#golden pavillion

[whilereadingandwalking]

The Golden Pavillion in Kyoto was beautiful, and so serene.

[coochiequeens]

Since that post about Martha Gellhorn is popular here's a post about another writer who is more interesting than Hemingway.

Dawn Powell on the beach, circa 1914.

Tim Page, the Estate of Dawn Powell

This is the third story in The Unmarked Graveyard: Stories from Hart Island series from Radio Diaries. You can listen to the next installment on All Things Considered next Monday, and read and listen to previous stories in the series here.

Dawn Powell infiltrated the writing world by hanging out in bars and taverns around New York's Greenwich Village in the 1920s, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Edmund Wilson.

"She came from nowhere, she was no one," writer Fran Lebowitz told Radio Diaries.

But Powell had a voice. She had style. And she rose from obscurity by turning her gaze on the city of New York itself and its cast of characters. Over the coming decades, Powell wrote novels, diaries and more than a dozen plays — earning her renown, and even a National Book Award nomination.

Then, in 1965, she died. What happened next didn't go according to script.

A voice lost to the world

Powell had been clear in her will: she wanted her body to be donated to the Weill Cornell Medical Center for research. Yet five years after her death, when Cornell asked her executor, Jacqueline Rice, what to do with her remains, Rice left the decision up to the center.

So, unbeknownst to her family and friends, Powell was buried on New York's Hart Island — America's largest public cemetery. Then, all of her work went out of print.

A generational talent of New York was buried in its heart, but lost to the world and those who knew her.

Powell circa 1930, and an entry in her diary circa 1914.

Tim Page, the Estate of Dawn Powell

Hart Island, located off the coast of the Bronx, has no headstones and no plaques. It's often seen as a place for those who went unrecognized in their lifetime — not for well-known writers.

Powell had been writing stories since she was a child. Growing up in Ohio, she endured considerable emotional abuse from her stepmother and often used writing as an escape. In 1918, she left Ohio for New York City, with dreams of being a writer.

"She knew that she was smart enough, good enough to be very good in New York, which is the most competitive place in the world," Lebowitz said.

Powell's humble beginnings in the bars of Greenwich Village turned into a career. In the coming years, she wrote witty pieces on New York life for magazines like The New Yorker and Esquire. Her career picked up steam when she began writing novels about New York: satirical, risque fiction about people who'd come to the city from a small town and indulged in its joys and vices. Her most well known novels include A Time to Be Born (1942) and The Wicked Pavilion (1954).

"She was a very smart, tough, sarcastic, woman who put all of that into her books," said Tim Page, a critic and author of Dawn Powell: A Biography. "She made fun of millionaires and communists. She basically thought human beings were silly and frivolous, but she loved them."

Powell's writing reflected her personal life. Her characters were often young people who ached for success and recognition, but rarely got it. Though her work was in the public eye (her last novel, The Golden Spur, was a finalist for the 1963 National Book Award), she did not reach the level of fame of other writers, male or female, in her era.

"Some critics thought she was mean," Page said. "All the very famous women writers were usually ending their stories with a man and a woman falling in love and living happily thereafter. Dawn had seen enough of life to realize, well, sometimes that's the case but it's not what usually happens in the world."

Powell's diary, December 1932.

Tim Page, the Estate of Dawn Powell

Powell struggled with money for much of her life. She and her husband, Joseph Gousha, had a disabled son who needed costly medical care. By the end of her life, she also needed medical care of her own. She developed intestinal cancer, which led to her death.

While her will was specific about her body going to the Weill Cornell Medical Center, it didn't specify what to do with her body after its donation. In addition to being Powell's general executor, Jacqueline Rice was also her literary co-executor, largely responsible for her literary estate. When her client died, Rice simply stopped responding to inquiries from publishers and filmmakers. It was some time before Rice told Powell's family about where she had ended up.

Years later, Powell's great-niece Vicki Johnson was told by her mother about the burial on Hart Island, also known as a Potter's Field.

"My mom told me it was a Potter's Field, and it was just a place where people are buried who didn't have any money or no family to take care of them," Johnson said. "My grandparents would have certainly found a better resting place for her than where she was buried."

The effort to bring Powell's work back

Powell isn't the only well-known person buried on Hart Island. There's former child actor Bobby Driscoll, who starred in some of the most iconic Disney films of the time, like Treasure Island and Peter Pan — and even won a Juvenile Oscar by the age of 13.

Driscol fell into a pattern of substance abuse and run-ins with the law in his teenage years, ranging from drug smuggling to assault. He was found dead in his Greenwich Village apartment at 31. When no one claimed his body, he ended up on Hart Island.

The cemetery is also home to Rachel Humphreys — the muse and lover to Lou Reed, and the inspiration for several songs on his album Coney Island Baby. Though her official cause of death remains unknown, Humphreys died at the age of 37 at St. Clare's hospital, known for housing AIDS patients. Hers was among the many bodies sent to Hart Island during the AIDS epidemic.

Johnson and others insist Powell wouldn't have minded being buried at Hart Island.

"I think she'd be a little amused by the fact that she's buried with a Disney star and a rock and roller," Page said. "She loved New York. She told the truth about New York and I'm not sure she'd want to be anywhere else."

Dawn Powell circa late 1940s, early 1950s.

Tim Page, the Estate of Dawn Powell

Though Powell's descendants have chosen not to remove her body from Hart Island, there has been a considerable effort to unbury her work. In 1987, her writer and friend, Gore Vidal, published an article in The New York Review of Books, praising Powell as one of American literature's lost greats. The article ignited interest in Powell in the writing world.

Steerforth Press also published a volume of Powell's diaries, edited by Page, in 1998. The Library of America put nine of her novels back in print in 2001.

These days, Powell has gained a cult-like following. Celebrities like Julia Roberts and Anjelica Huston have tried turning her books into films, and she's gotten a shout-out on the TV show Gilmore Girls.

"There will come a time when people will realize that she's one of America's greatest writers," Page said.

This story was produced by Mycah Hazel of Radio Diaries. It was edited by Deborah George, Ben Shapiro and Joe Richman. Thanks also to Nellie Gilles, Alissa Escarce, and Lena Engelstein of Radio Diaries.

This story is the third in a series called The Unmarked Graveyard: Stories from Hart Island. You can find other stories from Hart Island on the Radio Diaries Podcast.

[kfkaesk]

Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit / Yukio Mishima, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion

[aishiteru-kenshin]

Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto, Japan | Bird

[atak-achrativ]

fucking digimon cybersleuth chapter 17

[joziokowalski]

god i hate getting bogged down by stupid tasks that aren't even that scary but seem so intimidating it takes me fifty times as much time to deal with them as it should and what i Could be doing instead is getting more stuff done that's actually important and then also reading some nice books just out of fun. i crave to reread all that i have already read of yukio mishima and then read all that i haven't yet read as well

[jaxplaysthesims]

20+ Must Have Lots | San Myshuno & Magnolia Promenade

Watch Video Here

The Spice Market

Curve Agency (cc) | bbygyal123

Zen Myshuno Spa | townie tales

Uptown

Luxury Rooftop plumbobkingdom

Simquinox (cc) | jaxplaysthesims

Luxury Restaurant | plumbobkingdom

Bistro Italia | aashwarr

El Arbol (cc) | nicolesimblr

Myshuno Meadows

Myshuno Meadows | townietales

The Arts Quarter

Terminal Gastro Bar (cc) | curlybabeee

Kieroni's Pavillion (cc) | cowplantpies

Shiki Bar & Grill | aashwarr

Rock Steady (cc) | kimorasimz

Club Tropics (cc) | applez

The Spice District

Monolyth (cc) | shaymoo22

Salon Soho (cc) | cxseey

Golden Spice Restaurant (cc) | applez

The Old Salt House (cc) | aashwarr

Magnolia Promenade

Modern Spa | iishmaree

Whole Foods (cc) | simcrests

Leila Square Apartment (cc) | applez

Vaier (cc) | ophernelia

[ataraxixia]

sunday brainrot will not leave me ALONE just thinking abt his little "triple faced gods blah blah tell the truth" AURRRGGHH need to be interrogated by him SO BAD

omg yes

I imagine a scenario where you were his little insight spy without your knowledge and he‘ll use the Harmony to coax the information out of you. But this time- he was jealous of someone he didn't know.

