#wife of John Abraham

[yallemagne]

Jack: where have you guys been... Quincey: hey jack, I was doing stuff. Arthur: it's okay... I am stuff. Quincey: Art?? Van Helsing: haha friend Quincey you are banging my adopted son

They fucking would.

Jonathan: "Okay, did we really need to vacate Mina from the room just for you to say you fucked around? That's the sensitive information we are working with?"

Arthur: *thrown off bc holy shit Harker swore* "I- well- I would not expose such a pure woman to such... um... inappropriate subjects--"

Jonathan: *looks into the nonexistent camera*

[zahroreadsthings]

His bundle of names links all our little band of men together; but we call him Quincey.

Hey. Jonathan. Give us his full name. Hey.

[theinfinitedivides]

Jim 🤝🏼 Aatish f*cking governments over on their road of revenge bc people died (their [redacted]) and the higher ups didn't give a flying f*ck (abandoned them/stripped them of office)

[fkapommel]

Etymology of TLT Character Names

Wanted to provide a fandom resource for analysis and theorizing. Since House names are explained in GTN, this list will just focus on first names. DM me for sources. Enjoy <3

Gideon

Biblical prophet, military leader, and judge, meaning "feeler," "hewer," or "one who cuts down." According to narrative, the Israelites had forgotten their god for 40 years and were punished by assaults from enemy tribes. After Israel turned back to God for aid, Gideon, an unnoteworthy Israelite, was delivered the message by an angel that he should lead Israel against its enemies. Gideon requested three miracles be done by God to prove his and God's ability to do this task, which God then performed. Gideon then completes God's tasks, including destroying an idol of Baal in the Israelite camp and displacing a much larger enemy encampment. Gideon delivered 40 years of peace for Israel during his lifetime and refused kinghood and dynasty when offered by his people. However, upon his death, the Israelites returned to worshipping Baal. A "Gideonic victory" can mean winning a battle against the odds.

Harrowhark

Harrowing - to use a piece of farming equipment to level soil, break rocks, and kill weeds to ready the dirt for seed growth. Also refers to the Harrowing of Hell, a non-Biblical, early to middle English traditional episode in which Jesus, upon death by crucifixtion, enters the Underworld to preach salvation to souls interned there before his birth, thus allowing them to enter Heaven. This tradition has been canonized by Catholic theology.

Hark - the first word of many ancient texts or announcements, meaning "listen." Biblical angelic speeches often begin with "hark."

Judith

The feminine of Judah, a Biblical Hebrew name meaning "praised," "woman of Judea/Jewess." The name Judith appears twice in the deuterocanonical Bible: once as one of Esau's wives and seperately as the titular character in the Book of Judith (a book not part of the canonized Bible). In the Book of Judith, Judith is described as a widow who uses her wit, charm, and skills of seduction to be invited to the private tent of Holofernes, the general of the enemy Assyrian army who had laid siege to her city. Judith is able to get Holofernes drunk and overpowers him, decapitates him, and steals his head to show to her city. She is of the few illustrations of the "ideal Jewish woman."

Marta

Derived from Aramaic, meaning "the daughter," "the lady," and "dedicated to Mars"

Isaac

Meaning "he laughs," referring to the father of the Biblical character's laugh of disbelief when God told him, Abraham, that his nonogenarian wife would conceive his child. Isaac is one of the three patriarchs of Israel, grandfather to the 12 tribes. When Isaac was a child, God commanded Abraham to take him up a mountain and sacrifice his child in His name. When Abraham proved his obedience, God provided a ram to sacrifice instead of Isaac. Isaac went on to marry Rebekah; though they eventually believed her to be barren, after Isaac prayed to God, Rebekah concieved twin boys, Esau and Jacob, at an old age, just as his mother did. Rebekah grew to prefer Jacob. Later, due to Sarah and Jacob's scheming, Isaac gave Esau's birthright to his second-born son, Jacob. Jacob would live on to father the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jeannemary

This specific spelling seems to be an invention of Tazmuir, but the duel components of the name are significant. Firstly, "Jean-Marie" is a French masculine name. Jeanne is the feminine form of the English "John." "Jeanne"  can be traced to a Biblical Hebrew name, meaning "God is gracious." The most notable historical character of the same name is Jeanne d'Arc, a young female military leader who acted under divine guidance. Upon instruction of archangels and saints, Jeanne fought in pursuit of the coronation of Charless VII during the 100 Years War. Her leadership led to multiple military victories but was punctuated by multiple failures. The unsuccessful relief of a besieged city led to her capture and deliverance to the English, who tried her for blasphemy by wearing men's clothes and refusing submission to Church authority. Found guilty, Jeanne was burned at the stake at 19.

Mary is the most notable feminine name of the Christian Bible, referring predominately to Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, Mary Bethany, and Mary Magdalene, a female disciple of Jesus. Mary was born immaculately - without sin - so that she would be a pure vessel to carry Jesus, who she concieved as a virgin. Mary Bethany was a friend of Jesus and sister to Lazarus. She was deeply emotional about her brother's passing, which persuaded Jesus to resurrect her brother from the grave. Mary Magdalene was a probably wealthy Jewish woman who aided Jesus' teachings. As a loyal apostle, she was a witness at both His crucifixtion and resurrection.

Coronabeth

"Coronabeth," like "Jeannemary," is an obvious Tazmuir invention. "Corona" refers to both the part of the body that resembles a crown and to a colored circular frame around a stellar body, usually caused by its atmosphere.

"Beth" is derived from both "Elizabeth" ("God is my oath") and "Bethany" ("House of Figs"). The suffix -beth comes from Hebrew origins, meaning "house."

Ianthe

From the Ancient Greek, meaning "violet flower" or "she who delights." She was one of the 3,000 water-nymphs called Oceanides, daughters of the Titans. Ianthe and her sisters served as a companion to Persephone when she was in Hades. She is also a character in Ovid's Metamorphosis as the beautiful fiancé to Iphis, a character who has her/his gender changed by the goddess Isis.

Note on the Tridentarii: Coronabeth was almost called "Cainabeth" and Ianthe "Abella" after the two Biblical brother characters, Cain and Abel. In the narrative, God preferred Abel's divine sacrifices and loved him more than his brother. In a jealous rage, Cain killed Abel and hid from his crime, his family, and his God. When God asked him, "Where is your brother?" Cain returned, "I am not my brother's keeper." Angered, He cursed Cain with the Mark of Cain. Separately, the first fratricide cursed the Earth to never turn over its vegetation to Cain, the first murderer. His Mark symbolizes him as a wanderer, a person who belongs nowhere; however, it also protects him from the curses and abuse of others, returning scorned words and abuses back to the harasser seven-fold. Though Coronabeth and Ianthe received their names elsewhere, the lusty, jealous, murderous themes of Cain and Abel's narrative were present at the time of their creation and thus should not be dismissed.

Naberius

Though I can't find the meaning of the name, "Naberius" is rooted in Latin. It first appears in Johann Weyer's 1583 manuscript, "The Deceptions of Demons." Naberius, or "Cerberus" - relation to the same named three-headed dog of Ancient Greek theology unknown - is a Marquess of Hell, directing 19 legions of demons. He provides cunningness of the arts, sciences, and rhetoric in man through vocal instruction and can restore lost honors and dignities. His semblance is of a man with three dog heads or a raven.

Abigail

Biblical Hebrew name meaning "my father's joy," "my father is exalted." Abigail is a Biblical figure, being the third wife of King David and mother to one of his sons. She is a strong believer in the prophecy of David's ascension and his great dynasty. Abigail is considered to be one of the seven Jewish woman prophets and, in the Talmud, of the four women "surpassing beauty in this world." The word "Abigail" can refer nonspecifically to a waiting woman or handmaiden.

