVEN, MAY 30, 2023 – Today, Princess Emma of Misthaven finally realized a long-held dream. With her husband, Commodore Killian Jones, at her side, the princess – who is expecting the couple’s first child late this summer – presided over the openings of two new organizations of which she will serve as patron.

The first, Move Forward Misthaven, is a group dedicated to supporting the advancement of women in all industries and areas of study, but with a particular focus on the fields of business, political science, and education. “The goal with Move Forward Misthaven is to elevate talented women in all fields and cultivate them for the leadership roles they are eager to inhabit,” the princess related when asked about her reasons for founding the organization. “We are dedicated to broadening Misthaven’s horizons as we look to the country’s future as a player on the world stage.”

The second group, Stand Up Misthaven, will tackle the much-needed task of providing aid and resources for at-risk children – ranging from educating teachers on how to prevent bullying in schools, to coordinating with youth shelters to provide better care for homeless teens, to evaluating the Misthaven foster system to overhaul its quality of care. “We must speak, we must stand up, for those who cannot do so for themselves – and there are few who are more in need of aid than children, those who look to us for care, for love, and proper direction.” The princess stated in an impassioned speech she gave at the organization’s opening. “Stand Up Misthaven will advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves.”

Princess Emma has long been an unusual figure in the Misthaven royal family, far more concerned with active public service than traditional diplomatic endeavors, though it is only in recent years that the royal protocols have been altered to allow her a more hands-on role in public leadership. This personal approach will continue with both of her new organizations – the princess will serve on the board of both, but will also make use of her graduate degree as a political science course leader for Move Forward Misthaven. She is also set to speak in front of parliament next week on behalf of improvements to the Misthaven foster system in support of Stand Up Misthaven.”

Ever marching to the beat of her own drum, the princess likewise bucked tradition with her marriage to the common-born Commodore Jones just over a year ago. Jones, who had been a member of Cadre 2018 – and who declined the offer to stay on as training officer for Cadre 2021 two years ago in favor of returning to Misthaven’s Royal Navy – has gained distinction at every turn and has accumulated a service record littered with honors and promotions, starting well before his romance with the princess began.

It is too early to speculate on the potential success of either of the princess’ new organizations, but with her clear determination and boundless energy, and the obviously mutually supportive bond shared between her highness and the Commodore, it isn’t an exaggeration to say that far from the “Royal Rebel” or “Prickly Princess” she was once deemed to be, Princess Emma is the face of Misthaven’s future.

[fantasyfootballstrophy-blog]

The True Story About Fantasy Football Trophy That the Experts Don't Want You to Hear

Any way you take a look at it, you will have the home field advantage! The choices also incorporate women's rings! You're at the correct location! Defensive backs do it all of the moment. It's well worth finding a means to add him to the conclusion of your bench if you can do so, and see whether the more recent trend of a greater target share is a legitimate one. After all, draft day only comes once annually and you ought to make the the majority of it. The first couple of years have been a good deal of fun, and I'm excited to see where we are in another five decades.

Alternatively you can get another award for the winner. Definitely the very best place for anyone to receive whatever style trophy you demand. Even 1 trophy can be costly if you don't know the best places to look, let alone buying awards for the entire team. A group of multiple championship trophies will tell everybody who enters your home that you're a winner. If you are searching for Fantasy Football Trophies, you've come to the proper place. Ensure you select a fantasy trophy which most defines your league. Why spend $100 on a trophy your league champ is simply likely to stay in the closet for the majority of the year.

Definitions of Fantasy Football Trophy

Jacques is really an incredible person to work with. He was able to complete my order within a couple of HOURS! Fantasy Football T-Shirts is the house of the most effective high-quality Fantasy Football T-Shirts on the internet! Therefore, if your list of requirements comprises Glass or Acrylic Awards, know that you could place your trust in us to offer you the result that you want. So, without further hesitation, begin the slideshow below and discover out 10 ways you are able to add interest to your fantasy football league.

Both players won't be in a position to score in a high fashion a lot of the time. You would like to watch your drafting to be certain you aren't taking too many players on the identical bye week. Always be watching for waiver players who might get far better.

Your league requires a Shiva. Daily leagues incorporate a great deal of season-long elements of fantasy football, just in a significantly smaller time sense. For instance, if the league runs for 16 weeks, you should use 16 distinct quarterbacks. My fantasy football trophy League has been happening for a couple of years, and we finally made a decision to find a trophy. Also, at the conclusion of the season you are able to award the team that scores the most points in one week. Rather than drafting just 1 team defense, have teams select two or three individual defensive players. Our professional service team will provide you with the quickest reply.

The Hidden Facts on Fantasy Football Trophy

There's no draft at the beginning of the season. Among the timeless Draft hosting locations that many of leagues elect for is the trusty sports bar procedure. All rules ought to be clearly defined and documented in advance of the very first game. Make it a rule that each team has to start a minumum of one rookie weekly. Our prime goal is to give customers the highest quality products with on-time shipping. Many make their decision based on a few of the most enjoyable facets of playing Fantasy Football the people who live in the league and the smack talk that accompanies it. There is an entire new dynamic in place whenever your draft is happening in public.

The Secret to Fantasy Football Trophy

Football is easily the most popular sport on earth, it's played with two nets on opposite faces of the area and one ball. Promoting great football is crucial. Fantastic football is not difficult to confuse with winning football.

There are lots of reasons why folks enjoy Fantasy Football. If you are a newcomer to fantasy football I will attempt to supply you with a better knowledge of what it is and what's involved. Fantasy football is a superb starting point. It gives friends the ability to come together, stay connected, and just have a good time. Anyone who's played fantasy football knows it to win you require a mix of strategy, knowledge, and a small amount of luck. If you don't understand what fantasy football is, here's a fast synopsis.

Choosing Fantasy Football Trophy Is Simple

The draft is going to be performed LIVE and all drafting materials will be supplied by the LM and any active members ready to aid. It will be 29 rounds. It is like our Superbowland we intend to win it. The inaugural draft is going to be snake format and draft positioning is going to be determined randomly 1 week before the draft.

Don't forget, giving and receiving a trophy is normally a distinctive occasion, so go on and go all out. Medium trophies are the most frequent choices for large events, and they are ideal for honoring one exceptional winner or a whole team. In reality, you might be searching for a trophy to fill that need. Small trophies are perfect if you would like to give out multiple awards without having to spend a lot of money. Huge Trophies if you want to go all out, a huge trophy is the best way to do it. Selecting the ideal trophy for your event can be a struggle if you aren't acquainted with your choices.

Fantasy Football Trophy: No Longer a Mystery

Custom made fantasy football awards and trophies are extremely economical with respect to pricing, very straightforward to customize and flexible for people and groups alike. They also come in a wide array of great styles and designs to choose from as well, offering plenty of unique choices. In general, custom made fantasy football awards and trophies are a good idea for practically any fantasy football league!

Both players are really talented and amazing fits in their offenses. They won't be able to score in a high fashion most of the time. You would like to watch your drafting to remember to aren't taking too many players on the identical bye week. The players, naturally, play. Fantasy Football players are the same. Players who would like to have an amazing fantasy football draft is going to have to put in some work.

To be profitable, you must understand how to properly balance your team. Build for the Entire (Long) Season You build a fantasy team to make certain at the conclusion of the year you may put the very best team on the field for those playoffs. Neither team had a terrific showing. Not many teams appear to feature the TE in the manner that their incredibly impressive bodily skills often demand. The previous place team on the opposite hand may face a different type of award, but we'll get to that later.

[orbemnews]

In Crises, Vaccines Can Be Stretched, However Not Simply In determined instances, there are a lot of methods to stretch vaccines and velocity up inoculation campaigns, in accordance with consultants who’ve accomplished it. Splitting doses, delaying second photographs, injecting into the pores and skin as a substitute of the muscle and using roving vaccination groups have all saved lives — when the circumstances have been proper. Throughout cholera outbreaks in battle zones, Medical doctors With out Borders has even used “takeaway” vaccination, during which the recipient is given the primary dose on the spot and handed the second to self-administer later. Sadly, consultants mentioned, it might be troublesome to strive most of these methods in the USA proper now, regardless that vaccines in opposition to the coronavirus are rolling out way more slowly than had been hoped. These novel methods have labored with vaccines in opposition to yellow fever, polio, measles, cholera and Ebola; most of these vaccines have been invented many years in the past or are simpler to manage as a result of they’re oral or could be saved in a typical fridge. The brand new mRNA-based coronavirus vaccines authorised to date are too fragile, consultants mentioned, and too little is thought about how a lot immunity they confer. The incoming Biden administration ought to give attention to dashing up the manufacturing of extra sturdy vaccines “somewhat than taking part in card methods” with present ones, mentioned Dr. Peter J. Hotez, dean of the Nationwide Faculty of Tropical Drugs on the Baylor Faculty of Drugs in Houston and the inventor of a coronavirus vaccine. There are two methods that may work with the present vaccines, however every is controversial. The primary is being tried in Britain. In December, confronted with shortages and an explosive outbreak, the nation’s chief medical officers mentioned they might roll out all the vaccine that they had, giving modest safety to as many Britons as attainable. Second doses, they mentioned, could be delayed by as much as 12 weeks and would possibly be of a unique vaccine. There may be some proof for the thought: Early knowledge from the primary 600,000 injections in Israel counsel that even one dose of the Pfizer vaccine reduce the danger of an infection by about 50 p.c. Nonetheless, some British virologists have been outraged, saying single doses may result in vaccine-resistant strains. The Meals and Drug Administration and lots of American vaccinologists additionally oppose the thought. Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser to Operation Warp Pace, raised a unique objection to the British plan. Single doses, he warned, would possibly inadequately “prime” the immune system; then, if these vaccine recipients have been later contaminated, some would possibly do worse than if that they had not been vaccinated in any respect. He recalled a Sixties incident during which a weak new vaccine in opposition to respiratory syncytial virus, a reason behind childhood pneumonia, backfired. Some youngsters who acquired it and later turned contaminated fell sicker than unvaccinated youngsters, and two toddlers died. “It could be just one in 1,000 who get insufficient priming, nevertheless it’s a priority,” Dr. Slaoui mentioned. As a substitute — the second technique for stretching the vaccines — he proposed utilizing half-doses of the Moderna vaccine. There may be robust proof for doing that, he mentioned in a phone interview. Throughout Moderna’s early trials, the 50-microgram vaccine dose produced an immune response just about equivalent to the 100-microgram one. Moderna selected the upper dose as its commonplace partly to be further certain it might work; firm scientists on the time had no concept that their product would show 95 p.c efficient. The upper dose would even have an extended shelf life. However the vaccine works higher than anticipated, and shelf life just isn’t a problem, so Dr. Slaoui steered utilizing the decrease dose. “The sweetness is, you inject half and get the equivalent immune response,” he mentioned. “We hope that, in a pandemic scenario, the F.D.A. could merely settle for it somewhat than asking for a brand new trial.” Covid-19 Vaccines › Solutions to Your Vaccine Questions If I stay within the U.S., when can I get the vaccine? Whereas the precise order of vaccine recipients could fluctuate by state, most will seemingly put medical staff and residents of long-term care amenities first. If you wish to perceive how this choice is getting made, this text will assist. When can I return to regular life after being vaccinated? Life will return to regular solely when society as an entire beneficial properties sufficient safety in opposition to the coronavirus. As soon as nations authorize a vaccine, they’ll solely be capable of vaccinate a couple of p.c of their residents at most within the first couple months. The unvaccinated majority will nonetheless stay susceptible to getting contaminated. A rising variety of coronavirus vaccines are displaying sturdy safety in opposition to turning into sick. However it’s additionally attainable for folks to unfold the virus with out even figuring out they’re contaminated as a result of they expertise solely gentle signs or none in any respect. Scientists don’t but know if the vaccines additionally block the transmission of the coronavirus. So in the interim, even vaccinated folks might want to put on masks, keep away from indoor crowds, and so forth. As soon as sufficient folks get vaccinated, it’s going to grow to be very troublesome for the coronavirus to seek out susceptible folks to contaminate. Relying on how shortly we as a society obtain that purpose, life would possibly begin approaching one thing like regular by the autumn 2021. If I’ve been vaccinated, do I nonetheless have to put on a masks? Sure, however not perpetually. The 2 vaccines that can probably get licensed this month clearly shield folks from getting sick with Covid-19. However the scientific trials that delivered these outcomes weren’t designed to find out whether or not vaccinated folks may nonetheless unfold the coronavirus with out growing signs. That continues to be a risk. We all know that people who find themselves naturally contaminated by the coronavirus can unfold it whereas they’re not experiencing any cough or different signs. Researchers will likely be intensely learning this query because the vaccines roll out. Within the meantime, even vaccinated folks might want to consider themselves as attainable spreaders. Will it damage? What are the uncomfortable side effects? The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is delivered as a shot within the arm, like different typical vaccines. The injection gained’t be any totally different from ones you’ve gotten earlier than. Tens of 1000’s of individuals have already acquired the vaccines, and none of them have reported any critical well being issues. However a few of them have felt short-lived discomfort, together with aches and flu-like signs that usually final a day. It’s attainable that folks could have to plan to take a break day work or college after the second shot. Whereas these experiences aren’t nice, they’re a great signal: they’re the results of your personal immune system encountering the vaccine and mounting a potent response that can present long-lasting immunity. Will mRNA vaccines change my genes? No. The vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer use a genetic molecule to prime the immune system. That molecule, generally known as mRNA, is finally destroyed by the physique. The mRNA is packaged in an oily bubble that may fuse to a cell, permitting the molecule to slide in. The cell makes use of the mRNA to make proteins from the coronavirus, which might stimulate the immune system. At any second, every of our cells could comprise a whole bunch of 1000’s of mRNA molecules, which they produce so as to make proteins of their very own. As soon as these proteins are made, our cells then shred the mRNA with particular enzymes. The mRNA molecules our cells make can solely survive a matter of minutes. The mRNA in vaccines is engineered to resist the cell’s enzymes a bit longer, in order that the cells could make further virus proteins and immediate a stronger immune response. However the mRNA can solely final for a couple of days at most earlier than they’re destroyed. Many consultants disagreed with the thought, together with Dr. Walter A. Orenstein, affiliate director of the Emory Vaccine Heart in Atlanta. “We have to know extra earlier than we are able to really feel comfy doing that,” he mentioned. “Let’s persist with the science,” added Dr. Paul A. Offit, director of the Vaccine Schooling Heart at Kids’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “There are not any efficacy knowledge on a partial dose.” Though, like Dr. Slaoui, Dr. Offit opposed delaying second doses, he expressed doubt that doing so, because the British have, would increase the danger of worse outcomes within the partially vaccinated. Trials during which monkeys or different animals have been vaccinated after which “challenged” with a deliberate an infection didn’t trigger enhanced illness, he famous. Additionally, the 4 coronaviruses that trigger widespread colds don’t trigger worse illness when folks get them once more. And individuals who have Covid-19 don’t worsen once they obtain antibody therapies; usually, they get higher. When much less is extra As is usually the case, consultants disagree about how and what a brand new vaccine will do. Some level to arduous proof that each fractional doses and delayed doses have labored when medical doctors have tried them out of desperation. For instance, yellow fever outbreaks in Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been stymied by campaigns utilizing as little as 20 p.c of a dose. One shot of yellow fever vaccine, invented within the Thirties, offers lifelong safety. However a one-fifth dose can shield for a yr or extra, mentioned Miriam Alia, a vaccination knowledgeable for Medical doctors With out Borders. In 2018, nearly 25 million Brazilians, together with these in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, confronted a fast-moving outbreak at a time when there have been fewer than six million photographs within the world provide. The Brazilian authorities switched to one-fifth doses and despatched cellular groups into the slums urging everybody they met to take them, and filling out minimal paperwork. It labored: By 2019, the risk had pale. The tactic has additionally been used in opposition to polio. Since 2016, there was a world scarcity of the injectable polio vaccine, which many nations use at the side of the stay oral one. The World Well being Group has overseen trials of various methods to stretch present provides. India first tried half-doses, mentioned Deepak Kapur, chairman of Rotary Worldwide’s polio eradication efforts in that nation. Later research confirmed that it was attainable to drop to as little as one-fifth of a dose so long as it was injected slightly below the pores and skin somewhat than into the muscle, mentioned Dr. Tunji Funsho, chief of polio eradication for Rotary Worldwide’s Nigeria chapter. “That method, one vial for 10 can attain 50 folks,” Dr. Funsho mentioned. Pores and skin injections work higher than muscle ones as a result of the pores and skin comprises way more cells that acknowledge invaders and since sub-skin layers drain into lymph nodes, that are a part of the immune system, mentioned Mark R. Prausnitz, a bioengineer at Georgia Tech who makes a speciality of intradermal injection methods. “The pores and skin is our interface with the skin world,” Dr. Prausnitz mentioned. “It’s the place the physique expects to seek out pathogens.” Intradermal injection is used for vaccines in opposition to rabies and tuberculosis. Ten years in the past, Sanofi launched an intradermal flu vaccine, “however the public didn’t settle for it,” Dr. Prausnitz mentioned. Intradermal injection has disadvantages, nevertheless. It takes extra coaching to do appropriately. Injectors with needle-angling units, super-short needles or arrays of a number of needles exist, Dr. Prausnitz mentioned, however are unusual. Finally, he favors micro-needle patches infused with dissolving vaccine. “It will actually be useful if we may simply mail these to folks’s properties and allow them to do it themselves,” he mentioned. A much bigger drawback, Dr. Slaoui, is that intradermal injection produces robust immune reactions. These could be painful, and may bleed a bit after which scab over and go away a scar, as smallpox injections usually did earlier than the USA deserted them in 1972. The lipid nanoparticles within the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines could be notably liable to that impact, he mentioned. “It’s not harmful,” he added. “However it’s not interesting and never sensible.” Boots on the bottom What the USA can and should do now, well being consultants mentioned, is practice extra vaccinators, coordinate everybody delivering photographs and get higher at logistics. Due to battles in opposition to polio, measles and Ebola, among the world’s poorest nations routinely do higher vaccination drives than the USA is now managing to do, mentioned Emily Bancroft, president of Village Attain, a logistics and communications contractor working in Mozambique, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo and likewise helping Seattle’s coronavirus vaccine drive. “You want a military of vaccinators, individuals who know how you can run campaigns, detailed micro-plans and good knowledge monitoring,” she mentioned. “Hospitals right here don’t even know what they’ve on their cabinets. For routine immunization, getting info as soon as a month is OK. In an epidemic, it’s not OK.” In 2017, the United Nations Kids’s Fund recruited 190,000 vaccinators to offer polio vaccines to 116 million youngsters in a single week. In the identical yr, Nigeria injected measles vaccine into nearly 5 million youngsters in every week. In rural Africa, group well being staff with little formal training delivered injectable contraceptives like Depo-Provera. The fundamentals could be taught in a single to a few days, Ms. Bancroft mentioned. Coaching could be accomplished on “injection pads” that resemble human arms. And knowledge assortment should be arrange so that each workforce can report on a cellphone and all of it flows to a nationwide dashboard, as occurs now within the poorest nations. Supply hyperlink #Crises #Easily #Stretched #Vaccines

