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blues824 · 8 months

Note

I love the way you write the headcanons about the First Years + Ortho going to the reader's world! Could you do the same with the Second Years, please?

Riddle Rosehearts

Favorite Country/City: He would love to go visit Stratford-Upon-Avon in England, as he is one to enjoy being in the city of one of the most famous playwrights and authors in history: William Shakespeare. Also, there is tea available at most shops, so he will still be able to follow the Queen of Hearts’ rules.

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: Again, his favorite dish is strawberry tarts, and they apparently originate in France as tarts were used to showcase the seasonal not-berries. That aside, he also does appreciate French cuisine as a whole.

Favorite Drink: Again, he enjoys tea, but I think he would like strawberry lemonade. More specifically, the strawberry lemonade from those restaurants that put those slices of strawberries into the drink.

Favorite Souvenir: A small Shakespeare bust that he can place on a bookshelf as a book holder.

Favorite Singers/Songs: He absolutely loves classical music, specifically from the Classical Era. He prefers the classics: Bach, Beethoven, Marianna Martines, etc. Favorite song would be Für Elise, by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Favorite Movie: The Phantom of the Opera, but the 1927 silent film version.

Ruggie Bucchi

Favorite Country/City: I originally was going to say that he would have liked Luxembourg because it’s one of the richest countries in the world, but I decided that would be too easy. I feel like he would love to go to Cairo in Egypt. It’s very rich in history and culture, and I’ve heard they have good food (someone confirm, plz).

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: His favorite food is donuts, and I looked it up and they apparently originate from either Ancient Greece/Rome or Medieval Arab chefs. That being said, either cuisines (Greek, Italian, or Middle Eastern) would be his favorite. He has a very diverse palate.

Favorite Drink: Depending on if he prefers coffee or tea, he would like either Mazboot or even Zjada coffee, or karkade (please correct me on any of this, I am not from the Middle East and have never been so if it’s incorrect you can tell me. Got this info from online).

Favorite Souvenir: A small, handmade pot that he found at one of the markets. He thought it looked interesting and thus purchased it. The vendor was really kind as well.

Favorite Singers/Songs: This is kind of hard, but AMERICAN HORROR SHOW by SNOW WIFE would be his favorite, meaning hyperpop would be his favorite genre. He gives me TikTok boy vibes for some reason, and he would also like most songs that popped up on his FYP.

Favorite Movie: Lion King, and I’m not trying to be funny. He just likes the “It’s not funny, Ed”, where Ed erupts even more into laughter. It makes him snicker a bit as well. Maybe I was trying to be funny.

Azul Ashengrotto

Favorite Country/City: He would love the township of Cavendish in Prince Edward Island, Canada. It’s got the ocean, it’s got the small town vibes, and it inspired L.M. Montgomery’s fictional town of Avonlea in Anne of Green Gables. Speaking of, he would totally resonate with Anne because they both entered a society that they weren’t knowledgeable of the norms of.

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: Because he loves fried chicken, I would say his favorite cuisine is that of the Southern United States. You can’t go wrong with coleslaw, cornbread, green beans, mashed potatoes, and Southern hospitality.

Favorite Drink: Iced Tea, specifically from the Southern states as well. If we’re talking about cocktails, then Long Island Iced Tea would be his go-to. However, he prefers to drink at home because he doesn’t have to call anyone to pick him up.

Favorite Souvenir: It’s stated that he likes collecting coins, so yeah.

Favorite Singers/Songs: This man loves Elvis Presley’s music, and no one can fight me on this. He’s a bit of a hopeless romantic, so he loves either Heartbreak Hotel or Can’t Help Falling in Love is his favorite song.

Favorite Movie: Romeo and Juliet, the one starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie’s great, the actor not so much. He’s a bit of a hopeless romantic, as I stated before, so he would very much like a Romeo to his Juliet. Mans wants to be in a tower with a window sill and he wants someone to be standing below to talk to in a romantic way.

Jade Leech

Favorite Country/City: He loved going scuba diving in the Mariana Trench, and since the Trench is located between Hawaii and the Philippines, I think he would love staying in the Philippines. The city he favors would be Boracay, even though it’s in the middle of the Philippine Islands and a bit further from the East.

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: His favorite dish is octopus carpaccio, and it’s kind of obvious that it’s Italian. He does enjoy Italian cuisine as a whole as well. However, if we are taking the octopus components of the dish, then I believe he would also be a lover of Japanese cuisine.

Favorite Drink: It is recommended that with octopus carpaccio, you should have a Pinot noir, and he agrees. However, if he’s just going to a bar, he would order a limoncello spritz. It’s typically a post-dinner drink, and he likes the lemon flavor along with the kind-of-like-soda, kind-of-like-wine game that the drink offers him.

Favorite Souvenir: He loves smaller, easily portable trinkets, so as basic as it is he loves collecting keychains and magnets. His favorite keychain is a shell that had a hole in it, and a small child actually handed it to him out of nowhere. He got a ring and attached it to his backpack.

Favorite Singers/Songs: His favorite song is 24 / 7 / 365, by Surfaces. It’s laidback, it’s chill, and he likes it. Songs that remind him of the beach are ones that he likes. He plays it when he’s attending to his terrariums.

Favorite Movie: Jaws, and none of the sequels. All the sequels suck. He has watched the first Jaws so many times that he sings along with Quint when he starts singing “Farewell and Adieu You Fair Spanish Ladies”.

Floyd Leech

Favorite Country/City: He wants to go places where he can do things whenever it strikes him. He would also want to go somewhere with clear water. Thus, I believe he would love to go to Tahiti. There’s a market, he can go scuba diving with whales and sharks, he can go surfing, he can go to the museum, and if he wants to stay in his hotel room then he can.

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: His favorite dish is Takoyaki, so I think it’s safe to assume that he likes Japanese cuisine. However, it is stated that shiitake mushrooms come from mountainous regions in China, Japan, Indonesia, and Taiwan, so he likes any dishes without the mentioned mushrooms.

Favorite Drink: As funny as it is, Sex on the Beach, as it’s a summer drink that he loves to enjoy on the beach. Also, he has the emotional maturity of a 7th grade boy, and the name was hilarious to him.

Favorite Souvenir: Two little figurines of a guy and a girl dancing with each other. They fit together in a way that was complex, making it a puzzle of sorts.

Favorite Singers/Songs: Either Laffy Taffy or Sneaky Link 2.0 are his favorite songs. This man is searching for his Mrs. Bubblegum. He is looking to be somebody’s sneaky link. He lives for drama, and no one can tell me otherwise.

Favorite Movie: The Meg, because who doesn’t love a giant, prehistoric shark that escapes from the gaseous layer at the bottom of the Mariana Trench? He has sharp teeth like the megalodon, and he likes the jumpscare where the shark jumps up.

Kalim Al-Asim

Favorite Country/City: He loves tropical areas, but he loved the Bahamas and the capital of Nassau the most. The resort there was great, and the people were very friendly. It was a laid back time, and it was not even a five minute walk to the beach. Plus, coconuts grow there apparently (correct me if I’m wrong), and coconut juice is his favorite food.

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: A lot of Thai food, specifically the desserts, use the flesh of the coconut, so I think I have substantial evidence to say that he does like Thai food. He would be very hesitant to try Thai curry, though… unless he had somebody to try it with him.

Favorite Drink: Piña Colada, doesn’t matter if it’s virgin or not. He loves the song that accompanies it as well. Anyways, the drink is a very fruit-filled drink. He thinks it’s the right amount of sweetness, so he loves to enjoy it.

Favorite Souvenir: A singular photograph, as he somehow found himself involved in a volunteer program and he took a picture with children from one of the villages he was volunteering at.

Favorite Singers/Songs: He also likes songs that remind him of the beach, and I stated that he probably likes the song Escape (The Piña Colada Song), but it’s not his favorite. His favorite song would be Celebration, by Maffio, Farruko, and Akon (feat. Ky-Mani Marley).

Favorite Movie: I have a feeling that he would love the movie Shrek. It’s funny, a lot of memes have been made from all the movies, all the sequels are great. What’s not to love about the movie(s)?

Jamil Viper

Favorite Country/City: He gives me a vibe that I resonate with on the historical front, so I would think he would like to visit somewhere in the Middle East, as that is where ancient Mesopotamia was. Specifically, he would love to visit Ur, in Iraq. Not only is it located in a desert (familiar territory), but it’s one of (if not the) first cities in the world.

