#madame arrives in the mail

[derangedrhythms]

The moon is always up there pulling and pulling.

Anne Sexton, Words for Dr. Y: Scorpio, Bad Spider, Die: The Horoscope Poems; from 'Madame Arrives in the Mail'

#anne sexton #words for dr. y. #scorpio bad spider die #the horoscope poems #madame arrives in the mail #poetry #excerpts #moon

[outstanding-quotes]

Take this Scorpio, this death-bitch me and advise, advise.

Anne Sexton, Madame Arrives in the Mail

#anne sexton #madame arrives in the mail #poetry #quote #literature #lit #Scorpio #astrology #I am a Scorpio so I like this one a lot lmao

[anggloria]

LOVE BEYOND SHADOWS | EPISODE 4: EN FLAGRANT DÉLIT

Disponible sur TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeRFAbkM/

Durée : 00:04:36

⚠️SPOILER ALERT⚠️:

Histoire écrite:

Chioma a discrètement lu les messages entre Uber Eats et Travis. Sous le choc elle ne sait pas quoi faire donc elle décide de ne pas réagir directement par peur d’être frappée une deuxième fois par Travis.

Le lendemain arrive et la nuit a porté conseil a Chioma: elle décide d’attendre Loree pour tout lui expliquer et de faire comme si de rien était avec Travis. Elle lui prepare un bon petit déjeuné avant qu’il aille travailler afin qu’il ne soupçonne aucun comportement étrange venant de Chioma.

Dès qu’il est sorti de la maison, Chioma appelle directement Loree pour TOUT lui expliquer. Furieuse et intelligente, Loree lui dit qu’il faut trouver qui pourrait être Uber Eats. Ni Instagram ni Facebook n’ont aidé… « Il faut fouiller ses mails! » dit Loree. Chioma fouille dans ses mails et y trouve une ancienne réservation dans un hôtel. Dans le mail il y a écrit:

« Nous vous remercions pour votre réservation, Monsieur TRAVIS et Madame BECKY »

Elle s’appelle donc Becky …

En voyant a quel point Chioma est dévastée, Loree lui propose de prendre de l’air et de faire un tour au centre commercial, puis d’aller au coffee shop boire un cappuccino.

Au coffee shop, un homme plutôt séduisant regarde Chioma avec insistance. Il est beau mais Chioma ne le calcule pas plus que ca. Quand Loree et Chioma sont assis a leurs table, elles discutent de leurs découverte. Loree a l’excellente idée d’aller suivre Travis dès qu’il part faire son jogging.

(dans l’episode 2 Chioma doutait d’ou Travis était réellement allé même si il prétendait être aller faire son jogging)

Même si Chioma a peur de se qui pourrait se passer, elle accepte de le suivre le jour ou il fera son jogging.

2j plus tard…

Nathan, le meilleur ami de Travis, rend visite a Travis et Chioma. Ils se comportent comme des enfants malgré leur âge mais cela fait plaisir a Chioma d’avoir de la visite. La journée se passe très bien et après le départ de Nathan, le moment tant attendu arrive… Travis se prépare pour faire son jogging!

Chioma tente de lui tirer les vers du nez mais Travis ne donne aucune réponse, just un petit bisous sur la joue et… il est parti.

Chioma se précipite sur iMessage pour prévenir Loree:

Chioma: ca y est… je crois qu’il part voir Becky…

Loree: on continue mon plan?

Chioma: pas le choix…

Loree: ma belle courage, tu mérites beaucoup mieux! Prépare toi, on y va!!!!

Quelque minutes plus tard…

Chioma et Loree sont cachées derrière un buisson et ont Travis en vue. Il entre dans une petite maison…

Les filles vont devant la fenêtre de la maisonnette et Loree se précipite de prendre son iPhone pour tout filmer. Ce qu’elles y voient est choquant…

Travis qui embrasse… Becky.

FIN D’ÉPISODE

#sims #sims4 #ts4 #cc #alpha cc #black simmer #black sims 4 #blacksimscommunity #sims 4 mods #urban cc #sims story #sims francais #sims storyline #sims fr #black simblr #black girl #machinima

[murillo-enthusiast]

Greetings,

As I mentioned in my letter to @your-dandy-king, I have fortunately undergone quite an extensive training in singing and I assume it may come in handy during the expedition. When my letter arrived, however, he was already on his way.

...I see the predicament is much the same here.

Could you tell me which path the group took? I would still like to help.

At Soult's afterlife, currently taking the form of Soultberg at Saint-Amans (for it does so shift and change, unlike some of the other afterlives around), Brun is watching Louise bounce baby Helene on her knee. Bory, for his part, is answering the mail and any visitors.

Bory: Ah, Madam Brown! The Marshal had planned for this eventuality - he did want to keep the expedition small, but if any volunteers or well wishers did wish to help, they are welcome!Especially if any dangers come to the Marshal and his companions!

There is a bridge that connects the afterlife of Murat to Bessieres- it is there that Saint-Chamans is stationed, and it is there that our adventuring party has headed.

Do you know the way to Marshal Murat's afterlife? If you do not, or do not wish to undertake the journey yourself, I can guide you there. And I do promise not to stop for any interesting flora!

#the-symphony-of-lydia-brown #the duke of dalmatia's aides de camp #adc bory de saint vincent

[needanevenbettername]

The Girls (TM) Celebrate 420.

Yoko: What do you mean we're out!? What's that mean!?

Divina: It means what it means. We have none left.

Yoko: Well, what happened to it!?

Divina: You used all of it.

Yoko: Oh, I didn't even have that much.

Divina: You put seven Joints in your mouth and would only answer to us if we called you Queen Kush.

Yoko: Yeah, and you were my hot second in command, Madame Smokesalot.

Divina: No I was not.

Yoko: That is no way to speak to your Queen.

Enid, from outside: Are you two done yet? It's cold out here.

Yoko: You have the most important job of all, Enid. Watching for cops.

Enid: This job sucks.

Yoko: You suck!

Enid: Oh, eat me.

Yoko, groaning: Oh well, I gotta make a call of we're gonna re-supply.

Divina: Do not call him!

Yoko: Well, it's my only option. Nobody else is gonna have any at this time of night.

Divina: Do you have the money to pay him?

Yoko: Well, um. I, uh.

Divina: No more favors! I had to take care of his pet raccoon, Mitsing, last time! I am not going through another Rabies treatment!

Yoko: Nobody said it had Rabies. He got it vaccinated, probably.

Divina: I would rather not risk it!

Yoko: Fine, I'll do it! Crybaby.

Yoko, on her phone: Ugh, voice mail. Hey, hey, Ajax! Look, in honor of the holiday, we all went a little overboard.

Divina: You went overboard!

Yoko: I allegedly went overboard. And we're smokin' resin right now. Get back to me ASAP because Bianca is Jonesing something bad.

Bianca, snatching the phone from Yoko: I wanted to get fucked up tonight, and frankly, you're ruining everything!

Yoko, taking the phone back: Woah! You are Zero percent chill right now. Anyway, Ajax, get back to me when you can. Peace out.

Divina, snatching the phone: Also, I am not taking care of your raccoon again! *Hangs up*

Divina: So, what now?

Yoko: Well, let's see. I have this bag of Oregano, and now it's time to play America's favorite gameshow, Is Enid an Idiot!

Cut to a few hours later, when Wednesday arrives home and sees Enid sleeping.

Wednesday: Why does she smell like Oregano?

#wednesday netflix #wednesday incorrect quotes #wednesday #wednesday addams #enid sinclair #yoko tanaka #bianca barclay #divina #yokovina #source: 50% off

[eyeballpussy]

Game - Sebastian Michaelis x chubby! Fem! Reader

Warnings: alcohol and getting drunk, lap sitting, suggestive talk, Sebastian gets hard, teasing, they don’t actually fuck, this is part one.

Big gaps in texts are supposed to be time skips

Lmk if I should actually write part two

Not proof read !!!!!!!

_______________________________________________

You had gotten a letter in the mail about a small get together for the ‘adults’ in the mail. It’s was from Ceil, A friend you had met through Sebastian, his butler. It was a hand written letter, it read “Madam Y/n, as per my master’s request, you have been invited to the manor for an adults night. We encourage that you come tonight at 9:00pm.”

You just took it inside. You didn’t know what he meant by “adult night” was it a suggestive party? Or just a get together of certain adults. Anyways, it was around 5:00pm when you read the letter so you decided to start getter ready.

You were about to walk out the door before you looked at the sky and saw it was still light out. “Fuck it” you told yourself, not wanting to wait in your home.

You began your walk to the manor. It was quite funny actually, you were a being that could fly for fucks sake and your walking. You were about halfway there when you got fed up and just flew.

When you arrived at the building, you looked through the window to see Sebastian setting out some silverware. You knocked on the door and it opened a couple seconds later.

“Madam Y/n? Your here early.” He said. You walked in. “I suppose I am. Do you need any help at all?” You asked as Sebastian took your coat from you and hug it up.

“Oh dear no, that’s a butlers job” he said. “But it’s an adults night. Shouldn’t you be taking a break?” You asked. He led you to a seat at the table. “Im allowed a break after my master is put to bed.” He said.

You nodded in response. “Why are you hear so early?” A young voice called out. “Well isn’t it always nice to see you, ciel” You told. He began to speak but there was a knock at the door.

You started to get up to get it but a hand was placed onto your shoulder. “Sit, madam y/n, this is another butler job” he said in a teasing voice. From the door in came grell, madam red, Ronald, and William. In total being six adults in the room now.

Grell walked into the dinning room and yelled, “what the hell is she doing here?!” She almost screamed. Grell had hated you for two reasons, one, you were a demon, like Sebastian which he was more liking to mate with. And two, you were so much prettier than her.

