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thecandywrites · 4 years

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Blood For Gold

So. I was SO INSPIRED by @kriskukko ‘s regency era orc art, please forgive me for taking it and putting it into the photo montage that I do for all my stories but I wanted everyone to see your amazing art and really get a visual sense of the story I want to tell. For more amazing orc and other fantasy beings in GORGEOUS period clothing- @kriskukko is where to go. They’re amazing.

I’m a HUGE fan of Jane Austin in general and now with historical period dramas like Death Comes to Pemberley and Bridgerton, they need a fantasy twist with orcs, elves, trolls and of course mouras which are my own precious creation. Also because this is a fantasy period piece, I’m fudging and blurring the lines of historical accuracy just a wee bit. Regency Era- 1811-1820 ish. First Industrial Revolution- 1760-1840 and railways becoming a key transportation tool around this time as well. So we’re going with all three at the same time.

Trains, Industrial Revolution, Regency, Nobility, Intrigue, Murder Mystery, Damsel in Distress, Mail Order Bride, Only One Bed but with a twist as Only One Train Cabin, all the clichés. ALL OF THEM. Enjoy. And I really hope @kriskukko enjoys this because this was written specifically for them. And it’s written as a reader insert. Hope that’s ok. If that’s annoying @kriskukko, I can change that. Technically this will be female reader insert.

Blood For Gold

Part 1

You were happily sitting on the train, in a private first class cabin suite, dressed in your mourning clothes, relieved that others took the hint and left you alone so you could travel in peace, reading one of your latest acquisitions from one of the more upscale and prominent bookstores in Kent since you were traveling from Kent back to London Towne. Normally you would never dream of traveling alone, but you did just give away your latest paid companion in marriage the day before to a man who would love her for the rest of her life so you found yourself feeling bittersweet at the loss of her company, both sad to lose such a close friend yet happy she would be happy. She was your third paid companion just this past year to do so. But you were far from begrudged. But now you would have to start the process all over again and have to take out an advertisement in the papers for a new paid companion and start anew.

Then your thoughts were interrupted by the knock on the door by a station master since the train had stopped on its way into London, stopping in the industrial district.

“Yes?” You asked as he came into your suite.

“Begging your pardon Countess, but there are two first class gentlemen looking for a private cabin on their journey home and it’s a full train today and we’ve filled up all the other cabins, would it be a horrible inconvenience for them to share this one with you? We’d like to extend these certificates of first class cabins on future trips to you if you’d be willing to share yours with them.” He offered generously, holding them out to you hopefully.

“Who are the gentlemen?” You asked curiously as you looked from his offering back to him.

“Duke Damsey Voyambi and Count Javyn Jabire.” He answered. You didn’t know them personally but you knew of them. Men of both nobility and industry and supposedly of considerable wealth in this country. Although you did hear rumors of both gentlemen of being romantically attached to various debutants so you’d have to be careful to not let any rumors spring up. The last thing you needed was another scandal on your hands.

“But of course, I would be happy to share my cabin with them.” You readily agreed before you took the ride certificates into your black laced gloved hand and put them away into your purse as the station master then happily left and returned with the gentlemen a moment later, they were exquisitely dressed but did smell like their factories, they must have been just checking in on their businesses.

“Countess Morrigan, this is Duke Voyambi and this is Count Jabire.” The station master introduced as you stood to greet them formally. Duke Voyambi was orcish and the count was clearly troll, but you were moura, so it made little difference what they were.

Mouras- ever since the moura plague over a hundred and fifty years ago that wiped out the heavenly moura population, leaving only the royal moura and mountain moura to live on since their own moura heritage was “diluted” by other races enough genetically to withstand the plague and live on- were now all born with golden yellow eyes, golden blonde hair and their moura collars and cloaks, instead of being actual objects containing magic and power were now reduced to looking like they were painted on the skin with gold glittering ink. It’s what made mouras stand out even more than they used to. Gone were the days of the real moura gifts but the breed’s legacy lived on. But you were of course in your mourning attire, mostly all black and covered up, the only moura trait giving you away were your gold eyes and little golden freckles on your cheeks and nose, otherwise you looked mostly human.

“Pleasured to make your acquaintance Countess Morrigan. How do you do?” They bowed as you curtsied in kind.

“Please, won’t you sit down gentlemen?” You invited as you gestured to the other bench before all three of you sat down again.

“Thank you so much for having us Countess Morrigan, we’re much obliged.” Count Jabire thanked you earnestly.

“Pleasure is all mine your graces, a journey is always more enjoyable when spent with amiable company.” You answered pleasantly.

“So why are you travelling alone Young Countess?” Duke Voyambi asked curiously.

“I believe you have me confused with the Young Countess Jane Morrigan, I am her late grandmother in law Audravienne Saharrazat Morrigan from Dorierra, I was married to the late Old Count Edward Morrigan.” You gently corrected, your r’s rolling while your moura accent flourished and furled with the pronunciation of your name, which both of them couldn’t help but raise their eyebrows at that revelation as they realized you were that Countess Morrigan.

You were the reason every young man threw themselves into business if only to make enough money to afford a moura bride as beautiful and wonderful as you. To hear of the late Count Edward Morrigan’s death had many marking their calendars to mark when your mourning period would be over so they could pursue you themselves. Especially since after the death you weren’t immediately whisked away back to the moura stables of Dorierra but stayed in the country and it seemed to be in this moment that both actually took note of your mourning attire and seemed to connect the dots so to speak.

“Oh, I do beg your pardon, again, so sorry for your loss, I believe the last time we were in the same room was actually your wedding to the Count only two years ago, forgive us for not recognizing you.” Count Jabire offered.

“It’s alright, I did not recognize you either, that day was a bit of a blur for me and all the faces ran together having met so many people that day.” You admitted.

Your wedding to the Count was attended by all of high society in this country, even the entire royal family attended, all of which you barely remembered because of the circumstances of your marrying the Count. It was all a blur for you and most of the first year of being married to him, you’d much prefer to forget and the circumstances of his passing had you feeling relieved you had only been married to him for a year. Much longer and it would have finished you for good. But you had settled into widowhood much easier than you had anticipated and it afforded for you to finally enjoy life again. Now that he was dead, you had a very charming and pleasant life, and one you would be loathed to lose.

“Oh it’s perfectly alright, practically the whole country came for your wedding, it would be impossible for you to remember all of them, especially when all of them were practically strangers to you that day. And especially since you rarely come out into society since.” Duke Voyambi reasoned and all you could do was smile politely but it didn’t reach your eyes.

Edward had been a widower, he was human and had married a human wife in his youth and used his family’s small and modest fortune and invested it into industry and investments, all of which paid off handsomely so that the Morrigans were one of the wealthiest nobles in all of England, if not most of Europe. Then Beatrice, Edward’s wife died, and in his old age, and now fully established wealth, Edward decided it was time for him to “buy” a moura bride, a tradition most kings partook in going back for a millennia since the moura stables were established specifically for that purpose. The moura estate of Doriera functioned like a racing horse stable. All brides were put on display and bought and sold or rented to the highest bidder, because since the plague, mouras were becoming even more rare and sought after and were the first to embrace the mail order bride system. Edward wanted a moura bride who was young and vibrant and entertaining to keep him company in his old age and give his last years a measure of happiness and pleasure. He had paid a fortune to the moura stable in Doriera for you since you had a pedigree that rivaled most ruling kings and gifts galore, not to mention were an outstanding beauty in your own right and Edward got what he paid for because you delivered on all accounts.

Edward had been incredibly sweet, kind, thoughtful and generous as a husband when you first married him and treated you like the gem you were and in the beginning, you found much to appreciate and have affection for as he helped you to adjust to living in England, away from the moura stables and indulged you endlessly because he could afford to. He made sure you had a very generous allowance paid out weekly, wore splendid gowns and practically dripping in jewels at all times. You were his delight in his old age and he even had the good sense that it was all down in writing and was taken care of by his steward.

However six months into the marriage, he started to go completely senile, mistaking you for Beatrice and then getting so angry when you weren’t her and especially once the sun set every day, he became a different man, he grew incoherent, irritable and angry and even violent but then in the morning and during the day, he would come back to his senses and himself and would apologize and do everything he could to make amends and even hired special assistants to keep himself from hurting you further but even that only lasted a few months, the last three months of his life was spent having all sense leaving him and he became completely senile and deranged no matter the time of day and that’s when the abuses started happening, in his senility, he dismissed his helpers and Richard, his eldest son and heir, who was looking to save money, agreed with their dismissal, no matter your pleadings or theirs and even his steward plead with him but Richard and his family turned a blind eye to it since they viewed you as his paid caregiver and basically dumped him on you and left you all alone to deal with him and shut you and him up and away from society so they would not and could not see it for themselves while forbidding you from contacting the stables or anyone else about it to “preserve the family honor”.

Then the “incident” happened and Edward unexpectedly passed. And it came as a relief to everyone else in the Morrigan family. Richard then fully inherited the estate and very quickly shipped you and all of your things off to live in London Towne as soon as you could be packed- to live in an exquisite and surprisingly luxurious townhouse in the fashionable side of town that was big enough to suit you just fine because you couldn’t return to the moura stables because ‘you were broken beyond repair’ by Edward’s and Richard’s treatment as judged by the stable masters who were beyond enraged at your treatment and thankfully Edward had written it into his will and specified the kind of living you would receive upon his death so that the rest of your life, until you chose to remarry someone of your choosing, would be in comfort and luxury and even accounted for inflation and unless Richard wanted to lose everything, he would be honoring his father’s wishes and pay out what you were definitely owed and had earned by enduring it, under the threat of the truth being discovered and him losing everything, including the family honor and estate and business to you, which the stable masters were more than ready and able to hire the best international lawyers who would make sure to hold the new Count Richard Morrigan to the very letter of the contract his father signed when he “bought” you from the stables which clearly stated, should you be damaged in any way, you would inherit all of Edward’s estate to “recoop” the damages inflicted on you personally which all moura contracts superseded all others in all courts worldwide.

So that left Richard to pay for your silence and discretion on the matter, effectively doubling what his father had already set out in your material living agreement which you had the good sense to get down in writing and have the stable masters cosign it so that it accompanied the contract Edward signed which you kept a copy of in your possession and the stable masters also kept the original copy of and had it witnessed by the highest judges in the land, in private of course. Which for the price of your peace- and complete independent freedom from the Morrigan’s, you agreed to it since you could not return to the moura stables yourself.

So you made peace with your circumstances and counted yourself fortunate to have the moura stables still backing you despite technically no longer being a part of them even though you knew that if this particular country were to ever become unsafe by either revolution or war, you were still welcome back to the stables under those conditions to simply preserve your bloodline, but little other circumstance garnered your return to them.

Besides, you got to have the very same staff that served you at the Morrigan Estate named Broadcove follow you to your new townhouse- Mirador and they were ever so happy to follow you there because you were a good and fair mistress to them and took care of them exceedingly well and they made at least twice the money they would make at any other house and they were loyal to you to a fault. Even the steward followed you to Mirador because he knew his master had done you wrong.

“How are you getting home to Broadcove?” Count Jabire asked curiously.

“Oh since the Late Count Edward Morrigan passed and the New Count Richard Morrigan and his family has taken ownership of Broadcove, they thought it best I mourn in peace at a house of my own, so I have since moved to Mirador since the late Count’s passing.” You informed them.

“Oh how kind and thoughtful of them.” Count Jabire noted and you fought not to snort a derisive laugh at that. It was never ‘thoughtful’ on their part. It was always just a business to them.

“Yes, it’s been most helpful to me. It’s incredibly convenient to be in town and so close to so many amusements and diversions, it has helped me with my grief a great deal, especially since the living afforded to me by the late Count is generous enough for me to afford a paid companion so that I don’t get too lonely. My latest one was married only yesterday, Lady Bellum to Sir DeVaunce, you may have seen the announcement in the paper perhaps?” You readily agreed.

“Oh yes, yes of course.” Duke Voyambi readily agreed while Count Jabire nodded in agreement.

“But now it seems I will have to take out another advertisement for another, since it’s obviously a little unseemly for a lady such as myself to travel alone, especially in this country.” You allowed as they nodded and gave each other a meaningful look.

The rest of the ride was spent in pleasant conversation as all three of you got to become better acquainted.

Duke Voyambi owned a soap company, making not just soap to wash the body, but laundry supplies as well which explained his own scent on his clothes smelled like he worked as a laundress. But he also employed a union of orcish workers. One of the few captains of industry that was for the union instead of against it, which you greatly respected because you could tell he was passionate about the betterment of orcs in general, from livelihood and wages, to education and living and working conditions and was incredibly safety conscious.

