#which was that she had trouble conceiving and as soon as she and her husband started the adoption process they got pregnant

[pynkhues]

So I started watching Succession somewhere between s2 n s3 and till yesterday, I was under the impression Rava Roy(?) is supposed to be of Indian descent (though why someone would name her after food idk) but then I saw some bts of s4 with the actress and I'm sure she's white or not idk 😂 Point is, can you tell if the kids are supposed to be adopted? (That's what was suggested in an article) like I'm so confused??? Are they biracial? Is her ethnicity ambiguous? I feel like maybe you might have the answer for me 😅

It's never explicitly stated, anon, but I'm pretty sure Rava is supposed to be Jewish.

Natalie Gold, the actress who plays her, is Jewish herself, and the name Rava actually has Hebrew origins dating back to around the year 300CE. Interestingly enough, it's actually traditionally a boy's name in Hebrew meaning a father, which feels pretty deliberate given the nature of the show. I think too that her being Jewish makes sense given the tension between her and Logan, and Kendall's hyper-sensitivity to Logan's anti-semitism, most notably in 3.04 which happened pretty quickly timeline-wise after Kendall retreated to (and took over) Rava's apartment when he didn't have anywhere else to go.

In that sense, I do think we're supposed to understand that Sophie is adopted, yes. I've talked about it on here before, but I tend to think that Iverson is biological, and it's that, plus him being a boy and white, that causes Logan to simultaneously dote on, weaponise and abuse Iverson more directly and visibly on screen than he does Sophie. As far as Logan's concerned, Iverson is the only heir beyond his children, and it's pretty clear that he's been found wanting. What that means for Sophie who is, of course, just as much Kendall and Rava's child, is open to speculation, but I think the show is deliberate in the way it focuses on Iverson and forces Sophie aside.

[belit0]

Would you be willing to write angst where Madara and indra (separately) finally broke the last straw and they and their lover have a heated argument. It escalates to the point where she threatens to take off her ring. How would they react. (The argument was their fault.)

I am convinced Indra is one of those persons who says hurtful things without feeling it just to make the other one angry, and no one can change my mind.

Indra

He knows the argument is his fault, he is aware of how he pressures (Y/N), and how she feels lesser for not being able to give him a child. It is no one's fault really, only the Otsutsuki's impatience and helplessness for not being able to control nature itself.

Indra is mighty in every way, the most powerful man in the world, but he is failing at the one fundamental task of his present time: to conceive an heir and start a clan with his own blood.

He does not know where the failure lies, he has no idea if it is because of him or (Y/N), all he cares about is how he fills his wife with his seed every single night, hoping for an immediate result that never comes. It is frustrating, having achieved the most difficult goal of his life, conquered everything he wanted, and not being able to achieve the most common and ordinary task of any man.

An afternoon of problems is when he explodes against his beloved, bearing the pressures of his followers and resolving situations within the village he managed to create after his victory. Everyone counts on him, everyone needs him, and the pressure of authority becomes exhausting.

(Y/N), worried about her inability to grant him an heir, seeks validation and reaffirmation from him. She just needs to hear everything is okay, that they will get through it together, and that patience will be the greatest virtue for them both to get through the predicament, finally getting a child. The woman goes to her husband's private training camp, where she always counts on being able to find him. The man senses her arrival and stops his practice to give her his attention. "It's nothing urgent, my love, I'm just worried."

With a cold stare, Indra hides his concern, refusing to let his wife see the worry is shared. Unable to show he feels fear about it too, he chooses a distant stance, kicking the problem down on her, "You should be, it's been a while since we started trying."

"You talk like it's my fault...we have no idea what's going on and-" (Y/N) is interrupted by curt words, throwing responsibility on her actions, as if she doesn't want to have a family with him.

"I'm not certain about that, and I'm afraid consequences must happen soon." The Otsutsuki glares at her, red-eyed from his height, inwardly regretting not knowing how to put his feelings into words without hurting her in the process. He knows his position will only lead to trouble, but he can't do anything about it, riding a train with no brakes.

"Consequences...would you risk all our years together for a stone in the road...? Indra, I've been with you from the beginning, long before everything that happened..." There are tears in (Y/N)'s eyes, threatening an early free fall down her face. The woman stares at him in disbelief, genuinely mortified with every response she receives. Does her company mean nothing to him, the unconditional love she gave him through all their moments?

"My life was built upon losing people I believed to love. If I had to lose you for this, it wouldn't be news, (Y/N)." His sentences are like many kunai burying themselves in different parts of her body, and the woman can do nothing but rethink everything until now.

"You should probably keep this then." She throws the gift he gave her on their wedding night, a beautiful ring engraved and embedded in red gemstones, at his feet. Pain is visible on her features, and the anger with which she turns away from him is palpable.

Worst of all, Indra does not feel any of the words he said. He would never abandon her, even if it meant not being able to bear children of his own blood. He cannot control the image he pretends to have in the outside world, even if that includes hurting those he truly cares about.

(Y/N) has been with him since before his curse, was with him during his eternal fight with Ashura, and helped him build the place he now calls his. She is his safe space, his little home, but he can't help the awful unreasonable words flowing out of his mouth in frustration, anger, and rage. She knows him, and understands he's usually a pain in the ass to argue with, but this time she seems to have been truly affected by his statements.

Maybe he took it too far, without even meaning to.

He picks up the ring at his feet and puts it in his pocket before deciding to run, get away from the place, and find a distant and remote village to kill every single one of its inhabitants. Indra lashes out at the life of all the innocents he finds in the tiny town, destroying children, women, and fathers alike.

His anger is directed at himself, raging at his inability to control and suppress his reflex to hurt others. Of course, ironic to analyze his own self while dismembering humans left and right.

Madara

It is in the early evening when Madara decides to leave in search of (Y/N). Having arrived earlier than usual, he wanted to surprise her at home, but she was nowhere to be found. He opted to go to Izuna and ask about her, his brother always being everywhere and nowhere, knowing the whereabouts of every person in the clan.

The younger Uchiha recounts how he saw her walking a while ago, presumably towards the local Uchiha market, intending to buy something to make Madara some dinner. How Izuna knows so many details is none of his concern, yet he is grateful for the information.

Arriving at the market, he scans the place for her presence, too tired to use the Sharingan and deciding to do it the old-fashioned way. He walks among the stalls and greets every person who dares to speak to him, being stopped many more times than he would like at this hour.

As he talks to a little old lady, he sees her in the distance, having a very animated conversation with a man he recognizes from his army. He is an average warrior, one of the many Uchiha who never managed to develop a Sharingan, and he is too close to his wife for his liking.

Quickly excusing himself, Madara frees from the old woman to get closer to where (Y/N) is, without revealing himself to her but close enough for the man to notice. Behind his wife's back, the Uchiha stares at him with eyes full of hatred and menace, causing the warrior to flee in terror without even saying goodbye to her. Confused, (Y/N) turns around to see what spooked the man, caused him to be so horrified, and meets her husband face to face.

Judging by his expression, it looks as if he has just met Tobirama, and the woman is extremely embarrassed when he lifts her over his shoulder, abducting her from the market and concluding her shopping moment.

"Madara what the fuck! Put me down now!" She yells angrily, slamming a fist into his back and trying to lift her head to keep all the blood from going to that area. He doesn't comply with her demand until a few minutes later when they are in the privacy of their home, and away from any prying eyes.

"What got into you?!" (Y/N) exclaims indignantly, trying to understand what could have affected him enough to not even say hello.

"Who the fuck was that man and why were you conversing so cheerfully with him?" He asks with both loathing and resignation, expecting a terrible answer from his wife. Maybe it was her lover, maybe it was the person she would want to replace him with, or maybe she already had.

"He's one of the guards you assigned to take care of me today, you idiot! He was with me all day, under your own orders! Don't you even register what you decree, all day locked up in your office?!"(Y/N) is overcome with indignation, being indirectly accused of unfaithfulness wrongfully.

The Uchiha is speechless, not knowing what to say about it. He deals with so many things per day and at the same time, he tends to forget one or two matters. He feels disgusted for having assigned such a weak warrior as his wife's bodyguard, but even more so for not being able to remember it. The stress was consuming him to such an extent he was beginning to forget important things, skipping some and erasing others altogether.

"Even if that hadn't been the case, seeing me talk to another man doesn't give you the right to freak out like that! Interacting with people of the opposite sex doesn't mean I'll be looking to cheat on you, Madara! Grow the hell up, and learn to respect me as your wife, or it ends here!"

Enraged, (Y/N) storms out of the house, leaving a stunned and shocked Uchiha in the middle of the room. The only thing Madara is thankful for is the fact she didn't take off her ring, which could mean two things: either she didn't notice, or she doesn't see it as serious enough to genuinely leave him. Either way, he feels terribly guilty, and can't understand how he lets himself be driven by jealousy like that.

Unfounded jealousy, even worse.

The Uchiha is left pondering in solitude before he goes off to find her, determined to apologize on his knees if that's what it takes to get (Y/N) not to be angry at him anymore.

[bit-dodgy-innit]

Trying for Two

Part of my 500 Follower Celebration set in my SHAPE OF YOU AU

The Prompt: You and your husband begin talking about if you’re ready for baby number two. Steven, being the sneaky little shit he is, does everything he can covertly to make sure you conceive so he can get your milk-filled tits back

Requested by: a few lovely fellow heathen nonnies and the wonderful @fangirlfreakingout

Pairing: Steven x afab!reader, with background Marc x afab!reader and Jake x afab!reader, Reader is married to the system

Word Count: 2k (short but horny I promise!)

Spice-o-meter: 🌶🌶🌶, Rated Explicit, Minors DNI!

CW/TW: Talk of pregnancy, breastfeeding, lactation and conceiving, p in v sex, nipple play, lots o’dirty talk, daddy!kink, breeding kink, mention of bondage, unprotected sex, a smidge of unprotected cumplay

A/N: THANK YOU EVERYONE for the amazing response to last full, hope y’all enjoy this fun romp!! Our 🍈🍈 loving daddy!Steven is back in full force in this one, using his big brain and…other things for horny purposes!!

It couldn’t have come at a more unexpected moment. You and Marc had finally wrestled Nyla down for bed and collapsed on the couch with the telly on, watching 8 Out Of 10 Cats of all things. Perhaps something on the quiz show had prompted Marc, inspired him to share with you, but you nearly dropped your wine glass when your husband remarked, seemingly out of nowhere, “It’d be good for Nyla to have a sibling.”

Out of the four of you, Marc had been the hold out on Baby Number Two. Steven had wanted another kid basically as soon as you’d popped Nyla out, and when you mentioned it to Jake about a year ago, he was on board. Understandably, Marc had his reservations. He was so protective of your daughter, and you knew however irrational it may be, Marc was petrified that a similar fate would befall his children as he and Randall. 

It was almost a blessing in disguise that Nyla had been a surprise, since she drastically reduced the potential overthinking about kids. Once you’d discovered a baby was already on the way, both of you knew wanted her without much doubt. 

You schooled your face to appear cavalier and casual, the last thing you wanted to do was spook him. “That’d be nice wouldn’t it?” 

“Yeah,” he agreed. 

“I’ll give Doctor Slater’s office a ring in the morning.” 

Your statement was a test. If Marc walked it back, then you knew he really wasn’t ready. But he didn’t say anything, so you took his lack of protest as confirmation. It was downright strenuous to keep your cool for the rest of the night and quell any urges to rejoice now that Marc had finally caved on another baby. 