[hannahindie]

Museum of Death: Part 2

Characters: Dean Winchester x Reader (implied), Sam Winchester, Susan (ofc - brief) Word Count: 2,922 Warnings: Mention of a burnt corpse (which is just gross regardless of detail), a sassy reader (are you even surprised at this point?), and an adorable old lady named Susan. A/N: This is part two to my UNDERCOVER CHALLENGE FIC for @amanda-teaches. I love writing this, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have been.

A quick shout-out again to @wheresthekillswitch for brainstorming this with me and for the idea of using the undercover names that I chose. It wouldn’t be nearly as cool without you, my dear. :)

And to @pinknerdpanda for beta’ing this part for me!! Your encouragement and willingness to look over my words make my heart happy. Thanks, bean. :) “ *recoils in revulsion* Oh hannah! *Whispers* I love it”

As usual, tags are at the bottom! If you’d like to be added, please let me know.

Y/N looked up as the hotel room door swung open and Dean threw his suit coat over the back of one of the chairs.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I know you did it on purpose.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “No, I didn’t. Why does it matter, anyway? We still have to help these people, something is going on in that museum.”

“Whatever. Y/N, did you find anything?”

Y/N leaned back and crossed her arms, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, “More than you did, sounds like.”

Dean leaned over and kissed the top of her head, “Are you going to be nice and tell us, or are you just going to be a tease?”

Y/N’s small smile turned into a wide grin, “Oh, you know I don’t tease. I go straight for the good stuff,” she said with a wink.

Sam groaned, “Please, stop. Just...don’t.” He sat down with a frown and Y/N laughed.

“Sorry, Sammy. But in all seriousness, I think I found something. I don’t know how much help it’s going to be, though.” She turned the laptop so that Sam and Dean could both see it. “So I started digging into the history of the museum, and what could have triggered the murder of the security guard and the curator. Up until recently, everything had been fine.”

“So it’s been all quiet on the western front? A museum full of murder memorabilia, and nothing?” Dean asked as he sat down next to Y/N.

Y/N shrugged, “Yea. It’s been oddly quiet considering the subject matter of this place. That was, until about six weeks ago. Dr. Elliot Lyons transferred here from a crime museum up north. It closed and there were plans on relocating, but the curator position at the Museum of Death had opened up, so he decided to part ways with his previous employer and moved here. That’s when things started happening.”

“I thought Dr. Lyons and Theodore were the only murders?” Sam asked as he leaned forward to get a better look at the news article Y/N had opened.

“They are...well...were. Until last night, they were the only ones. Before that, there had been reports of people being attacked, scratched, strangled, you name it, it was happening. The two deaths occurred, and the museum went quiet again for a few days. Last night, there was a temporary guard patrolling the museum, and this morning he was found strangled and crammed into a crawlspace in the basement.”

Dean whistled, “That’s a bad time. How’d they find him?”

Y/N wrinkled her nose, “Well, it was more of a...um...furnace than a crawlspace. They found out the hard way. I was trying to avoid saying it.”

Dean cleared his throat, “I regret asking.”

“So what was the trigger? It looks like it started when Lyons arrived, but why did it escalate?” Sam sat back and Y/N moved the computer closer to her so she could flip through the different tabs she had open.

“I hacked the museum’s database, and it looks like Lyons was working on a special exhibit. He'd been gathering pieces for weeks, but was very careful about who he let see them. I went to the museum and talked to his assistant, who barely knew what was going on either.” Y/N grinned and Sam cocked an eyebrow.

“But I’m assuming since you hacked into their system, you know what’s going on?” he said, trying to be patient but the frustration was evident on his face.

“Well,” she continued, “I started to get an idea when I realized what kind of exhibit he was building, but I wanted to make sure before I got too excited. I went to the police station to check out the previous claims of attacks and they confirmed my suspicions.”

“Well, are you going to tell us?” Dean asked grumpily, “Or are you just relishing the fact that you’re right?”

Y/N laughed, “I absolutely am doing that. Sam is always the one that gets to say ‘so get this’ and look smart. It’s my turn.” She turned the computer back to where Sam and Dean could both see it. “According to the police reports that were filed, all the attacks that happened were against men. Each person has a different story and they’ve given several descriptions of the attackers, but no women were hurt. Same general story each time; the men were walking through the museum when they were suddenly attacked. Some were beaten, some strangled, some of them had cuts. In all the cases, though, they're the only ones that saw their attacker.”

“So these guys got their asses handed to them and no one saw it?” Sam asked as he scrolled through the pictures in the police reports. “How can someone get this injured and no one see it?”

“I don’t know, it seems like the men had somehow gotten separated from whoever they’d come in with, and by the time the person found them, the attack had already happened. Some walked away mostly unscathed, but there were a couple of incidents where they had to be hospitalized. The ages ranged from fifteen to around forty.”

Dean sighed, “You said that you thought you had it figured out after what you found at the museum. How does any of this relate to that?”

Y/N’s smile widened even more, “Because the exhibit he was putting together was comprised entirely of serial killers whose prime focus were men and boys. The museum already had some displays and items related to that, of course, but he has some incredibly rare finds. I’m talking ‘he must have connections in a police department because this stuff is definitely evidence’ kind of stuff. Things that we haven’t even seen pictures of, much less the actual item. I’ll even go out on a limb and say some of this stuff didn’t even make it to court, and if it did, they definitely didn’t show it in the newspaper.” She switched over to the exhibit list and Sam took the computer back.

“How did he get his hands on some of this? I don’t even think some of this would have been taken as evidence, it’s like personal belongings and school records.”

Y/N shrugged, “I don’t know. But there’s a way for you to find out.”

“What are you talking about?” Dean asked with a frown.

Y/N tossed Dean a set of security credentials, “There just happens to be a security officer and curator position open, and since whatever this is is into dudes…” she trailed off and gestured vaguely at them. “Looks like you boys are going undercover,” she said with a grin.

Dean groaned, “Fantastic.”

Dean stomped down the sidewalk and fidgeted with his tie as they approached the entrance to the museum, “Why do I have to wear this stupid suit and you get to wear regular clothes?”

“Because you have to look like you’re working for a respectable security company, and I have to look like someone that’s got a doctorate and will fit the part of ‘eccentric curator’,” Sam said with a smile.

Dean groaned, “You’re eccentric, alright.” He stopped in front of the door and put a hand on Sam’s chest, “Listen up, and listen good. You keep it together in there. That museum is like some sort of weird wet dream for you, so I need you to keep your mind on the task at hand so we can get out of there as quickly as possible. I’d much rather spend my time in New Orleans on Bourbon Street than surrounded by true crime porn for nerds like you. You freakin’ owe me, dude.” Dean threw the door open and stormed in with Sam on his heels.

Sam managed to catch up to Dean and stopped in front of the main desk, “Hello, we’re here for the curator and security officer interviews. I’m Dr. Clay Miller, and this is Tom Hannigan.”

The frazzled lady sitting behind the desk looked up, her large eyes magnified further by thick glasses. “Oh, hello boys, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Susan Ellis.” She looked between the two large men and tilted her head, “Do you know each other?”

Dean smiled, “Yes, ma'am, we’re cousins. Good looks and great career choices run in the family.” He winked, and she looked down at her hands, her cheeks flushed.

“Oh, now, isn’t that nice? Well, I’ll be honest, the plan was to interview you two, but honestly we’re struggling. Since Dr. Lyons passed away,” she closed her eyes and made the sign of the cross, “it’s drawn even more visitors. I guess having serial attacks and murders have brought true crime buffs out of the woodwork. None of the temp agencies will send us replacement guards, and it’s just been a heck of a time. So, as of today, consider yourselves hired.”

Dean held out his hand, “Thank you, ma’am, we appreciate it. If you could just show me where the security office is, I’ll get started.”

She gingerly shook his outstretched hand, “Absolutely, dear.” She pointed at the hallway that stretched out to Sam’s right, “If you take that hallway, the curator’s office is the third door on the left.

Sam smiled, “Thank you.” He nodded at Dean, then strolled off towards the office.

Dean held out his arm as Susan moved around the desk, “Shall we?”

Susan smiled, “Absolutely, my dear.” She took Dean’s arm and they walked in the opposite direction than Sam went. “It truly is good timing that you two came in today. I’ve been getting volunteers, some of our regulars, but that’s not really ideal. They mostly just want free access to the exhibits.” She pulled a set of keys out of her pocket and flipped through them. “It’s just nice to have someone that actually makes it feel safe around here.” She fumbled the key into the lock and the door opened with a creak.

A bank of security monitors greeted Dean, their screens filled with blurry black and white images as people walked through the museum. One screen showed the parking lot, and another showed the back entrance.

“Susan, have you had time to go through the security footage from the other night?”

She shook her head, “No, I’ve been scrambling trying to get replacements and to try to keep this place open. The police took a copy of it, but otherwise I haven't seen it or heard if they found anything.”

Dean nodded, “Fair enough.” Susan started to leave the room and Dean cleared his throat, “Umm...do you know what he was working on? I've heard a few rumors...you know how it is.” He offered her a smile and she frowned.

“He wouldn't let anyone near it. I'm not sure what was so important, but he wanted to keep it a surprise. Dr. Lyons was a good man, but very strange. Hopefully Dr. Miller will be able to piece it together.”

“My cousin is pretty good at his job, I'm sure he will.” Susan smiled, then turned and left, shutting the door behind her. Dean pulled out his phone and began scrolling through footage as he waited for an answer.

“Hey, what's up?”

“I'm in the security office, looks like there's a ton of footage to go through. I'm going to hang in here for awhile before I take a walk around the building. You find anything yet?”

Sam sighed, “No, there are literally boxes upon boxes in here. The man may have catalogued everything meticulously, but his storage habits are nonexistent. I've got a lot to go through.”

Dean stopped the footage starting the morning before the murders, “Alright, well I'm going to look for stuff around the time of the murder. I'll probably go back to the dates of the physical attacks too. Let me know if you find anything.”

“Will do. See you later.” Sam hung up and Dean leaned forward and squinted at the monitor. It was going to be a long afternoon.