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: Unlike Kalim, he loves curry, so that gives me reason to believe that he would enjoy Indian cuisine the most. Syrian food comes in second for him (I spend a lot of time at my friend’s Syrian house and they make good food… I’m hungry now).

Favorite Drink: This was difficult, but I feel like he would move towards margaritas, and not just because of the song. Because curry can be spicy, I would say he likes a spicy margarita as well. His favorite non-alcoholic drink would be a mangonada.

Favorite Souvenir: All the books he picked up to learn different languages. He learned along the way as well, and all of the books have annotations within them so he has them for future reference.

Favorite Singers/Songs: He likes breakdancing, so he likes any song he can breakdance to. I am not very involved within this genre of music, so after doing some research I have come to the conclusion that he would love the song The Witch, by the Bamboos.

Favorite Movie: Footloose, as it’s a movie about dancing and rock music being banned. He saw it because it looked interesting, and he learned the Footloose dance. Also, the song Holdin’ Out For a Hero makes him feel like he wants to be someone’s hero.

Silver

Favorite Country/City: Carrickfergus, as it holds the Carrickfergus Castle. It may be a Norman castle, but it’s because of the history (and the fact that he may be based off of both the Princess and the Prince and thus deserves a castle {personal opinion}) that he enjoys his time in the town.

Favorite Cuisine/Dish: This is the first time I’ve actually dove into investigating Silver’s likes and dislikes, and apparently he likes mushroom risotto, which is thought to originate from the Italian region of Lombardy.

Favorite Drink: He strikes me as the type to like wine, and not the bitter stuff. He likes sweeter wines, especially white wines as they pair nicely with the risotto he loves.

Favorite Souvenir: A journal, in which he writes about his many journeys around the world.

Favorite Singers/Songs: I think he is a Swiftie. That being said, his favorite song would be Love Story, as he is looking for his Juliet. However, he is not one of those over-excited fans who will tear someone up for saying they don’t like Taylor Swift’s songs. He will just judge them quietly.

Favorite Movie: Gladiator, partially for the plot, partially for Russel Crowe. It reminds him of the training he had to go through as a knight.

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hlficlibrary · 16 days

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Hey, do you have any fanfic recommendations where one of them is a farmer or similar?

Hi, anon! I love farm fics! If you ever want more, let me know! Here are some fics where one of them is a farmer...

That's What I'm Here For by @taggiecb

Louis Tomlinson is a dairy farmer on a tiny farm in eastern Canada. His wife of nearly thirty years has left him and his children are all grown up and out of the house. Louis needs help running his business but has no idea where to even start looking. Luckily for him his children know just the man for the job.

A Light Illuminated (Calling You Home) by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

Louis has inherited a farm from an uncle he barely knew. It's not in the best state, and he's facing the reality of having to let some of the workers go if profits don't drastically improve. It's not a nice idea.

Then Harry comes into the picture. A prince in need of a place to lay low for a while. It's a little awkward, and a lot unconventional, but he's paying well and Louis can't turn down the opportunity.

If only he didn't give Louis such conflicting feelings.

put the stars in our eyes by pinkgelpen

Louis is set to inherit the family farm after the death of his father, but after finding out that he needs to be married in order to do so, purchasing a nineteen year-old, mail-order husband named Harry Styles seems to be the easiest answer.

i'm not calling you a liar (just don't lie to me) by hazmesentir

Louis can't stop lying. Harry runs a farm. Somehow, he squeezes the truth out of him.

#ask #anon #ficrec #minificrecs #farm #farmerlouis #farmerharry #pinkgelpen #hazmesentir #taggiecb #ladylondonderry

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rerinko · 7 days

Text

There may be some slight grammatical errors i'm going to go back over it soon!

Chappell Roan “Good Luck Babe”: The song “Good Luck Babe” by Chappel Roan has blown up online. I personally love the song and I love Chappell Roan. I love seeing any sapphic media in general but especially lesbian specific media. One thing that has come along with the success of this song has been debates online. Debates about comphet, biphobia and lesbiphobia. I couldn't help but join those debates but I quickly learned short form comments aren't the best way to express your opinion coherently.

I saw this one video on TikTok that I can no longer find. It may have been deleted. In this video this bisexual woman on TikTok talked about how she kept seeing this idea that if you identify as bi but you're unfulfilled by relationships with men then you aren't bi. She also brought up how consistently marriage hasn't always been the best for women and just because she is straight doesn't mean a woman will be fulfilled by a relationship with any man. It's also biphobic to say so due those reasons. The lack of fulfillment I reference when talking about the realization that you are a lesbian is very different from the lack of fulfillment straight or bi women can experience in a relationship. A woman who likes men can be unfulfilled in a relationship with a man but that reason does not boil down to the fact that they are a man. If you are a lesbian a man could be perfect, they could provide everything, treat you amazingly, you could even have a good sex life and think you're in love but still no matter what there's something wrong. It's not him or his actions, it's the fact that it's “a him” in the first place. The reason why so many women never realize they're a lesbian is because it's so normalized to be unfulfilled in a relationship with a man. But being is a lesbian not just being unfulfilled with men but being unfulfilled with men in a way that you aren't with women. Straight or bi women have the ability to truly love and be fulfilled by a man. Lesbians do not. This is not to say every relationship is fulfilling. Just because you're with the gender you like, you like this person and you're in a relationship doesn't inherently make the relationship fulfilling. Relationships are complicated and many of them can bring more stress and pain to one's life than love and happiness.

I have seen many TikTok comments say comphet isn't a lesbian only experience and any queer people can experience and I simply do not agree. Lesbians are unique, it is the one sexuality that doesn't include men. The entire world is structured around men, this is a man's world. Women to this day in Canada and the United States can't get sterilized without their husbands consent. Realtors and car salesmen will automatically talk to the husband even if the wife is the one with the money making the purchase. When a woman gets married she takes her husband's last name. From a young age women are socialized to centre their entire life around men. From what we wear, to how we speak, even down to our interests we're taught to change it for the fancy of men. I grew up watching romance movies and I always wanted my own Prince Charming. It seemed like in every show I watched aimed at young girls the happy ending was the main girl getting the guy she wanted. We're never our own people. We are first the property of our fathers then our husbands. But isn't that the issue? When you're a lesbian there is no husband. There is no fairy tale ending, there is no Prince Charming, there's no man to stand up for you against misogynistic men in general. When you realize that you feel like a failure. You want to fit in. You want to talk with your girl friends about your boy crushes and gossip with them. You want to be one of the girls, you want to be normal, you want to like a boy. So you do. You choose one or someone just happens to be available and at first you like the attention. You like the butterflies because you've never held hands romantically before. You even think about him at night and imagine what your first kiss would be like. Then your first kiss actually happens and something feels wrong. You try again and again and nothing makes sense because you thought you liked him. Then you kiss a girl and it all makes sense. I wished I was bisexual, because I at least could've had a chance of marrying a man.

Men can be men. They don't need a wife, sure it's an add on but it's more like a trophy or an accessory they bare. Men can find success while single, they can be respected while single and they don't need their wives consent to do things. Gay men don't have to mourn privileges they will no longer gain because they are gay due to their gender. Men in general will never have to worry about so many things women do. Comphet isn't just being closeted it's about survival in society. It's about you being in denial because your entire life you've been shown there's only one way to be happy and that's to love a man and you'll never love a man. I'm sure all of these issues get even worse in more traditional cultures where men have all of the power making ability.

Bisexual women also face homophobia. I have spent much of this talking about bisexual women liking men but I do want to highlight the fact that bisexual women are also queer. Bisexual women share in the pain of being a queer women. They are often fetitzhed by men even by men they're in relationships and like lesbians assaulted due to the fact they like women. I don't think bisexual women are any less queer than lesbians but I do believe we go through different experiences. We both share the joy and pain of loving women but bisexual women will never understand the pain of not liking men.

Chappell Roan is a lesbian who makes songs about the lesbian experience. I've seen some people talk about the bridge and how they didn't realize it was about a lesbian and instead thought it was about a straight woman.

“When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night

With your head in your hands, you're nothing more than his wife

And when you think about me, all of those years ago

You're standing face to face with "I told you so"

You know I hate to say it, I told you so”

This commenter expanded by saying they just assumed it was about a straight woman who had lost her identity to her husband. I could understand how someone could come to this conclusion after one listen but I think after another few listens you can completely tell this song is about being a closeted lesbian.

