#the passing show of 1919

[redmyeyes]

Fellow Travelers Timeline

(as comprehensive as i can make it. corrections/additions welcome)

1919-20 (?) - Hawk is born

based on tennis trophy which shows year 1936, and hawk's statement that he and kenny were on the tennis team in 11th grade (16/17 years old).

also date on the paperweight (1937) that hawk says kenny picked out on their senior trip. spring or fall though? if spring (usual for a senior trip, just before graduation), it would mean hawk graduated HS in 1937, b. 1919. (thanks, @lestatscunt!)

June 6, 1930 - Tim is born, on Staten Island, NY

birthdate/place shown on army application in ep 5

Gemini, with moon in Libra

>>> With a Gemini Sun Libra Moon, emotional equilibrium is hard for you to maintain in a world of constant flux and tension. Since you are not responsible for the woes and upsets of those around you, you should not feel so duty-bound to assuage their wounds or mediate every conflict that happens to come your way.

>>> your natural diplomacy, extraordinary perception and insight can all be applied creatively in such fields as politics, social work, and the mass media.

>>> your extreme open-mindedness would probably enable you to almost any life-style. You have a universal quality about you that transcends culture, religion, ideology, or any other barrier that divides mankind.

Fall 1937 - Spring 1941 - Hawk attends "Penn", presumably the University of Pennsylvania. (assuming hawk b. 1919)

(this is very very long, the rest is under the cut)

December 7, 1941 - bombing of Pearl Harbor, US enters WWII

??? - Hawk joins the army (along with Kenny), and is sent to Europe.

January 9 – August 15, 1945 - Battle of Luzon, where Kenny dies.

September 2, 1945 - Japan surrenders, US exits WWII

February, 1949 - Hawk starts working at the State Department

Hawk says in 1x04 (Dec 1953) that he's been working at the State Dept for "four years and ten months".

"I came out of the war with four assets: degree from Penn, a hero's war record, no particular political ideology, and a passing acquaintance with three languages. Throw in a talent for prevaricating and a taste for travel and fine clothes, you have the makings of a competent, mid-level Foreign Service bureaucrat."

Fall 1948 - Spring 1952 - Tim attends Fordham University, graduating with a degree in political science and history.

1951 - Hawk starts work for the Bureau of Congressional Relations

Tim mentions Hawk's been working there for two years during their meeting on the bench.

1952 - Tim works "the New York campaign" (presumably for Eisenhower).

1952/3? - Tim interns for three months at the Star, in the mailroom.

November 4, 1952 - Election Night, Eisenhower (R) wins the presidency. Tim/Hawk first meet and are instantly smitten. (ep 1)

February 16, 1953 to March 10, 1954 - McCarthy Hearings, part 1.

The first consisted of a series of hearings conducted by McCarthy, as the subcommittee’s chairman, throughout 1953 and early 1954 in which McCarthy alleged Communist influence within the press and the federal government, including the State Department, the U.S. Army, and the Government Printing Office.

March 5, 1953 - Stalin dies.

Late March, 1953 - Hawk/Tim second meeting

After Hawk meets Tim at the park bench, he attends a hearing where Marcus says Cohn has brought David Schine on, and then later at their lunch Senator Smith says, "McCarthy is sending Cohn and his sidekick to Europe..." This article, dated April 19, says that Cohn and Schine have been in Europe for two weeks.

Hawk mentions that it's near the end of the month, police need to make their quotas.

April 27, 1953 - Executive Order 10450 signed. Hawk goes to Tim's apartment and tells him about Kenny. (ep 1)

June 6, 1953 - Tim's 23rd birthday (Hawk 'misses' it because they weren't talking for 4 weeks. belated celebration in ep 3.)

June 15, 1953 (?) - date of the newspaper Tim is reading just before he goes to visit Hawk in ep 2, where Hawk makes him write the letter to Mary. I'm choosing to believe this is a mistake on the show's part, because this would mean that Hawk has already missed Tim's birthday.

June 19, 1953 - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg's execution. Hawk comforts Lucy about this at the end of ep 2. So, likely Hawk and Tim had their big fight very shortly before Tim's birthday, and weren't talking from end of May - end of June.

End of June, 1953 - at the end of ep 2, Tim says it's been 4 months since his last confession, making his last (proper) confession the end of Feb or beginning of March. (ie, before he meets Hawk again).

End of June or beginning of July, 1953 - weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach (ep 3)

November 1953 - G. David Schine drafted into the army (ep 3)

Christmas 1953 (ep 4)

March 16 to June 17, 1954 - Army-McCarthy Hearings (part 2) (ep 5)

The second phase involved the subcommittee's investigation of McCarthy’s attacks on the U.S. Army. Known as the “Army-McCarthy hearings,” they were broadcast on national television and they contributed to McCarthy’s declining national popularity. Five months later, on December 2, 1954, the Senate censured McCarthy.

June 6, 1954 - Tim's 24th birthday

June, 1954? - Tim/Hawk break up, Hawk proposes to Lucy (ep 5)

I believe this happens at the tail-end of the Army-McCarthy hearings, so before June 17th.

Fall, 1954 - Sen. Smith's funeral

based solely on fall foliage in this screenshot:

Late Nov / Early Dec, 1954 - Tim enlists in the army

based on army application: birthdate 6/6/30, age: 24 years, 6 months

Late Nov / Early Dec, 1954 - Hawk/Tim last meeting in the tower

based on the radio program Tim is listening to, which says, "Chief Counsel Roy Cohn has resigned from the committee. And Senator McCarthy, his approval ratings plummeting, faces censure or even expulsion from the Senate."

Tim leaves for Fort Dix, for training, but is later stationed at Fort Polk, in Vernon Parish, LA. (thanks, @jesterlesbian!)

December 2, 1954 - the Senate censures McCarthy.

Summer or Fall 1956? - Tim's letter (that lucy burns) (ep 6)

Flashbacks, for context:

"Since he's giving up his apartment, Hawk insists on having a lair in the woods." // "I'm surprised that he finally agreed."

Lucy lets contractor go. // "Give me a baby."

Hawk is reading the Bristol Daily Courier, a paper located in Bristol, PA, a town in Bucks County, outside Philadelphia. I can't find any info on the one headline I can read though ("Heath Carlson breaks arws deadlock, locals proud"), so can't date this properly.

Lucy cleaning out Hawk's apartment, finds paperweight, sees Tim drop off letter.

"I went into the Army to get away from you. I thought time and distance would help. But it hasn't." If Tim sends the letter in summer 1956, it's been a year and a half since he enlisted.

Biggest question here: did lucy ask for a baby before or after she read Tim's letter??? the flashbacks don't answer this definitively.

October, 1956? - Lucy becomes pregnant with Jackson (see note under April 1957)

October 23 – November 4, 1956 - Hungarian Revolution of 1956

October 23, 1956 - April 30, 1957 - Hungarian Refugee Crisis

November 8, 1956 - Operation Safe Haven commences

President Eisenhower declared that 5,000 Hungarians would be awarded visa numbers remaining under the 1953 Refugee Relief Act

Spring 1957? - Tim sends telegram. It looks like 05-??-???? to me, which doesn't really make sense if McCarthy died on May 2nd, but it's hard to make out. or maybe telegrams used the date format dd-mm-yyyy.

April 1957? - Tim/Hawk first meeting, Lucy at least 5 (or 6? or 7?) months pregnant

You should feel your baby's first movements, called "quickening," between weeks 16 and 25 of your pregnancy. If this is your first pregnancy, you may not feel your baby move until closer to 25 weeks. 

25 weeks ~= 6 months, and it still seems novel to her, so let's say she's approx. 6 months pregnant here.

May 2, 1957 - Joe McCarthy dies.

May 6, 1957 - McCarthy's funeral. Tim's first visit to Hawk's apartment (ep 8)

June 6, 1957 - Tim turns 27.

June or July, 1957 - Jackson born (based on dates above)

1958? - Kimberly is born. (estimated bc she looks the same age or older than Jackson, so assuming she's a year younger at most.)

August, 1965 - President Johnson signs a law making it a federal crime to destroy or mutilate [draft] cards. 

October 15, 1965 -David Miller publicly burns his draft card, becoming the first person to be prosecuted under that law and a symbol of the growing movement against the war.

May 17, 1968 - the Catonsville Nine took 378 draft files from the draft board office in Catonsville, Maryland and burned them in the parking lot. (inspo for Tim & co. thanks @brokendrums!)

November 1968 - ep 6. Hawk is 48, Tim is 38, Jackson is 11.

based on this newspaper screenshot when Hawk is talking to Marcus on the phone about Tim

November 1968 - May 1970 (earliest) - Tim in prison. (he says in ep 7 he was in prison for a year and a half. this assumes he went to prison right away, but it could have been several months later if he was awaiting trial/sentencing.)

1970? - After prison, Tim moves to San Francisco and gets his counseling degree.

Mid-late 1970s - Tim earns his C-SWCM qualifications, requiring:

A Bachelor’s degree in social work from a graduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education

Documentation of at least three (3) years and 4,500 hours of paid, supervised, post-BSW professional experience in an organization or agency that provides case management services

Current state BSW-level license or an ASWB BSW-level exam passing score.

nb. because Tim already had his bachelors (from Fordham, majoring in history), I could see him entering a much-accelerated BSW program, transfering a lot of credits from his previous degree. That would give him maybe 2 more years of university, plus the required 3 years of post-BSW work = 5 years minimum before he earns that business card.

February 4, 1977 - Fleetwood Mac's album Rumours is released, including the 1970s Tim/Hawk anthem, Go Your Own Way

October, 1978 - Jackson dies

November 27, 1978 - Harvey Milk assassinated

May 22, 1979 - Harvey's 49th birthday (celebrated in ep 7)

1986 - ep 8

how long was Hawk in San Francisco? Timelines for the events below may be fudged in the show, bc I doubt he was there for 5 months.

March, 1986 - Roy Cohn's 60 Minutes interview, which the gang watches in ep 4.

April 15, 1986 - US bombs Libya. in the first episode you can hear reference to this on the radio, before Hawk leaves for San Francisco. (thanks @aliceinhorrorland93!)

July 27, 1986 - In California, Gov. George Deukmejian vetoes a bill that would have defined AIDS as a physical handicap calling for entitlement to protection under the state's civil rights laws.

August 2, 1986 - Roy Cohn dies (ep 8)

Late 1986? - the fundraising gala that Tim crashes, shortly after Cohn's death.

September 1986 - The State Legislature has passed another bill [in addition to the one vetoed on July 27]. Mr. Deukmejian, a Republican running for re-election, has indicated that he will probably veto the bill. (nb, this is likely the bill that Tim & co want to pressure the governor to sign).

October 11, 1987 - AIDS memorial quilt first displayed (ep 8)

--

this was a collaborative effort! many thanks to @ishipallthings for many of these details, as well as @startagainbuttercup , @alorchik, @itsalinh and others in the FT discord!

[kgficz]

Safe With Me- Part 7

Thomas Shelby x Reader

Summary: You’ve been sent back in time, landing in 1919 in Birmingham. You’re busy trying to survive when Thomas Shelby approaches you in a bar.

Word Count: 1.3k

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 8

Raindrops fell down from the sky, landing on the cold cobblestone footpath below you. Only flickers of light came in through the clouds as you made your way to the bar.

It was early enough that you knew Harry would not be in. You hated the thought of stealing from him, but you needed money if you wanted to make it to London. Even after you got the money, you still didn’t really know how to get there but you figured you’d sort that out later.

You used your key to open the bar and strolled inside, locking it behind you. Light streamed in slightly through the window, although the room remained dark from the gloomy weather.

The bottle of whiskey sitting in the bar was too tempting for you to ignore. You grabbed yourself a glass from the shelf and poured a drink, taking a swig as soon as you placed the bottle down. Your lungs exhaled slowly as you finished while you took in your surroundings.

This place felt like hell the first time you were here, and now… it was different. A reminder of Thomas.

You wished you could explain everything to him. Despite what Polly had told you, you knew he wouldn’t understand. He might even think you had been a spy the whole time. A part of you owed him an explanation, but another part of you wanted to escape this place without ever being seen again.

If Billy Kimber had not approached you that night.. hadn’t threatened you, would you still be aching to leave? That question lingered in your mind. If Thomas could keep you safe, would you stay?

You finished off the whiskey, letting the liquid sit on your tongue for a moment before you drank. You moved over to the register before opening in, looking over the money inside. You reached out for a moment, ready to take as much as you could.

