Historical figures Blog spot.

In honor of the release of Katie Hamstead (aka Ozz from Typelings)'s new book : Kiya: hope of Pharaoh The Typelings are hosting a blog hop where they asked what person from history would you like to meet and why?

This question is actually right up my ally because while I write fantasy my first love is probably history. now I have to admit that the first person to jump in my head was Martin Luther, if you have ever discussed Christian theology or philosophy over a pint (or three) of beer you know why, seriously this man had was crazy passionate and like any good German he liked his beer.

But then I thought and realized that they said any person in history that meant one person: Vibia Sabina the wife of emperor Hadrian. (may his bones be crushed.) Most people only know that Hadrian built a wall, but he was a charismatic emperor who probably stayed off the fall of rome for several years to come, and he was one of the five good emperors.

But Vibia, I find her fascinating  First she is the empress of Rome, possibly one of the most powerful women of her time. and yet as far as we know she and Hadrian never had sexual relations. How do we know that? well because Hadrian was for the purpose of this discussion a homosexual. We can discuss the ins and outs of his relationship with his lover Antonius somewhere else.

Now just think about what this meant for Vibia. she is married to the most powerful man in the empirer, she is living in an extremely patriarchal society which means that as a women you marry and have kids. What kind of things were said behind her back? How did she the change from what she may or may not have thought her life was going to be? Did she know before their wedding night or did it become a surprise? Was she reviled that she was now safe from the threat of dying in childbirth or did she lose her dream of being a mother? did she play the game of sleeping around behind her husband's back- not that he would necessarily care so long as no one else found out, or was it through in the raising of her fosterson Trajan.

I want to know how this women dealt with the people who 'joked' about her lack of children. How she dealt with Antonius, how Antonius dealt with her. She is hardly more then a foot note in history but She was a women with hopes and dreams and an unattainable job: to give an emperor an hier when the emperor shunned his marital bed. Seriously I want to read her diary.

Well that is it, be sure to watch out for Katie's new book, if I get ahold of a copy there will be a review here, eventually. So till next time God Speed.

well that went well

and I kinda disappeared from the blogger world, didn't I. it makes me sad I was really liking the a-z challenge and having a lot of fun writing it. well good news is I will still be writing it. So Hopefully you all will like to see how it ends. but as of now it will not be the only thing on my blog. My desire is to get back to posting five days a week. Starting with this little announcement:

I'm Pregnant

Yes that is why I've been a little out of the loop lately.  I've been tired, grumpy, nauseous, and well sometime annoyed. this week my baby made the level up from a pea to a blueberry. he or she is due December 4th...ish, cause yeah figuring that out is not an exact science. And the baby code name is baby Mog.

I'll keep you some what updated, or let you in on some of my confessions about being pregnant.  But that is all I have to talk about today. till next time God speed and open roads. 

G is for Spinning Gold

(Demitria here is your Rumpelstiltskin tie in. I am almost caught up so expect another post latter today.)

{Pervious Posts: A, B, C, D, E, F}

Lilli was gazing out towards the bell tower. what if the task from the queen was undoable? the tower was so ver high and yes she may always have enough wool to make into yarn but it would take so long. what if she was an old maid when she finished, what if she couldn't climb out of her prison. 

A noise made her turn her head. A cripple was at her spinning wheel. He slouched as he tapped the throttle, the wool flowed smoothly from his fingers. Lilli covered her mouth catching the sob that rose in her throat when she saw him. 

"Spin spin spin," he mumbled  "Must spin the golden net, the only way the only way." his voice was cracked with sorrow and madness. "Spin gold spin spin spin." 

"Papa?" she managed to say. she had not seen him sense he had left to find a way to break the curse on her mother. She had heard, but the sight of him broke her heart. "papa." she knelt beside him. 

"wool becomes gold, spin spin spin, can't stop, the only way." 

she put her hand on his, "Papa please."

"No no no," He said, "can't stop, only way, wool will absorbe it, make her live again." 

