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chapter seventeen — under the spotlight

➝ elisabeth gets an opportunity to impress toto, and takes it as a chance to face her fears.

➝ word count: 5,8k

➝ warnings: mentions of bullying and anxiety attacks

MAY, 2015

Sitting inside the black taxi, she watched the Mediterranean washed over the coast of Monaco through the window. Her right leg, crossed over the other, swayed incessantly. Her fingers tapped the leather of her bag.

She was anxious.

— Elisabeth? — Emilia asked, putting her hand on her leg — Is everything okay?

She looked to the side and saw the blonde woman staring at her with a worried expression on her face. She forced a smile to her lips, trying to look calm.

— Yes, Emilia, why do you ask?

She raised an eyebrow.

— Because you don’t look okay.

Elisabeth sighed, pressing her lips together. Emilia could read her like no one else.

She had met her in January 2013, during Toto’s birthday dinner at his apartment in Vienna. The woman was with her boyfriend, Valtteri, a Finnish driver who would make his Formula 1 debut that season. After what had happened there a few weeks earlier, during the New Year’s party, Elisabeth really didn’t feel comfortable, even more so with Toto’s gaze hovering over her at every moment, as if he was analyzing her.

“I need some air”, she thought, sneaking between the conversation groups onto the rooftop terrace. The space was large and had an enviable view of the entire city of Vienna. Leaning against the ledge, Elisabeth was looking at the colorful roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral when she heard the door open behind her. She took a deep breath, trying to think of an excuse for being outside in the middle of the Viennese winter in nothing more than a party dress. She was surprised, however, when she heard a woman’s voice behind her.

— You don’t like parties? — the woman asked, standing beside her with her glass of red wine in her hand.

— No, not really — Elisabeth smiled shyly, taking a sip of her drink.

— Neither I, but I don’t have much choice — she laughed, leaning against the railing — Valtteri is very fond of Toto.

— I am, too — she muttered, without thinking.

— I noticed — the blonde replied, causing her to turn her head, eyes wide.

— Is it that obvious? — Elisabeth whispered. She was surprised at how nervous she sounded.

— Yes — she gave an apologetic smile.

— Damn — she laughed. Discretion was not her strong suit.

— Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me — the woman said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

— Thank you — she hesitated, realizing she couldn’t remember her name.

— Emilia — she smiled.

“I can’t hide anything from her”, Elisabeth thought, looking down to her swaying leg.

— Is it okay to back out now?

— Elisabeth, don’t even think about it — she replied, firmly.

— But, Emilia, I’m not a model…

— Neither am I. But here we are, on our way to the Amber Lounge Fashion Show.

— But…

— No buts, Elisabeth.

— What if Toto doesn’t like it?

Emilia looked at her, placing her hand on top of hers.

— He’ll like it, trust me — she said, winking at her.

She knew about the Amber Lounge Fashion Show from the gossip she’d heard around the paddock. Most of it consisted of the relationship status of the women attending the event, how clumsy the drivers were on the catwalk, and the torrid romances that started at the afterparty. However, Elisabeth would have never imagined herself actually participating, especially considering whose daughter she was.

And she wasn't referring to Niki in this case.

Marlene, before marrying her father and becoming the mother of his three children, was a famous model both in the United States and Europe. She was tall, with light-brown hair and greenish eyes. She posed for dozens of magazine covers and was considered a true fashion icon of the 70s and 80s. When Elisabeth was born, it was a real event for the Austrian’s celebrity magazines.

A Lauda daughter — finally, her mother had a successor.

Or… Not.

In her childhood, Elisabeth liked to be in front of the lens, enjoying being in photos with her brothers, especially with her father. However, it was when she came back to Austria, after five years in Italy, that she started to avoid the cameras.

All because of a classmate.

After leaving the post of consultant at Ferrari, the Lauda family returned to Vienna. However, despite Elisabeth's desire to return to study at the Lycée Français, Niki and Marlene chose to place her and her siblings at the Vienna International School — also known as VIS — a private school on the banks of the Danube.

The first few months were relatively uneventful for Elisabeth. However, her peace was completely ruined when one of her classmates, a French girl named Isabelle, brought a magazine into the classroom, opening it in a very specific page.

She didn’t remember the headline specifically, but it was something about her and Marlene shopping for something. She had just come out of class and was eating an ice cream her mother had bought her. However, the difference between the two of them caught the attention of her classmates.

While her mother was impeccably dressed, Elisabeth was as disheveled as any other preteen would be after a full day at school. She was also in the midst of puberty, and her curves were starting to come in. In the article, the journalist highlighted the physical difference between her and her mother and even insisted that the “once lovely Lauda girl” was “an ugly duckling”.

Elisabeth felt deeply uncomfortable and exposed as she looked at the pictures. However, the worst was yet to come. Because of the photos, her classmates started to tease her, making terrible jokes at her expense and calling her by unpleasant nicknames. Almost overnight, Elisabeth’s life at VIS had become hell. And she knew there was no point in saying anything to her parents, let alone her siblings.

In the face of all those attacks, Elisabeth was completely alone.

In a way to defend herself, she started hiding, avoiding photos, and stopping wearing clothes that showed off her form or made her stand out more than she already did — being the daughter of a famous model and a three-time Formula 1 champion and Austrian national hero. Her parents even questioned why she wore coats and hoodies even on hot days, but Elisabeth always made up an excuse, saying that the school building was cold or that everyone brought coats. The argument never got too long, as they knew they wouldn't be able to convince her to leave her coat at home. So they just nodded and wished her a good day at school.

Her effort to become invisible and, in a certain way, immune to the words of her classmates paid off. By the time she entered the University of Vienna to study Business Administration, Elisabeth was practically anonymous, acting like just another student.

However, in a great irony of fate, it was at the university that Elisabeth was transformed, like the ugly duckling in the fairy tales she had heard as a child. Despite being shy and somewhat withdrawn, she made some friends, went to some parties and even had a boyfriend, a guy from Salzburg named Ferdinand.

Her style of dressing has also evolved. Sneakers gave way to high heels, pants and baggy shirts were replaced by elegant, form-fitting dresses. It was after leaving university that Elisabeth Lauda, the accomplished businesswoman and Niki Lauda’s right hand, was officially born.

However, she couldn’t deny that deep inside, she still felt like the pre-teen girl who had been called an “ugly duckling” in the press. And that pre-teen girl inside her panicked when Emília invited her to participate in the fashion show while they were at a dinner in Barcelona.

— No, no way — she replied flatly, shaking her head.

— Come on, Elisabeth, it’s going to be fun!

— Emilia, you know I don’t like that kind of thing. Besides, I don’t even know how to walk a catwalk.

— Neither do I, and I’ve already said I’d participate.

Elisabeth widened her eyes. “She must be crazy”, she thought, taking a sip of wine.

— Besides, I heard Toto was invited too — she said, suggestively.

She raised an eyebrow.

— How do you know?

— Both he and Valtteri were invited.

— And you’re going for Valtteri, I suppose.

— Of course. And you should go for Toto.

— Why?

— To surprise him, just like I’m surprising Valtteri — Emilia smiled.

Elisabeth snapped out of her reverie when the car pulled up to the front door of Le Méridien Beach Plaza, a peach-hued building complex with glass and metal accents. Looking at the double doors of the hotel reception, she took a deep, hesitant breath.

— Ready, Elisabeth? — her friend asked. As she looked at her, she noticed that Emilia had an encouraging smile on her face. “Well, too late to run now”, Elisabeth thought, smiling a little.

— Let’s go.

They got out of the taxi and headed for the revolving door that gave access to the hotel lobby. The surroundings were richly decorated in earthy tones. At the center of the room, an enormous wooden sculpture of a clenched fist caught her attention. However, Elisabeth barely had time to take it in before she and Emilia were approached by a woman in a dark suit and a clipboard in her hand.

— Miss Pikkarainen? Miss Lauda? — she asked, smiling politely.

— Yes — Emilia replied, adjusting her purse strap on her shoulder.

— If you could be so kind as to come with me? — the woman indicated the way with a gesture of her hand before heading down a corridor towards the outside area. Walking behind her, Elisabeth felt the anxiety build in her stomach. What if she tripped? What if she stepped on the dress? Or rather, what dress would she wear? Long or short? White or colored?

Her head was overflowing with questions.

As they entered the room that guarded the backstage of the event, she felt her stomach drop. The place was a mess of stylists, makeup artists, hairdressers, and models, all crammed into the stifling, humid space next to the resort’s main pool, where the catwalk was set up.

— I’ll call the stylists responsible for dressing you and they will take you through the next steps. Please wait here — the woman said, disappearing into the crowd of frantic assistants with clothes on hangers and women with curlers in their hair. When she saw a man walk by with a bathing suit in his hands, Elisabeth can’t couldn’t help but shudder.

— Are we going to walk the runway in bathing suits?

— No, I don’t think so — Emilia replied — And even if we were, I’m sure you’d rock it.