Palamedes

There are two notable historical fiction characters that share the name "Palamedes." Palamades was an ancient Grecian prince who joined the battle of Troy, according to the Aenid. After Paris had taken Helen to Troy, Palamedes was sent as envoy from Agamemnon to Odysseus because the latter man had previously vowed to defend Helen's marriage. Odysseus, however, did not want to attend the war, but Palamedes was successful in proving his fitness for war and ultimately delivering Odysseus to Troy. According to some traditions, Odysseus never forgave Palamedes for this and eventually killed him. In the Apology, Plato characterizes Socrates as looking forward to death in order to speak with Palamedes.

Secondly, Sir Palamedes is a knight of the round-table, a Saracen pagan (or probable Muslim) who converted to Christiantiy later in life. He is introduced dueling another knight, Sir Tristan, for a lady's hand, which he loses; these two fight several more times but with unclear victories, leading to a hate-love relationship deepened by their love for the same woman (the woman of their first duel). Many stories have Palamedes as the hunter of the Questing Beast, a fearsome animal the target of many a fruitless hunt. After years of pursuit, it is ultimately his freedom from wordly material granted by his Christian conversion that allows him to slaughter the beast. He remains loyal to Sir Lancelot after his affair with Queen Guinevere is revealed and follows Lancelot to France. Sir Palamedes is later killed by Sir Gawain. Except in matters concerning his love and Sir Tristan, where he often lost control of his anger, he was one of the most chivalrous and honorable knights.

Note: The story of Sir Palamedes, as a product of Arthurian legend, is nearly impossible to summarize properly due to its expansiveness and document fragmentation. If interested in the topic (such as the wink wink homo-erotic love-hate relationship he has with Sir Tristan,) i encourage futher research.

Camilla

"Camilla" is the feminine of "Camillus," a Latin term meaning acolyte, a helper of the Priest during religious processionals and ceremonies. In the Aeneid, Camilla is a queen gifted to the goddess Diana as a handmaiden who became a virginal Amazon warrior.

Dulcinea

"Dulcinea" is a name created by Don Quixote for his character, derivative of the Spanish word "dulce" meaning "sweetness." Princess Dulcinea was invented in the titular character's mind to be the most perfect, beautiful, and regal woman since he believes chivalry requires such a lady of him. To refer to a loved one as like Dulcinea is to express your idealistic devotion and love to her.

Protesilaus

"Protesilaus" may come from the Ancient Greek "protus" for "first." Protesilaus was a hero in the Iliad. According to an oracle, the first Greek to set foot on land after sailing to fight the Trojan War would die. Protesilaus was the first to dare step off ship; he sealed his fate then, later dying in combat. His widow was so devoted to his memory that she built a bronze statue with his likeness. She later self-emulated when the statue was burned and destroyed.

Silas

Latin in origin, "Silas" means "of the forest." Notable figures named "Silas" include first century St. Silas, who accompanied St. Paul on his second mission. He is credited as co-author of the two letters to Thessalonians and the Book of Hebrews; however, authoriship is disputed. St. Silas is sometimes depicted with broken chains due to an episode in which an earthquake freed him and St. Paul from imprisonment.

Colum

From the Gaelic word for "dove"

[themultifandomgal]

Isaiah Jesus- We’re Getting Married

When I told my brothers that Isaiah and I were getting married, they were not happy. I am the youngest Shelby, as Arthur puts it 'our baby sister'. Thankfully though my brothers came around and now here I stand smoothing down my dress as Esme places my vail in my hair

"You look beautiful YN" Lizzie gushes

"Thank you, but so do you both" I look at Esme and Lizzie through the mirror in front of me

"Ready?"

"Yeah" I smile turning around to Lizzie

"I'll go let Arthur know" she says leaving the room. A few minutes later Arthur knocks the door with his hand over his eyes

"We're all decent you can come in" I tell him. He takes his hand away and I can already see the tears in his eyes "don't cry because you'll make me cry"

"I'm sorry. It's just... my baby sister is getting married"

"Ok no smudging the makeup" Esme says stopping both me and Arthur from crying

"I think Isaiah is waiting" Lizzie places her hands on her hips

"Your right. Come on" Arthur holds his arm out for me to take.

As I wait for the doors to open to reveal Isaiah I start fidgeting

"Don't be nervous"

"I'm not. I'm excited. I love him Arthur"

"I know you do" finally the doors open and in walk Lizzie and Tom, then Esme and John. Then in walk my bridesmaids and finally Arthur walks me to Isaiah who's stood at the end of the aisle looks so freaking good. I notice he's got a tear running down his smiling face which cause me to cry a little. Arthur gives Isaiah my hand then kisses my cheek before taking his seat next to the rest of my family

"Welcome" the priest starts "today we are here to witness the marriage and bond between YN and Isaiah. Are you prepared, as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do"

"I do" we both respond

"Before we start. Is there anyone here who has reason that these two should not marry?" Thankfully neither Isaiah or I have to be nervous about anyone standing up "since it is your intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church" Isaiah and I hold hands

"I, take you , to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life" Isaiah says looking into my eyes. I repeat what he says

"May the Lord in his kindness strengthen the consent you have declared before the Church and graciously bring to fulfillment his blessings within you. What God has joined, let no one put asunder. May the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God who joined together our first parents in paradise, strength and bless in Christ the consent you have declared before the Church, so that what God joins together, no one may put asunder. receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit. Who has the rings?" The priest asks. Charlie steps forward with both of our rings. Isaiah then takes my left hand

"Receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit" he then places the ring on my finger. I repeat

"Now let us humbly invoke God's blessing upon this bride and groom, that in his kindness he may favor with his help those on whom he has bestowed the Sacrament of Matrimony. In the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss" the room is filled with applause while Isaiah and I share a kiss.

It's now the after party at the Garrison and I've changed into something a little more comfortable so I can dance in. Isaiah and I had our first dance then Arthur clears his throat

"Can I have everyone's attention" I take Isaias hand in mine "I'd like to raise a toast to my sister and now brother in-law. Now when you first starting courting I wasn't happy" this makes us all laugh "in all seriousness though, I saw the way YN looked at you and the way you looked at her. It's a love that can't be ignored. I can't wait to see where life takes you both, but no babies yet I'm still not recovered from this wedding" again this makes everyone laugh "to YN and Isaiah"

"To YN and Isaiah" everyone shouts before we all take a sip of the champagne. I turn to my now husband and look up at him

"I love you"

"I love you too" he leans down and kisses my lips.

[jewellery-box]

Evening Dress, ca.1865, designed by dressmaker Madame Vignon of Paris. Silk.

The Cohasset Historical Society.

Maria Barnes Hooper, wearer

Maria Barnes was born in 1827 in Hingham, Mass., to parents Ensign Barnes Jr. and Deborah Lincoln. The Lincoln family has notable members of American History, including Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served under George Washington in the Revolutionary War and received British commander Lord Charles Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.

Maria married John Sewell Hooper, a stationary merchant, in Hingham in 1852. The Hoopers applied for a passport in 1865 that shows the couple and their young son traveling to France. Family legend states that Maria purchased this dress for $100 (about $1,800 today) from Madame Vignon, a renowned Parisian dressmaker. Vignon also created the wedding dress and trousseau for the French Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III.

[foone]

Every time I try to tag some thing as trans whatever, Tumblr suggests #biblical trans shitposting, and every time I'm sad I don't have more content for that tag.

The world needs more biblical trans shitposting, damn it.