Lilli closed her eyes, The queen had given him a task too. what mockery, to spin wool into gold. it was said of the small kingdom of tres that hey could spin straw into gold. Yarn, lace and knitted garments where the main export. The fibers harvested there was finer then any other. Queen Invida had turned her mother to a golden statue, and her father was driven mad trying to break the curse. "Please papa stop. How did you get here?"

He ignored her, and continued to spin mumbling to himself. 

Lilli shook her head, desperate to find a way to unlock her father's mind, to free him of his madness, but there was nothing. but the song danced in her  mind. the song her mother sang. without really thinking much of it she started to sing. "Mother spin your circle red weave a web of glowing thread, Earth air fire and water, bind us as one." 

The words touched her father, and somewhere in his mind the king was woken. he looked at her really seeing her, "Lilli?" 

Lilli jumped into her father's arms as she had as a child. "Papa!" 

They wept together, one spell broken, and two left to break. 

(Next post: H is for Hope Renewed)

F is for The Fairest of them All

(Okay Post two for the day, my way of trying to get caught up. hopefully some of the misery will be Cleared up.)

(Previous Posts: A, B, C, D, E)

Roselyn, Princess of Primos kingdom hung by her ankels in the middle of one of the torture chambers Queen Invida had created after taking over the castel. she could see the remnants of what the tower had originally been, her school room where she, her sister, Gwen, and her brother, Charles learned their lessons. The old telescope was still there, broken. The Tapestry from which they memorized their family history still hung on the north wall. so many pieces of their lives before queen Invida had come into their home.

Now dried blood replaced the carpet, on the table a collection torture devices replaced the collection of lesson books, and then there was the mirror, beautiful and nearly pulsing with magic. Rosey could see her reflection in it, gently swaying back and forth from her bounds.

The surface of the mirror rippled and the most beautiful and deadly women Rosy had ever known stepped though. her skin was bronze and an her cheeks rosy. her brown hair was perfectly dressed and her gown perfectly accentuated her perfect hour glass figure.

"well." said Rosy gathering as much snark as she could, "If it isn't the Fairest of them all."

Queen Invida smiled showing off her prefect white teeth, and snapped her fingers. The bounds released and she fell.

Rosy fell with a thump. She could feel new bruises forming. "I'm sorry did I make you mad?"

Invida continued to smile and waved her hand. Rosy was flung back against the stone wall. "why would you think that?"

Rosy got up slowly, "If this is you happy I would had to see you though a temper tantrum."

The queen held out her hand, "I want to show you something." Rosy felt the magic cloud around her and then forcer her to the queen's side. "Look."

Rosy couldn't turn away from the mirror. There lay her sister on a bench an apple lay on the ground next to her. Invida cast her hand over the glass and the image changed this time of Cindy crying in the dark. more images showed themselves on the surface of the mirror, Talia asleep, The dwarf Urgar standing over Scarlet, and Henry trapped in a bell tower in a monstrous form. She saw each of them, Lilli, Edward, and Richard.The spell wore off and Rosy buried her face in her hands.

Invida let the girl fall, "You see child?" she said smiling, "how can I be angry with you, you failed."she snapped her fingers, "now if you will excuse me I have some important plans to finalize  your brother's wedding is tomorrow after all. I thought I would let you watch before your execution " the chains that had held Rosy aloft were once again at her ankles. they drug her close to the wall instead of suspending her from the ceiling.

The mirror rippled and Invida was gone. Rosy took a long breath then whispered, "That sure took long enough."

(Next post: G is for Spinning Gold)

E is for Even Fall

(So I am so bad at this. so very bad at this. life went crazy. So I am going to try to catch up by posting more then once a day. this makes my blog go a little crazy, but hey that is the way life goes so here we go. I hope you like this part and can figure out who each of these characters are reinterpreted from)

(Previous posts: A, B, C, D....)

The light was fading and the shadows were lengthening, Even fall was at hand. Hunter stopped  in a small clearing and listend. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply and made contact with his wolf companion. Smells and sights came to Hunter as if he was himself a wolf. The wolf stopped at a sound, horses, many horses, and riders.

Hunter opened his eyes, “they’re close.”

