#with gwyn that intrigue was up there at top | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fieldofdaisiies · 9 months

Text

gwyn x balthazar | 3k words | warnings: slightly NSFW at the beginning | masterlist

"My sweet little water Nymph, did no one ever tell you to follow orders properly."

Balthazar pulls her down in a swift movement. "I said sit, not hover!"

A mewl parts Gwyn's lips when she does exactly as told, trying to gently sit down on his face. Atop his face. Balthazar wraps his arms around her, moving her even closer, tongue darting out to taste her wet heat.

She feels the vibrations of his growl, the sound so pure and raw, so primal, and it reverberates through her entire body, turning her molten on top of him.

This is a sort of pleasure she's never imagined herself to ever experience. And yet, with Balthazar this pleasure has found her, and is now part of her life.

Gwyn's hands curl around the headboard, steadying herself. Her back arches the moment he drags his tongues through her folds, driving deep into her to savour her to the fullest, latching at her entrance.

"I want to remember your taste. Remember it for when I am fighting. I need to memorise exactly how you feel, how you taste," was what he had told her after posing his request for her to sit on this face earlier this morning.

In an instant Gwyn had flushed from her cleavage up to the top of her head. She had only ever read about such things in her books, never expected Balthazar to even know about it, and moreover suggest it to her. But she was intrigued by it and after a short talk with Balthazar were he made her promise that if she felt uncomfortable she would stop him, she found herself sitting atop his hard chest. Now a little further up.

"I am suffocating you," Gwyn says, or rather moans, hips rocking against his face fully on their own accord. Her back bows, head falling back. She wants to lift her hips, but the grip he has on her tells her she wouldn't get far.

"I would be happy to die exactly like this." His voice is muffled, but his tone steadfast, like he truly means it. His hand travels up the curve of her ass, squeezing, guiding her. They are moving in perfect sync, Gwyn's whole body vibrates, shockwaves of pleasure coursing through her, making her scream and moan, the pitch hihg.

Gwyn comes in an instant, her body partly still caught in the pleasure of the love making from the previous night. Balthazar guides her through her high, letting her ride it out, making the bed shake and rattle beneath them. The young Illyrian has to admit that in combination with all the sensual noises that leave Gwyn's mouth it might become his favourite song ever (ignoring all the songs Gwyn sings, because those are definitely his favourite songs).

Once sated, anew, he gently lifts her up, holding her for long as it takes for him to sit up on the bed and place her on his lap. Gwyn's legs curl around him, caging him, her arms curling around his neck. "My body is like jelly," she chortles, voice breathless.

Gwyn knows that probably her whole body is cowered in sweat, sticking to Balthazar, but neither of them seems to care. Not when these are the last minutes before they have to part. Before Balthazar enters into this stupid battle. This stupid idea that could cost him his life—

Gwyn cuts off her thoughts and leans back to look at her…mate. The word still sounds a little surreal, foreign, but nevertheless absolutely beautiful. She loves it. The sound of it.

Balthazar shifts her a little on his lap, his half-hard cock pressing against her, but no more love making is happening. Maybe they are not yet fully sated, the mating bond still so new and strong, but in this moment there are things that matter more, that are more important and intimacy can also be achieved otherwise. Through other ways.

The tips of Balthazar's fingers brush over her face — moving a few tendrils of damp hair that curled around her forehead back, dancing over the scattering of freckles, smoothing over her lips. He admires her and that for a long moment, drinking her in, memorising every little inch of her face so he has something to hold onto during the battle.

"If my eyes look like the ocean," Gwyn muses, "then yours remind me of fresh hazelnuts in autumn. Those that taste almost a little chocolaty. Your eyes are nothing but warm and rich, like pools of liquid amber that capture you the moment you look into them."

She feels how Balthazar's chest brushes against hers with the deep inhale he draws in. "Ever the poet, Gwyneth." His kisses her. "I love you."

"For you, always." She grins, and even though she tries so hard to be convincing it does not reach her eyes. Inside of her, a whirlwind of emotions is brewing, panic about the upcoming fight mingling with the fear of what if.

What if Zave defeats him. What if he gets injured. What if he does not make it out alive.

Slowly another feeling blossoms inside of her. A kernel of regret takes root inside her chest, growing by the minute, making her heart feel heavy — she should have told Azriel. Rhysand and Cassian should know. They would have been able to stop it, to put an end to it before it even starts. But what then?

What would have happened then? Would it—

"Look at me." Balthazar tips her chin up and locks his gaze with hers. "I will win this battle. Not for the sake of this camp, or because I am so sure of my strength, but because I promised my mate that I'll come back. Because I have a very good reason, despite becoming camp lord, to survive. I have my mate waiting for me. I have a future with my mate waiting for me. The possibility of starting a family with you. Of holding you in my arms every night. Or looking into your eyes every morning when I wake. Of kissing your beautiful lips whenever it feels right."

His thumb strokes over her chin. "Gwyneth Berdara, I know you are waiting for me when I am out there fighting, and this is reason enough for me to return alive. To win this battle."

She wants to tell him that he is a fool for saying all of those things, because obviously there are more important reasons for why to return — first of all, his own life. But there is sincerity in those brown eyes, so much, it tells Gwyn that he truly means it. That she is the most important reason from him to win this battle. She and the prospect of having a future with her.

It is this thought that makes tears well up in her eyes, and before she can stop them they roll down her cheeks, tasting salty on her lips. She is sobbing. "You are the best thing that could have ever happened to me."

"You are," Balthazar answers, pulling her closer. He savours her scent, draws in one deep inhale after the other, carefully, slowly touching her. Gwyn is doing the same, letting her hands brush over his solid body, feeling him, memorising him.

"You are not doing this because of how your father treated you?" She has wanted to ask this for some time now, but yesterday there wasn't the right time for it — now is.

Balthazar's expression turns solemn and he lowers his chin, eyes trained on Gwyn's neck. His chest heaves with a deep inhale and silence stretches out between them. It is not heavy, but it is filled with tension and conflict.

"For a while, after accepting the deal, I thought so myself," Balthazar honestly admits. "But no. No, I decided to accept because I want change and I want everyone in this camp to see that I will bring change. That I am strong - strong enough to handle the camp lord business. I've never wanted to use violence and I will try my best to not kill Zave in this fight. But I need them all to see what I am capable of, they won't listen otherwise. It's the only way to bring change."

He lifts his gaze, and locks his eyes with Gwyn's. She has her lips pursed, and slowly begins to nod. Her hands are still perched on his shoulders, now sliding around his neck so she can hug him. "Alright," she whispers after a moment. "I just wanted to make sure that this is really what you want and not that you still think you have to prove something to someone who does not deserve a moment of your attention."

Gwyn kisses the side of his neck the moment his arms curl tightly around her.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

"Help me with those?"

"You need to take them off?" Gwyn's eyes widen not only in surprise but also in shock. That is a tremendous step and she has no idea what it will be like for him to not have his siphons anymore. They channel power, filter raw power and allow the user to transform their power into something more subtle and varied. So what will it mean if they are no longer there? How will he be?

"Let's start with those on my shoulder, yes?"

He trusts her enough to let her take them off with or rather for him. At this point, he also trusts himself enough to allow her to touch the Siphons and let her take them off. He knows he would never hurt her, his power never would. His soul is connected to Gwyn through the bond — this bond that would never allow him to hurt her.

Balthazar sits down, and Gwyn moves to stand between his thighs, face concentrated when she gently moves her fingers over the first siphon. It is not too easy to remove it, its power clings to Balthazar, holding on so much it almost becomes one with his skin (even through the Illyrian leathers inbetween).

Not once does Balthazar's gaze leave her. He keeps his eyes trained on his mate. Watches how she slowly removes the first siphon and places it in a box Balthazar has provided for them. He does not feel much different, now that only one of them is gone, but he knows things will change when all of them are no longer on his body. He is most scared about the ones on his hands. He has never, not once taken them off. Only when making love to Gwyn. But there is body is always driven by other feelings, other emotions and needs, power never being in the foreground.

It takes Gwyn a while to take off all the Siphons, she wants to spend as much time with him as possible, also gently brushing her delicate hands over his skin, or kissing him from time to time.

Finally, when every single one of the stones is gone, Balthazar feels somehow naked (he is still dressed in his Illyrian leathers, but something is missing).

It feels strange, too much raw power brewing inside of him, only waiting to break free. He draws in a deep inhale, tips his head back, but before he can say anything Gwyn beats him to it.

"I can feel it — your power. I can feel it through the bond. It is strong, but not uncomfortable. It feels like, a walk in the fresh morning air. Powerful, radiant, strong, fresh." She smiles at him, her skin glowing when she leans in and pecks his lips. Balthazar's cradles her face, deepening the kiss.

"And you really don't want to stay here?" He has to ask one last time. There is a tiny kernel of hope inside of him, that takes root in his chest — maybe Gwyn wants to stay here, not having to watch the battle, but she vehemently shakes her head.

"Never," she says, determination in her voice. "I am your mate. We are together in this. I won't let you go there alone. Only over my dead body."

His shoulders droop a little, the upcoming battle, although Balthazar is quite sure of his strength and power, weighing heavily on him. He sighs loudly and slings his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. "I love you so much."

Frigid wind sweeps across Windhaven, making both Gwyn and Balthazar shudder, their hands tightly clasped together. The way to the training pitch feels way too short, time passing far too quickly, and then they are there, alongside many Illyrians. Zave must have told them to come and watch, from Balthazar they did not find out.

He looses a shuddering breath and tightens his hold on Gwyn's hand. "You win this," she whispers to him, and turns her head to kiss his biceps. "You'll destroy him and I get you back in one piece."

"You must be Gwyneth."

"Mother?" Worry fills his entire being when Balthazar spins around, bringing Gwyn with him, shock etched upon his features.

"Don't look at me like that. My son is fighting a battle today, do you think I don't come and support him?"

Corrian is supporting her, holding a little stool in his other hand probably for Fiara to sit down later. She frees herself from Corrian's hold and walks up to Balthazar, cradling his face in her bony, cold fingers. "My baby, you've grown up so much, and I know that I've made many mistakes, but I want you to know that I am proud of you, that I believe in your strength, and that you don't have to fight this battle to prove something to him. Your father is not worth it."

She holds his gaze when Balthazar places his hands over hers. "I am not doing this because of him and I appreciate that you are here." He glances past her, at his best friend, Corrian, nothing but gratitude in his eyes, knowing he will keep his mother, Thena and Gwyn safe while he is fighting.

"And yes, this is Gwyneth, mother. Gwyneth Berdara."

Fiara can only step away from her son and in an instant her arms wrap around Gwyn and she pulls her to her chest. "You are the sole reason for my son's happiness," she tells Gwyn. "A ray of sunshine in his life. Luck and bliss."

A little sob leaves Gwyn, holding onto his mother tightly, always careful of the female's wings.

Balthazar has decided to not yet reveal the mating bond — it isn't the right place now. He wants to wait until after the battle, when it is just time and then tension and pressure not so high. Having a mate is something special and wonderful, nothing to be shared at the break of a battle.

"I love you." He turns to Gwyn. She steps away from the embrace but stays close to Fiara, almost like she is protecting her. And Balthazar realises that she truly is protecting her. Whatever is about to happen Gwyn will try to keep his family safe and that thought makes tears well up in his eyes. And it encourages him even more. To win.

"More than anything in this world. If something happens…" — he now addresses all of them— If…something happens that we don't expect…the key to Devlon's office is in the kitchen drawer with the knifes. Everything is neatly ordered and—"

"Spare us with this bullshit. You'll win this fight. There is no other option!" Corrian pats his best friend's shoulder, trying to make his voice sound strong and determined. His smile doesn't reach his eyes though and a flicker of worry passes over his face. "You'll defeat him, or I'll whoop your ass. I want you as camp lord and no one else."

"I'll whoop your ass too, little brother," Thena says, smiling sadly. She has been calm until then. "Make me even prouder than I already am."

Balthazar inhales deeply and nods. "I'll try my best."

Zave and Balthazar simultaneously advance toward the centre of the training pitch, their footsteps echoing in the silence that has fallen over the war camp — it almost seems like everyone is holding their breath.

Balthazar stops a few feet away from Zave, his eyes locking onto his rival's. Balthazar wants to try one last time - hoping peace will win over violence. His voice is calm and unwavering when he says, "Zave, we don't have to do this. There's another way, we can talk and arrange something instead of a battle."

Zave's lips curl into a cruel smile. "You've always been too soft, Balti. Always seeking the easy way out, the way without any obstacles, huh? But this is not how life works. Life is not all soft and rosy. This camp needs a leader who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty."

Balthazar chuckles coldly, his resolve remaining unshaken. "Don't you dare tell me that my life is all rosy and soft." He extends his hand toward Zave and says, "This isn't about being soft or weak, Zave. It's about being strong enough to choose a better future for all of us. And the choice I offered you, was to see if you would be smart enough to accept it, but you didn't. So, let's begin."

Zave's eyes flash with anger and he hesitates for a moment, a flicker of doubt crossing over his face.