So, uhh.. Let me just do some biblical shitposting:

Jesus is obviously a trans man, so is Noah and Saul/Paul, Rahab was a trans woman, and God is non-binary.

Angels are too, but they don't have sex in either way. They're tools. And not like the kind you might talk about having in your pants.

And speaking of pants, Deuteronomy 22:5 (no cross dressing) , much like Leviticus 18 (no gay sex) were both intended as "don't do the weird shit those foreigners do" rules that were and are being taken out of context. They're not intended as eternal and universal commandments in what is morally right and wrong in the world.

Also when I said "Noah" up there, I meant Moses, because both Jesus and Moses were born at a time of KILL ALL THE BOY BABIES and survived. But fuck it... Noah is trans too now.

God said so. They called me up on my orange hotline phone. (I'm a pope, so I get a direct line to the big G)

Who else is trans... Eve, obviously, by the same reasoning as Jesus (they both only have one "parent" who could have given them chromosomes, and yet are a different gender to them).

Sarah (wife of Abraham) too. She's got it all: meaningful name change and she laughed when told she'd have a child. Was that just because she was already old... Or because she didn't have a uterus?

(well, through God all things are possible, so jot that down Sarah)

Joseph (of the many colored coats) is another trans man. Man (no pun intended), the Bible is just full of trans men.

As I've said before, the victim in the story of the good Samaritan is trans, especially now.

Also not to get off the subject of being trans (do I ever?) but I was just thinking that a running theme of the Bible is "The Empire".

There's aways the Empire. Who they are changes from book to book, but they're always there. Babylon, Egypt, the Seleucid empire, the Romans, the future world-spanning empire john talks about in Revelation... They're big and powerful and oppressive and cannot be fought in traditional ways, but they will not win. They can't. They won't. They may be horrible and causing so much pain right now but they will be overcome and we will be free and safe one day.

And really, if that's not a good message for trans people right now, I don't know what is.

[archcambion]

A Rose is a Rose? Some Analysis on Raphael's name.

On a certain discord, someone noted that Raphael's name seemed like a regular name. I paused, considered, and when I realized I was writing more than a paragraph, I decided to do a quick analysis instead.

Raphael is the name for one archangels in Abrahamic religious texts whose name is derived from the Hebrew phrase 'God has Healed'. Though never named in the bible itself, Raphael is associated as the angel that saved Lot in Genesis and associated as the angel who healed disfigured people in the Gospel of John.

However, Raphael is featured prominently in the Book of Tobit, a religiously inspired fictional text that was written after the Babylonian exile of the Jews in 5th century BCE.

A very rough summary of the story is as follows: Tobit is Jewish gravedigger who is blinded and becomes dependent on his wife, fearing she'll cheat on him and wishes for death. Meanwhile, a young woman named Sarah also prays for death when she is stalked by a demon named Asmodeus who kills her suitors.

God hears their prayers and Raphael is sent to help both by traveling with Tobit's son, Tobias. Together they drive away Asmodeus back to hell for Sarah, and Tobias marries her. Raphael travels with them to make sure they return save to Tobais' home. Once there, the archangel heals Tobit rejoices and reminds the exiled Israelis that God will return them home before leaving.

Though popular in Judaism and Christianity as a story, the Catholic and Eastern Church consider it apart of their religious canon.

Under the Catholic Church, Raphael was deemed a saint for his roles in the bible and in the book of Tobias on top of being an archangel. He is considered a patron of travelers, happy meetings, healers, courting, and marriage.

Some of this might feel like a stretch but I got to thinking:

Raphael is the only villain in the game that follows along with Tav/Durge with the promise to save them.

Most of the meetings with Raphael are helpful and remarkably agreeable for a devil.

Raphael proves that he can 'heal' you in Act 3.

The the stretch that you can feel in your hamstrings is likely courtship and marriage, but his situation with Hope and Haarlep play prominently in his interactions in Act 3.

However, what nails it in the coffin this wasn't a coincidence for me is the fact that Asmodeus (the figure that DnD's Asmodeus is based on) has a very explit association with the archangel Raphael.

I don't know if the later will prove to become something more, considering Raphael in BG3 is fated to die -- but it's fun to think about.

[dollsahoy]

Harrison Ford was Spielberg's original choice to play Eddie Valiant, but his price was too high. Chevy Chase was the second choice, but he was not interested. Bill Murray was also considered for the role, but due to his idiosyncratic method of receiving offers for roles, Murray missed out on it. Eddie Murphy reportedly turned down the role as he misunderstood the concept of toons and humans co-existing; he later regretted this decision. Robin Williams, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone, Edward James Olmos, Wallace Shawn, Ed Harris, Charles Grodin and Don Lane were also considered for the role. Ultimately, Bob Hoskins was chosen by Spielberg because of his acting skill and because Spielberg believed he had a hopeful demeanor and he looked like he belonged in that era. To facilitate Hoskins' performance, Charles Fleischer dressed in a Roger Rabbit costume and "stood in" behind camera for most scenes. Williams explained Roger was a combination of "Tex Avery's cashew nut-shaped head, the swatch of red hair... like Droopy's, Goofy's overalls, Porky Pig's bow tie, Mickey Mouse's gloves, and Bugs Bunny-like cheeks and ears." Kathleen Turner provided the uncredited voice of Jessica Rabbit, Roger Rabbit's wife. Tim Curry auditioned for the role of Judge Doom, but was rejected because the producers found him too terrifying. Christopher Lee was also considered for the role, but turned it down. John Cleese also expressed interest for the role, but was deemed not scary enough. Peter O'Toole, F. Murray Abraham, Roddy McDowall, Eddie Deezen and Sting were also considered for the role. Christopher Lloyd was cast because he previously worked with Zemeckis and Spielberg on Back to the Future. He compared his part as Doom to his previous role as the Klingon commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, both overly evil characters which he considered "fun to play". He avoided blinking his eyes while on camera to portray the character.

[silver-screen-divas]

She next appeared again with Burt Lancaster, her co-star from The Killers, this time with Kirk Douglas and Fredric March, in Seven Days in May (1964), a thriller about an attempted military takeover of the US government. Gardner played a former love interest of Lancaster's who could have been instrumental in Douglas preventing a coup against the President of the United States.

John Huston chose Gardner for the part of Sarah, the wife of Abraham (played by George C. Scott), in the Dino De Laurentiis film The Bible: In the Beginning..., which was released in 1966. In a 1964 interview, she talked about why she accepted the role:

He [Huston] had more faith in me than I did myself. Now I'm glad I listened, for it is a challenging role and a very demanding one. I start out as a young wife, and age through various periods, forcing me to adjust psychologically to each age. It is a complete departure for me, and most intriguing. In this role, I must create a character, not just play one.

Two years later, in 1966, Gardner briefly sought the role of Mrs. Robinson in Mike Nichols' The Graduate (1967). She reportedly called Nichols and said "I want to see you! I want to talk about this Graduate thing!" Nichols never seriously considered her for the part, preferring to cast a younger woman (Anne Bancroft was 35, while Gardner was 44), but he did visit her hotel, where he later said "she sat at a little French desk with a telephone, she went through every movie star cliché. She said, 'All right, let's talk about your movie. First of all, I strip for nobody.'"

Gardner moved to London in 1968, undergoing an elective hysterectomy to allay her worries of contracting the uterine cancer that had claimed the life of her mother. That year, she appeared in Mayerling, in which she played the supporting role of Austrian Empress Elisabeth of Austria, with James Mason as Emperor Franz Joseph I.