Count Jabire on the other hand- he owned one of the many flour mills, using the river rushing through the feet of the bridge to run the giant wheels to make flour of various kinds. And it was why he smelled like a bakery and why the two of them together smelled- if anything- interesting. But they were clearly friends, and close ones at that and in conversation, they clearly played very well off each other and it was entertaining for you to sit and listen to them. You were almost saddened when your stop came and all three of you had to disembark.

But at the same time, you were relieved to see Malcom, one of your manservants there to help you with your things and there with a carriage to take you home.

“Till we see each other again gentlemen, may you both get home safely.” You offered the Duke and Count, curtseying again as they bowed and tipped their hats to you before you left to return to Mirador.

“You have visitors waiting on you my Lady.” Malcolm informed you as he helped you into your carriage.

“Who?” You asked.

“Count and Countess Morrigan.” He answered before you groaned and made a whiney whimpering sound which brought a grin to Malcom’s face.

“Why?” You asked.

“Don’t know, but they came bearing gifts my Lady.” He answered.

“Great, well, I suppose we shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer than they have to.” You urged him as he finished loading your things up and the driver drove the carriage home as you steeled yourself for whatever would find you once you came home.

“Countess,” Richard and his wife Agnes greeted you as all three of you curtsied to each other respectfully.

“Count, Countess.” You returned respectfully.

“We trust your ride home from Kent was pleasant as always.” Richard urged with forced pleasantness.

“It was,” you confirmed.

“So what do I owe the pleasure of your presence your Graces?” You asked curiously.

“Well since your mourning ends in a fortnight, we came to invite you to everything that will be happening shortly after, and since you will be out of mourning and even half mourning in a fortnight, you will need new clothes to stay with the fashions, we must get you out into society as soon as possible. Surely you long to see it and we brought all the invitations that we should all go to as a family.” Agnes insisted as cheerfully as she could muster as she presented you with a stack of invitations and you wanted to laugh scornfully in her face for her audacity. But decorum would not permit you to do so- so you simply smiled politely as you took them from her.

“Of course.” You agreed as you started looking through them.

“Well we must get you to the designer houses as soon as may be for they may need time to finish your gowns in time for all of these events. Take the next couple of days to rest and recoup from your journey from Kent, so on Wednesday perhaps, we should go, in the meantime, the stables have sent gifts to celebrate the event, and your servants have taken the trunks to your quarters for your inspection and we must inform you that you now have a dowry, should you chose to get remarried of fifty thousand pounds.” Agnes suggested. You were being paid thirty thousand pounds for your silence a year, since Edward afforded you fifteen thousand but Richard doubled it for your silance and discretion, but the Morrigan’s estate and business earned them hundreds of thousands of pounds a year which they were using to build an even bigger estate in the country along with a new townhouse in London that was going to rival any other as well, the new country estate was going to rival the Palace of Windsor or even Buckingham Palace. Which is how Edward could afford to give the stables two hundred a fifty thousand pounds to buy you outright from the stables but Edward, when he had not been senile insisted that you were worth every penny. But still, they always viewed you as a gold leech and they were obviously keen to get rid of you and have you ‘latch on’ to someone else.

“Yes, Wednesday would be a good day for that, thank you.” You agreed, in a desperate attempt to get them out of your house so you wouldn’t have to put on this pretence any longer than you had to.

Mourning here lasted a year and a day for widows, the first six months were spent in deep or full mourning, where the widow would wear nothing but black, and the last six months were in half mourning where a little bit of subdued color was introduced back into the wardrobe, which seemed almost alien to you since mouras liked to dress in the brightest and most vibrant colors possible.

But you knew the sooner they could get you remarried after the mourning period- the better for them because they would no longer have to pay for your living arrangements and pay for your allowances. They were going to dump a fortune into getting your market ready and dump you on the first willing suitor who showed interest and they would try to induce you to remarry but you were determined that only the deepest and purist and most genuine love would ever induce you into matrimony now.

If they only knew who you shared a train ride with- they would be going to the gentlemen directly to try to broker a deal behind your back as you wondered exactly what tricks they had up their sleeves to try to pawn you off.

But you had tricks of your own. You just needed a little help...

#Blood For Gold #a story inspired by #@kriskukko #their regency and industrial revolution art #orcs #orc period drama #bridgerton #but orc and fantasy being style #it's going to be so fun!

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floriannas · 3 years

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What Exactly Gothic Is

(Let me preface with trigger warnings, because Gothic makes a point of delving into dark themes: murder, abuse, racism, homophobia, incest, ableism, misogyny)

I have seen certain posts about what the definite characteristics of gothic fiction are that, I hate to say...felt either incomplete or inaccurate. And that has bothered me enough to make my own post about, at the very least, my understanding of this genre.

Some things to get out of the way:

Gothic does not have one fixed definition. It is fluid and nebulous, and while all literature reflects its society, genre changes massively depending on where it was written. Canadian Gothic is not Welsh Gothic is not American Gothic. Victorian Gothic is not contemporary Gothic is not Regency Gothic. Nineteenth century British gothic is often in response to the drastic technological changes of the industrial revolution. Welsh Gothic has a lot of focus on the disenfranchised and the coal mining industry. Where and when your WIP is, and where and when YOU are writing it, is going to define it.

We cannot talk about Gothic as a genre without talking about the racism that much of it is rooted in. We cannot ignore Charlotte Bronte’s dehumanising description of Bertha Rochester, a creole woman. We cannot ignore that Edward Hyde’s physical description is less ‘white’ than Henry Jekyll’s. We cannot ignore Heathcliff’s identity as a racially ambiguous villain. We cannot ignore just how bigoted in every way Dracula is. We CANNOT ignore the whiteness of much of the ‘feminist’ gothic literature, either. This is something you must be aware of if you're writing Gothic - it is not integral to gothic fiction but as I will explain, the traits of the genre lend themselves to antagonising marginalised groups.

Gothic is not just gothic horror. It can be horror, but it is still a genre in its own right and the horror is not mandatory.

This post is about gothic as a literary genre. I will not be talking about Ostrogoths, Visigoths, gothic architecture or art, and - for once - I’m not talking about the Goth subculture either, the two actually have almost nothing in common.

Some frequent, though not all required, characteristics of the gothic (this is NOT a checklist. I cannot stress that this is a genre purposefully WITHOUT a clear definition):

Familial trauma - the ending of family lines (the presence of the aristocracy is common in Gothic, this trope perhaps most blatantly depicted in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher), hauntings - not necessarily literal but metaphorical. There’s often a secret, or some kind of terrible incident that has been covered up, amongst a family that is inevitably unearthed. Marital trauma is very common - as seen in Jane Eyre with the original ‘madwoman in the attic’, the mystery surrounding the titular character in Rebecca, the secret room of The Bloody Chamber, the murdered husband being literally unearthed in House of America.

The setting is everything in Gothic. It often has a presence enough that it is a character in its own right. Key things about the setting is that it’s typically old - or at least old enough to have a turbulent history - and typically remote, ‘feral’, in amongst nature and separate from civilisation. The latter is very often executed in a racist and/or xenophobic way in Gothic classics. Think very critically of what is considered ‘civilisation’ and what is not. Dracula being a novel about white Christian Britons being threatened by an Eastern European vampire? Don’t replicate that. You will also see the ‘sublime’ (see below) here, and motifs of decay (which can be linked to the ending of a family line easily!), and themes surrounding imprisonment and escape. Gothic fiction loves pathetic fallacy - whether a storm, fog, rain or bitter cold, the weather is absolutely there to set the tone.

Repression. This can be of a trauma, but repression of sexuality can feature too. I have seen it asserted that homoeroticism is a key component in Gothic, and while it can feature, I would not say entirely agree, for a number of reasons. There is often a focus on ‘taboo’ sexuality, a categorisation which places LGBT people with taboos such as incest (which features often in some forms of Gothic). Homophobic tropes such as the predatory gay villain (e.g. Dracula’s obsession with Jonathan Harker and Mrs Danver’s obsession with Rebecca) are fairly common, and a general treatment of homosexuality as immoral or depraved especially older texts, so let’s not act like it’s always been a LGBT friendly genre. Something either hidden away or repressed that is then discovered is a huge, huge, component to most gothic fiction.

Misogynistic gender dynamics are often present: the combination of a young, vulnerable and innocent woman with an older male ‘Byronic Hero’ type love interest is common. The Victorian template of ‘bad’, ‘promiscuous’ or otherwise ‘improper’ woman reaching a sticky end is well loved. And then there’s Poe’s sinister obsession with ‘beautiful dead woman’. Don’t forget the intersection of ableism and misogyny with the ‘mad’ women like Bertha Rochester and Miss Havisham (though Eleanor Vance of The Haunting of Hill House is a sympathetic antidote of this trope.) The way women are written is something I’d very much like us to move beyond.

The sublime: this is everywhere. That something, especially the wilderness, is beautiful and massive enough to be incomprehensible.

Doubles or doppelgangers. Often as a ‘darker’ reflection of the protagonist - such as the hero and villain having close parallels, or the heroine as a foil to her husband’s mysterious dead first wife. It doesn’t have to exist just in this way, but the motif of the doppelganger is one Gothic fiction likes a lot.

‘Otherness’ or monstrosity. ‘Otherness’ and ‘Othering’ is something that is a crucial part of literary theory - what the narrative deems strange, unfamiliar, not like us, and so most depictions of monsters will also be Othered. Considering how almost all of the time in the Western literary canon this is a vehicle for racism, please think critically. Frankenstein’s monster has a more nuanced approach to what society defines as strange, or monstrous, how monstrosity is created, and self fulfilling prophecies.

Cultural anxiety. This is by no means unique to Gothic but the genre is shaped by what the society of its creation is afraid of. This - like Frankenstein or The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - can be scientific advancement and new discoveries we do not yet understand, but the problem arises that for a lot of Western Gothic this has been marginalised groups.

The Uncanny. As found in various forms of horror - same with the fear of the unknown, but often in Gothic - that something resembles something else enough to recognise at least what it ‘tries’ to be, but not enough for it to be truly familiar. This is a really effective way to make any person, place, or thing unsettling.

I think I’ve covered most of my notes - please take my first bullet point into consideration as this will inevitably be a bit UK centric. The thing about gothic is that it doesn’t really have one fixed meaning, so you have a lot of freedom. Bonus: if you want to read a really good gay feminist Gothic short story, ‘The Resident’ by Carmen Maria Machado is one of the best pieces of fiction, ever.

#writeblr #gothic writeblr #racism tw #incest tw #misogyny tw #homophobia tw

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danielgenhal · 3 years

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Different derivatives of Cyberpunk and what ideas I can give on writing in them

Good time of the day, whoever you are and wherever you come from. In this post, I will explore some of derivatives that have appeared after Cyberpunk gathered traction.

First of all, let's have a somewhat introduction into Cyberpunk:

Cyberpunk is a subgenre of Science Fiction, where the primary focus is on the dystopian future, a mix of lowlife and supreme technology and social commentary. My personal favorite example is the movie "Blade Runner", showing dark, depressive streets and tough lives of everyone involved.

If you plan to write in the Cyberpunk genre, remember - it's bleak, hopeless and depressive. You can make everyone miserable! You can create cities filled with ads everywhere, overpricing, housing problems etc. Explore modern societal problems, but on the Dark Future scale. However, if you are trying to show Cyberpunk in a positive light, read ahead. Later in the post, I will talk about Cyberprep.

Cyberpunk has influenced a lot of authors, the entire Science Fiction and writing in general. The biggest result that matters to this post: birth of subgenres of Cyberpunk (so that would make a subgenre of a subgenre?-)

The first one is the most well known: Steampunk.

Steampunk is a retro-futuristic genre that is influenced by the Steam Age, ranging from the late Regency era (1795–1837; when the Industrial Revolution began) through the Victorian era (1837–1901) and the Belle Époque (1871–1914).

When it comes to Steampunk, you have to remember that it's heavily based on XVIII-XX century and it's views on life and society. However, it doesn't mean you have to follow all of them. Don't be afraid to make extraordinary decisions in adventures, detective, action and even horror stories!

Adventures in Steampunk should be filled with cool steam-powered machines, maybe even hot-air balloons and airships (aka blimps)! Try to imagine something strange and outstanding! The same can be implied for action (just add more explosions and mustache-twirling villains/heroes!)

When it comes to detective stories, try to incorporate the Victorian architecture and it's cramped streets, shady workers and corrupt aristocracy.

Horror in Steampunk would be less about monsters (unless you are mixing it with Fantasy, which is also a very cool thing to do, experiment with it if you want more complexity) and more about bad people. Like, a serial killer ala Jack The Ripper.

Also, if you don't like Steam, a good alternative would be Clockpunk.