This song to me almost feels like a secret summer love affair. One person wants to tell everyone and scream about their love from the rooftops and the other isn't ready to come out. They aren't ready to call what they have love because if they actually admitted it they would be admitting they never truly loved a man. They would have to come to terms with the fact they won't have a “normal” life, they won't have a nuclear family and no matter what not everyone will approve of them. These two people then split down two different paths. One accepts who they are but the other goes on to live a lie. They marry a man despite who they truly are and this bridge is the manifestation of the betrayal of your true self.

Someone's personal interpretation is different from the intended interpretation by the artist. Having your own interpretation is completely valid and it's one of the main things that draws peoples to art. But when art is made with a specific audience in mind actively speaking over those people and saying “oh well I think it's actually about this.” Is just whataboutism. Not everything has to be about everyone and you can relate to something without it being about you.

#feminist #comphet #lesbian #chappell roan #queer #lgbtq #lgbtq community #wlw #sapphic #feminism

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dre6ming · 2 years

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𐬺𐬻𐬼Masterlist𐬼𐬻𐬺

༻Tag list༺

⇧ If you want to be tagged click ⇧

Fluff ♥︎

Angst ♠︎

Smut ♣︎

If the links in the post don’t work try #dre6ming writes elvis / #dre6ming writes austin/ #the I stayed there series/ #the delicate beginning rush

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𐎼my imagination & me𐎿

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Austin Butler

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Series

~completed

You and Austin broke up three years ago and now fate has it that you two meet again, when you move back from college. He’s sorry for how things ended and you were never really able to get over him. So what happens?

I stayed there

Untitled chapter- coming soon

You are a 19 year old actress, on the way to success after an Oscar nomination and as you plan to take another step in your career by launching yourself into the music industry, you meet HIM, Austin Butler.

The delicate beginning rush

More in the series:

Introducing the reader

Teaser~ reader’s instagram profile

Fake news article about readers dating life

Headcanons: Austin x reader fight / Austin x reader dealing w/ paparazzi / Austin x reader relationship leaked / Austin x reader at the beach / Austin x reader cooking on live / How Austin and reader kiss

New articles:

- sparkling dating rumors

- Austin x Y/n headlines

- Austin x Y/n top 10 paparazzi stills

Imagines Masterlist - short stories in the universe

Actors on Actors - y/n x Austin interview

Instagram photo dump -instagram story following the series

⋘Playing for keeps⋙

Austin is the next in line for the throne, but he can’t be king if he doesn’t have a wife. In your country tradition says that a selection formed of 35 young women must be formed for the prince to find a wife. You are obligated by circumstances to participate against your will. What are the chances that you might be the next queen? None right? Right?

Stand alones

Just us two, even in a crowded room ♥︎♠︎♣︎

you are invited to the met gala and meet with an old costar, something lights up between the two of you and it starts the rest of your lives.

Have some respect ♥︎♠︎♣︎

you played Priscilla in the Elvis movie, but because you’re socially awkward you rarely interact with Austin and after a very intrusive interviewer asks a inappropriate question you two find comfort with each other.

Our very last kiss (part I) ♥︎♠︎♣︎

you’re a 21 year old actress and you get casted to play Priscilla in the new Elvis biopic. You fall for Austin, but it ends up that he only thought you were going method with him, so when filming ends so does your relationship. For him at least.

I’m a soldier who’s returning half her weight(part II) ♥︎♠︎

life isn’t just pain and unfairness, you just needed someone to show you that.

Starry eyes sparkling up my darkest night ♥︎♠︎

you are over at Austin’s house waiting for him to come home, when the storm outside causes a power outage. Austin helps you through your anxiety of the dark when he gets home

Help him shave -the delicate beginning rush imagine ♥︎♠︎

Austin comes to visit you, while you’re filming in Canada and you have a nice morning waking up next to him.

Out on a snowy night -the delicate beginning rush imagine ♥︎♠︎

You and Austin enjoy a nice walk out in the snow, cracking jokes and laughing, then all of a sudden Austin decides it would be a great idea to throw you in the snow.

Austin paints your nails -tdbr imagine ♥︎♠︎

Austin decides he wants to try and paint your nails, trying his best to do a good job, during this time he actually falls in love with one of your nail polishes and he lets you paint his nails as well

Bubbles & Bubbly ♥︎♠︎♣︎

Both you and Austin had a horrible day and he comes home with a small surprise for you. Then to relax you both enjoy a steamy bubble bath

Unconditionally and irrevocably in love with her- tdbr imagine ♥︎♠︎

Austin’s reaction to your surprise performance at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Elvis

A thousand flowers- tdbr imagine ♥︎♠︎ ♣︎

Austin is over, visiting you while you’re filming and he takes you out on a walk only for you to return to the perfect ‘at home’ date.

The Oscars- tdbr imagine ♥︎♠︎

After Austin wins his Oscar you go to the bathroom only to bump into his ex girlfriend, how will that talk go?

Kissing in the rain - tdbr imagine ♥︎♠︎ ♣︎

Austin wakes you up in the middle of the night to take you out on a rainy adventure that ends in a steamy way in the car

A ménage a trois - threesome w Olivia ♣︎

On set of dune II ♥︎♠︎ ♣︎

You go visit Austin on set of dune two and he gets a little shy about acting as a villain, but that is all forgotten once you work your magic

Kiss it better ♥︎♠︎

On the set of his new movie the bike riders, something bad happens and Austin gets protective of you

Be mine forever? ♥︎♠︎

How would Austin propose to you?

Wedding plans

Making wedding plans with Austin is so wholesome

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Elvis Presley ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁

Series

-completed-

Stage fright ♥︎♠︎♣︎

Bed fright ♥︎♠︎♣︎

Elvis met you working on his ‘68 comeback show, he feel for you instantly, at a celebratory party for the special he makes a move and you 2 become a thing. Later he shows you the Vegas stage and gives you and unforgettable orgasm to help ease his nerves

Stand alones

Angels like you ♥︎♠︎

you can’t stand to play the colonel’s fantasy and you can’t stand to see it destroy the man you love, so you run away. But years later you’re still caught up in the past, even as you are living a completely new life.

Lullaby ♥︎

no mater how tired you are, your brain won’t shut up and let you go to sleep, so Elvis helps you out

A dream ♣︎

Must listen songs

A well curated collection of Elvis songs that need more attention and recognition

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Timothee Chalamet ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁

Stand alones

I’m a soldier who’s returning half her weight ♥︎♠︎

Series

Chapter list up ⇧

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the-empress-7 · 3 months

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13081605/Prince-Harry-Meghan-seen-arriving-Canada-Invictus-Games-event.html

🤮 How many veterans were flown there by private jet tho? Asking for a friend

I have huge sympathy for the veterans, they really love the event, but they are also guiltier of allowing all this BS

I love how commercial flights are good enough for the blood born Prince but his D list actress wife will only travel on jets borrowed from others.

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pls-let-me-out · 3 months

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The Selection AU- 11th time’s the charm

Everybody knows Maria di Angelo. Everybody loves Maria di Angelo. And Nico, the only heir to all her messes, is sure he will forever live in her shadow.

When people look at Nico, they see Maria di Angelo’s son. And truly, there’s not much else to see. He sings beautiful songs, but hers were better-written. He does ballet, but her on-stage persona is impossible to replicate. He leads a lonely life, and people don’t know hers wasn’t much different.

Nico isn’t surprised when he’s called for Prince Will’s Selection. He half-expected it. So he goes to the Golden Palace where the Solaces live, and enters with his head held high. People don’t know who he is yet, all the feedback he’s received comes from the Academy of Arts, where he’s spent the last ten years of his life. He’s twenty now, and he will graduate in June. When he’s honest to himself, he admits to feeling scared of the future.

He isn’t the only student of the Academy who’s taking part in the Selection. There’s also Drew Tanaka, who used to be Nico’s best friend, in a time that feels very far away. They — Nico and Drew — aren’t the only students who had submitted to the process of the Selection, but they’re the only ones who have been chosen. It’s the Small Council who chooses the participant of the Selection, taking people from all across North America, which is partly ex-Canada and ex-US.

Nico sighs as he’s lead to his room. He feels weighted down, like someone’s placed an enormous rock over his shoulders. He should have known better than to let the Academy Headmistress, Alecto, submit him. His whole past will be brought up, he will be scrutinised in the worst of ways in front of the whole country.