“I’m an adult am I not?” You asked, acting oblivious. “That’s not the point!” She mumbled. You greeted the other people who came in and you all sat down at the table

It was well into the night by now. Ciel was put to sleep and it was just the adults now. William hadn’t taken a sip of alcohol while madam red, grell and Roland on the other hand were drunk off their asses. Somehow, the room fell silent for a second.

“Sebastian..” madam red slurred out. He looked in her direction. “Ya know how you always so composed?” She dragged out. “Yes, why?” He asked In return. She thought for a moment before sitting up and yelling “how about we play a game. Whoever can make Sebastian flustered wins $100!”

“I don’t see why not” he said with a smirk on his face. Everyone began telling inappropriate stories and jokes to try and get him to crack but nothing worked. You tried thinking of anytime you’ve caught him staring at someone and where he was looking.

An idea suddenly popped into your head. “Sebastian, you don’t strike me as a guy who’s like a skinned girl” you started. He only nodded in response, wondering where you were going with this.

“But if a girls too big you don’t like them either huh” you got up and walked towards him. You sat your thick thighs on either sides of his legs, caging him. You grabbed his hand and brought to your waist, setting it down.

“I suppose my body would be to your liking?” You stared into his eyes. Type watched as his face went from pale to a bright red in an instant. You got off of him and sat down next to him.

You looked around a the room as you started laughing. Madam red looked so shocked, grell looked like she was about to kill you, and Ronald and William were both slightly blushing.

When you finished laughing you looked At Sebastian’s face again, it was still such a bright color. Your eyes trailed down his body and stopped at his crotch. He was hard.

He definitely wasn’t fully hard but he also looked huge. The others were to distracted to notice. He stood up “it is time for you all to leave. Sighs were heard as they walked out the door.

You began to walk out but your wrist was grabbed. “Your staying here for the night” he told you.

#sebastian michaelis #Sebastian michaelis smut #black butler #black butler smut #Sebastian michaelis x reader #Sebastian michaelis x reader smut

[sjsmith56]

First Date

Summary: A misdirected mail mishap results in a young woman, recently moved to New York City meeting the Avenger, Bucky Barnes. With Sam’s help Bucky asks her out then spends the week trying to come up with the perfect first date.

Length: 5K

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, named OFC (Holly), unnamed OFC (sister).

Warnings: Both sisters are mostly not physically described, they’re single, slightly plus sized, nervous Bucky, some slightly impure thoughts from OFC, otherwise this is a pretty fluffy piece.

Author notes: Alternating first person POV between OFC and Bucky. Right now it’s a one shot but it could become more if I get enough feedback. Takes place in a slightly AU MCU, after the events of Endgame and FATWS (one where Bucky and Sam tackled the Flag Smashers themselves as the other Avengers were dealing with other things). There is a tease for a double date with Steve Rogers and Holly’s sister (Coney Island?) so if you would like to see another instalment please comment.

Second date Third date

📦

Holly

I stepped out of the elevator and stopped as soon as I saw the box leaning on my door. Another package. Great. This made four packages delivered to my address instead of the other address which was printed on the shipping label. Another package I had to physically take to the post office to deliver to the correct address. Another hour out of my day standing in line then having to explain that James Barnes didn’t live at my address, was unknown to me, and that he had an unlisted phone number so I couldn’t phone him to pick up his mail. Looking at my watch I sighed. It was already too late to take the package in if I was going to make it to my evening dance class. That meant I would have to take the package to work with me tomorrow then drop it off on my way home.

“Why don’t you just keep it?” my sister suggested when I mentioned it to her at the dance studio. “Obviously the guy keeps putting something wrong on the shipping information whenever he orders whatever he’s buying.”

“You know I can’t do that,” I replied as I started in first position. “If it was my package being misdirected, I would hope that whoever received it would be honest enough to return it. They don’t come back so they obviously make it to him eventually.”

“Or he cancels his order,” said my sister as she mimicked my actions.

“Ladies, less talk, more focus,” said Madame Elise, the ballet mistress.

We both made a face at her when she turned, then both tried to stifle our giggles after. For being in our early thirties we both had our juvenile moments. After class we dried off the perspiration before pulling our sweats on. We never showered at the studio as the facilities bordered on disgusting plus there was a core group of women there with perfect dancer bodies that made us feel inadequate. I’m not into body shaming and although they never said anything out loud it wasn’t hard to see their opinions about our figures in their eyes. Neither of us needed that kind of judgement especially when we were in between boyfriends. On our way out we stopped and picked up an iced cappuccino at the coffee shop then walked to the subway. Finishing our drinks just before the train arrived, we boarded.

When it came to my sister’s stop, she stood up, did a little pirouette and performed a jeté out the door onto the platform. Grinning at her I waved then settled back into the seat ready to get off at my stop, the next one. Joining the others who were also getting off we walked up the stairs towards the exit. I had to stop at the bodega as I was out of milk so by the time I was walking up the steps of the apartment building, it was already dark. Pressing the button for the elevator I waited and waited but it didn’t come, and I groaned as I really didn’t want to walk up five flights of stairs. It had been working well when I left. One of my neighbours came down the stairs with their garbage bag for the dumpster out back.

“It was working earlier,” I stated, gesturing to the elevator.

“Yeah, it was but someone pressed all the buttons as a joke, and it got stuck on four,” he said. “It’s sitting there with an open door. The super called a repairman, but they won’t be in until tomorrow.” He headed towards the door to the alley. “You have someone waiting for you at your door. A big guy. I think he used to live there before you. Something about his mail still being redirected to your address.”

With a sigh I began the long climb up to the fifth floor. There was a man leaning against the wall outside my door. He must have heard me coming up the stairs as he looked in my direction as I exited the stairwell. Even from that distance I was aware of his size, tall and broad shouldered. His dark hair, just long enough to kiss the collar of his jacket, framed a very handsome face highlighted by a pair of incredible blue eyes.

“Hi,” he said casually, with a slight wave of his hand, before he put his phone back in his jacket pocket. “I’m sorry to bother you but the post office screwed up the redirection of my old mail, most of it anyways. They’ve been sending things with my new address on the shipping label back to here.”

“That explains it I guess.” I smiled at him. “Mr. Barnes, is it? I tried to find a way to call but there was no listing for your name. I would have dropped the packages off, but the other address is so far away, and I don’t have a car.”

“Call me Bucky.” His eyes lit up as he smiled. “Not a problem. I’ll leave you my number so if any more mail shows up here, I can pick it up at your convenience.”

Between the time I unlocked my door, and I went inside to retrieve his package I realized who he was. He was still waiting in the hallway, which struck me as odd, until I recalled that I hadn’t invited him in. Looking towards the open door I could see him waiting there patiently.

“I’m sorry, where are my manners?” I stammered. “Would you like to come in?”

“Sure,” he answered, stepping just inside, looking a little uncomfortable. “I didn’t want to presume anything.”

“Did you get the other packages that I returned?” I asked, holding the most recent package in my hands. “I would have brought them over but it’s quite the train ride from here to Midtown.”

“Yes, they did arrive, not that it fixed things.” His smile was warm. “I wouldn’t have expected you to do the Post Office’s job.” He looked a little more at the small flat. “You fixed it up nice here, much nicer than I had it.”

“You lived here for how long?” I asked. “I’ve been here two months.”

“Almost a year,” he replied. “After I got some legal matters cleared up, I had to live in the New York area. This was affordable and it wasn’t far from where I grew up.”

There was an awkward silence, so I stepped forward at the same time he did, intending to give him his package. In the light of my apartment, he was even more handsome, and I tried desperately to think of something to say to him, but my mind went blank, and I smiled politely instead. He took the package and nodded, then turned around, walking out.

“Wait, your phone number!” I called, running to the doorway.

He was at the top of the stairs and sheepishly came back. I unlocked my phone and offered it to him, to enter his information in. Looking at it I sent him a text, then watched as he took his phone out, seeing my name, Holly, which in my blank state of mind had forgotten to give him earlier.

“That’s a pretty name,” he said, as my attention was focused on those beautiful eyes. “I won’t forget who it belongs to.”

“Thank you, it’s been nice meeting you,” I replied.

He headed back down the stairs, and I closed the door, setting the deadbolt in place. I had just met an Avenger. 🔹

Bucky

Sam was still sitting in the driver’s seat, checking his phone when I stepped out of Holly’s building and up to the truck.

“That took you long enough,” he said.

“She wasn’t home, and I wasn’t leaving without my package,” I replied. “You must have seen her coming in. Tall, dark haired, wearing sweats.”

He shrugged. “Pretty?”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I got so tongue tied. Said I would leave her my phone number then I almost left without giving it to her.”

“You get her number? Did you ask her out?”

“What, already?” I sighed again. “That’s a bit quick, isn’t it?”

“What would old Bucky have done?” he asked. “Would he have asked her out right away?”

“Yeah, but I’m not him anymore.”

“Give me your phone.”

Sam held his hand out. With a third sigh I handed it to him. He tapped out a message and sent it then handed my phone back so I could read what he sent.

Me: Are you free Friday night? I understand if you have other plans. Just thought we could meet for drinks, or I could pick you up. You don’t have to feel obligated or anything.

I couldn’t believe he did that, and I almost started texting to take it back when I got a reply.

Her: I am free on Friday night. We could meet somewhere, or you could pick me up. I’m good either way. Nothing too fancy. I’m not into that.

Staring at my phone screen I tried to think of what to say, not wanting to sound desperate or needy.

Me: Okay! I’ll pick you up at 7:30. You okay with riding a motorcycle?

Her: Sure, that means jeans and a jacket, right? I don’t have a helmet.

Me: I have a spare. Looking forward to it. See you then.

