#olympia bird

[sergeant-spoons]

22. A Shakespearean Twist

Olympia Bird

Taglist: @thoughpoppiesblow​​​​​​​​ @chaosklutz​​​​​​​​ @wexhappyxfew​​​​​​​​ @50svibes​​​​​​​​ @tvserie-s-world​​​​​​​​ @adamantiumdragonfly​​​​​​​​ @ask-you-what-sir​​​​​​​​ @whovian45810​​​​​​​​​ @brokennerdalert​​​​​​​​ @holdingforgeneralhugs​​​​​​​​ @claire-bear-1218​​​​​​​​ @heirsoflilith​​​​​​​​​ @itswormtrain​​​​​​​​​ @actualtrashpanda​​​​​​​​​ @wtrpxrks​​​​​​​​​

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The heatwave of Summer '41 finally broke in the last days of August. Weeks of humidity and wide-brimmed hats, rolled-up sleeves and swimsuits, and cold sandwiches and colder drinks came to a celebrated end. The residents and guests of the Bird Estate eagerly looked forward to a more comfortable September. One gloomy fact loomed over the two young courting ladies of the house, however, and it was the passage of time inevitably bringing college back into session. Antwon and David would be leaving for Harvard in two weeks to begin the fall semester. A sense of urgency dawned upon the two couples, and they began to spend more and more time exclusively with each other. By virtue of this shift, Antwon did not notice David's seemingly sudden interest in Olympia's everyday activities, and when David said he was going to invite her out for a day, his friend failed to think anything of it.

Now, he leaned in the doorway of Olympia's airy bedroom, watching her twist the ties of her dress behind her back as deftly as a practiced seamstress knotting her needlework. She had not yet spotted him, intent on her task. Two ribbons lay off-kilter, one tighter than the other. Evidently, she could feel the difference; there she went, pulling on one to even out the stretch. For a moment, he wondered how to tell her just how deeply he cared about every little thing she'd ever done, was actively doing, and would ever do. Then imaginings of her refusal silenced his hopes, and he tugged at his sleeves, newly self-conscious. Olympia paused, catching the motion and thus his reflection in the mirror, and he brought back his smile for her sake and hers alone.

"But soft," he murmured, "what light through yonder window breaks?"

He brought his thumb up to his neck and brushed it across his skin, remembering her lips there the night before. Encouraged by the smile ghosting across Olympia's lips, he went on.

"It is the East, and Juliet is the sun," he mused, his voice growing louder as he set foot into the room. "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon-"

"-she who is already sick and pale with grief-"

"-that thou, her maid, art far more fair than she," they finished together, and Olympia giggled as David swept her into his arms. He nuzzled his face into her shoulder, exhaling with a happy hum.

"I like this dress," he said, touching its billowy fabric, "it reminds me of the clouds over the estate."

"Just these clouds?" she teased. "But you've only seen them this one summer."

"And I hope to see them plenty of summers ahead," he decreed, grinning into her collarbone as he picked her up and spun her about. She laughed, pawing at him affectionately, and he set her back down, pecking the side of her chin as he stepped back and eyed her almost reverentially.

"A few days ago, you said your father owned a sailboat." At her nod, he implored, "Come sailing with me."

"Sailing? Where?"

"The lake at the country club," he suggested, his eyes twinkling. "We'll go for the whole day, and no one can tell us to be home before sundown, and it'll be just you and me."

Olympia sighed dreamily, relaxing into his arms, and pressed a tantalizingly soft kiss to his lips.

"I would like that."

"Then let's do it," he murmured, chasing her lips as she pulled away.

"Yes," she said, her smile growing in tandem with his own, "let's."

Lake Abitibi was only an hour's drive from the estate, but it was far enough out of the way that no one of note would come looking. Mr. Carlisle was happy to drive them there without question as to their companionship, and clever Olympia knew he wouldn't speak a word of the jaunt once he was given leave to enjoy the facilities of the club up on the proper at his leisure. He paraded off to gossip and smoke with the other chauffeurs and Olympia and David strolled down to the lake far below. It was a small thing without a name, and the intended sailors were more interested in the small channel attached to the western side of the lake. It bent around the treeline and went along for two miles before opening up onto the magnificent, sparkling Abitibi. Private property of the country and yacht club, the greater lake was well-maintained and sparsely populated, exactly what the moneyed families who frequented the place liked to see. Best of all was the gondola system the club employed to transport their guests from the club and golf course to the docks of Lake Abitibi.

Olympia's father didn't even know how to sail, but all his rich friends owned a sailboat, and thus, so did he. The dockhands seemed pleasantly surprised when the heiress requested to take the boat out for the afternoon. She joked to David that this might be the vessel's maiden voyage and was endeared when he took her seriously. He made a show of ordering a ceremonial bottle of champagne to crack on the bow to celebrate, and when he ordered another bottle to actually drink, Olympia would have thought the whole display overly ostentatious had he not poured a glass for everyone present, dockhands very much included. They boarded the schooner with much fanfare and sailed away into the afternoon, taking with them a hamper packed to the brim with finger foods, cheeses, and bread from the club's very own delicatessen, several bottles of the finest wine from the Bird cellars, and, of course, a box of Olympia's favorite macarons.

But their trip wasn't really about the food (though it certainly made it all the merrier) or even the sailing. At the most base level, they'd come out here for some peace and quiet—and privacy. But while the sun shone, they'd play it coy, display their innocent friendship to any curious onlookers who might have a word to say to Mrs. Bird on the telephone later. Olympia had more fun with the whole sailing bit of the venture than she'd expected, even though she didn't have a clue what she was doing. Hardly a minute into their voyage, she almost received a nasty knock on the head by the swinging boom but managed to duck just in time, warned by David's alarmed urging. Once they were securely on their way, tacking to and fro across the lake from the east shore to the west, they both settled in, enjoying the ride. David got her to hold the rope, and she was puzzled until he put his arms around her and wrapped his hands around her own. She snuggled into his chest, smugly content, and she couldn't resist stealing a little kiss or two, even if it meant losing her grip on the rope. She managed to distract David, too, and the boom swung around when they weren't expecting it. Olympia nearly got hit (again), but David fielded off the boom with his hands and wrangled the rope until they were back on a steady westward course.