You stopped yourself quickly. Harry was the first person to help you, and here you were stealing this from him. You took a step back before looking up, taking in a deep breath as you went over your options. You didn’t have time to feel guilty for stealing money, yet here you were.

A rummage at the door pulled you from your thoughts. Shadows passed through the windows as mumbling was heard form outside. You quickly moved from around the bar, scanning the room in a panic.

You moved to the office at the back and closed the door quickly but quietly behind you. Luckily for you, Harry kept a gun beneath his desk. You grabbed it and moved back towards the door, leaning in slightly to hear what was going on. You’d never used a gun before, but how hard could it truly be?

A few voices became louder as they moved inside. Two felt unfamiliar to you, but you knew straight away that the remaining man was Tommy. Your breath lodged in your throat for a moment as your heart rate increased.

You were able to find a crack in the door to peer through, giving you a very small glimpse of the bar. You watched as Thomas got pushed down into one of the chairs, another man pressing a gun to his head. Thomas seemed unfazed by this; showing a very different reaction to your own.

You fingers tightened around the gun as your mind raced; you knew Tommy could handle himself but this felt different. No matter your effort to hear, you were unable to make out the words between them; only making out the obvious tone of anger from the two men beside him.

The man holding the gun to Tommy’s head kept it there the entire time he spoke as Thomas stared straight back into the man’s eyes; showing no signs of backing down from whatever this was.

The other man reached into his jacket, looking to be pulling out a weapon before Thomas stood up quickly; knocking the weapon from his hand. The man with the gun hesitated long enough for Thomas to turn around, pushing the gun away before it fire off into the wall behind him.

Without addressing your survival instincts, you felt yourself open the door quickly. Your brain was two steps behind your body as you raised your arms up, aiming Harry’s gun at the man across from Thomas. The man’s eyes were busy locked onto Tommy that he never noticed you; not realising the gunfire had not come form his gun but from yours instead.

The bullet hit his chest, knocking him down to the ground quickly; his gun sliding across the ground as he fell. Your felt yourself freeze, not fully processing what you just did.

Thomas was quickly on the other van, beating his to a pulp in front of you. You noticed the blurs of red and blood painted across the man’s face beneath him.

Your vision was fading as your skin began to turn white. You leaned back against the wall behind you, still gripping the gun tightly as you slid down it and into the floorboard.

After what felt like forever, Tommy began walking over to you; his chest rising with each deep breath.

He knelt down in front of you, his bloodied hands wrapping gently around yours as he scanned your face. “What the fuck were you doin here?” He asked with a worried get firm voice.

You couldn’t make out the words as you watched his lips; everything feeling too foggy for you to process. He slowly pulled the gun from your hands before placing it down on the ground beside him. His eyes softened as he looked at you, taking in your features and the look of fear in your eyes.

He looked down at his own hands, hating the fact that you had seen him light this. Like the monster he knew he truly was.

“Can you stand, love?” He asked, lowering his voice as he lifted your chin gently. You managed a small nod before he held into you, lifting you from the ground.

“I… I don’t know.. why I-“ you panted, the panic beginning to set in as you focused on the room around you. Two men lay dead on the floor. You killed one of them. You took a life. If your situation wasn’t already bad enough, you had just made it significantly worse.

“Shh” Tommy said before reaching his hand behind your head and pulling you towards him. He wrapped you in his arms, still processing his own actions while attempting to comfort you.

“We have to go” he said firmly, not having the time to sit here with you and process everything.

He pulled away from you before holding your face in his hands, forcing you to look him in the eyes. “You need to come with me, now” he finished; grabbing your hand and pulling you towards the front door.

Your body was moving although you felt so unaware that it was. Without Tommy dragging you, you thought you would’ve melted into the ground.

Thomas dragged you out of the bar before walking down the street to his car. Everything was happening so fast, you didn’t know or even care where you were going.

He drove quickly, wanting to get the hell out of this area. He figured hiding in plain sight was the place to go for now as he pulled into his own home. A home you had never seen before.

He managed to guide you out of the car as usual before walking into his house. You felt startled as you entered, locking eyes with all of his brothers sitting in the lounge.

“What the fuck happened?” Arthur asked, noticing the blood on Tommy’s hands.

“Don’t worry about it” Thomas answered quickly before pulling you passed them and into his own room.

He guided you to sit on the bed before he sat down next to you, the both of you sitting in silence for a moment.

“What do we do now..” you whispered.

“I’m working on it” he replied quietly, raising his hand up to his forehead and sliding in down his face.

You saved his life back there. He was never going to forget that.

Tags

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[zablife]

Tachipen (Part 4)

Tommy x female reader

Summary: With the flip of a coin, Tommy makes a deal to bring a 20 year old gypsy girl into the Shelby clan. Considering her too young to marry, he employs her as a nanny. When tragedy strikes, he’s forced to confront the truth he has always known. 

Author’s Note: This was requested by @honey-im-hotdog who asked for a fic about Charlie’s nanny. I decided to turn it into a series. The story will be told through flashbacks, but I will note the year. Tommy meets y/n in 1919 and the story goes thru present time which is the year of the vendetta, 1925. 

Warnings: language, ethnic slur, violence, childbirth

1924, Tommy’s wedding day

A broken side window and a smell of petrol. Nothing left, but smoke and ash. You tried to put the disturbing thoughts out of your mind, but it was all you could think of as you sat at the long banquet table adorned with tapered candles and silver trays of food. Across the table, John laughed at his own joke, an expensive cigar in one hand and a glass of Irish whisky in the other. Isaiah clapped him on the back as he joined in and you wondered if they held a shred of remorse for what they had done.

“Y/n, is everything alright?” Ada asked, noticing the far off look in your eye.

“I need some fresh air,” you lied. Pushing your chair away from the table, you threw your napkin on the table and turned from the rowdy men as they called after you, feeling nothing but disgust. Finding the front of the house occupied by Grace’s family, you attempted to escape the sea of red uniforms with the rest of the staff below stairs. As you paced the darkened hallway outside the kitchens, you heard someone clear their throat and you looked up to find Arthur standing before you, hands in his pockets as he watched you carefully.

Unable to hold it in any longer you demanded to know, “I’m not allowed a man on my arm?”

Adopting the tone of a weary older brother reluctant to enforce his authority he began softly, “It’s about your choice of man. You know the rules.” You turned from him and he lay a hand on your shoulder attempting to console you, “Come upstairs and enjoy the party, love.”

You faced him, wiping a tear away with your sleeve. “Pretend we’re all a happy family, is that what you’d like?” you asked, failing to contain your spite.

“Aren’t you happy for Tommy?” Arthur asked, confused by your words. As he pulled away from you to study you with concern, Michael passed through with a girl on his arm. Motioning for her to go on without him, he stopped to speak to you.

“Everything alright?” he asked, the hazy, cocaine induced grin fading from his face. 

“You know it isn’t! You know why he didn’t come, don’t you?” you asked bitterly, placing your hands on your hips to stare him down.

“Who? You mean the wop?” he said scrunching his nose as though the very idea was repugnant. You could tell by his reaction he held no concern for Angel Changretta’s plight and that made you angrier than before.

“His name is Angel Changretta and his restaurant was burned to the ground to stop him coming tonight!” you corrected as you charged Michael, unable to believe his callousness.

Arthur stepped between you and Michael, placing a hand on your shoulder as he said in a calm voice, “Now, y/n, we tried to tell you. Angel Changretta weren’t good for ya. He’s a dangerous man. He’s had five different names in the last six years, and he’s got connections with the Naples boys.”

“How could you be that bloody stupid? The order was simple! No fraternizing with foreigners!” Michael spat at you from over Arthur’s shoulder.

You shook free from Arthur’s grasp, a wild look in your eye at the thought of being told what to do by the youngest member of the family. “You have no right to choose who I see in my own time!” you shouted at him. Micheal only returned an icy stare as you shook your head at him in disbelief.

Then you added more quietly, “Maybe I was stupid…to have told John that Angel showed me kindness.” Looking down at your shoes you said to more to yourself than to the men surrounding you, “Angel didn’t deserve this for being with me. I wasn’t even serious about him. Just passin’ the time cause I can’t be with the man I want.”

“Be glad it was only a warning then. Sometimes killing is a kindness and the Peaky Blinders do that very well,” Michael threatened, holding your gaze a moment before stalking off to find his girl.

You gulped as you watched him go, feeling chilled to your core. Your anger soon returned as you picked up a nearby vase and threw it as far as you could, letting out a scream of frustration. You slid down the wall, watching water drip down the subway tiles across from you. Arthur surveyed the damage, before shuffling toward you.

“It goes for all of us. We all have our orders,” he said as he extended a hand to you.

You ignored it as you picked up a crushed flower at your side, “But you have someone so you couldn’t possibly understand,” you answered sadly. Pulling your knees into your chest and pressing your cheek to your forearms you muttered, “Go back to Linda, Arthur, and leave me alone.”

Arthur slipped away quietly. As he passed Tommy on the stairs, Tommy asked, “Where’s y/n?”

“Downstairs, but she wants to be alone,” Arthur said as he stood in his way.

Tommy cocked his head and squinted at Arthur. “Have you said something about the order given last night? She wasn’t to know, Arthur.”

“She already knows, Tommy. I tried to explain it to her, but fucking Michael was high on snow. Made it worse,” he said running his hand through his hair.

Tommy punched the wall beside him in a fit of rage. He had only tried to keep you safe. He hadn’t intended to hurt you. 

From somewhere deep within the house calls for the groom could be heard and Arthur shifted uncomfortably. “We need to go back up, brother. Let’s go see your lovely bride,” Arthur suggested, but he could tell that wasn’t what consumed Tommy’s thoughts.

Tommy hesitated on the stairs as he took one final glance around. Massaging his sore knuckles, he murmured to himself, “I will make this right.”

—————————————————-

1919 

It was far too late for you to be awake, but you couldn’t sleep. Some nights you still dreamt of home. It was difficult not to think of your sisters at times, wondering what they were doing, and if they ached for you the way you ached for them. As you sat at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea, Tommy descended the stairs. He looked exhausted, braces hanging from his shoulders and hair tousled as though he had tried to sleep and failed.

“What are you doing awake, ey? Thought the kids would have worn you out,” he said, voice raspy from the late hour and too many cigarettes. He lit another as you thought of an answer.

“Why are you awake?” you countered, looking him in the eye. You wanted to show him you weren’t afraid of him, hoping to put the unpleasantness behind you and start anew.

Tommy sat back in the chair across from you, blowing smoke into the air. “I asked you first,” he said with a raised eyebrow.

“Alright, I was thinking of my family. What they’d say now,” you confessed, swallowing harshly.

Tommy nodded thoughtfully, then leaned forward, digging into his pocket. He placed a bullet in front of you, standing it on end and left it there for you to consider. “That’s what they’ve said. Go on, have a look,” he said, taking another lazy drag.

You watched his eyes as your fingers reached for the cool metal, rolling it over in your hand before reading his name etched on the side. You knew what it meant. His death had been ordered. You knew it wasn’t your father, he wouldn’t have bothered. Your sister would be married by now though to one of the men Tommy and his brothers had cut the day you had left so this could only have come from one family.

Nodding thoughtfully you replied, “This came from the Lees?”

“That’s right, love,” he said seemingly unbothered by the fact that men were trying to kill him.

“What are you going to do?” you asked, eyes darting to his for some sign he understood the severity of the threat.

“Nothing,” he replied simply.

“But…the bullet has been written, Tommy. They will kill you,” you stressed to him.

Tommy shook his head and a small smile crept onto his face as he leaned forward, “No, I don’t think they will. And do you know why?”

You shook your head, fearing what he might say next.

“Because you know everything that went on in that camp. So I need some information from you to implement a plan for my business. Do you understand?” he asked snatching the bullet up and holding it in front of you.

You nodded fiercely. “Yes, what do you need?”

“You can start by telling me what you know of the racetracks,” he said with a grin. 

————————————————————————-

“Are we going to see Daddy?” the children asked excitedly. 

“Yes, we are. We’re going to surprise him today,” you said with a big grin, swinging hands with Clara along the way. The sun was setting over Small Heath at the end of a long day and the golden light made everything look softer somehow. 

“I want to see Uncle Tommy!” William shouted.

“He’s not there now. He and Aunt Polly have gone away on business,” you explained as everyone began talking at once. 

As you came upon the front door, you noticed a Lee boy sneaking inside. Your stomach turned, knowing something wasn’t right. “Katie, why don’t you wait outside for me while I fetch your dad?” you suggested. She shrugged, taking Henry from your arms and you carefully ventured inside. 