I had a date, an actual date, with a nice-looking girl … woman. Bad habit. I showed Sam and he grinned.

“See, old Bucky is still there. Where are you going?”

I looked at him and swallowed. Old Bucky would have taken a girl out in style, dinner, then dancing, then whatever came from that. But I had already told her that I was picking her up by motorcycle, which meant casual, which meant something outdoors, or a movie, or sightseeing. He started the truck up to drive back to Avengers Tower, making suggestions along the way.

“Empire State Building.”

“Heights, you know how I am about heights,” I answered.

He nodded. “Yankees are in town. You could take her to a ball game.”

I glared at him. Never, ever would I go see the Yankees play. Mets, maybe, but I had hated the Yankees since I was a boy, and I wasn’t about to change that. Sam didn’t say anything more until we got back to the Tower and up to the common room area where the others were gathered, watching Jeopardy. I held up my package, which brought some half-hearted cheers.

“Someone has a date Friday night,” announced Sam. “He’s picking her up on his motorcycle at 7:30 and needs some suggestions.”

“Empire State Building,” said Tony.

“He doesn’t like heights,” stated Steve. “Ball game?”

“Only the Yankees are in town,” replied Sam. “He nearly bit my head off when I suggested it.”

Steve grinned and shook his head, picturing that. He knew how I felt about the Yankees because he felt the same.

“The museum,” he countered. “There’s a new art exhibit.”

I shook my head. “That’s your thing, not mine. It’s okay. I’ll come up with something before Friday.”

Using my phone, I looked up all sorts of things to do in New York but kept finding something wrong with them. Either they were too formal, which I really didn’t want, or they were too noisy and crowded, which I really didn’t need. Some of them appealed to me but started and ended early, meaning the date could be over by 9 pm which didn’t appeal to the old Bucky in me. By Friday morning I was ready to cancel the date then Tony Stark turned to me in the elevator.

“I sent you an email,” he said. “Two suggestions. Take them or leave them. But the first part might be interesting for both of you and the second might be a bit nostalgic for you. The best part is that they’re not far apart and you might be able to do both, if it’s going well.” The elevator doors opened on the lab floor, and he stopped in the elevator doorway, seemingly choosing his words carefully. “I hope you have a good time no matter what you end up doing. You deserve that much.”

When I read the email, I smiled. This might not be so bad. 🔹

Holly

After Bucky left, I called my sister to tell her I had a date with the Avenger, Bucky Barnes, and that he was the one whose packages were being redirected back to his old address, now my apartment. She said something about me having all the luck as she thought Steve Rogers was absolutely dreamy. I didn’t rub it in. The next day she sent me a text.

Her: Empire State Building. He’s taking you to the top, to view all of New York. It’s right out of Sleepless in Seattle.

Me: I’ve read he’s not big on heights, due to surviving that big fall in World War II.

A few hours later she sent another text.

Her: Yankees ball game. They’re hosting the Red Sox.

The answer to that was obvious to me.

Me: He’s a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. No self-respecting Dodgers fan would ever cheer for the Yankees.

On Thursday, she texted again.

Her: Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

Me: 🫤

That meant I wasn’t into it. On Friday morning, after several days of sending more suggestions she texted another.

Her: Harbour cruise.

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. Wearing jeans and a jacket would keep me warm out on the water. A harbour cruise would start and end at the same pier and a motorcycle would be easier to park in the crowded area. I looked up the cruises then texted my sister back. They all started at 7:00 and he was picking me up at 7:30 so it couldn’t be a cruise. Then Bucky sent me a text.

Him: We’re still on for tonight, right? We’re going to be taking a walking tour in Greenwich Village so wear good shoes. Then we can have a late dinner at a 24-hour diner near the East Village.

Me: Absolutely. That sounds like fun. Hopefully, it doesn’t rain.

Why did I say that about the rain? Now I had introduced the thought that rain could potentially ruin our date. He sent me a reply.

Him: No rain in the forecast. I’ll see you at 7:30.

I smiled. Obviously, he had already thought of the possibility. When I texted my sister with the itinerary, she sent me a thumbs up emoji. It was looking to be a fun date, with no pressure. At 7:25 there was a knock on my door. When I looked through the peephole, I saw that it was Bucky, and opened the door.

“Hi,” I said. “Come on in.”

He brought his hand out from behind his back, producing a bouquet of mixed flowers. “These are for you.” He seemed a little embarrassed. “I always brought flowers on the first date back in the day.”

I was touched as it was a very sweet gesture. “Thank you, I’ll just put them in some water. Make yourself comfortable.”

He wiped his feet on the doormat and stepped in further, sitting down on the sofa. As he stretched his long legs out, I found a vase and filled it with water. Smiling politely, he watched me then stood up and came over to the small kitchen island.

“Everything alright?” I asked.

“I’m nervous,” he admitted. “I had a date a while ago and messed it up when I had a bit of an anxiety attack partway through. She wouldn’t talk to me after that. Can’t say I blame her.” He breathed out noticeably.

“You feeling nervous now?”

“A little.” He fixed those gorgeous eyes on me. “I’m 106 years old, haven’t really dated since the 1940s and some days I feel so old and out of place. I used to be quite the ladies' man before the war.” He breathed out again. “My friend Sam sent the original text as I didn’t think a nice-looking girl like you would go out with me.”

“I haven’t had a date in a few months,” I told him. “Before then I had a boyfriend who told me that I would be prettier if I lost 20 pounds or so. He wasn’t my boyfriend after that. I know I’m not perfect, but I like who I am. Do you want to go out with me still?” He nodded, then smiled and said yes. “Then we’ll go out. I think you’re a gentleman first, and I liked that you brought me flowers, and I liked hearing you call me a nice-looking girl.”

When I brought my jacket out, he helped me on with it, then waited patiently as I locked the door. Down at the sidewalk was his motorcycle, one of those classic ones that usually cost an arm and a leg. He unlocked the security compartment, bringing out a helmet for me. Making sure it fit properly he put his on, zipped up his leather jacket, and straddled the seat, gesturing for me to get on behind him.

“Hold on tight,” he said. “If it’s too much for you, pat my front two times and I’ll pull over. I’m a safe driver and I won’t let you fall. I promise.”

Placing my purse crossways over my body I got on behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle. Even through his jacket I could feel how firm his abdomen was. For a brief moment I pictured him shirtless (yes, it was nice) and giggled then put the thought out of my head as I leaned against his back. The rumble of the motorcycle was loud, even inside my helmet but as soon as he put it into gear it lessened slightly. The motorcycle proved to be the perfect vehicle as he could easily get out of any traffic snarl quickly and just over 20 minutes later, we arrived at Washington Square Park. After locking our helmets back inside the security compartment, he held his right hand out to me and guided me to where a small group of people were waiting. We checked in and waited for the rest of the people to arrive.

🔹

Bucky

Even though I was recognized by the tour guide I kept my attention on Holly, making sure that she didn’t feel ignored. She took my hand again as we waited for the rest of the people. When they arrived, our tour began with a history of Washington Square Park, including the fact that it was a native burial ground as well as a cemetery used to bury the dead of the American Revolution. Apparently, they still occasionally found human remains whenever an excavation had to be done on repairing utilities. We also went to what was called the Pirate’s Den, connected to a notorious woman, named Vivian Gordon, murdered in late February 1931.

“I was 12, almost 13 years old,” I blurted out. “I think I remember that. Wasn’t the mayor of New York implicated in that murder?”

The tour guide looked at me, smiling. “I can safely say that this is the first time I’ve had a participant who was around for one of the older historical events in this tour.”

It got everyone laughing and Holly squeezed my hand, smiling at me. From there we were shown where Mark Twain lived, and where his ghost apparently made appearances. The tour guide had a device that supposedly could show the presence of a ghost electronically, but it didn’t show anything there, although it did on other places that we stopped at, specifically the Brown Building, where the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire occurred, killing over 140 women. After an hour of walking and stopping at various landmarks the tour ended back at Washington Square Park. I slipped the tour guide an extra $20 and mentally thanked Tony Stark for suggesting the activity. It had been interesting, and I think Holly liked it as well. She looked over my arm as I checked the address of the diner.

“It’s close enough to walk, about twenty minutes,” I said. “Would you mind if we left the motorcycle here, so I don’t have to find another parking spot?”

“Not at all,” she responded, taking my hand again.

Making sure I was walking between Holly and the street we strolled along without speaking, not that we needed to fill the silence with anything. Instead, we just enjoyed each other's presence. We did have to dodge a guy on a skateboard that zipped towards us, but Holly just casually turned towards me as he passed.

“Sorry,” she said, as her other hand reached for my chest, and I put my other arm around her. “He came out of nowhere.”

“It was worth it,” I said, without thinking.

It was something old Bucky would say. Her face lit up as she smiled at my reply. Patting my chest with her hand, she looked up in a way that brought back memories of previous dates. I almost kissed her then she dropped her hand and returned to walking beside me, her hand firmly in mine. When we arrived at the diner Holly’s face seemed pleased.

“I didn’t know about this place!”

“Tony Stark suggested it,” I replied, holding the door open for her.

It was bright inside, considered retro for the 21st century with its checkerboard flooring, booths with padded seats, and the older lighting fixtures. In the 1940s it would have been seen as futuristic with its many curved lines in the finishings. We were seated in a booth where our knees touched. I was about to ask to be moved but she just smiled and said it didn’t bother her. It reminded me of when Sam and I first started working together during the Flag Smashers, and we had the impromptu therapy session inside the Baltimore police station. Before I could tell Holly about it, the waitress arrived to take our drink orders. Not wanting to give her the wrong impression I ordered a coffee. She ordered a chocolate milkshake and asked for a starter of mozzarella sticks. Quietly, we looked at the menu, although I tried to look at her some more. When our drinks arrived Holly ordered a chicken wrap and salad. I ordered the meatloaf special, and a bacon cheddar burger with fries on the side. Before I could explain she looked at me with some amusement.