The Illyrian males and females surrounding the pitch watch with bated breathes, almost like vultures waiting for carrion, their gazes hungry.

His nostrils flare and then Zave shakes Balthazar's hand. A cold shiver courses through the whole camp.

Both Thena's arms fling out, grabbing Gwyn and pulling her to her side, her other hand resting atop her mother's shoulder. "He will win this battle," she says, eyes solely trained on her little brother.

"Yes, he will!" It is Corrian who joins them, standing in a stance, hands in his pockets. "It is Baz we are talking about."

Lord Staroff enters the training pitch, patting both of them on the shoulder and then in a loud voice, that reaches every nook and corner of the camp, hollers, "In your corners. Let the fight begin on three."

It feels like everyone is holding their breath when he is counting down, Balthazar now across from Zave, standing in a stance, lethal calm and indifference etched upon his features. "One."

"Two."

"Fight!"

~~~~~~~ tag list: @a-frog-with-a-laptop @brekkershadowsinger @moonlightazriel @callmeblaire @headcanonheadcase @waternymphia @autumndreaming7 @devilsfoodcake22 @readercacau @sv0430 @bubybubsters @cyntia-ktn @honeysuckle-daydreams13

#gwyn berdara #gwyneth berdara #gwyn x balthazar #balthazar #balthazar acotar #acotar #acosf #acofah #acourtoffateandhealing

23 notes · View notes

captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship · 1 year

Text

Men pay a lot of money to get their name into Gwyn's exclusive black book - enough that, with careful planning, she's putting herself through law school debt-free. Once she's graduated, she can retire the high heels and little black dresses and get to work in the pursuit of justice that she and her sister never received.

Azriel Singer's profile intrigues her, with a smile that never shines in his eyes and a delectable body. But will his attitude get in the way of any future potential?

I am so fortunate to be chosen to write Ch.2 of this fic for the ACOTAR Writing Circle 3 that has been coordinated by the amazing @azrielshadowssing

Part 1 was written by the incredible @hlizr50 and I hope I did this work justice!

Here is the link to Part 2, or read below!

TW: mentions of SA

ONE MONTH LATER

This had been a month from Hell. Gwyn was all but dying as she turned in her final assignment of the semester, thankful that she had somehow found the time to study and work a few extra nights of the week.

Gwyn had met with Tarquin the day after the disastrous meeting with Azriel. He was sweet and her saving grace over the last month. He didn’t want anything more than what she was used to offering - just a few weekends of fun. She made her rent with some cash to spare just from him alone.

It was all fine, but Gwyn couldn’t stop herself from venturing to Azriel’s profile, perplexed at what kind of bullshit someone had to go through in order to be such a massive asshole. He was hot, sure, and the kind of rich that would make paying off her college tuition look like a drop in the bucket. Had he been even a little less of dick, she might have milked him for all he was worth.

So fuck him.

But still… she couldn’t delete his profile off of her contact list. Couldn’t break that single connection to the man who equally perplexed and infuriated her.

Gwyn’s phone pinged, bringing her out of her stupor and back to reality. Her group chat with Nesta and Emerie consisted of funny memes, gossip, and the only source of true fun Gwyn had had in ages.

Nesta:

Let's go out tonight to celebrate!

Gwyn:

I am exhausted, Nesta. Maybe next time?

Gwyn entered her apartment and collapsed on the couch, ready to pass out and allow herself the bliss of sleep. Her phone went off again, and she silently cursed as she read the next message.

Emerie:

Take a nap and then join us! It isn’t everyday that you finish your second year of Law School, let alone in the top five of your class. You are a shoe in for any internship in the country. Take the evening off and just live a little!

Gwyn thought about it. When was the last time she really spent time with her best friends? Her weekends were filled with being whisked away on private jets to sunny beaches with Tarquin and her week days were jammed with studying and writing paper after paper. She had some money left over, and with this break coming up she could take on more clients than usual to get ahead of her bills.

Gwyn:

Fine, you win. Now you guys leave me be for the next 6 hours and then we can meet at Rita’s at 9pm?

Nesta:

YES! Finally!!!! First shot’s on me ;)

Emerie:

WOOOOOOO!

Emerie:

Ok, love. Get some sleep, because tonight we PARTY!

Gwyn chuckled at their enthusiasm, and it wasn’t long before she set her alarm and passed out- content and excited for the night to come.

----

Gwyn, Nesta and Emerie strode into the club and headed straight for the bar opposite the dancefloor.

“Three tequila shots and lime, thanks.” Nesta said, gesturing to the male bartender, Balthazar. She had taken a martial arts class with him when they all attended Velaris University and he always hooked the girls up when they came in. He just smiled and brought them right over, ignoring the guys who seemed to be attempting to flag him down to bring them some beers. Nesta just gave them one of her cold smiles and they shut right up.

“Here you go ladies.” Balthazar crooned as he dropped 4 shots of tequila and a small bowl of limes down in front of them. He smiled at Gwyn kindly and she was alway happy to see a friendly, male face whenever she was here. “I haven’t seen you in a while, Gwyn. Finally crawling out of your den to join us in the land of the drunk and living?”

“If only you knew the half of it. I’m literally bending over backwards to finish this degree. You try finding the time to make the dean’s honors list in Law School, work your ass off, and still look this good in heels after a final’s week from hell.” Gwyn retorted back.

His gaze dropped to said heels appreciatively. Perhaps it took a moment longer than necessary for his eyes to crawl back up her legs to her smirking features, but Gwyn wasn’t complaining. He just put his hands up in silent surrender and passed out the shots to all of us.

Nesta held her glass out in a toast. “To the shit we have seen, and the shit to come. At least the booze and company are worth it all.” They all grabbed a lime slice, clinked their shots together, and knocked them back. Gwyn savored the heat of the tequila running down her throat.

As she slammed her glass down on the bar victoriously, Gwyn could feel someone watching her. Her neck tingled as a gaze- hard and determined- bore into her back. Turning towards the dancefloor, she scanned the room until her eyes landed on a pair of familiar hazel ones. Ones that she had ogled in fascination all month behind the comfort of her phone screen.

Azriel was standing there and staring directly at her. No trepidation. No hint of shyness about him all.

She couldn’t read his expression from so far away, but she could feel his eyes raking down her body - noticing her tight cobalt outfit. The skirt barely covered her most intimate areas and her crop top wrapped around the curve of her body as though it were tailored just for her. The fabric shimmered under the club lights, giving the illusion of moonlight on an ocean wave.

His gaze sent electricity sparking up Gwyn’s spine. For the first time in a long time, she felt exposed under his attention. Once Azriel’s eyes met hers again, she remembered the reason they were in this predicament and turned her back to him - deciding to ignore the source of her current vexation for the rest of the night.

Despite her best efforts to ignore him, Gwyn couldn’t help but feel Azriel’s piercing gaze on her back the entire time.

She just ordered another round of shots from Balthazar, whose doting attention was not unnoticed. When the shot glasses of vodka arrived, she turned around to see Azriel sitting in a booth on the other side of the club with two people she hadn’t taken notice of before. The man was as large as a tank. His long hair was tied up in a messy bun and Gwyn could spot some black swirling tattoos peeking out from the open buttons of his black dress shirt.

The woman, sitting on the other side of the long-haired man, was one of the most stunning women Gwyn had ever seen. Surely a model, her golden blonde hair fell in waves around her face and down her back. She was wearing a deep gold top that just barely covered her chest, with chains at the neck and back leaving her tanned skin utterly exposed. Her matching skirt had her shining like a gilded sunset.

“Looks like you have a secret admirer, Gwyn.” Nesta teased from beside her.

Gwyn scowled in reply, content to follow out her plans to have fun and not think about work for a night. Or for that matter, a pair of hazel eyes that saw entirely too much and a broad muscular form that appeared as though it were carved by a Renaissance artist. Why did he have to be such an asshole? Gwyn hated him for it.

“His friends aren’t so bad to look at, either,” Emerie said. I turned to look at her and found her eying Azriel’s blonde friend with predatory intent. She smiled a little to herself. Although Gwyn was determined not to get any tonight, she wouldn’t stop her friends if they wished to partake in a one-night stand.

Perhaps it was reckless, but Gwyn couldn’t help but stare Azriel in the eye as she took her shot, not bothering with a chaser. He leaned forward in his seat - his eyes tracking the small drop that seemed to escape Gwyn’s lips and ran down the side of her mouth. She wiped it with her thumb and sucked it off- refusing to let her gaze fall from his. Gwyn just winked at him and turned back to her friends.

She hoped he felt the same lick of fire creep up her depths and ricochet through her spine. She wondered if the air had gone thick with heat and tension for him as well. But Gwyn didn’t chance another glance over to him.

This was war, and she was determined to win.

“Let's go dance.” Was all she said, and her friends followed in tow.

-----

The dance floor was packed tonight. Rita’s was only a few blocks away from the university, so everyone was trying to make the most of their end of semester celebrations. The girls found their way to the middle of the dance floor and started jumping and swaying with the music. For a while, Gwyn forgot about the pair of hazel eyes that had been watching her all night.

At some point, Nesta had spotted the man who had come with Azriel, and she left without a further glance at them.

He was exactly her type: bold, dominant, and from the way he laughed, he was definitely a teddy bear at heart. Gwyn and Emerie started laughing to themselves at how the man’s jaw seemed to drop when he saw Nesta approaching him. When they approached each other, drifting as though attached to some magnetic force, the gaze they shared was so intimate, Gwyn almost looked away - but the liquor in her system had robbed her of that courtesy.

“How much do you want to bet that Nesta will be waking up in his bed in the morning?” Emerie joked, yelling slightly over the loud music.

“They are either going to hate each other or be inseparable. Time to start writing the wedding invitations now.” Gwyn yelled back. Both girls fell into a fit of giggles as they casually watched Nesta and man start dancing with each other at the edge of the dancefloor.

A few more songs passed by, and Gwyn was fully entranced by the music and tequila. She hadn’t had enough to be drunk, but she did have just enough to loosen her inhibitions. Maybe that was why she had teased Azriel relentlessly at the bar. Gwyn looked over to Emerie who seemed to be distracted, continuously staring at the blonde woman who had come with Azriel. It seemed the woman was staring at her right back.

“Go shoot your shot, Em. I will be fine. I was hoping to leave in a few songs anyways.” Gwyn said with teasing encouragement.

Emerie looked nervous, chewing on her lip as her eyes scanned Gwyn. “Are you sure? What if she isn’t into girls?”

Gwyn just squeezed her arm in gentle encouragement, “You will never know unless you go up to her and ask.”

Emerie stayed until the end of the song, trying to dance away her nerves. When one song flowed into another, she said, “Ok. I’m going. Are you sure you are gonna get home safe?” Gwyn knew Emerie was just trying to stall the inevitable, so she just laughed in return. “I’ll be fine, Em. Go. I will text you and Nesta when I get home.” It was always their unspoken rule. Every time they went out, they would text the group where they were headed after the club. It also helped that the girls shared their phone locations with each other - just in case.

Emerie took a deep breath and turned towards the booth where the blonde was sitting, only to find it empty now. Looking around confused, Gwyn couldn’t help but feel bad for Emerie when all of a sudden her friend turned behind her to find the blonde tapping her shoulder.

“Want to dance?” The blonde said, a warm smile washing over her face as she held out her hand.

Emerie took it without hesitation, “I would like that.”

Gwyn waved them off as she continued to dance by herself, just enjoying the flow of the music through her veins.

She told herself she would stay for two more songs, make sure her friends were ok, and then head home to change into sweats, eat ice cream, and stream Grey’s on Netflix thanks to Nesta sharing her account with Gwyn.

Midway through the penultimate song, a pair of hands gripped onto Gwyn’s waist. They were rough and felt wrong. The man pulled himself close, trying to dance with Gwyn but she was not in the mood to be manhandled today.

She tried to turn out of the man’s grip, to shuffle away with a swift turn to the beat, but the guy just squeezed her waist tighter and tighter until she was being pulled against her will.

Memories flashed through Gwyn’s mind.

Dancing at a freshman year frat party. Another man’s hands on her waist. Her saying no as he brought her into a spare bedroom and took what he wanted from her.

Gwyn stood frozen in fear, unable to say anything. She knew self-defense, of course. She had met Nesta and Emerie at a self defense course for women who had been through trauma. But there were too many people around her and she didn’t want to risk hurting anyone else.

She tried to pry the dude’s fingers off of her waist, but he just leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Want to go home with me tonight, princess? That pretty outfit would look even better on the floor of my bedroom.”

Gwyn shuddered in absolute disgust. What kind of douche just asks if you want to sleep with him without even introducing himself?

“I’m good, thanks. I was actually just heading out. Have a good night.” Gwyn tried to escape his grasp again, but he just held tighter and started roaming his hands down her sides.

“Come on, Princess. It will be fun. What do you say?” he said in her other ear. His beer breath bombarded her nose and all but made her gag. Gwyn just about had it with him and was about to damn the consequences, but suddenly those hands were jerked off of her.

In a startled haze, Gwyn turned only to find Azriel pulling the man off of her by the collar of his shirt. “The lady said she isn’t interested.” Azriel all but growled at the guy.

The guy stared up at Azriel and balked. Azriel stood a whole head taller than him, and the look on his face would send most people running in the opposite direction.