Before he left the Academy — where he won’t return until Prince Will sends him home, or until the Selection finishes — Alecto gave him a letter from his father. Sitting on his bed, he turns it in his hands, without opening it. He hasn’t talked to Hades in almost a year, since his father went and moved to the Republic of Athens, on the other side of the world.

At the end, he doesn’t find the courage to open the letter. He places it in the nightstand and decides to undo his luggage. He’s doing great, until there’s a knock to the door. When it opens, a guy about as tall as Nico and with curly, brown hair stares back at him. He has brown skin, and a loopsided smile.

“Hi,” the boy says. “I’m Leo Valdez. It seems we’re suite-mates. I checked the other rooms, we’re the first to arrive.”

Nico gives the other a small smile. “I’m Nico.”

Leo raises an eyebrow, entering the room and closing the door behind himself. “Just Nico? I thought you’d have a surname. Are you a lord or something? You look kind of regal.”

Nico laughs. “I’m not. Di Angelo, by the way. That’s my surname.”

It’s the first time Nico has to introduce himself. Everybody knew who he was at the Academy, the same way as he knew everybody else.

Now, Leo raises both eyebrows. He has an expressive face. “As in Nico di Angelo the son of Maria di Angelo?” He lets out a low whistle. “That’s impressive.”

Nico shrugs, putting away one of his shirts. He had to buy clothes before coming, at the Academy he only ever wore his uniform and his dance-clothes.

“We’ll be meeting more impressive people,” he says.

Leo concedes. “True. What do you think he’ll be like? The prince, I mean. He always seems kind on the tv.”

Maria also seemed kind on the tv, and maybe she was, but Nico would always remember her screaming when Hades had to return to Persephone, his actual wife. Nico looks away. He can’t bear Leo’s hopeful eyes.

“I hope he will be,” Nico says.

On Sunday, all the contestants have arrived. Boys and girls alike, as per the prince’s preference. They are placed in the Tower of Dawn, in the east wing of the palace. At the ground-floor, there are the breakfast room, the music room and the relax hall, where they can simply spend their time doing whatever they prefer. There’s also a piano, which Nico approaches. He doesn’t have the time to brush his fingers on the keys, before Drew sweeps behind him.

“Di Angelo, spare me!” She says. “Not one of your depressed ballads again.”

A few people — who seem to have befriended Drew — snicker. A few others stare shocked after the revelation of his surname.

It’s not that Nico is ashamed of being a di Angelo. He just doesn’t go around telling everybody he is. But tonight, when they are presented at North America’s News with Piper McLean, the whole nation will know.

“You’re right, your sex-anthems are much better,” he replies.

Drew rolls her eyes. Truth is, Nico doesn’t mind Drew’s songs. He likes a few of them. Granted, none have been officially released, but the Academy is a small school, and everybody knows everybody’s work. Alecto even wants them to collaborate on something before they graduate.

“Don’t be a bigot,” Drew says, bringing Nico back to reality.

“So, you two know each other,” a girl named Annabeth will later tell Nico, once they’re having supper.

Nico almost scoffs. Know is too little a word to describe their relationship. Nico feels Drew like he feels his limbs, she’s been apart of him for the last ten years of his life. And Nico managed to throw it all away with a harsh decision.

“We go to the same school,” he replies instead.

Leo whistles, something he seems keen on doing, though it goes against palace etiquette. He probably doesn’t know, as Nico reasons.

“I bet her teenage years were a handful,” Leo says.

Nico grimaces. “So were mine. But it was fun.”

Partly fun, as he reminds himself. His teenage years are the ones in which he’s lost the most. He lost his Bianca. But they were also the years in which he ran up and down the halls of the Academy with Drew on one side and Rachel on the other, gossiping and sharing their deepest secrets and fears. Rachel is still friends with Drew, they’re still close. Nico wonders what they say about him.

A clap of hands, clearly to attract everybody’s attention. It works. Nico turns to the head of the table, to see a man on a wheelchair staring back at him, if only for a split second. Nico has a feeling he knows the man, thought he can’t place him.

“Good evening everybody,” the man says. “I am Chiron, and I will be your supervisor during your stay. Should you need anything, you come to me. I’m sure you’ve heard the rules already, but I will repeat the most important ones. If you abstain, you will be sent home. Number one: no getting physical with other contestants. By that I mean both fighting and having sexual intercourses.”

Nico blushes at Chiron’s words, looking away. He catches Drew’s eyes, who mouth at him, ‘Prude’. He clenches his fists, and brings his eyes back to Chiron.

“Number two: no relationship is allowed with the staff. By that I mean you cannot have physical or emotional attachments to any of the palace staff, guards included. Number three: what the prince wants, the prince gets. If what he wants is to send you home, you will be sent home. If he wishes to keep you here, you will be kept here. If he wishes to have time alone with you, he will have it.”

Nico’s ears start ringing. He’s sure Chiron lists other rules and explains how they will have to behave at the interview, but he’s not listening anymore. He can only think of rule number three: what the prince wants, the prince gets. Nico has never been put in a place where he couldn’t deny himself, but now he feels he’s faced with the harsh reality of life. Sometimes, there is simply no way out.

Dinner resumes, and dessert is brought to the table. Nico exists the room, leaving his new acquittances very confused. He needs air. He can’t breathe, and this damn shirt he’s wearing is too tight on the neck.

Finally, he reaches the glass doors to the gardens, but before he can even phantom what’s happening, his path is blocked by guards.

“You can’t go out at this time of the night, sir,” one says. He’s an Asian man, and for a moment Nico thinks of his father’s bodyguard, Frank.

“I need air—” Nico tries to explain. His voice is raspy, his eyes glassy. He doesn’t know how much longer he can resist.

“What you need is none of our problem,” the other guard, a woman, says. “We need to protect you. And that is what we’re doing.”

Nico opens his mouth again, but only a pained sound comes out.

“Let him through,” a voice comes from behind. “I order it.”

In his daze, Nico turns and vaguely recognises the figure he sees as Prince Will. He doesn’t care much, however.

The doors are pulled open and Nico steps outside. His lungs fill with air, more than he thought they could contain.

“I hope you’re doing better,” Prince Will says, evidently having followed Nico outside.

Nico startles. “I am. Your Highness. Thank you.”

His words come out robotic, but he means them. Without the prince, he would have probably ended up in the infirmary.

“You are the first contestant I meet,” the prince says, stepping closer.

Nico takes a step back, but all too soon his back meets a column’s marble. He’s trapped, and what the prince wants, the prince gets.

“Am I?” Nico says, more to himself than to anybody.

“Yes, I was wondering whether the quarters were of your—”

That is when Prince Will commits a mistake. He gets too close, too friendly, and Nico isn’t used to it. Alecto always told him: people will want to be you, or they will want to bed you. And Nico doesn’t want that at the moment, and there’s no other way out really. So he does the only logical thing: he knees Prince Will right between his legs.

#solangelo #nico di angelo #will solace #solangelo fic #riordanverse #solangelo au #riordanuniverse #percy jackson #rick riordan #percy jackon and the olympians

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aimeedaisies · 4 months

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Princess Anne’s visit reinforces Sri Lanka-UK bonds - Plaudits for hard work and modest outlook

Published 14th January 2024

By Pramod de Silva

The British Royal Family is changing their outlook following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II and amidst increasing calls for truncating or even abolishing the monarchy.

Indeed, gone are the days when the British Empire was known collectively as a region where the “Sun never sets” as its colonies were located all over the globe, from Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) to South Africa. Now there are only a very few British protectorates left, including the Falklands Islands. All others have either become Dominions with King (Charles III) as the titular Head of State (examples include Canada and Australia) or Republics with no sovereign ties to the British King, such as Sri Lanka and India.

A humble Princess Anne carried her own bags off the plane as she arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy LaurenceA humble Princess Anne carried her own bags off the plane as she arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

Yet, the British Royal Family maintains a measure of popularity in the so-called Commonwealth Countries, which are former colonies of Britain, even if their fame has taken a hit in the UK itself particularly following the death of Princess Diana, and the separation of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle from royal life. The couple has since been living in California, USA.