Clockpunk, a subgenre of Steampunk, reimagining the Renaissance period (14th–17th century) to include retro-futuristic technology, often portraying Renaissance-era science and technology based on clockwork, gears, and Da Vincian machinery designs.

Some people describe Clockpunk as "Steampunk without steam", which is also a very interesting vision of this kind of technology, but with a twist. The game "Syberia" is a good example of the genre!

Dieselpunk is a genre and art style based on the aesthetics popular in the interwar period through the end of World War II into the 1950s, when diesel displaced the steam engine. The style combines the artistic and genre influences of the period (including pulp magazines, serial films, film noir, art deco, and wartime pin-ups) with retro-futuristic technology and postmodern sensibilities.

Dieselpunk is all about rust, dirt, fire, explosions, flying using early fuels... And more fire! Big Iron flying ships loaded with WW2 age weapons, solid fuels and dirty people fly over rusty cities, where crisis is never ending. Though it's not always like that, this is a very cool vision of this genre.

When it comes to writing, there are two paths I see: writing about injustice, war and destruction, or recovery after the first thing. This is a very good way to grow into other genres! Characters can climb the social ladder to the top, or even come crashing down to the very bottom. Your story may be about mercenaries, armymen, politicians or just about random people.

Decopunk, also known as coalpunk, is a recent subset of dieselpunk, centered around the art deco and Streamline Moderne art styles, and based on the cities of New York, Chicago, and Boston around the period between the 1920s and 1950s.

Decopunk is... A strange one. It's this chrome, clean version of Dieselpunk, but a darker and grittier version of Steampunk. I can't give any new ideas about this, the ones from Steampunk and Dieselpunk would apply pretty well.

Atompunk (also known as atomicpunk) relates to the pre-digital period of 1945–1969, including mid-century modernism; the Atomic, Jet, and Space Ages; communism, Neo-Soviet styling, and early Cold War espionage, along with anti-communist and Red Scare paranoia in the United States; underground cinema; Googie architecture; Sputnik and the Space Race; comic books and superhero fiction; and the rise of the American military–industrial complex.

So, this is a good genre to look at the 50s America, or even 50s Soviet Union (I recommend making some alternative version of it though, because the anturage of this part of the world is very different from most European, Asian and American countries).

I think detective stories would work the best in this genre. A rough detective with his sidekick (I'm sure both of them could be male or female, but remember social constructs of the time) try to solve a murder, a grand robbery or a cult event of sorts. This would also fit elements of horror well, especially fear of technology. Elements of comedy would also fit greatly, as a lot of people were a bit... Awkward back then. Or you can at least make it that way!

Steelpunk is a genre that focuses more on technology that blossomed in the late 20th century. It doesn't go into cyber yet, instead it focuses on hardware over software and MEGA-TECHNOLOGY over nanotechnology.

A good example would be The Terminator. Giant computers, super robots and big vehicles! That's the vibe you need. Another example would be... Mad Max. Earlier Mad Max movies, to be precise. Or Robocop!

As for my suggestion - make everything big, complex and a computer. Exclude virtual reality and just make super cool technology the size of a skyscraper (just don't create AM from "I have no mouth and I must scream"...). Maybe an action story would work the best, but techno-horror also works. Machines going out of control and sabotaging the life of people.

Cassette futurism is a subgenre of cyberpunk that reimagines early 1980s aesthetics as popularized by the IBM Personal Computer and imitators, regardless of the real time setting of the media. Notable elements of cassette futurism includes loud, bright, contrasting colors and geometric shapes, a tendency towards stark plainness, a lack of powerful computers and cell phones, and the prominent usage of 1980s or 1980s-inspired technologies such as: magnetic tape data storage, cathode-ray tube displays, computer systems reminiscent of microcomputers like the Commodore 64, freestanding music centres, small, monochromatic LCD displays as opposed to full color screens, floppy disks, and analog technologies. The internet, or some analogue to it, may exist in a cassette futurism work, but might be used less frequent in data exchange than physical media.

I think this description alone already sets up a few ideas on what to write. An adventure story would work GREAT here, as characters have to rely on all technology available to them, while also spending time playing on old computers and maybe even using the internet for a quick reference.

Cyberprep. A cyberprep world assumes that all the technological advancements of cyberpunk speculation have taken place but life is utopian rather than gritty and dangerous. Since society is largely leisure-driven, advanced body enhancements are used for sports, pleasure, and self-improvement.

The word is an amalgam of the prefix cyber-, referring to cybernetics, and preppy, reflecting its divergence from the punk elements of cyberpunk.

A cyberprep story is revolved around the success of humanity, and it's technological achievements. If you want to write something about how cool life can be on Earth, this is a good genre for that! Can't give many more suggestions, but you can try to make a story about a person finding help and hope in the world around them.

Biopunk or Genepunk - a subgenre of Cyberpunk, in which the focus is shifted toward bio-engineering and biological weaponry.

Basically, it's very similar to Cyberpunk itself, but it cares more about biological development over cybernetics. So, maybe, you're a fan of cool flesh monsters, or you like the idea of an arm growing back instead of it being replaced with a mechanical one. All the ideas from Cyberpunk can be used here, I believe.

Nanopunk - a genre with a focus in nanotechnology.

I can't add much more about it, but I can recommend a good source of inspiration - Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson.

Salvagepunk is more of a post-apocalypse setting, where the value has been moved from money to physical usage. This subgenre reflects the problems of modernity - overpopulation, consumer society, social stratification, ecology and waste recycling. Salvagepunk depicts a polarized world where false dreams of a bright future are often built at the expense of the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised against the backdrop of crisis and impending catastrophe. The world does not end in a large-scale tragedy (nuclear explosion, alien invasion, natural disaster), but collapses slowly, exposing the depletion of the Earth. At the same time, a utopian idea is traced — the hope of being able to restore the destroyed world with the help of the fragments and debris left from it.

I absolutely love Salvagepunk. Deponia and Railsea are great examples of salvagepunk - everything is rusted, everything is trash, but there is still hope for a better future.

And Hope is the primary motivation and morale of stories in this genre. No matter how bad things will seem, they can get better. And that should be your focus in writing. Characters are in deep trouble, but they can get out of it.

Elfpunk is subgenre of urban fantasy in which traditional mythological creatures, such as faeries and elves, are transplanted from rural folklore into modern urban settings.

This one is the easiest one to mix and match with any other. Just add mythical races into ANY of the genres I've listed before this one. And, hell, you can just make ANY story using Elfpunk. The possibilities are great!

And now, my favorite - Skypunk or Aeropunk. Flying ships. I can't begin to tell you how much I love flying ships. The entire point of Skypunk - everyone travels by air. Either because all land is in the sky, the sea is too dangerous or it's just easier, people built airships or just... Flying ships.

Stories in this genre are DEFINITELY all about adventure stories. It's probably the main focus usually, but you can experiment. Add a giant flying monster, a political battle, a murder on a pirate ship, something! You can pull a lot of things here!

Wow, you've actually read all of that through. I didn't expect that, because there was a lot of text. Thank you! As a reward, get a few more Ideas, but they are a bit more fun and short:

- Nano-vampires. Are they small nanomachines consuming your blood cells, or actual vampires, drinking your blood FOR nanomachines?

- Bio-werewolves. Creation of a bio-experiment gone wrong, or the creators OF bio-experiments?

#writing #writer things #steampunk #dieselpunk #many -punks honestly #writing ideas

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kriskukko · 4 years

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Hey, so your regency orc art and 1800's industrial revolution orc art is REALLY inspiring. Is it ok if I write a little something about it? And maybe tag you? If not, that's OK. You won't hurt my feelings. I just think your orc art is GORGEOUS.

omfg i am so humbled by this -- please do the writings and feel free to tag me i am here for all this content. attached in here are some regency sketchins please have a nice day <3

#yourcoolfriendwithallthecandy

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quokkacore · 3 years

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𝔯𝔢𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 𝔪𝔢 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰 [nct collab call]

take a look inside the chapters of this history book and read of several events spanning across all of human civilization. read about people from all walks of life: great heroes, legendary foes, daring outlaws, ordinary people. read about the rise and fall of empires, conspiring courts, the rise and fall of empires, forbidden alliances and romances. in fact, dear reader, don’t just read. learn from the past, because if we don’t, we are doomed to repeat it.

𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖉

in lieu of hitting 500 followers, i’ve decided to announce this collaboration!! i’ve always loved history so why not? some of these eras are specific to certain cultures and places, but others are a lot broader. at the end of the day, they’re your stories. also if you saw me post this on accident the first time... no you didn’t <3

𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

this is a historical au collaboration, but any genre is allowed as long as your story is set in your chosen era! however, smut is not allowed for jisung or if you, the writer, are underage.

all works must be member x reader. love triangles and the like are allowed, but the main male character must be the member you chose.

eras and members are chosen on a first come, first served basis. please message me if you want to participate! if your main blog isn’t your writing blog, please be sure to tell me your writing blog so i can add it to this list correctly :)

you must have discord, since i will be sending all writers working on this collaboration a discord server link. there, i will send announcements and we can all give each other feedback!

tag any triggering content. if you’re not sure, ask in the discord server!

research is definitely encouraged as you will be writing about historical eras, some with specific cultural significance! please be respectful of any cultures or traditions you write about.

in the same vein, don’t romanticize any historical events or figures that are controversial, or have had negative cultural impact (ie, 9/11, the crusades, colonialism). again, if you’re not sure, ask in the discord server!

minimum word count is 2k. your words cannot be blurbs or timestamps.

please inform me if: you’re changing your url, you’re going on hiatus, or if you need to leave the collaboration.

the deadline is currently november 2021, but it is very flexible and can be pushed back even further should several writers ask!

after you’re added, i would really appreciate it if you reblogged this post to boost its reach :D

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖎𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖝

moon taeil -

johnny suh - @aquamoonchaii - the joseon dynasty

lee taeyong - @moondustaeil - the victorian era

nakamoto yuta -

qian kun -

kim doyoung - me! - the renaissance

lee ten - @sleepylixie - the 1940s

jung jaehyun - @doderyscoffee - the rococo era

dong sicheng - @loonacitys - the regency

kim jungwoo - @smileyjaeminies - ancient greece

wong yukhei -

mark lee - @lamaiejeno - the 1920s

xiao dejun -

wong kunhang - @zephyr-abyss - the golden age of piracy

huang renjun - @seulgiswhoreee - the 1930s

lee jeno - @jenoentry - the roman empire

osaki shotaro -

lee donghyuck -

na jaemin - @jaehyyns - the 1960s

liu yangyang - @lovelyutas - the late middle ages

zhong chenle - @softcrescendo - the tang dynasty

jung sungchan -

park jisung - @heejinnien - the three kingdoms period

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖚𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖘

listed below are historical eras to choose from, a brief description of them (except anything past the 1900s as they’re pretty self explanatory), and a few examples of media or cultural phenomena you could use as inspiration if you can’t think of anything! media will be in italics, cultural phenomena will not.

ancient greece (800 BCE—32 BCE): a civilization based in the mediterranean, known for its extensive mythology and advancements in math, art, western philosophy and government. inspiration: the odyssey, hercules, the iliad, percy jackson.