Gwyn couldn’t help but think that that look was kinda hot. Couldn’t help but bite her lip as heat swam through her depths, replacing the icy nausea that had made a home there just moments ago.

The guy just stared between Azriel and Gwyn in shock. He didn’t wait around, sparing her a scoff and leaving. Azriel turned to Gwyn, his dark gaze roaming over her. Looking to see if she was hurt, she realized.

“Are you ok?” He asked, taking a step towards her.

That set Gwyn into motion. She took a step back, flicked her hair over her shoulder in fake bravado, and said cooly, “I’m fine. Thanks for the help.”

She turned over her shoulder and walked right out of the club and into the cool summer breeze.

----

She was in the middle of texting the girls and calling an uber when the club doors swung open beside her. Azriel walked out the doors in a frantic huff. He turned frantically in place until he noticed her leaning against the brick storefront, then all but ran towards her in a frenzy.

“What the hell!?” He said in a panicked voice. “Why did you leave? I was looking everywhere for you.”

Something tickled Gwyn’s nerves. On the one hand, it was sweet that he was looking for her. So at odds with the asshole she had interviewed with last month. On the other hand… “Why? Just cause I am an escort doesn’t mean that you are entitled to my time.”

“I know, but-”

She cut him off before he could give some bullshit excuse. “You made it perfectly clear the last time we met that you wanted nothing to do with me. So what the fuck was all that inside?” She crossed her arms over her chest in frustration.

Azriel cringed at her comment. He loosed a sigh and looked down. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took in a shaky breath before he opened them to meet hers. “I’m sorry for how I treated you that day. I’ve been going through a rough time. My friends set me up and although their intentions are good, I wasn’t in the right headspace. Would you let me take you somewhere so I can explain?” His eyes were pleading. He actually looked sincere.

This emotional rollercoaster was taking Gwyn for a loop. She shook her head and scoffed. “I was just groped by a random dude in the club. What makes you think I want to go anywhere with you right now?”

Azriel’s eyes darkened with rage. He kept it bottled in as he said, “At least let me take you home. Maybe grab some food on the way? I just want to explain. Start over.”

Gwyn didn’t want to deal with this right now. She was at her wits end and just wanted to go home. “Why do you even care, Azriel? We met once, you were an ass, and life moved on. Just leave me be.”

Gwyn was done.

She was done with men who thought they were entitled to her because she sold her time and body. But there were still hers.

Hers to choose who to spend her time with.

Hers to choose when to give it.

But always her choice.

Gwyn started to turn to walk down the street and put some distance between her and Azriel, but he grabbed her wrist to stop her. His grip was light and she could easily shake him off if she wanted to but something inside her was telling her to stay. To listen.

“Please, Gwyn. Just give me a chance to explain. If I can’t convince you to give me a second chance by the time I drop you off at home, you will never hear from me again. You can have anything you want, just- please.”

Gwyn stared at his eyes, and whatever she saw there made her sigh in resignation. She could ask for anything. A lot of her problems could be fixed with that kind of offer. She pulled out her phone and texted Nesta and Emerie.

Gwyn:

Taking a detour on my way home. Be safe!

She clicked off her phone and looked Azriel in the eyes, “Lead the way then, Singer.”

#gwynriel #acotar #gwynriel supremacy #azriel shadowsinger #gwyneth berdara #azriel x gwyn #azriel #nessian #emorie #gwyn is making azriel crawl for her #he will eat out of the palm of her hand #Gwyn is so hot and azriel is so hot #acotar writing circle 3 #acotar writing circle #this was so fun to write

39 notes · View notes

gwyns · 6 months

Note

I’m genuinely wondering how E/riel’s are feeling about that Dusk Court/8th court theory since HOFAS came out. I know they’re coming up with new theories about Elain & Gwydion, even though they argue Elain doesn’t need to be a warrior and wield a sword, but I think it’s likely that Gwyn might have something to do with Gwydion, or even Narben, after reading posts about it.

they're scrambling, as usual, when their theories are proven wrong in canon lol. so they're throwing anything at the elain/e/riel wall to see what sticks, it's quite amusing actually! they say gwynriels steal from them but they're out here giving everyone else's plot to elain, but whether there's anything new, i have no idea. i've been going through some bad, personal things and on top of that, i'm sick now 🥲 so i've been keeping to myself

i agree with gwyn and gwyndion, i'm not sure she'll keep it but i do think she'll at least wield it. and yes! i've seen narben theories since acosf's release and that maybe gwynriel would find it, i'm very intrigued to see how it all plays out!!

#im not good at making theories tbh but well i can appreciate other peoples'!!!#antielriel #anti e/riel #asks #anonymous

5 notes · View notes

deathsweetblossoms · 1 year

Note

Who are your top 5 SJM

-Females

-Males

-Ships

-Friendships

-Crackships

-Side Characters

Helloooo thank you for this ask! I took this way too seriously, thought about this way too much, didn't want to leave anyone out. Disclaimer that I haven't finished TOG past one third of Heir of Fire, so my responses are limited to ACOTAR and Crescent City.

Females: Feyre, Elain, Manon, Bryce, Lidia

Males: Rhysand, Azriel, Tarquin, Aidas, Ruhn

Ships: Feyre/Rhys, Elain/Azriel, Bryce/Hunt, Ruhn/Lidia,... Lehabah/Life (but in all seriousness Aidas/Theia because I need the full story. I want to know exactly what happened. I want an entire novel on Theia and Aidas.)

Crackships: I'll be honest, I'm not a huge crackshipper however -- GWYN/TARQUIN, Elain/Tarquin, Aidas/anyone because I am obsessed with him, Elain/Ruhn was mentioned to me once and, while I've not seen any fanwork about it, I'm intrigued. Gwyn/Emerie. Anyone/The Princes of Hel.....like, please. I feel as though we're sleeping on the princes as a fandom. What are we even doing here? Someone PLEASE join this crazy train with me.

Friendships: Feyre/Cassian (I'm still thinking about how they were on a cute friend-date in the Rainbow before it was attacked. They are SO CUTE.), Bryce/Aidas (the way I just started convulsing when we found out he visited her in cat form when she was a lonely, sad little girl? Hello? And he's a demon prince?!?! This is the stuff of my wildest dreams.), Elain/Nuala/Cerridwen (They understand her moods better than anyone and are helping her learn to bake bread???? OMFG!!!!!! PLEASEEEEE I am DYING to explore their dynamic in Elain's book, DYING. ON MY HANDS AND KNEES.), Bat Boys, Flynn/Declan/Ruhn.....part of me was warring with putting Bryce/Juniper on here, because she was the friend who showed up for Bryce when she was at her lowest, but I hate that they now have a rift between them. IDK I have to reread CC and maybe my opinion of them would change, but that one scene with them stands out.

Side character: Lehabah, The Suriel, Nuala & Cerridwen (do they count as a sole entity?), Vassa, Emerie.....I'm also going to sneak the Bone Carver into this.

#acotar #asks are my greatest joy

4 notes · View notes

twinkleofpink · 6 months

Text

Interlude: A language of Flowers

Prologue..

Gwyneth Amoriee, i greatly hold dear the word love, thus i named after the joy of meeting one. Be free to address me with any preferable one therefore people generally pick out Gwyn and Gwyneth. Fret away, i’ve reached my legal age and now living up by embracing my inner water-sign wholly as i’m a piscesean sun, capricorn moon and taurus rising with ISFJ-T as my MBTI.

English takes up almost 80% of my daily dialogue, Bahasa Indonesia takes the rest. Majorly rumbling about these topics on list: the dearest idols, behavior of orange cats, spotify discovery, animanhwa with green flag male leads and the list still goes on. Hope any of those kindle your enthusiasm.

Note..

A self-certificated huge simp for Jo and Nicholas of &TEAM, Jongseong and Sunghoon of ENHYPEN and Taesan of BOYNEXTDOOR thus if you happened to be an anti to any of the said list, feel free to uncolour the following section. No hard feelings remain.

I revel in all genres of music and am keen to discover any but K-Pop, J-Pop, western, ambient music and classical pieces hold my heart. IVE, &TEAM, Hiraidai, Coldplay and Push Baby are currently on the top list.

In accord with the name, i fancy things associated with the season of bloom, spring. Iris, Daffodils and Sunflowers really speak to me. Also anything in yellow and pink shades had always been stirring my intrigues.

Epilogue..

Tags: #-springtimereverie. #-pinktoyellow. #-flowerlanguage

��💐

0 notes

lovevalley45 · 2 years

Text

i haven’t seen anyone talking abt this but oscar saying he wanted to reveal rue’s true appearance in episode two,,, could u IMAGINE if we’d gotten that and the binx reveal in the same episode. the chaos that would have followed…

#alli says shit #a court of fey and flowers #d20 spoilers #put a new meaning to episode two’d #would have loved to see ppl try n draw an owlbear in 9 inch heels #but tbh i think waiting made it more impactful #with gwyn that intrigue was up there at top #but for rue getting to know them better made the reveal more satisfying #gwyn being binx in disguise only added to the mystery while rue being revealed to be an owlbear is a step forward #that would have felt too soon in ep 2 #so i’m happy abt the timing there

69 notes · View notes

nikethestatue · 2 years

Note

this is something that is the major reason of all the gwynriel shit!! clotho saying gwyn deserves something like this! and the REUSE of the sentence 'a thing of secret, lovely beauty'! which i feel sarah used to end the pov in a poetic way.. because it was already used for elain. but the major thing is people are only romanticizing the "whatever reason"! and no body seeing that it is also intriguing , that why he re-gifted something thay azriel brought for a woman he loved to someone who he doesn't even consider as a friend???

why gwyn's friendship is so deep with the made ones..like nesta! azriel( who has a mysterious dagger which is consider as made! and gwyn is also having information about the trueteller!) and now azriel went to give her elain's necklace again another made by the Cauldron and her locket may have her power as the moment was emotional for her!

why gwyn's bonding with cassian and emerie is not highlighted?

cassian is the first person who trained her and made her comfortable, it was emerie who saved her life and carried her to the top of the mountain..then why its only azriel and nesta ?? and i also feel it's the problem with the way sarah wrote the whole azriel picturing gwyn's reaction.. he doesn't even consider her as a friend, he is avoiding the conversation with her about his singing ...

then why he gifted the woman's necklace( for whom he is going crazy, for whom he brought it in the first place ! ) to someone else! why regifting? why he didn't throw it like cassian or why he didn't return it?

i like to have your opinion on this!

I think part of it is actually a red herring. I think people over-analyzed this POV to death, and I don't know if SJM meant it to be all that deep and serious. If anything, I think the POV was meant to be a set up for the eventual Blood Duel and Azriel/Rhys conflict--nothing else.

But basically, she'd done this before--for example, with Cassian and Emerie--creating a sense of another romantic possibility. With Nesta and Eris, when the ball scene was leaked. She's done it with Mor and Vivian's sister. Mor and Emerie. She likes throwing out these 'what ifs' though they never amount to anything.

She might be playing with the lightsinger idea, throwing crumbs out there, and seeing if she would want to pursue it. I think she wanted people to read that as well, and ponder some of the wording around Gwyn, and what's unusual about her.

Azriel right now, seems to be the only one who basically doesn't have an 'alternative', meaning, Elain has him and Lucien to choose from. Lucien has Elain and Vassa (and Jurian). Because the book is going to be about the MMF triangle, I think SJM wanted to start some speculations. I genuinely don't think that she counted on the level of madness that is Gwynriel and didn't think that people will buy into this so wholeheartedly. I think she expected a Cassian/Emerie level of questioning, which wasn't very much at all. I don't think that she expected genuine insanity around Gwynriel, where people are threatening to burn the next book and give 1 star reviews.

The necklace will likely play some role in the future. So it's probably still needed.

18 notes · View notes

rosereview · 4 years

Text

Top 9 Favourite MaasVerse Couples

I did a favourites list of couples in the Shadowhunter universe last year that was really fun so I thought I would do one with all of the couples from Sarah J. Maas’ universe, especially after reading A Court of Silver Flames (review coming soon). Because of all that and given that Sarah J. Maas never fails to be sneaky with which guy the main character ends up with in the end, this favourites list will be full of spoilers. So like before, the top couples all are couples that for sure end up together, while the honorable mentions are couples that I like or ones that I think would be good together or who I want to be together.

Honorable Mentions

To start off we have character couples that I love but don’t know enough about to be super invested.

Amren & Varian- from ACOTAR. I just think that they are so cute and I love Amren and I’m so happy that she has someone who is there for her. I also think Varian is an interesting character who is the perfect balance for Amren’s intensity, also at all the family gatherings with Varian there, he just feels like the typical come-home-for-christmas-with-a-guy boyfriend who the family gets to know, but also plays around with because he’s new (don’t know if that makes sense, but if you’ve ever had a sibling or cousin bring a partner home for the holidays to a joking-around type family then you’ll get it).

Kallias & Viviane- from ACOTAR. Also don’t know a lot about them, but for the few interactions we see of them, I think they are super cute! The other courts always intrigued me, but especially the Winter Court because I love snow and I also love how close Kallias, Viviane, Rhysand, and Morrigan are (especially Viviane and Mor). I just think it’s so nice that they have other friends in other courts, and again they just seem sweet.

Juniper Andromeda & Fury Axtar- from Crescent City. We only find out that they are a couple near the end, but from the few times we see them together, I think Juniper and Fury are adorable. Fury is just that super badass bitch that I love to see vulnerable in a couple. I just like seeing that badass girls can still have a very raw and human side, especially when they are with their significant other. Also Juniper was always a favourite minor character throughout the book because she’s such a good friend to Bryce. I can’t wait to see more of them as a couple in the next books!

Next I have people who I want to end up together:

Ruhn Danaan & Hypaxia Enador- from Crescent City. I thought Ruhn and the mediwitch had a great amount of chemistry, and when it was revealed that she was actually the young Queen Hypoxia of the witches, I was so excited! I feel like her and Ruhn will end up together, and because I love Ruhn and just want to see him happy, I think that the two of them as a couple would be great!

Morrigan & Emerie- from ACOTAR (more specifically ACOSF). When Emerie saw Mor in the latest book, I giggled so hard! I think the two of them would be adorable and it’s high time that Mor got a new love interest who will make her happy. (I also really want Emerie to be happy now that I’ve gotten to know her more as a character, and I do think the two of them would work really well together!)

Elain & Lucien // Azriel & Gwyneth- from ACOTAR. This next one I won’t talk a lot about because I’m saving it for the review for ACOSF, but just so you know what side of the debate I’m on, I really do think Lucien and Elain would be good together if Elain gave him a chance, and now since reading the special edition short story about Azriel at the end of ACOSF, I ship Azriel and Gwyn together. (Although I’ll honestly be happy with whoever ends up together as long as all the characters are happy!)

Nyx & Unborn Child of Rowaelin- from ACOTAR and Throne of Glass. I saw this post one day of someone shipping Nyx (Rhys and Feyre’s son), and the unborn daughter of Rowan and Aelin, I fangirled so hard! No matter if Rowan and Aelin have a girl or boy first, I already ship them so hard with Nyx. We already know that Nyx would have been born during the time of the war at the end of Kingdom of Ash (because Aelin fell through the worlds and saw pregnant Feyre and Rhys standing during Winter Solstice) so if Aelin and Rowan had a child not long after, they would be close to the same age, and because of that moving between worlds moment, we know that’s it’s possible for the two kids to meet one day. (Also I have a theory that what happens in the Crescent City books will tie into the possibility of world jumping because it’s already talked about in there how most species in Crescent City came from different worlds, so yay!) I know that this is all just wishful thinking, but I think that would be the cutest thing Nyx being together with Rowaelin’s child! Let me believe what I want to.

9. Nesryn Faliq & Sartaq

This list was so hard to make and I’m sad that these two are so low on it, but I just couldn’t get them any higher! At any rate, I loved these two during Tower of Dawn and when they ended up together I was ecstatic! First of all, I think Sartaq would be an amazing Khagan of the Southern Continent and he’s honestly the only real good one of his siblings. Him and Nesryn leading the Southern Continent will be amazing and I love the way that they bonded over riding the ruks. I do wish that we got to see them even more, but considering all of the characters and storylines, I was still satisfied with the development of their relationship and themselves as characters (just want more content with anything from the Throne of Glass series because I know it’s over and that makes me sad!)

8. Dorian Havilliard & Manon Blackbeak

Next is another couple that I love so much but had to put lower on the list because there are just too many great couples in the Sarah J. Maas universe! I never thought that Dorian and Aelin (or Celaena at the time) would be good together, but was absolutely heartbroken when Sorsha died. BUT that death did lead to so much sexual tensions between Dorian and Manon that it was all worth it! I love these two because, again, it is so nice to see a badass female character also have a loving side, but also seems pretty “dominant” (for a lack of better word) in the relationship. I think Manon and Dorian are so great together, and their banter and cute nicknames (Princeling and Witchling) just gave me life! Even though the end of Kingdom of Ash left me completely shattered, I was very happy that Dorian and Manon still had each other, and I think the two of them will be great monarchs in their separate kingdoms, but also together.

7. Elide Lochan & Lorcan Salvaterre

Another amazing couple from the Throne of Glass series! Even though Lorcan was kind of an asshole when you first met him, when he and Elide had their whole adventure together, I fell in love with the two (especially Lorcan). I love a good “bad” boy “good” girl trope, and Lorcan and Elide were definitely that perfect fit. The way that Lorcan cared so much for Elide while they had to travel together was really cute, and I was so happy to see how Lorcan softened up and Elide became strong as well. It was nice that they still weren’t the typical weak girl, always rescued by the strong Fae. Lorcan and Elide made each other show the world their other sides as well.

6. Nesta Archeron & Cassian

This couple I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about but most of that will be in my ACOFS review coming soon, but for now I will just say that I LOVE them! We always knew that Nesta and Cassian were probably going to end up together, but still their journey as individuals and a couple was so fantastic to read. The way that the two of them helped each other out in terms of mental health while still being the individually strong characters was so good to see. Their sexual tension was great to read, and I loved the way that their whole story arc developed through the book.

5. Chaol Westfall & Yrene Towers

Again, I loved these two so much probably because they had their own book practically dedicated to them. I loved Chaol in the first two books from the Throne of Glass series, but like most people, I lost that love as the series went on. Going into Tower of Dawn I was really worried that I wasn’t going to like it because of Chaol being the central character, but like always, Sarah J. Maas writes such good redemption and flawed character arcs that it was impossible not to love Chaol again, and the woman who brought the light back to him. Similarly, I really liked Yrene when we first met her in The Assassin’s Blade stories (The Assassin and the Healer), and I was so happy that we got to learn more about her in the whole Tower of Dawn book. The way that Chaol and Yrene went from hating each other to falling in love was done absolutely perfectly, and by Kingdom of Ash when we found out that Yrene was pregnant, I almost threw my book in happiness, I was so excited. This couple is well deserving of the number five spot!

4. Aedion Ashryver & Lysandra

Now we have another favourite couple from the Throne of Glass series (that series is just so big and full of characters, most of the people on this list are from there). I really loved the idea of Aedion and Lysandra from the beginning when we start to see Lysandra play a bigger role in the series. Again, it’s the banter between these two characters that gets me every time, and the way they make fun of each other while also flirting is just so great to read. I was a little worried about what was going to happen to their relationship in Kingdom of Ash, especially since everything was going so well in Empire of Storms and then ended so badly at the end, but knowing that they got married almost immediately after the war was exactly what I needed. Also I LOVED Aedion with Evangeline and all their interactions, which was also why I knew that Aedion had to end up with Lysandra. Every time a kid comes into the picture I feel like I ship that couple just a bit harder. The three of them make the most perfect family.

3. Bryce Quinlan & Hunt Athalar

I know that technically we don’t know for sure if these two will be endgame, but if they aren’t I will sob and never forgive SJM! I love these two with all my heart and the only reason that they are in number three (and not higher!) is because we only have one book with them. I would not be surprised if they went up higher on my list after the next books come out. First of all, their sexual tension is fabulous. Second, I just adored how they both helped each other health through the book and how they went through so much together emotionally. I feel like that made the strongest foundation for a relationship, and if that foundation breaks, I think I might just dig myself a hole and stay there. While both are strong characters separately, they are just so much better together! Every scene of them was like magic, and they were the whole reason I could stop reading HOEAB. I need the next books so badly, just because I need to see them together more!

2. Aelin Ashryver Galathynius & Rowan Whitethorn

Finally at the top two, and this decision was probably the hardest one I’ve ever had to make. I love both Rowaelin and Feysand so much, this was impossible to decide, but it came down to the fact that out of every SJM book, A Court of Mist and Fury is my favourite. That book is a f*cking masterpiece and the reason for that is because of Feysand. So Rowaelin is second. Aelin and Rowan are amazing characters individually, but like the reason for all of these favourite couples, the journey that they go on together and help each other through, is what makes them so special and so strong as a couple. Rowan helped Aelin in a way that Chaol or Dorian never could, and Aelin in turn helped Rowan through centuries of pain just because they understood each other so well. The best and strongest part of all these couples is that they became friends first, before going into a romantic relationship (except for Nessian a couple others, but you know what I mean). Being able to create a strong bond before anything physical is so important with these characters, especially helping them get through so much trauma, and ultimately seeing that growth on the page connects you so much more with them as a couple. Seeing these characters go through so much together was really what made me love them to this degree (which is a high degree) which is also why I’m having a hard time believing that their stories are done. I will always need more Rowaelin content.

1. Feyre Archeron & Rhysand

And now we’re at the top. Like I just said, this was a hard decision, but it also feels so right. Feyre and Rhysand had an amazing development as a couple through the books, and A Court of Mist and Fury is definitely my favourite SJM book precisely because we see their relationship develop. I am beyond happy that we aren’t at the end of the ACOTAR world and we get to see more Feysand in the years and books to come, because I am not ready at all to say goodbye yet. Just thinking of Feyre and Rhys’ lives now (especially with Nyx) brings a smile to my face, and I think that it's amazing how an author and a book can do that. Both Feyre and Rhysand’s characters are so strong and their journeys were so heart wrenching to follow but so worth it at the same time. There is really nothing bad I can say about this couple, besides the fact that I want to thank Sarah J. Maas for writing such great characters, and I can’t wait to see more to come!

Thanks to anyone who read to the end. I know it was a long ramble again. Stay tuned for my ACOSF review coming soon as well.

Until next time!

~Rose Reviews

32 notes · View notes

gambithq · 3 years

Photo

FAHYRST

Along the northeastern coast of Haelion, just beyond the permafrost that occupies the continent’s northern tip, lies the small city of Fahyrst. Though for most of the year Fahyrst is too cold to attract many visitors, its summers are temperate and comfortable, and it is commonly thought to be the farthest south travelers can go in order to see one of Haelion’s finest sights: the Night of the Endless Day. On the days surrounding the summer solstice, the sun in the north of Haelion does not set for five full days—and in Fahyrst, infamous for the carnival it holds in honor of the solstice, the celebration begins when the sun first touches the horizon on the first day and does not end until it sets completely five days later.

Fahyrst, it is said, spends most of the year preparing its humble habitats for the hospitality of the Carnival. As its greatest attraction, there is a massive increase of traffic to the small city for the festival. This means an influx of trade, of tal, and of intrigue: they say those who venture to Fahyrst for the Endless Night never get bored.

The city itself holds several possible sites of interest: an open-air marble temple to the city’s patron god Laimyre, god of winter winds, the healing of old wounds, and the melting frost; a tall tower from which people claim to be able to see the edge of the continent, though the veracity of this claim is disputed; and the wide fields of frost-flowers, a rare potions ingredient with healing powers, grown only in the permafrost and cultivated only in Fahyrst.

CARNIVAL OF THE ENDLESS DAY

The Carnival of the Endless Day is an elaborate celebration that has grown out of what was once a much humble festival. The sun provides unusual warmth for so far north in the continent and so close to the tundra, which means absolutely no one wants to be inside for as long as the sun is out and the weather is warm. The streets and plazas of the city are flooded with bustling excitement and joyous celebration.

Among these celebrations, you can expect to find:

COSTUMES: bright, colorful silk costumes are the traditional garb of the festival, light for the warm weather and elaborately decorated. merchants eagerly sell fine costumes in every imaginable hue, each brighter than the next, and anyone not in costume can be expected to be stopped frequently by those selling their wares as they navigate through the festival.

COCKTAILS: the city’s taverns throw open their doors and pour into the streets for the duration of the festival, with plentiful outdoor seating set up. to attract business, tavern keepers craft elaborate and colorful cocktails in floral flavors to serve to anyone passing by, some swearing magical properties to the drinks, others with elaborate showmanship—drinks set on fire, drinks with flowers growing inside the glass, drinks that exude puffs of pink smoke, each more over the top than the next.

BLESSED BEADS: some say that the Carnival of the Endless Day was not always a festival centered around the idea of luck—there used to be a winter solstice festival famous for such, long ago. and yet, luck is what many people make their way to the Carnival for these days, those looking for a little extra fortune purchasing strings of blessed beads—colorful glass beads with small flakes of metal inside them, crafted by the priestesses of Laimyre in the temple, a skill unknown to anyone outside the temple walls.

DANCING CONTEST: a two-day long dancing contest occupies the central city square, free for anyone to join. tradition states that the longer you can dance without falling, the longer your luck will sustain you for the year to come.

SOLSTICE LOTTERY: for the low price of a small donation to the temple of Laimyre, you are granted the chance to blindly draw a glass bead from a large jar just outside the temple, with each color representing a fortune for the new year. red beads mean conflict, friction, growth; white mean neutral fortune, a steady and reliable year; silver means good fortune, a little extra tal in your pocket and perhaps a fortuitous encounter or two; and gold signifies great fortune, the kind often reserved for kings.

PERFORMANCES, PARADES, AND OTHER SPECTACLES: great outdoor stages are erected around the city for musicians and other performers to entertain upon, and often the crowds from these performances spill back into the streets and move through town. from almost anywhere, you can catch a glimpse of a crowd of people in costumes, dancing and singing. not to mention, of course, the elaborate fireworks show the moment the sun finally sets at the end of the carnival.