Sam sat back in his chair and sighed. Normally, he would love digging through what Lyons had managed to scrounge up; report cards, clothing, drawings that he’d only seen in documentaries. There were boxes upon boxes of things that should have been impossible to have. Sam wondered how much money he’d spent and if he’d gone to more unconventional means of acquiring it, but he’d been unable to find anything to confirm the suspicion. Regardless, none of the boxes held the answer he was looking for, and it appeared that Dr. Lyons, though strange and probably slightly sketchy in his ways of obtaining rare objects, was probably not the person that was causing the murders.

Sam ran a hand over his tired face, making a mental note to shave as soon as they got back to the hotel, then froze when his eyes fell on a rug that was in the center of the floor. He narrowed his eyes, his head tilted as he stared at the far corner of the fabric, its edge flipped up to reveal what looked like spray paint. He stood and walked slowly towards it, carefully navigating boxes and folders that he’d already gone through, and stopped just at the edge of the rug.

“What the hell?” he muttered as he kicked the rug back a little further. Most of it was still hidden, but there was definitely a symbol painted in nearly the same color as the floor. He moved the rest of the boxes that were pinning down the rug and pulled the entire thing back to reveal an unfamiliar symbol. It was hard to really tell what it looked like since the paint matched so closely to the floor, so he went back to the desk and scrounged a piece of paper and a pen, then came back and sketched it out. Even with it being clear, Sam had no idea what it was for. He pulled out his phone and dialed Y/N, who answered on the first ring.

“What’s up, Sam? Find anything?”

“Yea, I think so. I’m going to send you a picture of a symbol, can you help me find what it means? It feels vaguely familiar, but I can’t place it.”

“Sure thing, send it on over. I’ll call you when I have something.” She hung up, and Sam took a picture of his sketch and texted it to her.

As he waited for Y/N to respond, he called Dean as he stared down at the symbol.

“Find something?”

“Yea, I think so. I sent a picture of it to Y/N, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before. There was a symbol painted on the floor, and someone had covered it with a rug. I think you should probably come look at it.”

“Sure, be right there.” The line went dead and Sam put his phone back in his pocket. No matter how hard he thought, he just couldn’t place it. The door opened and Dean wandered in, his eyes wide at the sight of so many boxes.

“Dude, you weren’t kidding. He’s even more of a nerd than you.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Just look at the damn symbol.”

Dean smirked, but remained silent as he walked over to where Sam pointed. He walked slowly around the symbol, his brows furrowed as he tried to figure out where he’d seen it before. “I’m not sure. It does feel familiar, but I don’t know where I would have seen it.” He’d made it back to where Sam was standing when he tilted his head and knelt down. “Hmmm…”

“What?” Sam asked as he watched Dean trace his hand along the middle, near the crooks.

“Is this exactly like you found it? You didn’t drag anything across it?” Dean asked as he looked up at Sam.

Sam shook his head, “No. I mean, I moved some boxes, but I picked them up, I didn’t drag them...why?”

Before Dean could answer, Sam’s phone rang, “Hello?”

“Hey. I think I found something, and you aren’t going to like it.”

Sam put the phone on speaker so that Dean could hear, “When do I ever like it? What did you find?”

“That symbol…it’s a summoning sigil. Specifically for Adnachiel, also known as ‘the hunter demon’. I found it in an old book of Bobby’s.”

“That explains why it’s so familiar, I probably saw it researching. Any idea of how to stop it?”

“Well, first you’d have to find who’s controlling it. Whoever did it would have had to paint it in one stroke for it to be successful. There’s a reversal spell, but the sigil would have to be left unbroken. If it’s been broken, whoever summoned it will lose control, the demon will do what it does best, which is hunt, and it’s going to be way harder to stop. I’d assume since it was hidden, it’s probably good though, right?”

Dean groaned, “You’d think that...but I’ve got some bad news.”

Sam frowned, “What?”

Dean smacked the symbol where he’d run his hand over it a moment before, “Because someone must have dragged something over it and scraped the paint. The symbol is broken. Which means-”

“Which means it’s going to keep roaming the museum, killing people, until we stop it.” Sam muttered, his eyes locked on the sigil.

Like what you see? Would you like to read more? Check out my master list HERE.

Forever Tags: @trexrambling @pinknerdpanda  @wheresthekillswitch @emilywritesaboutdean @arryn-nyxx @emptywithout @escabell @charliebradbury1104 @jarpadandjensenaremyheroes  @deanssweetheart23  @canadianjelly @super-not-naturall @aubreyreadsstuff @dean-winchesters-baby @melissaj616 @fandomismyspiritanimal @keepcalmandcarryondean @assbutt-still-in-hell @owllover123 @rosie-winchester @amionthetumbler @duubaduu @hiimaprofessionalfangirl @goldenolaf25 @authoressskr @nanie5 @mrssamfuckingwinchester @zincomms @kathaswings @crazynerdandproud @barbedwireandbubblegum @sandlee44 @boxywrites @justanotherdeangirl @smalltowndivaj @captainradicalpassion @myloveforyouxx @atc74 @mrsbateshotel53 @easelweasel @there-must-be-a-lock @masksandtruths @thelittleredwhocould @jotink78 @amanda-teaches @ilsawasanacrobat

​Dean Only: @akshi8278 @valkyrieslament @lavieenlex @highonpastries

[communityaskbuzrushblog-blog]

Best Shopify Apps

Best Shopify Apps

10 Best Shopify Apps belongs to the main opportunities these days for everyone enthusiastic about establishing an e-trade retail outlet the simple way. With increased exposure of “the easy way.”

However, if you want your shop to succeed, you may need more features than the default setup provides. Let us look at 10 of the most useful Shopify programs to get a new user!

You may additionally be curious about:

oPerfect Free Shopify Designs of 2019

oPreferred Shopify Designs for 2019

oWix v . Shopify vs . WooCommerce v . BigCommerce as opposed to Magento compared to Jimdo

1. Laugh: Returns & Fidelity

Once is hard enough - encouraging them to come back time and time again can be even more challenging convincing people to buy. Grin: Rewards & Loyalty lets you add a loyalty program to your Shopify store, in order to encourage repeat purchases.

Critical functions

oCan help you setup various plans for the store, which include devotion areas, reference, and VIP solutions

oChange the way your applications job, which includes how then when people are recognized

oAssimilate your method with some other outer equipment, together with MailChimp, Revitalise, and HubSpot

Price

The free of cost organize enable you to build and run a simple and easy strategy, as you move the cost model includes added changes selections, analytics functionality, and more.

Perfect for

Smile if your store is going to rely on repeat purchases from a loyal customer base: Gains & Commitment is just about the top Shopify programs one can pick up.

2. Connect Website positioning

If you want to attract customers to your Shopify store, you’ll need to ensure they can find it through organic searches. This suggests focusing on your store’s Search Engine Marketing (SEO), which happens to be one thing Connect Web optimization can help with.

Critical qualities

oScans your retailer for web site traffic-constraining SEO troubles

oExhibits complete end results, letting you know just what exactly complications can be found

oAssessmentstitles and headings, meta explanations, article all round performance, written content design, plus more

Costs

The free of charge variation of Plug in Seo optimization permits you to skim your store as often as you would like. There’s an additional quality insurance policy for $20 every month, which helps you improve your shop’s Website positioning, among the other added benefits.

Excellent for

Any Shopify stash can be helped by conscientious appreciation of Search engine optimisation, this also app will aid you to place any issues that need to be handled.

3. Fera Sociable Verification

An important element of managing a thriving shop is persuasive every different customer to create a order. Fera supports you do that by creating feelings of urgency. Your first of the ideal Shopify apps lets you show off real-time pop-ups, which make women and men understand what some other clients are as much as.

Significant benefits

oDisplay notifications for your shop when users order merchandise

oExhibit number of people who included supplements to cart and currently viewing

oDistribute good sociable facts satisfy for brand’s reliability

Prices

This can be a free of charge software.

Good for

And you want to encourage more conversions though urgency and social proof, this app is a simple and handy solution, if you have a modest amount of activity in your store.

4. Twitter Messenger Online marketing

Irrespective of what you’re supplying, excellent support service is crucial. You’ll have the benefit of a method to respond to questions through a far easier channel than mail. Facebook . com Messenger Promoting and advertising does just what its moniker implies - it lets you speak to your Shopify purchasers with all the Facebook or myspace Messenger program.

Crucial elements

oHelps potential customers to commence exist talk with you by way of a simple and easy widget

oMakes this simple to customize the Twitter Messenger notifications you ship

oLots previous chitchat the historical past, assisting you to watch earlier sales with the exact same buyer

oMeans that you can increase user credit accounts with your Facebook or twitter Messenger client catalog

Pricing

This is truly a no cost app.

Good for

This app is useful to anyone looking to add live chat to their Shopify store - particularly if you also want to conduct some Facebook outreach and/or marketing.

5. Oberlo

If you’re looking to start a dropshipping business with Shopify - in other words, to sell other companies’ products - Oberlo is a must-have. This widely used product helps you find the best pieces, add it to your retail outlet, and get started merchandising without delay.

Primary includes

oHelps you to hunt for and import goods from Oberlo and AliExpress Marketplace (then customise them)

oKeeps your stock and prices ranges updated

oAutomatically starts the shipping process once you confirm a customer’s order

oHelps you keep track of your requests

The prices

There’s a zero cost strategy that encourages nearly 50 instructions every month, and a couple of prime projects with additional capacity and features.

Excellent for

Any individual enthusiastic about making a living as a result of dropshipping on Shopify can be helped by Oberlo.

6. Yotpo Reviews, Photos, and Q&A

Most people check out reviews before buying online these days. Yotpo Reviews, Photographs, and Q&A enables you to very easily bring customer reviews into your Shopify store. As such, visitors can feel more confident about making informed purchasing decisions.

Crucial capabilities

oOn auto-pilot get product reviews, goods photographs, important questions, and resolutions on your customers

oExhibit reviews and ratings in an array of regions during your business

oSlight reviews, and answer them frequently openly or secretly

Pricing

The starting point type of Yotpo cost nothing, and it is suitable for many people retail stores. The top quality policies, getting into at $29 per month, feature more features similar to reviews carousels, discount coupons, and upsell remedies.

Most suitable for

Recommendations are very nearly absolutely essential-have to have an online website. Due to this, Yotpo is probably the most beneficial Shopify apps for the buyer.

7. Printful

A Best Shopify Apps stow can sometimes be a excellent spot to market personalized designs. Once customers place their orders you’ll need a way to have those designs printed, however. Printful provides a complete-presented generating provider, turning it into very easy to feature lots of opportunities in the store.

Essential functions

oSelection goods options within your stow, get them screen printed and held, then shipped

oMake potential customers modify your creations, and in addition have them produced on t-posters, embroidery and shirts plus more !

oEstablish solution mockups, so shoppers can observe what every piece may be like

Cost

The application is free. You’ll need a Printful account, as each order will come with a small fee attached.

Best for

Artwork manufacturers in addition to other creatives who do not want to think about generating and delivery products will see this software valuable.

8. Bulk Image Update Graphic Search engine optimizing

Photographs form the building block of a typical reliable e-commerce retailer. Bulk Picture Revise Impression Search engine marketing makes it possible make sure your Shopify products pictures are absolutely improved. The software grips numerous primary image-affiliated jobs, and may include some effective automation options.

Primary qualities

oHelps you tailor-make representation submit leaders and ‘alt text’, for Web optimization functions

oLets you resize artwork to Shopify requirements (and also for social networking use)

oSqueezes your visuals, to conserve space or room while keeping your store managing rapid

Rates

The cost-free strategy means that you can alter 50 pics each month, that could be slightly constraining. Most customers will gain benefit from the $9.99 monthly tier in its place, which permits you to compensate to one thousand edits.

And don’t have the time to optimize each one individually, Bulk Image Edit can save you a lot of effort, if you display product images in your store.

9. Unlimited Alternatives

If you’re looking to let people customize the items they purchase, Infinite Options is well worth a look. This app means that you can provide you with a range of options to your clients, to enable them decide on special qualities, create customization, plus much more.

Main options

oMake it possible for purchasers to personalize products and solutions through uncomplicated decline-lower selections, checkboxes, and similar inputs

oAdd in an unlimited quantity of modification options to each and every one product or service

oOn auto-pilot comprise increased charges for specialized features and services

Prices

Limitless Remedies costs nothing to put in and utilize.

Suitable for

Even while Shopify encompasses some basic products customization choices, Endless Opportunities is just about the ideal Shopify applications for offering personalization (or accessories) to all your items.

10. Pack

The very last of our own most effective Shopify applications, Pack is an easy but most likely highly effective tool. It enables you to compose conversion-friendly Instagram and Facebook postings. That is a friendly and personal touch which will help simply turn new clients into devoted potential customers.

Critical attributes

oEmail made to order ‘thank you’ emails for holding onto clients

oCreate a re-aiming for venture making use of a Facebook Messenger

oCreate a discount code by giving an Text messages to Pack

oUse rapid confirming to track your marketing and advertising campaigns

Charges

You may use Pack with regards to your Shopify keep totally free.

Good for

Package is really a useful tool for thanking clients and designing sales and profits-pleasant social media marketing classified ads. It’s especially simple if you do not presently have a message advertising and marketing treatment put together (that can turn this into capabilities redundant).

Drop by finest

Final result about the top Shopify software

One of the best things about Shopify is that you can customize exactly how your store works - by using a suitable combination of extras. This is precisely just where the very best Shopify applications enter into execute.

Get more info visit BuzRush

Join: - Question & Answer Platform

[theseventhhex]

Drax Project Interview

Drax Project

Photo by Jory Lee Cordy

Drax Project are an exquisite marriage of stellar musicianship and killer songs. This combination, coupled with their incendiary live show has led them on a two year run of sold out venues as both headliners and openers. The group gained a following after re-working vocal hooks of famous pop songs into saxophone licks. Their cover of Kimbra’s track, “Goldmine,” went viral and caught the attention of an influential producer and soon they were signed to a major label. With a new body of work underway, Drax Project is currently gearing up to release their debut album and take the world by storm. Deemed “delicious pop with a prodigal feel” by Clash Magazine, Drax Project has seen an astronomical rise to success. The four-piece, comprised of Shaan, Matt, Ben and Sam, went from busking on the streets of Wellington, NZ, to playing alongside massive acts such as Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello and Lorde... We talk to Sam Thomson about performing live, theme parks and table tennis…

TSH: What’s satisfied you most with regards to the band’s amazing progression to date?

Sam: I think seeing people singing our music back to us at shows all around the world is pretty satisfying. I don’t think we seriously pictured that happening when we started busking!

TSH: Are there certain distinct memories that come to mind from your days of studying music together at university?

Sam: Missing morning classes because we were playing in a club till 3am springs to mind. It was awesome to be playing jazz and studying music during the day - followed by playing heaving club gigs at night. Those early days definitely informed our sound.

TSH: You’ve touched on enjoying playing live just as much as writing and recording music – which features with both of these in mind do you appreciate most?