the han dynasty (206 BCE—220): known for its long reign and achievements, it was the second imperial dynasty of china. it is highly regarded as an age of peace and prosperity that allowed china to grow into a major world power. inspiration: painted skin, the virtuous queen of han, the king’s woman

roman empire (27 BCE—476): in its time, this was one of the most powerful empires in the “known world” as a result of its political prowess and military power. it spanned from england, to the mediterranean, to parts of the middle east. inspiration: the heroes of olympus, pompeii, gladiator

the tang dynasty (618—906): regarded by many as china’s golden age of arts and culture, the tang dynasty allowed aristocratic life to flourish. poetry, art, and education prospered. inspiration: house of flying daggers, the empress of china

the viking age (793—1066): time period in scandinavian europe during which vikings conquered parts of north america and england. inspiration: vikings, how to train your dragon trilogy

the three kingdoms period (892—936): period in korean history in which the korean peninsula was split into three kingdoms, all wanting to conquer one another: goguryeo, silla and baekje. inspiration: the blade and petal, hwarang

feudal japan (1185—1602): period of civil unrest in japan, during which the political world was unstable, and power fluctuated between the shogunate and the royal court. it can be separated into two main eras: the kamakura period, and the sengoku period. inspiration: samurai, inuyasha, hakuouki

the late middle ages (1250—1450): a relatively brutal period, known for its numerous wars and civil unrest, throughout europe and asia. inspiration: the princess bride, robin hood, marco polo

joseon dynasty (1392—1897): the last and longest ruling confucian monarchy in korean history. inspiration: 100 days my prince, mr. sunshine, rookie historian goo hae-ryung

the renaissance (1450—1600): period based in europe (mainly italy) which was known for its advances in art, technology and science. inspiration: shakespeare in love, romeo and juliet, ever after

the golden age of piracy (1650—1730): during which maritime piracy across the world grew more and more prominent due to large shipments of cargo making their way to places like the caribbean, west africa, north america and europe. inspiration: pirates of the caribbean, treasure island

the rococo era (1737—1770): art movement in europe which glamorized grandeur and luxury, revolving around heaven, angels, love and lavishness. inspiration: barry lyndon, marie antoinette, a little chaos

the age of revolutions (1765—1849): a period in which a shift occurred in the western world, and monarchical institutions were overthrown in places like latin america, north america, and france. inspirations: les miserables, hamilton

the regency (1795—1837): british time period surrounding the time before, during, and after which prince george of england iv ruled as prince regent after his father was deemed unfit, during which time aristocracy flourished. inspiration: pride and prejudice, emma, bridgerton

victorian era (1837—1901): period spanning the rule of queen victoria of england, during which the industrial revolution occurred and urbanization became widespread. inspiration: the young victoria, the phantom of the opera, penny dreadful

the old west (1860—1890): period in american history during which many made the dangerous decision of migrating west of the Mississippi river, in search of gold, new land, and money. inspiration: jane got a gun, the good the bad and the ugly

the 1900s: moulin rouge!, finding neverland

the 1910s: downton abbey, my fair lady, anastasia

the 1920s: the great gatsby, boardwalk empire, silent films

the 1930s: bonnie and clyde, the handmaiden, the beginning of hollywood’s golden age

the 1940s: casablanca, the godfather, the notebook

the 1950s: swing kids, grease, dead poets society

the 1960s: american graffiti, the british invasion, summer of love

the 1970s: the lovely bones, mindhunter, the birth of punk music

the 1980s: atomic blonde, stranger things, the americans

#nct smut #nct fluff #nct angst #nct au #nct scenarios #nct x reader #kpop x reader #kpop scenarios #kpop angst #kpop fluff

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greensaplinggrace · 4 years

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a list of alternate universes & story ideas, if you’re short on writing inspiration or stuck in a writer’s block.

these are mostly gathered from AO3, but some I came up with. If anybody wants me to add anything, feel free to make a comment or dm me. honestly, this is mostly for my own benefit lol

Always a Different Sex

Angels & Demons

Arranged Marriages

Apocalypse

Assassins & Hitmen

Actors

Avatar & Bending Setting

Aliens

Animals

Artists

Army

Architects

Age Changes

Angels

Afterlife

Ancient Rome

Art School

Alien Invasion

All Female

Amusement Park

BDSM

Bakery

Boarding School

Bounty Hunters

Bar/Pub

Bed & Breakfast

Bookstore

Ballet

Bodyguard

Babysitters

Babies

Baseball

Bikers

Birds

Bands

Beach

Boxing

Boy Band

Cats

Car Racing

Canon Divergence

CEOs & Businesses

College/University

Coffee Shops & Cafes

Canon

Crack

Creatures & Monsters

Childhood Friends

Celebrity

Criminals

Circus

Children

Cyberpunk

Character Swap

Chefs

Cthulu Mythos Fusion

Cults

Corporate

Different First Meeting

Dark

Dystopia

Daemons

Domestic

Dragons

Detectives

Dance

Diners

Different Powers

Daycare

Demon Hunters

Dinosaurs

Dungeons & Dragons

Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies

Escorts

Elementary School

Earth

Evil

Edwardian

Elf

Elizabethan Era

Fantasy

Fusion

Future

Fairy Tale

Flower Shop

Fashion & Models

Fae

Farm/Ranch

Federal Agents

Flight Attendants

Fraternity

Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor

Firefighters

Family

Foster Family

Food Service

Frontier

Football

Fans & Fandom

Fast & Furious Fusion

Gender Changes

Gods & Goddesses

Gangsters

Ghosts

Ghost Hunters

Gang World

Guardian Angels

Genie/Djinn

Ghost Hunters

Grocery Store

Gladiators

Greasers

High School

Human

Historical

Hell

Heaven

Hipsters

Hunters

Hogwarts

Harry Potter Setting

Hospital

Hunger Games Setting

Horror

Hockey

Hollywood

Harem

Homeless

Hackers

Idols

Industrial Revolution

Inanimate Objects

Information Technology

Ice Skating

Journalism

Jungle

Jurassic Park Fusion

Kids

Kindergarten & Pre-School

Kingdoms

Library

Lawyers

Law Enforcement

Lifeguards

Laboratory

Modern Setting

Magic

Medieval

Mechanics

Modern with Magic

Middle School

Mob

Modern: No Powers

Magical Realism

Merpeople

Mythology

Military

Muggle

Marching Band

Music

Modern: Still Have Powers

Mutants

Mental Institutions

Monster Hunter

Monsters

No Powers

Non-Famous

Neighbors

Non-Magical

Normal Life

Noir

Navy

Never Met

Ninjas

No Zombie Apocalypse

Normal High School

Office

Olympics

Online Dating

Orchestra

Orphanage

Ordinary People

Old People

Pirate

Police

Post-Canon

Prostitution

Post-Apocalypse

Past Lives

Paris

Pet Store

Pianist

Pizza Place

Prison

Pre-Canon

Parents

Porn

Politics

Photographer

Professors

Police & Yakuza

Popstar

Priests

Psychics/Psionics

Purgatory

Punk

Quest

Royalty

Reincarnation

Roommates/Housemates

Rock Band

Role Reversal

Regency

Robots & Androids

Restaurant

Road Trip

Real World

Retail

Reality Show

Romantic Comedy

Radio

Religious

Renaissance

Roller Derby

Roller Skating

Rugby

Soulmates

Supernatural Elements

Superheroes/Superpowers

Science Fiction

Space

School

Scientists

Sex Shop

Shipwrecked

Showbusiness

Skating

Small Town

Sports

Spirits

Spies & Secret Agents

Stripper/Exotic Dancer

Student/Teacher

Serial Killers

Still Have Powers

Supernatural Hunters

Surfers

Swimming

Shapeshifters

Steampunk

Sentinels & Guides

Sugar Daddy

Time Travel

Teenagers

Teachers

Tattoo Parlor

Twins

Theatre

Thieves

Trans

Tattoos

Tennis

Titanic Fusion

Tomb Raider

Urban Fantasy

Utopia

Vampire

Victorian

Vikings

Vampire Slayer

Video Game World

Veterinarians

Vegas

Werewolf

Western

Witchcraft

Wings

War

Writing & Publishing

Werecreatures

Wolves

Wizards

Wedding Planner

Wrestling

X-Men Fusion

Yakuza

Yoga

Young

Zombie Apocalypse

Zombies

Zootopia Fusion

#writing #writing help #writing advice #writing inspiration #fanfiction #ao3 #list #alternate universe #myramblings

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chrismaxwell · 3 years

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All you need to know about Regency Style Furniture.

The fashion of Prince Regency helped to set the pace of Regency Style Furniture as we know it today. Evolving out of Neo-Classicism, Regency puts its influence on early Greek, Rome, Egypt and early medieval Europe, but primarily with more accurate knowledge and perception of these ancient societies. It was the fashionable choice for the Royal Court, where regal extravagance often served as a point of contrast to the decadence and moral decay of the time. Thus, Regency furniture became synonymous with opulence and luxury.

Regency style furniture has been revived many times since. The beauty of the designs and patterns of Regency furniture can be seen in the present generation’s furniture designs. Some people are more into reproducing antique regency furniture as an art piece rather than as furniture to use in their homes. However, there are many people who appreciate the simplicity and elegant design of genuine antique pieces. There are also antique reproductions which have been created by talented artisans in order to satisfy the high demand for Regency antiques in the contemporary world.

Many Regency furniture products were produced in the fashionable Burlington city in England. Known as the “White City” of England, Burlington was originally a goldsmithing city, which developed in the mid-to late nineteenth century due to the growth of cotton production in the area. Many renowned Regency pieces of furniture bear the name of their birthplace city. Among the most notable include the Regency Queen Anne chair, Regency dresser and Regency table. A Regency table was often laid across a coffee table, which allowed for a two-course meal to be prepared at the same time.

The Regency Period was the golden age of British royalty. The industrial revolution which took place during this period in Britain boosted the economy of the country and attracted new business people from all over Europe. Some notable figures from this era include King Edward VIII, whose reign was marked by the Diamond Jubilee celebration. This event marked the end of the reign of his mother Queen Mary. In addition to this regency furniture items, this era also witnessed the flowering of the Industrial Revolution, with manufacturers all over Great Britain creating products for the growing industrial market.

Regency style furniture is considered to be timeless and elegant, and because of the intricate craftsmanship that went into its production, it never became out of style. Regency reproduction furniture is sold at affordable prices today because it shares the timeless look of this era. Regency furniture pieces include table and chair sets, bedding and fabrics, wallpaper, tapestry and rugs, upholstery, dressing tables, drawers and chests, as well as many other Regency era items. Regency reproduction furniture can either be made from original antique pieces or from reproductions of the Regency period pieces.

Regency style furniture can either be bought from antique stores in major cities or can be made by manufacturers and retailers based in the United Kingdom and other European countries such as France and Italy. The Regency period of furniture making began in the late 18th century and continued on until the early 20th century. Some Regency furniture is inspired by the work of such artists as Henry van der Rohe and Michael Levey. The London Regency Style is characterized by rich colors, geometric patterns and a sense of romance.

Regency furniture design can be classified into a number of styles. One such style is known as English Country. Its major accent is on the architectural detailing, including pointed arches and elaborately curved doorways. The Regency style can also be identified with other styles such as Queen Anne, and cottage style. All these different styles can be associated with a particular period in English history such as the Regency Period or the Edwardian Period.

Regency furniture has become one of the most popular styles of bedroom furniture in the United States. It has recently been considered fashionable for use in American homes and has even reached international markets. Some regency-style beds are available as antique pieces. These are sold at auctions and re-sale venues. Regency-style beds are often combined with dressing tables and other furnishings styled according to the times.

#regency furniture #regency style

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musicalhistory · 4 years

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Europe in 1808 vs. Europe in 1893- A Comparison Between the Time of the Tucks and the Time of Winnie Foster

A little while ago, @luluthecatprincess requested that I explore the differences between the social, political, and cultural situations in Europe in 1808 (the Tuck’s original time) and in 1893 (Winnie Foster’s original time). Thank you so much for being patient with me as I collected and organized my sources to write this frankly massive post, and thank you so much for your help in providing me with some of those sources! I hope you (and everyone else) enjoys this.

In 1808, Europe was in the midst of what is now commonly known as the Regency period (often called the Federalist period in the US). In England this particular period is also often called the Georgian period, due to the fact that King George III was on the throne (although not for much longer- his son George IV became regent in 1811 due to his suffering from mental illness and he eventually died in 1820).

This period was characterized by relative simplicity in terms of fashion, as well as a desire for the natural among affluent members of society. It was also a time of great artistic achievements, however, as several famous composers, artists, and authors were in their heyday. Beethoven was probably the most famous composer of the time, but many others including Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s son) were prolific in their writing and publishing of music. As for painters, Joseph Mallord William Turner and Marguerite Gérard were two who had met with great success by 1808. Famous authors included Ann Radcliffe, Maria Edgeworth, and Samuel Richardson. Jane Austen would come along a few years later, publishing her first book (Sense and Sensibility) in 1811.

Despite all this, however, much of Europe was in the midst of turmoil. The Napoleonic wars were raging, and England had only just outlawed the slave trade in 1807. Meanwhile, in Russia Tsar Paul I (son of Catherine the Great) had been assassinated in 1801 (as an interesting side note, the capital of Russia in the early 19th century was St. Petersburg and not Moscow).

The Regency/Georgian/Federalist period was a time of great political upheaval in Europe, and much of that bled over into the new United States and would have directly affected the Tucks. The War of 1812 was a direct result of both the Napoleonic wars as well as England’s kidnapping of American sailors and forcing them to work on British ships, and it eventually led to British troops storming Washington DC in August of 1814 and burning most of it (including the White House) to the ground. Miles, Jesse, or Angus might have indeed fought in the war, and it certainly would have been a defining moment of this period for them regardless.

In the decades following the Tucks becoming immortal many, many things happened in both Europe and the United States. Most prominently, the industrial revolution swept across both Europe and the United States, turning what had been primarily agrarian (farming) communities into more urban, industrial societies. This is clearly visible when looking at the populations of the largest cities in Europe in 1808 and comparing them with the populations of the largest cities in Europe in 1893.