The moment you crossed the threshold, hands clamped over your shoulders and the front door slammed shut. Before you could scream, the man holding you clapped a filthy hand over your mouth and pulled you into his sweaty body. You inhaled a sharp breath as a knife came to your throat. “So you’re still here, y/n,” a familiar voice hissed in your ear. The knife pressed against your skin as he tightened his grip on your waist. “Like being Tommy Shelby’s whore do you?” You attempted to shake your head, but thought better of it, replying through clenched teeth, “What do you want Erasmus?”

“Just taking back what’s ours, sweetheart. Every last dime you helped Tommy Shelby steal at Cheltenham” he spat. “And more because I know he’s got it,” he sneered. Angered by his words you fought with all your might, feeling the sleeves of your dress tear and nails drag across your skin as you pulled away. You jabbed and clawed your way free until you could sink one hand to your boot to retrieve the knife Esmerelda had given you to defend yourself. Unsheathing it quickly, you raised up cutting Erasums from his chin to his forehead. He reared back with a roar of pain, holding his face as blood gushed forth in bright red spurts.

As you tried to run through Polly’s house you were met with the sight of Ada, asking what was wrong. You gasped for breath as you replied, “We’ve been done over. Run, Ada!” But the warning came too late, as one of the Lee boys barged into the parlor with a gun pointed at you.

“You’re not going anywhere. Sit the fuck down,” he said and you did as he said, watching as the men who accompanied him, mostly kin, overturned the shop. They broke everything in sight and stole what money and valuables they could find, four cash boxes in total. When they were satisfied they had what they wanted, Erasmus came in to see you, jerking you up from your chair by your elbow. 

“You give Tommy a message from me,” he said, holding you harshly by the jaw.

“What’s that?” you asked defiantly. 

“Tell him we want our cut or there'll be more of this,” he said, striking a blow to your cheek that knocked you to the ground. Ada screamed, rushing to you as you fell. The men ran out as quickly as they had arrived and you were left alone in the disheveled house. Only then did you hear the children calling to you, grateful that they hadn't witnessed any of it.

You called them in, hugging them tightly to you. You rocked Henry until he stopped crying and checking everyone over to be sure they weren’t harmed. William shouted out in protest. “Y/n, you’re hurting me, let me go!” Soon your attention was stolen by Ada’s whimpers then a shout.

“Holy shit. Water!” Ada said, looking down at the puddle at her feet.

“What does that mean?” Katie asked.

“Means the baby’s comin’,” you explained. “Take your brother to the neighbors’,” you said trying to keep the fear out of your voice as you pushed Henry into her arms. Of all days for Polly to be away, you thought. 

“Alright, let’s get you comfortable,” you said to Ada, praying you’d be able to do just that, but knowing you were in for a long evening. As the night wore on, John eventually came looking for you and the children and was met with Ada’s screams. 

He’d obviously been drinking because he didn’t seem to notice the state of the betting shop or understand what was happening with his sister asking, “What’s going on in here? Someone strangling a cat?”

“I’m going to strangle you if you don’t get the fuck out, John Shelby!” Ada yelled at him before lurching forward to push once more.

“Keep going. That’s right. Push,” you encouraged her, trying to ignore John. Ada screamed out in obvious pain once more and you looked up to see the note of recognition wash over John. You shook your head at him as you felt her stomach, prodding at the top of her bump and then the bottom. He eyed you suspiciously, your look of concern sobering him instantly.

“The baby’s the wrong way round,” you proclaimed, feeling sick to your stomach.

“How do you know?” John asked.

“I’ve attended three other girls before in camp. One was like this,” you said, biting your lip and trying to think.

“What do we do?” John asked removing his coat and hat, rolling up his sleeves to show he was ready to help. Ada threw her sweat soaked head back against the pillows, too tired to care who was in the room now.

“There’s something else to try. Lean her forward,” you instructed and John helped you move Ada onto all fours. 

“It’s not long to go now,” you cooed in her ear, rubbing along her back, then helped her count “one, two, three. Push.” Ada groaned out a miserable sounding whine as she forced herself to push harder through the pain before trying to collapse onto her elbows.

“Ada, if you stay strong, I’ll fetch Freddie soon and he can see his son,” John said, and that gave Ada the motivation she needed. In two more pushes, her son Karl was born, wailing to the heavens.

“It’s a beautiful, baby boy,” you said as you cleaned and swaddled the child to hand to his mother. You helped Ada move into the rocking chair by the crackling fire just as Freddie burst through the door, tears glistening in his eyes at the sight of his wife and newborn son.

As you washed your hands clean of blood in the porcelain basin, your heart swelled at the sight of Ada leaning her head onto Freddie’s shoulder as he cradled their child and whispered to him softly. Sneaking out the back as quietly as possible so as not to disturb them, you collided with John who was waiting for you in the alley.

“You did well, tonight, love,” John said, moving toward you with a warm smile. 

“I couldn’t have done it all by myself,” you said, shyly. Then jerking your chin across the street you asked, “Do the children know you they have a cousin?” 

John nodded and added, “Yeah, but then they went back to sleep. They’re gonna stay with Mrs. Andrews tonight. Tommy just got back so I sent a blinder to tell him the news….how should we celebrate, ey?” he asked, placing a rough hand to your cheek. Your breath hitched as he leaned down to ghost his lips over yours, pressing against you gently until you were moving in perfect sync with him. The pad of his thumb caressed you softly as his tongue pushed your lips apart, seeking more of your warmth and you let out a quiet moan against him, feeling him smirk against you. 

Suddenly you heard someone in the darkness clear their throat and then you saw Polly’s figure come into view in the doorway, her curls outlined by the lamplight. “John, I would’ve thought you’d be at the Garrison by now wetting the baby’s head.”

John pulled away from you slowly, hand dropping to your shoulder as though unwilling to let you go as he replied, “Aunt Pol, when did you get back?”

Polly motioned to you as she offered, “Y/n, I’m sure you’d like a nice, hot bath after the day you’ve had.”

You realized what a state you must be in, moving to smooth your hair before ducking under John’s arm. “Thank you, Polly.”

She nodded, glancing back at John who still stood frozen in place, one hand against the brick wall. 

After you’d gone, Polly lit a cigarette, walking toward her nephew in slow, measured steps as she considered him. Standing at his back, she turned her head and blew smoke into the night air. “John, she’s only just found her footing here. She’s young and the last thing she needs is heartbreak,” She placed a hand on John’s shoulder, thinking of the many affairs he’d had since he returned home from the war. “Find someone else to put your fires out,” she warned.

John only nodded in reply and headed back toward the Garrison to join his brothers in celebrating their new nephew. As he opened the door of the snug, Tommy and Arthur greeted him. He stepped inside, removing his cap and glancing to the corner as he took in another familiar face, kind and beautiful. “Hello, John,” she said brightly.

------------------------

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[shelby-fangirl00]

1919-Part Seven

This is a bit of a filler, but I'm excited for the next chapter! Please tell me what you think of this one. any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Warnings: Adult language, smut (MINORS DNI)

Word Count: 2539

I sat with Finn all morning before fixing him lunch, finally allowing him to run off with his friends down Watery Lane. 

‘Alright, be back before 9 this time Finn, I mean it!’ I yelled out as he ran to the front door, swinging it open. 

I watched from the kitchen window as he ran out to played with a couple of other little boys from down the street, the only one’s whos parents would allow their children to be around a Shelby. I felt sorry for him. Some of the parents would tell their kids to avoid Finn in order to avoid conflict of any kind happening. They all feared a little boy, which made me chuckle.

‘Hello Love.’ Polly said from behind me, fixing a kettle of tea for herself. 

I turned around to meet her soft eyes. 

Just as I looked into her eyes, I was reminded of what today was. 

‘Oh Christ, I nearly forgot! Is Arthur in his office? I’ve been waiting ages for this!’ I exclaimed, bringing a wide smile to Polly’s face as she confirmed that he was. 

I hurried upstairs to grab the gift that I had wrapped up for nearly a month now. 

It was a painting I had done of Arthur. The mural was a shot of him with a giant cigar sittig between his lips, a big bright bowtie hung around his neck. I had it done right when he got back from France. The picture was quite accurate of his complexion today. I had the painter put him in his cap, the razors portruding out, which I knew he’d like in particular. It was a shot of him sitting at the Garrison along with his glass of whiskey in hand. I thought he’d like that. Arthur was 36 today. 

As I sped down the stairs and into the betting shop, the bustling of business was loud and present. Smoke filled the room and men were writing away and yelling out numbers for John to scribble down on the big black chalkboard. 

I smiled in his direction as he waved over to me.

I passed Tommy’s office on my way to Arthur’s. I gave him a quick glance as he looked at me curiously through the office window.

‘Happy birthday!’ I yelled out excitedly running over to Arthur, who had been sitting at his desk, cigar resting in his ashtray. He embraced me in a hug, engulfing me in his oaky scent.

‘Oh, well thank you! Ready to celebrate with me tonight?’ He asked, drinking already on his mind. 

‘Of course! But first….’ I sung out as I held up a finger.

I ran to grab the painting I had sat down outside of the door, where Tommy was now standing to my surprise, watching me and Arthur interact. My stomach did somersaults, as my mind wandered back to last night when I looked in his eyes. I could tell he was recalling it all as well. 

‘Good morning Tommy.’ I cherped up giving him a small smile that he exchanged, his hands in his pockets, studying me. 

‘Here ya go, a little something I’ve been hiding for quite a while.’ I said turning the painting around to show Arthur. 

He nearly snatched it out of my hands with excitment and tore the wrapping paper off greedily. His mouth dropped wide opened before he grinned widely. His eyes crinkled from his big smile. 

‘Jasmine Manson, you did not?! This is beautiful! Take a look at this fucka Tommy, it’s me, eh?!’ He almost seemed to ask.

‘Oh, I see it brother, very nice.’ Tommy stated matter-of-factly, leaning into the doorframe.

‘Yes, of course its you! Happy Birthday Mr. Shelby, you deserve it.’ I said as I gave him another warm hug and a sweet kiss on the cheek. 

‘Thank you kindly, Jasmine, this is far too much!’ 

‘Nah, nothing you don’t deserve, old man!’ I yelled behind me as I walked out of the office, passing Tommy. 

As I strutted out to the main room of the shop, I yelled out at John. 

‘See you tonight, Johnny, yeh?! 

‘Save me a dance Manson!’ Making me giggle as I closed the large doors to the shop and shutting the heavy green curtains, cancelling out all the noise.

                                                      ---

The club that Arthur had dragged us all into was beautiful and full of music. The high walls were a deep red, lined with a gold trim. Green round tables were splattered randomly across the room. We all stood at the bar, Watching the band and the crowd of people all with pretty dresses and suits dancing behind us. These people looked like they came from money. I was relieved we had all gotten dresses before going out, or they would’ve put us to shame. I was wearing a dress that Polly and Esme insisted I get. I thought the tight white lace was a bit much, but seeing how these people were dressed, I didn’t feel so out of place. 

I couldn’t hear anything other than the outpour of music. Arthur and John were piss drunk, demanding the bartender for an entire bottle of whiskey. 

Esme and Ada were already dancing within the crowd, lost inside the pool of people. 

Polly had set her sights on an older-gentlemen at the end of the bar, batting her eyes in his direction. 

I looked around to find Tommy’s face in the crowd of people, but he had vanished. I awkwardly stood alone, throwing back drink after drink, trying to push off the nerves of the night. You hadn’t been able to think about anything other than last night with Tommy. 

Did he regret what had happened? Did he…not enjoy it as much as I thought he did? Were things still the same between us? Will we be like that ever again?

I decided to step away from the overwhelming crowd and my own damning thoughts, to find a bathroom. 

As I walked past all of the round green tables in the room, I found a small and narrow hallway, leading to the back of the bar. It was dark and empty and I felt like I could breathe again, finally. I walked down the hall, expecting to see a bathroom nearby.

As I turned the corner, I ran directly into Tommy, who seemed like he had been waiting for me to find him. 

I practically squealed and jumped back, scared shitless. 

‘Jesus Tommy! I nearly-

I was cut off by his lips plunging into mine harshly, making me inhale sharply, furrowing my brows. He squeezed my hips tightly into his hands, pushing me roughly against the brick walls behind us. Overwhelmed by his scent and his dooming presence, my body instinctively relaxed into the wall. 

Without question, I fell deep into the kiss, feeling reassured that he didn’t regret last night. 