“So, it’s true?” she asked, her eyes bright. “Super soldiers have to eat a lot of food to keep their energy up. I envy you. I wish I could eat like that.”

“It’s true but it’s not always enjoyable,” I replied. “After really heavy missions that take a lot out of us, I barely have enough energy to eat at all, but I have to force myself. Bruce … Bruce Banner, invented a supplement for me and Steve to boost our calorie intake and give us instant energy, but it’s not the best tasting and the texture is kind of awful.”

“I guess that would be a downside,” she offered. “My sister has a crush on him, on Steve.” She clarified. “She’s my best friend and we would have lived together but she got here a year before I did, found a place to share and co-signed the lease. When I decided to move here, I had to find my own place because she was locked into the lease with her roommate. We’re only one stop away from each other and we see each other a lot.”

“Does she have a boyfriend?”

I was asking because I knew Holly would appeal to Steve and if her sister was like her, perhaps she would be good to double date with. That would be something, a double date with Steve that might actually work in his favour as he was still as hopeless now with the ladies as he was in the 1940s.

“She’s between boyfriends right now.” A smile crossed Holly’s face that lit her up from inside. “You thinking of fixing her up with Steve Rogers?”

I shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time I tried. Even though he is more handsome now he’s still the same shy guy he was when we were younger. Takes him weeks just to get up the courage to say hi to a girl.”

She was leaning towards me with her chin resting on her hand. “I like how you call me a girl. It’s supposed to be a put down in these times, but I guess to someone of your age, someone my age is a girl. I’m not offended by it, although I guess some are.”

Just like that Holly put me even more at ease. Our mozzarella sticks arrived, and she took the first one dipping it into the sauce. Tentatively I bit into one, then smiled as the cheese stretched out from my mouth to the stick. Holly giggled a little as we grappled with the strings of cheese. Our main food arrived just as we finished the last of the appetizer. Holly stole some of my fries which didn’t bother me at all. For dessert I had apple pie à la mode, while she had chocolate cake.

Tony had good instincts referring me to this place. It was informal enough that neither one of us tried to impress the other. We talked more about all sorts of things, my love of books, her love of dancing, our shared interest in science and technology. After I paid the bill, I opened the door to the outside and we stepped out into the night, which had cooled down a little since our tour. We headed back towards the park where my motorcycle was parked. As we got closer, we could hear the sounds of music and applause.

“Street performers!” exclaimed Holly. “Please, can we watch?”

How could I say no?

🔹

Holly

Watching the street performers with Bucky was something else. He had never seen buskers like this before. Jugglers with fire sticks, catchy music and clever repartee were just the beginning. There were some aerial gymnasts doing all sorts of tricks that displayed their acrobatic abilities. A pair of guys with tap shoes danced to hip hop in ways that successfully melded the two forms of entertainment. Another guy with a bmx bicycle did all sorts of twists, turns and jumps including some on an obviously home-made ramp that defied gravity. It was an explosion of sight, sound, and colour that intrigued him, making him so much fun to be with, not to mention even more gorgeous. I gave some money to the hats that were passed around, explaining this was probably how many of the buskers made a living. He added some of his own. When we finally pulled away and began the walk to his motorcycle Bucky couldn’t stop talking about how entertaining it all was.

“Does this happen all the time here?” he asked. “Tony never said anything about it but if it does, then I owe him. That was amazing, just amazing.”

We were holding hands and he stopped at the motorcycle, pulling me closer. It was like we were in a movie as he looked so softly at me, making me feel all sorts of things, both good and kind of scary because I had never been this close to someone like him. Most of my dates were of the nerdy kind, nice but slightly socially inept. This was Bucky Barnes, handsome, notorious, and an absolute dreamboat. When our lips met, I swear there was music. Of course, we were only a block away from the park where the entertainment was still going on, but the sounds from there just seemed to add to the romance in our little moment of kissing. He could really kiss … I guess that’s something a guy doesn’t forget, no matter what kind of hell he’s been through.

“I should have asked first,” he murmured when we stopped. “I suppose I got caught up in the moment.”

“Why don’t you ask then?” I replied, looking up at him.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Yes, please.”

The second kiss was even better as it was accompanied by his arms wrapping themselves around me and mine wrapping themselves around him, bringing thoughts of him shirtless and more, to my mind again. This kiss also lasted a lot longer before we stopped, and he looked at me.

“I should get you home,” he said, not sounding completely convinced by his own words.

We got back onto the motorcycle, pulling up in front of my building a short time later. After dismounting I took my helmet off then handed it to him.

“I had a really good time,” I said. “Would you like to come up?”

Even in the dim light I could tell he was blushing. “If this was the 1940s, I would have said yes, but I’m not that Bucky anymore. I kind of played the field then and I want something more than that now.”

He really was something else and I looked at him with my heart racing a little. “So, you want a second date?”

“Yes, do you?” I replied yes and we kissed again, a really nice and sweet kiss. “Then I’ll call you soon. I promise.”

I went inside the door of the building and up the now working elevator. When I got inside the small flat, I looked out the window and smiled to see that Bucky was still waiting beside his motorcycle, apparently watching for me to appear. He waved to me, then put his helmet on and started up the motorcycle before pulling away. It might have been just a first date, but it was one of the best dates I had ever been on, and I hope Bucky felt the same.

If you read this one shot and enjoyed it please like, comment and reblog.

#buckybarnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #buckybarnes original female character #sam wilson #steve rogers #tony stark #first date #dating in New York #nervous bucky #what is there to do in nyc on a Friday night?

[nocteacakes]

Changes

Dramione Month Day 2 - Head Boy & Girl

Relevant tags: No Voldemort AU, Seventh Year, Omegaverse

**So I decided for Dramione Month I'd be a little crazy and do the prompts but also make all of them omegaverse lol. Should be fun.**

~~

This was unbelievable. This couldn’t be true. Hermione couldn’t believe her eyes.

She was so proud and elated when she received the Head Girl pin and accompanying letter in the mail. She knew she had to be one of the top contenders for Head Girl, if not the top choice as it were. The warm feeling in her chest lasted for weeks, right up until she arrived at Platform 9 3/4 and saw the glint of the shiny Head Boy badge pinned on the robes of that poncy blond-haired git, Draco Malfoy.

She stalked quickly toward him, angry energy radiating from her hair. At the last moment, she pulled up and schooled her expression. She wouldn’t let him get the best of her.

“Malfoy.” She tried to adopt an air of indifference.

“Granger.” He levelled serious eyes at her, glancing quickly at the Head Girl badge on her robes. “I can’t say I’m surprised. I couldn’t see anyone else getting Head Girl.”

Hermione froze, her mouth closing on a retort. Was that a compliment? Directed at her?

And the surprises only continued on the train ride to Hogwarts. Draco was deferential and serious, none of his trademark smirks and sly remarks to be found. They patrolled the length of the train mostly in silence. Hermione was unnerved and trying to decide what she wanted to say about it. Who knew what Draco was thinking. In the end, she said nothing at all. She might be a Gryffindor, but as Head Girl she knew she should show restraint. Maybe things would become clearer as time went on.

But a number of weeks went by, and nothing changed. Hermione was sure the mask would slip, that Malfoy would lash out at her, give her a sneer or a snort of derision. But beyond being the most helpful partner she’d ever had, he was studious and quiet in the classes they had together, and she never saw him abusing his role like he had in previous years as a prefect. Genuinely, who was this Draco Malfoy and what had happened to him?

--

“You’re really fine taking over the shift tomorrow night?” Usually Hermione would have been more than on top of her schoolwork, but an errant spilled potion from Neville had destroyed two feet of her already-finished Potions essay. It would take all her free time to rewrite it in time for submission. Thank Merlin for Draco, truly.

“I already said I’m alright with it, Granger.” Malfoy almost sounded curt with her — a first in the few months since they had began working together as Head Boy and Girl. They were in the Head common room, but Malfoy apparently had somewhere to be; he was hastily packing up his things and avoiding her eyes, like he didn’t want to be anywhere near her. He had stood further away from her during their meeting with the prefects as well, nose crinkled and brows furrowed in annoyance.

“Alright, well, thank you. I really—” She kept trying to catch his eye.

“Goodnight.” Malfoy swung his bag onto his shoulders and slipped out before Hermione could finish her sentence.

A feeling of disappointment sat in her chest, but Hermione couldn’t say why. Her eyes roamed over to his desk across the room and caught on a slip of parchment under his chair. Hermione glanced at the door nervously, in case Malfoy realised he forgot something and came back. After a few moments of silence, she steeled herself and walked over to his desk. She wasn’t being nosy, she was simply tidying up the common room. She unfolded the crumpled paper, and read the short note. Her eyes went wide.

It was addressed to Malfoy, from Madam Pomfrey, indicating that her latest batch of Omega suppressants were ready, and that he could pick them up at his earliest convenience.

Malfoy was an Omega? Was that why his demeanor had suddenly changed over a summer? Suddenly, so many other strange little incidences were starting to click into place. And Hermione’s Alpha instincts made her suddenly very, very interested in Malfoy, beyond just curiosity. Would he be open to it? She hoped he would. They almost felt like friends now. The Alpha in her purred a little.