She appeared in disaster films throughout the 1970s, notably Earthquake (1974) with Heston, The Cassandra Crossing (1976) with Lancaster, and the Canadian movie City on Fire (1979). She appeared briefly as Lillie Langtry at the end of The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), and in The Blue Bird (1976). Her last movie was Regina Roma (1982). In the 1980s, she acted primarily on television, including the miniseries remake of The Long, Hot Summer and in a story arc on Knots Landing (both 1985).

[blueiscoool]

The Smithsonian Acquires the Earliest Known Photograph of an American First Lady

The National Portrait Gallery purchased an 1846 daguerreotype of Dolley Madison for $456,000.

Three years before her death in 1849 at age 81, Dolley Madison posed for photographer John Plumbe Jr. at his studio in Washington, D.C. Clad in a crocheted shawl and one of her famous turbans, carefully arranged to cover most of her dark curls, the former first lady met the camera’s gaze with a piercing yet inviting stare.

“She’s got this little hint of a smile,” Emily Bierman, global head of Sotheby’s photography department, tells the New York Times’ Jennifer Schuessler. “You can tell she was a commanding and venerable woman.”

A surviving daguerreotype from this 1846 sitting recently resurfaced after decades in obscurity. Now identified as the earliest known photograph of an American first lady, the portrait went up for auction last week at Sotheby’s, where it fetched more than six times its estimated value of $50,000 to $70,000. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery paid $456,000 for the daguerreotype, which will reside in the museum’s permanent collection alongside the earliest known photograph of a United States president: an 1843 portrait of John Quincy Adams, acquired at auction for $360,500 in 2017.

Dolley served as first lady from 1809 to 1817. The wife of the U.S.’s fourth president, James Madison, she is regularly lauded for her expert hospitality and bravery during the War of 1812. When the British burned the White House in 1814, Dolley saved a portrait of George Washington from falling into enemy hands, telling servants to break the frame and extract its contents to avoid letting the president’s likeness “be mocked and desecrated,” wrote Smithsonian magazine’s Thomas Fleming in 2010.

As the National Women’s History Museum notes online, Dolley “pretty much created” the role of first lady, “setting the bar upon which all [of her successors] have been judged.” She hosted politicians from across the political spectrum at the White House, encouraging the nation’s leaders to put their differences aside in social settings, and she established the first lady’s unofficial duty as hostess. When Dolley died in 1849, President Zachary Taylor eulogized her as “the first lady of the land for half a century.”

Reflecting on the portrait’s acquisition in a statement, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III says, “This artifact will provide the Smithsonian another opportunity to tell a more robust American story and illuminate the vital role women like [Dolley] have played in the nation’s progress.”

According to the Times, the daguerreotype’s anonymous sellers discovered it while cleaning out the basement of a family member who had died. Recognizing the first lady’s face, they sent a scan of the photograph to Sotheby’s, attracting Bierman’s attention despite what she describes as the “fairly terrible” quality of the JPEG file.

The newly auctioned portrait isn’t the only surviving photograph of Dolley. Mathew Brady, the photographer who immortalized such 19th-century Americans as Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, captured Dolley’s likeness in 1848. More than a century later, two daguerreotypes from the sitting surfaced in a leather trunk once owned by Dolley’s niece, Anna Payne Causten. One of the portraits—both of which are now housed at the Greensboro History Museum in North Carolina—depicts Dolley seated next to a standing Causten, while the other shows the first lady sitting alone in a pose reminiscent of the Sotheby’s daguerreotype.

An 1848 daguerreotype of Dolley and her niece, Anna Payne Causten, by Mathew Brady.

A separate daguerreotype held by the Maine Historical Society was previously attributed to Brady but is now believed to date to the same sitting as the Sotheby’s one. The image offers a nearly identical view of Dolley, this time with her hands visible and expression slightly different. As Sotheby’s notes in the lot listing for the newly auctioned portrait, “new research and close examination” suggest Plumbe was the creator of both daguerreotypes.

Several clues link the Sotheby’s portrait to Plumbe, a Welsh-born immigrant who emerged as one of the U.S.’s most prominent 19th-century photographers. Visitor logs kept by Dolley indicate she met with Plumbe on February 22, 1846, and contemporary newspaper reports mention a portrait of the first lady featured in the photographer’s exhibitions that May. Most importantly, the back of the portrait’s case bears a printed message stating, “Manufactured at the Plumbe National Daguerrian Depot, New-York.”

According to the Times’ Annie Aguiar, the 1846 daguerreotype will go on view at the National Portrait Gallery in a 2026 exhibition marking both the 50th anniversary of the museum’s photography collection and the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.

By Meilan Solly.

[ven8s]

the power of juno (3) ☆

🌟 juno is an asteroid representing the ancient roman goddess of the same name. she is the wife of jupiter and is equated to the greek goddess hera, who is the queen of the gods.

🌟 i have noticed that people with prominent juno in their natal charts are elevated amongst their peers. there is literal royalty here as well, or people with honorary titles / have played royalty.

🌟 they are all crazily attractive (or were) visually, but regardless of visual beauty, their energy and the way these natives carry themselves is immaculate. they tend to come across as open and welcoming as opposed to intimidating when compared to lilith natives, for example.

🌟 royal / religious natives ⌵

prince william, grace kelly, queen elizabeth ii, pope john paul ii, jesus

🌟 played royalty / characters with royal titles ⌵

cameron diaz (princess fiona), margot robbie (duchess of bayridge), anne hathaway (princess of genovia), catherina zeta jones (catherine the great)

🌟 figures with honorary titles ⌵

aaliyah (princess of r&b), beyoncé (queen bey), jungkook (golden maknae), britney spears (princess of pop), michael jackson (king of pop)

🌟 miscellaneous ⌵

mila kunis, brigitte bardot, chris brown, harry styles, robin williams, fred astaire, elton john, pharrell williams, novak djokovic, david beckham, abraham lincoln, kobe bryant, rafael nadal, rihanna

[deadpresidents]

"Graphic art was powerless before a face that moved through a thousand delicate gradations of line and contour, light and shade, sparkle of the eye and curve of the lip, in the long gamut of expression from grave to gay, and back again from the rollicking jollity of laughter to that far-away look." -- John G. Nicolay, Abraham Lincoln's private secretary

•••

To borrow one of his most famous oratorical devices, it was ten score and 15 years ago that Abraham Lincoln entered life and began one of America's most unlikely and extraordinary journeys, and 159 years since that journey ended because of an assassin's bullet. To us, Lincoln will always be a statue; a painting; a bust on Mount Rushmore; a monument on the Washington Mall; a solid, stoic, staid symbol staring back at us from a dull, green five-dollar bill, a rusty-looking penny, or a black-and-white photograph. Yet, he was one of us -- a human just as colorful as any American that has ever existed, and through his rise and his triumph, he told us a story that Republicans claim as the standard for their party, that Democrats claim as the inspiration for their party, and that Independents of all backgrounds do not dare to turn away from.

Lincoln's story is so extraordinary that we don't even think of him as a member of our species. He's on a higher level. He's almost mythological. A legend. We see his face like we envision the face of God. The halo surrounding him almost downplays the fact that he lived the same way we live. He needed oxygen and water and food. We all have sensitivities about how we are perceived by others, and Lincoln was no different. To many of his contemporaries, he was a freakishly tall, gangly, ugly man. During his life, people called him a "baboon" and "a barbarian." The man that Lincoln placed in command of all Union troops, General George B. McClellan, referred to the President as "the original gorilla." They made fun of his high-pitched, nasally voice. They made fun of his country accent -- the way that he pronounced "chair as "cheer" and said "hain't" instead of "haven't." They laughed at his careless clothing choices, and snickered at the fact that he never combed his hair. When he delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863, one Pennsylvania newspaper wrote, "We pass over the silly remarks of the President. For the credit of the nation we are willing that the veil of oblivion shall be dropped over them, and they shall be no more repeated or thought of."