i‘m completely normal about this man I swear

Clematis

pairings: Yan!Sunday x reader warnings: Yandere, Manipulation, Gaslighting, Reader referred to as „Angel“, god complex Sunday (?)

it was supposed to be a simple meeting with your loving boyfriend.

when he requested your presence, you initially thought he was stressed because of work again and that he needed rest- that he needed you, as usual.

after bidding farewell to the shopkeeper you were currently with, you made your way towards the Reverie Hotel. Some Family members on the way recognized you and gave you a small smile or a simple bow- mostly due to the fact that you were Sunday‘s lover. You reciprocated the kind gesture and gave a quick smile as well, even after having the strange feeling of being watched.

once you were on the plaza in front of the Reverie, you noticed one of Sunday‘s crows on one of the fences, watching you closely. They have always been around the city and Sunday told you to simply ignore them, so you did. But today, they seemed restless; when you left Dewlight Pavillion, when you walked around Golden Hour, when you bought some snacks from a Pepeshi Person- at least one crow was watching you.

opening the doors to Dewlight Pavillion, you were expecting to see Brina behind the reception counter greeting you, but instead, you were met with utter silence- as no one was in the room. A hint of uneasiness washed over your body as you continued to traverse through the Pavillion. Even in the halls, where there were usually some guards, there was silence.

you were filled with worry before rushing towards Sunday‘s office, flinging the door open- only to see him stand leisurely in front of the bookcase.

after hearing you entering, your lover turned around and gave you his charming smile.

„Good, you‘re here, my dear.“ he said, one hand behind his back and the other directing towards an armchair. „Please, sit.“ you slowly shook your head as you turned to the door again, stuttering over your words. „The… e-entire Pavillion- there‘s.. no one.. i-is everything okay?“ as you turned back to Sunday, he gave you a reassuring smile. „yes, everything is fine, Angel. Please, calm down and sit.“ you shrugged before listening to your lover, sitting down. The uneasy feeling in your stomach did not falter one second, but you were telling yourself that you were safe as long as Sunday was there.

„Dear, you seem more stressed than I was a few moments ago. Shall I ease your worries first before I tell you mine?“ you let out a long exhale as you nodded your head. Usually, you were the one calming Sunday down after a long day; stroking his hair, cleaning his wings, kissing his temple- he always said he appreciated these small gestures and you loved to do them.

sunday did the same to you right now. He brushed a few hairs out of your face, held your cheek in his palm and kissed you lightly on the forehead, his wings engulfing your head softly. your body and mind had calmed down by the time he retracted his face and when he smiled again you mirrored it. However, when you looked closer, his smile wasn‘t genuine and behind, there were his crows- their eyes focused on you.

„Have you calmed down? May I now share my troubles with you, Angel?“ he asked like usually and without hesitation, you nodded. „Of course.“

„Perfect. Now, there have been some… ‚issues‘ inside the Family‘s network. The Bloodhound Family has been trying to apprehend a stowaway, and please, don‘t take this the wrong way when I say this,“ the feeling in your stomach only increased and you didn‘t like it.

„you meet a lot of people everyday, and the stowaway was one of them, we believe. You wouldn‘t mind telling me about that, would you?“ Sunday had his hand on your cheek and stroked it softly with his thumb, the fabric of his gloves smooth on you skin, but your breath hitched as his hand traveled to you chin, holding it.

"I'm afraid I don't know a-anything." you tried to sound normal, but the small stutter gave you away, yet Sunday only chuckled. "I don't need any of your lies today, love. My patience has been running thin these past few days." his charming smile was replaced with a small frown and your body was betraying you. You tried to compose yourself, but it was futile.

"I only need truths." Sunday said and his whole demeanor changed.

"Oh, Triple-Faced Soul, please sear their tongue and palms with a hot iron, so that they will not be able to fabricate lies and make false vows."

your whole mind was shooting blanks as you felt an unfamiliar dizziness wash over you. The whole room was becoming too colorful, and your lover's face became distorted as he made you look at him again.

"I apologize for the circumstances, but you gave me no choice. Under the light of the Harmony, all wickedness is revealed." his words were echoing in your ears and you finally realized the situation you were in.

The crows, the empty pavilion, the Harmony: he was watching you.

"Who were the people you met two days ago on the Dream's Edge?" he asked and multiple memories flooded your mind. At this very moment, you were scared. Scared at your Lover. You didn't want to answer but a terrible headache took your mind off the idea.

"...not many, I remember... Chadwick, Colleen, those small birds... and that one... man?" the headache eased once you answered but the Harmony's influence was still present.

"What man? What was his name? What did his appearance look like? What did the two of you talk about?" you wanted to get up from your seat and run away, return to reality- but you knew that your legs had no ounce of strength.

"I don't remember his name, but it was something with A... Adan, I believe...and he had blonde hair, I think... with brown eyes." the room was getting more and more blurry with each second you didn't answer, but the loss of equilibrium made even your memories hazy. "We talked about the view of the Dreamscape... yes, that's it.." Sunday hummed unsatisfied as he heard your answer, clicking his tongue.

"What else? What else did you talk about?"

"I don't remember...! My head hurts..." Sunday held your face in his hands and made you look at him. His hands were soft to the touch and a worried smile was plastered on his lips. "I really didn't want to do this, Angel." he cooed, his face close to yours. "You know I only want the best for you, don't you?" those sweet words made your heart melt as you remembered the times where he took the blame if you accidentally ruined some of the Family's documents or when you broke something in Dewlight Pavilion.

"Angel, I gave you everything, and I can give you even more- I can give you everything that exists in the world, just tell me what I want to know." your breath hitched before he placed a soft kiss on your lips and you think you lost your mind after everything was hazy. Your memory, your view, the voices- everything became duller and duller by the second. Sunday asked something and you answered, but you can't comprehend what you said. You only felt his hand graze your temple before darkness engulfed you and you blacked out.

the soft humming, a calming scent, and a damp towel on your forehead welcomed you when you regained consciousness. as you slowly opened your eyes, a feather before your eyes greeted you and the humming stopped.

"You're awake. I was afraid you wouldn't wake up today." Sunday said softly, his hand on yours, stroking it gently. "...what?" you groaned as you fully regained consciousness, the headache returning tenfold. The damp towel was replaced by a hand, and you heard some whispering from Sunday.

"...oh, Triple-Faced Soul, may their fatigue vanish completely and let the harmony heal their mind."

you sighed as your body and mind calmed down, your worries from before disappearing. "Sunday...? what happened?" you asked when you saw his face full of worry.

"Nothing that needs your concern, Angel. Please, rest up and let me take care of you. Will you allow me?" you nodded at his gentle words and he hummed contently. His hand grazed over your arms as you felt more at ease before slowly falling asleep again. Sunday continued humming, even as he turned his face to his crows.

"Inform someone from the Bloodhound Family of this individual, and let them apprehend this... "stowaway." the crows disappeared in a blinks eye before he faced you again. The frown turned into a small smile again as he bent down and placed a soft kiss on your forehead.

"No one is allowed to 'flirt' with what is mine."

A/N: hehahehafuu I'm going feral because of this man

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Body Electric

Pairing: Tom Bennett (World on Fire) x f!reader x Billy Taylor (The Halcyon) Warnings: Angst, mentions of PTSD and familial death, (consensual) infidelity, voyeurism, smut. Word count: ~3.9k

Summary: Tom's been sullen since returning from the Navy, and when his sister, Lois, moves from Longsight to London it heralds the end of the honeymoon period of his and his wife's marriage. Deciding a trip to the capital is just what they need to reignite the flame, Tom's wife gets much more than she bargains for when they check into The Halcyon, and she flirts with the handsome young bell boy to make her husband jealous.