— I’m not sure about that — you muttered.

— Elisabeth, we already went to the beach together. Your body is beautiful, everyone would drool over it.

She bit the inside of her cheek, a little uncertain. “Would people really think I’m beautiful?”, she thought, looking at her shoes.

— And here they are — said the woman who led them into the room. Looking up, Elisabeth saw that she was accompanied by a man and a woman — Ladies, this is Melissa Odabash and Julien Macdonald, the designers for the clothes you will be wearing tonight.

The two approached them and greeted both she and Emilia with warm hugs.

— From what I can see here, Julien stays with Miss Pikkarainen while Melissa stays with Miss Lauda — the woman said, looking at the spreadsheet in front of her, drawing two lines on the paper stuck to the clipboard.

— Great, Erica, thank you very much — Melissa replied, taking Elisabeth’s hand — Shall we go to work?

She gave a shy smile.

— Yes.

The stylist guided her through the hustle of the backstage area, stopping a few times to check on other models. “They’re all beautiful”, she thought, gripping the strap of her purse tighter. Then, Melissa stopped in front of a white vanity table filled with foundations, pressed powders, eyeshadows and lipsticks. A woman with short brown hair was leaning against it, completely immersed in whatever was on her cellphone.

— Ally? — Melissa said, catching her attention.

— Yes, Melissa — she straightened her posture, tucking her phone into the pocket of her jeans.

— This is…

— Elisabeth Lauda — she added, looking at the stylist.

— She’s going to be in the show wearing a piece from my summer collection. You know the look we’re going for, right?

— Yes! A very neutral, simple, beach day look — Ally replied, looking at her face curiously, like an artist looking at a blank canvas — Are you wearing makeup now?

— Me? Well, I put on some mascara, lip gloss, that sort of thing.

She smiled.

— Fine, I’ll take it from here.

Melissa looked at Elisabeth, placing a hand on her shoulder.

— I’ll be back in a little while with your clothes, okay?

She nodded, her lips curving into a shy smile. The stylist left her with Ally, disappearing into the fray. Watching the movement, Elisabeth couldn’t help but feel a little terrified by it all. “How can they find anything in this mess?”, she thought, watching a man push a rack full of bikinis to a corner of the room.

— Miss Lauda — Ally asked you, smiling — Could you sit down?

She nodded, sitting in the chair in front of the vanity, placing her bag on her lap. Then, the makeup artist turned to her with a tissue in her hand and began to swipe it on her face, cleaning it. Looking at her, Elisabeth noticed that the concentrated gaze gave way to an expression of surprise.

— When you said you only had mascara and lip gloss, I thought you were joking — she said, looking down at the tissue.

— Why?

— Because your skin was perfect, just right, in fact. I was sure you had a high-coverage foundation, a light highlighter in the right spots, maybe some blush, but no. You really have the skin of any makeup artist’s dreams — Ally smiled.

Her cheeks heated at Ally’s words. Elisabeth was definitely not used to receiving compliments like that. Of course, Toto made a point of showering her with compliments, not a day going by without saying, at least once, how funny, smart and beautiful she was.

However, she felt that this was different.

It wasn’t her partner. This was a stranger saying such nice things about her, and that’s what she wasn't used to.

— I’m glad I’m making your job easier — she replied, as Ally dabbed her tissue under her eyes.

— Much easier, Miss Lauda — she said with a laugh.

— Please, just Elisabeth is enough.

Ally smiled, throwing the tissue away before starting to apply the makeup. Her skin was primed with a low-coverage foundation, followed by a little concealer in a few specific spots. Then, she applied some bronzer, some blush and, finally, an illuminator. She adjusted her brows a bit and applied mascara to her lashes, and then finished her look with a creamy rose-colored lipstick. It matched the natural color of her lips already.

Ally was putting the finishing touches on her face when another woman, with orange hair and the greenest eyes she'd ever seen, approached with a smile on her face.

— Is she ready to get her hair done, Ally?

— Yeah, just about. By the way, Elisabeth, this is Imogen, the hairstylist.

She nodded, watching Imogen grab a brush to detangle her brown strands. Then, she picked up a curling iron from the vanity’s drawer and began to smooth waves through her hair, taking care not to leave any streaks. As she sprayed some hairspray on her strands, Elisabeth saw Melissa with a hanger in her hands approaching through the reflection of the mirror.

— Elisabeth, this is the dress you’re going to wear today — she said, holding out the garment for her to examine. It was a long-sleeved crocheted dress, the weave of carefully crafted white thread, with a plunging neckline. A luxurious and daring piece.

— It’s very beautiful — she replied, forcing a smile.

— You’ll look stunning in it, I’m sure. Imogen, is her hair done? She needs to get dressed.

The hairdresser released another wave of the curling iron, smiling.

— I just need to finish off with the beach spray, a moment — she said, dropping the curling iron clumsily on top of the vanity and picking up a can of product that was hidden in a corner, applying it to her hair.

Looking at her own reflection, the impression Elisabeth had was that she had just left the beach after a whole day with her feet in the sand. Her skin looked legitimately flushed from the sun and her hair looked as if it had been smoothed by the warm breeze, the waves formed by the salt water effect on her strands. “Pretty”, she thought, smiling.

— Shall we, Elisabeth?

— Yes — she said, rising from her chair and following Melissa into one of the dressing rooms.

As sexy as the dress looked on the hanger, it looked far more so on her body. The weave was somewhat transparent and hugged her curves. The neckline was sensual, plunging down to her sternum. “No turning back now”, she thought, smoothing her hand over the fabric before leaving the dressing area.

Outside, Melissa was talking to Ally when she came out of the dressing room. Turning her face towards her, she noticed that her eyes lit up.

— You look beautiful, Elisabeth — the stylist said quietly.

— Beautiful is not enough. Gorgeous — Ally said, smiling.

Behind them, a third female voice gasped in surprise.

— Elisabeth, you’re absolutely stunning — Emilia said, approaching her. Her blonde hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, and she had eyeliner highlighting her blue eyes. She wore a low-cut nude bodysuit with a tulle skirt that did little to cover her legs.

— Isn’t it too much? — Elisabeth asked, running her finger along the edge of her neckline. She felt a little strange.

— It’s perfect — she said, approaching her and taking her hands.

— I feel so awkward… Like, I’m over-exposed.

— Toto will say you’re overdressed for his taste — Emilia replied with a sly smile, making her face heat up and her friend laugh.

Elisabeth scolded her, reminding her to not say anything about Toto too loudly, as Melissa approached them, a friendly smile on her face.

— Girls, we need to get you to the back of the stage to organize the order of entry. Can you come with me?

They followed the stylist, heading towards a lounge that overlooked the entrance to the main stage. There, in addition to some armchairs, a screen was installed that showed the crowd assembled in the audience. Elisabeth’s eyes were glued to the screen, desperately searching for Toto in the crowd at the fashion show.

However, she felt her stomach turn at the sight of an obvious red dot seated in the audience. “It can’t be, he couldn’t have come”, she thought, her heart racing.

The camera changed its angle, and Elisabeth was sure she was screwed.

Sitting in the front row, Niki was laughing at some comment Toto had made. He was dressed casually, a cream-colored suit over a blue sweater. Marlene, sitting next to her father in an elegant white dress, was talking to a woman who was trying to control a baby on her lap.

— Elisabeth, are you okay? — Ally asked, looking at her.

— No — she stammered, feeling a lump forming in her throat, a twinge of pain in her chest. Her heart felt like it was going to explode, as fast as it was beating. With her eyes fixed on the screen, Elisabeth felt her body getting colder and colder, the thin crochet weave that covered her body no longer enough to keep her warm.

“Is this how I die?”, she thought to herself, not realizing that a pair of arms were encircling her.

— Elisabeth — she heard Emilia say. She sounded distant. — Talk to me, Elisabeth.

Her breathing was heavy. She seemed to be fighting her own body to get oxygen into her lungs. Her focus on continuing to breathe was so strong that she didn’t even realize she was no longer standing, but sitting in an armchair, her legs shaking uncontrollably.

— Elisabeth, it’s okay, it’s okay — her friend repeated, crouching in front of her — Breathe along with me, it’s okay.

She wanted to speak, but no words came out of her mouth.

Her throat continued to close up.

— I… I… No — she managed to stammer, her hands shaking.

She was going to die, she was sure of it.

— Look at me, Elisabeth — she said, taking her hands. With some difficulty, she raised her eyes to meet Emilia’s worried gaze.

— Come on, breathe in with me — she said — Now breathe out. Yes, like that.

Elisabeth wasn't sure how long they had spent in that corner of the backstage, doing that thing so basic she seemed to have unlearned in a matter of seconds. However, she knew it had been a few minutes, just by the fact that the master of ceremonies’ voice was blaring from the speakers scattered through the backstage area.

— Feeling better? — Emilia asked in a whisper.

— Yes — she replied in a thin voice. The tight feeling in her throat had eased, but her chest still ached.