It was not a surprise however to wake up next to Steven since he lectured on Wednesday mornings. When your alarm went off and you rolled into his arms, the first thing he whispered to you was “We’re having another baby.”

“We‘re having another baby,” you echoed with a wide grin. 

The two of you shared a chaste kiss, then Steven pulled you closer to him, no doubt for you to feel his morning wood. “What do you say we start trying right away?” 

It was a tempting idea, but it was also a miracle that Nyla hadn’t burst into your bedroom yet. 

“Later baby,” you promised him. “She’ll be up any minute.” 

Steven surrendered with another kiss. He was willing to wait…for now. 

***

This time conceiving was so different than with Nyla. There were cycle tracking apps, appointments with Dr. Slater, and not to mention a two-and-a-half year old to manage in the midst of everything. 

Most experts said the best way to ensure a pregnancy ASAP was to have sex everyday, which of course the boys were thrilled to hear. Even though you had no trouble getting hot for each other still, the difficulty was finding the time and energy. You had been back at work for a while now, and Nyla was non-stop. 

So Steven decided to take things into his own hands to help the process along. He started waking up extra early to jog on the mornings he fronted, since exercise supposedly helped sperm count. He threw out Marc’s beer and Jake’s “secret emergency” pack of cigarettes due to a study he’d read about them compromising one’s virility, royally pissing off his alters in the process. Your husband wouldn’t let you so much as move after sex either, fetching everything you’d desire to keep you still and try to increase conception. 

Disappointment was inevitable when you got your period the first month after you and your husband started trying for Baby Number Two. The last thing Steven wanted to do was put pressure on you, stress was the worst thing for fertility. Besides, he loved you and didn’t want you to feel like you were lacking in any capacity. 

He did however, intensify his covert conception efforts. He read that yams increase one’s chance of fertility and added it to the weekly shop. You were slightly puzzled that Steven was suddenly so keen on having sweet potatoes at least once a week for dinner, but Nyla liked them and your husband always offered to cook when you had them so you weren’t going to complain.

He also learned that morning sex was marginally better for conceiving, so he began waking you up with head so you’d be all pliant and open to sex first thing. Though that was no great effort on his part, his favorite thing to eat was your pussy. 

Obviously, Steven wanted to have another child with you because you were his soulmate, and the vision of two little pairs of feet pattering around your home never failed to choke him up. But there was another, more selfish, more horny reason he was so eager for you to get pregnant again. 

He’d hidden it well until you two had a date night. Nyla was at home with your trusted sitter Sam, and Steven took you to a restaurant on the river you both loved. Despite his steadfast commitment to veganism, your husband insisted on ordering oysters for the two of you (another fertility-friendly food, not to mention an aphrodisiac too). It hadn’t helped that you’d worn a low cut top that perfectly framed two of his very favorite parts of you. 

When you’d gotten home, you wanted to check on Nyla even though Sam had reported she’d fallen asleep a few hours ago without much fuss. Steven undressed in your bedroom while you kissed your daughter in hers, sporting a very prominent hard on by the time you joined him. 

“Mmmm, is that all for me, Doctor Grant?” You purred as you climbed on the bed and reached into his boxer-briefs. 

He answered you with a groan and crashed your lips together. 

“I think I’m feeling the effects of those oysters,” you lilted while you stripped out of your top and jeans. 

A devilish smirk spread across his lips. “Let’s hope so.” 

Steven had tremendous willpower, but all bets were off when he was inside of you and you talked dirty to him. 

“Oh yeah Daddy,” you moaned as he hammered his throbbing cock into your slick cunt. “You gonna fuck a baby into me?” 

“Mmhmm,” he responded, his tongue darting out to wet his lips while he pounded you from above. “Gonna shoot so deep in your pussy.” 

You whimpered, “Make me all big and swollen with your baby.” 

“Fuck…ungh, yeah,” he assented, and you clenched down around him, which short-circuited his brain “Can’t wait to watch you grow so big with Nyla’s little sibling.” 

You dug your fingertips into his biceps. “You’ll have to take good care of me when I do.” 

“Going to take the best care” he vowed. “I’ll rub your feet and shoulders, lick this tight little cunt whenever you want…and-ah-I’ll drink from your titties when they get too full.” 

There it was. Steven was bloody desperate to get your huge, milk-filled boobs back, and in his opinion, they couldn’t return soon enough. Thankfully, you were turned on enough to go with it without asking any questions for the time being. 

“Wanna start as soon as your milk comes in,” Steven revealed, cupping your boobs in his hands, trying to recall the size they’d grown to when you were breastfeeding. “We wasted so much time before.” 

“You can have as much as you like,” you told him, mewling when he licked over a nipple. 

Steven straightened up and hoisted your hips to wrap your legs around his waist, effectively putting you into a version of a bridge yoga pose. The switch in position made him even more frantic as he watched your boobs bounce harder from the force of his thrusts. 

“Good, because Daddy needs his milk,” he rambled. “Need to bury my face between your huge, dripping titties, suck all of your sweet milk down.” 

You keened at the image your husband described as he speared you on his cock, the incline allowing his pubic bone to grind against your clit just right. “Ohhh honey, gonna come.”

He spurred you on. “Yeah? You gonna come for Daddy?” 

“Uh huh!” You shrieked as your climax surged through you, the force of it strong enough to white out your vision for a moment. That didn’t stop you from babbling, “Come on, Daddy, fill me up with your cum…give me that big load.” 

“Bloody hell,” he swore. Steven was so aroused by your back-and-forth he could hardly keep his grip on your hips while he hurdled toward his release. “Want me to pump you full?” 

“Please,” you whined through the haze of your post-orgasmic fog. 

Steven came so hard he was sure that he triggered a switch, since he had no memory of flopping down on the bed next to you. As soon as he came back to himself and waved a thank-you in the mirror toward Jake who presumably laid him down, Steven scrambled upright in bed, fighting off the lethargy that always followed a particularly good orgasm. 

“Don’t. Move.” He whipped back the blankets to make sure none of his cum had leaked out of you. 

Your husband did in fact spotted a little drop trickling from your hole, and swiftly collected it on his finger to push it back in. A little whimper escaped you when Steven did, still sensitive from your climax. “Sorry babe, but we gotta make sure it takes.” 

“We only just started trying,” you countered. 

“True, but we’ve already waited ‘cause of Marc,” he pointed out, rising from the bed to grab both of your pajamas. “We’re also not getting any younger, you know?”

Part of you wanted to slap Steven for making even the faintest reference that you were aging, but it was then you started to put two and two together. “Is that why you wanted to try out bondage last week? Because if you tied me to the bed I wouldn’t move after sex?” 

“No!” he denied while pulling on the old UCL t-shirt and boxers he slept in. 

Your husband was a lot of things: brilliant, nurturing, incredible in bed, but one thing Steven was not was a good liar. 

“Oh my God!” you exclaimed. “The morning runs, the oysters…it’s all to make sure you knock me up!” 

Steven blushed. Come to think of it, his body was in great shape for its age, and most people were having kids later. Doctor Slater didn’t have any concerns on your end either. So when the source of his enthusiasm dawned on you, you couldn't believe you hadn’t reazlied it sooner. 

Unlike your husband, you weren’t in a tremendous rush to get pregnant. “You want my big boobs back as soon as possible!”  

“I…” Steven had no leg to stand on. 

You obscured the breasts in question when you pulled on your nightie. “Steven Grant!” 

“Shh!” The last thing either of you two needed was Nyla waking up. “I’m sorry, alright? And no, I don’t want to conceive as soon as possible only because we’ll get to…you know…revisit everything we enjoyed when Nyla was born. I do truly want another kid.”

It was impossible to stay cross with Steven when he spoke to you like that, his eyes so earnest and vulnerable. “I know, I know. But, you just…you didn’t need to be so sneaky! I’d expect that shit from Jake, but you?”

“I’m cunning too!” he protested. Leave it to him to get defensive about the strangest things.

“You are, but in other ways usually,” you relented, pulling the blankets back up again. Steven followed suit when you settled yourself against the pillows, turning off the lamp on his nightstand. You laid next to him in the dark for all ten seconds before you asked, “do you think it took?”

He shrugged “Dunno, but I can’t remember the last time I came that much.” 

It more thoroughly debauched sex, but soon you, your husband, and Nyla were celebrating the confirmation that Baby Number Two was well on their way. 

Taglist: @twwcs @rmoonstoner , @hot-mess-express1 @murdickdocked @toracainz @saahmi @unspokenmoon @winterbiipp @avatarofseshat @ilikeoldermenhelp, @losers-club6 , @harrys-tittie , @ninebluehearts , @lucianadraven32 , @dawnsutopia , @strawberry1042 @nikitawolfxo @stormkobra-5

A/N: It’s baby number two time!! This one came out quickly and while it’s not exactly the 10k fuckfest my last one was I know it was a popular fill so I hope everyone enjoyed!!

[coochiequeens]

Who was taking care of her three kids while she was busy have 7 soon to be 8 babies and three miscarriages for other people?

"I get attached like a loving aunt," Emily Westerfield explains of her relationship after giving birth. Courtesy Emily Westerfield

April 25, 2024, 5:39 AM EDT / Source: TODAY

By Rosie Colosi, TODAY

April 21-27 is National Infertility Awareness Week. All week, TODAY will be sharing stories to raise awareness of what it is like to experience infertility.

In the last 13 years, 37-year-old Emily Westerfield has delivered 10 healthy babies. Three were her own biological children. She acted as a gestational carrier for families of the others. Twice, she carried twins.

She is now 28 weeks pregnant with baby No. 11.

“I’m probably the unicorn in this industry,” Westerfield tells TODAY.com.

Her incredible success in navigating the surrogacy experience led her to give birth to Carrying Dreams, her own full-service agency designed to help egg donors, surrogates and intended parents on their parenting journeys in a way that works best for them.

So, would Westerfield consider having baby No. 12?

“In a heartbeat,” she says.

Planting the seed for surrogacy

Westerfield and her husband, Max, live in Celina, Ohio, with their three biological children: Mckenna, 13, Jack, 11, and Charlie, 10.

In 2010, Westerfield spent a lot of time bonding with Max’s cousin, who had been having trouble sustaining a pregnancy for years. She was suffering from secondary infertility and struggled to bring a pregnancy to term.

“She just continuously kept having loss after loss, and it was heartbreaking,” she says.

Westerfield was able to conceive and deliver her three biological children with relative ease, making her feel “guilty” every time she shared the news with her husband’s cousin. Without knowing much about the process of surrogacy, Westerfield offered to be a gestational carrier for the cousin’s embryo.

“They did not feel that surrogacy was the path that they wanted to take,” she explains, “but I knew that there were probably so many other people in the world who needed help in a very similar way. Maybe I could help.”Even while she was pregnant with her third (and last) biological child, Westerfield mentioned to her husband that she was interested in becoming a gestational carrier.

“I was shot down by him so many times,” Westerfield says with a laugh. “The more and more I shared to educate him, I think the more and more he felt comfortable with it. Or he just got sick of me nagging.”

The first surrogacy journey

After her son Charlie completed their family, Westerfield activated her search to find another family to assist via surrogacy in earnest. She joined an online forum that no longer exists. “It was almost like a Craigslist of everybody in the infertility community,” she says. Surrogates, egg donors, sperm donors and intended parents used the site to help create families.