Author's note: For @adragonprinceswhore and @mefools. This is not a crack fic. I have warped canon (I mean, I had to get these two to exist in the same AU anyway), so Billy didn't die when he was drafted, and has gone back to his old job at The Halcyon. No tag list. Please follow @fics-by-ewanmitchellcrumbs and turn on post notifications. Community labels are for cops.

Dappled sunlight plays upon Tom’s sharp features, the occasional shadow of a tree or building passing across his face as the train speeds through the British countryside. He’d look beautiful, bathed in golden hues, were it not for the pensive expression he wears, and the faintest of dark circles that linger beneath his eyes.

She can’t remember the last time he looked genuinely happy - perhaps it was their wedding day?

Her and Tom had met in secondary school, and she’d thought he was an idiot to begin with; handsome, but always mucking around in lessons, never able to take anything seriously. It wasn’t until they’d both left that they’d become an item. She’d go to the weekly dances at the Pavillion, and every week he would ask her out. The first three times she had said no, not wanting to get mixed up with a known troublemaker. On the fourth occasion she’d relented, simply in the hopes that if she said yes he’d leave her alone. But she’d found she enjoyed his company, he made her laugh effortlessly, and when his blue eyes gazed into hers it made her feel like the only girl in the world that mattered. When he had kissed her it had stolen all the air from her lungs, and from that point on she was smitten with Tom Bennett.

The night before he shipped out for the first time, she had thought he meant to slam the bed’s headboard through the brickwork of the wall with the force with which he took her. However, she had smiled to herself when she’d felt the pleasant ache between her thighs the next day.

“Something to remember me by,” he’d told her with a wink and that trademark smirk of his.

Something to remember indeed.

She’d barely recognised him when he’d returned. He was thin, tired, didn’t laugh as freely, and learning that his father had passed when the Bennett family home was shelled had darkened his mood further. He hadn’t stayed long, enough to argue with his sister, Lois, and enough to find his way between her thighs once more and make her swear to him that she’d marry him when he came back.

Of course she had said yes, there was no one in the world she could imagine wanting to marry more than Tom. But with how things are between them these days she is left wondering if he’d married her because he loved her, or because she was the one thing left in Longsight that he could anchor himself to.

They’d married quickly when Tom was discharged for the final time, the war at its end. It had been an intimate affair, and despite the toll his service to his country had taken on him, Tom still gazed into her eyes on their wedding night and made her feel like the only girl in the world that mattered.

But then Lois had announced she was taking Vera and moving to London - her and Connie had found a place they could share. A fresh start. She had hinted at wanting to move away from Longsight before, and Tom had dismissed it, insisting that the family must stay together. 

He was furious when she’d chosen to go anyway, refusing to be part of the send off party for her at the train station.

“This is where mum and dad are buried, how can she do this?!” He’d raged.

“They’re just headstones, Tommy,” she had tried to reassure him, “memories go everywhere with you.”

“You wouldn’t fucking understand,” he’d seethed back at her, “you’ve still got both your parents, what have I got?!”

“You’ve got me, you’ll always have me,” she’d said quietly.

He’d fallen silent at that, bowing his head and averting his gaze. It made her chest ache to see him that way.

It’s been close to a month since they were last intimate, and she has done her best to be patient and understanding. His time in the Navy has put him through a horrendous ordeal, coupled with losing Douglas, and his sister moving away, so she doesn’t pressure him.

However, she misses her husband. She feels that he is abandoning her each time he retreats into himself, going somewhere she can’t follow. Like two ships in the night, they pass each other by, laying in the same bed physically but emotionally never further apart.

When a letter arrives from Lois, letting them know she’s settled and would love for them to visit, she jumps at the opportunity. She has some money put aside from her job at the factory, and her and Tom never got to have a honeymoon, this would be the perfect way for them to rekindle the romance in their marriage.

She is shocked, yet thrilled, when Tom actually agrees to it, and the pair of them arrange a week’s worth of leave from their respective jobs, arranging to stay in a hotel rather than impose themselves upon Lois’ hospitality. There’d be plenty for them to do while they’re there, and she can’t wait to see the sights of Piccadilly Circus and Carnaby Street, she’s never been to London before.

Tom has stared silently out of the window the entire train ride from Manchester, though she knows better than to believe he’s taking in the scenery. It’s merely so he doesn’t have to make conversation. She can live with that, she is certain that once they’ve had their romantic week away that he’ll be much more talkative on the journey back.

Everything will be fine once we’re checked into The Halcyon.

It is early evening by the time they arrive, and Euston station is a crowded rush of people when they step onto the platform. She is fearful of it for a moment, never having seen so many people all in one place at once, until Tom takes her by the hand, guiding her through the crowds towards the taxi rank. Her heart soars at the gesture, a hopeful smile tugging at her lips over his protectiveness. Perhaps he is not lost to her after all.

She stares in wide eyed wonder out of the window of the black cab as it drives through the streets of London. It is similar to Manchester in its greyness and vastness, they both have all the trappings of big city living, however, the heart of London beats to an entirely different rhythm than that of Manchester’s. The capital seems harsher, more relentless than the northern locale that she calls home. She wonders if perhaps this is the right place to try to rekindle the spark in hers and Tom’s marriage after all.

That is until they step into the foyer of The Halcyon. Her heels click against the black and white tiles of the foyer, her mouth agape as she takes in the opulence of the huge pillars, the palm trees that flank either side of the entrance, and the yellow and orange hues of the stained glass panel in the ceiling. How could they not reignite their passion when they were going to live like royalty for a week?

“Billy!” The dark haired woman manning reception calls around the corner, once they’ve checked in. “Come and help Mr and Mrs. Bennett with their bags.”

A tall, lean young man, who can’t be any older than twenty, rounds the corner. He’s handsome, with bright blue eyes, and mousy hair that’s slicked back beneath the cap of his black and grey bellboy uniform.

He gives her a tight lipped smile, the tips of his ears turning pink as he looks at her and she can’t help the way she preens at his flustered state.

Still got it.

“Second floor, Billy,” the receptionist tells him as he leans down to grab their suitcases, “room twenty six.”

Billy nods. “Right this way, please, Mr and Mrs. Bennett,” he says, directing them towards the lifts.

She can feel the bellboy’s gaze upon her in the tight confines of the elevator and smiles to herself. At least someone was appreciative of her.

He takes his leave, bidding them both a good evening once their luggage is deposited outside of their room door, and her and Tom are left alone once more.

Tom whistles low as they enter, flicking on the lights, and she feels pride swell in her chest that he’s impressed by the lavish surroundings. A shiver of excitement runs through her as her eyes move over the crisp white pillows and crimson duvet that adorn the bed, thinking that this might be where they’ll finally make love for the first time in a month.

It’s a beautiful room; lace curtains hang in the windows, ornate floral wallpaper decorates the walls, there’s a writing desk by the window, and a yellow velvet armchair is placed off to one side by the bed.

Turning back towards Tom, she steps towards him, sliding her hands up his chest, over his jacket. She smiles demurely up at him, her voice a soft purr. “So, Mr. Bennett, what shall we do now?”

“It’s been a long journey, love,” he tells her, taking one of her hands and brushing his lips against her knuckles. “Let’s just get some rest, yeah?”

“Oh…okay,” she nods, stepping back and looking away. She feels like she might cry, as disappointment weighs heavily upon her chest. This is not how she imagined their first night here would go at all.

As she lays in the darkness, listening to the strange sounds of the city, motor cars and loud voices, all seeping in through the closed window, she can’t seem to fall asleep. She turns her face towards Tom, who lays facing away from her, wondering if he’s awake too.

“Tommy?” She whispers.

“Yeah?” He whispers back.

She pauses a moment, and when she speaks again she’s unable to disguise the tremble of emotion in her voice. “Do…do you still love me?”