"You're not really supposed to do that," he mumbled, nuzzling a lazy kiss against her neck as she craned her head, basking doubly in the sunlight and his adoration. "You could hurt yourself or be knocked off the ship."

"But you weren't," she sighed, running her hands through his hair in the way she knew he liked. "My hero."

Olympia would happily boast that she'd learned plenty about sailing by the end of that day (she hadn't, not really), but one look at David—who actually knew what he was doing—and it was easy to pinpoint him as the professional. He did all of the real work while Olympia sat around and looked pretty in her favorite sunhat, flowy dress, and fashionable sandals. She spent quite a while admiring him—ogling the muscles in his arms as he handled the ropes, swooning at his gorgeous, windswept hair—and even longer kissing him silly. She painted her nails and convinced him to let her paint his thumb over a bruise he'd gotten the day before when he'd clumsily closed a closet door on his hand, trying to hide himself and Olympia mid-tryst from Antwon. As the day waned, they sated their hunger with the bits and baubles from the hamper, then settled down to watch the sunset. Olympia sat between David's legs, her head on his shoulder, and smiled as he pressed one soft kiss after another to her hair and forehead. He'd taken to rhythmically and innocently stroking her legs, and as they sat there, Olympia thought for the first time that he might love her.

The sunset was lovely but brief, just how Olympia wanted it, knowing as soon as twilight fell, all proprieties were to be abandoned. While there was yet orange light in the sky, David's hands began to slip to places other than her legs, places that made her squirm, all while his lips on hers kept her quiet. By the time the first stars came out, they'd all but forgotten that a world existed beyond the sailboat, and they stumbled belowdecks into the small but lavish captain's cabin to make the most of the night.

Five hours later, they were back on the dock, tugging on sandals and tipping the lone dockhand still on the clock. Under the silver light of the moon, they dashed up the hill in a haphazard line, cutting through the grass and onto the fake green. Hastening toward the sweeping steps and balcony of the country club, Olympia led the charge, feeling guilty for forgetting Mr. Carlisle. David was not far behind, picnic hamper in hand. The heiress' worries were soothed, however, when she ducked into the parlor and found her chauffeur asleep in an armchair twice the size of his person, cradling a bottle of wine. She woke him with an apology already slipping through her lips, but he waved her into silence, not minding the wait even when he realized the late hour.

"I had meself a whale of a time," he told her, getting to his feet and dusting off his uniform. "Any time ye want te go out fer the night, ye can count on me te drive ye—and yer beau."

He winked, and Olympia blushed a little but didn't deny it, knowing he'd keep the secret as well as any lockbox or safe. Mr. Carlisle wobbled on his feet and laughed at himself, looking down at his leg that had fallen asleep. For a moment, his employer was concerned as to his level of sobriety; as it turned out, Mr. Carlisle hadn't had a single drop from the bar, nor from the bottle in his arms. He informed her as they walked to the car, a relieved David right beside them, that he was afraid of someone taking this expensive wine from him, a gift from one of the serving girls after he sang her a few old Scottish tunes—or, as he said, "a few auld Scotty choons."

Their drive back was blessedly uneventful. The only other car they passed was a taxi heading into town, coming from the same direction as the only train station in the region. David fell asleep on Olympia's shoulder in the backseat, and when she leaned her head on his, she started to nod off as well. At some point, Mr. Carlisle had taken notice and turned the radio off to let the pair doze. They woke from their light slumbers as soon as they slowed down and took the wide turn into the long driveway to the estate, and did their best to look presentable while still rather sleepy. It was just after two in the morning when they crossed the threshold, hurrying to escape the cool, damp night. While Mr. Carlisle went to get himself a stout coffee from the unattended kitchen (for some peculiar reason, caffeine made him sleepy), Olympia and David drifted into the parlor, following the sounds and smell of a crackling fire. Fish the groundskeeper was still awake; as he tended to the flames under the mantel, he told them he hadn't felt right going to bed before Miss Rose came back from her dinner with Mr. McCree. Her surprise quickly morphing into unease, Olympia pointed out the hour, and Fish—an excitable man—quickly became anxious. Even more so than Olympia, sweet, down-to-earth, punctual Rose was the darling of the household; her peculiar lateness was easily grounds for concern.

Quickly piecing together what they knew didn't bring Olympia any sense of peace. Antwon and Rose had left for a nice dinner in town around six that evening. Having been granted permission by telegram to borrow his uncle's third-favorite car whenever he so desired during his stay at the Bird Estate, Antwon drove. They had plans to visit the bar and maybe have a dance or two before coming home. The thought that they'd elected to stay the night in town instead was outlandish, to say the least. Why would they want a hotel when they had perfectly good beds (and plenty of privacy) at the Estate? Steaming mug in hand, still wearing his coat, Mr. Carlisle poked his head back in and asked if there was anything he ought to do before heading to bed. Earl Gray, who'd been snoozing on the carpet in front of the fire, yawned, stretched, and went back to sleep, and Olympia started to cry. David was at her side in an instant, touching her arms and scanning her face for any sign of injury. She told him tearfully that she had a bad feeling about all this, and his expression switched like lightning from concern to decisiveness.

"I hate to ask more of you, sir," he said, and Mr. Carlisle was already setting aside his coffee before David had finished the request. He went straight away, grabbing his cap from the hook on the door and buttoning up his coat as he went out into the night. Earl Grey, woken when Fish backed into him by accident, jumped up and padded after the chauffeur, meowing confusedly at the front door when it was shut in his face. Olympia scooped him up and went back into the parlor as she stroked his back, but his purring only got her crying again. David drew her onto the couch, and they sat there, quietly discussing how Mr. Carlisle deserved nothing short of a bonus for his work tonight and how Olympia would see to it as soon as she could get around to the bank, anything to keep their minds off what they didn't know. Fish went to bed but said he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep and to come and get him if there was any news.  They promised they would, and he left.