Queen Elizabeth II’s visit

Sri Lankans, for whatever reason(s), do have a soft corner for the British Royal Family, in spite of the mixed colonial legacy in the country. This was evinced when Queen Elizabeth II arrived here for the first time in 1954. This visit was significant for two reasons. The first was that Sri Lanka hadsaman gained Independence from Britain just six years earlier, in 1948. And Sri Lanka was still a Dominion back then.

The second was that this was one of the Queen’s first official overseas visits after her Coronation on June 2, 1953. She wore her Coronation Frock at one of the events in Colombo during this tour. She would go on to occupy the Throne for nearly 70 years. Her next visit to Sri Lanka was in 1981, by which time the country had become a Republic. But judging by the raucous reception she received wherever she and Prince Philip went, her popularity in Sri Lanka was intact.

In between those two visits, the couple became the proud parents of four children – Princes Charles (the present King), Andrew (Duke of York, though now mostly retired from Royal Duties following a string of scandals), Edward (Duke of Edinburgh) and Princess Anne, now known officially as Princess Royal. She thus happens to be the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth.

It is no secret that Princess Anne is the sibling closest to King Charles, ever-ready to steady the ship amidst the turbulent storms that the Royal Family faced in the years following the tragic death of Princess Diana in Paris in 1997. Her scandal-free life and easy going nature had endeared herself to Royal fans all over the planet.

This might explain the buzz surrounding last-week’s official visit of Princess Anne to Sri Lanka to mark 75 years of diplomatic links between the two friendly countries. Given the revolving door that is Number 10, one cannot imagine a better ambassador to mark this occasion than apparently someone from Buckingham Palace – and the hardest working member of the British Royal Family at that. Princess Anne has earned that moniker from the press thanks to her non-stop work for good causes around the world.

A royal expert has explained why the Princess Royal was chosen as the first member of the family to go away in 2024, as she was praised as being “invaluable” to King Charles. Richard Fitzwilliams said: “Princess Anne is an example of what the public most admire in a working royal, she is dedicated, conscientious and prefers a low profile and no fuss.”

First-ever Royal visit for 2024

Princess Anne began the second day of her Sri Lanka tour with a visit to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in KandyPrincess Anne began the second day of her Sri Lanka tour with a visit to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in Kandy

In fact, her trip to Sri Lanka gained international media attention due to several reasons, with magazines such as Hello! And People devoting multiple pages to the coverage, not to mention all mainstream British newspapers. After all, this was the first-ever overseas visit by any Member of the Royal Family for 2024. Princess Anne is no stranger to Sri Lanka, having visited the country previously in 1995, as a patron of the Save the Children Fund.

The media were quick to highlight the fact that Anne (73) and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence (68) flew on a commercial airline to Colombo, whereas they could have requested a Government Airbus A330 or other aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF). In fact, SriLankan Airlines, the only carrier which flies directly between London (LHR) and Colombo (CMB) could not hide its delight, posting on X under the headline “A Service Fit for a Royal”.

A SriLankan Airlines post said: “We are delighted to welcome onboard Her Royal Highness (HRH) the Princess Royal on her journey from London to Colombo on a three-day official visit to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the UK. It is truly an honour to extend Her Royal Highness and the delegation our inherent Sri Lankan warmth and hospitality, thereby presenting the first taste of our island home through our service. We thank the HRH for honouring us with her presence onboard and choosing us for the journey.”

Royal commentators and observers were also delighted to note that the couple carried their own bags, both at the points of embarkation and disembarkation. Princess Anne and Sir Tim’s down-to-Earth nature was displayed by them carrying their own bags onto the flight, the commentators said. One eagle-eyed royal writer even noted that one of her bags was from the French brand Longchamp’s La Pliage Line, costing just 115 Sterling Pounds, at a time lesser mortals like to show off bags from the likes of Louis Vuitton costing thousands of pounds or dollars.

A welcome ceremony at the airport saw the two Royals greeted by dancers, music, Union Jack flags and a red carpet. Princess Anne, sporting sunglasses, was received by dignitaries including the British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, PC.

Princess Anne and Sir Tim kicked off their engagements right away, heading first to the MAS Active Factory near the Airport, one of the largest apparel tech companies in South Asia and identified by the UK Fashion and Textile (UKFT) Association as an important Sri Lankan partner. As President of the UKFT, the Princess Royal met staff and toured the facility to hear more about their innovative designs and partnerships with leading UK brands.

Princess Anne, Princess Royal signs the golden book after she arrives for a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka at the BIA in KatunayakePrincess Anne, Princess Royal signs the golden book after she arrives for a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka at the BIA in Katunayake.

Letter from King Charles

The couple also met President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prof. Maitree Wickremesinghe at the President’s House. Her brother King Charles had outlined “considerable challenges” that the world is facing in a letter delivered by Princess Anne to President Wickremesinghe during this meeting.

The Royal Couple also got the opportunity of meeting former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on this occasion. She was the incumbent President when Princess Anne last toured the island in 1995. Royal watchers praised the Princess’s modest outfit worn to this important event. Hello! Magazine described her outfit in this manner: “Putting on a colourful display, the Princess Royal asserted her sartorial prowess in a ravishing red shift dress adorned with blooming pastel flowers. For an additional pop of colour, the royal added a berry-red lipstick, balancing her ensemble with a draped cream scarf and white gloves.” Another royal watcher said that her white gloves worn at the event were a subtle nod to the legacy of her mother.

Princess Anne, with her lifelong affinity to the Save the Children Fund, also took time off her busy schedule of meetings to visit its offices in Colombo and inquire into their programs in Sri Lanka. After unveiling a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of Save the Children working in Sri Lanka, she gave an impromptu speech to staff and guests at the charity’s Colombo HQ.

Princess Anne said: “It’s a real pleasure to return to Sri Lanka and the chance to visit Save the Children’s (headquarters) and underline the fact you have been doing extraordinary work here for 50 years.’ And I know, because when I came before it was slightly different, things have changed a lot. But the very fact that you are here and seen as valuable partners to the Government and the departments – that says a lot for what you’ve achieved…So a big thank you to all those who have been part of that journey, thank you all very much.” She also visited the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) in Colombo.

Princess Anne paid her respects to the Fallen Heroes of World Wars when she laid a wreath in their memory in Colombo, during her first visit to a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery in the Jawatta area as the organisation’s President. They also visited the nearby Vajira Pillayar Hindu Kovil, where Sir Tim dashed a coconut to ward off bad luck. Chief Priest Sachithanantha Kurukal went into the shrine to conduct the pooja as Princess Anne and her husband watched, and they later toured the temple viewing the many shrines to Hindu Gods.

The Royal Couple then left for Kandy, where they paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha at the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Dressed in white, Princess Anne was ushered into an inner sanctum, reserved for the temple’s most important guests, to make her offering to the Sacred Relic in private.

Princess Anne engaged in a friendly conversation with Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike KumaratungaPrincess Anne engaged in a friendly conversation with Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

Later, the couple travelled to Jaffna, where they toured the famous Jaffna Public Library, which was burnt down by mobs in 1981 and then rebuilt to reflect its former glory. The couple toured the library “where they heard of its significance to the community and met key figures from the fields of education, arts and culture,” said the British High Commission in Sri Lanka. Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, called the building “a landmark of great significance”. “This important moment marks the first visit by a member of the Royal Family to Jaffna,” he added.

The library was one of the largest libraries in Asia and housed over 97,000 unique and irreplaceable palm leaves books (ola), manuscripts, parchments, books, magazines and newspapers, before its destruction in 1981.

The couple had several other engagements in Sri Lanka before they flew back to the UK after a highly successful visit, which reinforced UK-Sri Lanka ties. Several more events will be held in 2024 to mark this milestone.

Princess Anne’s Sri Lanka visit is her second official engagement of this year, having returned to duties on January 4 to attend the Oxford Farming Conference.

The King and Queen are also set to fly overseas later this year. The couple are expected to visit Canada in May, before flying to Australia, New Zealand and Samoa in October.

As for the Prince and Princess of Wales, they too will be preparing to return to Royal Duties in the coming week, which comes after the family celebrated Princess Kate’s 42nd birthday on Tuesday January 9.

#a lovely summary of an excellent trip 💗#princess anne #princess royal #tim laurence #timothy laurence #sri lanneka

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graceandfamily · 4 months

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Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco with Canada's Gov. Gen. Roland Michener and his wife in 1967. Photo by Tony R. Wagstaff.