He rolls to face her then, and the devastation of what she’s implying is evident in the arch of his eyebrows and parting of his lips, illuminated by the light of the streetlamp that pours in through the lace curtains. She feels a lump in her throat, regretting having asked.

“Course I do,” he says earnestly, tugging her towards him, and she buries her face in his chest. He presses his lips to the crown of her head, rubbing her back. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs, “I’ve been letting you down.”

They stay like that for the rest of the night.

The next morning they sit in the hotel’s dining room for breakfast. Tom idly smokes a cigarette, a full English in front of him, while she butters her toast.

“Gonna go and see Lois today,” he tells her, taking a swig from his tea cup.

“I thought we’d arranged to visit her on Sunday?” She asks, frowning in confusion as she sets her knife down on her plate.

“We are,” Tom says, blowing smoke out through his nostrils - a gesture she has long since learned is a sign of irritation on his part. “But I’m gonna go see her today - alone.”

You’re going to start an argument, and then come back in a bad mood.

She sighs, folding her hands in her lap. “And what am I supposed to do?”

Tom shrugs. “Go to Carnaby Street, or whatever it was you were saying you wanted to do while we’re here.”

“Tommy, we’re supposed to do those things together, and I don’t wanna walk around London on my own!”

He nods, stubbing his cigarette out on the yolk of his fried egg, causing her to wrinkle her nose in disgust. He had barely touched his food, he never does anymore.

“Alright, look, I’m only gonna be gone a couple of hours, then we can do whatever you want. Why don’t you order some drinks for when I get back, and we can start our holiday properly?”

“You promise?” She asks with a small smile.

“Cross my heart,” he says, taking a final swig of his tea. He stands from the table and presses a kiss to her temple.

“And promise you won’t be horrible to Lois?”

“I’m not promising anything for that mardy cow,” he says, giving her a wink, before walking off.

She leans back in her chair, crossing her arms.

Fuck’s sake, Tommy.

She goes back up to the room once she’s finished her breakfast, and takes a long, hot soak in the bath. Almost two hours have passed by the time she has her make-up finished and her hair curled. Dressed in lingerie and a satin robe, she is still deciding on an outfit when she realises Tom will be back soon and she hasn’t ordered their drinks.

Calling down to the hotel’s switchboard from the phone on the desk, she asks for a glass of white wine and a whisky to be sent up to the room. Ordinarily, Tom is a lager drinker, but she decides he deserves a treat as they’re on holiday.

Ten minutes later, there’s a knock at the door and the bellboy from yesterday stands on the other side, holding a tray with the drinks they’d ordered.

She smiles warmly, watching him blush as he bows his head and enters the room, setting the tray down on a nearby table.

“Thank you…Billy, wasn’t it?” She asks, cocking her head.

He presses his lips together in a tight smile, glancing at her before looking shyly away again. It’s clear her state of undress is having an effect on him. “Yes, Mrs. Bennett,” he says, clearing his throat and straightening, clasping his hands behind his back. “Will that be all?”

Excitement flutters in her lower belly. It’s been a long time since a man has reacted to her so bashfully, and she’s enjoying it. She isn’t ready to let Billy slip away just yet.

“No need to be so formal, sweetheart,” she coos, “you can call me by my first name.”

He shuffles from foot to foot, huffing a nervous laugh. “Sorry, Mrs…sorry…”

“How old are you, Billy?” She asks, stepping towards him.

“I’m twenty-one.”

Seven years my junior. Not as bad as I’d thought.

“Did you serve, Billy?”

“Yes,” he says with a proud smile. “I manned the anti aircraft guns at the barracks for three years.”

The sound of a key in the lock draws both their attention towards the door, as Tom walks through it. Just as she’d anticipated, his expression is sour. He’s argued with Lois. 

“I’ll leave you both to it,” Billy says, with a polite nod of his head.

She knows how this will play out. Billy will leave, and Tom will allow his bad mood to ruin their day, either by refusing to leave their hotel room, or simply sulking his way around London when they’re supposed to be having a good time. Opting to use the current situation to her advantage, she decides to be tactical, and give her husband a reminder of what he’s missing out on. If he sees another man flirting with his wife, perhaps it will snap him out of this.

“No need to be in such a hurry, Billy, we were just getting to know each other. Or do you have somewhere you need to be?”

Billy eyes Tom carefully as he walks past the both of them, taking the whisky from the tray on the desk and sipping from it.

“Well, my shift finishes in ten minutes,” he says distractedly, “so I s’pose I could–”

“Perfect,” she cuts him off, taking his arm and guiding him to sit next to her on the edge of the bed.

Tom remains silent, taking a seat in the armchair and placing his glass on the table next to it. His jaw is set, gaze dark. He only ever looks like this when he’s sparring for a fight, but if this is what it takes, then so be it.

“Do you have a sweetheart, Billy?” She asks softly, fingernails grazing his thigh, causing him to flush bright red.

“Er…well…” he removes his cap, keeping his gaze fixed on it as he turns it round in his hands. “There was a maid that worked here…Kate, her name was. I fancied her…really fancied her, but she moved back to Ireland to be with her family when the worst of the bombing hit.”

“Oh, you poor love,” she soothes, giving his hand a squeeze. “I expect a handsome lad like you has girls queuing up.”

The click of Tom’s lighter pulls their focus back to him, and he exhales a plume of smoke, staring intently at them both. “Do you fancy my wife?” He asks Billy, with a steely gaze.

Billy swallows thickly, eyes widening in panic as he opens and closes his mouth.

“It’s okay, Billy,” she says gently, “you don’t need to be shy.”

“Well…I hope you don’t mind me saying, Mrs…sorry…but I think you’re beautiful.”

This time it’s her turn to feel embarrassed, and she averts her gaze as she feels her skin grow warm.

“Yeah, she is beautiful isn’t she? Would you like to kiss her?” Tom asks, lifting his glass and taking a deep drink from it, his eyes never leaving Billy.

Her head snaps up, looking at her husband with wide eyed shock.

Why is he asking that?!

“Tommy…” she says hesitantly, an edge of warning in her tone.

“It’s fine, love,” he takes another drag of his cigarette, settling further into the armchair, observing the both of them. “Go on, kiss her.”

Returning her attention to Billy, he’s shuffled closer, looking at her questioningly.

“Is…is this okay?” He whispers, leaning in.

She nods, closing the gap and her lips meet his. He is hesitant at first. His kisses are not as forceful as Tom’s, his lips are softer. As she reaches up to cup his cheek, he seems to grow more confident, applying more pressure, a quiet hum of approval rumbling in his throat. It makes her core throb to be desired like this.

When they finally part for air, she is breathless and flustered. She looks straight to Tom. He sits, watching them casually, fingers wrapped around his glass in one hand, propped on the arm of the chair, his cigarette burning low between his forefingers in the other.

“Do you wanna touch her?” He asks Billy, a low, darkened edge to his voice.

“Yeah…yeah, I do,” Billy answers, sounding more poised than he had just moments before.

“Go on then,” Tom instructs, “brush your thumb over her nipple, she likes that.”

She gasps softly as Billy leans in again, capturing her lips with his own once more. A quiet moan escapes her as she feels his hand tentatively slip into the opening of her robe, his thumb swiping gently over the lace of her brassiere.

He is not as self assured as Tom, Billy’s touch is featherlight by comparison, but it’s been so long since someone has paid this kind of attention to her that she responds to it just the same. She arches against Billy, her tongue slipping into his mouth as she hears his cap drop to the carpet with a soft thud.

“You can fuck her, if you want to,” Tom rasps, and she glances over at him, as Billy’s desperate kisses move down her neck. His blue eyes are still dark, she’s no longer able to tell if it’s from anger or arousal, the two states look much the same when he wears them.

There’s a part of her mind that’s screaming at her that this is wrong, that they should stop. However, if this is what it takes to get Tom to notice her again, then she’ll do it, and selfishly she’s enjoying how it feels.