TRAVELING MERCHANTS AND ARTISANS

In addition, the carnival is filled with performances, parades, and various other spectacles, as well as a wide array of merchants and traveling artisans setting up stalls on the outskirts of town to sell their wares.

OUT OF CHARACTER

After several weeks of traveling eastward from a stop near Lodorwind, the Gambit will reach Fahyrst on the day before the Carnival begins, and stay through its duration before heading south along the coast, hoping for a chance to have some fun and make some tal doing odd jobs around the festival. A shop inventory of items available for purchase in the city and at the festival can be found below the cut – please message the main if you would like to purchase anything while in town.

Missions in and around Fahyrst can also be found below the cut. To claim a mission, please post the title of the mission and the two characters claiming the mission in the #mission-claims channel on discord. Fahyrst missions should, to the best of your ability, wrap up around the 16th of May.

MISSIONS

1. THE LAIR OF THE BEAST. Several travelers to Fahyrst have reported being attacked by a massive, shaggy, snow-covered, unidentifiable beast on the road into town. Worried that the beast will disrupt travel into the city for the Carnival, Fahyrst’s captain of the guard Ellora Kel is commissioning any brave enough to find the beast, slay it, and return to the city with proof before the outset of the festival. ( REWARD: 50 tal ) GWYN & VASHKA

2. SECURITY DETAIL. The Mayor of Fahyrst, Darwen Oaswell, fears that his estate at the center of town may be broken into or vandalized during the course of the festival. A recently elected and rather unpopular man, he believes members of his opposition will use the festival as cover for robbing him or otherwise embarrassing him, and to avoid this, has offered to hire you to guard the mansion for a portion of the festival. ( REWARD: 60 tal ) OPEN TO MULTIPLE PAIRS

3. A MISSING CHILD. A young girl named Misty Ridenour has gone missing, and her mother Sera believes she ventured into the fields of shimmering purple frost-flowers just outside of town and got trapped or hurt somewhere inside. The frost-flowers, which grow on stalks of up to eight feet tall, are prickly and difficult to maneuver through, but Sera is willing to provide a reward to anyone willing to venture into them to locate the missing girl. ( REWARD: 25 tal or 3 oz. of frost-flower petals ) ADRIK & TATSUO

4. MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK. A student magician from Lodorwind, Razia Morn has traveled to the Carnival because he desperately needs luck this year, as he embarks upon his final year at the Academy. His best friend Kolra, tired of Razia’s superstitions, wants your help to fix the lottery draw to ensure that Razia gets a golden bead and stops wasting their money on foolish endeavors. ( REWARD: 35 tal ) GAVRIL & OVID

5. THIEF IN THE NIGHT. While the priestesses have been distracted by the Carnival, someone snuck into the temple undetected and stole an important relic—the jaw bone of the blessed frost-dragon. It is imperative that someone track down the thief, recover the relic, and return it to the temple before they have a chance to escape. ( REWARD: 75 tal ) GAVRIL & VASHKA

6. A SURREPTITIOUS MESSAGE. A mysterious cloaked figure with a raspy voice approaches from behind your left shoulder and slips a piece of paper and several coins into your hand. On the paper, instructions to find an elf named Solaire somewhere in the crowd of dancers and tell them the red will run when the hawk calls thrice. The instructions promise more coin if and when the task is completed. Seems easy enough, right? ( REWARD: 35 tal ) OPEN

7. THE SHOW MUST GO ON. World-renowned lutist and singer Clarion Call has been commissioned to perform on the third day of the Carnival, but mere hours before they are meant to perform, their manager Markia finds them dreadfully hungover at one of Fahyrst’s many outdoor taverns, unable to perform. She’s willing to pay heftily for anyone capable of impersonating Clarion and performing in their stead, so as not to ruin their reputation. ( REWARD: 85 tal ) CALLIOPE & OVID

8. THE PERFECT DRINK. Adarius Contravere, one of the Carnival’s two most impressive drinkmakers, has invented what he swears will be the perfect drink. The only problem is: he’s missing an ingredient, and a rare one at that. Desperate to one-up his competition, Ravenswing Ebonaria, Contravere has offered quite the fee to adventurers willing to venture northwards into the permafrost to bring back the necessary ingredient—a small piece of crystal known as giant’s tear, which instantly freezes anything it touches. ( REWARD: 60 tal ) GWYN & TATSUO

9. AN IMPOSSIBLE SIGHT. From high in Fahyrst’s tallest tower, a teenage girl named Varthé has claimed to see the silver wings of the legendary frost-dragon. While most who hear her think she must be making it up—after all, frost-dragons have been extinct, even this far north, for well over three hundred years—if she’s right, dragons are said to drop scales and teeth that make some of the strongest armor in the Fade, which might be worth hunting down. ( REWARD: rare materials ) GAVRIL & GWYN

10. HEALING TOUCH. A short way outside of the city you encounter an injured traveller on the side of the road, alone and in desperate need of healing. Though you watch several other travelers pass by her without making any stop to help, you decide to see what you can do for her. She turns her head up to you and says, “you have shown that you are true of heart. if you are true of strength as well, you will be rewarded.” ( REWARD: a spell of choice ) CASSIAN & VASHKA

11. THE CURSED ORB. Arlo Higgenbothom, a traveling wizard and showman who is in town to sell charmed trinkets at the Carnival, has approached you with a dire problem in need of solving: he misplaced a small and terrible cursed orb roughly the same size and shape as the glass beads used in the temple’s lottery drawing, and he fears it may have ended up in with the other beads, or in someone else’s hands. ( REWARD: 55 tal ) TATSUO & ZHENYA

12. THE OVEREAGER VANDAL. A young upstart political revolutionary wants to plaster the temple, the tower, and the mayor’s home with pamphlets advocating for the People’s Movement of Fahyrst. The only problem is: he’s banned from every major building in the city thanks to his last attempts to sabotage the mayor’s campaign by vandalizing public buildings, and every guard in Fahyrst knows his face. To get his pamphlets in place, he either needs a very good disguise, or he needs someone else to do it for him without also getting caught by the guards. ( REWARD: 45 tal ) OPEN

13. A PROLONGED ENGAGEMENT. A young halfling man named Basil has asked for help locating his fiance, Cedar. The two are from different towns, and met three years ago at the Carnival, and though they have written letters, they have only been able to see one another here each year, and thus had planned to wed before the end of this year’s Carnival. However, having been unable to locate Cedar, Basil is worried either that Cedar thought better of it, or that something has happened to prevent him from reaching the city. ( REWARD: 65 tal ) GAVRIL & ZHENYA

14. MIRROR OF SHADOWS. Among the wares of a traveling merchant, you find a mirror that—rather than showing your reflection when you look into it—shows instead a swirling void of shadows, with something you can very nearly make out within. When you touch the mirror, it whispers to you that it must be taken to the top of the tallest tower, where it will reveal its secret. Unfortunately, the salesman refuses to part with it for less than 1600 tal. ( REWARD: the location of a much-desired object, person, or goal ) LUCKY & OVID

15. ESCAPE ROUTE. A young woman in a hooded cloak stops you, offering all the tal she has to help her to escape the city undetected. When asked why, she is hesitant to provide further details, only insisting that her life is in danger if she has not safely left town by the time the sun goes down. ( REWARD: 75 tal ) OPEN

SHOP INVENTORY

if you would like to purchase any gear or supplies from the shops in Fahyrst, message the main. the following items are available (estimated prices listed):

a show-stopping cocktail ( 3 tal )

a blessing from the temple of Laimyre ( 5 tal )

a bag of crushed frost-flower petals ( 10 tal per oz. )

a fine healing potion ( 60 tal )

lucky Carnival beads ( 10 tal )

a fine colorful costume ( 15 tal )

basic spell or potion components ( 10-30 tal )

an enchanted sapphire ring with freezing powers ( 75 tal )

a cloak of disguise ( 80 tal )

a hand-sized harp that never goes out of tune ( 35 tal )

#fantasy rp #new rp #skeleton rp #fantasy rpg #literate rp #fahyrst #loc

8 notes · View notes

not-poignant · 5 years

Note

okay that uni AU with augus gwyn and the raven prince intrigues me but how do you manage so many story ideas? i hope your doing well also i do wonder what uni course TRP would take because he's always seemed a bit mystical to me thank for all your writing x

okay that uni AU with augus gwyn and the raven prince intrigues me but how do you manage so many story ideas?

Mostly by being really strict with myself, lmao.

I’ve never had a problem with idea generation, I can only watch other people say ‘how do you come up with ideas’ and think PLEASE TAKE SOME OF MINE THOUGH because I go through these ‘idea generation’ phases where I come up with like idk, 30-40 things I want to write at a time and of those 30-40 things there’s like 5 I really want to write. My writing folders are filled with plot bunnies, including Fae Tales AUs from 6 years ago that I still think are good contenders (some still have playlists, like Hard Edges - a Gwyn/Augus/Ash OT3 human AU where Augus and Ash work as prostitutes and Gwyn is in the military and needs to keep his being gay on the down low because of his family).

If I start talking about or mentioning an idea, or brainstorming it, then chances are I really want to write it and it’s at the top of my ‘to do’ list, but that still doesn’t mean it will get written, because I am very loyal to my current stories. I feel like serials and longer stories are like a commitment you make to a person, if I decide to put the characters through my particular brand of hell, then I owe it to them (and the people invested in that story) to give them a happy ending and not abandon them. Ethically, that’s how I feel, it’s like an ethical choice, it’s very weird and dskaljfsda yeah. This is why I don’t abandon long stories halfway through (I may stop early on, and I can abandon PWPs but they’re both different for me). It’s also why I have to be so strict, my loyalty to current projects is always first.

It’s not even something where I get like, bored of current projects. I really don’t. I am 100% into The Ice Plague and Eversion and Spoils of the Spoiled and wish I had more time for those too! I just...have a lot of ideas. Tbh a lot of my life is like, as soon as I finish a project, doing a really crunchy assessment of what I really want to most work on, what is logistically a smart thing to work on (as much as I would like to spend all my life writing different fanfic ideas I cannot make an income off that and I think some of my original ideas are pretty good too!), and then idk, stare at like the 10 different ‘PLEASE DO THIS ONE URGENTLY’ list I have (and the 30 below that, which are like ‘PLEASE DO THESE ONES TOO’) and then I get to pick one thing and that’s...I mean that is the hardest part, always wondering if I’ve picked the right thing, and knowing that once I’ve picked it, that’s 1-3 years of my life gone to that project (longer, if it’s an original serial).

This is why at the beginning of a project I’m often really angsty about whether people like it, if I should stop the project, if I need to quit, and I’ll go through a lot of agony and anguish and stupid anxiety over it like ‘oh god people hate it why am I even doing this I should pull out now because I won’t let myself once I hit chapter 10 so quick, quit now you made a MISTAKE.’ (It really doesn’t help that my beginnings are often the weakest parts of my stories, no matter how much work I’ve put into this, it’s still true even if it has improved).

(Btw - I never have regretted it, I’ve never regretted a single project I’ve put a lot of my time or myself into). Still, it’s when my poor beta/friend needs to offer the most tangible reassurance, and I turn into a pathetic lump over it, lmao. It’s especially hard if, around the same time, I’m getting asks like ‘when are you going to do more RotG stuff? When are you going to do more TGATNW? Are you ever going to work on this AU idea?’ because they cause major ‘OH GOD I AM, I AM DOING THE WRONG THING’ episodes. Tbh, starting to write Game Theory and committing to it, when - at the time - most of my asks were still about SAL for ages, and ‘when are you coming back to RotG’ and literally ‘I don’t want to read your original stuff so when you come back to RotG I guess I’ll come back and read’ - was probably one of my most trying times, but also taught me a really important thing: I have to write for myself, because other people want me to work on about 60 different things, and some of those things aren’t good for me to be working on. Like, I want to make everyone happy. I can’t.

At least I can (and do) work on more than one thing at the same time!

As for the Raven Prince, I’m not sure what course he’d take! It’s fun to think about though. I know Augus is probably taking botany, and I’ve had some thoughts about Gwyn, but the Raven Prince I think would end up around hard sciences like chemistry, bioengineering or chemical engineering with like, a minor in poetry or literature. He’d want something that was literally a chance to experience alchemy, and the chemistry sciences are the closest one gets to that these days.

But a human Raven Prince (whose first name would be Corvus, and yes, he legally changed it himself heh) in this universe would be in some ways very different to the Fae Tales Raven Prince. Like, he needs a completely different back story, and he simply can’t be as wise or learned as he is in the canon, so he’s probably going to be pretentious uppity dickhead with emo fashion sense and obscure taste/s in music and literature, and I already love him :D

#asks and answers #pia on writing #fae tales #fae tales AU #shell games #the raven prince #tbh i don't mind people expressing an interest in old or new fandoms #or being like 'when are you going to work on this?'#or 'i'd like you to work on this'#but if it happens right at the beginning of a new project #my brain breaks a bit #because on the one hand it's like 'omg you're interested in me writing for this thing you like that's so COOL'#and on the other hand it's like 'but...i am already writing...all these things...pls send help'#lmao #anyway #tl;dr being strict and writing down the ideas that i want to write the most #administrator Gwyn wants this in the queue #Anonymous

17 notes · View notes

indulgenceweave · 5 years

Note

16: Top five favorite villains.

Man I tried pretty hard to come up with a multi-media list but I wanted to avoid super villains and, as it turns out, if you mostly interact with video games, you’ll end up with a video game list!