— What happened, Elisabeth?

— My parents are here — she said, feeling her legs start to shake again — My parents came to this damn thing. They’re not even into this sort of thing, Emilia!

— Oh my God — she whispered, as the complexity of the situation dawned on her.

— It was already difficult to do this with Toto watching, now with my parents here, it’s going to be impossible — she started talking, gesturing with her hands.

— Elisabeth…

— They’re going to hate it, I’m sure they’re going to hate it, why did I agree to do this…

— Elisabeth, please — her friend said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

— I can’t, Emilia, I can’t, I can’t…

— Elisabeth, listen to me…

— I’m an idiot, an imbecile, I shouldn’t have agreed, I’ll never be like my mother, I’ll never be like those models that he dated, I’ll never be like Aurélie…

— Elisabeth! — Emilia growled, making her shut up — Listen to me.

She blinked, a little startled by Emilia’s reaction. Her friend, who had always been the portrait of calm and serenity, was now staring at her with an irritated expression. Elisabeth had definitely pissed her off.

— You’re not an idiot, let alone an imbecile. You will never be like your mother, but do you know why? Because you are Elisabeth Lauda. You are unique and that’s what makes you special. You don’t have to be like anyone else, especially considering you’re such an amazing, smart, beautiful person.

Her eyes were full of tears.

— And if you must know, you’ll never be like Toto’s exes or Aurélie anyway, because you’re better. You’re a successful, independent businesswoman, and that is exactly what made Toto fall in love with you.

— But… What if he doesn’t like it?

Emilia rolled her eyes.

— Then it’s his problem, not yours. Now, I want you to stand up, take a deep breath, lift that face and show that man the woman he has on his side.

She stood up, taking a deep breath.

Then she lifted her chin.

Elisabeth had no idea what force was moving her at that moment.

She just knew that her legs were guiding her towards the line of models that were being positioned at the entrance to the catwalk by Erica, who was still holding the clipboard in her hand. Seeing her, the woman smiled.

— Miss Lauda, you’ll be the last one in, okay?

— Yes — she replied with a firmness and resolve that she didn’t know the source for.

When the presenter announced the start of Melissa Odabash’s Spring-Summer 2015 collection show, Elisabeth felt her throat close up again, her body getting cold again. “No, not this time, Elisabeth”, she said mentally, taking a deep breath.

— Elisabeth — she heard Emilia say from behind her. Turning away, she saw her give her a thumbs-up. It would work. Everything had to work.

One by one, the models entered the catwalk, following the signal given by Erica. The conversations and shutter clicks grew as each of the women appeared in front of the audience, almost drowning out the electronic beat that served as the event’s soundtrack.

— Elisabeth, it’s your turn — Erica said, smiling.

She nodded and took a deep breath, heading up the stairs. “Show time”, she thought to herself, smiling broadly and walking with firm steps towards the spot lit by the spotlight, which marked the beginning of the catwalk.

The lights and flashes dazzled her vision, the sounds of cameras and conversations reduced to mere murmurs inside her head. Every step was careful, every movement of her arms was calculated, every blink of her eyes was thought out. On top of that catwalk, Elisabeth realized she was there to prove something.

Not to her parents or the press or Toto.

But to herself.

She was out there to prove that she was capable of anything she wanted to do.

Stopping at the edge of the dais, Elisabeth posed for a few seconds for the photographers, who shouted her name in an attempt to draw her attention to their lens. Turning her back quickly, she looked at them over her shoulder for a few seconds before making her way back.

And as Elisabeth turned her face forward, her eyes met Toto’s in the crowd. He was staring at her with his mouth slightly open, his expression somewhere between surprise and delight at what he was seeing. Beside him, her father watched her closely, a smile curving his lips. Her mother, on the other hand, was an emotional mess, squeezing Niki’s hand as she pressed her lips together in an attempt not to cry.

Seeing the reaction of the three people she loved most in the world, her smile grew wider as she walked back to the beginning of the catwalk.

She did it.

Hours later, Elisabeth was holding a glass of champagne in her hands, a wide smile on her face. Beside her, her parents seemed not to be able to contain their pride in front of her, posing for photos and talking to everyone who approached her about how well she had done and how the talent for modeling was in her blood.

Unfortunately, the night had not been so pleasant for Emilia. Although she walked the runway beautifully, she didn’t find in the audience who she most wanted to see: Valtteri. With frustration evident on her face, Elisabeth had to watch her friend leave early from the party, the feeling of helplessness growing in her chest as she walked away from her with tears in her eyes.

Squeezed into a corner of the party, her mind was still replaying the moment her eyes met Toto’s when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

— You mean that Elisabeth Renate Lauda, in addition to being a businesswoman and investor, is also a model? — the man said, making her smile broadly. Turning around, she found Toto with the biggest smile she’d ever seen on his face.

— Just for today — she replied, laughing.

— In my opinion, it could be forever — he murmured, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek, a greeting that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but him being professional. In an environment like this, where eyes were always on the lookout for every move, anything beyond mere politeness could spark unwanted rumors and gossip.

— I thought you’d enjoy it — Elisabeth replied, taking a sip of champagne.

— Why? — he raised an inquiring eyebrow, putting one hand in the pocket of his black dress pants.

— Aren’t you the Model Man? — she asked him, the shadow of a smile on her face.

Toto looked around them, making sure there were no prying eyes watching them. Then he took a step forward and brought his face closer to hers.

— I’m Elisabeth Lauda’s man, did you forget about it?

— Are you? — she asked with a mischievous smile on her face — Maybe I need a reminder.

He spent some seconds in silence, as if processing what she had just said. Then, after another discreet look around them, Toto took Elisabeth’s wrist and pulled her into a corner behind a column, away from any eyes.

— What are you doing? — she asked, feeling his hands slide down her body to her butt, giving an ungentle squeeze, making her stifle a squeak.

— Giving you a reminder, my model — Toto replied, taking her lips with his in a fierce kiss that tasted like desire and expensive champagne.

His hands were pulling her body against his, his fingers tangled in the crochet weave of her dress, squeezing her bottom tightly. Elisabeth even thought about protesting, but with one of her hands tightly gripping his hair, as if she might fall if she wasn't holding onto it, she was completely surrendered.

Pulling his face slightly away from hers, Toto smiled, breathless.

— I’ve wanted to do this ever since I saw you in this dress on that catwalk — he said, brushing his nose on hers — You looked divine, Liesl.

Elisabeth smiled.

— What professional makeup and hairstyling can't do, right?

He shaked his head.

— It really doesn't enter your head that you're beautiful, does it?

— Because I am not. This is all makeup, hairstyle and a nice outfit. It's not me. I'm just a — she hesitated for a second — Ugly duckling.

He tucked a lock of Elisabeth's hair behind her ear.

— Where did you get this ugly duckling idea from?

Elisabeth pressed her lips together. She had never told anyone about what happened to her at VIS. Not to her parents or siblings. It was almost like a scar that she carried inside her and that had completely shaped her personality and vision, both of the world and of herself.

— It was what they called me.

— They?

— My classmates at school.

— Why?

— That's when we moved back to Vienna. A classmate of mine brought one of those gossip magazines to class and had a story about my mom and me. And the headline said I was an ugly duckling. And they started calling me that.

Toto blinked.

— They bullied you?

— Yeah.

— I suppose you put them in their place, didn't you?

Elisabeth looked down.

— You told your parents about it?

— No — she muttered.

— Mathias, Lukas?

— I had never told anyone. Well, until now.

He looked at her thoughtfully, as if the dots were connecting in his head. It was as if Toto had finally understood the reason for her dislike of cameras, as well as the lack of pictures of her as a teenager and the rather impressive amount of coats and hoodies Elisabeth had kept in the apartments in Vienna and in the Oxfordshire house.

— Am I the first to know about this?

— Yes.

— Why?

— Because I decided to face my trauma today. Emilia invited me to participate in this fashion show and convinced me by saying that you would come. And I wanted to show that I could be like... The other ones.

— The other ones?

— The models and beauty queens you dated.

He chuckled, seeming not to believe it.

— Are you saying that you did all this…

— Because your ex-girlfriends were models and I wanted to impress you? Yes, Toto.

— Elisabeth…

— Toto, from the moment I leave the office, I become nothing. I am my career. I'm not pretty, sociable or friendly like the other women you have dated. I am the most boring person ever. Even my career is boring!

— Can you listen to me? — he tried to say, without success.

— Honestly, I don't even know what you saw in me.

— Clearly much more than you can see yourself.

Elisabeth looked away at the empty champagne flute in her hand. However, Toto made her look up again, their eyes meeting.

— From the first moment your father mentioned you, I was interested in you. The way he spoke of your intelligence and ability attracted me even before I saw you for the first time — he said, his thumb caressing her chin — And when I saw you on Edvard, with those eyes bluer than the Danube and that sweet smile, I knew I was in trouble.

— Trouble?