Billy pushes her back, and she goes willingly. “Are you sure this is okay?” He whispers, his voice betraying his nerves.

She nods, untying and opening her robe, to reveal the lacy lingerie set she wears beneath.

Billy draws in a sharp inhale, before hurriedly unfastening his belt and unzipping his trousers with shaky hands.

He freezes, looking at Tom. “I…I don’t have a sheath.”

“Don’t need one,” Tom replies nonchalantly, crushing his cigarette butt out in the ashtray. “Best not keep her waiting.”

She pulls the gusset of her knickers to one side as Billy hovers over her. She can feel she’s soaked already. Billy is not quite as girthy as Tom, but still an impressive size that causes her breath to catch in her throat as he starts to press inside.

Tom chuckles quietly from where he sits. “She’s tight, isn’t she? Tightest little pussy I’ve ever had. Go careful.”

His words cause her to ache with want, and she moans wantonly as Billy bottoms out with a grunt. He’s gentle, much more so than Tom would be, slowly withdrawing before pushing back in, a dusting of pink prominent across his cheekbones.

“You won’t break her,” Tom tells him, “can just imagine how wet and warm she feels. Fuck her harder, and wrap one of her legs around you. She goes mad for that.”

She cries out, white hot sparks of pleasure swirling in her gut as Billy does as he’s told, the shallow pants of his breath puffing hotly against the side of her face.

Turning her head, she looks at her husband and he smirks, eyes raking over the scene before him as Billy continues to rut into her.

“T–Tommy…” she moans.

With each push of Billy’s hips into hers, she can feel her climax building, she’s right on the precipice, but it seems Billy is too. He tenses, a groan escaping him.

“Don’t you dare come inside her,” snaps Tom.

As if on cue, Billy pulls out, making her whine at the loss, coating her thighs in his hot spend as his jaw slackens and his brow furrows.

Before she’s had a chance to recover, Tom is rising from his seat towards the bed. “You can go now,” he tells Billy.

Still struggling to catch his breath, Billy nods, clambering off of her and fastening his trousers and belt back up. He stoops to pick up his cap, before hurrying towards the door, followed by Tom.

She lays there, dumbfounded and breathless, through glassy eyes she watches Tom hand Billy a bank note. “You’ll not tell anyone about this, d’you understand?”

“Y–yes, sir.”

She hears the door click closed, and Tom walks back over to the bed. His pupils are blown wide with lust and it sends a shiver through her.

“Enjoy yourself, love?” He asks, grabbing her thighs and tugging her towards the edge of the mattress, making her squeal.

“Are you angry with me?” She asks quietly, feeling shame bloom heavily within her chest.

“No,” he says distractedly, attention focused on her core. His thumb swipes through the stickiness that’s been left on her thigh, spreading it slowly over her skin. “No, I’m not angry.”

“You’ve been so absent lately,” she says sadly, propping herself up on her elbows. “Just wanted your attention.”

He straightens, nodding in understanding. “Yeah, I get it. I’ve been neglecting you, and that’s my fault. But don’t worry, I won’t anymore. Now–”

She clenches around nothing as his hands move to his belt, and she hears the metallic clink of it opening. “Now you have my full attention, and I’m gonna make sure you get all of it.”

[the-psychotic-blueberry]

Another genshin idea that involves isekai because my heart craves the comfort of escapism. Reader partially god in a way-

   Also please beware this is a little long

   Reader gets isekai’d to teyvat, but it was like- a really long time ago, about 500 years or more before the current timeline. They arrive in Teyvat and decide to keep a journal with them to record there adventures in Teyvat.  The reader is somewhat immortal, they can live forever and still look the same. The reader will still get hurt and can die, but they can still ‘respawn’ again, but at a cost. The reader would lose their memories each time they died, and the reader is not aware of this ability so they assume they just got isekai’d recently every time they wake up.

   In Kheanriah, reader becomes close to Dainsleif and the two become friends. But then something happened and reader dies and Dainsleif is absolutely devastated, and he keeps the reader’s notebook with him now.

  In another life, the reader had befriended the yakshas. But then one of the yakshas accidentally kill the reader due to karmic energy and dies again, Xiao has one of the notebooks the reader has as well.

  In the next life, you encountered yokai, a kitsune, a tengu and an oni, and somehow, the electro archon. But reader dies again, being killed by a giant snake *cough* Orobashi *cough*. Reader’s notebook was never fully recovered, but a few pages were saved and were under the possession of Yae Miko in the current timeline.

  Another time, you woke up in old monstadt, and the nameless bard found you and you two became friends(but like- in an actual romantic-ish relationship...) and Venti in his little pixie form witnessed that shit. But of course, in a very shakespearean way, the lovebirds die together after the revolution. Venti recovered the lyre, and had found some pages of the journal as well. In memory of the two, he turned the pages into poetry and sung them in taverns.

  And then in another life, you woke up around the shores of tatarasuna, just right in front of shakkei pavillion. You later found Kunikuzushi somewhere and became friends with him, later on Katsuragi found you and took you both to Mikage furnace, you obviously remember the shit that went down here, and for some reason a part of you started getting a litttllleeee interested in Niwa Hisahide. But then Dottore killed him, Kuni is trauma and you ran after him because you felt guilty about not being able to save Niwa and whatever the hell happened back at the furnace. You run away with Kuni and find the child and take care of him together, but then the child dies and Kuni burns the house down. You try to follow him again, but he pushes you away. In a literal sense, he pushed you off a cliff by accident and he regrets it. He keeps your notebook with him at all times, for some reason.

  Somewhere along the line you woke up in Inazuma again, but then meets Kazuha and Tomo. They become really close until the vision hunt and sakoku decree came up and Tomo went to challenge god. But this time, reader is actually able to save Tomo from getting titty sword’d and gets literally killed by the Musou no Hitotachi. Ei just felt something really wrong after that, didn’t figure it out until she came out of her hidey hole. Kazuha and Tomo run away and Kazuha is just a tinyyyyy bit angry about the fact Tomo literally got the reader killed but gets over it quickly. Instead of Kazuha escaping with Tomo’s vision, he escapes with a very alive Tomo and a mildly burnt journal by a not so alive writer.

   The reader wakes up from each life and forget each previous lives, reader cannot recall their old lives anymore. But somewhere in the golden apple archipelago, there is a cave that contains some records of the reader’s past lives. When more notebooks began stacking up, the same message appears in the beginning of every notebook.

    “This is not your first life.”

   Finally, the reader wakes up on Starfell coast, washed up on the beach. Traveller finds them and takes them in. Now along with Paimon, the reader and traveller explore teyvat together and the reader slowly starts relearning about what happened in each of their past lives, and things happen:)

(I might decide to write this, but only if you beg hard enough-)

[locke-rinannis]

I—okay. Listen. Do I run around a lot in this game? Yes. Do I spend an unnatural amount of time looking for RP locations that perfectly match a scene I'm looking for? Probably. But over the course of years, I've found some pretty cool spots. And I'm going to share them with you!

Maybe you'll find inspiration to start something new in these areas, or maybe it'll help scratch an itch for a scene you've been wanting to do. Who knows! Just take them!

Also, these are locations found outside of major cities and aetherytes. This list is for people who want to get out into the overworld and away from crowds! (I’ve also tried to find places that are free of hostile mobs, NPCs, and FATEs.

I’ll likely make more posts for other zones, but the three starter regions are accessible for characters of all levels, and a good place to start!

Locations under the cut!

LONE CAMPSITE - Middle La Noscea - X25, Y23 A single, simple campfire surrounded by a few crates and barrels. I think an NPC appears here for one specific quest, but otherwise it's empty! It’s not near any civilization, although you can see Limsa on the other side of the map.

HIDDEN PIRATE SHIP - Western La Noscea - X10, Y18 A really cool ship hidden deep in the La Noscean map, which only became available once they added flight to older areas. You can land on the ship and the walkways that surround it. It’s really a unique and outstanding spot!