My heart was pounding through my chest. I couldn’t help the wetness pooling between my legs once again.

Suddenly and reluctantly, he pulled away from my mouth, lifting his head to trace the curve of my body, which was evident in my skin tight dress. His eyes were dark and heavy, as he licked his lips slowly.

‘You look beautiful tonight, Jasmine.’ He said with a wicked smile, rubbing his hands against my hips, still pinning me to the wall gently. 

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he studied my exposed chest and the prominent curve of my body. He ran his finger through the long pearl necklace that rested on my chest.  

‘I was hoping you’d like it. Thought it was a bit much, but Polly and Esme insisted.’ I giggled as he let out a small laugh too. 

‘Not too much at all, love. I’d like it if you dressed like this all of the time for me.’ He whispered as his head sunk into my naked neck to kiss me. I whimpered softly into him, letting my eyes flutter shut. His hands found their way up my hips and cupped my breasts, sending sparks through me. 

‘Someone will see us, Tommy.’ I said, giggling as I playfully attempted to push him off of me. My hands went up to push his chest, but his strong hands pinned my arms behind my back forcefully, not letting go. 

‘Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve been caught fucking and I’m sure it won’t be the last.’ He laughed as his large hand dropped to my leg, wrapping it around the back of my thigh and lifting it to wrap around him, making me squeele. He stared down into my eyes once more, making me feel 10 times smaller than him, completely under his control. 

I rested my hands flat on his cheeks before asking him, ‘So that’s what were doing, eh? You and I are just fucking?’ His eyes burned holes threw mine. 

Suddenly and with out hesitation, he grabbed my waist and spun me around to face the dark brick wall. 

He pushed up against my ass, pressing my hands into the wall, his back pinning against mine as he whispered into my ear. 

‘This isn’t just fucking, and I think you know that.’ He said as he roughly lifted the bottom of my dress up. I wiggled my ass in order for the tight fabric to lift up. 

I felt his hands cup my ass and he let his fingers graze down inbetween my legs. 

He used his foot to gently kick my legs open, leaving my ass exposed entirely. His callused fingers swipped up my folds, making my whole-body tense as I fought the urge to press my legs together to relieve the burning feeling between my legs.

I could feel his cock hardening as he pressed against me, causing me to involuntarily grinding against him. He let out an exasperated sigh. 

His fingers pulled apart my folds, exposing my throbbing clit to his hands, allowing him access to me. He rubbed circles into my clit, sending shocks of pure bliss through my stomach. 

‘Does anyone ever touch you like this? Does your little friend touch you right here like I do?’ Growling into my ear as his fingers rubbed insistently, pulling at my building orgasm. 

My breath quickened as he did so, only able to let out low whimpers and moans. 

‘Answer me or I’ll stop, Jasmine…say it.’ He whispered. His voice drawing me closer and closer to the edge. My hands gripped at the empty walls while my legs worked to not squirm. 

‘No Tommy…nobody ever touches me like you do…’ My voice cracking as I tried to muster up enough energy to talk. 

I felt his wicked smile spread across my neck as his pace quickened again, sending me spiraling. I didn’t realize it, but his naked cock was fully hard, pressed against my ass now, his pants pulled down to his knees. 

Without warning, I felt as he slid his member down my ass and inbetween my pussy before plunging into me fully. I gasped loudly, catching my breath as he pushed roughly into my tight hole. My walls tightened around every inch of him as he thrusted his hips dipped in and out of me. I felt his hands lift up my waist and I prepared for him to fuck me senseless. I felt so fucking consumed by him. His presence consumed me. I never wanted this feeling to end.

He grabbed both of my arms, pinning them behind my back as he used my body, not holding back his aggression as he chased his own orgasm greedily, other hand still working at my clit. 

The sensation of his hand rubbing my center and his cock moving in and out of me was all too much. 

I pressed my cheek into the bricks to keep my balance as my hands were pressed behind me. 

‘Nobody can fuck you like I can, isn’t that right? Nobody knows what this little cunt needs, but me.’ He growled out as his thrust became sloppier. His words just egged me on, pushing me closer and closer to my own release. 

‘Tommy please! Please make me cum Tommy…’ You almost yelled out to him. 

Just then, he pulled out harshly, leaving you feeling so empty without him inside of you. 

He turned me around to face him and bent down to lift me up by my ass, pinning my back against the wall. 

His cock found its way back into my tiny wet pussy as he lowered me down onto him. I wrapped my hands around his warm neck as I braised myself. My eyes fell shut as I let out a loud moan, my legs wrapped around his sides as my dress clung above my waist. 

‘Then say it. Tell me you’re mine. Tell me who this pussy belongs to now.’

My eyes shot open to meet his as I bounced up and down on his cock, my hair falling into his face as he effortlessly moved my ass up and down on his cock to his own rhythm.

‘It’s yours Thomas…It’s always been yours. I’ve always been yours…’ I cried out, holding onto his neck for dear life as his cock was splitting me open. I hadn’t been fucked good like this in so long and he was the only person who could give me what I needed.

His mouth hung open and his heavy panting continued on. His hand wiggled between my legs to attack my clit again, fucking into me hard as he did so. 

‘Cum around me Jasmine, do it.’ He commanded. He could tell I was close and I knew he was as well. 

His forehead fell onto mine as he watched my face contort in pleasure as I finally came hard around his cock. My wet velvety walls gripped him even tighter, bringing him to the same warm ecstasy. 

We both whmpered into each other as we came undone simultaneously. 

I watched as his eyes filled with pure bliss and relief, like he had been waiting for this all day. His brows furrowed as I felt his hot liquid fill my insides completely. 

His cock twitched as I felt him finally soften inside of me, pulling out of me, letting my legs fall down to the floor again. 

Cheeks flushed and hair completely dishelveld, he looked me up and down before adjusting himself into his pants once again. 

I could barely catch my breath, I didn’t move, still exposed to him. 

He noticed my frozen expression. Gently, he kissed me as he took the initiative to pulled my dress back down and cup my face with his hands. 

As he pulled away, he smiled with satisfaction, his eyes heavy. I pushed the strands of hair that fell in his face back as I let my hand trail down his soft pale skin. 

‘I missed you today.’ He whispered, twiddiling his fingers into mine softly. The sudden display of affection from him warmed my insides, he was never so loving, so gentle. 

‘Couldn’t stay away, could ya?’ I chuckled, wiggling out from under him, dragging him out of the dark hallway towards the music.

‘Now you owe me a dance, Mr. Shelby.’ 

[mysticstronomy]

HOW DOES SPEED AND GRAVITY AFFECT TIME??

Blog#328

Saturday, September 2nd, 2023

Welcome back,

The International Space Station will host the most precise clocks ever to leave Earth. Accurate to a second in 300 million years, the clocks will push the measurement of time to test the limits of the theory of relativity and our understanding of gravity.

Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity predicted that gravity and speed influences time; the faster you travel the more time slows down, but also the more gravity pulling on you the more time slows down.

On May 29, 1919, Einstein’s theory was first put to the test when Arthur Eddington observed light “bending” around the sun during a solar eclipse. Forty years later, the Pound-Rebka experiment first measured the redshift effect induced by gravity in a laboratory – but a century later scientists are still searching for the limits of the theory.

Luigi Cacciapuoti, ESA’s Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) project scientist, explained:

The theory of relativity describes our universe on the large scale, but on the border with the infinitesimally small scale the theory does not jibe and it remains inconsistent with quantum mechanics. Today’s attempts at unifying general relativity and quantum mechanics predict violations of Einstein’s equivalence principle.

Einstein’s principle details how gravity interferes with time and space. One of its most interesting manifestations is time dilation due to gravity. This effect has been proven by comparing clocks at different altitudes such as on mountains, in valleys and in space. Clocks at higher altitudes show time passes faster with respect to a clock on the Earth’s surface, as there is less gravity from Earth the farther you are from our planet.

Flying at a 250 mile (400 km) altitude on the Space Station, the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space will make more precise measurements than ever before.

ACES will create an “internet of clocks”, connecting the most accurate atomic timepieces the world over and compare their timekeeping with the ones on humankind’s weightless laboratory as it flies overhead.

Comparing time down to a stability of hundreds femtoseconds – one millionth of a billionth of a second – requires techniques that push the limits of current technology. ACES has two ways for the clocks to transmit their data, a microwave link and an optical link. Both connections exchange two-way timing signals between the ground stations and the space terminal, when the timing signal heads upwards to the Space Station and when it returns down to Earth.

The unprecedented accuracy this setup offers brings some nice bonuses to the ACES experiment. Clocks on the ground will be compared among themselves providing local measurements of geopotential differences, helping scientists to study our planet and its gravity.

The frequencies of the laser and microwave links will help understand how light and radio waves propagate through the troposphere and ionosphere, thus providing information on climate. Finally, the internet of clocks will allow scientists to distribute time and to synchronize their clocks worldwide for large-scale Earth-based experiments and for other applications that require precise timing.

Originally published on earthsky.org

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, September 6th, 2023)

"WHY DOES TIME GO SLOWER IN SPACE??"

[irenethewoman]

Mrs. Shelby- Chapter four- First Kiss

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In January 1919, Martha passed away. Even though I had expected it and had witnessed my parents being buried, I still couldn't accept it calmly. Little Maria clung to me, silently crying. I comforted her as I listened to the black priest's eulogy and looked at Martha's life summed up on her grave. I was in a daze at the funeral.

Afterward, little Maria and I walked together on the cemetery path. She greeted Uncle Tommy, who had arrived, but I couldn't make out their conversation. Ada took Maria away, and Tommy and I decided to take a walk.

Ever since I shared my life story with him that night, Thomas had been awkward around me. He thought I couldn't accept the gap in our status, but he was wrong. Chelsea's greenhouse flowers can't survive in Birmingham's mud, but I didn't feel like arguing with him now.

We walked in silence through the cold January wind in the cemetery. "Maria really likes you," Tommy said. "She's a lot like Martha, always seeing the best in this sad world." Talking about Martha made my heart ache. From a lively person to a cold grave, maybe Maria, Ada, and I would meet the same fate.

"What are you afraid of?" Tommy asked.

"What?" I didn't believe his blue eyes could read my thoughts.

"Our mother is buried here too." He pointed to a nearby tombstone with unclear engravings. It was all Shelbys around. I didn't ask about his father.

"Is your mother the same?" I asked.

"What?" He looked puzzled, a rare expression on him that made me proud.

"I was thinking, the women here all seem similar. They marry honest factory workers or knife-edge gangsters, have children, and care for the family until they die. A few lines on the tombstone summarize decades of life, only mentioning their father's surname, husband's surname, and children, but not themselves."

"I'm afraid I'll share the same fate," I admitted, placing a white lily on Mrs. Shelby's grave.

"Are you scared?" Tommy found this interesting.

"Of course. Do you think my privileged background means I'm not afraid of running away alone? Or is it cowardly to admit fear? I think it's brave to admit fear and still do it. I was afraid when I left home, when I lived penniless on the street, when I faced Polly, and when I shot 99 people. I said proudly. I don't know if my tombstone will someday read 'The brave and fearless Miss Diana Turner'—sounds more exciting than 'Mrs. So-and-so.'"

"Do you know how to use a gun?" I showed him the pistol Polly gave me and removed the bullets. "Don't underestimate women, Mr. Shelby."

"Thomas, or Tommy."

"What?"

"You can call me Tommy." His blue eyes, usually gloomy, now held a gentleness that I wished was meant for me.

After the funeral, my relationship with Thomas changed. We played chess and discussed business. I became concerned about him, especially when he woke me up to warm milk for the children.

One night, Thomas woke me up again. "For God's sake!" I sat up, frustrated. "Is there something you have to say at night?"

"That's not a motorcycle. This afternoon, my men stole motorcycles from the factory. I was there."

"That's a gun! Diana, it's munitions!"

I was stunned, listening to him list his trophies. "So many arms... Where are you hiding them?"

"Charlie's yard, where you were today."

I realized that with so many arms lost, London would investigate. But these arms could be a bargaining chip. We looked into each other's eyes and then kissed.

[dreamsandscenes]

My Thoughts On

FINN SHELBY

* Spoilers ahead for S1 - S6 of Peaky Blinders *

The way that Finn as a character was pushed aside and rendered useless 99% of the time is a shame. I wish Steven Knight had had different plans for him (or just any good plans at all would’ve been nice).