5. Vaas Montenegro - Far Cry 3

There’s something intriguing about simple and total insanity, isn’t there?

What seperates Vaas from other total physchotic bastard types is that he’s the one very obviously dictating many of the events in the story, and is absolutely ready to make sure you know it.

With an intense atmosphere, get-shit-done attitude and personal relationship with the player, Vaas is a stand out villain that helped inject a significant amount of life into Far Cry 3.

4. Colonel John Conrad - Spec Ops: The Line

I’m not going to go into detail for this one. If you want to know, you should most definitely take a day to play Spec Ops: The Line.

Dont let the meathead military shooter exterior fool you: Spec Ops is a dive into the military psyche that pushes the boundaries of what is explored in the shooter genre.

Can a game make you feel like shit for something that it forced you to do? Turns out, yes, yes it can.

3. The Chosen Undead - Dark Souls

Okay yes I know this character isn’t technically a villain, but I’ll be six feet under before I pass up a chance to talk about Dark Souls lore.

From the perspective of the Gods and Heroes of Lordran, the Chosen Undead represents their certain demise and the rise of the Age of Dark. When the Chosen Undead arrives at the Kiln of the First Flame to face down Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, the resulting battle is not one for glory or honourable victory, but desparation.

To the Chosen Undead (and thus the player), their death is necessary to bring about the Age of Dark, or to extend the Age of Fire, and return life to the world lost to the insanity of these men, beasts, and gods.

To Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, there is no greater threat to the kingdom of Lordran than the onset of the Age of Dark. You are the villain in his tale.

2. GLaDOS - Portal and Portal 2

To explain why GLaDOS is a good villain is to waste perfectly good finger energy and keyboard keystroke life.

From cold black humour in the first title to a surprisingly enjoyable and engaging personality and history in the second, GLaDOS is dual-role villain and companion throughout the Aperture Science tests and beyond.

Valve created a master of villainy with this one; a character who is both endlessly entertaining and a genuinely powerful deranged force.

1. Handsome Jack - Borderlands 2

Cruel. Calculating. Charismatic. Other words that begin with C. And devilishly handsome to boot.

Handsome Jack represents the kind of well-written, multi-level villainy you simply don’t expect to find in a game like Borderlands 2. With a look into the kind of man who begins with everything he could want and watches it crumble around him no thanks to his own hubris, the hilarious figure you start with is a far jump from the tortured and pained man you end with.

He had everything, and you took it from him. You bastard.

1 note · View note

gwyns · 4 years

Note

“—and in its center, a massive, working model of their world, the stars and planets around it, and some other fancy things that had been explained to Cassian once before he deemed them boring and proceeded to ignore them completely. Az, of course, had been fascinated.”

“Lots of things. Merrill’s brilliant. Horrible, but brilliant. When she first came here, she was obsessed with theories regarding the existence of different realms—different worlds. Living on top of each other without even knowing it. Whether there is merely one existence, our existence, or if it might be possible for worlds to overlap, occupying the same space but separated by time and a whole bunch of other things I can’t even begin to explain to you because I barely understand them myself.”

Nesta’s brows rose. “Really?”

“Some philosophers believe there are eleven worlds like that. And some believe there are as many as twenty-six, the last one being Time itself, which …” Gwyn’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Honestly, I looked at some of her early research and my eyes bled just reading her theorizing and formulas.”

“The Harp can open any door, physical or otherwise. Some say between worlds.”

“Nesta counted the strings. Twenty-six. She’d touched the first, the smallest, to free herself from the Harp’s power, but what did the others do? Twenty-six, twenty-six, twenty-six … Gwyn’s voice floated from far away, recounting Merrill’s earlier research on dimensions. The possibility of twenty-six dimensions.”

azriel being fascinated by astrology and other worlds, gwyn doing researches with merrill on the possibility of the existence of other worlds (26 in total), the harp being a magic object (with 26 strings) with which you can travel through worlds... gwyn being 26 years old when her life changed (and when she met azriel for the first time)....

DO YOU SEE WHERE I’M GOING WITH THIS?

GWYNRIEL TIME/WORLD TRAVELING IN ACOTAR 5???????

seriously tho i love this. this just highlights how they're compatible and connected even without their interactions and we all know sjm loves her foreshadowing 🕵️‍♀️ and i'm glad you brought up gwyn's age bc i hadn't even noticed that! it adds another layer to this and i'm very intrigued.

#sorry this took forever to respond to! but this whole ask??? love it. i love gwynriel. i love all the little ways theyre tied to each other #acosf spoilers #a court of silver flames spoilers #acotar #azriel #gwyneth berdara #gwynriel #azwyn #azriel x gwyn #asks #anonymous

62 notes · View notes

deathbyvalentine · 6 years

Text

LARP Prompts

Hors d’ouvere

He popped the grape in his mouth, turning away from the dance floor and making his way through the clusters of people chatting and laughing and twirling. He was alarmingly sober, none of the punches or mixers nearly alcoholic to hit him even a little. Noble parties weren’t fun if you were sober. Everyone was shallow or spiteful or boring. Nobody just relaxed, it was a hotbed of politics and scandal and backstabbing.

The observatory deck was blessedly quiet and cool. When the doors shut behind him the peace was almost oppressive. There were plush benches and he lay on one, gazing up at the sector through the clear ceiling. It was possibly the only time he felt anything close to being jealous of psykers - the stars and planets were gorgeous enough, to add the light of the astronomicon into that mix would render the view rapturous. As it was, it already moved him.

The view both calmed and excited him. It was like a reassurance that there was a future waiting for him, away from all this bullshit. One day he would travel and explore and it wouldn’t matter who he was. It would matter what he could do.

He wondered if his mother had did the same thing. Felt restless and trapped by the family she had married into, and followed her career into the stars. He flipped open the compass in his pocket as he often did in his more melancholy moments, looking at the scrawled note inside he had memorised. Maybe she had decided that exploring was more important than her son. He didn’t blame her. He just wished he could have joined her.

Washing (Ancient Greek AU)

Callum slipped their feet into the cool water, sighing as they did so. It was going to be a hot day - you could feel it in the air. Dust was coming up from the roads and hanging in clouds, refusing to disperse. The sky was blameless and blue. Golden morning light touched every leaf and stone. The valleys were starting to wake up and soon the pilgrims would be snaking up the mountain, people seeking prophecies and solutions. But for now, there was peace.

The vapours have rendered them weak, dark circles painted under their eyes, a thinness about them that verged on spirit like. The oracles always seemed more of the next world than this one. But the water did their part in healing and refreshing them, as it always did. It sparkled like crystal, throwing light with every ripple. They leaned down to scoop up a handful, pouring it over their head. Their chiton stuck to them wherever the water fell, becoming almost translucent.

They were expecting someone today. But then, they had thought that every day this month. Someone that kept flickering in and out at the edges of their visions. A man with two voices but one face, eyes that flickered with fire. Whenever they tried to seize on him, the smoke disappeared between their fingers. They had no idea who it was. But they couldn’t stop thinking about him, intrigued.

They stood, pulling back from the pool and taking a deep breath. Time to go prepare, give the people the truth they sought, whether they were prepared for it or not. They closed their eyes and turned their face upwards towards the sun, letting the blessing of Apollo touch their skin and warm them from the inside out.

Dreams

Everything was drenched in gold light all over again, the sector and it’s problems very very far away. This was home, Cal’s heart told them. Nothing could hurt them here. And they slept.

Distantly, they felt something. Someone saying their name, murmuring it in prayer. It troubled them and they wanted to reach out and heal whatever ailed - what were they called again? The name seemed unimportant. It slipped from their fingers and disappeared into the golden air. And so they slept.

In their sleep, deep dark dreams troubled them. Images of violence ravaging planets, Mitra hopping from body to body, Bridge struggling, Nic gasping for breath. But they were only dreams.

And so they slept.

Stealing Practice

The first thing he learnt is that this bloody standard uniform needed more pockets. He was getting rather tired of tucking things into the back of his trousers only to slip down. His pilot coat was similarly useless in holding anything of worth. However, the ultimate combination looked absolutely incongruous but was a treasure trove of hiding places; his flight suit with his noble coat over the top. He had managed three ash trays, a pair of boots, Nic’s bolt pistol and Med’s scanner in this outfit. He had to walk extremely carefully for fear of injuring himself and/or rattling.

After he had nailed the simple ‘lift and conceal while the person is turned around’ method of stealing he decided to expand his repertoire. It had been a while since his skills had been honed after all. His teenage years were a little while behind him. He set himself challenges, partly to amuse himself in lieu of actual duties, partly just to see what he could get away with.

It was a shame Jones was Off-Limits as Lance frequently eyed up his cases of Voidman’s Friends, wondering how quickly he could palm them before he noticed. He gave it a good whole two minutes. Hawke however, he was fair game. Lance got a rather cigar case from him with nothing but a lean against his shoulder, feigning interest in the weapon he was fitting. It sort of seemed too easy. Anya’s goodwill rendered her similarly simple quarry. He got two icons from her, a calligraphy pen and a set of gloves before he realised it wasn’t due to skill and more her lack of realisation she should give him zero benefit of the doubt.

It was time to level up.

Esme was first. She had joked about stealing the necklace from her throat and that sounded like a challenge to him. He had been expecting it to be more difficult, but leaning in close to her and resting a hand on the back of her neck had clearly flustered her beyond all reason. It had been easy to unclip the icon and let it slip down his sleeve before grinning at her and leaning back, disappearing a few minutes later.

One of Nic’s cats proved rather resistant to being stolen and he decided that if it was a living, autonomous being it counted for double points. Triple, he amended, once he saw the bloody scratches on his forearms.

Then, there was the ultimate challenge. Gwyn’s prayerbeads, always hanging from their waist. There was a none zero chance he would get stabbed attempting this. But he would do it. For the art.

The first three times they grabbed his wrist so hard he got a bruise around his wrist, which of course he demanded be kissed better. His moments had been chosen mostly when they were looking the other way but they seemed to have eyes on the back of their head.

So maybe it was low, but he ended up succeeding when he had his arm around them, covers pooled around their waist, lying in bed. This was always when they were at their most relaxed and occasionally closed their eyes. With his free arm he fished the prayer beads from the pile of clothes and shoved them casually under his pillow.

It didn’t take them too long to notice and when they did there was a long moment when Lance was faced with the very real possibility of having his nose broken again before they burst into laughter and told him to keep them.

Then it was time for step two of his grand plan, the one he refused to analyse or consider in depth. He didn’t want to think about why he wanted to impress the man or if this was an elaborate flirting ritual or just the product of boredom. Each item he carefully placed outside Bridge’s quarters, balanced in a somewhat precarious pile. The cat was a particular obstacle but with the liberal application of treats decided to stay put. The armscrew just tutted and rolled their eyes but decided not to interfere. Lance was clearly too stupid to be dangerous. He left a note balanced on top: “Training, Round one.”

Tomorrow

He practically vibrated with excitement as he sat on the bed, legs hanging over the edge and jiggling with barely contained energy. There was a small twinge of guilt in amongst the excitement, guilt that he was so excited about flying something other than the Devout. He’d make it up to her later.

His medical was going well so far, as he knew it would. The augmetics had more than corrected any problems he had had, and he hadn’t been ill from anything worse than a hangover in recent memory. His heart was still pretty damn strong, his lungs only a bit battered from iho. No addictions, no real vices. There was no reason that he’d be unable to fly her.

Meeting a craft for the first time was always a magical experience. By turns it was like meeting a partner, a companion, a lover or a pet. He had no idea what the Spiderwidow would be, but he was willing to bet his life she was nothing like a pet. She was too vicious for that, too deadly. He was going to have to be careful. Which was exciting enough to make his heart speed up.

He was impatient for the paperwork to be signed off and introductions to be made. One more sleep until a very belated Candlemas present. He would be touching something made for the Astartes. He would be interacting with the ghosts of angels, buried deep inside the manifold.

Pacific Rim DuD AU

The water rushed in where the metal had severed and cracked, making electronics fizzle and spit. It was pouring like blood from a wound. Cal gasped at the shock of the impact, feeling it as though it had hit their flesh. They looked over at Baris who had his teeth gritted tight, trying to resist the urge to panic. At least if they were going down, they were going down together. Or so they thought.

A moment later there was a roaring screech, the kaiju lurching forward with its claws, sending a wave of water that knocked them a little off balance. They struggled to right themselves and that few seconds made all the distance. The creature lunged forward again and ripped through the entire jaegar, ripping Baris from Cal’s mind and body.