Earl Grey fell asleep on Olympia's lap. The two humans he accompanied dozed on and off, taking turns to drift into a state of almost-dreaming until they realized the dream was about their missing friends and were promptly shocked awake. It was five minutes to four a.m. when the telephone rang. Olympia bruised her shin on the coffee table in her haste to pick it up, and as soon as Mr. Carlisle greeted her from the other end, she knew the news was nothing good. She grabbed David's hand and squeezed hard, and he wrapped his other arm around her back to steady them both.

"Ma heid’s mince," Mr. Carlisle said, and Olympia could hear the weariness in his chest from the tightness in his breath and the thickness of his usually mild accent. "All ma thoughts're like the fret rollin' in from te sea."

"Mr. Carlisle, tell me, has something happened?" Olympia pleaded, and David tightened his arm around her just a little, almost more tense than she was.

"Aye, there's been a row. Miss Rose is in hospital."

"What?!" Olympia gasped, her tears rising anew. "How?! Why?!"

"I dinnae ken," the chauffeur replied miserably, and if he didn't know, who could?

"What about Antwon?" the heiress pressed. "Where is he?"

"He's there, too." Mr. Carlisle turned aside to cough. "They willnae let 'im in te see her, though. Not me, neither. They think he's got somethin' te do wit' Rose gettin' hurt, and hurt bad."

Olympia went pale. Though David tried to rub her arm soothingly, she could feel the tremble of disbelief and anger he tried vainly to suppress. Hollow-voiced and wet-cheeked, Olympia thanked her chauffeur for the update and bade him come home. He started to say he'd be back before sunrise, but she interrupted and made him promise that if he felt like he was falling asleep at the wheel to pull over until the feeling passed. They said their goodbyes and as soon as the line went dead, Olympia fell back onto the couch, turning into David's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, and as she pawed at his chest, she wept for the thousand biting questions one non-answer had raised.

"What happened?" she sobbed, fisting his shirt. "What could have possibly led to this?"

"I don't know, darling." David tucked her snugly against his chest, doing his best to be strong for her but powerless against the shivers of dread that periodically wracked his body. "I just don't know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[boingodigitalart]

Happy birthday to one of the best Dickie Duck fans @lettheladylead

[illiardbilliard]

My Darkwing Duck reboot, featuring Dickie Lee Paperetta

[thefashionfold]

Olympia Le-Tan AW2015

Birds and bird print - they're a popular theme in fashion; birds are symbols of freedom and infinite possibilities.

To see more in a blog post, click here.

[ducklooney]

Happy birthday, Dickie Duck!

On December 18, 1966, the famous Italian artist and writer Romano Scarpa writes and draws a comic called "The Miner's Granddaughter" (or in Italian "Arriva Paperetta Yè-Yè") in which Paperetta Yè-Yè, i.e. Dickie Duck, appears. She is Goldie's granddaughter (not sure if she is Scrooge's granddaughter) and she is an older teenager, very friendly and very active and exciting in many things. Yes, she works as a reporter for Scrooge's brother, Gideon McDuck and his news agency "The Duckburg Chronicle" and in certain situations also works for Brigitta MacBridge (Scrooge's second love besides Goldie). She also goes to high school and college (not sure how old she is, but definitely between 18 and 24) and has female and male friends behind her, such as Beckett, Neptunia, Olympia, Walter, and Aracuan Bird. She is mostly very popular in Brazilian and Italian comics where she is mostly represented. Also, she is a friend of Daisy Duck, Brigitta, Magica and in some cases she is a babysitter for Donald's nephews and Daisy's nieces. In certain comics, Fethry is her boyfriend, while in some comics, Gyro is her boyfriend. She appeared in animation only once, in 1982 as an intro to the Topolino Show created by Romano Scarpa. And now, pictures of her from the beginning until today.

If you love her and her family and friends, feel free to like and reblog this. Happy birthday to you, Dickie!

[pwlanier]

A SAMPLER, PROBABLY ENGLISH, EARLY 19TH CENTURYworked in silks and wool using a variety of techniques on a linen ground, headed by a moralistic text and signature 'Issabella Bossingham / Aged 11 Years' above a scene of a house with sheep to the foreground flanked by trees topped by large nests with eggs, birds and butterflies, foliate and fauna motifs between and surrounding geometric flower border.

Olympia Auctions

[ravioliet]

For some reason Odd Squad as WoF dragons popped into my brain. Your thoughts?

Also I'm LOVING the MLP au so so much!!

thank you!!!!!

and YESS WOF AU!!!! i'm part of the mlp/warrior cats/wof interest overlap i am right in the middle of that venn diagram which i think probably says something about me. but anyways yeah!! i actually started a little bit of a wof au a while back but i never really did much with it. to be honest i have so many aus, maybe too many. they call me the au guy because i keep. making aus. i have a warrior cats one too btw in case anyone's wondering but that's off topic

anyways i remember that i had Olive as a skywing, Otto as a seawing (i named him Otter btw), Olympia as a rainwing or silkwing (because i think she can be pretty and colorful as a treat), Oona as maybe a leafwing? Ocean as a seawing of course (because it's funny), and that's as far as i got i think

i don't think i figured out what tribe Otis would be but i remember that my idea for him was that instead of being raised by ducks he was raised by scavengers like Sky was in wof canon, and i don't know exactly what happened but he of course ends up leaving them and everything. so he can speak and understand scavenger but he's also terrified of them

the only one i got around to drawing was Olive and i'm probably gonna end up redesigning her because this is from a while ago but i based her on a red tailed hawk because i LOVE bird skywings. let them have feathers etc etc

anyways yeah thank you for the ask btw! i love the silly math kid show ^_^

[softquietsteadylove]

Baby olympia stole my hearth, their little family is soo cute 🥹, if it's okay with you love, could you do one where Thena is doing something with baby olympia like feeding her or dressing her (in a super cute outfit 'cause thena is a fashion icon) and Gil is watching them, falling more in love with his girls, feeling grateful that he came back to Thena and that their little her was born. Just Gil being soft for his girls. 🩷

Gil keeps an eye on them - his girls - in the corner of the room.