Factories were a major contributing factor to the rapid industrialization taking place all over the world (but particularly in Europe and the United States), and Jesse or Miles probably would have likely worked in one for at least a little while in order to make money while traveling the world.

The 1890s marked the end of both the Victorian era (Queen Victoria became queen in 1837 and died in 1901) as well as the end of the “Gilded Age”. The decadence and opulence favored by the upper classes during this time stands in stark contrast to the relative simplicity of the Regency era, although the two periods did have similarities in that major social reforms and political upheaval occurred during both. Striking workers pushed for labor reforms not only in the United States but also in much of Europe, growing resentment among the people of Russia (who in 1893 were under the rule of Tsar Alexander III, although he would die in 1894 leaving the throne to his son, the now-infamous Tsar Nicholas II) would eventually lead to revolution in 1917, and the first entrance of the US onto the world stage caused tension which would eventually lead to the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Despite this (or perhaps because of it) much like in the early 19th century the fine arts were alive and well in the late 19th century. Composers like Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (who died in 1893) produced famous songs still well-known today, artists like Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Vincent Van Gogh (just to name a few) created many of their most famous paintings, and authors like Leo Tolstoy, Oscar Wilde, and Louisa May Alcott (who died in 1888) wrote classics which are still widely read and enjoyed today.

We can only imagine what it must feel like to live through all that the Tucks had lived through by the time they met Winnie Foster, and what it must have felt like to live on after her. Certainly, their immortality was a curse, but they lived through one of the most interesting periods in history and I, for one, find that to be extremely compelling to think about.

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJi5LcWpznw&t=735s

https://www.artsy.net/gene/late-19th-century

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century_in_literature

https://www.britannica.com/event/War-of-1812

#tuck everlasting #tuck everlasting fanfiction #jesse tuck #miles tuck #angus tuck #mae tuck #history #european history #1800s #1890s #winnie foster

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steamworksandshadows · 6 years

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TimePunk/PunkPunk: The Textening

Been largely absent from this blog this year, so of course I figured I’d make it up to you with two extremely long text posts two days in a row. Love you all!

This is the Timepunk/Punk Punk post from 2015 updated for 2018, in a format you can copy/paste, and accessible to screen readers. Added a few more *punks and clarified a few more definitions. (Feel free to message me if you know of a *punk not on the list.)

Timepunk: Advanced technologies develop in a historical (or future) period, which changes the associated society, fashion, and magic. TVTropes explanation: Either exchanges the basic technology for that of another historical period or mixes in another genre.

These are not definitions or in-depth in any way. I describe each with associations and imagery, as I’ve found these to be useful shorthand for explaining to strangers and newbies. I tried to make sure each punk had more than one discussion or labeled work online (otherwise the list would expand to include every silly discussion thread on the internet).

Note: none of these have much to do with 1960s-70s Punk music culture, other than some possible overlapping anti-authoritarian themes. These genres are derivatives of steampunk, which arose from cyberpunk.

stonepunk: Prehistoric, Neolithic, Stone Age

bronzepunk: Bronze Age, Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Mediterranean

sandalpunk, classicpunk, ironpunk, togapunk: Iron Age, Classical antiquity, Greece, Roman Empire, Atlantis, Antikythera mechanism

biblepunk: Biblical Middle East, emphasizes adventure over morality

middlepunk, dungeonpunk, candlepunk, plaguepunk, castlepunk: Medieval European, medieval fantasy, Black Death

dragonpunk, vikingpunk, wizardpunk: high fantasy, medieval fantasy, Tolkien, wizards, Vikings

clockpunk: Renaissance, early Baroque, Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo

bardpunk: Shakespeare sci-fi

rococopunk, lacepunk: Baroque, Rococo, Colonial, Marie Antoinette, American Revolution, New Romantics

rococoa: rococopunk based on black history, Assassin’s Creed Liberation

piratepunk: Golden Age of Piracy, Age of Sail, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag

steampunk: Regency, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Industrial Revolution, Jules Verne, HG Wells

steampulp, gaslamp fantasy: steampunk focused on fantasy/adventure/romance over science fiction

steamfunk: steampunk based on black history, sometimes combined with 1970s funk aesthetics

steamgoth, dreadpunk: period gothic, supernatural, horror, Penny Dreadful

dustpunk, cattlepunk, Weird West: North American cowboy, American Indian, Wild West

Amishpunk: giant wooden robots?

gauchopunk: South American cowboy

slavicpunk: Eastern Europe, rural/pagan/mystical themes

teslapunk: steampunk focused on electricity, free energy, Nikola Tesla

nerfpunk: steampunk in bright Nerf gun colors

stitchpunk: rag doll steampunk

fairypunk: steampunk fairy tales

decopunk, flapperpunk: Roaring Twenties, Jazz Age, Art Deco, Prohibition, flappers, gangsters

dieselpunk: World War I & II, London Blitz, tank/sub warfare, bomber planes, military, noir

dieselfunk: dieselpunk based on black history

Blitzpunk, Nazipunk: dieselpunk focused on Nazis as super-villains, alternate Nazi-ruled history

atompunk: Atomic Age, Space Age, pulp, raygun gothic, Fallout

transistorpunk, psychedelipunk, weedpunk: Cold War, Vietnam War, psychedelic drugs, disco, Space Race, James Bond, Philip K. Dick

spacepunk: space opera, space exploration, sword and space, futuristic utopia, Ziggy Stardust, Star Trek

Cassette Futurism, formicapunk: late 20th century analog technology, VHS, cassettes, primitive digital, 8-bit, no internet or cellphones, The Fifth Element, Max Headroom

gothicpunk, cybernoir: post-modern, dystopian, goth and punk fusion, old World of Darkness, The Crow

cyberpunk: cyberspace, cyborgs, dystopia, Blade Runner, Neuromancer, the street finds its uses for technology

postcyberpunk, cyberprep: cyberpunk without the assumption of dystopia, Ghost in the Shell

biopunk: cyberpunk focused on genetic engineering and organic technology

nanopunk: cyberpunk focused on nanites and nanotechnology

bugpunk: cyberpunk/biopunk starring bugs

solarpunk: near-future, solar tech, environmentally-friendly tech, neo-Art Nouveau & African, Asian art

post-apocalyptic, apunkalypse, wasteland: survivalist, Mad Max, Burning Man, Fallout, west coast tribal

junkpunk: post-apocalyptic using trash and repurposed scrap for material

Geographic punk: These punks are also about advanced technologies developing in a historical society, but are based on geography and culture rather than time. So the time period and technology can range anywhere from bronzepunk to cyberpunk, though steampunk is often the springboard.

silkpunk: Silk Road, classical Chinese antiquity, Ken Liu

bamboopunk, ricepunk: East and South Asia

jadepunk: East Asia, wuxia, mystical jade tech (sometimes mystical aether tech)

edopunk: Japan

rajpunk: India

SEAsteampunk: Southeast Asia

Environment punk: Advanced technologies in an environment rather than time period. Technology can range from stonepunk to cyberpunk.

desertpunk, sandpunk: survival in a very harsh environment, often post-apocalyptic, neo-Bedouins

oceanpunk: mostly watery/oceanic world, often piratical, One Piece, Water World

skypunk: sister to oceanpunk, the sky is an ocean

Falls outside the timepunk umbrella, but still has punk in the name. Mostly literary and musical:

seapunk: oceanic, aqua, spacey dance music, “Venice Beach Acid Rave 1995”

clownpunk: clowns + punk

wizardpunk: wizard rock, Harry and the Potters

splatterpunk: extreme horror, graphic violence, nihilistic

carniepunk: urban fantasy and horror set in carnivals

mannerpunk: fantasy focusing on elaborate social structure plots

elfpunk: fairies and elves in modern-day settings

mythpunk: myths and folklore through postmodern urban fantasy or science fiction

arcanepunk: fantasy where both magic and science exist

capepunk: superhero fiction deconstructing (or reconstructing) superheroism in a “realistic” manner

feltpunk: humans and muppets live side by side (in a dystopia?), Greg the Bunny, The Muppet Show

dreampunk: overarching meta-punk examining or rewriting history to address oppression, human rights, and environmental issues, or creating new myths to address the same. Employs dream logic. Draws on other *punk genres for material and influence.

nowpunk: contemporary literature. Yes, it was coined as a joke.

#steampunk #timepunk #punkpunk #cyberpunk #solarpunk

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marceloferrt-blog · 5 years

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Top Women's Fashion Secrets

While the styles could be limitless, the animals aren't. Use a complete length mirror to see whether there are any obvious indicators that you're wearing lingerie. Today you'll find a pair in a colour that actually does match your personality.

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Certainly, there's a market for her theories. You are going to have fresh, charming and fashionable look that will provide you with a positive energy and a good awareness of personality. The foray into fantasy wouldn't have been believed by men and women just a decade earlier.

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Our rock bottom wholesale rates and unsurpassed excellent guarantee you will locate what you require for your retail shop. Japanese fashion magazines are, for the large part, in the work of creating content to drive the selling of particular products. Don't permit the busy work schedule force you to stay to your previous wardrobe, shop online and relish fashion.

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mylocalarchitectblog · 3 years

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The most popular house styles in the UK: Your essential guide.

For anyone building their own property, or even purchasing a new build home from a developer – you’ve got your pick of architectural styles.

What styles do you like?

Do you love Victorian decorative detailing, the bold geometry of Art Deco, smooth contemporary lines or the refined elegance of the Georgian period? Finding it hard to decide?

Well you’re not alone!

Just about everything, from the scope and shapes of windows and doors, to slope of the roof, construction materials and decorative detailing impacts how a house looks and feels. With so many options, there are lots of decisions to be made.

Look.

Today, we explore some of the most popular house styles in the UK – to provide an overview of the best-loved architectural designs. Learn what defines an architectural style, some interesting history and details you can emulate from looks you love.

Whether you’re building, renovating or buying, we’ve got all the inspiration you need…

Tudor and Mock-Tudor Styles.

Many UK developers and architects continue to borrow detailing from the Tudor period – and for good reason! Originating in the 1500s, this style is instantly recognizable for its black and white façades with exposed beams and overhanging second stories.

Original Tudor buildings were usually half-timbered, constructed using a wooden frame packed with wattle and daub. The “daub” filling would be whitewashed, giving the houses their unique monochrome appearance.

Whilst building methods have changed, the look has remained popular ever since, with mock-Tudor becoming a style in its own right.

Key elements incorporate:

Exposed beams and decorative timbers

Steeply pitched gabled roofs

Tall, narrow windows with small leaded panes

Arched doorways (often using stone)

Red brick walls and chimneys

Georgian Architectural Styles.

Georgian homes (a style which began in the 1700s) are classically elegant. They were inspired by the graceful designs of the Italian architect, Andrea Palladio, as well as the classical work of Inigo Jones.

This stylistic revolution saw grand homes built largely out of stone, with symmetrical façades and ornate decorative flourishes. Greek motifs (such as pillars and porticos) became a popular part of later homes built in this style.

Georgian architecture remains one of the most popular and sought-after architectural styles to this day.

Characteristics include:

Tall sash windows with lots of smaller panes

Smaller windows on third storey and above

Symmetrical exteriors with the front door in the centre

Classical elements such as columns, porticoes and pediments

Often featuring steps to the main entrance

Victorian Architectural Styles.

Who doesn’t love a Victorian gem? Even if you’re building from scratch, there’s lots of detail you can borrow from the Victorians. Roughly defined as 1830-1900, houses built during this period (a time of rapid population growth) mix a whole range of styling to great effect.

Influences of Regency buildings can be seen, combined with elaborate Italianate and gothic detailing inspired by Augustus Pugin and John Ruskin.

These ornate designs allowed the newly affluent middle and upper classes to show off their prosperity. So look out for stone detailing (especially pineapples – a sign of welcome and wealth) topping gateposts in particular!

Popular features include:

High-pitched roofs with ornate detailing

Patterned brickwork

Front doors to one side of the front façade

Porches with decorative detailing over front doors

Sash and bay, or arched windows

Arts and Crafts Styles.

The Arts and Crafts Movement (best exemplified by the author, artist and political theorist William Morris) had a profound impact on architectural styles in the UK.

Expressive, functional and free of unnecessary decoration – Arts and Crafts principles were adopted in the Edwardian era. These homes were much less showy than their Victorian counterparts, with lighter, brighter interiors. This resulted in architecture with a simpler, more pared-back appearance.

The Edwardian Arts and Craft styling also inspired the design of Addison Homes and later 1940s semis after the destruction of the First and Second World Wars.

Defining characteristics include:

Wider and lower than Victorian buildings

Frequent use of red brickwork or pebbledash

Painted porches and verandas with wooden supports

Curved, bay windows with small panes

Use of mock-Tudor elements such as cladding and tapestries

Art Deco Styles.