#princess grace #prince rainier #grace and rainier #1967

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princessmadafu · 1 year

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Eagerly awaiting Spare 2: The Chamber Pot of Secrets

Now that the media furore has died down a bit and we've all had time to think, what can we say about the Spare?

Well, first of all, I'd say Harry has been set up.

Again.

And he's too dim to see it, because he's being told (by someone in particular and probably a few other hangers-on as well) that "his truth" is important. And he believes it. Harry's "truth" has been filtered by money-grubbing bottom-feeders, and now H prefers to believe that "their truth" is "his truth"; that they love him more than anyone else; and they know what's best for him.

So:

(1) Harry can't distinguish his truth from reality. We've known this for a while, but so many new *facts* coming out... it's really taking the pee-pee. "Harry's Truth" isn't the same as facts. A fact is a piece of information that can be proven to be true; it stands up to rigorous scrutiny, especially by rigorous professional fact-checkers, who quickly noted that bit about the XBox, of which I freely admit I know nothing, but even I managed to check it out on the internet in about ten seconds. Did nobody fact-check Spare? Oooh, apparently not. Why not? And King Henry VI... And the Queen Mum's death... and the rest of it. Which leads us on to:

(2) Harry took (and is possibly still taking) Class A drugs and assorted forms of happy-juice, even to the point of stoking himself up on the wife's gas as she prepared for labour, which is despicable. He's such a feminist he took her meds for her!!! A**hole. I gave birth three times (homebirths, without meds; Princess Madafu wasn't around at the time so I did the painful "manly" work of squeezing babies out of my bum all by myself...) and I just want to deck Harold for interfering with his wife's meds. But drug use messes up your brain, Harry. So do grubby compliant therapists, by the way, who are rubbing their hands in glee at all the $$$ you hand over - they're on to a good deal and it's not in their financial interests to sort you out by Month 6 of Therapy when they can trick you into Year 6 of Therapy... or Year 16... or Year 26...

(3) He's envious of William and Catherine. This shines through. His older brother married the love of his life, a woman who has devoted herself to her man and the RF and between them they've produced three gorgeous well-grounded little ones and a firm base on which to take the RF forward. The Prince and Princess of Wales have learned from the mistakes of the unfortunate previous generation of royals, whereas Harry is now an "Oh dear" in the footnotes of the monarchy. And this leads us on to:

(4) Harry has no respect for Charles and Camilla. The Queen Consort is and always has been Charles's lighthouse and security from the storms of public life. Charles should never have been pushed into marrying the naive teenager Diana, but that's how it was back then - that's how history works! Charles was expected to marry a blushing virgin bride he hardly knew. Harry, aren't you glad you were allowed to marry a several-times-up-the-maypole divorcee? You learn from history, right, so that you don't repeat the same mistakes. Of course that involves being aware of history, which Harold isn't; he's only aware of how time healed his frostbitten todger and saved it for someone who could use it to her advantage. Over-sharing, Harry! Please shut up! Nobody wants to know! And then there's:

(5) Harry has no respect for the British Public. Or the Commonwealth. Or the army. Even enemy soldiers have families; mothers, fathers, wives, children - they are not chess pieces to be removed. Personal remembrance: my Gt-grandma's brother was KIA in 1916; my Gt-grandad served in the same war but never spoke about it; my Grandad served in WW2, never spoke about it - he showed me his medals, once. Once. Once only. The only things I remember him saying about the war were the "safe" bits - that he spent some of it in Canada training Canadian troops and got to see Niagara Falls, and mailed all his chocolate rations back to his wife and infant son. My late brother in law served in the Coldstream Guards, never spoke a word about how many men he'd had to shoot; he took all that to his early and leg-amputated death. What happens in the army stays in the army, Harold; it's not for personal validation.

(6) He hates the British Media. Supposedly because his mother was killed by paps (in France; not British paps) when the world knows she died because she wasn't wearing a seat-belt in a car that crashed at speed driven by a DUI driver. Oh and he also hates the British Media because Meghan is Diana.2 and... wait, what? No she isn't. She wants him to believe she's Diana.2. If it's not drugs doing his head in it's Megadiana. How many paps have tried to run Catherine off the road in a tunnel in Paris? How many paps have tried to take topless pictures of her - ooh, there was one, but it wasn't in Britain, I'm pretty sure it was in France and the magazine was sued for it, so not in Britain then. Not British Media. Not British paps. And let's not forget that Diana was more than capable of manipulating the pap shoots she wanted... remind you of anybody?

(7) He still has mummy issues, decades later. This is just not normal for a grown man. I'm sure Harry loathes being compared to his brother but what the heck, I'm going for it! Two young boys, both suffering from the untimely loss of their mother. Yet William doesn't have mummy issues, or at least if he does he doesn't hang them out to dry for a voracious public airing. It's no good saying that Harry is more sensitive, he's not - he just hasn't grown up, and those around him are keeping him trapped in the net of mummy issues instead of allowing him to mature into the adult he should be; he's not the man he thinks he has become. And I still keep coming back to why, so let's move on to:

(8) His therapy isn't working and he needs a proper psych evaluation. The people he thinks are helping him just aren't. They are milking him for the cash cow that he has become. The RF and whatever PR they use appear to have done everything to protect Young Harry from this, right down to convincing us that he was a high-spirited Jack-the-Lad, fond of a little tipple but devoted to his country and the army veterans he served alongside. Take away the RF and the carefully scrutinising PR machine, and he is ripe for the plucking. And boy, is he being plucked. Every last feather.

Now this next one is a bother:

(9) He can't see his own hypocrisy, has zero empathy for anyone, and cannot see how "his truth" - his own words - can damage others. Others including his own mother, his father and step-mother, his wider family, his army colleagues, the wider British public who are all a bunch of racists, apparently. Harry has a lot of short-comings. No doubt there'll be "Spare 2: The Chamber of Secrets" and he'll blame his short-comings on his frozen todger, but the lack of self-awareness is pathetic. He cannot see his own failings, refuses to take responsibility for his own actions, and blames everyone else. So what can we say? Is he really so stupid? Or is he in some sort of "Cult-Of-Himself" delusion, promulgated by his Feather Pluckers?

(10) The awful wife wears Harry's man-bits and is conspicuous by her absence, as she journals and squirrels away evidence for her divorce lawyers. Yep, I think we're all agreed on that one!

My personal opinions only, as they say in reputable circles.

Love and peace.

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bookshelf-in-progress · 4 months

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A Guide to the Stories Posted to This Blog in 2023

Fairy Tale Retellings

Without Words

Word Count: 2,117

Point of view: First-person present tense

Summary: A retelling of "The Six Swans" focusing on the moment when the heroine's refusal to defend herself from murder charges forces her husband to sign her execution order.

Purity of Mind

Word Count: 679

Point of view: Third-person past tense

Summary: A retelling of "Bluebeard" in which the husband returns home to find that his wife doesn't remember marrying him.

The Golden Shoe

Word Count: 1,333

Point of view: Third-person past tense omniscient narrator

Summary: A gender-flipped retelling of "Cinderella", written in fairy tale style, about a princess who must search to find the man she loves with only a shoe to prove his identity.

Length of Years

Word Count: 1,596

Point of view: Third-person past tense

Summary: A "Rapunzel" retelling where Rapunzel doesn't escape the tower, and has been waiting a very long time for her prince to return.

Loving Memory

Word Count: 5,480

Point of view: First-person present tense

Summary: A retelling of "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" and "Alleleirauh" where a prince must uncover the mystery surrounding a strange woman who needs his help to find her lost love.

Original Fantasy

In Chains

Word Count: 1,373

Genre: Non-magical fantasy

Point of view: Third-person past tense

Summary: In an occupied nation, a priest who conducts illegal marriage ceremonies meets a young man whose request for help may endanger his mission.

A Song of Starlight

Word Count: 3,564

Genre: Non-magical fantasy in a world much like Victorian Europe

Point of view: Third-person past tense

Summary: A violinist falsely accused of the theft of a star finds that losing his position offers an unexpected opportunity to bring his music to a different stage.

Stars and Shadows: A Fairy Tale

Word Count: 2,021

Genre: Original fairy tale in a contemporary setting

Point of view: Second-person future tense

Summary: Going outside on a snowy night provides an opportunity to protect a mysterious child from the dangers of the dark.

The True Story: An Epistolary Novelette

Word Count: 9,955

Genre: Contemporary magical realism

Point of view: First-person epistolary with four narrators

Summary: After returning home to care for her injured grandmother, a woman's hunt for a book from her childhood puts her in contact with a shop that claims to provide books that exist nowhere else in our universe.