Thena calls it 'feeding', which it is in some ways. She sits in the rocking chair Phastos constructed for them, and she holds Olympia, and both of them enter a dreamlike state as Cosmic Energy slowly leaves Thena and is absorbed by their little supernova.

Their little miracle--Gil still can't believe it.

He can't even believe that he's alive, for starters. His last memory is of him on his back on the amazon forest floor, looking up at Thena (much to her dismay). But he remembers she was smiling until the moment he closed his eyes.

Next thing he knows, he's alive again, Sersi has saved the world, there's a Celestial sticking out of the ocean and he and Thena have catching up to do. And then Thena is pregnant.

No one saw it coming, of course. No one could have. They all thought of Ajak often during the process of it all, but they were on their own for it. Thank all the stars in the sky for Sersi, and Phastos. All their siblings, of course.

Druig and Sprite are most wary of the baby, no matter how they love her. Sprite excels at entertaining young Olympia, if nothing else. She does seem amused by Druig, as if his constantly reading her young mind has established a somewhat two-way connection.

Kingo says he doesn't like that, because he should be her favourite. He and Phastos argue on that often. But, although Makkari bouncing and jogging her (gently!) around the Domo is fun for them both, Sersi is of course Thena's chosen second mother for their child.

And there could be no better, he agrees. Sersi has always been the most human, and the most connected to the ways of the heart. She's sweet, and warm, and has an awareness of the soul that none of the rest of them possess.

Gil admits this freely; he has only one soul to which his is linked.

It's strange to think that his wife has now lived part of her life without him, and yet to him he has spent not even a day without her. But he can see how she's worn out by what she's endured. He wishes he could take it on for her; it's not fair.

Gil walks into their shared room. It's still just his personal quarters in the Domo--far from luxurious. Phastos did do them the kindness of engineering an expansion, just into the next room, but the extra space was still appreciated.

There is also a small crib for Olympia, mere steps away from the bed.

He chuckles, looking at the little mobile above it. It's a simple thing, but Thena did whittle and paint it herself. There are dinosaurs and pegasi and also regular birds. A whole history's worth of creatures.

They all guessed he would be the one who would be unable to bear being away from Olympia. And they are right, but it's Thena who has the most acute anxiety about it.

Only by his and Sersi's convincing did she allow them to install the crib at all. If it were up to Thena, she would be holding their child in her arms until the day she was Sprite's height.

Gil kneels down in front of his beautiful girls. Olympia is sleeping soundly, absorbing little dewdrops of Cosmic Energy from her mother like a meadow receives the rain. Sersi reasons that human children often need extra vitamins and nutrients besides in just their food; perhaps this is the same.

He brushes his fingers over his daughter's tiny head; she really does look like a tiny Thena, although he thinks her hair is getting a little darker just at the roots. He kisses her little forehead. She scrunches her face. "I'm sorry, my little sunburst."

"You're here."

He smiles up at his wife, her enchanting green eyes affixed to him. She looks even more stunning since bringing Olympia into the world. "I'm here."

It's become a kind of greeting for them. Thena will voice those words as if one day he won't affirm them. But he has no right to worry about that when it's very possible that she has experienced that in some form or another.

He leans up, capturing her lips against his tenderly.

Thena sighs as they part, her head tilting lazily as she relaxes that last little bit. Her eyes shine at him, "she's strong."

The connection between Warrior Eternal and her progeny is one that brings tears to his eyes. He moves the back of his knuckle against his daughter's cheek, "I know. Look who her mother is."

Thena lets him kiss her cheek with reverence. "To say nothing of her father. Two of the galaxy's deadliest--she will be a force to be reckoned with."

"She," Gilgamesh pats the soft of his palm against Olympia's head, "will never have to know battle, so long as we live."

"Yes," Thena sighs, letting herself believe his reassurance. She inhales, adjusting her arms, "here."

It's a simple thing, but it moves him that she trusts him so completely with their daughter. Of course she does, he is her father. But he knows Thena--knows the way she twitches and flinches and watches. She is made to be vigilant, after all, and even with their own family, she is always keenly aware of their daughter's whereabouts.

But with him, she hands her over. Thena has no question about his ability to prioritise and protect their child.

He makes room as she stands from the chair. She wobbles faintly and he moves so she can lean into his side. "Easy."

He isn't entirely sure what takes place during the 'feedings'. Because he also makes her regular old milk and feeds that to her. But Phastos and Druig alike cannot fathom what takes place between mother and child and their connection of energy.

Thena nuzzles her face into his shoulder.

"You're tired," he chuckles, holding their daughter in one arm and his wife in the other. "Nap with me."

Thena mumbles faintly. And while he doesn't hear it, he knows it's because she wants them to have Olympia in the bed in between them, instead of in the crib.

"We talked about this," he reminds her as he oh-so gently lays Olympia down on the little cot within the high walls. "You trust Sersi."

"Of course I trust Sersi," she grumbles, as if she is not grinding her teeth in her head to distract from her separation anxiety.

"She needs to learn to sleep on her own," he says gently, pulling Thena with him to the bed. "You can't hold her forever, sweetheart."

"We live forever."

He chuckles, careful not to be too loud with his little sunflower in the room. But he tucks some of Thena's hair away from her face and kisses the corner of her amazing lips. "As will she. And that's a long time for her to sleep in her own bedroom."

He can practically hear his wife's feelings about their infant daughter sleeping in a completely separate room. He presses his nose to the sculpted hollow of her cheek. "I will want you all to myself again someday, you know."