“I created a profile and just put myself out there,” says Westerfield. “I was overwhelmed with the response and just inundated with emails and queries. The more and more that I got into this, the more I realized there’s so many more people out there that need the help than the people that are willing to help.”

Westerfield had initial conversations with a handful of hopeful parents and ultimately chose a couple that seemed like a good match in terms of personality, age and location. They were an easy three-hour drive away.

But the decision wasn’t easy. Each story was more heartbreaking than the one before. The family that Westerfield ultimately decided to help already had two children. During the second birth, the mother needed an emergency hysterectomy, leaving her unable to complete their family with the third child they so desperately wanted.

Calling to tell the couple the good news “was so emotionally overwhelming and exciting and nerve-wracking, all at the same time.” Using the embryos the couple had already created, Westerfield delivered their third child, a girl, in December 2015.

“And that’s when everything started,” Westerfield says.

Westerfield has had three miscarriages and 11 live births. She was induced and had vaginal deliveries each time.Courtesy Emily Westerfield

Westerfield says, “I noticed that as soon as I had the first one, I wanted to do this again. It was almost just like, ‘Now who else can I help?’”

She delivered healthy babies in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. She is currently pregnant and due in July.

“I’ve been able to completely just have wonderful pregnancies,” she says. Even so, at age 37, she knows that she may have a limited window in which to continue.

The process of being a gestational carrier is markedly different than being pregnant with your own child, according to Westerfield. For instance, there are screenings and contracts and psychological evaluations. Her husband did not accompany her to appointments. She keeps in mind that the end goal is to deliver a healthy child so that another couple can “start, build or complete their family.”

Wondering if it’s ever hard to let go of a baby you have physically carried for nine months? Westerfield says it’s not.

“I get attached like a loving aunt,” she explains. Knowing the heartbreak that the couple has gone through in the past, “you want to hand that baby over when you get to the end of this.”

Westerfield started her own surrogacy agency in August 2023 in part to help educate and provide resources for both potential surrogates and intended families.

“I feel like there’s so much information out there that it’s overwhelming,” Westerfield says. “And a lot of it is outdated or incorrect, and I want to be able to speak from personal experience going through this process.”

In December 2022, Westerfield was on her way to her son's basketball game when she had to head to the hospital to give birth for the 10th time.Courtesy Emily Westerfield

She also helps match families with gestational carriers and helps hold their hand through a stressful process, making sure they are on the same page for important topics like physical or chromosomal abnormalities, geographic location, contact preferences after birth and even vaccination status.It’s difficult to find gestational carriers who are willing and fit all of the qualifications. Westerfield also thinks it’s essential for gestational carriers to have completed their own families before helping others grow theirs. She has about six prospective couples for every one potential surrogate.

Westerfield takes a lot of pride in helping families grow, especially those she has carried children for. She stays in touch with each family in some capacity via text or social media, and she tries to remember to send birthday gifts.

“I am so proud to be able to do this for other people. I know my time is very limited as we’re getting closer and closer to how many people I’m able to help, but still I’m young enough and I’m healthy enough to be able to do so,” Westerfield says. “And I’ll continue to help as long as my body and my family allows me to.”

[fallin4fiction]

Rotational Save Round 2

Bjergsen: Sofia and Ripp got engaged, Ripp moved in , and they had a science baby, (since they had trouble conceiving) a little girl named Rachel. Sofia also got a job in the Entertainer career.

Elsa got to a B grade and also developed a crush on Alexander. She asked him to prom and he said yes. She voted for him for Prom Royalty. (Ignore the teacher in the back. That was Gunther’s non-existent husband from the previous round. I guess he didn’t like the kids taking pictures so close together)

At the end of the week, Ripp and Sofia had a glitchy wedding on the top of the floor of the renovated Von Haunt estate.

Goth: Cassandra, now a YA , was still having trouble finding love, but she finally settled for a guy who seemed to be a son of Mei Prescott and Kristopher Volkov from the gallery. He was also a werewolf. The two got married in her family’s backyard, in the rain and had a son named Bishop.

Alexander gained a crush on Elsa and they soon started dating. When he turned into a YA turned into a YA, he shared his birthday candles with Elsa. He promptly asked her to marry him. Of course she said yes. Oh, and Mortimer and Bellas’s son, Blake also became a child in this round. And Bella became an adult.

Luna: Karmine had a birthday party to celebrate turning into an adult and of course she invited Lucas as well as her friends Alex and Elsa. Her little brother , Colby was a child and was doing horribly in school. Soon , Lucas also turned into a YA and he and Karmine played Simbles well after the party was over. It seems Lucas finally changed his mind about Karmine being basic looking

Xochitl was feeling how much older she was getting and (accidentally) tried for another baby with her husband, Chester . She ended up having another son, named Clyde. ( So many boys in this save)

Karmine applied for college and didn’t get a distinguished degree but decided to go to Brotchester to earn a degree in business anyway. She went on a first date with Lucas and confessed her feelings. The two ended up making out in front on the toilets at the Hare and Hedgehog cafe and they also had their first kiss. They’re so cute!

Munch: Lucas asked Karmine out on a series of dates and she even met his mother. Who seemed to think she was a bit naive?

He was picky. About woohoo and would turn her down sometimes when she initiated. He was having doubts about her at first and wondered if he should break up with her , but after having a talk with his mom and learning a lesson about love. He decided she was his soulmate and asked her to marry him during another date at the Hare and Hedgehog.

They WW at the cafe and Karmine ended up pregnant. Lucas asked her to move in with him. They had a son named Leland and then they got married in Tartosa after their son was born.

Karmine also managed to finish her first semester with a B. On their wedding night, she ended up pregnant again. This time with a girl. (Which I forced because the game tried to give me another boy🙄)

Oh and Gunther met the man who was his husband in a past life and although there were sparks, he was married to Miko Ojo. 😭Thanks Neighborhood Stories.

[spencecreates]

Words: 1256

This is the same characters as my last thing but takes place well before it and is just fluff. I promise. Only warning is mentions of pregnancy

Oliver still wasn’t used to this new world. The colors were weird and the animals bit him more than he was used to. The cat they fed outside would let him pick her up though. His dad said that she’d be able to come in during bad weather, but his mom was allergic so it wasn’t good for her while she was pregnant. 

Earth was safe for the baby to grow up. Oliver knew that, that was why they were here. To keep the family safe. But he felt in the pit of his stomach that it couldn’t be that easy. 

He stayed at his mother’s side, each ache and sickness from her pregnancy sent a worry through his heart. And at night he’d peer from his bedroom door, looking towards the basement, the scratched paint on the door like a grin stretching across it. The scratch was from them moving in the furniture for the baby. 

The room was all set up, Oliver had helped pick out paint colors. The ceiling was a soft glowing orange like the sky of their home and the walls had dinosaurs on them. Oliver had learned about them in school; he couldn’t believe they used to exist here. 

At night he crept across the hall to his parent’s bedroom. The door was always unlocked, letting him in and hearing his mother’s snoring. His dreams were still plagued by them. At first he had thought that they had managed to break through into his head again but his dad explained nightmares after he told them what happened in them. It brought little comfort. 

He stopped at the end of the bed, the light of the full moon falling onto him as he held tightly to a stuffed purple tiger. He watched his parents for a moment before carefully creeping around to his mother’s side. He touched her belly, feeling the movement and his hand being kicked at. It helped him to relax a little before looking at her as she hiccupped herself away from it. 

She looked over. “Ollie?” She carefully started pushing herself up. “Ollie, what are you doing here?”

“I had another nightmare,” he said, squeezing the toy tight. “I just needed to see you guys.” 

Her expression softened and she nodded, shifting as he tried to make room for him. Luckily the bed was big enough for the three of them. 

“Alright, come here. Let’s try to get some sleep, okay?” She smiled and kissed his head, letting him nuzzle against her shoulder. They both settled back into sleep, her holding him close and him curled into her side as best he could. 

Hours later however, the sky still dark and the stars still littering the wide expanse, Agate woke again. She looked at the ceiling, staring as she wondered what had woken her. Then she gasped at the sudden pain, sitting up as she put a hand to her belly. 

“Oh shit…” She moved, reaching over Oliver as he started to stir. She shook her husband’s shoulder. “Oleander. Lee, it’s…it’s time.”

Oleander sat up all at once, hair sticking in every which way and eyes wide. “Now?” 

“Dear--”

“Right, right, I-I’m ready, I got it.” 

Agate watched him hustle off, grabbing the things they had packed to be at the hospital. She looked down at Oliver, who was rubbing his eyes as he looked up at her. 

“We’re going to be heading to the hospital soon, love, you’re going to need to change,” she said gently. They’d talked extensively about where they’d be having the baby, considering they weren’t even of this world. But the fear of something going wrong, they’d had trouble conceiving before with Oliver and this pregnancy hadn’t been without its challenges. Oleander, as skilled as he was in many things from medical to magical, he wanted the assurance of someone trained. 

He’d already talked to them, found one they could trust. But he still felt uneasy about this all. This child was surprising, conceived here in the new world. Perhaps something new had given them this gift. That’s what Oliver had been, a gift of the gods before they were gone.

At least they could be calmer about a second child, the first had been genuinely terrifying when he wasn’t sure if she’d make it. If either of them would. 

The family met at the living room, Oliver helping his mom as Oleander had everything gathered. The hospital felt a long way off as they got Agate into the car and Oleander stopped, pressing a kiss to his head. 

“You’re going to be such a wonderful older brother.” They smiled before finally he hoisted Oliver inside, watching him squeeze his toy for comfort again and then started the drive to the hospital. He held Agate’s hand, letting her squeeze with each contraction. He’d be fine. More than fine. 

They checked in, Oliver able to stay with them until it was time and Oleander letting him help comfort her. He again told him the story of how he came to be, how the god Oliva came to them and promised him to them after they’d tried for so long. How their faithful service to their home had been repaid with the most beautiful gift. 

This child would be a new gift, for a new world to serve. 

Oliver eventually found himself sitting in a waiting room. He had a book and his stuffed tiger, but neither comforted him as he waited. A nurse kept an eye on him, and as time dragged longer, Oleander came and checked on him a few times, to sooth his own and Agate’s worry, so she didn’t have to worry during this time. She always worried for him after they came here. 

Finally, Oleander came out with a smile on his face, the sun peeking his rays over the mountains but not yet showing its face. 

“You have a brother, Ollie,” he said, watching his face light up and hugging him so tightly. “Yarrow.”

“Yarrow… Can I see him and mom?” he asked quickly, tugging his father’s sleeve. 

“Of course, of course.” He kissed Oliver’s head, leading him towards the room. 

It was still quiet as a nurse let them in. Agate was sitting up, looking exhausted but radiant. In her arms was a small bundle. She shifted, Oliver slowly moving to get on the bed to sit with her, looking down at the face of Yarrow. 

He was tinier than Oliver thought he’d be. And had more hair, blonde fuzz on his head. He fussed for a moment, eyes opening to look up at him. 

“H-hi…” he said gently. 

“Do you want to hold him?” Oliver nodded, never having wanted anything more in his life. 

She gently transferred Yarrow into his arms, smiling at the wide eyed expression. Yarrow squinted at him, eyes the same beautiful brown as Oliver’s own. He grabbed Oliver’s shirt, arms moving uselessly as he yawned. 