I do find the age gap between Finn and all the other siblings a bit too much. If we’re going by the wiki ages, which make sense within the show, Finn was born in 1908. This also must be his birth year, since in season 1 of the show, he says he’s about to be 11, and S1 starts in 1919. His oldest sibling, Arthur, was already 21, Tommy was 18, John was 13, and Ada was 11 when he was born. I can only imagine that the Shelby parents started having kids in their teens, because the age gap is massive. It would’ve made more sense for Finn to be Arthur or Tommy’s son, rather than their brother with that age gap.

It also drives a bit of a wedge between the older siblings and Finn, because Arthur, Tommy, John and Ada all grew up together. They experienced their difficult childhood together. Finn didn’t. Maybe this is part of the reason why I don’t see the same bond between Finn and his siblings as they all have with each other. Don’t get me wrong, they all loved him. I never doubted that. But as Finn grew into a man, I did wonder if all of them actually liked him.

We also know that Mrs Shelby died when Finn was a baby, and Mr Shelby left the family shortly after. Finn never had parents, but he had substitutes for those roles.

Polly was the only mother he ever knew. She raised him. That being said though, it did seem like when Michael came back into her life, Polly put Finn on the back burner. We didn’t really see much of them together at all, apart from in season 1. I don’t even know who Finn lived with in S3/S4, because he was still so young, he had to live with someone. I think Polly cared for him very well when he was a little boy, but once he got into his teens, and Michael was back in the picture, she didn’t seem to care as much. Maybe because he didn’t rely on her to take care of him so much because he was getting older, she took a step back, but I honestly don’t know why she didn’t seem to have more of an active role in his life from S2 onwards. Maybe we should just say it was a poor writing decision.

Both Arthur and Tommy seemed to fill the fatherly role in Finn’s life. They both looked out for him when they could. They, along with John when he got old enough, made sure to financially support Finn, and give him more than they had growing up. That being said, they weren’t the best role models. I mean, Finn was already doing cocaine at 13/14, something at least Tommy was apparently aware of. Granted, they didn’t necessarily understand the issues with cocaine at the time, but people knew it was a drug, and kids obviously shouldn’t be doing drugs, so I don’t know if Tommy should get a pass for that less than fantastic big brother behaviour.

After John’s death, Finn is clearly brought more into the Peaky Blinders fold, to fill the hole that John left behind. Unfortunately though, Finn lacked the ruthlessness that John had. He could never quite measure up. Perhaps because he never had to fight to get by, like his big brothers did, he didn’t have that drive to succeed. He just kind of skated by the whole time. He didn’t have the aptitude for violence that John had, so he disappointed Tommy/Arthur when it came to Peaky business because he couldn’t handle it, but that’s not really something I would blame Finn for. That’s more on his brothers for expecting & hoping that he’d be like John. Tbh, I don’t know why they didn’t just make him handle legitimate business, rather than the criminal stuff, because he clearly wasn’t suited to it.

I can’t really say a lot about his relationship with Ada, because I don’t remember any significant scenes between them, apart from the scene in 5x01 where Finn gets shot and talks to Ada for minute after the bullet is removed. It’s pretty brief though. You’d think he’d have more scenes with his only sister, and I think it could’ve been interesting to see the difference between his relationship with her versus his relationship with his older brothers, who he always felt like he had something to prove to.

In S6, we see that he gets married to a woman named Mary. We know nothing about Mary. She’s in maybe 2 scenes. We know nothing about their relationship. There’s no development or love story for them. I truly don’t know why this was included in the show because it added absolutely nothing. I can only assume that the marriage might have some sort of relevance in the movie. If it doesn’t, I just don’t see the point in including it all. It was a meaningless moment.

His friendship with Billy Grade is ultimately the thing that ruins him. He quickly becomes close friends with Billy when they work together. He trusted Billy, because he was always more trusting than his brothers, so he told him things he shouldn’t have.

By the time we get to the end of S6, where he has to choose between shooting Billy, or saving him by shooting Duke or Isiah, he has been friends with Billy for years. It doesn’t really feel like that as a viewer because of the time jumps between seasons, but Billy was presumably his best friend by that point. With that in mind, was I supposed to be surprised that he tried to shoot Duke to save Billy? He didn’t know Duke. Duke meant nothing to him. Isiah used to be his friend, but they seem to have drifted apart as they got older. Obviously he wasn’t going to choose Duke, or Isiah, over his friend.

If Tommy and Arthur were in that room, instead of Duke and Isiah, I think things would’ve happened differently. When faced with a choice between his brothers and his friend, I think he would’ve chosen his brothers. I definitely don’t think he would’ve ever pointed a gun at either of them or tried to shoot them. But when faced with a guy he barely knew and a friend he wasn’t that close to anymore, he chose Billy. Yes, Billy was an informant, albeit a reluctant one, but he wasn’t only that to Finn.

Do I think he deserved to be disowned by the family at the end of S6 for this decision? No. I think he should’ve been punished in some way, and moved to the legitimate side of the business, because he simply wasn’t smart enough to handle the criminal side of things. I just find it hard to imagine the Shelby’s disowning one of their own, even one that does stupid stuff like Finn. That’s still their baby brother. I don’t like that as Finn’s ending in the show. It was bad enough when SK turned Michael into an antagonist; I don’t want to see Finn meet the same fate in the movie.

I’m really hoping Finn isn’t an antagonist in the PB movie. I really don’t want to see that. I don’t think that one situation with Billy would fully turn Finn against his family anyway. Against Duke maybe, but not his brothers. If he is one of the villains in the movie, I’m going to be disappointed. I’d rather see his final ending in the movie be him coming back into the family, and in some way finally earning the approval of his brothers. Perhaps he could do the whole double agent thing, where the audience thinks he’s a villain, but he’s actually helping his family. I don’t know, I just want more from him as a character than an antagonist storyline.

That’s kind of the way I felt about Finn the entire series; I just wanted more from him. He was always falling a bit short as a character for me. Never quite hitting the mark. I hope that he can finally reach his potential in the movie.

[homomenhommes]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … November 20

1883 – Edwin August (d.1964) was an American actor, director and screenwriter of the silent era. He appeared in 152 films between 1909 and 1947. He also directed 52 films between 1912 and 1919. He co-founded Eaco Films in 1914.

Edwin was born Edwin August Phillip von der Butz in St. Louis, Missouri, to August and Sarah Butz. He was educated at the Christian Brothers College.

He began working with Biograph Studios in New York as early as 1908 and moved to Hollywood with that company in 1910. He starred in several films by D. W. Griffith, who was also with the company, and continued to work well into the 1930s as a writer and director.

In 1916, he entered his name as a candidate for President of the United States, and spoke out against censorship in cinema. The candidate wasn't taken very seriously, and perhaps that wasn't the point. He didn't like the road that his industry was going down, and wanted to voice his opinion in the hope of change.

A co-star, Blanche Sweet, would later bluntly state: "He was a homo." He owned a chicken ranch at 648 South Figueroa in Hollywood and was friends with gay silent film star J. Warren Kerrigan and most likely Kerrigan's long time partner James Vincent.

Edwin passed away from cerebral metastatic disease on March 4, 1964 at the Motion Picture County Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles County, California.

1916 – James Pope-Hennessy (d.1974) was a British biographer and travel writer.

James Pope-Hennessy was born in London on 20 November 1916, the younger son of Ladislaus Pope-Hennessy, a soldier from County Cork, Ireland, and his wife, Una, the daughter of Arthur Birch, Lieutenant-Governor of Ceylon. He was the younger of two sons; his elder brother, John Pope-Hennessy, was an English art historian, museum director and writer of note. James came from a close-knit Catholic family and was educated at Downside School and at Balliol College, Oxford, but generally showed a lack of interest in formal education and did not enjoy his time at either Downside or Oxford.

Largely owing to his mother's influence, he decided to become a writer and left Oxford in 1937 without taking a degree. He went to work for the Catholic publishers Sheed and Ward as an editorial assistant. While working at the company's offices, in Paternoster Row in London, he worked on his first book, London Fabric (1939), for which he was awarded the Hawthornden Prize. During this period, he was involved in a circle of notable literary figures including Harold Nicolson, Raymond Mortimer and James Lees-Milne.

He left the publishers in 1938 when his mother found him a job as private secretary to Hubert Young, the Governor of Trinidad. Although his time abroad provided the material for his later West Indian Summer (1943), he disliked both the West Indies and the atmosphere of Government House. The outbreak of the Second World War gave him an excuse to return to Britain, where he enlisted as a private in an anti-aircraft battery under the command of Sir Victor Cazalet. Rising through the ranks, he was transferred to military intelligence, given a commission and spent the latter part of the war as a member of the British army staff at Washington.

Pope-Hennessy enjoyed his time in the United States and made many friends there. After the end of the war he wrote an account of his experiences in America. On his return to London in 1945 he shared a flat with the British intelligence officer Guy Burgess, who later defected to the Soviet Union. He had a brief spell as the literary editor of The Spectator between 1947 and 1949, before he decided to travel to France and write Aspects of Provence, which was published in 1952.

He would eventually establish himself as one of the leading biographers of his time; his first effort in this direction being a two-volume biography of Monckton Milnes that appeared in 1949 under the titles The Years of Promise and The Flight of Youth. This was followed by further biographies of the Earl of Crewe and of Queen Mary, for which he was created Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1960. He also wrote a life of his grandfather, the colonial governor John Pope Hennessy, under the title Verandah (adapted as a documentary for BBC Television under the title "Strange Excellency", 1964), followed by an account of the Atlantic slave traffickers, Sins of the Fathers (1967).

In 1970, he took out Irish citizenship and went to live at Banagher in County Offaly, and during the next few years produced authoritative biographies of both Anthony Trollope and Robert Louis Stevenson. Trollope himself had chosen James' grandfather, John Pope Hennessy, as the basis for the character Phineas Finn in his novel of the same name. Robert Louis Stevenson was published posthumously and without revision in 1974. He became a popular figure in Banagher, evidenced by the fact that he was asked to adjudicate at a local beauty pageant and the horse fair, the oldest in Ireland. On being given a large advance he returned to London in 1974 to begin work on his next subject, Noël Coward.

Despite being a successful professional writer, Pope-Hennessy was careless with money. He suffered a series of financial crises and often relied on the goodwill of friends to get him by. A homosexual, he was a heavy drinker and frequented back-street bars and shady pubs where he mixed with a rough crowd, associations that eventually contributed to his death when he was brutally murdered on 25 January 1974 in his London flat by three young men. He had been sexually acquainted with one of them.

1941 – Oliver Sipple, the man who saved President Gerald Ford's life, was born today.

Sara Jane Moore attempted to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford outside the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, just seventeen days after Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme had also tried to kill the president. Moore was forty feet away from Ford when she fired a single shot at him. The bullet missed the President because bystander Oliver Sipple grabbed Moore's arm and then pulled her to the ground, using his hand to keep the gun from firing a second time. Sipple said at the time: "I saw [her gun] pointed out there and I grabbed for it. I lunged and grabbed the woman's arm and the gun went off." The single shot which Moore did manage to fire from her .38-caliber revolver ricocheted off the entrance to the hotel and slightly injured a bystander.

Sipple goes for the gun.

Sipple, a decorated Marine and Vietnam War veteran, was immediately commended by the police and the Secret Service for his action at the scene. The news media portrayed Sipple as a hero but would eventually report on his outing by Harvey Milk and other San-Francisco gay activists. Though he was known to be Gay by various fellow members of the gay community, Sipple had not made this public, and his sexual orientation was a secret from his family. He asked the press to keep his sexuality off the record, making it clear that neither his mother nor his employer had knowledge of his orientation; however, his request was not complied with.

The national spotlight was on him immediately, and Milk responded. While discussing whether the truth about Sipple's sexuality should be disclosed, Milk told a friend: "It's too good an opportunity. For once we can show that Gays do heroic things, not just all that ca-ca about molesting children and hanging out in bathrooms." Milk contacted the newspaper.

Several days later Herb Caen, a columnist at The San Francisco Chronicle, exposed Sipple as a Gay man and a friend of Milk. Sipple was besieged by reporters, as was his family. His mother, a staunch Baptist in Detroit, refused to speak to him. Although he had been involved with the Gay community for years, even participating in Gay Pride events, Sipple sued the Chronicle for invasion of privacy. President Ford sent Sipple a note of thanks for saving his life. Milk said that Sipple's sexual orientation was the reason he received only a note, rather than an invitation to the White House.