Sam: For us, writing and recording is about getting the best possible product of everything we do, from the guitar part to every vocal take, to getting the drums just right. It’s so satisfying when we get the final version back! With playing live, it’s all about creating energy and making sure everyone has a great time! We have the most fun when we’re on stage and feeding off of the crowd.

TSH: Knowing you’re a high energy band, can it be a challenge at times to translate this into your recording?

Sam: Absolutely. Our latest release, ‘All this Time’ is a prime example. We’ve been playing that song live for over two years and couldn’t quite figure out how to get the massive saxophone drop to work on the recording. Luckily we had some help from some amazing producers (Roget Chahayed, Wesley Singerman and Tay Dex) who helped nail our vision for the song!

TSH: You’ve also stated that you’re ‘more and more comfortable writing in the last year’ – what sort of topics have you been drawn to expressing for your album?

Sam: I think we’ve become a lot more comfortable expressing how we’re feeling about a lot of things. One song on the upcoming album is about how it’s been for us being away from home for extended periods. We’ve also gravitated towards exploring how thoughts and emotions interact, which is fun! The album has grown with us over the last few years and it’ll be something we look back on very fondly in the future!

TSH: What was the energy and level of focus like as you fleshed out ‘All this Time’?

Sam: We first came up with the ‘drop’ in Sam’s old work place in Wellington and knew we had something good to work with. We tested it live and it went off at every show for a couple of years before finally finishing it this year. To be honest, there was a time when we thought we wouldn’t ever release it because we couldn’t get it right but once it started to come together, it was pretty exciting. It’s probably the most anticipated track of ours, by us mostly!

TSH: Moreover, what was the experience like in collaborating on ‘Light’ with Famous Dex?

Sam: That was super fun. We were sent the song with space in the hook for us to write over and came up with something in a hotel room in Auckland and it stayed! It was the first thing we came up with. Dex has some crazy energy and it was cool to collaborate with an artist people might not have expected.

TSH: How beneficial and vital is it for Drax Project’s camaraderie that everyone has equal input and that you try every idea that gets put forward?

Sam: This is very important to us! Having the freedom to test every idea makes for a better product in our opinion. We each have unique and interesting ideas to offer and there’s no weak link. It’s also great if anyone’s struggling to come up with anything to have 3 other guys to lean on!

TSH: How rewarding is it to know that fans all over have made personal connections with your music?

Sam: It’s what it’s all about. Without people supporting us and our music, we don’t get to do the things we do! We’ve had countless messages about how our songs have helped people through different seasons and tough times. On the opposite side, just seeing people dancing and having a great time while listening to us never ever gets old!

TSH: What makes ‘Nacho Libre’ such a top film?

Sam: Characters, plot, conflict, resolution, structure, scenes, dialogue and visuals!

TSH: Also, being fans of theme parks, have you visited any new ones in recent times?

Sam: We’ve only really experienced Six Flags but are more than willing to try any others if we get the chance. Theme parks rule.

TSH: What have you been playing on your Nintendo Switch recently?

Sam: Shaan and Ben are the Switch fiends. They play a lot of Supersmash Bro’s but as a group, the new Crash Team Racing is life changing. They’ve managed to perfectly balance introducing new characters and maps etc with keeping it real to the OG.

TSH: Who is the current king of Drax Project’s table tennis duels?

Sam: Matt, no question. He is so dominant and we all bow down to his greatness.

TSH: What’s been getting most regular rotation on your YouTube binges lately?

Sam: ‘Tiny Desk’ concerts and ‘Genius - Deconstructed’ videos are always a favourite.

TSH: Finally, how key is the notion of staying humble and grounded as you progress further?

Sam: It’s not something that works well if you are ‘trying’ to stay humble! At the end of the day, we’re just four friends from New Zealand on a crazy adventure making music! We are so grateful for everyone who listens to us, comes to shows or even just sends nice messages.

Drax Project - “Catching Feelings ft. Six60”

Drax Project

[eyesaremosaics]

Apologies for anon, I don't have a tumblr right now! I love the creativity of your zodiac posts and am curious to know your opinion of Librans. I always see them described as kind of vapid types who are only interested in appearances, and it puzzles and amuses me since it doesn't match me or any other Librans I know...

Ahoy fellow Libran! I completely agree with your opinion about vapid descriptions of Libra’s. We get rather glossed over as opposed to more… Say volatile signs. It honestly depends on what is in their chart.

A libra with heavy water influence will appear fragile, delicate, as though she were going to crack like very fine porcelain. This appearance is deceptive, because a Libra’s bones are comprised of nine parts steel. Libra has strength in their convictions, they have strong moral opinions of right and wrong. Even though they entertain both sides of the argument for the sake of fairness, they have little tolerance for injustice.

Libra’s often get anxiety about making the wrong decision. They loathe to be perceived as naive or gullible (which people often mistake them for). The issue is that they can empathize and understand where each individual is coming from, this makes them marginalize their own feelings as lacking in importance.

One of my favorite examples is my beloved Jim Henson (his birthday is the day after mine! Heehee) he was so creative, so kind hearted, fair minded and all inclusive. He brought people together to create, not only for arts sake, but with the intention to educate, amuse and inspire others. He was very concerned about the welfare of underprivileged youth, which is what motivated him to create Sesame Street. He wanted children who couldn’t afford to go to pre-school, learn the basics of writing, math, interpersonal communication, self awareness, problem solving etc. all free via basic cable.

That is a very altruistic, ambitious and forward thinking project. Yet he made it a reality, a reality which is still popular today. Even though he was the head of his company, he leveled the playing feel with each puppeteer, artist, etc. He treated everyone as equals, he valued everyone’s opinions, and though they were technically his projects, he saw them as collaborations.

Libra’s are so involved with relating to others, attending to their needs, that they often forget themselves. The saddest story I ever heard about Jim Henson, was that he was very sick for a long time, he kept it hidden from everyone–even his own wife and children. On the set of his later films, he would retire to the bathroom to cough up blood in his hands. Wash up, put on a brave face, and go back to work like nothing was wrong.

Finally, it became so severe he could no longer hide it. They took him to the doctor, but it was too late. At that point the disease had progressed so far that there was nothing they could do. When asked why he didn’t tell anyone what was going on… He paused, before gently and politely saying: “ I just didn’t want to be a bother to anyone.”

This is a tragic, but prime example of how Libra’s rate themselves lowest on the totem pole of priorities. This sweet and gentle man who brought so much joy and magic into the world, neglected his own well being because he didn’t want to trouble anyone else. Libra’s can be self sacrificing or martyrs if you will.

Because they are highly moral creatures who like to believe the good in everyone, they are often manipulated or badly used. They get taken advantage of by people who prey on their good nature. On the darker side however, Libra’s can be master manipulators. They differ from a Scorpio in the sense that Scorpio needs to be in control to feel safe, libra is self righteous, they feel privately that their way is the right way. So they will charm you, using the power of suggestion, somehow convincing you that it was your own idea–to get their way. The iron fist in the velvet glove so to speak.

Libra children are very good at using their natural attractiveness to get what they want out of adults. They pull the “cute kid” card most effectively. This can translate into adulthood, though it depends on the chart. If a libra has a lot of air in Thor chart… They will tend to be more flighty and superficial as you described. For they have more water, they will be dreamy, sad and mysterious looking, with a melancholic disposition. If they have a lot of fire, they will be more outgoing and overtly charismatic. Libra’s are naturally charming, it is a big characteristic of the sign, yet it manifests differently depending on the rest of the chart.

Libra can be a bit of a hipster, they are very cultured, have great raft in art, music, food/wine. As cultured creatures and natural host’s, they live to entertain. They can be a bit of an “art snob” (as my mother once called me). They can be counted on to decorate, curate, style etc. They have great fashion sense, and are often noticed for their sense of style. Dita Von Teese is a prime example.

Libra’s are intelligent and amusing companions, they are good listeners, have a great sense of humor, and the natural ability to put others at ease in social situations. They are classy, and like to travel in style. Ruled by Venus (the same as Taurus) they can be prone to excess. Libra’s can be counted on to gracefully keep the conversation going amidst many different personality types. They are natural equalizers. Their presence is calming. Since they are so conscious of others, they will notice if you are struggling socially, and will kindly sit by you and invite you over to join the conversation. They hate odd numbers, and can’t bear to see people left out.

They are very sympathetic to the suffering of others, and will work tirelessly to bring balance to any atmosphere of discord.

Now, if a libra is unevolved, they can be “mean girls”, certainly, but this is not often the case. Libra is generally very self conscious, because their scales tip back and fourth so frequently. More than any other sign, libra relies heavily on the opinions of others. They will deny it until there is no tomorrow, but they deeply need people. Libra is the sign of relationship, without a community, without a partnership… Libra wilts, and becomes very sad and despondent. Libra thrives off connection.

This is not to say they are incapable of being alone, Libra’s are very independent. They are ambitious and hardworking when it is for a good cause or something hey believe in. They get lazy when their scales tip into depression. Libra is always looking for balance, but can rarely maintain it. Often their experience is vacillation and confusion. In truth, libra can sometimes spend so much time going back and fourth between options that they end up not making a decision. So fearful of making the “wrong” decision, they end up standing still, watching life go by without them.

Libra’s can’t fake enthusiasm, they would rather do nothing than produce shoddy work. They can tend to be a bit defeatist if they can’t get something “just right”. Anxiety and tension arises for them if they feel rushed. They need time to perfect what ever it is they are doing. To Libra, life is a living, breathing work of art.

Love is kryptonite for a libra. They are in love with love, hopeless romantics, either openly and passionately pursuing their love interest, or desperately longing in angst for the object of their affections. Libra’s are really good at the whole star crossed/dying of love thing. They are good with words, and can sweep you off your feel with their poetry. They have a way of making you feel cherished. Like you are the only person who exists to them, and you are. Libra’s are generally very loyal creatures. They are so devoted to relationships in general, that cheating is dishonorable to them.

However, an unevolved libra (or a young soul libra) can be a bit more vapid. In love with the chase, or the thrill of the pursuit. I have known a male libra like this. He was a total piece of manipulative shit, yet his kind is not the norm. So I will just say there are exceptions to every rule, but Libra’s generally work very hard at making all their relationships a success.

They are devoted partners, who love the idea of being a “team” or a “power couple”. That is the ultimate fantasy for a libra. To have a Brangelina type romance, to be the envy of others in their unity with their partner. They are co-conspirators, confidantes. An example of this would be F. Scott Fitzgerald, who fell madly in love with Zelda Sayre. They were the power couple of the 1920’s, invited to lavish parties, traveling to bohemian Paris post WWI.

Yet their relationship was troubled first with class inadequacies, followed by career jealousies, and ultimately madness and addiction. Still Scott held on to this romantic narrative of he and Zelda. How they crossed oceans of time to be together, and admitting her to a mental hospital is what led him over the edge with his alcoholism to the point of his early death. Though he romanced other women in Hollywood in the 1940’s, he consistently chose women who reminded him of Zelda. He never got over her.

Libra’s are remarkably intelligent, adept at literature (reading/writing/poetry/comprehension) and the arts in general (painting,drawing,drama, music etc). The arts and literature come naturally to them, and other people often envy the effortlessness of these capabilities. They make good business partners, as well as politicians. Libra is reluctant to take a position of authority, but will do it on behalf of a good cause.

A libra woman, will fill your home with beautiful decor, and creature comforts. She may love extravagance, or she may prefer minimalism, regardless she loves to entertain friends and family. Hosting parties is what she does best. She will throw a fabulous event full of fun and interesting people from all walks of life.

Libra’s are painted as unemotional, this could not be any further than the truth. The problem is libra tries to over intellectualize as a coping mechanism, and often gets lost in their own thoughts. They are prisoners of their fear of inadequacy. Their sense of self is not stable at all. Without someone else to bounce their ideas off of, they shrivel up inside. Internally… The crumble to dust. Do not leave a libra alone for too long.

If you do, they are prone to indulging in drink, food, and if they have heavy water influence (especially Pisces) drugs. Libra has a hard time facing themselves. Deep down they feel they have little value without being in connection with another person as a symbiotic creature. The older they get, the more they feel like time is ticking out. Deep down they feel that honest love will never come to them.

Libra begins with the end of summer. The fall equinox takes place around my birthday every year. A time when the warm climate beings to temper with a cool breeze, and the leaves go gold and dry, falling away from the trees as gentle feathers. Libra is a time of harvest, or change. They are the beginning of winters preparation.

A sultry time leading into October. Full of bright orange, golds, browns. They are he scent of pumpkin spice. Clean fresh linen hung out to dry. They are dusk, a romantic walk with hands intertwined. They are rose petal trails, French perfume, oddities, antiques, collectibles. Fine china in glass cases. Glinting in the dimly lit room. They are the opalescent sheen in carnival glass. Fresh pressed clothing. The evidence of a party from the night before.

The end of the champagne, with coupe glasses. Art Deco, opulent ceilings, peacock feathers arranged delicately in a jar. They are shoegaze music, the lonely reverb of the guitar. Empty echoes of loneliness, intricate lace coming apart with age. They are moth eaten fabric, the light pouring in through the blinds, warming your skin in slivers. They are false lashes, skin care products, satin heels strewn across hardwood floors. Persian rugs, Tiffany lamps, Christmas lights, the faint trace of glitter left on your clothes.

They are 90s club kids, wind instruments, art gallery openings, a museum. They are guided tours, elegant ballrooms, a tailor shop full of bridal gowns. They are Lucy from Dracula, the sound of a typewriter, a gentle breeze guiding a curtain as a wildly disembodied spirit, the scent of an old leather bound book, a sea of potpourri. The feeling of being full after a fine meal. The effervescence of a good champagne. How crisp be satisfying the taste. Making you sleepy in the late afternoons.

Idealized love. Companionship. Bridge to Teribithia, “somewhere there is a place for us”. Eloping in beautiful seclusion. Promise rings. Friendship bracelets. A silver locket with your picture in it.

Feeling sad about being constantly overlooked or devalued. Being seen as that which the sign denotes–an inanimate object. The heaviness of drink having gone over the limit. The feeling of failure when a relationship ends. Panic attacks, love letters, abandoned places, overgrown with ivy. The secret garden, fairy tales, disco lights, velvet drapes. Falling into a trance. Hypnotism. The dream of love, as a two way mirror.

Rita Hayworth in “Gilda”, seen as a sexual object, but never for their brains. Having people fall in love with your image, but never your entirety.