That makes her smile. She laughs faintly as he kisses her cheek and pulls them to lie down together. She settles into his chest, his arms wrapped around her, their daughter's tiny breaths reaching their inhuman ears. "You have your priorities I see."

"I do," he answers honestly, rubbing Thena's back and burying his nose in the hair at the top of her head. "It's my two girls, always. My new little star and the sun of my galaxy."

"Hm," Thena allows him to relish the contact with her. "I shall pretend that's sweet, instead of you being eager to bed me again."

"I can be a sweet and loving father, and also your husband, y'know."

[averyhh]

Why is nobody talking about Perturabo’s pet birds. Why.

This man- this man keeps birds in the command room of his flagship Iron Blood and the cages just hang there. And the primarch book only mentioned it once without bringing it up again or bothered to elaborate.

The only thing we know for now is that the birds are likely an Olympian tradition because Dammekos had cages of ceiling birbs back in the Lochos palace. There’s so much stuff I can dig out of these brief mentions of birds. Like:

Are they just there to give Perty & the Iron Warriors a facade of natural, biological closeness to their home planet’s culture? Are they metaphorical, referring to Perty’s upbringing on Olympia & his inner thoughts about that period of his life under Dammekos’s roof? Are the birds never brought up again because Perty got rid of them at some point off-screen for obscure reasons, as an indication of his character development moving towards the final breaking point in the heresy?

…And all the answers are yes because the lore is probably not that deep but with my wholehearted love for Perty I’m gonna talk about it like it is.

[yama-bato]

Mary Randlett

1 https://stoningtongallery.com/artwork/tidelines-mud-bay-olympia-september-1999-framed/

2.https://stoningtongallery.com/artwork/bird-of-sea-la-push-june-1995/

[sergeant-spoons]

21. A Morning Fancy

Olympia Bird

Taglist: @thoughpoppiesblow​​ @chaosklutz​​ @wexhappyxfew​​ @50svibes​​ @tvserie-s-world​​ @adamantiumdragonfly​​ @ask-you-what-sir​​ @whovian45810​​ @brokennerdalert​​ @holdingforgeneralhugs​​ @claire-bear-1218​​ @heirsoflilith​​ @itswormtrain​​ @actualtrashpanda​​ @wtrpxrks​​​

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The house was quiet and still. It had been so all week, but the oppressive humidity of the past five days had finally broken with last night's rainstorm, and a lightness had come to the air that made the quietude seem fitting. Olympia was walking down the hall to David's room, an anthology of poems by Ella Wheeler Wilcox tucked snugly between her arm and chest, when she came upon her cousin. They exchanged the usual morning pleasantries before he commented on the lashing of the rain upon his window last night and she teased him to hurry along and not miss the last of breakfast. They parted ways with a smile and a promise to convene on the porch at teatime for tea (the customary) and chess (an additional pleasantry). Olympia checked that no one was about before slipping into her clandestine beau's room, treading the path to his bed she'd followed a dozen times before over the course of the month. August was waning but her affection for David Webster only grew by the day.

Olympia studied the tousled sheets before her, smiling fondly to see he had not made his bed nor Rose had been along to do the chore for him. She patted his pillow affectionately, picturing his pretty head still dozing where she'd left early that morning, sneaking out of his room after a late-night tryst. There was a note sticking out of a certain page in the anthology, a note that read something to the effect of Last night was fun, we ought to visit more, signed with a heart. It was a tease—a flirtation, if you would. David knew as well as Olympia did that 'last night' was not their first evening engagement of the summer, nor would it be their last. In the storm last night, reckless abandon had been the name of the game. The thunder and lightning wreaking havoc on high had not only served to make their 'activities' all the more electrifying, the noise outside allowed for a bit more volume to escape David's bed. A faint flush came upon Olympia's cheeks, nose, and neck as the particulars of their time together arose in her mind.

I miss you, she thought as if he could hear, though she'd only just seen him not ten minutes before at the breakfast table.

"'In the sweet dim light of the falling night'," Olympia whispered to herself as she laid the book of Mrs. Wilcox's poems on David's pillow, "'she found him at her side'."

"Love's coming," she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the anthology, a musing which she meant with all her heart but just so happened to be the title of the poem she had selected for David's eyes alone. She liked the second stanza the best:

She had thought how his armor would blaze in the sun, As he rode like a prince to claim his bride: In the sweet dim light of the falling night She found him at her side.

Vacating the room and shutting the door silently behind her, Olympia turned down the hall just in time to catch Rose stepping out of the linen closet.

"Good morning!" exclaimed the mistress of the household, in quite a pleasant mood despite the impending heat of the day.

"Oh! Good morning, Miss Bird."

As Rose turned, a smile broke across her lips. There was a small red mark on her neck that she tried to hide with the collar of her blouse; Olympia noticed it but made no mention, stifling a teasing remark.

"If you would please," Rose continued, "Mrs. Withers would like to request something from you as soon as you find the time to visit the kitchen."

Olympia tipped her chin thoughtfully. "Now that is curious indeed. I'll go right now."

"Have a nice morning, ma'am."

"The same to you, Rose."

Waltzing into the kitchen a few minutes later, Olympia snatched up a pear from the fruit basket and declared, "If this has anything to do with our handsome bachelor neighbor, it's an immediate yes from me."

Mrs. Withers, forgoing a greeting in favor of a gasped reprimand, promptly stepped forward and flicked the dishtowel in her hands at her young employer. Olympia yelped, jumping aside to avoid the smattering of tap water flung her way.

"Treachery! Betrayal!"

In feigning a swoon, she fell against a second person she had not yet noticed; turning about as her arms were steadied by familiar hands, she could not help a smile to find David trying his very best not to laugh.

"Good morning to you, too."

She grinned. "What are you doing here?"