Excruciating pain crackled across their body like lightening, a broken circuit pressing into their shoulder and shooting down every muscle, making their hand clench tight. Their balance was now completely broken in more than one. The jaegar stumbled and crashed into the sea, unable to support itself on one pilot. Water soon covered Cal’s head, one by one the lights of the circuits and machines disappearing out.

It didn’t matter. Baris was gone.

Sober - T67

Astrid woke up, mouth feeling like a desert. She rolled over in Syn’s bed, finding it empty. Syn must have already went off to work. She had got very diligent since the syndicate had decided they wanted the Saints. She had to. The stakes were higher than ever.

On autopilot, she reached for the bedside table before realising that she would not find any pills there. She let her hand fall on her face and groaned out loud. This was day three of this utter bullshit. She sat up, letting her curls fall behind her like a pink waterfall, a highly tangled one. She had not been sleeping well. She had not been doing anything well. The past few days had been a testament to that.

She was forgetful, tearful and ill. She tossed and turned all night, wanted to fuck constantly and had no appetite. She had turned from bubbly and warm into withdrawn and anxious. Her nails were bitten down to the quick. She didn’t like who she was when she was just Astrid. She didn’t like being clear headed, seeing everything as it was, without the soft bubblewrap drugs gave her. It made everything softer and kinder. And this world was anything but kind.

Already, she missed Syn. Since Rei had died she had become lonelier, clinging to whatever family she had left. But with this new insight, she was rather aware that to many of them she was something of a liability. She didn’t like knowing that. She didn’t like it at all.

She would dress up so tonight Syn would have something to really look forward to coming home to. She may not be good at a lot of things but she was good at looking good. That was like a skill. If you squinted. She had to believe that because if that wasn’t true, what else did she have?

Fresh Hell - T67

Her fingers were dyed indigo, the flimsy gloves nowhere near enough to protect her skin. She stretched her fingers out in front of her, wondering if she could pull it off as an intentional look. Oh well. It was too late. The deed was done. She wasn’t quite sure if it suited her yet.

She definitely looked paler, a few of her softer curves seeming sharper. Her eyes looked more green, her freckles more like stars. The blue framing her face was new and frightening but she thought she might like it. She knew Rei definitely would have, had they been around to see it. This way they actually would have looked like siblings. For the first time she could see the ghost of their sibling in her face, the same cheekbones, the same shape eyes. It was terrifying to know that the only physical evidence of Rei left on this world was herself.

Rei should have lived. Rei was smarter, tougher, more loved. Maybe they didn’t have to be gone entirely - maybe Astrid could be more like their sibling. They could learn. They could grow. They could be tough. They shrugged on one of Rei’s jackets, admiring the effect in the mirror.

The companies and press and syndicate might be able to forget Rei. Astrid would make sure the Saints never would.

Huntsman/A Brand New Adventure - HEA

He stood on the branch, barely breathing. He notched the arrow, bringing the bow up, drawing the string back. He was every inch the hunter, dirt streaked down his face, leaves tangled in his hair. The cart was about to trundle underneath the tree where he was lying in wait. His gang were hidden in the other trees lining the dirt road, in hoods and dresses, with swords and daggers.

He held up one hand, the universal signal for ‘wait for it’. He gave a low, keening whistle, it carrying easily on the wind. One of the horses below looked up, ears flicking curiously. One of its riders followed its gaze up to the tree, and his eyes widen in surprise. That moment is all Peter needs.

He lets the arrow loose and it hits it mark, right in between the rider’s eyes. With a whoop he somersaulted out of the tree and fell upon the cart like a carnivorous beast. It was over in a matter of minutes, blood mixing with the golden coins as the Merry Men shovelled them into sacks.

Morose, Peter sat on the broken wheel and picked at a scab on his knee. Robert clicked his tongue as he pulled the short straw to go and check on their mercurial leader.

“What’s up boss? I thought that went well. No casualities, tons of cash, sticking it to the Sheriff.” Peter mumbled something. “What was that?” “I said it was too easy.” Robert blinked. “What?” “It only lasted like, two minutes, nobody did a dramatic scream, I didn’t see any bones or anything!” “Most people count that as a win.” Peter returned him a withering stare. “I’m not most people.” He stood, letting his legs stretch. He had gotten a little taller from when he had first alive, his cheekbones a little sharper. He looked more teenage like than child like.“No point in a fight if it’s not even fun.” “Tell you what. When you get back to camp, we’ll find you a proper bear to wrestle with, okay?” The younger man immediately lit up, flashing a grin, bad mood forgotten. “Yes! What a good idea I’ve just had! We’ll find a bear!” Robert rolled his eyes but smiled, amused. “Right you are boss.”

Rescue - HEA

The rock on which he had almost drowned had become something of a refuge for Peter. When the world got too noisy or his head too confusing, the world was quieter there. It made him melancholy, the light sadness settling on his chest like fresh snow. It was sadness without a name or cause, the type that felt as essential to the human condition as breathing. It was too big to name, and even a philistine like Peter could feel it.

He let his feet sit in the lapping water of the lagoon, for now ignoring the flashly glints of a mermaid’s tail or the light tickle of their fingers. Sometimes he would snap from his reverie and play. Today though, he would not be stirred from his dark thoughts, and he did not even look up from the spot at which he stared.

Something was troubling him.

The worst part he wasn’t quite sure what it was. The boys were dancing around their campfire, celebrating the latest batch of dead pirates. The fairies were organising their latest orgy, the mermaids were feasting on the bones of the lost and the various tribes were either at war with him or celebrating his victory with him. So why was his mind circling in on itself, like something had scented blood in the water?

He leaned back, looking up at the stars. Unless he was in a bad mood, the stars were always visible in Neverland. He finally siezed upon what exactly the problem was, though it did not add any sort of clarity to the situation. He had forgotten something.

This was of course, not in and of itself a particularly spectacular affair. He forgot things frequently and with relative impunity. What was unusual was the fact he remembered forgetting something. It hadn’t just danced out of his brain with no announcement - it had left a mark. And like a missing tooth, he couldn’t quite stop tonging at it.

He would be distracted for a short while, but he would keep remembering that absence and on and on it would go. He finally stood, scowling at the sky as though it was personally responsible for his plight. He’d get to the bottom of it, he always did.

Glass/Flame - Parador Hanging Out

Mattias leaned back, placing his feet in Sol’s lap and stretching. The land hadn’t quite fully recovered from the presence of the invading forces, but it was getting there. The family’s forest had remained standing throughout it all and being The Coast, there wasn’t exactly any irreplaceable structures to loose. The parador had been restored to very almost its former glory.

Mattias was happy to return after his sailing adventure to the Broken Shore. He sat in Sol’s lap and showed him the few cuts and scrapes he had gained, the story between every one. The excitement from him was clear. His first real scrape with violence and it had been an abundant success the likes of which the Empire had rarely seen. It didn’t seem to occur to the younger man that not all wars would be like this and perhaps he had been lucky. Of course he had put it down to his own skills and prowess despite knowing next to nothing about fighting or strategy.

He clung to Sol as the evening drew in. He had missed him, and he made that clear, kissing his neck and occasionally incautiously catching him with his gilded antlers. It had been to him ages since he had seen his lover, several seasons. Mattias (who’s attention span was somewhat short) had stretched this into eternity. As the sun set over the mountains, he fell asleep against his chest, exhausted merely from recounting his adventures. Glass wondered how Flame managed to expend so much energy on merely existing, though he wondered fondly.

The Fragile, Initial Concept

He cuddled into his side further, stealing even more warmth from him, seemingly oblivious to the fire crackling in front of them. The night was not cold - he would not freeze but this was his pretence for closeness. The Hunter knew this, this small attempt at guile and did not bother hiding his affectionate smile.

The Innocent seemed to thrive much more on warmth of the heart than warmth of the flesh. Wherever he was, with whoever he was with, he sought touch and affection. Hugs, nuzzles, hair pets, with seemingly little awareness of the concept of personal space. He certainly didn’t have any himself and it didn’t occur to him anybody else would either. It was one of the ways he needed to be protected, The Hunter yanking him back from creatures or creations that would rather not be lavished with attention.

The Hunter’s eyes were focused on the forest around them, ears pricked up for threats, looking for the darkness moving in a way it was not supposed to. The Innocent’s eyes were trained up at the sky, marvelling at the endless wonder that was the network of stars and planets, drawing patterns between them. Everything was art, if you looked at it in a special way. He pointed out some of the patterns he had found, explaining the stories he had made up to go with them. Stories free of bloodshed or lies. Mostly they seemed focus on exploration and friendship. The horse was friends with the bear who was friends with the lily flower who grew brightly in the sky. It was laughably childish, no real structure or plot, but he seemed to enjoy telling them all the same. And the Hunter enjoyed listening.

They seemed an odd pair, curled up close, one broad and one slight, one dream like and one grounded in reality. Like a deer and a lion spending time with each other.

#prose #larp #prompts

2 notes · View notes

notanotherbookreview · 6 years

Photo

My Life With John Steinbeck by Gwyn Conger Steinbeck Chapter 5 excerpt -Men Cannot Read Maps Gwyn and John on the road again- Route 66

Throughout his life, John continually showed me that he was a man with a drive and energy that was remarkable and a determination that was unbelievable. Anyone who succeeds in life has to have a complete determination as well as talent. John was a powerhouse of single mindedness.

The summer of 1942 we prepared to leave a hot and humid New York for good old California. We ended the lease on the house at Snedens’ Landing. John decided he wanted to take everything with us, including our fine record collection and all our china, and pack it all into his grey-blue 1941 Packard convertible, which he called “Baby.” He called all his cars “Baby.”

“Why don’t we store the china?” I asked. “We’ll take it. We might be living in California and we’ll need it,” he replied. Even then he was not sure what he wanted to do, but his mind was made up about California, and when John made up his mind, that was it, nothing changed it. He built up the back of the car and fixed it so that Willie (our sheepdog) could ride high up and see out; he made it so Willie could be level with our heads. He sat right behind us.

I packed all his files and his clothes and he packed the car. We had a heated discussion over how to pack the records, some five hundred dollars’ worth of records. He packed them all one way, and I told him he should alternate, a hard end one side and then a hard end the other side. He became angry. When anyone argued with John, it was like talking to a brick wall. He was so adamant that I left him to it.

He piled the records on the floor and our luggage on top, and the rug on top of that for dear Willie. The unfortunate thing was that he had the luggage we were going to use from night to night packed in the trunk! “How are we going to have fresh underwear and other necessities?” I asked. We had a few choice words over that, very choice. “To hell with it,” he blasted at me. “You can last with what you have on until we get to Wake Robin!”

That was that! Wake Robin is in Michigan, and it was the home of Paul and Rhea de Kruif, his friends. Why argue, I told myself, it won’t do any good. I grabbed an overnight bag, opened two suitcases, and pulled out two pairs of socks and shorts, a couple of clean shirts and a sweater and put them in the bag. We started out for California early one morning.

It was such a beautiful day as we headed out through the country. After a while we came to an “Apples for Sale” sign, and he wanted to buy some. He came back with two great big bags of apples, plus a gallon of hard cider. He was as bad as a woman at a white sale! “We won’t stop for breakfast, we’ll eat the apples,” he said. We ate apples all morning. By noon John was feeling sleepy but we kept going and we stopped at some motel in Pennsylvania.

In those days, in the early forties, motels weren’t quite as lenient about taking pets, so poor Willie had to stay in the car all night. That upset us, and we didn’t sleep very well. And the apples worked on both of us all night long, too. Needless to say, it was a restless night. I would get up, throw on some slacks and take Willie for a walk, then take him back to the car and go back to bed after the bathroom. We didn’t get much sleep. Believe it or not, John found some ice and chilled the cider. That was our breakfast. The next day John really pushed the car, and we arrived at Wake Robin exhausted. I had suspected that I was pregnant, but the ride removed that problem and by the time we arrived in Wake Robin it was all over. John was greatly relieved, and so was I.

Wake Robin is a pretty place, and we spent four glorious days and nights there, cooking and drinking with Rhea and Paul, and John and I melted into each other bodies. John also cleaned some guns he had bought and had not told me about. Throughout our relationship and then our married life he always had to have loaded guns around the house. He had this maniacal attraction for possessing all kinds of firearms. Why, I don’t know. Guns create violence, yet in John’s writing there was such a wonderful bond with his fellow human, a feeling that was rich for the land, the sea and its people. There was no great emphasis on violence, just human failings and emotions.

Autumn was on its way and we repacked the car (thanks to Rhea’s support), and again headed west. John kept really pushing that car; he was simply anxious to get to his beloved California where we would stay with my mother and stepfather until we found our own house. I did not drive because I am near sighted. Besides, anyone else driving always made John nervous. Oh, I would relieve him for a while in some of those lonely parts of the desert so he could put his head back. After all, he was pounding out some ten hours a day on the highways. Nothing was going to stop him from getting to Los Angeles as fast as he could.