[orbemnews]

The Coronavirus Kills Mink, So They Too Could Get a Vaccine At the least two American firms, in addition to Russian researchers, are engaged on coronavirus vaccines for mink. The animals have grown sick and died in giant numbers from the virus, which they’ve additionally handed again to individuals in mutated type. Zoetis, a big veterinary pharmaceutical firm in New Jersey with greater than $6 billion in annual income in 2019, and Medgene Labs, a small firm with about 35 staff that’s based mostly in South Dakota, are each testing vaccines in mink. They’re searching for licensing of their merchandise from the U.S. Division of Agriculture. Each firms mentioned their vaccine applied sciences are typically much like the one utilized by Novovax for a human vaccine, which is in late-stage trials. That system entails making insect cells produce the spike protein on the coronavirus, which is then hooked up to a innocent virus that enters into the physique’s cells and trains the immune system to be prepared for the actual factor. Minks are identified to have been contaminated with SARS-CoV-2, the pandemic virus, in a half-dozen international locations world wide. All members of the weasel household are prone to an infection and to creating some signs and passing on the virus, at the very least to others of their species. That’s partly due to the proteins on the surfaces of their cells and due to the construction of their respiratory programs. Scientists don’t know why mink particularly appear to get very sick, however the crowded, caged circumstances on farms might end in publicity to larger quantities of virus. Probably the most severe outbreak was in Denmark, which has shut down mink farming till at the very least 2022 due to mutations to the virus that occurred in contaminated mink. Late final fall, Denmark ordered the slaughter of as much as 17 million of the animals. Many of the lifeless mink weren’t allowed to be skinned for the fur commerce. In common years, the nation sells as much as 17 million pelts, however final yr’s resolution killed its breeding inventory as effectively, and there are fears that the trade is not going to get better. In the US, against this, about 275 largely small mink farms produce about three million pelts yearly, in accordance with an trade group, Fur Fee U.S.A. 1000’s of U.S. minks have been contaminated and have died, however states have handled the issue, quarantining some farms. The Agriculture Division has not turn out to be concerned, and there have been no orders to kill mink populations, as in Denmark. Nonetheless, the mink infections in the US do pose a menace to public well being. At the least two minks which have escaped from the farms have examined optimistic. And one wild mink examined optimistic. Scientists fear that if the virus spreads to extra wild mink or to different animals, it might turn out to be established in pure populations and type a reservoir from which it might emerge, maybe in mutated type, to reinfect people at one other time. To this point the mutations noticed in Danish mink haven’t turned out to be an issue. However mutations within the virus in contaminated people have produced at the very least two variants which might be extra infectious. Permitting a second species, mink, to function one other breeding floor for the virus provides to the probabilities of mutation in addition to of escape into different animals. Consequently, a mink vaccine might have worth past the trade. And though the Agriculture Division is just not now contemplating any functions for vaccines for cats and canine, that may be a risk that the businesses are contemplating. Covid-19 Vaccines › Solutions to Your Vaccine Questions If I stay within the U.S., when can I get the vaccine? Whereas the precise order of vaccine recipients might fluctuate by state, most will seemingly put medical staff and residents of long-term care amenities first. If you wish to perceive how this resolution is getting made, this text will assist. When can I return to regular life after being vaccinated? Life will return to regular solely when society as an entire good points sufficient safety in opposition to the coronavirus. As soon as international locations authorize a vaccine, they’ll solely be capable of vaccinate a number of % of their residents at most within the first couple months. The unvaccinated majority will nonetheless stay weak to getting contaminated. A rising variety of coronavirus vaccines are displaying strong safety in opposition to turning into sick. But it surely’s additionally doable for individuals to unfold the virus with out even understanding they’re contaminated as a result of they expertise solely delicate signs or none in any respect. Scientists don’t but know if the vaccines additionally block the transmission of the coronavirus. So in the interim, even vaccinated individuals might want to put on masks, keep away from indoor crowds, and so forth. As soon as sufficient individuals get vaccinated, it would turn out to be very troublesome for the coronavirus to search out weak individuals to contaminate. Relying on how shortly we as a society obtain that purpose, life would possibly begin approaching one thing like regular by the autumn 2021. If I’ve been vaccinated, do I nonetheless have to put on a masks? Sure, however not endlessly. The 2 vaccines that may probably get approved this month clearly defend individuals from getting sick with Covid-19. However the medical trials that delivered these outcomes weren’t designed to find out whether or not vaccinated individuals might nonetheless unfold the coronavirus with out creating signs. That is still a risk. We all know that people who find themselves naturally contaminated by the coronavirus can unfold it whereas they’re not experiencing any cough or different signs. Researchers can be intensely finding out this query because the vaccines roll out. Within the meantime, even vaccinated individuals might want to consider themselves as doable spreaders. Will it harm? What are the unwanted effects? The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is delivered as a shot within the arm, like different typical vaccines. The injection received’t be any completely different from ones you’ve gotten earlier than. Tens of hundreds of individuals have already acquired the vaccines, and none of them have reported any severe well being issues. However a few of them have felt short-lived discomfort, together with aches and flu-like signs that sometimes final a day. It’s doable that individuals might have to plan to take a time off work or faculty after the second shot. Whereas these experiences aren’t nice, they’re an excellent signal: they’re the results of your personal immune system encountering the vaccine and mounting a potent response that may present long-lasting immunity. Will mRNA vaccines change my genes? No. The vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer use a genetic molecule to prime the immune system. That molecule, often known as mRNA, is ultimately destroyed by the physique. The mRNA is packaged in an oily bubble that may fuse to a cell, permitting the molecule to slide in. The cell makes use of the mRNA to make proteins from the coronavirus, which might stimulate the immune system. At any second, every of our cells might comprise tons of of hundreds of mRNA molecules, which they produce so as to make proteins of their very own. As soon as these proteins are made, our cells then shred the mRNA with particular enzymes. The mRNA molecules our cells make can solely survive a matter of minutes. The mRNA in vaccines is engineered to face up to the cell’s enzymes a bit longer, in order that the cells could make further virus proteins and immediate a stronger immune response. However the mRNA can solely final for a number of days at most earlier than they’re destroyed. Zoetis produces many livestock and canine and cat vaccines. For pets, it makes vaccines for canine infectious respiratory illness, feline leukemia virus and others. The corporate started its work on an animal vaccine in February initially of the pandemic. “After we noticed the primary case of a canine getting contaminated in Hong Kong, we instantly put into motion our regular procedures for creating an rising infectious illness vaccine,” mentioned Mahesh Kumar, senior vice chairman of worldwide biologics for Zoetis. “We determined to organize a vaccine for canine and cats.” As soon as the information of mink infections broke, nevertheless, the corporate approached the U.S. Agriculture Division and acquired permission to check the vaccine in minks. Prior to now, the trail from testing to licensing for different vaccines took a number of months. Dr. Kumar identified that veterinary coronavirus vaccines are widespread, similar to these for avian infectious bronchitis. The illness was first recognized within the Thirties, and a lot of firms make vaccines. Medgene, a small firm in its early levels, started engaged on a know-how for coronavirus vaccines for animals in response to a devastating illness that struck pigs in China in 2013, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. Mark Luecke, the corporate’s chief government, mentioned that as quickly as information of the pandemic had damaged final yr, and the coronavirus was recognized and its genetic sequence described, a group “instantly began engaged on a vaccine that might be appropriate for animals.” As a result of the corporate didn’t know which animals can be prone, it started, as human vaccine builders often do, testing it in mice. When it turned out mink had been significantly prone, the corporate contacted individuals within the mink trade and began testing the virus. Mr. Luecke mentioned it needs to be possible to supply it this spring, pending licensing. Outdoors the US, different researchers are additionally engaged on mink vaccines. Researchers in Russia and Finland are pursuing animal vaccines that may very well be used for mink and different animals. Supply hyperlink #coronavirus #kills #Mink #Vaccine

[pipbabi]

sport necklaces

However baseball jewelry, at this time it's normally the spies and celebrities who are carrying hats as a result of they do not wish to be acknowledged by anybody. Moreover you can require the manufacturing facility to customise distinctive type hats that you want. The double link adds energy and style. You do not have to be a pro to dress like one. Whereas no one will possible be utilizing them to make new customized jewellery, these gems are unique and have fascinating histories. A method a man can look his finest is by wearing cufflinks. It is a unique approach for men to accessorize with out the heaviness of jewelry that can get in the way or is uncomfortable. A basic men's diamond tennis bracelet is an effective way to add an elegant, but masculine shine to any look. From the office to the golf course to a evening out on the city, this statement piece can add a complicated, trend ahead accent. It is a protracted standing tradition in lots of households to add a jewelry and accessories used in baseball charm to a bracelet over time as a vacation or birthday gift.

You also get to see those photographs every time you placed on the jewellery. Probably the most thrilling truth about vogue jewellery is that it at all times keeps changing. However let's remind you that even a small ring you put on comes into the category of the jewellery. In fact, possibly a quick dialog about these New York Yankees, Oakland Raiders and even somewhat bit of Alabama Crimson in your wrists will lead to a more in depth dialog which might inevitably lead to enterprise deals. Like a Baseball Mother bangle bracelet worn by the complete team will encourage them to do higher, show cooperation and even embolden the staff members to play properly. There's the play and costume jewellery. Diamond jewelry is special in that it conveys feelings with out saying words. The head secures the diamond. Like may be a pitcher player allowed to wear a males's wedding ring in the on the mound?

You'll be able to order customized golf balls, cookies made to look like footballs, baseballs, or soccer balls, or any number of different sports activities or workforce oriented gifts. The team spirit and cooperation might be increased by designing the same jewelry item for the team. Jewelry market veterans in China say cadmium has been utilised in domestic objects there for years. Take a quick take a look at different types of Pet Cremation Urns and other memorials available in the market. Worker Recognition Awards - Staff take great pride in sporting lapel pins that show their achievements, and they'll treasure employee recognition awards that they can regularly show to others. Want to take a wild guess at what keyphrase theyre concentrating on? Sometimes a ring or necklace can have a special, private which means as a result of it was a reward. For the fan that enjoys the body piercing pattern a pink or blue Biobplasts Blazing Baseball Stomach Ring will do the trick.

The inexpensiveness of some fashionable rhinestones has allowed them to be utilized in each sort of software, from dog collars to baseball caps. A few of essentially the most unique enjoyable baseball products are baseball slippers for girls offered on amazon, baseball purses and totes or baseball cuff hyperlink, cash clip, and tie tack for men. At the most fundamental, you won't go mistaken with knee-size or longer skirts for ladies and fits or dress shirts and pants for men. Second, tucking shirts in and sporting belts are okay for the holidays, but they certain aren't the cool hip look we are going for. The place the place you will is n figuring out factor for the equipment. This implies earrings; bracelets, rings and necklaces are all no-no's. Moms and boys proceed to complain that COOL boys clothes are non-existent. These are some great wedding ceremony concepts for sports lovers. Maybe you might be all for sports cufflinks that showcase your hobbies.

This French hybrid grape produces a dry pink wine that's daring, wealthy, and full bodied. For white wine followers, attempt the LaCrosse, a semi candy gem with aromas of melon and pear. Other scorching picks embody a diamond bracelet or perhaps a diamond and sapphire coronary heart locket. Some of the simple, but classic, items of jewelry is a high quality bracelet. There is the cheaper choice of fashion jewelry. Wholesale fashion jewellery is the idea assigned to organizations that manufacture type jewellery. A typical false impression is that style jewelry is too pretend wanting. Vogue jewellery comes in all different types. A photo of a bit of woman at her first dance recital or a bit boy in his first baseball sport placed on photograph jewelry could make fantastic keepsake gift. The standard of Gold present great pliability together with ductility as effectively because the man views and his awesome skill to generate fantastic along with sophisticated patterns provides full Gold Jewelry the infatuation associated with loveliness. From a 3-stone ring that sparkles with the past, current and future, or a basic eternity ring, diamonds are a hands-down sentimental favorite. There are a number of seems that ought to be pulled together in 2006. If you are going for a glance, go all the best way and baseball jewelry.

For the sports activities fan in you, there may be a wide collection of sports cufflinks available together with a large number of sports activities team cufflinks. Individuals do not notice that in the event that they can not afford the true deal, there are extra options. Mouth - choose a cute pair of lips, smile, giggle, frown or perhaps a tongue sticking out plus more. Gifts for Collectors Almost any object might be collected: baseball playing cards, spoons, vintage brooches, or even vintage blenders. The Boston Purple Sox is probably probably the most famous baseball staff to affiliate with Phiten titanium necklaces. Do you love your group nearly as a lot because the individual you intend to marry? If you're a baseball fan or even a football fan, you possibly can rotate your workforce all through the seasons so you are always on prime of the sport. Boys' clothes are getting cooler and cooler the entire time. This is nice for people who are up in age who've points such as osteoporosis, arthritis, or something that has induced their legs to develop into weakened. Nevertheless, lots of people say it has really helped them; they even talked about they had been also skeptical to begin with.

Or is the deck stacked towards her and she'll lose some huge cash? It is obvious that less cash is needed for a flea market than for a retail retailer, however what's not so apparent? In different words, give attention to how a lot cash you've got already made on that order that came in, quite than specializing in the objects which are left over and haven't bought. Moreover giving the video games their structure, rules are meant to offer all individuals a (supposedly) even playing area. These seats embody a button that permits the seated person to rise up with ease, whenever they are prepared. Are you able to simply get to various spots to buy? Get a second opinion. Males additionally hit a home run with the lady of their lives by marking a major (or not so significant) anniversary with the diamond anniversary ring. I think this may very well be an excellent present for a special occasion corresponding to graduation or wedding or an anniversary.

I made a necklace with a favorite picture of a sunset here. Add earrings and a necklace to complete your look. When utilizing the search phrases, you also needs to add your metropolis or town title to the search in order to uncover sources close to you. Sure, you can find replica Sequence bands alongside collectively utilizing organized stones and also diamonds, nevertheless these would be the exception, not the particular rule. Diamonds dazzle like nothing else can. Dazzle her with a diamond. These collars additionally comprise some type of identification on them, very like we use on our canine tags right this moment. Such an attractive paradise that is sort of a slice of Heaven on Earth. Even if you happen to don’t have expertise at all, it is going to just take a couple weeks of messing round with programs as Photoshop and Illustrator. Nevertheless, in today’s world the place mummification is just not doable, pet homeowners still have the choice to honor their furry pals with the help of pet memorials.

When i lived at dwelling, I at all times tried to help make modifications for the higher, reasonably than simply letting bad politics decide for me. These truly show off the interests of any sharp dressed man all whereas catering to his inner sports activities lover. If you happen to ask a man what he actually needs, he's prone to say a brand new car, some sports gear or brand new tools. Missing baseball jewelry, which often shelving up wards repeated flyer a good distance in arms and, joints, fingers, legs and, as well as earlobes. Many rabid baseball lovers placed on extra the typical investing credit score cost taking part in greeting handmade homemade business notes, signed items, banners and ads, paint footplate, as well as bubblehead dolls. The first Pizza Hut opened in 1958, which is about 500 years closer. It all the time has a contemporary just cleaned seemed that appears to fade quickly with yellow gold. Judy is contemplating promoting earrings on the native swapmeet with baseball jewelry.