The Sylph in the Storm

Word Count: 2,847 (story unfinished)

Genre: Historical fantasy set in 1880s Canada

Point of view: First-person past tense

Summary: After a mermaid is lost in a storm at sea, her human guardian receives help from an unexpected source.

#the bookshelf progresses #fairy tale retellings #if you were wondering this comes to a yearly word count of 31005 #or if we cut out the golden shoe because that's a repost from previous years #it's 29669 words

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grits-galraisedinthesouth · 5 months

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FYI: Funding of the duo while royals

The financial year for the Sovereign Grant is 1 April to 31 March. The Sovereign Grant is funded from the income, after operating expenditure*, from Crown Estates (all of the income is given to the government, and the government then allocates a percentage, about 25%, to the sovereign to spend on funding the official work of the monarchy). The duo announced their engagement in November and got married in May. So, for 4 months, the monarchy was saddled with funding TBW from a budget that had not allocated any funds for her. However, her demands, via hapless, for bodyguards and transport (she was already living free from paying rent on a Crown Estate long before the engagement) preceded the engagement, and once she got the ring on her finger, she expected to have free rein to spend and spend (even once they could accommodate her with funds from the Sovereign Grant, the SG did not expand so every penny she spent took money 'away' from other working royals). This is where the ridiculous story about 'no money for her' comes from.

Charles did have income from the Duchy of Cornwall. I am not sure what the dates for the financial year are, but it would probably be a similar story other than that this income was considerable and Charles could allocate the funds as he wished among himself, his wife, and his sons. I suspect that it is these funds that the duo thought they should have unbridled access to, and when Charles tried to put the brakes on, offence was taken. They must now be filled with bitter resentment that all that income goes to William. Charles knew this would happen one day and the duo would become an Edward and Sophie (but with a much less grand home). The duo probably thought short term and wanted to loot as much as they could while they could.

They ran off to Canada in about November, did some brief appearances in January and then effectively were gone. But the SG funded them until 31 March. They effectively were given a generous 4-month paid holiday. As for Charles funding them from the Duchy of Cornwall, they were not entitled to any funding after Megxit was officially announced, but they got full funding from Charles up until then, when they were on 'paid leave' living for free in Canada with bodyguards paid for by the British public ... It also seems that Charles dipped into his personal wealth and gave them a large sum at the time of Megxit as well, sort of as a farewell gift:

"them "a substantial sum" to support their transition to financial independence.

Duchy of Cornwall accounts show that the couple - along with Prince William and Catherine - received £4.5m between April and June 2020.

"That funding [then] ceased," according to a spokesman.

From NuttyFlavor Blog

#nutty flavor blog #Sovereign Grant #Duchy of Cornwall #show me the money #megxit #spare us #sparry #revenge

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hlficlibrary · 3 months

Note

If you could only read 5 fics for the rest of your life wich ones?

Hard I know hahah

Hi, anon! So I gave this some thought and I think what I have to go with are the five fics I reread on a fairly regular basis. I am just not someone who generally rereads many fics. There are fics that I love that I've only read once. But there's something about these five that bring me back to them again and again, whether that's comfort or a pang of emotion or the ability to sweep me away.

Moon Dances Over by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

Louis knows that his tail is, frankly, stunning. His iridescent blue scales shimmer in even the slightest sunlight, and his fins have grown since he presented, delicate and almost transparent in their webbing.

He also knows that that means he’ll be one of the first to pick tonight, as the most beautiful omegas are blessed to pick their mates first. It’s considered a huge honour, since the guppies they’ll eventually birth will certainly be beautiful as well, bringing favour on the whole clan.

Louis has a stubborn streak, though. He’s always been rather a fan of mating for love, and there’s someone he’s had his eye on for a long time now.

a body wishes to be held & held by @turnyourankle

Harry wants to return the favour after Louis helps him out with his heat.

the sanctity of patience by @scrunchyharry

When young Lord Harry was chosen by King Louis of Bavaria to become his husband and prince consort, Harry thought all of his dreams had come through. His illusions came crashing down when he understood it meant living in isolation in the alpine castle of Neuschwanstein with a husband who turned out to be far from what he had hoped for.

His illusions vanished, Harry will have learn to appreciate what has and even, perhaps, fall in love with his imperfect husband and his castle.

That’s What I’m Here For by @taggiecb

where the lights are beautiful by twoshipsdrifting / @polkadotlou

Harry wasn’t wrong about that, not in a general sense. Lots of omegas did seek out rich alphas and betas, hoping or planning to go into heat at the right time. Plenty of omegas saw this as their duty, especially if their families weren’t well off. Worse, Louis couldn’t honestly say he’d never thought about it. If that had been his life, his goal, Louis would feel pretty good about himself now. As it is…Louis feels like shit.

Or the accidental bonding a/b/o fic.

#ask #anon #ficrec #minificrec #ladylondonderry #taggiecb #scrunchyharry #twoshipsdrifting #turnyourankle

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justforbooks · 27 days

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Lynne Reid Banks, who has died aged 94, hit a jackpot with her first book, The L-Shaped Room (1960), the story of an unmarried middle-class girl, Jane Graham, who takes a dingy room in London to hide her unwanted pregnancy. The novel was a cracking read that caught the cusp of a momentous change in social attitudes. Its profile rose even higher when it became a film in 1962, with Leslie Caron playing its heroine. It sold in its millions and never went out of print.

This success was both a blessing and curse for Reid Banks. In the decades that followed, she published nine further novels (two of them sequels to The L-Shaped Room), two award-winning volumes of biographical fiction on the lives of the Brontës, two books about Israel and numerous books for younger readers. But nothing she wrote ever matched the acclaim for The L-Shaped Room.

Reid Banks was a dramatic and dynamic woman who lived her life with gusto. If the slights of the literary world sometimes hurt her, they never quenched the energy and passion she brought to her work. Stories flowed effortlessly from her pen, characterised by lively dialogue, well-crafted plots and compulsive readability.

The Indian in the Cupboard (1980), a children’s book she wrote for and dedicated to her youngest son, Omri, came closest to her first success, in sales, translation into 20 languages and transformation into a Hollywood film in 1995. That pleased her. But in the same year, she expressed outrage that her longstanding publishers had turned down her latest adult novel. She nevertheless found another publisher and received considerable praise for Fair Exchange (1998), a book she dedicated to her friend Norma Kitson, whose remarkable struggle against apartheid in South Africa infuses its story.

Lynne was born in Barnes, London, the only child of a Scottish doctor, James Reid Banks, and an Irish actor, Muriel (nee Marsh, who went by the stage name Muriel Alexander), and began her education at a Catholic boarding school. At the start of the second world war, aged 10, she travelled with her mother and a cousin to Canada, which she thoroughly enjoyed. On her return to London, she went to Rada, and thence began acting in provincial rep, like the heroine of The L-Shaped Room.

It was during this period that she met and enraged the young John Osborne, whose first wife, the actor Pamela Lane, was her close friend. Osborne’s letters revealed not only his dislike of her, but the probability that she inspired one of the main characters in his own first success, Look Back in Anger.

A combative streak in Reid Banks got her into spats all her life. But she was no less forthright in her judgments of herself than of others. She did not hesitate to call herself a failed actress, failed playwright (of several plays) and failed television reporter, before her true career took off.

In the doldrums, she began writing freelance journalism, and when she went to interview the head of the embryonic ITN for the Radio Times, she also talked him into employing her. She thereby became one of the first two female reporters on television in 1955. This did not satisfy her for long, however, as (she claimed) they only gave her “the rubbish” to do. When she complained, they put her into a cubbyhole and set her to work writing scripts.

Bored stiff, she began using ITN’s stationery supplies and time to start work on her first novel. She later recalled how the newsreader Reginald Bosanquet would read a page off her typewriter in mocking amusement. But the laugh was on Reggie when the Evening Standard later ran the headline: “ITN girl sells film script for £25,000.” The real sum for The L-Shaped Room was £20,000, but that was still princely in those days.

She was not happy with the film, which changed the book’s story. It was a hit, but it took her 30 years to forgive the director, Bryan Forbes. It also infuriated her that people assumed she had written of single motherhood from personal experience, rather than imagination. Although on the crest of a wave of fame, money and success, Reid Banks left the country and did not return for a decade.