#dramione month #My fanfiction #Dramione #Dramione fanfiction

[josefavomjaaga]

Madame Soult and the French Post

During the Prussian and Polish Campaign of 1806/7, Louise Soult and her children (Napoléon-Hector, 5, and Hortense, 3) stayed in Paris. The spouses wrote to each other frequently, the marshal, if not daily, certainly at least several times a week. And when Madame on one occasion complained about the last letter she had received being too short, he dutifully composed an extra-long epistle, ending:

This time, you won't complain about my laconism. I have so much pleasure in talking to you that if I were not warned that other tasks were calling me, I would continue. [...] But I will finish by telling you again that I still love you with the greatest passion. [Preußisch-Eylau, 14 February 1807]

As much pleasure as Soult may have had writing these letters, he would have had even more in receiving answers. But more often than he liked, he had to wait weeks for those, which then often arrived in packets, five or six at a time. This was due not only to the war and the bad roads in Poland, but also to Madame Soult's obstinacy: she refused to send her letters by regular mail. Instead, she was always looking for supposedly "safe opportunities" and entrusted her letters and parcels to diplomats, functionaries or officers heading to Poland, who were often delayed or diverted on the way and therefore had to entrust the shipment to another courier, who then was delayed on his turn...

I will not rule out the possibility that she simply wanted to save on postage; she certainly seems to have had a penchant for excessive frugality at times (I found a letter of hers from the 1840s in which she insists on smuggling a shipment of champagne to her chateau in Saint-Amans past Paris customs). But the main reason was that the letters to and from the army were frequently opened. And her letters to her husband were private!

Soult tried to encourage her – in a way:

You had no doubt, I hope, about the inviolability of letters that are mailed. Besides, I allow all my letters to be opened, even those I write to you; they will never reveal anything but the affairs of our little household, and one will know, if there is any doubt, that I sacrifice everything to my duties; one will also know that I love you dearly and that I adore my children. [20 March 1807]

I may be mistaken but I assume that the line "one will know, if there is any doubt, that I sacrifice everything to my duty" is there for a reason. Soult was aware that these private letters were opened to check if the correspondents were reliable and loyal to the regime. Madame Soult's not wanting to expose her letters to this scrutiny was perhaps even likely to arouse suspicion? Over the course of the next months, Soult will explain and reiterate this again and again, but to no avail. The letters are still carried by people he often does not even know, and they often undergo a minor odyssey through Germany and Poland before they arrive.

And so he has to wait. And he starts counting. On April 3, 1807, it’s been eight days since he received a letter. On April 9 he writes:

Your letter of March 16 is still the last one I received. Can you imagine my concern? I ask everyone who receives letters from Paris if there is any mention of you and my children [...]. What will be the end of the deprivation I experience? And what is the cause that produces it? I am overwhelmed by speculations and I dare not come to any conclusion...

Soult’s own valet apparently was luckier in communicating with Paris and can actually give him some news, which calms Soult’s nerves somewhat. In mid-April he receives Madame Soult’s collected replies of the last month, but then there’s again nothing for three long weeks. While outwardly his grim demeanor and sour face remain always the same, the apparent lack of response from his family seems to drive him almost crazy:

[...] Letters follow one another, time goes by and, day after day, as my hopes are shattered, my anxiety increases; I cannot tell you, dear Louise, the intensity of the one I feel. [...] I am truly unhappy, and in my misfortune, I do not even know if the blow that strikes me does not reach virtue and innocence itself, my wife and my children. […] Do you understand, dear Louise, what I am going through, no news, none of the incoming couriers bring me letters and the one of April 1st is still the last one; it has been three weeks since I received it; what has become of those you wrote to me since that time? What are you doing, what are my children doing? Ah, in the name of God, in the name of all that can interest sensitive souls, pull me out of the turmoil in which I find myself, for the troubles I am suffering are too great for me to be able to resist them any longer, and I need, in order to recover as well as to heal the already affected imagination, that my soul be rid of the weight that it oppresses, so that none of my faculties will be diverted from the duties that I have to fulfill […] [Liebstadt, 5 mai]

However, as soon as there is a letter from Louise, Soult will have it and read it no matter where he is. For example, on a battlefield, in this case, during the fights before the battle of Heilsberg:

[…] Yesterday, in the middle of a very intense fire, I was given your letter of May 21, I read it with great excitement and since then I have reread it several times. [From the camp at Liebstadt, 6 June]

Napoleon (watching some battle through his telescope): Why is there suddenly such a lull in the fight where Marshal Soult’s corps is positioned?

Berthier: The field post must have arrived, Sire...

[All letters translated from Nicole Gotteri, “Soult. Maréchal d’Empire et homme d’État”, La manufacture, Bésançon 1991]

#napoleon's marshals #jean-de-dieu soult #prussian campaign 1806 #poland 1807

[leseigneurdufeu]

Re: your longest historical obsession, the court in Versailles

OK so I say the longest because when I was a kid I got into historical novels and, at least in my social circles/neighbourhood library/older siblings shelves etc, 50% of french kids historical novels are about Louis XIV and Louis XVI. When I was like 7 i borrowed from my sister (then got the whole collection offered to me the next years one here one there etc) her only tome of Les Colombes du Roi-Soleil (lit: the Doves of the Sun-King) which was about the noble but poor girls who got educated basically for free (as long as the pauperty of their family was because of their service to the king/country) in this big, stern boarding school near Versailles. Each of the girls lived big adventures that started in the boarding school or went they left it. The first one, Louise, discovered she was Louis XIV's illegitime daughter and her mother was in jail (she thought she was an orphan as she didn't know her parents). Charlotte was a stowaway to Siam because a guy was trying to marry her against her will because she was protestant and the law that authorized protestantism in france had just been repelled and the guy she wouldn't have many friends who would stand up for her, Hortense was in love with CHarlotte's brother and they eloped to go live in Switzerland (protestant country + she's not supposed to elope, the girls at this Boarding School were generally married off by the director, Madam de Maintenon, or at least with her blessing), Isabeau became a governess but the father of the kids tried to make a move on her and she ran away and I don't remember what she did then. Victoire became a lady in waiting for an italian princess, Adelaide got fired, then was sent to the new world in a basically "mail bride" thing because the population of the new world was 90% men at the time so France sometimes sent girls from jail to start a new life there (evening the population ratio and allowing prostitutes and other thieves to start anew) then fell in love with an indian and married him after her husband died (in... most suspicious circumstances), Jeanne became a cosmetologist/parfumer, Eleonore's book was about alchemy and porcelain... so basically all that. You would learn everything about everything and most of the time there was also a cute love story.

There was also the Complot à Versailles series (lit: Plot in Versailles!) which was all about the darker secrets of the court, mainly the Affair of the Poisons (which you can look up or I can make a post about) in which an amnesiac little girl was saved from the Seine (the river) flooding and adopted by destitute nobles, the Saint-Beryl family. SHe got friends with their daughter was was her age, and when the daughter, ten years later, is sent to the court because someone owed them a favor and paid it by giving her a job, the amnesiac girl goes there as her maid. Amnesiac girl is also a skilled healer because she was raised by the Saint-Beryl's only left servants who are a butler and his wife the healer. Anyway they were somehow put into a whole plot which was the follow-up of the one that had made the Amnesiac Girl taken from her family and made amnesiac and she found out who her family was and they arrested the bad guys.

There's also Orange Trees of Versailles and (putting them together because I had them in the same edition and thought it was the same book for a while at 7-8) The Sun-King's Spy (l'espionne du roi-soleil). Basically also about the Affair of the Poisons, everytime a young girl arrives at the court and has to enfurl plots.

When I was 9, i won a reading contest and got offered the first book of a (at the time 3, but apparently there were more than came out) romance biography of Marie-Antoinette (which, as a matter of fact, was nicknamed Antoinette or Antonia, not Marie, so sorry Time Princesses but it really breaks my immersion - because almost every girl was named Marie-Something at the time). It was from the pov of a priest who had been sent to Austria to teach her french and then accompagnied her back to France, Idk if he really existed. Anyway it taught me a lot about the time but also now I can't see the name of the austrian embassador in France at the time without thinking "omg like in Marie-Antoinette: Le Jardin Secret d'une Princesse!!" so it kinda allows me to baffle history majors when they're like "oh yeah this guy no one knows about" and i'm like "well actually..." and then gives them info without precising it's from a book i read when i was 8.

After that I found the historical novels shelves on my local boookshop and also discovered the Soeurs Espérance books which I cannot recommand enough to anyone interested in "recent" (1789-1900) french history which is basically about this atheist girl, Emilie, who's father died and because of the lack of money her mother and her move into a smaller house around the 1890's, and she finds a secret part of the wall in which there's a bunch of letters from Charlotte, a noble girl from the french revolution era, writing to her sister Elisabeth who had left France for England during the revolution. Then because she wants to know more about the girls, Emilie looks up who the previous owner of the house was and it was a family with a daughter her age, catholic, named Constance. Basically the whole book is half the thriller that is Charlotte's life and half an ongoing theological debate between Atheist!Emilie and Catholic!Constance, but there's also this serial killer and their neighbour who won't leave them alone about that one fence that is supposedly over his part of the garden. Anyway. Four books of that, at some point Constance wonders if she should become a nun, Emilie converts to christianism and marries Constance's brother far later, there's a whole thing about how Elisabeth never answered the letters of Charlotte and CHarlotte received a letter from the english cousins who were supposed to take care of Elisabeth saying she never arrived at their house, so the two "modern" girls try to find out more about what happened to them both, there's a "cursed" reliquary plot which is not cursed it's just that everyone who owned it dies but it's because someone is killing them to try and get their hand on the reliquary, there's a whole "russian girl who got abandonned by her parents to protect her because they were suspected of being in on the assassination of this one tsar" etc it's great read it i beg you read it.

Anyway so yeah the french court of Versailles is basically all I could find to read about so this obsession started when I was 7 or so and is still ongoing so that's why i call it my longest one.

So basically what's Versailles?