— Yes, in trouble. Simply the most beautiful woman I had ever seen had just sat at my table and I couldn't say anything because her father was on my side — he chuckled — Dinner was going on and I hadn't been able to exchange a single word with you. I thought I would never see you again and I was resigning myself to that possibility, until Niki invited you to Singapore and you accepted. You have no idea how happy I was when you said yes.

Elisabeth gave a small smile.

— After our lunch at the hotel in Singapore, I was convinced you were just fantastic. Your humor and your intelligence stood out more than your beauty.

— Beauty — she muttered, unconvinced.

— Yes, beauty. You are a beautiful woman. None of the other women I've dated come close to being beautiful like you. You are so beautiful that it is impossible to forget about you — Toto said in a low voice — I know this because I tried, Elisabeth. And I failed.

— Toto…

— I realized that I would never forget you after the accident. I thought it was some concussion symptom or something, because I saw you in everything, all the time. I saw you in every pair of blue eyes, in every woman with brown hair, in every click of heels. Even when I shouldn't see you, there you were.

Elisabeth didn’t know what to say.

— When I said I needed you, I was telling the truth. I needed you. I need you. And I need you as you are. Not a version of you like the others, but you. The Elisabeth who ties her hair up like her mother, who drinks more coffee than she should and who curses more than her father during the races. Much more, in fact.

He came over and enveloped her in a hug, his chin resting on the top of her head. A few seconds of silence later, she heard Toto ask.

— Do you really know the story of the ugly duckling?

— It's about a baby duck that's ugly — she said.

— It's not a baby duck, Liesl. It's a baby swan.

Elisabeth turned her face away slightly, looking at him.

— Swans are not pretty when young, but they become beautiful birds in adulthood — Toto explained — Not that I think it's an adequate comparison, as I've seen your childhood photos and found you to be an adorable child. But somehow crooked and with many caveats, they were right. You were the ugly duckling and you turned into the most beautiful swan on the lake.

Elisabeth felt tears well up in her eyes.

— How do you know it is a swan? — she asked, her voice a bit choked up.

— I have two children, Liesl. I’ve told them this story more times than I can count.

She smiled.

— You're a good father, Toto.

— And you will be a good mother — he mumbled, until he realized what he had said, then added — Someday.

— Yeah, someday — she replied softly, hugging him again.

In the back of her mind, an idea was starting to germinate.

An idea that would call her mom.

#toto wolff #formula 1 fic #formula 1 fanfic #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #wlffog #natsversion #f1 x oc #formula 1 x oc #toto wolff x oc #scwlff

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pontoppidanbowles7 · 2 years

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Designer Leather And Material Belts For Males

Here, the ten biggest spring/summer 2022 trend tendencies you need to learn about. The duo have come together to introduce the newest chapter of their collaboration, this time with a give consideration to sustainability and the introduction of latest categories. On its 60th anniversary, Saint Laurent is displaying a few of the eponymous designer's most iconic creations across six completely different Paris museums. The new collaboration from Adidas and Prada Re-Nylon promotes sustainability consciousness with a few of the Maison's iconic design codes. ‘’We’re extraordinarily pleased with our newest collaborative project with Prada. wikipedia belt Over the course of the partnership, we’ve frolicked collaboratively reinterpreting each other’s iconic useful and aesthetic codes. If you take pleasure in our content, please add us to your adblocker's whitelist. We’re anticipating the Prada x adidas collection to release within the coming weeks. Take a more in-depth look above and anticipate the Prada x adidas collaboration to release on January 13 at shops worldwide and on-line. Start filling it by clicking "add to media cart" button and share your cart with as many friends or colleagues as you like for them to immediately download your content. If your buy from a Harry Rosen retailer or harryrosen.com isn’t fairly proper or you’ve merely modified your thoughts, you may return it for a refund inside 30 days from supply. Come 2022, there's not the slightest excuse for neutrals. Not when the color mixtures on the catwalks look this juicy. Take Valentino, the place chocolate brown, raspberry and cerulean blue mingled to delicious effect. Or Halpern, the place tangerine tangoed (or pirouetted – the gathering was modelled by members of the Royal Ballet company) with fuchsia. And if it feels too sophisticated to play Rothko with your wardrobe? Just take it head-to-toe, inspired by Emilia Wickstead and Christian Siriano. For the event, the mother of three rocked a black and white patterned gown from Isabel Marant and a pair of white pumps. Prada's wonderfully depraved coco-brown fringed buckle belt is detailed with multi gilded gold hardware studs throughout accented with black multi-beveled rectangular beadwork. Black belt made in Italy from 100 percent nylon and 100% leather. Burberry has taken its signature TB Monogram print—a nod to the British house’s founder, Thomas Burberry—and remixed it in celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year. The collection, impressed by the 12 months of the tiger, features all-over tiger prints mixed with the interlocking T and B on sweater and skirt two-piece units, pussy-bow blouses, and even baseball caps. Just two days after the season premiere of Euphoria released on HBO, Hunter Schafer—who plays Jules within the acclaimed series—has made her newest look in Prada’s spring 2022 womenswear marketing campaign. From Chanel classics to Hermès icons – find wanted treasures for your assortment. This product is not out there for purchase in your region. Please contact our customer care team for more data. Please remember that we cannot ship to publish workplace bins. If you would possibly be looking for info on shipping options and transport costs for a rustic that's not proven, please select your vacation spot nation right here. With a contribution of €0,25, you would possibly be serving to this Gold Standard-certified project whose work offsets the environmental impression of your order. Together we can actively contribute to attaining the UN's Sustainable Development Goals . Simply order as you all the time have, and, when choosing your most well-liked supply methodology, you'll find a way to choose the climate impartial choice to help offset your carbon emissions. https://skel.io/replica-designer-belts/replica-prada-belt.html Please note that your climate impartial contribution helped offset the carbon emissions of your order . The greatest highlight of the report is to supply companies in the industry with a strategic analysis of the influence of COVID-19. At the same time, this report analysed the market of main 20 countries and introduce the market potential of those international locations. According to Adidas, every bit has been made in Italy by Prada, composed of the Italian luxury brand’s recyclable Re-Nylon fabric. To ring within the new year, the 2 brands are again and higher than ever, returning with a fresh chapter of their ongoing collaborative union, extending far past simply sneakers. Celebrating the timeless adidas Originals Forum and Prada’s Re-Nylon cloth, this third collection elevates both brands’ iconic silhouettes, mixing them with forward-thinking innovation and meticulous experience. The Re-Nylon collection marks Adidas and Prada’s third project together. These classes are in addition to new takes on the Adidas Forum High and Low sneaker silhouettes. For the primary time, their providing contains accessories and luggage with elevated takes on the Adidas Forum excessive and low silhouettes and ready-to-wear pieces all composed of Prada’s infinitely recyclable Re-Nylon Fabric. With a spring launch anticipated, you’ll have a little bit of time to save up for the capsule, but be warned that the collection’s luggage and attire aren’t any cheaper. Estimated costs vary from $995 to $2,480, so be ready to place down a second mortgage, or extra sensibly, sit this one out.

#replica prada belt #prada belt #prada belt men #prada fur belt #prada belts #prada belt women

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moondancer71 · 3 years

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Wildest Dreams // Jonerys— Actors AU

#there is no reason for me making this 😂#except that it’s 100% a result of seeing Kit at the Met Gala #and then remembering Emilia’s iconic look #so why not make it jonerys 🤣🙃#jonerys #jonerys fanart #jonerys moodboard #my moodboard #actor!au #actor!jon #actress!dany #aesthetic #jon snow #daenerys targaryen

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silverdreamscapes · 3 years

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An ode to the book that gave me the most frustrating case of blue balls: Kingdom of the Cursed

“Count your blessings. My liking you would be a dangerous thing.”

I snorted. “Why? Would you ruin me for all other demon princes?”

“Something close.”

Also:

“Tell me,” he whispered, his voice sliding like silk over my flushed skin.

“What?” My own voice came out breathless.”

“I am your favorite sin.”

And this moment:

“One thing I can promise,” his voice was deep and sensual in the dark, “is you won’t ever doubt it’s real when I touch you.”

And also this moment:

“I almost considered it sweet—the kind of chaste embrace two courting lovers stole when their chaperone wasn’t looking—until he slowly raised my arms above my head, pinning me to the wall by my wrists. He took my bottom lip between his teeth and bit down gently. Then I remembered: he was no angel. And I was suddenly all too willing to be damned.”

And what about this one:

“Make no mistake, Emilia. When I go to my knees before you, it will be to conquer, not surrender.”

And this one:

“When you decide to come to my bedchamber, I want you to know whose sheets you’re climbing between. I want you to call out my name.”

And who can forget this iconic moment that ended with him groaning so loud it shook the bed:

“Wrath’s strokes turned demanding, the demon of war commanding my body to obey his wish and shatter against his mouth. Because he willed it. Desired it.”