For a moment, nothing else seemed to matter. And for the first time since they moved there, Oliver felt safe and peaceful. He knew that nothing would happen while he had Yarrow. And Yarrow would have him, always. It didn’t matter, he’d give up life itself for this tiny baby in his arms. 

This was, of course, a lot for an eleven year old to understand. The deep vast feeling in his chest stayed open but the words that finally came from his lips were much simpler. 

“I love you, I’m always gonna be here. I promise.”

[sleepy-achilles]

Leon's Nightmare 2- All Grown Up

Round two here we go!!!

(Yes the beginning is rambles but im tryna fill in the last few years for them)

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

Sure, everyone was shaken up after the whole Ministry thing, but no one worried about him anymore.

Well, not everyone.

Drew would always get a pit of dred whenever Leon's photo was taken or he'd appear on TV. Before knowing the truth, drew never noticed it, but as soon as he knew, he'd see him everywhere. Hidden in the crowds, a shadow behind Leon, in a reflection. And yeah, when Leon did the deed, it erased ministry from nearly everything. Nearly. There was always one photo of just Leon as a toddler. He's sat on the hill with the tree on top, ministry reaching for him from behind the tree.

It was the only photo not to change and Leon hated it and asked drew to get rid of it. Drew didn't. He couldn't. He almost lost his husband and he couldn't get rid of the reason why.

Drew felt stupid about it until Shawn showed him a photo of taker. It was a teenager taker, apparently it was taken a day before the fire. The looming figure had a hand on his shoulder, and taker? He was clueless with a big smile.

It troubles drew that in none of the photos or videos, ministry never touched Leon. And then he thinks about the day it all went to shit. The day Leon's neck would bruise. Something happened that day to completely let ministry in, and drew would never know what.

But years have passed now and drew and Leon have their own family to worry about. Five beautiful children, Beau Athena, Ophelia, Hunter and Caspian. They all have their own wild personalities, which both dad's were greatful for. But athena? Athena was different. She was too much like Leon, which scared Leon. It took them going to see Taker for Leon to calm down. She was a normal little girl. A human. Nothing to worry about.

Which drew can't lie, he was concerned aswell. See, Athena was a child of two Valley Children. Leon and Valentina. They both agreed that Leon would help Valentina and her so called husband to conceive, especially as Matthew was off on tour and couldn't. But after the child was born, her husband walked out. So Leon and Valentina just agreed to share custody and because of Valentinas job, Leon and Drew became Athenas main guardian. Which worked out well for all parties.

Oh, how can drew forget? Hunter, was the boy they adopted. He was from Korea, his name is Kang Hyun-Woo but when he moved in with Leon and drew he asked to change to go by Hunter Kang. They didn't tell him no. He's the same age as Caspian and Leon has worked hard to teach him English. They were only supposed to have him for a few months until his parents could sort thing out, but they never did. Never even bothered. So Hunter asked if they'd adopt him, even asked to change his name to Michaels. Which they did, atleast for public things like school and that. They explained how his history will always be more important than fitting in, but also respected his wishes for none legal things.

Hunter loves him on the fact that they share a name. And that's pretty much it. Despite the fact the small boy goes by H, especially when it comes to family events.

Ophelia and Caspian looked the most alike. Both had bright blonde hair and piercing blue eyes with pale skin. Whilst Athena had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes and tan skin. But that didn't matter. She is their kid. She is Drews eldest daughter. When he first met H and Athena he fully understood how Taker felt when he took John in.

Beau was their first born. His dark hair and two toned eyes gave that away. According to his grandparents and everyone else, he's Leon if Leon could talk as a teenager and wasn't brutally traumatised. In other words, he's cocky, knows he's hot and confident. A trouble maker at that. Unfortunately, he's on a school trip at the time of our story.

But me and drew are getting side tracked.

Drew would find himself staring at their family photos, a slight fear in his gut that things weren't okay. That something had happened. But he didn't want to scare Leon. Leon was at the top, he was a hall of famer. He got given the title after Hunter brought back the demon title and Leon won it. Leon hasn't lost it since. He was doing amazing and he didn't need drews paranoia ruining that for him. Leon still was iffy about having his photo taken, drew knows that, but he also knows life long habits are hard to knock.

"Dad!" Drews eyes dart from the photo to his eldest child. "Yes Athena?" Drew asks. "Are we gonna see the others tonight?" She asks. Drew pauses and then he remembers. Halloween. Leon's birthday. John and Cassie always went all out for it, despite Leon telling them to just celebrate Halloween.

A holiday that was always a big part of the Michaels celebrations.

"Dad!" Athena snaps. "Yes, once your Pa gets home we will be heading to the valley" drew nods. "Cool! I'll tell the others to pack!" Athena smiles running off. Drew huffs and places the photo on the fireplace. Drew was supposed to be wrestling tonight, but Hunter didn't want Leon having two matches. He didn't want him defending the tag belts and his belt on the same night, fear of the fans calling it unfair if he lost one.

Not that it mattered. Drew smiles to himself at the sound of the tv. The kids were watching anyways. They always did.

-

"Somethings wrong with dad." Athena mutters. Ophelia, the middle child, glances at her. "What do you mean?" She asks. "Hes staring at photos of Pa again." Athena states as she watches her other dad kick Uncle Balor straight in the jaw. "Its because they are so madly in love!" Caspian gags. Hunter frowns and nudges him. "Dont be so...gross" H still took time to find his words. It always reminded everyone of Leon. "Its true" Cas smirks, eyes fixed to the tv.

"We need to pack, we are leaving for grandpa's house tonight. That means costumes and gifts" athena tells them. "What costumes did you end up getting the twins?" Ophelia asks. Obviously, Caspian and H were not twins. One was a blonde boy texas and the other was a black haired boy from Korea. Their birthdays ended up on the same day, they just didnt share a single ounce of dna, but they liked telling people they were twins. Unlike Cassie and rhea who ended up with actual twin boys, drew and Leon had fake twin boys.

"They wanted to be the outsiders, so I talked to uncle Goldust and he sorted it for them" athena admits. "Of course they did" Ophelia huffs. "You managed to sort yourself out?" Athena asks watching as her Pa gets the pin. "Yep, gonna be Cheryl Mason from silent Hill, what about you?" She asks. "Gonna be Lorraine from the conjuring films" athena states with a knowing smirk. Ophelia giggles. "Of course, I'm sure pa and grandad takes will love that" athena just smiles and turns the tv off. "Hey!" "We were watching pa!" Cas protests. "And he won, now go pack or don't come with us." Athena orders. The boys huff but make a move. "So bossy" Ophelia teases before pulling her upstairs.

Drew can't take his eyes off Leon's face. Something is wrong. Really really wrong.

------

Leon was tired. He finally understood his father's and uncles struggles. Even being immortal had its downsides.

He pushes the door open and kicks his boots off as the sound of small feet begin rushing towards him. "PAPA!" They all scream. Leon chuckles, dropping his bag as he's bombarded by arms. "Woah" Leon huffs as the kids practically start climbing him. Leon lifts H up onto his shoulders and Ophelia and Caspian immediately hang off his arms. Leon glances at Athena who's stood back. "Alright lil miss, what's wrong?" Leon asks lifting his arms and the kids attached to them. "Dad's been acting weird. Staring at a photo of you all day" athena states. "Of course, have you met me? I'm a stud! I'd stare at myself all day too" Leon jokes. "Told ya!" Cas calls. Leon chuckles at his youngest son. "So stupid. Cmon! Let's put the bags in the truck" athena claps.

The other kids groan. "You truly are like your dad" Leon states. Athena raises an eyebrow. "And the more I look, the more I realise you are truly like your mother aswell" Leon mutters letting the kids down. "Listen to your sister kids. Make all our lives peaceful" Leon tells them as he walks off to find drew.

He finds him in the living room, bags by his feet, eyes on a photo. Leon pauses in the doorway. "You know, you don't have to stare at a photo, I do last forever" Leon speaks up. He doesn't know what to do when drew doesn't react. "Drew?" Leon asks moving closer. Drew glances at him. "I didnt hear you come in" drew admits. Leon raises an eyebrow. "No, I wouldn't hear the screaming kids either." Leon jokes, eyes glancing at the photo before drew. "You know, he's not bloody Mary. You can't summon him in a reflection or a photo." Leon mutters reaching for the photo. Drew grabs his wrist.

Leon watches him. "Somethings wrong." Drew whispers. "Everything is fine drew. You need to let him go." Leon sighs using his other hand to push the photo over. "Leon.." "im serious drew. This? This gives him power." Leon snaps pulling his hand away from the other. Drew watches him. "You need to stop it. It's not healthy. Let him go or else." Leon growls, grabbing the bags and walking out.

Drew swallows and looks at the down photo. Maybe Leon was right. But the last time drew felt this way, he ended up burning Leon alive.

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

Leon leans against the big tree as John approaches him. "Any reason your avoiding your husband?" John asks watching as Leon lights a fag up. Leon blows out smoke before chuckling. "Hes become obsessed with ministry. Again." Leon huffs. John turns to look at drew who's talking to their parents. "Seriously?" John asks. "Yeah, keeps staring at photo of me. It's starting to freak the kids out" Leon states.

"You spoke to dad? I mean, it has to be happening for a reason" John mutters as the kids run past. "Cas stop chasing Jesse with that bat!" Leon barks. John glances at his nephews. Cas frowns and drops the bat as Jesse smirks and runs off to find his twin. "I can't sense anything, so nothings wrong." Leon mutters. "And yet you couldn't sense anything with Athena and yet you were still worried sick." John points out. "Thats different. You don't understand, the idea one of my kids could end up with the same damn curse as me pains me" Leon mutters. "Look, it's Halloween, your birthday. You can't ignore him forever. Just hear him out alright?" John sighs sensing he's getting no where with Leon. Leon just continues to smoke. "Im going to save my daughter from your kids" John hums before walking off.

Leon keeps his eyes on his father, watching him closely.

Taker glances at shawn who's talking with the kliq members before looking back at drew. "That bad huh?" Taker asks quietly. "He doesn't.. believe me..but I swear Taker....the shadow in that photo is getting darker. Bigger. I'm not crazy.." Drew whispers. "I believe you." Taker nods, ignoring as cassie takes a photo of them. Drew watches Taker. He doesn't flinch. Leon flinches. "How did you stop being so scared?" Drew asks. Taker straightens up. "Because he was no longer interested in my body. And Leon killed any connection we had that day." Taker admits. "My photos became clean. Brighter. I have nothing to fear anymore." Taker adds.

Drew sighs and rubs his jaw. "Im scared for him, taker. I'm really scared for him." Drew whispers.

Taker doesn't get to respond.

"PAPA!"

"Shit! LEE!"

Drew and taker turn towards Leon.

Leon's body has tensed, his eyes rolled back, his body starting to shake and seize.

Next thing, drew is up and running towards him and Leon is on the floor shaking, camera discarded on the floor nearby.

Shawn slowly picks it up and looks at the photo last taken. His heart stops.

"CALL THE AMBULANCE!"

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

"Come back to papa" Shawn whispers, his hands shaking as he gently cups and caresses baby Leon's face. John stands behind him nervously as his baby brother has a seizure. "Please, not you too" Shawn whispers.

"Not you aswell" he sobs.

---------------------------------------------------------------------Notes

Now, if there's one thing I'm a pro at, it's seizures.