Art Deco burst onto the artistic and architectural stage with the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, which took place in Paris in 1925. In this period of social and political upheaval, young designers wanted to create a brand new style – and they succeeded.

The style is sometimes confused with modernism (popular in the US and expanding through Europe at this time), but it actually contrasts with the strongly functional designs of architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier.

Characterised by strong geometric shapes and bold colours (and adored by modern builders), Art Deco architecture celebrates sunlight and open interiors.

Common features comprise:

Flat roofs and stepped outlines

Windows wrapping around the edges of buildings

Plain white walls, mixing curved and straight forms

Egyptian-style motifs and sunburst detailing

Sleek linear and geometric elements

Contemporary Home Styles.

Whereas many architectural styles directly go against what’s come before (i.e. Edwardian simplicity after Victorian opulence) – contemporary homes build on twentieth century modernism.

Combining the best of modern and contemporary, this style emphasizes individuality.

Despite this, certain trends are apparent. Sustainability is a large concern, with solar panels, natural materials, neutral colour palettes and a focus on energy efficiency common.

Simple, smooth and understated façades define the aesthetic, often mixing old and new. You’ll find juxtapositions of materials, for instance sleek glass or concrete contrasted with traditional stone or brick buildings.

Popular features encompass:

Asymmetrical façades with unconventional roof shapes

Contrasting materials (for instance, stone and wood with steel and glass)

Open spaces and large windows

Environmentally-friendly design and construction

Pared-back decorative detailing

Final thoughts.

Whether you are building a completely new home or purchasing a property from a developer, there are so many styles to choose from. With such a rich architectural history, homebuilders continue to take inspiration from our past – to create the future of housing.

The best way to decide what’s right for you is to get out there and look at different styles. What details do you like and dislike, and do you notice any patterns emerging? With a little bit of research, you’ll soon find an architectural style that matches your tastes perfectly. Good luck, and happy exploring!

Original article taken from EV Architects East London.

#house extensions #homedecor #rear extensions #extension ideas

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thecandywrites · 4 years

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Blood For Gold Part 8

Get ready for some plot, and intrigue and conflict of interest. Again, thanks to @kriskukko for lending me the amazing picture of a regency era orc and letting me run wild. Thanks to @punkhorse96 for all the amazing feedback and everyone else who likes and reblogs this story. I appreciate it. Also do you guys have any idea how hard it is to find AN AGED regency couple? Thankfully Bridgerton showed that an older woman could wear the fashions of her own youth and didn’t necessarily have to keep with the most up to date fashions. So that allowed me to go find this pic of a qeen, Glenc Close in her movie Dangerous Encounters back in the late 80′s. I have never seen it, but IT’S THE AESTETIC. taking it, using it and lo and behold, we have our Gregori and Yalin, Ramsey’s parents who have taken a shine to Audra. But will their light shine on her so warmly when they find out the truth and find they might have less to gain than they thought? And will their wills be stronger than the Morrigans? And what will the Morrigans do to keep the status quo when their own past comes back to haunt them? We shall see.

Blood For Gold

Part 8

All the way to the Windsor Palace the Morrigans had nothing but “instruction” towards you and for Jane, all about minding your manners, acting in the utmost chaste conduct so that you would not bring shame or dishonor onto the family and to not leave each other’s side while they berated you for acting so “brazen” with the Dauphin for having eaten your dinner next to him as they accused you of practically shamelessly throwing yourself at him like a common whore by dancing with him for most of the evening, even though the Dauphin didn’t leave you with much of a choice. It was the Dauphin who practically dragged you to meet his family and the King and Queen, his uncle and aunt and their children and of course the host, which was Yalin’s sister, Infanta Evinelle DeuSavance and her husband the Infante Charles DeuSavance who was the king’s cousin and their children who were very nice and charming and welcoming as they all gave Ramsey a not so subtle nod of approval. And then at dinner, Ramsey dragged you to sit there between himself and his sister and Ramsey simply would not leave your side after Demsey dared to get you away for only a moment, Ramsey wouldn’t let that incident repeat with anyone, he capitalized on your time all night.

You didn’t even get to go to the restroom without his sister Charlotte and Jane following you like puppies with Lady Whitesale not being too far behind them, and you got the impression they were sent as eyes and ears for others and you barely got into a bathroom stall to get some privacy to breathe and even loosened your corset so that you could breathe easier because after two years, you had almost forgotten what it felt like to be the center of attention in a room full of people, you garnered more attention that even Calla and Bennie because of who you were with all night and the weight of their scrutinizing gaze was particularly heavy and now you were anxious just to get to Windsor just for the chance to breathe in the privacy of your room.

Ramsey’s behavior seemed to appear as instant infatuation or for the romantically inclined- ‘love at first sight’. But the feeling was far from mutual, you were simply not attracted to him, at least not physically, also there was a real sense of desperation in his manners. He was the one throwing himself at you and trying to make himself out to be the best possible prospect for you. Which you found odd, perhaps a little worrying and off-putting because you just couldn’t understand why he was so dead set on you. He was himself perhaps a decade out of his prime and just shy of twice your age, not that it made too much of a difference to you because Edward had been over three times your age, almost four actually, when you wed him. Moura women were brought up to think nothing of major age gaps between moura brides and their husbands outside of Dorierra and especially within the culture of the stables. In fact it wasn’t unusual for mouras as young and pretty and accomplished as yourself to go through the stables at least three to four times, gaining more and more value with each remarriage because each marriage was “experience”. There were some moura women who were on their seventh and eighth marriage but the obsession of “virgin brides” also had it’s universal appeal.

But after your disastrous marriage to Edward, you shuddered at the thought of going through the process again. That and Edward had known that you were hesitant to enter into that cycle even before you married him, that’s why he “bought you outright” so that you didn’t have to go back into that cycle, that once you survived him, you would be a free woman, free to do whatever you wanted to do, it was why he insisted that you drink pregnancy warding teas, and made sure to track your own cycle to make sure you would not concieve his child and be tethered to the Morrigans any more than you already were and made sure to afford you a comfortable living so that after his death, you’d have a good life, he had spent his whole life in service to his crown, country and king and business and at the end of his life, he was looking to set something free, instead of caging it forever, it was one of the biggest things you found to love about him. But sadly, he was one of the few people who really cared about what you personally wanted for yourself because he had genuinely cared for you and you felt, loved you, to a degree, at least in the beginning. But his own senility and madness soon erased it not long after.

With Ramsey though, he projected so much onto you. Because he had gotten not just the report that Edward had gotten, which each bride in the stables got a report, tailored to fit potential prospects, like cherry picking things on a resume but he had also gotten the master resume which had everything on it.

Moura brides usually had a very vast array of qualities and talents that were universal and the moura schools had some of the best teachers and professors in the world and as a child and up to a certain age, all moura children got the same top notch education that rivaled most scholars. However after the age of 12 or 13, schooling changed dramatically for the sexes. All men were pushed into either a service trade, commerce, engineering and technology or science or medicine, so that they all had a “useful” job within the country and of course military training but they were all pushed to serve in one way or another so that they could go into the many industries within the country, making goods and providing services and only the exceptionally musically talented men got to be “entertainers” which was an important service to the Dorierrian public.

Women on the other hand, since the moura stable’s exports was solely brides for foreign dignitaries, they were taught government and more importantly, how to govern everything from a household to a country should they need to be a queen some day, they were taught all the major languages, especially the common tongue and economics, business, because all government was business, but also the art of war, including self defense so that in the case of attack, they could defend themselves and their future families, but especially psychological warfare, intrigue, manipulation for future political court life, in addition to the usual music, musical instruments of all kinds, singing, dancing, composing, arts of all kinds, including acting, ceramics, drawing, painting, sewing, embroidery, fashion, culinary arts as well as some medicine and of course- what was taught across all sexes was childcare because even after the plague, moura mothers still had a successful birth rate of 99%, with very little to no birth defects in the babes, no matter the mix of species and fathers especially were brought up to be an equal parent in the household so that in addition to their jobs, they could still come home and care for their own households and families, especially since moura mothers always seemed to have a newborn at their breast or one or even two or three in the womb at a time and both partners were brought up to be completely devoted to their families and any hint of any kind of abuse was swiftly dealt with and never tolerated and the focus was on having a happy family life. So if couples were unhappy with each other, divorce was easily attained and granted. And even with that measure in place, most moura partners, when there was a love match, ended up being married for life. It was not uncommon for women to go off through the stables once, then come back in widowhood and settle down with a moura mate and stay in the country after that.

However there was an exception. For men and women who preferred sexual relations with the same sex as themselves, they could be entered into a smaller “private” school but it was for “concubines, consorts and courtisans”, otherwise known as 3C’s. that had all the training moura brides had but it allowed men to have the same higher educations women enjoyed if it meant that it prepared them for life as a king’s courtisan and concubine on their private privy council and it was usually only through 3C’s, that moura men were ever allowed to leave Dorierra under any circumstances other than war, which considering all the political alliances Dorierra had with every other nation in the world, was very, very seldom, but that didn’t mean Dorierra was lax, the moura brides were often Dorierra’s eyes and ears on the rest of the world and reported back to them accordingly. Even in the case of revolution where some royals and aristocracy could lose their heads, it was the morua brides and their children at least, who were always allowed to return to Dorierra unharmed and could be rescued in dire situations by either dragons, pegasus’ griffins, since Dorierrians bred all three.

So because of all of this education, which was better than most universities, a moura bride’s “resume” was very impressive and thus- cherry picked to suit the individual suitor based on the suitor’s culture. However all mouras had a master resume that accompanied their pedigree’s and lineage, which listed everything they had learned and had become proficient and excelled in. But even the master resume did not show what the individual moura really enjoyed and had a passion for.

And with Ramsey, you could tell he simply went off your own master resume. Just because you knew something or even excelled at something, didn’t mean you really enjoyed it. For instance, on your master- you were taught how to be a queen, navigate court, and rule it, but that didn’t mean you had the ambition to be a queen and you did not feel it was your destiny to be one either. Presiding over Mirador was more than enough to satisfy you in that respect. You had no desire for much more than that. But Ramsey seemed intent that you should have a more active political role and couldn’t wait to see how you would advise him to gain even more power and clout in the House of Lords as well as garnering the love and admiration of the common man so that he could have more political reach than he already had, the very prospect nearly sent you running, in fact it was that, that had sent you to try to gain some solace in the bathroom in the first place because you just felt he was dragging you into this and because of “polite society” rules for decorum, you couldn’t counter, you couldn’t really speak your mind to him. All you could do was simply hum and acknowledge what he was saying to you and agree with what you could, but that was all.

However to hear that Demsey, despite being a duke, was rarely ever in politics, in fact he seemed to spend all of his time and efforts into his family business, which to you was a very noble and honorable pursuit, had you even more drawn to him and make him even more desirable as a prospect to you.

By the time you got to Windsor, you were so relieved even to see Ramsey come get you from the carriage if it meant you could get away from the Morrigans as Ramsey had you on one arm and Jane on the other which the Morrigans were happy to see before the Dauphine and the Senior Dauphin came over to have a word with them.

“Well we must assure you that we will take the best of care of Jane while she’s here. And you must forgive our son, he’s been taken with the Sultana since her wedding to your late father Count Morrigan and then when he saw her when we went to the Savoy only a couple of weeks ago he has become quite obsessed ever since, in fact we were enjoying such a wonderful dinner there from our balcony at the Savoy where we seemed to look over your family in the main dining floor, however it was a shock and quite sad to see her eat so little that night.” Yalin noted with a frown to her husband.

“Oh she’s a moura, they have the appetites of birds, she rarely has any appetite since she lost Edward.” Agnes readily answered but the look Yalin gave her said that she didn’t believe that and made Agnes’ forced polite smile falter slightly because mouras were renowned for their healthy appetites and high metabolisms despite their petite frames but excellent body conditions, having a healthy ratio between strength, stamina but still retain some softness in their hips and bellies and for women, especially their breasts because that’s what the body needed to ensure healthy offspring and a moura’s mother’s milk was some of the most nutritious of all the species.

“Well we will certainly see to it she eats properly while she’s here, can’t have her growing malnourished can we? Because malnourishment leads to weak offspring and we can’t have that at all.” Yalin insisted to Gregori.

“Quite right my dear.” Gregori readily agreed.

“Oh, oh yes of course, we will also encourage her to eat well for the sake of her future.” Agnes reassured her, catching the Dauphine’s drift.