Sipple filed a $15 million invasion of privacy suit against Caen, seven named newspapers, and a number of unnamed publishers, for publishing the disclosures. The Superior Court in San Francisco dismissed the suit, and Sipple continued his legal battle until May 1984, when a state court of appeals held that Sipple had indeed become news, and that his sexual orientation was part of the story.

According to a 2006 article in The Washington Post, Sipple went through a period of estrangement with his parents, but the family later reconciled with his sexual orientation. Sipple's brother, George, told the newspaper, "(Our parents) accepted it. That was all. They didn't like it, but they still accepted. He was welcomed. Only thing was: Don't bring a lot of your friends."

Sipple's mental and physical health sharply declined over the years. He drank heavily, gained weight to 300 lb (140 kg), was fitted with a pacemaker, became paranoid and suicidal. On February 2, 1989, he was found dead in his bed, at the age of forty-seven. Earlier that day, Sipple had visited a friend and said he had been turned away by the Veterans Administration hospital where he went concerning his difficulty in breathing. His $334 per month apartment near San Francisco's Tenderloin District was found with many newspaper clippings of his actions on the fateful September afternoon in 1975. His most prized possession was the framed letter from the White House.

Sipple held no ill will toward Milk, and remained in contact with him. The incident brought him so much attention that, later in life, while drinking, he would regret grabbing Moore's gun. Sipple, who was wounded in the head in Vietnam, was also diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic according to the coroner's report.

Sipple's funeral was attended by 30 people, and he was buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. A letter addressed to the friends of Oliver Sipple was on display for a short period after his death at one of his favorite hangouts, the New Belle Saloon:

"Mrs. Ford and I express our deepest sympathy in this time of sorrow involving your friend's passing..." President Gerald Ford, February, 1989

In a 2001 interview with columnist Deb Price, Ford disputed the claim that Sipple was treated differently because of his sexual orientation, saying: "As far as I was concerned, I had done the right thing and the matter was ended. I didn't learn until sometime later — I can't remember when — he was Gay. I don't know where anyone got the crazy idea I was prejudiced and wanted to exclude Gays."

1990 – A London judge convicted 14 gay men of committing criminal assaults upon themselves because of their participation in S&M. All 14 receive prison sentences.

1998 – John Geddes Lawrence and Tyrone Garner of Texas were ordered to pay fines of $125 each after being arrested for having sex in their home. The couple refused to pay and announced they would challenge the Texas sodomy law - initiating what became known as the historic "Lawrence vs Texas" Supreme Court decision which decriminalized homosexual sex.

2003 – The United States Congress passes a resolution condemning all violations of internationally recognized human rights norms based on the real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual.

[ladykinrannoch]

Reading - Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.... the stupidity of it all...

It's a Saturday morning here in a sunny and warm Johannesburg. It's time for your weekly royal reading. I have not watched the fakeflix fukumentary but I have seen some news reports that are super critical of the "reality" show. I formulated a five card general reading and read using the Cosmic Tarot, which is the one deck that seems to tune in very easily to situations around the Harkles.

Has the documentary achieved what they wanted?

Seven Swords RX - This is a negative card in the upright meaning deception, thievery etc, so I am going to take that as a no, it has not achieved what they wanted. In fact the card is telling me that the series is doing more harm to their cause than good. In the reverse this is a card of deceptions being exposed, and not in a good way. This fakeflix effort could expose them in a way they never expected.

How do they feel about the UK parliament proposed amendments to the Titles Deprivation Act of 1919?

4 Pentacles - this is a card of assets and hanging onto assets. I feel as if this move by MPs has got them very worried. This is the first effort that might actually succeed in removing the Dukedom and potentially the Prince of the Realm. Historically this Act removed titles from nazi sympathisers because of perceived treason. Not even real evidence of treason, but just the suspicion of treason. The individuals in questions were effectively removed from the family, and the LOS including their descendents forever. Many are calling the fakeflix series as an actual act of treason. And because this Act is not a blanket Act, i.e. not giving wide ranging powers for the deprivation of just any title from any peer on a whim, but closely linked to perceived treason, this one might actually pass through the House of Lords unopposed. They are right to be worried, they should be very very worried, because at the heart of it, while they appear to hate all things British and the royal family, they nevertheless dearly want to hang onto those racist titles.

How do the majority of Britons feel about the Harkles now?

10 Wands - The words that jumped into my mind are they are effing sick to the back teeth of them. This is a card of burden and feeling overwhelmed, it calls on the individual (or individuals) in question to put the burdens down. I feel that the majority of Britons have washed their hands of the Harkles, a real sense of this can't go on. Enough is enough. Read with the preceding card, I have a feeling that their will be very few among the public that would oppose the UK parliament on the deprivation of titles. In fact, a successful deprivation of titles might actually draw a collective sigh of relief!

What are the Harkles doing behind the scenes now?

5 Pentacles RX - in the upright this is the card of exile, financial loss, exclusion and poverty. In the reverse it is a bad omen. It signals a loss of faith in yourself, in relationships and institutions. It is almost as if they are not really doing anything right now, except feeling even more sorry for themselves. It has an energy of hopelessness. They are very worried, this card is making me feel sick to my stomach, that horrible dread feeling you get when you think what the hell have I done?

Outcome

Knight of Swords - this is the stress and truth card. As an individual this represents someone who is driven and prepared to fight for beliefs. But in a work situation like this, pertaining to work done by the Harkles, it represents lawyers, auditors, consultants, particularly those who are hired to fire and not fix. I feel like this situation has crossed the point of being fixed. The sword of Damacles springs to mind.

Dionysius the Elder who was condemned to sit under a naked sword that was suspended by a hair in order to demonstrate to him that being a king was not the happy state Damocles had said it was.  This is a cutting energy, so I feel here that it represents the parliamentarians, the law makers and the power that they wield. I think it signals that the Titles Deprivations Act amendments will succeed. On a second front, it could represent lawyers hired by Netflix to end the contract with the Harkles. They could be fired by Netflix after next weeks release. Either way the outcome of the "documentary" is not what they imagined and it is not a good outcome.

Underlying energy

The Fool - this is immature, childish energy and this card comes with the warning, Look before you Leap. This is the card of foolishness, ill-considered risks. It signals the beginning of a new path. The fool dances on the edge of a precipice, so it is risky energy that suggests one wrong move and he could fall into the abyss. This is a time of great risk for Harkles, it could go either way, but I am inclined to say they have been very very foolish and it is the beginning of the end. I am hearing Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread. This is a dire warning to the Harkles.

I drew a clarifier on whether they are about to axed by Netflix?

8 Pentacles RX - in the upright this card says hard work pays off and brings rewards that are due. In the reverse, it suggests that their hard work brings an unexpected result. I think getting fired by Netflix is a real possibility.

Conclusion

By their own hand, the Harkles have placed themselves in the most precarious position, they are on the verge of losing absolutely everything. Losing respect, their remaining followers, their deals, their titles, their links to the family. The only way this could be worse is if the Tower showed up.

I shuffled and cut the deck again and got a series of negative cards, but no Tower, and then I looked at the bottom of the deck and what should be there? THE TOWER!

[women-throughout-history]

Gayatri Devi

Gayatri Devi, born on May 23, 1919, in London, United Kingdom, was a prominent figure in Indian royalty, politics, and fashion. She was the third Maharani consort of Jaipur from 1940 to 1949 through her marriage to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II. She has left a significant impact on the cultural and political landscape of India. Gayatri Devi was a trailblazer in Indian politics. In the 1962 parliamentary election, she achieved a historic victory, securing the largest majority vote of any candidate. A member of the Swatantra Party, she served as a prominent critic of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's government during her 12-year political career. Despite facing political challenges, including imprisonment during the Emergency in 1975, she remained steadfast in her commitment to public service. Her commitment to women's empowerment extended beyond politics. She established schools in Jaipur, including the Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls School, providing education to thousands of girls and women. Her passion for education was evident in her efforts to promote the first steps of development through learning. An avid sports woman, she excelled in polo and shooting, reflecting her adventurous spirit. She was also known for her love of automobiles and was credited with bringing the first W126 model to India.  Maharani Gayatri Devi was listed as one of Vogue's 10 most beautiful women. Crediting her mother as her style inspiration, she said, “she was one of the most fashionable, most independent and most modern Maharanis ever. She always knew the best places to buy anything and she shopped all over the world.” Gayatri was known for her signature chiffon saris, crafted in Lyon, France, which were adorned with pearls and emeralds.  After retiring from politics, Gayatri Devi spent her later years in a quiet life on her large estate, engaging in hobbies and leisure. She passed away on July 29, 2009, due to paralytic ileus and a lung infection

https://www.financialexpress.com/life/lifestyle-meet-gayatri-devi-the-maharani-of-jaipur-who-started-the-trend-of-chiffon-sarees-know-the-politician-who-is-a-passionate-rider-and-a-social-worker-3229152/ (shows images of gayatri) https://books.google.co.in/books/about/A_Princess_Remembers.html?id=5CoWAQAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y (her autobiography)

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

That starry night sky? It's full of eclipses

by Pat Brennan, NASA An artist's concept shows the TRAPPIST-1 planets as they might be seen from Earth using an extremely powerful—and fictional—telescope. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Our star, the sun, on occasion joins forces with the moon to offer us Earthlings a spectacular solar eclipse—like the one that will be visible to parts of the United States, Mexico, and Canada on April 8.

But out there, among the other stars, how often can we see similar eclipses? The answer depends on your point of view. Literally.

On Earth, a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks the sun's disk as seen from part of Earth's surface. In this case, the "path of totality" will be a strip cutting across the country, from Texas to Maine.

We also can see "eclipses" involving Mercury and Venus, the two planets in our solar system that orbit the sun more closely than Earth, as they pass between our telescopes and the sun (though only by using telescopes with protective filters to avoid eye damage). In these rare events, the planets are tiny dots crossing the sun's much larger disk.

And astronomers can, in a sense, "see" eclipses among other systems of planets orbiting their parent stars. In this case, the eclipse is a tiny drop in starlight as a planet, from our point of view, crosses the face of its star.

That crossing, called a transit, can register on sensitive light sensors attached to telescopes on Earth and those in space, such as NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, or TESS (the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). It's how the bulk of the more than 5,500 confirmed exoplanets—planets around other stars—have been detected so far, although other methods also are used to detect exoplanets.

"A solar eclipse is a huge transit," said Allison Youngblood, the deputy project scientist for TESS at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

And both types of "transits"—whether they involve solar eclipses or exoplanets—can yield world-changing science. Solar eclipse observations in 1919 helped prove Einstein's theory of general relativity, when the bending of a star's light by the sun's gravity caused the star's apparent position to shift—showing that gravity causes space and time to curve around it.

Exoplanet transits also provide far more than just detections of distant planets, Youngblood said.

"The planet passes in front of the star, and blocks a certain amount of the star's light," she said. "The dip [in starlight] tells us about the size of the planet. It gives us a measurement of the radius of the planet."

Careful measurements of multiple transits also can reveal how long a year is on an exoplanet, and provide insights into its formation and history. Careful measurements of multiple transits also can provide insights into exoplanet formation and history. A composite of images of the Venus transit taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on June 5, 2012. The image shows a timelapse of Venus’ path across the sun. Credit: NASA/Goddard/SDO

Furthermore, the starlight shining through the exoplanet's atmosphere during its transit, if measured using an instrument called a spectrograph, can reveal deeper characteristics of the planet itself. The light is split into a rainbow-like spectrum, and slices missing from the spectrum can indicate gases in the planet's atmosphere that absorbed that "color"—or wavelength.

"Measuring the planet at many wavelengths tells us what chemicals and what molecules are in that planet's atmosphere," Youngblood said.

Eclipses are such a handy way to capture information about distant worlds that scientists have learned how to create their own. Instead of waiting for eclipses to occur in nature, they can engineer them right inside their telescopes. Instruments called coronagraphs, first used on Earth to study the sun's outer atmosphere (the corona), are now carried aboard several space telescopes.

When NASA's next flagship space telescope, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launches by May 2027, it will demonstrate new coronagraph technologies that have never been flown in space before. Coronagraphs use a system of masks and filters to block the light from a central star, revealing the far fainter light of planets in orbit around it.

Of course, that isn't quite as easy as it sounds. Whether searching for transits, or for direct images of exoplanets using a coronagraph, astronomers must contend with the overwhelming light from stars—an immense technological challenge.

"An Earth-like transit in front of stars is equivalent to a mosquito walking in front of a headlight," said David Ciardi, chief scientist at the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at Caltech. "That's how little light is blocked."