After we arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he began to complain about his back; he did have a problem with his spine and legs. We decided to relax. “I’ve never been to Sante Fe,” he said. “Let’s go.” Now I love the Southwest, and travelled through it a lot when I was a kid. We stayed in some motel and John poked around the museum. He had a tremendous interest in anything historical, in fact, he was quite a historian. He went to all the Indian art stores and in one found an Indian blanket he liked and bought. That went piling into the car. The weight of “Baby” was something, what with the records, luggage, a ninety pound sheepdog and the two of us. When we hit bumps, and we hit many, we sure did know it! I felt then at any moment the transmission would go. Fortunately, it did not. In Sante Fe John asked me about Taos. “Did you like to hang around that place? How far is it from here?” “About seventy miles.” “Let’s go.” It was as simple as that.

So off we went to Taos, a place steeped in history, the resting place of the legendary Western hero, Kit Carson, and a place where there are many fine reminders of the Old American West, plus a marvellous Spanish restaurant that had been there since I was a child. Taos also has, among other things, a beautiful gorge where the Colorado River begins. John was intrigued with this town. We lunched at the Spanish restaurant where they still made sopaipillas; John had been raised on that kind of food and he ate six for lunch and six more with dinner. John never ran short of an appetite for solids or liquids.

We spent a perfectly wonderful time in Taos. We spent a night in a little hotel off the Plaza where people were nice to Willie. They had never seen an Old English sheepdog, so Willie had a ball, too, with all the Mexican dogs. Dogs are such wonderful animals, often human thinking, and kinder and more loving than many a man or woman. We played around, and were the typical tourists for two days, and then John was his serious self again and anxious to get to Los Angeles.

The only way to get back on Route 66 from Taos is through Sante Fe. We piled into the car and off again we went. John drove like Barnie Oldfield, the race driver, at the wheel, staring ahead as we moved along sixty or seventy miles an hour. If he wanted a cigarette, he just leaned over and patted me on the knee, which meant, “Light me a cigarette.” There was no conversation; that was his signal. Perhaps we might sing together to the radio with me carrying the harmony. After a brief stop in Sante Fe for gas we headed towards Route 66. We had been travelling for some time when I said, quietly, “John, I hate to say this, but I think we took a wrong turn.”

“No we haven’t. I studied the map this morning and we’re going to hit Las Vegas.” “Las Vegas?” I said with surprise. “Yes, I’d like to look it over, see what it’s like” he went on. Politely I said, “Well, I’ve been looking over the land and it doesn’t look familiar to me.” “Well, I studied the map and it says Las Vegas 150 miles, and the map isn’t wrong.”

How could Las Vegas, Nevada, be 150 miles from Santa Fe I asked myself? I shrugged my shoulders. There wasn’t any point in further comment. By this time, Willie was drooling over my neck and pawing me. “I think we’ll have to stop for Willie, darling.” “He’ll have to wait. I want to be in Las Vegas for lunch.”

I kept quiet, although by now I knew it wasn’t the right road. John asked me to reach in the funny box, the glove compartment, and get his dark glasses. I did, and put them on him. “John dear, if we’re heading west, why is the sun in our face and it’s already eight in the morning?” “For God’s sake, I don’t care how many times you’ve gone over this country with your family – I looked at the map!” was his retort.

Actually, we had already gone some ninety-nine miles due east! “I don’t think you know as much about this country as you say you do,” he said. “Want to stop the car and we’ll get out your compass, dear?”

He kind of laughed, but he was mad and drove on. We began to come across funny little towns and then, suddenly there was a sign that read “Las Vegas 25 miles.” “That’s impossible! We’ve only been on the road two hours, and if we’re going due west, how the hell can the sun be in our eyes?” I said. With that, he slammed his hands on the wheel and said, “Goddammit! I’m doing the driving.” “All right, all right,” I said and lapsed into silence.

Soon we came into something as well populated as Los Alamos bombing field – a few shacks and a sign that read, “Welcome to Las Vegas.”

There was never any arguing with John. He was right and I and everyone else were wrong. That was all there was to it. We came to this little town and spotted a kind of cantina. “It must be the outskirts,” he said. By now I gave up and he gunned the motor to a short rise. Over the top we found some men doing some construction work, a tough looking bunch. “Lock your door,” John snapped. I pushed the lock button. “Get the gun out,” he said. I did. Suddenly, there was no road and we hit bottom. We were stuck because the car was so damned heavy.

I realized that John was really frightened. We sat there as the wheels spun. “We’re going to have to get these men to help us, dear,” I said. “Let me do it my way,” he answered. Always, always it had to be his way, the Steinbeck way, never anyone else’s, because he said that was the right way. The men began to walk toward us. Whenever John was nervous or angry he broke out in perspiration. Sweat just ran down his face. The men came over, three of them, and one said in a heavy Spanish accent, “I theenk you’re going to need some help, meester.”

“I think I am,” John said through a window open about two inches. Right beside him he had a cocked thirty-eight. The men had brought some planks and pushed the car and we got out of the deep sand. “Isn’t this Las Vegas?” John asked, greatly relieved and very grateful. “Si,” answered the man. “Si, Las Vegas.” “Nevada?” “No, New Mexico.”

The rest of the day John did not utter a single word to me, and we never did reach Las Vegas, Nevada. He went back on Route 66. He still did not speak to me. I did not dare ask him to stop and let Willie out, and he did not ask me if I wanted to go to the bathroom, either. I knew that whenever he was in that kind of mood the only thing to do was shut up and be quiet.

We drove something like five hours in total silence. Finally, he stopped at a diner and said he wanted coffee. It came as a relief to me, not to mention dear Willie. I took Willie for some exercise and wrung his tights, as they say. We took off again, and still John didn’t talk to me. The radio was on, and, except for the purr of the engine there was total silence. Nothing to break the ice. In a way I was frightened. I was afraid that if we stopped for gas he might go off and leave me: that’s how angry he was over making a mistake. It was nearing twilight and the sun again was in our eyes. I broke the silence. “Where do you want to stop for the night?”

“I’m going right through to Los Angeles.” We arrived in Los Angeles the following morning and he had done nothing but pound that highway. It was almost daylight when we woke up my mother and stepfather. They were not expecting us until the following day. John was completely exhausted, and I wasn’t feeling any better. Even poor Willie was shaking. John had a stiff Scotch and mother made a pot of coffee. I don’t remember what John did, but I know I slept solid for twelve hours. It had taken us less than five days to get to Los Angeles from New York.

I don’t really blame John for his frustration. He had goofed, badly. I do not believe any of us want to make a mistake, even though of course we do. And of course, that time he did.

John decided to rent a house. He found one, furnished, in the San Fernando Valley. By this time he was involved in the filming of The Moon is Down, the story of the Resistance in World War II. That book sold over a million copies, and Twentieth Century Fox bought the film rights. The motion picture was released in the spring of 1943. Anyway, John arranged for the Haitian woman who had worked for us at Snedens’ Landing to join us. Her voodoo intrigued him, and besides, he loved the way she fried fish. She would not fly, so she came by train. She stayed with us the whole time we lived in that house in the valley.

John returned to a normal state of communication with the world around him, and his life once more was pleasant. We spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in the valley with Mother, my stepfather and numerous friends. There was plenty of party action, but John still worked. He worked Monday through Friday on the script of The Moon is Down but when the weekend arrived we saw friends and the corks were pulled. We had some great times with the Burgesses and the Milestones. We went to most of the Hollywood restaurants and usually ran into people we knew, maybe at Mike Romanoff’s or Dave Chasen’s, both heavy movIe star and celebrity hangouts. The Wagner boys were around and we often had dinner with them.

While we were in the valley, Jack Wagner approached John with an original story, but he could not write it. John did. I have the original outline of that story, which John typed. It was Medal For Benny that on screen starred John Arturo de Cordova and Dorothy Lamour.

The first part of January 1943, we headed back to New York. John decided he did not like Los Angeles any more nor did he like living in southern California either. It lacked privacy, he said. Being on the move again did not matter to me. We were together

#my life with john steinbeck #gwyn conger steinbeck #American Memoirs #route66

1 note · View note

bluesdoodles · 8 years

Text

August Bank Holiday Weekend Go To Colne For The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival – New Logo, new ideas putting the great back into the festival. 2017 should see Colne in every music lovers diary from the 25th to 27th August three days of music experiences that will excite and delight.

The stewardship of the Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, recognised as one of the biggest and most celebrated Festivals of its kind in the world, has now passed to Colne Town Council, following 27 years of sterling service from Pendle Borough Council and Pendle Leisure Trust. The new executive is headed up by Jason Elliott and Paddy Maguire, the people who set up Hebden Bridge Blues Festival – winners of the British Blues Awards ‘Festival of the Year’ three times running – together with Colne Town Council CEO Colin Hill. The team have a proud track record of innovation, working very closely with the artists and the community to develop new ideas and best practice; something which they intend to bring to Colne.

The 28th edition of the Festival will run from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August 2017 at a number of venues including the Hippodrome, The Municipal Theatre and various ‘roadhouse’ venues around the town.

The line-up looks different full of intrigue and with new approach of out with the heritage acts Colne has a new ticketing system for evening performances no more arriving and not being able to see and hear the music of your choice as the venue is full. Full line up for the weekend in the ticketed area

#gallery-0-7 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-7 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-7 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-7 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

HIPPODROME – THE MUNI – LITTLE THEATRE

FRIDAY:

Hippodrome: 7 pm – midnight

Tom Attah & The Bad Man Clan – The Lachy Doley Band

Ian Siegal with his band

Tickets £17.50

The Muni: 7pm – 1am

The Revelator Band – Stevie Nimmo Trio – Joanne Shaw Taylor The Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Session

Tickets £17.50

SATURDAY:

Daytime – All act in all venues on one single ticket £13.50

The £13.50 day tickets do not guarantee access, immediate or otherwise, to any particular venue as each building can only contain the maximum numbers at any given time according to the terms of its individual license.

Hippodrome: 12.30 – 6pm

Finalists – Jessica Foxley / Unsigned Project

Matt Edwards Band – Paddy Maguire Band ft. Jenna Hooson – Miles Gilderdale

Northsyde

The Muni 12.30 – 6pm

Finalists – Jessica Foxley / Unsigned Project

Yoka & The Sugarbeats – Gerry Jablonski Band – Crosscut Saw

The Katie Bradley Band

Tom Attah’s Acoustic Blues Showcase @ The Little Theatre: 1 – 6pm

Mat Walklate & Paolo Fuschi – Lucy Zirins & Company – TNT TJ Norton & Tom Attah – Julian Burdock & Danny del Toro The Delta Ladies

Evening

Hippodrome Theatre: 7pm to Midnight TJ& The Suitcase – Rog Tognoni – Aynsley Lister Colne Special Tickets £14.50

The Muni: 7pm – 1am The Kaz Hawkins Band – Jo Harman – Janiva Magness The Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Session

The Three Queens Show Tickets £19.50

SUNDAY:

Daytime – All act in all venues on one single ticket £13.50

The Muni 12.30 – 6pm

Finalists – Jessica Foxley / Unsigned Project

Elles Bailey – Lisa Mills – Alex McKown Band

Wolfpack

Tom Attah’s Acoustic Blues Showcase @ The Little Theatre: 1 – 6pm

Dale Storr – Jess Gardham – Jack Blackman – The Hailbails

Dave Arcari

Evening:

Hippodrome Theatre: 7pm to Midnight Michael Messer’s Mitra – Clay Shelburn – Lucky Peterson

Tickets £19.50

The Muni: 7pm – 1am Gwyn Ashton – John Fairhurst – King King The Paddy Maguire Midnight Jam Session

Tickets £19.50

ROADHOUSE EVENTS

Colne Legion – HERE

Admiral Lord Rodney – HERE

The Crown – HERE

Colne & Nelson Rugby Club – HERE

Camping Information- HERE

As Jason Elliott himself explains “While this is technically a Blues festival, we will offer variety and range to the programme in general. At times, the programme will encompass the wider definition of blues, soul and other related genres, albeit firmly centered in the ‘roots’ music tradition. The reality is that Blues music is the historical foundation for almost all western popular music and nearly all genres are ‘children’ or ‘grandchildren’ of the blues, a fact which needs to be kept front and centre of the story. After all, part of our remit is to keep the genre alive by bringing in new blood; both as audiences and as performers’.

Jason also explained ‘Apart from the world-renowned acts we are bringing in this year, ‘The Jessica Foxley Unsigned Project‘ – focusing as it does on nurturing young and emerging Blues-based talent – in many ways symbolises much of our new direction. Our mission of bringing new life, new acts and audiences into this key genre, must span all levels of experience, technical ability and all age groups to be truly successful. This is where Colne can create its legacy’.

Keep-in-touch and up-to-date follow The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Website

August Bank Holiday Weekend Go To Colne For The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival August Bank Holiday Weekend Go To Colne For The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival - New Logo, new ideas putting the great back into the festival.

#August Bank Holiday Weekend 2017 #colne #Colne 2017 #Colne Town Council #The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival #The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival 2017

0 notes