Scarlet stood near him hugging her Red hooded cloak tightly around her. “How close are they?”

The wolf trotted to Hunter. Hunter knelt and put his hands on either side of his friend’s head. “We can’t out run them.”

Scarlet looked up a the fading light. “I can feel the moon.”

“Those men are doing nothing more then their orders.” he said.

“Are you saying that all of Queen Invida men are enchanted like you were?”

Hunter shook his head, “They fight for her for many reasons, some are acting out of their own free will, others surve for the promises she offered, others are threatened, only a few are placed under her magics.”

Scarlet breathed deeply feeling the power of the moon calling her soul, already she could smell and see things clearer then before. “The we should run, we are wasting time and Rosy’s Sacrifice.”

Suddenly there was a crash in the forest before them. a large bear came crashing through the trees. The wolf growled and Hunter was on his feet with arrow drawn.  The bear saw them and stood to it’s feet.

“Oz?” asked Scarlett.

The bear nodded, and then headed off back into the forest. Hunter, the wolf and Scarlet hurried after him. Oz lead them down a path. The wolf ran next to Oz. He was suddenly carried off the path by a hidden trap. He yelped and thrashed about. Hunter went to help his companion only to find himself caught in a different trap hanging upside down from a tree branch. The Oz came back to help but Fell clawing at the blue stone that was embedded in his shoulder.  Scarlet caught up to them just as a Dwarf came out from behind the bushes.

“I thought ye’d come this way.” He took out his pipe.

 Oz Growled.

“dead?” The dwarf snickered. “Never trust some one to stay dead when you don’t make sure of it first.”

“Scarlet get out of here.” Said Hunter

The Dwarf held his staf out towards her, “I wouldn't do that missy, the guards should be here soon.”
Scarlet watched the dwarf carefully, she could hear the queen's men coming.  Hunter hung from the trees, Oz writhed on the ground, and the last rays of sunlight were extinguished. Her hand went to the ruby broach at her neck.

“Scarlet no.” yelled Hunter.

(Next post F is for the Fairest of them all)

D is For Dreamer

(Okay so I had something very exciting happen this week, I'm sorry that it meant that I got behind again. I hope everyone likes this part of the challenge better then last part.)
(Previous Posts: A, B, C)

Talia was in her little cottage. The little place where her parents had hidden her away when they believed a dark power was going to come after her. She sang as she danced around the open room. She heard some thing outside, and ran to the window. There dismounting from his horse was Prince Richard, the second son of the king of Primos. She ran out to greet him. They kissed and birds sang. It was all perfect.

Too perfect. Talia stepped back from Richard's embrace.  She noticed that the colors were wrong. They were too bright too radiant.

"Richard," She asked, "where are we?"

He smiled,"We're home you silly." He went to embrace her again.

"But the queen..."

"She's dead," he said, "You see, we're safe the kingdoms are at peace."

"But how?"

"Exactly the way we planned it." He assured her, "Don't you remember?"

Talia thought for a moment. "The rain storm, and the tree, she fell."

Richard smiled again then embraced his princes, "Yes." He patted her hair, "It's all over."

"And we can live happily ever after?" She asked clinging to him.

"Most defiantly."

She closed her eyes and sighed, breathing in his smell, cinnamon and saddle wood. She opened her eyes so happy, and that was when she saw the humming bird. It buzzed from one flower to the next. Darting from one bloom to the next, but something was wrong. She'd seen that before... She stepped away from Richard and moved closer. It saw her and hovered looking at her. Talia held out her hand and the bird alighted on it for just a second then flew off to another plant.
She looked at Richard, "This isn't real."

"what are you talking about."

"This is a dream."

"Now you are just being silly shell I go find your mother?"

"What are you talking about?" She asked.


"She's inside." He pointed back to where the cabin was but now it was the door to her mother's Drawing room in he palace. They were no longer in the woods, they were in a hall of the castle.

Talia backed away. "This can't be real. My mother is dead, Richard you know that."

He opened the door, "Are you sure?"