HOUSE @ OSCHON'S TORCH - Lower La Noscea - X23, Y39 You can't enter the lighthouse on the hill (unfortunately), but you can go into the small house in front. It has a nice garden in the yard, and the interior is fairly simple and NPC-free.

WAREHOUSE @ RED ROOSTER STEAD - Lower La Noscea - X31, Y21 I don't know why SE made this, to be honest. I've never seen a quest lead here. Nothing spawns, it just exists. Which is great! I wish they did this more. Anyway, it's a warehouse at Red Rooster Stead. A door in a cliffside, full of supplies and a table with chairs, and nothing else.

PAVILLION @ CANDLEKEEP QUAY  - Lower La Noscea - X19, Y38 Previously inaccessible due to a gate blocking you off the pier, you can now fly over to this spot! This location is beautiful, especially at sunset, but unfortunately nothing is interactable. Unless you’re fine with /groundsit, you can't even sit on the chairs. But still, a quiet and interesting spot to meet!

HOUSE @ THE SILVER BAZAAR - Western Thanalan - X17, 30 All of the buildings in the Silver Bazaar are great! This one is fantastic. It's completely empty inside and outside (except for a couple ambient NPCs on the railing up top). There’s a table and chairs under the awning outside, too.

DESERT RUINS - Southern Thanalan - X19, Y17 There are a lot of nice ruins in the Thanalans, but this one in particular has a lot of potential. The only mobs around are some passive fire sprites, and there's an unopened chest in the back amidst all the crates and jars. Environmental storytelling!

TAVERN @ CAMP DRYBONE - Eastern Thanalan - X13, Y24 I know I said I would make this list outside of major aetheryte areas, but this is the one exception I'll make. Only because it has no business being this good. Every chair at every table is available! It's a wonder!! A very nice little tavern.

HOUSE @ THE GOLDEN BAZAAR - Eastern Thanalan - X10, Y16 The Golden Bazaar, like the Silver Bazaar, is all very useful. But there's one house in particular that is better than the others. This interior is big and extravagant and empty: three things we don't get very often in overworld locales!

CRESCENT COVE - Western Thanalan - X15, Y17 If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: I love Crescent Cove. Every building is accessible! And although there are NPCs around, it's a fairly large area to work with. I’ve both led and participated in a lot of great plot events here. I like it a lot!

LILYSTONE - Central Shroud - X28, Y30 A simple tent with a campfire in front, located next to a river. There are some low level aggressive mobs (level 11), but no NPCs or FATEs. I believe there's an early level quest around here, but I almost never see anyone. A neat campsite!

SWEETBLOOM PIER - East Shroud - X10, Y22 This location is found immediately after you take the boat from Gridania to East Shroud. Most people just run right past it and head through the gates, but if you turn around, there are two buildings here! One is a grocer of some kind, and the other is a storage room. There are a couple NPCs, but nothing too intrusive.

SPRIGGAN DIG - Central Shroud - X11, Y16 (Underground) Sometimes, when you're setting a scene, all you want is a simple cave. Just one simple darn cave. This spot provides! There are 2-3 caves to choose from, although each one contains at least one hostile mob and a patrolling golem (level 43). We take what we can get.

SPIRITHOLD - Central Shroud - X26, Y25 This spot is great for its spooky ambience or for a dungeon/prison location. There are six small, empty jail cells against the walls. Just some small level mobs (level 9) wandering around, too.

That’s it! I have several more, but I trimmed them out due to them being either fairly common knowledge (ie, Buscarron’s Druthers, Hermit’s Hovel) or just too many mobs cluttering the field. However! If you’re interested in more, let me know somehow, and maybe I’ll make a Part 2!

Until then, I’ll very likely follow up with more zones. I like exploring quite a lot.

[sleepysamy]

Your current situation💗

THE PILES (Choose the pile which you feel the most attracted to. Feel free to choose more than 1 pile):

Pile 1

For those who have chosen pile 1, you guys have set a new foundation in your life . It could be that you have started with a new project, routine, business, or invested in something new to you . This necessarily does not have to be in physical aspects , it could also mean that you have started to work developing a better and healthy mindset for yourself, chose to do something fun . Whatever you have currently started or you are planning to start will surely take off after some time . I see that you had been planning to take this step for a long time but kept on procrastinating as if it was not the right time .If you have not done it yet, don't wait for long . You should start immediately! If you came to this reading to know if you are on the right path, then the answer is a big YES! KEEP FOLLOWING WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR MIND. This idea or plan of yours will surely come into fruition, and you will be blessed abundantly of what you expect the results to be . If you have been working on manifesting a certain thing currently , that thing will manifest in the 3d very soon. GO AHEAD PILE 1! YOU WILL HAVE AMAZING THINGS WORKING OUT IN YOUR FAVOR.

Note- The pile you chose had Amethyst as the crystal, which tells that you should trust your intuition rather than external validations . You should also take steps to improve your self-confidence. You also need to ground your energy well to reap benefits . Do lots of meditation to strengthen your third eye chakra . It will help you a lot in this period.

Song for you:

Channeled messages: Frisbee, Go-getter, Right now, Lovesick, Freelancing, Back to Pavillion, Nasty af , Eat fruits , Go gym , Join the art class.

Pile 2

Hi Pile 2s, Life has been going shitty these days, right? You might have recently gone through a breakup , I am sorry, but it can be the loss of a loved one , or perhaps you have not been satisfied with where you are currently in your life. You blaming yourself over things. Self criticizing over small things that happen in your daily life. You also might have to face a situation in the future, which is making you really, really nervous about how you are supposed to handle it . But let me tell you, sometimes it's only our mind, which makes a simple situation worsen just because of the negative and scary thoughts we get inside. And trust me, whatever you are scared of facing is not that tough. You are making it out to be . Let go of your negative self - limiting beliefs and have a positive outlook towards life. You might also be currently dealing with anxiety and stress due to upcoming deadlines, projects you need to finish( additional message I got ). You might have had conflicts with your family members, freinds, colleagues which is causing you to overthink about what you could've done better to improve the situation? How can you get back to the same pace again. The answer lies inside you , sorry, but the answer is not crying but to face this situation with courage and fearlessness. I know you can and you will do it . You have all its takes to get over this . This time shall pass very soon . Nothing ever stays constant. Time is always moving . YOU GOT THIS PILE 2!

Note- The crystal you chose is a Golden Sunstone .This means that you need a new positive approach to life . You might be struggling with a creative blockage because I think your sacral chakra's flow is blocked. This is the reason you may get stressed easily . You can check on guided meditations on YouTube to overcome this . You can also try on positive affirmations.

Channeled messages: Naina, Pearl, Hunt, Thirst, Lying, Easy-going, Eat out.

Pile 3

Hi Pile 3s , so you are currently experiencing a massive transformation in your life. You are transforming into a beautiful new being . It's not that you are changing yourself . But you are just returning to your most authentic and true self . You are starting to recognize your own power. You are evolving and growing like a butterfly . It is a stage of metamorphis in your life where you are the caterpillar who faces struggles and endured pain( physical or mental). You might have let people walk all over you in the past . You left those people. Now, you have begun to establish healthy boundaries and stand strong . It can also be for some people who were sick for a long period of time and know they are getting well ( I get anorexia). You could have also struggled with an identity crisis before, but know you are out of it. You might be going through a spiritual awakening right now. You are vulnerable right now , you have surrendered to the universe , and you've learned how to let go . You have also started to accept the darkest parts within yourself, which felt unsettling uncomfortable for you. You are not taking anyone's shit now. You are so done with everything that you realise it is of no use. You realised you were draining your energy and time with being around with those people who don't care about you. Just like a Phoenix who burns and raises from its ashes. You are in the in-between phase of figuring things out in your life where you are still trying to sort out things for yourself, but DONT WORRY THE UNIVERSE IS WATCHING OVER YOU . THEY GUIDE IN EVERY STEP THAT YOU TAKE. You will soon enter into a phase where you will welcome healthy connections, love, and opportunities . THIS PERIOD OF YOUR IS VERY CRUCIAL, AND YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS ALL AROUND YOU.

