IT SHOULD NOT BRING HER JOY to have him search high and low for her, but she feels superfluous within the walls of her own home and freedom is so intoxicating — even when all she uses it for is to wander aimlessly. still, part of her knows there is never any true danger, and for that she is grateful to him, even when she will not voice it. « and next time you may not find me at all, » she teases as her face cracks open to reveal a grin. she turns on her heel compliantly, ready to be escorted back to her golden cage. it's the same dance every time and yet they dance. « well, you are not here, for one. and i enjoy this little game of ours. you are getting quite good at it, ser. »

there's a subtle amusement in her demeanor﹔the kind that causes his nostrils to flare. he'd been paid to do far worse than watch over an unwieldy and spoiled princess, and yet . . . the king's abundant coin felt lacking. perhaps there was no amount of gold that would make watching over eden worth it. "is that what you desire ?" he questions exasperatedly, "to be lost forever ?" he couldn't understand her restlessness beyond his own personal desire to be unchained. yet, eden had all she could ever desire in those castle's walls. only harm and pain would befall her in these streets. "this game you insist we play will have us both killed." ⸻ "you wouldn't last a week, your highness." perhaps a cruel assessment, but so was this capital city.

HE IS NO STRANGER TO BEAUTY, but often as a fleeting thing he keeps at arm's length. it is much too dangerous, running the risk of attachment for something so trivial, and yet he sees something past that in aeryn —  and whilst peering behind that veil will only reveal tragedy down the road, blaise is only a man. they bite as they entertain him with an answer. the mercenary can't help but grin at that, but there's the dull pain of knowing why their defenses are up in the first place. blaise knows little about this lord, but from what he's gauged he is not a warm man. « i have been employed to keep your lord and all that belongs to him safe, » he drawls carefully. « but you will not trust me easily, will you, aeryn ? »

as she takes a better look at the male before her, there's no denying a sort of rogue handsomeness to him. like a sly fox, he offers a treacherous grin. the kind that calls to something in aeryn's soul ⸻ something that died a long time ago. or so they had thought. "i suppose you'd like me to express my gratitude." it's not a question but a mere assessment. did he know he kept them trapped to his fortress' walls ? her fingers move to grip at the letters, a slight tremor at the fear of arriving too late. they offer something that resembles a half - smile at mention of that word. trust. that was something she hadn't given anyone since falling into the lord's ownership. "and what do they call you ?" questions instead of answering his own. "so that i may thank you properly for my protection."

        UNTOUCHABLE FACE. modern technology is a great thing, especially how far virtual reality has come. with ‘nexus programs’ anyone can connect their brain to a small chip and be fully immersed in their video game world. whether it be a fantasy world, racing, or one of those popular shooter games! and that’s how muse a and muse b meet. and they quickly realize that it really is fully immersive. bonus points if they know each other in real life, but don’t know who’s playing the characters.

Dracula: A Love Tale (2025)

LEO SUTER as HARALD SIGURDSSON VIKINGS: VALHALLA (2022-) | 2.02 “Towers of Faith”

EMMA. (2020)  Dir. Autumn de Wilde

DESPITE HER LUCK AND PRIVILEGE — that she knows full well she possesses — eden finds no tranquility within her castle walls. it's why she's taken to wandering outside of them, cloaked and light on her feet as she manoeuvres through the narrow streets of the capitol. it is fascinating how all of this, a reality so different from her own, can exist so closely to her home. the princess is enjoying this newfound freedom when a heavy hand lands on her shoulder, and whilst she's been told many cautionary tales fear is not something she feels easily. besides, even though he is quite new in his position, she knows the touch of aslan now. she turns to face her guard, expression stoic and unmoved. « took you long enough, ser. »

gods, she was going to be the death of him. aslan hadn't stepped away from guarding her chambers for more than a few moments before she'd managed to slip away again. tracking her down wouldn't be difficult ⸻ no, the knight had done it dozens of times before by now. he pinpoints her slender figure as it moves down the street, a calloused hand finding her shoulder almost instantly. nostrils flair at her expression. the princess certainly was smug. "you managed to get farther this time," he huffs, sweat beading on his brow. it's clear he'd run after her. "tell me, princess, what is so important outside the castle walls that you feel the need to run to it nearly every night ?"

HE KEEPS HIS DISTANCE; it's a necessary precaution when he leads the life he does. blaise is only human — he's not immune to his own emotions, but he does a good job of acting it. this job pays well and from what he's gauged from the size of the estate, the richly decorated rooms, the number of staff waltzing around, the lord that runs it all guards a considerate wealth. he wonders what it'll take to topple him, if it's worth the fight. he's prowling the courtyard, bored in a way that seldom bodes well for anyone. he swings his sword around, cutting through imaginary enemies, when his blade stops a hair short of a dark - haired beauty rounding a corner. blaise stills, sword retracting as he regards her. his head dips into a polite nod. « my apologies, my lady. » his lips curl into a smile at the sight of the petite figure in front of him. « you are the one they call aeryn ? » he questions, though he knows very well they are. has kept half an eye on them since he arrived. it's hard to look away.

it was not out of the ordinary for aeryn's lord to hire mercenaries for added protection. most of the men surveilling these grounds were lawless brutes﹔ones she took great lengths to avoid. nothing but trouble could come from those guided by coin . . . especially when they were trained to kill. so, aeryn keeps their head down as they hurry through the courtyard while clutching their lordship's letters. still, she manages to run into a particularly aimless sellsword ( one who had captured their attention before ). can't help but scoff at the sight of his sword retracting back into its holster. perhaps he was just bored. never had she been addressed as a lady ⸻ no, aeryn's lord never bestowed that sort of kindness. "and what of it ?" they reply indifferently. hues raise to meet his, and aeryn swears their heart misses a beat.

The Count of Monte Cristo (2024) dir. Alexandre de La Patellière, Matthieu Delaporte

BRIDGERTON season 2 

LIZZY AND THEO THE BUCCANEERS 2.04 — Ice Cream

     ୭  THIS PACK IS FREE AND ACCESSIBLE THROUGH A ZIP FILE.

17 May, 1932 The Letters of Vita Sackville-West to Virginia Woolf (1924-1941)

The Count of Monte Cristo (2024), dir. Alexandre de La Patellière, Matthieu Delaporte

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, from “Carmilla”