Ha, epilepsy joke. Because yk, I got it.

Anyways.

I've always wanted to do a future au for the kids as they stare their own families. And I thought fuck it, Leon can't be happy.

I do have a wip in where the wwe stars spend a day with kids and that involves Leon. It's not done but its cute and I have no idea why I've mentioned it.

Hope you guys love the idea of part 2.

Also I will never mention the kids age because then I have to sort an actual timelines and I do not have the brain power for that.

[devilsgatewayhq]

Name: Lydia Donovan Age: 41 Time living in Tonopah: Native Occupation: Former owner of Sweet Dreams Bakeshop/Owner of Meredith's Vines Gang Affiliation: None Neighborhood: Springate Crossings Face Claim: Brittany Snow

Biography (TW: death, parental abuse, divorce):

As the firstborn of Harold and Meredith Donovan, Lydia Donovan always made sure that she was deserving of all the love and affection her parents gave her from the moment she arrived on earth. A straight-A student with perfect attendance, captain of the cheer team, there was rarely ever a hair out of place. Lydia was the friend you went to when you had an issue, the sister you called when you needed someone to bail you out of trouble, the quick smack on the back of your head when you needed someone to set you straight -- everyone could count on the young woman when they needed her. 

The brunette stayed local for college, having received a full-ride to the university so she could pursue a degree. The plan had always been for Lydia to become the co-owner of Sweet Dreams Bakeshop, dreaming of one day being able to put her name on the deed and run the shop side by side with her mother-- a plan that had been conceived very early on by Harold, to which Lydia never dared say no to. Regardless of whatever dreams or aspirations flitted along the woman's mind, her father's words had always been final. After graduation, Lydia wasted no time in signing the papers that would make her co-owner of Sweet Dreams Bakeshop.

Love had never been at the forefront of her mind aside from a couple of short flings here and there, but that all changed the day she met Matthew. She was in Vegas for a bachelorette party, he was on a business trip. They locked eyes for merely a moment across a crowded casino, and Lydia felt her heart skip. They began a long-distance relationship soon after, followed by a wedding far more lavish than she would have ever expected. He came from a powerful family with even more connections and a larger reputation across the west coast than her own, but Lydia never cared about that. Only him.

One of the things that bonded them was their decision to remain childless, wanting to be devoted fully to themselves and their careers without anything else tying them down. This also made it easier for Matthew to split his time between Tonopah and California for work. It was an odd arrangement, but it worked. And when they were together for weeks, months at a time between travel, it all felt worth it.

However, when Meredith passed away, something shifted in Lydia. The loss of her mother left a hole in her heart, and suddenly she was yearning to expand her family. After countless discussions and arguments, Matthew agreed that they would change their tune, and a year later they welcomed a baby boy. But while Lydia adjusted to parenthood easily, the same couldn’t be said for her husband. A year later and Matthew decided that he wasn’t cut out for being a father, harboring resentment for his wife for seemingly pushing him into a decision he thought he’d never have to make. Despite the devastation, the divorce was relatively amicable, and Matthew signed his rights away and moved out of state. 

It’s been over a decade later. Lydia has been running the bakery alone while juggling life as a single parent to an eleven-year-old. Her bond with Landon is strong despite the many trials and tribulations of raising a child alone. However, after over a decade of running the bakery, Lydia is starting to get cabin fever, doubting whether or not this is what she wants to continue doing for the rest of her life. With the death of her younger sister, she's realizing how little agency she's taken over her own life, and is ready to start taking care of herself instead of everyone else for once.

Headcanons: 

Lydia has two degrees: one in Business Administration and one in French

Has become very unhappy running the bakery and is starting to think about other opportunities. She's been in talks with the owners of the Bountiful Harvest Vineyard & Winery about buying out the land and building it back up under her name.

Has a mean temper, something she gets from Harold but refuses to acknowledge.

Adopted a 4 year old orange tabby named Bean for Landon's most recent birthday

Her younger sister, Cassie, died recently, so she's been trying to hold everyone together while dealing with her own grief.

[jaimebluesq]

WIP Wednesday - 01/18

Just a little something I started writing because someone gave me an awesome prompt in my Personal Prompt Meme :D

Featuring Yu Ziyuan's POV and Jiang Fengmian's A+ parenting

~~

“Fengmian? Fengmian. Fengmian!”

“Hmmm? What is it?”

Yu Ziyuan's fist crackled with purple sparks just before she banged her open palm on the table, setting the dishes and utensils to clacking together. Once a week, that was all she asked for; to sit down for a meal with her husband and discuss the interests of the sect and their family. Considering they were married, it wasn't asking for much, and yet he kept his attention on a pile of reports he had brought into the small salon rather than the words she said – and until this very moment, she'd managed to keep her temper in check.

Yet he always found a way to make her lose it.

“I asked you a question. About your son.”

“Which one?” he asked absently.

She pulled her hand off the table before Zidian could set the dining linens alight. “The only one I bore you. Or have you forgotten him again?”

He heaved a weary sigh and set down his report. “What did A-Cheng do this time?”

She wanted to scream. It was his precious Wei Ying that was the troublemaker, getting into mischief at every opportunity, and he dared speak as if Jiang Cheng were the one in trouble. He always did, no matter how much the boy worked hard for his father's notice, no matter how much she pushed him to be better than that boy so that nobody would ever doubt that he was the heir of Yunmeng Jiang. The least Jiang Fengmian could do was acknowledge how hard his son worked, but no, he had eyes for none but his precious Wei Ying.

It was no wonder the rumours of the boy's parentage persisted, particularly when Fengmian did nothing to dissuade them. She knew they weren't true, if only because Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren had been away for quite some time during a particularly bad flooding season, and there was no way Jiang Fengmian could have met with them in the time the boy had been conceived. She, however, couldn't help but think that Jiang Fengmian wished they had been true.

“He hasn't done anything other than excelling in his studies.”

“Then what is the problem?”

“The boy is going to be of a proper age soon, and you have put off talking about his future for far too long.”

“Not this again-”

“Yes, this again. Like it or not, he is your heir, and it is our duty to ensure he is settled down with a proper wife, one who will be an asset to Lotus Pier as the future Madame Jiang. You and I both know there have been far too few girls born to this generation of cultivators, and if we do not act soon, our son will be alone and our sect without solid ties with our allies.”

He huffed and picked his report back up, already looking like he was tuning her out. “If it's so important to you, then you can arrange it.”

“Fengmian, he's your son.”

“And I'm a busy man with an entire sect to worry about. Whatever you decide when it comes to Jiang Cheng, I will abide by it.”

She had thought perhaps this once he might take an actual interest in his son's welfare – she had thought wrong. She glanced at the table, set with tea and several dishes of Yunmeng's best fare, and all she felt was nauseous. She slowly stood up and made a short bow in her husband's direction. “If that is Jiang-zongzhu's wish, then this one will abide,” she said in the perfect combination of deference and sarcasm. “Now, I'll leave you to your dinner.”

“Ziyuan, you don't have to-”

She slammed the door hard in her wake, and the corridor echoed with the sound of her heels stomping along the wooden floor.

[taigasims]

Seventh Household - The Greenwood Household

Welcome to the most lovely Family of Crystal Springs, the Greenwoods! And the cutest couple of all time was the one to start this family too

Let's start with the Founder Couple, Lucian and Hollie Greenwood! Lucian inherited the Farm of his Grandmother and moved with his wife in this huge empty house he inherited with it. Being both Family Sims they were eager to grow a family and this huge empty home seemed perfect!

At first Lucian was worried about their financial situation tho, but Hollie then had the idea to open a Grocery store where she could sell her husbands produce but they fell into a huge debt because of it

It was hard at first, their finances were not great, both were drowned in work and then also had trouble conceiving a child Funnily enough right when they were about to adopt Hollie got pregnant with Rose

They soon decided to adopt anyway and thus they adopted Juan when he was a child, giving him a loving home

Not long after that Hollie got pregnant again and gave birth to Daphné Greenwood

If you think that's enough with the baby making, oh no you're wrong Lucian and Faith were in their 40s when they couldn't conceive again and decided to adopt little baby Faith Greenwood and then adopted Kadi as a toddler when Faith aged up

After that they finally calmed down with their want to grow their family for a while as they got busy as heck with parenting and working, but it always kind of bothered the couple as they had wished to have a 6th Child before they'd grow up to elders

Through Roses Husband Fabi they then adopted the third Child of Neel Conelly and Anni Patel shortly after they aged up into Elders, making their family complete

Now about their first childs backstory... Rose was their first child (as already mentioned) and was quite independent as her parents kind of relied on her with some chores and keeping an eye on her siblings

She grew up into a family sim but didn't go to college, she dated a few different people before she met Fabi with whom she fell really deeply in love. They soon got engaged and married, Fabi moved in and they soon had a son of their own, Dayton Greenwood

And weirdly enough Rose hasn't been much about growing her family ever since, she is currently focusing more on her career since her husband is already at the top of his career and yeah... Weird to have a Family Sim with only one child (for now)

A lot of Lucian and Hollies Children have moved out already, so I will focus on the Sims who live in this household so here is little Donny Greenwoods Backstory. As already mentioned he is the third child of Neel and Anni, Fabis Sister.

He wasn't planned and Anni and Neel had to make a difficult decision to give him to a family that could provide him a beautiful home since they were already struggling with their finances and the twins Mikael and Marina.

He doesn't remember his biological parents and never met them, he probably doesn't even know that he is adopted either. But he's happy, Lucian and Hollie love him a lot and he has a lovely family.

Fabi Greenwood is the husband of Rose Greenwood, as already mentioned. He is one of the twins John gave birth too and he is a Knowledge Sim. He was a typical knowledge Sim child and teen, but strangely enough he didn't want to go to college.

He recently fullfilled his life time want of being at Level 10 of the Medical Career and he and Rose didn't have any problem in their marriage yet!

Last but not least we have Dayton Greenwood, Dayton grew up as a Pleasure Sim, is currently dating Evelin Lane and frequently babysits Donny

This is the Greenwood Familytree, which you can also find under this Plum Tree App Link with more details of every Sim: https://www.theplumtreeapp.com/public/62a21ee01633db7dd2edc1cc

I'm really afraid how much this Familytree will grow since Lucian and Hollie started out the Tree strong with 6 Children in Gen1

[stxriesfromash]

Summary of a Muse

Abraham Thompson

Born January 1st, 1988 in London, England. He grew up believing that Alexander Thompson - the head of the legal department of a hospital - was his biological father ; even to this day, he is completely unaware that his mother, Elizabeth Thompson (nee Peters) once had an affair with Alexander's younger brother Augustus Thompson that resulted in Abraham's conception.

Abraham was highly doted on by his parents and had been completely spoiled by them - he could want for nothing - something he would eventually come to resent as it meant that he could not earn anything on his own. His mother was very protective of him, especially when it came to her son being around his Uncle Gus.

Augustus and Alexander were estranged for a very long time before and after Abraham's birth. Gus had always been labeled as 'lazy' and 'unambitious', and in his teenage years had dabbled in various degrees of criminal activity. Despite this, Alexander did his best to repair the damaged relationship with his troubled younger brother, completely oblivious to the affair that occurred between Gus and his wife. Elizabeth had never liked or approved of Gus being around, believing he would be a bad influence on her and her husband's future children - if they were to ever have any, at that time.