"Fetching a lunch basket for himself and your cousin," Mrs. Withers supplied, delivering the very same to David's free hand (his other, he kept resting on the small of her back). "They're off to the country club."

"Really? What for?"

David grimaced.

"Tony wants to go golfing again today."

Olympia snickered.

"Have fun."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You think my suffering is funny."

"Maybe just a little." She laughed when he made a face, exaggerating his offense. "Wear a hat, why don't you? Antwon, too. It's going to be awfully hot today."

"Good idea." 

David stepped toward Olympia, then seemed to remember Mrs. Withers and leaned back, taking his beau's hand as if to shake. Mrs. Withers, shrewd woman that she was, noticed the glance the lovers shared and promptly returned to the sink, running the tap as if each and every dish wasn't already drying on the rack. David dropped Olympia's hand so he could hold her chin, tilting her face up for him to kiss. He pressed his lips to her forehead, then her nose, her cheek, her jaw—alas, she became impatient and seized upon his collar, taking the initiative for a proper kiss before he allowed himself the chance. He swooned as they parted, his pupils blown a little wider than before.

"Check your pillow," Olympia whispered, pressing a light kiss to his ear before leaning down and biting innocently into her pear.

David adjusted his shirt where it was tucked into his pants and wished his girlfriend an audible, platonic farewell. Mrs. Withers looked over her shoulder but did not turn fully until David had left the kitchen.

"He's a nice young man. With a nice fancy for you."

Olympia blushed becomingly. "You think so?"

"I do."

"Don't tease me like that in front of Antwon, at least."

"I wouldn't even think of it."

"So what's this about Mr. March?" Olympia asked, coming around to lean on the counter and take a bite out of her pear like she would an apple.

Mrs. Withers squinted at her. "I never mentioned Abel."

"Ah, but it is about him, whatever it is you want to ask me, isn't it?"

"Well, yes. But how-"

"You called him Abel," Olympia pointed out gleefully, "and you're wearing your second-nicest dress today."

If Olympia hadn't known better, she would have thought Mrs. Withers had begun to blush.

"I didn't think you would notice."

"Of course, I would!" the heiress exclaimed. "I love that dress! Give us a twirl, now, won't you?"

Mrs. Withers did as requested, and Olympia clapped and cheered with no shortage of mirth.

"Well, then, it's settled! We'll go pay dear Mr. March a visit. It's been too long since I've seen him out and about, though his horses are always in the field just below the hill—you know the one, I go to sit there all the time."

"Yes, I remember." Mrs. Withers untied her apron and hung it neatly on a peg by the wall. "I've got everything prepared to make supper as soon as we've returned, and there's a spread of cold cuts for lunch, and Rose can make afternoon tea better than myself, if we're not back by then-"

"Well, then, you've got it all settled," Olympia soothed, having not even thought what the absence of her honored cook might have on the household, "which means we can go—and should go—right this minute."

"Yes," Mrs. Withers agreed, "just let me fetch the basket first."

"Ooh, the basket." Olympia tried to peer inside but was foiled by Mrs. Withers' quick hand. "What did you make for the old dear?"

"Fudge," came the belated reply as they came down the hall and into the foyer. "I made him fudge."

"What kind?"

"Peanut butter." Mrs. Withers shot Olympia a look. "Will that be all?" she asked almost sarcastically, and Olympia suppressed a giggle.

"One last thing—did you write a note to go along with it?"

Mrs. Withers paused with her hand on the front door's knob.

"No."

"Then how about a poem?" Olympia looked up the main staircase, picturing her beloved library. "I could go copy one down from Atticus, or E.E. Cummings, or-"

"No, that's fine." Mrs. Withers shook her head. "We're simpler people, Abel and I are. We don't fawn over fancy words like you and your Mr. Webster there." A small smile. "I mean no offense, of course."

"None taken at all," Olympia replied, and tucked her arm into Mrs. Withers'. "Let's get going, then. It's not a long way down the hill, I know, but I can already feel in the air—it'll be too hot for a lengthy stroll after midday."

Indeed, the sunny sky on the walk down to the farm seemed to promise a hot afternoon. The sun was busily sloping towards its peak, not a cloud in sight. The day grew hotter with every passing minute—or, at least, that's what Olympia felt it was like. By the time the two women reached Mr. March's farm, they were looking over their shoulders and dreading the march back up the long hill to the Bird Estate. There was an odor in the air about the farm that displeased Olympia greatly, and though she scrunched up her nose once or twice, she did not vocalize her dislike. It was the horses, she was sure, those beautiful beasts that did not smell quite as nice as they looked. She followed Mrs. Withers to the door of the house; when no one answered their knocking, they went through the open gate toward the barn. They found Mr. March stacking hay with a large pitchfork just inside the broad doors, smartly keeping to the shade.

"Ah! Miss Withers, and Miss Bird!" A smile leaped upon the old farmer's fond face, and he set down his work at once to greet the newcomers. "What a lovely surprise!"

"Oh, please," Mrs. Withers hummed, blushing, as Mr. March kissed the back of her hand, "call me Lennon."

Mr. March's delight seemed to be growing exponentially. He offered his given name in turn to both his guests and quickly insisted on giving his hopeful beau the grand tour of the farm (although Olympia knew Mrs. Withers had visited a number of times before). Olympia, happy to grant them a walk by themselves, announced her desire to stay with the horses. She watched the pair as they strolled off, Mrs. Withers' arm tucked familiarly into Mr. March's, and a small smile crept upon her young lips.

See, I knew they would make a good pair.

While the old couple enjoyed the summer sun and their blossoming romance, Olympia withdrew into the barn. Mr. March had not yet let his two horses out to pasture yet and they stood stamping impatiently in their stalls. Olympia came up to the gate and clicked her tongue at them until they came towards her. She patted their noses and they swished their tails, contented for the time being at this new curiosity. Antwon had a messenger bag that he used for his schoolbooks; Olympia had 'borrowed' it for the morning and brought two novels and an apple each for the horses. She reached into the bag and produced the fruit now, and as the horses champed away, their large lips tickling her hand, she laughed and recited a few verses about the loveliness of man's best steed.