Talia peeked inside, her mother sat on her chair with her embroidery while her younger brother and sister played with a top on the floor. her mother looked up Talia stepped through the door, "Talia my dear." She stood and took her daughter in her arms.

"Mother," She cried as she buried her head in her mother's gown.

(Next Post: E is for Even-fall)

C is for Cinders

(Demitria is awesome to have caught the Rumpelstiltskin themes in yesterday's story, however no one got the who yesterday's princes is. today's is really easy thought. enjoy and God Speed.)

(Previous posts: A, B)

Cindy blew on the coals, cinder-soot flew back up in her face,  as she survived. she had never know such cold before. These small cinders were the only source of heat in the dungeon. Tears fell as she tried in vain to warm her fingers.

This was worse then before. Before she had slept in the small cupboard under the stairs. sure it had been cramped, yes she had had only little mice for company and was showered with dust each time someone walked down the stairs but the cupboard was next to the kitchen with was always warm.
The queen was the cause of this. all her new misery.only months ago she had met Charles the only son of the king of Primus. they had fallen in love. and when they learned about the queen's evil plan to take over the five kingdoms She and Charles had joined his sisters, Gwen and Rosy, to fight against her. Now Charles he must think she had abandoned him.

And what was worse was that her step mother had agreed to ally with Queen Invida. Cindy was still in the beautiful dress that had once belonged to her own mother. it was tattered now, smudged with soot and dirt. Her hair which had been in beautiful trestles was now tangled and greasy.
The door opened Cindy raced towards the light, but once again she had forgotten the magic chain that weighed next to nothing yet pulled her foot out from under her. She cried out as the chain bit into her ankle and she fell.

"Silly pathetic cinder girl," said her step mother as she placed a covered plate on the small table. "Enjoy your dinner." She walked out. The chain went limp and Cindy could once again move freely about the room. Under the covered plate Was something soft and feathery. there was also what felt like a candle.
Excited to have her own light she rushed back tot he smoldering coals and lit it. in he dim candle light Cindy shrieked. She ran back to the little table putting the candle down she took the little white dove in her arms, "No no no no!" she sobbed.

It was the White Dove that Cindy had first seen in the tree which sheltered her mother's grave. It was there every time, from the time when she was small and her father took her their almost every week. She knew it ha to be a magical dove.

No one else thought it could be the same bird over the course of the years, but she knew it was. Just as she new that the little, cold, and stiff bird cradled in her arms was the same dove. It had been this dove that on the night of the ball almost a year ago led her to the secret chamber where her mother's cloths were safely hidden from her step mother and sisters.

Cindy cried her self to sleep in the dim cinder light that night.

(Next Post : D is for Dreamer)

B is for Bells

(points to Randi lee for figuring out that Gweniera is Snow White. today a new character is introduced  this one is a little harder and is the combination of three Fairy tale characters. let me know in the comments if you can figure it out.)

(Previous Posts: A)

The Bells chimed in the far off church towers. Lilli put aside the soft wool she had been working with and rose from her seat at the spinning wheel. She walked to the western window of her tower prison, and placed her hand against the cold stained glass window. there were four such windows in her tower. between them all she could see all of the land that made up five kingdoms. Five kingdoms which were fast becoming one.

Queen Invida of Quint had started her work long before she became the second wife of the king of Primus. And it was a long time before anyone believed Rosy when she said her stepmother was  a witch. Everyone thought she was just upset at her father for remarrying. Then there was the murder attempt on Gwen, Rosy's sister.

Along with all their allies Gwen, Rosy, and Lilli worked to stop the queen. But she was stronger then they were. Lilli knew that best. She had watched as Invida had poisoned her father's mind till he no roomed mad in the woods. Her mother imprisoned in gold.

There had been a time when they thought they were winning, like when Hunter w freed from the power fo the witch. But now things looked grim. Their more powerful allies were scattered. Rosy in the queens' dungeon, Cindy was locked up by her step mother, Talia was lost, and Lilli was stuck in this tower. The worse part was that every day on the hour she could hear the bells.