For years after marrying, Elizabeth and Alexander continuously tried and failed to conceive a child, which put a lot of stress on the both of them and began to strain their marriage. On a night where one heated argument that lead Alexander to storm out to go to work, leaving an emotionally exhausted Elizabeth alone to nurse her feelings with wine occurred, Gus had shown up to the house looking for his brother only to find an inebriated Elizabeth. Feeling desperate, Elizabeth drunkenly seduced Augustus, leading her to fall pregnant with his child. She never told anyone of what happened between her and her brother-in-law and paid Augustus off for his silence and non-involvement once he learned of her pregnancy.

But Gus wouldn't so easily be chased away. With his relationship with his brother on the mend, he seized the opportunity to be a part of his son's life all the while agreeing to keep the truth a secret (although he never turned down the chance to 'remind' Elizabeth of his 'kindness' should she attempt to cut him out of Abe's life completely).

Though Alexander's relationship with his brother was improving, Gus’s life choices were not. Abraham began to fall under the influence of his uncle's 'wisdom', and Gus soon took him on as a protégé in his own illegal activities. Abe was a fast learner, becoming quite good at pick-pocketing and conning people out of their money and goods. In time, Abe’s parents realized the effect Gus had on their son and quickly tore them apart. But his parents weren’t going to stop Abraham. The moment he turned 18, Abraham left home, following his uncle as Gus migrated all around the UK and eventually America. Elizabeth tried several times to convince many people - including police - that Augustus had brainwashed and kidnapped her son; unfortunately, nothing was done about her complaints or pleas. Abraham's father, Alexander, eventually even wrote both his son and his brother out of his will, severing the final ties that both men had been chipping away at for years.

Abraham now lives in America, not staying in one place for too long, making his living as the con man and thief that his uncle had raised him to be.

[renchristenson]

Hey, look! It’s REN CHRISTENSON at BUSY BEE BOTANIST. Did you know they WORK there as a FLORIST? I guess they’re from MAPLE HILLS and have been in town for 26 YEARS, living in PRIMROSE ARENA. I also heard they’re a little JEALOUS, but also very DUTIFUL which definitely makes sense.

TRIGGERS: Divorce, infertility/miscarriage

THE DETAILS ;

Full Name: Renee Michelle Thompson Christenson

Nickname(s): Ren

Age: 26

Birthdate: September 12th

Aesthetics: Warm chocolate chip cookies, scripters with worn bindings, perfectly manicured nails, empty coffee cups, fresh cut flowers.

Zodiac: Virgo.

Sexuality: Straight

Occupation: Florist

Height: 5'6

Weight: 166

Build: curvy pear

BIO ;  

Ren has been a "good girl" her entire life. She doesn't really drink, she never partied, got good grades, and got into a good college. But no matter how hard she tried to be the prefect child, she was constantly overshadowed by her older brother. It didn't matter how many things she did right, or how much she loved her mother, her mother and brother always were closer.

Ren was a daddy's girl from the moment she was born and lived up to her father's ideals. But again, the trouble her brother got in constantly kept the spotlight on him.

Being close with her father's side of the family made her more religious and traditional so Ren married the first boy she fell in love with, her high school boyfriend Jackson. The two of them married as soon as she was 18

Marriage to Jackson started off just like Ren had dreamed. But as years dragged on the puppy dog love wore off. Both Jackson and Ren wanted to start a family right away, even when they were in college, but the two found it hard to conceived. T

The two times Ren did conceive it was short lived. All this took a tole on the young couples relationship and Jackson started seeing other women secretly.

Jackson was terrible at hiding his affairs though, and before long Ren found out. It went on for years, and every time Ren took him back.

It wasn't until Jackson fell in love with his newest mistress that Jackson left Ren. Before the ink even dried on the divorce papers, Jackson was engaged with a baby on the way.

Now with her "perfect" life and future gone Ren is spiraling.

She got Jackson's boat in the divorce, getting it not because she loves sailing, but because it was the thing Jackson loved the most.

Now, because the divorce left her with little means, Ren is living on said boat.

Family ;

Nancy Thompson: Mother @nancyxthompsons Don Thompson: Father Riley Thompson: Older Brother @rickyxthompson Jackson Christenson: Ex-Husband

Wanted connections ;

Best friend: @rhixspring Co workers: Old classmates: Enemies: Acquaintances/friends of his mother/family:

[jasonblaze72]

Mom Who Struggled With Infertility Shares Her Roller Coaster Story

Conceiving a child is one of the biggest moments in any couple's life. The event goes back to society, perhaps even further. But this act of nature is not without difficulties and there are unfortunate few who have to suffer the time it does go wrong. Statistics suggest 1 out of 5 (registered) couples go through complications that come with conceiving, and today we will talk about one such couple that has gone through it many times but persisted till the end. Desiree and Ryan Forti are a couple that has been trying to have kids ever since their marriage in 2009. Time and time again, nothing seems to work for Desiree and their doctor suggests they go with IVF(in-vitro fertilization). They hesitated to take it for three years. However, the reality is not always what you want to be and Desiree went through an excruciating time of tears and even despair. Now the mother of triplets, Desiree was diagnosed with the polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypothyroid, and low progesterone. This made her conceiving difficult. And even after going through IVF, she was still getting periods. Which brought her down and a feeling of hopelessness few can associate with. Though she persisted, her pain never subsided until the news. “It wasn’t just that I couldn’t get pregnant brought me more tears than I ever thought I could shed…. I lay on my bathroom floor in complete emptiness after countless negative pregnancy tests time and time again. I had to endure shots, bruises, and all kinds of meds because when you are infertile and you seek fertility treatment for help, that is what you are in for. expensive and exhausting physically, emotionally, and mentally.” The experience was traumatic for the couple wanting to be parents, and despite their best efforts and exhaustion of financial resources, they knew of no hope. That is until one of the IVF went through and the ultrasound returned positive for pregnancy. Three times as positive to be precise. Desiree had become the mother of three and the couple couldn't have been happier. However, this brought a new set of trouble that the couple had not foreseen. Also Read: Why Did Carmen Leave The George Lopez Show? “I was too thin, too short, and it was my first pregnancy,” she recalls being told. “However, my hope wounds proved her wrong.” The stress on her body was tremendous and the doctors warned that she won't be able to carry triplets with her physique. But now mother of three didn't give in and did her best to take care of little ones that were yet to be born. Throughout a long period of care and caution, Desiree was able to take care of her children and the Fortin triplets were born in the summer of 2015. Desiree delivered at 34 weeks and one day, via C-section. Each of them weighs 5 pounds of each, just within the healthy weight range for newborn kids. ”I’ll never forget my delivery day. Like all things involving parenthood, there were unexpected turns. After the triplets were delivered, Ryan went with them to the neonatal intensive care unit and I was sent to recovery‚” Desiree commented. Given her small physique, Desiree was sent to intensive care soon after delivery. She wasn't able to see her kids as she had gone through complications and bleeding, needing immediate surgery. But her husband Ryan FaceTimed her and showed her their newborn wonders. The mother was reunited with her kids two weeks after being in. ”We are blessed, but parenting is also a hard job filled with the greatest of responsibilities — caring for tiny humans. Our babies have severe reflux and colic — times three. Getting into a routine is difficult, as is maintaining your relationship amid crying babies, sleepless nights, and a new routine,” Desiree said. Now the kids are seven years of age and living healthy lives, while their mother shares the story of their everyday life and birth on her Instagram. Desiree has amassed a total of 150k followers. ”I never imagined God would use our story to reach so many people. It has been an incredible experience,”. Read the full article

[kaileeandag]

Meet Svetlana’s Friends!

-Margaret Tapscott: Svetlana’s best friend since kindergarten, she is the “tomboy” of the group. Other kids make fun of her for wanting to be a doctor when she gets older. 

-Carolyn Tapscott: Margaret’s older sister, she is in 8th grade. Some of the other neighborhood girls think she’s weird for wanting to continue on to high school. Carolyn tends to mouth off to authority figures sometimes, which gets her in trouble.

-Howard Looby: a friend of Carolyn’s, he tends to be the voice of reason in his friend’s group. Due to battling Polio when he was 4 years old, he walks with a slight limp and uses a cane to remain upright. Because of this, other children have been told to avoid him, even though all of them had been given the Polio vaccine. Howard hopes to be a doctor.

And if you’re curious, here’s info about them as adults!

-Carolyn: married classmate Franklin Whittier soon after graduating from high school in 1964. Their son, Sean, was born on March 29th,1965. Carolyn’s college friends thought she was a freak for attending college despite having a husband and new baby. Franklin and Carolyn moved to Sanford Maine in the summer of 1969. Their second child and oldest daughter Martha was born on April 4th,1972 and their youngest child and youngest daughter Hannah was born on April 9th,1973. Carolyn became a grandmother when Martha gave birth to her oldest child and only son, Christian Franklin Whittier, on February 4th, 1989. Carolyn retired from her nursing job in 2017, at the age of 71.

-Margaret: graduated from high school in 1968. Married Howard Looby in the summer of 1976, shortly after she graduated from medical school. Became licensed as an OBGYN in the fall of 1980. After struggling to have a child since 1976, Margaret conceived her first child via IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) and gave birth to Grant Richard Looby on January 13th,1989. Her second child,daughter Ellen Ripley Looby, was conceived the same way and was born on November 13th,1992. Since then, Margaret has viewed Friday The 13th as a lucky day, since both of her children were born on a certain Friday the 13th the years they were born.

-Howard: became licensed as a Family Doctor in the spring of 1977, at the age of 31. Married Margaret Tapscott in 1976 and became parents to their son, Grant Richard Looby, on January 13th,1989, a Friday. Their second child and only daughter, Ellen Ripley Looby, was born on November 13th,1992, also a Friday. He still walks with a slight limp, although he no longer requires use of his cane.

[anitabyars]

Book Description:

One of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 Romances of the Fall!

New York Times bestseller, Suzanne Enoch takes a delightful new path in her joyful historical romantic comedy, Something in the Heir.

Smart, capable heiress Emmeline Pershing will do anything to keep her beloved home; and all it takes is an arranged marriage and a teeny white lie to fulfill her family’s silly inheritance rules. But now her little fib means that she and her completely unsuspecting husband are going to inherit big — and very messy! —trouble.

Emmeline and William Pershing have enjoyed a perfectly convenient marriage for eight years. Their relationship is a seamless blend of their talents and goals. They’ve settled into separate, well-ordered lives beneath the same roof, and are content to stay that way—or so Emmeline thinks. And if William has secretly longed for a bit more from the woman he adores, he’s managed to be content with her supreme skills as a hostess and planner, which has helped him advance his career.

Then when Emmeline’s grandfather, the reclusive Duke of Welshire, summons them both for his birthday celebration and demands they bring their two little angelic children, William is stunned to discover that his very proper wife invented not one, but two heirs to fulfill the agreement for living at Winnover. But surely if Emmeline and William team up and borrow two cherubs to call their own, what could go wrong? Enter George, age 8, and Rose, 5—the two most unruly orphans in Britain.

As the insanity unfolds, their careful, professional arrangement takes some surprisingly intimate turns as well. Perhaps it takes a bit of madness to create the perfect happily ever after.

My Review

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Something About The Heir” by Suzanne Enoch.