Note- The crystal that you picked is a black tourmaline, which is for protection from negative energies ,bad luck, and grounding. You might want to consider rituals to protect your energy or meditate to protect your energy from your surroundings.

Song for you:

Channeled messages champagne, crossover road ,wet sweater, sympathy, Simon says , who cares, pain, will I pretty , I am your mother you listen to me

Pile 4

Similar to pile 2, but the energy of pile 2 was intense, Yours is much more light-hearted and fun-going. I feel like you have forgotten to enjoy your life . Your mind is so involved in a daily hustle that it has forgotten to take a chill pill, man. Like you really need to relax . You are just taking life too seriously . Have fun, come on, it's summer . You are in the energy of constant pushing and pushing. You have a constant need to excel in things, whether it's exhausting yourself completely to achieve it. Sometimes, you forget about your own well-being in order to complete a task ( WORKAHOLICS FRR🤦‍♀️). You need to let loose . Learn how to receive . You are too much in your masculine energy, right now? You need to let things flow. Forget about the future. See what's in front of you. Observe the nature, the birds, the trees, the people around you. OBSERVE THEM. TALK TO THEM . GO OUT SIS/BRO . PARTY . JUST RELAX AND YOULL SEE EVERYTHING AROUND YOU TURNS OUT IN YOUR FAVOR. I didn't get much for your pile because actually you shouldn't be here being so concerned over silly things about whether am I going right or not . Will this do or that do. Dude, just chill . Seriously, just take a deep breath . You need a break, sweety.

Note- Your pile had a yellow moonstone that soothes the aura and brings the best out in people. It also provides emotional and intuitive support. I feel you need to go a spa session to get facial , massage, or something. It will help you ease your energy. You need to take care of your skincare routine and do lots of self care. It will rejuvenate your energy.

Channeled messages: I didn't hear anything for your pile.

[brandwhorestarscream]

Imperial harem au

so how does the first meeting between starscream and his harem go?

Simple: it doesn't 🤭

Starscream is very against the idea and is definitely dragging his feet. Usually he thrives on attention, and you'd think he'd be all over the idea of schmoozing with a bunch of wealthy and well-bred beauties desperately clamoring for his attention and trying to seduce him.

But no. Starscream may be a narcissistic and he does love attention, but this Starscream is incredibly young compared to the one we know in canon. He's fresh out of school, has just graduated with his first degree. The closest thing he's ever had to a real relationship is Skyfire, and that whole thing is messy, to say the least, due to Vosian politics. He's not in any rush to give himself to anyone, not only because he's young and inexperienced and wants to be strategic about it, but because it feels so completely objectifying. Dehumanizing, if you will. One of those concubines is going to be his future trine mate, whether he likes it or not, and he's dreading it. He doesn't know these people. He can't stand the idea of spending the rest of his life tied to a couple strangers that will only be using him for the position of royalty for the rest of his life. And he has to touch them to do it? No thank you. This Starscream is so wet behind the ears and has been so dedicated to his studies he's not even had his first time yet. He wants it to happen naturally, wants it to be with someone that'll make it feel good physically and emotionally.

So, he's not exactly jumping for joy when the day comes for the ceremony to be performed, to welcome the contenders into the palace. His parents go all out, naturally: though they may be of higher rank, they're still greeting and welcoming a bunch of very important young lords and ladies as their extended guests, and the last thing they want to do is insult their families and cause turmoil. The professions are grand, palace gates and courtyard decorated with finery and dazzling lights and jewels as each one arrives, all dolled up in the finest paint and polish with an entourage of attendants handpicked from their less fortunate relatives, being led by the head trine of their aerie coming to present them.

Starscream is naturally posted with the Winglord and his trine as the offerings arrive; each and every one is clearly well loved and doted on, soft and lovely faces, plenty of jewelry and ceremonial glyphs, grace incarnate as they approach. Upon each of their forehelms they're marked with the titles they have been awarded, traditionally indicating which house they hail from. The Peaceful, Vigorous, Wise, Protective, and Gilded Consorts. The final one is the only one he pays any attention to, presented from the noble house second only in power to his own. The beloved grandson of the House of Commerce's matriarch is covered helm to thrusters in metallic golden glyphs, draped in golden chains and golden bracelets. The other concubines have their glyphs done in traditional black or white. It's quite a statement, and is rife with cheek. He sparkles and shines so brilliantly it's hard to look at him, and it's a clear statement to everyone: he's the favorite to win.

Thundercracker himself has a deadpan look on his face, optics blank and laser focused straight ahead of him, expression cold and unwavering and perfect like a lovingly sculpted statue. He's the very picture of icy cold arrogance and class, and even without his parents' say-so Starscream knows he should probably be one of the two he chooses. His House has the economy in the palm of their hand, after all, and own over half the city's assets and housing. Grand Matriarch Permafrost deeply adores him, her favorite grandchild of all, and to snub them would not bode well.

Following the welcome ceremony where he says all of but six words, "I thank you for your presence.", the concubines are taken to the inner palace's courtyard to settle in and be assigned their pavillions. Traditionally at this point the prince would go survey the goods one on one, but Starscream couldn't care less. He doesn't want to go. The sooner he sets foot in there the sooner he'll have to start performing nightly duties, and he's quietly dreading it. Being with another person seems like such a big deal and he feels vaguely nauseous at having to be touched by someone he barely knows.

He avoids it as long as he can, squirreling himself away in inconspicuous library wings to study law or mathematics or anything, really, so long as no one can say he's wasting time. He is, mind you, but at least he's doing something productive. A unique brand of procrastination, to be sure 🤭 this goes on for exactly a decacycle (10 days), before the Winglord steps in. Sternly telling him that he has to actually go see his concubines, and while a vorn may sound like a long time, conceptions can be finicky. If he wants to get to know them better before bedding them, that's fine, but in that case he needs to actually make an effort to familiarize himself. A new private rule is implemented: he has to go see each of the concubines at least once a decacycle: that's 5 days out of every 10 that he has to go visit the inner palace, effectively immediately. He's less than thrilled.

He has no idea which one to visit first, so leaves it up to chance. Tosses all five names into a random generator and decides whichever one it spits out, that's who he's going to see

...

I have already decided who he's going to visit first and the drama that ensues 🤭 any guesses owo

[josefavomjaaga]

Letter from Marie Louise to her father

Written shortly after the "handover" ceremony in Sankt Peter close to Braunau. For this ceremony, a wooden building, divided into three parts (French - neutral - Austrian), had been constructed, usually referred to as the "three pavillions" or "three barracks". The leaders of the two delegations, Berthier and Trautmannsdorf, both signed the contract before the bride was handed over to the buyer bridegroom's delegation.

Dearest Papa! Forgive me for not immediately writing to you yesterday, as I should have done, but the journey, which was a little tiring and long, prevented me from doing so. Through Prince Trautmansdorf I have found another opportunity to write to you once more sincerely, and I am happy to seize it to assure you that I am constantly thinking of you and always will.

"Sincerely" here probably means "without measuring my words because I'm being spied upon by my new entourage".

God has given me the strength to endure happily even the last painful blow, the separation from all my loved ones, in Him alone I have all my trust, He will help me and give me courage, and I will find my reassurance in the consolation of having done my duty to you by making this sacrifice. Yesterday I arrived in Ried very late, still preoccupied with the thought that I might be separated from you forever. Today I arrived at two o'clock in the French camp in the barracks at Braunau, after staying in the Austrian barrack for some time, I moved to a throne in the neutral barracks, after the papers had been read, all my people kissed my hand, at that moment I really didn't know what I was doing, a cold shiver overcame me and I became so upset that the Prince of Neufchatel began to cry.