#is it blue balls?#blue ovaries?#fuck it #i dont know #it was spicy as hell #but I needed pentetration #and no #fingers don’t count #wrath and emilia #kingdom of the cursed #kotc #kotc spoilers #kingdom of the wicked #kerri maniscalco #that ending was cruel

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evermore-fashion · 3 years

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My Favourite Met Gala Looks

I’ve only been following the Met Gala in more recent years however following on from my previous post/answer about this years event I thought I’d let you all know what I consider to be iconic, memorable and my favourite looks from years gone by. So let’s look back and remember those celebrities who understood the assignment when it came to the theme or just shined like a diamond on those infamous steps and created iconic looks that are still talked about years later. - Claire Danes iconic Cinderella inspired gown from the Met Gala 2016 was the first time I’d ever heard of the gala let alone understood why she was wearing a light up gown by Zan Posen. Either way seeing the gown light up on social media forever changed my view on fashion forever. You can view that elegant gown right here as well as read about how the look came together. - Blake Lively will forever remain one of my top looks from the Met Gala, the whole look from the 2018 event just screamed exquisite, regal and holy all thanks to Versace. To me it’s just one that will forever stand out in my mind when I think of the gala, if you haven’t seen it before you can check it out right here. - Emilia Clarke also showed up to the 2018 Met Gala but wearing a stunning Dolce & Gabbana gown that just elevated that holy/royal look that didn’t instantly associate her with Game of Thrones and Mother of Dragons character Danerys Targaryen. Feel free to check out the gown right here. - Zendaya and her multiple looks over the years but two in particular will forever stand out in my mind. First her homage to Joan of Arc that was custom made by Versace stood out because it wasn’t just Zendaya wearing the usual long flowing gown. Nope she wore armour and it looked frickin’ amazing, stayed true to the theme without being offensive or tacky. That iconic gown can be viewed right here. Zendaya’s second iconic look comes from the 2019 Met Gala in which she showed up and did a reenactment from Cinderella with her fairy god mother lighting up the Tommy Hilfger gown on the red carpet. Once again she looked gorgeous and remained true to the theme which was all about being camp. You can view the magical gown right here. - Kim Kadashian’s nude Mugler outfit from the 2019 Met Gala needs to be mentioned because it was just a walking optical illusion. You had the wet look in the fabric, the tear drop crystals and Kim’s hair and make up that really did make it look like she had just stepped out of the ocean. If you haven’t seen this infamous garment then you can view it right here. - Rihanna’s and her 2015 Met Gala look is another that can’t not be mentioned because looking back on photos of her Guo Pei designed outfit she just looks like royalty bathed in gold and sunlight. There’s not much more to be said on the garment this photo right here speaks volumes for Rihanna and why this look (in my opinion) became iconic. - Lady Gaga and her four outfits in fifteen minutes by the designer Brandon Maxwell. Thats all I need to say about her iconic look from the 2019 Met Gala where she became the epitome of camp which was the gala’s theme that year. Lady Gaga showed up and slayed the red carpet that year and it’s why she’s my last top favourite look from this list. You can view all her amazing looks right here.

#Personal #Fashion #Met Gala

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hwrryscherry · 3 years

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I'm so interested in your reader model y/n ❤️❤️❤️ please, when you can do a blurb talking more about her life 🥺

oww thank you lovie🥺🥺 honestly, when it comes to blurbs I like to do them when is related to both Harry & Model Y/N BUT I prepared some facts about her for you since you're interested. Hope you like it and thank you for the love, I really appreciate it🥰🥰

50 Facts about Model Y/N that you probably didn't know.

Her face claim is Devon Lee Carlson BUT I always like to make it clear that you’re free to imagine her as whoever you want and whoever will make you feel comfortable

Model Y/N was born on May 12th, 1997 so she’s 23 years old. I choose this date because it's my birthday as well and besides Harry’s birthday, it is the only birth date that I can remember since I ALWAYS forget everybody’s birthday.

She’s a brazilian. She was born on a brazilian state called Minas Gerais that makes border with Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Besides her first language being Portuguese(pt-br), she can also speaks english, spanish and french.

Her zodiac sign is a Taurus and her rising is cancer.

She’s closer to her mother than she is to her father. They don’t have a good relationship.

She subscribed herself online on modeling agencies in August of her senior year.

She went to New York City on September and signed with IMG models in which is also the modeling agency of Giselle Bündchen, Kate Moss, Gigi & Bella Hadid, Joan Smalls, Karlie Kloss, Ashley Graham, Barbara Palvin, Miranda Kerr, Hailey BIeber, Cara Delavigne, etc.

Model Y/N’s modeling informations are: Height: 5′8(172cm). Bust: 32 Waist: 23 Hips: 35

She considers herself a geek.

Her first fashion show ever for a really big brand was for Balmain by early 2015.

The Balmain fashion show was also where she met Gigi and Bella.

She considers the beggining of her career one of the most difficult moments of her life. She was in a new country by herself. She didn’t received much money on modeling yet and she used to pay rent, which in NYC is very expensive. She had to save money most of the time, so when her first Paris Fashion Week came, she stayed in an Inn and didn’t do any tourism through Paris because she simply couldn’t afford it.

Model Y/N bought her New York apartment on early 2017 when she was 19.

Her favorite country to visit ever is Italy.

Model Y/N auditionated for Victoria Secrets on both 2015 & 2016 but only was accepted in 2017 when she walked for the first time and met Harry as well.

Model Y/N actually met two 1D members before meeting Harry.

The first One Direction member that Model Y/N met was Zain by the end of 2015 when he started dating Gigi.

The secong member was Liam back in 2016 when she was in London for fashion week.

Model Y/N celebrated her 23rd birthday on quarantine when she and Harry were in lockdown with their friends in LA.

Model Y/N ADORES Lizzo btw and Lizzo sent to her bday balloons on her bday that said "100% that birthday b!tch".

Model Y/N prefers New York over Los Angeles.

She believes that one of the most inspirational people in her life is Harry, because she always get inspired by him and she really values his opinion.

Her fashion icon is Rachel Green from Friends.

She is TERRIFIED of dolls. It’s more like a phobia. Just the simple thought of it is enough to cause chills on her.

She is obssessed over MCU(Marvel Cinematic Universe), from Avengers to Fantastic 4. If you want to talk about MCU with someone who knows A LOT about it, Model Y/N is your girl.

She is also a Potterhead and she is a Gryffindor, confirmed by the Pottermore sorting hat quizz.

She is scared of Twitter and doesn’t have a personal one. The one twitter that she ‘’has’’ is controlled by her manager and she doesn’t even has access to it.

The best advice she ever received came from a night out in London with Anne, Gemma and her mother that is: Be educated. Work Hard and always stay true to yourself.

Her spirit animal is a horse.

Her favorite disney movie is either Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas.

Model Y/N is a supporter of humans rights and considers it extremely important to have those conversations and stand for what is right.

Model Y/N has starred at a Vogue US September cover. The September issue is the most important one from Vogue.

Model Y/N never went to college but she was planning to study criminal psychology.

Her favorite Harry Styles song yet is Sweet Creature.

Her favorite 1D song is They don’t know about us.

She is a huge Game of Thrones fan and had a major startruck moment when she met Emilia Clarke in the backstage of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2019.

Her favorite books ever are Call me by your name BY André Aciman and a very famous novel called Dom Casmurro by a brazilian author called Machado de Assis.

Her favorite decade aesthetic is the 70s.

On quarantine, Model Y/N focused on things that she has wanted to learn but didn’t had time so she started studying italian and learned how to play piano.

She's a huge American Horror Story & The Hautings series fan and that's why she has a celebrity crush for Evan Peters & Victoria Pedretti.

Her favorite season is Fall but her favorite holiday is christmas.

She only had one serious relationship before Harry that lasted between 2015-early 2017.

Her dream trip is Amsterdam.

She doesn’t drink alcohol.

She walked as the Chanel Bride in 2019 Fashion Week.

Model Y/N says that if she ever has a daughter, she’d like to name her Blair.

She's an art lover. She believes that a world without movies, paiting, music and all the others types of art would be really boring.

That's why she loves musical movies and still knows the lyrics from every High School Musical and Camp Rock song.

She doesn't have a favorite movie from all times but The Mask of Zorro is for sure one of them.

Model Y/N would love to act in the future and she looks foward to trying it one day.

#hwrryscherry #HARRYxMODELY/N #harryxmodely/n #harry styles imagines #harry x reader #harry styles au

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theroyalsims · 3 years

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REAL ROYALS AND “REEL ROYALS” COLLIDE - HER MAJESTY ATTENDS STAR-STUDDED MOVIE PREMIERE

It’s not everyday that we see the Queen all dressed up to walk down the red carpet! Today, however, we were in for a treat as Her Majesty attended the star-studded premiere of the much-anticipated movie “Ophelia, The People’s Queen.”