"That's some nice poetry, ma'am."

Olympia turned and found Jett Fisher, her groundskeeper (who they called Fish), coming into the barn. Her surprise must have been evident on her face, for he tipped his cap at her and told her often came down here to help Mr. March with the more strenuous tasks on the farm.

"He's not as spry as he once was," Fish said, then paused, an apple of his own raised halfway to his mouth. "I only come once I'm done with all I've got to do on the estate, Miss Bird," he added hurriedly, and Olympia blushed.

"Oh- oh, yes, of course."

It hadn't occurred to her that her staff did things beyond their duties on the estate, and her cheeks began to color as she realizes her ignorance. Fish offered her a small smile, forgiving, and she stepped up to take his arm.

"You said you come here often?"

"Yes'm."

"Could you give me a tour, then?"

"Gladly."

"Wonderful. Oh, but Fish-" Olympia tried and failed not to let her smile become a smirk. "Let's try to keep out of sight of Mr. March and Mrs. Withers."

Fish chuckled. "I don't think they'd notice us even if we came face-to-face, ma'am."

"They are in love, aren't they?"

Fish shrugged. "Seems like it to me."

"And also to me." 

Satisfied, Olympia nodded toward the open doors, where strands of hay lay spilt on the ground by the warm breeze.

"Shall we?"

Fish led her out the door of the barn, and for the next half-hour, they walked and talked their way across the farm. They saw the pasture and discovered a wild blueberry patch growing over the westernmost fence. As they looped back around to the house, Olympia looked at Fish thoughtfully but did not speak her mind until he suggested she do so.

"I was only thinking," she began, "that we don't get out much, do we? The whole staff, I mean, all of us together."

Fish looked like he wanted to make a correction but swallowed it back and agreed. "Yes'm, that's true."

"Well, we should. How about we go out on the town? My treat! We'll have lunch, you and I and Mrs. Withers and Rose and Mr. Carlisle and Mr. Sullivan. And the boys! If they're not off to Harvard by the time we find a good day."

Fish looked surprised, and Olympia was about to ask why when he cleared his throat and replied, "That sounds lovely, ma'am. I'm sure the rest of the staff would be happy to come along."

"Then it's settled!" She clapped happily, bringing one hand across herself to meet the one tucked around Fish's arm. "We'll make a day of it. Someday. Soon."

"Ah, yes. Soon."

There seemed to be a hint of disbelief in the groundskeeper's voice, as if he was hesitant to believe her plan was more than a passing fancy, but Olympia thought nothing of it. She meant it, and that was all that mattered. Of course, he would believe her on the undetermined day she followed through, for he would be along for the ride.

"There you are!" Olympia exclaimed as they came up to the porch and found Mr. March and Mrs. Withers sitting on matching rocking chairs, sipping iced tea from tall glasses. "My, oh my, isn't it hot out today?"

Mr. March hopped up at once. "Please, sit here in the shade, Miss Bird."

"Oh, thank you, but I should really be going soon. I have... studying to do. The newest magazines came in and I really must get through them before the end of the day, or Antwon will get impatient with me. He likes to discuss them, see, and he says that this month, there's a particularly interesting piece on a recent archaeological dig in Iran from Howard University..."

Mr. March returned to his seat, nodding just as slowly as he sat. As Mrs. Withers leaned over to whisper something to him, adjusting the glass in her hand, Olympia saw her fingerprints left by the humidity and hummed discontentedly.

"I wish there was a way to get back up the hill in the shade..."

The heiress turned and pouted at the road sloping up and up towards the Bird Estate.

"I'd be right pleased to take you back in my cart, miss, if you'd only give me a minute to hitch it up," offered Mr. March, rising yet again, and Olympia did not catch the disappointed look on Mrs. Withers' face until she'd already agreed.

"On second thought!" she exclaimed, taking the old farmer by the sleeve and turning him back toward the porch. "Fish and I were thinking of seeing the pond in the glade just down the road. As I recall, the way is mostly shaded..?"

"Ah, yes-"

"Then stay, Mr. March-"

"Please, call me Abel."

"-and we will see you in, say, an hour's time?"

"Sounds just fine to me," Mr. March replied meekly, seeming dazed by all the changing of decisions, whereas Mrs. Withers was used to this sort of wavering from the mistress of the house and did not bat an eye.

"Splendid!"

Olympia tugged Fish along, ignoring his grumblings at the hold-up—"The flowers will wilt in this heat if I don't water them soon."—and waved cheerfully to the ever-shrewd Mrs. Withers, who was calmly sipping on her iced tea and looking at Olympia like no plot or scheme of hers had ever been more obvious.

"Leave them be," Olympia scolded Fish in a low voice when he looked unamusedly over his shoulder. "They'll be lost in conversation-"

"And each other's eyes."

"-before they even know it."

"So?"

"So," she pressed, "they will fall in love!"

Fish sighed and let her lead him onto the side of the road, keeping closest to the motorway in the off chance an automobile came racing erroneously down the road.

"I suppose you're right."

"I often am."

Fish just shook his head and pretended his smile resulted from the sunshine and not the well-intentioned decisiveness of the young woman at his side.

"Often... Right."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[boingodigitalart]

Some outfit designs I decided to test out on Dickie’s friends! Plus some O’Gilt family and Scheme team bonding!!

[agentomen]

from ravi’s wings birds au

(olympia patched him up after an Incident)

[thegrapeandthefig]

Hi, do you happen to have anything on Kaineus/Caeneus? Specifically if he was worshiped as a hero (and if so, how) and what kind of bird he might have turned into. Thanks!

I don't think I have anything but I gave it a quick look around. Most of what I can find seems to analysis from Ovid's version (x, x, x, x). Still using Ovid, when it comes to the bird question, there is one French article that analyses the theory of the bird being the phoenix (x).