It's a castle that was supposed to be a hunting lodge for Louis XIII, but his son Louis XIV, as soon as his tamed the revolt against him (la Fronde) which was led by his own uncles, when he was a child, moved into Versailles and made it into the biggest, most beautiful castle in Europe (if you like the golden colour only though. if you prefer white and blue, some german/austrian castles are way more beautiful, and for cream and beige you'll have plenty of magnificent english ones but that's not my point). Because of the Fronde, Louis XIV put in place a very, very strict social/courtly etiquette which only purpose was to make everything turn around him. Basically, the goal was that while the noble houses would fight each other for the privilege of serving him, they wouldn't have time to fight him.

So in Versailles, there was this whole food chain of basically, dukes and duchesses are serving the royal family, but their own servants are generally lower-ranking nobles, and the nobles' servants and lady-in-waiting/attendants are generally even-lower-ranking nobles, who then are served by commoners.

As far as recurring characters that did exist went from a historical novel to the other, you had like the basic ones, Jean de la Fontaine, Racine, Corneille, André Lenôtre, Jules Hardouin-Mansart and other big cultural characters (Fontaine, Racine and Corneille are authors, Lenôtre and Hardouin Mansart were architects working on Versailles, one in the gardens, one in the buildings), it became both a cultural epicenter and a... well, at the beginning it was a place of debauchery, the king had many mistresses and libertinage was running rampant, but then the king became wiser in his old age and it went the other way and became a very pious place, except obviously it was the inverse excess so it became very roman catholic and nothing else. Back to the reucrring character you have less famous like ministers and "famous" priests and such, La Reynie was the minister of police, Jacques Benigne Bossuet was the bishop of Meaux and a famous writer (would write moral and religious discourse) etc. So really it taught me a lot about that period.

Back to the king's mistresses, there are only three kings who lived in Versailles, all called Louis: Louis XIV, his great-grandson Louis XV and the latter's grandson, Louis XVI. There was no king between them, they just all outlived their other descendants.

Louis XIV was... intense. Everything I said before obviously, plus his, let's say, love for women and for parties. He spent millions in parties but he also put France in first position in Europe, culturally and militarily. Actually, iirc (don't quote be on this one) at the battle of Blenheim in 1704, France was defeated for the first time since Louis XIV had ascended to the throne. And he had ascended like fifty years earlier (depends on how you count).

He also cheated on his wife throughout most of their marriage. His most famous mistresses (who stayed famous because they were openly recognized as royal mistresses despite the church condemning it but hey how can the local priest or even the pope knock some sense into the most powerful guy of europe) are Louise de la Vallière, from whom he got two children who were the heroes of a ton of historical novels I didn't talk about because they're all blurring with each other honestly, Athenais de Montespan (Athenais was a "precious" name, her real name was Françoise, we'll talk about preciousism later), with whom he had like seven or more children who he legitimized, and who... er... was kinda... totally guilty of trying black magic and human sacrifices in order to try and keep the king under her tumb when she got older and her beauty started fading? But anyway she got exiled from court but not punished otherwise because it would mean actually admitting that the king's mistress was a human sacrificer satanist and it didn't look good ya know? The third "principal" mistress (by which I mean they were known for being the king's mistress and held as much power as the queen, but he also had tons of extra-marrital relationships with maids and noble ladies that were not made public) was Angelique de FOntanges who was much younger than him and also died in childbirth but was for a while suspected of having been murdered by Montespan because she was jealous of the king sleeping with someone else (so you know... Montespan was intense too for everyone to believe that) and then finally, Madame de Maintenon (née Françoise d'Aubigné) was the last one except she was not the king's mistress. She was his confident, and for all the time they were friends, she tried to persuade him to chase off his mistresses and get back with the queen (she was a very pious woman who apparently succeeded where everyone else had failed in scaring the king with promises of Hellfire if he kept cheating on his wife). Anyway after the queen died he married her in secret and afaik they didn't sleep together before they were married and maybe not even after because they were both old already so she's not exactly a mistress, but she's generally counted as such.

Madame de Maintenon is also the one who created the boarding school from the Colombes du Roi-Soleil series, so she was featured prominently in those books.

Speaking about Montespan's ritual sacrifices, dark masses, satanism and all, I can't say more because it would take a whole post on its own but just google affair of the poisons (or... you know, click the link i put) and it's a whole can of worms.

Preciousism (not sure it's called like that in english) is a cultural movement mainly started by women but which had men in it too, all nobles or at least high-middle-class. The principle was basically to make things more "precious" so basically you wouldn't call yourself Jane but Athenais or Clarimonde (weird names inspired from pastoral poems or greek mythology), you would discourse about the arts and politness, and mostly it was considered as ridiculous except by the "Precious" themselves. There's a play by Moliere mocking them. Mostly instead of saying "i'm going to the toilets" you would use loads of metaphors and periphrases and end up saying something like "Hermes is leading my feet against my will to the house of Cloaqua" and such.

On the "intense" and "party" side of Louis XIV, he was also a theater kid, kinda, and acted and danced in a lot of ballets and plays that he had sponsored.

Anyway from there we go to Louis XV. Becomes king at like three or so and obviously regency by his uncle, Philippe of Orleans. Then he becomes an adult and honestly i know that time period less well but he got two prominent mistresses too, Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry. He got loads of kids and four of his daughters never married: Marie-Adélaïde (who you know by time princess) among others. One of them became a nun but the other three became one of the most powerful social group at court by the time Louis XVI was born.

Anyway Louis XVI was not destined to become king, he was a second son, but his older brother died of illness when they were children, and his parents apparently would have rather that Louis died than his brother and were awful with him.

Anyway Marie-Therese of Austria (not the one who married Louis XIV, the one who reigned over Austria in Louis XV's time) had loads of children too and one of the youngest was Marie-Antoinette. WHO WAS NICKNAMED ANTOINETTE NOT MARIE! Why would Timeprincess butcher that one point? Everybody was named Marie-Something at the time, every single one of her sisters, her mother, all the french princesses... they were called by their second name not their first!

^me right now and everytime I play QUeen Marie on TP

Anyway. (am i using this word too much? probably. but i'm only proofreading when I'm going back up to add something and see words here and there while doing so)

One notable thing is that Louis XVI is the first king in a long time to have not had a msitress. Actually, although they were a bit shy around each other when they got married at 14, Louis and Marie-Antoinette loved each other dearly. Louis was an expert clockmaker, a great hunter, etc. Very good with his hands for everything.

Versailles (the castle) was invaded by the people of Paris and Versailles (the village) during the revolution and the king and queen were emprisonned and that's the endo f Versailles. Still a museum but that's not the same.

#ask #long post #like... #very long post #history

[derangedrhythms]

Take this Scorpio, this death-bitch me

Anne Sexton, Words for Dr. Y: Scorpio, Bad Spider, Die: The Horoscope Poems; from 'Madame Arrives in the Mail'

#anne sexton #words for dr. y. #scorpio bad spider die #the horoscope poems #madame arrives in the mail #poetry #excerpts #scorpio #astrology #death

[peakypoet]

@look-at-the-soul

@cillmequick

@gypsy-girl-08

@watercolorskyy

@alex-in-the-wilderness

Hope y'all enjoy

One Shot: Your Desire

Warnings: Smut, very light bdsm, cussing, and 18+ only

Tommy sits at his desk looking at the window smoking a cigarette. He enjoys the view of the blue sky. It relaxes him to get his mind off things. Those things were like the business. As he sits there, Arthur comes in with a flier.

" Tom you got this in the mail", Arthur says handing it to him.

" Eh, what is it?", Tommy asks taking it. He blows some smoke in the air.

" I think I know Tom", Arthur says standing there watching him.

" Please don't tell ey", Tommy says as he starts to open it.

Arthur listens and watches him.

Tommy opens it up.

It reads,  We invite you to our new gentlemen's club called " Desire." We open tonight at 8pm. Please wear a masquerade mask and suit. Our address is 120 Watery Lane.

" I like this brother", Tommy says with a nod.

Tommy hands it to Arthur.

" I've heard about this place from guys around here", Arthur says looking at the flier.

" What they say ey?", Tommy asks with his cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

" I heard they have hot women there." " Also, there's a woman named madame Y/n she's the best", Arthur says looking at Tommy.

" I'd like to meet her broth'a", Tommy says smoking still.

" Go tonight Tom", Arthur says handing him back the flier.

" I will ey." " I know the perfect suit to wear too", Tommy says taking the flier.

" You mean the black pinstripe one?", Arthur asks leaning against the wall.

" Yes, and I got my black and silver mask from a few years ago", Tommy says putting his cigarette out.

" I remember that one Tom." " You wore that to a charity gala for the orphanage", Arthur says with a nod.

" I got a lot of compliments too", Tommy says leaning back in his leather office chair.

" You going Arth'a?", Tommy asks.

" No, I'm hanging out at the garrison", Arthur says watching him.

" Well, I'll tell you how it is", Tommy says with a nod.

" Please do. I'll go some time whenever", Arthur says.

" No problem", Tommy says clasping his hands together.

" I'll be going now Tom", Arthur says going to the door.

" Thanks for giving me this broth'a", Tommy says with a smile.

" No problem." " Please have a good time Tom", Arthur says opening the door.

" I will", Tommy says with confidence.

Then Arthur leaves, leaving Tommy alone.

An Hour Before Going to the Club

Tommy gets himself ready. He goes to shave his face. Second he takes a hot shower. As he showers, he thinks about the madame Arthur mentioned. " Who is she?", Tommy thinks to himself. He ponders on it. " The name sounds very exotic", he says in his mind.