In Lincoln's lifetime, more people probably rolled their eyes instead of listened intently when he launched into yet another backwoods joke or funny anecdote that he couldn't stop repeating. He had family problems. His mother died when he was very young, and he had lifelong daddy issues. His borderline crazy wife was domineering, emotionally (and allegedly physically) abusive, and his young children ran roughshod over the White House. He had no real close friends and experienced devastating heartbreak -- including a love that was lost and the deaths of two of his young children. He was simultaneously considered inexperienced and weak, heavy-handed and harsh.

"Honest Abe" was the cleverest, sharpest, and most vicious politician of his time. The gentle and joking country politician destroyed his enemies, threatened his opponents, and steamrolled his rivals. This beacon of liberty and protector of freedom bypassed the Constitution and suspended Habeas Corpus. Abraham Lincoln began his Presidency intending to save the Union in whichever way possible -- even if it meant allowing slavery to continue. The "peculiar institution" was abhorrent to his beliefs, but an acceptable sacrifice if the result was the Union's survival. Until he finally reached a point where he recognized that the sacrifices being made during the Civil War were exactly the kind of bloody price that needed to paid to cleanse the nation of its original sin of slavery.

Like many, if not all, of our greatest leaders, Abraham Lincoln was a man full of paradoxes. Beneath the solemn visage that was Lincoln's complex face was a cheerful, jovial, informal man who loved nothing more than a good joke or a witty story. Yet, further beneath that genial layer was also a dark, depressed man who lost the love of his life when he was young, seriously considered suicide on numerous occasions, felt unsatisfied with his accomplishments and about his qualifications, and faced the death of his favorite child while he wrestled with the biggest crisis that this country has ever faced.

Lincoln may have have been our nation's greatest orator, perhaps even America's greatest pure writer. His writing -- and not just his speeches, but his private letters and messages to Congress -- is memorable and poetic. If the Civil War was a symphony, his words were the lyrics to its beautifully terrible music. When the war was going badly, he used his words to simultaneously challenge his generals, assuage the public, and exert his control over the many crises his country faced. When the war was going well, his words were soothing, inspirational, and a bridge to the South that invited capitulation without humiliation. Lincoln's words were the words of a writer who spent all of his life studying the English language, yet Lincoln was largely self-educated by the light of a candle in a dark, damp log cabin.

We will never know why it was Abraham Lincoln -- a virtually unknown frontier lawyer who had served just one term in Congress a decade before he even ran for the Presidency -- who was destined to lead the United States through the Civil War, but can we even imagine another person equipped to do so? Like a shooting star, Lincoln appeared and against all odds, he saved the Union. Then, when the war ended, he disappeared again. Not a day earlier or a day later, either -- on literally the first day that he truly felt that the Civil War had ended, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, arguably the last casualty of the Civil War.

So, the next time you think that all hope is lost or that you've failed at something or that you are "only human," think or Abraham Lincoln, who overcame a lifetime of obstacles and challenges and failures to save the Union that he loved and believed in and became a legend and hero to the world today. Remember that we are "only human," but so was Abraham Lincoln. You could be a lot worse off than being "only human."

The rocking chair that President Lincoln was sitting in when he was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, now on display at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Abraham to Father Many Nations

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.

I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you. This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring. Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.

But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah. And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”

Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”

But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him.

So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day. And all the men of Abraham’s household—both servants born in his household and those purchased from foreigners—were circumcised with him. — Genesis 17 | The Reader’s Bible (BRB) The Reader’s Bible © 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Genesis 5:22; Genesis 9:16; Genesis 11:29; Genesis 14:14; Genesis 16:10; Genesis 16:16; Genesis 18:2; Genesis 18:10; Genesis 18:19; Genesis 21:11; Genesis 26:22; Genesis 34:14; Genesis 35:13; Luke 1:18; Luke 1:55; Luke 1:59; John 7:22; Acts 7:5; Acts 7:8; Romans 4:11; Romans 4:13; Romans 4:17; Romans 9:4; Galatians 4:23; Hebrews 11:11

Genesis 17: An Age-Old Question—Too Old to Have Children?

[cadmusfly]

Non Comprehensive List of the Nice Spanish Paintings That Mysteriously Ended Up in Marshal Soult's Collection

Sourced from the essay Seville's Artistic Heritage during the French Occupation in the book Manet/Velázquez: The French Taste for Spanish Painting, which can be downloaded for free on the Met's website which is frankly awesome but i wish someone OCRed their book

In 1852 at the sale of his collection, there were 109 paintings up for sale - 78 from the Seville School, including 15 Murillos and 15 Zurbaráns.

It's interesting that Soult wanted to legitimize his ownership of these paintings via receipts and official documentation - the biography of him I was machine translating talks about the king questioning his collection and him pulling out receipts for each painting. But, well, the essay puts it like this: "The existence of an official letter can be explained by Soult's desire to dress up in legal or formal terms what was in reality theft or extortion."

I might put excerpts from the essay in a different post, but for now, let's look at the list! Modern locations of the paintings are in parentheses, and I must say, for an essay critical of historical reappropriation of artwork, a lot of these artworks are still extant. Not a dig or anything, just an observation.

I do not condone extorting or stealing priceless Spanish artworks anyway

On with the show!

Murillo The Immaculate Conception (Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid) Virgin and Child (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool) Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Nursing the Sick (Church of the Hospital de la Caridad, Seville) Christ Healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda (National Gallery, London) The Return of the Prodigal Son (National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.) Abraham and the Three Angels (National Gallery Of Canada, Ottawa) The Liberation of Saint Peter (State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg) Saint Junipero and the Pauper (Musée du Louvre, Paris) Saint Salvador de Horta and the Inquisitor Of Aragon (Musée Bonnat, Bayonne) Brother Julián de Alcalá and the Soul of Philip II (Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Mass.) The Angels' Kitchen (Musée du Louvre, Paris) The Dream Of the Patrician (Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid) The Patrician John and His Wife (Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid) The Triumph of the Eucharist (Lord Farringdon Collection, Buscot Park, Farringdon, England) Saint Augustine in Ecstasy [Not sourced from the above book, from a Christies auction actually]

Herrera the Elder The Israelites Receiving Manna (unknown/destroyed?) Moses Striking the Rock (unknown/destroyed?) The Marriage at Cana (unknown/destroyed?) The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes (Musée d'Amiens, destroyed in 1918) Last Communion of Saint Bonaventure (Musée du Louvre, Paris) Saint Basil Dictating His Doctrine (Musée du Louvre, Paris)

Zurbarán Saint Apollonia (Musée du Louvre, Paris) Saint Lucy Musée des Beaux-Arts, Chartres Saint Anthony Abbot (private collection, Madrid) Saint Lawrence (State Hermitage, St. Petersburg) Saint Bonaventure at the Council of Lyon (Musée du Louvre, Paris) Saint Bonaventure on His Bier (Musée du Louvre, Paris) The Apotheosis of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville) Saints Romanus and Barulas (Art Institute of Chicago) paintings of the archangel Gabriel and Saint Agatha (both Musée de Montpellier)

Cano Saint John with the Poisoned Chalice and Saint James the Apostle (both Musée du Louvre, Paris) Saint John Giving Communion to the Virgin (Palazzo Bianco, Genoa) Saint John's Vision Of God (John and Mable Ringling Museum Of Art, Sarasota) Charity and Faith (present location unknown; 1852 Soult sale) Saint Agnes (destroyed in fire in the Staatliche Museen, Berlin)

Uncertain source, thought to be Murillo at the time A Resting Virgin (usually identified as The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, Wallace Collection London) The Death Of Abel Saint Peter Saint Paul

Other artists in his collection whose specific works weren't named Sebastiån de Llanos Valdés Pedro de Camprobin José Antolinez Sebastiån Gomez

[yhwhsdaughter]

The Missing Bride (I-III)

[Fem. Reader]

Characters: Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing, Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, Adrian Tepes, Arthur Holmwood, Dr. John Seward, Quincey Morris, Hector, Isaac

Content: Vampirism, Sexual Themes, Angst, Violence, Unhealthy Dynamics

Note: These characters don’t belong to me, except for Alexandra. Some are meant to replace others: Alucard as Lucy Westenra, Trevor and Sypha as Jonathan and Mina Harker. Dracula is not the same one from Castlevania.