The man she loved was under his own enchantment there. Stuck in his abnormal form the priests where the only ones to have pity on him. Prince Henry, first son of the king of Primos, whom she had fallen in love with over the course of their many years playing together as children, was now under a terrifying curse and locked in a bell tower.

She sighed deeply and turned back to her work. Lilli was the one who discovered the moster Henry had been turned into.  She new him at once, he had fled from her. Lilli followed him to the cathedral only to find that he had locked himself away, and now was the hidden bell ringer.

Crying on the steps of the cathedral was where Invida found her. Desperate she offered to do what ever the wich queen wanted to save Henry. With a wicked smile invida brought lilli to this tower "Spin." the queen had said. "spin yourself  rope to climb down from then only then Can you even hope to save him." then she was gone without a trace. Every morning there was wool, and every day lilli would spin till her back ached.

"Wise one spin your circle black..." Lilly sang as she worked. "Weave the wisdom that we lack, moonlight, sunlight, starlight, shimmer, bind us as one.”

(Next Post: C is for Cinders)

A is For Apple

(I know I am a day behind but hopefully I will caught up by monday)

It was the most beautiful Apple Gwyn had ever seen; shiny, red, and deadly. It sat on the pillar in the center of the garden prison. The garden was filled with beautiful plants but make no mistakes it was a prison. Gwyn had come in following what she thought was the sound of Edward in trouble. I stead she discovered it was only a mocking bird used as bait to lure her into the labyrinth. She had tried for sometime to escape but she now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt the Labyrinth garden was enchanted and forcing her to this spot.

There very center of the maze where the ivory pillar stood with a single red apple on it. Gwyneira the princess of the kingdom of Secundus was now a captive of her step mother, Queen Invida. They had tried so hard, she, Rosy, and the others. But at the moment when Gwyn stepped into the center of the maze she knew they were beat. As soon as she stepped out of the opening the hedge grew up behind her. There was no new exit to try. It was over.

She could hear her step mother's words from almost a year ago, "Die Gwyneira or I will destroy everything you hold dear." That was after the huntsman had let her go. Gwyn picked up the apple. Rosy, Lilli and Cindy were captured, Talia was lost, It had been too long sense she had heard from Scarlet, Hunter, or Oz. She wondered if it was even worth hoping that Edward, Henry, Richard and Charels were even still alive.

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. it was over and she had won. Gwyn took a large bite from the apple and chewed. as she swallowed she sat on the bench and then a few moments latter she fainted. a blue bird flew to her shoulder to try and wake her, but Gwyn had become a still as stone.

(Next post: B is for Bells

(I'm going to be continuing this story thought out the Challenge. Can you figure out which fairy tales I am using? God Speed and Open Roads)

In Honor of Carl Robert Cole

Today was suposed to be the start of the A-Z challenge, and I still am planning on taking part in that but I think this is more important at the moment.

Saturday, March 30 2013 we laid to rest our Patriarch Carl Robert Cole, my Grandfather. he was 86 years old. he leaves behind his wife of 64 years, 10 children and their spouses,  37 grandchildren (9 of whom are married), and 21 great-grandchildren.

Needless to say it has been an emotional week filled with tears and surprising enough laughter. My grandfather was a good man and was loved by many. it was a moving service as we remembered his life, what he meant to us and his legacy.

My grandfather was many things, a WWII vet, a returned missionary, a temple worker, a hard worker, husband, father, teacher, and Musician. He left us a legacy of Hard work, service, education, love, service, and music.

I can talk about the many memories I have. memories of when he came up to help my dad build our house. when he and my grandmother came up to help my mom when she had the twins. but all of them add up to this single truth, I loved him and I will miss him. I count myself lucky to have had him as my grandfather. I am so glad I was able to make it down to the funeral to morn and reminisce with my family during this period.

And I simply want to end today's post with the Prayer of Simon which I had stuck in my head all weekend:

Lord you have sent your servent free
To go in peace as you have promised
For these eyes of mine have seen the savior
You have promised for all the world to see
A light to enlighten the nations
And the Glory of your people Israel

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever Amen