We don't have this problem when viewing solar eclipses—"our very first coronagraphs," Ciardi says. By pure happenstance, the moon covers the sun completely during an eclipse.

"A solar eclipse is like a human walking in front of a headlight," he said.

We would have no such luck on other planets in our solar system.

Mars' oddly shaped moons are too small to fully block the sun during their transits; and while eclipses might be spectacular among the outer planets—for instance, Jupiter and its many moons—they wouldn't match the total coverage of a solar eclipse.

We happen to be living at a fortunate time for eclipse viewing. Billions of years ago, the moon was far closer to Earth, and would have appeared to dwarf the sun during an eclipse. And in about 700 million years, the moon will be so much farther away that it will no longer be able to make total solar eclipses.

"A solar eclipse is the pinnacle of being lucky," Tripathi said. "The moon's size and distance allow it to completely block out the sun's light. We're at this perfect time and place in the universe to be able to witness such a perfect phenomenon."

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

In the Air by Christopher Nevinson, 1917. Lithograph.

Today is Armistice Day, commemorated every year on 11 November to mark the end of the First World War and the armistice signed.⁠ ⁠

In this work by Christopher Nevinson the abstract patchwork of fields is laid out under the wing of a military aircraft, the sharp angles of the composition emphasising the dizzying height of the plane.⁠ During the war, the world was being seen from entirely new angles, inspiring artists to experiment and to depict landscape in new, unexpected ways.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

November 11, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

NOV 12, 2023

In 1918, at the end of four years of World War I’s devastation, leaders negotiated for the guns in Europe to fall silent once and for all on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It was not technically the end of the war, which came with the Treaty of Versailles. Leaders signed that treaty on June 28, 1919, five years to the day after the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand set off the conflict. But the armistice declared on November 11 held, and Armistice Day became popularly known as the day “The Great War,” which killed at least 40 million people, ended.

In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson commemorated Armistice Day, saying that Americans would reflect on the anniversary of the armistice “with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…."

But Wilson was disappointed that the soldiers’ sacrifices had not changed the nation’s approach to international affairs. The Senate, under the leadership of Republican Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts—who had been determined to weaken Wilson as soon as the imperatives of the war had fallen away—refused to permit the United States to join the League of Nations, Wilson’s brainchild: a forum for countries to work out their differences with diplomacy, rather than resorting to bloodshed. 

On November 10, 1923, just four years after he had established Armistice Day, former President Wilson spoke to the American people over the new medium of radio, giving the nation’s first live, nationwide broadcast. 

“The anniversary of Armistice Day should stir us to a great exaltation of spirit,” he said, as Americans remembered that it was their example that had “by those early days of that never to be forgotten November, lifted the nations of the world to the lofty levels of vision and achievement upon which the great war for democracy and right was fought and won.” 

But he lamented “the shameful fact that when victory was won,…chiefly by the indomitable spirit and ungrudging sacrifices of our own incomparable soldiers[,] we turned our backs upon our associates and refused to bear any responsible part in the administration of peace, or the firm and permanent establishment of the results of the war—won at so terrible a cost of life and treasure—and withdrew into a sullen and selfish isolation which is deeply ignoble because manifestly cowardly and dishonorable.” 

Wilson said that a return to engagement with international affairs was “inevitable”; the U.S. eventually would have to take up its “true part in the affairs of the world.” 

Congress didn’t want to hear it. In 1926 it passed a resolution noting that since November 11, 1918, “marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed,” the anniversary of that date “should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.”

In 1938, Congress made November 11 a legal holiday to be dedicated to world peace. 

But neither the “war to end all wars” nor the commemorations of it, ended war.

Just three years after Congress made Armistice Day a holiday for peace, American armed forces were fighting a second world war, even more devastating than the first. The carnage of World War II gave power to the idea of trying to stop wars by establishing a rules-based international order. Rather than trying to push their own boundaries and interests whenever they could gain advantage, countries agreed to abide by a series of rules that promoted peace, economic cooperation, and security. 

The new international system provided forums for countries to discuss their differences—like the United Nations, founded in 1945—and mechanisms for them to protect each other, like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), established in 1949, which has a mutual defense pact that says any attack on a NATO country will be considered an attack on all of them. 

In the years since, those agreements multiplied and were deepened and broadened to include more countries and more ties. While the U.S. and other countries sometimes fail to honor them, their central theory remains important: no country should be able to attack a neighbor, slaughter its people, and steal its lands at will. This concept preserved decades of relative peace compared to the horrors of the early twentieth century, but it is a concept that is currently under attack as autocrats increasingly reject the idea of a rules-based international order and claim the right to act however they wish.

In 1954, to honor the armed forces of wars after World War I, Congress amended the law creating Armistice Day by striking out the word “armistice” and putting “veterans” in its place. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, himself a veteran who had served as the supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe and who had become a five-star general of the Army before his political career, later issued a proclamation asking Americans to observe Veterans Day:

“[L]et us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[bookworm105616]

This is the rough timeline from the Renfield Fic I’m working on!

1899 - Robert Montague Renfield is born to a somewhat poor couple in a time where parents were encouraged to ignore their children as much as possible to keep them from growing spoiled, advise his parents take very seriously.

1906 - Robert suffers from “nervousness”, “breathing fits”, and what is described as “sensitivity better suited to a woman than a young man.”

1909 - Robert’s father loses his job and his parents, who have never been particularly fond of each other, begin to fight more viciously than ever. He looks for solace in religion but finds none, and instead he focuses on his studies—correctly assuming they are his only way out. His nervousness grows worse.

1912 - Robert displays an “unhealthy interest” in a boy in his class, who appears to reciprocate his affections. His parents discover this, and they are not pleased. He also begins to suffer from night terrors, hysteria, delirium, delusions, frequent fevers, and bouts of melancholy that leave him bedridden for days at a time.

1914 - The Great War begins and, at the ripe age of fifteen, Robert is pressured into enlisting to provide for the family. His parents hope this will cure him of his “sickness”, or that he’ll die.

1918 - Robert returns home from the war and resumes his studies as though nothing is amiss. He is barely aware of his surroundings and seems to exist in a perpetual state of nervousness.

1919 - Robert’s mother dies, and soon after he suffers a complete nervous breakdown and is sent to the Carfax Abbey-adjacent Sanatorium to recover.

1920 - Robert asks for a cat. He is denied.

1922 - After being prescribed Lithium, he begins to show marked improvements in mood and he is released. Once again, he resumes his studies.

1923 - Robert begins an apprenticeship of sorts under a man named Jonathan Harker, who is a kind, mild-mannered man in his early fifties. He likes Robert quite a bit, often saying he reminds him of himself.

1925 - Robert’s father sets him up with a woman named Kate. Though neither of them particularly want to go through with the arrangement, neither of them feels as though they have a choice. So they have a small, quiet wedding and move into a small house just a few doors down from her mother.

1926 - Lilian, their one and only daughter, is born. Robert is terrified. He also passes the bar exam, officially becoming a real estate lawyer. His night terrors return with a vengeance.

1931 - Robert is invited to the Count Dracula estate to help him sell a piece of property.

[grandmaster-anne]

Gone to rack and ruin?

By Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence | Published 29 July 2020

Country Life Guest Edited by HRH The Princess Royal

What on earth do you do with a ruined, but historically significant country house?

This is a question that plagues the average workaday heritage chairman, causing headaches, insomnia and occasional bouts of teeth-grinding. Here, I will use four examples from the English Heritage portfolio to illustrate the challenges we face. Country Life readers may have their own views about how we should deal with them; if so, I anticipate a flood of letters offering advice. Each site is different and no one solution fits all.

Kirby Hall

Kirby Hall in Northamptonshire was built in the 1570s by Sir Humphrey Stafford and, after his death, by Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor. This magnificent house shows all the creative energy and architectural innovation of the first Elizabethan age.

In the 17th century, it hosted five royal visits and boasted one of the finest gardens in England. After four generations of Hattons (all called Christopher in that charming, if rather confusing, English way) it passed to the Winchilsea family, who lived there until the 1770s. Abandoned in the 1830s, it is now roofless, but retains enough of its form for us to imagine how astonishing it would have looked when first built.

John Summerson wrote: ‘The beauty of Kirby’s decline is that it was private and without violence. The house was never burnt, ravaged, used as a quarry or assaulted by mobs.’ English Heritage looks after buildings that suffered exactly those fates, but because Kirby was spared all of them, one can still appreciate there the romance of a lost grandeur.

What should we do with it? The Ministry of Works in the 1960s did its usual thorough, if, by current standards, a little over-zealous, conservation job. Part of the house is still roofed, but leaks are threatening the ceilings underneath. One proposal was to re-roof a further part of the house — the Great Gallery — and use it to display a collection of contemporary furniture, paintings and so on.

That idea has not yet passed the ‘value for money’ test. We are currently working on a modest new exhibition, which will be completed later this year. Major additional work would require a substantial funding package to match.

Sutton Scarsdale Hall

Sutton Scarsdale Hall in Derbyshire is another example of the rise and fall of a noble country house and is one of our greatest conservation challenges.

It was a Baroque masterpiece, built in the 1720s for the 4th Earl of Scarsdale using some of the notable craftsmen of the day. The splendid exterior stonework was carved by Edward Poynton of Nottingham; the Italian master craftsmen Arturi and Vasilli carried out the fine stucco decoration in the principal rooms, remnants of which are still visible.

The cost of the building over-stretched the Scarsdales — an all-too-familiar story, I’m afraid — and the house was sold in the 19th century to a local family, the Arkwrights. In turn, they were forced to sell in 1919 to a company of asset strippers.

Despite the fact that Lord Curzon’s 1913 Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act had by then provided the Government with protective powers, many of the hall’s finely decorated rooms were sold off as architectural salvage.

Amazingly, some still survive, but sadly not in Derbyshire: three interiors are displayed at the Museum of Art in Philadelphia and a pine-panelled room is at the Huntington Library in California. The latter was given to the library by a Hollywood film producer, who had used it as a film set for Kitty in 1934. He had bought it from the newspaper magnate and collector, William Randolph Hearst.

More happily, the hall was saved from intended demolition in 1946 by Sir Osbert Sitwell. His descendants handed it to the nation in 1970.

The roofless hall stands proudly on a prominent hill, an important part of the visual landscape of the area and visible from Bolsover Castle across the valley. However, the exposed hilltop location and lack of protection from a roof or glazed windows make the building itself, and especially the exceptionally important plasterwork, acutely vulnerable.

We are currently spending considerable sums patching and making good, but, for a charity such as us, this cannot be a long-term solution. What should we do? One option would be to re-roof the whole hall — at huge expense. Another would be a partial re-roofing to cover the best areas of plasterwork.

A third would be to devise some form of tailor-made protection for the plaster-work in situ, but anything of this nature would have significant aesthetic impact. We have even thought of a private investor taking it over and turning it into a hotel or apartments. All options remain under consideration.

Witley Court

My third example presents a very different set of issues. A new house was built on old foundations at Witley Court in Worcestershire in the early 1500s, but eight generations of the Foley family (all called Thomas — rather proving my earlier point) progressively modernised the Tudor original in Jacobean, then Palladian style, enlarged the park, built a new parish church next door and, in the early 19th century, commissioned John Nash, the leading Regency architect, to remodel the house extensively.

In 1837, ownership passed to Lord Ward, later Earl of Dudley. During the Dudleys’ tenure, the house was transformed into a ‘Victorian palace’ in the Italianate style made fashionable by Prince Albert at Osborne.

The whole house and church were encased in Bath stone; a new wing and a conservatory were added. Among many additions to the gardens was the magnificent Perseus and Andromeda fountain, fed from a new reservoir in the hill behind.

As happened so often elsewhere, the estate began to be broken up after the First World War and, in 1937, a serious fire gutted much of the building. From then until it was taken into public guardianship in 1972, it was stripped of materials and vandalised, but, thereafter, it was stabilised and made accessible. The great fountain continues to operate for an hour each day and looks magnificent after a major restoration in 2004 and further work in 2016, the latter generously funded by Unilever.

Visitors can now enjoy the park and gardens and wander through the house, where the fire has revealed the various stages of its development.

There are no plans to re-roof the main house, but how can we enhance the pleasure of visiting the place and bring more of its history to life? For example, we are considering digitising the many excellent photographs of the interiors taken during its heyday, so that people can call them up on their mobile phones as they walk round.

We would like to refurbish the conservatory as a cafe. This would require expensive works to bring in services, yet those might enable us to produce more events there, following the very successful art exhibition held in 2019 — perhaps that was a harbinger of things to come.