There’ll be historical inaccuracies and such, so just humor me for the sake of the plot. If there’s anything I missed, let me know kindly. Alucard will be referred to as Adrian.

PART ONE

It was a stroke of luck, divine intervention, and the cunning of Dr. Abraham Van Helsing that resulted in the injuring of Dracula and death of his second bride.

“Master!”

His third bride ran to him, hands stained red as she pressed on the wound. The Vampire King moaned in pain. A commanding voice broke through, “[Name]! Get him inside!!” and it belonged to Dracula’s first consort, Alexandra. She was vicious in her attacks, hissing, growling, and slashing at the vampire Hunter with her nails, which had grown excessively.

“Van Helsing!!!”

If hatred alone could kill someone, he would’ve fallen dead in seconds. At the sound of his name, [Name] turned, meeting the gaze of the man whose blue eyes held oceans of knowledge. Both of them had betrayed each other; the trust that once connected them had been fractured and it would never heal entirely.

Placing her husband in the safety of his coffin, [Name] looked at him with tender eyes. It reminded Dracula why he fell for her. Gripping the back of her neck, he brought it closer to his mouth, sinking his fangs ever so gently and taking until he was satisfied. She let him, releasing a silent cry. “My dear bride..” he whispered and without sparing a moment, kissed her, [Name]’s blood still on his lips. Crimson filled their mouths, staining their skin with the act. “We will protect you.” Dracula mirrored her smile, pleased that she worried for him, “I’m fortunate to have such a devoted wife.”

When Alexandra returned, she had a displeased expression. “Is he dead?” Upon listening to [Name]’s query which sounded like mild concern, the raven haired beauty snarled, “That damned man, I’ll get him!” She was livid. Her master had been grievously injured and they’d lost a sister. It would be fruitless to cast all of the blame on the precious third bride, but she had played a part in this. And so, Alexandra’s fist made contact with her cheek, blasting poor [Name] to the foot of the steps. “You befriended a Hunter!”

The latter hung her head in shame, face covered by a curtain of hair. Dracula opened his pupils, hearing the commotion; he made a slow gesture with his hand, reprimanding his wives as if they were children, despite both of them being older than a hundred years. “Don’t fight my dear Alexandra, be gentle to our [Name].” The female vampire sighed heavily, cursing in her native tongue.

“You shall find me a new bride whilst I rest.” Both women could not hide their surprise, [Name] choosing to ask, confused, wondering if he was in mourning as they were, “So soon, master?” Once again, Alexandra hissed warningly, “Do not question him!” Because of her seniority and power, the younger vampire bent her will, nodding in obedience.

Dracula could not walk in the sun, amongst the living. He was a creature of darkness and was thus, cursed to remain forever in the shadows. However, his brides could roam the earth freely, though they were still bound to him, as long as his blood ran in their veins.

After sealing Dracula in his crypt, the two wives left the castle and scoured the lands. Throughout the years they encountered many prospect-able individuals, but none worthy to receive immortality. “This is fruitless..” How easy if they could just pluck anyone to be theirs, but their master would not be pleased. “We mustn’t give up.” Their hearts were shattered by the loss of one of their own, but they had to continue their endless search. “Perhaps we should travel the New World.”

And so they did. Boarding the Demeter, the two vampires commenced yet another journey to a place they’d never set foot on, far away from home.

They stood there, still as statues, listening as the waves rocked the ship, Eventually it was [Name] who broke the silence, “Alexandra?” The latter made a small noise of acknowledgment. Wisps of hair blew gently with the wind. “Do you think Elisabeta is at peace now?” Unwilling to answer the question as to where the second bride was, Alexandra groaned internally, craning her head, staring at the expecting eyes of [Name]. Instead, reminiscing at the turning of this spoiled, younger bride.

Naivety had led her to a dark path. When she was human, despite the warnings of those around her, [Name] fell for the strange and mysterious lord that had set his gaze on her. Ignorant to his real nature, she was turned. Without fully understanding the consequences of her actions, [Name] continued visiting her family and village, foolishly believing they would accept her. Rather—the humans set fire to her home, trapping her family inside for being guilty of communing with ‘devils’.

Her wails were dreadful upon finding her home and cherished family gone, chilling those who heard it to the bone. As retribution, the other three slaughtered everyone. Not a single person made it out alive. Rivers ran red and the smell of ash permeated the land which would remain inhabitable for centuries, cursed…

“Wherever Elisabeta is, does not matter anymore.”

“So, what is your reason for travel?” Alexandra swiveled, watching [Name] talking with another guest that had approached the isolated area— the two’s previous chat completely forgotten. She sighed. How uncouth. He smelled terribly, his scent obscured by an obscene amount of perfume. [Name] allowed a sickly sweet smile to grace her lips, though not directed at him. Alexandra looked unamused, not bothering to hide her distaste, “You know I hate feeding on men.”

“What ?”

Both spoke as if he wasn’t there, “Yes, but he’s plump, and I’m famished!”

“Fine.” As they nearly crushed the man with their inhuman strength, the eldest scoffed, “Next time, I’m picking our meal and it’ll be more pleasant than this.” [Name] wasn’t listening, her mouth buried in the man’s carotid.

PART TWO

Adrian Tepes felt himself falling into a wellness of never ending sorrow and solitude. His affliction began with the death of his parents, each within a year. His mother Lisa perished in a fire after trying to help people escape a burning chapel, and his father could not handle the pain of losing the one whom he loved most. His heart broke completely.

Even though Adrian was at his worst, he still urged his dear friends to marry. Trevor had sustained a life threatening injury on a hunting mission and not wanting history to repeat itself, Adrian bid farewell to Sypha, sending her off to Wallachia while he remained in England. Still, the loss he felt was too great—he was empty inside, grieving day and night. The only consolation was the brief companionship of three men he’d met, all different yet similar in the affection they shared for him. Despite Adrian’s rejection to their proposals, they remained by his side.

With a mournful sigh, he opened the morning newspaper, the news of an incident at the docks peaking his interest. The nature of it brutal, enough to garner the attention of the Hunter society; he was sure Dr. Van Helsing or one the members would inspect the case, if there was anything or anyone left.

There was. To be exact, two individuals survived the massacre, though they were no longer entirely human. Initially part of the crew, Isaac and Hector were narrowly spared; one of them to navigate the waters and the other, because he possessed an intellect beyond the regular person. “Assist us, and we will grant you anything you may desire.” Whether it was greed, mere survival, or actual desire, both men accepted the terms and conditions, serving them temporarily as familiars. “What is it that you want?” questioned Isaac, not easily intimidated as he stared them directly in the eye. His boldness appealed to the female vampires, “We’re searching for our bride.”