“What I found odd is that when Ramsey looked into the Sultana just after seeing her at the Savoy a couple of weeks ago and asked the stables themselves for her master resume, the report that he got back after Edward’s death when they re-evaluated her was most disturbing, for a nescia - or princess, to be downgraded to a shakan, such a demotion had never happened before except in cases of extreme circumstances, such as revolution and anarchy, is there any reason you can give for such an extreme change?” Gregori asked them pointedly as the Morrigans looked at each other, trying not to betray how worried they were at such an intrusive question.

“Well you see the Sultana is actually very, very delicate and mentally very weak, she took the decline of Edwards health so hard, and suffered so greatly from that loss that the stables gave her that, we surely didn’t have anything to do with it, in fact, we have done everything in our power to help her, including- moving her to Mirador and even increased the living that Edward afforded her so that she can live in the utmost of comfort, she even got to take her pick of servants from Broadcove that she grew fond of.” Richard tried to excuse as Gregori also gave him a look that he didn’t believe that either as Richard felt himself wither by Gregori’s intense gaze.

“Well then we will have to be careful with her as well. Ramsey has quite made up his mind about her which is a relief to all of us. And of course as long as there is no interference, especially on your end, it can go smoothly, and of course there might be a promotion of rank if it goes well, I’m thinking a Marquise at least, if not Duchy.” Gregori offered and the Morrigans practically had their jaws on the floor of their carriage and were drooling a river at the prospect as they gave each other a giddy look.

“Oh of course, of course, we will be giving every encouragement we can.” Agnes eagerly reassured them, because it was not uncommon for that to happen and it was just the opportunity they were looking for, because while they were disappointed that such a thing would be coming from you instead of Jane, they wouldn’t turn their nose up at such a prospect. Finally having a moura in the family would be paying off and worth it if it meant they could be Duke and Duchess and Jane of course could be eligible to be courted by all kinds of prospects and make the Dauphin Ramsey look like a lowly lord or knight, and a promotion such as that would push them onto the international Europa marriage market and could amasse even more power and money but from a much larger scale on an even larger stage.

“Well if that is the case, then it’s a very curious thing, why did Duke Voyambi insist to Ramsey that his whole family saw and heard you dictate a list to the Sultana about suitors to avoid. In fact when Ramsey pressed the Sultana for such a list, she was able to produce this very one, where Ramsey’s name is at the very top of the list of suitors to avoid. I understand that both of you dictated this list for Jane to write down. And then when we made other inquires of those who happened to be around you at not just the Savoy but all over London at various shops that you snubbed half the court. Of course if such a thing were to be handed over to the King and Queen I’m wondering how they would react?” Gregori asked his beloved wife as Yalin smirked at seeing the Morrigan’s pale and nearly shit bricks right there in the driveway as Gregori pulled the list from his own breast pocket and looked it over and pointed to where his son’s name was written down with a deep scowl before looking expectantly up at them to answer for it.

“Or heaven forbid Lady Bagum in the papers, surely if she got a whiff of this matter, she’d whip it up into quite the scandal, and if she ever got ahold of the list and if that ever got printed in the papers, I’m afraid what the repercussions of that would be, I would hate to see half of the court, and by that point, half of parliament, snub you publicly for such a thing.” Yalin added as Agnes and Richard looked worriedly to each other while they flushed with shame as Agnes and Richard both scrambled to find an excuse as they both instantly regretted everything they had said all evening and wishing they could take it all back and knew that the next time they got to speak with you, they would have to apologize and take it back and humble themselves before you, which was an act they loathed but it would save their skin. To gain a duchy in the future, they would make peace with being humble now.

“Well you see we did that because every suitor the Sultana does not go after is a suitor we can have for our sweet Jane, we were not trying to snub half the court, we were simply trying to keep the best of the best for our own dear sweet Jane, that is all, but who are we to stand in the way of love? If your Ramsey has set his heart on the Sultana, then so be it, please disregard that list and please tell the Sultana to disregard all instruction from us to withhold herself from the Dauphin, who are we to stand in the way of destiny? Please won’t you beg her on our behalf to forgive us for being so short sighted and so ignorant? Really we should have seen the Dauphin’s actions for what they were tonight, we were under the impression it was the Sultana who was pursuing the Dauphin too strongly and we didn’t want her embarrassing herself for others thinking she was too eager but we see now that was simply not the case and we will by no means stand in the way of the Dauphin and we will offer every encouragement possible to the Sultana.” Agnes quickly explained which those seemed to be the magic words that turned Gregori’s scowl into a pleased smile.

“Excellent, with your complete cooperation and no further interference, such a thing as this list and your simple misunderstanding could easily be forgotten, be dismissed as rumor and such evidence would surely find its way into a remote, abandoned trunk somewhere in a garbage heap or be ash in a fireplace, we wouldn’t want such damning evidence fall into the wrong hands would we?” Gregori offered as he put the list back into his breast pocket of his vest under his coat as Agnes and Richard knew that as long as you agreed to Ramsey’s proposals, it would be ok and forgiven.

“Oh, of course, we would never dream to presume to be anything but compliant.” Richard offered as Agnes nervously laughed as she nodded emphatically with her husband.

“Then you won’t be opposed to us looking into the Sultana’s welfare while at Broadcove, then will you? Because it is Ramsey’s dearest wish that she gain halmana status, which is for English- that of a dowager, like the queen dowager, or dowager empress, which surpasses even my own status of nescia and he can’t marry a moura with a status less than sayida actually. Also there is the very curious and honestly alarming and downright shameful fact that the Sultana’s correspondence with the stables and her friends within them has gone by the wayside and even their correspondence to her has gone awry, practically vanished into thin air and there has been a complete disconnect from the Sultana to her homeland.” Yalin began.

“According to Ramsey and the Czarina’s brothers that, even the stable masters have not heard anything from her since she wrote that she arrived safely to Broadcove immediately after the wedding, but absolutely nothing else ever since, even now at Mirador, her correspondence is going missing both too and from the stables and her friends within them, I wonder what kind of sum could be offered for every single piece of correspondence to be produced from wherever they might be at, we have investigators that are going through the Royal Mail Service as we speak, immediately dispatched the moment it was made known, in fact when it was made aware by the Czarina’s brothers and The Princesses brothers, they almost immediately pulled them both out of the ball and demanded to go home because such atrocities would never be tolerated and are demanding that such a thing be a crime punishable either in prison or public whippings and demotions which the royal family had no choice but to agree to.” Richard continued where his wife left off as Agnes and Richard gave each other a worried glance.

“And that’s because they had to pay a hundred and fifty thousand pounds just to get the new mouras out here, which was a non refundable fee, and one that the guilty party, when they are found, could be made to pay as well should that happen and the King and Queen immediately ordered for the matter to be investigated by the best detectives in the country along with Scotland Yard who at the very mention of bribes will immediately arrest and brought to the tower and will be investigating everyone who could possibly be involved, how many letters would you think a person can write in the span of two years?” Yalin wondered aloud and smiled wider when Agnes and Richard both faltered guiltily as they both seemed to fluctuate between pale and impossibly red.

“Of course if any of it has been ordered to be burned by either you or anyone in your household, even if that order were to be carried out within the Royal Mail Service, the royal family will have no choice but to hold you personally responsible and I believe that a sum of at least a hundred pounds up to possibly a thousand pounds, per letter, per every little piece of correspondence will be demanded from you since you are the Lord of the estate and it is you who is solely responsible for all things that happen within the estate. Especially since you are so rich, I’m inclined for the higher price, since you surely can afford it.” Gregori insisted to Richard whose eyes were about to pop out of his head and his own buttons on his waistcoat were about to pop off from the heaviness of his instant laboured breathing at such a prospect.

“But surely you can’t imagine that we would have anything to do with her correspondence going missing. We would never dream of doing such a thing or implicating the Royal Mail Service. Such a thing is madness and to hold us responsible for other’s mistakes.” Agnes pleaded, trying not to betray her own guilt.

“But this matter still involves the Royal Mail Service, which answers to their majesties and that they take immense pride in and is the mark of civilization in fact it was a charge of uncivilization that the Royal Mail Service was so profoundly broken that such a thing has occurred, such an oversight of one or two to go missing is understandable considering the volume, but for every single one to go missing, surely nothing but malicious intent is to blame and their royal highnesses are taking it as an affront and a personal attack and insult that a system that the monarchy put in place would fail it’s most valuable of subjects because they view that every moura in their society is a precious treasure and they immediately made that sentiment known to the Sultana and the other moura guests when they asked the Sultana about it directly and got confirmation directly from her.” Yalin countered firmly.

“Also in talking with the Sultana just this evening, she was completely unaware that there were moura social clubs in England, much less London, and had no idea of their existence, of course the belief that if you alienate one from others that you weaken the individual is completely false, if anything, it galvanizes the individual and can have very long lasting and far reaching negative effects because it’s the socialization that makes mouras more pleasant to be around and work with, but to deprive one of socialization is abject cruelty and will be something that their majesties are also looking into as well as the stables and such accommodations will make their ways into all future contracts instead of being implied because the honor of every Englishman is now called into question that we can’t even uphold our own rule of law and contracts which the Royal Family was affronted that such a thing has obviously been failed by you, which is why they are so intent on holding you personally responsible. So really, I can’t imagine the cost the royal family will demand for each piece of correspondence.” Gregori firmly insisted and his tone was almost snarling and had the Morrigan’s quaking in fear because he was after all, the brother to the King and had the commanding presence of his station as Yalin simply beamed proudly at her husband.

“H..how would you know such a thing of how many pieces of correspondence?” Richard paled as Gregori and Yalin simply smiled smugly.

“The Royal Family asked the Sultana directly to estimate how many pieces of correspondence, she estimated it in the thousands. So since it is the possibility of someone burning them, there are some magic practicing persons who can still be found, in fact they were sent for tonight during the ball and should be here in the next day or two and since the correspondances still at one point existed to begin with, they can be conjured up still. Such a thing is very costly but viable, and of course such a means can be used to pinpoint exactly who is responsible and of course if that is the case, the price for each one will double, even triple in value and be taken out of your income and out of your nobility since again, it is you who is responsible for all things at Broadcove and all your other estates and especially since it was your own servants that followed the Sultana to her new residence, they are now highly suspect as are you. And in such a case, may the gods themselves have mercy on your pocketbooks, much less your souls. And of course whoever else was involved in such a crime, is still viable to be denounced in court, all of their property go to the victim which in this case is the Sultana, and then they could be flogged, drawn and quartered in the public square, because the crime was committed against not just the Royal Mail Service but also against their majesties and a royal moura who after tonight, is closely associated with the royal family who just upon looking at her this evening have welcomed her into their fold and have gotten the nod of approval and the Queen herself said how “perfectly precious and exquisite she was, a sign of impeccable breeding”.” Gregori recited proudly.

“Oh yes, to get that kind praise from her, there are now two diamonds this season and one of them is halfway to being securely in Ramsey’s hands, really no safer place could be found in all of the court. And Ramsey is extremely protective of what is his.” Yalin practically cooed.

“Which Ramsey is looking to bolster up the protections for mouras in general, so that any abuse whatsoever will never be tolerated no matter the soil they stand on and no matter the status of the moura in question and of course we will also have to investigate all of your relation, for any evidence and any dishonesty will also have the same outcome. As we speak, Scotland Yard are on their way to your estate at Broadcove and to all of your other houses along with a special team of investigators who have come in from Dorierra just for the occasion. And any interference on your part will have some very serious, grave consequences.” Gregori warned.

“But of course, if you and your family are innocent, then you have nothing to worry about, just keep on encouraging the Sultana towards our Ramsey.” Yalin encouraged sweetly.

“Of course, of course.” Richard and Agnes shakily agreed.

“Goodnight then, safe travels, also if either you or any of your family try to flee the country, you will be hunted and brought back and imprisoned in the Tower of London and absolute guilt will be assumed and a public trial will immediately ensue and all details will be printed in every newspaper from here to Dorierra.” Gregori offered lowly as he stuck his head into the window to be eye to eye with Richard before he pulled his head out and patted the carriage and told the driver to drive the Morrigan’s home as Agnes nearly fainted.

“How long do you think it’ll take for them to start screaming at each other?” Yalin murmured as she and her husband waived them off and watched as the carriage drove away from their home.

“Oh they’ll probably wait until after they leave the gate.” Gregori mused with a chuckle.

“Have I told you that nothing is sexier to me than watching you flex your own power My Love?” Yalin cooed to Gregori.

“You can show me.” Gregori purred into his wife’s ear before he started kissing down from her ear down her neck which got her to giggle and gave her gooseflesh.

“Oh Gregori.” Yalin sighed dreamily as she pulled him into the palace.