Belsay Hall

Now, at last, for something with a roof — Belsay Hall in Northumberland. The site comprises three distinct, but related elements: a medieval castle, a 19th-century hall and, linking the two buildings, an outstanding garden. The Middleton family has owned the estate since 1270 and still lives nearby.

The hall’s designer, Sir Charles Monck, drew on the classical ideal he had seen on honeymoon in Greece and transposed the style of a Greek temple into an English villa from 1807 (Fig 6). Its sense of space, balance and rigorous architectural logic were unlike anything seen in Britain. Incidentally, Monck demolished the old village of Belsay on the site and rebuilt it in its current position outside the park — the sort of thing you could do in those days.

He deliberately quarried the stone for the hall in a way that left space for a unique garden, the ravines, pinnacles and sheer rock faces he created inspired by the ancient quarries of Syracuse, Sicily. The gardens still showcase the interplay between natural beauty and the sublime, between wild and tame, from natural woodland through the exotic-ally planted quarry to the more formal terraces and garden rooms near the house.

The family moved from the draughty castle to the new hall on Christmas Day 1817. Sadly, flaws in Monck’s internal guttering system led to wholesale infestation with dry rot. By 1980, when the family handed the buildings and garden into public guardianship, it was unoccupied, unfurnished and stripped of much internal wood and plasterwork. The silver lining of this cloud is that it is now possible better to appreciate features of its design. Standing in the beautiful central atrium,

it does feel more like a temple than a house. The windows are huge, allowing in plenty of natural light, and the acoustics are exceptional, thanks to the empty rooms, vast cellars and a network of flues.

Sound, light and empty space may hold the key to its future use; it is an ideal place for creative programming. We have in the past held innovative fashion and art shows there and have staged acoustic experiences, one with voices broadcast down the chimneys. There will, I am sure, be more of this.

We are in the middle of a major project, part funded by the National Lottery, which includes urgent conservation work, a full restoration of the gardens and a new cafe. The Middleton family and its trustees remain engaged, supportive and, I hope, appreciative of the promise of a new lease of life for Belsay.

These four examples illustrate the enormous technical and financial challenges we face with these and other houses. It’s not unreasonable to ask: why are we doing this? What is the purpose behind a heritage body preserving and/or conserving a building?

Well, we want the places to be informative — to tell us something about the people who built them, about their architectural style, about the people who lived in them or who visited them. It’s all part of explaining the story of England to current and future generations, not only to please or inform expert historians and architects, but to encourage a much wider body of people to see and enjoy our buildings.

From school groups (we host many) to local enthusiasts and anyone who has become fascinated by these places — perhaps after reading about them or seeing a Google arts fly-through online. We hope they will all want to see more, to learn more and enjoy (that word again) the experience.

We have to ask: should we preserve such buildings as they are now, strip them back to their original state when first built or restore them to how they appeared at the height of their glory? With our intact houses — such as Osborne, Apsley or Audley End — the answer is as self-evident as it is with a completely ruined castle or abbey: there really is no option. However, my examples here and others fall between those stools. There are no straightforward answers; we have to look at each on its own merits.

Total returns to past glories are rarely feasible, but allowing further decline is not in our DNA. More commonly, we seek to stabilise each place in a state of ‘sustainable conservation’ — a condition that we can maintain in the long term, avoiding costly repeated repairs. It is an evidence-based way of prioritising work according to historical significance, current condition and a better understanding of the specific causes of deterioration. Once in that state, the typical approach is ‘adaptive re-use’: bringing a building back to life by giving it new uses, which complement, rather than obscure the original.

Above all, these houses must be nurtured and loved so that they can tell their part of the story of England. English Heritage will do what it can, helped by the communities living nearby, many of which provide terrific support — and, perhaps, by the occasional generous benefactor.

[bella-caecilia]

a tiny something inspired by @youneedsomeprompts's post (x)

imagine your OTP realising too late that they're losing the other

1919 (set in s2e8)

Sitting in the drawing room at night, surrounded by a rather merry company (or as merry as it could get these days), Cora dissociated from her environment. One minute she had been smirking at Mary's clever interjections, and the next a choking lump grew in her throat as her eyes fell on her husband. He stood at the far end of the room and talked to Matthew, and even though his appearance was usually something so familiar to Cora, he had grown foreign to her.

She couldn't shake the strange sensation lingering in her chest since she once noticed Mrs Hughes's sorry look at her when the housekeeper had overheard parts of a strained argument between Robert and her. Maybe she just sympathised with Cora, maybe her knowing eyes hinted at something else. Maybe Mrs Hughes believed it was more serious than it actually was. It wasn't that serious, right? It was Robert and her after all. They were a strong married couple. Their relationship wasn't designed to buckle under the first symptoms of pressure. It was built to last and weather all storms. They had survived the hard first year of marriage and had come out stronger. It was not an option that the war that had been raging outside these sturdy walls would wreak havoc on their marriage now, delayed to all the other harm it had already done.

Cora felt a tear pricking at the corner of her eye and tried her best to blink it away. Yes, they were distant, but it was nothing that couldn't be salvaged, right?

She knew so little about him these days. The only things that came to mind were his petulant behaviour when she had other things to do, his tendency to always disagree with her point of view, and lately his developing cold indifference. But what could she bring forth to show that she had done anything to prevent the widening rift?

Her eyes met Robert's. Only briefly. His look grazed over the room and stilled for a few seconds when he noticed Cora's stare. There was no change in his expression. He wouldn't smile at her. His eyes wouldn't light up. Cora mentally chided herself for shortly believing it possible. Why would he smile? She knew best that there wasn't anything cheerful upon seeing each other. She noticed how his jaw clenched. His expression changed after all, as his eyes hardened and his brows furrowed the tiniest bit. He dropped his gaze to his drink and then turned his attention back to his conversation partner, Matthew.

Cora closed her eyes for a second and took a steadying breath to push down the upwelling disappointment. She was afraid her lips would start to quiver if she didn't get a hold of her emotions. Nothing had happened after all. After another breath and opening her eyes to her conversing daughters, the greatest trepidation had passed already. She tried to convince herself that there was no need to be pathetic if this night was no different from all the others. But the heavy unease in her stomach grew. Premonition and doubt slowly suffocated her.

...

As he looked across the room, he was moderately entertained by Matthew's conversation. And then his eyes landed on her. She looked straight at him, and it startled him a bit. There was something familiar in it. Intense looks across the room. For a split second, he fell into reminiscence and mistook her expression for affectionate attention. His heart could only make half a leap of excitement before Robert remembered the present. No stolen glances had been exchanged in a long time. Maybe - and this was an unpleasant thought - they were past this. Passion wasn't meant for a married couple on end. Cora and he perhaps were different from other couples on many levels, but maybe not even they were spared this fate.

Robert saw the strain in Cora's expression. After his first confusion about her look, he now clearly saw that it pained her to look at him. But it was nothing new that she saw an unwelcome burden in his company. The war had shown that if it came down to it she preferred to be in charge on her own and fight her own battles. There was no consideration of him. Yes, it was hard on him, but maybe... maybe he had come to terms with it by now.

The image of the aloof Cora was relieved for a second by another image flashing through his mind. The doe-eyed, willing, and empathetic creature that shouldn't occupy his thoughts as much as she did.

Robert gritted his teeth. At the same time, these thoughts gave him exactly what he needed but also made his unhappiness even worse, because he knew they just showed the lack of something else.

Cora looked deeply unhappy. Robert turned away and tried to drown his thoughts out with the conversation with Matthew. After two exchanged sentences, his thoughts returned to his marriage, however. Was it lost already? How often had this question tormented him. An answer would tell him if he was on the right track (if there even was one in his situation riddled with wrongs). If he had enough good reason to stray from the familiar path. He told himself he desperately wanted to know whether all was lost. Because it would be just the excuse he needed.

When he looked at Cora for too long, though, he suddenly didn't want to know anymore. For then, he was afraid of a conclusive answer.

[exammole]

My changes to Miraculous for my rewrite: Season 0

Part 2: Story

Part 1: Magic System

Note: Although I will be using the show as a base, with a lot of the storybeats being in this rewrite. I’ll also be changing and adding new stuff to it.

Also I’m realising this just now, I’ll probably have to change my plan. Instead of putting Magic System, Plot, Characters into three posts. I’ll be spreading the Plot between 5 different posts for every season in this rewrite.

Order of the Guardians

Kwami are the celestial beings that embody the various components of Gimme, the god of Reality, all Kwami are extensions of them and are created whenever a new concept is created. Tikki and Plagg would be the first to be born, being gifted the specific power that if their domains were ever to cross, she’d be summoned.

The Kwami would soon wish to be apart of the world they helped define, so Gimme would grant a human the power to give them physical form 2000 years ago. This man would become the first Mage. This mage would first created 7 Miraculous, magic jewellery that could give Kwami a physical form; these Kwami would be Tikki, Plagg, Nooroo, Wayzz, Trixx, Pollen and Duusu, followed by many more during his lifetime. He would pass this skill onto his children, who would pass it down to theirs, and so fourth.

This would be the beginning of the ‘Order of the Guarduans’, which at the time consisted of Mages and their non magical famiy members, who would become blessed by Gimme to become Guardians. But would eventually grow out and become a secret society hidden in Tibet. Attempts were made to globalise the Order, but the Witch Trials of Massachusetts would prove to dangerous.

An attempt to recreate the Kwami was made, creating the Prodigious and the Renlings as a result, but the power would prove to dangerous for use and be kept under the protection of Mei Shi, created by Gimme to ward off use.

Fu Wang

In 1919 a young Wang Fu would be training to become a Guardian. Fu was excruciatingly hungry during this session, so he’d use the Peacock Miraculous to create a sentimonster to send him food. His anger towards being a Guardian fueled it’s creation, and went on an eating spree destroying everything. The only survivors were Fu, some Grimoires, the 7 main Miraculous (with the Peacock being lost). And Su-Han who hid in Fluff’s pocket dimension before the jewel was destroyed, along woth all the items already being held within.

(In this rewrite Fluff’s power is Abduction, and has access to a pocket dimension. This pocket dimension isn’t bound to time)

Fu would start travelling the world, holding immense trauma and guilt on his shoulders. He would find his way to Paris in 1938, meeting a girl called Marianne Lenoir. The two would fall in love, with Fu telling her about the Miraculous later on into their friendship. 1940’s Paris happened and Fu would insist her to come with him to London, but she refused and stayed in Paris. He would gift her the Butterfly Miraculous to aid her, and he didn’t tell her his feelings that night. Marianne would use the Butterfly to bevome Delias.

Four years later he would come back for her, but when he found out Marianne had fell for another man he couldn’t bare the hurt anymore and left without retrieving the Butterfly, let alone saying a word.

The Agreste’s and Graham de Vanily’s

Marianne and her soon to be husband Jules Grassette (he’s a new character) would get married a few years later with a son called Gabi. Gabi would start to get into fashion, meeting Natalie and Emilie in school (Dupont). Gabi would grow up to be a tailor, getting engaged to Emilie after graduation, and the three would remain close for years to come.

Gabi would change his name to Gabriel Agreste years later, after getting big after he helped Andre Bourgeois impress Audrey. Around the same time he’d be given the Butterfly Miraculous as an heirloom from his parents who would’ve died. This is where him, Emilie and Natalie would first learn of the Miraculous.

Emilie was the eldest daughter of the Graham de Vanily’s, an aristocratic family in Paris, followed by her twin sister Amelie. Emilie was very rebellious, and her marriage with a humble tailor got her removed from the inheritance. This would leave Amelie in line, amd she’d be married off too billionaire Colt Fathom.

Both sisters would desire to have children, but as both were infertile Her, Gabriel and Natalie would begin their search for a way. They’d come into contact with Tomoe Tsurugi, the owner of tech company Tsurugi Industies, who would give them a Grimoire in agreement that Gabriel would join the Affluent Society (rich people controlling the world club.) With the Grimoire and with the aid of Nooroo, the three would find the destroyed remains of the Order and locate the location of the Peacock.

Some years would go by, Emilie would use the Miraculous, becoming Peahen. Creating Adrien with the use of a power she was not ready for. Colt eventually used the Miraculous himself to create Felix, jealous that his family didn’t have an heir first. Jumping to a power that they were not trained for, both Emilie and Colt broke the Peacock in use, which started draining their life force. The two would die during Adrien and Felix’s childhoods, Gabriel shutting himself in his house trying to find a way to reverse the effect of the Peacock, and to bring his wife back from death.