Wearing a vibrant pink gown for her red carpet debut, Her Majest, accompanied by Prince Jacques, were the last to arrive. Although the royal couple walked down the red carpet, they did not stop for photos because as one royal aide explained: “Her Majesty does not pose for photos. Her Majesty is Queen, not a common celebrity.” Fair enough!

(Above: King Leopold with his consort, Queen Ophelia)

The movie focuses on the life of Queen Ophelia, Her Majesty’s mum. The late Queen was the daughter of a movie star and a novelist. She herself dabbled in acting after finishing her university degree. The then Miss Ophelia Bradford met then-Crown Prince Leopold. The two married after a long courtship, and when the Crown Prince took the throne after his father’s death, the young former actress became Brindleton’s Queen.

The movie features award-winning actress Coleen Olivier as Queen Ophelia, as well as Grantham Hughes as King Leopold (who, by the way, nailed the King Poldy hairdo). It also features telly star turned movie star Carmelia Kiel as Crown Princess Emilia.

(Above: Coleen Olivier and Grantham Hughes pose in costume as Queen Ophelia and King Leopold; below: Olivier, Hughes, and Kiel play members of Brindleton Royal Family)

After the movie, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness met the cast and crew backstage. The cast was said to be ecstatic that Her Majesty would be gracing their premiere night.

Miss Kiel (who had to dye her hair blonde for the role) shared to the press that she was “terrified” upon meeting The Queen. “I was shaking. I was trying to curtsey, looking at the ground, and all I could think of was ‘what if she didn’t like how I played her? Would she be cross at me?’ But she was very lovely. She talked to us for quite a bit. I was so nervous to meet someone I was portraying, and that someone is actually The Queen, which made it all the more nerve-racking. But she was really very nice and kind.”

Olivier, who started her career as a stage actress was nearly moved to tears recalling what Her Majesty told her: “The Queen shook my hand and she said, ‘my mum would’ve loved your performance.’ I remember just weeping. That was the biggest compliment for me. Queen Ophelia was a remarkable person, a great woman, and being able to play her is an honour in itself, but having that confirmation from her daughter, The Queen, is something I could only dream about. Her Majesty is incredibly sweet. She made my year, no, my decade.”

(Above: Olivier, Hughes and Kiel in costume as Queen Ophelia, King Leopold, and Crown Princess Emilia)

The critically acclaimed movie is already generating awards buzz, which is not really a surprise. Aside from the incredible casting, the production reportedly left no stone unturned to make it as accurate as possible, from set design, location, as well as costumes. The movie features incredible replicas of tiaras and royal jewels, as well as reproductions of some of the most iconic gowns and dresses that Queen Ophelia has worn.

The movie comes out in theatres next week, so keep an eye out for it! We’ll be ready with our popcorn!

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khaleesiofalicante · 3 years

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Hi, GOTSM anon here, now that I know you have read it - my random thought. I’m sure that Belial or however you say it owes Jem a favour. I’m sure I remember reading it in the story where Jem who is still Brother Zachariah at the time ( the story is set in the 1930’s not too long before Will dies) goes to investigate something with a trainee Iron Sister. It’s been a long time since I read that particular story so I could have missed something out and it might not even be relevant. But it just got me curious. If you remember that, what are your thoughts?

I do remember!

First of all, let me just that iron sister is someone called Sister Emilia and she is an ICON.

And yes! There is a very an exchange between Jem and Belial - which is interesting cause so far into tlh they haven’t really interacted YET.

Some things I noted while doing a glance through just now:

1. They do know each other from the past (ew Belial get lost)

2. Belial (as we’ve learned from TLH so far) is obsessed with Adamas

So if demons can’t kill someone they owe a debt to, it sounds like serious business. So Belial must have been really desperate to ask for help from Jem.

But then Belial also says this

But hey he is a lying piece of shit. So I don’t trust him.

Maybe Jem prevented James (or someone else) from killing(?) Belial. I think it has something to do with protecting Belial or showing him mercy.

4. Adamas can apparently increase Belial’s power. This is scary considering the end of chain of iron.

5. I think that Belial owing Jem is in some way connected to this

We still don’t know what Jem is referring to every they say this. Maybe someone protected Cordelia? Or Alastair? As long as they are okay djsksksksk.

Whatever it is, we are gonna find out in chain of thorns lol 😅

This was very interesting to look at, Annie. Thanks so much 💚

#tlh #chain of iron spoilers #coi spoilers #chain of iron

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alesreadings · 3 years

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Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco.

4 stars. “Love is the most powerful magic. Above all else, remember that. It will always guide you where you need to go.” Welcome once again to "Books I saw a lot of hype" with Ale. Today, the review will be about Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco. As I said, this is a book I've seen a lot of hype in and since I'm a person who doesn't follow the order of her own monthly reading list, I decided to read this one. I should warn you that I am a walking bundle of emotions, tears and snot. Sadness. Confusion. Anxiety. Anger. Joy? Kingdom of the Wicked focuses on Emilia, who is a white witch and has a twin sister who is murdered. Emilia is furious, so she decides to look for Vittoria's killer and get her own justice, even if that means dabbling in the dark magic that her grandmother was determined to warn them about. Emilia summons a demon and, surprise, it is our beloved prince of Hell: Wrath. Bonus: he's shirtless and has a body that was probably forged in Hell by the demons themselves. Prince Wrath is also looking for the murderer of Vittoria, and several other witches whose hearts have been torn out.

Thoughts before reading. Let's skip the hype a third time, because I already said it. I saw very good reviews of this book and people who told me it was good, but I also saw reviews from people who didn't like it, and who were unhappy with it. So I said, "Why not give it a try?" Thoughts during the reading. I really like the storytelling. The prologue is very beautiful, detailed and has something magical that left me enchanted. Without knowing it, I've always been a fan of twins trope (even I write about that, lol), and it left me with a bitter taste that Vittoria died very quickly and I didn't even have time to empathize with her in the proper and usual way that I would have liked. Although, I have to admit it: some of her iconic phrases, like her marriage to the devil, look like something I would say just to annoy my family and make my brother laugh.

Thoughts at the end of the reading. I got to chapter 47 and there I was ????

Things were not only bad, they were getting worse and my anxiety was almost killing me. I predicted some things and got them right, so I wasn't surprised when I got to them. In general. I did not sympathize with Vittoria and her death did not evoke in me that feeling of empathy to say "Yes, Emilia, go and set the world on fire for your sister, go!" Vittoria's death did not bother me, although I did understand Emilia's feelings when she discovered her sister's body and wanted revenge. Emilia's invocation to bring a demon resulted in something strange. In the beginning, I had a hard time assimilating what the hell was happening, and I blame Wrath shirtless for that. Although I was surprised that Emilia didn't accept the deal with him.

Kerri's writing style caught me from start to finish. Dear Kerri Maniscalco: You left me hungry every time you described the meals. There's something magical about it, as I said in the prologue, and I don't know, it kept me going at all times. I predicted that the bastard killer would be Antonio, although I also thought that Domenico might be the killer.

And I also predicted, more for myself, that Wrath would be the one to catch Emilia's heart, although, I KNOW THAT BOTH ARE IN LOVE, DON'T WANT TO LIE TO ME, DAMNITS. The end was bitter. Damn it was something bitter and I didn't expect it, but at the same time I did. I know that, deep down, Wrath fell in love... Or that at least he feels something for Emilia, and that those flowers were not by choice. He didn't just want her soul to get his freedom, but at some point, he went off the rails. Honestly, I felt that the beginning was slow and the end very fast, that after chapter 40 I felt that everything went down... Or maybe since Wrath didn't tell Emilia that his invocation spell also had a marriage bond that united them.

I wanted to hit them all and also tell them to react. Emilia made very light decisions, and they were bad ones at that. Again, typical of a character YA.

In any case, I'm repeating the same thing and deviating. That ending left me a little empty and I felt that something was missing, although I still don't know what. I am waiting for what Emilia is going to do in Hell to get revenge, and see if Wrath simply faked it or what. I'm waiting for the second book SO bad.

#kingdom of the wicked #kerri maniscalco #4 stars #demons #fantasy #urban fantasy #magic #fiction #vampires #witches #young adult #romance #witchcraft #badass female mc

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thehammondlegacy · 4 years

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Queen Alison and Queen Emilia: The Female Royals of the Previous Century Part 1

We all know HM Queen Emilia, HM King Henry’s mother, but what about her mother HM Queen Alison? Learn all about her right here on this two-parts article with insight from members of the royal family.

Born in 1912, Alison Emilia Barnes became the most famous woman in the whole realm, at least until her daughter became a woman herself. Miss Barnes was born in one of the wealthiest families in Willow Creek. Her Parents Lord Philip Barnes and Lady Amelia Jones-Barnes became very popular in Willow Creek since they were owners of the most famous newspaper in the realm, The Golden Willow. Miss Barnes meet HRH Crown Prince David in 1929 when she was only 17 years old! Meanwhile, the Crown Prince was 24 years old. Yes! The Crown Prince was 7 years older than his future wife, but that didn’t stopped the young couple. The Prince and Miss Barnes married a year later and they became the most famous couple in Willow Creek. But it wasn’t until 1940 that the couple welcomed their first child HRH Princess Emilia.