“Oh?”

Arrangements were made for them to stay to stay in Carfax—courtesy of falsified documents that Hector had forged—an aged estate, though it reminded the women of Castle Dracula so they actually saw no issue with their accommodations. “We’ll require you to be our eyes and ears. Understood?”

“Perfectly, My Lady.”

Dressed in the latest fashion, the immortal pair explored the bustling streets of London. “Do you think master will allows us to visit after we find our bride?” [Name] was dazzled, eyes bright at the marvels of modern time. Alexandra answered in a bored tone, “Perhaps. Though I can’t say I would be ecstatic.” She sneered, not overly fond of the uncleanliness and lecherous glances she was receiving.

Adrian tended to visit a tavern almost daily, drowning his miseries in alcohol as well as his inheritance. What was the use of a great fortune if he had no one? He doesn’t quite remember getting into a fight nor being thrown out. Strewn unconsciously in an alley, men approached with the intentions to rob him down to the last coin. He felt them ruffle through his layers, searching for anything he might hide. Adrian Tepes was truly at his lowest.

“I’m hungry.”

“Don’t be so impatient.”

Screams resonated throughout the empty street in the direction the thief’s had headed; smart folk knew better than to check it out. Ignorance was bliss. Footsteps neared, stopping in front of Adrian. “Oh my.” The voice was soft, feminine. [Name] lowered herself, the skirts of her dress gracing the ground. She examined the golden curls of the collapsed man, whose strands shone like the sun. Humming, [Name] got closer, “What an angelic face~ Did God Himself carve this?” she ran a curious finger over his jawline, tutting at the forming bruise on his cheekbone. Hearing such things about him caused Adrian to open his eyes ever so slightly. When he met those of [Name], they gleamed in awe. To him, she was beautiful beyond belief. “It seems you frightened him.” Another voice, this one callous. Adrian felt a heel kick his leg lightly, probably probing at his inebriated state. “He reeks.” He groaned in disagreement, causing Alexandra to chuckle. “This man amuses me. Do you like him too, [Name]? Shall we take him?”

There was cause to be concerned when [Name] held Adrian into a sort of embrace, carrying him as if he was but a feather. However, he was touch starved to the point where he relished at her forward actions.

When he awoke, Adrian laid in someone’s bedroom, resting on a divan filled with the softest materials. Nearby he heard pained whimpers. Tracing his gaze towards said sounds, which made his trousers tighten, he came face with the sensual figures of the women who’d found him. Rouge bloomed in his cheeks at the sight; the smaller woman laid beneath a raven haired beauty, her dress pushed downwards, enough to expose her collarbones and the top of her breasts, “Aah!” There was a crunching sound, like biting an apple. [Name]’s cries rang as Alexandra dipped her fangs into the curve of her shoulder blade. Adrian felt awkward, not knowing what to do. It felt rude to stay and watch but how would he leave? He didn’t know the way out, much less where he was. As if sensing his thoughts, [Name] stared at him through half-closed lids, possibly what one might call bedroom eyes, not that he’d experienced that before. She outstretched a hand, beckoning him. Adrian swallowed, slowly standing as if he entranced. Alexandra sensed him approaching but she still focused her attention on taking blood from [Name], her mouth pressed harshly against the smooth skin of the other.

When their hands made contact, Adrian nearly buckled, interlacing his fingers with [Name]’s. He was enamored, wishing to kiss her petal lips, drawn to the pinkness of her supple mouth. The young man became infatuated. When [Name] curled her fingers behind his head, bringing him down to a kiss, Adrian fell in love. Out of his lips escaped wanton noises, which she swallowed. This woman was filling his heart with desire and love that he so badly craved. He felt wanted. “You’ve been so lonely, haven’t you?” Unable to speak, he nodded fervently, tears dropping down his flushed cheeks. “Shh..” [Name] comforted him, licking a stripe of his sorrow, tasting the saltiness. In that moment, he would have laid down his life if she asked. Shaking his head, Adrian knelt again for a kiss, stealing more from [Name]’s lips. He was nearly lost when Alexandra pulled him back, not so gently, by his hair. Her mouth terrific and red , opened wide with gnashing fangs. “You’re awfully familiar with my master’s bride. Allow me to teach you manners, uneducated man.”

Adrian wanted to protest, though said comment died in his mind as he was shoved into the plush mattress. Alexandra rested between his legs, making quick work of his trousers. [Name] settled herself behind Adrian, spreading her thighs so he could fit. His head rested on her soft breasts, nearly going insane with her intoxicating smell. It permeated his entire being, filled his brain with nothing but her.

His soul nearly launched out of his body when Alexandra’s cold hand met his warm skin, running goosebumps down his form. A choked noise got stuck in his throat, but was soothed by a tender kiss on the temple by the woman behind him. The vile vampire tugged expertly at his member, her slender and nimble fingers making Adrian ascend mentally all the while [Name] murmured honeyed words in his ear. “I’m— please! Let me come..!” he begged.

Torturously, Alexandra grinned like the monster she was, “I’m afraid we’ve run out of time.” Adrian’s eyes shot open, waking with a startle, taking a moment to realize he was in the comfort of his bedroom. Sunlight seeped through the door length windows, a gentle breeze moving the curtains. He looked around, desperately searching for the women who had caused him to soil his sheets. With a defeated sigh, he laid back down.

“I will find you.” He vowed.

After trying to wipe the evidence of his lust clean, to spare himself the embarrassment that would follow when the maid came to collect his sheets, he eventually gave up, deciding to write the explicit and vivid dream in his notebook. Remembering it made his member harden, but this time he took care of it himself. Adrian felt conflicted; he’d never quite done things like these, having been a virtuous man but the seed of corruption sent racks of pleasure through his body that he no longer wanted to resist. Although he came, he yearned for the touch of the soft beauty that held him with care. All he knew, was that he had to see her again. Soon. He would have to use the association’s resources to do this and while he was ashamed, he also didn’t regret it.

After changing his clothes and answering Sypha’s letter (she’d expressed concern for his lack of response), Adrian left his manor hurriedly.

PART THREE

“You’re so wicked mistress.”

Isaac was amused by his employer’s antics. Alexandra shared his sense of humor, but [Name] frowned, turning to the man beside her, “Hector, do you think me wicked?”

He was caught off guard, answering bashfully, “Hm? Oh, no, I-I don’t think you’re wicked.” Normally he was a person with great speech but [Name]’s gaze made him tongue tied. He was very much inexperienced with women.

“You’re my favorite. I wish I could keep you.”

“We’ve no business here but to collect our bride.” Alexandra reminded, chiding the younger vampire. Restless, [Name] decided to leave the confines of Carfax.