“And?” Ramsey asked as you and Jane stood in the foyer with everyone else as you introduced Jane to all of your friends from the stables after Bennie and Calla had introduced their own brothers to Jane and the Voyambi’s as you were sure all of the Voyambi sisters were staring in awed wonder at Calla’s and Bennie’s brothers because they had never seen more handsome men in all their lives as even Kiera was hard pressed to find a single fault in them and staring at one had her ignoring every grudge she had accumalated against mouras.

“Well they didn’t sing like canaries, but we sure did dangle the carrot and practically walked themselves into a box to get it. And they will not be an obstacle anymore.” Gregori beamed happily.

“But we will still be pursuing it right?” Ramsey asked.

“Oh absolutely, they’re incredibly guilty and if Scotland Yard is on it, they won’t return without results, it’s probable cause at this point, and the fact that they made the Sultana sign a nondisclosure is proof that something very serious and most likely, very dangeorus to the Morrigan family name and honor transpired and I know the Morrigans will do anything to keep it buried and concealed, including continuing to pay the Sultana’s living after her marraige to you of course, and that dowry will set this family up nicely, give us a good chance to build for a glorious future, and with your verile seed in her young and ready womb, you’ll be father to a future King or Queen, because with the Sultana’s bloodline, that will keep us well out of too much inbreeding within the family. And give the DeuSavance’s a run for their money and give them some competition to put their heirs on that throne.” Gregori reassured his son with a firm clasp on the shoulder as Ramsey nodded nervously.

“It’s certain that the game is afoot and I’m wondering how many delightfully juicy scandalous things we’ll uncover and it would be a shame if any or all of it made it into the papers after it’s settled, everyone does love a good scandal after all, we will need some good gossip after all this business.” Yalin giggled as Gregori chuckled.

“For now, I think it best we keep the Sultana here for as long as we are keeping the Czarina and the Princess and of course we should keep the young Countess Morrigan here as well, since the Sultana insists on her innocence. We can’t go upsetting the Sultana now can we?” Yalin suggested to Gregori.

“I agree. It’s going to be a full house.” Gregori cooed before they decided to address the group.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for accepting our invitations, Sultana, you especially are more than welcome to stay here at Windsor for as long as the Princess and the Czarina are here as well, we know it’s been a very long time since you were with your friends and we want you to enjoy their company as much as you can.” Yalin announced as beamed a happy smile.

“Thank you, your excellencies!” You readily called back as Calla and Bennie were both on either side of you, all three of you hugging each other tightly.

“Also, we understand that the differences between Dorierra culture and English culture are stark and can be jarring, which is why for the six weeks the Dorierrans are here, the first two weeks will be spent in the Dorierra ways the following two weeks we will slowly shift from Dorierra manners to proper English manners and the last two weeks will be spent in English manners so that should any or all of the moura brides choose to stay, you will know what’s expected of you, also for our English guests, I petition you to keep an open mind and not take any offense in the difference in manners and culture but be respectful, and of course what happens here at Windsor stays at Windsor.” Gregori announced as all the Dorierrans beamed happily and excited smiles at each other.

“With that being said, it is quite late and we all should get some sleep. However if we may have a private word with Sultana Audravienne,” Yalin urged before the housekeepers came and took the group to their rooms that had been prepared for them as you bravely walked up to them.

“We just had a private word with Richard and Agnes Morrigan and they beg your forgiveness for advising you against the Dauphin and misunderstanding his actions and attributing them to you. They also agreed to no longer be a hindrance or an obstacle for you.” Gregori relayed which made you frown.

“May I ask what induced them to change their opinion?” You asked as you looked from Gregori to Yalin.

“Once they were made aware of Ramsey’s intentions towards you.” Yalin answered.

“I see, well, then their apology is accepted. Thank you so much for letting me know.” You thanked them before you curtsied again respectfully and returned to the group.

“What was that all about?” Jane asked.

“I’ll tell you later.” You promised her as you were shown your own room as you stole away in it and breathed in relief when you were finally alone as you happily stripped out of your clothes and slipped into your night gown and collapsed on the comfortable bed and barely got under the covers before you heard something click open which made your eyes snap open before you pulled a shall around you. If it was Ramsey you were going to lose your patience and beat him off with a candelabra. You couldn’t take another minute of him tonight.

“Who’s there?” You demanded because you sensed you weren’t alone anymore.

“It’s just us, Ramsey told us of the secret passages in this place, we wanted to talk to you without other eyes and ears listening and watching.” Calla informed you in marinai as she and Bennie came out from a secret door in the wall in the corner.

“Well come on in, the water is nice.” You laughed in relief before Calla and Bennie both climbed into the bed with you, leaving a candle by the secret door but otherwise left the other on the night stand as you hugged each other tightly.

“It’s so good to see you again.” Calla sniffled into your shoulder as you held her the tightest while Bennie hugged your back as three of you cuddled together in the bed.

“It’s good to see you too, and it’s great to see the boys too, I never knew how precious my time with my siblings was while I was at home, now, seeing them, makes me wish I could see my own brothers. I would give anything to see them again, even Axal.” You confessed as Calla finally withdrew from you as you all laid on your backs, admiring the mural on the ceiling.

“Why is a country so obsessed with propriety, show nothing but nudes on their ceilings?” Bennie asked.

“Psh, I don’t know, I’ve been here two years and English culture makes just as much sense to me as it probably does to either of you, which isn’t a whole lot.” You admitted as you burned with wanting to tell them more but you promised Ramsey that you wouldn’t. But at the same time, you couldn’t scare them off with horror stories just as they are getting here and getting to know these people, part of you still held out hope that your experience was a Morrigan thing, not an English thing.

“I broke into the stable master’s office.” Calla suddenly blurted out which made you and Bennie snicker a laugh.

“Why would you do such a thing?” You asked her.

“To read the report as to why you were demoted to a shakan. I almost didn’t answer the call to come here but once we found out it was to London and that you would be present, I couldn’t say no, not hearing from you, most of us have assumed the worst and with all correspondence to you going missing, because your parent’s health has declined dramatically since your demotion, when they demanded to know why they got different answers each time they asked, one was “it was in your contract not to return” another was “she has no wish to return” one even claimed that you requested that demotion so that you couldn’t return, which was clearly a lie, no one knows what to think.” Calla confessed as you guiltily bit your tongue.

“So what happened?” Calla pressed and you knew you would have to chose your words very, very carefully.

“While it is true that it was in my contract with Edward that he bought me outright and that when I survived him, I was free to do as I pleased, he afforded me a living of 15 thousand pounds a year, which is a very comfortable sum of money a year and more than enough to live on and I’ve managed to save a good portion of it, I’m able to live in comfort and peace with a whole house of my own. And if I were to go back to the stables, the cycle would just begin anew and I have no heart or stomach for it. I’m content with where I’m at and what I have. Besides, Edward stated in his will that when and if I choose to remarry, it will be love and I have every intention of honoring his wishes because they are my own.” You calmly answered.

“So why did the contract with Richard state that he would pay you thirty thousand a year?” Calla asked with a deep frown.

“Because of what transpired between him and I while I was married to Edward. If you read it then you know I can’t talk about it because it’s a non-disclosure. I’m surprised you came if you read it.” You returned.

“Ok, but just because you signed it and can’t talk about it, Calla, spill the beans, all the beans, I need to know now.” Bennie insisted as she sat up in bed and stared determinedly at Calla.

“Edward went mad shortly after Audra’s marriage to him. I consulted the new medical books after I read it, he had dementia, which is becoming common among the older ones and with dementia, comes aggression and violence, Audra suffered greatly at Edward’s hands. But Richard forbade Audra from telling anyone for fear of “tarnishing” the family honor.” Calla answered.

“And that’s why Richard doubled my yearly living, to buy my silence.” You sighed tiredly.

“But the Morrigans are rich, they could have hired doctors and nurses and caretakers to take care of Edward in that state.” Bennie argued.

“At first Edward did, but the more mad he became and the worse he got, the more the nurses demanded to care for him and instead of paying it, Richard dismissed them and viewed me as his already bought and paid for nurse and companion. But his decline was out of my depth. And all Richard did was imprison us both into Broadcove, I couldn’t reach out to anyone, even my messengerari wouldn’t work or reach out to anyone. He had some kind of disruptor in the house. But thankfully I was able to get some insurance against him, so that if he ever decides to stop paying for my silence, I can have a measure of revenge, so you see, never again will I ever be anyone’s pawn or play thing. And never again will I ever tolerate abuse of any kind. If I am to remarry it will be for love, no madness, no abuse, no control over me, no secrets, no intrigue, no disloyalty or unfaithfulness, I am a free woman, I do not answer to anyone and I have freedom. And I can’t go back to my old life, I refuse. I would rather be a free shakan than a caged nescia, no matter how big or gilded the cage may be. Even as one as nice as this palace. All I want is someone to love me for me, even as broken and jaded as I am, who won’t look at me and see wealth, or my dowry or even look at me and desire me for the sole reason that I am a moura, but will see just me, and be content with that.” You insisted sleepily as all three of you got comfortable cuddled together.

“Then I hope you get what you wish for.” Calla insisted sleepily too before all three of you drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile Demsey stared up at his own ceiling and huffed indignantly because he knew he was already beaten. How could his own estate of Whydahh had no hope of competing with the palace of Windsor. It had a hard enough time competing with Mirador and that was only because it had been built in just the last ten years and had all new, modern convenciences. His own London townhouse of Graveston didn’t really compare to Mirador at all. The Dauphin had...well everything, he was royalty for crying out loud and outranked him. What did he have that the Dauphin didn’t? What could he possibly offer a woman of taste and refinement and accomplishment such as yourself that the Dauphin couldn’t offer twice or three times over? Other than his own love, care and devotion? But call him a hopeless romantic, he wanted to try to woo you anyway. He had watched you all night and you didn’t give one genuine smile to the Dauphin all evening. You were polite but still so subdued. According to Amara when she too had followed you into the bathroom, you couldn’t even go to the bathroom in peace. And Lady Whitesale was so rude to Amara and all of his sisters. Before she had purposefully tried to befriend them as “sisters” but now that that seemingly was no longer a possibility, she immediately showed her own true colors to them and had turned all the other orc women in the court against them and had them shunned once they took up company with the jewel orc mouras. But what really sold him on you was how gracious you were in your own perceived defeat. You were still so kind and treated everyone in his family so wonderfully and respectfully and engaged with all of them while they were waiting in the foyer, especially his younger siblings. And even though Kiera had been begrudged against you, you were still kind to considerate to her. You were above reproach and you proved with your words and actions what an excellent woman you were and what he would give if he knew it wouldn’t start a scandal or call into question your own honor of just going to room and confessing all of his feelings to you this moment.

But as tempting as that sounded. That would surely insult your honor and compromise you, plus it would be unkind. He knew just by looking at you, that you were beyond exhausted. And having battled Ramsey’s affections all night and dodging the Morrigans meanness, it would be too much to try to battle his own advancements if you didn’t return them. You looked like you were ready to bolt out of the Morrigan’s carraige and you had sadly looked so relieved to even see Ramsey rescue you from their company, he wondered if you would have looked at him with equal relief if he had been the one to get to you first, but sadly he had been helping his Ma’ma out of her carriage.

But at the ball, just as you were leaving his side for the brief moment he was able to steal you away for, the way you held his hand, even for as brief of a moment as it was that evening, that simple touch had conveyed so much that words never could, but even now, he couldn’t put words to it’s meaning as he traced the outline your hand had been on his own hand, he almost didn’t want to wash his hands for fear it would wash your magical touch off, while it was true that the gold plague had ridden mouras of their magic, he could almost sense that at least a little bit still lived in you, it had sent the most delightful electric shocks through his whole being and had his soul craving more contact, just another touch, another glance, another anything. But Ramsey blocked him, all night. But despite Ramsey’s best efforts, the few looks you shared, especially over dinner, he was sure he saw longing and affection and dare he hope desire in your eyes when you looked at him. It had him feeling like you were the only woman at that ball that existed, let alone that mattered.

That being said he was keen to see you behave the way you were raised to and wondered what kind of differences there was between Dorierran customs and English ones. His brothers had talked about the Dorierran national sport, something that involved flaming swords. If he got to see you weilding a flaming sword, the Dauphin be damned, he was going to probably fall head over heels in love with you and probably propose to you as soon as he could. because at least in orcish culture, weapons were sacred and a shieldmaiden weilding a sword or a battle ax was seen as the epitome of sexy. Of course just thinking about it had his shaft rock hard, again, great, something else to satisfy again before he could get some sleep.

#Blood For Gold #Blood For Gold Part 8 #Oh yeah #now we are getting into intentions and interests and how those are gonna clash #mwahahaha #Regency orcs #regency era orc period drama #orc fantasy love story.#orc love story.#moura

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