[lovequotescom]

A Credit Profile identifies a credit rating file, which will be comprised of different customer credit rating agencies.

A Credit Profile identifies a credit rating file, which will be comprised of different customer credit rating agencies.

It really is a photo of the manner in which you reimbursed the firms you’ve got lent funds from, or the method that you have actually met other obligations that are financial. You will find five types of all about a credit profile:

Distinguishing Information

Work Information

Credit Information

Public Record Information

Inquiries

Never included in your credit profile is competition, faith, wellness, record, criminal background, governmental choice, or income.

When you yourself have had credit issues, expect you’ll talk about them truthfully by having a mortgage expert that will direct you towards composing your “Letter of Explanation. ” Knowledgeable home loan experts know there could be genuine known reasons for credit issues, such as for instance jobless, infection, or any other difficulties that are financial. In the event that you had issues that have already been corrected (reestablishment of credit), along with your re payments have now been on time for the or more, your credit may be considered satisfactory year.

The mortgage industry has a tendency to produce its very own language, and credit rating isn’t any different. BC home loan financing gets its title through the grading of your respective credit according to specific things like re re re payment history, level of financial obligation re re re payments, bankruptcies, equity place, credit ratings, etc. Credit scoring is really a method that is statistical of the credit danger of a home loan application. The rating talks about the next things: past delinquencies, derogatory payment behavior, present financial obligation amounts, duration of credit rating, forms of credit and wide range of inquires.

Right now, a lot of people be aware of credit scoring. The essential typical rating (now the most frequent terminology for credit scoring) is known as the FICO rating. This score originated by Fair, Isaac & business, Inc. When it comes to three main credit agencies; Equifax (Beacon), Experian (formerly TRW), and Empirica (TransUnion).

FICO ratings are merely repository ratings meaning they JUST think about the information found in an individual’s credit report. They cannot start thinking about a man or woman’s earnings, cost cost savings or advance payment amount. Fico scores are based on five facets: 35% associated with the rating will be based upon re payment history, 30% regarding the balance due, 15% as to how long you have experienced credit, 10% per cent on brand brand new credit being desired, and 10% in the forms of credit you’ve got. The ratings are helpful in directing applications to loan that is specific also to set quantities of underwriting such as for example Streamline, Traditional or Second Review. Nonetheless, they may not be the word that is final the kind of system you are going to be eligible for a or your rate of interest.

Many individuals when you look at the home loan company are skeptical concerning the accuracy of FICO ratings. Scoring has just been a part that is integral of mortgage procedure for the previous several years (since 1999); nonetheless, the FICO ratings have now been utilized considering that the belated 1950’s by retail merchants, credit card companies, insurance firms and banking institutions for customer financing. The information from big scoring tasks, such as for example big home loan portfolios, display their predictive quality and that the scores do work.

The items that are following a number of the methods that one can enhance your credit score:

Spend your bills on time.

Keep Balances low on charge cards.

Restrict your credit records as to the you actually need. Records which are no more needed ought to be formally terminated since zero stability reports can count against you still.

Make sure that your credit file info is accurate.

Be conservative in trying to get credit while making certain that your credit is just checked when needed.

A debtor with a rating of 680 and above is considered A a+ debtor. That loan using this rating will likely be the subject of an “automated basic computerized underwriting” system and start to become finished in a few minutes. Borrowers in this category be eligible for the lowest rates of interest and their loan can shut in a few days.

A rating below 680 but above 620 may suggest underwriters will need a better appearance in determining possible risk. Supplemental paperwork may be needed before last approval. Borrowers with this specific credit rating may nevertheless get “A” prices, however the loan can take a few days much much much longer to shut.

Borrowers with credit ratings below 620 aren’t ordinarily locked in to the rate that is best and terms offered. This loan kind often would go to “sub-prime” loan providers. The mortgage stipulations are less attractive by using these loan kinds and much more time is required to get the debtor the most effective prices.

Everything being equal, if you have derogatory credit, every one of the other components of the mortgage have to be to be able. Equity, security, earnings, paperwork, assets, etc. Play a more substantial part when you look at the approval choice. Different combinations are permitted whenever determining your grade, however the worst-case situation will push your grade to a reduced credit grade. Belated home loan repayments and Bankruptcies/Foreclosures will be the vital. Credit patterns, such as for example a number that is high of inquiries or higher than a couple of outstanding loans, may signal a challenge. Since a sign of the “willingness to pay for” is essential, a few late re payments into the same time frame is a lot better than random lates.

An assessment of property could be the valuation for the legal rights of ownership. The appraiser must define the legal rights to be appraised. The appraiser doesn’t produce value, the appraiser interprets the marketplace to arrive at a value estimate. While the appraiser compiles information pertinent to a written report, consideration needs to be provided to your website and amenities plus the condition that is physical of home. Considerable research and number of information must certanly be completed before the appraiser coming to an opinion that is final of.

Utilizing three typical approaches, that are all produced by the marketplace, derives the opinion, or estimate of value. The very first method of value could be the PRICE APPROACH. This process derives just exactly what it might price to restore the current improvements at the time of the date for the assessment, less any physical deterioration, practical obsolescence, and economic obsolescence. The 2nd technique is the COMPARISON APPROACH, which utilizes other “bench mark” properties (comps) of comparable size, quality and location which have recently offered to ascertain value. The MONEY APPROACH can be used into the assessment of leasing properties and contains use that is little the valuation of solitary family members dwellings. This process provides a target estimate of exactly what a prudent investor would spend on the basis of the net gain the home creates.

When the processor has come up with a complete package with all verifications and documents, the file is delivered to the lending company. The underwriter is in charge of determining if the package is regarded as a loan that is acceptable. If more details is required, the mortgage is placed into “suspense” together with debtor is contacted to produce more info and/or paperwork. In the event that loan is appropriate as submitted, the mortgage is put in an “approved” status.

The Closing Disclosure is a five-page kind that provides final facts about the home loan you have got chosen. It offers the mortgage terms, your projected monthly premiums, and exactly how much you may spend in costs as well as other expenses to get your home loan (closing expenses).

We have been needed for legal reasons to offer the Closing Disclosure at the very least three company times before you close in your home mortgage. This window that is three-day you time and energy to compare your last terms and expenses to those calculated into the Loan Estimate which you previously received from us. The 3 times additionally provides you with time and energy to ask us any relevant concerns prior to going towards the closing dining dining dining table.

When the loan is authorized, the file is used in the funding and closing department. The money division notifies the broker and attorney that is closing of approval and verifies broker and closing fees. The closing lawyer then schedules time for the debtor to signal the mortgage paperwork.

During the shutting the debtor should:

Bring a cashiers look for your advance payment and closing costs if needed. Personal checks are usually maybe perhaps not accepted and they will delay the closing until the check clears your bank if they are.

Review the last loan papers. Ensure that the interest price and loan terms https://speedyloan.net/reviews/cash-america are that which you agreed upon. Also, verify that the names and target in the loan papers are accurate.

Indication the loan papers.

Bring recognition and proof of insurance coverage.

The documents to the lender who examines them and, if everything is in order, arranges for the funding of the loan after the documents are signed, the closing attorney returns. After the loan has funded, the closing lawyer organizes for the home loan deed and note of trust to be recorded during the county recorders workplace.

An average “A” home loan transaction takes between 14-21 company times to perform. This process speeds up greatly with new automated underwriting. Contact one of our experienced Loan Officers to discuss your particular mortgage needs or Apply Online and a Loan Officer will promptly get back to you today.

L’article A Credit Profile identifies a credit rating file, which will be comprised of different customer credit rating agencies. est apparu en premier sur The Love Quotes | Looking for Love Quotes ? Top rated Quotes Magazine & repository, we provide you with top quotes from around the world.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3g03nDx via IFTTT

[petsupplyandmore]

10 Finest Canine Meals Reviewed 2019

They are saying that having pets can deliver a function to life.

For those who personal a canine for a pet, you’ll most undoubtedly discover out that that is true.

In spite of everything, the effort and time spent alone in coaching a pup to potty prepare and to get common bodily exercise can provide each you and your canine so many shared moments. You acquire endurance and self-discipline from each interplay with them. All these along with a enjoyable and playful companionship 24/7.

That is most likely why you and lots of different canine homeowners would swear by frequent notion that canines actually are man’s greatest good friend. While you worth your pet this a lot, it could comply with that you just present all the pieces that you just probably can to maintain your canine as wholesome and completely happy as attainable.

Clearly, you’ll meticulously select the creme of the crop so you possibly can present your pooch with the very best every day necessities. You scan the aisles for the simplest canine shampoo, keen to guard these lengthy and thick coats. Then you definately analysis about different canine homeowners’ suggestions concerning the fluffiest beddings in hopes of giving your pet the very best evening’s sleep. You may even personally take a look at essentially the most snug and trendy leather-based collars to your canine so you possibly can go for lengthy walks with out inflicting any pressure to your four-legged furry good friend.

After all, on the subject of your pet’s meals and general vitamin, you’ll all the time try to deliver residence those with the very best requirements. On essentially the most primary stage, you need your canine to have entry to crucial and required vitamins similar to protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Then, in fact, there are further and useful elements similar to fiber, nutritional vitamins, minerals, and even probiotics.

Nonetheless, is selecting the best pet food as simple as pulling them out of the cabinets and putting them in your grocery carts?

Whereas it is a perfect state of affairs, with so many pet food decisions available in the market, generally, it’s hardly the case. Most of the time, it seems to be a posh and overwhelming course of. You end up asking the place do you precisely start, how a lot do you have to purchase, and do you have to go for model A or model B.

So as to add to your checklist, there are a number of kinds of pet food, they usually differ primarily based on totally different standards. Logically, puppies want totally different meals than their grownup counterparts; then, there are pet food sorts which can be categorized in accordance with how the substances are ready. That is the place you’ll hear phrases like dry meals, moist meals, freeze-dried, dehydrated, and the like. One other pet food classification relies on canine breed wants. Right here, you think about the constructed and breed dimension, as some require extra nutrient and caloric wants than others. Small, medium, giant, and large breeds, for instance, might have the identical base dietary want, however they differ in different meal necessities. Alternatively, there are additionally pet food sorts primarily based on particular diets. Grain-free, gluten-free, GMO-free, are among the many pet food labels you will notice in case you are scanning the aisles for these.

With all these sorts and standards to contemplate, how then are you able to select the correct pet food?

Usually talking, you can begin by checking if the pet food you want to purchase passes the AAFCO pointers and requirements. Then you definately take a look at the substances checklist and resolve on its content material.

For those who want extra assist on this division, nevertheless, right here’s a roundup checklist plus overview of 2019’s10 greatest canine meals available in the market:

1. NomNomNow Canine Meals

A premium selection to your pup or grownup pooch, NomNomNow options canine meals which have been specifically formulated to satisfy your pet canine’s every day wants. Custom-made by no aside from their in home veterinarian and chief vitamin officer, these canine meals are created particularly to match your canine’s profile. The canine meals are freshly-prepared which implies there isn’t any freezing nor preservatives concerned. The very best a part of that is that the canine meals are delivered to the doorstep every day. As a result of the recent substances are prime notch and top quality, you may, nevertheless, be paying greater than you’ll usually spend on the packed or canned grocery canine offers.

2. Strong Gold Wolf King Bison & Brown Rice Recipe

On your grownup canine companion, Strong Gold has a dry meals kind that is available in a mix that’s good for these of the medium and even the bigger breeds. Thought-about as one of many first holistic pet meals, their product line up brings you canine meals that comprise superfoods. Every meal is protein-packed in addition to full of nutritious substances like broccoli, almond oil, and lentil. Plus, their meals are devoid of canine allergen-causing substances similar to corn, wheat, and soy.

three. Farmina N&D grain-free pet food

A extremely advisable product line particularly for small and medium breed puppies, Farmina N&D pet food, gives kibbles to your little pups. Their substances are 70% animal protein (which is principally deboned rooster) and 30% (greens). Every kibble is grain-free and with a low-glycemic formulation ensuring your canine doesn’t get a blood sugar spike in every meal. You’ll even discover pure omega fatty acids and antioxidant-rich berries and pomegranate within the substances checklist, fortifying your pup’s every day dietary consumption.

four. Intuition by Nature’s Selection Uncooked Increase

On your giant breed pups, then again, Intuition by Nature’s Selection Uncooked Increase serves a naturally nutritious and flavorful blended pet food selection. This model options excessive protein kibbles mixed with freeze-dried uncooked meat bites to your rising pet canine’s wants. Made with the best substances, this pet food treats your pet to a balanced mixture of poultry, fish, and meat, with out synthetic colours and preservatives.

5. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Wild Sport Method Dry Canine Meals

A mixture of veggies (broccoli, kale, and spinach) and a wild sport protein supply (duck, wild boar, rabbit), this distinctive dry meals formulation offers your canine with balanced vitamin sourced from all-natural substances. Their merchandise are created from premium substances, with no synthetic flavors, preservatives or allergens (wheat, corn, soy, meat by-product).

6. Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Canine Meals

Among the many greatest natural canine meals, Castor and Pollux Organix goals to ship enhanced vitamin to your furry greatest good friend by means of secure substances. For instance, they use not simply common rooster substances, however those who come from natural and free-range varieties. Add to that checklist some natural flaxseed, berries, and coconut oil, and your pooch will get an distinctive meal filled with vitamins, nutritional vitamins, and minerals.

7. Merrick Restricted Ingredient Weight loss plan Salmon and Chickpeas

For those who want a restricted ingredient formulation that may cater to your pet’s meals sensitivities, then Merrick’s Restricted Ingredient meal selection is your greatest wager. Readily-available over-the-counter, this pet food has above-average protein content material single-sourced from animal protein (deboned salmon). Apart from being poultry-free, its substances are additionally gluten- and grain-free and don’t comprise synthetic flavors, colours, or preservatives.

eight. Style of the Wild Excessive Prairie Grain-Free Dry Canine Meals

Delivering optimum canine vitamin by means of quite a lot of lean meats (together with buffalo and bison), Style of the Wild brings you among the best dry canine meals available in the market at present. With every meal, your trustworthy pooch absolutely will get full vitamin coupled with highly-digestible substances. Plus, your pawsome pet additionally will get prebiotic help and higher intestine well being by means of its proprietary K9 pressure probiotic mix.

9. The Trustworthy Kitchen Dehydrated Canine Meals

Delivering high quality vitamin by means of readily-available pet food, The Trustworthy Kitchen serves quite a lot of grain-free recipes with vitamins preserved all through the dehydration course of. If you wish to present premium substances to your four-legged good friend The Trustworthy Kitchen has canine meals created from free-range rooster, candy potatoes, and even inexperienced beans. All it’s a must to do is rehydrate this pet food with water or rooster broth, and your canine will profit from a meal made out of 100% human-grade substances.