(Crown Prince David next to his wife Crown Princess Alison and daughter Princess Emilia in 1945)

In 1945, HM King Edward died, and the Crown Prince became HM King David of Willow Creek. After his coronation, Queen Alison was told her main role in the monarchy was to look good for the cameras and smile to the crowds. However, the new Queen decided that wasn’t her only job and started working to give more freedom to the female members of the royal family. Her Majesty became the first Queen of Willow Creek to actually help her female companions. Queen Alison, next to her husband, worked together side by side to erradicate the old traditions related to women in the royal family.Thanks to her, other female members of the monarchy were able to drive, go to collage, and even choose their future husbands on their own, although there were some limitations on that matter but it was applied not only to women but men equally.

When it comes to fashion, every woman in the realm wanted to dress like the new Queen, since Her Majesty had a great taste and was always looking impeccable. Queen Alison was well-know for her love for fashion, and she was always attending fashion events in Willow Creek. While it was not used to attend these events with children, Her Majesty was sometimes joined by her daughter Princess Emilia, who then became a fashion icon herself after becoming the new Crown Princess of Willow Creek. HRH followed her mother’s steps and usually recreated her mother’s most iconic looks.

(Crown Princess Emilia’s birthday portrait, 1958)

However, it wasn’t until the 60s arrived that the Crown Princess started to develop her own style. But her fashion choises were not the only things that made this Crown Princess one of a kind. HRH was the first female royal in the Willow Creek history to smoke in public. In her birthday portrait of 1961, the Crown Princess was photographed wholding a cigarrette. Crown Princess Emilia was also the first monarch with an university degree, thanks to her mother’s work. HRH studied Law at Britchester University where she bacame famous for her elegant parties and her trendy outfits.

(Birthday portrait of Crown Princess Emilia, 1961)

The Crown Princess’ young sister, HRH Princess Amelia looked up to her older sister, and she was very kind to share with us some details of the late Queen. Princess Amelia is no longer an active member of the royal family, and she spend most of her time next to her only granddaughter at her home in Willow City.

Princess Amelia: “She was always impeccable, probably because she felt she had to be perfect all the time. After all, she was our future Queen, but her taste in fashion was one of a kind. She didn’t just followed the rules of fashion, she pushed them even further. I remember watching her as she was getting ready for one of her fancy parties. Our parents were quite open at the time, and they loved seeing us happy, so we were abble to enjoy ourselves during the weekends. Because my sister was 7 years older than me, I was just a little girl when she was a teenager, so I didn’t share much of that time with her, but she would always let me play with her make up of her dresses. It was such a beautiful time.”

Part 2 coming soon...

#WillowCreek #WillowCreekRoyals #The sims 4 #ts4 #sims4 #the sims 4 legacy #the sims legacy #the sims monarchy #royalsims #ts4gameplay #ts4royalty #RoyalFamilyOfWillowCreek

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unknown-terrain · 3 years

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Lena was the featured guest at a fan convention shortly after the finale and her stans in the audience transcribed her comments on Twitter. From what I remember, she talked about how lonely she felt shooting the final season 'cause most of the cast was in another country shooting the Winterfell scenes. And, yes, she did say Jaime should've never slept with Brienne. Her stans cheered that, of course. She said Cersei truly loved Jaime. (Bish, where??) And that deep down Cersei loved Tyrion, too.

So much clownery right there. 🤣 Rather than embracing the true villain Cersei was, It’s like Lena and D&D were on this neverending quest to make her an anti-heroine feminist icon instead when the real anti-hero aka Jaime was made to be more of a villain compared to the books. I’m not surprised Cersei stans embraced Lena and Dumb and Dumber’s pathetic take on Larry and Carol. They took the S8 backlash personally and were butthurt over the overwhelmingly negative reactions to Larry and Carol’s bEaUtIfoOl aNd TrAgIcK death scene so they cling on any little worthless crumb thrown by the actors to make themselves feel better about their gross ship. Too bad those opinions meant squat in the long run and people still don’t think lovingly of Twincest, their 5 shippers still look like crazies, and J/B is still the beloved pairing.

Funny how even with all the attempts made to make Cersei look like a feminist icon...Emilia, Maisie, Gwen, and Sophie have all been given awards because of the characters they portrayed and for inspiring women. Lena has gotten noms but no actual awards for Carol lol and that speaks for itself.

#anti cersei lannister #anti jaime x cersei #anti twincest

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azoraahai · 4 years

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hi hello, it’s your fav chaotic disaster here! since it is nearing the end of the decade/2019 here ( i know some of y’all are already enjoying the new year bc timezones lol ) but i just wanted to take the time and mention a few peeps that really kept me grounded this year. this is not a follow forever bc im lazy as fuck so pls enjoy this mess of me rambling lol!

even if you aren’t tagged, there are special mentions for each group im under so please read if you have the time! please note that each and every single one of you has made 2019 so much better cuz we all know it was hella rough so im very thankful for all of you!

this is hella long so everything will be under the cut :)

oc mutuals ⤵

my one and only :: @daisyjohvson my ride or die, my best friend, my beautiful sister, my other half. there are no words that could articulate how much you mean to me. you are my person and nothing could ever change that. i know we both have been busy this year, but im so glad we always do our best to chat no matter what time it is for us. you are my everything and i adore and love you so fucking much. i hope 2020 will finally be the year we meet after being friends for almost five years. i wish you the best of luck for the start of a new decade babe xx.

satanic bitches 2/3 :: @freakingbradleys @fleetwoodmcs god, it still blows my mind that my two idols talk to me on a daily. amanda, kayla, you guys have brought such a new perspective into my life and i cannot thank either of you enough for it. you guys are so encouraging, thoughtful, amazing, and supportive. i know i can tell you guys anything and you would be super honest with me and i cannot explain how much i appreciate that. thank you both for enduring the mess of 2019 with me.

my chaotic twin :: @emiliachrstine emilia, my love, it has been a pleasure talking with you via tumblr and snapchat facetime. you have brought so much laughter in my day while i was at college and i am 100% sincere when i say i needed those talks sO MUCH! you know some of the challenges i was facing so i just wanted to say thank you for being so fun to talk to and always listening to my endless ranting ( especially the cLASS SIX FELONY bit ). im so thankful we got closer this year and i love you so so so so soooo much bb!

the enabler buddy :: @moirei first of all, i cant believe how much we’ve been talking recently! i’ve always wanted to talk to you more and im highkey upset that it took me this long to reach out to you again, but anyways, as john mulaney would say, tHe PaSt Is ThE pAsT. thank you for letting me ask you sooooo many questions about sw, enabling me with all of these spur of the moment ideas, and for being such a wonderful friend! you are so kind, encouraging, and helpful! thank you so much for everything bb!

long lost sister :: @nellie--crain rachel, honey, you are a light in my life. anytime you message me, i already feel 100000x happier. you are like an older sister to me and i love you to the moon and back! i love all of your ocs and our xovers so much ( especially robeck bc otp ) and i hope we come up with more stuff in the near future! i hope 2020 graces you with so much happiness and joy, my love!!

some of my ride or dies :: @chlobenet @peterparcour @hopemikaelsvns @thetenthdoctorscompanion @drewtanner @princes-jasmine @aaudace @killinbills thank you all for being so amazing, talented, and wonderful! you all have played a significant part in my 2019 and i hope you all know that!! y’all are so awesome seriously xx

the rest of my oc mutuals :: thank you guys for sticking around as my hyperfixations constantly change once i find a new thing lol. i hope to chat with you all some more in 2020 and the years to come! please remember that each and every one of you is talented, creative, and beautiful! i wish you all the best of luck for this upcoming year and know that i love and appreciate every single one of you!!

giffing mutuals ⤵

the other half braincell :: @yelenabelovaa fleur, my darling, what an honor it is to be your wife! we got so close sO FAST and i cant imagine my life without you. you’re the jake to my tom, and if that doesn’t explain how chaotic we are then idk what does. thank you for being there right away when my dog died unexpectedly like i cannot tell you how much i appreciated you on the phone with me until someone irl was there to help me. thank you for always being so selfless, kind, and an incredible friend. i love you so much and let’s hope we get to meet in 2020!!!

goddess of parallels :: @andthwip the fact that you follow me is still absolutely mind blowing! also the fact that you tag me in your gifs is eVEN MORE mind blowing! i’ve admired your work for quite a while and let me just say, your ideas are unmatched!! you have such an eye for detail like no one can do what you do!! thank you so much for being a great mutual and i hope 2020 will be a wonderful start of the decade for you xx

the clown :: @robertpattisons okay dont hate me for putting the clown lol its just your icon and i had to im sorry lmao!! anyways, laiba, hi bb! you are such a talented gif maker and im so glad we became mutuals this year! thank you for being so nice, helpful, and a great friend!! i love you lots and have a great 2020!!!!