Outside, the wind blew almost violently. Adrian wandered the streets aimlessly searching. He’d constructed a plan after investigating new arrivals to the city. When he heard the women speak, he knew they must’ve been foreigners, for their words were coated in an ancient accent. Using his connections, he managed to find a group of individuals who’d taken residence in the area. They were described by neighbors as odd but relatively harmless (or so it seemed). Adrian exhausted the place but no sign of the one he was looking for. His feet ached, and even with thoughts of resigning, his efforts were rewarded upon spotting a familiar woman. Initially he thought her a mirage, but then realized it was no hallucination, she was truly there in the flesh. “It’s you!” He screamed, causing her head to snap upwards, as she’d been distracted. Adrian was nearly ran over several times as he recklessly crossed the busy street. To the rest he looked like a madman, but [Name] smiled warmly as he ran towards her, “It truly is you!” Sharing his mirth, the boredom which had previously filled her dissipated. Adrian locked hands, clutching them tightly, fearing she would disappear as before. Not wanting to attract too much attention, the vampire led him to a desolate street, where—without prompting, Adrian spared no moment to kiss [Name], quite desperately. It was clumsy but passionate. She smiled, not returning the action, watching carefully as he frowned needily. Dracula and Alexandra always held their seniority over her, bending [Name] to their will, and now she could finally see why they enjoyed it. “You’re so eager, dear.” “Don’t leave again,” he begged yet demanded. His fingers curled at the curvature of her waists before it traveled to the dip of her breasts. [Name] let out a sigh of pleasure, “I will visit you tonight, my beloved. Will you wait?” The affectionate sobriquet had Adrian trembling with desire. It felt like a goodbye and he refused to let go; eventually, he nodded, burying his head in the crook of her neck. “I’m hard…” he murmured awkwardly. Sliding down the wall in which she’d been initially pushed onto, [Name] kneeled in front of Adrian, “I will take care of you.”

Nothing was harder, at that moment, than trying to suppress his moans as [Name] took Adrian in her mouth, the warmth and softness making him die a little. The blood that rushed to this member made the vampire practice restraint. She worked her tongue solely for him, glancing at Adrian with curious eyes. He couldn’t handle it, his fingers tangling themselves in her well-kept hair, trying to bring her closer than she already was. ‘Come for me. I will take it all’ he heard the voice inside his mind. What was he to do, but to oblige?

Afterwards, he felt a little guilt about messing up the sophisticated hairstyle that he’d ruined, but watching [Name], who at this point introduced herself, lick her lips made him want to do it all over again. He muttered her name as if it was one of the earth’s mysteries. As a reminder of their promise, [Name] kissed him farewell and he was able to taste himself with the action. A second more and she would have jumped him, finding it difficult to resist his blood, especially when his heart beat so fast for her. [Name] searched for an easy meal, absentmindedly bumping into a woman who gave her a haughty glare of disdain. She’d seen her with Adrian, two nobles acting like a pair of degenerates. Reminded of Alexandra’s constant disapproval with her actions, [Name] was swift to make the lady into a midday refreshment. Pulling back after she’d drained and dropping the corpse to the dirty ground, she wiped at her mouth, staining the gloves.

“Alexandra is right, women taste better,” she called out to the shadows. Silence greeted her, but the vampire knew better. “You can tell her I won’t be returning tonight.” Isaac revealed himself, not caring that he’d been caught. [Name] felt a level of respect towards him, but part of her felt irked, insulted even, that the older vampire would send anyone to watch, as if she was a careless child. Isaac stood there momentarily, examining the state of his employer before giving a faux bow and retiring.

She had the intent to throw the gloves away but before she could do so, someone else crashed into her form. It only happened because the scent that surrounded the man was, unmistakably, the same as Adrian’s. Looking up, [Name] was met with a handsome face, “Sorry little lady, I did not see you there. Though I must be blind to miss such a beauty like you.” He was a charmer. “Oh, that’s alright.” Another figure bent down to pick up the gloves, raising a brow at the spots of blood. He was fair, pretty for a man. “We apologize for our clumsiness miss.” The first gentleman, who had a different accent, thicker than those of the English, asked, “Are you feeling well?” Concern was reflected in his warm brown eyes. “Yes! I suffer from frequent nosebleeds,” she answered in a flustered voice. “We have a friend, Dr. Seward, we’ll be meeting him soon. Would you like for him to take a look you?” It was a forward suggestion, one that she turned down. “I appreciate the offer gentlemen, but I, too, am meeting someone. Thank you.” She left them little room to reply, sauntering away as they watched in a stupored state.

Adrian waited impatiently, having pushed all errands and meetings to another day. He had even left drinking, momentarily. His ears perked at the soft rapping on his windows. [Name] stood there, smiling, “Well, are you going to invite me inside?” The glass door opened wider, “Yes! Please come in.” It seemed unreal, having her there, in the private space of his room, examining everything under a careful eye. Cocking her head to the side, she lured him closer, “Come to me, Adrian.” With three curt steps, he was in her arms.

Both of them fell backwards, landing on the neatly made bed. [Name] took initiative, guessing correctly that Adrian had little to no experience in these matters. That’s not to say that she was an expert—her master was the only man she’d laid with, though with time, she was no longer a flowering virgin. Her hands explored the vastness of his soft skin, sending shivers down his spine. She traced his hips, waist, ribs, before stopping at his nipples. “Unghh..” grinning at the lewd sounds coming from him, [Name] knew to focus there. Lifting the shirt, she threw it across the room, sucking and nibbling gently at his pinkish buds. “If you do that—!” Momentarily pulling away, which resulted in her sitting exactly on his member that felt more strained by each second, Adrian confessed, “Please, let me take you. I want to feel you inside, not just your mouth, please!” He was so pretty. His hair crowned his head and the flush in his cheeks made her grant his desires. “You beg so nicely, of course I’ll let you do what you want.”

Shedding himself inside felt so good that it took all of his will not to come. Adrian panted, the veins in his temple straining with effort. He was deep in thought, trying to focus on the task. “You’re so perfect. Master will be pleased.”

“What..?”

It was difficult, trying to decipher the meaning of her words all the while thrusting. Laughing, she squeezed, “Have you not realized, my love? We’ve finally found the missing bride.”

“M-Missing bride?” he panted.

“Yes, for the master.”

Perhaps it was childish of him, but Adrian felt jealous, not wanting to share his affections with another man, one whom he did not know in the slightest. Still, he could not afford the luxury of feeling that way, since he was a paramour. This prompted him to ask, “What am I to you?” Her honesty would break his heart but he yearned to know; he felt like Pandora, itching to open the box. [Name] nearly groaned out of impatience, but humored Adrian with an honest answer, “You’re the one.” His brows pinched, awfully close to achieving his release.

“Would I become your husband?” he asked, this time clearly and hopefully. She shook her head, as if it was a silly thought. “No. You’d be the master’s.” Adrian was conflicted, his heavy thrusts coming to a stop. “…If I don’t?” His words tentative, testing the waters. Despite being quite literally connected to [Name], he felt detached when she revealed they would never see each other ever again. “You will live and die, I won’t.” She brought a hand to his cheek, “To be together forever, you must accept the gift, though it does not come at an easy price. It’ll cost you everything: your friends, family, this place. Are you prepared to leave it behind?” Adrian thought of everyone else; they way they happily led their lives. He imagined if this is what his father felt when he lost his mother. Trevor and Sypha came to mind; he loved them dearly but he felt abandoned by them. He felt a tinge of resentment course through his veins. Arthur, Quincey, and John… he knows they tried to love him but it just wasn’t enough. [Name] was. She was tangible, for now, but if she left, she would become only a memory and that’s not something he wanted. If he didn’t have her, Adrian would regret it for the rest of his life.

Suddenly, his hold tightened, to the point to bruising, mating her into the mattress harder than before, declaring, “I will leave everything behind, for you.” Clear droplets fell onto [Name]’s cheek and it took Adrian a moment to realize that he was crying. More tears welled in his eyes, “Please. I will do anything you ask of me, but please, please don’t leave..!” Heart swelled with love, she wiped the tears carefully, “You’re so beautiful, I could die again just looking at you.”

“Please accept me,” his request had double meaning, asking for permission to release and an answer to her proposal. [Name] nodded. She placed a myriad of kisses across his collarbone and shoulder till it lead to his neck. Prepared, she bit Adrian, sucking his blood slowly as he moaned, resuming his previous ministrations. Shortly after, he came with a thunderous force, pumping all of his life into [Name].