10. Entire Earth Farms Canned Canine Meals

One other top-rated pet food this time from the canned and moist selection, Entire Earth Farms options grain-free and pate-textured pet food good to your grownup pooch. Made with high-quality protein, this pet food has rooster on its main ingredient checklist in addition to different nutritious add-ons like blueberry, rosemary, sage, and thyme. It has no corn, no wheat, no soy, however has the goodness of a nutritionally-balanced and flavorful meal that your furry pal will certainly get pleasure from.

Selecting the best pet food is crucial in your pet’s progress and improvement. Apart from finances concerns, you must all the time be aware of the dietary worth that every ready meal can provide to your furry companion. Understanding which of them fulfill the dietary and caloric wants primarily based on breed, dimension, and different particular necessities, in addition to figuring out which of them present further vitamins, is essential in your decision-making as a accountable pet proprietor. Thankfully, there’s all kinds of merchandise and sources accessible available in the market, prepared to your use and consumption. It doesn’t matter what model and type of pet food you select, all the time keep in mind that you’re investing in every meal to your canine’s lifetime vitamin.

Writer Bio: Initially from the U.S., Rana Tarakji is the founding father of One search engine optimisation -, creator of Off-site search engine optimisation information: A Palms-On search engine optimisation Tutorial For Rookies & Dummies, and an internet content material specialist who now lives in Beirut, Lebanon. Rana’s work has appeared in a variety of publications in print and on-line, together with Life Hacker, Upwork, Christian At the moment, Newswire, and lots of different retailers.

She’s additionally a preferred speaker in universities and startup occasions, similar to Startup Turkey, and the American College of Beirut. Rana is without doubt one of the pioneers of the search engine optimisation and the digital advertising trade.

  from Pet Supply and More http://petsupplyandmore.com/index.php/2019/03/28/10-finest-canine-meals-reviewed-2019/

[calacadraws-blog]

Master every little thing about splendor to work within the profitable society of fashion

A simple black blazer is actually a wonderful addition to any wardrobe. You can use it to dress up virtually any outfit. Then, it is possible to clear away it in case you alteration into a even more informal location. The colour will likely match nearly anything within your closet, from denims to company casual blouses and slacks.

Spend many your vogue funds for the basics. Spend money on pieces that get the job done properly with each other and will hardly ever go out of fashion. A elementary black pencil skirt is often worn for most several years and be updated each and every yr with a best or jacket that goes combined with the fashion in the day.

For people with rather dry skin, you may need to utilize moisturizer previously making use of your preferred scented products and services. Carrying out this may enable the cologne or perfume stay for a longer period with your whole body. It is going to function top if you happen to use an unscented moisturizer, hence the smells you shouldn't contend or produce a brand new, sudden scent.

Copy the seek out a lot less. In the event you see a glance you like inside of a high-end fashion journal or place your preferred celeb sporting a look to die for, do not quickly suppose that it's away from your spending plan. You're able to frequently construct a truly very similar look for a complete lot considerably less in case you are ready to store close to. 

If you're put to use to dressing down however , you wish to spruce up your fashion, consider obtaining some sparkly accessories. These can make your outfit appearance brighter and you simply will never will have to alteration your total fashion. You can also make a plain outfit healthy for almost any occasion by altering the design of accessories.

Choose objects so as to add with your wardrobe which make sense in your life-style. In the event you spend a lot of your time in jeans, then decide to buy the most effective hunting and best-fitting  denims that you can manage. The cash you expend on an product for your personal wardrobe that you use on a regular basis is often an outstanding expense.

When finding a gown, pick out just one that has a vertical (quite than horizontal) sample. This helps make you appear lengthier alternatively than broader, giving the illusion that you will be slimmer than you truly are. Also, search out a chunk which includes an empire waistline, since it makes it appear to be there is a scaled-down waistline.

Need to know how we can allow? You should go to us como fazer barba desenhada e corte de cabelo masculino 

Examine style magazines at the least once per month.  If you desire to remain up to date on exactly what is incredibly hot and what's not you must do your research.  Trend journals will hold you informed by way of every year and as traits build up.  If you happen to feel that you ate even now lacking out there are tv reveals dedicated to manner likewise.

For everybody who is starting to go grey, strive employing a vegetable dye. Assuming that it happens to be just a couple strands that happen to be inducing fear, this product should really do the trick. It turns the gray a shade that may be a tad lighter as opposed to relaxation of your hair. Using vegetable dye will make it search as if you will have great, new highlights and will then fade out around about a few months.

In the present home business planet, it really is crucial that adult males be nicely dressed. Hence, its essential to store for leading drawer outfits when shopping for garments on your next interview. To start your quest, glance through present day enterprise magazines to be certain your wardrobe matches the top executives. Try to look for even if gentlemen are putting on cuffed pants or hemmed pants, ties with versions or good ties in the process as which kind of shoe is presently in model.

A superb fashion suggestion would be to decide on your clothes for your day dependant upon colour.  You don't want to action exterior together with your shirt and shorts clashing as a result of they're complimentary hues.  Experiment with unique colour combinations and see which shades you prefer and which shade combos you do not like so much.

Really do not use sponges to use your liquid and cream based mostly foundations and blushes. You'll get rid of service on the sponge whenever you are doing. Likewise, the sponge develops into a breeding floor for germs. Instead, use clear fingertips for software, switching fingers or cleansing them involving numerous solutions or hues.

You could costume up jeans by pairing them along with a shirt that's a lot more dressy in addition to a pair of heels, but that is only acceptable for those who organize on putting on black jeans. Coloured denims are just a decent idea if you're likely for the glimpse that could be a great deal more informal. 

Clumps of make-up aren't a beautiful look for feminine. In fact, current polls taken by men see that the less makeups, the higher. This doesn't signify that you have to stop make-up entirely; make an effort to use warm tones and placed on just one layer of mascara and eyeliner.

Skinny jeans are what exactly is in fashion now. These types of jeans are cosy all-around all places of one's whole body, from you midsection and rear conclusion, each of the way right down to your ankles. The perfect component of these denims is they look good with quite substantially any pair of shoes!

A very good fashion suggestion should be to realize the right way to produce your very own feeling of style.  You do not need to just mimic someone else and duplicate their design and style.  Consider of what's necessary for you this sort of as consolation or aptitude, and then bit by bit put together on that to ensure your manner feeling is unique for you.

If you ever notice your nail polish is starting to become too thick, never despair. Check out introducing a number of drops of acetone dependent polish remover in to the bottle. Shake, and take a look at the consistency. Keep going to try and do this until eventually its useable yet again. You may extend the use of your polish, and help save cash within the method.

Establish your wardrobe about standard staples that you simply can combine and match effortlessly. Some crucial items comprise somewhat black gown, a equipped jacket and matching skirt, a tailor-made set of slacks in a very neutral shade in addition to a pair of dim, fitted trouser denims. These items can take your almost just about anywhere paired when using the best suited prime and/or accessories.

Pay a visit to our tackle to you can ask your problems  curso de unha em gel online 

[saltysuittaco-blog]

There are not any secrets and techniques in client electronics anymore. Sometimes it’s the fault of flubs and flaws and leakers. Sometimes it’s through design. In the case of the Galaxy Note 9, it’s just a little little bit of each.

The Galaxy S9 wasn’t the blockbuster Samsung’s shareholders have been anticipating, so the corporate understandably primed the pump thru a mix of teasers and leaks — some for sure unintended and others that gave the impression suspiciously much less so.

By the time the previous day’s giant tournament at Brooklyn’s space that Jay-Z constructed rolled round, we knew almost about all the things we had to know in regards to the upcoming handset, and nearly each leaked spec proved correct. Sure, the corporate amazingly controlled to thru in a marvel or two, however the tournament was once all in regards to the Note.

And understandably so. The phablet, together with the Galaxy S line, bureaucracy the cornerstone of Samsung’s whole client way. It’s a portfolio that expands with each and every tournament, to incorporate wearables, productiveness, the good house, automobile, a wise assistant and now the long-awaited good speaker. None of which might make a lick of sense with out the handsets.

If the Galaxy S is Samsung’s tentpole software, the Note represents what the corporate has deemed its “innovation brand,” the uber-premium software that permits the corporate to push the bounds of its cell . In previous generations, that’s intended the Edge show (curving display), S-Pen, massive display and dual-camera. That innovation, naturally, comes at a worth.

Here it’s $1,000. It’s a worth that, till a 12 months in the past gave the impression impossibly steep for a smartphone. For the Galaxy Note 9, however, that’s simply the place issues get started. Any hopes that the brand new type may constitute a transfer towards the mainstream for the road within the wake of an underwhelming S9 efficiency can also be put to leisure right here.

The Note is what it’s all the time been and can most probably all the time proceed to be: a tool for the diehard. An excellent software, thoughts, however one for the ones with an arm and or a leg to spare. Most of the nice new options will trickle their manner down the meals chain to the corporate’s extra mainstream software. At $720/$840, the S9 isn’t the cheap telephone through any stretch of the creativeness, however on the very least, protecting it to a few digits turns out just a little extra palatable.

A just right rule of thumb for a review is incorporating the product into one’s personal existence up to conceivable. It’s an attractive simple ask with a tool just like the Note 9, which has the benefit of nice and device design constructed upon the learnings and missteps of a number of generations.

It’s nonetheless no longer absolute best whatsoever, and the corporate’s everything-and-the-kitchen-sink technique to the road way there are many options that by no means actually made their would possibly into my regimen. And whilst, because the in large part unchanged product design suggests — the Note 9 doesn’t constitute a vastly vital milestone within the product line — there are sufficient tweaks during the product to deal with its position towards the highest of the Android heap.

All charged up

Let’s deal with the gorilla within the room right here. Two years in the past, Galaxy Notes began exploding. Samsung recalled the gadgets, began promoting them, extra exploded they usually recalled them once more, in the end discontinuing the product.

Samsung apologized profusely and agreed to institute extra rigorous protection tests. For the following couple of gadgets, the corporate didn’t rock the boat. Battery sizes on Galaxy merchandise stayed most commonly the similar. It was once a mix of pragmatism and optics. The corporate wanted time to be sure that long term merchandise wouldn’t undergo the similar destiny, whilst demonstrating to the general public and shareholders that it was once doing due diligence.

“What we want to do is a tempered approach to innovation any time,” Samsung’s director of Product Strategy and Marketing instructed me forward of release, “so this was the right time to increase the battery to meet consumer needs.”

Given Samsung’s huge trade as an element producer, the entire fiasco in the end didn’t dent the base line. In reality, in a atypical manner, it could in the end be a internet certain. Now it could boast about having one of the rigorous battery trying out processes within the trade. Now it’s a characteristic, no longer a computer virus.

At Four,000mAh, the Note 9 includes a 700mAh build up above its predecessor. It’s no longer an exceptional quantity — Huawei’s already hit the Four,000 mark — however it’s the most important ever on a Note software, placing the handset within the best percentile.

As a long way as how that if truth be told interprets to real-world utilization, Samsung’s no longer giving a host but. The corporate merely says “all day and all night” in its liberate. I discovered that to be lovely with regards to the reality. I unplugged the handset at 100 % the previous day afternoon. I texted, listened to Spotify, took footage, downloaded and simply usually tried to reside my existence at the rattling factor.

Just beneath 22 hours later, it passed on to the great beyond and after a lot notification-based consternation a couple of seriously low battery, the display went black. Like I stated, it’s no longer loopy battery existence, however going maximum of a complete day and evening with no fee is a pleasing little luxurious — and this kind of factor all telephone makers will have to attempt to succeed in on their flagship merchandise.

The corporate additionally, kindly, incorporated the brand new Wireless Charging Duo. The charging pad isn’t slightly as bold because the AirPower, however in contrast to that product, offered just about a 12 months in the past through Apple, I’ve this in my fingers at this time. So, level: Samsung. Charging the software from 0 to 100 % took 3 hours at the dot with the $120 “Fast Charge” pad. And it’s great and toasty now.

Memories

Okay, about that value. Again, we’re speaking $999.99 to begin. There’s additionally a 2nd SKU. That one will run you $1,295.99. Take a second if you wish to have to.

That’s a foolish amount of cash in case you’re no longer the start line guard for the Golden State Warriors. So a lot for the rumors that the corporate can be running to make its gadgets extra economically obtainable. And whilst the top rate has all the time intended that the Galaxy line goes to stay at the dear aspect, I will be able to’t assist however indicate that a couple of key selections may have saved the fee down, whilst keeping up construct high quality.

Storage is arguably the principle wrongdoer. The aforementioned two SKUs come up with both 6GB of RAM with 128GB or 8GB of RAM with 512GB. With cloud syncing and the remaining, it’s exhausting to consider I might come with regards to that restrict within the two or so years till the time involves improve my handset.

I’m positive the ones forms of loopy media-hoarding energy customers do, in truth, exist on the planet, however they’re unquestionably a rarity. Besides, as Samsung helpfully identified, 512GB SD playing cards exist already on the planet. Sure, that’s every other $350 tacked onto the base line, however it’s there, if you wish to have it. For maximum customers, it’s exhausting to peer Samsung’s declare of getting “the world’s first 1TB-ready smartphone” (512GB+512GB) exists for little extra explanation why than racking up but every other flashy declare for the 1960s Batman application belt of smartphones.

Sure, Samsung for sure will get a deal on Samsung-built exhausting drives, however the element needs to be a key phase in what’s riding prices up. For an organization as pushed through selection as Samsung, I’m in truth stunned we’re no longer getting extra choices up entrance right here within the States.

Remote keep an eye on

Confession: After trying out many Galaxy Note fashions over the process a few years, I’ve by no means found out a perfect use for the S-Pen. I imply, I’m glad that folks love it, and clearly all the early skepticism in regards to the go back of the stylus was once temporarily put to leisure, as the corporate has persisted to return to the properly, 12 months after 12 months.

But all the handwritten be aware taking and animated GIF drawing simply isn’t for me, guy. I additionally lately spoke to an artist good friend who instructed me that the Note doesn’t actually reduce it for him at the drawing entrance, both. Again, in case you like or adore it, extra energy to you, however it’s simply no longer for me.

As foolish as the theory of the use of the S-Pen as a faraway keep an eye on may seem to start with look, on the other hand, it’s transparent to me that that is the primary use of the integrated accent I may just in truth see the use of each day. It’s at hand while you get past the silliness of retaining a stylus on your hand whilst operating, and serves as a at hand surrogate for many who don’t personal a suitable smartwatch.