I also found two archaeological analyses of a bronze relief and of a vase depicting Kaineus (x, x) but as far as I can tell there seems to be very little in our knowledge about a cult. However, the bronze relief from Olympia might be a good starting point for further research, since it at least gives you a potential location. You might also want to take an indirect approach and look for studies about the cult of Poseidon, and see if there is any evidence of a cult of Poseidon that could be linked to Kaineus.

Lack of information obviously doesn't mean that there never was a cult, but it means you might to fill in the gaps as much as you can and experiment. I hope this helps nonetheless, and good luck.

[kit-williams]

Warhammer 40k & D&D crossover Perturabo

Two Primarchs tonight We're onto one of my favorites and literally the petulant manchild that started all of this. Perturabo! Hopefully a bit more coherent than the original post but still quite ramblely

His name is Perturabo Olympia

He wandered back to the Lawful Evil city of Zazzil (Think of Evil Venice) Where devil contracts are as common as vendors on the street. All perfectly woven legal code and documents keeping Zazzil and the devil lords entangled and happy.

He returned because there was also a great importance on art and industry. So he could craft to his hearts content and get the praise he always sought and lend his ideas for the city defense as an ancient Brass dragon had set up outside of the city and was the city's villain

His future wife, Faustina, wandered into his gallery while waiting for a date set up by her father.

Perturabo found her staring utterly entranced by a painting of the Great Maelstrom/The Eye of Terror

She wanted to buy it but he refused to sell it

However instead of being turned away she "pestered" him into talking with her as she wasn't really interested in the man her father was trying to marry her off too.

Perturabo enjoyed her quick wit and her genuine praises as he could see the way her eyes lit up as she gushed over his sculptures or his paintings

They started their secret courtship though eventually Perturabo had enough of Faustina being pushed into something she didn't want and tried to get her father to see him as a potential spouse.

The father proposed of having a contest between the two suitors about who could produce the better art piece

He made an Impossible bird cage; as my head canon Perturabo loves making small metal sculptures of birds or delicate paper cranes just things that look impossible but work because of his knowledge of crafts

The father wasn't impressed by the birdcage however a devil spied it and ran back to the devil lord that was in Zazzil telling him of an art piece fit for his master

Perturabo was contemplating the legality of murder as his sculpture was far more technically advanced and of course to him it pleased the suited viewer, Faustina. The rival had used more expensive metals and other materials which the father was more impressed by but Faustina was enthralled by the delicate metal that looked like it should crumple and fold in on itself.

The Devil Lord also agreed with Faustina as he was enthralled by the piece. He purred with such a silver tongue praises and promises as he wanted to buy the piece right then and there. Perturabo refused as he said that he needed it for this competition.

The plaza went silent out of horror as Perturabo had said no to a Devil lord

Fustina had run behind Perturabo and started to beg him to sell the Devil lord the sculpture.

The Lord calmly asked why it was important and so with a small cruel smile Perturabo explained what it was for which turned the Devil Lord's ire from Perturabo to Faustina's father.

The cowardly man declared him the winner as soon Perturabo was able to get contracts and business from the Devil Lord.

Perturabo's wedding gift to Faustina was the painting of the Eye of Terror.

They have 5 children. In Zazzil they have a Common name, A business name, and then a family name First born son: Piero 'Rogal' Olympia Second born son: Ignazio 'Vulkan' Olympia Only Daughter: Martel 'Calliphone' Olympia (Following this one) Third Son: Fabrizio  'Ferrus' Olympia Youngest Son: Andrea 'Fulgrim' Olympia Future son once he renegotiates the contract with his wife on how many children they want: Russo 'Magnus' Olympia

Unlike his brothers whose sons are usually named after beloved sons in their warbands Perturabo did not give that honor instead choosing to name them after his favored brothers.

Piero, Ignazio, and Martel are all artificers and to whom he has revealed how to make a variant of power armor; it mixes magic and crafting. To activate the armor they say 'Iron Within' (they are most likely Armorer Artificers) (Or think of like sailor moon except with plate power armor instead of magical girl outfits and they use crossbows instead of bolters)

[ravioliet]

a little collection of some silly mlp au fun facts because i want to :)

• Olive is a Wonderbolts fan despite not being a pegasus and would fangirl so hard if she got to meet them. basically exactly the same way she is with the Bears and all that

• the au is set in g4 so that g5 earth pony plant magic or whatever doesn't exist, however because Olympia is extra silly and magical she will sometimes cause plants and flowers to pop up if she gets really excited or something. like a lot of her other magic stuff she can't do it on command, and when she is doing it she usually doesn't even realize it

• Otis doesn't fly much but when he does he has a bad habit of flying straight into windows like a bird. for the record pegasi are actually capable of seeing glass, Otis is just like that. he also walks into glass doors and stuff a lot (this is also a headcanon that i apply to him outside of this au because it's really funny to me)

• Oona has the earth pony plant affinity thing which is why she likes to garden on her days off

• on top of also being able to fly, Otto is still taller than Olive here. she is cursed to be short in every timeline unfortunately (/silly)

• Mr NoiseJam is real here as well. Noisemaker is an earth pony and is basically the same but he also has whatever that instrument Pinkie had in Swarm of the Century was, Mr. Lightning is a pegasus and the former weather pony of the town (he got fired for making storms and causing townsponies to get struck by lightning for funsies) he still has lightning powers btw he's just really static all the time, and Jamie Jam is a unicorn she just knows a lot of jam summoning and otherwise jam related spells and uses them for evil

• idk if i've mentioned this before but Todd is an earth pony by the way! he has no extra abilities or anything but he still manages to be a problem for everyone and i think that's kind of funny of him tbh

• mlp Ohlm is on his Cozy Glow arc. do with that information what you will

• Olympia can use magic to glow in the dark sometimes if she tries really hard. also if she ever became an alicorn she'd be the sparkliest being in all of Equestria probably, princess of glitter if you will