This was a cute, entertaining, historical romance with a marriage that needs a huge push to help rekindle their relationship and that comes in the form of two unruly, thieving, but lovable children, as well as a whole lot of lies. I found myself wanting these characters to make the journey to HEA together. There was never a dull moment with these children and all their shenanigans that at times had me laughing out loud. This pulled me in and kept me captivated until the end!

Emmaline Hervey grew up at the beautiful estate called Winnover Hall. When she finds out that her family is moving and the next one to get married gets the estate, she does the unthinkable for that time, she proposes to William Pershing and they quickly get married. But in order to keep this estate they will need to conceive and have children to carry on the family name. But after seven years these two have no children to show. So when her grandfather the Duke of Welshire gets sick and wants to see all of his family, Emmeline must come clean and reveals to William that she has invented children so they wouldn't lose their home.

With no time to waste William agrees to go along with her scheme and they quickly go to an orphanage and pay to rent two children for a few weeks. As they experience things with the children they realize that they had stopped appreciating the other. And soon find a heightened awareness between them. But will they be able to fool her family? And if they lose their estate and the children they have come to care for, what will become of them?

This is a well written, truly fascinating and entertaining story. The secondary characters in this story bring so much laughter, emotion and love to this story! My heart was overflowing with happiness.

Received an early copy and this is my honest review.

[toasterwords]

Irena was chosen by lot to be the lindwurm's wife, after it devoured the third and last of the princesses. Prince Viktoras came himself to inform her.

Convenient, she thought, that the lottery had drawn Irena, from the lower city, poor and almost kinless. An only child, her mother dead, her father old and feeble.

And the bride-price that the crown prince brought with him was enough to support her father in comfort for the rest of his days. Irena could take it and be free of this house, of the burden of his care, of watching him slip away as he forgot her face more and more often. Or she could be carried away by the guards the prince had brought, and leave nothing behind to help him.

She had no power here, and she was wise enough to know it.

Her father, sitting at the kitchen table, stared mutely as the prince set the money on the table in front of him. Irena had to pick the box of coin up herself.

"I need time to make arrangements for my father," she said to the prince.

"Of course," he said. "You have half an hour to prepare yourself before we depart for the palace. Be sure you do not go more than a house or two away."

"I won't make trouble for you," Irena said. "It would only upset him more."

She looked Prince Viktoras in the eye until he looked away, and it satisfied her, just a little, to know that he was ashamed. Then she took the fine enameled box that held her bride-price, her blood-price, and walked next door with it. Widow Simoniene made the evil eye in the guards' direction, but took the money and the key to the little house and agreed to look after Irena's father.

Irena went back home with a heavy step to say goodbye.

"She thinks she'll move in, and rent out the big house," Irena told her father. "She doesn't need all that space, now that her sons have moved away. You won't be alone without me."

Her father wasn't speaking today, and Irena wasn't sure how much he understood. But he held Irena's hand tightly, looking over Irena's shoulder at the guards in the doorway. Irena clutched it back for a moment, then pried her father's fingers off and turned away.

She didn't look back as she left him. Her father had taught her pride, and she hoped that he still recognized it.

***

The walls of the castle loomed around her like the bars of a cage. She was received in state, like she was yet another princess. The king and queen and courtiers seemed embarrassed by her dress, work-worn, and her braid, falling down her back for lack of pins. But if they had wanted her to be more presentable, she thought, they should have given her more than half an hour to put her affairs in order.

After a hasty formal greeting, she was ushered away from the royal family and put into the hands of a half-dozen maidservants. They spread out the three dresses and two petticoats that she'd brought from home, and began discussing how to refine them by the morrow. Irena was deposited into a steaming bath, with one junior maidservant to help her.

A knock came on the door while Irena was still bathing. The maidservant rose to answer it, and returned with a bundle of fabric in her arms.

"The Lady Astrauskaite has sent you some of her dresses," she said. "And says that you may have them altered if they suit you, or do what you like with them if they don't."

Irena knew the name. Duke Astrauskis' daughter. Betrothed to the prince who had come to collect Irena. The betrothal that had sparked all of the princess-eating in the first place.

Was it sympathy, that had prompted the gift, or pity, or condescension? No doubt she had been at the blighted reception. But without knowing who in the crowd the lady had been, Irena did not know if the fuss had led her to flinch or to sneer.

She did not know, either, if Lady Astrauskaite had wanted to be betrothed to Prince Viktoras. If it pained her to see other women eaten because the king wanted his heir wedded to her, and the lindwurm demanded to be given its bride first.

"Is there a way for me to speak to the lady?" she asked the maidservant. "To thank her?"

The maidservant hesitated. "A note would be most appropriate."

"I cannot write," Irena said. "Is there no way to speak to her in person?"

She wanted to know if this was meant as a kindness. It might be easier to have someone write a note for her, and go to her death pretending that it was. But she would wonder, and it would niggle at her, and she did not want to go to her wedding and her funeral wearing a dress given to her out of condescension. She might be poor, and she might be trapped, but she had too much pride for that.

"Not that is proper, just to give thanks. But-" The maidservant's eyes were sad. "You are not scheduled to dine with the royal family tonight, and Lady Astrauskaite is not either. There would be nothing wrong with one woman extending an invitation to another, especially if they were soon to be sisters-in-law."

"Then I would like to do so," Irena said.

***

Lady Astrauskaite was taller than Irena, and much plumper, which meant that the borrowed dress Irena chose to dine in had to be discreetly brought in with pins. The lady's hair was bleached yellow, and her complexion hidden with white powder. She looked as uncomfortable as Irena felt.

"Thank you for joining me, my lady," Irena said, with a very cautious curtsey. The pins in the dress pricked her if she did not move rigidly and with care.

"Please, don't," Lady Astrauskaite said, which made the face of the steward following behind her pinch unpleasantly. "We are future sisters. After tomorrow. And after my wedding, of course. So you can call me Rugile, as a sister would."

"Yes, my lady," Irena said, unable not to look at the steward's sour face. "Thank you. You may call me Irena."

The table was small, for intimate conversation, which only made the dinner more awkward. The food was splendid, soft white bread and creamy cheese and rich meat-packed soup. It sank to the bottom of Irena's stomach like stones.

Within two courses, Irena felt sure the dresses had been a kindness, because everything that Lady Astrauskaite said was kind, and without sneer. She asked after Irena's health, and after that of her family, and she seemed genuinely distressed to hear about Irena's father. She diverted them after that to light anecdotes, tales of tutors and horses and amusing court mishaps, and winced anew with guilt whenever Irena lacked the grounding to laugh at a tale.

After two whole courses, Irena cleared her throat. "My lady, what can you tell me of the lindwurm?"

Lady Astrauskaite went still, then set her spoon down, looking Irena in the eye. "What do you already know?"

"That the queen was barren for ten years, and she went to a witch to open her womb. And that because the conceiving was unnatural, so was the birth, and while one child came out healthy and whole, the other came out as a lindwurm. And that it is confined to the palace, and horrible to look upon. That's all that we in the lower city know."

"It's not so terrible, once you get to know it."

"Except for the eating its brides."

"Yes." Lady Astrauskaite picked up her napkin, and began to twist it in her fingers. "It wasn't the witch's fault, you know. She told the queen to eat one of two flowers, and only one. Red for a boy, or white for a girl. And she ate the white first, but then she thought of her husband, and how he needed a son, and ate the red as well."

"And the queen told you this, my lady?"

"Yes. In confidence. The king would be furious if he knew."

There was a silent question in her gaze, asking if Irena would keep that confidence, and Irena nodded back. She knew of angry husbands and angry fathers, though her father had blessedly never been one. You never told them what you knew.

"She went back to the witch, she told me. After the lindwurm was born, and again, in desperation, after the second princess was wed and eaten."

"And what did the witch tell her?"

"The first time, that the lindwurm could only be made human if someone was found to trade their one skin for the ten it wore. And that of course was impossible, because who wished to be a lindwurm? The second time, she gave up another way, but it would require great courage from the bride."

She looked Irena in the eye. Another silent question, and again, Irena nodded.

"Tell it to me."

"As the queen told me that the witch told her, when you retire for the wedding night, you must have ready a tub of lye, and a tub of milk, and a stack of ten birch rods. And you must be dressed in ten layers of dresses. Then, when the time comes to undress, you must take off one layer at a time, and tell the lindwurm to shed a skin in exchange for each one. By the time you are both finished, the innermost part of the lindwurm will be exposed. Then dip the birch rods in lye, to beat it into the right shape, and bath it in milk, to give it a new skin. And last and most importantly, you must lie and embrace it the whole night through, as a woman embraces a lover."

"But there was the third princess before me," Irena said. "Did she not try this?"

"No," Lady Astrauskaite said, her gaze downcast. "I told her what the queen told me, and I had the tubs and the birch rods ready. But she had told me twice that she was not sure that she could embrace the lindwurm, that the last piece seemed the hardest. And at the wedding she tried to flee. The lindwurm gave chase, and she- she was caught and devoured."

Where had she thought to run, in this crumbling old castle? Maybe it had seemed less of a cage to a princess. But she'd been caught in it nonetheless.

"I will not run," Irena said. Clearly she could not. "And if the other choice is to be eaten, of course I will try the witch's spell."

Lady Astrauskaite smiled, worn and relieved. "The dresses I sent to your rooms should be enough to bring you to ten layers. I will bid the servants have the tubs ready in the marriage chamber, and the birch rods with them. They gave me no argument before, and will not now, though they might have looked askance at you."

Of course they would obey her. They hovered nearby even now; surely they'd heard everything. And surely they would snatch just as eagerly at a chance to be rid of the lindwurm.

***

Despite the hope that Lady Astrauskaite had offered, Irena could not sleep the whole night through. It was difficult to think about herself being eaten. But it was easy to think about her father waking without her, confused and distressed by her absence. Any explanation the Widow Simoniene made would confuse him more, or upset him if he could understand it.

Irena dressed herself in her ten layers, her own well-fitting dresses on the bottom, Lady Astraukaite's larger, more splendid dresses on the top. By the time she had put the tenth and last one on, the ones below padded it thoroughly, so that she seemed to fill it out the same way that a rich woman would.

The wedding was a thoroughly dismal affair. First there was a feast, tediously long, interrupted by faltering speeches between every course. Every speaker proposed a toast to the happy couple, and Irena, who had never had more than a single glass of watered wine in a night, had to struggle to keep her head from spinning.

She wasn't even seated close to her intended spouse, for the lindwurm had a table of its own, away from the grand one where Irena sat amid the royal cousins. Food enough for ten men went down the great creature's gullet. It was scaled like a snake in mold-colored grey, with stiff ridges along its spine. There were legs near the front end, powerful and clawed, and above that the head of a dragon.

Though the servants kept its table laden with steaming roasts and sweetmeats, it kept its eye on her, staring with unabashed hunger. Only when Irena met its gaze directly did it look away. No one else at the table seemed to acknowledge its presence. Nor hers, for that matter. Only Lady Astrauskaite tried to speak to her, and quickly was diverted.

If the feast was dismal, the wedding ceremony was more so. Prince Viktoras escorted Irena to the dais from one side of the hall, and the queen, pale-faced and stiff-backed, walked with the lindwurm from the other. The priest's hands trembled as he turned the pages of the holy book.

"Irena Kazlauskaite, do you take this-" He had to pause there, take a deep breath, and then continue. "-This lindwurm, to be your wedded spouse, your protector, to love and to obey?"

"I do," she said, and was proud that her voice sounded clearer and stronger than his.