Which must have been a sight to behold: Berthier crying tears of emotion while his new empress starts to panic and desperately looks around for the emergency exit.

Prince Trautmansdorf handed me over to him [...]

... and a kleenex, too ...

[...] and my entire court was presented to me, oh God, what a difference between the French and Viennese ladies! --- The Queen of Naples came to meet me in the other room, I embraced her, and showed myself remarkably friendly towards her, but I do not quite trust her, I believe that it was not zeal for service alone that was the cause of her journey.

That's a very interesting first assessment of Caroline Murat. Marie Louise may have been less naive than she made herself out to be.

She travelled with me to Braunau, and here I had to hold a two-hour toilette, I assure you that I am already as perfumed as all the other French women.

Apparently, the difference mentioned above was largely attributable to odour.

The Emperor Napoleon has sent me a splendid golden robe, but he has not yet written to me - if I had to leave you, I would much rather be with him than travelling with all those ladies.

That's one thing that will remain true for a large part, I believe. With the one exception of the duchess de Montebello, she did not really appreciate the ladies of the French court (and Louise Lannes she apparently appreciated to some extent because she was not much suited for life at court).

Oh God, how I regret not being able to still spend the happy days with you, only now am I learning to appreciate them. I assure you, dearest Papa, that I am very sad and cannot yet console myself. I hope your catarrh will be completely over; I include you in my prayers every day. Forgive my poor scribbling, but I have so few moments to myself, I will kiss your hands a thousand more times and have the honour of being Dearest Papa! Your most submissive and obedient daughter Louise Braunau 16th March 1810

(Source: Helfert "Maria Louise, Erzherzogin von Österreich, Kaiserin der Franzosen", Wien 1873)

[officalroyalsofpierreland]

A Modest Proposal

A French Chateau, Francesim

Hortense: Oliver....why are we here? Oliver: I figured...everytime we drive past here, you always mention how beautiful this home is so I figured, let's walk through. Hortense: Does the owner know we're here? Oliver [joking]: No my love, I figured we could trespass onto the- Hortense: Mon prince. Oliver: I jest Moa Gaol, the owner knows we're here. I'm pretty sure I'm aware of where we are.

Hortense: Well, I'm glad we aren't trespassing- Mon prince...you did not buy- Oliver: I did...and I can't return it now- Hortense: Oliver this is expensive! It is near an imperial estate, its huge...I am not- Oliver: You are worth it my love. I will not have you complete that statement. Hortense: How did you...Mon prince you have rendered me speechless!

Oliver: I have a small salary as an army officer and a coming of age gift from my Uncle David so it belongs to us privately, not The Crown. I figured, our family will stay here when we wish to visit your Mama or your brother. It's somewhere where we won't have to be on top of Louis and Charlotte. Even your Mama can stay here while we aren't here if she wishes! I just...it'd be a good idea and- Hortense: Oli...this gift is too much! But I expect nothing less from you my love, so thank you.

Oliver: The inside of the home is pretty empty...I'm frankly horrendous at interior design and I figured I'd need your guiding hand. But I've been working on the gardens! It doesn't look all that great cause of the weather but I know in spring time it will be a wonderland of colors! Hortense: We have a whole lifetime to design our petit château. Oliver: I can almost hear little footsteps running around Hortense [teasing]: You are skipping ahead quite a bit [Oliver laughing] Oliver: I cannot help it! I can not wait for our life to start Hortense: Neither can I.

Oliver: Can you taste the freedom? Hortense: I can. It smells of thistles and pine and tastes of fresh shortbread Oliver: I am thankful it tastes like one of the few things I cook well Hortense [laughing]: Oliver...you cook better than my dear brother...he struggles to make toast. And that's pushing one button. Oliver: In his defense...getting toast golden brown takes trial and error! Hortense: We both told him to turn the dial to three...and he went to five cause he was impaitient.

Oliver [excitedly]: Speaking of impaitient...I can't wait for spring, the colors will be much more vibrant but I started by planting roses, daisies and some thistles....maybe we can bring in more plants and I had the pool installed so we can teach our children to swim. Maybe we can also plant a great oak so our children can have a treehouse! I also had the pavillion restored- Hortense [laughing]: A treehouse? Mon Dieu! We shall have the happiest times here.

Oliver: My love, a year ago I never thought I’d be in this moment. I thought that I would spend my semester at the polytechnic and then return home, maybe try simder [Hortense laughs]. Luckily I never had to make that account because I met you, and I thought I met an angel. All the time you helped my awful french…and didn’t laugh at me too much. We have been through a lot..and I know that we will stand together through everything that life is going to throw at us. I know we did not forsee waiting so long-

Hortense: Mon Prince…can I please say yes already? Oliver [laughing]: One last thing. I ask this with the blessing of your mother. Hortense Rose Simparte, will you do me the greatest honor and become my wife? Hortense: Yes! Yes!

Oliver: Oh, thank God… Hortense: You know I was never going to say no… Oliver: The doubting voice inside thought you would. It has now been quieted. Hortense: Mon Prince…the ring Oliver: Oh, yes!

Oliver: The ruby is from my Grandmother’s wedding gifts, the diamonds were a gift from the French people to another ancestor of mine, and the gold comes from my Uncle David, who convinced my father to have me go to the polytechnic. Hortense:I didn’t know that! The three countries that brought us together, in one ring! Oliver: A bit poetic Hortense: And awfully romantic. Oliver: It is what you deserve my love. I love you. Hortense: And I love you.

@empiredesimparte

[danmeiconfession]

Here is just a mini timeline of thing I remember. It mostly center around YQY and SJ

Yq/Sj are slaves, all the older slaves from their original group left (died or were sold, like their big sis). They hop from city to city.

Sj enters the qiu household at 12 OYq enters cq at 15

About 2y after yq enters cqms, Yq's Qi deviation, is left in the caves for 1y, gets Xuan Su.

Sj massacres the Qius at 15, flees with WYZ

Yq arrives at the Qius

Yay becomes succeeding disciple and gets his courtesy name

Lqg becomes succeeding disciple of bzp and gets his courtesy name+sword

There's no indication whether the next one is before or after lqg getting his name

Sj enters cq at 16

Cqm's annual martial arts tournament, lqg and sj meet, sj loses and thinks lqg is arrogant and privileged

Sj ambushes lqg for revenge, beginning of their hatred

Sqq becomes succeeding disciple and gets his courtesy name.

17 y/o outer disciple sqh meets mbj, sqq suspects him but yqy doesn't believe it

A bzp disciple follows sj in the brothel to insult him, gets beaten up. BZP disciples raid his house in the middle of the night while he confronts lqg and yqy in the warm red pavillion.

Sqh becomes head disciple

The well mission, lqg accuses sj of trying to murder him when sqq saved his life

Unspecified: Yqy meets sxy at an IAC. It could be the one where qijiu reunited, or the ones after that. Lbh's birth arrives after this.

The Qing generation become PLs

Lbh arrives at cqms. Age estimated from 10 (when his mom died) to 14 (when the story begins)

Sj enters the caves, qi deviates, is saved by yqy, sees the traces of yqy's deviation years ago

Sj forms his golden core, age estimated from about 26 to 35

Debut of the story: LBH is 14, sqq becomes sy

Trivia:

• In the Qing generation, Yqy forms his core first, followed closely by lag and qqq who get it at the same time. The last ones are SQH followed by SQQ. • SXY got preggy 2 or 3 years after the IAC where she meets Yq.

• Contrary to popular fanon, Liu Qingge already had. his courtesy name when he met Shen Jiu

• QJL is 4 years older than Sj, and became head of the household at 19 when his parents died

• In his former life, SQH's parents divorced early and created new families without him.

• Sj's shizun is fond of him bc he "stood out as sharp and ressourceful", but the feeling doesn't seem to be returned as sy said sj didn't respect nor loved him (but he's unreliable so that's open to interpretation)

• ZZL refers to himself as "it" until Tlj takes him in and gives him a pretty human appearance

.