The S-Pen now sports activities Bluetooth Low Energy, permitting it to keep an eye on other facets of telephone use. Low Energy or no longer, that tech calls for energy, so the stylus now comprises an ideal conductor, which fees it when slotted throughout the telephone; 40 seconds of charging will have to get you a wholesome 30 mins of use. Even so, the telephone will computer virus you to remind you that you simply actually must dock the article when no longer in use.

The suitable apps are nonetheless moderately restricted at release, however it’s sufficient to exhibit how this can be a at hand little addition. Of the bunch, I were given probably the most out of tune keep an eye on for Spotify. One click on performs/pauses a music, and a double-click extends the observe. Sure, it’s restricted capability, however it stored me from having to mess around with the telephone to switch songs went I went for my run this morning.

You’ll want to be a little bit extra inventive when figuring out usefulness in one of the vital different apps. Using it as a shutter button within the digicam app, for example, can be a helpful technique to take a selfie with no need to carry the telephone at palms’ duration.

The whole time, I questioned what one may be able to accomplish with further buttons (quantity/rewind/gameplay)? What a couple of pedometer to trace steps whilst you’re operating at the treadmill with out it within the pocket? Or even a beacon to assist absent-minded other people like myself in finding it when we invariably drop it between sofa cushions.

But yeah, I perceive why the corporate would make a choice to stay issues easy for what stays a kind of secondary capability. Or, heck, perhaps the corporate simply wishes to carry some options for the Note 10 (Note X?).

Oh, and the Blue and Lavender variations of the telephone are available hanging yellow and crimson S-Pens, with lock-screen ink colour to check. So that’s lovely amusing.

Hey guy, great shot

Nowhere is the Note’s cumulative evolution higher represented than the digicam. Each next Galaxy S and Note liberate appear to provide new and/or device upgrades, giving the corporate two distinct alternatives consistent with 12 months to reinforce imaging for the road. The S9, introduced again in February, particularly introduced advanced low-light images to the road. The twin aperture flips between f/1.five and f/2.Four, to let in additional mild.

It’s a neat trick for a smartphone. Behold, a face to face between the Note 9 (left) and iPhone X (proper):

Here’s what we’re coping with at the entrance:

Rear: Dual Camera with Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)

Wide-angle: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF, F1.five/F2.Four, OIS

Telephoto: 12MP AF, F2.Four, OIS

2X optical zoom, as much as 10X virtual zoom

Front: 8MP AF, F1.7

This day out, the enhancements are most commonly at the device aspect of items. Two options specifically stand out: Scene Optimizer and Flaw Detection. The first will have to end up acquainted to those that’ve been taking note of the smartphone recreation of past due. LG is one of the most outstanding instance.

Camera is lovely nice around the board of most current smartphone flagships. As such, those new options are designed to do away with the present weakest hyperlink: human error. Scene Optimizer saves newbie photographers from having to futz with extra complex settings like white steadiness and saturation.

The characteristic makes use of AI to resolve what the digicam is seeing, and adjusts settings accordingly. There are 20 other settings, together with: Food, Portraits, Flowers, Indoor scenes, Animals, Landscapes, Greenery, Trees, Sky, Mountains, Beaches, Sunrises and sunsets, Watersides, Street scenes, Night scenes, Waterfalls, Snow, Birds, Backlit and Text.

Some are lovely common, others are weirdly explicit, however it’s a just right combine, and I believe Samsung will proceed so as to add to it thru OTA updates. That stated, the serve as itself doesn’t desire a cloud connection, doing all the processing on-board. The characteristic labored properly with lots of the plants and meals I threw at it (as a way to discuss), shooting up a small icon within the backside of the display to let me know that it is aware of what it’s taking a look at. It additionally did properly with e-book textual content.

The luck price of alternative issues, like bushes, have been, unsurprisingly, depending on context. Get simply the highest phase and it identifies it as “Greenery.” Flip the telephone to portrait mode and get the entire of the trunk and it pops up the “Tree” icon. I did get a couple of false positives alongside the best way; the Note 9 concept my palms have been meals, which is deeply stressful for any choice of causes.

[Without Scene Optimizer – left, With Scene Optimizer – right]

Obviously, it’s no longer going to be absolute best. I discovered, relating to plants that it has the tendency to oversaturate the colours. If you compromise, you’ll disable the characteristic in settings. However, you must do that earlier than the shot is taken. There’s no technique to manually override the characteristic to inform it what sort of object you’re capturing. That turns out like a little bit of a no brainer addition.

[Super slow-mo matcha under the flicking lights]

Flaw Detection serves a equivalent position as Scene Optimizer, serving to you steer clear of getting on your personal manner as an newbie photog. The characteristic is designed to warn you if a shot is blurry, if there’s a smudge at the display, if the topic blinked or if backlighting is making all the things glance crappy. In the case of lens smudging and backlighting, it best bothers with a unmarried alert each 24 hours.

The blink detection labored properly. Blur detection, however, was once a little bit extra of a crap shoot for topics in movement and those who have been too with regards to the lens to get a just right focal point. The characteristic may just use a little bit of labor, however I nonetheless assume it’s one of the crucial extra compelling additions at the entire of the software and look ahead to numerous different corporations introducing their very own variations within the coming 12 months.

Design Note

The extra the Note adjustments, the extra it remains the similar, I assume. As anticipated, the design language hasn’t modified a lot, which is for sure a part of what made Samsung CEO DJ Koh assume he may just escape with the use of the software in public forward of release. The footprint is nearly the similar despite the ever-so-slightly higher display (6.three > 6.Four-inches, identical 2,960 x 1,440 solution) — from 162.five x 74.eight x eight.6 mm at the eight, to 161.9 x 76.Four x eight.eight mm at the 9.

That’s completely high quality. Samsung’s completed an excellent activity cramming numerous display right into a manageable footprint over the last a number of gens. The best primary trade (apart from the beautiful new blue and crimson paint jobs) is the migration of the fingerprint sensor from the aspect of the digicam to beneath it.

This was once a transparent example of Samsung responding to comments from customers annoyed through all of the instances they mistook the digicam for the fingerprint reader. The new placement is helping a little bit, although it’s nonetheless moderately with regards to the digicam, and the truth that each are equivalent shapes doesn’t assist issues. Thank goodness for that new smudge detector.

Oh, and the headphone jack remains to be provide, on account of route it’s. For Samsung, it’s the most important technique to distinguish the product and way from an international long past dongle mad.

Note on Notes

Oh Bixby, you everlasting bastion of unfulfilled doable. A complete rundown of latest options can also be discovered right here. Overall, the good assistant guarantees to be extra conversational, with higher concierge options. That stated, Samsung’s as soon as once more tweaking it till the final second, so I will be able to’t give you a complete review till nearer to the telephone’s August 24 side road date.

So keep tuned for that, I suppose. I can say that the setup procedure is usually a little bit of a slog for a characteristic designed to make all the things more uncomplicated. Playing with Bixby voice required me to navigate a number of pages as a way to attach the 2. Thankfully, you will have to best must care for that the only time.

Samsung’s proceeding to tweak the internals to make its software extra appropriate for gaming. The water-carbon cooling device tweaks the liquid cooling device discovered at the software because the S7, to assist diffuse warmth extra successfully. The massive, brilliant display in the meantime, is well-suited to cell gaming, and the 6GB type treated Fortnite moderately properly.

A last be aware

The subsequent smartphone revolution all the time appears to be a 12 months away. The doable arrival of a Samsung software with a foldable show makes the perception of sporting a large software round in a single’s pocket virtually old fashioned. For the time being, on the other hand, the Note stays one of the crucial best possible strategies for transporting lots of display round in your individual.

So much has modified in regards to the Note prior to now seven years, however the core of the software is most commonly the similar: giant display and stylus coming in combination to stroll the road between productiveness and leisure. It’s giant, it’s daring, it’s too pricey for numerous us. But it stays the phablet to overcome.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review – TechCrunch There are not any secrets and techniques in client electronics anymore. Sometimes it’s the fault of flubs and flaws and leakers.

[7hug-life-blog]

breastfeeding within a nutritious and simple way

study to breastfeed effectively and happy

ways to breastfeed with no struggling while in the greatest way

breastfeeding - the most beautiful and important point for mom and baby

The most effective recommendations for you personally that are first-time mothers!

Breastfeeding Latch: Right Positioning One of the most crucial aspect of flourishing breastfeeding would be the latch. In case your child isn't thoroughly latched on for your breast, feedings may very well be agonizing.   There can be specified tactics that may be utilized when latching your infant for your breast.

The place by which you hold your child can also be critical.  Whenever a very good place and latch is obtained, breastfeeding can be quite a fantastic practical experience amongst mom and little one. A lactation advisor may perhaps demonstrate valuable in obtaining the procedures down.

Discover a Lactation Advisor inside your Place

Breastfeeding may possibly induce your nipples for being sore. Whereas correcting the latch will create a big difference to your extended phrase comfort, it could show handy to implement a nipple cream to ease the soreness promptly. Seem at Nipple Lotions Right here.

Hunger cues Your child could to begin with show some hunger cues, signaling that he/she is able to feed.  He may perhaps suck on his lip, tongue, finger, or fist.  Fidgeting and fussing at this time can also be indicators that your little one is hungry.  Crying may be a late hunger cue and may perhaps make it far more challenging to get started breastfeeding.

Attempt to shell out focus and understand people earlier hunger cues. Take into account that swaddling, pacifiers, and mittens can inhibit the hunger cues, since the baby’s mouth and hands are limited.

Latching on An excellent latch is essential to prosperous breastfeeding.

The next ways utilised with appropriate positioning, might help assure a very good latch:

Get within a at ease chair with superb back help to feed your child. Applying a stool to rest your feet on can help with really good posture and avert you from straining your neck and shoulders. Use your breastfeeding assistance pillow if you ever have 1. (And in case you do not, use what ever form of pillows you'll find to aid help you as well as infant.) An effective breastfeeding pillow could make a massive variation in obtaining the infant within a right place to latch on effectively. Make certain your infant is tummy-to-tummy with you constantly. Ensure that you carry your infant for you, and don't try out to lean to the child. Not just will this lead to significant strain in your neck and shoulders, nonetheless it can impact the baby’s place. Don't forget to help keep your baby’s ear, shoulder, and hip in alignment, which can make swallowing much easier. The baby’s nose must be opposite the nipple. You could should hold your breast to aid manual the nipple for your baby’s mouth. Grasp the breast for the sides, working with both a “C” hold or “U” hold. Make certain to maintain fingers far in the nipple so that you do not impact how infant latches on. Aim the nipple towards the baby’s upper lip/nose, not the middle in the mouth.You could possibly should rub the nipple throughout the prime lip to have your infant to open his/her mouth. The baby’s head should really be tilted somewhat back. You don't want his chin to his chest. When he opens his mouth broad using the chin dropped and tongue down, he should really latch on for the nipple. If he won't open broad, really don't test to shove the nipple in and wiggle the mouth open. It truly is perfect to move back, tickle the lip yet again with all the nipple and watch for a broad open mouth. Look at to have as a great deal of your decrease portion of your areola (the location across the nipple) while in the baby’s mouth. The baby’s chin need to indent the reduce portion of the breast. Search to check out when the baby’s bottom and leading lip are flanged out like fish lips. If they're not, you could use your finger to pull the bottom one particular down and open up the top rated yet another. Positioning your little one to feed There's a lot of unique positions that could perform whilst breastfeeding. It will be crucial that you acquire 1 that may be cozy for the two you as well as your child. Be sure that to employ the hints inside the over listing to assist make sure your place is proper.

Cross-Cradle Hold: This place is usually probably the most useful for moms appropriate soon after birth and till they get far more assured in receiving their infant latched on accurately. It feels awkward for several moms initially, but the moment they see how it enables them to work with each their hands much more successfully, moms get extra comfy with it.

You are going to utilize the arm about the opposite side you can be feeding from to hold and assistance your little one, when you utilize the hand around the side you may be feeding from to assistance your breast.

Lay your child subsequent for you, tummy-to-tummy, together with your opposite hand supporting the back of his head. You prefer for making positive you're holding in the neck, which means you are just guiding the head. You can make use of the other hand (around the identical side the little one is feeding from) to hold and navigate your breast and nipple. After the child is securely latched on, you possibly can move your arms for the cradle hold.

Cradle Hold: This place is usually put to use soon after your child is often a couple of weeks previous so you are a lot more assured in the breastfeeding hold. Your infant lays across your front at breast degree with his/her tummy towards your chest.  Your baby’s head are going to be resting during the crook of one's elbow, to the identical side you are going to be nursing from. You can expect to utilize the opposite hand to assist hold your breast when you must support get your child latched on adequately.

Football Hold: Your child will lay along your side underneath your arm, together with your hand supporting the back within the baby’s neck. The baby’s bottom should really bump up towards what ever you happen to be sitting in (back on the chair, sofa, and so forth.) Ensure that to bend the baby’s legs with the hip, to ensure that he won't push his feet towards what ever you are leaning towards, as this can have an impact on how he'll have the ability to latch.

This hold is genuinely wonderful for any mom who had a cesarean birth and for ladies with massive breasts.

Side-lying: Lay your little one on his/her side using a pillow behind his back for assistance. You need to also lay in your side dealing with your child.   You could use a pillow behind your back or amongst your knees for assistance.  Your baby’s nose ought to be in line together with your nipple.

There can be other positions which could job for the two you as well as your infant. Make certain you as well as infant are relaxed.  If not, look at a different place.

Indicators that verify a superb latch: Tongue is noticed once the bottom lip is pulled down Ears wiggle There is certainly circular motion of your jaw as an alternative to speedy chin motion Cheeks are rounded You don't hear clicking or smacking noises You could hear swallowing Chin is touching your breast When your infant comes off the breast, the nipple is simply not flattened or misshaped Any discomfort ends rapidly right after acquiring the little one latched on Your infant ends the feeding with indications of satiety/satisfaction. These indications comprise: the little one appears relaxed, “falls” off the breast, has open hands, and/or falls asleep. Bear in mind, breastfeeding shouldn't be agonizing.   An effective latch can help always keep discomfort to a minimal.  Once the child hasn't latched on very well, other troubles can produce like cracked and sore nipples.   When you receive accustomed to positioning your little one and assisting him/her obtain a fantastic latch, breastfeeding can be quite a excellent, pain-free bonding working experience in between you as well as your child.

When you are nevertheless encountering any nipple ache, dryness or discomfort, attempt a nipple cream. Purchase Nipple Cream Right here.

When you will need more support, lots of hospitals have lactation consultants. Look for to operate having a lactation advisor on the hospital or birthing center by which you supply. If you happen to are currently property you may communicate along with your healthcare supplier. You may also contact a breastfeeding helpline or get in touch with an independent lactation advisor.

como amamentar corretamente um recem nascido

  https://ultimeaccessories.tumblr.com/post/170162471497/breastfeeding-in-the-healthful-and-simple-way