She had met the man whom in 1965 she was to marry, the Israeli sculptor Chaim Stephenson, while he was visiting Britain. She was not Jewish, but she went out to Israel and loved it, becoming an Israeli citizen. The couple lived on a kibbutz near the Sea of Galilee, and their three sons were born there.

It surprised but delighted her, soon after her arrival in Israel, to be asked to leave her hot, tiring work in the vineyards to teach English to a class of children. She threw herself into this new occupation with zeal, relishing the chance to use her acting skills, and achieved outstanding results.

But as the years went by, she missed Britain, and in the early 1970s she came back, the family settling uncomfortably at first in the London suburbs, but later living happily in a farmhouse in Beaminster, Dorset, and later still settling in Shepperton in Surrey. Her output of books for children continued (she produced many sequels and series), and she travelled, gardened and wrote for newspapers.

Chaim died in 2016. Reid Banks is survived by her sons, Adiel, Gillon and Omri, and her grandchildren, Daniel, David and Paloma.

🔔 Lynne Reid Banks, writer, born 31 July 1929; died 4 April 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #lynne reid banks #in memoriam

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ingek73 · 3 months

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In Canada, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Remind the World of Their Impact

As an Invictus Games alumni tells T&C, the Sussexes make you “feel seen and heard.”

BY EMILY BURACKPUBLISHED: FEB 17, 2024 10:00 AM EST

GETTY IMAGES; DESIGN BY MICHAEL STILLWELL

Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their roles as senior working royals in 2020, drama and public discourse surrounding the couple have ebbed and flowed, from their sit-down interview with Oprah, to Harry’s memoir, Spare, to their attendance at King Charles’s coronation. But over the three days they spent this past week in British Columbia, the world was reminded of the power the couple has for bringing attention to causes that matter to them.

And there’s no cause that’s nearer and dearer to Prince Harry’s heart than the Invictus Games. “These last few days have been very, very special,” he said at the visit’s penultimate event, which was held at a local community center. “Every single one of you inspire me, and you inspire us, every single day.”

KARWAI TANG

The Duke and Duchess at Whistler Sliding Centre on day two of their three-day trip.

Throughout their packed itinerary in Whistler, Squamish, and Vancouver, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent time meeting with the wounded and injured veterans who were learning winter adaptive sports ahead of next year’s Invictus Games, as well as with members of local First Nations communities. Wherever they went, it was typically Prince Harry who deviated from the meticulously planned timetable. When they were scheduled to spend 15 minutes on Whistler-Blackcomb mountain meeting with the athletes, they took 45, because Harry had to speak with everyone (and try out sit skiing). One skeleton run at Whistler Sliding Centre quickly turned into multiple, because the Duke of Sussex just had to go again.

As Mike Bourgeois, an Invictus Games alumni who spent time with them on this trip told T&C, “You’ve got a timetable, and we’re in that timetable, standing by ready to go and leap into action. And the first veteran that Harry is able to catch their eyes—the schedule is just out the window. He’s devoted to getting down on his knees and looking an athlete in the eyes and asking about how their experience is,” he says.

Bourgeois, who competed with Team Canada at the Invictus Games at the Hague, was back—along with his wife, Lori—to serve as an ambassador for the Games at the One Year to Go events this week. “We’re nobody,” he says with a self-deprecating smile, “just one of a thousand people that work to support the foundation and the Invictus Games. But the Duke remembers us. If you’ve met [Prince Harry], and you’ve interacted and you’ve talked about your experience as a veteran, he remembers—a year or two years later, you just pick up the conversation, which is pretty astonishing.”

He continues, “Yes, they’re briefed on a daily basis about who they interact with. But the nuances in the conversation, you can’t fake that. The best way I can describe what the impact is of their involvement is: You feel like you’re seen and heard. You’re not lost in the woods, you're not insignificant.”

KARWAI TANG//GETTY IMAGES

Bourgeois stands with Meghan as she borrows his phone to snap a photo of Harry. Lori stands at right (in a matching Invictus Games beanie).

Harry and Meghan’s ability to keep their attention focused on the cause was all the more notable given recent criticism of the couple. After a story published in the Telegraph this week suggested that the Sussexes had “three days to prove they can behave,” their spokesperson issued a statement to the Mirror: “We’ve heard time and time again that certain opportunities are make or break for the couple. They’re still here. They’re still working and pursuing what they believe in, despite constantly being challenged and criticized. This couple will not be broken.” And in an interview with Good Morning America, Prince Harry did not dwell on any family conflict. He spoke briefly about his father, King Charles, saying, “Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”

The Sussexes’ dedication to their work was evident throughout their time in Canada this week, and Prince Harry was clearly in his element amongst fellow veterans. “We are talking about the royals, there’s a lot of protocol involved,” Bourgeois says. “But when you get into fellow veteran environments, it's like: We’re his people and he’s our people. A little bit of the armor can be shed when you're together because it’s a safe space.”

For Major Joanna Labonté, who competed in the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf with Team Canada last year, the support that Meghan and Harry bring to the wounded and injured veteran community is powerful. “Considering my injury, for a long time, I felt very powerless and invisible,” she told T&C. “I feel like they’re shining a light on us—the military members who have struggled, who have felt a lot of uncertainty in our future. And they're saying ‘Your journey is just beginning, it’s not over. Yes, you’re releasing from the military, but you’re just beginning this brand new phase of your life. And you matter.’”

Labonté continues, “We really genuinely feel like we matter to that lovely couple. Healing through sport is something significant—I've seen it in myself, in my teammates. It's the real deal.”

“We really genuinely feel like we matter to that lovely couple.”

Every Invictus Games participant that T&C spoke with this week said a version of the same thing: The games have changed their life, for the better, and Prince Harry and Meghan are a notable part of that. “The Invictus Games have gone a long way helping my recovery—they have helped me mentally, physically and emotionally,” Peacemaker Azuegbulam, a competitor from Nigeria, says. “Before, I was worried [about] how to cope with my life with the new condition that I’m [in].” (Azuegbulam lost his left leg when his army unit came under fire.) But when he got to the Invictus Games, he says, “It makes me feel good. It makes me feel loved.” Prince Harry later spoke about Azuegbulam, calling him, “quite remarkable.”

JEREMY ALLEN

Chief Sparrow is second from left, at the Hillcrest Community Centre.

This week, too, wasn’t just about the Invictus Games community, but about the First Nations that the 2025 Games are partnered with. At a wheelchair curling event of the week, Chief Wayne Sparrow of the Musqueam First Nation and Wilson Williams of Squamish Nation gave a traditional welcome, and land acknowledgement (a message acknowledging original Indigenous inhabitants of the land who have often been displaced). When Harry spoke, he shared, “Thank you to the four First Nations for allowing us to be on your territory.” He and Meghan also spent time with First Nations communities this week, at the Squamish Líl̓wat cultural center, and Mount Currie Community Centre.

“When we met the Duke, he said, ‘I want to learn more about reconciliation,’” Chief Sparrow tells T&C. “That meant a lot to me: The very first time I met him, for him to [say] he wants to learn and then [ask] how we can move forward together—that is something that I brought back to my community. That’s all part of the reconciliation and the wrongdoings of what happened. We can’t dwell on the past. We have to move forward, as a society.”

ANDREW CHIN//GETTY IMAGES

Meghan and Harry take a photo with an athlete.

After the final event concluded at Hillcrest Community Centre, Prince Harry came up to the small group of reporters, including myself, that had been at every event of the week. He thanked us, joked about the cold, and despite his antipathy towards the press in the past, it was clear there was genuine appreciation for the media attention on the Invictus Games.

In that moment, it was hard not to think of Princess Diana. Harry’s warmth, and his ability to make those around him feel seen, is directly reminiscent of his mother—as is his ability to use his spotlight to highlight the causes that matter most to him. In just 72 hours, the impact of Harry and Meghan became clear.

This year marks the 10 year anniversary of the Invictus Games, and next year’s event will be its seventh edition. In Prince Harry’s remarks closing the week, he spoke directly to the Invictus competitors, saying, “I know how much you love to serve. In many instances, you live to serve.” He finished with a promise, outlining the duty both he and Meghan feel to the community. “We will continue to serve,” he said, “and to inspire people up, down, around the country and around the world.”

#prince harry #meghan markle #duke of sussex #duchess of sussex #invictus games #vancouver #first nations #canada

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