Then he gets out of the shower. He grabs his red towel with his initials on it. It says, " T.S." Ada gave that to him for Christmas last year. He dries himself up good. Afterwards he gets dressed. First he puts his suit on. Second Tommy puts on his best cologne. His cologne smells like him. The scent is smoke and whiskey. His brother John had a perfumer make that. Tommy wears it a lot. Third he puts his black and silver Rolex watch on. Last, but not least he dons his mask on.

Tommy goes to the stand at the mirror for a second. He looks himself over. " I'll catch her eye", Tommy says with a big smile. Then he leaves going to his car garage.

Tommy walks into his garage and picks the Mercedes slr Mclaren to drive. He had other cars to drive, but he chose that one. Reason is because it matches him. The color of it is black with silver. He gets out his car keys with a smile. Clicking the unlock button, he gets in. Before he leaves, he gets out his phone. He goes to take a picture of himself all dressed up to his family. A second later Arthur and the others text back this emoji to Tommy, 👍. Tommy smiles at the text. He puts his phone down and heads his way to the club.

The Club

As Tommy arrives, a valet comes to the car. He gets out. " Please be careful, ey", Tommy says handing him the key. " Will do sir", the valet says taking his keys.

Tommy takes in the sight of the club as he walks to the entrance. He sees bouncers guarding the outside door. Plus a red carpet leading to the door. " This is one fancy club", Tommy thinks to himself.

Tommy approaches the door and the bouncers open it for him. " Enjoy sir", the bouncers say as Tommy enters. " I will", Tommy says walking in. All sorts of women with masks walk around. Tommy glances taking a look at his surroundings. A woman stroking a guys cock stands to his right. Walking further down he sees a lady flirting with a guy at a table. The area is very dim with lighting here and there. Lights are only at the tables and bar. A jazz band plays at the stage. People dancing in a way he doesn't really like. They looked like idiots to Tommy. He was used to normal dancing, which was ballroom or slow dancing.

He reaches the bar taking a seat. A older guy comes to the counter. " What would you like to drink sir?", he asks politely. " I'd like a irish whiskey on ice please", Tommy says looking at him. " Will do", the guy says going to get his drink. Tommy looks around as he waits for his drink.

Madame Y/n

You sit in the distance at your table. Looking around for the man that catches your eye. A man sitting at the bar catches your eye. He has a black pinstripe suit with a mask to match. " Mmm", you utter quietly to yourself. Then you get up and walk his way.

Tommy still looks around, but doesn't notice you walking his way. He was busy looking at the band. " Your drink sir", the old guy says. Tommy turns around to take it. " Thank you", Tommy says giving him some money. He takes a sip of his drink.

You get near the man, taking a seat quietly next to him at the bar. Tommy looks at his glass a minute; still unaware of you. " May I sit with you?", you ask looking at him.  " Yes love", Tommy says looking at you with surprise. His mouth hangs open a little at the sight of you. He puts his drink down. " What brings you here tonight?", you ask looking into his eyes. " I'm looking for a madame Y/n", Tommy says softly looking at you. You smile seductively at him. " I'm her", you whisper into his ear. " I'd love to get to know you madame Y/n", Tommy says softly. " Follow me to my room", you say getting up. " Ok", Tommy says doing the same.

Desire

You lead him to a small hallway. Your wiggle your ass as you walk. Tommy looks at it while walking behind you. He feels his cock twitch at the sight of it. You stop at a red door, unlocking it. " This way", you say opening the door. Tommy obeys and walks in your room. " Stand in the middle there", you say closing the door. Tommy does what you say without questioning. He looks at the bed. " Close your eyes", you say locking the door. " Yes madame Y/n", Tommy says closing his eyes. He loves the game your playing. Tommy feels a rush of anticipation come over him.

Then you come up behind him quietly. " What is your name?", you ask seductively in his ear. " My name is Thomas", he says with confidence. " Mmm sexy name", you say watching him. He blushes at your comment you see. " What is your desire Thomas?", you ask walking in front of him. " My desire is to fook you so good", Tommy says with a smile. " Indeed you will, but you must do what I ask first Thomas", you say looking him over. " What is that madame Y/n?", Tommy asks. " Please undress with your eyes closed", you say walking to your dresser. " Yes madame y/n", Tommy says as he starts taking his bow tie off. He kind of struggles getting his clothes off, but manages to complete your task.

You open your drawer getting out a feather tickler. Closing the drawer, you look over at Thomas. You admire his masculine body. He reminded you of a sex god. His cock was nice and big. Also, some precum was glistening on the head of it. Your core was getting wet looking at him.

You walk back over to him. Then you stop to stand right in front of him. " Love your sexy body", you say running the feather tickler slowly down his chest. Tommy utters a small moan. " Can I open my eyes?", Tommy begs to you. " Not yet Tommy", you say stopping the tickler right on the head of his cock. You smile licking your lips. Then you tease his cock with the tickler tapping it lightly. His cock twitches at its touch. " That tickles madame y/n", Tommy moans with a cute giggle. You keep on going till he begs you to stop. " Say please stop madame y\n Thomas", you say with dominance.

" Please stop madame y/n", Tommy begs with mercy to you.

Then you stop tickling him. " Can I open my eyes?", Tommy asks. " Yes you may", you say putting the tickler up. Tommy opens his eyes looking at you. " I want you to lay on the bed please", you say seductively. Tommy obeys going to the bed. He lays down watching you with a hard on. His cock hits his stomach. " You're going to join me madame y/n", Tommy moans in his sexy accent. " Yes Tommy", you say grabbing two red sashes on your drawer. Next you take off your outfit setting it on the chair. Tommy smiles admiring the view of you naked. You go to the side of the bed with a smile on your face. " Put your left arm on the bed rest Thomas", you say grabbing the red sash. Thomas obeys you. He smiles putting his arm up. " Love your obedience Tommy", you moan tying his left arm to the bed post. Then you do the same with his right arm.

After you tie his arms to the bed post; you make sure that he can't get loose. It was tied where it didn't hurt him. You get onto the bed where your core is above his cock. " Fook you have a nice core", Tommy moans looking at it. " It wants your big cock", you moan spreading your folds. It glistens with your wetness." I'll give it to you madame y/n", Tommy moans looking at you. You take his cock guiding it to your entrance. Then you slowly sit on it. " Oh Tommy you feel so good inside me", you moan seductively looking at him. Tommy moans looking you over for a minute. " I'm a lucky man", Tommy moans softly. " Fuck me so good Tommy", you moan not moving.

Then Tommy starts fucking you by thrusting upwards. You look into his eyes as you moan his name. " Fook you're a goddess", Tommy moans pounding your core upwards. Your core gets wetter the faster he fucks you. " You're my sex god Tommy", you moan loudly touching your breasts.

Tommy watches you moaning your name. He tries to lean over to kiss you, but he can't. His breathing and panting gets louder by the minute.

You start bouncing on him as he fucks you. Also, you try to bounce at the pace he fucks you. You stop touching your breasts, so they can bounce as well.

Tommy looks at your breasts, fucking you. He wishes that he could touch them.

A look of awe appears on his face; moaning with ecstasy.

" Fuck me harder", you moan looking at him.

Tommy obeys literally fucking you like an animal.

His big balls smack your ass. The headboard on the bed starts hitting the wall. Your inner walls start clenching his cock like a vice.

You keep looking into his eyes with lust. Wet sounds grow louder the longer he fucks you.

" Please let me go", Tommy begs.

You listen to him, so you lean over to untie his arms.

He immediately puts you under him. Where he takes charge. He kisses you passionately where tongues meet. You two kiss for a bit. Then he puts his big strong hand on your neck where it doesn't hurt you. " Look into my eyes beautiful", he moans looking at you. You moan getting lost in his eyes. Then the wave of pleasure comes over you two. You cum first literally squirting all over his cock. Tommy cums next spilling all his hot seed inside you. He slows down, letting his hand go off your neck. " Your'e the best beautiful", Tommy says softly pulling out of you. " You too Tommy", you say watching him. He goes to lay down on the bed. You go to lay next to him. " You single madame Y/n?", Tommy asks putting his arm behind your back.

" Yes, I am", you say putting your head on his chest. You play with the few hairs on his chest.

" For now on you service me only", Tommy says kissing your forehead.

" I love that, but I'll fall in love with you", you say blushing at him.

" Please do. I'll wind up loving you too. Then marrying you", Tommy says kissing you passionately. You two kiss for a bit longer. After awhile of enjoying each other in bed; you two leave the club together. Tommy takes you home, where you two can be with each other always and forever.

#cillian murphy #thomas shelby #peaky blinders #writing

[gundamcalibarney]

[ The Lady and the Liner ]

Boat Interest + “Hey what’s going on with the larger boats on Sodor?” = This Fic

Also cause i thought it’d be fun lol.

In terms of my personal timeline this takes place before Edward’s arrival.

canon to the Golden Whistle AU but no humanization involved.

Liberties were taken for the purposes of this story.

[ 🚂✨🚢 ]

16 April, 1910

Though the small tank engine had often worked in the inland yards, today she was sent to Knapford Harbour for extra help shunting the cargo for a passenger liner that had arrived. Mostly mail but still important!

Lady muses to herself that she hasn't really Seen many big boats herself. Most of what she knows comes from Theodore, who states that they do the work of express and freight combined (a mixed Traffic engine but less fussy about what they get, got it).

There was a large ship docked, one predominantly painted in black with four masts and a single funnel painted in red with a black cap.

Though what stood out to her was the lack of face, nothing to denote any form of expression or mood.

"That's her?" Lady asks.

A blue J68, Theodore passes by with some of the trucks on buffer, "Mhm and she's quite small compared to others that arrived but she's a big one nonetheless."

She simply hums in agreement as she gets to getting the mail, though there was a feeling that eyes were on her.