"Lindwurm, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife, your helpmeet, to love and to protect?"

"I do," said the lindwurm. Its voice grated like stones rubbing across each other, and it still stared at Irena with nakedly hungry eyes.

She stared back, watching the restless twitching of its mighty coils, which could each trap a man within them, and the flex of its forelimbs, which had dragged its length effortlessly down the narrow aisle. It could tear the castle walls to pieces if it wanted to.

And why hadn't it? Trapped within these hallways, confined in rooms that must be entirely too small for it? For a creature so strong, the castle was no cage at all. Irena would have torn her way free and fled to the countryside long ago. She looked at the hunger in its eyes and felt an echo of it in her own heart, imagining how easily it, unlike her, could break loose from its prison.

Yet it stayed, pretending to princedom, dragging her into its farce of a royal wedding. She wished she could know why.

The priest finished giving his blessing. The young prince and the queen retreated, along with the trembling priest, from the dais. A forced, ragged cheer rang out from the assembled witnesses. She tore her eyes away from the lindworm's body, and saw it tear its eyes away from hers.

There was no glad chivaree for the newly-wedded couple, only a solemn procession to the top of an elegantly-appointed tower. It was well-furnished, Irena saw as they wound their way upwards, but the furnishings were all damaged, fabrics torn by claw and tooth, wood cracked and splintered by the lindwurm's terrible tail. The enormous bed was new-made, with fresh sheets, but she could see where it, too, had scuffs and scars on the bedposts.

By the fire, two tubs sat waiting. One was filled with yellowish lye, the other with fresh white milk. Ten birch rods lay in a neat stack between them. Irena glanced back at her grim escort, and caught sight of Lady Astrauskaite, who nodded to her from the rear.

Then they all left, and the door slammed shut, and Irena was alone with her new spouse.

"My wife," the lindwurm said, in its stone-on-stone voice, coiling up very near to her.

"My name is Irena," she said, looking up to meet the lindwurm's eyes. "As we are married, you may call me by it. And what am I to call you by?"

The lindwurm reeled back from her. "I have been given no name. I should have the mirror to my twin's, but they will not grant it to me, for the priests say a monster cannot be baptized."

Irena was trying too hard not to show her trembling to spare time for pity. But at that phrasing, she looked at the lindwurm anew.

"The white flower was to be for a girl," she said, remembering the tale Lady Astrauskaite had shared with her. "And the queen ate that one before the other. Your name should be Viktorija."

"Yes," the lindwurm said, drawing closer. "You know the tale. The misborn child of greed and folly, trapped in a shape that no soul desires."

Irena looked up to meet those hungry eyes, now closer to starving. "If you feel so trapped inside that skin, why do you not exercise what freedom you do have? If you do not want to seem so monstrous, you should not eat the women you marry."

The lindwurm turned her head away. "It is this form. In it, there are urges that I cannot resist. When I desire something badly enough, I am driven to devour it. I desired flowers, as a child, and I devoured the garden my mother planted for me. I desired books, when I learned they held knowledge, and I devoured the library when Viktoras took me to it. And I desire humanity, and the love that humans feel for each other, and so-"

"And so," Irena echoed. "I will tell you now, I may know a way to free you from that skin. But you must do as I ask, and it may hurt, very badly."

The way Lady Astrauskaite had spoken of it, Irena had thought that the key would be trickery. But she had not thought then of speaking civilly with the lindwurm. It was one thing to lie to a monstrous creature, one who would be a man and a prince at the end of it. It was a very different thing to deceive another woman.

"You do?" The lindwurm turned towards her with amazing speed, eyes wide, claws gripping the floor so hard they left grooves in the wood. "No matter how it may hurt, I will do everything that you ask."

"Then first, you must shed a skin."

The lindwurm sagged a gainst the floor, the joy going out of her. "It is not time for me to shed, and I cannot force it to begin. Even my own claws cannot tear this terrible hide."

Irena thought back to Lady Astrauskaite's phrasing. She would have to act as closely to the witch's words as possible, if she was not going to fall into the same trap as the queen.

"I will show you," she said, turning her back to the lindwurm and reaching for the buttons of the topmost dress. "I will remove this dress, and you will remove a skin in exchange for it."

The air prickled around her like there were invisible eyes in every corner. As she stepped out of the dress and turned back around, she saw the lindwurm shaking herself out of her skin. Only the uppermost of its layers, for it must have grown many to be so impenetrable; but the skin beneath it was less scuffed, and the ridges softer-looking.

"This changes nothing," the lindwurm said, and then she fixed her hungry eyes on Irena again. "But you wear another dress beneath it."

"And I will take that one off, too."

She watched, this time, as the lindwurm reached behind her head and fumbled with the ridge down the back of her neck, the same way Irena's fingers fumbled on her buttons. The skin fell away in one layer, head and forelegs and tail peeling off together. Irena could feel the magic, watching and listening all around.

And so it went, dress and skin, over and over another eight times, until at last Irena was standing naked in the center of the room. The lindwurm's skins, softer and more tender with each layer, were piled behind her. And she stood in front of that pile, a raw, skinless thing, pitiful and helpless. She was only vaguely human in shape, yet, with her face as long as a horse's and her lower limbs bound together by ropes of muscle and sinew.

She trembled and whimpered with pain at the wood of the floor and the heat of the fire, agony against bare and oozing flesh. But her eyes were still hungry, fixed fast to Irena. Hungry and full of hope.

Irena swallowed her disgust and picked up the birch rods, to dip in the lye. It seemed cruel, when just the air and the floor pained the lindwurm so terribly, but there was no other choice, unless-

Unless one was found to trade their one skin for the ten it carried.

She had not dwelled upon the witch's first answer, any more than the Lady Astrauskaite had, or the queen. For those who had power in their own right, only one of the ways the witch had offered seemed worth the dwelling. The way that let the lindwurm's shape, even now, be chosen and defined by another.

She could feel the magic even more strongly now. It prickled against her skin, nearly burning between her shoulderblades. If was as if there were buttons there, too, waiting to be opened.

Irena's own obligations were discharged. Her father was in safe hands, his dotage well-funded. All that held her in place now was the threat of force, the cage of the castle looming over her.

Behind the lindwurm, her skins lay on the floor in a thick and fetid pile. If Irena could step out of her own skin, and don those, no bond or obligation would ever tie her down again. For what walls, what force of arms, could hold the lindwurm?

Her heart full of hunger, Irena dropped the rods pressed her fingers against the back of her neck, to the place where the magic burned. But no seam or button came clear. The magic seemed to lean in closer, listening intently. It had waited, she remembered, for them to voice the exchange, each of the ten times before.

"Viktorija," she said, "will you make a trade with me? My one skin, for the ten of yours?"

"Yes," Viktorija answered, and her voice was small, and cracking, but full of joy. "I will make that trade with you."

Irena reached to the back of her neck again. Her skin came apart cleanly at her touch, without pain. She stepped out of it, as she had stepped out of the dresses, and cried out immediately at the feel of splintered wood on her skinless feet, and the draft from the fire against her skinless flesh. Viktorija was much stronger than she was, to endure them with only whimpers.

Walking towards her, Irena held her skin out, open all down the back. Viktorija reached out and took it, and it wrapped itself around her, splitting her lower limbs into two legs, remolding her face and her arms, imposing a woman's shape upon her formless flesh.

She stood, still trembling, and lifted up the first of her own scaled skins for Irena to step into. Irena felt her legs fuse together as they entered the tail, her flesh painlessly elongating to fill the space as the much-larger skin closed over her. Then the next skin, and the next, each layer of scales less tender, until the last one went on, and she was so encased in the lindwurm's armor that nothing in the king's whole armory could have broken through.

The skin closed, but the magic was still there, hanging in the air like a persistent damp. Irena felt her forelegs shaking, and her head was heavy; she looked at Viktorija, who was shaking too.

Stretching out her heavy coils, she fought exhaustion to wrap them around Viktorija. Then she crawled up onto the bed, pulling Viktorija up with her. Curled around her, on the soft, claw-shredded mattress, Irena fell swiftly and soundly asleep, embracing Viktorija like a lover.

***

They were roused in the morning by the creak of the door. The king and queen entered, fearful, and Prince Viktoras and Lady Astrauskaite walked in after, both downcast with concern. But they all looked in amazement at the bed, and who was in it.

Irena looked down at herself and Viktorija. Her own scales gleamed black, sleek and shining, instead of the mold-colored mottling that Viktorija had sported. And while Irena's own hair had been straight and dusty-colored, her skin weathered and her face thin, Viktorija was plump and noble-pale between Irena's coils, with a snub nose and a round face and chestnut hair falling in long curls.

"But," Lady Astrauskaite said, her eyes filling with tears. "The birch rods, and the lye, and the milk-"

"The witch's words were true. Here is your sister, my lady, Your Highness, and here is your daughter, your majesties. Last night she traded me her ten skins for my one, and we are both more comfortable in our new attire."

The king's hands worked at his sides, tightening into fists, then loosening when he looked again at Irena's coiling black bulk. "I would rather a daughter and her wife than a daughter and another lindwurm. I had been told you meant to save my child, but you have only traded for her troubles."

Viktorija was stirring now in Irena's coils, her eyes blinking open. She smiled at her family, and three of the four smiled back. Even the king's hard face softened.

"My father-to-be, be glad," Lady Astrauskaite said, sweet and coaxing. "You have a daughter, to please your wife with, and your son has a sister for the two of you to spoil. Irena has done this for us, as a loyal servant of the crown."

"Yes," the king said, drawing back his ire. He raised his gaze to meet Irena's eyes. "What do you want from me for this service?"

Irena unwound herself, gently, from Viktorija, then slithered off the bed. She dug her claws into the much-abused wood of the floor and gloried at her strength when it splintered and broke.

Her bride-price would keep her father fed for life, and she trusted the Widow Simoniene. There was not a feather's worth of weight upon her. "I want nothing but my freedom, Sire. And for you to treat your daughter well."

"I will make sure she is cared for," said Lady Astrauskaite, looking at Irena fondly, without fear. "For she will be my sister, just as I will still consider you."

Irena looked at her closely, trying to tell if there was any longing in her eyes. But there was only only relief and gladness in her, no appetite for claws and scales. And her hand was so firmly wrapped around the prince's that he was very clearly where her paltry human hunger lay.

"Yes," Irena said, to her and her alone. "Care well for her. She would have endured terrible pain to take this shape, and it would be wrong to let her suffer more now that she has it. As for myself, I will go into the countryside, and I will be free."

The king and queen stepped one way, the prince and his lady another, and Irena surged past them and through the open door. Winding her way down the staircase, she felt her tail bash against the walls, and delighted in the way they cracked with each blow. Half-walking, half-crawling, she emerged into the ruined garden at the foot of the tower and made for a gate in the wall.

It wasn't big enough for her full bulk, but that didn't matter. She pushed her head through, and thrust with her shoulders, and the masonry broke around her without even a strain of effort. Heart pounding more and more joyously, Irena slithered out through the hole she'd made.

The sky was blue above her, bright with morning sunlight, filled with the scents of earth and beasts and flowers. Irena paused for a moment to take it in, raising her head and twisting up and up on her own coils until she could see the rippling fields stretching away from the walls. As she lowered herself again, she saw a flock of birds in flight, winging their way over those fields towards a forest beyond.

Irena started after them. She would see what freedom tasted like, and savor it.