chaotic duo :: @colins-farrells sakshi, darling, idk if i ever mentioned this to you but you made me feel so comfortable with my blog. i looked up to you and your amazing chaotic posts and i just wanted to thank you for that! you truly are amazing and ily bunches xx i hope 2020 will be epic for you!!

some of my amazing giffing mutuals :: @lzzieolsn @luke-skywalker @ageofultron @brolinjosh @rosiebetzler @bitony you all are so fucking talented like seriously!!!! thank you all for following my trash can of a blog bc i have admired ALL of you from afar and im still in shock about it!! i hope 2020 blesses you all with happiness, success, and joy!!! i love and adore each and every one of you!!!

the rest of my giffing mutuals :: thank you all for being so fucking nice to me! i only began giffing regularly at the beginning of this year and i made SO many wonderful mutuals ( aka you guys ) because of it! you all have been so helpful and supportive of me and i am so fucking grateful for that!!! 2020 is a new year and the start of a new decade for us!! i wish all of you can enjoy this new beginning!!!

to all of my followers ⤵

hi hello! if you got this far down, congrats!!! i just wanted to say i fucking love you guys so damn much!! no matter what im doing, my current hyperfixation, the ENDLESS amount of shitposting, y’all willingly stick with me and i seriously can’t thank you enough! i know i say that so much, but it’s honestly 100% true! i’ve reached INCREDIBLE milestones because of all of you!! so seriously, thank you! 2020 is a fresh start so let’s make this year fucking amazing!!!

#still have an hour left of the decade but happy new year to those already in 2020 #i love all of u and i hope u all know that #enjoy the header of the best baby ever #joey talks

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for-emilia · 4 years

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The Nursery.

6 months after two little lines sealed their fate, Emilia and Dele decided they should start decorating the little room that’d belong to their first son in his first years. Within the first few months after they found out Emilia was pregnant, she’d started thinking of nursery ideas and dusted off her old pinterest boards, driving with her husband to buy materials and browse baby stores to make the dream a reality. They’d made the decision, for their first child at least, to decorate the room themselves and make it as special as it could be. Conversations of “Dele, babe, listen to me! Not all shades of white are the same, we’ve gotta choose the right one, stop throwing things in the trolley,” but no matter how many times he looked at the swatches in her hands, he couldn’t see the tiny differences in each shade.

“For a nursery?” they heard, turning to see a precious old woman walking past, smiling up at them. “God I remember when I was in your shoes, arguing with my husband over paint colours,” she reminisced with a small laugh, “hold on to moments like these, these will be some of the best times of your lives,” she spoke warmly to the couple, holding her hand against her heart clearly bringing back memories. With a chuckle and a soft look from Dele, the woman moved on, leaving the parents-to-be looking at each other, a new perspective now. Suddenly the shade of white didn’t matter all that much, they would remember the memories created and times raising their son in that room, not whether the walls were ‘polar white’ or ‘snow white’. After a smile from both sides and a soft kiss, one of the ones you remember forever, Emilia looked down at her hands, still in Dele’s embrace, “let’s just decide.. Polar white? Or snow wh-.. Christ, did you feel that?” she looked up at Dele, slightly jolting forward as a result of the kicks erupting from her stomach. “Clearly bug wants ‘snow white’,” she giggled, rubbing her hands over her stomach as Dele reached up to place two tins of the paint in the cart, a cheeky wolf whistle sounding from his wife as his shirt rose up and exposed his v-line. “Put a baby in ya and you still don’t stop,” Dele jokingly rolled his eyes before laughing at himself, making his way to the checkouts.

Once they were home, they laid down the tarpaulin on the exposed floorboards, yet to be floored, and spread out the materials they’d need. Well.. Dele would need. The lengthy search history in both of their phones showed this particular brand of paint as 100% pregnancy safe but Del didn’t want to take risks. “What if we are the anomaly and end up in the papers for suing a paint company?” he asked, only half joking, the slight furrow in his brows showing his genuine concern. Even after reassuring him that even regular paint fumes don’t do damage to pregnancies normally, let alone the special paint, he still wouldn’t have it. So that’s how she found herself strewn across the sofa with old reruns of 90 Day Fiance on the tv with sounds of her husband’s questionable diy skills sounding from the upstairs.

As the episode came to an end, she realised there were no longer any clangs of paint buckets and ladders or bangs against the hardwood floors. Listening out again, she came to the conclusion that he must be taking a break, standing to enter the kitchen and begin making him a cup of tea. Tea in hand, and a cheeky biscuit just because, she ascended the stairs to hear muffled voices.

Initially she assumed Harry or Sally had called, maybe even Eric, but the small laughs and absence of pauses made her stop in her tracks. “What is he doing?” she wondered, getting closer to the open door. “Wait, look who's coming up to see my handy work..” she could make out just before she got to the door, turning the corner looking the definition of confusion. The second she saw him, the confusion and care of what he was doing melted away. All Emilia could focus on were the grey shorts hung low on his hips, exposing more of his Calvin Kleins than acceptable, the way his abs looked with lashings of paint glistening with sweat, his arms all tanned and veiny from the manual labour and the little amused look on his sweaty, perfect face, as she rounded the corner and took in the sight in front of her. And what a sight it was.

Coming to the conclusion he was live streaming, she quickly pulled herself together before jokingly posing with the tea and biscuit in her hand, still standing in the doorway. “There she is, baby mama of the year.. Even brought me a biscuit,” Dele smiled, still showing his wife on camera to the thousands of people watching. Turning it back to him and allowing Emilia to place his tea on the floor, he opened his mouth to indicate he wanted the biscuit now, getting more than he wanted when his wife playfully shoved it all in at once. Subsequently, Dele pretended to joke on the biscuit making Emilia roll her eyes and stick her tongue out, situating herself on a step of the ladders, looking around at what Dele had achieved so far. A sudden laugh drew her out of her gaze, “not even a dunk in the tea, Delboy?” Dele voiced Eric’s comment in his livestream comments. “Nah bro, the missus didn’t give me an option, just tried to choke me out!” he spoke out, ignoring the text on the top of his screen from Hannah reading ‘normally the other way round init’ with a winking face; it was hard trying not to laugh but reminded himself to ring her later and give her a telling off for nearly making him show himself up. Emilia continued to observe the sight in front of her, completely unaware, drinking in her man sat on his knees in the middle of their son’s nursery.

They made eye contact a few times as he spoke out and shared cheeky smirks across the room before he beckoned her over. “Someone said ‘Dele, you should wife her up’.. Gimme your hand,” he whispered the last part, “already have bro,” he smirked, seeing the reflection of the diamond on his wife’s finger glisten in the camera. He bit the tips of her fingers playfully before kissing the back of her hand, receiving a soft slap across the head from Emilia, letting the fans see their relationship that was driven on messing around and banter. “You’ve got more paint on your body and in your hair than on the walls, Del” Emilia stated, trying to rid some of his curls of the paint, “gonna have to give you a scrub down later.” Dele chose to ignore the stream of replies coming in in response to that comment and another text from Hannah reading ‘Keep it PG, you scruffs’ at the top of his screen letting him know she was clearly watching the stream together with Eric. “Maybe I’d have less on me if I wasn’t made to do it myself,” he sniggered, turning the camera up to face Emilia, capturing her reaction for all the fans to see. “Wha- don’t even start, Mr ‘what if we’re a medical anomaly?’, I tried to help!” she called out over Dele’s fits of laughter. “Nah, don’t get it twisted guys,” he pointedly spoke into the camera, wagging a finger at the lens, “it’s just straight-up slave labour”.

After receiving a firm pull to his hair, he gave in and sheepishly admitted to the fans he was just being dramatic and wanted to be doubly sure his wife and baby wouldn’t be exposed to any risk. “Right guys, before he turns into a melt, me and this one are gonna go and get back to 90 Day Fiance,” Emilia leaned down to the camera and gave a wave, rubbing her ever growing bump. “Make sure he doesn’t take too long of a break!” she jokes before turning to Dele. He leaned up on his knees to meet her bent over body and landed a kiss on her lips, then placing a smaller one on the bump in front of him. The camera couldn’t see but the fans could tell what happened, a flurry of comments expressing their love for Dele’s new life and relationship coming through a million a second.

Emilia departed from the room but stood against the wall in the hallway for a few minutes after, just listening to Dele’s waffle of nonsense to the fans. As Dele laughed at something someone must’ve said, their son kicked against her hands resting on the large bump, “you like the sound of your dad laughing, huh?”. With that, she smiled and walked back downstairs, the noise of her footsteps on the creaky stairs alerting Dele of her presence by the doorway the whole time. He quickly decided he’d given the fans (and the Diers) enough entertainment for the time being, signing off with an iconic ‘Dele wave’. He sauntered down the stairs with the knowledge his wife was hovering outside the door for god knows how long, walking immediately over to Emilia and plonking himself down next to her, “You creep.”

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