And that feeling remained for the majority of the day. Despite the liner not having any visible form of seeing she could still felt that lingering mood of being watched.

So Lady decides to give a quaint little whistle to the ship.

Peep Peep!

To her surprise the ship responds with a long deep Hoot.

"Good Afternoon to you Madame!" Lady greets, the ship whistles once more but it was shorter than the one before.

Huh?

"Er-i'm sorry?" Lady squeaks.

"Lady I'm not sure if she can really hear you speaking at this distance." David, her driver lightly chides.

"Do I need to shout then?" Lady asks.

"Heavens No!" objects her fireman Brent.

"Well then how am I s'posed to hold a conversation with her?" questions Lady.

"For all I care she's probably not interested." groaned Brent.

And the work went on as usual.

Lady still peeped her whistle as per usual to get the liner's attention and the ship still responded with Just whistles and no words.

The liner remained at dock but now people were boarding her, both passengers and crew while the cargo was being carefully loaded.

Both her and Theodore were there to see the ship go off, her masts standing tall and the funnel letting off steam but Lady still didn’t get a word out of her. Her cheeks puffed up in annoyance at this, there was the idea of blowing her whistle at her again seeing as she ‘responded’ the last time.

But third time’s the charm right?

With one big breath in she blew her shriek like whistle which subsequently caused small gold sparkles to fly out it and it certainly got the attention of the other people including the passengers going into the vessel and a couple workmen. The liner once more let out a low and long horn but then came something else-

“Quite the pipey one aren’t you?” It came from nowhere, deep as the whistle that blew before that yet so clear like the one speaking was directly beside or ahead her.

Lady’s eyes darted around for the source but as her mind scrounged for guesses on who had spoken, Brent wasn’t as bellowy, Sir Hatt doesn’t sound so hollow and David just doesn’t sound like and it wasn’t until the humourless laughter of-of-

She realises.

The Boat.

“Oi you have any explanation for not speaking up?!” Lady shouts (which catches Theodore off guard).

The response given sounded like an annoyed huff, “I was, you either didn’t hear or weren’t trying hard enough.”

Weren’t trying hard enough? the absolute Gall of this ocean liner!

“I was whistling to you and you rarely spoke up!” she growls.

“That’s not what i was referring to tank engine.”

“What do you mean by that then?”

“The Du-“

The voice abruptly cuts off into a long horn, the ropes that kept her at the harbour were brought back to the vessel. There was then silence from the liner since as she sailed away into the vast and open ocean.

To say that Lady understood any of that was an overstatement.

[ 🚢🚢🚢 ]

20 April 1910, Boston

“How was Sodor little liner?” asked Saxonia.

“Little my stern but it went well.” the other Liner reports. “Could’ve been better.”

Saxonia hums, “Any particular happenings?”

“Talking.”

“How well did that go?” Saxonia asks eagerly.

“It would have been good but i’m afraid Sodor’s invisible walls don’t allow that easily.” the other huffs in annoyance.

#moth’s writing #ttte #thomas the tank engine #ttte fic #ttte fanfic #golden whislte au #ttte lady #Theodore is an oc #this is like a mini fic cause i liked the scenario #the ending’s pretty ambigious #WHO the liner is supposed to be is up to you #(tho i did have a specific ship in mind ofc)

[aaronburrdaily]

December 3, 1808

Had very carefully put Mr. Achaud's letter, my handkerchiefs, and other small articles in the pockets of the coat I intended to wear. Anna had put my room in order before I got down. After being two hours on the way, missed my handkerchiefs, and, upon quiet examination, discovered that I had taken the wrong coat. What a curse to have two coats at a time! But the letter; the letter of Madame A. to Madame P.! Met at Brentford the coach going to town. Engaged the driver for half a crown to go to Bentham’s for the letter. Wrote K. to give him it. Breakfast at Brentford, 1 shilling 6 pence. A sensible elderly lady in the coach, going to Madame Merry’s, Chelsea. This cannot be our Madame Merry. Arrived at Weybridge at 1/2 p. 1, having been five and a quarter hours on the road. Distance twenty-one miles. This is the usual rate of stage-coaching in this country, except the mail. At Madame Prevost’s, her son, Lieutenant-Colonel William Prevost, and wife; an Irish lady, Miss Hamilton. Her father now at ——, in Somerset, one brother, merchant in Liverpool, one, very young, merchant at Quebec, making a fortune out of the embargo. She offered a letter for you to her brother in Liverpool, in case you should land there. Dinner at 5 en famille¹. Cards au soir² — perd.³ 3 shilling 6 pence. In the forenoon walked with Madame Prevost. Met several Gunns, but not Eliza. After returning, called at Gunn’s. He abroad. Madame and the five daughters chez elle⁴. All very accomplished. All talents. The mother and Eliza superior. Came home (to the tavern) at 1/2 p. 10. I refused a bed at Madame’s, being more at my ease to smoke my segar and tell little T. what I have been about. But I don't tell 1/2 nor 1/4 These are only notes to write from. Afraid to write out.

1  In or with the family; informally, as one of them. 2  In the evening. 3  For perdis, or perdu. Lost. 4  At her house.

#Aaron Burr #The Private Journal of Aaron Burr

[dearestcorrespondence]

John Henry to Elizabeth Hamilton, Albany, [January 3, 1805]

Madam

Your letter of the 18th November last was received by me at the close of that month just after my return from New York, where I had been assured by your Brother Philip that he would be in Albany in the course of a fortnight to make some final arrangements relative to your father’s estate. I pardon all answering your letter from day to day in expectation of his arrived which I would to obtain institutions respecting the payment of the many awaiting from the sale of grass claimed by you, and the amount. The amount I would not ascertain as I had nothing to do with the sales, which was made at vendue under the direction of your brother Rensselaer and the monies paid over to me by the Vendue_, without starting the whole number of acres of meadow, or your proportion.  The payment, notwithstanding, my individual opinion of the property & conforming your Lille, could not be made by me without the executor’s orders, as your Lille was opposed by some of the devises. It gives me pleasures to say that I was instructed to make the payment, but owing for the unexpected stay of your Brother at Shellywater, not till yesterday extending the whole quarterly of meadow ground at 17 acres, and yours at 5, and the whole receipts being $212, your proper sum of the money amounts to $62.35.

I hope the circumstances which have been mentioned will excuse me from the impartation of any negligence or disrespect in delaying to answer your letter.

The only units which I have received belonging to you as service are $45.10 from Philip Moury a tenant in Caryl’s Manor, by Major Gold & Lile and $12.50 from Thomas Armstrong, a tenant in Saratoga. To pay these, and then sum of $12.35, I have deposited $119.95 in your name in the Bank of Albany and send the artifacts by which this Mr. Charles Wilkes, you will be able to get the money at the New York Bank. There is such negligence & irregulatory in carrying the mails, that money ought not be asked of them.

Mrs. Henry desires me to return her respectful compliments to you &

I am with great regard, Madam

Your obedient serv(t)

John Henry

#john henry #elizabeth hamilton #elizabeth schuyler #1805 #hamilton correspondence

[spookylittletownhq]

October 23, 1923

Letter from the Editor: Season tidings to all this marvelous autumn! As your hardworking Gazette staff presses their noses to the printing press, and speeds through the whipping wind to deliver each post, know that we do it all in service of the beloved valley we call home. We serve as proud bastions of the news worth knowing inside the Green Valley, from the hayfields of the lower foothills to the cresting north of Wolgemuth Hall.

We do have one, small favor, to ask:

Lately, several letters have been misdelivered, and sent instead to our office upon Front Street. This has caused a great deal of clamor regarding our own writers possible thieving of letters for their personal, journalistic gains. Allow me, Ansel Tate, to assure you: we at the Albion Gazette hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity, and we only publish news gained through the common paths (interviews, investigations, and eavesdropping). Opening the mail would be a dereliction of our own duties.

If you are missing a letter, please inquire at the post office. Or, whisper it to an eastern wind. It has worked before.

That is all for now! Read on to see what else there is to know in Albion.

--

Leo Grocers will be hosting an All You Can Apple sale for the remainder of the month. Those interested in apples of all forms (butters, chutneys, apples themselves) should arrive on the quarter-after to the grocers for the best deals.

There is a strange trio often found inside Pegamon Pub, believed to have absconded with a figurine quite dear to the owners there. Should anyone spot them, please do ask for the return of the Lumpy Bear statue.

Due to a repair on the track, St. Catharine’s Depot will be closed Tuesdays for the foreseeable future.

Looking for employment? The Mill at Howell Creek is looking for a night manager to operate and clean the grain bastions. Lodgings provided.

The weather will remain temperate for the rest of the week, though the sisters of the western ridge warn that we are in for a particularly heavy winter. Members of the Augurs will be holding starlight readings for those looking to predict their winter fortunes. Inquire at the red door on Abbott Street. The second one.

Funeral rites for Hartmut Wolgemuth, esteemed patron of several public works (most notably, the bridge connecting Wolgemuth Hall to the upper fields, and a statue of his likeness nestled in the alcove along Linden Street) will be performed this Thursday. Invitations have been sent.

Flory’s Bakery is looking for a morning shopkeep to open the bakery and tend to visitors. Those interested should send six dinner rolls to the bakery for consideration.

Accordingly, the Bakery will be closed Thursday and Friday of this week in preparation for nuptials! The wedding of Whitacre Gatlin and Opal Flory will be held in Ramsey Orchard on Friday evening. All are welcome. Please do not send dinner rolls on Thursday or Friday, as they may be inadvertently served to guests.

And last: Madame Lange would like to request the newcomer’s presence for a private conversation. Do make your way there, newcomer. The Tea Room can be found six doors down Front Street, on a cloudy day.

#albion;gazette